I haven't been blogging much lately because there hasn't been much to blog. The highlights, then:

I have secured some work in the newsroom at CTV... mostly writing. Variable hours. But, work is a good thing!

Some big changes in the works for StockPhotosOnline.com -- more details on Monday.

It finally stopped raining!

Ordered a borderguard outfit from eBay. Got hosed with brokerage fees, taxes and duties. Methinks there is an economic Berlin Wall at the 49th parallel. And the Canadians built the bleeding thing.

My annual Parade of Lost Souls bash is only 2 days away. Hopefully someone will bring a digital camera. I'd buy one, but I'm saving my pennies for an iPod. :)

Blah blah blah!

Everything old is new again!

Today I return to the newsroom of CTV Vancouver (ex-VTV) for the first time since last winter. Today is but a 4 hour "training" shift... and for some reason, I'm Mr. Anxiety. I suppose its just going back into the pressure cooker... and I'm also sure that at 6:31pm I'll being going "I stressed for this?!"

1:15 minutes remain before I have to be there, so I best start heading. Tales of survival to come!

Cheers

What is with the rain?! I guess mother nature has been saving it up all summer. For days it has been raining -- and hard. Near record setting amounts daily -- like 85mm, which is something like 3.5 inches. A DAY!

Here's the CTV story.

The forecast calls for much more of the same. Personally, I like the rain. I love the sound of it, the freshness of it, and how it chases away the bongo players. I have all the windows open, and the sound of rain hitting the fallen leaves is like natures little concerto. Love it.

People ask me: "How can you stand all the rain?" And I answer: I'd rather be a little wet with the windows open than dealing with blizzards. In the winter, all I need is a fleece and maybe a raincoat. Yeah, it's pretty tough.

I see the iPod now can be fitted with a little microphone... sweet! I think I will be getting one of those babies soon!

Cheers!

Buy lots of border pictures!! Check out BorderPhotos.com!

When I travel, I love trying new and local food items. Plus having traveled to Europe so many times, I have also become a huge (literally) fan of the european meat and cheese and bread breakfast... especially Felix Sinep mustard... the best mustard EVER!

Just thought I'd share that.

Perspective. It is often a hard thing to keep. Or to keep things in.

I say this because today I remembered perspective. The day began as usual at 6am, after a fitful night of sleep. The reasons are many and are unimportant. It basically comes down to the negative side of being self-employed.

By 6:45, I was at the local coffee shop, pumping caffeine into my veins. Before me sat some of the images from the Great Baltic Border Expedition. I was looking over 5 rolls of the 19 I had developed yesterday. The first thing that stuck me was how lucky I am. I've said this before, usually after returning from the third world. But this time, I mention it because of all the places I've managed to visit -- and the interesting people I've had the chance to meet. Pretty cool thing to be doing at this stage in life.

Then I went to the "Dog Beach" on the western side of the city (near Vanier Park!). I was their with my friend Joan and her dog Ella. Sitting there on a warm October day, with the mountains, the city and the sea all competing with the dogs for my attention. Stunning.

And now, its barely Noon. There is a long list of stuff to do. And this is the payment for being to lead such a free life. Not necessarily freedom from crap -- there's still lots of that (my lack of sleep is but one example) -- but the freedom to enjoy life a little more.

Joan was thinking that maybe she made a mistake quitting her full-time job. Often I have though that myself, until I open my eyes and just enjoy. After all, if you can't find enjoyment in what you're doing, then why do it?

Like I said: it's all about perspective!

Or it's the sushi I'm about to feast on...

I finally picked up the rest of my pictures from the Great Baltic Border Expedition. The cost for this final batch? $512! But all for a reason: not only does the dialogue with National Geographic continue, I am firm in my belief that all this material will find a home in the publishing world.

Check out my website www.homepage.mac.com/dougmurray for the best of the latest 19 rolls. They'll be posted over the next week.

I also think its time to create a real web presence for my pics. If you're a web expert, email me!

More less-than-glowing reviews of the new Toronto television station Toronto One. Read this one from the Globe and Mail's John Doyle.

Fall is definitely here. The ground is covered by a carpet of fallen leaves, the nights are cool and foggy, and the shorts have been put away. Damn! But still, no rain. Although that is due to change this coming week.

There was some positive fiscal news last week: I sold items to both the Georgia Straight (Hockey NIght in Belize) and a feature on Ice Climbing to CBC Television. Hammer, hammer, hammer!

There was some sad news for hockey fans today: The closure of a wood hockey stick factory. Children's entertainer Fred Penner, known for his rendition of the song "The Cat Came Back," has his cat stolen! Have you ever read the lyrics? Not very nice!

It's bad enough that sea-doos & jet-skis (personal water craft) have managed to turn a nice day on the lake/sea to something akin to sticking one's head in a beehive -- now there is another threat to the calmness of the open water: The Jet Board.

New border pictures are up on my website. The newest pages (at least 6) are at the bottom of the list on the main menu.

Also some pictures from Copenhagen! YOU MAY HAVE TO REFRESH!!

News item of the day!



Cheers!

Believe it or not, there are still new over-the-air television stations being launched in Canada. You'd think that the advertising pie would be getting darn thin these days. But apparently not.

The Craig family have just launched a new local station in Toronto. I get it on satellite, and it looks very much like a cross between Entertainment Tonight and Toronto's existing "hip" channel, Citytv. But "Toronto 1" isn't getting rave reviews. In fact, they're pretty bad. This will do wonders for morale!

In other news, my Belizean music pal Ivan Duran made it into the New York Times today. Read it here!

Guinness Murray. I like it.

Can Al Franken Tonight be far behind?