Journey through the past

Hello once again, all...! It seems this afternoon I have a little time to myself, so - having thought things through while on my morning walkabout, I've decided to shift gear somewhat and take you on a journey through the past:

Tah-dah! Yes, it's my old demo reel from the far-flung year 2000! It's funny now, seeing this old demo from so long ago: there are several sequences included here (the high-contrast, black-and-white clips) that were actually part of a project where viewers would use a pair of special glasses that would break up the white signal into the full spectrum of colour... and also extend the image into people's peripheral vision to further the sense of motion. Some of these clips were later recycled into the opening title sequence for the North American version of the TV series, "Queer As Folk" (which can be seen here).

For a bit of added fun, I edited in some audio clips from the films "Withnail & I" and "It Came From Hollywood". Oh, and apologies to anyone trying to view this from Germany - apparently the audio track ("Scream in Blue", by Midnight Oil) ran afoul of the German authorities at some point or other a few years back - but just so you don't feel left out, I'll include a short stop-motion PSA I worked on last summer with the kids at Artheart in Toronto:

It was a simple enough premise - using vintage Micronaut toys (from my very own collection), a pile of Lego bricks, a rickety old camera (and some even more rickety old lights and tripods), we put together a Public Service Announcement illustrating the perils of street racing. The kids worked hard, we all had fun, and in the end they were quite happy seeing the fruits of their labour. It might be a little "rough-around-the-edges" as videos go, but from my point of view it was a triumph... especially insofar as this marked the first time any of those children had tried their hands at animation!

Can You Spot That QR Code Guy?

Taken by Peter Jones, February 2012.

Well, I know I'm always asking people to send in any photos they may have snapped of me while walking about town, but today I thought I'd post one taken by Peter Jones during Lisa Horvath's SMWTO presentation last month. If there'd been any more people in the frame I might've been tempted to turn it into a "Where's Waldo?"-style contest!

Thanks once again to all my faithful readers for helping make this blog an ongoing success. It's always a treat to see that people are indeed reading the posts (and on occasion, following through to my Twitter feed). I've met one or two very interesting people in the last 24 hours, both on the streets of Toronto and online, so I'm feeling fairly optimistic about where this campaign of mine is heading... and I hope to have more to report on those encounters in the near future.

For Stalking the Job, this John Currie - That QR Code Guy - signing off. And remember folks... I'll see you around!

As (soon to be) seen on TV

Greetings faithful readers - it's been a busy past couple of days, but as my machine is currently otherwise preoccupied this evening cranking out final renders for Craig Shouldice (of Shouldice Media), now is as good a time as any to update you on my one-man guerrilla marketing campaign:

Monday saw Stalking the Job once again hitting the streets, having finally shrugged off the worst of last weeks' late-winter cold. It was a real doozy, I should add; not only did it sideline me for the better part of a week, I also managed to transmit it to my wife Elizabeth (who seemed to get it even worse than I - sorry about that, Liz). But what really fuelled my fire Monday morning was receiving a phone call from a reporter from Radio-Canada, a fellow by the name of Stéphane who I'd met a few weeks back while canvassing the area around the CBC building downtown. He wanted to know whether I could be available for an interview for Le Téléjournal, the french-language six o'clock news broadcast.

What's that? Did I want to be interviewed on television? Well, sure... of course, the only slight hitch was that over the course of living in Toronto for the last thirty years, my spoken french had atrophied a fair amount, but I nonetheless set out for our meetup outside the Mothercorp (albeit with some hand-written crib notes that I committed to memory along the way). But really, it wasn't altogether necessary; Stéphane could sense when I was grasping for a noun or verb and he very helpfully supplied the needed verbiage. We took an extra few minutes filming some interactions with passersby up along King West, just across from the Bell Lightbox. All in all, I think I acquitted myself quite well.

Before we parted ways, Stéphane mentioned that the interview would be shown on Tuesday's edition of Le Téléjournal, and I spent the next few minutes excitedly calling around to various friends and family members to tell them the good news. It was, therefore a little disappointing the next evening to discover that my interview had actually been bumped by the big news item of the day (budget day in Ontario), but according to Stéphane it will air sometime soon - and he'll send me an email letting me know when to expect to see it.

Merci encore Stéphane - Je serai heureux de le voir!

I'm Not Down

Tuesday saw a definite uptick in the weather, although it was still chilled to freezing through the overnight periods. I was a little concerned for my lilies - I'm an avid gardener, and I've been a little awestruck at just how well they've been coming back so far this spring (which is why the overnight freezes had slightly set my teeth on edge). In another week or so I'll remove the plastic mesh I've been using the thwart the local squirrels, as they seem not to enjoy chewing on the lily-bulbs once they're fully in mid-sprout.

I took a spin up into Chinatown, heading southward from there via Spadina, across Queen to Portland, and finally down to Wellington. Upon arrival there, many happy faces appeared in the windows of TAXI, waving and blowing kisses - and you know, there's nothing quite like a warm welcome to brighten the day. I lingered for a while in the hopes that the sunny skies would prompt some patio action, but it was still just a little too chilly (even for we hearty Torontonians). I did however come upon a pair of videographers who were filming a puff piece on spring cleaning, and I happily answered a few questions for them on-camera.

Maybe it was the good weather, maybe it was just that I was feeling better, but the world seemed a happier place - and in spite of some derogatory remarks I overheard (hello? I'm right here folks... I might be unemployed, but I'm not deaf!) I was able to laugh along. Why not? After all, there is an almost absurd quality to this campaign... I'll be the first to admit that. If (as some would have us believe) we're all living our lives as though we're the subject of our own personal reality shows, we frankly owe it to ourselves to recognize that life - and how we cope with it - is more often comedy than anything else. It's healthy to see the humour in ones' own life, even if it does occasionally veer into slapstick. The trouble with taking oneself too seriously is that there's nothing to fall back on should life suddenly start throwing you curveballs.

Insurmountable integrity

How we cope with life (and all its' ups and downs) goes a long way to defining our character, both professionally and personally. Ultimately, it's those who've lead a self-examined life who are perhaps better-suited to rolling with the punches. I've known people who, when confronted with unpleasant circumstance, choose to shut themselves down or otherwise opt-out - playing ostrich in the hopes that things will change for the better. And of course, sometimes things do change for the better - but usually not before first playing havoc with their hearts and souls.

And if you've allowed yourself the luxury of becoming complacent in your successes, that same cleverness can eventually prove your downfall. A certain measured amount of guile can take you far, a penchant for flair or showmanship can work to your advantage - but neither of those can surmount integrity.

When you own the consequences of your actions (for good or bad), when you take responsibility not just for your triumphs but for your failures as well, you show your integrity. I'm not suggesting nailing yourself to a cross should things suddenly go pear-shaped; but it never goes well trying to wriggle oneself out from a bad situation. Worse, you run the risk of losing the respect of clients, co-workers or even your employers should you try that approach. Like the old saying goes, honesty really is the best policy... and not just in the working world, but in your personal life as well.

Well, I seem to have side-tracked myself a little in writing this post, but I'm happy enough to let it slide. No doubt there'll be more adventures to come in the days and weeks ahead, and I'm glad to have you all along for the ride! Truth be told, I've been somewhat stunned by the reception to date for my webcomic, The Adventures of That QR Code Guy - all I'd really set out to do was to continue telling my story, albeit humorously - but I've been tickled pink by the response (and yes, there will indeed be another installment forthcoming). Oh, and before I go, I'd like to thank Vince Vaitekunas for delivering some terrific photos and videos he took last month! I've been thinking of using them as part of a musical video montage... we'll just have to see what I can come up with, I suppose...

As ever folks, this is John Currie for Stalking the Job, and I'll be seeing you - !

Have you seen That QR Code Guy?

taken by Vince Vaitekunas, February 2012.

If you have any photos of That QR Code Guy that you'd like to share, I'd like hearing from you. I'll make every effort to provide attribution (unless you'd prefer to remain anonymous), so don't be shy!

Stalking the Job presents: The Seventh Sojourn of That QR Code Guy

Rest, recuperation, and rendering

Hello again faithful readers - this is John Currie (That QR Code Guy) here once again for Stalking the Job. As some of you may have noticed, I've been absent from the blog for the past few days... as I mentioned last week, I managed to catch a cold just as the freakishly-good weather we've all been enjoying started to kick in. Last Thursday (though I was feeling decidedly less-than-optimal), I threw myself into the task and walked all around the core and into the edges of Chinatown.

As it happened, this wasn't the best idea. Why's that? Because I didn't realize just how sick I was. I'm one of those people who happily go through life without much in the way of illness  - and so when I do get sick, it tends to hit me like a ton of bricks. Not necessarily in terms of physical distress (at least, not immediately), but certainly in terms of my emotional well-being. After walking without a break for over four hours, I just had to stop. I could feel a cold weariness setting in. More than that, I found my thoughts turning on dark, bleak subjects; whether I was deluded into thinking I could surmount my ongoing situation... whether I had exchanged twenty years of hard work and dedication to my craft in order to simply become a figure worthy of derision, a laughable caricature of my former self. The more I examined myself through this fevered, harshly self-critical eye, the more I found myself wanting.

I realized then that I was very, very tired. Not just bone-tired - I've logged so very many miles since starting this campaign that I've become quite used to being physically active - but rather, sick and tired. Sick enough and tired enough to know it was time to go home.

A certain line from Max Ehrmann's Desiderata came to mind as I strode quietly back to my co-op:

"...do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness."

Even bearing this in mind, my mind could not help but continue playing through all the ghosts and phantasms of self-doubt, treading heavily down a myriad of gloomy paths to presumptive failure. I caught myself choking back despair more than once, wanting nothing more than to remove myself from the eyes of the public and find some measure of solace at home, in private. After all, I am my own sole brand ambassador; it would not do to be seen in a state of emotional distress while out canvassing. Of course, along the way I ran into any number of people eager to scan the code or to snap a photo, and for those brief moments I found the wherewithal to present the best public persona I could manage in spite of how I felt inside.

Once inside my home, I could feel my resolve crumble as I stripped out of my suit-jacket and sandwich board. The time had come to take some medicine, drink plenty of fluids, and get some much-needed rest. The rest was short-lived, however, as I learned that an old colleague of mine (Craig Shouldice, who had approached me earlier in the week with the prospect of assisting him with the creation of a photomontage for one of his clients) let me know he was ready to begin work. He'd forwarded me the necessary media to get the project started, and so I decided I'd stay home and work on it the next day, with an eye to completing the first draft by the end of the weekend.

It went rather well on the Friday, I was pleased with the work I'd done up 'til that point... but I still wasn't feeling rested, so I decided to reboot my system and perhaps watch some streaming video or play some video games. And that, faithful readers, is when I came face-to-face with the blue screen of death. While I might have a long past experience of working with computers, I am not the person to come to with tales of woe concerning Operating Systems, maintenance issues, or hardware problems. I am and have been loathe to blindly update my system as somehow it will invariably have negative repercussions (I suspect I might just be one of those people who can, say - cause wristwatches to stop working simply by wearing one). Oddly enough, under normal circumstances something like this would have been sufficient to send my anxiety levels skyrocketing, but I found myself feeling surprisingly tranquil. There was nothing constructive I could think to do about it at that moment, but I did know a friendly neighbour who is quite skilled at troubleshooting computers, so I arranged to have him drop by noon Saturday to see if he could lend a hand.

In some ways, this was probably the best thing that could have happened. I think I needed not just to spend some time getting over my cold, but also away from my computer. I've spent a great deal of my time on my computer - whether working, blogging, submitting job applications or writing my web-comic - and there is such a thing as spending too much time on it, after all. Well, the trouble was (for my neighbour) relatively easy to solve, but as I'd made some good headway with the project on the Friday, I decided to give myself 'til Monday to fully recuperate. I was already ahead of the curve by three or four days, and my health has to take some precedence somewhere along the line - I couldn't very well go hitting the streets feeling half-dead!

My one regret is that I did not find the time and energy for working on the seventh installment of "The Adventures of That QR Code Guy". The story exists, I just will need to find some time to set to the task of bringing it to life. Funny thing is about this blog, it's the web-comic that sees the greatest number of pageviews... and I think that's great. Some people have criticized the strip for - well it's hard to say, I guess to some people's minds, it's not what they think a web-comic is supposed to be - but it suits my purposes just fine the way it is. I've enjoyed satirizing my own experiences, seeing the humour of certain situations, and perhaps more than anything just having the chance to entertain people and maybe bring a smile to their faces.

Max Ehrmann was right - many fears are indeed born of fatigue and loneliness. Here is the full text of his 1927 poem:

Desiderata

Go placidly amidst the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even the dull and the ignorant; they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.

Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs; for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals; and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself. Especially, do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here.

And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be, and whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul. With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful.

Strive to be happy.

Happiness is what I strive for, what I've always striven for. And as Ehrmann said - with all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. For Stalking the Job, this is John Currie. See you around - !

More walkin' round town music

Good evening faithful readers - today saw Stalking the Job bow out from the daily guerrilla marketing campaign, for two very good reasons: first and foremost, because I've become quite ill over the last two days (and I've since come to realize that I was most likely running a fever while out and about yesterday) - but also because I've taken on a short-duration photomontage project (courtesy of Craig Shouldice, of Shouldice Media). Rest assured, I will once again be seen on the streets of the city just as soon as I am feeling better - and after completing/delivering the first iteration of Craig's project.

For fans of my webcomic, this will mean a delay of several days before the next installment of The Adventures of That QR Code Guy, but don't worry unduly - I already have the story notes prepared and should have my plate cleared sufficiently (sometime after the weekend) to get it all sorted. Some of you have been kind enough to write in, asking about the Sly & the Family stone song I referenced in last week's webcomic. Well, if you're really curious, it's the first song on the playlist embedded below. This is another collection of tunes I frequently find myself humming, whistling, or even grooving along to as I make my way all around town... so in case you run into me and I'm walking in rhythm or singing quietly under my breath, it's highly likely it'll be one of the following songs:



I'm afraid that's all I have for you today, folks - gotta fight this cold. For Stalking the Job, this is John Currie siging off. Have a lovely weekend everybody... and of course I'll see you around.

The direct approach

Hello again, faithful readers. It appears somehow I've picked up a bit of a late-winter cold, which is a bit odd considering how wonderful the weather has been this past week. My throat feels as though it's been run through a cheese grater, and my sinuses have been throbbing off and on. I suppose it could be allergies, but in either case it's less incapacitating than it is an inconvenience.

Tuesday saw Stalking the Job take a more direct approach - rather than simply walking around the city hoping to catch people's eye, I instead targeted selected agencies and organizations in the west end of the city and walked inside to meet, greet and press some flesh. But just as with my outdoor campaign, faithful readers, I was ever-mindful to not exceed whatever welcome was afforded me in the offices and studios I entered. In one or two cases, the people I needed to speak to were otherwise occupied with meetings or strategy sessions, and I'll have to make a point of returning (and perhaps even phoning ahead!) - but I was also tipped to a job opening, which I've applied for (through more conventional channels). I should like to thank the woman who let me know about that opening, but I'm afraid I didn't catch her name and in any event I didn't ask her permission to mention her name on the blog. Perhaps I'll do so if I'm given the opportunity to return to that agency for a sit-down meeting. In any event, Tuesday was an outstanding day all around.

It's a genuine pleasure to see the patios of Toronto once again filling up. Spring brings with it a certain lightness of being that, while largely indefinable, is nonetheless quite palpable. Of course, feeling slightly under the weather I've perhaps been a bit more guarded with my own sense of optimism - but smiles and laughter are themselves infectious, and so I've let myself be buoyed by the good weather.

Wednesday went by very quickly, with my niece Emma stopping by in the evening for her After Effects session. We spent a good long while not discussing AE at all, as it happens - but now she knows more about her Currie heritage, and we both know more about each other - and I'm very, very proud of my niece. I hope to be able to feature some of her work here in these pages at some point in the near future. I'm afraid that's really all of what I have to report on so far this week, folks but... as always, I'll see you around.

Have you seen That QR Code Guy?

Tuesday's fine weather and a burning sense of curiousity prompted Ray Wali, President & Creative Strategy Officer of Mango Moose Media, to take a shot of That QR Code Guy in Liberty Village:

Taken March 13th by @raywali

Thanks for the pic, Ray - and also for uploading it via Twitter. If you've taken a photo of That QR Code Guy in his journeys around Toronto, Stalking the Job wants to hear from you!

Stalking the Job presents: The Unending Adventures of That QR Code Guy

Little by little goes a long way

The week that was

Good afternoon, faithful readers - my apologies if Stalking the Job has seen one or two days go by without an update, however I'm pleased to report that my one-man, QR code-based guerrilla marketing initiative would appear to be bearing (or at least showing the first signs of bearing) some fruit. Of course it's early days yet, but this week I have:

a) made several contacts that are worthwhile following up on,
b) arranged a meeting with an interested party for early next week, and
c) been in talks with several people with regards to short-term/one-off projects currently in the offing.

As well, my talented niece Emma and her art school friends have had a chance to see how her mograph designer uncle could be a valuable resource, as they're now well into the thick of things with a music video project of their very own.

The weather turned foul after Wednesday's first taste of spring, but the cold windy damp outdoors provided me with the chance not just to rest and regroup (walking around town six or seven hours a day five days a week in the cold can tire even the most irrepressible of souls), but to continue pursuing opportunities online. I've posted applications to several organizations in need of my skillsets and experience this week, but it's not enough - it's never enough  - to content oneself with putting in the least amount of effort (and subsequently expecting the world to sit up and take notice).

Laughing in the face of Adversity

Several times in these pages I've alluded to the idea of smiling (or even laughing) in the face of adversity. I'll be honest; there was a time when I would have found it difficult or even impossible to do so, even in recent years. The time is ripe to now reveal to you all the source of this inner strength, this resolve that has made it possible for me to keep soldiering on - even while the naysayers might instead have expected me to quietly curl up and die. My ongoing inspiration is owed directly to the life lessons I've learned from none other than William Shatner - not just in his most-famous role, that of Captain Kirk on Star Trek - but from the life of Shatner himself.

Sure, Captain Kirk was able to stare down insurmountable odds but admittedly, the deck was always stacked in his favour, seeing as he was really only ever a character on a fictional TV program. It was Shatner's portrayal - his presence as Kirk that made me a lifelong fan of Trek and of Shatner himself. But after his star turn for Desilu (and subsequently Paramount), Shatner went through a bad patch... dark days spent trying to re-establish himself as a valued player in his field. In the 70s, he starred in a string of forgettable, 'B' movies and made guest appearances on TV programs like 'The Six Million Dollar Man' - hardly the stuff of dreams. No doubt there are those who would have expected him to give up (or even enjoyed seeing him do so, indulging themselves in celebrity schadenfreude). But did Bill flinch in the face of despair? Did he curl up and die? Nope, not Bill. Instead he marshaled his energies and came back - and he came back with a vengeance.

To simply say "I can relate to that" would be the understatement of a lifetime. Of all the Hollywood personalities who've ever existed, none have been the target of more rolled eyes, clucked tongues and open derision as Bill. For years - heck, for most of his career - armchair quarterbacks have sneered at his acting, scoffed at the books he's written, laughed at his spoken-word projects and moaned about his efforts behind the camera. And yet, he has not just persevered - he's enjoyed success in each and every field he's laid his hands to.

Bill himself (directly, if tongue-in-cheek) addressed his detractors in the spoken-word piece "Has Been" from his 2004 album of the same name:

 

Charting destiny through choice

It's important to bear in mind that our lives boil down to choices, and that the choices we make chart the course of our destinies. Over the duration of this campaign, I've overheard the snarky comments people sometimes make - seen the occasional upturned nose - even read a few less-than-flattering, would-be anonymous judgements made about me via Twitter - and still I choose to meet derision with determination. If I'd let myself be swayed by the opinions of jaded, cynical passersby I might have given up hope my very first day. But as one CBC exec told me on Wellington Street mid-way through February, "persistence is king". And I am nothing if not persistent.

What does the future hold in store? It's an open-ended question, and it's far from certain... but this much is clear, clear in fact as a Swarovski crystal: the only key to certainty is inaction. Were I not to seize the metaphorical bull by the horns, were I not to actively focus my energies on achieving my goal - my future would be a foregone conclusion. Had Bill not redoubled his efforts in the face of adversity, he might never have become the legend he is today. Thanks to Bill, I don't just hope for a better future; deep down inside, I know that I can achieve it.

Before I go, to those who've been writing in to ask - yes, the next few days should see the publication of part six of The Adventures of That QR Code Guy, so keep your eyes peeled and your ears to the ground, folks. For Stalking the Job, this is John Currie wishing you all a good weekend... and I'll see you around. 

Walkabout Wednesday (with words of wisdom from P.T. Barnum)

Hello again, faithful readers. The warm weather Wednesday saw Stalking the Job once again taking to the streets of Toronto. As I've mentioned on more than one occasion in these pages, some days see me walking through selected areas of the city, while on others I'll borrow a page from the late Douglas Adams and let my feet carry me along in a state of "Zen Navigation". Wednesday - with a warm sun and a wafting breeze - was a perfect day to let my feet make the decisions for me.

Recently I came across a few (fairly inspirational) quotations from P.T. Barnum, the celebrated American showman, which I'm including here in today's Stalking the Job. I've always admired those people possessing not just the spirit and the perseverance to succeed, but who also have the ability to entertain and amuse in so doing. Part of that, I believe, is being able to laugh at yourself - to recognize that life (and how we cope with it) is oftentimes a comedy, and that it is healthy to see the humour in ones' own existence... even if it sometimes veers into slapstick.

“Let your motto then always be 'Excelsior', for by living up to it there is no such word as fail.”
- P.T. Barnum

One of the things that this initiative has allowed me is time for thought and consideration. I frequently find my mind turning, not just on what I'm doing at any given moment (or how I'm doing it), but on larger issues - such as the balance between ones' professional career and ones' personal life. Since the start of my QR code campaign, I've had to remain conscious of  that balance. When you're highly-motivated to change your circumstance (as with my stated goal, that of re-entering the workforce to once again make meaningful contributions in a creative field) there is a tendency to apply oneself to the problem with such vigour that it can invite burnout. This is a pitfall that any number of us can fall into (even with the best of intentions), and it's something we need to guard against.

A goodly part of achieving a proper balance is knowing when to work hard... and when to relent. Sustained, focused effort can be draining to the mind, the body & the spirit - and while tenacity - the refusal to give up - is always a laudable quality, so too is knowing when to take the time to replenish ones' energy and to re-connect with the world at large. The flipside of this is of course to try avoiding lapses into complacency, whenever and wherever possible. It's not enough to simply be... to put in the most marginal of efforts and then subsequently let yourself cruise on auto-pilot... after all, this modern world we live in frankly demands an active existence, and the question we need to sometimes ask ourselves is whether we're fully in the game or not.

“I don't care what you say about me, just spell my name right.”
- P.T. Barnum

While walking north along Church Street, I had a lovely chat with the very charming Cerise Fairfax - who not only shared some terrific insights with me, but also tipped me to some info that might prove valuable to my jobsearch. Cerise also let me know about a weekly acting class being put on across the street at the 519 Community Centre. If I can manage my time (and assuming my feet aren't already worn out), I might just give it a go! Thanks again Cerise!

I also had occasion to meet Christopher Chong (of TripTelevision + Cientis Technologies, based out of Denver Colorado) outside of the Royal Ontario Museum. After stopping to allow Christopher a chance to snap my photo, we quickly came to the realization that we both know some of the same key players in the online media industry. A wonderful chance encounter, and - it just goes to show that it really is a smaller world than we might otherwise think.

“The noblest art is that of making others happy”

 - P.T. Barnum

Once back from my wandering, I whipped together a quick bite to eat and tidied the house ever-so slightly before the arrival of my very talented niece Emma. For a while now I've been teaching her how to use Adobe After Effects, and I think she's really starting to come along. One of the things I enjoy about working with her is that along the way (and in response to some of her questions) I've learned a few things that I'd never even thought of before - like using the graph editor to selectively tweak and distort time re-mapping over the course of a clip rather than strictly relying on keyframes (or re-adapting a luma dissolve technique I'd previously developed in order to instead generate a faux 3-D effect). She has set herself an ambitious goal for an After Effects newbie - using it to produce a slick music video - but I'm always happy to lend a helping hand.

After she left, I set myself to the task of putting a late-night dinner together in time for Liz' return - veal scaloppine sliders topped with a hot, thick tomato & vegetable sauce. And while I'm sure it might not have passed muster in one of Gordon Ramsay's kitchens, it  was just the sort of stick-to-your-ribs-type hot meal  that's a good finish to a walk home in the cold.

Still feeling a need to unwind, I located and watched a DivX stream for the recent film The Adjustment Bureau, a reasonably good adaptation of Philip K. Dick's short story The Adjustment Team. I say "reasonably good" as, having seen innumerable adaptations of PKD's stories, it's always been a bit of a crapshoot when Hollywood gets involved. On the one hand there are gems like Blade Runner and Impostor, while on the other are forgettable bits of dreck like Next and Paycheck. It's been long enough since last I read the original that I couldn't honestly be sure how much of the screenplay was PKD and how much was simply padding - but Matt Damon, Emily Blunt and Terence Stamp all delivered fine performances. And I appreciated that the effects sequences were kept to a bare minimum! Story (and character) always carry more weight for me than a great big bag o' CG tricks. I'll give The Adjustment Bureau a 7.5 out of 10!

For Stalking the Job, this is John Currie... and I'll see you around!

Have you seen That QR Code Guy?

The weather had improved somewhat on Tuesday when the Twitterer 'Vinicius' spotted me, walking west on Liberty Street:

Taken March 6th on Liberty Street by @vinysss

Have you snapped a recent photo of That QR Code Guy? If so, get in touch - Stalking the Job wants to hear from you!

Liberty Village (take two!)

Today saw another foray westward, out Dufferin way. It's been a while since I was last in Liberty Village, and in part I suppose it's because my own stomping grounds, just a quick stroll from the Distillery District, are so far away. Keeping to a slow and even pace on the trip back home tonight took almost two hours! Well, at least the angle of the sun has changed since my previous visit, and the shadows are neither quite as long nor as cold as they were in February.

My feet carried me up and down all the avenues from Atlantic to Mowat, moving in an overall westerly direction. I noticed that there are are a lot of windows in Liberty Village; the sort of windows that faces look out from. The trouble (from my point of view anyway) is in knowing which windows to look up at. But today yielded valuable information on that score, for in my journeying, I unexpectedly came upon the headquarters of Strategic Storytellers on the east side of Dufferin Street.

I decided to pop my head in the door and say hello to Lisa Horvat, who was most gracious in receiving me. We chatted for awhile, remembered to mention the latest installment of the webcomic, and she in turn made a point of emailing me some info that will prove very useful in my jobsearch strategy. Thanks again Lisa!

Before I forget, I'd like to refer back to a tweet I made this morning: something strange is going on with squirrels in Toronto, folks. I don't know why, but for some reason in just this past week I have seen three squirrels - that's three different squirrels, in three different neighbourhoods, on three separate occasions - climbing up onto the windshields of parked cars and making off with bright yellow City of Toronto parking tickets freshly-tucked under the window wipers. Is yellow the 'in' colour this spring for Toronto's arboreal rodents?

Finally, I'd like to give a shout-out to Donna Pidlubny, who correctly sussed out my game during a chance encounter at the corner of Dufferin & Liberty late this afternoon (I always love it when someone just comes right out and engages me in public, and Donna was no shrinking violet). An illustrator and graphic designer hailing from western Canada, she exudes that certain air of professionalism that can be as welcome and refreshing as a good cuppa joe. Nice chatting, Donna... and once again faithful readers - I'll see you around!

Have you seen That QR Code Guy?

Some folks feel a little self-conscious about taking pics (or even scans), and so I find myself amassing a wonderful collection of photos of me walking away from people...! Seriously, though - I'm always happy to stop for either - and, if you're curious but are uncertain whether you should scan or not, well hey! I'm right there (and I don't bite, honest). Oh, and I normally try making a point of walking verrrry slowly, so don't be shy. The photo below was taken yesterday by Veronica Quach, who saw me walking north along Peter Street.

Taken March 5th on Peter Street by @veronicaquach - thanks, Veronica!

As always, if you're one of the many who've spotted (and subsequently snapped a photo of) That QR Code Guy - Stalking the Job wants to hear from you!

Stalking the Job presents: The Ceaseless Adventures of That QR Code Guy

The Carlaw Crawlaround

Good morning faithful readers - and a fine Friday morning it is, here in the ever-expanding metropolis of Toronto. As fine as can be expected given that it's the second day of March. Yesterday saw Stalking the Job take an easterly tilt, crossing the muddy Don river to investigate the goings-on in the Leslieville area. Well, to be fair I kinda sorta had to head east as I had a make-up appointment with my dentist to keep... but as I was in the area, I couldn't help but take a turn or two along Carlaw Avenue.

Carlaw has for many years been a hotbed of studios, production offices, and various creative and/or artistic people so I'd had some hopes that I might encounter some potentially-interested parties in my wanderings - and I was not disappointed! In one or two cases, I unknowingly prompted people to come dashing outside into the cold to get a handle on just what I was doing.

Like many areas of the city, Carlaw is also seeing no small amount of redevelopment. There are a number of construction sites, most apparently building condominium towers, which of course will eventually change the character of the avenue - just as they're changing the character of much of downtown.

Oh, and before I forget, let me take this opportunity to apologize to the two fellows who practically had to run to catch up with me for the chance to scan my code while walking north on Broadview earlier in the day. I'd realized I was cutting things a wee bit short on my way to the dentist's office (and was therefore walking almost three times as fast as I would normally). My long-standing personal policy is that I'll "always stand for a scan", so of course I had to oblige - though I'd have enjoyed a chance to answer any questions you might've had. Let's just call it a raincheck for now!

And yes, to the fellow at Queen and Carlaw who commended me for the cardiovascular aspect of the initiative, I've been finding the muscles all throughout my legs have strengthened noticeably since I began doing this a month ago. As my feet are now an important part of my campaign, when I find myself needing to be somewhere, my inclination is to forego the TTC altogether. It's not just less expensive to be a pedestrian - it helps keep me visible (not to mention helping to keep me fit). Anyways folks... I'll see you around!

Have you seen That QR Code Guy?

I'm pleased to report that I have already received a response to this question in the form of a photo. This was taken yesterday afternoon along Carlaw Avenue in Toronto, just after my dental checkup. And I'm happy to mention there's not a single cavity in that winning smile, folks!

Thank you @memeboy and the lovely Senia (sp?)

Again, if you're one of the many who've snapped a photo of That QR Code Guy, Stalking the Job wants to hear from you!