F 1 D 0 -- 2001 11 20 at 00 18 Today. I had a meeting today with a legal firm, who wants to automate, not simply computerize. They're in the collection business. But since they're not just hunters, they can proceed with all forms of collection. They need a way to go from new account to action to whatever other steps are used. They also want to keep track of the money information: original amount, charges, interest, total amount (as of today). Interest. There's a biggie. Mortgages are done differently in Canada than in USA, but this firm handles both. They also vary between leases, vehicles, furniture, and personal loans, and credit cards. All in all, this is a big project. So it was not a surprise that they had three senior partners and one technical personal to interview me. The meeting went well. I have a pass for movies, but wouldn't you know it-- such passes are not good for popular titles. I'll use it. I just have to figure out how. I have a mind to see Bread and Tulips, in Italian with English subtitles. That's the story of a wife who is accidentally left behind at a gas station, and finds adventure doing hitchhiking around Europe. Yesterday I attempted to use the pass to see Harry Potter. No, sir. No passes for this event. I'll go on Tuesday, when such movies are significantly less. I found my way to the gym. They need an attitude adjustment. They've decided that they charge for certain aerobic classes. Which ones? Oh, most of them. Just recently added to the list was Boot Camp, a previously included class. Also, they're moving the good instructors to only surcharge classes, and putting low-end teachers for the included classes. This is evil. Today? They had three pay classes, and only one included class. That started at 430pm. The others were 530, 630, and 730. I stomped out of there. To the internet cafe. The one I use has a name like Internet Magic Plaza. Maybe it means more than the obvious when translated into Korean. They have become popular. In this one Korean people go in to play their favourite interactive games against friends in the same room, and enemies around the world. You hear the groans of Quake. And the music from other games. Voices saying, "I cannot carry any more." I go in to read email and perhaps chat while the friends I seek are still awake. Even now, I'm doing this at 0040am, and most of you are down for the night. I should be too. I didn't stay long. Just long enough to see if anyone was around. Mark was. We chatted about seeing a friend of his later this week. They live about an hour north of Toronto and it will be good getting a ride in his car. I went from there to Patrick's Irish Dance. It is held at 823 Manning Avenue on Mondays, at 730pm. His credo is "less is more." So at other dances, the leader is always shouting, always calling, always projecting in loud voice. Pat talks softly. The routine is he shouts for us to form sets. In Irish, they're like square dance sets, with four couples. Then he'll approach anyone interested in the set, and provide a "Talk Through". That is a very fast summary of what the moves are for the dance which follows. It takes a while to get the hang of the fast soft presentation, but I love it. I am forced to pay attention, and to learn it. Usually, one or two of us hear it and remember, and the group of us work to remember the whole thing, as we have to work together as a set to make it work right, and stay with the music. Oh, we can cheat. We can peek over at another set, and see what they're doing. That works. So Irish was very good tonight. I started out cold, and ineffective, but in the end, I was strong and bubbly. It is something I like to pass on to others there, so I was a happy camper. Normally, after a good dance, I'm so full of hyper, I have to play on the piano to just mellow out. The music runs in my head, and often it is original. Not tonight. Tonight I just remember tunes I'd heard ages ago, and was able to play them. The dance is so close to the iCafe, I normally go there for an hour after dance, but I've got a meeting in the morning I want to attend. So I came directly home. That got me here for 1130pm. I usually get involved in late night supper, and so I'm warming up some rigatoni with my eggplant sauce. It should be good. I use the rice maker, as it shuts off when the fluid is all cooked away. Oh, be sure if you buy a rice maker to get the kind which is non stick. Also, there is a benefit to having two switches: one for cooking, another for the reheating. And now I am here, trying to recount my day. Of course, I should be preparing the cards or brochures I'll need in a few hours. I'll get to that soon. That's all I know.