2009 - The Year in Review

I started creating this list in December but never got a chance to finish it. Next month: new year's resolutions.

12. Twins Starting Daycare
11. Celia Starting School
10. Financial Ruin
9. Twins Start Talking
8. Modern Warfare 2
7. Cathy's Wedding
6. Celia's Emergency Surgery
5. More Financial Ruin
4. the Big C hits close to home
3. Christmas
2. Michael Jackson dies
1. I started cooking

Someday I'll get into the details of these but not right now.

Cutest Damn Kids in the World

One of my favourite things to do with my kids is just watch them play with their toys. It's so cool to see how they are developing their imagination. You can see that they have little stories and scenarios in their head when they are playing wiu their toys. Lucas drives his toy cars around like they're in a race. Sometimes the crash or go flying but his sound effects and facial expressions are adorable. Amelia will take a stuffed animal or doll and play mommy with it. Today she had a doll wrapped up in a towel. Then she took it to the bathroom, sat it on the toilet and then brought it back and pretended to wash it and wrap it in a towel. The whole time she's talking about what she's doing. "wash wash wash. It's cold! Put your blanket on!". Damn my kids are cute.

You Can't Handle the Truth

If I get an email and then the sender tries to recall it, I read the email anyway and then I open the recall so I'm being all responsible and shit.

Try it Again

I was always interested in having my own website. My ISP even provides webspace and a few years ago I even tried it out for a bit. It was a bit tedious to make web pages and upload them and manage it all the time so I deleted all the stuff and gave up. Now don't get me wrong, I'm no quitter - I refuse to completely quit smoking, right? I'm just looking for an easier way to manage a website. Now, in 2009, I think I have my solution: iWeb. So simple, so pretty. I know, no guy should ever use the word "pretty" unless he's trying to make out with someone, but seriously, iWeb makes pretty pages. Nothing fantastic/incredible/awesome/innovative, but that might be because I don't know what I'm doing yet. I just need the space to post some pictures so it'll never be super-fancy. Check it out.

Too Bad Cuz I Think I Had a Chance

I just have to say that I am 35 years old and I have a crush on Taylor Swift. She's just so damn cute. Too young though. She falls outside the standard "half your age plus 7" rule.

The Great Debate

I'm a geek. I won't go so far as to say I'm a nerd because I don't know enough about nerdy things to be a nerd but I like nerdy things so I'm a geek. Anyway, one of the things I love is my computer. I really love my iMac but I've used Windows for years. The nice thing about Windows is that you can use just about any kind of hardware and there are millions of different little apps you can download over the net (some are bad so don't think it's a good idea to install every pop-up). It's pretty customizable and let's you have quite a bit of control over your computer. The bad thing about Windows is that it tries to support all kinds of hardware and there are millions of different little apps that you can download over the net. This increases the potential for problems and instability and bugginess. Since Windows is great for gaming and a Windows PC is pretty cheap, despite it's downfalls, it's still a good option.

The funny thing about Apple is that all the things we like about Windows PCs aren't there in a Mac. You're stuck with the hardware they give you, not a lot of software (especially games), and it's expensive. However, all these restrictions make for a very stable computer that works like a dream. I like their designs as well. It may not be for everyone, but I like the look of their stuff. What's it worth to you to have a sweet-looking computer that has very few problems?

Happy Halloween

Last night was a perfect night for Halloween. Clear skies, warm weather, scary H1N1 atmosphere... what more could you ask for? Anyway, we didn't end up taking the kids door-to-door because they still don't get it. That's fine with me, I'm a pretty lazy person anyway. The twins were pretty damn cute in their recycled Star Wars costumes. Last night was the very first time ever that I've worn face paint/makeup for halloween. I usually hate having stuff on my face like that.

There Are No Ads

You know what I just found out? I can make money off this blog. Not really off the content of the blog, but basically I can have ads added to my page and when you click on it, I get paid. There's more to it than that but that's kinda what it's about. Sounds great. Sign me up. Click on the ads.

I'm not going to sign up for this. Don't look for ads. I'm not getting paid. I'm just here for my fans.

Probably. Most Likely. For Sure.

A friend of mine told me about this research that showed white people are more reluctant to talk about the differences in people's cultural norms for fear that they may be labelled as racist. People of a visible minority, however, were far more likely to talk about it without that fear. I wouldn't be surprised if this also applied to other forms of prejudism and discrimination. Just saying...

Can't Sleep

There are very few nights when I lay in bed with my eyes wide open. Usually, by the time my head hits the pillow, I'm out for the night within 10 minutes. Tonight, I was laying in bed for over an hour and not once did I even feel the slightest hint of sleep. So I got up and here I am, writing about how I can't sleep. The funny part is that you're reading it.

Sick

Over the weekend I was sick again. At least this time I could eat drink normally without worrying about it being violently expelled from my body. Too much information? Tough. Anyway, on Saturday I had a bit of a cough. I went out to the pub that night anyway because, well, I needed to get out of the house. I think the people I went with are all going to get sick but then again, what do you expect when you go drinking with a guy that's coughing all over the place? Anyway, I went home feeling totally sober (seriously, I was) but when I woke up in the morning I felt like I was hungover like a David Hasselhoff at church. It couldn't have been the drinks, could it? Then I put my hand on my forehead and realized why I was sweating like crazy through the night: I had a fever. I guess that would also explain why I felt so crappy. Anyway, it kinda got worse throughout the day. I didn't go to work yesterday, I didn't go to work today and I kinda don't expect to go to work tomorrow. I still have my cough and I'm all congested. I don't think spreading this around the office would be appreciated. Oh, and yesterday the daycare called and asked me to pick up Lucas because he was running a fever too. This morning he was sweating so much his pillow was soaked. I took him to the doctor but of course by the time we got in to see her, he was feeling and looking much better. Right now he's playing with his brand new Hot Wheels car and he doesn't even look sick. I think he's going to daycare tomorrow if he keeps this up.

Insight

I often wonder what kind of advice I will give my children as they grow up. Will I be a wise father with a lot of insight or will I be the clueless dad with the stupid jokes? At the moment, I can only think of a few things to pass onto my children. You decide what kind of parent I am.

To Lucas:
Learn to dance, chicks will really dig that.
Be polite, no one likes a prick.
All your girlfriends must be approved by your sister. No hos and no biatches.
Have confidence in yourself and others will have confidence in you (just don't be a conceited a-hole).

To Amelia:
You're not going out in that skimpy dress.
All your boyfriends must be cleared by your brother.
Whatever you do in life, be honest with others and to yourself.
Do not throw caution to the wind. I realize it sounds romantic but it only works out in movies.

I have to admit, a few of these I've learned the hard way (not the skimpy dress one though). All of them, however, will help you have peace in your life.

Thanks

As it is the weekend to give Thanks, I have to look at my life carefully and consider what it is that I am thankful for.

I am thankful for my children, for sure. They bring a great amount of joy to my life and I can't imagine my life without them (actually I can and involves a lot of irresponsible activities).

I am thankful that I have a home. It isn't much and it still needs a lot of work, but it's a home and it's more than many others have.

I am thankful for my job and that these tough economic times haven't affected it yet.

And finally, I am thankful for my beautiful wife.

A Word Not From Our Sponsors

I have no ties to any advertisers or companies wishing to advertise through me on my blog. Probably because they would have to pay me a whole lot of money for, like, 7 people to see their ads. Anyway, the reason I tell you this because I just read something about how people have to disclose any information about sponsorship. I don't know exactly what the article said but it was something like that. Just to make it clear: No one is paying me to write this crap. With that being said, let me tell you that I love Coca-Cola, Beard Papas, and A&W Teen Burgers. Those guys are just wishing they were paying me now.

Flock That

There are a lot of web browsers out there.  From what I've read, Chrome is the speed king but is a little light on features.  Safari is pretty fast now too, but only on a mac.  Firefox, the fan favourite, is customizable like a mofo.  Internet Explorer is still the most used but that's because a lot of big enterprises don't let their users install anything else.  Anyway, a new-ish one that not a lot of people have heard of is Flock.  This one is geared towards the Web 2.0 users that are big on social networks and such.  I've been playing with it but because I'm mostly just a casual surfer, I don't really take advantage of all it's features.  It has some neat things but I'll let you find them out yourself.  I'm not reviewing or anything.  Flock may not be the fastest browser but its kinda fun to use.

Now What??

We tried cutting Lucas' hair again.  We didn't want to shave it all over, just the sides and a little longer on top.  Well we started and it wasn't so bad but then he started to freak out from the shaver and wouldn't let us finish.  We got most of done but it looks really bad and uneven.  He won't let us get close to him anymore with the shaver.  I guess we let it grow out a bit and take him for a real haircut somewhere.

Review

So on our last day in Edmonton, we made a quick stop on our way to the airport. We stopped off and picked up a netbook at Futureshop. As an aside, that was the worst FS I've ever been to. It was like it was every staff member's first day on the job. No one knew anything about the products or services and it took us almost an hour just to buy a netbook. Stupid. Anyway, now that I have it and have used it for a couple of weeks, here's what I think of it: it does exactly what I need it to do. I don't need it to encode video or do any 3D rendering, I don't need it for photo editing and I don't need it to help make me super-productive. I just need it to surf the internet and be as portable as possibl and it does that just fine. What I would like it to do is have a bigger screen and a bigger touchpad and have more memory and a better processor and gpu and run Snow Leopard but that's what we call a Macbook Pro.

Speaking of Snow Leopard (if you don't know what I'm talking about, you're missing out), I recently upgraded to it and it's grrrreat!! Come cool new minor features and I think I can actually see that it's faster. Good shit man, good shit

11 Days Later

It was 11 days ago that we were in Edmonton standing at Cathy and Dan's wedding. The twins, in their unbeatable cuteness, walked down the aisle and for 15 seconds stole the show. We were a little worried that they wouldn't walk but they did it and they were pretty damn good too. The rest of the wedding was a resounding success, even Celia's role as MC for the reception. I have to be honest here, I was a little worried for her. Anyway, I hear the reception after dinner was a lot of fun, but I wouldn't know because I was watching the kids for most of it in a little room. Bitter? Not at all. I'm pretty used to it now and I don't expect anything else anymore.

Hurry Up and Decide!

So I've pretty much accepted the fact that I won't be able to afford my macbook pro anytime soon so I've been playing with the idea of buying a netbook. Nothing superfancy, just something around the $300 range. All Celia wants it for is to surf the web, read/write email, and maybe store pictures on from school/work. A 10" screen sure beats a little 3" screen. Now that we're in Alberta, we figure it would be a perfect time to buy because we would save on PST, right? Right. So we decided that we would just go for it and get one. Until I started talking to my brother-in-law and realized that Windows 7 is being released next month and new netbooks will probably come with that installed instead of XP. So now, do we wait and buy it here and save 7% or do we wait and buy it with W7? Tomorrow is pretty much our last chance to get it so I have to decide pretty damn quick. Also, I'm writing this on a netbook so I can say with more confidence that it would meet my needs for now.

Day 1

Holy crap, it's hot in Edmonton. We arrived yesterday afternoon and it was already 30 celsius. I didn't really pack for this kind of weather because the forecast was for slightly cooler weather, like 23-24. Oh well, we'll survive. Anyway, all the relatives are starting to trickle in so it's been fun and will only get better. The kids have have been pretty good. So far, they've only broken one vase, spilled a couple of drinks, and they weren't too loud at 6am.

Day Off

I love having weekdays off. I mean I'd be willing to give up my weekends just to take a couple of days off mid-week. Why? I'm home alone. It's like when I first moved out and I had the entire place to myself to do whatever the hell I felt like doing. Kids are in daycare, wife's at school, I'm sitting here in my underwear surfing the web. Hey, if you didn't want too much information about me, you probably shouldn't be reading this. Anyway, as I'm sitting here doing nothing productive, I was reading some of my old posts from 2004. My first thought was, "holy crap that was 5 years ago." and my second thought was, "I'm a boring guy." Anyway, the real reason I mention the old posts is because I read some of my old hospital stories. Ever since I took this desk job and stopped working at the hospital, I don't have any really good stories anymore. No more messy, bloody stuff, no dead or dying people, no sad tearjerkers, and no exciting codes. Oh well, the only ones that really suffer from this are you, the readers. I just know I don't come home smelling like shit anymore.

Funny Shit I Got in My Email

• More often than not, when someone is telling me a story all I can think about is that I can't wait for them to finish so that I can tell my own story that's not only better, but also more directly involves me.
• Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong.
• Have you ever been walking down the street and realized that you're going in the complete opposite direction of where you are supposed to be going? But instead of just turning a 180 and walking back in the direction fromwhich you came, you have to first do something like check your watch or phone or make a grand arm gesture and mutter to yourself to ensure that no one in the surrounding area thinks you're crazy by randomly switching directions on the sidewalk.
• I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was younger.
• The letters T and G are very close to each other on a keyboard. This recently became all too apparent to me and consequently I will never be ending a work email with the phrase "Regards" again.
• Do you remember when you were a kid, playing Nintendo and it wouldn't work? You take the cartridge out, blow in it and that would magically fix the problem. Every kid in America did that, but how did we all know how to fix the problem? There was no internet or message boards or faq's. We just figured it out. Today's kids are soft.
• The only time I look forward to a red light is when I'm trying to finish a text.
• Answering the same letter three times or more in a row on a Scantron test is absolutely petrifying.
• Whenever someone says "I'm not book smart, but I'm street smart", all I hear is "I'm not real smart, but I'm imaginary smart".
• How many times is it appropriate to say "What?" before you just nod and smile because you still didn't hear what they said?
• I love the sense of camaraderie when an entire line of cars teams up to prevent a dick from cutting in at the front. Stay strong, brothers!
• Every time I have to spell a word over the phone using 'as in' examples, I will undoubtedly draw a blank and sound like a complete idiot. Today I had to spell my boss's last name to an attorney and said "Yes that's G as in...(10 second lapse)..ummm...Goonies"
• While driving yesterday I saw a banana peel in the road and instinctively swerved to avoid it...thanks Mario Kart.
• Map Quest really needs to start their directions on #5. Pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighbourhood.
• Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.
• Bad decisions make good stories.
• Whenever I'm Facebook stalking someone and I find out that their profile is public I feel like a kid on Christmas morning. 546 pictures? Don't mind if I do!
• Is it just me or do high school girls get sluttier & sluttier every year?
• If Carmen San Diego and Waldo ever got together, their offspring would probably just be completely invisible.
• Why is it that during an ice-breaker, when the whole room has to go around and say their name and where they are from, I get so incredibly nervous? Like I know my name, I know where I'm from, this shouldn't be a problem....
• You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you've made up your mind that you just aren't doing anything productive for the rest of the day.
• There's no worse feeling than that millisecond you're sure you are going to die after leaning your chair back a little too far.
• The best thing about sex is that part where I have it.
• I hate being the one with the remote in a room full of people watching TV. There's so much pressure. 'I love this show, but will they judge me if I keep it on? I bet everyone is wishing we weren't watching this. It's only a matter of time before they all get up and leave the room. Will we still be friends after this?'
• I hate when I just miss a call by the last ring (Hello? Hello? Dammit!), but when I immediately call back, it rings nine times and goes to voicemail. What'd you do after I didn't answer? Drop the phone and run away?
• I hate leaving my house confident and looking good and then not seeing anyone of importance the entire day. What a waste.
• As a driver I hate pedestrians, and as a pedestrian I hate drivers, but no matter what the mode of transportation, I always hate cyclists.
• Sometimes I'll look down at my watch 3 consecutive times and still not know what time it is.
• I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.
• I think that if, years down the road when I'm trying to have a kid, I find out that I'm sterile, most of my disappointment will stem from the fact that I was not aware of my condition in college.
• Even if I knew your social security number, I wouldn't know what do to with it.
• Even under ideal conditions people have trouble locating their car keys in a pocket, hitting the G-spot, and Pinning the Tail on the Donkey - but I'd bet my ass everyone can find and push the Snooze button from 3 feet away, in about 1.7 seconds, eyes closed, first time every time...

Big Brother

Today I was picking up my kids at the daycare and while I was there, one of the other little boys was playing with the hood on Amelia's jacket while she was wearing it. She was not happy about this so she was kinda getting mad. Lucas, suddenly walks up and yells, "Stop!" It was awesome. He was protecting his sister! Then, as the other little boy stood around, Lucas gave him the eye and wouldn't let him out of his sight until the boy walked away. I was the happiest dad in the world.

Don't Quit on Me

In my browser, I keep all my bookmarks pretty organized. Everything is categorized and placed in the proper folder. I have a folder with all the blogs I read too. It used to be pretty big but that was when everyone jumped on the blog bandwagon, wrote in it for a few months and then quit. Quitters! For a while, I was reading close to 20 blogs but now I only read a handful and two of them are by people I haven't seen in a while (20+ years now). Anyway, after writing in my blog for 6 and a half years, I only have one thing to say to all you people that started and then quit: you suck. There, I said it. You all suck. How the hell am I supposed to kill time when there's nothing to read? Facebook only takes up a few minutes of reading one-liners and Twitter is lame.

Who Said That? Level 9

This one is easy and hard at the same time. As a tribute to the Great John Hughes, I'll tell you right now that this is from a John Hughes movie (easy part). You just have to tell me who said each line (hard part).

I'll do anything sexual. I don't need a million dollars to do it either.
You're lying.
I already have. I've done just about everything there is except a few things that are illegal. I'm a nymphomaniac.
Lie.
Are your parents aware of this?
The only person I told was my shrink.
And what did he do when you told him?
He nailed me.
Very nice.
I don't think that from a legal standpoint what he did can be construed as rape, since I paid him.
He's an adult.
Yeah, he's married too.
Do you have any idea how completely gross that is?
Well, the first few times...
The first few times? You mean you did it more than once?
Sure.
Are you crazy?
Obviously she's crazy if she's screwing a shrink.
Have you ever done it?
I don't even have a psychiatrist.
Have you ever done it with a normal person?
Didn't we already cover this?
You never answered the question.
Look, I'm not going to discuss my private life with total strangers.
It's kind of a double edged sword isn't it?
A what?
Well, if you say you haven't, you're a prude. If you say you have you're a slut. It's a trap. You want to but you can't, and when you do you wish you didn't, right?
Wrong.
Or are you a tease?
She's a tease.
I'm sure. Why don't you just forget it.
Oh, you're a tease and you know it. All girls are teases.
She's only a tease if what she does gets you hot.
I don't do anything.
That's why you're a tease.
OK, let me ask you a few questions.
I already told you everything.
No. Doesn't it bother you to sleep around without being in love. I mean, don't you want any respect?
I don't screw to get respect. That's the difference between you and me.
It's not the only difference I hope.
Face it, you're a tease.
I'm NOT a tease.
Sure you are. Sex is your weapon. You said it yourself. You use it to get respect.
No, I never said that she twisted my words around.
What do you use it for then?
I don't use it period.
Oh, are you medically frigid or is it psychological?
I didn't mean it that way. You guys are putting words into my mouth.
Well, if you'd just answer the question.
Why don't you just answer the question?
Be honest.
No big deal.
Yeah answer it.
Answer the question, Claire.
Talk to us. Every one: C'mon, answer the question. Come on. Answer it.
C'mon, it's easy. It's only one question.
NO I NEVER DID IT.
I never did it either. I'm not a nymphomaniac. I'm a compulsive liar.

I'm a Little Cold

Last week we had a bit of a heat wave. Temperatures all week were up in the 30's during the day and then at night it would only go down to about 21. It was actually a really great week cuz it was always sunny and beautiful outside. It was a bit warm for my taste but I can't really complain because it only gets like this for about 1 or 2 weeks out of the year. We had our A/C going full-time during the heat wave so I'm a little worried about our hydro bill but whatever. If I'm going to go down, I'm going down in comfort. The past couple of days have been warm (early/mid 20's) and just right for wearing anything you want and going out and doing stuff. Very comfortable. Tonight, I'm not sure why, but I'm feeling a little cold. Maybe this beer sitting beside me will warm me up a bit. Or maybe the one after it will. Nothing wrong with having a beer at home after a tiring day with the kids. They're asleep already so I'm just saying that I think I deserve a little treat. It's nice to just kick back and have a beer in peace. I'm just saying...

Make Them Feel Special

I find it funny when you look at the responses on evites or facebook events and people say, "I've got another party to go to that day." Really? Really? Do you really have to say that? Can't you just say that you've got some other appointment instead of saying that there's another party you'd rather go to? I mean, if you said, "I have another party that I can't get out of." Well, that's okay. Or even, "I've already accepted an invitation to another party and it's too late to cancel." That's okay too. I just think that if you're invited to a party and you just have to say that you're going to another party instead, at least make the host feel like you would rather go to his/her party instead. I'm just saying...

Dreams

Look at me, three posts in one night. Don't get used to this, I doubt that it will happen very often. Tonight is special though. I put the kids to sleep, Celia's out, I have a brand new bottle of my favourite cheap wine, and a full pack of smokes (I had one earlier, but I doubt I'll be having another one until Monday - yes I still smoke once in a while, so what? Eat me.). I kinda miss having time to myself to blab about nothing and sit at home and do nothing. What I really dream of is having a whole weekend with no kids so I can go do whatever the fuck I please for 48 hours starting on Friday evening until Sunday evening. Right now, THAT would be a better vacation than going to Vegas.

Double the Fun

As I was putting my kids to sleep tonight, it hit me again, as it does once in a while: holy shit, I have twins! The other day, Linda came by the office with her son and I made joke about how some parents are just lazy cuz they only have kids one at a time. It was kinda funny at the time but just now I realized that to me, I wasn't really kidding. I'm sure Lisa and Steve will agree that after having twins, just one kid is a fricken vacation.

Life Sucks

Being a single parent is tough. Not that I ever thought it was easy, I just thought that maybe I wouldn't have to be one. I just need a chance to whine about it. Shit just happens that gets in my way of fun, no not fun, but just life in general. Yeah, shit happens that get in the way of my life. Nothing that is anyone's fault, mind you, just shit happening. Someone has to be the responsible one in life, I suppose. Someone has to make the sacrifices and someone needs to just suck it up. That doesn't mean I don't get to complain about it once in a while because it really really really really sucks. I was thinking about looking for a new job just for something different and maybe more money but then I thought, "who the hell is going to pay me for doing what I do at work?" If you know what I do then you'll understand that lately I don't really feel like I've been doing much. Plus, I don't think a new job would be so flexible with my hours or give me more time off. I can't start earlier than 8am because I have to take the kids to daycare and I have to be off by 4:30 so I can pick them up before 5 (that would also mean working in the same city). So basically, I'm stuck in my job. Overtime would help with the bills but I don't have time to pick any up. Someone has to be home. Geez, it sucks to be me.

Changes. Or Not.

In an attempt to write in my blog more often, I've decided that I should have some focus. Something to write about. A theme to follow. I could talk about work, I could talk about my kids, or I could talk about my marriage. None of those things are really that interesting to anyone except me. So I've made a final decision. I'm going to write about anything and everything that comes to mind. Yes, this is pretty much what I've been doing for the past 6 years.

Old Friend

Okay, I admit I don't write here very often anymore but I think about it a lot. Anyway, the past couple days there's someone I've kinda had on my mind. Last night Alexa left for Calgary. Permanently. I mean permanently as in she's moving there and not just on vacation. I'm hoping someday she comes back because really, Vancouver is a better place to live. Anyway, I've known Alexa since before she was born and I've known her mom since I was a toddler. I've watched her grow up into an adult and become an independent woman. It's sad to see her go but she has to make her own way in this world and make her own decisions. Again, I hope she moves back home one day because she's one of those people that you just want to be in your life for a long time. And not in a long-distance kind of way, but in a day-to-day way. Take care, Alexa, and good luck in Calgary.

I'm a Fan

So I was watching the Michael Jackson memorial yesterday and I thought, "we've lost a pretty amazing artist." Then, talking about it today at work, I realized that the newer generation don't really know the Glory Days. One of the women at work is only about 4 years younger than me but her memory of MJ starts around the time just after Dangerous when he got really weird and creepy. Before that, he was just a little eccentric. I think the best years started with Off the Wall and lasted through Thriller, Bad, and into Dangerous. If you were a fan during those 4 albums, then you knew his brilliance. It's just too bad there was all that crazy shit that happened afterwards. Nothing was the same after. They say that people at genius levels are a little weird, probably because they see the world differently than us regular folk. MJ's brilliance was also his downfall.

Brr

We've had a few hot days this year. Not, like, super hot or anything, but mid to high 20's (celsius for you americans). What that translates to in my bedroom is roughly 42 celius. Our bedroom gets super warm because we get afternoon sun and we have a lot of windows. Makes the room look good but hot as hell. Anyway, when the twins were born we bought a portable A/C unit and this thing is gold. I just close the door, turn on the A/C and 20 minutes later the room is nice and cool. Last night it was on and it got cold. Like, cover-yourself-with-a-blanket cold. That was the sign to turn it off. If you don't want to spend the gajillion dollars on a portable A/C, buy one of those window fans. Those things are awesome too.

Don't Stop Til You Get Enough

This was one hell of a week. Nothing really happened in my life, but in the lives of others it was pretty significant. The first that comes to mind is Ed McMahon. I mainly knew him as Johnny Carson's sidekick and I have to admit that that's how I remember him the most. I hear he did a lot of good things though. Another life I think of is Farrah Fawcett. The was one of the original Charlie's Angels. I used to watch her on TV when I was a kid. And finally - you know who I'm talking about - Michael Jackson. WTF? He was only 50 and he died of a heart attack. Something is fishy about that but apparently he had medical problems for a long time. When it comes to music and dancing I can't think of a single person that has been more influential than this man. Sure he had a few weird things going on in his life in recent years, but if you look at his body of work, well it's amazing. If I had to mention 2 things that changed the world of music it would have to be Thriller and the moonwalk. Let us all bow our heads and pray for his soul. May his accomplishments and contributions to the world be remembered always.

Telly Wuz Here

I used to talk about shaving my head just for the hell of it. I never did it, though, because I kinda liked having hair and I was worried my head would look stupid. Anyway, after years of talking about it, I finally did it. A few days ago I got Celia to just shave all the damn hair off. I didn't Bic my head or anything, I just put #2 guard on and cleaned my cap. After a few days of having it all off, I have to say that it makes getting ready to leave the house very very easy but when I look in the mirror I still think it looks a little funny. I'm not sure I'll shave it again but at least now I can say I've done it.

Happy Birthday to Me

Y'know, I don't really look forward to my birthday like I used to.  I never make plans, I don't think about doing anything special for the day, and I don't expect other people to make a big deal out of it either.  Don't get me wrong, I love it when people wish me Happy Birthday - it makes me feel loved.  Despite not really caring much for my birthday anymore, I think I would have to be completely honest and say I would prefer not to spend it in the hospital.  As a patient it would really suck, but this year I had to take Celia to the hospital first thing in the morning on Wednesday.  She had a bunch of tests done and once they figured out what it was (you'll have to ask her yourself, I can't give that away), decided that she needed surgery.  She waited around for hours and finally went to the OR at 1 in the morning.  When I got there the next day, I didn't even know she had her surgery so the whole morning I was all annoyed that she was still waiting for it.  Anyway, everything is okay, she's doing really well, and the kids understand they can't climb all over her for a while.  There's some follow-up but that's just standard.  I guess my birthday was exciting in it's own way.

Here We Go Again

A couple of days ago I noticed that my kids started to have runny noses again. Then, yesterday, their breathing sounded all wet and congested. Today they don't sound much worse, but boy are they grumpy. Neither of them want to eat and Amelia is super clingy. Man, I hate it when they're sick. They're probably uncomfortable and feeling lousy but I really hate when they're sick because I'm a selfish bastard and it's really difficult for me to handle them. Amelia just wants to be carried all the time and Lucas eventually starts to feel left out. Whenever I hear people with just one kid complaining about how their one child is so hard to look after when s/he is sick, I want to punch them.

You Know More Than You Know

I was reading this thing about some guy that gave a speech at some commencement ceremony somewhere (that's a pretty detailed line, I know) and rather than try to impart some of his wisdom on the new grads, he instead asked them to write down their response to the question "What do my classmates and I need to hear on graduation day?"  It appeared as though the final lesson they learned was that they were, in fact, quite a bright bunch a people.  Some of the responses:

• Be wise enough not to be reckless, but brave enough to take great risks.
• It's okay to fail - learn from it and you will succeed.
  
• Wash your hands... religiously.
  

Hmm, not bad.

Live in the Now

Now that the twins are starting to talk a bit, I have to be extra careful with the words I use.  So far they haven't repeated anything bad but Lucas is getting very good at repeating words.  His talking has exploded in the past few weeks.  He's learning words like crazy and is starting to put them together creatively.  Amelia still babbles a lot but she says it like you're supposed to understand her.  She doesn't like to repeat stuff but you can tell she's just soaking it in, ready to burst out in full sentences.  She did this when she was an infant too.  She would just watch everything and then one day she started to roll and crawl and walk, leaving Lucas in the dust.  so even though Lucas may be using words more now, I expect Amelia to pick it up quick.  I've always looked forward to the day they could talk but now I miss the days when they were still crawling around (kinda).  Maybe I should stop looking forward to what will come and appreciate what is here.

Don't You Hate...

when you just finish putting lotion on your super-dry hands and then you go to the bathroom and when you wash your hands all the lotion is gone?

Movie Review

Star Trek directed by JJ Abrams

Holy shit this was good. I'm not going to ruin it for you or anything so I'll just say this: Watch This Movie.

Nerd News Vol. 1, Issue 1

I just heard that Starcraft II will be released on Halloween this year.  That is the best damn news I've heard this year.  I don't think my Windows PC will be able to handle it so that leaves me with either installing Windows on my iMac or buying the Mac version of the game.  Mac versions of games have historically sucked but maybe they're better now.  But then will I only be able to play online with other Mac players?  Or do will I be able to play with the rest of the world?  I don't know.

Speaking of installing Windows on my iMac, there's a new version of Windows coming out this year.  In case you don't follow the Nerd News, the new version is called Windows 7.  Creative title but apparently this version is much better than Vista.  See?  Giving your OS a fancy name doesn't stop it from sucking.  Maybe a boring name makes for a better OS.  Millenium Edition sucked but XP was good.  Anyway, I'm thinking that this new version is the one I'll install on my iMac.  Hopefully it doesn't fuck up my beautiful computer.

Inconceivable!

So today we were talking about The Princess Bride with Cary Elwes, Mandy Patinkin, and Robin Wright Penn.  There were a few people that had never seen it and I think those people a fucking nuts.  Not in a bad way, mind you, they are just crazy to have not seen this movie or to have spent their time searching out a movie such as this even though they didn't know it existed.  This movie is brilliant.  Comedy, action, love, suspense... the only thing it's missing is the naked women.  I'll let that one go for this movie because it's that great.  All the characters are brilliant: The Spaniard, The Sicilian, The Giant, and of course The Dread Pirate Roberts, AKA Wesley. Good shit, people.  Good shit.

"Coconuts are tropical and this is a temperate zone."

I was on vacation all of last week.  I got so much done!  I cleaned half the garage (believe me, half is a pretty damn big job), painted a closet (it's a big closet), changed a light fixture (I don't even know how to do that!), and buried all my A/V cables in the wall/crawlspace.  Plus I took my car to get aircared (passed with flying colours, thank you very much), played video games, watched some DVD's, and cleaned up the garbage from the back patio.  Okay, okay, the video games and watching DVD's aren't really productive, but when you don't get to play except late at night when you're already tired and you never get to watch a movie from beginning to end uninterrupted, it's a big deal.

After having this time off, I was so ready to go back to work.  Don't get me wrong, I love being off work.  I love it so much I wish I could do it every day.  I wish I could do it every day and then marry it.  I wish I could do it every day, marry it, and then have kids with it so the not-going-to-work think can be passed on to my next generation.  Anyway, that didn't make sense at all, but the point is that I love not having to work.  But, since I do have a job and I'm kinda obligated to do some work at that job, and I actually like my job (that totally contradicts my whole I-love-not-going-to-work thing), I go every day and do a little bit of stuff here and there.  I've actually got a lot of stuff to do, but I've been avoiding it and saving it up for a day when I really don't have time to do it so I can be so freakin busy I'll have to stop and blog about it at work.  I'm not really making much sense here, am I?  I'm like a fricken monty python sketch right now.

Sleep is for the Weak

I'm exhausted.  I always say this but I think it's finally really catching up to me.  I'm so tired that I can't sleep anymore.  I lay in bed until close to midnight and wake up at 5:30 or 6am.  Even if I go to bed a bit earlier, I just wake up and then I can't fall back asleep.  Maybe I'm just going through some adjustment period or something.

I Pity the Fool

I don't know about you, but I think Mr. T is one of the greatest entertainers in the history of movies and TV. Seriously, have you seen his Clubber Lang in Rocky III? Or B.A. Baracus in the A-Team? OMG, this guy is fuckin awesome. Who will ever forget his name? "First name: Mister, second name: period, last name: T." He rocked the gold bling before any of those wannabe rappers and he is the real OG. Anyone that can be a bodyguard for Mohammed Ali, Joe Frazier, and Leon Spinks is one bad ass. Although his characters would tend to appear very stupid with short lines like, "I pity the fool!", Mr. T is a very intelligent person with great charisma. He's got this reality (reali-T) show is called "I Pity the Fool" where he goes around and motivates people. It's not a show that will make you feel sorry for the guests, there's no "boo-hoo-my-life-sucks" people on his show. Mr. T will tell you your life sucks because you're a fool.

Some more Mr. T classics:

Mr. T Snickers commercial "Get some nuts!"

Mr. T World of Warcraft commercial "I'm a night elf mohawk."

Mr. T: the "T" in I.T.

Rules for Fools: Mr. T on Successful Employment

One

Yesterday was my first anniversary. Exactly a year ago we got married in a little church in Surrey and had a grand celebration in a casino. Celebrating in a casino isn't exactly as bad as it sounds, it's kinda like getting married in Las Vegas except without Elvis. The resort (not just a casino) staff were great and were very nice to us from our first meeting with the event coordinator right up to the last drink from the best damn bartender (congratulations on your engagement btw - again, knowing the bartender isn't as bad as it sounds, he's a friend). Anyway, you'd think that after living together for a few years getting married wouldn't be such a big deal. Well it is. It makes all the difference in the world. Don't know why, it just does and you'll know it when it happens to you. Anyway, I would like to take this opportunity (is it really an "opportunity" if I can blog about it any time I damn well please?) to say Happy Anniversary to my beautiful wife and here's to another 40 years to come (I don't really expect to live past 75)! I love you, Celia.

All This Time I Thought I Was Alone

A while back, probably at least a couple years ago, I wrote about googling yourself.  I did it once and found out there was some guy with the same name as me in Washington.  He was a professor of some writing class and sounded pretty smart.  Anyway, I thought "cool" and pretty much left it at that.  Recently, while surfing through facebook I found a group called Fans of Oliver de la Paz.  Seriously, I had to join this group.  So I did, read some of the stuff in the group and thought "cool" and pretty much left it at that.  Today, I get a message and a friend request that says "since we have the same name, we HAVE to be friends!"  That's totally cool with me so I accept and as it turns out, it's that professor dude from Washington.  I'm in his fan club group and I have to admit, I've never really read his stuff.  Anyway, just to make the story more interesting, I'm going through his pictures and find out that he has a 1-year old son named Lucas.  WTF??!  Weird, huh?  Finally, I just found out there's another Oliver De La Paz in California.  I sent a friend request to him because I think we might start a facebook group just for people with our name.  All three of us can be in it. 

Expert

Today we were pretty busy.  We helped one of the women in our group with her plans for a kitchen renovation.  We totally avoided work and looked at different kitchen designs hoping to find one that she likes.  She has an idea in her head but it sounds pretty fricken expensive so we were suggesting ways to save money.  At the same time, however, we were putting new ideas into her head that would just cost a million dollars more than her budget.  Granite sinks, radiant heat in a tile floor, double built in ovens and a built in microwave.  Fun stuff, huh?  Ever since we renovated our kitchen, I think I'm just an expert on all things kitchen-y.  It's like during the Olympics when you watch enough synchronized diving that you think you could be a judge.  Anyway, I have an early meeting tomorrow so I can't spend the night writing for you.  Gotta run.  No, don't get up, I'll just let myself out.  See you later.

Damn Cute

We were at my sister-in-law's house today and Amelia was calling to the dogs "Hi dog!"  She's so fricken cute.

Reliving my Youth

If you've never heard of it, there's this game called Quake. It came out in the mid-90's and was very popular. Then Quake 2 came out and was even more popular. I used to play it a lot and was pretty damn good at it. In fact, on the servers I played on frequently, I was very well known and, dare I say it, feared. I was in a couple of clans and... Well you get the idea - I was a Q2 freak. If you ever want to play, I bet I could still kick your ass.

Anyhoo, a little while later, Quake 3 came out and then a few years after that Quake 4. With those last two iterations, I never was able to pick up the old rail gun and frag the world like I could in Q2. Maybe the gameplay was different, maybe the weapons changed, maybe the gamespeed changed, or maybe I just plain sucked. Whatever it was, I don't really care but recently I've started something that makes me wish I was better at Q3: Quake Live. Its basically Quake 3 but played right out of your browser. No game to buy, nothing more than a plug-in to download and install, and most importantly, no lag to be found. I play it on a 7 year old computer and it runs at 120+ fps. I open my browser and I'm playing the game less than 1 minute later. Seriously, it actually runs just as well if not better than my real copy of Q3. If any of this didn't come across as supergeeky or if it did but you are in the least bit interested in Quake, you have to try QuakeLive. It is totally worth the hours of unproductive effort. Now if only I could install the plug-in on my computer at work...

My Way

At work, I've somehow become the non-official official orientation guy for when new people start.  Not such a big deal cuz I kinda enjoy it anyway.  Since last year, I've had 4 new people (aka, my bitches - not the derogatory annoying girl kinda bitch, but more the prison bitch) that I've had to train.  So far, I'm quite proud that they all do things my way and that they think of me as the guy that knows everything.  Really though, when they all find out that I actually don't know much, I'm in trouble and they'll be calling me their bitch.  But at least they'll all still be doing things my way.

Vampires Suck

So my co-worker tells me about this show on TV (HBO) about vampires and how it is really kinda racy and she has to turn the volume down when she's watching it because it gets a little porn-ish.  Then she tells me that Anna Paquin is in it.  Naked.  And then she tells me to PVR the damn thing so I can watch it.  So for a while I do that and the storyline seems okay and Anna Paquin seems pretty aight (naked) and then there's the porn-ish parts which really aren't all that porn-ish, they're more just rated R kinda stuff.  Anyway, I got bored of the show and deleted all of them off my PVR.  So now my co-worker is getting other people at work to read the books but I gotta say this: it's kinda boring.  If she ever reads this, she'll probably kill me.

MiL On the Way

In about 2 weeks, my mother-in-law is coming. She usually stays with us because she wants to be with the twins and will usually take a short side trip to San Francisco. Most people moan and groan and roll their eyes when they hear their mother-in-law is coming to visit, but I actually really enjoy it. Not only does she come and help (a lot) with the kids, but she also takes care of Celia and I. When the kids were still in the hospital, sometimes we wouldn't come home until 10 or 11pm and when walked in the door, mom2 would have some hot food waiting for us. There is nothing better than food ready for you when you walk in the door. Maybe a cold beer but that's just being greedy. Anyway, I never expect her to cook for us or anything, but she does and I love it. The other bonus is that she often takes my side when Celia and I disagree. :)

Pet Peeve

One of my pet peeves is when people do the 3period thing (eg, "...")  but go overboard and put, like, 20 periods.  for example:

"hey........... haven't talked to you in a while........... we should get together!"

I'm Back

It's been a while.  Sorry to all my faithful readers if I've left you hanging.  Let me give you a quick recap of the past month:

Twins' birthday - they turned 2 earlier this month.  We didn't do anything wild or crazy, just a little dinner with the family, godparents, and the neighbour.  As it turns out, the neighbour's kid goes to the same daycare as our kids.

Night shifts - I did a whole week of night shifts for some implementation we had out in Abbotsford.  It wasn't so bad except I was bored out of my mind.  As it turns out, the twins don't sleep through the night and Celia had a rough week.

Parents - my parents finally moved back into their own house.  There are a few things the contractors did a crappy job on.  If I ever find out their name, I'll let you know so you can never ever hire them for anything ever.  Stupid shit too like not lining up the tiles in the backsplash or not laying the floor tiles flat.  Seriously, that's stupid shit.

Work - there's a big shake-up at work.  Not a bad one, but everyone is working on something different.  Well, not everyone, but teams were switched around and new teams were formed.  I don't know why people always get mad at me for finding stuff out.  I mean, if it really was a big secret, why are they telling me?  Then I get in trouble for talking about it.  Personally, I think being able to find out everything that's going on, even the stuff that isn't officially going on (you know what I mean), is a skill and a good skill to have.  Don't hate me for having mad skillz.

Well that's about it.  What's going to be happening in the next few weeks?  I don't know.  I'm seriously starting to think about moving again.  Maybe we'll move in with my parents and save a bajillion dollars.  Man, that's a great idea.  Also, I've decided that the next opportunity that comes my way, I'm taking.  I probably should have taken the last one but I don't think that one was the one for me.  But the next one is mine.  Now that I say that, there probably won't be another one for a long time.  I suck.

Smarten Up

You know that saying, "live every day like its the last day of your life"? or "live for today and worry about tomorrow when it comes"? They sound really great and they get people to open up and enjoy their lives but I have to disagree with them at some point. It gives people permission to be irresponsible and go overboard. I mean, why not get stupid drunk tonight? Live it up, right? Well at some point you have to take responsibility for your life and for your future. I mean, what's the point of going to school or exercising or even getting married? None of those thing are a tonne of fun today, but they are rewarding tomorrow and the day after that and 20 years from now. I think the meaning of the saying is to simply be mindful of the present and enjoy the experience as it's happening so that you never look back and regret that you missed out on something. Anyway, I think I'm just saying don't be stupid and try to justify it by saying the world might end tomorrow.

Pass

I really like my job. I mean I really really like my job. I like what I've done, I like what I do, and I like what I'm going to do. I like that what I do affects a very large number of people and that it actually contributes to the work that nurses do (even if they think it doesn't). So, with all the things I like about my job, why do I feel like I need to move on and do something different? And if that's the case, why do I continue to avoid new things? There's another opportunity being presented to me and again, I'm passing it up so that I can stay and work at my current job. This new one isn't a sure thing or anything, but the opportunity is there and I really think I might have a decent chance at it, but I'm not sure it's what I want to do. I won't get into details because those are really not worth writing down (I've gone over them in my head a million times) but basically, this new thing isn't exciting enough to make me leave the job I love. What am I waiting for? A dream job. that's the problem, maybe its just a dream.

doubling up

Who wears boxer shorts under a pair of shorts? What's the fricken point? You're just wearing 2 pairs of shorts.

The Urge

I have a problem.  I joke around about people that buy clothes all the time and then find something in their closet that still has the tag on but they bought it last year.  I just can't seem to buy clothes like that.  My problem, however, is that I like to buy other stuff.  I like to buy expensive toys like new TV's, computers, phones, etc etc.  Right now I'm seriously thinking about buying a notebook computer.  Do I need one?  No.  Does Celia need one?  Well, no but it sure would be helpful now that she's in school.  Does she need one for the program that's she's in?  She could probably get away with not having one but again, it would be helpful.  So now she's put it in my mind that we should get a notebook for school.  I personally have no problem with that.  I've been comparing computers and trying to find one that meets my non-existent budget.  Do I get an entry-level MacBook or an above-average PC notebook?  High-end is out of the question.  Entry-level macbooks are still pretty good (I personally think it's because of the OS).  The PC notebook has much better hardware, but the operating system eats up half of that anyway.  The mac is lighter, thinner, more portable.  The PC is more mainstream so software is cheaper and easier to find.  Plus, I still need something that runs Windows because my VPN for work doesn't support a mac.  Look at me, comparing the two like I can actually afford a new computer.

Brave New World

In a world of text messaging, email, blogs, instant messengers, online communities, and all other kinds of electronic communication, some would say that we're losing our ability to communicate effectively.  I think I would have to disagree with this.  I've read that teenagers are able to convey just as much information and emotion in a text message as they would in a face-to-face conversation.  I think chatting online gives people a chance to know each other's personalities rather than having one's physical appearance affect how they interact.  Online communities like Facebook or MySpace allow people to stay in touch in ways we've never been able to before.  Do you know what your old elementary school friends are doing now?  I found out that a girl I went to school with over 20 years ago just got married and another is married with 2 very cute daughters.  Just 2 years ago I had no idea if these people were even still alive.  Even though we only leave each other brief messages once in a while, we're still in closer contact than we've ever been since 1988.  I remember a time when people kept diaries and journals and kept them locked in a secret hiding place in their room.  I may not do that, but I've been writing in my blog since 2003 and sharing my thoughts, opinions, experiences, highs, lows, and everything in between with anyone bored enough to read it.  Doesn't matter whether or not anyone reads it though, I write it for the same reason people write in private diaries - I just need an outlet to speak my mind and let it all out.  So my point of all this is that with all the technology that's out there, literally at our fingertips with iPhones and Blackberries, I think the opportunity to communicate is greater than ever before.  If you choose not to communicate or choose to communicate ineffectively, that's up to you.  There's nothing forcing you to stay indoors in front of your computer and there's nothing forcing you to ignore the ringing of your phone.  Quit blaming the tools and be accountable for your own choices.

Movie Previews

Remember that Street Fighter movie from the nineties?  The crappy one with Jean-Claude VD?  Well, they're making a new Street Fighter movie except this time the main character is Chun Li.  The trailer kinda makes it look like the Elektra movie.

Another movie that's coming out is GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra.  When I was a kid I used to have a lot of GI Joes so I like to think of myself as a fan.  The trailer looks kinda cool with Snake Eyes jumping around and doing flips like spiderman.

Lastly, there's a new Astroboy movie.  If you don't know who Astroboy is, then you're missing out.  I used to love the old cartoon when I was a kid.  He was the super-robot version of Pinocchio.

Superstar

My niece is in a commercial.  She's so cute.

So Much Fun

Every time my kids get sick they each do their own distinctive thing.  Lucas tends to sleep a lot and just be a little lump until he feels better.  Amelia becomes very clingy and doesn't want to be put down.  Both of them can be very exhausting for us as we end up spending a lot of time with them, day and night.  Then one day they will just get up and start playing like nothing happened.  Amelia has been sick the past few days but yesterday she decided she felt better and was running around, laughing, and dancing again.  She's so fun to watch.

When the kids were born I couldn't wait for the day when I would come home from work and they would scream "daddy!" and come running to greet me.  That day has finally come.  When I come home from work, I can hear them upstairs calling "daddy, daddy!" and when I get to the top of the stairs, they are there just standing there waiting for me.  Then they either give me a big hug or they run off expecting me to chase them and start playing.  Oh, they are so much fun.

Finally

"What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility — a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world," he said. "Duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task. This is the price and the promise of citizenship."

If this kind of thing keeps up, I think this new president might help people like americans.

Hey, I have a question. How come Obama is always described as the first black president? I thought he was only half-black. So the white people can take comfort in knowing he's still half-white and the black people can rejoice in that his half-blackness? I think if I was his white parent I'd be a little offended that I wasn't being acknowledged.

Good News Guys

I was told not to tell this to anyone.  I'm sorry, if I kept it a secret I would be betraying my fellow man.  

Pre-eclampsia:

Preeclampsia is a disorder that occurs only during pregnancy and the postpartum period and affects both the mother and the unborn baby. Affecting at least 5-8% of all pregnancies, it is a rapidly progressive condition characterized by high blood pressure and the presence of protein in the urine.  The only known treatments for eclampsia or advancing pre-eclampsia are abortion or delivery, either by induction or Caesarean section.  Many studies have also suggested the importance of a woman's immunological tolerance to her baby's father, whose genes are present in the young fetus and its placenta and which may pose a challenge to her immune system.  Researchers are increasingly recognizing the importance of a woman's continued exposure to her partner's semen as early as several years before conception. 

Okay, everything make sense so far?  Read on...

Having already noted the importance of a woman's immunological tolerance to her baby's paternal genes, several Dutch reproductive biologists decided to take their research a step further. Consistent with the fact that human immune systems tolerate things better when they enter the body via the mouth, the Dutch researchers conducted a series of studies that confirmed a surprisingly strong correlation between a diminished incidence of pre-eclampsia and a woman's practice of oral sex, and noted that the protective effects were strongest if she swallowed her partner's semen.

Okay guys, there is now scientific research to back up your claim that "it's good for you."  If you want references to text above, let me know and I'll tell you go do your own damn research if you don't believe me.

Public Service Announcement

Last Friday Celia and I had a babysitter so we went out for our friend's birthday.  First of all, finding street parking in Yaletown at 9pm on a Friday night is a nightmare.  Don't even bother trying.  We drove in circles for 45 minutes just to park.  Then again, we ended up with a pretty decent spot close to our party.  Anyway, you know when you're drinking and you start to get a little tired because you're not drinking enough to give you that drunken superman energy but you've had just enough to drink to make you a little sleepy?  Well for me that's one or two drinks.  If that's all I have, I need to go to bed soon.  Anything more and I'm up partying till the wee hours of the morning.  Or throwing up, one or the other.  Anyway, to overcome the whole sleepy thing, the secret is this: Red Bull and Vodka.  You can even go heavy on the Vodka.  With just a couple of these, you have the energy to survive the party and you're not hammered.  Anyway, that's my advice to you all.  I'm not advertising for Red Bull or anything because if I was then I would be getting paid and I'm not so consider this a PSA.  Drink Red Bull and Vodka. 

Growing Up

Next month the twins are going to daycare.  With Celia going back to school and with no nanny available, we needed some form of childcare on a daily basis.  Daycare isn't so bad, there are other kids about their age and there's structure to their day.  Exactly the kind of thing I want.  Today I was talking to someone about it and then I said it out loud: "They'll be in daycare monday to friday for about 8 or 9 hours a day."  Holy crap, that's a lot of time to be spending with strangers.  I mean, I do it every day at work but for a two year old that's a lot of non-family time.  Someday they'll be in school and it'll be similar situation.  Then someday they'll be old enough to be out on their own and then they'll be out all night and then they'll move out and then I'll hardly ever see them.  Now I don't want them to grow up.

Day 2 Vancouver Blizzard December 2008

Chilled Vancouver commuters faced their second day of winter hell today, as an additional centimetre of the peculiar white stuff fell, bringing the lower mainland to its knees and causing millions of dollars worth of damage to the marijuana crops. Scientists suspect that the substance is some form of frozen water particles and experts from Saskatchewan are being flown in. With temperatures dipping to the almost but not quite near zero mark, Vancouverites were warned to double insulate their lattes before venturing out.

Vancouver police recommended that people stay inside except for emergencies, such as running out of espresso or biscotti to see them through Vancouver's most terrible storm to date. The local Canadian Tire reported that they had completely sold out of fur-lined sandals.

Drivers were cautioned to put their convertible tops up, and several have been shocked to learn that their SUV's actually have four wheel drive, although most have no idea how to use it.

Weary commuters faced soggy sushi, and the threat of frozen breast implants. Although Dr. John Blatherwick, of the Coastal Health Authority reassured everyone that most breast implants were perfectly safe to 25 below, down-filled bras are flying off the shelves at Mountain Equipment Co-op.

"The government has to do something," snarled an angry Trevor Warburton. "I didn't pay $540,000 for my one bedroom condo so I could sit around and be treated like someone from Saskatchewan."

2009 Resolutions

Every January I have resolutions for the new year (except for last year, I must have forgotten) and this year I've decided to go big.  Here they are:

1. Lose 15 lbs
   
2. Stop buying lunch at work
   
3. Be more responsible with money
   
4. Quit smoking 100% (I'm at 95% right now.  If you don't know, that just means I'm doing pretty damn good right now)
   
5. Paint my house
   
6. Finish any and all renovations
   
7. Clean the garage so we can have both vehicles in there
   
8. Exercise at least 3 days/week (see #1)
   

There we go.  I think the toughest one is actually #7.  Anyway, happy new year to everyone and best wishes for you and your loved ones.