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October 7, 2010 - 11:23 PM What a pleasant surprise!  That went quickly... October 11, 2010 - 7:42 AM Turkey In The Oven A lot to be thankful for     Jamie and Liz are expecting a little girl, so we let them borrow ours to try her on for size. I think it looks good on them...  "Overjoyed"  The emotional range in this picture is vast.  Auntie Myra always complains about the pictures I take of her. Hopefully this makes up for a few of them.   This child has had a rough go of the last few days, being so sick in fact that she didn't leave her bed for two days or eat anything. Now on the recovery, her smile is starting to return as well as her appetite.        October 17, 2010 - 11:36 PM Columbia College Harder To Get Into Than I Thought  One of the reasons I carry a camera tucked tightly under my left arm is so that when I come across humorous signs such as these, I can snap a speedy shot to share with the world on my web site. You'd be surprised at how often I come across little sources of humour like this, absurdity is all around us. Another weekend has come to pass. Time sure does move quickly. Looking back on my thirty years on this earth it's easy to despare for all the time gone by. Perspective is key as you age though, on one hand, half my lifetime ago I was 15. This would have put me in grade ten, and just learning how to play the drums. Fifteen years ago I met Bo. I guess that means we've been friends for half my life. But on the other hand, if you double the amount of time I've been alive, that will make me 60. It's impossible to speculate all the things that I'll have seen in the next thirty years. The changes, the technology, the politics, the wars (?) - Watching my kids grow up. In thirty years the twins will be my age now. It all depends on how you look at that glass. Being married is a lot different than I thought it would be. Same goes for having twins. I think it would be safe to say that in my blissful ignorance I really didn't think much about either. The less expectations you go into something with, the less likely you are to be disappointed. Reading that sentence might make you think I am disappointed with one or both of those subjects, but rest assured neither is the case. I'm simply taking this rare opportunity to write a little bit about the experience of both. You can't get to know someone else the way you do in marriage without also learning equally (or perhaps more) about yourself. The dynamics of a marriage relationship are diverse and complex. With the busy-ness of having the babies and trying to remain afloat the last couple of months, the style of communication has changed in reaction to the times. The other night we sat down and had a long overdue talk about where each of us is. Turns out, neither of us was where we thought we were. I think it is far too easy to get off track by just doing the day-to-day. We get busy with our lists and chores, tasks and deadlines, the daily routine. My latest lesson is trying to make time to talk. To stop and really talk. And sometimes that's easier said than done. er. well, said. Kristi and I have been studying the love languages. I've touched on this before, basically, according to Gary Chapman there are five main love languages: Acts of service, quality time, giving gifts, affirmation, and physical touch. One of Kristi's strong love languages is giving (and therefore also receiving) gifts. For me, this was the least of all my love languages, according to the results of the love language test found in Dr. Chapman's book. And I have to say I've been finding it a lot harder than I thought. We decided to try spending a week every day actively expressing love to one another in the language the other spoke most strongly. Day one was easy: I brought home some happy flowers and gave them to Kristi. Day two I wrote her a letter and left it somewhere she'd find during the day while I was at work. But then day three came along and I had nothing. Giving gifts just does not come naturally to me, and short of those two ideas I quickly ran ablank. It occurred to me that perhpaps the most significant part of giving gifts is in the thought that goes into the getting of the gift in the first place. Getting, making, acquiring, however you come about it, in order to give a gift you have to think about it. Some gifts require little thought, like the flower. Other gifts might require more thought, like the letter. But knowing the other person took the time to think about your gift, and therefore, you, means as much, if not more, than the actual gift itself. I'd love to write more but the clock has already rung fifteen minutes past midnight. Morning always comes too soon... There was a song I used to listen to with those lyrics. Once... Twice... Three times I will love you, more than anyone can pray nights... Tonight won't last forever, morning always comes too soon... October 20, 2010 - 9:12 PM BT - Emergency A great song to fill your headphones with  If you ever get a chance to hear this song, it's as beautiful as it is sad, as lifting as it it fluid. The more I hear it, the more I love it. Another pick of the day would have to be David Guetta with Afrojack and their song Louder Than Words. Seriously, find a pair of headphones, place them nimbly over your ears and play these two songs. They will change your life. October 21, 2010 - 10:10 PM Another Day Without snow  A few days ago, there was a cereal spill in the kitchen. Once the Rice Crispies were on the floor, they certainly weren't going back into the bowl or bucket, so Kristi suggested they get walked on. Not something you get to experience every day...  This was a Thanksgiving picture, but probably one of the least blurry ones of all the children and grandchildren from my wife's side of our family.  Can you believe how fast my son is growing? Already over 15 pounds, 14 of which are pure mischief. I have a feeling I am going to be paying for every misdeed I've ever committed in the form of classical parental come-uppance.  Kristin came over the other day for a visit and it was great to see her again. We were trying to think of the last time she came to my (old) house, since she has never been to my new house. Apparently it was before my renovations! Far too long, Kristin. But I can certainly appreciate how life carries us along...  I've come to the place in my life where I've decided to get rid of (most) of my old Commodore computer stuff. As you can see, it takes up a fair bit of space, and while most of it still works, (they don't build them like they used to...) I've been in a purging mode of late, and expelled probably several truckloads of [stuff] from my basement and garage. Some of it we've sold on Kijiji and made over $500 on, other things have simply been taken for a long overdue trip to the dump. But it feels wonderful to purge. To get rid of things you don't need is refreshing and exhillerating - especially if doing so also brings money into your pockets. So far I've listed the SuperPET 9000 (old white computer box thing at the right of the table) and with 8 days to go on the auction, it's already got 22 people watching it and 3 bids! I'm pretty optimistic. Selling things like this is such a crap shoot. I have no idea if it's actually worth anything, so an auction seems to be the easiest way to find out. We'll find out next Friday what the world thinks it's worth. In the mean time I'm like a kid counting down the days to Christmas, watching the hit counters and stats in My eBay...  A blast from my past. The first computer I ever owned was a Commodore VIC-20, which (naturally) I still have.  I wrote a tiny program that made the girls' names appear on the screen of the old Commodore SuperPET 9000 - which they were fascinated with when they saw it. A part of me hates to see it go, but I simply have no time for such novelties anymore, and space is at a premium. I want to concentrate on new endeavors - especially Venturii - in the coming year(s).  One of my own babies bombed a photograph! I was so proud!   BACK to Journal Index |