New Year's Letter
31 December 2006 - 18:49.
Are you ready for the new year? Has the old year been good to you or maybe a little less so?
My own year has been an interesting one, having started off in a different country for only the second time in my life. And as we all have happen, there were obstacles to overcome through the year, both personal and professional.
The last few months have seen me take a slightly more measured approach to some things in life, as I slowly find myself growing up at last and acting as an adult for a change. I'm appreciating my family more and paying attention to social justice issues a bit more closely. I've worked this year to rebuild some friendships and shore up some others, and strengthen relationships of all types.
I don't so much have resolutions for the new year, but rather some guidelines that I'd like to try to work with - resolutions tend to fall by the wayside distressingly quickly. I want to spend more time with my family, since I know that their days are sorely numbered. I want to pay more attention to the world around me, and make it a better place in what small way I can. I hope to spend more time with my friends, and do a better job of showing them that they matter to me a great deal.
Here's hoping that whatever dreams you have may come true. Happy New Year everyone.
Going for a dip
29 December 2006 - 23:41.
I have this strange urge to go for a swim real soon. I don't know why.
Anyone care to join me for a wee swim? Maybe we can find a spot on Monday? Anyone?
Christmas Wrap-Up
27 December 2006 - 20:02.
Yeah, it was a bad pun. I'm allowed one per year, and that's it.
The day itself was good to me, and I hope it was for you as well. I got to spend the day with the people that matter most to me, which is big in my life. I was given some very cool stuff, some of which was much needed, and some of which was completely frivolous.
The best part of the day for me though was spending time with my grandparents, who are like parents to me. My grandmother has had Alzheimer's for several years and my Grandfather has never really dealt with that very well, and it hits him particularly hard around special days like this one. To be able to take some of that pain away was a wonderful thing.
I hope your day was just as meaningful and heart-warming.
Making a difference
24 December 2006 - 19:26.
As some of you know, I live near the poorest part of Canada. Vancouver's Gastown abuts the Downtown East Side, which has the lowest per capita income in the nation. For a country as wealthy as we are, I find it appalling. Every day I see it out my back window, and out my front door. I do a little bit to help where I can through random acts of kindness and through charitable donations. Sometimes, even talking to those folks like they're human and worth talking to will garner a most unexpected reaction.
So whatever city you're in, whatever neighbuorhood, and whatever tax bracket, I challenge you to give the unlucky ones a gift this year. Give some organization a donation, give of your time to help a charity, or give them your respect directly. But give them something. Don't do something now then forget - do it monthly or quarterly, or more if you can. Don't do it because it's Christmas; do it because, as Mahatma Ghandi said "You must be the change you want to see in the world".
Have a Merry Christmas everyone. May the peace of the world be with you.
But wait! There's more!
Seasons
21 December 2006 - 20:15.
Today is the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year. Different cultures celebrate this in different ways, but the root cause behind their celebrations is the same as my own happiness today... from this point forward, the days get longer. Every day that passes means another minute or two of daylight, every single day.
It may be winter right now, but spring is on it's way...
See ya Joe
19 December 2006 - 12:57.
Yesterday Joseph Barbera passed away at the ripe old age of 95. For me and many of those I know, this actually means something, since he's one half of the duo that helped define Saturday mornings when we were growing up. The Hannah- Barbera team brought us The Flintstones, Yogi Bear (and BooBoo too!), Captain Caveman, Tom & Jerry and many others, most of which are still available in syndication. His production partner William Hannah passed away 5 years ago.
To this day their cartoons can still make me stop channel surfing, and will almost invariably put at least a smile upon my face, if not make me laugh out loud. And in fact one of my cats is named after a Tom & Jerry character. While surfing the web one day, I found a rough artist's sketch of a cat character from the show. And while I can't find the same sketch today, the character later became known as Toodles Galore. And my cat? She's Toodles too.
Not much new
18 December 2006 - 15:18.
It's been a quiet few days for me really... I'm quietly getting into the festive mood, I've got most of my shopping done, and I'm glad to have already had some vacation to de-stress. I'm not even really that bothered that I have a cold - either that, or I imported some strange virus from Mexico, which is quietly incubating in my bloodstream
I don't know that a martini party would completely qualify as a Christmas party, but that was on Saturday and was a blast. Among other things, I had a chance to make some martinis for people, share some belly laughs, and catch up with people I hadn't seen in a whle as well as meet other interesting folks. It was a great time - thanks for the invite Donna.
Sometimes it's surprising who you end up talking with at get togethers, and this was one of those instances (I know you read here from time to time, so let me say simply that I'm glad to have run in to you, and I'm glad it looks like we can be friends). But it's always good to expand ones' circle of acquaintance.
Mexico - the longer version
16 December 2006 - 20:56.
Well, I've been back for a week now, so I guess it's about time for me to provide a slightly longer update to my Mexican vacation. So here it is.
Firstly, let me say... yes, I did bring back some tequila. For those of you who have known me long enough or well enough, you know what that means. For the rest of you... ask me one day, and I might tell you about The Tequila Incident. And if anyone feels ambitious, I have some Mezcal as well, complete with an agave worm.
The vacation was much needed, and it was a good week. All-inclusive resorts are my new best friend, especially when they're right on the beach, and when non-motorized water sports are included. Taking an ocean kayak and using it to surf with was a whole lot of fun, and snorkeling above the fan coral was really cool too. It was my first time to an all-inclusive, and my first time to Mexico. I learned a few things about staying at an all-inclusive, and I might do things a bit differently next time.
That having been said, the vacation was wonderful, and I got to see some interesting sights.
But wait! There's more!
Stressed again
13 December 2006 - 14:31.
Well, so much for my relaxed self. Work has again managed to intrude itself upon my consciousness. And once again I find myself with tense shoulders, dreading email, and nearly jumping when the phone rings. It's just not fun anymore, and it's time for a change. Still in geekdom, but not where I am, I think.
Does anyone know of a company looking for a serious geek?
Hi Honey....
11 December 2006 - 10:24.
...I'm home. At least physically. Mentally and spiritually, I'm still on a beach somewhere in the Yucatan Peninsula. I'll give you all the long version at a later point. But for now, here's the Cole's Notes version:
Flight- meh. It was a charter. Food - generally good, and I didn't get sick. Sun - lots. Beach - even more. Scariest moment - the man in the speedo that looked like it was cut from a floral print tablecloth. He weighed 300lbs if he weighed an ounce. Never before in my life have I seen such a compelling argument for the abolishment of the Speedo bathing suit style. I don't know if I'm happy or or not that I missed getting a picture of him.
How'd That Happen?
01 December 2006 - 10:21.
Following on a theme used by Donna every so often in her blog, I was thinking of doing a post on the search terms used to bring people here - some of them are pretty whacked, for such a tame site. And out of curiosity, I Googled the two terms I remember seeing the most in my stats.
I wasn't surprised that this site came up number 2 if you search for 'internet fluff' (and with this entry, I'll probably move up a spot). But the one that shocked me was the search for 'CB400 Supersport' coming in at number 3. The search is related to one of my motorbikes, but it's not even like I have a lot of links that I'm aware of. And I know there aren't ons of pictures of the bike here either.
Can someone from Google please contact me to explain the algorithm you use, and why it's got a rarely mentioned motorbike I own pushing up my page ranking?