It's just after 2:00 AM. I've been up since 6:00 AM yesterday. I spent the last three days putting in a five-day week. All is where it's supposed to be, and I'm preparing for departure to Toronto. My cab will arrive in about 3 hours.
I've been thinking about Henry and just how easy it seems that life can simply slip away. You're here, then you're not.
Want to know what's really funny - in an odd sort of a way? Last week I went bike shopping with my sister. The next time I will see her will be at the airport in Toronto when I pick her up on Friday.
I made a point of scheduling a visit with my friends M. and I. in Ajax on the back side of my trip. It will indeed be a good feeling to shake hands with the man who was my best friend from grade four to grade 10. Of course, M. and I see each other fairly regularly, and almost sadly, with today's texting technology, we communicate more often than I see my own sister - both of whom I must travel to Toronto today to see!
I'll write a full blog post about my travels on my return. Until then, remember those whom you love, and let them know it.
Your faithful blog-o-spherian,
Dave
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Monday, March 19, 2007
Goodbye, dear friend
It is with deep regret and sadness that I must inform everyone of the sudden death of my dear friend Henry Blackmore. Henry and I became friends in Calgary in 1985. Henry returned home to Rosseau, Ontario in 1992 and we've been in touch since.
I have been asked to pass the word in Calgary, so if there is anyone you know who may have known Henry, please inform them. I will keep you posted on anything further, but it is my intention to attend his service this Saturday.
To everyone, please remember how precious is life, and those with whom we share it.
With much love,
Dave
I have been asked to pass the word in Calgary, so if there is anyone you know who may have known Henry, please inform them. I will keep you posted on anything further, but it is my intention to attend his service this Saturday.
To everyone, please remember how precious is life, and those with whom we share it.
With much love,
Dave
Monday, March 12, 2007
Independence
A solitary crane
In winter snow
Needs no jewels.
A single crane standing unconcerned in the falling snow is the very image of independence. It needs no one, it is secure in its environment, and it is capable of going through life alone. Its independence stems from self-sufficiency.
It needs no clothing, no building, no wealth, no status. It is content, even glorious in its naked identity. So too with ourselves: There is no need for dazzling clothes, an impressive career, an awesome temple, nor a bejewelled master. What we want is something far beyond such externals.
What facets of your personality are encumbrances? What personal aspects prevent you from being independent? These are the areas that will define your self-cultivation, for you must strive to stand alone. This doesn’t mean that you won’t ever join with others, but you will do so as an individual who will cooperate just as much as is necessary. In this way, you will never be lost in a group, and you will never fear being alone.
Meditation for March 12
365 Tao
Deng Ming-Dao
Harper Collins
In winter snow
Needs no jewels.
A single crane standing unconcerned in the falling snow is the very image of independence. It needs no one, it is secure in its environment, and it is capable of going through life alone. Its independence stems from self-sufficiency.
It needs no clothing, no building, no wealth, no status. It is content, even glorious in its naked identity. So too with ourselves: There is no need for dazzling clothes, an impressive career, an awesome temple, nor a bejewelled master. What we want is something far beyond such externals.
What facets of your personality are encumbrances? What personal aspects prevent you from being independent? These are the areas that will define your self-cultivation, for you must strive to stand alone. This doesn’t mean that you won’t ever join with others, but you will do so as an individual who will cooperate just as much as is necessary. In this way, you will never be lost in a group, and you will never fear being alone.
Meditation for March 12
365 Tao
Deng Ming-Dao
Harper Collins
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
A Letter to Pets (To be posted VERY LOW on the refrigerator door – nose height.)
Dear Dogs and Cats,
The dishes with the paw print are yours and contain your food. The other dishes are mine and contain my food. Please note, placing a paw in the middle of my plate and food does not stake a claim for it becoming your food and dish, nor do I find that
aesthetically pleasing in the slightest.
The stairway was not designed by NASCAR and is not a racetrack. Beating me to the bottom is not the object. Tripping me doesn't help because I fall faster than you can run.
I cannot buy anything bigger than a king-sized bed. I am very sorry about this. Do not think I will continue sleeping on the couch to ensure your comfort. Dogs and cats can actually curl up in a ball when they sleep. It is not necessary to sleep perpendicular to each other stretched out to the fullest extent possible. I also know that sticking tails straight out and having tongues hanging out the other end to maximize space is nothing but sarcasm.
For the last time, there is not a secret exit from the bathroom. If by some miracle I beat you there and manage to get the door shut, it is not necessary to claw, whine, meow, try to turn the knob or get your paw under the edge and try to pull the door open. I must exit through the same door I entered. Also, I have been using the bathroom for years -
canine or feline attendance is not required.
The proper order is kiss me, then go smell the other dog or cat's butt. I cannot stress this enough!!
To pacify you, my dear pets, I have posted the following message
on our front door:
To All Non-Pet Owners Who Visit & Like to Complain About Our Pets:
1. They live here. You don't
2. If you don't want their hair on your clothes, stay off the furniture. (That's why they call it "fur"niture.)
3. I like my pets a lot better than I like most people.
4. To you, it's an animal. To me s/he is an adopted son/daughter who is short, hairy, walks on all fours and doesn't speak clearly.
Remember: in many ways, dogs and cats are better than kids because they:
1. Eat less
2. Don't ask for money all the time
3. Are easier to train
4. Normally come when they are called
5. Never ask to drive the car.
6. Don't hang out with drug-using friends
7. Don't smoke or drink
8. Don't have to buy the latest fashions
9. Don't want to wear your clothes
10. Don't need a "gazillion" dollars for college
And finally,
11. If they get pregnant, you can sell their children.
The dishes with the paw print are yours and contain your food. The other dishes are mine and contain my food. Please note, placing a paw in the middle of my plate and food does not stake a claim for it becoming your food and dish, nor do I find that
aesthetically pleasing in the slightest.
The stairway was not designed by NASCAR and is not a racetrack. Beating me to the bottom is not the object. Tripping me doesn't help because I fall faster than you can run.
I cannot buy anything bigger than a king-sized bed. I am very sorry about this. Do not think I will continue sleeping on the couch to ensure your comfort. Dogs and cats can actually curl up in a ball when they sleep. It is not necessary to sleep perpendicular to each other stretched out to the fullest extent possible. I also know that sticking tails straight out and having tongues hanging out the other end to maximize space is nothing but sarcasm.
For the last time, there is not a secret exit from the bathroom. If by some miracle I beat you there and manage to get the door shut, it is not necessary to claw, whine, meow, try to turn the knob or get your paw under the edge and try to pull the door open. I must exit through the same door I entered. Also, I have been using the bathroom for years -
canine or feline attendance is not required.
The proper order is kiss me, then go smell the other dog or cat's butt. I cannot stress this enough!!
To pacify you, my dear pets, I have posted the following message
on our front door:
To All Non-Pet Owners Who Visit & Like to Complain About Our Pets:
1. They live here. You don't
2. If you don't want their hair on your clothes, stay off the furniture. (That's why they call it "fur"niture.)
3. I like my pets a lot better than I like most people.
4. To you, it's an animal. To me s/he is an adopted son/daughter who is short, hairy, walks on all fours and doesn't speak clearly.
Remember: in many ways, dogs and cats are better than kids because they:
1. Eat less
2. Don't ask for money all the time
3. Are easier to train
4. Normally come when they are called
5. Never ask to drive the car.
6. Don't hang out with drug-using friends
7. Don't smoke or drink
8. Don't have to buy the latest fashions
9. Don't want to wear your clothes
10. Don't need a "gazillion" dollars for college
And finally,
11. If they get pregnant, you can sell their children.
Sunday, March 04, 2007
Test anxiety
A day or so before our midterm exam, our prof. sent us these real-life answers to exam questions. We all deal with test anxiety differently, and I must say that I wish I had had the sense of humour demonstrated here.
A couple are hard to read, so click on the image to enlarge... it's worth the read!
Clever, don't you think?
Written as a true English student lost in the faculty of Mathmatical Science. It's difficult to make out here, but it reads:
"It’s curvy, with a higher bit at the end and a rather aesthetically pleasing slope downwards toward a pretty flat straight bit. The actual graph itself consists of 2 straight lines meeting at the lower left hand corner of the graph and moving away at a 90 degree angle. Each line has an arrowhead on the end."
He did follow the directions to the letter, now didn't he?
This one's my favourite of all of them, truly!
A couple are hard to read, so click on the image to enlarge... it's worth the read!
Clever, don't you think?
Written as a true English student lost in the faculty of Mathmatical Science. It's difficult to make out here, but it reads:
"It’s curvy, with a higher bit at the end and a rather aesthetically pleasing slope downwards toward a pretty flat straight bit. The actual graph itself consists of 2 straight lines meeting at the lower left hand corner of the graph and moving away at a 90 degree angle. Each line has an arrowhead on the end."
He did follow the directions to the letter, now didn't he?
This one's my favourite of all of them, truly!
Saturday, March 03, 2007
Still sick, the basement is drier and I played with some numbers
The wee flood we had here on Thursday caused me more grief than it warranted, really. I think it had more to do with having to clean something up - however minor it may have been - when I had no time to devote to such side-track endeavours. It may also have been that hanging out in a cold, wet basement wasn't the best thing for my state of wellness.
I cranked the heat up yesterday whilst I vacuumed up water. Leaving the heat up overnight and all day today has not only dried up the basement, it has also made me feel better. Upstairs has been very toasty.
I spent the day crunching numbers and creating a budget for the business year 2007. I'm a bit of a strange animal in that I absolutely HATE data entry. I dispise, nay loath... well, you get the idea. What I LOVE, strangely enough, is watching how the numbers work. I love reading spreadsheets: cashflow, balance sheets, income statements and so forth. So today gave me an opportunity to build a spreadsheet and speculate the numbers. I love forcasting... changing a value in one area of a spreadsheet and watching the formulas make the automatic adjustments to the bottom line. Ask me to do that manually and we now have a whole different story. (See above comment about loathing.)
I think I'll spend Sunday in Domestic Mode. There are all kinds of projects on the go, but I think in my current state I'll choose a couple low-impact activities like folding laundry and feeding the cat.
I cranked the heat up yesterday whilst I vacuumed up water. Leaving the heat up overnight and all day today has not only dried up the basement, it has also made me feel better. Upstairs has been very toasty.
I spent the day crunching numbers and creating a budget for the business year 2007. I'm a bit of a strange animal in that I absolutely HATE data entry. I dispise, nay loath... well, you get the idea. What I LOVE, strangely enough, is watching how the numbers work. I love reading spreadsheets: cashflow, balance sheets, income statements and so forth. So today gave me an opportunity to build a spreadsheet and speculate the numbers. I love forcasting... changing a value in one area of a spreadsheet and watching the formulas make the automatic adjustments to the bottom line. Ask me to do that manually and we now have a whole different story. (See above comment about loathing.)
I think I'll spend Sunday in Domestic Mode. There are all kinds of projects on the go, but I think in my current state I'll choose a couple low-impact activities like folding laundry and feeding the cat.
Friday, March 02, 2007
Sick of it
...being sick, that is.
Dumb, stupid, no-good cold.
It was headache day today. Not only that, I spent the bulk of the day cleaning up a flood in the basement.
Dumb, stupid, no-good flood.
I've been desperately avoiding taking drugs for this. I finally broke down and bought a box of Neo Citran and a package of Extra-strength Halls. I miss good-ol'-English Hacks, but as the saying goes: "If it's good, they discontinue it."
Dumb, stupid, no-good discontinued-because-they-were-good Hacks.
I picked up a sound system rental at 7:30 this morning before visiting the chiropractor. Oh, and speaking of chiropractor, he cracks me up. Punn intended. You see, today I was all-a-crunch with adjustments. Five or six to be exact. And when I say "crunch", I MEAN "CRUNCH!" Just call me Snap, Crackle or Pop. Take your pick. Two of these were painful, too. I've RARELY had a PAINFUL adjustment. Apparently it's to be expected (being out of wack, that is) when you've had a cold. Hacking, coughing and sneezing all can cause subluxations. Today, I was the poster boy for subluxations. Only, I don't recall signing any royalty agreement. I'll have to look into that.
Dumb, stupid, no-good subluxations.
Can you tell I'm cranky? Drove rush-hour traffic across town and back today too.
Dumb, stupid, no-good rush-hour traffic.
Bedtime for Bonzo.
Goodnight.
Dumb, stupid, no-good cold.
It was headache day today. Not only that, I spent the bulk of the day cleaning up a flood in the basement.
Dumb, stupid, no-good flood.
I've been desperately avoiding taking drugs for this. I finally broke down and bought a box of Neo Citran and a package of Extra-strength Halls. I miss good-ol'-English Hacks, but as the saying goes: "If it's good, they discontinue it."
Dumb, stupid, no-good discontinued-because-they-were-good Hacks.
I picked up a sound system rental at 7:30 this morning before visiting the chiropractor. Oh, and speaking of chiropractor, he cracks me up. Punn intended. You see, today I was all-a-crunch with adjustments. Five or six to be exact. And when I say "crunch", I MEAN "CRUNCH!" Just call me Snap, Crackle or Pop. Take your pick. Two of these were painful, too. I've RARELY had a PAINFUL adjustment. Apparently it's to be expected (being out of wack, that is) when you've had a cold. Hacking, coughing and sneezing all can cause subluxations. Today, I was the poster boy for subluxations. Only, I don't recall signing any royalty agreement. I'll have to look into that.
Dumb, stupid, no-good subluxations.
Can you tell I'm cranky? Drove rush-hour traffic across town and back today too.
Dumb, stupid, no-good rush-hour traffic.
Bedtime for Bonzo.
Goodnight.
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About Me
- Turtle Guy
- Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- English student, Pottery enthusiast, Yoga novice and lover of all people. I make friends over a warm handshake and a beverage. I discover, every day, someone willing to help me along my path.