| 2003 - 2014 Thoughts | ||
| June 21 2016 trip... Swedenborgian garden Grenwich (small River trip) Victoria & Albert Museum? picnic lunches (how to keep cheese cool?) check free newspapers for events Saatchi Gallery (Rolling Stones exhibit) Harrods - shopping for leather duffle? - leather belt sim card for smart phone -- (PAYG plan) ?? Newton/science sites?? | ||
| June 1 2016 permeating... Just heard that a new mid-week farmers market was opening in K-town today. I heard the city person in charge interviewed on the CBC -- she said "We heard that people wanted options for sourcing their food" WTF? Farmers markets aren't "options" -- they are a totally different way to distribute food and shouldn't be lumped in to getting a pogo at the 7-11 or a bag of milk at the QuickieMart or a Proteinie at Zehrs. It seems that business-speak has invaded our everyday language. I'm not one of those "kill political correctness" yahoos but I do like plain speak that granted, might have some opinions thrown in -- but that's why I'm human and not a machine. | ||
| May 21 2016 excellent run yesterday... a b yes it was | ||
| May 3 2016 So it's not working... My take on Trump is... The Obvious. Because he's rich he carries this aura of authority around him. He's not a leader -- he's following the disenfranchised in America. The irony is, if he were to become president, he'd have to revolutionize government to help them. He's NOT going to do that. He doesn't know how to do that. And in talking with world leaders, well -- he'd be talking to peers -- who are unimpressed by his wealth -- but perhaps ARE impressed with America's power... I don't know... | ||
| April 11 2016 So it's working... The world is developing a world-wide middle class. So people in the West who are used to just inheriting high living standards while being uneducated and working at labour-intensive (whatever word you want to use that isn't class based but somehow merit related - umm, I mean in a broad sense) jobs are going to be equal to the formerly oppressed masses in the formerly third world. And closed borders won't cut it -- manufacturing TV's and t-shirts in North America again isn't a solution -- not enough of a domestic market. | ||
| March 3 2016 group work...Read a New York Times article on how Google analysed group/team work. They pretty much concluded that gossiping - or caring about and knowing personal things about group members made the group better. Even groups composed of very smart people tended to compete too much and leaders were designated by force - not contribution -- and nobody listened in those groups. | ||
| march 2 2016 New Work?...govt contracts/temp/full math work education work healthcare work bakery work SQL work -- FaithLife Financial graphics work -- print out lifestories for digital-graphics-phobic | ||
| Sept 4 2015 Feelings...Leaving work and leaving a friend's house evoke different emotions. With the former, I'm usually satisfied but glad to be walking away from the office. The latter -- well -- I want it to continue on to something and don't like entering my empty house after dinner out. | ||
| Aug 11 2015 Alas...I just had to ask approval from about a dozen people at work - everyone from the janitor to the Grand Poobah it seems... and my Dad wanted me to go to university so that EYE could be the approver! Sigh. | ||
| March 17 2015 stop it already...I'm reaching my limit with canned photography. I'm taking an online course filled to the brim with it -- and the images are repeated again and again. And my corporate website is fond of them too. Christ -- be $#&^* original for once!! | ||
| March 13 2015 playlists for ppp...up-tempo songs ralee - regee toola ay lou vega song single man dance number disco/abba songs walking on sunshine mini ripperton Eagles Cher crumbles when you are not here grapefruit moon | ||
| March 12 2015 Time Warp... I saw a man carrying a carry-on suitcase today. And yesterday I saw 2 children playing cards at a fast food restaurant. I think I've been teleported back to the 1980's | ||
| Feb 20 2015 An offer... I'd like to commission a drawing. This morning in -28 degrees I was peaking out from the bus shelter trying to see if my bus was coming. My beard was frosty, I had a hat, gloves, etc on. My nose was drippy. The bus shelter was one of those fancy glass enclosures but the panels were all iced up. There was someone with me waiting in the shelter but you could barely see her from the outside. The sun was rising behind us over the freeway. I'll pay $200 for such a drawing. Any takers? | ||
| Feb 13 2015 Spanish... There was another gentleman in front of me in the coffee shop line this morning. He was having a date square for breakfast, (an old man's perogative I guess). The spanish speaking barista eacked out some conversation from him. I found out he learned spanish while in Guatemala for 17 years. Then we did a little weather talk and I said good-bye as he sorted through his pills. When I got to work a co-worker gave me a bottle of Spanish wine, (unwanted in his household). | ||
| Feb 11 2015 Retirement Sleeping... When I can't sleep one night in retirement, I want to reflect back on the day at work when I found a production problem and no one seemed to really care. So I wasn't all that bad -- but it was all kinda silly in the end. I like smaller projects, (doesn't everyone?). | ||
| Jan 5 2015 Soup... Try adding lime juice (1 Teaspoon), ginger, soy sauce (bit), cilantro leaves to a vegetable soup. | ||
| Nov 11 2014 Generation Gap... Heard and Saw the generation gap in a unique way this morning. A Ninety year old lady was finishing up her interview with a local DJ by saying she was going to take in the cenetaph ceremony and then hop on a bus, (darn holiday schedule), to give an embroidery talk at a local seniors' center. Then at the coffee shop I met a group of 30ish veterans who were taking a tour in a stretch limo on their way to getting their morning coffe and heading over to the Cenetaph. | ||
| Nov 4 2014 Decisions... This morning as I pulled out onto Weber Street there was both a Beer Store truck and a Doritos Semi in front of me. It tool all the moral fibre I could muster not to follow them and instead keep heading to the office where I program computer code to benefit the greater insurance community. | ||
| Aug 7 2014 Ch Ch Ch Changes I know it's obvious but I think I like change, need a change -- one of those. I picked up my car at the shop on Tuesday of this week and aside from the good feeling of taking care of my things -- well -- I just liked doing something different after work. That's the same reason I like trash day -- something different in the week.. but regular. I can rely on it. admincogs neworgan | ||
| Feb 21 2014 my apres travaille plans...reply to an email from Paul inquiring as to my evening plans Yes, I’m volleyballing tonight. I am working today until 3:05 p.m. and then taking the Greyhound home. I’ll head over to the YMCA to run around the track for ½ hour and then shower and come home to spread salt on my sidewalk and then have a boiled egg and toast for supper because that’s all I have in the house. And then I’ll fall asleep in the lazyboy chair until I realize it’s past the time to go to Volleyball and rush to get on my sweatpants and a funny t-shirt to go anyway. | ||
| Feb 15 2014 test test... line1 line2 line3 f | ||
| January 28 2014 Commuting Friends... I'm not known for having lots of friends But today when I got off the bus two men vied for my attention. I fell in with one and kinda ignored the other .. it was cold. I didn't know their names so I couldn't introduce them to each other. Three minutes of "weather chat" later and it was "Have a nice day" at the stop light. Finally I managed a "Hello" to the other guy -- he was a little vulnerable since starting a new career and I felt bad for ignoring him. Human Relationships - #@%#! I can't even get off the bus without a faux pas. | ||
| Dec 30 2013 What do they say about repeating something and expecting a different outcome... I missed not one but two buses this morning. The first time I was sidetracked by an altercation in the terminal. I went for a coffee to pass the time until the 8:45. I didn't see the bus when I got back to the platform. Freezing I went inside the terminal to wait it out. I was just about to check again when I saw it pass. Cab home and then took the Fit to work. | ||
| Dec 18 2013b Xmas To do's... Block Vest Kuerig Machine, buy capsules Mailing for Kris, Sarah Rumballs ONLY DVD's Tortierre? Wine board games Cooler for fod transport foil doggie bags for fod transport plastic forks and knives | ||
| Dec 3 2013b Modern Life... I portioned out my jam this morning from a squeeze bottle. No knife required. | ||
| Dec 3 2013 Social commitments... Sunday Dec 8 COGS Xmas Pageant Mon Dec 9 start mailing out Digester Thurs Dec 12 Office Smas Party @ Western Fri Dec 13 Guests arrive at Arlington Sat Dec 14 The Dinner Tues Dec 17 Fat Duck Team Party Sun Dec 22 Volleyball Xmas Dinner (I think) Mon-Tues Dec 23-24 I work. Fri Dec 27 vacation day | ||
| Nov 20 2013 Something nice to look at... There's a 60 year old guy who's been taking the bus lately. He's quite handsome in a greying, old man way... tight toosh, good muscle tone, (still!). And he's got earbuds, a trendy black jacket and a nylon knapsack. Of course he's a leftie pinko civil servant -- I saw him use the side entrance to the Guelph City Hall. | ||
| Nov 14 2013 After Work Musings... It was difficult to go to the Y last night -- but I was glad when I was sitting in the Hot Tub. This isn't a bad time to go the gym -- but my TV currently isn't working and I'm not doing my hobbiest thing with PHP and MySql. When those are up, the Y in the evening is an almost impossibility. I never think that that's a good time to go running though -- so I'm stuck with 5:45 a.m. or 6:45 p.m. for that -- and then supper is way too late or I'm tired all the time because I don't want to go to bed early enough to get up at 5:30. And anyway it's more like 5:00a.m. to be done my run and showered by 6:00 and then breakfasted and out the door by 6:30 to catch my transit bus downtown to get the Greyhound.. I know an old lady who swallowed a fly, I don't know why she swallowed a fly, I guess she'll die. | ||
| Nov 5 2013 The Canadian Senate Expense Account Scandal. The thing is... that we can't forget that the three, Duffy, Wallin and Brazeau were playing a game approved by the PMO -- their job was to raise money for their parties. They minimaly read Senate papers, contributed to reports etc -- but their main task was to use Senate resources to raise money for their parties. So yes, some senators spent more of their time doing this than others but you can't get over the fact that they were bag men. So wink, wink nudge, nudge you can claim dubious expenses. The auditor didn't understand the true nature of their jobs, (to be bag men), so really we should educate the auditors, not chastise the players -- they are scapegoats for morality, (where their primary purpose is amoral).... or get rid of the Senate. | ||
| Oct 24 2013 Everyone can't cook. I used to think that cooking was a life skill that everyone could wrap their head around -- not just "do" but enjoy. I don't think that anymore. I liken it to my aversion to team sports. I just don't get it -- and worse -- I don't want to get it --- and worse -- I don't think I could be coached to get it. I enjoy walking and I run but don't participate on a single team. I guess if there's an analogy here it's that my walking is like a jock's bacon and eggs. I enjoy walking but it's not the SuperBowl. Jocks often enjoy making breakfast, even bragging about their technique but their interest wanes when it's more than a casual meal. So where does that leave us at? I guess our individual propensities are more major in our lives than we thought. or I always think there's a reason why we do things. I cook partially because I get to see a result right in front of me -- seemingly quick but often there's a lot of practise behind the results. | ||
| Oct 16 2013 Smart? searching for a reason... The more I think of it, I was considered "smart" in school because I was good at following instructions and stayed with something just long enough to accomplish the task. I wasn't particularly good at problem solving-- unless I had experience in what I was involved in (which was hard for me to get because I wasn't always so disciplined) -- same for most people I expect. Now, in thinking of an area to spend my energy, well -- wouldn't we all like the luxury of choosing? But I'm not talking about choosing -- more -- what have I seen, what have I done, what technically/physically have I been successful at? I may have the luxury of choice because I think I may have accumulated enough money to only worry about living day to day -- not saving for retirement. But to actually stop and try something else would still be major. | ||
| Sept 30 2013b I'm still cold. It's the same... Just read, (or started to read and then abandoned), the Cooperators President's blog message. The intro was smattered with banalities and I just couldn't take that. Later, it reminded me of the beginning of a sermon. Not ironic, I'm afraid. | ||
| Sept 30 2013/B> I'm cold. I'm shivering. I'm sitting at my computer terminal at work, just finished a cup of coffee at the corner shop. Others in my quad don't find the temperature overly cold so all I can think of is that my muscles need to be warmed up -- I've started jogging again after a 2 week hiatus and the jogging part is ok but the recovery is taking a lot longer than I remember. I got 8 hours sleep on Friday night - and maybe 7 hours Sat night (same last night). Gotta get my body back to some kind of a rhthym. Decided - is that the word? not to go on a cruise in November -- I just had this nagging feeling that I was leaving undone things behind so couldn't justify going off gallivanting. I'm further ahead on my Ingard Family History Booklet -- send an e-copy to Cathy and I'm mailing a hard copy to Janice in Winnipeg today. Feels good to get that moving along. Feels good to connect with people. I'm still learning this "single life thing" 25 years in. I like being the one able to help out. Still thinking way too much though, (although I like that too). | ||
| Sept 12 2010 The Beauty in Kitchener Sunday afternoon at Starbucks Looking out the coffee shop's immense windows it looks beautiful - the blue sky, the trees and even the orange trimmed Home Depot sign -- a stunner of a day as only sunshine can bestow --- and a good thing too because I live in a town with no geographic features. None. Emotion in my town comes not from a river, a mountain or a lake but how the light plays on the traffic, the warehouses and the parking lots. I saw a man waiting for his coffee in pink pants and a bright green checked shirt and somehow it didn't seem atrocious. Excessive, different maybe but welcome as a virtual waterfall where there is no water. | ||
| Friday Sept 27 2013 I'm Back Returned to jogging after a 2 week hiatus. It was early morning when I broke the fast -- stars shining, air still - God rewarding me for coming back like some kind of prodigal son. | ||
| Friday Sept 13 2013 I'm worried. I actually didn't have time to eat breakfast today because I was scrubbing the tub. Crazy or what? Well they say it's only crazy if you repeat it and expect a different result. Check up on me in a couple of months. Please. | ||
| Tues day Aug 13 2013 **canoe trip planning 2** buy pack or make straps for bag (sew bag?) ---- how to carry DRY-SAC? Make Jerky Make Granola/marshmallow bars phone JK (stove) rope? try puting up tent (ground sheet) pliers, ties, flatbread dry tomatoes for pasta sauce? | ||
| Friday Aug 9 2013MORE **canoe trip planning** first aid kit. first day food - frozen meat, cheese, instant potatoes, fresh veggees tea light candles batteries silicone tube for repairs sharp knife and can opener and small screw driver fork, spoon Eric - canoe, stove? | ||
| Friday Aug 9 2013b **canoe trip planning** Tuesday review how to make a bowline knot lightweight flashlight, groundsheet bannock ingredients oatmeal, powdered milk, almonds, dried blueberries, fiber powder, Tang packets, instant coffee new pack (water tight?) paddling gloves compact towel safety pins, string, rope, carabiners writing paper/pen camp fuel NO camera memorize some paddling songs | ||
| Monday July 8 2013b **after work activities**Monday 3:40 - 4:20 drive to Kitchener West Side 4:20 - 5:00 Jysk furniture shopping 5:00 - 5:40 drive home; pick up dinner 5:40 - 6:15 eat dinner; just read emails 6:15 - 8:30 TV; nap 8:30 - 9:00 email answering 9:00 - 10:00 walk to Grocery Store and back 10:00 - 11:00 Internet YouTube | ||
| Monday July 8 2013 Getting Older... I was just noticing that all Rolling Stones songs tend to sound the same. I was listening to the Voodoo Lounge CD and, well, frankly I was most drawn to the country-tinged ditties, (I mean when I wasn't hitting the fast forward button). | ||
| Thursday June 27 2013 Stereotypes (and not)... As I walked down the leafy boulevard that runs by my house this morning I could see the neighbours out talking on their porch. Nice. I got closer. Rather loudly talking they were - shouting really in their sleeveless T-shirts about the terms of some drug deal, (BMW with impossibly wide rims at the curb). Within a few years, a grow op, a fraud case and even a murder all in my neighbourhood. Never far away, I know. | ||
| Friday June 21 2013 Like phone sex, only cleaner... I had the most delightful interaction with a phone center girl yesterday. I was trying to reset my online CIBC experience and she understood exactly what I needed, anticipated what I didn't and laughed at my jokes. Can I fake another problem in hopes of hearing her voice again? | ||
| Wed June 12 2013 Murphy's Law of Knitting... While working on my 8" charity square this morning I made a mistake in the place I most wanted not to make a mistake -- right in the middle of the piece. I noticed it about 1 row in but I didn't attempt to "tink" it out, (that's "knit" backwards) -- I just left it as a reminder that I am not infallable, (at least in knitting). | ||
| Mon June 10 2013 Walking by... Sitting by the window at the coffee shop this morning, I saw an old man walk by... in the rain... with two canes... wearing a bright yellow slicker and had a look of dignity on his face. Some of the office workers scurrying by .. well.. didn't. | ||
| Thurs June 06 2013 Where's Billy Joel? The power was off for about 15 minutes this morning at the office where I work. The emergency lights came on covering everything in a dim glow. It made the whole place feel like a piano bar. | ||
| Tues May 28 2013 Possibilities for piano pieces for church on Sunday... Prelude/Postlude: Like as a Hart, Irish song, Jazzy Christmas meditation: 23rd psalm from purple binder; Lord’s Prayer, Jesus My Lord | ||
| Monday May 27 2013 I love driving... Had a ride in a convertible yesterday... Top down, ACDC blaring, hair blowing everywhere. and it had to be ACDC -- even though I'm not really a fan | ||
| Friday May 24 2013 I hate driving... Got behind a slow minivan going up River Road this morning -- a Lexus on my ass -- couldn't pass until Kosuth but the Lexus roared by me -- still lots of cars stuck behind the minivan. Talk on the radio was "Bicycle Week" and how they're a menace on the sidewalks. K-town needs some enforcement, I fear -- which is gonna be hard because you'd be giving tickets to the moral high grounders. | ||
| Thurs May 23 2013 Must check up on my tax returns... I've got 3 in the works. | ||
| Tuesday May 14 2013 Glad I wasn't wearing ear buds... heard a guitar from around the corner this morning at the bus terminal -- with the occasional string twangs and misfiring tonality. Live is great. Kinda like the difference between graphic depictions of $#%^& and $#@&^. | ||
| Sun May 12 2013 A nice Coincidence... There was a reason I got up today. I was getting some stuff ready for the coffee hour after church this morning when I made a seemingly innoculous greeting to one of Peter Ahren's daughters. I said, "Very nice glasses!" or some such. I saw the little girl's face light up -- apparently she had just got them the day before. I didn't know that at the time. It was just a coincidence - a nice one. | ||
| Wed May 1 2013 Sad office workers... Today is a day all office workers are envious of almost anyone who works outside -- IT's FREAKING GORGEOUS!! | ||
| Mon April 29 2013 After biting into a cocoa covered truffle... Let the dark hands of the chocolate high Envelop your brain and cause you to sigh. | ||
| Fri April 26 2013b Ovaltine and Panky... A friend of mine is getting rid of anything "grainy" in her larder. So I've been indulging in the near expiry date pleasures of Ovaltine and Panky Breadcrumbs. Lovely. | ||
| Mon April 22 2013b Sunbeams... I want the world to stay the same sometimes. This morning a bright sunbeam was illuminating my kniting -- not too strong, just the right angle. It moved of course. I was disappointed, only to be consoled by the knowledge it'll be back tomorrow. | ||
| Mon April 22 2013 Beautiful Sunny March Morning! Ooops, it's April 22. | ||
| Tues Mar 19 2013 I wish... I wish I could make lots of small changes to the prod system every day -- just to get them off my plate, (and reflect those changes in test environments). The way it is now -- no wonder we have managers -- there's lots of in-progress stuff to choske a horse and to get right. One reason is the risk of updating production. So lets work on making it less risky! | ||
| Fri Mar 08 2013 Today is.... You get to Friday and suddenly the world seems rosy, you can't wait for the weekend -- why is that? Why can't it be more gradual? Just asking. | ||
| Mon Feb 25 2013 Dentist today.... Crown prep on botom right second from last tooth. The dentist had to do a mini filling as well as prep. and she took an x-ray to see if the filling went all the way to the bone. There was some bleeding which made it difficult to determine this. An impression was NOT made today -- another visit planned for 10 days. I must check on my employee number for my benefits. when she looked at the x-ray she thoght that maybe it was ok -- and she could cover the entire filling with the crown. | ||
| Fri Feb 15 2013 The morning shows must be going into conniptions.... A meteroite breaking up over Russia and the docking of the Carnival Triumph. Which leads? | ||
| Wed Feb 13 2013 Knitting Blog time... I'm thinking of founding the 8 Inch Club. Knitters would come together to create eight inch charity squares, mitred or otherwise. In other knitting news, the quality of yarn seems to proportionately affect the quality of my knitting. I'm currently using cheap orange worsted from China. I'd describe it as "icky". It stretches barely and has a sheen like it's been dredged through oil and then dried. So if I happen to catch only half of a stitch on my mitred 8" charity square project? Well? So what. | ||
| Tues Feb 12 2013 The big (business) world... I was just reading up on The Conference Board of Canada. All the executive are very experienced and have advanced degrees and have worked abroad -- and I venture, have not been divorced too many times and are motivated in a traditional sense. It made me think that all executives of fairly large companies perhaps strive for these things --- to be part of governance organizations in their field with broad undefinable mandates -- even though in their careers they were supposed to eschew such things. This on the heels of reading a review of Sodermeyer's memoir where she defends affirmative action and was a go-getter herself, (with one failed marriage). Not to pooh pooh their drive, but everything seemed to be handed to these people -- success lead to success, (with work of course. Work that focused on that ambitious end -- not languishing in provincial pursuits - but rocketing to jobs where they were destined to be seen). So I don't mean "handed to them" in a negative way -- someone has to do these jobs. Or do they? Would one less think tank or corporate risk analysis seminar be such a bad thing? I also read recently an article in The Economist about Finland's massive 180 on teachers -- paying less but giving more autonomy to them -- all in the hopes of attracting good people to a career they find fulfilling and happy. | ||
| Mon Feb 4 2013 It's a bad day when... You come home from the dentist with three appointments. | ||
| Wed Jan 30 2013b Rationing ain't just for wartime... I came to work this morning to find only 1 cookie in my desk drawer. I've been rationing it. For example, after lunch I had one bite. It'll be gone by 2:00 p.m. break. | ||
| Wed Jan 30 2013 %&*@#$! You can't rip out knitting from the bottom up!... I have a practice piece that I wanted to unravel so I set about doing this yesterday evening. I had to manually unloop every stitch! That couldn't be right. So then I got out the scissors and started to cut -- but still I couldn't find a place where it would unravel easily. Today it dawned on me that I have to start ripping out from where I finished knitting. Is this what my brain works on while I'm sleeping? Really -- I'd rather it figure out when to buy and sell RIM stock or the fingering to use for that nifty little trill on the third page of Handel's Sonatina #23. Oh well, I'll have to make do with solutions to my knitting problems. | ||
| Mon Jan 28 2013 Grapefruit Moon by Tom Waits playing in the coffee shop as I entered this morning... Really? At 7:45 a.m.? It was like an old friend welcoming me. I have that song on LP but my needle is broke. I have it in iTunes too -- but Apple keeps asking me for my PW. But there's redemption as my favourite coffee shop comes thru. Is this what it was like in the 19th century when the only music you heard was live? I've had Adele in my car's CD player for all of January, (too lazy to change it). | ||
| Tues Jan 15 2013a Charity Squares summon nostalgia... the lonely skeins from projects past; that first sweater, a difficult Fair Isle, the hat reduction where you were concentrating so hard the ball flew under the seats of the Greyhound when the driver slammed on the brakes to miss a raccoon. | ||
| Fri Jan 4 2013b No Showers for you! I read where there was no charge for using the indoor walking/jogging track at the sparkling new Activa SportsPlex just a 1/2 hour walk from my abode. Well -- that's true but there's nowhere to shower after. New Hamburg seems to have no problems providing this free. Come on, K-town stop cow-towing to those hockey players and give me what those hicks already have! | ||
| Wed Jan 2 2013b Tissues worth their weight in gold... One of my last purchases of 2012 was to buy 2 boxes of 200 2 ply Kleenex for $9.02 incl taxes. Whoaaaa! Needless to say I'm reviewing my entire budget for 2013! | ||
| Wed Jan 2 2013 Two hour walk on NYE... I walked 13 kilometers over to my friend's house for a New Years Eve get together. It took a little over 2 hours. I purposely did it to get out of the house. I liked it. The next day I felt it a little more than I expected -- so I'll have to repeat the feat -- at least an hour every other day? | ||
| Thurs Dec 20 2012 A man is sad... The guy behind me in the Greyhound lineup this morning looked a little out-of-sorts. We said good morning to each other but that was about it. I thought he was a bit envious of the breakfast cereal that I had brought on board. Just before we got to Guelph, he said he was coming back to the town to go to his friend's funeral. I said that was rough. | ||
| Sat Dec 1 2012 Business to English Translation... "For the Legacy 2.0 Initiative we're mainstreaming the mainframe as part of the hybrid cloud-connected enterprise modeling existing business-critical services as entities to be managed end-to-end in cloud services." "We're putting the old stuff on the internet, baby!" | ||
| Friday Nov 30 2012 Why... Ummm, why hasn't there been more or an outrage surounding the hundred garment workers killed in Bangladesh who were sewing clothes for Western labels? The distance socially and geographically allows thoughts like, "Oh - they're desparate and it's just the price the world pays for progress." A nice piece of irony is that because of just-in-time computerized inventory control, the factory managers know more about the demand for yellow as opposed to peach colored t-shirts in Guelph Ontario than they know how many of their workers are choking on smoke 2 floors above them. | ||
| Tuesday Nov 20 2012 Conflicted about nostalgia... I'm afraid to listen to 70's and 80's music - the stuff of my youth. Because I don't want to be lost in nostalgia - to be listenig to the music just for that -- for the feeling it gave me back then. or Maybe I'm wrong - maybe rock classics are like modern day hymns that you can hear again and again even though there's new stuff out there… I don't know what I'm saying. | ||
| Monday Nov 19 2012 Thought I could go through life without saying this... "Just put a sanitary napkin through the wash." A nurse told me to use them as liners for my underwear to soak up the drainage from the fistula operation. | ||
| Monday Nov 12 2012 Prep for Fistulotomy... Jiggled some medicinal jello onto the floor this morning. Otherwise, my liquid diet, (not in a good way), is coming along nicely. | ||
| Sunday Nov 11 2012 Remembrance Day thoughts... I have a couple things I think about on this day, (and sometimes other days). One year I remember attending the cenotaph ceremony in Kitchener when a rifleman fired in salute. It was very loud. Children cried and dogs yelped. An accidental reminder of how loud war can be. One year after my father died, I went to visit one of his best friends who also served in WWII. Playing journalist, I intended to ask him about his experiences in that conflict. When he got whiff of what I was after, he just said, "It was five wasted years of my life." I didn't ask him anything more. And if I'm ever feeling too much pride on this day all I have to do is remember the guy I met while visiting Juno Beach in Normandy, France in 2008. I went there partially to bask in familial pride. His father spent the war doing DND paperwork in Ottawa because he was a conscientious objector. Two sons with different backgrounds at the same memorial. No more basking -- I was just learning. | ||
| Friday Nov 9 2012 The media baffles... Monday, it was a dead heat between Obama and Romney. Wednesday the GOP had to drastically engage Hispanics and women if it wanted to survive. | ||
| Tuesday Nov 6 2012 Gilding the Lily... Is putting granola on oatmeal porridge a bit much? | ||
| Wednesday Oct 24 2012 The older I get... the less I can tolerate business speak. This appeared on the organization I work for's website: Moving towards an enterprise organization. which means -- what? "Moving towards" means nothing. Isn't "enterprise" an synonym for "organization" ? | ||
| Tuesday Oct 23 2012 The yin yang of knitting... The freakish sight of a man knitting in a coffee shop scares most normal people while disarming the marginalized. The latter seems to think, "hey here's someone being weird, just like me." So even the deranged understand the unifying force of difference. did that make sense? | ||
| Thursday Oct 18 2012 %$#*&@%... Yesterday I made a pizza but as I was sliding it into the oven, it got stuck on the peel. This is a lesson in inertia as the dough stayed where it was but the pepperoni and cheese went flying into the oven. | ||
| Wednesday Oct 17 2012 I'm tired... If I see one more ad for a Pumpkin latte... | ||
| Friday Oct 12 2012 It's the Theatre, darling... Went to see Cirque Du Soleil's Amaluna show at the Portlands in Toronto yesterday. Spur of the moment decision - bought ticket online a few hours before it started. The point-of-sale software asked for my email address -- and not thinking I gave my home email -- which I couldn't access from work -- not good when Cirque was emailing a pdf. Luckily I remembered that my internet provider had webmail, (whew!). So I hopped on the Greyhound bound for the big city with my newspaper under my arm and a smile on my face. My good mood pervaded as I only read the Entertainment section, enjoying it immensely. No time for supper, popcorn would have to do. The show was amazing - my front row seat meant that some of the performers touched my hand or shoulder to ask me if I was having a good time. I was. I could see it all, nipples on the women, chest hair on the men. No beer for me at intermission, (wary of peeing). It was difficult to get a cab after the show so I hoofed it back to Bay Street. I only had a bus ticket back to Guelph -- details have eluded me today. But I had a monthly pass to get me the rest of the way home. | ||
| Wednesday Sept 26 2012 Recovery tasks... Had a Colonoscopy today -- You know what I remember from the whole ordeal? Farting was a must before they would let me go home. | ||
| Tuesday Sept 18 2012 Au Contraire... Started singing "Let's Sing in the Sunshine, (and laugh everyday)" by Petula Clark? BUT it was RAINING. Then a gentleman with grey hair and a black beard, (usually the beard goes first), offered to open the door to the cafe for me. I declined and a good thing too because he was accosted by a crazy man ahead of him in the lineup. Later, I fell prey to "crazy man" too but he seemed to be calmed by the fact I was knitting. | ||
| Friday July 27 2012 My T-shirt will say... "This way to the 401" When I'm out and about, walking here and there, people in cars often ask me for directions. It's never to the Recycling Depot, a nice restaurant, the farmers' market or the Museum of Contraceptive Devices - we don't have such a thing but I could direct them to some of my friend's houses -- I digress. Anyway, It's always to the 401 -- They want to get outa town. Jump the joint, Hop ship. can't blame them, really. | ||
| Tuesday July 24 2012 East vs West... It’s a shame China’s Olympic facilities are crumbling. Amazing Western-style buildings and institutions seldom stand up to implementation in other societies. When I see extreme skyscrapers in places like Koala Lampur, isolated & out of context it’s not inspiring, it’s sad. I mean it’s bad enough that New York and Chicago do it. It’s like China just realized with it’s embrace of luxury boutiques that the West really had got it right so let’s catch up now. No, I say. Go your own way – are these the only success stories that humans know? I’ve always been uncomfortable with the fact countries are represented by athletes – shouldn’t it just be the athletes going as themselves. They have had more influences than just their national identities to become great at what they do – let’s celebrate that. I don’t think many athletes do it for their countries – I think they do it for themselves, their families and their immediate communities that support them. Sure Federal funds help as do Federally funded facilities but let’s take the emphasis off patriotism and put it on ….. what? Individualism? That’s not quite right either. What are we left with – the Olympics as a good idea, flawed but that’s part of the charm? | ||
| Thursday May 17 2012 It's dark, down here... Missed the Greyhound this morning and the Honda's in the shop so I'm biding my time at a downtown K-town coffee shop until the next bus leaves. Currently under construction, the windows are boarded over so it's dark -- like a basement or an illicit watering hole. Maybe this is where the big plans for the city are hatched like the "transit corridor". I half expect some Mata Hari to enter, take a slow drag on a menthol tip and show me around her world. | ||
| Thursday May 10 2012 Rip, rip... Had to rip out a few rows of my knitting yesterday - which I loath to do. Picking up the stitches again is a hit and miss thing. This morning I finished the deed but when I was packing up I couldn't find my crochet needle - the instrument that had served so valiantly in the reconstruction of my sock. You'll be missed, #3 hook. | ||
| Wednesday May 9 2012 "Moving Forward"... ...God, I hate that business term. After a "town hall" meeting yesterday, a coleague of mine mentioned that he's had 35 years of "progress" and by now he should be perfect. Why can't we just work on the status quo for awhile - would it be so bad? -- maybe making small improvements to the existing computer systems and infrastructure -- and maybe accept the limitations and treat them as an opportunity to, I don't know, go out and smell the insurance roses? | ||
| Wednesday May 2 2012 No more procrastinating... ...finally done my 2010 taxes, (my broker did indeed have all the numbers correct on the T5's). To confirm this, I had to read an "advice" document from the directors of ACE Aviation and then discover how to "gross up" my dividend --- and then it didn't matter because the value of the deemed dividend was subtracted from the proceeds from the sale, (they matched exactly). So no gain or loss. Net Zero! A lime & lager sure tasted good after all that. ... 'til next year, maties. | ||
| Tuesday April 24 2012 Simile... ...as depressing as a snowstorm in April? | ||
| Thursday April 19 2012 Feelin good... No matter how much satisfaction I get from work, or how behind I am in my taxes - good or bad - a bright sunny day trumps all, (maybe those aboriginal cultures were on to something). | ||
| Wednesday April 11 2012 Bedtime habits... Reading Chump Change by David Eadie for the second time. I've already gotten past the sex scene so mostly downhill from here on in. (don't worry you haven't heard of this book -- not that many people read it even once) I'm psyching up to start Dorian Grey. | ||
| Monday April 9 2012 Springtime in K-town... Dead bunny on the boulevard this morning --- Easter is over. Live Raccoon in my mom's basement on the weekend. Luckily she lives in the country and she just calmly called the local trapper who took care of it -- all before the morning coffee had a chance to go cold. | ||
| Wednesday April 4 2012 Newness... Guelph's downtown is going through a bit of a Renaissance. New City Hall, new transit hub, Go Trains, and now my favourite coffee shop has new digs, (a little echoy but still...). And even the people seem brighter, more beautiful. It all reminds me of when I was 8 years old in Ajax, Ontario touring the brand new civic buildings, school and well -- everything --- it was a suburb in the 1970's!! It released such an energy. I loved it. | ||
| Friday Mar 30b 2012 too late... Just Googled -- already done by someone else. | ||
| Friday Mar 30 2012 Million Dollar Idea... Create a knitted hat with built in speakers for an iPod, (that are comfortable). | ||
| Monday Mar 26 2012 Did some snooping today… There was a wooden box about the size of a small coffin on the scale at the Greyhound terminal this afternoon. It was addressed to someone in Massett B.C. -- which when I looked on Mapquest is on an island just off of Prince Rupert. | ||
| Friday Mar 23 2012 The Toronto Mayor just seems to be spouting off at no one in particular about the LRT/Subway debate… So like is Rob Ford going to quit now? -- or spontaneously combust? | ||
| Thursday Mar 22 2012 While staring at a hipster's bum… I noticed he had missed a belt loop on his jeans. I didn't alert him -- I mean -- it was on purpose? | ||
| Wed Mar 21 2012 Had a halucination last night… I thought I saw a man standing by my bed. While I focused, he disolved. | ||
| Monday Mar 19 2012 To-Do list for this year… new toilet downstairs insulate some walls downstairs new railing for porch steps | ||
| Sunday Mar 18 2012 Lovely dinner tonight… Goat Stew with Indian Spices, garlic and beef stock Salad greens with Cilantro and Olive oil/Balsamic vinaigrette. Simple, simply beautiful. | ||
| Wednesday Mar 14 2012 I'll admit men who knit are a bit of a freak show… so it wasn't much of a stretch to take a bystander's question, "Did I learn how to knit in prison?" | ||
| Sunday Mar 11 2012 just got a playbook… it's hard to type!! | ||
| Tues Mar 6, 2012 Conversation overheard… single mom explaining to her friend how she and her ex live in the same duplex, she upstairs, he down. and share the child rearing. Interesting way to live --- interesting way to kill the time on a bus between Guelph and K-town. | ||
| Wed Mar 7, 2012 Spring Fever! Got it bad. | ||
| Fri Mar 2b, 2012 TV documentary… Saw a PBS special about Catholicism. It was hosted by a cool priest with a gorgeous voice. The film's idea was to go through the tenets of the church and explain them. I was hooked. It was like, "well - why isn't everyone a Catholic?". I'm not. It was so refreshing to see weird things like an incense smogged altar explained as -- reminding us that our prayers go through the mist and there's always mystery and we can never know truth. Take that evangelicals!! | ||
| Fri Mar 2, 2012 Sci Fi Novel idea… Instead of us being the first intelligent species to evolve on earth, we're the second. Let's say the first time through the humans simultaneously developed ballet and ecological armageddon. So mother nature started again and we're the result. The book would revolve around the hints at this previous species that become evident to us. | ||
| Wed Feb 22, 2012 In the "Everything useful in Life I've gleaned from The Golden Girls TV show" dept… I caught an episode where Bea Arthur sleeps overnight with a man. Her mother calls her on it not out of propriety but because she doesn't think Bea can "handle" it, (resumedly other people could). | ||
| Wed Feb 15, 2012 Decisions... Today I had to think twice before wiping my drippy nose on my gloves -- normally no problem but I had knitted them myself and rubbing snot all over them just seemed wrong -- for a second -- and then -- "Ah, what the hell!" | ||
| Wed Feb 08, 2012 National "Put your Underwear on Backwards Day" or at least I hope it is... | ||
| Sun Feb 05, 2012 WORK... If the world of work wasn't about relationships, then Gov General of Canada, David Johnson wouldn't have cared whether his old assistant at UW came with him to Ottawa or not. BUT HE DID! The personal relationship he had with this person trumped hiring a new "Ottawa person" with all the contacts that would entail. | ||
| Sat Feb 04, 2012 fashion... Don't be surprised if at the next cocktail party, I'm suddenly an expert in wedding fashion. You see I pass by a bridal store every day on my way home from work. So far ruffles and solids seem to be the "it" things. | ||
| Wed Feb 01, 2012 Friends and Efficiency... A voicemail automated attendant offered me more than 9 options to handle my messages this morning. Friends of mine would take this as absurd. If you think this prudent and efficient, get lost. | ||
| Fri Jan 27, 2012 Wardrobe deficiency... Slushy day out there -- but it seems "casual day" trumps --- wore my grass-cutting sneakers with the open toe this morning. So now I'm gonna be dancing around the puddles hoping that the torn rubber at my big toe doesn't let in too much rain. | ||
| Sat Dec 31, 2011 I love live music... Went to a memorial service with lots of terrific live music. And then we recessed to music from a CD. Ugggh. | ||
| Wed Dec 28, 2011 Barley Soup... oil, onion, parsnips, carrots, Roast Beef sandwich meat, beef stock, parsley, s&p, Barley. (potato & red pepper optional) | ||
| Thursday Dec 22, 2011 Plan for today... buy, Y, pie, wash/dry, perl, purl | ||
| Saturday Dec 10, 2011 Purchases today... Coffee & Breakfast Washer running shoes & reflective vest Xmas lights and 3 extension cords and 2 gift certificates 2 coffee table books as gifts, frame, ribbons soup and a beer rubber eraser, 2 cards, weird planter, notebook as gift. | ||
| Sunday Nov 20, 2011 I now know what it's worth... I found an almost exact copy of my "Watchman's" hat design in the Bay flyer "designed by Andrew Marc." $40.00 (I think mine has a better stitch reduction). | ||
| Saturday Nov 19, 2011 I'll tell you what got me thinking about religion this morning... I was seated at my table at the market when two euro-gentlemen sat down at the other end, (it was a large table). They each had a plate of bacon and eggs but before they dug in, they closed their eyes and said a prayer. It just seemed that they were sincere and it was a simple gesture to start their meal. I don't think I have ever prayed like that. I was instantly jealous with a twinge of "What the...?" I think I want to start a blog - "Religion; and other strange stuff." I've been thinking that I really don't see the significance of Jesus -- how he's God's son -- and how it's important to the world to "believe" that, (I'll talk about that word later). I mean I love Christmas but Christ? Anyway -- got to go have my breakfast. | ||
| Thursday Nov 10, 2011 More on Visiting Nipissing University... The iMac's are free to use in the library, (I said I was alumni so prone to wandering). They've added another gym to the rec complex. It's still beautiful here - even on a cloudy day in November, (sorry Movember). | ||
| Thursday Nov 10, 2011 Visiting Nipissing University... In the new Learning Library at Nipissing University in North Bay Ontario. They're big on Mac's here -- mini's in the labs, newish imacs in the Library. My favourite study spot is now gone, closed with the old library. It would be easy to find a scenic spot in the new space -- all modern and clean with lots of windows. A bit of a disappointment that the Brown lounge is now a branded "Green" lounge after some rich alumni. Oh well. | ||
| Thursday Oct 13, 2011 You know... Have you ever -- tidied up the bedroom thinking there was the possibility of someone coming over? | ||
| Tuesday Oct 11, 2011 Steve Jobs Death... I believe the last thing Apple Computer was working on was "Always On." The concept that you'll always have a connected device available to you as you walk through the house or workplace or street. It seems banal - but the delay is often enough to abandon the process of signing on at all. The implications of which? We're about to find out. | ||
| Monday Oct 10, 2011 Name for my bakery... Three Slashes. --- you know... the knife marks on the top of a round loaf. | ||
| Sunday Oct 2, 2011 Eating... Today I prepared, (for once), a recipe verbatim from the Globe & Mail--- and 1 Tablespoon of salt is way too much for a 48 year old to stomach in a 9x9 pan of cornbread. (perhaps appropriate for the old geezers who consume the Globe). | ||
| Friday Sept 30, 2011 Listening... Overheard a cell phone conversation at the bus terminal yesterday. A young beautiful woman was speaking german. She was almost in tears a couple times -- and some strong language, (in english), peppered the conversation. | ||
| Wednesday Sept 14, 2011 Pleasure... Is there anything more satisfying than peeling a peach in one go? | ||
| Saturday Sept 10, 2011 Salmon Pizza Goat cheese canned salmon onions & mushrooms tomatoes red peppers Mozzarella pesto for the sauce homemade dough | ||
| Sunday Aug 28, 2011 Black Bean Salad 1 19 oz can black beans (drained & rinsed) 1 cup cooked rice 1 cup corn niblets 1/2 red pepper cut fine 1/2 jalapeno pepper cut fine fresh cilantro fresh basil fresh mint green onions Dressing: balsamic, olive oil, garlic, salt & pepper | ||
| Saturday Aug 6, 2011 Fashion Parade... Three stylish people got on the #8 downtowner this morning at the Sunnyside Centre. After Helen, (the body), Mirren won InStyle's "Best Body" nod, I've been extra sensitive to "plus-age" fabulousness. And so it was today. One Octogenarian sported an olive green cotton long dress that would be as welcome at a summer wedding as it was right there among the market day commuters. Beautiful! | ||
| Friday July 22, 2011 City Slicker... You know you've been in the city too long when you look at a newly paved parking lot and say, "Hey - that looks nice." | ||
| Wednesday July 20, 2011 Image Fatigue... I was reading an online news story about divorce with the accompanying cliched image of a severed wedding couple atop a cake when I realized that this cliche hurts. It does damage to my brain. I don't want to see it again. This cut and paste world is driving me insane. It's the death of creativity. I don't even want a fancy graphic to grace every single thing I read. | ||
| Saturday July 16, 2011 Transit Story... Waited for the bus this morning with an old lady using her shopping cart as a walker. She asked me when the #7 was due. "Not long", I replied. It seemed this was an unusual sortie fof her, (she was paying cash -- and nobody does that). Next she said "I don't know if my legs will hold out all the way to Conestoga Mall." When she dropped a pill at embarkation, I stooped to pick it up. As I gave it to her she didn't say much -- she was starting her trip across the city. | ||
| Wednesday June 29, 2011 Two eggs rolled off the kitchen counter yesterday... Initial reaction: pissed off. Then a fraction of a second later I realized I should try to laugh it off. I tried. | ||
| Sunday June 26, 2011 8:30 a.m., belly full, dishes mostly done... Sunday morning -- bring it on! | ||
| Friday June 24, 2011 I don't think it's gong to snow anymore this season... so I'm getting my summer tires switched onto the Fit today, (along with the "B" service and a recall servicing). | ||
| Thursday June 23, 2011 Rob Ford isn't going to the Toronto Pride Parade... Interesting choice on his part. I think, in general, he lives in a tight comfort zone and is uninterested in departures from it. This is how he lives his life -- funny for a politician but there you have it. I think his decision would go over better if he rarely showed up for other events too --- but that's not the case. | ||
| Wednesday June 22, 2011 Saw a sad sight today after work in front of the Greyhound station... A woman with dark circles under her eyes, carrying a baby got out of a cab with her two children. Lugging Zehrs bags subbing for suitcases they got on the Kitchener bound bus --- for a new life? | ||
| Monday June 20, 2011 "They" covered up my favourite piece of graffiti today. Bummer. I think I'm gonna have a beer and put on my Michelle Shocked tape. | ||
| Wednesday June 15, 2011 Saw the new bridge construction site last night... There were fences put up along the Walter Bean trail saying "DANGER". Paul Haid and I went in. This is the new Fairway Road/Ottawa St road over the Conestoga River in Kitchener | ||
| TuesdayB June 14, 2011 In the Business world, does anybody consider... that as we get better at providing online reports, even less people read these than the old paper ones? | ||
| Tuesday June 14, 2011 No sound seems louder than... opening a zipper at 5:00 a.m. in a hostel dorm room. | ||
| Sunday June 12, 2011 Can't find all my screws... to a "Stack-a-Shelf" desk I want to get rid of. | ||
| Wednesday June 8, 2011 One of those days... when everyone turns up early at the bus terminal after work just to soak up the air-conditioning. | ||
| Monday June 6b, 2011 Acting like a 10 year old Climbed a chain link fence with a buddy after supper tonight... without tearing my Dockers.. | ||
| Monday June 6, 2011 Basement Cleanup Can you help me? | ||
| Sunday June 5, 2011 Back from Boulder CO, Moab UT, Las Vegas, LA Wish I wasn't..... | ||
| Thursday May 1, 2003 After working out at the Y, a friend and I went to the Walper to yakk - to stare at our beers - to check on the hockey game - to engage in diversion. | ||
| Monday April 28, 2003 After the board meeting at the church, I went for a beer at the Walper. I'm fond of one of their imported draughts. A woman came up to me, stroked my shoulder and asked, "What's the score?" My attention turned from the newspaper to the hockey game. When I couldn't answer her, she left. | ||
| Friday Feb 13, 2003 Michael Phelps is a human being. RIM executives get roasted and toasted all in the same week. |
