I'm working from home today, and I had a teleconference at 3:00 in the afternoon. I was quite surprised when, halfway through the call, there was a loud knock at my door. I opened the door, phone in hand, and found my condo developer's deficiencies team behind it.
They had finally come to address the various deficiencies that I, and the previous owner of the suite, had reported over the last 8 months or so.
I'd been trying to get some response about these deficiencies for ages, but the guy who handles this for the developer went silent weeks ago. Now, with zero warning, people arrive with hammers in hands. Oh well, better late than never!
I just went over the list with them, and I'm cautiously optimistic that most of the issues will be resolved today and tomorrow.
Friday, March 03, 2006
Support Kevin and Stu!
I've just added a link to Stu & Kevin's Friends For Life bike rally blog. This July, they'll be cycling, along with about 300 others, from Toronto to Montreal to raise money for the Toronto People With AIDS Foundation. Until then, they'll be blogging about their fundraising and training. Hopefully, they'll also find a way to do some audio blogging during the ride.
So, about that fundraising...they each have to raise $2000 to participate. Now, if you know Kevin and/or Stu, you've probably already heard about this. But, even if you don't know them, you shouldn't let that stop you from making a pledge. I mean, you know me, or at least you're sufficiently interested in me to be reading my blog. So, two degrees of separation and a really good cause should be enough to motivate at least a small pledge, shouldn't it?
You can find links to their pledge pages from their blog.
So, about that fundraising...they each have to raise $2000 to participate. Now, if you know Kevin and/or Stu, you've probably already heard about this. But, even if you don't know them, you shouldn't let that stop you from making a pledge. I mean, you know me, or at least you're sufficiently interested in me to be reading my blog. So, two degrees of separation and a really good cause should be enough to motivate at least a small pledge, shouldn't it?
You can find links to their pledge pages from their blog.
Sunday, February 19, 2006
The Morning After
Well, we all survived the party. Mike and Mum had a minor blow-up over lemon slicing, but they made up and moved on after that.
The caterers didn't bring the salmon, but the lamb was good, and everyone was well fed. I'm pretty sure Mum thinks she could have done a better job of the food, and she's probably right.
I think Kevin had a pretty fun night. He sent his last text message at 3:39 AM, his time. I have no idea what he's gonna do with EZ Barnett's number, though.
The caterers didn't bring the salmon, but the lamb was good, and everyone was well fed. I'm pretty sure Mum thinks she could have done a better job of the food, and she's probably right.
I think Kevin had a pretty fun night. He sent his last text message at 3:39 AM, his time. I have no idea what he's gonna do with EZ Barnett's number, though.
Saturday, February 18, 2006
Whoever said it would be a vacation?
I've been home for a couple of days now, and it occurs to me, I'm really quite stressed out.
Family get-togethers usually follow a pretty standard script: Mum invests huge amounts of time and effort into putting on the best event possible, with lots of yummy food and meticulous cleaning and setup. However, managing all of this stresses her out, she falls behind schedule, and any bit of resistance or second-guessing from anyone else infuriates her. Dad gets stressed out by the fact that things are running late, and starts expressing some not-so-helpful opinions. Mike and Mum never play especially well together, and some disagreement eventually blows up into a bit of a falling out.
In the end, the heartache subsides, and everyone enjoys the event, is terribly well fed and well entertained.
So, I'm kind of waiting for all that to happen today, while hoping against hope that it doesn't. It's almost 4:00 and all's well so far.
There's a big change to the recipe this time. Mum's party is being catered, so there's been no frantic food preparation. The caterers will show up shortly before the event, food in hand, to set up, they'll serve during the party, and they'll take away the dirty dishes with them.
The other thing weighing on my mind is Granny Maro, who has been living with my parents since December. Her memory is failing quite seriously, leaving Mum responsible for thinking for two. It's really hard on her, and going through the same situation with her own mother took a huge toll on Granny.
This afternoon we were looking through some photos, and Granny wasn't recognizing Lis (Mike's wife), and kept thinking that Mum was Lena (Granny's sister). It seems like she has the most trouble with most recent memories, and so probably Mum now looks like how she best remembers Lena. I corrected her a few times, but each time she'd forget again after a couple of minutes.
It's really tough to watch. I remember Granny Maro as being really quick, and having little trouble keeping up with her two rambunctious grandkids, in spite of the language barrier.
It's still mostly fun to be around her, though. She responds so well to us; she doesn't say a lot, but you can tell she's practically oozing love.
Family get-togethers usually follow a pretty standard script: Mum invests huge amounts of time and effort into putting on the best event possible, with lots of yummy food and meticulous cleaning and setup. However, managing all of this stresses her out, she falls behind schedule, and any bit of resistance or second-guessing from anyone else infuriates her. Dad gets stressed out by the fact that things are running late, and starts expressing some not-so-helpful opinions. Mike and Mum never play especially well together, and some disagreement eventually blows up into a bit of a falling out.
In the end, the heartache subsides, and everyone enjoys the event, is terribly well fed and well entertained.
So, I'm kind of waiting for all that to happen today, while hoping against hope that it doesn't. It's almost 4:00 and all's well so far.
There's a big change to the recipe this time. Mum's party is being catered, so there's been no frantic food preparation. The caterers will show up shortly before the event, food in hand, to set up, they'll serve during the party, and they'll take away the dirty dishes with them.
The other thing weighing on my mind is Granny Maro, who has been living with my parents since December. Her memory is failing quite seriously, leaving Mum responsible for thinking for two. It's really hard on her, and going through the same situation with her own mother took a huge toll on Granny.
This afternoon we were looking through some photos, and Granny wasn't recognizing Lis (Mike's wife), and kept thinking that Mum was Lena (Granny's sister). It seems like she has the most trouble with most recent memories, and so probably Mum now looks like how she best remembers Lena. I corrected her a few times, but each time she'd forget again after a couple of minutes.
It's really tough to watch. I remember Granny Maro as being really quick, and having little trouble keeping up with her two rambunctious grandkids, in spite of the language barrier.
It's still mostly fun to be around her, though. She responds so well to us; she doesn't say a lot, but you can tell she's practically oozing love.
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
Homeward Bound
Tomorrow, I'll be heading to Vancouver for a few days, to celebrate my mum's 60th birthday and catch up with friends and family.
It's been eight months since I was last there (for Omi's 90th birthday, in fact), but it seems even longer. Maybe that's because it was also only for a few days.
I'm trying to pack my calendar so I don't miss out on seeing anyone. It's so weird thinking about how rarely I've seen these people, who were once all over my life, in the last half-decade. I'm excited, though. In the past, it's been like no time has passed at all.
I'm also hoping I'll find out if any reunion activities are afoot. Ten years - yegods!
It's been eight months since I was last there (for Omi's 90th birthday, in fact), but it seems even longer. Maybe that's because it was also only for a few days.
I'm trying to pack my calendar so I don't miss out on seeing anyone. It's so weird thinking about how rarely I've seen these people, who were once all over my life, in the last half-decade. I'm excited, though. In the past, it's been like no time has passed at all.
I'm also hoping I'll find out if any reunion activities are afoot. Ten years - yegods!
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
Don't Cry for Me
Aidan, a friend from work and a really great photographer, visited Argentina in December and he took some incredible photos. He sent me this link to his Web site, and I thought I'd share.
http://www.aidantierney.com/
Enjoy!
http://www.aidantierney.com/
Enjoy!
Tommy! BluePages QuickSearch Monday, January 23, 2006
Earth To Elections Canada
I was surprised to read that the publication ban on voting results is back in effect for this election. Does anyone really believe that bloggers and small Web sites won't publish results before the polls close across the country?
Here's a simple solution to the problem: don't start counting any ballots until all the polls are closed! Now, I realize that might mean that Eastern and Central Canadians would have to either (a) stay up late, or (b) wait until tomorrow morning to hear the results. But, you know, I think that's a little bit more reasonable than trying to bend the Internet to Elections Canada's will.
Here's a simple solution to the problem: don't start counting any ballots until all the polls are closed! Now, I realize that might mean that Eastern and Central Canadians would have to either (a) stay up late, or (b) wait until tomorrow morning to hear the results. But, you know, I think that's a little bit more reasonable than trying to bend the Internet to Elections Canada's will.
Politics and Sheep
I just don't get it: how could Stephen Harper have been so scary in 2004 and not now? The shift in public opinion has been huge, and I fear that we're going to see major policy reversals that will change a great measure of what we tend to think of as Canadian values. I can think of a few possible explanations...
1. I have, along with the Liberal and New Democratic parties and much of the press, a skewed view of Canadian values. Canadians' tendencies really aren't as socially progressive as we might imagine. Those of us who live in the cities (I've only ever lived in Vancouver and Toronto) probably underestimate the how different the world-views held in much of the rest of the country are.
2. Canadians really aren't concerned about social issues right now. They don't agree with the Conservative position on same-sex marriage, for instance, but they're willing to put their differences aside in order to send a message that they will not tolerate what they perceive as waste and corruption. Other institutions of government, notably the courts, and public opinion will probably constrain a Conservative government, preventing them from significantly altering the country's path on sical issues.
3. Apparently, Harper has been much nicer to the press in this election. Last time, he didn't give them much time or access, but in this campaign, they say he's actually been friendly with them. As a result, his coverage has been much more positive and Canadians have decided that he must be an okay guy. In other words, we're a bunch of sheep.
I fear that the third explanation might be the most accurate.
1. I have, along with the Liberal and New Democratic parties and much of the press, a skewed view of Canadian values. Canadians' tendencies really aren't as socially progressive as we might imagine. Those of us who live in the cities (I've only ever lived in Vancouver and Toronto) probably underestimate the how different the world-views held in much of the rest of the country are.
2. Canadians really aren't concerned about social issues right now. They don't agree with the Conservative position on same-sex marriage, for instance, but they're willing to put their differences aside in order to send a message that they will not tolerate what they perceive as waste and corruption. Other institutions of government, notably the courts, and public opinion will probably constrain a Conservative government, preventing them from significantly altering the country's path on sical issues.
3. Apparently, Harper has been much nicer to the press in this election. Last time, he didn't give them much time or access, but in this campaign, they say he's actually been friendly with them. As a result, his coverage has been much more positive and Canadians have decided that he must be an okay guy. In other words, we're a bunch of sheep.
I fear that the third explanation might be the most accurate.
Tuesday, January 03, 2006
Back to Work
It's been 2 weeks since I've had to work (not counting finishing my PBC at the last possible second last Friday), and I was a little nervous logging on to the VPN this morning. It's been the usual kind of day so far, with most of my time spent helping other people. It's rewarding, but frustrating -- there are things I need to get done, too!
Today, I helped someone in Germany debug his XML Schemas, and now he wants to send me a Bavarian beer glass. I still haven't even managed to catch up on my notes (what normal people call e-mail), much less do anything productive.
I had an odd dream a couple of nights ago, where we were told that the lab had been shut down and all development was moving offshore. Then, I found out that the very best, top-performing people were actually keeping their jobs and would have to do all the development work themselves, and that I was in limbo -- it hadn't been decided whether I was in that group or not.
It was such a long and involved dream that, by the time I woke up, I wasn't sure whether I would actually have a job to go to today. But, it's just back to business as usual now.
Anyhow, it's time for me to take my long-delayed lunch break. I'm going to go and see if I can exchange a lighting fixture. I bought and installed some track lighting on the weekend, but one of the fixtures is screwed up. Hopefully they'll take it back, and I can finish up this lighting project (add the missing fixture and install the dimmer) in the next couple of days.
Today, I helped someone in Germany debug his XML Schemas, and now he wants to send me a Bavarian beer glass. I still haven't even managed to catch up on my notes (what normal people call e-mail), much less do anything productive.
I had an odd dream a couple of nights ago, where we were told that the lab had been shut down and all development was moving offshore. Then, I found out that the very best, top-performing people were actually keeping their jobs and would have to do all the development work themselves, and that I was in limbo -- it hadn't been decided whether I was in that group or not.
It was such a long and involved dream that, by the time I woke up, I wasn't sure whether I would actually have a job to go to today. But, it's just back to business as usual now.
Anyhow, it's time for me to take my long-delayed lunch break. I'm going to go and see if I can exchange a lighting fixture. I bought and installed some track lighting on the weekend, but one of the fixtures is screwed up. Hopefully they'll take it back, and I can finish up this lighting project (add the missing fixture and install the dimmer) in the next couple of days.
Sunday, December 25, 2005
Happy Holidays
It's Christmas today and Chanukah starts tonight. This kind of convergence is a rare occurrence. I wish I were celebrating the holidays, but, alas, I'm packing instead. Nonetheless, in case anyone is actually still reading my blog, after a month and a half of silence, I'd like to wish you and yours a very merry Christmas, happy Chanukah, and all the rest.
It's been very hectic lately, which is why I haven't posted and why I'm packing. I'll be moving to my new condo on Wednesday, which gives me just three days to finish packing (I started yesterday). Considering the pace that it's going, I think it should work out. At Consuelo and EB's solstice party last Thursday, Maureen and Consuelo were talking about their packing prowess. Well, I packed all my books and CD's yesterday, and I didn't take forever or leave great gobs of empty space in any of the boxes. Hopefully they'd be proud! It was actually much less painful than I remember it to be, which reaffirms Amy's claim that practice definitely helps.
Over the previous couple of weeks, I've been painting the new place. I almost finished, getting two coats done in the living/dining space, the bedroom and the den. The kitchen and entranceway still need to be done, but my goal was to finish the rooms where all my stuff will be. Painting was hell. I've helped others out with painting before, but it's not something I've ever done from start to finish, and there was much to learn. Surprises abounded, like the oil-based paint on the baseboards and doors, requiring them to all be primed. Oh, and the unsweepably large mountain of dust generated by sanding a skim patch (though I'm still not sure if I even was supposed to sand it!). Oh, who can forget the should-I-shouldn't-I? drama about painting the caulking. Well, it's pretty much done now, and I think it looks good, so that's a relief. It wouldn't have been possible without help from Kevin, Alex, and especially Stu. Thanks a million, guys!
Kevin's back home on PEI for Christmas. It's not even been two weeks, but I do miss him like crazy. We've been talking on the phone every two or three days and texting in between, but it's not the same. I just don't understand how people pull off long-distance relationships. Anyhow, it's good for him that he hasn't been around to share in all of my stress, and he'll be back on Friday. Can't wait!
So, that's the kind of holiday I'm having.
It's been very hectic lately, which is why I haven't posted and why I'm packing. I'll be moving to my new condo on Wednesday, which gives me just three days to finish packing (I started yesterday). Considering the pace that it's going, I think it should work out. At Consuelo and EB's solstice party last Thursday, Maureen and Consuelo were talking about their packing prowess. Well, I packed all my books and CD's yesterday, and I didn't take forever or leave great gobs of empty space in any of the boxes. Hopefully they'd be proud! It was actually much less painful than I remember it to be, which reaffirms Amy's claim that practice definitely helps.
Over the previous couple of weeks, I've been painting the new place. I almost finished, getting two coats done in the living/dining space, the bedroom and the den. The kitchen and entranceway still need to be done, but my goal was to finish the rooms where all my stuff will be. Painting was hell. I've helped others out with painting before, but it's not something I've ever done from start to finish, and there was much to learn. Surprises abounded, like the oil-based paint on the baseboards and doors, requiring them to all be primed. Oh, and the unsweepably large mountain of dust generated by sanding a skim patch (though I'm still not sure if I even was supposed to sand it!). Oh, who can forget the should-I-shouldn't-I? drama about painting the caulking. Well, it's pretty much done now, and I think it looks good, so that's a relief. It wouldn't have been possible without help from Kevin, Alex, and especially Stu. Thanks a million, guys!
Kevin's back home on PEI for Christmas. It's not even been two weeks, but I do miss him like crazy. We've been talking on the phone every two or three days and texting in between, but it's not the same. I just don't understand how people pull off long-distance relationships. Anyhow, it's good for him that he hasn't been around to share in all of my stress, and he'll be back on Friday. Can't wait!
So, that's the kind of holiday I'm having.
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