Speak Into the Mike

Slowly Strollin' in the Sweet Sunshine

2008-09-04T16:14:00.006-03:00

Well, maybe not everything's right, as Paolo says, but I did have a good run today. In these.

This message brought to you by the "Mike's Gettin' Himself Back in Shape" committee. Also by the "Mike has nothing to post" committee. You are now free to go about your business.

Eight things

2008-08-28T11:44:00.000-03:00

Curses! Memed again... this time by Krissa over at HalfAsstic.com. If I had something blogworthy going on in my life at the moment (anyone want to hear about my bus rides to and from work? No?) I'd surely post that first, but seeing as how the tank is a little low these days, here goes.

Eight things I want to do before I die. Assuming I have a few years before this is likely to happen, here they are in no particular order, and curiously inter-related:

1. Visit a few (2? 3?) more countries where I do not speak the language. Hopefully not eat anything poisonous which brings on acute and painful death.

2. Do some sort of triathlon (even if it's a kiddie-sized one!). Failing that, I'd like to learn how to swim properly. Unlike my own father, it is not my goal in life to find new and inventive ways to embarrass my children. Though I may take that up as a sideline hobby. My dad DID seem to get some joy out of it.

3. Take control of my finances. That is, I want to have enough money to invest in something other than my RRSP's mutual funds. This would require paying off my goddamn student loans and perhaps losing the van payment and not having it die on my the very next day.

4. Become really good at something. I'm thinking photography, since that seems to be the way I'm leaning these days. I always think it's great when people can really spend the time to get into something. Maybe have a show of some sort to display my work. Maybe coerce someone to shed clothes and model for me (bathing suits would be sufficient -- I'm not fussy.)

5. See a cure for cancer. Seriously, even some teeny tiny form of it. There has to be a way to stop people from dying from it.

6. Live a healthy, active life everyday, while still taking the time to get some quality relaxation in. Happy lives must be better if you live longer. Right?

7. Meet my grandchildren. I want to see my boys as dads (if they want to be dads someday).

8. Get involved in a business venture. I have this dream where I want to run a pub, a bar, or some other type of community establishment. This may or may not happen in this country, but I think it would be a great option to the regular 9-to 5.

8. (Again. Because I'm a big fat cheater, and because this one is important): Grow very old, and very happy, with my wife.

I'm probably supposed to tag someone (eight people?), but I would have a hard time believing that eight people currently read my drivel. So hey, you! Reader! Yeah, YOU! Play along!

Weddings are Hard Work

2008-08-26T08:39:00.003-03:00

Last week we spent five days in PEI ~~drinking~~ ~~golfing~~ attending a wedding of one of The Lovely Wife's friends. One of the last girls in the "PAG" (don't ask) to get hitched, and one of the biggest partiers of the bunch, we knew this one would be a Class-A shindig. And what a bash it was. For four days we hung out with friends new and old (mostly new for me, since I'm not from this part of the world), "roughed it" with four other couples in a four bedroom cottage with wi-fi, satellite television and a 37" flat screen TV. I tell ya, it was tough going. I probably couldn't have handled it for much more than another month or so. Oh, and did I mention we didn't have any kids with us? Ironically, we probably got less sleep instead of more, given that during this vacation, most nights I was up later BY CHOICE than I have been over the past five years.

We also had a memorable party in Charlottetown and I got to see a new side of that during the bachelor party. Sorry, no pictures of that. Evidently what happens in Charlottetown stays in Charlottetown. And that's just fine by me. The golf was spectacular, too. Danny and I did Dundarave one day and the "piddly" 9-hole course which was also on the premises, and which at the low, low price of $20 put most courses in my experience completely to shame. Like I said, I could probably get used to this. I really never expected to want my camera while golfing, but I won't make that mistake again.

The wedding itself was a well-planned affair that seemed to go off without a hitch. I managed to snap 300 pictures or so, including headshots of all the guests to go into a guestbook. It pays to bring along your camera (not like I wouldn't). I won't bore you with all the guest shots, since I probably couldn't tell you who 90% of them are anymore. But we certainly had fun ~~drinking three kegs~~ dancing with them until all hours of the morning!

The trip home was fraught with staying awake at the wheel and thankfully a mostly steady ferry ride across the Northumberland Strait. All things considered, it was a successful weekend. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some sleeping to do.

Click for the set

Another weekend, another pound of bacon (aka the Five Islands set)

2008-08-16T22:24:00.003-03:00

Perhaps the last camping weekend of the summer has passed, and I must say, I think we're about getting it right (with the exception of a few drips of rain through the tent at 0400, and why does it always happen at 0400?).

Five Islands Provincial park is on the shores of the Minas Basin, home of some of the highest tides in the world. What this means is that the tide goes out (and comes in) very quickly, and moves a great distance. You can find yourself walking for half a mile or more to just get to water, and when it turns and starts to come back in, you'd better know where your sandals are or be ready to give them up to the sea.

We'll remember this trip as the place that's fantastic for sunsets and clam-digging and mudflats, but not so sensational for swimming. The Lovely Wife and I stayed in this very same campsite (Campsite #69, the one The Brits had indicated to the check-in girl that I would DEFINITELY want, and not the adjacent #68 which they got) a few years earlier, and in this set you'll see that I was trying to duplicate a sunset picture. I may or may not have got it right here - only time, and some hard drive searching, will tell.

Click for the set

a quickr pickr post

Schwing!Blade

2008-08-12T19:22:00.005-03:00

~~Not long~~ ~~Several weeks~~ ~~Last month~~ Utterly eons ago, I was approached by a kind person who had read this here bloglication and out of either sheer benevolence or maybe creative marketing offered to send me (me!) free goods, just because I seemed like a nice person. Or that I may have global influence over international consumption. We'll soon see if that person was right.

After being approached via the "email me" link at the top of this page ("not the most popular link on this page", this writer says with some dismay), I admitted my obsession for all things "free stuff" and "gadgetry" oriented, and lo and behold a few days later, my benefactor made good on his promise. A bubble-wrap package arrived from the USA:

a quickr pickr post

I give you, my friends, the Schick Quattro Titanium Trimmer. And it's not just any old razor, this Quattro. It's the newfangled razor with four blades on one side, a precision blade on the other side (frankly I thought this was suspect when it was first introduced on the market, but when you start laying out blades like you're planting rows of beans in your garden, you might find that technology sometimes pays off. Or you may just prefer even-length sideburns.), and a battery operated trimmer on the other end. I KNOW. WHO THINKS OF THESE THINGS? AWESOME.

I was also invited to check out TrimFlixx, a delicious little time waster (potentially more geared to those with a Y-chromosome than those without, but we're talking about razors for boys here, people). I uploaded my own face onto a buff headless dude and pillow-fought with some babes. Somewhere out there people get to actually do this, right? No? Well, while I did enjoy the hardbody I inherited for the minute and a half show, I was left slightly dismayed by the sudden reality check at the end of it all. You're all invited to go make your own TrimFlixx movie and show your friends. Or maybe put someone's face that you love on there and let the hilarity ensue.

One thing I should say, however, is that the Schick Quattro Titanium Trimmer is some kind of cool razor that I would likely never have purchased on my own, mainly because I'm ~~cheap~~ leery of scientific advancements not related to bicycles, cameras, and music playing devices. Razors are the type of things I hold out on until I have to admit that they really are getting better year after year, blade after blade.

Now, if I could just get a few of these babies when Movember rolls around, we could have some great prizes and the appearance of sponsorthip. Bring on the mutton chops and the handlebar 'staches! But more importantly, bring on more free stuff. This blog gig is starting to really pay off! (Not really.)

Signs of life

2008-08-07T07:59:00.001-03:00

Um, hi. I'm Mike. I blog here sometimes? You may have read some of my stuff before. Anyway, I've been on vacation for a little while now, and with other big changes (like a new job which seems really quite good. A positive change, if you will.), I've been neglecting this place. I know, I know. No need to apologise. It's so damn cliché anyway, isn't it? "Oh, sorry I haven't posted in so long!" Wait, that's pretty much what I just did. Rats.

I feel like the next best thing to rehashing what I've been up to would be to actually show you some pictures, because after all, people like words AND pictures, don't they?

So go look! Then come back, and I promise I'll start writing again.

-the Management

Wheeling through the Valley

2008-07-28T06:35:00.002-03:00

Another Multiple Sclerosis bike tour happened this weekend, and though it looked like it would rain on us right up until, well, up until it didn't -- it was a grand sunny time. For the second year now, I completed most of the course, opting to not do the "extra" section on the second day, and rolling my way through 130km and coming out still on good terms with my quadriceps.

The event is massive, at least to me. 500 participants and all forms of bikes: mountain bikes, hybrids, recumbent bikes -- the works. This year, however, I fear I've drooled perhaps a little too much over the road bikes, and now (wait for it) I want one. Conversations with people on the road, friends and strangers alike, resulted in me at least wanting to take a good road bike out for a few days just to see the difference for myself. Maybe I'll work on that for next spring, or late this fall when people are ready to part with their road bikes as they think about the long, cold winter.

Click for the Set

Happy mumblety mumbleth birthday, baby.

2008-07-24T22:34:00.002-03:00

Happy mumblety mumbleth birthday, baby.

Originally uploaded by themikestand

You're now only one year younger than me... but who's counting? (Answer: You.)

P.S. I really do like the hair.

Hello, I must be going.

2008-07-24T14:35:00.001-03:00

Huh. Another unintended lyrical reference. Maybe there really is nothing new under the sun?

I wanted to say hello to any/all new reader(s) who've decided I might be worth a second read after my brilliant interview with Bethany.

Only I don't have much to say, and I'm essentially finished with my current job tomorrow, and we're going on vacation next week. So whee for those things.

Oh, wait. I guess I do have something to say, and it might as well come out as one of those "if" lessons. To wit:

IF you live in the suburbs where property crime is not prevalent, and
IF you happen to have gotten away with leaving your van windows rolled down, doors left wide open, etc.

THEN you should not be surprised that one night, two years after you have moved into your sleepy suburban suburb, young punks try your doors and realise they're open, taking the opportunity to steal $1.35 in change and rip off your detachable faceplate* from your stereo, rendering it useless and causing you to have to hurriedly make an appointment with the local stereo shop to have it replaced** before embarking on the family vacation with two young children who will not let you off the hook if you don't have copious quantities of Raffi, Tom Chapin, Cat Stevens*** and Sharon, Lois & Bram

Corollary:

IF you hurriedly make an appointment to have a stereo replaced, you should also be aware that people may notice**** that you acted awfully quickly when it comes to electronics and that you still have yet to make an appointment to get that clicking treadmill in the basement looked at by the vendor before the warranty runs out*****.

*Does anyone really take their faceplate off when they leave their vehicle? Next time I think I might just drill a big-ass screw through the faceplate and into the deck. That way it'll be unattractive to steal, in addition to being more difficult.

**With a better model that has ipod controls built-in, but this is NOT about the silver lining, dammit!
*** Behold our attempt at teaching the kids that mainstream music really IS JUST LIKE kids' music! Plus, it's cute to hear them sing along with Moonshadow and Peace Train.
**** I think my mother is trying to become The Lovely Wife's BFF with this kind of observation.
***** Honey, I’m on this. Really!

My interview with Bethany Actually

2008-07-21T20:16:00.006-03:00

Hello again, Internets. It took a while for me to get off my butt and rope someone new into being interviewed, but I have managed to strong-arm Bethany of Bethany Actually into responding to my inane questions. Success!

I met Bethany through the Flickr 7 days project (see also: doow) and have enjoyed her stories and family pictures for some time now. I'd be lying if I said I didn't do this to learn a little more about her myself. Because she seems really nice, and I'm not convinced she hasn't got some creepy skeleton in her closet.

Er...Enjoy!

Tell us a little about your little corner of the internet.

I write mainly about my daily life and the funny things my 4-year-old daughter says. I also write about stuff I crochet, pottery I paint, crafts my daughter and I do together, our frequent travels to visit family and friends, and anything else that strikes my fancy. But mostly it's about my daughter. I take and post a lot of photos.

Describe for us your blogging "community". Are they all generally parent/personal-bloggers, or do you also hang out in other circles?

I think most of my readers either know me personally or are parent/personal bloggers. I also get comments from a few craft bloggers and the very occasional food blogger. I know some of my readers came to me from Flickr. I am humbled and amazed at how many readers I have (which really isn't THAT many, but it's more than I ever expected to have) and I am happy they enjoy my blog. But when I write, I try to keep my friends and family in mind as my primary audience. Since my husband is in the Navy and we move all the time and live far away from most of our relatives, the blog is a way for them to keep track of us and see photos of our lives.

How has your writing, your style, and / or your blog evolved since its inception?

My blog has been around less than a year, so I don't think it's changed too much. I didn't really have a plan when I started, I just took some photos and started typing. I am much less self-conscious about the whole thing than I used to be. Even though I never considered other bloggers vain, I worried that I would be perceived as full of myself by people in my life who don't really get the whole blogging thing. So at first I was concerned about that, but that concern evaporated early on as I found most people thought it was really neat. Now I just enjoy it and write what I want and don't worry too much about the rest.

You post a lot of pictures on your blog -- what situations do you stay away from when you're posting your family's mugs to the world? Put another way, what "rules" govern what ends up on the screen?

I try not to post photos I think would be embarrassing for the subjects. I mark a lot of my photos of my daughter as "friends and family" on Flickr, especially anything of her in a swimsuit or dance outfit because the pervs always seem to come out of the woodwork for those. If I want to post photos of someone else's children I ask first. With adults I generally don't ask but I never use anyone's full name without permission and if someone ever asked me to remove their photos I would do so without hesitation. Otherwise, I figure people can see us everyday on the street and I'm not about to hide away in my house in fear, so why would I hide my face on the internet? I don't have anything to hide.

You've been a faithful participant in the 7 Days Project on flickr. What impact has that had on your photography or your blogging?

Oh man, a HUGE impact. I serendipitously stumbled onto an announcement of the 7 Days Spring 2007 project a week or so before it started. I had just become active on Flickr and impulsively decided to join the group. And am I ever glad I did! It's like a family reunion four times a year. And I've learned a lot from the creative photos taken by the 7 Dayers, from technical terms like painting with light to not being afraid to take silly or daring photos to using an interesting technique or sticking with a series. And I think it's really such a diverse, interesting group of people, many of whom would not otherwise cross paths. Meeting some of those wonderful people made me want to meet more like them, which was part of my decision to start blogging.

What keeps you blogging? Tell us what you get the greatest satisfaction from, and what motivates you most.

I enjoy the sense of community found in blogging, the connections I have made with people all over the world. Especially since I move every few years, it's great that I have friends in my computer I can take with me anywhere I go! But I probably get the most satisfaction from knowing that real-life friends and family are reading and enjoying my blog, because they're the reason I started it in the first place. My friend Rachel commented once that she sometimes wishes I would blog more because she loves reading each new post. Sometimes when I feel like I am posting too often I think about that comment and post again anyway.

Dirty little secret time! Name one blog that you don't tell anyone you regularly read.

It's not a secret, but it might be a surprise to some people who know me: Go Fug Yourself. It's probably the closest I come to a celebrity-gossip blog. Admittedly, I don't even know who half the people they write about are, but Heather and Jessica are fabulous writers and they make me laugh and laugh and laugh. Since I am basically a jeans-and-flip-flops kinda girl, reading a site about horrible fashion choices doesn't make much sense (hmm, or maybe it does) but I keep reading it anyway.

Possibly related to the previous question: Name 3 bloggers you'd like to meet.

I can only pick three? Oh man, that's mean. Okay, we'll go with three of my favorite writers: Julia, Amalah, and Jenni of SchnozzFest. There are dozens more I'd love to meet, and quite a few I have every expectation of actually meeting one day. I've been fortunate enough to meet a handful of bloggers in real life and it has always gone so well I'm eager to repeat the experience.

And along those same lines: Which bloggers, if any, do you regularly see in person ?

I met Brenda of Secret Agent Josephine and Heather of Oh My Stinkin' Heck through their blogs and now they're two of my closest friends. I've managed to see Heather twice in the last six months even though she lives half a country away from me, and now that I live in Southern California I see Brenda and her sister-in-law Heather of Comfortably Crazy (who is also a good friend) pretty regularly. I have every expectation of meeting Elaine of Wannabe Hippie, Bonnie of Zebrabelly, and Sonja of girl with greencard (all 7 Dayers!) soon since we all live in the same general area now, and hope we might see each other in a semi-regular fashion.

Fill in the blanks: Sometimes I________. But it's okay, because _______.

Sometimes I email people just to tell them about punctuation, spelling and/or grammar mistakes on their blogs. But it's okay, because I only do that with people whose writing I admire so much that I don't want the errors to detract from how great the writing is and when I tell them so in the email I am usually humored and forgiven for being such an annoying know-it-all.

[Huh. I do not recall ever getting such an email from Bethany, and so I'm now wondering if she's ever read my site. - ed.]

What do you see as the major hope for the future of blogging?

I'm not really sure I understand this question. Do you mean, why do I think blogging will continue on? I guess most people like to talk about themselves and their interests, and blogging is just an extension of that. Also, it seems like blogs have started supplanting more "traditional" forms of media like newspapers, radio, etc. I don't see that changing anytime soon, unless...

Conversely, what could signal the beginning of its demise?

... everyone starts getting chips implanted that allow us to beam our thoughts directly into each other's brains.

A lot of bloggers are getting into side projects: books, user-submission blogs (postsecret, crummy church signs, passive-aggressive notes, etc.) Besides your awesome etsy shop, do you have any plans for expansion, branching out, global blogosphere domination?
No, not really. Even my Etsy shop I have kept deliberately small. I like my little corner of the blogosphere just fine the way it is.

Give us a picture of yourself?

Sure! This one is actually of me and Annalie, I hope that's okay.

Okay? It's marvelous. Thanks Bethany!

Hair today, gone tomorrow?

2008-07-17T14:01:00.001-03:00

Fear not, this is not a post about manscaping. Though this might be something for Whoorl's Hair Thursday, which I totally don't read and don't totally love at all. No sir.

Her

Some weeks ago, the kids and I dropped The Lovely Wife off at the local salon de coiffure for a trim. From the outset, TLW said this was going to be more than just a trim. She wasn't happy with the ever-present ponytail she normally resorted to, so she was out for something a little different. The boys and I went into the nearby grocery store to stock up on bacon and other things we might need for all the camping we're doing this summer, and then grab a quick bite and go back to pick her up an hour later. As I rounded the corner, we could see TLW hanging out on the step in front of the salon, hair trimmed shorter than had ever seen it. She would later describe it as "the shortest her hair has been since the first time it ever reached that length".

"WOW!" I said to the kids in the back seat. "Mommy got a great haircut!" And we proceeded to roll up and let her into the vehicle.

"Awesome haircut, honey. Sure is short! How long did it take her to convince you to go that short?"

"Actually", she said, "It was my idea."

"I think it's great!", I said, with complete honesty and no deadly hesitation whatsoever.

She seemed unconvinced, but pretty happy with it, noting that "Hey, it's only hair. It'll grow."

Within five minutes she hated the new 'do with the fire of a thousand suns. And to this day, she actively hates her hairstyle, even though she gets about a bajillion compliments a day on it. I won't direct you to any pictures of the style, since she's really not keen on getting in front of the camera -- but I'll say there's at least one picture which shows just how short she's gone.

This morning, as she was performing her daily mortification in front of the mirror after getting up, I asked her if she had a transition style in mind for when her hair got a little longer and, though I thought this topic might be an express ticket to "I can't believe you just said that" land, she just responded with a chuckle and a "not really, no." I guess we'll see what the future holds for Haircut 2008: The OMG Edition -- but I'm sure I'll still find her completely irresistible.

Him

It's almost time for my near-monthly haircut, and since I'll be starting a new job in August, I figure I should do some cleaning up before the Week of First Impressions* . When I interviewed there, I was about a week into a haircut, which you may know (or I might have just made up) means my hair was, statistically speaking, the perfect length. No doubt that's why I rocked the interview.

So now, it's five, or maybe six weeks since my last cut, and while my brain (and my sideburns) tell me it's time for a snip**, a part of me wants surfer hair. Maybe it's the Maclean's article on Dennis Wilson that speaks to me, or my steadily bronzing neck and arms (nobody rocks the farmer tan like me), but I even googled "how to get surfer hair" and found the wikihow for it. I just haven't figured out if this is the right step to take. First of all, it requires a certain shagginess that I'm not sure I could, or should, pull off. Secondly, I'm deathly afraid that whatever look I come up with will be misconstrued as "emo hair". [shudder]

So, internets, have a look at this picture, and at these pictures, and then go find me some good surfer looks that might suit my remaining hairline and bleaching-out colour. Come on, you didn't think I write this stuff just so you can read it and then leave, did you? Silly internets. And feel free to let me know that surfer hair is totally the WRONG move for me and that I should just rent Blue Crush or one of the classic surf films and get it out of my system. But I may not listen.

* For this reason I'm glad it's not Movember yet, though I'll have to give the heads-up to the new coworkers so they don't think I've gone pornstar on them when it arrives.

** No, not THAT snip.

Well Blow Me Down! (The Blomidon photo dump)

2008-07-11T07:56:00.003-03:00

My posting, in case you haven't noticed, has been a little light lately. Big things on the horizon, including an impending job change which will see me move to the other side of the harbour in this Seaside Town. More details on that in the near future.

Until then, enjoy some of the pictures from our last ~~bacon~~ camping trip. We found ourselves in the Annapolis Valley for a soccer tournament and took the opportunity to see a Provincial Park for the first time. Blomidon Provincial Park looks out on the Bay of Fundy and if you happen to be there when it's not foggy, it can yield tremendous vistas. Unfortunately we didn't have as much time as I would have liked on the beach (or, rather, the tidal flats), but I did find some time to make some pictures. I know we'll be back there someday.

Click for the Set

Addendum

2008-07-03T21:01:00.003-03:00

In case you were bummed out by my previous entry, I should note that we had a fantastic weekend of camping, despite some overcast skies and offshore fog. The bugs were down, which fortunately (or unfortunately) meant we could stay up drinking wine and scotch by the fire until AFTER MIDNIGHT (!) while our kids snoozed oversized tents, dreaming of the ungodly hour at which they would wake. We played beach bocce (I'm a quick study, evidently) and I snapped 154 pictures of our kids streaking on a moonlit beach, riding bikes naked, and generally goofing off at every turn. I should probably say here that the kids were the only ones engaging in public displays of nudity. This time.

We got to know some newish friends of ours, The Brits, and their two boys. The Lovely Wife delighted in trying on their accents and their vocabulary. At times, I was asked to pass the "french stick" and the "kitchen roll", and overheard them telling Older Son that he couldn't travel with them in their car because their boot was all busy with stuff. He was predictably confused but did not betray that emotion for even a moment. One of the best conversations involved some laughter around how their friends named their baby boy "Myer", though we were convinced they'd named him "Maya".

The Brits: They named their boy Myer. Isn't that a ridiculous name?

Us: Wait. Maya?

The Brits: No. MYER.

Us: That's a girl's name. Maya.

The Brits: Not MAYA. MYER! M-Y-E-R!

Us: Ohhhh! MYER!

The Brits: [shaking their heads in disgust]

The Lovely Wife was sure to bring up that story in front of other Canadian friends when The Brits dared visit us at home on Canada Day. Hard to believe we share a monarch. Not so hard to believe they cut us all loose 141 years ago.

Also, I may or may not have said that I thought TLW's new vocabulary and accent would make for an interesting evening in the sack that first evening. Then again, going to bed smelling of campfire and sleeping in a tent with two snoring kids isn't exactly fodder for scoring with one's wife. She now calls me "love", which sounds as if it might be spelled "loav". Good times.

It was not, however, a good time to be a pig (or, y'know, Jewish). Among the multitude of breakfast offerings were eggs, pancakes, bacon and bangers (though I think The Brits indulged us and called them sausages) -- I should have probably opted to run home rather than drive, now that I think of it.

Sunday morning brought heavy mist and intermittent rain, which is only good news if you're breaking camp and want to look forward to being dry at some point in the next few hours. Packing a wet tent is rarely fun, but like every other outdoor activity, once you're wet, it doesn't really matter much.

Next camping endeavour? This weekend, only it's for just one night. I'll be solo-dadding it for the first part while The Lovely Wife is playing soccer not far away, but she's packed me some Sleeman tall boys and turkey bacon (wait, is that a hint?!) for breakfast. We'll be checking out Blomidon Provincial Park, and bringing you the review next week. Stay tuned.

Click for the full set

When it rains, it pours

2008-07-03T11:25:00.000-03:00

Actually, being that we've had a mostly dry summer, the local Ultimate Frisbee schedule unmarred by closed fields*, this is probably the wrong idiom/metaphor/saying, but how else do I convey the family issues that are going on in my life right now? First we're inundated by four-year-olds, whom I love desperately, but who have not only raised the din-level** to 6 from 2, but have seemingly promoted our 2.5 year old to "almost four" by association.

Then I find out that my brother, who is 4,000 km away from me at the moment, is dealing with his own demons in a very, very humbling way (think 'intervention'), and I can't find a way to express my support for him in a way that doesn't involve the automatic, male-pride influenced response of "thanks, man" from him. I feel for him, and I feel for my family out west, not to mention his wife, who is probably home sick and sick of her home life because of his disease.

This all seems like something that happens to other people's families.

Wait. Not the four-year-olds. They're great. Awesome, really. Just the other stuff.

Oh, and then there's the possibility of a new job -- rocked the interview, rocked the test, and references were checked almost immediately after I submitted them. I'm not sure I can wait 2-3 weeks to find out. If I listen carefully, I hear the Jeopardy theme in my head, but I can't quite make out Alex's upper lip to determine if I'm playing during the moustache days. Wow, how did I get there?

A hard drive dies, ditching a couple of months of pictures I will pretend I won't ever miss. I'm also trying to rebuild the ipod's library, though perhaps this is the spring cleaning it so desperately needed. The drive is replaced, only to cause the combo-drive to pack it in. I hear the faint beep, beep, beeeeeeeeeeeeep of my ibook on the operating table. When will my new macbook fall from heaven, pray tell?

Also, Starbucks is closing 600 stores? Just let them try to close one in this seaside town. I'll cut someone. Let's hope they don't move north of the 49th parallel. At least we can all be happy that we live in a world where a person, no matter how sketchy and prone to bad media they are, can sell half their future income on eBay for $1.5 million. Actually, I'm quite alright with this. Seems it happens all the time in the sports world, only it's packaged differently. If you feel like bidding (instead of giving your mil-and-a-half to me), you can go here.

And just like that, you're up to date. Maybe you'd like to hear from someone else soon? I'm taking nominations for the next interview, even if you're nominating yourself.

*You have to live here to know what I'm talking about, which makes me wonder why I bother with inside jokes when the only one who gets it is me?
** Much like the Richter Scale, the din level is like the base level of ambient noise pollution in one's house. It grows appreciably when children under 5 are added to the mix.

In the blogosphere, I believe this is called "filler"

2008-06-27T13:19:00.001-03:00

It's a foggy Friday before a long weekend, and in a few hours, we'll be journeying south (well, a little south) to camp out, drink whisky/wine/beer, and eat bacon for two nights and the two associated mornings.

The road trip will not likely be accompanied by a kicky, quirky ipod playlist, but if it did, it might look like my Top 25 Most Played*.

1. You Wouldn't Like Me - Tegan and Sara
2. I Get Around - Dragonette
3. Everyday is a Holiday - Esthero
4. Homecoming King - Guster
5. Shock Box - Dragonette
6. Amsterdam - Guster
7. Take Me Anywhere - Tegan and Sara
8. Your Rocky Spine - Great Lake Swimmers
9. All the Way Up to Heaven - Guster
10. Rapid Roy (the Stock Car Boy) - Jim Croce
11. Aikendrum - Raffi**
12. Bumping Up and Down - Fisher Price Little People***
13. Must be Santa - Raffi
14. Standing Ovation - Chucky Danger Band (now Paper Lions)
15. Barrel of a Gun - Guster
16. Smoke and Wine - Hank Williams III
17. Jenny Don't be Hasty - Paulo Nutini
18. The More We Get Together - Raffi
19. Willoughby Walloughby Woo - Raffi
20. Better - Guster
21. Red Oyster Cult - Guster
22. Center of Attention - Guster ****
23. Little Round Mirrors - Harvey Danger
24. Stuck Between Stations - The Hold Steady
25. Chips Ahoy! - The Hold Steady

What's on your Top 25? What would you put on your 2-hour-drive road trip playlist?

*Which, if I don't get a successful hard-drive transplant from the Mac Store gods/geeks, will disapper into the ether until I can reformat the ipod and reinstall all my music. Fun!
** I should have known, but never expected the kids music to show up on my top 25. You try working out to your top 25 when Bananaphone comes on and you bust out laughing in mid-stride.
***Yes, the same people that brought you the audio monstrosity about which I've already written.
**** I must have been really insufferable during my Guster phase last year. Nice to know that Raffi and Jim Croce are rising up the ranks of the Top 25.

Technical Difficulties. Or, "He's dead, Jim."

2008-06-25T15:35:00.001-03:00

Another hard drive has gone south. 90 day warranty? Gee, thanks.

The docs say they've got a 50/50 chance that they can recover data. I guess we'll find out.

Oh, well. At least I backed up. Well… sort of.

[Stay tuned.]

7 days of Self Portraits - Summer 2008 Edition

2008-06-21T07:25:00.002-03:00

I tellya, this little project of doow's gets more fun every time. Click below to see the photo goodness, and go here if you want to see everyone's stuff!

Family Overload

2008-06-20T14:30:00.001-03:00

The Lovely Wife's Sister and Brother in Law have landed, and will be soon moving into their house, complete with their dog and their two four year olds (I'll give you a second to process what my life may be like with three four year olds and a two-and-a-half year old running around), and for the past three days, it's been utter mayhem. First off, they can't actually move into their house, since all their stuff is choo-chooing its way to ye olde coastal towne. And so they're all shacked up with The Grammie and Papa, meaning that each night when La Familia Mikestand crashes that house, there are ten of us and a dog. Luckily, only five warm bodies are tearing about the house causing all manner of destruction.

But at least there are many photo opportunities, most of which involve kids with half-masticated food in their mouths, doing the "see food" routine we all knew and loved when we were young and misbehaved.

I also learned this lesson, thanks to (male, 4) Cousin D -- anything, and I mean anything at all, is funny if you substitute the last word in the sentence with "bum". Or any other word in the sentence, for that matter. Older Son has been completely enamoured with Cousin D since they landed, and I must say, I'm so grateful for the new additions to his vocabulary. You know, you can only try so hard to keep it in the bathroom, people. Cousin G (female, also 4) can't be bothered with such inanity, and so she spends most of her time telling me about princesses and twirling around in whatever twirly skirt she's got on. Really, I think I'm in love with her just a little bit. And she's never once offered to show me her half-chewed food. I sometimes wonder what she thinks when she sees the three boys around her acting like complete goofs. But then I realise I probably already know.

When we come home at nights, our boys are bush-tired and wound-up all at once. Never have they come quietly or willingly, but judging by how soundly they sleep at night, this whole thing could be a blessing in disguise.

It's really great to have this much family around. It's certainly going to throw off the "Sunday dinner" routine, but I think with some clever scheduling, we can rotate Sunday dinner events from house to house (to house) and every 4th week, we can all kick back and take a weekend off. Family stuff is exhausting, yo.

I neglected to mention, however, that every time I see the dog, it has me chanting helplessly under my breath, thanks to his name.

7 Days of Summer '08

2008-06-13T17:44:00.003-03:00

It's back...

and I just couldn't be tickled-er. Stay tuned for a stunning display which may take narcissism to new heights.

It's never too late to get to know someone

2008-06-13T14:29:00.001-03:00

I went to a funeral of a man I didn't really know yesterday, and left feeling like I really missed out on knowing someone special.

Sometimes you do things to show support for your friends. You know they're hurting. You may even know their pain. You don't ever tell them you know how they're feeling, because you really don't know their brand of suffering. But you know that your presence means something to them, which is really sort of the point. Not very many years ago, I had friends alongside me at my own father's funeral, which gave me a little perspective.

This man was a father of a very good friend of mine. I didn't know his father, but I like to think I know his son pretty well. What I didn't realise is that the son took after his father in a lot of ways: his sense of dedication, drive, and determination. His wry with and cunning sense of humour. And probably a lot more that I'll never connect the dots for. That is for other people to see; people who knew the man, and people who know his son. Unfortunately I missed out on half of this, and I didn't know how sorry I would feel for his son until I attended the funeral.

I learned a lot in that service which seemed too short to commemorate such a full life, and I'm sorry I didn't get to know this man, though I didn’t exactly have any opportunities to do so. I learned a little about his personality from his comments and scribblings on his son's website, but didn't have the chance to make a personal connection. But he seemed like a great guy, and somebody worth knowing. And so I'll remember him as the man I met at his funeral, and as the man who raised the kid who is now my friend, and who embodies so much of his father.

This man died suddenly, doing something that he loved. But that something wasn't just a sideline hobby for him. It seems that this man was so many things to so many people. He touched lives, he changed people's perceptions. He was "known for" the things he did, the way he acted -- his perseverance and his workmanship. I found his memorial service almost inspiring, although that sounds a bit odd. I have a feeling that the people he has left behind in this world will carry with them his influence and dedication. And that is something I think his family and friends can take heart in: that they will continue to share one thing in common: that they knew this very special man.

I hope that in the future his son will speak of his father often, as I try to do the same about my father. It makes me still feel connected to him, and makes me recognize often the influence he had over the man I am today. I can't say what it is I'll be known for, but I have a feeling that my friend's father may have never known the true extent of his reach. I must say, however, that I'm glad to have met him at all.

Signs you think about your blog too much, No. 39

2008-06-13T13:12:00.001-03:00

You unconsciously place asterisk references* in an email to your wife.

*just like this.

And just what do you have to say for yourself, young man?

2008-06-11T15:35:00.001-03:00

Here's a short list of the events of the last week, as experienced and witnessed by yours truly:

1) Went camping with The Lovely Wife and boys (and friends with their two kids), which resulted in one kid slip-sliding around the enormous tent ("The Taj") and winding up a full five feet from his sleeping pad. And not caring one lick about it. The bacon we had for breakfast, which some say is the only reason to go camping in the first place, was amazing. Two more camping trips planned in the next month.

2) Took the boys on their first canoe trip (Albeit a short one. 15 minutes counts as a trip, right?) Unlike my first canoe trip, nobody "accidentally" tipped the canoe, throwing a 10 year-old into the lake, resulting in one freaked out 10 year-old and a lost fishing rod, except that I (oops, I mean "that 10 year-old") actually didn't lose the rod at all, just had it clenched in a frozen fist. Whoever said "time heals all wounds"?

3) CBC allegedly bullied the creator of the Hockey Night in Canada theme song, resulting in a big ol' "go to hell, we'll sell it to your competitor" from said creator. In retrospect, I'm not sure if I would object more to my taxpayer dollars going to the retention of a hockey jingle, or to clearly inept bargaining. Either way, nice going, Canada.

4) Took another one of my monthly trips up to Cape Breton, this time devoid of snow, but not devoid of construction-related traffic. I did get to see the Giant Fiddle lit up, and yet another cruise ship docking while I enjoyed my complimentary hotel breakfast. Huh. Not blogworthy. Scratch that.

5) Watched a certain contortionist / gymnast do her thing on a regional breakfast television show, only to return to this Seaside town to see her image plastered on billboards and bus-advertisements. Methinks this might be a good time to practice my portraiture if she's going to need a portfolio in the very near future.

I'm pretty sure I have pictures to back up most of these allegations. Stay tuned...

Everyone has an extra hug to give

2008-06-05T11:51:00.001-03:00

Somebody special out there needs them. Set yours free.

Extending a warm welcome to all those grey hairs knocking at my door.

2008-06-03T10:13:00.000-03:00

Big haps in the realm of daycare lately: It seems that Older Son and a certain cutie-patootie in his daycare are requiring some intervention to keep them separated. I am just realising I have neglected to share this, but some time ago we found a note in his cubbie, from the mother of said cutie-patootie, broaching the subject of an off-site playdate. Older Son was in agreement that this was a good idea, so we obliged.

When this little girl started at the daycare a couple of months earlier, she and he hit it off, to the point where on Wednesdays, when he's not daycare, she would cry and ask in vain for him. We of course support having daycare friends, and when connections can be extended beyond daycare hours, we support that too. Now it seems their relationship has grown, and I learned at the dinner table last night from The Lovely Wife that he and she are now being forcibly separated during daycare hours because, and you may need to sit down for this (I was glad I did.): They have an "unhealthy" relationship.

I know. Double-you-tee-eff, right?

I asked for an elaboration, but was given none (she didn't get to dig any deeper with the teacher), so this morning we expressed some concern during drop-off and the following exchange ensued:

TLW: So, what is the issue here? Are they just not using their listening ears* when they're together?

Teacher: Yeah, it's sort of like that. It's not just with those two. When she and he and [another boy] are together, it's the same. They just don't tend to have any interest in any of the other kids.

TLW: And if you separate them, do they play with other kids?

Teacher: Usually, yeah. We're working on it.

TLW: So really, it's just that they're not listening when the three of them play.

Teacher: Mostly. But when [Older Son] and [patootie] are sitting together at lunch, she'll put her legs up and rest them on his lap.

Me: Oh, god. I'm so not ready for this. IS THIS WHEN IT STARTS? THEY'RE ONLY FOUR!

At which point, The Lovely Wife turned me around and led me out of the daycare, rubbing my back and promising that it would all be okay.

AND! AND! This morning, I caught Older Son preening in the mirror, trying to get his hair to "go all spikey."

I haven't caught him scrawling her name into trees, swing sets, and park benches yet. But what could possibly be next?

* Using one's "listening ears" is a great skill to have. It involves actually paying attention to someone who is talking to you. I often want to remind fully-grown adults to try using theirs.

Are you freaking kidding me?

2008-05-31T07:22:00.005-03:00

Here's a clipping from the latest seasonal issue of my alumni magazine. At first, I figured, "hey, look, another thesis being written about online communities. And this time it's one I can semi-relate to". And then it seems to lose all credibility. Click to embiggenate, if you can't read it as it's posted.

I'm not one for writing in letters to the editor (can you even do that on to your alumni magazine?), but seriously, if this is accurate, is there actually PhD research based on these trite questions? Are they transgressive?

I have a feeling that Friedman is in for an eye-opening experience. And if she needs any help identifying the power of the mommyblog (as more than just a mothering narrative [gag]), perhaps a trip to BlogHer will help her with that PhD. And if she can't get that far, she can always get in touch with the uber-connected Her Bad Mother. And really, isn't anonymity overrated these days?

Discuss.