I would like to thank the Earth for everything that it has given me today, but I will talk to that more in my Top Ten List. It has been an interesting few weeks. Heather and the baby are coming along quite well, with about 11 weeks left to go. I really want to meet this little one that has become such a miracle to me. They say that children teach their parents as much as they learn from them. This one is already teaching me patience, because I can't wait for him/her to arrive, and wonder, because I wonder what she/he will be like.
Speaking of babies, my friends Dan and Mindy Oler welcomed their fifth son into the world today. I am very happy for them. No word on the name yet. If we have a boy, then I am hoping that the two will be great friends like their fathers are. If we have a girl, then one can hope that perhaps the two will...join their respective family trees.
Yesterday I had the pleasure of watching our school's entries for One Act, and they were all wonderful. Each one has something that is unique and great, but I have a hard time figuring out which is my favourite. They all brought something great to the table. I was put on a roller coaster of emotions. I was laughing, entertained, brought to tears, scared, moved, and just overall very satisfied. I hope they do well this week with their performances and the competition next Saturday. Unfortunately, I will not be able to be there on Saturday, as I will be at the Comic Expo. It features the entire cast of Star Trek The Next Generation! Awesome!
Here is my Top Ten List: The Top Ten Things Earth Has Given Me:
10. Oxygen. Can't breath without it. Well, not very well at least.
9. Sunsets. A beautiful way to start each day.
8. Fruit. All kinds. I thought I could pick one, apples, grapefruit, oranges, kiwi, strawberries, but I love just about all kinds.
7. Forests. I have always loved just tromping through the woods. As a child, I remember just walking through paths in the trees that ringed our property in Fort Macleod. Still enjoy a trek through the woods every chance I get.
6. Birds. Again, all kinds. I like the ones that sing, the ones that swim, the ones that have pretty feathers, and the ones that taste good barbecued.
5. Pets. Yes, animals are going to feature heavily on this list. I have almost always had a pet of some sort or another. Snoopy the cat, Tasha II, Midnight the rabbit, and of course my darling Annie. Pet animals, especially dogs and cats, are always very comforting and educational.
4. Spring time. I love this kind of year. I love having the dreariness of late winter replaced with green, freshness, and life. Having the leaves appear on trees, flowers appear in fields, and sleeping critters emerge.
3. Wildlife. I believe that this is why I love places like preserves, national parks, and zoos. All kinds of wondrous animals have been placed on this Earth. From the elusive okapi in the Congo, to the industrious beaver of Canada, they are all wonderful. I have a special place for birds, but all wildlife is precious. Especially...
2. Platypus. Come on, did you think that I would leave out my favourite all time critter? But what could be better than a platypus?
1. Birth. Again, a wondrous event. 11 weeks to go. See you soon, little one. Love, Dad.
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Catching Up. Happy St Patricks Day
Well, here we are, part way through March, and I am sitting at my school’s Parent-Student-Teacher interviews. I have one appointment at 10, and that’s it. I thought; let’s polish off a blog post!
The baby is coming along just fine, but my poor wife is still getting a bit nauseous. Last night she also thought she was getting a cold. I am thankful that she is playing it safe and not taking medication, but this is teaching me a lot about how much the mother goes through carrying a child to full term. We men cannot possibly understand it because we cannot experience it ourselves, but it simply re-enforces to me that we need to be as supportive and compassionate to the mothers of the world as possible. So, I try to make her as comfortable as possible. July cannot get here soon enough.
School is going well. Unexpected challenges give me pause from time to time, but I continue. Next year looks to be interesting. Kurtis, my principal, is taking a sabbatical to work on his PhD courses, and Preston (the current assistant principal) will be acting principal. Kurtis has been (and continues to be) the best principal I have ever had the honor to work with. He is more than just a leader; he inspires us to strive more, he serves us, and most of all he cares. I will miss him, and hope he has great success.
I also just bought Seasons 4 and 5 of Night Court on DVD. They have some of my favourite episodes. It has been a lot of fun. They just do not make great comedies anymore. The only descent ones in the last ten years have been Corner Gas and the Big Bang Theory. Sometimes I wish I could just only have the TV shows of the past. On a similar note, The Muppets comes out on DVD this Tuesday! YAY!
My Top Ten List for the Day has become a fun one to put together. As you likely know, I love zoos and seeing the amazing animals in them. Some of my favourites include Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Sea World, the Bronx Zoo, and the Calgary Zoo (of course). I also appreciate the smaller ones like Edmonton Valley Zoo, the Hogle Zoo, and the Bermuda Zoo and Aquarium. So, with a little research, I present my Top 10 Zoos I want to visit. This is more than just a wish list, it is a goal.
10. St. Louis Zoo. Admission is free, but there are admissions to some exhibits. You can get a day pass to all those exhibits for $10, so it is very affordable. Some of the attraction critters include the Andean bear, jaguar, black rhino, the interesting echidna, and one of my personal favourites, the okapi.
9. Greater Vancouver Zoo. Zebra, giraffes, addax, scimitar-horned oryx, and more await you 30 minutes east of Vancouver. It is also a bit closer than most zoos.
8. Dallas World Aquarium. It is a great combination of aquarium animals and small animals. Tree kangaroos, electric eels, fairy penguins, and harpy eagles are just a sampling of the many wonderful fish, bird, mammal, reptile, and amphibian species.
7. Toronto Zoo. I may need a couple days for this, but I would like to see this place. Hopefully I can see it while they have the giant pandas that will be coming to Calgary later. Plus, other than the airport, I have never been to Toronto. May have to check out the CN Tower as well
6. Montreal Biodome. An interesting concept that has visitors walkthrough various exhibits that are based on American biomes (polar, rainforest, etc). Lots of colourful birds, primates, etc. to see.
5. The Columbus Zoo. Jack Hannah is well known world-wide as being an animal and zoo lover, and this is his home base. Some cool critters to see here include koala, okapi (BINGO!), and komodo dragons. They also have a connecting waterpark (which costs extra) Sweet!
4. Granby Zoo. A great zoo in Quebec. They have lots of cool creatures, including red panda, tigers, snow leopards, gibbons, and hippos. So big that in the summer they often have two-day passes.
3. The Cincinnati Zoo. Okapi (always a plus), sumutran rhinos, and what looks like a really cool layout. Plus, I want to see if WKRP is still on the air. I will have to wait until at least 2015 when they finish some great sounding African exhibits.
2. San Deigo Zoo and Wild Animal Park. I was there about 15 years ago, but I hear that much has changed. Once again, okapi tops my interest list, but their reputation alone is what has me wanting to go back.
1. The Taronga Zoo in Sydney Australia. Yes, the Taronga zoo is in Australia, which is on my “Must Visit” list, and yes, it is world renowned as being an excellent zoo, but most importantly, they have platypus. That alone puts them as my #1 zoo I must visit.
The baby is coming along just fine, but my poor wife is still getting a bit nauseous. Last night she also thought she was getting a cold. I am thankful that she is playing it safe and not taking medication, but this is teaching me a lot about how much the mother goes through carrying a child to full term. We men cannot possibly understand it because we cannot experience it ourselves, but it simply re-enforces to me that we need to be as supportive and compassionate to the mothers of the world as possible. So, I try to make her as comfortable as possible. July cannot get here soon enough.
School is going well. Unexpected challenges give me pause from time to time, but I continue. Next year looks to be interesting. Kurtis, my principal, is taking a sabbatical to work on his PhD courses, and Preston (the current assistant principal) will be acting principal. Kurtis has been (and continues to be) the best principal I have ever had the honor to work with. He is more than just a leader; he inspires us to strive more, he serves us, and most of all he cares. I will miss him, and hope he has great success.
I also just bought Seasons 4 and 5 of Night Court on DVD. They have some of my favourite episodes. It has been a lot of fun. They just do not make great comedies anymore. The only descent ones in the last ten years have been Corner Gas and the Big Bang Theory. Sometimes I wish I could just only have the TV shows of the past. On a similar note, The Muppets comes out on DVD this Tuesday! YAY!
My Top Ten List for the Day has become a fun one to put together. As you likely know, I love zoos and seeing the amazing animals in them. Some of my favourites include Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Sea World, the Bronx Zoo, and the Calgary Zoo (of course). I also appreciate the smaller ones like Edmonton Valley Zoo, the Hogle Zoo, and the Bermuda Zoo and Aquarium. So, with a little research, I present my Top 10 Zoos I want to visit. This is more than just a wish list, it is a goal.
10. St. Louis Zoo. Admission is free, but there are admissions to some exhibits. You can get a day pass to all those exhibits for $10, so it is very affordable. Some of the attraction critters include the Andean bear, jaguar, black rhino, the interesting echidna, and one of my personal favourites, the okapi.
9. Greater Vancouver Zoo. Zebra, giraffes, addax, scimitar-horned oryx, and more await you 30 minutes east of Vancouver. It is also a bit closer than most zoos.
8. Dallas World Aquarium. It is a great combination of aquarium animals and small animals. Tree kangaroos, electric eels, fairy penguins, and harpy eagles are just a sampling of the many wonderful fish, bird, mammal, reptile, and amphibian species.
7. Toronto Zoo. I may need a couple days for this, but I would like to see this place. Hopefully I can see it while they have the giant pandas that will be coming to Calgary later. Plus, other than the airport, I have never been to Toronto. May have to check out the CN Tower as well
6. Montreal Biodome. An interesting concept that has visitors walkthrough various exhibits that are based on American biomes (polar, rainforest, etc). Lots of colourful birds, primates, etc. to see.
5. The Columbus Zoo. Jack Hannah is well known world-wide as being an animal and zoo lover, and this is his home base. Some cool critters to see here include koala, okapi (BINGO!), and komodo dragons. They also have a connecting waterpark (which costs extra) Sweet!
4. Granby Zoo. A great zoo in Quebec. They have lots of cool creatures, including red panda, tigers, snow leopards, gibbons, and hippos. So big that in the summer they often have two-day passes.
3. The Cincinnati Zoo. Okapi (always a plus), sumutran rhinos, and what looks like a really cool layout. Plus, I want to see if WKRP is still on the air. I will have to wait until at least 2015 when they finish some great sounding African exhibits.
2. San Deigo Zoo and Wild Animal Park. I was there about 15 years ago, but I hear that much has changed. Once again, okapi tops my interest list, but their reputation alone is what has me wanting to go back.
1. The Taronga Zoo in Sydney Australia. Yes, the Taronga zoo is in Australia, which is on my “Must Visit” list, and yes, it is world renowned as being an excellent zoo, but most importantly, they have platypus. That alone puts them as my #1 zoo I must visit.
Sunday, February 26, 2012
February Reflections
Well, February is almost over, and we are ending with some snow. Yes, I said the dreaded "s" word and I welcome it too. It amazes me how narrow-minded people become. We have had one of the mildest winters I can ever remember. Very few days below -10, too many days above 0, and hardly any snow. While people who hate driving in and shoveling snow may celebrate this, we often forget that we need snow for our farmers, lawns, trees, etc so that we can have a very nice and green spring. I guess that people's perspectives are just funny that way. Yesterday we had a few centimeters of snow and the temperature has dipped to a low of -13, and people were going on like it was the end of the world. Well, this native Edmontonian shakes his head at such doomsayers and wimps. It isn't winter until you have had a full two weeks of deep freeze -40 with wind chill days.
The cold weather may have something to do with the arrival of Calgary's newest zoological residents. 46 penguins have made their new home at the Calgary Zoo. We have a few rockhoppers, a handful of king penguins, a waddle of Humboldts, and a whole bunch of Gentoos. We got a sneak peek at them earlier in the month, about a week before the public were able to see them, and they are a splash. Literally. One of the king penguins splashed me head to belt while I was there. Got some great videos of them.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHvXj6lJS28
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efHYI9y33XI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gzd-iha74s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BiAkRO-cGAE
Please, check them out! I want to get my YouTube hits up a bit.
Special happening the other day. I finally felt the baby inside Heather kick. Sweetest feeling ever. I do not know if I can say it enough, but I am really looking forward to seeing the little tyke. And for the last time, NO, I am NOT going to find out what it is before it is born. I want the surprise. Most people appreciate that sentiment and let it be. A few keep trying to convince me otherwise. I guess I will have to become accustomed to the idea that parenting, like everything else, brings out everyone's opinions.
On a temple update, our stake has a goal of 500 000 names being indexed and 30 000 names prepared for the temple. It is quite a task, but I am looking forward to the challenge. I have already indexed 800+ names, and between Heather and I we have 33 names temple ready. I have a personal goal of 2000 indexed and 50 names from my own family history ready, so I am well on my way. Heather also has a goal of 2000 indexed. It will be fun to see how many times we can accomplish that. I try to index a batch every day. Some days (like today) I get three or four. It's cool. Just doing my part.
Wrapping things up, the Top 10:
Top Ten Things I Can't Wait to do with the Kid:
10. Saturday morning cartoons. Now I have an excuse! (not that it didn't stop me now)
9. Zoo visits. Calgary and Edmonton for sure, but I would also like to take them to the Bronx Zoo, Vancouver aquarium, Toronto zoo, etc.
8. Reading to them. For several years I have collected books I want to read with my kids. Now I get to start!
7. Stampede. I look forward to hitting the midway with them once every four years or so.
6. Trips to Grandma and Grandpa! Both here in Calgary and Alix.
5. First day of school. I wonder if I will be able to get the day off of teaching for that?
4. Hearing the First Word. "Daddy" would be sweet. "Mommy" would be nice. "Muppet" or "Vulcan" would rock! It will probably be "No!". As long as I hear "I love you Daddy" at some point, I'll be happy.
3. First YoutTube video! I'm not thinking about Charlie Bit My Finger or anything, but I have got to get a couple really cute ones on there.
2. Watching Muppets! Watching Star Trek! Watching Muppets and Star Trek! I hope they will learn to love them and we can bond over it, but I will do my part at least (until Heather takes the remote away).
1. Daddy-daughter/Father-son activity! That would be really nice.
Have a great day and stay warm.
The cold weather may have something to do with the arrival of Calgary's newest zoological residents. 46 penguins have made their new home at the Calgary Zoo. We have a few rockhoppers, a handful of king penguins, a waddle of Humboldts, and a whole bunch of Gentoos. We got a sneak peek at them earlier in the month, about a week before the public were able to see them, and they are a splash. Literally. One of the king penguins splashed me head to belt while I was there. Got some great videos of them.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHvXj6lJS28
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efHYI9y33XI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gzd-iha74s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BiAkRO-cGAE
Please, check them out! I want to get my YouTube hits up a bit.
Special happening the other day. I finally felt the baby inside Heather kick. Sweetest feeling ever. I do not know if I can say it enough, but I am really looking forward to seeing the little tyke. And for the last time, NO, I am NOT going to find out what it is before it is born. I want the surprise. Most people appreciate that sentiment and let it be. A few keep trying to convince me otherwise. I guess I will have to become accustomed to the idea that parenting, like everything else, brings out everyone's opinions.
On a temple update, our stake has a goal of 500 000 names being indexed and 30 000 names prepared for the temple. It is quite a task, but I am looking forward to the challenge. I have already indexed 800+ names, and between Heather and I we have 33 names temple ready. I have a personal goal of 2000 indexed and 50 names from my own family history ready, so I am well on my way. Heather also has a goal of 2000 indexed. It will be fun to see how many times we can accomplish that. I try to index a batch every day. Some days (like today) I get three or four. It's cool. Just doing my part.
Wrapping things up, the Top 10:
Top Ten Things I Can't Wait to do with the Kid:
10. Saturday morning cartoons. Now I have an excuse! (not that it didn't stop me now)
9. Zoo visits. Calgary and Edmonton for sure, but I would also like to take them to the Bronx Zoo, Vancouver aquarium, Toronto zoo, etc.
8. Reading to them. For several years I have collected books I want to read with my kids. Now I get to start!
7. Stampede. I look forward to hitting the midway with them once every four years or so.
6. Trips to Grandma and Grandpa! Both here in Calgary and Alix.
5. First day of school. I wonder if I will be able to get the day off of teaching for that?
4. Hearing the First Word. "Daddy" would be sweet. "Mommy" would be nice. "Muppet" or "Vulcan" would rock! It will probably be "No!". As long as I hear "I love you Daddy" at some point, I'll be happy.
3. First YoutTube video! I'm not thinking about Charlie Bit My Finger or anything, but I have got to get a couple really cute ones on there.
2. Watching Muppets! Watching Star Trek! Watching Muppets and Star Trek! I hope they will learn to love them and we can bond over it, but I will do my part at least (until Heather takes the remote away).
1. Daddy-daughter/Father-son activity! That would be really nice.
Have a great day and stay warm.
Sunday, January 1, 2012
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
So, happy New Year everyone! I will wrap up my 2-part blog recapping last year.
I ended up with June, but did not mention that I was released as the Cub Scout Leader so I could be called as the Elder's Quorum President. I do miss working with those boys, but I think they are in good hands. A month and a half later Heather was called as my replacement. And she was so looking forward to having all the Cub stuff taken out of the house! She has done exceptionally well with them. As for my new calling, it has been a learning curve, but it has been a really good experience. The biggest downside: extra meetings. oh well, serving in the church is still its own reward.
July saw Heather and I celebrate our first anniversary. Not that we planned it as such, but we went to Orlando (two summers in a row for me) for the Kagan Summer Academy. Heather received funding for a two day session and really enjoyed it. I attended their Win-Win Discipline 5 day session. I had the same instructor as I did last year. He approached me after day 2 and inquired about my interest in becoming a trainer for the program. This is a great career opportunity as it allows me to continue to grow in an area of professional development, earn a little extra money over the summer, and possibly do a bit of traveling. In school I have really upped my use of Cooperative learning. I have used it in my classes to great effect. I have submitted my audition videos and am now waiting to hear from them.
August had us go visit Anika and her family in Utah. Utah is not a bad place after all. We visited the Hogle Zoo and a neat little aquarium, went on a hike, and had a lot of fun. We saw Rise of the Planet of the Apes, which was the most pleasant surprise in movies for me this year. The only major downside was driving through the mountains. I did not like the constant turns.
School started up again. This semester I teach two Science 10 classes and a Science 30 class. All are going well, but I really look forward to next semester when I teach two Biology 30 classes. The Drama class did a great performance of Beauty and the Beast. We had a few new teachers join us (mostly temporarily for maternity leaves) and they are great people.
Heather and I went to a Keith Urban concert which had the Band Perry open for them. They were both great and we had a lot of fun. One thing that always amazes me is how gracious Keith Urban is. His concerts are just plain and simple fun. During his last song he went into the cheapest seats, played his song, then signed the guitar and gave it to a fan. Wished I was her.
November Heather and I learned that we were once again expecting. This time, we were much more contained in our joy. We were a bit cautious at first based on what happened in March, but we were very happy. So far, everything is going quite well. We are expecting the baby in July of this year. One of the coolest experiences I have ever had was seeing the 3.5 cm long fetus in the ultrasound. It looks so cute and it is one-half made from me, one-half from the best thing in my life. So, obviously, my greatest expectation for this next year is becoming a father.
December was unusually mild for us. Volunteered at Zoo Lights again, but Heather had to opt out as the smoke was making her very nauseous. Christmas was fun yet quiet. What was most...interesting was our looking after my Dad's pets while he and Violet went to Australia to visit Matt and his family. The cats especially have been entertaining as they are very playful, but that has caused some angst (especially with Dustin). I have enjoyed it at least.
Well, the year is done and a new one begun. Here is the Top Ten list:
Top Ten Most Enjoyable/Brilliant/Momentous Things of 2011
10. Once Upon a Time. This is a new series from ABC that involves characters from almost every fairy tale being trapped in our world. There were a few shows that showed promise (Terra Nova and Person of Interest), but this one is by far the best. Thankfully, I am able to watch it because of…
9. PVR Paradise! I like being able to watch my shows when I want to, not just whenever I can find them. The only down side is finding time to get caught up.
8. Don’t Ask Me How to Pronounce It. Salt Lake City has the quaintest little zoo called the Hogle Zoo (again, read the title for this paragraph). I loved it! African elephants in a very large enclosure, some great indoor collections, and a real neat tiger exhibit.
7. I Married a Niner. Heather and I started watching DS9 in 2009. We finished it and Heather really liked it. She became a big fan. Now we are working our way through Buffy and Enterprise.
6. Urban Scene. It was a great concert. The Band Perry was also a great find.
http://youtu.be/NgqeVhKgO8k
5. Rare Bird Alert! This was a great CD I found by Steve Martin at HMV. I bought it without knowing anything about it, other than it being bluegrass. What I found was my favourite album of all time. I listened to it twice the first night. It features the Dixie Chicks and Paul McCartney, and has been nominated for an Grammy (Best Bluegrass). Best of all, it has a bluegrass version of King Tut.
http://youtu.be/PVi-40W8ugM
4. It’s All About Engagement! Taking another Kagan seminar was great. Heather going was even greater. Going to all four Disney parks with my wife was icing on the cake. Being offered a chance to work for Kagan is unimagineable.
3. It’s Time to Start the Music! Best movie I have seen in a long time was seen this year. Granted, there were a few good ones I saw (Captain America, Transformers 3, African Cats), but The Muppets was by far the best. I think it was the best reboot/reimagining/rehash I have ever seen. This includes some of my most beloved movies. It captured the true essence of what Jim Henson was all about more than any of the Muppet features since his passing. Yes, I want it for my birthday.
http://youtu.be/C4YhbpuGdwQ
2. FFCA Grad 2011. I love all of my students. This year’s graduating class was the group I started at FFCA with. I had many great experiences and connections with them. I miss them and wish them the best in their bright futures.
1. Hey Baby! The first trimester is just about done, and the coolest experience of this year would have to be seeing my little jelly bean on the ultrasound. It was truly a wonder to know that half of that little 3 cm long fetus was from me and the other half from the most loving and important person in my life. This is truly going to be the start of an amazing adventure.
I ended up with June, but did not mention that I was released as the Cub Scout Leader so I could be called as the Elder's Quorum President. I do miss working with those boys, but I think they are in good hands. A month and a half later Heather was called as my replacement. And she was so looking forward to having all the Cub stuff taken out of the house! She has done exceptionally well with them. As for my new calling, it has been a learning curve, but it has been a really good experience. The biggest downside: extra meetings. oh well, serving in the church is still its own reward.
July saw Heather and I celebrate our first anniversary. Not that we planned it as such, but we went to Orlando (two summers in a row for me) for the Kagan Summer Academy. Heather received funding for a two day session and really enjoyed it. I attended their Win-Win Discipline 5 day session. I had the same instructor as I did last year. He approached me after day 2 and inquired about my interest in becoming a trainer for the program. This is a great career opportunity as it allows me to continue to grow in an area of professional development, earn a little extra money over the summer, and possibly do a bit of traveling. In school I have really upped my use of Cooperative learning. I have used it in my classes to great effect. I have submitted my audition videos and am now waiting to hear from them.
August had us go visit Anika and her family in Utah. Utah is not a bad place after all. We visited the Hogle Zoo and a neat little aquarium, went on a hike, and had a lot of fun. We saw Rise of the Planet of the Apes, which was the most pleasant surprise in movies for me this year. The only major downside was driving through the mountains. I did not like the constant turns.
School started up again. This semester I teach two Science 10 classes and a Science 30 class. All are going well, but I really look forward to next semester when I teach two Biology 30 classes. The Drama class did a great performance of Beauty and the Beast. We had a few new teachers join us (mostly temporarily for maternity leaves) and they are great people.
Heather and I went to a Keith Urban concert which had the Band Perry open for them. They were both great and we had a lot of fun. One thing that always amazes me is how gracious Keith Urban is. His concerts are just plain and simple fun. During his last song he went into the cheapest seats, played his song, then signed the guitar and gave it to a fan. Wished I was her.
November Heather and I learned that we were once again expecting. This time, we were much more contained in our joy. We were a bit cautious at first based on what happened in March, but we were very happy. So far, everything is going quite well. We are expecting the baby in July of this year. One of the coolest experiences I have ever had was seeing the 3.5 cm long fetus in the ultrasound. It looks so cute and it is one-half made from me, one-half from the best thing in my life. So, obviously, my greatest expectation for this next year is becoming a father.
December was unusually mild for us. Volunteered at Zoo Lights again, but Heather had to opt out as the smoke was making her very nauseous. Christmas was fun yet quiet. What was most...interesting was our looking after my Dad's pets while he and Violet went to Australia to visit Matt and his family. The cats especially have been entertaining as they are very playful, but that has caused some angst (especially with Dustin). I have enjoyed it at least.
Well, the year is done and a new one begun. Here is the Top Ten list:
Top Ten Most Enjoyable/Brilliant/Momentous Things of 2011
10. Once Upon a Time. This is a new series from ABC that involves characters from almost every fairy tale being trapped in our world. There were a few shows that showed promise (Terra Nova and Person of Interest), but this one is by far the best. Thankfully, I am able to watch it because of…
9. PVR Paradise! I like being able to watch my shows when I want to, not just whenever I can find them. The only down side is finding time to get caught up.
8. Don’t Ask Me How to Pronounce It. Salt Lake City has the quaintest little zoo called the Hogle Zoo (again, read the title for this paragraph). I loved it! African elephants in a very large enclosure, some great indoor collections, and a real neat tiger exhibit.
7. I Married a Niner. Heather and I started watching DS9 in 2009. We finished it and Heather really liked it. She became a big fan. Now we are working our way through Buffy and Enterprise.
6. Urban Scene. It was a great concert. The Band Perry was also a great find.
http://youtu.be/NgqeVhKgO8k
5. Rare Bird Alert! This was a great CD I found by Steve Martin at HMV. I bought it without knowing anything about it, other than it being bluegrass. What I found was my favourite album of all time. I listened to it twice the first night. It features the Dixie Chicks and Paul McCartney, and has been nominated for an Grammy (Best Bluegrass). Best of all, it has a bluegrass version of King Tut.
http://youtu.be/PVi-40W8ugM
4. It’s All About Engagement! Taking another Kagan seminar was great. Heather going was even greater. Going to all four Disney parks with my wife was icing on the cake. Being offered a chance to work for Kagan is unimagineable.
3. It’s Time to Start the Music! Best movie I have seen in a long time was seen this year. Granted, there were a few good ones I saw (Captain America, Transformers 3, African Cats), but The Muppets was by far the best. I think it was the best reboot/reimagining/rehash I have ever seen. This includes some of my most beloved movies. It captured the true essence of what Jim Henson was all about more than any of the Muppet features since his passing. Yes, I want it for my birthday.
http://youtu.be/C4YhbpuGdwQ
2. FFCA Grad 2011. I love all of my students. This year’s graduating class was the group I started at FFCA with. I had many great experiences and connections with them. I miss them and wish them the best in their bright futures.
1. Hey Baby! The first trimester is just about done, and the coolest experience of this year would have to be seeing my little jelly bean on the ultrasound. It was truly a wonder to know that half of that little 3 cm long fetus was from me and the other half from the most loving and important person in my life. This is truly going to be the start of an amazing adventure.
Friday, December 30, 2011
Whoops!
Oh my. I heard that time flies, and here we are, one year down and I only blogged once back in January. I had a couple people mention that they were wondering what happened to The Mighty Elroy. I guess my only answer is: life. This has been a very busy year, so I will give you a rundown, at least for the first 6 months.
January was cold. February was short. March was winter not giving up. April was spring almost getting here. May was warm. June was warm. Done. OK, so I'll give you more than that. Here are the highlights from the first half of 2011.
We were planning on going to Utah to visit Heather's friend Anika for Spring Break. Unfortunately, a few days prior to our departure Heather started complaining about abdominal pains. As it turned out, she had a ectopic pregnancy that put her in the hospital for a few days. As sad as that was, it was a blessing that it happened when it did instead of when we were on the road. So, instead of going to Utah, we did a couple days in Edmonton. While we were there, I did something I had never done while I had lived in Edmonton: we visited the Underwater sea caverns in West Edmonton Mall. It was surprisingly good. Small, but quaint. We also found a new Killer Bunnies game: Killer Bunnies and the Ultimate Odyssey. Lots of fun with one little upsetting feature that led to me making a new friend (to come in the next blog entry).
May was also a very challenging month that was quite rewarding in the same vein. Graduation saw me being asaked by the class to give their toast from the staff. This was a very special group of students to me. I had become quite close with many of them. To be asked amongst all of my colleagues to give this address was a great honour. My toast was something that was difficult to write. My emotions were mixed in that I was happy to have been their teacher and excited to see them head out into the world, yet saddened that I would no longer see them every day at work. The morning of we had the grad ceremonies. While I cannot post a link to the YouTube video, the graduating class did a flash mob which for me symbolized their liveliness and love of life. It reminded me a lot about why I am a teacher and it was one of the greatest days of my year.
I'll have more to say in the next post (tomorrow or Sunday). Here is the Top 10 list, and a guess as to what the next list will be.
Top Ten Most Disappointing/Stupid/Dumb Things of 2011
10. “Photoshop PM” - The Toronto Star was trying to create a controversy over the Christmas card that Prime Minister Stephan Harper and his family sent out this year. What was their problem? Not Kyoto. Not the Wheat board. Not the gun registry. It was because Stephan and his two children were wearing the same clothes as last year’s card. The journalist (if you could call this person such) then went on to surmise that this was cleverly photo-shopped. I saw the two cards, and man, am I glad that the Star has brought this to the country’s attention. With all the crime in the streets and the chaos in the Middle East, with all the starving children and hatred in the world, this is the crème de la crème of evilness. (Yes, that was sarcasm). Thankfully, the majority of people who commented on the article were lambasting the Star for making a mountain out of even less than a molehill. Dumb dumb dumb.
9. Gimme Gizmos. I have nothing against Steve Jobs. I think he was a visionary in his own right and that his passing was sad, but the amount of public wailing left me a bit perplexed. This falls in the disappointing category in that it seemed that people were willing to take a man who was the best in his field and try to turn him into deity. This is not a slam against Steve Jobs or Apple ®, but it seemed to shine a light on how shallow some people’s lives have become due to gadgets and gizmos. Again, this is not a criticism on Jobs, Gates, or anyone else, but all I heard after Jobs’ passing was “Oh, I couldn’t live without my Iphone/Ipod/Idon’tcare.” It just seems that we have lost our connection to each other as we try to become more connected.
8. On the Fringe. This summer, as I try to do every summer, I went with my wife and the Harkers to the Edmonton Fringe festival. We usually try to find something entertaining yet non-offensive. In the past we have found some real gems (the Pretenors has become a real favourite). This year, sadly, we hit a turkey. The Super Villain Monologues seemed very promising and right up our alley. While there were some fairly clever skits, they felt the need to get downright filthy in most of their offerings. I understand artistic license, but constant use of the F word in humor is just tiresome. What was really sad was that they, like many in this field of art, feel that humour must be offensive. We at least know which troupe to avoid in the future.
7. What Are You Saying? I can understand why people would use abbreviations in their texting and instant messaging. The problem comes in how I have heard more and more of my students and even my own boys using such jargon in their speech. It was really made apparent to me how bad it had gotten when Dayton started saying “lol” instead of laughing out loud. I guess I have become a true adult as, like the generations of my parents and grand-parents, I can no longer understand what the teenagers are saying. Well, that’s not entirely true. I can understand them, I just shake my head at the loss of communication as technology makes it easier to communicate.
6. Crowchild Crazies. Every morning I take Crowchild to get to work. Almost every morning I see one person who really believes that the road belongs to them. To provide context, I eventually need to be in the far left lane. To avoid the scenario of trying to push my way in 500 meters before I need said lane, I get into it as soon as it is safe and typically end up being in that lane for most of the time I am on Crowchild. Now, to make matters worse, I am not one of those drivers who views speed limits as suggestions but as laws. I have seen how just 5km/h more speed can have serious consequences. This annoys some drivers in Calgary to no end. How dare a person drive only 1 or 2 km/h over the speed limit drive in the left hand lane? Isn’t there a law for that? Answer is: no. On highways, yes, but Crowchild is a city street, not a highway. When I ask police officers, they unanimously inform me that there is no such law and that speeding drivers are much more dangerous than what I do. So, if you are late for work and see my Ford Focus in front of you and I am actually only traveling the posted limit, don’t tailgate me, honk your horn at me, flash your high beams, or give me the dirty look/middle finger salute as you zip by me on the right. Get over yourself. I’ll see you at the next traffic light anyways. Talk to me then if you really have a problem with my driving, but I will not speed for your self-imposed laws of the land. If I have not explained myself clearly enough, then let me rephrase it into a language you can understand: “Bite me”.
5. Scary Romney. I always get a chuckle out of elections. The promises, the debates, the facades, and the mud flinging are always good entertainment (tongue firmly in cheek here). For the upcoming election next year, there has been much of the absurdity that has been launched at Mitt Romney that has ended up showing how hypocritical some Republicans (and Democrats and just ordinary Americans for that matter) are. First off, it was all the typical Mormon bashing. I came to a realization this year that I really should stop worrying about whether or not other Christians feel that I am Christian. It’s not a popularity contest, it’s just opinion. I feel that I am Christian, and that’s enough. Still, when it continues on at a national level then there is still bigotry in America (and anyone who will argue that Mormons are bigots have just proved my point). What was really laughable was that people were digging up dirt on Mitt, and what they found was…squat. Oh, he tried a cigarette and a beer once as a teen (many LDS teens have, though not me), and there was the dog carrier up on the roof on a trip to Canada (and I have seen worse from people who let their dog ride in the back of a pickup truck), but that is it. Yeesh, if that is the best Mormon or Romney haters can come up with, America would be hard pressed to do better.
4. It’s Time to Meet the Commies on the Muppet Show Tonight! Idiot of the year goes to the jerks at Fox News who actually tried to convince us that the new movie called The Muppets is trying to brainwash our children into hating the wealthy. WHAT!? How bogus can you get? There is a villain called Tex Richman who is a greedy oil tycoon trying to destroy the Muppet Theatre in order to get to oil underneath. Wow! I never saw the connection before! Time to kick the kneecaps of anyone who makes more money than I do! This is a first, of course. Well, as long as you do not count Scrooge, the Sheriff of Nottingham, Mr. Burns, almost all of the last dozen Bond villains and the 1% (see entry #2). And we have had absolutely zero wealthy heroes coming from literature and Hollywood, at least, if you don’t include Batman, Daddy Warbucks, Richie Rich, Charlie and his Angels, Hugo from Lost, and the Queen. Come on! The Muppets brainwashing kids is about as dumb as saying that Kermit the Frog is a communist because his tongue is green.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jl6ekkvWnOE
3. Leave it to Beaver. A couple months ago, Senator Nicole Eaton decided to strike up a cause that was so fundamentally bad and absurd that she makes it to the podium of my list. Her goal: replace the beaver as Canada’s national animal with the polar bear. What is her reason to crusade against Canada’s favourite critter? Apparently the little beasties have been wreaking havoc on the dock of her private lake-side cabin. Well, her actions caused me to take action, and for the first time I wrote a letter to a senator. She suggested that national symbols can be replaced as the country evolves. I agreed with her, and suggested that the Senate go before the beaver.
2. Occupy This! A few months ago, a group of disgruntled citizens came up with the idea of protesting the 1% of the world who became wealthy at the expense of the rest of the 99%. Initially, their idea of protesting on Wall Street seemed clever. Soon, all across the world, dissatisfied people began to protest on mass The Occupy Movement soon degenerated into a situation where this small faction representing the majority became a bunch of whiners whose message was lost. They were vandalizing public property and leaving it to the rest of us 99ers to foot the bill. Civil disobedience may be called for in some cases, but not this one. It just seemed like a bunch of people found a way to camp out somewhere and get attention at the expense of their cause, not the support of it. Then they tried to occupy Christmas and tell people to not buy anything. If we were to do this, of course, it would result in the retailers losing money and laying off workers who make up (wait for it), the 99%! So, to get what you want, you want to hurt the people you represent? Please, make it 99% minus one for me.
1. A Black Eye on All Canucks. I have always hoped that a Canadian based team would win the Stanley Cup, and do it for the fans that have made this our national sport. This is why I cheered for Vancouver when they made it to the Stanley Cup playoffs this year. Losing in Game 7 left me thinking that maybe Vancouver is the wrong city for this. The real fans gave the Bruins an ovation when they hoisted the cup. The real idiots decided to trash the place, embarrassing not only the Vancouver Canucks but Canadians everywhere. Thankfully, social media has helped in getting many of these cowards arrested, and the stories of former Miss Congenialities, honor students, and athletes causes me to have zero sympathy for them. Forget the fact that who are a disgrace to hockey fans, you assaulted the brave people who tried to get you to stop. I do not care about the mob mentality, I hope the book is thrown at every one of them.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csLoSiBluc0&feature=fvst
January was cold. February was short. March was winter not giving up. April was spring almost getting here. May was warm. June was warm. Done. OK, so I'll give you more than that. Here are the highlights from the first half of 2011.
We were planning on going to Utah to visit Heather's friend Anika for Spring Break. Unfortunately, a few days prior to our departure Heather started complaining about abdominal pains. As it turned out, she had a ectopic pregnancy that put her in the hospital for a few days. As sad as that was, it was a blessing that it happened when it did instead of when we were on the road. So, instead of going to Utah, we did a couple days in Edmonton. While we were there, I did something I had never done while I had lived in Edmonton: we visited the Underwater sea caverns in West Edmonton Mall. It was surprisingly good. Small, but quaint. We also found a new Killer Bunnies game: Killer Bunnies and the Ultimate Odyssey. Lots of fun with one little upsetting feature that led to me making a new friend (to come in the next blog entry).
May was also a very challenging month that was quite rewarding in the same vein. Graduation saw me being asaked by the class to give their toast from the staff. This was a very special group of students to me. I had become quite close with many of them. To be asked amongst all of my colleagues to give this address was a great honour. My toast was something that was difficult to write. My emotions were mixed in that I was happy to have been their teacher and excited to see them head out into the world, yet saddened that I would no longer see them every day at work. The morning of we had the grad ceremonies. While I cannot post a link to the YouTube video, the graduating class did a flash mob which for me symbolized their liveliness and love of life. It reminded me a lot about why I am a teacher and it was one of the greatest days of my year.
I'll have more to say in the next post (tomorrow or Sunday). Here is the Top 10 list, and a guess as to what the next list will be.
Top Ten Most Disappointing/Stupid/Dumb Things of 2011
10. “Photoshop PM” - The Toronto Star was trying to create a controversy over the Christmas card that Prime Minister Stephan Harper and his family sent out this year. What was their problem? Not Kyoto. Not the Wheat board. Not the gun registry. It was because Stephan and his two children were wearing the same clothes as last year’s card. The journalist (if you could call this person such) then went on to surmise that this was cleverly photo-shopped. I saw the two cards, and man, am I glad that the Star has brought this to the country’s attention. With all the crime in the streets and the chaos in the Middle East, with all the starving children and hatred in the world, this is the crème de la crème of evilness. (Yes, that was sarcasm). Thankfully, the majority of people who commented on the article were lambasting the Star for making a mountain out of even less than a molehill. Dumb dumb dumb.
9. Gimme Gizmos. I have nothing against Steve Jobs. I think he was a visionary in his own right and that his passing was sad, but the amount of public wailing left me a bit perplexed. This falls in the disappointing category in that it seemed that people were willing to take a man who was the best in his field and try to turn him into deity. This is not a slam against Steve Jobs or Apple ®, but it seemed to shine a light on how shallow some people’s lives have become due to gadgets and gizmos. Again, this is not a criticism on Jobs, Gates, or anyone else, but all I heard after Jobs’ passing was “Oh, I couldn’t live without my Iphone/Ipod/Idon’tcare.” It just seems that we have lost our connection to each other as we try to become more connected.
8. On the Fringe. This summer, as I try to do every summer, I went with my wife and the Harkers to the Edmonton Fringe festival. We usually try to find something entertaining yet non-offensive. In the past we have found some real gems (the Pretenors has become a real favourite). This year, sadly, we hit a turkey. The Super Villain Monologues seemed very promising and right up our alley. While there were some fairly clever skits, they felt the need to get downright filthy in most of their offerings. I understand artistic license, but constant use of the F word in humor is just tiresome. What was really sad was that they, like many in this field of art, feel that humour must be offensive. We at least know which troupe to avoid in the future.
7. What Are You Saying? I can understand why people would use abbreviations in their texting and instant messaging. The problem comes in how I have heard more and more of my students and even my own boys using such jargon in their speech. It was really made apparent to me how bad it had gotten when Dayton started saying “lol” instead of laughing out loud. I guess I have become a true adult as, like the generations of my parents and grand-parents, I can no longer understand what the teenagers are saying. Well, that’s not entirely true. I can understand them, I just shake my head at the loss of communication as technology makes it easier to communicate.
6. Crowchild Crazies. Every morning I take Crowchild to get to work. Almost every morning I see one person who really believes that the road belongs to them. To provide context, I eventually need to be in the far left lane. To avoid the scenario of trying to push my way in 500 meters before I need said lane, I get into it as soon as it is safe and typically end up being in that lane for most of the time I am on Crowchild. Now, to make matters worse, I am not one of those drivers who views speed limits as suggestions but as laws. I have seen how just 5km/h more speed can have serious consequences. This annoys some drivers in Calgary to no end. How dare a person drive only 1 or 2 km/h over the speed limit drive in the left hand lane? Isn’t there a law for that? Answer is: no. On highways, yes, but Crowchild is a city street, not a highway. When I ask police officers, they unanimously inform me that there is no such law and that speeding drivers are much more dangerous than what I do. So, if you are late for work and see my Ford Focus in front of you and I am actually only traveling the posted limit, don’t tailgate me, honk your horn at me, flash your high beams, or give me the dirty look/middle finger salute as you zip by me on the right. Get over yourself. I’ll see you at the next traffic light anyways. Talk to me then if you really have a problem with my driving, but I will not speed for your self-imposed laws of the land. If I have not explained myself clearly enough, then let me rephrase it into a language you can understand: “Bite me”.
5. Scary Romney. I always get a chuckle out of elections. The promises, the debates, the facades, and the mud flinging are always good entertainment (tongue firmly in cheek here). For the upcoming election next year, there has been much of the absurdity that has been launched at Mitt Romney that has ended up showing how hypocritical some Republicans (and Democrats and just ordinary Americans for that matter) are. First off, it was all the typical Mormon bashing. I came to a realization this year that I really should stop worrying about whether or not other Christians feel that I am Christian. It’s not a popularity contest, it’s just opinion. I feel that I am Christian, and that’s enough. Still, when it continues on at a national level then there is still bigotry in America (and anyone who will argue that Mormons are bigots have just proved my point). What was really laughable was that people were digging up dirt on Mitt, and what they found was…squat. Oh, he tried a cigarette and a beer once as a teen (many LDS teens have, though not me), and there was the dog carrier up on the roof on a trip to Canada (and I have seen worse from people who let their dog ride in the back of a pickup truck), but that is it. Yeesh, if that is the best Mormon or Romney haters can come up with, America would be hard pressed to do better.
4. It’s Time to Meet the Commies on the Muppet Show Tonight! Idiot of the year goes to the jerks at Fox News who actually tried to convince us that the new movie called The Muppets is trying to brainwash our children into hating the wealthy. WHAT!? How bogus can you get? There is a villain called Tex Richman who is a greedy oil tycoon trying to destroy the Muppet Theatre in order to get to oil underneath. Wow! I never saw the connection before! Time to kick the kneecaps of anyone who makes more money than I do! This is a first, of course. Well, as long as you do not count Scrooge, the Sheriff of Nottingham, Mr. Burns, almost all of the last dozen Bond villains and the 1% (see entry #2). And we have had absolutely zero wealthy heroes coming from literature and Hollywood, at least, if you don’t include Batman, Daddy Warbucks, Richie Rich, Charlie and his Angels, Hugo from Lost, and the Queen. Come on! The Muppets brainwashing kids is about as dumb as saying that Kermit the Frog is a communist because his tongue is green.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jl6ekkvWnOE
3. Leave it to Beaver. A couple months ago, Senator Nicole Eaton decided to strike up a cause that was so fundamentally bad and absurd that she makes it to the podium of my list. Her goal: replace the beaver as Canada’s national animal with the polar bear. What is her reason to crusade against Canada’s favourite critter? Apparently the little beasties have been wreaking havoc on the dock of her private lake-side cabin. Well, her actions caused me to take action, and for the first time I wrote a letter to a senator. She suggested that national symbols can be replaced as the country evolves. I agreed with her, and suggested that the Senate go before the beaver.
2. Occupy This! A few months ago, a group of disgruntled citizens came up with the idea of protesting the 1% of the world who became wealthy at the expense of the rest of the 99%. Initially, their idea of protesting on Wall Street seemed clever. Soon, all across the world, dissatisfied people began to protest on mass The Occupy Movement soon degenerated into a situation where this small faction representing the majority became a bunch of whiners whose message was lost. They were vandalizing public property and leaving it to the rest of us 99ers to foot the bill. Civil disobedience may be called for in some cases, but not this one. It just seemed like a bunch of people found a way to camp out somewhere and get attention at the expense of their cause, not the support of it. Then they tried to occupy Christmas and tell people to not buy anything. If we were to do this, of course, it would result in the retailers losing money and laying off workers who make up (wait for it), the 99%! So, to get what you want, you want to hurt the people you represent? Please, make it 99% minus one for me.
1. A Black Eye on All Canucks. I have always hoped that a Canadian based team would win the Stanley Cup, and do it for the fans that have made this our national sport. This is why I cheered for Vancouver when they made it to the Stanley Cup playoffs this year. Losing in Game 7 left me thinking that maybe Vancouver is the wrong city for this. The real fans gave the Bruins an ovation when they hoisted the cup. The real idiots decided to trash the place, embarrassing not only the Vancouver Canucks but Canadians everywhere. Thankfully, social media has helped in getting many of these cowards arrested, and the stories of former Miss Congenialities, honor students, and athletes causes me to have zero sympathy for them. Forget the fact that who are a disgrace to hockey fans, you assaulted the brave people who tried to get you to stop. I do not care about the mob mentality, I hope the book is thrown at every one of them.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csLoSiBluc0&feature=fvst
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Hello New Decade
Well, here we are at the start of a new decade. Sorry to all who celebrated the new decade a year early, but as I look back on the last ten years, I am amazed at everything that happened. In the world we started it off with the worst terrorist attack on US soil that launched us into a decade filled with wars on terror, panic, security measures, and 8 years of President Bush. We had the information overload as the internet blew forward and opened us to ideas like Social Networking, apps, and infinite ways to waste time while farming virtual crops and tweeting about every pointless thing. Everything from Star Trek to Marvel universe were rebooted, reimagined, or revamped. What was old became new, and what was new became old. On the big screens we were dazzled by hobbits and robots, heroes and villains, werewolves and vampires, boy wizards and avatars. On the small screen we loved Raymond, investigated with CSIs, loved the number 24, got Lost (though some people didn't get it at the end), discovered Heroes (and then quickly were disappointed by it), and learned that Canada CAN create an original, hilarious, and successful show in Corner Gas. Politics saw the first black US president, and Stephen Harper staying as prime minister for far longer than anyone ever expected. We saw four leaders of the Liberal Party of Canada, each more ineffective and unimpressive than the last. We said hello to some greats such as Steve Carrell, Taylor Swift, Stephanie Meyers, Carrie Underwood, Lady Antebellum, and Daniel Radcliffe in the entertainment world, but also had to endure the arrivals of Lady Gaga, Eminem, Robert Pattison, and way to many reality TV stars. We said goodbye to Bob Hope, Ray Charles, Mr Rogers, Johnny and June Carter Cash, Eartha Kit, Michael Jackson, Leslie Nelson, Heath Ledger, Steve Irwin, Pope John Paul II, and Gordon B Hinckley. Sarah Pallin put Alaska on the map (and missed where Russia is), Peter Jackson swept the Oscars with Return of the King, and J.K. Rowling wrapped up the Harry Potter story. Same-sex marriage became reality, and those who tried to preserve the sanctity of marriage were villainized and trod upon in the name of equality. While our world became more global these last ten years, I can't help but feel that we as a people became more...fallen. Way more selfish, rude, offensive, and insensitive, despite making such great strides in many areas.
For myself personally this decade has been one of growth and discovery, trial and redemption, suffering and blessing. It had some of the best and worst years of my life. I finished university, taught in 7 different schools, taught 20 different courses to hundreds of students, and became better for all of it. I traveled to many different places, tried many different things, and developed many new passions. I married, endured a divorce, and was blessed to be remarried. I lived in two different provinces, fell in love wuth many of the creatures that God gave us to share this world with, and grew to love His creations even more. I made many new friends, welcomed close to 20 neices and nephews plus a step family that is as close as "real family" (which they are, real family that is), and said goodbye to my mother and brother. I have been beaten down, rejected, spat upon, and humiliated by both strangers and false friends, but I have endured and improved in spite of all that. I have more importantly been loved, strengthened, blessed, and renewed by many more who have been true and loyal to me. I have my beloved Annie in my life thanks to this decade. I have two stepsons who I see as my own sons. I have an eternal companion who is my lover, my best friend, my reason, my hope, and my one and only true love. I have served faithfully in the church in so many different callings, and I have seen first hand the love of our Father in Heaven and felt the effects of our Saviour's atoning sacrifice. I have ended this decade on my highest note, and am ready for whatever the next the years hold for me.
My Top Ten list is: THe Top Ten Discoveries of 2010!
10. The Big Bang Theory - I do not know what is funnier, how wonderfully written the show is or how much of the humour I get (actually, that last part is a little sad). I know the show has been on for a few years, but I did not find it until this year.
9. New York City - I loved the Bronx Zoo, the Broadway district, Times Square, China town, and the Central Park, but I truly loved the people of the Big Apple. Their reputation for being rude is undeserved, as I would return there in a New York Minute.
8. Kagan Cooperative Learning - Not only did I get to go Orlando and discover #4 on my list there, I was able to learn a new way of teaching that has been ever so enlightening. I hope I will be able to learn even more as the years progress.
7. Beaches. Yes, I have been to beaches before, but never truly enjoyed them as much as when Heather and I went to them during our honeymoon cruise to Bermuda. Just being able to sunbathe, explore the tidal pools, and play in the waves was very relaxing. True, it could have been the location and the person I shared it with, but I have a greater appreciation for beaches now.
6. Muppet Vision 3D - A childhood dream of mine was to be in the Muppet Theatre, and this Christmas I realised that dream. It was one of the last projects worked on by Jim Henson prior to his passing. I had goosebumps from entering and seeing the Pigs in Space ship, and was delighted by the penguin orchestra and the final canon battle between them and the Swedish Chef that destroyed the building. I would love to go again.
5. Hello World - Lady Antebellum, one of my greatest discoveries a couple years ago, released their second album this year, and I fell in love with this song from the beginning. I was absolutely delighted to hear this song on the radio as a single, and loved hearing it in concert in March.
4. Sea World - I went hear twice this year, which was a real treat. Their ability to blend education, entertainment, conservation, discovery, and wonder was a real treat. I would love to live much closer to Orlando so I could go every 6 months, but alas, I will go as often as I am blessed to be able.
3. Phineas and Ferb - Yup, I am hooked on another show. Is it the clever dialogue? Is it the unique and fun characters? Is it the catchy songs? Yes, but most of all, it's the platypus.
2. Okapi - I first saw one at the Bronx Zoo in August, then again at Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World. They are such a beautiful and mysterious creature. It was amazing to learn that they were not discovered until the beginning of the last century. They became one of my favourite animals this year (not enough to replace the platypus, but defintiely top 3)
1. The true happiness found in eternal marriage - What can I say, Heather trumps all. I am so blessed with her laying in bed beside me now. Her growing love for me and all that she does for me amazes me more each and every day. I can only imagine how the next several decades with her beside me will be, but I know they will be better than anything imaginable.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
What a Summer
Well, with just a few days of "summer" left, I thought I better give a report. Much has happened, which explains why I have not written hardly anything on it. I thought I would take some time today to recap what has been one of the most memorable, exciting, busy, and positive summers of my life.
In June I went to Vulcan Days in Vulcan Alberta. I know, many of you are a bit shocked because I am such a Trekkie that I haven't gone yet, but I did. It was much fun. I enjoyed the small town feel and the visit back to my old Trekkie days when I wouldn't miss a convention for anything. We met Tim Russ of Voyager fame (Tuvok) and I got a signed photo of him. He was a very gracious guest and very talented. I commented to Heather recently that while I enjoyed that day, I couldn't help but feel that I had in many ways outgrown my obsession with Star Trek. Don't get me wrong, I'm still a geek, I just don't feel that I am as much of an Uber-Geek as I used to be. I have outgrown much of it. I still watch the DVDs every week and look forward to new stuff, but I feel that it has taken its rightful place on my priority list. Maybe it has always been there, but I finally recognize it now.
One week before classes ended, Heather and I received the clearances from Salt Lake that we were hoping for that allowed us to get married in the temple. We decided on a date, July 27th, and a place, Cardston, and we got started on the plans. It's amazing how much can get done so quickly.
School ended with June, and July became a very hectic time. While the first couple weeks had nothing really planned, I spent a good part of it moving my stuff out of Tara's and into my new house. It was a strange feeling moving most of my past two years, and while I was excited about where I was heading, I couldn't help but feel a bit sad about leaving what had been a good home for Annie and I. One thing that is for certain is that I am grateful and blessed to have Tara, Bryan, Amy, Connor, Kaleigh, and Liam as a part of my family.
On the 15th I went to Orlando for a teachers conference to learn about a new style of teaching involving cooperative learning from the Kagan Institute. I was there for ten days. Being close to Disney World I was able to visit Sea World for a day, as well as Epcott Centre. It was a lot of fun. I gave me some great ideas for what to do with the family this Christmas. I was able to see some great sights that I had never seen before. I was particularly impressed with Sea World. I really enjoyed the shows and the animals. I think the "Believe" show featuring the killer whales was my favourite. Epcott was great as well. My hotel was right next to Downtown Disney so I was able to do some good shopping and eat at some nice restaurants. I found this beautiful crystal of Cinderella and Prince Charming that I had engraved for the wedding. My only complaint about Orlando was the excessive heat and humidity. Temperatures of 90+ degrees Farenheight (I think that is in the mid-30s in Celsius) was excrutiating. I was at least able to avoid any sunburns.
My trip home was a real trial. I missed my connecting flight in Houston because some snobby Air Canada gate person wouldn't let me on the plane because I was at the gate 9 minutes before departure instead of 10. Worse than that he wouldn't book me on a connecting flight to Toronto that would have gotten me home that evening and instead expected me to spend the night in the terminal until 7am the next day. Suffice it to say, I am no longer a fan of Air Canada. There were some helpful people, but too many of them need a lesson in customer service.
Back home, it was a quick couple days until the 27th. That's right, the wedding day was finally here. Heather was amazing at planning and preparing everything while I was gone. While I helped out as much as I could before I left, most of the work was hers. Dan Oler was my best man, with Matt Harker and Ricardo Perez as the other groomsmen. Heather's sister, Melodie, was her maid of honor. Since her other choices for bridesmaids had just had babies and couldn't be there, so Amy and Ella (Melodie's daughter) filled in. In addition to the wedding party we had a full sealing room. All of our parents plus Shelly were my side of the family. Heather's Aunt Connie and Uncle Darryl, her cousins Christina and Jennifer, as well as her brother Barrett and his wife Kari made up Heather's side. Mindy was able to come with Dan, and Matt's parents were also there. Clark and Elayne Lybert came, as did Alex and Carol Schwarzer. While the room was full with our friends and loved ones, it felt like there were so many more from beyond the veil. It was the most spiritual experience I have ever had in the temple. We had a great lunch at the Cobblestone Manor for all who came, and then after a lengthy photo shoot Heather and I went to the Harker family cabin outside of Magrath for a couple of days. That Friday we had a wonderful reception in Calgary. So many wonderful people came, and so many other people helped. It was a great experience, and very special.
August 4 saw us fly out to New York City where we spent a few days before our Bermuda cruise. I must admit that NYC surprised me. I really enjoyed that city. It is so vibrant and wonderful. The people there are extremely polite and helpful. We went to the Bronx Zoo, Times Square, Chinatown and Little Italy. We saw the Lion King on Broadway, went to the Temple (although we did not go in because I forgot my temple reccomend), and ate at some great restaurants. We had a blast, and we would love to go again. On the Sunday we went to church then caught a cab to the cruise line. The crusie was an absolute blast. We met some great people who were so warm and friendly. The food was wonderful (except for my putting on a few extra pounds), the service impecable, and the entertainment was fabulous. Bermuda was also very lovely. We went to some nice beaches, saw the zoo and aquarium there, and just enjoyed ourselves immensely. When it was finally over, we were more than ready to get home.
After a few days at home, we went to Edmonton. We visited the Edmonton Zoo with Heather's brother Adam and his daughter Alexia, did some sealings at the temple, and attended some great plays at the Fringe Festival. We spent some great time with Matt and Sharon Harker and their kids. It was a great time, but again, we had to get home. I started school the day after we got back where I had received some training to become a coach for other teachers at my school.
The long weekend of September was the Muscular Dystrophy walk. It has been a year since we lost TJ, and I was grateful to be able to do something for him. After all this time I still miss that guy, but I know that he is in a better place and that thanks to the blessings of the temple, we are brothers forever.
Well, this has been too long of an entry and I cannot make anymore sense of what I write, so here is my Top 10 List
Top 10 Best Things About This Past Summer
10. Meeting Tim Russ at Vulcan Days
9. Making pancakes at CISN
8. Cruise food
7. Horseshoe Bay at Hamilton, Bermuda
6. The Pretenors at the Fringe
5. Lion King on Broadway
4. Weird Al Yankovic concert in Orlando
3. Sea World in Orlando
2. Seeing an okapi, indian rhinos, manatees, malaysian tapirs, gallapagous tortoises, small clawed asian otters, sea turtles, Pere's David deer, and killer whales for the first time at various zoos and aquariums
1. Getting sealed to my soulmate, sweetheart, and true love for time and eternity.
In June I went to Vulcan Days in Vulcan Alberta. I know, many of you are a bit shocked because I am such a Trekkie that I haven't gone yet, but I did. It was much fun. I enjoyed the small town feel and the visit back to my old Trekkie days when I wouldn't miss a convention for anything. We met Tim Russ of Voyager fame (Tuvok) and I got a signed photo of him. He was a very gracious guest and very talented. I commented to Heather recently that while I enjoyed that day, I couldn't help but feel that I had in many ways outgrown my obsession with Star Trek. Don't get me wrong, I'm still a geek, I just don't feel that I am as much of an Uber-Geek as I used to be. I have outgrown much of it. I still watch the DVDs every week and look forward to new stuff, but I feel that it has taken its rightful place on my priority list. Maybe it has always been there, but I finally recognize it now.
One week before classes ended, Heather and I received the clearances from Salt Lake that we were hoping for that allowed us to get married in the temple. We decided on a date, July 27th, and a place, Cardston, and we got started on the plans. It's amazing how much can get done so quickly.
School ended with June, and July became a very hectic time. While the first couple weeks had nothing really planned, I spent a good part of it moving my stuff out of Tara's and into my new house. It was a strange feeling moving most of my past two years, and while I was excited about where I was heading, I couldn't help but feel a bit sad about leaving what had been a good home for Annie and I. One thing that is for certain is that I am grateful and blessed to have Tara, Bryan, Amy, Connor, Kaleigh, and Liam as a part of my family.
On the 15th I went to Orlando for a teachers conference to learn about a new style of teaching involving cooperative learning from the Kagan Institute. I was there for ten days. Being close to Disney World I was able to visit Sea World for a day, as well as Epcott Centre. It was a lot of fun. I gave me some great ideas for what to do with the family this Christmas. I was able to see some great sights that I had never seen before. I was particularly impressed with Sea World. I really enjoyed the shows and the animals. I think the "Believe" show featuring the killer whales was my favourite. Epcott was great as well. My hotel was right next to Downtown Disney so I was able to do some good shopping and eat at some nice restaurants. I found this beautiful crystal of Cinderella and Prince Charming that I had engraved for the wedding. My only complaint about Orlando was the excessive heat and humidity. Temperatures of 90+ degrees Farenheight (I think that is in the mid-30s in Celsius) was excrutiating. I was at least able to avoid any sunburns.
My trip home was a real trial. I missed my connecting flight in Houston because some snobby Air Canada gate person wouldn't let me on the plane because I was at the gate 9 minutes before departure instead of 10. Worse than that he wouldn't book me on a connecting flight to Toronto that would have gotten me home that evening and instead expected me to spend the night in the terminal until 7am the next day. Suffice it to say, I am no longer a fan of Air Canada. There were some helpful people, but too many of them need a lesson in customer service.
Back home, it was a quick couple days until the 27th. That's right, the wedding day was finally here. Heather was amazing at planning and preparing everything while I was gone. While I helped out as much as I could before I left, most of the work was hers. Dan Oler was my best man, with Matt Harker and Ricardo Perez as the other groomsmen. Heather's sister, Melodie, was her maid of honor. Since her other choices for bridesmaids had just had babies and couldn't be there, so Amy and Ella (Melodie's daughter) filled in. In addition to the wedding party we had a full sealing room. All of our parents plus Shelly were my side of the family. Heather's Aunt Connie and Uncle Darryl, her cousins Christina and Jennifer, as well as her brother Barrett and his wife Kari made up Heather's side. Mindy was able to come with Dan, and Matt's parents were also there. Clark and Elayne Lybert came, as did Alex and Carol Schwarzer. While the room was full with our friends and loved ones, it felt like there were so many more from beyond the veil. It was the most spiritual experience I have ever had in the temple. We had a great lunch at the Cobblestone Manor for all who came, and then after a lengthy photo shoot Heather and I went to the Harker family cabin outside of Magrath for a couple of days. That Friday we had a wonderful reception in Calgary. So many wonderful people came, and so many other people helped. It was a great experience, and very special.
August 4 saw us fly out to New York City where we spent a few days before our Bermuda cruise. I must admit that NYC surprised me. I really enjoyed that city. It is so vibrant and wonderful. The people there are extremely polite and helpful. We went to the Bronx Zoo, Times Square, Chinatown and Little Italy. We saw the Lion King on Broadway, went to the Temple (although we did not go in because I forgot my temple reccomend), and ate at some great restaurants. We had a blast, and we would love to go again. On the Sunday we went to church then caught a cab to the cruise line. The crusie was an absolute blast. We met some great people who were so warm and friendly. The food was wonderful (except for my putting on a few extra pounds), the service impecable, and the entertainment was fabulous. Bermuda was also very lovely. We went to some nice beaches, saw the zoo and aquarium there, and just enjoyed ourselves immensely. When it was finally over, we were more than ready to get home.
After a few days at home, we went to Edmonton. We visited the Edmonton Zoo with Heather's brother Adam and his daughter Alexia, did some sealings at the temple, and attended some great plays at the Fringe Festival. We spent some great time with Matt and Sharon Harker and their kids. It was a great time, but again, we had to get home. I started school the day after we got back where I had received some training to become a coach for other teachers at my school.
The long weekend of September was the Muscular Dystrophy walk. It has been a year since we lost TJ, and I was grateful to be able to do something for him. After all this time I still miss that guy, but I know that he is in a better place and that thanks to the blessings of the temple, we are brothers forever.
Well, this has been too long of an entry and I cannot make anymore sense of what I write, so here is my Top 10 List
Top 10 Best Things About This Past Summer
10. Meeting Tim Russ at Vulcan Days
9. Making pancakes at CISN
8. Cruise food
7. Horseshoe Bay at Hamilton, Bermuda
6. The Pretenors at the Fringe
5. Lion King on Broadway
4. Weird Al Yankovic concert in Orlando
3. Sea World in Orlando
2. Seeing an okapi, indian rhinos, manatees, malaysian tapirs, gallapagous tortoises, small clawed asian otters, sea turtles, Pere's David deer, and killer whales for the first time at various zoos and aquariums
1. Getting sealed to my soulmate, sweetheart, and true love for time and eternity.
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