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5月2日 Holy crap - it's been a while!~~WOW!!!! Ok, so I am slightly delinquent in my additions and updating of this blog thingy. To those who actually give a crap, I apologize. To the rest of the world who could care less - meh? I will try to bring things up to date as quickly as I can so that those who are interested will be satisfied while the rest who only come here to send me spam can bugger off.
In no particular order, here is what has happened since last I wrote.
My oldest daughter made me (we) a grandparent.
My baby girl is about to finish her first year of college!
I have to get surgery for Carpal Tunnel (shit!)
The hockey playoffs start tomorrow
I have a granddaughter.
I drive a truck for a milk company
The world has (so far) heeded my advice to never trust a hamster with a flame thrower.
Aimee is a beautiful baby and a wonderful grandchild.
The Ottawa Senators are in the playoffs for the Stanley Cup
Mannequins still (inexplicably) have nipples.
Did I mention that I am a grandfather???
Of course many, many, many other things have happened in my life.
7月8日 What the Hell is going on?Alright, when I started this blog thingy, I told myself "Self, stay away from politics - don't comment, leave that to other people. You really don't know enough about it to make a valid comment." Then a bunch of assholes decided to blow up a couple of subway cars and a bus over in old Blighty. I decided this was more about commenting on news than politics (although I might cross over).
They haven't pinned the blame on any one organization yet, but suffice it to say this was a terrorist action of some sort. Apparently the super secret Al-Qaeda European cell has claimed "responsibility". I really don't get this whole terrorist way of thinking. In the old days, if my country was mad at your country, I would invade you and fight and kill your soldiers and take you over and then your country would now be mine.
If your country invaded mine, I would fight you and try to get you out of my country. If my army wasn't big enough to fight your army, I would engage in guerrilla warfare and annoy the hell out of you. (It works, take a look at Russia vs Afghanistan, Russia vs Chechnya, USA vs Vietnam (to a lesser extent), and many conflicts in Central America). I wouldn't send people to your country to kill "non-combatants."
Bombing and killing innocents is wrong. Plain and simple. Believe it or not, there is supposed to be "honour" in warfare. Soldiers, sailors and airforces are allowed to shoot and kill each other when their respective gov'ts say it is ok to do so. They are not allowed to kill civilians on purpose (although, regrettably, accidents do happen, "collateral damage" - damn I hate that term). To do so is murder plain and simple. To sneak up on someone and kill them is cowardly.
Now, I don't care what religion you belong to. To the best of my knowledge, each and every single one of the "major" religions says killing another person is wrong. To try to justify the cowardly murder of civilians in the name of a insert your Higher Being name here is to corrupt and mangle your religion. Again, war is political, terrorism is murder. Period. End of Discussion.
Further to this is the fact that murdering innocent civilians just pisses people off. Do these terrorists not realize that Britain will, in some form or other, retaliate? And in all likelihood, a good number of Britain's friends and allies will stand beside her and give her a hand in beating the snot out of those responsible? So let's see who loses out here (in the macro view). A terrorist organization murders a bunch of civilians in a first world major power. That world power will put all of its resources into finding those responsible. Now that major power puts it's military to use to rout out the cowardly, murdering bastards and there's not much can be done to stop it. Any country that does try to stop it is aiding and abetting said cowardly, murdering bastards and will also be dealt with by a military that is trained in the application of force. They lose!
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Quite aside from my not understanding the thought processes of the cowardly, murdering bastard terrorists, I would like to extend my condolences, thoughts and wishes to those who were affected by the bombings in London yesterday. We will grieve the dead, but we must not forget the families and all of those whose lives were also touched by this horrible event. We must not however lose sight of the fact that if we change our way of life, then the terrorists win. 7月7日 Our latest additionBelow you will see the latest addition to our family. That's right folks!! Laurie is now the owner of a bouncing baby yellow bug!! OK, it is slightly used (only 50,000km or 30,000 miles for my southern friends).
Right now it is in the hands of the entymologists (Bug Dr's) who are diligently conducting a multi-point inspection to make sure that her "Tweety" is perfectly healthy prior to it's adoption. All things being equal, Tweety should be coming home on Monday to meet the rest of the family.
(As a side note, how come the Bug gets a cute name like Tweety? Our trusty old Saturn struggles up a hill, grunting and farting like an old wino, and all it gets is a pat on the dash board and a hearty "C'mon bitch, let's go!") Just curious.
Anyway, I hope Laurie enjoys her new "baby" and that it serves us well. Truth be told, I am dying to drive the silly thing - I have always wanted a bug and can't wait to see it in the driveway! 7月6日 Shannon's GraduationSo the day finally arrived. Not really a day I dreaded, but looked forward to. Despite the implications of age, I found myself revelling in the fact that my daughter was graduating High School. That made two daughters who had actually completed their secondary education. Laurie and I have done well and have much to be proud of.
I never really finished high school. At the time I went, high school went to grade 13 and I left after grade 12 to go to college. Of course, I never went to college, but I was accepted (at age 17).
But this isn't about me, or Laurie. This is about my baby girl - Shannon. The same one I was up all night with a few weeks ago while she was retching her toenails up. The one I felt that "Daddy time" was slipping away on. One more element slipped away on 29 June 2005. My daughter the school girl - gone forever. Replaced with a young woman ready for college.
How does one measure pride? Is it measured in numbers of tears, inflated chests or thoughtful time travelling? I experienced all of the above - for the second time. I went through it once with my eldest daughter, Sarah, when she graduated. Proud of how she had endured despite all of her self-imposed trials and tribulations, the barriers she placed in front of herself and almost constant self-doubt. Proud of her determination.
Now here I was for the second time, this time with our baby girl. Do eagles feel pride the first time their little ones stretch their wings and flap them experimentally? My baby was graduating High School, she had flexed her wings and found them suitable to move on in the world. She made the Honour Roll (yet another tear of pride) and has started to show that "other side" of her personality. The side that says, "I will always be your baby girl, but I am no longer a child." The side of her personality that means I have to deal (mostly) with a young adult mind and "cuz I said so" no longer works.
Two girls. Two graduates. Two beautiful young ladies. Our children. Their futures.
My grandmother told me over 20 years ago that Laurie's and my job was not to raise doctors or lawyers or scientists. Our job was seemingly much more simple and yet, oh so much more difficult. Our job was "to raise good people." Thank you grandma, we have followed your advice - and I think we have succeeded and you would approve.
No one can foretell the future, nor pretend to control it. All we as parents can do is try to prepare our children for it. Shannon and Sarah are both "good people" and have been prepared as best we can.
Girls, we are proud of you both. Well done!! 6月4日 Lauriethis is the love of my life. Everyone, this is Laurie - Laurie this is everyone. Most of you will never be lucky enough to meet this wonderful woman. What follows then, is a short ode to my hero and the person who keeps me on the straight and narrow. my wife, my friend, my partner, my lover, my life. Like most guys I guess, I don't tell her that often enough and simply wander through hoping that she knows how much I appreciate her. The simple truth is, she has more faith in me than I do. (And if I get right down to it, I am pretty self confident). She has encouraged me each and every step of the way and has been there for over 20 years. She is a rock and far, far stronger than she knows. She has allowed me to be me and encouraged me to follow my dreams. She has slapped me upside the head (figuratively) when I get too big for my britches. She has been the adult when I am in a boyish and silly mood. She knows when the right moment is to jump in and be a little kid herself and the 2 of us can giggle away over nothing. I love you babe - more today than yesterday, but not as much as tomorrow. She has raised two wonderful young ladies virtually on her own while I was off gallivanting around the world in the Navy and didn't complain when I dragged her and the kids to various postings around North America. She is the bestest, smartest and sexiest woman around - and she somehow finds me appealing. And that is the best part! 5月23日 where wuz I??? A variety of stuffBeen a couple of days .... lemme see .... Shannon is feeling better (yay) but still selfishly thinking about how few "Daddy" days remain in my future. Sooner or later, someone else is gonna be holding her hair out of the way, rubbing her back and going sssshhhhh while she pukes. *Sigh* I'm not sure I like this - in fact, I know I don't FOUR MONTHS NOT SMOKING TODAY What else, oh YEAH. Got a job driving a truck!!!! How f'in cool is that??? Over 20 years in the Navy, managing careers, interviewing and doing all sorts of HR stuff - but because I don't have a goddamn piece of paper saying I can do it, no one will touch me. Over a year of applying to jobs, and sweating and resume writing and crap and the lack of a response is DEAFENING. Absolutely demoralizing!! (sorry, just a tad bitter). Take a truck driving course however and one week later - I have a job!!! Not just one, but another company also wants my services and apparently others are making noises .... go figger! Went on a famil run with a driver on Sunday. Left at 0800 Sunday, got back at 0600 Monday. A total bag drag!!! Not sure I want to do this run permanently (Monday, Wednesday and Friday). Not complaining tho' as it is experience and I will look at it in that fashion while a more suitable position comes along. Funny looking rig!!! I have decided to call it the Candycane Express. This is absolutely hilarious!!! My friend Anni from the Q is renowned (infamous)for her affinity for the Christmas candy. Pictures will go up when avail. (Likely Thursday) My first run solo is Wednesday morning, then back on Thursday morning....... Straight forward Post Office run - Ottawa, Renfrew, Pembroke, Sudbury, North Bay, Ottawa. Absolutely miserable back-ups into post-offices that were built without trucks in mind, - still, it will give me valuable experience. YAY!!!! What else, oh yeah, the 67's won their first game in the Memorial Cup last night, beating the Kelowna Rockets 3-2 in double overtime. http://www.chl.ca/CHLMemorialCup05/ Tomorrow, they face the offensive Rimouski Oceanique and Sidney Crosby. Should be one helluva game!!! 5月18日 Quitnet - Stopping SmokingOK, I figgered I should put something in here about the debt of gratitude I owe to an Internet website. (As soon as I figure out how to make a list of favourite websites it will go there too! I am SOO technocapped). So anyway, when I decided to stop smoking in January this year, I went on the Net to see if I could find some sort of online ideas to help me. Stumbled across this QuitNet place and decided it was worth some of my time (along with some others). It kinda looked like a help group with lotsa people all jockeying for attention, with everyone moving in random directions chatting amongst themselves and not really paying attention to other conversations (threads). Until, I saw someone post a cry for help - as in they felt they were going to reach for a smoke. What happened next was the cool thing. I could almost feel an electric current run through the website and people just galvanized. The response was nothing short of miraculous - within about 10 minutes the person had roughly 40 responses. I'm not saying all the responses were well thought out - in fact they ranged from the sympathetic "there, there - you don't really want one" (HELL yes, otherwise they wouldn't have asked for help), to the unsympathetic "suck it up, you'll get through it", to compassionate "it's OK, what you are going through is normal, let's get through this together". The point is, people understood what this person was going through and supported them and their quit. This was a revelation. Then I found clubs on the Quitnet, gatherings of like minded people who had more than just not smoking in common. It could be the month they stopped smoking (mine is the January 2005 Ash Kickers) or where they live or what their interests are. These clubs are smaller in nature and allow for friendships to develop and a closer knit bunch of people. This was definitely for me!! I am (as of today) 115 days not smoking and although it is something I have done, it could not have been accomplished without the support of my family and J5AK and the quitnet. Thanks all! |
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