15 Things

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="108" caption="i used to love these headphones - great response"][/caption]

I've seen this about and thought - I should give it a shot - try it out.

My mp3 collection is growing every larger (and I'm contemplating starting to rip older CDs, just to have an ultimate media library)... and as I load and reload my Zune or my new phone for music I often debate whether or not I'll listen to this song or that, as I often notice that I just skip over many songs hoping for 'that one'.  Kinda like old school channel flipping.

I'm not sure how this is going to turn out... I mean I've got some really lame stuff on there, full discographies of bands I really only like one song from, and I've got comedy included as well... should I just put the first 15 that pop up?  Or should I be somewhat selective?  If so, where do I draw the line?  ...  Hmm... raw data is probably the best.

Here goes: (let me just hit shuffle 10x to truly randomize the start process)

1. John Mayer - Where the Light Is - I'm Gonna Find Another You -- see this is one of those instances that I don't know this song.  I got this album for like one track or 2.  Maybe it's a good song.  I'll listen to it until the ADD kicks in.  Not bad for a nice easy blues/jazz rhythm (which John does quite well - one of those players who makes playing sound like such an easy and fun task).  Okay, next... [got halfway through]


2. The Mahones - Dragging the Days - London -- this is one I would probably just skip while driving... but I used to love this band.  Maybe I've overheard it.  On a lazy sunday or something I think I'd listen to this all the way through.


3. The Tragically Hip - Day for Night - Inevitability of Death -- okay, a 50/50 for a chance of skipping.  Probably stick with it.  Love the hip... if you know me, you know that.  Slow start to the song, but a good driving riff a good 10 seconds in.  Also, has chorus part with the duet and Gord's great mixing of "what" type lyrics:  "but I thought you beat the death of inevitability to death just a little bit".  very catchy!  Thanks Hip for having your "song of the day" in my facebook feed.


4. Scissor Sisters - Ta-Dah - I Don't Feel Like Dancin' -- man, do I take a teasin' for liking this song.  But I do like it... on the odd goofy dancing mood (very rare).  But a jazzy 70's disco pulsing beat can't be beat without wanting to move.


5. Elvis Presley - Elv1s: 30 #1 Hits - (You're the) Devil in Disguise -- you gotta love the King.  But he's got too many albums, so a lazy listener like myself will just download the 'best of albums'.  I downloaded it mostly for 'posterity' and a couple of the classics, but really... all of these are classics.  Also, my ADD loves short songs.


6. Feist - The Reminder - So Sorry -- another "I downloaded the album for 1 song" kinda disc.  The song is kinda meh... if I was doing house chores I'd leave it on, but otherwise -- SKIP.


7. Creedence Clearwater Revival - BOX SET DISC 4 - Born to Move -- I'm not the CCR fan, but Mandy sure is (and her dad), so I downloaded this set for them.  And I do like some of their stuff, but this ain't one of them ... not that I hate it, just ... SKIP.


8. Mitch Hedberg - Mitch All Together - Sandwiches -- RIP man... this guy was darn funny.  I love having some comedy interspersed in my listening to lighten my day.


9. Diana Krall - When I Look In Your Eyes - Let's Fall in Love -- that Elvis Costello is one lucky dude.  Diana is good looking, plays a mean piano flawlessly and has a voice that'll melt your brain ... just love listening to her.  I've got a couple of her DVDs just to listen to her in surround sound -- and I even have her disc as a DVD-Audio just to hear her all the better.


10. Coldplay - X&Y - The Hardest Part -- hrmm... yeah, let's just SKIP.  umm... okay, it's not so bad.  Again, I like some of Coldplay, but I'm really a bandwagon jumper on this band and haven't ventured out of the mainstream stuff to explore them.


11. Beastie Boys - Aglio E Olio - Square Wave in Unison -- now I love some of the Beastie Boys stuff... this, I just don't get.  SKIP


12. Big Rude Jake - Big Rude Jake - Blue Pariah #1 -- this guy puts on a heck of a show.  He's big, he's rude and his name is Jake.  And he smokes a cigar.  Very cool if you like that swing fever that hit a few years back, but isn't the polished fancy big band stuff.


13. The Beatles - Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band - Lucy In the Sky with Diamonds -- like the King, you gotta have a discography of these guys; i think it's mandated by law.


14. The Beatles - Help! - I Need You -- A lesser known tune, but "it comes with the package".


15. Feist - Let It Die - Inside and Out -- hrmm... something I don't know.  I wonder how much of the 10s of thousands of tracks I have are stuff I don't know.

So, as an experiment of the 15:  9 are ones I would just skip over.  Noticed that not one of any piping or celtic music genre.  No Collective Soul, Dave Matthews Band, U2 or Tea Party (they make up the majority of my collection along with the Hip).

Maybe I should do this again and report on the songs I would listen to.

So... Fail

Yup, I've meant to keep up to date with my postings on here.  That hasn't really happened at all.

And here we are, now shunted over to wordpress for blogging.

I even "have an app for that" and yet it's not made me more prone to posting.  Maybe micro blogging is my media?  Maybe I am not meant to write my thoughts out in more than one sentence... Maybe I just have nothing to say?

I'm going to try to use this app some more... It's a little harder on my phone to really type things out, so they may just be musings, so you may miss out on my really good rants...
(you've missed the whole eclair for my magic, the demise of my magic, tbaytel debacle, amongst other work related ramblings).

Thanks for your patience.

At long last – the Thomas trip diary

I know… It’s been a while.  I’ve had a busy summer.  Here’s one of the stories of said summer.  We took Dean to the “Day out with Thomas” event in Minneapolis.

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Day 1

This was the outset of the trip.  We wanted to leave as early as possible, but despite being entirely aware that this day was coming, we didn’t really get packing until the night before, which meant that we weren’t out of the house until like 930.  But off we went.  Dean travelled awesomely.  Slept nearly all the way there.  We made a point of saying “we’ll have to stop at the gas station with the dinosaur on the way home to get a picture of dean with it”.  The neat thing for me this trip was to use my phone as our GPS.  I had finally gotten the maps to work and figured out the problem with why it would lose GPS signal (still don’t know why, but a force-kill of the app, then restart it locked it in quickly).  Funnily, we had Greg’s GPS as well as ‘backup’, which lead to some funny arguments between Lisa and Emily (the 2 different voices).

We arrived in Minneapolis just shortly after 3 their time, which meant we could check in.  We did so and then called Mandy’s grandmother, who promptly invited us for dinner (older people have dinner earlier).  Dean was really reluctant to be out with all those people looking at him (he’s still a little shy).

We ended the day with some shopping at Target to replenish some of the lunching supplies we had used up on the drive down…. mmm… they had a grocery section with fresh fruit – blackberries were good.

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Day 2

This is the THOMAS DAY.  A quick check of google maps to ensure where we were going (the street view didn’t look like any museum or anything…), and we arrived there.  They turned a train loading station into a THOMAS mecca.  There was stuff everywhere.  We got our tickets, dismayed to find out that the extra souvenirs we paid for weren’t there for pick up (more on that later); but Dean didn’t mind.  There was bubbles, train rides, thomas sets and miniputt and more for him to play with.  Did I mention it was hot?  It was extremely hot.  By the time we were ready to ride Thomas (a regular train with one car on it shaped like Thomas) Dean was hot and done… plus there was a million people all milling about trying to get into the train.  So as the train started he was really upset and crying up a storm.  The air conditioning and the soothing train motion soon relaxed him (and the views of corn and corn and more corn).  After the ride we went for another loop of the festivities, picked up some souvenirs (another Thomas train, the scavenger hunt item) and then Dean looked ready to go back.  We went to the car and he was out in minutes.

We travelled back home and then took a nice nap.  Dean decided to do some pb&j painting on the bed sheets after having made a sandwich.

Mandy’s aunt took us out after our nap for a nice meal at Culvers (love the ice cream there), and she gave dean some nice gifts. 

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Day 3

We decided this would be a good day to go and visit the zoo… heck it’s free!  So we went on over nice and early with the dueling GPSs telling us how to get there.  After some conflict resolution between the 2 we found a nice parking spot pretty close to the zoo actually (a little bit of a walk through a beautiful greenspace).

We saw all sorts of animals, some of which Dean could recognize and name.  Dean got himself a new snake and really enjoyed the penny drop thing where the pennies roll around a big bin.  By lunch time we were all getting a little bogged down by the heat.  Especially after watching the worst animal show of all time (picture an animal talent show with a turtle, rabbit and a chicken… yah, it was that entertaining).  So we went back towards the car, but stopped to enjoy the greenspace and have a lunch.  This was awesome I must admit.  making sandwiches and hanging out on our picnic blanket.  The topper of that was when Dean had a really messy diaper and we had no wipes… luckily we had some serviettes.   So it was a sign we were to just head back to the hotel.

It was as we were loading the car that I realized that the thing on the ground near the back was actually my rearview mirror!!  Somehow somebody had knocked it out of the housing off of its clips.  I was able to snap it back into place, but it’s all scratched up… cosmetic damage only, but still the principal of the matter that somebody would somehow knock it off (had to have been a person walking. a car would have knocked the whole thing off) but not do anything about it (and somehow they would have had to knock it off and get it BEHIND the car).

We went back to the hotel for a quick dip and then we were off to visit the Kolstad’s.

Dinner with the Kolstad’s was great and then we went for a playtime at the playground and that’s about when Dean woke up and started to warm up to everybody.  He had a blast with George.  It was a perfect amount of playing as by the time he was back in the car he was asleep!

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Day 4

Ever remember Sharon, Lois & Bram?  Well, mix them up and add in some teddy bears and that would give you the TEDDY BEAR BAND we saw at the Mall of America.  Dean wasn’t so much into playing with the teddy bear we brought, not until he saw other boys beating each other up with theirs; well that’s when he had to join in.  He wasn’t as excited about it, so Mandy decided to fuel him up with some chocolate at the store across.  We went for a stroll in between sets and some lady gave us some tickets… awesome… until Mandy found out (after lining up in line and Dean waiting patiently) that it was only 2 points, and not tickets… so much for that.  But that’s alright, Dean more than enjoyed the escalators there as rides.  Then we were back for round 2, which was less populated… which meant Mandy easily won her swag at the end of the show (they said “anybody come on up and get something”).  Then we went for lunch at the Rain Forest Cafe.  THis is about the time the chocolates kicked in.  Dean was super hyper and wasn’t sitting still for anything.  He barely took in the surroundings (Except for the elephants whose eyes would light up eerily and Dean would say “scary monsters”).  We were ready for a quick nap, which we headed back to the hotel for.

After the refreshing nap it was back to the mall for round 2.  It was a long day at a mall… a full work day’s worth, which included BUILD A BEAR and some chocolate cigars.

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Day 5

We decided to pack up and start to head out, but guilt got the better of mandy and she called her Grandmother, and so we had lunch with her before we left.

After lunch we had a great tour of the facility her grandmother lives in.  Imagine a nice neighbourhood, then enclose it all, then removve anybody under the age of 50.  That’s about it!  Very nice place…

We then were on the road again and heading to Duluth.  Once in Duluth we checked into our hotel and wandered around downtown of Canal Park.  This time without getting a parking ticket.  We had some Stone Cold Creamery and Dean saw horses and we got a little rained on.  It was a nice time… funny how the hotel was more expensive, yet smaller… ah touristy areas.

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Day 6

This day we pretty much just travelled home.  We made a stop in Grand Marais to visit the Fisherman’s Picnic and take in the city.  It’s such a nice town, wish I could have stopped in and stayed longer… ah well.  Had to be home for band.   Dean got some more souvenirs (a picture taking book).

It’s funny how we tried to spend very little on this trip, but after adding up the totals, Dean still had spent quite a bit (gotta put that kid on a budget!).

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Great trip – pictures are up on the live spaces.  Go see and enjoy.  I glossed over it pretty heavily, but it was almost a month ago now… great trip.

Getting caught up

So a lot of egg on my face, as I did promise to try to post 2 per week, and here we are almost 3 weeks later without a post.

I'm going to chalk it up to the attestment of how busy/productive I've been.

What have I been doing?

Dean's started his swimming lessons.  That's been fun.  He's had 2 lessons.  The first one he was uncontrollably excited.  I got to sit back and watch him and Mandy go through the lesson.  The next week it was my turn.  Dean enjoys it a lot.  But if it were a regular class he'd be the special needs student.  I say that because there's 2 others in his class - one is older, and should be in a higher class, but I guess there's no room, so he stays in this and does what we do, just more advanced.  The other, his sister, has had to have been taking lessons for a while, tho' she looks younger than Dean, not only is she more talkative, in 2 languages, but expertly does all the tasks.  *sigh* who woulda thought that MY kid would be the slow on in the class?

Mandy just came back last night from a shag and has won an electric guitar, shirts, golf balls, a ton of grocery items, mini cooler, etc... can "shag prize winner" become a source of income?

What else?  I've been eye-ing up the job board recently in case I decide not to return next season.  Hasn't been a good week for me lately.  work's been awesome, it's some other factors I have to think about.

Speaking of work - had some good school experiences lately:

 - Met with the HR lady and discussed my application/status and how to improve.

 - got to go in early one day and get some practice time in with the new smart boards.  I was a little intimidated - however all it is is just powerpoint... easy peasy

 - with my work got to sit in on an SSL meeting and learn more about board roles etc... it should be able to help me find the right places to apply and learn more of the appropriate lingo.. i hope.

 - supplied for period 5 all week this week - much to the chagrin of a certain employer.  I had a great week and really showed me I missed teaching.  It's a real debate if I throw myself back to the supply list next year and a hard go of it.  I got to teach HTML and it was so much fun.

 - one of the days this week the school was doing a lock down training, kinda unsettling to get to the school, all the doors locked and then a police officer ask me what I'm doing there.  A little misunderstanding, but a good chance to talk to them that supply teachers need training too!

A kick in the ego-nuts was with the guy that I was waiting outside with had been on the supply list just over a year and had gotten onto the pool list - and he showed up to teach in like a leisure short set... *sigh*

Band's going well - looks like that Georgia trip might be a go.  The parade season is nearly full.  Can't wait for summer.

Rob's back in town -- I'll let him get reacquainted with family life then go help him where I can on the house.

My event at work is taking shape, just can't wait for it to be over tho'... so much small piddly work to pull it off.

Niagara this weekend will be a nice break from the hullabloo back home.

Mom's recovering nicely from her surgery.  She had arthroscopic lacroscopy?  She got her knee scraped out.

What else... you've seen the pictures from Dean's photo-shoot?

Still eagerly waiting the 2.1 update for my android phone... and 3g from rogers in the area.  I hope that the rumour that I heard that they want to eventually turn rogers in thunder bay to tbaytel...

I guess that's about it for now.  I'll post more as I remember.

Through their eyes

Thanks to Rain I had a brilliant idea (a stolen idea, but an idea none-the-less).  Let Dean take pictures!

When we got to the family dinner he was immediately a little shy with all the people, so to help out I decided to try out the photo thing.

It went great!  He a lot of fun taking pictures, he overcame some of his shyness and we got some great shots to share.

I’ll upload some later (one more family function to go to tomorrow and I want to let him take some more shots then), in the mean time enjoy these 2!!

      

Ponderings

So it’s Easter Sunday and you get to pondering some of the important things now and again.

No, I’m not about to get out my soapbox and preaching or anything, but it is funny how a religious holiday gets ‘polluted’ with things like chocolate and wrapped items.  Just something for everybody to think about…

…now for the big leap.

I was pondering also about watching Matthew Broderick.  Mainly because I had just watched “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”.  What a great movie!  Always liked it.  But the funny thing that comes with age is the ability to nostalgize everything we used to watch.

It’s like watching an old episode of Knight Rider.  I used ot LOVE that show.  But watch an episode now and it makes you question whether you had suffered from a brain injury when you were younger.

But not with Ferris.  It is still a great gem.  But you learn to appreciate other parts of it.  Sure, as an educator I can’t say I condone this movie’s actions, but the theory is there.  When I was younger I loved all the gimmicks and stuff, but now I’m loving the genius of John Hughes and the ‘in betweens’.  All the small script set up lines that are in the movie that when I was younger you sorta glazed over to get to the hilarious parts.

I enjoy watching stuff and wondering “jeez, I betcha Matthew is regretting ever doing that scene” (i.e. the shower scene with the mohawk).  I also like noticing all the big names (or future big names) in the movie (Alan Ruck, Charlie Sheen, Ben Stein, Kristy Swanson), as well as the people that were big, but you really haven’t seen much from them (Jeffrey Jones, Edie McClurg [probably playing similar secretary roles somewhere], Louie Anderson??).

Good times.  we all wanted to be Ferris

Weekend epilogue

I had to look that up… epilogue vs. prologue.  And for your information, I was wrong… good thing I have google.

So, just to let everybody know.  The flu bug seems to have left this household, and left me untouched (of course, by now saying it, I will be struck down tomorrow at the most inopportune time).

Anyways, a funny addition to this whole story is the fact that I am still easily wiled by sales.  I ordered pizza yesterday (I told you that much already), but what I didn’t tell you was that I saw the flyer and thought that the meal deal was probably best, and that I should get it in the LARGE size.  It was a lot of food.  Then, to just turn the dagger in my humility was the fact that Mandy and Dean could not eat (i.e. keep anything down), so I had all this food, for myself.  Well, made breakfast, lunch and dinner easy for me.

But firsts beget more firsts, and we pulled the sofa bed out of the couch for the first time since we’ve moved here.  That way Mandy and Dean can hang out in front of the TV (he wanted to hang out on the bed but it’s so high up, we didn’t trust it).  Plus, it makes a pretty cool fort/tunnel for when Dean didn’t want to sit still.

Pretty cool times… minus all the gross stuff of course.