Ends and Beginnings

It has been a year, as most years go. I find myself in a peculiar place, one of my own making when it comes down to it. I have been writing for one year as a business now. Like any start up, it's been a bit of a struggle and had it's share of frustration.
But I like it. There's not enough money (there never is) and it's hard to get the client's vision right the first time, but I'm getting better at asking the right questions, so my clients are happier and so am I, not having to rewrite so much.
It's forcing me to write every day or at least read and revise every day which can only make my own writing stronger. I am recognizing patterns and formats well enough to be able to analyze a document and be able to have a good estimate on how long it will take me to revise or edit it.
I like that. This learning stuff is always an adventure. 


As I listen to Chopin's Waltz in D flat and the rest of my music collection is ready to go, it seems that my horizons are limitless. I find that even though my bank balance doesn't seem limitless, I'm not worrying about it. It is a minor detail when it comes down to it. 
Why? Because it's Christmas. I had to stop and get myself out of the commercialization for a bit and when I did, I realized that most of the things I worry about are pretty small. 
After all, I know that I have God watching over me and every creature in this Universe and this is our date to celebrate His birth - actually, the birth of our knowledge that there is something magical about Life.


Look around. Take a moment. You'll see it everywhere you look, if you let yourself see.


Merry Christmas

Sorry - under construction

Hi folks - 


I will be continuing to post things to this site in the very near future. I appreciate your patience and hopefully you'll keep me on your list of places to visit.


Cheers - Dave

Long time...

So it's been a few weeks since my last post - but a busy few weeks. Kids off to school/new apartments/new grade in high school. 

Still stomping around to find more things to write about and things to experience. Really looking for more sunshine to appear. It's been a lot of years since we've had such a crappy Fall.

We won't even go into the summer...

I'm sure there will be another chance to enjoy the goofiness that is the human condition soon. I do have to run some errands downtown, so keep your appendages crossed and I'll let you know.

Soon. Really.

Teens and Cars

We need to talk about cars. Why? I now have two teenage drivers in the house and only two vehicles.

This is my chance to inflict on, umm, instruct my kids in the vagaries of owning (or not owning) a vehicle. My darling and I have been pretty lenient for a while, letting the kids use the vehicles  quite a bit since they passed the Class 5 driving exam. We’ve tried to impress upon them the costs associated with operating a car – you know, insurance, fuel, tires, repairs, etc. This is especially important for our family, because we only have two vehicles and four drivers, with another learner on the horizon. They look at me blankly and ask why I don’t just use credit cards. Ahh, to be innocent again.

For all three of you who read this blog, sorry for the absence. Just got back from a trip to the West Coast for a couple of weeks. 25 to 30 degree weather, blue sky, sailboats and people handing me drinks and feeding very, very well.


I've been home for three days and it just struck me that I will now have to get my own drinks and make my own meals again. I keep looking around for someone to do it for me, but all I see are my kids and dog looking back at me with the same expression.


Sigh.

Real Life Physics

Lately I find myself thinking about Physics and how it affects us all. The main reason I am delving deeply into the subject is because two of my three kids are now taking the course or have just completed it.

Now, I’ve always loved physics. There were always really cool experiments to do and generally it involved crashing different things together to see what happened. Almost as much fun as blowing things up in Chemistry class. Anyway, I am happy that I can help my kids really understand the fundamentals of the world around us.

Teenage Drivers

Teenage drivers are everywhere, particularly in my house. Now before anyone thinks I’m a grouchy, know-it-all old man, let me explain. First, I am not old. Secondly, I actually wanted my kids to get their licences as soon as possible. There, I said it. Believe me, driving these kids all over the country side to visit their friends or attend different functions throughout southern Alberta got old real quick. Being able to sit in my own comfortable living room chair a few nights a week has been wonderful.

Measly Microbes

Okay, it’s 4:30 in the morning and I have had just about enough. How is it that one measly microbe or virus batch can irritate us so much? Just enough, apparently.

I have had a cold for the last week; coughing, lost my voice for a while, slept as much as I could, etc. I loved the sleep bit, my wife and kids loved the loss of voice bit (although they won’t admit it to me directly) but I absolutely hate the coughing bit.

Mankind has always had an uneasy truce with Womankind. It starts from birth and carries on forever, wherever men and women coexist. There are definitely “guy” things and “girl” things and never the twain shall meet.

You may remember that I have fraternal twins - a boy and a girl. This is quite different than identical twins, although we still get asked some days if they are identical. My favourite answer is -  "No, they aren't identical. They have different plumbing." I still get blank stares with that answer….

Men and Women

Today we talk about the differences between Man and Woman. It's the start of a new year and we should try to set some ground rules and expectations. Besides, my kids want me to lay off them for a while.

Men are fascinated by big explosions, shiny things and bodily functions that involve any kind of gas.

Imagine...

         Remember when you were a kid? Mom would kick you out of the house just after breakfast, after you did the gazillion chores she so heartlessly thrust upon you (like feeding the dog and changing it's water). As you stepped out into the yard, the world seemed limitless, even if you weren't supposed to go farther than the park at the end of the street.

If you were lucky, your buddy a couple of houses down would be finished his breakfast and finished the Herculean task of making his bed and brushing his teeth. What luck! Their water heater blew up the day before and the plumber has just installed the new one. No way was he going to take that big box away! That was the new spaceship/submarine/Batcave/clubhouse. Sometimes all of those things at the same time. 

That is Imagination.

Smarter Parents

I have said before in other articles, that the older I get, the smarter my parents become. It's a thought worth repeating. Why? Because I am so used to repeating everything I say to my kids, I just can't stop. But that's another article…

I first heard this saying on, of all things, an eyeglass commercial. A 20-ish year old guy is standing in the middle of a street and spouts the line out with a slightly sheepish grin on his face. A sudden realization, I would say. It certainly struck a chord with me.

Training Kids - Part Three

As you may have noticed, I have been going on a bit about training my kids. The first few years were pretty successful, albeit unintentional in a lot of ways. Which is okay - often the most amazing discoveries are, well, discovered this way.

I have noticed over the last few years that my kids are becoming more and more resistant to the regular training methods.

Zen Parenting, Part II

Last time I spoke of how I trained my kids to burp on command without even knowing I did it. Kind of a Zen approach to parenting. My mom-in-law believed I did everything that way, but that's another story. Be that as it may, there are a few other training programs that have been very effective with the kids.

The best unintentional training was done one sunny morning on a day off.

Zen Approach to training kids...

We wish as parents that our kids will always respect us, listen to our hard won advice, do their chores quickly and on time. It all comes down to the training you give your children, passing on all your accumulated knowledge in a thoughtful, straightforward manner. Plans are made for baby prior to it's arrival, his/her development all charted out, starting from the first day baby arrives at home.

What a crock.

Trained by our pets...

I am always amazed at how well our family pets have trained us. It can be seen anytime people are walking their dogs, feeding the horses, grooming the cats. I'm not talking about the way we pick up after them on their walks or feed them when they push the food dish towards us. My kids have been doing that to me since birth, so it's a logical progression to keep doing that for our pets. Especially the clean up bit - from baby bottoms to the laundry. That will be another column one day. No, I'm talking about the times our pets get us to do things for them that we wouldn't even consider doing for the kids.

I'll recount an example.

Everyone Knows Me...

I have to admit, I have travelled a bit and know quite a few people. It also seems like I have a face that everyone recognizes, whether they actually know me or not. My wife is resigned to the fact that whenever we go out, I always run into someone I know. It doesn't matter if it's the shopping mall, the theatre, the dog park, the dump, anywhere, I will end up talking to somebody. My kids are convinced that I know everyone in the world. Okay, maybe not everyone, but at least someone on every continent. They complain that it always takes twice as long to do anything when we go out because I always end up meeting someone and chatting for a few minutes.

Here's a for instance.

Commiserating with my wife...

Many people are commiserating with my wife these days. We have three teenagers in the house now. Lots of people are giving her hugs and offering to help her cope with her four children. Three teens and me apparently, seeing how our dog is 42 in dog years. To all those that know me, I prefer to think of myself as young at heart, so there! Pbbbt!

It’s strange, I don’t remember being quite as deaf as my kids are these days.  Or the fact that they don’t seem to understand English OR French, especially when they have chores to do.  This is troublesome, as they've been in French Immersion since kindergarten. I'd hate to think that all that time in class was wasted.

Feeding and Growing Children - The Hazards

There's a saying out there - "If you feed them, they will grow". Okay, maybe it's "if you build it they will come" but the sentiment is the same. Put food into the mouths of babes and they will grow. Overnight. Right out of their diapers in the middle of the night. Actually, that's another story for another time.

If you have kids you will understand. Actually, even if you don't have kids, you'll probably understand. Everyone has seen a neighbour's toddler or a co-worker's baby sprout like a bamboo plant. You see them one week and the pants are too long or they are swimming in a sweater. Next week, the long pants are now shorts and the sweater is up to the elbows and the buttons won't do up.

A Response from my dear Daughter...

It’s all about maintaining the facade.

Your parents have to believe that they are all knowing, all powerful, and that there is no possible way that you can sneak anything past them.

Ever.

It’s the whole masquerade that makes them believe that they’ve still got ‘it’, whatever ‘it’ may be.

After careful research and observation,

The All-knowing Parent

It's all about maintaining the façade. Your kids have to believe that you are all knowing, all powerful and they won't get away with anything - ever. It is the mask you present to them that says "Nothing you do will surprise me".

Even when it does.

As a kid, I always thought that I was being sneaky and getting away with staying out late. Then I would get home and Mom would be there, supposedly just getting a drink of water or reading a good book.

I know Everyone...or they know me

I have to admit, I have travelled a bit and know quite a few people. It also seems like I have a face that everyone recognizes, whether they actually know me or not. My wife is resigned to the fact that whenever we go out, I always run into someone I know. It doesn't matter if it's the shopping mall, the theatre, the dog park, the dump, anywhere, I will end up talking to somebody. My kids are convinced that I know everyone in the world. Okay, maybe not everyone, but at least someone on every continent. They complain that it always takes twice as long to do anything when we go out because I always end up meeting someone and chatting for a few minutes.

Here's a for instance. During our first week in Cochrane, I had to run up to the store to get more milk and I threw the kids in the car to keep them out of my darling wife's hair.

Believe Strangers

Why is it we believe complete strangers and not our family?

It is a question that has been plaguing me for a long time. We give our honest and admittedly, sometimes brutal opinions to the people closest to us, expecting them to take it to heart. Why? Because we always, most of the time, regularly, usually try to give the correct guidance to the ones we love. That's why it's so frustrating to have that sage advice rejected almost out of hand. You know that you're right, yet your spouse/child/parent can't see it. I can almost see the foot stomping happening right now.

Take that same advice and give it to someone you meet on the bus. Then get that stranger to casually meet your family member on another bus or in a park.