Adventures in Harvey Town - And Other Stuff

New Phone Pics

2012-02-17T14:18:00.000-08:00

I have a new phone so I downloaded a retro camera and the pics turn out pretty good...I think I need a better muse than a coke cup though.....

This constant posting thing is hard

2012-02-16T09:54:00.001-08:00

Sorry...haven't updated in a while....
I'll do some updating in about a week...lots going on.

I will leave you with this.....
WTF is wrong with people ?? Chris Brown performs at the Grammys and people are cheering him on and then he wins a grammy ?? I'm shocked that people would so quickly forget that this asshole beat up his girlfriend......

Hump Day Random Pic

2012-01-25T21:54:00.000-08:00

Random Pic

2012-01-19T13:33:00.000-08:00

sorry, missed hump day so....here's another shot with the instagram app...of the usual, the office...

Very cool band from Ontario

2012-01-10T13:43:00.000-08:00

ENJOY !

Hello 2012

2012-01-06T14:57:00.000-08:00

Well, hello there 2012....what do you have in store for me ?

So far so good...weather has been ok, work is starting off with a bang, got rid of 2 phones, got two new phones, add a new tablet in there, new TV and weeeeeeeeeee it's like I'm a whole new person.

So....resolutions...didn't make any...however, I do resolve to post more interesting/funny/post worthy stuff....less stuff about the ruffians, and more just plain ol' worth reading (you can always find stuff on the hoodlums at the other place....and who am i kidding, here every now and then).

So...for now... please enjoy this stupid shizat

Almost the end of 2011

2011-12-21T14:58:00.000-08:00

It's almost the end of 2011...sorry there haven't been too many interesting updates here. I'll try to do better next year (I expect a few changes around here....so we'll see).

So...haven't finished my shopping yet...still a couple things to grab before the big day....boy #1 is very excited and asks every day if Christmas is over...not sure why he asks if it's over instead of 'is it Christmas yet?'

I managed to get my hands on a few sets of tix for the world junior games...even a set for new years eve...guess we better get a baby sitter...

other than that, not too much to update so I'll leave you with my Random Hump Day Pic

Hump Day Random Pic

2011-12-14T15:04:00.000-08:00

Hump Day Random Pic

2011-12-07T13:11:00.001-08:00

Interesting similarities

2011-12-05T20:13:00.000-08:00

Is it me or is there something vaguely similar between these three pictures....can't put my finger on it....

Couple pics of #2 (before and after hair cut)

2011-11-28T15:00:00.001-08:00

Hump Day Pic

2011-11-23T13:11:00.000-08:00

trying out settings on the new camera app...kinda cool...

New App....and stuff

2011-11-21T13:16:00.001-08:00

I downloaded a new camera app and I'm mucking with it....this is a funky picture it took...it overlapped 2 pictures...kinda' neat.

Also, I made BEER BREAD last night....just used the previous recipe except substituted water for beer and didn't add cheese...it turned out awesome !! I'm a bread makin' fool !!

AWESOME fight scene from Immortals

2011-11-08T19:57:00.000-08:00

Naw'lans Pics

2011-11-08T14:01:00.000-08:00

Monday morning we went to a place called Buffa's Bar & Restaurant for a burger (it was 9:30am). We were told we couldn't leave town without having one(It indeed was a good burger). I still am not too sure why Americans will ask how we want a burger done ????...this is ground beef people...COOK IT ! I want it well done...no ecoli for me thank you very much.

I think this sign on a bar on Bourbon Street pretty much sums up this place..... (we did not go in)

My first bowl of Turtle soup...very very good ! I can't remember the name of the place...it was a seafood place outside of the downtown...they went through so many oysters the back parking lot was coated with the crushed shells.

We went out looking for 'Gators in the Bayou...only manged to spot a couple small ones (too small to really show up on the pictures). This is just a shot of the pathway down to the swamp.

New Orleans 2011

2011-11-08T10:26:00.001-08:00

just some highlights of New Orleans 2011 (more detail later)

no shortage of places to drink and eat

fantastic music everywhere we went

everywhere we ate was great

po boys at parkway are GREAT !

deep fried pickles....nuff said

alligator bites and turtle soup......

Frenchman Street !

Side streets in the quarter

boudin balls

gumbo

NOLA (CRAZY portion sizes....way too big)

blackened anything

Hurricanes

Hand Grenades

drive thru daiquiris

more later

Happy Halloween !

2011-10-31T12:28:00.001-07:00

Saturday Baking

2011-10-31T12:10:00.000-07:00

Looks like I'm getting into this baking thang....I made a couple more Parmesan Oregano loaves, a bunch of Onion & Herb Buns, and a ton of soft chocolate chip cookie dough...
I think I may take an artisan baking class at SAIT along with a couple others...
Hmmm....maybe this could be a calling ? Will I be setting up shop in one the Calgary Farmers Markets ? Hmmmmm

Upcoming

2011-10-27T14:31:00.000-07:00

Just a few upcoming things that'll be happening around He-uh

Pumpkin carving tonight and this weekend (I may try to gt fancy on one vs the traditional face)

More bread making....bring on the carbs !

Halloween ! Nuff said

New Orleans....oh ya, Hurricanes and Cajun food !

much more on our way to the end of 2011......

Hump Day Pic

2011-10-26T14:00:00.001-07:00

Makin Bread !

2011-10-23T19:29:00.000-07:00

I took my first crack at making bread today. I decided to make Parmesan Oregano Bread. I found a simple recipe and went with it.

Ingredients
2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C) 2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 1/2 tablespoons dried oregano
2 tablespoons white sugar
4 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

Directions
1.Sprinkle yeast over water in large bowl. Let stand a few minutes, then stir and dissolve yeast. Add sugar and let the mixture get nice and foamy. Then add salt, butter, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, oregano and 3 cups of the flour. Beat at slow speed for 2 minutes. Beat in rest of flour; cover the bowl with a sheet of wax paper and a kitchen towel. Let rise in a warm place 45 minutes, or until doubled in volume.
2.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease one round, 2-quart casserole. Set aside.
3.Stir batter down for 1/2 a minute. Turn dough into casserole. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese.
4.Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 55 minutes.

It worked out quite nice. I'll give this a try again once gone then try a more healthy bread with whole wheat flour.

Headin' home

2011-10-21T13:41:00.000-07:00

Just finished up outside of Ottawa...Thurso (pronounced Tur-zo) to be exact. I stayed in Rockland (of course i did....isn't that a Kim Mitchell tune ?) which is right across the river. Each morning I'd shake my arse outta bed at 6ish and take the ferry to Quebec to be on site by 7ish (very ish on the second day ).

Started out slow but ended with a big finish...now heading home.

Didn't see too much out here other than country side since it's been raining (and I'm too lazy to get outta the car and walk...in the rain). It's a nice quiet area..lots of trees turning shades of red and yellow.

I should have a much more interesting road trip report in 2 weeks.

time to find some din din....S'barro ? mmmmmmmm

Hump Day Random Pic

2011-10-19T18:57:00.000-07:00

Hump Day Random Pic

2011-10-12T21:38:00.001-07:00

Hump Day Random Pic

2011-10-05T13:44:00.000-07:00

Road Trip Pics

2011-10-05T13:16:00.000-07:00

Daddy Long Legs, who is naming you ?

2011-09-28T17:01:00.000-07:00

What's on my desk Wednesday

2011-09-28T14:17:00.000-07:00

So, I've discovered (it wasn't a big discovery) that my desk really doesn't change much from Wednesday to Wednesday....so I'm going to need a new topic...I can't really think of anything that rhymes with Wednesday and 'wordless wednesday' has already been taken...

So I think it will just be HUMP DAY RANDOM PICTURE.......Powell, there will not be pictures of people having sex so don't get too excited....

So...enjoy the LAST what's on my desk Wednesday...

Pictures of Stuff

2011-09-27T09:23:00.000-07:00

What's on my desk Wednesday....and other stuff

2011-09-21T13:52:00.001-07:00

The saga continues....a sketch, an apple, a glass of water, and a sam-itch....wacky

Upcoming stuff

Wedding in Kelowna (mmmmm, nothing like Wine headaches)

Thanksgiving....mmmmm....turkey is bought and waiting to be cooked

Halloween....Boy #1 now gets it...and he's already talking about it (also just got an invit eto a party....weeeeeeee)

Possible trip...to be discussed at a later date

Vegas ? Still thinking about it for Dec

Mexico in Jan ? This could be a possibility

and ball hockey starts tonight.....agg....the legs will be rubber tomorrow....

Gourmet Night Keeps Going

2011-09-20T14:41:00.000-07:00

We made Elk Sliders !
Here's what we did....

Bought some mini slider ciabatta buns from Super Store (they were very good)...ground Elk from a local farm supplier...Goat Brie Cheese....ground pork...onions

Caramelized the onions (added balsamic vinegar)

mixed the elk and pork, added an egg and some other stuff to bind the meat and broiled them

Bun + Elk/Pork Slider + Onions + Slice of Brie = TASTY GOODNESS !!!!!

Dateline

2011-09-16T21:32:00.001-07:00

Watching Dateline....wild watching about the dude in Edmonton who was a wannabe DEXTER....I remember this going on up there...it's wild watching it...almost seems like it should be fake...

i have a feeling this will be a movie, or the basis of a Criminal Minds episode....

After being clean for a number of years...I'm back on the survivor crack

2011-09-14T21:38:00.000-07:00

yes....i cracked and watched the first episode...and i may keep watching
so shut up
don't judge me

Wednesday What's On My Desk

2011-09-14T10:22:00.001-07:00

The exciting adventure continues....what's my desk look like this wednesday ?

Watch out when filming moving porn !

2011-09-13T15:18:00.001-07:00

Bang Van Blowout with Nick Swardson from Nick Swardson

Gourmet Night

2011-09-09T13:11:00.001-07:00

It's Friday [this is gourmet night in our house] and it's my turn....and I'm completely drawing a blank...I'm going to have to go walk the isle's at Super Store to get some ideas...
I'm in the mood for something light...Seared Tuna ? Mussels ? Clams ?

I have no idea...

any ideas ?

ewwwwwwwwwww Kirk !

2011-09-02T09:05:00.000-07:00

I had an original episode of Star Trek on the TV...Kirk and Spock spying on some dudes on a distant planet....my 3 year old walks by and says "oh ! The wiggles !"....i laughed

Captain Planet Spoof

2011-08-31T09:38:00.000-07:00

Don Cheadle is Captain Planet from Don Cheadle

Awesome Star Wars / Drive Mash Up

2011-08-26T15:56:00.000-07:00

The dog Gangur loves to eat......

2011-08-25T15:02:00.000-07:00

Can this be real ?

At Xfest I saw a bunch of great bands and this.....

2011-08-25T14:54:00.001-07:00

The guys

2011-08-25T14:53:00.001-07:00

James is not the only vain one....

2011-08-23T10:10:00.000-07:00

After the big boy had his bath, brushed his teeth and got into his summer jammies...he said "i look at myself" and he moved over to the big mirror and then said "i handsome !"

.....and modest ;-)

New Addition

2011-08-23T10:04:00.000-07:00

I think it's a Manchurian Ash....next will be a small little flower bed with some interesting stuff.....yes...I've gone from playing in a band, drinking beer and chasing girls to planting trees and landscaping....

Why are these homies dissin my girl....

2011-08-23T10:01:00.000-07:00

Weezer, still rockin' it out !

Buffet says Tax the rich...and I think everyone agrees....except the US Government...wtf

2011-08-15T14:27:00.000-07:00

Here's some info on Buffets opinion about taxation of the wealthy in the USA. It's hard not to agree with him...and here's the 3 trillion dollar question...why won't the US government increase taxes on the rich ????
____________

Billionaire Warren Buffett urged Congress to raise taxes on the nation’s wealthiest individuals to help cut the U.S. budget deficit, saying it won’t inhibit investment or job growth.

“My friends and I have been coddled long enough by a billionaire-friendly Congress,” the chairman and chief executive officer of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK/A) wrote in an opinion article published in the New York Times. “It’s time for our government to get serious about shared sacrifice.”

Buffett’s advocacy of higher taxes for the “mega-rich” may reinforce President Barack Obama’s call for an end to tax breaks for corporate-jet owners. In the op-ed, the 80-year-old investor said his federal tax bill last year, or the income tax he paid and payroll taxes paid by him and on his behalf, was $6,938,744.

“That sounds like a lot of money,” Buffett wrote. “But what I paid was only 17.4 percent of my taxable income -- and that’s actually a lower percentage than was paid by any of the other 20 people in our office. Their tax burdens ranged from 33 percent to 41 percent and averaged 36 percent.”

A 12-member panel, formed in the Aug. 2 law that raised the nation’s debt ceiling and averted a possible default, is charged with finding $1.5 trillion in budget savings.

Democratic Representatives James Clyburn, Chris Van Hollen and Xavier Becerra will join Republican counterparts Dave Camp, Fred Upton and Jeb Hensarling. The Senate team includes Republicans Jon Kyl, Pat Toomey and Rob Portman and Democrats Patty Murray, John Kerry and Max Baucus. Murray, of Washington state, and Hensarling, of Texas, will be co-leaders.

Millionaires
Buffett said that for those making more than $1 million -- there were 236,883 such households in 2009 -- he would raise rates immediately on taxable income in excess of $1 million, including dividends and capital gains. For the 8,274 taxpayers who made $10 million or more, he said they should get an additional increase in the rate.

“While the poor and middle class fight for us in Afghanistan, and while most Americans struggle to make ends meet, we mega-rich continue to get our extraordinary tax breaks,” Buffett wrote.

He cited Internal Revenue Service data showing that the tax burden on the nation’s wealthy had fallen for the past two decades.

In 1992 the top 400 American earners had aggregate taxable income of $16.9 billion and paid federal taxes of 29.2 percent on that amount, he wrote. In 2008, while the aggregate income of the highest 400 had soared to $90.9 billion, the rate paid had fallen to 21.5 percent.

Hiring, Investment
Buffett said the notion that high taxes discourage hiring and investment is false.

“I have worked with investors for 60 years and I have yet to see anyone -- not even when capital gains rates were 39.9 percent in 1976-77 -- shy away from a sensible investment because of the tax rate on the potential gain,” he said.

“People invest to make money, and potential taxes have never scared them off,” he said. “And to those who argue that higher rates hurt job creation, I would note that a net of nearly 40 million jobs were added between 1980 and 2000. You know what’s happened since then: lower tax rates and far lower job creation.”

The U.S. unemployment rate has averaged 9.5 percent in the past two years, dropping to 9.1 percent in July from 9.2 percent a month earlier, a government report showed Aug. 5

Breakfast in Whitefish Montana

2011-08-15T13:41:00.000-07:00

The best place for breakfast in Whitefish Montana. Period.

Big Boys First Movie

2011-08-15T10:41:00.001-07:00

I took the big boy to his first movie yesterday. He was quite excited...I don't think he had any idea what we were going to do, but he gets excited whenever he's off on an 'adventure'.

We went and saw Winnie the Pooh...it was a perfect length for a guy who's 3...just about 1 hour (it had a short at the beginning)...the whole thing was VERY Disney (as I remember it as a kid).

He seemed pretty impressed with the whole thing (the big chair was quite a fun thing to play with) and he only got up a couple times to say hi to everyone in the theater and tell me that the light was coming out at the top...other than that, he enjoyed his movie and smarties....

I think the overall story/theme of the movie was lost on him, but he did start saying 'bother' like Pooh when we left.

I don't think that this will be a regular thing for him just yet...but the next Toy Story or Cars that hits the screens we'll probably check out.

snippity snip

2011-08-08T14:40:00.001-07:00

Star Wars Costume Fail

2011-08-07T20:29:00.000-07:00

Recent Movies

2011-08-04T08:52:00.001-07:00

Quick reviews of 3 movies:

Green Lantern: What was the problem with this ? It wasn't that bad (maybe it's 'cause I'm not a huge GL fanboy)....Blake Lively sucks (her best role was cracked out chick in The Town), many jokes fell flat, Easter egg ending didn't make sense in the context of the movie...I get that Sinestro was power hungry, but it wasn't that clear in the main body of the movie...I'd give it 2.5 fancy boy rings out of 5

Captain America: It was pretty good, skinny Steve Rogers effects were very good, good balance of serious and comedy...not enough fight action between Red Skull and Cap...over all, worth seeing...I give it 4 flag wavers out of 5

Cowboys & Aliens: Wow....great cast, bad movie...why are technologically advanced aliens always vicious bug like beings ?? Seems all the jokes fell flat on this one...not worth it, wait for it on T.V. for free...I give it 1 bandit with amnesia out of 10

I still have to see Bridesmaids, Terrible Bosses, Harry Potter and a few others....

The View From My Office

2011-08-02T12:20:00.000-07:00

The engaging saga of pictures from my chair....just mucking with the settings on the hipstomatic

Wacky Nights

2011-07-20T20:36:00.000-07:00

So I've discovered that if I have a snack just before bed I will have WILDLY VIVID WACKED OUT DREAMS....I'm not talking about eating a fred flintstone sandwich or a big bowl of ice cream...it could be a handful of grapes...or, a piece of carrot...that's the interesting (and fun) part.

So now I'm experimenting [of course]...last night I had a piece of toast....that produced the weird sensation that there were plants growing at the base of the bed (ON the bed) and when I had to get up half awake to check on a crying baby, I swear i kicked one off the bed (I actually looked for it for a second)...I forget what I had the night before but I dreamt there was some strange red light coming out of the alarm clock that could do something to me (read my mind ? kill me ? I have no idea... it was a wacky dream) but I had to pull the sheet over my head to stop the red light....the funny thing is I was actually doing it and woke up all sweaty and hot with the sheet over my head...

Tonight ? I'm trying out a handful of cherries...this should be fun...HERE WE GO !

Currently on my desk

2011-07-20T13:52:00.000-07:00

The saga continues

Big Boy #2 is 1

2011-07-20T13:39:00.001-07:00

Let the Stampede'n BEGIN !

2011-07-07T10:16:00.001-07:00

Wednesday was a great start to Stampede (which really doesn't start until Friday...Thursday is sneak-a-peak). I hit a free BBQ lunch and then hit a free BBQ dinner....with an open bar....I had no idea about that or I wouldn't have drove....
Well...let the week and a half of zero work and tons of play begin !

Currently on my desk

2011-07-05T14:40:00.000-07:00

yes........i've got a very exciting desk.......

Love in a time of riots......

2011-06-16T10:53:00.000-07:00

nothing like making out during a riot......

what's currently on my desk

2011-06-14T15:12:00.001-07:00

GO CANUCKLEHEADS !

2011-06-01T16:12:00.000-07:00

Vegas Baby !

2011-05-25T09:45:00.000-07:00

Vegas Baby

2011-05-16T09:43:00.001-07:00

In the words of Trent and Mike 'VEGAS BABY !'

We're off to enjoy some sun, poker, good food, 1$ beverages, and midnight steak and eggs sans the offspring (yes, we do plan to take them on a vacation some time....just not to Vegas).

We'll be staying at the Planet Hollywood Westgate Towers (we bought a weekend there almost 3 years ago and are now finally using it).

We got a call from our personal assistant dude named Joe on Saturday (he called by mistake...we thought we were arriving yesterday...).

Should be fun...we plan to do a number of things we always talked about but never got around to doing on previous trips. 1) We are having big beers at Hofbrauhaus 2) Breakfast at the Peppermill 3) a fancy dinner....years ago we had an amazing meal at L'atelier...expensive, but awesome...and we said we would like to do another ridiculous meal like that again some time...so this is it...maybe Andre's...maybe Alize...we'll see (need to book it in the next couple days) 4) Drinks at the Voodoo lounge 5) go to a club...I guess the wife knows someone who knows someone who can get us into some club....wacky...I might have to bring more than shorts 5) more poker tourneys...last time I was there I played sit and go and 1 tourney...I wanted to play more but didn't get the chance, this time the wife and I both will be playing.

Let's crank it up !!!!

The Droids......

2011-05-15T21:41:00.000-07:00

Sights around St Lucia

2011-05-02T10:18:00.001-07:00

Remember When....

2011-04-27T14:09:00.001-07:00

Remember the days when you would be laying on the couch thinking (or saying) 'aggggg...I have nothing to do....I'm so bored....'

what I wouldn't give for all that free time.........

Sunset in St. Lucia

2011-04-26T21:47:00.000-07:00

Soon to be....

2011-04-14T15:19:00.000-07:00

In case you missed it....this is me in exactly 48 hours...

I will be sans kids and on a beach with a drink that has a small umbrella in it....and I will be doing the same thing for a week...get up, hit the beach, have a beverage, more beach, more beverage (possibly at the swim up bar) sleep (for 8 hours straight without waking up to a baby crying) and start all over in the morning....

Ah....it will be glorious

Mortal Kombat Character Auditions

2011-04-11T15:21:00.001-07:00

teachin the big boy manners...

2011-04-10T09:34:00.000-07:00

he's only 2 3/4, but he's got his 'please, thank you, and your welcomes' down...and since he sits at a normal chair at the dinner table we're trying to get him to ask to be excused...we usually have to remind him, but last night after he was done eating he asked 'may i have 'scused ?'....we laughed and said yes...

Good God No

2011-04-04T12:05:00.000-07:00

WTF is this ??? I think Ah-Nuld has finally gone off the deep end if he thinks this is a good idea....

2 weeks

2011-04-01T14:50:00.001-07:00

In two weeks I'll be sitting on a beach enjoying heat and booze and this is how I will feel:

Spring ? Not sure, but wet none the less

2011-04-01T14:14:00.000-07:00

Reedy ends bath time with River with a right cross....

2011-03-28T15:39:00.001-07:00

UK Pub Trip In Pictures

2011-03-23T16:38:00.001-07:00

2012 ?

2011-03-14T15:34:00.000-07:00

When you look at the news it sure does seem like doomsday 2012 might be fast approaching....massive earthquakes in Christchurch, Japan, China, and Haiti. Civil unrest in Yemen, Egypt, Bahrain, Libya and Saudi....drought it Australia, Lindsay Lohan still not in Jail and Charlie Sheen drinking Tiger Blood and WINNING !

I know I complain about where we live, but I think when the 2012/Zombie Apocalypse arrives we'll be pretty safe. There are no earthquakes here, hardly any tornadoes. If a massive tsunami were to head this way it would never get over the mountains to us...in the event of the zombies, we do have enough out door stores to loot for guns and ammo...and if that's all gone, there are plenty of hockey sticks around that can cleave the undead's head off and enough open space to see them coming for miles.

We have plenty of fresh water, a growing season (even though short) and enough live game that we should be able to keep ourselves alive if the power goes out and utter anarchy erupts.

Well, maybe it's time to update my emergency kit (just to add a few items.....in case the Zombies do show up)

Bad Teacher Trailer

2011-03-10T12:43:00.000-08:00

I'm not a fan of the past work of Cameron Diaz...although she was amusing in the first Charlie's Angles and pretty good in Spotless Mind...but for the most part I kind of just puked at all her other roles....until now...I don't know if it's the subject matter or the fact that she's droppin F bombs all over the place, but I dig her in this...not sure if I'll drop the 12 bones to see it, but i would watch it as a rental or cheap theater...I'll wait for reviews

1 week

2011-03-09T12:45:00.000-08:00

1 week and counting and I'll be on my last man-cation....right now in 7 days I'll be landing at Heathrow (or possibly already in the tube).

I will try to update as I go...usually hard if I don't have wifi.

And for you chumps who say 'thanks for telling us when you're gone so we can rob your house'...have fun...only I am leaving...in other words, there are plenty of people there who enjoy swinging a bat

;-)

Couple Pics from the 2011 Beijing Adventure

2011-03-08T12:45:00.000-08:00

Charlie Sheen is one messed up mo fo

2011-03-08T12:41:00.000-08:00

I really have no comment on what Charlie Sheen has been up to except WTF....

However, I'll bet that if you got to party with him for a night it would be the best time you ever had....

Case in point http://www.wwtdd.com/2011/03/charlie-sheen-has-a-machete-now/

It's March already

2011-03-03T15:21:00.001-08:00

WTF?

It's already March...not that you can tell outside with this -30 crap. That means that summer will be here shortly and big boy #1 will be 3....3!!!! And #2 will be 1!!!! It's true....it's like the last 3 years have gone by in a blink of an eye...

Well...time to live in the NOW...and in 2 weeks...I'll be on my last man-cation for a while. At least until the boys are a bit older...and then the day will come when they get to come with their old dad...that should be interesting...

So, back to 2 weeks from now...actually more like 12 days, and they'll go by quick I'm sure (I have plenty to do over the next while so I'm sure there won't be enough hours in the day).

Then, finally, the wife gets to have a break and off to St Lucia we go in April. Should be a blast....1 week on a beach in the sun with an open bar and no reason to get up in the middle of the night cause the knee biters will be at home with the Grand Parents...ahhhhhh...joy...

and because of that, I leave you with this (it's basically how I will feel when I have my first pint on the beach)

Just got back

2011-02-25T10:19:00.000-08:00

Just got back from Beijing...I'll update once I've downloaded all of my pictures.

Here's a couple to wet your whistle.

Captain America - f**k yah !

2011-02-10T22:14:00.000-08:00

Here's what the trailer should have looked (or sounded) like. AWESOME !

X-men First Class Trailer

2011-02-10T22:01:00.000-08:00

I'm going with the fact that Mathew Vaughn is not a hack like Ratner so this movie should be good...
Great background music for setting tone

R.I.P Gary Moore

2011-02-08T14:34:00.000-08:00

I just read that Gary Moore past away on the weekend by heart attack. He was a fantastic guitar player. I was turned onto him by my favourite dude Vivian Campbell and like a lot of what he did...some was ultra cheesy and some was boring, but for the most part pretty darn good.
Here's a couple tunes from when I got hooked...back in those great days known as the 80's

ack

2011-02-07T15:03:00.001-08:00

Why is it, in a city that could get a dump of snow 12 months out of the year and usually gets them anywhere from Sept to April, people are stunned whenever they see the white stuff ????

Every time we get more than a dusting it's as if it's something completely new and people drive like Jack-asses....

I didn't even bother today after taking almost 1.5 hours to drive what is normally 15 minutes...I gave up and worked from home....

Feb Travel

2011-02-02T13:58:00.000-08:00

Looks like I'll be chalking up some air miles in about a week or so. I just got the call to get my butt over to Beijing. This is an interesting time over there since it's the Chinese New Year. in the past, I've always either been there just before or right after...never during the celebrations. One of the things I will be happy to see will be the lantern festival (see picture). I believe this is on Feb 17th.

I'll be sure to take as many pictures as possible (along with try to do some updates on the food).

The last man-cation...... ?

2011-02-01T10:28:00.000-08:00

The question mark adds a lot to a sentence that says....'the last'....much like the end of the 1980's Flash Gordon...when it said THE END....and then a question mark appeared.....hmmmm.....ominous

Well, for now, the last man-cation will be on March 16th in London...just in time for Saint Patrick's Day. I know I know, you would think I'd go to Ireland...but I started these in England I'll finish them there.

So, why the question mark you ask ? Mostly, because I believe [strongly] that they will begin again...in some fashion....once the boys get older. And when they hit 18, I'll take them on their first man-cation. [to the UK of course].

So...when will they be 'old enough' to allow ol' dad to go visit pubs across the pond ? That is the unknown part...it's a game of wait and see. Mom will need her own mom-cation I'm sure...her last one was with a friend to San Fran and that seems like a distant memory now.

So, this means I have to enjoy the s**t outta this one ! No, burning a day away with headaches from the night gone by....no early nights....no late mornings...this one will be a marathon...each morning filled with a proper fry up (and a stout ?), afternoons with pints, fish and chips and miles put on the feet, and nights of pints, chit chat with locals (try to get to the #MEATEASY...see previous post), and pictures of pubs...AND DAMMIT, THIS TIME I'M GETTING MY SUNDAY ROAST !!!! The last few trips we've hummed and hawed from pub to pub and then by the time we wanted to sit and eat, the damn things were done.

I will do my best to document this one on the fly...as I recall we came across numerous pubs with free wireless so i should be able to log on and download the pics...

It's now Feb 1st, so only a month an a half until we're underway....

Tron - Star Wars Preview Mash Up....pretty cool

2011-01-31T11:10:00.000-08:00

just a question

2011-01-26T16:28:00.001-08:00

why is it when i'm out lurkin' other people's blogs and i click next blog i always seem to end up hitting tons of ultra-right wing-religious blogs...is that all that's out there ????
there are some extremely weird people out there....

click it and see....

Great Picture - Veronika Kotlajic.........she kicks nerd ass !

2011-01-26T16:17:00.000-08:00

Some stats on the hot girl in the above pic:Veronika Kotlajic is as much muse as model — she’s taken a lot of sexy photographs, and a lot of those have inspired sexy fantasy paintings and digital artwork. “As a model, I have been in Playboy three times, was selected as One of the Top 5 Fantasy Models by AskMen, was the lead video game character for the #1 RPG Videogame of 2005, have had two action figures based on my likeness, starred in my own comic book, and had a book of my modeling work published by Heavy Metal Magazine and another by Wizards of the Coast.” This multitasking nerd icon has her own modeling site (PerfectMuse.com), couture line (NarcisseDesigns.com), gallery (GalleryProvocateur.org) and web design biz (MuseConceptions.com)

Tea

2011-01-26T15:51:00.001-08:00

I put too many leaves in my oolong tea......

Toothless Suzie is back !

2011-01-25T20:45:00.000-08:00

unfortunately without the auto tune....watch and listen in amazement as she butchers a 90's classic from Poison....

Doin' what i do best

2011-01-18T14:41:00.001-08:00

Big boy #2 is now 6 months old and he is growin' like a weed ! There is no doubt this little big man will be mobile in a couple months.....it will get interesting when boy #1 has someone to chase around the kitchen....

Nerd Holy Grail - Star Wars Map

2011-01-17T21:46:00.000-08:00

Here it is nerds....the entire map of the Star Wars Galaxy....enjoy !

Holy Crap - Jurrasic Park Here We Come

2011-01-17T15:23:00.000-08:00

I knew it was probably likely, in the future, they could pull off some sort of clone/DNA thingy with Dinosaurs...mostly cause Crichton's books usually had a lot of scientific fact/theory in them...I had no idea they would be so close.
Check out an article from the interwebs .........

TOKYO - Japanese researchers will launch a project this year to resurrect the long-extinct mammoth by using cloning technology to bring the ancient pachyderm back to life in around five years time.

The researchers will try to revive the species by obtaining tissue this summer from the carcass of a mammoth preserved in a Russian research laboratory, the Yomiuri Shimbun reported.

"Preparations to realise this goal have been made," Akira Iritani, leader of the team and a professor emeritus of Kyoto University, told the mass-circulation daily.

Under the plan, the nuclei of mammoth cells will be inserted into an elephant’s egg cell from which the nuclei have been removed, to create an embryo containing mammoth genes, the report said.

The embryo will then be inserted into an elephant’s uterus in the hope that the animal will eventually give birth to a baby mammoth.

The elephant is the closest modern relative of the mammoth, a huge woolly mammal believed to have died out with the last Ice Age.

Some mammoth remains still retain useable tissue samples, making it possible to recover cells for cloning, unlike dinosaurs, which disappeared around 65 million years ago and whose remains exist only as fossils

Researchers hope to achieve their aim within five to six years, the Yomiuri said.

The team, which has invited a Russian mammoth researcher and two US elephant experts to join the project, has established a technique to extract DNA from frozen cells, previously an obstacle to cloning attempts because of the damage cells sustained in the freezing process.

Another Japanese researcher, Teruhiko Wakayama of the Riken Centre for Developmental Biology, succeeded in 2008 in cloning a mouse from the cells of another that had been kept in temperatures similar to frozen ground for 16 years.

The scientists extracted a cell nucleus from an organ of a dead mouse and planted it into the egg of another mouse which was alive, leading to the birth of the cloned mouse.

Based on Wakayama’s techniques, Iritani’s team devised a method to extract the nuclei of mammoth eggs without damaging them.

But a successful cloning will also pose challenges for the team, Iritani warned.

"If a cloned embryo can be created, we need to discuss, before transplanting it into the womb, how to breed (the mammoth) and whether to display it to the public," Iritani said.

"After the mammoth is born, we will examine its ecology and genes to study why the species became extinct and other factors."

More than 80 percent of all mammoth finds have been dug up in the permafrost of the vast Sakha Republic in eastern Siberia.

Exactly why a majority of the huge creatures that once strode in large herds across Eurasia and North America died out towards the end of the last Ice Age has generated fiery debate.

Some experts hold that mammoths were hunted to extinction by the species that was to become the planet’s dominant predator - humans.

Others argue that climate change was more to blame, leaving a species adapted for frozen climes ill-equipped to cope with a warming world.

Enough with the cold !

2011-01-17T10:58:00.000-08:00

You would think I'd be used to this...maybe it's because I'm getting old and I don't think I should have to put up with weeks of -21 (-30 with wind chill). I know I've said it in the past about moving to somewhere not so 'ass snapping' but I think I've now hit the boiling point. Even with snow on the west coast the temp is 9 degrees in Victoria...9 !!!!! I'd be in a pair of shorts if it were 9 degrees....

I think it's time to spend more & more time scanning the MLS on the island....

What we do in Winter

2011-01-13T10:48:00.001-08:00

Gloves be damned dad, we gots snow to shovel !

Wha Chu Lookin At ?

2011-01-10T22:31:00.001-08:00

I bet I can get this all the way in my mouth!

This is where I will be in April

2011-01-10T13:30:00.000-08:00

I best get off my ass and shed some Christmas Turkey !

I know it's January but WTF

2011-01-09T22:41:00.000-08:00

I need to move somewhere not so cold and snowy...the end