Daddy-O

Nostalgic TV

I blame Anne. She's been participating in all sorts of Top 5 lists on Facebook, then posting her results. Of course, I can't help myself so I start to do the same. The top 5 albums that shaped you. Your top 5 cartoons. The top 5 TV shows you grew up watching. The hardest part is only picking five. I was scanning a 70s TV show and started seeing all sorts of shows I watched: Beretta, Barney Miller, Emergency!, All in the Family, Quark, Baa Baa Black Sheep, The Incredible Hulk, Mork and Mindy,… I decided I'd pick my top 10 favourite shows growing up, figuring the kids might get a kick out of them.

  

  

  

  

  

Report Cards

Who Let the Dogs Out … captured on March 13, 2009

Note the 's'. Yes, report cards. Both of them. Let's start with the Lad's, shall we? Overall, it's about the same as the last report. He's up in some instances and down in others. In the end, it evens out. While most of the comments are positive and encouraging, there are a couple of areas that we've already identified that need some work. For one, he needs to pay a bit more attention and focus some more in class. Second—and more importantly—he needs to build his confidence. As it stands, Matthew "sometimes needs encouragement to respond positively to challenges…"

This is something that I started writing about sometime last week. Twice. It was something that we'd noticed with his schoolwork, with soccer and just generally. But, I let it go. While I wouldn't say it's nice to see it crop up here, it is reassuring to know that his teachers notice it as well. So, something for us all to work on. Overall though, it's a great report; equally balanced with a variety of As and Bs.

The Wee-One's report card starts as such: "Marina is a happy child that is enjoying Junior Kindergarten." It goes on to say that she participates in a variety of classroom activities, that she is able to recognize her personal strengths, can follow multistep directions, and more. It makes more than one reference to her "detailed" drawing and her well-developed social skills. She is comfortable approaching an adult to resolve any conflict, easily follows classroom routines and enthusiastically participates in activities that improve physical fitness. It goes on to conclude that she is well liked and has many friends.

Steps to help with further learning include practicing her alphabet recognition and encouraging her to describe what she sees, such as seasonal changes, plant and animal life. At first I thought this latter bit was a bit strange, considering I point out all sorts of things on the way to school every morning. Then I realized, I do the pointing out, not Marina. I'll strive to let the kids make the observations from time to time.

Too Much Food

Crêpe Laurette … captured on March 29, 2009

This weekend was truly defined by food. Too much of it, in fact. It started with a BBQ on Friday shared with Anne and Sophie who were in town for a short visit. On Saturday, I put on my "work" hat and made my way to the Elephant and Castle for a launch event hosted by a client—Setanta Sports. In conjuction with Umbro, the affair showcased England's new kits at an international friendly, broadcasted live from Wembley Stadium. In addition to some complimentary Calsberg, there was a full English spread for lunch, including shepherd's pie, chicken curry, bangers and mash, fish and chips, steak and kidney pie,… I was so excited, I called Jennifer who, it turns out, wasn't so pleased. Later, the desert table was laid featuring bread pudding (yum!), apple crumble and an assortment of British chocolate. I don't know why, but British chocolate is so much better than our own. I brought home a Curly-Wurly and a Flake bar to appease the angered spouse. Later in the evening, we ended up at René and Danielle's for another yet BBQ dinner and to share in Earth Hour. Once again, I ate too much food; you'd have thought I would have learned my lesson.

This morning, we hosted a brunch with our friends Greg and Laura and Brian and Vee. We fed the kids first, then sat down to enjoy our own meal. Jennifer made some delicious crêpes (with Nutella and whipped cream) and there were also bagels and croissants on hand. To add insult to injury, I did NOT run this morning. Oh dear.

Going Nowhere

Highwire Conversation … captured on March 27, 2009

Joan: Bob?

Bob: Zzzz.

Joan: Bob? Hey! <sigh> What's Bob doing over there?

Trudy: Why do you want to know?

Joan: I just want to know. Okay? What's it to you?

Simon: Uh, oh. The girls are at it again.

Joan: Stay out of this, Simon!

Simon: I'm just sayin'.

Dave: Yeah, but you really should stay out of this…

Joan: Hey Simon, just butt out! Listen to your little buddy Dave there.

Dave: Don't drag me into your little drama…

Joan: Bo-ob? Bob?

Trudy: He's SLEEPING! Okay?! Leave him alone!

Joan: He's not your boyfriend, you know!

Cicely: Oh, would you two shut up?

Trudy: Who are you telling to shut up?!

Joan: Yeah? Who do you think you are?

Cicely: Ugh! Every morning it's the same thing. "Bob! Bob!" "Shut up! Leave him alone!" Natter, natter. You're like a couple of hens. It's annoying! We're trying to sleep here.

Simon: Yeah, it was a cold night last night.

Dave: You really shouldn't get involved.

Simon: I'm just sayin'.

Joan: Bob?

Trudy: Oh, for the love of Pete!

Pete: What?

Kate: Look! Someone's throwing bread crumbs in the park!

Dave: Awesome! Me first!

Pete: Did someone call me?

Bob: Zzzz.

The Interview

Holding Hands on the Way to Work … captured on March 25, 2009

As an assignment, Matthew had to interview someone. He chose Jennifer. I can only assume he suspected I might give him too much material. Anyhow, interviewer and interviewee settled into his room and got down to business.

Main Goal of the interview: To learn more about my mom when she was a kid.

Question 1: Did you ever have a favourite blanket?

Answer: I don't really remember but I don't think so.

Question 2: What was your favourite toy when you were groing up?

Answer: I had a stuffed bunnyrabbit called Marigold.

Question 3: What was the school called that you wher in?

Answer: It was called Manor Park Public school in Ottawa.

Question 4: What was the first moive you wached?

Answer: The first movie was Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

Question 5: What did you play at recess?

Answer: I played hopscotch, skipping and marbels.

Childhood Reversion

Set in Effra Standard Medium, courtesy of Font Shop

Sorry, it's yet another entry about me. Don't worry though, I'm trying to keep track. So today I received an e-mail from a font foundry; this isn't anything special, I get such an e-mail once every few days from a variety of sources. I'm a bit of a typophile, you see. But today the experience was a bit different. Scrolling through the list of type samples, I stopped on a font called Effra, instantly pleased with its lines and curves. And right there—in a flash—I was sent back to grade one, looking at the upper and lowercase alphabet cards taped above the blackboard. I remember being drawn to the lowercase 'a' which, as I seem to remember, was set in something similar to Avant Garde. The memory is a funny thing indeed.

TechKids

Tinkerbell … © Disney

A certain little someone has managed to figure out how to take a screenshot on the iPhone. I suspect the first capture was an accident, but 8 fairy pictures later, I'm pretty convinced she's discovered a feature. This was taken from Wee-Mina's Fairies Fly game.

Winning Numbers

Jam Cupboard … captured on March 12, 2009

Sometime in the Fall, our friends René and Danielle introduced us to the lotto advance subscription for Lotto 649. The idea is that you pay for a set time period and never miss a draw; which is great for me because, despite the good intention, I'm lucky if I remember to buy a ticket once a month. So I joined in November for 52 draws (26 weeks) and let OLG pick my numbers. I (wrongly) assumed I'd get quick-pick numbers every draw; it turns out that if you don't pick your own numbers, you're assigned a set a numbers that are used every draw. Considering my first number is 5 and the second number starts at 27, I didn't hold my breath for a win.

But win we did. About a month ago, I received a notice in the mail and when I opened it, it was a cheque for $66. In all the years I've played, I've never won more than $10, so it was terribly exciting. Today we received two letters from OLG: the first, another winning cheque; this time for $5. The second letter was a renewal form; apparently, our 6 months are up. Considering we've won close to 75% of the cost to play in the first place, I think it's a forgone conclusion that we'll renew. I'll even keep what I thought were my "crappy" numbers. If I win a third time, it could be the mother lode. If so, expect Daddy-O posts from a variety of spots from around the world, plus more interesting pictures than that of our jam cupboard.

You Know It's Spring When…

 

Bike Cleaning … captured on March 22, 2009

…it's time to clean the bikes.

The kids have been asking to go biking for at least the last 5 or 6 weeks; this weekend we thought it was finally time to get out. Although the wind was a tad cool, the sun was making an effort to warm things up.

True to popular belief, remembering to ride a bike is like, er…riding a bike. The Lad had no trouble hopping on and taking off down the street. Ditto for Marina, although she's still being assisted by training wheels which we'll need to raise to make the task a little more challenging. Sadly, we'll need to replace both bikes as in previous years. I'm sure there'll be a point when we can get away with keeping a bike for two years running but as it stands, both kids are practically knocking the handlebars with their knees. This growing thing can be quite costly, let me assure you.

The iPod Generation

The Hazards of Love … © Decemberists

You know, I believe iTunes has done a lot of good for the music industry. Most importantly, it easily puts artists' music in the hands of the mass consumer. It also offers a deep and simple way to discover new music. I was telling the lads at work how, in the "old days", you just had to buy a record on instinct. There were no listening stations and essentially, you judged an album by its cover. Or you befriended the record shop owner. Some of my fondest memories recall Fridays after work. I'd make my way to the Royal Oak on Bank St and order a dinner of bangers and mash with a pint of Guinness. I'd then head over to Shake Records, nestled near at the foot of Elgin, and spend what seemed like hours, flipping through album covers.

But there is a downside to this new iPod generation. That's one of time. The convenience of instant access and immediate gratification seems to have cut away the whole concept of appreciation. Most of the kids don't download whole "albums" anymore; they just get the song they've heard, add it to the mix and then it's off to the next thing. In our day, there was no skipping to the next song. You listened to the whole album. And although you suspected there'd be a dog or two on the record when you bought it, you'd either learn to like it or at the very least, tolerate it. But not so anymore, and frankly I think that's a shame.

Last night I downloaded the Decemberists' latest album entitled The Hazards of Love. It's absolutely fantastic. But you need to listen to the album as a whole because it tells a story, both lyrically and musically. And while frontman Colin Meloy's voice might not be to everyone's taste, the musical stylings are all over the place and bound to appeal to a wide variety of listeners. Just remember, it requires that commitment of time. I'd highly recommend lying on the floor with your head equidistant between the speakers and your eyes closed; that's something else we used to do back in the old days.

Different Levels

 

No Dumping … captured on March 13, 2009

It's remarkable what we take for granted. To take a page from the old man—mine, that is—look around you and appreciate what you've got. I work close to King and Strachan where there's a pretty seedy place called the Palace Arms. You know places like this; the kind where they rent rooms by the hour. It's not unusual to watch questionable characters enter and exit the place while you're waiting for the streetcar. It's strangely set in a relatively upscale neighbourhood but I guess it's been there longer than the new money has, so it persists.

Today, while I waited for the King car, a youngish woman in a filthy yellow jacket walked up to me with the happiest of smiles. She looked older than her thirty or so years, her hair was matted, her lip split and she was missing a lower tooth. In her hand she held a crumpled 20 dollar bill. "Look what I found!" she asked, waving the 20. "Right over there!" She pointed at the intersection; or perhaps the Esso station, I couldn't tell which.

I smiled and said "That's great." and she nodded with gleaming eyes that suggested yes, it is great. Before turning to leave, she asked if I needed a bus token. "I'm good," I offered, holding up my own token.

"Okay." she replied and then she turned and walked off.

I didn't see where she headed, whether to the corner store for food or not, but the whole meeting (which lasted less than a minute) made me take stock. It's a good thing that life throws you these moments of clarity every so often.

Not in the Mood

Reflected Trees … captured on March 9, 2008

I'm kinda grumpy today. But just a little. I'm looking forward to Being Erica and Lost on TV tonight, eager for the distraction. I think it's because I know I've got a trip to Paris coming soon and I'm growing impatient; the end of April is still a long way away. These last couple of weeks have been very quiet at work—after a crazy two months—but in the last few days I've kept myself busy re-designing The Revue's website. My partner is bored, so he wants to get together to discuss ways to jostle existing clients. It's a good idean and I appreciate that. But I want to finish this job I'm working on.

I know what you're thinking, but generally, I do treat The Revue as a pro-bono client. Technically, my involvement with them has brought us a client and a few other leads. As for the website, it's something One on One will eventually be able to take credit for. If it ever gets done. The design—or skinning, as I've heard it called—is the easy, albeit long part. You're at the mercy of the "geeks" to code it.

Come to think of it, I don't believe it's work that's bumming me out. I'm pretty sure it's the constant battle with Marina these last few weeks. The Wee-One has been quite pig-headed about almost everything. I remember Matthew having his moments, but it was never anything like this…chipper one moment, sullen the next. Must be a girl thing.

March Break Discombobulation

Dusty Piggy … captured on March 14, 2009

Today was the first day of March Break. That means no school and no homework. Yay! I guess the situation feels different for the kids, but for us, it's pretty much the same thing. We still drop off and pick them up at the same place. I suppose the only difference is the lack of activity.

One of the nice changes for both kids is that they get to see each other throughout the day. This isn't usually the case. While they spent time together, Matthew was elsewhere playing games like Family Feud as part of Game Show day. When he returned, Marina rushed over to give him a big hug. Apparently he was uncomfortable with the Wee-One's show of affection. "It was embarrassing." he told me.

"Why?" I asked.

"Because she hugged me in front of everybody."

"Oh. What did you tell her."

"I asked her to stop because it was embarrassing me. Can you believe it?"

I know, I thought of saying. Those young kids…

Semi-Relaxed

 

Playing Rock Band … captured on March 15, 2009

Despite the many chores, 'twas a pretty relaxing weekend. It started with inviting René, Danielle and Chloe over for dinner and it ended with them as well. The weather was certainly nice; in fact, today we turned off the furnace and opened some windows. After lunch, the cat and I had a bit of a lie down. It was quite the luxirious affair, with the sun on my back and Cato's hind legs resting gently on my knee. Outside, some fresh air and the occasional bird call plus the soothing whoosh of traffic along Dundas, almost sounding like the surf on a calm day.

The nap was short lived because the kids and I had to meet up with René and Chloe while the two girls took off to fire their pottery. We met at Sweet Thrills before settling at an outside patio for a coffee. We then headed back to their house and while the kids played, René and I chatted. Not long afterwards, presumably bored or out of things to say, we muscled our way in on the kids, commandeering the Xbox to play Rock Star. That's when the girls returned. Busted!

* I replaced the video because it was taking so long for the page to load.

The Benefit of Young Eyesight

The Wee-One spent some time in her room today drawing Tinkerbell for us. She also thought she'd look better in a picture frame, so she made one up. While there's no doubt the illustration is fantastic, what's truly remarkable is her source material. This is from an image on a pencil. Yes, a pencil! The picture she drew from is no larger than a centimetre. I mean, look at the detail in her shoes! Goodness me; we seemed to have created some wonderful young artists.