Daddy-O

Break the Habit

…and, I should add, start a new one.

Okay, I've set up the new blog, BUT, I'm far from done. There are issues I've yet to resolve, there is functionality I've yet to implement and there are features I don't yet know how to use. In fact, I'm still waiting to see if the address I'm about to give you will stick or if I'll need to change it again.

Regardless, I'm ready to move on. Are you?

So, instead of clicking that Daddy-O bookmark every day, create a new bookmark at this address: blog.mikecharbonneau.ca

I'll see you there.

Standing By

Yes, I'm still here. This weekend was just too busy with work and such for me to do anything with the other site. Besides, I'm still waiting to hear from my hosting service about making a change. It's complicated, but doesn't affect anything with the blog, other than I can't move it over until I'm ready.

So please, do be patient. Hopefully, this will all be resolved by the end of the week.

Big Changes Around Here

Fall Morning Fir | captured on September 21, 2011

It's almost that time for you to update your bookmarks! Over the next week or so—depending how busy I am—I'll finally be retiring this blog.

{ chirp, chirp }

Not to worry, you two (you know who you are). There will be another blog, but it won't be called Daddy-O. I haven't yet figured out a name, but it'll likely be found at blog.mikecharbonneau.ca. But don't bookmark that yet; not until I'm sure.

So why the change?

Well, I've mentioned more than once that I'd like to host a blog that talks about more than just the kids. as they get older, there's less to talk about. Plus, I'd like to feature my photography a little more and talk about work and such. While it's true that I talk shop on Daddy-O from time to time, it's not quite the same. I've also hosted a separate business blog, but that's even more work. No, I'd like centralize things and host a blog that's a bit about everything.

Not to mention the cost of paying for this; it costs me $80 U.S. a year to host Daddy-O on TypePad. Not that it isn't a great service; I've had very few complaints, but there are new platforms that offer you more flexibility. I'll hosting the new blog on WordPress which, technically, is free (there are other costs associated with self-hosting though). In the end, it should save me money and opens avenues I haven't explored before. One such avenue is hosting AdWords; you know, those little word ads that run along the side of a webpage? Annoying, yes, but perhaps a source of income. Besides, you probably never look at the stuff in the sidebar now anyway.

So hold tight for a bit. I might still add some posts here until I've fully made the switchover but rest assured, I'll let you know when the big move is on.

Done and Done!

Season Done | captured on September 10, 2011

Well, except for photos on Saturday, we're done with soccer for the season! I would have never thought I'd be so happy. Marina ended her season last night and tonight was the last game for both Matthew's and my team. Unfortunately, we never did get that win (throughout an entire season) but tonight, the boys played hard and we managed to end with our second draw.

So, no more rushing to get the kids home and off to soccer; no more less-than-stellar meals; no more balls rolling about the house. We can settle down and enjoy our evenings just that much more. Our next season—the winter season—starts in November except this time, we'll only be enrolling Matthew and not into House League. Plus, no weeknight games.

This new program is called the Indoor Development Program, and focuses on skill development. It's only available to Rep and Select players so Matthew's in pretty good company. He will have two coaches: one, a former Manchester United youth coach and the other, the club's Technical Director. It promises to be exciting and Matthew is truly psyched for it.

But for now, we'll enjoy slowing down a bit.

Shit

Time for a Shower | captured on September 5, 2011

Such is the word our young Lad uttered this evening, in the van, when his water bottle spilled all over him.

Instead of the spitting fury I expected from a certain somebody, we both just looked at eachother from across the chasm of the van, in complete silence. I, for one, could only think of laughing while Jennifer simply looked stunned. For one brief moment, I think we were going to just let it go. Like it never happened. As if it were just a trick of the wind.

It must have felt like an eternity to Matthew because it felt like a good 20 minutes to me. But then I asked: "What did you just say?"

And instead of answering—which is something he is often wont to do—he stumbled with the reason why he said what he said.

"Well, that's fine. But you should use the word shoot instead."

"Even though you might hear us use it occassionally (and by us, I'm sure she meant me), that doesn't mean you can. It's an adult word and it's not very nice." offered Jennifer.

I could have have suggested its usefulness, but decided against it.

We moved on, making cracks about his needing a shower (an inside joke) and strangely, from that moment on, the mood was surprisingly light.

Chock-O-Block Saturday

Two Door Cinema Club | captured on September 18, 2011

For whatever reason, I just couldn't write yesterday. In fact, we barely did anything all day, just puttering about. To be honest, we did do groceries and we did take a trek down to Roncesvalles for the Polish Festival, but it was all in slow motion. For one, I was in a bit of a funk (this unemployment stuff really does drag you down) and two, we had one heck of a busy Saturday. We weren't hungover, just tired. But it was all worth it.

The worst part of Saturday was getting up to the alarm at 7:00 a.m.; there's just something wrong with that. Still, we were up and out by 8:00, making our way up north to Aurora for our last soccer tournament of the season. With highways shut down for construction, we were told to leave early to ensure we had enough travel time. Alas, we made it with plenty of time to spare which was probably a good thing because there wasn't much parking near the fields. Sadly, the boys lost all three of their games but they still managed to play very well. In fact, Matthew called the last game of the day "epic" for what transpired.

Dribbling | captured on September 18, 2011

Our last opponents were the league leaders and a pretty physical bunch. At least four of our boys were knocked down more than once and our coach had to run on field no less than three times; once to tend to our keeper who'd received a split lip. The young lad responsible was given a stern warning from the referee but 10 minutes later, this forward challenged the keeper with his "studs up" which is dangerous and a definite no-no. While he hadn't hurt our keeper, he still received a red card—the first such instance I've ever witnessed at a kids' game. A few minutes later, the ref stopped the game again and walked over to the other parents side of the field to tell them to calm down and to keep their comments to themselves or else they'd all be sent away from the sidelines. When one lady couldn't keep her mouth shut, he told her to leave. She yelled some more (I couldn't make out what she was on about) but eventually, she left. There was another fellow involved but after a final warning from the referee, he kept his comments to himself.

It's sad really; these are 10-year-old boys who don't need to see this kind of behaviour. And it's not like they weren't going to win the game. Anyway, our boys played with a renewed vigour but still couldn't come up with a goal. Still, they all agreed it was the best game they'd ever been a part of.

We got home with a couple of hours to ourselves so we could unwind before Shawna arrived to babysit. Jennifer and I then dolled ourselves up and met René and Danielle at the subway station for a trip to Terroni's on Adelaide Street. The place was packed and we had to wait at the bar for a bit before we were seated for dinner but it was worth it. This was one of those night's out that you just need to have every so often; appetizers, a bottle of wine, a main course, coffee and even dessert. I can't even think of the last time we did this but it certainly felt like it was due.

After a leisurely two-hour dinner, we then made our way toward the Lake to the KoolHaus to catch a concert from a band from Northern Ireland called the Two Door Cinema Club. Of course, it was too loud, too hot and the bottles of water I bought cost $4.00 each but hey, what do you expect? The band was fantastic, the light show outstanding and the music perfect.

Filler

By the Pole | captured on September 13, 2011

Jeez, I need to write something to replace yesterday's post as the topmost entry. Was that long enough for ya?

Today was a good day. The weather is spectacular, cool yet sunny, and aside from the occasional barking dog, it's been pretty quiet. After doing some work this morning, I took off for a run before lunch. It was my best run yet—since I restarted—and I'm now up to 9 runs, although I'm still feeling pretty sluggish. Hopefully, as time wears on and I shed more weight, it'll get easier. I haven't felt that runner's high in quite some time.

The kids are adapting well enough to school although they haven't received much homework. That's actually a good thing because they're both still finishing up their respective soccer seasons. I believe both their House league teams finish up next week. I'm not exactly sure what's going on with Matthew's Select team other than we have a tournament this weekend.

I did send off that job application to the WWF, so keep your fingers crossed. In the process, I updated my vanity site and added a link to some photos after Shawna suggested I do so; I know you, Joy, will agree with her advice. I have to admit, I am a little worried that it might draw away from the main purpose of the site; one has to remember, it's not a photography showcase, it's just an About Me page. Ah, we'll see if people even click through.

Regardless, the excercise did inspire me to update my Flickr account and so I've cleaned it up and uploaded a half dozen images that I've tag as Observed. Feel free to check it out every so often and I'll try my best to post images that aren't featured on the blog. But, even if they are, you'll have the opportunity to view images by clicking on them.

Accountability

I suppose the one good thing about writing a blog is a sense of accountability. You can't just tell people you'll be doing something and then not do it. Well, I suppose you could, if you can live with it. Anyhow, I've spent the past two days re-building my self-promotional site (now known as personal branding) and I'm very pleased with it. I find this new direction much more effective than the previous interpretation which was really just an online résumé.

Please check it out with a critical eye (just click the image or type in www.mikecharbonneau.ca) and feel free to suggest improvments or just let me know if there's something you don't understand.

I'm just pleased to finally have something I'm proud to send someone to, which I've already done, applying for a position yesterday evening.

The First Series (in a while)

Matthew: the Bath Series | captured on September 5, 2011

I've been quite the busy boy lately. Yesterday was a meeting at Humber College with professors in the Marketing program (more on that as it develops) and last night, our U10 Boys House League soccer team won our FIRST POINT OF THE SEASON! For the third time this season, we went ahead of our competitors but as the game wore on, our lads got tired and we let a couple of goals in. But still, we drew our first game! Our single point looks a little sad in the standings (which are 33, 31, 21, 19, 16, 15, 12 and 1) and we have an abysmal Goals Against of 67 but the team played hard and perhaps this is a bit of a turning point, just as the season is about to end. Matthew played a fantastic role as keeper last night; the other team could have easily won had it not been for his efforts in goal.

What else is up? Well, today I plan to work on revamping my personal website to make it more appealing and unique to job potential employers. I still need to write on that pros and cons list of work that I'm looking for and later on, I plan on creating another site; this one devoted to my photography whereby I might be able to sell some prints. We'll see; one step at a time.

In the interim I hope you enjoy the first series I've worked on in a while. Click on the image for a larger version.

Back to School

Back to School | captured on September 6, 2011

The air is certainly cool and the traffic, snarled. The crossing guards are out in force, blowing their whistles with a vigour that comes only in September. The kids are excited and the parents look relieved. All the indicators are there and yet, it just doesn't feel right.

It's no secret that this time of year is one of my favourites. I can't tell you why exactly but I think it's a confluence of cooler weather and the sense of a new beginning. Except this year, that sense is missing. Ironic, considering that's exactly where I'm at. Perhaps the feeling is simply delayed; we'll have to see.

The kids, on the other hand, are right there in it. The instant we hit the schoolyard, they were off like a shot to find their friends leaving Jennifer and I on the sidelines like all the other parents. Marina met up with Eva, her "bestest" friend whom she hadn't seen all summer. Matthew found his chums; the lot of them looking like wannabe rap stars with their hoodies and flat caps. Amidst the hustle and bustle, we managed to say goodbye before they were off to start a new year; grades 5 and 2 respectively.

Exciting times indeed!

Our Cool Hike

At Webster's Falls | captured on September 5, 2011

Jennifer didn't want to waste the long weekend so we piled into the van and drove South to Dundas; more specifically, the Spencer Gorge. The weather today was markedly different from yesterday; cool with no humidity. We walked down into the gorge to check out Webster's Falls, and then climbed the steep, uneven stairs back up. As nice as the falls were, it wasn't much of a walk so we decided to hike along nearby trails to Tew's Falls which are even higher, measuring 41 metres.

From there we walked along another trail to Dundas Peak which sits along the Niagara escarpement, overlooking the town of Dundas. The view wasn't as nice as we'd hoped (you really can't beat the vista at Mount Nemo) but it was an enjoyable hike nonetheless. By the time we got back to the car, we were all pretty tired and equally famished so we stopped for lunch on the way home.

The rest of the day was spent lazing around but the final day of the air show made it impossible to have a nap. I finished working on a bunch of photos (some from our holidays down East) while the kids played and got on each other's nerves. School, tomorrow, will be much-welcomed indeed.

Training Partner

After the Run | captured on September 4, 2011

Look who decided he wanted to come for a run.

We ran 3.4 kilometres. I had to ask him to slow down several times as I kept losing my breath. Still, it was nice to have the company. I have to say, the boy is looking good.

The Busiest Unemployed Guy I Know

Paraflying | captured on August 13, 2011

It's 8:44 and the next door dogs are barking. Again. It's a daily affair and it can go on for quite a bit. My going outside to berate them only makes the barking worse. Trust me when I tell you it's sometimes quite difficult to concentrate.

We had a lovely, quiet weekend. Anne and Sophie stayed over on Friday night, meeting us after Matthew's Select practice in which Jennifer and I help field the parents team. As she put it, the kids ran circles around us but I contend that that's because they wore cleats and the grass was slick.

Saturday, René and I went to our first TFC game in a month; they lost of course, because it seems all my football teams are on losing streaks. And yesterday, we had a visit from our old friends Effi and Larry whom we hadn't seen in some time. It was a wonderfully relaxing visit and we regaled them with tales of our reno and what transpired for me at work.

Speaking of work, I still haven't had any luck although it's only been three months and most of that, throughout the summer which is traditionally quiet anyway, what with holidays. Speaking with an agent at Service Canada, she told me it's the worst summer she's ever seen. Great.

But it's not like I haven't been busy. In fact, I'm almost as busy as I was when I was working. Unfortunately, I'm not getting paid; a minor detail, I know. One can only hope that my belief in Karma will come to fruition at some point.

Anyway, that's it for now. I've got to get back to work before I head to another meeting at 11:00.

Catching—and Wrapping—Up

Looking Off | captured on August 16, 2011

I've still got 75 images to tag and tweak of the 250-or-so photos I took from our trip down East. The trick is having the discpline to take your time; something I have very little of. But hey, I'm trying.

So, where did we leave off? Ah yes, the U.S.

As usual, the trip through Maine was pretty uneventful but unlike last year, it seemed less depressing. Yes, there is still a general sense of tiredness—like everything could use a fresh coat of paint—but it appeared less downtrodden than last year. Of course, it rained most of the day so that may have added a sheen to everything. We spent the night in Woodstock/West Paris at the old Mollyockett Motel before setting off the next morning.

Through the Covered Bridge | captured on August 14, 2011

On Monday we arrived in Montpelier, Vermont, just before lunch and luckily for us, the rain had stopped. We love this little town and quickly made our way to the Bearpond Bookstore, one of my favourite stops featuring an old, creaky wood floor. We then walked around town, Jennifer on the hunt for a new wallet. We didn't find what she was looking for but did come across two more bookstores before stopping at the Corner Coffee shop for lunch. It's an originally nostalgic diner that's been around for more than 50 years (not a new place that's made to look old).

After lunch, we piled back into the van for our continuing trip West. We arrived in Burlington (the first Starbucks stop of the trip!) to some sunshine which was quite welcomed after two days of rain. A short jaunt later and we were on the ferry crossing Lake Champlain, heading to New York state. The sun was shining gloriously, the clouds puffing plentily and everyone enjoyed the fresh air.

The post-ferry drive was lovely and familiar; the same that we'd done last year. We wound our way through the Adirondaks, past Lake Placid and Saranac Lake until we arrived at our last hotel of the trip in Tupper Lake. After a quick drive around town and finding not much of anything, we made our way back to Saranac Lake for dinner and up to Lake Placid for a post-meal stroll.

Liquor Store | captured on August 16, 2011

The one great feature in Tupper Lake was the Liquor sign above. When I crossed the street back to the van after shooting it, three local fellows asked me why I was taking a picutre of it. "Because it's a beautiful, old sign with lots of character." I replied. They seemed a little taken aback before one of them looked at it and nodded: "I guess it is." I then found out that it belonged to some woman who'd just recently died in her 90s and that she'd run it for some time. The store now stood permanently closed, with old liquor bottles gathering dust in the window.

The next morning we hit the road early but it took some time before we found a place to eat. Driving through a charming town off Cranberry Lake, we saw a small, roadside diner and stopped. Walking in, we found the ubiquitous older men, sitting around a table drinking coffee and chatting noisely amongst themselves; a perfect picture of Rockwellesque americana. With a clipped "Morning!" we sat down, chatted up the waitress, then enjoyed breakfast.

We caught the border guards on a shift change which felt somewhat awkward but all went well and by 10:30 or so, we were back on Canadian soil and making our way home.

Sad Cat Tales

Boo | captured on February 26, 2011

Other than Cato catching (and killing) a sparrow today (which I had to dispose of), we found out from our neighbour Jacques that Boo, the next-door cat, was killed by raccoons. We had a feeling something was wrong as we hadn't seen her since we got home.

Both Jennifer and I are terribly saddened (the kids don't know yet) as Boo spent most of her days on our back deck; presumably to get away from all the dogs next door. And the food I'd give her. She'd often come to the door to ask for treats and would have no trouble finishing the food that Cato deemed unworthy of his stature.

In recent months she'd let us pet her, after two years of being skittish. We only just discovered that she could, in fact, purr. Jennifer and I often joked that we had two cats. She will be sorely missed.