Well I have lived in Brampton for all 36+ years of my existence. I have seen several generations of immigrants come and move in. Many of which produced great friendships for me over the years. At the same time immigrants segregating themselves from the mainstream of the community has perpetrated a "rift" if you will between that group within the community and the community itself.
First a little bit of background for my rant. Brampton is probably one of the quicker growing communities in the province and surprisingly only has one hospital where our southern sister city, Mississauga, has two hospital sites. Brampton has a population of about 450,000 and will most likely breach the half million barrier within 5 years. Brampton had been struggling with it's hospital situation for quite some time and we finally got funding for a new hospital but it was being built with a P3 methodology. Which basically means that there is a lot of private funding put in place to expedite the build process, there is still a lot of government funding but the risk isn't all placed on the government because of the private sector being involved. From my limited knowledge of the P3 formula the reason private investors are willing to get involved is because of the return on investment. So yes you can make money investing in the government.
So, we have a new hospital in Brampton (yay, that's great!) a lot of work went into it (yay, that's great too). The private sector pulled together and got it built faster (yay, that's great). So here is where my inside source comes in. I have heard rumours that an immigrant group had a private wing in the hospital that only had a certain ethnicity of doctors and nurses and only those of that certain ethnicity have access to this wing. Basically that is a two tiered health care system which I believe is against a bunch of laws, I might be wrong. I know there has been a lot of discussion on two tiered health care in Ontario but it has been quashed every time. So I have been hearing all kinds of stories on how this has happened, this group apparently offered 90 million to get preferential treatment at this hospital. Well I went to my source and guess what? It's wrong, yes they offered the 90 million but with the restrictions of the preferential treatment and the group heading the project basically told them to go fuck their "hat". The problem is that the masses of these fucktards think that they are still supposed to get this preferential treatment as their head honchos forgot to mention to the plebes that the deal didn't go down and there is no preference being given.
On to my next rant... I am sick of these people that come into Canada and want to have everything just like they did from their former country. Well if your former country was so fucking great why did you leave? I am tired of people requesting translators to be able to write tests to get government issued licensing. those tests are available in both English and French, that should be enough for everyone. The problem lies in that there have been a ton of driving schools being shut down and investigated because of people taking other peoples tests. So if that is going on what else is that the government has not caught on to yet? There is this sense of entitlement that certain ethnic groups have that is going to bleed Canada dry, they most certainly have started here in Ontario and it's only a matter of time before they come to your neighbourhood... they are a virus and good luck to you stopping them once they get settled... We're already fucked.
Again I have no problem with immigrants they built Canada into what it is, however there are certain groups looking to take it for all it's worth.
Showing posts with label thoughts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label thoughts. Show all posts
Monday, March 10, 2008
Monday, February 25, 2008
Toronto Auto Show 2008
So I head down to the MTCC and Rogers Centre to check out the auto show this year. My buddy got a free pass so we split the cost of one ticket. Well it wasn't much different than the other auto shows I have seen previously. There was a really cool display of some very old Lamborghinis which was very cool to look at. They even had the off road Lamborghini that, in my opinion, was the inspiration for the Hummer. I am always disappointed by the lack of booth girls. There never seems to be enough of them.
So yeah not enough booth girls not enough concept cars and too much of the same old same old...
I did see one interesting thing though. In the Audi display they were letting people sit in the R8 which runs about 170,000.00, I found this interesting as most companies lock up their cars as soon as they breach the 60,000 mark. Sure there are a few that don't but they don't let you touch the expensive cars like the R8. One thing that struck me though was the number of people that would have gone through that car. The bending that would occur to get in and out of it added to the bad food that the Auto show sells I am sure there were quite a few human made wind storms in that little car. I wonder if they have to get the detail shop to clean that stink of ass out of the car after the end of the show...
So yeah not enough booth girls not enough concept cars and too much of the same old same old...
I did see one interesting thing though. In the Audi display they were letting people sit in the R8 which runs about 170,000.00, I found this interesting as most companies lock up their cars as soon as they breach the 60,000 mark. Sure there are a few that don't but they don't let you touch the expensive cars like the R8. One thing that struck me though was the number of people that would have gone through that car. The bending that would occur to get in and out of it added to the bad food that the Auto show sells I am sure there were quite a few human made wind storms in that little car. I wonder if they have to get the detail shop to clean that stink of ass out of the car after the end of the show...
Monday, February 04, 2008
Wanna see the dark side of my moon?
OK I was out with the fam damily over the weekend. My kids do gymnastics and what have you, and we needed to pick up a few things here and there so we zip into a department store and I find these little gems.
See stuff like this just makes me laugh. I mean what woman can't help but swoon at the sight of these bad boys. Not only do they look ridiculous but check out where the trouser snake's doorway is? Well when I looked at the people that were wandering about in that store it did not surprise me one bit that something like those boxers were alive and kicking in there. When we drove in to our parking spot it was being invaded by a woman and what can only be described as Andrew Dice Clay's retarded brother. I mean it was winter and this tool was wearing a thin leather jacket and a wife beater with some goofy assed shades. Just utterly ponderous as to what would make someone dress like that and think, "yeah this is good, yeah I look good." Then on the way out I caught another fellow who looked like a reject from "That 70's Show" This poor fellow was cruising about in his high top basketball shoes, a mullet that would make Bruce Dickenson proud amongst other fashion faux pas.
So anyway on to my Sunday... Sunday was a lazy day for us as a family. The wife cooked a great breakfast and we all kind of just did our own thing. The boys played I surfed the internet and wife watched TV. Noon rolled around and a sumptuous feast of newfie tube steak was had (I opted for normal buns and the rest had crescent rolls wrapped around the little nitrate sticks. After that I opted to pretend to read while I took a nap on the couch. Then once the youngest had awoke from his nap (the oldest and youngest nap in our house) we took off to the sled hills of Brampton to have some winter fun. We trodded out to the sled hills to meet some friends and began the repetitious act of sliding down the hills and walking up them again. Funny thing though... it's amazing how high a 2.5 year old can shoot up in the air when you hid a bump at the bottom of the hill. My littlest guy must have been ejected from the sleds at least three or four times. The tough little bugger still would head down the hill time after time. although he did want to avoid going down for a little bit after one particularly spectacular crash. I forgot my camera, I am kicking myself for it as some of these spills would have been great to capture in either video or in a still... next time. I am sure there will be a next time as the snow looks like it could be staying until next weekend.
See stuff like this just makes me laugh. I mean what woman can't help but swoon at the sight of these bad boys. Not only do they look ridiculous but check out where the trouser snake's doorway is? Well when I looked at the people that were wandering about in that store it did not surprise me one bit that something like those boxers were alive and kicking in there. When we drove in to our parking spot it was being invaded by a woman and what can only be described as Andrew Dice Clay's retarded brother. I mean it was winter and this tool was wearing a thin leather jacket and a wife beater with some goofy assed shades. Just utterly ponderous as to what would make someone dress like that and think, "yeah this is good, yeah I look good." Then on the way out I caught another fellow who looked like a reject from "That 70's Show" This poor fellow was cruising about in his high top basketball shoes, a mullet that would make Bruce Dickenson proud amongst other fashion faux pas.
So anyway on to my Sunday... Sunday was a lazy day for us as a family. The wife cooked a great breakfast and we all kind of just did our own thing. The boys played I surfed the internet and wife watched TV. Noon rolled around and a sumptuous feast of newfie tube steak was had (I opted for normal buns and the rest had crescent rolls wrapped around the little nitrate sticks. After that I opted to pretend to read while I took a nap on the couch. Then once the youngest had awoke from his nap (the oldest and youngest nap in our house) we took off to the sled hills of Brampton to have some winter fun. We trodded out to the sled hills to meet some friends and began the repetitious act of sliding down the hills and walking up them again. Funny thing though... it's amazing how high a 2.5 year old can shoot up in the air when you hid a bump at the bottom of the hill. My littlest guy must have been ejected from the sleds at least three or four times. The tough little bugger still would head down the hill time after time. although he did want to avoid going down for a little bit after one particularly spectacular crash. I forgot my camera, I am kicking myself for it as some of these spills would have been great to capture in either video or in a still... next time. I am sure there will be a next time as the snow looks like it could be staying until next weekend.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Good Greif
OK so it's winter here, guess what it snows. If you live in Canada you should know how to drive in snowy conditions.
So I expect a little bit of delay coming into work today, what normally takes 25 minutes took me an hour and twenty minutes. WTF? I swear if people don't know how to drive in winter conditions stay home, watch Dr. Phil and eat bon bons until Oprah comes on. Stay the fuck out of my way.
The worst offenders are the woman driving SUV crowd. I got stuck behind one and she had one of those weird ponytail things that make your hair go all spiky in a pinwheel kind of design. I am sure there is a proper name for it but I don't care enough to find out. Anyway she is all decked out in her Abercrombie and Fitch duds (is that fashionable anymore?) and her arty style glasses. Well every time the traffic slowed a little she is looking in her SUV for one thing or another putting on lipstick or rummaging through the bowels of her vehicle. Is it too much to ask that you don't preen yourself whilst driving? I was seriously considering doing a YouTube video of this moron showing all the shit she was doing but by the time I realized I had my camera with me she was off onto the highway to cause havoc where I wasn't going.
So needless to say my drive in was fucking horrible. I hate people that drive like idiots...
So I expect a little bit of delay coming into work today, what normally takes 25 minutes took me an hour and twenty minutes. WTF? I swear if people don't know how to drive in winter conditions stay home, watch Dr. Phil and eat bon bons until Oprah comes on. Stay the fuck out of my way.
The worst offenders are the woman driving SUV crowd. I got stuck behind one and she had one of those weird ponytail things that make your hair go all spiky in a pinwheel kind of design. I am sure there is a proper name for it but I don't care enough to find out. Anyway she is all decked out in her Abercrombie and Fitch duds (is that fashionable anymore?) and her arty style glasses. Well every time the traffic slowed a little she is looking in her SUV for one thing or another putting on lipstick or rummaging through the bowels of her vehicle. Is it too much to ask that you don't preen yourself whilst driving? I was seriously considering doing a YouTube video of this moron showing all the shit she was doing but by the time I realized I had my camera with me she was off onto the highway to cause havoc where I wasn't going.
So needless to say my drive in was fucking horrible. I hate people that drive like idiots...
Thursday, December 13, 2007
What do holidays and Christmas mean...
Every year I stop and think what is all the fuss for? Myself being Catholic it's all about Jesus. The birth of the Saviour of mankind (well if you subscribe to that line of religion anyway). See being Catholic I am pretty ignorant of the ways of the other religions. I know Judaism has Hanukkah and I understand the menorah and it's significance but I don't get how hanging out in a desert translates into a festival. Then there is Diwali which I understand to be a festival of lights but again I don't really know why. I know even less of Kwanza. So when you look at all the different religions out there isn't interesting that they all have some sort of celebration right around the end of the year? Now surely they didn't have super accurate record keeping 2000 years ago so is it possible that all these celebrations are about the same event either directly or indirectly? Sure the Bible, the Koran and all the other religious gospels were written by man. What if they are just different interpretations on what really happened. Surely you have always heard two sides to every story and some where in between lies the truth. What if the actual gospels of the various religions were... news, so to speak. We know that todays newscasters are all about spreading panic through misrepresentation of stories, blowing things all out of proportion all in the effort to up ratings and readership. What if we all worship the same God and all the fighting in the name of religious zealotry is really just over someones interpretation of a news story 2000 years, or more, ago. Makes you wonder if we are just really irritating God with our own stupidity and basically driving a wedge between Him and us. I know the Bible says I am supposed to go out and preach the Gospel to those in need of it. In all honesty I really don't think God needs my help other than for me to try to be a good person. If I am a good person, I am setting a good example for my kids to be good people, and continuing the cycle for my children to raise good children them selves. I think if God wants someone to do His bidding He will get in touch with them, just I would expect Him to contact me if He wants me to do the door to door thing preaching my religion.
So in our day and age of political correctness we are inundated with "seasons greetings" what the hell is that supposed to mean? Are we greeting the seasons? Is that really more PC than Merry Christmas or Happy Hanukkah? Could it not be construed that we are in fact following some sort of Wiccan or Druidism type greeting, as both of those religions tend to worship the earth and nature? I don't know I am happy to hear different greetings I think that you should wear your religion on your sleeve greet people with your particular religious greeting. Be proud of your faith what ever it may be and in turn let others be proud of theirs. It is only through understanding and acceptance that perhaps your viewpoint may not be the only one that is right that the world can and will be a better place. Embrace the diversity in the world, stop worrying that your beliefs will offend someone else, they are your beliefs and as a human being on this hunk of dirt you have a right (whether you believe it is God given or just a sentient right) to believe in what you want to believe. I feel bad for the people in the retail world where they are not allowed to greet people with Merry Christmas or what ever greeting they would choose to use. I always wish them a Merry Christmas, you should see their faces brighten when they hear it and they manage to squeak out a "Merry Christmas" back to me the whole time looking to see if their supervisor is in earshot. Should they be persecuted because of how they want to greet people? Should stores dictate how the customer is greeted? If I wish someone whom is of the Jewish faith a Merry Christmas I want them to smile back at me and wish me a Happy Hanukkah. That in my opinion would be a great exchange of beliefs in just two short greetings.
Of course this is really just my wish for peace on earth, so that instead of having all the military might in the world and all the money that is spent on those devices of destruction could be spent on helping people instead of killing them. I think it is a nice thought, but I am at a loss as to how to put it in to action.
On that note I will bid you all a very Merry Christmas!
So in our day and age of political correctness we are inundated with "seasons greetings" what the hell is that supposed to mean? Are we greeting the seasons? Is that really more PC than Merry Christmas or Happy Hanukkah? Could it not be construed that we are in fact following some sort of Wiccan or Druidism type greeting, as both of those religions tend to worship the earth and nature? I don't know I am happy to hear different greetings I think that you should wear your religion on your sleeve greet people with your particular religious greeting. Be proud of your faith what ever it may be and in turn let others be proud of theirs. It is only through understanding and acceptance that perhaps your viewpoint may not be the only one that is right that the world can and will be a better place. Embrace the diversity in the world, stop worrying that your beliefs will offend someone else, they are your beliefs and as a human being on this hunk of dirt you have a right (whether you believe it is God given or just a sentient right) to believe in what you want to believe. I feel bad for the people in the retail world where they are not allowed to greet people with Merry Christmas or what ever greeting they would choose to use. I always wish them a Merry Christmas, you should see their faces brighten when they hear it and they manage to squeak out a "Merry Christmas" back to me the whole time looking to see if their supervisor is in earshot. Should they be persecuted because of how they want to greet people? Should stores dictate how the customer is greeted? If I wish someone whom is of the Jewish faith a Merry Christmas I want them to smile back at me and wish me a Happy Hanukkah. That in my opinion would be a great exchange of beliefs in just two short greetings.
Of course this is really just my wish for peace on earth, so that instead of having all the military might in the world and all the money that is spent on those devices of destruction could be spent on helping people instead of killing them. I think it is a nice thought, but I am at a loss as to how to put it in to action.
On that note I will bid you all a very Merry Christmas!
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Crap I am becoming old...and cantankerous
So I am driving home Sunday afternoon and I call my wife to see if she would like anything while I am on my way home, that is code word for would you like something that I can get throw a drive through. I'm not lazy by any means I do lots around the house and I work a lot to help provide for my family, but when I am en route home I really don't want to get out of the car.
Anyway back to the phone call to the loving wife... She says sure get me a Cafe Mocha and get a vanilla dip doughnut for boy #1. I ask her what about the other one she replies that he has already been binging on sugar today so he doesn't need any more. So I am OK cool I'll see you when I get home then.
I wheel into the Tim Horton's near the house and I wait my turn in the already long line up for the drive through. I think no problem they usually have pretty quick people working the drive through. Well I sit there and I sit there. I am looking at the line from the ordering speaker to the pickup window start to separate from the line to the ordering speaker... Then the line at the pick up window is gone there is only a van sitting at the ordering speaker. And it sits and it sits and when it is done sitting it sits for some more... It felt like he was sitting there for an eternity I estimate the actual time to be just under 5 minutes, this is not acceptable behaviour for drive through activity. So I finally see this inconsiderate S.O.B move his gas guzzling monstrosity out of the way and up to the pickup window.... and he sits...and sits. I watch the three other cars behind order and move up behind the inconsiderate jackass. and I am getting kind of excited at this point because I am moving and not just because people in front of me have given up and are going in the store now. I am really moving in the line up (yay me!). So I look to the pick up window again it is still the same blue van. Dammit. WTF? This guy must have ordered lunch for an entire office, his bill must be $70.00 again unacceptable behaviour, if you have a large complex order get you lazy ass out of your car and go in the store it will be easier on everyone around you. So I finally see the van inch forward about 3 feet only to see the brake lights flash on again and the jackass gets out of his vehicle to walk back to the pick up window. Fuck me sideways what now? Apparently they forgot part of his order so he had to go back to get his cluster of sugar for his whining brat in the back seat or else his wife who is sitting beside him won't give him his balls back so he can watch the football game in the afternoon. So I see him standing at the window he is making all the stupid "I'm sorry" faces at the car directly behind him. Well my window is already rolled down and I am quite set off right now. I have had enough of waiting I have been in line for close to ten minutes now. So I spurt off the first thing that comes to mind, "Go in the store for a large order you JACKASS!" I know he heard me because I saw him looking around to see where it came from and his stupid "I'm sorry" face went away.
It was at that moment that I transitioned from accepting middle aged man to cantankerous aging white guy. I am only 36...
Anyway back to the phone call to the loving wife... She says sure get me a Cafe Mocha and get a vanilla dip doughnut for boy #1. I ask her what about the other one she replies that he has already been binging on sugar today so he doesn't need any more. So I am OK cool I'll see you when I get home then.
I wheel into the Tim Horton's near the house and I wait my turn in the already long line up for the drive through. I think no problem they usually have pretty quick people working the drive through. Well I sit there and I sit there. I am looking at the line from the ordering speaker to the pickup window start to separate from the line to the ordering speaker... Then the line at the pick up window is gone there is only a van sitting at the ordering speaker. And it sits and it sits and when it is done sitting it sits for some more... It felt like he was sitting there for an eternity I estimate the actual time to be just under 5 minutes, this is not acceptable behaviour for drive through activity. So I finally see this inconsiderate S.O.B move his gas guzzling monstrosity out of the way and up to the pickup window.... and he sits...and sits. I watch the three other cars behind order and move up behind the inconsiderate jackass. and I am getting kind of excited at this point because I am moving and not just because people in front of me have given up and are going in the store now. I am really moving in the line up (yay me!). So I look to the pick up window again it is still the same blue van. Dammit. WTF? This guy must have ordered lunch for an entire office, his bill must be $70.00 again unacceptable behaviour, if you have a large complex order get you lazy ass out of your car and go in the store it will be easier on everyone around you. So I finally see the van inch forward about 3 feet only to see the brake lights flash on again and the jackass gets out of his vehicle to walk back to the pick up window. Fuck me sideways what now? Apparently they forgot part of his order so he had to go back to get his cluster of sugar for his whining brat in the back seat or else his wife who is sitting beside him won't give him his balls back so he can watch the football game in the afternoon. So I see him standing at the window he is making all the stupid "I'm sorry" faces at the car directly behind him. Well my window is already rolled down and I am quite set off right now. I have had enough of waiting I have been in line for close to ten minutes now. So I spurt off the first thing that comes to mind, "Go in the store for a large order you JACKASS!" I know he heard me because I saw him looking around to see where it came from and his stupid "I'm sorry" face went away.
It was at that moment that I transitioned from accepting middle aged man to cantankerous aging white guy. I am only 36...
Friday, November 23, 2007
Sweeney Todd had no skill
Every wonder if the story of Sweeney Todd isn't really one about a serial killer but just some poor schmuck trying to make a living as a barber and he was just really really bad at it?
I picked up a straight razor (also known as a cut throat or lesser known as an open razor) from my barber a few days ago. Well it is definitely a steep learning curve on these bad boys. I have acquired a few little nicks but nothing that required stitches or a trip to the ER, much to the delight of my wife. I had to lay down the law with my 6 year old with regards to touching daddy's things.
The razor is an interesting little contraption where it takes a normal razor blade but snapped in half so there is no need for a strop or a stone to hone the edge. This might take some of the fun out of the whole idea behind using a straight razor for some at there certainly a ritual aspect to getting your razor's edge ready for use. I like the no nonsense approach of the replaceable edge perhaps when I develop a level of competency I will invest in a true straight razor.
In terms of ease of use I find that short strokes are the single most important technique a shaver can use. I have used a blade for years as the electric version or the razor, in my opinion, is about as useful as tits on a bull. I have long used the Gillette Sensor Excel brand and I love them they are simple to use and do a pretty good job at what I need them to do. What I dislike is the price of them. I buy my blades at Costco so I get a reasonable deal but still they are expensive you are looking at a dollar and change for a blade for the Gillette system as opposed to about 20 cents a blade for a regular razor blade and I get to chop that in half. So from a money stand point they are much cheaper. It does take a little bit of work to get out the bathroom with out looking like you've been punched in the face by Wolverine, but there is a certain satisfaction after a shave with a straight razor. Kind of like connecting with the ancestors of long ago.
Well I am out, with a smooth shave to boot...
I picked up a straight razor (also known as a cut throat or lesser known as an open razor) from my barber a few days ago. Well it is definitely a steep learning curve on these bad boys. I have acquired a few little nicks but nothing that required stitches or a trip to the ER, much to the delight of my wife. I had to lay down the law with my 6 year old with regards to touching daddy's things.
The razor is an interesting little contraption where it takes a normal razor blade but snapped in half so there is no need for a strop or a stone to hone the edge. This might take some of the fun out of the whole idea behind using a straight razor for some at there certainly a ritual aspect to getting your razor's edge ready for use. I like the no nonsense approach of the replaceable edge perhaps when I develop a level of competency I will invest in a true straight razor.
In terms of ease of use I find that short strokes are the single most important technique a shaver can use. I have used a blade for years as the electric version or the razor, in my opinion, is about as useful as tits on a bull. I have long used the Gillette Sensor Excel brand and I love them they are simple to use and do a pretty good job at what I need them to do. What I dislike is the price of them. I buy my blades at Costco so I get a reasonable deal but still they are expensive you are looking at a dollar and change for a blade for the Gillette system as opposed to about 20 cents a blade for a regular razor blade and I get to chop that in half. So from a money stand point they are much cheaper. It does take a little bit of work to get out the bathroom with out looking like you've been punched in the face by Wolverine, but there is a certain satisfaction after a shave with a straight razor. Kind of like connecting with the ancestors of long ago.
Well I am out, with a smooth shave to boot...
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
So with one weekend down
Several billion more to go. I am learning some very interesting things and feel good about everything that I am doing right now. It just feels right. You know how you can second guess all your choices and always wonder if what you did in the past is the right thing? Well that all stopped for me yesterday, I know I am doing the right things and I am where I am supposed to be and who I am supposed to be with and have all the things I am supposed to have. I am who I am supposed to be. For a very long time I have always felt uncomfortable in my own skin. Sure I may have not shown it but yesterday I felt like I was finally me. I don't know what it was because I didn't do anything really different I worked, then did a tech call after work and then came home and hung out with my wife for the night. Nothing out of the the ordinary just me being me... So I don't know why I felt better about it. But then again my thoughts and processes are odd to begin with so maybe I am just finally figuring out how I think... who knows...
My writing is suffering though, I have not put finger to keyboard in a creative sense for some time now... I miss it. I will have to make more time for it some where... Now just because I haven't written anything doesn't mean I am not still building the story in my head... kind of like high school when I would write a whole essay the night before... how long does it take to type out 300-400 pages? 48 hours? I should get to it if I am going to make my time line... sigh the bane of my existence is procrastination
My writing is suffering though, I have not put finger to keyboard in a creative sense for some time now... I miss it. I will have to make more time for it some where... Now just because I haven't written anything doesn't mean I am not still building the story in my head... kind of like high school when I would write a whole essay the night before... how long does it take to type out 300-400 pages? 48 hours? I should get to it if I am going to make my time line... sigh the bane of my existence is procrastination
Monday, October 22, 2007
Screw you Mattel!
You corporate greedy bastards!
Everyone is well aware of the whole lead paint scare. This came about from conglomerate companies trying to gain as much profit as possible on sub standard over priced products that have been marketed to death to various children ranging in ages from 1 - 6 years. Thanks Mattel for making my life hell, making my children's grandparents feel like they have been poisoning their own grandchildren with kindness. Thank you for ruining my faith that Mattel was a stand up company that actually had some integrity.
So everyone gets in a big panic about the possibility that their child has been scarfing down lead paint. We go through the vast list of toys shown and discover we have a few of them. In fact some of them were given as birthday gifts to my son (from their grandparents). So we fill out all the appropriate forms and get a postage label and send it off to Mattel like good consumers are supposed to do. Well we wait and wait and wait and wait. Pretty close to 3 months my kid has not been able to play with his beloved Diego Mountain play set thing. I finally receive it back. Did I get a replacement? No. Did I get a small token toy to show that Mattel as a provider of quality educational type toys actually gives a shit about their consumers? No. All I got was a lousy letter in a box with the original toy stating that this toy wasn't affected by the lead paint recall. A fucking letter that states Mattel is returning my unaffected toy as it was received at no expense to me. What fucking asshole wrote that line? At no expense to me? Fucking right no expense to me I didn't start the fucking recall. How on God's green earth would I even begin to be responsible for any expenses incurred for some soulless corporation's mistake? How about a little compensation for the inconvenience? I'm not a hard guy to please, just a small token peace offering... a five dollar gift certificate... a few hot wheels cars. It wouldn't have to be big just a token action to say we're sorry we screwed up in our ever lasting quest to make more money and it skewed our judgement and it won't happen again.
Well you know what Mattel? Fuck You.
There will not be another Mattel made item allowed in this home as long as I draw breath. You fucked up and now I as a consumer am making my stand.
Everyone is well aware of the whole lead paint scare. This came about from conglomerate companies trying to gain as much profit as possible on sub standard over priced products that have been marketed to death to various children ranging in ages from 1 - 6 years. Thanks Mattel for making my life hell, making my children's grandparents feel like they have been poisoning their own grandchildren with kindness. Thank you for ruining my faith that Mattel was a stand up company that actually had some integrity.
So everyone gets in a big panic about the possibility that their child has been scarfing down lead paint. We go through the vast list of toys shown and discover we have a few of them. In fact some of them were given as birthday gifts to my son (from their grandparents). So we fill out all the appropriate forms and get a postage label and send it off to Mattel like good consumers are supposed to do. Well we wait and wait and wait and wait. Pretty close to 3 months my kid has not been able to play with his beloved Diego Mountain play set thing. I finally receive it back. Did I get a replacement? No. Did I get a small token toy to show that Mattel as a provider of quality educational type toys actually gives a shit about their consumers? No. All I got was a lousy letter in a box with the original toy stating that this toy wasn't affected by the lead paint recall. A fucking letter that states Mattel is returning my unaffected toy as it was received at no expense to me. What fucking asshole wrote that line? At no expense to me? Fucking right no expense to me I didn't start the fucking recall. How on God's green earth would I even begin to be responsible for any expenses incurred for some soulless corporation's mistake? How about a little compensation for the inconvenience? I'm not a hard guy to please, just a small token peace offering... a five dollar gift certificate... a few hot wheels cars. It wouldn't have to be big just a token action to say we're sorry we screwed up in our ever lasting quest to make more money and it skewed our judgement and it won't happen again.
Well you know what Mattel? Fuck You.
There will not be another Mattel made item allowed in this home as long as I draw breath. You fucked up and now I as a consumer am making my stand.
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Childhood innocence
I was asked to go to the park today by my 6 year old. I honestly wasn't really in the mood but he asked and I have a problem denying him anything. I said I was going to sit on the bench and listen to some music. The park was empty which I thought was odd considering it was a beautiful day. He told me that he was really hoping that there would be some one at the park to play with, there was not one child to be seen. So he just looked at me and said well I guess I'll just play by myself. So I said OK I'll be here on the bench.
I watched him jump, climb, slide and swing. He dug, skipped and kicked. He hung, twisted and turned. While he was digging and letting the sand fall back to the earth I watched him and made a simple wish. A wish that childhood innocence could last longer than it does. Maybe I am naive and lost in a world of wishful thinking but I would love to see it stretch well in to late teens. Kids just seem to not be able to be kids anymore. I was robbed of my childhood at ten. My parents got a divorce and I had much more to deal with than regular kids at that time. Kids are exposed to so much at such a young age and there just seems to be some much more pushed on them. They are exposed to violence on television in cartoons, they are exposed to drugs in the media in the news, they are exposed to alternative life styles in day to day life. Sure sometimes it seems like they don't notice it but you know they pick up on everything. I remember the time I used the word "fuck"... he was a year and a half old and he repeated it for the next 30 minutes. They hear and see everything. I love both of my boys and I want them to experience things when they are ready not when some one else thinks they are ready.
I have neighbours that have older kids and their young boy has come home with all the wrong ideas about girls and he's only ten. Why does his friend who is only ten know all this? Where are his parents in this? Even if he has older brothers or sisters he shouldn't be exposed to this he should be still concerned with building the biggest ramp for his Hot Wheels cars or where to take GI Joe for his next adventure. Worry about what happens to the spiders in the garden when winter comes. He should be worrying about kid stuff.
I know the perception of how the family unit comes about is out of whack. My wife was a supply teacher for a period of time before she became a full time teacher. She took a long term assignment of a grade two class. There was a little girl in that class that asked if she was married, she said yes and showed her a picture of us on our wedding day. The little girl looked at the picture and asked to see a picture of her baby. My wife said she didn't have a baby. The little girl looked at her puzzled and said, no you should have a baby if you are married you have a baby before you get married. My wife taught that little girl in a Catholic school. A religion that is supposed to teach abstinence until marriage. I know that not everyone will abstain and God knows I didn't. The flesh is weak and God knows that. To skew a young girl's perception of the family unit like that though just seems so perverse. The morals and the values these days are out of line and I believe it is all in the effort to make more money and desire to fill ones life with things rather than good people, media moguls and conglomerates push the envelope to see what they can air on television or print in newspapers. News channels broadcast tragedy before they broadcast good. All in the effort to bump ratings or increase sales.
How do we stop this consumption of bad influences that is become our society? How do I prolong my boys innocence?
I watched him jump, climb, slide and swing. He dug, skipped and kicked. He hung, twisted and turned. While he was digging and letting the sand fall back to the earth I watched him and made a simple wish. A wish that childhood innocence could last longer than it does. Maybe I am naive and lost in a world of wishful thinking but I would love to see it stretch well in to late teens. Kids just seem to not be able to be kids anymore. I was robbed of my childhood at ten. My parents got a divorce and I had much more to deal with than regular kids at that time. Kids are exposed to so much at such a young age and there just seems to be some much more pushed on them. They are exposed to violence on television in cartoons, they are exposed to drugs in the media in the news, they are exposed to alternative life styles in day to day life. Sure sometimes it seems like they don't notice it but you know they pick up on everything. I remember the time I used the word "fuck"... he was a year and a half old and he repeated it for the next 30 minutes. They hear and see everything. I love both of my boys and I want them to experience things when they are ready not when some one else thinks they are ready.
I have neighbours that have older kids and their young boy has come home with all the wrong ideas about girls and he's only ten. Why does his friend who is only ten know all this? Where are his parents in this? Even if he has older brothers or sisters he shouldn't be exposed to this he should be still concerned with building the biggest ramp for his Hot Wheels cars or where to take GI Joe for his next adventure. Worry about what happens to the spiders in the garden when winter comes. He should be worrying about kid stuff.
I know the perception of how the family unit comes about is out of whack. My wife was a supply teacher for a period of time before she became a full time teacher. She took a long term assignment of a grade two class. There was a little girl in that class that asked if she was married, she said yes and showed her a picture of us on our wedding day. The little girl looked at the picture and asked to see a picture of her baby. My wife said she didn't have a baby. The little girl looked at her puzzled and said, no you should have a baby if you are married you have a baby before you get married. My wife taught that little girl in a Catholic school. A religion that is supposed to teach abstinence until marriage. I know that not everyone will abstain and God knows I didn't. The flesh is weak and God knows that. To skew a young girl's perception of the family unit like that though just seems so perverse. The morals and the values these days are out of line and I believe it is all in the effort to make more money and desire to fill ones life with things rather than good people, media moguls and conglomerates push the envelope to see what they can air on television or print in newspapers. News channels broadcast tragedy before they broadcast good. All in the effort to bump ratings or increase sales.
How do we stop this consumption of bad influences that is become our society? How do I prolong my boys innocence?
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Well did you miss me?
So I didn't go anywhere I just didn't feel like sharing what was going on over the past little while. Some of you who actually read this and I have regular contact with know what the issues were but I am not going to rehash them out here. If you want/must know you can email me a 250 word essay why you need to know...
So what to rant about today... TV I hate TV sure there are some great shows on it I prefer the Discovery Channel, but my boys prefer Teletoon and Treehouse. Both of which I can't stand, especially Teletoon. Admittedly I have watched some shows on it such as Robot Chicken and Tripping the Rift just simply to amuse and titillate but those spurts are usually short lived. I have often wondered how people can get so into TV so that they must schedule their lives around it. I understand the infirm have a need for it but they don't have to watch it all the time they could pick up a book and read. Play a game or even create something artistic.
I think my biggest issue is I am being led when I watch TV. I am being pulled along to see someone's opinion on something or how someone sees the world. Sure there are some great stories out there and some wonderful documentaries. You still need to have a strong enough mind to make your own conclusions on the evidence submitted. I think that watching TV is breaking down that ability for people to think, to deduce and to conclude. For instance my parents watch TV nearly non stop when they are home. I can't have an intelligent conversation for more than 10 minutes with either of them as they don't have the attention span or they are lacking in the cognitive functions required to take part in the conversation.
Sadly my oldest loves TV, he would rather watch it than anything else. I often wonder if that is my fault. Do I spend too much time reading? Do I not encourage him enough to be able to play and use his imagination in that? I have been reading to him Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone which he is enjoying. We don't read together every night but we try to make time for it 3-4 times a week. I am no story teller or a public reader by any stretch of the imagination but he enjoys it and so do I, so I suppose that is what matters.
I wonder about the societal implications that television will have on the children of today. I know there are affects already happening right now with the desire for instant gratification syndrome we have developed in the teens of today. Will it worsen with the 0-8 year olds of today? I think as parents we need to really monitor what our children do and have a greater impact in what they watch and when they can watch TV. I am not so against the idea of watching movies but the TV shows where they just seem so senseless.
I don't know maybe I am out of line in my thinking, maybe I expect too much from my children, from other people children...
So what to rant about today... TV I hate TV sure there are some great shows on it I prefer the Discovery Channel, but my boys prefer Teletoon and Treehouse. Both of which I can't stand, especially Teletoon. Admittedly I have watched some shows on it such as Robot Chicken and Tripping the Rift just simply to amuse and titillate but those spurts are usually short lived. I have often wondered how people can get so into TV so that they must schedule their lives around it. I understand the infirm have a need for it but they don't have to watch it all the time they could pick up a book and read. Play a game or even create something artistic.
I think my biggest issue is I am being led when I watch TV. I am being pulled along to see someone's opinion on something or how someone sees the world. Sure there are some great stories out there and some wonderful documentaries. You still need to have a strong enough mind to make your own conclusions on the evidence submitted. I think that watching TV is breaking down that ability for people to think, to deduce and to conclude. For instance my parents watch TV nearly non stop when they are home. I can't have an intelligent conversation for more than 10 minutes with either of them as they don't have the attention span or they are lacking in the cognitive functions required to take part in the conversation.
Sadly my oldest loves TV, he would rather watch it than anything else. I often wonder if that is my fault. Do I spend too much time reading? Do I not encourage him enough to be able to play and use his imagination in that? I have been reading to him Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone which he is enjoying. We don't read together every night but we try to make time for it 3-4 times a week. I am no story teller or a public reader by any stretch of the imagination but he enjoys it and so do I, so I suppose that is what matters.
I wonder about the societal implications that television will have on the children of today. I know there are affects already happening right now with the desire for instant gratification syndrome we have developed in the teens of today. Will it worsen with the 0-8 year olds of today? I think as parents we need to really monitor what our children do and have a greater impact in what they watch and when they can watch TV. I am not so against the idea of watching movies but the TV shows where they just seem so senseless.
I don't know maybe I am out of line in my thinking, maybe I expect too much from my children, from other people children...
Friday, September 21, 2007
Well so much has happened since the last post...
Ha I call bullshit on that one...
OK so not much has gone on. I helped my mom close up her trailer on the 15th and I went to the zoo on the 16th (teacher's day I got in free). I haven't had much time to really contemplate my existence on this hunk of dirt. For those that know me they know I analyze things to death and when they are dead then I can perform an autopsy on them and really begin to understand them. Well OK maybe I am not that bad, but I am close. My Achilles heel so to speak is my constant thought wandering I do through out the day, usually when I should be concentrating on something else.
I'm a dreamer and I suppose I always will be I have fleeting thoughts of what I want to do with my life from moment to moment...
OK so not much has gone on. I helped my mom close up her trailer on the 15th and I went to the zoo on the 16th (teacher's day I got in free). I haven't had much time to really contemplate my existence on this hunk of dirt. For those that know me they know I analyze things to death and when they are dead then I can perform an autopsy on them and really begin to understand them. Well OK maybe I am not that bad, but I am close. My Achilles heel so to speak is my constant thought wandering I do through out the day, usually when I should be concentrating on something else.
I'm a dreamer and I suppose I always will be I have fleeting thoughts of what I want to do with my life from moment to moment...
Sunday, September 09, 2007
Will you leave a mark on this planet? (part deux)
OK so maybe it isn't a continuation of my previous entry... I just wanted to use (part deux)....
So some of you may know I have an addiction. Yes I have an addiction... me who beat smoking in one day. I who have tried many hard drugs and was able to avoid getting hooked.
I am addicted to ink. I like getting tattoos a lot. I got another one just yesterday and I have another appointment later on in October. I am either going to get traditional Japanese air line to fill out my half sleeve or I am going to do something on my other arm like a triple cross arrangement or some light rays around an existing tattoo I have... I guess I need to decide that...
Funny thing about tattoos depending on the age of people you are dealing with you can still be perceived as a criminal. I have seen many people who are a little on the older side react negatively to my choices I have made, and not just oh I don't like tattoos kind of negative. I can appreciate that tattoos are not for everyone and I am OK with that. We all make choices and not everyone makes the same choice. However when the prejudices make people think one way before knowing a person that's just kind of sad.
So some of you may know I have an addiction. Yes I have an addiction... me who beat smoking in one day. I who have tried many hard drugs and was able to avoid getting hooked.
I am addicted to ink. I like getting tattoos a lot. I got another one just yesterday and I have another appointment later on in October. I am either going to get traditional Japanese air line to fill out my half sleeve or I am going to do something on my other arm like a triple cross arrangement or some light rays around an existing tattoo I have... I guess I need to decide that...
Funny thing about tattoos depending on the age of people you are dealing with you can still be perceived as a criminal. I have seen many people who are a little on the older side react negatively to my choices I have made, and not just oh I don't like tattoos kind of negative. I can appreciate that tattoos are not for everyone and I am OK with that. We all make choices and not everyone makes the same choice. However when the prejudices make people think one way before knowing a person that's just kind of sad.
Thursday, September 06, 2007
Will you leave a mark on this planet?
I have often wondered if I will leave a mark on this planet when I leave it to meet my maker. Aside from the obvious of leaving behind family, which eventually will forget who the hell you are as the generations pass, and friends, which again will die and you again will be forgotten, will anyone know who I am? I mean will blogger and my blog be here for years or even decades after i die? Will what I write make a difference in someones life? Will they think similar thoughts to me? Will there be some answer somewhere in this blog that an unknown person far into the future is searching for and BAM there is is in some inane ramblings of a thirtysomething's life? Do I have dreams of grandeur? Do I have my head in the clouds? Are my feet even grounded in reality? Do I have it in me to succeed in life? Do I have the internal fortitude to continue doing what I think is right even though I feel like I should give up? Is it true that when I think I am farthest from my goal that I am actually the closest? Should I start answering my own questions?
I need to poop....
I need to poop....
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
It's hard being a dad with a mental maturity level of a twelve year old
Well it seems I don't learn from past experiences... I believe that makes me insane, in that I do the same thing over and expect a different outcome.
Well we hit Centreville for the second time this year. The boys love it and well me I like it because the boys do but the crowds drive me right mental, like keep all sharp objects away from me mental. Even though my mental sate is questionable I still am able to retain my keen sense of observation. I was waiting in line like so many heads of cattle waiting at the abbatoir, and I see a fellow who looked like he's done well for himself. He's probably mid 40's and is clad in everything with a brand name right down to the Rolex watch. One small issue though which in my not so humble opinion ruins the whole image, one sock Adidas and the other with a lovely Nike swoosh. Douche bag, when you get dress make sure your socks match it's the little details that can make or break an image I mean I can go into debt to grab a Rolex and buy all kinds of brand name clothes but if you don't polish the image you still look like a friggen dork regardless of how much money you spend or have. Well needless to say this put a giggle into me for a good portion of the day.
So what else did I encounter... oh the infamous "I need to pee" whilst in the middle of nowhere even though we are on Queens Quay. Friggen restaurants with thier nazi attitudes regarding their washrooms. Yes I understand every flush of the toilet costs money not a lot but it does cost. I understand you only want to let people who consume what ever you sell use it. He's a six year old. You as a restaurant or a cafe should be honoured that I as a parent deemed your establishment worthy of accepting my son's urine, that I saw your restaurant and thought it would be clean enough for the highest of highnesses. Ungrateful wretches that man the consumer world retail outlets.
So all in all the kids behaved reasonably well for the day we DVD'd them in the car on the ride home so it was peaceful. As it was nearing 7:30 we decided a restaurant meal would be a good idea rather than waiting to get home and cook something. East Side Mario's was the choice of the woman in charge, so that is where we go. We get there and it is pretty quiet being that it is a Sunday night and fairly late. So they seat us at a gigantic booth, I mean this could seat 8 people, we are only two adults and two children and neither Dianna or I are particularly large. So the boy side one aside on the booth and out come the barrage of toys that my wife carries with her at all times. Instead of giving only one or two to David she gives the whole bag of cars to him. Well that is just an invitation for him to mimic a 15 car pileup on the 401. This of course means that you have to have some go over the edge in a firey explosion. So the cars start their clattering decent into the bowels of darkness that lay beneath the table. My six year old finds this very entertaining. Good, he can climb under the table and pick them up. So off I go on my little rant to the young one to sit, be quiet, behave and what have you and I am staring at him with my best daddy death stare. I believe his response was "vroom" which at that point made a blood vessel in my left eye explode. This was enough to set my wife into a fit of attempted concealed laughter. You know what I am talking about that laugh people do when they knbow they aren't supposed to laugh where it looks like their body is dry heaving but they have a smile on their face... yeah that one. Well that pushed me over the edge, it was at that point that I wanted no more of my children or wife at that time. I said, to know one in particular, "Daddy is off duty please direct any and all inquiries to mommy for the remainder of the evening." Which of course at this point my six year old asks what's an inquiry. I pointed to my wife and took a sip of my beer.
So my wife has about a minute of dealing with the two year old before she ops for a high chair intervention program. At least this way the little minion is contained. So the rest of the meal is somewhat uneventful except they brought David his dinner in a dish shaped like a boat. I mean WTF are they thinking? As a parent we teach them not to play with their food and these sick bastards think it's a good idea to use a boat dish for a two year old's meal? Mental, I tell you, mental. We near the end of the meal and David is running out of steam and is leaning back in his high chair and there is this waitress walking by and stops and says, "Hey little man whatcha doing? We be chillin'?" Again WTF goes through my head, here is this waitress not much older than 18. didn't that phrase die a horrible death about 10 years ago or is that still cool? She then when into a babbling tirade of how she looks like a librarian and comes out with "we be chillin'" maybe she is more librarian like then I thought it would be pretty nerdy to use that phrase long after it had lost it's cool... Maybe the babbling tirade was because of the look of shock and awe on my face for her uttering such an atrocity at my child. Or maybe it was just David with his nonchalant fuck you look he had... I dunno...
Well we hit Centreville for the second time this year. The boys love it and well me I like it because the boys do but the crowds drive me right mental, like keep all sharp objects away from me mental. Even though my mental sate is questionable I still am able to retain my keen sense of observation. I was waiting in line like so many heads of cattle waiting at the abbatoir, and I see a fellow who looked like he's done well for himself. He's probably mid 40's and is clad in everything with a brand name right down to the Rolex watch. One small issue though which in my not so humble opinion ruins the whole image, one sock Adidas and the other with a lovely Nike swoosh. Douche bag, when you get dress make sure your socks match it's the little details that can make or break an image I mean I can go into debt to grab a Rolex and buy all kinds of brand name clothes but if you don't polish the image you still look like a friggen dork regardless of how much money you spend or have. Well needless to say this put a giggle into me for a good portion of the day.
So what else did I encounter... oh the infamous "I need to pee" whilst in the middle of nowhere even though we are on Queens Quay. Friggen restaurants with thier nazi attitudes regarding their washrooms. Yes I understand every flush of the toilet costs money not a lot but it does cost. I understand you only want to let people who consume what ever you sell use it. He's a six year old. You as a restaurant or a cafe should be honoured that I as a parent deemed your establishment worthy of accepting my son's urine, that I saw your restaurant and thought it would be clean enough for the highest of highnesses. Ungrateful wretches that man the consumer world retail outlets.
So all in all the kids behaved reasonably well for the day we DVD'd them in the car on the ride home so it was peaceful. As it was nearing 7:30 we decided a restaurant meal would be a good idea rather than waiting to get home and cook something. East Side Mario's was the choice of the woman in charge, so that is where we go. We get there and it is pretty quiet being that it is a Sunday night and fairly late. So they seat us at a gigantic booth, I mean this could seat 8 people, we are only two adults and two children and neither Dianna or I are particularly large. So the boy side one aside on the booth and out come the barrage of toys that my wife carries with her at all times. Instead of giving only one or two to David she gives the whole bag of cars to him. Well that is just an invitation for him to mimic a 15 car pileup on the 401. This of course means that you have to have some go over the edge in a firey explosion. So the cars start their clattering decent into the bowels of darkness that lay beneath the table. My six year old finds this very entertaining. Good, he can climb under the table and pick them up. So off I go on my little rant to the young one to sit, be quiet, behave and what have you and I am staring at him with my best daddy death stare. I believe his response was "vroom" which at that point made a blood vessel in my left eye explode. This was enough to set my wife into a fit of attempted concealed laughter. You know what I am talking about that laugh people do when they knbow they aren't supposed to laugh where it looks like their body is dry heaving but they have a smile on their face... yeah that one. Well that pushed me over the edge, it was at that point that I wanted no more of my children or wife at that time. I said, to know one in particular, "Daddy is off duty please direct any and all inquiries to mommy for the remainder of the evening." Which of course at this point my six year old asks what's an inquiry. I pointed to my wife and took a sip of my beer.
So my wife has about a minute of dealing with the two year old before she ops for a high chair intervention program. At least this way the little minion is contained. So the rest of the meal is somewhat uneventful except they brought David his dinner in a dish shaped like a boat. I mean WTF are they thinking? As a parent we teach them not to play with their food and these sick bastards think it's a good idea to use a boat dish for a two year old's meal? Mental, I tell you, mental. We near the end of the meal and David is running out of steam and is leaning back in his high chair and there is this waitress walking by and stops and says, "Hey little man whatcha doing? We be chillin'?" Again WTF goes through my head, here is this waitress not much older than 18. didn't that phrase die a horrible death about 10 years ago or is that still cool? She then when into a babbling tirade of how she looks like a librarian and comes out with "we be chillin'" maybe she is more librarian like then I thought it would be pretty nerdy to use that phrase long after it had lost it's cool... Maybe the babbling tirade was because of the look of shock and awe on my face for her uttering such an atrocity at my child. Or maybe it was just David with his nonchalant fuck you look he had... I dunno...
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Awwww crap...
German scientists have broken the speed of light...
So my friggen light switch is going to operate slower now... perfect just perfect....
So my friggen light switch is going to operate slower now... perfect just perfect....
Monday, August 13, 2007
Just call me project boy...
Well it seems that for me being on the edge of 36 is where ambition kicks in. I am up early every weekend morning even before my kids wake up. I am doing projects around the house all the time. Either refinishing wooden furniture or fixing up something or maintaining the appearance of the house. Dianna must love it because she no doesn't see me lying about all day Saturday and Sunday. I haven't even picked up the Wiimote in weeks. I loved playing the Wii yet lately have no desire for it. I have become a junky for the sense of accomplishment that comes with finishing a project.
I love the sense of pride I get from finishing something like a painting job so that it it is noticeable by the people walking by... I just wish I had more time to do things around the house.
It all just takes time I suppose and maybe I should be doing something other than blogging...
I love the sense of pride I get from finishing something like a painting job so that it it is noticeable by the people walking by... I just wish I had more time to do things around the house.
It all just takes time I suppose and maybe I should be doing something other than blogging...
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
Halfway point of summer....
I know some people start summer holidays long before we do. My wife and kids basically start summer vacation at the beginning of July. I just realized that we just had our August long weekend and that pretty much marks the mid point of the summer.
So far my boys have been to Center Island, A day out with Thomas and a local beach and they have also been to various play places like Chuck E Cheese and a place called "Kidnetics". They have also been through a two week swimming lesson course, and Thomas is learning to play the keyboard.
When I was a kid it was go out and play. Sure we had vacation time but that was go to the cottage and go out and play. I am kind of in a dumbfounded state thinking of all the things my kids do just to keep them entertained over the summer. I really am beginning to think that maybe our youth these days are so apathetic towards everything is because we fail in letting them play creatively. We as parents are paranoid that someone will come along and snatch our child away from us. I think we fail to give our children credit with regards to their own intelligence. Children do as do adult have a built in fight or flight response. We as parents I believe have hindered that. We make our kids be nice to strangers and then we shield them from all the harms in the world. Thinking that one day we'll let them go and experience it. Yet when that time comes they rarely want to as they have "done" everything virtually through video games or the internet. They seem to have lost the idea of experiencing life.
I think I have some work to do with my boys...
So far my boys have been to Center Island, A day out with Thomas and a local beach and they have also been to various play places like Chuck E Cheese and a place called "Kidnetics". They have also been through a two week swimming lesson course, and Thomas is learning to play the keyboard.
When I was a kid it was go out and play. Sure we had vacation time but that was go to the cottage and go out and play. I am kind of in a dumbfounded state thinking of all the things my kids do just to keep them entertained over the summer. I really am beginning to think that maybe our youth these days are so apathetic towards everything is because we fail in letting them play creatively. We as parents are paranoid that someone will come along and snatch our child away from us. I think we fail to give our children credit with regards to their own intelligence. Children do as do adult have a built in fight or flight response. We as parents I believe have hindered that. We make our kids be nice to strangers and then we shield them from all the harms in the world. Thinking that one day we'll let them go and experience it. Yet when that time comes they rarely want to as they have "done" everything virtually through video games or the internet. They seem to have lost the idea of experiencing life.
I think I have some work to do with my boys...
Saturday, August 04, 2007
Time give me time...
Is it bad when you find you are lacking time to blog? And you feel bad about it? Like some how you are letting people (I think I am up to 4 people reading this) down, that want to read my tripe and drivel in hopes that I might make them laugh? I really need to get over myself...
So last Saturday the family and I headed out to Wasaga Beach for a day of fun and sun in the waves and sand. Well we didn't take any pictures, we had the camera but decided to keep it hidden away from sand and what have you. Really is a shame considering the eye candy that we came across. I am quite sure they didn't look like that when I was a lad. Funny thing the beach is... as many beautiful people you get in a skimpy outfits you get probably more of people who should be wearing skimpy outfits. I mean I am not body beautiful... at best I am body so-so. The difference lies in that I know that I shouldn't wear a banana hammock... while some of the other revelers of sun and fun don't quite acknowledge they should maybe cover up a bit. I saw one lady probably mid 40's to early 50's in a bikini... a bright fucking red bikini. I doubt she had seen the sun in quite some time either judging from her pale complexion although I do believe they are selling SPF 6000 for the Scottish in the world now. Anyway I often wonder if people realize they just shouldn't be dressed like that and do it anyway or if they just don't realize they don't have the physique that they had when they were nineteen. So some jokes were had regarding this poor woman's appearance. Then I was subjected to the man boobs. I saw a young couple wandering along the beach and the girl would have done better to cover up a bit more, she was probably on her way to becoming the lady in the red bikini but she wasn't grotesque or anything... kind of on the fence and falling off on the wrong side. The guy who was really dating out of his league had the complexion of a carton of white milk. Marshmallows are more tan than this boy was. The thing that really caught my attention was his little man boobies. At first I was thinking that maybe there might be some hormonal imbalance but then though nope little pudding boy has never done anything more physical than rockin' out on his Playstation. Those man boobies are of his own creation. I must admit I was briefly in awe of them as the bounced with every step and they settled to their natural state just in time to be jiggled by the next step. I am quite sure that they were only maybe a cup size or two smaller than those of who I assume was his girlfriend. I do often wonder what goes on in people's heads when they hit the beach. Do people think it's their right to subject others to their exposed flesh? I am not saying everyone should wear a moo moo but some modesty should be exercised. And hey lets face it a bit of plain old exercise couldn't hurt either. So anyway those were a few of the things that made me go hmmmm... Common sense it does a body good...
So last Saturday the family and I headed out to Wasaga Beach for a day of fun and sun in the waves and sand. Well we didn't take any pictures, we had the camera but decided to keep it hidden away from sand and what have you. Really is a shame considering the eye candy that we came across. I am quite sure they didn't look like that when I was a lad. Funny thing the beach is... as many beautiful people you get in a skimpy outfits you get probably more of people who should be wearing skimpy outfits. I mean I am not body beautiful... at best I am body so-so. The difference lies in that I know that I shouldn't wear a banana hammock... while some of the other revelers of sun and fun don't quite acknowledge they should maybe cover up a bit. I saw one lady probably mid 40's to early 50's in a bikini... a bright fucking red bikini. I doubt she had seen the sun in quite some time either judging from her pale complexion although I do believe they are selling SPF 6000 for the Scottish in the world now. Anyway I often wonder if people realize they just shouldn't be dressed like that and do it anyway or if they just don't realize they don't have the physique that they had when they were nineteen. So some jokes were had regarding this poor woman's appearance. Then I was subjected to the man boobs. I saw a young couple wandering along the beach and the girl would have done better to cover up a bit more, she was probably on her way to becoming the lady in the red bikini but she wasn't grotesque or anything... kind of on the fence and falling off on the wrong side. The guy who was really dating out of his league had the complexion of a carton of white milk. Marshmallows are more tan than this boy was. The thing that really caught my attention was his little man boobies. At first I was thinking that maybe there might be some hormonal imbalance but then though nope little pudding boy has never done anything more physical than rockin' out on his Playstation. Those man boobies are of his own creation. I must admit I was briefly in awe of them as the bounced with every step and they settled to their natural state just in time to be jiggled by the next step. I am quite sure that they were only maybe a cup size or two smaller than those of who I assume was his girlfriend. I do often wonder what goes on in people's heads when they hit the beach. Do people think it's their right to subject others to their exposed flesh? I am not saying everyone should wear a moo moo but some modesty should be exercised. And hey lets face it a bit of plain old exercise couldn't hurt either. So anyway those were a few of the things that made me go hmmmm... Common sense it does a body good...
Monday, July 23, 2007
Quality not Quantity
Yesterday was the eldest's birthday. We did the day our with Thomas thing for him. It was a flippen 2 hour drive to get there and a 2 hour drive to get back. My wife made plans for us to meet my family at a restaurant at 5:30 pm, we had a 1pm train ride on Thomas and too much junk to see. Dianna though we would leave at 10am we didn't leave until about 10:20am the venue had moved so we had to find out where it moved to so that ate up more time I think we finally got in at 12:40pm. Then the friken train ride didn't go until 1:30pm. That left us a whopping hour to check out what the rest of the place was about. Thomas had a bit of fun on a bouncy castle and a hay stack maze. David picked a fight with another kid, the kid hit him David laughed and pounded him. The other kid wanted a piece of him but his dad stopped him. I think he knew David would smoke him. Thomas got a shot with Sir Topemhat it wasn't going to happen for David. So we had them play for a bit in the imagination station got them some hats and a Thomas a train whistle. Had them head out and David had a meltdown because he had to leave. The both crashed in the car shortly after, thankfully David slept the whole ride back.
Overall impression with a Day out with Thomas... it sucked. I think it would have been better if we weren't so rushed but even then I think it still would have sucked. It was set up in a dusty area. The lines to get on to the train were poorly organized, everything was grossly over priced. Frankly not worth the money. Just a really crappy experience. I would have had more fun with the kids playing with the Thomas the tank engine train set at home.
Overall impression with a Day out with Thomas... it sucked. I think it would have been better if we weren't so rushed but even then I think it still would have sucked. It was set up in a dusty area. The lines to get on to the train were poorly organized, everything was grossly over priced. Frankly not worth the money. Just a really crappy experience. I would have had more fun with the kids playing with the Thomas the tank engine train set at home.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
