Weird Providence

And every so often, when I’m feeling like things just can’t get any worse, I hand the reigns of my life over to God for a little while.  Today has been one of those days.  I’ll not go into detail, but between my professional life and my home life, I’ve had occasion of late to feel like the proverbial camel.  So here’s were I hand off to God.  Yep, half way home I glared up at the ceiling of the cab in my truck (with two little boys playing let’s see you can be louder) and out loud I said, “Well, You seem to have it in for me, so you drive.”

See, yesterday my wife received a demand notice from Avon, “requesting that she bring her account up to date.”  Quite simply that’s $161.51 that we don’t have.  Can’t afford it, hell can’t even afford to pay the bills I knew about.  Then when I get home today, there in the mailbox is a refund cheque for medical claim that we sent in a good couple of months ago to Blue Cross.  I had given up this claim as a dud, the last one came back as a dud, so I rather thought this one might as well.  Alright, so far this isn’t too strange.

Now the weird providence part of this story.  The value of that cheque?  $161.94

I’m officially kinda weirded out by that, the value, the timing, all of it.

To top off the weirdness of the day, my ex-wife is being almost helpful in dealing with the teen-aged son and the crazy schedule of tomorrow.  I wasn’t sure how to make everything line up, but then on a chance call to confirm that he was in fact visiting us this weekend, and she offered to drop him off, so now the timing will all work out.  Life is strange, but thanks for your help Lord.

I’m off to do some actual work now, later.

Anger – boon or hindrance?

Yeah I was.  I’m not getting into why, that’s not relevant.  But I do get angry, call it whatever you want.  My feelings get hurt, more easily than I’d like.

Part of this comes from where I came from, and being who/what I am genetically.  See I have a really really good adrenaline system, and when it sparks man…  I can fly.   Heh, when I get wound up I feel like I can take down the whole offensive line single handed.  (Odd that I’ve never really gotten into a good brawl, but there it is).

This is  a good thing from a survival base, but it’s also a bad thing on a social and personal (interpersonal?) level.  That kind of short-wired thinking is the cause of many of the worst things many men (and women…) have done in their lives.

*discrete show of hands if you are in this camp…*  * I am*

So here’s a video for y’all.

There you have it…

And today, I almost lashed out in anger, but after hitting the first send button, it asked if I was sure… and I said …

 

No.  Hit delete and it’s gone…

This is a record for me.  I intentionally asked myself what the hell was going on in my head, and why..

And without actually making any sense, I managed to go from screaming mad and seeing red targets on everything, to simply being frustrated at the situation and looking for a solution to it all.

I’m hoping this is the start of a new trend in my life,  here’s to calm collected reasoning.

Cheers,

God Bless, and hang in there, we’re not making much sense right now but it’ll get better.

 

Corruptor – Jason Cordova

First thing, it’s been a while since I read a book, sorry, make that a good book that kept me up half the night more than once…

Thus, right off the top I have to mention the book that I actually bought from Fictionwise.  Corruptor by Jason Cordova

Here`s a picture.

Here this is a link to the writer`s blog, from there you can get to all kinds of places.

Here`s the direct link to the Amazon purchase page.

Here is a direct link to the Fictionwise site for purchase

In complete disclosure, I bought it from Fictionwise, as it`s only seven dollars rather than the sixteen at Amazon, but if you like a good feel of a book, filled with one hell of a story then please, go by the book in paper format.  I just dont`have more space, so I`m exploiting the ability of my phone to read e-books, and it works great.

I`m kinda unclear as to where else to go from here.  I was hoping to do up a proper review, but that`ll take a day or two more, I`ve never done one before so I`m not real clear where to start.  I`m going to have to read all kinds of actual reviews before I`m comfortable trying to write my own.

I guess I`ll shut this one down and get back to useful work.

Cheers.

 

What did I lose?

Afternoon, I’ll start this here and try to finish it up later on this evening when I get a moment.  But to start with, what does a guy (in this case me) lose when he gives up all contact and other aggressive or massively physically demanding exercises (football, hockey, sword-fighting, etc.)?

I mean, when I can watch a music video like this one

or even a full movie about Guys giving it everything just to win, to triumph, what have I lost as a guy in that even a small exposure to such a stimulation will drive my adrenaline levels through the ceiling…?

Ok, sorry about that, it’s now the next morning, power went out and things went sideways last night.  An d now we’re getting record short term snowfall.  There was seven or  eight inches on the driveway this morning and nothing was plowed until I got to the main highway twelve kilometers from the house…  *sigh*  It’s been a strange start to a day.

Back to topic.

Aside from the usual benefits of physical activity, the exercise, increased cardiovascular health, etc, etc, what benefits do high output competitive sports give?  (Before you ask, no, golf or anything like it is not what I’m talking about, neither is walking, skiing, etc, etc, although those sports are beneficial and do provide the level of exercise.

I’m talking about the “in your face, I’m going to survive and beat you at all costs, within the rules of course,” kind of sports.  I’m going to have to go do some actual research on this and get back to you.  If anyone has any thoughts, please feel free to share them.

Cheers.

 

Daily Life

Hi there !

Truth be told, I’m not really clear as to why I wanted to post this, but here’s proof that my boys read books.  (just in case somebody didn’t believe that they do).

Connor is reading to Aidan

 

Aidan trying to take over...

 

And now it’s dinner time…  See they don’t eat too badly.

Dinner time. Guess who planned it.

 

And finally, if you’re cute enough, even suspenders can look cool.

Aidan and Connor, getting ready to hit the snow...

 

That’s it for today.  Ill see what I can do for tomorrows post being on time.  I think I’m caught up, so far…

Cheers.

I’m outta here, got work to do.

 

 

 

Dreams and Nightmares?

Oh my, where shall I start?

It’s been two days since I posted last, (or there abouts, I do have trouble keeping track)

And before I forget, I must apologize in advance for anybody who might be reading this daily…

I’m starting a taxation course in the next couple of weeks, and in order to get the time to do that, this blog column will have to suffer.  Thus, I’m going to kill things…

Wait, that’s not the expression.  I’m going to kill two birds with one stone, I’ll try to keep it to a day or two out of the week, but the main thing is that I’ll be working out the Taxation Lessons here..  online.  So you get tax information for free.. (yay!) and I get to make sure it makes sense to me so I can remember it for the lectures and the final exam… (yay?)

Ok, that’s out of the way.

Second, I’d like to start comic strip writing, but I can’t draw.  and I’m not saying that I draw badly, what I draw is beyond bad….  but my life is insane and funny (if you can step back and look at it…) so I’d love to have a way to, in a short simple format, share that insane funny stuff.. The thought that a comic strip might work was my first thought.  Pictures is the second.

Until I’m comfortable with drawing (my goal is to be able to draw something even passable by say my birthday at the end of June) but until then I’m going to try getting pictures of things down, and then putting the funny stuff in captions related to the pictures.

Don’t hold me to this, but I’m really going to try.  Tonight is going to be the first of those attempts…  Camera – – – Ready!

Kids  – –   Kids?  Where the heck are the kids?  A crap…  ok, I’ll get back to you on this stuff.

Until later.

A story, A story…

Ok, it’s the starting idea of a story, but I liked it, so you get to read it…

* * * New World Orders  (Working Title)

The billowing clouds of steam from the locomotive mingled with the mists rising off the Emery River at the rail station in New Galway.  She watched as the playful breezes tossed streamers of the mists back and forth across the platform, making the gas lights flicker and dance in whimsy.
This is it, she thought to herself.  Half a world away, out from under my father’s thumb, making my own life in the large world.  She reminisced, almost tearfully on what she had left behind, but the final thought of Blake’s expression as she gave her parting farewells, the big whiney twit actually had the gall to cry as she stepped onto the ship.
There’s one person I won’t miss.  How could father actually think that Blake would be a good match for me?  The though still managed to twist her normally delicate smile into a grimace.
She watched appreciatively as one of the big airships drifted to a stop at the rooftop docks in the same station as the trains.  To have such freedom, to fly with the winds and drift where fate takes me.
“I used to look at them myself the same way.”  A mellow voice behind Selena spoke out, as if to her.
Turning her head to see the speaker, she was stunned speechless.  There was nothing spectacular about the man that caused her to look at him thus.  But he wasn’t staring at her, in fact aside from nothing that she was there, he didn’t seem to be interested in her at all.
The sheer affront of it!  Selena had no idea how to react to a man who did not trip over himself trying to impress her.
“Aye, they look mighty fine floating clear, at the whims of fate and the skilled hands of their pilots, them airships are majestic enough for royalty.”  The man spoke again, finally turning to face Selena directly.
He extended his right hand, palm up, head bowing forward at the neck.  “Jeremy at your service ma’am.  Engineer Third Class, currently assigned to the Dragon Valley Express.”  He gestured to the locomotive behind her as he said this.
“Jeremy.”  Selena held out one gloved hand carefully, daintily.  “Selena MacNaultry, daughter of the Baron of Galway.”
Jeremy stood up straight, stepping back and looking carefully at Selena’s manners and brass bound baggage, “Galway, hey? The old Galway that’d be?”
“Yes, Galway of Eire.”
“An’ you’re here all of yourself?”  Jeremy seemed to have trouble processing this, judging by the expression on his face.
“Yes.  I’m here on my own.  My family will be along shortly but I wanted to see new land for myself first.”
“Aye, and that makes a heap o’ sense.”  Jeremy turned away at this, talking back over his shoulder as he moved towards the passenger carriages of the locomotive, “Well, an I was a pleased to meet you.  Just call if you need anything.  I’d best be getting back to my duties.”  With that, Jeremy started inspecting the brakes and connections of the carriages, evidently makign sure all was ready for the next run.
Selena, stunned at such a casual dismissal, stood speechless.
“Help you with your luggage ma’am?”  A couple of young ruffians stood at each end of her brass bound chest.  After a moment they hefted it up and started walking towards the luggage car.
As they picked up speed and veered away, heading for the departure gate, Selena called out for them to stop, “Where are you going?  The baggage care is that way!”  She squeaked in frustration and pulled a long carriage whip from under her traveling cloak.  As her hand curled back, readying the leather for a good flail, Jeremy stepped up beside her and leveled a revolver in the direction of the fleeing ruffians.  Firing twice he sparked the cobbles in front of the young both of who dropped the chest where they stood.  Just as they were about to flee however, the leather carriage whip curled around the slower boys ankle.
Jeremy, seeing the opportunity, took the four steps to close the gap and picked the young man up by the scruff of his neck.  “And what was that streetrat?”
With his free hand Jeremy lifted Selena’s clothes chest off the ground, and dragging the young man, he carried the chest one handed over to the luggage car.  “This is where you were taking the good lady’s belongings, right?”
The young man’s eyes travelled up and down Jeremey’s uniform, taking in the goggles and toolbelt, the leather apron and the rock hard muscles that held all this up, and nodded quickly.  “Yes sir, this is where we were heading.”
“Good, we need some help on this train, report to the First Engineer for your duties, you’ll get paid seven coppers a day for working dawn to night, with a bonus at the end of each week you finish.”
Turning back to Selena with a small smile, “Beggin’ your pardon ma’am.  We’re not quite a civilized as you might be expecting.  New territory and all that, all the usual problems.”
Selena discretely coiled the whip back into her traveling cloak, “I don’t know about that, men still stand up for women in this new territory.”
“Aye, good men do, but there’s not so many of us good men around.  Most are closer to the type that you just caught with your fancy whip work.”
“What might a lady do to thank one of these good men?”
Jeremy seemed flustered at the qestion.  “Oh, no thanks are necessary.  Your smile was reward enough.”
“Nonsense.  I insist you join me when you can, I’ll be in carriage three I believe.”  Selena briefly captured the hand of her new hero and lightly brushed her lips across his cheek, whispering “Please and thank-you!” breathily in his ear before letting him free.***

So, what do you think?  I can see this being an interesting exercise in lunacy…  should I continue?

Dan.

The deteriorating value in public education – Part 1

Hi.

I know this post will upset some of you, and will bolster others, but it’s been bugging me for ages.  Make that about seven years now.

It’s school. We all went through it, (some might still be there, for other’s it’s a long past memory).

To defend myself from the incipient attacks, I was born in 1976, no earlier.  And second, I don’t believe in “The good old days” any more than I can throw them…

That being said, I am despairing at the state of our current public education system.  (Right, for those who don’t live here, Canada has mandatory public education until a student reaches sixteen years of age, or grade ten).

Now, I have a thirteen year old son, and two toddlers that are heading into this fine institution.  Naturally the two youngest aren’t as affected by my fears thus far, but the teenager is right in the middle of things.

First, I can applaud the efforts of the faculty and administration to remove negative influences and violence from our schools and keep it away from our children.  I’m ALRIGHT with that.    BUT!  Yes that was a but.  BUT when it becomes mandatory for a child to not stand up for themselves peacefully, when it is required of a child to merely accept the attacks of others, and if they do defend themselves, they are then the one’s who are punished?  How does that makes sense?

So, no more bullying = good thing

But where does the enforcement come into this?  Teachers rely on students to report errant behavior, but those same students are being pressured into not reporting…  and so the circle begins…

 

Second major issue.  The Dumbing down of the public school system…

I’ll just leave a couple of points here, then I’ll come back to this one tomorrow.

When did producing legible handwriting (or even lettering) become an optional thing?  And when did the availability of computational aids mean that students are allowed to stop thinking?  I have a thirteen year old child who takes longer to do his math questions on a calculator than I can to them with pencil  and paper.  Not to mention that the questions he is being faced with in Grade 8 math are the same one’s I was required to do hundreds of in Grade 6.

Ok, I’m going to go calm down now and come back to this topic tomorrow.

Good night everybody.

Postaday2011

So this is going to be trickier than I originally thought.  First, WordPress seems to be about seven hours ahead of me.

Wait a minute…  is there a personal time zone setting on this somewhere?

Ok, that fixed that mess..  Now at least I’m on the right timezone, I was seven hours off…  so the day ended at like five in the afternoon… Do you know how frustrating that is?  *Gah!

Ok, so now that that’s fixed, what I was trying to say is that I have a life, a very fulfilling if demanding life, involving a wonderful wife, kids, a career, writing, two !%$^@** cats, some birds, fish and I’m sure that’s not all that lives at my house, (have you seen what’s behind the dryer lately?).

Thus there are a couple of things I’m going to have to do if I really want to keep up the “post a day thing.”

First, there is a  delay post feature, right over there>>>

I like that, I can choose when to publish things, that will help immensely, as I can write up a couple of posts when I have a good night then set them to post over a couple of days.  😀

Second, I’ll probably start to put up some flash fiction as I write it.  I promise that it won’t be great, it won’t be inspirational, but I enjoy it, and since I have no intention of trying to make money on flash fiction, I’ll put it up for all to see, criticize, and generally trash (if you’re so inclined, go ahead, if not then well, ok.)

Third.. I had a third point, but it’s gone now, so how about…  I’ll have to get these posts out as I think of them or I’ll lose my train of thought.

 

How does one lose a train of thought?  Trains are big things, and they’re noisy, not easy to loose…  *sigh*

Cheers,

I’m out of there, gotta get back to work.

What should I talk about today?

Webcomics.  Yep, that’s what I’m going to talk about, well…

More accurately I’m going to list them…  I seem to get caught up in these things when I’m just winding down after working on writing and such at the end of the night, and dang if they don’t just eat up one’s time.

I’ll add to the list as I find more that entertain me over time, it’s in the sidebar to the left…

But for now, the listing..

http://freefall.purrsia.com/default.htm – the ongoing escapades of Sam Starfall

http://www.weregeek.com/ – Well, you’ve heard of werewolves…  Meet the Weregeeks…  *grin*  the SCAdians will like this one.

http://www.goblinscomic.com – and of course goblins…

I wish I could draw half as good as these guys.  I’ve read all of these, along with a few other’s that I’ll have to track down for you all later…  renrats comes to mind..  I”ll do up seperate posts for those ones when I can find them.

 

Cheers.

Dan.