Star Wars 30th Anniversary Celebrations!

Action Girl's Millenium Faclon 2
Originally uploaded by Binky

Both of our girls celebrated the 30th Anniversary of the release of Star Wars (A New Hope) on Sunday. Action Girl (age 6) hung in through the whole thing and enjoyed it. Super Girl (age 3) watched more than half. They had been looking forward to seeing it for days. It was really special and brought back of lot of memories. Here are some thoughts:

1) The movie stands up as a bit of bold movie-making.
2) The dialogue for the first half of the movie is really "hokey" - matches the acting.
3) The toughest character in the whole thing is Leia. Every time they are in a fight with her and she has a blaster, she shoots a storm trooper with her first shot EVERY TIME. Han, Luke, and Co. blast away and seldom hit anything.

I have a memory of the summer of 1977. My best friend Michael has just seen Star Wars with his family and tells me some of the plot while we're on my swing set.

We had a great time! Happy birthday, old friend...

B.

Its hard to be a Spammer

I have had several jobs that I have found to be quite challenging, my
present job included. I think its important to be challenged as a way
to ensure that you're growing and changing.

HOWEVER, I am very, very glad I don't (yet?) face the challenges
inherent in being a spammer. I received the following spam e-mail
today:
__________________________
>>> "Constance Auker" <***********.hu> 4/28/2007 5:38 PM >>>
Hello my friend!

I am ready to kill myself and eat my dog, if medicine prices here (<A
href=") are bad.
Look, the site and call me 1-800 if its wrong..
My dog and I are still alive :)
__________________________

Can you imagine what kind of pressure "Constance" from Hungary must be
under if she is:
1) calling random strangers her friend,
2) prepared to kill herself if she isn't offering the cheapest
knock-off drugs of questionable manufacture on the Internet,
3) prepared to eat her dog if she isn't offering the cheapest
knock-off drugs of questionable manufacture on the Internet, and
4) willing to somehow accomplish 1) and 2) in that order.

Impressive.

B.

 Well, that does it- I now have a plan “B”, somewhere to go, a back-up if you will-

Earth-like planet discovered outside solar system

ANNE MCILROY

From Wednesday's Globe and Mail

April 24, 2007 at 5:53 PM EDT

A team of European astronomers has found a planet outside our solar system that is the most Earth-like ever discovered. Those who spotted it say it could be covered in water, a necessary ingredient for life.

The planet, detected using a telescope in Chile, has a mass about five times that of the Earth. It is 14 times closer to its star than the Earth is to the sun. But that star — Gliese 581 — is what is known as a red dwarf, and is smaller, colder and 50 times fainter than our sun.

This means the planet appears to lie in what astronomers call the Goldilocks zone — not too hot, not too cold for life that depends on water, rather than ice…

Read more here

G’night folks.  Now that we all have somewhere else to go when we’re done destroying this planet, the last one leaving can shut off the lights.

B.

Lost: "D.O.C." April 25-07 ["Date of Conception"]

The first thing I did this morning was e-mail some fellow lost fans with this simple question: Does Sun know that Jae is dead?
If she does, then the flavor of that whole debate might have changed. In all likelihood, I don't think she does know. I really, really liked the two scenes with Jin's father and Sun. Very touching and balanced/nuanced...

Juliette: So this is how Juliette will redeem herself. She may still die, but her redemption will lie in helping the baby Kwon be born. Every main character of that whole show is making up for their wrongs- as Juliette is becoming a "fusie" she too now needs to make amends. Mikhail is alive? Dude, he had blood coming out his ears... Hmmm...

So, the parachute woman dropped the bigger bombshell that Jin being the father. If you haven't seen it yet, STOP READING. I taped last night and will lend it to you...

 

 

"No survivors" from Flight 815?" Uh oh....

Here comes the renewal of the "they're in purgatory" theories. So, either the plane crashed and killed them all or there was some kind of cover-up. I want to clearly side with the cover-up. It's huge and very expensive, but still a cover-up. By the way, apparently her name is "Naomi." In the Old Testament, Naomi was trying to convince people to return (from exile) to the land of Judah. Hmmm....
Q.: Should Hurley, and co. tell the other survivors what she said about everyone dying in the crash?

B.

 

Lost: "Catch 22" April 18-07

Not much time for an update this week as I'm on an abbreviated lunch here at work, but here goes:

 

1)  "Catch 22" was fantastic in my opinion.  The whole moral dilemma faced by Desmond of sacrificing Charlie to try to rescue the person who he though would be Penny was great.

 

2)  Good Desmond back story, but there's still so much missing...  Like, why did he join the army?  What is he court-martialled?  Does he meet Sayid in Iraq?  (I would imagine that would too tempting a possibility for the writers to pass on...)

 

3)  Charlie is going to die soon.

 

4)  The Kate/Jack/Sawyer fault lines are building for the season finale.  The writers have put so much into that triangle that they can't afford to totally back off on it.

 

5)  Jin is capable of killing Charlie and possibly Sawyer but I don't think he will.  Eventually, he will find out about Charlie's staged attack on Sun, but he wouldn't kill Sawyer.  Might make life difficult for him, but not kill him...

 

6)  Tonight's episode sound's great.  Its called "D.O.C." ("Date of Conception" and promises to answer the question of paternity for Sun's baby.  I'm going to predict that the baby is Jae's (the guy that suicided) but that she never tells Jin.  After tonight, there are 3 more episodes, followed by the two-hour season finale.  The finale is supposed be "Jack-centric."

 

Happy watching!

 

B.

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Le présent message (y compris les annexes) peut contenir des renseignements confidentiels ayant pour objet une personne ou un organisme particulier. Si vous avez reçu la présente communication par erreur, veuillez en informer l'expéditeur immédiatement. Si vous n'êtes pas le destinataire prévu, vous n'avez pas le droit d'utiliser, divulguer, distribuer, copier ou imprimer ce courriel ou encore de vous en servir, et vous devriez l'effacer complètement de votre système informatique.

Hey! Get Back in Here!!

Image016.jpg
Originally uploaded by Binky

She did eventually come back in, but not before she was ready. Last night she was quite interested in listening to the coyotes howl, but didn't get out to go "play" with them.

We explained that they were "bad puppies" but I'm honestly not sure if we got through to her.

B.

It Must Be Spring If...

Image008.jpg
Originally uploaded by Binky

Oh no...
B.

Snow Drift Against Our Back Door, Easter Sunday 2007

Snow Drift Against Our Back Door, Easter Sunday 2007
Originally uploaded by Binky

Mitsu, helping hunt for Easter Eggs

Mitsu, helping hunt for Easter Eggs
Originally uploaded by Binky

Rock Climbing Wall - March Break 2007

Rock Climbing Wall - March Break 2007
Originally uploaded by Binky

One may be ahead, but they're definitely climbing together.

B.

Internet, Sminternet...

Our family has been granted a wonderful and prestigious honor.  Although the selection process for this great blessing remains a mystery to us, we are steadfast in our knowledge that we have in fact been selected.  Some things you're that picked for involve a letter or phone call, maybe a visit.  Other, deeper, truly profound and elemental selections are such that you can just feel them in the marrow of your bones.  This is truly one of the later.

 

WE HAVE BEEN PICKED AS ONE OF THE LAST FAMILIES ON THE PLANET TO ONLY HAVE ACCESS TO DIAL-UP INTERNET ACCESS.  I am not pleased, impressed, or happy. 

 

I bought a wireless modem for Rogers Portable Internet last night and have been unable to get a signal worth using.  This was basically our last hope.  And, I might add, if it worked in our home probably a pretty decent service.  Neither local telephone or cable companies will admit to any plans to bring service to our area and I had another wireless company out to our house last year- they also could get no signal.  Action Girl (age 6) now regularly asks when we will have high speed internet.  She cannot play with her Webkinz at home (that ought to tug on a few hear strings).

 

Th only available options are very expensive services with hundreds of dollars of installation fees and multi-year commitments at rates we can't afford for sub-standard service.

 

The fact that we are now able to get electricity, cable TV, and postal delivery may have been misleading...

 

B.

 

 

/HTML>

Lost: "One of Us" April 11, 2007

First a plug for my main source of Lost thought and reflection:  Its Jay and Jack's Lost Podcast.  You can find it at

http://jayandjack.com or subscribe through iTunes.  If you have bandwidth restrictions like me, iTunes is a better option because you can download it a little at a time and even subscribe to the "Classic MP3" format which is a smaller file than the standard "AAC" format in iTunes (which does, admittedly, include cool extras like weblinks and pictures which will play on a colour iPod).

 

What a fun episode.  I actually was beginning to think that Juliette was maybe not a liar...  almost.  Now we know better than to trust an "other."  Here's what else I'm thinking:

 

1)  The tension over Juliette's presence in the "Fusies" camp will likely be sustained for the rest of the season.

 

2)  I'm going to agree with Podcast Jack (see above) that Jack will end up killing Juliette.  I was thinking about it before I heard him say it in his podcast, but its nice to know that I'm not alone.  There is another possibility that in the end she will betray and redeem herself to the Fusies just as they are finding out she remains an other.

 

3)  The basic purpose of the others and probably the Dharma Initiative before them has to do with the unique properties of the island.  Is the Dharma Initiative really "dead"?  Mikhail sort of implied that, but lets remember that before the hatch imploded, they were able to trigger the parachute drop of food.  That pretty clearly shows that in the outside world, Dharma is still active and has resources.  One direction to go with this is the idea that the others, lets call them the "Un-Seattle Sub People" took over the imitative either willingly or not.  Ben is in his early 40s- so the others have been there that long...?  Or are his roots in Dharma?

 

4)  Whatever the island is able to do, its reasonable to think that some people have known about the island and its mysterious properties for some time.  Presumably, there was at some point a huge statue attached to the four-toed foot.  If its hundreds (or more) years old, that implies an ancient settlement of great power.  Atlantis anyone?

 

5)  Sun and Jin's baby:  going to be a big part of the plot, probably for the rest of the series!

 

B.

 

Statement of Confidentiality
This message (including attachments) may contain confidential or privileged information intended for a specific individual or organization. If you have received this communication in error, please notify the sender immediately. If you are not the intended recipient, you are not authorized to use, disclose, distribute, copy, print or rely on this email, and should promptly delete this email from your entire computer system.

Déclaration de confidentialité
Le présent message (y compris les annexes) peut contenir des renseignements confidentiels ayant pour objet une personne ou un organisme particulier. Si vous avez reçu la présente communication par erreur, veuillez en informer l'expéditeur immédiatement. Si vous n'êtes pas le destinataire prévu, vous n'avez pas le droit d'utiliser, divulguer, distribuer, copier ou imprimer ce courriel ou encore de vous en servir, et vous devriez l'effacer complètement de votre système informatique.

She's Not Heavy, She's Super Girl.

DSC01428 edited
Originally uploaded by Binky

(Easter Monday) Action Girl (6) pulling Super Girl (3). Hey, what else are you going to do with all that snow?

B.

Playin' with Super Girl (Easter Sunday)

DSC01399
Originally uploaded by Binky

Technically, we were playing with the Barbies at the time... I simply thought that Skinny the Lion and Little Smedley the Giraffe could also drive the Barbie Jeep. Apparently, I was right!

This was after we took every My Little Pony and other horse toy in the house and made a 20 horse-long parade in the living room. Guess you had to be there...

How did you spend your Easter Sunday?

B.

Easter Sunday 2007

DSC01390 edited
Originally uploaded by Binky

Wow... Why does Spring hate us?

We stayed in for the whole day. I still think we got more than 25 cm of snow, maybe 30. Check out the height of the drift between the shed and the playhouse.

B.

Lost: "No One Left Behind" April 4, 2007

Isn't "No one left behind" a military term?  I wonder if there's any significance to that fact?

 

Whether there is or isn't, this was another strong episode, with a great deal of Kate back story.  What are we to make of Kate?  I felt both less and more sympathetic for Kate.  When she confronts her mother the implied message was that Kate had dealt with her step-father's abuse of her in a way that wasn't totally justifiable.  She had just reacted.  This may be some risk-taking on the part of the writers, who assume that we already really identify and like Kate and that therefore they can risk our sympathy for her.  I got a kick out of the Hurley-Sawyer "con" that made Sawyer make nice with the other survivors... A little "Christmas Carol-y" but fun.

 

The tie-in to Sawyer's back story was well-done, but a little predictable, though.  Where are they going with Locke?  Locke has, in effect, become a free agent.  He has left behind the survivors.  The long-predicted split with Jack has been two years coming but there's no denying that it has happened.  Jack's new ties to Juliette aside, he still sees himself as a member of the beach community.  Locke, not so much..

 

There are six episodes left in this season (I think).  Here are my predictions for the issues themes that will be in those episodes:

1)  Juliette:  will she be accepted (at all) by the "fusies" on the beach- Sawyer and Sayid won't.

2)  Where have the "others" + Locke gone?  I can imagine that  we will learn some more about them and the island.

3)  At the same time, Ben's leadership tenure will come back, perhaps through Jacob.

4)  Kate WILL choose Jack over Sawyer.

5)  There will be something happen that we had no inkling was coming.

6)  Penny Whitmore (Desmond's ex) will be back in some way.

 

Any other thoughts, anyone?

 

B.

 

 

 

Spring Yet?

Spring Yet? DSC01309
Originally uploaded by Binky

We've just had 30 cm of snow... I am not amused.

Who has stolen spring and where do they live?

B.

Woooo Hooooo! Spring!

"Sure" Sign of Spring: Soccer registration for Action Girl is this Saturday! Unfortunately Super Girl (age 3) has to wait another year, though.

Yaaay. Now only 10 weeks of waiting before the season starts!

B.

Recent Girl Quotes

"Penguins are all different...  Just like people"

Super Girl (age 3) while watching Happy Feet on March Break

 

"I'm worried that the Easter Bunny won't know about my new room."

Action Girl (Age 6) last night

 

 

 

 

Twin Otter March 29-07

Twin Otter March 29-07
Originally uploaded by Binky

This Twin Otter was probably there to fly over the seal hunt, its a
truly classic Canadian airplane. Photo taken with my phone (through the window).

B.

My Drive to Work this Morning

Image008.jpg
Originally uploaded by Binky

A last blast of winter (I hope).

B.

Lost: "Expose" March 28, 2007

Or "Paulo, Nikki, Vincent and the Great Diamond Caper", or
"How long can you tread sand?" or
"Vincent Knew..."

Sometimes we may lose sight that being straned on a desert island after
your plane carshes would be a hard, brutal reality. No matter how many
VW Micro busses you find and restore, life on the island psychologically
and materially would never be a picnic. Unless of course you were to go
on a picnic, but after that it would no longer be a picnic...

Paulo and Nikki being buried alive is in line with that reality. Yes, I
think they're dead. Yes, they ARE dead... How long can you breathe
sand?

B.

March Broken

After a really great week off with Super Mom and the girls, its back to work/school for all of us tomorrow AM. I'm really glad I was able to take the week off (I used a week of vacation time).



We were ablew to move the girls into separate bedrooms! Action Girl (age 6) is npow downstairs, and Super Girl (age 3) now has theri "old" bedroom to herself but in a bigger bed. The beds could have been bunkbeds, but this seemed like a better thing to do as they have very different sleep patterns. Action Girl is a hevay sleeper and Super Girl is well... not always a sleeper...



On Monday and Tuesday we got a away for a couple of days- went well and included indoor amusemnet park rides and a Toys R Us visit. The girls really do enjoy each other's company.



This week has given me quite a bit of time to some thinking, about things I'm happy with and things that I'd like to work on. I really, really need to get in better shape this spring/summer. Yes, I've said it before this time I may actually mean it. Also both of the girls are fairly energetic sorts, so hopefully it may rub off on me. I also need to keep battling whatever it is in me that makes me such an amazing avoider/procrastinator. Its gotta get better, it really has...



We (the two of us) watched Little Miss Sunshine last night. What a fun film- it had a lot of heart. May watch part of Flags of our Fathers before I go to sleep tonight as I am in need of a WWII fix- don't laugh, WWII non-fiction and refence books have at times kept me sane. I'm reading Children on Men by P.D. James (the one the movie with Clive Owen is based on). Literate sci-fi is such a treat. At least this time I'm doing things in the right order- book first, movie second. Has anyone seen 300 yet?- I'm interested but may not get a chance to see it.



Speaking of literate sci-fi, the season finale for Battlestar Galactica is airing as I type this. I have a deal with my old buddy G. that we're going to watch the finale together. Unfortunatley, he is a few episodes (4?) behind, but we are both taping them so within a couple of weeks, we should be able to watch it. I'll try and write more about BSG sometime soon, but its safe to say that its repuation as one of if not THE best written drama on TV is VERY well-deserved. That show is so good it gives me shivers...



Well, g'night folks.



B.



PS- I am now addicted to Facebook. What a cool site to waste time on!

Lost: "The Man from Talahasee" Mar. 23-07

Aaah yes. The quality continues...

This week's episode was another one I really enjoyed. The whole Locke/Ben banter mixed with Locke's back story was superb.

So, Locke's father shoved him out the window- didn't see that one coming. The twist at the end with Locke's father being held prisoner on the island was nothing short of wonderful- truly worthy of the show.

Here's what I think we should be watching for in the rest of the season:



1) The theme of the fragility of Ben's leadership over the others. This will probably come up again.



2) Again- Jacob! Who is he- where is he? An interesting con would be for Locke's father to really be Jacob- making this whole thing (another) big con.



3) Kate's feeling for Jack- she will choose Jack over Sawyer.



B.

Lost: “Par Avion” March 14, 2007

“You are not on the list because you are flawed” Mikhail quips in this episode. I guess I could never, ever hope to be on the list. I want to dispense with the re-cap entirely and make a few points.

1) This was a great episode. If this episode happened in the first season, we’d all be raving about it.

2) Mikhail dying on the magnetic perimeter was the goriest thing in this show since the monster ate the pilot, I believe. Cool…

3) Claire being Jack’s half sister was to be expected. There had been rumours to that end and some pretty clear hints. Still, it’s a pretty nifty way to link the plots and sub-plots.

4) I was really disappointed that Mikhail wasn’t Jacob. Apparently the next episode has Ben telling Locke more about the true nature of the others and hopefully this will involve some info about the guy that’s apparently really in charge.

B.

You Make a Caption...?

I photographed this church with my new phone (2 MgPix). Read the sign and tell me what caption you'd make for it. This is not an editorial comment, I just think that the sign is very interesting.

B.

Things I learned this past weekend

1) Our cat really likes peanut butter,

2) We're pretty easy going, but we will not use the same jar of peanut butter as the cat,

3) We need to buy more peanut butter,

4) Action girl appears to have a better time colouring or crafting than watching the old idiot box (TV), all of her protests to the contrary,

5) A few minutes playing outside is better than none at all,

6) Super Mom makes what may be some of the world's best french toast,

7) Smitty's is not the best fitting restaurant for our energetic three-year-old (no, not the cat who is also three), and

8) Catching up with old friends at home is a lot more fun than hitting the town.

B.

Gargoyles

DSC01232
Originally uploaded by Binky

(See entry below)

Last Great Snowy Weekend?

DSC01235
Originally uploaded by Binky

A pretty great weekend at our house... Saturday Am we all took advantage of some fresh snow to make a snow family and a pretty decent snow fort. Complete with Mickey, Pluto, and R2 D2 gargoyles....

This was probably the last "very wintery" weekend of the season and I'm glad we took advantage of it. The girls has a bowling birthday party on Saturday PM and a McDonalds Birthday Party Sun PM.

Saturday night, Super Mom and feasted on take-out curry...
Mmmm... Madras....

This week at work should be back to normal. On Thursday of this past week, I put on a training module for new social work staff from my old workplace. It went well and was a great honour, but took a lot of time to prepare and I'm glad to see it finished.

B.

My Comdeic Curse

Speaking of TV, I was saddened to learn that there are only going to be one or two more  episodes of The Class before it ends (its been cancelled).  If you’ve never seen it before, basically it was a show about friends from the same Grade Three (Two?) class who become re-acquainted in their twenties.  Hilarious adventures ensue.  John Ritter’s son, Jason,  is in it and some times is the spitting image of his father but all the time, a better actor.

 

At first a couple of the characters really annoyed me.  In fact Ritchie still does, but overall I’ve really started to enjoy this show.  Its fair to say that if it hadn’t been airing immediately after How I Met Your Mother (on Monday nights).  Incidentally, How I Met… is my favourite comedy and third favourite show (after Battlestar Galactica and Lost).  I have a history of only liking comedies that don’t do very well.  I may be cursed (or cursing?).  It’s quite possible that I alone am to blame for The Class’ cancellation.  I should stop watching my three favourite shows…

 

B.

 

 

Lost: "Tricia Tanaka is Dead" (Feb. 28 '07)

Ah yes, redemption through a road trip. That's more like it…

Finally, a lighter-toned episode of my second favourite show on
television!
RE-CAP: Hurley flashbacks to his relationship with his father and the
"bad luck" that followed his lottery win. He finds an old VW microbus
on the island, complete with the skeleton of its previous owner and lots
of 20(?) year old beer. Hurley (with help from Jin, Charlie, and
Sawyer) gets the van jump started by suicidally driving it down a grass
covered cliff and then doing donuts in a pristine green field.

Some humour- maybe that's what I've been missing from Lost since the
half-season premiere.

What we learned about the others this episode: Well nothing really.
But, it's reasonable to use the van to gain some insight into the Dharma
Initiative back story. When things started to go (very) poorly for
Dharma they left (or were all killed) in a relatively short period of
time. Otherwise, it wouldn't have been difficult for them to retrieve
the guy's body from the van. Presumably, when it crashed 20 (?) years
ago, it wouldn't have been as hard to find the van and the body. Also,
does the idea of taking a VW microbus full of beer alone into the hills
strike anyone else as an apocalyptic thing to do?

Here are some of your answers to last week's "Who's your favourite
other?" question:
1) Ben (C.C. from my old work).
2) Alex (Super Mom)
3) Tom (me!)

B.

 

Lost: "Stranger in a Strange Land" (Feb. 21-07)

RE-CAP: Flashback: Jack gets tattoo from girlfriend in Thailand.  Jack is angry.  Jack gets beaten up.  In the "present" Jack agrees to help Ben with his recovery, Jack saves Juliette.  Sawyer and Kate argue.  Karl is weird.  Karl goes off to "rescue" Alex.

 

Episode Rating:  Good.  The Juliette storyline surprised me with the amount of drama it kept.  Other than explaining his tattoo, though, was there a point to the Jack in Thailand story?

 

The "Others":

 

Okay, this has been something I've been trying to work on for a while...  What do we know about the others?

-  The live on the main Island and work on "Alcatraz."

-  They have a true society of a sort.  Not only that but they appear to be a society with a high degree of shared purpose.  We don't know what it is, but its important enough to them that they are prepared to kill to protect it.  When its not threatened, they apparently would find this behaviour unacceptable.

-  Part of protecting their work/true purpose is that it must be concealed.

-  Ben's authority is absolute, except for "Jacob."  That said, they have some degree of self government (as we see through Juliette's "trial" even though Ben overrode it).

-  Their purpose is something about bio-medical research.

-  They don't appear to be directly tied into The Dharma Initiative (the hatch people).

-  Their research may be on the Island because of the Island's mysterious powers.

-  Until the Swan Hatch "imploded" they had communication with the outside world.

-  Their appears to be both widespread support for Ben's authority.

-  Jacob is still actively giving them direction and is known to them (not just Ben).

-  They are able to accept new members into their society (like the flight attendant from the flight.)

 

I have no idea yet how to sort out how the plane crashed by accident, thank you, Desmond. Then suddenly Jacob's list is generated (with Sawyer, Kate, and Michael's names on it?).  The only possible explanation would be that Ethan and Goodman's intelligence back to Ben as they got to know the Tailies and the Fusies was then fed to Jacob.  Makes "sense" I guess.

 

QUESTION:  Who is your favourite "Other"?  Leave a comment to let me know.

 

B

 

Leaning Barn with Dog B&W Feb 18-07 DSC1168

Leaning Barn with Dog B&W Feb 18-07 DSC1168
Originally uploaded by Binky

Field Feb 18-07 DSC1172

Field Feb 18-07 DSC1172
Originally uploaded by Binky

Girls Hiking in Field Feb 18-07

Girls Hiking in Field Feb 18-07 DSC1162
Originally uploaded by Binky

It was a nice day for a hike.

B.

10 Years Ago Today

Song Quote:

 

“Gigantic, gigantic, gigantic,

Our big big love, our big big love”

\

Gigantic by The Pixies

 

Q:  What’s with my sudden out pouring of romantic feeling?

 

A:  It was 10 years ago today that Super Mom and I got engaged.

 

Happy anniversary, my love!

 

B.

 

Lost: "Flashes Before Your Eyes" (Feb. 14/07)

First some housekeeping: In retrospect, I was probably too critical of last week's episode. Maybe I was still a little angry over the 16 week break... Also, as many of you know Rouseau's daughter's name is Alex and the Other/Dharma Initiative guy who was killed was named Danny Pickett (I think).



Tonight's episode was great and quite reminiscent of Lost at its best. Basically, the two threads were 1) Charlie and Hurely try to figure out what's going on with Desmond when he saves Claire from drowning. He knew she was drowning from a mile away. 2) A really interesting Desmond alternate flashback develops. From the moment he used the fail safe key, he went back to the last few days he spent with Penny before joining the army (where he is eventually court-martialled and sent to prison).



After a creepy intervention by a ring sales woman, Desmond again fails to ask Penny to marry him and becomes resigned to his eventual fate on the island. At the end of the episode, both threads come together when he admits to Charlie that he sees flashes of his life, past and future and that twice now he's acted to save... wait for it... wait another second... CHARLIE! But, he thinks that Charlie will die, though because fate makes "course corrections" when he messes with it.



Overall, not bad! Creepy.

Lost Returns: Season 3.5

I have this thing I do to see how much I'm "into" a TV show or a movie
I'm watching. Basically its simple- if I become "zoned" enough that I
really stop looking around the room, I'm really "into" something I'm
watching. I'm really engrossed in it and entertained by it.

Last night's half-season premiered of Lost partially succeeded by this
measure. I was entertained by it, but not totally "into" it. I was
left feeling it was pretty good and that if it hade been a first season
episode I might have thought much higher of it.

That said, last night was good, and if the writers handle things well
the second half of season three may regain er... "lost" ground for the
show. My big issue is that I feel like I've seen everything the show
has to offer. That's far from actually being true I realize, though.
Part of it may have to do with commercials. I watch enough "TV shows"
on DVD to have become a little spoiled.

Here's the re-cap of the show: Jack has just threatened to let Ben die
on the operating table, to force the others to let Kate and Sawyer go.
His plan goes well up until about the 13 minuet mark of the show when
the "meanest other" starts chasing them, clearly intent on killing
Sawyer. We cut in and out of this struggle and they are eventually
saved by Roseau's daughter, who it turns out is Ben's (step?) daughter.
Using her trusty sling shot (don't laugh) she helps them hide out in a
little Viet Cong-esque bunker. Her deal is simple: she let Sawyer and
Kate use her boat to go back to the main island if the rescue her
boyfriend and take them as well back to the Fusie Land.

The boyfriend is locked up in a setup that's some kind of homage to A
Clockwork Orange where he is being forced to watch film images meant to
program or (de-program?) him. By the use of a simple con game, they
overpower the guard and at the (very real) threat of Kate shooting him,
he tells them where to find the boy. They make it to the beach/boat
only to be confronted by the "mean other." He is about to shoot Sawyer
when he is shot by Juliette. They leave, but Juliette makes Roseau Jnr.
stay because her mother wouldn't let her go.

The other thread is in the operating room, inter-spaced with a whole
lot of Juliette flashbacks. In the end, Jack saves Ben after hearing
from Kate that she and Sawyer are safe (and encouragement from Kate).
Juliette's flashbacks are about her recruitment into the others.
Basically she is recruited to do medical research on fertility and
reproduction. Her ex-husband who knows of her shady research with her
own sister is conveniently killed by a bus, after she had let slip in
her interview that such an accident would be the only way she would be
free would be for him to get hot by a bus. In the present day, Juliette
has a private conversation with Ben and "apparently" they have an
agreement that she will help Kate and Sawyer escape (which will mean
that Jack will save Ben) and in return she will get to leave the
island(s) to go home. The episode ends with Jack pleading with Kate to
never come back to rescue him.

Highlights:
- Through the last scene and rescuing K & S, Jack has established
undisputed moral leadership of the Fusies.
- He becomes an almost Mandela-like leader-in-exile.
- Juliette's ex, getting hit by a bus was very sudden and dramatic.
- In an awkward moment, Tom (Zeke) attempts to introduce himself
formally to Jack. "I'm Tom, by the way."

Binky

River Scene Feb. 3, 2007

DSC01134
Originally uploaded by Binky

Eagle in Flight

DSC01135 cropped
Originally uploaded by Binky

This is one the two eagles in the previous picture, flying down river towards the sea shore.

B.

A Two Eagle Day

On Saturday afternoon we went to visit some friends who have the good fortune of living both closer to the water and in the woods. We were visiting for the girls to play on their very respectable outdoor rink- that was great. What was just as great was that while we were there we got to see two bald eagles in a tree across from their property. You can see them really clearly in the above photo.

B.

"Baby Bear"

DSC01072
Originally uploaded by Binky

"Baby Bear" is the take home project from Action Girl's Kindergarten Class. Every few weeks they each take him home and write and illustrate a story about what he they did with him during their night to care for him. Here he is building crafts out of popsicle sticks at our kitchen table.

B.

Action Girl's Bowling-Themed Birthday Cake- Jan. 28-07

DSC01102
Originally uploaded by Binky

Birthday Sickness Update and a Thought on Parenting

Thursday, Feb. 1st:

Action Girl is feeling much better today and was scheduled to go back to kindergarten today.

I had a moment of clarity while she was sick:

The essence of what can you expect as a parent may lie in the moment when you're shampooing your daughter's My Little Ponies' manes because her sister has thrown up on them... and it doesn't seem odd.

B.

Glow Bowling Glamour

Its been a busy, exciting, and hectic time for us since the last time I posted.

Last Sunday, Action Girl had her sixth birthday party at the local bowling alley. When you're six (give or take) this means glow bowling and everyone looks strangely luminescent. Its dark under the black lights (go figure...) and not always easily to tell who's mis-behaving, but everyone had a very wonderful time.

Part of the booking is that we got a party room to use for pizza, cake, and presents afterwards. Again, everyone, including our very own three year old Super Girl had a good time. The presents were right up Action Girl's alley with ponies, craft supplies, and a new Webkinz.

I noticed that she seemed to be winding down at the end of the part and had dark circles under her eyes. Monday night this came to a head and she started to throw up. On and off she's been sick until today.

Today is her actual birthday and she spent it at home sick, unfortunately. She is coming around, though. Its very fortunate that we didn't have to cancel the party!

She's six, she's great, and we're very, very proud of her!

B.

Slip Slidin' Away

Last Saturday, Action Girl (soon to be six) had a birthday
party to attend in the afternoon. Unfortunately on the way
to the party I hit an icy patch unexpectedly and managed to
go off the road into the ditch. Unfortunately, we spun
around enough that ended up in the ditch facing the opposite
way we had been travelling.

Fortunately, no one was hurt
although there were four of us who were kind of stunned.
Someone drove by very soon after and Super Mom and the girls
got a lift and were only about 15 minutes late for the party
in our other car. I stayed with the offending vehicle and
had a tow in under 25 minutes. Yes, it's a yearly
ritual… Actually, it hasn't been for several years
I'm happy to say.

My question: Do you think a larger car/truck would have
made any difference? (as opposed to our small sedan…)
Please post your comments.

We did have snow tires (unstudded) and an excellent winter
driver (if I do say so myself).

B.

First Week Lessons

What I’ve learned in my first week of work at the new job:

1) Its good to find out where the bathrooms are before you actually need them,

2) No office starts out messy,

3) Its hard not having a key to your own office,

4) Beacause I think highly of the person who got my old job, its not as hard to let it go,

5) Its good to un-forward the phone before people start to call,

6) I get shy in new social situations,

7) I don’t necessarily know where the school counsellor’s offices are in every school I attended as a kid,

8) My new office’s thermostat may just be “for show,” and

9) I think I’m going to like the new job!

B.

A big change with the new year...

As a few of you already know, this was my last week of work with the job
that I've enjoyed for the past five years, three months, and 10 days
(but who's counting.).

On Monday the 15th, I'm leaving the wonderful world of child protection
and working for (at least) a year as a family therapist at a counselling
service for teens and their families (still through our overall
department). I'm really thrilled about this opportunity and the change
itself. I've been part of a very close-knit, dedicated team of
professionals. To give that up (even for just a year), I must really
want to do this. The position itself is someone's parental leave.

To be honest, eleven years ago in grad school this is the kind of job I
pictured myself doing.

I'll let you all know what the change is like.

On a note almost as momentous, I was invited to speak to the third and
fourth year psychology majors at my old Alma Mater. The idea was that a
psychologist (who I knew), me as someone from a connected profession
(social work), and someone who uses their BA (or BSc) in their present
job without a more advanced psych. or related degree spoke to the
students about what we do, how we use our under-grad psych degrees, and
how we got to do what it is we do. Clear? It worked out really well
and I really really enjoyed it. Its faltering to get questions
afterwards.

Gotta go- more later.

B.

What's on your iPod?

My iPod Jan 7-07
Originally uploaded by Binky

My iPod Jan 7-07

My iPod's contents, last weekend.

Track 1 is a Battlestar Galactica podcast.

B.

Super Girl's Boxing Day Snowman

Super Girl's Boxing Day Snowman
Originally uploaded by Binky

The eyes are jelly beans.
B.

Action Girl's Boxing Day Snow Man

Action Girl's Boxing Day Snow Man
Originally uploaded by Binky

The eyes are jelly beans.
B.

No Snow!

According to our outside thermometer, it was 14 degrees yesterday! Wow!
I don't think it actually was over 11 as the thermometer is in the sun,
but it was quite warm. Almost all of our snow is gone.

We're ready for school to start again tomorrow. Tomorrow is a day for
the teachers (like Super Mom) and classes begin on Tuesday. S-Mom won't
be able to drive for another week so we're all leaving extra early
tomorrow. What could possibly go wrong :-)?

Next week (Jan 8-12) is my last week of work in my present job.  I'm
wrapping things up fairly well and am feeling 95% great about the
decision to make a change. Its only for a year so even if I don't like
it, a life sentence it is not.

B.

Magnadoodle Picture of Uncle R. 1

Magnadoodle Picture of Uncle R. 1
Originally uploaded by Binky

Action Girl's picture of herself and Uncle R. (she will soon be six). They are crime-fighting, hence the masks.

B.

Magnadoodle Picture of Uncle R. 2

Magnadoodle Picture of Uncle R. 2
Originally uploaded by Binky

Super Girl's picture of Uncle R. (she is three!). I think the scribbly part in the middle is stubble/beard.

B.

Scene from our Christmas Tree 2006

Scene from our Christmas Tree 2006 DSC00881
Originally uploaded by Binky

I just like the way this one turned out... The reindeer is at least 40 years old and belonged to my grandparents. The white bell is a pew marker from our wedding.

B.

Action Girl's Easy Bake Oven 2

Action Girl's Easy Bake Oven 2
Originally uploaded by Binky

And here are the yummy results. Teeny tiny delcious sugar cookies!

B.

Action Girl's Easy Bake Oven 1

Action Girl's Easy Bake Oven 1
Originally uploaded by Binky

Here it is! A gift from her Grammy and Poppy.

B.

1970s Sesame Street Nativity Scene

1970s Sesame Street Nativity Scene DSC00840
Originally uploaded by Binky

Super Girl made a nativity scene from 1970s era Sesame Street figures. Bert and Big Bird are the wise men. The girl with the brown hair and Ernie are Mary and Joseph. The baby is of course baby Jesus.

B.

Our Christmas Tree 2006

Our Christmas Tree 2006 DSC00857
Here's our tree! No one mailed this to us, though! :-) Long and wonderful story about a friend of ours...

Christmas Happenings

I definitely did the right thing by taking this whole week off. I head
back to work on Tuesday. So far we've had a pretty nifty holiday with a
few wrinkles.

The girls were wonderful on Christmas Eve and Day. Its just so darn
cute to watch them play and hang out with each other. On Christmas Eve,
Super Mom's parents and two of her brothers (the two in province) came
over for our annual Christmas Eve Fete. The girls love their uncle
time!

Christmas morning was wonderful. Kids really do jump up and down with
excitement when they confirm that Santa paid them a visit. Action Girl
(age 5 3/4) really, really loved her "Webkinx." He's a small stuffed
golden lab that she was able to register and adopt on-line. Super Girl
(age 3) is very happy with her Barbie head (the large one with the hair
that she can style). If we were able to get high-speed internet, she
could also play games with him (or at least a picture of him) on-line.
Later on Christmas Day, we went briefly to S-M's parents and then to my
parents. This was an extra special Christmas because Dad's sister, M.
is visiting, along with her daughter G.(my first cuz) and her husband,
C. Very cool to re-connect with them. BTW, my mian gift was a really
cool pair of NEW skates and S-Mom got a new Duvet and cover. Her gift
is more for sharing than mine.

Boxing Day was pretty quiet, although I wasn't feeling 100%. Very, very
achy and sore. Also light-headed. This got worse on the 27th but we
were still able to go to on an out on the 27th to stay overnight at a
local hotel. For less than $50 (with $10 going to the Childrens' Wish
Foundation), the four of us stayed overnight at the same time as Action
Girl age 5 3/4)'s best friend and her mom. We spent a lot of the time
in the pool and a lot of time eating and playing. (Polly Pockets and
stuffed puppies seemed to be the toys of choice.

We got back at about noon today. S-Mom is now quite sick with the bug I
had, but hopefully will get over it as quickly. The other thing that's
going on is that our furnace is refusing to heat our basement. It's
heating the main floor quite well, fortunately. I was on the phone to
our oil company today and my tinkering has solved little, aside from
ruling a few things out.

So, Merry Christmas to you all! There's been a lot written about how
Christmas is a whole lot more when you see it through children's' eyes.
For me, it just adds a whole lot more to the whole experience. Their
wide-eyed wonder puts all the fuss, bother, aches, and pains in
perspective. Ho, ho, ho, indeed! Hope to see some of you later this
week when everyone is feeling better. For now we're just kind of laying
low...

B.

Super Girl's Letter to Santa 2006

Super Girl's Letter to Santa 2006
Originally uploaded by Binky

At age three this is not her handwriting. They were her words, however.

Action Girl's Letter to Santa 2006

Action Girl's Letter to Santa 2006
Originally uploaded by Binky

"DEAR SANTA,
I HAVE BEEN A VARY GOOD GIRL. I WANT A WEBKIN DOG, GUM DROPS RED, AND
[A] BIG PONY.
THANK YOU.'

Fantastic Last Miute Gift Idea!

World Vision Canada has an on-line catalogue that lets you
purchase something for needy kids in the developing work.
The girls bought anti-biotics as a Christmas gift for their
daycare/kindergarten teachers.

Check it out if you'd like:
http://www2.worldvision.ca/gifts/app?service=page/Home

B.

Toe Update

Good News-
Super Mom will not need surgery... We saw the orthopedic
surgeon today and four week of taking it easy (and not
driving) should be enough to heal the toe.

I saw the x-ray. Even I could see a couple of breaks. That
said, she reported a lot less pain today.

B.

Super Mom's Big Break

Yesterday was quite a busy day... At about 9:30am Super Mom
had a desk fall on her right big toe, breaking the bone in
her toe. She hobbled around until she went to the hospital
at about 3pm to have it examined. It is indeed broken and
quite painful!

S-Mom is off work for the rest of the week. Tomorrow
morning she has an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon.
Today she was at home and managed to get some rest.

So, an interesting start to the holidays :-) Nothing
compared to what people with real losses deal with this time
of year.

B.

My Three Favorite Christmas Songs

There are three Christmas songs that I'm comfortable listing as favorites:

(1) "Do they Know Its Christmas?" By Band-Aid (1984)

I actually got choked up trying to explain this song to the girls this morning on the way to daycare/kindergarten/work. Musically its strong and unique (as a mid-80s pop song). Whatever we've been able to say about celebrity musicians and activism, there was a desperate honesty to their desire to save lives with this song. Its earnest and haunting.

(2) "Go Tell it on the Mountain" (Traditional Spiritual)

Christianity is sometimes at its best when its faced with slavery. Its easy to imagine African-American slaves drawing hope from the Christmas story in face of horrible oppression. The message of the season can be that strong, despite millions of dollars spent trying to dilute it,

(3) "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" (Victorian Carol?)

With or without the "Loo loo loo"s in a Charlie Brown Christmas, this is a great song. I love it in large part because of that program, though.

What are your favorites?

B

.

What I'm Watching...

Last night I watched the last episode of HBO's Carnivale series on DVD (originally 2003-05). It ended after its second season (12 episodes). What a strange and creative show...

The premise: Basically in 1934-35 a traveling circus, "Carnivale" moves across the American Mid-West and South. A young man it picks up, Ben Hawkins, has supernatural powers and a mission that has yet to be realized. Ben begins to discover that deeper and more other worldly influences guide the show in its travels. Parallel to this a Methodist minster named "Brother Justin" starts down a path towards a dark plan to fulfill his very evil destiny.

A little bit X-Files-ish, but more mystical and visually stunning, Carnivale was time well spent. Its not a leap to imagine that in America (and elsewhere) the Depression could have felt like the end times. Carnivale was time well wasted in front of the DVD player- it had a different combination of qualities than . I'd recommend renting it (or getting both seasons from the Library like I did).

B.

A Proud Ahmadinejad Denier!

From the CBC:

“Iran's president [Mahmoud Ahmadinejad], who once described the Holocaust as a "myth," opened a conference Monday meant to question the scale of the Nazi genocide of Jews — and whether it even happened...”

http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2006/12/12/holocaust-iran-061212.html




You know, some things are just too stupid to argue with... So, stealing an idea from my very significant other, I'm going to propose that we start a group of Ahmadinejad deniers. If he can deny an unbelievably important historical fact, then who's to say that he ever actually existed. Even Iranian state TV is capable of some gratuitous CGI (computer generated images). He's a fake!

Join me- I deny that President Ahmadinejad ever existed! Such stupidity could never have taken place. Remember folks, you heard it here first.

Deny Mahmoud,
B.

Round-Up

Sorry I haven’t written much lately… Things have been busy and hectic but in some really positive ways. The girls’ Christmas concert was last Friday night. It was a hoot! Cute, but meaningful. Action girl (almost 6) took things a little more seriously than her now three year old sister, but they both tried very hard, were very cute, and enjoyed things.

My Christmas shopping is coming along fairly well. The girls (and their mother J) have all been pretty specific about what they’d like for Christmas. We’ve already bought my main gift. It’s a new pair of very comfortable skates! Skates for the non-hockey-playing dad! Skates for the dad whose skates don’t fit. Skates for me.

B.

And Then She was Three!

Magically, our littlest girl is now a beautiful, determined, smart,
stubborn, and wonderfully creative three year-old. A week ago Sunday we
had a party for her and a few of her friends. On Tuesday (the 5th, her
actual birthday) her grandparents came over for more cake.

Its been more amazing than I could ever explain watching both of our
girls grow. They actually are pretty good friends by now.

B.

News and Reviews

(I promise not to mention the bathroom at any point in this post!).





THE NEWS:
I am starting a new job on Jan. 15th. Given the recent job changes among by bloggin' community, I guess it was inevitable. After 10 years in Child Protection, I am moving to a family therapist position, working with adolescents and their families. The position is only for a year so that makes it a safe move in a way. I actually really like my present job (well, mostly) but have wanted to work in a more therapeutic position since grad school. I'm really looking forward to it but am a little nervous.





THE REVIEW:
Last week we saw Casino Royale and really enjoyed it. By far the most "realistic" Bond flick ever made. You really believe that this guy is an MI-5 (or is it MI-6?) agent and that he's quite good at his job. His job happens to be brutal, bloody one that threatens to consume him, though. Unlike me, he does not appear to be pursuing other employment.

I've been thinking a lot about the whole James Bond mystique- basically this is what I think it comes down to: when James Bond is on the job, Great Britain is still a super power. He is a sign that civilized parliamentary democracy backed by a just but iron fist is still out there. There's a little bit of Ango-phile in most North Americans and I think we're re-assured by him... Just a thought.

Gotta go, my lunch is over!

B.

Odd Story from the Beeb

From the BBC's "This Day in History"

* 1999: Nude swordsman attacks churchgoers *
Eleven people are injured in a sword attack at a church in south London after a naked man wielding a Samurai sword bursts in during Sunday Mass.
Full story:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/-/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/November/28/newsid_2527000/2527805.stm

Usually, the BBC is a little more conventional than this...

B.

The Bathroom Reno Saga: Day Five Pic 6

DSC00608 Bathroom Reno Day Five
Originally uploaded by Binky

The Bathroom Reno Sage: Day Five Pic 5

DSC00607 Bathroom Reno Day Five
Originally uploaded by Binky

The Bathroom Reno Saga: Day Five Pic 4

DSC00609 Bathroom Reno Day Five
Originally uploaded by Binky

The Bathroom Reno Saga: Day Five Pic 3

DSC00606 Bathroom Reno Day Five
Originally uploaded by Binky

The Bathroom Reno Saga: Day Five Pic 2

DSC00604 Bathroom Reno Day Five
Originally uploaded by Binky

The Bathroom Reno Saga: Day Five Pic 1

DSC00603 Bathroom Reno Day Five
Originally uploaded by Binky

The Bathroom Reno Saga: Day Five

My friends, all good things must come to an end. Fortunately, many painful, expensive, and very inconvenient things also end. Our bathroom renovation has not yet ended but is now firmly in amateur hands- mine!

There's a lot of painting to do.

[Pictures to follow soon- tonight or Sunday.]

B.

The Bathroom Reno Saga: Day Four

Man, does this thing ever end...? WE HAVE TILE! ( No grout, yet though.)
B.