House and Tree

Catch-22

2009-04-03T16:26:00.000-07:00

So if you're not into 'conspiracy theories' just go away, these aren't the posts you're looking for.
If on the other hand you'd like to hear a crazy person ramble about something that you haven't come across before: perfect.

I'm doing this as a bit of a test: I'm fairly confident that my theory is correct, and I'm waiting for a letter from some official anti-terrorist unit to confirm that I am correct. If it is true and they do nothing, then this information would be available to any would-be terrorists, but if they ask me to cease and desist (which I would do, I suppose) then I have my answer.

Here is my theory in short: A significant number of very tall towers put up in recent-ish history are already pre-wired and dynamited for the eventual day that they will need to come down safely, without taking out their neighbours in the downtown core. They may need to come down in an emergency (such as tower 7 (Salomon Brothers tower) on September 11, which, as you may recall, was the 47 story building that wasn't hit by a plane, yet came down that day as well) or simply at the end of their life-span.
Watch it come down at 8:01, also nice is a quote at 9:12. watch a planned demolotion. watch a compilation (note the mechanical room on the top collapses quicker than the edges). or watch one interview where the guy basically puts it out there...
Snopes lists a ton of different items about 9/11 but not a single one about planned demolition.

So, based on a little bit of info, and a lot of imagination, I'm going to go ahead and tell any would-be terrorists: don't bring your own thermite or TNT, it's already supplied! Just find the controls and then set them off! It might be hard to figure out what height and age would be ideal, so I'll go ahead and post a fairly conservative estimate: less than 40 years old, and at or above 40 storeys in height. Go find the wires and controls to blow the whole thing down.

it might not be true
it's fun to think it is, but...
not in canada?

Success!

2009-04-03T16:16:00.000-07:00

So I'm very happy about the way this is turning out: Luke slept from 10pm all the way through to 6am two nights ago. We here at Drader Jr. central are ecstatic!
On a different note, how many people rely on their spell-checker to find the proper spelling of things: you keep changing it slightly to see if the little red line will disappear? Yeah, that's modus operandi for 'ecstatic' and 'disappear' for me (apparently). I just realized I do that quite often, and my spelling is probably becoming more and more American as a result (and also, American is only spelled correctly with a capital, but canadian isn't...) Stupid spell checker. Weird, it has no issue with the word colour. But I distract myself, and you as well, since you're reading this.

I just wanted to capture the beauty that is sleep, and celebrate Luke's beauty in that.

Just wanted to say
you have been super today
keep sleeping grunty

Also, he grunts alot.

Feeding the squirrels

2009-03-13T17:11:00.000-07:00

So today Katrina was very cute and helped us make some peanut butter sandwichs so that we could give them to the rodents upstairs. She was excited about the prospect and watched with glee as daddy climbed up the ladders to place the sandwichs where the squirrels could feast on them. Little did she realize that the rat poison I added to them was going to cause some upset squirrel stomachs...
I can't wait to see your face honey when you read this in about 16-18 years :)

oh, and yesterday marks her first ascent of a short boulder route, probably rated V1 - her crib. dang. she finds bedtime to be particularly tough, so it's a big temptation for her to get out and try to do something about it...

today's haiku came
courtesy of another
x k c d rocks

People always whine

2009-03-10T18:27:00.000-07:00

This is especially true when it comes to the current economy. There are different views on the economy and where the states is going. What I find interesting is that GM is looked at as a company that is out of touch with reality, unable to adapt, spending more than it earned, with too many legacy weights (ie. pension plans). What specifically is interesting? Well, it seems that GM has only been in deficit for a max of 4 years (in 2004 they posted a fairly healthy 3.6 billion in net surplus). Some of their operations are profitable (not in North America though), and they were hurt by their large (49%) stake in GMAC, which is a loan institution having some residential mortages (no wonder they're in trouble..). And the government (USA USA USA) saying they should be doing better has not decreased their debt since 1969!!! yes, that's right, the government has been spending more than it's been taking in for going on 40 years now...take a look at pgs 131 and 132 if you don't believe me. Un-fricking-believable. Reminds me of an awesome comic.

you should buy some stocks
or else buy the poor some socks
spending will save us...

oh, and also, the CAW proposal really is ridiculous - we'll do our part by not getting quarterly pay raises, and deferring the point where we ask for more money to 2012, instead of 2011. Seriously? That's it? Not a 'oh, yeah, I guess we ARE overpaid compared to others doing identical work on more reliable vehicles...'
But I show my bias....

The poopasaurus has exploded

2009-03-04T18:12:00.000-08:00

And other disturbing sentences - courtesy of Rachel, thanks Luke.

In other news, someone should use these lines in a song, I felt very clever:

Absence makes the heart grow fonder
Absinthe makes the mind go wander

no haiku today
I already wrote one out
that is all you get

Another post so soon? how odd...

2009-03-04T17:28:00.000-08:00

Well, Katrina is in bed (assumed asleep), Luke is grunting away by my belly (asleep in the sling), and I got lots of sleep last night (only interupted once), so I'm feeling great, and in the mood to write (I'm tempted to write the Great Canadian Novel, but that would take more time than I have to invest tonight, also, I think I'd get carpal tunnel).

But I need to go use the washroom, and I'll probably get distracted, so as much as I might think I want to write. This is about it...

Turns out that standing up to pee, while holding a (suddenly awake) screaming baby isn't a good idea.

they pee when they're young
can't hold it when they get old
I should sell diapers!

It's not spring yet

2009-02-28T13:18:00.000-08:00

Though I wish it were. We looked at a fun calendar last night to help us figure out when we should plant our garden. It helps to pay attention to frosty nights to get a clue as to when you can plant your plants - last year we lost all of our plants to frost - twice! Thank goodness for mothers-in-law who start far more plants than they need. We had been about to get out the flats and start growing things. Turns out we're about 2 months ahead of our time, too impatient for the weather to turn and be spring... 'sigh'.

On a different note, I have a new favourite quote from a movie we just watched. Maybe I enjoy the quote because I really enjoyed the movie but here it is. If you know what movie I'm talking about without googling it, I'll be impressed.
Here goes: "He was so deadly in fact, that his enemies would go blind from overexposure to pure awesomeness."

It's a little too long for casual use, but I'm going to try to use it in conversations in the near future and see if if catches on...

probably not.

Since this really is an online diary to be read by my kids in 20 years, I'll say that we had a fun time for Katrina's 2nd birthday. She's 2! that feels quite odd. According to the old wive's tales, she'll be 5'2" and 1/4" tall. That is, we measured her height on her second birthday and it was 2'7"and 1/8". If I keep track of growth she could graph her height as it varies with age - and I have few doubts that she'll be as big a geek as me as I plan to nurture those qualities as she ages (yes, another sign of geekiness, I just can't resist my inner nature. Plus, Rachel also has been know to have a propensity for things un-cool).

and now we must go
dinner awaits us all there
food haiku, how bland!

Sleepy thoughts

2009-01-24T14:09:00.000-08:00

So Luke was born at 8:24pm on Jan 16th, 2009. 7lbs 10oz and 21" long (Canada as a metric country, hah!): hence the title.

He's a very cute baby, though being a boy he's less predictable on the change table (fear of the fountain keeps me on edge). Being at home all day has gotten me more interested in the news of what's going on outside (also, it's been really cold most days since he's been born), which leads me to the topic of this post (yes, I know having another baby is a big deal, but it's so obvious that it makes it mundane, so really the details on him was to appease the potential reader who might go "that's more worthy of being written about than your child?". My other word for those readers is this: "Shushy").

What really caught my thinking was that in the news these days is a woman from Quebec who lived with a billionaire and wants to up the alimony she receives to $56,000 per month. If the case succeeds, it will present potentially very interesting conversations among people who live together as common-law. What exactly? Well, the case is really about how wealth should be split when people live together as common-law (and maybe have children? I'm not actually sure how the children influence the case). If the rights of married people are given to people who are common-law, I can imagine the awkward discussions this might entail for every couple where one person is very well off on the day before they are officially common-law (I believe that's a year).

"Sorry babe. You gotta move out. My accountant told me this was the best financial policy for retirement. Maybe we can hook back up next week?"

Or can the year be non-consecutive? Is a year really enough time for people to figure out if they really want to be together for the rest of their lives? Maybe they'll need to get to know each other better before they start sleeping together, making them seemingly more responsible? Will someone need to sign a pre-nuptial agreement before every one-night stand, just in case it becomes something later and they want to be common-law without the possibility of losing half of everything?

I almost hope it goes through for that greedy harpy. The best line is "the kids have gotten used to this standard of living". Right. Meaning you have. Oh, you probably should be feeling sorry for her since she's only getting $35,000/month currently. Yup, I guess we should never give up any standard of living once we've achieved it. Didn't Barack Obama say the same thing in his speech? Man, we're a nation of people obsessed with comfort and completely terrified of hardship.
Isn't that the reason why 3 million americans have lost their homes? I'm sure they haven't had to give up any material comfort...oh wait...I guess the message here is that you don't need to change, unless you're the chump who just lost his job at GM.

I'm way too typative right now (I'd say talkative, but I'm not actually speaking). So I'll leave you with this (dubious) gem. I've been writing while making Katrina evening snacks.

Bananas are good
Pizza is a bit messy
Sweet Lord! the grapefruit!

Merry New Years!

2009-01-02T12:47:00.000-08:00

-The following section does not contain enough links -
-The following section needs some work to update it-

I just saw a post that copied directly from Wikipedia. It looked quite odd for a blog. Too many links for a normal post. It's like they take all nouns and indiscriminately link them. On a completely different note, Tim and Emily came by yesterday to help us clean up our attic bedroom, so yay! we now have a super clean bedroom that we can sleep in. And also, you don't need to duck to get there! The plant s now have a new home upstairs, where hopefully Katrina won't be able to get to them.

The midwife visit went well, the home visit before the soon-to-be day that we give her a frantic call.

We just went out for dinner. It was lovely. So now I'm finishing this post, which has taken quite a while since making connections takes time.

Goodnight!

beard + zippers = no fun

2008-12-04T16:09:00.000-08:00

That's it. no fun at all.

Mr. Fridge and Mrs. Roof

2008-11-30T13:33:00.000-08:00

Just as children shouldn't nest in old fridges and freezers, squirrels too shouldn't in roofs. Part of me feels bad, but part of me thinks that they brought it upon themselves. Turns out that squirrels need to eat everyday, or else they go 'quiet' (unless they are currently hibernating and I'll have problems again in the spring).

It's interesting how many neighbours re-roofed this summer (the ones closest to the park still have hoses on their roof and big piles of shingles 'oops'. Doing frieze boards, soffits, fascia, and siding can at least can be done while the snow is coming down (thank you 'Mechanix'tm gloves).

As we're about to take Katrina to the park, this sick sunday afternoon (I'm down, and Rachel is sure to follow with Katrina), I'll be quick with a random piece of poetry:

The park is empty
Every toy vacant and still
Thanks God for the snow

PS. I was just reading about the Genocide Awareness Project and need to do some looking about things they said. I'll need to educate Katrina and Zvonko about so many things in life...

I Will ReRoof (a medley in four parts)

2008-11-18T17:27:00.001-08:00

okay, so, like, first, I was afraid, I was pertrified, couldn't live without a roof over my head,
but then I spent so many nights just living with a tarp,
and I grew strong (and tanned)
and I learned how to frame a roof

and so it's back, that evil rain,
I just walked in to find a ceiling with an ugly little stain
I should have used a different tarp
I should have seen that ripped up spot
If I'd have known for just one second all the mudding that'd follow me
go on now, go out the door
take a good view now, of the second floor

Did the project last a week or has it now been almost three months
Did I crumble
Did you think I'd lay down and die?
Oh no, not.I. I will survive
I will survive, hey hey

it took all the strength I had to lift that heavy part
kept trying not to fall from 30ft up when I stepped upon the tarp
and I spent oh so many nights
Just lying in bed thinking about the roof, I had to try
but now I hold my head up high
and you'll see me, with a beard or two,
calluses on my hands and holes in my shoe

so if you feel like dropping in
and seeing all the work that's done
you'd be welcome, and bring your caulking gun!

go on now, go out the door
take a good view now, of the second floor (fade out)

Will Blogs be so long-lived?

2008-11-13T19:13:00.000-08:00

Well, I thought that it'd be neat to know my parents better, but I don't really have any of their writings from when they were younger... what were they thinking, what did they struggle with, what price was gas?
So I figure that the thousands of blogs out there will be like lots of little computerized diaries, and not as girlish. So my children will have the opportunity to take a look and see what their dad struggled with and made public to possibly thousands of people. If I ever run for president, I bet lots of reporters will read this stuff to try to get to know their future leader...

So, kids, right now we're in the last stages of the roof renovation on 63 Schneider ave, it's been since Aug 20th that I've been putting in long days on the roof, and your mom has been putting in long days doing everything else by herself (though you are a good helper, Katrina. Zvonko, you were just moving around in her belly, so no points for you). Right now the drywall isn't all put up yet in the dormer, but soon it will be and I'll begin the terrible process of mudding, then sanding, mud, sand, mud, sand, mud, sand, paint, mud, sand, paint....

Your mom is here, looking over my shoulder...and we've got the second batch of apple-stuff canning away (it's apple chutney, I'm hoping it turns out well). And I've got a meeting tomorrow for LEED, so I should get to bed.

And now, a terrible haiku:

hot, steamy, choppy
canning is a great big chore
but sure beats the store

On privacy

2008-11-05T18:45:00.000-08:00

This seems like an odd concept...hide your personal information, lock your doors, have security systems on your cars and homes. Oh, and share every detail of your life online for anyone to take a look at. Weird. Anyways, I like the thought of a space where I can write random stories, maybe the odd detail about life, and think that no-one sees it. It's like the ultimate passive-agressive move out there (well, maybe not the ultimate).

Since bedtime is soon, here is a haiku.

The cat climbed the tree
the squirrel lived in my house
I only love one