The Problem with Christmas

Now that we're on the other side of that magical day (Merry Christmas, BTW), I have an observation to make:  I think we kind of bore ourselves as adults with Christmas by starting to celebrate it waaaaayyyy too early but then not at all afterwards.  Of course, a lot has already been said about reducing that holy day to simply a day of gift-giving, and the materialism-consumerism that goes with that, so I won't beat on that drum.

But it drives me even crazier that all the sales, decorations (who hasn't noticed?), and Christmas songs on the radio get us to start celebrating the holiday at least a month before the actual day itself, to the point that there's actually a sense of relief when it's over.  And then after Christmas day, nothing. 

All the buildup and hype, all the messages on TV and the news promoting goodwill and "making Christmas last", and then no mention of it after the 25th.  Except of course for Boxing Day sales up here in Canada. 

Does anyone even recognize that Christmas is actually an eight-day feast (called an "octave") in Christianity?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Octave_(liturgical)

OK, so that gives away my Catholic roots, but by now my values should be no surprise to anyone reading this blog.

So I can see where, as adults, we get cynical and even start dreading a holiday that really has the potential to inspire us and carry us into the new year with new hope and a sense of promise.


And to resist the trend, we're determined as a family to not only keep the decorations up for a week or two after Dec. 25th, but to watch Christmas movies and listen to Christmas music in the days that follow.  For example, we just watched Disney's "A Christmas Carol" last night, the 27th, for the first time this season.  Great animation, decent scripting, but it feels too much like it was made for 3D if you ask me.  Too many scenes of Scrooge riding/flying through the air and things rather obviously being thrown at the screen for effect. 

And it seems like that's what Robert Zemeckis was going for:

I think Jim Carrey sums it up well when he says: "We were able to finally do what Charles Dickens wrote". 

Yeah, Jim, Charles was aiming for that 3-D thrill ride thing in many of his stories.

But just to avoid sounding like a Scrooge myself, here's my top-ten list of Christmas songs/versions, for those raised on the pop Christmas tunes we've been hearing on the radio (nonstop on CHFI here in Toronto since U.S. Black Friday!).  In no particular order:

1) Mahalia Jackson's "Silent Night" or "Joy to the World" - the epitome of soulful gospel singing

2) The Pogues' "Fairytale of New York" - not a sweet and pious song, but it rocks and inspires

3) Judy Garland singing "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" - again not a religious song, but the best version and the original from "Meet Me in St. Louis"

4) Elvis singing "O Little Town of Bethlehem" - or pretty much any Christmas song

5) Eartha Kitt's "Santa Baby" - really hate the song since Madonna's version, but Eartha makes it sexy in a way that M could never

6) Stevie Nicks' "Silent Night" - not the classiest version, but I don't get tired of it (also amazed that she sang it)

7) Sting's "The Angel Gabriel" - ditto

8) Celine Dion's "O Holy Night" - very few singers that comfortably hit the high notes, but CD does it

9) Boney M's "Mary's Boy Child" - timeless though overplayed

10) Bing Crosby's "White Christmas" - even more overplayed, but I can't leave Bing off the list and he made the song what it is

Really interesting, when you think about it, how many non-believers and Hollywood types made Christmas songs popular.  If I were more paranoid I'd subscribe to a conspiracy theory about replacing Jesus with Santa Claus. 

But I'll save that for my senior years.

Mo

I kept it til the weekend, but the mo' has to go.

Never heard of Movember* when we lived Stateside, but I figured I'd give it a try this year.  Realized I kinda liked the Van Dyke when I had it, but remembered that wifey was in the opposite camp.

*For those who haven't heard of it yet, Movember is a "moustache-growing charity event held during November each year that raises funds and awareness for men's health issues, and specifically protate cancer (from www.movember.com).

In other news, I turned 40 this week.  Finally it sunk in.  The occasion was an all-staff meeting on Tuesday where I was supposed to speak briefly on a new project in our agency and decided to open with a joke.  It never occurred to me that over half the audience wouldn't get a joke about the Lone Ranger and Tonto, since most were under 30 and about a quarter of the crowd were first-generation Canadians (ie not apt to get a dated pop-culture reference). 

Tight pants and fringes?  You'd think it was the 70's.

In case you're curious, the joke is about LR and T being chased by a pack of angry Indians (I had to explain that I meant North American Indians, not the local kind, which you'd think would have clued me in as to how badly the joke was going to land).  They come to the edge of a cliff and LR says, "Well, old friend, it looks like we've reached the end of the road," to which T replies, "What you mean 'we', Kimosabe?". 

And then silence.  A couple of chuckles at most.  From almost 200 people. 

It was only when I made the tie-in with my subject by saying "Partnerships can be tricky" that the crowd roared.  Thankfully my other one-liners got more consistent laughs, but for 5 minutes of amateur stand-up, it was painful.  It wasn't on my bucket list, but let's just say I'm glad I did it and I'll check it off and move on.

BTW on a completely different subject, who doesn't love James Spader as Robert California on The Office this season? 

They may have kept the series alive a little while longer after Steve Carell's departure.  Hilarious episode this past week about RC's wife getting a job at Dunder-Mifflin.  Surprising that they still find scenarios like misunderstanding-but-trying-to-please-a-demanding-boss for us to relate to after 7 seasons.

And now, the moustache song:

Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

Ok, so it's been done before - plenty of times.  But what other pop culture "change" reference can top Bowie?  Tears for Fears?  Blecch.

Believe it or not, these guys are married with kids -
and not to each other.  It was the 80's, people.

This past spring, a long-time veteran of my department retired, which triggered another veteran to go on leave, and a younger worker to plan to leave next spring.  And then another staff from my department took a new contract within the agency and won't be back to my team until next year.  All this turnover means a lot of new faces and some instability on my team, but ultimately a huge potential for growth, which is exciting.  All the same it would be nice if the turnover happened in trickles instead of this wave...

                                           

And then a fellow middle-manager has announced that he's retiring in the next two years, and a senior manager even sooner (shout out to Gord and Jim!).  That'll be making room for some new blood too, which is great, but we'll also be losing two good men in the agency, which is lousy -- come to think of it, including my veteran staff that's three men gone out of the 10-12 in all.  A big loss.  Or, as Flannery put it,

                                                                     

So, time for some corporate re-structuring, some organizational review and improvement.
Promotion?  Yes, please!


Speaking of which, is the re-structuring of the cast of House MD (yet again) an improvement?  Well, if it were just the addition of Dr. Chi Park (Charlyne Li), I'd give a decided no.

                                                                         

But with the addition of Dr. Jessica Adams (Odette Annable), I'd say definitely yes.  Rrrowrr!
                                                                        

And Dr.'s Chase and Taub returning this evening just restores a little of the balance.  My prediction, though, is they'll have to bring Dr. Lisa "Cuddy" Edelstein back and demote Dr. Foreman (Omar Epps) before the end of the season, just for closure. 

And some more good news:  we've heard that Bethany got her wish from the good folks at the Make-A-Wish Foundation, so we'll be going to Hawaii after Christmas this year (woohoo!) and maybe put her illness behind us. 

Can you say Mele Kalikimaka?

Untherapeutic Killing

I for one think it's unfortunate that Ghadafi was killed this week. 

I think we've all seen enough photos of the guy lately, so here's
one of the culvert he was hiding in instead.

I realize I'm in the minority on this one, but I don't mean it like those who insist that he deserved a trial.  I just think the victims and families of victims of his brutality over the years - including the terrorism he funded - they deserved a trial to be able to yell, swear, and possibly spit on the guy who caused them so much pain.  Like with all the evil people out there - dictators, serial killers, parking meter officers - a quick beating and death by a small angry mob seems unfair to those who would have liked more closure.  But maybe that's just me.

Enough about him - IMO we also spend way too much media time and attention on the evil people, thereby glorifying them (and their evil) in our minds.


Time for a check-in on the 40-year old goal list for the year:

1. Start a new blog (woohoo!)   DONE
2. Take karate lessons    Have a coupon and a plan
3. Maintain the new blog (stupid list...)    SURPRISINGLY, STILL GOING STRONG
4. Start investigating how to get my PhD by age 50   Done investigating (see prev blogs)
5. Get a Bb Tablet as soon as they come out (maybe even wait in line like the diehards)   NOT DONE
6. Copy those videotapes of our 2005 trip to Ireland   ON TAPE 6!
7. Give my kids more hugs   DONE
8. Say "I love you" more   DONE

And lest you think I've taken the last two lightly, I've actually very consciously worked into my daily routines more hugging and "I love you"s - at least to the kids.  It doesn't tend to go over so well in the workplace.

                                         

The Blackberry thing is just a hard one to swallow for me.  Take this article from a couple of days ago - it's written by a guy at the InfoWorld.com website, but I thought it was neat that Google listed it first as being in The Zimbabwe Telegraph website:

http://www.zimtelegraph.com/?p=2308

I mean, can Rim save the Playbook?  Probably not.  So price it to sell, Rim, and put out a new version of the device, like you do with phones and like Apple's doing with the iPad.  And get the technology right like you did with the Blackberry's, fools.  You still have a market out there of business types who don't want to type on an iPhone.  I love my Bb, and wouldn't trade it, but I'd love a tablet that syncs with it without all the glitches.  Until then, I'm not shelling out half a grand for a Playbook.  Period.

What is it about being in power that makes men so arrogant and greedy?  And please don't tell me St. Steve of Cupertino was an exception - he was just driven more by making better gadgets than more money, once he'd made his first billion.  That didn't stop him from making toys that were stubbornly proprietary and high-priced. 

                                                         
Or maybe it's more our perception of dictators than the reality. 
Or maybe it's not who the person is but what privilege, power, and disconnectedness from others ultimately does to them.  Maybe it's not in their character to begin with, but what their circumstance calls from them. 

Nah.

A Thanksgiving Poem

Thanks.

Like pulling teeth
Or a toddler's manners
Entangled in self
Chasing ambulances

Occasional drips
And rarer gushes
Holes poked by calendar
Or conscience

Unlocking me
Turning inside out
The tags show
It's all Gift

Giving.

Niagara Falls

OK, so after a second visit in less than 3 months, I'm ready to give my pointers:

     1)  Plan to overspend on almost everything (very familiar to most Canadians).
     2)  Choose your eating spots really wisely.
     3)  Either set a limit on how many attractions you plan to visit, or brace yourself for a lot of crap.

Now don't get me wrong - the Falls themselves (the Canadian horseshoe one and the U.S. one) are a marvel to behold and awe-inspiring to the point that you want to set up a lawn chair and sit in front of them for hours, which some people do.  They are literally awe-inspiring in the way that every natural wonder of the world (though the Falls isn't technically on the list) moves you to stare in awe and reflect on your life, the beauty of nature, and your place in the universe.  Stuff like that.

But of course like every wonder of the world, you have to expect that the celebrity of the place will be bastardized by the kitschy attractions, the endless array of degrading souvenirs, and the novelty restaurants/stores.  In Canada we've become as good at it as anyone.

So if you haven't gone yet (or haven't been in a while), you might also benefit from the experience - and excessive spending - of someone like me who values their hard-earned cash but isn't afraid of admitting he got suckered by things like:

The Clifton Hill Attractions.  I'd like to be dramatic and extremist and say "avoid everything on this street at all costs", but instead I'd suggest avoiding most things on this street, such as:

• the little-kid attractions (the "legobrickland" is one big room with a great exhibit but next-to-nothing interactive - you'll ooh and ahh and take pictures but leave after 10 mins; the playland is just a notch above McD's but you pay for it)
• the Ripley's attractions (unless you've never been to a Believe-It-Or-Not Museum, in which case this one is impressive but has pretty much the same as every other BION museum in the world)
• the 4-D rides (very short films, Ripley's had greasy glasses and seats, and if you've been to  Disney-Universal these ones pale in comparison)
• the Guiness Records museum (not interactive, many plaques/photos on the walls, and the fun games/interactive parts you pay for like an arcade game)
• the arcades (you buy tokens and get tickets like that popuar "cheesy" restaurant chain that most parents know, but you pay 50 cents a token!)
• the wax museums (lame, lame, lame - maybe this was impressive 50 years ago, but many of the newer "likenesses" are terrible)

EXCEPTIONS/SOLUTIONS: 

1. the Ripley's BION museum if you haven't been to one already (see#2): very entertaining compared to most of the "museums" on the strip
2. the Fudge Factory: pricey but you see them making fudge, get free tastes, and it's a great assortment of candy
3. the Niagara Sky Wheel: I may get some flak for this one, but I like ferris wheels, $10 an adult was reasonable, and the view is awesome - and after dark you get extra spins and some necking-time with the missus
4. the haunted houses: only if you really enjoy being scared by loud noises, gruesome scenes, and being grabbed by strange staff in the dark, which I don't

View from the Sky Wheel

The Other Local Attractions.  Actually not as bad overall as the CH ones, but I'd have to give the "thumbs down" to:

• the "indoor sky diving" - you pay almost $100 for 45 mins ("with lessons"), but the customers we watched only spent 10 mins in the machine flopping around 5 ft off the ground
• the Imax theatre - snack bar was stale food, the film was a very dated documentary about the Falls (not 3D) that had some interested facts I could have read about instead of watching a "B" movie
• the Greg F theatre - dinner theatre with a magician:  the food was mediocre and being too close ruined the sleight-of-hand for me (see my post in June)

EXCEPTIONS/SOLUTIONS:

1. the Falls themselves (see above) - we did the Maid of the Mist and the Journey Behind the Falls: the boat ride puts you right in the middle but it's hard to see and take photos, while the walk puts you on a landing next to the Falls where it's easier to stand and take it in
2. the Fallsview Indoor Waterpark - not cheap, but a pretty good indoor WP; gets old after an hour or two but great to come back to after a hot day
3. the Skylon Tower - overpriced if you bring the kids, but for a couple it's an above-average meal with classy service (feel free to dress up) and an awesome rotating view of the falls
4. the casinos (Fallsview and Casino Niagara being the biggest): a blast if you like blowing your money on games of chance, paying for overpriced food and drink, and catching the occasional 80's rock group trying to cash in, which I don't

                                                

View from the landing at Journey Behind the Falls 

The Hotels.  Instead of describing what the other travel websites can tell you, let me boil it down to a few things:

1. The closer to the Falls, the more expensive the hotel - a cheap hotel near the Falls is either a motel or unsanitary or both.
2. The more expensive hotels don't give you much more for that extra $100 a night, except a shorter walk/drive; parking is NEVER FREE (2 hotels we visited) and the food is usually mediocre (I'm looking at you, Best Western!).
3. "Pet friendly" means you can leave your pet in the room or the hotel's kennel ONLY at the Best Western - the Sheraton lets you have a pet but it can't be left anywhere.
4. There are much cheaper hotels just outside the city (not the motels, the hotels people!) if you don't mind driving in and out of the Falls area which is not a bad commute.
5. Bottom line: if you have a vehicle I'd advise lodging outside the Falls area, since you'll have to pay for parking anyway; if you don't  have a vehilce you'll pay for it since decent lodging within walking distance of the Falls is ridiculously expensive ($250-$300 a night after fees and taxes).

The Restaurants.  And instead of turning into a restaurant critic, some tips:

1. Most places will overcharge based on being in Niagara Falls, so just brace yourself for that.  No decent entree to be found for under $15 a person, but like I said, Canadians are used to that. 
2. My suggestion?  Either go with what you know (The Keg, Thai Express for lunch, Rainforest Cafe for the kids) or you roll the dice with that $15.  A lot of crappy food is made available by restaurants that are mass-producing for the tourists.
3. Thumbs up:  Curry Queen Indian
4. Thumbs Down: New York Chinese
5. Looked deservedly popular (Italian): Antica Pizzeria   
6. Looked deservedly unpopular (Italian): Casa D'Oro
7. Don't get the breakfast or dinner "package" at your hotel: you may save a few bucks, but you'll be stuck with whatever quality you get (or don't get - still looking at you, BW!)

                                               

The Parking.  Many, many parking opportunities in the Falls area, and many of them decent.  Drive around a little to find the best rate, but I recommend:

1. The small lot next to the Applebees on Victoria near CH - the cheapest rate near CH from what we could tell.
2. The lot at Fallsview and Robinson, when you want to be closer to Skylon - we never used it but it always seemed to underprice the other lots.
3. Calling your hotel to make reservations instead of doing it online, so you understand what you're getting and not getting, including the advertised "free" parking.

 The Souvenirs.  And what about the tempting array of souvenir stores, you ask?  Well, without reviewing specific stores, since there are many, I'd suggest:

1. Shop around a little if you can.  Most souvenirs in stores along CH can be found a few blocks away for cheaper at non-CH stores, including your typical t-shirts, posters, etc. - especially along Victoria.
2. Set a budget (fixed amount) for yourself and members of your family, so everyone can only spend so much and has to narrow their choices.  It's what we did and we certainly didn't regret it - you tend to value the one item you return with more than a bagful of junk.  Also, no family member or friend wants to receive a souvenir with the Falls stamped on it.  Buy them some fudge.
3. Also, you must buy at least one of each of the following items: a snow-globe, a Falls placemat with your child's name on it, a cheap t-shirt or hat with "Niagara Falls" on it, and a mug for a loved one.  It is vitally important to the sustainability of the Falls that everyone buy as many facsimiles as possible.  God forbid we should have to remember our experiences without plastic props.

What Sucks

Well, they're back to school - all of them.  And we finally get to stop seeing the Staples ad with its tiresome overuse of "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year".  And that darn Glee girl in the Canadian ads.

I'm assuming this is the real ad, since I couldn't

bring myself to watch it all the way through again.

One of my kids asked me if she could watch the Glee premiere tonight (hint: not the 4-yr old boy), and I stuck to our parental party line of "no way".  Too many sexualized references and dancing, high school puppy love romanticized like a soap opera, not to mention the trivializing of sex in general.  And I lost interest in the first season when they started using instrumental tracks instead of the catchy "a cappella" arrangements.  Just lazy producing, if you ask me.

So while the U.S. has started gearing up for next year's presidential election, pundits poking holes in other parties' candidates (ah, I remember it well from our 10 years in Massachusetts), Canada's on the precipice of its regular provincial elections. 

Here in Ontario the pendulum swung from right to left in the last decade, after late-90's premier Mike Harris cut many programs to balance the budget. Now that Dalton McGuinty has spent us back into a deficit, the government teat has swollen, and taxes are at an all-time high, will the pendulum swing back? Only Oct. 6 knows for sure.

Meanwhile, Toronto Mayor Rob Ford is getting constant heat for any suggestion of cutbacks or privatizing services to save money.  Not that I'm a fan or anything, but it goes to show how tough it can be to wean people off that teat. 

http://news.ca.msn.com/local/toronto/toronto-service-cuts-talks-end-after-20-hours-12

We all want less taxes and more spending money, but we want the government to keep growing services to meet growing needs.  Using what, the barter system?



OK that's two cartoons in quick succession - I apologize.  Just trying to keep the mood light when getting political, which I haven't done yet in this blog.

Speaking of my turning-40 goals, I now have definite word from all three local universities that I'd have to quit work to get my PhD, since none of them offer part-time programs.  Which sucks.  Or not; maybe it's not meant to be -- maybe my next life project is bigger than that, or on a totally different track.

In the meantime, I've explored the PhD possibility like I said I would, I'm halfway through transferring the Ireland home videos, we defeated Bethany's LCH yet again, and I built a kick-ass shed in the backyard this summer.  Not bad for nine months.

"Let Them Talk"

Hugh Laurie and I have a lot in common.

We both play piano and guitar reasonably well – though I’d immediately forfeit in a duel with either weapon.  We both have reasonably good voices and enjoy the blues. 

Of course, he’s a highly talented British actor who just released a well-produced jazz-blues album that’s sure to sell millions of copies.  On the other hand, I have people around me who would probably strongly suggest (if I were inspired to release an album) vocal training, numerous re-takes while recording, or that I not release an album at all.  And Hugh apparently doesn’t, but should.

I picked up Hugh's album, "Let Them Talk" this afternoon, and after listening all the way through a couple of times, I feel cheated.  Here's a sample of one track, "You Don't Know My Mind":

It’s not that it’s a horrible album, because it’s clearly entertaining enough.  And it’s not that Hugh has a lousy voice, because he doesn’t.  I just wish he played more on the album than he sang, since he’s clearly more talented in the former than the latter.  His playing, on the album and on the show, is clearly inspired and soulful.  His singing, though, tends to be repetitively choppy and punchy, talky and at times self-conscious, with little sustain or vibrato (and the occasional lisp), which makes his singing rather unidimensional.   In quality reminiscent of Dr. John (who incidentally sings on a couple of tracks) without as much soul or variation. 

I also wish those around him hadn’t encouraged/goaded him into releasing an album as they probably did, since he seems impressively humble and modest about his musical talent.  Most of all, I wish my local Best Buy had “try before you buy” listening stations, since I probably would have screened this one out. 

I have to admit, I was taken in by his face and name on the cover – kind of fooled into thinking that being superb in one art would likely make him superb in the others.  Probably a lot like Hugh himself.

When does Season 8 start?

State of Mind

Seems like bi-weekly is about right at this point, since the personal news cycle is a little slower, shall we say, than it was a couple of months ago...

Bethany came back from camp on Friday beaming (through tired eyes) and boasting of all the fun she had and great people she met.  It was so great to see her having enjoyed herself thoroughly with the simple things - outdoors fun, simple crafts, friendship, like the little girl I've known and loved.  Not the electronics-obsessed, boy-crazy, crotchety teenager we've had around here, even before the diagnosis and chemo.  Thanks Camp Ooch!  A GBS (Great Big Sea) song she brought back with her:

I give it less than two weeks.  And then getting "plugged in" again, pesky little sibs, and high school in September will likely knock it right out of her. 

Kinda like that "vacation state of mind" we get in and lose so quickly when we get back to work, or the inspiration of a good conference.  Why is it so hard to live in a more relaxed and creative mindset like that?


So after striking York U off my list based on distance/commute, I started inquiring about U of T and their Scarborough campus and got a curt email back saying they only take full-timers.  Looks like with them I'd have to choose between full-time work and a full-time degree program, and get over a unwelcoming first contact.  I don't know why I keep being surprised at the poor customer service here in Canada, I guess the "U.S. state of mind" is still with me. 

Next stop: Ryerson.


Did you know that someone in Canada dies every 8 minutes from cancer?  I think I've heard more cancer stories since we moved back here (again, even before the recent unpleasantness) than I did in 10 years in Massachusetts.  And, probably not coincidentally, much more smoking. 

Which is why I designed and will be sporting this bumper sticker (on one of our vehicles, not my back or briefcase or something):

Not really cause-and-effect since other things cause cancer, but somehow I don't feel sorry for maligning smokers.

Out of the Pit

Well, she's out of the woods for now - so "relieved" may be overstating it, but woo-freakin-hoo!

After a CT scan on Tuesday, we got the feedback from Sick Kids today that Beth has no signs of the LCH in her brain at this point, just some debris in her inner ear from the surgeries. 

And no more meds for now - awesome - thanks for all the prayers and support.

The bonus is that she goes off to overnight camp on Sunday, run by Sick Kids.  It's called Camp Oochigeas and includes water sports, so now she can enjoy getting wet without having to worry about her PICC getting wet.  Double awesome.  A little long and 2 years old, but the best video I could find:

Meanwhile, to give Maggie (#2 daughter) her due, she started a drama camp this week at Actone School of drama in Pickering and is enjoying it tremendously.  She's always had the boldness of a stage performer (or any kind of performer really) so it fits for her.  Hopefully the drama of her adolescence is still a couple of years away.

And I've decided on a theme song for my 40th year - actually it keeps finding me, and I keep resonating with it:

I have climbed highest mountain
I have run through the fields
Only to be with you

I have run
I have crawled
I have scaled these city walls
These city walls
Only to be with you

But I still haven't found what I'm looking for

I have kissed honey lips
Felt the healing in her fingertips
It burned like fire
This burning desire

I have spoke with the tongue of angels
I have held the hand of a devil
It was warm in the night
I was cold as a stone

But I still haven't found what I'm looking for

I believe in the kingdom come
Then all the colors will bleed into one
Bleed into one
Well yes I'm still running

You broke the bonds and you
Loosed the chains
Carried the cross
Of my shame
Of my shame
You know I believed it

But I still haven't found what I'm looking for

Ok, ok it's not Shakespeare (or John Donne...), it's U2, but it speaks to the combination of faith and longing that kind of fits where I'm at. 

Actually, I thought about their song "40" (based on Psalm 40) but it's more of a redemption song.  I don't really feel like I was the one in a pit and had to wait patiently for Him to pull me out, Beth was. 

Then again, someone clearly "inclined and heard my cry".  And we will be singing a new song, for sure.

Ok, two video clips this time - can't leave out the early Red Rocks performance:

On Vacation

...for the last couple of weeks.  That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.

A week in Montreal, seeing old friends and old sights, and then a week back in TO, taking Bethany for her last week of chemo (woohoo!) and building a lean-to on the side of the house.

Montreal, for all its construction/traffic headaches, is still a great city with awesome food all over, lots of history, and beautiful women everywhere (sorry TO ladies). 

It's starting to show its age a little though, now that the bridges and overpasses have caught up with the roads as being the crappiest in urban Canada.  The state of the overpasses (boarded up and caged for reinforcement) reminded me of the concrete ceiling that collapsed in Boston just after the "Big Dig" and new tunnel was finished, which ended up killing a woman.

Props to Archemdis and his blog for chronicalling this and this photo:
http://archemdis.wordpress.com/2011/04/04/montreal-quebec-is-literally-crumbling-into-dust/

Oh, and not only did Beth have her last 5 days of IV chemo last week, but she also got her PICC line taken out on Friday (double woohoo!) and we're hoping the CT scan on August 2nd just confirms the progress.  Meanwhile once the wound from her line heals she can go swimming again, with the help of a swimming earband like this:

and Doc's Proplugs as seen on Survivorman (don't ask, I've never seen it):



Oh, and we also got her the puppy she's been wanting - a "bichon-poo", and she broke it off with her jerk "boyfriend", so I'd say that's a fair trade.

I actually feel more sorry these days for our other daughter Maggie, who didn't seem to mind all the attention Beth was getting when she was more sick and in danger, but now feels a little left out and jealous I think.  As a middle child myself, I can relate. 

Especially now that she also has a younger brother and a puppy competing for the "cute and helpless" spot in the family.  She doesn't stand a chance. 

Gary and Greg

So, another week of chemo completed, and off the missus and I went to Niagara Falls for the Canada Day-4th of July weekend.  Can you say "tourist season"?

It was ultimately quite fun and relaxing, though.  We booked some inexpensive rooms at a small motel down the parkway, upriver from the falls, and we picked and chose the sights we wanted to see.  Gary, the owner of the Niagara Parkway Riverview Inn, was a great host:

Tough running a motel pretty much by yourself, as Gary described, with just a little handyman help from his dad.  But the rooms were clean, the pool was clean and heated, and Gary makes everyone feel like they're staying in the guest room of his own home.  





Niagara Falls Lessons Learned:
     1) If you leave early enough (7:30-8ish), you can beat most traffic in either direction, but any later than 10 and you're screwed.
     2) Staying in any of the establishments in-town is a crapshoot; I heard tourists talk of cockroaches in better motels than ours.
     3) There are inexpensive hotels just up the QEW in nearby towns like Grimsby that are less than 20 mins from downtown Niagara.
     4) Dinner at the Skylon Tower was worth it, for the food and the view.  The dinner show at the Greg Frewin Theatre wasn't, for the food or the show.

Maybe it's my age and having seen too many magic shows in my time and/or maybe we were just sitting too close so the tricks became obvious.  But I got tired of the variations on disappearing people, even when the lion and tigers started appearing.  Sorry, Greg.

On the other hand, I did like the close-up magic, the sleight-of-hand stuff.  And the dancers were entertaining - worth sitting up close for!  Plus the lion got loose backstage and didn't want to go into her cage, so that provided a little nervous excitement for everyone for a few minutes.

I guess it must be tough being a magician these days, with your trade secrets being revealed regularly on TV, competing with Harry Potter and special effects, and live crowds being overall tougher to impress.  Kind of like Gary and his inn, competing with the chain hotels and online reviews by anyone who wants to dis your business.  Two middle-aged guys, putting themselves out there for public scrutiny doing old-fashioned jobs in a hi-tech world - it's gotta be tough.

I actually had to make extra noise at Greg's show to get my section clapping and cheering, otherwise it could have been a much tougher room.

Sorry, no audio of me doing my Homer Simpson "woo-hoo"s.

Bright Spots

The cork from a bottle of Dan Akroyd's Sauvignon Blanc we had last week:

And who says we Canadians aren't funny?
Apparently only some stupid social networking site, who polled its members:

http://www.thestarphoenix.com/entertainment/movie-guide/Americans+rated+funniest/4931138/story.html

Makes me wonder, though, who the voters were thinking of when they thought of "funny Americans", since many comedians in the States were bred in Canada (e.g. Bill Murray, Jim Carrey, Will Arnett, etc.).  I guess you could point to SNL and Second City, but then Lorne Michaels is Canadian and SC Toronto is second only to, well, Second City Chicago.

And then there's the Canucks' uniforms (they're on their 5th since '69):

So week #4 of chemo is done, and we got the results ot Bethany's MRI scan -- seems the "thickening" of the pituitary stalk is gone (woohoo!) and there's even a "bright spot" back to see.  The "bright spot" is the posterior part of the pituitary that's supposed to show up brightly in an MRI scan:

NB: Not her real scan, so don't worry about the arrow

This were two of the indicators that the doc had seen in the March scan that had convinced her that the LCH was back.  So a reversal of those two things is really good progress and hopeful.  As you can imagine, we're thrilled and grateful for the ongoing support of friends and family.

Our neighbours, on the other hand, thought we were taking too long to cut our lawn (two weeks instead of one), so left us a note in our mailbox this week saying they'd "appreciate it" if we'd cut it soon.  I finally got to it yesterday, but then posted this on the poles near the house:

And who says we Canadians aren't funny?
Wait, I asked that already.

Rockin' the House

OK so let me say from the start that I'm not a West-coast hater -- BC's great, got a bro in Alberta, and the Rockies rock.

But what the NHL is this?  Is this the fighting spirit of Vancouver?

I mean, I guess I can't mock a team that made it further in the playoffs than the Habs or the Leafs (not completely anyway), but then I don't really feel like I have to blindly support a team just because it's Canadian.  Kinda weird IMHO that some of us in the Great White North actually do feel that way -- after all, it's not the Olympics, folks.

On the other hand, with my track record, maybe my cheering them on will be the death blow.  Go Canucks!

In the Beth-news, this past week-after-chemo was pretty uneventful -- less lethargy and nausea than the last cycle.  On the down side, she's already gotten a sunburn on the top of her head and a little on her face from the small amount of sun we've had in the last two weeks.  It could be a long summer...

So how about that season finale of House, eh?

I have to say, not as dramatic as I thought it would be from the promos, but really fitting -- he was bound to crack at some point.  Hilarious and tragic at the same time.  The "two preganancies" subplot was pretty funny too, but not what you'd call a cliffhanger. 

It was so long since we'd seen him drive, though, it did seem weird that Wilson wasn't driving, especially since House was just out from major leg surgery.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xyXBGtly1A
(couldn't embed, so you gotta click)

Brilliant.  And could actually end there if they wanted to, or not.
Almost makes me overlook how everyone's been "glammed up" on the show this season.

Pirates

Ah, the resiliency of youth.

Week three of the chemo now done, Bethany's holding up well and the docs want to have another MRI to see how it's working.  Her energy level and spirits are okay overall, though she does admit that it's getting more depressing that she has to miss blocks of time in the last weeks of Grade 8 and feels tired more and more of the time.  We just pray that it's working.

On the other hand, she's such a happy child in general that it doesn't take much to get her excited about the next fun thing, whether that's the new "Pirates of the Carribean" movie or her upcoming Confirmation (and reception/party afterwards). 

It's gotten lousy reviews so far, but that doesn't seem to matter to kids who haven't developed much critical thinking yet, or "Pirates" fans like our family.

Speaking of people who haven't developed much critical thinking, I noticed that the tide turned pretty quickly in the "men who redeem the gender" category - thanks Arnie and Dom.

If you need captions to know who these guys are, you've been disconnected from all media for at least the last week - which would probably not be a bad thing.  I really regret our trial subscription to the Toronto Star for all it's horrible reporting and front page shock-stories -- I keep out the comics for the kids but chuck the rest in recycling before they get the chance to see it. 

Which also makes me wonder how much media bias there is in the rise and fall of men lately in the news cycle.  Just sayin'.

So now time for a little honest reporting on myself. 

1. Start a new blog : Done
2. Take karate lessons : Uh, not yet
3. Maintain the new blog :  Steady as she goes...
4. Start investigating how to get my PhD by age 50 : Started, need to do more
5. Get a Bb Playbook as soon as they come out (maybe even wait in line like the diehards):  Just couldn't do it.  Maybe it's what keeps me from being an "early adopter" in general, but too many iffy reports before the release date.  Still on my wish list, though - no Apples for me. 
6. Copy those videotapes of our 2005 trip to Ireland :  Kind of forgot about this one.  Step one, set up 2nd computer for all media conversion.
7. Give my kids more hugs :  Already ahead of last year (and most years)
8. Say "I love you" more :  Ditto

Winners

Winner

Winner

Winner

Uh, not so much.

Just when Charlie Sheen had given the male gender a black eye, along came three men this past weekend who really did "live the dream".  And a fourth...well, not so much.

It really was quite an eventful weekend for the news though, wasn't it?  Regardless of your affiliations and loyalties, you can't deny it was a "busy news cycle" as they say.  No need for the news broadcasts to find stories of kitties rescued by firefighters -- not that there's anything wrong with that.

In other news, Bethany's in the middle of her week-after-chemo, and this time the fatigue and lethargy are catching up with her.  Supposedly according to her oncologist last week, the chemo drug really takes effect 5-7 days after she gets it since it affects the production of new white blood cells which aren't fully in the bloodstream for 5-7 days later. 

This means that she's not only tired but very immune-suppressed right about now - and with her mom and little brother sharing the same persistent nasty cold.  Just don't share it with us, honey!


So is there anybody but me that thought that House and his crew looked a little too "made up" this past Monday?  Where was the rumpled hair and slept-in-my-clothes look?  They all looked overdone to me.

Docs III

This morning lying in bed, feeling my aging back and listening to my tinnitus, I remembered a funny bit from Louis CK on turning 40 (WARNING, PG-13 content! And this is mild CK material, so if you go looking for other clips be warned!):

Reminds me a little of getting checked out for heart palpitations a couple years ago, finding out that I have a couple of "prolapses" (mitral and tricuspid) which basically means a couple of valves can't get their act together.  I was relieved I had no heart disease, but the doc basically said, "yeah, you have these things wrong with your heart but you're fine".

Bethany update:  really nothing new to report, which is always nice.  She met with an endocrinologist earlier in the week who basically said her endocrine system seems fine - unaffected by the LCH so far.  The second cycle of chemo-for-one-week-and-two-weeks-off is coming up next week, but she managed the first cycle well so we're hopeful.

PhD update:  seems like my options in the Toronto area include U of T, Ryerson, and York.  I have til the fall to decide (since I won't be starting this year) so the next step is to ask around about the colleges and visit/meet with program reps. 

 Not being a native Torontonian I have no bias, except that I really don't want a program that only has the really dry psychology research (mice, brain studies, that kind of thing).  Probably a program that allows for the study of kids and mental health treatment, which is my forte.

A promotional video from Children's Mental Health Ontario (in honour of children's mental health week, May 2-6):