In other news

So I was reading on the CBC news site about the latest taser incident which happened to be at YVR.

According to stats, BC has had a significant number of fatalities -- 6 of the 16.

I wonder if that is because we are so wet and therefore conduct electricity more!

I am totally joking. Besides, there seem to be underlying conditions causing the deaths. I guess I'd want to see the number of fatalities compared to overall use per province. There I go again, questioning the stats I see.

In terms of the YVR death, I wonder if he was a drug mule and the capsules broke. We'll have to see.

Great Minds Think Alike

Check this out, the Freakonomics blog had the same idea when they heard about the Ten Commandments of driving. I'm particulartly referring to the part about the rosary beads:

Let’s set aside the question of whether reciting the Rosary indeed “does not distract the driver’s attention.”

But, you heard it on my blog first and I didn't even read the whole document that was prepared! Oh, and I have the timestamp to prove it.

I tend to disagree with their idea of the Benedict Effect. The Freakonomics blog questions whether praying will make people feel safer and therefore take more risks. But the gist of the commandments, as I understand them, is to be a better, more christian driver. It doesn't logically follow, at least not to me (and again, I have only read the list, not the full document prepared by the Vatican...I unlike some large groups living in Rome, don't have time to read, let alone write such a document) that people would be more careless while behind the wheel.

cough...smoke and mirrors...cough

Driving 101, Vatican style

I was watching the news this evening when a story came on about the 10 Commandments of driving. According to Pope Benedict XVI and his compatriots at the Vatican, drivers need to exhibit a few more Christian virtues while on our roadways.

Religion seems to be on the rise, so this may be a good angle. I don't see ICBC jumping on this bandwagon, and I don't know that it will help me as I am not that religious.

Many things sprang to mind upon hearing the story, and many more as I began writing this blog. But, I am not really interested in starting a religious debate nor do I want to offend anyone. So, I'll share one of the more lighthearted thoughts, however ireverent it may sound. Now remember, you can't get mad. I, Heather, admit to snickering at the thought of accident rates going up because drivers began letting go of the wheel to perform the sign of the cross before entering an intersection, or they got distracted by reciting their Hail Mary's.

That said, I'll put my judgements aside, drive a little more courteously, and be thankful the Catholic church has had the time to prepare these commandments for the world.

The Horror!

I was in the mall, picking up the new Wil CD when it happened...it was aweful..horrible even. I walked out of HMV and was disoriented! I looked both ways and for the life of me couldn't remember which way would take me back where I came from.

I usually pride myself at being able to walk out of a store and know which way I came from and/or which way is next. I could be in a familiar mall, a new mall, or downtown and I would still know my bearings.

This isn't much of an accomplishment, but when you think of how easy it is to get distracted by the things going on in the store...including the rush of finding something you absolutely have to have, it sounds pretty impressive. And don't forget, I'm the one with the attention span of a 3-year old.

Disturbing TV

Oftentimes what impresses me about great TV or the movies is when the writers add something to the plot that seems unconscionable. To come up with something most people wouldn't admit to having thought of, let alone write it into primetime TV or a movie, takes courage.

I refer mostly to rediculously funny movies....often the ones starring Will Farrell, or early Jim Carey movies.

Tonight though, I saw something that was hardly funny. Rather, it was probably the most disturbing thing I have seen on TV.

I was watching NCIS and it was about a drug mule who died after the cocaine capsules he had ingested ruptured. The guy expecting to receive the drugs (intact) showed up with the kid's jonesing sister and wanted to cut the kid open to salvage some of the capsules. A doctor was forced to retrieve the drugs and purposely slashed the drug capsules so they would be ruined. Needless to say, there was a struggle. While the doctor and NCIS guy fought to get the drug guy under control , the sister was snorting cocaine off the her dead brother's intestines. Sick.

Sure, it was TV, and it is pretty common knowledge that a drug addict would do something horrible in the name of that next fix, but to snort coke off your dead brother's gutted intestines is pretty harsh. Slightly less harsh is coming up with it and writing it into a prime time tv episode.

BTW...NCIS is a great show!

A solid 8 hours

Wow, I slept for 8 hours solid the other night. It was my first night in Van and I was in the tiny twin bed at my Grandma's house. I can't remember the last time I slept for 8 hours straight. Ever.

It might have something to do with the lack of cats at 6:30 in the morning, but I really think it had to do with the foam mattress topper she has on her guest bed -- I barely tossed and turned...even on the nights when I didn't sleep for 8 hours straight.

So, upon returning to Victoria, I went to buy a memory foam mattress topper for my bed at home. I didn't get the fancy $140 version from Linens N Things, or the Temper Pedic version. Rather, I got the $80 version which smells pretty funny.

Last night was my first night trying it out, but I was so overtired from two 2:00 pm - 11:30 pm shifts with my nephew Kaleb, that I still managed to toss and turn. Given I have to start a new job tomorrow, I am not sure tonight will be a good test either -- I would probably toss and turn regardless what I was sleeping on.

I already love sleeping (never phone me before noon on weekends), so I am a bit afraid to see what might happen.

I need a valium...STAT!

Yesterday could be considered a textbook example of a bad Monday: I broke my key in the door (fortunately, the piece broke off in my hand and not in the lock), a jacka$$ cut me off in traffic (I honked and fingered him, than passed him), and I saved my parents new patio table from being destroyed by my Dad.

It all started when I went there for dinner. I was hungry and knew full well we weren't going to eat at 6 like my Dad said (we ate at 8:30 or so), but I tried to remain calm. It wasn't long before my Dad told me he had a technical question. It was actually a tool question, as opposed to the typical technical (computer) questions he pummels me with on a somewhat regular basis (which is then followed by a rant about customer service and product design at company XYX).

He asked me to cut the patio table umbrella hole grommet thingamagig in half so it would fit in the hole of the tiled patio table top. I obliged, but suggested we just cut out a section, instead of cutting the grommit right in half. Brilliant they thought. Not so brilliant was the fact that I didn't think to ask why the grommet was so large in the first place.

After several trips up and down the basement stairs, which required I contort my body to avoid getting the hand rail in my hip, tripping on the 3 mops hanging in the stairwell, and getting a bag of recycling in my face, I cut the grommet to the right size. Navigating my Dad's shop was no easy feat either. I had to make my way past the airplane cockpit he is building down there, through piles of stuff, and over shards of broken glass and twisted metal (I am NOT exaggerating in the least). As you can guess, the saw I was using (coping I think) had a twisted blade, so it was hard to cut a straight line. The sight of my Dad's shop would send Helen B and the guys from Clean Sweep running out of the house and throwing themselves in front of one of the many double decker buses which pass by my parents house on a daily basis.

Back on the deck, the grommet snugly in place, I went to move the umbrella base into position under the table. It wouldn't fit under the side rails of the table without lifting one side of the table and sliding it under. It also wouldn't fit under the umbrella bracket which also acts as support for the table legs.

I decided to ignore this for now and lift the umbrella in place. It suddenly became clear why the grommet was too big in the first place -- the umbrella pole was bigger than the hole in the table. That's OK, my Dad said, we don't need the grommet. Uh, yes you do Dad I said. The table top is tile and the pressure of the pole next to the edge of the hole could cause the tile to chip or crack. This is especically true since the pole was also too big to fit in the bracket beneath the table. So, upon my command, we removed the umbrella.

The next challenge was to deal with the base that was too tall. That's OK my Dad said again. I'll just cut the support brackets off the table. Visualizing the table collapsing under the weight of the tile top and the umbrella, I suggested we reduce the height of the base by cutting the vertical tube the pole fits inside.

At this point, I looked at my parents friend Marylin who was visiting and listed out all the ways in which I had just saved the brand new table...all because I happened to stop by on that particular evening.

Events like these are all too common. It didn't take long to recall another example as I looked out over the edge of the deck at the greenhouse my Dad built, the electrical outlet installed on the deck, and the hose 'stations' throughout the yard.

Dad, if you are still reading this...I love you. Next time, consider this saying: "Two heads are better than one" and your next project may go a bit smoother.

A step back in time

I was born in Vancouver and lived there until I was 8. I've always had fond memories of Van, and even though I only went back twice before moving to BC when I was 19, I managed to remember the basic layout. Pretty good for a kid who couldn't drive or barely see out the window for the first half of those 8 years! I think taking solitary walks along King Edward and Mackenzie (playing in traffic) while I was 2 helped me get my bearings! Poor Mom was too busy dealing with Scotty to keep track of her wandering toddler.

One day my Dad took me and my siblings up to Dunbar. I remember being in a bookstore, my Dad remembers it being a Library and my Mom, who wasn't there, remembers it being someplace else.

Anywho, I lost track of my Dad. After trolling the aisles, I found him. But, then I lost him again. Being kid number 3 (of 4) to an absent-minded professor of a Dad (sorry Dad, but it is true), I thought he left without me. So, I decided to walk home.

I made my way over to King Edward (25th) and headed East towards home. A few blocks in, I approached Grandma's house (blue dot on map below). But, I couldn't go in as my sister Kim would be mad at me for spoiling her weekend sleepover with Grandma. So, I kept going. I don't remember the rest of the walk, but I do remember arriving at Granville and Connaught (~ 6 blocks from home) where I was met by a Policeman. Seems Dad didn't leave without me afterall. Instead, he probably panicked and called the police.

Being the shy, rule abiding child that I was, I didn't want to go into the strangers car so declined the policemans offer to wait in his cruiser. I think I wanted to keep walking, but I don't really remember the rest. I don't even remember being reunited with my Dad.

From that day forward, I have been a Master Parent Finder (TM). My Mom used to take us to the mall and announce the time we were to meet back up at the pet store. I wasn't an avid shopper then, so was usually done before the time was up so would go looking for my Mom. I could always find her whether she was in the grocery store, dress shop, or the florist. I never had to walk home again.

Here is the route I took:

One day, I'll drive it and record the distance.

-----------------

One day: I drove the route and it was a whopping 4.5 kms!

Add Facebook to the list of networks I'm in

I've recently joined Facebook and have to say I am pretty pleased. Apparently it is a lot like myspace, but I can't say for sure as I somehow managed to sleep through the myspace wave.

Facebook is great for looking up long lost friends. This is especially cool for me since I grew up and went to high school back east. It is the cyberspace version of walking through the main streets of your home town.

I've yet to connect with those from highschool, because the friends I did have then I still know or aren't on Facebook. Everyone else that I recognize are more like acquaintances.

I did connect with a girl I used to babysit though. She is 18+ (and her brother almost 17) which makes me an old fart. Her family was great to me -- even after they moved several km's away, they would pick me up and drive me home after babysitting. They would also take me skiing with them. We stayed in touch for a few years and I visited them the two times I went back. But, contact slowly whithered away...before email took off and blogs were invented.

The downside to Facebook? It is a bit of a popularity contest. I got invites from folks I barely know because they were on my MSN list way back when. Sorry, but I refuse to join anyone's harem...except Mikey because it isn't a virtual harem but rather the real kind that includes Sunday coffee, cat jokes, and Survivor nights. Also includes a concert or two. Woo hoo...The Hip rocked!

Where was my camera when I needed it?

I was driving home from work today when I noticed a Red Bull van next to me in traffic. The driver was drinking a coffee from Tim Hortons. It was pretty funny, but I guess it is no different than all those pics of the Coke driver drinking Pepsi, or the Maille guy eating French's mustard. Nonetheless, I wish I had my camera so I could add it to my collection of odd pics:


(taken at Kelowna Home Depot)


(taken outside appartment on Simcoe)

No balance owing: Priceless

Space Travel...can it be done?

A question about space travel has plagued me for the last few weeks.

As we know, all that fascinating cosmic stuff we hear about and see in pictures is really a snapshot of what it looked several light years ago, depending on how far away it is.

So, I am thinking a human couldn't actually travel to any of those cosmic things, even at the speed of light, without growing old and dying along the way.

Is that true? Is there any way humans could travel several light years away without dying? Is that where black holes and such come into play? You find black hole x (I'll take door number 3 Chuck) and blammo, you are instantly taken to a cosmic destination several light years away.

The sad thing is, I could have had all this answered a few different times in my life:
- When I was in Astronomy 101
- When I worked at PureEdge and was surrounded by Sci-Fi fans.

The worrisome thing is is that I probably know the answer and Mikey is going to have some smarta$$ reply to my silly musings. I can take it Mikey, bring it on!

Show me the money

How things change in the matter of just a few days.

Last week, I was battling all these people that wanted my money and this week, people are throwing money at me.

In addition to a pretty sweet severance package (that is only sweet if I get a job before having to dip into it), I noticed a $6700 excess in my tax account. Seems the bank was stashing too much of my mortgage payments in there.

So, I'll pay off Master Card (thanks for lending me the money, too bad I forget what I used it on) and the rest will go towards my mortgage which is where it should have gone all along.

While this winfall is a nice surprise, I don't expect the bank to do it again -- we changed how much is set aside each month so it shouldn't pile up again.

Bueller?

Here.

Well, its been over a month since getting this puppy up and running, so I thought I would get off my duff and write something.

So, each morning, the radio (CBC) wakes me up and I listen to it (actually that is only half true, but that is another story). Today they were talking about how the number of stolen cars has gone down in Vancouver thanks to the bait car program. Wow, great news.

I'm not sure what the specific objective was of the program, but the story left me wondering -- just why are numbers down? Is it because the culprits are being caught and put in jail (so aren't around to steal cars), or because they are afraid to steal cars in which case they have probably moved onto other crimes. After all, most car thieves are drug addicts, and a stolen car isn't the only thing to pay for that next fix. It is sort of like the first law of thermodynamics -- crime can change from one form to another, but it cannot be created nor destroyed. OK, so that is a bit of a stretch, but I think you get my point.

Like most programs, the bait program treats a symptom, but the real problem is dealing with the top reason for stealing cars -- drug addiction.

That is easy for me to say because I don't have to figure those things out for a living.