Thursday, December 25, 2008
Merry Christmas!
Just wanted to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas! Eat lots of turkey and try not to kill your relatives!
Saturday, December 20, 2008
I Can't Stop Laughing
I went to see the Trews in concert on Thursday!
For those of you who don't know who the Trews are, shame on you. They put out great albums, but the real joy behind the Trews is their live show. I have never in my life had the privilege of seeing a better band live. I've been to many concerts, so this is quite a distinction in my opinion.
I can't pin down exactly what I think it is that makes them so good, but here's a shot: they're enthusiastic on stage, they play revamped versions of their own songs, mixed with covers of other peoples songs, and they rock.
How's that for coherent?
I don't know if they're playing in your area anytime soon, but I recommend that if you see them advertised anywhere near you, you go and check them out. You won't be sorry....
For those of you who don't know who the Trews are, shame on you. They put out great albums, but the real joy behind the Trews is their live show. I have never in my life had the privilege of seeing a better band live. I've been to many concerts, so this is quite a distinction in my opinion.
I can't pin down exactly what I think it is that makes them so good, but here's a shot: they're enthusiastic on stage, they play revamped versions of their own songs, mixed with covers of other peoples songs, and they rock.
How's that for coherent?
I don't know if they're playing in your area anytime soon, but I recommend that if you see them advertised anywhere near you, you go and check them out. You won't be sorry....
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Road Rage
I have terrible road rage.
It's made so much worse by winter. People drive only one of two ways when it snows: way too slow or way too fast.
Am I the only one who notices this? I mean, come on! You do not need to drive 20 kms per hour down a freshly plowed, freshly salted, freshly sanded main road. Turning off of it onto a snowy side street? Yes! By all means, slow down to a crawl! But while you're on the aforementioned groomed street, you can drive at a normal speed! Snow on the ground doesn't alter the laws of physics!
But while people who drive too slowly are an irritant, their counterpart is a danger.
I happen to live in a fairly wealthy part of the country, so you know what that means! Soccer mom's who are too "hip" and "cool" to drive mini-vans are all driving monster SUV's designed more for modern warfare then city streets. This gives them and their husbands the insane notion that they can continue to drive like the assholes they are whenever it snows. THEY have great traction and control in the snow, so they can speed like maniacs, follow too closely and weave in and out of traffic. And while they're weaving? They cut off others who aren't driving assault vehicles, thus sending them into a spin when they attempt to slam on the brakes on black ice.
In case you can't tell, an SUV cut me off this morning, causing me to slam on my brakes and go into a spin. This same SUV had not cleared it's roof of snow, so I got to drive in a veritable blizzard until I was able to pass them.
I would have taken down their license plate number and reported them to the police, but they had also left their bumper covered in snow and I couldn't make it out. I contemplated following them to their destination, but I was late for work. It was a near thing though, I was sorely tempted.
It's made so much worse by winter. People drive only one of two ways when it snows: way too slow or way too fast.
Am I the only one who notices this? I mean, come on! You do not need to drive 20 kms per hour down a freshly plowed, freshly salted, freshly sanded main road. Turning off of it onto a snowy side street? Yes! By all means, slow down to a crawl! But while you're on the aforementioned groomed street, you can drive at a normal speed! Snow on the ground doesn't alter the laws of physics!
But while people who drive too slowly are an irritant, their counterpart is a danger.
I happen to live in a fairly wealthy part of the country, so you know what that means! Soccer mom's who are too "hip" and "cool" to drive mini-vans are all driving monster SUV's designed more for modern warfare then city streets. This gives them and their husbands the insane notion that they can continue to drive like the assholes they are whenever it snows. THEY have great traction and control in the snow, so they can speed like maniacs, follow too closely and weave in and out of traffic. And while they're weaving? They cut off others who aren't driving assault vehicles, thus sending them into a spin when they attempt to slam on the brakes on black ice.
In case you can't tell, an SUV cut me off this morning, causing me to slam on my brakes and go into a spin. This same SUV had not cleared it's roof of snow, so I got to drive in a veritable blizzard until I was able to pass them.
I would have taken down their license plate number and reported them to the police, but they had also left their bumper covered in snow and I couldn't make it out. I contemplated following them to their destination, but I was late for work. It was a near thing though, I was sorely tempted.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Thank You
I wanted to add something to my post on Saturday, but I didn't know exactly how to work it in. I thought about it and I decided that the best way was just to post it separately.
I want to say thank you to some people I've never met. People I will probably never meet.
To the families of the person who donated their livers so my sister can live, I just want to offer my undying gratitude. You of all people know what it's like to lose someone close to you, and you prevented myself and my family from knowing the same grief.
I think about you all the time.
I know that while my family is celebrating a happy anniversary, you are soberly reflecting on an anniversary of your own. I think about our Christmas miracle, as I called her last week, and know that you didn't get the miracle you were hoping for three years ago.
You are kind and generous people who gave my 17 year old sister the chance to reach her twenties (this past July!), go to college and even move in with her long-term boyfriend (I'm still not sure how I feel about that one). Your gift was so priceless and benevolent that I don't actually have adequate words to thank you properly. I am humbled by your choice to donate your loved ones organs.
Merry Christmas to you and all your families. May you have some peace and know that even though your loved one isn't with you, they live on in my sister and others like her who received their gift of life from your relative. You are in my thoughts and prayers constantly and you have my sincere gratitude.
God bless you.
I want to say thank you to some people I've never met. People I will probably never meet.
To the families of the person who donated their livers so my sister can live, I just want to offer my undying gratitude. You of all people know what it's like to lose someone close to you, and you prevented myself and my family from knowing the same grief.
I think about you all the time.
I know that while my family is celebrating a happy anniversary, you are soberly reflecting on an anniversary of your own. I think about our Christmas miracle, as I called her last week, and know that you didn't get the miracle you were hoping for three years ago.
You are kind and generous people who gave my 17 year old sister the chance to reach her twenties (this past July!), go to college and even move in with her long-term boyfriend (I'm still not sure how I feel about that one). Your gift was so priceless and benevolent that I don't actually have adequate words to thank you properly. I am humbled by your choice to donate your loved ones organs.
Merry Christmas to you and all your families. May you have some peace and know that even though your loved one isn't with you, they live on in my sister and others like her who received their gift of life from your relative. You are in my thoughts and prayers constantly and you have my sincere gratitude.
God bless you.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Three Years
My sister Caitlyn is celebrating an anniversary today. She received the first of two liver transplants on this day three years ago - the second followed less than two weeks later after the donor organ failed due to problems with her hepatic artery.
Three years ago today, I was sitting in a waiting room near the ICU of the best hospital I've ever been in with my mom, brother, grandmother, aunt and two uncles. Her surgery started at 9 am and they let us see her before she went in. She was in a medically induced coma at the time - they were trying to give her body as much rest as they could - and she looked terrible. She was swollen and yellow from the toxins building up in her body and she had machines all around her, helping her breathe and keeping track of her vital signs.
I know she doesn't remember any of this and for that I am grateful. I think it would be horrifying to remember your family saying goodbye to you - because that's what we were doing. Maybe not out loud, but I know for myself I was preparing to never see her again.
It was the worst day of my life.
It was also the longest. Her surgery took over nine hours and the doctors had some concerns about her damaged hepatic artery - concerns that proved valid when the liver, which was not receiving enough blood, began to fail less than five days post-transplant. Caitlyn was put back on the organ transplant list and we waited. There were some very bad days during that wait time, like the time the doctors thought she had had a stroke, or when my mom finally broke down and sobbed.
Perhaps I should mention that my sister was 17 years old during this ordeal. Even then, she was stronger than I will ever be. She pulled through, amazing the doctors and nurses alike, they called her their Christmas miracle and I heartily concur. If I had ever had doubts about my faith in God, they were gone by the time we sat down for Christmas dinner in the Multi Organ Transplant Unit hallway.
It's been a long three years, filled with ups and downs. She's healthy for now, having had two bouts of rejection that have been battled back and countless rounds of blood work. I still think she's our Christmas miracle, every year.
Amen.
Three years ago today, I was sitting in a waiting room near the ICU of the best hospital I've ever been in with my mom, brother, grandmother, aunt and two uncles. Her surgery started at 9 am and they let us see her before she went in. She was in a medically induced coma at the time - they were trying to give her body as much rest as they could - and she looked terrible. She was swollen and yellow from the toxins building up in her body and she had machines all around her, helping her breathe and keeping track of her vital signs.
I know she doesn't remember any of this and for that I am grateful. I think it would be horrifying to remember your family saying goodbye to you - because that's what we were doing. Maybe not out loud, but I know for myself I was preparing to never see her again.
It was the worst day of my life.
It was also the longest. Her surgery took over nine hours and the doctors had some concerns about her damaged hepatic artery - concerns that proved valid when the liver, which was not receiving enough blood, began to fail less than five days post-transplant. Caitlyn was put back on the organ transplant list and we waited. There were some very bad days during that wait time, like the time the doctors thought she had had a stroke, or when my mom finally broke down and sobbed.
Perhaps I should mention that my sister was 17 years old during this ordeal. Even then, she was stronger than I will ever be. She pulled through, amazing the doctors and nurses alike, they called her their Christmas miracle and I heartily concur. If I had ever had doubts about my faith in God, they were gone by the time we sat down for Christmas dinner in the Multi Organ Transplant Unit hallway.
It's been a long three years, filled with ups and downs. She's healthy for now, having had two bouts of rejection that have been battled back and countless rounds of blood work. I still think she's our Christmas miracle, every year.
Amen.
Friday, December 5, 2008
Passive Aggressive Notes
This site makes me laugh really hard.
Mostly because I deliberately leave those kinds of notes knowing FULL WELL that they're passive aggressive.
Mostly because I deliberately leave those kinds of notes knowing FULL WELL that they're passive aggressive.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Political Suckage
I wouldn't normally post about politics, because I believe in the old adage "never discuss politics or religion". However as a Canadian, I'm pretty interested in the current mess we have going on in Ottawa.
Let me get this out of the way - I voted NDP in the last (November) election and consider myself a democratic-socialist. In other words, I lean pretty far to the left.
That being said, this whole schmozzle that's going on is crap. In the last election, when Canadians went to the polls, they spoke pretty loudly on how they felt about who they wanted leading us. It's not what I would have done and I wasn't thrilled with the outcome, but it's what the majority of our citizens wanted.
Canadians did not want a government led by either Jack Layton or Stephen Dion. If they had've wanted them in power, they would have voted them into office. It's really just that simple in my humble opinion.
I don't agree with most of what the Conservative government puts into place, but my chance to tell them that was in November during the Federal election and every other time I have cast my ballot. I really feel that this "coalition" is taking away my voice and the voices of every other Canadian citizen. Why bother voting when you and your wishes aren't taken into consideration to topple the current government?
It makes me ashamed to be Canadian.
Let me get this out of the way - I voted NDP in the last (November) election and consider myself a democratic-socialist. In other words, I lean pretty far to the left.
That being said, this whole schmozzle that's going on is crap. In the last election, when Canadians went to the polls, they spoke pretty loudly on how they felt about who they wanted leading us. It's not what I would have done and I wasn't thrilled with the outcome, but it's what the majority of our citizens wanted.
Canadians did not want a government led by either Jack Layton or Stephen Dion. If they had've wanted them in power, they would have voted them into office. It's really just that simple in my humble opinion.
I don't agree with most of what the Conservative government puts into place, but my chance to tell them that was in November during the Federal election and every other time I have cast my ballot. I really feel that this "coalition" is taking away my voice and the voices of every other Canadian citizen. Why bother voting when you and your wishes aren't taken into consideration to topple the current government?
It makes me ashamed to be Canadian.
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