For the first few months of Kieran's life, I often thought, "How can I ever leave the house on my own with two kids?" I knew many people who did this and thought them mighty super stars. At the time, one friend would talk about going out for meals (in REAL restaurants) on her own with her two kids. I thought she was insane.
Then I started doing crazy things, like going to the park without a stroller (with a huge diaper bag on my back and Kieran in my wrap on my front) and to the mall without a stroller (where both my boys proceeded to need numerous diaper changes), and more. These things were not easy, but maybe they were good ideas because at this very moment, getting out with my two is starting to feel quite easy.
Some of you might be thinking, "Easy, no, you must be insane," but it's true. I am absolutely LOVING getting out of the house with my two boys. We spent the day at the Science Centre today and had a great time. I didn't even want to leave the house this morning, but plans were plans and Malcolm wanted to go to the Science Centre, so there we were. And it was GREAT!
So, to any of you who can't imagine getting out of the house with one, let alone two, let me (Ms. Homebody) tell you that it gets easier and easier AND it feels great!
Friday, August 8, 2008
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Rocks
I don't care what anyone says, this rocks!
Soldiers march in Toronto Gay Pride parade
Set up booth in gay village for recruitment drive
Last Updated: Sunday, June 29, 2008 | 2:07 PM ET Comments119Recommend131
CBC News
For the first time, members of Canada's Armed Forces represented the military in Toronto's annual Gay Pride parade, held Sunday.
Lt. Steven Churm, one of 10 soldiers from across the country who marched in uniform, said their presence sends a message that the Canadian military is inclusive and an equal-opportunity employer.
PHOTO CAPTION: [Members of the Canadian Forces were permitted to march in uniform for the first time during Toronto's Gay Pride parade on Sunday. Members of the Canadian Forces were permitted to march in uniform for the first time during Toronto's Gay Pride parade on Sunday. (Robin Rowland/CBC)]
"The message to the public is that the Canadian Forces is an employer of choice. We have employment opportuntities that people can pursue, regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation," he told CBC News.
"For our own members, they can be proud of what they're doing and also be proud of who they are."
To mark its place in the festivities, the Canadian Forces set up an information booth in an area of the city where thousands of people gathered for the start of the parade.
The parade is the main event for Canada's largest gay pride celebration and marks the end of a week of festivities that organizers say attracted about one million people.
---
In other news, Tim Russert and George Carlin are dead. Sad, but true.
Soldiers march in Toronto Gay Pride parade
Set up booth in gay village for recruitment drive
Last Updated: Sunday, June 29, 2008 | 2:07 PM ET Comments119Recommend131
CBC News
For the first time, members of Canada's Armed Forces represented the military in Toronto's annual Gay Pride parade, held Sunday.
Lt. Steven Churm, one of 10 soldiers from across the country who marched in uniform, said their presence sends a message that the Canadian military is inclusive and an equal-opportunity employer.
PHOTO CAPTION: [Members of the Canadian Forces were permitted to march in uniform for the first time during Toronto's Gay Pride parade on Sunday. Members of the Canadian Forces were permitted to march in uniform for the first time during Toronto's Gay Pride parade on Sunday. (Robin Rowland/CBC)]
"The message to the public is that the Canadian Forces is an employer of choice. We have employment opportuntities that people can pursue, regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation," he told CBC News.
"For our own members, they can be proud of what they're doing and also be proud of who they are."
To mark its place in the festivities, the Canadian Forces set up an information booth in an area of the city where thousands of people gathered for the start of the parade.
The parade is the main event for Canada's largest gay pride celebration and marks the end of a week of festivities that organizers say attracted about one million people.
---
In other news, Tim Russert and George Carlin are dead. Sad, but true.
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Now who will speak for the guns?
Charleton Heston is dead.
Although I am very anti his stance on guns, I greatly appreciated his melodramatic flare.
"It's people"
"Take your stinking paws off me, you damned dirty ape!"
Although I am very anti his stance on guns, I greatly appreciated his melodramatic flare.
"It's people"
"Take your stinking paws off me, you damned dirty ape!"
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
lame, but...
Even I find this lame:
Weis & Hickman
Amusingly, the song sounds just exactly how I imagined it would sound when I read only the lyrics:
Weis & Hickman mp3
Now for the but...
Even though it's lame and it sounds lame, I still appreciate the fact that someone else agrees that Weis and Hickman make a good writing team. OK. Now that's lame of me to say since OF COURSE someone else (in fact, lots of someone elses) agrees because this team has written so many books together for good reason.
As my 2nd born (a rat, BTW) gets more and more used to the baby wrap, I might actually get more time to type more here. Guess it all depends on how quickly my brain returns post-pregnancy.
Weis & Hickman
Amusingly, the song sounds just exactly how I imagined it would sound when I read only the lyrics:
Weis & Hickman mp3
Now for the but...
Even though it's lame and it sounds lame, I still appreciate the fact that someone else agrees that Weis and Hickman make a good writing team. OK. Now that's lame of me to say since OF COURSE someone else (in fact, lots of someone elses) agrees because this team has written so many books together for good reason.
As my 2nd born (a rat, BTW) gets more and more used to the baby wrap, I might actually get more time to type more here. Guess it all depends on how quickly my brain returns post-pregnancy.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Scary
This is horrible and scary:
8,700 more biopsies to go back under the microscope in N.B.
Last Updated: Thursday, February 21, 2008 | 9:27 AM AT
CBC News
The search for incomplete and misdiagnosed biopsy results in New Brunswick has expanded by 8,700.
The Miramichi Regional Health Authority had originally projected that it would have to audit 15,000 biopsies conducted at the Miramichi hospital in eastern New Brunswick between 1995 and 2007.
But the number is now higher than expected and will likely include more than 23,700 patients, Miramichi Regional Hospital CEO Gary Foley said Wednesday.
The health authority is re-examining the work of a former pathologist after an independent review of 227 cases of prostate and breast cancer from 2004-2005 found that 18 per cent of the cases had incomplete results and three per cent were misdiagnosed.
The original estimate on the number of cases that would need to be reviewed was based on what was expected to be the average annual workload of the former pathologist, said Foley. But it was found that the pathologist had conducted several more tests from 1995 to 1997.
"There were many more cases completed in the earlier years than we had anticipated," Foley said. "We're working at this as quickly as possible so we can notify the patients, notify their physicians."
The results of patients who were tested most recently in the lab will be examined first, he said, because they have the most clinical significance.
The Health Department is trying to recruit pathology resources from around North American to complete the review.
The audit will also include about 100 cases the former pathologist reviewed while working for a brief period for Regional Health Authority 4 in Edmundston in 2002.
Health Minister Mike Murphy has asked the RCMP to investigate any possible criminal negligence.
The Health Department is reviewing the regional health authorities' mandates and processes and asking the College of Physicians and Surgeons of New Brunswick to review how it carries out disciplinary action.
8,700 more biopsies to go back under the microscope in N.B.
Last Updated: Thursday, February 21, 2008 | 9:27 AM AT
CBC News
The search for incomplete and misdiagnosed biopsy results in New Brunswick has expanded by 8,700.
The Miramichi Regional Health Authority had originally projected that it would have to audit 15,000 biopsies conducted at the Miramichi hospital in eastern New Brunswick between 1995 and 2007.
But the number is now higher than expected and will likely include more than 23,700 patients, Miramichi Regional Hospital CEO Gary Foley said Wednesday.
The health authority is re-examining the work of a former pathologist after an independent review of 227 cases of prostate and breast cancer from 2004-2005 found that 18 per cent of the cases had incomplete results and three per cent were misdiagnosed.
The original estimate on the number of cases that would need to be reviewed was based on what was expected to be the average annual workload of the former pathologist, said Foley. But it was found that the pathologist had conducted several more tests from 1995 to 1997.
"There were many more cases completed in the earlier years than we had anticipated," Foley said. "We're working at this as quickly as possible so we can notify the patients, notify their physicians."
The results of patients who were tested most recently in the lab will be examined first, he said, because they have the most clinical significance.
The Health Department is trying to recruit pathology resources from around North American to complete the review.
The audit will also include about 100 cases the former pathologist reviewed while working for a brief period for Regional Health Authority 4 in Edmundston in 2002.
Health Minister Mike Murphy has asked the RCMP to investigate any possible criminal negligence.
The Health Department is reviewing the regional health authorities' mandates and processes and asking the College of Physicians and Surgeons of New Brunswick to review how it carries out disciplinary action.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Rats
Coincidence?
There appears to be a rat theme in my life this weekend. On Friday night, PBS was playing the Basil the Rat episode of Fawlty Towers. Then my parents rented Ratatouille yesterday. And then today I watched the Buffy episode where Buffy is turned into a rat (the one where all the ladies love Xander because of Amy's spell).
February 7 starts the Year of the Rat. I am a Rat. Now I'm wondering if my baby will wait until Chinese New Year to be born so that he will be a Rat instead of a Pig (the current Chinese Year). Only time will tell...
There appears to be a rat theme in my life this weekend. On Friday night, PBS was playing the Basil the Rat episode of Fawlty Towers. Then my parents rented Ratatouille yesterday. And then today I watched the Buffy episode where Buffy is turned into a rat (the one where all the ladies love Xander because of Amy's spell).
February 7 starts the Year of the Rat. I am a Rat. Now I'm wondering if my baby will wait until Chinese New Year to be born so that he will be a Rat instead of a Pig (the current Chinese Year). Only time will tell...
Friday, January 18, 2008
Wireless inequality?
Hooray for Fredericton:
http://www.cbc.ca/consumer/story/2008/01/18/ezone-award.html
However, Fredericton's downtown isn't exactly huge, so I am wondering if the area they provide wireless to in their "Fred-eZone" is smaller, larger or the same size as the wireless access area in downtown Toronto. Of course, I have heard that Toronto's kind of sucks - especially when you're inside. Which brings up another point, though, since downtown Fredericton isn't exactly full of skyscrapers and new, "thick-walled" office buildings.
Something for me to investigate further at a later date if I remember to do so, I guess...
http://www.cbc.ca/consumer/story/2008/01/18/ezone-award.html
However, Fredericton's downtown isn't exactly huge, so I am wondering if the area they provide wireless to in their "Fred-eZone" is smaller, larger or the same size as the wireless access area in downtown Toronto. Of course, I have heard that Toronto's kind of sucks - especially when you're inside. Which brings up another point, though, since downtown Fredericton isn't exactly full of skyscrapers and new, "thick-walled" office buildings.
Something for me to investigate further at a later date if I remember to do so, I guess...
Thursday, January 10, 2008
I think this is fair
I think this makes a lot of sense. I do wonder how they will decide if an obese person is disabled before the obese person gets on the plane to try the "lower the armrest" test, but they've got 1 year to figure all that out for themselves.
Ruling lets severely disabled off hook for cost of extra seats
Last Updated: Thursday, January 10, 2008 | 4:03 PM CT
CBC News
Canadian airlines have a year to stop charging those with severe disabilities for extra seats they need after a landmark decision by the Canadian Transportation Agency on Thursday.
The agency ruled that the country's major air carriers must offer a single fare to those with disabilities, including the severely obese, who require two seats to accommodate them.
Also under the "one-person, one-fare" policy, they don't have to pay extra for medical attendants that must be seated with them on flights.
"The airlines failed to demonstrate to the agency that implementation of a one-person-one-fare policy will impose undue hardship on them," the agency wrote in its news release.
The agency estimates the new policy will cost Air Canada about $7 million a year and WestJet about $1.5 million a year. That's a fraction of the cost estimated by airlines in their submissions to the agency.
The transportation agency said the current practice effectively limits travel opportunities for the disabled.
During the one-year grace period, airlines will have to develop a way to determine which passengers are eligible.
As to how airlines should determine whether obesity warrants a disability, the agency pointed to Southwest Airlines, which bases the decision on whether a person can lower the seat's armrests.
'Canadians with disabilities are celebrating today'
The Council of Canadians with Disabilities, who lodged a formal complaint in 2002 along with two individuals, Joanne Neubauer and Eric Norman, applauded the decision.
"Canadians with disabilities are celebrating today," Pat Danforth, chairperson of the council's transportation committee, said in a news release.
"We hope that this decision sends a strong message to all transportation carriers," Neubauer agreed. "Access is the rule."
The agency specified that the ruling does not apply to those with disabilities who travel with a companion for non-medical reasons and those who are obese, but not disabled as a result of it.
Charter carriers not included
The ruling does not specifically apply to charter carriers, but the agency said it hopes the adoption of common rules by the major airlines will be implemented across the industry.
Currently, people with disabilities who travel by train, bus or ferry can bring an attendant with them at no extra cost — but to board a plane, they must pay extra for the attendant's seat.
"For mobility, I need somebody to assist me and with luggage, that kind of thing. These are services that are not provided by the transportation provider, so I would need that kind of assistance," said Council of Canadians with Disabilities spokesman Ron Ross, who uses a wheelchair.
"I actually live in Thunder Bay, so to travel from Thunder Bay to Toronto, I would pay two fares: one for myself, one for my attendant," he said. "You have to make that kind of decision, whether you can travel or not, because of income."
Air Canada offers some disabled travellers a 50 per cent discount for an attendant's seat — but that only applies if they buy a full-fare ticket, Ross said.
Ruling lets severely disabled off hook for cost of extra seats
Last Updated: Thursday, January 10, 2008 | 4:03 PM CT
CBC News
Canadian airlines have a year to stop charging those with severe disabilities for extra seats they need after a landmark decision by the Canadian Transportation Agency on Thursday.
The agency ruled that the country's major air carriers must offer a single fare to those with disabilities, including the severely obese, who require two seats to accommodate them.
Also under the "one-person, one-fare" policy, they don't have to pay extra for medical attendants that must be seated with them on flights.
"The airlines failed to demonstrate to the agency that implementation of a one-person-one-fare policy will impose undue hardship on them," the agency wrote in its news release.
The agency estimates the new policy will cost Air Canada about $7 million a year and WestJet about $1.5 million a year. That's a fraction of the cost estimated by airlines in their submissions to the agency.
The transportation agency said the current practice effectively limits travel opportunities for the disabled.
During the one-year grace period, airlines will have to develop a way to determine which passengers are eligible.
As to how airlines should determine whether obesity warrants a disability, the agency pointed to Southwest Airlines, which bases the decision on whether a person can lower the seat's armrests.
'Canadians with disabilities are celebrating today'
The Council of Canadians with Disabilities, who lodged a formal complaint in 2002 along with two individuals, Joanne Neubauer and Eric Norman, applauded the decision.
"Canadians with disabilities are celebrating today," Pat Danforth, chairperson of the council's transportation committee, said in a news release.
"We hope that this decision sends a strong message to all transportation carriers," Neubauer agreed. "Access is the rule."
The agency specified that the ruling does not apply to those with disabilities who travel with a companion for non-medical reasons and those who are obese, but not disabled as a result of it.
Charter carriers not included
The ruling does not specifically apply to charter carriers, but the agency said it hopes the adoption of common rules by the major airlines will be implemented across the industry.
Currently, people with disabilities who travel by train, bus or ferry can bring an attendant with them at no extra cost — but to board a plane, they must pay extra for the attendant's seat.
"For mobility, I need somebody to assist me and with luggage, that kind of thing. These are services that are not provided by the transportation provider, so I would need that kind of assistance," said Council of Canadians with Disabilities spokesman Ron Ross, who uses a wheelchair.
"I actually live in Thunder Bay, so to travel from Thunder Bay to Toronto, I would pay two fares: one for myself, one for my attendant," he said. "You have to make that kind of decision, whether you can travel or not, because of income."
Air Canada offers some disabled travellers a 50 per cent discount for an attendant's seat — but that only applies if they buy a full-fare ticket, Ross said.
With files from the Canadian Press
Saturday, January 5, 2008
People are strange
For no particular reason, this story made me reminisce about stories of a guy in Glassville, New Brunswick, who used to break into the liquor store quite frequently. He often got caught, though, perhaps because he would break in and then call his buddies from the store to see what they wanted... This same guy always has a few computer monitors by the side of the road in front of his (rented) house. My uncle calls them Dave's security system... Ah, Glassville.
Man accused of stealing $20 from sleeping toddler's piggy bank
Published: Friday, January 4, 2008 | 4:08 PM ET
Canadian Press: THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
SHEBOYGAN, Wis. - A Wisconsin man has been charged with sneaking into a toddler's bedroom and stealing $20 from a piggy bank while the two-year-old girl slept.
Authorities say DNA evidence linked Ryan Mueller, 30, of Sheboygan Falls to the crime that occurred Aug. 10.
Authorities say the girl's mother was in another room with another child when she saw a light turn on in her two-year-old daughter's room.
She walked into the girl's bedroom and saw a man shaking the piggy bank as the girl slept.
The man fled before police arrived, stealing the money but leaving the piggy bank.
Mueller was charged Thursday with felony burglary, which carries a penalty of up to nine 1/2 years in prison.
Man accused of stealing $20 from sleeping toddler's piggy bank
Published: Friday, January 4, 2008 | 4:08 PM ET
Canadian Press: THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
SHEBOYGAN, Wis. - A Wisconsin man has been charged with sneaking into a toddler's bedroom and stealing $20 from a piggy bank while the two-year-old girl slept.
Authorities say DNA evidence linked Ryan Mueller, 30, of Sheboygan Falls to the crime that occurred Aug. 10.
Authorities say the girl's mother was in another room with another child when she saw a light turn on in her two-year-old daughter's room.
She walked into the girl's bedroom and saw a man shaking the piggy bank as the girl slept.
The man fled before police arrived, stealing the money but leaving the piggy bank.
Mueller was charged Thursday with felony burglary, which carries a penalty of up to nine 1/2 years in prison.
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
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