my eJournal and images

Open Air

2012-02-03T12:35:00.001-08:00

In many places on earth a sunny day is quite ordinary and not such a important topic of conversation and delight. Here, however, when we're blessed with a bright winter day, we freak out in a very restrained sort of way.

I dashed into BCIT to do a bit of photocopying for this weekend's classes. I could go in a half hour early on Saturdays, but I get nervous not having everything organized and ready. What if the machines were to be out of toner? What if there were an electrical blackout? No, it's better to be well prepared, I say.

On my return to the bus stop, I passed these carpentry students working diligently. I thought what a great day to be half outside for class! Try as I might, I've never joined the likes of Aristotle and held class under a tree.

Leashes and Labour

2012-02-02T13:17:00.000-08:00

I walked to the new Shopper's Drug Mart at the New Westminster SkyTrain Station retail development. I wanted to pick up some nighttime flu tablets. I think I've done a pretty good job at keeping a cold at bay this winter. Still, it's not a bad idea being prepared for the eventuality. That character trait must have come from my cub scout training, or something.

On the way back, I saw this dog walker at the Hyack Square along Columbia Street. She was talking to several ladies and I asked if I could snap their picture with my phone. The canines seemed to include quite a variety of breeds. What an interesting way to earn money! I was going to look up the quote about "all labour being noble" but decided to appear sophisticated by putting in this quote instead.

Let us, then be up and doing,
With a heart for any fate;
Still achieving, still pursuing,
Learn to labour and to wait.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807 - 1882)

Shrubberies

2012-02-01T11:56:00.000-08:00

I was going to entitle this entry, "The Knights Who Say Ni", but I expect that reference might be a little too obscure for some. The sun was out, so I wanted to snap another picture or two (or four) of the construction of New Westminster's Pier Park along the Fraser River. The sun didn't stay out long but the pictures should last for a while.** I have mentioned the background and construction of the park a number of times here over the last few years. I also have added today's pictures to a Flickr collection with 150 images.

I really do look forward to the official opening of the Westminster Pier Park sometime this spring, or at least sometime in 2012. There seems like an enormous amount of work yet to be completed.

(** Especially after inclusion of this data into the Federation's future Interplanetary Database. Sorry Bret, we cannot expect them to accept musty, historical, paper-based tomes aboard Starships.)

Knowing What to Ignore

2012-01-31T15:08:00.001-08:00

When it actually comes down to clicking to authorize my credit card for a flight or hotel, the transaction most always takes place on Expedia Canada. Still, I use a number of sites for information. My most recent favourite is KAYAK.

The KAYAK website seems to provide good leads on cheap flights, and often points me directly at the website source. I also have become fond of its Android app on my tablet as it comes back with results at lightening speed. It was due to that version, I explored the my trips option today. I don't recall the name of the site which I tried earlier that purported to provide the same service but the concept is simple. One just forwards all travel confirmation emails to the KAYAK email address and the site extracts the relevant data to create a custom travel listing with calendar. It's smart. It would be a God-send for frequent business travelers. Today, it accepted my data from an Expedia email as well as from a private hotel reservation system.

Knowing what NOT to include is the very definition of intelligence here. I am not sure what the computer term is for this process, but I see it becoming more and more important in the future. When I first joined Linkedin, I was amazed it was able to make heads or tails out of my rather bizarrely-formatted resume. It was pretty spot on. Computer systems have to be quite advanced to know what data to extract from a mass of it. I think this bodes well for the future of the personal web.

Personal Quotes

2012-01-30T16:30:00.002-08:00

"I rather wonder how I would have turned out if I'd had the Internet when I was 14."

Dennis Sylvester Hurd (1959- )

In the spring of 1974 the Intel 8080 8-bit microprocessor
was released and this Sunapee NH school picture was taken.

Assignment #3

2012-01-29T18:59:00.001-08:00

I always joke that whichever class I'm currently teaching is always my most favourite ever. I must admit that although I find the weekend class schedule difficult, the people I have now do keep things interesting. I really couldn't ask for harder working students.

Here, we'd just changed the tables back into rows and they were writing an assignment.

On Your Mark, Get Ready, Whine!

2012-01-28T18:07:00.002-08:00

People mildly amuse me. I think general resistance to online change is rather funny. How many times, whenever Facebook makes an improvement, do I hear complaining and moaning? There are threats suggesting all users should pack up and leave. How silly! In fact, other than those few recalcitrant, primitive sort who refuse to sign up at all, those who complain look foolish relatively quickly. Or is this just a solid ten percent of the people who are my friends?

I think the new Facebook Timeline is a tremendous improvement (as have been most of the changes that have taken place). I volunteered to use the new Timeline at least a month and a half ago. I see many of my friends haven't, and I'm getting ready to read a gaggle of complaints once everybody is forced to switch over. Oh goody, that's something to look forward to. Then, after three months, everybody will still be around and have forgotten all about it.

Basic Economics

2012-01-27T18:39:00.000-08:00

Prices for a service can be more closely related to supply and demand than ever before. When I first started flying, published airfares stayed fairly constant. The industry may have been more regulated, so competition was probably not as cut-throat. Yet, a larger reason for stationary pricing was due to the fact it wasn't feasible to update frequently. Now, thanks to computer networks, fares can be adjusted from hour to hour.

I bought a ticket on these flights at the beginning of the month and paid just $489. Due to the announcement of special events in Puerto Vallarta, there undoubtedly has been a lot of interest in them. I wish I knew more about the pricing mechanism for airlines. I know that lots of Internet sites, such as Expedia, scrape the fare data directly from the airlines. The amount and progress of sales must be tracked and analysed. Pricing is mostly likely adjusted depending on the rate of activity and purchases. I wonder whether a few people, constantly checking a specific fare, can cause an algorithm to kick in and increase the price of a flight.

Today's quoted price is $221 more than what I paid. One never knows how much the passenger in the neighbouring seat paid.

Park It. Buy It. Book It.

2012-01-26T14:25:00.001-08:00

I guess I have come to love being off work during the week. When it's sunny, I'm ever more sure.

I ran a few errands today. I needed those psyllium husks for my morning fruit smoothie. The library didn't have the guide book I was in search of. I did manage to try out the new building of the Burnaby Edmonds Branch. It was very nice. Clearly, it was build as a modern but cost-effective structure with a lot of glass. Many patrons were there. On the way to these things I stopped up at Tipperary Park. I had a bag of bread ends for the ducks. I will admit they got most, but I offered some to the crows and squirrels as well.

It was a rare sunny day in January. Bring on more of 'em.

When Life Gives You Limes ...

2012-01-25T12:41:00.000-08:00

I have been getting a bit more out of YouTube lately. The reason is due to the Android Remote app on my tablet. For the most part, YouTube Leanback is a better experience on any large screen. Yet, having to fiddle the media server's mouse or keyboard meant I seldom watched YouTube on the television.

This app has changed things. As long as I am signed on on both my tablet and my media server, then I can line up the clips on my tablet and they are automatically displayed on the much bigger screen. A recent app update seems a little quirky, but the setup does permit me to do many more searches now.

For example, I was trying to find out information on Yelapa, a small village south of Puerto Vallarta. Even though next month's trip will be a return to the area, we didn't get there the last time. Therefore, I have been doing a little research as the only way to get to Yelapa is by boat. I thought I'd try to check to see if I could find any video clips from tourists. That led me to learn about raicilla, a type of local moonshine made from the local variety of agave. Oh, and it can be drunk in a similar way to tequila as well.

Archiving in Public

2012-01-24T10:24:00.001-08:00

Robin,

This is just a quick hello as I have some time today to think about our PV visit from Feb. 14 to 21. It seems I did convince my partner to take a little extra leave, especially after finding out the Carnaval is taking place during the weekend between those Tuesdays.

You know that my taste runs on the tiny, traditional, and cheap side. I think the fact we're staying at the Hotel Rio Malecon on next month's stay, might give you further proof of our propensities. I'm not as keen as a year ago in buying something there. It's not how the Canadian news outlets are constantly bashing Mexico for safety concerns. I'm just a little disappointed that the market, even the low end, has not really seemed to have become aware of the realities of much of the globe's economy. As well, I think there is a lot of coast south of PV that we might like exploring before jumping into ownership. Then, there's always ... this blog entry.

Still it is nice to be in our financial position to immediately be able to throw down cash if something came by that was too good to pass up.

Here, I just wanted to 'think aloud on paper'. I opened the MLS system and copied some of the properties I've been interested in over the past year. I have copied them directly from the MLS site. If we can find a free morning or afternoon, it might be fun to meet up. Maybe we can set a date for later in our stay, if you're free, to actually take a look at one or two. Of course, my partner and I will walk around and eliminate any which we deem as in an unsuitable location. This will act to whittle down the list during the first few days.

While still in Vancouver, I'd definitely value any opinions you have as well.

Manuel M. Dieguez 481 1 Condo Las Palomas
Puerto Vallarta, JA
Active / 380

You went to take video of this area for us. It's been on the market for almost forever. Although I feel the price is about 40% too much, we'd love to take a look.

580 Pino Suarez 13 Escondido
Puerto Vallarta, JA
Active / 2009

This property has been reduced a bit and is in my dream location but obviously costs too much as it has been for sale under different MLS numbers for a number of years. It might also be a little small and 'cave like'.

129 Via Lactea Casa Cass
Puerto Vallarta, JA
Active / 1204

We'd like to take a look at the house this area. Being on the hill would be better than being in the flat boring area near the port or airport. This has been recently reduced. I wonder how motivated she is to sell. I like the idea of no maintenance fees but might feel afraid to lock up and leave it unattended for months on end. Are known foreigner-owned buildings ever considered targets for thieves? Why do I see few listings in "Gringo Gultch"?

Primavera 103 Rio Cuale 103
Puerto Vallarta, JA
Active / 686

I'd have to see how long it would take to walk downtown from up here. There have been several apartments for sale and the prices have always seemed good by comparison.

210 MORELOS 203 CIELITO LINDO
Puerto Vallarta, JA
Active / 1958

This was the very first building I saw with for 'sale signs' when visiting Puerto Vallarta, so in a way it prompted the very thought of buying in your city. The location is optimum even though there might be a lot of road noise. The price is unrealistic for the size of the places though. As I don't foresee sellers becoming realistic in pricing, we probably don't need to waste time looking at anything here. Unless, you have access to any non-MLS information ...

I hope all is well for you. I want to thank you for being the one I can talk to about my real estate dreams.

Dennis

Happy Chinese New Year!

2012-01-23T10:04:00.000-08:00

Mythical creatures are intriguing but definitely hard to pin down. There's surely a lot I don't know about dragons. For example, do all of them breathe fire? And do they all fly? I've never been told if baby dragons hatch from eggs or how much an adult dragon weighs? Sigh. If you're a dragon expert, I'd love to get the low down.

Testing ... 1 ... 2 ... 3

2012-01-22T22:00:00.000-08:00

It didn't even seem strange to be in class on a Sunday. This was the third one from the 6-weekend course. Consequently, my students wrote their midterm exams in the afternoon.

I'm happy that my school tries to meet the needs of the students by providing schedules which match their lives.

I do have to admit that weekends are not my favourite time to teach but, as usual, I'm amazed by the fortitude and progress of most of my students.

By February 12th, I will be most ready for a short break. I'm so happy that the warm, west-coast waters of Mexico are waiting.

Clearly, A Little Foggy

2012-01-21T17:42:00.000-08:00

After teaching a beginning Communications class for seven hours on a Saturday, my mind feels about as clear as these bus windows. Oh, and I get the chance to do the same tomorrow! Yawn.

About a Buck and a Half Each

2012-01-20T12:33:00.003-08:00

Stopping at the currency exchange in Metrotown seemed like a nice way to add excitement on my way to the BCIT Burnaby Campus today. I needed to do some photocopying for my weekend class. Yet buying a few Mexican pesos made me think of the upcoming break and made it seem less of a chore.

Handling cash is something I don't do on a regular basis at all anymore. So, picking up banknotes for a trip seems fun and special. We're so "old skool", we remember the days when buying travelers' cheques was the best option. Now, however, an international network of ATM's have made that form of financial instrument obsolete.

Still, it's best to have a little bit of foreign currency in one's pocket upon arrival at an overseas destination. In the middle of next month, when we stride past the taxi drivers at the airport in Puerto Vallarta, we'll have cash for a local bus to the Centro district. If we give the driver one of these $20 peso bills for the both of us, we should get about eight pesos in return. Taking a bus costs less than US fifty cents per passenger.

A Couple of Ounces of Prevention

2012-01-19T15:21:00.001-08:00

I think I'm probably typical. Wait a minute, let me finish!

I bet that as most people get older, they become a little more aware of the food they put into their bodies. When, even under the best of scenarios, one has lived more than half a lifetime, every little bit of health advice takes on an added importance.

For years, we've been eating a healthier and healthier diet. We take in a lot of vegetables, much less red meat, and exclusively whole grains. There is very little processed, or even canned, foods in the cupboards now. I thought I'd even switched to a healthy margarine. After all the label boasted that it was non-hydrogenated and stated it was heart-healthy.

A few weeks ago, I was surprised that I'd nearly eaten my way through the tub so quickly. It was at this time that I inspected the label a little more carefully. I couldn't pronounce a few of the ingredients in the listing. In fact, it looked like something more out of a science experiment than a food product.

I didn't buy my replacement tub. Furthermore, I swore off ever buying one for general consumption. I did a lot of Net research on olive oil and bought a bottle of that instead. It's been around for thousands of years and is part of a Mediterranean diet. I now even drizzle a teaspoon on my morning toast and I don't miss the taste of my margarine at all.

Personal Quotes

2012-01-18T13:00:00.002-08:00

"Just because you could eat a horse, doesn't mean you should."

Dennis Sylvester Hurd (1959- )

Vancouver Police on horseback, August 2008.

Arctic Air

2012-01-17T18:43:00.000-08:00

It is almost exactly freezing outside at the moment.
I don't especially like this.

The snow that fell two days ago, although only an inch or so in New Westminster, is still on the ground.
I don't like this.

Up at Tipperary Park the ducks flew away as the water in which they normally paddle around is frozen solid.
I don't like this at all.

The weather forecast shows the next few nights at -10C (14F) and I'm not used to temperatures like this anymore.
I really, really don't like this.

Lastly, it's supposed to be colder tomorrow morning than it has been in three years and the temperatures aren't supposed to get back to normal until, at least, the weekend.
I hate this.

I'll survive just knowing that exactly four weeks from today, on the
evening of Valentine's day, we'll be sitting right here somewhere.

Where, When, and What Happened?

2012-01-16T07:57:00.000-08:00

The last substantive trip was to China and Malaysia last fall.

Fate and personal choice determine what we do in this life. My partner and I choose to do a lot of travelling. Everyone has unique priorities, and having opportunities to see the planet on which we were born seem important to us. Furthermore, the memories and education of travel provide more satisfaction than accumulating objects. Shiny things soon tarnish, and new cars only seem new for about a month. Memories, however, seem more akin to gold.

Lots of our meandering occurred a long time ago. The 1980's are the stuff of history books nowadays. I've tried to capture and collect some of those times and places here in my eJournal and images. The loose structure and open-ended organization of a blog make that possible for a lazy writer such as myself.

However, I've been able to be a little more religious about documenting travel from September of 2003 when this ever-evolving document first went online. For during this time, I've, for the most part, been able to write about the trips as they've occurred. And to add further organization, I can link to them from one location.

Today's entry is merely a means to recap the journeys taken during my last eight years and four months of blogging. The majority of the longer trips are on multiple pages and, true to blogging format, they're in reverse chronological order. So reading an entire, lengthy past trip requires going to bottom of the page and using the Older Posts link. That's a bit of an annoyance, but at least it gives me quicker access to a particular location or event.

A List of Longer Trips Since Blogging

China / Malaysia - September / October 2011
Central America - April 2011
Spain / Portugal / Morocco - September / October 2010
Puerto Vallarta / Guadalajara Mexico - April 2010
New York City- December 2009 / January 2010
Siem Rep, Cambodia - October 2009
Sri Lanka - September / October 2009
Washington DC - March 2009
Las Vegas, NV - December 2008
Italy - August / September 2008
Phoenix / Grand Canyon / Palm Springs - May 2008
Mexican Cruise - February 2008
Europe / Eastern Europe - September 2007
Los Angeles - May 2007
New Hampshire - February 2007
Hong Kong - October 2006
Sri Lanka - September 2006
Pacific Coastal Cruise - May 2006
Europe - September / October 2005
New York City - May 2005
Singapore - October 2004
Sri Lanka - September / October 2004
Calgary, AB - December 2003
San Francisco - October 2003

An Easy 30 Minutes of Motion

2012-01-15T17:58:00.000-08:00

It must have been a beautiful day today. I am not so sure as I spent most of it in the downtown BCIT building. I will be teaching from 8:30 to 4:30 on Saturdays and Sundays until February 12th.

The late afternoon view of the valley from the area between
the Edmonds & 22nd Street Stations from the SkyTrain.
I did notice how nice it seemed when leaving downtown today. I always prefer to use the SkyTrain when commuting to the Vancouver core. My truck is not moving from its stall much at all, except for a weekly run to the grocery store or for local errands.

Taking the SkyTrain is just so easy, quick, and cheap when compared to driving. I realize that I'm a bit of a city person now. I'd find it hard to live in a place without mass transit.

Where's All the White Stuff?

2012-01-14T17:38:00.005-08:00

Pfff! There was a snow warning for parts of the Lower Mainland. It happens so infrequently here, most people actually rather like seeing it, especially on a weekend! As I'm taking transit to get to work on the weekends, I was also looking forward to a big snow storm.

It was a very underwhelming and consequently a little disappointing. Down here by the river in New Westminster, there was just a dusting. Although, I saw a few centimeters on the ground when taking the SkyTrain through Burnaby, there was absolutely nothing on the ground at Dunsmir and Seymore. If it's going to do it; it might as well really do it.

I had to scramble through Flickr to find this 2006 photo for inclusion today. That was the last time I remember this much snow on the church next door.

Going Downtown to Photocopy?

2012-01-13T14:16:00.001-08:00

It's 2:00 pm now and getting a little cloudy. Earlier today, the weather was nice. In fact, I decided to take the SkyTrain to Vancouver rather than drive to Burnaby. I had to complete some photocopying to prepare for my weekend class.

Going to the downtown campus is very easy and takes a little under a half hour. My building is attached to the station at Columbia here in New Westminster and BCIT is right across the road from the Dunsmir exit of the Granville Station in Vancouver.

After doing my work, I walked to Robson Square. I'd taken my tablet along for the ride and decided to try taking a photo with it. It feels a little weird holding a 10.1 screen up in order to frame a shot. It worked anyhow. I was up on the upper hill section of the Law Courts looking back at the Vancouver Art Gallery.

It was a bit nippy but I have heard tell there very well might be some snow this weekend! Oh my.

Being Less of a Man

2012-01-12T10:04:00.000-08:00

At the doctor's office the other day, I weighed in at 212 lbs. Of course I was fully clothed and with shoes on. Surely, that allows me to subtract a pound or two. The number was not surprising but it has caused me, once again, to think about my weight. I believe the first reference to it in this blog was in September 2006. I was in Sri Lanka at the time and bothered by the fact I found it hard to fit into the bus seats. Later that fall after coming home and buying digital scales, I documented for posterity a weight of about 235 lbs.

I did a good steady job losing some of the extra fat. At one point in the middle of 2009 I bragged about weighing 198 lbs. Even back at that point, I wanted to shed more. I guess the idea had sort of fallen by the wayside. I used to start each day by weighing myself. I've not done that for years but shall try it again. That will be a nice slap in the face every morning. I think a daily reminder might be good encouragement. I have recommitted myself to the goal of 190 lbs.

(Today's entry is really for my own information. Without the links above I would have never been able to remember my previous progress or lack of it. And to encourage me even more, I'll add a picture taken 23 years ago when I was working in Bahrain. Too bad, I have no idea of how much I weighed at the time.)

Work to Soon Wrap Up

2012-01-11T13:51:00.000-08:00

Every once in a while, I've been documenting work on the Westminster Pier Park being constructed along the Fraser River in downtown New West. The area of construction was an abandoned industrial site. This city purchased the land in March of 2009. The soil remediation and replacement of the piers has seemed slow, only as I watch on a day-to-day basis from my living room or bedroom windows. Monies for the park have come from the city, provincial, and federal governments. The federal grant stipulates that work must be complete by April 2012.

The photo shows a worker atop a cement truck today. Also, I noticed that the first shipment of shrubs for landscaping has now arrived on site. A local newspaper, The Record, had an article which stated the park may be substantially complete by next month and open to the public as early as March.

January in BC

2012-01-10T12:45:00.000-08:00

I feel so fortunate. I am quite aware that today's happiness most likely stems from the good weather. In British Columbia I've become a type of sun-worshiper. That term doesn't seem right as it makes me think of either some beach volleyball floozy or member of a religious sect from ancient Egypt. What I mean is that I completely, and whole-heartedly welcome any rays of sunshine during our grey winters.

I love the climate here along the coast as it never gets too warm or extremely cold. There's seldom snow to shovel even when winter is at its height. In fact, we've not see any on the ground so far this season. There are times, though, after seemingly endless days of gray overcast skies and non-stop rain when I do feel affected by it all. It's not really a form of cabin fever; rather I simply get a little grumpy.

Today, the skies cleared for a bit. I was uptown doing errands and seeing my doctor for a prescription renewal and the world just seemed so nice. I was walking around watching the pedestrians as though they were characters in some unwritten, unfolding novel. This seemed to be the place in the world where I fit the best.

I drove through Queen's Park and stopped to see what the Rose Garden looks like at this time of year. All the bushes had been pruned back and there was nary a leaf on a twig. I did take this photo though. Some tender flowers still presented me with a little show of cheerfulness.

This is what it can be like in January in BC.

Must Be Global Warming

2012-01-09T10:09:00.002-08:00

I see that there's now domestic Canadian content in this container of 100% ground coffee. I had heard about the melting polar ice caps; however, I didn't know we'd already reached the point where it's commercially viable to harvest coffee beans here.

Lard

2012-01-08T18:35:00.002-08:00

I love the fact I carry around hours of science and technology radio programs whenever I have my phone. I have subscribed to news updates from Canada and abroad. There are also a number of NPR programs that are always sitting near me should I find the time to listen to them. I haven't been listening to Car Talk as much as I used to.

Now, I often find the time for Planet Money though. The topics are varied and frequently interesting. For example, this one is called, Who Killed Lard. (Click the title to visit the NPR website and listen to it.) As you might infer, it's all about fat. That's obviously something in which I have an inherent interest.

Burger King's fries have changed but are not cooked in lard. Damn!

Fancy Schmancy

2012-01-07T18:13:00.000-08:00

It was fun practically flying into Vancouver on the elevated rail track this morning. I sat in the front car of the driverless SkyTrain, so I noticed that BC Place had a stunning red glow. The sky was still dark at quarter to eight. Downtown is a rather inspiring city due to the tall buildings on a fairly small spit of land.

I found that I have almost no pictures of downtown taken from the Commercial Drive area. This one was taken in the summer of 2008. Maybe if I sit in the front train car tomorrow, I'll snap a picture with my phone.
The downtown building seems rather fancy-schmancy. Maybe the clean, modern environment is nice in comparison to the moss-covered, 45-year-old quonset-hut building that houses my office on the Burnaby Campus of BCIT. I had forgotten how tired I get after 7 hours of teaching. I am having a little difficulty doing much more in this entry than mumble. So, this is a short one.

Personal Quotes

2012-01-06T16:42:00.001-08:00

"Sometimes the most demanding are the least deserving."

Dennis Sylvester Hurd (1959- )

These birds were in a small cedar tree on the balcony last summer.

I'm Smart Enough, Already!

2012-01-05T15:51:00.002-08:00

My replacement MasterCard was put in the post last year and I finally got it today. It had obviously been out partying with the Christmas mail. My older credit card had developed horizontal, hairline cracks. I think that often happens when guys keep their wallets in a back pocket of their pants. Another reason I figured I should phone for a replacement was the fact my former one didn't have a chip.

Now I can enter my secret PIN rather than signing. Most businesses now have the newer type of card readers at the tills. I never really understood why a credit card could not contain an owner's photo too. Drivers' licenses have been sporting a mug shot for years and years. Wouldn't that cut down on in-store fraud?

Pundits say that due to the fact that new phones contain NFC electronics, there will be a huge paradigm shift in 2012. They say, we'll all start using our smartphones to make purchases. I'm generally an early adopter, but this idea doesn't sound like it would make my life any easier. A little, 2" x 3.5" plastic card seems pretty compact and versatile to carry. (It can also go through the washer unscathed.)

I'm not sure I want everything in my phone.

#firstworldpains

2012-01-04T10:41:00.006-08:00

Twitter can be used in numerous ways. I find it particularly helpful trying to get a running commentary on an event as it happens. For example, people use it to comment during sports or other types of live events. It, of course, can also be used to keep abreast of changing information. I use it this way in order to keep up on the current situations with our transit system in Vancouver.

One means of keeping up with hot topics is to check the hash tags. Any topic that begins with a # is an attempt to create order out of mayhem. You can see what is trending at any particular moment even in different locations. Here are the topics trending in Vancouver at the moment:

Michele Bachmann
#ItAmazesMeThat
#FightLossExcuses
#ThingsICantLiveWithout
Colton Orr
Pattie Is Beautiful
Khloe K Is Flawless
Justin Is A Sexpanther
Celebrity Apprentice
Nick Cannon

I find #firstworldpains an interesting hashtag. (Click it. Every time you refresh the screen, there will be dozens more.) Generally I think it's a way of venting frustration. Yet it also causes many to realize that a lot of the things that are irking us, actually prove we're pretty lucky! We have so much to be thankful for. Reading through some of the tongue-in-cheek comments reassures me that although modern life has its annoyances, they pale in comparison to those who are less fortunate.

There's No Hint of Blue Sky

2012-01-03T12:50:00.000-08:00

There's no hint of it here near Vancouver, today. Yet the photo above does show some blue. It appeared previously in my eJournal and images. It was included with my entry on the day it was taken. February 13, 2008 was the first day, I'd ever set sights on the beach at Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Our cruise ship stopped in town for just one day. We did manage to return on a trip that included Guadalajara in May of 2010 as well.

It does seem as if this city gets a higher percentage of blog entries than should be expected from the actual number of days spent there. Well, there will be more. I found a reasonably priced US Airways flight during the middle of next month. Jay cannot get off work, so it will be my first solo vacation (other than home) since, probably, the mid-1980's. I just figured I could reward myself with a week near the sand and under the warm February sun.

[Editor's Note: In mid-January, Jay 'caved in' and bought a ticket to also come along.]

I'll be getting to the Mexican coast exactly four years and one day after the date of the photo above.

Sleepless

2012-01-02T15:24:00.000-08:00

We PVR'd the New Year's Eve celebrations from a Seattle channel and watched them yesterday. Pyrotechnics are embedded around the upper portions of the Space Needle and set to music, making for a good show. I do remember seeing the rather embarrasing 2007/2008 program when there was a malfunction. After several pauses the fireworks were set off by hand. Being that it occurred in Seattle, we all blamed it on an MS Windows® crash.

This is a special year in 2012 as the Space Needle turns 50 years old. I don't know which is more unsettling, the fact it's now 50, or that I first saw it in person when it was only 20 years old.

I looked through my photos on Flickr for one to include. Most, of course, are from beneath it, looking up. Here's one taken from a cruise ship when we pulled into Seattle on a San Diego to Vancouver, coastal cruise in 2006.

I'd Rather Be Hiking

2012-01-01T16:33:00.001-08:00

It was a little quiet today, just as these type of days should be. In the afternoon, Jay wanted to go to the gym for a bit. He usually stops at Burnaby's Bonsor Complex on the way home from work. It takes just 10 minutes by SkyTrain from downtown New Westminster. So going on a weekend is not a problem.

I said I'd go along. I can travel free on his pass on Sundays. I didn't go for the gym but just to walk around Metrotown which is the second largest shopping mall in Canada. It is well placed as people surely make use of the facilities. I often laugh as I see many people head into the mall on days when they should be out enjoying some of the awesome west-coast natural environment. It doesn't seem to make any difference if the sun is out or not. It doesn't matter if it's pre or post holiday. There are always crowds there.

The picture doesn't adequately reflect the crowds which were at Metrotown Metropolis this afternoon.
I was a bit uncomfortable walking around. It can be difficult getting around when there are too many pedestrians in a compact space. One keeps having to go around people nearly get smashed by others. I am happy I got out of the apartment but I cannot say being in such a crowd is fun.

The Ability to Stop Traffic

2011-12-31T12:01:00.002-08:00

Gag me. I simply refuse to turn on the television news today, because there really isn't any. Journalism now simply involves compiling a list of the best or worst of 2011. If I have to see the YouTube babies jabbering away again, I shall scream and pull out all my hair. We, as a society, get all reminiscent when the digits on the calendar change. The news organizations need to air or print something, especially since most are understaffed due to the holidays.

I refuse to go there with this blog. Instead, I'll put in a photo devoid of any compelling reason other than it's colourful and bright. It's just the front windows of a shop on Columbia Street two blocks away from here. I took it yesterday afternoon.

I do find it interesting that these safety accessories can be purchased by anyone. Considering how much perceived authority is bestowed on the wearer, it seems like one should have a license to own vests and equipment such as these. After all, what stops a person from buying from this shop, finding a desolate road, and forcing every car to stop so the occupants can be robbed?

Oh, and with that warm and fuzzy thought,

HAPPY 2012!

A Reason to Head South Again

2011-12-30T13:52:00.001-08:00

I will be teaching weekends again starting in January. I get a little tired just thinking about it. That does give the whole week to recoup and get ready though. It is also a short course, lasting only six weeks.

That means I should have a week off in the middle of February which is a perfect time for a beach holiday. I burned up a little time searching for reasonably-priced flights from Vancouver. It's pretty common for residents here to end up in the US Southwest or the Mexican west coast during winters.

I knew during most of this year, the boardwalk (malecon) in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico underwent a major replacement. I found this rather slick promo about the work. It's in Spanish and lasts a bit too long at over 10 minutes. I do think it has some rather good production values though.

The Curse of Wandering Feet

2011-12-29T11:26:00.001-08:00

It's one of those days where I've got too much time on my hands. It's also one of those days where dark clouds are rolling in off the Pacific and promise to treat us to a number of continuous days of rain. So, when two such forces meet they can encourage a little overzealous web research; at least, they have today.

I like thinking of retirement. Specifically, I like thinking about my own early retirement. Life is all about priorities. For example, I'm driving a 15 year old vehicle and have the money I've saved socked away. This means I can work at least one year less than many others I know. If I combine that with other examples of our moderate lifestyle, I really don't think I need have to wait much longer. It's all about balance, after all. If one can forgo expensive toys in the near term, then that allows personal freedom in the longer term. To me, owning my own life is more important than owning items bearing the tag of 'luxury'.

The main problem with finding a nice little place to escape our rainy winters, is the fact we cannot choose just one. I've blogged here about wanting to own property elsewhere for a yearly migration, somewhat like what Canadian geese do. Yet, it'd be hard for us to tie ourselves to just one destination. Due to this, perhaps we'll need not buy a second home and should just continue exploring or re-exploring the world each November to February.

There are more places on the potential list than years left, I fear. We could definitely start from these locations which are in no particular order: Palms Springs, Puerto Vallarta, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, and this year's hot choice after a 10-day visit, Malaysia. I could so happily spend four months a year in that country, I think.

There. There are five year's worth of proven destinations, already! Time to get at it ... in 2014?

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - Sept 2011. Other than the capital, we only visited Penang, so I want to go back soon to check out the south-west coast nearer Singapore.

Digital Persistence

2011-12-28T09:17:00.000-08:00

Back when the Internet was much less used in general English classes, I had my ESL students complete a writing that they knew would be destined for a public webpage. The students were generally at an Intermediate level, yet I thought writing something public might make a difference. I assumed that they would use extra time to polish them. That idea probably worked with a majority, but not all.

As, in those days, my school did not provide web server space, I put the writings on my own. Things on the Net can be quite temporary or stubbornly persistent. In this case some of the keystrokes the students made are still online after 14 years.

A dozen or more years can be quite a substantial chunk of someone's life. We all change a lot in that amount of time. So, it is not surprising that I sometimes get special requests from former students. They ask that I take down something that they no longer wish to have available. Of course, I'm always more than happy to oblige and pleased to hear from them again!

Writings from a class nearly 10 years ago.

Personal Quotes

2011-12-27T13:35:00.002-08:00

"Hey, guess what? Just because there's a majority doesn't always make it right."

Dennis Sylvester Hurd (1959- )

More Than Our Ancestors Could've Imagined

2011-12-26T14:56:00.001-08:00

It's much easier to be well informed today. Access has never been as universal. It's even relatively inexpensive to keep up on current events, learn about new ideas, and share knowledge with others.

It does seem a shame that we do not use the Internet to a little more of its potential in our own lives. To be honest, everything that I learned in college can be found online now. Of course people are not any smarter nowadays, but the availability of information is assuredly greater.

I find it more than a little annoying that educators cannot do a better job at teaching people how to develop their own interests and create the questions based on them. Unfortunately, critical thinking skills are as seemingly scarce as they've ever been.

My Continuing Tradition

2011-12-25T07:05:00.000-08:00

Due to a little research for yesterday's blog entry, I discovered that I often do little more than put include a greeting-card type photo here on Christmas Day. I found the aerial view of Vancouver from a Google image search. I added the words in an image editor.

So, here we go for 2011 ...

Ghosts of Christmas Past

2011-12-24T17:05:00.002-08:00

I keep adding an entry right here every day, even though I sometimes I wonder why. Of course, it doesn't cost anything other than my time. The payback for the time spent is the ability to keep track of what has gone on in my life.

If not a direct journal, then at least this space may hint at what I was thinking at a particular time. For example, I can quickly locate specific events that would have just "rushed into the mush" we call memories. I can quickly do a search to see what I included in my eJournal and images on the past eight Christmases.

2003 2004 2005 2006
2007 2008 2009 2010
Actually it looks like I have mostly used those days as a type of virtual greeting card. I now know what to include tomorrow. All the old blog entries may not be of much interest to others, but at least it allows me to keep track of personal events. If you'd asked me which recent Christmas we visited NYC, I might have had to think about it. Here, I can review with a vivid image. I took this picture of Jay and his brother on a Staten Island Ferry on Christmas Day 2009.

Oh, the Weather Outside is Frightful

2011-12-23T08:11:00.000-08:00

Yet, I'm not sure how I felt about it near the end of our front driveway in Wendell, New Hampshire 50 years ago.

Buon Natale!

2011-12-22T08:48:00.002-08:00

I love using Google Maps or Google Earth on my Toshiba tablet. The value of using gestures rather than a mouse with that software alone makes the device a bargain. I do so enjoy dropping into Street View in areas where I've been as well as to places I have yet to visit.

Today, I was thinking about a science fiction type of technology. I was dreaming about being able to step into a booth and instantly beam myself anywhere on the surface of our globe. If it were possible, where would I like to spend Christmas Eve, I was wondering?

View Larger Map
(In the frame above, move around in the virtual image.)

We visited the Cinque Terre three years ago in the fall, so I had to check on the Net to see what the weather might be like now on the Italian Mediterranean. Apparently, it is not a great deal different than right here, meaning it's about 7C (45F) today. That would be fine as it'd still be fun to find a warm restaurant on Christmas Eve for a little Italian food and the view.

I noticed that Street View had done just a little part of the cliff walking path near Manarola. Being able to virtually take the hike between the five cliff-side cities should be a priority for the Street View staff. Or better yet, we should go back and do it again ourselves in person!

Deckin' the Halls

2011-12-21T13:57:00.000-08:00

I'm on an email list when Joel Thomas sends out photos from his phone. I welcome getting the image updates. Last weekend, there were a number of nice pictures with his family.

I, being me, had to be a little snarky though. I emailed him saying that he was very clever in finding a Christmas tree this year. He'd obviously been able to locate one that worked well in front of a window without blocking any light at all!

He and Lynne had been visiting the other weekend. His retort was that he had noticed my idea of decorating was just to throw two strings of lights around the house. "Ouch," was my reply. He is definitely right.

So in keeping with an ever-so-slightly more effective show of decorations, I'll include this photo of the New Westminster City Hall. I was out on a walk uptown today just because the weather is so fantastic. Although a little cold, the sky is bluer than my eyes and the sun brighter than, well, my wit.

New Westminster, BC - December 21, 2011.

Personal Quotes

2011-12-20T11:28:00.000-08:00

You know all those online places where one is supposed to enter a short bio or personal data? I've just changed all of mine to the following:

"Best served at room temperature."

Dennis Sylvester Hurd (1959- )

Puerto Vallara, Mexico - May 2010

Lytton Square Takes Shape

2011-12-19T10:20:00.001-08:00

It's been more than four months since I highlighted the continuing construction of Westminster Pier Park. Of course the riverfront park has been a keen interest as it is directly in the line of sight from my apartment. The old, abandoned area with contaminated soil was an eyesore and a tremendous waste of precious land. I look forward to picnicking along the river next summer.

I have been documenting a bit of the park's construction since February 12, 2009, when I first noted activity on the site. I have put a number of construction photos with a few showing the former property in a special, online Flickr set. You may easily view a slideshow of these images. (Select SHOW INFO when the slideshow starts to see dates and other information.)

Green is One of the Christmas Colours

2011-12-18T16:23:00.001-08:00

It's interesting how people have such a wide range of differing, family traditions during Christmas. Of course it's not very surprising for a holiday which has its roots in so many different cultures, practices, and regions. In fact, most of the rituals we have come to associate with this season have very little to do with the holiday's namesake. (Back in 2005, I made an entry that discussed that a bit.) Still, I think we should enjoy all the things that have become a part of our gigantic, North American, end-of-the-year Wallapalooza.

Interestingly Jay often makes several special things to eat at Christmas. This picture showcases the hot, green chili peppers that went into the bottle today. Also, green papaya, onions, dates, and carrots rounded out the mixture. It forms the Malay-style version of Sri Lankan pickles. It's a part of my Christmas now.

Tuber Identification Trouble

2011-12-17T12:48:00.003-08:00

We're back to the regular routine of Saturday morning grocery shopping. During November I was teaching weekends. I don't mind publicly admitting that I sort of love shopping for food. I know that it's probably on the bottom of most people's fun activities, but I try to treat it like a privilege rather than a chore.

If we were really serious about 100-mile shopping, Canadians would end up pretty vitamin deficient by the month of December. Yet, walk into any large Great Canadian Superstore and there are vegetables on offer from all over the world. The variety is probably larger than a few decades ago. Our changing cultural demographic in Vancouver ensures new and different agricultural products continue hitting the shelves. Today, our baby bok choy is from California and the tiny green, Indian eggplant grown in Mexico.

Shipping fruit and vegetables allows an increased market for farmers and it probably ensures less damage to the environment than using that land to make factories producing plastic widgets and our electronics gadgets du jour.

I often must come home for a Net search to find out about the things we've seen or bought. This is true even for tubers.

Manipulating My Timeline

2011-12-16T07:16:00.002-08:00

Okay, who has checked out Facebook's new Timeline feature? Its implementation is a frightening improvement. It acts to cement the relevance of Facebook as a tool which cannot be easily abandoned.

Let me say right here, I see no need to keep all of my eggs in the same basket. I've always fought the one-stop-shopping model for Net applications. If there's competition for a particular service, I have felt no desire to go in for the bundle. As an example, I have continued with Foursquare rather that making Facebook my location aware service. Ditto for Flickr which has, up to this point, been my repository for all photographs and images. A good Web 2.0 app makes sharing with other sites seamless.

Now, I fear I'll be giving more information to Facebook simply as it allows one to create a story of one's life. Who knew it already had a record of some of the most important milestones in mine! I see Timeline as a vast improvement over the standard Facebook profile, but also fear it has the potential to become a monopoly on people's information.

Personal Quotes

2011-12-15T13:41:00.000-08:00

"When giving career advice, people have often told me to do something I love. Over the years, I've discovered that the thing I love doing most is nothing."

Dennis Sylvester Hurd (1959- )

Chillin' warthogs at the San Diego Zoo - May 2006.

Driving South is Easier

2011-12-14T14:41:00.001-08:00

At 364,764 square miles, the province in which I live is big. British Columbia is about the size of France, Germany, and the Netherlands combined. Or to put it another way, it's larger than the total area of California, Oregon, and Washington State.

It seems a little sad that we so often seem stuck down here near the south west corner of BC. In fact, I am so ready for a local road trip, I could scream! There's a little problem: I don't have a set of snow tires as they're not necessary during Metro-Vancouver's winters. In order to leave here, though, we've got to go on roads which require them. The weather in Decmeber will not be like the Street View scene embedded below.

View Larger Map

The weather conditions on the Coquihalla Highway can be slick in December.

Blogging in the 1960's

2011-12-13T09:40:00.001-08:00

My dad sent out a few boxes of, as he called it, "old stuff" from the east coast. To save postage money and the hassle of customs declarations, my father sent them to friends in Washington State. Last weekend Joel and Lynne kindly brought up the duct-taped packages when visiting.

So today I've learned, perhaps, why I blog. It could be that this type of thing runs in my family. My mother, who passed away before I finished college, was apparently a scrapbooker. Do people still create baby books? I'd never really thought about the fact that making a scrapbook is a pre-tech way of doing exactly what I do at my eJournal and images. If anything this gives me a renewed enthusiasm for this blog.

My parents loaded a VW Camper Van in 1965 and headed to Alaska. They left Wendell, New Hampshire the summer before I started elementary school. I cannot say that I remember much of that first trip through many parts of Canada. But some of that trip can be relived through one of the things I just pulled out of a box. The red scrapbook boasts a little felt 'Thunderbird' totem my mom made. It looked like a four-foot wooden one we bought from Alaskan Indians. Unfortunately, upon our return, it was stolen from our lawn.

Unlike in the old receipt, I am sure that Jay and I paid much more than $0.50 a day to camp during our cross-Canada trip ten years ago. In fact, Manitoba's Parks and Natural Areas website shows that it now costs $9.45 to $16.80 for a basic services site. Oh my. For the lower number, that's what an annual 6.6% increase looks like over 46 years!

Wrapped Around an Existing Station

2011-12-12T15:51:00.001-08:00

When I first heard that Safeway was to become the anchor grocery store in the new transit mall surrounding the New Westminster SkyTrain Station, I was hardly enthusiastic. The city of New Westminster already has a Safeway uptown that we seldom frequent and there's another on McBride we visit even less frequently.

Yet, the new, spacious supermarket opened on Friday. I didn't meander through until Saturday just to scope it out. Then, last night we used Jay's transit pass and bought some milk and bananas there. It is very nice to have the new facilities just one station away. More importantly, it's also less than a 10-minute walk. And ... the inside's gorgeous, if a supermarket can be called as such.

I think the entire shopping complex will be a smashing success as it will serve the growing downtown population as well as those who transit through. The Safeway is the first business to open, but a Subway Restaurant looks ready to open at any time. Come spring, when the 10-screen cinema is unveiled to the public, most of the other shops should be open too. I was really quite impressed today. When we moved here in the 1990's we knew downtown New Westminster had a great potential as a place to live. It's nice to see that the improvements are coming true!

Personal Quotes

2011-12-11T15:41:00.001-08:00

"Real randomness is a rarity."

Dennis Sylvester Hurd (1959- )

Greetings from Vancouver!

2011-12-10T22:30:00.000-08:00

Lynne and Joel made it up late yesterday afternoon. It was a nice evening and we managed to get going fairly early this morning. We took the SkyTrain downtown and just walked around the Waterfront for a bit. Then we boarded the Canada Line, got off at King Edwards, and waited a few minutes for Bus #15. We walked up the hill from 33rd to the Bloedel Conservatory in Queen Elizabeth Park.

Yesterday's weather was stunningly beautiful and tomorrow's promises to be. Today, however, has been rather typical for December. It was cold and there was a relatively steady, misty drizzle for most of the day. So I guess it was a suitable day for the planned trip to the dome. We were inside for quite some time.

After, we were getting hungry and it was getting rather late for lunch. We went back to the bus stop and went all the way downtown on the north bound bus. We got off at Davie Street and made it to Stepho's for a Greek lunch at around 2:00. It was a return visit as last year we did the same. One thing that I did differently today was to order the moussaka rather than my usual souvlaki. Good all around.

Later, I wanted to see the German Christmas market but we ended up saving the $5 admission and just walking through the stunning Vancouver Public Library, the T&T Asian Supermarket by the Stadium/Chinatown SkyTrain station, and International Village Mall. There were no movies we were very interested in seeing, so we just had coffee and came back to New Westminster. Of course it gets dark at around four o'clock on a day like this.

Very pleasant time, even though the weather was rather uncooperative. This is, after all, Vancouver in December. We have learned to love it, mostly.

Bright December Sun!

2011-12-09T14:45:00.001-08:00

It was beautiful today. The day seemed great even with a one-and-a-half hour instructors' meeting in the new SW1 building.

The new little meeting room had sunshine pouring in as well. Unfortunately, it was shining right on the LCD projector screen, but our department's spunky admin assistant climbed up and taped a black garbage bag over the window. We were able to see the PowerPoint slides.

The Upside

2011-12-08T14:24:00.001-08:00

We've lived in downtown New Westminster since 1996. That was at least a decade before it became 'cool'. I should add that I don't miss the SkyTrain Station drug dealers at all!

Going uptown is not something new. Yet, I never saw the corner of 6th Avenue and 6th Street from this angle. In fact, I'd never been on the roof of the Royal City Centre. I was looking at the city on Google Maps and zoomed in to see all the parking spaces on the top of the building. I sort of remembered the sign on Princess Street showing there was parking up; I just never bothered to go.

Ah ha, now when there's no parking at the New Westminster Public Library, I know where to head ...

An Image Ingrained

2011-12-07T16:38:00.001-08:00

I have, most likely, taken more photos from this spot than any other place on earth. (Yet, I have taken pictures from quite a few places on the earth as well.) Seeing how we've lived ten floors above Carnarvon Street in downtown New Westminster for over 13 years, you might expect a lot of shots from my balcony. You'd be right.

Honestly, one reason we bought in the building is because of the view afforded from the apartment. I like the open space and the southern exposure. The Fraser River and the views of downtown New West on this side change often. The light, during our various seasons and at different times of the day, always paint the scene in a never-ending kaleidoscope of color and texture. This evening, the scene looks rather industrial, doesn't it?

It's Not Nine to Five

2011-12-06T10:02:00.001-08:00

My final exams have been corrected and the message board topic scores tabulated. The final marks have now been electronically turned in and confirmed. A final email note has been mailed out to all class members. I've already sent the PDF of a letter of recommendation to a student who requested one.

I will now clean up my email box at my.bcit.ca and I'll be free.

I love teaching for many reasons. First and perhaps most importantly, there is a definite start and end with each group I get. I appreciate the feeling of accomplishment that I have today. As well, the classes themselves are composed of many different individuals. No two classes are the same and I thrive on the variety. I understand that most folks have to deal with the same-old work situation day in and day out. Lastly, I can see a marked difference in student skills over the short duration of my courses. Many people make important contributions to an organization but never get to see an end product or the fruition of their labours.

I am a lucky guy!

I'm Right Here

2011-12-05T18:20:00.001-08:00

I cannot even remember the first wow I must have got from Google Earth and Maps. I have always been interested in maps and mapping. My curiosity started as a youngster. Then during school years, I think Mr. Frank Hammond deserves a heartfelt mention. Yet the things one can do now with any old Net-connected PC still amaze me.

Zoom extends right down to Street View levels. I can quite literally spend hundreds of hours just roaming around the world without leaving this chair. The 1970's student in me would've been amazed by the science fiction that would come to fruition during his own lifetime.

It does seem that Google keeps rolling out new features, but there's only one aspect I still find missing. I wish sharing the maps and data were easier. I would like having more online social networking attributes added.

View Larger Map

I live in the building above. Please move around my world for a minute. There now, I've shown you mine; it's time for you to send me a link and show me yours.

Coming North for the Tropics

2011-12-04T16:30:00.001-08:00

Friends, Lynne and Joel, are coming up from Washington state next weekend. It's a bit of a tradition arranging a few trips a year to see each other. Jay and I were down for their son's graduation from college in the spring. It's their turn to drive up here.

I asked Lynne what we should plan for activities on Saturday and she suggested we try something "Christmassy" (Or should that be "Christmasish"?) I will leave some of the options open and let 'em decide after they get here.

I did think of a great way to spend at least one hour though. I had to look in this blog to see when we last visited Bloedel Conservatory in Vancouver's Queen Elizabeth Park. I found that Jay and I visited during the week between Christmas and New Years last year. I'm pretty sure 2010, after connecting with VanDusen Gardens, was the first year it was decorated for Christmas. I'd love walking into the humid, tropical environment under a 70-foot, triodetic dome on any cold day. Even if one spends an hour inside, it really feels like a mini-vacation. I guess that might be because I like vacations wherever verdant banana trees grow. In addition, seeing all the lights and poinsettias is a bonus this month.

And actually, I want to see if my friend is still there.

Excellent Students (and an Excellent Teacher)

2011-12-03T18:37:00.001-08:00

And I don't throw around the adjective 'excellent' lightly.

A Much Improved Fir

2011-12-02T15:21:00.001-08:00

Let it be known that I'm not one to simply complain. I think when things are going right, it's important to expressly comment on that as well.

Last season was the first time that the refurbished Hyack Square sported the New Westminster Christmas tree. I was not very impressed with the artificial thing in the middle of the raised platform. I lamented the fact we live in a province where the lumber industry's important and yet we couldn't celebrate with something real.

Above: December 2010. Below: December 2011

As you can see, this year we have a tree that grew in real soil. The Record mentioned that it was donated by Langley's Barclay Brook Gardens. I'd like to thank them. I will be teaching until 4:00 pm tomorrow at BCIT, but I will drive as quickly as I can to make it home for the Santa Clause Parade of Lights. It celebrates its 25th year in 2011 and we'll have lived in New Westminster for 16 of them. I love my little city.

Past Firsts

2011-12-01T16:34:00.001-08:00

Today I think I'll side more with the "... and images" part of the name of this online enterprise. Writing the "my eJournal" section seems like it'd be too much work. Not that I should be tired really. I just went with Jay for errands and to see a movie in the afternoon. There was nothing important to do, nor did I create any.

Yet that's the beauty of having a blog; I can do whatever I want in it.

Today, rather than write about things which are going on currently, I just returned to my online mass of photos on Flickr. I decided to post something from a previous December 1st. I didn't start my daily photo project until 2005, so obviously that is the first year which I can access. I checked through my archive page for something unusual. It seems that for a majority of the six years of my Daily Picture Parade, I was at BCIT on this date. On one of those years I snapped a photo with snow on the ground, an unusual occurrence in these parts.

In 2008 though, we felt marooned in the tiny airport in Bellingham, WA. It seems as though the Allegiant Air flight to Las Vegas never showed up. We got on a subsequent flight around four hours after our supposed departure.

Do I Have a Timeshare Deal!

2011-11-30T12:38:00.001-08:00

I have been lucky enough to get hold of a superb bargain. I have rights of fractional ownership in a wonderful multi-purpose, green space right in town. It's called my city's main park.

I was in Queen's Park today at around noon. When driving home from the BCIT Campus, I couldn't help but appreciate what a fine day it was. I ducked into London Drugs but couldn't find anything in the current flyer that was a must-have. So, I continued on and parked the truck at the park. It was truly nice seeing the green grass and fir trees. There wasn't much going on when compared to more normal summer activity. There was nobody at the picnic shelters. Of course the kiddie water park was shut. No farm animals were there to greet me at the Petting Zoo. Even the rose garden looked forsaken.

Yet, even with all these minuses, I was content just to walk a bit. It seems as if my taxes buy into this grande timeshare which is often unoccupied during this time of the year.

Vision Quest

2011-11-29T07:53:00.001-08:00

I was a little premature in my proud declaration that I'd avoided Cyber Monday. Well okay, technically, I waited until this morning. I always find it a tiny bit exciting when entering my credit card number online.

I have been wearing glasses for about 42 years. That's a fact I don't mind in the least. In fact I rather look forward to changing my style every few years. Until today, I'd never shopped online for a pair though.

It does seem as if I've had over four decades of spectacular spectacles. (Perhaps hyperbole is an unintended effect of the website's advertising.) It has also been over four decades of cleaning, bending, breaking, and adjusting them. I simply could never convince myself that sticking contact lenses on my eyeballs is something I'd care to do. Laser surgery is all the rage, but even if the long-term effects prove safe, why mess around with one's corneas?

After yesterday's eye examination, which I've since discovered is not covered by my insurance, there's been very little change in my prescription. It was seven years ago I last had my eyes checked! Still, my insurance does cover 80% of eyeglass purchases. I've always had the idea that many optometrists' eye-wear products sport a hefty in-store markup. The prices at Clearly Contacts™ seem so reasonable!

At first glance (pun), glasses are not a product one would think of as ripe for online sales. I just tried ordering a very personal product sight unseen (pun). Honestly though, the selection was better and the process a breeze. Will I be happy with the results? I guess we'll see (pun).

Clearly Commuting

2011-11-28T18:37:00.001-08:00

Remember when driving was fun? I was thinking about that the other day. When a kid first gets a license he or she wants to take to the road for any old excuse. I think it has been quite a while since I wanted to run errands just for the pure joy of being behind the wheel.

There are times though when I still am happy driving, even to work. Last Friday, I had to go into the Burnaby campus of BCIT to prepare for the weekend class I teach. I drove about a mile out of the way just so that I could drive down Royal Oak Avenue. The weather seemed so nice, I knew seeing the mountains would be a nice way to prepare for photocopying. It was.

Turtles' Butts

2011-11-27T18:51:00.001-08:00

I cannot, with certainty, say where I first encountered the following information. There was a time when I could confirm the source of nearly every new fact I learned. Now, I get a huge quantity of information from various sources. At times, I cannot remember whether I saw something on TV, heard it in a conversation or podcast, read it on paper, or learned about it via a computer screen. In this case, the initial information most probably came from the Internet and it caused a rather sad mental picture.

It seems that cigarette butts are often found in the stomachs of sea turtles. The filtered ends do not degrade; consequently, they get to the sea in other ways than being directly flicked into the waves. Many of the butts survive a journey through sewer drains and end up in the sea. Of course the filters themselves are toxic.

I had the sad mental picture of a large, unsuspecting marine turtle seeing what it assumed was some sort of tasty meal. Although hardly an ardent environmentalist, I couldn't shake the notion that we, as humans, can really screw up nature. In a more positive light, we also try to help it along at times.

Salmon fry being raised at the Capilano Hatchery, North Vancouver.

Headed Straight to Oblivion

2011-11-26T17:51:00.001-08:00

Obliviate the following items from the beginning of time?

A few months back I was amused enough by this Chrome dialog box to post a screen capture on Flickr. I was looking for the method to clean the browser's cache. Thinking a little outside the box keeps people on their toes. You know, it doesn't cost anything to be a little funny. I wish more people, involved in running the world, would take this example to heart.

How Much Am I Worth?

2011-11-25T17:54:00.001-08:00

I sent a tweet to @LondonDrugs, a local drugstore chain here. They have the most bubbly person in charge of their Twitter account. I'm a reasonably upbeat kind of guy, but this social media marketing spokesperson is a bit too much. The following three messages sum up my views:

Dennis_S_Hurd: @LondonDrugs You must have done well in marketing class. Be assured though that every single tweet needn't have an exclamation mark!!!

LondonDrugs: @Dennis_S_Hurd I'm an excitable person. What can I say?

Dennis_S_Hurd: @LondonDrugs Your constant excitement makes me tired and unlikely to take you seriously.

Really, being bombarded with constant marketing can get tiring. I have the notion that Facebook wants me to "like" external pages just so they can collect more information to accurately target me. I deleted all my likes in a fit of retaliation. I'd rather spread around my online proclivities. I started +1'ing pages recently as Google is not only interested in my preferences, they are simply planning on owning me.

In the spirit of brash commercial enterprise on the Internet, I shall include the first page of the brochure from a favourite little, Western Canadian franchise chain. They sell just frozen foods and I've never come across anything from them that was healthy nor anything that was not absolutely delicious.

Cheaper than Getting to Winnipeg

2011-11-24T11:53:00.001-08:00

Slap me. I should be doing something more constructive but for most of the week thus far, I've been staring out the windows at cold rain and grey clouds. The wind doesn't seem at all pleasant either. Our winter weather doesn't always bother me. In fact, I sometimes appreciate the view from the toasty apartment, where all that's necessary for existence sits close at hand.

This week, however, I've not been as appreciative. (It's not Thanksgiving here as it is in the US today as we already did that way back on October 10th. You know, closer to the actual harvest.) As a result, I don't have any obligation to be thankful today.

I am aware I've spent a great deal of time travelling in 2011. We stood atop Mayan ruins in Guatemala, on China's Great Wall, and beside the Petronas Towers in Malaysia. Honestly, I've slept in enough hotels this year. Then why is it, I am on the Net searching about places where the sun is shining?

I'll be finishing up classes during the first week of December. I could conceivably be on a flight to Puerto Vallarta on Wednesday, the 7th. It's one of the cheapest fares of the season. Although I didn't plan for such an unnecessary expenditure, getting to Mexico is cheaper than trying to grab a flight to Winnipeg!

I could stay at the Hotel Encino, which I didn't even know about until today.

I could care less about the flashy luxury of modern resort hotels. I'd much rather be a guest in this older, more authentic venue with a Spanish-type courtyard.

Personal Quotes

2011-11-23T10:01:00.001-08:00

"I am ecstatic about household electricity."

Dennis Sylvester Hurd (1959- )

US Thanksgiving is tomorrow, so I was thinking of things I'm thankful for.

In the Glow of the Monitor

2011-11-22T16:08:00.001-08:00

I live in one of the most beautiful places on earth. I know this. I'd tell anyone that I love the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, Canada. I could love it just as much though, if I were away from the beginning of November through the end of February.

After just two days of rain and last night's wind storm, my head is already visiting places with a little more sunshine. Yesterday I was spending virtual time reading an online magazine from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Also, for the last hour I've been looking at the prices of foreclosed real estate in Palm Springs, California.

Ah, the Internet is my relief from early-onset S.A.D. symptoms, I guess.

Screening Around

2011-11-21T15:45:00.001-08:00

I use computers less nowadays. My Toshiba tablet is a much nicer and more natural way to view digital information. Having the screen in one's hands, creates a familiarity that is both reassuring and comforting. It shines as a way to read news and magazines.

The image below is the PDF format of a monthly news magazine from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. The PV Mirror seems as if it's published as much for expat residents as for tourists. It provided an especially welcomed few minutes during our day of gray and rain here.

The tablet is a little addicting. I bought it with the intention of keeping it mostly as a device for the coffee table. Yet, I find that I often take it into the bathroom with me too. I go down to the hot tub with it in tow. Recently, I sat with it at the mall. I've even been bringing it to BCIT for the few, short breaks. I now want to have the tablet at every location where I used to be satisfied with my smartphone.

Natural Benylin® in a Bag

2011-11-20T19:15:00.001-08:00

It's been one of those tiring days, where I don't really feel like I have much of an entry in me. So on an occasion like this, I find myself dipping into my 'picture well'. As I've been taking and uploading at least one photo a day since July of 2005, I can easily find something to post. Today this seemed most appropriate as it's near freezing outside.

These two pictures were taken exactly six years ago. On November 20, 2005 we visited a small grocery store in Vancouver which carries Sri Lankan products. Among the items purchased was a special bag of special, traditional Ayurveda medicine. If one feels a cold or sore throat coming on, the bark, herbs and roots are simply boiled and the resulting liquid is drunk.

A Moment

2011-11-19T17:48:00.001-08:00

After class ended today, I noted a few students were talking in the back of the classroom. One was originally from China, while another from India. The third grew up in Iran and the final came from Thailand. They were having an interesting discussion between themselves. I joined in to give my two cents worth too. I turned off the lights and we headed out through the cafeteria to the front entrance. Outside felt really cool and the soon-to-set sun was shining on the snow-capped mountains.

A photo from 2009 showing the view from our present classroom in NE 1.
We were heading to our cars. I mentioned that it was amazing that we had all come so far. We had converged from such different places. We held such unique but very different backgrounds. Yet, here at this singular moment, we were standing less than a meter apart, interacting. I was struck by the uniqueness of the situation. What special circumstances the world had provided us!

Thank you, Canada.

Seeing White

2011-11-18T17:02:00.001-08:00

In Tuesday's blog entry, I embedded a photo taken in my closest park. There were a lot of red leaves.

Today, it was a little whiter. There was nothing downtown as we're close to the river. The rise in elevation of the park is not much but apparently enough to make a little difference. We're a little spoiled as we never run snow tires here. Of course the local mountains got much more. I have to say, it's a little nice to see it, especially from a distance.

Personal Quotes

2011-11-17T08:44:00.001-08:00

"By the time everybody has finally gotten onboard, I've already moved on."

Dennis Sylvester Hurd (1959- )

... and I don't necessarily mean on trains; however, here is a personal Flickr slideshow with photos bearing that tag or description. Click 'Show Info' in the upper-right corner in full-screen mode.

Go West, Old Man!

2011-11-16T13:42:00.001-08:00

I've been thinking about where we could go on a two or three day break over Christmas. With the day falling on a Sunday, we won't have the luxury of taking a whole week as we've so successfully accomplished in the past. That has sort of limited my pondering to an urban area which is an easy drive from here. Unfortunately, that criteria leaves relatively few choices.

We could go as far south as Portland, Oregon in six or seven hours of I5. Seattle'd be half that, of course. Ho hum. Or we could go over to the Okanagan, but going west might require snow tires. Even further west would bring us to Calgary which could be best done in an overnight Greyhound. Oh my back though! There's not much to see by heading north as I'd venture a guess that not much will be going on in Prince George over the holidays. We could ferry over to Victoria but we did that during the New Year.

Oh wait. There are other places over on the island. It is a 12,000-square-mile hunk of rock, after all. Yeah, perhaps we could escape to the city of Nanaimo for a few nights. It'd cost about a hundred bucks to take the pickup over and back on BC Ferries. Yet, if we arranged to stay right in town we could just take buses to the ferry terminals and then board as foot-passengers.

As there are only 80,000 people in that city, the selection of hotels isn't vast. We really cannot be considered hotel snobs by any means. For example, we spend several months during most years in hotels and we aren't ones to frequent brand names. Not that there's anything wrong with knowing what to expect; it's just we like the adventure of authentic lodgings. I noticed information about The Painted Turtle Guesthouse.

Oh, Internet, you've made discovering things so easy! The Guesthouse looks well ranked on TripAdvisor and it is right in the middle of town. Hum, that is something to think about, isn't it?

Seeing Red

2011-11-15T19:32:00.001-08:00

Now, it gets light late and dark early. It will get even more so during the next six weeks. That is not reason for dismay though. I do have to occasionally remind myself, but I do love change. Life is all about that.

The environment is changing. Leaves are just visible, dynamic proof. I took this photo yesterday afternoon at my park up near the City Hall. Let me always notice the beauty around me.

I Don't Dream of Genie

2011-11-14T13:21:00.001-08:00

The Internet is generally all about change.

In fact, the Net is a major reason for the increasing speed at which news and ideas travel around the globe today. That means it's comforting when finding anything lasting that can be viewed in a browser window. I remembered 'Gender Genie' and found that it's still online. In fact the last time I mentioned it in this blog was on October 31, 2003.

It is a project which takes written text and tries to identify the author's sex by analyzing word choice and usage. I found the idea interesting, perhaps only because I teach English. Back all those years ago, I had never really considered potential gender differences in writing.

After discovering it is still online, I ran through an entry from a week ago. I knew the topic sounded masculine but I had no idea of what Gender Genie would discover about the text. I also knew it is a little short for the algorithm to make an trustworthy prediction.

Try copying and pasting some text you've created into the empty box of Gender Genie to see if you write like a boy or a girl.

Burn, Baby, Burn!

2011-11-13T18:14:00.001-08:00

When people stop by during the winter, they often ask if they can slide open the balcony door a bit. It's usually hot in here. The gas fireplace runs constantly for nearly eight months a year in this apartment. Maybe I do this as a result of the post-1973 oil embargo, wood-burning stoves of my youth. When facing a stove with a roaring fire, one's front side was about 90F. In most old New-England houses, the other side wasn't.

Fast forward almost four decades and I still crave that particular creature comfort. I don't recall Lower Mainland, BC winter temperatures ever staying below 15F (-10C). Still, I find numerous opportunities to crank up the gas setting to Level 3

A Note

2011-11-12T17:58:00.001-08:00

Dear students,

You needn't try to bribe me. Don't even waste your time thinking about it. This instructor doesn't need a Rolex watch. In fact, there's absolutely nothing you could offer that would make an effective bribe.

Food, however, is graciously accepted. Cookies will not have the slightest effect on your marks. Yet, food is universal and it's always nice to see someone smile, isn't it?

Truly,
Your teacher

From Dreams to Reality

2011-11-11T12:26:00.001-08:00

I've always thought that the genre of science fiction is essential for a leading technological society. Some of what comes to pass, is ripped directly from the childhood exposure to a fictitious future. As a prime example, I strongly believe the United States wouldn't have led the world in aeronautics and the exploration of the moon had it not been for cheesy 1950's sci-fi. Furthermore, in a different vein, I think the iPad exists today because in the 1980's we saw such devices in the movies.

Clearly, any technology must be dreamed up before it can be created.

It is very interesting to see science fiction films coming out of Bollywood now. That's why I am going to see an Indian film today called Ra.One starring Shah Rukh Khan. I want to witness the awakening this genre in a different country. It wasn't long ago that I'd never heard of a Bollywood sci-fi flick. Then, Koi... Mil Gaya was made about eight years ago. To me this signifies a change in the industry from looking at India's broad and sweeping past towards a future. I wonder if these films and their success bode well for a continued technological development of Indian society.

It also poses a new question: Does China have any history of science fiction in films?

My Money Has Itchy Feet

2011-11-10T14:19:00.001-08:00

If a person has good credit then they're in the driver's seat when dealing with a bank. Clearly, as a profession, being a banker is about three rungs lower than admitting one is a used car salesman nowadays. This is probably true in the eyes of the general public, at least. Yet, I think that this situation makes a perfect opportunity to act a little condescending when meeting with a financial expert. Since 2008, it's a little difficult to take much advice at face value. After all, they didn't seem to notice the storm coming. By comparative standards, it must be added, Canadian banks are among the safest and best-run in the world.

The customer is always right in business and banking however. When I was a poor graduate student, I can remember switching banks once because of a single, poor customer-service experience. Now that I have a little money, I'm surely not going to deal with a bank that cannot exceed the posted rates of all competitors. Why should I?

Some people's banking needs do change over time. Today, in fact, I stopped by the local HSBC and switched my RRSP (Registered Retirement Savings Plan) from my old credit union. The credit union went through several mergers and acquisitions along the way, but it was the very first place I opened an account in Canada. The original location no longer exists as it used to be in the former, downtown New Westminster, London Drugs building. I no longer feel a close affinity to the new branch uptown. I stopped by HSBC as I have one other product with them. That's still not where I do my daily banking or even where I have most of my savings, but there's no harm in spreading one's money around a little.

Personal Quotes

2011-11-09T15:17:00.000-08:00

"Some folks work too much primarily to keep busy because they don't find themselves very good company."

Dennis Sylvester Hurd (1959- )

November Showers

2011-11-08T15:42:00.000-08:00

I had dentist appointment right at 8 o'clock this morning. My dental clinic is inside the Royal City Mall. I was inside on time and out after an hour with the hygienist. Given that my teeth have more crannies than the Grand Canyon, the cleaning was surprisingly easy and quick. I put that down to my morning routine of a straight 3% hydrogen peroxide rinse and my trusty Waterpik.

After I was free of the chair, I walked around uptown a bit. It was raining.

It was nice during October, or at least during the part of it we were in town. Even this month started off with weather which was quite good. Now we are into November, so the winter rain is expected. The surrounding mountains have already received a new coat of white. In fact, Cypress Mountain opened for skiing today. That is earlier than usual. I wonder if it really will be a snowy winter as some have forecast. Down here in town, we only see snow on the ground for a few days in an average winter. That's a situation which doesn't bother me a bit.

The Lowe Down

2011-11-07T13:17:00.004-08:00

Today, I felt as though I needed to drive to the new Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse in Queensborough, New Westminster.

I'd only been in Lowe's in Washington state. I guess they started in Canada in Ontario in 2007. Slowly, they've been spreading west. The one in my city is the very first in British Columbia. It isn't a great deal different than the Home Depot that's also about a mile and a half away in Surrey. Still, it's nice to have competition, as that ensures deals. Lowe's also carry products from different suppliers, so choice is always a nice option.

I am thinking about this as I had to drive past the medium-format Wal-mart which is in the process of going all Supercenter. As well, after crossing the bridge and heading towards downtown, I had to pass the construction of the urban transit mall encompassing the SkyTrain station. The new Safeway will open within the month. That's next to a future, 10-screen Landmark Cinemas and numerous retail shops. On the other side of town, we have yet to visit the new 24-hour Thrifty Foods in Sapperton that opened the other weekend.

My, my city is going through a spasm of new retail mania, isn't it?

Some Weekend in the Future

2011-11-06T18:39:00.000-08:00

I'm enjoying the weekend classes due to the fact my current students are interesting and doggedly determined to learn.

I have to admit I have quickly remembered why it's been so long since I last taught on Saturdays and Sundays. Not only is it very tiring, but losing free time on the weekend is discouraging. I find life hard when schedules don't match up. Because of this, I'm spending more time than during other years wondering what special thing we can do over the Christmas break. Having just a few days off means we'll have to do something quite near. A mini road-trip is exactly what I will need.

Within a day we could go as far south as Portland, OR. We could take the ferry and go westward over to the Island. Heading east to Calgary would be a bit far, but we could go over the closest ranges of mountains and get to the Okanagan. Actually, that's a very good idea. I wouldn't mind watching the dramatic change in scenery as we head to the drier environment. We spent one of our very first Christmases in Canada near its only pocket desert.

September 2003: Near Spences Bridge, British Columbia.

Documenting Myself

2011-11-05T19:20:00.001-07:00

Sticking to something for a long time has its own rewards. There is nothing difficult about making sure to upload a digital picture to the Internet every day. I started My Daily Picture Parade long ago. Given continued efforts though, my photographs have been creating a story of life over the past six years. The photo taken on November 5, 2005 wasn't very exciting, so, I skipped forward a whole year. The picture in this entry was shot on November 5, 2006. It's just my favourite park near the New Westminster City Hall.

In this case, the scene probably looked remarkably similar today. Oh, perhaps there's been some park maintenance and I'm sure the trees have grown. Basically though, it looks quite the same. Yet, there are dozens of pictures from that year, only five years ago, which could not be reproduced at this time. Entire buildings along Columbia Street have been completely demolished and replaced. I am making a record my own history is this tiny, unassuming sort of way.

Where Would You Put It?

2011-11-04T16:10:00.000-07:00

I will include just a tiny little observation today. I found my tablet the perfect device for Google Maps and Google Earth. Being able to pinch to zoom and other touch screen manipulation is what makes it so much more engaging. I can never say enough about that whole project as it continuously improves with time. I wish I'd had such resources as a kid in school!

I turned on the terrain layer when looking at a map of the area. It becomes rather shockingly obvious why Vancouver and the surrounding cities are where they are. The built-up Lower Mainland pretty much exists because of the flat land. Thank you, Fraser River, for giving me a place to live.

Some Like It Warm

2011-11-03T14:10:00.000-07:00

I put on a jacket, but when uptown an hour ago, I noticed it seemed a little cooler today. The forecast shows an expected high of just 8C (46F). I wasn't too bothered as I didn't need gloves yet. There were a number of weather apps for my Android tablet, but I chose to use WeatherBug. I like the design and how it allows me to add favourite cities and then swipe to view at any time. I'm in the cold spot now! Presently I have loaded:

New Westminster, BC ............................. 08C
Colombo Sri Lanka .................................. 25C
Dubai, United Arab Emirates .................... 27C
New York, NY ........................................ 16C
Sunapee, NH ......................................... 12C
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico ........................... 31C
Palm Springs, CA ................................... 23C

These temperatures are listed in centigrade. Yet, I'll always think of room temperature as 72F because of my age and upbringing. So, below is the forecast for the next several weeks (and historical averages for the rest of the month) in the final location on my list. I think I could easily learn to live with them.

Expected Temperatures for November 2011 in Palm Springs, CA

Ugly Women Are Beautiful Too

2011-11-02T09:11:00.000-07:00

I accidentally stumbled upon A Little Tap on the Nose, a BBC Three video clip on YouTube at which I was first slightly horrified, but then found myself replaying three times in a row. I shared it on Facebook and then went searching for other musical numbers from this show, Mongrels. Oh, I love Destiny and consider her my new, favourite diva. She seems to be a cross between Miss Piggy and Edina Monsoon.

I get British humour and find it truly unfortunate it isn't easier to come by on this continent. I guess there is an American cable version of BBC but I've never seen it. From the irreverant humour of ancient Monty Python to the more recent original series of Little Britain, I think part of the joy comes from the fact it can shock a little. In order to be relevant, satire has to venture outside normal bounds. We try too hard to be politically correct in North America. We would not like to chance offending anyone. Clearly, that makes any poignant satire a little hard. No wonder we're not as funny.

Cool Savings?

2011-11-01T09:45:00.000-07:00

It's old. Let's see exactly: It must have been among the original appliances installed in the building. We bought the apartment ten or twelve years after that, and we can add the 13 years we've lived here. So more than likely, our refrigerator is 25 years old.

I know that older refrigerators are energy 'hogs'. I have no way to assess how much the fridge contributes to the electricity bills though. I am aware that we'd probably save a lot of money by buying a new Energy Star model. The savings on power could be substantial and therefore we'd make back the expenditure for a new refrigerator relatively quickly. I think, dollar for dollar appliances are really quite a deal nowadays as prices haven't really kept up with general inflation.

Yet, it's hard to throw away something that is working perfectly fine. The material and labour inputs of manufacturing, assembling, and transporting such a large appliance cannot be small. Avoiding the need for an unnecessary purchase seems green. Saving on monthly electricity costs also sounds green. Hum. Quandary.

I Love You, Kate!

2011-10-31T09:48:00.000-07:00

My viewing of Star Trek Voyager (TV Series 1995–2001) was sporadic. I think I missed the first season entirely as I was still working in the Middle East in 1995.

I've only recently begun catching up on those early episodes on Netflix. From the onset, this show demonstrated some of the very best from the entire franchise. Unlike the later failed series, Enterprise, which was all action, the Voyager series started right off with plots that involve more brains than lazer blasts. The whole scenerio is perfect: being accidently thrown into an uncharted quadrant of the universe with a mandate to get home. People have an near human connection with the situation. In a different context, it worked with Lassie Come Home. Sticking to human principles in untested situations always proves worthy of exploration and is always food for thought.

Oh, and hands-down, Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew), is the captain I'd most like to be stranded with in interstellar space.

Sunday in the Classroom

2011-10-30T19:09:00.000-07:00

It's hard not to dwell on the fact I taught the whole day at the Burnaby Campus. Even though it was the topic of conversation in yesterday's entry, I just cannot seem to avoid repeating similar ideas again. It seemed so exhausting to utilize 14 hours of classroom activities rolled into a single weekend.

I do like the fact that at BCIT, we try so hard to match the needs of students though. The individuals in my class are somewhat amazing. For example, I cannot imagine putting in a whole work week and then using the weekend for studying.

I'm sure teaching will get easier during upcoming weekends. I think I might just be out of practice. In fact, I really couldn't remember the last time I was assigned to a weekend class. I did look through Flickr and noticed this photo from the downtown BCIT campus. I'm pretty sure now that I taught a weekend COMM 0004 there in the summer of 2005.

Keeping Things Fresh

2011-10-29T17:51:00.002-07:00

I don't think weekend entries are going to be very detailed over the next six weeks. I'd honestly forgotten how hard it is to teach the same college-level class from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. We made it though relatively unscathed. The scary thing is that it happens again tomorrow. Yet, although I am tired at the moment, I am sort of looking forward to seeing these students again. Tomorrow!

I do have to keep all these things in perspective. Not many weeks ago I was at the Teluk Bahang beach in the Penang National Park in Malaysia. Having a variety in one's activities keeps life interesting. My life is seldom routine and for that I am extremely grateful.

Postal Service Not Required

2011-10-28T16:34:00.001-07:00

I got the email this afternoon. It said that my November issue of the Smithsonian magazine was ready for tablet viewing. The sensation was slightly different than opening the postal box and seeing a wrapped magazine, but it did usher in an identical level of excitement.

Today, I noticed that the magazine area of our city library carries this periodical, so if I get a real longing to touch paper, I can. The newest issue isn't yet on the shelf at the NWPL though. Sitting by the window in the comfortable space on the second floor is nice on a rainy day. I opened my electronic version as I had my tablet with me. So far, I am pretty happy with my experiences at Zinio.com.

Busy This Weekend?

2011-10-27T15:24:00.004-07:00

I finished teaching my previous class a bit more than two months ago. After completing the recent trip to China and Malaysia, I knew I wanted to pick up a class this month or in November. I hadn't really considered going back for a weekend course. Yet, there was one available that runs for six weeks. It starts this weekend and runs through December 4th. We will meet on Saturdays and Sundays from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. Imagine that! It sounds tough, but most students at BCIT are hard workers. Many find the weekend the only time available for study due to family and work concerns.

I admire their fortitude.

These were my students five years ago. I wonder how they are today.