Rosster's World

The World According to Opus

2007-06-28T19:23:00.000-07:00

http://comics.com/wash/opus/index.html

Heaven Help Me...

2007-05-06T07:53:00.000-07:00

I was talking to someone the other day who made the following comment:
“success and money are not important to me. The most important thing in life is making sure my kids get to Heaven”
Hummm.....
This statement is a bit troublesome for me for a couple reasons. If Heaven is an important part of one’s belief system, then it would only seem to make sense that one would want his family to be together there. I get that. The problem I see is this thing called free will. I don’t think it’s our decision as to what or who our kids choose to be in life. We can try live and model certain things...we can expose them to things and should protect them from others, we can have hopes and dreams for them... I just don’t think it is healthy to attempt to have control over things we ultimately have no control over. I think I’d have to say that as a father the most important thing to me is making sure my daughter knows that whatever choices she makes in life(good or bad), that she will always be loved, accepted and welcome in our home. Maybe people should worry more about whether they themselves are going to get there. The sheep and the goats parable tells me there may be some surprises in the end, if there is such a thing as Judgement Day.
The second issue for me is the tendency Christians have to focus only on the afterlife. I’m miserable, the world is falling apart, my wife can’t stand me..OH well, it’ll all be better in Heaven. There something terribly flawed with this way of thinking....What about the here and now???
What’s the most important thing in your life? I’m curious....

My mistress

2007-05-03T18:07:00.000-07:00

Ain't she sexy !!

In My Opinon

2007-05-02T16:14:00.000-07:00

That NOISE !!!....relentless... penetrating...nauseating....Do you ever feel like turning “IT” off, shutting it out..telling it to f#%@ off? It enters mostly through the ears, crawls inside your head and nests among the grey matter. If allowed to stay long enough it becomes like an annoying static, lodged in those deep places, as irritating as an unreachable itch. I am speaking of opinions, of course. The “unbiased” TV journalist, the weak kneed politician, the insecure religious mouth, the fame seeking newspaper columnist, the searching blogger, my own thoughts... I know everybody has opinions, and they’re entitled to share them. I’m all for expression and dialogue and the learning that can come out of the communicating of them. It’s healthy to express oneself. It’s important for the progression of society, I truly believe that. I just get tired of them, that’s all. When the sheer number and tone of them echo off the insides of my cranium and begin to sound like the honking of a low flying flock of Canada geese, I get irritable. But I must ask myself, if they irritate me so, why do I hunger for them ??? Hummm...
When I really think about it, it is not so much the opinions themselves that bother me so much...it’s the punctuation. Huh? You see, these days we are bombarded with opinions from every angle through every medium imaginable. Why is it that they are most always followed by periods and exclamation symbols, but rarely with question marks? Are we that insecure in our opinions that we are unwilling to risk changing them by changing the punctuation to curved lines instead of straight ones?

My problem is that I listen to and consider them all. I have discovered that Truth can be found in the oddest of places so I figure all opinions must be considered. Unfortunately, a lot of them make sense to me, even when coming from opposite ends of the spectrum...How does one choose a direction to follow when there appears to be more than one reasonable path to take? How does one choose when they sometimes lead in opposite directions?

C.K. Chesterton said, “It is the mathematician, not the poet who goes mad. While the mathematician tries to build a bridge across the infinite, the poet swims in the sea.”
I, like most people, am part mathematician, and part poet (with perhaps a little bit of couch potato thrown in) Like a mathematician, I am constantly trying to fit all the sensible opinions together into a harmonious matrix. Unfortunately, my Grande Harmonious Theory of Coexistence has not been quite worked out yet. Most attempts to solve it result in a white-noise of short circuitry between the ears and a feeling of complete madness creeping in. I am then reminded of Chesterton’s quote. It is only then, after a bit of mathematical gymnastics that the poet in me accepts that life is infinitely complex, our diversity is endless, and it is all one big mystery. The problem is that swimming in the sea does not come easy to some of us. I need land to orient myself or all I see is waves and feel the undertow.

And so, this week I have chosen to exercise the couch potato in me. I am going to pull the rip cord, inflate my water wings, feel the coolness of the sea on my skin, rest my limbs, put my head back and simply float.....
Yesterday I took my new guitar out of its case, placed my nose into the sound hole, closed my eyes and slowly breathed in...I let the smell of handcrafted wood diffuse into the deepest crevasses of my brain. Sweet, earthy, pure, calming. With my eyes still closed I pulled the pick across a G-chord. The vibrations swept into my ears and replaced the static in my head. Cleansing, purifying, harmonious, mysterious...
In those brief moments I was closer to Truth and in tune with the rhythm, fragrance, and mystery of life than a lifetime of scholarly opinion could ever offer.

But, that’s just MY opinion....

Books

2006-06-09T14:38:00.000-07:00

When I was younger the only reading I participated in involved books about hockey, filled mostly with pictures, and the Guinness Book of World Records. I can still remember the pictures of the worlds heaviest man who reminded me of a bowling ball with limbs, the world's tallest man having to crouch to get through a doorway and the largest ball of string, which to me was the greatest wonder of the world. My two least favorite subjects in school were English and History, and they were always my lowest marks. It pained me greatly to have to read through any book and most attempts I made were miserable failures. With a history devoid of literature, I find it somewhat peculiar how much I have grown to enjoy words, a well constructed sentence, the ability of a great author to paint a picture with words, and I am impressed by the way in which of a bunch of words bound into a book can change my very existence and the way I see world.

I bought my first digital audiobook this past week off iTunes, and it was bittersweet. I am excited because it is Jpod, by Douglas Coupland, one of my fav authors, but it seems somewhat strange not having the feel of paper and the smell of ink to make it real. The digital format is devoid of anything organic and seems so lifeless. This is a bit odd because I am pretty much all digital in my music purchases now, and I have not felt a sense of nostalgia for the cd, or magnetic tape. For some reason, it would seem books are different. On the flipside, I no longer have to listen to Brandon radio in the morning and can look forward to hearing Coupland on the drive to work.

On the topic of books, there is a new movie coming out today called, A Prairie Home Companion, I am looking forward to seeing. Garrison Keillor whose radio program is the basis of the movie, authored Lake Wobegon Days, one of my all time favorite books .

Too Juicy !!!

2006-05-27T18:29:00.000-07:00

My daughter loves juice. More specifically, she likes Five Alive, Passionate Peach, and to be honest, this is the only variety of juice that she will drink. Because she is also a little diva, she will only drink it out of a juice box with a straw.

When my daughter says "Daddy, I want a juice" , this is very easy for me to respond to because I know exactly what she wants.
So tonight, I responded to her drink order by raiding the fridge, and delivering the goods.

I was a bit surprised by the, "daddy, it's too sour" response but the reason was soon easily discovered..... I bought Citrus instead of Peach......

We would love our daughter to expand her juice palette, as you cannot find Peach Five Alive everywhere, and let's be honest...There's a lot of great juices on the market. So, I asked, " Why don't you like this one?"

Her response....."It's too juicy!"

I'm still trying to figure out what this means.

Starbucks

2006-05-16T20:26:00.000-07:00

A couple weeks ago I was reading somewhere about how hot Starbucks coffee is reported to be, and thought to myself that it didn't seem any different than coffee temperature anywhere else. This morning I made my routine stop for a Grande Bold to go, handed over $2.11 in correct change as per usual, and drove off to work. As I lifted the cup towards my face for that first mouthful of delicious brew, imagine my surprise as the defective lid came flying off and half of a steaming Grande Bold emptied onto my lap.
For the record, Starbucks coffee is indeed extremelty hot.

Garage Sale

2006-05-13T00:02:00.000-07:00

I opened up my blog today and was surprised to see my last post was almost a year ago. I re-read my former posts and overall I think they are a bit lame. This has been a recurring situation in my life with all previous attempts at journaling. I read back over previous entries and wrinkles appear on my forehead. I wonder if actual writers share a similar experience.

It would appear by the lack of posts, visitors and comments, that I am a lousy blogger. I will try harder this time. I too often keep thoughts in my head and I think it will be good therapy to release a few of them.

We had our first ever garage sale today. I think it might very well be our last garage sale. If it were not for the fact that proceeds are going to charity, we would have likely packed it in last night.

A few observations :
1) We have accumulated a lot of crap in the 10 years we have been together
2) People are more than willing to buy this crap.
3) The nicest items in a garage sale are difficult to sell.
4) I am a horrible salesman
Customer: How much for the wine rack?
Me: $20 firm
Customer: Will you take $1.50?
Me: SOLD !!!!!
5) We made $650 and are giving it to Orphanages for Africa
6) I am often ashamed of my own affluence

Special O

2005-06-04T19:39:00.000-07:00

Saturday I had the privelage of volunteering my professional services at the Manitoba Special Olympic games here in Brandon. I have never been involved with the Special Olympics and wasn't sure what to expect. I am now a business owner in Brandon, and have become a little more motivated to give my time to community events, so when I was asked to help on the medical team I said yes. I was thinking about the event earlier this week after hearing yet more useless talk about the NHL lockout, and it dawned on me that this is perhaps the purest of all sporting events. No steroids (I hope), no agents, no million dollar contracts, just the pure love of competition and the company of friends.
So, I was actually excited to go volunteer today and be a part of what I had determined to be the purest of sporting events. Let me share a few highlights:

In the men's 1500 meter race I witnessed a competitor (who was in second last place from start to finish) break into a smile at the sound of the pistol and maintained it for every awkward step of the race until its completion, at which time he threw up his arms in celebration as if he had won.... Priceless !

An athlete with an ankle injury while in transport on a stretcher to the medical tent was rather distraught, not about exiting the event, but rather about the possibility of not being able to party at the banquet later that evening. In his fragile state he asked that we get his parents because he wanted them to come and be with him....Priceless !!

While enroute to the longjump pit, a team passed in front of us and suddenly were laughing uncontrolably after one team member suddenly stopped, realizing his shoes were on the wrong feet ...Priceless !

I am sure the day was filled with many more moments such as these that I did not see. I came home with the sense that I had been part of something really special...hummm "Special" Olympics....

I must say I am looking forward to next year when the Canadian Special Olympics are in Brandon. I have a new found respect and interest in these games and feel that they have and will maintain a sense of purity that has been lost in the corporate world of pro sports.

Good Quote

2005-04-19T20:46:00.000-07:00

"Imagination is more important than knowledge. The most important thing is to not stop questioning"

-Albert Einstein-

Who's the Boss?

2005-04-17T07:47:00.000-07:00

I opened my own physiotherapy practice on March 15th. Life has been a little chaotic....thus the lack of posts to this blog the last month. As anyone who has started a business will know, the process was not without it's challenges, but through it all I have had the same reoccurring thought ..... "Why didn't I do this 2 years ago?" If I am honest about answering that question I come with this list:
1) my job was very familiar and comfortable. Why jeopardise security?
2) I had a good enough salary to live a lifestyle I was happy with
3) I liked most of the people I worked with
4) I knew little about running a small business
5) apparently running your own business is a lot of work and a big responsibility
6) fear I wouldn't like it and ultimately fall flat on my face

I could go on but you get the picture.
I was watching an interview with Sting about a year ago where the interviewer asked him how he came to his decision to leave The Police and other big changes in his life and career. He said he couldn't provide any profound answer other than that people usually "just know" what they are to do in life...that we need to learn to trust our intuition and our gut. I could certainly relate to that because despite the above mentioned list, I knew I was not where I needed to be. I had an image of myself as an old man in my rocking chair, reflecting back on my life, wondering why I chose the safe, comfortable route instead of following my gut.
I read something over Christmas that has stuck with me that said in effect, that "there is nothing more damaging to the spirit of a man than a secure future. It is risk and an ever changing horizon that makes us feel alive" (paraphrase)

Back to my new business...We are not making money yet, I have yet to see a paycheck, I still feel like I don't know what I'm doing with things like bookkeeping and payroll, I already have had to replace my only other staff member (pregnancy complications), and yet I feel alive, like I am exactly where I am supposed to be. I walk in the door at work and feel a sense of pride in what we have put together so far. I feel the responsibility that ultimately things fall on my shoulders. I come home excited that I learned how to set up a spreadsheet, or read a revenue report. I realise that I answer only to myself and my staff...

I met and talked to many people over the last couple years who went into business for themselves, and almost all said they have never regretted it and should have done it long ago... Now I know why.

Who Is Daniel Cook?

2005-02-16T07:49:00.000-08:00

I witnessed something this morning that disturbed me.

One of the benefits of being on study leave has been getting Kassidy from her crib and then snuggling with her on the couch watching Treehouse. (I should clarify that it is not Barney, and Boobah that I consider a benefit, but the Kassidy part) After Boobah was over (thank God!!!) I felt her body tense during the intro of the next program, so I glanced over towards her, and I witnessed an expression that was both chilling and disturbing. It was a look I have not seen from her before, especially not directed towards me....face flushed, eyes glassy, huge grin....at the tender age of 20 months I think she has experienced her first pangs of love.... for some red-headed 6 year old punk, named Daniel Cook who can't seem to find a shirt in his closet that is not orange!!

In my heart I knew this day would arrive but I had expected it to be at least fifteen years from now, and I have been totally caught off guard. I am compelled to get to the bottom of a few serious questions:
1) Who is this Daniel Cook?
2) How did he get his own show?
3) What subliminal messages are being carelessly broadcast over the airways during his show that stimulate and manipulate the hearts and emotions of thousands of young innocent girls like Kassidy across this nation.
4) What skeletons lay hidden in this young man's closet ? He is a bit too charming, a bit too larger than life !

So I did search on Google and discovered a couple interesting things. The first search entry was his official website...the kid has his own website ! Not only is he poisoning the airwaves, he is now creating havoc in cyberspace ! The second search item was a bit more alarming...I clicked it and read the following. "My name is Daniel Cook, and I live on Death Row in Arizona. I am 40, have blue eyes, brown hair, weigh approx 170 lbs, nearly 6 feet in height..." Is this a mere coincidence or perhaps a bit of foreshadowing of things to come for our little Daniel. This brings me full circle to my initial question...WHO IS THIS DANIEL COOK CHARACTER ????

Apparently Daniel cook flys planes, learns to draw, meets the mayor, makes chocolate truffles, learns to figure skate, tries new foods, makes balloon animals..etc., etc.,etc. The real kicker is he has his own show and website !! This six year old has accomplished more in his short life than I have in 35 years ! How does this happen ???? Where is the justice!! At age six, he's out learning to make and eat chocolate truffles, and flying airplanes, meanwhile at age six, I was learning how to do barn chores and clean my room... WHERE IS THE JUSTICE !!!

What is this program teaching my daughter...that the only boys of substance out there are experienced in the arts, sciences, and hobknob with dignitaries, and such. I have half a mind to call up James Dobson and inform him that it is not Spongebob Squarepants who is the real threat to our children, but a shady red-headed boy named Daniel Cook.

For those of you who think I may be a bit jealous, perhaps you are right, but you can never be too careful !

A concerned, protective father

Brainstorm

2005-02-15T19:40:00.000-08:00

That is what my head feels like today. I am on the verge of writing the biggest exam of my life for which I have studied literally hundreds of hours for, and I feel I am far from being well prepared.

I am also a couple weeks away from opening my physio practice and because all reno's are behind schedule, I'm still in the middle of renovating the space.

Have you ever been so overwhelmed by how many things you have to do that all you can do is stand and stare at nothing , not knowing where to start? That was me today.

This afternoon I had a colleague of mine over to quiz me for the exam and there was so much going on in my head I couldn't think, let alone answer... Most of the answers are in there somewhere but there seems to be an output malfunction.

I received a demo of the clinic management software I will be using in the mail today and after a brief runthrough, I accepted the fact that I really don't know what the heck I'm doing when it comes to accounts payable, receivable, etc. etc.,etc.

I received a call from a supplier today informing me I will have no treatment beds for opening day.....that could be a problem....

Stressed, you ask ?? Well yes, a bit I suppose, but that is what you get when you leave your comfort zone.
Excited ??? Yes, very much so.
Overwhelmed ?? I've had a few moments of self doubt, but I know I will learn what needs to be learned, and I'm quite OK with making mistakes.

Despite all that is going on, I read a quote yesterday that put things in perspective.

"...it is not the critic who counts, nor the man who points how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, and spends himself a worthy cause; who, at best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement; and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory or defeat."

-Theodore Roosevelt-

In some ways in my career, I feel that I have spent a good portion of my time in the safety of the sidelines but I get he feeling I am now walking out into the arena.

I have chosen to put a copy of these words in my office where I can read them every day.

Old Ideas Die Hard

2005-01-26T14:04:00.000-08:00

I am reading, A Brief History of Nearly Everything, by Bill Bryson. It is a book that followed three years of the author's study during which time he dedicated himself to trying to understand as much as he could about the universe he lives in. He realized how little he knew about the planet he lived on and sought out the brightest scientific minds to enlighten him. If you are familiar with Bryson's style, you will understand that the info is presented in a humoruos, understandable, and interesting manner. This is surprising considering the topics are astrology, geology, physics, cell biology, etc. etc . It is a great read if you are interested at all in taking a marvellous journey into your very existence.

It is interesting how history's most significant scientific ideas were often initially scoffed at and outright rejected. Years later these same ideas become accepted, proven facts. One of the lines in Bryson's book reflecting on this, has stuck with me over the last couple days. He comments, " ...sometimes the world's not ready for a new idea." It just struck me how true this is in so many facets of life whether it be religion, faith issues, politics, etc. What is it about human nature that we so tightly cling to old ideas and lack an imagination ?????????

In Search of a Lucky Bounce

2005-01-25T18:12:00.000-08:00

Have you ever been on the express train of bad luck .....?? Can't catch a break......??? If something could go wrong it will go wrong.....??? Any of this sound familiar ???? I have to admit that I have had my share of good fortune in life and perhaps it is because of this that when things start turning south for me I can be found dazed like a deer in headlights with my arms raised, looking towards Heaven muttering, "you have got to be kidding me ..!!!!"
Let me procede to describe my weekend.

We have had a lot of snow and storms since December...For what reason I am not sure we have been unfortunate to find ourselves driving in most of these low pressure systems. So, it was no surprize to wake up Friday to bad weather knowing we were to drive to Winnipeg to catch my plane to Toronto for an exam on Saturday. Kassidy did not sleep on the journey (big surprise!!!) but instead, decided to put on a bit of a circus show attempting to escape from her restraints. Throw some white out conditions into the stew from passing semi's, and you've got a stressed out Ross' family.

When a man drives in bad weather he has one thing on his mind...the destination! All energy is channelled into getting to that destination by any means possible, and he will stop for nothing....except perhaps his daughter getting so upset she throws up all over herself. That might, and in fact, did stop the driver of our van at the earliest convenience. (in case you were wondering, Kassidy had eggs for breakfast on Friday) After a feeble attempt to clean up, we continued our journey and arrived in Winnipeg, somewhat rattled but intact.

My exam had originally been scheduled for 5:30pm on Saturday and I was overjoyed (and a little dependant) at the opportunity to do some last minute cramming during the day on Saturday. This plan was suddenly changed late in the week when my new time of 8:30 am was announced. I figured that I could get a good night's sleep and get up quite early to prepare, so wasn't too concerned by the exam time change. After sitting on the plane in Winnipeg for 40 minutes waiting for a glycerine shower (wing de-icing) and noticing that my watch read 9:00pm, I had concerns that the good night's sleep part of the equation was in jeopardy. I arrived in Toronto 11:30pm, hopped into a cab and was dropped off at my hotel at 11:50pm. Although behind on the itinerary, I was still hopeful I could be in bed by midnight, and so approached the reception desk in a jovial mood.. The evening (male) desk clerk had the kind of look that says, "I am at the end of my shift....I don't really care about you.... why do you have to be so jovial at this hour..." After confirming the reservation, the following, is the conversation that ensued.

Clerk: "Your credit card is not going through (emotionless). I need another card to secure the room." (returns the card to me)
Me: (hmmm...this is odd) "Could you try it again. There's no reason the card shouldn't go through" (he swipes again)
Clerk: "This card is not working. I cannot secure the room with this"
Me: (What could possibly be on this card?? I just paid this off) "Oh well, we can try thi....(Oh crap, I left my VISA at home!!!) Do you have a cash machine?"
Clerk: "No"
Me: "Could you tell me where the closest one is?" (Why doesn't a large hotel like this have a cash machine ??)
Clerk: "Across the street there is a HBC" (I bet he has no funds in there either)
Me: (I can't believe this...this I did not anticipate !!!) "Could you watch my things, I'll be right back!"

I stepped outside into the -24 degree midnight air looking for the HBC. You would think that when one tells you the thing you are trying to find is across the street that it would be easy to spot. What the not-so-helpful clerk failed to mention was that it was across the street at the end of the street that the hotel sits adjacent to. It is interesting what things go through your head at midnight on a cold winter's night looking for a cash machine. (ie "What the hell am I doing and how did this happen???", and "I think I jost lost all feeling in my legs and ears", and "things are going so well, I'd bet the money I just withdrew that I will be robbed and beaten senseless tonight out here in the cold")

I entered my room at 12:30am and my heart beat finally returned to resting by 2:00am which allowed me to finally fall asleep. Seeing that my wake up call was for 6:00am, it would a short night indeed.

I made my way to the exam room a few minutes early in case something happened to me enroute. (by this time I felt anything was possible) I was greeted at the door by the schedule with my name written beside 8:35 am. (finally I have got something right) A sheet of paper on the door listed the exam format. As I began reading it I realized that I had prepared totally wrong for this exam, and my knees felt weak as the door opened and my name was called. I do not wish to extrapolate the events that unfolded behind those doors. I will say that if they grant me a pass, it will be an act of grace.

The plan for the rest of the day was to meet my parents at the hotel for a few hours, then meet another friend who would take me to Oakville where I would stay until Sunday, which was also a day to visit a good friend. I went back to the room flipped on the TV and listened to the broadcasters discuss the blizzard hitting the metro area. I looked out my window to see this blizzard first hand and knew very quickly that I was in for a long, lonely weekend in the hotel. My parents, nor either of my friends could make it, and as I soon found out, there were no earlier Westjet flights I could take home. I resigned myself to reading and watching golf on TV (The Buick championship). The golf was postponed due to fog...things were not going well.

I was determined to sort out the Mastercard fiasco. I was informed by MC customer service that there was no reason that the card shouldn't have gone through, and that there was a card expired message. Looking at my card I read, 2008. Did three years somehow pass from the time I stepped on the Westjet flight without my knowing ??? I approached the front desk to let off a little steam the next morning, and was upgraded to a renovated suite for my second nights stay all by myself. What a treat. Yippee

I had a brief visit Sunday afternoon from a friend due to the weather improving and watched the Eagles game before returning to Manitoba without incident Sunday night.

We left Shelli's parents today to return to Brandon and drove through ice rain.
Half way home, my cell rang and Shelli's mom informed us that we left our big travel bag with most of our clothes at the top of the stairs......perfect!!!

Still waiting for that lucky bounce !!!!

Why I Sometimes Wish I was not a Christian..

2005-01-15T09:47:00.002-08:00

How's that for a catchy title.

I was looking through my "goto" newspage this morning and followed a headline titled, "Aid workers warned not to preach". Apparently some Christian based Aid groups are using the opportunity to proselytize to the predominantly Muslim Indonesians. A quote in the article pissed me off ! Evangelist Mark Kosinski (from WorldHelp) states, "...these people need food but they also need Jesus...God is trying to awaken people and help them realize that salvation is in Christ."
So I gather what he is saying is : 1) that God is the planner and orchestrator behind natural disasters that cause inconceivable suffering 2) This happened in Asia rather than in the USA because they are Muslims 3) you are most likely to get conversions when people are vulnerable because hey haven't eaten in a week, have no place to sleep, and are fighting disease...."Let's go get 'em bretheren "!!!!!!!!

Here's a thought ...maybe filling somebody's stomach, helping them find loved ones and shelter, and giving them the medicine they need to survive is the greatest form of Christian service...maybe it is the gospel in action in flesh and blood, a practical compassion, and guess what....you can do all of these things without ever opening your mouth !!! I refer you to Matthew 25: 34-40

How's that for a personal rant !!

The Princess and the Pea

2005-01-12T18:37:00.000-08:00

Today my daughter pushed a Green Giant sweetlet pea up her nose during supper....Not only did she place the pea inside the nostral...she proceded to ram her finger in immediately after, nudging it to it's final location adjacent to her hypocampus. I suppose most parents at some time or another will experience removing small objects from their children's body cavities and for parents of multiple children this is probably commonplace and no big deal. I however, was somewhat concerned seeing that upon staring up my child's right nostril, I could see only a speck of green. My body immediately jumped into action as I headed towards the garage wondering if I had such a tool for this delicate extraction about to take place. The garage did not possess an appropriate tool. I did however, emerge from the bathroom with tweezers in my hand and a very determined look in my eye. My wife could only observe a few seconds of the struggle between a poor frightened child in a headlock and a father with a sharp utensil in his grip. I was ordered to stop...
I had treated an elderly client a few years ago who told me a story about himself. He had been experiening frontal headaches, and rhinitis for 6 months following a sinus surgery, and his doctor had all but given up hope of helping him. Then one day in the middle of lunch he sneezed unexpectedly and a cotton swab flew out of his nose into his soup.....apparently it had been mistakenly left behind after the surgery. (true story) So you could imagine my concern as a father in my present situation, imagining my daughter at the alter on her wedding day caught off guard by sudden sneeze, launching a Green Giant sweetlet out her nose onto the minister's notes..... But this horrible thought also gave me an idea. I tilted Kass' head back, plugged her left nostril and said' "OK ...BLOW !!!" Although I did not see any tangible results, my ears detected the sound of a small object ricocheting off the East window about ten feet away and onto the floor. All three of us looked at each other then laughed !!
HO HO HO GREEEN GIANT !!!!!

Why blog??

2005-01-10T14:35:00.000-08:00

Well....WHY NOT ?? It's not like this will be the first place to find a lot of useless personal, ordinary information on the internet.

Thankfully, it seems that there has been a shift in our culture, where we have become somewhat disinterested in the sensational and fascinated by the ordinariness of life, (ie reality television) so perhaps somebody will read this and somehow find it interesting. Maybe it is because most of us live in "the ordinary" and we can relate to it better. Maybe we have become so bombarded by sensationalism, we have become immune to it's effects. I am reminded of a Christmas letter we received from friends in BC. They claimed nothing extraordinary happened in their life this past year , so instead told us about their ordinary events, including a trip to Walmart to buy steel bowls..(see www.mtplanet.com) I was somewhat surprized by how incredibly interesting and entertaining this was for me to read. I could relate to it....I've been to Walmart....I've bought useless crap before....tell me more !!!!
Later after thinking this over a bit, (ie wondering what is wrong with me that I would find dumb stuff so interesting) I realized that there is a therapeutic value in all this. It seems like the first half of your life you are trying to find yourself, trying to fit in, trying to measure up, trying to appeal to this ideal life the media beats you over the head with, trying to figure out where I went wrong in life that my existence is so ordinary, and suddenly thanks to culturally relevant TV you realize that we're all pretty much all the same, and that the perceived ideal is mostly fantasy... Ninety five percent of all our lives are ordinary and routine.
One of my favourite authors, Fredrick Buechner writes about how people are always looking for God in the sensational and miraculous, but suggests that perhaps God speaks to His creation most loudly through the ordinary events of our lives, between the end of one sentance and the start of the next, when there are no words spoken...
I guess all this is leading to my point that I don't have an overly sensational , soon to be documented on Dateline, life, but perhaps that is what makes it most valuable...it is ordinary and it is real.
If you are at this point extremely bored, this is your opportunity to find another website. Lord knows there is an infinant amount of sensational crap out there to numb your senses.