Day 90

I think I've mentioned this before, but Jenn and I have recently started a cash only budget system. So far it's been a challenge, but for the most part we've been sticking to it.

I've never had control of money, in my life. It has always controlled my life. I know it won't be an easy process, but it has already felt freeing. It will also help us for when baby comes along in October. I heard those little gaffers cost some money from time to time.

Anyway, I won't go on and on about that. Tomorrow is Jenn's first one-on-one midwife appointment. I'm pretty excited about that. I hope hope hope we finally get to hear the heartbeat. That will be very cool.

That's about it for tonight. Thanks for reading. Take care.

Day 89

Jenn and I had a visit tonight with some friends we haven't seen in a while. It was great. Thanks you guys, if you read this.

I was wondering this afternoon why I do this blog. Much of the time it's pretty useless. I'll keep on doing it, but I think I need to put a bit more effort into it. Hopefully you can expect a bit more substance over the next while. Maybe not every single day, but in general.

I've slowly been posting pictures on my flickr account, if you'd like to check them out.

That's about it today. It's late, and I have to be up early in the morning. Till tomorrow. Take care.

Day 88

Today was a fairly normal day, as normal as they are for me these days.

Nothing special to report, sorry. I baked buns and bread. Woo hoo.

One of these days soon I'll write something worth while.

Take care.

Day 87

For some reason I'm super tired tonight. It's just after 9pm, and I think I'm heading to bed with Jenn...like a couple of seniors.


I don't have anything for you tonight. Sorry!

Take care.

Day 86

The woman I love, again. I accidentally had the wrong setting on my camera, so her cheeks are a little red, but it's cute.

This photo was taken in Toronto, in the distillery district. I loved it there. You basically just had to point your camera in any direction and you'd get a good shot. That doesn't say much for my skill level. I may be exaggerating a bit. Seriously, though, it was a great place for photos.

I suppose I'll leave it at that. Thanks for reading. Take care.

Day 84 - 360 Restaurant

I love this woman. We went up to the 360 rotating restaurant in the CN Tower one night for dinner. The food was pretty good, but probably too expensive for what it was. Anyway, a good experience. The sun started setting shortly after we arrived. It was a nice view.

Today I went to the doctor and saw a counselor. It was a bit overwhelming to do both, but overall it was a good thing I think. I'll spare you from the details. I hope it is all the start of positive change.

That's about it for today. Thanks again for reading. Take care.

Day 83

It was a good Sunday, for the most part.

Tomorrow, back to "normal" life. We'll see how that goes.

That's about it for now.

Till tomorrow. Take care.

Day 82

Again, it's late and I'm not going to write much (sorry to the person who said today that I should write more...I'm being lazy again:))

I've started posting photos to my flickr account, jasonchadney. I don't know if I can't actually post a link, but it's not hard to find.

I need to get to bed. I have a bad habit of staying up too late. I also have to get up at 6:30 in the morning. Take care.

Day 81

We're back in Saskatoon. The flight was uneventful, and smooth. It was clear outside, so I could see the towns and cities along the way, which was really neat.

I don't have much to say tonight. That, and my index finger on my right hand has a crack on the tip from dryness, so it hurts to type. I'll write more later, and post more photos from my trip.

Thanks for reading. Take care.

Day 80

Today was my last full day in Toronto touring around. Tomorrow is packing day and then the flight out at 9pm.

I went out to the Hockey Hall of Fame this morning, then back to the Distillery district in the afternoon. This evening I took Jenn back to the Distillery too look around a bit then have dinner at the Mill Street Brew Pub at the Distillery. It was good. We ordered a platter and over ate. I had 5 different kinds of beer, but only small glasses of each. You can order samples of 4, equaling about a pint. She also brought me a sample of one of their new beers coming out soon. It was a good experience. I like beer.

I'll be thankful to get home, so I can drive places again. Transit is a good thing for the environment, but I've been on it a LOT, and I feel like I need a huge shower to wash the Subway off of me.

I think that's it for now. I have some photos to post, but I don't know if I'll have time before we go home. Thanks for stopping by. Take care.

Day 79

Today I went to Dundas Square, which was...underwhelming. It was big and lots of billboards and tv screens and buildings and people and all that. It didn't really have the character that I appreciate.

Tomorrow I'm going back to the Distillery. I'm looking forward to a second chance at taking some better photos. I'm thinking I'll also check out the hockey hall of fame. Should be pretty good.

Nothing much else to report for today.

I think we're both looking forward to going back to Saskatchewan. Jenn especially. I'm looking forward to heading back too, but facing real life is a bit daunting for me. We'll see how it goes.

Thanks for reading. Take care.

Day 78

Today I spent a few hours at the Distillery, which is not a Distillery anymore, and has been/is being rejuvenated into a thriving restaurant/shopping district. It's an amazing place to look at. I was a bit shy at first to walk around taking pictures, but eventually got my nerve up. Unfortunately, by the time I did, I didn't have much time left. I'm going back before we go back home. So many things to take photos of.

The photo above are of some bikes at the back of a coffee shop. I think it's ok.

Tomorrow I think I'll check out Dundas Square. From what I've read it's basically Toronto's version of Time Square in New York. We'll see what it brings!

That's it, I think, for today. Take care.

Day 77

Tonight went went to the CN Tower for dinner. It was a pretty good time. I took some photos, but I don't think they will be that great, because of the reflection on the windows of the lights inside, etc.

A few more days and we'll be home. Looking forward to seeing friends and family again, even thought it's only been a few weeks.

That's about it for now. Thanks for stopping by. Take care.

Day 76

Today we spend the afternoon with another of Jenn's friends from Toronto. We walked through a bit of Chinatown and up and down a section of Queen street west, which is known for it's boutique shopping. We also walked through part of a place called the Annex. It was nice to walk through areas of the city that weren't all huge buildings and people with suits.

This is the second and final week we're in Toronto. Jenn of course has class during the day, but we're looking forward to dinner in the CN Tower, and sort of the Raptors game come Wednesday. During the days I hope to get out for some more sight seeing. Tomorrow promises to be one of the more exciting days here - laundry day. I'm pumped.

Thanks for reading. Take care.

Day 75

Today we got up early in the morning to go to Niagara. At the end of it all, I would say if we go back, it'll be summer, and we'll rent a car. It was to cold, and way to much walking. That, and by the end of the day we had spent about 8 hours in transit. 4 hours there, and 4 hours back. First bus, then RT, then subway, then train, then bus. Reverse that for the trip back.

The falls were nice.

Tomorrow we're meeting another friend of Jenn's for lunch. I hope my feet and legs are better by tomorrow, or it'll be a long day.

Jenn went to bed early tonight, face wind burned, and legs tired and sore. Poor woman. She's a trooper, especially with my moody ass complaining all the time. Well, my ass doesn't complain...you get the point. I'm a grump sometime. Not something I'm proud of, and something I am going to work on. I'm very very lucky to have such an understanding and patient wife.

That's it for today. Take care.

Day 74

I don't really have time to write a bunch about my day right now. I took the subway to the Royal Ontario Museum today. When I got there, I was told it would take about 3 hours to see the whole thing. I knew I didn't have time to walk through the whole thing. While I was standing there wondering if spending the 24 dollars was worth only seeing part of it, a lady come up to me and asked if I wanted a free ticket. Problem solved. The area around the museum was very cool as well.

Tonight we went for supper and then dessert with some friends of Jenn's. It was good to meet them. Nice people. Tomorrow we're going to see Niagara Falls, which should be good. Lots of transit, though. So much transit.

Well, bed time. We're up early tomorrow morning. Take care.

Day 73

Well this is obviously a picture of the CN Tower, as taken from between two pillars, just outside the CBC building. We've made reservations for dinner up there at the top of the tower for Monday night. I hope it's a good experience.

Today was kind of a rough day, but I'm feeling a bit better tonight. I think if I get out tomorrow it'll help. The subway takes about 45 minutes to an hour to get to where I want to go.

I know it's not super exciting, and you can find a million pictures of the tower, so don't judge too hard. :)

Tomorrow I'm heading to Queen street west, which I read is good for people watching, and is more interesting than most areas. Like Soho in New York.

I suppose that's it for today. Take care.

Day 72

I tried uploading a photo, but it wasn't working, so you'll have to wait.

Today I spent most of the day in the room until Jenn finished class. We ordered pizza in. After that we walked to Tim Horton's to try those new fruit smoothies. All pretty decent. That's enough recap.

Some plans are starting to shape up, which is nice. We're meeting up with one of Jenn's old friends this Friday for supper. Saturday we're talking about taking a tour bus to Niagara Falls, but we'll see. Tuesday we're seeing another friend of Jenns. Wednesday we're going to a Raptors game, which should be something. I know they're doing terrible this year, but neither of us follow basketball, so we're just going to take it in. Besides, it was cheap. I think we want to check out the CN tower for supper maybe...or at least go up for the view.

As for the weekdays, I'm not sure what all I'll do yet. I was maybe going to see the hockey hall of game soon. That might be interesting.

Well, I really don't have much else to share now. Take care.

Day 71

I made it downtown today. I didn't really do anything but just learn how to use the transit. It's nowhere near as organized as Seoul's metro, but usable. I didn't see a lot of downtown, but what I saw looked interesting.

Nothing much else happened today. I took a few picture, but I don't know how they really turned out yet. I hope there is at least 1 or 2 usable ones. Yes, I took that few.

That's about it. Thanks for reading. Take care.

Day 70

Nothing really happened today. Jenn's first day seemed to go well. I didn't really go anywhere. Tomorrow I might venture out. Who knows. Nothing else to report. Take care.

Day 69 - Toronto

We landed in Toronto a couple hours ago, and I immediately started feeling better than everyone else. ;)

The flight here was uneventful, and and I had to pee real bad by the end. It was either "keep your seat belts fastened", or the restrooms were busy, so neither of us used it for the duration of the flight...which isn't super long, but us being a pregnant lady and a guy who had too much to drink during the flight, it made for a real satisfying pee at the airport.

Our room is quaint. It seems clean, which is a bonus. Free wireless internet is also a bonus. We're not at a hotel. We're at the college where Jenn's course is. Basically we're staying in the dorm, which was at one time a hotel. It's 2am here and I can hear people in the hall way, but it's not too loud. Brings me back to my Briercrest dorm days. That was a long time ago.

I don't know what I'm going to do for two weeks. Tomorrow I'll probably stick around here, to see how Jenn's first day goes. After that, throughout the week I'll venture out here or there. Weirdly enough, I want to see Toronto's main library. I don't know if it's a fancy old library like some big cities. We'll see. I just realized now that they probably have dozens, if not more in a city this size. Down town is somewhere I want to go see. The CBC building is another place I want to tour. Lots of stuff to see, most likely.

This might be a good experience. I hope it isn't a struggle, being away. I'm remembering the times I used to take the subway into Seoul, and get "lost" by myself for the day, in the markets, downtown, where ever. I don't know what Toronto's transit system is like. I hope it's decent. Seoul's metro subway was insanely easy, and made traveling around that city fun and simple.

Well, I've been rambling. Thanks for stopping by. Thanks for reading. Take care.

Day 68

I watched part of a video of a girl claiming that the Japanese earthquake and tsunami was an answer to her prayer, and that God shook Japan to let them know he was there. I don't know if any of you have seen this video, but that girl is extremely confused. That's all I'll say about that now.

I've been missing my family lately. I wish it was summer or Christmas and we were all together hanging out and having fun. Other than briefly in February, the last time I was with extended family, it was for my grandma's funeral. I'm looking forward to seeing family again, but under more positive circumstances.

Well I don't feel like talking about much else. Thanks for stopping by. Take care.

Day 67

Today was a pretty good day. Went for lunch with a friend, then went for supper with my in-laws, then visited some friends this evening. It's good to be around people.

Tomorrow is just clean the apartment and wash clothing day for the most part. We're going for lunch with some church friends at a Thai place. Man, it sounds like we never cook at home. We do. Don't judge.

That's it for today. Take care.

Day 66

I know it's cheating if I write yesterday's blog this morning, but I fell asleep on the couch at 8:30 last night, and that's that. The whole "write during the day" thing didn't really work out either. We were running around all day.

Anyway, yesterday was one of those days. I hope today is better (at least emotionally).

Jenn went to her first midwife meeting yesterday (I went as well). It was a group meeting, where one of the midwifes presented on some general information, the idea of home birth's vs. hospital births, and some other house keeping details (not literal house keeping). It was good.

OK, well, I'll write today's later. I'm lame, I know.

Day 65

I always leave this till the very end of the day, when I'm tired and don't feel like writing anything. I think I'll start trying to write earlier. Maybe when my brain is somewhat functional.

Today was a decent day. We went to a movie tonight with some friends, which was good.

It was Jenn's friday today, so that's good.

Okay I'm just trying to think of things to type. I'm out. Take care.

Day 64

I honestly don't know what to tell you today. I went swimming tonight with Jenn and a friend from church. It helped me feel better. Thankfully the roughest part of my day was in the afternoon so Jenn didn't have to experience the worst of it.

For the most part, I'm looking forward to our Toronto trip.

Tomorrow, we have our first dr's appointment, and will hopefully be able to hear the baby's heart beat. I really really hope it's not too early to hear it.

I think the baby starts hearing fairly soon. That will be fun.

I can't wait to meet the little one already. On one hand, I wish human gestation was the same as dogs (about 3 months). On the other hand, this world would probably be in trouble if that were the case. That's hardly enough time to think about what you've done. I suppose 9+ months is a good chunk of time to prepare mentally and materially.

Well, that's about it. Thanks for reading.

Day 63

Today I helped a friend for a few hours with his house. It was good to be out of the house. I was really tired after, because I'm ultra out of shape. I mean, ultra.

I'm sorry, but that's it again for today. There's lots on my mind, but I'm not ready to share it yet.

Thanks anyway for stopping by. Take care.

Day 62

Fatherhood is something that I'm looking forward to, but don't feel ready for.

Jenn has her first Dr.'s appointment this week. That might be the only one, as she finally got a call back from the midwife program saying she has been excepted. That was good news. No, we're not having a home birth. Jenn wants a midwife to deliver, but in a hospital. I know those who are trying for a home birth for their next baby, and don't judge whatsoever. People can have what they want. We just want the assurance of a hospital surrounding, with the care level and attention and patience of a midwife.

Well, today has been extremely draining, so I'll leave it at that. Thanks for stopping by. Take care.

Day 61

Today, for the most part, was a good day. It was one of those Saturdays that felt long, but in a good way. Usually Saturdays go by way too fast. Today wasn't without it's frustrations, though. What day isn't, I suppose.

We leave for Toronto in a week tomorrow. I'm looking forward to it. I think Jenn is a bit nervous, but it'll turn out good. We've both flown before, but not together. During the week, Jenn will have class by day, and I'll go out and see stuff, take photos, etc. It doesn't seem fair, but she wants me to come along for support. I think we may go see Niagara Falls, and some other Toronto tourism spots while we're there.

I have nothing to talk about today, really. Sorry.

Thanks for reading anyway, though!

Day 60

This weekend I'm leading worship for the Plenary sessions for something called Harvest Fest. I'm a bit nervous for a few reasons. I've only really lead music for my church, I don't know how many people are going to be there, and I don't know if they know the songs I've chose to do. That being said, it's not really about me. It has been a good opportunity for me to do something, and to get out and be with people.

We practice the songs at my in-law's house. It was pretty sweet. While I played guitar, my brother-in-law played bass, my friends played djembe and cello, and my mom and dad in law played flute and violin. Even though the last two people won't be playing this weekend, it was great to listen to. Sounded like orchestra with a bass and guitar. I'd like to do that again sometime, but just for fun.

I'm supposed to be sleeping, but I couldn't really. I'm more tired now.

Thanks for reading. Take care.

Day 59

Sometimes I drink my iced tea one spoon full at a time. I wonder if anyone else has something they eat/drink weirdly.

BP is starting to put out commercials about people from the coast where the major oil spill happen last summer. Basically, it's people telling the camera how BP isn't perfect but they got them through the hard times, and that things are on the up and up. It almost makes you feel good, until you remember that it's from BP. Honestly, the commercials will work for the most part, because people believe what they see. Yes, maybe parts of the coast are healing, but I'm willing to bet that thousands are still negatively impacted by the spill. We've already forgot about it. This will just make us think to ourselves, "That's special. BP fixed everything!" Commercials are powerful.

Anyone else looking forward to the Royal wedding in April? Yeah, me too.

Anyway, thanks for reading, take care.

Jason

Day 58

Jeepers, it's going to be difficult to do this for a full year.

Today was an ok day. I did errands. Woo hoo.

I'll just say, that I gave up facebook for lent. It was a huge time waster for me. It feels good to be off of it already. Sort of like Bilbo after giving the ring to Frodo. "I feel better already." Yeah. I really did. Facebook sort of just pissed me off, anyway. All people do is brag about their to do lists, or talk about how busy they are, or "vague book" as a friend called it (when a person's status is purposely vague to get attention). Anyway, it's good to be away for a while.

I guess I'll just leave it at that. Thanks for reading. Take care.

Day 57

Lent starts March 9th, or Ash Wednesday. I'm giving up something, and also trying to live healthier. That won't be hard, considering that I haven't been living a healthy life at all, really.

I went aquacising tonight again with my wife. I really enjoy it. It lifts my spirits for a couple hours, which is really nice.

We leave for Toronto next week. I need to figure out where the good photo spots are in the city. I'm hoping to get some good street stuff, but we'll see. I think it's a mix of planning, skill, and luck. Considering that I'm just there for a couple of weeks, and don't know much about the city, and my skill is developing, I'm probably going to rely mostly on luck this time around. Looking forward to that.

Well, that's it for today. Thanks, and take care.

Day 55 & 56

Yesterday evening was a challenge for me. My sadness came on quite strong, and I didn't want to do much, let alone blog.

Positivity is tricky. It's usually those with a positive disposition that go around gloating that positivity is the key, and that they have remained positive through adversity, etc., bla bla bla. Yes, being a positive person helps, but it's much much easier said than done. That, and a lot of other factors play into people's "choice" to be positive, or happy. I think positivity takes a crap load of discipline, and sometimes even more friends or family to help out. The problem is, and I've mentioned this before, people are uncomfortable with depression or sadness, and they distance themselves from it. Understandably.

It's a battle, and I'm fighting it.

Day 54

End of the day. I lead music tomorrow at church, which I usually always enjoy in the moment. This time was more unorganized than usual, which is saying something. It usually comes together.

I'm watching Telemiracle right now. It's sort of a tradition for me. I don't watch the entire thing, but I try to catch the first while, and Sunday afternoon to see the "final" total. Better entertainment is easy to find, but it's not about the entertainment for me. It's about seeing small town kids performing, watching tired and awkward hosts try to pass the time, reading the names at the bottom of the screen, in case you know someone, seeing totals, waiting for a knock-down, and Bob. The big thing is that they help people. I don't know what the process looks like, but I guess they help a lot of people with expensive stuff. That's always good.

I think that's about it for today. Thanks so much for reading.

Day 53

We had some friends over for a visit and a game. It was a good time. It was a fairly last minute phone call that we got from some friends, which we're usually glad to say yes to. Last minute visiting seems to be a dying activity, sadly. I love stop by's, or last minute visits. It doesn't seem to happen anymore. Everything is schedules. It's like play dates. Really? You can't just call up a friend that also has a kid and hang out so your kids can hang out? Maybe that's what play date is, just now called a play date. I think a play date is scheduled. Oh well.

I'm not sure if I'm going to talk baby talk to my baby. I think I'll talk normally to him/her from birth. I think it'll honestly help them speak sooner. Baby talk just seems to encourage speech impediments, or slower language development.

Well, I'll leave it at that. I hope everything is well with you. Thanks for reading. Take are.

Day 52

I don't have anything, really. Thanks for checking in! Sorry I don't have anything for you!

Day 51

I can't imagine what a woman has to go through during pregnancy. I think maybe the two main emotions are guilt and worry. Worry that something is wrong, and guilt that you caused it. I won't go without mentioning the myriad of physical changes and challenges as well. On the other hand, if a woman can work through those emotions and physical experiences, many exciting feelings may come along with the process as well. Experiencing the miracle of a baby growing inside, excitement for the baby's arrival, etc.

My job right now is to help make my wife as comfortable as possible, given her circumstances. It's only going to get more interesting from here on, said the doctor the other day.

Day 50

This morning was terrible, the afternoon was much better. This evening was fun. I'm glad the day got better as it progressed.

Sorry, that's really as much detail as I want to share. I know, I know...lame. I'm not writing it to get attention...just to write about something.

My parents might be coming to Saskatoon for the day on Saturday, which should be a good time.

Honestly, that's all I have. Sorry. Maybe next time.

Take care.

Day 49 - Dam Angels

This photo is untouched, and in jpeg. I have a raw photo, but this was quicker to post on the blog.

At the Hoover Dam they have a monument of two angels sitting about 15 feet or so away from each other, with their wings very tall, extended upward. It's a monument dedicated to all those who dreamed up, and worked on the Hoover Dam, making the huge idea into a reality. Anyway, it's supposed to be good luck to touch the feet of either of these angels. Their feet were shiny copper, while the rest of the their bodies tarnished green, just like the statue of liberty. I caught one of the tourists reaching out for a good luck foot rub.

Probably not the type of photo you'd expect from a trip to Vegas. :)

Thanks for reading. Take care.

Day 48 - Cynicism

I think cynicism is one of the great diseases of my generation. I also think it has spread to other generations, older and younger.

I'm saying this because I have it. I have denied it for too long. It poisons me, and the people around me.

How do I stop being cynical? I honestly am not sure at this point. I think a start is to not care so much about what others think. I say this because I'm sure that cynicism is most realized when all the individuals in large groups make assumptions about what others believe and how people should act or behave, etc. It's crippling. At least it has been for me.

I'm sure there is much much more to discuss about cynicism. Maybe another blog. Not too much at a time. Thanks for reading.

Day 47 - Coffee

I don't pretend to know a butt load about coffee, but I'm slowly getting to know about what makes a better coffee. I also know that coffee isn't for everyone. That being said...I think if people were given a great cup of coffee (ie, not coffee from Charbucks, Nebob, Folgers, any pre-ground beans, Nestle, [some of these companies practice unethically in other areas as well), there would be many more coffee lovers out there. The problem is that it's a bit more expensive to drink good coffee, as opposed to the cheaper, 'terrible to coffee farmers' kind of coffee that most people buy from the grocery store. Anyway, I better not get too much into it, because I don't have a lot of background information stored in my tiny brain to back up my statements at this point. I would actually love to blog about that a bit more at a later time. It's all really interesting, in my humble opinion. Anyway, I would love to make you a cup someday, if you would like.

I also realize that talk of unethical companies usually spawns talk of boycott, and boycott discussions usually end up with "well, we might as well boycott everything then". That's the dilemma, I suppose. Where do you start and end? Usually it ends up with not starting. Maybe others pick a couple of huge companies and end there. I don't know.

Well, that's what I've been thinking about today (along with other things). Thanks for reading my uneducated discussion. Take care.

Day 46

I realize I forgot last night to write something. I had it ready to go, then fell asleep on the couch. Boo. Oh well. I won't be too hard on myself. Anyway, nothing much happened yesterday, so there was nothing much to write about. I had no epiphanies or whatever else I would write about. Maybe some day.

Day 45 - Splish Splash

Tonight I want aquacising with my wife and a friend of ours. I can't remember the last time I've been in a pool. It felt really good. Our friend talked about how there's something about being in the water that changes one's attitude...like you can't be grumpy in the water. I tend to agree. Splashing around, laughing, being silly, etc., helps life's stresses melt away...or should I say, wash away. At least for 45 minutes.

Day 44

It was back to the dentist for me this morning. I got nitrous again, but I think I might go without next time...not because I don't like it. I love it. I fell asleep as they gave me a root canal today. That's how awesome it is. It's just that I don't want to always need it. I can man up and get some work done without it. I hope. There's a lot more work to be done.

In a month my wife and I are going to Toronto. My wife has a course, and I'm just along for the ride. She wanted me to come, so I'm going. I'm not sure what I'm going to do during the day yet, but I'll find something. I'm sure it'll involve my camera for a bit of it. Maybe a basketball game, just to say I've been to one. I'm sure Raptors tickets have to be cheap these days. Jenn and I even talked about taking a train to Montreal or some other nearby city during the weekend. Who knows. It's pretty wide open yet.

Tonight I'm going aqua-cising. I'll let you know how that goes. Jenn and a friend of her's go once and a while. Hopefully it's not a complete gong show.

That's about it. Still Vegas pictures coming. I think I'll just post them how they come out of the camera. I shot Raw + jpeg, so I can just share the jpeg's.

Take care.

Day 43

I honestly don't have much to say tonight that won't be a repeat of something I said before. Same struggles, etc etc, bla bla. Tomorrow I go back to the dentist, which I'm mildly nervous about. I am excited about the laughing gas they'll be giving me, however.

Well, honestly, I don't want to say anything else, because I want to go to bed early tonight. Hopefully tomorrow will be more entertaining or significant. Take care.

Day 42 - Sunday blues on a Monday

Today was an unusual day. We slept in a bit, made cookies, had a couple of good friends over (a nice surprise visit...something that doesn't happen enough anymore, really) and made taco salad for a late lunch. We didn't leave the house till about 4:15. We started getting cabin fever or end of holiday blues or a combination of the two. When we finally got out of the apartment, we went to pick up some new decaf espresso beans for Jenn, so she can have a latte in the morning. Speaking of beans, Saskatoon has a new roaster, and I'm really excited about it. His name is Jimmy, and he's the guy who owns/operates Museo, in the Mendel art gallery. I've been buying the same beans he buys for his espresso. Now that he's started to roast his own, I'm really excited to start buying locally. Broadway Roastery beans just doesn't cut it. Might not be the most exciting news if you don't drink coffee, or if you're not a coffee/espresso geek like I am. Since I'm on the topic, let me use this moment to say that Starbucks isn't THE place to get a coffee drink. I call it Charbucks for a reason.

Anyway, Jenn starts at her new location tomorrow. It's the same job (same union, same boss, same coworkers) but at a different hospital. In the long run, we think it'll be a great move. It's just a lot of change at the same time. People off on disability, people on holiday, and the obvious recent developments in our life, will make for an interesting first week at work. I know she can do it, though. She always has.

Well, that's about it, I suppose. Thanks for reading. Take care.

Day 39, Day 40, & Day 41

I realize this is sort of cheating, but as I mentioned before, the cabin we were at had no internet connection. I have to make up for the two nights I was there, plus today.

The retreat was an overall good time. Visiting and hanging out with people from my church community is usually a good time. There was a while that I thought there would hardly be any kids at the retreat. It turned out to be quite the kid filled weekend. We were joking around by the end that some of them had started to go feral, lacking the proper adult contact. Running around breaking things, colouring on furniture, climbing on things they shouldn't, etc, added an interesting dynamic to the weekend. Maybe I'm being border-line judgmental. I'll stop. I'm sure I'll get tired of supervising my kid(s) from time to time when ours is born in October.

That's right - my beautiful wife is expecting. That's some good news, isn't it? :) This will probably be the only place I talk about it. I've asked others not to mention anything on facebook. I don't want to talk about that stuff on facebook. I probably won't talk about it much here either. Anyway, we're really excited. It's early on, but Jenn decided that she wanted to start telling people for the support, prayer, etc.

It's nice that we get to have tomorrow off together as well. We're going to make some cookies and have taco salad. We've both been wanting taco salad for a couple of days now, so we're going to make it. So excited about that. It may sound boring to you, but it's one of my favorite meals.

Well, I suppose that's about it for now. Three days and not a whole lot has happened. Basically, I just sat around the cabin and chatted, played a couple of games, napped, and ate. Fun fun.

Thanks for reading, all 3 of you (if that). Take care.

Day 38

It's the end of the day, and again I haven't made time for a proper blog. I'm going to have to turn over a new leaf soon or this will become a series of blogs that read "too tired to blog again".

Today Jenn and I just spent time together. For the most part, it was a good time. We tried to have a nap, but the phones kept beeping with messages and phone calls. By the time we were going to shut them off, it was almost time to get up and go. Next time, I guess.

We also had some good laughs today. It's really great to laugh with your partner. Even if it's just because you're both acting silly or stupid or whatever. I wish people could see how funny Jenn really is. She's a bit of an introvert in public, which is fine, but people don't get to see the side of her that I get to see. I consider myself lucky.

Tomorrow we're just getting ready for the weekend. We're going on a retreat with our church. It should be a good time...if not just for sleeping and napping and eating and jamming and taking pictures. I'm not much of an outdoor sports guys (or any sort of sports, really). There's a fire place there, so that's fun to spend time at.

I don't think there's internet at the cabin we'll be at. Even though I hardly blog about anything worth reading, I'll still feel weird about not being able to blog for a couple of days. I might just write something each day on a word processor, and post them later. We'll see.

Well, that's about it for now. I have Vegas pictures to post soon. Thanks for reading. Take care.

Day 37

I can't write much. It's late, and we're so so tired. We're really glad to be home, and excited to see people. Life has some exciting developments now, with Jenn moving to a different place at work (same job, different building), and a few other things going on.

Day 36 - Back home

Well, we drove home a few days early. We're back in Saskatchewan now and I couldn't be happier that I am. I drove through some really beautiful country down south, but still wouldn't move anywhere else if I don't have to. Saskatchewan is my home, and hopefully always will be. Boring? I don't care if it is or not.

I loaded my photos on to the external hard drive tonight. The thing with Vegas is that everyone's pictures look the same. I hope a few of mine are different, but I doubt it. It's lights and hotels, and hotels with lights. That's Vegas.

We drove to Tisdale today to have a visit with my parents. It was fun. Tomorrow morning we'll go back to Saskatoon for the remainder of our "vacation". It'll be good to sleep in our own bed again.

That's about it for now. Thanks. Take care.

Day 35 - Valentines Day

Well, we've stopped in Medicine Hat for the night. We haven't had the best luck with hotels. Last night our hotel was older, walls were paper thin, our neighbours were noisy, and there was a guy running his truck outside for a half hour or so. Tonight, our room is older and not the best looking. It has a bed, though, which is pretty much good enough for us.

Valentines day came and went, and wasn't enjoyable, seeing as we were just in a car wanting to get home. That being said, there were a few moments of joy throughout the day. We have another 8 hours tomorrow. Sigh.

Day 34 - Pocatello, ID

I can't type long, because Jenn's trying to get to sleep. We started the trip back home a bit early. We're excited to get back and see a few people on our remaining days off.

We'll have to make this trip back home a 2.5 day trip, instead of a 2 day. That's fine by us, though, as we don't feel like driving 14 hours per day.

Well, when I get back I'll be able to post photos and say a bit more about the trip. Take care.

Day 33 - Hoover Dam

We drove out to the Hoover Dam today. It was probably my favorite part of our trip so far. Well, I really liked Le Reve as well. Super cool show.

This holiday hasn't been what we wanted it to be. That being said, I'd consider coming back for a weekend trip with a group of friends for a show or something. Nothing more. This isn't a good place to spend a week. At least, in my opinion it isn't. Lesson learned!

Well, we're getting up really early tomorrow morning, so I should go start getting stuff ready. Thanks for reading. Take care.

Day 32

Today we're going to give it another try. We're here, so we're going to try to make the best of it. It was only our first day out yesterday, and maybe we were just a bit shell shocked. Today we're going to hit up an outlet mall, then go to a show in the evening.

Yesterday there was a street preacher preaching the Word of God in a very matter of fact way. I think his message for the most part was sound, but the delivery, in my opinion, might have been wrong for where he was at. That being said, I'm not sure if I have the "stones" to talk to people the way he does on a busy corner of Las Vegas strip, where people are walking around drunk, people are handing out fliers for prostitutes, and the noise and lights lures people in much more quickly than does Gods message of love. People are easily taken in by fake and pretty, rather than simple, strong, steady, and everlasting. Of course, that's what I believe.

Today I'm bringing my camera out with us. Hopefully I'll get some decent photos.

Thanks for reading.

Day 31 - First full day

Well, I hope the couple of shows that we have tickets to make the 2700 km trip worth it. If it was just about being here and hanging out on the strip, it most definitely isn't. We were on Las Vegas Blvd for a few hours today, and we just felt icky. Oh well. You live and learn.

Day 30 - Vegas

We made it to Las Vegas. We're tired. We will think again before we do something like this. Then again, we haven't seen or done anything to make any judgments on whether it was worth while or not.

Tomorrow (Thursday) is our first full day, and we don't have anything planned. We'll have breakfast, then go out for some groceries. After that, we'll probably end up at the strip, or at an outlet mall or wherever. Friday is our first "show". Saturday, maybe Hoover Dam or something. We'll see.

Well, I'm really tired. I'll post pictures, but I'm not sure when. Thanks for reading. Take care.

Day 29 - Butte

So, we only got to Butte - about 3.5 hours behind our intended schedule. I don't know why I thought we could make it to where I wanted us to get. Friends of ours made the trip in a day to Idaho Falls, but that was from a different starting point. Oh well. We'll see what happens tomorrow. I really hope we can make it to Vegas tomorrow, but if 13 hours is too much for a second day, we'll just get there the morning after. Not a big deal, other than an extra hotel charge.

I should go to bed. It's still early here, but we're both tired from being in the car for too long, and from winter mountain driving. I think they recently had storms here.

Anyway, take care. Thanks for reading.

Day 28 - Rocky Mountain House

So we're in Rocky Mountain House for a day or two visiting my brother, sister in law, my niece and nephews, and my parents (who also drive down a couple days earlier than us). It's been a good time so far. Mom and dad didn't know we were following them, so it was a surprise for them. They are supposed to leave tomorrow morning, but the weather is nasty out right now. I guess it depends on what it's going to do in the morning and throughout the day tomorrow. They can always stay another day if need be. We're leaving Tuesday morning. I hope the weather is good then.

Super Bowl was tonight. It wasn't the ending I wanted, but it was a decent game overall. The Steelers had a terrible first quarter, which killed them for the rest of the game. They came within 3 at on point, but couldn't pull off the comeback. I found myself getting a bit annoyed this post season at all the Steelers haters. It's amazing what being accused of sexual assault can do to one's reputation. Ben Roethlisberger, whether he did it or nor, showed extreme toughness, mentally and emotionally this season, playing through what he did. I've come to the conclusion that I don't care what people think. I will be a Steelers fan till the end. If the Steelers didn't make it to the Super Bowl, I wouldn't switch teams. I might end up favouring one team over the other, but I wouldn't go buy a different jersey. Oh well. Each person can make their own choice. It is only a game, after all.

Well, this is turning out to be longer than I wanted. Take care, and thanks for reading.

Day 27

Can't sleep this morning. I don't know if it's because I'm too excited for our trip, or for some other reason. I sure hope the weather and roads are ok when it's our turn to leave the city. I suppose it's a while yet. Things (weather, road conditions, etc) are always changing.

Well, that's it I guess. Ha ha...boring, I know. Later!

Day 26 - Almost there

Jenn's working her butt off now, in efforts to try to finish some reports before the day is done.

I'm so thankful for her. Not just because she has a good career and makes enough to support us for now. That is a good thing, but that's not why I'm thankful for her. I'm thankful for her because she loves me in spite of my seemingly insurmountable number of flaws.

We're looking forward to having the next couple of weeks off together.

If you're a praying person, pray that the weather is good for travel. It's not looking very promising early on, so we'll see. Winter tires are great, but don't do much on sheer ice.

That's it for today. I've been doing errands this morning, and now I have to do some finishing stuff around the apartment (laundry, cleaning, packing, etc). Thanks for reading.

Day 25 part 2

The Martin Sexton concert was beyond what I can say to explain it. Soooo good. See...that doesn't do it justice. Anyway, I count myself so lucky to have been able to see him. I really really hope he comes back some day.

I don't have much else to say at this point. I'm really looking forward to having a couple of weeks off with Jenn. She deserves a rest.

I can't stop thinking about Sexton's soulful voice.

Day 25 - Martin Sexton

Well, as the title suggests, I'm going to Martin Sexton tonight at the Broadway Theatre. I'm really looking forward to this, but I'm also torn because we have quite a bit to do before we take off for our trip.

Martin Sexton is a bluesy folk guitar player, singer, and song writer. Nobody beats his vocal range, and his ability to mimic other instruments while playing guitar and singing. That Saskatoon is getting him is a real treat. I'm sad that there isn't more buzz.

We're getting quite close to ready for our trip. Packing is the main thing that needs to be done now. Packing, and cleaning up the apartment. First, before we pack, I have to do laundry, which I'm in the middle of doing now. I have always worked under pressure, and I think it drives my wife a bit crazy at times. She's an organized details type planner. If I was like her, we would have been packed and ready to go this past weekend already. Something I can strive for, I suppose.

I'm looking forward to posting photos of our trip on this blog. I've been shooting in raw, though, and don't know if I'll be able to upload them here. I also don't have anything that can edit/process raw photos yet, and probably won't for a while. Maybe there is free software out there. If you're reading this, and know what I can do, let me know. iphoto isn't doing the trick :)

Well, that's about it for today. I won't get into the stressful stuff. I'll just let you know that there's a slight chance that Jenn may have to strike in the next few weeks, which would absolutely suck. Her work has been crazy busy lately, and I don't have a job yet. THAT, however, is another story.

Okay, thanks for reading.

Day 24 - Stuff and things and things and stuff

Today I actually got a couple things done, which is good.

I'm so out of shape. I'm really starting to wonder if going to Las Vegas was a good idea. I know there will be a crap load of walking. I'll get over it. The first day will most likely be the worst, and hopefully it'll get better after that. I'll just keep stretching. :) That being said, I'm really excited about walking around taking photos and seeing all the insane excess that Vegas really is. It's a spectacle, and nothing more. I wanted to see it in person at least once. Actually, I've seen it once before, but in the day light, from a bus, back in '97. I heard it's changed. ;)

Someone told me about the M&M factory. I will go there. I love M&M's.

I think I've decided to leave the winter tires on the car. Most of the trip there will be cool enough not to hurt them. While we're in Las Vegas, we're not driving the car very far or fast, so it will be fine. Far less hassle than finding a place to change over our tires, or me doing that by myself. I wasn't looking forward to that. Good stuff.

Well, that's about it for now.

Oh wait, Saskatoon is finally getting a decent roaster. I'll keep you posted on who and where you can get the beans.

Take care.

Day 23

I'm tired, and don't really feel like sharing anything. Plans are slowly coming together. I'm really tire, and I feel tired all the time. That's about it. I had planned on going to bed early tonight, but something came up. Next time I suppose. Take care.

Day 22 - trip planning, Martin Sexton, Chuck

Another day closer to our road trip. It's exciting, but doesn't really feel real yet, because we're just starting to get ready now. I have a run a few errands tomorrow, and then to start washing clothing and packing and all that.

I'm planning on taking a few photos there, and on the way, of course. Not all of them will be with my dslr though. Some will be quick snaps with our point and shoot. Still, I'm excited about pictures. I always am.

This Thursday we're going to a Martin Sexton concert. I highly recommend him. He's a bluesy folk type singer/song writer from the U.S. His vocal ability and range is really nothing short of amazing. Affordable concert, too, so if you want to go, it's at the Broadway Theatre this Thursday evening at 8, for 20 dollars.

My wife is moving hospitals in May. We're both excited about this, as it'll be a much closer "commute" in the mornings. She's talking about walking to work once she moves locations, which is nice. Maybe when the weather starts to warm up.

Well, I will leave it at that. I'm going to watch tonight's episode of "Chuck". I love that show. Thanks for reading, and take care.

Day 21

Sometimes I check the stats for page views, etc. I don't know why I do. It makes it hard for me to want to continue, although I told myself I knew what I was getting into when I started. I would be writing a blog about nothing specific to almost zero readers. Oh well, it's sort of therapeutic.

We booked another show tonight. It's called Le Reve, and was recommended to us by a good friend who is either in Vegas now, or just coming back from Vegas, or just back from Vegas. One of those options. Anyway, we're excited about that.

I need to get to sleep fairly early tonight. I'm a bit grumpy or something.

I hope your week goes well. My week will be fairly full getting ready for the trip, and doing other stuff. I'll try to post on the way up, but I'm not sure how that will work. I might just write, and post what I write when I get to a place with internet. I'll see.

Thanks for reading. Take care.

Day 20 - Holiday

So, our vacation is finally starting to get booked. We never intended on going there, but we ended up booking a place at Las Vegas for a week. We've already booked tickets at a Cirque show, which should be a good time.

Really, I don't plan on doing any bragging on facebook or twitter about my trip. I'll take pictures, and post some on here and flickr, and that's about it.

I'm looking forward to the trip. I love road trips. I'm having a difficult time being super excited at this point, though, because of how I've been feeling. These antibiotics I'm on are really taking their toll on me. I should be done them by the time we leave. If the infection (in my mouth) comes back, the dentist gave me a prescription for a different type of antibiotics, but I really don't want to take those. He said they come with a high risk of severe diarrhea. Ha! I should be ok.

Well, I'm exhausted, and really should go to bed soon. Thanks, and take care.

Day 19 - Laughing gas

Today I went to the dentist to get some "work" done. And by work, I mean I had to get a tooth extracted. Fun stuff. I've never had good teeth. Whether that's because I didn't take very good care of them when I was young, or because of saliva and genetics, it doesn't matter.

I've never been a fan of going to the dentist. I've associated trips to the dentist with pain (which has been pointed out by a friend of mine who is a dentist as unfair) to this point. Lately, I was told laughing gas is an option. So, I opted for it this time. Let me tell you, if you ever get the chance to try that stuff, do it. I have never had to stifle giggles through an extraction before. I didn't want it to stop. At one point the dentist told me he was going to raise my chair. I didn't feel it at all. I could just see the light get bigger. I don't think I've felt that good in a long time. When I got to the front desk, I asked the ladies if it was okay that I wanted to come back just for the nitrous. They said "nope, not at all". I actually can't wait for my next "trip" to the dentist. See what I did there? :) Seriously though, all your troubles will melt away.

When they finished, and I was home, I went through about an hour of extreme pain, then my pain meds kicked in and I napped for a bit. I've been good since. I go back in a few weeks for the next step.

Other than that, my day was pretty good. We spent part of the evening with some friends of ours, discussed what we're going to do for our holiday starting next week, and I watched Secretariat with my in-laws while Jenn went to bed. Looks like our road trip might not be as big or as extensive as I originally though. We might save that for the summer, as the weather is nicer. Sigh. I was really excited to go somewhere. We still might. We'll see.

Well, I think that's all today.

I know this hasn't been a blog of much substance as of yet. Trying to be deep on a daily blog isn't really something I'm into. I've read too many blogs like that, and they can get forced deep real fast...in an embarrassing sort of way. Just be cool, man. Just be cool.

Thanks for reading. Take care!

Day 18

Just about forgot to say something today. I'm not feeling the hottest. My face has gone down quite a bit, but the infection (at least I think it's the infection) is making me feel flu-ish. I just need a good sleep. Sorry this one is so boring. Have a good night/day. Thanks for reading. Take care.

Day 17 - Puff ball, Runaway train

Just to update from the last post - the pain isn't nearly as bad...in fact, it was pretty manageable. However, early in the evening, and into the night, the left side of my face blew up, and I now look like a chipmunk on the left side. It's a bit uncomfortable, but I can live with it for a couple of days...at least I hope it only lasts a couple of days. The dentist didn't see my face like this, and I'm supposed to go in for work on Friday. I might give them a call tomorrow just to make sure. Anyway, that's all for that.

We went to the cheap theatre tonight and saw "Unstoppable" with Denzel Washington and that guy who played Captain Kirk on the new Star Trek movie. I mean, it wasn't Oscar worthy or anything, but it was good entertainment. I love trains, so it was good for that, and some tense scenes. Overall, pretty decent. I'm not a critic though, and don't mind a movie for mindless entertainment value from time to time.

We're still trying to figure out our holiday. I know it's only about a week away, and we've only narrowed it down to a road trip. Ha ha...we're last minute type of people. This may come back to bite us if we're not careful to plan at least a few key things such as places to stay, general route, etc. We have to figure out how we're going to work our tire situation. We have winter tires on right now, but if we drive far enough south, it'll be too hard on them, so we'll have to take our summers along with us to have them changed over at some point. It seems a bit much, but I'm not sure what else to do, other than change them over before we go. I don't really want to do that, because we'll most likely do some mountain driving. I'll keep you posted. :)

Anyway, I hope you've had a great day (or are having a great day, depending on when you read this). Thanks for reading. Take care.

Day 16 - Fear

Well, here we go.

I'm afraid of the dentist. I avoid going. I avoid talking about dentists. I avoid talking about teeth to others if I can. I turn the channel if a dentist commercial comes on tv. I hate it. I know the fear isn't logical. Most fears aren't. I realize that not going to the dentist is causing the thing I hate, which is a bigger reason for going to the dentist. I don't need to be told that. I'm aware. Like I said, most fears don't operate within the realm of logic.

Tooth ache pain (when it's bad) is probably the worst pain I've ever felt. I've felt dizzy at times with it. So, this morning, because I was having this type of pain, and it was the worst it has been in some time, I stubbornly, with a white flag, called the dentist and got in for an emergency check up. Friday I start the work. Apparently they have nitrous, which is supposed to be a good time. Looking forward to that.

I guess what I'd want others to take away from this post is don't let it get to this point. My mouth is pretty bad, and needs quite a bit of work, which I'm finally going to do. None of this "get the pain under control and don't go back for 4 years" stuff anymore. What's worse is that I've had coverage this whole time. Again, fear doesn't work in logic. There are dentists out there that want to help you. Mine turned out to be a nice guy, and his "assistant" was amazingly friendly, and assured me that I'm not alone with the whole fear thing. Her husband is dealing with toothaches and doesn't want to go in because he's afraid of what the staff there will think. Poor guy. I can honestly empathize, and sympathize with him.

I'll keep you posted on how it goes. My next appointment is on Friday afternoon.

Oh, and Jenn and I decided to go on a road trip for a holiday. Not 100 percent sure where yet, but we might go see the grand canyon. If not, more west. I'm excited just to get away with my wife. She deserves to have some fun and not work for a couple of weeks.

Well, thanks for reading. Take care (of your teeth).

Jason

Day 15 - Buh

To start, my last blog seemed a bit judgmental. I wasn't suggesting that my blog was in some way better than those other types of blogs. In no way do I think this blog is even that great. Okay, I'm done talking about that.

I honestly have a block about complaining about what's going on these days, even though I can think of lots to write about. I don't want to bore myself. We all have problems, don't we? Some worse than others, but we all have problems. Still, I'm not really one to lump everything into one pile and shrug it off. I have empathy. Each person's situation is unique. Where am I going with this? No idea.

I'm getting tired. I had a point, but I lost it. Eye roll to myself.

I'll get back to you tomorrow.

I've been thinking about photography a lot lately. I will eventually put photos on here as well...more than I have been. That might inject some entertainment value to this thing.

Thanks for reading. Take care.

Day 14 - What is this?

I'm still feeling bit bit self conscious about this daily blog commitment. I know there probably isn't much purpose. I know the mundane stuff I write about isn't life changing for anyone, nor is it supposed to be. I don't really know what it is, really. I'm just doing it.

I read others blogs from time to time. For some, it is a place where they can write about primarily about one topic they are passionate about. Sometimes it gets repetitive, but you can't fault them for being passionate about something like that. Really, most of us wish we had a passion about something worth writing about, telling others about, showing others, teaching others about, etc. Besides, although this blog isn't really a blog like that, it's still repetitive in a way.

Others write blogs to share their thoughts. They ponder life, or spirituality, or God, or relationships, or any other sweeping concept that might be on their mind. Some are more successful at others at doing this. I probably fall into the unsuccessful category more often than not.

Some write blogs because they think it's a safe place to check their sensitivity and compassion at the door, and rip on certain traits or decisions others have or make. Name calling, poking fun, and rampant sarcasm are the order of the day. Many of these have great points, but lose much credibility with me, because of the tone in which these points are shared. I'm not going to lie and say I've never been cheeky or a bit cynical in my writing. I've come a ways in curbing this, though, because it ignores the fact that everyone is at a different place, and that people have feelings. Sometimes it can be like running through a store filled with fine china, with your arms spread out waving around, all the while thinking it's innocent and funny.

Yet other blogs like to complain. I've been guilty of this from time to time. It's ok once and a while, but it can be a bit much if it's constant. I know, because I've annoyed myself many times.

Anyway, bare with me as I figure stuff out. I hope you've had a great day. Thanks for reading. Take care.

Day 13

Well, I didn't end up going to the farmers market. I slept in. We did go for lunch and dessert with some friends, which was nice. We went to a sushi place. After that, we went to truffles, and had desserts. We were originally going to go to the movie, but we thought that hanging out with our friends was more fun/important.

After all that we did some running around, then came back to watch a movie with my brother-in-law and his wife. We watched The Town. It was ok...long, but ok. I sort of have a soft spot for Ben Affleck. Don't tell anyone.

Tonight we're having one of those, "We're bored, but we can't think of anything to do" sort of nights. Jenn ended up tidying a bit, and now she's writing out recipes. I helped a bit, but I'm not as energetic. I looked at some photos I took earlier, and now this. I realize that I need to work on my composition. At times, I'm ok, and at other times, I'll load my photos, and ask myself if I was drunk when I took them. Oh well...the beauty of digital over film. I'll get better. I keep telling myself that even the pros can't get it right every time. Right?

I took the picture below the other morning, at about 8am, give or take a few minutes. It was so cold, and I wasn't dressed appropriately (was driving back from dropping Jenn off at work). I snapped a few off at a few different directions, tried a few different things, but nothing really worked out that well. This is hand held, which makes it a bit more difficult to get a sharp photo when the shutter speed is a bit longer. I don't have a tripod, to tell you the truth. I'm going to borrow my in-law's tripod. I have some ideas I want to try; some this winter, some in the summer...all open shutter type stuff. Anyway, it's not the greatest by any means, but it sort of gives you an idea of how cold it was.


Other than that, nothing much else is happening right now. I guess I'll leave it at that! Thanks again for reading. Take care.

Day 12 - Tired cookie

Well, we didn't really end up going on a date. I think we made a rule now not to plan dates for Friday nights, unless it's my wife's EDO, or we feel like it last minute. She is just so tired by the end of the week that she feels like going to bed by 8. This is fine, and in no way does it upset me. She works really hard, and if she wants to go to bed, then by all means, she can go to bed. In her defense (not like she needs it), we did go out for supper with her parents, and she tried to be good company! :) I think tomorrow we're going out for lunch, and then maybe a matinee (still haven't seen the newest Harry Potter). I was thinking about going to the farmers market in the morning at some point, to take pictures. I need to get over my inhibition about taking pictures in a crowded place. I need to get over my inhibitions about a lot of things. Maybe that's for a different blog.

Well, maybe that's it for now. I probably have more to write about, but I'll keep it shorter tonight. Thanks again for reading. Take care.

Day 11

I could easily make this blog into a gripe fest, but I don't want to complain about everything all the time. I think it drives my wife a bit batty when I complain for too long at a time. I've tried to curb this tendency lately. It's a lot of work, but I think I've seen a bit of progress. That being said, and seeing as how this IS MY blog, I may take the opportunity from time to time to voice my frustration with the odd thing.

...but I won't now.

Today was a pretty good day. I got out and had some coffee. I talked to a guy about a job. I learned more about my camera. I had a good evening with my wife. Overall, it was a positive day. We still haven't found a holiday. We're beginning to think we'll have to try for one of those "last minute" deals. If that doesn't work out, we'll figure something else out last minute. Just catch a plane, and get a hotel sort of thing. With health insurance, of course. We'll see. That might be a dumb idea.

Tomorrow I hope to have a bit of a date night with my wife. That will be a good time. We're thinking of a sushi night, then the new Harry Potter movie. If you want to join us for dinner, you're welcome! :)

Well, thanks again for reading...all 3 of you. :) Take care.

ps, I'm thinking of changing the name of my blog. I've had this name forever, and I'm not sure it suits it anymore. Probably doesn't matter. Just saying, I guess.

Day 10 - holiday, game night

Today was a pretty good day. We've been trying to book a trip. We've never flown anywhere together before, nor have we been to a beach by the ocean together. Jenn, in my opinion, deserves a restful, relaxing week off. I wish it could be for two weeks, but maybe this spring or summer we'll go somewhere like B.C. or Oregon or something. I love road trips.

We're thinking of going to Cuba, which would be really sweet as far as photography goes. I heard the food there isn't the greatest, but I suppose we've been warned, so now it's our choice.

I don't really want to brag about going on a trip though. I probably won't post any pictures on facebook of us on a beach and the cliche picture of the feet and the corona or whatever else everyone else does. The feet one gets me every time. I think I'll buck the trend by taking a picture of my big white belly eclipsing the ocean. I bet I could sell those pictures.

I also had a good night with Jenn. We were invited over by some friends from our church community to play a game. We didn't stay long (Jenn has been so tired because work is so busy these days with the Norwalk thing going on), but it was a good time. I hope to hang out with them longer next time. Their daughter had a bit of a tough time going to bed. It's amazing how dramatic a toddler can make a simple thing into. It didn't phase me too much though. I still want one. We'll see. Some day. :)

Anyway, thanks for reading. Take care.

Day 9

I tried to post a video of my grandma, but it was taking forever. I'll try again later. Maybe I was doing something wrong. It's the only clip I have of grandma. I now wish I kept on rolling, but I suppose what can you do. You can tell she was a bit nervous, or just didn't know what to say, so she said the same thing I said. I thought it was funny. I miss her so much...

Today was better than yesterday, in case you're wondering. :) I cleaned up the apartment, which felt good.

I'm not sure what else to write, that wouldn't be off topic. I might post something in a bit...maybe not.

I've decided I'd stop saying what I might write about next time, because when I sit down to write the next time, I usually don't feel like write about what I said I'd write about. I'll just go with the flow for now.

If you think about it, pray for my wife. She's been so busy at work, and I think she's getting pretty weary. She needs a holiday, which we're attempting to plan.

Okay, thanks for reading. Take care.

Day 8

Today was a bit of a mess again. I think I've been battling some depression, to be quite frank. This is one of those things I don't really like to talk about, but for some reason I feel this is some sort of passive aggressive way to get it out and let people know. I know and have known a lot of people who have had depression. Let me say that my giving advice seems a bit cheap now. It's much easier to tell someone to get off the couch and fight negative thoughts. It's so easy to tell people to get a routine, exercise, and get out with people. All good advice, but a bit cheap, if that's as far as it goes. Go get them off the couch. Go talk to them. Take them out for coffee. Have a laugh with them. Cry with them. The problem is that people are uncomfortable with that stuff. At least pray for them.

Why am I feeling this way? It's probably for many reasons. I think what matters now is my reaction to it.

I won't bore you with more details. Just so you know, I didn't really post this for validation, or for you to feel sorry for me. I guess I just needed to get it out. I think it helps to "talk" about it. Thanks for reading. Take care.

Day 7

Okay, so not as promised, I don't have anything for you today. I'm thinking tomorrow, as I don't have as busy of a day ahead of me. Today just sort of got away on me.

This week I need to keep on looking for work. One of the things that makes me cringe is when people ask me, "What kind of work are you looking for?" Unless they have a super good job for me, then why are they asking? The reason it makes me cringe is because I just don't know the answer to that question. This is part of my issue, and I'll get into that hopefully tomorrow.

Anyway, I hope you're having/have a great day. Take care.

Day 6 - Groceries, Coffee, and...still not good at this title thing

Above - Jenn at the grocery store checking out limes. I loved going there today. Super Store in Saskatoon on 8th Street seems to be where tons of immigrants go to shop. I love listening to all the different languages, seeing all the different skin colours, seeing how different people dress, and wondering what each different person's story is. On top of this, they recently renovated, which has brought new life to the place. I really enjoy being there for the most part. If you're in a hurry, or don't like crowds, it might not be the place for you on a Saturday afternoon.

This morning I made a coffee for Jenn. I make her one every morning before work, and on Saturday and Sundays as well. I've been getting better at making them, but I can still do better...a lot better. Jenn's really encouraging. Even if I feel I messed up bad and my latte art looks like a blob, she always says something like, "Wooah!". Even though I know it sucks, it makes me feel better. The one above turned out ok.


I think for tomorrow's blog I'm going to tell you more about myself, and what I've been going through. Just a warning, I'm NOT looking for validation, or for people to feel sorry for me, etc. I just wanted this blog thing to be more than about surface type stuff. I might as well give you something to gossip about!

Anyway, take care.

Day 5 (part 2)

Above - Spicy Pork dish. So good.

Below - We ordered Deokbokki (the little boat dish with the orange stuff in) and a seafood pancake for appetizers. I love Deokbokki. I used to get it on the street in Korea all the time. Also, the pancake, but not as often.

Well, I'm back from the Rice Bowl, and it was great. The food they make there (at least the stuff I've had) has great flavour. I didn't take my slr, rather my G11, so the pictures aren't what they could be (just in case you're wondering). I just quickly snapped a few just to show you what I ate.

Take care.

Day 5 - Rice Bowl

I'm going to a restaurant called the Rice Bowl tonight. It's primarily Korean food. I love many different Korean dishes. We're going with my in-laws, so it should be a good time. I just wanted to write this now, because we may go to a movie later, and I don't know if we'll be back before midnight. I think I'll bring my camera, so I may post some pictures of the place and the food. I'm pumped! Take care.

Day 4 - Just whatever

Well, I won't get into it, but it was a bit of a rough day. I'm glad it ended better than the rest of it went. My wife and I visited some good friends of ours, and it was good.

I actually went to bed earlier, but couldn't sleep, so I got up, and realized that I forgot to post today. I really hope inspiration strikes soon, or I'll get bored with myself. I guess I just don't want to share too much negative stuff, which is what my mind and life seems dominated by lately. I won't bore you with all the depressing details!

I spent part of this afternoon reading parts of my camera's manual. Good times. Actually, I did enjoy it a lot, over a good latte. I needed to get out, so it was a brighter spot in an otherwise challenging day.

Well, that's about it for now. Take care.

Day 3 - I hate facebook some days

Well, I guess I could just not go on it.

Seriously though, some days when I log on, I feel like reaching through the screen and shaking people. Oh well, maybe people feel the same way about the things I say.

Day 2 - Visit from dad

Wow...this is harder than I thought, and it's only the second day in a row. Yeesh.

My dad has a course in the city for a few days, and it's good to have him visit. We bought a gargantuan air mattress for him to sleep on. Hopefully it's half decent, and he isn't wrapped up like a hot dog in the morning.

Well, that's about it tonight. I told you this wouldn't always be exciting. Take care.

I hate the titles

I'm going to blog every day of this year, starting today, as long as I remember to. Jeepers I hope I remember. Doesn't have to be long, but it will be good for me to write consistently.

I will continue to post the odd photo and talk about my learning process behind the camera, as well as talk about the things that come to my mind from day to day. Who knows...a theme could take shape, but I'm not committing to anything specific right now.

I don't pretend to be a good writer. Not even a bit. This isn't a place where try to be something I'm not.

This might be painful. Maybe more for you than me.

Some thoughts.

I wrote a long rant, and erased it. The basic idea of it was that I love my camera, and don't really care what people think of me owning a D700. I mentioned being a good learner, good at teaching myself, a good student. I briefly mentioned the other slr's I've owned (Pentax mz-7 back in college, and a Nikon F100, which I still have but haven't used in a while...film is expensive).

Basically, I want photography to be something I can be serious about, but not in the ways others are serious. I think people can get nasty to others who aren't as smart as them in certain areas, or as knowledgeable of the technological side of things, etc. Others are great, and willing to teach and share their knowledge. What I do know, I am willing to teach. What I don't know, I'm willing to learn.

It's like anything a person gets into. Whether it's hobby-ism or enthusiasm or obsession, as one gets better at something, the temptation is to start scoffing or speaking in jargon when it's not necessary to make oneself feel smart or others feel dumb. I am very much into coffee, and I've had my moments of scoffing at others for drinking Starbucks and other coffees and espressos, but as I've thought about it, I started trying to educate others that there is better coffee, or better ways of making espresso (and what Starbucks does that I don't like), rather than making fun. Now my scoffing is more of a joke than serious, and people know it.

I guess I'm just trying to say, regardless of what I am into, I try not to make others feel stupid or unworthy if they aren't falling in line. What is the line, anyway? Should I have bought a cheaper camera? Well, I could have, but I wanted to learn to use the D700. End of story. I have it. I'm learning about it. Will I use it as well as a pro could use it? Probably not. Who cares? I don't. What I do care about is challenging and stretching myself. I care about learning how to take pictures that people will like a lot...pictures that people would put up on their walls....pictures that I can be proud of. Have all my pictures been good? Of course not. Have the majority of my pictures been good? No, they haven't. I'm not there yet. Hopefully I will be there eventually.

I'm not writing this in response to anything specific...I'm probably just being defensive about nothing. Maybe I'm writing a warning to myself for when I gain more knowledge about the art and skill of photography. "Self, don't be a jack-ass know-it-all. Teach others, and learn from others. Have fun."

Long Day

Let me start by stating that I know these photographs aren't great. It's not the point this time.

Today was a hard day. We had my grandma's funeral. One of the hardest things to see was how sad and heartbroken my grandpa is. Although he was sad, there was a quiet strength about him, dressed in black, with red to honor his wife, whose favorite colour was red. There is a weight on his shoulders now, of looming loneliness. I know he can do it. While is in deep mourning, he is also strong. We are all his legacy, and we are with him.

I included the bottom picture because I see lots just looking at those shoulders. I see a tired man, shoulders slightly slouched. I also see strength. I see strength of a man who has farmed for decades, who helped raise 4 children, who has lived through a 57 year marriage, who has loved and lost more deeply than most will get to experience. I see the shoulders of a man who will learn to survive on his own, regardless of how lonely he may feel at times. I like my grandpa's shoulders. I hope I have half the shoulders he has some day.

Christmas

Christmas has lost its 'Merry' this year.

Love you and miss you, grandma.

I got a call on Thursday morning from my dad, telling me through shaky voice that grandma had died. We knew that her time was limited, but weren't expecting her time to come so soon. I guess essentially her kidneys shut down.

I drove home that night with Jenn. As expected, it was miserable there. Grandpa is lost right now. When Jenn hugged him, all he said was "I lost my wife". I cannot imagine the heart break of being with someone through the thick and thin for 57 years, then her being gone. He's lost. My mother and her sisters and brother are lost right now as well. My mother talked to her mother almost every day of the week, for at least a few minutes. All she wanted was to hear her voice again. That's all she wants right now. I think that's all anyone wants right now. Such is the vicious nature of death, and wanting what we can't have. It tears at the heart, brings up feelings of guilt, panic, confusion, anger, denial, and more guilt.

My grandma was only 76. She was a week and a bit short of her 77th birthday. Her birthday is on Christmas day. That day will seem a bit less bright now. I'll look to God for comfort, as I hope others will. God, in time will help make our wounds less painful. I hope Grandpa and his three daughters and son find comfort in God during this quiet and sad time.

I love you and miss you, Grandma.

Jason

Having fun

Above are a couple photos from two different quick sessions I did over the past few weeks. The top is a group of guys from the city who partook in Movember. The bottom is a friend who needed a photo for the website of her shared business. I'm really excited about learning more and improving at my skill behind a camera. Have I mentioned this before? If so, it's because I'm excited. Obviously I need to learn a LOT, and it will take time, but that's perfectly okay. Enjoy.

I can never think of titles.

There are less than two weeks till I'm finished school. I'm not exactly sure what I'm going to do for work, or where my life with Jenn will head. I am excited for opportunities to open up. I'm excited to get away on a holiday with Jenn. I'm excited to expand my knowledge and hone my ability and talent behind a camera. I'm excited for many things.

I'll most likely keep you posted on how things go, along with photos and other thoughts. Take care.

Aaron

So I've been reading about this thing called Bokeh, which I think is the blurred background behind the subject (maybe it doesn't have to be behind the subject...maybe it can BE the subject, but ANYways...). I've been considering that as I take pictures, and so far I've found out that small lights (such as Christmas lighting, etc) make good background for photos. This picture was taken after church the other week, of my friend Aaron, who was putting stuff away after he had lead music.

Winston

This is my parents new puppy, Winston. He's a cute little Schnauzer. We went and had a quick visit with my parents and family to see my grandma in the hospital, and this was one of the highlights. Jenn had a few naps with him...he's a cuddly little guy. The colour temp and white balance of the photo is a bit off yet, but I took some of the orangey/yellow out with the bad editing program I have. I haven't been shooting in Raw format yet. I'll start doing that after the semester is over, when I have some time. Enjoy Winston!

Grandma

My grandma is dying. We don't know when it will happen, or how, exactly, but her body has started its process. Grandma is in the hospital right now, with her kids and husband by her side.

I haven't experienced a close death in the family in quite some time. Death is such a strange concept. As a person that spends most of his time in a Christian community, I have too much discussion about not being afraid of death...about being excited to meet Jesus...all that. Regardless, I am starting to view death as a disconcerting unknown. I'm not sure if it's a fear, or a somber respect - all I know is that I don't get campy about it. People die. In the process, they are terrified; They get their stuff together if they are lucky enough to have the time; They fight and cry with their loved ones (if they are lucky enough to have loved ones); They despair; They wonder about eternity.

A couple of pictures...

My in-law family went out for supper last night and had a good meal to celebrate my father-in-law's birthday. It was good to get my mind off of everything that has been going on. I took a few pictures, but these two are two of my favorite. I'm enjoying my camera's ability to take low light pictures. I'm not the best at it yet, but I will get there.

October...things have changed.

Well, lot has happened (at least in my mind) since the last time I posted. To make a long story short, I've decided to take next semester off. The reasons are numerous, but if I had to give you one simple explanation, it would be because I don't think I'm going the right way. I am taking the next semester at least to work and figure it out and to go on a holiday with my beautiful wife, among other things.

On another note, I've recently got back into photography. Well, I've never completely left, but I got a dslr...a great one. I'm really excited, and it is one of my dreams to be able to take pictures for a job. That is one of the big things I'll be doing over the next while...learning my camera, photography techniques, taking tons of pictures, etc. I want to get to the point where I feel comfortable taking basic pictures for engagement, family portraits, and even weddings for people who can't afford a profession/experienced photographer. Anyway, I ramble. I'll be posting photos from time to time, as I know this is basically a safe place as nobody reads my blog. :)

September :)

Well, the past couple of weeks have been a dismal failure in the world of exercise, so I won't get into that. Who said this was a blog about exercise only anyway? Not me.

I started school last week. It was an interesting feeling, considering I didn't really do anything all summer. Suddenly, I have a lot to do. It'll be an adjustment, to say the least. Slam - welcome back to reality, Jason.

Last night I think I had my first real doubts about school and my choice of social work as a profession. I don't think my doubts were based in the realm of logical thought...just fears of self doubt cropping up on a Sunday night. What is with Sunday nights?

I think a lot of my doubts or fears have to do with my faith background and how unfriendly the social work program seems to be toward religion - especially Christianity. Sometimes it's warranted, sometimes it's just lazy thinking/point of view. Maybe I digress.

I'll most likely get past this bump. It is only my second week of classes. Someone told me the other day that the program doesn't necessary represent real life. Even though that seems obvious, I forget that sometimes. I am learning a point of view that is very far on one end of the ideals spectrum. Do I have to think like this? Well, I think they would want me too, but in reality, no, I don't. Will I keep open minded? Of course, where it doesn't compromise my relationship with God.