Thursday, July 24, 2008

Hiking

We went hiking up to Lake Mary and Lake Katherine today. Last week I got a new camera and I have to admit that the photos it takes are amazing. Wendy, Rob, Robbie, Jillian, Shawn and Hailey went with Colby and I and we had a great time. There was even snow still in the shadows. Every time we go hiking with Shawn we see a moose. True to form, we saw one laying in the shade of a tree. Robbie had a blast being carried in the pack and then enjoyed throwing rocks into the lake. It was beautiful but I am going to be feeling the pain in my legs tomorrow. I am such a wuss!

Knitting

Last Christmas Sharlene taught me how to knit. This week I made my first complex project and finished this beret. I have to admit I was surprised it turned out looking like a hat.

Monday, July 21, 2008

We bought a Wii. Goodbye productivitii.


(The following should be read as a tongue-in-cheek posting by Colby. If you take me too seriously I cannot and will not be held responsible.)

For some time now, Jessica has been jonesing for a Nintendo Wii and it has not helped that several of our friends and family own a Wii: exposure excited envy.

I have not always been in favor of obtaining a Wii. Sure, some of the games are fun ... for a while. But for me, one of the unspoken qualifiers for a game is that it must be enjoyable regardless of how many times I work through it. For example, my favourite game is Counter-Strike: Source. It is an aging game—even with the newer Source engine, but it has endured. Until last Saturday, the few samples of Wii games I have played fail to promise me that level of endurance.

A couple of things have changed. My brother, a Wii owner, purchased Okami recently and I had the priviledge of playing it—and I enjoyed it. (Of course, why wouldn't I enjoy a game that looks like it was ripped from Japanese watercolor paintings, includes the Chinese zodiak animals, and the Shintou sun goddess Amaterasu 「天照」?) After my experience with Okami I told Jessica that, should we ever find a Wii for sale and should we be able to afford it at the time, we could get one. I am almost sorry I said that. Not one day later, she found a Wii—purely by chance—and bought it (she's lucky I just got paid). The envy she felt turned into excitement at owning her own Wii and the spending didn't stop with the console, oh no. We now own a second controller with nunchuku and two additional games. To be honest, I cannot tell you that I was immune. I spent $10 for 1000 Wii points and bought the original Metroid and Super Mario Brothers 3. However, $10 is a paltry sum when compared to what Jessica spent in her excitement.

So, for you folks who like to come to our place, we now have another reason for you to visit—aside from our wonderful company, delicious food (cooked by me), and DVD collection.

Thursday, July 17, 2008

Dr. Horrible The Musical


Colby and I discovered this musical online by Joss Whedon, written while the writer's strike was going on. For those of you who don't know Joss Whedon, he wrote Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Firefly and Serenity. The music is very clever and catchy and is incredibly funny! So go check it out!

Friday, July 4, 2008

Happy Fourth of July!




















I just thought on this, our nation's birthday, I would reflect on the meaning of Independence and what has been sacrificed to keep our country free. In 1776 our founding father's signed a piece of paper that was a reflection of their opinions regarding the rights of individuals that has changed the shape of the world. My ancestors fought in the War of Independence, allowing me to have the right of representation.

More recently, my grandfather's on both sides, participated in World War II. It hurts me to see individuals disrespect the flag because when I see the Stars and Stripes flying it is not just a piece of fabric but a representation of all that has been sacrificed for me. Today we have soldiers who are celebrating the fourth far from home to keep my rights in place, my thoughts and prayers go out their families and my heartfelt thanks go to those who are far from their loved ones so that I can be with mine.

So as we spend time with our families and hit the great sales I hope we can pause and remember why we celebrate this day. Not forgetting those who have given the ultimate sacrifice, their lives, so that we don't have to.