Something Up With Which I Will Not Put http://www.golding.ca/maggie/ de gustibus non est disputandem en Copyright 2010 Tue, 12 Jan 2010 10:08:58 -0500 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Plan A: Make a Plan after the deadline to submit orders, or publishers who discontinue a text but don't inform their customers, or unscheduled machine maintenance at the printshop that takes two weeks... all of which I have experienced firsthand.) I also spend about a day planning the schedule of major assignments for each course, from which I reverse engineer the reading schedule, and then the quiz schedule, and so forth. This is actually one of my favourite parts to getting ready for the term - I can see the whole semester, planned and precise, and I feel ready. I know where we're going to be by the end, and the path to get there is clear. Here's where the "more or less" comes in... It's usually right after I plot the semester, and have that little glow of readiness, that panic sets in - what did I forget? Is there a ped day/holiday/scheduling glitch that I have overlooked? Is there some personal commitment that I have now scheduled a heavy correcting load on top of? Have I scheduled too much? Not enough? The next wave of panic comes along about then, when I try to figure out how to cope with the first two or three classes (I am convinced I have written about that minefield already, but I cannot find the entry...) and stay on schedule, as opposed to doing next to nothing for a week and a half and then playing catch-up for the next fourteen weeks. And, as usual, the final wave of panic - how to keep the semester on track despite all the other things I'm trying to juggle? Things are winding down with one project, but I'm submitting my research proposal today for my M.Ed., which means (fingers crossed) collecting and analysing data this semester, and then there's the Liberal Arts curriculum project - I love this project, but so far it keeps getting pushed back onto that back burner by things like cegep a distance and major school change. This semester, though, it has to be front and center. I'm ready... more or less.]]> http://www.golding.ca/maggie/2010/01/plan_a_make_a_plan.html http://www.golding.ca/maggie/2010/01/plan_a_make_a_plan.html The Learning Curve Tue, 12 Jan 2010 10:08:58 -0500 How making a spectacle of yourself pays off Blob 2 Babe. In her own words:
I eat because it's tasty!! I'm a Taurus, a sensualist by nature. I wanna see, hear, touch and smell stuff and if I like it, I'll taste it! (For all of you that don't think food makes noise - ladies and gentleman, I give you SIZZLING BACON. I rest my case...). My problem is sheer inertia. This body has not moved too much in two years, so really what did I expect? But it's that moment, and we've all had it, when we realize that the mirror we're looking into isn't at the carnival. It's an average mirror and this is what we look like. Yikes! Eep! Yow! And finally, WTF?!?!? So I've decided to take control and embark on a sane, no-nonsence, slow and systematic course of action. Good old fashioned excercise; cardio, weights, and some yoga thrown in but mainly for the cute clothes. I do not relish the prospect but if I have folks cheering (or jeering) me on, I think I might manifest my destiny of babe-dom.
Not only do I think that Lisa is a good, fun, upbeat writer, I can relate to her objectives, and I believe in the power of going public. After all, 2153 days ago, I started publicly counting my days without smoking, and that seems to be going well. So go read, enjoy, and cheer, please.]]> http://www.golding.ca/maggie/2010/01/how_making_a_spectacle_of_your.html http://www.golding.ca/maggie/2010/01/how_making_a_spectacle_of_your.html Tue, 05 Jan 2010 11:26:38 -0500 Just don't cast Redford in the title role not yours. Put that down and move along." And he did... my friend promptly dubbed me "Reasons with Squirrels" (a la 'Dances with Wolves'). Now I may have to trade that title in for 'Cat Whisperer.' About a month ago, the Domestic Goddess rescued three kittens and their mother from under her neighbour's porch, and brought them to the Animal Health department at the college where we both work. The Animal Health people cleaned up the kittens and spayed the mother, then DG took the kittens to her mother's apartment as a temporary home. The mother, according to the Animal Health experts, was feral and the best thing to do was to release her back into her territory, i.e., the neighbour's porch, since she'd never be tame enough to adapt to living as a pet. I offered to take her home and house her in our downstairs bathroom for a couple of days while she recuperated from the surgery. So, hissing and spitting and yowling, she spent the first night in our bathroom. The next day, I found her curled up in the sink, and although she hissed at me, she didn't make any aggressive moves. I fed her, and left her alone. Two days later there was still some hissing, but there was also this: calypso.jpg Perhaps not so feral, after all? Within days, I was leaving the bathroom door open and she was rubbing against my legs when I arrived with food. The next step was to open the laundry room door so she'd have access to the whole basement - and she quickly discovered the cat-friendly access to the large storage closet, and took up residence on one of our suitcases. She's been here almost a month now, and we've gone from hissing and growling to purring and kneading. She's keenly aware that there's another cat in the house (although Heidi is either completely oblivious or completely secure in her position as Number One cat), so she's been very cautious about exploring upstairs, but I think it's safe to say that it's only a matter of time before she's sitting on Colin's homework and demanding water from Dr. T at 3 a.m. Her name is Mehitabel. 2009-12-10%2014.30.26.jpg]]> http://www.golding.ca/maggie/2010/01/just_dont_cast_redford_in_the.html http://www.golding.ca/maggie/2010/01/just_dont_cast_redford_in_the.html Family Matters Mon, 04 Jan 2010 10:05:22 -0500 Twenty years ago, I was in a very different place. Geographically, I wasn't very far from where I am now, but personally, I was light years from here. My students now weren't even born. Twenty years ago, I didn't know I was a teacher. I didn't know I was a mother. I didn't know I was a wife. Twenty years ago, I was just starting to rebuild a relationship with my mother, after a turbulent adolescence. Twenty years ago, I was a student, exploring the world and all it had to offer, if I would just take it. On December 6, 1989, a very disturbed man walked into the Ecole polytechnique and destroyed 14 lives. Those 14 young women, whose only transgression was being intelligent and female, never had the chance to discover the world or themselves. They didn't know. They didn't know what the future held - how many babies never happened? How many innovations were never conceived? How many rifts were never mended? They didn't know that being a woman was a crime punishable by death. They say that time heals all wounds, but I think that what really happens is that time smooths the jagged edges, so it's not quite so painful. The pain is what teaches us - we might not remember, really, just how painful it was to stick our hand on the burner, or to put our tongue on the cold signpost, or to stub our toe against the coffee table, but we learn. We learn to put on the oven mitt, or keep our tongues away from cold metal, or to walk around the table. Time will not, and should not, heal the wounds of December 6 1989. I hope we're still learning from that day. 20px-Purple_ribbon.svg.png Geneviève Bergeron 20px-Purple_ribbon.svg.pngHélène Colgan 20px-Purple_ribbon.svg.pngNathalie Croteau 20px-Purple_ribbon.svg.pngBarbara Daigneault 20px-Purple_ribbon.svg.pngAnne-Marie Edward 20px-Purple_ribbon.svg.pngMaud Haviernick 20px-Purple_ribbon.svg.pngMaryse Laganière 20px-Purple_ribbon.svg.pngMaryse Leclair 20px-Purple_ribbon.svg.pngAnne-Marie Lemay 20px-Purple_ribbon.svg.pngSonia Pelletier 20px-Purple_ribbon.svg.pngMichèle Richard 20px-Purple_ribbon.svg.pngAnnie St-Arneault 20px-Purple_ribbon.svg.pngAnnie Turcotte 20px-Purple_ribbon.svg.pngBarbara Klucznik-Widajewicz]]> http://www.golding.ca/maggie/2009/12/_twenty_years_ago_i.html http://www.golding.ca/maggie/2009/12/_twenty_years_ago_i.html Sat, 05 Dec 2009 21:20:15 -0500 One flu over the cuckoo's nest web site it, it must be conceded, very useful and informative). While the government has issued several statements regarding the relative mildness of this strain of flu, they have responded to the initial global panic, which started in late spring (remember? That was when anyone who had been to Mexico for Spring Break was shunned and people started wearing face masks on planes), by rushing to release the H1N1 vaccine in vast quantities. This is where the story becomes the stuff of disaster movies. The release of the vaccine is a complete fiasco. Initially, the public was told that there was a strict priority list - but then any public official who spoke on the subject assured us that no one would be turned away from a vaccination centre, even if they were not pregnant, chronically ill, or otherwise immuno-compromised. As a result, everyone showed up on Day One, those who should have been top priority were turned away, on-hand supplies of the vaccine were depleted in record time, and people kept tripping over the headless chickens. So now the public officials are saying that the priority list is being strictly enforced, so anyone who's not 'high risk' should stay away from the vaccination centres. The problem, however, is with the vaccination centres themselves. Whose bright idea was this anyway? Here's what should be done: the vaccine should be given to all school children in school, the way the Hepatitis and Gardasil shots are distributed. Boom - all the school age kids whose parents want their kids vaccinated are done. The same could be done at all Cegeps and universities - at least once every semester, the same campuses host Hema-Quebec (the provincial equivalent of the Red Cross) for the blood drive, so surely an on-campus vaccination centre is feasible. In the same vein (ha ha), vaccination centres could be set up on-site at any business with, say, more than 500 employees. On-site centres, like the blood drive model, could be set up quickly, run for one day, and the be dismantled and sent on to the next site. We could hire nursing and med students (and give them a chance to practice with needles and crowd control) to staff the travelling centres. If we set up this kind of distribution plan, we would have a significant segment of the population vaccinated within two weeks, rather than two months. The remaining members of the population could easily be vaccinated at smaller, local centres, like our several CLSC walk-in clinics. I have two kids - one of them is high-risk, because he has asthma and a number of allergies. The other one is home from school for the second day because he has the flu! There is no way that I am going to venture into the three-ring vaccination circus at this point. My younger son will either get the flu from his brother, or not. At the first sign of respiratory distress, I'll bring him to the emergency room. It seems to me that the overcrowded ER, and the long wait we'll no doubt have to endure, will be a walk in the park compared to the vaccination centres - not to mention that despite his "high-risk" designation, my son is not eligible for the vaccination for another ten days. Too bad he's not a hockey player in Calgary. The fact is - as the media, to their credit, have been trying to tell us - H1N1 is a flu, and like most strains, is mostly harmless. Yes, there have been deaths, but there have been far fewer than with more common strains of the flu - yet the vaccination panic makes it seem like H1N1 is the Black Death revisited. At the same time, I've heard otherwise-rational colleagues warning people not to get the vaccine because it's full of mercury (it's not) or it's untested (it has been tested). Bottom line? Get informed, and don't give in to panic. If you think you might have the flu, don't rush to the ER - start here. Don't think I am not taking the H1N1 issue seriously - I am. It's in my home, and my son is very much on my mind. We are being vigilant. We're just also trying to be rational. Be healthy, in body and mind. ]]> http://www.golding.ca/maggie/2009/11/one_flu_over_the_cuckoos_nest.html http://www.golding.ca/maggie/2009/11/one_flu_over_the_cuckoos_nest.html Rants Wed, 04 Nov 2009 08:26:30 -0500 Bite-sized brain bits* Further evidence of the suckage of Dell Following my traumatic relationship with the sexy Dell laptop (I fell for its looks, but like most gorgeous creatures, it was fickle, unreliable, and ultimately a failure in the hard-drive area), I naturally 'unsubscribed' from the usual barrage of software update notifications, promotions, reminders, etc., etc. I have now unsubscribed three times. Unsuccessfully. So on a weekly basis, at least, I get happy fuzzy e-mails from Dell. Ok, I know that e-mail is relatively innocuous, but my Dell experience was bad (for "bad" read "unf&^%kingbelievably frustrating and stressful). I don't want to hear from Dell. Stop calling me, dude. It's over. 2. I can still see clearly now, although some details are apparently fuzzy Four months, exactly, after my laser eye correction and I am still reveling in being able to see without glasses or contacts. I was so pleased with my experience that I wrote the clinic and gushed a little. As a reward, they made me a patient mentor (as in a mentor to patients, not a mentor with patience). Ok, I'm fine with this idea, happy to talk to pre-surgery candidates about my experience, yada yada yada. Except they keep referring patients to me whose prescription and other details the clinic claims are like mine - and so far they are over 50 and wear bifocals. 3. I caved I made the mistake of going to the welcome back to school corn roast and annual general meeting at (what is now only) Robert's school - the school where I have been chairperson of the Governing Board for the past year, a position I was determined to give up. Well, the real mistake was going to the meeting alone, without backup. Naturally, the principal cornered me, sweet-talked me, fed me roasted corn... I was helpless. So I'm back for another two years, albeit with promises to accommodate my schedule and stress levels. We'll see. Stupid corn. *the zombie snack of choice]]> http://www.golding.ca/maggie/2009/09/bitesized_brain_bits.html http://www.golding.ca/maggie/2009/09/bitesized_brain_bits.html No Particular Place to Go Fri, 18 Sep 2009 14:36:32 -0500 Go forth and multiply A friend recently contacted me, and a few other friends who are also parents, and asked for our input - she has a friend who has a one-year-old child, and who is struggling with the decision to have another, or not, and when. After I sent in my two-cents, it occurred to me that I could share this fiddling small change with the rest of you. I realize none of you actually asked, but until you DO start suggesting topics*, this is what happens. So, here's what I sent to my friend - and I'll forward any insight from the comments, should any be forthcoming: I have two boys, 25 months apart, and although sometimes we sit back and wonder what the heck we were thinking, the benefits outweigh the hard work. I am the oldest in our family, and my sister came along when I was seven - my brother another six years after that. So when I left home for college, my mother still had a pre-schooler! From our perspective as kids, we felt like we didn't really know each other. My sister and I are friends now, but that took some doing as adults. My brother is practically a stranger. From our parents' perspective, it must have seemed like an endless cycle - just when you finally get one through toddlerhood/childhood/adolescence, here comes another one, and another after that. When Dr. T and I decided to have kids, we specifically decided on plural, and I said I wanted them to be close together. We actually aimed for something like "Irish twins" (there was a non-starter conception between the two boys). Sometimes our house is non-stop chaos, but there are plenty of reasons I'm glad we ended up with our boys - they are close enough in age that when one has a friend over, the other can join in without it being an "imposition"; they have each other, not just at home but at school and at extra-curricular events; they share games, toys, books, jokes, bedtime, homework routines, and so on... When they were little, it was hard work sometimes; unlike my parents, though, when we were finished with diapers we were really finished with them. Chicken pox was a one-time occurrence at our house. Now that they're older, they're developing their own interests, but they still spend most of their spare time together, even if it's not always daisy chains and singing ;) Colin started high school this week, so for the first time EVER they are in school at different places, taking different buses at different times - and for the first time I am actually worried about them getting to and from school, because they don't have each other. Of course, my worries are pretty much groundless, but hey, mums gotta worry! So, to summarize - two is good, close is good. (wow, that was waaay shorter than the first part) *which is a neat idea - reader-generated topics! I may regret this, but feel free to send me something to write about. If you ask nicely, I'll even try to avoid ending my sentences with prepositions, 'cause I know they freak some people out.]]> http://www.golding.ca/maggie/2009/09/go_forth_and_multiply.html http://www.golding.ca/maggie/2009/09/go_forth_and_multiply.html Family Matters Tue, 01 Sep 2009 22:55:07 -0500 Take this job and... this job, and this job, and this job, and... that announcement a couple of weeks ago, I just got tenure, so I'm not going anywhere for a while. I should also amend my original statement, in the sense that I didn't actually "quit" anything: Job #1: Content expert for the development of an on-line/distance education English Literary Genres course I was hired for this almost three years ago, and at the time, was faced with no teaching for the winter semester, and no real guarantee of full-time teaching in the following semesters. This contract seemed like the perfect stop-gap - it involves taking one of my pre-existing courses, and developing the content, assessments and pedagogy for a self-directed learning package. Since I wasn't teaching in the winter, I'd have plenty of time to write content, create assessments and the accompanying tutor/marker guides, and so on. Ah, the best laid plans... The project director was hired by another institution, so my direct manager was promoted, and a new manager was hired. Naturally, this whole management shift took a while, and all the ongoing projects had to shift their timelines to compensate - so all of a sudden I was being asked for lots of work, but about six months had gone by - and I was teaching full-time, fall and winter. I panicked - but the new project manager was very understanding, and we compromised by hiring a co-author. This was great, particularly since the person we hired was a spectacularly competent friend I know from Vanier, and she was looking for work she could do from home so that she could justify extending her time at home with her son, beyond her mat leave. For the winter semester, this worked fairly well - but I still found myself checking the caller ID on my phone, nervous that it was the project manager calling to remind me of deadlines or outstanding course elements; I got nervous when I checked my email for the same reason. I spent a lot of my summer "vacation" working and worrying about the project - in fact, I spend a significant number of hours on one section of the final chapter, only to be told that none of the material was necessary, since it had been covered elsewhere by my co-author. Suffice it to say that my stop-gap had turned into a big ball of stress. So yesterday I called my co-author and asked her how she'd feel about taking on all of the remaining work, with the remaining money, obviously. Turns out she was thrilled to have a bit more work while she's still at home with her son. I called the project manager, and while I suspect she was not entirely surprised, she was very understanding, and tada, it's done. I'm still involved in the sense that I will be available as a consultant while my co-author works on the remaining material, and that I'll review the entire course when it's, well, entire, so in that sense, I did not "quit." But I quit! Job #2: Chairman of the Board Two years ago, I was encouraged to become a member of the Governing Board for my sons' elementary school. I accepted the nomination, and was elected (to a two-year term as a parent representative) by the parents on hand at the first school gathering of the year. Now, as a former high school outcast, being elected to anything at school is, like, wow. You like me! Initially, this added commitment meant an evening meeting once every month, which wasn't too arduous, even if it did mean limiting myself to one glass of wine with supper, instead of getting roaring drunk, like the rest of the week. But then last fall, our chairperson was not re-elected, much to everyone's surprise, given that she'd been chair for years. Another parent nominated me as chair, and I accepted that nomination too (I know, I bring it all on myself really. I can't say "no." That's how I ended up with the two sons in the first place). I was acclaimed (which is really cool, except that no one else wanted it, so, well...) Again, this wasn't a particularly arduous position - a little more prep time before the monthly meeting, but that was spent with the principal, who is an awesome lady, and whose educational/global philosophy is just like mine, but more articulate. But then, at the beginning of 2009, the school board announced a Major School Change consultation. Anytime you've heard some lunatic ranting on CBC/NPR about the school board and the government threatening to close schools, change programs, move students, etc., that's Major School Change. As the Governing Board, we have to attend meetings with the school board, meet with other schools' GBs, draft proposals, consult our fellow parents, and so on. Ack! This was, quite literally, not what I signed on for. Now, as it happens, my two-year term as a parent rep is up, and I would have to be re-elected to continue on the GB. So I sent the principal an email and said, as nicely as I could, that I was not going to accept the nomination this time. So, technically, I did not quit, I just didn't seek re-election. But I quit! Jobs #3, 4, 5 and 6: the ones I didn't quit ~ I'm still teaching full time, and loving it - three courses, 120 students... but I'll write more about that some other time. ~ I'm getting ready to present my proposal for my M.Ed. research. I'll be gathering data this fall, and writing my thesis next winter. ~ I'm also preparing and heading a project for our Liberal Arts program, with the aim of creating a more interdisciplinary and coherent program. ~ Despite all my other commitments, my family hasn't kicked me out, so there's the whole wife and mother thing. So, yes, I am a free(er) woman. Maybe I'll even have time to blog :) ]]> http://www.golding.ca/maggie/2009/08/take_this_job_and_this_job_and.html http://www.golding.ca/maggie/2009/08/take_this_job_and_this_job_and.html The Learning Curve Wed, 26 Aug 2009 16:47:55 -0500 The light at the end of the tunnel is an oncoming train The magnolias were almost finished, but this lovely flower was waiting for me. Over the next few weeks, things will still be nuts, but I'm hoping that as a few of my various projects wind up that I will have more time and energy to think about my blog. I miss it :) In the meantime, please do check out the photos, over on my flickr page.]]> http://www.golding.ca/maggie/2009/08/the_light_at_the_end_of_the_tu.html http://www.golding.ca/maggie/2009/08/the_light_at_the_end_of_the_tu.html Sun, 16 Aug 2009 20:36:39 -0500 Why I have been too distracted to blog ...also, there is a lot of wine here. Also, bread, cheese, more bread... but the wine is the real obstacle. Blitzed blogging is perhaps not the best idea. Paris, I [heart] you.]]> http://www.golding.ca/maggie/2009/07/why_i_have_been_too_distracted.html http://www.golding.ca/maggie/2009/07/why_i_have_been_too_distracted.html Travel Tue, 28 Jul 2009 18:06:14 -0500 What I did on my summer vacation [week 1] Granted, being here has made me appreciate having kids who are no longer infants or toddlers, not to mention having my own bed, in my own bedroom, but the bottom line is that I lucked out in the in-law department. My sister-in-law is someone with whom I have a great connection - not surprising, really, given that her brother is Dr. T and her mother is TWGMIL (tm), but wonderful, nonetheless. I had a longer post planned, and partly written, but I goofed and inadvertently shut down the computer, after which there was supper, and dessert, and wine, and tea, and, and, and... so I'm posting mainly for the benefit of Dana ;) But there will be more, certainly - in fact, Colin now has his own camera, so there are two of us recording it all for posterity. *There are loads more photos from our first week on my flickr page. ]]> http://www.golding.ca/maggie/2009/07/what_i_did_on_my_summer_vacati_1.html http://www.golding.ca/maggie/2009/07/what_i_did_on_my_summer_vacati_1.html Family Matters Travel Wed, 15 Jul 2009 18:27:11 -0500 Pret a (ap)porter now. This situation is newly exacerbated by Colin, who has been asking, every day for at least two weeks, "should we start packing today?" Further complicating matters is the fact that the UK is apparently experiencing some weird heat wave, which is anomalous with the past three summers we've spent there, which have been cold and frequently damp. Obviously, I have to pack for the hot, dry weather that seems to be happening, but based on previous experience, I also have to pack for cold, damp weather. In past years, I have tried to be minimalist in my packing, with the strategy that a quick trip to one of the myriad charity shops will fully supplement my wardrobe for the duration of my stay, at the end of which everything can be regifted to the very same shop. This is, of course, a brilliant plan, but in actual execution has proved to be seriously flawed, primarily because the selection of clothing at the charity shops is, naturally, limited and frequently amusing/terrifying. So the result of the carefully-laid plan is that I end up spending a month in the same pair of jeans and increasingly tattered t-shirt, insisting that we go shopping again, like some kind of deranged treasure hunter who believes that this next expedition will be the lucky one. So this year, in an effort to appear slightly less shopping-mad, I am trying to pack as if there are no charity shops, or Marks & Spencer, or Clarks, or BHS, or woolen mills, and so on, so that our visit can be about reconnecting with family and celebrating the arrival of Layla, the newest member of the family, rather than about me channeling Becky Bloomwood. One might think that since there are three of us travelling, and we're each entitled to two checked bags, that the obvious solution is to get six suitcases and cram them full of everything we own; however, once packed, the six suitcases would then have to be transported to the airport in one car, then retrieved by one adult at the baggage carousel at Heathrow, manipulated onto a coach, and then stuffed into an even smaller car for the final leg of the journey - not to mention the inconvenience of having six suitcases in active use in a relatively small house for four weeks. Mind you, my in-laws are relatively laid back, and if the weather really is hot and dry, maybe the solution is clear - I have to convince them of the benefits of life au naturel. Then all I'd need to pack is sunscreen :) ]]> http://www.golding.ca/maggie/2009/07/pret_a_apporter.html http://www.golding.ca/maggie/2009/07/pret_a_apporter.html Family Matters Sun, 05 Jul 2009 09:54:26 -0500 They even got the elephants... not mean 'pinball machine' was involved. Well, I could not have chosen better party planners. Last night, we started with an Ethiopian feast with a group of my nearest and dearest, where we enjoyed great food and I was lavished with prezzies; the meal was topped off with two beautiful and scrumptious cakes - one peaches and cream, and the second spicy chocolate. Then we walked over to the Hotel de la Montagne, where we found my family and more wonderful friends waiting (with yet more prezzies). We drank and chatted and danced, and at 10 o'clock we made our way to the rooftop terrace to watch the fireworks (technically coincidental, but a nice touch, nonetheless). The party went on til we closed the bar, after which Dr. T brought me upstairs to our room (!), furnished with my baby laptop, our wave radio, my clothes for the morning after, and a vase of calla lilies. And the leftover spicy chocolate cake. I don't know what I did, in this life or any previous ones, to deserve such fantastic people in my life. Highlights of the evening: - Partying with Kuan Yin and Alison, both of whom travelled great distances to share the evening with me (not to mention sharing a lot of wine with me the night before). - Laughing at my dad, who was essentially mugged by each of my girlfriends in turn when he told them "no kissing" - probably knowing full well that would be taken as a challenge... - Trying to keep up with my mum, about whom several of my men friends asked questions such as "really? That's your mother?" and "so, if I were to talk to her, are there any special interests or hobbies I should mention?" - Hanging out and dancing with my sister, who stayed to help me close the bar and did her best to make sure that I had enough to drink. - Seeing my Vanier crew, who turned out in great numbers - I don't have a job, I have an extended family. - Posing for Irene, the self-appointed event photographer! - Turning around every five minutes to see yet another familiar, happy face... just when I was thinking everyone had arrived, someone else would turn up. - Hitting the dance floor, where a twenty-something girl eyed me up and down and said "Oh thank God - another young person!" In short, I had a wonderful time, and will spend much of the next forty years trying to express my thanks to the A-team (i.e., Aurora and Andrew).]]> http://www.golding.ca/maggie/2009/06/they_even_got_the_elephants.html http://www.golding.ca/maggie/2009/06/they_even_got_the_elephants.html Sun, 21 Jun 2009 10:16:17 -0500 It's not you, it's me will post again. Soon. Like tomorrow." Then what happens? Apparently I black out for about a month. Well, no, of course not. Life, as always, happens, and at the most inopportune moments. Let's take a look at this week, for instance: Sunday: spent the afternoon at Laronde with all my boys. Monday: did a few hours of work on the Cegep a distance project, punctuated wonderfully by lunch with Aurora, and spent some time revising my course package for next fall's Liberal Arts course. Tuesday morning: biked to NDG to help Dina move - between the two of us, we moved her queen-size bed & boxspring, not to mention three dressers, two tables, a recliner and, if I remember correctly, a grand piano. Might have been a panda. Something black and white. Tuesday evening: ate v.g.* Chinese food with Aurora, followed by the Vanier grad - as the Liberal Arts rep, I was part of the platform party, which involves sitting under hot stage lights for a gazillion hours while several people talk about school pride and achievements, standing up to hand DECs to the three Liberal Arts graduates who attended the ceremony, and sitting down again. On stage. Which means hundreds of people will see if you yawn, scratch, slouch, etc. Wednesday: yet more Cegep a distance stuff, then popped into Vanier to drop off the revised course pack and take care of a few other odds and ends, then had lunch with Aurora (is there a pattern here?), then dashed home to tidy for incoming visitors, then drove off to the boys' school to collect them, since Colin was away at camp (!) and got back to the school long after the buses left. Got them home, shoved Colin into a much-needed shower, made supper and did another round of tidying in time for the aforementioned visitors. Thursday: leaped out of bed stupid early and rush off to the plane station to collect Alison and my godson, who are in town to help me celebrate the big day, had breakfast with same + Cam & Paula & Alex, dropped Alison off at her brother's place, rushed home, put another five hours into the Cegep a distance project, then grabbed my kids and headed off to the school BBQ. Lovely, rainy, damp weather... but excellent turnout, nonetheless, so all's well, etc. It's only Thursday? Anyway, none of this is really all that time-consuming, but then there's Facebook and Google chat, not to mention eBay, where I am relisting my Nikon camera for the third time because the guy who "bought" it last week has lost his job and therefore his desire for a camera. So once again, I am reduced to posting a lengthy post about why I don't post very often anymore... but this time it will be different. I will post again. Soon. Like tomorrow. *all the Cegep a distance stuff this week has been analysis of Bridget Jones' Diary. Find self frequently abbreviating, not to mention v. worried about calories consumed. Am texting like 14-yr-old girl. ]]> http://www.golding.ca/maggie/2009/06/its_not_you_its_me.html http://www.golding.ca/maggie/2009/06/its_not_you_its_me.html Thu, 18 Jun 2009 21:21:07 -0500 I can see clearly now LASIK MD (I might as well give them the endorsement). They put my eyes through a series of tests, including one that looked like it was inspired by Dr. Evil's time machine (and when I mentioned this the clinician squealed and thanked me, because no one else ever knows what she's blathering about if she mentions it). The end result was that I was an "ideal" candidate for LASIK (it's the name of the procedure as well as the company). So yesterday morning, I went in for my final pre-op check, got the all clear (again, NPI) and had my zyoptix LASIK surgery at the hands of the lovely and talented Dr. Dagher (unlike Kit Marlowe, this was a welcome Dagher in the eye). This morning, I went for my one-day post-op check-up and hyphen extravaganza- right now I have 20/20 vision and it can only get better as my eyes continue to heal. My only regret is that I didn't do this ten years and several pairs of glasses and contacts ago. The procedure itself took about two minutes. I was concerned that I'd freak out watching a laser beam headed for my eye, but in fact it looks a lot like those red dots you have to stare at when you're getting your eyes tested. It didn't hurt, or sting or anything. There was some noise, but as someone who hates the dentist cacaphony, this was nothing. I dozed for most yesterday afternoon, listening to a book I had pre-loaded onto my MP3 player (no books or computers for 24 hours). Heidi thought it was the best day ever, and is a little disappointed to discover today that I haven't been converted to the cat way of life. I administered three different kinds of eye drops every couple of hours - that continues, every 5-6 hours now, for the rest of this week, then I'm free to ditch the meds and just continue with artificial tears as needed. So far, my eyes are still great. I was worried that I'd feel like I had a pair of old contacts or bad allergies, since those are apparently frequently reported aftereffects, but my eyes feel fine. I suspect I am one of the 'results may vary' cases - no itching, no blurriness, no redness - and I can see perfectly. There were two other women at the clinic this morning who had their surgeries yesterday as well, and the one that I spoke to said her vision was still pretty blurry and she was very teary, which I think is probably the more common post-op status. Anyway, bottom line is that I am 100% satisfied with LASIK MD, and if you too have wondered about it, I hope my story helps. Feel free to ask questions! I also found the LASIK MD website really useful, and comprehensive, so if you have technical questions, you can try there, too.]]> http://www.golding.ca/maggie/2009/05/i_can_see_clearly_now.html http://www.golding.ca/maggie/2009/05/i_can_see_clearly_now.html Tue, 19 May 2009 13:57:11 -0500