It seems like we've made several Aquarium related trip over the past two weeks and it may be getting out of hand.
Darrell went in on a Bulk Skimmer order with a bunch of people from the Atlantic Region Reefers Forum (yes that's right there's a forum for just Atlantic Canada..inf act there's three) and we were up last Thursday to pick up the new skimmer in Moncton. While up there, of course we had to drop into Noble Aquariums to see if he had anything new and exciting. Terry told us we should've waited until Sunday when he gets his new salt water order, and told us what was coming in the order. There were actually three fish in it that we wanted, and to simplify matters, his orders come in via AirCanada to the Saint John Airport, so we arranged to meet him there on Sunday. That's right, you didn't misread that, we arranged to meet the plane at the airport to get some fish. PLane came in at 4:30 and Terry drove down from Moncton to meet it. I met him at the airport and we both discovered that the shipment was bumped to a later flight. Terry came back to our place to wait it out, and checked out our system. He liked it. The flight wasn't coming in until 11pm, so I said, "If you don't want to wait around here for 6 hours, you could always go back to Moncton and we could pick the order up and meet you in Sussex."
So sunday at 11:30pm we find ourselves driving to Sussex with five big boxes of fish in the car, only to discover once we get there, that his supplier only sent out the fresh water fish he ordered and his salt water stuff was nowhere to be found. Very disapointing. Made even more disapointing by the fact that there was a group order being done that I got in on and could've ordered the fish I wanted, but didn't because I thought they were coming in Terry's order.
It doesn't end there. The group order that was going on in the forum was being delivered on Tuesday, and I had ordered an urchin, 2 cleaner shrimp, and a clown goby. That order flew into Moncton at 11pm, and we had arranged with a friend in Sussex who was also involved in the order to have him pick everything up and meet at his place, so once again we're on the road to Sussex except this time it's nearly midnight when we leave. We meet Ray only to discover that one of the shrimp and the goby were both DOA, so again we were quite disapointed. On the bright side, the skimmer works awsome, and I took Wednesday off and finally managed to get the last of the cabinet doors glued together. Someday I'm going to finish this project.
On a completely unrelated topic, I was feeling homesick and thinking of trying to plan a trip out west for a visit in July, but it just isn't going to happen, because it's too damn complicated and expensive. The my Mom came to recue and bailed me out of a jam, by cashing in some airmiles for a ticket to Calgary for the week of the May long weekend (my birthday). That means I will be able to go out and see her and my sister and some friends next month, then save some money for a BC trip this time next year, for my 20 year highschool reunion. (okay before someone from the family points it out or says it outloud to themselves... yes I didn't technically graduate with my graduating class... but I did spend 13 years {if you count kindergarten} in school with them, so I plan to go). Traveling out west for a visit is a bit of a logistical nightmare for me, because I have so many places to visit and I have neither the money nor time to visit them all, and then I feel bad. Going home is not supposed to make you feel bad or guilty, so I end up putting it off, and then I feel bad about that...so it's a no win thing. Mom saved me the guilt though. I visit Alberta this year, and BC next year, unless someone in Williams Lake wants to cash in some airmiles in the Summer....hehe
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Friday, April 18, 2008
Blog Neglect
I been neglecting my blog lately. Mostly because there's nothing to talk about. I'm about as boring as watching paint dry.
Busy busy busy at work. Busy busy busy at home. Trying hard to finish up the last couple doors on the cabinet, but I keep geting distracted from the job. We're so busy during the week that the only time left to do any woodworking is on the weekend, but we get up, grab a coffee in the morning and sit down to watch the aquarium for awhile, and the next thing we know the day's over. Honestly... we barely even turn the tv on anymore.
We were up in Moncton last night to pick up a new skimmer that Darrell ordered in a big bulk order with a bunch of other people. We met Marc and Carol for the first time and saw their varios tanks. They have a tonne of knowledge and are only to happy to share it. We got so engrossed incoversation it was after ten by the time we left to come home. We didn't home until around midnight, so I'm pretty bushed today. This evening we have a booth set up at the Quispam Civic center for the school. Fingers crossed things go really well and we get some new students. I need one more person for my adult painting class on Thursdays if anyone is interested. More than one would be a major bonus.
Busy busy busy at work. Busy busy busy at home. Trying hard to finish up the last couple doors on the cabinet, but I keep geting distracted from the job. We're so busy during the week that the only time left to do any woodworking is on the weekend, but we get up, grab a coffee in the morning and sit down to watch the aquarium for awhile, and the next thing we know the day's over. Honestly... we barely even turn the tv on anymore.
We were up in Moncton last night to pick up a new skimmer that Darrell ordered in a big bulk order with a bunch of other people. We met Marc and Carol for the first time and saw their varios tanks. They have a tonne of knowledge and are only to happy to share it. We got so engrossed incoversation it was after ten by the time we left to come home. We didn't home until around midnight, so I'm pretty bushed today. This evening we have a booth set up at the Quispam Civic center for the school. Fingers crossed things go really well and we get some new students. I need one more person for my adult painting class on Thursdays if anyone is interested. More than one would be a major bonus.
Friday, April 04, 2008
Friday Feast Arpil 4, 2008
Friday Feast
Appetizer
Invent a new flower; give it a name and describe it.
Calandria - Nuclear red (whatever that colour may be since I just invented it as well) & Neon Green... glows in the dark
Soup
Name someone whom you think has a wonderful voice.
Kelly Myers
Salad
On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being highest, how clean do you keep your car?
1, Because I take the dogs with me, pretty much everywhere I go, and I'm too lazy to keep it clean.
Main Course
How do you feel about poetry?
Depends onthe poetry...technically every song is a poem set to music, so I guess I love poetry.
Dessert
What was the last person/place/thing you took a picture of?
I'm not sure off the top of my head, but It's a pretty safe bet to guess the Aquarium.
Appetizer
Invent a new flower; give it a name and describe it.
Calandria - Nuclear red (whatever that colour may be since I just invented it as well) & Neon Green... glows in the dark
Soup
Name someone whom you think has a wonderful voice.
Kelly Myers
Salad
On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being highest, how clean do you keep your car?
1, Because I take the dogs with me, pretty much everywhere I go, and I'm too lazy to keep it clean.
Main Course
How do you feel about poetry?
Depends onthe poetry...technically every song is a poem set to music, so I guess I love poetry.
Dessert
What was the last person/place/thing you took a picture of?
I'm not sure off the top of my head, but It's a pretty safe bet to guess the Aquarium.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Very Productive Weekend
Another weekend come and gone, but I got some stuff finished that has been on my list of things to do. Having a week filled up with theatre doesn't help you get much done at home.
I finally got the end doors for my cabinet finished. Well, sanded and installed, I still have to take them off and Urithane them. I have the center doors to do next and then the cabinet is fini!! WE got some new fish (but I think I've mentioned that already)and Darrell popped up to Sussex and got some coral frags from a guy we know up there. We also got a new beer fridge for downstairs. Greg Hemmings gave it to us, and it's an actual beer fridge like you would get from a bar, with the glass door, proper shelves, and light at the top. We should have lots of fun stocking and RESTOCKING it...hehehe.
We did our part for Earth Hour on Saturday. Darrell napped (which saved considerable energy hehehe) and I went downstairs to watch the fish and practice my guitar. It was extremely relaxing and I think I may have to incorporate it as a regular part of my routine.
I finally got the end doors for my cabinet finished. Well, sanded and installed, I still have to take them off and Urithane them. I have the center doors to do next and then the cabinet is fini!! WE got some new fish (but I think I've mentioned that already)and Darrell popped up to Sussex and got some coral frags from a guy we know up there. We also got a new beer fridge for downstairs. Greg Hemmings gave it to us, and it's an actual beer fridge like you would get from a bar, with the glass door, proper shelves, and light at the top. We should have lots of fun stocking and RESTOCKING it...hehehe.
We did our part for Earth Hour on Saturday. Darrell napped (which saved considerable energy hehehe) and I went downstairs to watch the fish and practice my guitar. It was extremely relaxing and I think I may have to incorporate it as a regular part of my routine.
Friday, March 28, 2008
Long long week
This has felt like a really really long week. The constant snowing doesn't help it go any faster either. I'd bitch about it, but Mother Nature doesn't have a complaints department. My internal clock is allout of whack out on this side of the Country. My body tells me that the end of March is spring, and this snow is really starting to wear on me, and make me depressed.
But if you want to talk about depressing.... I spent the last two days at Rogers in the controlroom, running the feed for the Tom Young Show. There's six hour of my life I'll never get back. It was a lot like being back in radio, and I remember quite well now, why I quit radio. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't that bad, it was just brainless button pushing. It would be nice, if someone would tell the men in the world, Canada especially, that Sports are not news. It is called the Afternoon New with Tom Young, not the entertainment file, or sports world, so it baffles me why he yapps on and on about baseball and hockey. Half an hour on the phone yesterday about baseball, and an entire hour today about the Toronto maple Leafs. Why I find the saddest part of it all is the Maple leafs discussion was actually sandwiched between interesting and evokative topics that deserved to be discussed. He had a guy on who wrote an article for report on Business, about Bottled water, and another guy talking about the use of water in the Alterta Oil sands operations. Two guests who could very easily have filled an hour with some phone in questions... but no. They did their half hour each one on one with him, and then it was on to the great "Distractor" Hockey. really that's what it is too, the Great Distractor, because if the intelligent, analitical people, I heard calling in talking about strategy, and trades like they actually meant something in the grand scheme of things, actually started consentrating on, and analizing things that matter; like how to improve their community, Province, Country... then the corporations and politicians wouldn't be getting away with half the crap they are getting away with. People would actually take a little action. Unfortunately we're all distracted by useless crap, like hockey, Canadian idol, facebook, etc etc etc.
I'm not sayig Hockey isn't a great time waster for those that enjoy wasting their time, but it isn't news. It is entertainment pure and simple, and doesn't deserve an hour on a "NEWS" show. If that's what passes for news, how about an hour about the Fiasco with the three directors of the Stratford Festival, or an hour about how Madonna has managed to maintain a career spanning Nearly three decades, and at 50 years old, somehow manages to remain relevant in a youth driven industry?
Okay, Now I have that off my chest, before I end my bitching and ranting let me add that Waterloo Street has a very bad traffic problem inthe form of a Tim Hortons Drivethrough. The city needs to force them to do something about it or shut it down.
Done ranting. Looking forward to a relaxing weekend at home, where I can finally get back to working on the finishing touches for my cabinet downstairs. I got the doors built, but haven't had a free moment to sand them or finish them, so fingers crossed they can be done this weekend so we can finally put a period on that portion of our reno and start the next phase.
But if you want to talk about depressing.... I spent the last two days at Rogers in the controlroom, running the feed for the Tom Young Show. There's six hour of my life I'll never get back. It was a lot like being back in radio, and I remember quite well now, why I quit radio. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't that bad, it was just brainless button pushing. It would be nice, if someone would tell the men in the world, Canada especially, that Sports are not news. It is called the Afternoon New with Tom Young, not the entertainment file, or sports world, so it baffles me why he yapps on and on about baseball and hockey. Half an hour on the phone yesterday about baseball, and an entire hour today about the Toronto maple Leafs. Why I find the saddest part of it all is the Maple leafs discussion was actually sandwiched between interesting and evokative topics that deserved to be discussed. He had a guy on who wrote an article for report on Business, about Bottled water, and another guy talking about the use of water in the Alterta Oil sands operations. Two guests who could very easily have filled an hour with some phone in questions... but no. They did their half hour each one on one with him, and then it was on to the great "Distractor" Hockey. really that's what it is too, the Great Distractor, because if the intelligent, analitical people, I heard calling in talking about strategy, and trades like they actually meant something in the grand scheme of things, actually started consentrating on, and analizing things that matter; like how to improve their community, Province, Country... then the corporations and politicians wouldn't be getting away with half the crap they are getting away with. People would actually take a little action. Unfortunately we're all distracted by useless crap, like hockey, Canadian idol, facebook, etc etc etc.
I'm not sayig Hockey isn't a great time waster for those that enjoy wasting their time, but it isn't news. It is entertainment pure and simple, and doesn't deserve an hour on a "NEWS" show. If that's what passes for news, how about an hour about the Fiasco with the three directors of the Stratford Festival, or an hour about how Madonna has managed to maintain a career spanning Nearly three decades, and at 50 years old, somehow manages to remain relevant in a youth driven industry?
Okay, Now I have that off my chest, before I end my bitching and ranting let me add that Waterloo Street has a very bad traffic problem inthe form of a Tim Hortons Drivethrough. The city needs to force them to do something about it or shut it down.
Done ranting. Looking forward to a relaxing weekend at home, where I can finally get back to working on the finishing touches for my cabinet downstairs. I got the doors built, but haven't had a free moment to sand them or finish them, so fingers crossed they can be done this weekend so we can finally put a period on that portion of our reno and start the next phase.
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Saturday
I don't usually post on a Saturday, but I thought I would share the review of "Tuesdays with Morrie" from the Telegraph Journal Online. I am getting ready to head into town for today's matinee, and tonight's final performance....so if you haven't already seen it, make sure you don't miss out. Plus tonight is going to be the last ever cast party at the SJTC Loft, try and drop by if you can.
I bolded a section...because....How often does the sound guy get a shout out in a review?????
Here's the Review:
Well Taught Life Lessons
SAINT JOHN - There are many life lessons to be found in Tuesdays With Morrie. Actor Bob Doherty, who plays the title character in the Saint John Theatre Company's production of the play, said in an interview earlier this week that the one that resonates most strongly with him is Morrie's advice to forgive everyone everything.
"When you're where I am, it won't matter who is right," Morrie tells Mitch, his former student, from his deathbed.
It's appropriate Doherty chose this aphorism as his favourite of Morrie's many, considering the highly sympathetic performance he gave on opening night, Wednesday at the Imperial Theatre.
As Morrie Schwartz, a 70-something professor stricken with ALS or Lou Gehrig's Disease, Doherty exudes the loving benevolence and peaceful wisdom that so endeared Morrie to readers - and there are tens of millions of them - of Mitch Albom's best-selling memoir.
Doherty's Jewish New York accent is pitch-perfect, his comedic timing spot-on, his quips eliciting plenty of laughs from the audience made up mostly of local students Wednesday night.
It is a sentimental role, to be sure, one that could easily drown in its own bittersweetness, but Doherty nails it.
Unless you've been living in a cave, you likely know at least the broad strokes of Tuesdays With Morrie. First published in 1997, the book tells of the reunion between teacher and student 20 years after Morrie taught Mitch sociology at Brandeis University in Massachusetts. As so often happens, promises to stay in touch after graduation fell to the side as career and adult life intervened. By chance, Mitch rediscovers Morrie when his old professor has just months to live, and begins calling on him every Tuesday. These visits became their final class together. The subject: the meaning of life.
Jeff Smith is well-cast as Mitch in the SJTC production. Cocky, ambitious, work-obsessed, Smith is tasked with a character who is far less sympathetic than Morrie. A successful sports journalist who says things such as "You've got to hustle if you're going to stay on top," he is brisk and sarcastic, impatient with that "touchy-feely" stuff.
In contrast, when we first meet Morrie he is a healthy senior, an old man with lots of life and fun left in him as he gently soft-shoes it across the stage, unabashedly dancing by himself, mixing goofy jazz hands with a solo fox trot.
Doherty does a great job charting Morrie's decline, as the degenerative disease takes away his ability to dance, to walk and, eventually, even to breathe. The momentum is never broken with no intermission in the 90-minute play.
When Morrie receives the prognosis that he has just months to live, he quickly decides to embrace the time he has left, to observe his death and share what he sees.
"I'm not quite alive, not quite dead. I'm in between," he tells Mitch. "I'm going to take that journey into the great beyond. People want to know what they should pack."
One particularly well done scene smartly illustrates Morrie's increasing influence on Mitch and the frantic pace of the young sportscaster's life. Busy reporting at Wimbledon, the sound of a tennis match bouncing around the theatre is joined by a ringing cellphone and Morrie's voice in his head, asking Mitch if he's happy, if he's living life as he should. The tempo grows frantic, the sounds cacophonous, and Mitch reaches his breaking point, shouting out.
The show's simple set - a backdrop of old leafy trees, an old leather recliner toward the front of the stage, a piano to the other side that Mitch plays a few times during the show - doesn't detract from what is essentially a character study that needs no embellishment.
Those of you who read - and loved - Tuesdays With Morrie will likely delight in the sharp dialogue of the stage adaptation and its fidelity to the memoir.
But even if, like Mitch, you don't have much time for that "touchy-feely stuff," the show is still a worthwhile outing if only for the chance to enjoy some great local acting. Who knows? You may even take away a life lesson of your own.
The Saint John Theatre Company's production of Tuesdays With Morrie opened Thursday at Saint John's Imperial Theatre and continues tonight at 8 p.m. and Saturday at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Tickets, $16, $24.50 and $27.50, are available at the Imperial Theatre Box Office or by calling 674-4100.
* Okay so it wasn't a direct mention of me as the sound guy...but it did mention the sound effects in "One Particularly well done scene".....which incidentally is a pretty hard scene to do, and we should have it perfect by Sunday.
I bolded a section...because....How often does the sound guy get a shout out in a review?????
Here's the Review:
Well Taught Life Lessons
SAINT JOHN - There are many life lessons to be found in Tuesdays With Morrie. Actor Bob Doherty, who plays the title character in the Saint John Theatre Company's production of the play, said in an interview earlier this week that the one that resonates most strongly with him is Morrie's advice to forgive everyone everything.
"When you're where I am, it won't matter who is right," Morrie tells Mitch, his former student, from his deathbed.
It's appropriate Doherty chose this aphorism as his favourite of Morrie's many, considering the highly sympathetic performance he gave on opening night, Wednesday at the Imperial Theatre.
As Morrie Schwartz, a 70-something professor stricken with ALS or Lou Gehrig's Disease, Doherty exudes the loving benevolence and peaceful wisdom that so endeared Morrie to readers - and there are tens of millions of them - of Mitch Albom's best-selling memoir.
Doherty's Jewish New York accent is pitch-perfect, his comedic timing spot-on, his quips eliciting plenty of laughs from the audience made up mostly of local students Wednesday night.
It is a sentimental role, to be sure, one that could easily drown in its own bittersweetness, but Doherty nails it.
Unless you've been living in a cave, you likely know at least the broad strokes of Tuesdays With Morrie. First published in 1997, the book tells of the reunion between teacher and student 20 years after Morrie taught Mitch sociology at Brandeis University in Massachusetts. As so often happens, promises to stay in touch after graduation fell to the side as career and adult life intervened. By chance, Mitch rediscovers Morrie when his old professor has just months to live, and begins calling on him every Tuesday. These visits became their final class together. The subject: the meaning of life.
Jeff Smith is well-cast as Mitch in the SJTC production. Cocky, ambitious, work-obsessed, Smith is tasked with a character who is far less sympathetic than Morrie. A successful sports journalist who says things such as "You've got to hustle if you're going to stay on top," he is brisk and sarcastic, impatient with that "touchy-feely" stuff.
In contrast, when we first meet Morrie he is a healthy senior, an old man with lots of life and fun left in him as he gently soft-shoes it across the stage, unabashedly dancing by himself, mixing goofy jazz hands with a solo fox trot.
Doherty does a great job charting Morrie's decline, as the degenerative disease takes away his ability to dance, to walk and, eventually, even to breathe. The momentum is never broken with no intermission in the 90-minute play.
When Morrie receives the prognosis that he has just months to live, he quickly decides to embrace the time he has left, to observe his death and share what he sees.
"I'm not quite alive, not quite dead. I'm in between," he tells Mitch. "I'm going to take that journey into the great beyond. People want to know what they should pack."
One particularly well done scene smartly illustrates Morrie's increasing influence on Mitch and the frantic pace of the young sportscaster's life. Busy reporting at Wimbledon, the sound of a tennis match bouncing around the theatre is joined by a ringing cellphone and Morrie's voice in his head, asking Mitch if he's happy, if he's living life as he should. The tempo grows frantic, the sounds cacophonous, and Mitch reaches his breaking point, shouting out.
The show's simple set - a backdrop of old leafy trees, an old leather recliner toward the front of the stage, a piano to the other side that Mitch plays a few times during the show - doesn't detract from what is essentially a character study that needs no embellishment.
Those of you who read - and loved - Tuesdays With Morrie will likely delight in the sharp dialogue of the stage adaptation and its fidelity to the memoir.
But even if, like Mitch, you don't have much time for that "touchy-feely stuff," the show is still a worthwhile outing if only for the chance to enjoy some great local acting. Who knows? You may even take away a life lesson of your own.
The Saint John Theatre Company's production of Tuesdays With Morrie opened Thursday at Saint John's Imperial Theatre and continues tonight at 8 p.m. and Saturday at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Tickets, $16, $24.50 and $27.50, are available at the Imperial Theatre Box Office or by calling 674-4100.
* Okay so it wasn't a direct mention of me as the sound guy...but it did mention the sound effects in "One Particularly well done scene".....which incidentally is a pretty hard scene to do, and we should have it perfect by Sunday.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Update
Not a lot going on, but lots going on...you know what a mean. Busy, busy, same old, same old.
I'm very nearly finished the doors for my cabinet, and will soon be able to move onto other things. Darrell was in Halifax for the weekend doing a video shoot with Greg and the guys. He brought back a bunch of corals from a guy selling off all his softies, so they are a nice additon to the tank. We have a J&L Fish order arriving on the plane tomorrow, so we'll finally have most of our fish... we are very close to putting a period on this whole project...yay!!
I have the week off from the school, so I can do sound for Tuesdays with Morrie at the Imperial. I still so very unprepared it scares me. Hopefully it will all come together at the cue to cue tonight.
We had a birthday party for Colin at Brian & Helen's yesterday afternoon. We spent the day doing crafts which was a lot of fun. We decorated picture frame with a variety of different fun items, I went completely overboard with sparkly things and feathers...it's very Dame Edna. Then I was off to the Theatre to do some recording with Richard for the show. Today I am still editing all that I recorded and it is 4:15 as I type...so time is ticking.
I saw a few Youtube videos that totally made me pee...they are so funny. I don't watch Jimmy Kimmel so I never saw the first two when they were actually played, and didn't really know the "Backstory" but it's all pretty self explanitory in the videos. The last one is Alanis Morrisette Making fun of Fergie....so bloody funny!!!!
Sarah Silverman & Matt Damon's gift to Jimmy Kimmel
Jimmy's response
Alanis Morrisette "My Humps"
I'm very nearly finished the doors for my cabinet, and will soon be able to move onto other things. Darrell was in Halifax for the weekend doing a video shoot with Greg and the guys. He brought back a bunch of corals from a guy selling off all his softies, so they are a nice additon to the tank. We have a J&L Fish order arriving on the plane tomorrow, so we'll finally have most of our fish... we are very close to putting a period on this whole project...yay!!
I have the week off from the school, so I can do sound for Tuesdays with Morrie at the Imperial. I still so very unprepared it scares me. Hopefully it will all come together at the cue to cue tonight.
We had a birthday party for Colin at Brian & Helen's yesterday afternoon. We spent the day doing crafts which was a lot of fun. We decorated picture frame with a variety of different fun items, I went completely overboard with sparkly things and feathers...it's very Dame Edna. Then I was off to the Theatre to do some recording with Richard for the show. Today I am still editing all that I recorded and it is 4:15 as I type...so time is ticking.
I saw a few Youtube videos that totally made me pee...they are so funny. I don't watch Jimmy Kimmel so I never saw the first two when they were actually played, and didn't really know the "Backstory" but it's all pretty self explanitory in the videos. The last one is Alanis Morrisette Making fun of Fergie....so bloody funny!!!!
Sarah Silverman & Matt Damon's gift to Jimmy Kimmel
Jimmy's response
Alanis Morrisette "My Humps"
Monday, March 10, 2008
Need an 8th Day
I don't seem to have any time to just "be" anymore. We've been slammed at work with projects and it's only going to get busier in the coming months, three nights a week I teach, and then every spare minute I can find I am trying to finish up the build on my cabinet and get the rest of the renos done, not to mention we're about to bring Tuesdays with Morrie into the theatre so I will actually have to start working a lot harder on that than I have been.(since I haven't actually been doing much on it at all to date.)
I had someone drop by on the weekend to see our new aquarium setup and while we were sitting there looking at it, I realized I haven't spent too many minutes sitting down looking at it since getting it all set up, and I thought "What a waste to be working so hard and not actually take a few hours to enjoy the fruits of that labour." I managed to actually take an hour and just sit and watch the fish swim around. It's a very relaxing experience, because it requires quiet and stillness... I found it very theaputic.
It would be so cool if we could occasionally add an 8th day to the week. Nothing regular mind you, or we'd just fill that up too, but something that happens every couple months and you don't know it's coming until the news or the radio tells you it's about to happen. That would be cool.
I had someone drop by on the weekend to see our new aquarium setup and while we were sitting there looking at it, I realized I haven't spent too many minutes sitting down looking at it since getting it all set up, and I thought "What a waste to be working so hard and not actually take a few hours to enjoy the fruits of that labour." I managed to actually take an hour and just sit and watch the fish swim around. It's a very relaxing experience, because it requires quiet and stillness... I found it very theaputic.
It would be so cool if we could occasionally add an 8th day to the week. Nothing regular mind you, or we'd just fill that up too, but something that happens every couple months and you don't know it's coming until the news or the radio tells you it's about to happen. That would be cool.
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
Finished...Mostly.
We are onthe verge of being completely finished our reno/upgrade....well the basement part of it at any rate. I got he canopies finished, and Darrell installed all the lighting, then we spent Saturday slowing moving all the rocks, fish and corals to their new nine foot long, 233 gallon, salt water home.
Behold...Before:
... After:
I don't want to come off like I'm blowing my own horn or anything, but these pictures really don't do the setup justice. It is quite spectacular to in person. I am actually quite shocked at just how grand it all seems, and I've been working on it since July. OMG I've been working on this since July.
I still need to build the doors for the cabinet, and trim out the room. Then I have to build a new canopy for our 77 gallon tank, and paint the upstairs. Then the 77 gallon has to be set back up and the snowflake eel and maroon clown(soon to be clowns) can be moved to their new homes. Then we can get on with our other plans outside of the aquarium hobby.
The picture set documenting the entire process to date can be found here:
Photo Set
Behold...Before:
... After:
I don't want to come off like I'm blowing my own horn or anything, but these pictures really don't do the setup justice. It is quite spectacular to in person. I am actually quite shocked at just how grand it all seems, and I've been working on it since July. OMG I've been working on this since July.
I still need to build the doors for the cabinet, and trim out the room. Then I have to build a new canopy for our 77 gallon tank, and paint the upstairs. Then the 77 gallon has to be set back up and the snowflake eel and maroon clown(soon to be clowns) can be moved to their new homes. Then we can get on with our other plans outside of the aquarium hobby.
The picture set documenting the entire process to date can be found here:
Photo Set
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Week 01
So far, so good. One full week of no medication and so far, no problems to report. It's really the next two weeks that will be the determining factor though. The meds are still in there slowly diluting and leaving at this point, so next week they should be gone, and if anything nasty is going to happen it should be apparent by the week after. I'm pretty confident that everything is good, and things will continue to get better.
The past week has been pretty productive and quite expensive. I had to have some repairs to my car, and they turned out to be way more than anticipated. Obviously my car has realized that it is closed to being paid off. I knew I had a wheel bearing in the front going that needed to be replaced... what I didn't know, was that both needed to be replaced along with the struts, brakes, and rotars...so $1400 later my car rides like it's brand new again.... it should, the repairs cost twice as much as my first car. Luckily our mechanic is someone we know and has been working on our vehicles for a number of years. He doesn't cut corners and always shops around for the best deal, so I know that I wasn't overcharged, and I also know that the work was absolutely necessary.... it just really hurt our budget.
We got a lot accomplished on our aquarium project/basement renovation. The rest of the house is an absolute disaster because of it, so I will be very very happy to have this finished and cleaned up. The Aquarium canopies are now completely built, and their various pieces are in various stages of urithaning. This weekend things will be being tranfered to their new homes and I will be looking to start building the new canopy for our existing tank upstairs. I have to redesign what we have with the eel in mind (they are notoriuos escape artists). I will also be looking to paint the upstairs, and redesign and reupholster the couch and chair in the basement. I may actually go hog wild and reupholster our upstairs couch as well, as it has had a couple years of wear and tear since I last did it. As usual it looks like one project is going to transition right into the next one.... there's always something.
The past week has been pretty productive and quite expensive. I had to have some repairs to my car, and they turned out to be way more than anticipated. Obviously my car has realized that it is closed to being paid off. I knew I had a wheel bearing in the front going that needed to be replaced... what I didn't know, was that both needed to be replaced along with the struts, brakes, and rotars...so $1400 later my car rides like it's brand new again.... it should, the repairs cost twice as much as my first car. Luckily our mechanic is someone we know and has been working on our vehicles for a number of years. He doesn't cut corners and always shops around for the best deal, so I know that I wasn't overcharged, and I also know that the work was absolutely necessary.... it just really hurt our budget.
We got a lot accomplished on our aquarium project/basement renovation. The rest of the house is an absolute disaster because of it, so I will be very very happy to have this finished and cleaned up. The Aquarium canopies are now completely built, and their various pieces are in various stages of urithaning. This weekend things will be being tranfered to their new homes and I will be looking to start building the new canopy for our existing tank upstairs. I have to redesign what we have with the eel in mind (they are notoriuos escape artists). I will also be looking to paint the upstairs, and redesign and reupholster the couch and chair in the basement. I may actually go hog wild and reupholster our upstairs couch as well, as it has had a couple years of wear and tear since I last did it. As usual it looks like one project is going to transition right into the next one.... there's always something.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Day 01
I spent the majority of yesterday in the waiting room on the Moncton Hospital Oncology department, waiting to see my specialist for my regular appointment. My appointment was for 11:15 and I finally managed to see her at 3, only in the health care industry can you make appointments like that and still stay in business.
The appointment went well, all things are fine blah blah blah, and we finally decided it was time to take the plunge and go off my anti-rejection drugs. So, last night, for the first time in Nine years, since having my bone marrow transplant, I did not take a pill to supress my immune system. Fingers crossed that all goes well and my body has built up a tollerance to the new bone marrow, so I can finally put all the little problems and annoyances of the past nine years in the past.
The next few weeks I will have to pay very close attention to my skin and make sure it doesn't start to thicken up again. At the first sign of any tightness I will be popping my pills again to make sure it doens't get a good grip on me like it did years ago. It only took a few weeks for my skin to thicken up, my body hair to dissapear, my pigment to go all blotchy, my skin to get all wrinkley, and my flexibilty to be greatly inhibited. Then it took years for it to heal to the point where it is now...which is still not 100%, so I will be paying extra special close care to every little thing as far as my skin/body/health is concerned for the next month or two.
All that aside, my gut tells me everything is going to be fine.
After the appointment I popped into Noble Aquriums and picked up a few snails and a lawnmower Blenny for our aquarium, then came home.
The appointment went well, all things are fine blah blah blah, and we finally decided it was time to take the plunge and go off my anti-rejection drugs. So, last night, for the first time in Nine years, since having my bone marrow transplant, I did not take a pill to supress my immune system. Fingers crossed that all goes well and my body has built up a tollerance to the new bone marrow, so I can finally put all the little problems and annoyances of the past nine years in the past.
The next few weeks I will have to pay very close attention to my skin and make sure it doesn't start to thicken up again. At the first sign of any tightness I will be popping my pills again to make sure it doens't get a good grip on me like it did years ago. It only took a few weeks for my skin to thicken up, my body hair to dissapear, my pigment to go all blotchy, my skin to get all wrinkley, and my flexibilty to be greatly inhibited. Then it took years for it to heal to the point where it is now...which is still not 100%, so I will be paying extra special close care to every little thing as far as my skin/body/health is concerned for the next month or two.
All that aside, my gut tells me everything is going to be fine.
After the appointment I popped into Noble Aquriums and picked up a few snails and a lawnmower Blenny for our aquarium, then came home.
Friday, February 15, 2008
Honorable Mention
Life has been fairly hohum, humdrum lately. Routine, routine, routine. I had yesterday off because the guys were shooting some green screen stuff in the office and it takes up so much space that it's just easier to not have the extra bodies around.
I got some stuff accomplished on my canopy build, and did two workout cycles on the treadmill before heading off to teach my classes. My painting classes are coming along very well, and the adult students are now wanting us to extend the class to two hours in the spring. My guitar lessons are working out quite well too, although I wish I could be more disiplined about practicing. I find the week just flashes by and before I know it it's Thrusday and I haven't practiced all week, which is kind of a waste of both my time and Wes's because we have to go over the same stuff again and again. I am learning to finger pick, which is basically a classical guitar style, so it is quite difficult to start off with.
The winners for the photo contest i was pestering everyone to vote in were announced. I did not win, but I did get honorable mention which I guess was 4th place... so that's nothing to sneeze at.
I am still hopelessly addicted to the Knighthood application on facebook as well as scrabulous (I think I have ten games on the go right now). If you're not playing knighthood with me, you should be.... it is so fun. For all intents and purposes it is a Medieval Sims game, with a social factor added in. There is a certain amount of inviting involved, but not as intense as some facebook apps. The way the inviting works is different as well. If you invite someone, and they don't accept they are still in your court for 7 days. So if I've invited you and you didn't accept expect another one in 7 days. IF they do accept however, they stay in your court even if they uninstall the app after installing it and you don't have to reinvite them. So there you go...even if you don't want to play, just install it and uninstall it an presto...no more invites....tee hee.
I got some stuff accomplished on my canopy build, and did two workout cycles on the treadmill before heading off to teach my classes. My painting classes are coming along very well, and the adult students are now wanting us to extend the class to two hours in the spring. My guitar lessons are working out quite well too, although I wish I could be more disiplined about practicing. I find the week just flashes by and before I know it it's Thrusday and I haven't practiced all week, which is kind of a waste of both my time and Wes's because we have to go over the same stuff again and again. I am learning to finger pick, which is basically a classical guitar style, so it is quite difficult to start off with.
The winners for the photo contest i was pestering everyone to vote in were announced. I did not win, but I did get honorable mention which I guess was 4th place... so that's nothing to sneeze at.
I am still hopelessly addicted to the Knighthood application on facebook as well as scrabulous (I think I have ten games on the go right now). If you're not playing knighthood with me, you should be.... it is so fun. For all intents and purposes it is a Medieval Sims game, with a social factor added in. There is a certain amount of inviting involved, but not as intense as some facebook apps. The way the inviting works is different as well. If you invite someone, and they don't accept they are still in your court for 7 days. So if I've invited you and you didn't accept expect another one in 7 days. IF they do accept however, they stay in your court even if they uninstall the app after installing it and you don't have to reinvite them. So there you go...even if you don't want to play, just install it and uninstall it an presto...no more invites....tee hee.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Sick and Tired
I had a very long and tiring week last week. I started developing a cold on Wednesday, and have been stuffy and yucky ever since. I took Friday off and stayed in my road most of the day. I had to get dressed and go in to teach my class at 6 so it wasn't a total day off, but it helped.
On Saturday I had a birthday party at the school for 8 (originally but it grew to 10) 9-11 year old girls, from 4 until 6:30. They wanted an hour of animation and then some acting. They spent a little longer than an hour in the animation room, since the girls were having fun, and while they animated I came along with blank strips of paper and got them to write down stuff like their favorite movie, song, cartoon etc. I then used those slips after the animation class to play charades. Charades, after all, is acting. Charades didn't last very long before it just became chaos, but thankfully by then, it was time for cake, and time for me to go.
After the party I hurried home, so we could make it out to the Bond's for Helen's Chinese New Year Party. Helen thought it would be fun to try something new and she was right. She did a lot of work and research and the whole night was really fun. She even dressed up in Chinese attire along with a stunning black wig that she purchased victoriously. We had a big feast of Chinese food and at each of our places there were little picture frames with cards inside and a write up about each of our Chinese astrological signs. We all had lucky envelopes with chocolate coins in them, because apparently the banks out here don't have any yen on hand. Helen also had traditional snacks laid out on little plates in the middle of the table, each with a card to tell what it symbolized. There was candied melon,lychee nut, coconut, and a bunch of other things I can't recall off the top of my head. We all sampled a little something from each plate... including Darrell who is not super adventurous when it comes to trying new foods. Then for desert Helen brought out two traditional Chinese New Year deserts. She went to the Chinese market and asked a lot of questions and really put together a great party.
Sunday I put a big dent in the work for building the canopy to go over the aquariums. Darrell checked the water chemistry from the new setup and it is almost completely cycled...so the sooner I can get those lights up and running, the sooner we can do the big move and reclaim a small portion of our lives.....hehehe
Today I am taking another sick day, and I have no classes tonight. It is noon and I am still in my robe.
On Saturday I had a birthday party at the school for 8 (originally but it grew to 10) 9-11 year old girls, from 4 until 6:30. They wanted an hour of animation and then some acting. They spent a little longer than an hour in the animation room, since the girls were having fun, and while they animated I came along with blank strips of paper and got them to write down stuff like their favorite movie, song, cartoon etc. I then used those slips after the animation class to play charades. Charades, after all, is acting. Charades didn't last very long before it just became chaos, but thankfully by then, it was time for cake, and time for me to go.
After the party I hurried home, so we could make it out to the Bond's for Helen's Chinese New Year Party. Helen thought it would be fun to try something new and she was right. She did a lot of work and research and the whole night was really fun. She even dressed up in Chinese attire along with a stunning black wig that she purchased victoriously. We had a big feast of Chinese food and at each of our places there were little picture frames with cards inside and a write up about each of our Chinese astrological signs. We all had lucky envelopes with chocolate coins in them, because apparently the banks out here don't have any yen on hand. Helen also had traditional snacks laid out on little plates in the middle of the table, each with a card to tell what it symbolized. There was candied melon,lychee nut, coconut, and a bunch of other things I can't recall off the top of my head. We all sampled a little something from each plate... including Darrell who is not super adventurous when it comes to trying new foods. Then for desert Helen brought out two traditional Chinese New Year deserts. She went to the Chinese market and asked a lot of questions and really put together a great party.
Sunday I put a big dent in the work for building the canopy to go over the aquariums. Darrell checked the water chemistry from the new setup and it is almost completely cycled...so the sooner I can get those lights up and running, the sooner we can do the big move and reclaim a small portion of our lives.....hehehe
Today I am taking another sick day, and I have no classes tonight. It is noon and I am still in my robe.
Monday, February 04, 2008
Feb. 4, 2008
There's not a lot going on these days other than the same old, same old.
Last week we worked late a few nights in a row and by the weekend I was pretty burned out and feeling very lazy. Our house is a complete pig stye and I was too lazy to care. I did get some boards glued together as a start to building the canopy for the aquariums. Other than that the weekend was very laid back and quiet.
We bought a treadmill, so I gave up my gym membership, since the treadmill seems to be the only thing I use there lately. It's a nordic track treadmill and works very well. We have it set up in the spare room with the TV and stereo, so you can watch television or listen to music while working out. I can even sing karaoke while I run/walk if I want. I like being able to sing out loud while doing cardio, I think it helps expand my lung capacity and endurance. I found that during Cabaret I had alot more stamina for singing and dancing at the same time and I atribute a big portion of that to singing while working out on my eliptical trainer at home. I sold the eliptical trainer though, since Darrell didn't feel coordinated enough to use it, and now we have the treadmill in it's place.
I've been having a really good time teaching my classes. Everyone is really into what we're doing, so it's a piece of cake. I had one real challenge in my Friday evening Animation class. I have one boy who is autistic and he is also new, so he's not familiar with me. Friday I finally cracked the code on him. I've been sitting next to him the past three weeks, but basically letting him do his own thing and trying not to get into his space very much. Friday I grabbed one of the stuffed pokemon figures down off the shelf and started drawing it in flash, and when one of the other kids noticed and asked how I did it, I offered to show them how. That was the key that unlocked the door for me. I finally found something he was really interested in and by the end of the class he was talking to me and asking questions. Up until then the only question he had asked was where the bathroom was. I look at it a lot like cracking a code because I think everyone has a code that needs to be cracked where learning is concerned because everyone learns in a way that is unique to them. With most people though, they will help you along by telling you what they get and what they don't, and it's easier to see how they learn things best. With autistic kids it's much more challenging, because you really have to let them come to you, and sometimes it takes a while before they feel comfortable in new surrounding, with new people. Anyway... I feel like we got somewhere and that made me feel really good, so it was a great way to end off the work week.
Last week we worked late a few nights in a row and by the weekend I was pretty burned out and feeling very lazy. Our house is a complete pig stye and I was too lazy to care. I did get some boards glued together as a start to building the canopy for the aquariums. Other than that the weekend was very laid back and quiet.
We bought a treadmill, so I gave up my gym membership, since the treadmill seems to be the only thing I use there lately. It's a nordic track treadmill and works very well. We have it set up in the spare room with the TV and stereo, so you can watch television or listen to music while working out. I can even sing karaoke while I run/walk if I want. I like being able to sing out loud while doing cardio, I think it helps expand my lung capacity and endurance. I found that during Cabaret I had alot more stamina for singing and dancing at the same time and I atribute a big portion of that to singing while working out on my eliptical trainer at home. I sold the eliptical trainer though, since Darrell didn't feel coordinated enough to use it, and now we have the treadmill in it's place.
I've been having a really good time teaching my classes. Everyone is really into what we're doing, so it's a piece of cake. I had one real challenge in my Friday evening Animation class. I have one boy who is autistic and he is also new, so he's not familiar with me. Friday I finally cracked the code on him. I've been sitting next to him the past three weeks, but basically letting him do his own thing and trying not to get into his space very much. Friday I grabbed one of the stuffed pokemon figures down off the shelf and started drawing it in flash, and when one of the other kids noticed and asked how I did it, I offered to show them how. That was the key that unlocked the door for me. I finally found something he was really interested in and by the end of the class he was talking to me and asking questions. Up until then the only question he had asked was where the bathroom was. I look at it a lot like cracking a code because I think everyone has a code that needs to be cracked where learning is concerned because everyone learns in a way that is unique to them. With most people though, they will help you along by telling you what they get and what they don't, and it's easier to see how they learn things best. With autistic kids it's much more challenging, because you really have to let them come to you, and sometimes it takes a while before they feel comfortable in new surrounding, with new people. Anyway... I feel like we got somewhere and that made me feel really good, so it was a great way to end off the work week.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Addiction Addiction Addiction
I have a very addictive personality. Always have, always will. Thankfully I am aware of it, and in the past decade or so have managed to limit my addictions to things that aren't self destructive or hazzardous to my health... like smoking (which I did for 14 years).
Right now I am addicted to a couple things. The biggest and most expensive being our aquarium hobby. The only problem with this addiction is it is one Darrell and I share, so there is no other side to the relationship, saying "Don't you think it's time to take a step back?" Thankfully we are now in the finishing stages of the building downstairs. I am working on getting the lighting canopy built and then it will just be a matter of waiting for the tanks to cycle so we can move all the fish and corals over. So far, I have to say, hopefully without sounding too concieted, that I think we have done an exceptional job transforming that space in the basement, and my design idea looks pretty good if you ask me.
The tanks are on the stand, and there is salt water cycling in them. There's even rock and a couple fish already. Now it's just a matter of finishing that canopy, so I can move on to rebuilding and reupholstering the furniture for the room.
The other addiciton I have been indulging in is kind of silly. It's a facebook application called kighthood. Unlike all the other facebook apps out there, I don't have to continuously invite my friends to join over and over and over, in fact I've only sent out a few invites and that was a week ago. I am still playing and everything is going fine. It's kind of like an online role playing game, and I was never much for role playing games (they didn't really become popular until I was too far into my teens to care) but for some reason I am all over this one. Too much fun!
*Amendment: It's actually more like a SIM game, than role playing... so if you like games like SimCity...you will love Knighthood*
Yesterday I took the last half of the day off, so I could work from home catalogueing some tapes. I had a few stops to make on the way home, and then spent the better part of the afternoon on the floor of the spare bedroom going through footage and writing down information. I got through two tapes and started a third and only had to break twice because my ass kept falling asleep from sitting on the basement floor (doesn't help that I slipped on the ice on Wednesday and landed on the step so I have a giant bruise on my ass right across the left cheek). I was a little full of myself having gotten through as much fo the footage as I had, until this morning when Darrell declared I need to learn to make better use of time... since I "only" got through 2 tapes and started the third. Here I thought I was ticking right along. Oh well...what can you do? In my defence I almost never catalogue tapes, so it's not like I know what I'm doing, or do it all the time.
Right now I am addicted to a couple things. The biggest and most expensive being our aquarium hobby. The only problem with this addiction is it is one Darrell and I share, so there is no other side to the relationship, saying "Don't you think it's time to take a step back?" Thankfully we are now in the finishing stages of the building downstairs. I am working on getting the lighting canopy built and then it will just be a matter of waiting for the tanks to cycle so we can move all the fish and corals over. So far, I have to say, hopefully without sounding too concieted, that I think we have done an exceptional job transforming that space in the basement, and my design idea looks pretty good if you ask me.
The tanks are on the stand, and there is salt water cycling in them. There's even rock and a couple fish already. Now it's just a matter of finishing that canopy, so I can move on to rebuilding and reupholstering the furniture for the room.
The other addiciton I have been indulging in is kind of silly. It's a facebook application called kighthood. Unlike all the other facebook apps out there, I don't have to continuously invite my friends to join over and over and over, in fact I've only sent out a few invites and that was a week ago. I am still playing and everything is going fine. It's kind of like an online role playing game, and I was never much for role playing games (they didn't really become popular until I was too far into my teens to care) but for some reason I am all over this one. Too much fun!
*Amendment: It's actually more like a SIM game, than role playing... so if you like games like SimCity...you will love Knighthood*
Yesterday I took the last half of the day off, so I could work from home catalogueing some tapes. I had a few stops to make on the way home, and then spent the better part of the afternoon on the floor of the spare bedroom going through footage and writing down information. I got through two tapes and started a third and only had to break twice because my ass kept falling asleep from sitting on the basement floor (doesn't help that I slipped on the ice on Wednesday and landed on the step so I have a giant bruise on my ass right across the left cheek). I was a little full of myself having gotten through as much fo the footage as I had, until this morning when Darrell declared I need to learn to make better use of time... since I "only" got through 2 tapes and started the third. Here I thought I was ticking right along. Oh well...what can you do? In my defence I almost never catalogue tapes, so it's not like I know what I'm doing, or do it all the time.
Friday, January 18, 2008
Friday
I haven't posted in a little while (bad blogger). There isn't a lot to blog about really. We got the tanks up on the stands and there is now water in them. It's not salt water just yet, but it is water and it is circulating through Darrell's plumbing without mishap. We have a few things still on order and few more things that have to be built but all in all we are in very good shape to have some residents in these tanks in about 6 weeks. (The water has to go through an entire biological cycling process before it is safe to add fish etc.)
We lost one of the fish we got on our trip to Maine, to worms and parasites. We weren't prepared to deal with worms, as it is the first time we've encountered it... we'll be ready next time though. The other fish are all doing well and seem very healthy.
Darrell had to go to Portsmouth last week for a couple days to do a shoot for Irving, and while he was there he brought back a couple little clownfish for a lady in Shippagen. We know her through the online marine forum and she was looking for little nemo fish, only a black variety of them. All the dealers around NB basically looked at her like she had two heads when she asked about them, but they had an abundance of them in Bangor, so Darrell picked a couple up for her while there and we took a trip to Moncton yesterday to deliver them. She met us at Nobles and was very happy with her new additions.
One more thing on the fish front. Thank you to everyone who continued to vote everyday for my fish pic in the contest. I was super suprised (event hough I shouldn't have been...I have the most awsome friends and family) to not only get up into the top 20, but to end the voting at number 2. Not only did my first pick picture make it to number two, my second picture (that I had basically given up on in the beginning) made it to number 15, thanks to splitting my voting team once the first one had managed to secure it's place in the top 20. So thank you all for helping me out. Now the top 20 pictures will be judged by a panel of three judges and the one they pick will be the winner of a $250 gift certificate to the pet store of that persons choice. Fingers crossed and wish me luck.... thanks to everyone's help I actually have two shots at winning.
Atlantica started up it's winter programs last week, and I have a few new students. There weren't enough to add extra nights so we're incorporating them into existing classes, and I am splitting my time between beginners and more advanced. It is a little challenging right now, but in a couple weeks it will even out.
We lost one of the fish we got on our trip to Maine, to worms and parasites. We weren't prepared to deal with worms, as it is the first time we've encountered it... we'll be ready next time though. The other fish are all doing well and seem very healthy.
Darrell had to go to Portsmouth last week for a couple days to do a shoot for Irving, and while he was there he brought back a couple little clownfish for a lady in Shippagen. We know her through the online marine forum and she was looking for little nemo fish, only a black variety of them. All the dealers around NB basically looked at her like she had two heads when she asked about them, but they had an abundance of them in Bangor, so Darrell picked a couple up for her while there and we took a trip to Moncton yesterday to deliver them. She met us at Nobles and was very happy with her new additions.
One more thing on the fish front. Thank you to everyone who continued to vote everyday for my fish pic in the contest. I was super suprised (event hough I shouldn't have been...I have the most awsome friends and family) to not only get up into the top 20, but to end the voting at number 2. Not only did my first pick picture make it to number two, my second picture (that I had basically given up on in the beginning) made it to number 15, thanks to splitting my voting team once the first one had managed to secure it's place in the top 20. So thank you all for helping me out. Now the top 20 pictures will be judged by a panel of three judges and the one they pick will be the winner of a $250 gift certificate to the pet store of that persons choice. Fingers crossed and wish me luck.... thanks to everyone's help I actually have two shots at winning.
Atlantica started up it's winter programs last week, and I have a few new students. There weren't enough to add extra nights so we're incorporating them into existing classes, and I am splitting my time between beginners and more advanced. It is a little challenging right now, but in a couple weeks it will even out.
Sunday, January 06, 2008
1st post of 2008
The "Holidays" were good. We had fun and got a lot of work done on our reno/upgrade project. New Years Eve was quiet. The Bonds dropped over and we had a few drinks. We didn't make it back to work on the 2nd like we planned, because of the snowstorm, but we were back on the 3rd. I then took Friday off to stay home and clean up the basement. The stand is now finished to the point where the plumbing can go on and the tanks can be set up. I still need to build doors and do the trim for the room but the big stuff is done and the rest can be done a little at a time. Next up Darrell has to get things plumbed and up and running, then I have to build a canopy for the lights for the tanks.
Sadly, Eddie the pufferfish died over the Holidays, and we're not exactly sure why. As heartbreaking as it was, it was ultimately for the best, since he would've outgrown our 77 gallon and we would have had to do another upgrade, which just isn't going to happen. One of the guys we talked to in Maine said he doesn't even bother with puffers because they come with all sorts of parasites and worms and generally don't live. I wish I had known that prior to getting him, because he was such a cool fish and really had a neat personality... that's right the fish had a personality, he would see you coming and come up to the glass and beg for food... just like a dog.
On a happier note our clownfish, who have had a very tumultuous relationship, laid eggs. When we first put the anemone in the tank, the female took it over and chased the male away, then little by little he managed to work his way back over, now they have mated. We aren't prepared to do anything about the eggs so they will hatch and the little fry will not make it, and probably be eaten by the other fish in the tank, but I am assured by another hobbyist who has been having a lot of luck raising baby clownfish, that once they lay eggs once, it will become a regular occurrence, so we can get set up and consider raising babies in the future.
Here's some shots of the before and afters from downstairs.
There's more pics of the entire process from start up until now on my flikr site
Before:
After:
Not quite enough room for snorkeling:
The Stairs are on my Radar now!
Sadly, Eddie the pufferfish died over the Holidays, and we're not exactly sure why. As heartbreaking as it was, it was ultimately for the best, since he would've outgrown our 77 gallon and we would have had to do another upgrade, which just isn't going to happen. One of the guys we talked to in Maine said he doesn't even bother with puffers because they come with all sorts of parasites and worms and generally don't live. I wish I had known that prior to getting him, because he was such a cool fish and really had a neat personality... that's right the fish had a personality, he would see you coming and come up to the glass and beg for food... just like a dog.
On a happier note our clownfish, who have had a very tumultuous relationship, laid eggs. When we first put the anemone in the tank, the female took it over and chased the male away, then little by little he managed to work his way back over, now they have mated. We aren't prepared to do anything about the eggs so they will hatch and the little fry will not make it, and probably be eaten by the other fish in the tank, but I am assured by another hobbyist who has been having a lot of luck raising baby clownfish, that once they lay eggs once, it will become a regular occurrence, so we can get set up and consider raising babies in the future.
Here's some shots of the before and afters from downstairs.
There's more pics of the entire process from start up until now on my flikr site
Before:
After:
Not quite enough room for snorkeling:
The Stairs are on my Radar now!
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Christmas "Fishing trip" to Maine - thursday Dec. 28, 2007
We decided to brave the potential winter storm and take our Fishing Trip to Maine on Thursday. We loaded up the dogs into the blazer, and, armed with our passports and an empty cooler we headed to St. Stephen bright and early to cross into the US. It was our first time taking the dog across the border, and we were pleasantly surprised at how easy it was... well I guess anything is easy when you are prepared with all the proper documents in order. It was actually impressive to see trucks out on the Maine highways spraying deicer on the roads in preparation for the coming snow.
Our first stop was Maine Pets & Aquariums in Ellsworth, where we found a pretty good selection of fish and corals (Too bad you can't bring corals back to Canada). All we bought on that first visit was a couple pigs ears for the dogs, it was more of a selection and pricing outing.
Then we were off to Bucksport, Maine to Check out Vance's Tropical Fish and Guitars. He had a really unique store setup with some Nice fish as well. He also was very knowledgeable and we took away a lot of great information from our conversation with him. There was a really large Powder Blue Tang there that caught my eye, but he was a little too big for my plans so I passed. There was also a really beautiful angel fish, that is quite rare in the aquarium trade (I wish I had written down what she was called, but she was white and with blue and black markings), but she was more money that I was willing to pay for one fish that day, and I just didn't feel experienced enough to venture into something rare just yet. We did purchase an in tank filter that filters the surface water. One of our problems with our main tank, since it isn't sumped is that film you get on the surface, so this will prove quite handy once we reset the tank for the Eel. The snow started while we were visiting, but we were undeterred from our course, and headed back to Ellsworth, where we picked up a smaller Powder Blue Tang and a fairly large Flame Angel.
Next it was up to Pro Pets, by the Airport in Bangor. This is a fairly new store, owned by the same owner as Maine Pets in Ellsworth. Their salt water selection was much larger and more nicely laid out. Unfortunately we got so carried away talking and shopping that we didn't take any pictures, and by the time we realized it the snow was really piling up. We picked up a really nice foxface rabbitfish and a 20 gallon long tank that will be our permanent quarantine tank once everything is up and running. I like the length because it gives us the ability to section it off easier if we need to quarantine fish that may not be compatible.
Then we started the long and treacherous drive home. I was actually very easy going through Maine, since they had been out all day in prepping the roads and there were plows everywhere. I was really impressed with how well they looked after the roads. We crossed the border into Canada with absolutely no hassles at all, we didn't even get searched,which surprised the hell out of me considering we had the dogs and live tropical fish.
Once we started up the highway from St. Stephen we began to appreciate the Maine Department of Highways even more, because the roads in NB were absolute, complete shit. They had dropped a layer of salt down so underneath the snow was a layer of slush and we didn't see a single plow until quite a ways after St. George. There was an almost constant stream of oncoming traffic, but we were generally the only vehicle on our side of the road for the majority of the way. Needless to say it was slow going and we arrived quite home quite late. We were up even later setting up our new tank and acclimating our new treasures. We are taking no chances this time around since we have a tang of the powder variety, and have the quarantine tank treated with a half dose of cupramine for the next two weeks. We aren't going to do a full dose, since all the fish we got were in copper treated water when we got them, and this is only a buffer measure. By the time these fish are ready to come out of their four - six week quarantine period the new tanks will be set up and cycled so everything will be able to be added at the same time.
I don't have any pics of our new additions yet, but took a few of our little adventure, they are in a photo set here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/blaine16/sets/72157603577682035/
Our first stop was Maine Pets & Aquariums in Ellsworth, where we found a pretty good selection of fish and corals (Too bad you can't bring corals back to Canada). All we bought on that first visit was a couple pigs ears for the dogs, it was more of a selection and pricing outing.
Then we were off to Bucksport, Maine to Check out Vance's Tropical Fish and Guitars. He had a really unique store setup with some Nice fish as well. He also was very knowledgeable and we took away a lot of great information from our conversation with him. There was a really large Powder Blue Tang there that caught my eye, but he was a little too big for my plans so I passed. There was also a really beautiful angel fish, that is quite rare in the aquarium trade (I wish I had written down what she was called, but she was white and with blue and black markings), but she was more money that I was willing to pay for one fish that day, and I just didn't feel experienced enough to venture into something rare just yet. We did purchase an in tank filter that filters the surface water. One of our problems with our main tank, since it isn't sumped is that film you get on the surface, so this will prove quite handy once we reset the tank for the Eel. The snow started while we were visiting, but we were undeterred from our course, and headed back to Ellsworth, where we picked up a smaller Powder Blue Tang and a fairly large Flame Angel.
Next it was up to Pro Pets, by the Airport in Bangor. This is a fairly new store, owned by the same owner as Maine Pets in Ellsworth. Their salt water selection was much larger and more nicely laid out. Unfortunately we got so carried away talking and shopping that we didn't take any pictures, and by the time we realized it the snow was really piling up. We picked up a really nice foxface rabbitfish and a 20 gallon long tank that will be our permanent quarantine tank once everything is up and running. I like the length because it gives us the ability to section it off easier if we need to quarantine fish that may not be compatible.
Then we started the long and treacherous drive home. I was actually very easy going through Maine, since they had been out all day in prepping the roads and there were plows everywhere. I was really impressed with how well they looked after the roads. We crossed the border into Canada with absolutely no hassles at all, we didn't even get searched,which surprised the hell out of me considering we had the dogs and live tropical fish.
Once we started up the highway from St. Stephen we began to appreciate the Maine Department of Highways even more, because the roads in NB were absolute, complete shit. They had dropped a layer of salt down so underneath the snow was a layer of slush and we didn't see a single plow until quite a ways after St. George. There was an almost constant stream of oncoming traffic, but we were generally the only vehicle on our side of the road for the majority of the way. Needless to say it was slow going and we arrived quite home quite late. We were up even later setting up our new tank and acclimating our new treasures. We are taking no chances this time around since we have a tang of the powder variety, and have the quarantine tank treated with a half dose of cupramine for the next two weeks. We aren't going to do a full dose, since all the fish we got were in copper treated water when we got them, and this is only a buffer measure. By the time these fish are ready to come out of their four - six week quarantine period the new tanks will be set up and cycled so everything will be able to be added at the same time.
I don't have any pics of our new additions yet, but took a few of our little adventure, they are in a photo set here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/blaine16/sets/72157603577682035/
Holidays
We have had a very quiet and subdued Holiday Season so far, which has been quite nice.
X-Mas eve day we did some shopping with our Friend Silvia from next door, afterwards she came by for dinner. I made Fetuccinni Carbonara and a Caesar Salad and we had a very nice time just hanging out while it cooked. She couldn't stay too long since she had a thing going on at the church, so afterward we headed out to our old neighbourhood and visited with George & Loretta and clan. We got to see nearly everyone from out there and it was good catching up, we haven't been out in a fairly long time.
X-Mas day was another quiet and lowkey affair. We didn't do gifts for each other, since we have been going nuts with our reno and aquarium addiction. Instead we planned a trip to Maine to do a little pet store shopping. We had Christmas dinner at Mike and Kathy's place, and called it an early night. Over the course of those two days we managed to get in phone calls to most of our respective family members as well.
We took advantage of the time off to get a lot of work done on the basement. We got the area under the stairs framed in and sheetrocked, and most of the boards for the cabinet top glued together. I hope to get the rest finished today so I can cut the top, sand it and finish it, and get the wall under the stairs painted.
X-Mas eve day we did some shopping with our Friend Silvia from next door, afterwards she came by for dinner. I made Fetuccinni Carbonara and a Caesar Salad and we had a very nice time just hanging out while it cooked. She couldn't stay too long since she had a thing going on at the church, so afterward we headed out to our old neighbourhood and visited with George & Loretta and clan. We got to see nearly everyone from out there and it was good catching up, we haven't been out in a fairly long time.
X-Mas day was another quiet and lowkey affair. We didn't do gifts for each other, since we have been going nuts with our reno and aquarium addiction. Instead we planned a trip to Maine to do a little pet store shopping. We had Christmas dinner at Mike and Kathy's place, and called it an early night. Over the course of those two days we managed to get in phone calls to most of our respective family members as well.
We took advantage of the time off to get a lot of work done on the basement. We got the area under the stairs framed in and sheetrocked, and most of the boards for the cabinet top glued together. I hope to get the rest finished today so I can cut the top, sand it and finish it, and get the wall under the stairs painted.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Blah blah blah
We had a pretty productive weekend again. The Bonds popped in for a visit Friday night, and Saturday night was Brian Chisholm's annual Christmas openhouse, which was quite fun.
We got some 2x4s on Sunday during the storm and built a scafholding/support structure in our stairway, so I could reach the ceiling and upper walls to paint. I got most of that finished by Monday night, but still have some touch ups and a second coat to do on the bottom part of the stairwell.
Our little Puffer fish is now officially called Eddie. It's a strange hop how I got there, but the name suits him. He looks like E.T., but for some strange reason whenever I think ET, my brain does a hop to Cheech and Chong's "Still Smokin'" and their Et/ Eddie Torez with the extra (male body part that sounds a lot like Terrestrial)sketch. That coupled with the fact that the puffer fish in Finding Nemo was played by Brad Garrett (Robert from Everybody Loves Raymond) and Brad has a new show out call, 'Til Death, in which he plays a character named...you guessed it... Eddie. So there's the bizzar and convalluted path my fragile little mind took with the name of our puffer fish.
It is now December 19th, and I've done absolutely nothing even remotely Christmas like, and I really have no desire at all to do anything about it. I can't remember a time in my life when I've actually cared less about something, but for some reason this year, the spirit has completely skipped me. I haven't even gotten around to starting on my nephew's PJs yet. I have the fabric, it's washed and ready to go, but I just haven't managed to work up the energy to do anything else with it, not that it would get there on time at this rate anyway. I'm just not feeling it. I am feeling acutely aware of how far away my family is right now, and the more people around me hype up the holidays, the larger that distance feels. To tell the truth I just wish I could hybernate and wake up when the weather's nicer.
We got some 2x4s on Sunday during the storm and built a scafholding/support structure in our stairway, so I could reach the ceiling and upper walls to paint. I got most of that finished by Monday night, but still have some touch ups and a second coat to do on the bottom part of the stairwell.
Our little Puffer fish is now officially called Eddie. It's a strange hop how I got there, but the name suits him. He looks like E.T., but for some strange reason whenever I think ET, my brain does a hop to Cheech and Chong's "Still Smokin'" and their Et/ Eddie Torez with the extra (male body part that sounds a lot like Terrestrial)sketch. That coupled with the fact that the puffer fish in Finding Nemo was played by Brad Garrett (Robert from Everybody Loves Raymond) and Brad has a new show out call, 'Til Death, in which he plays a character named...you guessed it... Eddie. So there's the bizzar and convalluted path my fragile little mind took with the name of our puffer fish.
It is now December 19th, and I've done absolutely nothing even remotely Christmas like, and I really have no desire at all to do anything about it. I can't remember a time in my life when I've actually cared less about something, but for some reason this year, the spirit has completely skipped me. I haven't even gotten around to starting on my nephew's PJs yet. I have the fabric, it's washed and ready to go, but I just haven't managed to work up the energy to do anything else with it, not that it would get there on time at this rate anyway. I'm just not feeling it. I am feeling acutely aware of how far away my family is right now, and the more people around me hype up the holidays, the larger that distance feels. To tell the truth I just wish I could hybernate and wake up when the weather's nicer.
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