What happened on Wednesday April 25th?

Well I promised photos of my trip to Orlando. I had a great time, the conference was really good, and I got to meet a lot of clients and learned how they use our software.












I really wish I could say I spent every evening out partying, but by the end of the day and having dinner together as a group I only got out two evenings out of the six days that I was gone. Even though we stayed at Universal's Royal Pacific resort, I never once got to hit the rides. We were just way to busy. I never even got closer to the pool than this shot.


















I got some great shots of the orchids and flowers that are everywhere at the hotel.

















A group of us did walk around the Universal City Walk at one evening. Bought a margarita and took pictures, but nothing really turned out very well. Nothing that I really wanted to show off at least.














I was able to get a few artsy shots from around the resort.


What do you think?














On the last evening I got out to do some record shopping. (dated myself there .. I meant cd shopping) I picked up the new Avril Lavigne CD, "The Best Damn Thing" for Middle, Anti Flag's "For Blood and Empire" for Eldest. For myself I picked up Neil Young "Live at Massey Hall 1971" (on a side note, I found out the other night that my brother-in-law was at that concert - he remembers wine and weed), Led Zeppelin's "Early Days / Latter Days" ($14.99 US), a Son House CD and Arcade Fire's "Funeral". All in all not a bad hall for under seventy dollars US. I saved a few bucks, but I was surprised that there is not much difference in pricing on CD's


One thing I can say was that the food was awesome; this is a shot of desert from one of the evenings. It's a pear torte with crème fresh and blackberry sauce. We had everything from steak to pork loin, asparagus to salads with pistachio vinaigrette. One evening they served the most incredible dish, .polenta with gorgonzola cheese, awesome. It was better then the sea bass that it came with.






The only bad part of the week, was that even though I am a very intelligent man I screwed up and brought miss matching shoes.


At least I got a right foot and a left foot .. ahhh! I am always able to remind myself that I am a loser.












Take a look at the origional photo's at my flickr page. By the way I am now in 9th place in my hockey pool, I've updated the stats below.

What happened on Friday April 13th?

After the first round of the office hockey pool I am in 9th place all with 59 points.

(***modified April 25/07***)

Positon.......Name........Team........ Total--gls--ast-- gwg-- win-- shu-- gp

Team Total:................52...... 16..... 25....... 7......... 4...... 0.....59

Forward

Daniel Briere, Sabers . . . . . . . 6. . . .1 . . 1. . 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Forward

Chris Drury, Sabers. . . . . . . . 7. . . 4 . . 1. . 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Forward

Sidney Crosby, Penguins . . . .6. . . 4 . . 2. . .1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Forward

Dany Heatley, Senators . . . . .6 . . .2. . . .2 . . . . . .2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Forward

Teemu Selanne. Ducks . . . . . 2 . . . 1 . . . 1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Forward

Henrik Sedin, Canucks . . . . . 5. . . 2 . . . .2 . . . . 1 . . . . . . . . . . .. . .7

Forward

Daniel Sedin, Canucks . . . . . . 3 . . .1 . . . . 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Forward

Joe Thornton, Sharks . . . . . . .6 . . . . . . . .6. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Defense

Scott Niedermayer, Ducks . . . 3 . . . . . . . .3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Defense

Brian Campbell, Sabers . . . . . 4 . . .2 . . . 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Stanley Cup 2007 - Buffalo Sabers . . . . . 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4. . . . . . . 1

Listening to:
The Who - Mary-Anne with the Shaky Hands from "The Who Sell Out", 1967 Polydor Records

I danced with Linda
I danced with Jean
I danced with Cindy
Then I suddenly see

Mary-Anne with the shaky hands
What they've done to her man
Those shaky hands

Mary is so pretty
The prettiest in the land
Guys come from every city
Just to shake her shaky hands

Linda can cook
Jean reads books
Cindy can sew
But I'd rather know

Mary-Anne with the shaky hands
What they've done to her man
Those shaky hands

Mary-Anne with the shaky hands
What they've done to her man
Those shaky hands

Mary-Anne with the shaky hands
What they've done to her man
Those shaky hands

I missed this yesterday .. Kurt Vonnegut has passed away. I was 13 when I first read "Slaughterhouse Five", 15 when I read "Welcome to the Monkey House", since then I have bought every book that he has written. His ideas and images have help me form a sound but quirky out look on life. I will miss him. If you want to read something, take a look at his last essays on American Politics.
GoodBye Kurt.

What happened on April 11th?

First Crocus of Spring (what spring, most of them died from the cold.)

Okay .. we have been busy and I haven't posted. I've been trying to keep up with what is going on in the world (both blog and real .. or is it one in the same?) Anyway, things are going good for me, still haven't seen the payout for making quota .. hopefully they will have it by this weekend.
They had me learning some AutoCAD last week, so that I can sell and demo one of our products a lot better. Very interesting program, but wow it is a overwhelming. I have never seen a application with so many key commands.
I'm off to Orlando for a user conference next week, so I won't be able to post, but I hope to come back with some nice photos.

Middle and her team lost the Championship game, 4-1, the forwards just did not skate. Middle let in a really cheap goal to start and then was screened by either the other team or her own players on the other shots. Her team only had ten shots on net in the whole game. Shame, but she did have a great season. Now she is thinking of going out for competitive hockey. Tryouts start next week when I get back from Orlando.
Boy am I peeved at her .. I got home from work last night. She says to me "Dad, you know my history project is due tomorrow!" I respond with "So, are you done?" Her response "I've written it out, but I just have to type it out on the computer" By now a black cloud has formed over my head.
a) I was never told the due date of this project
b) she had all of monday to do this since she was off for Easter Monday
c) she never starts her projects early, no matter how many times we ask her to
d) I could have stayed home on Monday and checked her work (Monday night both wife and I went to Eldest lacrosse game)
e) I'm supposed to go to TaiKwonDo, but now can't because as a parent I am supposed to help my kids learn ... Arrrgh!!!!

So with my blood was boiling, because I know my daughter. Done does not mean done, I have about 3 hours work pulling information out of her to get her to write a good report. So off I go with Eldest to his drum lessons, asking Middle to begin typing out her report. I get to come home and work on a history report on Laura Secord until 10p.m.
Aargh!! I love my kids, but! sometimes it's just to much.

Entered the office Play Off pool. Last year I came in 2nd So here's my picks

Forward

Daniel Briere, Buffalo Sabers

Forward

Chris Drury, Buffalo Sabers

Forward

Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins

Forward

Dany Heatley, Ottawa Senators

Forward

Teemu Selanne. Anaheim Mighty(I hate this name)Ducks

Forward

Henrik Sedin, Vancouver Canucks

Forward

Daniel Sedin, Vancouver Canucks

Forward

Joe Thornton, San Jose Sharks

Defense

Scott Niedermayer, Anaheim Mighty(I hate this name)Ducks

Defense

Brian Campbell, Buffalo Sabers

Stanley Cup Champions --- Buffalo Sabers ..(hey a bracebridge boy played for them at one time)

I know, I know .. why I am I picking a non Canadian team to take the cup. Well, Ottawa always chokes, I just don't think Calgary can do it, and Vancouver can/will make it to the finals, but I don't think they can stop Buffalo. What other team in NHL at this time has three lines of power players. NON .. Buffalo has built themselves a Stanley Cup team and I really hope they can win. I put my money on it.

Listening to:

Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson, Alimony Blues (could not find these lyrics online, so I transcribed them from the mp3)

My baby left me sitting on a court room seat
My baby left me sitting on a court room seat

Now the judge says I got to pay her one hundred bucks a week

Judge oh Judge, why can’t your justice speak
Judge oh Judge, why can’t your justice speak

That woman got me on every dog gone thing I had with me

She sueing me for cruelty, ‘cause I hit her once or twice
One night I tried to choke her, she says I wasn’t nice
I use to love that woman, ‘til the strain was killing me
Now her lawyer is charging in-com-pat-i-bility

Well she won the case, Now she’s got a first degree

Now I’ve got the alimony blues, on the day she set me free.