Friday, April 20, 2012

Blog Question(s) Of The Day:

1. Why am I afraid to ask my Dad a question?

2. Would I look good in a pin-stripe suit?

3. Should I care how many Twitter followers I have?
The Daily Affirmation:

1. I love the Subway Mega breakfast sandwich on Fridays

2. The video 'dillon is fast'

3. Knowing that I may not get many things for free, but I always have the means to just buy for myself anything I want

Thursday, April 19, 2012

The Daily Affirmation

1. Had a rewarding Twitter exchange

2. The hot tub soothed my spirits
Today I Learned . . .

1. The earliest SkyDome has ever been open for a game is April 16th, 2002
Blog Question(s) Of The Day:

1. How involved is the process of shining my shoes?

2. Why do I accept pain as a normal part of existence?

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

The Daily Affirmation

1. A pretty girl smiled for me

2. Eating a pair of cream puffs will brighten any day

3. Vancouver wins!

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

The Daily Affirmation

1. Nashville has affirmed my faith in them by going ahead 3-1 in their series against Detroit

2. I played Star Wars The Old Republic for 1-1/2 hours and didn't die a single time

Monday, April 16, 2012

The Daily Affirmation:

1. Bruce added two new girls to the summer soccer roster

2. Buying a new computer can make a lot of little annoyances disappear
Blog Question(s) Of The Day:

1. If you feel unwell, is there enough nobility in trying as hard as you are able, even if you know its well less than your best effort?

Sunday, April 15, 2012

Today I Learned . . .

1. LEGO facts


2. There are pipelines that exist solely to transport beer.
Blog Question(s) Of The Day:

1. If I can achieve a mental state of enough serenity, will all of my questions find their answers?
The Daily Affirmation

1. Nashville opened the day with a big win
The Daily Affirmation

1. If you sit quietly, and just observe the environment, you often are rewarded with a visual treat

Saturday, April 14, 2012

Today I Learned . . .

1. Beer bottles are re-used 15-20 times before they are recycled
Blog Question(s) Of The Day

1. Why is everyone in a playoff hockey draft but me?

2. Is it Over-reaching to be searching dating site profiles for soccer players?

Friday, April 13, 2012

Blog Question(s) Of The Day

1. Should I try running road races?
The Daily Affirmation

1. At approximately 1 PM this afternoon, my new super-powered iMac was delivered by Fed Ex.

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Today I Learned. . .

1. Ron McLean has the same birthday as me
Blog Question(s) Of The Day:

1. Is it achievable, from the make-up of my psychology, to phase out the practice of talking to myself?

2. What song most passionately tells your story, of deeply held longing that was always denied?

3. Can I set up a custom tournament in NHL 12 that would feature only the teams that didn't make the "real" playoffs to find out who would be the best (of the worst)?
This is a story that I don't think will occur again for some time.

We were heading downtown for lunch, heading south on Idylwyld Drive. It was a fairly normal day; traffic was not particularly troubling. We got to the corner of 22nd Street and Idylwyld Drive, and it was still 5 to 12. Everything looked good to be one time at the Vietnamese restaurant for lunch.

We were behind a red pickup truck in the left turn lane, from Idylwyld onto 22nd Street. It is noon, and this is a hectic intersection, so I thought little of the fact that we didn't progress any on the light cycle. I assumed someone at the head of the line is just really timid on the left turn.

Then another light cycle came and went and we didn't move again. Now I am thinking, what the hell?!? I start looking around, to see if I can see past the truck. Or staring intently at the driver's mirror, to see if I can figure out, what the hell??

Another light cycle has now passed. We are not moving. Mark and I are now talking about what the possible circumstances are. The inevitability of death is mentioned as an option. People behind us are getting out of their vehicles now, to see what is going on. Others, more impatient, are pulling out, going in the right lane, and slipping back in, in front of the red truck. There is a ton of scowling going on amongst everyone.

We're stuck, as the vehicle directly behind the red truck. He's not moving, so we're not moving. If they are far enough back, people behind us are making the move go to around. I really don't even have that as an option because everyone else is blocking my access into the right lane.

Finally Mark has had enough and he wants to know what's going on. Even if that means finding a dead man stalled in the left lane of Idylwyld. Just as he opens the door, the man starts to attention in his truck. I notice him shake his head once, and then he begins to drive ahead slowly. He gets to the light, which is green, and he motors through, off towards who knows where.

We dumbfoundedly make the left turn onto 22nd Street, still marvelling at the man who fell asleep at the stop light.
The Daily Affirmation:

1. Today's Vietnamese lunch was fantastic.

2. The last of my book order achieved Shipped status

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Blog Question(s) Of The Day:

1. Can you effect government policy in a significant way, without being an elected official yourself?
The Daily Affirmation

1. Another of my book orders has shipped.

2. I got back the two ball players back that I thought I lost.

3. My iMac shipped!!!

4. My second NHL playoffs pick, Nashville Predators, won their first game

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Blog Question(s) Of The Day:

1. How come fast food restaurants don't give out commemorative movie themed glasses anymore?
Today I Learned . . .

1. The basic story of the show can be traced back to Jerry Elijah Rushing, an actual moonshiner in North Carolina. At the age of 12, he began making deliveries, eventually using a modified 1958 Chrysler 300D for the job. The car, named “Traveller” after General Lee’s horse, was rigged to dump oil on the road to impair law enforcement vehicles in pursuit. Rushing was often joined by his brother Johnny, and sometimes by his female cousin Delane. But they just delivered the moonshine, which was actually made by Rushing’s Uncle Worley. Rushing eventually left the business and became an accomplished hunter, especially with a bow. His stories about his adventures inspired the 1975 movie Moonrunners, which in turn led to The Dukes of Hazzard.

2. Johnny Cash wrote a song about the car from the Dukes of Hazzard
The Daily Affirmation

1. After reading Facebook for the night I have come to realize that I truly need a fortunate existence. There is nothing I have any reason to complain about.

Monday, April 09, 2012

The Daily Affirmation:

1. Both my book order, and my computer memory order, progressed to shipping status today
Today I Learned. . .

1. NAMUR is the abbreviation for "Normenarbeitsgemeinschaft für Meß- und Regeltechnik der chemischen Industrie"
Blog Question(s) Of The Day:

1. Should I work with my door closed?

Sunday, April 08, 2012

Today I Learned . . .

1. The Lamaze technique, often referred to as Lamaze, is a prepared childbirth technique developed in the 1940s by French obstetrician Dr. Fernand Lamaze as an alternative to the use of medical intervention during childbirth.
Blog Question(s) Of The Day:

1. Is my mistake in not wanting to be at the centre of everything?

2. Does anyone notice who I am, where my goals are, and what I'm trying to accomplish?

3. Should I make myself a cake on my birthday?
The Daily Affirmation

1. I ate an amazing meal tonight, in celebration of Easter/my nephew Grayson's birthday/my birthday

2. Received a very thoughtful present from my family for my birthday

Saturday, April 07, 2012

Today I Learned. . .

1. The relatively little-known "Computer Space" holds the title of world's first arcade video game

2. Cassie Campbell is taller than Brian Gionta
The Daily Affirmation

1. I'm no expert, but it looks like one of my trees is getting buds

2. Watched the first period of the Senators/Devils afternoon game from the hot tub
Blog Question(s) Of The Day

1. Why do soccer refs wear an ear piece and microphone?

2. How much does a full field power ring cost?

3. Where can I find some sporty girls?

Friday, April 06, 2012

Blog Question(s) Of The Day:

1. Do I need to buy more books from Shoppers Drug Mart?
The Daily Affirmation

1. Nothing beats sitting in the hot tub for achieving relaxation

2. The Hunger Games was very entertaining

Thursday, April 05, 2012

The Daily Affirmation:

1. My office computer is now running at 100% again after a week of frustration
Blog Question(s) Of The Day:

1. What can I do in the office with no computer?

2. Should I read the Shania Twain biography?

Wednesday, April 04, 2012

Blog Question(s) Of The Day:

1. How do European soccer playoffs work?

2. Would whiskey be effective as an iPad screen cleaner?
The Daily Affirmation:

1. I sat in MY hot tub, secure in the knowledge that all components were perfect, for the first time in a very, very long time

2. The shower I had was one of the best of all-time

3. A delightful smile
Today I Learned . . .

1. Joni Mitchell wrote the hit Nazareth song "This Flight Tonight".

2. When injecting chemicals into water, sodium hydroxide (NaOH or "caustic") must be injected before sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl or "chlorine"). The reason is, injecting sodium hydroxide into water first, will raise the pH of the water. This will enable more of the free chlorine to persist longer.

Tuesday, April 03, 2012

The Daily Affirmation:

1. I beat the average score on the daily jigsaw puzzle

2. My hot tub works again!

Monday, April 02, 2012

Blog Question(s) Of The Day:

1. How do I turn off my daily, running internal fantasy?

2. Should I eat more canned food for lunch?
The Daily Affirmation

1. My latest jersey order has shipped!

2. Was only 17 seconds away from beating the average time on my daily jigsaw puzzle

Sunday, April 01, 2012

Blog Question(s) Of The Day:

1. Why does being a 'rock' station seem to doom a station to being an 'oldies' station?

2. Would I enjoy cola drinks as much if they weren't carbonated?
The Daily Affirmation

1. I was conservative with my consumption all day so I splurged on a Taco Time feast tonight

2. The Ground Pounders are signed up for 2012

Saturday, March 31, 2012

The Daily Affirmation

1. The Leafs won and the Canucks won!
Blog Question(s) Of The Day

1. Do I want to go see the movie 'Battleship'?
Today I Learned . . .

1. The number one color worldwide for sex toys is purple

Friday, March 30, 2012

Blog Question(s) Of The Day:

1. When I no longer owe anything, why do I still struggle to leave my office

2. Why are the awful movies the only one's that get endless sequels?

3. Can I hire a coach for myself?
The Daily Affirmation

1. I came very close to beating the average score on a challenging jigsaw puzzle

Jigsaw Puzzle


2. Happiness is . . . getting a status update that your online order has shipped

3. I saw what I was doing, and I stopped myself from being negative

Thursday, March 29, 2012

The Daily Affirmation

1. I added someone on Google+

2. Got $8 for my winning Christmas lottery tickets tonight

3. My cupcake was delightful!
Today I Learned . . .

1. A "typical" housekeeping pad in a water treatment plant can be either 4" (100 mm) or 6" (150 mm)
Blog Question(s) Of The Day:

1. How can a 6" sub, cookies and a drink be $9?

2. How much should I spend on soccer cleats?

3. Is it weird that the first key on my keyboard to lose its letter stamp was the 'C'?

4. How do I get stains off of bakeware?

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Today I Learned . . .

1. The second law of thermodynamics

You can't heat a body of water and expect the energy (as heat) added can be completely converted to turning a bicycle wheel.
Blog Question(s) Of The Day:

1. With long hair in a ponytail, does it pull on your head when you run?

2. When viewed over the long term, is the shotgun approach to any subject as successful at getting you the return you desire, as focused effort on a specific set of targets?
The Daily Affirmation:

1. I got to play Yahoo drafts for 3 sports in one day, hockey, basketball and baseball

2. My buffalo chicken salad wraps idea was a success

3. I've had great success with sending emails today

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

The Daily Affirmation:

1. Playing a game of God of War on my PSP at lunch

2. The good thing about SiriusXM Hits 1's short playlist is, I get to hear the song(s) I like many times a day
Blog Question(s) Of The Day:

1. Should I have more than one pair of "nice" shoes?

2. Can you buy calorie free/lite candy?

3. Do I need someone to keep me out of trouble, or someone to encourage my desire for mischief?

Monday, March 26, 2012

Blog Question(s) Of The Day:

1. When does Major League Baseball start for 2012?

2. Can a woman wear socks with high heels?

3. Should I order some jerseys from this site?  http://www.moonjersey.net/
The Daily Affirmation

1. I like Crystal Light
Today I Learned . . .

1. The element Scandium was predicted to exist by Dmitri Mendeleev, creator of the periodic table. He dubbed the element ekaboron, with an atomic mass between 40 and 48 in 1869. Lars Fredrik Nilson and his team detected this element in the minerals euxenite and gadolinite. Nilson prepared 2 grams of scandium oxide of high purity. He named the element scandium, from the Latin Scandia meaning "Scandinavia". Nilson was apparently unaware of Mendeleev's prediction, but Per Teodor Cleve recognized the correspondence and notified Mendeleev.

2. The 2012 Major League Baseball season will begin on March 28 with the first of a two game series between the Seattle Mariners and the Oakland Athletics at the Tokyo Dome in Japan. The stateside portion of the regular season will start April 4 in Miami, Florida, with the opening of the new Marlins Park, as the newly renamed Miami Marlins host the defending World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals.

3. Google now has games

Sunday, March 25, 2012

Today I Learned . . .

1. Adolf Hitler insisted on being allowed to cheat at chess

2. Film maker James Cameron has dived to the bottom of the ocean in the Marianas Trench
Blog Question(s) Of The Day

1. Should I try to get involved in playing more iPad games?

2. Should I follow Kim Kardashian?

3. Why do I experience blinding, excruciating pain in my mid-back on the left side, when I get up from lying on the sofa?
The Daily Affirmation

1. I love poppy seed buns

2. I did an excellent job of applying a new iPad screen cover

3. I choose not to be a cripple

Saturday, March 24, 2012

Today I Learned . . .

1. How to hang 5 things in the space it takes for 1 hanger:

Wonder Hanger
Blog Question(s) Of The Day:

1. What are those closet accessories, that allow you to hang 5 things from one hanger, called?
The Daily Affirmation:

1. Finally bought the new game, Star Wars: The Old Republic

Friday, March 23, 2012

The Daily Affirmation:

1. $56 and my new hot tub body is on its way here!

2. Slowly, if the sentences are simple, I'm gaining back the ability to read French
Blog Question(s) Of The Day:

1. Is it acceptable for me to sleep all the time?

2. Why do I still struggle with nausea and sleepiness?

3. Why can't they fix Starcraft so your SCV doesn't get trapped?

Thursday, March 22, 2012

The Daily Affirmation

1. Got help from my sister to set up my recycling properly at my house

2. Bought another interesting "... For Dummies" book

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Today I Learned . . .

1. There are actually three ligaments that hold together the shoulder, as it relates to the connection between clavicle (collar bone), shoulder blade and shoulder socket. They are:

acromioclavicular ligament - connecting tissue between shoulder blade and clavicle
corocoacromial ligament - tissue between shoulder blade and shoulder socket
corocoacromial ligament - tissue between clavicle (collar bone) and shoulder socket
The Daily Affirmation

1. I'm getting a new hot tub body for my inflatable set-up!

2. I still love my new shoes.

3. Frosted Flakes are awesome.
Blog Question(s) Of The Day:

1. Which company has the cheapest cell phone package in Saskatchewan/Canada?

2. Is my level of pain more a function of my emotional state and level of adrenaline?

3. Does mail.com have an iApp?

4. What is Instagram?

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Today I Learned . . .

Why was the name 'Idylwyld Drive' given to the main road through Saskatoon?

The name Idylwyld Drive comes from the neighbourhood of the same name and was applied to both the bridge and the freeway by City Council upon completion of the bridge on September 28, 1966. The records don't reveal any real discussion on the matter - literally, one Councillor suggested the name for the bridge and freeway, everyone agreed, and that was it. In 2001, the Idylwyld Bridge was re-named in honour of Senator Sid Buckwold, ex-Mayor of Saskatoon, who died that year.

The source of the name "Idylwyld" itself is a bit obscure. There is an old, tongue-in-cheek story that it was because the "The men are idle and the women are wild" but this is of course not true, particularly since the name was applied before it was developed during the pre-First World War real estate boom, around 1909-1912.

There are several places in Ontario named something like "Idylwyld" and it's possible that the name is taken from one of them, and that it was simply chosen by the original developer because of its vaguely sylvan / pastoral sound (the area would have been fairly bushy at the time, and if I recall correctly, prior to development was often used as a camping ground by early residents of Nutana seeking to beat the summer heat).

Jeff O'Brien
City Archivist
The Daily Affirmation

1. Enterprise Rent-A-Car made it simple and painless to get a replacement receipt for my rental car last week

2. I solved the mystery surrounding Idylwyld Drive!

3. I got the last of my tax information and can now file my return, hopefully getting a refund

Monday, March 19, 2012

Blog Question(s) Of The Day:

1. Why do they have to play 'Led Zeppelin - Stairway to Heaven' so often?

2. Why does choosing to be happy, lead me to feel unhappy?
The Daily Affirmation

1. Executed a textbook perfect parallel park, while wearing an arm sling

2. Made a choice to avoid something that would upset me

Sunday, March 18, 2012

The Daily Affirmation:

1. When I'm alone at home, the pain from my injuries is a lot easier to manage.

2. Found my SimGolf disc from years previous and am enjoying an old classic

3. A Baconator for supper was great!

4. Made the Shockers Facebook news
Blog Question(s) Of The Day:

1. Should I have a Baconator for supper?

2. Why is it called Idylwyld Drive?

Saturday, March 17, 2012

Today I Learned . . .

1. Many g's in French are pronounced with a z sound
Blog Question(s) Of The Day

1. What Metallica song has been played on the radio the most?
The Daily Affirmation

1. Rolled all the pennies in my house and discovered I had $19

2. They have RC Cola at Dollarama again

3. Enjoying a Shamrock Shake on St. Patrick's Day

4. Received compliments on my appearance from completely unexpected sources tonight

Friday, March 16, 2012

The Daily Affirmation

1. Despite enormous obstacles piled in front of me, like sequoias and boulders on a thin mountain pass, I managed to get my Dad's iPad to play his favorite local radio station
Today I Learned . . .

1. 'Double Down' means, to double the wager, take one more card, then stand.
Blog Question(s) Of The Day:

1. Why do some trailers have a set of wheels in the middle that aren't touching the road?

2. Is there another internet service I should join, because it would enhance my experience?

3. How do I find a good human anatomy book?

4. How does a person become a sexologist?

Thursday, March 15, 2012

The Daily Affirmation

1. A Mr. Big chocolate bar can turn around a dismal afternoon

2. Just executed a textbook perfect parallel park
Blog Question(s) Of The Day:

1. Why does a Mr. Big chocolate bar always seem to break in half before you open it?

2. Why was I just dreaming about loading the dishwasher?

3. What does it mean to 'double down'?

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

The Daily Affirmation

1. I knew three of the girls that came to the bar at the concert tonight
Blog Question(s) Of The Day

1. Should I stop wearing my winter coat?

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Today I Learned . . .

1. Pilsner brand beer is bottled in Saskatoon
The Daily Affirmation

1. I got a yellow bag!
Blog Question(s) Of The Day:

1. What causes gangrene?

2. Which is the right medical professional to consult regarding a question of how a person reacts to narcotic pain killers?

Monday, March 12, 2012

Blog Question(s) Of The Day

1. Does anyone ever get to eat the meat tray?
The Daily Affirmation

1. Trussing my arm up, with my hand held higher, feels much more comfortable

2. I love my new shoes

3. Got my best trade show lead of the day in the hot tub of the Banff Caribou Lodge (not the trade show hotel)
Today I Learned . . .

1. The Kia Rio has no suspension

2. Female athletes are known to have a higher risk of injuring their anterior cruciate ligament

Sunday, March 11, 2012

The Daily Affirmation:

1. I paid a pretty girl $5 to drink the liquid remnants of a jar of pickled asparagus

2. The Brier is mercifully over
Today I Learned . . .

1. A Grade 3 (Type III) shoulder separation involves a complete severing of the ligaments that attach the clavicle to the shoulder blade and usually involves some deformation of the clavicle relative to the AC joint
Blog Question(s) Of The Day:

1. If space/logistics was no issue, what would you want to take with you wherever you went?