Holidays!

We're off on holidays tomorrow, after our nephew's christening. Fairmont and Kelowna await us. We look forward to blue lakes, green mountains, trying to spot Ogopogo, and returning with a trunk full of wine. Hopefully the skies won't be too smoky (those poor people who've had to leave their homes!)

I haven't stayed in Kelowna for an length of time since I was a child. I'm excited to experience it with my boys. I remember the excitement of the waves and the beach, the waterslides and pools...things we never saw in Calgary. Even the food that seemed to taste so different, even though it was still my Mum cooking it. And those little boxes of cereal. Those were the only times I was allowed to have sugary cereal.

It seems we're having a busy summer (birthdays, reunion, babies), and I look forward to posting pictures when we return.

Faith

This weekend my brother-in-law and his wife asked me to be Godmother to their third son.

Hubs is Godfather to their second son. Hubs brothers are our sons Godfathers. His sisters-in-law are their Godmothers.

We like to keep things in the family.

I'm really excited. And honoured. Apparently I am the "Godliest of the sisters-in-law", according to them. Which makes me wonder about the other two...

I think it's safe to say I'm a semi-practicing, questioning Anglican. I was raised Anglican, and when I married a Ukrainian-Catholic, there was never a question of me 'switching sides'. He knew.

When you're young, you don't generally question the faith you're raised in, if any. You follow your parents to church, attend Sunday School, get involved. Though, it may not be a big part of your world - it never was for me, my extra-curricular activities often fell on Sundays as I got older.

As I went out in the world, I met new, different people, was exposed to new experiences, and as my experience grew, my ability to question, defend, see multiple sides did too. Things that I was never exposed to growing up now made sense and were attractive to me. I was able to bring them closer and unite them with my own core belief, often enhancing it. I have been able to reconcile that I may not be a textbook Anglican (or Christian, even), but my faith is a reflection of what I hold dear.

My support for my Godson will be in the same way. He will be raised with a strong faith base. But I will encourage him to find his way on his own, to bring closer that which he draws strength from, and to recognize that each person's faith should be unique.

Hollywood, Da da-da-da-da, Hollywood

A few weeks ago hubs and I accompanied my parents, brother, and his in-laws down to Los Angeles to attend the Ellsbeth CD release party. My sister-in-law (my brother's wife) is the lead singer and she's been down there for years pursuing this.

Shan, sweetie, I am so proud, and excited, and giddy, and things I can't even put words to. You chased your dream. You knew what you wanted and you worked for it.

You blew us away on the 23rd. You rocked, you wailed. And now, as I listen to your (first!) CD it takes me back to L.A. - watching you on that stage, meeting your bandmates for the first time, seeing your life down there.

Thank you for the wonderful experience. For L.A., for Hollywood, for Fred's, for the Magic Castle, for Galaxy Theatre.

P.S. the boys can't wait to come down and see Auntie Shan, who knows Spiderman!

Gray Clouds

I'm looking out the window of my office and I can see gray clouds coming in from the west. It's been gloomy here lately, but I think it's pretty timely.

Last week we had to lay off four people from our office, including one of my direct reports. I was not involved in the decision, nor was I responsible for telling him. The pain on my boss' face was hard enough, and I can't imagine having to go through that...or put someone else through that.

There's times when you let people go and once the deed is done, there's some relief. They didn't perform well, created a toxic atmosphere, or any other reason why you may want them gone.

Then there's the ones that you don't want gone. It comes down to needing to eliminate a certain number of positions, and all else being equal, a case of last in, first out. To put it bluntly, it really sucks. You offer to pass along leads, offer to write letters of reference, tell them to stay in touch. But the relationship is never the same. And in an industry that's like a small town, it's awkward and heartbreaking...you see siblings and spouses on the street, parents in meetings.

But, we move on. And hope for better opportunities for them, companies where they will thrive, even more so than they did here. As the industry cautiously climbs once again, from the depths, as it has so many times in the past, they will be better equipped to deal with the future than the lucky ones.

People! Honestly!

Yes, these were the words that came out of my mouth as I tried to drive to work today. Downtown Calgary, during rush hour, can be pretty bad. Though I'm certain it isn't nearly as bad as say, Vancouver or Toronto, or any of those giant U.S. cities. Calgary, however, as long as you pay attention and know where you want to go, can actually be pretty easy.

It's when people are stupid that the whole system messes up.

Yep, I said it. Stupid.

I know, in some homes I would be admonished. I may get a stern word, a warning.

I don't care.

Twice in the space of two right-hand turns to get around the block to the parkade (we have a lot of one-way streets, which necessitates going in circles) the minivan two cars in front of me decided to make a right hand turn from the middle lane. Across the right-hand lane. In front of the car there. Into its lane. There must not have been enough windows on the van. They probably couldn't see all the cars around them.

WTF???

Twice???

Then, as I was getting my coffee (managing to spill it all over my hand in the process), some well-dressed, young gentleman (and I'm using this term loosely here) decided to stand right in front of the cream and sugar while he chatted to his buddy. Mind you, he had no coffee. No tea. Nothing resembling a hot drink in his hand. Never mind that three people are trying to get to the cream, sugar, lids and napkins around him.

Clueless. And inconsiderate.

What is it with people? Am I just getting old? Is it too much to ask for people to be slightly aware of what's going on around them?

That's my rant for the morning. I'm done now. Thank you for letting me get it off my chest. I appreciate that.

How Do You Not Laugh?

Last night I was trying to get my older son to sleep. As a rubbed his back, he informed me that Grandma was going to pick him up from the dayhome the next day.

Me: But sweetie, Grandma's far, far, far away.

(Snow-birding in New Zealand to be precise.)

Son: Yes, she's in the mountains, looking at snakes.

Me: Looking at snakes, really?

Son: Yes, but the snakes are going to eat her.

Me: But won't Dido help her?

(FYI, Dido (and variations) is Ukrainian for grandfather.)

Son: Yes, Dido will save her. Dido has wings. Like Buzz Lightyear. And Parp.

Me: Parp? You mean Warp?

(Sorry, no link that doesn't have to do with nuclear physics. Just trust me on this one.)

Son: Yes, Horp.

Me: Wwwwwarp.

Son: Yes, Warp.

(Sigh)

So, today I e-mailed my dad and asked him how long has he had wings, and why did he never tell us? Really, I'm feeling a little put out by this.

Housecleaning

I've gone through and updated some of my links and cleaned up the blog a little bit. I have realized I am really not great at this! Man, there were a lot of mistakes in there! Eeep!