West - lost in the music:)

Happy Valentine's Day!

2012-02-14T08:09:00.002-07:00

2012-01-10T08:46:00.001-07:00

It snowed. It FINALLY snowed!!!

2011-10-12T09:55:00.000-06:00

Happy Birthday 90th Art Clokey. My childhood wouldn't have been complete without Gumby and Pokey!

A must see!

2011-09-16T14:22:00.004-06:00

2011-08-09T16:22:00.001-06:00

LA Light from Colin Rich on Vimeo.

2011-08-03T22:49:00.003-06:00

2011-07-06T10:07:00.001-06:00

Why it's the best time ever to be a Canadian!

2011-07-04T21:36:00.004-06:00

Verse 1
Unlike most bands I don’t need chronic to groove
I stay calm as a coma when I rock in the booth
But I was feeling kinda hungry and I wanted chedda cheese with a little salt and pepper on top of my Mc’D's
So I said, I would eat it for the weekend and explode on Monday off the food I’m eating
'Cause nowadays its all go for the eyes
I’m a go for the fries til they go to my thighs, word
So I walked out that greasy McDonald's
And saw Colin Decker taking shots from the bottle
I was king like Dylan, innocent like Makeshift
'Til I saw this city fall on the pavement
Looked up it was raining on the seventh and the evidence for heaven was illustrated in essence
In this circus for the fortune we slip and get tired
'Til we fly like dragons up in the empire

Chorus:
'Cause we are not all cowboys when I point the mic out you, you make loud noise!
And just scream, yeah this is how we’re changing the scene

Verse 2:
I went to Dixons to watch some of the Knicks game
But my hands were dead and kind of in pain
It’s from our climate being so ruthless
Still we rise up like elevators 'cause of our music
Despite the weather you know it’s magic here
Like the black phoenix up in the atmosphere
Minus 20 to us, man, that’s like a nice breeze
That’s when the dudes break out their lawn chairs and the iced teas
The city Feist calls home yeah were feisty
Purple rain in the sky 'cause we voted Nenshi
I’m the MC King looking for the MC Queen we call her Frankie
She hangs out with Miesha and the Spankies
Bury the dinosaurs, you know it’s time to soar like hot little rocketeers up in the sky we go
We’re changing Calgary all my homies play their part
So stay focused, stay, stay Ricca Razor Sharp

Chorus:
'Cause we are not all cowboys when I point the mic out you, you make loud noise!
And just scream, yeah this is how we’re changing the scene

Verse 3:
I’m from a city called Victoria on Vancouver Island full of lots of hippies and we shop at consignment
Too busy on the beach to freak and get violent
I love this city from Esquimalt to the Highlands
So when I moved here for my education
Heads were shaking like "Yo! What meds are you taking?"
But we are more than your stereotypes
So turn up your stereo tonight

Bridge:
Everywhere I go, these people they ask me
Where is my home now and I tell them it’s Calgary
Some people don’t get it turn their noses up at me
But the scene is expanding in the city of Calgary

Chorus:
'Cause we are not all cowboys when I point the mic out you, you make loud noise!
And just scream, yeah this is how we’re changing the scene

2011-06-29T16:20:00.001-06:00

Favorite quote from work today:

After being handed some documents to be looked over… “So, this had better be like sunshine up the ass.”

After taking a moment to look at the documents… “Are you kidding? This is more like a flashlight running low on batteries!”

Law of...

2011-06-24T10:25:00.002-06:00

Law of Mechanical Repair - After your hands become coated with grease, your nose will begin to itch and you'll have to pee.

Law of Gravity - Any tool, nut, bolt, screw, when dropped, will roll to the least accessible corner.

Law of Probability -The probability of being watched is directly proportional to the stupidity of your act.

Law of Random Numbers - If you dial a wrong number, you never get a busy signal and someone always answers.

Law of the Alibi - If you tell the boss you were late for work because you had a flat tire, the very next morning you will have a flat tire.

Variation Law - If you change lines (or traffic lanes), the one you were in will always move faster than the one you are in now (works every time).

Law of the Bath - When the body is fully immersed in water, the telephone rings.

Law of Close Encounters -The probability of meeting someone you know increases dramatically when you are with someone you don't want to be seen with.

Law of the Result - When you try to prove to someone that a machine won't work, it will.

Law of Bio Mechanics - The severity of the itch is inversely proportional to the reach.

Law of the Theater and Hockey Arena - At any event, the people whose seats are furthest from the aisle, always arrive last. They are the ones who will leave their seats several times to go for food, beer, or the toilet and who leave early before the end of the performance or the game is over. The folks in the aisle seats come early, never move once, have long gangly legs or big bellies, and stay to the bitter end of the performance. The aisle people also are very surly folk.

The Coffee Law - As soon as you sit down to a cup of hot coffee, someone will ask you to do something which will last until the coffee is cold.

Murphy's Law of Lockers - If there are only two people in a locker room, they will have adjacent lockers.

Law of Physical Surfaces - The chance that an open-faced jelly sandwich will land face down, is directly correlated to the newness and cost of the carpet or rug; if it happens to be a linoleum floor, the chance is greatly reduced.

Law of Logical Argument - Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about.

Brown's Law of Physical Appearance - If the clothes fit, they're ugly.

Oliver's Law of Public Speaking - A closed mouth gathers no feet.

Wilson's Law of Commercial Marketing Strategy - As soon as you find a product that you really like, they will stop making it.

Doctors' Law - If you don't feel well, make an appointment to go to the doctor, by the time you get there you'll feel better. But don't make an appointment, and you'll stay sick.

2011-06-20T20:48:00.002-06:00

An interesting parallel between sex and fear can be observed. As we become capable of having sexual relationships, our interest in those relationships awakens; the interest, unless perverted somehow, tends naturally toward copulation and the continuance of the species. As we become aware of our own unavoidable termination, we become aware of the fear-emotion. And I think that, as copulation tends toward self-preservation, all fear tends toward a comprehension of the final ending.

~Stephen King~

2011-06-13T14:55:00.002-06:00

A wise man once said, tomorrow does not equal yesterday.

Something to think about.

2011-06-06T10:09:00.006-06:00

Me and my friend, Allison, in the stands at the U2 concert!

2011-06-04T22:54:00.004-06:00

U2 put on another fabulous show, yet again. Thank you for the great night, and thank you, Allison, for a fun visit!

Goodnight!

Sea of lights

Photos: jbrandick

2011-05-28T16:32:00.000-06:00

Tonight's forecast:

2011-05-26T22:22:00.010-06:00

My favorite quotes from a meeting today:

"The most logical thing to do is remove the illogical bolding."

"A duck is not seafood."

"Did you know that fire hydrants don't actually hold the hose?
The hose is on the fire truck!"

:-)

Boo.

2011-04-17T14:44:00.006-06:00

INSTALLING SPRING...
███████████████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 44% DONE.

Install delayed....please wait.

Installation failed. Please try again. 404 error: Season not found. Season "Spring" cannot be located. The season you are looking for might have been removed, had its name changed, or is temporarily unavailable. Please try again.

National Coffee Cake Day!

2011-04-07T10:04:00.000-06:00

Mmmmmmm!

Happy National Chocolate Covered Raisins Day!

2011-03-24T08:12:00.004-06:00

Another funny...

2011-03-15T10:36:00.002-06:00

A gorgeous young redhead goes into the doctor's office and said that her body hurt wherever she touched it. 'Impossible!' says the doctor. 'Show me.' The redhead took her finger, pushed on her left shoulder and screamed, then she pushed her elbow and screamed even more. She pushed her knee and screamed; likewise she pushed her ankle and screamed. Everywhere she touched made her scream. The doctor said, 'You're not really a redhead, are you?' 'Well, no,' she said, 'I'm actually a blonde.' 'I thought so,' the doctor said, 'Your finger is broken.'

Same client...few days later. He always has a joke. :-)

A little laugh

2011-03-10T09:27:00.002-07:00

A girl was visiting her blonde friend, who had acquired two new dogs, and asked her what their names were. The blonde responded by say that one was named Rolex and the other was named Timex. Her friend said, 'Whoever heard of someone choosing names like that?' 'HELLLOOOOOOO...,' answered the blonde. 'They're watch dogs!'

So bad, but I had to share that one after a client told me the joke.

:-)

2011-03-03T21:11:00.000-07:00

2011-02-21T23:47:00.000-07:00

Just got home from a fantastic concert by Melissa Etheridge.

Phenomenal.

To top it all off, tonight performances of Precious Pain and I Run For Life were amazing. Hats off to Melissa and her ability to make us laugh and cry all in one evening, a really great evening.

Timmy's Anthem

2011-02-14T19:09:00.009-07:00

Timmy's Anthem, Copyright Brad Nelson (c) 2010

I have traveled 'cross this country from the east coast to the west
Through the prairies to the Rockies where the eagle makes its nest
It's a land of many cultures who have settled far and wide
And now call themselves Canadians and say the word with pride

So I've come to the conclusion that we share a common soul
But it's not our vast geography and not that famous goal
It's a simple cup of coffee and a pastry with a hole
It's the power of Tim Hortons that has kept our nation whole

Chorus
So let's roll boys roll, stand in line to get your coffee
And let's roll boys roll, and some Timbits* dipped in toffee (* donuts, crullers, fritters, Timbits)
And let's roll boys roll, rolling onward t'ward the rim
You can't get more Canadian than good old uncle Tim

There are Timmy's in the U.S. to compete with Krispy Kreme
One in Dublin and in London where you might just spot the Queen
There's a Timmy's in Afghanistan to show our troops we care
But there isn't one in Wawa* so don't bother stopping there (* there is one there now)

There's a Timmy's in Val Cartier and another in Prince George
One in Lunenburg and Brandon and Elora by the gorge
Seems there's one on every corner in most towns across this land
But you just can't beat a nice fresh cup of Timmy's by the Grand (note: refers to the Grand River)

Chorus

Most of us get quite impatient when there's traffic on the road
And we're quick to count the seconds if a file is slow to load
We might only cast a hasty glance if something needs a look
But we'll stand in line at Timmy's long enough to read a book

Rumour has it we're addicted to the coffee Timmy's serves
Seems they use a secret additive that works upon the nerves
When you start to get a craving and your face begins to twitch
Then it's time to take a coffee break and score another fix

Chorus

If you really need a pick-me-up then you can extra-large it
If you haven't got the pocket change they'll even let you charge it
Canadians all pride themselves in health care that is free
So we really need a Tim's plan for our coffee and our tea

Now it could be said that Starbucks gets more flavour from their bean
And a single can of Red Bull will provide you more caffeine
But there's more to drinking Timmy's than the coffee that they brew
For Canadians it's just the patriotic thing to do

Chorus

Now it's true that Tim's was bought out by a food chain we won't name
But the country makes no difference cause the stores are still the same
Didn't Shatner, Reeves, and Myers make their fortunes in LA
But we still say they're Canadians like Timmy's is today (yes, Timmy's is once again Canadian-owned)

Now we exercise our right to Tim's with families, teams, and chums
And three weeks a year at roll up time we exercise our thumbs
Tim's is part of our identity, the true north strong and free
While we stand on guard for Canada we stand in line for thee

Chorus
Oh you can't get more Canadian than good old uncle Tim.

2011-02-07T20:49:00.000-07:00

Charles Limb: Your brain on improv

2011-01-31T19:50:00.001-07:00

Really interesting. And I love that he mentioned Keith Jarrett, awesome!

Good for a laugh!

2011-01-29T15:17:00.002-07:00

Makes you think...

2011-01-18T19:35:00.004-07:00

With money you can buy a house, but not a home.
With money you can buy a clock, but not time.
With money you can buy a bed,but not sleep.
With money you can buy a book, but not knowledge.

With money you can buy a college degree, but not an education.

With money you can buy jokes, but not laughter.
With money you can buy a doctor, but not good health.
With money you can buy insurance, but not safety.
With money you can buy blood, but not life.
With money you can buy sex, but not love.

Photo:jbrandick

2011-01-14T08:14:00.006-07:00

2011-01-11T21:34:00.009-07:00

Music. Sigh. Wow. It can change my feelings in a moment. Memories of all kinds, from so many place and times come rushing back.

My flight home from Toronto was filled with this. From laughing out loud to tears. From people to experiences.

Last of the Mohicans soundtrack - high school

Chasing Cars - walking home from the subway late at night in Toronto

Save A Horse, Ride A Cowboy - Michelle

Better Days - Daryl

Hoppipolla - if we've talk about future events you know about this one :-)

Life As A House soundtrack - Shannon

Arriving Somewhere But Not Here - New York with Jason

Lascio Che lo Sia - you know who you are! ;-)

1979 - Lindsay

Angels on the Moon - Rob

Vertigo - Allison

So many more but I won't bore you with all of them....it was a four hour flight you know! ;-)

2010-12-28T22:29:00.000-07:00

I actually LOL'ed when I saw this!! :-)

2010-12-25T08:31:00.000-07:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Photo: jbrandick

2010-12-16T20:22:00.005-07:00

"All truths are easy to understand once they are discovered; the point is to discover them."

~Galileo Galilei~

Kind of makes you think, hey?

Photo: jbrandick

2010-11-25T06:12:00.004-07:00

Happy National Parfait Day!

And, Happy Thanksgiving to everyone I know south of the border. :-) Even MORE importantly though - it's ONE MONTH TILL CHRISTMAS!!

2010-11-11T11:11:00.000-07:00

They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old;

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning,

We will remember them.

~taken from Laurence Binyon's poem "For the Fallen"~

A thought, so easily applied to many different aspects of life.

2010-11-07T12:28:00.003-07:00

Man has always been drawn to the sea, but it is an unnatural setting for us, a place of great danger. Tides, currents, waves, wind - each presenting their own hazards, none of which can be ignored. The slightest lapse of judgement can be a mistake you can never recover from. But a good sailor doesn't fight against these elements, a good sailor works with them, using them to his advantage. While others less fortunate might be forever cast adrift, often in several pieces, he always comes home safely.

~Michael C. Hall as Dexter Morgan~

Photo: jbrandick

National Candy Day!

2010-11-04T06:08:00.000-06:00

Four days too late (personally, I think Halloween would be more appropriate), but a candy day is a candy day!

Happy Halloween!

2010-10-31T06:52:00.000-06:00

Today's Stock Market

2010-10-25T09:50:00.002-06:00

Helium is up.
Feathers were down.
Paper was stationary.
Fluorescent tubing was dimmed in light trading.
Knives were up sharply.
Cows steered into a bull market.
Pencils lost a few points.
Hiking equipment was trailing.
Elevators rose, while escalators continued their slow decline.
Weights were up in heavy trading.
Light switches were off.
Mining equipment hit rock bottom.
Diapers remained unchanged.
Shipping lines stayed at an even keel.
The market for raisins dried up.
Coca-Cola fizzled.
Caterpillar stock inched up a bit.
Sun peaked at midday.
Balloon prices were inflated.
Scott Tissue touched a new bottom.
And batteries exploded in an attempt to recharge the market.
~Author Unknown~

Ah, Levi's!

2010-10-22T10:44:00.000-06:00

Photo: jbrandick

2010-10-11T10:48:00.001-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Coney Island ride sign

2010-10-07T21:42:00.001-06:00

This sign is hilarious, I love it!

Photo: jbrandick

2010-09-12T12:35:00.001-06:00

The breeze at dawn has secrets to tell you. Don't go back to sleep. You must ask for what you really want. Don't go back to sleep. People are going back and forth across the doorsill where the two worlds touch. The door is round and open. Don't go back to sleep.

~Rumi~

Sept 2, 2010

2010-09-02T08:33:00.004-06:00

Hm...today's date.

090210

Looks a lot like 90210! ;)

2010-08-25T09:12:00.003-06:00

National Banana Split Day!

The Symphony Sessions

2010-08-23T19:30:00.003-06:00

There is absolutely nothing better than rediscovering an amazing album by a fabulous composer. There are few things that come to mind that could match the feeling music gives me. The highs and lows, the adventure and quiet, the stories that one can see evolving through a piece. Beginning to end, there always seems to be a story whether it is from a movie soundtrack or it simply allows you to envision your own.

I bought The Symphony Sessions by David Foster the same year the Olympics came to Calgary. This was a must have cassette tape (hilarious!) because it has the theme from the '88 Winter Games. I was 9 or 10 years old. Who would have thought I'd already be forming a much loved collection at that age? Years later the collection has grown significantly, but for obvious reasons, I no longer had the tape or the ability to play it. I was able to find the album and after waiting months for them to track it down, and then ship to me, I am now the proud owner once again.

It's been a great reunion. I remembering conducting so many of these songs in my bedroom and singing along to the one song that has a short chorus. Water Fountain, Firedance, Time Passing, all of them really...crazy as this may sound, but they are old friends with so many memories.

Celebration of the Bow River

2010-08-22T13:12:00.003-06:00

"500 illuminated spheres released by local volunteers along the Bow River, beginning at Edworthy Park downstream to Prince’s Island, emphasizing and celebrating the purity, flow and sanctity of the Bow River.

Traveling downstream to create a large-scale dynamic lighting installation, the spheres will float into the lagoon, joining a week-long spectacular light matrix that responds in color, motion and light to environmental data collected from the Bow River.

Sources and the River of Light is a narrative lighting installation exploring the idiosyncratic nature of the Bow River in response to the subject of water. Vital information about the environment and the Bow’s make-up, flow and usage is communicated through the light patterns of the spheres, while people take a moment to pause and reflect on the Bow and the installation’s beauty created through light.

The artist of this installation is U.K-based Creatmosphere, founded by artist Laurent Louder. They are using geographic, geological and environmental observation, public participation and technology to achieve a spectacular and memorable experience on the Bow River."

Source: City of Calgary

A very unique installation, and a lot of fun to attend with thousands of other onlookers participating.

Photos: jbrandick

Sounds of my neighborhood

2010-08-14T13:59:00.011-06:00

I've been sitting on my balcony today enjoying the warm, and very sunny day. While sitting here I've noticed many different sounds in my neighborhood. For a fairly quiet area, there is quite the mix on a Saturday afternoon. :)

Birds, lots of birds
A quiet hum of traffic from Macleod
LRT
Church bells
Ice cream truck
Lawnmower
Airplanes flying over
Hammering
Children laughing and screaming
People talking
One dog barking a couple times
Wind in the trees
Fire trucks leaving the station
Vehicles coming and going, up and down my street
Helicopter flying over

I really do love my neighborhood! :)

Photos: jbrandick

Hee hee!

2010-07-14T21:26:00.002-06:00

Evening sky

2010-07-11T22:05:00.003-06:00

Photo: jbrandick

2010-07-01T03:44:00.000-06:00

HAPPY CANADA DAY!

2010-06-15T08:13:00.000-06:00

My balcony is officially summer ready!

2010-06-06T11:39:00.002-06:00

My little helper!

Photos: jbrandick

Something I can get on board with this month

2010-06-01T07:32:00.000-06:00

National Iced Tea Month!

Brewed, sweetened or Long Island!

A thought for this morning

2010-05-27T07:29:00.001-06:00

Even under ideal conditions, people have trouble locating their car keys in a pocket, finding their cell phone, and Pinning a Tail on the Donkey - but I'll bet everyone can find and push the snooze button from three feet away, in about 1.7 seconds, eyes closed, first time, every time!

:)

A few photos from San Francisco

2010-05-20T22:34:00.002-06:00

Photos: jbrandick

San Francisco here I come!!!!

2010-05-12T10:15:00.000-06:00

2010-05-04T22:11:00.003-06:00

"Doubt thou the stars are fire;
Doubt that the sun doth move;
Doubt truth to be a liar;
But never doubt I love."

The heart wants what the heart wants. It does, it certainly does. And mine, well it has chosen someone that is very special to me. Ridiculous? Perhaps. The truth? It hurts like hell sometimes, but I choose to move forward believing that this man is worth it. The question does arise, how does one go about getting an answer? An answer that will make the choice to continue on be based on more than "the heart wants what the heart wants".

What is successful?

2010-04-30T01:18:00.000-06:00

What is successful?

This question has been floating around in my head for a few days.

Does it mean you have a high paying job with hundreds of people below you? The fastest and most exotic car? Do you work in a job you love, even though it doesn't award you on a financial level, but rather a personal one?

Do you own a 5000 square foot house? A penthouse in your chosen city? Multiple homes in multiple cities? Or just the perfect home, big or small, that reflects who you really are?

Does it mean that you have an amazing immediate and extended family that you can rely on always? Fabulous friends surrounding you? Do friends and family even come into consideration when thinking of success?

Would you be labeled as successful? Or a failure?

Would I?

Did you know?

2010-04-29T16:57:00.002-06:00

Did anyone realize that today is National Shrimp Scampi Day? Huh...who knew?!

2010-04-22T10:22:00.002-06:00

Happy Earth Day!

2010-04-18T22:55:00.001-06:00

Why didn't someone tell me that being honest with one's feelings could do more harm than good?

Iceland Volcano

2010-04-15T11:20:00.002-06:00

Knowing full well that there are stories of frustration and loss, there have been some amazing photos out of this story.

A sure sign that Spring is here!

2010-03-15T17:11:00.003-06:00

This, and the smell of BBQ coming in my open patio doors!

This Bitter Earth / On The Nature Of Daylight (Dinah Washington & Max Richter)

2010-03-13T22:24:00.007-07:00

A haunting melody, paired with these thoughtful lyrics...it really is a mesmerizing piece for me.

A Dream Deferred

2010-03-09T20:22:00.000-07:00

What happens to a dream deferred?

Does it dry up
like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore--
And then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over--
like a syrupy sweet?

Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.

Or does it explode?

Langston Hughes

2010-03-03T22:10:00.002-07:00

Hm.

Hope is the worst of evils, for it prolongs the torments of man.

~Friedrich Nietzsche~

2010-02-22T09:30:00.006-07:00

Happy National Cook a Sweet Potato Day and National Margarita Day!!!

Olympic Flame

2010-02-20T10:41:00.004-07:00

One thing I love is that the 2010 Olympics has given Calgary a reason to relight the Olympic flame here in Calgary, atop our tower, making it still the World's Largest Olympic Torch. :)

Run - Snow Patrol

2010-02-18T08:36:00.000-07:00

I'll sing it one last time for you
Then we really have to go
You've been the only thing that's right
In all I've done

And I can barely look at you
But every single time I do
I know we'll make it anywhere
Away from here

Light up, light up
As if you have a choice
Even if you cannot hear my voice
I'll be right beside you dear

Louder, louder
And we'll run for our lives
I can hardly speak I understand
Why you can't raise your voice to say

To think I might not see those eyes
Makes it so hard not to cry
And as we say our long goodbye
I nearly do

Light up, Light up
As if you have a choice
Even if you cannot hear my voice
I'll be right beside you dear

Slower slower
We don't have time for that
All I want is to find an easier way
To get out of our little heads

Have heart my dear
We're bound to be afraid
Even if it's just for a few days
Making up for all this mess

Light up, Light up
As if you have a choice
Even if you cannot hear my voice
I'll be right beside you dear

We Are More by Shane Koyczan

2010-02-12T21:17:00.000-07:00

2010-02-08T20:12:00.003-07:00

I ke kā, I ka hoe...i ke kā, Pae aku I ka ‘āina!

2010-02-07T15:07:00.001-07:00

"We are afraid to care too much, for fear that the other person does not care at all."

~Eleanor Roosevelt~

I care, do you? Please just tell me...

2010-01-11T19:25:00.003-07:00

Happy National Clean Off Your Desk Day!

How are all of your desks looking?? ;)

To: _____

2010-01-03T00:46:00.007-07:00

A fun winter night with friends and family!

2009-12-19T16:37:00.002-07:00

Photos: jbrandick

Whew!

2009-12-14T09:19:00.003-07:00

With cars not starting, eyelashes freezing together as you walk outside and the silence that goes along with the bitter cold, you know it's been cold. Just waiting for some sun dogs... :)

2009-12-07T21:01:00.003-07:00

Kind of cool! :)

This Year in Auto-Tune 2009

A little Christmas...

2009-12-06T00:13:00.003-07:00

Photos: jbrandick

Symphony of Science

2009-11-08T19:56:00.001-07:00

2009-11-03T17:34:00.004-07:00

I can't seem to get it to post properly (shocking, I know!) but this would be an amazing thing to participate in!

Whale Song

Hm...

2009-11-02T18:17:00.002-07:00

A great Hope fell

You heard no noise

The Ruin was within

Oh cunning wreck that told no tale

And let no Witness in

Taken from: A Great Hope Fell - Emily Dickinson

A little U2, a little Vegas!

2009-10-26T17:25:00.002-06:00

Photos: jbrandick

2009-10-21T16:01:00.001-06:00

In Vegas! Lovin' every minute! :)

2009-10-20T17:48:00.003-06:00

“I have come to understand that music is not part of "arts and entertainment" as the newspaper section would have us believe. It's not a luxury, a lavish thing that we fund from leftovers of our budgets, not a plaything or an amusement or a pass time. Music is a basic need of human survival. Music is one of the ways we make sense of our lives, one of the ways in which we express feelings when we have no words, a way for us to understand things with our hearts when we can't with our minds.”

“You're not here to become an entertainer, and you don't have to sell yourself. The truth is you don't have anything to sell; being a musician isn't about dispensing a product, like selling used Chevies. I'm not an entertainer; I'm a lot closer to a paramedic, a firefighter, a rescue worker. You're here to become a sort of therapist for the human soul, a spiritual version of a chiropractor, physical therapist, someone who works with our insides to see if they get things to line up, to see if we can come into harmony with ourselves and be healthy and happy and well.

Frankly, ladies and gentlemen, I expect you not only to master music; I expect you to save the planet.”

~Excerpt from "What's It For?" Welcome address to freshman class at Boston Conservatory given by Karl Paulnack, pianist and director of music division at Boston Conservatory.

2009-10-15T17:13:00.001-06:00

"Follow your heart, but be quiet for awhile first. Ask questions, then feel the answer. Learn to trust your heart."

Author Unknown

2009-10-14T17:01:00.002-06:00

In the words of C-3PO...

"We seem to be made to suffer. It's our lot in life."

Is Gilmour really Falkor?

2009-09-16T21:03:00.007-06:00

At work today

2009-09-15T17:13:00.002-06:00

Someone at work today sang this song to me, complete with all the voices. I couldn't help but laugh, so I thought that I would post it here and perhaps someone else will get a good laugh from it too!

09.09.09

2009-09-09T09:19:00.002-06:00

HAPPY WORLD DAY OF INTERCONNECTEDNESS!

A little info...

How to celebrate :)

Something to think about too:

"By the way, if somebody tells you that it's all made up, they are completely right. That's one of the secrets to life, somebody came up with everything you see including all that business of changing of the guard and Buckingham Palace or whatever. It doesn't have to be old to be significant and you don't have to the one billionth soul served like it was a spiritual hamburger. Some things are meaningful because you say they are."
~Michael Skinner~

A few questions...

2009-09-02T21:52:00.001-06:00

How the hell are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?

Was learning cursive really necessary?

Why is it that during an ice-breaker, when the whole room has to go around and say their name and where they are from, I get so incredibly nervous? Like I know my name, I know where I'm from, this shouldn't be a problem....

I hate when I just miss a call by the last ring (Hello? Hello? Dammit!), but when I immediately call back, it rings nine times and goes to voicemail. What'd you do after I didn't answer? Drop the phone and run away?

Hm.

Very true

2009-08-31T00:00:00.001-06:00

Sometimes, I'll watch a movie that I watched when I was younger and suddenly realize I had no idea what was going on when I first saw it.

Hello!...Charlie and the Chocolate Factory?!

Ah, the memories...

2009-08-26T17:17:00.000-06:00

Do you remember when you were a kid, playing Nintendo and it wouldn't work? You take the cartridge out, blow in it and that would magically fix the problem. Every kid in North America did that, but how did we all know how to fix the problem? There was no internet or message boards or FAQ's. We just figured it out. Today's kids are soft.

Haha! :)

Observation

2009-08-24T17:40:00.000-06:00

Have you ever been walking down the street and realized that you're going in the complete opposite direction of where you are supposed to be going? But instead of just turning a 180 and walking back in the direction from which you came, you have to first do something like check your watch or phone or make a grand arm gesture and mutter to yourself to ensure that no one in the surrounding area thinks you're crazy by randomly switching directions on the sidewalk.

Camping in a tipi. :)

2009-08-23T16:41:00.001-06:00

Our tipi!

Hikes...

Walks...

View from our site!

Photos: jbrandick

Fun!

2009-08-19T17:30:00.007-06:00

Cute. :)

2009-08-11T10:17:00.001-06:00

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and it may be necessary from time to time to give a stupid or misinformed beholder a black eye. - Miss Piggy

K-Country

2009-06-28T20:16:00.003-06:00

Fabulous drive and short hikes in Kananaskis today. Picnic at Spray Lake, wading in rivers, and lots of wildlife made for a great day! The short but sweet getaway was just what I needed. :)

Photos: jbrandick

So that was fun!

2009-06-17T12:31:00.006-06:00

OK. Frankie caught a sparrow.

Since my patio door was open he brought it into my place. I couldn't catch Frankie, so he took it into my bedroom and then released it. It scampered under my heaters and then ducked into a hole in the wall that connects the heaters between my bedroom and living room. Frankie was freaking out. I was freaking out. I got a flashlight and was finally able to see where it had gone and it wasn't moving at all.

I lock Frankie out and have all my "tools" ready. I took apart my heaters, grabbed my flashlight and pliers, grabbed onto the little bird and started to pull it out. To my AMAZEMENT the little bird was actually still alive. He "ran" and "flew" out and then went under my bed. I can only imagine what my neighbors though if they could hear me screaming from time to time (scaring the bird just as much too!).

I finally was about to catch it in a Tupperware container. I wasn't sure if it would be able to fly but to my surprise when I took it out to the balcony it flew away!

So, way to go Frankie for being a good hunter and bringing me a present, but I hope that word gets around that my balcony is one to avoid from now on!

A recent visitor...

2009-06-09T12:28:00.002-06:00