michael's journal
the journal of Michael Werneburg
twenty-seven years and one million words
2025
new era
2025.02.15, Kokubunji
I just spent a week facilitating day-long seminars explaining the next era in the company's development.
the button eye of a mad-man is fixed on my country
2025.02.02, Kokubunji
So now Puppet-Sock Sauron says that the tariffs against my home and native land will continue until Canada is absorbed by the US.
comparing my profile in different AI tools
2025.01.26, Kokubunji
Here's who "Perplexity" thought I was on December 20, 2024.
old dog, new trick 2025 edition
2025.01.23, Fukuoka
I've been playing this games called Civilization for more than thirty years.
heard a new song in the grocery store
2025.01.21, Kokubunji
One of the odd things about Japan is that you tend to hear interesting new English-language music in stores.
when losing Y30,000 is okay
2025.01.19, Kokubunji
I've just had some news that I believe shows something interesting about receiving bad news.
early buds on tree stems
2025.01.19, Tokyo
I am happy to report that winter's grip is already starting
old dog, new trick poetry edition
2025.01.18, Kokubunji
I was reading my daughter Alice Through the Looking Glass at bedtime when I realized that I've been making a mistake with the opening stanza of the poem "Jabberwocky" this whole time.
wanikani level six at last
2025.01.14, Kokubunji
I made level five on Wanikani for my kanji/vocabulary studies in April.
interesting sky over Kokubunji
2025.01.11, Kokubunji
2025 is a special year
2025.01.08, Kokubunji
One of my colleagues posted this: Let’s make 2025 a fantas
movie review - Cloverfield Paradox
2025.01.06, Kokubunji
Netflix was promoting this sci-fi flick this weekend.
pre-dawn image in kobe, japan
2025.01.04, Kobe
On this morning, we arrived in Kobe on the over-night ferry
fishing boats at new years
2025.01.03, Nichinan
the flu over Xmas
2025.01.03, Nichinan, Miyazaki
I've had the flu, probably since December 27th, despite having had the flu shot.
oil bucket flowerpots
2025.01.01, Nichinan
the comedy duo
2025.01.01, Nichinan, Miyazaki
I went to tell the kids that being January 1, it was time to go for a walk to the local shrine to "pray".
2024
Like turtles emerging from the surf.
2024.12.30, Nichinan
Rock formations with lines and shape vaguely like turtle he
fishing from rocks before a rugged peninsula
2024.12.30, Nichinan
I find the combination of a humble 16MP Olympus mirrorless
a colorful evening in Kokubunji
2024.12.27, Kokubunji
It's a shame that Kokubunji is so flat, because I bet this
movie review - Mufasa: The Lion King
2024.12.27, Tachikawa
This is an animated prequel to The Lion King, a now-thirty-year-old Disney flick.
editing videos with The Girl
2024.12.26, Kokubunji
Our gift for The Girl this X'mas was a hot-shoe mounted microphone for her camera.
pollarded trees in Kokubunji
2024.12.24, Kokubunji
I wish they wouldn't do this. Why leave this stump of a tre
garish building in Tachikawa
2024.12.22, Tokyo
I like the rendering on this new manual-focus lens. Colle
kanji studies progress (yet again)
2024.12.22, Kokubunji
As I've mentioned earlier this month, I'm using this tool called Wanikani to study Japanese kanji and vocabulary.
my struggle with Japanese volume 4,032
2024.12.22, Kokubunji
The word from "sky blue" in Japanese is "mizuiro".
Fukuoka for disaster recovery
2024.12.21, Kokubunji
I wanted to see what a new AI called Perplexity had to say about a project we did at work recently.
finally a real time-travel story
2024.12.20, Kokubunji
While the Youtube algorithm takes all, in the end, along th
according to an AI
2024.12.19, Kokubunji
A friend shared a story about a new AI that is specifically trying to improve search results while cleaning up the hallucinations and other things that have made AI tools such a mess.
god-light in the late afternoon over Shibuya
2024.12.18, Tokyo
Looking west from Shibuya an hour before sunset, Dec 18 202
getting directions on the street
2024.12.17, Tokyo
the tailor, late at night.
2024.12.17, Tokyo
I shot this from the street one evening, heading for a year
mount fuji on a clear day
2024.12.17, Tokyo
strange weather one Tokyo afternoon
2024.12.17, Tokyo
One afternoon in December 2025 I shot this out the window o
not sure what's happening here
2024.12.17, Tokyo
I was walking down one of Shibuya's innumerable streets and
kanji studies progress (again)
2024.12.15, Kokubunji
I'm using this tool called Wanikani to study Japanese kanji and vocabulary.
farewell to 5 Gbps Internet
2024.12.15, Kokubunji
We bought a new washing machine, which was delivered last week.
movie review - Carry-On
2024.12.14, Kokubunji
This is a Netflix thriller about a TSA agent in the US who is coerced into helping some terrorists get a bomb aboard a commercial flight.
new lens means photographing a wall
2024.12.14, Tokyo
The first photo I usually take with a new lens is of the wa
farewell to old glass
2024.12.14, Kokubunji
Today I sold three of my old Pentax and Minolta manual focus lenses, plus a 30mm macro lens that I'd recently picked up in a trade-in.
way to go Canada Post
2024.12.13, Kokubunji
The Canadian government is moving to end a strike by Canada Post that has ruined the Christmas revenues of countless small businesses across the country.
kanji studies progress
2024.12.09, Kokubunji
I'm using this tool called Wanikani to study Japanese kanji and vocabulary.
into the light
2024.12.08, Tokyo
lush colors through long exposure
2024.12.07, Tokyo
The Girl and I went out to take some experimental photos. H
something burning in Tokyo
2024.12.05, Tokyo
I don't know what was happening in the city's south-west, o
colors as the November sun sets over Kokubunji
2024.12.01, Kokubunji
Fiery colors this afternoon as the sun set over Kokubunji.
stairs and shadows
2024.11.30, Kokubunji
casting a long shadow
2024.11.30, Kokubunji
sold my fishing gear
2024.11.28, Kokubunji
I took the distressing step of selling my "deep sea" fishing gear today.
movie review - Spellbound
2024.11.24, Kokubunji
I watched this for movie night with The Girl, now aged 12.
where micro-four-thirds is actually going
2024.11.24, Kokubunji
I'm a daily-carry hobbyist photographer.
return to the at-grade rail crossing
2024.11.22, Tokyo
I love this site, such an interesting place. Compare below
dark and chilly lens-software test
2024.11.18, Kokubunji
This is a ramshackle old house on a property near me.
water uh finds a way
2024.11.17, Kokubunji
Leaves spinning as a man-made stream returns underground in
we received our copies of the photo books!
2024.11.15, Kokubunji
We received our copies of the photo books we make for the family every year.
bug in the machine
2024.11.13, Kokubunji
When I wrote the content management system that powers this website, 'public' was either not a reserved word or its use was not enforced.
we have to talk about weed
2024.11.13, Kokubunji
I'm shocked at all the Gen-X, Millennials, and Zoomers who
movie review - Alien Xmas
2024.11.11, Kokubunji
This is an animated flick about some aliens whose entire culture revolves around theft.
movie review - The Lego Ninjago Movie
2024.11.11, Kokubunji
The kids suggested we watch this animated movie based on a TV series based on a series of toys from my son's early childhood.
on Copilot for coding
2024.11.09, Kokubunji
exactly what I needed on a Friday night
2024.11.08, Kokubunji
my macro lens front-focuses
2024.11.04, Tokyo
I'm trying to get used to this new lens but it seems in mac
movie review - Monster House
2024.11.03, Kokubunji
This is a clever animated movie featuring two nerdy boys who discover that the 'haunted house on their street' is actually possessed by an angry spirit that is capable of controlling the house to do things like eat people.
little bird sticker at a high school gym
2024.11.03, Tokyo
tiny spider in the morning sun
2024.11.01, Kokubunji
I shot this little neighbor when on a wander around the blo
larger than life pinecone
2024.10.31, Kokubunji
I think I'm going to like to have a lens with a macro funct
traded away a lens, today
2024.10.30, Kokubunji
It rained all day Monday and Tuesday, then this morning as well.
cedars in black and white
2024.10.27, Kokubunji
I'm quite pleased with how this came out. Interestingly, th
after Endor - a Star Wars short
2024.10.27, Kokubunji
Youtube has been feeding me these things for years. And I k
re-learning the telephoto lens
2024.10.26, Tokyo
When I lived in Vancouver nearly 25 years ago, I learned to
someone hailed this taxi
2024.10.26, Tokyo
Way out in Takao, I noticed this taxi with some distinctive
a spider looms over western Tokyo
2024.10.26, Tokyo
Japan is changing or maybe just drunk
2024.10.23, Kokubunji
I think I was punched on the Chuo line tonight.
Chinese medicine
2024.10.22, Kokubunji
I'm trying some new Chinese medicine that's supposed to help prevent migraine.
movie review - Shaun of the Dead
2024.10.19, Kokubunji
I watched this with the kids on Netflix because it was on a "bucket list" poster of 100 movies that I bought The Boy for X'mas last year.
it's only 24 prefectures after all
2024.10.19, Kokubunji
I was looking at the map of my travels in Japan and realized that although I'd colored in Gifu as if I'd spent time there, I can't recall actually having done so.
"The parameter is incorrect" when assigning a new drive letter
2024.10.19, Kokubunji
While attempting to reassign the drive letter for an NVME drive on Windows 10, "Disk Management" kept throwing up a warning: "The parameter is incorrect".
Shibuya receding into fog
2024.10.18, Tokyo
That's Mr. Ãœeneberg to you?
2024.10.14, Kokubunji
I am keeping track of the various misspellings of my surname.
early walk with my wife
2024.10.12, Kokubunji
Out before the sun was properly up. It's gone from 30+ to h
one evening in kokubunji
2024.10.07, Kokubunji
I am so, so glad to see something other than summer skies o
movie review - Jason Bourne
2024.10.06, Kokubunji
The Boy and I watched this after it turned up in a Netflix search.
came home to a new season
2024.10.06, Kokubunji
It was still definitely summer when I left, but it's autumn now in Tokyo.
prefecture number twenty-five
2024.10.06, Kokubunji
Well, Nagasaki-ken, you had all of a week as my latest prefecture.
end of the line in karatsu
2024.10.05, Karatsu
This is the end of the JR line on the northern coast of Kyu
jaunty covered alleyway
2024.10.04, Fukuoka
They'd added some brightly-colored streamers to this place
the set of the nope moment
2024.10.04, Fukuoka
Just before the "nope" moment in a horror flick or game.
an urban night scene in Fukuoka
2024.10.04, Fukuoka
I shot this while walking past the walkway into a hotel.
vietnamese once more
2024.10.04, Fukuoka
For a third time in two weeks, I had Vietnamese food tonight.
a night of two milestones
2024.10.03, Fukuoka
My Japanese instructor informs me that we've been working together for four years, as of this week.
boy on a ferry, fukuoka
2024.09.29, Fukuoka
I was pleased with this shot of a boy on the city ferry tha
I looked up at the radio tower
2024.09.29, Fukuoka
I was on a 5k walk from Shika island to a train station to
fukuoka shrine in the evening
2024.09.29, Tokyo
Bleached colors in the evening, and a lonely leaf to signif
chairman michael's modest walk
2024.09.29, Fukuoka
I headed across the downtown area of Fukuoka to see if I could fins a collared t-shirt in my size, as one of the shirts I brought with me is disintegrating rapidly.
mmmm korean food
2024.09.29, Fukuoka
I hope everyone likes photos of my dinner, cos this is just going to keep happening!
travels include half of Japanese prefectures
2024.09.29, Fukuoka
Having visited Okinawa, Hokkaido, and now Nagasaki in the past 18 months, I realize I've now visited more than half the Japanese prefectures.
the battleship island
2024.09.28, Gunkanjima
This is the 'gunkanjima' in Nagasaki. Five thousand people
nagasaki is big hilly
2024.09.28, Nagasaki
One thing that drives me crazy about living in Kokubunji, i
ghostly robot in a hallway
2024.09.28, Fukuoka
As I made my way through the connective tissue between a shopping mall and the Hakata station, I glanced down a side corridor and saw what was for all purposes an 'android' in the sense of Star Wars.
the battleship island
2024.09.28, Nagasaki
Today I visited the ruling queen of 'haikyo' in Japan: abandoned sites.
3D image in a museum
2024.09.28, Nagasaki
I thought this faux-digital-3D lettering in a Chinese-Japanese museum was pretty clever.
star wars droids are here
2024.09.28, Nagasaki
I saw one of these security robots in a shopping mall today.
maybe it's leadership
2024.09.27, Kokubunji
I hope Noah kept his other job! (Hat tip to Grandma for th
good-bye rotating passwords
2024.09.26, Kokubunji
There is new guidance for US government agencies and anybody else who is beholden to the NIST regime regarding password rules.
mongolian dinner
2024.09.25, Fukuoka
Tonight I decided to finally go to a Mongolian restaurant that I spotted two visits ago.
ripples from fish jumping in a river
2024.09.24, Fukuoka
The reflections in this river where disturbed by the countl
fish market after hours
2024.09.24, Fukuoka
mmmm vietnamese food
2024.09.24, Fukuoka
My son, oddly enough, believes that Thai and Vietnamese foods are the same thing.
fingernail NFC chips
2024.09.24, Fukuoka
It's now possible to get NFC chips that can fit under your glued-on fake fingernails.
delicate stone wall
2024.09.23, Fukuoka
reclining Buddha buried in rules
2024.09.23, Fukuoka
Today I got out the door early(ish) and went to see the reclining Buddha that's just east of Fukuoka.
mmmm nepalese food
2024.09.23, Fukuoka
Today I had quite a walk across the city, probably another 10km jaunt including the walk to Hakata station in the morning.
when your Mac won't read your SD card
2024.09.22, Fukuoka
When your Mac won't read your SD card, check that Mega and Dropbox are disabled.
movie review - Uglies
2024.09.21, Kokubunji
This is a sci-f-adjacent movie about a young woman growing up in a world in which all adults undergo massive plastic surgery to achieve their ideal form.
anyone still using FreeBSD
2024.09.19, Kokubunji
This website is powered by FreeBSD Unlike just about anythin
file uploads after all these years
2024.09.18, Fukuoka
I've finally added file uploads to the CMS for this website.
hottest July in Tokyo history
2024.09.16, Kokubunji
The average temperature in Tokyo for the 2024 month of July was fully two degrees hotter than the average for the thirty prior Julys.
movie review - Violent Night
2024.09.15, Kokubunji
This is an off-beat X'mas movie about a deeply revised Santa Claus who fell into the job at some point in the 12th Century after a mortal lifetime as a Scandinavian warrior-chieftan.
and now, a minecraft server
2024.09.15, Kokubunji
I built the kids a minecraft server on a FreeBSD virtual machine on my new server equipment.
tech bros re-inventing things
2024.09.14, Kokubunji
If I ever get involved in another start-up, I am absolutely letting this guy know just for the incremental oblique humor.
no to farmed haggis
2024.09.13, Kokubunji
Remember: every time a haggis is caged, a bagpipe falls silent.
practicing Mario Kart makes perfect
2024.09.10, Kokubunji
Mari had to meet Ken at his sports-physiotherapist this evening.
mushi-atsui in kokubunji-shi
2024.09.09, Kokubunji
It's 34°C and 73% humidity, despite being the 9th of September.
movie review - Yes Man
2024.09.07, Kokubunji
This is a movie about a down-trodden wretch who agrees to forego saying "no" to anything.
the server is alive
2024.09.07, Kokubunji
I spent most of the day getting all of the data, code, and configuration across from the old system.
setting up a new server
2024.09.05, Kokubunji
Today I started the long process of installing the hypervisor and then building the new server that will host this website.
the incredible expanding camera
2024.09.04, Kokubunji
This video does a great job of explaining why consumer cameras have kept getting larger in recent years.
all hail megatsunami!
2024.09.02, Kokubunji
my perverted friend
2024.09.01, Kokubunji
I received an email today that started with "Hello, my perverted friend.
movie review - The Union
2024.08.31, Kokubunji
This is a movie about an aging loser who's still plying his hometown for women and holding down a job that feels beneath his abilities.
almonds are costy
2024.08.30, Kokubunji
At work, we are dumping some old monitors due to an office restructuring, and I pulled rank by asking for one.
皮 versus 支
2024.08.24, Kokubunji
I have been using a kanji learning tool called "wanikani" for a year.
part two of explaining climate change to a certain denier
2024.08.23, Kokubunji
why do I read Shakespeare
2024.08.22, Kokubunji
I've been doing a lot of writing, lately, largely on a novel I started in 1991 (yes, I'm one of those people).
movie review - Fight Club
2024.08.21, Kokubunji
This is a movie about an insomniac insurance adjuster who is locked in a consumerist distraction.
fishing in Hokkaido
2024.08.20, Kokubunji
The Boy and I went trout fishing this morning with fly gear.
reflections in the lobby of a five star hotel
2024.08.19, Hokkaido
warning of a warm front
2024.08.19, Hokkaido
hiking in Hokkaido
2024.08.19, Hokkaido
The hotel is pretty strict about tattoos in their onsen and pool, so while Mari and the kids went to the pool, I hiked down to the lake.
movie review - Kingsman: The Golden Circle
2024.08.17, Kokubunji
After a generally good first "Kingsman" movie, the second was a chaotic mess.
explaining climate change to a certain denier (part one)
2024.08.17, Kokubunji
movie review - The Big Lebowski
2024.08.17, Kokubunji
This is a noir film about a loser has the same name as a crook who is involved in a plot to steal a million dollars.
movie review - The Truman Show
2024.08.16, Kokubunji
I watched this nineties movie with my kids, in part because it was on the "movie bucket list" we gave our son.
movie review - Deadpool and Wolverine
2024.08.12, Kokubunji
This is a movie about a washed-up one-time semi-heroic character with a mutant healing ability that lets him bounce back all but immediately from almost any injury.
introducing Cheeky and Sneaky
2024.08.11, Kokubunji
These are Cheeky and Sneaky, the two goldfish we kept from the three hundred eggs that hatched on April ten.
about time someone said this
2024.08.09, Kokubunji
It really is bonkers how things have been in US politics for so long.
movie review - Ultraman: Rising
2024.08.05, Kokubunji
This is a story in which the mantle of Japan's Ultraman super-protector is passed on to a new generation.
movie review - Nope
2024.08.04, Kokubunji
This is a story about a family of horse-trainers who formerly had a good livelihood providing horses for Hollywood.
time for a tempest
2024.08.04, Kokubunji
Last year, I noticed that Shakespeare's "The Tempest" was written four hundred years ago, so I thought I'd give it a whirl.
movie review - Inside Out Two
2024.08.03, Kokubunji
This is an animated movie about some conceptual figures that live in a girl's head.
twenty-seven years, six months, twenty-one days
2024.08.01, Kokubunji
Today for my Japanese homework, I had the question, ã
looking for a home for some fish
2024.07.31, Kokubunji
I'm going to try to take the last batch of fish to a different store than the one we've been taking them to.
movie review - Alien
2024.07.22, Kokubunji
This is the classic tale of the crew of a space tug hauling an ore refinery back to the human home solar system.
crazy lightning
2024.07.22, Kokubunji
There's yet another lightning storm over western Tokyo tonight, and it's easily one of the most active storms I've ever witnessed.
imaginary colors in a Tokyo suburb
2024.07.17, Kokubunji
I went for a walk with my camera tonight and passed this pa
a day off is as good as a rest
2024.07.15, Kokubunji
It's a holiday (that notes a time the Emperor rode on a steamboat) and we're holed up in the few rooms that have air condition, each of us doing his/her thing.
movie review - Orion and the Dark
2024.07.14, Kokubunji
We watched this animated Netflix movie for movie night.
wait that's not monotone
2024.07.14, Kokubunji
This is a partially-desaturated image of a grey building on
sixty-one babies gone
2024.07.13, Kokubunji
We took the large majority of the remaining baby goldfish to the fellow with the aquarium shop in Tachikawa.
Michael's long evening
2024.07.12, Kokubunji
I got home from work around 19:30 tonight and spent an insane amount of time getting a new tire on Mari's bicycle.
baby goldfish at three months
2024.07.10, Kokubunji
These fish were three months to the day from their hatching
god light over kokubunji
2024.07.09, Kokubunji
local grocery is closing
2024.07.09, Kokubunji
I went to our local grocery store tonight and was shocked to see that it was closing for the next two weeks for extensive renovations.
movie review - Lift
2024.07.07, Kokubunji
It is so hot outside that no one wants to go out for any reason.
food truck at our grocery store
2024.07.07, Kokubunji
This is an unexpected feature of life in Japan. Tiny food t
movie review - Uncharted
2024.06.29, Kokubunji
For movie night, The Girl and I watched this harmless action flick.
towering over the trees
2024.06.27, Tokyo
towering over the treesI ran into a family from Perth in Australia and walked them to their hotel in western Shinjuku.
baby goldfish at 2.5 months
2024.06.23, Kokubunji
These cuties were a lot of fun at this age. It's amazing to
a visit from the flying spaghetti monster
2024.06.23, Kokubunji
Touched by his noodly appendage. Which is to say, life, uh,
Tuco is dead
2024.06.23, Kokubunji
The heater in Emma's aquarium went crazy and drove the temperature to nearly 40 degrees.
movie review - Brightburn
2024.06.22, Kokubunji
The premise of this movie is that a foundling turns up at a farm, and as he grows up he is found to have special powers.
today we took our baby goldfish to market
2024.06.22, Kokubunji
It was time, once again, to take some baby goldfish to market.
constant SSH probing
2024.06.22, Kokubunji
These were the top 40 IP addresses trying to log into this server on SSH without an authentication key over a three week period this month.
sold our first fish today
2024.06.16, Kokubunji
This weekend, two of our countless little fishbabies died.
movie review - Safe House
2024.06.15, Kokubunji
This is an action flick about a young CIA operative who mans a "safe house" that goes disused week after week.
and now we switch to summer
2024.06.12, Kokubunji
And just like that it's suddenly summer, with thirty degrees and sticky.
movie review - I Lost My Body
2024.06.09, Kokubunji
This is a stylish and disturbing anime from France.
movie review - Nightbooks
2024.06.09, Kokubunji
This is a story about two kids held captive by a witch in the towering apartment building where the boy lives/lived with his parents.
street art in kodaira
2024.06.09, Tokyo
bronze family by a strip mall
2024.06.09, Tokyo
I discovered this bronze statue of a family of three, which
new aquarium has filtration
2024.06.09, Kokubunji
The upstairs aquarium is now set up for the nineteen babies that are the current residents.
movie review - Fall
2024.06.08, Kokubunji
At some point, perhaps around the time I became a parent, I developed a strong aversion to heights.
two month old baby goldfish
2024.06.08, Tokyo
back to raising babies
2024.06.08, Kokubunji
I got home yesterday to find that Mari has done an amazing job of raising the baby goldfish.
lots of early mornings
2024.06.07, Fukuoka
I found myself in the office by 07:30 yesterday, and again today.
store of a trillion things
2024.06.05, Fukuoka
The first kanji in this name is 'chou', which means 1,000,0
torturing people in Japanese
2024.06.05, Fukuoka
I went out for drinks at a cheap izakaya a ten minute walk from our office.
sunset over fukuoka
2024.06.04, Fukuoka
back to Nichinan (Pho)
2024.06.04, Fukuoka
Last time I was in the city, I found a pho place named the same as the town in southern Kyushu where Mari's parents live.
a bridge over colorful water, fukuoka
2024.06.03, Fukuoka
fukuoka is for burgers
2024.06.03, Fukuoka
Fukuoka is known for its outstanding fresh fish (even by Japan's standards) but also for a form of ramen.
back in Fukuoka
2024.06.03, Fukuoka
I've decided to take a break from constantly changing the water of tiny baby goldfish.
movie review - Meg 2: The Trench
2024.06.02, Kokubunji
This is a worthy sequel to the surprisingly good "high concept" movie about the return of the prehistoric Otodus Megaladon to the seas.
movie review - JUNG_E
2024.05.31, Kokubunji
This is a Korean sci-fi flick about a near future that while not a crap-sack world is certainly a dystopian place.
mobile zombies in an elevator
2024.05.28, Tokyo
In the office building where I work, we have some strange elevators.
baby goldfish at 6.5 weeks
2024.05.26, Tokyo
We put a bunch of our young goldfish into a new 90cm x 25cm
I think the US doesn't like one of their politicians
2024.05.22, Kokubunji
There seems to be a chap running for president in the US that's a bit divisive.
two fish in a wine glass
2024.05.21, Tokyo
People won't believe that this title results in a valid sea
walking in a green space
2024.05.20, Kokubunji
cars reduced to a blur
2024.05.20, Kokubunji
The Girl and I went for a photography-walk. Collections c
farewell, Mary Ann
2024.05.20, Kokubunji
I was shocked to learn of the death of Mary Ann Neary, someone I met with regularly for more than six years during my days in Toronto's cycling advocacy activism.
baby goldfish eating algae
2024.05.19, Kokubunji
These are baby goldfish eating algae, as seen from outside their tub.
baby goldfish resettlement
2024.05.18, Tokyo
This is the fellow who would take our baby goldfish. He was
giving away baby goldfish
2024.05.18, Tachikawa
Today we took about fifty of our baby goldfish to a store in Tachikawa where the proprietor (and only employee, it seems) agreed to take the off-spring of Emma's fish.
baby goldfish macro
2024.05.15, Kokubunji
Beautiful little critter. The spots gradually gave way to s
an update on the baby fish
2024.05.11, Kokubunji
Here's a clip I recorded showing the state of the fish after four and a half weeks.
movie review - City Hunter
2024.05.06, Kokubunji
This is a live-action Japanese cop buddy movie that dispenses with one of the buddies fairly early on, leaving us with a smug, womanizing annoyance who feels like he stepped out of a piece filmed in the early eighties.
movie review - Smile
2024.05.06, Kokubunji
This is a tense horror movie that lays it on so thick our twelve-year-old (who chose it!
babies go bye-bye
2024.05.06, Kokubunji
We took nearly a hundred baby goldfish to a local aquarium store today.
on the grounds of a small shrine
2024.05.05, Tokyo
temple at sunset
2024.05.05, Kokubunji
brine shrimp for baby goldfish
2024.05.03, Tokyo
I've been hatching brine shrimp to feed to baby goldfish. I
bucket full of goldfish fry at twenty days
2024.04.30, Tokyo
goldfish fry after twenty days
2024.04.30, Kokubunji
the baby goldfish look like goldfish
2024.04.30, Kokubunji
The babies, now three weeks old, no longer look like fry but rather like tiny goldfish.
signs under strong sunlight
2024.04.28, Tokyo
Tokyo architecture in a nutshell
2024.04.28, Tokyo
movie review - Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning
2024.04.27, Kokubunji
This is the latest in the literally never-ending series of action movies about a fictional quasi-governmental spy agency that cleans up after the Pentagon.
movie review - Spider-Man: No Way Home
2024.04.25, Kokubunji
This is yet another Marvel super-hero movie featuring Spider-Man.
feeding baby brine shrimp to baby goldfish
2024.04.25, Tokyo
This is what it's like, feeding baby brine shrimp to baby g
someone lost their glasses
2024.04.24, Tokyo
young man wearing pearls
2024.04.24, Kokubunji
It's not too uncommon to see young men wearing nail polish, these days.
the fourth turning is here
2024.04.23, Kokubunji
The surviving author of the book that explained the 'generational theory of history' has put out another book, and the title really says it all.
movie review - Spaceman
2024.04.22, Kokubunji
This is a nicely-paced science fiction story about a solo astronaut from the Czech Republic who is on a mission to investigate a strange feature that has appeared somewhere in Earth-observable space.
our baby fish eating baby brine shrimp
2024.04.20, Kokubunji
I'm closing in on 7,500 posts on this journal of mine and t
goldfish fry at nine days
2024.04.19, Tokyo
I think this fry had been eating the hatched shells of the
goldfish fry at nine days
2024.04.19, Tokyo
This is a goldfish fry at nine days, surrounded by his favo
many fat babies
2024.04.19, Kokubunji
I discarded some of the many, many fry when they first hatched, but I believe we've got some two hundred to three hundred remaining.
movie review - Minions: The Rise of Gru
2024.04.14, Kokubunji
This is an animated prequel to the movie Despicable Me from .
raising brine shrimp in an aquarium
2024.04.14, Tokyo
The aquarium was the right temperature for raising brine sh
goldfish fry four days after hatching
2024.04.14, Tokyo
The white particles are bits of chicken egg yolk. It is dam
preparing for a performance
2024.04.13, Kokubunji
at a festival in Kokubunji
2024.04.13, Kokubunji
saxaphone band at a festival
2024.04.13, Kokubunji
goldfish fry after three days
2024.04.13, Tokyo
goldfish fry after three days
2024.04.13, Tokyo
sunset over tokyo
2024.04.10, Tokyo
butchered tree in my neighborhood
2024.04.09, Kokubunji
evening in Kokubunji
2024.04.09, Tokyo
goldfish fry in the egg
2024.04.09, Tokyo
more goldfish fry
2024.04.09, Kokubunji
I noticed on Saturday that The Girl's goldfish were spawning again.
long reach of the sakura
2024.04.07, Kokubunji
hanami in kokubunji
2024.04.07, Kokubunji
snap from a car window
2024.04.07, Kokubunji
going to marry water
2024.04.07, Kokubunji
The Boy, drinking some water, exclaimed on how much he loves water.
movie review - Stand By Me
2024.04.06, Kokubunji
After more than thirty years, I finally saw this mid-'80s classic about four boys who set off to find a body in the woods.
an experimental forest in kokubunji
2024.04.06, Kokubunji
the geographic center of Tokyo prefecture
2024.03.30, Kokubunji
Because I live in a small city in the center of Tokyo prefecture, I've tried to identify the exact geographic center.
today The Boy was scouted
2024.03.30, Hachioji
We attended a conference for The Boy's basketball team at a small university in Hachioji.
fukuoka shrine in the wind at night
2024.03.26, Fukuoka
This photo was tricky to get, as it required a lengthy expo
not a contest winner
2024.03.24, Kokubunji
It looks like the contest winners have been announced for the annual photo contest here in Kokubunji.
fishing on the sea
2024.03.21, Kokubunji
Today I woke early with a strong migraine and scotched my plans do see the mangrove swamp and to do some shopping for Mari.
so this is amami oshima
2024.03.20, Amami Oshima
At the hotel where I'm staying, I had a chat with an Australian named Matt who lives in the small village of Uken here on Amami Oshima.
world war two pillbox
2024.03.19, Amami
swift water on amami oshima
2024.03.19, Amami
the west coast gets the plastic
2024.03.19, Amami
and then the rains came
2024.03.19, Amami Oshima
The weather forecast wasn't too conducive for fishing today, and the actual weather bore that out.
where Japan's tetrapods come from
2024.03.18, Amami
I visited Amami Oshima last week, and this is one of the fi
mysterious growling in a dark woods
2024.03.18, Amami Oshima
It's been some eight or nine months since I had any time off, so I decided to take this week away from work.
watching Pulp Fiction with my son
2024.03.16, Kokubunji
Over the course of a few nights my son and I managed to watch "Pulp Fiction" on Netflix.
what goes on in southern Kyushu
2024.03.16, Kokubunji
On Reddit, someone posted a map of southern Kyushu and ask what life is like in the region.
my father's final photo
2024.03.16, Kokubunji
my father's final photo My father was a regular photographer
directing the busses in Shibuya
2024.03.15, Tokyo
undersea rivers that extend thousands of kilometers
2024.03.14, Kokubunji
I must be watching more science stuff these days on Youtube, because this was recommended for me.
traffic at an intersection
2024.03.11, Kokubunji
I went out for a stroll with my camera at night. I set up t
long shadow of the golden hour
2024.03.10, Kokubunji
movie review - The Last Padawan
2024.03.08, Kokubunji
I watched the first release of this series a few years ago.
statue on a hill
2024.03.03, Takasaki
I shot this after emerging from a volleyball game in Takasaki in Gunma prefecture.
cities in Canada quiz
2024.03.03, Kokubunji
There's a thing on Reddit where people are posting maps from a quiz where you have to name cities and towns in a given region.
7,500 journal entries
2024.03.03, Kokubunji
Way back in 2009, I noticed that I'd written 2,500 entries in this journal.
planet of bicycles
2024.03.02, Tokyo
rock outside a temple in Kokubunji
2024.03.01, Tokyo
the center of Tokyo prefecture
2024.02.24, Kokubunji
I've had a stab at working out where the center of Tokyo prefecture is.
movie review - Godzilla -1.0
2024.02.23, Kokubunji
This is a Gojira movie from Toho, the originators of the genre.
bribing a bent judge to go away
2024.02.22, Kokubunji
movie review - Predator
2024.02.19, Kokubunji
For "movie night" we watched this old gem in honor of the passing of Carl Weathers.
smearing the sky with long exposure
2024.02.19, Tokyo
This photo of a university campus at dusk took nearly a sec
movie review - Night at the Museum
2024.02.12, Kokubunji
Tonight we watched this kids' movie about a down-on-his-luck divorced father taking a night job so that he can remain a part of his son's life.
movie review - The Good The Bad and The Ugly
2024.02.12, Kokubunji
This is an antique* anti-war western with a stellar cast, sharp writing, and about forty minutes more run-time than it needs.
broken heater plug
2024.02.12, Kokubunji
While cleaning the aquarium, something went wrong as I was reassembling the cannister filter and water began to pool on the wooden floor.
today's word is 写真
2024.02.11, Kokubunji
Part of Mari's name in Japanese is the kanji 真 for "true".
at-grade railway crossing in Shinjuku
2024.02.10, Tokyo
I found this site quite interesting. Compare with the image
a snowy trek home
2024.02.05, Kokubunji
This is the way I found my bicycle at Nishi-Kokubunji station tonight.
second gear
2024.02.03, Kokubunji
For the past three+ years I've been studying Japanese with a teacher.
farewell, old shirt
2024.02.03, Kokubunji
Today it is with a heavy heart that I mark the passing for a shirt from Eddie Bauer that my mother gave me circa the year 2011 -- or perhaps 2003.
well they said you was high key
2024.02.02, Tokyo
antipodes
2024.02.02, Kokubunji
I spotted a post on Reddit about having been to two places on the opposite sides of the planet.
movie review - John Wick: Chapter 4
2024.01.26, Kokubunji
The Boy and I watched this, perhaps to see it through as much as anything.
living the Ponzi life
2024.01.26, Kokubunji
Here's an interesting video about the Ponzi scheme we're all living.
movie review - Appaloosa
2024.01.22, Kokubunji
This is a Western about two men who hire themselves out as law enforcement muscle in the western territories of the US in the late 19th Century.
not quite diamond Fuji
2024.01.21, Kokubunji
Perhaps diamond .. apartment house? Note the reflection of
playing in the street with dad
2024.01.21, Kokubunji
sunset over Kokubunji with Mt Fuji in the background
2024.01.21, Kokubunji
I shot the sunset from Kokubunji in western Tokyo, with Mt
movie review - Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget
2024.01.20, Kokubunji
This is an animated movie from the lunatics at Aardman.
so is this Peak Software
2024.01.20, Kokubunji
Sometimes, when I look at what a mess we've made of software development and delivery, if we haven't perhaps missed the peak of software and are in the decadent denouement.
a snack with an owl
2024.01.14, Tokyo
Mt Fuji seen through power lines and buildings
2024.01.14, Kokubunji
sriracha on the streets
2024.01.13, Tokyo
It's a bit expensive but it was a fun. Note the poorly-done
pixel 7A FTW?
2024.01.13, Kokubunji
I recently bought a new smartphone after more than five years with an aging Nokia 6.
movie review - The Rhythm Section
2024.01.12, Kokubunji
I came across this odd movie in one of our streaming services and despite its mediocre ratings on IMDB, gave it a chance.
what happened to GoPro
2024.01.08, Kokubunji
This video suggests that a gigantic payday for a start-up founder early in the story of the start-up's life can kill the company and everything it might have accomplished.
movie review - For a Few Dollars More
2024.01.03, Kokubunji
This is the sequel to the gritty and seminal "Fistful of Dollars".
the longest beaches in the world
2024.01.01, Kokubunji
We spent the early morning on Kujukuri, the 60-kilometer-long beach in Chiba.
rays of sun on January one
2024.01.01, Chiba
first photo of the year
2024.01.01, Chiba
twenty-seven years of this journal
2024.01.01, Kokubunji
Today marks the 27th anniversary of this journal of mine.
the motorheads
2024.01.01, Chiba
Today after greeting the new year with a bit of a prayer and then a walk on the beach, we went to a place in Chiba where they have all sorts of survivalist games.
2023
whale-propelled lady
2023.12.31, Chiba
total clear-cut
2023.12.31, Chiba
movie review - Fistful of Dollars
2023.12.29, Kokubunji
This is a movie made in Spain in the 1960s but set in the US-Mexico frontier in the 1890s.
open-source microchip architecture FTW
2023.12.22, Kokubunji
To think that the day of open-source microchip architecture is here.
movie review - Elemental
2023.12.17, Fukuoka
I watched this on a flight to Fukuoka today - the flight was barely long enough, and there were irritating pauses near the end, but I think I still pull off a review.
photo ratings are live
2023.12.17, Kokubunji
After many years, I've restored the capability of visitors to this site to rate photos.
hopefully we can be optimistic about Argentina
2023.12.10, Kokubunji
On why the "Mad man" might not be bad news for Argentina.
movie review - Reptile
2023.12.09, Kokubunji
This is a story about a cop who finds himself investigating something that seems to lead to shady stuff all over the district.
here's George Jetson
2023.12.09, Kokubunji
Today I learned that in the timeline of "The Jetsons", a TV show from the sixties, the titular lead character George Jetson is estimated to have been born in 2022.
chestnuts no more!
2023.12.09, Kokubunji
There was a chestnut orchard near our home and I'm sad to report it's been pulled out and now it's like it was never there.
learning to "wild whistle"
2023.12.08, Kokubunji
There's a thing you can do with your hands where you make an air-tight space and then blown past a gap between your thumbs to make a sound like an ocarina.
pushing people onto trains
2023.12.08, Kokubunji
They say you no longer see the staff at train stations pushing people onto trains in Tokyo, but you do indeed.
what happened to Theia
2023.12.06, Kokubunji
I do like a rotating model, and this news item prominently features one!
movie review - Annihilation
2023.12.03, Kokubunji
After an extremely long work week, I managed to sit down with a movie for the first time in a while.
delicate colors of a Japanese autumn
2023.12.02, Kamakura
kamakura
2023.12.02, Kokubunji
Today, I returned to Kamakura -- acting as tour guide for five Dutch visitors sent from my employer's headquarters.
a watch dial made from a printed circuit board
2023.11.23, Kokubunji
There are some amazingly talented people out there.
of supernovas and extinction events
2023.11.22, Kokubunji
So, it looks like a supernova could have stripped the Earth of its ozone layer 360 million years ago, at the end of the Devonian.
tomare in red and green
2023.11.19, Tokyo
autumn afternoon in kunitachi
2023.11.05, Tokyo
I hope you like lines and shapes that repeat! I snapped thi
another day on the court
2023.11.05, Kokubunji
The Boy's team had another game today, and again they won.
Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven Anymore
2023.11.05, Kokubunji
This summer, one of my fishing buddies told me about this John Prine song.
day of the photo book
2023.11.04, Kokubunji
With an hour-long break to watch an animated flick with Emma, I spent the day today from 05:30 through 22:30 working on this year's photo book.
game day
2023.11.03, Kokubunji
It was a national holiday, today, so naturally the school system booked part of their city-wide tournament on this day.
moon and planet
2023.10.29, Kokubunji
I don't know that I've ever seen an evening sky as clear as the one over Tokyo right now.
my first Karen
2023.10.28, Kokubunji
My wife and daughter walked into a bakery in our area today to find that no fewer than three staff were helping an extremely rude and demanding woman who insisted that she must be served immediately and to her satisfaction and that she didn't have time to wait.
new color scheme
2023.10.23, Kokubunji
This morning I adopted the color scheme of Tokyo's Musashino train line for this website.
The Boy's big tournament
2023.10.22, Kokubunji
We attended a tournament for The Boy's basketball team.
preparing for the fireworks
2023.10.21, Kawasaki
We did a five kilometer walk, mostly along the Tamagawa. Th
The Girl's long walk
2023.10.21, Kokubunji
The Girl and I went to a ravine that a friend told me about a few years ago.
working at the speed of my daughter
2023.10.21, Kokubunji
I discovered a one-liter thing of milk sitting on the counter.
five germaphobes (a joke in haiku)
2023.10.18, Tokyo
five germaphobes enter an elevator cannot touch; won't go
why are so many movies not great
2023.10.13, Kokubunji
I watch a fair number of movies, and I have definitely noticed a long degradation in quality and some really mystifying incidents where the CGI was clearly worse than it was twenty years ago.
and now it seems that life on Earth came from .. space?
2023.10.11, Kokubunji
Here's an interesting idea.
a digital back for any 35mm film camera
2023.10.08, Kokubunji
There's a Kickstarter project that is promoting a digital back for 35mm film camera.
watching Little Miss Sunshine
2023.10.06, Kokubunji
I watched this, a favorite of mine, with my son tonight.
my browser vs Youtube
2023.10.06, Kokubunji
Youtube has recently started complaining about the "ad blocker" that is part of my browser.
shot twice
2023.10.04, Kokubunji
Mari and I went to the local clinic today and got shot twice: for the flu and for COVID.
grooming The Boy
2023.10.03, Kokubunji
I'm slowly convincing The Boy that he should start writing movie reviews.
movie review - Deadstream
2023.10.02, Kokubunji
This is a "found footage" movie about a live streamer who decides to spend a night in a haunted home.
paying for a phone in Canada
2023.10.01, Kokubunji
I've learned - thanks to my Mum - that I'm still paying for the prepaid phone I used for two weeks in BC this summer.
movie review - Belle
2023.10.01, Kokubunji
Tonight for "movie night", my daughter and I watched a Japanese movie inspired by Beauty and the Beast.
movie review - Something in the Dirt
2023.09.30, Kokubunji
This is an interesting story about two neighbors in a small apartment building in Los Angeles who investigate some crazy phenomenon after one of them witnesses some unnatural light the unexplained levitation of household objects.
movie review - The Vault (2022)
2023.09.27, Kokubunji
This is a movie about some dudes who break into the world's most secure vault, which is apparently in Spain.
moody sky in kita-kyushu
2023.09.26, Kita Kyushu
what I did at work today
2023.09.25, Fukuoka
I believe this is the third time I've been in the news in Japan.
today, a short speech
2023.09.25, Fukuoka
I'm due to give a short speech at our office's Grand Opening.
fukuoka bridge in the evening
2023.09.24, Fukuoka
taking my chances in Fukuoka
2023.09.24, Fukuoka
Missed my son's event at school today because I had to leave town.
movie review - Tremors: Shrieker Island
2023.09.23, Kokubunji
I don't recall having seen any of the Tremors movies except for the first, and I'm surprised to learn that this is the seventh.
where oh where is my mind?
2023.09.22, Kokubunji
movie review - Outside the Wire
2023.09.22, Kokubunji
This is a near-future Sci-Fi movie about a drone pilot who causes the deaths of some marines in a conflict in Ukraine through hitting a military target that was immediately adjacent to their position.
skype credit deactivated
2023.09.22, Kokubunji
I don't know why Microsoft does this, but they periodically notify me that they're going to deactivate my credit on Skype.
movie review - Spider-Man Across The Spider-Verse
2023.09.18, Kokubunji
One complaint I have with these Spider-Man movies is that the titles are so similar that you can't tell which is which.
ow my floating in space brain
2023.09.15, Kokubunji
movie review - Prey
2023.09.14, Kokubunji
This is a fun if chronologically distant sequel to the '80s movie Predator.
Canada is changing
2023.09.10, Kokubunji
I note that Canada's first World Cup showing (and first victory over an american team) comes on the 30th anniversary of our last win of a Stanley Cup.
mmmm specialty grocery store
2023.09.09, Kokubunji
Today Mari and I went to an unassuming grocery store that I'm sure we've passed on many occasions without entering.
a message from the government of Canada
2023.09.06, Kokubunji
I was wondering when these guys would get around to Canada.
250 quotes
2023.09.05, Kokubunji
Today I added a quote to my collection and noticed that it was my 250th.
illusionary shadows
2023.09.03, Tokyo
notes from a novel
2023.09.02, Kokubunji
My brother passed along this rather incredible account of typeset in the Star Trek movies and TV shows.
no charges for dinged door
2023.09.01, Kokubunji
When we were in Hakone last weekend, a young couple was hanging around our car right after we arrived.
Star Wars Pianika
2023.08.28, Kokubunji
sunset over tokyo
2023.08.25, Tokyo
movie review - Mission: Impossible
2023.08.23, Kokubunji
Once upon a time I watched "Mission Impossible II" and did not like it.
The Most Dangerous Weapon
2023.08.23, Kokubunji
sulfurous steam venting
2023.08.21, Hakone
replenishing the vending machine on a Monday
2023.08.21, Hakone
temple basin for ablutions
2023.08.21, Hakone
towering cumulus-nimbus
2023.08.20, Hakone
fire in Whitehorse and a hurricane heading for Los Angeles
2023.08.19, Kokubunji
El Nino and a hundred million Ford F-150's and here we are.
more trouble for the car guys
2023.08.12, Kokubunji
The other day I shared a link to the woes of the car manufacturing industry as they face unprecedented problems.
electric vehicles
2023.08.03, Kokubunji
I noticed this article title "the potential looming auto industry fiasco", and thought it got everything just about right.
movie review - Hidden Strike
2023.08.02, Kokubunji
We thought this flick looked interesting -- I had thought that Jackie Chan had retired.
longest ride of the year
2023.07.30, Kokubunji
Today was another ridiculously hot day, but I decided that rather than spend yet another weekend indoors, I'd hop on my bike and do a dry run for a longish ride I have planned.
working under every kind of lag
2023.07.24, Kokubunji
I've recently flown to the Netherlands and to British Columbia and my brain and body seem to be in broad disagreement.
so this is kabuki
2023.07.23, Ojimachi
In a rather jarring change of pace, I found myself in a Kabuki theatre today.
choosing death
2023.07.23, Kokubunji
My brother called to let me know that our father has set a date for his medically assisted death.
home again
2023.07.22, Kokubunji
I know it's not the last time I'll travel by plane this year, but I am glad to be done with it for now.
movie review - Bridge Over the River Kwai
2023.07.20, Salt Spring Island
I was slowly engrossed in this movie after a shaky start in which its clearly dated setting initially had me cringing.
good-bye
2023.07.19, Salt Spring Island
This afternoon, I gave my father a final hug, a final kiss on the cheek, and told him I love him, and then I left.
an outstanding day for fishing
2023.07.18, Campbell River
We were back on the water this evening, but it wasn't my on
opening day for salmon in 2023
2023.07.15, Campbell River
At 05:30, we hit the water at high tide and headed to the s
of tiny mice and tiny snakes
2023.07.15, Campbell River
While on a hike earlier in the week, I came across a tiny mouse so small that its entire torso and head were no larger than the last digit of my thumb.
meeting of two lakes
2023.07.14, Campbell River
This is where Buttle Lake and Upper Campbell Lake meet, in
movie review - Fool's Gold
2023.07.14, Campbell River
I got in late and decided to burn off what remained of the evening with this movie on Netflix.
movie review - The Edge of Tomorrow
2023.07.13, Campbell River
After a long day's errands, hiking, and fishing, I spotted this underappreciated classic on Netflix and watched it for what must have been the third or fourth time.
beautiful green river
2023.07.12, Campbell River
I suspect this a gorge cut for the hydro power generation p
movie review - The Out-Laws
2023.08.12, Kokubunji
This is a fun movie about a shlep whose fiance isn't close with her parents.
outdoorsy, even
2023.07.12, Campbell River
This morning I took Oma/Opa's PC in for repair and got it booting again.
fly fishing
2023.07.11, Campbell River
I decided to try my hand at fly fishing while I'm in Campbell River.
a pile of boats
2023.07.09, Salt Spring Island
I guess locals leave the boats around like this between use
float planes in BC
2023.07.08, British Columbia
I was en route from Tokyo to Campbell River, British Columb
movie review - Black Hole
2023.07.08, Salt Spring Island
Tonight I watched this 1979 sci-fi movie with my brother and sister-in-law.
half-dead Stanley Park
2023.07.08, Salt Spring Island
It seems that a good third or more of the trees in Vancouver's Stanley Park are dead.
skirt caught in bicycle
2023.07.07, Kokubunji
This morning I spotted a young woman whose skirt had gotten caught in the rear gear assembly of her bicycle.
it looks like COVID lock-downs were marginally effective
2023.07.05, Kokubunji
Social distancing had more impact on mortality than lock-downs.
Will AI be a force for good
2023.07.03, Kokubunji
In May of this year, Ted Chiang wrote a piece in the New Yorker comparing AI to McKinsey, a consulting firm famous for "extracting shareholder value" by tactically tearing apart functioning companies.
movie review - Nimona
2023.07.01, Kokubunji
This is a movie about a knight whos act of knighthood is sabotaged by a violent act of terrorism that causes him to unwittingly kill the city's monarch.
movie review - Mission: Impossible Fallout
2023.07.01, Kokubunji
This movie is honestly an excellent action film.
movie review - The Adam Project
2023.06.30, Kokubunji
Between jaunts to other continents, I managed to watch this with my kids.
incorrectly secured ssh server
2023.06.28, Kokubunji
Ever since I rebuilt my websites on this AliExpress Celeron server I have apparently been under the false impression that I had blocked password access on SSHd.
movie review - Galaxy Quest
2023.06.23, Kokubunji
I watched this again with my daughter and I really enjoyed it.
thoughts on Canada from a recent immigrant
2023.06.23, Kokubunji
This fellow's criticisms are sadly accurate.
quantum computing feels like quackery
2023.06.22, Kokubunji
It's all very cool that we actually have this technology at
surfing in The Hague
2023.06.20, Netherlands
a genuine windmill
2023.06.20, Netherlands
The only times in the past twenty years that I've said "win
girl with a pearl earring in person
2023.06.19, The Hague
One of the few things I knew I wanted to see when I was in
so this is The Hague
2023.06.19, Netherlands
Despite the gathering gloom and the advanced hour, I did not get rained upon.
flown around the world
2023.06.19, Amsterdam
I landed in Amsterdam at 13:45 today, having left Tokyo at 18:00 on Saturday.
movie review - Extraction 2
2023.06.17, Kokubunji
This is a sequel to the interesting Netflix movie "Extraction", which was a straight-up assassin story with enough intelligence and vulnerability to set it apart from the usual fare that I think most of us have been ignoring for decades.
movie review - Shooter
2023.06.08, Kokubunji
Once in a while Netflix will recommend an older movie you've never heard of.
movie review - The Edge of Seventeen
2023.06.07, Kokubunji
This is about a teenager who is struggling with life following the death of her father -- an event that's weakened the family to the point of disintegration.
movie review - The Bubble
2023.06.07, Kokubunji
This is a movie about the cast of a series of blockbuster action movies.
wait is Krikket England?
2023.06.07, Kokubunji
Somehow a story line from the Douglas Adams "Hitch-hikers" books popped into my mind this morning.
movie review - Ghostbusters: Afterlife
2023.06.06, Kokubunji
For some reason my daughter and I decided to watch this second modern sequel to the '80s original "Ghostbusters".
a thousand days in a home
2023.05.29, Kokubunji
At some point, I started keeping track of how long I've been on certain jobs, or lived in certain homes.
I don't think they meant daily
2023.05.21, Tokyo
This was, clearly, the dairy section of a Japanese grocery
movie review - Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank
2023.05.13, Kokubunji
This is an animated flick about a scrawny young dog who dreams of being a samurai.
my colleague thinks I have COVID
2023.05.12, Tokyo
I described my symptoms from Wednesday's hell day to a colleague and he told me that it sounded like COVID.
in space, AI knows you have no moat
2023.05.06, Kokubunji
It seems that everyone's waking up to the fact that useful AI is here now, and is incredibly easy to build.
a cave in Okinawa
2023.05.03, Okinawa
hijet jumbo - my new car crush
2023.05.01, Okinawa
This is a Daihatsu Hijet Jumbo kei-truck. Because men in Ja
wandering Naha's sprawling market
2023.04.30, Okinawa
We arrived in Okinawa today for a four-day visit; our firs
just call me Beneberg
2023.04.24, Kokubunji
I'm delighted to add yet another mis-spelling of our last name to the pile.
The Boy ran to his basketball practice
2023.04.23, Kokubunji
I learned this morning that The Boy ran all the way to his school at one point this week.
crazy cycle
2023.04.22, Kokubunji
From time to time, since I had COVID officially in August, I've had "flu like" days where I feel mildly feverish, exhausted, and headachy.
movie review - Murder Mystery II
2023.04.22, Kokubunji
This is a sequel to 2019's surprisingly good Adam Sandler movie.
Qatar of the Caribbean
2023.04.21, Kokubunji
It's painful to watch Florida turn into a miserable fundamentalist state.
pen care room at Itoya
2023.04.16, Kokubunji
pen care booth at Itoya This is the room where you can br
Tokyo sky after a rainy day
2023.04.16, Kokubunji
end of a rainy day in Tokyo The Girl and I had returned to
walked to Shinjuku
2023.04.10, Kokubunji
After work today, I walked from Shibuya to Shinjuku, to catch my commuter train.
the blazing colors of spring in Tokyo
2023.04.09, Kokubunji
The spring colors around here are astonishing.
rain over Shibuya, Yoyogi, and Shinjuku
2023.04.07, Kokubunji
It was a rainy day in the inner west side of Tokyo.
a very welcome sign of spring
2023.04.02, Kokubunji
welcome sign of spring Things are sprouting, everywhere.
lovely driveway in my neighborhood
2023.04.02, Kokubunji
These lovely little flowers had come up all over a driveway in our neighborhood.
batteries are quickly getting good
2023.03.25, Kokubunji
I don't know what's more interesting, the content or the fellows discussing this development.
Indo-Pacific is damp
2023.03.25, Kokubunji
It was so damp today that I had to go to five street-side vending machines before I found one that worked.
GPT-4 shows sparks of "artificial general intelligence"
2023.03.25, Kokubunji
I find it amazing that it works and we don't know why but
raindrops from a bird feeder
2023.03.23, Kokubunji
all praise be the pajero mini
2023.03.21, Kokubunji
all praise be the pajero mini I like Japan's many functio
two hour drivers lesson
2023.03.19, Kokubunji
I had to endure a two hour drivers lecture in Japanese, tod
drivers update
2023.03.18, Kokubunji
Tomorrow, incredibly, the family will be heading in three different directions by 08:00.
one cms to rule them all
2023.03.15, Kokubunji
I've just noticed that I have continuous recordings of edits to this website's page dating back to this time in 2008.
a wall of cloud and rock above Azumino, Japan
2023.03.10, Azumino
The sun was heading down behind the Northern Japanese Alps.
Star Wars X-Wing
2023.03.09, Kokubunji
It is simply amazing what someone can do with the right software.
early March and I need a fan
2023.03.07, Kokubunji
It's the end of the first week of March, and I just brought out the fan to cool myself through the afternoon.
tired daddy is tired
2023.03.05, Kokubunji
I never used to get bags under my eyes. Now they never leav
can't wait for April 12!
2023.03.05, Kokubunji
I'll be sitting a two-hour driver's ed instruction video in Japanese.
a macro ant photo by my daughter
2023.03.04, Kokubunji
I got a ring to reverse-mount an old manual focus lens on Emma's camera.
movie review - We Have a Ghost
2023.03.03, Kokubunji
This is a story about a family that moves into a grand old house to discover that it's haunted by the sad ghost of a man with a middle-aged paunch and a combover.
fast train in the suburbs
2023.02.28, Kokubunji
I went out for some "shutter therapy" after another long day.
jewerly out of reach
2023.02.25, Kokubunji
Today we went to a place I'd visited last year to see about getting a new ring fashioned for Mari out of her engagement ring (which she hasn't worn since she noticed it was scratching baby #1) and her late grandmother's ring.
oh, to be Æ¿erneburg
2023.02.24, Kokubunji
If history had played its cards better, my last name wouldn't be Werneburg, it would be Ç·erneburg.
the purest blue
2023.02.23, Kokubunji
I found this on the back side of a house, perched above a narrow laneway full of passing cyclists.
Chairman daddy's long walk
2023.02.23, Toronto
Today I went for a three hour photography walk around Kokubunji.
photo day with my daughter
2023.02.18, Kokubunji
Today I took The Girl into Tachikawa, the nearest large (sub)urban center to our home.
lines at night
2023.02.17, Kokubunji
On the way home tonight, I stopped and shot this view down an out-doors hallway.
talking cat film is extremely good (actually)
2023.02.16, Kokubunji
I have written nearly eight hundred movie reviews and the person who posted this may be one of the few who sees the concept the same way.
two of the Girl's new fish
2023.02.12, Kokubunji
The Girl is the proud fish mama of three sprightly little goldfish.
new camera adventure
2023.02.11, Kokubunji
For the past eight years I have been using an Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mk II.
movie review - Avatar, the Way of Water
2023.02.08, Kokubunji
I can hardly call a movie that cost a billion dollars a "lazy cash grab" but this thing had some fundamental story-telling problems and was a confusing mess to watch.
six weeks with a foreign object
2023.02.08, Kokubunji
Ever since the New Year's, when I went fishing on six separate days, I've had what I thought was a minor infection on my finger from briefly hooking myself while out on the water.
movie review - Troll
2023.02.03, Kokubunji
This is a film about a real Troll waking up and terrorizing Scandinavia.
escalator marilyn monroe
2023.02.02, Kokubunji
I liked the way this young lady's skirt was catching the wi
do this don't do that can't you see the signs
2023.01.29, Kokubunji
And I thought Canada was lousy with signs. Collections co
kleptocurrencies, anyone
2023.01.28, Kokubunji
I watch the Youtube videos of a former hedge fund manager who explains who things like financial scams and Elon Musk work.
human scale
2023.01.27, Kokubunji
frigid basketball "goal"
2023.01.25, Kokubunji
The Boy has a semi-portable basketball net that sits in our driveway.
movie review - Dungeons and Dragons
2023.01.23, Kokubunji
There's a new Dungeons and Dragons movie coming out, and it looks pretty good.
movie review - Puss in Boots The Last Wish
2023.01.21, Kokubunji
For movie night, we watched this sequel to the "Puss in Boots" spinoff of "Shrek 2", which came out way back in 2004.
farewall, coal industry
2023.01.20, Kokubunji
the hydrogen economy
2023.01.18, Kokubunji
Last year I made a comment on a Youtube video about the problems of hydrogen vehicles.
strangely pointless pen
2023.01.17, Kokubunji
I had the strange experience today of discovering that the ball point had fallen out of my ballpoint pen.
Yodobashi Camera
2023.01.14, Shinjuku
200 dollar trout reel let's go
2023.01.14, Kokubunji
a day on the road
2023.01.14, Kokubunji
Today I had to go to the clinic to get repeats on my migraine meds and the sleeping pills I some to need to get through the night.
movie review - Palm Springs
2023.01.09, Kokubunji
This is a movie about a young woman who becomes trapped in a "Groundhog Day" daily time loop.
hiding and seeking too hard
2023.01.05, Nichinan, Miyazaki
The kids were playing hide-and-seek today, and it all went too far.
slightly fashy iconography
2023.01.03, Miyazaki
I spotted this car outfit with decals that I thought were m
fixing my fiction
2023.01.02, Nichinan, Miyazaki
I've now used feedback from ChatGPT to brush up the story I ludicrously submitted to a Toronto Star short-story contest twenty years ago*.
movie review - Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio
2023.01.01, Kokubunji
This movie's had quite a rave reception and I have to say that I'm not entirely sure why.
movie review - Glass Onion
2023.01.01, Kokubunji
This is a charmless sequel to a very different and original murder mystery.
clear cut over Nichinan Miyazaki
2023.01.01, Nichinan
My son and I tried to recreate a walk from three years prio
2022
1,472 emails in 2022
2022.12.31, Kokubunji
It looks like the steep declines in email over the past few years are no longer possible.
the volcano is close tonight
2022.12.30, Kagoshima
Welcome to Kagoshima, a city on a drowned "graben"
movie review - Free Guy
2022.12.25, Kokubunji
What can you say about movies you see on airplane equipment?
pre-dawn homes and solar panels
2022.12.25, Nichinan
boy texting by the sea
2022.12.25, Miyazaki
You can take the boy out of the city but you can't take the
movie review - Boyz N The Hood
2022.12.19, Kokubunji
I watched this seminal flick from the '90s with The Boy, today.
movie review - Training Day
2022.12.17, Kokubunji
My son wanted to a see a Denzel Washington movie so you know this was my first thought.
15 million surplus deaths in 2020-2021 for some reason
2022.12.15, Kokubunji
Say, do you remember COVID-19?
electric tuk-tuk
2022.12.15, Kokubunji
This morning while taking the garbage to the pick-up site I saw and electric tuk-tuk called a "Fun vehicle".
fireball over a low cloud deck
2022.12.13, Kokubunji
Oh wait, that's the sun. We don't always see it a lot in To
dragon pursues the sun over Tokyo
2022.12.12, Kokubunji
I think I shot this with my Nokia 6.1. Collections contai
shifting colors in an art exhibit
2022.12.11, Yokohama
We went to a performance/art exhibit thing in Yokohama call
packing heat
2022.12.11, Kokubunji
We've packed up the used heater that wasn't working properly and have bought a new one in its place.
omotesando in the golden hour
2022.12.10, Omotesando
Internet dudes can ruin anything
2022.12.06, Kokubunji
This morning a Reddit user with a female name and icon posted a photo of a new aquarium that had just been set up on Thursday.
settling an aquarium
2022.12.03, Kokubunji
Sadly, all of Emma's three street-festival goldfish fingerlings are gone.
a used heater
2022.11.28, Kokubunji
We bought a new (used) heater and it only works on certain wall sockets and only if you let it heat very gradually.
movie review - Project Power
2022.11.27, Kokubunji
This is a Sci-Fi thing about some genetically-modified humans living in a world that has censured them and placed them under rigid restrictions.
movie review - Bullet Train
2022.11.27, Kokubunji
This action-comedy is so much over-the-top fun that I watched it a second time with my kids within days of my first, solo viewing.
window repairs
2022.11.26, Kokubunji
Thanks to being the parent of a teenager, I now get to learn how much the replacement of a school window costs.
movie review - Slumberland
2022.11.26, Kokubunji
My daughter and I watched the original story about a young girl whose father disappears at sea.
movie review - The Menu
2022.11.20, Kokubunji
I honestly have no idea what the fuss is all about with this movie.
re-arranged the aquarium
2022.11.19, Kokubunji
The Girl and I took some time to re-organize the aquarium.
The Girl has a new aqaurium
2022.11.17, Kokubunji
We went more than two years in this house without an aquarium, ending a run of about fifteen years of continuous aquarium-keeping.
movie review - The Curse of Bridge Hollow
2022.11.12, Kokubunji
This is a fun story about a kid who moves to a small town with her parents.
the Aral sea disaster
2022.11.10, Kokubunji
I thought I had a handle on how bad the Aral sea ecological catastrophe really was.
How Corruption Destroys Armies
2022.11.09, Kokubunji
What a mess! It's hard to imagine that the leadership didn'
movie review - Wendell & Wild
2022.11.06, Kokubunji
This is an animated story I watched with my ten-year-old daughter for "movie night".
movie review - The Man From Toronto
2022.11.04, Kokubunji
This is a movie in which Kevin Hart plays the diminutive comic relief and someone capable of maintaining a scowl plays the heavy.
China's debatable population
2022.10.30, Kokubunji
I hadn't realized that China's population figures were questioned.
that's a punishment job
2022.10.30, Kokubunji
I was reviewing some old photos and was reminded of an even older event in my life.
what work used to be
2022.10.29, Kokubunji
I recently uncovered these old pics from my time at NikkoCiti.
farewell, Twitter
2022.10.28, Kokubunji
I've been a fairly regular user of the social media site Twitter for the past several years.
movie review - The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent
2022.10.25, Kokubunji
This is an infectiously chaotic story about a famous but fading movie star who is invited to the home of a Spanish billionaire for a $1 million project of unknown purpose.
movie review - The School for Good and Evil
2022.10.22, Kokubunji
This is a film with a star-studded cast and an overly ambitious plot that more than fills out its 2+ plus run-time.
bronze watch
2022.10.22, Kokubunji
fixed thumbnail images
2022.10.20, Kokubunji
I've noticed that the thumbnail images on this site have started to become inexplicably uneven in size.
apple vs intel chip performance
2022.10.19, Kokubunji
I watched a Youtube video relating the recent performance
renaming files containing a space from the Linux command line
2022.10.16, Kokubunji
Every year I make a book of photos from the kids' past year.
movie review - The King's Man
2022.10.11, Kokubunji
This is a curiously unappealing prequel to "The Kingsman", a modestly original take on the spy genre.
movie review - Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood
2022.10.04, Kokubunji
I spent the first twenty percent of this movie thinking that I was seeing a cartoon prelude to a live action movie.
Germany's Catastrophic Gas Problem
2022.10.03, Kokubunji
The Germans seem to have really made a mess of their energy security.
by all means don't send the king
2022.10.02, Kokubunji
It seems that the new King in the UK (my liege, since I'm Canadian) wanted to go to the next big climate conference.
the inevitable Nordstream murder
2022.10.01, Kokubunji
I watched a run-down of several theories around who blew up the Nordstream natural gas pipelines.
a dinner with my wife
2022.10.01, Kokubunji
Mari and I found a Thai restaurant in Tachikawa and went for dinner without the kids for the first time in so long I don't honestly remember.
commute hell
2022.09.30, Kokubunji
This morning I was out the door at 07:15 determined to ride to Kichijoji, half of my 25km commute and something I used to do routinely.
kept him on the road
2022.09.27, Kokubunji
The Boy was pushing his bike pretty hard and had the chain "fall" (he can't describe it better than that, I think it skipped).
movie review - Wrath of Man
2022.09.25, Kokubunji
This is, like other Guy Ritchie movies, about a gangster in a pinch.
who needs boots or food when fighting on the Steppe
2022.09.25, Kokubunji
This fellow says that the Russians are calling up 300,000 - 1,000,000 men but they might not be able to equip them with .
why me no grammar
2022.09.24, Kokubunji
We met Yagu and went to The Boy's school for an open house today.
writing during a write-off
2022.09.23, Kokubunji
Today's a holiday in Japan but we're completing a cloud migration and I had to follow the team's progress for about five hours.
fast homework
2022.09.22, Kokubunji
I wasn't really able to tackle my homework this past weekend but when I noticed a message from my instructor commending me on always doing my homework I redoubled my effort and got it done with around a minute to spare before our call.
movie review - Finch
2022.09.18, Kokubunji
This is a sci-fi flick about a man surviving quite alone after some apocalyptic disaster.
must be the season of the super typhoon, yeah
2022.09.18, Kokubunji
Typhoon Manmadol, which is currently making landfall in Kyushu, may be the largest (geographically) in the history of Japan.
movie review - Drifting Home
2022.09.17, Kokubunji
Now I'm not dumb but I can't understand how this story played like fantasy but we're expected to believe that it's real.
happiness is a silent bicycle
2022.09.16, Kokubunji
It's so, so nice to ride a bike where the chain isn't making noise and skipping all over the place.
bicycle repair
2022.09.14, Kokubunji
Recently, Mari's old 650b*-based bike has been having some difficulty.
the COVID gift that keeps on giving
2022.09.13, Kokubunji
It's been a month since I got over the initial bout of COVID and I'm still having days where I feel just like I did: sore throat, headache, wheezing, stuffed up sinuses, can't sleep.
movie review - Everything Everwhere All at Once
2022.09.11, Kokubunji
On the surface, this is a sci-fi movie about a woman in her fifties that is asked by an other-dimension version of her husband to join an epic struggle to save the multiverse.
a new server for the site .. again
2022.09.10, Kokubunji
It's scarcely been 18 months since I last migrated this website to a new server, but I've done it again; with a twist.
Air Canada refund
2022.09.08, Kokubunji
Air Canada still hasn't refunded the money from the ticket they cancelled.
everyone has COVID
2022.09.06, Kokubunji
I've heard of three more people getting COVID in the past few days.
farewell, COVID
2022.09.05, Kokubunji
It looks like I'm finally kicking the after-effects of my bout of COVID.
farewell, old PC
2022.09.04, Kokubunji
Today I took (most of) the systems case to the local community center to dump in an all-metal recycling box.
new PC build
2022.08.29, Kokubunji
About 18 months ago I wrote a piece about building an old PC into a modern workstation.
farewall, lost photos
2022.08.28, Kokubunji
On our recent trip to Canada, I tracked down a lot of old backups because I'd discovered at some point in 2021 that I'd deleted the original images from a visit to a bamboo forest in Kyoto.
ill again
2022.08.26, Kokubunji
When we landed at Narita we finally got to the baggage gate some two hours after touching down.
movie review - The Gray Man
2022.08.24, Kokubunji
This is a spy thriller in which the government aims one of its off-the-books killers at another of their killers.
a 100,000-year-old story
2022.08.23, Kokubunji
So it turns out there are actually seven stars in the Pleiades constellation, and that various human cultures have been referring to the constellation that way for a very long time because 100,000 years ago we could see all seven stars.
what flies and what does not
2022.08.21, 10,000 meters
I brought many of my old photo backups and some old hard drives.
farewell, Maebh
2022.08.20, Toronto
I took our dear Maebh, the Kia Rondo, to the dealership to hand her over today.
beaver patrol
2022.08.05, St Catharines
Mari and I went for a walk tonight, from mum's place on Linwell out to the beach at Port Dalhousie, then back over the pedestrian bridge at Royal Henley Park (odd name, I thought).
movie review - Luca
2022.08.04, Kokubunji
This is an unassuming animated movie about a mer-boy/reptile who becomes interested in the humans in a nearby village - which is in sunny rural Italy.
walking and walking
2022.08.02, St Catharines
The Girl and I went for a walk today, first to the water and then back; and then to a nearby shopping mall.
first win: the sofa
2022.08.01, Toronto
When we went to the storage unit to day I picked up my "old" home-built PC from 2018 or 2019, which contains a bunch of parts I want to take home (to Tokyo).
Taipei breakfast
2022.07.31, Kokubunji
The three of us went out early this morning and found a bakery that was open in the neighborhood where we're staying.
to the storage unit!
2022.07.31, Toronto
Today we went to the storage unit in farthest-flung Scarborough.
mountain pass
2022.07.18, Kokubunji
Recently I've been rebuilding a study tool for kanji that I accidentally nuked several months ago.
snow in thirty degree weather
2022.07.17, Kokubunji
It was pushing 30°C at ground level, but clearly it was cold enough for snow at ten kilometers or so.
they call them chemtrails
2022.07.17, Kokubunji
Condensation trails, or "contrails" are one of the first things I can remember learning as a child of a glider pilot.
movie review - Venom: Let There Be Carnage
2022.07.09, Kokubunji
In this sequel to "Venom", a sloppy sci-fi/super-hero movie featuring a human and his alien "parasite".
movie review - Guns Akimbo
2022.06.29, Kokubunji
The premise of this movie is that a wastrel winds up with guns surgically grafted to his hands.
end of a Dockers belt
2022.06.28, Kokubunji
On the weekend our family had a water-balloon fight on our street.
movie review - Jumanji: The Next Level
2022.06.25, Kokubunji
This is a sequel to the imaginative and fun, "Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle".
me brain lead
2022.06.25, Kokubunji
So it turns out that if you were born in North America between 1966 and 1975, there is a hundred percent certainty that you were exposed to harmful amounts of lead as a child.
movie review - Central Intelligence
2022.06.22, Kokubunji
This is a movie in which Kevin Hart plays the diminutive comic relief and someone capable of maintaining a scowl plays the heavy.
movie review - Spiderhead
2022.06.22, Kokubunji
This is an unpleasant little Sci-Fi number that features a number of inmates at a facility who are serving lengthy sentences.
movie review - Pig
2022.06.21, Kokubunji
This is an off-beat movie about a former star chef who now lives in a shack in the hills with his truffle pig.
movie review - Spider-Man No Way Home
2022.06.19, Kokubunji
This movie is what they call "fan service", designed foremost to please people who are really into the material.
the word of the day is è©©
2022.06.18, Kokubunji
On the downside my Japanese reading this weekend is on Yoko Ono.
there is something at the bottom of the sea
2022.06.16, Kokubunji
It's remarkable to me that we can't even find the DNA that could tell us what these are.
twenty years of photo CMS
2022.06.07, Kokubunji
I went hunting in my journal and found what I was looking for: record of when I started working on the database-driven photo manager I use.
crow chasing butterfly
2022.05.30, Kokubunji
Today we watched one of The Boy's basketball tournaments.
electric cars
2022.05.28, Kokubunji
I have this growing conviction that electric cars are not the solution to our car problem.
towel day and the living is easy
2022.05.25, Kokubunji
I marked this auspicious day by buying books, but not Douglas Adams.
movie review - Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
2022.05.22, Kokubunji
This is a Marvel super-hero movie with enough of a re-skin that it is more watchable than many.
movie review - Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them
2022.05.18, Kokubunji
This was a "movie night" movie and despite myself I found it growing on me.
analog computers for artificial intelligence
2022.05.18, Kokubunji
I can barely keep up with these things. I mean, I don't th
I have learned the prefectures
2022.05.15, Kokubunji
Emma is studying the prefectures of Japan, so I've decided to learn them as well.
movie review - The Addams Family
2022.05.14, Kokubunji
This is an animated remake of the old Addams Family series, movies, and comic strips.
Near Dark
2022.05.10, Kokubunji
This is the tale of a young Texan who falls in with a bunch of vampires.
remind me to never swim again
2022.05.08, Kokubunji
movie review - Falling Down
2022.05.07, Kokubunji
For Movie Night, The Boy and I watched this now thirty-year-old Hollywood flick about a mentally and emotionally disturbed individual who - get this - attempts to walk across Los Angeles.
crapped on by a bird for the twentieth time
2022.05.04, Kawasaki, Japan
It's happened for the first time in nearly three years - hit with shit yet again.
ugh Scotch
2022.04.28, Kokubunji
I bought some Japanese whisky that turned out to be a form of Scotch.
movie review - Ad Astra
2022.04.24, Kokubunji
This is an interesting work of Science Fiction that starts with its main character falling off a sky hook and then follows him to every miserable corner of a future that's at once dystopian but also somewhat grounded and optimistic but not in a Star Trek way.
movie review - Black Crab
2022.04.17, Kokubunji
This is a tense tale set in a near future Crapsack World where war has broken out between .
movie review - Turning Red
2022.04.02, Kokubunji
This is a family-friendly animated movie about a girl in Toronto's Chinatown community (the one on Spadina) who discovers that she is heir to a family secret - puberty-onset shape-shifting superpowers.
power shortage in Tokyo
2022.03.22, Kokubunji
The power generation company has announced that due to damage sustained in the large earthquake last week, the power plants in the north-east part of Japan are at maximum capacity, with zero spare.
fishing with the boy
2022.03.21, Yokohama
Mari arranged a fishing trip for The Boy and me, as it's a holiday.
large quake in Tokyo
2022.03.17, Kokubunji
There was a large quake tonight, easily the largest I've ever experienced.
movie review - Raya and the Last Dragon
2022.03.15, Kokubunji
This is a particularly good animated kids' movie.
latest watch acquisition
2022.03.08, Kokubunji
For years, while earning barely enough to pay the bills in Toronto, I'd occasionally write about this or that "watch crush".
movie review - A Promising Young Woman
2022.03.03, Kokubunji
This is a movie about a guilty survivor of a horrific incident at a university in which a fellow female student is filmed while being raped to death.
well-wishes for Ukraine from Canada
2022.02.26, Kokubunji
I live halfway around the world but I thought I'd create this token of my well-wishes for the people of Ukraine.
movie review - The Suicide Squad
2022.02.24, Kokubunji
This is a comic book movie based on real comic books that I have actually read*.
movie review - Seventh Son
2022.02.21, Kokubunji
This is a Fantasy story about the seventh son of a seventh son - a supposed marker of great ability as a wizard.
frost-bite
2022.02.15, Kokubunji
I've realized that the house is so cold I've developed frost-bite on my little fingers.
The Boy has a lucky break
2022.02.11, Kokubunji
The Boy has been accepted to a STEM program at a high school in Toronto.
is this what happened to Star Trek Discovery
2022.02.08, Kokubunji
movie review - What Happened To Monday
2022.02.07, Kokubunji
This is a movie set in a near/alternate future in which GMO's were necessitated by an ecological collapse - humanity was starving.
movie review - Mother/Android
2022.02.01, Kokubunji
This is a frustrating Sci-Fi/thriller flick that doesn't realize it's promise.
goodbye, Google Workspace
2022.01.31, Kokubunji
On the weekend, I received an email from Google that they were cutting my legacy account on Google Workspace.
movie review - Extinct
2022.01.29, Kokubunji
This is a somewhat weird and off-putting animated story about a species of cuddly mammals that have bodies shaped like donuts - replete with the center hole.
running in spot
2022.01.24, Kokubunji
Every day I tackle a couple of items from my to-do list, sit down to work, race through lunch, site down to work again until 19:00 or 20:00, and then face the too-brief evening exhausted.
movie review - How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World
2022.01.23, Kokubunji
This is the third in the "How to Train Your Dragon" series of animated movies.
The Boy sits an exam
2022.01.23, Kokubunji
My son had to sit an English-language exam today, so I packed him up and we went to Kichijoji.
movie review - Hilda and the Mountain King
2022.01.22, Kokubunji
This is an animated story of a human girl who wakes up to discover she's become a troll.
accidental scotch
2022.01.22, Kokubunji
I bought some Japanese whisky in the grocery/drug store and it's .
movie review - A Quiet Place II
2022.01.15, Kokubunji
This is a sequel to a sci-fi thriller in which massive comets have fallen to Earth, spawning alien killing machines as they go.
waiting for an Earthquake
2022.01.14, Kokubunji
I find that any time there's any small shift or movement, I'm waiting to see if it's an Earthquake.
slammed
2022.01.13, Kokubunji
I've only been back to work for 2-3 days and already it's like I never took two weeks off.
movie review - Nightbooks
2022.01.09, Kokubunji
For "movie night" we watched a film about a kid who likes to write scary movies.
movie review - Casino Royale (2006)
2022.01.08, Nichinan, Miyazaki
Today my son and I watched the first of the Bond movies to feature Daniel Craig.
dead turtles in a harbor
2022.01.07, Nichinan, Miyazaki
It will surprise no-one that we went fishing today.
movie review - Goldeneye
2022.01.07, Nichinan, Miyazaki
I watched this Bond flick with my son as part of our ongoing series.
a waterfall in Miyakonojo
2022.01.06, Nichinan, Miyazaki
We traveled to Miyakonojo in the interior of Miyazaki, today, to visit with family.
fishing once more
2022.01.05, Nichinan, Miyazaki
Today Mari drove me and the two Akios down to Kushima, to meet her uncle and board his boat.
third literary agency queried
2022.01.05, Nichinan, Miyazaki
Not having had a response from the second literary agency I reached out to in early December, I've now written to a third about my novel manuscript.
fishing news
2022.01.04, Nichinan, Miyazaki
We took to the water again today, and I tried to catch larger fish rather than loading up on smaller ones as we had last time.
New Year's activities
2022.01.03, Nichinan, Miyazaki
Today we went to a shrine first thing, leaving at 08:00 to beat the rush.
daddy cleans a beach .. sorta
2022.01.02, Nichinan, Miyazaki
Today we headed out for a bit of a trip around the coast, just Mari and I and the kids.
movie review - License to Kill
2022.01.01, Nichinan
Today my son and I watched our fourth James Bond movie, for the fourth actor to take on the role.
Happy new year - the 25th anniversary for this journal
2022.01.01, Nichinan
Well, I can honestly say that 2021 was one of the hardest of my life.
2021
1,573 emails in 2021
2021.12.31, Nichinan, Miyazaki
The collapse of email as a communications medium proceeds at a furious pace.
movie review - Don't Look Up
2021.12.29, Nichinan, Miyazaki
This is a satire of the handling (or lack there-of) for a dire situation in which two American scientists discover a killer asteroid that's on a collision course with Earth.
movie review - The Spy Who Loved Me
2021.12.29, Kokubunji
This is the third Bond movie that my son and I watched together.
movie review - On Her Majesty's Secret Service
2021.12.21, Kokubunji
This is the second Bond film that I watched with my son.
movie review - Goldfinger
2021.12.20, Kokubunji
I watched this with my almost-thirteen-year-old this morning.
second query letter sent
2021.12.05, Kokubunji
Not having heard from the first literary agent I reached out to six weeks ago, I've sent a second query to a different agency.
movie review - Green Snake
2021.12.04, Kokubunji
This is a Chinese-produced movie on Netflix that my daughter and I watched for "Movie Night".
today I played "Nihonjin Mitai"
2021.12.04, Kokubunji
A good friend has produced a card game called Nihonjin Mitai.
TV replaced
2021.12.04, Kokubunji
Our TV comes from Hi-Sense, a Chinese manufacturer that's been around for a number of years.
movie review - Anna
2021.12.03, Kokubunji
Burned out after another brutal week at work, I sat in front of Netflix and took a chance on this movie about a beautiful young Russian woman who winds up working for the KGB in the waning days of the USSR.
mid-night earthquake service
2021.12.03, Kokubunji
Yesterday I was woken at 02:00 by a modest earthquake.
that jaclyn moriarty
2021.11.27, Kokubunji
I've been reading a book called "The Whispering Wars" to my daughter.
movie review - Red Notice
2021.11.19, Kokubunji
Sometimes, Hollywood will make a movie simply by assembling a leading cast and letting them do their usual shtick.
movie review - The Amazing Spider-Man 2
2021.11.18, Kokubunji
We watched this one for "movie night", and I realized that I'd somehow never seen this movie.
movie review - Jumper
2021.11.16, Kokubunji
It's been quite some time since I watched this Sci-Fi/thriller.
photo books are en route
2021.11.15, Kokubunji
Every year, I make photo books detailing the kids' lives.
drowning at 2.4º
2021.11.14, Kokubunji
My mum sent this tool, which shows how different cities will look once flooded by the expected rise in sea level over the coming decades.
good e-commerce experience
2021.11.14, Kokubunji
I had an unusually good e-commerce experience with a company called Number Barn that lets you park phone numbers.
new watch
2021.11.13, Kokubunji
I bought an all-silver watch to offset my entirely dark-dial watch collection.
too stupid for a space empire
2021.11.10, Kokubunji
The space adventurism of billionaires gives me solace that humanity is never going to colonize space.
state of the watch collection
2021.11.01, Kokubunji
After receiving a generous watch gift from my brother I'm suddenly a watch collector.
movie review - Dark Shadows
2021.10.30, Kokubunji
This is the story of a vampire who is locked up in a coffin for centuries and then released in our time.
movie review - Army of Thieves
2021.10.30, Kokubunji
Following hot on the heals of "Army of the Dead" comes a prequel about the German safe-cracker.
dinner with a friend
2021.10.22, Kokubunji
I had dinner with a friend tonight for the first time in so long I don't remember.
movie review - Jexi
2021.10.16, Kokubunji
This is an awkward semi-comedy featuring a guy who loses control of his life to an app.
submitted a query letter to a literary agent
2021.10.15, Kokubunji
I've submitted a query letter to a literary agent in the UK regarding my latest novel manuscript.
queried my first agent
2021.10.15, Kokubunji
I got my first query letter out the door with a synopsis and the first three chapters.
fast computer
2021.10.14, Kokubunji
I'm trying to find some reliable numbers of my new Mac's power draw, because I seem to be getting far more use out of a battery charge then I was expected.
long ride to Ibaraki
2021.10.11, Kokubunji
It was a beautiful day today, and the only one in the forecast for my week off that wasnâ€
movie review - Men in Black 3
2021.10.10, Kokubunji
This is by far the best of the Men in Black movies about human cops chasing a bunch of alies around Earth.
movie review - Abominable
2021.10.10, Kokubunji
In this story, a girl finds a yeti cowering on the roof-top of her building.
first new computer in more than a decade
2021.10.09, Kokubunji
I've bought a new laptop for the first time in well over a decade.
here comes a man through the window pane
2021.10.04, Kokubunji
This morning as with most Mondays I got an early start at work at around 07:00.
movie review - Men in Black II
2021.10.03, Kokubunji
This was another "movie night" viewing on Netflix.
movie review - 12 Strong
2021.09.23, Kokubunji
This is the telling of a team of US soldiers that went into the Taliban's stronghold in Afghanistan following the 9/11 terrorist strike.
movie review - Pirates of the Caribbean
2021.09.19, Kokubunji
Another semi-lockdown quarantine movie review with the kids.
movie review - The Little Things
2021.09.13, Kokubunji
This is the story of a detective who is sent to his former precinct in Los Angeles to complete some paperwork.
movie review - Kate
2021.09.11, Kokubunji
This is an action pic about an assassin who's been tasked with hitting a yakuza target.
thinner
2021.09.08, Kokubunji
We're going through a bit of a cool spell, so my wrist has become a bit thinner.
movie review - Pets United
2021.09.05, Kokubunji
Once in a while my daughter and I try to watch something for "Movie Night" that turns out to be unwatchable.
movie review - Sweet Girl
2021.08.28, Kokubunji
This is a story about a man and daughter who lose their wife/mother and the father can't shake that his wife was allowed to die due to some mix of medical and pharmacological incompetence and/or conspiracy.
completed the first draft of my novel
2021.08.28, Kokubunji
By finding an hour or so per day I've managed to rewrite a novel from scratch in the course of six weeks or so.
movie review - The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf
2021.08.27, Kokubunji
This is an animated movie based on the excellent TV series "The Witcher".
movie review - Penguins of Madagascar: The Movie
2021.08.22, Kokubunji
This is a spy farce starring the penguins from the Madagascar movie which I want to say was fifteen years ago or more.
first draft of latest novel within sight
2021.08.22, Kokubunji
I've completed the plot for the first draft of my rewrite of a novel I first wrote from 1990 - 1994.
movie review - Vivo
2021.08.14, Kokubunji
In this film, a girl in Miami finds a kinkajou (a rare monkey thing) while on a trip in Cuba.
movie review - Hot Fuzz
2021.08.11, Kokubunji
This is an over-the-top cop-in-trouble movie in the vein of "Bad Boys II".
typhoon season
2021.08.10, Kokubunji
Last year I don't think Tokyo was hit or skirted by any typhoons.
scripting for site management
2021.08.09, Kokubunji
I use scripts to support the content management system that I wrote to create and serve this website.
counting flights
2021.08.05, Kokubunji
A couple of weeks ago I was having trouble sleeping and decided to count all the times I'd flown.
movie review - R.I.P.D.
2021.08.04, Kokubunji
Sometimes there are movies that seem to be grown up around the personas of the lead actors.
second vaccination
2021.07.31, Kokubunji
I've had my second vaccination, in a small clinic in the neighborhood (Kokubunji).
maddening TV issues
2021.07.21, Kokubunji
We've been having problems with the sound-bar for our television dropping out all the time.
movie review - Wish Dragon
2021.07.20, Kokubunji
It's about a young fellow who is being raised by a single mother.
Ome is for (river) lovers
2021.07.17, Kokubunji
The rainy season has abruptly ended, and the temperature is north of 30°C every day.
movie review - Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets
2021.07.10, Kokubunji
This is a sci-fi action film about a pair of agents for a galaxy-spanning government military force of some kind.
movie review - Secret Magic Control Agency
2021.07.03, Kokubunji
This is an animated flick that re-purposes twenty-something Hansel and Gretel as investigators for the society of magicians that maintains order by tracking down missing peoples of all types.
speculative sci-fi
2021.07.03, Kokubunji
I've finally finished a story I started in 2003 about how multi-cellular life got started on Earth, and added it to my little collection of sci-fi.
backup strategy works (for once)
2021.06.29, Kokubunji
Today I discovered that something had gone wrong with the software I wrote to manage my book reviews.
well I've never been to Ome
2021.06.28, Kokubunji
Today I cycled up to a town called Ome in Tokyo's far north-west.
movie review - Rubber
2021.06.24, Kokubunji
This is a movie about a pissed-off semi-sentient car tire that discovers it has psionic abilities.
first migraine in a week
2021.06.15, Kokubunji
Well I made it all of six days with this new drug in my system before taking a cafergot for a migraine.
conversational
2021.06.08, Kokubunji
My Japanese is getting to the point where I can string together actual (spoken) paragraphs now.
two shots in the arm
2021.06.08, Kokubunji
Today I had two shots at a hospital of a drug supposed to prevent migraine for up to a month.
movie review - The Spiderwick Chronicles
2021.05.30, Kokubunji
This is a movie about a trio of siblings that move into a rambling and decrepit home of a deceased relative after the separation of their parents.
the spider-plant incident
2021.05.30, Kokubunji
I'd noticed recently that the little pot into which I'd transplanted my spider-plant seemed oddly full, like the soil was about to overflow the thing.
poorly made watch
2021.05.28, Kokubunji
I made a watch from parts I ordered on Ebay, AliExpress, and Amazon.
movie review - Army of the Dead
2021.05.27, Kokubunji
This is a style-over-substance heist movie set in a fictional Las Vegas that's been over-run with zombies.
movie review - Valley of the Dead
2021.05.22, Kokubunji
Set during the Spanish civil war, this is a zombie movie.
movie review - Heroes Wanted
2021.05.20, Kokubunji
This is a very uneven telling of the assembly of a "B" team of agents to track down a missing nuclear bomb.
movie review - True Memoirs of an International Assassin
2021.05.18, Kokubunji
This is the tale of a novelist who writes spy thrillers.
movie review - Thunder Force
2021.05.14, Kokubunji
I have a feeling that this movie came together due to someone owing someone a favor because I don't think it was built on an idea per se - or at least not a solid one.
parking a phone number
2021.05.13, Kokubunji
When I moved from Tokyo to Toronto I bought a phone number in Toronto in advance through a small Canadian company.
waning eyesight
2021.05.12, Kokubunji
Over the past couple of mornings I've been going through some of my pics from the past few months.
movie review - Spider-Man: Far from Home
2021.05.05, Kokubunji
This is a strange version of Spider Man that has no origin story but is basically a kid in the by-now Iron Man's wake.
first night with the window open
2021.05.03, Kokubunji
I slept with the window open last night for the first time this year.
movie review - The Mitchells vs. The Machines
2021.05.02, Kokubunji
This is an animated flick we watched on "movie night".
laying down plastic for rows of produce
2021.05.01, Kokubunji
laying down plastic for rows of produce Collections contai
used things doubling in value
2021.04.29, Kokubunji
In what is surely a sign of a stable economy, my seven year old SARB watch from Seiko is now selling for twice its original retail price - used.
building a watch
2021.04.23, Kokubunji
I'm going to build a watch from parts that I ordered from Ebay in the US and Aliexpress in China.
a contact by a former employer
2021.04.17, Kokubunji
Today I was contacted by a former employer about the possibility of training their firm on a renewed push on the work we were doing 2-3 years ago.
our new lawnmower
2021.04.10, Kokubunji
For the first time in 30+ years, I'll be mowing the lawn this weekend.
movie review - I Care a Lot
2021.04.07, Kokubunji
This is a movie about an elderly woman whose life is turned upside down when she's forcibly confined in a nursing home by a crooked self-employed agent who has the legal authority to make self-serving financial decisions.
like books a-flight in the Golden Hour
2021.04.03, Kokubunji
like books a-flight in the Golden Hour Collections contain
movie review - Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase
2021.04.03, Kokubunji
This is a story of a girl who's drawn into a ghost story.
a Tokyo front yard in the Golden Hour
2021.03.26, Kawasaki
a Tokyo front yard in the Golden Hour Collections containi
and suddenly it's hot
2021.03.26, Kokubunji
Until just yesterday we were using our space heaters on a daily basis.
welcome to spring, everyone
2021.03.21, Kokubunji
I'm celebrating with a nasal/chest cold, which The Girl brought home early in the week.
life two-thirds gone
2021.03.17, Kokubunji
Hmm, I guess I've burned off two thirds of my life expectancy.
hello, southern Chiba
2021.03.13, Tateyama
Today we went to a small city in southern Chiba prefecture called Tateyama.
last week's homework
2021.03.08, Kokubunji
For last Tuesday, I had to write something about an interesting experience.
PR status here I come
2021.03.03, Kokubunji
I hope this unverified article is right, because it means I qualify for Japanese Permanent Residency.
so long, LastPass
2021.03.02, Kokubunji
I've been using a password plugin in my browser called LastPass since who knows when.
new camera bag
2021.03.01, Kokubunji
My beloved old camera bag has become faded, worn, stained, and shapeless.
photos deleted 13 years ago
2021.02.25, Kokubunji
I've discovered that I've managed to delete some ~150 or so photos from a 2006 trip to Kyoto with Mari and mum.
movie review - Constantine
2021.02.23, Kokubunji
It's been many years since I was happily surprised by this gritty Angles-and-Demons flick featuring a human who has learned many occult secrets and now spends his unhappy days fighting "Lu"cifer and his minions.
movie review - Gods of Egypt
2021.02.22, Kokubunji
This movie has a promising cast and certainly appears visually stunning, but is let down by an unengaging story in which characters behave without clear motive and no one is really very sympathetic.
checking out houses with my gal
2021.02.20, Kokubunji
After we'd had our bentou, we dragged The Girl into see some open houses that were freshly built in a quiet corner of our neighborhood.
checking out cameras with the girl
2021.02.20, Kokubunji
When my brother and I were small my mum would occasionally ask what kind of gift to get for our dad.
a surprise piano
2021.02.19, Kokubunji
My boss is going back to Europe for failing to deliver on a major risk project.
movie review - Johnny English Strikes Again
2021.02.17, Kokubunji
This is a spy spoof in which Rowan Atkinson plays a dimwitted secret agent of mostly good nature.
an animal is a moving thing
2021.02.16, Kokubunji
Today's word in Japanese is 動物, or doubutsu, or animal.
the square root of first is ash
2021.02.14, Kokubunji
I just learned the word for grey in Japanese; haiiro.
movie review - Get Smart
2021.02.11, Kokubunji
This is a luke-warm reboot of a TV show from the '60s that lacks a good deal of the charm of the original.
I got lost today
2021.02.11, Kokubunji
I decided, around 15:30 to head west to the Tamagawa to see the river by bike.
in bloom
2021.02.10, Kokubunji
Two weeks ago I was surprised to see plum blossoms in the neighborhood.
movie review - Space Sweepers
2021.02.09, Kokubunji
This is a Korean piece of Sci-Fi that I quite enjoyed.
unseasonably warm street photography
2021.02.06, Kokubunji
Kokubunji isn't exactly a beautiful place but it's lively enough for a tiny city in the middle of 40 million people.
leads for a "vintage" pencil
2021.02.06, Kokubunji
Today Mari and I went for a walk to do some errands.
movie review - Serenity
2021.02.04, Kokubunji
"Take me out into the black, tell 'em I ain't coming back.
another new server for emuu.net
2021.01.31, Kokubunji
I've long since lost count of the many, many VM's and physical servers upon which I've had emuu.
3° in Tokyo
2021.01.31, Kokubunji
It's 3° outside this morning, which means it's scantly warmer indoors.
movie review - Finding ‘Ohana
2021.01.30, Kokubunji
This is an entertaining film that's basically "The Goonies" in Hawaii plus girls.
a bird made of cheap Chinese bricks
2021.01.27, Kokubunji
Some of the cheap Chinese lego-like bricks I ordered before X'mas arrived.
abandoned laneway
2021.01.21, Kokubunji
A few blocks from our place is a laneway that's been abandoned.
movie review - Inside Man
2021.01.11, Kokubunji
The main weakness of Heist movies is being too clever.
movie review - Holmes & Watson
2021.01.11, Kokubunji
As much as I like the stars of this film, I couldn't sit through it to the end.
old PC finally complete
2021.01.10, Kokubunji
Late this summer, we went to a "recycle shop" that Mari had found online.
movie review - The House with a Clock in Its Walls
2021.01.09, Kokubunji
This is a spooky family flick about a boy who goes to stay with his uncle, who is something of a witch.
movie review - Papillon
2021.01.07, Kokubunji
This is a gritty telling of true events in mid-Century France.
2020
migraine report
2020.12.31, Kokubunji
I was thinking back across the year and realized that I may have gotten through the year without a day lost to a migraine.
the death of email
2020.12.31, Kokubunji
This time last year I recorded a count of the emails I'd received through the year.
these Germans make good toys
2020.12.27, Tokyo
I tweeted to Ravensberger, who made this marble run toy, be
movie review - The Midnight Sky
2020.12.26, Kokubunji
I really wanted to enjoy this movie about a scientist struggling to resolve a global climate crisis while a space mission is returning to the ruined planet.
movie review - We Can Be Heroes
2020.12.26, Kokubunji
Of late, Robert Rodriguez has been making kids movies.
movie review - Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey
2020.12.25, Kokubunji
This is a musical number about a genius inventor who is ripped off by his apprentice.
starting to feel a lot like X'mas
2020.12.24, Kokubunji
crowded tree Mari's done a stellar job of X'mas as with eve
jupiter and saturn
2020.12.21, Kokubunji
We were treated to an amazing image of the moon, Saturn, and Jupiter all crowded into a single corner of a cloudless sky at dusk, tonight.
movie review - Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)
2020.12.20, Kokubunji
This is a Batman spin-off, or perhaps a spin-off of "Suicide Squad", which is a spin-off of Batman.
lego from China
2020.12.19, Kokubunji
The Girl has been playing with Lego a fair bit, but sadly we had to leave most of it in Canada so she's got way more windows than wall pieces and some of her creations have been a bit rickety.
movie review - The Matrix Reloaded
2020.12.13, Kokubunji
I tried showing my kids this flick for "movie night".
movie review - The Vast of Night
2020.12.12, Kokubunji
This film was a recommendation from a friend, and I was completely blown away.
articular disc slipped
2020.12.12, Kokubunji
I had to go to a dentist today because of a persistent problem in my jaw.
cycling by a temple
2020.12.08, Kokubunji
The sun had just come up, and I was out with my camera. You
frosty european cars
2020.12.06, Tokyo
a touch of frost
2020.12.06, Kokubunji
gate to a temple grounds
2020.12.05, Kokubunji
This is the site of the main temple complex from which 'Kok
movie review - The Martian
2020.12.05, Kokubunji
This is a story about a man stuck on Mars, who must who must survive on science alone.
movie review - Animal Crackers
2020.12.05, Kokubunji
For "Movie Night" my daughter and I watched this one.
cyclist pre-dawn
2020.12.01, Kokubunji
the trouble with pandemics (episode 334)
2020.11.29, Kokubunji
It looks like we have no option to get the photo books to people on time.
my annual fall from my bike
2020.11.29, Kokubunji
We went to Tachikawa today to get me onto a mobile phone service.
movie review - The Goonies
2020.11.28, Kokubunji
This is the '80s classic featuring a bunch of kids who decide to explore a house where they think some evil-doing is afoot.
movie review - The Christmas Chronicles: Part Two
2020.11.27, Kokubunji
Proving once again that there can't be a good movie without a sequel, this is the unnecessary follow-up to the endearing Netflix Christmas Special featuring Kurt Russell as Santa Claus.
hello kitty bank
2020.11.27, Kokubunji
I needed a new bank account, because the Japanese banking system is .
the trouble with mobile phones (II)
2020.11.26, Kokubunji
I didn't get as much done today as I wanted.
fishing in Yamanashi
2020.11.25, Yamanashi
Today I joined the headhunter who placed me at my current gig in a fishing trip.
another busy day
2020.11.24, Kokubunji
Today we set off right away for Fuchu, a city adjacent to Kokubunji.
the trouble with mobile phones
2020.11.23, Kokubunji
One odd wrinkle has come up in our plans to switch to a low-cost phone provider.
crouching photographers at sunset
2020.11.22, Tokyo
movie review - The Matrix
2020.11.22, Kokubunji
This is a classic science fiction movie from twenty years ago, before financial crises, calamitous presidencies, and terrorist strikes at the heart of the global financial industry.
movie review - Over the Moon
2020.11.21, Kokubunji
This is a kids' movie from a Chinese studio that features an ancient tale from that same country of a goddess who winds up stranded on the moon / living in association with the moon.
photo books ready to roll
2020.11.20, Kokubunji
I used some white corrective tape to patch up three mistakes in this year's photo books, which arrived last Sunday.
movie review - Beyond Skyline
2020.11.17, Kokubunji
This is a fun Sci-Fi flick about a cop whose son is becoming a petty crook.
river trek
2020.11.15, Kokubunji
We headed off at 10:30 this morning hoping to reach a place where there's a ravine full of autumn colors, this finally being the season.
a fence post's last stand
2020.11.14, Kokubunji
smashed my beater watch
2020.11.08, Kokubunji
I caught the edge of the glass on my beater watch on a surface while taking The Girl out to the park today.
movie review - E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
2020.11.07, Kokubunji
Today we watched a movie the kids only know from memes.
proxy TV
2020.11.03, Kokubunji
Today I hooked up a small Linux device between the new TV and our even newer Internet connection*.
the grass is riz
2020.11.02, Kokubunji
We've been diligently watering the grass and watching for some sign of life but we were beginning to think it hadn't worked when Mari spotted tiny shoots all over the tiny yard.
concrete and water
2020.11.01, Kokubunji
Kokubunji is for lovers
2020.11.01, Kokubunji
This morning I carried on with the work on volume thirteen of the kids' photo books.
making hay in the sunshine
2020.10.25, Kokubunji
Today was a sunny day (queue the day-long migraine) so we decided by around nine in the morning to seed the yard in hopes of growing a lawn.
the reservoir is flush
2020.10.18, Tokyo
bird feeder
2020.10.18, Kokubunji
This past week the landlord sent some gardeners, who aggressively cut back the cedars and made pollards out of the deciduous trees.
good news today
2020.10.11, Kokubunji
For the first time in four days, it was not raining incessantly.
prescription reading glasses
2020.10.10, Kokubunji
This morning Mari and I went to Kunitachi, a city in our 'hood with a name that seems to be comprised of bits of the larger cities.
first jaunt on my new-old bike
2020.10.09, Kokubunji
Today after a grueling day and the end of a grueling week*, I was told that Ken had left his umbrella at school and that I'd had to meet him.
movie review - Venom
2020.10.06, Kokubunji
This is a sci-fi/super-hero movie about a disgraced photographer and the alien symbiote that he meets while breaking into a lab owned by a billionaire.
Bering land bridge idea
2020.10.06, Kokubunji
Ken's writing a piece for school on the Bering land bridge.
ants, getcha flying ants
2020.10.05, Kokubunji
Our place is (literally) crawling with what appear to flying ants.
rebuilding the Tokyobike
2020.09.26, Kokubunji
Mari's old Tokyobike now has a new set of tires and tubes, and a new front axle to replace the one I broke when attempting repairs in Toronto last year.
movie review - Enola Holmes
2020.09.24, Kokubunji
This is an imaginative new story about the young sister of Sherlock and Mycroft Holmes, who defies her older brothers by striking out to find their mother, who seems quite fixed on not being found, for reasons unknown.
scary summary of the Canadian economy
2020.09.23, Kokubunji
In an exchange with a friend in Canada who's a lawyer and fo
shopping for a TV but buying a fire extinguisher
2020.09.19, Kokubunji
Today we went out while Ken was at school.
movie review - Da 5 Bloods
2020.09.18, Kokubunji
Every time I sit in front of a Spike Lee movie, I'm hoping for "Do the Right Thing" or "Malcolm X", and not, say, "She's Gotta Have It" or "School Daze" (which was the first of his works I saw).
yesterday's paper wasps
2020.09.18, Kokubunji
Mari spoke to the landlord about a nest of paper wasps that she'd spotted hanging from our bedroom balcony.
old badge, new coaster
2020.09.16, Kokubunji
I spotted the "badge" from the baseball hat I bought as a memento when on a week-long science trip on the west coast in 1986.
passport lost no longer
2020.09.14, Kokubunji
My passport went missing for a week during the move, which was a problem because I'd have to register my new address with the government.
revamping an old PC
2020.09.14, Kokubunji
I've mentioned that I bought an old Dell PC for about 15,000 yen (maybe $CA180).
friendly neighborhood
2020.09.13, Kokubunji
On Sunday, we went about introducing ourselves to the immediate neighbors.
high speed Internet
2020.09.07, Kokubunji
I imagine I'll be laughing at this post some day, but I'm pleased with the high speed of our Internet connection.
Michael's day off
2020.09.07, Kokubunji
Today we had plans to rent a car and do a bunch of housewares shopping.
new type of home
2020.09.06, Kokubunji
Mari and I have been remarking to each other what a difference this place is already making.
cycling between homes
2020.09.05, Kokubunji
Needless to say, as I cycled from home to home this morning, the weather was 32°.
hello, home no. 27
2020.09.05, Kokubunji
As I write this, I'm looking at a pile of 33 boxes from our home in Toronto.
the lease is signed on home no. 27
2020.08.31, Tokyo
Yesterday we signed our lease and forked over a fortune in fees and rent and illegal key money.
recycle shops
2020.08.26, Tokyo
Tonight we went to a "recycle shop", which is the Japanese name for a store carrying used stuff.
a partial bike commute
2020.08.24, Tokyo
Our real estate says we're almost certainly going to get the place in Kokubunji.
furnished!
2020.08.22, Tokyo
Last night we picked up a car share vehicle* and went to a destination in Shibuya to pick up a used IKEA table and chair.
a used table and chairs
2020.08.22, Tokyo
Mari's found a set of tables and chairs for the new house, at 1/4 the new price.
land management
2020.08.20, Tokyo
Mari told me last night that after thirty years, a law prohibiting the consumption of farmland for housing will expire.
advising younger professionals
2020.08.16, Tokyo
After a thread on Reddit, someone sent me this query: Hello
a home in the 'burbs
2020.08.15, Tokyo
We've been looking at what it means to have to pay two months' rent in deposit plus one month's rent to the (illegal!
High of 36°C and 70 percent humidity today
2020.08.11, Tokyo
Today was possibly the hottest day of the year.
where they keep the raptors
2020.08.10, Tokyo
We were at a large outdoor playground and spotted .. this.
stairs to nowhere
2020.08.10, Tokyo
movie review - The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
2020.08.09, Tokyo
This is the tale of a young man who learns how to set up a wind-driven pump to bring up ground-water and save his family's farm in a time of drought and conflict in rural Malawi.
Toronto's tech sector
2020.08.09, Tokyo
I saw another gushing article today about "Toronto's booming tech sector" and how its job growth is now greater than that of Silicon Valley.
phones and banking
2020.08.06, Tokyo
Mari and Ken took off at 09:00 or so to do some banking and to buy some mobile phones.
movie review - NexGen
2020.08.05, Tokyo
For "Movie Night" my daughter and I watched this flick about a robot that's escaped the Evil Clutches of a boy genius who's been driven somewhat mad and then loses control of the AI he's created.
you mean a real architect
2020.08.04, Tokyo
I was talking with my "dotted line" boss in Europe in our regular biweekly call on Monday.
the virus and efficiency
2020.08.02, Tokyo
There's a joke in (seemingly endless) circulation on the Internet about how the virus and associated changes have led to more efficiency at the office.
twenty years of "progress"
2020.08.01, Tokyo
Maybe as a global society we shouldn't have elevated "value extraction" into a religion, so we'd a) have some sense of shared outcomes and b) could be prepared for this.
COVID-19 in the building
2020.07.29, Tokyo
On Sunday my colleagues and I at work were alerted by email that there had been two cases of COVID-19 in our office building.
teaching photography
2020.07.27, Tokyo
The Girl has taught me something about teaching photography, as she learns.
a ball of caterpillar poop
2020.07.26, Tokyo
I've been crapped on by ~twenty birds in my life, but this
rainy season in Shin-Okubo
2020.07.26, Kawasaki
passed a test today
2020.07.26, Tokyo
I sat (and passed) a test on the cloud platform technology we're using at work.
man those CIA exams were hard
2020.07.25, Tokyo
During the chat with my direct boss this past week about my "promotion" some interesting things emerged.
movie review - Triple Frontier
2020.07.23, Tokyo
This is a story of a band of mercenaries and former soldiers who come together to rob a drug lord.
the kids who missed their dad
2020.07.19, Tokyo
I'd just showed the kids the statue of Hachiko, the faithfu
one horned, one eyed, flying
2020.07.17, Tokyo
The Girl was at home today with me as The Boy and Mari were off for his entrance interview and exam for a private school.
everybody loves somebody
2020.07.15, Tokyo
Another outstanding short made not-for-profit by the Star W
practice interviews
2020.07.11, Tokyo
This weekend we're working through more prep for Ken's school exam.
goodbye RBC credit card
2020.07.07, Tokyo
One of the pleasures of moving out of Canada is dumping your Canadian banks.
Grandma makes a save
2020.07.06, St. Catharines
Grandma's been getting weird texts from some unknown party about "E06" needing a credit card for bill payment.
the final countdown
2020.06.29, Tokyo
In preparation for the family's arrival, I've been shopping and cleaning.
things are tough back in Toronto
2020.06.28, Tokyo
A friend of mine lost his job in Toronto in early October, just a couple of weeks before I did.
farewell, Olympus cameras
2020.06.25, Tokyo
Because I unloaded all of my old Minolta and Pentax gear, I only currently own two cameras.
1,000 person Zoom
2020.06.24, Tokyo
Grandma was on a 1,000-person Zoom call today about social and environmental issues.
pulse oximeter at last
2020.06.23, Tokyo
This past Sunday I finally took possession of my pulse oximeter.
spam spam...
2020.06.21, Kawasaki
happy father's day
2020.06.21, Tokyo
One of the first things you forget about when moving to a new country (or even one where you've lived before) is the holiday schedule.
farewell, home no. 25
2020.06.20, Tokyo
As part of the eternal hiring process for my current job, I had to enumerate all the places I'd lived in my life.
climbing to home in the evening
2020.06.17, Kawasaki
I (also) would like to learn more Japanese
2020.06.09, Kawasaki
I share my son's interest in learning the language of the country in which we'll be living.
les.net to the rescue
2020.06.07, Kawasaki
When I was heading to Canada nearly ten years ago, I realized that I'd need a Canadian phone number to support my job search.
keeping the car
2020.06.06, Kawasaki
Looking at the situation, we've decided that we'd be walking away from too much value in light of the likely difficulty in selling the car for anything like its "normal market value" [sic].
mapping west Tokyo
2020.06.06, Kawasaki
We're hoping to get The Boy into a certain school in the city center, a part of the city where rents are a bit much.
unemployment in Canada
2020.06.05, Kawasaki
Well, as rough as the job is, and as rough as it is to migrate back here rushed and unplanned, it looks like the numbers validate my impression of Canada's fortunes.
not flying home
2020.06.04, Kawasaki
It's official, I'm not flying home to help pack, move, or bring the kids here.
goodbye 32 Spokes
2020.06.02, Kawasaki
I'm winding down my activities with "32 Spokes", the cycling safety advocacy group I belonged to for six and a half years.
R0 won't do what you tell it to
2020.06.01, Kawasaki
Just in time, the R0 value in Japan is going up again.
new glasses
2020.05.31, Kawasaki
Today I picked up my new screen-reading glasses an I'm shocked to learn how much better my monitor is than I knew.
movie review - Silver Linings Playbook
2020.05.23, Kawasaki
This is a movie in which a man returns to the house of his parents following an eight month stay in an institution.
our next stop
2020.05.23, Kawasaki
Mari found some temporary accommodation options for when they arrive in early July.
the buried river
2020.05.22, Kawasaki
Near my place in Kawasaki, a river is driven below ground before continuing a short distance later.
TTC transit passes from the late '90s
2020.05.20, Toronto
These are monthly transit passes issued by the TTC in the late '90s.
porting a home phone
2020.05.20, Kawasaki
After writing about the VPN thing the other day, it's occurred to me that we could keep our Toronto phone number simply by bringing the tiny VOIP device and the old handset with us to Tokyo.
re-connecting with a former colleague
2020.05.19, Kawasaki
I've re-connected with a number of former colleagues from my last run at the life insurance firm where I am today.
the trouble with covid, episide 847
2020.05.18, Kawasaki
Several private schools in Japan are barring kids from other countries to enter their intake exams, or simply not having those intake exams.
VPN software
2020.05.17, Kawasaki
One of the irritants about being mid-way between two countries is the way that national boundaries still play a part in some services like telephones and media.
slept on the main floor
2020.05.16, Kawasaki
I woke with a migraine coming on at 04:00, so I moved my bed down to the main floor in order to get some cooler air.
noisy motorcycles
2020.05.16, Kawasaki
I've finally figured out where there are so many delivery motorcycles racing back and forth outside my building all night.
kuji cylendrical water divider
2020.05.14, Kawasaki
There is a place in Kawasaki where they moved the Hirase ri
feral piglets
2020.05.14, Kawasaki
Tonight I went out for a bit of a walk to burn off some stress and to finally mail a letter that I've been trying to send for some time.
movie review - Mission: Impossible - Fallout
2020.05.12, Kawasaki
This strangely-named movie is one of the best thriller/action films I've ever seen.
laws of synthetic intelligence
2020.05.11, Kawasaki
I'm thinking of writing some laws of synthetic intelligence into my story.
progress on my novel
2020.05.10, Kawasaki
This weekend I concluded a major edit of the middle third of my old novel project.
a mountain seen during a pandemic
2020.05.08, Kawasaki
Another evening spent walking in Kawasaki while alone durin
feels like California
2020.05.08, Kawasaki
This is a set of condos built into the slope of a hill. It'
hakubishin and me
2020.05.08, Kawasaki
Tonight I was out taking some photos and I ran across a masked palm civet, and introduced species that humans brought with them for some reason during prehistoric times.
tours of Kawasaki
2020.05.07, Kawasaki
So far, I've given three tours of my part of Kawasaki by "zoom.
this week in kanji mistakes - 甘
2020.05.06, Kawasaki
As I have previously noted, when I first came to this country and started becoming exposed to the writing system, I couldn't help but note that some looked a lot like one thing, but meant another.
rocket slide at a park in Fussa
2020.05.02, Kawasaki
I went for a fair bike ride on a friend's son's ride one fi
movie review - Extraction
2020.05.02, Kawasaki
This was a surprisingly good action film about a mercenary who's sent into Bangladesh to extract a kidnapped child.
vroom vroom v-v-v-vroom oom oom vroom v-v-vroom
2020.05.02, Kawasaki
I can hear the sounds of someone playing a tune by gunning the engine of some kind of high-performance motorbike.
sixty-six kilometer ride
2020.05.02, Kawasaki
I hopped on my bike at 13:15 and got off again 32km later.
lockdown self-haircut no 1
2020.05.02, Kawasaki
It's been five weeks since I last cut my hair, so after The Girl's cake singing, I had a shower and put the hair attachment on my beard trimmer.
organic crunchy peanut butter
2020.04.28, Kawasaki
I've been changing my mind about my local grocery store.
my new charge card
2020.04.27, Kawasaki
It's funny that you could be pleased to do something as trivial as activating and charging a prepaid credit card with funds but given that I had to use Google Translate every step of the way it was something.
the whole enchilada
2020.04.26, Kawasaki
This was the "bathroom sink" in the one-room hovel I rented
movie review - Prospect
2020.04.25, Kawasaki
This is a science fiction movie about a future that feels a lot more realistic than Star Trek ever did.
Pandora's wine
2020.04.25, Kawasaki
When this charming millennium was still young there was in Canada a show on TV called "Corner Gas".
non-surgical masks
2020.04.24, Kawasaki
Yesterday I received a package of fifty disposable face masks.
burning disks
2020.04.23, Kawasaki
I've filled five of the 100GB disks with media and other stuff from my Dropbox account.
new weight loss plan
2020.04.22, Kawasaki
In the interests of staying alive, I've been staying indoors every other day (at a minimum).
100GB BD-R
2020.04.21, Kawasaki
I'm giving up my account on "Dropbox", a cloud storage service that's been around for years but has been getting progressively more expensive and in some ways frustrating.
woke up saying so
2020.04.19, Kawasaki
I woke up from a mid-day nap by happily announcing, "I'm awake!
sudden depression
2020.04.19, Kawasaki
When I spoke with Jon this morning he told me that he's been seeing people living in tents in green spaces about Toronto.
our angel fish laid eggs
2020.04.18, Kawasaki
Ken sent me a text early on Sunday morning (their time).
wandering the streets of Kawasaki
2020.04.16, Kawasaki
Tonight I hit the road because I realized I'm gaining a lot of weight.
living "under postponement"
2020.04.14, Kawasaki
Out for a stress walk just now, I noticed the wacky name of the neighborhood on a pole.
Fuji glimpses
2020.04.14, Kawasaki
Years ago when I lived in Sydney it was frequent that you'd see apartment listings featuring the term "harbor views".
a very zoomy easter
2020.04.13, Kawasaki
This morning (my time) I joined the Masterson clan in an Easter video chat on "zoom.
the loneliness index
2020.04.11, Kawasaki
It's now been two weeks since I had a face-to-face conversation with anyone.
nothing succeeds like failure
2020.04.10, Kawasaki
At the end of the week I can report than both of the jobs I thought I'd saved have slipped through our fingers.
walking after lunchtime
2020.04.08, Kawasaki
Today I ate leftover rice and lentils with the last of my prefab fish.
first hurdle cleared
2020.04.08, Kawasaki
I've surprised myself by diffusing the situation at work with my staffer who was on Monday evening was talking about going to a lawyer.
lockdown in Toronto
2020.04.07, Toronto
In Ontario right now only one person may leave the house for shopping.
running out of coffee
2020.04.07, Kawasaki
Last night I went out to get some things prior to the impending lock-down of Tokyo.
this week in kanji mistakes - é›»
2020.04.06, Kawasaki
Well, time to start the long terrible grind on kanji once more.
dissertation getting read
2020.04.06, Kawasaki
One of the websites where I "published" the dissertation for my master's degree reports that that svelte 40,000 words has now been read 700 times.
movie review - Green Book
2020.04.05, Kawasaki
This is a movie about a tough who works as a door man in the early 1960s.
online board games
2020.04.05, Kawasaki
I played an online board game with one of my colleagues, today.
novelizing once again
2020.04.04, Kawasaki
I spent eight hours working on my old 2000-2008 era novel project.
opticrom in Japan
2020.04.02, Kawasaki
I use eye drops on a fairly regular basis for a couple reasons.
Internet access restored
2020.04.01, Kawasaki
One of the irritants about this little apartment has been the Internet connectivity.
tough times
2020.04.01, Kawasaki
I reached out to a friend who just moved to Vancouver with her husband in the Autumn.
wintery fountain in Kawasaki
2020.03.29, Kawasaki
getting money in Japan
2020.03.29, Kawasaki
I mentioned to Mari that I noticed when getting money at an ATM that the ATM had a currency button.
kiddie-pool lockdown
2020.03.28, Kawasaki
Today Tokyo is on a lock-down lite, as the governor dips our collective toe into the concept of a locked-down Tokyo but without all the pesky stuff about businesses closing.
happiness is a bunch of indian staples
2020.03.27, Kawasaki
Let the pandemic drag on, I've got my basic protein element
unmasked
2020.03.27, Kawasaki
Tonight after a grueling day I attended a "virtual drinks party" with a bunch of colleagues on our shared text/videoconferencing app, which was nice.
movie review - Sicario
2020.03.26, Kawasaki
This is a movie about the state of the "war on drugs", as told from the point of view of an officer from a local law enforcement agency who is drafted following a significant drug bust.
word from St. Catharines
2020.03.25, St. Catharines
Grandma reports this experience shopping for groceries in St.
the middle manager's prayer
2020.03.24, Kawasaki
Once upon a time while visiting my dad's office (at which I would later hold some summer jobs) I saw a many-times photocopied sign titled "The Middle Manager's Prayer".
first week working from home
2020.03.23, Kawasaki
Mari had ordered a small desk and a ball chair so that I would have somewhere to sit while living in this little apartment.
laundry in high wind
2020.03.22, Kawasaki
I did some laundry this morning but it was far too windy to keep the stuff on the railing outside so I had to crowd myself in with drying racks all over the ~20 square meters of my apartment.
so this is Akihabara
2020.03.21, Kawasaki
After a bit of a slow start, I went back to Kawasaki's city center and returned my keyboard.
first holiday
2020.03.20, Kawasaki
No sign of the fever today, so I presume that my self-diagnosis of strep throat couldn't have been too far off the mark.
the fever
2020.03.19, Kawasaki
I woke soon after having eventually fallen asleep; maybe at 1:30 or so.
movie review - Doctor Sleep
2020.03.16, Kawasaki
This is the story of what becomes of little Danny from The Shining.
sometimes it snows in March
2020.03.14, Kawasaki
Early this morning I ran over to the dry cleaner's and picked up my suit.
COVID19 in Japan
2020.03.13, Kawasaki
If you're wondering, yes there's information on the developing outbreak in Japan.
Tamaplaza
2020.03.13, Kawasaki
I spent the first part of the day puzzling through the ongoing destruction of the global economy.
car crush - corolla fielder
2020.03.12, Kawasaki
There are a few of these about my temporary neighborhood. I
slow day
2020.03.12, Kawasaki
Today Mari and I started the day by reviewing our priorities and deciding that there was no rush in finding an apartment.
apartment has WiFi
2020.03.11, Kawasaki
Aha, I've figured out how to use the neutered phone that came with this studio apartment as a WiFi hot-spot.
land of constant paperwork
2020.03.11, Kawasaki
My day started with a trek to "mouth of the gully" to drop off my suit at a dry cleaners.
Tokyo electrified mamachari
2020.03.10, Kawasaki
10/10 for style baby, but maybe minus a hundred for parking
movie review - Ex Machina
2020.03.10, Kawasaki
This is an unpleasant movie about a reclusive genius and tech billionaire who has been dabbling in artificial intelligence androids - to make women to keep under his thumb.
a long day (part two)
2020.03.09, Kawasaki
I wrote about all my running around in the city but I left out one exhausting piece.
one thing I forgot
2020.03.09, Kawasaki
I need inserts for new shoes or I get plantar fasciatis tears.
Yes, I've got 130,000 burning a hole in my pocket
2020.03.07, Tokyo
house-hunting
2020.03.07, Kawasaki
Today we looked at a house in the city of Setagaya within Tokyo's long border with Kanagawa prefecture.
aquarium care
2020.03.06, Toronto
In my absence, Mari suggested that the kids start tending to the aquarium fish on a daily basis.
transferring phone numbers
2020.03.01, Toronto
When I came back to Canada I used a service offered by a fellow in Manitoba to acquire a number in Toronto's then newish 647 area code.
new shirts
2020.03.01, Toronto
One of the final purchases to get me back in corporate form was a set of shirts for the office.
poor little chime ball
2020.03.01, Toronto
When I was a baby, someone bought a chime ball for my distraction.
the kijiji people
2020.02.29, Toronto
Today I gave away a good chunk of my old film and early digital camera gear.
ghosts in downtown Sydney
2020.02.28, Sydney
Someone must have stepped very close to us in this one. C
movie review - The Imitation Game
2020.02.26, Tokyo
This is a telling of Alan Turing's contributions to the British war effort in the Second World War.
stealing wages from teachers
2020.02.25, Toronto
As of this morning, the government of the province of Ontario has now paid us $250 in compensation for the strike days that saw our kids at home.
to the aquarium!
2020.02.23, Toronto
We took the kids to the aquarium today because The Girl had an annual pass that was about to expire.
movie review - The Gentlemen
2020.02.22, Toronto
This is a gangster film from the United Kingdom, cleverly told as recounting of a movie plot being pitched by somebody knee-deep in the story himself.
showed the boy how to shave
2020.02.22, Toronto
Last night at bedtime I showed the boy how to shave, since he needed it.
job offer drafted
2020.02.21, Toronto
Last night I reached out to a number of the headhunters that I'd spoken to during my time in Tokyo over the new year's, mentioning that I was still "working with" NN Life for this gig.
out of date linux nerd
2020.02.20, Toronto
Just telling myself, "You so old, you still use df -lk /volume".
movie review - Dumbo
2020.02.16, Toronto
This is a live-action kids' movie about a fellow who is trying to hang on to his family's circus.
surprise!
2020.02.16, Oakville
This morning we all headed out to get some greeting cards, because in the afternoon we were to pile into poor old salt-stained Méabh and toodled up to Oakville for a surprise birthday party for uncle Scott.
more D&D
2020.02.14, Toronto
Today The Boy's best friend came over and we carried on the long-running Dungeons and Dragons campaign with the two boys and The Girl playing.
Valentine's day lunch
2020.02.13, Toronto
With tomorrow being a PA day, meaning the kids would be home, Mari and I headed out together for a Valentine's day lunch at a Lebanese restaurant in Leslieghville.
taking the bikes for a spin
2020.02.12, Toronto
Today I took the kids outside so that they could take their bikes for spin up and down the street.
jobs in Toronto
2020.02.11, Toronto
While I wait for things to happen in Tokyo, I've been applying for roles in Toronto and the region.
happiness is a new visa
2020.02.11, Toronto
The Boy and I went downtown to pick up my spiffy new spousal visa at the Japanese consulate.
farewell, my brothers in arms
2020.02.10, Toronto
Tonight I got together with a small group from "32 Spokes", the cycling advocacy crowd in our part of town.
fishing in Ontario in February
2020.02.08, Ontario
One of the kids took a walk away from our ice fishing renta
strike time means entertaining boys
2020.02.06, Toronto
The TDSB teachers are on strike today, so I wound up with four 11-12 year olds playing D&D at our place.
taxes
2020.02.05, Toronto
In preparation for my departure I did our taxes today, though I can't submit them yet.
the slow road to action
2020.02.03, Toronto
I just noticed this in our councilor's latest email blast (from the 31st).
farewell to outerwear
2020.02.03, Toronto
Today one of my preparations for my likely departure was taking my ancient leather jacket and two very old blazers to the Value Village.
terrible father
2020.02.01, Toronto
Today I learned that my daughter has somehow not watched Star Wars at nearly eight years old.
goodbye, dungeons and dragons books
2020.01.31, Toronto
In preparation for an expected move to Tokyo, I've just taken the "Advanced Dungeons and Dragons" books that we used in the 80's down to the end of our driveway for someone to pick up.
closed my corporate bank account
2020.01.30, Toronto
I've closed the bank account for my consulting business.
goodbye, former coworkers
2020.01.30, Toronto
Today I went downtown to meet an old colleague for a coffee.
TTC's presto service is nuts
2020.01.29, Toronto
I have to use the TTC tomorrow, and realized that I would have to sort out my payment card.
god I love cargo bikes
2020.01.27, Toronto
movie review - Running with the Devil
2020.01.25, Miyazaki
This is a downer of a story about a much of mutually antagonistic members of a drug cartel that's imploding over internal strife.
Casio Duro on a tan nylon strap
2020.01.21, Toronto
This the final strap I'd get for my Casio Duro. It was stil
doing things the dad way
2020.01.21, Toronto
When I was young I always marveled at my father's ability to get things done by refusing to make someone else's problem his own.
might luke skywalker have been a racist hick
2020.01.15, Toronto
Do you suppose we all mis-read this statement by Luke Skywalker?
me, practicing commercial fishing
2020.01.12, Miyazaki
I'd like to think that I'd enjoy commercial fishing but I s
fishing boats at new year
2020.01.12, Miyazaki
Every new year, the locals have some days off. They decorat
my bike, lashed to the ceiling of a garage
2020.01.12, Miyazaki
I bought this bike around 2006, but couldn't bear to have i
movie review - Kingsman: The Secret Service
2020.01.12, Nichinan, Miyazaki
The way this movie was advertised didn't appeal to me.
wooden train at new year
2020.01.11, Miyazaki
Every new year, the locals in Miyazaki-ken run this wooden
sunrise on the sea
2020.01.10, Miyazaki
the old man and the sea
2020.01.09, Nichinan
I went fishing with my father-in-law on the Philippine Sea today.
interior of an ancient tomb, Miyazaki
2020.01.05, Miyazaki
interior of an ancient tomb, Miyazaki Collections containi
a meeting room in the former home of a samurai
2020.01.04, Miyazaki
a meeting room in the former home of a samurai Collections
2019
A small shrine in the hills of Miyazaki
2019.12.31, Miyazaki
A small shrine in the hills of Miyazaki Collections contai
only 8,886 emails this year
2019.12.31, Nichinan, Miyazaki
My multi-annual plan to reduce emails has continued.
a fish restaurant in aitsu, in Nichinan
2019.12.25, Miyazaki
a fish restaurant in aitsu, in Nichinan Collections contai
oh, Fermi and your paradox
2019.12.21, Nichinan, Miyazaki
Two interesting articles on the Fermi paradox state: one, that civilization burns itself out via industrialization-fueled climate change; and two, that ignoring the discussion isn't helping us mature to the point that we can even contemplate moving into the stars.
family-chan!
2019.12.20, Nichinan, Miyazaki
Today I traveled from Tokyo to Miyazaki, where I met Mari and the kids.
Jeff
2019.12.16, Tokyo
Today I met with an old classmate from Japanese courses way back when I was at NikkoCiti.
movie review - 6 Underground
2019.12.15, Tokyo
This is a choppy heist movie by a director who absolutely nails the stunts and visual wizardry and often struggles to capture natural human interaction.
ironing board
2019.12.15, Tokyo
Today I decided I'd had enough of the cell-like "hotel room" in which I've been hold up at the surprisingly cheap cost of ¥5000 a night and went on a long walk.
Satoi-san!
2019.12.14, Tokyo
Today I made the trek out to the south-eastern reaches of the Tokyo "ku", to visit an old friend: Satoi-san.
stepping back twelve years
2019.12.12, Toronto
Today I met with a fellow Canadian in the lobby of a life insurance firm where I worked when Mari and I were first living together.
an old acquaintance
2019.12.12, Tokyo
This afternoon I met with an old acquaintance - a headhunter I'd met with in the frantic days before I ultimately left Japan in late 2010.
Tokyo sky tree
2019.12.11, Tokyo
Today I visited Tokyo sky tree, doing the tourist thing after a day of meetings yesterday.
movie review - Spider-Man Homecoming
2019.12.10, Toronto
For a second time in as many decades, the Spider-Man movies have now been rebooted; they've started all over again.
first meeting
2019.12.10, Tokyo
First thing I crossed the city center from Kameido to Shinjuku to go to a book store that I knew had English-language map books.
looking for work (in the only right places)
2019.12.09, Tokyo
I flew to Tokyo today to find work here.
cancelling wind turbine projects because reasons
2019.12.07, Tokyo
Ontario's cancelled another wind-turbine project.
smuggling out e-waste
2019.12.04, Toronto
An interesting article in The Verge about how greed drove a "recycling" company to falsify documents in order to conceal that monitors containing mercury were being sent to Hong Kong for dismantling.
we're burning our plastic bottles
2019.12.03, Toronto
You know how you're so good about sorting plastic bottles from non-recyclable trash?
same ol' same ol'
2019.11.22, Toronto
Today I rode up to the Bermondsey neighborhood to meet a friend and fellow unemployee.
the entrepreneurs
2019.11.21, Toronto
Today I had a meeting downtown with an entrepreneur who's built a thriving software business; within a couple of years of their start they now have four products in production with different clients.
solid-state batteries are here
2019.11.18, Toronto
In this fascinating video, we learn that solid-state, eco-friendly, stable, and inexpensive batteries are just around the corner--prototypes already exist!
movie review - Murder on The Orient Express
2019.11.15, Toronto
This is a retelling of the classic Agatha Christie movie.
movie review - Die Hard
2019.11.12, Tokyo
My eleven-year-old son and I watched this in the run-up to Christmas.
on asking whether you should really be CEO
2019.11.12, Toronto
A friend in Australia passed on an article in which a corporate board member spilled the beans about the mis-allocation of millions of dollars towards management consultants who provided little value.
gitlab owns an error
2019.10.30, Toronto
Today I received a letter from the CEO of Gitlab about the retraction of a planned service that had worried the user community.
the changing season, toronto's waterfront
2019.10.29, Toronto
the changing season, toronto's waterfront Collections cont
chatting on a misty morning on Toronto's waterfront
2019.10.29, Toronto
chatting on a misty morning on Toronto's waterfront Collec
changing colors along toronto's waterfront
2019.10.29, Toronto
changing colors along toronto's waterfront Collections con
people strolling on a misty morning, toronto
2019.10.29, Toronto
people strolling on a misty morning, toronto Collections c
misty morning on Toronto's waterfront
2019.10.29, Toronto
misty morning on Toronto's waterfront Collections containi
three hearses parked in a bikelane, toronto
2019.10.25, Toronto
three hearses parked in a bikelane, toronto Collections co
movie review - In the Shadow of the Moon
2019.10.16, Toronto
This is, at first glance, a murder investigation.
sequence 8, 13, 19, 26
2019.10.16, Toronto
Today The Boy brought home math homework that was in our opinion way above the grade six level - to provide a formula that can explain the sequence 8, 13, 19, 26.
autumn sunlight through tall grass seeds
2019.10.13, St. Catharines
autumn sunlight through tall grass seeds Collections conta
movie review - Bullet Head
2019.09.29, Toronto
This is an interesting story that feels like an adaptation from a stage production.
movie review - El Camino Christmas
2019.09.28, Toronto
This is a story of a young man who goes out in search of his estranged father.
twenty years of this journal
2019.09.28, Toronto
I just noticed that today is the twentieth anniversary of my web journal as a daily events record, not just movie reviews and the odd news.
won't somebody think of the children
2019.09.27, Toronto
This is where my cycling advocacy stuff is taking me these days.
movie review - Bumblebee
2019.09.25, Toronto
This past few years sure has produced a lot of prequels and spinoffs.
movie review - Avengement
2019.09.23, Toronto
I wasn't sure the title of this one is actually a word, but it is!
oh, Calgary
2019.09.20, Toronto
I read a story from Calgary in which a resident has been getting endless death-threats because he pointed out that the city's bus drivers are refusing transit tickets printed in French.
humans versus the environment
2019.09.19, Toronto
It seems that the people trying to solve the Fermi paradox are increasingly coming to the conclusion that we're utterly alone in the Universe.
it was thirty years ago this month
2019.09.18, Toronto
I've just realized that it was thirty years ago this month that I returned to Ontario to start my university studies.
movie review - Mortal Engines
2019.09.14, Toronto
This is a splashy fun flick set in a future where cities are now mobile affairs, roaming the countryside and taking what they need directly.
tweeting to Gorbachev
2019.09.12, Toronto
So I wrote a tweet to Mikhail Gorbachev to thank him for getting the USSR through the Chernobyl crisis.
fun times in the US election cycle
2019.09.10, Toronto
I'm constantly amazed at what politics looks like in this brave new millennium.
movie review - Zombieland: Double Tap
2019.09.09, Tokyo
This is the sequel to the only good zombie movie in recent years, "Zombieland", released a full decade earlier.
farewell to sea ice
2019.09.07, Toronto
Well, I guess within another couple of years there won't be ice in the Arctic ocean year round.
reasons to be thankful, UK edition
2019.09.06, Toronto
Watching what's happening in the UK these days certainly gives me pause.
broken ring and post - tell 311
2019.09.05, Toronto
Remember folks, when we see a broken or missing ring-and-post on the street in Toronto, we tell 311.
new contra-flow bike lane
2019.09.03, Toronto
Living in a city where people routinely are struck down in the streets by an out-of-control driving populace, it's nice to see some small signs of progress.
fishing beneath the lock
2019.08.31, Port Severn
We followed up on the tip from the camper at the lock and fished below the dam at Port Severn (which is a fish sanctuary in the spring).
the frog-catchers
2019.08.30, Port Severn
Our last full day at the cottage saw autumn-like weather, definitely time for long sleeves.
early fishing
2019.08.25, Port Severn
We headed out early this morning, and while I caught only a single pike it was a beautiful time to be out on the water.
movie review - Upgrade
2019.08.23, Toronto
This is a near-future science fiction piece in which a car mechanic who loses his wife and the use of his limbs in an assault after his automated car crashes.
that's all folks
2019.08.23, Toronto
It's been a very busy week as I prepare to take the family to a rented cottage for the following week.
interior of a (very) old barn
2019.08.18, Kawartha Lakes
interior of a (very) old barn interior of a (very) old barn
second Paul, second boat
2019.08.18,
Today a fellow named Paul who is not our neighbour but rather the neighbor of a friend in Fenelon Falls took us out on his boat.
movie review - Identity Thief
2019.08.14, Toronto
This is a movie featuring a male lead who always plays mild-mannered sweat-hearts and a female lead who always plays abrasive people with poor judgment and/or socialization.
movie review - Overlord
2019.08.12, Toronto
Somehow, the early PC game "Doom" spawned a genre of movies.
busy weekend
2019.08.11, Toronto
This weekend we had plans on Saturday morning, Saturday afternoon/evening, Sunday morning, and Sunday afternoon/evening.
happiness is a warm kettle
2019.08.09, Toronto
What does it say that a hand-me-down electric kettle made our week, this week?
killing things on my bike
2019.08.08, Toronto
I related to a friend how I'd accidentally run over a small snake on my bike, and then nearly hit a dog and he said, "At least you didn't kill a child.
amazing but obvious
2019.08.07, Toronto
Cheers to Cloudflare for taking the amazing but I have to say rather obvious step of taking 8chan off the air.
this cannot possible go skynet I mean wrong
2019.08.06, Toronto
Well, what could possibly go wrong with launching an aware military defence network that can control spy satellites?
a rare get-together with part of my family
2019.08.04, St. Catharines
My brother and his wife are in Ontario for a wedding, so we all got together in St.
when a cyclist drives
2019.08.03, Toronto
Driving in an unfamiliar area, I was shocked to see a terribly-uneven railroad crossing immediately before us.
say, would you reboot the box under the fish tank?
2019.08.01, Toronto
Today proved that there can be times when you text your spouse to ask them to say reboot a computer system inside the aquarium stand, and it's work-related.
what happens to your credit rating when you give up an old credit card
2019.07.29, Toronto
The lore of credit ratings says that maintaining credit accounts for a long time is good, so I've always wondered what happens if you give up an old credit card.
movie review - Descendants 2
2019.07.28, Toronto
When I reviewed the Disney direct-to-whatever movie "Descendants" two weeks ago, my hasty review contained a lie.
Porter's five forces
2019.07.26, Toronto
Today I read a story about Intel's apparently upcoming ouster from Apple's lineup - pretty shocking stuff; remember MBA graduates, Porter's five forces have been established for a long time.
movie review - The Meg
2019.07.25, Toronto
My daughter loves shark attack stuff, so naturally we watched this when the chance came.
46°C in France today
2019.07.25, Toronto
So France and other European countries are setting record temperatures; in these cases I'd like to tell my kids that we did the best we could for the world but we all know that that's a blatant lie.
starting up an old project
2019.07.25, Toronto
I've decided to resume the novel project I set aside eleven+ years ago when my son was born.
riding rental bikes in Toronto
2019.07.24, Toronto
Today I rode a rental bike from Toronto's bike sharing service and thoroughly enjoyed it.
writing loveletters to politicians
2019.07.23, Toronto
Today I wrote to emails of thanks to the Toronto Mayor and the city Councillors that took the lead on the recent spate of directives to make the city's streets safer.
to what could this be referring?
2019.07.22, Toronto
The Late Show had a faux 'Wheel of Fortune' style puzzle tonight, for which I just couldn't pick a single answer.
wildlife, while there is some
2019.07.21, Toronto
So it turns out that Manta Rays can leap right out of the water into the air.
selling my work online
2019.07.20, Toronto
Today I put a manual of policy and procedures on risk management for small non-profits for sale on my "professional" website.
old memories triggered by the weather
2019.07.19, Toronto
The weather today perfectly reminded me of hunting for tadpoles and Oma's cooking, while staying with the old folks on vacation from Calgary 35 years ago.
movie review - Point Blank
2019.07.18, Toronto
This is an implausible tale of a crook who is freed from hospital by a nurse.
bike sharing stations everywhere
2019.07.18, Toronto
I am happy to report that the city's parking authority is in no way fooling around with the bike-sharing project - there are bike stations everywhere, now*.
not at all a real-estate bubble
2019.07.15, Toronto
Even if you wanted to buy a place in Whitby or Brampton (or Milton!
what does 2475 dollars get you in Toronto
2019.07.13, Toronto
I saw a (badly written) article about new apartment building
movie review - Sabotage
2019.07.12, Toronto
Arnold Schwarzenegger uncharacteristically plays a corrupt DEA agent in this movie of suspected revenge by one of his gang's victims.
happiness is ditching a bank
2019.07.12, Toronto
I closed a credit card account of 18 years standing because of one bad call to a bank; I don't know why banks can't be bothered to solve problems for long-term clients but this just forced me to move more business to my credit union.
switching to v-brakes
2019.07.11, Toronto
I've done some math and it seems that riding a bike for the past eight years has saved me $9,000 in TTC fares.
movie review - Office Space
2019.07.10, Toronto
I watched this again after several years, and I think I've belatedly come to realize that this movie had quite an effect on me when I first saw it twenties years ago.
162cm and growing
2019.07.10, Toronto
My son's above the 98th percentile for height; I was hoping he'd avoid a lifetime of backache and poor shoe selection but no.
that's mr wernebung to you
2019.07.09, Toronto
When I called up the Canadian Red Cross to give them a new credit card number the fellow took down my name as Wernebung; I'm glad that's not how it's spelled.
the Boy's big opportunity
2019.07.02, Toronto
Our son plays tennis, and his club has just asked him to join a new youth program that will see him get a lot of exposure this summer.
in our first parade
2019.07.01, Toronto
Today all four of us rode our bikes in the East York Canada Day parade.
movie review - Asterix - the Secret of the Magic Potion
2019.06.30, Toronto
This is a charming attempt at bringing the Asterix books from many a Boomer and Gen-X childhood to the flat screen.
opportunities to fish
2019.06.28, Toronto
We've rented a cottage for the last week in August, and have also decided to go fishing this weekend.
good news for the Danforth Avenue bike lanes project
2019.06.27, Toronto
Toronto's Infrastructure & Environment Committee has passed resolutions calling for the creation of bike lanes on Danforth Avenue.
movie review - Red Sparrow
2019.06.25, Toronto
This is the tale of a girl from a rough background who is simultaneously a ballerina and maybe also a prostitute or any way seems to be living with a gangster.
paying attention to cyber security
2019.06.25, Toronto
In a discussion on cyber security breaches, someone referenced an incident in Baltimore.
my date with Kevin
2019.06.24, Toronto
For the first time, I met a colleague I'd worked with remotely for four years - he suggested we meet as he was visiting Toronto.
caught in the rain three times in a day
2019.06.20, Toronto
I had to run some errands while at work today, then had a meeting over dinner.
the fridge that ran
2019.06.19, Toronto
Our fridge is eleven years old and won't stop running; no wonder we have an $80 hydro bill every month.
flooded beach like glass
2019.06.18, Toronto
I for one welcome the flooded Woodbine beach - this morning the water was like glass and it reflected gorgeously.
your credit card don't mean nothing to me
2019.06.17, Toronto
Today I tried to add my Visa card to PayPal; I was declined, so I called the bank but was given the run-around.
bells on Danforth
2019.06.15, Toronto
Today I joined hundreds of other cyclists in riding the length of Danforth Avenue from Withrow park in the west to the Oakridge Community Recreation Centre in the east.
lotsa email from my pal Cron Daemon
2019.06.12, Toronto
The Boy was watching me struggle with my inbox, and asked who "Cron Daemon" is and why I didn't spend much time on his email.
movie review - Early Man
2019.06.11, Toronto
Some kids' movies are good enough to grab the whole audience and keep them engrossed.
shred those parking tickets
2019.06.10, Toronto
I saw a truck from one of those document-shredding services with two parking tickets on its windshield; I somehow suspect I know what'll happen to the tickets.
an sd-wan breakthrough
2019.06.07, Toronto
At work, we've made a real breakthrough with the performance of our software.
mercedes CO2 emissions are getting worse
2019.06.06, Toronto
Today I noticed that the average CO2 emissions of the fleet of cars sold by Mercedes actually got worse by 12g/km between 2016 and 2018.
car expenses piling up
2019.05.31, Toronto
It's amazing how quickly the car repair bills pile up when your warranty expires.
more views of a flooded beach
2019.05.30, Toronto
This is the far side of Woodbine beach: the water is receding, but the beach is still swamped.
an exploding star caused us to walk upright?
2019.05.29, Toronto
It's pretty amazing to see what we can work out these days, such as a distant supernova leading to humanity's ancestors walking upright.
flooding on Woodbine beach
2019.05.28, Toronto
Woodbine beach was largely underwater this morning, so I made a panorama pic.
the first bite is the only welcome one
2019.05.27, Toronto
I'll posit that the first mosquito bite of the season is the only welcome one.
Toronto from Leslie Street Spit on a hazy day
2019.05.26, Toronto
Toronto from Leslie Street Spit on a hazy day Collections
an uber eats driver does something kind
2019.05.25, Toronto
I saw an Uber Eats driver do something kind - she got off her bike to help a blind man cross Bay street.
unnecessary goop
2019.05.23, Toronto
I bought some goop to remove a rubbery-looking streak from the side of our car only to find that the auto shop had removed it for me.
that's it, I'm off to Collision
2019.05.22, Toronto
Joining the boss today at Collision conference here in Toronto - it's a conference for startups and their investors.
our cycling advocacy group took a break and just rode for fun, today
2019.05.21, Toronto
For the first time that I can recall, our cycling advocacy group took a break and just rode for fun, today.
movie review - All the Devil's Men
2019.05.19, Toronto
This is a spy story set in the modern, post-Cold War era.
ran into my eleven year old on the street today for the first time
2019.05.18, Toronto
When I ran into my son on the street today, I realized that it was the first time I'd encountered him acting as independently as he has for the entire school year.
on this day last year a man I don't know died cycling in my neighborhood
2019.05.16, Toronto
Like me, Doug Crosbie was a cyclist and a father.
what I'd look like as a woman
2019.05.14, Toronto
Last night a colleague took a pic of me through some app that slapped a woman's 'do on me and made my features more feminine.
woodbine beach is flooded again
2019.05.13, Toronto
Thanks to high water levels and a few days of east winds, a great deal of Woodbine beach is under water again this year.
movie review - The Green Hornet
2019.05.11, Toronto
Sometimes they make a movie where they just land on a personality and a broad plot line and start rolling the cameras.
a message from the Australien government
2019.05.10, Toronto
A friend sent me this satirical "ad" for the "Australien" government.
movie review - Beyond White Space
2019.05.09, Toronto
This is a sci-fi piece about a crew that hunts space whales!
it seems that Boeing's had a long history of cut corners
2019.05.09, Toronto
Hat tip to Adrian for the link.
movie review - In Order of Disappearance
2019.05.08, Toronto
This is the story of a snow-plow driver from a mountainous area of Scandinavia.
with the kids now 11 and 7 years old, I suddenly noticed the absence of Thomas the tank engine
2019.05.08, Toronto
I suddenly noticed the absence of Thomas the tank engine videos in our home.
kicking caffeine (again) and the headaches have improved
2019.05.07, Toronto
Having recently kicked the caffeinated coffee has had an impact on the incessant migraines I've been suffering this year.
if we allow 2° in global warming 6° is inevitable
2019.05.06, Toronto
According to the short series of videos below, it' inevitable that even a 2° rise in global temperatures, it will give rise to fully 6° in changes.
three months to fix a fender-bender
2019.05.03, Toronto
Between Sonnet insurance and Toronto Honda it's taken 3 months to fix a bumper cover; I now have to actively manage both daily.
the soaking of the year
2019.05.02, Toronto
I can't recall having gotten so wet at such a low temperature as cycling into the wind of last night's rainstorm at 5°.
April freezing rain brings May d'oh
2019.05.01, Toronto
This year in Toronto it appears that April freezing rain showers bring May well not flowers more like almost-freezing rain showers.
games of thrones WTF
2019.04.30, Toronto
I've been watching "Game of Thrones" but I've been struggling to endure the increasingly dilute signal-to-noise ratio as the writers have clearly decided to sprint this "saga" to the finish line.
stolen bike part
2019.04.26, Toronto
I'm not sure why someone would stoop to stealing one of these, but it happened to me this week.
movie review - Mile 22
2019.04.24, Toronto
It's Marky Mark vs Ip Man in a spy story that leans very heavily on violence in an un-named South-East Asian city (it was filmed in Bogota!
the weather has finally changed
2019.04.24, Toronto
I don't know how it's taken so long this year but the weather has finally changed for the better some six months after the first snowfall.
movie review - Going in Style
2019.04.22, Toronto
This is the story of three retirees who decide to pursue a life of crime to pay the bills after they're screwed by the company for which they'd all given a life's labor.
another Easter egg hunt complete
2019.04.22, St. Catharines
Another successful Easter egg hunt this year, the bunny was credited with doing a good job with the eggsâ€
movie review - The Jackal
2019.04.20, Toronto
To catch an international assassin, the police employ an imprisoned IRA agent.
two bikes
2019.04.17, Toronto
How nice it is to take a bike ride with a small child, unsteady perhaps but growing in confidence and excited to explore the world.
scranos weaponized malware
2019.04.16, Toronto
So, this Scranos is a mutable piece of malware with a great deal of capability and it's still just getting warm.
king street pilot is permanent
2019.04.16, Toronto
Every day I cross the center of Toronto's downtown via street only usable by transit, taxis and bikes - not a big idea globally but new to TO.
cycling in freezing rain
2019.04.11, Toronto
The boss called from the western edge of the city with some urgent news.
switching database extensions in PHP
2019.04.07, Toronto
I must be the very last person on Earth to migrate a substantial PHP project from the antique mysql_ functions (which went out with MySQL 5.
why don't you get a job?
2019.04.06, Toronto
I hope some day when I tell my kids "Why don't you get a j
big rainbow trout on Toronto's waterfront
2019.04.04, Toronto
As I was riding home tonight I saw one of the regular anglers on our stretch of the waterfront.
movie review - Lockout
2019.04.02, Toronto
This is a movie in which a soldier, having been framed, agrees to travel to a space colony to rescue the daughter of the President of the US or some similar political body.
movie review - The Highwaymen
2019.03.31, Toronto
Sometimes you see a movie whose premise appears to be to assemble certain actors and let them do their thing.
rapa nui statues
2019.03.29, Toronto
So it turns out the famous "Easter island" statues are only found near sources of fresh water.
time for our annual hobbling of the city's transit
2019.03.28, Toronto
Toronto has a long-standing tradition of making plans to do something about its crippled transit system, then scrapping those plans.
farewell to my non-profit board
2019.03.26, Toronto
Tonight was my last night of service on the board of directors of Cycle Toronto, an advocacy organization with a vision of a future city that's safe for cyclists.
latest watch crush–frederique constant
2019.03.25, Toronto
Is it a bad sign that your taste in watches ranges from $50 to $900 and you can't afford any of them?
on the killing of muslims at prayer in Christchurch
2019.03.22, Toronto
Some words from a muslim on the killing of muslims at prayer in Christchurch.
cycling advocacy in Beaches-East York
2019.03.21, Toronto
I'm a member of a group of cycling advocates in my home "ward" in Toronto, "Beaches-East York" (catchy, I know).
defeated commuters
2019.03.20, Toronto
Still feeling vindicated in riding my bike to work in some chilly conditions.
cycling on powder, cycling on ice
2019.03.19, Toronto
Second day of cycling for the year, and I've managed to fall.
first day back in the saddle
2019.03.18, Toronto
Back on my bike, and on day one I missed a major disruption to the subway.
yardworks we like your shovels
2019.03.17, Toronto
We use snow shovels from "Yardworks" - in the interest of product failure analysis, here are some pics of one shovel that broke.
website dropped by google when I switched to https
2019.03.16, Toronto
In September, I switched to SSL on all my websites; doing so killed all the traffic.
movie review - Life
2019.03.15, Toronto
According to my records, I don't have good luck with movies titled "Life".
happy Pi day, everyone
2019.03.14, Toronto
I usually celebrate this day by returning to my bicycle for my commute.
movie review - Prisoners
2019.02.24, Toronto
This is a movie about two girls who are taken from their families and the efforts to bring them back, both by the police and one of the fathers.
everybody loves hypnotoad
2019.02.11, Toronto
If the fine folks who produced the Simpsons and Futurama had nothing more to say on the nature and quality of televisions shows, they need only have said this.
movie review - Polar
2019.02.03, Toronto
This is a grim flick about a semi-retired contract killer who's attempting to live out his life in the woods outside a small town.
movie review - IO
2019.01.20, Toronto
This is an interesting if challenging film about a lone young lady trying to find a solution to a major environmental catastrophe on a (very) dying planet Earth.
tempus fugit
2019.01.11, Toronto
It's been a full month since I posted something to my twenty year old journal.
movie review - Avengers: Infinity War
2019.01.06, Toronto
The kids like super-hero movies, so we're watching a bunch.
movie review - Psychokinesis
2019.01.05, Toronto
This is an uneven movie that grew on me as it went on.
movie review - F.R.E.D.I.
2019.01.05, Toronto
This is a movie about a kid who discovers a robot thing.
CIA no more
2019.01.01, Toronto
Whoopsie, I seem to have forgotten to renew my Certified Internal Auditor designation.
2018
goodbye, 2018
2018.12.31, Toronto
People seemed to behave like 2018 was a bad year, but I think I had a good one.
movie review - A Million Ways to Die in the West
2018.12.29, Toronto
As I was watching this, it began to dawn on me that it was mostly just alternating shots of two people speaking.
movie review - Solo: A Star Wars Story
2018.12.25, Toronto
This is a Star Wars prequel that needless attempts to tell Han Solo's back-story.
testing some network equipment
2018.12.20, Toronto
I am testing these inexpensive devices for a startup. Col
a friend turns fifty
2018.12.19, Toronto
I had a rare get-together with a friend tonight, a few days before his fiftieth birthday.
movie review - The Christmas Chronicles
2018.12.17, Tokyo
This is a charming Christmas story featuring a brother and sister who are spending X'mas eve alone (mum's working; dad's dead).
movie review - Gringo
2018.12.13, Toronto
This is the story of a corporate employee who is sent to Mexico for purposes that aren't quite what it seems.
a live turkey vulture
2018.12.12, Toronto
Today a turkey vulture landed in our back yard; I was able to get the kids to my window to see it take off.
movie review - The Dark Night Rises
2018.12.04, Toronto
This is a thoroughly unpleasant Bat Man movie with an absurd story line even by the standards of Bat Man.
the week that wasn't
2018.11.19, Toronto
November in Toronto, when you can say, "Thank god we carried the sofa down all those stairs before it started snowing".
movie review - The Ballad of Buster Scruggs
2018.11.18, Tokyo
This is a series of shorts set in the Wild West of the late 19th Century.
cool text-only weather site
2018.11.08, Toronto
Quite by accident, I discovered a cool weather website that uses no graphics at all.
musical talent
2018.11.03, Toronto
Our ten year old made a song with his iPad that's on par with much of the electronic music you hear today from adults.
broken foot
2018.10.29, Toronto
I think I can confirm after several days of throbbing and inflammation: I've cracked a bone in my toe or foot.
international cluster
2018.10.27, Toronto
For kicks, I've turned my website into a cluster running out of New Jersey and Amsterdam across two hosting companies.
movie review - End of Watch
2018.10.23, Toronto
This is the story of two men who join LA's police force in the time when the city (and continent) are being overrun by the drug trade.
farewell to AWS S3
2018.10.20, Toronto
I've figured out how to cut my spend on hosting my websites from $15 to $6.
seven point seven billion people on one page
2018.10.14, Toronto
I found a representation of all seven point seven people on one page - I had a heck of a time finding myself.
twenty years with my own domains
2018.10.07, Toronto
I registered my first domain - etherlabs dot net - on this date in 1998.
two day retreat
2018.10.05, Toronto
For the past two days, I joined a client's executive team and board on a strategic retreat that started with "What do we do as a company?
no online gaming with nintendo for my son
2018.09.22, Toronto
My son can't play "Splatoon 2" on his Nintendo Switch because he can't find 8 paying members online.
movie review - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
2018.09.21, Toronto
This is the grand finale of the "Harry Potter" movies and I think it's only to be seen if you've seen part one.
movie review - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
2018.09.20, Toronto
The kids have been watching the "Harry Potter" movies without me because I watched them all once years ago and refused to do so again.
movie review - Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
2018.09.18, St. Catharines
This is hands-down the best super-hero movie I've seen.
18,000 emails in 2017
2018.09.18, Toronto
According to my inboxes, I sent or received 18,000 emails in 2017.
1.5 billion seconds old
2018.09.18, Toronto
Some time ago, I noticed that the UNIX epoch had turned 1.
movie review - Next Gen
2018.09.17, Toronto
This is an animated story about an advanced "security" droid and the human girl it befriends.
the long ride
2018.09.17, Toronto
I started a new commute today, some 13+ kilometers across the city center.
movie review - Handsome: A Netflix Mystery Movie
2018.09.14, Toronto
This is a story about an LA detective who works magic in the field but stumbles in dealing with his own affairs.
movie review - Downsizing
2018.09.12, Toronto
This confounding movie begins (more or less) with a couple's decision to shrink themselves to live in an eco-friendly fashion as miniature humans in a miniature domed habitat.
all is well that ends in baboon urine
2018.09.08, Toronto
We went to "African Lion Safari" today, so naturally the car came back decorated with baboon urine.
replaced the shifters on my bike
2018.09.07, Toronto
Today I took some time out from my job search and non-profit commitments to change the gear shifters on my bike.
let's encrypt for free certificates
2018.09.05, Toronto
I've now put SSL encryption on all four of my websites.
new website for my professional profile
2018.09.04, Toronto
I've made a new website for my professional profile, featuring some case studies.
on execution
2018.09.03, Toronto
Today I read an excellent post on getting things done, by a City of Toronto executive.
daddys flabby belly
2018.09.03, Toronto
This morning our dear daughter re-introduced me to one of her friends: "This is my daddy, and my daddy's flabby belly.
"I loev you daddy keep wrking"
2018.09.01, Toronto
The Girl threw an envelope into the office this morning.
oracle cloud is unavailable
2018.09.01, Toronto
I'm jobsearching, and came across this odd warning when foll
good times and a cupcake
2018.08.31, Toronto
I had the best cupcake of my life today, from a place on Gerrard called the Hype Food Company.
CIA for five years
2018.08.28, Toronto
It's been five years since I wrapped up a year - and five hundred hours of study - toward the Certified Internal Auditor designation.
chasing the garbage truck
2018.08.28, Toronto
Both of my grandfathers were known to chase down the garbage truck and get something precious back that their wives had thrown away.
website transition is complete
2018.08.27, Toronto
At long last, I've implemented the flattening tool on risktopics.
yonder coming Putin
2018.08.27, Toronto
I wrote a folk song based on "The Midnight Special" about today's political events in the US.
movie review - Valhalla Rising
2018.08.25, Toronto
This is an unrelentingly unpleasant movie in which an unspeaking slave finds freedom when his captors are attacked.
wow YYZ terminal 3
2018.08.25, Toronto
I had the pleasure of picking up a friend at YYZ's terminal 3 today, such a refreshing change from the spacious and beautiful terminal 1!
the kids are home
2018.08.18, Toronto
I can tell the kids are home: I had to wade through Japanese educational toys to get to the bathroom, where the sink was 2/3 full of soap foam.
movie review - The Drop
2018.08.15, Toronto
This is a movie in which a bartender is dragged into the underworld of crime.
on the water at 6:30
2018.08.14, Toronto
I was out on the water at 06:30 again this morning, fishing and watching the sailors, paddle-boarders, and kayakers.
movie review - Sausage Party
2018.08.13, Toronto
This is an animated story about supermarket food products that become aware that they are food stuffs and other disposable products - and then fail to recover from that realization.
stress and weight gain
2018.08.11, Toronto
I've lost nearly 3kg since a highly stressful contract ended six weeks ago.
movie review - I Kill Giants
2018.08.10, Toronto
This is a story about a teenage girl who's struggling with her emotional load due in part to suffering terrible bullying, witnessing the illness of her mother, and living without her father.
drama on the waterfront
2018.08.10, Toronto
This afternoon I noticed a lot of sirens, and the presence on a number of helicopters.
movie review - Safe House
2018.08.09, Toronto
This is a drama about a raid on a "safe house" maintained by the CIA, and the unlikely pairing for the rest of the story between one of the agents and the Bad Guy he is tasked with protecting.
day of the worm
2018.08.09, Toronto
I got on my bike despite the heat, and put another 15km on my bike doing chores today.
movie review - Extinction
2018.08.07, Toronto
This is a story of Armageddon; peaceful cities of citizens going through their lives in a near-future setting that seems to be getting on pretty well.
survived some flooding
2018.08.07, Toronto
There was flooding in Toronto tonight, and twitter was alive with astonishment; I couldn't help but think of the typhoons.
long point disappointment
2018.08.05, Long Point, Ontario
This morning "grandma" and I drove from Saint Catharines to Long Point on Lake Erie hoping to see the provincial park; we failed.
How It Ends
2018.08.01, Toronto
This is a movie about a handful of characters weathering the end of the world.
urban cycling
2018.07.31, Toronto
It feels strangely good to be back; it must be the jetlag, which is monumental.
what a difference ten years makes
2018.07.30, in the air
I left the kids with their mother in Japan, today - it's amazing to see how far they've come.
one final venture onto the sea
2018.07.28, Nichinan, Miyazaki
It was my final weekend in Japan, and Mari's uncle took us out on the water one last time.
movie review - Black Panther
2018.07.25, Toronto
The four of us went to see this hugely popular super-hero flick and I have to say I am close to the end of my tolerance for these things.
back on the water
2018.07.24, Nichinan
Today we went back out on the sea with Hosoda-san for what became the Day of the Snapper.
movie review - Django Unchained
2018.07.23, Toronto
Everyone loves this thing, it's current rating on imdb on 8.
a long day on the go
2018.07.21, Japan
We spent the night in an interesting little hotel that's next to one of the main Japan Rail station in Matsuyama.
Who built the world
2018.07.20, Nichinan
Today our six-year-old daughter asked "Daddy, who built the world?
keeping desktop applications up to date
2018.07.18, Toronto
I've installed something called Glary Utilities to mind my PC's stability and security.
deep sea fishing
2018.07.13, Toronto
Today I went deep-sea fishing for the first time, and caught some unfamiliar but delicious species.
revenge of the swallow
2018.07.09, Miyakonojo, Japan
Perhaps I had it coming when a swallow crapped on me this morning.
outdoor hallways, Miyakonojo apartment building
2018.07.08, Toronto
outdoor hallways, Miyakonojo apartment building Collection
a harbor before a typhoon
2018.07.07, Miyazaki
hello, Tokyo and your electric vehicles
2018.07.01, Tokyo
Hello, Tokyo, it's been too long - 5 1/2 years!
movie review - Big Game
2018.06.29, Toronto
This is an ambitious movie about a young lad who's sent out to kill a reindeer with a bow and arrow as part of his "becoming a man".
moving on
2018.06.26, Toronto
After a year-long contract that saw 50-55 hour weeks every week, it's time to set aside the labor at last, and take a vacation.
some weird sin
2018.06.24, Toronto
To de-stress, I've been playing the original 1991 version of Civilization.
black plastic is killing the planet
2018.06.06, Toronto
Wow, it turns out that black plastic is a lot worse for us than I knew.
movie review - Ghost in the Shell
2018.05.26, Toronto
This is a retelling of an animated movie from several years ago, but the story lines deviate considerably.
broke another spoke
2018.05.22, Toronto
For a second time in the past month, I've broken a spoke - these new bike wheels seem to have a problem.
fracking the human being
2018.05.19, Toronto
Discretionary energy is a term used to describe optional effort that an employee might put into their job.
movie review - Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales
2018.05.09, Toronto
As you can probably tell from the title of this movie, it's a sequel and not a particularly good one.
the broken spoke
2018.05.09, Toronto
A spoke broke on Friday; when I got it fixed, the mechanics told me the problem was "too much weight".
movie review - Beasts of the Southern Wild
2018.05.07, Toronto
This is a telling of the eradication of the culture of the marginal islands in the Gulf along Louisiana.
happiness is a new camera lens
2018.05.03, Toronto
In preparation for our trip this summer, I've bought a lens for my four-thirds system, a Rokinon 12mm.
movie review - Kong Skull Island
2018.04.30, Toronto
This is a re-telling of the King Kong story, but with Brie Larson along for some reason.
movie review - Jumanji Welcome to the Jungle
2018.04.30, Toronto
This is the tale of four high school kids that get swept up in an ancient video game that transports them to an in-game world of high stakes adventure.
happiness is new wheels
2018.04.23, Toronto
I'm back on my three-season bike, and the new wheels make an enormous difference!
movie review - A Perfect Getaway
2018.04.20, Toronto
This is a story about three couples who meet while hiking a famous path in a tropical paradise.
movie review - Midnight Run
2018.04.17, Toronto
This is a buddy movie in which a tough bounty hunter and a skittish accountant are thrust together by circumstances.
movie review - The Hitman’s Bodyguard
2018.04.16, Toronto
Once in a while, Hollywood produces a movie where they take some stars and tell them, "Here's the plot outline, improvise.
movie review - The Spy Who Dumped Me
2018.04.15, St. Catharines
A couple of years ago I wrote one of my mini-reviews about "Jupiter Ascending", a Mila Kunis movie that eh, didn't work.
an ice storm and a felled tree
2018.04.15, Toronto
I was just sitting at my desk at home when I heard a great wrenching sound - one of the old hardwoods along the property lines between our places and the next had snapped in twain halfway up, with the crown crashing down where there are usually several cars behind a small apartment building.
movie review - Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
2018.04.14, Toronto
We watched this for "Movie night".
privacy at Facebook
2018.04.02, Toronto
The recent flap about the Cambridge Analytica breach at Facebook has people talking about privacy issues pertaining to that website.
movie review - My Neighbor Totoro
2018.03.31, Totoro-nto
Despite the many times I've seen this film over the years, I realized with a start today that I've never written one of my capsule reviews for one of my favorite flicks.
top of his class
2018.03.31, Toronto
Ken finished the winter session of his Saturday tennis classes today with a bang.
seven thousand reads for a watch review
2018.03.30, Toronto
A few months ago I wrote a review of a watch - my every day wear, a Seiko SARB 033; it's now been read 7,000 times.
movie review - Birdman (or The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
2018.03.27, Toronto
This is the story of an aging actor who decides on one final big splash.
the breakdown
2018.03.20, Toronto
Cycling to work today, my winter bike brown down: the cassette was spinning freely on the rear axle.
movie review - Wind River
2018.03.19, Toronto
This is a surprisingly excellent story of a wildlife officer who becomes involved in the investigation into the murder of a friend's daughter.
movie review - What We Do in the Shadows
2018.03.17, Toronto
This is a mockumentary/found-footage flick about a house (nest?
crapped on again
2018.03.07, Toronto
I discovered splat of bird crap on my shoe; my sixteenth crapping upon by our flying friends.
the planning fallacy
2018.03.04, Toronto
Today, while pursuing one of my hobbies, I discovered something called the planning fallacy.
movie review - Mute
2018.03.03, Toronto
This is a gangster flick, in which a mute bartender is dragged into the appalling underworld of a sci-fi Crapsack setting.
back on my trusty steed
2018.02.26, Toronto
With the weather suddenly (and suspiciously) nice, I hopped on my bike for work today, grinding rust off the chain and unironing my shirt.
movie review - London Has Fallen
2018.02.24, Toronto
This is an action movie, a follow-up of sorts to another with a similar title and the same bluff lead.
movie review - War Dogs
2018.02.23, Toronto
This is a movie about gun-running during the Bush administration and the massive orgy of mis-allocation of resources across the global "war on terror".
unstrangled at last
2018.02.23, Toronto
After years of substandard home network performance, I've finally taken the plunge and built a proper network at home.
skunked at 4:20
2018.02.19, Toronto
I should have realized that our anticipated ice fishing trip would be a bust when I encountered a skunk in our backyard at 4:20.
movie review - Song of the Sea
2018.02.15, Toronto
This is an animated story of a young boy who lives on a lighthouse with her father and little sister.
Valentine's day vm backup plan
2018.02.14, Toronto
I'm working on a project in which the data set is so sensitive that backups to long-term media â€
Facebook is troubling
2018.02.12, Toronto
The other day, I realized that my regular use of Facebook as part of my advocating for safe cycling infrastructure in Toronto was having some negative effects.
three hours of sleep, 11 hour workday
2018.01.29, Toronto
I notice I'm not writing much in this aging journal; maybe it's the three hours of sleep and the 11 hour workday?
movie review - Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters
2018.01.23, Toronto
This anime has the interesting premise of documenting mankind's return Earth some 20,000 years after Godzilla chased them off the planet.
how to look silly – bicycle addition
2018.01.22, Toronto
If I ever cared about my appearance, it's not as I start pushing fifty; this is how to look silly on your bike, in the name of safety.
playing at his daughter's adoption anniversary
2018.01.21, Toronto
playing at his daughter's adoption anniversary Collections
movie review - Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
2018.01.18, Toronto
This is a movie about a twentyish drop-out who meets a girl with some very strange dating requirements.
replaced the bracelet on my SARB033
2018.01.15, Toronto
This Christmas, I replaced the bracelet on my Seiko SARB033 with a nice leather strap - I think it looks much better, and haven't taken the watch off since.
hand-rolling backups like in the 90s
2018.01.12, Toronto
I've once again found myself hand-making a backup solution when a large organization has proved incapable of deploying a sensible solution.
getting to work in the snow, darkly
2018.01.08, Toronto
The fates just didn't want me getting to the office, today: I woke with a head cold, in a power outage, as the snow sheeted down.
"wrong!"
2018.01.07, Toronto
We were at dinner with friends at their lovely home in Hamilton, when we had to coax The Girl into eating some meat with her meal.
frozen Niagara falls
2018.01.07, Hamilton
We're going to check out the frozen Niagara falls before everything melts again, tomorrow.
movie review - Home Alone 3
2018.01.06, Toronto
So it turns out there's a third of these movies, and tonight that's what we watched.
more nerd news
2018.01.06, St. Catharines
Five years ago, I bought an external USB 3 device - two weeks after I finally have a USB 3 capable system, the external drive has died.
the pay-off
2018.01.05, St. Catharines
I had one of those milestone days today, where months of work on various projects comes together all at once.
coming to the Americas
2018.01.03, Toronto
I think it's really amazing that they're able to use DNA and archaeology to work out the history of ancient peoples with fair confidence these days.
unwelcome news on new year's day
2018.01.01, Toronto
We've just received word that our application for an apartment suitable for our growing family has been denied.
2017
hackintosh no more
2017.12.29, Toronto
So my hackintosh has proven unstable - so much so I broke down and bought a Windows 10 license.
so much for peace
2017.12.28, Toronto
Yesterday I said that all was peaceful in the last work week of the year; I forgot some of the things that have to happen for year's end revenue-recognition purposes.
home again, back to work
2017.12.27, Toronto
The primary benefit of working during the Christmas break is the peace: time for documentation!
Boxing Day in Canada
2017.12.26, Toronto
Working for a US firm, as I am once again, I'm at a loss to explain Boxing Day to Americans.
driving in a winter paradise
2017.12.23, St. Catharines
Driving to grandma's house in St Kitts for X'mas we found fresh snow lining the grape vines and tree branches; beautiful.
white Christmas
2017.12.22, Toronto
It snowed overnight, returning the landscape to a wintry white just days before Christmas.
hackintoshy
2017.12.21, Toronto
I've taken the plunge - I'll be installing the OSX license from my now-defunct Mini onto some generic PC gear.
goodbye, mac mini
2017.12.20, Toronto
My mac mini's up and died, and it looks like Apple wants $1,700 for another one - which ain't gunna happen.
movie review - Home Alone 2
2017.12.19, Toronto
We recently showed the kids the movie Home Alone and I stupidly mentioned a sequel.
movie review - Star Wars: Episode VIII
2017.12.19, Toronto
"Uncle Jon" and The Boy and I went downtown to see this.
the longest board meeting
2017.12.19, Toronto
The board meetings that involve the annual operations and budget reviews are always long - but this one was only 2 1/2 hours.
the price of bitcoin
2017.12.18, Toronto
Adrian in Japan sent an interesting link to the writings of a bitcoin skeptic.
those who need closure
2017.12.15, Toronto
From a Youtube video, today I learned that there are two typ
FOOSH goes the cyclist
2017.12.14, Toronto
My mum works in the medical field and shared a slideshow about FOOSH injuries - fell on out-stretched hand.
you may find yourself .. President!
2017.12.13, Toronto
Someone's made a mashup of the Talking Heads with US President Donald Trump - it's disturbingly good.
latest watch crush
2017.12.12, Toronto
My latest watch crush is thin, square, and digital - but not smart.
snowfall
2017.12.11, Toronto
It seemed, when riding this morning, that I'd timed the switch to the beater perfectly: the city had coated the streets with salt.
happiness is an old bike
2017.12.09, Toronto
I picked up the 25-year-old bike I'm using for the winter, today - I'd forgotten how light it is.
too busy for email
2017.12.08, Toronto
I was so run off my feet at my client site I didn't send a single personal or business email all day.
movie review - Tales of Earthsea
2017.12.07, Toronto
This is a (very rough) adaptation of Ursula K Leguin's novels that spanned decades of the world of Earthsea (as well as taking decades to write).
two hours of budget talks
2017.12.07, Toronto
When you sit on a board of a non-profit, there shall be annual budget reviews, and they shall be long.
Best. Tree. Ever
2017.12.06, Toronto
We skipped the expensive trees we've been getting in the Beaches, and got our best tree to date at a grocery store.
a network outage and a scramble
2017.12.01, Toronto
I had the unusual start to my day of getting to the office to find the network completely out; so I scooped up my laptop and headed home.
a year-end party
2017.11.30, Toronto
Cycle Toronto's staff and board had our Christmas/holidays/etc party tonight, out in the west end.
the neglected fountain pen
2017.11.29, Toronto
During the height of the craziness when I was doing my masters degree, my brother gave me a fountain pen.
black mountain bikes get stolen a lot in Toronto
2017.11.28, Toronto
According to an article that features my cycling advocacy non-profit, it turns out that black mountain bikes are the most stolen bikes in the city.
holy ecological crisis, Bitcoin
2017.11.27, Toronto
Wow, the global Bitcoin system is really a disaster for energy consumption.
beater bike don't go too fast
2017.11.25, Toronto
I patched up everything I could on my beater bike, a 25 year old mountain bike with extended handlebars and seat post.
an interesting day (at the office!)
2017.11.24, Toronto
My colleagues and I spent nearly the entire day working through the next version of a client's product.
movie review - Office Christmas Party
2017.11.23, Toronto
This is a delightful Christmas movie featuring an office Christmas party that gets a tad out of control.
happy Fibonacci day, everyone
2017.11.23, Toronto
It's Fibonacci day, 11/23 - derived from the sequence in the Fibonnaci series where you find each number by adding the two before.
three good things
2017.11.22, Toronto
As part of my ongoing attempts to get my migraines under control, I'm trying to recognize more good things as they happen.
Seiko's spring drive
2017.11.21, Toronto
I've been chatting with a colleague about Seiko's spring drive watches - apparently they use both mechanical and quartz components.
movie review - The House of Small Cubes
2017.11.20, Toronto
This is a perfectly-paced animated short about a rising flood that causes one aging gentlemen to progressively build new stories onto his home.
another long Monday
2017.11.20, Toronto
I'm taking an evening class, and I'm enjoying it quite a bit but it turns my Mondays into 9AM - 9PM affairs.
movie review - Tron
2017.11.18, Toronto
This is my second review of "Tron", some sixteen years after the last time and I presume thirty years after I first saw it.
cycling into strong wind
2017.11.16, Toronto
I rode in against a biting 30kph wind this morning, fallen leaves flapping wetly and low clouds skudding.
it's time to tune up my beater bike
2017.11.15, Toronto
The city salted the streets last week, a reminder that it's time to tune up my beater bike for the winter.
a week of green
2017.11.14, Toronto
Still no change to the migraines, but I'm prepared to stand by the assertion that the green lights are helping me sleep.
DISC analysis
2017.11.13, Toronto
I had one of those DISC personality profiles done through an affiliate of my night school teacher.
the unsafe workplace and the body's response
2017.11.11, Toronto
Simon Sinek gives some interesting insights into how unsafe environments (such as a workplace with infighting) has a deleterious effect on our health through changing the chemical balance of our bodies.
the worm is turning on sexual harassment
2017.11.10, Toronto
It's shocking to see the sexual harassment scandals multiply, some really disappointing stuff is coming to light.
movie review - Land of the Lost
2017.11.09, Toronto
This is a crass and awkward retelling of a classic sci-fi/fantasy story in which people find a lost world of dinosaurs and lizardfolk under the Earth's surface.
day three
2017.11.09, Toronto
I've been on this green-light migraine therapy for only a couple of days but I'm now sure I'm sleeping better.
green medicine
2017.11.07, Toronto
Tonight I am doing a Canadian first: participating in a University of Arizona study into whether green light can prevent migraines.
10,000km and what do you get
2017.11.04, Toronto
I dropped by Cycle Solutions on Kingston Road to have my rear wheel looked at; they shocked me with the news it was finished.
down the hill and up again
2017.11.03, Toronto
I met a friend for lunch, today - a feat that meant cycling first down and then up the hill to St Clair.
so this is November
2017.11.02, Toronto
It's November in Toronto, and the thick gloom has settled in nicely.
back on the bike, and counting cell-phone drivers
2017.11.01, Toronto
I counted 6 drivers operating their vehicle with a cellphone in hand as I glided past a line of 37 slow-moving cars.
environmental risks in North America
2017.10.27, Toronto
Here's an interesting video on environmental risks in North America - I hadn't known about the solar flares, wow.
green lights for a migraine study
2017.10.26, Toronto
I'm joining a study into whether nightly exposure to green light can help ward off migraines.
no cycling for a while
2017.10.25, Toronto
My latest cold has knocked me out, looks like I won't be cycling for the rest of the week.
turning grey
2017.10.24, Toronto
I met with some colleagues I hadn't seen in six months - they greeted me with, "You're really turning grey!
Monday's count: 3 in 30
2017.10.23, Toronto
As I watch for phone-surfing drivers, I've never noticed someone with a passenger in the car use his phone while driving.
movie review - Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief
2017.10.22, Toronto
This is a movie telling of a book I have read to my son.
a glow-in-the-dark bicycle
2017.10.20, Toronto
I've put reflective tape all over my bicycle; see how it glows in the dark.
Thursday's count
2017.10.19, Toronto
Cheers to the driver of Ontario BUDHADOG; I've seen him 5 days in the past 2 weeks, never once driving and texting.
we can have nice things
2017.10.18, Toronto
Toronto took another step toward keeping its infamous Bloor cycle lanes, today.
Tuesday's count
2017.10.17, Toronto
Today I counted 5 cell-phone holders as I passed 49 cars - and one person eating with a spoon from a glass bowl.
Friday's count
2017.10.16, Toronto
I counted 6 drivers Friday, in a stretch of 36 cars, who were using their phones - that's more than had a passenger.
a lightweight, secure, fast page view tracker
2017.10.13, Toronto
A year ago, I designed a lightweight, anonymous page-view counter for my website: 75,000 views later I'm sharing with the world.
ISACA article is live
2017.10.12, Toronto
I've had permission from ISACA to re-publish my article, which appeared in ISACA's Journal earlier this year (volume 5, 2017).
the chilly weather is here
2017.10.12, Toronto
Sadly, yesterday was the day that I put away the shorts and rode in my Trailer Park style cool weather track pants.
smart phone, stupid drivers
2017.10.11, Toronto
As I rode past a line of slow-moving cars today, I counted 8 drivers using their phone (out of 46 cars).
still feeling thankful
2017.10.10, Toronto
It wasn't a great day, but there's lots for which to be thankful.
crapped on again
2017.10.09, Toronto
I was crapped on by a bird again, today - for the fifteenth time in my life.
a dinner alone
2017.10.07, St. Catharines
Mari and I left the kids with Grandma and had a rare dinner out, together.
movie review - Moana
2017.10.06, Tokyo
This is the story of a girl who sets out to save her tiny Polynesian island, which is dying from creeping black plague that infects the food and eventually can be seen in the air.
giving thanks on Thanksgiving
2017.10.06, St. Catharines
It's Thanksgiving in Canada, and our little family certainly
cycling 1,650km to work
2017.10.05, Toronto
By my rough estimate, I've traveled 1,650 km getting to work and back, since I started this summer.
how to disagree
2017.10.04, Toronto
Lots of good material arising from the debates online about some cycle lanes (who'd have guessed!
inventing the jaywalker
2017.10.03, Toronto
Recently, there was some debate on the meaning of 'jaywalking' - a term invented by the auto industry and friends.
a beautiful day for a ride
2017.10.02, Toronto
Yes, it was only 8oC this morning, but the weather was perfect for cycling: calm wind & lotsa sun.
movie review - Pixels
2017.10.01, Toronto
This is an Adam Sandler movie in which he and a (rather excellent support cast of) team fight to save the world from space invaders that have chosen the form of all our favorite '80s video games.
the annual retreat
2017.10.01, Toronto
I spent the day on Toronto's harbor islands, at the annual retreat for the non-profit board on which I sit.
my kingdom for some taurine
2017.09.29, Toronto
It's funny, that with products like Red Bull everywhere, it can be hard to find taurine in pill form for daily control of migraines.
bus tried to block me, today
2017.09.28, Toronto
When I tried to turn left from Woodbine to Cosburne this morning, a TTC driver used his bus to block me.
movie review - Megamind
2017.09.27, Toronto
This is an animated kids movie featuring a super-villain as its central character.
sober is ready when you are
2017.09.27, Toronto
The line is supposed to be "summer is ready when you are", but summer just left, and I always hear "sober is ready when you are".
meeting with old friends
2017.09.26, Toronto
For the first time in nearly a decade, I had dinner with Jon and Charlie, who I've known for 22 and 36 years, respectively.
home made granola
2017.09.25, Toronto
For the second weekend running, I've made some grain-free granola.
the Equifax breach
2017.09.23, Toronto
I've gotten questions from a variety of people about the Equifax breach, and what it means to them in terms of potential ID theft.
45km and what do you get
2017.09.23, Toronto
Today I did the ride with Cycle Toronto; 25km with a crowd of a couple of hundred people.
live global map of surface winds
2017.09.20, Toronto
My mum sent along this amazing map of the surface winds on the planet; the visuals and interactivity set a new bar.
research chemicals
2017.09.19, Toronto
published
2017.09.19, Toronto
ISACA's sent me some copies of the issue of their Journal that includes my article.
my failed ride with the TTC
2017.09.19, Toronto
On Friday, I tried to attend a talk at 08:30 downtown; but the TTC had other ideas.
Tracking Vulnerability Fixes to Production
2017.09.18, Toronto
As an IT auditor at a software company, I discovered that security vulnerabilities in our bespoke product had not been getting released to clients on a timely basis.
end of an exhausting week
2017.09.15, Toronto
It's the end of a week that began with me working past midnight and finished with me abandoning a TTC bus and walking home.
Japanese resolve
2017.09.14, Toronto
The Japanese are being a lot more patient with the North Koreans than I think I could be.
read a great sci-fi book
2017.09.13, Toronto
I've recently read a great sci-fi book titled "All Our Wrong Todays".
happiness is a new classroom
2017.09.12, Toronto
I've pulled the plug on my data science MOOC: the instruction was aimless, and the assignments uneven.
happiness is a new drive train
2017.09.11, Toronto
My 25km daily commute's been rough on my bike; after three years it was time to replace the drive train.
that 70's car
2017.09.08, Toronto
I've noticed an increase in the numbers of beige, khaki, and orange cars on the roads recently: it can mean only one thing.
Dropbox nuked my journal photos
2017.09.06, Toronto
Dropbox has decided to turn off public image sharing, even for their paying customers - reducing their value-add but not their price.
40 years of the Voyager spacecraft
2017.09.05, Toronto
From the photos in this article it seems that it was casual Friday when NASA made the golden records sent with the Voyager spacecraft.
fund raising, we're fund raising
2017.09.04, Toronto
My fundraising for the 25km safe streets bicycle ride in Toronto is $75 along, so far - thank you donaters!
pity that Saturn cars are no more
2017.09.03, Toronto
Having had our car struck twice, I have to say I've come to appreciate what Saturn was doing with their polymer cars.
a fundraising ride
2017.09.02, Toronto
I am doing a fundraising ride to promote safe streets in Toronto.
evaluating third party cyber risk
2017.08.31, Toronto
The Investment Industry Association of Canada has issued new guidance on evaluating cyber security readiness in third parties.
well that was quick
2017.08.31, Toronto
So there are leaves blowing in the streets, and I wore a hoodie while cycling to work; it's Autumn!
a scratched car
2017.08.30, Toronto
Our beloved car has been scratched, and I'm thinking of getting it painted - time to source someone to do the work.
riding on Woodbine
2017.08.28, Toronto
Today I had the pleasure of riding up the length of the new cycle lane on Woodbine Avenue - a great ride!
the spinners fidget, the wife does not
2017.08.26, Toronto
the spinners fidget, the wife does not Collections contain
two skunks for two anglers
2017.08.26, Toronto
We headed out under calm, clear skies, and attempted to reproduce last week's fishing success despite the un-fishy weather.
movie review - Passengers
2017.08.22, Toronto
This is a Sci-Fi flick about colonists headed for a distant planet.
approximately a month late for pi
2017.08.22, Toronto
pi approximation day was 7/22, I've only just thought of it today.
arrows on the streets of Toronto
2017.08.21, Toronto
I've figured out the small arrows on the streets of Toronto that point from the center of the street to the curbs.
another submitted blog post
2017.08.20, Toronto
I've been asked to submit another guest blog post for my professional work.
GMO salmon in our grocery stores
2017.08.18, Toronto
If you thought that salmon you ate was a natural organism, I hope you don't live in Canada.
back in the city, and commuting again
2017.08.14, Toronto
On my first commute through the city today, I saw a mastiff in a bike trailer (designed for kids).
textured stone wall, university campus
2017.08.13, Toronto
textured stone wall, university campus Collections contain
harsh shadows over busy architecture
2017.08.13, Toronto
harsh shadows over busy architecture Collections containin
petroglyphs park
2017.08.10, Stoney Lake
We went to the Petroglyphs Provincial Park near Stoney Lake, today.
septic tank repaired!
2017.08.08, Stoney Lake
Following a large rainstorm on the weekend, the septic tank at the cottage we're renting seemed to have filled up.
movie review - Bridge of Spies
2017.08.04, Toronto
This is a Cold War piece about a lawyer who is hired by the US military to negotiate the freedom of a spy who has been captured by the Soviets.
movie review - Jurassic World
2017.08.04, Toronto
My kids love these dinosaur movies, so we watched this - which must be our third this year?
here comes vacation
2017.08.03, Toronto
We're going on vacation and my fourth sinus infection of the year just keeps getting worse.
lightning without clouds or rain
2017.08.01, Toronto
July went out with a bang - thunder, that is - under sunny skies without rain.
this Trump mess is becoming distracting
2017.07.31, Toronto
Just how much money does Trump owe these Russian gangsters?
to the park!
2017.07.30, Toronto
We took Ki-kun to Tommy Thompson park for a picnic and some fishing - it was the first time he truly felt that he was in another land.
to the falls!
2017.07.29, Niagara Falls
We took Mari's nephew to Niagara Falls, as one does with visitors to Toronto - but then we did something a bit unusual.
how Russia and Trump fit together
2017.07.29, Toronto
It's always seemed that Trump and the Russian criminal syndicate/rulership had some joint concern driving their actions.
and now, a teenager
2017.07.28, Toronto
Mari's nephew is staying with us for the next three weeks; now we have a 5 year old, a 9 year old, and a 15 year old.
the ground beneath me sags
2017.07.27, Toronto
The excavation next door to us seems to be causing subsidence in our yard.
the worst kind of cyclist
2017.07.26, Toronto
Today I encountered the worst kind of cyclist: he passed me in an intersection by ignoring a stop sign.
like busy is a virtue
2017.07.25, Toronto
The job's already gotten busy enough that I'm already pining for the days this Spring when I wasn't working.
three weeks of cycling and I gain 2kg
2017.07.24, Toronto
After three weeks of cycling 23km every day I've actually gained two kilos.
movie review - The Fantastic Mr. Fox
2017.07.23, Toronto
This is a superb animated movie featuring a certain fox that decides it's time to return to old ways of pilfering the odd chicken from the farms in the area.
back in Toronto and vowing to do better
2017.07.20, Toronto
Having witnessed Ottawa's mature network of cycle lanes, my resolve is doubled to do something about Toronto's unsafe streets.
de-identifying health information
2017.07.19, Toronto
I currently have a contract with a firm that "de-identifies" health information prior to it being shared with third parties such as marketers, drug manufacturers, and researchers.
goodbye, benefits
2017.07.19, Ottawa
It seems my drug benefits plan has expired - who knew my migraine drugs would cost $240!
drinking with PhD's
2017.07.18, Ottawa
Tonight I found myself drinking with four Ph D's and one professor - all substantially younger than me.
Ottawa's got nice cycle lanes
2017.07.17, Ottawa
I am very impressed with Ottawa's cycling infrastructure; separated lanes in green spaces and protected lanes on the streets.
the seat fell off my bike today
2017.07.13, Toronto
The seat fell off my bike as I was crossing a busy street, today.
nearly struck by a truck on Bayview
2017.07.12, Toronto
A pickup driver nearly ended my life on Friday.
movie review - Your Name
2017.07.07, Toronto
This is an engrossing tale about two teens who keep waking up in each other's bodies; one boy, one girl.
movie review - Okja
2017.07.07, Toronto
This is a film about a semi-sentient animal named Okja; she's a genetically modified super-pig, larger and tastier than ever and stationed by an eccentrically-run company with a young girl in Korea.
that's a lot of tracking!
2017.07.07, Toronto
I have this browser plugin that blocks third-party tracker systems from the websites I visit.
good times
2017.07.07, Toronto
I had lunch with two colleagues who lost their jobs the same day I did.
goodbye, greenery and quiet
2017.07.06, Toronto
Be it ever so green and quiet and perfect, my route to my new job isn't going to last.
back to work
2017.07.04, Toronto
Having lost my job in April, I was unexpectedly a part of the family's life again around the house and able to take the kids to school and so on.
the long climb
2017.07.04, Toronto
This is the route I took on my first day at the new job: a lot of climbing over nearly 14km.
movie review - Transformers
2017.06.30, Toronto
If you're going to watch a Transformers movie, let it be this one.
goodbye, first half of 2017
2017.06.30, Toronto
Goodbye, first half of 2017: you took a friend, you took my job, and you thwarted my fishing - here's to the second half.
latest watch crush
2017.06.29, Toronto
She ain't exactly pretty; ain't exactly small: she's my latest watch crush.
video conferencing at last
2017.06.27, Toronto
If there was any upside to a two-hour conference call last night, it's that my home Internet seems to have stabilized at last.
Bells on Danforth once again
2017.06.24, Toronto
We lit out at 10 to attend the "Bells on Danforth" ride once again - this time with Mari and both kids.
200 years of the bicycle
2017.06.23, Toronto
The bicycle turns 200 this year, in fact we're only a couple of weeks away from the bicentennial of its first public use.
thank you, AK-88178
2017.06.22, Toronto
Out for a spin today, I had the misfortune of being in a "sharrow" with a driver staring at his cell phone.
privacy in this day and age
2017.06.21, Toronto
Sometimes people get emails that make it clear their personal network is known to various websites or agencies.
another record breach
2017.06.20, Toronto
A data analytics company leaked personal information on 200 million voters.
we have no privacy
2017.06.20, Toronto
Sometimes people get emails that make it clear their personal network is known to various websites or agencies.
half a "Chantelle"
2017.06.19, Toronto
I cycled 30km today, but there's a dedicated cyclist on the CT board who cycles 70km a day - I managed nearly half a "Chantelle".
movie review - Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children
2017.06.18, Toronto
This is a film about a boy who joins an unusual household full of bizarre children.
fishing on father's day
2017.06.18, Toronto
The Boy invited me to go fishing today at Tommy Thompson park - where at least the mink catch fish.
poaching tusks in Siberia
2017.06.17, Toronto
Poachers in Siberia are digging up mammoth tusks with pressurized water, making themselves rich but fouling the rivers.
another tattoo used
2017.06.15, Toronto
I've discovered that another of my old tattoo ideas was used by someone out there.
writing an industry standard
2017.06.14, Toronto
The Investment Industry Association of Canada is producing a two-document guide on evaluating cyber risk in their third party (vendor) arrangements.
lice, getcha lice
2017.06.14, Toronto
The school just sent a note telling us 24 children at the school have head lice.
cruel bunnies
2017.06.13, Toronto
It was nearly the end of me today when a bunny darted out as I was riding, this evening after a non-profit board committee session.
cycling with a snapping turtle
2017.06.12, Toronto
As I was on a 13km ride, I encountered a snapping turtle on a wooded path - it had the trail to itself.
movie review - I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore
2017.06.11, Tokyo
This is a movie about a loser name Ruth whose home is robbed.
canoeing and reading
2017.06.11, Toronto
At 6:30 this morning, my friend Richard picked me up for a morning jaunt to Leslie Street Spit from Cherry Beach by canoe.
fixing people's bikes
2017.06.10, Toronto
I spent six hours today fixing kids' bikes at Main Square â€
fawaffle!
2017.06.08, Toronto
The "fawaffle" truck was at The Kids' fun fair - a falafel sandwich not wrapped in pita but a waffle cone made of falafel.
say, that emperor has no clothes
2017.06.07, Toronto
It's funny how everyone's going around on egg-shells pretending that we don't know that Trump's just a crook.
snuck off for some fishing
2017.06.06, Toronto
I left the apartment before six this morning to do some fishing in Scarborough; it's amazing what the unemployed can do.
total party un-kill
2017.06.04, Toronto
I allowed my son's D&D group to worm their way out of their death-by-riddle from our last session.
my wife can live with me
2017.06.02, Toronto
Mari says that it's been nice having me around the house these past two months - that she thinks we'll retire well together.
that's it, I'm going fishing
2017.06.01, Toronto
I took the morning off for some fishing, but the lake's still funny.
events on Toronto island cancelled due to flooding
2017.05.31, Toronto
Our son was supposed to attend his first camp on the Toronto islands this summer - it's been cancelled due to flooding.
Covey time-management quadrants
2017.05.30, Toronto
Where oh where has the four-quadrant Franklin Covey time management system been, all my life?
goodbye, great barrier reef
2017.05.30, Toronto
So, we've killed the great barrier reef; mission accomplished.
goodbye, May
2017.05.29, Toronto
This was a busy, busy month - a blur of interviews, meetings, phone calls until I got sick and had to take some time to recover.
first family cycle trip
2017.05.28, Toronto
The family took a cycle trip down to Tommy Thompson park today and had a fine time.
this is why I joined Cycle Toronto
2017.05.27, Toronto
A five year old cyclist died this week when he fell into traffic - this is why I joined a cyclists' advocacy group.
is that a bubble bursting
2017.05.26, Toronto
It looks like Toronto's immense housing bubble may finally have burst.
the lake has risen up against us
2017.05.25, Toronto
The boy was heroically standing at the brink as the waves came crashing in.
happy towel day, everybody - you'll need it with this rain
2017.05.25, Toronto
Happy towel day, everybody - you'll need it with all this rain.
safe harbor de-identification of health data
2017.05.24, Toronto
The health industry works with a standard called the "Safe Harbor" for de-identifying personal information.
catch of the year
2017.05.24, Toronto
It is with great embarrassment that I've finally caught my first fish of the year in late May.
describing May 2-4 to Americans
2017.05.23, Toronto
How better to describe the Victoria Day weekend to Americans than by its nickname, "May 2-4"?
movie review - Lego Batman Movie
2017.05.21, Toronto
I don't know if this movie was strictly necessary, they covered Lego Batman in sufficient depth in the Lego Movie itself.
Blame!
2017.05.21, Toronto
This is a good anime about a time in the distant future where humanity has been sidelined by its own housing and infrastructure, and now ekes out a marginal existence in the shadow of security systems that refuse to let them sufficiently travel or build to reclaim their world.
we won a three-legged-race
2017.05.20, Toronto
My wife and I won a three-legged-race - I think it was the first I'd ever run.
flooding on Toronto's beaches
2017.05.18, Toronto
Lake Ontario was apparently at its highest ever yesterday, May 17 - I've put together a pic of what that looks like in Toronto.
goodbye, Kevin Atwood
2017.05.16, Toronto
My musician friend Kevin Atwood has died, as humorous and sweet a fellow as you'll ever meet.
snapped my fishing rod
2017.05.13, Toronto
While enjoying a relaxing fishing jaunt, I stupidly broke my fishing rod, for the first time in my life.
created a job - for someone else
2017.05.10, Toronto
My habit of introducing people I feel should be working together has paid off in a job created, but for someone else.
the fun is in the doing
2017.05.09, Toronto
Once again, I'd like to quote Kurt Russell: the fun is in the doing, not the talking.
our first fish of the year
2017.05.08, Toronto
The boy caught his first fish of the year, today - a tasty 45cm pike.
fx trading and a positive attitude
2017.05.08, Toronto
Mari says it's common wisdom in the FX trading world that one must keep a positive attitude to place productive trades.
dungeons & dragons total party kill
2017.05.07, Toronto
I played D&D with my son, his two friends, and their father yesterday.
a month of unemployment
2017.05.06, Toronto
It's interesting that some things have changed so much and some so little, being unemployed for a month.
illicit help from the TTC
2017.05.05, Toronto
I had a little help catching the 502 at University and Queen yesterday on my way home.
busy as if I had a job
2017.05.03, Toronto
Toronto's become a city of new software ventures in the past few years.
the only chart that matters
2017.05.02, Toronto
My wife's an economist by training and is now learning to become an FX trader â€
bird of prey at our window
2017.04.29, Toronto
A bird of prey suddenly arrived on our balcony, diving at a mourning dove.
new season of Archer
2017.04.28, Toronto
"Good news and bad news," I told Mari, "the new season of Archer has started.
tweeting for traffic
2017.04.27, Toronto
If you tweet updates to your website at a certain time of day, you can get a steady increase in traffic.
vice president of a non-profit board
2017.04.26, Toronto
Last night I was nominated to be the Vice President of the board of Cycle Toronto.
movie review - Sing
2017.04.24, Toronto
I wonder if any good movie ever had the word "Sing" in the title.
volunteering at school
2017.04.24, Toronto
Another benefit of having all this free time - I got to volunteer at the school for the visit of a scientist.
networking
2017.04.23, Toronto
An unexpected benefit of being unemployed: I am meeting a lot of people.
my guide on managing third party risk
2017.04.22, Toronto
I've written a guide on managing third party risk, that is, the risk that comes with sharing your data with third parties such as service organizations.
warm leatherette
2017.04.21, Toronto
13 years in Toronto
2017.04.21, Toronto
Last month, I passed the sum of 13 years spent living in Toronto.
PMP for five years
2017.04.19, Toronto
Today is the five year anniversary of my long slog through the PMP exam.
45km of cycling
2017.04.19, Toronto
My various meetings took me downtown twice and to the Danforth: some 45km of cycling in a day.
the boy has figured out the Easter bunny
2017.04.17, Toronto
A friend made a comment about hiding Easter eggs, within earshot of my son; this led to something unexpected.
movie review - Criminal
2017.04.16, Tokyo
This is a strange and violent story about transplanting the memories of a dead spy/soldier into the brain of a death-row prisoner with a neurological condition that means he'll never have empathy and will never deviate from his life of violent disregard for society.
movie review - The Discovery
2017.04.16, Toronto
This movie centers on a small scientific team that's worked out how to prove the existence of the afterlife.
we've overclocked the kids
2017.04.16, Toronto
Trying to figure out what's happened to our kids, today, to make them so hyper and babbly.
metrics that matter
2017.04.15, Toronto
The article I placed on LinkedIn about losing my job has now been read well over 1,000 times.
a migraine in nice weather
2017.04.15, Toronto
As so frequently happens, the weather gets nice and I get a migraine.
720 reads in 48 hours
2017.04.12, Toronto
My previous post (which was cross posted to LinkedIn) regenerated over 700 reads in under two days.
gracious in defeat
2017.04.11, Toronto
Two women colleagues described me as "gracious" today; I don't think that word means what they think it means.
I lost my job
2017.04.10, Toronto
Last Tuesday, I lost my job during a restructuring at PortfolioAid, a compliance solutions firm.
thoughts after six years
2017.04.10, Toronto
I've gathered my thoughts on exiting an executive role at a software firm after six years.
movie review - Jurassic Park III
2017.04.09, Toronto
Well, it had been almost 17 years, so I decided to show the kids this flick for "movie night".
today was non-profit day
2017.04.06, Toronto
It's a good thing I didn't have a pesky job to contend with.
time off for good behavior
2017.04.05, Toronto
I was a mid-level executive at employer of the past six years.
cut down in my prime
2017.04.04, Toronto
I lost my job today in a restructuring that saw 4/10 members of the management team gone, among others.
movie review - The Lost World: Jurassic Park
2017.04.02, Toronto
This is one of the sequels to the stellar Jurassic Park.
precision of apathy
2017.03.31, Toronto
A colleague came by to inform another; "I care about this as much as you do - to the power of minus 100.
movie review - Predestination
2017.03.29, Toronto
This is a movie about a person involved by an agency in fighting certain crimes in the past.
my first NBA game
2017.03.29, Toronto
I attended my first NBA game tonight - we had a great time (watching the local team blow a game-long lead in the fourth quarter).
feeling thankful for a head cold's passing
2017.03.28, Toronto
I think the metaphorical back of this head-cold I've got is broken â€
the message and the medium
2017.03.27, Toronto
A former colleague on the SIRA board published this article to LinkedIn.
How to create a unique minimalist watch brand
2017.03.26, Toronto
Here's a guide to creating your own successful minimalist watch brand.
cold number twelve
2017.03.25, Toronto
I lost exact count around Christmas, but I've got cold ~12 since September building up.
printer ink costs how much
2017.03.20, Toronto
Ink cartridges for our home printer are so expensive that it's the only thing people have to say about the otherwise decent printer.
changes to my website
2017.03.18, Toronto
In the past couple of days, I've brought back my book reviews, added a watch review, and made changes to speed up the site.
our day off
2017.03.15, Toronto
Beware the ides of March, your day shall be a bust if depending on the weather forecast â€
unsubscribing from things
2017.03.13, Toronto
The new year is ten weeks old, and I have unsubscribed from 22 email things.
my father's new watch
2017.03.12, Toronto
I love it when people "buy into" a brand intended for a wildly different demographic - my father's new watch is a great example.
an interesting take on consulting
2017.03.11, Toronto
I've started reading Peter Block's "Flawless Consulting".
my latest watch crush
2017.03.11, Toronto
I like watches, and true to Pisces form, my interests tend to flit about like a butterly in a field of flowers.
settling Australia
2017.03.09, Toronto
It looks like Australia's original settlers lived without mass warfare; an interesting break with the usual pattern of human history.
a good crack at explaining the Vancouver housing bubble
2017.03.08, Toronto
I've come across a really good explanation of the Vancouver housing bubble, from SFU.
never park your bike on Duncan St in Toronto
2017.03.06, Toronto
Never park your bike on Duncan St in Toronto unless you want it destroyed or stripped.
movie review - Ex Machina
2017.03.04, Tokyo
This is a story of a robotics specialist who's sent to the remote residence where his genius/billionaire boss is holed up working on who knows what.
toronto housing is becoming fun
2017.03.03, Toronto
Housing in this city is now in the lofty company of Vancouver, where you can't guess if a listing is a parody.
riding in Toronto's second winter
2017.03.02, Toronto
My ride to work started with a flat that I deemed a slow leak; I pumped it up and took off into 40kph winds at -9.
cloud hosting, not lightning fast
2017.03.01, Toronto
I did some speed testing and discovered that AWS and Google are slow at serving fonts.
blessed but unmotivated
2017.02.28, Toronto
Here's an interesting article outlining all the things Canada's got going for it, and all the nothing we're doing with the opportunity.
the ever-expanding sh*tlist
2017.02.27, Toronto
These are the 64 IP addresses that I current block on my websites.
have I adopted a Michael face?
2017.02.27, Toronto
New research suggests that we adopt a face that reflects our name - I wonder if I've got a Michael face and if so, what does it mean?
movie review - Skiptrace
2017.02.24, Toronto
Someone decided, "Let's put Johnny Knoxville from Jackass in a movie with Jackie Chan.
claiming professional expenses in Canada
2017.02.24, Toronto
In Canada, anyone on the treadmill of maintaining professional designations gets a couple of tax incentives.
no ice fishing this year
2017.02.24, Toronto
Looks like we've lost the rest of the ice fishing season.
helmet cam!
2017.02.22, Toronto
We were watching a hockey game, when we saw a camera angle that we couldn't figure out.
a memorable d&d session
2017.02.21, Toronto
We played d&d on the weekend, and it was a memorable session - turns out they heard "white tower" when I was saying "wight tower".
movie review - Girlfriend's Day
2017.02.18, Toronto
There's a variant of the film noir where the detective is accidental.
happiness is a plowed cycle lane
2017.02.17, Toronto
The city of Toronto's been doing a good job lately of keeping the cycle paths plowed in the dead of winter.
two and half minutes to midnight
2017.02.16, Toronto
Things continue apace - now the doomsday clock's back where it was in the 50's!
replaced a strap on my beater watch
2017.02.15, Toronto
I have a Casio MDV-106 that's been my beater watch since the spring of '14 or so.
now what, America
2017.02.13, Toronto
Hard to imagine that things could get this wacky, this fast, in the US - I feel for my American friends.
court case
2017.02.12, Toronto
On Monday I appeared in a court room for the first time, for the guilty plea of the driver who knocked me off my bike.
goodbye, bank
2017.02.11, Toronto
A certain credit card issuer decided they would issue me a new card, then didn`t, but froze my existing card.
new census data
2017.02.10, Toronto
Oh boy, new census data - and my home town of St Catharines has once again bucked the trend and not show growth.
get cyber safe
2017.02.09, Toronto
The government of Canada has produced some guidance for small-medium enterprises which is a) quite good and b) surprisingly readable.
the flight of the wealthy
2017.02.08, Toronto
It looks like the wealthy are planning on pulling the plug on the US.
movie review - The Last Witch Hunter
2017.02.06, Toronto
This is a Demons-and-Angels bit of Fantasy about an immortal "Witch Hunter" who, in the modern time, gets wrapped up in an effort by (un-Hunted?
goodbye, ecology
2017.02.03, Toronto
So it turns out there are micro-fragments of plastic in the seafood we eat; we now have that stuff in our blood.
so this is kakistocracy
2017.02.02, Toronto
For once, I find myself doing some reading about the character and intent of a US President, with some interesting findings.
migraine summary for 2017
2017.01.31, Toronto
It looks like I lost three days outright to migraines in '17, and had to take strong migraine drugs some 84 other times during the year.
goodbye, January
2017.01.31, Toronto
I foolishly chose to take the TTC to work today; two fares ($6+) to get to work late.
riding in the snow for my son
2017.01.27, Toronto
To get anywhere in downtown Toronto, there is no substitute for a bike.
migraine prophylactics are as bad as the problem
2017.01.26, Toronto
I've said it before and I'll say it again, daily prophylactics for migraine are more trouble than they're worth.
still ukraine, still ukraine
2017.01.25, Toronto
On my son's new globe, some things never change; Crimea is still Ukraine #earworm.
movie review - Office Christmas Party
2017.01.23, Toronto
This movie is about some people trashing their office over the cource of a Christmas party.
movie review - Hotel Transylvania
2017.01.23, Toronto
By all accounts, Adam Sandler is a decent guy who treats people well and there's no denying that he's made his own path.
virtual kidnapping
2017.01.23, Toronto
In addition to CEO fraud emails, now there's virtual kidnapping.
hello, sunshine
2017.01.23, Toronto
It's ten to five, and the sun's just going down; so good to have some sunlight in Toronto!
hello, October's shoes
2017.01.21, Toronto
Mari realized that the shoes we ordered from the US back in October hadn't come; I called the shop, they'd had them for months.
goodbye, Mr Obama
2017.01.20, Toronto
They say you bungled the American empire, Mr Obama; I say good riddance, let the US be a country again.
financial industry vendor management
2017.01.11, Toronto
Today I attended an wealth management industry committee meeting in which we're looking at an industry-wide approach to managing third party risk.
poor Maebh
2017.01.11, Toronto
The storm last night tore a piece off our building that came down and onto our car - I wonder if insurance will cover it.
goodbye, little aquarium
2017.01.06, Toronto
Friends have taken the smaller of our aquariums - I know it's in good hands with a smart young lad.
movie review - The Lobster
2017.01.04, Toronto
This is an interesting Sci-Fi piece set in a world where people can opt to spend the remainder of their days as an animal of some kind.
goodbye, home phone
2017.01.01, Toronto
We'll be cutting our home phone spend from $28/month + tax to ~ $9/month by going VOIP.
2016
mobile data overage charges
2016.12.30, Toronto
For the past few months, I've been paying $5 - $10 a month for overshooting my cellular data allotment on my mobile phone.
movie review - Star Wars: Episode VII
2016.12.24, Toronto
How better to spend X'mas eve than with a slick continuation of a movie from your childhood?
movie review - Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
2016.12.23, Toronto
Which aristocrat will marry which daughter?
movie review - Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
2016.12.23, Toronto
This is a "Star Wars" story, telling the tale of the many Bothans that died bringing Princess Leia the plans for the Death Star -- as referenced in the very first "Star Wars" in 1977.
cycling at Christmas
2016.12.23, Toronto
I cycled in to work today; the major trails away from the streets were icy, but the streets were good.
watching TV has changed
2016.12.19, Toronto
Last night I heard the audio for a show through my phone while watching the TV; I felt old.
the frozen driveway
2016.12.18, Toronto
Our steep driveway is covered in ice thanks to a new city policy towards meltwater and rainwater.
the book I wish I'd had
2016.12.16, Toronto
Ray Pompon's book IT Security Risk Control Management: An Audit Preparation Plan is the one I needed back in 2011 when I first took a service organization through an audit.
latest watch crush
2016.12.13, Toronto
I'm looking at a thin dress watch to slip under my French cuffs.
cycling at minus six
2016.12.09, Toronto
My rear shifter cable was locked up this morning due to the -6°C weather.
the flaming lips sell out
2016.12.06, Toronto
So; the Flaming Lips have lent "Do You Realize" to the latest Transformers movie.
movie review - Home
2016.12.05, Toronto
This animated kids movie is such a frenetic mess that it lost the attention of our four-year-old and we stopped watching it.
movie review - Arrival
2016.12.04, Toronto
Jon and I went to the local cinema to watch this sci-fi flick about first contact with aliens.
movie review - The Red Turtle
2016.11.28, Toronto
This is a story of a man who is shipwrecked on a deserted island.
securing your life
2016.11.22, Toronto
The New York Times recently ran a piece with practical information about protecting your online life.
movie review - Paddington
2016.11.20, Toronto
This is an excellent animated movie about an anthropomorphic, talking bear who decides to travel to London to find a home after being pushed out of his own by an earthquake.
yet another reason to patch
2016.11.18, Toronto
Today I had an illuminating call with our insurance broker and carrier about an exclusion in our errors & omissions insurance pertaining to unlicensed data and software.
here comes fascism!
2016.11.18, Toronto
The Toronto District School Board has circulated an email about escalating racism and hate in the city.
back on my steed
2016.11.17, Toronto
One round trip on the TTC is one round too many for a dedicated cyclist; I don't know how people do it every day.
damaged bike chain
2016.11.16, Toronto
I don't know how I did it, but I managed to bend two links in my bike chain.
the boy's catch one morning
2016.11.13, Toronto
movie review - Kubo and The Two Strings
2016.11.13, Toronto
This is a lovingly-made animated story about a boy who sets a monstrous spirit loose on the world and must walk the path of his ancestors in order to set things right.
movie review - The Boy and the Beast
2016.11.11, Toronto
This is an animated flick from Japan, about a young boy kidnapped to an alternate world (of ghosts or demons, I want to say?
top hits these past ten days
2016.11.01, Toronto
My website's seen a predictable trickle of traffic lo these past nine - ten days.
suicidal cyclists
2016.10.25, Toronto
Yesterday I saw a cyclist hanging onto the door handle of an SUV westbound on Richmond Ave at speed.
DNS subdomain discovery
2016.10.24, Toronto
This weekend, I found this interesting little tool called DNS Dumpster.
inching closer to github pages
2016.10.24, Toronto
I will achieve in time, my object all sublime, to move this website to a free platform.
taking stock
2016.10.20, Toronto
I don't get a lot of feedback on this journal/website project of mine any more.
shaking like a leaf
2016.10.19, Toronto
It turned out that all this confusion about us being "good parents" came from both of us going to see The Girl for her night terrors.
"you guys are good parents"
2016.10.18, Toronto
Our four-year-old surprised me this morning, sticking her head into the washroom and saying, "You guys are good parents.
fintech and information risk
2016.10.17, Toronto
An article appeared in "The Investment Executive" this weekend that highlights information risk in so-called fintech.
movie review - Captain America: The First Avenger
2016.10.14, Toronto
We watched this for "movie night" with the kids.
younger fisherman than fish
2016.10.09, Kawartha Lakes
This looks to be around a ten year old walleye. The boy's o
the fish magnet's first walleye
2016.10.09, Lower Buckhorn Lake
The Boy caught his first walleye tonight.
my first crappie
2016.10.07, Lower Buckhorn Lake
I caught a lovely crappie today, a good-sized and healthy-looking specimen with good "shoulders".
movie review - Hachiko: A Dog's Story
2016.09.30, Toronto
This is the story of Hachiko, the dog who is immortalized with a bronze statue at Tokyo's Shibuya station.
a flat on new tires
2016.09.26, Toronto
The toll from using cheap tires has started: I'd only just had a cycle shop fix my screw-up with my chain (I missed a small guide on one of the derailleur wheels) when I had my first flat in nearly two years.
new drive train
2016.09.25, Toronto
I changed the cassette and chain on my bike today; a clear case of better late than never.
movie review - John Carter
2016.09.23, Toronto
This is an update of an early science fiction story from a full Century ago.
on reputation and character
2016.09.23, Toronto
It's almost comically unfashionable to talk about things like character and reputation in today's society, but it wasn't always so.
of trout and bruised ribs
2016.09.20, Toronto
I headed out for a bit of fishing and landed nothing but some bruised ribs.
yup, quite a week
2016.09.16, Toronto
After 3 board committee meetings, 2 grant applications, and an audit, the week ended with my walk-around USB drive dying.
what a perfect day
2016.09.14, Toronto
Summer's nearly over, and I feel that I actually lived it this year, unlike the past 3-4.
what a week, 2016 edition
2016.09.13, Toronto
Missed a day due to illness yesterday; today I discover that my bike tire needs replacing; the bike shop that claimed to have the tires and tubes I wanted had neither; then the watch repair guys break my watch; then I put the new tubes in my new tires, and put those on my bike and noticed that one of the spring arms had broken on my rear brake.
ken's presentation
2016.09.12, Toronto
Ken gave a presentation to his class on the subject of himself.
week not going as planned
2016.09.11, Toronto
Was sick all day with a sinus headache that triggered a migraine.
dangerous and fruitless fishing
2016.09.10, Toronto
The Boy and I were supposed to go fishing, but it rained and I decided to go out at sunset - this was a mistake.
no eth0 after linode moved me to kvm
2016.09.09, Toronto
Linode, my internet hosting provider, urged me to move my VM to a new infrastructure; doing so cost me 14 hours of downtime.
using a fishing map
2016.09.04, Toronto
as the fog lifts
2016.09.04, Toronto
debating a cycle lane on the street
2016.08.22, Toronto
Tonight I attended a meeting in my neighborhood to discuss a proposed contra-flow cycle lane.
movie review - Kung Fu Panda 3
2016.08.21, Toronto
The kingdom has never been under greater threat than when a pissed-off water-buffalo with unlimited strength and the ability to command certain wild magic aims to I dunno, take over.
fishing no more
2016.08.21, Toronto
My fishing partner has left me high and dry, now being eight-and-a-half.
movie review - The Edge of Tomorrow
2016.08.18, Toronto
This is a science-fiction piece with a clever premise - one heroic human must re-live a day of battle with an invading alien species every day until he "wins the day" and saves our species.
UGO wallet saves an angler from a fine
2016.08.08, Toronto
A wallet app on my phone saved me from an MNRF fine this weekend.
cry the beloved economy
2016.08.05, Toronto
Canada's balance of trade set a new low today, but it's the historical context that tells the story.
that'll teach us for going to Canadian Tire
2016.08.04, Toronto
We've been having car trouble, but something's gone right at last.
movie review - Spy
2016.08.02, Toronto
I was amazed at how much I enjoyed this comedy about an out-of-shape, middle-aged analyst who is sent into the field to handle a sensitive case of a stolen nuclear weapon.
learning to ride at Arnon's house
2016.07.27, Alberta
My daughter, learning to ride at Arnon's ranch south of Cal
lost a trout at the last minute (again)
2016.07.27, a mountain river
I'm cursed when it comes to landing trout in western Canada - today yet another one slipped away from me.
caught the same fish on different days
2016.07.20, Salt Spring Island
I caught a fish last night, then caught it again this morning - I was embarrassed for the fish.
movie review - Avengers: Age of Ultron
2016.07.14, Toronto
This is yet another Super Hero movie that my kids were interested in for "movie night".
how to sabotage innovative projects
2016.07.11, Toronto
One of my favorite books on internal control; sorry, the only good book I've ever encountered on internal control is "Intelligent Internal Control and Risk Management" by Matthew Leitch.
hydro bill results
2016.07.05, Toronto
I've had my next electricity bill; my changes resulted in a $22 (13%) savings.
movie review - Nightcrawler
2016.07.03, Toronto
This is a movie about a thief and con-man who pushes into the TV cameraman line of work after witnessing a crew in action.
fishing in the city
2016.07.02, Toronto
It's confirmed, I've found a reliable fishing hole in Toronto.
movie review - Tangled
2016.06.30, Toronto
This is an animated telling of the Rapunzel story with some updates.
no fix for cyber security in our lifetime
2016.06.23, Toronto
An article landed in my inbox today in which an expert from Marsh was quoted as saying, "Cyber as a pervasive risk will likely not be solved in our lifetime.
a boreal owl
2016.06.20, Toronto
We've been hearing owl calls in the night for some weeks now, I think I've identified the species.
fixing the electricity bill
2016.06.13, Toronto
Looks live I've shaved $20 off my monthly electricity bill with just two changes.
a sequel to the passion of the christ
2016.06.10, Toronto
Naturally, Mel Gibson's doubling down on his widely criticized move to bring back the anti-Semetic "The Passion of the Christ" BS from the middle ages.
Trump! Let the fire burn how it will.
2016.06.09, Toronto
Some people are going to vote Trump because they want to see the elites suffer with the rest of us.
movie review - 99 Homes
2016.06.08, Toronto
This is a gripping story about a man who is evicted from his house during the Great Financial Crisis, but through a series of events winds up working for the crooks that had him evicted.
today – jackhammer plus migraine
2016.06.08, Toronto
Indoors: me, barely hanging on with a right-side migraine.
movie review - Dredd
2016.05.23, Tokyo
I wanted an action flick, and this appeared on a streaming service.
gane's law on the passage of data and meaning
2016.05.16, Toronto
Gane's Law: "Any information that must be passed through two levels of management shall be mooted by the voyage, for it shall be diluted and misconstrued.
movie review - Interstellar
2016.05.12, Toronto
This is a sci-fi movie that goes to great lengths to be pro-science and defend humanity's space record and so on but when push comes to shove it veers into mysticism.
killed a squirrel with my bike
2016.05.10, Toronto
I started the day with running down a squirrel with my bike.
a cycle lane on Bloor
2016.05.04, Toronto
Toronto city council has turned a corner, voting to install a cycle lane on the city's main, long, crowded, east-west shopping street.
the high price of civilization
2016.05.04, Toronto
Our electricity bill came to $173 for two months, up $10 because I once left the iron on for 4 hours?
the baby squirrels lived
2016.04.29, Toronto
Last weekend, we discovered a squirrel's nest; we wound up with three baby squirrels in a box.
farewell shopping malls
2016.04.28, Toronto
I learned today that traffic at shopping malls has fallen by 50% since 2008.
is risk management a profession
2016.04.25, Toronto
A risk practitioner vastly senior to me posited the question on LinkedIn whether risk management is even a profession.
the problem of entitlements
2016.04.25, Toronto
Virtually every organization has the problem of managing IT asset entitlements.
squirrels in the storage shed
2016.04.23, Toronto
I was in the storage shed, and spotted some debris atop a box on the top shelf.
the edge method to puzzles
2016.04.23, Toronto
I do believe our almost-four-year old has the hang of the edge method to jigsaw puzzles.
long dive by a bird of prey
2016.04.22, Toronto
I saw a bird of prey take a long straight dive with its wings folded.
property damage
2016.04.20, Toronto
Something happened to the fences, railing, and steps at the property where we live.
first board meeting
2016.04.19, Toronto
If you're a member of Cycle Toronto, you can rest assured that the board is organized and energetic.
1776 steps in 23:41
2016.04.17, Toronto
Today, I climbed the steps of the CN tower with our eight year old son.
movie review - Jupiter Ascending
2016.04.15, Toronto
As much as I like Mila Kunis and suspect she deserves a break for being on Family Guy for so long, this movie was a troubled project by the (now) sisters that made the "Matrix" movies.
tax refund
2016.04.15, Toronto
It is really annoying to get such a substantial tax return every year; why can't the government remember from year to year that it's over-taxing us by hundreds of dollars a month!
people really do plug in the USB devices they find
2016.04.13, Toronto
In case there was any question: people really do plug in the USB devices they find.
where are all the posts
2016.04.12, Toronto
Some day, I suspect that The Girl is going to ask: when you started this website, you made all kinds of posts.
officially on board
2016.04.12, Toronto
I met with the President of the board of Cycle Toronto for dinner, tonight.
silent attack of the balloons
2016.04.11, Toronto
A friend came by with some helium balloons, which The Girl promptly took to her bedroom.
evaluating a vendor's SOC-2 report
2016.04.11, Toronto
Someone asked me how to evaluate a service organization's SOC-2 report.
bike fixed
2016.04.09, Toronto
I've had my bike repaired; happily, I got a small discount for being a member of Cycle Toronto.
the doctor says...
2016.04.08, Toronto
The doc says that I should get back on my bike as soon as the immediate pain is past, as it prevents PTSD.
knocked off my bike by a driver
2016.04.07, Toronto
I was knocked off my bike on the way home today by a driver who then fled the scene.
Googling the quick and the dead
2016.04.05, Toronto
Google autocomplete completes a friend's name with the word "obituary"; he'd also cancelled the phone number I had.
head of state, athlete, billionaire, or drug lord
2016.04.04, Toronto
A headhunter once put it simply as he could: "What's your career trajectory, CEO, COO, or CFO?
no joke
2016.04.01, Toronto
For 04/01, we created a new password policy: whenever any password in the enterprise changed, all must be changed.
SOC-2 versus SIG
2016.03.31, Toronto
My team has been spending some time reviewing the forthcoming SOC-2 control standards.
you spin me right round
2016.03.31, Toronto
Our three year old spontaneously started singing DOA's "You Spin My Right Round" despite our never (never!
beaver patrol
2016.03.30, Toronto
Tonight while fishing (fruitlessly) at the Ashbridge's Bay marina, a large beaver paddled right by in front of me.
gave away a tail light, today
2016.03.29, Toronto
After my first Cycle Toronto board committee meeting, I found a red cycling tail light on the sidewalk.
scanning slides and negatives
2016.03.28, Toronto
Someone asked my advice on how to best scan slides and film.
skunked but loving it
2016.03.27, Port Dalhousie
Had another wonderful day of fishing to no avail, tonight.
governance and board positions
2016.03.22, Toronto
I've joined the board of Cycle Toronto, an advocacy association of city cyclists who are pushing for a safer city in which to ride.
Cycle Toronto's newest board member
2016.03.22, Toronto
To my surprise, I won the election to the board of Cycle Toronto.
first fishing trip to the rouge river
2016.03.19, Toronto
Today we went down to the rouge river to do the first fishing of the year.
scouting fishing locations
2016.03.18, Toronto
I spent half an hour or so on the way home, toodling about the waterfront scouting fishing locations.
migraine care in Toronto
2016.03.16, Toronto
I've just made a doctor's appointment for January 11, 2017.
Toronto vs Silicon Valley
2016.03.15, Toronto
It looks like Toronto's housing is now less affordable than that of Silicon Valley.
movie review - The Big Short
2016.03.15, Toronto
This is a dramatic telling of real events that happened during the Great Financial Crisis.
laid low
2016.03.11, Toronto
Laid low for two days, in my prime, just barely 45, by my fourth bug this winter.
movie review - The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
2016.03.08, Toronto
Well, we got it over with, today.
filthy March cycling
2016.03.08, Toronto
Crowds of cyclists are already out, some two months earlier than they would have 5 years ago â€
back on the road
2016.03.07, Toronto
First day back on my bike, and I came across two blockages on the Richmond cycle lane and maybe half a dozen on the Adelaide lane.
manual lenses on a modern camera
2016.03.05, Toronto
My birthday gift (to self) was a pair of adapters for my Olympus camera body.
my profile as a cycle toronto board nominee
2016.03.03, Toronto
As a nominee for a position on the board of directors for Cycle Toronto, here's my 'candidate profile'.
case study on advanced persistent threats
2016.03.02, Toronto
In the middle of 2015, I produced an analysis of my employer's readiness regarding risk due to "advanced persistent threats" in the cybersecurity space.
bifocals to read my pill bottle
2016.03.02, Toronto
Just in time for turning 45, I needed my bifocal safety goggles to read a pill bottle today.
our neighbor is our neighbor
2016.02.24, Toronto
It turns out that the woman who lives in the apartment downstairs from us works four buildings from me.
hey presto
2016.02.23, Toronto
I've pulled out my Presto card, which I last used when moving back to Canada in 2010, for the TTC.
running for a board position
2016.02.21, Toronto
I've applied to be considered for the board of Cycle Toronto.
management consulting vs internal audit
2016.02.20, Toronto
I've just completed a three day intensive course on management consulting, which covered the twin streams of a) diagnosis and b) change management.
a three-day intensive course on management consulting
2016.02.20, Toronto
Today, I completed one of the most intensive training programs of my life.
flying west with the kids
2016.02.18, Toronto
We've been invited by my father and brother to take a vacation with them this summer.
movie review - The Grand Budapest Hotel
2016.02.17, Toronto
This is a Wes Anderson movie in which a hotelier runs afoul of the "pock-marked fascists" in the years leading up to and including WWII.
concentrated volunteerism
2016.02.17, Toronto
In the past few months, I've dropped three of the professional associations I'd belonged to.
bucket lined with perch
2016.02.14, Ontario
The two boys caught well over 100 perch today. Collection
four fishermen, 150 fish
2016.02.14, Lake Simcoe
Today might be Valentines Day, but two of us spent it on the ice with our sons, not with our brides.
movie review - The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
2016.02.04, Toronto
This is a spy movie in which a new agency is created to tackle special cases on a global basis.
at least five problems with security metrics
2016.02.04, Toronto
Last year, I participated in a panel on "metrics that matter" at RSA.
the risk of false brand identity
2016.01.31, Toronto
A colleague from the CMC posted some thoughts on brand based on one of Seth Godin's periodic utterances.
stay classy Toronto
2016.01.18, Toronto
First thing I saw @ 6:45 this morning was a driver hit a parked car and drive away - stay classy, Toronto.
bifocal safety googles
2016.01.12, Toronto
So it's come to this; I've bought some bifocal safety goggles, so I can see what I'm doing when I'm working with my hands on my (increasingly rare) crafts work.
giving a strip of flesh
2016.01.09, Toronto
I awoke at 4 or 5 this morning with another bloody migraine; soon I'd be mopping blood from the floor.
roundabout new year's resolutions
2016.01.08, Toronto
For the new year, a friend has decided to exercise less and pay less attention to his finances.
twenty years with a website
2016.01.01, Toronto
19 years ago today, I brought the first database-driven part of this website online.
2015
storm trooper armed with a skateboard
2015.12.31, Toronto
storm trooper armed with a skateboard Collections containi
three with migraines
2015.12.27, St. Catharines
Asians get fewer migraines than other racial groups, and I'm hoping that that will improve my kids' outlook.
merry X'mas!
2015.12.25, St. Catharines
At grandma's in Saint Catharines for Christmas - probably for the last time, as she's planning to leave.
studying contractual and financial risk management
2015.12.14, Toronto
It's true that you get like the people you live with; I've spent a lot of time in the financial industry, and it seems I've picked up a thing or two.
a German santa told me "hajimemashite"
2015.12.12, Toronto
Today a German Santa Claus told me "hajimemashite".
on paneling
2015.12.08, Toronto
Tonight I moderated a panel of experts on the role of the board in setting strategy.
I won a door prize!
2015.12.07, Toronto
For the second time in forty-four years, I won a door prize, tonight.
making christmas tree ornaments
2015.12.06, Toronto
Ken and I went to "Four Cats", a local DIY arts place for kids, and made X'mas ornaments.
natto donburi for breakfast
2015.12.03, Toronto
This has been my breakfast for the past decade. Natto, brow
movie review - Equalizer
2015.12.02, Toronto
This is a story of retribution via a stranger who comes to town and decides to put things right with his fists.
Vtech data breach
2015.12.01, Toronto
I sent a friend a note about the latest data breach that's in the news: Vtech.
detoured by tragedy
2015.12.01, Toronto
I was unable to cross the Don river at my usual spot due to a police barricade; they'd found a body in the river.
curly wrought iron whatsits, toronto
2015.11.23, Toronto
curly wrought iron whatsits, toronto Collections containin
movie review - Hop
2015.11.22, Toronto
This is a lack-luster animated movie about the son of the Easter Bunny, who decides to move to LA and be in an obnoxious, self-indulgent, and boring movie.
I got the city to change something
2015.11.21, Toronto
I managed to get the city to undo something that was inconveniencing cyclists.
more fun with my camera
2015.11.20, Toronto
I've been taking photos of people who park in cycle lanes; It seems that I'm starting to get known to that community.
rivers are for overpasses
2015.11.19, Toronto
graffiti mystery uncovered
2015.11.19, Toronto
I discovered hidden graffiti with the gain on my digital camera, today.
movie review - This Is Where I Leave You
2015.11.17, Toronto
A friend leant me this, which turned out to be only okay.
five years on the job
2015.11.16, Toronto
I've been at this job for five years, shattering my previous record â€
migraine educational session
2015.11.14, Toronto
This week, I attended an information session on enduring with migraines, which I've been doing for 40 years.
the straitjacket
2015.11.13, Toronto
I'm constantly amazed at how difficult it is to break free of the straitjacket of the immediately urgent.
no poppy for remembrance day this year
2015.11.11, Toronto
Oddly, I couldn't find a poppy for sale this year.
nine years on
2015.11.09, Toronto
Turns out, Mari and I forgot about our wedding anniversary again this year.
some home-made fishing lures
2015.11.07, Toronto
The Boy and I have been making wooden fishing lures, and rebuilding some old ones.
hiring for many talents
2015.11.06, Toronto
I've repeatedly been faced with the difficult task of hiring for ambiguous roles where a range of different skills are required.
flickr pool on cars parked in Toronto cycle lanes
2015.11.02, Toronto
Not sure what good this will do, but I've started a flickr pool with pics with cars parked in Toronto's cycle lanes.
breezed through a test on risk finance
2015.10.28, Toronto
I feel I did rather well on a test on risk financing tonight; in fact I think I over studied.
why ERM versus traditional risk management
2015.10.24, Toronto
I'm studying for a course on risk financing, and have a quibble with an answer "in the book".
thank you very much, Ontario driver BKDV 035
2015.10.22, Toronto
Today's run-in was with a Volkswagen, Ontario license plate BKDV 035.
collided with a taxi on King street today
2015.10.19, Toronto
I was struck by a taxi on King street today.
beautiful autumn reflection
2015.10.18, Toronto
It really can be a beautiful part of the world. Collectio
movie review - The Wolverine
2015.10.16, Toronto
In this mean-spirited and gruesomely violent outing, super-"hero" Wolverine spends some time in Japan, hitting the usual wall of culture and language the way the rest of us do, but managing also to get nuked.
agility and risk
2015.10.16, Toronto
Dave Thomas, one of the originators of the "Agile Manifesto", gave a talk in January that explains where the Agile movement has gotten off the rails (no pun intended).
movie review - Big Hero 6
2015.10.12, Toronto
This is an animated movie set in a near-future San Francisco .
mmm, pike for dinner
2015.10.11, Huronia
autumn bee in ontario
2015.10.10, Ontario
so this is Detroit!
2015.10.09, Detroit
I'm in Detroit for a conference, and had the opportunity of taking a tour around the city center.
movie review - The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
2015.10.02, Toronto
My son's interested in these movies, so we've been slowly seeing them through.
17,500km of cycle-commuting
2015.10.02, Toronto
In the past five years, I've done about 1,750 trips to and from the office.
west is left and right is east
2015.09.28, Toronto
Looking at one of Ken's homework assignments, we saw that he'd correctly divined a pattern in a set of diagrams of blocks that grow by accretion.
the girl tries her hand at fishing
2015.09.27, Ontario
We were at the mouth of the Credit river. Collections con
the little one fishes in lake ontario
2015.09.27, Toronto
the little one fishes in lake ontario Collections containi
movie review - The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
2015.09.27, Toronto
I thoroughly loved this story, based on an old poem, about a day-dreamer who is forced by a crisis at work to embark on a global adventure to track down a very larger than life photographer.
using a cache server to secure WordPress
2015.09.25, Toronto
Securing a website that runs on WordPress can be a challenge.
first fish from lake Ontario
2015.09.20, Toronto
On my fourteenth visits to the marina at Ashbridges Bay park, I landed a damn nice fish.
cool evening on the Toronto waterfront
2015.09.19, Toronto
cool evening on the Toronto waterfront Collections contain
movie review - The Other Woman
2015.09.14, Toronto
I can't explain how I agreed to see this paint-by-numbers revenge piece about a woman who discovers she is not a girlfriend but the other woman.
a bird struck our window
2015.09.13, Toronto
so that's a wood thrush
2015.09.13, Toronto
Today I learned what a wood thrush is, by having a dead bird on our balcony to identify.
a slow start to Toronto fishing
2015.09.07, Toronto
I have gone on eight separate fishing trips around the city, and not caught a thing.
new ink
2015.09.02, Toronto
movie review - Mad Max Fury Road
2015.09.01, Toronto
This is a distant sequel to the '80s Mad Max movies, which were guns-and-motorbikes romps through a post-apocalyptic Earth.
the sweet sting of the needle
2015.09.01, Toronto
Ah, the searing kiss of the tattoo needle; how I missed you.
a turtle in lake Ontario
2015.08.31, Toronto
For the first time in my life, I saw a turtle in Lake Ontario this morning as I cycled to work.
canvassing the public for signatures
2015.08.25, Toronto
Spent 80 minutes this evening collecting signatures for a CycleToronto petition.
happiness is a stable aquarium
2015.08.24, Toronto
ant colony is growing
2015.08.23, Toronto
The queen ant I found is raising a successful colony: there are now babies.
what the hell, I'll cycle to Markham
2015.08.22, Toronto
I was scratching my head for something to do, today, so I hopped on my bike and went north.
beautiful waste treatment plant
2015.08.21, Toronto
forecast so wrong, I had to buy a jacket
2015.08.21, Toronto
This morning the weather forecast said high of 29° and sunny, no mention of rain.
movie review - This is the End
2015.08.17, Toronto
This is the telling of a bunch of hot young Hollywood types who are Left Behind when the Rapture comes.
shorn
2015.08.17, Toronto
Today I accidentally shaved off my eyebrows with the assistance of our three year old.
a pike under placid water
2015.08.15, Victoria Harbour
The water was dead calm, so I paddled across the bay to a small island that's littered with fish scales, crab claws, and cormorant crap.
bats over the beaches
2015.08.14, Victoria Harbour
I was nearly home when I came upon some small bats gliding over the street â€
coffee for the whole office
2015.08.13, Toronto
Today, I'm taking some ice, some condensed milk, some boxes of tea bags, and some tonyo to the office.
lost child
2015.08.12, Toronto
Tonight I helped the woman after me in the queue at the grocery store find her three year old.
a take-up reel for an 8mm film projector
2015.08.11, Toronto
While cleaning out the basement of the family cottage, I found an 8mm projector.
John Cleese laughs at my alma mater
2015.08.10, Toronto
Several months ago, my mum sent me a Michael Enright interview with John Cleese.
landscape in five colors
2015.08.08, Ontario
every vacation must end
2015.08.08, Victoria Harbour
After two weeks of fighting with phragmites and hoarded junk (and a certain amount of fishing), it's time to rejoin the fray.
a bass and a pumpkinseed, being cleaned
2015.08.05, Victoria Harbour
a bass and a pumpkinseed, being cleaned Collections contai
fishing from a dock on the bay at evening
2015.08.04, Victoria Harbour
fishing from a dock on the bay at evening Collections cont
movie review - Maleficent
2015.08.02, Toronto
This is the story of Sleeping Beauty's wicked witch, who it turns out is rather a pained and resentful survivor with a lot riding on her slender shoulders - she's the queen of a fey realm beset on all sides by truly moronic humans, and she has herself been personally betrayed by the one who now sits on the throne.
the other michael werneburg
2015.07.25, Toronto
I've found a few other people with my name, around the world.
helping a fellow cyclist in need
2015.07.24, Toronto
By happy chance I had my usual bike repair kit with me yesterday when I pulled up next to someone who was replacing a flat tube.
movie review - Frozen
2015.07.23, Toronto
This is a story about a princess with special magical abilities that let her control ice and snow.
how profitable are your clients?
2015.07.23, Toronto
It's taken me some doing, but I've sorted out a mechanism for determining the profitability of clients for a software firm.
a trailer hitch for our Rondo
2015.07.21, Toronto
We're adding a trailer hitch to our Kia, so we can take the bikes to the cottage on the weekend.
On the Ashley Madison list? Blame it on Target
2015.07.18, Toronto
It's occurred to me that if someone's name turns up on the user list at Ashley Madison, they can just blame Target.
for love of Pluto
2015.07.17, Toronto
It's fun to watch the various reactions to the new images coming back from Pluto - especially the emotionally charged ones.
woohoo, everyone borrow more!
2015.07.15, Toronto
Phew, the Bank of Canada just lowered interest rates â€
a pleasant summer
2015.07.15, Toronto
A colleague is in Dubai, where it's 44° today - this morning in Toronto it was 13°.
new shifter cable
2015.07.13, Toronto
Yesterday, I installed my first shifter cable on my bicycle; it went smoothly but I'm still having phantom shifts.
reading and recovering
2015.07.11, Toronto
This weekend, while we tried to nurse our girl back to health, I picked a book on human evolution.
movie review - The Other Guys
2015.07.08, Toronto
This is a buddy-cop movie in which two jerks in the precinct take up an important case following the deaths of the actual stars.
bee in a flower
2015.07.05, Toronto
so this is sugar beach
2015.07.03, Toronto
I accidentally discovered "Sugar Beach" today when looking for somewhere to read.
movie review - Book of Life
2015.07.02, Toronto
This is an engaging animated movie set in Mexico -- and its after-life.
old steel and scarred brick under paint
2015.07.02, Toronto
old steel and scarred brick under paint Collections contai
sears free spirit badge on the street
2015.07.02, Toronto
sears free spirit badge on the street Collections containi
plankton develops eyes on its own
2015.07.02, Toronto
Hooray for science - we've discovered a type of Japanese-Canadian plankton that has developed eyes.
fireworks over ashbridges bay
2015.07.01, Toronto
Happy 148th, Canada. Shame it was windy, but it still worke
Canada day fun
2015.07.01, Toronto
We ended the day with a trip to the beach and watched the fireworks.
refreshed website look
2015.07.01, Toronto
I've retooled the site again, reducing the load time from 3½s to ½s.
stepping up to 49mm
2015.06.30, Toronto
Gotta admire a camera store that honors a four year old gift card - thanks, Henrys.
poor little rained-on dolls
2015.06.27, Toronto
OpenDNS
2015.06.27, Toronto
In an audit of my employer's cybersecurity stance, I found things to be generally quite good.
geography game, and the risk of Kyrgyzstan
2015.06.25, Toronto
I found this online game where you try to put names on countries.
new chain, new cassette
2015.06.24, Toronto
After barely eight months, I'm already on my second chain and cassette.
movie review - Inherent Vice
2015.06.22, Tokyo
This is a tale set in 1970 Los Angeles, in which the stoner element is strong but the old guard elements of society still remain in some force.
so it's decided
2015.06.22, Toronto
Nine years ago, I bought an inexpensive camera expecting to use it for two years.
fixing bikes in the park
2015.06.21, Toronto
This Spring, I took a bike repair course; today I put it to practice by once again repairing people's bikes.
that's no way to toss your salad
2015.06.18, Toronto
Today my foot slipped on an escalator stair; my arm went up, throwing my lunch into the air.
pan-am games already getting on my nerves
2015.06.17, Toronto
Today I witnessed a cyclist take a tumble as he navigated some unannounced barriers on our route.
the juggler
2015.06.15, Toronto
shooting in a cemetery
2015.06.15, Toronto
I love photography in cemeteries. So many interesting combi
donated some old cameras today
2015.06.15, Toronto
I donated an antique SRT-101 and two X700 bodies and some lenses to a camera shop; they're making a mural.
volunteer bike repair
2015.06.13, Toronto
I turned up at a kids cycling event, ready to do some bike repair â€
"Don't worry, Daddy!"
2015.06.12, Toronto
Tonight while I was bathing our daughter, she saw me fretting about something and said, "Daddy, don't worry!
baby bunnies at dusk
2015.06.12, Toronto
Today's trip home was better than yesterday's - better to the tune of baby bunnies on the cycle path.
took a spill on my bike
2015.06.11, Toronto
Pinched between the ruined tracks and an oversized truck parked on the right, I took a bad bounce off of an uneven concrete rim next to the tracks and went down.
movie review - Star Trek Into Darkness
2015.06.10, Toronto
This 2013 Star Trek movie was such a mess I couldn't sit through the whole thing.
more camera porn
2015.06.10, Toronto
This time it's Sony that's caught my eye, with these fine entries.
the first family cycle trip
2015.06.07, Toronto
We cycled over to cherry beach and had a surprisingly chilly picnic.
a busy Saturday in June
2015.06.06, Toronto
This morning I: a. Ironed all my shirts for the week ahead
the old bait and switch
2015.06.03, Toronto
Fell for the old bait and switch last night, this time with a camera company.
cycling in a sports coat
2015.06.02, Toronto
This morning I attended an interesting seminar at MaRS, on the subject of innovation.
you work twelve hours, what do you get
2015.06.01, Toronto
Another day older, and more deeply entangled in discussions around insurance, monte carlo.
i think my daughter is a time traveler
2015.05.30, Toronto
I saw my future daughter as an adult on the street, today.
an explosion of bicycle traffic
2015.05.28, Toronto
The bicycle lanes on Richmond and Adelaide have exploded.
i've finished my bike repair course
2015.05.27, Toronto
I've finished my bike repair course, and it's made a big impact to the way I view my bike when I ride.
systems thinking
2015.05.26, Toronto
I attended a really strong seminar on systems thinking as an approach to change management.
late to bed and early to rise
2015.05.25, Toronto
Starting to think that years of burning the candle at both ends might be taking a toll.
canvassing on Danforth
2015.05.24, Toronto
Today I spent 90 minutes canvassing on Danforth about the cycle lane that we want to build.
lunch with smart people
2015.05.22, Toronto
Today I had lunch with one of those smart people who reflexively starts mentoring during a conversation.
bike repair stations in Toronto
2015.05.21, Toronto
A local brewery is sponsoring free-standing, self-serve bike-repair stations in Toronto.
the common law of business practice
2015.05.20, Toronto
Someone* once said this of choosing a vendor's solution base
repairing a rear wheel
2015.05.20, Toronto
Tonight in our cycle repair class we dismantled the rear wheel; really getting comfortable with this, now.
a raccoon in crisis
2015.05.15, Toronto
Today's adventure began Jon with asking, "Does that look like a hand to you?
a fine mist, backlit by the dawn
2015.05.13, Toronto
I saw a fine mist falling, back-lit by the dawn and adrift on a gentle breeze.
of headwinds and the spring's fresh insects
2015.05.12, Toronto
I arrived at work with a mouth- and mustache-full of this year's crop of bugs.
interviewing means meeting interesting people
2015.05.11, Toronto
I'm interviewing for two jobs right now, it's a golden opportunity to meet some interesting people.
movie review - Gravity
2015.05.09, Toronto
This is a movie about an astronaut who's on a mission when debris strikes the station they're working on, trashing it and the shuttle that brought them.
what a week
2015.05.08, Toronto
Well, it's been a long week, but the family's healthy and whole, so all is well.
here come the bike repairs
2015.05.07, Toronto
As I'd hoped, there will be a full slate of opportunities to volunteer for Cycle Toronto this summer, fixing people's bikes.
tearing apart a bicycle wheel
2015.05.06, Toronto
At my cycle repair class tonight I learned how to dismantle a wheel and repack the bearings.
meeting in a discrete place
2015.05.05, Toronto
I met a friend for drinks tonight at the pub under the Strathcona Hotel.
warm and pleasant at last
2015.05.01, Toronto
It's been so cool, dreary, and wet for so long that it's gotten hard to remember what sunshine feels like.
strange way to start a resume
2015.04.30, Toronto
Today I read a resume that started with the word "Competencies" misspelled.
more equipment, more
2015.04.29, Toronto
I went to Jacob's hardware for a set of combination wrenches for bike repair today; love that store.
kit flying in the spring
2015.04.28, Toronto
Emma's old enough to hold a kite string, now, so we put her to work.
back on summer tires
2015.04.27, Toronto
I've traded in my knobby 700x35's for some sleek 28's - always a happy surprise to feel the road again.
movie review - Horrible Bosses
2015.04.26, Toronto
This was a fun flick about some guys who decide to strike back against their horrible bosses .
teaching cycle maintenance
2015.04.26, Toronto
I'm only three weeks into my cycle repair course, and I've already missed a class.
family-chan!
2015.04.25, Toronto
And just like that, I'm back to the routine of kids with stomach bugs and meal routines.
my pilgrimage is complete
2015.04.24, Toronto
Someone at RSA called it a pilgrimage that is mandatory but that you only have to do once.
meetings
2015.04.23, Toronto
I skipped another afternoon of "keynotes" to meet with a succession of people.
Torontonians everywhere
2015.04.22, San Francisco
Today I decided that I'd had enough of the "keynotes" and went for another walk with my camera.
over the top in the USA
2015.04.21, San Francisco
The conference officially kicked off today, so naturally the first event was so over the top that it defied belief.
wandering the hills of San Francisco
2015.04.20, San Francisco
After today's session, I went for a walk through Chinatown with my hot pink Minolta XD-11 and some black and white film.
a jet swirling contrails
2015.04.19, San Francisco
As we came over the last range of mountains I spotted another plane coming from the south (left).
heading to San Francisco
2015.04.17, Toronto
In two days, I leave for San Francisco; I'm joining a panel at the sprawling great RSA conference.
movie review - How to Train Your Dragon 2
2015.04.16, Toronto
This is a sequel to an animated movie that united Norsemen and dragons.
another cyber presentation
2015.04.16, Toronto
I was asked to present on information risk at our annual user conference, held today.
running red lights
2015.04.15, Toronto
Today on the way home from my cycle repair class I see nine cars run red lights.
the police use malware to persecute whistleblowers
2015.04.14, Toronto
And in this crap-hill 'verse, the police use malware to persecute whistleblowers.
the McNamara fallacy
2015.04.13, Toronto
It's funny how you're more likely these days to see an economist declaring the system bogus.
preparing to speak at a panel
2015.04.10, Toronto
I've been invited to participate in a panel at the RSA Conference in San Francisco this year.
hiring is tough work
2015.04.09, Toronto
I'm currently hiring for two disparate roles, and it's tough sledding.
first day of cycle repair classes
2015.04.08, Toronto
I took my first class of eight with the TDSB cycle repair program at Central Tech tonight.
an earful of pool water
2015.04.07, Toronto
I was holding The Girl in an indoor pool when she grabbed my head and forcibly squirted a mouthful of water into my ear.
on "How to avoid a breach"
2015.04.05, Toronto
I recently saw a LinkedIn post to an article titled, "Data breaches â€
speaking at this year's RSA Conference
2015.04.02, Toronto
I've been asked to join a panel at this year's RSA Conference in San Francisco.
perspective
2015.04.02, St. Catharines, ON
It took us 3½ hours to drive the 100km to Saint Catharines today, and I was weary and grumbling upon arrival.
movie review - Limitless
2015.04.01, Toronto
This is a movie in which an experimental drug sets a very average fellow free to do great things.
an april fool's .. process manual
2015.04.01, Toronto
This year we issued a bogus process manual at work on "Accessing the stairs" for April Fools Day.
today my employer had a very good day
2015.04.01, Toronto
A competitor has announced a product that competes with something we're doing; it's welcome news.
working my way through my dissertation, still
2015.03.31, Toronto
I've posted another piece of my research findings to my other site, risktopics.
the last stand of robin hood
2015.03.29, Toronto
I took the boy to see the farewell performance of "The Heart of Robin Hood" today.
movie review - Thor
2015.03.24, Toronto
This is a super-hero movie based on the Marvel Thor comic books, which I never read.
cutting off your nose
2015.03.23, Toronto
This article suggests that we should no longer use email, because it's not safe.
a Torontonian for one quarter of my life
2015.03.21, Toronto
I've now been here in Toronto for 11 of my 44 years.
Maebh, scratched already
2015.03.15, St. Catharines, ON
We discovered that someone's struck our car and driven away without telling us.
happy Pi day, everyone
2015.03.14, St. Catharines, ON
It's 3/14 again; happy Pi day all you nerds and mathematicians.
first Ethiopian meal
2015.03.13, Toronto
Tonight I met a friend over Ethiopian food; it was the first time for both of (combined age, 84).
two day migraine
2015.03.12, Toronto
I've just been through the first two-day migraine I've had in nearly fifteen years.
winter's back is broken
2015.03.10, Toronto
And on the second day of decent weather, the count of cyclists to our office doubled to two.
back in the saddle, 2015 edition
2015.03.09, Toronto
I've finally ridden to work; a late start this year but it's good to be back on my bike.
a life 55 percent gone
2015.03.08, Toronto
Turned forty-four this week, and for the first birthday in years, I've noticed; I guess I can see fifty coming.
an ear for voices
2015.03.05, Toronto
We were listening to a Beatles song and Ken remarked, "that voice sounds like the singer from 'Monster in Paris'.
this is supposed to be cycling weather
2015.03.03, Toronto
March is usually when I get back on my bike; looks like it's not happening this week.
beyond risk-listing and the ISO31k diagram
2015.03.02, Toronto
Matthew Leitch is a risk management researcher in the UK I've leaned on more than once when I needed guidance.
movie review - The Hangover, Part 3
2015.02.27, Toronto
This is the third in the series of the "The Hangover" movies.
what the SEC thinks about information risk
2015.02.27, Toronto
As a "knowledge worker", it's important to understand how one's output is used.
kei-tra in Canada
2015.02.24, Toronto
I saw an honest-to-goodness Japanese "kei-tra" (kei truck) on Queen street tonight.
counting to and from five
2015.02.22, Toronto
Our little one can reliably count to and even down from five (and up to six).
the TTC breaks a perfect streak
2015.02.18, Toronto
The TTC really slipped up tonight; they let a whole street car full of people get to the Beaches.
ice fishing, 34 below
2015.02.16, Lake Simcoe
Today The Boy and I went ice fishing with Richard and his son.
this website is a decade old, I'll probably end it
2015.02.15, Toronto
Good ol' emuu dot net, my second website, is now ten years and four months old â€
forgetting my UNIX
2015.02.13, Toronto
I'm slipping; I went to null a file by copying /dev/null to it, and took about five seconds to remember /dev/null.
it looks like "cybersecurity" is here to stay
2015.02.12, Toronto
I'm not wild about the word "cybersecurity".
more on ISACA's certifications
2015.02.11, Toronto
I work in information risk management; there's a bevy of certifications in the field, but grandfathering is a big black eye.
like tobogganing on glass
2015.02.08, Toronto
Last weekend we took the kids tobogganing on a hill where someone would a few days later leave a lot of broken glass.
movie review - Safety Not Guaranteed
2015.02.07, Toronto
This is a quirky science fiction piece about some journalists who decide to check out a weirdo inventor who is working on a time travel device.
movie review - Oblivion
2015.01.28, Toronto
This is an under-rated science fiction piece about a pair of humans assigned to oversee robotic drones that patrol a quadrant of the dying Earth.
getting some sleep
2015.01.28, Toronto
Emma woke twice last night, and I slept through both events; it's the dawn of a new age.
we're on to something
2015.01.27, Toronto
Our darling daughter didn't sleep through the night - but she didn't demand that we attend to her, either.
now I've seen everything
2015.01.23, Toronto
Today I saw a driver pull up onto the sidewalk to pass a taxi that had stopped with its blinkers going.
our new mayor just obsoleted our car purchase
2015.01.19, Toronto
A month after we break down and buy our first car, TTC improvements and fare reductions occur.
some good points on points-based immigration
2015.01.17, Toronto
Canada's just changed its immigration "points system" to ramp up the import of talented (but cheap!
cybersecurity as a systemic risk in the financial industry
2015.01.15, Toronto
Outsourcing technology service arrangements carry considerable risk to both parties.
movie review - Sideways
2015.01.14, Toronto
I saw this a second time, recently, and felt that some of its shine had worn off.
on having a plan in life
2015.01.14, Toronto
Five year ago, I had the advice from an entrepreneur that to get big things done one should have a life plan.
I'm just too nice
2015.01.12, Toronto
Today I managed to convince my son that his aunt found his uncle in a pre-Internet "catalog of husbands".
my son calls Markham "Mirkwood"
2015.01.11, Toronto
After seeing some of the Tolkien movies, Ken's taken to calling Markham "Mirkwood".
the theory of a firm
2015.01.10, Toronto
A friend at work was describing the "theory" of a legal case and I thought I'd look at whether anyone's done any thinking about a "theory of a firm".
movie review - Defendor
2015.01.06, Toronto
This is a movie about a developmentally-challenged Canadian man attempting to bring justice to the city of Hamilton, Ontario by bringing down a local mobster.
the risk of time sheets incomplete
2015.01.05, Toronto
I work in an industry where records of time spent on distinct projects are required of knowledge workers.
the news from 2137 is rough
2015.01.04, Toronto
Things according to the Onion News Network's wormhole satel
so now it's snow tires
2015.01.03, Toronto
Don't worry about a snowy winter in Toronto this year, I've bought snow tires so it won't snow at all.
2014
it's fun being back in san francisco
2014.12.24, San Francisco
It's an admittedly busy photo, but it's not easy to get a s
movie review - Dallas Buyers Club
2014.12.23, Toronto
This is a movie about a young man in the early days of the AIDS crisis who contracts the disease from a junkie prostitute.
business lunching
2014.12.18, Toronto
One recent thing I've started doing is meeting new business contacts over a coffee or a meal.
feeling thankful
2014.12.17, Toronto
Tonight I met with a friend whose daughter is recovering from a serious concussion.
I really am becoming middle aged
2014.12.16, Toronto
First it's car shopping, now I'm buying life insurance - no doubt about it, I'm middled aged.
doing it for himself
2014.12.15, Toronto
Ken cooked himself some hotdogs by dicing them up and frying them.
thanks for nothing, mbna
2014.12.15, Toronto
I've been using an MBNA mastercard for quite some time, but they've decided they don't want me anymore.
my son's D&D character has died
2014.12.13, Toronto
Facing an adversary both too strong and too many, The Boy's party was outgunned and simply ran out of luck.
things have come to a pretty pass
2014.12.10, Toronto
Things have come to a pretty pass when you find yourself crafting a ransom note.
o frabjous day, callooh callay
2014.12.08, Toronto
Today started out with a prescription for antibiotics, but ended with a giant bag of free wooden train stuff.
where are my sarcastic air quotes
2014.12.07, Toronto
Both kids had a fever this weekend; if you haven't dealt with a delirious six year old, you haven't lived!
SIFMA makes the first move
2014.12.05, Toronto
Over the past couple of years, I've been watching for a "guidance note" from one of the regulators on cyber security.
dodging ice patches on my bike
2014.12.04, Toronto
Looks like the wide, rugged tires on my Surly are just the thing for dodging or riding over patches of ice.
movie review - 2001: A Space Odyssey
2014.12.01, Toronto
Before I write this, I'll clarify that I think there's a good chance that the director of this movie faked the original moon landing on behalf of the US government during the Cold War competition with the Soviets.
the day of Christmas trees
2014.12.01, Toronto
I've started compiling a new section of my website dealing with the house rules for dungeons and dragons.
worst day of the year
2014.11.28, Toronto
Take a day that starts with a migraine, then add some grief from a car dealership, an auditor, and a failed hard drive.
no car after all
2014.11.27, Toronto
So it looks like we're not buying a car after all - a supposed problem came up with the warranty, so it's undone.
published with the IRM
2014.11.26, Toronto
The Institute of Risk Management has agreed to publish my dissertation to its membership.
introducing people
2014.11.25, Toronto
One of the advantages of attending network events is that you meet people who make you think.
movie review - The Cabin in the Woods
2014.11.17, Toronto
This is a horror movie within a sci-fi movie about a world-wide effort by humanity to appease the old gods using a systematic approach to sacrifice.
now I own a car
2014.11.15, Toronto
At 43, I now own a car for the first time in my life; nay, it's an SUV, and we can thank parenthood.
mw, interacting with people
2014.11.14, Toronto
Today I managed to do some socializing; such a rare treat in Toronto when you're middle aged.
eight years
2014.11.12, Toronto
Mari and I realized that the eighth anniversary of our wedding ceremony on a beach in Thailand was last week.
another sale for "The Fourth Turning"
2014.11.11, Toronto
I should be on commission for the 1994 book "The Fourth Turning", I keep convincing people to buy a copy.
a day of learning to .. influence
2014.11.08, Toronto
I attended a Cycle Toronto event today, to learn how to be a better advocate for change in the city.
movie review - Monsters University
2014.11.07, Toronto
I bit off more than I could chew with this one, walking away at some point to let me son soldier on while I did some chores.
cycle toronto for a year
2014.11.06, Toronto
It's been a year since I joined Cycle Toronto; I'm marking the event by attending a day long seminar on a weekend.
pedestrian traffic accidents in Toronto
2014.11.05, Toronto
Here's the correlation between hours of darkness in the day and the number of Toronto traffic accidents involving a pedestrian.
how to create a start-up, for real this time
2014.11.03, Toronto
Today I read an article on start-ups by Paul Graham - perhaps the most important I've ever read.
happy eighth anniversary, my wife!
2014.11.01, Toronto
I spent the day with a cold, and we were nursing a sick kid for half the day only for the other one to wind up with a migraine.
Hallowe'en was fun for once
2014.11.01, Toronto
We had a ball last night with the kids for trick-or-treating.
cycling light with a backpack.
2014.10.31, Toronto
I've decided to forgo my pannier and rack, for a while, in favor of a water-proof backpack.
an experiment in risk culture programming
2014.10.30, Toronto
A large part of my duty as a risk manager is to guide the organizationâ€
found an anonymous love note on my bike
2014.10.30, Toronto
This morning I discovered that someone had left an anonymous love note on my bike.
the stinging kiss of cold rain – how I've missed you
2014.10.29, Toronto
Had my first taste of a late autumn, low temperature stinging rain tonight.
paid for my damaged bike
2014.10.28, Toronto
Today I received the check for the bike that was destroyed on September 22nd.
Michael Werneburg, MSc
2014.10.27, Toronto
I got a 79% on my dissertation, which I'm told is pretty good for the UK.
my path to a master's degree
2014.10.26, Toronto
I've just completed my master's degree, something that took 2 1/2 years.
first commute on my new bike
2014.10.24, Toronto
With a new bike, you really get what you pay for; my new Surly Cross-check is a thing of beauty.
at last, my new bike
2014.10.23, Toronto
This evening I took possession of my new bike, a Surly Cross-Check with townie handlebars.
four weeks without a bike
2014.10.22, Toronto
Four weeks ago, a movie production company's truck destroyed my bike; it's been quite an adjustment.
Ontario has roads
2014.10.21, Toronto
the dice are trying to kill my son
2014.10.15, Toronto
I've been playing D&D with my young son; I swear the dice are trying to kill his first character.
a risk practitioners uprising
2014.10.10, Toronto
I took a couple of vacation days to go to Minneapolis and join the third annual conference of the Society of Information Risk Analysts, an interesting group of risk practitioners that is putting together what seems to be not exactly a people's uprising but a practitioners' uprising in the information risk management field.
500px is our neighbour
2014.10.07, Toronto
I've just discovered that the offices of 500px are half a block away, on our street.
the TTC is not good for my legs
2014.10.06, Toronto
It's now been two weeks since my bike was destroyed, and my legs and hips are constantly sore from lack of exercise.
the day my lies caught up with me
2014.10.05, Toronto
"I'm glad I didn't trust you," my wife said as I walked through the door.
movie review - The Lego Movie
2014.10.04, Toronto
This is a feature-length advertisement for all things Lego, and I found it quite entertaining.
going to Minneapolis
2014.10.02, Toronto
I'm going to join a conference on information risk management in exotic Minneapolis.
success at last with my bike
2014.10.01, Toronto
I've finally had some success with getting my damaged bike replaced; I had to resort to threats.
what happened to my bike
2014.09.30, Toronto
It was hit by a truck during the filming of a Nicholas Cage
no progress on getting my damaged bike replaced
2014.09.30, Toronto
I've placed an order for a new bike, but no one at the movie production company will give me the time of day.
could this be our first car
2014.09.29, Toronto
It's not much to look at, but this is the type of car we're considering for our growing family.
all-city space horse
2014.09.28, Toronto
While I imagine the "Space horse" might take the award for most strangely named bicycle, it is truly beautiful to behold.
some camera gear is getting really, really good
2014.09.27, Toronto
I would never have guessed, but Sony truly leading innovation in the camera market these days.
a cyclecross frame with townie handlebars
2014.09.26, Toronto
As I get older and stop making sense, one of my highest priorities in choosing a bike is my poor old back.
scared into trying an anti-virus package for my Mac
2014.09.25, Toronto
Every time I go to a cyber-security event, I learn to be scared for safety of my home computers.
movie review - The Princess Bride
2014.09.24, Toronto
This is a movie telling of a story book as read by a grandfather to his grandson who is home sick.
and then, in a second, my bike was destroyed
2014.09.23, Toronto
The movie "Pay the Ghost" cost me my bike today when one of their truck drivers crushed it.
the secret of life: dignity and meaning
2014.09.22, Toronto
Today I read a mission statement for life by American author & statesman John Gardner.
fun at Jungle Cat World
2014.09.20, Orono, Ontario
We went to bustling Orono, Ontario today and saw some of the world's last remaining 120 Amur leopards.
my odyssey on the TTC
2014.09.19, Toronto
Today I had a truly bizarre trip to work, courtesy of the Toronto Transit Commission.
applying for an award
2014.09.17, Toronto
I'm going to submit an entry for an award competition, based on my work over the past few years.
hot pink Minolta XD-11
2014.09.16, Toronto
I've received the hot pink leather kit I ordered from Japan.
a new rangefinder-style camera on the market
2014.09.15, Toronto
Mmmm, the march of progress in camera technology and design.
some monarchs at last
2014.09.14, Toronto
My son and I must have seen a dozen monarch butterflies in the city today as we rode "Bells on Danforth".
80% of the monarch butterflies I've seen this year were road-kill
2014.09.13, Toronto
Eighty percent of the monarch butterflies I've seen this year were roadkill we passed on a four km cycle trip today.
cycling to savings
2014.09.12, Toronto
I figure my bike saved me five TTC fares today; I've now saved over $3,400 in TTC fares in two years with a $700 bike.
holy crap, this is early September
2014.09.11, Toronto
I faced a 30kph headwind heading west into the city this morning, then a biting 15 kph headwind heading east again in the evening.
learning the ropes in marketing
2014.09.10, Toronto
We've been on quite a marketing roll at work, recently.
so it's meritage
2014.09.09, Toronto
Thanks to my mum's expertise, Mari and I have been "bumped out of our wine bracket" and now drink Meritage wines, which are blends that take the various excesses out of the different single-grape type drinks.
staple-studded pole
2014.09.08, Toronto
car ownership
2014.09.08, Toronto
It looks like we might become the last family of four without a car, and finally join the driving set.
DaftBlogger once more
2014.09.05, Toronto
Once again, I've written a post about the thrilling world of service audits; incredibly, I keep being invited back.
beautiful day for outdoors volunteering
2014.09.04, Toronto
All set for that volunteering stint with Cycle Toronto; by which I mean, I know where to be and when.
all moved in
2014.09.03, Toronto
It's nice when you're a niche software provider and you're in a like-minded neighbourhood.
catching the last summer rays in Toronto
2014.09.02, Toronto
volunteering
2014.08.29, Toronto
I'm signed up for more volunteering for Cycle Toronto; this time, manning a booth at the last East Lynn market for the season.
the two year old does her best marilyn monroe
2014.08.28, Toronto
the two year old does her best marilyn monroe Collections
toronto cycle trail on a misty august morning
2014.08.28, Toronto
toronto cycle trail on a misty august morning Collections
stupidity again today
2014.08.28, Toronto
Today a restauranteur distinguished himself when I tried to pay with a credit card at his cash-only spot; he let me go.
to the science center!
2014.08.27, Toronto
I took the day off due to The Girl's being unwell, and spent the day with The Boy; we went to the science center (naturally).
always on the hottest day of the year
2014.08.26, Toronto
Cycled in a mad rush across the city today, getting to the hospital - it's always on the hottest day of the year.
today I pissed away $45
2014.08.25, Toronto
I mis-heard a quote at a print house: I thought I was spending $16, but it came to $60; aging does not make you wiser.
today, the storage unit
2014.08.24, Toronto
Today we really lived it up, clearing out the storage unit for the first time in three and a half years.
men with small moustaches
2014.08.23, Toronto
Tonight Ken asked me, "why do men with small moustaches want to be bald?
a letter to the tooth fairy for his sister
2014.08.22, Toronto
Ken wrote a letter to the tooth fairy today, on behalf of his sister.
feeling rough today
2014.08.22, Toronto
For whatever reason, it wasn't until today that the news of the death of a friend a few weeks ago really hit me.
housing in a bubble
2014.08.21, Toronto
When your kids are too big an noisy for your apartment, but the housing market's gone bubbly, you must ride it out.
and now, a book project
2014.08.20, Toronto
Next up; a book project on how to get a service provider through an audit, to sell to regulated industries.
today they buried a friend
2014.08.19, Toronto
I have a nasty habit of missing out-of-town funerals; so it was again today.
edited star wars movies
2014.08.18, Toronto
At a BBQ, I learned that I'm not the only one who shows his kids the fan edited versions of Star Wars.
twenty years
2014.08.16, Toronto
I've now been working for more than twenty years; I suppose it's better than to toil in obscurity than it is to loaf in obscurity.
disoriented
2014.08.15, Toronto
Hardly know what to do with myself now that I'm not studying and writing for hours a day.
Toronto is nice in Augtober
2014.08.14, Toronto
It was 14ºC this morning, and so cool in the evening that the heat came on in our apartment.
my dissertation is submitted
2014.08.13, Toronto
I've submitted my dissertation; three years of work has come to this final piece in my master's degree.
dear Adobe and Microsoft...
2014.08.12, Toronto
Dear Adobe and Microsoft; I've paid for both your products, I need them to work together -- get on it!
you win this round, phragmites!
2014.08.08,
I've fought to a draw with the phragmites at the cottage; after days of work with the scythe, it feels like harvesting than eradication.
August bass at the cottage
2014.08.06, Victoria Harbour
movie review - Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
2014.08.06, Toronto
I showed The Boy this bizarre but lovable movie about a mopey kid who wins a much-sought-after prize to tour a chocolate factory run by a famous recluse.
caught a big bass
2014.08.06,
I've never been a successful fisherman, but today I caught a 43cm/17" bass off the end of the dock.
the fisherman
2014.08.05, Toronto
Ken's been catching fish left and right; at this pace he'll have caught more this week than I had by the age of forty.
it's war!
2014.08.04,
We're at the cottage, and it turns out that the waterfront's become infested with an invasive species called "phragmites".
so they're making another "Mad Max" movie
2014.08.01, Toronto
So they're making another "Mad Max" movie; I just hope it's not another "Prometheus".
yay, here comes ebola
2014.07.31, Toronto
There are more an more articles spreading about an ebola article in western Africa.
movie review - Contagion
2014.07.30, Toronto
This is an interesting piece about some potential ramifications from a pandemic.
another cyclist hit on the streets of Toronto
2014.07.30, Toronto
A cyclist was struck by a car a few blocks from where we live; it turns out that it was our city Councillor.
what I do
2014.07.29, Toronto
Someone on LinkedIn asked why I have the title of "Director of Business Risk & Opportunity", so I wrote it all down.
a long week is over
2014.07.25, Toronto
Never buy an adjustable stem for a bicycle; that bit of advice sent me from pillar to post today until I'd fixed that mistake.
a house on fire
2014.07.23, Toronto
Tonight in the wee hours, we were woken by the sirens of fire engines; a house across the street was aflame.
Toronto ferry dock's
2014.07.21, Toronto
Went to see if Ken's cycling gloves were at Toronto ferry's "lost and found"; it turns out that's just a pile of junk on a sidewalk.
movie review - The Master
2014.07.20, Toronto
This is a story of a psychologically damaged veteran of world war two who returns to normal life after a stint in the care of a psychiatric ward.
volunteering to fix bikes
2014.07.19, Toronto
Our volunteer gang would show up to fix bikes at an annual
the curse of camera lustin'
2014.07.18, Toronto
With just 1 income and 2 kids to feed, I'm the rare photographer who is resisting his wife's urging to buy a new camera.
dissertation draft submitted
2014.07.17, Toronto
Tonight I submitted my first complete draft of my dissertation to my supervisor in the UK.
now (zero) days without a cycling accident
2014.07.16, Toronto
I know all the young dudes gotta ride fixies with feet velcro'd in, but fer god's sake wear a helmet.
watches rub off on people
2014.07.15, Toronto
Among the other "watch people" iin our office, one has bought the SARX017 I decided against back in the spring.
flesh-eating bacteria be damned
2014.07.14, Toronto
I had a chat today at lunch time with someone who's recovering from a fight with a flesh-eating bacterium.
slowly, Toronto is becoming cycle-ready
2014.07.10, Toronto
With the new contra-flow cycle lanes, the city is learning that cycling is a solution; no one tell the Mayors!
someone who gets it
2014.07.09, Toronto
When you're lost in the midst of a dissertation, it's enormously helpful to meet someone who understands you.
putin mugs make happy
2014.07.08, Toronto
I bought some his-and-hers coffee mugs with images of Vladimir Putin for my brother and his wife.
feeling thankful for small things
2014.07.07, Toronto
The torrential rain that was coming down all night finally eased up about 1/4 of the way through my cycle commute.
a day of fishing on center island
2014.07.06, Toronto
We spent the day on center island again, this time for a day of fishing.
found by my tiny daughter
2014.07.04, Toronto
As I cycled home tonight, I heard a familiar voice cry "'addy"â€
why me not think good
2014.07.03, Toronto
In the same book I quoted yesterday, I found this list of common problems with human cognition; it's a doozy.
now I've read everything
2014.07.02, Toronto
I found this excerpt in a business management book, today, and to be honest I believe it completely.
great ball contraption
2014.06.29, Toronto
Some people are really mechanically inclined; no surprise this lego-based "great ball contraption comes from Japan.
the soaking of the year and a book on executing on strategy
2014.06.25, Toronto
Tonight it was raining so hard on my way home from work that I might as well have been cycling in the shower.
arsenic in the food, and a half-eaten baby
2014.06.24, Toronto
So it turns out that rice from the US, which we've been eating daily for years, contains way more arsenic than it should.
movie review - Coherence
2014.06.23, Toronto
During the passage of a comet, a group of friends have a dinner party.
car wax on a bike
2014.06.23, Toronto
It's not usual that I meet someone who towers over me, but one such giant taught me that you can use car wax on a bike.
movie review - Riddick
2014.06.21, Toronto
This is the unnecessary third movie in the "Pitch Black" series.
what a perfect day
2014.06.21, Toronto
We spent the day cycling with some friends, down to center island then up its length, then back.
internal control calendar
2014.06.20, Toronto
I had to set up a schedule for internal controls at a small
no more shooting film
2014.06.20, Toronto
The repair shop wants another $60 just to get a quote on my film cameras; I guess I'm done with film photography.
young no longer
2014.06.19, Toronto
There was a time when I was young; I recognize that those days are long over.
a bike lane approved
2014.06.18, Toronto
Cycle Toronto's "32 Spokes" in Ward 32 has managed to get a contra-flow bike lane through the PWIC today.
edits, edits, edits
2014.06.17, Toronto
I'm in the final stretch for my dissertation; the endless edits and rewrites.
cyclist down (on the tracks, naturally)
2014.06.16, Toronto
This morning on the way to work I passed a fellow cyclist who was down on the street, gasping in pain.
learning at the feet of the masters
2014.06.14, Toronto
I had an interesting opportunity to learn from some talented Toronto drivers today; I assume it's a full moon?
give the cyclist a door prize!
2014.06.13, Toronto
I got doored by someone emerging from a taxi, today; I pulled out of it but it's still dangerous and annoying.
walking five kilometers for charity
2014.06.12, Toronto
I was part of a $500,000 fund-raising 5km run today.
movie review - Elysium
2014.06.11, Toronto
I was attracted to this flick originally because I learned that it featured an orbital named Elysium - just like an unpublished novel of mine.
maxalt, a migraine drug as bad as the problem it solves
2014.06.11, Toronto
It's official, I can not take the migraine drug "Maxalt" without developing chest pains and winding up in the hospital.
interesting weather
2014.06.10, Toronto
ruining film with a shutter problem
2014.06.10, Toronto
I picked up some film today; it looks like I've got shutter problems with both of my beloved old X-700 cameras.
another year, another AGM
2014.06.05, Toronto
Time flies when you're having fun; and so, I found myself at the annual general meeting of the institute of internal auditors.
3D yoda head for lego minifig
2014.06.04, Toronto
Our friend Michael has made our son a Yoda head for a LEGO minifig on his company's 3D printer; it looked amazing!
I shot the Kenneth A on a difficult day
2014.06.03, Toronto
The stars aligned this morning, I was able to shoot that boat with my son's name.
great people are almost always bad people
2014.06.02, Toronto
Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely; great people are almost always bad people.
The Kenneth A
2014.05.30, Toronto
Today I spotted a boat that had my son's name, "Kenneth A"; knew I should have brought a camera.
fondling cameras
2014.05.29, Toronto
I dropped off some film and took the opportunity to fondle a digital camera (behind my film camera's back).
bring coffee or don't come home
2014.05.28, Toronto
No coffee in the home this morning; Mari's look said, "Bring coffee beans tonight, or don't come home.
bikes made in Toronto
2014.05.27, Toronto
I've noticed some new brands of bikes around, of late; it turns out there are two new bike manufacturers in Toronto.
today I "biked to work"
2014.05.26, Toronto
I joined Cycle Toronto's "bike to work" thing today for the first time; it was fun, there were hundreds of cyclists involved.
voting Green
2014.05.26, Toronto
I had no idea who I'd vote for in the Provincial election; happily I've learned that someone I know is standing for the Greens.
happy towel day!!
2014.05.25, Toronto
OK, geeks, it's towel day and I hope you've got your towel with you.
progress on my dissertation
2014.05.24, Toronto
I've made quite a bit of headway with my dissertation, in part by taking a week off of work to throw myself at the thing.
Rob Ford's not all bad
2014.05.20, Toronto
Rob Ford's not all bad; thanks to him, parents are having the "drugs are bad" talk with their kids waaaaay ahead of schedule.
gluten-free beer in Japan
2014.05.18, Toronto
Mari's just discovered that the whole time I was in Japan, there were gluten-free beers available (dammit).
first barbeque of the year
2014.05.17, Toronto
We went to a barbeque today, with tonnes of great food, some wine, and some friends.
dragging out the bikes
2014.05.17, Toronto
This "Spring" has been so cold and wet that we haven't been on a joint bike ride yet.
another semi-annual audit complete
2014.05.16, Toronto
We breezed through another semi-annual audit today.
seeing to Niagara
2014.05.15, Toronto
On Sunday we went to the beach and I noticed that I could see a lighthouse on the Niagara shore of the lake.
good-bye "yarsh"
2014.05.14, Toronto
Our daughter's learning to speak using words, so no more waking in the night only to point at a wall and whisper "yarsh".
on coffee and batteries
2014.05.13, Toronto
Some days are full of import; some times you're just happy to remember to buy coffee and batteries.
there will always be cheddar in the mouse trap, baby
2014.05.08, Toronto
I've been noticing a lot of anniversaries floating around these days.
movie review - Her
2014.05.07, Toronto
This is a science fiction film about a fellow who falls in love with a synthetic intelligent that's partially resident in his "phone".
yup, it's allergy season
2014.05.07, Toronto
After days of symptoms it's clear - the temperature has hit the double digits (at last) and now it's allergy season.
consuming the blood of the young
2014.05.06, Toronto
So it turns out that we can improve the health and energy levels of the elderly by giving them blood transfusions from younger people.
another new blog post
2014.05.05, Toronto
I've written a blog post that dives into some of the results of my masters dissertation.
may the fourth be with you!
2014.05.04, Toronto
Today we went to the toy store to pick up a scooter for The Boy; incredibly, there was a line up waiting for the store to open.
and now the mosquitos
2014.05.02, Toronto
It's not enough that we're still experiencing March weather in May - now we have to contend with mosquitoes, too.
don't drop the baby!
2014.05.01, Toronto
The other day, I nearly dropped our squirmy little girl on her head; when I caught her, her hair was already touching the floor.
movie review - The Adventures of Tintin
2014.04.30, Toronto
I really enjoyed this animated rendition of the old "Tintin" comic books.
so I guess we'll need a new mayor
2014.04.30, Toronto
At last, we'll finally start to get over the Rob Ford era here in Toronto.
are audit reports all about marketing
2014.04.29, Toronto
I am writing a dissertation on the impacts of implementing an enterprise risk function at service organizations.
the story of my father's arrival in Canada
2014.04.28, Toronto
Here's an account from my father of his arrival in Canada in 1956.
cycling in dress socks
2014.04.28, Toronto
I was so out of it this morning I cycled to work in a pair of dress socks - it must be Monday.
5,000 journal entries
2014.04.25, Toronto
I've now written some five thousand entries in this journal of mine.
red light at dawn, cyclist's .. delight
2014.04.25, Toronto
I've had a happy experience with "Outdoor Gear Canada", the distributor of the blinking lights I use for cycling.
bigger nerd than ever
2014.04.24, Toronto
I've found a way to be a bigger nerd than ever; using an RFID-proof wallet.
more fun with my dissertation
2014.04.23, Toronto
I've had some interesting results from a survey of technology service providers who had completed a third-party service audit.
return of the cold weather
2014.04.22, Toronto
I grew up in Calgary, so I don't mind winter; but enough of this 3°C and rain!
simpletax.ca to the rescue
2014.04.21, Toronto
I've been back in Canada for three years, but I still haven't gotten used to our complicated tax return system.
progress on my dissertation
2014.04.20, Toronto
As part of my masters dissertation, I surveyed six firms to evaluate their experience with service audits with interesting results.
easter eggs for a toddler
2014.04.20, Toronto
It was The Girl's first Easter egg hunt with her brother, and she was lucky: her brother was a real sweetheart about sharing.
shooting my coworkers
2014.04.18, Toronto
Earlier this week, I lived out the dream of shooting my coworkers.
my annual presentation to our clients
2014.04.16, Toronto
Recently, in reading a book on strategy execution, I found a clear test of why an employer should retain you.
everyone's lived in Japan
2014.04.14, Toronto
While munching on a burger at Queen and Spadina today, I watched the people go by.
movie review - The Secret World of Arriety
2014.04.13, Toronto
This is an animated movie from Japan's Ghibli studio.
having a ball
2014.04.11, Toronto
I've done some of the most interesting stuff of my career this past week.
more bike repairs
2014.04.08, Toronto
Last year I had a new set of handlebars put on my bike, they're "city bike" style, swept back like a pigeon's wings.
instead of kisses, I get kicks
2014.04.07, Toronto
My daughter kicked me in the throat yesterday for asking for a kiss.
Mari and the kids, gone for a month
2014.04.02, Toronto
Mari and the kids have been in Japan for the past month, and we had our final Skype chat tonight before they'd get on the plane.
a remarkable trip to work
2014.04.01, Toronto
Today as I was riding to work, I came upon a construction site where a giant crane was lifting some concrete barriers into place.
new camera crush – the Fuji XT-1
2014.03.31, Toronto
Today I managed to hold the most recent object of my camera affection, an XT-1 from Fuji.
a wallet in the street at 07:45
2014.03.29, Toronto
As I was rushing across town on my bike this morning I found a wallet lying on the street at Dundas Avenue (at Hastings).
the good thing about a masters degree
2014.03.27, Toronto
When you're an adult student doing a masters dissertation, it seems that having interested responses from authors you're citing can come with the territory.
an icy beard at -12ºC
2014.03.26, Toronto
I've been cycling all week so far, but today was the coldest day I've cycled (possibly ever).
movie review - Back to the Future
2014.03.21, Toronto
I tried showing my son this movie but he didn't get it or think it was at all good.
a loaf in every microwave, and a cyclist in every rainstorm
2014.03.19, Toronto
I've been back on my bike for two days and have already had my first good rain storm.
cycled to work today
2014.03.18, Toronto
I took the plunge, and cycled to work in -5°C weather on roads that were mostly clear but naturally still somewhat icy.
housing in Canada
2014.03.12, Toronto
The house where my family lived from the time I was nine through eighteen was sold this year.
emerging from winter on my bike
2014.03.08, Toronto
I rode my bike up to Danforth and Pape to pick up a suit and some shirts.
two more professional blog posts this week
2014.03.07, Toronto
This week I've made two new blog posts.
the 143 is no kind of express bus
2014.03.06, Toronto
There's a supposedly "express" bus that runs from Toronto's Beaches neighbourhood to the downtown.
new beater watch
2014.03.06, Toronto
For quite a while, I found myself torn between a rugged no-worry every day watch and something more expensive.
fleeing the winged sales baboon
2014.03.04, Toronto
Today I rid myself of a bank that doesn't understand its basic function.
so this is forty-three
2014.03.03, Toronto
I have never been told "happy birthday" as often as I was this year.
tobaggen track in our backyard
2014.03.02, Toronto
Say what you will about the constant snow and cold, we've got a pretty good tobaggen track in our backyard right now, with a nice jump and two exciting curves.
new thinking on a watch
2014.03.02, Toronto
Mari and I have decided to get a different "JDM" watch for me in Japan while she's in Japan with the kids over my birthday.
the forty-two-year-old adult boy
2014.02.23, Toronto
The Boy and I went to see the Lego movie for a second time with a coworker of mine.
latest watch crush
2014.02.22, Toronto
I've discovered a website where you can order "Japan Domestic Market" Seiko watches, and found this lovely item.
are risk registers obsolete
2014.02.21, Toronto
I founded the risk management function at PortfolioAidâ€
the high price of cycling in Toronto (weather edition)
2014.02.18, Toronto
the high price of cycling in Toronto (weather edition) the
public action
2014.02.18, Toronto
I took The Boy to a public meeting held by the city to look into whether they're going to build the cycle lanes we've been working for.
thinking of watches
2014.02.15, Toronto
I've been thinking of replacing the watch that died on me a couple of years ago â€
writing dissertation surveys
2014.02.11, Toronto
The next phases of my dissertation is to start polling people.
more blogging
2014.02.09, Toronto
The editor of the blog for which I submitted the article has now asked me to write something for him every month.
movie review - Avatar
2014.02.08, Toronto
This is a science fiction flick set in a considerably-distant future where humanity is combing the stars looking for things to plunder from planets that are already occupied by intelligent species we don't understand.
camera porn from Fuji
2014.02.08, Toronto
Ah, man, the things you see when you have neither the cash nor the time.
movie review - Under The Skin
2014.02.07, Toronto
This is a science fiction story featuring aliens that have come to Earth to harvest men.
gung hay fat choy MacKenzie clan!
2014.02.06, Toronto
At a Chinese New Year's party this past weekend I met someone who, like my mother's family, has connections to the MacKenzies of "Middle River" in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia.
more blogging (ISACA)
2014.02.04, Toronto
A contact at ISACA has agreed to look at what would be a second blog post for their regular feature, "ISACA Now".
business planning
2014.02.04, Toronto
Getting a business plan down on paper is one of those substantial, cathartic affairs.
a guest blog post
2014.02.02, Toronto
Say, my guest blog post on risk & opportunity went live on the 19th.
progress on my dissertation
2014.01.31, Toronto
I've nearly completed the first draft of my literature review.
a bloody snowman
2014.01.30, Toronto
A friend in Tokyo sent me a funny image and story about a raccoon-eating snowman in the US.
buh-bye cafergot
2014.01.29, Toronto
Some great news today: the medication I take for my migraines has been discontinued.
a letter and a bottle
2014.01.28, Toronto
Our downstairs neighbour has to live with every bump and shout and scrape that we produce.
got an old charge reversed
2014.01.27, Toronto
It's been one of those months, where every time I turn around something's gone sideways.
tales too crummy - must be the TTC
2014.01.25, Toronto
I took Ken to a birthday party for a boy who's a day younger than him.
five minutes or forty, TTC
2014.01.24, Toronto
The TTC is under the delusion that street cars come to my stop in the Beaches on a roughly five minute schedule.
PrimeCables won't accept returns on audio-visual electronics
2014.01.23, Toronto
I bought some A/V equipment from a Canadian retailer called PrimeCables.
rush passport!
2014.01.22, Toronto
Just once in my life I'd like to do a passport application without it being a borderline panic.
reading at natural speed
2014.01.21, Toronto
The Toronto school system has a reading system where the kids follow graded levels, A, B, C, etc.
debit card fraud (or is it FUD)
2014.01.20, Toronto
Today I attended a seminar on securing personal data, presented by someone with experience in the credit card world at the highest levels.
credit card number compromised
2014.01.14, Toronto
Three years ago, someone stole my driver's license details and I had to go through months of getting the resulting fraudulent activity unwound.
still no TV
2014.01.14, Toronto
Having a TV mounting bracket on the wall, but no TV to hang there is a strange situation but that's where we stand.
checks lost in space
2014.01.13, Toronto
Some time back, Mari and I took our son into the branch of our local bank to open an account for him.
risk, opportunity, and the service organization
2014.01.12, Toronto
Specialist information technology services organizations play a substantial role in regulated industries such as finance.
ice and slipping
2014.01.12, Toronto
Two of my coworkers have slipped recently and injured themselves.
movie review - Snowpiercer
2014.01.08, Toronto
This is the tale of inmates of a high-speed train that is circling the Earth on a track spanning a global frozen wasteland.
hanging a TV and a concrete hammer drill
2014.01.05, Toronto
We're still waiting for our TV to arrive, but we have the mounting bracket so I put that up.
comments, I get comments
2014.01.05, Toronto
I've been getting some good comments on my website recently, including my tale of being crapped on by birds and my guide to .
a woman lying in the street, not able to breath
2014.01.04, Toronto
About a month ago, I was arriving at my street at the end of my nightly cycle commute when I noticed a woman lying in the street.
forest after an ice storm and a thaw
2014.01.01, Toronto
forest after an ice storm and a thaw Collections containin
some resolutions
2014.01.01, Toronto
I've decided to renew my decade-lost habit of making new year's resolutions.
2013
a concussion and a new phone
2013.12.30, Toronto
I recently switched to a new mobile provider and at the time turned down the phone they wanted to send me; now I've changed my mind.
no snow at all
2013.12.27, St. Catharines
We all brought our parkas and boots and even a sled, but the snow's all melted and it's even moderately sunny - I'm not complaining, but I am overdressed.
Doctor Who has become a mess
2013.12.26, St. Catharines
Doctor Who has become a shadow of the unique and shining thing that it once was.
the work year grinds to a halt on a good note
2013.12.24, Toronto
On this, the last business day of the year, we got some very good news on a project I've been working on since February: a whopping refund from the Canadian Revenue Agency.
how an ice storm kills trees
2013.12.22, Toronto
second secret bonus level of fatherhood
2013.12.21, Toronto
Today I made The Boy laugh milk through his nose.
owing everything to your forebears
2013.12.17, Toronto
At a staff Christmas party today, the conversation turned to philosophical questions around having kids.
movie review - Planes
2013.12.14, Toronto
This is a Pixar movie, but you can scarcely recognize the genius behind "Toy Story" and "Finding Nemo" in this abysmal straight-to-DVD release that incredibly somehow makes "Cars" look good.
dissertation's first part complete
2013.12.13, Toronto
I've submitted the proposal and research methodologies portion of my dissertation.
rationalizing our mobile phone services
2013.12.12, Toronto
The bill for our mobile phone services somehow piled up to $85 this month.
the secret bonus level of fatherhood
2013.12.03, Toronto
When The Girl was new born and colicky, I spent hours and hours singing every song I could think of to try to pacify her.
political activism
2013.12.02, Toronto
This weekend Ken and I had fun stuffing information pamphlets into mailboxes on a short one-way street in our neighbourhood this weekend.
who knew that imperial measurements could be so fun
2013.12.01, Toronto
Remember, it's three steps to a pace.
on selecting a professional designation
2013.11.28, Toronto
Here's some interesting guidance I found, from a financial regulator on the concept of professional designations.
movie review - Up
2013.11.27, Toronto
This is an excellent animated kids' movie about an elderly man who is being pressured to give up his home by callous real-estate agents.
an arrest on my street
2013.11.27, Toronto
As I was taking Ken to school this morning I noticed two police officers leading a man in handcuffs to their patrol car.
back on my bike
2013.11.27, Toronto
I was sick on Monday of last week, and wound up missing a whole week of cycling as I rode the TTC.
getting together with friends
2013.11.24, Toronto
We had the happy change of pace today in that we were invited to the home of some friends for dinner.
a telco does something kind
2013.11.15, Toronto
Today a telephone/communications company did something decent for perhaps the first time in history.
dancing and singing
2013.11.14, Toronto
The Girl has taken to humming and sub-vocalizing some of the children's songs that she plays from a small toy.
what ISACA needs
2013.11.12, Toronto
I belong to an IT governance, audit, and security organization called ISACA.
bouncing on Dundas
2013.11.11, Toronto
Well, it's Monday, following the classic definition; "A sunny day that follows two days of cloud and rain.
more identity theft factors
2013.11.09, Toronto
I didn't leave the house today, choosing instead to divide my time between my dissertation and the data breach / identity theft nonsense.
a new name
2013.11.08, Toronto
Due to my identity records being stolen from the website of a clueless Trust Company, I sought the advice of a lawyer.
saving the day, one latte at a time
2013.11.07, Toronto
When we sat down for breakfast, we realized that we'd both failed to make coffee.
new seat for sore back
2013.11.05, Toronto
I spoke with a fellow this morning on my ride to work about the unusual seat on his bike.
data breach at a Canadian trust company
2013.11.03, Toronto
I was seriously hoping to get some studying done this weekend.
happy November, drivers
2013.11.01, Toronto
Today someone with a mobile device in his lap decided he'd had enough of waiting at the red light and made an abrupt left turn through the intersection, despite the fact that three lanes of one-way traffic were closing in from the right.
scanning in color
2013.10.30, Toronto
I've finally figured something out with my scanner and the software I'm using.
me and "Cycle Toronto"
2013.10.29, Toronto
I've signed up with an organization called "Cycle Toronto", formerly known as the Toronto Cyclist's Union.
back is getting better
2013.10.24, Toronto
My back's on the mend for the first time in roughly fifteen months.
the day I came to work without pants
2013.10.23, Toronto
Today I had to face the fact that I might have a bit too much on my mind.
writing a dissertation proposal
2013.10.22, Toronto
I'm writing my first-ever dissertation proposal at the moment.
fifteen years online
2013.10.18, Toronto
Fifteen years and eleven days ago, I registered my first personal Internet domain: etherlabs.
another year's audit in the bag
2013.10.17, Toronto
I'm getting to the point that the auditors spend only four hours on-site to do our SOC-2 audits.
new handlebars just fine
2013.10.15, Toronto
I can't be sure, but I believe that my new handlebars are already helping my back.
back from fishing
2013.10.14, Georgian Bay
movie review - Transformers: Dark of The Moon
2013.10.11, Toronto
This is the second sequel to the splashy first from six years ago.
adopting north road handlebars
2013.10.11, Toronto
I'm in physiotherapy for lower back pain that's been plaguing me for over a year.
professionalizing IT security
2013.10.10, Toronto
Nearly a year ago, I came across a well-written piece on the state of the IT security field, and what's wrong with it.
another event, another speaker
2013.10.09, Toronto
This time it was a mutual fund industry event, and the speaker was the Ontario minister of finance.
so it's muscular
2013.10.08, Toronto
Today I learned from my physiotherapist that a long-standing discomfort I've been putting up with is not a side effect of a surgery I had six months ago, but of a lifetime of slothful lazing about in front of computers.
a speaker at an industry event
2013.10.04, Toronto
Today I manned a booth at an industry event for Canadian investment brokerages.
how long can a rebranding go
2013.10.01, Toronto
We put the finishing touches on a rebranding effort at work, today.
fist-fighting commuters
2013.09.30, Toronto
Recently on the way home from work work I saw two fights erupt on a short stretch of my route.
so the West is getting dumber
2013.09.27, Toronto
Apparently, the population of the west has seen a steady erosion of IQ test results since Victorian times (the late 19th century).
goodbye Monarch butterflies
2013.09.25, Toronto
On a recent trip with Opa, Ken was enthusiastic about seeing some Monarch butterfly caterpillars crawling on some milkweed plants.
movie review - Zero Dark Thirty
2013.09.24, Toronto
This is a fictionalized telling of the capture and execution of Osama bin Laden following the 9/11 attacks.
times have changed (school hardening edition)
2013.09.24, Toronto
They've installed upgraded door locks at Ken's school along with buzzer systems and security cameras.
tough week (two days in the office edition)
2013.09.19, Toronto
Well I only worked in the office two days this week but it felt long enough.
first day of physiotherapy
2013.09.13, Toronto
I've started working with a physiotherapist due to the lingering pain in my back and pelvis.
volunteering for what
2013.09.12, Toronto
Because I have so little with which to occupy my time, I'm looking at volunteering for some of the professional associations I belong to.
movie review - Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
2013.09.11, Toronto
This is the sequel to the original Transformers movie from 2007, which was entertaining.
$60 brake fix?
2013.09.10, Toronto
And that's enough of paying for bike repairs I should be able to do myself.
accepted to the master's program
2013.09.09, Toronto
I got into the graduate school program in the UK.
fixing the brakes
2013.09.09, Toronto
I didn't get around to fixing my brakes on the weekend, so I switched around the damaged brake arm from the front with one at the rear of the bike (leaving the pads backwards) and set off.
ken gets stung
2013.09.08, Toronto
It's the season for yellowjacket hornets, and even though we all know not to swat the damn things (this causes the hit insect to release fight pheromones, which attracts angry allies), I accidentally knocked one of the things while trying to wave it away.
opa's vengeance is complete
2013.09.07, Toronto
Opa and Oma presented the kids with some gifts last night.
brakes broke
2013.09.06, Toronto
I came out of the office tonight to discover that a component of the front brakes on my bike has broken.
fifteen kids, one car
2013.09.04, Toronto
A car alarm sounded across the street this evening, something I haven't heard in the 21/2 years we've been here.
fishing at sunset
2013.09.02, Toronto
two fishermen, five fish
2013.09.02,
Knowing that we were heading out mid-day, I woke Ken early and we headed out on the water by 06:30.
two fishermen, no fish
2013.09.01,
For some reason I got the old row-boat down to the water, put The Boy into it, and dragged him half-way across Sturgeon Bay, rowing into a steady headwind the whole way.
seven kids, six parents
2013.08.30, Toronto
We were outnumbered at a get-together this evening with Elias's family and Manami's family ('round here we identify families by the first name of the first born, for whatever reasonâ€
"don't get fatter!"
2013.08.29, Toronto
As I was heading out the door today, my five year old son warned me, "don't get fatter!
going back to school
2013.08.28, Toronto
The results on the daily practice tests I've been doing for the CIA final exam are getting steadily better.
soaking of the year
2013.08.27, Toronto
In each of the two years since I've been back, I've fallen from my bike once and been caught in torrential rain at least once.
pedialyte and tequila
2013.08.25, Toronto
It must be a Sunday afternoon when you're down to mixing tequila with expired children's electrolyte drink.
more blonde in the gene pool
2013.08.23, Toronto
My mum, our family's chief genealogist, has been contacted by someone through ancestry.
stuff getting cheaper (not everything)
2013.08.22, Toronto
In the midst of perpetually increasing costs of living, I've noticed that some things seem to be getting cheaper.
bird shit .. again
2013.08.21, Toronto
For the thirteenth wonderful time in my life, I've been shit on by a bird.
cycling in the morning
2013.08.20, Toronto
I left home before 07:00 this morning, cycling under a red dawn on streets I expected to find a good deal quieter than they in fact turned out to be.
a friend is moving to town
2013.08.19, Toronto
One of my few remaining friends in Japan has decided to leave .
silent communication
2013.08.18, Toronto
In the midst of our dinner, The Boy got up and went to use the toilet.
a BBQ in Lelieville
2013.08.18, Toronto
An old friend (and former boss) had us over for a BBQ today so that our wives and kids could meet.
studies .. work .. studies .. work
2013.08.15, Toronto
I've taken up the routine of leaving for the office at around 7 every morning and studying until office hours start.
cycling again
2013.08.11, Toronto
This weekend we got Ken out on his little green bike for the first time in quite a while.
movie review - Safe House
2013.08.09, Tokyo
This is a spy/action movie in which one character (played by Ryan Reynolds) is guarding a CIA "safe house" and the other (played by Denzel Washington) is one of the world's most wanted criminals.
meeting an entrepreneur
2013.08.09, Toronto
Today after work I met with a whip-smart fellow who's uncovered a business opportunity and is designing a technology solution.
rescheduled my exam
2013.08.08, Toronto
My practice quiz results still aren't where I need them to be.
goodbye, visitors
2013.08.07, Toronto
We've been spending time with a succession of visitors from overseas since the middle of June.
a day off .. to study
2013.08.06, Toronto
We've got friends in town and I took the day off so that Mari, the kids, and I could get together with them.
more plecostomus
2013.08.05, Toronto
The recent heat wave killed the dwarf plecostomus in my larger aquarium 2-3 weeks ago.
cheery new cherries
2013.08.04, Toronto
Ken and I went to the local pet store today and bought some tiny cherry barbs for the small aquarium.