I love Clare

Normally I wouldn't copy and paste right from another blogger, but this I felt was worthy enough to copy. I'm sure Clare wouldn't mind. This just cracked me up and since I've been so busy lately and not had time to properly post, this will have to hold you over until I can get time to make my own post. So here it is.

Going down in (Olympic) flames

I'm not sure why this story about the Olympic Torch's trip through the north struck me as funny. My first thought when I saw it was "Sure, an open flame on an airplane, but if I try to board one with nail clippers or a bottle of water..." My other thoughts turned to what often happens to my stuff when it travels on a (granted different) northern airline.

So I give you my latest script... Going Down in Flames

INT CARGO OFFICE, NORTHERN CANADA - EVENING A man sits leaning back in a chair his feet up on a desk. Dressed in dark coveralls and a fluorescent green vest, hearing protectors sit on his head. He holds a paddle with a small rubber ball attached by a rubber band, and he is bouncing the ball repeatedly with the paddle.

The phone rings. Looking annoyed he reluctantly sets down the ball and paddle and answers the phone.

CARGO MAN: Nameless Northern Airline, Cargo Office, may I help you.

Screen splits to reveal a man dressed in a suit, standing in front of the unlit spot for the Olympic flame at a crowded Vancouver Olympic Stadium. He's talking on a cell phone to the Cargo Man.

OLYMPIC MAN: Hi, yes its me Mark from Vancouver 2010. I spoke to you before. Have you found the torch yet?

CARGO MAN: All of our cargo gets forwarded on the minute it arrives here at Nameless Northern Airline.

OLYMPIC MAN: Look, we've already been through this. We still haven't got the torch, it's been three weeks and we really really need it now.

CARGO MAN: Can you describe it?

OLYMPIC MAN(Yelling): Its the Olympic Torch!

CARGO MAN: Can (beat) you (beat) describe (beat) it?

OLYMPIC MAN(Sighing): Its about three feet long, a wavy silver torch, there's an Inuksuk and the Olympic Rings printed on the sides. It has orangy yellow flames...

CARGO MAN: Whoa! Flames? That would be dangerous goods. Did you know that nine whole coconuts are considered dangerous goods for shipping on an airplane. (chuckles) Coconuts.

OLYMPIC MAN: We've been through this. We've gotten all the permissions. Where is it?

CARGO MAN: Okay, okay, don't get your pants in a knot. Now when did you ship the coconuts?

H1N1

First of all, I turned off the comment notification thing. It's just a pain in the butt. So I'm asking you nicely, please play nice when you leave comments.

Now, with that being said, I'm making another potentially inflammatory post. I honestly want your opinions. The H1N1 vaccine has now been approved and is being sent out in MASS and the government is telling everyone to get vaccinated. Am I the only one who is a little nervous about this?? Seriously, this vaccine is NEW, how do we know the long term effects? What guarantee can the government give me that if I vaccinate my children, they won't have serious side effects from this down the road? NOT that I am downplaying H1N1, I KNOW this is serious. BUT all we have been hearing and educating our children to WASH YOUR HANDS, SNEEZE OR COUGH INTO YOUR SLEEVE, etc. This vaccine makes me nervous. MAYBE it is because I just finished reading a book where a vaccine was mass produced and then 20 years from that time people had severe side effects and most of a town died. OK, before you get all up in arms about it, I know that was a story. BUT STILL. If this was just MY life, I would be looking at this differently. BUT this is our CHILDREN. Rob and I are responsible for making this decision on whether or not we want to inject a vaccine into our children when we don't know the long term effects. And lets' face it. We are vaccinating them against the FLU. And for the record, we have never had flu shots. Many people I know became very ill after taking the flu shot so I didn't do it, and my children have never had flu shots. And yes, to answer your question, our children have received all their vaccinations. This one for some reason really scares me. Thoughts? (And please, I'm asking nicely. Be nice in your comments, and leave your name)

Amanda and Jason

I have been very busy lately taking pictures, as anyone on Faceb00k has seen. I have been posting my pictures there for people to see, as now at least 1/2 of my friends list is from here. It is finally prime picture taking here, when you can get a day that is not bitter cold. Like this day. For any of you that remember, I did her graduation pictures last year and I took a picture of this little guy in a tuxedo. You can see the rest of them HERE

My little man

This just makes me want to cry. Who is this little man and where is my Colby?

Taken yesterday

It only takes one

For those who know me, you know I hate when people leave inflammatory comments and then don't leave their name. I have always welcomed and encouraged comments on the blog, but I DESPISE when people leave a comment and do not leave their name. Unfortunately another anonymous comment has been left AFTER I asked the person to leave their name. As much as I hate it, I have now turned on comment notifications. Please continue to leave your comments. Just please also note that if you choose to leave a comment and you do not leave your name I will automatically delete it. Honestly, if you don't care to tell me who you are, I don't want your comments on the blog. I am sorry if I sound rude or harsh, I don't mean to me. There is not a lot that really bothers me, and most things I can just let go. But not cowardice, and to me that is what leaving an inflammatory comment without taking credit for it is.

Such a little ham

I'm sorry I have been neglecting you all lately. I have honestly been super busy. My photography is really taking off and I have been doing a lot of pictures. I have 2 more sessions booked for this weekend and just finished editing the 2nd session I did last weekend. I also just received confirmation that I will be the official "in house" photographer for the Volleyball Provincial Championships that will be here in town at the end of November! Plus, combine that with my hours at work being increased to full time AND I have enrolled in a virtual college and am in the process of completing my Early Childhood Certificate and you have one busy little chickie! So to make it up to you I'm bribing you all with a super cute picture. I was doing pictures last weekend and Joey wanted to have his done also. And seriously, could you say no to this face?

My metis mommy

This is a great couple who live here in town. Karen is one of the first women I met when I started taking Joey to the drop in program at the preschool when we moved here last year. He was too young to be in the full time program, but as he was enrolled in the Under 2 or "At Home" program we were welcomed to join the 3 year old class one day a week. From there, I started volunteering to help when I was there which is how I got to know all the women, and eventually ended up with the job that I do. Karen is an amazing woman who always makes sure that I am included in any staff function (technically I am not staff of the preschool, I am staff of the elementary school on "loan" to the preschool as that is where the pre-k program is). I just adore her and was thrilled when she asked me to do her family pictures. I still have a lot of her pictures to finish, but I just had to do this one tonight. Not to brag or anything, but I love it. Their smiles are so natural. And her husband Louie is just a great guy. He is the "local shadetree mechanic" and when we owned the Pathfinder we got to know him REALLY well. For anyone that knows me personally, is it just me, or does anyone else see who *I* see when I look at Louie?

Let it snow!

Taken this afternoon out my back window. Winter's here. When did I miss Fall??

A peek inside my twisted mind

I always have the same thoughts when Fall arrives. We always stop to look and admire the colors of the leaves as they change before they fall. But have you EVER really stopped to think about what it is we are admiring? We are admiring the different shades of the leaves are they are DYING. Yes, to us they are beautiful, but what about to the trees? Think of it another way. What if we could change places with the trees. When a person dies, they also change color. What if a tree thought the jaundice of a failing liver is a beautiful shade of yellow? Or the blue tint of oxygen deprivation is something they drove around in search of, standing their little saplings in front of us and taking pictures from different angles?

Ok, yes this is a little extreme and very, very left of centre of what I normally write about. But, if you REALLY think about it, that's what we do. We admire the changing colors of leaves dying.

And yes, when I've mentioned this to people they think I'm TRULY off my rocker. But inside this normally normal mind is a very weird and twisted corner, and I felt the need to share. And since I've been dropping the ball on postings, I thought I'd do a "not typical Tina" type of post. BUT, when you're out driving and you see the fall colors, you'll think about it. And then you'll think of this post and you'll picture little tree families running about taking pictures and ..... ok well maybe not everyone is as twisted as me. But I would bet OHN is smiling right now because she gets it, and I KNOW my sister gets it and is laughing right now.