Us +5 Fissies +5... I think this calls for a rematch!

I'm so glad that good company is like the heavy-weight champion when it comes to taking on and anihilating the puny and insignificant details of my day... sending them crying to their Mommies with a sternly spanked bottom.

It was absolutely gorgeous out, spring has finally arrived and the cabin fever everyone had been experiencing was now being shared in the confines of an aluminum boat... I suppose it's a successful day though, when everyone caught something... and nobody was helped out of the boat *before* we got to shore ;)

Get in mah bellyyyy!

I'm gonna getcha little fissy! I'm gonna eatcha little fissy! *grins* I think this is the beginnings of a be-a-utiful supper :)

While we in for a pee break I totally scooped the comfy captains chair, and by default was captaining for the remainder of the evening. Which I thought was pretty cool :) ... and pretty easy meandering around in the middle of the lake... this really being my first time driving this boat and all, you see usually I fish, help eat the chippys, and maybe have a beer or two...

We had just kicked 'er up a notch to compensate for the wind picking up to head home after Michelle finally broke her two year dry spell... and then we couldn't keep them off her line! I think the funniest one, was mid-story she's leaning back and holding her rod up and Ed says "Hey Shell, I uh think you got one" and she says "I know! But I had to finish my story!!"

Awww look he's just a widdle hotdog fissy!

Those *were* the funny moments of the day... until we actually got back to the boat launch. Because it was much the same as with flying, it isn't the flying that's the hard part... it's landing. So I'm cruising in, and of course as with any good sport there are spectators spectating from the comfort of their van... and the peanut gallery up front.

We're almost in and up front hollers "log!" So there I am executing evasive maneuvers off into the rushes, with the motor balancing unhinged and ready to kick up... you see the thing is, it's too shallow to just cruise right in... and it would be faaaar to easy to paddle the last little bit. I would also like to point out that as soon as you change the axis of the propeller EVERYTHING changes, left and right are no longer what they used to be!

Suddenly it's as if we've been transported into an electrical gyroscope with a bug in its internal gravity sensor... suddenly we're in reverse at full throttle... The peanut gallery has collapsed in on itself in a helpless pile of giggles, Eddie's screaming "AHHHHHHHHH" and laughing almost as hard as the peanut gallery.

I calmly assessed the situation, kept twisting and pushing things until I could finally give the order to the mutinous engine to abort, and head for deeper waters... to... regroup, and try again.

The second attempt was far less entertaining, until Michelle's feet hit the water and she had to pee again *grins*

Hatchling

Dust off that imagination that's been suppressed... Now squint a little, it's a baby dragon emerging from it's egg!

With flashbacks to "Discount Al's vaseline emporium, final exam strength now in stock" I used more Vaseline than is right for any one person to have in their possession, and dutifully greased my pumpkin... my right hand is now soft and supple all the way up to the elbow. It's all rather disgusting actually *grimace* I don't mind being dirty but there's just something wrong with using *that* much petroleum product...

This picture brought to you courtesy of iPhones. Yes 's (two to be precise), one inside the pumpkin on "flashlight" mode... and the other taking the picture!

Fly fishing for the 165lb sucker

My Uncle and I tried fly fishing last weekend, and whoever says its a relaxing sport obviously hasn't tried it with us... I mean it's all fun and games until someone loses an eye... then it's a sport, so I can see where it's sport status comes from. But we were yellin' back and forth... at each other, at our lines, but mostly at the flying errant hooks.

I was momentarily disgusted when I thought he hollered "Betcha didn't catch a perch on your first cast!"... it was all okay though, because he'd said "birch". It started out well, at least I thought it did, I was getting my line at *least* 15 feet out in front of me... Then I caught the bush behind me. Four times. Followed by the cedar tree. Grampa Max chuckled, shook his head, made a couple suggestions then cast out his bobber, and leaned back against a tree to enjoy the entertainment.

That Cedar tree, over on the right there.

 I finally turned myself parallel to the shore, covering twice as much area right (fishing in front *and* behind myself) but who are we kidding, it was mostly to avoid stripping the trees. An added bonus was Don directly in my line of sight... especially when I saw him wading in, removing his soaking wet t-shirt?

Yep, that's right he fell in the lake, and because I'm sensitive like that I laughed... really hard! Immediately it subsided to nervous chuckles, as it occurred to me that karma was going to get  me. I mean I had already slipped a couple times...

You know that thought that as soon as you think it you'd better act on it? Like one of your guardian angels is yelling at you and it finally pierces your self-assured consciousness with a wedge of doubt. This was one of those thoughts. I reeled in, waded in and took off my shirt "just in case", waded back out and promptly fell in the lake.

Its a good thing our karmic balance was restored, I think it's the only reason we managed not to fall in the lake while trolling and fly fishing from the canoe... Even when we got the trout up to the side of the boat, *almost* in and it flipped off. We didn't have a net. That would have been more than a little bit interesting.

A sensible not-fly-fisherman (Little Cindy-Lou Who, who was no more than 6'2)

Doodles

Some days you're Brain, and other days you're Pinky

I once heard about a lab rat test that was being conducted to determine the ratio of reward to no reward which would cause in this case a lab rat to stop trying. For instance, a lab rat will learn rather quickly at the ratio of 1:1, every time they push a lever they get a treat. As you increase the number of lever pushes to times you actually get a treat there is some point where the lab rat decides he'd be better off planning world domination.

So far the study makes sense, it pretty much confirms what we'd like to think we already knew... But the interesting question that came out of it, was at what point will they keep pushing even *after* they've stopped getting rewards completely.

Well for the 1:1, they basically try it a few more times... effectively shrug and then carry on with whatever catches their fancy. But the lab rats that were pushing the lever and increased number of times for even one single treat, will continue pushing the lever long past when they should have given up and moved on.

I'm having a lab rat day. I've been refreshing my email, and sometimes it comes up and sometimes it times out... but I keep trying.S

Slackers unite! ...tomorrow...

I'm procrastinating and checking my email, and I have to say it has been truly overwhelming the amount of support and well wishes I have received in leaving on this trip. I've gotten more hugs, and blessings and good thoughts sent my way... it's just incredible. The last couple days have been a roller-coaster of emotion (cause I'm sensitive like that), and its heartwarming to know that I will be missed while I'm gone.

I should be packing clothes... I think I'm putting it off because I have so many clothes that I *want* to bring, but I know I don't have room for them all. Especially with all the other important things I'm bringing, like my guitar... and my art stuff... and my camera... and books... and a football... you know necessities ;o)

*shhh* I'm hoping the Captain doesn't notice how much lower in the water we're sitting after I get all my stuff stashed away on board *grins*

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did so. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. ~Mark Twain

Oh right, and travel plans right now are to do our shakedown cruise on the way down to Victoria, where we will check out of customs. Then down past Cape Flattery, WA, United States and "turn left"... at which point we will head to Hawaii. This will be the second leg of the shakedown cruise and the longest period of open ocean for the rest of the voyage. See most people do a few weeks shakedown cruise *before* they go somewhere, but if we don't leave now we may never leave.

Dear God I need to be institutionalized

I ran out of pages of Lolcats... at 512!!!!

We're way past interventions and 12 step recovery books, might as well go straight to the pretty white jackets and all the nice men in white coats *giggle giggle* I'll even have my OWN ROOM!

Oooh look at the pretty padded wallpaper! *smiles*

*blink*

...

*blink*

Ok, I'm back.

I can haz cheeseburger...

Pages and pages of Lol cats.

'nuff said.

Plants vs Zombies is turning me into a Zombie!!!!

This game is so beyond addictive I think I will write the 12 step recovery book for it... if I can discover the steps, and not get distracted playing the game.

I spent I don't even know how many hours last night playing, I beat the boss and saw the music video and then I started in on the mini games and puzzles. I can't get over how much there is to do, and that although it is all similar there is enough variation to not just keep it interesting but absolutely riveting.

Time...

I've filled my time up with a million other things to do... not cause I don't want to do stuff with you, but to distract me from not doing stuff with you...

In the name of motivation

I bought a Zune...



8GB of motivational music coming up, along with a running playlist... no don't worry Dad I won't run with both earphones in so I don't get hit by the car that I don't hear.

I'm very glad that our IT guy was on hand to help get everything installed, it involved a registry hack but that is possibly just because of the way our network is set up.

I'm a little disappointed in the sharing feature, it limits how many times you can listen to a song that someone sent you to 3, and the count seems to be a little off eg: you can't pause and resume it counts that as twice. But the podcast feature is pretty cool, and sending pictures back and forth rocks. Bascially you only have to be near the person rather than physically hooked up.

Currently I'm sorting through the 20,000 odd songs on our music server wheeee I've found some old gooders that I forgot about ;o)

On priorities and packing

This kills me every time.

I would much rather spend an evening that someone happens to have available to spend with me, than do just about anything else. Even if I have things that I have to get done. Especially when they make me rhubarb squares with whip cream *drooling*

Hence the reason I will be packing my carry-on for a weekend in Edmonton after work today in the two hours before I leave for my flight. It's okay though, with the number of things you can't take and the decreasing size restrictions, I'm sure you will soon only be allowed to take what you are wearing and a credit card.

Haha unless they come out with nude airlines "Bring yourself and your credit card, we'll take care of the rest", it would certainly make security much quicker... and then they could move all cargo so the seats should be wayyy cheaper!

So true to my Dad's travelling advice, pack what you think you will need and take a credit card. You should be able to buy anything that you need/have forgotten when you get there.

On my afternoon wander

Me to Sexretary: You have doughnuts!

Sexretary: ...no... but I have a muffin!

Me: oh. what kind is it?

Sexretary: I don't know, but you can look

Me: No thanks, I don't want your muffin.