tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-308910992024-03-18T22:57:29.585-06:00Oh girl, we're parents!Personal account of the chaos that revolves around the miracle of parentingDragon Paw Genthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17710804714346127788noreply@blogger.comBlogger210125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30891099.post-26158020009357705242013-11-12T21:00:00.000-07:002013-11-12T21:00:04.985-07:00Who's Afraid of the Big Bad HillMy oldest daughter has cultivated a new passion this summer: riding her bike. As a bicycle commuter, I could not be a happier father to have my girl be as enthused about cycling as I am. Every opportunity she has to ride, she'll take it. I used to ride my bike with her, but found that I could keep up with her just as well by walking.<br />
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Earlier in the season, she did quite a bit of walking over riding because she had a paralyzing fear of hills. Didn't matter if the hill was a steep grade or slight enough to barely get a marble rolling on its own, she had to walk down. After a couple days of this, I went over braking with her and then encouraged her to try braking to slow her descent. She still persisted in walking down hills. Before I chided her disbelief in her own abilities, I remembered someone else who had trouble with hills: my sister.</div>
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Summer of '86 or so. We were living in Petawawa, Ontario at the time and bikes were our vehicles of independence. Wherever we wanted to go, we went. One of the destinations of choice was Petawawa Beach, renamed Black Bear Beach. For some odd reason, whenever we went there, there was never a lifeguard, which added an element of adventure, but the ride there was what made me think of my daughter.</div>
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Comparing my memory to Google Maps, the final turn to get to Petawawa - sorry, Black Bear - Beach went down a fairly steep hill. The adventurous, and scary, part was close to the bottom of the hill where the road transitioned from paved to gravel. My step brother and I had no problem getting down the hill. We just alternated between coasting and braking, never letting our speed get much beyond a crawl. My sister went much quicker, and not because she was a daredevil with a death wish, but simply because she was frightened and froze up. In retrospect, I'm surprised she survived since this was the time before bicycle helmets were common and mandatory for youth. As my sister put it when I asked her about the experience, she only remembered going down the hill and then waking up in the hospital.</div>
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My sister made a full recovery, and soon we were off to the beach again. When we reached the hill, she was still shaken, but determined to try again. I demonstrated the safe way to go down the hill, and told her what I was doing as I went down. Coast, brake, coast, brake, coast, brake... WHOOSH! She zoomed past me at the bottom of the hill and I realized her biggest mistake. Closing her eyes when she got scared. This led to another crash, but not quite as spectacular as the first. </div>
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My memory may be faint, but I don't remember any other bicycle excursions to the beach. I seem to recall we went with my parents every time afterwards. </div>
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After this recollection of blood and dust, I figured it would be best to let my daughter take hills at her own pace, and not push her to ride down them regardless of the grade.</div>
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I am happy to report that my girl now delights in riding down small hills, but is still dismounts for steep ones. And she has never been to the hospital for any of her crashes.</div>
Dragon Paw Genthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17710804714346127788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30891099.post-52566113009741368222013-11-11T22:44:00.000-07:002013-11-11T22:44:43.131-07:00Lest We ForgetNo picture to go with this post, but I felt that a picture would have been inappropriate.<br />
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Today was Remembrance Day in Canada, and across the country there were moments of silence for those who fought and died for the freedoms that we enjoy today, and often take for granted. There are usually large gatherings, such as the one at the University of Alberta, and last year we crossed the field by our apartment building to attend the ceremony in Beaumont.<br />
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This year I wanted to do something different and pay respects at a place I had only visited once, about ten years ago. It was the<a href="http://www.edmonton.ca/for_residents/municipal_cemeteries/beechmount-cemetery.aspx"> Beechmount Cemetery</a> in Edmonton. I discovered it when my wife and I were delivering newspapers in the early days of our marriage. Our route went up to the southern edge of the cemetery, and one day I took a moment to get a better look at what was there. Why, I'm not sure. But I distinctly remember seeing the uniform tombstones arranged in perfect lines. Row upon row. I went through one of the gate to get a better look. I don't remember whose grave I was looking at, but I recall I reached out my hand to the stone, but stopped myself short. <br />
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Again, no sure at the time why I stopped myself, but I talked about it with Caitlin today, and she mentioned that tactile contact with anything makes things more real. Perhaps that the reason for my hesitation. I knew it was real, but I didn't want to be more real. I was the only one in the cemetery at the time, and it was early morning. The sun was shining, but only just above the horizon. Seeing the gravemarkers row upon row was enough to send a shiver through me. I didn't need anything else to cement this memory.<br />
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Now ten years later, I felt inspired to go there again. Much like so many things associated with that cemetery, I'm not sure why. <br />
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This time, we had our two girls in tow. It was not a spring day, but a cold winter embrace. We drove up the residential road along 107 Street NW until we came to the Cross of Sacrifice at the west end. I had not seen that when I initially found the cemetery as I had entered at 104 Street and the foliage had blocked my view. We turned right and followed along the south the of the cemetery for a few blocks until we found a parking spot on the side of the road. A small gate allowed us passage into the sacred ground, and there were tombstones as far as you could see either to the left or the right. My family and I walked towards the Cross of Sacrifice, since we had seen some people gathering there when we turned east to find a parking space. Then Erini pointed out something that both my wife and I had over looked. Every stone had a poppy in front of it. Some had been covered by the snow, but from what we observed, every stone had a small red poppy in front of it, carefully placed in the center. <br />
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There were a few people at the monument, one elderly gentleman in full uniform, and another man dressed in regular street attire. I approached the uniformed man and asked him if there would be a ceremony, to which he replied the would in a few minutes. We had arrived a few minutes before eleven o'clock. I then inquired if he knew anything about the poppies that were laid at the grave sides. I was pleasantly surprised to know that this was work of a program instituted by the City of Edmonton called <a href="http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/edmonton/Video+Stone+Left+Alone/9144654/story.html">No Stone Left Alone</a>. <br />
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At eleven o'clock, a larger crowd had formed, but no more than a couple dozen people. In hindsight, there was a much larger display on Friday 8 November, when the children had been distributing the poppies. The uniformed gentleman announced that he wasn't sure how loud his recording would be, but the iPod he had was sufficiently loud to play the simple recording of Taps. <br />
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We all shared a moment of silence, and my girls were surprisingly quiet as well. Bronwyn started to wonder what was going on when the uniformed gentleman searched for the second recording that he played after the moment of silence, but that was about all. <br />
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After the very brief ceremony, a lady approached the Cross of Sacrifice and laid her poppy on the monument. A young officer in full uniform stepped away from his family for a moment and approached the monument alone. He brought himself to attention and gave a very sharp salute. All against a back drop of the Canadian flag at half mast. It brought both Caitlin and I to tears. <br />
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Walking back to the van, Caitlin suggested that we come back again in the spring when the snow was gone. I'm very sure that it would look much different than we saw that day, but it will likely have the same sentiment. <br />
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One other thing I noticed on the grave stones was that the death dates were not all in the forties. In fact, I didn't see any from the forties. There were some from the fifties, but they also noted their age at time of death, and most of them were in their sixties or older. One stone close to the monument was of a gentleman who died in 2000 at the age of ninety-three. Doing some math, I realized that most all of these soldiers were not men who died in military service, but had served nonetheless and were given a burial in the Field of Honour. These were men that came home, but had left their homes and served their country while they were in their mature years. <br />
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I had always heard about young soldiers who left behind family and sweethearts, but these were men that likely served in The Great War as well as World War II. These were men that lived full lives and got to live out their days in the free land they fought for. All deserving of our respect.<br />
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Lest we forget.Dragon Paw Genthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17710804714346127788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30891099.post-40192668660028272622012-12-25T22:28:00.001-07:002012-12-25T22:28:46.616-07:00Christmas Memories 2012While Christmas traditions tend to keep on throughout the years, somethings do change from year to year. <br />
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For instance, we didn't have any cookies to set out for Santa, so we decided to leave out some of the snack sized candy bars I won at the traditional Christmas Eve Rumoli game. <br />
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I also helped Rini write out the letter to Santa explaining the circumstance regarding his snack. Most of the letter she wrote herself, but close to the end, she got tired and asked me to finish. I think she just wanted to go to bed, and not because she was excited for Christmas. Turns out, you can get tired enough to sleep on Christmas Eve. <br />
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Today, we also did something that would be called folly by some. We walked from Grandma's house to ours and back again. Normally that wouldn't be so bad, but it's not normally -25C in the middle of the day! It wasn't very windy though, and we put on extra pants when we arrived at home. <br />
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I have to say that I was surprised with Rini's reaction to getting a Wii. She was more enamored with her Royal Wedding castle than the video game machine. That being said, Grandma and Grandpa have had one for over a year now. More than two years actually. <br />
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Guess we finally caught up with the times. <br/><br/><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO1GKzI2ka9FrUwsbZfN5O3Mz2KP84wdopCquyKJDFdTqBa4qnI7oQvw6ygj3Mql_pPndVMnge3YLtuANehDijzkxQ2V58lIf0Cvv9pBjGln6R20NQiHKW3F9I3SnP0gyFOwfb/s640/blogger-image-858728435.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO1GKzI2ka9FrUwsbZfN5O3Mz2KP84wdopCquyKJDFdTqBa4qnI7oQvw6ygj3Mql_pPndVMnge3YLtuANehDijzkxQ2V58lIf0Cvv9pBjGln6R20NQiHKW3F9I3SnP0gyFOwfb/s640/blogger-image-858728435.jpg" /></a></div>Dragon Paw Genthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17710804714346127788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30891099.post-29999035755709506332012-12-24T23:28:00.000-07:002012-12-24T23:28:09.112-07:00Parenting ExperiencesAs of late, I've been posting Facebook statuses prefaced with "Parenting Experience #[arbitrary number]" to add a bit of whimsy to some frustrating and embarrassing events. Some of these events include fixing a VCR after something that was not a cassette tape was placed in the tape slot, and taking care of a lost tooth in a public place.<br />
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Tonight was another one of those moments, but it was one that is difficult to describe and discuss. <br />
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Caitlin was going through her Facebook and came across the following picture:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie6XdqaaKHMbbAhz2rnLi_Tjg-H2CzPltEFojLrmQVY71K38exjmvjLKJmmnhCRZWa8bzddaETbUZwrr51ok2g6vx7OKdJW13B8M5vyAHbUXgDjrqnJLX9TXvglI8iKoswSM1p/s1600/525127_575803919115732_1135783737_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie6XdqaaKHMbbAhz2rnLi_Tjg-H2CzPltEFojLrmQVY71K38exjmvjLKJmmnhCRZWa8bzddaETbUZwrr51ok2g6vx7OKdJW13B8M5vyAHbUXgDjrqnJLX9TXvglI8iKoswSM1p/s1600/525127_575803919115732_1135783737_n.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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To say this was a difficult to read would be an understatement. I was in tears after my wife read this letter to me. Yet how was this a parenting moment? My eldest daughter was still awake when Caitlin read it.</div>
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She then asked why a boy would ask for something like that. The conversation that followed was filled with tears, warnings, and comforting words. She told us she was scared, and while I'm sure that's true, I'm not sure if she could think of any other words to explain how she felt. </div>
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My wife and I told her that we know those children are with Heavenly Father and are safe now. We also told her that those children won't be having Christmas with their families. Explaining why someone would kill children was especially difficult, and I'm not sure if it was adequate. We were very direct in telling her that if something scary happens to tell mommy or daddy. When at school, look to your teacher. If necessary, hide. </div>
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Would something like this happen at her school? I certainly hope not. Does the possibility exist? Indeed it does. Will the conversation we had tonight be enough to prepare her if an emergency situation like this occurs? I doubt it, but I hope so. </div>
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Confusion clouds my mind when I hear about events such as the Sandy Hook shooting. Questions about gun control and mental health run on top of each other. Their cacophony eventually ceases and then turns to a dull throb of concern that can be somewhat ignored until something similar happens again. </div>
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A fresh coat of hatred and fear has been painted over society. Yet these powerful forces, directed properly, can bring about change that will be to the betterment of everyone. Sadly, I believe they will be weaponized to create a retaliation. Mental health issues will be guarded with a stone wall of indifference and spite. Gun control will be debated until tax funds are exhausted. Nothing will be done. </div>
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Nothing will change.</div>
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After reading an article about a <a href="http://www.anarchistsoccermom.blogspot.ca/2012/12/thinking-unthinkable.html">mother living with a mentally ill son</a>, the words of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" came to mind. When Scrooge was asked to make a donation for the poor and needy, his reply was simply, "Are there no prisons? Are there no workhouses?" After being told there were plenty but some would rather die than live there, he retorted, "Then they had better do it and decrease the surplus population." </div>
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Later, the Ghost of Christmas Present shows Scrooge two children, Ignorance and Want. The Ghost delivers this warning regarding the twins: "This boy is Ignorance. This girl is Want. Beware them both, and all of their degree, but most of all beware this boy, for on his brow I see that written which is Doom, unless the writing be erased."</div>
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I am not sure if the book contains the following, but I recall in the Citadel production, Scrooge asks if there is not someone else to care for these children. To which the Ghost bellows, "ARE THERE NO PRISONS? ARE THERE NO WORKHOUSES?" </div>
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Ignorance is truly the path of doom. Hence, I educate my children the best I can. I try to place hope in the place of fear, and love in the place of hate. It is not an easy thing to do, but if I can do it, my children will learn to do it. My hope is that they will teach their children the same.</div>
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Merry Christmas to all, and God bless us, every one.</div>
Dragon Paw Genthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17710804714346127788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30891099.post-47976674669192673912012-07-29T00:07:00.000-06:002012-07-29T00:07:17.554-06:00Movie Adventure - Curious George (2006) & Madagascar 3:Europe's Most WantedI'll address the first quest that's going through your mind once you read the title. Aside from the animals in the main characters, how are those two movies related? An interesting story, that's how.<br />
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For the past few weeks, I've been taking my daughters to the <a href="http://cineplex.com/family">Family Favourites screenings</a> at South Edmonton Common. It's quite the bargain for a classic movie on a Saturday morning. In August they will be getting into the more modern movies, but it was still a thrill to watch Hook with my girls on the big screen. They thought otherwise of course, but I've come to accept that. However, The Spongebob Squarepants Movie was a huge hit! They might have been a little tired from the previous evening when we went to the outdoor neighbourhood screening of Thor put on by the town, but I'm just saying that because my youngest slept through most of the movie.<br />
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In any case, Curious George (2006) was today's Family Favourite and right off the bat, both my girls were having a great time. The opening scene with George playing, painting, and making a monkey's amount of mischief was a lot of fun to watch. Then the scene changed to the museum where we meet Ted, played by Will Ferrel. At this point, a huge problem is brought to light, or rather, to the ear. You could barely hear the dialogue. Previously, there was a song playing over all the action, and George doesn't talk anyway, so no one really noticed. A few people got up and address the problem to the staff who tried to fix the problem. After forty-five minutes, the screen went black and house lights came up. At the front of the crowd was the head theatre manager who explained there was a problem with the amplifier and they would have to shut down <span style="background-color: white;">and reset </span><span style="background-color: white;">the whole system. The entire process would take about an hour. In compensation, they gave us complementary passes to a full priced movie for each ticket we bought. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">Making the most of this we went and got some lunch at Chuck E. Cheese (BLAARRGGH!) and then returned for the 12:35 screening of Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted. My oldest had been bothering me for some time to see it, and now that the opportunity had presented itself, I would have to consider myself a fool not to take advantage of it.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">And what a movie it was! While it was not of the same caliber of humour as compared to Curious George, it held up of the style and pacing set in the two previous Madagascar movies. I have also set my expectations for Dreamworks movies rather low, and therefore I am usually pleased with the results.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">The key to enjoying any kind of movie is have the right kind of mindset and audience. In the case of Dreamworks movies, they are best enjoyed with the mindset of going in for a silly and fun time while enjoying some time with kids. Or kids at heart. Madagascar 3 has a couple scary parts - one joke that is funnier if you enjoy scary movies - but in all it's quite the fun(ny) romp with the Alex, Marty, Melman, and Gloria. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">Oh, and my oldest wants to buy them both.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">I second her opinion.</span>Dragon Paw Genthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17710804714346127788noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30891099.post-36733754176264753172012-01-09T12:00:00.000-07:002012-01-09T12:00:00.252-07:00Movie Project - Day 46: Willow<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/D-P03NGSP6Y" width="420"></iframe><br />
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Moving into something a bit more adventurous, the other night we watched the 1988 classic, Willow. This movie is truly remarkable and quite the mishmash of actors, producers, and directors that works very well. I'm sure if this movie was made today they would try to make two or three sequels, but this was back in the day when people would make a movie, be happy with it, then move onto something else. <br />
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There are times I miss those days.<br />
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The movie's plot is common enough: Evil Overlord looking to take over the land and quell the one person that has been prophesied to destroy her. Common man takes the task that has been more or less forced upon him, and encounters willy and wacky folk to add to his party as he journeys to fulfill his quest. <br />
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So if the story's been heard before, why is it something worth hearing again? Perhaps it's because of the lavish atmosphere of the world created. Or it could be the balance of character development and comedy. The practical uses of magic and prominent use of melee weaponry. Maybe because I have some very strong memories of watching this movie with my step-brother, whom I have not seen nor talked to in years. In the end, I believe it's because the story hits the right points with the right intensity. <br />
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The biggest draw for this movie is the fact the heroes aren't people that are born and bred for greatness. Willow, the main protagonist, is a simple farmer and loving father just trying to keep his household in order. He makes mistakes, he has fears, and he has dreams. While not everyone would aspire to be a magician, it's still admirable that he never gives up, even when his best trick goes awry during a performance. <br />
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On a side note, the actor who played Willow, Warwick Davis, has become more well know for his role as Professor Flitwick in the Harry Potter series. Just goes to show just how far Willow Ufgood went in his career as a sorcerer!<br />
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An evil overlord taking over the world and those that are trying to stop this from happening make up the bulk of the story, but the movie also touches on the lives of the ordinary people that wouldn't know much about what was going on, and are happy to be that way. They live their lives, drink their ale, do their jobs, but in large don't react very strongly to what's going on. <br />
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Of all the action packed parts of this movie, one element and one event stood out for my daughter. First and foremost, she loved the horses. There were horses in pretty much every part of the movie. Ponies, stallions, mares, cart horses, almost any kind of horse you can imagine. Well, they never perform the <a href="http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/mr-ce/index-eng.htm">RCMP Musical Ride</a>. And they don't have the <a href="http://www.lipizzaner.com/">Lipizaner Stallions</a> featured either. They still have a lot of horses!<br />
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Then her most favourite part of the movie was, without a doubt, the sledding. At one point, Willow escapes from an mountain enemy camp by sledding down the mountain side on a shield. I'm still amazed how they were able to shoot that scene. Then Mad Mardigan, played by Val Kilmer, falls off the shield/sled, tumbles down the mountain, and winds up rolled into a massive pile of snow. It's quite funny watching this pile of snow, with a pair of feet sticking out, come rolling down the hill.<br />
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For its time, it was quite the landmark in filmmaking, and it was produced by George Lucas. While this is not Star Wars, it certainly has enough to stand on its own. A modern classic and a lot of fun, but be warned, there are some scary parts that might scare little ones. Of course, I've also shown my daughter <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCNgNkAZqg4">Toy Story 3</a>, <a href="http://youtu.be/cBnCfURGDd0">Nightmare Before Christmas</a>, and <a href="http://youtu.be/i8WK-3pUpwk">Coraline</a>. I think she's used to scary by now.<br />
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Either that, or I better start saving now for the therapy bills.Dragon Paw Genthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17710804714346127788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30891099.post-12959770691417813112012-01-08T23:06:00.000-07:002012-01-08T23:06:15.608-07:00The Beginning of a Beautiful Relationship<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIqjZOiVbFyN65XAejqI3rYpGJPdcvnCGcunW409vc_qE-Lbdgrkx2slVNqd89MDCufihQaOVHgokex0z_CiRRxOrS4xQuud4ctv40nhw-6CUY-SDi2LWrdu6SXXVjdZLkSEJi/s1600/TWoSE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIqjZOiVbFyN65XAejqI3rYpGJPdcvnCGcunW409vc_qE-Lbdgrkx2slVNqd89MDCufihQaOVHgokex0z_CiRRxOrS4xQuud4ctv40nhw-6CUY-SDi2LWrdu6SXXVjdZLkSEJi/s1600/TWoSE.jpg" /></a>Over the holidays, my wife got the idea to go the <a href="http://www.edmontonscience.com/">Telus World of Science Edmonton</a> since I had the time available. We also got the idea to get an annual family pass, since we do enjoy going there. We don't go very often though, and I wondered if it would be a wise investment to purchase the pass. After some calculations, I concluded that we would only have to attend three times withing the year and the pass would have paid for itself. I further concluded that the reason we don't go very often is because of the expense, and we only go when we can spend the entire day there in order to get the best value for our dollar. <br />
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Even with that information in hand, I was nervous and second guessing myself as we were standing in line at the Box Office to purchase the passes. While the passes would cover our admission for the day we were there, we were spending three times what we usually would! After the initial shock of the amount of money I had just spent, we went on to enjoy the Science Center.</div>
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We went through most everything like we usually do, and the <a href="http://www.edmontonscience.com/exhibits-events/discoveryland-gallery">new kids Discovery area</a> was quite the treat! </div>
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At the end of it all, Rini of course didn't want to leave. But with the passes in hand, we reassured her that we would be able to return again soon.</div>
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In a bit of unusual turn of events, I stayed true to my word, and we went again this past Saturday, even though we were only there for an hour.</div>
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Unlike our previous visit, we only went to two of the four galleries, and didn't set foot in the Discovery area, let alone the second floor. We did catch the tail end of the fire demonstration, for which Rini went and sat front row. I was quite taken in by the isoproponol/lightsaber demonstration! </div>
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Although we were only there for an hour, I found it to be very fulfilling, and I'm thinking that we could do these outings every week! I am eagerly looking forward to the next time we go.<br />
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And it will definitely be before the <a href="http://www.edmontonscience.com/exhibits-events/starwars-identities">Star Wars exhibit</a> comes.</div>Dragon Paw Genthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17710804714346127788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30891099.post-27309334876195739382011-11-06T23:34:00.001-07:002011-11-06T23:34:09.455-07:00A New Christmas Classic<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11867323-carving-angels" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Carving Angels" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1315349143m/11867323.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11867323-carving-angels">Carving Angels</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4992336.Diane_Tolley">Diane Tolley</a><br />
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/232254376">5 of 5 stars</a><br />
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Much like how the weather changes in Alberta, ofttimes our lives don't quite turn out the way we think it would. Such is the case in this wonderful Christmas story, "Carving Angels." <br />
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The story is told through the blind eyes of a woodcarver, who was once the lead carver in his shop but has chosen retirement with his loss of sight. Ten years have passed since he put away his tools and now he's spends his days waiting. Waiting for breakfast, waiting for lunch, waiting for supper, and waiting to go to bed in order to do it all over again. The only enjoyment he receives is visits from his granddaughter who was born 4 years ago. <br />
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She makes a bold move and asks him to carve something for her, as she has never seen him work, just as he has never seen her face. Initially refusing, he decides to accept the challenge and attempts to make something of the block of wood that she brought him to shape and form as only a master can. The passion to create comes alight once more, and he in turn teaches her the woodworking skills that have served him well. <br />
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The timing of this renaissance could not have come at a better time, because their partnered skills serve the community in a way that no one imagined possible, and changes the entire community for the better. <br />
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I will be the first to admit that this story made me cry three times while reading, and I'm not in the least bit ashamed to admit it. It is a powerful message about the human spirit, and how you can never give up on people, but most importantly how you can never give up on yourself. <br />
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While the woodcarver was not the ideal image of a artist, since he had long lost his sight, he still knew his trade. He still knew how to work a piece of wood, how to choose the right piece, and most importantly he was able to determine what needed to be brought out of the wood. Though his blindness was a significant hindrance, he didn`t allow it to define who he was. <br />
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I cannot recommend this book highly enough. It's a story that you will want to have in your home and read again and again.
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/6899352-steven-clark">View all my reviews</a>
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Although the author of this work is my mother-in-law, please understand that I am not writing this review under duress, nor do I feel this is a display of nepotism to tout this marvelous story. I read this book over a month ago when I purchased my copy directly from the author, but I only wrote the review now because I spent part of yesterday selling the book at a local Arts and Crafts fair. By the end of the day, I found that I had told a rather concise review to everyone I met. I'm not sure if it was my salesmanship that helped matters, or just my strong love for the story, but it was a joy just to tell people about this great story.<br />
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Physical disabilities are much more difficult to live with and/or hide from the world, and I have seen people work with what they have been given and make a fruitful life out of it. I have my own disability, and it has long been something that hold secret because of the stigmas associated with it. After reading this book, I found myself with a renewed sense of worth. It may be difficult to function some days, but I know that I have a family that loves me and needs me, despite my shortcomings, and that's enough to keep me going.<br />
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Just as I said in my review, I cannot recommend this book highly enough.Dragon Paw Genthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17710804714346127788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30891099.post-78545592587745752352011-07-29T23:53:00.002-06:002011-07-30T01:17:32.926-06:00Upgrade timeOver the past few weeks, I have struggled to make amends with a mistake that I made. I tried to upgrade my wife's netbook, affectionately known as Dory. This computer was named after the little blue fish in Finding Nemo, simply because it was little, and blue. Little did we know how close to the mark we were with the name.<br /><br />For the six people out there who have not seen this masterful film, the character Dory suffers from acute short term memory loss, like all fish would. This is also something that we found Dory, the computer, became prone to the same malady. There were times when the web browser would crash for reasons unknown, then go on as if nothing happened. We couldn't use the touch pad, because we discovered that she would forget how to boot up if you did that. Then after three years the battery started to give out, and would only last for about 45 minutes from it's original battery life of 2 hours.<br /><br />Added to this, the netbook was an early version, and was running Linpus Lite. A Linux OS that was very tightly locked down. I finally figured out how to access the root, only to discover the OS had been abandoned for at least two years. All updates, even browser updates, could not be done through the OS. Yet I felt there was a way to get the Firefox updated to Version 3.6 and I tried my best to do so.<br /><br />This is when I discovered that I don't know Linux very well. <br /><br />In my efforts to figure out how to upgrade the browser, I had to move some files. Where I moved them to, I'm still not sure. Neither is Dory, and now will not run the web browser because of this. I wasn't sure what I did, but I knew it was bad. Oh, the writer still worked, and the Mplayer would still work when it felt like it, but the one program we used the most was done. <br /><br />Most people would throw up their hands and give up, but I had a feeling that I could get Dory working again. After learning how to make a boot stick, because Dory doesn't have an optical drive, I installed Ubuntu 10.10 Maverick Netbook Remix. Firefox was functional, and on a recent update! Life was good! Until I tried to use the wireless...<br /><br />While the main driver was Atheros, it was not recognizing the AR5006ES wifi card. It was looking for a AS5001 card. I found <a href="http://madwifi-project.org">madwifi</a>, and had hope that it would work, but after the installation and recompiling the kernel, I had to throw my hands up and call it quits. I had given it a good honest try, and Dory is still a good little internet terminal. So long as you're not trying to do anything too complicated, or busy, or twitter, or would be better with a larger screen or better resolution. And given that if you're going to be using her for longer than 40 minutes, you should be close to an outlet, or else the computer would die. <br /><br />In hindsight, I'm surprised this day didn't come sooner.<br /><br />Lack of functional wifi was the last straw, and it was time to scout out a replacement for little Dory. <br /><br />And search I did. At first I was strongly considering purchasing a Galaxy Tab. Small, compact, cute, and runs Android 2.2 with great competence. What more could you ask for? <br /><br />What about novel writing? <br /><br />Dory would still be able to carry out that responsibility, since OpenOffice still functions decently, but if Caitlin would want to novel as well, then we're in a bit of a bind. True, a bluetooth keyboard would solve that ordeal, but iPaq still functions well for an eReader. <br /><br />Then I did some thinking. Did I really want a tablet, netbook, laptop, or a smartphone? <br /><br />First world problems. <br /><br />After some deliberation, I came to the conclusion that while a touch pad interface would be excellent, and an iPad would make use of the app that Caitlin purchased by accident, there was a far better solution, which cost wound up being about the same as a top of the line iPad2. For quite some time I was looking into getting Caitlin a <a href="http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/PID-MX27881(ME).aspx">Wacom tablet</a> in order to help with digital art, especially since she's developed a healthy interest in <a href="http://www.gimp.org/">Gimp</a> as of late. <br /><br />Plus it is our anniversary, and our 100th monthavesary is coming up soon too. It's going to be a boring holiday season...<br /><br />But where did we get the money for all this? Well, the government finally discovered that we added Bronwyn to our family nearly eleven months ago, and they paid us all the back payments on the tax benefits we should have been receiving. So this isn't so much a treat for us, but for our girls! <br /><br />At least that's what I'm going to keep telling myself every time I boot up <a href=http://reviews.cnet.co.uk/laptops/acer-aspire-5552-review-50003148/#">Olivia</a>, which is the name of the laptop that I purchased to replace Dory, and Iris (our desktop) to an extent. While it's not exactly a desktop replacement, it outperforms our desktop on most every scale. Six times as much RAM, hard drive with sixteen times the capacity, higher resolution screen output, and HD compatibility. <br /><br />But why the name Olivia? First, Memory Express had a <a href=http://www.razerzone.com/tron">TRON:Legacy keyboard</a> on display, so I had that on my mind. Second, one of the actresses in said movie is Olivia Wilde, also did a great job on House, M.D. and I'm eager to see how she does in Cowboys & Aliens this weekend. Third, the name Olivia is nice, and we haven't reserved it for any of our daughters. <br /><br />So far, so good. But I admit that it's going to take a bit of getting used to to figure out the Windows Live Movie Maker. With the hardware that Olivia has, I'm thinking it shouldn't be that tough. Just have to get used to the minimal GUI, or purchase some more heavy duty software.<br /><br />Dory, you're an adorable little netbook and you still have your uses, but it was time for something a little more up to date with a bit more guts under the hood.<br /><br />Welcome Olivia!Dragon Paw Genthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17710804714346127788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30891099.post-35409594992874477682011-07-24T02:15:00.002-06:002011-07-24T02:19:53.447-06:00Six Eyed Reviews: Winnie the PoohA new project that I've been working on with a friend of mine has been a video review series. The most recent installment featured my daughter, as she came along with us to see Disney's latest release Winnie the Pooh. We have another movie lined up for review this Wednesday, so I'll be sure to include that one here as well.<br /><br />In the mean time, enjoy!<br /><br /><iframe width="640" height="510" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/I7R-iArznD4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Dragon Paw Genthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17710804714346127788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30891099.post-20561347102430381882011-06-21T21:41:00.003-06:002011-06-21T23:11:44.864-06:00Calgary Comic Expo 2011The 2011 Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo marked the fourth time Caitlin and I have attended, Rini's third, and Bronwyn's first! We had our hands full for the past few months putting together our entries for the Costume Contest, hence the lack of posts. Thought it was a massive amount of effort, a substantial amount of money, and countless hours to get it all together, we had an absolute blast and are already planning for next year.<br /><br />The Expo is a two-fold event for our family. Not only do we get to cosplay and meet some celebrities, but we also get to visit with my sisters and their families. This year we went down earlier, and spent a bit more time with them. Although we don't live that far away, the expo is about the only time that we get to visit at all. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNFJ7j-halU5pFQnUH3UCzVsCB_S2Zy1sjPy0PzqyGtVG_fARQ38Pv5RztRr7C7taKlXjkSO6wWRAeLdqtZiNnAqRZjNQlsaVHGaAW8p9kUcFTF2E9evmmZW4gqa5g2oSe62oR/s1600/Image054.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNFJ7j-halU5pFQnUH3UCzVsCB_S2Zy1sjPy0PzqyGtVG_fARQ38Pv5RztRr7C7taKlXjkSO6wWRAeLdqtZiNnAqRZjNQlsaVHGaAW8p9kUcFTF2E9evmmZW4gqa5g2oSe62oR/s320/Image054.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620898523670288930" /></a>This event has begun to be a bit of a family tradition for us. Every year I've gone with Rini, we get a picture with R2-D2. Originally, I wanted to get a picture with just R2 and Rini, but the first year she was too scared to be near him by herself. Now, the both of us crowd in the shot without a second thought. In hindsight, I should have got a picture with Bronwyn as well, but she's only nine months old right now! Back in 2008, when Caitlin and I went by ourselves, and left Rini in the care of my sister, she was just over a year old. The next year, Rini was walking around. The year after, she wanted to be in the stroller all the time. This year, it was a bit of both. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_DiQMJpwBUgdia-T6JC86ArABCcINNzwrppvlGdhnh8ZD8NA3EvwxbGBGFlQiVQ4MU0rIvniUdm7qDGLnJrkgJhw4gLvoeprH97dsHjqNTj5kFITPmAJTNXspif4S8y4B4qGM/s1600/100_1058.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_DiQMJpwBUgdia-T6JC86ArABCcINNzwrppvlGdhnh8ZD8NA3EvwxbGBGFlQiVQ4MU0rIvniUdm7qDGLnJrkgJhw4gLvoeprH97dsHjqNTj5kFITPmAJTNXspif4S8y4B4qGM/s320/100_1058.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620898534244545570" /></a>We didn't attend many panels this year due to having our girls with us, but there was one panel I was determined to go to, Cartoon Voices 1. I wanted to go to the second one, but we slept in and there was no room by the time I got there. Despite William Shatner and Jonathan Frakes in attendance, I really wanted to see the panel with Jess Harnel, Maurice LaMarche, and Rob Paulson. I seem more drawn to the voice actors, because two years ago, I was bent on attending the panel with Scott McNeil regarding voice acting. <br /><br />I was very grateful to have attended Cartoon Voices 1, because they talked about how they create characters and stay competitive. Borrowing voices is not a bad thing, oftimes the actors they borrow them from aren't using them anymore! At the end of the panel, Rob Paulson told a story about a child he met with Muscular Dystrophy. The kid asked for an autograph, but Rob didn't have anything with him at the time. But he was wearing a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles jacket, as he was doing the voice of Raphael in the original series at the time. He took off his jacket, signed it, and gave it to him. Later on he discovered that this same kid was so attached to the jacket that he refused to go into surgery without it, such to the point the hospital staff sterilized the jacket, put it in a plastic bag and had it in the OR during the operation! <br /><br />But that's not the end of the story. The doctors expected that he would only have a year or two left to live, not much longer past fourteen years old. But he still had that jacket, and everyone in the room could attest to that, BECAUSE HE WAS IN THE AUDIENCE. Rob finished the story with the simple but powerful statement, "You can't tell me it's <i>just</i> cartoons." <br /><br />I wish that I had some time to talk to him, or at least listen in on the conversation that Rob had with him after the panel. The only thing I heard as I was exiting the room was when Rob told him, "Meeting you changed my life." <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjABvXgW9Sbpj_QWdNTaFsFImX5wqhnYfWLBVv3TYcJMy51au5XxYreIHbWMjyKtxLepVaV1hDKXgxqVZKynx8hHAbHdsqHPkvnH5_7ZKmwole4mDPCNLkrUeg-Bvvj2jZSP0oo/s1600/100_1499.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjABvXgW9Sbpj_QWdNTaFsFImX5wqhnYfWLBVv3TYcJMy51au5XxYreIHbWMjyKtxLepVaV1hDKXgxqVZKynx8hHAbHdsqHPkvnH5_7ZKmwole4mDPCNLkrUeg-Bvvj2jZSP0oo/s320/100_1499.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620898521322444754" /></a>The rest of Saturday was spent in the Costume Contest, which I will talk about tomorrow. For now, I need sleep. Didn't get much of that over the weekend!<br /><br />Next year, I think I might book off Friday and Monday. Friday to travel; Monday to recover.Dragon Paw Genthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17710804714346127788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30891099.post-58418063690966397282011-05-13T12:00:00.000-06:002011-05-13T22:23:00.505-06:00Movie Project - Day 45: Tron (1982)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.coverbrowser.com/image/bestselling-movies-2006/2737-1.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 210px; height: 291px;" src="http://www.coverbrowser.com/image/bestselling-movies-2006/2737-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />I have officially run out of excuses not to do another blog post. My back has recovered to the point that I can get around without my brace, I have recovered from my cold, and most importantly, I have a new job! I'm going to get back on the New Year's resolution bandwagon, and try to post something every day, whether it be a movie project or a Bite a time review. I'll have to revisit the Bite at a Time movies, because I actually talk to my coworkers during lunch now! Eh, I'll figure something out. <br /><br />Back to the subject at hand, the 1982 cult classic, computer assisted Disney film Tron. To be honest, I did things a little backwards and showed her Tron:Legacy before watching the original with her. Add that to my running list of other parental mistakes. <br /><br />To my amazement, she sat through the entire movie. I'm happy to say my little girl enjoyed this nostalgic marvel, but I'm not sure why she was so entranced. I would love to watch it again with her, but everytime I suggest it, she insists on watching Tron:Legacy instead. <br /><br />One moment that I watched three times - once by myself, twice to call Caitlin's attention what I saw, and the third time was due to Rini's request to see it again - was when Tron and Flynn meet up again on the Solar Sailor. There is a wide shot where there is a "hidden Mickey" in the background. It takes up the entire background, so you have to be watching for it, but once you see it, it's hard to miss! <br /><br />One key difference between Tron and its sequel is the floating little character known as "Bit." While it only ever says yes or no, Rini thought it was quite cute! She hasn't been mimicking the lines like she does with other movies, but it brought a smile to her face when the character came on screen.<br /><br />Yet, she might have just been excited about the Recognizer, which is one of the scenes where the Bit appears. Rini did enjoy the Lightcycles, but she thought it was hilarious when Flynn was running into walls and columns with the recognizer. I'll admit, the sound effects did add an over the top comedic vibe. <br /><br />For its day, Tron was a breakthrough in computer animation. It didn't have the most engaging story, yet with this movie, it wasn't trying to be a movie to be remembered for the captivating dialogue or character depth. Tron catered to the geek community from the Ring Game down to the "Gort Klattu Barada Nikto" banner in Alan Bradley's cubicle. It was a milestone in computer graphic design and has provided fuel for the creative fires of current CG artists, including John Lasseter.<br /><br />Does that mean we're going to be watching Tron again in the near future? Not until Rini gets her fill of Tron:Legacy. <br /><br />It might be a while.Dragon Paw Genthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17710804714346127788noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30891099.post-46544770634022701482011-03-08T21:30:00.002-07:002011-03-08T21:44:27.953-07:00Creative PhysioToday was an adventure, yet for most people it would just be an ordinary day. I drove to work and was there for the full day. Afterwards, I stopped by the mall, dropped off some mail that was missed in the pickup, sauntered around, then got some milk.<br /><br />To anyone else, that would be a very boring day. For me, it was rejuvenating. That car trip marked the first time I had got behind the wheel of a car for over two weeks. It felt amazing to have that freedom again, and to not worry about being an inconvenience to anyone. I know that my father-in-law didn't mind doing the carpool thing with me, but it really helps in the long run that I can get about on my own. Not only can I pilot the vehicle to get myself around, I can also drive my family around too. Caitlin and I will be able to attend the Arrogant Worms concert on Friday regardless if my brother-in-law will be able to attend. Though I hope he does feel good enough to attend, but since he's going in for surgery tomorrow, it's anyone's guess. <br /><br />Also walking around the mall, that was something of a workout, since I did it without the brace. Driving was done sans brace too, since the doctor formally told me that I could not drive while wearing the brace. On that note, he also said that I should spend some time out of the brace to strengthen my muscles. Put two and two together, and I am ambulatory! That's not to say it was a completely painless experience. I paused in stores here and there, but most of the time I tried to keep moving so that I wouldn't have a moment to focus on the pain. <br /><br />I could take some T3 medication to deal with the pain, but the damage it did to my stomach, I don't want to take the risk. And while it does hurt, I know that I'm working at getting better. Plus, it's only been two days since I've tried venturing around without the brace, and while I was at work, I had it on. Made the work day a little bit easier to deal with. <br /><br />Movie review to come soon. I know I said I was going to try to steer my daughter away from Disney movies, but she has been reading a children's storybook of Cinderella, and Grandma figured it was high time Erini saw the movie the book was based on.Dragon Paw Genthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17710804714346127788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30891099.post-83571731551714141682011-03-07T12:00:00.000-07:002011-03-07T22:38:42.398-07:00Cure Almost Worse Than DiseaseThis is not to say that I have a debilitating illness, but rather my appointment today gave me a bit more freedom than my body is accustomed to. After wearing the back brace almost exclusively for the past two weeks, I tried getting around without it for the evening. I am now filled will all sorts of pain, largely located in the lower back, but I'm working my way through it. <br /><br />We have the treadmill working, and Erini tried to do a bit of physio with me, but she almost fell on her face on the treadmill. Good thing the emergency switch works! She saw the support bar and figured that you had to hold onto it for it to work properly. I have a bit of work ahead of me to explain to her that treadmills are not like shopping carts.<br /><br />While we did take in a movie tonight, my rehabilitation has drained my will to type much more than I have already. I have enough energy left for a shower, and that's about it. <br /><br />At least I was able to get something out, and at least I was able to do it without the brace. I'm making progress! Painful progress, but it's going forward!Dragon Paw Genthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17710804714346127788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30891099.post-65763804622672833692011-03-06T12:00:00.000-07:002011-03-06T21:49:37.807-07:00Movie Project - Day 44: Despicable Me<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYZqOZ1So6cJU0sM2v8eqzECiLFu398QhF6V3eYxzFnj4EN-7ftJvJ3O5-xHtZmBpQiTKMWXKMJkld8wMvko0zUbGGzU4pBcEwmvrJfdFE0ySMSZBc8O0EG8Yu1V9jdBVqiw3R/s1600/Despicable+Me.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 202px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYZqOZ1So6cJU0sM2v8eqzECiLFu398QhF6V3eYxzFnj4EN-7ftJvJ3O5-xHtZmBpQiTKMWXKMJkld8wMvko0zUbGGzU4pBcEwmvrJfdFE0ySMSZBc8O0EG8Yu1V9jdBVqiw3R/s320/Despicable+Me.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5581187116787096866" /></a>When you watch something like Despicable Me, you need to have two things in mind. First, this movie is incredibly silly and does not take itself very seriously, and second, the old guy is NOT Eric Idle. With that in mind, my daughter is not familiar with Monty Python (yet!) and I have yet to see her take a movie seriously. In short, she thought it was very funny.<br /><br />Since we watched this at home, and not in 3D, a few of the scenes did not have the same impact that they would have in 3D, such as when Gru lands the spaceship, or the rollercoaster ride. Some of those shots were pure 3D grabs, and in 2D it doesn't play as well. The story still shines through, and there is a story worth watching beneath all the crazy effects and jokes. <br /><br />Being a father, I could understand some of Gru's frustrations in trying to get work done and being plagued with the incessant demands of those three girls. My girls are still quite young, and I can wait just fine until they reach the ages of the girls in the film. Erini didn't really relate to the girls that much, because she was too busy laughing at the minions. <br /><br />The best comparison for those little yellow creatures with prehensile appendages, would be some sort of cousin to the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCncfXXxZW4&feature=fvwrel">Raving Rabbids</a> only a bit more organized. Only a little though.<br /><br /><div style="background:#000000;width:600px;height:370px"><embed flashVars="playerVars=showStats=yes|autoPlay=no|videoTitle=DESPICABLE ME: Movie Trailer 4" src="http://www.metacafe.com/fplayer/4356979/despicable_me_movie_trailer_4.swf" width="600" height="370" wmode="transparent" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" name="Metacafe_4356979" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></div><div style="font-size:12px;"><a href="http://www.metacafe.com/watch/4356979/despicable_me_movie_trailer_4/">DESPICABLE ME: Movie Trailer 4</a>. Watch more top selected videos about: <a href="http://www.metacafe.com/topics/Despicable_Me/" title="Despicable_Me">Despicable Me</a>, <a href="http://www.metacafe.com/topics/Movie_Trailers/" title="Movie_Trailers">Movie Trailers</a></div><br /><br />The version we watched was DVD, and the Blu-ray has more special features, such as three shorts starring the minions. And a banana. Not too sure about the details on that, but I'm told it's hilarious.<br /><br />If it can be believed, we don't own a copy of this, nor do Grandma and Grandpa. It was my brother-in-law from whom we borrowed their copy, and previous to that I rented it from a local rental outlet. However, after watching it again this past week, I think we might look into acquiring a copy of it. We need to get settled in our new place, and that will involve finding a new bed for our daughter. Kijiji stiffed me on that, but we're still looking.Dragon Paw Genthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17710804714346127788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30891099.post-77700702254372393642011-03-05T12:00:00.002-07:002011-03-05T22:46:39.728-07:00Movie Project - Day 43: Toy Story 3<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6u9-NBa27CKj6gnCz-hRXK6NbVyJXpfOeNYKpch8wH2RUetpGnqCd_aQs2EHfSM_U6tC4A0hEMxa_31CRRgSBV0te0itEH312sh-TJxq9TEAXoWcZtk9U4BCUhUUkEch0VnBn/s1600/Toy+Story+3.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 252px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6u9-NBa27CKj6gnCz-hRXK6NbVyJXpfOeNYKpch8wH2RUetpGnqCd_aQs2EHfSM_U6tC4A0hEMxa_31CRRgSBV0te0itEH312sh-TJxq9TEAXoWcZtk9U4BCUhUUkEch0VnBn/s320/Toy+Story+3.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5580825344096046898" /></a>Seems like some time since I wrote about a movie I watched with my daughter, but I blame all those pain medications I was on. I'm at home, and I took some time to sit with my daughter and watch a movie that had previously given her nightmares, or so was the opinion circulating the household. Whether Erini truly did have trouble sleeping due to the movie or other circumstances, I don't know. What I do know is that after she watched this movie with me, she slept through the night without a peep. I would say the night troubles are over regarding this movie.<br /><br />Not to say that there are some frightening parts, and not to say that everyone would feel comfortable watching this movie with their children. All I am saying is that I was very glad I watched this with Erini, and I was able to hold her during the scary parts. The parts I think she had issues with were: the garbage truck, the "libary" scene, and the incinerator. All those things were mentioned to me at one point or another in between our viewing in November 2010 and this past week. My daughter remembers her movies quite well, like her parents, and viewing movies with her mommy and daddy will help build good memories of good film.<br /><br />The other thing I love doing with Pixar movies in general - and Erini has gotten in on it too - is going through the "Pixar Checklist." In every movie, a few things are present. One thing that my daughter has started to take notice is the Pizza Planet truck. She will get up and point it out whenever it appears in most all Pixar movies, though some movies it's quite hard to see eg. Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, and Up. But she always says, "The Pizza Planet truck is in Bug's Life!" That one is a bit easier to see and the same shot is used in Monsters Inc. ("Mama! Another 'gator got in the house!" "Another 'gator? Gimme that shovel!") Next, we're going to work on pointing out <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001652/">John Ratzenburger</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A113">A113</a>. <br /><br />Most all scary movies that Erini has watched, I've watched with her, and she enjoys them, and they don't bother her. Just having her daddy near her when she's scared tends to help her deal with the concept of fright. I haven't quite figured out why. It could be my baritone voice that has a soothing effect or some other facet of masculinity that I don't realize I'm displaying. Whatever it is, she does well, when I watch a movie with her. <br /><br />That being said, I did watch Toy Story 3 with her the first time she watched it. The second time she saw it, I wasn't there, and that's when the sleep trouble started. Perhaps there is an exception to every circumstance, and this is no different.Dragon Paw Genthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17710804714346127788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30891099.post-81405635258762790932011-03-03T12:00:00.001-07:002011-03-05T22:51:10.532-07:00Movies a Bite at a Time #4 - Jesus Camp<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOdZpbYHFOr5J3yiAiQkvCikbSICXk7FkW8atGlfNgueJlUKNUx8s5-m-1RKbhvkSb_4JdD3hVi9Kabz22Yyzs1OdGxcD_vTnMj5Sa_PBMFh4EvPMwJG9_BUtuvr79K8-SG2w0/s1600/jesus-camp-poster-1.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 225px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOdZpbYHFOr5J3yiAiQkvCikbSICXk7FkW8atGlfNgueJlUKNUx8s5-m-1RKbhvkSb_4JdD3hVi9Kabz22Yyzs1OdGxcD_vTnMj5Sa_PBMFh4EvPMwJG9_BUtuvr79K8-SG2w0/s320/jesus-camp-poster-1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5580071784601838978" /></a>As I mentioned yesterday, I am currently healing from an L1 burst fracture, aka broken back. I was only in the hospital for four days, yet the amount of time that I was awake and coherent enough to watch this movie was very short indeed. Caitlin actually brought eight or nine movies for me to watch, but with all the drugs I was on, and the physiotherapy I was working through to get home when I did, I barely had enough time to finish watching Jesus Camp. <br /><br />It was a very interesting documentary to watch in the hospital, and I really hope that I didn't disturb my roommates too much. Mind one guy never said a word to me, another guy barely spoke at all, and the third guy was watching his television with his headphones in most of the time. If anyone was annoyed with the "Hallelujah!" and "Praise Jesus!" that was coming from Toshi, they never told me. <br /><br />I like to consider myself a religious person. I have a strong belief and testimony in Jesus Christ and his sacrifice for us all. But I also believe in personal agency. We all have the power within us to chose what we believe, and to chose whether that belief is right or wrong. For that reason, I strongly believe in a division between church and state, and I don't believe that people should be forced to believe what I do. <br /><br />At the beginning of the film, a children's Pastor Becky Fisher is interviewed, and she states that she wants to prepare today's children to be Christian soliders, just like Muslims are training their children for Jihad. That sent a very cold chill through me. Some of these children were eight or nine years old, some as old as twelve, but there were all very vocal and firm in their faith. <br /><br />I've met religious people all over the spectrum. Baptists, Orthodox, Catholic, Muslim, Jehovah's Witness, the list goes on. Living in various cities across the country will do that. The fact is there are good people wherever you go, and there is also insanely passionate people wherever you go. What was presented in Jesus Camp was the closest thing I could categorize to Christian Extremism, and it was a scary thing to see. What was further frightening is that these kids are going to grow up and be a part of the adult community one day. Teaching people to love one another and bear one another's burdens that they may be light, that's a good thing to teach children. Winding children up in a flurry of passionate faith to the point that they'll believe anything makes me wonder how wars will be fought twenty years from now. <br /><br />Being a father and a patriarch to my family are responsibilities that I still struggle with. Sometimes I can't believe that I'm a daddy, but it's not a matter of belief. I know I'm a father, and my girls are growing up faster than I want them to. The best I can do is adhere to Proverbs 22:6 - Train up a child the way he should go: and when he is old, he shall not depart from it. <br /><br />Teaching children at a young age is the best thing you can do, but more than that, you need to show them that you care for them. Seems I'm making things up as I go along when it comes to parenting, but I do try to instill important ideas in my daughter's mind. Saying prayers and brushing teeth are still a bit of a battle, and I'm sure she won't remember the exact words to a certain prayer fifteen years from now, but I hope she'll remember saying prayer with her family, and will continue to do so on her own. <br /><br />Would I watch Jesus Camp with Erini? I'm not even sure if I could watch it again with Caitlin. Perhaps my memories of the movies are tainted from all the morphine I was taking in the hospital. Stupid drugs.<br /><br />Tomorrow: Movie Project continues with facing a nightmare. And winning!Dragon Paw Genthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17710804714346127788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30891099.post-56814567328351016722011-03-02T22:42:00.006-07:002011-03-05T22:59:51.812-07:00We're rebuilding!Might seem odd, and it might seem a little cliche, but there has been a bit of a dearth of postings because I injured myself. A poor excuse, because I broke my back, and I can still write with a netbook on my stomach. It's not like I broke my arms, hands, and fingers. I only broke one bone. L1 vertebra, burst fracture. Most common snowmobiling injury, but every now and again you see it with tobogganing. <br /><br />I'm working on a full story of the break, the hospital stay, and the triumphant return home. I'll be posting it on my <a href="http://pushingsocial.com/why-passion-posting-may-be-hurting-your-blogs-traffic">"passion"</a> <a href="http://resfreq.blogspot.com">blog</a> once it's complete.<br /><br />In the mean time, my bone is knitting itself back together again, and I need to take it easy.<br /><br />More reviews to come. For now, I need some sleep.Dragon Paw Genthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17710804714346127788noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30891099.post-46763493377564080252011-02-21T12:00:00.001-07:002011-02-21T12:00:00.857-07:00Daddy Presents... #1 - Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!As entertaining as movies, music, and video games can be, sometimes Erini prefers to sit with me and read some good books. Such was the case tonight with a couple of her cousins over for dinner and a visit. Right as the evening was winding down, I picked up Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems, and Erini jumped up beside me. <br /><br />The book is a very simple read, and provides an interactive element for the reader. The titular Pigeon is quite the talkative bird and presents some compelling arguments to let him ride the bus. My daughter enjoys the parts where the pigeon is very frustrated, and there's no words, but rather a black charcoal smudge. When we get to that part, I do a deep throaty growl, and she giggles to no end at that. Her next favourite part is when the Pigeon gets very flustered and screams and shouts and the words look like they have a graffiti design to them. I shout the words and wave the book an inch from her face when we get to that part, and she thinks that hilarious too!<br /><br /><div style="background:#000000;width:540px;height:334px"><embed flashVars="playerVars=showStats=yes|autoPlay=no|videoTitle=DON'T LET THE PIGEON DRIVE THE BUS!" src="http://www.metacafe.com/fplayer/5261769/dont_let_the_pigeon_drive_the_bus_movie_trailer.swf" width="540" height="334" wmode="transparent" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" name="Metacafe_5261769" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></div><div style="font-size:12px;"><a href="http://www.metacafe.com/watch/5261769/dont_let_the_pigeon_drive_the_bus_movie_trailer/?fb_xd_fragment#?=&cb=f36ee1c55d10d74&relation=parent.parent&transport=fragment&type=resize&height=138">DON'T LET THE PIGEON DRIVE THE BUS: Movie Trailer</a>. Watch more top selected videos about: <a href="http://www.metacafe.com/topics/DON'T_LET_THE_PIGEON_DRIVE_THE_BUS/" title="DON'T_LET_THE_PIGEON_DRIVE_THE_BUS">DON'T LET THE PIGEON DRIVE THE BUS</a></div><br /><br />It's hard to say if that was quality time or not, but it was a certain quantity of time. And that's what I've come to learn doing this blog. I try not to worry if the time spent with my daughter is quality or quantity, because to her it's enough that I spent time with her.Dragon Paw Genthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17710804714346127788noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30891099.post-87243883791417338592011-02-20T12:00:00.002-07:002011-02-20T12:00:05.050-07:00Intermission #2 - Coldest Move To DateI can't say today was the worst move I've ever done - that would be when I moved during a rainstorm, and the rain cleared up after we were done - today was actually quite nice after I noticed a few things. First, we had no stairs to deal with. We're on the third floor, but there was an elevator. There were some issues with the elevator making <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cVlTeIATBs">the most annoying sound in the world</a> when the Open Door button was held for longer than 15 seconds, but at least we were able to unload the pod in two hours, and everything was in the apartment about 45 minutes later. <br /><br />Second, it was cold and slippery, but we had some tobogganing sleds that we were able to use to bring stuff from the pod to the building door! Made it much easier and fun! <br /><br />Third, I was ever so happy that I got Caitlin some new boots yesterday, because she was working harder and moving faster than I've seen in some time. Maybe since we went snowshoeing, but that wasn't very fast. The new boots were <a href="http://www.merrell.com/CA/en-CA/Home.mvc.aspx?shortLocaleName=en">Merrells</a> similar to the pair I've been wearing for the past five years. They are very warm, very comfortable, and the most important part for my wife, they have very good ankle support. While I paid $150 for mine, I also got the pair at Sportchek West Edmonton Mall. Caitlin's I got significantly cheaper for $18.99 at Value Village. It looked like someone wore them for a couple of days then donated them. I couldn't believe my luck when I found them! Not sure if I'll ever find something like that again, but that's Value Village for you.<br /><br />My guess is we'll have our first overnight stay in the new apartment will be about this time next week. Depending on how quickly we can unpack everything, or at the very least get the beds set up. <br /><br />It was rather frightening to see just how many boxes we had, but it was kind of fun at the same time. I imagined that the apartment was a Christmas Tree, and the boxes were presents to which we don't know what's inside, but are pretty sure we're going to like. <br /><br />May sound trite, but it prevented me from doing something drastic to silence that elevator alarm. <br /><br />I wonder if Ubisoft has thought of licensing the Rabbid scream to replace klaxon alerts. Just a thought.Dragon Paw Genthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17710804714346127788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30891099.post-38799495512387647692011-02-19T12:00:00.002-07:002011-02-19T12:00:02.985-07:00Cheat Code #2 - Boom Blox Bash Party<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://connected2christ.com/theblog/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/bash_party_box.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 340px; height: 486px;" src="http://connected2christ.com/theblog/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/bash_party_box.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>What do you do when you want to play video games with your kids, but there isn't a game that fits for you and your younglings? If you're Hollywood legend Steven Spielberg, you talk to EA, and coproduce one of the more comically violent and challenging puzzle games to come along in some time. Although this game was released back in Spring 2009, it's still a fun title that I'm sure Erini will be able to understand and play along with soon. The controls are a little tricky for her to figure as of right now, but she really enjoys the number of characters and the general chaos of things exploding. <br /><br />While some reviews cite that this version has some new features and does not include some of the less than stellar features, this is the only version I have played. The challenge of the level is matched by the variety of tools to destroy the blocks. Colour balls change the colour of blocks allowing for matches of three or more blocks to score points. Once the block disappear, the physics engine takes over. Sometimes the bottom of the playing area is not flat, and sometimes the blocks will land wrong and fall out completely.<br /><br />The grabbing hand makes for some tricky balancing exercises. At times it feels like Jenga, only with exploding blocks. And sheep. Stupid sheep.<br /><br />Erini's favourite area is the Pirate Bay, and she quite enjoyed the cannon battles. Yet she kept asking to go to the Parrot section, which involved more blowing things up. <br /><br />The most fun I ever had playing this game was with my brother-in-law in Calgary. He and I were the only ones in a group of six guys who had played it previously, but it was still a heap of fun. We ventured into a space battle, in which you had a certain amount of bombs to throw in a certain amount of time. Eventually, we got the idea to gang up on one person, but that backfired, since you get bonus bombs if you get hit a significant amount. <br /><br />We also played a version of mini golf, only it was pucks instead of balls, slingshots instead of clubs, and there were elevators. But you did have to hit a red flag! At first it was a joke. Straight away shot, and boom, 100 points. But it got more and more complicated, you had to judge the power you put into the shot, and hope that the other players were not feeling ruthless. <br /><br />It's fun when my wife gets in on the action too. She doesn't pick up a controller, but she does give me tips on what to do. Once she figures out the level creator, I'm sure she'll have a ball with it though! <br /><br />I was most interested in this game when I read an article on <a href="http://thatguywiththeglasses.com">That Guy With The Glasses</a> featuring the <a href="http://thatguywiththeglasses.com/articles/dr-gonzo/17356-top-6-games-to-play-on-a-date">Top 6 Games to Play on a Date</a>. Most of the games I was quite familiar with, but then the final game mentioned caught my attention with earnest. I can't say that I've had the same experience as detailed in the article, but it is one of the games that I has been a great investment.Dragon Paw Genthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17710804714346127788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30891099.post-49095739320819163872011-02-18T12:00:00.004-07:002011-02-18T12:00:05.158-07:00Cheat Code #1 - Raving Rabbids: Travel in Time<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSn6S6eK1AD77puWFi0ClrIlNIQV6hcljkIbcV1S5WTTYJc3xLf"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 190px; height: 266px;" src="http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSn6S6eK1AD77puWFi0ClrIlNIQV6hcljkIbcV1S5WTTYJc3xLf" border="0" alt="" /></a>This is the third video game review I've done with my daughter's input, and I only now realized that I should have set it up as a separate series. Since I was cheating previously with the movie project by adding in those review to the Movie Project, the title Cheat Code seemed appropriate. <br /><br />We originally got this game for Grandma and Grandpa Tolley, since it was mentioned that they wanted more multiplayer games for their Wii. Something that everyone could enjoy and the kids could play along too. This game delivers that in spades. This is the kind of game that you could play for hours, or just pick up for fifteen minutes. Setup takes no time at all as the extra players are added in via the washing machine that is capable of creating temporal rifts. It just pops out of nowhere, spits out a Rabbid, and then disappears again. Much like the Rabbids do as they ride this washing machine through time, making a mess of things, or just adding a story that was skipped over in the annals for history.<br /><br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" width="640" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/DhMXsHH4gnA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br />The entrance to the game is through a bathroom, and upon entering the main area of the museum, a roll of toilet paper gets stuck to the characters foot. I found it quite annoying at first, but when I played co-op for the first time, I saw how important it was. All the players are anchored to this roll of toilet paper, which makes it quite handy when someone doesn't want to go where you want, or in the case of my daughter, doesn't know how to handle the controls very well. You can drag these characters along, and it makes for great comedy! <br /><br />Most people know the Rabbids for their unique voice, or rather scream. BWAAAAAAHHH! Erini and her cousins always mention this whenever they ask if they can play the game. In this game, that is taken up a notch. There is an area where you can do Rabbid chorus, and the tone is adjusted by rotating the Wiimote clockwise or counterclockwise. <br /><br />On feature that I liked quite a bit in previous Rabbid games was the dance sequences. While it is featured in this game as well, it's not at all the same, and it seems Ubisoft directly imported some songs from Just Dance 2 into Raving Rabbids. It's still fun having the Rabbids dance to Jungle Boogie, but they take a back seat to the dance steps demonstrated on screen. <br /><br />A number of mini games are hidden throughout the museum areas, such as a memory game, object chase games, even a bouncing game. The part I had the most difficulty figuring out was the flying. Erini loved it whenever I crashed, so maybe I was doing something right after all! <br /><br />Some might argue that these games encourage fighting and violence because of the fact you can beat on other Rabbids at pretty much any time, and there is no penalty for it. The same argument could be said for the Looney Toons, but I don't see my daughter running off to hit her cousins with comically large weapons. At least not those that can inflict lethal damage. I would think that I've thought her well enough what is acceptable and what is not.<br /><br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" width="640" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/btwwq-pD7Z4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> <br /><br />My daughter and her cousins love this game like none other, and it would be better if they were able to play the game with me instead of just watch. This really is a great party game, and the more people you have the funnier it gets.<br /><br />That's why I figured it would be ideal for Grandma and Grandpa's house!Dragon Paw Genthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17710804714346127788noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30891099.post-7896019205530483472011-02-17T12:00:00.000-07:002011-02-17T12:00:05.416-07:00Movies a Bite at a Time #3 - Up in the Air<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkAy7Z_xxZIVZqcCvhqteaFcYn4Tpki0C5QGDbefi8_CcKY4qVCpIU-TKgscAc7LiZXQqyhSeYmMVHfgTzIPLBxyBqcsKc0ybDSNkJIbfQl6VuU2N0A5207I3XK77FCK1ZMZng/s1600/Up+in+the+Air.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 217px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkAy7Z_xxZIVZqcCvhqteaFcYn4Tpki0C5QGDbefi8_CcKY4qVCpIU-TKgscAc7LiZXQqyhSeYmMVHfgTzIPLBxyBqcsKc0ybDSNkJIbfQl6VuU2N0A5207I3XK77FCK1ZMZng/s320/Up+in+the+Air.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5574533440827968722" /></a>This movie was ideal for watching at work for the following reasons: <br />1. It challenges you to figure out what you want in life<br />2. The language used by the characters was on a level that I would not want my daughter accidentally hearing<br />3. With the premise of travelling from city to city, it made it easy to find the right moments to stop for the day. Next city, stop.<br /><br />George Clooney has been lauded for his role as Ryan Bingham, a jet setting business man whose line of work is to fire people. Seems rather harsh, but it's a living, and he does his job exceptionally well. He also does not have anything or anyone tying him down to one place. He has a one bedroom apartment in Omaha, Nebraska, where his company is headquartered, but it has all the amenity and charm of a hotel room. Possibly a hospital room. <br /><br />When life throws him a curve ball, and the company is thinking of changing their format to videoconferencing, Bingham is faced with the fact he might have to live at one address. Not about to go into the night quietly, he takes one last road trip, showing Natalie Keener (Anna Kendrick) how it's done in the field. Along the way, Bingham hooks up with another jet setter, Alex Goran played by Vera Farmiga. They have romantic encounters from time to time, even inviting her to his sister's wedding, and he starts to think that he could spend his life with her. <br /><br />The twists and surprises that follow were typical, but done in an unusual manner. It's hard to say if there is a happy ending, because it largely depends on what you call happy. That was the other thing that made this movie fun, yet annoying to watch on Toshi. The unit does not have a runtime clock to indicate how far along you are in the movie. Also, since I was watching the movie in random increments, I lost track how long I had been watching the movie and the player picks up where I left off, so I don't need to go to the chapter menu to get an idea of where I am in the film. I just kept watching until the credits rolled. <br /><br />Funny, moving, and throwing in a dash of reality just to keep the viewer in bewilderment, this movie delivers some good entertainment. The line that sums up things the best is when Bingham is giving his sister's fiancee some advice to get over his cold feet, "Life's better with company." <br /><br />How ironic that I watched this movie alone. And still liked it.Dragon Paw Genthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17710804714346127788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30891099.post-45961963733265199792011-02-16T12:00:00.001-07:002011-02-16T12:00:03.389-07:00Movie Project - Day 42: Super Mario Galaxy<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFRkTQ5shD50RZY1v3DxYviVFnzTfnUawXJ58oSaPNICs1eLpEFj9bWOv4iGv7knfkWDi4LO6WCS53gYgBhz-zUF0jAzEokZr93k5tExc35AVQlaYHM58q287JiI-iywG4oqHI/s1600/Super+Mario+Galaxy.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFRkTQ5shD50RZY1v3DxYviVFnzTfnUawXJ58oSaPNICs1eLpEFj9bWOv4iGv7knfkWDi4LO6WCS53gYgBhz-zUF0jAzEokZr93k5tExc35AVQlaYHM58q287JiI-iywG4oqHI/s400/Super+Mario+Galaxy.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5574155796668439522" /></a>In view of the past month, I've noticed movies have moved to the forefront, and video games have taken a back seat. Writing this blog does take a bit of time from my day, but that doesn't mean that I have to leave it behind. Also, Erini has been asking to play some games as of late, specifically Super Mario Galaxy. I have not finished the game as yet, but we've both been enjoying the game. <br /><br />The premise is pretty standard for a Mario game. Bowser comes and kidnaps Princess Peach and Mario has to go rescue her. The twist this time is that Bowser has figured out how to make galaxies with the aid of Grand Stars. These were stolen from an observatory watched over by a mysterious lady known as Rosalina, and there are a number of sentient star forms known as Lumas.<br /><br />This game works well for playing with Erini, because while it is chiefly a one person adventure game, there is a two player option in which the second player uses the Wiimote to collect and shoot Star bits. This was a little annoying at points, because once she figured out she could shoot stuff, that's all she did, and then the star bits would diminish to nothing. I tried playing with my wife, but whenever Erini saw Caitlin holding the Wiimote, she wanted it back because it was "hers." Oh joy. Should be interesting when she has to share with her sister.<br /><br />Yet she was able to interact with the game and still enjoy the gameplay, which is challenging for an adventure game. Most games like Wii Sports or Wii Sports Resort work well because of the simple actions to which she can play along. Her favourite is the Samurai Showdown, and I will freely admit it's mine too. <br /><br />I find it difficult to play this game for longer than an hour or so, mostly because of the 3D spacial navigation. When you're flying from spot to spot, flip upside down, and have limited camera control, it takes a toll on me. I don't get motion sickness as much as I have with first person shooters for PC, but I've learned it's best not to push the limits. <br /><br />Another reason I wanted to play this game was to get a character unlocked in Mario Kart Wii. I have yet to see if this works or not, but I've read that if you have a Super Mario Galaxy save file on the memory, then it will unlock Rosalina as a playable character. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuIrOoRt5m40op5_vzPjN2xHCM5feXX9chkiEDSjJ4UC-qSVrD1u5FBs58-arAGgp-_Nz0_fhaRBYjycrhQGK65yNi0EAMY6svDWBYHnoWOe5HvZ01xW_8JgT52euBDMp-c4BM/s1600/100_1257.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuIrOoRt5m40op5_vzPjN2xHCM5feXX9chkiEDSjJ4UC-qSVrD1u5FBs58-arAGgp-_Nz0_fhaRBYjycrhQGK65yNi0EAMY6svDWBYHnoWOe5HvZ01xW_8JgT52euBDMp-c4BM/s200/100_1257.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5574171874283081586" /></a>My wife has been making jewelry of all sorts lately, and some of the beads she picked up looked highly irregular, and almost jagged. The colours were all over the spectrum, but they looked rather familiar. <br /><br />Caitlin got a Dremmel for Christmas, so she plans on drilling holes and stringing these into some necklaces, bracelets, and earrings. Possibly anklets too, but that's only if she can secure some more of these bits.<br /><br />Coming soon at an <a href="http://etsy.com">Etsy</a> store near you! As soon as we get it going that is...Dragon Paw Genthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17710804714346127788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30891099.post-70065823704455489772011-02-15T12:00:00.001-07:002011-02-15T23:47:53.153-07:00Intermission #1 - A Moving Valentine's DaySome people love it, other hate it, and then there are those that loathe and despise the 14th of February. No matter your opinion, we all have our way of dealing with it. I choose to look on it as a time to remember love and share it with those you care for most by showering them with affection in the form of gifts and candy. Kind of like Christmas, but without most any religious significance whatsoever.<br /><br />It's changed a little over the years, and when I became a father it changed a LOT. This time next year I'll probably be working with my daughter to make Valentine's cards for her classmates. <br /><br />This year, I just wait until my children are in bed, and I sit back and enjoy some time with my wife watching stuff like this:<br /><br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/7BWulD_uQw4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br />We love to laugh and enjoy the company of each other, but today was a very different Valentine's Day. We did the walkthrough inspection for our apartment and got our keys! This weekend will be devoted to super crazy fun time, aka moving house. Shouldn't be that hard since we packed everything up in a storage pod that will be dropped at our new place on Friday. <br /><br />I have pledged to post once a day for the year of 2011, and I don't plan on having something like a move get in the way of that. I'm just saying post might be a little vapid over the next while.<br /><br />So things should be more or less the same.Dragon Paw Genthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17710804714346127788noreply@blogger.com0