Urgent action required: remember you are not your audience
I send and receive a fair number of appeals for online actions. And I see phrases like “Act now” or “Urgent! Your help needed” a lot and I admit if…
cmkl
Toilet tales part two: the big reveal
So I took the toilet off to discover the base had been sealed to the top of the drain with heaps and heaps of stuff (felt like about half a…
Leaky toilet: what manner of screw is this?
Some time ago Irene and I noticed this hives-like bubbling of paint on the ceiling near the front door. Uh oh. After getting some advice from the ever helpful Jeff…
My fifteen seconds of fame
I’m in an Ottawa Sun weather story dispensing advice on biking on a snowy day.
Language instructors and scientists. That’s who they’re firing this week
From Environment Canada, no less. And from the training institute that, among other things, is supposed to help improve the level of bilingualism in the civil service.
Mallory and her friend C built a snow fort tonight
Before dinner. From the heap of snow built up at the end of the driveway. It was all that Irene and I could do to convince her to come in…
Content inventory: what if it all just “went away”?
The flagship site at work – the one I’m mainly responsible for – needs a complete overhaul. Near as I can tell, it’s more than 3500 static pages composed mostly…
Numbers or it didn’t happen: measuring the impact of a social media campaign
In my little corner of the social media participant universe we’re just digging into this issue as we pursue my employer’s first ever social media campaign. I can’t speak for…
Wanted: a readability calculator that doesn’t offend writers
All my life I’ve considered myself something of a writer. It always got me my highest marks in high school, it came easily to me and for a long time…
Fun in the snow
Today was skiing, playing in the snow, playing crafts and generally playing. Irene coached Mallory brilliantly out at Nakkertok, showing her how to herringbone up hills and snow plough down…
Birthday party at Midway
Mallory had her official birthday party this morning at Midway, one of 22 parties the indoor amusement palace was hosting today. Pancakes, cake, bumper cars, jungle gyms, friends and presents.…
Recidivism
So Mallory’s back to co-sleeping. It started a night or two after she and I got back from her grandfather’s.
Skate skiing at Mooney’s Bay: my new favourite thing
I had a 90 minute intro to skate skiing lesson this evening at Mooney’s Bay ski centre and I think I’ve discovered my new favourite thing. Technically speaking this lesson…
Mallory loses her first tooth
I know the last few days have been a string of Mallory pictures and that’s going to get a bit tedious for those readers of mine who are not Mallory’s…
Two hours and ten minutes from now
Mallory will be officially six years old. On this day, at 10:23pm January 2nd, 2006, our daughter was born. What a wonderful journey it has been. I speak for only…
Mallory as polar bear
So. Birthday party one, complete. In actual fact it was more like a New Years Levée family gathering than a full-on birthday party. Inviting J, one of Mallory’s friends was…
A big box, tobogganing and happy birthday Irene
Most of the world knows today as “New Year’s Eve” but to our family it’s Irene’s Birthday. Our family began by another round of presents, for Irene this time. Mallory…
Skiing
We had good skiing weather today, so Irene and I took Mallory cross-country skiing in Gatineau Park today. This is her third winter on cross country skis. Her second where…
Home again home again jiggity jog
So is there anything cute than a kid playing in the snow? I think not. But then, I am biased.