Monday Mornings

The weekend that was: At the Ward 2 forum, my winter jacket was stolen so I spent much of Saturday at the Prairie Summit Shop (there is a Blackstrap joke in there somewhere), Cabela’s, Outdoor Outfitters, and Mark’s Work Warehouse trying to find a jacket I liked that wasn’t going to cost me over $300.  Finally I gave up and ran into Wal-Mart where I found the jacket I wanted for $40.  I’ll call that a win.

The last time I was at a Ward 2 event, I ended up quitting my job right after.  This time my jacket was stolen.  I am going to stay out of the ward from now on.

Where I am at the moment:  Chilling at work.  Listening to Mumford and Sons.

On my to-do list this week: Way too much.

Procrastinating about: Planning our 15th Anniversary dinner.

Book I’m in the midst of: Nothing, just about 20 magazine articles.

Music that seemed to catch my attention this past week: Been listening to the new Leonard Cohen’s Old Ideas.

How I’m feeling about this week: I hope the weather stays nice.

The weekend that was: Oliver was sick all weekend.  As Wendy blogged, we ran out to Jysk and got some new side panels for the gazebo.  Wendy found some time to put together a Mother’s Day gift guide over at Jordon Cooper Outfitters as well.

Where I am at the moment: As Dopplr says, I am in Saskatoon.

On my to-do list this week:  We plan to be at the cabin this weekend so I have to do some things for that like paint two Adirondack chairs, finish up a stair to the cabin, and pack some stuff.  I am also going to price out what a pathway like this around the cabin would look like.  I really like it.

Procrastinating about:  I forgot to pick up my taxes at H&R Block.  No penalties as I am getting a refund but now I have to go downtown and do it.

Book I’m in the midst of: Godforsaken Sea: The True Story of a Race Through the World’s Most Dangerous Waters.  The story of the Vendee Globe, where a series of insane sailors race around the globe sailing solo.

Music that seemed to catch my attention this past week:  Pat Boone singing heavy metal.  In hindsight, maybe I should have borrowed this CD before I bought it.

How I’m feeling about this week:  The sun is finally out so I am enjoying it while it lasts.

The weekend that was: Mark came down with the stomach flu bad enough that he threw up all over me (thanks dude), Oliver threw up on Wendy and then Wendy and I got sick.  Fun times.  While recovering we watched a couple of episodes of Survivorman and we checked out the new Wal-Mart Super Centre where I bought a new shell.

Where I am at the moment: As Dopplr says, I am in Saskatoon.

On my to-do list this week:  Wendy and I hope to refinish a couple pieces of furniture for the cabin.  Of course I think one is too large for where we want to put it up there so the debate will continue throughout the week.

Procrastinating about:  Refinishing a couple pieces of furniture.

Book I’m in the midst of: Moscow 1941: A City and It’s People at War by Rodric Braithwaite.  I started reading it this summer at the lake and never really got into it but I picked it up over Christmas and have started to really enjoy it.  You lose sight of how big the Battle of Moscow really was and what a desperate fight it was for both sides.  The total casualties between September 30, 1941, and January 7, 1942, are estimated to be between 248,000 and 400,000 for the Wehrmacht and between 650,000 and 1,280,000 for the Red Army.

Music that seemed to catch my attention this past week:  Franz Ferdinand

How I’m feeling about this week:  Still a little queasy.

The weekend that was:  Wendy worked on Saturday, Mark was grounded, and we had a bad winter storm.  On Sunday we ventured out and put together some lists of stuff to get for the cabin and fixed up our emergency kits.

Where I am at the moment: As Dopplr says, I am in Saskatoon.

On my to-do list this week:  Shoveling a lot of snow.

Procrastinating about: Not a lot, I have a busy week ahead of me.

Book I’m in the midst of: The Ascent of Money by Niall Ferguson.

Favorite Photo of the Last Week:  This is a fun photo by Jonny Baker.

Music that seemed to catch my attention this past week:  I created a new playlist for work on my iPod.  Music that sounds great to add in the middle of the night is not great for work during the day.  Several times a day I find myself thinking, “Why did I put that song on there?  I haven’t listened to Corey Hart since I was in grade five.”

How I’m feeling about this week:  Not to bad, not too bad at all.

The weekend that was:  I worked nights this weekend training a couple of new night staff which means that I had to be there but I really didn’t have to be there.  The highlight of the night shift was that I tripped on my shoelaces while walking down the administration hallway.  I didn’t fall but I did do a convoluted dance while keeping my balance.  Santonio Holmes I am not.

Where I am at the moment: As Dopplr says, I am at home in Saskatoon.  While I wrote this post Sunday night from home, I am probably walking to the office as it goes live.

On my to-do list this week:  Today is spent out at Beaver Creek Camp for a management planning day, then there is the Christmas Kettle kickoff breakfast and the Red Shield Luncheon along with some night shifts interspersed in there.

Procrastinating about: Not a lot, I have a busy week ahead of me.

Book I’m in the midst of: Actually I printed off the 1998 Air Force Academy’s Offensive Playbook which describes the basics of their Flexbone offense and I have been reading a lot about that and the Triple Option that is run by Navy which just gave Notre Dame fits.  If Lou Holtz makes a coaching comeback, I should be able to get a job on his staff.

Favorite Photo of the Last Week:

A wonderful HDR photo of downtown Chicago by Matt Muldre

Music that seemed to catch my attention this past week:  I ordered the Survivorman soundtrack and it came this week.  It’s a pretty good CD and I am enjoying it a lot.

How I’m feeling about this week:  Not to bad, not too bad at all.

The weekend that was: Wendy was off work all weekend which was both a good and a bad thing.  We went to the Saskatoon Fireworks Festival, tried to have a fire in the back but the bugs drove us inside. 

Where I am at the moment: As Dopplr says, I am at home in Saskatoon.

On my to-do list this week:  A bunch of important decisions to make about life, where we live, and what I want to do with my life.

Procrastinating about: Decisions more than anything.

Book I’m in the midst of: Madame Secretary by Madeleine Albright.

Music that seemed to catch my attention this past week:  I just repurchased Fallen by Evanescence for the third time.  I may or may not have lost the two other disks that I own.

How I’m feeling about this week:  To be honest, I hate life right now.  I stopped sleeping months ago.  I have stress in all facets of my life and my health sucks.  All of those are interconnected issues but right now they are feeding off each other.  It would be nice if one of them got under control.

The weekend that was: Wendy worked all weekend.  I hung out with the boys and we did some shopping for Mark’s school supplies (he registers tomorrow) at Mayfair School

Where I am at the moment: As Dopplr says, I am at home in Saskatoon.  While I wrote this post Sunday night from home, I am probably walking to the office as it goes live.

On my to-do list this week:  I have to fill out a Program Proposal for work so we can open up emergency overnight shelter space into the chapel.  After that I have too other MASSIVE Program Proposals to write that are going to be a lot more complicated.

Procrastinating about: Not a lot, I have a busy week ahead of me.

Book I’m in the midst of: Really nothing right now, I may read Guy Kawasaki’s Reality Check if I have time.

Favorite Photo of the Last Week:

This is the MK Kitchen building and it is a notorious flop house.  A couple of years ago during my first week working at the Centre, a cab drove up in the middle of the night, someone got out and tossed a package into the window, caught another one thrown down and sped away.  Whether it was a dial a dope or they were selling out here, either way it let me showed me a side of Saskatoon I didn’t realize existed up to that point.  This photo turned out well I thought as well.

Music that seemed to catch my attention this past week:  I discovered a great mixtape from the Mondo Boys via a tweet from the Hedge Society this week and am really liking it.

How I’m feeling about this week:  Not to bad, not too bad at all.

The weekend that was: Who knew that Saskatoon had a monsoon season.  It was wet.  We had plans to go to the Canada Remembers Air Show but it was more or less washed away so instead we did some shopping, did some cleaning, and went for lunch at Alexander’s.

Where I am at the moment: As Dopplr says, I am at home in Saskatoon.

On my to-do list this week:  I am on holidays but am in the office today to finish up a proposal and then I have to take in a City Council meeting tonight.  The bad news is that we are 20 pages into a 48 page City Council agenda.  It’s going to be a long night.

Procrastinating about: Painting our picket fence.  I hate painting picket fences.

Book I’m in the midst of: I just started The BLDGBLOG Book.

Favorite Photo of the Last Week:

Music that seemed to catch my attention this past week:  Believe it or not, I added some delirious? to my iPod.

How I’m feeling about this week:  Well I am on holidays so it feels pretty good.  Now if I can just escape the office.