Anti-Science makes me sad

It makes me sad and angry to see friends and family posting anti-science things - specifically about vaccines. The internet can be such an echo chamber it's crazy. Comments made by other people that are along of "wake up sheeple!" and indicating that everything is a conspiracy and that the couch scientist has all the knowledge. I think that the only outcome of this is people's death. How many people have to die before this swings around? Too many. What would the balance point between stupidity and everyone that can trying to get vaccines? A depressing number is all I can think of.

So sad. So angry. I'm sure there's a perfect German word to describe it. :-(

Dear People Of The Future...

I've been thinking about a post on slashdot about messages to leave for your young kids when you're dying. It's a heartbreaking thing to even think about. One good thing (if you can call it that) that the guy has is that he knows how limited his time is. He's not someone that expects he's got another 50 years in him and gets hit by a bus. He can plan. He can prepare, both himself and his family / friends.

So, what does this have to do with me? Simple. I could be the guy that gets hit by a bus next week. I don't want to be that guy, but you never know. So, what messages could I leave my kids (assuming that they could find them) that wouldn't mess them up? There are a bunch of wonderful suggestions on the linked article, but when you distil it down it only comes to one thing for me:

I love you very much.

That's it. That's the only message that I can think that I want to give. It's... everything. As they are to me. In time they would move on (as is normal) and my memory would slowly fade away. This is normal. This is what would permit the pain to fade and the healing to take place. But my message, I hope that would never fade but become part of the fabric of who they are. My Beloved.

Squinty McGoo

Now when Isaac thinks a camera flash will go off, a block tower fall, or his sister gets too close he will squint his eyes and optionally turn his head away. He knows what's coming. He's planning. He's not yet sneaky, but I can see that coming. 

He's a bucket of fun. 

Attack Tester

It occurred to me, not for the first time, how much better out QA / QC group at work could be. First step would be to automate as much as you could. Use out of the box attack tools of course (which I have no experience in). Then, then I would get clever(er). Ensure that a user has the rights to do a given function and with the given data.

Well, I guess it's not really clever. Just basic validation.

The biggest hurdle is the people currently in the group. Nice people, but I don't think that they have the programming background to maintain an automated test suite.


*sigh*
Like with most things, it would magically be better if I was in charge.

It would be a shame if something happened to this tower...

Yesterday I came home and played, actually played, with Isaac. I'd build a foam block tower, he'd crawl / scoot over, knock it down, return to sitting and clap. Over and over. He's starting to show frustration, planning, and do the whole cause and effect thing. Fun. He's not just a baby anymore, he's becoming more of a little person.

Happy thoughts

Going to work can be difficult, but coming home makes it less so. Like the other day where I met everyone on the new pedistrian bridge and Alice squealed and ran like 1/2 the length of the bridge saying "Daddy daddy dady!". Or yesterday when I walked through the door and Isaac looked up at me and said "Da! Da! Da!"

If I was in Never-never land, that would be how is be able to fly. 

Off like a shot

There is more and more happening at home with the kids. Isaac is crawling, Alice is finding her muchness, and we're trying to find our left sock due to sleep deprivation. Oh, and I'm supposed to be buying a van right now.

So, other than chasing Mr. Puddles around the house and taking selfies with the dslr, there is not much my fuzzed out brain can remember. So here's a picture and I'm going to bed.

We have the same eyes. And drool lines (but I hid my in my beard)

Am ma uls

Day after day, Alice continues to grow up despite my sometimes wishes. She has been saying "am ma uls" for the longest time. Tonight Laura corrected her and after a couple of tries she said "animals". She is always so proud when she is able to say things correctly. I congratulated her and clapped, but inside I was sad. My little girl grew up a little bit more. Again. We are closing the chapter where she said "animals" in the cute endearing way.

I guess this is being a parent: suffering from micro-heartbreaks for decades. *sigh*

She gets her fashion sense from me

Concrete and gravity can make you feel old

Last night after leaving some friends I stupidly didn't tie up my boots. The laces were tucked inside, so they were just pretty loose. I've done this so many times when popping outside for a quick minute. We were walking 3 houses down to the car when Alice decided she wanted to be the "leader" and ran a bit ahead. It was a bit snowy and when we had left the house a car slid around the corner in a partially controlled slide (dumbass). Well, I didn't want her to get any closer to the road so I broke into a run while bending down to catch her. I got about a step before my boots locked together and I went down like a sac of bricks.

It hurt. A lot.

I lay on the ground for a couple of minutes. A neighbour was out and had a down vest and insisted it went under my head. Nice man.

Today I don't have any visible bruises on my knees, or right hand / elbow, but FSM do they hurt. I can't get off the toilet without using the counter to stand. I'm avoiding bending down 'cause I'm afraid that I won't be able to get up. I hope that I feel better soon.

In conclusion, always take the extra time and do up your boots.

Crème brûlée

I love to eat the stuff, and enjoy the stuff that I make. Here's the recipe that I've been using for a couple of years.

Makes 6:

•  2.25 cups of cream
• 1.5 tsp vanilla (or 1 bean)
• 6 eggs yokes
• 0.75 cups sugar

Makes 8:

• 3 cups cream
• 2 tsp vanilla (or 1 bean)
• 1 tsp orange zest (optional)
• 8 egg yokes
• 1 cup sugar

Instructions:

• preheat oven to 325 F
• Split and scrape the vanilla bean into cream and bring to gentle boil. Take off heat and transfer to measuring cup for pouring.
• In a double boiler boil, whisk eggs and sugar.
• Using the double boiler, slowly pour in cream while whisking.
• Transfer to ramekins and place into hot water bath
• Bake for 40 ish minutes - until just set
• Let cool
• Top with sugar, tap off excess and then use blow torch to caramelize.

Messy house, well adjusted kids?

It doesn't feel like we can get the house clean, or at least tidy for any length of time. It just feels like an impossible task with small kids. If they are sleeping we try not to make too loud a noise and wake them up. If they are awake, then we try to ensure that we are 1) playing with them and 2) the older one isn't trying to kill the younger one. Some days it gets very Lord of the Flies here so we have to be extra watchful.

To top it off, we're tired all the time. Short term memory is crap. Logic is bad. When trying to think of things... difficult... words. Uhhggg. The more tired we are, the harder it is to deal with things, which seems to take longer and means we are more tired.

Now, don't get me wrong, but I know that we are extremely lucky and have a lot more "free" time than most. I don't know how anyone else does it.

Now to try and get a nap. I hope I get a solid 10 minutes.
[heard in the background: "Is it mornin' time?"]

Perfect end to a Friday

Coming down the road and having Alice see me and come running to my arms saying "Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!"  Doesn't get better than that. 

Slightly easier

It's funny. I had such a hard time going back to work with Alice, but this time I've found it easier. It could be that I've done this before. However I think that the real reason is I'm tired. We are not sleeping much. Alice was a great sleeper. Isaac's awake temperament is... less demanding... but oh what I wouldn't do for a solid week of good sleeps.

Maybe it's because it's winter and I'm not missing out with playtime in the park. Who knows. 

Now to go to work and get some solid shut eye. 

On having young kids

It's amazing having young kids, but boy are they a lot of work. I mean, I get so tired watching Laura wipe their noses, bath them, do laundry, make snacks, etc, I just have to lie down and rest for a while. Don't get me wrong, I help out. Just the other day I helped by holding Isaac while Laura took care of something important. I can't quite remember exactly what it was... could have been a wet floor mat or a severed artery. Anyways, as I was saying, I was holding Isaac and it's really difficult to do one handed. I needed the other hand for my beer of course. You know what they say: Happy husband, I will not be unaccustomed. I'm pretty sure that's what they say.

Where was I? Oh yes. Going to bed. It's been a long day.

The family building a monument to my Greatness