An App a day keeps the frustration at bay.

I used to love learning. I always loved school (not necessarily "going to school" but the learning part) and doing puzzles and things like that. But I have a fairly short stick-with-it-even-when-it-is-difficult-to-grasp attention span - hence I never went on to become a famous researcher able to save the world or anything like that. I tend to lean more to the creative side where you can just make stuff up as you go along and pretend that's what you intended.

I loved learning about computers and all that entailed back in the late 80's and the 90's. Besides actually learning about computers, I loved that they assisted you in learning other stuff - click a button to search or view and voila the information I required is at hand. Editing written stuff became a snap. I've long since given up reading books. On those occasions when I'm doing a group study or something I find it frustrating being unable to click on "find" and "search".

Even our TV watching has changed drastically with the invention of the PVR. We rarely watch commercials - you just press a button and zip to where you want to go. I even find myself occasionally in 'real life' subconsciously and momentarily wanting to press the back or forward button if I miss seeing or hearing something. - Someone should invent the ability to do that.

But I'm aging and my brain is slowing down as it gets crammed fuller and fuller with stuff. I no longer thrive on learning - I just wanna know it. I want to be able to plug my brain in and just download stuff. Take for example our new iPhones. I don't want to spend the time, effort and adventure of the process of learning it - I just wanna know how to use it. I want the destination without the journey.



My husband is forever reminding me that "life is a journey" hang on and enjoy the ride. Until our death, we will never arrive, there is always something else coming over the horizon. And so on that note, I shall resist frustration, enter the iPhone "Apps Store" and continue on my journey of learning.  

Key events of a Tuesday.

Tuesdays are usually Gummy Bear Song day - Xander spends the day with Granny while Mommy goes to work.

I opened the door yesterday morning to his little knock and he stood there at his full 27 (or whatever) inches holding up Mommy's car key towards me saying, "Key. Key. Key." One syllable words are good. While his comprehension and understanding are great, verbally... let's just say he's a boy. He hasn't mastered too many 2 syllable words yet. Apple is "ap" and PaPa is "Pop" etc.

He did his usual routine - shoes off, run check out his guitar, pull a few books off the shelf, turn on the TV in the spare room, open the goldfish cracker cupboard, lift the lid and check out his potty... all while toting the car key. He was not keen on giving it up when Mommy had to leave so I grabbed my key off the counter and offered to trade him. He gladly accepted, kissed Mommy goodbye and set about his business.

It was a while later before I really paid attention to some sort of racket going on outside. It was my car. I'm sure the neighbours were impressed with the horn blaring incessantly. Oops. Keys with panic alarms aren't exactly kids toys I guess.

When I'm up I can't get down.

I've always been a bit of a Great Big Sea fan. And yesterday while I was out shopping I couldn't help but reminded of this song - one of their biggest hits:

"When I'm Up (I Can't Get Down)"
I am the fountain of affection

I'm the instrument of joy

And to keep the good times rolling

I'm the boy, I'm the boy,

You know the world could be our oyster,

You just put your trust in me,

Cause we'll keep the good times rolling

Wait and see, wait and see....oh wait and see!



His exhaltation, a sweet disintegration.

A few discolorations, then it comes along

up is why he chooses, the kisses and the bruises

There ain't nothing he refuses, then it comes along

It comes along, and I am lifted, I am lifted, I am lifted!


When I'm up I can't get down

Can't get down, can't get level

When I'm up I can't get down

Get my feet back on the ground

When I'm up I can't get down

Can't get down, can't get level

When I'm up I can't get down

Get my feet back on the ground

I was shopping in Liquidation World, which is on the upper floor of a furniture store. You can access it either from the top level of the parkade or from the antique escalators coming up from the furniture store.

I pushed my cart past two women, whom I assume were mother and adult daughter, fresh off the farm with their floral calf-length dresses and coiled up hair.

They had obviously entered the store via the "up" escalator and were preparing to leave with their bag of treasures. I couldn't help but be privvy to their conversation when they discovered the "down" escalator was not moving.

"Oh no! The escalator is not working," one of them exclaims as they both look around frantically like cornered tigers.

They mutter back and forth to each other wondering what to do.

The elder turns to me and asks, "How do you exit the store when the escalator is not working?"

"Um," I say, trying really hard not to let my sarcastic nature take over. "Why don't you try walking down the steps as if they are stairs."

"Oh. Yes, of course." If she was embarassed she did a good job of disguising it.

And I walked away humming Great Big Sea's "When I'm up, I can't get down...."

Xander Salamander.

Tomorrow Xander will be 18 months old. Being marginally biased, I have to say he is a very clever little boy. And cute. Definitely cute. And well behaved.

I credit God and good genes for all these attributes. Before he was even born, I prayed that the child would be born healthy, but my real request was that he would be kind and smart. God has honoured this and thrown in cute and well behaved as well.

He loves computers. (He'll replay the Gummy Bear song 30 times in a row if you let him.)

He is definitely cute.

He loves rubber ducks. He has many, but there are two whose beaks are slightly different than the others, and he has always favoured them. We call them Fat Lips and Skinny Lips. He will gladly share his ducky collection with you, but Fat Lips and Skinny Lips, not so much.

He loves doing crafts. Here he's designing a mug for Daddy's birthday.

And did I mention he was cute. Definitely cute.

While he is a long way from being "potty trained" by sixteen months he was regularly peeing and pooping in the potty. (And yeah, regularly unrolling all the toilet paper.)

He loves books, and loves our library dates.

His favourite colouring books are puzzle books. (See, he is a smart boy .. I'm not making this stuff up.)

Yes, he's smart and kind, and cute and well behaved. But he's still a boy.

And thank you God, his musicality tends towards the Ziemer side. He loves, loves, loves his guitar.

His love for guitar probably stems in part from his love, love, love for his PaPa.

And a great PaPa he is. I kinda love, love, love them both.

Notice Fat Lips and Skinny Lips each in hand.