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Don’t Take My Milk

What do you think of the fight to legalize raw milk?

1. Regarding the rationalization that pasteurization is in the best interest of public health, well then what about cigarettes? The cost of health care for smokers will forever be greater than any impact from drinking unpasteurized milk.
2. Selling unpasteurized milk doesn’t mean that children will drink it - see for example wine vs. grape juice.
3. Adults need to be educated about the risks, and it’s up to them to make the decisions, not for the government to play a parental role with all Canadians.
4. I fear what this will mean to other unpasteurized beverages - the best beer I’ve had was some unpasteurized beer in Charlottetown PEI. To lose ciders and beers as an extension of these silly opinions, well, that’s intolerable, and un-Canadian.
5. This is a horked loogie on the plate of culinary connoisseurs - if they want to absorb the risk in favour of the taste benefits, well, that’s their choice, and they should have it

Good ‘ol Soapbox Rant:

I used to really hate paying for car repairs. I’m getting to the point now where I realize that cars are an investment (a really bad financial investment, albeit) and the best way to minimize the loss of that investment is to make regular contributions into oil changes and general maintenance. It’s kinda like RRSPs, but instead of striving for a 10% return, with a car you strive to minimize the negative return (okay, okay - the return of a car must consider also the convenience it offers, and fun of driving - so a car probably comes out ahead, otherwise we wouldn’t do it).

But, what I still can’t stand is the manner in which mechanics operate. When dealing with customers (ie. when I was in physio and had a caseload of outpatients), I’d apologize if I kept them waiting, keep them updated if the wait would be longer than expected, be clear about the outcomes… rather, Wayne Pittman Ford here in Guelph charges twice the rate for a basic oil change and takes 3x longer than quoted and says nothing to me either before, during, or after the service was being provided, for a level of service that many other mechanics could do just as well. Goodyear in Kingston charged a little more than average, but the service was much better. Why endure this? Well, I guess because they have a monopoly on warranty covered services, locally. It offsets the frustration I have when I anticipate the end of our warranty coverage, as we can then find a better mechanic. Any ideas?

So, I still hate paying for car repairs, but my reasons have shifted - it’s not because I’m cheap, but rather because my standards for customer care are higher than those of Wayne Pittman.

Top Firefox Add-Ons

So I’ve been configuring some of our computers since Jenn and I are swapping personal laptops and I’m setting up my work computer, and in the process have been installing FF2.0 (and IE7.0)… here are my favourite add-ons for Firefox:

Themes:

Which are your favourites?

Wardrobe, Passports, and Week 2 Work

On Sunday we went to Moore’s and I spent more on clothes than I think I ever have - 2 suits, 3 pants, 5 shirts, 5 ties, 3 socks, and a pair of shoes. Jenn gave me an early birthday present (2 shirts from L.L. Bean, plus 1 that we’re returning). Then today I returned 2 shirts and 2 ties to Moore’s, and tomorrow I’ll return a pair of pants that I bought at Winners. I’m turning into a woman! I think I’m all set for clothes, well, until Christmas (I always need underwear).

I submitted my passport today. Jenn’ll be so proud of me. They were really friendly in spite of the massive amount of paper pushing and pushy customers that they deal with. Now where shall we travel to? Buffalo? I think they have a Fudruckers there.

Week 2 of my new job is underway. Saw another hospital yesterday, and next week will be my third. I don’t mind the travelling (so far) and I enjoy meeting different people and seeing how different hospitals do things differently, but I also enjoy those days when I can work at home. Brewing up a pot of coffee, sitting in my comfies, working away to my music (or silence) uninterrupted — it’s wonderful.

USB Warming Slippers With Bear Attachment

This combines Jenn’s favourite things - teddy bears, warmness, fuzzy slippers, and computers: Now, if only it somehow added in baths, massages, peanut butter, and Starbucks, we’d be all set!

“Soapbox-Canadians” Speak Out

Canadians quick to weigh in on Quebec nationhood

“Let Quebec separate. Then all the other provinces will separate and join with Quebec. We can all become the country of Quebec. Then we can have a referendum and change the name back to Canada.” — Rick Mercer

Enthusiasm, indifference greet PM’s Quebec announcement

“That’s what we’ve supported all along. We also recognize that Quebec has differences, and that makes them a special part of our country,” said Daniel Boucher of the Franco-Manitoban Society.

[soapbox]On the one hand, I like unique cultures being maintained in all facets of society, and that we can each enjoy our own holidays and celebrate our own occasions without being forced to melt into a single generic holiday. If Quebec were to lose their heritage, it would be very very sad. But, that’s not going to happen whether they are named something politically or not. It’s a silly initiative to just kiss some french buttocks.
At the same time, these unique cultures are not separate “nations” or “distinct” or “special” over anyone else. There should be no such thing as French Canadians or Dutch Canadians or Scottish Canadians (just as with any other groups - like Catholic Canadians or Geocacher Canadians (well, that’s kinda cool), or Techy Canadians, who each also have their own culture). But rather that they are simply “Canadians” and as such are in no way prevented from (but rather, encouraged to) celebrate their own things in their own way in their own communities - while being just “Canadian”. That is what Canada is about. Otherwise they are just Quebecers living in Canada, and if that’s what they want (sans the Canada bit), then they shouldn’t have the rights and privileges associated with being Canadian, and I say good riddance - just be gone with you finally.[/soapbox]

P.S. What’s funny is when you use the [blockquote] tags to quote something about the Bloc Quebecois. They almost even sound the same… blockquote, Blocquebecois… hee hee.

UPDATE: “Outside Quebec, 77 per cent of Canadians rejected the idea the province forms a nation, suggested the Leger Marketing survey conducted for the TVA television network and distributed to The Canadian Press.”

Chrismissy Goodness

If this isn’t a Mitchell idea of fun, I don’t know what is!
In other Christmas gift giving goodness, this is the coolest looking camera accessory!

Alive and oriented, but my head is still in the forest

Rumors have been spreading that I’m not alive. Well, at the very least, I’m still alive virtually (or, virtually alive?).

I had my orientation today and it went well. My first day on the job (yesterday) was very long but fun. I just can’t wait to get started. Now, I could work but I happened to screw up my new notebook (only 20 minutes after getting it — I’m a doofus), but otherwise things are going well.

In other news, I got my 100th geocache today! It was so peaceful and pretty in the forests near Milton. The next 4 days are supposed to be beautiful, so I’ll see if I can get out and do a bit if possible.

Oh - one other thing - I just found out that I’m “too young”! Too young to play in a Wednesday night hockey league. You have to be 35. Just at the time one is less than a month away from being 30 and feeling old, it’s nice to be told you’re too young. Whew.

A Doug Sighting!!

I saw Doug today!!  And we spent the whole day together.  It seems we both had crazy schedules this week and just couldn’t hook up…  so booked today together!  We went to Quiznos for the first time.  Very yummy!  Kind of like a restaurant sandwich without all the extras.  Then we headed to the show and saw Santa Clause 3!  Very cute and lots of Canadian inferences.

Tomorrow is Doug’s first day on the job and it looks like it will be about a 16 hour day… at least we had today!

Starbucks

I am a Starbucks lover.  I think it started out as a social thing (as I am not a coffee drinker…) because in Kingston, lots of people used to go there after work, etc and then wander Chapters.  For those who don’t know, they carry a lot of seasonal drinks.  So I was excited to see their Christmas line is back! I was very sad last year because the peppermint brownie didn’t make an appearance but it is back this year and I had one today!  Sooooo yummmy!  My friend Kristen also bought me a Christmas tumbler today (to add some cheer to my life!).  Yeah!! Christmas brings me lots of joy… and any joy I am missing I catch up with in March at the Christmas store!  Hopefully we will get to the Christmas tree tonight too!

November

November has always been a nothing month for me…  but it appears to be the new ‘blah’ month.  It’s taken up by writing report cards, realizing that you haven’t taught all that you wanted to by now, that you aren’t in your groove yet… and it’s close to Christmas and you’re not really ready and you don’t have time to get ready!!

So this weekend I am putting up my tree, hauling out my decorations so I can enjoy Christmas during my slower times.  I feel so blah right now!!  There are so many people ‘advising’ me at work right now that I just wish I could go on alone and conquer the world on my own.  Help is good sometimes but sometimes you can have too much help.  Suggestions are helpful, but sometimes you can have too many suggestions.  My brain is a whirlwind at the moment and I am starting to understand how people forget the basic things (ie. their own phone number) as life brings on so many other pressures.

One day left of the work week!  Woohoo!  I will conquer November!!  One way or another.

Congratulations!

Congratulations to my friend Robin who graduated from Ryerson on Thursday!  She graduates with a B.A. (with honours) in Disability Studies!  Woohoo!!

Winds of Change

Yesterday I resigned from my position in the IT department at Guelph General Hospital. GGH is a great organization, with incredible people, and key adventurous initiatives that position GGH as a leader in the region, especially in terms of information technology, electronic health records, and system integration. I will fondly remember the opportunities I was given to work with some very special people on the GOLD (Guelph On-Line Documentation) project, and the relationships developed there are formidable and immensely valuable to me.

An opportunity was presented to me to work with Healthtech, a leading organization which provides consulting services to healthcare facilities throughout (and beyond) Ontario. The chance to work with such experts, the “cream of the crop” is an experience that cannot be matched. I am ecstatic to begin my full-time work with Healthtech on November 20th. I will be working from home half-time (more or less) and otherwise travelling to work at various hospitals. It’s a significant lifestyle change, but the career development I will obtain, and the contribution I will make at a higher level to a broader base, will be unparalleled.

Bad Signals

The Canadian Tire commercial for tires annoys me. In case you forget:

Well, the second one is forgivable (the whole emphasis of the commercial), but first of all, she’s indicating with the wrong arm (it should be the left arm), and if she did use her left arm straight out, then yes, it may be a left turn. But, using the right arm straight out is an indication of a right turn:

All signals given by hand and arm shall be given from the left side of the vehicle in the following manner except as indicated for pedalcycles and motorcycles and the signals shall indicate as follows:
1. For a left turn, the hand and arm shall be extended horizontally.
2. For a right turn, the left hand and arm shall be extended upward, except that operators of motorcycles and pedalcycles may also be permitted to signal a right turn by extending the right hand and arm horizontally.
3. To stop or decrease speed, the left hand and arm shall be extended downward.
– [reference]

Though the second mistake was forgivable, the first is not. It’s bad form.