Month: September 2017

Can’t Hold On Forever 

Posted on by Josef Havelka

I’ve come to a point in my life that I need to move forward.  I always think back to my youth and the joy I had.  However, I can’t justify hoarding the items that made my life fun. Nor can I find solace in trying to reaquire them anymore.


Yesterday the SNES Classic was released.  Up until Thursday night I was 100% ready to buy one.  It was a reminder of how great the Super Nintendo once was. All the feelings of being able to play the great games included inside the new console came flooding into my mind.  But taking a friend to one of my favorite places on Thursday evening changed it for me.


My friend and I stopped in at Toy Traders in Langley on Thursday evening.  It’s a fun toy store with lots of huge displays and large dioramas. They sell cards, games, comics, new toys, old toys, and collectibles. I love wandering around with my kids, but I also enjoy going without them.  On Thursday I was looking at some old He-Man and Transformers figures that I once owned as a child. It dawned on me that I no longer needed to possess them like I had about ten to fifteen years ago. Probably also because seeing $200 for a used toy with missing parts seemed a bit crazy to me.

The toys and videogames of my youth shall remain in my memories.  Had I bought the SNES Classic, I would’ve had about a weekend of fun and then it would sit on a shelf collecting dust. I knew that fact to be true. A few years ago, I sold my original Super Nintendo and my N64 to a friend’s son with all my games and accessories. To this day, he gets more joy out of it than the box it was stored in did. I need to let go of some of the things from my past. 

Like side scrolling Super Mario- always keep moving forward, there’s nothing but broken bricks and crushed shells behind you.

Where Everybody Knows Your Name

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Anyone who grew up in the 80’s/90’s remembers the tv show “Cheers”. It was a perfectly written sitcom. But could it be written today and still have the same following? I think it could, if they expanded the theme song to include the original lyrics.

Making your way in the world today takes everything you’ve got.

Taking a break from all your worries, sure would help a lot.

Wouldn’t you like to get away?

Sometimes you want to go

Where everybody knows your name,

and they’re always glad you came.

You wanna be where you can see,

our troubles are all the same

You wanna be where everybody knows

Your name.

You wanna go where people know,

people are all the same,

You wanna go where everybody knows

your name.

The original theme song brings out fantastic feelings associated with the knowledge that you can share misery with likeminded folks.

The other lyrics from the rest of the song could’ve made for a different show:

All those night when you’ve got no lights, 

The check is in the mail; 

And your little angel 

Hung the cat up by it’s tail; 

And your third fiance didn’t show; 

That’s a bit strange, but adds to the possibility of a good sitcom. A little closer to more recent events are the end of this section of the song:

Roll out of bed, Mr. Coffee’s dead; 

The morning’s looking bright; 

And your shrink ran off to Europe, 

And didn’t even write; 

And your husband wants to be a girl; 

 I could get behind a Reboot of “Cheers”. But it would really need an upgrade into today’s tv market. I don’t think it could star all of the old cast.  However, viewers would probably tune in to see cameos from the classic show. I think it’d be fun.

Be glad there’s one place in the world 

Where everybody knows your name, 

And they’re always glad you came; 

You want to go where people know, 

People are all the same; 

You want to go where everybody knows your name.

Wine and Painting

Posted on by Josef Havelka

My wife is heading out this evening for her first “Paint and Sip” at the Glass House Estate Winery with a friend of ours. It seems to be a popular style of event. Drink wine while you paint a picture. It’s a way for adults, mostly women, to express themselves through art while getting a bit tipsy.

I love the idea.  I think painting is an expression of oneself. Having a glass or two of wine also loosens up the fear and doubt one may have of their artistic abilities. 


The painting tonight that they will mimic is called “Autumn Bounty”.  It looks challenging for a first piece. I’ve never painted still life or flowers before. The colors portrayed in the imagery connect the winery nicely with the country community they are located in. It also feels like a piece that would be hung in our home if we didn’t love our Comicon fan art.


Unfortunately, all I can see when I look at the photo of “Autumn Bounty” is the alien from “Mars Attacks”.  What’s funny about it is that my wife first pointed out the resemblance.  Of course, being the supportive husband I am, I have dared her to paint this tonight.


I can’t unsee the image. I am waiting to see if my wife decides to embrace her silly side or go with the flow. Pretty sure if she painted the alien, it will get hung up in our foyer of fan art. If she paints the original, it will probably end up in the back of a closet because it doesn’t really fit our home decor.

For the rest of they day I am just going to respond to all questions from my wife with “Ack! Ack! Ack!” to try and influence her decision.

Numbers

Posted on by Josef Havelka

All day long at work I crunch numbers.

  1. Train length
  2. Train weight
  3. Car counts
  4. Track footages
  5. Engine numbers
  6. Fuel levels
  7. Statistics galore 

And so many more numbers run through my mind and onto spreadsheets, emails, and notepads.

I use two to three calculators at any given time to get my figures. I use numerous notepads and scrap papers filled with additions and subtractions of said numbers. Sometimes my head is swirling at the end of the day.

Math has always been my strong suit. So, I utilize it now more than ever before. I enjoy it. Numbers are neat. Unless you are six. Then you are afraid of seven.

Fall Feasting

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Summer is over. Time to move from delicious fresh fruit and garden vegetables towards the rich and totally-going-to-kill-you foods.  Maybe not that extreme, but pretty close.


My wife and kids have been craving deep-fat-fried goodies lately. So tonight I shall make a healthy supply of foods. By healthy, I mean “satisfactory size or amount” not “indicative of, conducive to, or promoting good health.” Tonight’s meal will be artery clogging goodness. I can already feel the sluggishness setting in. Thank goodness we won’t need to wear shorts or swimsuits as winter approaches.


Besides engaging in more deep fried foods, I look forward to heavier and heartier meals in the fall and winter as well.  Warm stews and soups. With a couple of big turkey dinners before the end of the year thrown in the mix. This means leftovers that are great for stews and soups also. Mmmm… 

Enough talk, time to settle in at home and live the good life.  Let’s deep fry something!

Appointment for an Appointment.

Posted on by Josef Havelka


Why must I go through extra steps of booking an appointment? First, book with my doctor. Then get on wait list for another doctor. Told to wait 5 weeks. And wait longer. Which turned into 10 weeks.


Finally a phone call from my doctor. Telling me to call the other doctor to confirm my appointment they made for me. Which is in ten days time still.

If it was urgent, I’d be upset. But such is life. Just gotta go with the flow. And be 15 minutes early… for my appointment to make a future appointment. Craziness I tell you. 

Proving a Point

Posted on by Josef Havelka

I have a generally great relationship with my kids. Lots of healthy joking between us as well as humorous banter back and forth. But sometimes they can’t stop with the insults and jabs.


The other day they were making fun of me. It was ok at first, then I decided to prove them wrong. Maybe I was being spiteful, more likely is I am unsure where my standing is with them any more. Gauntlets are thrown down- I’m going to grow a beard.


I don’t like facial hair. I mentioned it last October in Shaving about how much I don’t do facial hair. But this time around- it’s to prove my kids wrong. I will grow a beard to show them that I can. Even though I hate the feeling of facial hair.

I’m not sure how I will look- I’m a bit worried it will age me. I also think I’ll resemble my father. Both looks I don’t really want to achieve. In any case- I will shave whatever I’ve grown on November 25th. That is the anniversary of my father’s death. 

Perhaps I’ll like it and keep the hair. Although not likely… My 13 year old daughter told me “Next you’re going to become a hipster and want a man-bun.” Ouch. She’s so opinionated. No idea where she gets it. (From her mother…)

Grown Up Me

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Growing old is kind of nice.  

I mean, there’s more responsibilities and stuff.  Bills, children, work, etc… But there’s also my own choices to be made. Like going to bed at 9pm on a Friday or not having to go to the latest film on opening weekend. I have finally felt like I’m not missing out any more.


Like most adults I know, once you reach a certain age, it’s about the down time. The quiet time you get to yourself and not have to interact with others.  I enjoy raking leaves off the lawn or washing the car by myself. Or waking up early to go shopping before the crowds and using the self checkout minimizing human interactions. However, as you may have guessed if you’ve followed along with me for the past few months (or years), my favorite adult thing to do:


Naps.  I love naps.  I have shown up at people’s homes and asked if I could nap. I’ve been in car rides with friends and just closed my eyes for a brief snooze. If I disappear at home- chances are I am taking a nap, I have even done it during a party at our home.

Even if all of these things sound childish and selfish, they are fully acceptable to do as an adult. I am glad to have reached adulthood.  Now, I’m going to do some yard work alone and find a quiet place to take a nap later on.

Autumn: Day 1

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Here in the Lower Mainland, there was a sunny first day of Autumn. The kids had a half day of school- so we went clothes shopping in the afternoon. We came home and my wife and I took a well deserved nap together.

Just a perfect, senseless, nothing day. 

Heart

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Hearts are strange. 

Physical hearts are the organ that pump blood throughout our bodies. They do some weird stuff too. Like flutter and skip beats.

My father-in-law had quintuple bypass surgery following a heart attack. A heart attack that occurred the day after my daughter’s first birthday- twelve years ago. A few years after, he had a pacemaker installed. He’s still going strong and active at nearly 85.  

My mother has blood pressure issues. Something that is being controlled now and she watches after her health a bit more religiously than before. She plans on being around for a few more decades.

What makes it so that a heart keeps working? Is it healthy eating? Exercise? Removing stress from your life? Any or all of that? Who knows.

When feelings enter into your head, it feels heavy on your heart. Or romance makes you feel lighter than air inside. We all associate that with our hearts. It’s a mind/body connection for many.

As long as I think I’m healthy, I generally stay healthy. My stress level fluctuates along the lower end- an almost incalculable state. I don’t fear the chances of heart disease. I also don’t worry about my heart being broken. Those to me are irrational fears. If they do occur- I’ll cross that bridge.
Until then, the beat goes on.

Receiving Kindness 

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Yesterday was a blah day.  I didn’t want to be at work. I didn’t want to see my family. I just wanted to stay in bed. Part of it was the fact that I felt under the weather. Another part was that it was my father’s birthday yesterday. The last part that really made me sad was the fact that I hadn’t seen my kids for nearly a week.  

Work and my desire to have a social life cut into my fatherly duties. Something that my own father used to do.  I was upset at myself for it. So I felt blah. Real blah.


All it took for me to feel better was a simple text from a friend. I realized I’ll have bad moments in life. But it’s sometimes nice to see your life from someone else’s point of view. My friend lifted my spirits with some kind words.

He didn’t have to. But yesterday’s blog post Father’s Birthday was more emotional than I’ve written lately. It’s nice that my friend took the time to read it and give me some kind words.

Father’s Birthday

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Today would’ve been my father’s birthday. I recently found some of my old musings on an old hard drive.  I wrote this in May of 2009:

Since the death of my father, I’ve been searching for ways to remember him. There were very few pictures taken of him and he didn’t leave many possessions behind that had any emotional attachment. I have memories of experiences and moments, but none that can stick out as who my father really was. My father seemed like an angry individual most of the time that he was around.

When he was at home, the smell of stale cigarettes and beer hung on his breath every evening and weekend like cheap cologne. Most Saturdays he golfed with his Czech friends and on Sundays he would go in to work or lay on the couch watching golf games which he had taped from the days before. During the week, he often left early for work and stayed late, only to arrive as dinner was ending. Only twice in his lifetime did he go on a family vacation with us. That was due to the fact that his Czech golfing buddies had arranged a ski trip with their families, and my father was coaxed in to going by my mother.

That was as far as I got. Every day a bit more of the bad slips away from my memory.  It’s getting to a point that I only remember a few of his quirks.

My personal favorite was when he was in a good mood he would wiggle his ears.  I remember always trying to learn it myself.  The realization came to me as a preteen-that when my father was a child, he had far more free time to do that than I did.  My generation was the start of the entertainment generation.  TV, video games, movies, and computers were taking over. No time to learn little traits like making my ears dance.

As I get older, I am glad that the positive memories are coming forward and the negative ones are disappearing.  A part of me doesn’t want to write those negative stories anymore. It’s best to stay positive as life goes on.


Happy birthday dad. I do miss the idea of how great you once were. May you be in peace.

Bending Will

Posted on by Josef Havelka

The difficulty with life is that we try and make people act or think in a way that we ourselves want them to. We each have ideals and values that bring out our emotions, so we often try and get others to experience it as well.  Even with my blog posts- I am trying to get people to think or feel something more.


It’s a fine line we all walk as well.  Trying to encourage or intimidate people to bend to our will- oftentimes not realizing the effect it has on one another.  Sometimes we don’t realize that we’ve done it either. Simply put it can happen like this:

  1. Ask a question of someone
  2. Not get the answer you wanted
  3. Expression on your face changes
  4. Other person’s feelings change in reaction
  5. Now everyone has a different outlook

It could go both ways as well.  Good or bad. Maybe the answer surprises you and you both feel happy. Maybe the answer upsets you and now you both feel resentful.


All of this is just my observation.  Maybe I’ve made it so you’ll be conscious of it next time it occurs.  Most likely we will go on living how we do and interacting the same.

Stranger Things

Posted on by Josef Havelka

If you haven’t watched The Netflix original: “Stranger Things” then you are missing out on some 80’s nostalgia.  The looks of the sets were true to the time. Even the feel of how it was filmed was nostalgic. Not to mention, the show has some excellent character interactions as well.

2016 Havelka Pumpkin Carving


I’m not going to go into detail of the premise or plot. That is something that should be experienced. But let’s just say, we marathoned through the first season when it came out. The next season is due out in October. 

The first trailer for season two hit me right in the nostalgia feels once again. More 80’s: Full blown greatness. And Michael Jackson Thriller was the perfect soundtrack in the background. Bigger monsters too! The boy inside me is excited about what adventures await. Marathon 2 is planned!

Last Enjoyment Of Summer

Posted on by Josef Havelka

This was the last weekend before summer ended. A friend of mine from work texted me late Thursday evening and invited me out to his family’s cabin the next day.  It sounded like a great little escape.


First we drove for a little over three hours.  Then we had to get to the cabin by boat. The lake was calm and the sky was clear. As soon as we arrived, we powered up the solar panel charged batteries.  “More than a Feeling” plays over Mountain Radio. 


The cabin has been in my coworker’s family since 1969. It has since been through numerous renovations and is decorated in eclectic cabin features. From handmade wooden cabinets to a variety of old couches and chairs. Mismatched blinds and vinyl flooring. Numerous dishes that look like they’ve been scavenged from thrift stores.

All of it beautiful.


We spent the afternoon and evening casually floating around the lake trying to catch fish. I caught a fish. Woohoo! My friend taught me to skin and gut the fish. 


As the evening progressed, we drank beers and a Barrel of Sunshine. With no cellular service to distract us we had great conversations about life and family. One night away was the perfect way to enjoy the last weekend of summer.

I Believe In A Thing Called Love.

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Hate spews hate.  That’s why I choose to be kind to people whenever possible.  I don’t need to have everyone like me but I also don’t go out of my way to make people hate me. Usually.


I find that many people’s beliefs prevent them from truly sharing love and kindness. It’s a big reason that I’m an atheist. I want to live in a world where everyone is be able to express their feelings or opinions without reprisal.  I may not believe in a god but I do believe in the good inside of people. Being accepting of how different we all are is a great attribute that many people lack.  Often hiding behind religion or even racism to explain their behavior.

I try and accept people as decent humans. Showing some random kindness is my way of sharing my beliefs: Be kind to others.It’s that easy.  Or as Wil Wheaton says: Don’t be a dick.


Cancelling Car Radio

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Today I cancelled my SiriusXM subscription. It was a small headache bordering on frustrating. Here it was step by step:

  1. Go online and log into my SiriusXM account. Easy peasy.
  2. Search entire website for 20 minutes to find out how to cancel subscription.
  3. Find 1-800 number because you can’t cancel online. You can add services online however.
  4. Call 1-800 number 3 times.  Get disconnected each time when I choose “cancel subscription”.
  5. Get thru to representative.  He was nice enough until I tried to cancel my subscription. Then he tells me I need to go to the Canadian service and gives me another 1-800 number because they can’t transfer me.
  6. Hang up and call new 1-800 number. Line is not in service!
  7. Go back online and Google search “How to cancel SiriusXM in Canada”.
  8. Find a third 1-800 number and dial up. Begin to feel exasperated.
  9. Get thru to a representative quickly. This was nice for a change.
  10. Tell representative I am looking to cancel.  Sales pitch now on.  Offers a small monthly discount.  I say no thanks.  Offers BIG discount now. Claims he shouldn’t be doing this for me.  I say no thank you, please just cancel my subscription.
  11. Put on hold for 15 minutes.
  12. Representative jumps back on tells me it’s cancelled and gives me verification code. We go our separate ways.
  13. Go to car and don’t turn on radio since I am still annoyed.


I don’t like to complain, but it was an arduous experience to say the least. I stayed calm the entire time and didn’t bother to express my frustration.  However, I can see how the auto renewal keeps people using services they don’t need. Now that I’ve cancelled the service for my car, it’s time to set up the local radio stations.  It’s been nine months of owning my car, and I only had NEWS1130 programmed in. At least I was keeping up with current affairs.

Money for Music

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Music brings out emotions.  Like today for example.  I am emotional because I just spent $600 for our son to play a trumpet for school. Maybe emotional isn’t the right word.  More like “pained” from dropping so much money all at once.


It’s not the first time we’ve had to do this.  Each of our children love music. My wife and I have catered to this in many ways.  We’ve bought three guitars, a flute, a drum kit and a grand piano (this is what started it all) to name a few.  We see these purchases as investments.  Investments into an appreciation of the arts.


Our two oldest children love to perform. They enjoy being parts of large and small ensembles. Purchasing a trumpet for our youngest was always going to happen.  Ok, perhaps a saxophone may have happened, but a new instrument was going to enter our home as he entered Grade 6. So now we will have a small ensemble available in our home.  

My hope is that our children continue to explore their talents as they get older.  A deep appreciation for music is already established within all of them. Aside from costing us a small fortune, it’s really worth it in the end.

At least that’s what I keep telling myself.

I Wanna Know What You’re Thinking

Posted on by Josef Havelka

There are some things you can’t hide.

I wanna know

What you’re feeling.

Tell me what’s on your mind.

–Information Society.


Inside of my mind is a plethora of thoughts.  Thoughts I have shared daily for many days now. According to my stats- 595 days of blogging. I’m almost at 8000 visitors and 12,000 views.  I’ve also had readership from 80 different countries.  To me- these are some of the nicest numbers I have seen in my life.

The biggest take away from writing daily is the kindness people bring forward. Unlike social media, there is less negativity in this aspect of my world. It brings joy to my heart. Any comments or notes written to me about my posts are encouraging. It keeps me excited about writing.


Sharing my version of art gives me more purpose. It drives me to be a better writer and a kinder person. Inside of my mind is an entire world to explore. Sharing my tales are a way for family, friends and strangers to peer through the window of my soul and see something unique.

I encourage everyone to express themselves in an artistic manner. It can be hard to put yourself out there. Getting over the fear of rejection is a tough hurdle. 

Back to my title of today’s piece: I wanna know what you’re thinking.

Please share your works of art more.  Be it writing, drawing, singing, dancing, photography, or any other number of things- please share it.  The world needs more art.  More expression.  More beauty. More kindness.  We all have it inside of us.  Let’s make this planet a great place to live on.

Share. You may be as surprised as I am at how many people you can reach in the end.

Sisters

Posted on by Josef Havelka

I am sometimes a horrible parent.

I know- hard to believe.

But let me share a story from Saturday night with you.

My wife and I went out for the evening to enjoy dinner and music.  We left our 3 children at home- none of them put in charge mind you.   So our evening out was for about three hours and on our way home I called our oldest daughter.  I asked her if she could meet us outside our home so she could give us some reusable bags and we would go buy soda and chips. She was more than happy to oblige, because junk food. We met her just up from our house and she decided she wanted to come with us.  So I asked if she saw her brother or sister before she left. Now the fun began.


As we drove up the road to the store, I decided to call our other daughter on her new cell phone.  She answered quickly so we talked for a bit. Then I asked where her older sister was because Random wasn’t answering her phone. She told me that Random was taking bags to meet us and had just left.  I then put on “worried dad voice” and said that we hadn’t even left the restaurant yet. Darwin became frazzled and was sure that her sister was meeting up with us.  I kept up the charade and told her I am hanging up the phone now to try and call her older sister back.


After a few minutes of my snickering in the car with my wife and Random, I decided to call Darwin back. Darwin was now in panic mode.  She kept saying that she was certain her sister was going to meet up with us.  I couldn’t help myself- I kept up the facade… I told her how much trouble her sister was going to be in when I found her.  I then told Darwin that I had to go and make some phone calls.  Moments later, Random began getting texts from a panicky little sister wondering where she had gotten to.


I went into the store and did the quick shopping with my wife.  About ten minutes later we were back at the car just as our oldest daughter was getting a FaceTime call. Random answered it and promptly turned the screen into my face. All I could see was Darwin and Theory staring at me in disbelief.  Then the connection went dead.

I tried repeatedly to call her.  But she wouldn’t answer the phone.  We got home and I tried to text her. My prank had not been received very well. My 13 year old daughter was right pissed off:


I was in her bad books for the rest of the weekend.  At least I know she will look out for her sister.  I also know that her sister didn’t play along with my prank. The two of them may fight and bicker, but in the end I know they have each other’s backs.

Now to try and make it up to my daughters.  This one will be tough… I am worried they may seek revenge on me one day.

Good Dog

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Today is the three year mark from when we had to say goodbye to one of our best friends.  Not only was he a friend, he was a family member. This is the first time I am writing about Degarip Capkin.


Most everyone knew him as Chuppy.  Or Chuppy the Puppy. His name loosely translated from Turkish meant “Silly Flirt”. He was true to his name. Everyone loved him.  He was a sweet & adorable dog.  He embodied what I always imagined a dog should be.  Medium-large animal with brown fur, long snout, big paws, always happy.

When I first met my wife, he was already a part of her life.  I accepted him and he accepted me in each other’s lives. My wife had just returned home from Turkey, where she had adopted him from.  From what my wife had told me, he was a very young street dog that was tormented by children when she first found him.  She immediately took to him and spent a small fortune getting his health up and being able to transport him back to Canada.


He was a mix breed but mostly Rhodesian Ridgeback.  He lived with us for many years.  All of our children grew up with him around. He was always tolerant of them as they would hug and love him. He lived a very long life of nearly 17 years. Towards the end, he had a tough time just getting out of bed.


On his last day, we took him for a final walk. I lifted him into our SUV and the family went to the vet. Before the vet put him to sleep one last time, we each made our peace with him. Tears were shed as his last breath was taken and he went peacefully into the void.

To this very day, many of our friends fondly speak of Chuppy.  He was a cherished dog that was the mascot of our home.  It was nearly impossible to meet him without wanting to give him rubs and hugs.  Not only was Chuppy a good boy, he was a great friend. We still miss him tremendously, but my wife misses him most of all.

Hooray For Rain

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Finally, it’s beginning to rain in the Vancouver area.  This is much needed since it’s been so dry over the past couple of months.  Too many fires surrounding us that we have had smoke advisories numerous times. I for one am really happy that the rain is here.


I’m happy because I will soon hopefully not need to use my inhaler 4-5 times a day.  I’m also happy because my yard has needed a good healthy watering.  The trees, bushes and even my lawn (ok, it’s moss) have suffered far too long.  Over the course of only a few hours everything is rejuvenating and becoming vibrant again. I can see our plants bouncing back already from the brink of dehydration.

The rain has been welcomed by almost everyone I know.  The Fraser Valley has needed this. We need this. But as the days go on, I’m sure the rain will start to make us each a bit more dreary- just like the autumn weather. 


So find a loved one, grab a sweater or blanket, enjoy a warm cup of tea and let the summer come to an end.

It’s All In The Routine

Posted on by Josef Havelka

School’s in.  Now the after school activities are beginning.  Tonight is back to Speed Skating!  Yay! Ice rinks!

Our son has returned to begin his seventh year.  His older sister has also decided to return after a four year hiatus.  She was doing Cheer Leading during this time.  But now she wants to get back into competition speed skating.


Our son was like a bullet as he went back on the ice.  Faster than ever and not stopping. All of his friends greeted him enthusiastically as they raced around.

Unlike our daughter. Her first few steps were wobbly and a bit fearful. Much like riding a bike, she figured it out and began gaining her confidence. As the skating season continues, I’m excited to watch them both improve.


Our oldest child has also decided to return to the ice.  Unlike her brother and sister though, she will be volunteering her time as a junior coach and at the various meets. To graduate high school she needs a certain amount of volunteer hours.  This should help her out tremendously.

So we are back to spending our Wednesday & Friday nights at the rink. Plus the occasional weekend. Parenting is a good way to transfer your social life over to your children’s. At least the other parents here are in the same boat.

Passports

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Today my wife and I are going to get new passports for the family.  The last time we did this was five years ago. The only country we have entered on these passports is USA. So we have had no stamps on them.  It kind of makes me sad, but at the same point- they look pretty cool under a black light. If all goes well, with the new ones we can get some real travel going.


My wife and I are going to get the ten year passport renewals.  (The children are only able to get five year ones.) I am hoping that over the next few years we can actually get some stamps in our books.  Even when I was younger, the only country I have ever been to outside North America is Scotland. It’s time to make amends to this situation.


Having a ten year passport means our picture will remain the same for a long time.  Hopefully the biggest changes will be in our personalities as we experience other cultures and more of the world. I’m looking forward to our future exploits.  Perhaps even a couple within the first year.

As they say, “Happy travels!”

Problem Solving 

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Trying to resolve issues can be a pain in the butt. Even worse is when you’re tired. Throw in a night shift and that’s a trifecta of troubles.


Sometimes my night shifts make me loopy. When I get to a point that I’m stuck trying to solve a problem, I do the one thing that helps.  I sing about it.


I do this to get the ideas flowing again.  It channels a new part of my brain or something. It makes me creative and a bit crazy. My songs don’t always rhyme either- I’m not living in a fantasy Disney movie, sheesh. Sometimes it’s just a string of words thrown together in an attempted melody. 

In the end most of the problems are resolved or on the path towards resolution. At least at work they are.  At home- I’ve usually pissed off my wife with my singing to a point of creating a new problem. C’est la vie.