Month: November 2017

When I Listen to My Music- Everyone Else Does As Well

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Driving to pick up the kids today I decided to crank the radio- as I usually do. I’ve always loved listening to music loudly. Anyone who knows me knows this to be true. No matter what song I am listening to, if I like it- I don’t get easily embarrassed playing it loudly.

As I sat in the pick up lane to get the kids, some classic 90’s songs were heard coming from my car. This also included some choreography as I sat there. As parents walked by, they couldn’t help but smile, hum along and dance as well. Hearing the Spice Girls played so loud that you could hear it in the school was my way of summoning my children out.

As my children entered the car, some complaining and embarrassed looks were had. But the volume didn’t get turned down. Their classmates headed towards their respective rides home and smiled and danced along. The ride home was eventually filled with fun from the kids as they realized that this was happening no matter what.

Our journey home was great. No fighting or complaining. We listened to Trans Siberian Orchestra: Wizards in Winter belt out holiday cheer. When we got home, the kids asked if I could put on Christmas music throughout the house. Something about loud progressive rock music made us all joyous.

Or else it was the ringing in our ears that reminded us of sleigh bells.

Either way, Christmas Cheer is here!

Eosinophilic Esophagitis

Posted on by Josef Havelka

I saw my surgeon yesterday for a follow up appointment for all those tests I had done two weeks ago. My swallowing has still remained difficult, but I am hopeful that I can battle the frustration I was having. After I wrote about my experience: The Inner Me Hurts, I found out that others have had the same issues. Now I know what I am suffering from.

Eosinophilic Esophagitis. A big fancy medical term that sounds scarier than it is. The surgeon says it’s as if I have “asthma of the esophagus”. It causes a closing/tightening of my esophagus most likely caused by a food allergy. It also turns out that people with this condition also have asthma. Which is me. Fun. More allergies and tightening of throat tubes inside of me.

My surgeon talked to me about all of the possibilities to help me swallow. What I will be starting with is a prescription antacid. Followed by a meeting with a gastroenterologist in the future. Then an elimination diet to see if I can pinpoint what I may be allergic to. Now I have some mental relief, but a long way to go.

As I sat waiting to see my surgeon I stared at a poster of what our body looks like on the inside. It still amazes me at how complex the human body is and why our organs are the way they are. I had plenty of time to study the poster since the doctor had me waiting for over an hour. I began to wonder if it was something doctors do. Make people wait and get frustrated only to give them good-ish news. Pretty sure if it was something awful, I would’ve been told quickly.

I’m glad it’s not as bad as I thought. I’m still frustrated that there isn’t an easy fix. But I probably should focus more on a proper diet as I get older.

Just like what my wife has been telling me for years…

Doing Night Shifts with Day Plans

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Days like today are a pain. I stupidly made a doctor’s appointment for mid morning. Which really isn’t so bad, except I’ve been on four straight weeks of night shift.

I went home after work to take a quick nap before my appointment. Before falling asleep, I didn’t feel that tired and thought, “it shouldn’t be that bad” when I wake up. I slipped into a deep enough slumber that I awoke to my alarm with my face in a puddle of drool.

I lay in bed. Five more minutes. Five more minutes. Five more minutes. Then I had to race to get ready and ran out the door. Now I’m hiding in the corner of the waiting room wondering how long it will be before the doctor sees me. Anyone who needs sleep counts every minute they need before getting on with their day. He’s already seven minutes late!

There’s nothing I can do about it. So I wait. Hoping to get sleep at some point today before work.

Holidaze are Coming.

Posted on by Josef Havelka

I love the Christmas season. Every year I go all out and decorate our home. I also spend a small fortune on gifts for my family throughout the year to make it a special time. But there is one thing I look forward to every year. The Christmas Booze Tree.

We have had it for a few years now. I like to stock it up by the start of December. It’s a great way to enjoy the end of a night shift by spiking a coffee before retiring for the day. It’s also great for a day off of lounging around.

It originally started out being set up off to the side of our kitchen counter. We’d also add in different liquors to adapt to our fancies. We love fireball and eggnog while decorating the trees! Best concoction ever.

But over the years, the “tree” has made it’s way to being more easily accessible as we walk past with a glass in hand. But by the end of December, I’m quite done with the sweet liqueurs. Much like a live Christmas tree, this tree slowly dries up as each bottle empties.

Then the New Year begins with a small haze of how the last year ended.

Getting Into The Christmas Spirit Through Films

Posted on by Josef Havelka

To me, Christmas and Christmas movies go hand-in-hand. We have a collection of Christmas DVDs that we bring out every year and start watching them as a family every couple of days or so until Christmas.

Last night we watched “The Polar Express” as a family. Usually we skip this one because the kids end up watching it in school at some point. It seems the teachers like this film or the live action “The Grinch” to show kids before Christmas break.

We also watched “The Powerpuff Girls” afterwards. PPG is what brought my wife and I together when we first started dating. Since then, we have gone out to meet the voice actors and had them autograph our PPG movie poster. I get good feels enjoying this animated short.

The last day of school, or shortly there after, we sit down and enjoy “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation”. It’s a great way to realize that doesn’t matter what happens over the holidays, as long as you make the best of it.

And of course, on Christmas Eve, we watch “A Christmas Story”. This has always been my personal favorite film every since it used to be aired repeatedly for 24 hours on tv back in the day.

We also watch lots of other Christmas films throughout the next 30 days. “Scrooged” “Elf” “Gremlins” “Die Hard” plus many more. I love that we can spend time as a family just enjoying these shows. It makes the Christmas spirit come alive as we near the final day. I’m pretty sure my kids will continue to watch these and many more festive films as they grow up.

November 25,2017

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Today is the pivotal point in my year. Not only is it one month until Christmas, but it’s also the anniversary of my father’s death. I wrote about him last year: Sixteen Years. Today marks year 17 without him on this planet.

As with my yearly tradition, I will visit his grave. I try and visit on his birthday in September, but if I can’t, I make sure to visit him today. I’ll be taking my family with me to his grave later on, followed by a visit to the Fort Langley Golf Course for a beer and hot chocolate. That was the place my father spent most of his free time.

It feels like I sense him more at that location than I do at his tombstone. Partly because of his love of golf, but also because he wanted his ashes spread on the golf course. My mother decided to not acknowledge his wishes and chose to bury his ashes in the graveyard instead, much to my chagrin and displeasure. I still don’t agree with her decision, however, the tombstone allows people a place to read his name if they so chose to visit.

Since my mother and sister moved away from Langley years ago, I think I’m the only one to visit his grave on a regular basis. Because it is so close to my children’s school, sometimes I’ll take a minute or two to stop in and have one of those “speaking to no one in the air” moments. It sometimes clears my thoughts, other times it brings forth strong emotions.

I’ve mentioned how I didn’t always know who my father was. Perhaps my idea of him is skewed in my memories. One thing is for certain- I’m raising my children very differently than he raised his. Hell, he had a daughter I’ve never met. I have a half sister somewhere in Europe that I’ll probably never meet. I could try and find her, but after my 41 years on this planet and only having my father in common, what’s the point? Maybe she’ll try and find me one day. But I doubt it.

So here it is- year 17 without him. And I’m doing quite well, thank you. The only thing I’ve done differently is I decided to grow a beard on his birthday and plan on shaving it off this weekend. I think I will make it my new yearly tradition to remember him.

Cheers grandpa. May you continue to be at rest.

Wrap It Up.

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Pretty sure that my wife and I are ready for Christmas now. At least in the gift department area. We always do our shopping throughout the year and we try and make “Black Friday” the last day possible. Most years we don’t even do shopping this weekend. That’s how prepared we are for Christmas! Now to move onto wrapping the gifts.

I’m hoping to get most of the presents wrapped up over the next week or so before the kids get out of school. We won’t need tags either because of my Geniusness plan from years ago. Wrapping before hand also gives us a chance to decide if we are giving too much or too little to our kids. If it’s too much, a gift or two will stored away for a future birthday.

The kids in school makes it easier to wrap during the week. We can take over the dining room table and whip through the gifts in an afternoon or two. I want to try and get them wrapped up soon. I’m not sure if our kids hunt around the house for gifts or not.

I used to search for gifts.

I spoiled a few Christmases for myself as a child. I would search closets, attics, under beds, even in the trunk of my parent’s cars. All in the crazy search for gifts for me or my sister. I just wanted to know how to react on Christmas morning. After finding the stash of presents, I planned out each reaction I would give. Super excited or awestruck? Which is the best face to use? Should I jump up and hug my parents? Being a child is tough as it is. But the obligations to show enthusiasm is equally tough. Even for the things that weren’t exactly desired. (I didn’t want the cassette player boom box, but it definitely got lots of use later on as I grew up.)

Hopefully my kids didn’t follow in my footsteps over the past few years. Maybe I should pay attention to their reactions this year. Will dad get a hug for no reason? I guess I’ll find out.

Dystopian Life

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Our eldest daughter just discovered the novel 1984. I had recommended it to her ages ago, but of course she only wanted to read it when she discovered it at school. Why would Dad know something about anything. But I digress.

I am happy she is enjoying it. I’m trying to recommend other novels as well. I loved reading about dystopian ideas as a teen. Sometimes the ideas, like the ones in the novel 1984, hit close to home eventually. You could easily compare “Fake News” to “Doublespeak” with today’s information sharing. Even terminology was derived from the novel- “Big Brother is watching.” Sadly, we’ve all just become accustomed to it.

I have even recommended a couple of movies to my daughter. Brazil is a personal favorite. I love Terry Gilliam films, always have. Somehow he envisions people working around “the system” with possible consequences. Not everything is a happy ending. Perhaps my children need to learn that not everything has Disney feel good moments. Sometimes the world just exists and the people are merely pawns.

And as we move forward through life, staring at smartphones, sharing our lives willingly on social media- I can’t help but think that we are somehow living in Orwellian Times. As said in 1984:

“Ignorance is strength.“

Group Messaging

Posted on by Josef Havelka

I’m hardly a fan of text messaging. Most emotions or ideas get lost in a text. As well, you may inadvertently say or share something you wish you could take back. Texting has all the evils of misunderstood email, only quickly shared and quickly misinterpreted.

But group messaging is far worse.

It’s already bad enough having the regular messaging issues I mentioned. Now you have more people judging you. If everyone is active, sometimes the discussions get jumbled up. A question posed five comments before gets answered, but it could be relevant to the last message. It all becomes so convoluted. Even as simple as asking about getting together becomes a chore.

Humor also doesn’t come across very well in text messaging. In a group setting, suddenly someone could be offended and drama unfolds. Words are feverishly typed and sent. Then a second group message is created to talk about the first one behind someone’s back. More drama.

I just want to live in a simple messaging society of emojis and gifs. Don’t ask me to call though. Talking on the phone was so 25 years ago. Basically, I just don’t want the hassle anymore of deciphering group texts or phone calls.

I Fooled The Aliens

Posted on by Josef Havelka

I used to grind my teeth when I slept. Sqeaking loudly as my pearly whites rubbed against one another. I put in a mouth guard now to prevent this. It has become such a habit that even when I nap, I need to use it.

I don’t know why I like it so much, but I do. I believe it stems from my childhood a bit. After my braces were removed from my teeth, I wore a retainer at night. It was so uncool and ugly- I hated it. So in order for me to use it, I psyched myself out. I played mind tricks on myself. Really, really stupid ones. If I thought the retainer was uncool, sharing this tidbit of info is even more uncool…

I have mentioned before how I had cable tv in my bedroom growing up. I would watch it until the wee hours of the morning constantly. It got to a point that I could only fall asleep with the tv on. But the shows I would watch that kept me up the latest were about alien abductions or “Unsolved Mysteries”. So paranoia would take over, keeping me up later and later.

As a pre-teen, my paranoid adolescent brain would conjure up crazy ways of not getting abducted by aliens. Such as leave the tv on so that they thought I was still awake. Or leave the lights on somewhere in my room. One Christmas I was given a psychedelic light from Radio Shack. I turned it on every night for months until the heat from the bulb finally melted the plastic.

I wouldn’t say I was afraid of the dark. But I was afraid of the unknown. Part of my falling asleep ritual became telling myself that if the lights are on I’d be left alone. The second part was making sure 99.99999% of my body was covered up. And the third was to wear my retainer because it had a metal bar in it. I told myself that this small piece of metal wrapped in a hard plastic, wedged between my upper and lower teeth would prevent the ufos from trying to zap me through my window.

All I can say is that I think it worked. I don’t remember ever being abducted by aliens as a child. Just don’t ask about when I was in my early 20’s… those were some strange times. But now I use my mouth guard regularly. I just don’t have to tell myself that it’s to prevent aliens taking me away. I do it to prevent massive headaches and sore jaw.

S.N.A.F.U.

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Snafu. It’s a word that many have used. Until recently, my wife just used it as a word not knowing it was an acronym. That’s pretty funny to me.

When I was younger, I played a game on Intellivision called “SNAFU”. It was basically two player snake with two other computer opponents. Or as I imagined- it was like playing the light cycles from TRON. I also played the game frequently in my early 20’s with friends- we were addicted to it.

When I was 19, I went to Scotland and there was a bar called “Snafu”. I can only imagine what sort of shenanigans would happen there. I’ve had some drunken Snafu moments, that’s for sure. None at that bar though.

The term SNAFU is used pretty regularly in my life. Be it at home, with friends or at work. It’s a great way to describe how regularly things are messed up. Especially on a Monday.

But as long as it doesn’t escalate to FUBAR, everything will be ok.

Life Needs a Dog

Posted on by Josef Havelka

I love having a dog. I really can’t think of a time in my life that a dog wasn’t in it. There’s a certain comfort having a dog in your life. Even with my environmental allergies, I need a dog in my life.

When I was born, my parents already had a wire-haired fox terrier named Whiskey. He lived until I was about five. I cried when we had to put him down. Poor old dog was deaf and blind by the end.

Then we had another fox terrier. This time a bitch named Brandy. And she was a true bitch in the most derogatory term imaginable. She bit everyone and clawed at kids. Less than two years old and she was given away. Having a puppy around small children isn’t the best idea I guess. No one was able to train her and we treated her like a living stuffed animal.

Then we had a cocker spaniel named Charlie. Unfortunately we only had him for about four years. He grew a cancerous tumor above his eye and we had to put him down. But he was cuddly and adorable.

Then we had a little white multi-poo named Alvin. He had skin issues and was rather over-weight as he grew up. He began a strict diet to try and help his heart. But he lived for a pretty long time all things considering.

When my wife and I met, she a dog named Chuppy. When we moved in together, I inherited Alvin in what my mother thought was his final year. He became active and healthy again as we looked after him. He lived on for a few more years. Then my mother took Alvin back for his final days.

My wife’s dog Chuppy was a Rhodesian ridgeback she rescued in Turkey. He was super loved by everyone who met him. I wrote about him back in September: Good Dog if you want to read more.

Lex is our most current family member. He has been great in so many ways. He was one of my first topics when I started blogging back in the start of 2016: Lex. He is still one of the greatest dogs I have ever met.

But once he is gone, we may not adopt a pet again for a long time. Our children will be older and possibly moved on in life. My wife and I are planning more traveling. And that leaves no time to take care of another family member. So while I’ve enjoyed having dogs around (I am a dog person not a cat person), it will be time to move on.

Thank you to all of the four legged family members I have had in my life. I hope that the enjoyment I received from them being around was reciprocated. It’s difficult to say.

Awww, Poor Me.

Posted on by Josef Havelka

I wrote a Pity Party Sob Story yesterday. I don’t overly share that sort of thing. Mostly I don’t want that kind of attention. I prefer to share tales of joy, friends, entertainment, good parenting and such. Tonight I’m going to share more of how I try and be positive.

Daily, I usually work on Positive Mental Attitude. Simple things like being friendly to a stranger or just not letting things bother you. A big part of being positive is removing negativity, especially in these categories:

  • Vocabulary
  • Emotions
  • People

Removing the negative vocabulary is a challenge. Using positive words when talking about others or writing emails is a great way to start. Even just talking to people.

Being emotionally positive is hard. Sometimes you feel run down and hateful. But focusing on the bad things makes it worse. Smiling helps. 🙂

Removing negative people from your life is the hardest. Sometimes they’re coworkers, other times, it’s family. But the hardest people to remove can be friends. Friends define who we choose to be around. They are the ones that are extensions of our personalities.

My life is full of great moments and fantastic people. I want to keep it that way. I want to enjoy life and stay positive. I think it’s working thus far.

The Inner Me Hurts

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Eating for me has been the worst. I have had digestive issues for about a year now.  It finally became too annoying that I decided to see my doctor. I explained to him how when I eat, food stops above my stomach and makes it feel like I am choking. So, our family doctor then sent me to a specialist. A specialist that I had to wait two months to see. After a 15 minute appointment, the specialist recommended a CT Scan and a scope. All of which occurred this week.

First was Wednesday where I had to get a blood test done. The worst thing about that wasn’t the needle. It was having to show up as the clinic opened and there already being a lineup. They drew blood and I was gone within minutes.

Thursday was a CT Scan. I showed up early for my appointment. Completely different from Wednesday- no one was there in the waiting area. I dressed in my blue gown and waited. It was kind of uncomfortable being mostly undressed in a hospital. After taking my selfie, I realized that I look like my father did towards the end of his life- in and out of the hospital/chemo. It was a humbling moment.

I’ve never had a CT Scan before. The machine looked ominous. When I lay down, there was a lovely scenery picture on the ceiling. Before I was slid into the machine, the tech inserted a tube into my arm to allow a “dye” to go through my body for some pictures. The sensation as the dye ran though me was unique. It started by making my throat warm and itchy, and flowed straight into my anus where it made it warm and itchy as well. Warmth from hole to hole… The lab techs were humorous and professional which made for a pleasant experience.

Today was day three in my row of tests. I was at the Langley Memorial Hospital again, only this time for a gastroscope. The scope was a lovely tube shoved down my throat with a camera. I had to be sedated for this one. I wasn’t quite under when the exam began, so I could sense the tube going down my throat. I felt like I needed to gag. I was in and out of consciousness for the procedure. My wife was kind enough to be my ride (and take photos of me sleeping after).

It went well I guess. Turns out the initial check shows I’m inflamed and I have acid reflux damage. The doctor inflated my stomach while the scope was down there. In the end, the doctor also took two biopsies. I need to have a follow up meeting with my specialist to discuss everything.

I hope that I can finally eat properly. But today I have a sore throat and a massive headache. Time to sleep it off. I do enjoy Naps. I’m hoping for a bunch of nothing from the results. But we shall see.

The Wind Blows. Bring On Winter!

Posted on by Josef Havelka

The recent wind storms affected my life in many ways. It made my yard and roof a colossal mess and the rain was preventing us from cleaning it up. Today I got a break, and quickly cleaned the roof and driveway. Bonus: I also got the outdoor Christmas lights up while on the roof.

The strong wind made my commute rather different from previous years. My new vehicle is lower to the ground than my old one. I used to drive a Honda Element and I would feel every gust. That car was a box on wheels. I would grip the steering wheel for dear life! Now my Nissan Rogue is aerodynamic and one of the smoothest rides I’ve driven in years. I hardly notice the wind now. One handed driving all the way home.

Courtesy CBC News

But the wind affected my work most of all. The strong winds near the coastline shut down one of our customers for safety reasons. This in turn caused delays for outbound and inbound trains. Our crews were pretty much on “stand-by” waiting to get back to work. This lasted for nearly 24 hours. Now we’re back on track. (Railroad humor).

Now that the wind has diminished, I am looking forward to the winter season taking over. I like a brisk chill in the air. Maybe some snow will fall for Christmas around Vancouver instead of rain.

My wife on the other hand is happy to not have snow around:

Grilled Cheese

Posted on by Josef Havelka

When I was about 11, I had my first grilled cheese sandwich. It was in a restaurant with my family during a road trip to go skiing at Big White in Kelowna BC. My father had arranged this trip with his Czech buddies and it was only one of two ski vacations we went on as an entire family.

We drove to a mountain chalet for a week long ski trip. All I can remember about the building was the indoor pool, playing arcade bowling, and a sign that read, “Das Hofbräuhaus“. These two trips were the only time my father willingly spent quality time with me.

In the morning, I had ski lessons. By afternoon, my father and I would go down the hill for a few runs. By dinner, I would be back at our room for a quick dinner, then off to swim and play in the small arcade. No adult supervision by the pool or in the arcade. These were simpler times where a boy could spend his quarters happily without restrictions.

After this wind down, my parents would head to the pub inside the chalet to hang out with my father’s friends. They’d stay out late, so before my parents returned, I would watch some HBO in hopes to catch a glimpse of a boob or two. But my strongest memory of this trip was still at the very beginning of it.

To get to our vacation destination, we left our home in my dad’s packed Hyundai Stellar. (I don’t think I have a picture of the car because my father hated it, but I found one online.) Within the first hour or so of our journey we stopped in Hope, BC at a truck stop to meet up with his friends in order to make a sort of convoy to the ski resort. This is where I had my first ever grilled cheese sandwich. There was even ham inside of it. I was in heaven.

When we returned home from our trip, I vowed to learn how to make a perfect grilled cheese. I had never cooked before, so this was exciting for me. Years and years of frying up bread and cheese followed. I have now mastered the art of the grilled cheese. I have made numerous variations of them, all with near perfect results. It has gotten to a point that my family would ask for a sandwich if I was making one. But soon it shall be no longer.

Over the past few weeks, our 11 year old son has been doing his best to make grilled cheese sandwiches. He has asked for advice and tips as he slowly creates his near-perfect meal. Even though he has tried to argue some of my points, he would use them and realize that dad was right.

If my father was still around today, he’d probably never have guessed that the time he spent with me would come down to a simple sandwich. A sandwich that his grandson now excitedly creates almost daily. I don’t think my son knows where my obsession came from, but he is following suit.

All of this stems from one trip, one stop, and one happy memory. Thanks dad for that.

Thermostat

Posted on by Josef Havelka

A couple of days ago, the heat in our home began to act up. It would either be extremely hot upstairs or freezing cold downstairs. No idea why.

As the temperatures outside drop, so is the main living space of our home. We hit 15° the other day… not the best while winter is approaching. So I have taken it upon myself to figure out how to fix our heating issue.

The last time we had an issue was back in 2013. I had to change out the part that spins to allow water to flow through our radiant hot water baseboards. It was obviously a success at the time. I tried shutting off the breaker and it just resets this and I hear it work. So it must be something else entirely. I figure it’s the thermostat.

This morning I installed a “smart thermostat” called ecobee3. Hopefully I did it correctly. There were so many wire terminals, but I only had 3 wires. It at least turned on… soon we shall see if my family will live comfortably or have to wear numerous sweaters and blankets.

If anyone has used this system or knows about heating and thermostats, I’d love some tips. I love learning new things and becoming more self sufficient in the DIY area.

Always Updating

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Anyone who has a cellphone, tablet or computer knows all about “updates”. So we think about it, and postpone it.

Then there is the frustrating moment that your device needs to configure and change settings. You can only ignore them for so long before it feels threatening.

So you update. And wait. And wait. And wait. Then everything pops back on. Shiny and new and nothing like the old software. It forces us to relearn everything all over again.

But we all do it. Partly because we want to, but mostly because we have to. We have to update our software to keep up with the rest of the world. Unless you’re These people still using a Commodore 64. Then you’re totally going to rock, 25 years later. For a brief internet article. But hey, they didn’t update their software.

All In Good Fun

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Yesterday I had a pretty great time wandering the show floor at Fan Expo Vancouver. I even got to do it with my wife- which is rare. But now that our children are older and more responsible, they were able to look after our table from time to time.

My wife and I laughed and goofed off. I was in my Obi Wan Kenobi Cosplay and decided to have some fun with it. I used my Jedi Mind tricks on a vendor and got my purchase with no tax added. Never mind that he had a sign out saying “no tax”- he played along.

Later in the afternoon, I wandered around with my daughter to find a quiet place to place some Nintendo 3DS. So I got her to take a picture of my impression of Obi Wan from the end of Episode IV. It got some really good laughs. We made the most of our Convention time while we were there.

I do find it odd that filming is everywhere in the Lower Mainland… Even though you’d think Vancouver would have a tremendous Convention, it kind of lacks a lot of celebrities. It is also rather small compared to some of the other Conventions we attend. Because it was a local con, we had to go. At the end of today, we’ll see how the sales did.

This year felt like an oversized craft fair, but still fairly fun. The price of tickets for attendees are somewhat reasonable compared to other shows. But there really needs to be a bigger draw to the show. Hopefully everyone got to enjoy their convention experience. I know those who I spoke with had fun.

Vancouver needs to set the bar higher and make it not just fun, but mind blowing.

Saturday’s Subculture Of Cosplay

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Saturdays at a convention are the busiest of the days. Every. Single. Time. Today will be no different.

My Hudsucker Proxy Cosplay from a few years back.


My favorite part is all of the costumes. Saturday brings out the most creative and original cosplays.  People share their fandoms in hopes of photos and compliments.  Which they wholeheartedly deserve. The hours of work put into some of the costumes just to be worn once is astounding. 

I even love the cheap cardboard, tape and paint costumes. Budget cosplay makes me smile. It shows that fans can come in any shape, size, or artistic comfort level. Comic conventions are a place where we can all feel comfortable. Even just wandering around in a Marvel t-shirt shows off fandoms.


Time for me to go wandering and save the universe from villainous scum. We’re all fans here. Have a great Saturday Con!

Hometown Convention Weekend

Posted on by Josef Havelka

This weekend is Fan Expo Vancouver. We attend this one every year. It’s close to home and we get to see lots of friends. It almost doesn’t feel like a “Work Convention” because of this. But it is…


With every convention we attend, there is pre-con jitters. Even our hometown con is no different. My wife gets herself so worked up before a show, she becomes sick. Then the first day of the show- she is full of energy and excited. She knows that the shows here and it’s game on. Sell hats and have fun!


My role beforehand is to help pack up and get lunches prepared. My other routine before a show is to calm my nerves with a couple of cold ones the night before. I’ll wake up in the morning and help get the kids ready for the show. My wife will go through her inventory and supplies one (or two) last time(s).


We also get our cosplay and outfits ready before a show. My son has a “pin hat” that he wears with a collection of buttons he has received over the years. It’s his pride and joy. The other routine we have is to get our Nintendo 3DS’s charged and ready to go. During the shows we have fun doing “Street Passes” throughout the weekend. 


When we get to a show, we create a plan for what we want to see while attending. Panels, celebs, games, or meet ups. There’s always something for everyone. Even a game card of “Artist Alley Bingo” comes out. At the end of it all, we have a great time.


Come by and see us! We will be waiting with craziness and fun. You know, for kids.

Being Randomly Thought Of…

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Recently on social media, my friends have been thinking about my wife and I. It’s flattering and super swell. It makes me feel loved.


My wife and I have a wonderful connection with one another. Often poking fun at each other in a public setting, such as Facebook. It’s always in jest. Nothing my wife posts is meant to hurt my feelings in any way. If I am about to post something about her that may be considered “unflattering” I will consult with her first. In public though, insults are commonplace and quick witted.


Over the past few years, we’ve had friends say that they want to have a healthy and fun relationship such as ours. I’m glad that our friends think of us when follies and fun are abound. Sometimes I forget how people can touch each other’s lives in some of the sweetest ways.

Thank you to our friends for thinking of us and enjoying watching our lives unfold. We love you all.

Real Sick, Real Quick, Real… ICK

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Yesterday I mentioned faking being sick as a child: Faking Sickness. Of course I came home and guess what? My son was sick all night long that he needed a sick day from school.


Yes, the same day I mention faking being sick when I was younger- one of my kids is really ill. It was almost like karma. My son was barfing everywhere and was in rough shape that we kept him home. It was best for everyone.  But he was throwing up all day long.


As if it was some great feat of awesomeness for me as a child to be able to fool my mother and trick her into letting me stay home. Now as a father, seeing my children sick is the worst. I just want them to be healthy and happy. That way they can make fun of me or piss me off again. It’s what kids are for. 

You worry about them, they drive you nuts, but behind it all, children are the best thing ever.

Faking Sickness 

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Back when I was in Grade 6/7 I stayed home “sick” a lot. My mother’s nurturing naive nurse’s nature allowed me to stay home. It would start off with a legitimate sick day, but I milked it for weeks at a time. Elementary school was relatively boring to me, so keeping up with my grades was easy.


Being at home meant TV viewing. Hours of game shows and talk shows filled my pre-pubescent mind.  I even got hooked on soap operas. That might explain while I’m such a romantic at heart…

Faking being sick as a child meant I knew when my kids were trying it as well. It was always easy to get them to “feel better”. All it took was explaining all the work they would be doing or the fun they’d miss out on in order for them to get better. 


I kind of wish my mother just told me to suck it up and go to school. She was a kind lady who really didn’t know what I was doing at the best of times as I grew up. Faking sick was the best way for me to not go to a place I hated being at.

But hey, now I’m really good at guessing the price of a can of dog food because of “The Price Is Right.”

It’s Growing On Me

Posted on by Josef Havelka

This facial hair thing is starting to grow on me.(hahaha) I’m not sure that I will shave it off on Nov. 25 as originally intended. I may need to stylize it in a fresh new way.  I’ve seen some unique designs online.  But I’m not quite at that caliber.


It would take me far too long to get my beard to a level that I could become competitive with.  But I think I could shave some sort of imagery or design into it. Have a look at the fun I could try:


I could try for a “Bat-stache” and be heroic looking. Only thing is that my hairs are light in colour and as I trim them, they’d almost disappear.


I may be able to get away with a monkey tail. Shave a lovely curve around my lips could be playful and fun.  But with Christmas coming up, I think I need to just add glitter:


Or simply shave it off. I can’t decide if I should keep the beard or let it go.


I look alright with it. Maybe I’ll keep it for the winter to keep my cheeks warm. I guess I’ll just wait and see.