Month: September 2018

Poetry

Posted on by Josef Havelka

I need to read more poetry in my life.

Well written, upbeat poetry. Not the dark and gloomy style that seems to be prevalent everywhere. I don’t need to have the sense of a storm cloud hovering over me as I read. That being said, I am fond Edgar Allan Poe.

I’m looking for some good poets to be recommended. If you know of any, let me know- I’d love to read some.

But I don’t like picking up books entitled “The Complete Works Of…” That means everything: good and bad. And bad can be bad; or bad poetry can be humorous in its own way.

That can be fun, especially when the author isn’t intending it to be.

Mark Twain Volume 3

Posted on by Josef Havelka

These past few years have done a great deal in changing our society’s mindset. But it’s not the first time. Looking back over one hundred years ago, Mark Twain dictated in his autobiography a similar occurrence that happened fifty years prior:

Isabella Beecher Hooker threw herself into the woman’s rights movement among the earliest, some sixty years ago, and she labored with all her splendid energies in that great cause all the rest of her life; as an able and efficient worker she ranks immediately after those great chiefs, Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Mrs. Livermore.

When these powerful sisters entered the field in 1848 woman was what she had always been in all countries and under all religions, all savageries, all civilizations — a slave, and under contempt. The laws affecting women were a disgrace to our statute book.

Those brave women besieged the legislatures of the land, year after year, suffering and enduring all manner of reproach, rebuke, scorn and obloquy, yet never surrendering, never sounding a retreat; their wonderful campaign lasted a great many years, and is the most wonderful in history, for it achieved a revolution — the only one achieved in human history for the emancipation of half a nation that cost not a drop of blood.

They broke the chains of their sex and set it free.

– Autobiographical dictation, 1 March 1907. Published in Autobiography of Mark Twain, Volume 3

I, for one, want everyone to be offered the freedom to have equal rights and respect. If it means fighting for it- then so be it. But there is no need to shed blood or promote violence. We can use our voices to stand tall and form the world to be a better place. This is not the time to sit idly by.

We need to break the chains once more.

Hundred Percent

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Sometimes I hear a phrase and it keeps popping up in my life. I hear it everywhere. People continually say it and it gets passed around. Once I notice the phrase- it’s like having a steering wheel in my pants- it drives me nuts.

I don’t mean sounds or stammers such as “uh” or “um”. I’m taking phrases used far too frequently.

I recall back in high school the phrase “Right on” being used too often. Of course I began to say “Right Arm” to try and get people to stop saying it. That didn’t work.

Then came “Alright, alright, alright.” Made famous by Matthew McConaughey a quarter century ago. People still quote it the same way. I even do it on occasion.

The current catch phrase that is irking me is “Hundred Percent“. It seems to be used as an agreement of someone’s stance or opinion. Or that they will execute the request to the fullest of their abilities. I have no clue where this one came from.

I consciously stop myself from using catch phrases in the hope that I can make more of an impact on those around me. There are numerous more phrases people use that I cannot tolerate.

Do you have any words or phrases that drive you crazy? Share them with me so I can be on the lookout for them.

Motivational Writing

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Over the summer I took my daughters to the Chapters Book Store. We didn’t end up buying anything, but we did do a lot of cover reading. It seems that a trend has arisen in the form of Motivational Writing.

The titles are reflective of our society today. With a curse word thrown in the title to add some humor. Like an internet meme complaining about work or people. A couple of decades ago, the titles of such ideas were kinder and gentler.

“Chicken Soup for the Soul” came out in 1993. Since the first book, the company now has offshoots that cater to nearly everyone. They produce a dozen new ones every year. They seem to be the leaders in the market. Even the original title makes you feel warm inside.

My daughters told me I should take a few of my stories I’ve written in this blog and piece together my own book. I think that’s really sweet, and it got me thinking that maybe I should. First things first- I need a catchy title and book cover.

I love the title of my blog. But would it translate into a read worthy motivational book?

I love this piece of art from downtown Vancouver. However, it holds a bit of negativity and doesn’t sound motivating enough.

This is another favorite photo of mine. A bit presumptuous in a way, but goals are important. Even if it means floating on a lake in an inflatable boat.

Naw. This one isn’t great. Even though I find it amusing.

How about something completely obscure that mentions robots? As if my book would somehow change your life from being robotic and systematic.

Or way off and use something my son thinks is humorous? Not sure this title is along the lines of “You are a Badass” or “The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck”.

In the end, I’ll keep on writing every day and hope that I can piece together a series of stories that matter most to me.

Let me know which stories I’ve written that you think I should share in book form. I’d love to hear these. Getting feedback from my blog readers and friends helps a lot in figuring out what stories I should share.

Havelka Hearse?

Posted on by Josef Havelka

For a few decades now I’ve wanted to own a hearse.

What?

Ya, one of those vehicles that drive dead people around. I have a few specific models that I’m interested in. But I’m not really a “car guy” so I’d probably have to spend a good deal of money on a used one in great condition.

There’s something about the look that I just admire. From the curtains on the windows to the fake top and landau bars. There’s always a new design coming out that showcases both the elegance and the celebration of life that once was.

From a modern Tesla Hearse- Check out the windows. Simply stunning.

To traditional looking Funeral Coaches that more resemble a temple on wheels.

Hearses tell a story as much as those that ride inside.

I hope to not have my last ride in a hearse be my first. Of course with Halloween around the corner- it gets me thinking about owning one more often. It’d be a great Halloween decoration! Maybe my wife will buy me one for my 45th birthday? Hint-hint

Trust and Kindness

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Trust is something that you can’t come by easily. But to have a complete stranger trust you is even more scarce. Especially when it comes to money. My story here is a simple one, but made my heart smile nonetheless.

Yesterday as I was driving home from the school with my kids, I stopped at a person selling flowers on the side of the road. She has set up in the same location for a couple of years now selling flowers out the back of her van. We often drive past without thinking twice. Yesterday I finally decided to stop and surprise my wife with a bouquet of flowers.

As I was talking to the lady, I realized I had no cash on me. So I asked if she takes debit or credit cards. Since I’ve worked conventions- many people set up a Square account to be able to make such transactions, which seems to be the trend nowadays. Unfortunately, this lady did not have a card reader. I was ready to thank her for her time…

Immediately she asked me which bouquet I wanted and told me to pay her back another time. Even with my repeated objections, she insisted. I chose a lovely full arrangement of flowers. The flowers looked great when put them on our table at home.

But it gets better.

My daughter this morning texted me that she put $20 in my wallet to cover the cost of the flowers. I was not expecting that from her. It seems that kindness can rub off on people. Seems like our parenting skills are paying off.

But wait there’s more!

I returned today to pay the flower lady the $20 for the bouquet (which is a good deal for the amount of flowers btw). She was smiling and thanked me for the payment. Before we walked away, she handed my son a large yellow daisy.

Just because.

Kindness is contagious. This stranger trusted me. I could have chosen to not pay her back. But the guilt would have eaten at me every time I drove past her. Because I’m not that type of person- I could never have done that.

Instead, I will have a smile in my heart when I see the back of her van propped open and buckets of flowers placed around her feet.

Write That Down!

Posted on by Josef Havelka

In my mind, I had a blog post already to go. I had it all thought out yesterday. Just moseying around the house- I planned what to write. Then I went to bed planning on writing everything when I woke up.

This morning I went through my regular routine. Wake up, play some Pokémon Puzzle League and enjoy a hearty breakfast. Afterwards, I pulled up WordPress on my iPhone- and promptly forgot what I wanted to write.

What the H-E-double hockey stick??

Dammit Josef. Maybe it’ll come back to me just as my head hits the pillow tonight. Maybe not. So here is my post about being a dumbass and forgetting to write it down.

This isn’t the first time nor is it the last. I also do things like this when grocery shopping. I may only need to pick up five or six things- but I’ll forget at least one item. Same with chores around the home.

If I don’t write it down- *poof* it disappears. My short-term memory is not what it once was. Note taking is my friend.

Anyhow, this wasn’t my planned post for today. But I still wrote something of value to myself- A friendly reminder that I need to be more diligent at writing my thoughts down as they come.

Oktoberfest in September

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Yesterday, our favorite Craft Brewery- Trading Post– was having a limited ticket engagement of Oktoberfest. My wife bought us some tickets back in August for the afternoon portion of the event. When we arrived, I saw some of my other friends there. Hugs and handshakes and well wishing for a fun day were passed out.

Upon arrival, we were each given a couple of drink tickets and a large 1 Liter glass to fill with beer. Since I was the Designated Driver I gave my drink tickets to my wife and picked up a sugar cane cola for myself.

There was a good selection of German Food and beers from a few craft breweries: the Trading Post, Field House and Steel & Oak. My wife sampled a variety of beers over the course of a few hours. We also picked up some food to help absorb the beers.

We shared a Bratwurst with Sauerkraut and deli mustard. As well as the Lagenbretzel, which was a large dough pretzel served with beer sausage cheese dip. The Trading Post also gave out snack Pretzel necklaces on a string which I thought was a genius idea and may just do that in the future for other events.

Since this was a busy event, we shared a table with some fantastic people. Next to us sat a wonderful couple that was a few years older than us who we related to quite well. We shared stories of other breweries and distilleries that we have visited, or now need to visit. Across from us sat a quartet of university students ready to get their Oktoberfest drink on!

By the end of the afternoon we had made some great friends and I had some fun memories. My wife enjoyed 72 ounces of beers- essentially she drank a six pack to herself in under four hours. This is not her usual Modus Operandi which made it that much more entertaining for me. I was glad to see her let loose!

In the end it was a great experience and made me yearn for a chance to visit Germany for a true Oktoberfest venue. I’m glad The Trading Post put on such a successful event. There was laughter and smiles all around.

Designated Driver

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Today we went out to an Oktoberfest party at The Trading Post in Fort Langley. I volunteered to be the designated driver to my wife and our friend since I am partaking in a personal Sober September. It made me realize that I have never really been a DD before. I did it once earlier in August for our Dinner Train. But usually, I am the one getting a safe ride home.

Today as everyone around was getting tipsy and drinking, I realized that when I was younger- I made many mistakes getting behind the wheel of a car after a few drinks. I’m embarrassed by my actions from my past. I got lucky in my life that I never injured or killed anyone. But those lapses in judgment could have come with terrible consequences. Even though nothing had ever happened in my past- I know that time would only catch up if I kept it up. Having a safe ride home has become part of the plans as I head out.

Being sober at a drinking function isn’t all that bad. In fact it’s sometimes more entertaining to see (and remember) the shenanigans that occur around you. At the end of the day/night getting your friends back home safely is probably the best feeling. Oftentimes you get thanked in a drunken love kinda way. Slurred speech and kindness comes out.

Obviously my advice is simple: Make sure you have a designated driver or a safe ride home planned out in advance. It’s much better to get home safely than not at all.

Mid-Day Post Night-Shift

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Sleeping after a night shift is one of my favorite things to do. I find I get a really good sleep as I waste away in preparation for my next night shift. Sometimes I get woken up in the middle of my daytime snooze. Usually because I have things to do. Or I get woken up early and decide it’s too much work to go back to bed.

Take today for example. I had to wake up in the middle of my sleep in order to pick up my kids from school. (Darn half day at school.) I’ll probably get back to sleep and snag another 4 1/2 hours. But still- two short sleeps don’t always make up one good sleep.

I am completely understanding of the fact that I have a commitment to our children. I can’t let them down. It’s not like the school they attend is close by either. We have to drive at least twenty minutes to get to the school. At home, our kids are very respectful of my sleep and never bother me or make a ruckus.

Only one more night to go this week. Then a few normal days. Followed by another stint of nights.

I got this.

Really I do.

đź’¤

Sing Away the Stress!

Posted on by Josef Havelka

If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the years- it’s that stress can trigger a multitude of emotions from people. Especially in a work environment. I’d like to think of myself as a calm individual at work. Which is great and relatively true. I tend to walk away from situations if need be.

But sometimes at home I lose it. Which really isn’t fair or fun for the family. I hate the fact that I lose control for even the briefest of moments. Losing my cool happens every few weeks or months, which is far too often by my standards. It’s usually because I have set high standards for my vision of my family. That sounds odd, but it’s true.

I need to let my children grow and make mistakes. I can only guide them so far before having to let them figure out the rest. Even if it means they don’t do things the way I expected.

It’s hard to remember that life isn’t a race to the finish line. We’re all going to get there at some point. No need to allow stress to get you there faster. It’ll make a person crazy trying to control everything in their lives. Especially if it means trying to control other people.

I think we should all sing away our frustrations. I enjoy writing nonsensical songs and singing out the lyrics in order to keep calm. Maybe it could be the start of a new musical.

I shall call it “STRESS“. Maybe I could steal some music ideas from “STOMP” and make a ton of noise with office equipment. Smashing of staplers, the hard slam of the photocopier door as you try and figure out what is wrong with the toner, the sounds of twenty people clicking pens in harmony… Who wouldn’t want to sit in an auditorium after a hard week at work and hear those types of sounds set to songs?

Million dollar idea right there.

Sept 19, 1942

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Today would’ve marked my father’s birthday. But he left this world in the year 2000. Funny thing is I know very little about him even though he was in my life for 24 years.

I know his birthday is today and that he was born in Prague. My knowledge of his history is limited. He kept his past a guarded secret. These are the tidbits I do know:

  • His middle initial is K. I believe it was for Karl- but I cannot be certain.
  • He has a sister (whom I’ve never met or spoken to)
  • In the summers of his youth, he was forced to leave home and work on a farm.
  • He was a helicopter mechanic in Prague when he was 17.
  • He defected to Canada in the early 1970’s.
  • He left behind a wife and child (Also whom I’ve never met or spoken to) before marrying my mother.
  • Then there are the things I can recall about him growing up:
      • He enjoyed golf.
      He owned a deli once.
      He loved to build things for his home.
      He always wanted a Mercedes Benz, so he finally bought one.
      He worked long hours.
      He never wanted to go on vacation.
      Only once did he ever return to Prague.
      He yelled a lot.
  • He rarely ever expressed an emotion besides anger towards me. I always felt like I wasn’t the son he wanted or something. I’m sure in his own way he cared and loved me, but it didn’t always show. I just hid in my room mostly.
  • Prior to his death, he only had an opportunity to meet my wife. He never met any of his grandchildren. My kids used to ask me about grandpa, but have since stopped. Partly because they are older now. But also because I don’t have anything new to tell them about him.
  • After his departure nearly 18 years ago, he is slowly becoming a faded memory- and I’ve come to terms with that. I don’t have much more to say about it all. As I said last year, I’m trying to focus on the good memories- even though they were few. Oh well.
  • Happy Birthday Josef K. Havelka

    • Pain Pity Party

    Posted on by Josef Havelka

    As I get older, my body hurts more. I don’t like it. It seems that my aches love to travel around my body and change off locations. The pains do not tend occur at the same time.

    This morning is lower back pain. Yesterday was my wrists. A few days ago it was my hip. Last week was my tongue. Many other places that I experience pain have been my shoulders and elbows. I worry my joints are developing arthritis. Sometimes I swear I can feel pains in my organs. Advil is my best friend every day.

    Maybe these are like growing pains of my youth. Only now they should be called Growing OLD Pains. I want these pains to ease up. I suppose I should just exercise and stretch more, right?

    Ugh. That doesn’t sound fun either. I think complaining about it is the best answer. Hashtag sarcasm. Hashtag quit complaining and do something about it.

    Pass It On

    Posted on by Josef Havelka

    We were going through some old trinket holders that we had on our bookshelf. My wife and I have always loved dragons and gargoyles, so when were first got together we would search out these fantasy items and gift them to each other. We ended up with a few of these trinket tins within our first few years together. Inside were some memories that we had locked away only to be discovered this past weekend.

    Inside one of our Dragon tins were a couple of necklaces and a photo of our first born from 16 years ago. One of the necklaces was filled with “Fairy Dust” and the other was of a tiny gargoyle holding a crystal ball. Super neat and I kind of wonder if our kids will ever like them…

    Inside our next box was some old rolling papers, some tags and my brass zippo lighter. You can probably guess my old lifestyle from a couple of lifetimes ago. Even the rolling papers were from before I met my wife in 2000. This was before the “3 M’s” took over my life:

    Marriage

    Mortgage

    Monsters

    The biggest surprise to me was that my Zippo lighter was still in my possession.

    I have had this Zippo since I was about fifteen years old. I would walk the halls of my high school opening and closing the lighter.

    Click-click

    Click-click

    This was my “Fidget” item of the mid-1900’s. My friends and I each had one. Mine was a brass one, my best friend at the time had a stainless steel one, another buddy had a flat black one, and we had that one friend who had a pot leaf emblem on his. Hmmm….

    My friends and I each kept our Zippos on our person at all times. You know that little pocket in your Levi’s Jeans? The perfect fit for a Zippo. It can also used for pocket watches- of which I have a few.

    When my son discovered my Zippo Lighter, he was immediately drawn to it. I showed him how to do a “top pop” squeeze to open the lighter. It took me a few tries, but just like riding a bike- it became easier after each time. For the rest of the afternoon all we could hear from my son was the familiar:

    Click-click

    Click-click

    As he opened and shut the lighter. After dinner I rummaged through my tool cabinet and found my old half full Zippo fluid container and a flint. I showed my son how to fill the lighter and explained each part to him. He was super eager to learn and was even more excited when he lit the flame for the first time.

    He wants to polish the lighter and make it shiny again. I guess it’s considered a vintage lighter now being that it’s a little over 25 years old. Crazy. But he likes it.

    And in true Dad Joke style, I am ending this post By passing him the torch.

    Headaches

    Posted on by Josef Havelka

    Over the past week or so I have had some major headaches going on. Part of it is because of the stress load from work. Part of it feels like it is from dehydration. Sometimes it’s due to caffeine withdrawal. Pretty sure it’s an amalgamation of all of these and more.

    I’m trying to figure out the best way to get rid of the headaches. Every night I hope for them to just go away with a good night’s sleep. But that hasn’t worked. I wake up with a throbbing pain each morning. It has even caused my eyesight to be blurry and strained while using my phone or computer when I start my day. I’m not at the debilitating migraine level, thank goodness.

    Still, I wake up in the morning and take a couple of Advil which seems to help. The headaches eventually go away for a while. Only to come back a few hours later. Meaning I need to take more Advil. This cycle isn’t really what I want. Throughout my day I am drinking more water and hope to balance out the pain slowly.

    A part of me thinks these headaches are because of my Sober September plan. I’ve never thought of myself as having a drinking problem, but maybe the alcohol not in my system is a part of these headaches. I’ll wait and see how this plays out. Chances are I might continue into a Sober October.

    Work Is Busy

    Posted on by Josef Havelka

    Work has been pretty busy lately. It also doesn’t look like it will slow down either. Which is a good thing in the long run because it keeps the paychecks coming in. Yay money!

    The problem is that it’s too busy at work to think. That’s the challenging part. The shift can be so overwhelming, that by the end of the day I just want to get home and sleep. There’s almost no time or energy left to want to even eat. That’s what days off are for.

    If only there was a way to recharge in the middle of the day. Socially it’s frowned upon to take a nap at work. So the polar opposite is called upon. Caffeine is my best friend. As long as it’s just enough to keep my mind going and not my body vibrating.

    Anyways, days off are approaching and this will give me a good chance to clear my mind and catch up on my naps.

    How I love my naps…

    Olympic Oval Package Unboxing

    Posted on by Josef Havelka

    On Thursday our middle child received a box from the Olympic Oval in Calgary. Well, mom and dad forked over a few hundred dollars and bought the stuff inside- but it was still exciting for her to open it up!

    The top of the box was super taped shut with their logo tape on it. So our daughter grabbed a knife and sliced open the box.

    Inside was a “Thank You” card from the University Of Calgary and a bunch of air packs protecting their inventory. Our daughter has been planning to go to this university for a while now, I think this makes her a bit more excited about the idea.

    Inside the box was a brand new Speed Skating helmet and some skating boots. Now she doesn’t need to borrow our club’s used equipment anymore. This weekend, we will heat up the boots and form them around her ankles to create a better fit.

    For my wife and I, these items are an investment into our children. Speed Skating promotes health, activeness and sportsmanship. Promoting these values in our children is important as the grow up. Since our children have been Speed Skating since 2010, I have no issues buying better equipment for them to use. Even when our daughters have taken time off in the past- they always want to come back to skating.

    I’m excited for our daughter and her new equipment. I think she will get some good use out of it. Who knows, maybe she will attend the University of Calgary and skate for them while she does studies.

    Early Morning Post

    Posted on by Josef Havelka

    Usually I try and schedule my posts for the mornings. I like to have them out for the day- I find I get more traffic that way. But sometimes I just don’t get my thoughts out ahead of time and need to post later in the evening.

    I wake up the next day and rush to stare at my phone to see if anyone has read or responded to my blog. Usually to be disappointed.

    So I’m going to try and write my blogs and have them out during the early morning on the West Coast. This is where I need to discipline myself and hunker down during my free time.

    Not going to fail myself this time. I can do it!

    The Wizard Of Speed and Time

    Posted on by Josef Havelka

    The Fine Arts School that our children attend is in full session now. The children are getting excited about the upcoming year. They have a lot on their plates: various music classes, theater tech, film, photography, yearbook, carving- as well as the academic classes. This school isn’t just 9-3 either. Some days the kids arrive at 07:30am. Some days they leave at 5:30pm.

    It’s a full time commitment.

    My wife and I have always encouraged the children to explore and discover new talents. Our 14 year old daughter is taking Stop Motion Animation this year and I am jittery with excitement. I’ve always loved that style of animation and films- It was big for me growing up in the 1980’s.

    Most of it was Claymation (like the California Raisins). With some shows on a regular rotation such as reruns of these gems:

    Gumby (1956-)

    Jeremy the Bear (1968-1974)

    Then there were animation movies that really came out and showed off a more demonic style of “Children’s Movies”. Here is one of my favorites:

    The Adventure Of Mark Twain (1985)

    But the 80’s also used stop motion to capture a new style of special effect. It brought monsters to life in films such as:

    Clash of the Titans (1981)

    Sometimes, a stop motion film was able to tell a story about itself… This afternoon I shared with my daughter (the one taking stop motion animation) an obscure film that I enjoyed from years gone by.

    The Wizard Of Speed And Time (1988)

    This film is based on the short stop motion film of the same title from 1977.

    The original 3 minute film was shown during a segment of “The Wonderful World of Disney“ which is where I first saw it.

    However, this version showcases the artist struggling to make his film and all the roadblocks encountered along the way. It took five years to make and was completed in 1988. I love how this film is simple in its delivery and carries numerous subliminal messages. It has a charm that won’t win it any awards, but the heart this film shares is immense.

    After showing the film to my daughter, she is now more inspired to film stop motion than ever before. I hope she can bring forth some effects and styles from this film.

    Perhaps one day she will be the next Wizard Of Speed and Time.

    Pears

    Posted on by Josef Havelka

    I am not a big fan of pears. When I was younger, I used to find them sandy tasting. My preference is apples and I love baking apple pies. However, last year our apple tree fell over and subsequently is no more.

    Sad Joe.

    Near where the apple tree once was is a pear tree. It’s been there for a couple of decades, never really producing any fruit. That is until this year. I think a big part of of the bountiful crop was that our neighbors set up some bee hives last summer. Now our pear tree is producing juicy pears.

    Woah, that almost sounded appetizing.

    Sarcastic “Yay”.

    Anyhow, today I was in our backyard collecting some lovely leaves and I noticed the pear tree. So I walked up to it. When I touched one of the pears, it came off easily in my palm. I headed back to our home and grabbed a bucket and picked the tree clean.

    Now we have too many pears than I know what to do with. Off to Google I went looking for recipes. You know what I found?

    Pear Crisp.

    Lots of recipes for Pear Crisps.

    Seems like there isn’t much else to do with pears. So I made a Pear Crisp. But I am also going to try deep fried pears later tonight. I’m making a variation on Asian Pear Fritters. These sounded delicious.

    Anyways, hopefully my dislike of pears changes over the course of the next few days. We have more than enough of the fruit to make a half dozen more Pear Crisps.

    Start of An Autumn Home

    Posted on by Josef Havelka

    Usually I only decorate for Halloween and Christmas. This year I decided to add some warmth to our home and bring in more of an Autumn feel.

    Our house is starting to become a country home. Pine cones, candles, a fire in the background- it makes for a cozy feel. With the interior decorations well under way, it was time to make a country dinner.

    Skillet with sautéed beef and egg noodles made our home aromatic. Time to sit down and enjoy the comforts of our home as a family.

    Spice Purge 2018

    Posted on by Josef Havelka

    Today we decided to extensively clean the kitchen and bathrooms. That meant bleaching everything and gathering up items for give away. I am astonished at how much stuff we collected over the years that we just don’t use. But we tend to hold onto because of memories or the chance we “may” need it in the future. Both of which are not good reasons to keep stuff. The big question of the day:

    Do spices expire?

    I found spices and food additives from my childhood back in the early 80’s that have been packed from house to house for no better reason than the fact we always did. Wow! 33¢ for a shaker of tarragon!? What do you use tarragon for??? We also found some unlabeled jars and tried to guess at when it was from or what it was. We have gone through each item and started to dump them.

    No idea if spices last forever or not. But our spice cupboard is finally more manageable than ever before. I think we will pick up some more uniform shakers to make the kitchen feel less cluttered. We also found some old gelatin and flavor packets from the 1980’s. Off they went… sorry for the desserts that never were.

    We did something similar to our Spice Purge 2018 when we went though our tea cupboard last year. Does tea expire? 🤔

    Do you have any idea if spices expire? What spices have you bought to use once and now it sits in your cupboard?

    Internal Battles

    Posted on by Josef Havelka

    Everyone has a battle they are fighting. It doesn’t mean one is harder than the other. People put weight and merit on different aspects of their lives. But we all fight something.

    I have had family and friends fight cancer. Some have lost. Such as my father who deteriorated over 3 years after diagnosis. Some have fought and made it through and found a renewed sense of adventure in life.

    There are also people battling depression or mental illness. I see it all the time now. I’ve also lost friends and coworkers to this and it’s still shocking each time. I don’t know the right way to help those people. I go through bouts myself and have a tough time finding the happiness carrot. But I know it’s there. Somewhere for each of us to find it.

    All I can say is reach out and help one another- no matter what the battle is. Sometimes a friendly phone call or text can brighten someone’s day.

    Painting Number 2

    Posted on by Josef Havelka

    I had never taken an interest in painting growing up. I did the occasional project in school- but I never bought any art supplies for myself. I tinkered a bit with pencil crayons and sketching, but never really with painting.

    I enjoyed decorating my children’s rooms over the years, so I at least made some attempts at art on the walls.

    On canvases however, I’ve only ever done two pieces- one was a pencil sketch I made for my wife years ago for her 40th Birthday. The other was my first real attempt at acrylics A month ago– A painting of some planets and a sun. I also used some spray paint on it to liven it up. I was rather pleased with the final results. So I decided to buy another canvas and steal my daughters’ paints and brushes today.

    I’m rather pleased with myself this time around and remembered to take a few photos along the way.

    I started with a quick background coat of primer gray spray paint. Then I pencilled in my idea.

    Then I got started on my trees and bushes. I enjoy blending colors to give it a more natural feel.

    For about an hour or so I added in my flowers and lanterns. I was starting to really enjoy the piece but knew it wasn’t quite finished.

    With the final details added, the painting was ready to be hung up. I put it above my wife’s computer, maybe she will notice it later on.

    I based the painting on a few photos from our trip to Tokyo. This one was my biggest inspiration:

    I don’t think I did too shabby considering it’s my second piece. Of course I see many flaws and realize what I could’ve done differently. In the end, I think I may have a new hobby blossoming.

    If You’re On Time, You’re Already Late

    Posted on by Josef Havelka

    I hate being late for things. Which is why I’m usually early.

    I’m writing today’s post before my dental appointment. I arrived twenty minutes early and their office isn’t open yet. So here I sit in my car looking up memes about dentists and being late. Even though my doctor and dentist are usually punctual with exact times.

    It’s also funny that I’m always early, since I don’t tend to wear a watch anymore. I usually wear one as an accessory when I dress nicely to go out. Time is a foreign construct to me some days. All philosophical and stuff.

    How does this ticktock control so much of our lives?

    I don’t know, but you better not make me wait. That drives me nuts. Oh look- one minute until my appointment…