Month: January 2019

Three Years of Blogging

Posted on by Josef Havelka

I have now done three years of daily blogging.

Woot-woot!

This is a great achievement for me since I write each and every blog post myself. I actually missed my anniversary date by a day which to me means that I’ve made writing a daily routine that I cannot miss. Those times I’m out of WiFi or cellular range- I’ll “schedule” a post.

Every day I write about something that piques my interest. Note: I just had to look up which word to use- peak,peek or pique. I enjoy writing about my adventures, my family and my thoughts.

After three years of writing I have also become a more positive person in my interactions and stories. If you look back at my works you may notice that I avoid using negative words or connotations. This positivity has made me like who I am a great deal more than I expected.

Of course I am human after all, and my world does have moments that can be more unicorn farts and pixie poops than I want to share. But throwing a learning moment, revelation or change of action helps to turn my mood around.

I have more stories to share and a life to live. I hope that all of my readers and followers have enjoyed checking out my life and adventures. Thank you for a wonderful three years!

Am I Out Of Ideas? Or Just Repetitive?

Posted on by Josef Havelka

I’m worried that I’m going to run out of things to write about. I blog every single day. I am bound to repeat Myself.

Today I was going to write about Suffering is Optional. But I had already done that almost three years ago. I even made my own picture for it. See?

I tend to recap things, events, or memories on a regular basis. Like many people, I am a product of my environment and upbringing. It’s only natural to keep reverting back to previous ideas.

Maybe I’m unconsciously reliving Groundhog Day like Bill Murray. Weird- isn’t that coming up in a few days? But I wrote about Groundhog Day last year.

I think I’ll just share it again, but change the year in the title. See if you, my devoted readers, enjoy these antics.

Madonna Sing-a-Long

Posted on by Josef Havelka

C’mon Girls! Do you believe in love?

I’m just going to put this out there.

I enjoy listening to Madonna.

The other day, I pulled out her “Immaculate Collection” CD from my music assortment. I popped it into my car’s CD player and put it on shuffle.

You know, commuting in and out of Vancouver is much more pleasant when you sing along to music. Boy, do I love to sing along!

Sitting in my car is a crocheted BB-8 that hangs out by my cup holder. I’ll pick him up by the head and flip him around as I drive. His ass makes a great impromptu microphone. Occasionally I’ll stick it in my family’s face to try and get them to sing along as well. A lead singer needs his back up vocals!

Rocking down the highway to some classic Madonna makes me happy. I know most of the lyrics to Madonna’s songs from the 80’s and 90’s. Some of the lyrics I mumble or sing incorrectly for fun. Even though I belt them out, I still have to have her music cranked up. It drowns out my inability to sing. But I sure look like I’m having fun.

So I take a note from one of Madonna’s lyrics:

Express what I got,

oh baby ready or not

Express yourself!

Taiko No Tatsujin

Posted on by Josef Havelka

We picked up the Nintendo Switch this past Christmas for the family. Originally we weren’t planning on buying it. There was just a handful of games that we thought to be worthwhile. That is until we heard in the fall that a favorite game was coming available.

Taiko no Tatsujin

Drum ‘n’ Fun!

This game is so fast and has some great songs. Mind you most of the songs are from anime or video games. But ones that we recognize at the same time. We love the game because it reminds us of our trip to Japan.

One of our Days in Japan was spent wandering around the various arcades. This is where we discovered the “Table Flip” game, the “Drum ‘N’ Fun” game and many crane games. The joy our children experienced playing these games made us desperately want to recreate it. We even tried to pick up a Nintendo 3DS version of the game while in Tokyo, but it wouldn’t work on our North American systems.

Now that we have it in our home, we love to play it. My arms are getting a great workout as I try and keep up with the beats to the drum. On the easy level.

I was online the other day and stumbled across this video of one of the songs being played on a real drum kit. Just look at the joy about halfway through.

Check out the video: Drum!

I almost want to get the “Drum” controller for our system to add to the realism. Hey honey! My birthday is coming up soon…

The Floater

Posted on by Josef Havelka

My experience at work has me jumping from location to location in my home terminal. Which makes me feel uneasy and a bit doubtful of my abilities.

Am I that good- that my work can move me willy nilly all over the place? Or am I that bad- that they can’t figure out a good place for me?

I’d like to think it’s the first option. I am pretty good at a couple of the locations. But I think I’m just middle of the road when it comes to others.

What has happened now is that I have become a “Floater“. My coworkers say to me, “Didn’t I see you someplace else last week?” Or “Weren’t you at a different location? Are you going to stay here permanently?” I have become like a human version of the eye floater. Appearing in your vision for a moment, just to disappear as you try and focus on me. It feels like I’m here but not.

In the end, I guess I’m reliable enough to help out where needed. Arrive in a flash and gone in an instant- leaving behind nothing more than a memory of my presence.

Joe- The Human Eye Floater

Joey At Play

Posted on by Josef Havelka

This evening I’m going out with a couple of friends. No kids or wives will be joining us. I rarely have a Saturday night like this. I have to plan these “play dates” well in advance. Mostly to prepare my family for the fact that I won’t be home.

I’m looking forward to tonight. But it won’t be like the days of yore. I won’t be getting crazy drunk or having a late night. Just a couple of hours spent in North Vancouver. Some tacos and a couple of beers are the extravagant plans. It’s the company that I will be with that shall make the evening enjoyable and memorable.

I may share a photo or two on social media, but I am hoping to not to pull out my phone at all. That is until I leave to come home. At which point, I’ll call my wife to let her know I’m on my way. Which is a courtesy that my wife and I have for one another when not together.

A call to say, “Hey! I’m on my way. Love ya.” Even a few hours away from her means I’ll still miss her company. She has become an extension of my personality. So have my kids. And as I make memories and experiences, I love them to be with me as often as possible.

But tonight is a “Guy’s Night” where we will talk about our families and work. This gents are similar to me in many ways- where they put their family’s needs first. These are the kind of guys I prefer to associate with.

Late Night Blackhole

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Last night I fell into a vortex of mind numbing uselessness. I finally recovered at around 2:30am, but the damage was done. I had slipped into a hellscape I was worried I would not be able to escape.

I blame ALF.

You see, the other night I downloaded TUBI on our PS4. Free movies and tv shows? Why not? Unfortunately most of the shows are B movie style. The type of show that is more filler than anything. But I did find some cartoons that I am going to watch with my kids. The original “GIJoe” and “Sailor Moon”. So that’s cool.

I also found “ALF”. So I began watching it. The show is awful. Like train wreck that the network had invested too much money into to stop. Watching the show, I went onto IMDB and fell into a rabbit hole. Searching out tidbits about the show, the actors, and anything else.

It got me to searching for “Garbage Pail Kids”. One of the actors collected the . I remember these stickers from my childhood. Sharing these on the playground when I was in grade 2. It was a way of expressing potty humor and not getting caught. It also created new insults and name calling if your name happened to be close to one of the characters.

Not only were “Garbage Pail Kids” highly sought after. So were “Wacky Packages”. Taking all the name brands and putting a gross or silly spin on them. By grade 6, I had the entire collection. I wonder where they are now…?…

But I digress. ALF is not a good show. Please Hollywood- do not Reboot it.

You Know You’re A Grown Up When…

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Holy crap. My excitement level today shouldn’t have been so high. But it was. All because of a new Washing Machine. What is wrong with me?

Yesterday morning I mentioned our experience thus far with Home Depot Service. Later, a friend of mine asked if I got a phone call regarding the delivery. I in fact did receive an automated call at 5:30pm last night. Followed by a text message 5 minutes later. This is serious business folks! As you can see, it mentioned that the delivery would be between 11am And 3pm. No big deal- I was home for the day.

This morning at 10:30 I got a call from the delivery guy saying he’d be at our home by 11. Then he called my wife’s cellphone and told her the same thing. It was followed up by an automated call at 10:50 telling me they would soon be here. Ahhhh!!!

At 10:55 the truck was unloading our new washer. I didn’t even get a chance to take a photo of the box it came in. One guy was already removing our old washer out of our house at this time. I did get out and check for any damage and cosmetics of our new washer. Pristine.

At 11:05 they were done. Old washer gone- new one installed. Like magic little elves at Christmas- these guys were gone in a flash. So quickly in fact that I couldn’t even pick them out in a police lineup. Outstanding.

At 11:25 I received another automated call asking how my delivery and installation went. I gave all of the questions a “5 out of 5” rating.

In the end, Home Depot Services called me 7 times and texted me twice about our washing machine. All of the phone calls built up my excitement. About a washing machine! Not an upcoming birthday, or a new movie or even an exotic vacation. But a laundry device.

If a new washer can spark this kind of joy, I couldn’t imagine getting all new appliances for my kitchen at the same time. I’d probably die of a heart attack.

Home Depot Service

Posted on by Josef Havelka

On Saturday, my wife and I reluctantly went out and bought a new washing machine after my attempt to Repair our old one. We hit the Home Depot that I used to work at and checked out the appliances. My wife wasn’t overly thrilled with the sales associate because he did most of the talking to me. Part of it was because he remembered me from years ago. Part of it was a little bit that he seemed kind of… sexist. He only spoke to my wife about how to do laundry not the purchase itself.

Anyhow, we bought the machine and arranged delivery and installation. As well as removal of the old machine. The sales associate told me I’d get a call Wednesday evening to confirm the delivery on Thursday. I’m waiting for that call. But in the meantime…

On Monday I received a call going over the contract and the delivery guidelines. It was a reiteration of what the sales associate said as well as the contract I was given to read.

Cool. Thanks. I guess. She seemed friendly.

Tuesday I got a text telling me about the call I’ll be getting later today. A bit of overkill really. I will say Home Depot is definitely all about the customer service. So that makes me happy.

I can’t wait to get my call tonight to confirm my delivery tomorrow. As well as a call tomorrow to confirm my delivery.

And most likely a Follow Up call to see how my service and delivery was.

Crazy. But it will likely make me return to them if they put in that much effort.

Blue Monday

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Yesterday was Blue Monday. The most depressing day of the year.

I have not had a string of good luck lately. From nearly Losing a dog the other day to having a Washing Machine Die– even one of our stovetop burners burned out. My days have been rather crap-tastic. Why would Blue Monday be any better?

Because it wasn’t.

My day started like any other day. I was having a shower at 4:30am when the water just stopped. I jumped out of the shower and rushed downstairs to hear our water pump still going. Not a good sign. So I shut off the breaker to the pump.

Underneath our home was flooded. Turns out our well water corroded the shut off and snapped the pipe. I called into work to say I’d be late and contemplated my options. Get a plumber or try and deal with this myself? After dropping a few hundred dollars on a new Washing Machine, I knew the answer. I got my tools, checked the part I needed, then drove off and waited for Home Depot to open… at 7am.

I was in and out of Home Depot within ten minutes. Kind of a record for me. When I got home, I began my repair.

Low and behold!!!— I broke another part of the pipe. Just like when I was repairing the line to our Pressure tank in November.

It was now closer to 8am, so I drove up to the much closer Co-Op store to see if they had the part. While there, I ran into our neighbor from across the street (who is always there for breakfast) and a friend of ours. But I had no time to chit-chat. I had a mission.

I found the parts I needed. Spending close to twice the amount I would have had I gone to Home Depot again… I finished the repair properly, cleaned up and headed into work.

I do enjoy DIY. But not in emergency situations. Those suck. Some of my coworkers are surprised that I can do plumbing. Others are of the same mindset as me- why pay someone when I am completely capable of doing it myself?

Blue Monday got me all depressed about being a home owner in an older house. Times like yesterday make me want to throw the house on the market and run away. But I love this home. And I’m not sure when we will move. Maybe when the pipes burst….again.

Doggo Sitting

Posted on by Josef Havelka

In the past when we have gone on vacation, we have left our dog, Lex Luthor with friends, family or at a Kennel. He has always been returned to us happy and healthy.

However, the one time he stayed at my sister’s place, he escaped within the first few hours. I received a phone call from someone who had collected Lex. My sister felt so awful about him breaking free that she would never look after him again. I wasn’t mad at her, he was quite the energetic dog when we first got him. Even in the first week of us adopting him, he jumped our fence and wandered the neighborhood (without us knowing). Lex is much older now and far less active.

An old friend of mine asked if we could look after their puppy while they were out of town. He’s a youthful nine month old puppers. Very friendly and gets along with our family and Lex which is great. Having this puppy here has made us be more energetic and mobile. We are going for more walks and playing around more. But we did the same thing my sister did. We were complacent about following the rules of a new dog.

One night, our son let both dogs out into our backyard. Our dog Lex returned. But our visitor did not. With a fenced acre and lots of trees, we searched the backyard nonchalantly thinking that he must be there. No such luck. Turns out he ran into the neighbor’s yard. So our kids went to get him.

Puppies don’t listen very well. This puppers was no exception. He kept running further and further off whenever we got close. Not only did our kids try and catch him, but three more neighborhood kids got in on the excitement. This puppy was chased through about twenty acres of open farm lands.

Only to return to our backdoor.

Now I kind of know how my sister felt. Even though I wasn’t overly scared that we’d never see him again- there was that small negative part of me that wondered how I would tell my buddy that his godson lost his dog. Luckily I didn’t have to. Maybe he will read this when he returns from his vacation. Until then, the puppy has found a happy place in our house and has made himself quite at home. I don’t think our son will let him out of his sights again.

Somewhere in all this is a good lesson to learn. I don’t quite know what it is, but my son’s guilt was punishment enough. Looking back, we also saved a dog in Odaiba, Japan and returned him to his owner. People and pets have a bond that you can’t refute.

From One Fan To Another

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Hey person who owns that white car with the “Empire” logo. I like your style. Even though yours is on a Mazda, that’s totally cool! I wish I could’ve had a “geek moment” with you standing in the parking lot. Maybe one day we will meet each other. But I doubt it. All I have is this photo.

You see, I saw your car and parked next to it. Just so I could get this photo. I went shopping and when I left the store- your car was still there. Exactly like a Storm Trooper, you missed it. A fleeting moment that my Instagram followers got to enjoy along with me.

Repair Man Joe

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Our washing machine made a fun noise last week followed by a terrible smell. Not a dirt clothes smell, but rather a burning rubber smell. So I investigated.

Turns out the “boot” on our front loader got torn. To the Internet I went to scour for a part and instructions. Successful was I! And thus a new part was ordered.

This wasn’t the first time I’ve had to dismantle our washing machine. A few years ago it was leaking from the soap dispenser. That part was not available anywhere online. So I had to get creative using glue and plumbing tape. That fix worked 100%.

My research online explained that it would take one hour to replace the boot. It took me an hour and twenty minutes. Afterwards we ran a load of wash. No leaks! My repeat was successful.

But then the sound and smell happened again. The new boot was ruined. Online I went to find out why. Perhaps I should’ve looked deeper into why the first boot got wrecked. Turns out the gear holding the drum is worn. I am not in the mood to replace that gear or the drum. The cost and time is too high. So now we are off to buy a new washing machine.

So much for an inexpensive repair of the front rubber part. But at least I can say that I know how to do it. I think we are getting a top loader now.

Hmmph.

Meal Prep For Five

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Meal Prep isn’t a part of my lifestyle.

However, I took a few hours yesterday to work on some dinner prep for the family. Our 12 year old son helped out last night and really enjoyed it. I don’t usually prepare foods in advance unless we are going on a road trip or camping. But I figured I’d give it a try.

We bought 6 pounds of ground beef earlier in the week. So I divided it into meatloaf, seasoned fried beef for burritos and an amazing recipe for cabbage roll casserole. The meatloaf got eaten last night and the cabbage roll casserole is for tonight. The fried beef will be mixed with refried beans and rice for another family favorite. This was all made last night within an hour.

Today I went shopping at the grocery store because they were having a “Caselot Sale“. Besides canned soups, tuna and toilet paper, I also stocked up on about 18 pounds of pork loin. We now have a couple dinners of schnitzel, pork kebobs, and thin sliced Japanese bbq style pork. I divided it into six different meals and tossed those into our big freezer. Labeled and packed away, I’m glad that I did it now instead of trying to thaw a large pork loin later on.

Over the Christmas break, our dinners weren’t planned out. There was a lot of what we call “Fend For Yourself” nights. Where the kids would eat bowls of cereal, Mr. Noodles or toast and sometimes leftovers. It took this week for my wife and I to realize we need to get back to a routine of planning dinners and buying the appropriate groceries ahead of time. I have gone through the freezer in order to use some of our older meats first. All the pork I bought today will go to the back and get used in the upcoming weeks. Having a family of five with three teens is expensive when it comes to foods.

Buying processed or prepackaged foods may be easier, but it is not the healthiest of options. The time it takes to prepare meals or divide up large quantities of meat is minimal. Plus it messes the kitchen up really bad only once.

Here’s to healthy choices! And here’s the Cabbage Roll Casserole recipe if you want to try it:

Cabbage Roll Casserole

1.5 lbs Ground Beef

2 medium onions

1 clove minced garlic

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 – 14oz can of tomato sauce

1 – 14oz can of water

1/2 cup of uncooked long grain rice

4 cups of shredded cabbage (1 head)

Sour cream

Directions:

Brown beef, onions, garlic, salt, and pepper. Add tomato sauce and water and bring to a boil. Then stir in the rice. Cover and simmer for about 20 mins stirring occasionally.

Place 1/2 of the shredded cabbage on a greased baking dish. Cover with 1/2 the beef and rice mixture. Repeat layers. Cover and bake in 350° oven for one hour.

Serve with sour cream. Casserole may be refrigerated before baking.

Serves 6.

Enjoy!

Coexist

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Oftentimes I ignore reading bumper stickers while I drive. They’re just a visual distraction as you sit in traffic. I kind of just forget what I read almost immediately. But the one that I like is “COEXIST”

I like the simplicity of it. The idea that we can all just coexist, believe in what we want and just be ourselves is wonderful. It makes for a kinder world- not imposing on other’s lives.

We should all just coexist. Let each other live out our lives in harmony.

Wallet

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Back in the fall, we re-arranged our home while I Painted the Kitchen Cabinets. Some of the changes we really hated, so it went back. Such as the switching of where our dining table and our couch was located. But one of the changes has messed me up.

I moved a cabinet that was under our stairs in the front foyer of our home. Not a big deal in itself- it made our front entry look more open and less cluttered. What is throwing me off is that I don’t have a basket to toss my wallet and keys into anymore.

This has left me a little bit lost. I’ve left my keys in numerous jackets and hoodies. My wallet has wandered all around my home trying to find a place. I have left it at my computer, on the bathroom counter, even in my jeans. The only thing I know the location of is my iPhone.

I need to get a new location or basket for my stuff. I kind of miss having a chain on my wallet like I did as a teenager. Maybe it’s time to make that fashionable again. I could always hang it on a hook on the wall with my keys and not lose either anymore.

School Camping Trip

Posted on by Josef Havelka

In June, my son will be attending his grade seven camping trip. My daughters each did it for their grade seven year. It’s a tradition that is upheld in our local community schools. It’s something the teachers look forward to as well as the students. It’s kind of like a farewell to the kids before they enter high school.

The big difference this year is that I’ll be attending as one of the parent volunteers. My son requested I come at the start of the school year. Of course I wanted to be a part of it. I found out on Friday night that I have been accepted to be a chaperone. My son couldn’t be happier. I’m looking forward to it.

I did a grade seven camp as a kid and had a pretty good time. I also attended a cub scout camp for one summer a few years prior. Both were great experiences. Looking back though, some of the councilors were a bit sketchy. Hopefully I won’t come across as sketchy.

I’ve met most of the kids in my son’s grade. He also has a collection of what I consider to be “top notch” friends. All of them have a wonderful sense of humor and are really delightful kids. Since they’ve all met me, they know I can be a bit, uh, zany?

In the end, I am excited about making memories for my son and his friends. The trip should be a ton of fun!

Ironing

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Ironing your clothes.

Kind of like flossing your teeth. Sure, you brush your teeth and maybe even use some mouthwash. Flossing? Only if there’s food stuck. AmIright?

Washing and drying clothes are the basics- like brushing your teeth. But to iron dress clothes? Like me, it’s not very likely that you do it.

On Saturday I taught my son how to iron clothes. Ironing is something I enjoy doing, but tend to not have the time to do it. I love the look of a freshly pressed shirt and dress pants. Since I don’t wear suits to work- I don’t own a lot of dress clothes that require this sort of attention to detail.

Because my wife and I were going out for dinner, I wanted to look my best for her. A t-shirt and jeans just wasn’t going to cut it. So out came the old ironing board and iron. In the past I have done one of those “Life Hacks” where you throw a damp cloth into the dryer on a low heat to get rid of wrinkles.

My father never ironed his clothes. My mother used to do it for him. Teaching my son how to iron is important to me. One day he may want to look slick and professional. Other lessons I will teach him, that I had to learn on my own, are things like shaving, cooking or basic automotive maintenance.

Do you like to iron? Is there anything you wish was passed on to you from your parents? Please share.

The Zen Of Joe

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Zen.

It’s something I’ve been practicing all my life. Just enjoying the moments all around me. Having fun without causing harm or emotional distress to others. If anything, I think I bring a smile to others by jumping out of a comfort zone and just… living.

I’m comfortable just being me and experiencing life’s moments. I also love to embrace personas and put on different hats to truly embody this. From how I act to the clothes I wear- I enjoy being me. There is no “one look” that defines who I am.

If I can bring joy to others while being who I am, that’s a bonus. I also act compassionate and kind as I forge my way through this world.

My enthusiasm and characteristics are effecting my children’s personalities as well. Especially our middle child. She has moments where she just wants to entertain herself and others.

When all is said and done, I’m glad I haven’t been afraid to just live the way I have.

Does Life Have Signs?

Posted on by Josef Havelka

I’d like to think that I am in control of my actions. That I choose my own path. But I also try and force myself to engage in the signs around me- as if numbers or words could have a deeper meaning.

Today for example- a person in front of me had a patch on their jacket that says simply, “Follow Your Identity“. Which is interesting advice and relatively easy to accomplish. Like Popeye says, “I am what I am.”

I really don’t believe that there is something greater out there guiding us. It’s more a collective of all of your experiences, education and upbringing that sets our path. That being said, some people require others, or a god, or science to show them the way through life. If it brings them joy or enlightenment, I want people to successfully navigate life.

I don’t have all the answers. But I’m also not asking all those hard questions. I’ve got a way about me that works. A state of mind unique to who I am. Maybe I’m the one sharing signs for others. Or maybe I saw the sign and it opened up my eyes.

Like “Ace of Base“.

More Astro Boy

Posted on by Josef Havelka

The place- Edmonton.

The year- 1983.

The time- 6am.

Everyday before elementary school, I would watch a cartoon called Astro Boy. I had to wake up super early in order to catch the show because it started at 6am every morning. Except on weekends, when I would catch reruns of The Mighty Hercules on Sunday mornings. Two very different styles of animation and story lines.

My daily viewing of Astro Boy started my day off on the right foot. At the end of every episode, Astro would do a recap with mistakes. The Astro voiceover would then ask if you caught his mistakes. It meant the show required undivided attention. Everyday at school, I blathered on about this cartoon constantly. This evolved into other kids also watching it. Eventually the show became the talk of the playground. We would argue over the “mistakes” and talk about that day’s villain or battle.

As I grew up, I took the lessons that Astro- aka Atom– taught and instilled them into my life. Pure kindness and compassion shown from a robot. Who’d of thunk that an anime machine would forge my pathway through life?

As I got older, I received the collection of 1983 Astro Boy on DVD many years ago. I also received the 2003 series. On a few road trips, my children have marathoned through both series.

Because of my children knowing that it was a childhood favorite of mine, they bought me a couple of characters they found. These were discovered in a gas station toy aisle during one of our road trips. The toys may not hold any real value to anyone else but me. I love my family for always thinking of me.

When I was about 18, I really wanted a t-shirt that I had discovered that depicted Astro Boy in a hologram image that would change depending on the view of him. You could see the inside workings or his outer body depending on the angle. The down side was twofold. First, this was the early 1990’s and the shirt cost $80 (approx. $150 in today’s market). Secondly it was one size too small for me.

During our trip to Tokyo last year, I found the shirt again. My wife told me not to buy it because there is no easy way to care for the decal. Turns out she had also found the shirt and knew it would be perfect for me. This past Christmas, I received the shirt. My inner child bounced with joy.

The original Astro Boy that came out January 1,1963 was the first cartoon to introduce Anime to the world. I have loved anime ever since I first saw Astro on tv in my living room when I was 7. I also wrote about Astro Boy last year. I’ve even expressed sadness over the end of an era for a t-shirt that I loved based on another favorite anime- Akira.

What was you first anime show?

Do you have fond memories of cartoons from you childhood?

Taking This City for Granted

Posted on by Josef Havelka

I’m always excited to travel to other countries, states, provinces, and visit different cities. I enjoy driving around certain cities such as Los Angeles or Calgary. Some of my favorite cities to walk around are Seattle, Tokyo, and San Jose. As well as the beaches of California and Hawaii. And of course, Disneyland.

Our adventures over the years have taken us to see some beautiful cities and picturesque landscapes. From unique architecture to forests to parks to beaches. But I forget that Vancouver is unique and beautiful in its own way. With many of the things I have experienced elsewhere.

Over the past few weeks I’ve had the opportunity to work downtown Vancouver. It made me want to come down to this city more often. I’ve begun to take the time and just wander around Vancouver as well as take in a Hockey Game with my son. Vancouver has parks and architecture that you can only find here.

The outskirts of Vancouver boast beautiful trails located in many municipalities; and White Rock’s beaches aren’t crowded. This year, we aren’t planning any big trips or vacations. I’m going to plan more daily explorations of our current stomping grounds. Let’s share what the Lower Mainland has to offer.

By all means, give me some ideas of places to visit and things to do. No need to keep secrets about this exquisite locale we call home.

Keep Your Chin Up

Posted on by Josef Havelka

It’s only been one week into the New Year and already I’ve seen numerous people feeling down on themselves. It sucks to feel that way but I can totally understand it.

With every New Year comes resolutions- those new high expectations we put on ourselves can be overwhelming. When we don’t see results immediately or feel that we can’t overcome a hurdle easily, it sucks the life out of you. I’ve been there. In fact, sometimes I still end up there.

It may sound hokey and cliche, but to those reading this blog right now who may feel like a poopsock- know that I’m still here for you. We can get through this together.

Because you are awesome and you make this world awesome.

Fifty Eight

Posted on by Josef Havelka

If things continue the way they are going, I should be able to retire by age 58. To me, that’s a big deal. Because my father passed away at age 58. He never got the luxury of retirement.

For most of my youth (until age 17 maybe) my father worked long hours for a computer company. We hardly saw him. On his days off he spent it golfing with his friends. He wasn’t much of a family man nor did we do many vacations with him. But when he was let go from his job after fifteen years, he took his severance pay and enjoyed almost a year of golfing. Then he needed to work again. He put in long hours and wasn’t around once more. Then he was diagnosed with cancer. A couple years later- he was gone.

Not the life I want.

If I am still with CN Rail, it means I only have to work for a little over 15 more years to receive a decent pension. I’ve already been working here steadily since 2007 (minus layoffs at the start). Considering I have been in the work force for 30 years so far give or take, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. And I’m already getting excited about it.

Since My father passed away, I have focused on time with my family. Only on a rare occasion have I worked long hours and put in extra time. At one point it was to pay for my wedding. Another was to afford a down payment for our first home. Now my time off is as valuable as the time I put in to work.

Knowing that I have put in 2/3 of the work towards retirement is exciting. It’s time to start planning what to do with the time off. I look forward to sharing that next chapter with my wife. Her and I are getting started on those long term goals. But first, it’s time to create a countdown. 5544 days to go.

Trading Post #3

Posted on by Josef Havelka

I have been going to the Trading Post Brewing for a couple of years now. I was there on opening day at their first location. I also attended their Two Year Anniversary last February as well as Oktoberfest in their Fort Langley location this past September. I continue to head out every couple weeks to one of these locations for refreshments.

I have grown accustomed to their service and atmosphere. It makes for a good time hanging out with my wife, family and friends.

On Saturday, my wife and I were in Abbotsford and decided to check out their third location that opened less than one month ago. We were not disappointed. The food and beer menu is the same as their Fort Langley location. This made it convenient for us as we only had about an hour to kill.

All three locations are unique in their own way. Their Brewery location is exactly that- a brewery. Large vats of beer and seating to enjoy said beers. Their Fort Langley location plays on the history of Fort Langley and the idea of a real Trading Post. Cozy atmosphere and good food. This newest location is completely different. Very modern looking and spacious. A great eatery in the heart of a growing section of Abbotsford.

I love supporting this local business. It helps them to thrive and expand. The owners of The Trading Post have a great product and service that makes for wonderful memories to be shared. If you are looking for a place to share good times- any one of their three locations would be ideal.