It's that time of year again - the time of year to make promises you can't keep. Before getting around to my 2013 half-commitments I thought it might be interesting to look back on last year's batch of best intentions and gauge the various successes and failures... "Joe’s 2012 New Year’s Resolutions: 1. Sit down…
December 30, 2012: My Top 10 Christmas favorites!
Christmas may have come and gone but the holidays are still upon us, so why not maintain that seasonal spirit with a little festive viewing. The following are My Top 10 Christmas Favorites. Some are movies. Some are t.v. specials.Some are only slightly Christmas-related. Regardless, every one of them never fails to put me in…
December 29, 2012: Well, it’s been a fun time in Montreal but it’s time to head back…oh. Not yet?
Well, it's certainly been nice reconnecting with friends and family here in Montreal but I'm looking forward to getting back to Vancouver and - oh, wait. What? I still have four a half days left in town? Shiiii-oooot! Uh...great! Fantastic! Today, we dropped in on my aunt and uncle. An hour into our visit, it…
December 27, 2012: Snowed in!
And another reason why moving back to Montreal holds little appeal: the snow and the cold. It's miserable out there today. Pretty. But miserable. Especially when you're trudging through two foot high drifts with your mom's dogs, the wind whipping your exposed skin to a rosy pink. The plan was to head downtown today for…
December 26, 2012: The Family Feast! A Blog Talk Radio reminder!
The family feast is a holiday tradition we have celebrated since way back when. Over time, the faces at the table may have changed but the turnout has always been...let's call it robust. Yesterday, we all gathered at my cousin Marolyn's place for the BIG holidays meal... There were seventeen of us in all. In…
December 25, 2012: In the holiday swing of things!
I've been in full family mode for the past couple of days. This of course, means different things to different people. In my case, it means watching the second season of Modern Family on dvd with Akemi. Oh, and eating and drinking and hanging with my own family... We gathered at sis' place for the…
December: Happy Holidays from the dogs! And Akemi and me!
From my family to yours. Happy Holidays! Jelly goes for a walk - Christmas Edition: P.S. A reminder that I will be joining Barbara Barnett on Blog Talk Radio this Wednesday night (9 p.m. Eastern, 8 p.m. Central, 6 p.m. West coast time) to discuss Stargate: Universe's first season - and field all Stargate-related questions.…
December 22, 2012: Downfall! Blog Talk Radio! And holiday plans!
Well, this is nice. I received request to have my superhero-themed short story, "Downfall", reprinted for an upcoming anthology by Rich Horton. Rich is an SF enthusiast, avid reader, and reviewer for publications like Black Gate, Fantasy Magazine, and Locus. He read "Downfall" when it first appeared in the Lou Anders-edited Masked and had very…
December 21, 2012: Apocalypse Now! Or a little earlier or a little later depending on your time zone!
Hunh. With all due respect to the doomsday sayers, this apocalypse has been vastly overrated. I don't mean to complain but I put off my Christmas shopping figuring there would be no real point given the coming global catastrophe. And now here I find myself, still in one piece, but with a "to buy" list…
December 19, 2012: Winter Wonderland! Justice for Chino and Ivy!
I opened the back door this morning to let the dogs out only to discover that, overnight, Vancouver had been transformed into a winter wonderland. The yard, garage, and surrounding trees were adorned with a thick white dusting. And Mother Nature wasn't done yet. I looked on, amazed, as it continued to flurry, big fat…
December 18, 2012: Kyaa! And the mailbag!
Over the almost three years we've been together, I've gotten know a lot about Akemi. For one, she's an amazing cook. She also excels at gift-wrapping. She's incredibly kind and considerate. She loves dogs (especially Bubba). She's afraid of spiders, mysterious night time noises, and any food that has been sitting in the refrigerator for…
December 16, 2012: Did you miss Santa’s helpers? A trip to the Vancouver Christmas Market!
"Did you miss Santa's helper?"I heard Akemi ask me. "Did I miss Santa's helper?"I asked back. "Did you meet Sam and Andy?"she seemed to say. "Did I meet Sam and Andy?"I echoed back quizzically. "Did you meet Uncle Stansby?"she tried again, the frustration clearly mounting. "Did I meet Uncle Stansby?"I repeated, growing equally weary. "DID…
December 15, 2012: Happy Birthday Aspen!
My sister's husky, Aspen, celebrated his 13th birthday today. It's quite an achievement given the circumstances. The poor boy is battling cancer and has been having a rough time of late. The mass is putting pressure and slowing circulation to one of his paws and causing swelling in his leg. Sis has been bringing him…
December 14, 2012: A strange, sad day
This morning, I dropped off Jelly at the vet hospital for her scheduled ultrasound. She's been prone to bladder infections over the past couple of years and, lately, in the past few weeks, has been having an alarming number of "accidents" in the house. She's going to be fourteen this February so, yes, she is…
December 13, 2012: Miss Shelby’s Hard-Luck Scammer!
Akemi and I had just finished our evening workout and were preparing to take the dogs out for their last backyard bathroom visit of the night when, suddenly, the doorbell rang. My first thought was: "Damn charity canvassers. I'll just ignore them." And then, as the realization dawned, my second thought was: "It's 10:00 p.m.…