Monthly Archives: May 2010

May 31 2010

Music Monday – I’ll Be Gone

This week’s Music Monday pick is courtesy of Douglas Coupland.  Actually, it’s courtesy of Douglas Coupland’s Twitter feed (www.twitter.com/DougCoupland).  Wait, it’s actually courtesy of David Weir, who originally posted the link and then Douglas Coupland re-tweeted it.

In any case, the track is I’ll Be Gone by Lithuanian producer Mario Basanov, with Vidis, featuring Jazzu.  The song is fine, but I think the video is brilliant.  Simple concept, great execution.  The needles are hypnotic, and when the ink begins to lift off the page – it’s magic.

May 28 2010

The Best of Ottawa – Kids and Teens Dentistry

Like many people, I developed strongly negative feelings about my dentist when I was a kid. Perhaps it was the time I had four teeth pulled and then went back to school with bloody gauze stuffed in my mouth, or the numerous fillings, or the 36 months I spent wearing braces. Whatever it was, visits to the dentist were always met with fear and apprehension.

So, I was particularly sensitive to A’s situation over the past couple of months. When his cheek ballooned back in March, I thought he might have the mumps. It turned out he had a badly abscessed molar, and on further inspection, he had a number of cavities.

I sat with him at our regular dentist and watched helplessly as this large man spent 45 minutes trying to save the tooth before finally deciding it had to come out. After several needles and having his mouth pried open by multiple fingers, pliers, and suction tubes, A decided he had had enough and refused to open his mouth again. The dentist threw up his hands and said he couldn’t continue.

Fortunately, we were referred to Kids and Teens Dentistry, and we couldn’t be happier. The dentists and staff are completely focused on making the experience as kid-friendly as possible, and I only wish we had something like this when I was younger.

The mood is set as soon as you walk in the door of the funky, modular office. The décor is whimsical, there are Xbox games to play, and a movie room where kids can hang out. The dental suites have themes, and kids can watch movies on the ceiling and listen through headphones while work is getting done. When the visit is over, they get a token to put in the Treasure Tree and get a little knick-knack to take home.

For the extraction of A’s molar, they used conscious sedation, a combination of oral sedative and nitrous oxide. He was awake for the procedure, but completely zoned out, and he didn’t feel a thing. We’ve been back a couple of times, and despite the extensive work that has to be done, he genuinely gets excited about it.

If you’re looking for a dentist for your kids, or if your current dentist isn’t that great with children, I highly recommend you give Kids and Teens Dentistry a call. I know they have a long waiting list so you’ll probably have to wait a few months for an appointment, but it’s totally worthwhile.

May 17 2010

Music Monday – Imogen Heap

I’m a little undecided on Imogen Heap. I really like a couple of her songs, but I often skip through half the tracks when listening to one of her albums. Perhaps it’s one of those relationships that just isn’t meant to be. Or, perhaps I just need to work harder before completely dismissing it.

In any case, her song Hide and Seek is highly addictive. Even if you don’t think you’ve heard it, you probably recognize the sample that was used in Jason Derulo’s hit Watcha Say. Or perhaps you heard it when you watched the season two finale of The O.C. Or perhaps you heard it when you watched the controversial SNL Digital Short “The Shooting”, which spawned an Internet phenomenon called “Dear Sister” in which violent scenes were juxtaposed with her song.

So yes, it’s a popular song. Here are three versions for your enjoyment – the original, the SNL Digital Short, and an a cappella version performed by the University of North Carolina’s Achordants. I’d be shocked (and disappointed) if this track didn’t appear on Glee sometime.

May 15 2010

April 2010 Photos

This post is long overdue, but I thought I’d post a few photos from our Easter weekend.

The trip got off to a rough start.  We were creeping along in rush-hour traffic on the way out of town when a dashboard warning light came on.  Our power steering had failed, and despite my herculean efforts (turn the car off, turn it back on, curse, repeat), it wouldn’t work.  Fortunately our local garage agreed to stay open until we could get back there, and of course it worked perfectly when we got there.  In any case, nearly four hours after I left work we were finally on the road, which is not the ideal way to start a 540 km drive.

The rest of the weekend was great.  The boys met their new cousin Desmond, completed an epic Easter-egg hunt, and had a fun play-date with cousin Ian.  We stopped in Kingston on the way home and took a walk down memory lane.  We took a trip on the Wolfe Island ferry and gave the boys their first taste of Indian food at Darbar.  Overall, a very enjoyable 72 hours.

A, K, and new cousin Desmond (approx. 1 month old)

A at Tiffany Falls in Ancaster

K enjoying the Tim Hortons Canada doughnut.

Attention Tim Hortons:  This image is available for future promotional campaigns.  Please contact me directly to discuss pricing.

Me and the boys sticking close to the flotation devices…just in case.

May 10 2010

Music Monday – JD Edwards

The only thing better about discovering a new artist is discovering a new artist that you didn’t know you already know.

I was in Brandon last fall for the Western Canadian Music Awards, and I heard a set by the JD Edwards Band. I was impressed by their performance – a tight group, very musical, with lots of energy and a gifted lead singer. I heard from a few people that JD was a great guy with a bright future, and I made a mental note to learn more about him when I got home.

About a month later I was in a hotel lobby in Ottawa at a conference, and I saw JD standing a few feet away. I walked over to introduce myself to him, and was shocked when he said “Hey, you used to work at Fort Henry! I was a rookie in the Drums during your last summer”.

I was totally unprepared for that greeting, and was a bit embarrassed because I couldn’t remember a Private Edwards in the Guard. It was also entirely likely that the last time I had seen him, I’d probably yelled at him while he stood at attention and called me Sir (the Fort was kind of a unique place to work, with power imbalances that would strike most outsiders as odd). My first instinct was to apologize for any aggressive outbursts on my part back in 1998.

In any case, it turns out JD is short for Jonathan Dyck, which cleared up some of the mystery. I clearly remember Private Dyck (no, I will not make a joke at his expense – one with the last name “Dearlove” should not poke fun at such things), and was very happy to see he’s become such a talented singer-songwriter.

If you can find a copy, I highly encourage you to check out his album JD Edwards Live at the Gas Station Theatre. Here’s a clip from the concert – a song called Morning Sparrow. I love the guitar part, and JD makes it sound effortless.

You can also listen to tracks on the usual sites:

JD Edwards Website

JD Edwards on MySpace

JD Edwards on CBC Concerts on Demand