One of my interests and I wouldn't say its a

hobby is genealogy. I more or less have things sorted out on my mothers side but things are a bit murky on dad's side. So the yesterday what with nothing much better to do, I did a bit of digging. My grandfather had the same name as me: James Shannon. His initial was B for Blaine. There's a bit of a write up on "Find a grave." Something will come up if you Google the name. Including myself I can trace back 4 generations. The earliest is a James Shannon residing in Fort Greene area of Brooklyn 1815-1885. The building he lived in and the address is still there over 175 years later. Impressive. I did a bit more digging but I hit a break wall. Tax records were recorded in pencil in the early 1800's so not much survived. Most likely there would be no hospital records because most (I'm assuming) babies were born at home. It'd be cool to find out what James Shannon did for a living, what were his interests, who his parents were that kind of thing.

On this day 30 years ago was Black Friday. Our F4 tornado that killed 21 people here in Edmonton. I was 35 years old at the time, working with the Army and Navy warehouse in what is now called Cobogo lofts. I recall that day as we had our coffee break at 3pm and I'd often go to this little basement cafe in the Revlon building. It was a slow day. We had credit at "Joe's," and I was just coming back with my take out order through the big green doors. Bob was my co-worker and he had his desk by the back receiving bay door where we'd get all of our truck shipments. Coming through the doors Bob had said something about a Tornado. I was more interested in eating my first meal of the day. After lunch I asked Bob what was it again, something about a tornado? After he filled me in I got the idea to go upstairs to the roof to see if I could see anything. More on this after wrestling.
       After work at 4:30pm on that day I still had no idea to what extent this tornado had on the city. When I headed up to the corner where Fox towers one sits on 102nd Ave to the bus stop, it was perfectly calm outside. When I got off my bus a 9710 156th street, the wind and rain picked up. My suite was on the top floor there in the centre of this google street view picture. The building next door at the time was a house with a picket fence and some beautiful trees. I had some business with the caretaker at the time so I went to her 2nd floor suite facing the back.The one pictured here on the 2nd floor by the stairwell. I knocked on the door and she brought me over to the big window to look at the clouds over the trees. Some of those clouds had green tints in them. After I did my business I went upstairs to catch the news. About 10 minutes later I got a knock on my door from the caretaker saying my mom and dad were on the phone calling from Coquitlam where I grew up. They said it took some doing to get a contact # but they were able to call me to make sure I was ok. They were more up to date then I was but the rest of the news filled me in. It was an event I'll never forget. Anyway, that's all for now.

I'm doing the summer thing

chillin and relaxing. Next week I'm going to check in on the job, if they want me back, that sort of thing. I'm hoping to get back as tbh boredom is settling in.

Last nights BC Lions/Eskimo game here at Commonwealth quite the game. Both coaches were throwing out "challenge flags" through out the 2nd half. The Esks got lucky and won most of them. We scored a major on a punt return and 7 more points off of turnovers. It was a great night for football. Looked like it was a full house

So for tonight, I'm trying to make Open Broadcast Studio (OBS) work on my 2009 laptop. The You Tube community was saying if I ran OBS under Studio version at 30 frames per second, my video might not look clean but it would be passible. I found a 60 vs 30 fps video and there's really not that much difference between the to. I'm going to work on this after Anne calls at 8pm.

So, I've been on you tube, checking my email, having lunch, reading and having the odd snooze here and there. This is ok for awhile but I need work. Anyway, that's all for now.

It felt like an empty house around here last night

what with Anne at work and this being my first night without Silky being here. Sure we still have Skippy, but she was outside on the balcony for most of the night and Rusty was hiding in some dark corner of a closet somewhere. First time I've been alone in close to 20 years. Your never alone when you have your pet.

What with no sports I'm interested in, I felt like working on a beat in FL. Studio. So, I did that for most of the evening. Anne called on her 8pm break. For the most part I was on You Tube all night and having fun making my beat and looking into the vst called Nexus 2. Its a bit pricy but is quite the software. I hope to get a copy in the new year.

Anne came home at her usual time and made me a really good Angus burger/fries watching the news. My mouth just about dropped to the floor when I heard about what a certain someone was saying about Transgender people not being welcomed in their military. By now this has shocked the world. It literally smacks in the face of most civilized nations on the planet. If I was an American, my reaction would be that I'd be.......ashamed to be an American citizen at this time.....oh my God.

With just 5 weeks before I turn 65 and another 8 weeks before I'm on pension, I'm getting a little board. There's just so much of anything one can do. I'm not big on TV and there's only so much reading to do, and only so much of anything. I'll be glad when I go back to work. Anyway, that's about all for now.  

We're working through losing

silky Sunday. Yesterday afternoon Anne was negotiating with a pet cremation service. In a couple of weeks, we're getting Silky cremated and a nice urn for him. I got a good photo of him and he goes to the left side of the wall unit and Silky's urn goes beside the TV just underneath him. Pledges remains where he is and his urn goes underneath him. I've been preoccupied with what's been going on here, I have yet to get a photo of Silky (I'm using the one featured below)

It was a gloomy overcast rainy day Monday. The Sun didn't come out to about 8pm but warmer weather should come out over the next several days. Its calling for 27 and 28 Wednesday and Thursday.

I hadn't been to the lab yet. They just got the request in last week but I'm going Wednesday for sure. I'm really anxious to know if I have a thyroid situation. For my height and age, I'm 80 lbs over weight. I just have a big belly. I'm not obese or anything. 

So far I've yet to hear from my music store, when my item will be in. I'm thinking Friday at the earliest. As soon as that's in I can begin making some beats with my Novation Circuit with proper sound so it doesn't come out as mono.

At the moment I'm taking it easy, staying up late, sleeping in, reading "Way of Kings," eating. I'll be going back to work after labour day weekend. One way or another. I'd rather do the South side job as its more steady. The other job, I could work 3 days here off a week and steady for a month. Its very spotty. The thing is I can't collect ei and old age security at the same time. As soon as I get on my old age pension, I'm canceling my ei. Anyway, that's all for now.

I knew I'd be writing a post like this

someday this year but last night we had to put Silky down. Stuff like that with a member of the family is tough to take and it never gets easier. Silky had been with me for 20 years and out lived 7 cats ending with Boots last year. Over the past month Silky took a turn for the worst. I was in denial. His walking and eating were compromised. We feel he had a stroke. He lost interest in eating just drinking water. He was walking slow and wobbly. He came in to see me for a bit last night before Anne came home from work, almost as if to say "Thanks and goodbye Jim." I Knew the end for him was soon. Sometime over the weekend. I said my goodbyes before he "said his goodbye's" to me. 

When Anne came home from work to see how Silky's condition was we decided that we couldn't let Silky suffer any longer. He hadn't been eating just sleeping and drinking water. When he came in to see me he was walking slowly. So about 11:50pm Anne put Silky in the cat cage. I watched them leave out the door for the awaiting taxi. Silky was a part of my life over the last 20 years. Its the end of an era.


                   

Every time I'd eat a meal Silky was always there to have a taste. It kind of bugged me latter but it was a fleeting annoyance. I never hit Silky, nor would I do that to any animal. The above picture was taken in April 2012. When I got Silky in October of 1997 I promised him, he'd always have a roof over his head, I'd always feed him and give him lots of love. I kept that promise. This is like a double blow to me what with losing a member of my family I had for 20 years and now as I'm about to head into 65 my senior years, makes this loss harder.        
         Anne and I are coping with this loss the best we can. Anne erupts into tears every now and then. This is hard on her as it is on me. If there is another place after death, or the other side as some call it, I'd like to think that Silky and all the rest are waiting for me now with mom and dad and all the rest on the other side, just over the horizon. That'd be like heaven for me. I'm going to be crying about this for a long time. Losing mom and dad were hard on me but they were living in another part of the country. Since they moved from Edmonton in 1979 for back home, I would see them maybe once for dad and twice for mom at her death bed. There was that sense of disconnect, which made losing them "easier" to cope with. Losing Silky this morning is harder for us because Silky was immediate. He was always with me. Silky was one thing that was constant. I never took him for granted. Grieving the loss of a loved one especially a family member is a slow process. There are stages in this process. Sometimes gears clog. Over time it gets easier. I love you Silky and I'll never forget you. Anne and I are struggling with Silky's loss but at least, Silky isn't suffering. This week we're going to get him cremated and his ashes in a earn so Silky can sit next to pledges.

Anne's off to Safeway up the street for a few things and when she returns we'll have my first Sunday brunch without Silky. In about an hour its time to watch WWE's Battleground. It's hard for me to get into at he moment. I might catch it on progress. This week maybe tomorrow, I'll be heading out to the lab. They want to check in for Hyperthyroid. Then its home to watch wrestling. Other then that, I've got (hopefully) my Roland Go mixer to pick up. Other then that and my ei business to do, nothing immediate is on the horizon. Anyway, that's all for now.  

I headed out of here about

1:30pm catching the bus to Clareview and the train to Central. I had a long wait at Central for the #3 but I was at my music store with plenty of time. I got my business done. No money changed hands. Then I got my cheque (5 hours) and the #5 to Audrey's and got my book. After a few minutes wait at Corona my train came in for Clareview. I got everything accomplished and I only spent $12, nice.

So yesterday, I'm thinking well the Eskimo game (cfl) doesn't gt underway 8pm. Usually the 1st half nothing happens. Too many 2 and outs. I just follow the game in a open tab and refresh the browser every 5 minutes or so. What's this? The game is in Q3 and its 13-25 for the Home team. Wait now the Esks are on the road so the game began over 2 hours ago. Rats. I didn't miss much. I thought for sure this was going to be a loss for Edmonton. The Esks scored 18 points in Q4 for a comeback win. The game ended up Esks 31 Hamilton 28. That makes it 4-0 for the Eskies. Next weekend we're back at Commonwealth.  

So it doesn't look like we have any work at the market research job until the Civic holiday weekend that 1st week in August. I also need to shore up my other job on the South side about that same time as well so I can return mid August/labour day weekend. Anyway that's all for now. 

Looks like we're going to have a

nice (for me at least) couple of days here weather wise. I thought there were going to be a few 27 and 29 days in there. 25 and up are too hot by my standards. I'll take the 19-24's any day. Hopefully we'll get some rain. They really need it in BC, what with the massive forest fires there. Some are saying its global warming but it is summer. If the fires were happening in the middle of January, I might agree with that. We need a good couple of days worth of rain.

The other day while reviewing the Facebook Circuit owners group page, one of the posters provided me with a surprise solution to the woes I've been having, syncing my Circuit video/audio. I know about the clapping hands thing before a video. One of the guys suggested a product from Roland what's called the go mixer. Unbeknownst to me as of this last Sunday, the go mixer was apparently released at the last NAMM 17 show in January. If I would have known about this device (roughly the same price as the h1), I would have gone with the go mixer instead. The go mixer was aimed with the idea of using a cell phone/tablet to record audio/video together in a simple solution for uploading to You Tube etc. The go mixer is sold in blister packaging and my music store has them in stock, apparently. The cool thing about this device is it has 2 line in jacks. So, just now I called my music store and made arrangements to have the h1 returned for a the go mixer. They have a 30 day return policy. My local music store doesn't have any go mixer's in stock but their warehouse back east does. They ordered one for me. Sorry zoom but the h1 didn't work for me. I should have the go mixer in about 2 weeks for a in store pick up.

Tens of thousands of people have been displaced by the forest fires in BC as I briefly made reference to above. The fires are destroying massive amounts of forest hectares. Whole towns have been evacuated and others on watch. People have been ordered to evacuate out of Williams lake as its like a ghost town with only essential services and police protection against looters remaining. Smoke can be seen right up to the Eastern Saskatchewan boarder. Air quality has suffered even here in Edmonton. I'm afraid its going to get worse before it gets better. 

I'm having a relaxing evening tonight. Not much is going on tonight. Tomorrow, one of the lodges that meet on a different night then us in our building is holding something called "Klondike lodge." Its a tradition for that lodge about this time of year. I've never been to Klondike lodge in all my 15 years in the craft. I've got nothing to do tomorrow night and its casual wear, why not? Thursday I'm going in for another blood test at the lab. They want to check for Hyperthyroid as a reason why I've gained 12 pounds since last spring. I'm now at 257. I'm about 80 lbs overweight. Not good. Other then the weight gain, I don't have Hyperthyroid symptoms, such as brittle nails, depression, etc. I'm going to do the lab thing Thursday before the Esks/Hamilton game that same evening. Friday its off to my music store on the way to work to get a small cheque and drop off the h1 and pay the $10 difference for the go mixer. It should be at the store in a couple of weeks. Anyway, that's all for now. 

So 31C might not be what they

have in the US now but that's 86F there. A bit on the warm side for me. I usually like it around 10-23C. Even 25 is too hot. So right now its considered to be a "scorcher." Sunday, Monday and over the next few days, the weather will be a bit more to my liking. I'd rather have this then -25 with a wind chill.

Maybe you might have heard this. With our CFL we have a sponsor with TSN that has a swipe and win thing during the game for a chance to win $1 million dollars. The contestant is selected before hand. The game wasn't here at Commonwealth. The contest was that if there are 2 kick returns netting in a touchdown the winner gets the $1 million prize. So during the game the contestant selected must have felt elated when a kick return for a touchdown took place. The sponsors must have been concerned. A lot of times on these kick return td's there's a flag on the field for one infraction or another. Then further into the game on another kick return, the catcher takes to ball to the 50, to the red zone and TD! The prize winner was related. Then (here it comes) the official indicates the ball is coming back for a soft call "illegal block." So much for the $1M. Collusion? Even the panel had mentioned the call was too soft and didn't see any illegal block. This caused a lot of fallout in the league and the sponsors instead awarded the prize winner a the consolation prize instead, and agreed it was a wrong call but the leagues stands by the officials. The consolation prize was a 70" home stereo system and a bunch of other prizes. I think one of the prizes in the package was groceries for life. I can just imagine in the off season after the sponsor tweaks the prize to 3 kick returns. Collusion or what?

Yesterday I went to see about the Provincial senior services office yesterday right after I got off the lrt. They told me I need this thing called a oas letter of entitlement, which I was supposed to get last August. It's just a letter confirming to Provincial services confirming them when my oas is arriving. According to Service Canada, I'm on automatic enrolment because of my date of birth etc. The Provincial top up isn't that much. Maybe enough to cover my cable bill. The clerk at Provincial said even if I don't get one of these letters of entitlement (I got one from CPP about 4 years ago) I can bring in my bank statement showing that amount I my account and that's ok to get the Provincial thing going. It takes a year to process and they pay out retroactively. Anyway, that's all for now.

Its been a slow couple of days around here lately

after Donna had left for home. I put together a couple of Circuit tracks and uploaded one of them. I made my 2nd Circuit track about 8pm last night but haven't posted it to You Tube yet.

Today I'm heading out of here about 2pm. First to Provincial with some pension forms. I received one of them the other day when Donna was here. I'm not sure if they are the right forms though. Then its upstairs to my Doctors office. I need to have him take my weight, get some blood pressure pill and this skin care cream samples as well and see what has happened with my imaging appointment May 8. The reception had said "no news is good news." I can live with that.

After Provincial, and the Doctors office, I'm popping into Audrey's for a book then home. Anne will have something for me and then there's the Ottawa/Eskimo game tonight at 8pm. Other then that, I have nothing going on this weekend. Anyway, that's all for now.

This afternoon Anne's

sister is on a working visit to Edmonton. Her job takes her out here at least once/year. Its good because she takes us out for dinner and my wife gets to spend some quality time with her other then face time over the iPad.

I've had 2 major posts over there at the Novation Circuit Facebook owners group. Each of them have received over 45 responses. If anything else, I know how to generate conversation. 

Here it goes. Since yesterday this place has had a construction crew out there. They are digging out the ground level concrete (patio) area outside of the ground floor suites here. They've had a Bobcat beeping periodically out there starting from the South side of the building.

I'm calling the office tomorrow  to see if I've got any work this week. I set up a Doctors appointment for 3:15pm Friday, so if there is a new project coming (I don't see it happening) it come as early as Thursday or as late as Friday. Or my higher ups might just put the project on hold until summer break is over. that'd be ok by me. Anyway, that's all for now.  

The idea here is to get out of the City for a

a few hours over to what my lodge calls "K-ranch." Its a informal meeting over hotdogs/hamburgers and an afternoon at a undisclosed location with members of my lodge. Our host (with other lodge members in attendance) is going to talk about solar power and how solar power is powering his home, his vehicles his life for him and his family. Solar power works for his situation. He's a designated professional certified electrician. So hopefully this afternoon I'll get my ride out to K-ranch for a few hours today. Its more of a informal afternoon with the brethren talking about upcoming lodge business in an informal setting. For me its a chance to get out of the city and be with the guys. For those that are not off on summer vacation or work related etc.

Yesterday, I headed out to pick up my cheque with my Novation Circuit and appropriate cables in my back pack. Anne even packed me up with a sandwich and I loaded up with diet cola for my trip. It was very hot for Northern Alberta at +30 afternoon. Too hot for me and mine. On the way in at Central station the lrt station was operating on running lights. I got my connection and on my way into the office bus patrons on my bus were saying how there was a power outage in the downtown core. I was wondering why traffic was moving awkwardly. I hooked up with a co-worker at our bus stop who said she got another job. Its telemarketing setting up appointments for a furnace company sales crew. It sounds like real grunt work but the pay is $17/hour, and the company needed 5 people. I should have wrote down the company name but by the time I get to respond to the job, the positions would have been filled and it was late afternoon. Not just that but the job is way out in the South side. 
      I got my cheque and looks like another project could be on the go next week, "good for this" ei report. I got the #3 bus to 101/107 Ave and into LM. The folks there helped me out with my Circuit and the Zoom h1. I forgot to do a background audio test on the first recording but the important thing or so I thought at the time, was the Zoom h1 was able to receive audio from Circuit. I was happy with my purchase and headed over to the synthesizer area and had a talk with the fellow there and waited for my bus then to Central station. 
     Power seemed to have been restored at least at Central station. I was home by 5pm. I didn't set anything up yet with the h1, and I needed to eat my sandwiches. Anne had left me with a little frozen entree I could have eaten I just wasn't too hungry. I just took it easy for a few hours until she called at 8pm.

After I got the 8pm call from the wife, I un boxed the h1 and set the date/time but that didn't work for me. It keeps flashing the 7 as yesterday was 7/7/17. Another won of those numbers. I should have bought a lottery ticket or a blackjack :) ticket. So, after messing around with the h1 settings, I got to do a recording but I got this hissing sound. Some kids were playing full force out here and with my open window and to the h1's credit it didn't pick up any background audio. However, there was a noticeable hiss at the beginning of my sample recording. The red/white cable was in properly and the 1/8th end into the line in ok on the h1. I knew that the free "Audacity" daw-like program could clean up audio in post. I tried that out and the hissing sound was reduced somewhat but the more attempts at reducing the audio in post the quiet the original recording became. I'm going to try latter this morning and change the setting of the h1 to Mp3 and see if that's any better at reducing the noise. I have some other options of getting my audio from gear to make you tube videos. That's ultimately what I'm trying to do.

Its still pretty early for a lot of folks so I doubt I'll be hearing about my ride out to K-ranch before noon today. If nobody contacts me or follows up on my last green to go email earlier this morning, then I'm home for today. I'll make a effort and call around noon. My ride has a cell. Anyway, that's all for now.

Having a nice couple of days

off here. Last night the project was completed, so I have a few days off and the weekend until the next project next week.

I'm picking up my cheque on Friday then over to Long and McQuade to pick up the iRig HD 2 and a 1/8>1/4 cable. I'm having my Circuit with me complete with batteries and my headphones. I'll buy both and then test the iRig out then and there. Hopefully it will record into my sequencer. If it does, great, cash out and go. If not, then its the Zoom h1 might be the same cable. Test, and if the h1 works and the iRig doesn't then its the h1. They're both the same price. then I have another 4 day weekend. Hopefully with the iRig/h1, have a fun weekend.

Once I get the device I need (Anne doesn't know yet) I've been invited out for a lodge boys afternoon at one of our brethren members. Just to have a informal meeting, hot dogs, hamburgers snacks and have a gab session, lodge business etc. Should be a fun afternoon.

Shortly after 2pm this afternoon, Conner McDavid just signed a 8 year deal with the Oiler's for $100M. Wow. I'm happy he signed the deal worth $12.5M per year. If the ride goes well for him, when he's 28 years old, he'll be worth a lot of money. The deal takes place in the 2018-19 season. That's good news for the Oilers. Does it mean the Oilers win a Stanley cup next year? Hard to say.  

Since we finished the project last night, all I need do is go to the office Friday to get the cheque, like I said. In the meantime, I have a week off. Anyway, that's all for now.

Happy Canada day one and all

as we turn 150 today. I was fifteen years old when Canada turned 100. I doubt I'll live to see our 200th unless I live to 115. However 60 is the new 40, whatever that means.

The weather last night at Commonwealth was perfect for football as Montreal was here playing against the Eskimos. The game was a real barn burner. Esks had too many drop passes, our running back fumbled forcing 2 turnovers causing him to get injured. That's 2 now. They scored 10 points off of turnovers. We we're lucky we scored a field goal just before half time. We did a bit better in the 2nd but the 2 pass inherence really cost us. penalties did us in but we got a interception and scored a major. Then we got another 55 yard field goal leading 19-23. They were actual at the 1 yard line late in the 4th quarter and had 3 penalties, which set them back to about the 16 yard line. We dont play again until Friday July 14 because of their bye week.

Anne and I don't usually partake in Canada Day celebrations because we don't like the crowds. Besides for me its NHL Free agent Frenzy. Connor McDavid is expected to sign his $13m year salary. Anne's getting us Chinese food for later this afternoon. This evening its Winnipeg/Riders and the new Mosaic stadium. Other then that I'm just taking it easy. Anyway, that's all for today.