As per my last post, I was supposed to spend the weekend in Bangkok this weekend and then head to Auckland on Monday. But given how people are evacuating from Bangkok, I decided to try and change my flights around to get out before things get even worse. Even the smallest penguin can change the course of the future Thankfully most airlines (including mine, Air Canada) are offering free change fees on flights to and from Bangkok due to the flooding crisis there, so my ticket was eligible for a change. I tried calling last night to sort it out, but unfortunately due to the time change I didn’t ...

Rebecca and John showed up late Friday night to hang out in the country for the weekend, which was a nice surprise. We had planned to do a quick hike on Saturday, but none of us were really up to the challenge when the time approached. So instead, we decided to drive the 40kms or so from my place to Chilliwack Lake. I hadn’t been there in probably around 10 years or so, so it was cool being back, especially with the snow-capped mountains surrounding it this time of year. I’m going to have to try a camping trip up there sometime this summer, as some of the spots looking fairly nice. Other ...

It won’t be much longer now until things start heating up around here. It seems like just a few days ago that Christmas was here (or possibly it only seems that way because my tree is still up). I for one am getting pretty excited about enjoying the sun again when it comes. This summer I’m hoping to do quite a bit of camping and hiking. The campground reservation system for the lower mainland isn’t open yet, but I found out that the one in Tofino actually opened the other day. So I decided to whip out my credit card and book three days of camping on the Island in July. I’m going to probably ...

Walking around WordCamp Portland today it was completely evident not only how much work has gone into it, but just how big the WordPress community is here in Portland. I knew this would be a good event, and have been pleasantly surprised with the number of people randomly coming up to me and saying hi, or just passively making WordPress conversation. I commented during my talk today that other web events have tickets with prices that can range up to $700 or so. Most WordCamps, due largely in part to help from sponsors, have prices that average around $25 or so. As a result, anyone who wants to ...

It’s cloudy here today, which is a nice change to be honest. While lots of people love summer, I’m not really one of them. Sure, I like sitting on a beach as much as the next person, but I hate being too hot. Fall is probably my favorite season to be honest, since I love walking around with a coffee and taking photos. I’m off to do a few errands and to find a little coffee shop or something to do some work. Last night when I came back home my car smelt kind of burnt, so I’m not sure if I didn’t full disengage the e-brake or if something is up. I’ll be paying attention to it this time, ...

..apparently came and went, and I missed it. I guess that means the days are getting shorter now instead of longer. Strangely enough, while I like summer and am looking forward to a few heat waves, my mind always wonders to the next season. For example, the other day there was a bit of rain, and it reminded me of sitting in front of the fire and watching movies a few months ago. Of course, when autumn rolls around I’ll be thinking of Christmas and of course being trapped in my apartment due to the snow (something that I actually like, probably because some of my best memories from Ottawa involve ...

As most people already know, I am a big fan of camping. I’m not really sure why to be honest, but there’s something about being in the wilderness with nothing but a bit of nylon between you and the outdoors that I’ve always found appealing. Maybe it started years ago when my dad and I used to crash out in his camper when I was a kid. Maybe it was all those trips I did with Brennen and Jeff in the old days. Needless to say, it’s one of the things about summer I always look forward to. Last summer was unique — it was the only summer in ages where I looked back and actually felt like I ...

Is it just me, or was this one of the shittiest summers we’ve had in a long time? It seems like anytime I looked out my window in the morning with thoughts of doing something outdoors it was either cold or rainy. Obviously today is no exception. Photo by Lyn on Flickr Interestingly enough, while down in the Dominican Republic, most people there said the same thing — that this was one of the worst summers they can remember. I’m fairly certain the UK set a rain record this summer, based on something I heard and read while down in the Caribbean. Unlike most of my friends, I’m not particular ...

Ok, I’m gonna turn over a new blogging leaf. I’m gonna be fun. I’m gonna be happy. And most importantly, I’m gonna be frickin exciting. That’s right sports fans. Let’s turn down the suck knob a bit, put up a few disco balls, and get this party going. Now maybe that’s the caffeine talking, or maybe it’s some weird chemical reaction taking place in my brain (due to the lack of carbs in my diet of late), but it’s been a few days since I’ve written anything, and I’m in a good mood. Part of that reason is that we finally completed a pretty big milestone at work today. It’s been ...