There was a delay in sending the first Gibbous e-mail because the night I went to send it out, she suddenly sat down next to me.
Context: I do all these e-mails on my work laptop, some IMs I've done in our bedroom with her nearby, those aren't a problem. My work laptop is in our living room. I rarely go there in the evenings for work purposes and it's even RARER for her to be there with me. On occasion she has watered the plants while I'm down there but then she'll be off to do her thing.
Not really an issue, I don't think she was particularly interested in what I was doing, nor saw any specific e-mails open although I had screens of family/friends videos open. I don't think she noticed anything.
Out of Towners - Parallel Plot
Great segue into a parallel project I have been running for Sonia's Out of Town family and friends.
Initial thoughts on what to do in this COVID-era birthday party was Zoom. We've done Zoom gatherings and it's mayhem at best. Like a grade-school show and tell at worst. However, I felt because this was a milestone birthday, I thought it would be great to have all her out of town friends and family. The platinum, diamond encrusted goal was to edit some fancy birthday video together.
This plan started motion July 2. First problem... how do I get all the contact info for out of towners??
Facebook is a start but not all her friends are my friends and she communicates to most TW contacts on LINE. I have LINE but no contacts.
Family is easy, I message my mother-in-law and done, messages start going out in grade school level chinese, english to some. HK contacts also relatively easy, most of them are on WhatsApp.
Friends... Facebook messages sent.
One friend I was hoping to get I had no line of sight on. Finally, a true secret agent like task in this whole project. One night I find her phone unattended. I get on her LINE and forward the contact to myself. Then delete the message. In my mind I was strutting HARD! LOL
Sadly, I believe this friend has not seen my friend request nor messages so I may not get her video message, which is really sad because she's a grade-school friend of my wife.
The Diversion
Not a lot to share here, yet. As the Gibbous e-mail went out, one of the attendees replied indicating that my wife had asked them for a picnic meet up and if I wanted to use it as a diversion story. I went for it and so far that is the cover.
Last night I also decided to layer on the diversion and asked her what kind of dinner she would like on the day of e.g. date night dinner or family dinner with N. She said family so... let's see where this goes.
I'm also aware that one guest who backed out of the group gathering is arranging a personal get together on Jul 24.
Ultimately what I think will happen is she doesn't expect anything due to COVID, she has mentioned this to friends already. AND apart from that, she'll chalk it up to my lack of doing much for myself and for her in the past LOL Not good words for me, I know, but it's the truth and sometimes the truth is hard.
Wednesday, July 15, 2020
Project SuperLeggera - the final post
I know what you are thinking... "Final post already??"
Final communications go out under the new guise: Project Gibbous!
The little tidbits here and there that may be of interest:
- a week or two prior to this, we had a friend picnic at the same park I'm targeting and we saw a family set up a child's birthday party in the park. She noticed this and said "You can do that for my birthday". As per a previous post, this would immediately strike this option off my list LOL However, this is COVID, it's a new world, new requirements. I can adapt... I can adapt...
No... this is only the beginning, as they say. Recall dear reader that the ultra-top-secret code name for this initiative was exposed to the targe... I mean the star of the day at completion.
I spent a little effort coming up with the next name and for a moment, it was going to be Project Tourbillon for the mechanical watch complication, only to realize it might be too obvious again if exposed and not truly her favourite complication in a watch.
Her favourite complication, which I often forgot like a good husband should, is the moon phase. Some watches display the phase of the moon on their faces mechanically because... well... why wouldn't you want to know how the moon looks today??
Complication is my middle name so let's add a few layers and land on Project Gibbous. The phases of the moon have names and this year her birthday lands in the Waxing Gibbous phase. Let's drop the waxing part just cuz.
Next up venue... throughout this all one of the major COVID complications was a venue. My very first thought being a park gathering. We've been doing plenty of picnics with family and friends and it just feels safer.
I am not a risk-taker however and Vancouver weather is... random.
Patios were my next option and with Sonia's gardening bug, my go-to spot was Shaughnessy Restaurant that has a lovely COVERED patio. I inquired at another place on the North Shore but they didn't offer the space that I had seen previously and their private event space was basically indoors.
A few e-mails later and... back to square one. As I sent to the attendees in my e-mail: Ever get that confirmation that it's best to stick with your first answer to a problem/question? Yeah... that's where I'm at now.
Shaughnessy's COVID max for an event is 35, which I could work with, the headache more was around how to seat people, having families varying from 2 to 5. The park just seemed the best idea.
Families could set whatever distance they feel comfortable with, families could come and go as needed as well. It was just a better solution and I knew it from the get go... apart from the weather.
And here we are, rolling the dice for a park surprise!
Complication is my middle name so let's add a few layers and land on Project Gibbous. The phases of the moon have names and this year her birthday lands in the Waxing Gibbous phase. Let's drop the waxing part just cuz.
Next up venue... throughout this all one of the major COVID complications was a venue. My very first thought being a park gathering. We've been doing plenty of picnics with family and friends and it just feels safer.
I am not a risk-taker however and Vancouver weather is... random.
Patios were my next option and with Sonia's gardening bug, my go-to spot was Shaughnessy Restaurant that has a lovely COVERED patio. I inquired at another place on the North Shore but they didn't offer the space that I had seen previously and their private event space was basically indoors.
A few e-mails later and... back to square one. As I sent to the attendees in my e-mail: Ever get that confirmation that it's best to stick with your first answer to a problem/question? Yeah... that's where I'm at now.
Shaughnessy's COVID max for an event is 35, which I could work with, the headache more was around how to seat people, having families varying from 2 to 5. The park just seemed the best idea.
Families could set whatever distance they feel comfortable with, families could come and go as needed as well. It was just a better solution and I knew it from the get go... apart from the weather.
And here we are, rolling the dice for a park surprise!
Final communications go out under the new guise: Project Gibbous!
The little tidbits here and there that may be of interest:
- a week or two prior to this, we had a friend picnic at the same park I'm targeting and we saw a family set up a child's birthday party in the park. She noticed this and said "You can do that for my birthday". As per a previous post, this would immediately strike this option off my list LOL However, this is COVID, it's a new world, new requirements. I can adapt... I can adapt...
Saturday, June 27, 2020
Project SuperLeggera - Update
The Gift
The gift... oh... the gift...
If I assign myself a grade as a husband, it would be probably a C... B- at best. "You are your own worst critic" and all that aside. I am woefully bad at getting presents for her. Late, weird, not wanted, "what IS this?!?!" you name it, it's happened (if you are a husband reading this, I feel your pain. If you can not relate because you have phenomenal gift planning, I welcome your help).
The 'good' ones I HAVE gotten, also have sometimes come late, to her chagrin.
I get in my own head and never know what she wants, dragging things out and end up with zero time to get something in time. That's what I like to tell myself.
I waffle on a few gifts. She seems to have drop an explicit hint here and there also. A list develops. But nothing jumps out at me as YES, THAT'S IT! For a birthday like this, it's gotta have that impact.
I mentioned over complication previously right? Yes... so here's the thing... I don't love getting gifts that have been explicitly dropped on me, particularly for an event like this one. Oh I can hear the groans... save it LOL
A little while back, I feel she ribbed me for a gift that I've "owed" her for some time. It was an item that I scoffed at buying because "how hard could it be to make that for far less $". Yes, oh yes, I said that... many many moons ago... make that many cycles of the sun ago. Excuses aside, I still would prefer to MAKE this item but time to cut my losses.
I will not reveal the gift here as I would prefer she opens it before I reveal it to anyone. OK, I think one person knows because I needed some help an issue covered below.
Now... where the heck do I buy this thing? I recall she had found a website selling them but God help me if I could remember it. Well, a little help from God maybe came my way as I stumbled on, I'm pretty sure, the EXACT website she had shown me quite a long time ago. What's this? Promotion? SCORE!
Now... here's an insight to how my brain works, for no reason other than I enjoy typing.
This item has a large wood component to it. It is also out of country. I start wondering... would I run into import issues with the wood (COVID shipping issues aside).
I reach out to a friend about bringing goods in from this particular country, Japan (as a tease to the gift). He wasn't aware of the particular issues I had but did not see any issues with the vendor, they do appear very internationally oriented. OK, where can I get my answers.
Google is not particularly helpful but does dig up some CBSA information.
I'll admit, I'm old... I fail to realize the use of these new fangled social media sources, except for this one time. I decide to FaceBook message CBSA. Guess what? I got an answer back! Man, this interwebs thing is great!
Sadly they didn't have an exact answer and referred me to CFIA. I look up their FB page and repeat (I'm getting the hang of this right?). Answer back same day! No problems with the goods being imported. Alright! Now we're talking!
Simultaneously I had e-mailed the vendor asking about shipping experiences to Canada and all roads led to Rome... or Canada in this case :)
That was Jun 18. Guess dear reader, how long it took me to finally submit the order?
I'll wait...
Ready?
Evening of Jun 26... yes, a full 8 days later!
Do not despair, however, this story will not end in a flaming pile of wrapping paper. The shipping only expected to take 4-6 business days, tag on a little bit for COVID delays and I'm sitting plenty pretty at this point.
The ordering process had me holding my breath for a bit because they couldn't take my credit card. Paypal wasn't doing something right either and then I figured out that my credit card had caught the transaction as suspicious since it was thousands of miles away from where my bank expected me to be.
This was relatively easily solved. Now, how to pay this bill without Sonia noticing...
NOW, I get a checkmark
The gift... oh... the gift...
If I assign myself a grade as a husband, it would be probably a C... B- at best. "You are your own worst critic" and all that aside. I am woefully bad at getting presents for her. Late, weird, not wanted, "what IS this?!?!" you name it, it's happened (if you are a husband reading this, I feel your pain. If you can not relate because you have phenomenal gift planning, I welcome your help).
The 'good' ones I HAVE gotten, also have sometimes come late, to her chagrin.
I get in my own head and never know what she wants, dragging things out and end up with zero time to get something in time. That's what I like to tell myself.
I waffle on a few gifts. She seems to have drop an explicit hint here and there also. A list develops. But nothing jumps out at me as YES, THAT'S IT! For a birthday like this, it's gotta have that impact.
I mentioned over complication previously right? Yes... so here's the thing... I don't love getting gifts that have been explicitly dropped on me, particularly for an event like this one. Oh I can hear the groans... save it LOL
A little while back, I feel she ribbed me for a gift that I've "owed" her for some time. It was an item that I scoffed at buying because "how hard could it be to make that for far less $". Yes, oh yes, I said that... many many moons ago... make that many cycles of the sun ago. Excuses aside, I still would prefer to MAKE this item but time to cut my losses.
I will not reveal the gift here as I would prefer she opens it before I reveal it to anyone. OK, I think one person knows because I needed some help an issue covered below.
Now... where the heck do I buy this thing? I recall she had found a website selling them but God help me if I could remember it. Well, a little help from God maybe came my way as I stumbled on, I'm pretty sure, the EXACT website she had shown me quite a long time ago. What's this? Promotion? SCORE!
Now... here's an insight to how my brain works, for no reason other than I enjoy typing.
This item has a large wood component to it. It is also out of country. I start wondering... would I run into import issues with the wood (COVID shipping issues aside).
I reach out to a friend about bringing goods in from this particular country, Japan (as a tease to the gift). He wasn't aware of the particular issues I had but did not see any issues with the vendor, they do appear very internationally oriented. OK, where can I get my answers.
Google is not particularly helpful but does dig up some CBSA information.
I'll admit, I'm old... I fail to realize the use of these new fangled social media sources, except for this one time. I decide to FaceBook message CBSA. Guess what? I got an answer back! Man, this interwebs thing is great!
Sadly they didn't have an exact answer and referred me to CFIA. I look up their FB page and repeat (I'm getting the hang of this right?). Answer back same day! No problems with the goods being imported. Alright! Now we're talking!
Simultaneously I had e-mailed the vendor asking about shipping experiences to Canada and all roads led to Rome... or Canada in this case :)
That was Jun 18. Guess dear reader, how long it took me to finally submit the order?
I'll wait...
Ready?
Evening of Jun 26... yes, a full 8 days later!
Do not despair, however, this story will not end in a flaming pile of wrapping paper. The shipping only expected to take 4-6 business days, tag on a little bit for COVID delays and I'm sitting plenty pretty at this point.
The ordering process had me holding my breath for a bit because they couldn't take my credit card. Paypal wasn't doing something right either and then I figured out that my credit card had caught the transaction as suspicious since it was thousands of miles away from where my bank expected me to be.
This was relatively easily solved. Now, how to pay this bill without Sonia noticing...
NOW, I get a checkmark
Tuesday, June 9, 2020
Project SuperLeggera
Recounting the journey to complete Project SuperLeggera
My performance as a husband has, self-admittedly, been very lacking as of late. Mother's Day was a let down this year, COVID was an excuse but really not really. Past birthdays and Christmas presents have been wanting as I trap myself in the "...don't know if she will like this?"
Many ideas come up but the action is severely lacking.
With my wife springing a very successful surprise milestone birthday for me last year, it was only fair that I attempt the same for her this year.
Then... COVID happened. What is even possible? Will things open up? Will things shut down again? *sigh* what a world.
No more excuses though, time to forge ahead and make the best of what may come. Here we go......!
The What
What with the COVID monkey wrench I thought about a compilation video of well wishes. Then things started to open up, we were starting to have more park picnics with friends. Let's try and put together a surprise party for the locals.
June 9th - send out general invite to get the ball rolling, no idea what, but maybe a when, the weekend before the big day. Phew, one item off the checklist.
Already...?
A few hours later, would you believe it... an invitee almost gets me busted!
[Background]: the e-mail went out to my wife's friends, mutual friends, etc. I typically use BCC for group e-mails like this, so I was afraid SPAM filters might catch it. In case my wife happened to look at my e-mail/phone, I also decided to use a semi-cryptic subject: Project SuperLeggera. You can see where this is going...
Invitee (to remain unnamed unless they identify themselves) sees this odd looking e-mail from me (they have received e-mails from me before) and proceeds to message my wife directly asking "did your husband send this email?", wife turns to me and repeats the question.
Totally unprepared to be caught this early in the game, I didn't know how to respond and almost gave it up. I recovered just enough to brush it off as "no, must be phishing, tell them to delete it". She proceeds to show me the SCREENSHOT the invitee sent her. I can see the email subject AND the FIRST FEW LINES OF THE EMAIL in the screenshot!!! By sheer coincidence, I had put some text at the beginning of the e-mail that did not give everything away. *phew*
My c-grade acting seems to have worked... although she questions my reaction, I make up a story about how she asked the question. Disaster averted!
I wait a few hours and then private message the invitee directly and explain the deal.
Sadly, now the awesome mission name has been compromised and only one further e-mail will go out to update the project name. I really am over complicating things, but where's the fun in simple? Am I right?
My performance as a husband has, self-admittedly, been very lacking as of late. Mother's Day was a let down this year, COVID was an excuse but really not really. Past birthdays and Christmas presents have been wanting as I trap myself in the "...don't know if she will like this?"
Many ideas come up but the action is severely lacking.
With my wife springing a very successful surprise milestone birthday for me last year, it was only fair that I attempt the same for her this year.
Then... COVID happened. What is even possible? Will things open up? Will things shut down again? *sigh* what a world.
No more excuses though, time to forge ahead and make the best of what may come. Here we go......!
The What
What with the COVID monkey wrench I thought about a compilation video of well wishes. Then things started to open up, we were starting to have more park picnics with friends. Let's try and put together a surprise party for the locals.
June 9th - send out general invite to get the ball rolling, no idea what, but maybe a when, the weekend before the big day. Phew, one item off the checklist.
Already...?
A few hours later, would you believe it... an invitee almost gets me busted!
[Background]: the e-mail went out to my wife's friends, mutual friends, etc. I typically use BCC for group e-mails like this, so I was afraid SPAM filters might catch it. In case my wife happened to look at my e-mail/phone, I also decided to use a semi-cryptic subject: Project SuperLeggera. You can see where this is going...
Invitee (to remain unnamed unless they identify themselves) sees this odd looking e-mail from me (they have received e-mails from me before) and proceeds to message my wife directly asking "did your husband send this email?", wife turns to me and repeats the question.
Totally unprepared to be caught this early in the game, I didn't know how to respond and almost gave it up. I recovered just enough to brush it off as "no, must be phishing, tell them to delete it". She proceeds to show me the SCREENSHOT the invitee sent her. I can see the email subject AND the FIRST FEW LINES OF THE EMAIL in the screenshot!!! By sheer coincidence, I had put some text at the beginning of the e-mail that did not give everything away. *phew*
My c-grade acting seems to have worked... although she questions my reaction, I make up a story about how she asked the question. Disaster averted!
I wait a few hours and then private message the invitee directly and explain the deal.
Sadly, now the awesome mission name has been compromised and only one further e-mail will go out to update the project name. I really am over complicating things, but where's the fun in simple? Am I right?
Friday, March 20, 2015
C-Mod Life 2015 - Pre-season
I've had the fortune of co-driving Mike Marich's Petrel Data C-Mod Formula Swift last year, my first full year racing in CM.
Knowing (somewhat) better what to expect over the year, I hope to do a few amateur posts and videos showing some behind-the-scenes of the life of C-Modders. Hopefully it will be revealing to find out what happens before we show up in a race car and race.
I am the braun on the team...(looks in mirror...) I am the cheap labour on the team, so will unlikely be revealing any real geeky tidbits but if somehow the opportunity arises, I certainly will. If you have any specific questions, let me know and I will see what I can do to answer them (I like to think I'm learning SOMETHING during this process).
Right now, we are just wrapping up some maintenance on the car as over the off-season, it appears a leak in the transaxle has developed late last year so we took it apart, checked and resealed/reassembled it. Below is a rough video of putting it back together. The video was actually only a test time lapse so it doesn't reveal all the details we went through to get it back in:
We also took the steering wheel out to take some measurements for a new one Mike wants to spec out, and that went back in just recently as well:
We'll be putting the final pieces back on soon with a shakedown test to follow!
Knowing (somewhat) better what to expect over the year, I hope to do a few amateur posts and videos showing some behind-the-scenes of the life of C-Modders. Hopefully it will be revealing to find out what happens before we show up in a race car and race.
I am the braun on the team...(looks in mirror...) I am the cheap labour on the team, so will unlikely be revealing any real geeky tidbits but if somehow the opportunity arises, I certainly will. If you have any specific questions, let me know and I will see what I can do to answer them (I like to think I'm learning SOMETHING during this process).
We also took the steering wheel out to take some measurements for a new one Mike wants to spec out, and that went back in just recently as well:
We'll be putting the final pieces back on soon with a shakedown test to follow!
Sunday, September 8, 2013
I blog for 12x12
[The title comes from the fact that I had started this blog to see if I had a unique perspective to add to the blogosphere. Sadly I only blog about 12x12 and few other items haha]
It's 2013 and the 12x12 Vancouver Photo Marathon has come and gone.
The rush of getting a ticket into this year's event, the blur of 12 hours and the soaking of sore feet, all come and gone.
I've been fortunate enough to participate in 4 years of the 5 years of the 12x12 event. I've never been less excited with each succeeding year.
My first year in 12x12 impacted my photography to a great degree.
My 2nd year was a "let's learn from last year" (e.g. carry a tripod).
3rd year, let's just enjoy this and maybe something will come of it.
In 2 previous years, I've excitedly jumped on the computer afterwards and recanted my marathon experience, hoping to put you in my shoes and live the same journey I travelled on that day.
This year… it came and went… and I feel a strange serenity about it all.
I was absolutely excited to be one of the very lucky 59 to get a ticket when they came on sale.
As usual, I hoped to practice some ideas for themes and never really developed anything like last year's winner Ryan Mah. I did very much want to execute a 'theme' I came up with last year but didn't and have been regretting it ever since.
The most practice I did this year was loading film. This simple, mundane task was repeated at least 20 times on my camera. Loading, rewinding just enough, re-loading, rewinding... There would be no mistake. Hope nobody befell any film issues this year!
Even with my resolve to execute the theme I had concocted for the 2012 marathon, I still didn't prepare for it. I hurriedly prepared some necessary materials the MORNING of before heading to Commercial Drive for check-in. I only tried a digital version of it tonight, a week later and feel hopeful that it did turn out, barring any equipment mishaps. Hope you enjoy it if it does!
Finally, the competition, normally I would detail my journey through the day but this year, there really isn't much that stands out to me. Maybe my creativity has dropped off. The feeling throughout the day was purposeful focus. Get an assignment, complete the assignment.
There was the rush, but falling behind didn't faze or stress me out at all this year.
The interesting things is I finished the marathon quite happy about my photos. They may not be the best, they may not win anything, but in past years, I've always felt some regret that I missed a certain shot or that I could've taken a better photo. There may be one or two photos this year where I feel a touch of that but nothing that really stands out as major regret.
Maybe that's where the peace comes from, the feeling of finally completing the marathon to more satisfaction than previous years.
Maybe I'm finally feeling comfortable with myself, I chose to shoot what I shot and it's done.
Maybe that's experience?
Regardless, I await the exhibition on October 12 with bated breath along with everyone else. I'm sure excitement will creep in again as the time approaches.
Thank you again to the organizers and sponsors and JJ Bean - Commercial Drive for supporting this great event!
PS: OK, here's a link to a hint as to my 'theme'
It's 2013 and the 12x12 Vancouver Photo Marathon has come and gone.
The rush of getting a ticket into this year's event, the blur of 12 hours and the soaking of sore feet, all come and gone.
I've been fortunate enough to participate in 4 years of the 5 years of the 12x12 event. I've never been less excited with each succeeding year.
My first year in 12x12 impacted my photography to a great degree.
My 2nd year was a "let's learn from last year" (e.g. carry a tripod).
3rd year, let's just enjoy this and maybe something will come of it.
In 2 previous years, I've excitedly jumped on the computer afterwards and recanted my marathon experience, hoping to put you in my shoes and live the same journey I travelled on that day.
This year… it came and went… and I feel a strange serenity about it all.
I was absolutely excited to be one of the very lucky 59 to get a ticket when they came on sale.
As usual, I hoped to practice some ideas for themes and never really developed anything like last year's winner Ryan Mah. I did very much want to execute a 'theme' I came up with last year but didn't and have been regretting it ever since.
The most practice I did this year was loading film. This simple, mundane task was repeated at least 20 times on my camera. Loading, rewinding just enough, re-loading, rewinding... There would be no mistake. Hope nobody befell any film issues this year!
Even with my resolve to execute the theme I had concocted for the 2012 marathon, I still didn't prepare for it. I hurriedly prepared some necessary materials the MORNING of before heading to Commercial Drive for check-in. I only tried a digital version of it tonight, a week later and feel hopeful that it did turn out, barring any equipment mishaps. Hope you enjoy it if it does!
Finally, the competition, normally I would detail my journey through the day but this year, there really isn't much that stands out to me. Maybe my creativity has dropped off. The feeling throughout the day was purposeful focus. Get an assignment, complete the assignment.
There was the rush, but falling behind didn't faze or stress me out at all this year.
The interesting things is I finished the marathon quite happy about my photos. They may not be the best, they may not win anything, but in past years, I've always felt some regret that I missed a certain shot or that I could've taken a better photo. There may be one or two photos this year where I feel a touch of that but nothing that really stands out as major regret.
Maybe that's where the peace comes from, the feeling of finally completing the marathon to more satisfaction than previous years.
Maybe I'm finally feeling comfortable with myself, I chose to shoot what I shot and it's done.
Maybe that's experience?
Regardless, I await the exhibition on October 12 with bated breath along with everyone else. I'm sure excitement will creep in again as the time approaches.
Thank you again to the organizers and sponsors and JJ Bean - Commercial Drive for supporting this great event!
PS: OK, here's a link to a hint as to my 'theme'
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