Our Trip to the Ontario Science Centre

Yesterday we went to the Ontario Science Centre. We planned on going to the Peterborough Zoo but it forecasted for rain so we made a last minute change of plans. (Good thing. It poured.)

I had been to the OSC back in grade six but never since. I don't think Becky had ever been and the kids hadn't. Duh. We were all pretty excited.

First we went to the KidSpark. The girls went nuts. Spinning, rolls balls down tracks, building with blocks, playing in the treehouse, looking thru the periscope, disappearing in the patterns, playing with the air blowers! That was just the first half hour! Then we went to the other side of the KidSpark. There was a big water table, a bubble station, a maze on the floor, a farting keyboard, a beaver house, a machine to make smoke signals, a mirror tunnel, and a cutout of a boy and his dog and when you open the door over his face, it sneezes and sprays water!!

The Space part was next. It was way over their heads. Figuratively and literally. Space is over their heads. Get it? I know I know. It was really crowded in there with people waiting to get into the Planetarium show. We decided it would be a good time for a snack.

On the way to the Snakes & Lizards, Alive! Exhibit, we walked across a pressure sensitive floor that changed when you walked on it. First it was flowers that disappeared when you stepped on them. Later, it was tiles that tumbled away. Also, there was another one that looked like a koi pond and it made ripples when you walked on it. The girls kinda liked the snakes and lizards. They weren't scared, it's just that they don't do much. I got picture of Amelia standing next to a giant python.

We went through the Communication area and it looked pretty interesting but more for Becky and I, not the girls. But it was on the way to the living science area. We went into the science arcade first though. We tested our reaction time, played with inverse mirrors, experimented with pulleys and balance points.

The girls had a great time in the living science part. There was a sound buffering zigzag tunnel. It was really neat. I chased the girls through it about 20 times. We made patterns with sounds, touched a tornado, Grace scared people in the cave. I liked (was saddened by?) the garbage display. The history of landfills is kinda depressing.

We zipped through the Human Body area on the way to the cafeteria (I wanted to used the aging machine but it was out of order). We ate the most expensive snack in history. Almost $30 for a ham sandwich, a small salad, 2 pops, a chocolate milk, a hotdog, a yogurt and a fruit cup. Word to the wise, bring all the food you need.

After that "meal", we went to wait for the OmniMax movie. The girls played in the tunnel and at the water fountain, in the rain, while Becky went to the gift shop. Then we changed the girls. They were soaked. The OmniMax was awesome. It was Under The Sea. Amelia was scared at first because it was so loud but she came around and started saying "Wow!" everytime something new came on the screen. Grace was tired and hungry but she enjoyed it too.

The drive home was good to a point. We stopped and got a more substantial meal on the way. When we got to Trenton, the crying started. Totally unexplained but very headache inducing. They both wailed all the way to Napanee. Then they stopped. For no reason.

They both ended up spending time in our bed last night. (Amelia all night) They both got up early eventhough they went to bed late and were up in the night. I can't imagine doing anything today. The plan was berry picking but we already have some and it's raining. Lazy day. Should really do some cleaning.

Hawks re-sign Bolland

The Chicago Blackhawks have re-signed second-line centreman David Bolland, inking the restricted free agent to a five-year deal.

The Toronto native's average salary over the contract will be $3.375 million per season.

Bolland, 23, had a breakout season in 2009, putting up 19 goals and 28 assists with a plus- 19 rating in 81 games. He also tallied four goals and eight assists with a minus- 1 rating throughout the 2008-09 playoffs.

Bolland was a 2nd round selection (32nd overall) by the Blackhawks in 2004.

Recent attempts at reading something other than Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Attempt #1: Unleash Your Telekinetic Ability.  Who wouldn't want to learn how to move things with their mind? Pretty interesting stuff. I got about 50 pages or so in before I realized it was way over my head. Sign #1: It was talking about auras and chakras. There was a test to see if you had a good aura or a bad aura. I just barely passed the bad aura test, but I was nowhere near passing the good aura test. I must have a mediocre aura. It said that attempting telekinesis with a bad aura can be dangerous and I should not proceed reading the manual. i kept reading anyway. Sign #2: It was talking about the 3 fundamentals of telekinesis. The first was focus. Focus being the opposite of concentration. It said something along the lines of, an approriate level of focus is achieved when you can read these words without hearing the words in your head. Say what?!! When you can think without hearing you thoughts in your head. Are you serious? Is that even possible? I know it is but I have a long way to go before i reach that level of consciousness. (see attempt #3)

Attempt #2:  Natural Cures "They" Don't Want You To Know About by Kevin Trudeau.  I got about 170 pages into this one. And I might finish it. BUT, I'm glad I didn't pay for it.  He claims that virtually any disease can be CURED by natural methods. Diabetes, cancer, MS, depression etc etc.  For the first 100 pages or so, he goes on and on about how the FTC, FDA and US Gov't are money-grubbing bastards. That they have their fingers so deep in the pockets of the drug industry that they supress any natural cures to protect profits. Because you can't patent a natural remedy, the drug company will lose billions of dollars.  I'm a little skeptical at this point, but I keep reading. Then he goes on about why we are sick. We are sick from pestcides in our food (I agree), chemical we put on our skin (lotions, creams, soap, deodorant, even sunscreen), from the air we breath, (duh.but he's blaming it more on air fresheners than pollution), prescription and non-prescription drugs (drug companies put other stuff in the drugs to give is different ailments, so they can sell us more drugs. Um, I dunno. But, you've heard all the side effects in the commercials...),  pasturized and homogenized beverages, (apparently homogenized milk causes scarring of the arteries and leads to heart disease) and worst of all, tap water. The chlorine and flouride are killing us. I know they are both poison. But really? In the next section, he tells us how to never get sick again.While this section is riddled with good advice (colon flushes, eat organic food, drink pure water etc) it starts to turn into a 600 page ad for his website. For every suggestion he makes, he doesn't give details. He says he's not allowed. He can't publicly endorse anything. But if you sign up for the monthly subscription to his website, you get further details there, and email him directly for specific products and services he recommends.Sounds a little fishy.  I googled Kevin Trudeau. Almost every site that showed on the first page discredited him.  I watched a youtube video of John Stossel exposing him as a scam artist. A guy from Nightline caught him in a blatant lie. He served jailtime for credit card fraud on his customers!! He's listed on QuackWatch. He states in the book that since most media outlets gain the majority of their advertising revenue from the food and drug companies, they are strongarmed into debunking him because he costs those companies profits. Like I said, I might finished reading this, but I am not taking it all at face value.

Attempt #3: The Taoist I-Ching as translated by Thomas Cleary.  I am still in the Introduction to this. It's pretty heavy stuff. Not a nice easy read. Lots about mediation and yin-yang. Enlightenment, illumination, states of mind, that sort of thing. I'll have more info once I get into it more.

Don't worry. I am also reading Brisingr. The third book in the Inheritance Quadrilogy by Christopher Paolini. Eragon and Eldest were the first two. Dragons!!

Visit to the Sleep Lab

I went to the sleep lab on Thursday. It was kind of an intake sort of thing. Here's how it went down:

They measured my neck, abdomen, and hips. Pinched the fat on my arm, back and stomach. I think all that was to fit me for the various apparatus they use. They checked my blood pressure and pulse. Then they asked some questions about my moods, my short term memory loss, and falling asleep in class in high school and university.  That was with the nurse. Then I saw the doctor. He talked about my twitching, my snoring, my snorting, my moods and my breathing. He talked about sleep apnea. He checked my breathing, my heart, my throat and my eyes. (bloodshot, as always) He told me about the stuff they hook up. Chest bands, electrodes on chest and head, breathing mask, monitor on my finger, and infrared cameras. I hope I'm able to sleep with all that stuff on me! Somehow I don't really think it will be a problem.

My sleepover is scheduled for Aug 31. Yikes that's far. But my name is on the cancellation list so I could get in earlier. In fact, they called last night. But I was at work. So here's hoping they have a more convenient cancellation and I don't have to wait 2 and a half months. I overheard someone ask how long til the results come back and they said about another 4 weeks. So that's the end of September. I started this whole "why am I so tired?" thing back in Feb! Maybe even Jan!

Saw the doc on Monday

I told him I didn't really FEEL any different than last time. Still really tired and irritable. Better at controling it, but I still feel that way. So since it could be another 6-8 weeks before anything comes back about a possible sleep disorder, he started me on a low dose anti-depressant/anti-anxiety. This way if there is nothing wrong with my sleep, I'm already on meds.

He also sent me for more blood tests. All the usual stuff came back normal so he is checking rarer things. Checking for chronic mono, Addison's disease, calcium levels, albumin levels and CRP. Not sure what the last 3 indicate. Also he is testing for rheumatoid arthritis. I told him how my joints have been sore the last couple years. I know work has alot to do with it, but I'm still young but I feel old.

Interview at the sleep lab next week and back to the doctor on July 8.

Let's get this figured out already!!

I can hardly believe it!!

I went to the dentist today. I haven't been in 10 years. I know, I know. They took x-rays and found LOTS of very hard tartar. So instead of the usual scrape scrape, polish polish, they got out the heavy duty equipment. It was an ultrasonic tool. It rotated 10,000x/sec and blasted the tartar apart. So she scraped all around my teeth with that for a solid 1/2 hour. It was not fun. It took enough time that I have to go back and have them hand-scaled and then polished.
The big surprise is that after 10 years of not seeing the dentist, and some questionable hygiene habits (pop, coffee, not brushing enough, no flossing) I do NOT have to go back for fillings!! He said I had no cavities!! What the hell!!? I guess the occasional sensitivity is just from exposed roots (still not good) which is fairly normal as we age.
The hygienist commented that it looks like my home care is good. And the dentist himself said I have very nice teeth.
Wow.

Ribs=shorts?

As you may know, many commercials bother me. The latest of for a fastfood
place. I can't remember which one because I don't want to.
Here it is: a guy is walking down the street wearing pants and a jacket,
and he looks across the street and sees them putting up the sign that says
"Ribs are back." He yells "YES!" and rips off his pants and jacket to
reveal shorts and a golf shirt. He proceeds to cross the street to the fast
food place.
The idea behind the commercial is that they only have ribs in the summer
time. So, seeing the sign, the guy knows it is summer and changes his
attire accordingly. So here's my problems:

a) What kind of moron(!) uses the menu at a fast food joint to determine
how he should dress? It's called temperature, you jackass. "Oh, they've got
chili, that must mean it's cold! Better break out the parka!"

b) Dude just throws his clothes on the sidewalk and takes off. I don't
imagine he got his fancy tear-away pants and jacket at the buck store. I
must be nice to just throw your clothes away. Did he forget we're in a
recession? My guess is he doesn't work at GM.

c) He just walks across the street. He doesnt even look both ways!! You
can't eat ribs in the ICU. Or the morgue.

I know. I'm crazy.

I USED to like Muskoka Brewery...

but not so much lately. Thursday night I had a Muskoka Cream Ale. Not bad taste but it gave me heartburn and a headache. Then last night I had a Muskoka Dark Ale. Same result. Taste was ok, but it have me heartburn.

However, I cannot solely blame the beer. Both nights I had a big piece of lemon poppy seed cake. So I have to so an experiment. Tonight I will have a non-Muskoka beer and a slice of cake. If I get heartburn again, then tomorrow I will have my last Muskoka beer (heffe-weissbeer) without any cake and see what happens. It's not a perfect experiment but it's what I am going to do.

I like to support Ontario Craft Brewers but not if they cause me pain. I've had Muskoka beers before and I don't recall any heartburn, so maybe it's the poppy seeds. If poppy seeds give me heartburn, what would opium do?