Area 51

The Blue Jays AAA team plays in Vegas. It was bobblehead night for outgoing mayor, Oscar Goodman. My brother is a baseball fanatic. So we went.

The best part of the night was when I bought my hat, featuring a nifty alien head with baseball seams atop its cranium. Although the frenzied scramble for Mayor Goodman to autograph the bobbleheads, and the resultant spray of styrofoam globules was rather amusing.

The game was underwhelming. Shaky pitching from the starter Scott Richmond, consecutive homers off reliever Rommie Lewis, multiple misplays by the 3rd baseman Craig Stansberry and an 0-4 from Travis Snyder accounted for an 8-5 loss.

There was a bizarre infield pop-up that landed between the pitcher and the catcher only to eventually roll foul, prompting many WTF?s. The fan sitting next to us was taking and making wagers on any and all possible outcomes of each at-bat. I should have bet him 40-1 that he couldn't keep quiet for the rest of the game.

That was the extent of the drama at the game, save for a towering foul ball into the stands somehow eluded the well-positioned hands of a fan and clunked him right on the head. A chorus of sympathetic "ooh"s and "ouch!"s rang out. He seemed OK. But quite embarrassed.

However, in case of dental emergency, we would have been well-covered:

Charlie Hustle

The first celebrity sighting was of disgraced baseball great, Pete Rose. Sitting lonely at a signing table in The Mirage casino next door, I bought a wedding card for my brother and soon-to-be sister-in-law, hoping that he would wish them matrimonial bliss.

For a $75 minimum purchase of Pete Rose paraphernalia, I could ask him anything I wanted, get my picture taken with him and have him sign as many items as I wished. Charlie Hustle, indeed.

Instead, I got a photo with Optimus Prime and Bumblebee, 2 more reasonably priced celebrities:

Viva Las Vegas!

So my brother is getting married on a Sunday morning. In Las Vegas. After a long day of packing and travel yesterday (the kids are at home with grandparents), we eventually woke up and found our way to brunch.

We walked from our pirate-themed hotel, Treasure Island, and explored the neighbouring area of The Strip: The Fashion Show Mall's fashion show, The Mirage with its domed greenhouse, Caesars Palace in all its opulent massiveness, The Bellagio's stunning lobby with glassy floral ceiling and tribute to America Day.

By then, Shelley and I headed back, stopping for late lunch and getting lost in the Venetian after seeing its Hogwartian painted ceiling. A stop at Walgreen's for a new toothbrush and some rest before a Skype conversation with the kids and Grandma back home.

Sadly, this is as close as we got to Celine:

Epcot Centre

Fearful that I was turning into "that guy" (the one glued to his CrackBerry mobile device to the oblivion of the magic surrounding him), I accepted Shelley's dare not to use "that thing" all day. (Although in my defence, it was 20 seconds at a time to record the event and then devoting my ever attendant attention to my kids and Disney propaganda).

The day dawned bright and warm, and we arrived at Epcot Centre with little fanfare. Maybe it's the physical layout of the site, or maybe/probably the result of waning legs and energy, but things seemed to be further away today. We purposefully collected our FastPass for "Soarin'", another vaunted extra-sensory experience; I cringed my way through Test Drive, an immersive simulation of what crash test dummies must endure; Shelley and I traded off the kid-minding to fulfill a milder version of a Gary Sinise-hosted space mission; soared over California in "Soarin'" (next time, I'll keep my eyes open for the whole thing); boated our way through Living with the Land.

On to the Akerhaus restaurant for a Princess-themed lunch where I pigged out on venison sausage and Reiko held audience with Princesses Belle, Aurora, Cinderella, Snow White, and Ariel.


As we retreated for a mid-day siesta at our retreat, we garnered a Baby Tigger stuffed animal souvenir somehow.

Our evening return was in time for our dinner reservation (grilled Mahi Mahi for me) after which we ventured undersea Finding Nemo. Our party split up after that, Reiko and I completed a Kim Possible mission at the China pavilion while Kai and Shelley had a Turtle Talk with Crush. We reunited under the geodesic dome and thusly concluded our Disney adventure.

Magic Kingdom Redux (à la The Facebook)

The day as presented in Facebook statuses (and accompanying pictures):

09:09 a.m. - lined up for Dumbo - all going according to plan


09:26 a.m. - got funneled to the gift shop after the Pooh Bear ride - these people know what they're doing

09:32 a.m. - on standby for Peter Pan's Flight. Just think I could be arriving at the office on an ordinary week.

09:40 a.m. - bathroom break - TMI?

09:47 a.m. - temporary delay at "It's a small world" - still smells swampy

10:54 a.m. - thought PowerPoint sermons were cutting edge - then saw "Mickey's PhilharMagic"... how am I going to get 3-D Smell-o-vision into the sanctuary?

11:25 a.m. - ice cream and popcorn for elevensies; in line for a Tigger-Pooh Bear photo op


12:02 p.m. - spin on the Teacups


12:25 p.m. - respite from the heat and sun; back to the resort for lunch, poolside and down time before returning to Magic Kingdom


05:18 p.m. - back at it. Portrait with Pluto, picked up FastPasses for Jungle Cruise and waiting for our table at Liberty Tree Tavern. Crayon colouring limited to red and blue (and white)

Animal Kingdom

Up early for the morning warm-up at Animal Kingdom, where Mickey, Minnie and Pluto hyped up the crowd (the mainline church doesn't have a chance against the likes of this "Call to Worship" liturgy).

Much of the day amounted a game of Pokemon Snap! as I tried to capture images of the wildlife in flattering and interesting poses.




And dinosaurs too:


In spite of all that was available, Kai's favourite parts of the day were digging for dinosaur bones (read: playing in the glorified sandbox)

and not having to wait long for the bus at the end of day.

Now with Pictures

We started in Detroit (Romulus, technically)
and arrived in Orlando onto Disney World.

They cater very well to kids - princesses:

and pirates:


An afternoon through Magic Kingdom had some initial trepidation about the "Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin," we got assembled for our mission:


and defeated the enemy.


Apart from Shelley sitting in gum, me leaving my glasses and meal medication in the resort room and a slightly broken camera (which got fixed if you've seen the above posts), it was a well-orchestrated first half day of Mouse Magic.

StV in FLA

After an Olive Garden supper and a hotel night in a familiar-looking room,we shuttled to the airport where we stretched out before the migration south.


After shuttling our way to our Disney resort, we blitzed our way through the Magic Kingdom: jamboreed with the Country Bears; toured up and down Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse; saved the universe's power supply with Buzz Lightyear; filled the laugh can at Monsters Inc.; staked out a viewing position for the Electrical Parade while Shelley Thundermountained. We found an out-of-the-way vantage point for fireworks with supper and kept warm, crowded up for our bus back to our resort.

It was our warmest Valentine's Day ever!

Winter Hiatus

At the Annual Congregational Meeting this morning, I was thanked for a great first 6 weeks; why don't I take the next one off?



In fact, why don't I take the family to Florida and forget about the cold and snow?

Orientation Day

After months of mounting anticipation, I finally got a glimpse of the office that my friends have been raving about. It wasn't so much the spacious corner office with en suite bathroom, wall of bookcases or formidable desk that impressed me, but the waiting stack of blank file folders, fresh Post-it notes, box of paper clips and Uniball Micro pens. Small touches, but very welcoming.

It was a day of many little tasks: adding a new set of keys to my ring, moving boxes into the office, setting up my work email account. The tour of the contorted and sprawling premises impressed upon me the need to keep my keys at hand at all times. I ordered my work laptop, got started on Sunday's worship service, sorted out some paycheque paperwork and booked a lunch meeting for Friday.

Now that day one has come and gone, it'll be a matter of settling into a routine that works for my family schedule and the other staff. One item of concern, though... If I haven't been able to identify who fits the Dwight Schrute archetype in the office, does that mean it's me?

New Tech

In quasi-preparation for the new gig, I upgraded the cell phone and its attendant plan to join the legion of Blackberry users (which should help keep family and friends gainfully employed at RIM). Carrying the Torch in my pocket, I will enhance the dexterity of my thumbs with BBM-ing and the like, as I minister with Calvary United. Apparently, there's been audio-visual improvements at the church with the installation of screens and computer projection equipment last month.

In other news of technological upgrades, new Keiser exercise bikes were unveiled for use in spin class tonight. Despite a silent, smoother ride, the seat felt a tad too hard (not quite broken in?) and the digital readout of tension/gear and RPMs revealed just how much farther I had to go in keeping pace with the instructor. Of course, he decided to inaugurate our ride with a full-out 2 minute sprint. I'm really beginning to dread the song "Paradise City" by Guns N'Roses.

Cleared Schedule

This afternoon as we were filling in the new family calendar for January, I was a bit unnerved by the absence of anything to write in. Shelley has her evenings booked and trips to Toronto and Montreal coming up; the kids with music lessons, school days and daycare; I had nothing.

I'm sure that will change on Tuesday when I venture into Calvary United's office for the first time. I do have a lunch date on Wednesday with a friend who also starts a new church job. Until then, it seems I've got time on my hands.