What Happened To Me for Three Years

Yes, what happened to me? All I can say is, not much—just ventured out into other local community engagement activities that revolved around raising Matthew. Matthew is now over 6 years old. I just read my last blog post here, where I wrote about him being able to write the letter "M." Well, now he writes and reads; he’s even reading one grade above grade one. We’re so proud of him—he’s our very smart little man. From day one, I’ve loved watching him grow up and learn new things every day, and I continue to do so.

Last night, I revisited my blog and went through all the blogs on my reading list, one by one. I noticed that many of them stopped posting one or two years ago, though some are still active.

I’m very active on Twitter (@amlozyk) and Facebook now, but I realized last night how much I miss just spilling my thoughts every day here on the blog, like I did a couple of years ago.

I shall return soon, but let me leave you with a couple of conversations I had today with Matthew.

“Mom, can I eat some of your midnight snack?” Matthew asked.

“Absolutely not,” I replied.

“But Mom, I already had your midnight snack,” he said.

I’m not sure where he got the idea, but he’s figured out that if he eats first and asks later, his treats are guaranteed. This isn’t the first time he’s eaten and then asked. I believe he’s also feeling guilty, so he lets us know in any way he can that he helped himself to the treats.

Today, Matthew had a little accident at school. He collided with another boy from grade four. The impact was so hard that he fell face-first to the ground and broke his sunglasses. The school called, and we went to pick him up. After we settled in and everything was fine, I reviewed his lunchbox.

“Hey Matthew, how come you didn’t eat your lunch?” I asked.

“Oh, I was tired,” he replied.

“Oh, but you managed to eat your treats,” I pointed out.

“That was by mistake,” he said.

Today's Blobbing Moment

It happened to me few times before, and now. Why is writing sometimes so easy and sometimes so difficult to execute? I have so many ideas written for the Story Blob posts, but I still have to be in a moment to write them. This week I got no moments like that. But I got a moment for sleeping, and this is my own and all time favorite quote: 'who ever invented sleep was a genius'.

Strange Call - The Wrong Number

Wrong Number

Many weeks ago I got this strange call. I better blog about it now because it will be sitting in my head all the time. The phone rings. Call displays shows Mr. so and so, and his telephone number. Well in that case, this is not a telemarketing call so I better answer.

'Hello' - I said.
'Hi honey' - he said.
'I think you got a wrong number' - I said.
'Oh, this is not Michelle' - he said.
'No, its not, I think you got a wrong number' - I said.
'Oh I am sorry' - he said.
'That is okay' - I said waiting for him to hang up 'and don't do it again', I thought.
'You have a nice voice' - he said.
'Good bey' - I said and hang up.

I really wanted to say something to him, 'What happened to Michelle, she doesn't have nice voice anymore?'. Or 'Do you want to talk to my husband, he has nice voice too'.

Well in case like that we just have to bite our tongues, as we know this could lead to a trouble. May be he didn't get the wrong number; just phoning randomly to strike a conversation with a vulnerable woman, and then more and more. Scary call that was, all I can say.

Calculation Bloopers - Conversations and Blobbing

Dog's Lung Capacity
- So how did your test go?
- It was okay.
- Just okay. You probably did well. I saw you study a lot.
- Yes I did, but you know how it is when you have to calculate something under lot of pressure.
- Oh yes I know, I know. But you always did well. It seems like you are thinking about something.
- Yeah. I am still trying to figure out what I did wrong.
- What do you mean?
- There was this problem I had to solve, and I cannot figure out what I did wrong.
- How do you know you did it wrong. Did you know the answer ahead?
- No no, it was logical calculation, meaning real life numbers. So if you see the answer then you will know that you did something wrong.
- Okay then....
- Well, I left this problem to the last thinking that it was the easiest. It wasn't much time to go back and to correct. Boy... the teacher is going to have a good chuckle.
- Aha...
- Okay, the problem asked to solve the dog's lung capacity, meaning to determine the size of the dog's lungs.
- Okay, and then what?
- Well, don't laugh! My result showed that the lungs were bigger than the dog.
- Ouch....can I laugh with you.

Beam to Space
- Hey I finally finished my report. Do you want to see it?
- Yes yes, show me.
- Here it is.
- Wow you are so neat and organized, this is very nice looking report you have.
- Thank you!
- Do you mind that I look at the numbers, I used to take the civil engineering statics course.
- Yes go ahead. I checked my numbers and they seem okay.
- Just okay.
- Yes, but please do look it over.
Looking over the report briefly.
- So, did you really check your numbers.
- Yes I did. Why? What is wrong?
- Oh nothing, just a small mistake - it looks like your beam is bigger than our Mother Earth circumference. Please tell me that the problem asked for it.

Weight Loss Calculator
I don't know what was wrong with this online weight loss calculator, however, according to the data I entered, I have to loose additional 50 pounds. You tell me if I should. I am 125 pounds and 164 cm tall. I think the prefect name for this calculator would be - 'Become Anorexic' Calculator. Oh wait a second, may be they got their units wrong.

We Used to Drink on the School Trips

Imagine this, twenty five kids on the bus going on the school trip, and once in the while some of them would take a bottle of Vodka from their knapsack and drink, including me. Yes, we used to drink, but it wasn't a Vodka, it was a tea or some kind of juice. Back then we didn't really have good drinking plastic bottles to bring our drink in, so we used whatever we had at home. Since the Vodka bottle was the only bottle with the screw top, that was the most popular bottle taken on the trip, some of them still with a label on it. So this is how we used to drink on the school trips in the elementary school. The scary part was that they actually let us drink on the bus while bus was in motion. Luckily we didn't damage our teeth. So one day here is me, drinking my Vodka from the bottle, suddenly I stand up on the bus and yelled out to my friend beside me - did you see this, wow? And suddenly my teacher gave me a look that I had to bury myself in the bus chair, turning red, and trying to drink my Vodka, and of course to pretend that nothing happened. Can you guess what I saw? I will give you some clues: it was in Europe, it was a big tree, parked bike on the side of the road.

My Toe Took A Tripple Beating

For sure I am not the only one that ran into the furniture and suddenly felt excruciating pain in the toe. Couple of nights ago I did it again. About 2 am in the morning after feeding my baby I walked towards the area where I have my water drinking station. Suddenly bang, my foot hits the wooden foot of the ottoman. Oh no, not again, I hate when this happens to me. As I reached out to grab my toe and apply pressure, a technique that always works, my husband heard the noise and he in a furious manner attempted to get up from the bed. That scared me, and I almost fell on top of my water station, that was close almost, lol.

'Why don't you wear slippers?' - a question my husband asked when around 9 pm I ran into the chair with the same foot and exactly same toe.

'Well I was going to get my slippers, but the chair was before the slippers' - I replied.

Somethings just happen in three's. In the late morning I had my dentist appointment. Just routine check up appointment. Everything worked out fine, Matthew behaved himself in the waiting room as he and my husband waited for me for almost 1 hour.

'I guess I will see you in next 6 months' - I told the dental administrator.

'Yes, will see you then, good bye' - she replied.

'Let me get the door' - I told my husband as he was strolling Matthew out the dental office.

'Ouch ouch ouch, for love of Pete' - I made squeaking noise, as this time the stroller ran over the same foot and the same toe.

As we sat in my parents living room this afternoon, we laughed, and I asked, 'So what's next?'
'A tire' - he replied laughing out loud.

In conclusion, I was fortunate that it was only toe self abuse and no real damage was done. However, will this teach me a lesson to wear slippers. I don't know I just like walking in my bare feet.

Intercom Button Please Press For Assistance

Its been long time since I visited my very own story blob blog. To get myself going, I am just going to rumble about something, like about the intercom button in the gas station.

Matthew my baby is now old enough, almost 6 months, to follow sleep in the car. Before, when he was hungry and we stopped on the red light, Matthew would burst into this very loud cry and then slowly quite down as we started to move. And to our luck, we would get many many red lights. Well few days ago, as we were driving home, he finally followed asleep as we entered our subdivision, oh well don't want to wake him up, so lets drive around. First stop, we got Iced Cappuccino from Tim Horton's coffee place, and then we drove to get lately cheap gas - Matthew continued to sleep, oh how nice.

So here I am in a happy mood. As my husband is filling up the gas, I look over my shoulder and I see this nice green Intercom button. I opened door and asked him politely, can you press this button. He laughs. I said why are you laughing, come on, press this button. He asks why? Oh just for fun - I replied. Well, my husband will not pull any crazy prank like that, but I told him one day I will, and I will run, and he will have to deal with the clerk, lol.

Driving home now. I asked him, why were you afraid to press this button. No reply. Okay, am I the only one here in a good mood. I asked again, what would you do then if I pressed it for you and you had no choice but to answer. He silently laughed. Then, I will tell you what I would say:

- 'I am making sure this button works, sorry for the inconvenience'
- 'Sorry, no speak English'
- 'Sorry, I don't have my glasses, I thought that this was a print receipt button'
- 'Sorry, I thought I need your assistance, but I think I am fine now'
- 'Can you get me cup of coffee?'
- 'This button is in a wrong place, I tried to press car wash button'
- 'Oh man you scared me! You are too loud man! What do you want?'
- 'Please get off this line, I am trying to call my mother'

And you are next, what would you say? I need some good laughs.

Look Around You

Look around you and tell me what you can see. Just take this one minute and observe. Here are my observations, I see my laptop front of me, typing this post. I am surrounded by the office portable desk walls, sitting on the chair. There is phone beside me, and if I am ready to switch to another software on my screen, any second I will reach for the mouse. Around me, I also have cut outs from the magazines and clipped to the wall. Do you want to know what it is? I am going to tell you - there are three photo cut outs of the apples, green apples with one red in the middle. I liked this photo so much that I cut out three of them and surrounded myself with. I also have other two photo cut outs of the ostrich, one says FLEXIBLE SOLUTIONS. Now let me tell that this ostrich is bending forward and looking between its legs - quite flexible, but I don't see flexible solution - so I find it funny even if I know this is just a metaphor. The second one says BE AHEAD with ostrich running really fast that you cannot see what's on the background. Could he be going 100 miles per hour, possibly, may be not in real life, but with today's digital editing - definitely yes. And the last photo cut out is something about genetically altered fruit flies, I will not go into details, but the head line states Buzz Off! Don't worry it is nothing to do with people visiting me, I like when people visit my cubical and talk to me, but I found it kind of entertaining to have it on my wall. So what else I can tell you about my surroundings, not much just a standard office setting. So would you say pretty boring, but for me nothing is really boring once you have access to the Internet, or start thinking how all this started.

Now you may ask - what's the point of all this blobbing. Well I am confused. Why? Let me explain, I started to read this book by Bill Bryson A Short History of Nearly Everything. By the way, it is currently lying on my desk beside me and then when I go home it goes with me to bed. However, when at work, when I think about my projects, I find myself looking at it, not really thinking, just looking. To tell you the truth, I started to read this book a long time ago, and then I ended up reading something else. It was no point to continue now, so I started to read over again. Well I am only few pages into the book, and these pages revoked something that I recently started to question. How do we know this and that? What I mean is - when we talk about universe creation, star formations, evolution, birth, good food or bad food - how all this has happened or is happening - and believe or not we make things, we discover things. And then is us - intelligent human beings. The world of unknown, because all are just theories unless there is real data to support, even though author on the end has explanation for everything. Therefore, just enjoy the life and enjoy the beauty of nature, the beauty of life - ask questions, but don't expect the right answer, it is all too complicated to figure it out.

This post may be lame, and there may be not substance here - but look around you - all this stuff, ideas, theories - its amazing. Yes, I am lost in my thoughts, but the more I think about it, all is just too complicated to figure out, yet it works - lol now!

Love Is In the Air

Since today is the Valentine's Day, I thought I spread a bit of love around my blog to my blogger friends, and the rest of the world. I am not sure if everyone celebrates the Valentine's Day, but I don't think you can reject a free love, lol. It does not have to be Valentine's Day to love someone extra special, it should be every day; however, that day is the day to emphasize how important love is. I know we are being bombarded with marketing schemes to buy diamonds for love ones (my birth stone is diamond), buy chocolates, buy flowers, and some go to extent to buy material gifts. It this all necessary? In my opinion not, but don't get me wrong if you like to celebrate this day and surprise your love one with special appreciation gift, yes by all means; however, my point is you cannot buy love from the store. So I like my Valentine's Day simple - I don't need extra gifts to love my husband extra special on that day, may be today I will blob to my husband, wow its been 15 years together, and soon 10 years being married. Sometimes I just look at him, and I feel like we just met, all brand new, yet inside it feels like we been together all our lives. So since we work together, this time hubby cannot hide any special gift for me. Well on the way home he is taking me to the local supermarket to purchase flowers, it will be fun - we both laughed at the idea - however, the biggest surprise is that from year to year he is so consistent no matter what, and never forgets, and that is what makes me happy! Happy Valentines Day to you. Let me close this post with this favorite quote of mine: 'My love for you is a journey; starting at forever, and ending at never.' - by Anonymous. BTW I love giving credits to the Anonymous individuals, lol.

Pressed on Time However Lets Write About Qassia and Mails

There are times that I am so up to date, and there are times that I am not. Right now, I am behind with some of my own projects, that it is time to resume my old system - the things to do list. I usually have one all the time, and once everything is rolling, I don't need one, but when things go out of order, it is time to write one. Enough blobbing, and lets see what I have to present for you today.

Firstly, there is this new intelligent article submission site Qassia.com. It is at the beta stage, but I kind of like it. Right now you can earn money, not real, just virtual, to have your articles submitted to the 'world'. So the more money you accumulate the better chance is to get on the top of the search engine. However, I have not figure out how it really works, but by submitting some of my articles and reading other articles and rating, I generated some credits. However, most of all I learned something too by reading. So enjoy and explore Qassia.com - not to hide anything, this is my referral page, and like someone said, I will say it to, yes I get some credits if you sign up. No pressure you are free to do what you wish.

Secondly, I want to quickly write about mail versus email. Couple of weeks ago I received a letter from the old friend of mine - how nice to receive the old fashion mail. The letter was from pan pal friend I met in elementary school over 20 years ago. We never met in person yet - but I am hoping one day. All our correspondences happened through the regular mail, and even now. I am sure that she has the access to the Internet, however, some how we still write to each other the old fashioned way. I remember in the old days, to receive a letter in the mail was a big thing. We all loved it, especially for occasions like Christmas, Easter, name days, and chain letters. Yes, name days in Europe were more popular than birthdays, I guess that way you were able to acknowledge anyone you wanted to send a card just by looking at the calendar. And yes chain letters existed then, and it wasn't easy, as there was no photocopier, and there was no typewriter, only your hand needed to re-write the letters about five times or more. So that was fun and practice.

Now we have emails. The communication time among us changed from weeks to minutes or even seconds. We can write, send pictures, send videos, publish on line pictures and videos. We not just letting our friends know about our life, but any stranger may some times drop by.

So tell me, do you still like to receive old fashion mail or do you think it is not practical anymore. Just ignore the cost, because we all know that emails are somehow free. Myself, I like the old fashion mails, the fact that they are hand written makes is even more authentic.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2008!

All my friends, I will be taking some time off

to spend time with family and friends,

therefore, my story blobbing will resume in the new year.

I will see you then!

Share Your Christmas Moments

The Christmas is around the corner, so why not get into holiday spirit, a time of giving and time of beautiful moments with your family. These are few things that I would like to share with you - a moments of happiness. A moments that can be described in few words, however, they will last forever with me, and now I have the opportunity to tell the world, and have them on record.


I have two sisters and one brother. The order goes as follows: my older sister, me, my younger sister and my youngest brother. There is 5 years age difference between my younger sister and 10 years difference between my brother and me. My happy moments were when three of us (my brother wasn't born yet) used to go to the local forest and cut a small tree down, drag it home for about 5 km over fields of snow, in some places 1/2 meter high. Then we would assemble it and hang as many candies as we could, then we would eat them in a matter of few days.

When my brother was born and he was about 2 or 3 years old, I dressed up as Santa Claus and give out gifts in the house. We all head a blast.

It was tradition that no meat was consumed during Christmas dinner and still is. However, not now, but during my grandmother's time we all used to eat from one dish, and hold on to the spool through all 12 courses so our back would be good to work in the fields - I think that was funny when you are about 5 years old.

Last year in 2006 I finally decided to dress up as Santa again this time for my nephew and niece. I made my Santa suite from scratch, it took me a whole week to do it by hand. Unfortunately, my pants didn't survive the adventure, and thank God I had the long jacket. They called me a skinny Santa, hopefully this year I will not have that problem, lol. I will post some pictures on my only photo blog in few days.

And if you have some happy, funny or even sad moments - I would love to hear it. If you by any chance had the same idea, please feel free to provide a link to your site.


[TRUE STORY]

I Told You So!

I am going to blob to myself and you are going to let me know if I am making any sense. So I am lying in bed, and again head full of thoughts, and they are usually result of talking to someone on the phone or in person, or watching TV, or listening to a radio, and then analyzing - at least that's me. This one is just simple one, which came to my mind out of nowhere. How many times did you hear simple expression like 'I Told You So'. Well, I think when we were children, then you probably heard this from your parents or grandparents. So I guess when you are kid, you do know less, and if you do something wrong, and you been asked to do it right way, sometimes mom will slip in 'I told you so'. We cannot argue this for children and sometimes even now when we older, because our ignorance sometimes make us to make bad choices. However, for some other situations 'I told you so' should be rephrased.

Here are my thoughts - not very long I hope. Suppose I am on my way for a job interview and even everything went well afterwards - never know may be someone else had even better interview and they will get a job. Statistically it is fifty-fifty rule, I get the job or I don't get the job. And then if there is a population of ten candidates, I only have ten percent chance to get the job. The life does not ends here if I don't get the job, because I can move on and explore other opportunities. Suppose I did get the job. I get home, and first thing I hear, 'I told you so'. I know whoever said this means well, but I think it will be better to say - 'Congratulations, and when do you start?' or 'It felt like you will get this job', I suppose. The flaw I see is this. The person who said 'I told you so', to me at least, is taking a credit.

I don't' have a real conclusion for this one, because I do myself stupid things sometimes because of my ignorance (yes, I am not perfect) and if I listened to someone the stupid thing would have been the right thing, and may be the 'I told you so' phrase is the right for that moment. But I think that the 'I told you so' phrase for kids, should be rephrased to 'Let's try right next time', because as we grow this phrase becomes misused, just like 'ASAP' (as soon as possible) doesn't really mean 'now'. Start from the source.

[JUST BLOBBING]

Help Can Come In Many Different Forms and Shapes

Helping others is one of the greatest gifts one can give someone. However, each individual will offer help in many different ways, and I would like to present my way of helping others. Believe or not, I helped many times, and many times my help wasn't viewed as help, but I always believed in the long term help meaning that will last forever, and I am lucky to have my second half thinking the same.

Here is my magic list of items of which I strongly support:

1) Help your self first. Let just give you an example from the air travels. Not sure if anyone pays attention to the emergency routine demonstrated by the stewardess, but I do. When that oxygen mask is ejected, put on yourself first. If you will not, then in case of emergency if someone needs more assistance than you, without a mask you may help one person, but with the mask you can help many.

2) Think how you are going to help. It is nice to give little things there and there in case of need, but have you heard an expression when you give someone a finger, next thing they want your whole hand. Yes, some people will eventually abuse the free help, and especially the financial help. So here is the statement that explains it all. I think this comes from the bible, and not sure if these are the exact words, but if you give a man a fish he will eat for a day, however, if you teach a man to fish he will eat for life. Don't be afraid to give people advice and teach them, and don't be afraid to set rules when your help is abused. I rather teach people how to survive, than just give and see that on the end it is all wasted.

3) Help is not just about giving, it is also giving a mental support. Believe or not, such support may be indirect help, but it does gives one in need strength to go on.

4) When you helped someone, don't expect to get help back from the same person. Life works in mysterious ways, and the help will come your way in time of need, and don't be surprised that the helping hand came from total stranger.

5) Sleep on your helping decisions. I am strategic thinker, and many times people think that I am reluctant to help. But no, they don't see sometimes that there may be an alternative way to help, and not just one way. I think even the person in need, needs to understand that they cannot just turn the whole world upside down because they are the only and only that need help. Sometimes, I do sleep on my helping decisions, because I really think working in harmony together we can accomplish a lot more.

I would love to hear what others have to say about that, and if you have other helping suggestions that may benefit all of us here, please let us know.

[JUST BLOBBING]

Transparent Life Path

Interesting or not, but fascinating. Your life can be traced back and probably will be 100% traceable in the near future. Due to power of all the electronic gadgets, computers, payment and banking systems, security systems, and any other tracking and recording system or devices out there, I think we can put our daily, monthly, annual or life path on the Google map, lol, that may also include photos; and with that I think that we can also have our daily routine outlined to minute detail and exact location.

Let see how this can happen by looking at this extreme example.

It is Monday morning April 29, 2007. Jane woke up and noticed that she is late for work. She picked up up her Blackberry and sent a text message at 9:00 am to her co-worker letting her know that she will be in the office pass 12:00 pm. Jane's work place is about 75 km away from home. She got ready, but then she also realized that there are few errands to do. During breakfast, she made a quick list of her errands, one of them she needed to change her dental appointment. At 9:45 am she called dental office to make a change - costs her extra 10 cents for this call, I think in the near future it is time to look for another dentist closer to home. She also made one more call. Jane called jewelry store which she decided to visit on the way to work. Right after she left her apartment, and headed for the toll highway entering around 10:15 am, and she got off about 10:45 am heading for the Central Mall. She needed to get a gift for her friends birthday for this coming weekend. She goes to jewelry store, picked nice gold necklace and paid with the Master Card. On the way from the mall she decided to get a cup of Tim Horton coffee, she ensured to take the receipt so she can get her money back from work. Jane is now back on the toll highway at 11:30 am heading for work, she is going to make it for 12 pm. Well, well, major accident on the next exit, and she is now moving slow in traffic. At 11:45 am Jane passed by the accident scene, wow was a major one, so Jane took her digital camera and snapped few pictures to show at work. Finally she got off the highway at 12:15 pm, and headed for the parking garage about 5 minutes away - fully secured. She entered first set of the security gates where three cameras pointed at her car, and then she entered second security gate where she swiped her security pass exactly 12:22 pm. It takes Jane about 7 minutes to get to her office desk that included 2 more security pass card readers. Jane finally arrived at work, she logins to her computer at 12:30 pm. She only worked to 5:00 pm, because after work she took customer out for dinner. Through out the day she wrote few emails back and forth, sent some text messages, and created few reports. Exactly at 5:00 pm Jane left from the office exactly same way out as she came in. The restaurant is mid point between her work place and home. Her reservation was for 6:00 pm. Dinner was really nice and it ended at 8:00 pm, she paid with her Corporate Visa Card. Jane headed home, same route she took to work. She got home, her apartment is on the 10th floor, and since it is now after hours, she had to use special security gates with cameras, and press special access code to enter. She got home, sent quick text message to her boss that the dinner meeting was successful. Day turned out to be very busy for Jane, however, she still had time to make for herself cup of tea, and blog for a while. She ensured that she was in bed by 11:00 pm so she can get up and get to work on time.

Now to make this story more exciting, Jane is a crime suspect and the crime investigation team is looking into Jane's day routine for April 29, 2007. They were able to get access to her security pass login records, credit card information, computer at work and at home, and everything else like phone records, toll highway records or security camera videos. The following is Jane's day routine based on the external electronic records and Jane's brief description of her day to the police. The task force submitted the following report to the team leader of this investigation.

08:59 Jane woke up (location: home; time estimated)
09:00 Jane sent text message (location: home; source: Blackberry)
09:45 Jane called dental office (location: home; source: Long Distance Telephone Bill)
09:50 Jane called gift store (location: home; source: Police obtained Telephone Records)
09:55 Jane enters parking garage (location: home parking garage; source: Garage Security Camera)
10:15 Jane enters toll highway (location: 100; source: Toll Highway Electronic System)
10:45 Jane exited toll highway (location: exit 101; source: Toll Highway Electronic System)
11:00 Jane paid for the gold necklace (location: Central Mall; source: Master Card Records)
11:05 Jane paid for Tim Horton Coffee (location: Central Mall; source: Tim Horton Receipt)
11:20 Jane left Central Mall parking garage (location: Central Mall; source: Parking Security System)
11:30 Jane entered toll highway (location: 110; source: Toll Highway Electronic System)
11:45 Jane took photo of the accident scene (location 111; source: Digital Camera)
12:15 Jane exited toll highway (location: 112; source: Toll Highway Electronic System)
12:20 Jane entered workplace parking garage (location: workplace; source: Parking Security System)
12:22 Jane passed 1st security check (location: workplace; source: Workplace Access Security System)
12:25 Jane passed 2nd security check (location: workplace; source: Workplace Access Security System)
12:27 Jane passed 3rd security check (location: workplace; source: Workplace Access Security System)
12:30 Jane login into her work computer (location: workplace; source: Workplace Access Security System)
13:00 Jane received text message 1 (location: workplace; source: Blackberry)
13:15 Jane created office memo 1 (location: workplace; source: MSWord File Date and Time Code)
13:30 Jane sent email to customer (location: workplace; source: Outlook Date and Time Code)
15:00 Jane wrote customer report 1 (location: workplace; source: PowerPoint Date and Time Code)
16:05 Jane wrote customer report 2 (location: workplace; source: PowerPoint Date and Time Code)
16:45 Jane send personal email from yahoo (location: workplace; source: Yahoo Email Date and Time Code)
16:50 Jane send text message to customer that she is meeting for dinner (location: workplace; source: Blackberry)
17:00 Jane logout from her work computer (location: workplace; source: Workplace Network System)
17:04 Jane passed 1st security check (location: workplace; source: Workplace Access Security System)
17:07 Jane passed 2nd security check (location: workplace; source: Workplace Access Security System)
17:11 Jane passed 3rd security check (location: workplace; source: Workplace Access Security System)
17:20 Jane exited workplace parking garage (location: workplace; source: Parking Security System)
17:25 Jane entered toll highway (location: 113; source: Toll Highway Electronic System)
17:45 Jane exited toll highway (location: 114; source: Toll Highway Electronic System)
17:55 Jane arrived at the restaurant (location: Mamma's Place; source: Parking Security System)
18:00 Jane met with customer (location: Mamma's Place; source: Reservation Log)
20:05 Jane paid for dinner (location: Mamma's Place; source: Corporate Visa Card Records)
20:10 Jane left parking lot (location: Mamma's Place; source: Parking Security System)
20:30 Jane entered toll highway (location: 115; source: Toll Highway Electronic System)
20:10 Jane exited toll highway (location: 116; source: Toll Highway Electronic System)
21:15 Jane arrived apartment garage (location: home; source: Garage Security Camera System) 22:00 Jane sent text message to their boss (location: home; source: Blackberry)
22:05 Jane logins to her home computer (location: home; source: Personal Computer)
22:20 Jane posted on her blog (location: home; source: Blogger)
22:45 Jane commented on blog 1 (location: home; source: Blogger)
22:55 Jane commented on blog 2 (location: home; source: Wordpress)
23:00 Jane headed for bed (location: home; source: Jane's word)

Since the estimated time for the crime was between 5:00 and 6:00 pm, it could not have been Jane as per above investigated outline, and the location was way out. Jane is cleared from the crime suspect list.

Imagine that. Yes your life can be traced, may be not like Jane's, but similarly. Indirect data about you can be obtained from your computer records, from your photo images (date and time code), your blog posts so make sure you don't' post during work hours, lol, your credit/debit cards, your banking, your cash receipts if you keep them, your created files (date and time code), medical office log books, reservation logs, toll highways, mobile phones, telephone records, emails, mail packages, and other records such diplomas received, your notes, neighbors notes, others photos, other witnesses. And I am not mentioning search engine tracking your searching habits, cookies, online purchases, online banking, etrading, logins, posts, discussion posts and many many other Internet activities. Yes the list is big, and yes we are very transparent. The question is do we want to be that transparent? For me it really doesn't matter, as long as all my personal stuff is secured. However, as far as knowing my life routine, I don't really care if someone is watching, I am sure someone would want to dig if I was only famous.

Therefore, only if you hide away from the society the transparency goes away, however, that one photo snap by someone else can place you in exact location, exact date and time. So no, you cannot get away 100%.

Lastly, did you know that your computer data is never removed from the computer, even when you deleted all the files you don't want someone to see. Only physical destruction of the computer will destroy everything - like hammering or subjecting your computer to very strong magnetic fields.

Equation For The Hardest Job

Finally my article idea came back to me after days of trying to remember what I was going to write about. It came back while we were driving to work beside the toilet rental truck with some type of sewer pump. I said, wow, all he has to do is rent these portable toilets, clean them, deliver or pick them up, and he is making money - the man driving a truck looked happy. There is lot of constructions, and sport events going on in our area, so these are very useful, and yes there is market for it. Eureka! I got it, I finally got it. I know now what I wanted to write about - it was about the hardest job, and I had all figured out. So what is the hardest job. Is the hardest job also the most difficult job? Is the hardest job also not very pleasant job? Is the hardest job also stressful job? I guess you can ask these questions to determine the job hardness level. However, I will share my opinion about the hardest job.
A job can only be hard if you yourself make it hard. In life we may not have choice where we are going to work, but we have the choice to make it better. A job can be difficult, but if you skilled then it is not difficult anymore. A job may not be pleasant, but needs to be done, and you are happy because at least you have a job and can support your family. A job can be stressful, but then who is in control?
The other day in the mid of hot summer day, the garbage man passed by to pick up garbage from the curbs of houses on my street. I observed and thought for second, his job must be hard. Then I listened and looked closer, the man has full blast radio on, and he sang away - he looked not just happy, but he looked very happy.
The other day in the mid of hot summer day, the elegant car passed by with an elegant man in a dark suit, and probably running air conditioner at full blast. He probably is some kind of executive, not much of physical hard work to do - I thought, but then he looked not happy.
The other day in the mid of hot summer day, I see young landscaper digging a small flower bed. He looked tired and exhausted. He doesn't belong in this job, but he does it. Is he happy?
Few weeks ago, we had window installer replacing all the windows in our house. When we met him, he looked happy, but once we got to know him, I don't think he was.
I am now confused very confused and I wish there was some kind of equation for the hardest job, but then no. No it is not right. I think the hardest job is when you are not happy. And I am beginning to think there is no equation for hardest job, or for happiness, or for anything in life, and I better move on before I become even more confused, and blogging will become the hardest job in my life.

Empty Head of Mine

There are days when I can write my head off, and there are days I have no ideas - and today is the day where my head is absolutely empty. The other day, I did have an excellent idea, and I know it was excellent because I was thinking about it a lot and planning how I will write it and so on and on, but then I don't know what happened - I cannot remember. May be I just think too much. So just letting you all know, that the blog is still active, and if you don't see anything new, then that means my head is not active. Please stay tuned, and enjoy my other blobbing stories, and lets hope I have some new stories for you in the loot bag in the next few days.

Sometimes I Wonder Why?

1. Sometimes I wonder why we haven't been back to Moon since 1972?
2. Sometimes I wonder why since I been more in tuned with nature, animals tend to come my way, especially birds?
3. Sometimes I wonder how much stored data is there on Internet, and how much is generated everyday?
4. Sometimes I wonder why rain falls after every time I wash my car?
5. Sometimes I wonder why people have pets and they do not take care of them?
6. Sometimes I wonder why when I am really hungry, the food delivery takes forever?
7. Sometimes I wonder why I like graphed paper over lined paper?
8. Sometimes I wonder why when I am in the rush to get somewhere, there is always extra traffic on the road?
9. Sometimes I wonder why when I need help in return there is no body around?
10. Sometimes I wonder why when someone else is yawning, I start to yawn also?
11. Sometimes I wonder why I am more efficient when I am organized, and others are more efficient when they are not organized?
12. Sometimes I wonder how can one remember exact location of each object on one's study desk?
13. Sometimes I wonder why crying generates tears?
14. Sometimes I wonder why I dream every single day - its my second life?
15. Sometimes I wonder what kind of technology will be in the world 100 years from now?
16. Sometimes I wonder will I ever finish the Internet?
17. Sometimes I wonder why now that I am older the life seems to be zooming by?
18. Sometimes I wonder why I like number 11?
19. Sometimes I wonder why I get many encounters with number 11?
20. Sometimes I wonder why I cannot let go my fears - swimming and ghosts?
21. Sometimes I wonder why I love what I do....yeah sometimes I wonder?

The Silent Couple

When we started to mountain bike, it was all about the fitness, and as we biked more and more, it was more about self discovery - the appreciation for nature and people. The more we appreciated, and pay more attention the the surroundings - the more birds would come to us, the more animals be around us and the more interesting people would stop us on the side of the road to talk. And for those who passed us in silence, their silence gave us a sense of unprecedented calmness and peace, and happiness. If I talked about every person we met when biking this would be a long story to tell - but there is someone I want to talk about. Firstly what are the chances that you will see the same person every time you go biking. The only explanation is that since we bike only once a week in the morning that person must walk everyday in order for us to meet at almost the same location. So I don't really see coincidence in this encounter, but the coincidence was that we had the same routine.
It was one very beautiful summer day. Just by accident we decided to take a quick stop in that one location to get a drink. People were passing us by bikes, and by walking, and it was that one old couple that passed us. Both were tiny and fragile boned individuals due to their age, but beautiful. They were a long time friends, husband and wife. She was helping him to walk, as he looked much older and more fragile. She was a strong woman and he appreciated. They walked slowly, they did not talk nor say hello - but they were happy. They were happy that they were still together, they were happy that they lived that long, and even we don't know anything about their life - their face expressions told the story of their life - the love for each other. They were the silent people, but their silence was telling the story of their lives and was saying hello to us.
As the summer almost passed by, the birds continue to come to us, more animals race us through narrow bike trails everytime, and we continue to meet interesting people, and we continue to see the silent beautiful old lady - but she was alone. As we may physically perceive that she was alone, she was not. Her face expression told the story of her life - she is happy to celebrate her husband's life and continues to walk the same path with gentle smile on her face.
There will be a time that she will be gone one day too, but as we will continue this bike path of wisdom and to self discovery, the silent presence of a beautiful couple will always be there.

[TRUE STORY]

The Internet I Never Left

I finished the Internet. I am done. There is nothing else for me to do. Can you imagine if you really did finish the Internet. No, no one can imagine that. Internet is like the spider web, as a matter of fact that how the world wide web was named. If you look at the spider web, what do you see? What I see is no way out. That's right, no way out. Or you can say I see many ways to get somewhere, but there is no way out. If I recall my first experience on the web, it was during my university time, back in 1995. I was sitting in the computer room, full of the Unix stations and one big dot matrix printer making lot of noise. Aside, I got in trouble once from the administrator for printing too much, but he was nice and gave me just friendly reminder. Going back to my story, I was sitting front of the Unix station, and I don't know how I exactly was introduced to the net, but I was browsing through whole bunch of text with hyperlinks. From one hyperlink to another, I found myself in the United States White House. How cool was that? Yes, my blood pressure went up, excitement hit my face - I am in the White House. And all it was a picture of the White House dressed up with text. That was my first picture enhanced web site I visited, and that is how I entered the Internet space and never left.

[TRUE STORY]