Christmas Trees

On Tuesday night Amber and I went and bought our Christmas tree from a lot a few blocks over.  As we brought it in the house and needle fell all over the floor she commented that for someone that wanted a real Christmas tree I was doing a lot of complaining.  It was at this point that I told her that I was complaining because we in fact did not have a real Christmas tree, we had areal, fake tree.

The tree we brought home has been cut for at least a few days already if not a week or so, it was farmed as well in some field perfectly spaced from other trees to allow sun from all sides and so on.  Yes it is a real tree in the sense that it is not a plastic or metal tree, but it is like some tree from the matrix or something.

In my childhood we went and got real trees, usually on Christmas eve.  My dad and I would go out into the woods (we lived in the woods) in search of a great tree.  Within fifteen minutes we would see a tree or two that looked ok, but there must be something better so we would keep walking.  Eventually we would be cold and snow would be in our boots and anything resembling a tall green thing would be up for consideration. 

A tree would of course be found and we would drag it back home.  It would be put up in the stand and then have to be turned to show the best side of it away from the wall.  This was key, because since it was a real tree there was a ‘best side’ because usually the side deemed ‘not best’ would have a huge gap in branches and such.  Typically then we would have to use some twine to tie the tree up to the ceiling.  If we did not do this step it was usually the case where the tree we had selected could not bear it’s own weight, I think this was partly due to the fact that until dad made his own we must have had the worst tree stand in history.

I have been known to go out into the woods and get my own tree in my adulthood as well, following almost the exact same plan as my dad, but this year we were a bit rushed since Amber’s mom is coming tonight to do the whole Christmas thing and going out in the dark to find a tree would be pointless.

Next year we are getting a real, real tree. For now, this will have to do.

Nintendo

On Sunday I bought Mario Kart 7 for my 3DS.  It is just another example of how Nintendo can make a long running series of games with each one being a hit.  It also shows how they know their fan base and can turn out products that please them.  Another example of this would be that just a couple of weeks about I bought Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword which I have talked about already, and just also in the last few weeks I’ve bought Super Mario 3D Land.

Each of these games are unique from each other and indeed unique from the rest of the games on the market.  Yes there are other kart racing games, but Mario Kart did it first, and it always does it better than a game that is trying to imitate it’s success.

I think it is funny that Amber actually refers to playing video games at all as “Playing Nintendo” if I am using the TV to do it.  I have an Xbox 360 and that is actually something I thought I would never get was a non-Nintendo gaming system, eventually it became essential since just a few really amazing games where not done quite right by third party developers on the Wii, or simply not done at all (the NHL series, Rock Band, Portal and the new Batman games).

It is quite interesting to look at me game collection actually I think as I only have a handful of Xbox games, basically those mentioned above and a couple of downloaded ones.  As for my Wii, DS and 3DS games I’d say about 95% of them are Nintendo made which is considerable since I have had each of those system since the day they came out.

I think somewhere along the line I missed the day where I was supposed to love games like Halo and Grand Theft Auto.  I would rather play the original Super Mario Bros. than either of those series of games.  If I want to shoot things I have Metroid to do it with, if I want and adventure I have so many versions of Legend of Zelda to do that too, if I want to race I have Mario Kart and if I want to just have some fun I have Super Mario.

I’ve always been a Nintendo guy, and always will be I think, they just make so many games I love, and that I can share with anyone!

FMM–I Am…

Thanks to www.alltheweigh.com we have another Friend Making Monday, take part do your own, post the link in my comments section and over at www.alltheweigh.com, get readers, have fun!

1. I am good at… Karate, being sarcastic, finding time for the gym.

2. I am happy when…most of the time actually, but specifically when I’m with friends.

3. I am working on…getting better at playing guitar, now that I have been shown an easier F chord I hope to learn some new songs.

4. I am interested in…taking trips and learning new things.

5. I am always…looking to improve my abilities.

6. I am enjoying…all the new video games I have gotten lately!  Batman Arkham City, Super Mario 3D Land, Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword and Mario Kart 7!!

7. I am in…My PJs, at home, in the living room, in Peterborough, Ontario Canada.

8. I am reading…The Batman Files, very interesting, written like a cross between a diary and a scrapbook.

9. I am concerned about…my Grandma that is in the hospital, nothing too serious but concerning nonetheless and what fun things I will do at work this week.

10. I am looking forward to…Hockey tonight, My wife’s birthday next week and then Christmas!

Now it’s your turn! Don’t forget to come back and share a link to your blog in the comments! Happy Monday my friends!

What I Notice About Professional Development

I went to another Professional Development session last night and got to see a couple friends from school yay!  Oh yeah but I also learned something great about doing learning stories, far more useful than what we learned about learning stories in college.  I enjoy PD sessions, it’s nice to be in that type of learning setting again.  However, I do wish people would speak up!

Last night there was eight of us there, everyone knew at least one other person and yet it was still like pulling teeth to get responses from the crowd when the facilitator asked a question.  It was like being in the first year of college all over again.We all know that everyone there had good thoughts and ideas, I know for sure that at least half of us were college graduates, and everyone works each day in the same field (some folks were school age staff).  Why go to PD if you have no intention of taking part?

I get singled out enough as it is at things like this because I’m a guy.  In fact in a company of more than 150 employees I’m the only male ECE, and just one of two guys that works for the company!  So to pipe up with a response or answer first on each open question the facilitator gives makes me a little on edge I guess (I’m so glad Keri had things to say first only a few questions in a couple of times!).

It is not about appearing smart or trying to be right, it is about moving the whole process along.  I do not want to give up my evening to spend a quarter of it sitting in silence waiting for someone to be brave enough to give a response, just say what you have got to say. 

In school I truly believe that it was my early ridiculous answers or actions that gave some of the other members of the class the ability to speak up without worrying about being wrong.  I mean after a college instructor asks a group of students how you can effectively discipline a child and I make a backhand motion in plain view of that instructor and get a “Chris! You can’t do that!”  Any answer is a good answer and folks say what’s on their mind.

Take part in your own learning, speak up, be unafraid to say what’s on your mind.  The whole learning process is much more enjoyable that way.  And it moves along a heck of a lot faster!