So...it's been a while...

   I've done it again. I've let this blog sit idle for too long and visitor traffic has almost come to a stand still. Well, today I've decided to try to rectify that and bring you folks up to speed on what I've been up to lately.

• My job at Target is going well. It's been over two months now and I've really settled into my role as a member of the store's logistics team. In simple terms you could say I'm a glorified stock-boy, but I don't like that title. I do so much more than just stocking shelves.
• I get along really well with all of my coworkers and am making new friends all the time. I'd say everyone there gets along well, actually. I don't see any animosity between anybody and it's so nice to work in a drama-free environment.
• It's also really nice to continually hear how well I do my job. It's amazing just how much hearing the phrase "good job" can do for my morale. I've had other jobs in the past where my employers never did that and would only talk to me when I was doing something they saw as wrong, even if I was right. There's a reason those companies don't keep very many long term employees.
• Outside of Target, my involvement with this year's Rock The Shores and Rifflandia music festivals has already started. I've been contacted by the event producers and invited to work with them again this summer and I can hardly wait for that. Just the other day I helped the producers move into their new office downtown, which was a lot of work, but it was good to see everyone again.
• As far as my own musical hobby goes, I can't really say I've done a lot of playing lately. I've really been suffering from a lack of inspiration these days and I'm looking into possibly getting new guitar effects hoping that will spark something. I'll write more about that next time.
• I am making a lot of progress with my model ships. My third ship, a US Navy command ship, is really taking shape now and is starting to actually look more like a ship and not just a hodge-podge of random parts. I've done a lot of custom scratch-building and detailing to make the model look as much like the real ship does today as I can and while it can be frustrating working with such tiny parts, the payoff is worth it. The unfinished model already has a commanding presence on my bookcase!
• Speaking of my model ships, the video I made last year for my RMS Titanic has had over 11,000 views and has received a lot of positive comments. I'm really quite proud of that one.

   So that's about it, really. I know I'm not the most exciting blogger out there, but my life is stable. I have my wife, my friends, my health, and my home and I'm thankful for those things.
   I'll do my best to write more soon. To tide you over, here's a recent photo of my current model ship. This is the forward section of the main deck, loaded with communications equipment. There's a bit more to do, but I'm happy with how it looks so far!

   Take care of yourselves, and each other!

The Wandering Oak

Big Red Bull's Eye

   Hello, readers!

   It's been some time since my last post, but I honestly haven't had a lot to write about until now. The weeks since I lost my job at the bookstore have been a little tough with the job markets being so lean. Anyone that's been out of work for a while can tell you how frustrating it can get, especially in this day and age of online job boards with vague postings and faceless hiring procedures. You send them an email or resume and wait for a response.
And wait.
And wait.
   Even though I have hobbies like playing music, photography, and scale model ship building, I still found myself getting kind of bored and stir crazy.
   Well I'm happy to report that after almost two months of sitting idle I have found myself a new day job that I'll start soon. Not only that, I've also recently heard from some of the people I worked with during last summer's music festival season and they would like me to work with them again this summer!

   My new day job will be at a brand new Target store set to open here in Victoria this Spring. They hosted a hiring fair last week and I decided to go and meet them. The best part about Target I discovered is that they are very flexible in their scheduling. I told them during my interviews that I like to be a roadie in the summer months - which, by the way, they thought was "so cool!" - and they said there should be no problem balancing both jobs so long as I've got plenty of notice. Perfect!

   So, starting March 12th, I will be part of the receiving and merchandising team at the new store. Yes I'll have to get up pretty early, but it sounds pretty straight forward. The products come into the store and I help get them onto the shelves. Once in a while I'll be called upon to help a customer find something. Nothing I haven't done before. There's no commissioned sales or anything, so no worries there. I never was the strongest salesperson. I'll help a customer, but I'm not out to get them to spend more than they intended to.
   I've got a little shopping to do before I start my new job. Anyone familiar with Target likely noticed the staff dress code of red shirts and tan pants. I'm okay with that and I look good in red, which is something else I joked about near the end of my interviews when I knew I had the job. It made them laugh and I know I scored an extra point.
    I should be glad my new job isn't on the Starship Enterprise or that red shirt would pretty much make me a big red bull's eye!

Image courtesy of Google. 

The Wandering Oak

Short Chapter, Long Wait

    Well, here we are more than two weeks into 2013 and I find myself in the same position I was in this time last year: out of work. I did have a part time job at the Chapters store in downtown Victoria, but it turns out my seasonal contract with them was far shorter than I anticipated. Once the Christmas and Boxing Week rush was over, I was laid off.

    Fortunately we parted ways on good terms and I do have the option of working there again when there's work available, so no bridges were burned. As I said on my Facebook page the day it happened: "It's not like I crapped on the manager's desk, set fire to the place, and ran out yelling 'Later, bitches!'." In fact, it was quite the opposite. There was a lot of friendly handshakes and a "see you again". I even wrote a nice little note telling everyone there how much I enjoyed working with them and pinned it to the bulletin board in the staff lunchroom.

    Since that short chapter of my life has come to a close I haven't had a lot of luck on the job search front. I've applied for a few jobs and am waiting for replies, but a lot of other seasonal workers are in the same boat I'm in so it's a tough market out there. As I've mentioned before, what's important to my wife and me is keeping money in our emergency savings account, so I really just need something that will help us do that. It doesn't even have to be long term since I'm hoping to get back into working in live music once festival season starts up again in the summer. Although all the work involved left me little time for my family and friends, which I felt bad about, there was something about finally being able to work in the music industry that really made me happy. Lucky for me my wife and friends understand that and have actually been very supportive. I love them for it.

    But that was last summer and this is now. Right now I just need something to fill the gap. I know that the connections I made this summer haven't forgotten about me because one of them recently sent me some information about upcoming training sessions for building mobile stages similar to the ones I worked on at various gigs. That is an option. I did enjoy working on the stages and being certified could open some doors for me, but I'm nervous about spending the money on the course. As you know, no amount of training ever guarantees one work. I know someone who spent all kinds of money in university only to end up working at a fast food restaurant.

    Still, having that extra point on my resume might look good. As my former employer told me, "This is a great opportunity to get your name out there, not only in Victoria, but throughout BC. Depending on your future plan it is up to you to determine what's valuable to you." I guess I have some thinking to do.

   One bit of good news is that same former employer has forwarded my information to the appropriate parties that run the various events, so they know I'm out there waiting to help again. I guess I impressed the right people, but it's still going to feel like a long wait.

   Another unrelated, yet still positive, note is that I've had plenty of time to spend on my hobbies. I've read a good book, started another book, and have made a lot of progress on my scale model ships. All of that I will write about another time. Until then, I'll leave you with this bit of live sound humor:

 

The Wandering Oak

Travels, Turkey Dinner, and a Twisted Hull

   I'm sitting at my desk with a mug of very hot hot chocolate, spiked with spiced rum, and the music of the Flaming Lips is coming through my speakers. Outside, the changing leaves and cool, damp fog might just be enough to convince Victorians that Autumn has finally arrived and that we can put away the shorts and sandals we were wearing just last week. My lovely wife Megan is at work and I have the condo all to myself. Well, not entirely. Our cat Merlin is at my feet demanding my attention making it very difficult to type this opening paragraph.

   Since Rifflandia ended, my life has been pretty quiet. I find myself looking for work once again and I'm hoping I have better luck this season than I did last season. I really only need a part time gig to get me through the winter and I hope to get back into working in live music in the spring, so long as the Mayans are wrong and we survive past December 21st.

   It was nice to get away from Victoria over the recent long weekend, though. Megan and I visited her mother in Comox for Thanksgiving (Columbus Day, for my American readers, or whatever the day was in your part of the world), and we had a nice relaxing time there. I always enjoy visiting Comox and I get along really well with Megan's mother and her husband.

   A highlight for me was taking a nice, long walk along the beach on the Friday afternoon. The air was so clear and the only sound was the chatter of the sea birds swapping fishing stories - or whatever it is birds talk about.

 

 

 

   I also made friends with Megan's mother's newest cat Sneakers.

 

 

   Of course, it wouldn't be Thanksgiving without the turkey dinner.

 

 

   In other news: I've also been spending my spare time working on another 1/700th scale model ship, my third, and the project is not without its challenges. The biggest challenge is dealing with a defective part of the kit. What you see in the next picture below is the main portion of the ship's upper hull from directly astern. Your eyes aren't tricking you, the hull is twisted.

 

Forgive the sloppy paint job around the portholes. Those details will be taken care of when I do all my paint touch-ups.

 

   Lucky for me the lower portion of the ship's hull is straight and true, so I went ahead and joined the two components as well as the main decks and gently, yet firmly, clamped it all down. With a little heat from Megan's hair dryer the twist should work itself out.

 

 

   I still have a lot of work to do on the ship and I hope this issue doesn't set me back too far. There are a bunch of components left to install including the entire bridge and superstructure, the mast assembly, and a variety of equipment for the main deck such as sensor and communication domes, antennae, and weapons. In ship building lingo that would be "fitting out" and I enjoy that stage of the build. Wish me luck!

 

   That's all I'm going to write about for now, my friends. I've finished my hot chocolate and Megan just got home from work. My eyes have gone a little buggy from staring at the screen, or maybe it's the rum, and I need to stretch my legs. I was going to write about some of the music I've been listening to lately, besides the aforementioned Flaming Lips, but I think I'll save that for my next post.

 

   Until then, take care of yourselves, and each other.

 

The Wandering Oak

Everything's Coming Up Milhouse!

   You know when life just isn't going your way and it leaves you feeling rather uninspired? Well that's what's been happening in my world and it's the reason I haven't posted anything lately. I won't get into any details, but my current state of unemployment has motivated me to make some changes in my life. It's time to leave the trades.

   I've spent the last few months exploring several different options and so far none have panned out. Federal budget cutbacks have eliminated certain programs that were offered by local schools, so I've had to change my plans more than once. It's an exercise in frustration to say the least.

   Then, recently, it occurred to me that I should try to capitalize on the skills I already have and build on them to drive myself towards a career in marketing, specifically advertising. To those who don't know me very well this could seem like it's out of left field, especially since I've spent the last five years working in the trades as a commercial painter, but to those close to me it shouldn't be much of a surprise. I've always had a creative and artistic side to me and I've always wanted to find a way to use those strengths in fun and exciting ways. I love to write, make music, dabble in photography, and even make videos for YouTube. I've got a solid customer service background and I have great communication skills. Did you know that I even have a little experience producing radio commercials? It was a part time job I had back in the late 90's.

   I know that it's not going to be easy and that I'm definitely going to need some formal training. Advertising companies won't just hire any random bloke off the street. In preparation for this, I've contacted several of the local marketing and advertising companies and asked for general information, advice really, on how I can go about breaking into the field. One of them has actually replied and offered to meet with me next month to give me some advice. That was pretty quick considering I sent them an email yesterday!

   I've also taken the first steps in college enrollment for a marketing course that I hope to get into this fall by submitting my application earlier today. I still have to work out funding, but one step at a time. At least I've gotten myself going in the right direction and I'm happy about that.

   My day got even better. Once I was finished with all that work on the computer this morning, I went for a walk around the lake near my home. On one side of the lake is a small boardwalk that extends out over the water and is a great place to watch the birds. Today was a good day for that! I happened to come upon a mother duck and her ducklings and I watched dozens of little tree and barn swallows fly around the lake like feathered fighter jets. Those swallows are probably my favorite of the small birds and it was such a treat to see so many of them fly so close to me. They're curious little birds and a few of them even landed on the rail in front of me to say hi before taking off again to chase whatever tiny bugs they can catch. Too bad I wasn't quick enough to get a photo with my smart phone.

   Finally, after I returned from my walk, I got a phone call from a pizza place that we usually order from, but haven't in quite some time. The girl said that because it's been a while she would apply a five dollar credit to our account. I guess it's an incentive to order pizza again, but with limited income these days it might still be a while. I wonder how long I'd have to wait until they offer me a free pizza...

   So, while things may not have been so great in my life lately, good days like today just make me feel like everything's coming up Milhouse!

(c) Matt Groening / Fox

The Wandering Oak

For Lorene

   Today is a sad day among my circle of blogging friends. Sometime yesterday we lost one of our own. Lorene was a beautiful woman with three terrific kids and I can only imagine what her mother and family are going through tonight. At the time I'm writing this I don't know any details, but I do know that she will be missed by so many people.

   I never met Lorene in person, but I knew her well enough to call her a good friend. We "met" several years ago through an online community of like minded bloggers back when many of us were using the now defunct MSN Spaces platform. Her upbeat and funny posts had a way of touching us all and my best memories of her will be the little videos she made dancing to Britney Spears with her kids.

   We became friends on Facebook, and I'm sure a few holiday and birthday cards went back and forth over the years. She once told me that the relationship I have with my wife was an inspiration to her and I really think that's one of the highest compliments I've ever received.

   I really wish I could say more, but I'm still feeling a little stunned by the sudden loss. I just hope that wherever Lorene is now, she's still dancing.

The Wandering Oak

Seven Years Later, I'm Still Blogging

   Seven years ago today I stepped into the blossoming world of blogging. I always like to mark this anniversary because it was through blogging that I got to know and become friends with so many wonderful people.

   The title of my first blog page was Inland Shipwreck, an oxymoron of a name that I came up with while living in the middle of Alberta at the time, and it was hosted by the now defunct MSN Spaces. At the time, almost everybody was using that service because it was so easy to access through one's MSN Messenger account.

   I published my first post on Feb. 1, 2005 and it took a few weeks before I started to notice any traffic in my visitor stats. Of course I forgot to set my page to public at first, so once I changed that then I started to see the occasional comment on my posts. I think everyone can agree that it feels nice to see comments on your material. It's like: "Yay! People want to share their thoughts on something I wrote!"

   Slowly at first I developed a small following of regular readers, and in good karma I would read their blogs and leave comments. As time went on, my regular group of readers expanded and it soon became a daily ritual for all of us to surf to each other`s pages and leave comments. I think it became an addiction for many of us. At the time there were so many users on Spaces that it was far too difficult to follow every new blogger out there, so eventually my friends and I just started to stay within our little circle. It was like a friendly community of like-minded bloggers and it really was the Golden era. We even had a name for our little group: Spaces Boulevard.

   I made so many friends through that blog of mine, and I don't just mean cyber friends. In many cases a lot of us got to know each other outside of Spaces, exchanging emails, instant messages, text messages, phone calls, exchanging holiday and birthday cards, and even meeting in person. I can't imagine my life without some of those people. You know who you are.

   And then Facebook came along. The bubble burst. Suddenly one could write notes directly on Facebook, and easily share photos, so there was no longer a need for a blogging page. All of my blogging friends migrated over to Facebook and I went with them. Suddenly we were all able to share so much more with each other and that became the new addiction. It wasn't long after that Spaces eventually folded and was swallowed up by, what was it? Wordpress? I admit that it kind of sucks that all the work I put into that page is now lost in cyberspace, but at least I kept my friends.

   Then, about three years ago, a few of us caught the blogging bug again. The constantly changing Facebook made it a hassle to post neatly formatted blogs, and, speaking for myself, I wanted something a little more formal. That's when I learned about Blogger. By that time I had moved back to my home on BC's West Coast, so the name Inland Shipwreck no longer applied (though I kept it as an email address). After humming and hawing for a while over a name, a light bulb came on and The Wandering Oak became my new moniker.

   The rest, as they say, is history.

Memories from my Inland Shipwreck days.

The Wandering Oak

Retrospecticus, 2011

   Well here we are at the end of another year. For me 2011 flew by just as fast as any other year, and they seem to get faster as I get older. A lot has happened in my life this year, and honestly the majority of it hasn't been all that great, but I'm not going to write about that. There were plenty of great experiences this year, and the positive memories from those experiences far outweigh the bad ones.

   This is the time of year when most people will sum up the past year in list form. Everything from news stories to favorite songs are usually put out in a Top Ten list, so following that format I've decided to share my Top Ten Memories of 2011.

1. Mexico. From Feb. 25 to March 4th, my wife and I took our first ever trip to Mexico and stayed in a nice, all inclusive, beach front resort in the beautiful city of Puerto Vallarta. I could go on and on telling stories from that trip, but that would fill this page. Seeing humpback whales and exotic birds up close and steering a 47-foot sailboat by myself are definite highlights, but my wife and I also took in the local culture and didn't just stick to all the usual tourist traps. We also made some new friends that I hope to see again sometime soon. Overall, that whole week was the best week of the year.
2. Half My Life With My Wife. In August my wife and I celebrated 17 years as a couple, and we've been married for three of those years. I was 17 when we met and I'm 34 as I write this, so that means we've been together for half my life! I've got no problem being with her for the rest of my life, too! :)
3. A Day At Wild Play. On a nice day in July my wife and I got together with a bunch of our good friends and spent the afternoon going through Wild Play Amusement Park's "Monkido" course. The course is made up of different obstacles suspended from trees such as tight ropes, zip lines, rope climbing, and all kinds of other challenges. Everyone is rigged in for safety and just goes at their own pace. I have no fear of heights, so that was no issue for me, but some of those obstacles were still pretty tough. It was worth it though. All of us felt a hell of a sense of accomplishment when we got through it. Afterwards, all of us unwound near a historic lighthouse then went to our homes to freshen up and later reconvened at one friend's house for a few drinks. A perfect day.
4. My Turn on The Zone. This was just back in October when my favorite local radio station allowed regular listeners like myself to come in each day throughout the month to guest host our own one hour shows - playing our favorite songs, and chatting on air with the host. The real deal! I had a lot of fun during my turn, though when I listen to the playback I think I rambled a bit too much about my job during one segment. Nerves, I guess. Fortunately the host Pol helped me stay on track and I redeemed my cool factor by playing some great songs.
5. Jump Ship. The word "epic" gets tossed around a lot these days and doesn't always apply, but honestly epic is the best way to sum up that day. It started with gathering in Victoria's Inner Harbour with our friends to watch a bunch of BMX riders perform stunts on a barge tied up to the dock (thus the title Jump Ship), and the day just took off from there. After the event the lot of us wandered around downtown for a while, stopped for lunch, wandered some more, saw a bunch of naked cyclists, made our way to my home, then up to the lake nearby to meet another friend, then back to my home, then out for dinner, then finally out to another friend's house for drinks. Again, epic.
6. Sam Roberts. Now there`s a Canadian artist I`ve been wanting to see in concert for a while now and this year I finally had my chance. Mr. Roberts and his band rolled into town in October and played at the historic Royal Theatre and just the venue alone was worth the admission. What a beautiful building with great acoustics! The show went on for roughly two hours and everyone was moving. They played all of their well known hits and extended a few of them with nice little jams giving each musician a little solo here and there. I hate to say it, Sam, but I think your saxophone player stole the show a few times! I`d see them again if they come back to Victoria.
7. The Zone`s Toy Drive. I wrote about this event not too long ago. This was the second year I took part in the radio station`s Christmas Toy Drive and I`ll do it again next year too. It all goes to such a great cause and it makes me feel good to know I`ve done my small part to make some underprivileged children happy during the holidays.
8. My Birthday. As I mentioned above, I turned 34 this year, and this was the first time in many years that more than just one of my friends was able to make it to my birthday party. Thanks for coming out and making it a good one, guys. Just six more weeks until my 35th!
9. Building RMS Titanic (in 1/700 scale). I haven`t built a model ship since I was in my early teens, but in the summer of 2010 a good friend of mine, knowing my fondness of ships, gave me a plastic kit of the famous ocean liner saying it would look good in my den/office. It sat on my shelf until I finally had some time off last winter, then I went out to get some supplies and paint and had a go at building the kit. I started just before Christmas and finished this year just after my birthday in February. It does look good here in the den! I`m quite proud of how it turned out.
10.  Highest Roof In Town. The job site itself may have been a nightmare with so many other different trades around, and our task at hand was a daunting one to say the least, but there`s something to be said for having the privilege of seeing the city from a perspective that few people ever get to see it from. Although geographically there are higher points around Victoria, none offer the view you get from the roof of the 23-storey Orchard House building near Beacon Hill Park. When it wasn`t raining, it was downright beautiful up there and made up for all the job related crap we had to deal with. It also helped that a few of the guys I was working with are good friends of mine. If we didn`t have each other to vent to, we would have likely un-clipped our safety gear and taken a dive! (Okay kidding, but it was a rough job.) Thank goodness for good friends.

   So there you have it. Ten highlights from an otherwise not so great year. I`m looking forward to 2012, even if the Mayans are right and the world ends. I`m going to try to make the most of it, and you should too. Remember the people who are most important to you in your life and make time for them. Do things you wouldn`t normally do, but be safe about it. You want to make sure that if there is a 2013 you`re here to see it.

   Until next year, my friends.

The Wandering Oak

I'm Still Here, I Just Bought a New Home Is All...

Hey friends!

I know I've slipped off the Radar lately, but I'm still around. My job as a painter is still keeping me pretty busy, but what's really been filling my time lately is getting ready to move into the new condo Megan and I just purchased.

The process of buying our first home has been a long one, but it's almost over. We signed the last of the legal documents a few days ago and if all goes well we will have the keys in our hands tomorrow! We're not moving in until the end of the month, but we can officially say the place is ours!

My friend Kate and her husband are just starting out on the same journey to find their first home and I wish them all the best.

Hey! I just had an idea for tomorrow's photo of the day on my 365 page...the keys! Speaking of my other page, have you folks been checking out my pictures? I've been posting one a day for almost 70 days now. I don't get too many comments, so I really have no idea how many people see that page, but I don't care (okay maybe I do, a little). I took on the challenge to see if I could do it. My friend Chelle warned me it would be tough, and she was right, but I'm not going to give up.

Well I'd love to stay and chat, but I've still got some packing to do and I'd best get to it. As you can see, our cat Merlin is eager to help...

The Wandering Oak

Saturday Tidbits

Hey friends,

   I guess it's been a couple of weeks since I posted anything on this page, but as mentioned in my last post, I've been pretty involved in purchasing a new home and my day job as a painter has also kept me pretty busy. At least I've been been able to keep up with my 365 Project.

   I have a little free time this Saturday morning, so I thought I'd share a few tidbits of my life as of late. I said tidbits, not Timbits. Mmmm Timbits... Ahem, sorry. I shouldn't write when I'm hungry.

• Megan and I are about 5 weeks away from taking possession of our new condo. We'll move in about 3 weeks after we take possession because we need time to have the floors done and for us to paint the place. It's easier to do those things when the place is empty. The other upgrades we want to do can be done while we live there.
• I'm looking forward to painting our new home. It will be nice to paint for myself and take my time to do the job the way we want it done. Megan and I are still trying to decide what colours to go with. The nice thing about working in the trade is that I can get paint and supplies quite easily and at contractor pricing. Bonus!
• No pressure or anything, but I'm going to have to make sure I do a good job. Some of my friends are painters and will be invited to our housewarming party...
• Work is going quite well for me so far this season. I'm no longer working the night shift at the DND Hazmat building on the Navy base and have been bouncing around from one job site to another for the past few weeks. As time goes on there are more and more places I can look at on a map of Victoria and say "I worked there!"
• My supervisors seem to really like me and have really done their best to keep me working. I've also earned their trust over the past few seasons and that makes me happy. No longer do I have supervisors looking over my shoulder telling me to paint a certain way or to go faster. They just tell me what to do and do it as I see fit.
• I'm the type of person who will ask questions if I'm not sure about something and ask for assistance when I need it. I also take responsibility for any mistakes I do make and clean up after myself.
• The difference between a pro painter and an amateur is that a pro will clean up his or her mistakes before anyone else notices.
• I like the fact that I'm always doing different things and I'm always gaining new skills. It's hard to believe that only 4 years ago I was working in a call center for an American cell phone company doing the same robotic tasks day in and day out.
• I still cringe whenever I see one of that cell phone company's commercials, or any of those Jamster ads.
• One thing that makes me sick to my stomach is the oil rig disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. Isn't that heartbreaking? I'm old enough to remember the Exxon disaster in Alaska 20 years ago and they're still cleaning that one up. This new one is shaping up to be the worst ever! I don't give a crap about the financial losses of the oil company. I'm worried about all those birds, sea creatures, and other animals that live down there, as well as the livelihoods of the people who make their livings fishing in the gulf.
• The world really needs to ween itself from it's dependency on fossil fuels.

Well, my friends, I'm out of things to say for now. I'm hungry and need to eat something before Megan and I embark on another busy day leading up to the big move. People to go, places to do, things to see, etc... (I messed that up on purpose :P ) I'll try to get back into blogging more often once the dust settles.

Take Care!

The Wandering Oak

It's Okay, I Still Had Fun

   Well, folks, I didn't win my friend Chelle's Ugly Things Contest. It's okay, I still had fun. I got to read a lot of funny blogs as I stalked judged checked out the competition, and I knew I didn't have a chance. Here is the winning entry.

   I just wanted to play along, and you know what, it wasn't a total loss. I got the Green Participation ribbon I wanted. I haven't gotten one of these since I was in junior high school!

   I'll take a little bit of credit for the green ribbon idea, seeing as I was the one who subliminally put the idea in Chelle's head, but the hand made sock zombie and cool photo shopping is all her.

The Wandering Oak

A Little More Effort

Hey everyone,

First of all, a very belated Happy New Year! (Unless you follow the Chinese calendar, at which case I'd be early on that one).

So it's 2010, and we're already 13 days into the new year. Unbelievable. Is it just me or is time going faster and faster? I've had this blog going for almost a year now, and I'll be celebrating birthday number 33 in just a few short weeks.

When I started this blog last year I intended to write and post photos quite regularly, but even I've got to say I've been slacking. As a result this page is far less popular than my previous blog ever was. Besides being distracted by other things in my life, I lay part of the blame for this on facebook. I don't mean that in a bad way against facebook, but like many people today I guess I've just come to like the instant gratification. It's weird how something I post in my status message that took only seconds to write generates more feedback than anything I've posted here that took time and effort to compose. Mind you, not everything I post there gets as much attention as I hope it would (videos, photos, links, etc), but with so many users doing so many things it's likely many people simply don't see some things because their walls could be cluttered up by someone else's activities.

Well instead of letting myself get down about it, I've decided to put a little more effort into promoting this page. Initially I was going to remain anonymous on this page, and I still will be to those who come here by way of say google or just randomly flipping through blogs, but I'm going to start importing my notes to my personal facebook page so that my friends can read or see what I've posted, and leave comments there if they choose to.

Of course this also means I'm going to have to start posting more often. I seem to remember reading something when I first signed up here that said that's the key to generating traffic on your blog, so I'd better get my acorns together and do just that.

And if I can't think of something to write about, you'll get a nice photo to enjoy. Like this one of a sunrise I watched last week:

Until next time, take care of yourselves, and each other.

The Wandering Oak