This Post was Automatically Generated...by ME

Everything these days seems automatic. I can go into a bathroom, flush the toilet, turn on the tap, dispense soap, get paper towels and leave the room all without touching anything. I swear we get lazier every day. That or more germophobic.

There are automatic doors everywhere. Being a mom with a mammoth stroller, I look for these everywhere! They are really handy, and I even get frustrated if there is no auto door at a store. But what happens when they break down?

I was at a store with someone (who will not be named) who walked onto one of those mats that triggers the door to open. It didn't open. Instead of pushing it open, she turned to me with her jaw dropped and said, "What do we do?".

The auto doors where I work are CONSTANTLY breaking down. Sometimes they open fast and then slow down so abruptly that I've actually run into them (more times that I'm going to admit). Sometimes they won't open and can't be pushed open. Sometimes they won't close. Sometimes they close before you're through. But more often than not, they are wrapped in yellow "caution tape". I'm sure they have a full time staff member to fix the stupid things because I'm not kidding you, I see him there at least 2 times a week. Might as well pay a doorman to operate it. At least then you'd get a friendly "hi" out of it.

This morning I was pleasantly surprised to see said doors opening up while I was still 10 feet away from them. They opened at a nice even speed, stayed open while I walked through them, and shut AFTER I had passed. I was in shock. I've worked here for HOW LONG and this is the first time the doors have worked properly?? I wonder how long this automatic bliss will last?

This brought me to realize that I don't think automation will ever completely take the place of humans.

Take my job as another example.

Without boring you with too many data details, there are many "automatic" transfers that happen here from network to network, database to database. And I spend approximately 1 - 1.5 hours PER DAY making sure that the computer transfers things correctly.

Guess what? It doesn't. I have to change about 40% of the data that was "automatically transferred" because it is either incorrect or incomplete. I do have better things to do...

...like go to a meeting now to discuss these problems.

Huh?

Somebody please remind me of what day it is. Is it not March 9... less than 2 weeks from the start of spring? What is up with the snow? I had a pretty hairy commute this morning, slipping and fishtailing on major roads.

I'm so shocked by the blizzardy (is that a word?) conditions that I searched for record snowfalls in Vancouver. I was surprised to see that this isn't too out of the ordinary.

The Vancouver Sun reports that last April 21, 2008, Vancouver airport got 2.5 cm of new snow. That make the record books for the lastest snowfall EVER in Vancouver. Does anyone remember this? I sure don't. Maybe it's because I was on maternity leave and didn't have to go out in it? Maybe it only fell on the airport? Who knows.

I hear that it's supposed to be bitter cold (in Vancouver standards) the rest of the week before hitting a much-needed 10 degrees on Friday. So I guess it's just one more week of bundling up before packing up the scarf. But who believes the weathermen anymore?

* * * * *

On another note, daylight savings is dumb. I had to get out of bed at 4:30am old time to go to work today. I was going to be good and go to bed nice and early, but children are not equipped with a "daylight savings program chip" in their brain and Nate was up really late.

Because start work so early, it's depressing in fall/winter to arrive in the pitch black. Especially since I have to walk nearly 10 minutes from my parking spot to get here. I ALMOST got run over in October. I was walking on a crosswalk, and a turning car BARLEY missed me. I felt the wind from the car on my legs. If it was light out, he would have seen me.

In the past 2-3 weeks, it's actually been light as I commute! It's amazing what that does on my mood in the morning! I actually feel blessed to be up so I can see the sunrise. But now, it's back to black.

What a gloomy way to end a post...

Photo of the Day

Waaaaay back when I was on mat leave and Colin was the one working (3 jobs ago), I started an almost-daily tradition. Using the camera on our computer monitor, I would take a photo of Nathan and email it to Colin at work. We called it the POTD (photo of the day). Most often, the photos were taken before I had a chance to have a shower so these are not the greatest photos of me around!

It started with this photo, when he was about 6 months old and really round!

Sometimes, I sent them to show Colin how my day was going:

And sometimes I sent them as a plea for him to come home from work to spend time with us:

And sometimes they are just plain silly:

When the roles reversed in Dec, Colin started sending ME the photos. When I was the one sending the photos, I usually waited until I had Nathan dressed in a cute outfit. But when Colin sends them, 90% of the time he's still in his jammies. Cuz when he's with daddy he stays in his jammies a lot longer!

They honestly brighten my day, especially when I'm having a "I want to be at home with my boy" day. Like today.

Here's what I got today that made me laugh out loud:

Nathan found these boots/slippers (that are WAY too big) in his closet, in a box for future use. He took them to Colin and said, "BOOTS". So apparently, he's been wearing them around the house! Silly little monkey.

Even if it's a photo of Nathan just being his smily self, it's a daily treasure that helps keep me going when all I want to do is be at home with my boys.

Facebook is Down so Here I Am!

It's my lunchbreak and my facebook account is offline for maintenance. How dare they? So here I am with some random thoughts & happenings of late.

* * * * *

Nathan is made of rubber. He had a bad fall last week. No details needed. No need to call social services either. He fell 8 feet straight down in one of those how-can-my-kid-move-so-fast moments. Thank God he's absolutely FINE! No "humpty dumpty" here.

* * * * *

I haven't actually mentioned on my blog that I'm expecting #2. Well...I am! Due Aug 30, that makes me 14 weeks (3.5 months) and in my 2nd trimester. GOODBYE MORNING SICKNESS! I think it was more severe, but didn't last as long. The fatigue is still hanging around, but hey. I'm working full time and have an 18 month old at home (who is a little...adventurous....as I mentioned above). So I'd be tired anyway.

Don't know if we're finding out what it is. There are good and bad points for both. Did any of my readers find out the gender? Were you glad? Or did it spoil the surprise? Any comments about that topic would be great.

* * * * *

Colin is still Mr. Mom. There are no jobs out there to apply for! Just a tad frustrating and worrying. Just a tad.

We are BIG TIME having to cope with God's timing in our lives. To be expecting a baby when Colin's not working is not what we had in mind (he was still working when I got preggers). But God has a plan for our little one and there's a reason he/she is the one for us.

* * * * *

Here comes another baby boom! I have 4 close friends who are due within 3 months of me! 3 of us it's our second kid and 2 it's their first. The 3 of us who are expecting our second kid are due within 3 weeks. CRAZY! And no, we do not call each other up and plan these things. Must be in the water.

* * * * *

JLo, very dear friends of ours, are heading out on a round the world missions trip to write a book and photograph various missions projects. They leave Sunday! I'm not sure if I'm allowed to post a link, so Lo, can you mention it in a comment if I'm allowed??

We'll miss them dearly! They'll be gone while I get all fat, and won't be back until after baby #2 arrives. But we've remained great friends through thick and thin and moving all over the province several times, so this won't even be a bump in the road for our friendship!

* * * * *

I need to go and burn my lips and nose off by eating some spicy kimchi noodles now (my latest pregnancy craving). By the time baby is born, I'll be a pillar of salt. I'll have to name it with the initials M.S.G. But man are these noodles good!