I can has weblog? » Family

Margaret Waddell and Hummingbirdhouse Music Studio

Justin — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 21:47:05 +0000

I’ve been trying to write this for months now, but it always comes out cheesy sounding and not very well said. I’ve given up. Here is my best attempt at thanking a person.

So… this may seem a little bit odd if you have been to my site before. I’m not accustomed to writing about things other than geeky-computer-how-to type stuff, but I wanted to give a shout to a person who means a lot to myself and my family.

Margaret Waddell has been a wonderful friend of our family for a little over a year now. We first met in a natural foods store where she was, if memory serves(probably doesn’t), mixing herbs for a foot soaking cocktail. Of course, my very outgoing daughter Freya caught her attention and it quickly came to light that Margaret was a music teacher in need of marketing and web services. I could tell right away that we were a good match and offered to barter my web development services for her music classes. Best decision ever.

Freya absolutely loves Margaret. Freya likes just about everyone, but with Margaret it’s different. You can see it with Margaret too. A kinder person I’ve not met, but you can see and hear it when Margaret interacts with Freya…it’s love. Not only has Freya gained a lifelong friend, but her musical skills have gone through the roof. She loves listening to and making music all day long, it’s a real joy to see and hear.

You can find the website I built for Margaret at http://hummingbirdmusic.net if you have a child, and want them to have the benefits of an early childhood music program, do give her site a visit. Margaret teaches classes for little ones with singing, hand clapping, bounces, shakers, dancing, and so on…but also does piano/keyboard classes as well as Irish Tin Whistle. Check out the class listing here: http://hummingbirdmusic.net/classes.

Thanks Margaret, we all love you! (You too RavenWolf!)

Somewhat Serendipity

Justin — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 14:07:37 +0000

Usually the word serendipity(as I hear it most often) is used to suggest that there was meaning in coincidence. Something unlikely that, simply because it occurred to the person in question, is somehow filled with meaning beyond chance.

Upon consulting the Wikipedia – I was relieved to find that the definition of serendipity didn’t exactly fit.

Serendipity is the effect by which one accidentally discovers something fortunate, especially while looking for something else entirely.

Last night, after we devoured a Chinese food feast – we each opened our fortune cookies. Everyone who has ever opened a fortune cookie knows it is very much like reading a horoscope, having your palm read, or consulting a crystal ball. Sometimes, most of the time, you can interpret your fortune to be “OMG that’s totally me!”.

Since we were, in fact, expecting fortunes – it really can’t be called serendipitous… but they did make us all feel sweet, so I thought I’d share.

Freya’s fortune

Life to you is a dashing and bold adventure.

Now that’s a well written fortune. Freya does live life as an adventure – “adventure” is what we call just about anything that involves leaving the house…

Laura’s fortune

You have a strong desire for a home and your family comes first.

Laura is all about making a home for our family. She sacrifices endlessly for us.

My fortune

Your present plans are going to succeed.

Perhaps the most like your usual fortune – but still being that I’m uber stressed about a project that I don’t want to fail…needed reassurance. I guess I’ll take what I can get at this point.

I guess it goes to show – things don’t have to have meaning to be nice.

Octopus is Calling

Justin — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 18:33:00 +0000

Freya made this up today at story time. Mom said she went to her room and grabbed an older book and said she wanted to “read” it to her. This was her story:

Octopus was having real feeling about wanting her daddy. Daddy came home and took her to the farmer’s market and they got lots of good food! They came home and Octopus ate an avocado and it was really good. Octopus and Daddy love each other very much. The end!

I have the best daughter ever!

Activism in miniature

Justin — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 04:32:00 +0000

Last Sunday was International Peace Day. Laura has already blogged about Freya’s inclusion in the local newspapers. It seems that whenever our family and the press are in the same place at the same time, we’re makin’ the papers(at least the online versions).

I actually feel a bit bad about it. There were a great many people present at this rally and march who were much more involved in its organization, and much more representative of the event in general.

Our daughter is just too cute!

This is an old one from last year when Matt Blunt thought it’d be an awesome idea to stop planned parenthood from going into schools to educate kids about the issues, and to stop giving abortions to women who need them…