Let's Make Some Art, Dammit

December 31, 2014. Still in Halifax, getting ready for comedy, and a little New Year's Eve shopping. 2014 was on balance a good year. The daily photos will continue in 2015 because, well, why not? from Flickr http://ift.tt/1y7Tfzu

December 30, 2014. Looking west down South Street from the Westin where we are staying while in Halifax for another bout of New Year's Eve stand-up comedy ay Yuk Yuk's. Because the best way to see the old year out is to laugh at it. Today: brutally cold and windy. Nasty nasty weather. hence the below-average daily pic. from Flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/stephen_downes/15965812269

December 29, 2014. This is the alarm clock that wakes me up (and has done so for ten years or so). That's why it looks a bit beat up. Note the unused iPad case under it. If Microsoft hadn't cheated me out of my downloaded movies (which won't play because of DRM issues) I would have no use for an iPad whatsoever. As it is, my next tablet will be a Galaxy Tab or something like that. from Flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/stephen_downes/15528319283

December 28, 2014. I've cleaned out the back room upstairs we have been using for storage. It will be my new office - needed because I'll be spending more time on videoconferences and on camera this year. I'm not planning a major overhaul (because we want to do larger renovations this year), just enough to make it workable. from Flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/stephen_downes/15960540288

December 29, 2014. This is the alarm clock that wakes me up (and has done so for ten years or so). That's why it looks a bit beat up. Note the unused iPad case under it. If Microsoft hadn't cheated me out of my downloaded movies (which won't play because of DRM issues) I would have no use for an iPad whatsoever. As it is, my next tablet will be a Galaxy Tab or something like that. from Flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/stephen_downes/15528319283

December 28, 2014. I've cleaned out the back room upstairs we have been using for storage. It will be my new office - needed because I'll be spending more time on videoconferences and on camera this year. I'm not planning a major overhaul (because we want to do larger renovations this year), just enough to make it workable. from Flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/stephen_downes/15960540288

December 27, 2014. We stayed overnight and I decided to take advantage of the unusual light, lack of snow, and a polarizing lens to capture this unique perspective of Charlottetown on a December afternoon. These rose hips literally shone in the light of Charlottetown harbour. Here are the rest of my Charlottetown photos . from Flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/stephen_downes/15936454809

December 26, 2014. We drove down to Charlottetown to watch the Miracles play the Storm. It was a great game, and they put on a great show at the Eastlink Centre. Our team came out on the shoirt end, despite time outs like this. We sat in the 'Anna' seats, beside the players' bench (they call them 'Hollywood' seats in Moncton). I liked the chaneg of pace, you're a lot closer to aspects of the game, but I think I prefer my seat right under the bucket. If I'd had the seat right at the aisle, though, I'd probably have a different view. from Flickr http://ift.tt/1t6U709

December 25, 2014. Some people say they prefer a white Christmas, but I say give me rain any day. Even this rain, a torrential downpour, that we got Christmas evening. from Flickr http://ift.tt/1t6U6JL

December 24, 2014. A quick visit to Honda for the car's annual safety check. Then out to Consolvo for a bicycle trainer. And Home Depot for some cabinets for my new office desk. from Flickr http://ift.tt/1CWoV9V

December 23, 2014. Heading home after work. I'm tired like these flags. It has been a long year, I've worked really hard, it has been good, but I'm ready for the break. from Flickr http://ift.tt/1xaXG9z

December 22, 2014. We have just a dusting of snow in Moncton right now, just enough to brush the trees with a layer of white. I see these trees every day I'm in the office; they border the parking lot and the building. We used to be bounded on three sides by forest, byt the trees are gradually receding and the buildings and parking lots are expanded. I wish there were a way to grow and develop without killing trees. from Flickr http://ift.tt/1zr04wk

December 21, 2014. A quiet Sunday, a light dusting of snow outside, reading Facebook and some email, and a quick trip to Costco. This is the light on the front porch - it's not nearly as bright as this photo makes it seem. from Flickr http://ift.tt/1GLBRSk

December 20, 2014. The Sistema NB program of the New Brunswick Youth Orchestra performs during half time at the Moncton Miracles game today. Nice game, won 118-104 by the Miracles, nice performance, and I was even able to eat some popcorn. from Flickr http://ift.tt/1AS8R7B

December 19, 2014. Third day of recovery, third cat photo. This is Alex in the front hall sitting on the wooden bench we bought from the craft market. from Flickr http://ift.tt/1AQHmLw

December 18, 2014. Another day indoors playing Civ as I continue to recover from my dental operation. This is Polly, cleaning, and in the background, cleaning supplies. from Flickr http://ift.tt/1wJg5LO

December 17, 2014. There's nothing better than having a cat (or four) around when you're under the weather. This is Lexi, who still hasn't figured out how to be a demure adult cat. (And me, I stayed in an played Civ all day, between helpings of soup and codeine painkillers). from Flickr http://ift.tt/1w12r1E

December 16, 2014. The ceiling at the dentist. It's not a very good image, because it's washed out by the light and taken while I'm in the process of getting a gingival transplant. But there's a story behind this image. I've said many times that "knowing is recognizing" and "to know is to can't not know". The example I use is, "it's like finding Waldo. Once you find him, you can't unfind him." This is where that theory and this example comes from - the ceiling of my dentist's office. from Flickr http://ift.tt/1wFIaDH

December 15, 2014. It was just a little snow squall, nothing that stayed on the ground, just enough to obscure the windshield. This is what remains of the bush in the centre of the parking lot at the office (it used to be a nice stand of forest) around noon as I drove out for my lunch-time coffee (and escape). from Flickr http://ift.tt/1uKRfpv

December 14, 2014. A trip to Costco for soft foods (I have an encounter with the dentist coming up). This man glared at me for taking his picture - but then again, he did walk right into the shot as I was taking it, so I figure all is fair. from Flickr http://ift.tt/1wtioSZ

December 13, 2014. The malls were wall-to-wall shoppers today (and traffic was ridiculous). We went to pick up a prescription and to replace a dead coffee machine. I like visiting malls during the December rush, not to buy things (I actually don't buy much in December at all) but because it's fun to watch all the people. from Flickr http://ift.tt/1w45pHH

December 12, 2014. Moncton Miracles played tough defense today and were nailing the 3-point shots. This was easily their best game of the year, and the third quarter one of the best I've ever seen the team play as it built a 33 point lead and cruised in the 4th. Nice way to end the week. from Flickr http://ift.tt/1uyEZt7

December 11, 2014. Chrome and Firefox can no longer find Silverlight. Flash does nothing but crash. Internet Explorer no longer scrolls. Please, browser and plugin peope, stop fighting with each other - all I want to do is watch Netflix. from Flickr http://ift.tt/1yFIrIM

December 10, 2014. This week's Moncton Photo theme. From left to right, top to bottom: a silhouette of me made by a street vendor in Taiwan, the gavel from my days as president of th Graduate Students Association at the University of Alberta, a sea dollar from the beach at San Francisco when Andrea and I visited for the millenium, Andrea's troll, husband-and-wife figurines given to us at our wedding in 1998, empire state building souvineer from my first visit to New York in 2001, Andrea's bear, my King Kong that was part of my Halloween costume (I went as the Empire State Building) in 1983, water bottles from my safari at Kruger National Park in South Africa in 2006, Coleman lantern, sea shell from PEI, Belgian beer bottle with an obscene lable, juice bottle from Colombia from this year, urn from Colombia from 2006, mate gourd from Argentina from a few years ago, yerba cup from Paraguay this year, two tiles from conferences in Turkey, and two stones from the beach at North...

December 9, 2014. It was standing room only at the nomination meeting for the next NDP candidate for Moncton in the upcoming federal election. Luc Leblanc will represent the party in October. from Flickr http://ift.tt/1waZm3C

December 8, 2014. All day on an airplane, starting out from Tegel in Berlin, pictured here, and ending hours later in Moncton. from Flickr http://ift.tt/1yxdiai

December 7, 2014. I saw this fluffy sparrow along the road in Berlin. Sore feet today, so I only walked 10 km or so. from Flickr http://ift.tt/1zeNNcD

December 5, 2014. This is the audience for my keynote at Online Educa Berlin, where I talked about Reclaiming Personal Learning. from Flickr http://ift.tt/1yr4CCc

Deceber 4, 2014. This welcome break at Online Educa Berlin was provided by comedian Amelia Jane Hunter. from Flickr http://ift.tt/1zYmFN8

December 3, 2014. I went to this large Berlin deprtment store to buy a new coffee maker. This was after attending the preconference on ePortfolios and badges. from Flickr http://ift.tt/1tUvlj0

December 2, 2014. Thanks to @OEBconference for stepping in and getting me back into order - among other things I bought a wallet from this nice vendor in the Christmas Market to replace the stolen one. from Flickr http://ift.tt/1yDQ00b

November 11, 2014. These are the coffee makers in the galley of the Air Canada flight today from Toronto to Frankfurt. It was the second leg of my trip to Berlin. from Flickr http://ift.tt/1v6O7nC

December 1, 2014. Settling into Berlin. I had the opportunity this evening to have a nice conversation with Larry Cooperman, Associate Dean for Open Education at UC Irvine and director of the Open Courseware Consortium. One question I asked him: do you think there is a danger of the United States "swamping" all the international efforts to develop open learning (by means of university systems with strong connections and adept fundraising departments)? We also talked about whether what people need is 'an education' or whether they need to be able to learn. And the impact of existing systems of education in perpetuating a world of eemployers and employees. Fun talk. from Flickr http://ift.tt/1v6O62Y

November 29, 2014. A day of running around, catching up on emails, and going to see the first part of a Hunger Games movie. I saw this branch in our front yard on the way home and thought it deserved its own photo. from Flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/stephen_downes/15287549464

November 28, 2014. Winter has arfrived in Moncton, early again this year, with a good deposit of heavy wet snow (look at our poor spruce tree struggling under the weight). I had to shovel the car out from under this at 1:00 a.m. this morning after getting home from Boucherville. Another photo from my new Galaxy Note - I'm really pleased with the camera in this device. from Flickr http://ift.tt/1y15MTK

November 27, 2014. Di Jiang demonstrates the technique, then I spent some time practising my skills as a neurosurgeon using this device. This is at the NRC medical devices lab in Boucherville, Quebec. The glasses give me a 3D view, the tools are real, and when I touch the surface of the brain (in my case, to remove a tumour) I can feel the resistance of the flesh. It turns out, I'm a pretty good brain surgeon. And this type of application is a pretty good addition to our LPSS program. from Flickr http://ift.tt/1pu0a2r

November 26, 2014. Another day at NRC in Ottawa, then dropped some colleagues off at the NRC building at the Ottawa airport - one of our buildings includes this large wind tunnel at the airport - even though the large NRC-CNRC logo has been removed (or painted over), it's still an NRC property. from Flickr http://ift.tt/1vPOxFe

November 25, 2014. Another very busy day in Ottawa with no time for photos except at the very end of the day, when I was able to take this nice snap of my room at the Albert at Bay Hotel in Ottawa. from Flickr http://ift.tt/1vPOvxa

November 24, 2014. Back in Ottawa. Had a very nice albeit expensive dinner at the Courtyard Restaurant at the BywardMarket on George Street. I'm in the city for TechX, an internal NRC event to share information about programs. This was taken with my new Samsung Galaxy Note 4. from Flickr http://ift.tt/1vJEGAU

November 23, 2014. Basketball game this afternoon and it was not a good effort by the Miracles, with a predictable result. They don't look like they're in shape - they have nothing left in the second half - and they're pretty badly outcoached. Evening flight to Ottawa. from Flickr http://ift.tt/1rgkv79

November 22, 2014. Today was a mall day. I needed new luggage - the old suitcase has given up the ghost. Also a new coffee maker, because the old one stopped working in Yerevan. And some gloves because it's cold. from Flickr http://ift.tt/1xEQRyf

November 21, 2014. The theme this week in the Moncton Photography group is 'industrial' so I drove out to the cement plant on Gorge Road and snapped this shop - I think the dead grass and grim clouds in the background add to the industrial feel. Wwbsite migration is almost done and I think my short period of relative ease is almost over. from Flickr http://ift.tt/1r5vvEh

November 20, 2014. Today was an indoor day. I worked on my server migration, did some office work, caught up on email, and took this photo of books on the bookshelf I built a few years ago. I would feel guilty having a few slow days like this, but I know how busy it has been, and will be, so I'm just enjoying coasting for a bit. from Flickr http://ift.tt/1uFTptF

November 19, 2014. I got a longstanding piece of work completed, then spin, then to the Miracles game this evening. We lost in overtime, but it was good fun. from Flickr http://ift.tt/1HnRdNS

November 17, 2014. The rains came and melted the snow, leaving flattened leaves behind. Work day, nothing special. Spin class in the evening (new personal best time holding the plank). from Flickr http://ift.tt/1zBeZRx

November 18, 2014. The bad thing about this time of year is how early the darkness fall. Today it came with a blast of cold air. Pretty quiet day at the office today, mostly puttering, thinking about nbext year's budget, and starting my website migration. Feeling seasonal affective disorder already. from Flickr http://ift.tt/1Afovge

November 16, 2014. I spent the day cleaning - just like Lexi here! - and getting caught up on some work. At the last moment of the day (literally) I remembered to capture a photo for the day, this with my S3 phone (the camera is the weakest part of the phone, IMO). from Flickr http://ift.tt/1vi2HiW

November 15, 2014. Leatherworker Ashley Brown of Hammerthreads demonstrates her craft on a mostly unwatched stage at the Magic Hands craft show at the Casino this afternoon - I rerally like the masks she has been making this year. After the show we got me some spare workout pants, and then we took a trip to the hospital to repair Andrea's finger, which she caught in the car door. from Flickr http://ift.tt/1sUoiqh

November 14, 2014. First snow of the year. Sigh. Summer is over. Fall is over. And I have no extended visits to tropical regions planned. from Flickr http://ift.tt/1zq7ZqG

November 13, 2013. No bikes left at spin class today so I had to go to Costco instead. Woe is me. Nice night shot of the tire-change area though. from Flickr http://ift.tt/1pWV5jD