Let's Make Some Art, Dammit

October 31, 2017. No one photo could convey scale and scope of the forbidden city. But let me try with this one: this is the outer gatehouse. Behind this is an inner gatehouse, a series of palaces, gardens and much more. The Forbidden City is everything I expected and more. I spent the day here exploring the city and the Zhongshan Park next door. Accomplishments: I did three nice things for other people: - I let young woman ahead of me to view one of the palaces; her surprised smile lit up my day - I helped a man photograph a child by attracting his attention toward the camera - I called out to a man when he accidentally dropped quite a bit of money http://ift.tt/2ikenP2

October 30, 2017. My flight landed late this afternoon and I made it into my hotel in the evening, just enough time to grab supper and go to bed. This display is from the hotel. I've already learned one new thing: they like to display big complex rocks here. http://ift.tt/2gSwJX4

October 29, 2017. This globe is on display in the Air Canada lounge in Toronto. I had planned to photograph some airplanes but I hadn't realized how much our view of the outside would be obscured. Anyhow. Woke up at 4:00 a.m. this morning, with a transfer in Toronto, and then I'll spend all day and all night on the airplane. http://ift.tt/2idjxw4

October 28, 2017. This was just an impulsive snapshot with the 50 mm lens. It's definitely not the thing to use to photograph flying geese. And yet I like this photo a lot. So there you go. Spent the day running errands as we prepared for my trip early tomorrow morning. http://ift.tt/2z1cdxA

October 27, 2017. We went to see the RedBlacks game this evening. I was a little underdressed and so not very comfortable, but we had really good seats and it was quite a good game. Accomplishments: - completed slides for my talk next week - competed another program funding evaluation (I haven't been reporting these as accomplishments, but I should) http://ift.tt/2yc7Xfn

October 28, 2017. In late autumn we get the best colours as the light changes and everything is bathed in a warm yellow-red glow. Accomplishments: - Wrote Let's Take the Diginal License Test http://ift.tt/2zdJ5nA

October 23, 2017. Ah, where would we be without cat photos? Nice day today - beautiful summer-like weather. Some meetings this morning, a newsletter with a 'mass' theme, and this afternoon I spent reviewing a paper for a friend. Fun day. Made eggplant for supper - first time I've ever cooked eggplant. This is Alex - what i like about Alex is that whatever he is doing (or watching) is the most important thing in the world. http://ift.tt/2z2frSe

October 23, 2017. I'm not sure what these are, but they're at the back of the back yard. We went into the city to buy clothes. That was my day (plus some more playing of video games). http://ift.tt/2laxwHJ

October 21, 2017. Beautiful fall day. Spent it indoors playing No Man's Sky. It was a good day to rest after a very busy week. But I did get out a bit photograph the coneflowers. Also was delighted to see the Yankees lose last night. http://ift.tt/2zH1o1p

October 20, 2017. For the second year, Son of Bones adorns our front porch. We all remember, of course, Bones, who lasted some 15 years before finally falling apart our first year here in Casselman. Today was a work day, into the office for a meeting and some catching up. Rest tomorrow. http://ift.tt/2xevFTL

October 19, 2017. Day four of the conference. I haven't been outdoors since we got here. But it has been an excellent conference, one of the best I've ever attended. I gave my second talk today, which from my perspective was a huge success. Then after the closing, we drove back home to Casselman. Accomplishments: - A Personal Learning Framework slides, audio and video http://ift.tt/2l8iRN6

October 18, 2017. The iconic 'Toronto' sign at City hall in red and white in memory of Gord Downie from the Tragically Hip, as seen from our hotel room. I was never a Hip fan so I didn't feel his death personally, but a lot of people around here did. Meanwhile, still at the conference, Day Three, and I gave my first talk. Accomplishments: - slides, audio and video from my talk Change, Challenge and Opportunity http://ift.tt/2xXTYtu

October 17, 2017. Second day of the World Conference on Online Learning in Toronto. These are two of the foremost authorities in the field in Canada. I spent the day at the conference and the early evening drinking beer with them. http://ift.tt/2l72vnX

October 16, 2017. First day of the World Conference on Online Learning, Toronto. This is Tony Bates speaking, one of Canada's leading authorities in the field. I met him after his talk for a beer. Accomplishments: - summary notes for the afternoon sessions http://ift.tt/2xXTXpq

October 21, 2017. Beautiful fall day. Spent it indoors playing No Man's Sky. It was a good day to rest after a very busy week. But I did get out a bit photograph the coneflowers. Also was delighted to see the Yankees lose last night. http://ift.tt/2zH1o1p

October 20, 2017. For the second year, Son of Bones adorns our front porch. We all remember, of course, Bones, who lasted some 15 years before finally falling apart our first year here in Casselman. Today was a work day, into the office for a meeting and some catching up. Rest tomorrow. http://ift.tt/2xevFTL

October 19, 2017. Day four of the conference. I haven't been outdoors since we got here. But it has been an excellent conference, one of the best I've ever attended. I gave my second talk today, which from my perspective was a huge success. Then after the closing, we drove back home to Casselman. Accomplishments: - A Personal Learning Framework slides, audio and video http://ift.tt/2l8iRN6

October 18, 2017. The iconic 'Toronto' sign at City hall in red and white in memory of Gord Downie from the Tragically Hip, as seen from our hotel room. I was never a Hip fan so I didn't feel his death personally, but a lot of people around here did. Meanwhile, still at the conference, Day Three, and I gave my first talk. Accomplishments: - slides, audio and video from my talk Change, Challenge and Opportunity http://ift.tt/2xXTYtu

October 17, 2017. Second day of the World Conference on Online Learning in Toronto. These are two of the foremost authorities in the field in Canada. I spent the day at the conference and the early evening drinking beer with them. http://ift.tt/2l72vnX

October 16, 2017. First day of the World Conference on Online Learning, Toronto. This is Tony Bates speaking, one of Canada's leading authorities in the field. I met him after his talk for a beer. Accomplishments: - summary notes for the afternoon sessions http://ift.tt/2xXTXpq

October 15, 2017. This is the view from our hotel room window in Toronto. We spent the better part of the day driving here. Accomplishments - created short Connectivism video http://ift.tt/2gjvV0u

October 14, 2017. Good day today, got a bunch of newsletter articles prepared because next week will be pretty busy. Also cleaned out a lot of email. This is a woolly bear caterpillar in our back yard. It will spend the winter burrowed somewhere, depending on its own antifreeze to survive the winter. Next spring it will emerge as a tiger moth. Accomplishments: - wrote 'Things I Would Do Differently' http://ift.tt/2xIjmTX

October 13, 2017. No issues on Friday the 13th. Held a productive 'Statement of Work' meeting this morning, did some writing and editing this afternoon. Getting ready to go to Toronto on Sunday, which means I'd really like to have my server running properly on my laptop today. I may have issues putting gRSShopper in a box, but it's easy to put a cat in a box. This is Polly. http://ift.tt/2yls6wu

October 12, 2017. I did some more work on server virtualization today, did some editing on a paper, and went downtown to pick up my Chinese visa. This butterfly was on the fencing around a construction site on Bank Street and summed up my mood for the day. http://ift.tt/2wUIrqv

October 13, 2017. No issues on Friday the 13th. Held a productive 'Statement of Work' meeting this morning, did some writing and editing this afternoon. Getting ready to go to Toronto on Sunday, which means I'd really like to have my server running properly on my laptop today. I may have issues putting gRSShopper in a box, but it's easy to put a cat in a box. This is Polly. http://ift.tt/2yls6wu

October 12, 2017. I did some more work on server virtualization today, did some editing on a paper, and went downtown to pick up my Chinese visa. This butterfly was on the fencing around a construction site on Bank Street and summed up my mood for the day. http://ift.tt/2wUIrqv

October 11, 2017. My big Contact North paper came out late this afternoon. It occupied several months of weekends to pull together. I spent the day working on the newsletter, reading 1930s textbooks, and evaluating a funding proposal. http://ift.tt/2gxJTJ3

October 10, 2017. Team meeting in the morning and then a drive to the School of Public Service in the afternoon where we reviewed the draft of a paper I'm writing about the research project earlier this year. We're also looking at a new project with the school this winter. These geese were a traffic hazard at the school. Ah, but I like geese. http://ift.tt/2z0WUS7

October 9, 2017. I'm calling this a female Common Yellowthroat , which is a type of warbler. It's perched in our apple tree in the back yard. I spent some time today submitting my Chinese visa application and working on server virtualization. http://ift.tt/2gdGIJT

October 8, 2017. I spent the day working on an XAMPP server for gRSShopper, some writing and messing around with audio. In the evening we went to Embrun for Thanksgiving Dinner with family. My mother isn't in the picture (the one where she is present is out of focus, sorry) but she's right behind me. http://ift.tt/2ybnIBz

October 7, 2017. I was planning to go for a bike ride but the rain and cold put an end to that idea. So we went to a movie at Lansdowne Park - Blade Runner, 2049, which featured beautiful crisp video (far batter than the CGI-based films) and an interesting movie that grows on you. http://ift.tt/2hYQAr4

October 6, 2017. Another view of the back yard. Fall has arrived and the trees are changing. The warm weather seems to have faded the colours somewhat (out on the highway the red leaves are all a smokey red instead of bright red). Good day, got some editing done, got some writing done, moved forward on a new project, and made progress with my box project. Accomplishments: - wrote 'Elements of a Successful Panel' http://ift.tt/2yQexUN

October 5, 2017. These are late season bloomers, and just to be difficult, night bloomers. i caught these in the backyard after I got home from the office. http://ift.tt/2fW89HP

October 4, 2017. It's still a bit difficult to drive into the garage, as you can see. Maybe if i had a Jeep. I also need to replace the shingles on the front of the house - this had nothing to do with the construction, except now it has to wait until I've paid my share for all this digging and pipe-laying. http://ift.tt/2xiGIud

October 3, 2017. The construction moves a few feet forward. This is still the road in front of the house. There's dust everywhere. The house shakes. The cats are not happy. http://ift.tt/2ypUZua

October 2, 2017. Actually, the construction has been taking place all summer, but it finally reached the front of our house. The road, and part of our lawn, is now a gravel pit. Eventually it will have sewer lines. http://ift.tt/2xixRsu

October 4, 2017. It's still a bit difficult to drive into the garage, as you can see. Maybe if i had a Jeep. I also need to replace the shingles on the front of the house - this had nothing to do with the construction, except now it has to wait until I've paid my share for all this digging and pipe-laying. http://ift.tt/2xiGIud

October 3, 2017. The construction moves a few feet forward. This is still the road in front of the house. There's dust everywhere. The house shakes. The cats are not happy. http://ift.tt/2ypUZua

October 2, 2017. Actually, the construction has been taking place all summer, but it finally reached the front of our house. The road, and part of our lawn, is now a gravel pit. Eventually it will have sewer lines. http://ift.tt/2xixRsu

October 1, 2017. It was a beautiful fall day so I cycled to Chrysler and St. Albert, another 50 km ride. It was a bit windy but after a summer of cycling I felt strong and the ride really was effortless. I listened to the last Jays game of the year where, after 162 games, they escaped last place. Yay! http://ift.tt/2g4Iyt7

September 30, 2017. We spent the day at the Metcalfe Fair, a cool crisp late September day warm enough in mid-afternoon that I had to take off my jacket. These were some of the horses on display - just after this shot something went wrong with the blue wagon (right) and the horses bolted. No casualties, though, on either human or equine side, though the driver was thrown from his seat. http://ift.tt/2xPtN6z