Let's Make Some Art, Dammit

December 14, 2023. This is a selection from the Chinese Food Market next to the Mandarin Restaurant on Ogilvie Road, where I had lunch. It was decidedly mediocre - the spring rolls especially looked like they had been in the freezer for a few years. I need to rework my eating routine for days I work from the office. I can't keep eating at restaurants - I need to bring food (there's utterly none available at NRC) and to still get out of the office for an hour or so. https://flic.kr/p/2pnHDJk

December 12, 2023. This is my tried and true Nikon D750 camera. I've been using this for, I don't know, almost ten years now. It's showing its wear and it has trouble focusing but I've been reluctant to spend money on a replacement because it's hard to believe my next camera will be as durable and reliable. https://flic.kr/p/2pnHLqY

December 11, 2023. Against all odds, this pole has survive over the seven years we've been here. It's a testament to the strength of wood. Another grey day with snow on the ground, working from home. https://flic.kr/p/2pnFb1A

December 10, 2023. This is the ice-covered New York Central Trail through Russell. We wanted to finish relatively early today because I had to be up at 1:30 Monday morning, so we just went to Russell and did the trail and a look through the Tweed forest. I was asleep by 5. https://flic.kr/p/2pmijGz

December 9, 2023. This is the back yard in late afternoon. This was the actual colour; it was so startling I had to take a photo (even though yesterday's photo was the same location). The light was quite remarkable; the photo doesn't actually do it justice. Today was an indoor day, spent working on exploring Cloudron and other Platform as a Service applications, for my European project. https://flic.kr/p/2pma7ex

December 8, 2023. This is my back yard. I really liked the light of the blue sky and the clouds. A quiet day today working from home, mostly on the 'context recognition' research. https://flic.kr/p/2pm9icW

December 7, 2023. Canada goose as seen in the Hudson's Bay store downtown. I was in the office today working on 'context recognition' and over lunch went downtown to get some of my favourite Hungarian paprika spice paste (cutting through the Bay because it was cold). https://flic.kr/p/2pm1SjL

December 6, 2023. I've been enjoying the way the snow has been stuck to the trees all week. We had a wet snow, and then it stayed cold, so the snow never melted, and there hasn't been enough wind to knock it down. I was going to go into the office today but messed up my meds last night, so I got too little sleep to drive, so today was a work at home day dedicated to getting the last of the funding proposals off my desk and resolved. Yay! https://flic.kr/p/2pm44wf

December 5, 2023. This is the view outside the second floor window in the stairwell where I work; you can see my building, a tree, a parking lot, and the CSIS building in the background. The building fascinates me because I have never been in it and probably never will (same goes for CSEC next door) even though I presumably have enough of a security clearance to do so. https://flic.kr/p/2pm2GPy

December 4, 2023. Woke up this morning to this. The skies opened up overnight. Worked from home, doing some funding reviews and some writing. https://flic.kr/p/2pjT3h9

December 3, 2023. A walk through the forest just before the snow. We went out earlier in the morning than usual. https://flic.kr/p/2pjTSXn

December 2, 2023. This goalie posed for me while participating in the 4-on-4 road hockey tournament at the Casselman Christmas Fair today. We walked down, I had some focaccia, and we visited the Swiss Bakery seasonal store as well as a number of booths. It was tiny compared to the Christmas markets I've seen in Europe, but I like that we have one. https://flic.kr/p/2pjGaef

December 1, 2023. This is a wall hanging in the downstairs bathroom. It was part of a lot of random framed pictures I bought at an auction several years ago. I put it in the bathroom because it was least likely to be damaged by humidity (and it has survived quite well). I was up at 3:30 a.m. today for a European project meeting, worked through the rest of the morning on context awareness and recognition, and then had another meeting at 11. No I didn't sleep after, but I wasn't very productive either, and was in bed by 7 or so. https://flic.kr/p/2pjFeXR

November 30, 2023. No, nothing bad happened, but I found myself stopped behind this ambulance and in need of a daily photo. It was another day in the office today, working on literature related to context awareness and context recognition (yes, there's a literature devoted to that). Lunch at Firehouse subs. https://flic.kr/p/2pjC8tA

November 29, 2023. This is the elevator in my office building. I couldn't help but notice this solitary brown ball in the corner. I was in it later, after lunch, and the ball was gone. https://flic.kr/p/2pjs1X8

November 28, 2023. Looking out my back window to the houses along Principale, normally covered by green, but in winter visible, framing a Canadian flag in one of the back yards. Today was Covid shot day today so this afternoon we went into the city, waiting at the Shoppers, got the shots, and did the Costco on the way home. https://flic.kr/p/2pjjNms

November 27, 2023. The view from my office window. The clouds caught my eye. As well they should have, as there was a dense snowfall shortly after. It was over quickly and the snow didn't last. Started the day getting Andrea to have a flu shot (we had to argue with the pharmacist because they lost our appointment). https://flic.kr/p/2pjgGP5

November 26, 2023. Short walk in Gatineau Park. The trail was iced over, which made the 4 km walk seem a lot further. The forest is nice, of course, and there were a few birds. On the way in we tried (and failed) to get Andrea a flu shot. Someone should tell the Ontario government that privatizing flu shots is a bad idea. https://flic.kr/p/2pjg75z

November 25, 2023. It's nice to get up and see birds in the morning. This bright blue jay acted like he owned the place. https://flic.kr/p/2pjdvA4

November 24, 2023. Heading home from the office in the evening, I reflected on how I always seemed to end up working in industrial-like settings. No ivy-covered stone for me! The light on the plant is reflected from the windows from the building opposite from the setting sun to the west. It's not dark because I left a little early. https://flic.kr/p/2pj7swS