An iPhone app I already love (and I don’t even have an iPhone!)

Cool Stuff

Laura With all the talk these days about the iPad it seems a bit 2009 to talk about an iPhone app, but this one makes me cackle with malicious glee.

A couple of Western Canada software developers (one with cerebral palsy) created an iPhone app that not only helps people find handicap-accessible municipal parking spots in Vancouver, but also lets them report people who misuse the spots. You take photos of the offending car and licence plate, and the program sends them, along with the GPS location and a timestamp, to Vancouver city officials, who then mail out a parking ticket to the miscreant’s address.

Unfortunately, there are only about 50 accessible spots administered by the City of Vancouver (the rest are in privately-owned lots), but by jiminy it’s a start!

CBC article: Handicap parking cheaters tagged by iPhone app

More Eye Doctor Fun

Family Life, Jon

Peter In our last eye doctor episode, Dr. Wiggins confirmed that Jon’s eyes had stabilized (somehow) back to a focus point where he didn’t need glasses, but that we should be watchful in case he suddenly started squinting or leaning over to try to get closer—especially during the sudden growth segment of puberty. This alert was based on the fact that:

  1. Jon has already been nearsighted;
  2. Jon has two parents, in case no one noticed, who wear glasses for nearsightedness.

So come November, we started seeing such behaviour occasionally, while Jon was watching TV, etc. We kept watching for it, and although it wasn’t constant, there definitely did seem to be something going on. By mid-December we booked an appointment for last Thursday.

So what’s the upshot of yet another trip to Waterloo, to visit the good doctor and his pair of students? Nada. Nuffink. Jon’s eyes focus at exactly the same prescription as previously (for the record, ever-so-slightly farsighted—but nothing that requires glasses). We were slightly perturbed. I began to apologize for taking up their time and Dr. Wiggins stopped me. “I asked you to watch out for a particular behaviour and you saw it. You didn’t call the first time you saw it, you kept on the lookout and saw it repeated a number of times. I told you to call me if it kept up. It turns out that it’s not Jon’s ability to focus. But it could have been an entirely different outcome.”

The doctor speculated that given that the eyes are okay, it’s likely CNS (central nervous system)-based, a pretty solid call given Jon’s cerebral history. This suggests that the wash of hormonal activity happening around Jon’s body is affecting the development of his visual cortex. Not a huge leap of logic, that one. But yet another fascinating chapter (to us, anyway) in Jon’s growth.

Blitzkrieg visit

Cool Stuff, Family Life

Laura Just back from a lightning-fast visit to Vancouver, courtesy of Dad, to see his Legacy Lecture at UBC—one of those “If I had one last lecture to give, what would I say?” events. It was a Big Thing: The lecture tickets were pricey and it was being filmed for theatre release next year by Sturla Gunnarsson. Afterwards, we (me and the sibs) were also invited to the very pricey after-party (thanks Dad!!) to hobnob with the swells (large-scale donors to the David Suzuki Foundation, or anyone who could pony up $1,500 for the party.)

Native Dancers
Native dancers (Dad second from left)

The after-party was held at the Museum of Anthropology and featured native dancers, DJ-ing by K-OS (I’m not sure he really knew what to do with the mouldy oldies), and the highlights: performances by Randy Bachman and his wife Denise McCann, and Sarah McLachlan, under the towering totem poles in the main hall.

Bachman with his guitar
Randy Bachman, mid-story

Bachman charmed everyone with his entertaining story introductions to his songs (particularly the one of how “Takin’ Care of Business” was created), and McLachlan sang and played gorgeously, including a lovely version of Joni Mitchell’s “River”.

A bunch of us girls with Sarah McLachlan
L to R: Sarika, Laura, Tamiko, Sarah McLachlan, Midori

I managed to talk with McLachlan afterwards, and told her I saw her very first Toronto show at the Bathurst Street Theatre many years ago. (“Oooh, that’s ancient history!” she replied.) She told us that she didn’t manage to get to Dad’s lecture because her kid had “melted down” that evening. Since she hasn’t toured in ages, she admitted that she hasn’t practised in a while, so she opened up the piano to rehearse. Apparently her younger daughter starts crying the minute she plays a song in a minor key (minor key = sad song = Mommy’s songs = Mommy’s not paying attention to me!!)

Vancouver is definitely a foodie paradise—bakeries, coffee shops (not just Starbucks) on every block. I dropped a load of money in two (expensive) chocolate shops. And, of course, there was amazing sushi for incredibly cheap (the equivalent quality of sushi in Toronto is way more expensive.) In fact, food in general seemed slightly cheaper than in Toronto (admittedly I only saw restaurant and snackie-type stuff; I didn’t check out grocery store prices). Troy thought everything was dead cheap in Vancouver (other than the real estate), but he’s from the Yukon where a head of lettuce is 5 bucks.

The trip was somewhat too short, but it was great to see everyone at the old homestead. Thanks to Mom for letting me crash for 3 days, and maybe more of us Toronto folk will make it out there again some time!

This is how to do charity videos!

Cool Stuff

Laura (Videos should work now.—L) Peter sent me a link to a video by British comedian Peter Kay done for the annual Children in Need charity special. It features a medley of songs with over 100 animated TV characters new and old, mainly from the UK, but a few recognizable by us on the other side of the pond:

(It took two years to get all the rights clearances for the video!)

This is not the first music video Kay’s done for UK charities. Previously he did a version of the Proclaimer’s “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” done as characters from Little Britain, with a lot of UK celebrities dancing in the audience. I think it’s better if you know who they are; other than Doctor Who‘s David Tennant I pretty much draw a blank.

And before that he did one to Tony Christie’s old “(Is This the Way To) Amarillo”—again featuring a lot of British show-biz people I’ve never seen before (save maybe for Ronnie Corbett). But it’s a lot of goofy fun, and I’ll bet that you have a tough time disloging this song from your head—it’s definitely an earworm!

Finally, an absolutely priceless charity video from the great Ricky Gervais and friends.

Math, The Return

Family Life, Jon

Peter When last we mentioned Jon’s math situation, 19 school days ago, Jon had been learning addition of two-digit numbers. In the not-overly-long time since then he has:
1) Moved quickly on to three-digit addition (since once you’ve seen one carry-over, you’ve seen them all!)
2) Been moved on to subtraction: first they reinforced stacking, of course, then Jon’s teacher taught him borrowing. This most challenging part of math thus far was taught at school, and I don’t know the specifics. And that bugs me because I’d love to know how it was explained to Jon so plainly and directly that he just picked it up.

In any case he did pick it up, and the next two week was spent cementing the concept of borrowing for two-digit numbers. I think there was the occasional three digit equation in there too (he and I did homework together). In any case, on Thursday Jon was given his first math test since learning multiple-digit addition and subtraction. And he got 11 out of 11. And this includes the last question which was something on the order of:

104 – 47=

This problem requires borrowing over two columns. But that didn’t faze Jon.

The only blockade seems to be the single number additions and subtractions. It’s taking him a very long time to commit the minor computations to memory. While that stopped other teachers on the spot, Jon’s current teacher says, “He can figure that out with a number line or calculator. In fact, realistically, most people use calculators to do almost all of their addition and subtraction.” The fact is that beyond the single digits Jon has no trouble with the computations of tens and hundreds, and presumably beyond.

Friday, Jon’s teacher asked if I had any ideas as to what to proceed to next in math, no doubt just to get my input. I metaphorically lifted my hands and stepped back. I explained that as far as math was concerned, he had already exceeded our expectations for the year, and that I was not in a position to recommend where to go next; we fully trusted him. Quite frankly Jon’s current teacher seems to be an equal to Jon’s spectacular teacher from three years ago (who took him from basic early reading and spelling to a grade three level in both) and in this case I know when to get out of everyone’s way.

Go Jon Go!

The Royal Winter Fair

Family Life, Jon

Jon with giant pumpkins at the Royal

Jon Nov. 14 2009

Daddy drove me to the Royal Winter Fair. We took the elevator from the parking lot. I saw some farm animals. I saw cows, horses, sheep and pigs. I had a back bacon sandwich for lunch. Later I had chocolate Ice cream on a cone and an apple dumpling. Just before we left the fair I bought a piece of chocolate nut fudge. I had a good time at the fair.

Jon