Dispatches from a happy Hullian

Here's the semi-standardized questionnaire applied to 2012 — it was a pretty intense year in some ways.

What did you do in 2012 that you'd never done before?
Filed a police report, juggled two kids out solo.

( lots more )

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Did I miss any useful questions? I dropped a couple of irrelevant ones, and will be watching the memesphere for stuff to add.

It's been a pretty revealing day for news.

The CBSA thinks victims don't matter if they're in a women's shelter.

Bev Oda caught trying to sacrifice CIDA minions for her bad decision, delivers non-apology, Cons insist bygones be bygones.

Jason Kenney's family values: we always knew gay people had an exclusion, now we know elderly family of immigrants do, too.

The dust has settled from Oscar's arrival to a point — he's looking around more, more expressive, and all his bodily functions seem to be up and running just fine! I can change a diaper, sometimes before Oscar objects too strongly, and he drowses long enough that Elizabeth and I managed to sit down for a sometimes-one-handed game of Dominion last night (a real squeaker with curse cards bouncing around a lot and unusual quantities of duchies bought up).

I'm starting to think about all those prudent technical things new parents are supposed to do. We've got QPIP's and my employer's parental benefits' application processes rolling, submitted the declaration of birth and the heel-prick samples (and have the urine sample day on the calendar), we seem to have enough clothes and gear and baby wipes cached in strategic places around the house. Now, what about wills, life insurance (on us), RESPs, and other prudent-but-abstract things new parents might want to do? Is there a sensible order of operations here? A particular professional that can help orchestrate things? Parents and professionals reading this who know about this sort of thing and want to share: what are your experiences or recommendations? What should be left for later or done soonish?

Today is September 26th, Petrov Day, celebrated to honor the deed of Stanislav Yevgrafovich Petrov on September 26th, 1983. Wherever you are, whatever you're doing, take a minute to not destroy the world.

In other good news, I'm starting to get the administrative details (like getting paid) of work worked out, and understand at least the little delta-neighbourhood around my readings and the people I work with (all the cool kids are using either Bootstrap of Jackknife variance estimation, for instance, and I kind of get the gist of how they work now). Also, the hippie-looking café-to-be nearby has changed its sign from "ouverture bientôt" to "overture 1er octobre."

Things are a bit of a blur, still. Lots of loose ends flying around and lots of things happening every weekend for a couple weekends yet. Most of the loose ends are fun, though.

Ellie is playing at Irene's on Bank, on the night of the 8th of October. There will be cake :)

I'm convocating on the 11th of November. I think I'll go to the ceremony and get my diploma in hand.