A Collection of Daily Wisdom by Dennis Sylvester Hurd since September 2003.

This morning, for some reason, I couldn't sleep late, so I got up surprisingly early. For some reason at dawn, I figured it was time to make a few changes to this blog. You'll note an addition in the column on the right. Tucked under my face and MORE WEB DATA is a new option which reads: Tune to my topCasts. I even made a change to the landing page for my site to include the same.

Back on Thursday, I mentioned working on a place to make available the podcasts I'd enjoyed listening to. I added a few and it all seems to be working all right. Due to this, I thought I'd link between the new blogspot site and this which runs on my domain. I can't say how faithful I'll be adding files. I once added YouTube links and later removed them after failing to update frequently. I have remained excellent at this blog and for my daily Flickr pics.

Of course, syndication of mp3 files is most useful for automatic loading into your iPod or mp3 player, but you can also choose to listen to the files while at your computer. Why don't you give it a try? These files load from my home PC, so they may be, on occasion, offline although my computer runs 24/7.

Labels: blogging, podcasts

My summer classes are officially over. I finished up with my Oral Fluency for Health Sciences on Wednesday evening. Today, I completed with my Tech. Communication Skills course. The grades have already been turned in for the former and after I get the final examinations corrected this weekend, I can enter marks electronically for the latter. So it's now official that summer is finally allowed to begin ...

I get to switch gears as I've nothing on the burner for August. I can devote a little time to other hobbies and tasks. For example, I set up an appointment for an oil change and brake work on the Ranger on Monday. At 9:00 I can take it to the shop that's about a block away.

I am expecting the guys to replace my brake pads and shoes. After all, I've been 69,000 miles and still have the original set. I guess I don't stop much. In fact, the truck is eleven years old but has only been 115,000 kilometers. I guess that means it doesn't go much either.



Although the blog in several places boasts the little, green, wheeled darling went all the way to St. John's, Newfoundland and back in the summer of 2001. The same brake pads stopped the vehicle at the Bay of Fundy way back then!

Labels: Canada, maintenance, places, Ranger, travel planning

I blog because I want to keep a personal record of my comings and going. I do so wish I had kept a diary from, for example, my sophomore year in college, or my first year teaching in Kuwait. Sometimes am able to reminisce in blog format. I may occasionally even blog to vent my frustration with a particular event or situation.

A great deal of the time though, I probably blog just to play around with computer stuff. As a case in point, I set up syndication to share 1950's radio science fiction program called X Minus One. It must be said that I do subscribe to my own feed, in order to download two copies of the show to my mp3 player every week.

Here's a brand-new feed which I just created tonight. Although it is unusually interesting, I will not be adding it to my feed listing. This syndication is only to share some podcasts. I figure if pictures can tell about things I've seen, then these mp3 files provide some of my 'soundscape'. That can probably tell you something about me too. On occasion, I will share a podcast that I listened to during the day of being uploaded.

See what I listened to on the way to work this afternoon. Or better yet, subscribe and copy to your own iPod or mp3 player. To see if your tastes match mine, click the logo above!

Labels: blogging, Creative Zen, podcasts

Here's a cool thought on what promises to be a hot summer day. In 1911 Niagara Falls frozen solid enough to walk across. This picture was sent to me in an email from an ex-colleague from Dubai days. It's been in my inbox for quite some time. I figured that today was a good a day as any to include it here.

Labels: Canada, Niagara Falls, weather

Damn, I hate the fact an improvement in the weather might affect my mood. Well, perhaps it's more than just the sunny, blue sky. Am I feeling good because:

This bottle of BC Growers Sparkling Watermelon Cider is empty

The Canadian dollar is worth more than 96 US cents

I completely finished up all teaching obligations this week

I could easily avoid work for a few years, if I chose to

I'm glad we chose to make Vancouver home

There's not much I'd change about my life, if given the chance

British Columbia's tourist advertising campaign keeps telling me I'm living in the best place on earth?

(Note: The correct answer is ALL OF THE ABOVE.)

Labels: feelings, lists, weather

During the evening classes, my students are often involved in group study. As we meet in a very up-to-date computer lab, they also have many projects where they have to work with CALL (Computer Assisted Language Learning) software. Pronunciation Power is a useful program that really can provide results. Another program, Focus on Grammar is a great deal more interesting than it sounds because it has all the skill areas included in a simple interface. I like to use commercial programs for teaching but they often are not necessary in order to make use of the equipment.

I frequently use the Internet to have my students do more normal things but add an educational goal. For example right now, they have scoured the Internet for a picture they'd like to describe. Next, they are going to open Creative's WaveStudio and describe the photo for ninety seconds. Lastly, they'll save the photo and the audio file in a special class folder so others can listen and view the results.

All the while, I can comfortably sit at the instructor's computer in front of the room. This is rare as I'm usually all over a classroom when teaching. Presently, from the front desk, I can call up what is happening on every screen in the room. The program is called NetSupport School and I've found that spying is rather fun!

Labels: BCIT, computer lab, software, technology

It'd seem very strange to live in an unattached, single-family dwelling. We really are condo people. As mentioned here plenty of times, we're also resolute New Westminster residents. Apparently others agree as there are hundreds of new apartments being built within a kilometer.

I don't want to sound like one of those people who always comments that time flies, but it does. We've lived on the 10th floor in this building for nine years now. That has afforded many opportunities for me to snap pictures from the balcony. In fact my Daily Picture Parade probably has its share on those days I forgot to get a photo elsewhere.

The following photo was taken from the balcony during the Fraserfest fireworks display last night. To see fifty other photos from or of the balcony, look on Flickr.

Labels: balcony, Daily Picture Parade, fireworks, Flickr, New Westminster