The Team

Listen, yeah, I cheer for the Leafs. You can stop laughing now - when the Leafs do end up in the playoffs and are hoisting Lord Stanley...no,no,no, you won't be laughing then, will you?
I don't really know what started me as a Leafs fan, I guess I really like the city of T.O. and I really like hockey, so it was a natural fit. Plus my younger brother likes hockey and I think he is still with the Leafs, so it's someone to watch the game with when we're actually at the same place on a Saturday night.
This glorious team happened to be in my town for an exhibition game this week and as I don't have a lot of friends who are hockey fans and tickets were pricey for Winnipeg, I didn't go. I did however let the guys in my office know I would be cheering for the Leafs regardless if I was there or not. The Leaf trampling ensued for about the next hour and into the next day. A few comments:
"Lyla are u drunk?"

"You need professional HELP....."

"Clear the track, The leafs belong in a shack"

"Don't bother going to the game b/c I already know what's going to happen..............
1 period. leafs let in 10 goals blame it on the bright lights of the area.
2 period Sundin has a heart attack trying to lift that big bag of money the Leafs are paying him over the boards...he'll be back next season....15% pay raise.
3 period John Ferguson Jr. gives up on the leafs becomes manger for the Charlestown Chiefs. "

"The LEAFS are gay"

"The Leafs will be turning color now to a bright yellow, and fall under the feet of all."

"It's fall - the leafs are wilting already"

Needless to say, I got quite the razzing and I've summed it up to the fact that, they are afraid. very afraid. These guys are on the defense, worried about what the Leafs could do this season. I'd be worried too if I wasn't already a Leafs fan.

They truly are lucky I'm still working after all that or the fact that I could hold it against them and NEVER bring carrot cake into work again, oh, that would be a sad day...
Regardless, it's been a good week at work and I'm grateful for almost rolling out of my chair laughing after being verbally 'checked' over and over.

My Kids

The pic is by no means all the kids, just a few pics that I had around.

So, over the past year or two, I've come to really appreciate other people's kids. I can't imagine being a parent (lets be honest, its a lot of work), and why have your own when there are an abundance of sweet ones around? Between my close friends and family with young kids and babies, I have been blessed in being surrounded by them.

Let me tell you about Jordan, Jordan is 2 years old, we're great friends, she calls me Yiya, she thinks the food off my plate will taste better than her own and there's no better way to have dinner than sitting on my lap (her food or my food). Every time she sees me I get a BIG hug and when her parents give her trouble and I'm in the house, she cries yi-ya in between sobs, believing I will agree her parents never let her do anything and she did nothing to deserve punishment. Her cute round face and blond curly hair are a clever disguise for a very smart little girl full of stubborn will.

Jamin is another friend of mine, he is nearing 3 and is generally passive and quiet except when Jordan is in his personal space. He does not have room in his life for random foolishness and I'm sure he considers reason even before jumping off the kiddie table. He says Why about 300 times a day even when disciplined he follows with the question 'why?'. He truly wants to know and I can't imagine the knowledge he retains in one day.

Then there is Arman (6) and Amman (4). My cousins, who live in ON. I've been out to visit them a few times and these boys both love skin, let it be said. I remember them being younger and loving the booty! It was soo cute. Even now, skin is showing - legs, stomach, Amman is on it. Wearing shorts he would cling to your legs, actually hugging them, or if you were just sitting watching TV, all of a sudden, he'd sneak his little hands under your shirt, onto your belly. I'm laughing as I'm writing this, will he grow out of it soon??... Arman is older now, but Amman still sneaks onto your lap to sit and cuddle, he's rambunctious and care-free at times, then so tender in others, he touches your face with his little hands and soaks up the love and I love it too!

Then Saskatchewan - Taylor, Marissa, Emily, Spencer, Cydney, Selena, Chantelle, Zandria and my nephew Conner. Marissa is 10 I think, smart girl, since she was young she's acted older than she was. She's good with babies, can cook and bake stuff, she's a little mama. Now, we chat online, I help her with homework, it's so great! Taylor and Em are pretty quiet (at least I thought so) Spence makes up for all 4, wild little monkey and says the strangest things! Cydney and Selena have amazing amounts of energy, spunk, spark, I love their spirits, their smiles, I miss those big, big grins.

Then the babies, Zandria, who also is an independent little monkey - don't hold me, let me crawl! Always smiling, except when she's hungry - you can't get the food ready fast enough.

And Baby Conner, the first grandchild for both his grandparents is seeing a lot of love. Still a little baby, eating, sleeping and smiling. Can't wait for him to start chatting, we can have little convosation! let the fun begin!

I have no desire to become a teacher to kids or work in a daycare, those both require discipline and structure, that's not what I like about kids - I like the spontaneity, their free spirits and showing them unconditional love. I want the best for them, but mostly I want them to know they're loved. I like how Mark put it when the children came to Jesus: And He took them up in His arms, put His hands on them, and blessed them. Mark 10:16.

Never fear spoiling children by making them too happy. Happiness is the atmosphere in which all good affections grow. - Thomas Bray

Traffic

Cambodia's Traffic - New traffic laws were implemented this week in Cambodia. The image below is very accurate... If laws are enforced, this will be a very good thing - see accident stats below. At times it was adrenaline-pumping scary being driven around in a tuk-tuk or on a moto, by the grace of God we came out alive.

Source: Xinhua

Cambodia's comprehensive new traffic law, signed by King Norodom Sihamoni on Feb. 8, was officially launched here on Tuesday with the attendance of approximately 1,000 people and ambassadors to Cambodia, local media said on Wednesday.Deputy Prime Minister Sok An, also Minister of Council of Ministers, who presided over the event, said that the announcement on the official implementation of the new traffic law was hoped to encourage all Cambodian nationals to change indifferent attitudes to the law, increase understanding about the law and respect it while driving their vehicles, said Cambodian-language newspaper the Rasmei Kampuchea.

The deputy minister said efforts to strengthen the implementation of traffic law, which is an effective means to reduce road accident rates, are also hoped to contribute to the development of social economy to rapidly eradicate the poverty of Cambodian people.Public Works and Transport Minister Sun Chanthol stated that most traffic accidents in Cambodia, where about four people died and 17 were injured by road accidents each day in 2006, are caused by human error including speeding and drunk driving, which accounted for 94 percent.

Based on the new law, drivers of vehicles over 49cc are obliged to hold licenses with each license having 12 points, according to English-language newspaper the Cambodia Daily.Points will be deducted for violations with one point being docked for driving without a helmet, while more serious violations like drunk-driving will result in up to six points being deducted. If a driver loses all of his points, he or she loses his license and will not be granted a new one for at least six months.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) reported that in 2003, Cambodia lost 116 million U.S. dollars, or 3 percent of GDP, as a result of traffic accidents.

Misinterpretation - Funny or Dangerous?

Today I was reading an article on the BBC site about a new book written by a former Australian diplomat. It's a humourous collection of translation gone wrong for former diplomats or politicians. Just by the review of the book (Undiplomatic Activities), it seems chalk full of laughs.

You know me, pessimist within, has taken a look at the other side of the translation-gone-wrong spectrum. Coincidentally (or maybe not), a couple weeks back, I saw a news story about translators in Iraq. A guy from Seattle (American), knew Arab and was called upon by the US government to translate in Iraq. This was before Saddam was pulled from power. He actually worked inside Saddam's palace as a translator. Apparently there was no language test before, they simply asked if you could speak Arab and you were in. While he knew the language well, many other translators brought over did not. He is back in the US now, opposed to the war in Iraq and claims that many translators were unable to translate properly for many politicians. Western diplomats were using phrases like 'cohesive, unified state', making it difficult for translators who might loosely know English or vice versa. If that was a factor in the war that is going on today and that is what the translator is suggesting, you can imagine what a little preparation by the American government could have done for Iraq before rushing into a war.
You know what assuming does...