The Urminskys

click on this photo

Filed under: Uncategorized — David @ 11:44 pm Comments 5

click on this photo

Neyir and I would like to apologise on how we looked before. We didn’t realise. So we splurged and got some cosmetic surgury.

Do you know what really grinds my gears? II

Filed under: It Grinds my Gears — David @ 10:50 am Comments 5

Do you know what really grinds my gears? The Royal Prefix.In case you were wondering, this won’t be a post against the Queen or the Royalty in general.

It seems like when some organization gets the royal title, they let it go to their heads and think that they are sooooo great. Well, I’ll tell you what!, The Queen should make the royal prefix subject for review every few years or so. This way, if people want the prestige that comes with such a grand title, they have to do things a little better.

Take for example the Royal Mail . This morning we received our mail at the normal time. Then, about 10 min later, I hear something else slip through the mail slot in our front door. Thinking it is probably just junk, I ignore it for the moment. A few min later, I find out it is actually a note from Royal Mail saying we have a package for you we couldn’t deliver , cause you weren’t home”. The time was indicated to be in the AM. What is with that? Both Neyir and I were home at the time. The postie didn’t even bother to knock.

I ended up leaving the flat 5 min later, and I ran in the the Postie outside our building. I asked him if he tried to deliver a package on the top floor. He said “yes”. I said, “Well we were home, why did you slip a note saying we weren’t home under the door?”. He replied, “I did knock!”. I responded “Obviously you didn’t cause I am here talking to you about how I was home. Can I just have the package now?”. His reply “Oh, well, I don’t have it with me.”

I think, “You dumb *beep* *beep*”

I say, “Do you see a problem with what has transpired today?”

He thinks “Shut up you *beep*ing *beep*”

He says, “Shut up you *beep*ing *beep*”, and walks away.

It turns out the Queen didn’t give me any Royal Mail today, instead I got the “Royal Up Yours”. I’ll have to go to the mail depot and pick up the package myself.

So I ask you, do you think the Royal Prefix is all that it is cracked up to be?

Last Saturday We went to Stirling

Filed under: Travel — David @ 2:07 pm Comments 3

Last saturday we went to Stirling. We also took some photos. Here are some for you to enjoy. Mostly of Us, but for those of you back in Canada who haven’t seen us in a while you may appreciate them. click on the thumbnail to get a larger image.

The Good Stuff

Filed under: David's Posts — David @ 2:15 pm Comments 6

Is Math Evil?

Filed under: David's Posts — David @ 3:08 pm Comments 7

So here is how it goes.

Yesterday, I had a good math day and I was working hard trying to prove some theorems before my meeting with my Advisor. I could not solve the theorems, but I did progress quite far with them. With luck, I had to leave to go to church to attend a course on Gospel Foundations that our friend Bryce is putting on.

I was exicted for two reasons. 1- My dinner before this course was going to be a Baked Potato with a chicken curry on top. 2- The course he is teaching has been quite good.

Everything goes to plan, except that when the course starts, my mind could only focus on the mathematics I was trying to solve earlier in the day. I tried to concentrate on the course but alas, all I could do was the algebra in my head. Next thing I know, the course is over, and I think I have proven one of the theorems.

I think to myself, “This was really bad, Here I am wanting to learn more about gospel and how to gospelise more effectively, and all I could do was focus on escape conditions for the restricted eliptical three-body problem.”

I was reminded about the screwtape letters, and how he tells wormwood that he needs to subtlly get his charges to think about other things instead of prayer and what is going on in church.

Is the devil working through my mathematics trying to distract me from the gospel, or do I just lack the discipline to concentrate when I’m supposed to? Or, was it the Baked Potato with curry working evil in me? It was tasty and good; not all good things are good for you.
Hmmmm.

Sorry Bryce for not being able to concentrate.

Oh, by the way, if you have not read The Screwtape Letters, you really should.

Just walking here

Filed under: Neyir's Posts — Neyir @ 7:10 am Comments 6

I will admit that when it comes to observing traffic rules here in the UK I am not the best (you’ll be pleased to know that I am speaking as a pedestrian not a driver). It is not that I just randomly wander out in traffic, no rather that I find it safest and best to use my eyes and ears to decide when it is safe to cross a street rather than obey the somewhat ambiguous signals and signs. My method has been developed for a number of reasons: there are often no stop signs when smaller streets meet large intersections, I really did not understand round-abouts when we first moved here and of course - Pedestrians do not have the right of way. Yup for all those North Americans out there, you heard me correctly! Now I will admit to being a bit rule obsessed and I do find that a perfectly lovely morning can be ruined by my righteous judgement to what I perceive as a driver taking advantage of this rule. A perfect example was yesterday morning.

I was walking to work up Leith Walk, crossed the bridges onto Nicholson. Now Nicholson a relatively major thorough-fare. I came to quite a small interesection, no stop sign but actually lights and took a quick survey of the situation. There are no pedestrian lights here so you need to use your wits to decide when it is safe to cross. I saw that the traffic I needed to cross had a red light (no idea how stale) but more importantly there was an elderly lady in the middle of the intersection with a cane. Well you can imagine what I did, I strode quickly out into the middle of the intersection thinking; regardless of the lights someone else needs to be ‘out there’ with that lady in case the light changes, for solidarity (honestly that was my thought). Now again, my North American friends, I am sure you are thinking solidarity? Why? Surely at a minor intersection with but one car waiting to cross and no-one behind him, he would wait for octogenarian to cross! No Way!!! The light of course changed just as a reached the lady, the car honked (I think it did but as I was just in awe as I saw his tires begin to move am unsure) and the car cut but inches in front of us. Well I will admit that I did some serious glaring and threw my hands somewhat up in the air which caused the driver to point at the light and then I rolled my eyes. I saw the lady across the street and thought to myself; how sad and what a perfect example of car superiority to people. I then noticed that the driver who by now had turned the corner and paused for some other cars was turned and looking as me in a perplexed fashion, I am sure he had no idea why I was annoyed as this is such a normal turn of events here.

Eeeek, I tell ya, a girl has got to keep her wits about her. I will now prepare myself to cautiously head to work, trying to keep my righteousness at bay - ciao.

PS WE ARE GOING TO ITALY!!!!!!!!!

I am laughing, smiling and just generally genial…

Filed under: Neyir's Posts — Neyir @ 6:18 pm Comments 2

Read this; www.thelionrampant.net

I say Bono, you say…?

Filed under: David's Posts — David @ 3:53 pm Comments 13

I was sitting here in my office showing my officemate the daily dilbert cartoon. Click on the link for the exact cartoon being read. It turns out this person didn’t get it. Why you may ask? Well… cause this person did not know who Bono is!

I was flabbergasted when I found out. Here is a person who is in the age range from 20-30 and has never heard of the Lead Singer from U2. I didn’t think this was possible for people in the age group from 18 to 35 (probably more like 13-40 yrs).

I couldn’t believe it.

The excuse My officemate gave is: the band sucks.

I think the real reason is that this officemate comes from a cultural void.

When it was found out that Bono was the lead singer from U2, this officemate claimed to know who Bono is and yada yada yada.

Still, It should be an automatic reflex,

If I were to say Bono, You would say…..?

Mr. T

Filed under: David's Posts — David @ 1:57 pm Comments 6

My friend Allan introduced me to this great site. random facts about Mr. T .

My favorite quote so far is:

The Earth’s gravity does not keep Mr. T from floating into space. The Earth simply feels insecure without Mr. T protecting it.

Visit The Metro Calvinist for a reformed look at Mr. T.