Radios are like Babies

Up until now, I've been the only member of the Ingenious Software team without children. That's made for some pretty interesting conversations at lunchtime (and many other times) as I've watched my co-workers navigate the wonderful world of parenthood. Soon, I'll be able to join those discussions myself. My wife and I are expecting our first child in May of next year, and we're very excited about it.

I've taken to laying in bed on Sunday mornings (I know… don't get used to it) and thinking about the abrupt change that our life is going to undergo. It occurred to me that being a firefighter is actually pretty good practice for being a parent. You have this noisy, cranky thing that requires regular changing (of batteries, anyways) and goes off at random hours of the night. And when it goes off, it might be a matter of life and death, so you have to move quickly - even if you're still pretty much asleep.

Of course, experienced parents (and experienced firefighters - of which many of you are probably both) know that a child is both infinitely more demanding and more rewarding than a firefighter's radio. In a way, that makes me even more excited about what is coming. In my first year as a firefighter, I've had to learn new skills, move outside my comfort areas and be willing to put myself out there for my community. The challenges and the rewards have been substantial, and I feel like I'm a better person for them.

The idea that parenthood will be even bigger, scarier, more challenging and more rewarding is amazing… and terrifying. Hopefully I'll have as much luck with it as I feel I've had with firefighting. 'Cause I think we'll need all the luck (and patience, humor, love and fortitude) that we can get.

Snow - Still Happens at the End of Fall

Winter is apparently here. I guess that's a good thing - it didn't give us a lot of time for anticipation this year. None of the usual BC winter-watch, where we get to see winter coming on by the steadily lowering snow level on the mountain. It's like living in the bottom of an hourglass full of cold. Not this year, though. We went from "Oh look, some snow on the ridges" to "Holy god, I have to drive home in this…" pretty much overnight.

For our department, and probably for many, many others, this is crunch time. Often literally, actually. The inability of people to prepare for this annual event continually boggles my mind. How hard is it, people? It happens EVERY YEAR! But no. No snow tires, excessive speeds, passing in unsafe conditions. I'm not sure that it's generally realized when it comes to icy roads, SUV often means Suddenly Upside-down Vehicle. Maybe we should put out a memo or an ad or something - maybe during Canadian Idol, as I understand lots of people watch that show.

I guess ultimately I can't complain too much about people not being ready for winter. My leaves aren't raked yet, for example, nor is my garden particularly put to bed. As my neighbor says, "Once the snow covers it, you won't worry about it." Which is somewhat reassuring, but doesn't really fill me with optimism about the spring. I guess I'll just have to keep my radio close, drive as safely as possible, and worry about the things that I CAN see, which is as good a way to live as I can think of.