One of the things I can recall my mom saying when I was younger is… “never put all your eggs in one basket”. BTW, this is what it would sound like in her Trini accent.. “neva put all yuh eggs in one basket eh boy”. Earlier this year I had a HUGE issue with my websites and in the back of my head I could hear the egg in the basket saying.

At that time I had all of my websites hosted on a server package I had purchased a couple months back. Not only was it cheaper, but it was easier to manage with having one main server. However, when the server went down all of my websites were down. I’m sure all you webmasters will know that there is no 100% guaranteed uptime. I depend on my websites being active to be able to earn the cheese. So there I was in panic mood, as I checked my sites only to notice that they were all down. No sites no money! It took all of 3 days for them to come back active and this meant lost income.

I learned my lesson… Immediately after, I went out and started to invest in different hosting packages and split my websites one these different servers. It paid off! Last Tuesday the same main server package I originally had went down again, but this time it did not affect my entire list of websites since they were not all hosted on one main server any longer. Though I did loose out on some income, at least it was not a total wipeout!

Hey.. don’t put all your eggs in one basket! Now I have to start backing up everything that’s important.

Have a great weekend.

Chris ….

p.s. did you know that even though the server went down, the company that I have the server account with never once offered to give me some sort of compensation for the down-time?

Life is weaker than death, and death is weaker than love. Khalil Gibran

Yesterday marked a very dark day in our history as we paid tribute to those who died in the events of 9 11. It’s all so clear in my mind… that morning Caron and I were going to the farmers market in Hamilton and as we walked through the public library to get to the doors of the market we could see this blank look on people faces as they stared into the tv in the lobby. We were witnessing an event that would change the world as we knew it forever.
Many countries were represented by the victims of the attack on the World Trade Center. The New York City Health Department released a report based on 2,617 death certificates filed for the victims through Jan. 25, 2002. The report covers more than 90 percent of the estimated deaths and includes the victims on the planes.
As I sit and reflect, I’d like to pay tribute to the 16 Canadian and 15 nationals of Trinidad and Tobago (my 2 homes) who lost their lives 5 years ago.

Source: http://911research.wtc7.net/sept11/victims/nyckilled.html

Let’s hope we never have to relive such events again.

Did I not pay the full price or did I get a discounted price that gave them the authority to not fill my order the way it should be? Here’s my pet peeve for this Monday:
* It seems that Mc Donalds can’t teach their workers to correctly fill the packages the fires comes in. It’s now been about 5 times (since I started counting) that we’ve purchased food (disclaimer - I know… food and Mc Donalds should not be grouped in the same sentence) from said fast food joint and we’ve walked away with a large size package, half-full. After paying close to $3 for what actually cost them about 30cents to make, the least they could do if fill the darn thing. I paid for a large fry and I expect to get a large fry. Hey.. you can’t beat the taste of the just-out-of-the-fryer, salty fries with ketchup. Don’t let it get cold..instantly turns into little potato twigs that can chip the best dental work

* Same issue when I visit our local “gourmet coffee” house… YEP! Tim Hortons, Timmys or Tims for some. I get a large double double (double cream and sugar) when I order. Do I get a large cup filled to the top? NOPE! It seems it will break the bank if they actually give me what I paid for.. a large coffee. I could fully understand if I had to add the cream and sugar that they would leave room in the cup for this, but they’re the ones actully putting the thing together. And BTW… do they add something to their coffee that makes people addicted to their particular brand? I’ve spoken to many people who can’t start the day without a Timmys coffee.

Half full or half empty?

Enjoy the rest of the week
Chris..

First week of school and I already have an issue with the gym teacher at the primary school our girls attend. If we ever shared a cup of tea and spoke about teachers and the education system here in Canada you’ll leave thinking..”this fella really dislikes teachers!”

Let’s just say I expect a little more from teachers. Don’t get we wrong, I appreciated all they did for me and what they’re doing for my girls… BUT! (we’ll leave this for another time)

Yesterday I overheard our eldest daughter saying to Caron that  her gym teacher (BTW our other girls said the same thing as well) said to the class that she’ll need new gym shoes. NEW GYM shoes.. we just spent over $60 each on Nike Shox for them. Supposedly, since the shoes they currently have were worn outside they would not be permitted in the gym. So Mr Teacher expects us to go out and purchase new shoes specifically for gym..to run around after a ball!

We’re talking about a gym where the floor is the very same as the entire school… same as the classroom they spend most of their time in, the lunch room where they have lunch, library etc. I would be less critical if the gym had some special floor that needed to be protected… but it’s the same floor as the rest of the school.

Where do teachers get the power to tell us that we need to go purchase new shoes for our girls after we’ve already done so? Last time I checked I didn’t get a summer off with pay…nor Christmas , Easter and Spring break. Maybe they have the coins, but we don’t!

Across North America 1000’s of kids will be heading back to school this morning. Drivers please take extra caution and look out for crossing guards, kids walking and crossing the streets and be prepared for parents as they stop to drop off their childern at school. Don’t forget to watch your speed in school zones.

Parents, here’s some more tips…

MAKING THE FIRST DAY EASIER

* Remind your child that she is not the only student who is a bit uneasy about the first day of school. Teachers know that students are anxious and will make an extra effort to make sure everyone feels as comfortable as possible.
* Point out the positive aspects of starting school: It will be fun. She’ll see old friends and meet new ones. Refresh her memory about previous years, when she may have returned home after the first day with high spirits because she had a good time.
* Find another child in the neighborhood with whom your youngster can walk to school or ride with on the bus.
* If you feel it is appropriate, drive your child (or walk with her) to school and pick her up on the first day.

BACKPACK SAFETY

* Choose a backpack with wide, padded shoulder straps and a padded back.
* Pack light. Organize the backpack to use all of its compartments. Pack heavier items closest to the center of the back. The backpack should never weigh more than 10 to 20 percent of the student’s body weight.
* Always use both shoulder straps. Slinging a backpack over one shoulder can strain muscles. Wearing a backpack on one shoulder may also increase curvature of the spine.
* Consider a rolling backpack. This type of backpack may be a good choice for students who must tote a heavy load. Remember that rolling backpacks still must be carried up stairs, and they may be difficult to roll in snow.

TRAVELING TO AND FROM SCHOOL

Review the basic rules with your youngster:

School Bus

* Wait for the bus to stop before approaching it from the curb.
* Do not move around on the bus.
* Check to see that no other traffic is coming before crossing.
* Make sure to always remain in clear view of the bus driver.

Car

* All passengers should wear a seat belt and/or an age- and size-appropriate car safety seat or booster seat.
* Your child should ride in a car safety seat with a harness as long as possible and then ride in a belt-positioning booster seat. Your child is ready for a booster seat when she has reached the top weight or height allowed for her seat, her shoulders are above the top harness slots, or her ears have reached the top of the seat.
* Your child should ride in a belt-positioning booster seat until the vehicle’s seat belt fits properly (usually when the child reaches about 4′ 9″ in height and is between 8 to 12 years of age). This means the shoulder belt lies across the middle of the chest and shoulder, not the neck or throat; the lap belt is low and snug across the thighs, not the stomach; and the child is tall enough to sit against the vehicle seat back with her legs bent at the knees and feet hanging down.
* All children under 13 years of age should ride in the rear seat of vehicles.
* Remember that many crashes occur while novice teen drivers are going to and from school. You may want to limit the number of teen passengers to prevent driver distraction. Do not allow your teen to drive while eating, drinking, or talking on a cell phone.

Bike

* Always wear a bicycle helmet, no matter how short or long the ride.
* Ride on the right, in the same direction as auto traffic.
* Use appropriate hand signals.
* Respect traffic lights and stop signs.
* Wear bright color clothing to increase visibility.
* Know the “rules of the road.” http://www.aap.org/family/bicycle.htm

Walking to School

* Make sure your child’s walk to a school is a safe route with well-trained adult crossing guards at every intersection.
* Be realistic about your child’s pedestrian skills. Because small children are impulsive and less cautious around traffic, carefully consider whether or not your child is ready to walk to school without adult supervision.
* Bright colored clothing will make your child more visible to drivers.

Kieana, Tehya and India.. have a great day at school today girls. Peace at last, peace at last!