Downhill

On May 15, 2001, I received the news that my office was going to be shut down and everyone in that office would be losing their jobs by the end of the year. I took some time to digest this news and went through most of the stages of grieving. I went quickly through denial (hard to deny something when the CEO is standing in the front of an all-company meeting telling everyone what is going to happen) straight into angry. I stayed in angry for about a week. Bargaining was taken care of by the HR department. I was a bit too busy for depression - besides, my department (Technology and Infrastructure) and my minions had a crap-load of work to do before the lights were turned off and Seattle stopped paying the bills. Suddenly, I found myself in acceptance. Acceptance that maybe, finally, this *might* be the winter that I could ... ski.

Being a responsible, family-oriented dad has always been first and foremost in my priorities. I want my loved ones to have what they need and some of what they want. I made plans (which I made known to my concerned wife-at-the-time) for acquiring new and gainful employment. I would consult, a new company would be created and I would continue to bring in money. A secret motive existed for this arrangement, though - being master of my own schedule meant to me that certain days could be 'booked' to allow me some time in the mountains that I love so much.

Another benefit of the big layoff was a severance package. Some of this money I claimed for myself went towards the extravagant (at the time) purchase of some good-quality-but-used demo skis, boots and bindings from a local high-end ski shop. This was one of the few treats I allowed myself in those lean years. I hadn't skied a whole lot previously, but knew that I loved it. I thought that this winter would hold much mountain-time for me.

Fate had other plans. Days after the office had officially shut down, the old gang called me up to be their infrastructure guy. The (ex)wife was beating me with a stick to get out there and drum up business, and very little ski time was had.

Years pass. A divorce happens. Life bcomes busy with re-establishing myself. I become master of my own time. A home is set up. Children become older and require less hands-on time. Some financial resources are freed up.

Suddenly, I can afford a Sunshine Pass. Suddenly, HR at my current job realizes that they have been calculating my vacation accumulation incorrectly this year, and I actually have two weeks stored vacation time instead of the four days I thought I had to stretch through the winter.

Could this be the year that I actually learn to do moguls?

Photo Booth

I was the subject (and photographer, kind of) for a good photo. Let me set this up before you view it.

At our company Christmas party this year, we rented a photo booth. It is a pretty standard booth that takes 4 black-and-white pictures and puts them all on one print, one after the other. You (and as many as your friends as you deem worthy) get in the booth, choose your background (a curtain or a plain white wall), sit on the stool, and push the button. A blinding flash hits you, then you have six seconds to choose and prepare yourself for the next pose.

Just six seconds.

OK, now perhaps you'll fully appreciate the series.  Click on the photo to the right to see the full photo strip.

indebtedness

I just heard that someone in our office signed up for a 40 year mortgage.

Them leg shackles are gonna chafe for sure.

She's a young, happy, no-so-sharp pencil that is starting a new marriage and family. They recently bought a BRAND NEW car and I bet they both dine out for dinner all the time. Yikes.

I hope her hubby has got a good, stable job that pays well.

Today's Lesson

If you need to send a message to a woman, you should use a card and flowers.

If you've done a proper job on the card, the flowers will only be the punctuation at the end.

Quick Moves

This has happened to me, but with cats.

Time for a Treat

I consider myself to be a patient and tolerant man.

I have many examples that point to my ability to put immediate gratification in the back seat and make it sit quietly whilst I get things done. I went to university right out of high school when I really would have liked to have traveled. I married and had kids at the request of an insistent girlfriend. I moved a few times on the insistence of the said-girlfriend-turned-wife when I would have been quite happy (each time) staying where I was. I've bought vehicles I haven't wanted, pulled trailers (full of stuff that had no right going anywhere but to a garbage dump) across the country when I really didn't want to. I've scrimped and saved when I would have liked to spent a little money on myself.

Now, I have an opportunity to treat myself. Due to the big event at my little company, I am seeing a payoff from my investment of some money and much-much-much sweat, time and effort. I intend to take a little of this reward and treat myself. The majority of what I've worked for will go into responsible things, like paying down some of my mortgage, into RRSPs, against debts induced by my renovations to the basement. But, I've decided that I need to treat myself to something that says, "I've done alright in life."

A few ideas I've come up with are:

• a new(er) vehicle
  
• replacing the carpet (yes, carpet) in my kitchen with hardwood and tile
  
• a new sofa in the noise room I've built downstairs
  
• some help with the finishing touches to the renovations (the ones that I just can't seem to find time or skill to do myself)

I'm not used to treating myself, either. I've always had more demanding people in my immediate circle (wives, kids, employers, girlfriends) that have found uses or needs for my resources of cash, time and effort. I've been the good and obedient worker bee, always ready to help, always ready to give, always ready to try and dazzle with my effort and delivery.

This is the first point in my life that I have been the director of what is going on with me. Now, here I am, a man who is seeing the results of five years of ultra, ULTRA hard work; a time when I have some good things - even enough to share - and nobody wants all they figure that they are due and some of my portion, too. For once, I have more than enough for myself.

It's been a little scary, having pushed so hard against the rock to finally have it roll away from the cave door, but I'm liking the feel of it lately.

First Length

I am thirteen years old.

I like girls, but they sure haven't noticed me. I'm not athletic, or funny, or handsome. I don't wear fancy, expensive clothes, or have cool toys. I think that being smart is the thing to do, so I spend lots of time reading and hanging out with my friend Dale, or my friend Blake. I don't do much sports because I've never been great at hitting a ball or a puck. My aim is terrible.

I think Mr. Spock from Star Trek is cool, because he is super-strong and in control of his emotions and the situation he's in. He always knows what to say and Captain Kirk is always going to him for stuff. He knows about everything, like he's memorized everything he's ever read. I want to be just like him.

My mom wants me to get into sports, so I'm going to a swim team tryout today. I'm pretty nervous about it. Our neighbors, the Prince family, have a pool and they let me swim there lots. On hot days, I love to go other there. I help out by skimming the leaves off the pool and helping Mrs. Prince take the solar cover off and put it on when it's time to close the pool. I like being in the water, and I can do some stuff like swim underwater the whole way, holding my breath. I'd like to race and I can swim faster than my mom or my little brother (who is a total hockey kid). Chris Prince is eighteen and is a jock and has a really pretty girlfriend. I'd love to have a pretty girlfriend.

Maybe swimming will be my thing. Maybe I could be a swimming jock. We had a big competition in Edmonton this year called the Commonwealth Games. The swim races made a bunch of headlines in The Edmonton Journal. There was this guy from Edmonton who set a world record. He's the fastest guy at that race IN THE WORLD, and he's from Edmonton. Maybe I could do that, too. I saw a picture of him on this poster, and he looks so strong. I'd love to look like that. Maybe swimming can make me strong, too.

If I make the team at the tryouts, I'll get to practice two times a week at the County Pool. Its a great pool they built last year. There are two pools in the building - one for swimming and one for diving. There's a one meter diving board that's easy to jump off of, and a three meter board that is so scary! I can dive off the one meter, but I can only jump off the three meter.

I think being a swimmer would be fun.