Dissappointed but not Surprised

As most of you know I work in the Oil and gas industry and work out of an Engineering Company's office in Calgary. I noticed the last couple days while coming into work, walking around and leaving work that about 80% of the people here do not wear a poppy. At the risk of sounding racist, Of that almost 100% of the non white or New Canadian immigrants do not wear the poppy. furthermore I was in a Tim Horton's this morning and it was the morning rush hour, and again maybe 2 out of 25 people were wearing a poppy.

As our world War veterans pass away in significant numbers it almost seems that people have forgotten what the poppy means and what the poppy supports. With The conservative government ready to cut back almost $500 million from Veterans affairs to support our modern day veteran like My Father and even Myself, the poppy fund is even more important. Although I disagree with the Legions stance with the Canadian Veteran Freedom Riders in the use of the poppy, I do agree that it is important.(Story here http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/story/2011/10/26/ottawa-legion-poppy-trademark.html )

We all hear stories on how people steal the poppy boxes or come up with Scams to sell poppies in the name of the Legion, but the bigger crime here in my opinion, is the amount of Canadians that do not embrace the freedom that their Countrymen are affording them, and the people that sacrificed so much to ensure that freedom. For Canadians I guess you can attribute it to a few things, laziness, forgetfulness, procrastination, tired of all the fundraising in the slow economy. Who knows.

I guess the real story here for them people who choose not to buy or wear a poppy, is that all the sacrifices made by all the veterans of all the wars and conflicts, allows them to make that choice - not to wear a poppy during Remembrance week, and that is why we serve so you can make these choices and enjoy your freedom. For those of you that are wearing one and have donated, and for those who have served and continue to serve, I salute you.

That Time of year again...Wear a Poppy

I posted a blog last year shortly after Remembrance day, so I thought I would post one before this year. I just read a Newspaper article in the Calgary Sun about a bar advertising drinks specials for the 10 November and using the Moniker what will you remember November 11...here is the Article that was posted in the Calgary Sun.


http://www.calgarysun.com/2011/11/01/bars-remembrance-day-bash-rankles-veterans?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=recommend-button&utm_campaign=Bar%27s+Remembrance+Day+bash+rankles+veterans

So I ask people what do you remember about 11 November growing up and what do you do November 11 now.

My most vivid and memorable memories for Remembrance Day was when I was a young private posted to Calgary back in 1980. The week before Remembrance Day we would put on our CF Uniforms(Dress uniforms) and we would take a day to go to the Legion and spend it with the veterans of WW1 and WW2. Now back then there were still plenty of the WW1 vets around and the WWII vets were still in their 50's and 60's. All these guys were sharp witted and fun guys to be around. When we sat with the Vets from the Second World War, they would tell us some of the most amazing and funny stories about their times in the military and over seas. Most times they would not talk about the horrors of war. When they did mention a comrade that passed, they would normally toast him and carry on.

When I was sitting with the guys from WW1 it was strangely different. After a few wobbly pops, they would tell more of the stories about the horrors or war, and how tough it was and about the comrades they lost. Needless to say I thought this strange yet intriguing. I must say I am happy to had the chance to speak to these heros considering there are no WW1 vets left. Those trips to the Legion I always looked forward to, and of course going to the Legion on Remembrance day after the ceremonies.

As I got older and have had the opportunity to speak to more WWII vets I noticed something strange, in that they too now talk about the things they didn't back in 1980. What I have come to understand about our young men and woman that who have served and faced some of the most terrible things in our history is, they chose to remember the good things . But as they got older I thought because the stories they told, they were choosing to remember the bad things....... I have since come to a different conclusion and what Remembrance day is suppose to be about.

In my opinion, The vets wanted us young soldiers to understand the camaraderie and the fun times they had while serving for Canada. When they got together they wanted to tell the stories that made them laugh and feel good about what they did. As a young soldier they wanted me to feel special about the career I was embarking on. As they got older, the stories they told were not for them to remember the bad times they had, but was for us as young soldiers to understand the horrors and heartache that war brings.

When I served in Somalia, I understood even more what these Veterans were telling me. When I returned I too, would tell the stories of the fun times I had, and the friends I made. I usually didn't talk about coming under fire, being mortared, crashing in a helicopter or seeing the dead bodies of children.

Today when I sit with the young men and woman that have served in Afghanistan and other conflicts, whether they are 20 or 50 years old, I see and hear the same things. They talk about the goofy times, the fun times, the hard times but not the bad times. We save them for later.

When you see a soldier or Veteran on Remembrance Day, and he is there all dressed up and proudly wearing his medals, look into their eyes, and you will see a proud person, you may see the friends that they came to remember,or the times that they came to remember, but take the time and ask him about his medals, his service or where he has been. They will have plenty of stories to tell. ....

Huh..it's been a year? Life is Good....

So....I have not kept up with my blog do to my fast paced life...um..ok ok, the real reason is I just wasn't interested in writing anymore. I guess I found myself writing more out of boredom, out of frustration, on account of this was the cool thing to do nowadays. The past year has seen many changes in my life, yet, I was uninspired to write about them. Today I decided I would do a catch-up-whirl-wind-bloggy-thing to appease my 1 or two followers. So here it goes....

January 2011- seen me coming back from Holidays in Punta Cana where my frinds son was married. It was an amazing week on the beach and diving, as well as hanging with my friends. I returned back to Houston and was still in a bit of a holding pattern with my job.

February 2011 - Well I was laid off from TransCanada and it made my month. I had not been happy for a while with the current role I was in, and the fact they wanted me to take a new one in Calgary which I declined as they wanted me to move again, sealed my fate. I want to say that leaving made me happy, and sad TransCanada was one of the best(if not the best) companies I had the pleasure of working for, however they didn't have a role that fit my profile. TCPL gave me a very generous payout package which further cemented my respect for them. OH FYI, I asked to be laid off in December if they had nothing for me so I could move on to a new role . I entertained a new position heading to Australia with Bechtel. I also did 2 interviews within the first week of being laid off, and had 2 more offers in hand. Life is good....

March 2011 - I had been basically hanging out at home enjoying my time off. I had been waiting patiently for my VISAs for the USA and Australia. Not much more happening....

April 2011- Well still no VISAs and I was starting to get anxious to get back to work. An old colleague called an offered me a new role with him, and a rather large pay check. I decided to take the job, and forgo Australia. Life is good..

May 2011 - Well I started my new job working at my old employers building. My new company is Osum Oilsands Corp working out of Jacobs Engineering. I ran into a lot of old friends and have settled in here. I have also decided to start to loose weight again. I had put the 50+lbs back on I loss 2 years earlier, due to my extensive travelling and hotel stays with TCPL. By the end of the month I was down 20lbs. Life is getting better...

June 2011 – I have been at the job for a month, getting the admin stuff done. Not much is happening outside the office. I did rent a condo in Calgary instead of a hotel, so I can control what I cook and have a normal existence here. I lost 10 more lbs. I am enjoying myself...

July 2011 - Golf!

August 2011 - Holiday season, I took two weeks off at the beginning, spent a week in Edmonton Golfing some more, and then a week in Nova Scotia visiting my family and friends. I enjoyed the time there and as always miss the Maritimes. I wish Alberta jobs could be there, I would so move back. I spent the last week of August at my parents’ house and we had a surprise 70 birthday party for my mom. I had several of my friends that knew my mom over the years, come as well as several of my parents friends. Both sisters made it as well. All in all, a very successful party for mom. She enjoyed it. Oh down another 10 lbs(July and August combined) Life is Grand....

September 2011 - back to work , but not much happening at the office. We are in a bit of a lull waiting to hear about funding for the project so my days are spent writing procedures, doing power points and helping my technically challenged colleagues with their IT problems. I am starting to get anxious, to get out to the field and build this plant! Spent A nice long weekend with my adoptive family in Montana golfing with them and the Griswalds. It was a great weekend minus the golf score sheet. Oh yeah, down 4 more lbs for the month but struggling to loose any more.

October 2011 - Stay tuned as I think changes are a coming I will also write a new blog in the next few days on my trip to Cuba I just came back from.

Diving....

So last year February 2010, I travelled off to the Caribbean with some old friends I had reunited with at a reunion in the summer of 2009. Now my good friend Dave likes to dive, and had learned his trade in the military while serving with the navy. His wife Linda likes to travel, and have been travelling for a few years, and they try and go places where my friend Dave can dive. Here is where I come in, so rewind 18 years ago, I took a diving course in Mombasssa Kenya while on R&R there from Somalia. I had almost 18 days off, so it made sense to take the 4 day long course and get my diving certification done. I dove in the Indian ocena and it was amazing and a feeling I have never felt before. My first dive I think I used a tank up in like 15 minutes. My second dive though I was more relaxed and able to spend almost an hour in the water. I enjoyed doing the course and doing the dives. Unfortunately the address they had on fiule for me was for NB where I lived many years ago, and this Dive Center was based out of Germany(Baracuda). I never did receive my Dive card from them, then again, in 17 Years I never went diving again. I do have a reason why, which I won't get into. Fast forward 17 years. So I like to to travel. SO I headed to Curracao in the Caribbean with my friends last february. My current addiction, is golf. Well golfing in the tropics is not fun as taking a day off work and going at home. So I decided to do some snorkling and the resort 4 hour intro to diving. It involved an hour in teh classroom and hour in the pool and then we then did a shore dive. Well I was hooked, hook line and sinker! So I went out the next day diving. I was able to go with the minimal training as long as I had my own dive master. This also meant paying for me and her to dive. This could get expensive,so I decided I would get my certification again. When I returned to home I immediately signed up for the online PADI elearning Open Diver Course course where I could do my classroom stuff at home, and then the pool and open water dives later on when I had time. Fast forward a year,107 busines trips later, I just didn't find the time. (I didn't even do the online stuff at all!)



So now I am working in Houston TX and we are heading off on another vacationg this time to Dominican Republic in 1 week. I booked my course, did my online course last weekend and just finished my first night in an outdoor pool last night. Now my Canadian friends are thinking, "Lucky bastard, in an outdoor pool in january". Anyone that lives down here are saying, "are you out of your mind, swimming in January!" To my Canadian friends and family who arecurrently in a Deep freeze of --29+ deg C , this week is the coldest week in Houston and last night the air temperatures was 2 Deg C when I was diving(it actually was -8 the night before) and the pool temperature was 87, (thats a hot tub back home)

I have my second night of diving at Rice University and tonight we wear a wetsuit. The airTemperature will be a balmy 4 Deg C when I am diving and the water temperature in the rice University Pool will be a cool 75 Deg F. Our weekend open water dives will be done at a lake here in Houston this weekend. the nice thing is the Temepratures will be all the wy up to 17 Deg C, but the water temeperatures will be around teh 60-65 Deg F mark. I am looking forward togetting this course out of the way. In less than a week I will be diving again in the tropics where it ie beautiful and warm and clear.



I think this is all worth the money and time and I would suggest to anyone that likes to outdoors, likes nature, likes peace and tranquility to take up diving. I know people have a lot of fears, but once you take this course with teh instructors, you gain the confidence to handle any situation. the instructors love diving, they love their job, they want you to enjoy it to. They work with you until you get it anad are comfortable with every aspect.



When your under the water, breathing, floating along, seeing things that 99 % of the world never gets to experience it is amazing. You hear sounds around you, but mostly very peaceful, you feel weighless as you swim along at the various depths along the bottom or along a reef. You watch the fish and the plants and the coral and see how beautiful being underwater is, especially the ocean floor is. Even if you only dive for tropical trips, the first time you go, trust me you will be hooked. Its my new cocaine! I will let you know later how cold it was, and hopefully post some pictures next week from my trip to Punta Cana