blaze a trail 2011

This is a bit late, but we're running Blaze A Trail again this year for Emmanuel students. You're welcome to support the students by going to my Giving Page. This year we're going to have a bunch of students hiking with me as it's harder logistics wise to get them all to different locations. So we'll be doing 20 km along my favourite section of trail from Hilton Falls to Limehouse Conservation Areas.

candid camera

Do you ever have those moments where you're convinced that someone's going to jump out from behind a bush and yell "Suprise! You're on Candid Camera!"? I have those every time I try to dry my hands in one of the washrooms at work. There's an electric hand dryer in one of the washrooms with a sensor on it for starting. But after about 10 seconds, it stops. Then no matter what you do, it won't start again to finish the job, because as we all know, 10 seconds of mediocre wind and mild heat is not nearly enough to dry your hands completely. Today I actually looked to see if there was a camera peering at me from one of the corners of the room.

I guess that's what I get for longing to be a good citizen and wash my hands (and dry them) after visiting the little boys room.

Sigh.

another trip round the sun

A day went by this week without much fanfare. Monday was the marking of 5 years since I've started working my current job. This is 5 years of being split between 3 different departments for my time. 5 years of going to the same location Monday - Friday 8:30 - 4:30. 5 years of having some of the same co-workers. 5 years of sitting in the same office chair.

But over those 5 years, some things have changed. I've moved 4 times. I've done some travelling around Canada, the US, and Europe. I've had 3 different direct supervisors in the one department I work in. I've changed offices once and relocated my desk recently to a different wall for the first time since moving into that office.

Sometimes I feel like life can be pretty stagnant with lots of things being monotonous. But I know that I'm fortunate to have this current setup and am not complaining in the least. I'm looking forward to the 6th year and I know that some things will change - some by plan and others as things run their course. Some things may happen because I want to do something differently, and others may drag me kicking and screaming into the unknown.

Tomorrow starts the beginning of the "unofficial" academic year with a week of training. Am I ready? Am I ever ready, should be the real question.

My answer: bring it on.