nothing much

Ahhh this blogging thing…

Sometimes I wonder if it is worth coming here and spilling my guts about life. Many people say they enjoy the pictures and the accounts of my weird life, but then there are those lulls in time where no one says a word. Much like a community radio program I have been doing for the past 10 or so years… there are days when it just seems like you’re on you own.

Well I am home sick today… with a cold. I caught it at work… makes one wonder why, when people are this sick, do they go to work and spread it around to everyone else? My brother thinks that it is because “people” don’t like to use sick days when they are really sick. (note: that was a joke… one that you may not get if you don’t work for the “man”)

Well I am hoping this round of illness does not set off Mr IGA nephrology, not sure I can handle him right now. I have read many articles and accounts, and it would seem that I have many years to go before having to worry, which is a good thing, as long as I can battle the individual bouts.

So have a great day!!!

Be a great day!!!

Hug someone!!!

Laugh!

Graduation

As many of you know, in my previous life I taught elementary school. I loved teaching, but found that it drained me emotionally because I could not separate life from school. The kids’ problems became my problems and I felt I had to leave after 3 years.

What many may not know is that I became a teacher, because/in spite/despite a very mean hearted teacher and principal I had in grade 8. Let's say I had some 'home issues' that were spilling over and affecting/effecting me and my school life. So what did these two yahoos do, you may ask? Well the teacher told me in front of my class that I would never graduate from HS because of my work ethic (she was in the school from the time I entered in kindergarten... I was an A student until the last few years when the problems started... but she never figured she would check to see what may have been causing the trouble) and the principal called me into his office and said that I should look up words in the dictionary (can't rem the exact words at this time, but ones that would describe a trouble maker), because that was how he and the school perceived me. Not once did either simply ask... what's wrong!!! (note: that is a very short account of a grade 8 year, straight from hell!)

Well I was determined to one day become a teacher and help change the life, or at least make the difference in a student's life in a positive way. Well the last school I was at had one such student. He was a mild 'trouble maker' but with such a warm spirit... but LAZY :) I never did find out what was 'wrong' with him, but he did know that he could come to me and exhale when need be. I did my best to work with him through the year. There were times when he really hated the fact that I was his teacher, because I pushed him academically, but I still made sure that he trusted that someone was always willing to listen when need be.

He graduated before I left the school and thanked me for listening and never giving up on him.

It's funny how an individual looks for validation... I was expecting that he would call me at the school to say how he was doing in HS, or, he had a sister in my school still, so he should come by once a month or so to say hello, I expected a big card, or maybe a skywriter to say there you go kiddo, you're a great teacher, you made a difference, but nothing, just a simple thank you :)

I learned years later to appreciate that thank you and I have cherished the fact since then.

Yesterday, I picked up an e mail, from guess who? student x

He is writing me to ask a favor...

He is graduating from HS, and would consider it an honour to have me attend. He will be leaving for a couple years to study abroad and hopes he can see me before he goes, because he really misses me :)

He said he would write soon so that I could catch up on his life, I told him no problem, just hold the mustard... (my students made sure to advise me not to become a stand up comedian)

In the end, your answers come from where and when they need to... you can not force the world to conform to your needs, but rather adjust yourself to enhance the environment around you and no matter what the response is, you can get something out of it.

I don't think that by any means I saved student x, but then again, who knows... maybe I was just there when he needed an extra push to get him through a rough patch.

So I get to witness a lil boy enter the wild wide world as a man and I am proud of him.

This is better then any silly little skywriter... I miss teaching.

Sooo what did you do today?

Now before anyone gets their knickers in a twist... this wasn't exactly planned. Nor is this one of those, "I think I'm gonna die, so let me do all the wild and crazy things I've never done before" posts... but more of a ... now I realize how precious life is, so why talk about it... like the Nike commercial says, "Just DO IT!!!"





so what did you do today????





I flew a plane :O

Now, don't hate... no it's not a lear jet, but for 30 mins it was the greatest plane in the world, because I was flying it. My wonderful wife has been encouraging me to try flying for years, so I snuck behind her back and made arrangements for the "intro-flight" and surprised her today by saying, "honey, I'm going up in that tiny green thing over there, would you mind taking some pictures?"

She was in much shock for the most part, ya think!!!

non members must stay behind a fence for insurance, hence the not so close up pictures... but I FLEW A PLANE!!!!

So it really is a very long and interesting story, but the short is they walk you around the plane, telling you things to check before flying a Cesna 150... then you jump in and take off... my instructor takes a hard right and looks at me and says grab the wheel... I'm like WHAT?!?!?! - he's like you didn't come to sight see so grab the wheel... so I grab and he says ease back until we hit 1600 feet and fly!!!

and I flew

and it was AMAZING!!!

so when ever you see me I have one heck of a drinking story to tell, although because of mr 'kidney' problem, it may be san pellegrino. If you don't know me personally and you happen to stumble across this blog... Go do something you really wanted to do for a long time... don't think about it or rationalize why you shouldn't... just pick up right now and go do it (unless of course it is illegal or will hurt someone or... you get the point)... but really, life is this wonderful thing that we bank and then complain when we can't withdraw... pinch a lil from it now and enjoy :)

see you on the horizon...

love ya lots SP K

Back at last... brrr Winterlude

For those of you who have never witnessed/experienced winterlude the following pictures are created from blocks of ice, carved with ordinary hand tools... really something you need to see to believe...

and don't forget the beavertails!!! :)

soooo

Sooooo,
It’s been awhile. My brother has been hounding me about “blogger etiquette” and that it is not right for me to just stop writing. The problem I guess was/is that I am not quite sure what to write about. Originally this blog was to highlight a life long dream trip come true… going to the world cup is one thing – going to see your home country play for the first visit there – priceless.

Now what?

Well, I have been sick – life is changing – the world has gone crazy, but outside of that things are good.

Expect to see ramblings of trying to overcome some disease that I have but don’t have, that can be controlled but not cured, that can attack tomorrow or maybe never … argh!

Frustration.

I said before that I love taking pictures, so you will probably see pictures of places I’ve been – people I meet – adventures I go on – etc. Anyone who knows me knows that my life has this knack for turning a regular trip to a neighboring city into an adventure worthy of a book (or at least a magazine article).

Who am I writing for – absolutely no one, but you can read it if you like :)

See you soon, I just took the camera out and charged the batteries!!!

Thank God!

Finally

I am so sorry for the delay in putting up the remainder of pictures... as some of you know I was sick at the end of the trip and that in itself has been a trip :)

I can not explain the feeling of being there in person. It is something I will never forget. A special thanks to my cousin in TnT for the hook-up. Believe me cuz I am a world cup junkie now, so no worries we are going to South Africa in four years - bet on it!!!

The people were wonderful the culture was unbelievable... I will never be the same person. Life has new meaning.

As well to my traveling crew - Thank you. Kinda bumpy at times and cramped to say the least, but we made it (who says a Renault can't travel at 200 km/h on the autobahn). See you by the bulldog in 5 years.

So that's about it... I think I will continue to blog - showing my view of the beauty of the world through normal eyes. I was walking downtown Ottawa yesterday and thought wouldn't it be cool to trek through the city and take pictures as if I were a tourist... and so begins a new journey.

Ps thanks to my family for supporting the dream, especially a truly spectacular wife.

random pics

we made it through













mural in a cafe - they love Bob :)












Hitler's last stand - one of the last buildings he was constructing before leaving his position in politics



























I think the city was called Wurzburg - the center is almost all round-a-bouts

random pics

quiet before the storm in Dortmond












court in Brouges











Amsterdam windmill

love the European fashion

They have such a love for GW :)

the England game

inside the fan zone before the game
















































England hooligan hunter












the game (for those who said I didn't take any pics during the last game)
















































After the game








































who said they weren't friendly

up up and away

off to Switzerland and Austria... talk to you all soon.

Next game Nurenburg against England... TnT!!!