Usually I am busy, but lately things have been a little bit crazy. I suppose my life is always a little bit crazy, so then lately things have been a little bit more than a little bit crazy. So much so, that I am writing you now in what was supposed to be the middle of the craziness, however, in the true nature of chaos my plans have shifted yet again. This has resulted in me sitting here on my couch, groggy from a lack of sleep and the inconvenience of time changes, writing you of the adventures that have happened and the ones that will not.
I guess it really isn't that exciting, just busy.
Work has been busy. I have been working on a project for a while now, and though it is not complete it was functional. We went into Calgary last week for a meeting. It seems strange, technically I live in Rocky Rapids, but I do not seem to spend a great deal of time here. Away for a weekend, back for a few days, and then to Calgary for a few days. The meetings we had were good, as good as meetings can be at least, and I did my best to dazzle my co-workers with a demonstration of my project. I would like to think that they were sufficiently dazzled by my exciting project, but, I think the project is really only exciting to me and maybe it wasn't that dazzling. Either way, it was a good trip to Calgary and a good team building event.
The meetings were not really the team building part, it was what happened after the meetings. The entire thing was a big secret, and we had been guessing at what kind of event you can do with 30 people with varying interests and tastes. They chose an excellent event. We headed off to a small cooking school where we were split into teams and expected to cook a meal that we were then expected to eat. Unreasonable? I know. But we gave it a go anyways. This reminded me of when I started my MBA in New Brunswick. In our first week of orientation we did a similar, if not identical event (save for the menu). It was a great event then, except that one of our teams did not execute their portion of the meal quite correctly, resulting in us not being able to eat that portion. Correction, people could eat it if they wanted to... could.
I had some fears of that this time, but we went on full bore ahead anyways. My team was given the task of preparing salad and vegetables. Those who know me might find this ironic as I generally avoid vegetables, especially salad, like the plague. Oh well, I had to prepare them, but nowhere was it writ that I had to eat them. So prepare them we did. We thought we had the easiest job, but when we looked around the kitchen it was us who finished our preparations last.
The meal was served, and all courses were prepared to at the minimal with an edible amount of expertise. This was already better than my MBA meal. We ate, and it was good. I did try out vegetables, I figured that red peppers and carrots were a safe bet. They were... ok... In the end the different courses were judged and by some freak accident, and by freak accident I mean incredible culinary expertise and flawless teamwork, our team won. We took our bows, and I added to my collection of PennWest propaganda a rather nice backpack. Everyone was given a PennWest apron, and good times were had by all.
After that we headed to Melrose on 17th, which brought back a great deal of memories from High School, since Melrose is across the street, and then I headed off to meet a friend while the rest of the crew moved on to the next location. When I left my friend so that she might get some sleep before work the next day I headed back to the hotel. On the way (since I was on foot) I saw some of our guys outside smoking in front of another bar and I rejoined the PennWest engineering pack. It was a good night, and at 2:30 amish, I called it a night.
The next morning me and some of the less hungover guys headed to the Palliser for breakfast and then hit the road.
We were back in Drayton for the afternoon, where I was able to get some work done, and then home, sleep, awake, work, sleep, and time to pack for the long weekend. The packing was not a big issue. The big issue was when it was time to go, and I headed outside, loaded my loaner truck and started it up. By started it up I mean turned the key to hear... nothing. The truck was dead. I was able to boost the truck but now I was a bit concerned. I was heading to Edmonton to fly to Toronto for the weekend, and when I returned I was to be in Edmonton for work meetings. This seemed like valid reason to use my work truck, so I called my boss to get his permission and I was on the road.
Getting to Toronto was uneventful. I didn't get hassled too much for carrying around a sword, and I got on the shuttle to Guelph and checked in all before 11 pm. One of my long time friends was already there and waiting and we had a chance to catch up a bit before heading to bed.
The following two days were filled with enormous amounts of martial arts training. It is always good to see the different martial artists. We are a relatively small group so it is nice to catch up once in a while. Also, you have to think that if you usually do 2-4 hours of practice a week, and then suddenly you do two 8 hour days, in those two days you just did 1-2 months of training. That sounds tiring, and let me tell you... it was. It was also amazing. I feel this this was the best seminar I had yet been to, and I feel that I learned a great deal.
This was to be a good seminar either way, because I graded last December I didn't have to test this time. Well, that was how I thought it went. Evidently there is a little loophole in the system that worked in my favour. It turns out that I live a long way away from Guelph, and that means there is a little flexibility on my grading. I was informed that if I wanted I could do the test this weekend so that I did not have to return in December. I would not be awarded the grade until December, but it would save me a trip. I jumped at this idea because it could easily save me $800. This was then very interesting because where you would usually get months to prepare for a grading I had two days. Two days was enough. I keep up on my practice and I was relatively confident. I met up with my partner for the last test and the two of us practiced hard to get used to each other's technique. When it came to the test yesterday I did my best and felt like I had an excellent run. Everyone grading for the second dan in Jodo passed... including me!
It was a great weekend. I passed my test, my friend passed his test, we checked out of the hostel, and headed into the arboretum. Guelph has an amazing arboretum, if you want to see just go check out my photo album.
We headed back to Toronto where he headed back to Saskatoon and I headed to a U of T Hostel for the night. This morning I caught my plan EAF and somehow made it back to Edmonton. As I said, I was supposed to be in meeting in Edmonton tonight, and tomorrow, but things seem to change around a bit. The meetings were cancelled. I arrived in Edmonton without issue (including getting through Toronto airport with my sword without issue... which is a rare thing... they are soooo picky at TO) and then I headed back to Drayton.
I got back early, but I had some late nights, early mornings, and with the time change my internal clock is all messed up. I boosted my loaner truck and took it for a ride to give the battery a charge and then I went inside to waste away the day. And that is what I have done. I showered. Had a nap. Ate lunch and watched a movie. Had another nap... and now I am here, checking e-mail and writing to you. I am contemplating another nap, but I need to stay up to a decent hour to try and reset my internal clock.
Tomorrow I will check the truck again, as on Thursday my life continues with its usual chaos. I will be driving back to Calgary so that on Friday I can have a nose job. Nose job?! Yes yes, I always thought there was a little too much on the top... just kidding... I am having nose surgery though. I am having my deviated septum... undeviated? Well, we will see how it goes. I hope like hell that truck can get me there or else I am going to have to come up with another plan very quickly.
So. Tomorrow I work. The next day I work. And then surgery. Fun. Fun. Fun.
I will let you know how it goes.
Oh yeah, and next time you see me, let me know how it looks!
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