I love anticipation. I don't know why. Whenever there is any kind of event that I'm looking forward to, the thought of the event and the anticipation of it are enjoyable for me. Sometimes, the anticipation is more enjoyable than the event itself.
I get excited for my birthday and Christmas every year. I love how that time of year feels. When Christmas is approaching, pretty lights and decorations appear everywhere, there's snow on the ground, and it just feels like a very special time. When the weather gets warmer, and leaves and flowers start blooming, I know that my birthday is just around the corner.
For whatever reason, on Christmas Day itself and my birthday itself, I feel kind of "meh" about it. Not that's a let-down or anything, but it's never as much fun as the anticipation.
Same with major fundraising events that I'm involved with. The planning and the organizing can be tedious and stressful, but they're also fun and exciting! Then, on the day of the event, it goes by so fast that it's hard to enjoy it. Before I know it, the thing that has almost consumed my life for months and months is over, and I almost feel like I missed it.
Today is a big day. We have Archbishop Desmond Tutu speaking tonight at a wonderful event for St. Joseph's. I'm delighted and a bit astonished to say that I met the man last evening at a small event. My meeting with him was brief, just a handshake, a smile and me trying to sound eloquent as I told him how happy I was to meet him and thanked him for coming. In that moment, all the rushing and last minute prepping that have at times stressed me out over the past nine months slowed right down and I knew nothing other than that moment.
I fully expect tonight to be a blur as a flurry of activity happens around me, and I need to remember and carry out my specific role. If that "meh" feeling hits me at all tonight, or I feel a bit disappointed that it's all over, I know that I will have a memory that I can cherish forever.
Friday, May 22, 2009
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Where were you when history was made?
I was watching the news last night, and of course, it was all about Barack Obama's inauguration.
I listened to most of his inaugural address on the radio, and quite enjoyed it. I am excited about the new President of the United States. I think that he is what America needs.
Of course, it was an historic event as he is the first African-American to be elected President of the United States. I think it's a great step forward for us as the human race, and truly believe it will have a tremendous effect on the state of equality.
When I was watching the news, they said something about the inauguration being a "where were you" moment. I'm guessing this means that it will be a moment in time about which people will one day ask where you were when it happened.
Is it really a where were you moment? What defines a where were you moment? Things like where we were when we heard of the 9/11 terrorist attacks I can understand. For some reason, although this was a great moment in history, I'm not so sure that my children will be asking me where I was when I heard the inaugural address given by Barack Obama. But, maybe I'm wrong. I guess only time will tell.
I listened to most of his inaugural address on the radio, and quite enjoyed it. I am excited about the new President of the United States. I think that he is what America needs.
Of course, it was an historic event as he is the first African-American to be elected President of the United States. I think it's a great step forward for us as the human race, and truly believe it will have a tremendous effect on the state of equality.
When I was watching the news, they said something about the inauguration being a "where were you" moment. I'm guessing this means that it will be a moment in time about which people will one day ask where you were when it happened.
Is it really a where were you moment? What defines a where were you moment? Things like where we were when we heard of the 9/11 terrorist attacks I can understand. For some reason, although this was a great moment in history, I'm not so sure that my children will be asking me where I was when I heard the inaugural address given by Barack Obama. But, maybe I'm wrong. I guess only time will tell.
Friday, January 02, 2009
A leap second? Are you freaking kidding me?
Last week, I learned something new: there is such a thing as a leap second. According to Wikipedia, which has become my source for all knowledge recently, leap seconds have been added 24 times since 1972. Yet, I'm pretty sure I had never heard of it until last week.
The most recent leap second was added on December 31, 2008. By the way, I believe my favourite headline of 2008 is "Gloom of 2008 to be extended". It's been a tough year, why on Earth would we want to make it longer?
Anyhow, to quote Wikipedia again: "A leap second is a one-second adjustment that keeps broadcast standards for time of day close to mean solar time...The leap second adjustment (which is approximately 0.6 seconds per year) should not be confused with the difference between the length of the mean solar day and the SI day. This confuses velocity with travelled distance (in time). The reason for leap seconds is not the difference but the sum of the difference between the SI day and the mean solar day (currently about 0.002 seconds) over a given period of time. The actual rotational period varies due to unpredictable factors such as the motion of mass within Earth, and has to be observed rather than computed."
Yep...that sounds about right.
I just can't help but think that it's not the Earth that's wrong, it's our calculation of time. I understand that pre-historic Earthlings had to invent the calendar to allow the eventual invention of the BlackBerry. But, I think they got it wrong.
If we had an accurate understanding of time, we wouldn't be adding leap seconds, and we wouldn't have an extra day in February every four years. We wouldn't have to have wacky rhymes to help us remember which months have 30 days or 31 days...or 28/29. Maybe all months would have 103 days and we can just leave it at that.
Something's messed up. I don't know the first thing about measuring time or the invention of the modern-day North American calendar. But, if we have to do something as nutty as add a whole second to the end of a year, we did something wrong.
However, the second was added, whether I like it or not. Now, I hope you all set your clocks and watches back one second before you went to bed on New Year's Eve. If you were too busy partying, and forgot, please go do it now. You don't want to be the jerk who shows up to the meeting one second early.
The most recent leap second was added on December 31, 2008. By the way, I believe my favourite headline of 2008 is "Gloom of 2008 to be extended". It's been a tough year, why on Earth would we want to make it longer?
Anyhow, to quote Wikipedia again: "A leap second is a one-second adjustment that keeps broadcast standards for time of day close to mean solar time...The leap second adjustment (which is approximately 0.6 seconds per year) should not be confused with the difference between the length of the mean solar day and the SI day. This confuses velocity with travelled distance (in time). The reason for leap seconds is not the difference but the sum of the difference between the SI day and the mean solar day (currently about 0.002 seconds) over a given period of time. The actual rotational period varies due to unpredictable factors such as the motion of mass within Earth, and has to be observed rather than computed."
Yep...that sounds about right.
I just can't help but think that it's not the Earth that's wrong, it's our calculation of time. I understand that pre-historic Earthlings had to invent the calendar to allow the eventual invention of the BlackBerry. But, I think they got it wrong.
If we had an accurate understanding of time, we wouldn't be adding leap seconds, and we wouldn't have an extra day in February every four years. We wouldn't have to have wacky rhymes to help us remember which months have 30 days or 31 days...or 28/29. Maybe all months would have 103 days and we can just leave it at that.
Something's messed up. I don't know the first thing about measuring time or the invention of the modern-day North American calendar. But, if we have to do something as nutty as add a whole second to the end of a year, we did something wrong.
However, the second was added, whether I like it or not. Now, I hope you all set your clocks and watches back one second before you went to bed on New Year's Eve. If you were too busy partying, and forgot, please go do it now. You don't want to be the jerk who shows up to the meeting one second early.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Adieu 2008
I'm feeling reflective today, since it is the last day of 2008. I generally don't get caught up in the hype of New Year's. It doesn't feel like the fresh start everyone talks about. But, I do enjoy looking back over a period of time and seeing how far I've come.
It's funny, this is perhaps the first time that there were no big changes for me over the course of a year. This time last year, I was working in the same place, living in the same place, had pretty much the same circle of friends. However, I feel like I've matured a lot this year. I have a different outlook on my life and where I want to go.
I'm turning 25 in 2009. That feels like another reason to reflect. We like round numbers, and we tend to measure life in 100 years, even though it seems pretty rare to make it to that age. However, I'm marking a quarter century of life this year. I can say that I'm satisfied with most parts of my life. As for the rest, I've got nothing but time!
I never make New Year's Resolutions. This is related to my lack of feeling the sense of starting fresh. However, my goal for the upcoming year is to continue to grow, learn and better myself.
That's all. Fare thee well, 2008. You have been good to me!
It's funny, this is perhaps the first time that there were no big changes for me over the course of a year. This time last year, I was working in the same place, living in the same place, had pretty much the same circle of friends. However, I feel like I've matured a lot this year. I have a different outlook on my life and where I want to go.
I'm turning 25 in 2009. That feels like another reason to reflect. We like round numbers, and we tend to measure life in 100 years, even though it seems pretty rare to make it to that age. However, I'm marking a quarter century of life this year. I can say that I'm satisfied with most parts of my life. As for the rest, I've got nothing but time!
I never make New Year's Resolutions. This is related to my lack of feeling the sense of starting fresh. However, my goal for the upcoming year is to continue to grow, learn and better myself.
That's all. Fare thee well, 2008. You have been good to me!
Friday, June 13, 2008
Back to school I go!
I find it hard to believe that I have been out of school for two full years now. That's the longest I have ever gone without being in school. I remember so clearly when I was in high school, and I thought to myself, "I can't wait until I'm an adult. I won't have to go to school anymore and life will be so much better!" It's funny how the transition from school to work was so seamless that I almost didn't notice it.
Anyway, I've been itching to go back to school. I obviously can't go back full time as I have a fantastic, not to mention full-time/permanent, job. But, I've decided that online education is the way to go!
I applied for, and was accepted in to, the Bachelor of Professional Arts program at Athabasca University. I'm majoring in Communication Studies, and I'm so excited about this! The program has officially started...now I just have to actually do it. That's the tricky part. It's going to take some major self-discipline for me to do this whole "self-directed" thing.
I am very excited about this, and I'm loving the idea of being in school again. Although, in a few months, that novelty may have worn off. I'll let you know :)
Anyway, I've been itching to go back to school. I obviously can't go back full time as I have a fantastic, not to mention full-time/permanent, job. But, I've decided that online education is the way to go!
I applied for, and was accepted in to, the Bachelor of Professional Arts program at Athabasca University. I'm majoring in Communication Studies, and I'm so excited about this! The program has officially started...now I just have to actually do it. That's the tricky part. It's going to take some major self-discipline for me to do this whole "self-directed" thing.
I am very excited about this, and I'm loving the idea of being in school again. Although, in a few months, that novelty may have worn off. I'll let you know :)
Friday, April 11, 2008
10th Anniversary of John Davidson's Walk Across Canada
What were you doing 10 years ago?
It was April 10, 1998 – Good Friday. Do you remember what you were doing? Were you relaxing and enjoying the first day of the long weekend? Were you traveling to visit family or friends for Easter?
John Davidson clearly remembers what he was doing: he was dipping his foot in to the Atlantic Ocean, and taking the first steps on his historic walk across Canada.
If you have lived in London for a while, you have probably heard about Jesse’s Journey. It is named for Jesse Davidson, a young man who, at six years old, was diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD).
DMD is a genetic disease; one for which there is no cure and no effective treatment. It is 100 % fatal, and it affects boys almost exclusively. The first signs of the disease show up when the boy is between four and six years old. He is having trouble walking, because the muscles in his legs are beginning to break down. Over time, all of the muscles in the body will break down and be replaced with connective tissue. Usually between the ages of 12 and 15, he is confined to a wheelchair. At the time when most young men are breaking free from their parents and asserting their independence, those with DMD become completely reliant on parents and caregivers. The average life expectancy of someone with DMD is 25 years.
Jesse’s parents were devastated when Jesse was diagnosed with DMD. As time went on and they learned about the disease and the lack of research that was dedicated to finding a cure, they were inspired to take matters in to their own hands. Jesse’s father, John had started walking as a means to stay in shape. He decided to turn his walking in to a way to raise money for research. In 1995, Jesse’s Journey came in to the public consciousness as John set out on foot, pushing Jesse in his wheelchair, and walked across Ontario. They raised just over $1M and donated it all to genetic research.
After that initial Journey, John realized that creating an endowment fund would be a great way of maintaining the flow of money in to research. So, he decided to introduce Jesse’s Journey in to the national spotlight by walking from St. John’s, Newfoundland to Victoria, British Columbia. During his nine months on the road, Jesse’s Journey raised over $2M and established the Jesse Davidson Endowment.
When the cross-Canada journey began on April 10, 1998, John had no idea that over the next 10 years Jesse’s Journey would expand to have an endowment fund of nearly $7M and growing, hundreds of dedicated volunteers and multiple research labs in Canada and the United States dedicated to working together to find a cure for Duchenne muscular dystrophy. All along, John has been driven by the heartbreaking reality that all of this will most likely not be in time for Jesse. In John’s own words “Parents should not outlive their children.”
Last year, we held our first ever Walk Across Canada in a Day. We had hundreds of people in Springbank Park walking all or part of a 33 kilometer route. We had enough people walking enough kilometers to more than double the 8,300 kilometers that John walked from coast to coast, and we raised over $200,000! This year, we’re doing it again, making the event bigger and better to celebrate the 10th anniversary of John Davidson’s walk across Canada.
I’ve been a volunteer with Jesse’s Journey since 2004, and I am constantly amazed by the dedication of the staff, volunteers and donors. We all know that we are part of something truly amazing. We are working tirelessly to make sure that we see the end of this devastating disease in our lifetime.
Please join us on May 2, 2008 as we Walk Across Canada in a Day. Challenge yourself and your friends to walk the 33 kilometer route – the full route or any part of it. If you can’t make it to the walk, I ask you to please visit http://www.jessesjourney.com/ and pledge John Davidson, who will be walking a full 33 kilometers.
It was April 10, 1998 – Good Friday. Do you remember what you were doing? Were you relaxing and enjoying the first day of the long weekend? Were you traveling to visit family or friends for Easter?
John Davidson clearly remembers what he was doing: he was dipping his foot in to the Atlantic Ocean, and taking the first steps on his historic walk across Canada.
If you have lived in London for a while, you have probably heard about Jesse’s Journey. It is named for Jesse Davidson, a young man who, at six years old, was diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD).
DMD is a genetic disease; one for which there is no cure and no effective treatment. It is 100 % fatal, and it affects boys almost exclusively. The first signs of the disease show up when the boy is between four and six years old. He is having trouble walking, because the muscles in his legs are beginning to break down. Over time, all of the muscles in the body will break down and be replaced with connective tissue. Usually between the ages of 12 and 15, he is confined to a wheelchair. At the time when most young men are breaking free from their parents and asserting their independence, those with DMD become completely reliant on parents and caregivers. The average life expectancy of someone with DMD is 25 years.
Jesse’s parents were devastated when Jesse was diagnosed with DMD. As time went on and they learned about the disease and the lack of research that was dedicated to finding a cure, they were inspired to take matters in to their own hands. Jesse’s father, John had started walking as a means to stay in shape. He decided to turn his walking in to a way to raise money for research. In 1995, Jesse’s Journey came in to the public consciousness as John set out on foot, pushing Jesse in his wheelchair, and walked across Ontario. They raised just over $1M and donated it all to genetic research.
After that initial Journey, John realized that creating an endowment fund would be a great way of maintaining the flow of money in to research. So, he decided to introduce Jesse’s Journey in to the national spotlight by walking from St. John’s, Newfoundland to Victoria, British Columbia. During his nine months on the road, Jesse’s Journey raised over $2M and established the Jesse Davidson Endowment.
When the cross-Canada journey began on April 10, 1998, John had no idea that over the next 10 years Jesse’s Journey would expand to have an endowment fund of nearly $7M and growing, hundreds of dedicated volunteers and multiple research labs in Canada and the United States dedicated to working together to find a cure for Duchenne muscular dystrophy. All along, John has been driven by the heartbreaking reality that all of this will most likely not be in time for Jesse. In John’s own words “Parents should not outlive their children.”
Last year, we held our first ever Walk Across Canada in a Day. We had hundreds of people in Springbank Park walking all or part of a 33 kilometer route. We had enough people walking enough kilometers to more than double the 8,300 kilometers that John walked from coast to coast, and we raised over $200,000! This year, we’re doing it again, making the event bigger and better to celebrate the 10th anniversary of John Davidson’s walk across Canada.
I’ve been a volunteer with Jesse’s Journey since 2004, and I am constantly amazed by the dedication of the staff, volunteers and donors. We all know that we are part of something truly amazing. We are working tirelessly to make sure that we see the end of this devastating disease in our lifetime.
Please join us on May 2, 2008 as we Walk Across Canada in a Day. Challenge yourself and your friends to walk the 33 kilometer route – the full route or any part of it. If you can’t make it to the walk, I ask you to please visit http://www.jessesjourney.com/ and pledge John Davidson, who will be walking a full 33 kilometers.
Thursday, March 06, 2008
The things we'll do to win a prize
At St. Joseph's Health Care, there's a campaign going on called "The Walking Challenge". Those of us who wanted to sign up were given a pedometer, some information on physical activity and a log sheet to record the number of steps we take each day. Apparently, to get the full aerobic benefit of walking, you need to walk 10,000 steps a day. But the average person takes between 5,000-7,000 steps. The goal of this campaign is to get us moving. The person/team who walks the most gets a prize.
It's funny how, now that this pedometer is clipped to my waist, and I know a prize is at stake, my thought process changes. When trying to decide if I should take the elevator or the stairs in the parking garage, I'll think to myself, "Hey if I take the stairs, my step count will go way up! I'll show them!" Here I am thinking that by taking the stairs, I'm beating the system. Actually, I'm doing exactly what they want me to do - move more.
It's really a Bart Simpson way of thinking. "I just read the information over and over again. Then, when I wrote the test, the stuff was still in my brain. It's like a whole new kind of cheating!"
It's funny how, now that this pedometer is clipped to my waist, and I know a prize is at stake, my thought process changes. When trying to decide if I should take the elevator or the stairs in the parking garage, I'll think to myself, "Hey if I take the stairs, my step count will go way up! I'll show them!" Here I am thinking that by taking the stairs, I'm beating the system. Actually, I'm doing exactly what they want me to do - move more.
It's really a Bart Simpson way of thinking. "I just read the information over and over again. Then, when I wrote the test, the stuff was still in my brain. It's like a whole new kind of cheating!"
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