Yesterday, I crossed the border back into Canada. Here is a condensed transcript of our conversation with the CBSA officer. During the entire conversation, she had a smirk on her face.
Officer: How long have you been gone for?
Me: About two days.
Officer: How much are you bringing back?
Me: About $350.
Officer: Any alcohol or tobacco?
Me: Nope.
Officer: Is there any reason that you're giving me the bird?
I look down at my hand, which is resting on the side of the card. The way that my fingers are spread out make it look like I'm giving her the finger. I quickly bring my hand inside the car.
Me: Oops, sorry about that.
Officer: Have a safe trip.
I've learned an important lesson in making sure that you place your hands in a "safe" position when crossing the border.
Monday, December 30, 2013
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
The awful commute
Yesterday, I experienced the worst commute of my life.
After a long day of meetings, I left work around 7:00pm. Seeing that it was raining outside, I decided to put on a pair of shorts to make the walk to the subway a bit more tolerable.
As I walked to the subway station, I noticed that the lights were off most of the way. Complete power outage for several blocks in every direction. "Oh well," I thought, "I see that the area around the subway is lit up. Just a few blocks to go, and then I can hop on the subway and get home."
When I arrived at the subway station, the metal doors were shut tight. I walked around to the various exits, and I saw that they were all closed. After checking the TTC's website on my phone, I saw that about half of the subway system was closed. And it was a 3 km walk to the nearest open station. Shuttle buses were running, but it seemed like every bus was packed as full as a can of sardines, and they weren't moving much faster than pedestrians on the sidewalk.
Fantastic.
Predicting I wouldn't get home for quite some time, I decided to grab a quick dinner in the part of town that had electricity. I then walked 3 km to the subway station. It was wet, rainy, and crowded, but thankfully the worst of the storm had passed. The rain was comparable to that of a typical spring day in Seattle.
The subway ride was short, but it saved me several kilometres and hours of walking. I got off, took one look at the mob waiting for the bus, and figured it would be at least a one-hour wait to board. I instead headed for the street and proceeded to walk about 5 km home.
The entire time that I walked home, there was an entourage following me. It seems that I wasn't alone in deciding to abandon the bus and head home on foot. And it turned out to be a good idea: For most of this part of the trip home, there were no electricity and no traffic lights, so the traffic was moving about as fast as I was.
I got back to my place soaking wet, exhausted, and ready to sleep. Of course, the power was out at my place, meaning that there was little to do. It was the cherry on top of my ice cream commute walk.
Yet, I am (surprisingly) still thankful. In spite of the waste of time and energy to get home, I still had:
However, the best part of the commute home was knowing that I had brought a pair of shorts to work that day. Had I worn my jeans home, they would have weighed 20 pounds soaking wet and would have caused much discomfort. Wearing shorts meant that the walk home was just 10 kilometres long, and not 10 kilometres long in soaking wet jeans. That one detail made the whole tolerable.
The power came back on after midnight. Today, I am so grateful for what I have. Even when we have a bad day, we are still truly blessed.
After a long day of meetings, I left work around 7:00pm. Seeing that it was raining outside, I decided to put on a pair of shorts to make the walk to the subway a bit more tolerable.
As I walked to the subway station, I noticed that the lights were off most of the way. Complete power outage for several blocks in every direction. "Oh well," I thought, "I see that the area around the subway is lit up. Just a few blocks to go, and then I can hop on the subway and get home."
When I arrived at the subway station, the metal doors were shut tight. I walked around to the various exits, and I saw that they were all closed. After checking the TTC's website on my phone, I saw that about half of the subway system was closed. And it was a 3 km walk to the nearest open station. Shuttle buses were running, but it seemed like every bus was packed as full as a can of sardines, and they weren't moving much faster than pedestrians on the sidewalk.
Fantastic.
Predicting I wouldn't get home for quite some time, I decided to grab a quick dinner in the part of town that had electricity. I then walked 3 km to the subway station. It was wet, rainy, and crowded, but thankfully the worst of the storm had passed. The rain was comparable to that of a typical spring day in Seattle.
The subway ride was short, but it saved me several kilometres and hours of walking. I got off, took one look at the mob waiting for the bus, and figured it would be at least a one-hour wait to board. I instead headed for the street and proceeded to walk about 5 km home.
The entire time that I walked home, there was an entourage following me. It seems that I wasn't alone in deciding to abandon the bus and head home on foot. And it turned out to be a good idea: For most of this part of the trip home, there were no electricity and no traffic lights, so the traffic was moving about as fast as I was.
I got back to my place soaking wet, exhausted, and ready to sleep. Of course, the power was out at my place, meaning that there was little to do. It was the cherry on top of my ice cream commute walk.
Yet, I am (surprisingly) still thankful. In spite of the waste of time and energy to get home, I still had:
- a roof over my head
- running water
- food
- a charged phone with 3G internet
- dry clothes
- a couch and bed to rest on
However, the best part of the commute home was knowing that I had brought a pair of shorts to work that day. Had I worn my jeans home, they would have weighed 20 pounds soaking wet and would have caused much discomfort. Wearing shorts meant that the walk home was just 10 kilometres long, and not 10 kilometres long in soaking wet jeans. That one detail made the whole tolerable.
The power came back on after midnight. Today, I am so grateful for what I have. Even when we have a bad day, we are still truly blessed.
Thursday, May 9, 2013
Big Brother Canada - season 1
I make it a personal policy to not blog about TV, but I just had to write this one.
I recently watched the finale of season one of "Big Brother Canada." The show is a little less trashy than its American counterpart, but it's essentially the same show. The one thing that I disliked about the Canadian version is that the producers interfered too much with people exiting the house. Specifically:
In the finale, Topaz accidentally voted for Jillian to win, instead of her BFF Gary. Topaz pleaded to have the opportunity to re-vote, but her vote was counted as final. Jillian won 4-3 over Gary. Had Topaz voted as she intended to, Gary would have won.
I'm glad that Jillian won. Not because she was a strong player or particularly likeable, but because Gary did not deserve to be in the final two. He had been duly evicted from the house weeks earlier and was only returned to the house because of interference from the producers.
Jillian may not have been the most deserving player to win the game, but she was the only one in the final two who earned her way there.
I recently watched the finale of season one of "Big Brother Canada." The show is a little less trashy than its American counterpart, but it's essentially the same show. The one thing that I disliked about the Canadian version is that the producers interfered too much with people exiting the house. Specifically:
- In week 3, Suzette was nominated against AJ. However, viewers were allowed to vote to veto one of the nominations. Suzette, who was the presumptive choice to go home, was saved. Aneal was nominated in her place and was evicted.
- In week 9, Gary returned to the house after having spent three "weeks" in the Jury House. As a result, he became part of the final five and made it to the final two. (The American version of "Big Brother" has done this in the past, but normally in the first few weeks of competition when there are more people in the house.)
In the finale, Topaz accidentally voted for Jillian to win, instead of her BFF Gary. Topaz pleaded to have the opportunity to re-vote, but her vote was counted as final. Jillian won 4-3 over Gary. Had Topaz voted as she intended to, Gary would have won.
I'm glad that Jillian won. Not because she was a strong player or particularly likeable, but because Gary did not deserve to be in the final two. He had been duly evicted from the house weeks earlier and was only returned to the house because of interference from the producers.
Jillian may not have been the most deserving player to win the game, but she was the only one in the final two who earned her way there.
Monday, May 6, 2013
Missed the train
Today, I took the VIA train back home after a weekend away visiting some family and friends. It felt good to get away for 3 days and have a change of venue.
All of the seats in our the train car are full, with one exception. Right on schedule, the train departs at 40 minutes past the hour. However, one woman in our car runs down the aisle, yelling at the attendant:
"My daughter! We can't leave without my daughter!"
Once the woman finds the attendant, she explains that her daughter has gone outside for a quick smoke, and that they can't leave without her. The attendant radios to stop the train. A few people are racing outside on the platform for about 2 minutes, looking for any sign of this elusive daughter.
At 44 minutes past the hour, the attendant informs the mother that we cannot wait any longer and that the train must depart. The mother reluctantly informs her husband and son, and they take all their luggage to the platform. The three of them head upstairs to (a) find the missing member of their party, and (b) exchange their tickets for a later trip. Depending on the class of ticket, they may either have to pay a change fee (a few dollars), or buy new tickets outright.
A few minutes later, the guy in front of me commented, "That was probably the most expensive smoke of her life."
All of the seats in our the train car are full, with one exception. Right on schedule, the train departs at 40 minutes past the hour. However, one woman in our car runs down the aisle, yelling at the attendant:
"My daughter! We can't leave without my daughter!"
Once the woman finds the attendant, she explains that her daughter has gone outside for a quick smoke, and that they can't leave without her. The attendant radios to stop the train. A few people are racing outside on the platform for about 2 minutes, looking for any sign of this elusive daughter.
At 44 minutes past the hour, the attendant informs the mother that we cannot wait any longer and that the train must depart. The mother reluctantly informs her husband and son, and they take all their luggage to the platform. The three of them head upstairs to (a) find the missing member of their party, and (b) exchange their tickets for a later trip. Depending on the class of ticket, they may either have to pay a change fee (a few dollars), or buy new tickets outright.
A few minutes later, the guy in front of me commented, "That was probably the most expensive smoke of her life."
Monday, April 15, 2013
The rise of slacktivism
Slacktivism is a trend of recent years, driven by a desire to do something good without putting any real effort into it.
It can take various forms, such as writing status updates or reposting photos on Facebook, to raise awareness of a particular cause. For just a few seconds of your time, you, too, can be an online social activist!
I don't necessarily think that posting about a cause automatically makes one a slacktivist. I know people who are heavily involved in causes offline, and they use social media to help spread the word and get more people involved. There are some who try to raise funds for a 5K run they're taking part in, and others who are trying affect real change by gathering grassroots supporters for a cause. This is one of the beautiful things about social media - the ability to quickly gather people for the greater good. It's a powerful tool.
But with great power comes great responsibility. Some people seem to be magnetically drawn to the share button, resulting in the abuse of power and the sharing of all sorts of nonsense. There are three examples that I would like to share (pun intended) with you today.
Big tech is out to get you
Two of my friends reposted the above status in over four weeks ago. Neither of them have unfriended me yet, despite their dire warnings. I think the OVERUSE of CAPITALS and run-on sentences and "BAD GRAMMAR" speak for themselves, but u should still try to READ THIS OK?!!
People get a good feeling from warning others about impending danger. As long as internet services have been free, there have been rumours about evil corporations trying to scam you. Remember how Hotmail would close your account if you didn't forward this email? Or how Geocities is going to resell the content you posted on your webpage? Or that Neiman-Marcus charged $250 to an innocent mother and daughter when buying a cookie after a long shopping trip? Now that you've forwarded that email or shared that Facebook status, you and your friends are that much better off.
These are all lies. And so is the above Facebook privacy warning. Your friends can't secure your privacy settings; only you can do that. Yes, Facebook's privacy settings have historically not been easy to control, but they are getting better. Please take five minutes to learn about how Facebook's privacy settings work and turn off the default global visibility. Listen to Snopes' advice.
And if you're still not convinced that Facebook isn't out to get you, then I know a Nigerian prince who could use your help.
I know my real friends will
There are too many of these to count, so I will create an amalgam of the statuses that I have seen. Just pretend that there are some flowers or Tweety Bird clip art next to this.
Here are the conclusions that follow:
Awareness is not necessarily a bad thing - it's great to inform people about a cause or disease. And there are times when it's appropriate to honour a loved one who has suffered through an illness. But awareness is just the first step. If you really want to make a difference, get involved and actually do something.
However, what drives me batty is the fact that we are made to feel guilty for not reposting an low-resolution image. If the only way that your cause (or status update) can gain momentum is through guilting people, then perhaps you need to rethink your tactics. (Did you like how I guilted you there?)
If it was my child
This is what originally prompted this post, and it may be the best example of slacktivism that I have seen to date.
Here's the story: Two brothers are kidnapped on April 3, 2013, by their parents who had lost custody of them. They fled the state. An Amber Alert was put into effect. On April 8, the boys are spotted in a Cuban marina, where officials took the parents into custody. On April 9, the boys are returned to the United States. (A fuller account is available here.) I'm not trained in law enforcement, but as far as child abduction cases go, this one seems like a best-case scenario; the kids are returned unharmed, the abductors are captured, and boys can resume a near-normal life with their family.
One person on Facebook wanted to help the case by posting this photo on Facebook. On April 10. The day after the boys were returned to their rightful guardians:
The original poster is obviously not being malicious. It shows that there is a shred of decency left in this world. One mother is trying to help another mother out.
The above photo was shared about 400,000 times. That's right. About 400,000 users pressed the share button to pass on the news that these boys had been abducted, even though these boys were safe and sound. If the story is shown in average of 25 people's Facebook news feeds, then that's about 10 million people who have potentially seen the image.
There is no context of (a) when the boys were abducted, (b) where they were abducted from, (c) where they might be, or (d) who may have taken them. The only details are the names and photos lifted from the a TV news graphic. At least with some details of timeline and location, the public can better aid with looking. If you've ever paid attention to Amber Alerts, they will give you very specific information to help you. Blindly sharing Facebook photos from half a world away is not going to help.
With just a little bit of discernment in what we post and repost on Facebook, hopefully we can help tide the spread of misinformation. I know that my real friends will.
Thanks for listening to my rant.
It can take various forms, such as writing status updates or reposting photos on Facebook, to raise awareness of a particular cause. For just a few seconds of your time, you, too, can be an online social activist!
I don't necessarily think that posting about a cause automatically makes one a slacktivist. I know people who are heavily involved in causes offline, and they use social media to help spread the word and get more people involved. There are some who try to raise funds for a 5K run they're taking part in, and others who are trying affect real change by gathering grassroots supporters for a cause. This is one of the beautiful things about social media - the ability to quickly gather people for the greater good. It's a powerful tool.
But with great power comes great responsibility. Some people seem to be magnetically drawn to the share button, resulting in the abuse of power and the sharing of all sorts of nonsense. There are three examples that I would like to share (pun intended) with you today.
Big tech is out to get you
Two of my friends reposted the above status in over four weeks ago. Neither of them have unfriended me yet, despite their dire warnings. I think the OVERUSE of CAPITALS and run-on sentences and "BAD GRAMMAR" speak for themselves, but u should still try to READ THIS OK?!!
FACEBOOK HAS CHANGED THEIR PRIVACY SETTINGS ONCE MORE!!! DUE TO THE NEW “GRAPH APP” ANYONE ON FACEBOOK (INCLUDING OTHER COUNTRIES) CAN SEE YOUR PICTURES, LIKES, AND COMMENTS. The next 2 weeks I will be posting this, and please once you have done it please post DONE! Those of you who do not keep my information from going out to the public, I will have to DELETE YOU! I want to stay PRIVATELY connected with you. I post shots of my family that I don't want strangers to have access to!!! This happens when our friends click "like" or "comment"... automatically, their friends would see our posts too. Unfortunately, we cannot change this setting by ourselves because Facebook has configured it that way. PLEASE place your mouse over my name above (DO NOT CLICK), a window will appear, now move the mouse on “FRIENDS" (also without clicking), then down to "Settings", click here and a list will appear. REMOVE the CHECK on "LIFE EVENTS" and "COMMENTS & LIKES". By doing this, my activity among my friends and family will no longer become public. Now, copy and paste this on your wall. Once I see this posted on your page, I will do the same
People get a good feeling from warning others about impending danger. As long as internet services have been free, there have been rumours about evil corporations trying to scam you. Remember how Hotmail would close your account if you didn't forward this email? Or how Geocities is going to resell the content you posted on your webpage? Or that Neiman-Marcus charged $250 to an innocent mother and daughter when buying a cookie after a long shopping trip? Now that you've forwarded that email or shared that Facebook status, you and your friends are that much better off.
These are all lies. And so is the above Facebook privacy warning. Your friends can't secure your privacy settings; only you can do that. Yes, Facebook's privacy settings have historically not been easy to control, but they are getting better. Please take five minutes to learn about how Facebook's privacy settings work and turn off the default global visibility. Listen to Snopes' advice.
And if you're still not convinced that Facebook isn't out to get you, then I know a Nigerian prince who could use your help.
I know my real friends will
There are too many of these to count, so I will create an amalgam of the statuses that I have seen. Just pretend that there are some flowers or Tweety Bird clip art next to this.
Did you know that this week is X Awareness Week? Over Y million people suffer from X. They are some of the bravest people I know. In their honour, will you repost this and leave it as your status for one hour? Z% of you won't, but I know my true friends will. Let's see if I'm right.
Here are the conclusions that follow:
- It's currently X Awareness Week, even though this status was originally posted three months ago. Awareness is not bound by time or space.
- By not reposting this status, you are simultaneously dishonouring Y million people. For shame.
- Z percent of his/her Facebook friends are fake friends. The poster must have poor taste in Facebook friends.
- If I repost this status, I am his/her true friend. Instead of spending time getting to know someone, I can just repost the status to become their true friend.
Awareness is not necessarily a bad thing - it's great to inform people about a cause or disease. And there are times when it's appropriate to honour a loved one who has suffered through an illness. But awareness is just the first step. If you really want to make a difference, get involved and actually do something.
However, what drives me batty is the fact that we are made to feel guilty for not reposting an low-resolution image. If the only way that your cause (or status update) can gain momentum is through guilting people, then perhaps you need to rethink your tactics. (Did you like how I guilted you there?)
If it was my child
This is what originally prompted this post, and it may be the best example of slacktivism that I have seen to date.
Here's the story: Two brothers are kidnapped on April 3, 2013, by their parents who had lost custody of them. They fled the state. An Amber Alert was put into effect. On April 8, the boys are spotted in a Cuban marina, where officials took the parents into custody. On April 9, the boys are returned to the United States. (A fuller account is available here.) I'm not trained in law enforcement, but as far as child abduction cases go, this one seems like a best-case scenario; the kids are returned unharmed, the abductors are captured, and boys can resume a near-normal life with their family.
One person on Facebook wanted to help the case by posting this photo on Facebook. On April 10. The day after the boys were returned to their rightful guardians:
I hope everyone sees this and shares this. You may not know these people, but that doesn't mean they do not matter...God forbid anything ever happened to one of mine, I would hope and pray that others would do something as simple as reposting a photo. Hope these two little boys are returned home soon.
The original poster is obviously not being malicious. It shows that there is a shred of decency left in this world. One mother is trying to help another mother out.
The above photo was shared about 400,000 times. That's right. About 400,000 users pressed the share button to pass on the news that these boys had been abducted, even though these boys were safe and sound. If the story is shown in average of 25 people's Facebook news feeds, then that's about 10 million people who have potentially seen the image.
There is no context of (a) when the boys were abducted, (b) where they were abducted from, (c) where they might be, or (d) who may have taken them. The only details are the names and photos lifted from the a TV news graphic. At least with some details of timeline and location, the public can better aid with looking. If you've ever paid attention to Amber Alerts, they will give you very specific information to help you. Blindly sharing Facebook photos from half a world away is not going to help.
With just a little bit of discernment in what we post and repost on Facebook, hopefully we can help tide the spread of misinformation. I know that my real friends will.
Thanks for listening to my rant.
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
One month
Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:12-14)
During the Labour Day long weekend, I spent a weekend focused on prayer and Bible reading. I prayed for friends going through various situations. I reflected about some things in my life that need to change. I read through all of I and II Corinthians.
The decision to read the Epistles to the Corinthians was well-timed, since they are two letters of rebuke written to the Corinthians. You can almost imagine Paul saying, "Don't make me come over there!" as he makes a case for why the Corinthian church should smarten up and act wisely.
As I was reading, I could almost Paul saying, "Hey, Backguy - yeah, you! Don't make me come over there!" It gave me a chance to examine my own life. Where were the places where I could use a bit of rebuke?
One thing that was clear in my mind was the need to be smarter about how I use the computer. I have a tendency to spend time each evening on entertainment sites - YouTube, Sporcle, and others. However, there isn't much personal or spiritual growth that comes from these sites. They're like most things in the world - they can be good in moderation, but they can also be a time-suck if you're not careful.
I decided to forgo YouTube (and a few other video-sharing or time-wasting websites) for the month of September. I'll admit, the first few days were hard because there were all sorts of videos that I was hearing about. "Gangnam Style" was one of them. Man, did that video ever go viral! It was posted across Facebook and CNN. And then the covers and parodies were released, which were also posted Facebook. It wasn't so much that I was dying to see it; I was just curious to see what the hype was about so I could be better informed. After all, knowing is half the battle.
I made through September without giving in to temptation. (Full disclosure: I did have to watch a handful of videos when they were shown in a group setting, but the total time watched was maybe 5 minutes. Otherwise, I didn't break my commitment for the month.)
On October 01, I watched a couple of videos in the evening after work. Among the first was "Gangnam Style". I'm not sure why this video became so popular. To be honest, it seems kind of...well, dumb. Is this the kind of humour that we have come to find amusing?
There were lots of videos that I could have watched in September. I made a mental note to watch a handful of them later, but most were just forgotten about. I learned that I don't need YouTube or other fun-and-games websites.
I'd hate to make this all about resolutions or legalism. After all, resolutions are personal commitments that you make with no intention to keep in the long-term. And legalism is just a set of rules that you create for yourself. As stated earlier, I tended to spend time on these websites in the evening. Since I was no longer surfing these websites, I was able to spend much more time reading the Bible and praying for friends. I made a lot of progress in reading through the New Testament, and I was more intentional in praying for others.
Now that I'm allowing myself to use these sites again, I'm seeing that they aren't as great as I once thought they were. They're still fun, but they're less of an idol now. In contrast, turning off the computer a bit earlier each evening and spending more time in prayer and reading the word was quite enjoyable. I feel that I have grown during this time, and I want to keep up this pattern.
I want to leave behind that which is holding me back and, instead, press on towards the goal. I certainly do not consider myself a "good person", or even a "better person", for having made one change to my lifestyle. This is just a baby step. But, hopefully, this is one of many things that God is working out in my heart to bring me closer to Him.
Monday, January 23, 2012
Now no condemnation
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:1-2, NIV)Did you ever notice that God has a funny of bringing scripture to our attention at just the right moment? I had one of those experiences this weekend.
Last week, I sent out an email with a bit too much haste. When I reread the email a day later, I realised that my attitude had been filled with pride. (Isn't pride the root cause of most of our sin?) Even though the email was only one or two lines long, my proud attitude had come through loud and clear.
I debated how to handle the situation. Offer an apology? Hope that they would forget? Wait a few days before acting? I decided to apologise right then and there via email. It felt good to get that off my chest, but I wondered how long I'd have to wait for a reply.
As it turns out, I didn't have to play the waiting game for very long because I received the reply about a minute later. The apology was accepted and appreciated. However, if you've ever apologised for something, you know that there is that lingering feeling in the back of your mind, wondering if the relationship has been damaged. Forgiven, but not necessarily reconciled.
On Sunday evening, I was reading Romans 7 and 8. When I came across Romans 8:1-2 (see above), I felt such a feeling of joy. What wonderful words! "There is now no condemnation." I am free. "There is now no condemnation." No need to worry. "There is now no condemnation." God has forgiven me.
I know that this truth isn't particularly deep or earth-shattering, but, for me, it was a great reminder that for all of us who trust in God, He no longer condemns us.
We can't force others to forgive us, although we can offer an apology and attempt to reconcile. However, Jesus promises us that we are no longer condemned and are forgiven. And if He doesn't condemn us, then we shouldn't condemn ourselves, either.
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Packrat
Back in July, I moved from the US back to Canada. I must say, it feels great to be close to my family and old friends again. However, I did have to leave behind a great church and many close friends whom I got to know really well.
To minimize the cost of moving, I sold all of my furniture, since most of it was purchased at Ikea or Walmart and not worth keeping. I do regret selling my desk chair; it was a faithful companion for seven years, but the cost of sending it back was prohibitive. Everything else either accompanied me on the flight or was shipped via courier. Even taking into account the cost of repurchasing furniture, I saved several thousand dollars versus using a moving company.
In preparation for the move, I spent the month beforehand gradually sorting through my stuff, tossing/donating what I didn't need anymore, and packing the rest in boxes. As I was going through old folders and boxes, I realised that I might be a bit of a packrat. Here's a sample of what I found:
To minimize the cost of moving, I sold all of my furniture, since most of it was purchased at Ikea or Walmart and not worth keeping. I do regret selling my desk chair; it was a faithful companion for seven years, but the cost of sending it back was prohibitive. Everything else either accompanied me on the flight or was shipped via courier. Even taking into account the cost of repurchasing furniture, I saved several thousand dollars versus using a moving company.
In preparation for the move, I spent the month beforehand gradually sorting through my stuff, tossing/donating what I didn't need anymore, and packing the rest in boxes. As I was going through old folders and boxes, I realised that I might be a bit of a packrat. Here's a sample of what I found:
- Three boot disks - one for Windows 98, one for Windows Me, and another for Windows XP.
- My health insurance card from university. (It was tucked in a CD folder than I hadn't opened in years.)
- Microphone from the IBM Aptiva that my family bought in 1996.
- The 2007-08 donors giving report from my alma mater.
- Unused cheques from a bank account I hadn't used in about ten years.
- This list. (The paper copy fell into a box and was lost for a few days.)
- A dozen lanyards from university orientation or corporate events.
- A full set of monthly bus passes from a co-op work term in 2005.
- Employee discount card from the above co-op work term.
- Coupon for one play of Skeeball at an amusement park in New York State.
- A SnakeLight!
- Flash cards that I had made to study for Calculus I in first year of university.
- Two wheat pennies.
- This list. (I lost it a second time.)
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Best flight ever
On Friday, I had a fantastic flight home. It was as if someone had called Air Canada and asked for special treatment for me on my flight home. The highlights:
Of course, there were still a few failings: the flight was delayed departing by about 40 minutes, and my luggage took a solid 45 minutes to emerge on caroussel. However, the flight itself (which I usually abhor) was actually pleasant.
- Flying on an Airbus 319, which is a luxury plane compared to the usual Embraer 90 on that route.
- Not being charged $35 for my second suitcase.
- Being in row 25, and then being in the first group of non-first class passengers called up to board (beginning with those in rows 25 and further back)
- Having space in the overhead bin to stow my guitar, due to the previous point.
- Not having anyone sitting in front of me, which meant that I didn't have to worry about that seat reclining.
- Not having anyone in the two seats next to me, giving me lots of space to spread out my stuff.
- No crying babies on board.
Of course, there were still a few failings: the flight was delayed departing by about 40 minutes, and my luggage took a solid 45 minutes to emerge on caroussel. However, the flight itself (which I usually abhor) was actually pleasant.
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Encounter at a gas station
Last week, I was filling up at a nearby gas station after Bible study. There was a man at the station who was walking around asking if anyone could help him out with a few bucks. He said that his car had run out of gas a few blocks away on First, and he needed some help to get on his way. He was holding an empty one-gallon gas can, so his story was plausible, but I declined.
As I was wrapping up, I saw him still waiting and looking frustrated, so I walked over and gave him $5, which was more than enough for a gallon of gas. He was so thankful that he hugged me (ugh!) and shook my hand. Just then, as he was turning around, a police car came down the street with its sirens and beacons on. My new friend jumped several feet in the air and began to run a few yards until he realised that the cop car was travelling down the street and not coming for him. He said with a smile, "I thought you were trying to set me up!"
It left me wondering whether his line of work was in drugs or prostitution.
As I was wrapping up, I saw him still waiting and looking frustrated, so I walked over and gave him $5, which was more than enough for a gallon of gas. He was so thankful that he hugged me (ugh!) and shook my hand. Just then, as he was turning around, a police car came down the street with its sirens and beacons on. My new friend jumped several feet in the air and began to run a few yards until he realised that the cop car was travelling down the street and not coming for him. He said with a smile, "I thought you were trying to set me up!"
It left me wondering whether his line of work was in drugs or prostitution.
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