The view from my window

The view from my window ... Supplying all week for a basketball buddy who is on staff at JF Ross SS in Guelph.

It's an interesting turn of events, that's for sure, but not BAD interesting, more of a CURIOUS interesting since I had little to no idea what it wold be like to do an extended stay at a school that I have such a small footprint in. Even when I moved to BNC after a long stay at BCC, I knew people, was known by people, was familiar with the area, knew my way around the school, and didn't really feel anxiety in any form.

My BB buddy is Bill Price, a longtime teacher/coach at Ross. We met via the hardcourt after one of his players transitioned to more elite opportunities that I was involved in, then we built our friendship as we found ourselves facing each other across the timer's table. One thing lead to another and a quality bond of kinship materialized allowing us to share thoughts, opinions, strategies and jabs over the many years that have passed. When Bill had to be absent from class for a few days, he asked his admin if I could fill in. I was quite flattered that they would consent to an emergency supply taking an extended absence.

Prior to this week, I'd done a few days at Ross so I had a general idea of the layout for the school, but I was a definite unknown to the admin, staff and students so there was a small, albeit palpable, level of anxiety on that first day. Ross is a huge school! Way larger than schools in Simcoe County with a student population of just shy of 2200, and I let some of my unjustified, stereotypical anxieties get the better of me prior to that first day. 

Such a NEWB thing to do!

I am pleased to report that the experience has been stellar! I was tasked with delivery of a curriculum I had little experience with in two Gr10 histories and a G12 Challenge & Change, but at least I had a functioning knowledge of both. I should have known, but was pleasantly surprised, that kids are kids regardless of school size or community, and like the proverbial "riding a bike." I found my edu-mojo quickly. I would suspect that some of the credit for the smooth seas I was charting goes to Bill since he's quick with a smile, has great people skills, and is Uber intelligent, so I'd venture a guess that the kids were responding that way thanks largely to his previous guidance. Throughout the week we shared thoughts, opinions and quite a few laughs as we stumbled our way through some hyper-sensitive material like the Holocaust and organ donation. We even enjoyed the great outdoors for a writing session in JFR's quadrangle!

All in all, it was quite an enjoyable week!

To my former colleagues still attempting to stamp out the seeds of ignorance, I feel and see you and your daily grind combatting the siren's call of the device. Teaching these days is like herding cats, and I found my reflexive eye-roll to student opposition of the advice I was offering about their distraction levels didn't really warm them to me. As an aside, I did share a pretty cool graphic that I found whilst trolling the Interweb that graphically outlined the disruptive power of said devices, but some would've had to actually look up from their crotches to digest my message. The crux of the photo is a teacher who somehow bought the cooperation of her class to tally the device interruptions for an entire period. For us old geezers it's a powerful pic that sheds some light on the mental tug-of-war these teens and tweens are dealing with daily. 

Having said that, if that's my only complaint, I'm doing pretty gosh darn well.

Friday's my week's end, a gloriously sunny day, and while 4 days in a row is not a goal I would choose to set regularly, I'm glad that I could help out a friend, rekindle my edu-mojo, and gather a few shekels in the process. 

#GDTBATH

I bleed Carolina Blue!

I couldn't be very much happier with my loyalty than I am right now following the 2022 March Madness, aka the NCAA Men's D1 Basketball Championships! Well, maybe a little bit happier, like perhaps if we'd won, but I have to say that a lot of my buddies ate a sizeable portion of crow thanks my good ol' Heels bracket-busting antics this year!

I have a bunch of really old friends! I have had them a really long time AND they're really old!

As I have stated on this Blog in previous posts, my friends are very important to me. Most of the time we agree, especially on the important stuff, but when it comes to the teams we support in the wide variety of sports we pay attention to? Well, let's just say we have more than our fair share of "discussions". Some of the the most heated ones surround our allegiances when it comes to March Madness but I've never wavered from my complete devotion to the UNC Tar Heels, a relationship that goes back to my very early years. They've provided fans like me with year after year of tremendous ACC rivalries, deep runs into the tournament, and incredibly talented players ... anyone recall a skinny freshman, last name Jordan, knocking down the winning shot in '82?

If you really don't follow NCAA hoops, I'm not at all sure why we're good enough friends that you'd be reading this. HaHaHa ... just poking fun! I'd like you to know that my Tar Heels have proven to be the class of the NCAA for many, many years, and as only one example, hold a number of indicators of long, storied success like holding the record for the most Final Four appearances. CLICK HERE if you wish to read more about those records. TBH, I love watching all of the NCAA schools that make up the Madness because I find the tournament of extreme entertainment value, far greater than the NBA in my books. I'm on the edge of my seat each year as some underdog makes a run in the tournament ... St Peter's this year ... ousting long established blue chip programs by embracing the one and done nature of the Madness. 

I wager that almost any fan of college basketball has heard of North Carolina, but there may be less who could recall the coaches responsible for that incredible longevity in the national limelight. My love affair with UNC started in grade 5 thanks to an east end playground legend from my Johnson Street PS days, Jimmy Stevenson. They were his team,  and as a newbie hoopster, I really looked up to Jimmy so I of course followed in his footsteps. 

I have not regretted it a single year since. 

The coach when I was 10 was the unbelievable Dean Smith, a legend of the game who, for a short time, held the record for the most number of career wins until some skinny West Point grad from down the road recently took it over ... Coach K is easily in to top 5 to ever coach D1 basketball and has my deep respect ... despite where the school he coached. During my time rooting for the Heels, I was a huge fan of Coach Smith until his retirement in 1997 (and shed a couple of tears in 2015 with his passing). I tolerated the the Bill Guthridge years (not a huge fan though), was luke warm with the Matt Doherty years, then did a jig when Roy Williams returned to Chapel Hill in 2003 after a successful stint in Kansas. Williams both played and coached at UNC. 

The 2021-2022 season became one of note when former player and coach Hubert Davis replaced the retiring coach Williams partly because Davis is the first African American head coach in UNC history, but it's mostly about his abilities, not his skin tone. Following their 23-8 season, Davis was recently named the Clarence “Big House” Gaines College Basketball Coaches of the Year by the National Sports Media Association. Additionally, the publication CollegeInsider.com named Davis the John McLendon Award as the 2021-22 National Coach of the Year. The award covers all divisions in college basketball from D-I, D-II, D-III, NAIA and NJCAA.

One of the Dean Smith thumbprints on UNC program is what he coined, "The Carolina Way" and it embodied his personal philosophy surrounding a successful life but enshrined in it was his method of coaching the entire athlete. He believed in following a process that would keep his players focused on the things they could control. It was never about the wins, and in fact, former players say Smith rarely mentioned winning to them. It was all about the process.

The Carolina Way is essentially something simple ... PLAY HARD; PLAY SMART; PLAY TOGETHER. 

Unfortunately, like all great things, people occasionally lose their way and being constantly in the limelight like UNC leads to a lot of opinions finding "ink" in the mass media, opinions that might be counter to the Carolina Way. If you'd like to read more about UNC's stumbles CLICK HERE but I'm going to leave it at that for this post. For me, the proof is in the pudding ... the pudding being the records held plus the tremendous graduation stats.

Quite a while back, I put watching my Heels live at the Dean Dome on my bucket list, and I was as giggly as a school girl when I realized that dream in 2019. I have been blessed with a wife who is eager to share all of my craziness, and willingly tags along as we trapse around North America visiting college campuses for games. The atmosphere in the Dean Dome is electric, the signs of legendary success hung from the rafters in prominence, the fans as loyal as any in the world, and the smiles as wide as the Grand Canyon. I'm 1 and 0 at live UNC games, a streak that will be put to the test when we can finally enjoy NCAA events live again without worrying about infectious ailments. 

As for April 4th, 2022, it was indeed #gdtbath ... a Good Day To Be A Tar Heel!

Ch-ch-ch-changes

As the iconic David Bowie once crooned, "Ch-ch-ch-changes ... time may change me, but I can't trace time." 

You'd think that retirement would be pretty stable without the ever-present tide of change lapping at your shoes, but you'd be dead wrong, or at least from the lens I view it through. 2022 has been fraught with new happenings and events from returning to the hardcourt as a referee, our first "Snowbird" experience, the return to supply work in Simcoe County, and the beginning of emergency supply work in Guelph, but easily the most significant will be pulling up our relatively shallow roots and moving to "The Beach".

Yes, you read that correctly.
"The Beach" 

... as in Wasaga Beach .

.. the world's best and longest freshwater beach 

... the gem of Clearview Township 

... situated on the eastern shores of Georgian Bay. 

Yes, THAT beach.

How that BIG CHANGE transpired is a little bit of a story.

As regular readers of this Blog will know, Joyce and I sold our Barrie home of 30 years in the spring of 2020, and I convinced her that a move to Guelph to experience the charm of an old, established central Ontario city, the beauty of the surrounding Wellington County, and the buzz of a university town was what I really wished. What we found over the past 10 months more than met our expectations as we explored as much as the area had to offer. Thinking with financial prudence, we decided to rent a condo on the off chance that it wasn't what we anticipated after 30 years in a detached 2-story, but we soon came to the realization that it was silly to pay someone else's mortgage when we had a sizeable chunk of the proceeds from our house sale to apply to a new place to call our very own. 

We knew that the search would require someone who knew this area and it's real estate peculiarities better than us, and based on the recommendation of our realtor back in Barrie (BCC old boy Tomas Sample of C21), we reached out to Nick Fitzgibbon (Coldwell Banker), an old hockey buddy of Tomas', for guidance. As it would turn out, Nick was a total pleasure to work with, was extremely knowledgable and insightful, and quickly started sending potential properties our way. As the months passed, we viewed a number of potentials that checked most of the boxes we had determined were important to our future, some of which we almost pulled the trigger on, and we successfully pruned the branches to reveal the neighbourhoods that were the most desirable. 

The sad truth of the matter is that we LOVE the city and would gladly choose to establish a permanent base here, but the realities of this cursed real estate boom have resulted in ridiculously swollen costs for the properties that we would consider and we begrudgingly acknowledged that Guelph may have to come off the list. During the soul searching about which path to take, we came to the realization that some of the reasons we chose Guelph were not longer topping the list, giving birth to the notion of returning to Simcoe County. We were still adamant that we would forgo returning to the city of Barrie, but with so many awesome communities in Simcoe, we figured that there was a wide assortment of choices. In the end, the lure of "The Beach" proved powerful and we enlisted Tomas' assistance with the search. 

Our time in Guelph cemented our resolve that a condo was the choice for us for a wide variety of reasons, and after a couple of viewings we established a list of Wasaga neighbourhoods and sat back to patiently wait for a desirable listing. The top choice on my Google list of recents searches quickly became the popular Realtor.ca. After a few weeks of searching, an offering that checked almost all of our boxes appeared, but soon after our viewing, it sold conditionally in less than 36 hours. We kicked ourselves for not being ready to pull the trigger, but as karma would have it, the following week an even more desirable unit in the same building popped up so we immediately set the wheels in motion for a viewing, and after numerous discussions, submitted an offer that was quickly accepted, much to our surprise. Cue the scramble to put our ducks in a row!

You know that it couldn't possibly go smoothly, correct?

After the email flurry with our investment guy, Tim Laine, to make the deposit funds available, and scratching our heads over why in these cyber times one still has to pay for a physical bank draft to be able to transfer the funds from one bank to another, we were told that the teller at our bank had filled out the draft incorrectly, beginning a back and forth between our bank and the real estate bank that thankfully resulted in successfully giving away 1000's of our hard earned dollars in the form of a deposit. Following the legal ballet involving the status certificate, Tomas delivered the exciting news that we would be moving just before the summer holidays!

I don't mind sharing that this whole process was charged with nervous energy since the last time we purchased a home was 30 years ago, and the financial commitment was SIGNIFICANTLY less. Don't get me wrong, we're Uber excited by the whole affair, but we'd be lying if we didn't acknowledge the anxiety.

As I alluded to earlier in this post, one of the other BIG CHANGES was a return to the classroom in the role of supply following our winter in sunny FLA. SCDSB asks that all teachers on their regular supply list declare a minimum of 4 schools to be available to, but the reality for me is that I limit myself to only one location, partially because of the comfort of familiarity, but also the sensible reduction of exposure to Covid. While I love returning to Barrie, the 4 hours in commute often prompts the necessity of staying over one or two nights, and thanks to my mom's continuing generosity and her condo on the waterfront, the problem is solved. In an effort to solve the travel woes, I twice applied to the UGDSB to join their supply list, but was curiously ignored, a stab square in my ego. As luck would have it, during a catch up with a an old BB friend, Bill Price, after refereeing at his school, he introduced me to his VP and the conversation eventually wound its way to the glaring lack of supply teachers in Guelph. 48 hours later, this old fart was on the list of "emergency" supply teachers for Bill's school JF Ross!

 Perfect! I didn't wish to to fill in at multiple schools anyway. 

I recently accepted my first couple of days of emergency supply and I don't mind admitting that it was indeed intimidating being in a new school, navigating a new layout, meeting new colleagues, interacting with new students, and developing new expectations. Definitely NOT afraid, but decidedly anxious. Thankfully, the anxiety proved unfounded as I quickly settled back into the groove and shared a bunch of giggles and laughs with the new students. Now all I have to do is keep the supply requests from SCDSB and UGDSB organized! I'm choosing to work a number of supply days between the two because (a) both boards desperately need the help this spring and (b) the extra cash will help with funding the Snowbird account for next winter.

"Time may change me, but I can trace time."

I don't bounce very well!

If you're of my vintage, you'll fondly recall the yearly holiday special "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" and it's iconic, grossly misunderstood villain Bumbles, the Abominable Snowman. I'm sure I not the only child who stage aghast at the TV screen when Yukon Cornelius shooed Bumbles off the cliff, the dull pangs of shock gripping my adolescent eyeballs, only finding relief later as Bumbles reappears to assist with the Huge Christmas tree. As YC remarked, Bumbles bounce.

Well, I'm no Bumbles, although I have been known to bumble my way through things throughout my life.

I don't bounce very well ... at all!

A week ago (Monday March 21st, 2022) the sun was shining brightly, the temperatures were moderate (by Canadian spring standards), and I fancied a stroll. I coerced Joyce to make the short trip to Preservation Park here in Guelph, and we set out for a lovely mid-afternoon hike. Preservation Park has a winding, intricate system of trails that includes gravel roads, single track trails, well established double track paths, and bog-avoiding wooden berms. One could walk these trails 5 different times and end up traversing multiple different km's, be it in the open meadow or shaded woodlands. 

The first portion of our walk was easy peasy as we headed out along the well maintained gravel roads that are popular with the Guelph area dog owners, but our desired full loop would mean venturing into the woodlands, and there we discovered that the shaded protection had only partially melted the winter's snow, leaving the trails treacherously icy. Not to be outdone, we stuck to the mushy edges of trail where the melting fragile ice gave way underfoot allowing for partial traction, but we eventually came upon a small, slightly downhill section that required great care. As Murphy's Law would have it, taking great care produced the exact opposite effect, and as my right foot slid out from under my center of gravity I though, "Uh Oh!"

You know those cartoons that you watched with great glee on many a Saturday morning of your youth that featured ridiculous slapstick slips on banana peels, often resulting in both feet flying up and overhead? Well, my dear wife had a serious sense of deja vu as she watched in horror as my old, grey bulk went fully airborne before landing on my upper back/shoulder with a sickening thud. My many years of contact sports provided me with the requisite experience to not panic as air flooded out of my lungs thanks to the crushing impact of my unbridled impact, but that didn't lessen the pain that wracked my body as I lay in the melting ice and mud.

As I stated above, I definitely don't bounce ... more of a slap, really.

Lying in the muck, I took stock of my being, surmised that I was alive and partially well, struggled to my feet on the still slippery surface, and dusted myself off the best I could. On the return trip to the RAV, I could certainly feel the discomfort of the thud, but I didn't think it was all that bad. I was an ex-varsity football and rugby player ... I'd been hit far harder than any slip on the ice could generate. As the night progressed, I was stiff but unhurt.

Tuesday's shuffle out of bed was slower than normal, and standing upright immediately reminded me of the previous day's events, but moving around loosened things up enough that I felt I could get a rip on the indoor bike trainer in, reasoning that the workout would further loosen the stiffness from my back since I had a playoff basketball game to officiate later in the day. 

While all was not "normal", it was certainly tolerable, and I was able to get up and down the gym floor fairly well, the spectators only marginally aware that the old fart in the stripes looked sort of awkward running all stiff and board-like. By the end of the game I hardly noticed the dull ache in my left flank.

In the middle of the night, something stirred me out of my slumber, and as I sought a different more comfortable positioning by rolling in bed, I was startled by a crack sound that was loud enough to wake Joyce as well. The accompanying sharp jab of pain was not comforting in the least, and seemed to be emanating from my entire left side musculature, causing a low-grade muffled grunt that brought a sense of panic to Joyce. Once the spasm had subsided, it only took 10-15 minutes to re-find sleep.

Wednesday morning was the most pain I've felt in a really, really long time. 

I was scheduled to drive to Shelburne to referee Sr Boys Basketball playoffs, but Ma Nature had other plans, casting an ice storm across southern Ontario, prompting a far-reaching and complete shutdown of the school transportation system, so the day was spent attempting to deal with my spasming back. After navigating the day, the night's retirement proved to be quite the affair as I willed myself to be completely and utterly immobile after struggling to find the solitary position that would abate the pain inducing spasms. Both Joyce and I realized that Thursday I was going to have to seek some help. Being a complete chowderhead, however, I had to make it through the Guelph District 10 Sr Boys Basketball playoff games I had agreed to referee. Wrapping myself up, using a boatload of Tiger Balm, a handful of pain medication, and a lot a teeth-gritting grimaces, I made it through the day. 

One of the many benefits of teaching is the huge number of relationships that get established with the fantastic young people you work with. Of the thousands I interacted with, a healthy number had set their sights on healthcare, and one of them was early in her career as a chiropractor. Dr. Chloe (Foster) Morgan also happened to be the apple of Josh Morgan's eye, one of my co-coaches with GC State's rugby program. I reached out to Dr. Chloe seeking some advice on dealing with my discomfort and was completely thrilled when she cleared a space in her schedule to see me the next day. Upon Dr. Chloe's thorough examination, she postulated that Monday's thud had resulted in a cracked rib, so she referred me to Georgian Imaging Services for an x-ray to confirm. I should hear in a couple of days whether or not I had a break.

How's that for service? 

Armed with some input from Dr. Chloe on how to deal with this new revelation, some quick treatment in an attempted to deal with the spasms, and some KT tape to assist with stabilization, I felt a little bit better about my near future. Besides, as she confirmed, there's not much more I could do to myself, barring any mid-court collision, something I avoided with the nimbleness of a Russian ballet dancer (giggle).

Let's all just agree that, like Forest Gump's admission, "I'm not a very smart man", so of course I would go ahead with the weekend's scheduled refereeing. Through a combination of over-the-counter medications, treatment, and bracing, I am glad to report that all went well, albeit with discomfort. 

So, we arrive at today, Monday March 28th, 2022, and that signals the end of this incredible stretch of events. I'm heading out later today for Shelburne to referee those games that were cancelled last Wednesday due to the ice storm, ending a stretch that included 13 refereeing assignments in 8 days, an ass-over-teakettle fall, and a couple of days supply teaching. I have a follow up with Dr Chloe this week and I think I already feel my rib starting the stitching process because the spams are becoming far more infrequent. 

What a crazy set of circumstances! 

And, to add insult to injury, I haven't been able to get a ride in for 5 days now! 

Like the old adage, "That which doesn't kill you only makes you stronger", I will endure this bump in the road ... it's been snowing all week anyway, so I'm not missing any great tours out and about Wellington County. 

Pray for me folks. I need all the help I can get! HaHaHa!

Hello again, hello!

I'm probably really dating myself, but it's like the Neil Diamond song, "Hello again, hello!" 

I'm pecking away on my laptop after being offline for a while, and despite the plethora of topics I have opinions about (like the atrocities surrounding the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the detrimental impact on the global economy, or Ford Nation's questionable decision to remove many of the restrictions surrounding this pandemic), the muse just wasn't moving me so I figured that meant I should take a break from writing for a little.

Well, to coin the epic Jack Nicholson line, "I'm baaaaack!"

The single largest reason for my hiatus was vacationing in Florida during the snowy horribleness of the 2022 Canadian winter, thoroughly enjoying my mother's generosity by sharing of her beautiful condo in Naples. For me, life on vacation is incredibly myopic, so my attention was only slightly beyond the end of my own nose. Having said that, something as huge as the Russian invasion of Ukraine was not on a level that could be ignored, and my understanding of the initial facts were thanks to the lens of the American media.

I'm going to share some thoughts ... that much isn't new ... and I'll likely ruffle some feathers with my words so it behooves me to apologize ahead of time because I don't share thoughts to offend, even though I know that there will be many that stand on the other side of any issue discussed. One of the most beneficial components of my writer's soul is that my happiness doesn't hinge on others affirming me, and by extension, I'm perfectly accepting of others looking at any issue from their viewpoint. It's okay that we don't agree and it doesn't mean either of us is wrong. 

However, I do draw the proverbial line in the sand with others criticizing my character, slandering me or resorting to questionable efforts to intimidate or physically coerce me to change my mind.

So please go ahead a disagree ... but be nice about it. 😉

Regarding the Russian invasion, I don't think many would argue with me that the only ones who support Putin and his henchmen are likely (a) woefully ignorant, or (b) live in fear of what he'll do if they say something. By my estimation, that leaves billions of us aghast at the events playing out at the hands of the Russian military as millions of innocents are so profoundly impacted, some paying the ultimate price. When the invasion began, I stared agape at the sheer audacity of the Goliath named Putin as he faced the David that was Ukraine, and like many, I was "all in" on a David-inspired ending. As each bloody day passed, cessations looked increasingly impossible, with global efforts mounted to force Russia to back down without sparking another World War appearing to have little effect. From where I stand, Putin's ability to create the perfect cocoon while steering the Russian destruction machine seems bulletproof since he's still alive and in power. It's my understanding that his total control of all information released to the Russian people effectively keeps them blissfully unaware of the truth behind the invasion. His outrageous lies about liberating oppressed Russians from Ukraine's Nazi-like rule is both ludicrous and incredulous.

Further to the point, the rest of the planet is either (a) dead set against Putin but powerless to effect any change without sparking WWIII or (b) agrees with Russia's socialistic platform but is VERY wary of the rest of the planet's reaction should they show support. It goes without saying that it's a very frustrating set of events for the rest of us since we are "between a rock and a hard place" and the fallout is impacting our wallets through the chain reaction effect on the global economy. Obviously, having to endure increased inflation pales in comparison to the what the Ukraines are forced to endure, but piled on top of dealing with a 2 year pandemic, the pangs of frustration are tangible, none the less. I don't see how someone as warped as Putin can save face at this point, and my heart bleeds over the death and destruction of Ukraine.

I am no expert on this conflict. My opinions are built on paying attention to first the American media, and now the Canadian media, as I seek to understand more thoroughly.

Now, add to this a spicy dish of crap like Ford Nation's questionable decision to start scaling back the restrictions surrounding the pandemic despite the very obvious positive effect they have had on the spread in Ontario. My understanding is profoundly biased by the education system blinders I have become so comfortable with, creating a skewed viewpoint of importance, leaving me shaking me head in disbelief. I don't think it would come as any surprise to people who know me that I feel strongly that Ford and his cronies have completely botched the management of the province's response, especially their handling ... or is it lack of handling ... of how it impacts our formerly world class school system. 

There is still overcrowding. There have been zero improvements to the ventilation systems. The flipping between in person, on line, synchronous, asynchronous, hybrid methodologies has resulted in massive disruptions in progress for so many frustrated, vulnerable kiddos. 

Add to all of this the removal of masking mandates, the one truly effective method (the proof's in the pudding) of stemming the transmission, knowing full well that unbridling already rebellious teens, tweens, and adolescents allows them to run rampant through the viral mists filling school hallways and cafeterias will inevitably result in spikes of infections. They fully acknowledge this yet seem to be bending to the vocal minority, very likely in an effort to sway votes in the upcoming provincial election. Regardless of where along the political continuum I fall, it is maddeningly frustrating that the transparent garnering of votes could have dire consequences for the province's most vulnerable. 

Top all of that off with a little viral biology.

In the event you weren't aware, viruses continually seek to improve their ability to propagate through good ol' Darwin's "survival of the fittest" theory. When a virus infects a body, it enters an infected cell, hijacks the nucleus, and forces the cell to replicate the virus' genetic code. During this process, there are often minor glitches in the replication that usually result in that one virus being ineffective, but with probability on its side, there are those long-shot mutations that result in an enhanced effect that increases the likelihood of that one virus surviving long enough to propagate. Joe Public knows these as variants. 

Why do you nee to know this? And how does it relate to masks?

IMHO, by removing the mask mandate, many school aged children will choose to throw their mask in the trash, continue their social habits, and expose themselves to increased chance of infection. Even if vaccinated, this offers the virus a chance to mutate, significantly increasing the likelihood of another variant, causing science to play catch-up all over again. I totally understand that we will be forced to live with Covid for the foreseeable future with the very strong chance of yearly boosters just like the influenza virus, but why give biology the opportunity to speed the process up when wearing masks is a simple and easy thing? 

Are they annoying? You bet! Are they uncomfortable? You bet! Are they a smart choice? You bet!

Oh well, like I already stated, I can hold a different opinion, have an animated discussion, and not harbour resentment or offense ... I'll still be wearing my mask when I return to school to help my teacher friends.

Precious metals!

These two very fine and good looking gentlemen recently entered into to some very exclusive territory ... they became my newest friends! Pat is the taller of the two and he's a full time resident of Pelican Bay, while the other is Ed from Indianapolis. Their connection is that Pat's daughter married Ed's son, hence the two are now officially connected as in-laws, but their connection is pretty gosh darned cool because they and their spouses are very close friends. I'm not sure how their children feel about that but I'm willing to wager that they're tickled pink, as the saying goes. The reason for our new found friendship is my Argon18 Dark Matter bike. I was just back from a ride and chose to go cool off in the outdoor shower by the pool. Pat was there and asked about my "steed". We had a short conversation about biking. A couple of days later, I was back at poolside after a ride and Ed, ever the extrovert as I have come to discover, was immediately curious, drew Pat into the conversation, and we shared a few moments about our common interests. Making the situation even better, after talking bikes for a bit, the two extended an invitation to join them in a couple of rides while Ed was in Naples both visiting Pat and vacationing in Marco Island. Our ensuing social rides allowed for the sharing of stories, opinions, and interests all leading to a wonderful opportunity to have people to connect with in various parts of the USA. 

In these times of virtual financing, online banking, paying with plastic, and E-Commerce, there are those who I know that strongly believe a stash of wealth that endures the ebb and flow of financial tides while avoiding the whims of Wall and Bay Street using an investment in precious metals. Of course, the age-old question surrounds the choice of metal, be it silver, gold, or even the relative newcomer, platinum. Regardless, the sheen and lustre lures even the most seasoned investor.

My choice of metals is not unlike my choice of friends. 

The golden oldies made decades ago, the silvery steadfasts from the tumultuous mid-life years, or newly minted platinums from recent times, it matters not as long as I figuratively shine them to a deep lustre with regularity. While I won't argue that wealth makes the choices of life easy, true riches are gained through by fostering friendships that support us as we navigate the hills and valleys of life, the true measurement of success. I have often shared that conversation with my wife as we enjoy each other's company on a walk or a ride, taking stock of the great relationships amassed through the various experiences of our years, and finding sincere gratitude for the assortment we possess that have each played a part in our life's journey.

I graduated from Queen's University in 1986 as a part of a pretty wondrous group that bucked all the odds when 102 of the accepted104 curious minds survived the adventures of 4 years in the School of Physical Education, a staggering success rate at the time. Bolstering our spectacular nature, we have all made the extra effort to return for Homecoming events in an effort to stay in touch over the past few decades. One of my old (I hope she doesn't mind me using that term) classmates recently reached out with an invitation to rekindle our friendship when she realized we would be escaping the ravages of a Canadian winter a few kilometres of each other down in the Sunshine State. Plans were made to share a beverage and a meal with our spouses and my mind was soon awash with images and snippets of those crazy years in Kingston, prompting me to reflect on how blessed I feel to have led a life with rewards such as this. Many, many thanks to Lindsay Healey ad her hubby Larry for reaching out, sharing their incredible personalities, and welcoming us into their list of acquaintances. We were enjoying the night so much that we neglected to get a decent photo to commemorate the night, resulting in a the poorly lit awkwardness of my darling wife. 

Sorry honey!

Further to that point, my most steadfast, loyal, enduring friendships were forged in the tempest of intercollegiate football during our joint struggles to achieve the sports ultimate goal of a Vanier Cup. Every football team is subdivided into smaller groups of like-minded units like "O" (offense) vs "D" (defence) or "Hogs" (linemen) vs "Pretty Boys" (QBs and running backs), and it follows logically that our commonality creates deeper connections. I have written before about the escapades Shadillac (#55 Mike Schad), myself, Sammy (middle Sam Ashton), Frank (at the back Frank Kakouris), Arn (far right Steve Hudson) have found ourselves in as we rekindle those tight bonds from the early 80's. To this day, they are treasured, loyal buddies that I know have "my six", as the saying goes. This cursed pandemic has thrown the proverbial monkey wrench in the gears and we all can't wait for the thumbs up to get together again to share in all things Golden ... Gaels! 

I wrote a while ago about the tragic loss of fellow hog John Larsen (CLICK), furthering our yearning to get together regularly ... You never know when your time is up.

I've ruminated the past about the plethora of shared shenanigans in the trenches of education that created both shuddering giggles and  full-on belly laughs thanks to the incredible people I have called colleagues, fortifying some of the relationships that through the years became near and dear to my heart. Listing some of the most influential ones is dicy because I run the risk of hurting feelings, but those from my years in room 119 at Central ... Ron Andrews, Pete Kalbfleisch, Sue Berardi, Brad Chestnut, Kyle Sweezey, Barb Sturrock ... certainly factor into the list process. Suffice it to say that there were many who graciously allowed me into the "inner circle" and positively affected both my day to day and my year to year. It will come as no surprise to those who know me that I reserve a sizeable portion of my heart for the relationships from those years and it brings be tremendous joy to share in their "graduations" as we slide from active duty to those cherished retirement years.

While it's obvious that friendships from my past hold immeasurable value, the ones that I have made recently have also brought me great satisfaction. It goes without saying that my twilight years at Barrie North gilded some passing acquaintances into deeper friendships, some of which directly result from changes in my focus as I fell for new-to-me passions like cycling, just like Pat and Ed whom you met earlier. I've shared some photos in other posts about my cycling buddies Kevin Simms, Jay Rothenburg (from Barrie North days) and Hardy Wind (from Barrie Central days), but in case you missed that post, the photo above shows one of my bike posses. Kevin is front right with the yellow on his helmet; Jay is beside him on the right; Hardy is mugging for the shot behind Jay. The other awesome gentlemen in the shot are Doug Woods at the front left and Sam Loucks next on the left behind Doug. This was early in my biking days ... seems weird to say that since I've only been serious for 2 years ... when this crew pushed me through my first 100km ride. 

Getting back to my point, I am proud of my "wealth". I have amassed a wondrous number of friendships over my 58 years and I am proud of my success. They mean more to me than the traditional meaning of the word ... don't get me wrong, money is nice to have ... and I find a large number of my daily smiles are directly related to those relationships. 

Of course, no diatribe about friends would be complete without acknowledging my bestest buddy of all, my darling and dead sexy wife Joyce. Retiring right before the pandemic may not have been the Master Plan, but it has forced us to spend a copious number of hours together and I'm pleased as a peacock to say that our friendship is the closest it's ever been. 

Pandemic, Shmandemic. There's always a silver lining, eh?

Fun Facts

In my continuing series of posts created from diving into the Internet in a search for neat things, here's a handful of interesting factoids that you may or may not be aware of. Well, at least I find them interesting! I've tried to include the reference for each in case you wish to dive a little deeper yourself. I gathered this list from a host of sites that contained lists of interesting facts. Some of these I already knew; some were just weird; some really got me thinking. I hope they have the same effect on you!

From the world of humans:

The tallest man ever recorded was American giant Robert Wadlow (1918–1940), who stood 8 feet 11 inches was the result of abnormally enlarged pituitary gland. (guinnessworldrecords.com) 

The tallest living man is 37-year-old Sultan Kosen, from Turkey, who is 8 feet, 2.8 inches, who set the record in 2009. His growth is also due to a pituitary issue. (guinnessworldrecords.com) 

The oldest person ever to have lived (whose age could be authenticated), a French woman named Jeanne Louise Calment, was 122 years old when she died in 1997. (guinnessworldrecord.com) 

There are no muscles in your fingers with movement controlled by muscles in your palms and arms. (assh.org) 

The hardest working muscle in your body is your heart; it pumps more than 2,000 gallons of blood a day and beats more than 2.5 billion times in a 70-year life span. (heart.org) 

It’s impossible to hum while holding your nose ... just try it!. (scienceprojectideasforkids.com)

Speaking of your nose, the human nose can distinguish at least a trillion different odours. (nature.com) 

The skin is the body’s largest organ. (numerous; medlineplus.gov)

All of an adult human’s blood vessels, if laid out end to end, would be about 160,000 kms, so they could encircle the earth 4 times. (fi.edu) 

From the non-human world:

The oldest living land animal is a tortoise named Jonathan, who is 187 years old. He was born in 1832 and has lived on the island of St. Helena in the Atlantic Ocean since 1882. (guinnessworldrecords.com) 

Bats are the only mammal that can actually fly. (doi.gov)

Wombats are the only animal whose poop is cube-shaped due to how its intestines form the feces. The animals then stack the cubes to mark their territory. (bbc.com) 

The heart of the blue whale, the largest animal on earth, is five feet long and weighs 400 pounds. The whale in total weighs 40,000 pounds. (nationalgeographic.com) For comparison, an elephant’s heart weighs around 30 pounds. And a human heart? A mere 10 ounces. BTW, Elephants can’t jump. (smithsonianmag.com) 

Octopuses have three hearts. (octonation.com)

Cows don’t actually have four stomachs; they have one stomach with four compartments. (fda.gov) 

The platypus doesn’t have a stomach at all: Their esophagus goes straight to their intestines. (nationalgeographic.com) 

Polar bears have black skin. And actually, their fur isn’t white—it’s see-through, so it appears white as it reflects light. (worldwildlife.org)

Tigers’ skin is actually striped, just like their fur. Also, no two fur patterns are alike. (tigers.org.za)

Flamingoes are only pink because of chemicals called carotenoids in the algae and fish (which also eat the algae) they eat. Their feathers are greyish white when they’re born. (nationalzoo.si.edu)

Mosquitoes are the deadliest animal in the world because they kill more people than any other creature, due to the diseases they carry. (cdc.gov)

From the world of food:

Sliced bread was first manufactured by machine and sold in the 1920s by the Chillicothe Baking Company in Missouri. It was the greatest thing since…unsliced bread? (chllicothenews.com) On a related note, the Earl of Sandwich, John Montagu, who lived in the 1700s, reportedly invented the sandwich so he wouldn’t have to leave his gambling table to eat. (pbs.org) 

German chocolate cake doesn’t come from Germany. It was named for a person, Sam German, who created a type of baking chocolate for Baker’s in 1852. (npr.org) 

Hawaiian pizza was created in Ontario, Canada, by Greek immigrant Sam Panopoulos in 1962. (cbc.ca) 

Almost all commercially grown artichokes, 99.9 percent, come from California. One town in particular, Castroville, is nicknamed “the Artichoke Capital of the World.” (visitcalifornia.com) 

The different colors of Froot Loops cereal all taste the same—they’re not individual flavours. (time.com) 

What’s inside a Kit Kat? Broken Kit Kats that are damaged during production—they get ground up and go between the wafers inside, along with cocoa and sugar. (today.com) 

Pound cake got its name because the original recipe required a pound each of butter, flour, sugar and eggs. It’s a lot of cake, but it was meant to last for a long time. (food.ndtv.com)

The difference between jam and jelly is that jam is made with mashed up fruit while jelly is made with fruit juice. Preserves are like jam but made with more whole fruit. Marmalade is preserves made from citrus fruit. (bonapetit.com)
More people visit France than any other country (Spain is 2nd; the US 3rd). (e-unwto.org) 

Speaking of visiting, the Four Corners is the only spot in the US where you can stand in four states at once: Utah, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico. (navajonationparks.org)

Flamin’ Hot Cheetos were developed by a janitor at Frito-Lay, Richard Montanez, who got the idea after putting chili powder on some reject Cheetos and then pitched it to the CEO. He’s now a successful executive and motivational speaker, and a movie is in the works about his life. (cnbc.com)

The biggest pizza ever created was 13,580 square feet, made in Rome, Italy, in 2012. The pizza was gluten-free and named “Ottavia” after a roman emperor. (guinnessworldrecords.com)

Just interesting factoids:

The original name for the search engine Google was Backrub. It was renamed Google after the googol, which is the number one followed by 100 zeros. (about.google)
Miss Piggy and Yoda were both voiced by the same person, puppeteer Frank Oz. (en.wikipedia.org)
There is not one letter “q” in any US state name, the only letter in the alphabet to be missing. “J” and “z” are only represented once each, in New Jersey and Arizona. (www.rd.com)
The word “strengths” is the longest word in the English language with only one vowel. (guinnessworldrecords.com)

At Medieval Times dinner attractions, you eat with your hands because people didn’t use utensils in the middle ages. (medievaltimes.com)

The tradition of shaking hands harkens back to Medieval Times and shows we’re unarmed. (bbc.co.uk)

The longest place name in the word, at 85 letters, is in New Zealand, but the locals just call it Taumata Hill. Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu (newzealand.com)

Our modern interpretation of Santa Claus with a red outfit and white beard is due in large part to holiday Coca-Cola ads that began in 1931. (coca-cola.com) 

Queen Victoria’s husband, Prince Albert, wasn’t the first to introduce Christmas trees to Britain from his native Germany. Queen Charlotte did that in the late 1700s. But, Victoria and Albert are credited with popularizing the custom in the mid-1800s. (royal.uk)
The teddy bear is named after President Theodore Roosevelt. After he refused to shoot a captured black bear on a hunt, a stuffed-animal maker decided to create a bear and name it after the president. (nps.gov) 

Lincoln Logs were created by John Lloyd Wright, son of famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright, in the 1920s. They were named after Abraham Lincoln, who grew up in a log cabin. (nps.gov) 

Play-Doh started out as a wallpaper cleaner before the head of the struggling company realized the non-toxic material made a good modelling clay for children and rebranded it. (museumofplay.org) 

In the 1940s, a retired schoolteacher came up with Candyland to entertain children who were hospitalized from polio because its colour system required no reading, making it easily played. (toyhalloffame.org) 

The Barbie doll’s full name is Barbara Millicent Roberts, from Willows, Wisconsin. Her birthday is March 9, 1959, when she was first displayed at the New York Toy Fair. (barbiemedia.com)
Freelancers originally referred to self-employed, sword-wielding mercenaries: literally “free lancers.” (merriam-webster.com)

Facts that truly out of this world:

The first footprints on the moon will remain there for a million years. (nasa.gov) 

Days on Venus are longer than years. Due to its slow axis rotation, it takes 243 Earth days to spin once; but it only takes 225 Earth days to go around the sun. (nasa.gov) 

Humans could never “land” on Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus or Neptune because they are made of gas and have no solid surface. (natgeokids.com) 

You could ice skate on one of Jupiter’s moons, Europa, which is covered in ice. An Axel jump would take you 22 feet in the air! (nasa.gov)

From around the world:

The coldest temperature ever recorded occurred in Antarctica, -144F or -97.78C, as reported by researchers in a scientific journal in 2018. 

The hottest temperature ever recorded occurred in Furnace Creek, Death Valley, California, at 134F or 56.67C on July 10, 1913. (public.wmo.int) 

Japan records the most earthquakes of any country in the world, but the most earthquakes actually happening occurs in Indonesia. (usgs.gov)
Each year 16 million thunderstorms happen around the world, and at any given moment, there are about 2,000 thunderstorms in progress. (nssl.noaa.gov) 

Sweden has 267,570 islands, the most of any country in the world. 

Australia contains a number of pink lakes, but the most stunning is the Pepto Bismol-colored Lake Hillier. The colour may be the result of certain algae. (australia.com) 

At over 29,000 feet tall, Mt. Everest is the highest point on Earth, but it doesn’t compare to the deepest point on Earth, the Mariana Trench, which is over 36,000 feet deep (nearly seven miles) or 10.97 km, in the Pacific Ocean. In addition, there are over 200 dead bodies of climbers on Mt. Everest because it’s so difficult to bring them down. (outsideonline.com)

Visitors are not allowed to scatter loved ones’ ashes at Disney World or Disneyland. This is apparently a problem, particularly around the Haunted Mansion attraction. (wsj.com)
The man who designed the Pringles can, Fred Bauer, is buried in one—or at least some of his ashes are. (npr.org)

And, as a final thought:

There’s a world record for the holder of the most world records ... Ashrita Furman has set more than 600 records and currently holds more than 200. His records have ranged from fastest mile on a pogo stick, longest time to hula hoop underwater and greatest distance traveled on a bicycle balancing a milk bottle on your head. (guinnessworldrecords.com)