Walmart 24/7

"Really, is there any need?"

That was my initial response to the news that the THREE local Walmarts were going to be open for 24 hours.

C'mon. Are the oil dollars trickling down the all us minions that fast, to the point we need to go to Wallyland at 3am to buy a pair of socks and some water for $8.57?

No.

To puzzle me even more, the news stated that this was going to happen to 25 stores across the COUNTRY. And yet all THREE on this side of the overpass will be open? Has Danny wielded (H)is influence on this mighty American company? ha

Or is it a combination of corporate greed over consumer demand? I pitied the workers at Walmart before, due to a lack of a union. Now I pity them even more, with the situation of having to work nights...........or else.

And then there is the effect this will have on other local companies. Oh my. Maybe we should go back to the days when stores closed at 8pm and nothing was open on Sunday. Except church. ;)

Stuff

Rambling and Rumbling

My holidays are fast coming to an end. I'll be seeing the kids on Monday mo(u)rning, and I'm sure they would rather be in bed or playing in a snow bank. Me too.

After making excuses for 6 months, I finally went to the gym yesterday. This morning my arms feel like they are going to fall off and my legs are rubber. Perfect for ball & ice hockey that starts up next week. Another batch of middle-aged men trying to maintain 'da dream' and fighting off the spare tire.

While watching her CSI/Without a Trace/Cold Case/yada yada yada shows last night, my wife got frustrated with all the news interruptions about the voting in the states. Then I tried to explain to her the system of delegates. Thank god I had the Globe and Mail with a diagram to explain the crazy system in the states and past stats on primarys.

After explaining how Iowa is important because it is the first, not the biggest primary, and it is more about media predictions and $$, she simply and sufficiently declared, "Then this voting in Iowa means nothing."

True. But not true. Even as Canadians, it will be an interesting year, with people choosing to either vote for Oprah's man, Bill's other half, Mr. 9/11, and all the other pretenders.

With the writers' strike, it won't be so bad that political news interrupts all those CSI/doctor/lawyer/cop shows. Except Lost. At least that is going to be new!

10 Years Later

10 years ago I woke up in Harlow, England. I went there to complete my teaching internship.

Wow. It is hard to believe when I think of my experiences of beating the streets on Saturdays in London, visiting ancient churches and cities such as Bath, Bristol, Cardiff, Paris, and Amsterdam, all this time has passed.

I'll never forget the weekend Mike, Jamie and I rented a car and ended West, seeing Stonehenge, the Tor, Cardiff castle, and other sights.




Walking throughout London and across London Bridge at 3am while waiting for our ride to Amsterdam was freaky - in a city of 8 million people the city was silent and we only saw a handful of people.

Amsterdam was great as well, visiting the house where Anne Frank hid (very small), seeing the countless museums, and walking throughout the red light district. As for the attempted mugging, with the knife only inches away from my gut as I called out to Jamie and Mike, well, that wasn't so great. I kept my innards and wallet in tact, and the beer I had immediately afterwards tasted SO good.

Taking in the surrounding cultures, especially in the pubs across the street every evening was great.


As for the teaching, well, it was challenging. I am just happy Newfoundland doesn't have the same British education system.

To all the friends and acquaintances I made, I hope you are all doing well. I think I will go look at some pics and reflect!

Christmas. New Year. Ugh.

Time out around the bay was well spent, although getting rain on the night of the 24th put a bit of a damper on the seasonal feeling.

Gifts given and received went well. Wife surprised me with all her presents while she knew most of the ones I had for her. But she didn't have a clue about the emergency car kit! Who says romance is dead! haha

Hanging out with my folks was nice. I have not seen them since August and I won't see them again till next summer. That is the life of many Newfoundlanders as they work out of the province. This time, my father swears it is his last year teaching.

My mom's reply? "I've heard that one before."

Now it is the new year. My resolutions? Same as always:
- go to the gym, since I DO have a membership!
- drink less coffee. But compared to what I see consumed at work, I am already doing ok!
- use time more wisely for Masters (last semester!), work, wife, dog, and myself. Not necessarily in that order.
- read and write for pleasure (maybe this will be the year...!)
- try not to ignore my wife on Friday and Saturday when I have The Independent, Globe and Mail, and The Telegram in front of me. (Sorry honey, don't hold your breath!)

I know my failure rate for resolutions is holding at 99%. Maybe in the year that I turn 35 (wow) I will find the time to grow up a little more.

Last resolution? - try to make my wife smile. Think I'll bring her coffee in bed!

Its Xmas time. Ho ho ho. $$$

I'm not a big fan of what Christmas has become - getting the latest fad to make the kids happy. I am NOT a religious person, but Santa has replaced baby Jesus as the main symbol a LONG time ago.

Christmas for me is a time to relax, reflect, and spend time with loved ones and friends. Not spending time at the Avalon mall looking for stocking stuffers and fighting for parking spaces.

On Friday some of my students gave me gifts. It was sweet. I had bought them book coupons, pens, and candy canes. But I told them to reward the music teacher (who also teaches them 1/2 time) instead of me, because she had spent hours practicing for the Christmas concert (which went great). Instead, they bought presents for both of us. I reminded them before they left to enjoy their time with family and remember that the season is not only about getting presents. Hopefully it will sink in.

I had the intention this year to take the $$ I would have spent on gifts and buy grub for a food bank. But considering the sadness my wife was going through with the recent passing of her father, I decided getting her trinkets and presents would put a smile on her face.

Tomorrow may be a bittersweet day here in Red Cliffe, but seeing my wife go through her stocking anf gifts is better than telling her I spent 300 bucks on Kraft Dinner for local food banks!

Losing a Loved One

On December 2nd my father-in-law Carl Bowen passed away after battling cancer for more than a year. Even though I only knew him for 5 years, and I didn't feel that we had that much in common, I can honestly say he is the best man I have ever met.

When you hear the phrase "a good fellow" or "would do anything for anybody" it related to him. He was also low-key, but full of humour and wisdom to his wife, daughter, family and friends. During his wake and funeral, the tiny church in the community of Red Cliffe was full of people whose lives he had touched across the province.

I can only hope to be as good as husband, father, and friend as Carl. And love my profession as much as he did. Keep on truckin' Carl. We'll certainly miss your desserts!

Here are a few pictures to honour his memory:

As a child growing up in Red Cliffe:



As a father to Corinne:




As a friend:




R.I.P Carl

Happy Birthday Chantel

Today my 'baby' sister turned 25. I took her out for nachos and wings at Don Cherry's. Yup, the big $$$! ha


I still remember the moment my uncle Cliff told me I had another sister. I already had one, I wanted a brother. So I did what any upset 9 year old would do - I fell to the carpet and started bawling and hitting the floor.

I think I'm over it.

When Chantel was really young, she was the sister I got along with better. With Charlene only being 3 years younger than me, we fought. A lot.


Chantel still tells people I use to body slam her on the bed and bar her in my room, forcing her to listen to G'n'R's Appetite for Destruction. Wasn't that the duty of all big brothers? :)

As for her teenage years...we weren't so close (:( But now that she is more sensible, we can tolerate each other! haha

Whenever people say we look 'just like each other' (and we do) she is in complete denial. Face it sis, ya look just like your (handsome) big brother!

At least I made her a U2 fan!

Here is our latest family pic, sans wife, taken in August.