Good evening gentle readers. I come to you tonight despite feeling under the weather (I barely slept at all last night and as a result I crashed around 11 today and slept for...a while). Now that I'm back to living at home with my parents I've got a few things I need to work on. First and foremost I need to get in contact with my university to see about getting back into my program; they're quick on the email response, I should be set up with some distance education courses by Monday. According to the registrar I need to get two distance ed credits with high grades along with some other paperwork before I can resume my program.
Secondly, and just as urgent, is securing a job. I've spoken to my previous employer (a thrift store chain) and they said they'd be glad to have me back, but I'd like to see if I can't get anything better paying. I was getting 38 hours a week at my previous job, but if I can find one with similar hours and better pay, hey, why sell myself short!
That folks, is what we call straight and to the pointless
Douglas Gohl Piper, may be a zombie
(He's in your heeaaaad, in your heaaaaaaaaad)
Friday, November 27, 2009
Epilogue
Hey folks. This post is going to be a bit more somber than my usual schvike, but please bear with me. As most of you have noticed I haven't updated S&R in quite some time. Last you heard I had just started my week as a house manager, and that was nearly a month ago. What happened? You guys have been loyal readers and you all deserve an answer. To make a long story short I decided to drop out of Katimavik.
Katimavik is a lot more complex that I may have made it seem. For the months leading up to my departure I always answered queries about the program buy stating that it was "a youth volunteer program where you get to travel Canada (for free) and do cool projects for communities, all whilst living with a group of like-minded individuals". To say that that is untrue would be a lie; to say that it's an understatement is the truth. I could go into depth about my reasons for leaving, I have two three-page reports I did on the program I could post, but I'm not going to. First and foremost they are personal; anybody in the program considering dropping out needs to have their own reasons for doing so, not mine, but more importantly that would be boring!.
It was important for me that my decision to stay or go be based on rational thought, not rash emotion. I base plenty of my decisions on spur-of-the-moment feelings but never when that call could have sever consequences. This is why I decided to do my reports. After my week as house manager I sat down and started work on my first one. It detailed by goals in life, why I wanted to do Katimavik, the pros and cons to both life in the program and life at home, and more than a fair bit of my personal thoughts on each point. "Two weeks", I told myself "I'll give myself two more weeks to think things over" (I had been having doubts about the program for two weeks prior to the first report). Obviously when it came to my second report I weighed my thoughts and decided to ask for my plane ticket.
I really could go on for pages about the reasons my decision, but to be blunt I don't want to. My reasons were sound, I'm back home already, and thankfully everybody seems to accept my decision, and more importantly to respect it. Plus, even if I did elaborate, Katimavik is an amazingly efficient organization. They may hunt me down or unleash Zombie Jacques Hebert.
What does this mean for the future of this blog? I'd very much like to continue writing it. I enjoy writing, it's a fantastic creative outlet for me, it lets me see my thoughts in concrete form (which is invaluable as my thoughts are rarely concrete for more than a few seconds), and according to some of you I'm not too shabby of a writer. Thank you all who have given me praise, either through the comments or to my parents, I really appreciate it. It's great to know that I'm entertaining some of you. I may not be the next Poe or King, and heck you may have all stopped reading, but thank you if you are. I plan to continue to chronicle my life here in this blog and I would love your comments, thoughts, or constructive criticism on my writing style. Was yesterday boring to read about? Do I use too many commas? Do I forget to use "too" instead of "to"?
Thank you all for reading. Remember, no matter how dull your life may be, no one will know that unless you brag about it! Mundane lives are meant to be chronicled, and as your host here I plan to do just that.
(witty sign-off under construction)
Douglas Gohl Piper, ex-Katimaviktim
Katimavik is a lot more complex that I may have made it seem. For the months leading up to my departure I always answered queries about the program buy stating that it was "a youth volunteer program where you get to travel Canada (for free) and do cool projects for communities, all whilst living with a group of like-minded individuals". To say that that is untrue would be a lie; to say that it's an understatement is the truth. I could go into depth about my reasons for leaving, I have two three-page reports I did on the program I could post, but I'm not going to. First and foremost they are personal; anybody in the program considering dropping out needs to have their own reasons for doing so, not mine, but more importantly that would be boring!.
It was important for me that my decision to stay or go be based on rational thought, not rash emotion. I base plenty of my decisions on spur-of-the-moment feelings but never when that call could have sever consequences. This is why I decided to do my reports. After my week as house manager I sat down and started work on my first one. It detailed by goals in life, why I wanted to do Katimavik, the pros and cons to both life in the program and life at home, and more than a fair bit of my personal thoughts on each point. "Two weeks", I told myself "I'll give myself two more weeks to think things over" (I had been having doubts about the program for two weeks prior to the first report). Obviously when it came to my second report I weighed my thoughts and decided to ask for my plane ticket.
I really could go on for pages about the reasons my decision, but to be blunt I don't want to. My reasons were sound, I'm back home already, and thankfully everybody seems to accept my decision, and more importantly to respect it. Plus, even if I did elaborate, Katimavik is an amazingly efficient organization. They may hunt me down or unleash Zombie Jacques Hebert.
What does this mean for the future of this blog? I'd very much like to continue writing it. I enjoy writing, it's a fantastic creative outlet for me, it lets me see my thoughts in concrete form (which is invaluable as my thoughts are rarely concrete for more than a few seconds), and according to some of you I'm not too shabby of a writer. Thank you all who have given me praise, either through the comments or to my parents, I really appreciate it. It's great to know that I'm entertaining some of you. I may not be the next Poe or King, and heck you may have all stopped reading, but thank you if you are. I plan to continue to chronicle my life here in this blog and I would love your comments, thoughts, or constructive criticism on my writing style. Was yesterday boring to read about? Do I use too many commas? Do I forget to use "too" instead of "to"?
Thank you all for reading. Remember, no matter how dull your life may be, no one will know that unless you brag about it! Mundane lives are meant to be chronicled, and as your host here I plan to do just that.
(witty sign-off under construction)
Douglas Gohl Piper, ex-Katimaviktim
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
House Manager Scene 1, Take 1
After a day of being a house manager it's becoming clear that this week won't be a walk in the park. It's fantastic to be able to sleep in past 7, but once I'm up it seems like I'll be doing just as much work, if nor more, than I would be doing at the Agricultural Society. Even with two people going all out, cooking, cleaning, baking, and have left me utterly sapped. My sincerest respect goes out to any stay-at-home parents or spouses out there. Oh, and we went grocery shopping and got everything we needed for the entire week minus the macaroni for our dinner tonight. We spent the whole trip fretting over the garnish and whatnot for the dish and forgot the main ingredient.
I've talked a fair bit about my experiences here, but I've yet to really touch on how I'm coping with the program. Maybe it's just the melancholic day I've been having speaking, but for me Katimavik is tough. I'm a fairly introverted person, so living with ten other people is far from comfortable. I have a hard time finding the time or space to be alone, I feel tense and I have no real chance to unwind. I've also come to realize what a control freak I am. Not over other people, but over my environment. I suppose that growing up an only child I've never really had to share my space with anyone: even at Guelph I had a single room. But here things are different. I can't just lie down wherever I please and browse the internet, I can't eat what I want, or when I want. It's actually really rough on me. I miss all my friends, my family, and I really miss one person in particular (but she's coming out here tomorrow!). But I'm going to persevere. Katimavik isn't what I expected, but it's something that I've committed to and I want to see it through. I'm sorry if I seem negative guys. I'm worn out from my cold, from a lack of personal space, and stress over my visitor coming out here (not because she's coming, but because I'm worries about her making it here safe and sound (I really need to ask her if she wants her name used here ha ha. I try not to mention anyone by name here, but it sounds weird does it not? She means a lot to me so she may be an exception to that guideline (I'm sorry for that tangent))).
Don't worry about me though; I'll be all right, I always am.
I've talked a fair bit about my experiences here, but I've yet to really touch on how I'm coping with the program. Maybe it's just the melancholic day I've been having speaking, but for me Katimavik is tough. I'm a fairly introverted person, so living with ten other people is far from comfortable. I have a hard time finding the time or space to be alone, I feel tense and I have no real chance to unwind. I've also come to realize what a control freak I am. Not over other people, but over my environment. I suppose that growing up an only child I've never really had to share my space with anyone: even at Guelph I had a single room. But here things are different. I can't just lie down wherever I please and browse the internet, I can't eat what I want, or when I want. It's actually really rough on me. I miss all my friends, my family, and I really miss one person in particular (but she's coming out here tomorrow!). But I'm going to persevere. Katimavik isn't what I expected, but it's something that I've committed to and I want to see it through. I'm sorry if I seem negative guys. I'm worn out from my cold, from a lack of personal space, and stress over my visitor coming out here (not because she's coming, but because I'm worries about her making it here safe and sound (I really need to ask her if she wants her name used here ha ha. I try not to mention anyone by name here, but it sounds weird does it not? She means a lot to me so she may be an exception to that guideline (I'm sorry for that tangent))).
Don't worry about me though; I'll be all right, I always am.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
The absence
AHA! I actually have a legitimate excuse for my lack of recent activity (that's right folks, I wasn't slacking off this time). For half of last week I was bed-ridden with a head cold and as a result I spent most of my time sleeping t. I'm nearly 100% now though and as soon as I shake this headache I'll be golden. Next time I'm ill though I'll be sure to put of a post to that affect so as not to leave you all hanging. I really do appreciate your readership, and I hope I've done a decent job of keeping you all entertained and informed. I'm afraid not much is new, oh, except for...
DRUMHELLER
That's right folks, yesterday the Katimakrew went on a good 'ol fashioned road trip to the Badlands of Alberta.
Act I
We left Olds en route to the world famous Gopher Hole Museum in Torrington, AB. I...it's hard to describe the museum. Okay, well not really, it's a collection of stuffed gophers that are dressed up and posed into teeny tiny tableaus ranging from a gopher wedding to a gopher crouched behind a bush with a hunting rifle dressed in full camouflage. No, you did read that correctly, and yes these are actual deceased gophers that have been preserved.
Act II
And so we pressed on towards Drumheller. Have you ever driven across eastern Alberta or Saskatchewan? It's just as flat as you'd imagine it to be, endless fields dotted with oil wells as far as the eye can see. And that's all we saw until we reached the Badlands. Suddenly we were approaching what seemed like little more that a slight dip in the ground, but as we continued onwards the road kept sinking. Before long we were being swallowed up by the earth. Just when I thought we couldn't possibly drive any lower we rounded a bend and found ourselves looking out onto a great canyon. You can dumb down the Badlands by saying its a big hole in the ground, but that hardly does it justice.
The Royal Tyrell Museum was our first stop there, better known as "that one with the dinosaurs". Now I was never much into dinosaurs as a child, at least I don't remember myself being that way, but the museum was pretty impressive. As you work your way through it you're taken on a journey from the origin of life in the primordial seas of the ancient world all the way up to the last ice age. We were also lucky enough to be there in time to catch the tail end of an exhibit on Charles Darwin. There were copies of his sketches to view as well as his life story to read, fascinating stuff indeed.
After doing the musuem circuit we went for a little walk around the Badlands. We climbed some hills, explored a bit, and got some wicked windburns, all before lunch time!
Act III
After grabbing a bite to eat a local restaurant the Krew headed back out, this time in search of the Hoodoos (rock formations molded by erosion into vaguely mushroom-shaped forms). Once again there was some climbing, some photos, and some laughs. Funny thing, they're not as big or as plentiful as you may think.
Next up was a local suspension bridge that lead to an old mine site. I'll tell you right now folks that I do NOT like heights, nor do I like un-stable bridges, but this one wasn't too bad.
Our next stop was what may be one of the smallest churches in the world, boasting that it could "seat 10 000 people, 6 at a time".
Act IV
Finally after a long day we headed home. While I found driving across the prairies mid-day to be dull, driving home towards the sunset was something else. Watching the sun sink below the horizon as the world around us (most of the Krew included) began to sleep was an extraordinary experience.
Epilogue
I'd like to start by giving a shout out to Mr. Steve Anderson over at High Levels of Awesome for reaching his 10th post! Congratulations to you sir, and I highly suggest that you check out his writing at http://thatstevesureismetal.blogspot.com/. Now, this coming week is my turn to be house manager, so I should have a wee bit more free time to report on what my co-manager and I are doing. However I do have a special visitor coming all the way out here to see me, so I apologize if my posts are still a bit slow.
Catch you all next time.
DRUMHELLER
That's right folks, yesterday the Katimakrew went on a good 'ol fashioned road trip to the Badlands of Alberta.
Act I
We left Olds en route to the world famous Gopher Hole Museum in Torrington, AB. I...it's hard to describe the museum. Okay, well not really, it's a collection of stuffed gophers that are dressed up and posed into teeny tiny tableaus ranging from a gopher wedding to a gopher crouched behind a bush with a hunting rifle dressed in full camouflage. No, you did read that correctly, and yes these are actual deceased gophers that have been preserved.
Act II
And so we pressed on towards Drumheller. Have you ever driven across eastern Alberta or Saskatchewan? It's just as flat as you'd imagine it to be, endless fields dotted with oil wells as far as the eye can see. And that's all we saw until we reached the Badlands. Suddenly we were approaching what seemed like little more that a slight dip in the ground, but as we continued onwards the road kept sinking. Before long we were being swallowed up by the earth. Just when I thought we couldn't possibly drive any lower we rounded a bend and found ourselves looking out onto a great canyon. You can dumb down the Badlands by saying its a big hole in the ground, but that hardly does it justice.
The Royal Tyrell Museum was our first stop there, better known as "that one with the dinosaurs". Now I was never much into dinosaurs as a child, at least I don't remember myself being that way, but the museum was pretty impressive. As you work your way through it you're taken on a journey from the origin of life in the primordial seas of the ancient world all the way up to the last ice age. We were also lucky enough to be there in time to catch the tail end of an exhibit on Charles Darwin. There were copies of his sketches to view as well as his life story to read, fascinating stuff indeed.
After doing the musuem circuit we went for a little walk around the Badlands. We climbed some hills, explored a bit, and got some wicked windburns, all before lunch time!
Act III
After grabbing a bite to eat a local restaurant the Krew headed back out, this time in search of the Hoodoos (rock formations molded by erosion into vaguely mushroom-shaped forms). Once again there was some climbing, some photos, and some laughs. Funny thing, they're not as big or as plentiful as you may think.
Next up was a local suspension bridge that lead to an old mine site. I'll tell you right now folks that I do NOT like heights, nor do I like un-stable bridges, but this one wasn't too bad.
Our next stop was what may be one of the smallest churches in the world, boasting that it could "seat 10 000 people, 6 at a time".
Act IV
Finally after a long day we headed home. While I found driving across the prairies mid-day to be dull, driving home towards the sunset was something else. Watching the sun sink below the horizon as the world around us (most of the Krew included) began to sleep was an extraordinary experience.
Epilogue
I'd like to start by giving a shout out to Mr. Steve Anderson over at High Levels of Awesome for reaching his 10th post! Congratulations to you sir, and I highly suggest that you check out his writing at http://thatstevesureismetal.blogspot.com/. Now, this coming week is my turn to be house manager, so I should have a wee bit more free time to report on what my co-manager and I are doing. However I do have a special visitor coming all the way out here to see me, so I apologize if my posts are still a bit slow.
Catch you all next time.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
You know what drives me up the wall? When people say they'll have a project done at a certain time and then they procrastinate. Gosh that's irritating.
*Cough* So hey, how's it going? How's life? The weather? Your family? Fantastic! Me? Ah I'm doing alright. This week I'm working outside at the Ag Soc.; tearing apart stalls, erecting stalls, setting up for shows. It's hard work, but hey, good exercise yeah? The weather isn't quite as pleasant here anymore. The sun-drenched days of yore have been replaced by overcast days and endless torrents of rain. STUFF.
The house
Another week, another set of house managers, and in yet another it will be my turn! I have no clue what I'm going to make yet, but I'll be planning it out within the next few days with my fellow caretaker. We watched Clue (the movie, based off the board game) and I have to say it's fantastic. Put aside your skepticism for a moment, if you would, and let me point out that Clue has both Tim Curry and Christopher Lloyd. Dr. Frankenfurter and Doc Brown in the same movie? Yes please!
Red Deer
Last Saturday the group went on a trip to Red Deer to visit the nearest Value Village. Why? You need a reason? Alright, some of us needed additional clothing for work / for the weather here. More importantly though we all needed costumes for Halloween. I think we're all geared up for it now. Oh, right, I guess you'd like to know what I'm going as. One of my housemates and I decided to go as the Blues Brothers, so we sought out some cheap suits, and some knock-off RayBan's, and come October 31st I'll be all geared up as Elwood Blues.
I do believe that's it for now, I look forward to our next meeting. Adieu, mon amie.
*Cough* So hey, how's it going? How's life? The weather? Your family? Fantastic! Me? Ah I'm doing alright. This week I'm working outside at the Ag Soc.; tearing apart stalls, erecting stalls, setting up for shows. It's hard work, but hey, good exercise yeah? The weather isn't quite as pleasant here anymore. The sun-drenched days of yore have been replaced by overcast days and endless torrents of rain. STUFF.
The house
Another week, another set of house managers, and in yet another it will be my turn! I have no clue what I'm going to make yet, but I'll be planning it out within the next few days with my fellow caretaker. We watched Clue (the movie, based off the board game) and I have to say it's fantastic. Put aside your skepticism for a moment, if you would, and let me point out that Clue has both Tim Curry and Christopher Lloyd. Dr. Frankenfurter and Doc Brown in the same movie? Yes please!
Red Deer
Last Saturday the group went on a trip to Red Deer to visit the nearest Value Village. Why? You need a reason? Alright, some of us needed additional clothing for work / for the weather here. More importantly though we all needed costumes for Halloween. I think we're all geared up for it now. Oh, right, I guess you'd like to know what I'm going as. One of my housemates and I decided to go as the Blues Brothers, so we sought out some cheap suits, and some knock-off RayBan's, and come October 31st I'll be all geared up as Elwood Blues.
I do believe that's it for now, I look forward to our next meeting. Adieu, mon amie.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Thanksgiving!
Ah, Thanksgiving. An excuse to sleep in and eat turkey if I've ever heard one, and eat turkey I did (and sleep in).
Skipping past my lounging around with my housemates, we find ourselves at dinner. Well, sort of. No one in my group had ever cooked a turkey, let alone a full Thanksgiving dinner. But did we give up? Did we surrender? Did we opt instead to go to A&W's for burgers and onion rings? Of course not, Katimavikians never surrender, and we never back down. Our two brave house managers valiantly accepted the challenge, and with a little help from our project coordinator they got it done. It may have taken a bit longer than expected (2 hours more to be exact) and we may have forgotten to take one of the dishes out of the oven (potatoes, they were fine 5 hours later), but by gum was it fantastic. The turkey wasn't dry, the stuffing was amazing, the bread was divine, and, well, I don't know if I'll ever be able to eat canned cranberry sauce again after having the real deal. Kudos to you, house managers. You've set the bar high for all of the big dinners to come. Oh, and in the spirit of open-mindedness I decided to try the turkey neck. It was a bit of a let down actually, there wasn't that much meat on it. Ah well, I tried something new, and that's what this whole program is about in my opinion.
Oh, best thing ever. One of the girls and I are the house managers for Halloween. I can't wait to make all kinds of creepy food. And on a related note, some of you may be aware that I used to write a fair number of short stories. It's been a while since I've written any and that just won't do. My first goal is to have a legitimately terrifying ghost story penned up by Halloween. When It's finished I'll post it up here for my Halloween blurb. Until then, stay safe. Never forget that there are always things that are beyond our comprehension.
Skipping past my lounging around with my housemates, we find ourselves at dinner. Well, sort of. No one in my group had ever cooked a turkey, let alone a full Thanksgiving dinner. But did we give up? Did we surrender? Did we opt instead to go to A&W's for burgers and onion rings? Of course not, Katimavikians never surrender, and we never back down. Our two brave house managers valiantly accepted the challenge, and with a little help from our project coordinator they got it done. It may have taken a bit longer than expected (2 hours more to be exact) and we may have forgotten to take one of the dishes out of the oven (potatoes, they were fine 5 hours later), but by gum was it fantastic. The turkey wasn't dry, the stuffing was amazing, the bread was divine, and, well, I don't know if I'll ever be able to eat canned cranberry sauce again after having the real deal. Kudos to you, house managers. You've set the bar high for all of the big dinners to come. Oh, and in the spirit of open-mindedness I decided to try the turkey neck. It was a bit of a let down actually, there wasn't that much meat on it. Ah well, I tried something new, and that's what this whole program is about in my opinion.
Oh, best thing ever. One of the girls and I are the house managers for Halloween. I can't wait to make all kinds of creepy food. And on a related note, some of you may be aware that I used to write a fair number of short stories. It's been a while since I've written any and that just won't do. My first goal is to have a legitimately terrifying ghost story penned up by Halloween. When It's finished I'll post it up here for my Halloween blurb. Until then, stay safe. Never forget that there are always things that are beyond our comprehension.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Stuff and Rabviews // Olds, AB
The Katimahouse has been uneventful as of late now that everyone is working. The upside of this being we're out of each-others hair for a bit, the downside being that there's not a lot to write about! So rather than leave you all hanging I've decided to take this opportunity to review Olds. But enough of my yappin', let's boogie.
Founded in *DATE HERE*, Olds was built around the rail line, and like most small towns in North America the infrastructure is based around the main street (50th Avenue). Many of the staples of day-to-day life can be found along 50th; a single-screen movie theatre, a western wear store, Shoppers, antique stores, and some family run restaurants (I've yet to try any of them, but hopefully I'll have visited them all by the end of my stay here. With names like Dutch 'N Such how could I not?). The Olds Agricultural College, kitty-corner to the Katimahouse, offers courses in agriculture, land sciences, and veterinary sciences among other subjects. The Agricultural Society (my employer) is another large focal point in Olds, although not always for the best reasons; the MegaDome has been cause for a plethora of complaints as it was built taller than local regulations permit.
The overwhelming majority of people I've met here have been kind and caring individuals. Interestingly, a large number of them are not natively from this area, or even from Alberta. The couple that own the local antique store are from England, the western wear owner is Ukrainian, and my boss is actually a University of Guelph Alumni (small world eh?). It's amazing how a small town can attract so many people, not only to live, but to come from far and wide to attend the local events such as the Ag Soc. shows and Olds Fashioned Christmas. Olds Fashioned Christmas? What's that? Well, I'm glad you asked (I told myself I was going to be professional for this review, but....pfft I don't need an excuse, this is my blog after all). OFC is a nearly two-month long event here that involves parades, period costumes, free food, and of course the town crier. I'll have more on that once the festivities begin, but it should be spectacular to say the least.
But I wouldn't be much of a critic if I wasn't critical now would I? Olds is not without its faults. I promise I won't complain too much about this, but its cold here. While those of you back home have +10 degree weather, it's -13 here, and we have an inch of snow. While this is unseasonably cool for this area, the fact is that Olds is always going to be cooler than Bradford. And what would winter weather be without ice?(ooh, check out that alliteration) A whole lot more pleasant for one. The town has been iced over but I've yet to see hide or hair of any attempts to melt it. No salt, no sand, and sidewalks that slant downwards towards the road. Not the best situation, especially considering the large number of elderly citizens in Olds. For now though I'll give the town the benefit of the doubt and assume that they weren't prepared for this. The only other real gripe I have is with the lack of a by-law prohibiting idling. Guaranteed, every farmer that comes into the Ag Soc. will leave their gigantic Ford running for the entire duration of their stay. True, most of these are petty things that can't be helped, but honestly there's not a whole lot out here to complain about. There are tons of people and things I miss from back home, but if you lived here you'd be fairly comfortable.
PROS:
-Great small-town atmosphere
-Amazing community
-Christmas is a two-month long affair that involves the whole community and tons of period costumes (more on that as it approaches)
-Everything is within walking distance
-Gorgeous college campus
-Single-screen movie theatre
-Chinooks provide a huge bump in the temperature in the winter months (when they blow in that is)
-It's flat. Really flat. You just won't believe how vastly, mind-bogglingly flat it is. Good for those of us who are lazy or have a hard time getting around
CONS:
-No autumn or spring, just winter straight into summer
-Un-salted / un-sanded sidewalks, made worse by the fact that large portions of them slant downwards towards the road
-No anti-idling laws resulting in huge pick-ups that just sit on the road, engines running, for unbelievable lengths of time
-It's really freaking flat, so there's nothing to stop the wind from howling through the streets.
**Stuff and Rabbits V 1.1**
-S&R will now be updating Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.
-Writing will be improved, no more winging posts at 2 AM
-New site layout forthcoming
-Photos coming soon, courtesy of my grandpa's camera
Founded in *DATE HERE*, Olds was built around the rail line, and like most small towns in North America the infrastructure is based around the main street (50th Avenue). Many of the staples of day-to-day life can be found along 50th; a single-screen movie theatre, a western wear store, Shoppers, antique stores, and some family run restaurants (I've yet to try any of them, but hopefully I'll have visited them all by the end of my stay here. With names like Dutch 'N Such how could I not?). The Olds Agricultural College, kitty-corner to the Katimahouse, offers courses in agriculture, land sciences, and veterinary sciences among other subjects. The Agricultural Society (my employer) is another large focal point in Olds, although not always for the best reasons; the MegaDome has been cause for a plethora of complaints as it was built taller than local regulations permit.
The overwhelming majority of people I've met here have been kind and caring individuals. Interestingly, a large number of them are not natively from this area, or even from Alberta. The couple that own the local antique store are from England, the western wear owner is Ukrainian, and my boss is actually a University of Guelph Alumni (small world eh?). It's amazing how a small town can attract so many people, not only to live, but to come from far and wide to attend the local events such as the Ag Soc. shows and Olds Fashioned Christmas. Olds Fashioned Christmas? What's that? Well, I'm glad you asked (I told myself I was going to be professional for this review, but....pfft I don't need an excuse, this is my blog after all). OFC is a nearly two-month long event here that involves parades, period costumes, free food, and of course the town crier. I'll have more on that once the festivities begin, but it should be spectacular to say the least.
But I wouldn't be much of a critic if I wasn't critical now would I? Olds is not without its faults. I promise I won't complain too much about this, but its cold here. While those of you back home have +10 degree weather, it's -13 here, and we have an inch of snow. While this is unseasonably cool for this area, the fact is that Olds is always going to be cooler than Bradford. And what would winter weather be without ice?(ooh, check out that alliteration) A whole lot more pleasant for one. The town has been iced over but I've yet to see hide or hair of any attempts to melt it. No salt, no sand, and sidewalks that slant downwards towards the road. Not the best situation, especially considering the large number of elderly citizens in Olds. For now though I'll give the town the benefit of the doubt and assume that they weren't prepared for this. The only other real gripe I have is with the lack of a by-law prohibiting idling. Guaranteed, every farmer that comes into the Ag Soc. will leave their gigantic Ford running for the entire duration of their stay. True, most of these are petty things that can't be helped, but honestly there's not a whole lot out here to complain about. There are tons of people and things I miss from back home, but if you lived here you'd be fairly comfortable.
PROS:
-Great small-town atmosphere
-Amazing community
-Christmas is a two-month long affair that involves the whole community and tons of period costumes (more on that as it approaches)
-Everything is within walking distance
-Gorgeous college campus
-Single-screen movie theatre
-Chinooks provide a huge bump in the temperature in the winter months (when they blow in that is)
-It's flat. Really flat. You just won't believe how vastly, mind-bogglingly flat it is. Good for those of us who are lazy or have a hard time getting around
CONS:
-No autumn or spring, just winter straight into summer
-Un-salted / un-sanded sidewalks, made worse by the fact that large portions of them slant downwards towards the road
-No anti-idling laws resulting in huge pick-ups that just sit on the road, engines running, for unbelievable lengths of time
-It's really freaking flat, so there's nothing to stop the wind from howling through the streets.
**Stuff and Rabbits V 1.1**
-S&R will now be updating Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.
-Writing will be improved, no more winging posts at 2 AM
-New site layout forthcoming
-Photos coming soon, courtesy of my grandpa's camera
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Snow
Oh Alberta. It seems that fall forgot to come here. We have a inch of snow on the ground already, and the mercury is at -10 and falling. Blech.
Told You
Aha! See? On Schedule.
*Ahem* So here I am, a day later and not a whole lot different. There was a freak windstorm here the other day: for about two minutes we had gusts up to 120kph. Cool to watch, not so cool in that it damaged the MegaDome, the Agricultural Societies main venue for it's shows. For those of you with visual minds, the Dome looks like one of those bubbles that you play soccer in during the winter, only much, much larger. The Dome's size is fantastic for hosting large events in a spacious locale; it's not-so-great in that it functions like a giant kite whenever the wind picks up. Currenty the top is torn in two, some of the support beams are coming out of the ground, and some of the girders are bent. As a result of this the whole area is closed off and all events have been put on hold indefinitely.
On the home front....not that much. I think we're all a little grumpy transitioning from lounging about to working 9-5 (or 8-4 for some of us...). We should be okay in a bit, the long weekend will help. But until then things may be a bit touch-and-go.
That's all for now folks, I'm tired.
*Ahem* So here I am, a day later and not a whole lot different. There was a freak windstorm here the other day: for about two minutes we had gusts up to 120kph. Cool to watch, not so cool in that it damaged the MegaDome, the Agricultural Societies main venue for it's shows. For those of you with visual minds, the Dome looks like one of those bubbles that you play soccer in during the winter, only much, much larger. The Dome's size is fantastic for hosting large events in a spacious locale; it's not-so-great in that it functions like a giant kite whenever the wind picks up. Currenty the top is torn in two, some of the support beams are coming out of the ground, and some of the girders are bent. As a result of this the whole area is closed off and all events have been put on hold indefinitely.
On the home front....not that much. I think we're all a little grumpy transitioning from lounging about to working 9-5 (or 8-4 for some of us...). We should be okay in a bit, the long weekend will help. But until then things may be a bit touch-and-go.
That's all for now folks, I'm tired.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Updates (Now at regular intervals, I swear)
At long last the Olds group has settled into our routine. What does this mean? Well for starters I have my work placement. For the next three months I'll be employed at the Olds Agricultural Society, doing various admin work for them. But equally important is the fact that I now have a fixed schedule, which means I should be able to put posts up daily!
But Doug, what's been going on? Why thank you for asking. Since arriving here the group has been doing a number of workshops ranging from team building to proper workplace etiquette. That, coupled with being emotionally drained, and a bug that everyone in the house is just starting to get over has made the last week more that a little hectic. But negativity is not in my nature. I'm on the rebound, I have a work placement, and life is goooood.
Events
Immediately upon our arrival in Olds we were put to work on different community projects. Our second day we helped to set up the local hockey rink for the Canadian Student Leadership Conference, which was hosted here for a good part of that week. We hung some flags, set up some chairs, and got to know some of the townsfolk. Shortly thereafter we helped out the CSLC again, this time serving dinner for them as they enjoyed a rodeo competition. Did I mention Olds is a huge agricultural hub? I don't think places come more Albertan than it.
The House
But Doug, what's been going on? Why thank you for asking. Since arriving here the group has been doing a number of workshops ranging from team building to proper workplace etiquette. That, coupled with being emotionally drained, and a bug that everyone in the house is just starting to get over has made the last week more that a little hectic. But negativity is not in my nature. I'm on the rebound, I have a work placement, and life is goooood.
Events
Immediately upon our arrival in Olds we were put to work on different community projects. Our second day we helped to set up the local hockey rink for the Canadian Student Leadership Conference, which was hosted here for a good part of that week. We hung some flags, set up some chairs, and got to know some of the townsfolk. Shortly thereafter we helped out the CSLC again, this time serving dinner for them as they enjoyed a rodeo competition. Did I mention Olds is a huge agricultural hub? I don't think places come more Albertan than it.
The House
As I previously mentioned, there's been a bit of illness going around the house. Everyone's on the road to recovery now, but two of the girls were hit a bit hard and had to spend a few days in bed. That, coupled with everyone being a bit homesick has translated into a low-energy atmosphere here. People are still tired, a bit cranky, but we all seem to be doing alright. Of course we all have adjustments to make; for some of us that means eating foods that are unfamiliar, and in quantities that are different from the norm, and for others such as myself that means getting used to living with other people. Still, the house here is fairly large, so finding a quiet place to be alone is never really that difficult.
The K-Files
Oooooooooh. This deserves it's own section. You may have heard that the house I'm living in is haunted. From what I know of the history of the place, it used to be a veterinary clinic (our main bathroom used to be the operating room for house pets). I've yet to see any ghost critters scampering around, and all the locals say that the doctor and his wife were incredibly kind people, which is not at all difficult to believe given the people I've met so far. However, there have been some weird things. Lights flickering on and off, windows opening when you return to a room, piles of clothing moving about, a fractured toe that occured in one guys sleep, and the coup de grace so far: one of my roommates woke up in the middle of the night and swears he felt someone, or something, grabbing his feet.
Now I know what you're thinking. I'm not crazy. I don't believe in ghosts. This is an old house, wiring is bound to be bad, and people are probably pulling pranks based on the rumors. If these strange events persist I may do some further investigation and try and catch the culprit in the act. Fingers crossed it's a ghost!
That's it for now kiddos, take it easy.
The K-Files
Oooooooooh. This deserves it's own section. You may have heard that the house I'm living in is haunted. From what I know of the history of the place, it used to be a veterinary clinic (our main bathroom used to be the operating room for house pets). I've yet to see any ghost critters scampering around, and all the locals say that the doctor and his wife were incredibly kind people, which is not at all difficult to believe given the people I've met so far. However, there have been some weird things. Lights flickering on and off, windows opening when you return to a room, piles of clothing moving about, a fractured toe that occured in one guys sleep, and the coup de grace so far: one of my roommates woke up in the middle of the night and swears he felt someone, or something, grabbing his feet.
Now I know what you're thinking. I'm not crazy. I don't believe in ghosts. This is an old house, wiring is bound to be bad, and people are probably pulling pranks based on the rumors. If these strange events persist I may do some further investigation and try and catch the culprit in the act. Fingers crossed it's a ghost!
That's it for now kiddos, take it easy.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Events! (Part 1)
Behold. I am returned! Alrighty, I'm going to cram as much as I can into this post. Fingers crossed I get you all up to date before I run out of space / time.
The flight
After spending two hours getting to know some of my fellow Katimaviktims at Pearson, about 20 (?) of us boarded the air plane. About 10 of us from Ontario, and a whole slew of participants from Quebec. WestJet....not so fun. I didn't get to sit with anybody from the project, you have to pay for movies now, and there was little - no leg room. But enough of my negativity, it was only a 3ish hour flight.
The journey
Upon landing at the airport in...Calgary? I think it was Calgary...anyways, we met up with everybody who was part of the project in our area, all in all about 40 youngin's. There was a coach bus waiting for us, but alas there wasn't enough room to fit everybody and their luggage, so three other participants and myself drove with one of the coordinators to the orientation camp. Loooong drive, but we all bonded by singing Weezer. Aww yeah.
The camp
I'm probably going to do a proper report on the camp shenanigans in a later post, after all it was three days that were jam-packed full of activities. Lot's O ice breakers, team building exercises and, of course, poorly acted role plays of situations we were likely to encounter. Oh how I love thee, poorly acted role plays.
The town
And here I am! Sitting in the Katimahouse in Olds, Alberta. It used to belong to a couple, who had it converted to a veterinary clinic. Some say it's haunted....it may be...but it doesn't look that eerie. The town itself is fairly small, 7000 and some odd people live in it. Small, local businesses abound, as well as mainstays such as Tim's and Sobey's.
*Interesting Fact*
The national youth leadership convention is in town for the week. So far we've been called upon to assist twice, and both times members of the community have had all the work done by the time we got there.
Did I mention I'm living in a house with 11 other people? Yeah.
Bon nuit!
The flight
After spending two hours getting to know some of my fellow Katimaviktims at Pearson, about 20 (?) of us boarded the air plane. About 10 of us from Ontario, and a whole slew of participants from Quebec. WestJet....not so fun. I didn't get to sit with anybody from the project, you have to pay for movies now, and there was little - no leg room. But enough of my negativity, it was only a 3ish hour flight.
The journey
Upon landing at the airport in...Calgary? I think it was Calgary...anyways, we met up with everybody who was part of the project in our area, all in all about 40 youngin's. There was a coach bus waiting for us, but alas there wasn't enough room to fit everybody and their luggage, so three other participants and myself drove with one of the coordinators to the orientation camp. Loooong drive, but we all bonded by singing Weezer. Aww yeah.
The camp
I'm probably going to do a proper report on the camp shenanigans in a later post, after all it was three days that were jam-packed full of activities. Lot's O ice breakers, team building exercises and, of course, poorly acted role plays of situations we were likely to encounter. Oh how I love thee, poorly acted role plays.
The town
And here I am! Sitting in the Katimahouse in Olds, Alberta. It used to belong to a couple, who had it converted to a veterinary clinic. Some say it's haunted....it may be...but it doesn't look that eerie. The town itself is fairly small, 7000 and some odd people live in it. Small, local businesses abound, as well as mainstays such as Tim's and Sobey's.
*Interesting Fact*
The national youth leadership convention is in town for the week. So far we've been called upon to assist twice, and both times members of the community have had all the work done by the time we got there.
Did I mention I'm living in a house with 11 other people? Yeah.
Bon nuit!
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Stuff!
I'm alive, I swear! I've been having trouble locating wi-fi out here in Olds, but I've finally got it down pat. I'm a bit pressed for time, and I have a ton of stuff to report on. Rain check on what's been going on, sorry guys but things are really hectic, and they'll be like that until we all get settled in here.
Saturday, September 19, 2009
You've gotta fight for your right!
Ah, time is running up for my time here in Ontario. Tonight is the official End 'O Summer party! There'll be BBQ, there'll be good times, there may be some drinks, but most of all....there will be some X-Files! Huttah! I'll get back later on what transpired, until then quiver, with antici.......
pation
*UPDATE*
Well now that was fun! I was never one for big party's, the idea of dozens of people crammed into one house just doesn't appeal to me on any level, so believe you me that's now what went down. Instead, it was half a dozen of my best friends and I who just sat around, ate some BBQ sausages, burgers, and caribou smokies (not to mention a stellar cheesecake, thank you Ange), all the while acting like the huge and amazing nerds we are. There were hour-long discussions about our favorite anime shows, reminiscing about the cartoons from out childhoods, and you'd better believe there was X-Files.
All in all, good times. Stay classy...ladies
Ha, alright, no Demetri quotes. Talk to ya later!
pation
*UPDATE*
Well now that was fun! I was never one for big party's, the idea of dozens of people crammed into one house just doesn't appeal to me on any level, so believe you me that's now what went down. Instead, it was half a dozen of my best friends and I who just sat around, ate some BBQ sausages, burgers, and caribou smokies (not to mention a stellar cheesecake, thank you Ange), all the while acting like the huge and amazing nerds we are. There were hour-long discussions about our favorite anime shows, reminiscing about the cartoons from out childhoods, and you'd better believe there was X-Files.
All in all, good times. Stay classy...ladies
Ha, alright, no Demetri quotes. Talk to ya later!
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
A (most likely) long post in which Doug catches up on missed events that he failed misserably at reporting because he's busy (lazy)
HOLY SMOKES I'M ALIVE! *Ahem* Right, sorry about the absence. When last I checked it I was preparing to go to my grandparents 60th wedding anniversary dinner. Well it was more like a weekend-long celebration.
Friday, September 11th, Langdon Hall, Waterloo (cue Law & Order sound).
Dinner was a choice of three (3) appetizers, three (3) entrees, and (you guessed it) three (3) desserts. For starters this will be a simplified list, for the life of me I can't remember all the garnish they used on everything.
Appetizers:
For the record, I had the lobster, the halibut, and the pave, but the ox tongue was actually amazing. It was like a very well-marinated, and very tender steak.
Saturday
A bit more relaxed this time around. After a lazy day at my aunt and uncles (in which I DID NOT sleep till after noon *cough*) the family met up once again for a barbecue to celebrate my youngest cousins birthday.
Sunday
Not a whole lot happened. My dad and I had driven home after the barbecue so I just lounged around.
Monday
Back down to Waterloo, to the Charcoal Steakhouse for Grandma and Grandpa's thank you dinner. Continuing my tradition of trying new and exotic things, I had their special that night, braised bison. My god is bison good. Go out and hunt one down. Oh! Also, the family split one of Charcoal's specialties, a pig tail. Gaze in gazemazement as it....tastes just like ribs? Yes folks, it does. The only way you can tell is that the bone is segmented. Still, very good stuff.
*INTERESTING FACT* My mom's side of the family are not the best of singers, yet despite that they always write a song parody for special occasions. It may not be harmonious but bless them they try. Not that I'm any better, I gladly added to the cacophony!
Alright, thats it for me now. I'm off to attend my dad's retirement party! Peace and love.
Friday, September 11th, Langdon Hall, Waterloo (cue Law & Order sound).
My mom's side of the family (sans younger children) met up at the hall for dinner. If you thought a night at The Keg was fancy, friend you have no idea. Langdon hall is this gigantic estate that's been converted into a fine dining restaurant with adjacent hotel. If you go to the hall's website and look at the picture of the main building head-on, our private room was the two windows too the right of the column. The Red Room, which was less spooky then it sounds. Although, it had this wicked domed ceiling that amplified the voice of whomever was adjacent to you. Very cool once you got used to hearing their voice come from above you.
Dinner was a choice of three (3) appetizers, three (3) entrees, and (you guessed it) three (3) desserts. For starters this will be a simplified list, for the life of me I can't remember all the garnish they used on everything.
Appetizers:
- Octopus and lobster with charred watermelon
- Lettuce soup
- Marinated yellow fin tuna
- Aged beef tenderloin
- Halibut
- Elk with an ox tongue
- Milk chocolate ganache
- Citrus pave
- Creme brule
For the record, I had the lobster, the halibut, and the pave, but the ox tongue was actually amazing. It was like a very well-marinated, and very tender steak.
Saturday
A bit more relaxed this time around. After a lazy day at my aunt and uncles (in which I DID NOT sleep till after noon *cough*) the family met up once again for a barbecue to celebrate my youngest cousins birthday.
Sunday
Not a whole lot happened. My dad and I had driven home after the barbecue so I just lounged around.
Monday
Back down to Waterloo, to the Charcoal Steakhouse for Grandma and Grandpa's thank you dinner. Continuing my tradition of trying new and exotic things, I had their special that night, braised bison. My god is bison good. Go out and hunt one down. Oh! Also, the family split one of Charcoal's specialties, a pig tail. Gaze in gazemazement as it....tastes just like ribs? Yes folks, it does. The only way you can tell is that the bone is segmented. Still, very good stuff.
*INTERESTING FACT* My mom's side of the family are not the best of singers, yet despite that they always write a song parody for special occasions. It may not be harmonious but bless them they try. Not that I'm any better, I gladly added to the cacophony!
Alright, thats it for me now. I'm off to attend my dad's retirement party! Peace and love.
Friday, September 11, 2009
No way! Really?
Interesting fact: I like to stay up late, like, 5 am late. Crazy huh?
Anyways, this weekend I'm heading down to Kitchener to attend my grandparents 60th wedding anniversary spectacularama. Tonight the whole family (minus the younger kiddos) are going out to a five star restaurant. And when I say five-star, I mean it. We're talking most expensive stuff around, dress code enforced, yadda yadda. Think that's nuts? On Monday my grandparents are taking US out for dinner. Why? To thank us for buying them dinner. Yeah....apparently that's how my family does things. But peculiarities aside, I'm excited. I haven't seen them in a while, and it should be a heart-warming and emotional shindig. Oh, and also the food. Oh god, the food!
Catch ya later!
Anyways, this weekend I'm heading down to Kitchener to attend my grandparents 60th wedding anniversary spectacularama. Tonight the whole family (minus the younger kiddos) are going out to a five star restaurant. And when I say five-star, I mean it. We're talking most expensive stuff around, dress code enforced, yadda yadda. Think that's nuts? On Monday my grandparents are taking US out for dinner. Why? To thank us for buying them dinner. Yeah....apparently that's how my family does things. But peculiarities aside, I'm excited. I haven't seen them in a while, and it should be a heart-warming and emotional shindig. Oh, and also the food. Oh god, the food!
Catch ya later!
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
The test
Shenanigans to you Katimavik. After a bit of chaos surrounding my French test, I finally managed to reach somebody who administered it. Needless to say, I failed miserably. I don't know French, I haven't spoken it since grade 10, and even then I barely passed. But oh well, it wasn't so much a pass-or-fail thing so much as it was them wanting to know the extent of my abilities. Seriously though, why couldn't they have asked some easy questions? Blah to you Francais. Blah to you.
IMPORTANT: I found out about my vacation time. For the whole nine months I'll be gone, I'm only allowed three (3) fourty-eight (48) hour leaves from the program. Yeesh, but hey, I guess I feel wanted.
If you're curious about what I'm going to be up to, here's a FAQ about the program.
IMPORTANT: I found out about my vacation time. For the whole nine months I'll be gone, I'm only allowed three (3) fourty-eight (48) hour leaves from the program. Yeesh, but hey, I guess I feel wanted.
If you're curious about what I'm going to be up to, here's a FAQ about the program.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
The End
Ah, good times. Today was my last day at work. Luckily it went by fast, but it was waaay too hot. I am sick of Summer, bring on Fall already! But I digress, after saying my fond farewells and adding a few new friends to my Facebook page I took the GO bus home for the last time. Bye guys! I'll see you again in a year, but for now I'm going to game until atleast 5am and then sleep 'till noon. Peace!
Monday, September 7, 2009
Prologue
Hello internet,
For those of you reading this, I thank you, and I hope you find yourself compelled to follow my exploits, such as they shall be.
The reason, first and foremost, for Stuff and Rabbits, is to inform all those who are interested about my shenanigans this year while I'm away doing work for Katimavik. Those who know me should be aware that I am doing this do figure out what I want to do with my life, as well as getting to travel the exquisite nation that is Canada.
I haven't departed yet, I'm scheduled to leave on September the 23rd. I've already handed in my two-weeks notice at my work, and I'm currently trying to track down somebody at the Katimavik head office. It seems they've misplaced my existance somehow, not a good thing to lose at all. Hopefully I'll get in touch with them tomorrow.
-Insert witty sign-off here-
For those of you reading this, I thank you, and I hope you find yourself compelled to follow my exploits, such as they shall be.
The reason, first and foremost, for Stuff and Rabbits, is to inform all those who are interested about my shenanigans this year while I'm away doing work for Katimavik. Those who know me should be aware that I am doing this do figure out what I want to do with my life, as well as getting to travel the exquisite nation that is Canada.
I haven't departed yet, I'm scheduled to leave on September the 23rd. I've already handed in my two-weeks notice at my work, and I'm currently trying to track down somebody at the Katimavik head office. It seems they've misplaced my existance somehow, not a good thing to lose at all. Hopefully I'll get in touch with them tomorrow.
-Insert witty sign-off here-
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