Where Did My Neurons Go?

All in Three Days Work

2011-05-04T02:33:00.014-04:00

Two weekends ago, I spent the weekend home in Canada thinking that I couldn't possibly fit any more things into a single weekend. Then, this past weekend in Ann Arbor I proved myself very wrong.

Friday

After a long productive day at work in Romulus, Michigan...
4:30pm - Get accepted into the University of Michigan's MBA program!
4:45pm - Call my immediate family and somehow get everyone on the first try
5:00pm - Drive to Staples in Ann Arbor to see printers for an hour, decide to return Sunday for a sale
6:15pm - Drive to celebrate Sean's birthday at Belmark bowling alley. While there, connect with Sean, Anne, Megan and Dan too, buy Sean a pitcher, bowl a few spares (which is pretty good for me), and unfortunately leave early...
7:30pm - Drive north for David's birthday at Stillwater Grill in Brighton, and enjoy good times with Melissa, Tommy and others. Kabir shows up unexpectedly, on the way to Ann Arbor from Kettering
9:30pm - Head to Ann Arbor and pick up Shanna at Starbucks, a favorite swing dance partner (visiting from Colorado!), drive us to the local Swing Dance, where we dance our heart out until 'round midnight.
12:30am - Drive Shanna home, then over to David's house to join the after-party festivities
4:00am - After "encouraging the party to die down", I hit the pillow!

Saturday

9:00am - wake up to the sound of chainsaws cutting down the tree outside the window, try desperately to sleep through it, with little success
12:30pm - Kabir arrives and hacks my computer
1:00pm - Kabir and I spend time talking about hacking and he teaches me about Wordpresse too, then we order lunch from the classic Hello Faz Pizza
4:30pm - Allie and John arrive and I help them record the final touches on their "Mr. Michigan" Jewish rap/medley competition song. Being a combination of The Pursuit of Happiness (or "Jewishness") and Gangsta Love, it also won first prize in a competition at Hillel!
6:45pm - Kick Allie and John out after handing over the final cut, then bust into the shower, and jump into my suit and tie
7:30pm - pick up Jess for a 7:55pm dinner reservation at the incredibly amazing Cliff Bell's establishment in downtown Detroit. They don't take reservations after 8pm apparently.
8:10pm - Arrive late and still get seated at the prime table, front and centre, literally touching the stage. Get surprise-treated to a phenomenal dinner, including spontaneous surprise champagne to celebrate recent university acceptance.
9:30pm - The Dwight Adams Jazz Quartet plays two world class sets, completely blowing me away. I can't believe I had been deprived of real jazz for so long, and they even played a billiant version of the classic Round Midnight (despite it being only 10:30pm!)
12:30am - Talk with and thank the musicians personally, then speed back to Ann Arbor to drop off my sleeping passenger (I can drive very smoothly if necessary!)
2:00am - Finish procrastinating the onset of sleep and finally conk out to sleep

Sunday

7:30am - Jump out of bed to go drive a car-less friend to an early morning class
8:15am - Drive to David's house to wake up the excessively sleepy Kabir
8:30am - Load the car and drive Kabir back home to Kettering in Flint, who sleeps enroute.
9:30am - Wish Kabir goodbye, forget to stop to eat anything on the way back to Ann Arbor
10:30am - Arrive in Ann Arbor again, try to catch up on some emails
10:35am - Take an involuntary nap (involuntary but oh so refreshing)
12:30pm - Play guitar on the front step of David's torn-up house (he's repairing the foundation) as an unofficial part of the local Water Hill music festival. With no spectators (other than the bulldozer and mud mountain on the lawn), I pack up and get back to my emai
2:00pm - Drive to Erin's house to see her friends perform in the festival, enjoy much festival music and witness a maypole dance for the first time.
3:00pm - Drive back to Staples and buy the new printer and cartridge. Use crazy amounts of combination coupons to end up paying only $10 for $100 worth of paper. Realize a little late, that wait a second, do I really need $100 worth of paper?
4:00pm - Leor brings Liz over to say goodbye before her trip, and I help her pack and store extra stuff with some incredible suitcase tetris skills
5:30pm - Join Peggy, Caleb and other friends at the nearby tent city for the homeless, called Camp Take Notice, for the weekly potluck dinner and camp residents meeting. I play dinner guitar music with Lori and Randy for the group and they all sing along, christening us the Rocky Mountain Pine Trees. I then eat dinner with about 30 people, over half of them camp residents.
7:00pm - I observe the residents meeting proceedings, including democratic votes on whether to readmit certain previously expelled members (removal occurs automatically for any alcohol/drug posession with zero tolerance according to strict camp rules). One member is nearly banned with 7 votes against returning and 8 votes for, so the executive commitee agrees to admit him pending a drug test
8:00pm - I get asked to administer (with Peggy's assistance) the 15-minute home drug test as part of the readmission procedure (an outside-my-comfort-zone experience) and I report back to the campers' executive committee on the results - clean except for one category, which was explained through a prescription.
9:00pm - Drive to Emily's house to talk about many generative topics, and even learn some knitting. Cynthia avoids hugs because she is sick, but I hug her anyway... I don't get sick :)
11:30pm - Pick up some food at Jimmy John's and invite Erin over to share late-night food and commentary on Bin Laden's recent demise while we watch CNN.
1:30am - Erin leaves, and I talk to Dan about his incredible motorcycle accident story
2:30am - I reflect on the weekend, and realize I got even more done than what I had planned, and decided to write about it
2:45am - I go to sleep knowing I need to get up at 6:30am!

My last post on this sort of topic reminds me how much more sleep I used to get! Its been a great start to the month of May and I'm pretty happy. I'm also thankful that I made such good use of my time in Ann Arbor over the weekend, and grateful for all the people that made it a good one. Thanks everyone!

Daniel

PS This post will eventually get imported into Facebook, so comments can be made in either place.

The Western True Love Myth

2011-02-14T23:59:00.001-05:00

We all grow up hearing in various ways that we are meant to find true love. Western society seems to interpret this as finding the one and only soulmate that we are each 'destined' to find. The culture places tremendous value on achieving this vision. The media, and especially so many Hollywood movies, does a great job of drilling this incomplete message into young people.

Although this fanciful idea has some very emotionally positive and "nice" feelings associated with it, it is still critically flawed and misleading in many ways, and at the same time does nothing to correct the misconceptions and pressures placed on those forming ideas about what love is.

I've learned that there is no one soulmate, and that makes me glad, when I consider the odds of discovering that individual among the 6 billion humans out there. (And what if my soulmate is in a tribal village that has no outside contact!!?) The whole idea strikes me as silly, as though there is some magical fairy that picks these two people out at birth. I would counter that there are many people capable of being a great partner to a given individual. Admittedly, the definition of "great" isn't clear either, nor is it generally agreed upon. Still, to use myself as an example, I know that whatever it is that I value in a partner or relationship can be achieved through any one of a very large number of people. That doesn't mean I choose randomly, it just means I have more choices. It is not simply a matter of finding the one "right" choice, but rather being able to see the elements of a great match and know what I deem good for me.

The online dating world does a great job of promoting this different philosophy, and okcupid.com is a shining example as it does this better than other sites like match.com and eharmony.com, from my research. I respect the interface, transparency and algorithms on okcupid.com, not to mention the general attitude of the site. Match and Eharmony are stuck in older internet ideas and don't seem to develop much over the years. On the other hand the young and dynamic okcupid.com site is always changing, developing and analysing their vast array of data to provide useful information. Not to mention, the site is a dozen times more fun. And it is also a dozen times more addictive (which is why I've stopped my 'research'!). I mention this because the site's strategy matches you based on how you answer important questions and how you expect your ideal matches to answer, and provides you many matches with a match percentage, as opposed to pretending that there is that ONE person you need to find. guess I'm saying that taking a scientific approach resonates with me, even in the search for a great partner. As a society it isn't healthy to operate on misconceptions that are culturally reinforced.

Don't think that I don't believe in True Love. I really do, but I simply define it differently. In The Happiness Hypothesis (which might be the most enlightening book I've ever read), Jonathan De Haidt discusses the differences between passionate love (which flares up short term but doesn't last) and companionate love (which constantly grows and eventually overshadows passionate love). I think his model of how human relationships work is very apt. According to De Haidt the Hollywood model of love also tells us that passionate love should last forever, and is the love we should expect to find. The truth is, however, that companionate love is more fulfilling over the long term, and ultimately has more potential in my opinion to make a lasting difference. Both can be good and beneficial, but I do take issue with the false impression that our culture can create. (That being said, the culture is staring to mature.)

There is no need to believe that I will find the one soulmate and have an intensely passionate relationship forever. The relationships I seek aren't based on that advertised idea. Just like my platonic relationships, what I am "romantically" drawn to is building trust and love through bonds over the long term. And I'm not only grateful that I've already experienced that kind of relationship, but also absolutely convinced that I can find it with other people.

Happy Valentine's Day.

Daniel

PS. This post will be imported automatically into Facebook, but comments are welcome here also.

A Sign of Humour

2010-07-11T02:27:00.004-04:00

I haven't written an article in a while, but technically, I didn't even write this one! It was forwarded to me in an email, and I don't know who did write it, though I made some minor improvements. If you know me, you'll understand why its funny. If you don't know me, you'll still get a kick out of it. Enjoy!

Sign over a Gynecologist's Office: "Dr. Jones, at your cervix."

In a Podiatrist's office: "Time wounds all heels."

At a Proctologist's door: "To expedite your visit, please back in."

On a Plumber's truck: "We repair what your husband fixed."

On another Plumber's truck: "Don't sleep with a drip. Call your plumber."

On a Church's Billboard: "7 days without God makes one weak."

At a Tire Shop in Milwaukee: "Invite us to your next blowout."

At a Towing company: "We don't charge an arm and a leg. We want your tows."

On an Electrician's truck: "We'll look into your shorts."

At a Florist: "If we see smoke, we will assume you are on fire and will take appropriate action."

On a Maternity Room door: "Push. Push. Push."

At an Optometrist's Office: "If you don't see what you're looking for, you've come to the right place."

On a Taxidermist's window: "We really know our stuff."

On a Fence: "Salesmen welcome! Dog food is expensive!"

On a Septic Tank Truck: "Yesterday's Meals on Wheels"

At a Car Dealership: "The best way to get back on your feet - miss a car payment."

Outside a Muffler Shop: "No appointment necessary. We hear you coming."

In a Veterinarian's waiting room: "Be back in 5 minutes. Sit! Stay!"

At the Electric Company: "We would be delighted if you send in your payment. However, if you don't, you will be."

In a Restaurant window: "Don't stand there and be hungry; come on in and get fed up."

In the front yard of a Funeral Home: "Drive carefully. We'll wait."

At a Propane Filling Station: "Thank heaven for little grills."

At the Radiator Shop: "Best place in town to take a leak."

On the back of a Septic Truck in Chicago: "Caution - This Truck is full of Political Promises"

Think you can make some up? Try your hand at it in the comments!

:Daniel

P.S. This entry will be imported into Facebook automatically, but comments are welcome in both places.

Have a Relationship, With The Internet

2009-09-13T11:48:00.001-04:00

~ This article appears on Where did My Neurons Go?, and imports directly into Facebook. Comments welcome in both locations. ~

I recently helped a single friend create her online dating profile. It was fun, and I remembered learning the hard way, many years ago. Back then, I would get depressed from lack of responses! I didn't know there was nothing wrong with me. I was simply uneducated about the realities of profile-making.

The amount of effort you put into your profile says a lot. If believe you are unattractive, or feel negatively about your chances, you could subconsciously sabotage your profile and then your worst fears will naturally be confirmed.

Making your profile as good as you can will not only make you feel good, but will generate better responses. A good profile reminds you that you are attractive in many ways. (You are!) At worst, spending the few hours it takes to set it up well is just a good exercise in self-knowledge. This is your marketing material, so don't shortchange yourself!

I thought I'd share some of the lessons I've learned. Feel free to share yours through comments!

Lesson #1 - Get a great profile picture.
Would you look at a profile with no picture? If so, stop being so naive! Some estimate that 75% of people ignore profiles without pictures. I estimate that it's closer to 105%. I wouldn't waste my time searching for people whom I may or may not find unattractive. Why waste yours?

Lesson #2 - Use several great pictures.
Everyone can find or take flattering pictures of themselves (read: your facebook photos). There is no excuse for pictures that aren't clear. Have at least one picture that has you smiling, one of you with others, one of you doing something fun/interesting/hilarious, and one with your entire body, with clothes of course! Your own photo collection has both good and bad photos. Do NOT use the bad ones. Its better to have fewer pictures than to have a bad one.

Lesson #3 - Don't forget the pictures.

Lesson #4 - DON'T FORGET THE PICTURES! Seriously!

Lesson #5 - Be truthful.
Making stuff up can cause trouble later on and also attract people who aren't into the real you. Its unwise to leave out important items, like the fact that you have children. Being upfront about big things is an opportunity to skip people who are uncomfortable with your life, and to encourage people for whom those things are irrelevant, or even actively sought. The internet is trying to help you filter people quickly. So help others filter you -- you already do it to them. Still, being truthful doesn't mean to avoid creating a little mystery since many details don't need to be shared. Just make sure that your true self is represented.

Lesson #6 - Be interesting.
Share some of your unique quirks and interests. If you are worried about being judged, then learn to accept yourself. Being comfortable with yourself is always attractive. Everyone has quirks -- if you don't, then maybe you are in denial. Sure, this lesson isn't really just about online dating, but it still applies.

Lesson #7 - Be funny.
Your unique sense of humour is important, so definitely toss some in. For example, when asked to describe herself with three adjectives, my friend's third adjective was "teal". Hilarious, and intriguing. Its a colour. What!? Exactly. Don't you want to know why? Of course you do. If you think you are too serious to have jokes in your profile, then lighten up. People enjoy laughing.

Lesson #8 - Keep your profile the right length.
A very short profile says little about you. It might suggest to others that you are afraid, or lazy, or possibly self-conscious. Provide some detail to create a fuller image of yourself. Conversely, a very long profile can suggest that you don't know where to stop, that you have poor judgement, or that you are trying too hard. People want to evaluate quickly, so don't tell your life story -- they will probaly gloss over it anyway. Its important to strike a balance. A friend in the demographic you are seeking is often a good source of feedback.

Lesson #9 - Don't take anything personally.
Most people don't even know you. There may not be the best matches for you on your particular site. There can be many reasons for not getting the results you want. Blaming yourself is illogical, because you typically have no idea what the true reasons are. Imagine some plausible reasons for any disappointments, and you will eventually stop being so disappointed. The only thing you can control is your profile, and sometimes even that gets censored by the system!

Lesson #10 - Make sure you stand out.
Your pictures, your profile and your messages should be uniquely you. But you also need to make sure its not the same drivel everyone else uses. Ways to get educated: (a) Do some recon on the competition - browse your own demographic (b) Get feedback from a friend (c) Sign up a second account as someone who is your ideal match, use a very attractive picture, and a sparse profile, then sit back and read all the stupid mail you get from others -- it will be enlightening. Think of it as an experiment, which isn't misleading if you don't contact anyone. Be careful not to fall in love with the person you just created.

To go a little farther, many people try to explain the same things: They're a nice person. They are fun to hang out with. They like long walks on the beach. They enjoy hanging out with friends. They like watching movies. That describes everyone!

Set yourself apart and don't write boring words. Think about how your ideal match filters most profiles because they are all so similar. That's only because the others haven't read this article yet. Now use your advantage and get out there!

:Daniel

Reflections On Another Year #4

2009-07-20T17:52:00.015-04:00

Why do we blog? Well, more specifically, why does Daniel blog? (And why does he speak about himself in the third person!?)

My blog's recent sparseness has made me question its reason for being. Here's what I came up with: It tells me about myself, and how I've grown. It helps me understand where I've come from. The writing makes it concrete somehow, while making it public makes it motivational for me, and possibly informative for others. Also, the aspect of creating a discussion forum strikes a chord with me.

Realising that my yearly review is six months overdue has helped me refocus, despite the deadline being self-imposed. I've only written two entries for 2008, correctly concluding that I am too "busy", so I've tried to slow it down by booking vacation time, and making more time for family and friends (some of whom have commented that I occasionally disappear). Also, I've obviously decided to write my yearly review, which admittedly usually takes a few days (or weeks in this case) anyway.

So let me get right to some of the significant happenings I've had this year (okay, year and a half).

I got a new job with GM as a manager, recently celebrating my one-year anniversary, and received a great performance review (we still went bankrupt)
I opened a US bank account and got a US credit card (difficult for a Canadian with no US credit history)
I conducted a 13-person orchestra for a succesful musical, and composed a clarinet part for Catherine
I visited Mexico for the first time, work-related
I vacationed back to Mexico, and visited Chichen Itza (Mayan ruins), and also had my fourth and best scuba dive off the coast of Playa del Carmen, with David, Katie, Megan and Tyler
I visited Australia for the first time, for World Youth Day and saw the Pope from a few feet away, with Scott, Jessica, Todd and others and pumped up the statistics: Countries visited: 17. Popes seen at arms length: 2
I saw the Dalai Lama in person at a talk he gave with Laura, Emily and others
I got an Apple laptop in a flash of bravery (must learn shortcut keys!)
I authored two and a half new songs that are album material
I recorded another original song in the recording studio with Chris
I helped to organise a retreat with Sean, Anne, Lauren,Tom, Claudia and Mike and spoke about my thoughts on prayer life
I played a lot of soccer, and added trail biking to my sports (thanks Sean!)
I participated in an Engineering competition to help the deaf experience music with Sean and Chris, resurrecting my digital signals processing skills
I helped build and care for an organic garden with Josh and (almost) Kabir
I met several American dignitaries during a tour and press conference at work, including: Jennifer Granholm (Governor of Michigan), John Dingell (US Congressman), Hilda Solis (US Secretary of Labor), Ed Montgomery (an Obama Auto Task Force Director), Alan Lambert (Mayor of Romulus, Michigan)
I performed a bunch of consulting work in Toronto for Pearl
I cleared out most of my belongings in Toronto (through recycling and donation, I generated only half a bag of trash)
My long-term relationship ended with sadness after many wonderful memories

But I don't want to just list all the important happenings in my life. I'm trying to fully internalise the idea that what I'm learning and how I grow matters most. So here are some of the things I think I've been learning:

Money can be seen as the ability to do what you want with your time
Reluctance to burden others can be unhealthy, allowing others to help is often needed
People generally can't fundamentally change, nor should they, and we must learn to accept others and ourselves as we are
It is often incorrect yet easy to feel responsible for others' actions and feelings
The only person who takes care of one's best interests is oneself
Sustainability, diversification and balance can be applied to everything in life
Everyone wants to be listened to, understood and acknowledged
What we believe about ourselves, we often create in our lives, positive or negative
Our conscious and subconscious mind should agree for maximum strength of purpose
Making time for oneself is a powerful step toward appropriately making time for others

That brings me back to the concept of the blog itself. Writing seems to be something I do primarily for myself and that I can be proud of. If I have so few entries this year, perhaps I'm not making enough time for myself. So, I have about six months before my next entry is "due", and I plan on writing at least four quality blog entries. Please suggest an interesting topic that you'd like me to break down!

:Daniel

P.S. This entry will be imported into Facebook automatically, but comments are welcome in both places.

Everything Comes From Somewhere

2008-10-08T15:56:00.004-04:00

It is common knowledge that Jesus is reported to have explained that it is not what we put into our mouths, but what comes out of our mouths that makes us unclean. While it is certainly true that there are many things we should not ingest, I see that bible passage referring primarily to the morality of what we say and do as being more important than how we eat.

In today's world, however, what we do and how we eat are far less separable than at the time of Jesus. In fact, with the advent of Factory Farming and CAFOs, Chemical pesticides, artificial/synthetic edible ingredients, and many other industrial applications in "food manufacturing", what we eat is inextricably linked with factors such as the treatment of the planet, of animals and our own bodies, not to mention those of whom we provide food to. To celebrate the increased efficiencies of the industrial food system while ignoring the many negative effects is to ignore our obvious responsibility for the welfare of ourselves and our communities.

The planet-friendly revolution of the '80s and '90s included the terms Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, which at one point were novel concepts, listed in order of importance. These are now commonplace terms, as people have globally accepted the intrinsic value of reduced general consumption for our planet. Regarding food, however, the landscape is far more complex. We have literally thousands of choices of what to buy and eat at our hands everyday, but how to positively affect our world is not as obvious. Another factor is that we've been living in a golden age of food -- we have been able to, until recently, get anything we want, anytime, anywhere, for a cheap price, not unlike the decades of diverse consumer products we have enjoyed. I'd like to mention some of things I'm learning about this, with respect to what we eat, and maybe provide some food for thought, as we find we are losing that golden age of food prices.

Organic food: At first I thought "organic" was about putting healthy things into my body, rather than synthetic chemicals. This was a noble pursuit of course, but in all honesty, I was not convinced that organic food was always better than non-organic. There wasn't much evidence to say that this was always the case. However, I think we can all intuitively expect that it would be better nutritionally and less toxic for our bodies, and certification helps us identify these foods. But I have since learned that organic isn't about only the health-benefits of the food you are eating. In fact, far MORE important in my opinion, is the often-missed fact that organic food is hands-down better for the environment - it requires zero chemical usage and has the potential to drastically reduce the toxins and pollutants that are accelerating the loss of diminishing fertile land resources. Land is kept more fertile when organic agriculture is practiced. Because this cuts off pollution to both the water table, in fact, it may be more helpful to our health indirectly, rather than looking at the nutritional content alone, let alone the health of farm labourers. On the down side, organic can cost a lot more, usually 10% to 40% more, as organic crop yields aren't boosted by chemical means, but I've asked myself how sustainably I am acting, and whether this new information should change my outlook. In fact it did considerably, and I am now willing to spend more to support organic choices wherever I can. I'm not alone: Organic food is the fastest growing sector of the American food marketplace.

Local and/or Seasonal: Again, here is somewhere I have grown. I understood the concept of supporting the local economy, and also keeping those who live near you in business because they are, for lack of a better word, more connected to me. Again, this is a positive thing. But what I have learned here was subtle too -- the other reason locally grown food and produce can make a difference, is because of the transportation costs of moving all that produce around the world. I can normally buy certain types of foods all year round, but if I don't consider that they have been shipped from somewhere farther away, then I also don't realise that it contributes to rising emissions, greenhouse gases, and pollution. If some pears come from overseas, I question whether I could afford the higher-cost locally grown ones, and usually I can. It is possible that overseas transportation environmental costs are actually lower than some local energy-intensive agricultural methods, so local isn't always better, but transportation is an important and ignored component of food production. Naturally this all means that I need to rethink my long-held attitude that I've had, which has been pervasively accumulated in our culture for decades, the attitude that "all the foods that I want should be available all the time". In fact, we have completely lost our appreciation of nature's seasons. Certain foods are in season at one time, but then not in season at other times. If I buy foods that are out of season, the environment automatically incurs transportation costs. For food that is in season, you can be sure that it will be fresher and taste better when grown locally.

Fairly Traded: This is a term that wasn't in my vocabulary 5 years ago. Although my attitude then was a common consumer attitude that things should always be very cheap, it has now evolved. When something is really cheap, I now have started asking myself WHY it is so cheap. There is rarely a free lunch (pun intended) -- if something is too cheap to be produced by people at a fair wage (coffee is a common example), then perhaps it was produced in conditions that do not respect human rights. Not to say that price is the only indicator, as there is fair-trade certification that attempts to help us understand the nature of the products we buy. I simply have evolved to consider the origins of what I am eating. My main learning here has been that simply everything we eat comes from SOMEWHERE and that this matters.

Consumers are used to ignoring the supply chain. I am now asking myself more and more how and from where that food came from. Mostly, I can't ignore the reality of what my purchases are supporting. Now that's not to say that I make these choices all the time (I'm sometimes willing to pay up to double the cost, but not much more), but I am right now undergoing the process of changing how I think. I think it will be a life-long process, and I suspect that my diet and buying habits will continue to change, as they have been for years now (it might surprise some of you that I don't drink soft-drinks/pop anymore). Sometimes it is uncomfortable to ask myself questions that I could easily ignore, but I cannot forget my responsibility to my greater communities. Just as in working, voting and family life, we all have responsibilities to something greater than ourselves, the same applies to food. I'm ready to admit I don't know everything, although I do know that I'm not ready to become a vegan. Yet, I am always ready to learn more about my food choices.

:Daniel

Reflections On Another Year #3

2008-02-21T19:01:00.002-05:00

As a general rule, I try to do my yearly reflection within a month after each birthday, and I feel late on this one. I didn't really plan anything special at all for my birthday this year. In fact I was so busy worrying about all the things that needed doing for my upcoming musical that I didn't really plan any celebration time. I did attempt to merge a quasi-celebration with my friend Jolene at a restaurant, but as it turns out none of her people could make it, so I cancelled it... actually she cancelled it first, and I cancelled the process of inviting my people to a cancelled event.

I spent the whole day at church and in rehearsals. Now it may sound like I'm complaining, but in fact rehearsing was still fun, because I enjoy all that time with music and the people involved (the Joseph family), even working on it on my birthday. After that, though, what actually made it feel like a birthday was that Laura actually baked me a surprise birthday cake, and this was no ordinary cake -- it simply dwarfed the word delicious, and though it seems crazy, it tasted even better than that because of the caring that I knew went into it -- in fact it might be the best cake I've ever tasted in my life. So I spent the evening with her and we just talked and hung out together, which made it a fantastic day. I even got a few phone calls from various people which was nice. Overall I think I fared pretty well!

But the thing that surprised me most was how many messages I got on Facebook (this might just be my first birthday after being pressured to sign up by my now facebook-friends). Even people I haven't heard from in a while send me a birthday greeting, and I'm now starting to appreciate how convenient facebook is, because when we see so many people writing on someone's wall, then we're more likely to realise it might be their birthday, for example, and many things like this can strengthen a community of people... almost like a support network, except in electronic form. As much as I was against facebook at one time, I'm starting to realise some of its benefits... although I still worry about privacy concerns, as I did before being coerced into signing up.

Again I feel like I've had tremendous personal and professional development this year (again!), so I will try to recap some things, but I'm not going to categorise anything as good or bad or hard like I did last time. Most of the time experiences are there to learn from, regardless of whether you call them good or bad.

I finally became a fully licensed Professional Engineer in Ontario, and you can look me up!
Recorded one of my original songs in a recording studio (waiting on post-production still), for a friend's project dealine, which is something I've been dying to do for a long time, and I'm thinking I could do more recording to produce my album eventually
Broke up on really good terms from my longest relationship
I briefly broke my land speed record again (229 km/h) on a trip on the German Autobahn (but this is getting old in a way)
Conducted a musical for the first time working with a fantastic orchestra and cast to create our own version of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
I went to Goa, India for Christmas for the second time, and spent a week with my parents and friends (who just happened to be there!)
I took my first real vacation in about 5 years without my cel phone or work email
Went scuba diving in the ocean for my second time (with swimming-pool training!)
Achieved Platinum Status on Northwest Airlines, but lost Platinum Status at the Marriott
I didn't publish very many blog entries
Started a great new relationship with a lot of potential
Wrote some new songs on the guitar
Designed a website for a condominium complex

Ideas and thoughts seem less and less absolute, as I am starting to see the multitude of interpretations and perceptions that form reality for everyone
I feel more able to access my feeling at times of difficulty and am learning to understand them better
I trust myself much more than I did only a few years ago
Stepping in to help solve others' problems doesn't necessarily make things better, it is better to ask what they need rather than make assumptions
When someone hurts you, there can often be a vast complexity of reasons, and initially it is very easy to react without understanding that complexity
Important relationships can end, but this isn't something that is automatically negative
It is wrong to believe that everything has a simple easy solution - in fact most difficult problems don't, and it is often unrealistic to expect to find one, so it is a waste of energy to be confused, upset or disappointed about being unable to 'solve' a problem
Feelings are very important, and the value of understanding your feelings and being able to communicate them clearly and appropriately cannot be overestimated
Spending money on good healthy food is well worth it
Cooking is not a mystery once you get a few ideas, it is actually an art form
Beauty occurs during quiet moments
It is not our achievements, but it is our choices that tell us who we are

I await what is in store for me this coming year, and if the pattern holds, it will be even better than the previous one.

Daniel

Conspicuous Brown Guy In India Finally Learns Traffic Rules

2007-12-31T04:45:00.000-05:00

I finally gave in after 5 years and decided to take a REAL vacation. This time, no phone, no email, and no working. My out-of-office auto-response even states that I will only be available by "holographic imager", which of course would be difficult to find. For various reasons, I decided to visit Goa, India (which I've previously visited -- see Fleece Me, Please!, or Order And Chaos, or Sousegade: Welcome to Goa written exactly two years ago, for more interesting stories that have pretty much happened on this trip too in some form)

Going to India is always a little weird for me. For one thing, I definitely don't feel like I belong there, despite my very brown skin. I realise that there are a couple of things that give me away:

I wear shorts. For some reason everyone wears long pants even when its too hot in my opinion. I believe it has something to do with mosquitoes, but you're going to suffer from the heat or the bugs so take your pick.
I have a trimmed goatee-moustache. Most people in India tend to have just a moustache or no facial hair at all. In fact, for about a week and a half I didn't even bother shaving at all -- that was awesome, and disturbing of course.
I carry a backpack (a dead giveaway that I'm a tourist)
I don't speak the language(s). I feel I can avoid getting pegged this way if I keep my mouth shut, but somehow, I just don't!

I started out staying with my parents in Dona Paula, where they are visiting, and also had the wonderful opportunity to go visit my friends Pearl in Palolem and Natalia in Calangute while they were in town. They don't even know each other, Pearl was in India for a wedding, and Natalia was around to break her wrist while on vacation (ouch!).

Good times were had by all, and I even stayed in nice hotels for a few days, which made it a lot more pleasant, as staying with my parents in my aunt's apartment tended to be harsh without air-conditioning.

Driving in India may seem difficult, but general behaviour and traffic patterns can be summarised by what I call "Path of Least Resistance" and "Obstacle Course". Here are a few simple rules to get you started if you are ever so lucky:

If you have wheels, then you have right of way... unless something else has wheels and is bigger or faster, then they have right of way... unless they honk at you - in which case the bigger vehicle may choose to give up their right of way if they slow down. Slowing down does not mean one can't immedately change their mind, speed up and cut you off.
After vehicles, anything with legs takes right of way next. [However, humans can overcome this by walking on the left side of the road along with traffic, giving one at best a poor excuse for not moving farther over (since one can't see the cars coming from behind) -- thus usurping your right of way from the vehicles! I was actually hit by a rickshaw when I was with Pearl in Calangute using this method so now I tend walk on the right and face oncoming traffic because I'd prefer to be alive.]
If you are a cow, the above rules do not apply, as right-of-way is permanently guaranteed for bovines in any environment.
When behind a slower moving vehicle, you must always attempt to pass it, regardless of oncoming traffic conditions, especially on winding roads with little visibility. This must be attempted continuously until passing is succesful, or a fiery ball of carnage is created, or your foreign passengers have a heart attack.
Seatbelts are mandatory, but their usage is not. It is required to have seatbelts in the back of a vehicle, but no receptacles to buckle them into.
The main tools for communication with other drivers on the road are the horn (use often) and extreme proximity to other vehicles (use just as often).
A 2-lane road contains enough space for 6 lanes of traffic in any direction in any order. Additionally, animals may use the shoulder along with motorcycles (except cows who may travel wherever they wish). Motorcycles with more than one infant, must travel at half the speed of other vehicles, regardless of posted limits.
Lane lines and other painted lines should be ignored at all times, similarly for traffic lights.
Bi-directional roads can be converted into one-ways along the overtaking distance relative to the vehicle ahead of you, but the horn must be pressed a minimum of 2 times for this rule to take effect. When oncoming vehicles reach this new one-way section, they may use the shoulder, or attempt to revert the road to 2-way by using the horn and proximity tools described above.
Foreigners named Natalia should carry extra cash in rupees to bribe traffic police, and should also use extra caution when driving a motorcycle near a pole.

Wishing everyone a happy new year and all the best in 2008!

:Daniel

How I Boarded the Wrong Plane

2007-09-02T04:46:00.000-04:00

It may come as no surprise that I tend to do a little travelling for my job. I suppose I do somewhat enjoy the looks I get when I say "I'm going to Italy in a few hours and I haven't packed yet" (incidentally true right now, so I'm procrastinating by finally making another long overdue blog entry), but in all honesty the constant motion of travelling can get pretty tiring.

On my way back from Japan, I managed to get a last minute change from my flight itinerary, so that I didn't have to make another touchdown in Seattle and make it a 22-hour journey. I was lucky enough to call a few hours ahead of time and get a 2-stop journey from Nagoya Japan to Narita Japan and then on to Detroit. I would arrive at 2:40pm EST.

Arriving at Nagoya, they gave me both boarding passes and sent me on my way. The first one-hour flight went without a hitch. I arrived at 2:55pm (Japan time) with plenty of time to spare for my 3:55pm Narita to Detroit overseas flight.

So I decided to walk to my gate and make sure where it was even though I was really early. So I arrive about 3pm and they are already boarding, so I get in the line. When I get to the front, I hand the airline lady my boarding pass, and she looks at it confused. Then without a word bounces away running! She shows another lady the ticket, who takes it, rips it up and gives her a new one. Then she runs back over to me (they always run in Japan if you're waiting) and hands it back silently with a great big smile.

Daniel: Uhhh... thanks? What just happened there...?
Super Smiley Hyper Japanese Airline Lady: Oh... nothing.... you're ready!
D: You didn't just downgrade me to Economy did you?
SSHJAL: Business class okay!
D: Ummm.... business class?
SSHJAL: Yes! Thank you!
D: Okay....thanks....

When I boarded, they escorted me upstairs to the top floor of the 747 (I've never ridden on the top floor before!) so I knew I was in business class and everything was fine. (right? right!) The plane took off and I was excited to soon be getting back to the Western world!

About an hour in, I look at the monitor. Time to destination: 1:04pm. I'm a little confused thinking "How is that possible? We're going to be 90 minutes early? ...? ... Sweet!". It doesn't really state what destination, so I don't really think about that again until about an hour later, when they are handing out the customs declaration form. The guy next to me is filling his out, just like me. So I ask him:

Daniel: Hey, what flight did you write down there?
Guy Next to me: Northwest 12
D: Oh, you must mean Northwest 26 right?
Guy: No, no... we're on NW 12. [Motions to his boarding pass in his pocket]
D: Oh okay. Let me check my boarding pass.
Guy: uh huh.

D: Nope... we're on NW26, not NW12. Did you know this flight is going to be 90 minutes early!?
Guy: Actually my boarding pass says NW12. And it looks like it will be a few minutes late according to the screen. Are you sure you're on the right plane?

My heart begins to beat a little faster. I realise that I'm not on the right plane.

Guy: Where are trying to get to?
Daniel: Detroit!
Guy: [Laughing....]
Daniel: Are you even going to the USA?
Guy: Oh yeah, of course...
Daniel: .... AND?
Guy: I'm also heading to Detroit.
Daniel: .... non-stop??? ...
Guy: [DRAMATIC PAUSE] Yup! You're fine!

So I'm sitting there wondering how this happened. And it dawns on me: They automatically bumped me forward to the earlier flight. And then I start rejoicing internally. That truly is a fortuitous coincidence! And now 90 minutes early!! After about 45 seconds, I then realise my luggage will be on the original flight, and I'm going to have to wait for it, so its all an exercise in futility.

Sigh. I arrive at customs at 1:10pm, a full 90 minutes early, aheda of schedule and my luggage. The lineup itself is interminably slow and takes about an hour and a half because of the inefficiencies of the lineup process and many other things. In any case, as I make it through immigration, I'm too bothered about the useless windfall, the long wait and the later luggage to realise that its already about 2:35. So I remain annoyed until I hear the loudspeaker "Northwest 26 passengers arriving from Japan, your luggage has arrived on carousel number 6", and a smile suddenly hits me. I then think I've won after all, because I look back and my would-be co-passengers who are only now arriving prove that I would then be looking at a 2+ hour wait in the lineup for immigration. So would have ended up getting out of the airport at about 5pm, but now leave exactly when I originally planned to, thanks to my windfall!

My taxi ride home was exeedingly pleasant due to that one inescable conclusion: Sometimes, everything really does even out.

Smitors #2 - The "Doc" Emmett Brown vs. Harry Potter

2007-03-28T16:37:00.000-04:00

This is match #2 in a series of tournament bouts pitting powerful "Smitors" (as in one who smites), against each other, one on one.

Vote in the comments. You can also campaign for your favourite smitor, by commenting about why they should win. At the end of each match, the smitor with the most votes (or most convincing arguments if votes are tied) will be declared. For true democracy, my vote weighs equally with your vote!

Last time, Batman bat-nihilated Spiderman with precision and skill!

Smitor Challenge #2 - The "Doc" Emmett Brown vs. Harry Potter

The Doc's Advantages/Disadvantages
-can travel through time to steal cool weapons and stuff from the future
-can invent lots of stuff (though it doesn't usually work)
-has seen the future (and therefore knows if/when he would win)
-really cares about not screwing up the time continuum, but ignores that whenever he wants to
-can survive a lightning bolt
-doesn't have magic

Harry's Advantages/Disadvantages
-can travel through time occasionally (but needs Hermione)
-has a knack for surviving things that should kill him
-can escape to Hogwarts (sometimes)
-has magic (but Hermione is way better)
-has a conscience, but is naive
-has a lightning bolt (on his forehead)
-doesn't have a time machine

Godspell, Godspeed

2007-03-12T18:08:00.000-04:00

Now I will answer the questions that I've been asked in the past few weeks: "Is Daniel alive?" and "Why can't I get ahold of him?". The answers are "Yes" and "Godspell". Godspell is a musical all about the life and teachings of Jesus, framed in a theatrical setting, with comedy, dancing, and music, and a whole lotta awesome!

My involvement was as the director of music. It was written for just rhythm section, i.e. piano/drums/bass/guitar. However, we had a couple of trumpets that wanted to be involved, so I somewhat foolishly decided that I had enough time to write parts for them. In the end, I was pretty happy with it, but perhaps could have been a little easier on them, even though they performed well for the difficulty! I also was responsible for rehearsing the "orchestra", and helping the singers learn their parts, and playing at rehearsals, although there was another rehearsal pianist who filled in for me, when I was having pasta in Italia, or stuck at work overnight.

So how did this experience affect me? Well I think I can categorise it:

Management experience: I learned more about how to manage people effectively, how to provide leadership, how to encourage people and motivate them. Scheduling 6 people to attend rehearsals, making sure they are informed about where they have to be when (not that I was exceedingly clear on this!), and ensuring that I knew what to tell them took a lot more energy than I originally anticipated.
Musical knowledge: I feel my knowledge of music, and conducting was greatly enhanced. I remember the last time I did this for Anything Goes in 1996, and it was natural for me, but this time even more so. I felt totally at home in the Director of Music role. I even was surprised at my ability to write parts for both trumpets, and at the fact that I did this at a table, without a piano for most of it. The music seemed to flow out of my hands! Yes there were a couple of errors here and there, but for the most part, I surprised myself. The ability to make musical decisions was deepened, as in "should I take this out" or "should I change that part of the music" were questions that I started being able to answer more readily about midway through. All of my musical talents were tested and improved, and it was great! I'm still waking up with songs from the musical endlessly bouncing aroudn my head.
Spiritual development: Not that I ever got to really see the show from the audience's point of view, but I feel that hearing the script over and over again, while not being able to get the music out of my head has really forced me to think about what the show is about: Jesus, discipleship and growth. It brought me new perspectives that I had either forgotten I had or not thought of, and really helped me focus on how I live out my faith life. I resurrected (no pun intended) question like "Am I really focused on any of the things that Jesus taught us or am I simply following doctrines?" It was definitely a re-orienting of my spiritual compass, which I'm thankful for.
Community: I made a lot of great friends, and forged a really cool bond with the other two directors, Kristen and Brian. Their energy and passion is where this idea came from, and flowed forth. I was just happy to be a part of it. I feel I got to know the whole cast, and chorus, which was very much a friendship-building experience. The Orchestra was composed of Paul on bass (not the fish!), Kristin on percussion (yeah slide whistle!), DeVeaux on guitar (18 strings of goodness!), and Alex and Franco on trumpets (quit fighting over the parts!). These people made my life so much easier, thanks to their passion and dedication, and flexibility. Thanks a million to everbody!
Nostalgia: I found myself thinking back to my days in high school, playing the Euphonium, and I really wanted to be part of the Guys and Dolls pit orchestra. My teacher Ms. Evered, actually wrote an entire part just for me, which I really never fully appreciated until now, having now had to finally try it myself. That dedication of hers came back to me over and over again as I composed the trumpet music. I realised also that a significant source of my inspiration really came through her teaching and encouragement, which says a lot about her ability as a teacher.

Overall, this has been the most gruelling and rewarding experience of late, and I would do it again in a heartbeat! Thanks to everyone who attended and made it possible. Here's a picture from our dress rehearsal. Check out the band in the top left corner! You can also take a look at the rest of the pictures too!

Reflections On Another Year #2

2007-01-29T14:08:00.000-05:00

This year on my birthday I was having a birthday dinner with some of my friends, including a surprise appearance from my best friend John all the way from Dashwood! And since I recently resurrected my blog, I had the presence of mind to check out last year's review and think about how I felt around this time a year ago. Well, the feelings are similar, namely that I've done a lot of things. But this year I feel like I've developed as a person more than I did last year. Part of that has been by going through difficult experiences too. And that's one part of me that has developed -- the ability to admit my issues more readily and also to learn from my so-called negative experiences. I think one often grows more through things that hurt than through those clear successes in life. So this year, I'll review not just the good stuff.

Good stuff:

Submitted my final Professional Engineers Ontario licensing application to PEO (the processing begins in February)
Undertook significant new projects and more management responsibilities at GM
Bought my first major non-mobile purchase: my house (I am now renting my house to a family, and they're really nice!)
Broke my land speed-driving record (yes, 227 km/hour on the Autobahn is faster than last year) in a Mercedes E-Class
Wrote 2 more pretty good songs
Organised a small but successful campaign to raise money for orphans in India
Started dating someone really cool who lives near me
Started playing live jazz with my duo/trio at swing dancing nights
Became the Musical Director for the musical Godspell, which my church is putting on

Hard stuff:

I broke the heart of someone I really cared about
My best friend, John, was in a major accident
I witnessed my extended and immediate family enter into conflicts that strained our relationships and caused a lot of hurt
I learned to accept that I have issues

Things that I've learned:

Although difficult to admit to yourself, sometimes the best thing you can do for someone is to remove yourself from their life
You can be completely financially organised by spending 2 hours a month on it
In many arguments, you can be right or you can be happy, its up to you
You can love someone even if you disagree with them or don't understand them
If you are offended by something, it is often because you are insecure about something
Love does not always conquer practicality
Not deciding something is a decision in itself, and usually its a bad decision (I'm relearning this one again and again)
Seeing a counsellor/therapist is great way to improve yourself (I'm planning to do this)
Your self is made up of your feelings more than your thoughts
The drive from Windsor to Toronto feels a lot longer than I used to remember

Procrastinators Unite! Just not quite yet!

2007-01-15T15:15:00.000-05:00

Took me long enough to get another entry out. Fittingly, lets talk about procrastination. I saw the best headline in a newspaper yesterday at work. (No I wasn't reading the newspaper at work... it was someone else's and I stopped to take a look, okay?) Anyway, the headline read "Procrastination Study Complete -- 5 years late", and since it was an apparently reputable newspaper, I thought it deserved another look, as I've been making jokes along those lines for years. As it turns out, more and more people are considering themselves to be "chronic procrastinators", and the basic reason is there are too many distractions and things to help you procrastinate along the way. I did find another article about the same study too.

I don't see myself as a chronic procrastinator, although you may disagree. When I do procrastinate, I find that I have a different reason, though. After having thought about it, the desire to complete the task perfectly prevents me from starting it because there isn't enough time. Of course, I realise that not starting it also prevents me from perfecting the result, so it must be some sort of mental block.

The perfect example of me not procrastinating is this particular blog entry, since I only read the article yesterday and am writing this a day later (and posting it the next day). However, a perfect counterexample is the length of time since my last post, but I can just blame it on the desire for a really good post. Personally I don't think it was worth the wait, but at least I'm back on the blog again! So leave a comment... whenever.
Daniel

Two Different Ways To Travel And a Brush With Death

2006-10-09T03:23:00.000-04:00

This morning, I made the trek out to Ann Arbor's "Arb", or "Arboretum", which is a gigantic forested area with lots of trails and a river for a public running event. Today's run took place in the Arb itself, in the form of a 5-km race (3.13 miles, but yay metric!) to raise money for Muscular Dystrophy research and I was pleasantly surprised to find out that my time was a respectable 28:51, which, averaging 9 minutes 13 seconds per mile, was much better than my original expectation which was to not be able to finish. It helped that I was running with and motivated by Sarah, who almost outdid me, although I luckily overtook her in the last 20 seconds of the race with a sprint to the finish! Ann and Scott were also running and everyone had very respectable times, so we all had lunch at Panera to celebrate.

As if that wasn't enough of an adrenaline rush, we both decided to go skydiving, something which I had never done. We learned all about how you have to sign away any and all rights to legal recourse before you start, and that beginners are supposed to jump in tandem, i.e. attached to the instructor via a harness. We were also told there's only a 1 in 3500 chance of your chute failing to open, but my instructor said in all his nearly a thousand tandem jumps, it has never happened to him. Sarah was first to go up and she had a great tandem jump (her second jump ever). Unfortunately we were not able to go up together because the plane was too small to include my videographer, as I sure wasn't going to miss the chance to prove that I did this. So I taped her jump on my little camera, and then the videographer taped my whole experience, including the ascent in the small propeller plane.

Everything was going great until we got to 10000 feet, at which the view is amazing of course. Strapped to my instructor, the guy next to me, who finally got fully certified today opened the door all of a sudden and then did some sort of backflip maneuver out of the plane. At this point my instructor is shimmying toward the door, with me attached to his stomach facing out of the plane, and then my foot is on the step just OUTSIDE the door in the wind, something I don't find enough time to get used to because then we are flying without the plane, twisting and turning in the freefall! The stabilising mini chute pops open and we settle into a fast fall, with the wind flapping my cheeks back and forth at the speed of craziness. Then the instructor deploys the main chute and we get sucked upward relative to the videographer who plummets even further while filming. But something's wrong, and the resistance from the chute disappears as the instructor performs a cut away - the main chute had a line over! This means that the chute deployed and tangled and didn't work! Now we're accelerating downward like before, and I start to sense something is wrong, and before I can really register any of this, the instructor pulls the cord on the emergency chute, and I instinctively reach upward to grab anything to prevent me from falling (not that this would work of course as there's only air everywhere), and then get jerked skyward as the second parachute slows us down to a nice floating gliding descent towards earth (I have harness burns on my shoulders!)

In the distance the videographer films my descent from the ground. It's possible to tell from the video what happened but it is clear that my first chute was green and when I land its all of a sudden yellow. This, of course, is no camera trick... I was just the first ever chute failure for this instructor in a tandem jump. He of course, loved it and couldn't stop yelling about it! I immediately became a hit with the people at the club and we all sat around to have a beer and talk about it, while we waited for the video to be completed. By the time everything was said and done, I spent nearly $300, but it really was worth it, and its something that I've always wanted to say I've done, and now I can! And I can prove it!

Daniel

My Vacation

2006-08-28T13:54:00.000-04:00

Its time to take a vacation when you are getting slowly burned out, getting sick, and are becoming a bit less productive at work. In fact, I experienced all those things recently, and so I'm now home in Toronto, working on recuperating... And since I've really only had two weeks off in 4 years, I figure I should just do it!

In any case, I will be spending half of my 1-week vacation in Toronto, and the other half back home in Windsor, and probably catch up on everything my life has been slacking on, like emails and blogging and so forth. I'm also planning to set up my will and power of attorney. Did you know that if you don't have a power of attorney set up, and you get into an accident and are in a coma, then the goverment can decide your fate? I'd prefer someone who knows my wishes to make the decisisons.

So overall, my vacation probably won't be all that relaxing, but it will give me a chance to catch up on everything including sleep, so that when I go back to work, I'll be able to focus on work, and when I'm off work, I'll be able to not go insane. Although according to some, the threshhold between sanity and insanity isn't well defined for me.

And one other thing, there are some otters I know that have started a weblog, which you can see at http://theadventuresofpipandpop.blogspot.com because as everyone knows, otters are people too!

Daniel

You Have A Mindset of Scarcity or Abundance (Toshindo Lesson #1)

2006-06-25T11:36:00.001-04:00

I recently started marital arts, thanks to my friend Todd, who signed me up for a "Buddy day" at Quest martial arts, where we train in Toshindo. Somehow, I committed myself for nine months, but its probably for the best, since I am enjoying it, even though I don't really have time. I've been late twice, especially when it takes me 2 hours to get there after work, because of all the construction.

It appears that every month there is a philosophical theme, and that is what I plan on blogging about because I really need to blog more. So for the past month, we have been discussing mindsets. Specifically, people have a mindset of either scarcity or abundance about certain things in life. For example, when it comes to money, do you believe that you never have enough (mindset of scarcity), or do you believe that you have more than you need (abundance). This isn't related to how much money you have in numerical terms. It relates to attitude. A person with 60 billion dollars who can do nothing but keep it to themselves is operating from the mindset of scarcity - "money is scarce, and I need more and more, because there just isn't enough for me". However, a person with very little money who uses moeny for things that are outside of themself, is more likely operating from the mindset of abundance - "there is plenty of money around, and I have more than enough for my own needs".

This does not apply strictly to money. One exercise we did in class was to think of many things in which we operate from a mindset of scarcity or abundance. For example think of something of which you believe you do not have enough of (many people came up with things such as friends or money). Then think about the following three things (a) there is plenty of what you want for yourself in the world (b) you are worthy and deserve to have it (c) you can do something to obtain it. This is great because there are a lot of youth in the class who may not believe they can accomplish their goals to obtain what they desire. Then, the inverse question was to think of things of which you have more than enough of (i.e. abundantly), and why you appreciate that in your life. I have many friends and family who support me and love me because they truly enrich my life and it gives me pleasure to enrich theirs.

The goal was to start to change your way of thinking (especially I think in our consumer-oriented society which by default is operating from a mindset of scarcity since every ad explains clearly that there is definitely not enough of their product and you CAN'T afford NOT to get one at these prices!). As we slowly start to change our mindsets from scarcity to abundance we will live more positive lives and be better influences on those around us, instead of focusing selfishly on ourselves, a challenge of which I strive toward every day, although I must admit I do not always succed... yet!

In Toshindo, the concepts seem to be based on a few core principles -- in my analysis, I see a few already (1) the four elements of defense - fire, water, wind, earth and these are also the different styles/philosophies to which all moves belong, (2) use self-defense, and never instigate by offense, which is seen in the fact that the first defense maneuver we learned required yelling "Stop it! I don't want to fight you!" before the person got close enough to attack. (3) community and relationship building, which I've found fun while making new friends there. I'm sure there are others too I haven't noticed yet.

I wonder if anyone else takes martial arts and what kind of philosophy is included in your training, whether it be Karate, or Taekwando, or whatever, so let me know.

Daniel

I'm Back

2006-05-22T00:14:00.000-04:00

I know. I haven't posted anything recently. This is because a lot has happened, and I was very busy and distracted. But now that I've had a few moments rest, it's a good time to say that I haven't fallen off the Earth. And I also think it's about time to make a more personal blog entry.

Over the course of the last couple of months, I broke up with my girlfriend, was the best man at a wedding, and found out that my best friend was in a car accident. All of these things, and others, have been really teaching me a lot about life, and its not an easy process. I feel highly challenged in my personal growth as a person and as a Christian.

One of the things I'm really trying to figure out is a concept that everyone else seems to understand fairly well, but I continually struggle with. And that is the concept of love. Well, the concept isn't so difficult, but the definition can be. What I mean is, how do you know that you love someone? I'm referring to anyone, be it your parents, your friends, your spouse, your relatives. What makes you sure that you love them? And for that matter, can you ever be sure? Is believing you love somebody enough to make it true?

I believe that I do love my parents, for example, but I don't say that to them very much (I'm trying to do it more). I believe that I love my friends, but I never say it. And why? I don't even know why. The only explanations that I have seem to be that either I am afraid, uncertain or unqualified to make such a statement. The reading in church today (which prompted this post) was the one in which Jesus says "No one has greater love than to lay down his own life for his friends" (John 15:13), and although that seems like a good starting point, it isn't easily applicable in everyday life.

I often remind myself of that scene in the movie Ghost where Demi Moore's character tells Patrick Swayze's character that she loves him. He can't say it back since he knows that people everywhere say it and don't mean it all the time. Even though it's very obvious from the rest of the movie that he really does love her, it seems like he is stuck on the same concept as me, which prevents him from telling her that he loves her. This makes me think its more a psychological issue than an intellectual one both in the movie and in my life.

My reflection today on the verse led me toward the thought that if the greatest love is when you lay down your life for a friend, then this would imply that there are different degrees of love for another person. If what Jesus is talking about is the greatest love, then maybe there is such a thing as great love, or even good love, or just simply love, and its all just different kinds or different degrees, or different amounts. So I have a few friends where maybe I would hesitate to actually take a bullet for them. But I'm thinking now, as I write this, that it does not therefore mean that I don't love them. And this seems to be what I'm trying to internalise and believe, but I haven't been able to fully do that yet.

Anyway, I would "LOVE" to hear what other people's concepts of knowledge of love are in the above context. And please don't start talking about the three kinds of love using Latin terminology okay? I'm talking about real love for another person with with whom you have a relationship, love in its most general and basic kernel, whatever that means.

Daniel

Danny Williams vs. Paul McCartney

2006-03-05T02:41:00.000-05:00

And who, you ask, is Danny Williams? I'm not talking about the heavyweight boxer... I'm talking about Newfoundland's beloved premier! (Newfoundland is a Canadian province, people!!!) Newfoundland is home to the much discussed seal-hunt that has been a "cause célebre" for several years in the past, both in Canada and internationally. I watched a debate on this subject take place on Larry King Live yesterday night (yes, I was watching TV on a Friday night). Today, I found the CBC article that talked about it.

It's interesting that even though the entire world is being told by strong media and celebrity endorsements that the seal-hunt is extremely inhumane and cruel, the Canadian media tends to be supportive of the hunt. General Canadian reporting seems to indicate that everyone else in the world is being misinformed. Although most internet sites and international media will make the seal hunt sound really bad, it is very interesting to see the Canadian government's page on Seal Hunt myths, which supports the opposite viewpoint.

This debate came to a head in the live CNN debate where Paul McCartney and his wife attempted to convince people that the hunt is cruel, not to mention their economic solutions for Canada. I was initially swayed by their argument, until premier Williams came on (about half way through), and started questioning their facts and arguments. Not that I think Williams presented a greatly eloquent argument, but he did make me stop and actually contemplate the other side. To be honest, I'm now a little unsure of what the truth is, but I'm more in favour of the hunt than against it. The premier raised some very interesting points, including that he felt that the McCartneys were being used (he's a brave man!) by some sensationalist and very well funded organisations like PETA, while more reputable organisations like the WWF supported the hunt.

The McCartneys (Paul was wearing a nice Canada sweater) were in favour of banning the seal hunt and setting up an eco-tourism industry akin to the whale-watching industry that replaced the now-illegal whaling industry decades ago, along with government subsidies that would supplement the fishermen's incomes. It should be noted that the seal population is not currently endanged, even though the McCartneys said it was only a matter of time that it soon would be, an assertion which was challenged by the premier. The show did show some live video of the seal hunt which was admittedly not pleasant, but I wondered how representative of the hunt this video is or isn't, as it is hard to judge. It didn't show whether or not the seals suffer much, or at all. I also wondered if there is any good way to kill any animal. I guess this animal suffers more because it is so cute.

In my opinion the premier didn't come off as the most eloquent person, but he did force thoughtful viewers to consider that there is another viewpoint. The McCartneys were defensive at times, but they presented a fairly unified and consistent approach that was on-topic. I think the premier felt defensive, since he was going off topic a little, but really, how could you not be defensive when arguing against McCartney, whom everybody loves. It was probably a lost cause to start with, so I think he did really well.

Best quote from McCartney's wife:
KING: Well, what do you make of the argument that most of them are shot, Heather?
H. MCCARTNEY: Well, it's just not true. It's complete and absolute rubbish. It's just not true. Most of them are shot and clubbed in a hacky pick thing, which is a tall, long hook and then they hit them once with it and drag them along the ground. And they only use the one bullet. Again, because it's used for fur. It's not used for any other thing.
Best quote by Danny Williams:
WILLIAMS: Larry, let me tell you a couple of things. First of all, Heather is incorrect. There are 90 percent of these animals that are basically killed by firearms. So I had to set the record straight because I live here and I actually know. As well, you know, there's an unfair comparison that if you go into a beef slaughter house or a pork slaughter house or a chicken slaughter house and you put white sheets down on the floor, well then you're going to see blood. And that's not nice and that's not pleasant.

Here's a full transcript of the show.

Daniel

Thirty Six Months

2006-02-17T18:47:00.000-05:00

Today I celebrate my 3-year anniversary working at GM. I think its a big accomplishment. But there's another significance to this day. Today, I've finally fulfilled the experience requirements required to get my Professional Engineer's License from Professional Engineers Ontario! I've just got to make sure that I fill in that application next week (on my list of goals, I was supposed to do it this week, but I'm out of time... because I will be celebrating on Saturday... read on)

And how am I celebrating, you ask? I will be going to work at 6:30 on a Saturday, that's how! For the first time ever (when not travelling). After resisting for many years, I now have to do it to meet a deadline (someone else's deadline). I suppose I'm only complaining because I did already work 52 hours this week. But still, it was my decision to accept coming in on Saturday, and 52 isn't that much really. I guess I'm just over-dedicated sometimes. Maybe I let it happen because I actually enjoy work to some degree. Well, I don't mean I'd rather be at work. I simply enjoy getting the work done, and the sense of accomplishment when I'm making real progress. I also believe it will reduce my stress level next week. It may also be because I like my job, I enjoy the work, I think I'm good at it (and getting better everyday), and there's so much to learn. And therein lies the issue, but its a great issue to have I think. Having to work one Saturday is better than having a job that I hate.

Daniel

Turning Up The Heat

2006-02-12T17:28:00.000-05:00

According to this article, the planet is hotter than its ever been in a long time. And its our fault, say our scientists. It seems they are always attributing the warming effect to all the greenhouse gas emissions. I bet that is most of the answer. But what about the fact that we're just burning a whole bunch of stuff! We're burning more than ever before. We're burning coal, oil and other things faster than the planet normally does. And we're doing it more and faster everyday... does this heat just dissipate? The planet is not a closed thermodynamic system, taking heat in from the sun, and radiating heat into space... but just as what once seemed like a small amount of carbon dioxide is now having an effect on the atmosphere, doesn't this widespread burning contribute at all to thermal (dis)equilibrium? I wonder if anyone has tried calculating the effect of growing combustion on the planet? Typically the burning releases greenhouse gases which makes the planet a better insulator, but what about the heat from burning itself? My instinct tells me its negligible, but we're are burning lots of stuff constantly and permanently. Now excuse me, while I turn up my thermostat... its cold in here.

Daniel

Smiters #1 - Batman vs. Spiderman

2006-02-01T22:59:00.000-05:00

This is the first match in a series of tournament bouts pitting two powerful forces, which I'm terming "Smiters" (as in one who smites), against each other. Eventually when enough matches have been decided, I'll have the winners fight each other.

To vote, write a comment with "I Vote for _____" in it. You can also campaign for your favourite smiter, by commenting about the reasons they would win, or why their opponent is terrible. At the end of each match, the smiter with the most votes (or most convincing arguments if no votes have been made) will be declared. I'll even even the playing field by weighting in my vote equally with your vote!

Smite Challenge #1 - Batman vs. Spiderman

Batman's Advantages:
-Cool toys
-Batmobile, Batcave
-Lots of money to buy cool toys
-Highly honed physical abilities
-Willing to play dirty/has a dark side
-Secret Identity

Spiderman's Advantages:
-Web-fighting action
-Superhuman physical abilities
-Spidey sense
-Secret Identity
-Social conscience/integrity

I vote for Spiderman -- I think the fight would climax in a hand-to-hand combat situation where Spidey could basically fly around and web batman into a state of submission. True Batman could use his toys, but Spiderman has really fast reflexes.

Daniel

Reflections On Another Year

2006-01-20T00:07:00.000-05:00

To be honest I couldn't remember where I was on my birthday last year until I dug into my records and realised that the reason was probably because I was alone in Germany for work. The night was an uneventful one, spent at a hotel in Coburg. I guess the company bought me dinner though. But its always better to spend a birthday with at least one person that is truly important to you. This time I spent the evening with my friends John and Mel in Dashwood, so it was time well spent. Actually this birthday turned out really good, as I got a wonderful surprise in an email. Anyway, this seems like a good time to be introspective, and to ask how I've bettered myself.

Some good things I've done:

Took my Professional Practice Exam with PEO, for my engineering license in Canada (no result yet, but I'm pretty sure I passed)
Undertook significant new projects and management responsibilities at GM
Bought my first major purchase: my car (which I have named "Ruby")
Travelled so much my that I've almost been refused entry to some countries because of my tattered passport (my stats: 27 stamps, 10 of 20 pages used so far)
Been to 2 new countries: Netherlands (I drove across the entire country), and Italy, to bring my count to 15, if I'm not missing any: Canada, USA, Dominican Republic, N.Ireland, England, France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Italy, India, Japan
Learned to speak German (understanding German is still difficult!)
Drove a car the fastest I have ever personally driven anything (this was on the Autobahn)
Became a Platinum member at the Marriott
Started my blog
Officially moved out of Toronto -- I'm now residing in Windsor
Started swing dancing -- I'm no longer a beginner
Joined my Jazz Quartet
Finally wrote my first really good song
Took my first real vacation in 3 years
Visited my grandparents in my ancestral home
Spent my first Christmas without any of the following: snow, cold weather, being in Canada, my parents

Important lessons I've learned:

Don't forget to talk with the people you care about regularly
Not deciding something is a decision in itself, and usually its a bad decision
Work is important, but not the most important (I only put the second half of this into action recently)
Accept your feelings, and don't suppress them
Recognise when you've received a gift - It's too easy to fail to see the ones that are not wrapped
Don't be afraid of love
Confidence will greatly enhance your life

Now, to establish goals for the next year!

Daniel

There is Nothing to Fear but Fear Itself

2006-01-13T03:06:00.000-05:00

I was recently thinking about the struggle between fear and action. Sometimes, I find that when trying to make a decision, I put too much pressure on myself. I can convince myself that something I want to do must be arranged perfectly or else it will fail. But this is simply negative thinking. This is fear controlling me.

It is by doing the thing that we are afraid of that we can conquer our fears and pursue the great things that we wish for ourselves. And if it goes well, we learn much. And if it goes badly, we learn even more. I must constantly remind myself that I do not know exactly where my life will go. And I must remind myself that it is not necessary or good to know. In life, circumstances can change. People can change. Hearts can change. Climate can change. Everything can change at a moment's notice. How can we predict the way things must be or will be? It is almost foolish to try!

Things will never be exactly as I imagine them, so it is useless to pressure myself to choose certainty over uncertainty. Certainty simply does not exist. Life is a path that either you can choose, or your fear can choose for you. We can be our own worst enemies. If we have a chance to do something important, it can be so important to us that we are afraid to even try.

Maybe this stems from a fear of failure or inadequacy. We don't pursue the possibilities of so many greater things, because we create mental roadblocks for ourselves. It is so easy to remain in misery for which we refuse to take responsibility. But it is truly scary to admit that we cause the very fear which makes us unhappy. As Nelson Mandela said: "Our greatest fear is not that we are inadequate, but that we are powerful beyond measure." Have no regrets, but never make the same mistake twice. Fear and faith struggle against each other at all times. As humans, we would do well to understand, conquer and learn from our fears so that we can achieve our potential. I'm starting now. Again.

Daniel

Fleece Me, Please!

2006-01-02T02:46:00.000-05:00

Making purchases in India is vastly different from what I'm used to. Certain things just don't exist, generally, like price tags. The main reason is that you never pay the asked-for price anyway. Unless, of course, you're a tourist... in which case, get ready to be cheated, or "fleeced", as my sister and I now call it.

The first few days, we were always busy calculating what the asked-for price converts to in Canadian Dollars, (multiply by 0.036) and we thought to ourselves that the deals were better than home. What we didn't know was that first, the price was inflated as a matter of routine, and then, inflated again for us. The latter is what I refer to as Tourist Tax, which is often between 100% and 3000%, and is levied as soon as they see that I speak English instead of Konkani. For example, early in the trip, I was buying a gift for someone and they quoted me something like 1000 rupees (almost $35 Canadian) which seemed high, even to me. I bargained similarly to this:

Me (in tourist english): 1000?! How about 800?
Them (with a smile I didn't notice): No, no, give me good price... see high quality, ya? ...okay, best price 900.
Me (thinking I'm doing pretty good): Hmm... 850?
Them: OK... You take. (as they think "Ka-CHING! What a sucker! Lets take a vacation!")

And I thought I fleeced him! I suppose its happy when both people thinnk they got a good deal. Us Canadians are way too polite.

Of course, the next day I saw it for 600 rupees (first price). He was even willing to give it to me for 450. Later on, I was able to make an offer on another one for even less. It seemed that every day we were getting smarter, but then we'd realise that we still weren't very smart because we had begun from a point of complete ignorance. We've figured out that once we start saying "Well... its still good in Canadian Dollars!", then we've probably been fleeced pretty badly. My sister really hates getting cheated (especially when we know we're getting cheated). Personally I consider it the price I pay to get educated. And hey, maybe I'm doing my part to further fair trade, or something.

We've since come up with a few methods to help us get good deals:

Method 1: Take our grand-mother with us. She once bought me some tea and then fleeced me by 600% when I wanted to reimburse her (as a joke because we're so bad at bargaining). I totally fell for it.
Method 2: Ask "How much?". Then whatever they say, just laugh really hard. Then cut it by anywhere from 60% to 90% depending how bad it was (just guess). Then whatever happens, walk away if you're not satisfied. This has worked a few times, but we learned it way too late. Laugh shows that we know about the Tourist Tax. Still it's no guarantee to get a good deal.
Method 3: This method is 100% effective -- don't buy anything!

So for all you people who I bought gifts for, I paid way too much! Unless I got it right at the end, in which case, I hope I got a good deal. So I guess you'll never know. But its the thought that counts right?

Daniel

Order and Chaos

2005-12-23T09:51:00.000-05:00

Driving in India is absolutely insane. There are occasionally lines in the road, but they're pretty pointless in actuality, as people drive similarly regardless of their existence. Its very common for motorbikes and rickshaws to cross each other within a few centimetres in every direction and there are no seat belts in any backseats. As far as I can tell, I've been in about 764 near-miss accidents today, although I bet our drivers think its closer to zero. And no I will not drive anything with wheels in this country. My grandmother is over 80 and she's better at both bargaining with market vendors and crossing the street than me. Its quite hilarious.

We took a ridiculously crowded bus today from Calangute to Panjim, where I finally gave in and used my Marriott points (about 20,000) to get one night at an amazing hotel -- the Goa Marriott, Panjim -- with an amazing view (normally we stay with my grandparents in their amazing house in Siolim). And since I'm a platinum member, I arranged for a billion and ten upgrades, so I've got free broadband internet AND I'm drinking for free -- and this stuff is Cashew Feni!

My sister is calling me, so I have to go... actually I think I'll ignore her for a few minutes and check my email again!

Daniel

Sousegade: Welcome to Goa

2005-12-21T08:16:00.000-05:00

Yes, I am truly on vacation. This means I have no computer or cel phone (actually my phone doesn't work here). It took forever to get here, but I've finally arrived. Hopefully I'll get to post a couple of entries, but getting internet access is a little tough in Goa, India. I'm staying at my grandparents' place with my sister and her husband, and it's absolutely amazing -- they have mango trees and coconut trees in their yard. The coconut guy came today with his machete, climbed the trees and cut down some coconuts (these trees must be 6 or 8 storeys tall).

My flight schedule (Toronto time):
Thurs: Fly Detroit to Toronto (3 day layover, including writing my exam, getting car insurance, and seeing a musical). I was too tired to drive, so I flew.
Sun: Fly Toronto to Amsterdam, 7.5 hours (3 hour stopover)
Mon: Fly Amsterdam to Bombay, 7.5 hours (7 hour stopover)
Tues: Fly Bombay to Goa, plus 1 hour taxi ride
Tues: Arrive at my grandparents place!!!Tues: SLEEP

After just one day here, I've also learned a new word, "Sousegade", which roughly translated means "laid back". I actually learned the meaning of this first hand, which is "VERY VERY VERY laid back"...

This morning, after getting up (believe it or not I have no Jet lag), we were awaiting a courier guy delivering a very important package. We needed this package to start our day, so we waited. And waited. Every couple of hours we would call them or they would call us and we'd learn again that he was "about" to arrive. Finally we decided to stop waiting and we sat down for lunch. The moment we started eating, the dog barked, and it was the courier guy with the package, which I signed for.

As we then ate, my sister's lost-luggage people called, and they wanted to deliver the luggage today, so before we could go to town to use the internet, we waited for them. And waited. And waited. Finally we decided to go out. While we were walking, we actually walked right past the Jet Airways van, and the driver was phoning someone to get better directions (guess who they were trying to phone), so we stopped him and he drove us back to the house to get the luggage sorted out. Finally we left to get our email.

When we arrive, the internet place has one room with three computers, all of which are in use, of course. The guy says there's about 30 minutes waiting time, so we wait. And wait. After 20 minutes, we ask him again, and he says we should come back tomorrow because the power is out. We are a little confused because people are still typing on the computers, and he explains they have a UPS with only 10 minutes left. So we decide to leave. Once we get about 30 metres away, I happen to look over my shoulder and he's waving us back because the power came back on. We come back, and wait another good 40 minutes, at which point we finally get on the internet and I have the chance to write you this story.

So at this rate, when I tell you I'll write another blog entry tomorrow, it'll probably be about 3 days... Happy Sousegade!

Daniel

Land Lines: Soon Six Feet Under?

2005-12-12T04:44:00.000-05:00

Due to the travelling nature of my life recently, I've heard that people have trouble tracking down which phone number to use to get ahold of me. Eventually, it may not matter that much. With the advent of Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology, eventually long-distance billing will be a thing of the past, as people will be (and already are) having conversations over the Internet instead of by traditional phone. Applications such as MSN Messenger, Skype, and Google Talk, which have audio conversation capabilities, have been instrumental in unleashing the onslaught of low-cost alternatives to big corporations with expensive phone plans. Perhaps it won't all be completely free forever, but don't you think that such a trend will be impossible for the big phone companies to ignore once the masses switch to VoIP? It will happen... Bell Canada beware. Email me your Skype I.D. if you have it, and lets talk for free. But if I'm offline, I guess you'll just have to call.

On a related note, I once worked for Broadcom, and was involved specifically in low-level tone detection within VoIP data streams, involving mathematical convolutions of discrete PCM data in ANSI C within the firmware of some of the company's embedded ASICs, for all of you nerds out there.

Daniel

Down But Not Out?

2005-12-05T23:47:00.000-05:00

I read recently about a new test that allows for early detection of Down Syndrome. The article, forwarded to me by Johnathan, discussed some of the ethical issues involved and provided a statistic that 90% of women who get a positive test for Down syndrome get an abortion. Apparently, however, there is a huge demand to adopt babies with Down Syndrome. There's a big can of worms opened up by this, of course.

I also discovered something intereseting that is related. Here are the statistics on the likelihood of having a child with Down Syndrome versus the mother's age:

under 30: less than 1 in 1000
30: 1 in 900
35: 1 in 400
36: 1 in 300
37: 1 in 230
38: 1 in 180
39: 1 in 135
40: 1 in 105
42: 1 in 60
44: 1 in 35
46: 1 in 20
48: 1 in 16
49: 1 in 12

One other interesting thing the article raised was that if one of the purposes of prenatal screening is to reduce the frequency of disabilities, what does that say about all the people who currently have disabilities?

Daniel

Yanksgiving

2005-11-26T19:16:00.000-05:00

Last year, I got the short end of the holiday stick. In 2004, Canadian Thanksgiving was in October, and of course, I was in the U.S.A., and inevitably in Canada during American Thanksgiving (aptly named Yanksgiving by Sarah) in November. This year, on the other hand, I was in the right countries for both, and celebrated with my family in Canada, and with friends of friends in the USA. So I guess I'm on par again, averaging about 1 Thanksgiving per year.

I'll take this opportunity to give thanks to those who have been reading my weblog. If you're one of those silent readers, please leave a comment every now and then so I know you're there!

Daniel

Flag This Artist

2005-10-30T15:16:00.000-05:00

I haven't yet decided if I want to use this blog as a political outlet too. Still, I figured I'd start slow, and post about the following site:

http://www.brazilianartists.net/home/flags/

Originally posted by Anthony, I thought it was really thought-provoking, and very original. I don't get impressed by art or politics too often, but this, at the intersection of both, really caught my attention. Well, I didn't see the flag of my country there, so I took the original concept and applied it. It only took me a few minutes to figure out the surface area colours by percentage, since I found a grid-lined version of our official map. Interestingly, the National Flag of Canada is about two-thirds red, and without the leaf, it would be exactly half red. (What, did you think I was American?)

Here's my flag. After doing my research, I realised It's really hard to come up with statistics that are real that fit the proportions of a flag and that are relevant to a country's political landscape, so I have to give the original artist a lot of respect.

Red: Aboriginal population under the age of 25.
White: Aboriginal population not under the age of 25.

Here are a couple of other stats of note I uncovered:

Red: General population not under age of 25.
White: General population under the age of 25
Red: Educational workers that are female.
White: Educational workers that are male
Red: Forest fires (land burned) due to human activites.
White: Forest fires (land burned) not due to human activity.

I'd be interested to hear any feedback or other stats.

Daniel

A Nomad No More? No Madness?

2005-10-25T03:14:00.000-04:00

I've been a nomad for a long time, travelling on planes trains and automobiles, mostly for work, although I have met some very wonderful people through my travels. However, it has kept me so busy, I haven't had time to think. I also haven't had a car, or a place to live until very recently. And that's what this post is about. I was finally forced by work to get a place to live locally. I'm still returning home and maintaining my resident status in Toronto, but will be staying in Michigan to work at GM, thanks to my friend Ann, who is renting me a spare room in her gigantic house (with a sweet sound system). The cool thing about having a roommate is that you come home, and even if no one is around, there are signs of life, and things have moved around magically! I went grocery shopping for the first time in years and it was kind of exciting! Yes its amazing: red, orange and yellow bell peppers are 1.5 times more expensive than green ones.

Will I still move to Windsor (which was the original 30-minute commute plan)? I don't know... I do hate the 1 hour commute. For now I'm liking the non-nomadic style of having a nice place, so time will tell.

Daniel

Whine Whine Whine...

2005-10-19T02:10:00.000-04:00

When you find that life is difficult and you find yourself complaining more often than normal, I believe that this is an indication that you should reassess your attitude and whether or not you are part of the problem. Whether it be through bad prioritization, a lack of appreciation or anything else, often the cause of and solution to many of life's problems is internal. (Also it is said that alcohol is the cause of and solution to all of life's problems, and I suppose it does indeed become internal once you drink it, so that proves my point).

I have a couple of things I'm currently complaining about: One is the fact that I didn't get many comments about my new car on my weblog. Its not so much that I wanted people to see it, but simply that it is showing that nobody really reads my blog much, which is what I suspected (and I was perhaps in denial). I figured if people would comment on anything, they'd comment on a car! Or... maybe I should write better blog entries. Another related thing is that someone opened their door and dented it in a parking lot the first day I brought it to Michigan. Now I'm parking it away from other cars when possible. Whine whine whine...

Additionally I muse that I work too much too. I try to take time off and I spend it doing mostly work-related things. I'm back from it now and I'm almost as stressed as before. But again, this is an issue that I can clearly do something about. I need to prioritize my life better and learn to draw the line and actually try living my life, especially seeing as the company isn't paying my way as much anymore. Whine whine whine...

It's time to stop whining about issues and start doing things about them.

Daniel

The New Daniel-mobile: Brand Spankin' Used

2005-10-11T04:00:00.000-04:00

I really loved my dad's old '89 Camry wagon, even though the malfunctioning "auto-off lights" helped me meet many strangers with booster cables. I always appreciated how you could slip the keys right out of the ignition and still continue to drive. That car truly was fun, and I even got 9L/100km (thats like 26 MPG, you Americans)!

But, all the same, I think I'm much happier with my 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix GT2. Sure, its the first big thing I ever bought (and incidentally, the first big thing I ever bought that I still have to pay off eventually), but I'm anticipating keeping it for a long time. My dad actually found it in Oakville for me (Stan's home town).

I didn't enjoy the whole car buying experience. Pretty much its people trying to convince you to give them your money, which is annoying because you don't really know how much to trust what they say. In the end, you ignore what they say, and see what they can prove. I did buy the car, though, so it means I was either satisfied or getting tired. Thanks to GM Optimum, I could actually exchange it within 30 days. But that'll never happen, because I'm enjoying it more every day. I'll name it soon.

Suggest a name, and let me know what you think, and maybe I'll let you ride in it... but wipe your feet first, I'm getting obsessive already.

Daniel

The Art Of Not Writing Songs

2005-09-29T22:55:00.000-04:00

Over near my sofa, lies my guitar (not Jen's guitar). It's still in the case, because I hardly have time to play anymore. But I've been writing songs for years! Basically I would write a song or a snippet of a song, then forget it , then try to remember a little bit later on. This was frustrating because I would often lose some great music that I had written. (I once wrote the song "Billie Jean", but clearly Michael Jackson stole it, like he clearly stole some other songs.)

But then one day I had some writing utensils (not like these that you can eat with), and jotted some notes down. Months later, I actually remembered it from my written chords and lyrics. Normally my bouts of inspiration are random, so whether a song gets remembered is based on whether I can write it down and whether I am feeling lazy. I've got about 4.2 songs written towards my eventual album (one of my goals). Of course Jackson will just steal it anyway. So I always try to have pen and paper on hand... I eventually also figured out I should keep these inside the guitar case!

Earlier in my life, when I was a music student in high school, I thought that writing music that people liked was 90% the music and 5% the lyrics and 5% the person listening to it. Those numbers have constantly been changing, but now I feel its more like 25% style, 40% honesty, 20% confidence and 12% subtlety. (Numbers do not add to 100% due to rounding!). I also think its more important for music to have meaning than for it to be liked by others (okay, I'm about 65% purist and 41% populist).

If you had to put a formula to good music ingredients, what would it be??

Daniel [Music_]

How Long, How Soon, How Blog

2005-09-25T16:04:00.000-04:00

Reflecting on my brand new blog, I've wondered about the best length and frequency of blog entries. I realised that it must depend on the goals of the blog and on the subject. So I wrote down the goals of this blog so that I at least eventually figure out why I'm doing it.

Historical record of thoughts and events (who will care in 3 years anyway?)
Keep friends and family informed (they complain i'm hard to track)
Hear people's comments and reactions (if anyone responds!)
Feel popular (even if I'm not)
Make my life more organised (as though my life isn't organised enough, umm...)
Help me accomplish life goals (my list of goals is already too long)
Tell people cool things, and generate discussion (that's why I link to stuff)
Link to cool things and inspire or inform others (that's why you click the links... click already!)

Why do/would YOU maintain a blog? What is the ideal length of a blog entry? What is a good frequency a blog should be updated at? Some of you out there are really experienced... tell me about what you've learned!

Daniel

How To Hate Being Sick

2005-09-22T19:11:00.000-04:00

I suppose I don't have much to complain about because I don't get sick very often. I mean, I have steadily worsening allergies to cats, and I have often been categorised as a klutz. True, I haven't broken any bones yet (its been close) but I have chipped my front tooth about 7 or 8 times in the same place (much to Dr. Chiu, my dentist's dismay) -- guess which tooth it is, the #8 on my left or the #9 on my right, according the the Universal Numbering System for teeth -- and I have had a series of funny but painful soccer injuries.

But, normally when I get sick, I just feel a little under the weather and usually can still handle life. Its pretty rare for me to cancel plans or miss work. Well, I woke up yesterday with a sore throat pretending to myself that I'm not about to be sick. By the end of the day, I was experiencing high fever and severe headaches and general aching all over my body. While at work during the day, I found out that you have to walk about a kilometer just to find the Medical Bay, because our plant is so huge. I mean, I just wanted cough drops! So anyway, I think it is the flu and hopefully not the killer flu. It was bad enough that I actually took the day off work putting off a very important project. Pretty much the only thing I have enough energy to do right now is make a blog entry, although, surprisingly, this is taking more effort than it should. Mercifully, its nearly done. I'm hoping to feel better by tomorrow, which incidentally is Saudi Arabia's 75th National Day, as I'm supposed to have a couple of friends over. Wish me luck, I'm going to bed. Well, after I do my laundry.

Daniel [Life_][Health_]

All In Two Days' Work

2005-09-18T21:48:00.000-04:00

I woke up at 4pm for once. That's a little abnormal for me, especially when you take into account the fact that I had been sleeping for 14 hours straight. It goes back a couple of days.

Friday - The subtle art of negotiations.

13:00 Negotiations - Don't accept a pay cut.
My job has asked big changes of me soon. I had to get a car and a place of my own and move. This change was not going to be fun, so I had decided to leave my job. It just wouldn't be worth it. This brought on negotiation talks. As initial talks on Tuesday went a good 270 minutes in Windsor at the Chatham St. Grill, I expected no less for the second round at the company headquarters. So it turns out it took 4 hours again. I got what I call a fair settlement, in which both parties compromised. So I will keep my job in Michigan and move to Windsor. For now.
20:00 Happy Birthday
When I finally got back, my friend Shanna who I met at swing dancing invited me to her friend's birthday at the Ann Arbor Brewing Company. I had to eat anyway, so I drove to the place and had food and fun. Then I came back to my "home" and crashed into my pillow at about 3am, knowing that I would have to get up in only 4 hours. Read on to find out why.

Saturday - No rest for the busy:

07:45 Habitat Landscaping
After less than 4 hours sleep each night this week, I woke up at 7am as I'm in a group of people from my church in Ann Arbor and who volunteered for Habitat For Humanity Michigan, a great charity, in Jackson, Michigan, about 40 minutes away. We took a yard with a pile of mud and rubble, and created a really nice garden complete with stepping stones and borders and proper drainage. I'm good with a pick-axe! It was really satisfying, and I was amazed at what we did with the Jackson city chapter. I'll get a picture out later.
15:00 Choir Rehearsal
After getting back, I sped away to play piano for a choir rehearsal from 3-5, which I was late for. This was embarrassing, since some of the people who were working with me earlier were on time. Anyway, they have a wonderful Yamaha piano that I just love playing. Its pretty close, but I think the newer Grebel chapel piano is better.
17:00 Church
We then provided music for Saturday mass at 5pm (Donny once called Saturday mass the Catholic Church's greatest innovation). The sermon was based on the servant who was forgiven his debt and refused to forgive the debt of someone else.
18:00 Confession
I regularly talk with a familiar priest about my spiritual life. This particular talk was excellent, and although it felt like 45 minutes, actually lasted 90 minutes. When I was younger, I thought "confession" was about listing your "sins" and receiving "absolution". But more and more I am finding its simply about being honest within yourself and with God, and becoming free to trust that God is with you, and that if you live out of love, and not selfishness then you're going in the right direction. I'm amazed how it helps in feeling the freedom that you have to be responsible for your actions.
20:00 The Symphony and the Schmooze
I then received a call from a friend of mine Becky Walsh, Director of Programming for the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra. She had a ticket to the premiere performance this year that she told me about earlier, and her husband could not be there. I jumped at the chance, sped home, put on my suit and tie, and rushed out to meet her at 8pm. We had a great time listening to live music! I then went to the after-party and schmoozed with important people in the city and even with the conductor, Arie Lipsky! And they even gave us food!
26:00 Sleep
By the time I got back in to bed, it was 2am. You can see why I needed 14 hours (about par for a 6- to 12-month old baby). My average for the week is now 5 hours per night.

I am feeling a little rested now, but really really hungry seeing how long it took to post this. Time to get some 9pm breakfast!

Daniel [Life_]

What Country Did I Just Wake Up In?

2005-09-14T01:59:00.000-04:00

So after many months and years of resisting the Blog bandwagon, I've finally been convinced by my good friend Elizabeth in B.C., who incidentally, I've never met. Yet. Nonetheless, I could go on to give you a really controversial blog entry, but just the standard "What side of the Earth did I fall off?" catch-up blog entry will have to do. Your name might be in it!

Got a degree at the University of Waterloo
Met some people, played some music, got really really scary good at original NES Tetris with Donny
Got a job at GM, did lots of travelling on the company tab (Japan, Europe and U.S.A mostly), and now have over 20 stamps on my passport (yes I'm still a citizen in my home country for those who have questioned my allegiance to Canada)
Told some jokes, got paid some more, two ski trips to Vermont
Started being in Ann Arbor, Michigan a lot somewhere along the line (its a lot like Toronto!), John and Marika visited me here, too.

Over the course of the last couple of years, I'd have to say I've definitely furthered my goals. If you don't have goals, get some - they're highly underrated! Here's a smattering of things I have done, in the field of accomplishing goals and doing significant things in life, which I'm a big fan of:

Increased my nationage ratio to 15/26 or roughly 58 percent thanks to Italy this year! This is calculated by dividing the number of countries you've visited in the world by your age. My goal is to reach 100 percent at some point in my life, so it gets harder every year you wait. I need to tour Africa I think.
Learned to speak German. Actually I can do pretty well conversationally, if you don't believe in grammar. Probierst mich! Jen, you will not believe it until you hear it (and welcome back)!
Learned to swing dance. I've been doing that at the University of Michigan for several months, on and off, when I'm not overseas. I'm getting pretty good. And its a great place for women to meet me. If they're lucky I call them back.
Was the best man at John's wedding. Being a best man is a tough responsibility, but also its very rewarding, and it was a significant experience in my life, and truly an honour. I get to be best man again soon at Alan's wedding, and if there's one thing I learned, its to just do it from the heart and everything will go well (no, not my brother Alan, who wrote this hilarious article)
Got my masters degree! Actually, I didn't but I feel like I did. I assisted Pearl with programming expertise for her mounds of statistical data in respiratory rehabilition trials at the University of Toronto. I am now officially a VBA tutor, sort of.
Joined a jazz quartet in Michigan that didn't have a pianist. This was the most rewarding musical development in Jazz I've ever had. Too bad our quartet just broke up last month when we lost our drummer... so much for the CD (I do have mp3s though). Well, we might have a reunion recording session I hope. It was awesome playing anyway. If you play jazz, get the Real Book -- its quality!

So, I've been pretty busy... and from the whole travelling-for-2-years-straight-with-no-vacation thing, I'm pretty tired, so I'm going to sleep! Why not give the comment function a whirl, and make my blogging experience that much more enjoyable!

Daniel [Life_]