I reject your reality and substitute my own

When life makes you go hmmm....

2007-04-05T17:17:00.000-07:00

The not so glorious thing about technology is that it can commonly not work when you want it or need it most. This was the case yesterday when I had a strong complusion to blog, and because they were updating the blog system I used it was unavailable. So today I blog because I feel I should follow through, not necessarily because the desire is incredibly strong.

So this last 7 days have been a bit hectic. I had a job interview for a position in Lethbridge and really wanted it. So I studied for it, and really prepared, but in hindsight I think I over prepared. I didn't the position, and I think it because I so filled my brain with extra info that I missed being to focus on the basics. K.I.S.S. (keep it super simple ) . I also bought a house in Lethbridge, but due to the listing agent not informing us properly the house already had an accepted conditional offer on the house. So didn't get that either. Couple people have asked me where it leaves me. And that is a good question because I have no clue. This potential Lethbridge move was different from all my past moves. Every single past move was made with the knowledge that it was temporary. This Lethbridge move had (and eventually will) potential to be far more permanent. So I find myself in a bit of a limbo. I plan to keep looking for a place in Lethbridge, and on the good side of all of this is that I can finish my reno's on my house and potentially ask a bit more of a premium for this house as I am not in a hurry to sell.

So life carrys on.

Okay enough criticism!

2007-03-27T21:36:00.000-07:00

Ya, it has been a while since I posted. I don't know why, but was just not in the mood to blog. Today I felt inspired. It almost didn't happen as I struggled to remember my password. But lucky for you all, I did.

So this Thursday I am going for a job interview with AADAC in Lethbridge. I am excited as it really unique position. It would be providing addictions counselling to individuals, families, and couples who are referred by the Domestic violence family court.

So with the possibility of getting employment in Lethbridge, I am rushing to finish my renovations.
The weird thing even without having a firm job in Lethbridge, having my house finished, but am already looking for a place to buy in Lethbridge.

2007-01-11T19:34:00.000-08:00

A friend of mine felt the necessity to tag me in game. I do this out of protest, as I was feeling like a lazy putz today, and didn't have the desire to do this, but because Rach is a friend and very special and super person I will do this.

Layer ONE- On the Outside
Name: Dana Scott
Birth Date: 1973
Current Status: single
Eye Color: blue
Hair Color: Red
Righty or Lefty: Lefty
Zodiac Sign: Gemni

Layer TWO - On the inside
Your Heritage: Ukrainian, Swedish, and a Anglo-saxon heinz 57.
Your Fears: Nothing really.
Your Weaknesses: silk sheets, a cold beer, a good dump and killing someone in self-defense, and it was honestly in self-defense! (okay I stole that line from "a kids in the hall" sketch, but the first three things on that list are very enjoyable.)
Your Perfect Pizza: Any pizza I am eating.

Layer THREE - Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow
Your thoughts first waking up: uh...
Your Bedtime: eleven - twelve.
Your most missed memory: Okay this question doesn't make sense. How can you miss a memory? If you remember something, you aren't missing it and if it is missing then you don't remember it. Now if the question refers to what memorable event from the past you miss the most that would have to be the Oilers in their glory days, and going to watch the games with my dad.

Layer FOUR - Your PickPepsi or Coke: coke
McDonald’s or Burger King: BK
Adidas or Nike: neither.
Lipton tea or Nestea: Nestea
Chocolate or vanilla: Chocolate
Cappuccino or coffee: Coffee. "Coffee should be black as hell, strong as death, and as sweet as love. ~ Turkish proverd.

Layer FIVE -
Do you Smoke: About 3 to 4 cigars a year.
Curse: more since working with the clients that I do.

Layer SIX - In the Past Month
Drank alcohol: yes.
Gone to the mall: unfortunately yes.
Been on stage: no.
Eaten sushi: No
Dyed your hair: No, and if you ever suggest that I did you are likely to die!

Layer SEVEN - Have You Ever?
Played a stripping game: unfortunately no
Changed who you were to fit in: Not in a long time!

Layer EIGHT
Age you’re hoping to be married: Stopped predicting that about 8 years ago.

Layer NINE - In a Girl
Best eye colour: Not red
Best hair colour: Not Purple or green
Short or long hair: Any as long as they are not bald.

Layer TEN -
What Were You Doing
1 minute ago: Chatting with my friend Jana-lynn and eating a bacon and tomato sandwich.
1 hour ago: Playing a video game.
4.5 hours ago: Getting off of work, and talking to a real estate agent about a possible house to flip.
1 month ago: No clue.
1 year ago: Getting used to a new job

Layer ELEVEN -
Finish the sentence
I love: my friends, and family, helping people and food.
I feel: at peace.
I hate: When friends are depressed and down.
I hide: food from my brother.
I miss: My buddy Rob and his wife Naomi, who are in Nepal
I need: A lamborgini, okay that is a want. I have everything I need! But I do have a substancial list of "wants"

Layer TWELVE - Tag 3 people.
Jana-Lynn
Dave K.
Darrin and Lisa

Photo's of reno's part 2

2006-12-28T22:22:00.000-08:00

Here is another batch of photos.
The white square on the wall of one of them is due to the flash reflecting off the mirror.
I wish I had some pre-reno photo's but unfortunately I forgot to get some.

Pictures of my reno's part 1

2006-12-28T22:10:00.000-08:00

Here are some photos of my place now that the reno's are done. I am still not finished decorating yet, so no critiques please.

My new toliet and "over john"

Still needs a mirror.

No I didn't miss a spot, the white dot on the wall is from the flash!

A story to ponder...

2006-12-05T20:12:00.000-08:00

Often at work I share this story with clients because I feel it revoluntionized my life. When I was 19 I was working at summer camp as a cabin leader (most good things I learned in life I learn at camp.) It was c0-ed grade 4-6 kids. I had the cabin from hell! They were constantly getting into trouble i was frustrated and wanted to strangle them. The only positive was that I was getting some good sympathy from the female counsellors. One day I was walking down the path to my cabin with a fellow cabin leader, who by profession was a military chaplin. I said to him "no one would want my cabin!" To which he replied "I would." I of course was caught off guard as I did not expect that response, so then I replied "Well I guess you would do a better job with them?" Then to my greater surprise he responded "No, I would struggle as much as you, but I am jealous about what God is preparing you for, because to go through an experience like this He must be preparing you for something amazing!" I have lived an amazing life so far. I have travelled to foreign countries, over come many personal obstactles, made wonderful friends, and I know it has only begun. I look at the week at camp as major turning point in my life. Struggling through that week moulded me to be able to overcome so much. The funny thing is that I have cabin lead a number of cabins. That is the only cabin in which I remember all the boys! And when I think about it I always smile!

I am a lucky man!

2006-12-02T11:51:00.000-08:00

On a regular basis I find that a smile comes to my face, and warm feeling strikes me on how lucky I am in the friends that I have! I have been blessed beyond belief. My friends Rob and Naomi emailed me today to ask how my mom is doing and I know that is what friends do, but still it gives me warm fuzzies. My friend Troy who given me the power to tell him when he needs to stop worrying about details and take care of himself! My friends Troy, Rob, and Frank have been key people in my life for a long time and it is a blessing to have 3 so different friends. I have also been blessed by the fact that they have each married awesome women. I have other people too who are either new friends, or I don't see them that often but are equally wonderful and impact my life. Here is the list Lyle and Darla, Danny and Kendra, Jana-Lynn, David K., Bonnie, Rach, Pat, Jeff and Michelle, Darrin and Lisa, Darren and Margeruite(sp), Hawk, Christa and Keith and Paul. And my entire soccer team! ( I hope I didn't miss anyone!)

I cannot fail to mention Andy, a friend from soccer and my electrician! Thanks to him my electrical work is ALL DONE!!!!

The sobering reality

2006-11-29T16:11:00.000-08:00

Most people who know me will already know that this past summer my mom found she had breast cancer for the second time. The first time the whole process happened so quickly and with so little fanfare that it never really impacted me. Well this time is quite a bit different. Mom ended up having a double mastectomy in Septemer. The surgery went well, but we had a suscipion that this wasn't over. Today we sat with the oncologist and got the results of the further tests. The cancer spread to her liver. Thankfully it is treatable, but unfortunately not cureable. The treatment of course will be chemotherapy which is going to start in the next week or so. The oncologist suggested that realistically what will happen is that the treatment will put the cancer into remission for a year or 2 then it will likely start to progress again. He was hopeful that it could go into remission for a lot longer, but wanted to be realistic with us. Mom is actually in good spirits and the entire family is remaining "realistically" hopeful. She was worried that we were going to hear it is not treatable. So she is quite upbeat. She was actually more distressed by the news that Rita McNeil cancelled her tour of Alberta :-)

I had to go and open my mouth...

2006-11-21T16:58:00.000-08:00

Yesterday at work I wasn't feeling well, but took a couple of Ibuprophen and felt much better. I even told my boss that I had not taken a sick day in over 3 years. Well today I ate my words. I woke up with a nasty sore throat. Deciding that swallowing my pride and staying home was better that try to grin and bare through the day. After sleeping for a good chunk of the day, now my teeth hurt. Which tells me the issue is a sinus infection. It sucks cause most of my body feels great, except my head. It hasn't reached the point where I want to pick up a drill put a few holes in my crainum to release the pressure, but that is likely still to come.

Is communication a lost skill among men?

2006-11-17T16:35:00.000-08:00

I received a very wonderful compliment from a woman today. I was told that she found it refreshing how I communicate in a straight forward, honest, and clear manner. I find this wonderful because this is a trait I work hard on, so it nice to get positive reinforcement that something is actually getting through my thick skull!

However the comment that it was "refreshing" triggered a question in my mind. Has a large portion of the male gender lost the ability to communicate clearly, honestly and effectly with women? This is not the first time I have recieved this compliment, and often after the compliment has been given, I hear horror stories how men failed to communicate. So I wonder whether I am truly an exception, or whether there just a few men who are horrid communicators that are giving the entire gender a bad name? I throw the question into cyberspace as I am curious on other peoples thoughts on the subject.

I don't think that this is only a male problem, but I am less likely to say something stupid if I stick to comments on my own gender.

Thoughts on "one degree of separation" and the insane cost of window coverings!

2006-11-13T17:21:00.000-08:00

As I wrote in my last post I chose to join the local curling club. Last monday was the first day and I did not know any one I was curling with. To my incredible surprise I am connected to two of the guys on my "rink/team" by one degree. One guy is the brother of the receptionist at work, and she was the one who got me connected with the right people so I could curl. The other guy is dear friend of my Aunt and Uncle and he actually rented my grandmother's house for a time. So although I never met these guys in my life before, we already had some connection. It was a bit surreal of the 56 guys curling I would end up with the only two that I have some sort outside connection with. In case you are wondering I didn't make a fool of myself curling as I expected. It did take a few ends to remember my technique, but it came eventually. Everyone there kept telling me that it was like riding a bike, "you never forget". Well for the first three ends it felt like I was riding a tricycle. :-)

Another new thing in my life is that I bought window coverings for two huge windows I have in my living room. I was planning to buy wood blinds, but for a number of reasons it wasn't practical to buy them at the present time. Because I was weighing out the pro's and con's my windows went uncovered for a period of 6 months. Finally being so tired of living in a fish bowl, and not liking my colleagues suggestion to hang a flag in the window, I decided I was going to buy some sort covering this weekend no matter what. So I look around found nothing I really liked, until I went to "linen's and things". For 2 windows $500 (plus tax), and these were some of cheapest drapes in the place! I nearly had a heart attack as I pulled out my credit card. It was at that moment when I realized that having 100" x 50" windows aren't as nice as I thought when I bought the house. Everytime I walk into my living room I remind myself how wonderful it is to have some privacy and how beautiful the drapes are, simply so I don't choke on how much I spent

The fear of ... Curling

2006-11-04T16:55:00.000-08:00

After 13 years I dug out my curling shoes, and brush today. I start curling next monday. As I checking to see if everything was still useable, I got a bit nervous. I haven't curled since my first year of university, so as I put my shoes on to see if they still fit I began to worry that I may step out on to the ice and make a bit of a fool of myself. Thankfully I remembered that I make a fool of myself on a regular basis anywise, so this won't be anything out of the ordinary. :-)

Noooo.....

2006-11-03T20:21:00.000-08:00

Wednesday evening I returned home after being gone for a day and a half and found my internet not working. At first I was okay with it, but began to have an increasing feeling of disconnect with the world. So when I got home from work I had the intense need to do whatever necessary to get it working again. The sense of relief I got, when after an hour of working with internet tech we managed to get internet working again, was incredible. It has made me realize a bit of the dependency I have formed with the internet for entertainment. Don't get me wrong I have a significant life in the "real world"; however I think the internet plays a bigger role than I had previously recognized. Not sure if that is a good or bad thing. Too busy surfing the net to think any further about it :-)

A surreal conversation

2006-11-01T19:50:00.000-08:00

This evening I had one those conversations with my family I never really expected to have. This August we learned that my mother had breast cancer for the second time. She since underwent surgery and has received both potentially good and potentially bad news, and we are waiting on some tests to find out the prognosis. My mother was a nurse so we as a family have been able to remain "realistically" optimistic. We are well aware that it could be really bad, but are going to try and not worry until we know for sure. Well tonight I was visiting my family and at dinner my mother and father began to talk about whether he would date again if my mother passed away. They were both okay with the conversation and I think my mother was pleased to hear my father say that he wouldn't date again. However the whole conversation was a little weird. Especially since they were laughing about the whole thing. I think it is good that we as a family can talk about these sort of things, but it does not make it any less weird.

The nutrition of beer...

2006-10-31T17:41:00.000-08:00

As is my normal practice when I sat down to write I grabbed a tasty beverage. Today on a very rare occassion I happen to have beer on hand, and that seemed exceptionally appealling. I took a big swig and put the bottle on my desk. To my surprise I notice a nutrition label, something I don't believe I have ever seen before on a beer. I understand the move in our society to be more conscious of nutrition, but on a beer? I have looked at nutrition labels on things like cereal, or sauces, or products that present themselves as healthy alternatives. But beer? Who really cares that a "big Rock" -"traditional Ale" has 18% of your daily intake of niacin? Most sane people when looking for something healthy would drink water, juice, or milk.

Because I work as an addiction counsellor I have heard just about every possible justification/rationalization for drinking known to man, and many of them are a little far fetched, but I must admit I have never heard anyone say that they drank because it helped them meet their required daily intake of magnesium.

However I did learn one interesting tibbit, that a beer provides 2% of daily intake calcium. Well I guess I need to drink another 49. :-)

Stuck in Lethbridge...

2006-10-29T22:06:00.000-08:00

The mild fall, took a drastic change today and I woke up to a genuine blizzard today. Was planning to drive home today, but the weather was so bad that I decided to stay the night and challenge to road in the morning. It is going for make a long day tomorrow, but the bright side I get to watch satellite tv, instead of peasant vision. I guess you have to always try and find the silver lining!

Another photo from the Great divide...

2006-10-27T16:21:00.000-07:00

I won't be blogging over the weekend, so I will give an extra post today. I just think this is a cool pic. I took this picture our second day travelling by the Jack Pine River. At this point we were 2 days from the North West boundary of Jasper national park. This is the shelter I slept in for 3 weeks. If you think that it looks cold and wet, then you would be correct.

Could the day go any slower...

2006-10-27T16:04:00.000-07:00

I know the majority of people in the world love fridays, but I think those of us in the helping professions love them a little more. Because as of fridays at 4 pm I am allowed to envolk the I.D.C. clause. Or the "I don't care" clause. Currently I have a great group of clients, but you still get tired of "active listening", being empathetic, and compassionate at the time.
Obviously I still need to be caring to my friends and family, but they are well aware that there will be moments that for my own sanity I will need to envolk the I.D.C. or the S.I.U.P. clause (Suck it up princess!). So because I was desparately waiting for the end of the day, it seemed like a insanely long day.

Have a halloween party tomorrow. Still need to come up with a costume. My old stand by of cowboy gear won't work as it is a theme party. "Gods and Goddesses". Well best be off to try and create something.

Sunrise over Sheep creek

2006-10-26T22:22:00.000-07:00

This photo was taken at sheep creek, just east of Intersection Mountain (the mountain on the BC/AB border where BC starts to jut Eastward).

There is an arguement between my friend and I who took this photo. I am certain I did, and he is certain he did. It really doesn't matter.

As I was looking at this photo I was reminded about the promise of every new day and the importance of always pushing on. This photo was taken while I was on a three week horse pack trip down the great divide. We had to camp for 3 or 4 days at Sheep creek because 2 horses went lame on us, and the weather was horrible. Right around when this photo was taken we were contemplating giving up on our goal, and just trying to get to nearest civilization (which was still 3 days aways). We were wet, dirty and a bit discouraged. Thankfully we decided to push on and it became one of the most impactful experiences in my life. I am certain that memories of that trip will often be an inspiration for my posts.

And so it begins...

2006-10-24T17:54:00.000-07:00

I have long since lost count of my many failed attempts at journaling. It was not that I hated writing it, or did not find it incredibly helpful to put my thoughts on a page, or that I did not find my thoughts incredibly amusing when I read them years later. It was...well... I just suck at it. I would make 3 or 4 entries and then forget about it or misplace it (every time I move I stumble on a past attempt and get a good chuckle). I also realized that it was never something that I could become overly excited about. What struck me was that I am too much an extrovert to really enjoy the quiet reflection which is classic journaling. I find it much more therapeutic and enjoyable to share my inner thoughts with another human being, especially if it over a tasty beverage, such as coffee or a beer.

So the other day as I was reading the blog of a friend, I recognized an opportunity to unite the reflective qualities of journaling with my extrovert and narcissistic tendencies of wanting share my thoughts with others. So with a tasty beverage in hand my blogging journey begins...