Merry Christmas to loyal readers!
Before I indulge in the usual Christmas day eating fest followed by a few days in New Orleans of over indulging, I want to announce my 50-Day challenge of no alcohol and only healthy eating. Last year I completed a 45-day challenge with much fanfare. I lost over 25 pounds. I felt great and lowered my cholesterol. I have also set a goal of 600,000 steps on my pedometer. That would be 12,000 steps a day or 6-miles. I even purchased a new pedometer which I will start from zero on Jan 1st.
I found that by making a public announcement of my challenge it is much more difficult to cheat. After the 50-days a I plan on continuing to eat healthy and switch to light beer at moderate levels.
Wednesday 25 December 2013
Sunday 22 December 2013
It's Unofficial But……...
It won't be official until the end of the Monday Night Football game but I will be the new fantasy football champ in my league. I'm unsure how much the victory is worth but likely a few $hundred. More importantly it is the prestige and monkey off my back. I am without a doubt the worst fantasy player in my league. One player, Terry August, quit because I was so bad. Charlie Brown, who will finish dead last this year, the Commissioner of our league never failed to point out how I never made the playoffs and always had a losing team. It is all true. But this year I made the playoffs with a losing record and then won 3-straight times against superior opponents to grab the title.
In our league 8 out of 12 teams make the playoffs. It took me 6-years to finally make the playoffs last year by squeaking in on a tie-breaker. I was then trounced in the post-season. This year I had a slightly better team and finished the regular season in 6th but not before I lost 5 of my last 6-games. I got hot at the right time. I did have Jamaal Charles as my running back which did not hurt.
I remember August once told me that past winners, such as him, had an elite status in our league. I'm pleased to join their membership and equally pleased that he was not there to witness it.
I will be heading to New Orleans in the next short while with a dozen of the boys for a stag and will be taking family friendly photos for the blog. Stay tuned!
In our league 8 out of 12 teams make the playoffs. It took me 6-years to finally make the playoffs last year by squeaking in on a tie-breaker. I was then trounced in the post-season. This year I had a slightly better team and finished the regular season in 6th but not before I lost 5 of my last 6-games. I got hot at the right time. I did have Jamaal Charles as my running back which did not hurt.
I remember August once told me that past winners, such as him, had an elite status in our league. I'm pleased to join their membership and equally pleased that he was not there to witness it.
I will be heading to New Orleans in the next short while with a dozen of the boys for a stag and will be taking family friendly photos for the blog. Stay tuned!
Tuesday 17 December 2013
I'm that Crusty Old Guy!
When I started in the business 25-years-ago I hated the crusty old cynical guys that were always miserable and hated any change. I'm now that guy. We only have 12 people in our small department and I'm the least popular. I get along well with my boss and one other person. Most people are indifferent and a few downright dislike me. I think I'm still relatively well liked in other departments but the people that know me best can barely tolerate me.
Frankly, I would dislike me.
Part of the problem is I have not kept up with the new workplace. There is no unwritten code of conduct anymore. No one gives you a heads up when there is a shit storm headed your way. No one tips you off before reporting your failings to management. There is a gotcha attitude by back-line workers. There is a military like chain of command. I can't speak directly to someone else without going through their boss.
I honestly thought I would continue to be a nice guy as I got older but it didn't happen. We have one old guy on contract that is unfailingly happy and brings joy and good cheer to the office. I wanted to be that guy, but the workplace beat me down. I'm now cowering in my cube like a shut-in. I'm afraid to go to the bathroom in case I run into someone. I would hold court at the water cooler and now I make a break for the kitchen like a Navy Seal in camouflage. When my phone rings I'm startled out of my seat. Who is calling me? I ride the elevator praying no one will talk to me before I reach my 3rd floor office.
Don't get me wrong I actually like my job, I just haven't been able to keep up with the 21st century workplace. I still get the job done and on occasion can enjoy a post work beer with some of the old-school workers.
Frankly, I would dislike me.
Part of the problem is I have not kept up with the new workplace. There is no unwritten code of conduct anymore. No one gives you a heads up when there is a shit storm headed your way. No one tips you off before reporting your failings to management. There is a gotcha attitude by back-line workers. There is a military like chain of command. I can't speak directly to someone else without going through their boss.
I honestly thought I would continue to be a nice guy as I got older but it didn't happen. We have one old guy on contract that is unfailingly happy and brings joy and good cheer to the office. I wanted to be that guy, but the workplace beat me down. I'm now cowering in my cube like a shut-in. I'm afraid to go to the bathroom in case I run into someone. I would hold court at the water cooler and now I make a break for the kitchen like a Navy Seal in camouflage. When my phone rings I'm startled out of my seat. Who is calling me? I ride the elevator praying no one will talk to me before I reach my 3rd floor office.
Don't get me wrong I actually like my job, I just haven't been able to keep up with the 21st century workplace. I still get the job done and on occasion can enjoy a post work beer with some of the old-school workers.
Saturday 14 December 2013
Con Game
I'm reading on the CBC website that Jim Flaherty was hurling expletives at fellow cabinet minister Jason Kenny. Kenney's crime was recommending that Toronto's mayor should step aside while he seeks medical treatment. Flaherty a family friend of the Ford's wanted Kenney to keep his mouth shut. This from a party that rips into Justin Trudeau because he occasionally smokes pot. Someone actually called Flaherty brave when he whimpered while asked about Ford's troubles. Typical conservative double standards. Apparently the Toronto area conservative caucus wants a gag order on comments critical of Ford.
Sunday 8 December 2013
Languages Of The Unheard
Later this month I will do something I rarely do which is read a book. The book was written by my brother Steve D'Arcy a philosophy professor at Huron College (Western University). Steve's politics are much further to the left of mine which may be obvious by the book's title. The book is available on Amazon or at finer bookstores later this month. It does not hurt to hear the viewpoints of people that you may disagree with.
Rob Anders, Rob Ford & Frank Gehry
I read an article in the Globe and Mail about the proposed Frank Gehry projects set for King Street West in Toronto. The article was generally positive and the angle was that the developer was asking for the moon and will settle for something less, but the project will likely go ahead. Then I read the comments from Globe readers. They are overwhelmingly negative towards the project.The comments come from two types of people, the usual Toronto haters from the hinterlands and the locals that hate change and lack vision. One comment was that Toronto will never be London or New York. You're right with people that block visionary buildings from the world's leading architect.
I live on King Street West, 1-kilometre west of this site. I have walked by the location hundreds of times. My favourite comments from the naysayers is that they agree the box like slab structures they want to save are unremarkable. There are dozens of examples of the architecture on King St. alone. Check the King St buildings for 3 entire blocks west of Spadina.
As for the criticism about overcrowded streetcars, the buildings will be 100 metres from the subway system. The overwhelming majority of the residents will walk to work in the hundreds of office towers of the central business district 5-minutes from their building.
Calgary West MP Rob Anders, the sleepy ultra-conservative bigot and professional heckler is at it again. He was the only MP a decade ago to deny Nelson Mandela a unanimous vote on an Honorary Citizenship. He called Mandela a terrorist and repeated his opinion after Mandela's death. The fact that Calgary West residents re-elect this man is a shameful reflection of their political position. The standard line is that we are electing a Conservative MP not the man. I'm a Liberal supporter and have voted for the NDP the last 4 federal elections because the Liberals ran a deeply flawed candidate, or his wife, in Trinity Spadina. If my party runs an asshole I vote for another party.
I never voted for Rob Ford and suspected that he was an buffoon prior to the last election. We will see next election if the citizens of Toronto will demand better from their mayor. If we re-elect Rob Ford then we are no better than the people in Calgary West.
I live on King Street West, 1-kilometre west of this site. I have walked by the location hundreds of times. My favourite comments from the naysayers is that they agree the box like slab structures they want to save are unremarkable. There are dozens of examples of the architecture on King St. alone. Check the King St buildings for 3 entire blocks west of Spadina.
As for the criticism about overcrowded streetcars, the buildings will be 100 metres from the subway system. The overwhelming majority of the residents will walk to work in the hundreds of office towers of the central business district 5-minutes from their building.
Calgary West MP Rob Anders, the sleepy ultra-conservative bigot and professional heckler is at it again. He was the only MP a decade ago to deny Nelson Mandela a unanimous vote on an Honorary Citizenship. He called Mandela a terrorist and repeated his opinion after Mandela's death. The fact that Calgary West residents re-elect this man is a shameful reflection of their political position. The standard line is that we are electing a Conservative MP not the man. I'm a Liberal supporter and have voted for the NDP the last 4 federal elections because the Liberals ran a deeply flawed candidate, or his wife, in Trinity Spadina. If my party runs an asshole I vote for another party.
I never voted for Rob Ford and suspected that he was an buffoon prior to the last election. We will see next election if the citizens of Toronto will demand better from their mayor. If we re-elect Rob Ford then we are no better than the people in Calgary West.
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