No Man's Land: Journal

Calmer Climate

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 23:38:06 GMT

As it turns out, there's only a month left of summer before I head back to college for my final year. It's been a hectic few months, I must say. A few weeks in Lethbridge, writing; five weeks painting in Peace country, and a few weeks for the wedding and honeymoon; now finally back home, where things are always less chaotic.

So again, I apologize for the severe lack of entries lately. This will change. In the mean time, though, feel free to browse the archives or photo albums, or check out the links in any of the lists. I'll be back with more soon.

Enjoy,
-Raggy

Enlightenment

Wed, 07 May 2008 01:21:13 GMT

I was standing on what seemed to be a flat on the red mountain, a clearing in the thick foliage. Canyon walls rose up from the red rock, thirty feet up all around me, and there was a spring gushing violently out of the middle of the flat. Swirling around itself, it poured into a rushing five foot wide, six foot deep rapid that emptied into an equally violent river tearing past on my left. The stormy sky was a pinky-mauve colour, and students from my college class were partying everywhere. Several of them, if not all of them, were binging heavily.

I couldn't seem to shake the sense of being scattered. People were making fools of themselves all around me, having a great time, doing what college students do. But the atmosphere was so gloomy; it all seemed completely familiar, but at the same time I felt I didn't quite belong.

One redneck girl from the class, wearing a hunting vest and an ammunition belt full of cans of Bud, was being particularly rowdy. With an open beer in each hand, she jumped into the swirling spring at the centre of the clearing, hoping to climb out down the stream before reaching the larger river, but was swept away.

"We don't know where this river leads to," somebody said.

"It flows directly to Calgary," I told them. "Me and Eric did this once."

Suddenly, people were coming down around me on parachutes. I couldn't figure out where from, until I realized they were using the wind and the parachutes to jump in the air to the top of the cliffs, like some bad 'Marry Poppins' movie. While I was talking to that guy I always see but never really talk to, I picked the ropes of one of the parachutes up off the ground, and jumped into the air. It was alright at first, but after the first second or so of rising upward, I could tell that something wasn't right. I was ascending way too fast, and going way to far. Why haven't I stopped yet?

Before I knew it, everything had disappeared behind the clouds below me, and I was still rising way too fast. I thought to myself, 'maybe if I use both hands, I can steer this thing back to the ground." The arm I was holding on with wasn't even all that tired yet, and though the climb was rapid, it was very smooth. Nevertheless, I reached up with my left hand to try to take control, and not a second passed after I grabbed on before I started spinning uncontrollably. The sky began to shoot with lightning all around me. I felt sick, dizzy, and held tight with both hands until I felt as though I was about to pass out.

I let go with my left hand, and immediately everything evened back out. I continued to rise, but the lightning stopped; the spinning stopped and I felt physically fine again.

I considered letting go. 'I'll get tired and fall off eventually. Either way, it's over. I might as well save myself the extra grief. I can't control this.'

I decided against it. Instead, I released all the tension in my body. I gave myself to the sky; whatever happens, happens. My mind, all the thoughts, all the pessimism, all fell silent. In a matter of seconds, I was back down through the clouds, falling at an intense speed but indescribably comfortable with it. "Maybe I'll try to land in the spring water," I thought, but as soon as the thought arose, I dismissed it. If it happens, it happens.

I landed in the exact same spot I took off from. The whirlpool had calmed to a blue jewel of a mountain spring, emptying into a gentle stream, flowing over the red rock and emptying into the now peaceful river. The dark, ominous atmosphere had lightened under the blue sky, and was now a welcoming mountain forest oasis rather than an intimidating clearing in unnavigable jungle. Everyone was gone. The shape hadn't changed, but the whole area had gone completely from one extreme to the other.

Or was it just my perception that had changed? Moreover, were all of the people actually gone?

Were they ever really there?

When I awoke from this dream, I couldn't help but ask myself these questions. Everything, down to the last detail, made so much sense. What do you think?

elrusoqueviene@hotmail.com

-Raggy

Regeneration

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 05:52:55 GMT

Here I am again, posting a new entry after another stretch of silence. Yes, we finally got Internet hooked up at our new place. And, the semester is finally winding down to a close, so I should be able to stop stressing out over these copious amounts of final projects for long enough to post every now and again. But I'll get on with the point.

I've been feeling lately like there's just not enough celebration in our world anymore. I know it's probably just because we live in a new place, and we don't really know anybody around here, and we're too broke to go out and have fun, but it's getting me down nonetheless. I know I'm not the only one out there who feels this way.

So I've decided, I would like to publish a story for every holiday this year. I want to be a part of the celebrations, and see how different people celebrate different things. And, I want to bring the celebrations of 2008 to you here as well. We could all use a bit of good cheer.

So now you have something to look forward to. I hope you all enjoy this as much as I do. And if you do, send in some pictures. Enjoy.

-Raggy

First Quarter Moon

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 01:55:15 GMT

This Friday marks one year since the creation of Raggy Domain. That probably means I should bore you by talking about the last year and how my website has fit into it, but why would I do that? You've already been there for last year. If you want a refresher, look in the archives.

No, instead I would like to take this day to look a year into the future. Doesn't that make more sense? Friday, after all, isn't a full moon. We're still in the beginning.

There's a lot to think about. Personally, I'll be a month away from graduating from college entirely. Impersonally, Bush will finally be out of office in the States (and who knows, maybe Canada will get a new governmnet, too). Kels, my Cochrane rum buddy will be off in the army, and the guy I hang out with between classes will be studying at a university a province away.

So where do you see yourself in a year? Or, what do you plan to do in the next year? Let me know. Plans? Predictions? Prophecies? Anything. elrusoqueviene@hotmail.com

Hasta pronto,
-Raggy

Enter Jester

Wed, 30 Jan 2008 01:27:21 GMT

Who's been going through parkour withdrawals lately? Does anyone else miss their summer hobbies right now? At all? I know I sure do. The weather has been treacherous the last few days, and being that cold is awful, I've been staying inside for the most part. Some sort of horrible cabin fever is setting in. The fact that I've been watching a lot of pk videos probably doesn't help.

But with the warm season, like every year, will come endless possibilities. One of which could end up being something especially beautiful.

I may have mentioned sometime in the eleven month history of this weblog my desire to start another website: Jester Amusements. The idea of it started back in 2004 when my childhood friend Eric and I were editing our parkour video. Basically, it would be like a mix between an online magazine and an amateur sports website. With a bit devoted to parkour, a bit for unheard of local bands, and a bit for whatever else is cool but hasn't ever received any sort of media attention. Last time I talked to Eric about it, in October, the idea evolved a bit. The same concept, but mine would be localized to Lethbridge. His would be the same, but localized to Calgary. Come to think of it, it would be almost like tiny newspapers, but for unsung "extremists" rather than news. Extremists being people who do "extreme" things, not people who blow things up and start wars. So far it's just a concept, but we'll see how it goes.

Let me know what you think.
elrusoqueviene@hotmail.com

-Raggy

Progression

Mon, 07 Jan 2008 23:08:39 GMT

Again with the problem of scattered entries. After putting a decent bit of thought into the matter, I decided that I'm going to update this website every Tuesday and Sunday. But upon returning to Lethbridge, I realized we no longer have Internet at home, so Sunday is out of the question. Tuesday and Thursday is the next best answer. So there you have it: my word that you can expect new entries and articles every Tuesday and Thursday by 5:30 p.m.

I've also decided to start playing and recording some of my music onto my computer, in hopes of being able to cross off "Record a CD of 12 original songs" from my list of things to do by 2014. So far I have the instrumental parts for about five of my songs recorded; I have to add the vocals and mix it together and they'll be ready. Hopefully it's not too far off, but you'll be the first to know when it's all ready.

There is a new list at the side of the page, "List of Things." It's basically a list of things I thought were interesting, humorous, or just worth taking a second look at. If you click anything on the list, it will take you to a site related to that item on the list. Enjoy, and if you have suggestions or other list-worthy items, comment or send me an email: elrusoqueviene@hotmail.com

Until Tuesday,
-Raggy

Sublimation

Mon, 17 Dec 2007 10:56:31 GMT

"Dream lofty dreams, and as you dream, so you shall become. Your vision is the promise of what you shall one day be; your ideal is the prophecy of what you shall at last unveil." --James Allen

Everyone has a dream. Everybody. So what are yours? Furthermore, what's stopping you from living your dreams? Gravity? Physical reality? Our age or society? Or is it something more in reach of your control; an obstacle you could overcome but just haven't taken the time or put in the effort? The question boils down to: why can't your dreams be your goals?

I dream of living in a car-free society. Right away you're probably thinking it's just not going to happen. Not here in sprawled, suburbia ridden North America, not now in the age of automobile over-dependence. But what's stopping me from living my dream? Think about it.

Once I return to Lethbridge at the beginning of January, I resolve not to use or passenge in a car at all in 2008. I realize there may be emergencies or situations where there's really no way around it, but I'll do all I can to make sure those situations are as rare or non-existent as possible. That means nothing but mass transit or active transportation (http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/pau-uap/fitness/active_trans.htm) for the entire year.

The world around us is never going to change or adapt to our dreams. There is no chance of it, and it's selfish to think so. But don't let that discourage you; you can live your dream regardless of what everyone around you is doing. Nothing is more difficult than you let it be. Rather than living in your perfect world, simply live your perfect world.

Think about it, and let us know what you think. elrusoqueviene@hotmail.com

Enjoy the holidays
-Raggy

Last Bit of the First Bit

Tue, 11 Dec 2007 05:02:15 GMT

I am as of now officially done with the first semester of my college life. A quarter of the way through. I think this is the first time since high school that I've been able to stick with something for over four months. It may be winter outside, but my future is starting to bloom.

On that note, have you ever really thought about the Christmas Cactus? A plant that flowers in December, almost as if to mock the entire flow of the seasons; to proclaim that not everything in life can be stapled down by the norm. Or maybe they're just here to remind us of what awaits us at the end of this long, dark tunnel we call winter.

As it turns out, I was one of the only (if not THE only) person who bothered to sign up for the Russian language course at the college for next semester, so the class was cancelled. I guess I can scratch that one off my list of things to do by 2014. It looks like the Japanese language course was cancelled as well, so that leaves me with French, Dutch and German. I don't particularly care to learn German, and I don't ever see myself spending too much time in Holland (nothing against Holland), so that leaves me with French. As ugly of a language as it is, I guess it would be nice to know the other official language of my home country. That way if I ever wake up in a snowy ditch in Quebec with a large scar on my side, I'll be able to explain to the doctors that no, I don't know where my kidney went. Hey, it never hurts to be prepared.

Enjoy
-Raggy

Comments? Pictures? Shy? Feel free to send me an email.
elrusoqueviene@hotmail.com

I'll Bet it's December

Sat, 08 Dec 2007 01:54:24 GMT

It's getting well into December, and I'll bet you're all stressing yourselves out in a thousand ways. There's final exams for those of you in college, holidays to plan for and presents to buy for people(www.buynothingchristmas.org). You may feel that you need to go buy yourself some bigger or stretchier pants to hold all that poppycock, candy canes and turkey. But I know what's really getting to you right now. You're worried about your New Year's Resolution. I understand.

It's about the right time to start planning for that, to be sure. If you want to really succeed, you need to give yourselves a good couple weeks to get used to the idea and start to ease into it, especially with big changes. Jumping headlong into things without properly preparing yourself will do nothing for you.

But what if you just can't decide on a resolution? You're so perfectly content with yourself that you just don't have a hint of a clue how you could ever possibly be a better person, for yourself or others; to yourself or others. Wait a tic, others?! Maybe you never thought of being considerate about your resolution. That's ok. "...first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye" (Mt7:5)

If you think about it that way, by being self centred you're inadvertently setting yourself up to be more helpful to others. In that case, you could maybe quit smoking, start eating healthier or organic foods more often rather than frozen pre-cooked Chicken Cordon Swiss; stop eating meat as 3/4 of every meal, or start getting more involved spiritually. Start exercising, maybe, or start learning or trying whatever hobby it is you've always admired.

If you've already gotten yourself taken care of, maybe this year you can start considering a resolution that will make a positive impact on someone or something else. Start volunteering every once in a while, or setting aside a certain bit of your income to be donated towards some sort of charity every payday. Vote. You remember that complaint bracelet thing? It doesn't have to just be to help you stop complaining so much. You could use it to help yourself through anything, like to stop talking about yourself every time someone says something. You may not realize it, but a lot of times when people say things, you probably say something like "oh, me too," or "I remember when that same thing happened to me" in response. Narcissism is disturbingly over-abundant in our society today. Or, you could even try being more tolerant in 2008.

Better yet, you could try a resolution that would benefit not only the entire world now, but also every single still-unborn generation of every family in the entire world right now AND the earth itself. Do something to help the environment. It's not difficult, and it doesn't have to be much. If even half of the people in the world resolve to be a little more environmentally friendly, the combined impact will be absolutely enormous. After all, our whole planet is changing as a result of a mass of individual carbon molecules. Molecules are pretty small. That, if nothing else, proves that things really do add up; we all need to pitch in.

So maybe you should resolve to stop using your car so much or at all: work closer to home, take public transit when and where you can, ride a bike, walk, and if all else fails and you can't, move somewhere that you can.

You can try switching all the light bulbs in your house to those spirally compact fluorescent ones and turning them off when you're not in the room, turning down the heater and just wearing warmer clothes, taking shorter showers, or just never using Styrofoam. Ever. Anything that helps.

But the best and most productive thing you could ever possibly do for yourself is just educate yourself on the matter. Rent 'An Inconvenient Truth,' or 'The End of Suburbia." Read a book from a David (David Suzuki, David de Rothschild, etc), or better yet, talk to somebody. It doesn't take much to fire off an email to an environmental organization or a responsible politician to ask questions. By learning the problem, you'll be better fit to determine your own solution.

So whatever it is you decide to do for your New Year's Resolution, know that you're one of the few who are actually putting in an effort to make the world a better place. For that, you have my sincere respect.

Enjoy the season
-Raggy

"A jug fills drop by drop" --Buddha

Guess What Season It Is

Mon, 03 Dec 2007 04:48:31 GMT

"Winter gets cold in ways you always forget" -- Spoon

And winter is upon us. The season of short days and long nights, cruel cold and total white. Wool socks and hot coffee, anyone? Vodka and a bonfire? A vacation maybe? There's some ways to escape the cold. Or just find yourself some Modest Mouse or Matisyahu CDs to boost your morale this season.

But if you can't escape winter, you might as well enjoy it, right?. Send me some pictures of something wintery (along with your name and all that) and I'll stick them up here. elrusoqueviene@hotmail.com

Any suggestions for cheap winter fun? I've got a few:

Go tobogganing (no money for a sled? Use a garbage bag!)
Make a snowman or two, and use them as targets to practice your axe throwing abilities
Stay inside and drink Jagermeister
Wait til it's really cold, and make your own freezing rain by spitting on a car *freezes on contact!*

That should keep you entertained at least until I get some of your ideas posted up here. Don't be shy, send in whatever you want. Comment and sign the guest book. But above all, enjoy.

Take it easy
Or just take it. Whatever.
-Raggy

Second Attempt

Thu, 15 Nov 2007 23:25:41 GMT

Comment from (no name)
November 11 12:26 PM

Hm. Hard to get some interaction on here. Haven't heard from you for awhile. How about letting us know how it is living off campus with new roommates with similar courses and interests, as opposed to the 3 you were living with. All good guys, but how does it affect the day to day attitude to school and 'home'. Looking forward to hearing, and maybe some new pictures?!

It sure is hard to get interaction on here, thank you for noticing. And thank you for posting.

Living off campus has been a huge step up for me so far. A change of scenery and surroundings always helps carry out changes on the inside, too, so I've been making some internal progress as well. Plus, living across town definitely helps with keeping school separate from home, so I get more done at school and feel less stressed at home. Which is nice.

Write here about your changes, current, past or future. Big or small. Or anything else that's on your mind. Add comments or sign the guestbook.

-Raggy

Incredible Shrubbery

Thu, 11 Oct 2007 15:20:53 GMT

Have you ever gone to Lethbridge? More importantly, have you ever gone to the sushi bar in Lethbridge? If you have, let me know if it exists.

Seriously though, Lethbridge is a beautiful city. The smart city of Canada, says mayor Tarlek, as Lethbridge has the largest amount of PhD's (per capita) in the country. Which would probably explain why it's also the only environmentally conscious Alberta city I've seen so far.

They say Southern Alberta is the alter-ego of Northern Alberta; where Northern Alberta is a capitalist, chain-smoking, SUV driving rig pig, and sees the environment as a free ashtray/outhouse, Southern Alberta is a bus riding, holistic veterinarian with a PhD in Biomass Conversion who lives in a reasonably priced condo.

I was talking to councilor candidate Jeff Graham after the environmental issues forum the other day, who says his dream is to see if we can't get a MagLev train running between Lethbridge and Shelby, Montana. It makes sense to use these non-polluting trains for entry to the country, Graham says, as it's "difficult to hijack a train."

-Raggy

October? Already?

Tue, 02 Oct 2007 03:06:37 GMT

     I woke up today and realized a whole month of college has already passed. A month of living with three future cops. What a month it's been.
     I don't think I've ever focused on putting all of my time into doing something for an entire month and still felt this good about it after. It's an incredible feeling. And living with the law isn't as bad as I thought it would be, either. They're actually pretty entertaining, and definitely not as sober as they originally led me to believe.
     On Saturday, Pat busted out his Super Mario 64 game, turning an already great game into a drinking game. Every time Mario says "woohoo," basically every second time Mario jumps, you take a drink. Great fun.
     That being said, I can't wait to be heading home for the long weekend. One thing I definitely miss is hanging out with the group, so this will be a good break, to say the least.
     But I should be getting ready for tomorrow. Tuesdays are long days.
   Enjoy
-Raggy

For You

Mon, 10 Sep 2007 21:34:57 GMT

Happy Third Anniversary, Jo Anne.

     You really don't realize how long three years is until you stop and think...it was three years ago that I had just recently gotten back from Mexico.
     Yes, three years and a week ago I met you, took time to get to know you, and lent you my headphones so that you could listen to some Tool songs. And, it was three years ago that, after only a week of knowing you, I wordlessly asked you to be with me.
     Since then, we've been through three Christmases, three New Years, three Halloweens, and three of each others' birthdays; weddings, funerals, and countless celebrations and parties. You were with me at my grad, and I at yours. You were there when the times were good, and you were there when the times were bad. You were even there when I wasn't.
     So I just wanted to say, I love you Jo Anne; thank you for always being there for me. Thank you for making the last three years the best and most memorable years of my life so far, and I want you to know that for as long as my heart beats, it beats for you.

Sincerely,
Al

Seven

Mon, 10 Sep 2007 05:29:16 GMT

     The first week has come and gone, and everything is still looking as promising as ever. The course is going great; the living situation is still great. Really the only regret I have is that I won't be around for Jo and I's third anniversary tomorrow; we didn't really get a chance to celebrate that yet at all.
     Given the amount of homework I got this week, it's starting to look like this weblog is going to have to take the back seat and just be a weekly thing. I was hoping I could keep it going more often once I got down here, but we'll have to see, I guess.
     It's going to be a long day again tomorrow, so I should wrap this up. To whoever is reading this, thank you for reading this. I'll be back as soon as I get some time.
-Raggy

Life in 111

Mon, 03 Sep 2007 06:07:26 GMT

Day 2 and all is going well. I met my third roommate today, who is also (surprizingly) in Criminal Justice. I figure maybe the residence coordinaters just wanted all them future cops to get used to having a reporter around. But please don't read any negativity out of that; they're all great people and I couldn't be happier with the way this all worked out.

Last night some people from next door came to the door. "There's only three days left till school starts, and we've decided to spend the entirity of the three days drunk. Want some beer?"

"We're good," Pat says. "We're drinking tea."

They were up drinking all night talking about it. "We went to like eight different houses and five of them didn't want to drink. One was all, 'drinking soda.' And the other said, 'we've got tea.' HAHAHA."

But seriously, it was good tea.

Today we walked downtown to check out the mall, chapters, and the tea shop, so I got to get a bit of a glimpse of what Lethbridge holds. It's a beautiful city, really. The weather was gorgeous all day, and the long walk back home was down Scenic Drive with Jan and Pat (Adam's staying tonight at the hotel with his parents). Jan (y-AHn) apparently wants to be a mountie cuz he thought the mountie suit in the airport was cool when he immigrated from Germany in 2001. What better reason is there than that to go to college?

Anyways, I should be resting for tomorrow, I have SO MUCH to do.

Enjoy yaselves

-Raggy

"Every event that befalls me is absolutely the best possible event that could occur." -- Chriss Prentiss

Buen Viaje

Sun, 02 Sep 2007 07:09:42 GMT

And here we are.

It's been a hectic couple of weeks, but I've made it. Tonight is my first night in residence at the college. I've met two of my three roommates so far; they're both in Criminal Justice. That's right, two future RCMP officers. This must be the safest townhouse on campus.

All of my things are unpacked and have settled in, and I've created my own little oasis. Plants, bamboo and zen garden, Mexican flag; everything where it should be. The cupboards are full. I'm content.

This is where it all starts. My new beginning.

And here we go.

-Raggy

Euphoria

Thu, 09 Aug 2007 06:16:21 GMT

I'll start from the beginning. Friday morning, I polished up my July 28th entry from this website, burned it onto a disc and dropped it off to the Times office, as I was advised to do by parents and friends. Skeptical, I proceeded to run my errands throughout the day, eventually ending up not working on the house as much as I had planned to. I did, however, finally register for College Life 101, a day long event for those entering their first year of college, with an extra bit specifically for mature students.

Tuesday was something else. Cody's been working on Nicole's radiator lately, which according to him needs to be replaced, but should be OK until after our trip to Milk River. Good to hear.

Nicole showed up Tuesday morning, and we headed into Calgary to pick up her brother from the airport. We got to the Barlow turnoff when Nicole realized there was smoke coming from under the hood. We turned onto Barlow and immediately pulled over, popped the hood and inspected the damage. The car was pouring coolant, the smoke was thick as gravy, and the radiator was so overheated it was hissing, and loudly. We were five minutes from the airport, and ended up getting towed all the way back to Cochrane. Fortunately, we can depend on her getting it back before our trip on Monday.

Anyways, Nicole's mom called a friend of hers, Jim, to go pick Jake up instead, and explained the situation. He drove like, in his words, a 'bat out of hell' to get there in time, parked his car outside and spent four hours searching the entire airport for Jake, who he never ended up finding. So in a fit, Jim called Nicole's mom's place, and to his surprise, Jake answered the phone. Apparently he had caught a ride home with his friend's family, and never thought to let Jim know he was home already. Returning to his car already in a reasonable bad mood, Jim was greeted by a large parking ticket. What a day.

I later returned to the airport to pick up my parents, who had been in Vegas for a few days to celebrate my dad's 50th birthday. My mom is always so full of stories after trips like this, about all the performances they had seen, things they found, and everything that's changed about Vegas in the last couple years. Later I got to see all their pictures, like the fake Eiffel tower and my dad shaking hands with a Blue Man. And that brings us to today.

Upon awakening, today seemed as normal a day as any other. Got up, poured meself a coffee, and grabbed the local papers. As I finished the Cochrane Eagle, I refilled my coffee.

It was eight pages into the Cochrane Times when I was struck and overwhelmed by surprise. The top of the eighth page read: "A Caustic Incentive." I did it. My July 28th entry from this website has been published.

And what a feeling it is. Since this morning, I've gotten nothing but positive feedback and friendly encouragement. I feel my passion for writing has now strengthened ten-fold (not that there was ever an insufficiency to begin with). I can't wait to get down to Lethbridge and get this all going. When I dropped the disc off at the Times office, I had a feeling in my gut that my article would be overlooked and left out, but this has boosted my confidence unmeasurably. Journalism is where I belong.

Thank you to everyone who reads my website; I hope it will only get better from here. And again, please, sign the guestbook. Comment on the articles. But above all, enjoy. That is, after all, why I continue to write here; for your enjoyment.

Thank you again

-Raggy

Happy B-Day, B man

Wed, 08 Aug 2007 09:55:33 GMT

Happy 50th Birthday, Dad. Enjoy the day before you have to head back to work.

-Al

Oddity

Fri, 03 Aug 2007 08:04:21 GMT

Today's been sort of an odd day. Not that anything odd has happened, really. It's just one of those days that feel odd right from the second you get out of bed in the morning.

I woke up to fresh, already brewed coffee, and sat sipping as I read the Calgary paper for a while. By the time I was awake and ready to talk to whoever was around, I had already found myself hired on for a bit of work, fixing up the house. This is good. It's not a long-term job, doesn't really require too much in the way of tools that I no longer have, and will be good for getting that extra bit of jingle for when I head out. And who knows, maybe now I'll be able to afford to go on the vacation!

It's nothing too bad, either. Mostly just prepping for paint and cleaning up the exterior. A bit of weed-whacking in the "sand-pit" and "garden" (both of which are nothing more than giant weed pits after years of neglect), and some clean-up inside. Shouldn't take too long at all.

Oh and I added a few new pictures to most of the folders today, including one I took today in the ranch that I call 'Cowboys Belong Behind Bars.' The old hick statue on the hill in Cochrane Ranch was surrounded by scaffolds, being cleaned or whatnot, making the poor redneck effigy look like it was trapped in a giant hamster cage. Christine and I got a good giggle out of it, and I hope you get the same enjoyment out of it as I did. And remember, I don't actually believe cowboys belong behind bars. It's just for laughs.

Take it easy

And sign my guestbook

-Raggy

Pursuit of the Norm

Thu, 02 Aug 2007 09:01:11 GMT

As I sat, sipping coffee with Sarah, Cody and Nicole today, I realized how quickly summer is going to be coming to a close. A week and a half till we all go on vacation; I have another week and a half after vacation to get everything ready before I head down to Lethbridge. It's always the busy weeks that go by quickest.

Vacation should be good this year. It'll be Jo Anne and myself, Nicole and Cody, Trisha and Ceili, and Sarah (I hope I'm not missing anyone, but I'm not always kept as up-to-date on these sort of plans). We're heading down to Nicole's family property south of Milk River to do some camping and relaxing, passing through Writing on Stone Provincial Park on the way down. Last year, Writing on Stone was an incredible experience (Pk-wise), we spent hours jumping and vaulting around on all the rock formations, stopping only to sit and look down on the Milk River itself. It was quite the crazy week once we got to the property itself. One friend vomited in my shoes, another girl mistook the cooler for the toilet, and Kels and I ended up shooting the toilet with a 12 gauge shotgun...alcohol mayor may not have been involved in any or all of these incidents. Yes, I can't wait.

The week afterwards will be pretty eventful as well, I've got a lot of planning and packing to do. I need to decide what I need to bring and what I don't, and what I should sell or get rid of. I'm still hoping somebody decides to buy my truck, that'll sure be a load off my back. Otherwise I'm going to need to find somewhere I can store it for the next couple years. And who really knows if I'll be using it after college?

Also, someone needs to sign my guestbook. Everyone needs to sign my guestbook. Come on, guys. And if you haven't yet, please, watch 'An Inconvenient Truth.' That's very important.

Till next time

Enjoy yaselves

-Raggy

Sence of Wrath

Wed, 01 Aug 2007 06:46:24 GMT

Two large headphones, killing me softly as I sit cross-legged on my barstool, dimly illuminated by a compact-fluorescent on the other side of the couches.

The couches I sat on while showing 'An Inconvenient Truth' to another friend today. To no surprise, she was as astonished with the whole thing as everyone else I've watched the movie with. As astonished as I was the first time I watched it.

That got me thinking about how far behind Alberta really is on the whole issue. That Ed Stelmach is as bad as Bush is for the states; stuck in the profit of oil with no regard for the environmental consequences. Look at Stockholm, look at London, and then look at Alberta. Actually, don't do that; it's embarrassing. There's been no change at all. In fact, Alberta was responsible for 39% of all the air pollution in Canada in 2005. Plus, Shell is looking to open another new oil processing plant here, 'coincidentally' at the same time as Stelmach decides to put a limit on the amount of electricity Alberta can 'legally' get from wind power at any given time. This maricón is gonna be the death of us all. Why do environmental issues get mixed in with politics anyways? It's really not political; it's far more important than that.

Anyways, the friend I watched the movie with today was talking about maybe going into politics, to make some changes from the inside. I mean, maybe it was just talk that I shouldn't be getting my hopes up over. Also, there are already green parties in Canada, but those cursed stubborn baby boomers seem to have themselves convinced it's a 'wasted vote' anyways. Whatever, the right people in the right places will make some good changes, and maybe she'll be the one.

But I should head 'er. Take it easy, and really give the crisis some thought. Thinking isn't too much to ask.

Either way, enjoy yourself.

-Raggy

A Caustic Incentive

Sun, 29 Jul 2007 03:30:57 GMT

July 20, 2007; a blue Volkswagen Bug carrying naught but the driver skids out of control heading south from Cochrane.

It's been two days now since Becky's funeral, and what to say about a girl like Becky? She was the embodiment of joie de vivre, and one of my closest and most respected friends since early high school. She had the ability to always brighten up everyone's day; no matter what the problem, or how grumpy I would be, she would have a smile on my face within seconds of seeing her. Driving around in her blue bug, cranking the music, occasionally stopping to dance in a parking lot, she was the liveliest person I've ever met. Seeing her lying there in her pink coffin seemed so unreal. It just wasn't Becky; I've never seen her that still before. Not smiling, not laughing, just lying there. It's not fair. But when I wonder to myself why god would take the happiest, most innocent person around, I realize anyone would have done the same. The most glorious flower is always the first to be picked. And to find a wild rose in a field of thorn bushes and weeds...Rest In Peace, Becky, you'll be all but forgotten.

After carrying my grandfather to his grave, and then attending the graveside of one of my closest high school friends, both within weeks of each other, I've really been realizing that life is too short to fester on the negative. Plant yourself some tomatoes or jalapenos, buy a waffle iron, make some iced tea. Taking time to make things from scratch feels great, rather than picking up a half kilo of frozen Eggo’s from extra foods or a two dollar bottle of Nestea from the gas station. Plus, making fresh, warm, delicious, natural waffles is a great excuse to get together with friends in the morning. And to watch a whole tomato plant grow out of a tiny seed really gives you a sense of pride, almost like making something from next to nothing.

I guess what I'm getting at is that once you stop rushing around your life and take some time to really appreciate the little things, it feels incredible. Walk or ride a bike instead of driving for once, and you'll notice the beauty in things you usually blow past without as much as a hint of attention. Make or grow your own food, and it'll taste all the better, and you can know for sure that there's no unhealthy additives. But above all, make damn sure that your loved ones know that they are, in fact, loved ones. Because no matter what you may want to think, we're all very mortal, and you never know for sure if today will be the last day you (or they) have. So for the sake of you and yours, don't leave yourself in the position to be left with regret.

Enjoy yourselves.

-Raggy

3rd Planet

Mon, 16 Jul 2007 08:46:22 GMT

I'm not sure I enjoy the fact that my 'journal' is turning into monthly reflections. I know I say every time that I'm going to do something about that, but I guess I've just gotten back into the habit of writing privately. I guess the whole work scene is something I would just rather keep to meself, that might have something to do with it. Anyways, it's been a pretty eventful month.

One of the things that sticks out above all in my mind is the fact that I was a pall bearer at my grandfather's funeral this month. It's an honor to be chosen for that sort of thing, but I guess I just can't sit with the fact that I helped carry my grandpa to the place where he'll lie for the rest of eternity. I have a lot in common with him, and it sort of scared me to hear all of the ways they described him during the eulogy. I know that's horrible and self-centered, but I can’t help but hope my own eulogy will be as glorious as his, full of good memories and deep-rooted respect. He was a good man.

On a completely different note, I've been reading alot about the climate crisis lately; the more I read, the more frantic I feel about the whole thing. It's insane that people can know about this, and do nothing about it. And the 'skeptics;' I can't believe how much control one industry (namely the oil industry) can have over mainstream propaganda. I made my one skeptic buddy watch 'An Inconvenient Truth' while we were dreading his hair the other day, and do I ever feel good about myself for that. That movie is so completely essential; if you haven't seen it, I strongly recommend you to go rent it and watch it. Everyone needs to know what's going on, and that movie sums is up so completely. No questions remain unanswered, and no skeptic remains skeptical after that movie. I can't even explain how important it is for everyone to watch it. There is a crisis on our hands, and everyone is going to need to pitch in. Otherwise, we may not be coming out of this one.

How about something that's not depressing, you ask? Sure. Go listen to Modest Mouse. 'The Moon and Antarctica' is the best CD I've listened to since Mudvayne's 'LD50.' Sure, LD50 probably came out years after The Moon and Antarctica, and they're completely different styles of music, but listen to both cd's from start to finish, and you'll see what I mean. They're both so well put together, you'll be blown away by the multitudes of unreasonably talented sound waves, flowing perfectly from one song to another; variety, but at the same time, staying completely true to their own styles. Incredible.

I guess I should probably be getting some sleep. Enjoy your life. Ride a bike; it's good for you, and for all of us. Take some time to really enjoy the little things. Give praise where it's due, and forgive when blame is expected. I'll write again soon.

-Raggy

June, I guess. Thanks for asking

Mon, 18 Jun 2007 14:51:40 GMT

I apologize for the lack of entries lately, but I've been doing most of my writing on paper rather than here publicly. Which will have to change one of these days; I'll never make much of a living writing privately and/or for myself.

Anyways, we're nearing the end of June, and college is getting so close I can almost taste it. I'm starting to really feel like this is happening, and I'm excited more than ever. I think college might just be that second start I've been waiting for in my life, coming at just the perfect time.

I guess it's not even just college I'm looking forward to. It's everything that my life will be after college. No more drudging construction, low motivation or painful transition; I'll be able to do something I want to be doing every day. Life's growing pains come to an end, and I can get on with life and all it brings. Not to mention that after all of our schooling is done, the wee misses and I will be able to carry out some other plans, some almost three years in the making. I feel that's going to be the real reward, and words hardly express how I long to pass beyond this planning stage. My life is coming, closer and closer by the day.

I added some new pictures to most of the photo albums this morning, be sure to check them out.

Enjoy

-Raggy

Shedding Scales

Mon, 28 May 2007 20:22:24 GMT

Well, the Fox Creek blunder has come to an end. But don't you worry, I'm feeling pretty good about my situation right now. I'm thinking I might head out early, but I'm not entirely sure yet. I've spent the last day or so planning, weighing my options, and booking various appointments, and after my camping trip with my wee lady this weekend, I really have some decisions to make. I'll keep you posted, this is definately the beginning of a transition in my life. I'm excited.

I'll be taking some pictures this weekend, and as usual I'll get them on here as soon as I can. You all take it easy.

-Raggy

"You've got to do your own growing, no matter how tall your grandfather was" -- Celtic Proverb

I Can See Clearly Now

Sat, 05 May 2007 19:44:06 GMT

The rain is gone, finally. It was raining small animals for about 3 days here, and everything was starting to puddle up pretty good; including the back of the job site, which basically turned into a bog. I had the good fortune of being the only person sent to work in the rainy bog, two days in a row, but that's alright. It's been a long time since I've gotten a chance to play in the mud. And speaking of play, near the end of the day Friday all of the work was called to a stop for the weekend, so I've got the full weekend to relax and catch up on some rest.

Take it easy

-Raggy

Off again

Mon, 30 Apr 2007 04:27:51 GMT

As it turns out, Ongrowing Works isn't the last place I'll be working before I head to Lethbridge. Tomorrow I'm heading out, going to Fox Creek for a few months to help renovate an IGA. It was an offer I couldn't refuse; my food and lodging is being paid as out of town expenses, and the wage is generous, to say the least. I'll be able to come back to Cochrane every second weekend to visit, plus, being a small town, I can just bring my bike and not have to worry about gas for my truck. I'll be able to save almost all the money I make for school, and I might not even need to take out a student loan. It's perfect.

I'll definately have something to write about now.

-Raggy

Resolution Review

Thu, 19 Apr 2007 07:29:35 GMT

It's coming pretty close to a third of the way through 2007, so I figure now's a good time to take a second and follow up on how my Year of Healing is coming along. First off, here's the list I wrote just before New Years of all the things I wanted to work on, as well as everything I've added during this year:

- Quit smoking

- More Pk

- Get out of debt

- Change work attitude

- Change attitude in general

- Establish a career

- Stop binge drinking

- Get into a healthier, more active lifestyle (health tune-up)

- Eat better

- Get back into active religion

- More foot voyages

- Plan and focus

- Fix all the things I hate about myself

Wow, I didn't really realise how big that list actually was until right now. Anyways, going down the list:

- As of Monday, I will have been 50 days without smoking

- The Pk has been really starting to come back, and I've been going to the Urban Freeflow site again lately to keep myself psyched about that. Hopefully it'll stop snowing and start to warm up soon so we can really get back at it

- I'm not out of debt. I got most of the debt from before taken care of, but college is only going to make for more debt. For now.

- My work attitude is coming. I do have a job now, and I am going to try to keep that up. I think this one will change after college as well

- I had gone about 4 or 5 straight days without having to switch wrists from complaining, but then a couple days ago one slipped. It definately has been getting slowly better, but I'll have to keep working on it.

- I think college is a pretty good step towards establishing a career

- I went the entire 46 days of lent without touching a drop of booze, and haven't gotten myself slammed since. This one is going well

- I have definately been getting more active lately, and I definately don't regret getting that bike. The Pk and walks with Jo are definately doing me some good as well. Before you know, I'll be healthy as any other non-smoker again

- Not-very-strict, mostly-vegetarianism is sweet.

- I don't think I've ever been as religiously active as I am now, even when I was down in Mexico. And not only that, but I've been making a point to become more aware of other religions as well, which has really opened my eyes; seeing the similarities of so many religions, as well as the differences, really gives you a good, level, almost third-person viewpoint on your own beliefs. I think everyone needs this sort of reminder every once in a while, so you don't forget just where you're standing

- No foot voyages as of yet, but I know that 2009 has plenty to look forward to

- Plan and focus....I guess that's not really a resolution so much as an ongoing reminder, but I have definately been doing alot of both

- And lastly, fixing the things I hate about myself. Well, at least now I can sleep at night, I guess that's a start. We'll see how that one comes along

Still a couple things I have to work on, but for the most part, it's coming along alot better than I thought it would be by this point. But, it's not too far along for people to join in on this, hey. If you want to make a change in your own life, no matter how big or small, write me an email or a comment, just click 'Add a Comment' underneath the entry. That way you don't have to go it alone. I'm up for anything with whoever, and I don't think anything would be better than joining up with people on this. Keep in touch.

Enjoy

-Raggy

Chai Maté Reflections

Mon, 16 Apr 2007 23:09:04 GMT

My bad, part-time, minimum wage job has, as of today, been replaced by a good, full-time, more than minimum wage job. I applied at Ongrowing Works (see their website here) on Friday, had my interview today, and start work tomorrow, working as a carpenter's helper/laborer. This is the perfect opportunity to save up more money for college, as well as learn the life skill of landscaping; this will be my last job switch before college.

I got the pictures I promised from Canmore; the misses and I ended up heading in with Nicole and Cody, and took a walk down the wooden pathway that runs along the riverbed. I don't know how long the river's been dried up like this, but it was definately a nice chance to see the area in a different way.

There is one place in Cochrane that has more rumors floating around about it than any other place I've ever known; every kid in Cochrane has his own story about what this place really is. Some say it's a monk monestary, while others claim it's a commune of satanic knife-throwing madmen. In reality, it's a catholic retreat nestled up on the hill, with an assortment of statues and trails spanning the property. I took Jo on Sunday afternoon, hoping to get a bit of a walk in through the trails. Unfortunately, the majority of the trail was closed, but apparently that didn't stop my sister and her friend from chasing porcupines down the trails later that same day. Yes, she's a strange one.

Well, I'm off to Coffee to plan for another sushi party.

Hope you enjoy the new pictures.

-Raggy

First Real Day of Spring

Fri, 13 Apr 2007 06:52:10 GMT

I was faced with a difficult decision today. I had $100, and with gas prices where they are, that's enough to completely fill both tanks on my truck once. So, I could do that, and be broke and on foot once I'm out of gas, OR I could buy a bike, which doesn't need insurance or gas, and makes you healthy, and doesn't destroy the environment. hmmmm........

So I bought a bike today. Everyone should have a bike.

It was so nice outside. I parked my truck at the ranch and walked around for hours, all over Cochrane. No pictures today, but Saturday I'm going to be heading to Canmore for a hike, and I'll be sure to take some then.

Sorry for the short entries lately, but hopefully soon I'll have more to talk about.

Take it easy

-Raggy

2009 Trip Map

Wed, 11 Apr 2007 05:42:22 GMT

I finally did it, I managed to find a job; I start tomorrow. It's only part time (30-35 hours a week), but it's a solid schedule, so I'll be able to work a second part time job around it. Given the amount of money I need for college in three months, I don't really have too much choice but to work two jobs, though I think that's something I can live with.

So that takes care of what I'm doing before school. I just finished drawing a rough map of what I'm going to do after school, too. I made it as accurate as I could for now, but it's just the world map. I'm going to go through and do smaller, more detailed maps of all the areas I'm going to, and add all the locations from my To Do list right onto the maps. But, until then at least you'll be able to get an idea of the path I want to be taking.

As for during school, I'm going to see if there's any sort of local lessons or side classes at the College for different languages, so I can start working towards learning my 'AT LEAST 2 more languages.' I'm thinking of starting with Russian, but Japanese sounds so cool too. I don't know. We'll see how it goes.

I guess that's all for now

Enjoy

-Raggy

Early Easter Morning

Sun, 08 Apr 2007 11:46:28 GMT

What a bust week. I apologise for not writing for the last six days, but I've barely gotten a chance to check my emails let alone sit down and write. But, I drank too much coffee before bed, I'm not going to be getting any sleep tonight, so I can fill you in on the last week.

I got more mail from Lethbridge, I've been accepted. I now have 12 days to get my $300 tuition deposit to them, and then I'm finally officially signed up and committed to my first year. I don't have wordts to express how excited and relieved I am that the tension and suspense of waiting for their word is finally over, and I can start making solid plans. I can't wait.

I've been going back and forth between Cochrane and Southeast Calgary since wednesday, hanging out with friends and visiting Jo at her grandparents' house. There's been alot going on in the group lately, like Sarah's birthday dinner in Calgary yesterday. Great fun had by all.

Plus it's the last day of Lent; that means I've make it the 46 days without a singe drop of alcohol. Thinking about it, I guess it's not that great of an accomplishment, but it feels incredible nevertheless. Either way, now that lent is coming to a close and I've been a solid 35 days without tobacco, I'll be able to move on to more interesting topics, and stop lingering on how many days I haven't smoked. I think it's safe to say I've made it. Though, the bracelet thing isn't going quite as well as I thought it might. Not complaining at all is a lot harder than I thought; I still have three weeks to go. Maybe I'm being too strict on myself, but it has slowly been getting better. I know I'll make it through eventually. And, vegeterianism hasn't been half bad, I'm thinking of maybe (completely non-strictly) sticking with it. Don't get me wrong, I am BY NO MEANS boycotting meat; if it's ever a problem, then whatever, I'll eat some animals. Plus, there's no way I could ever turn down one of Kron's barbequed steaks, so I might just mostly focus on the other food groups...and fish. I love fish.

Anyways, have a good Easter, and hopefully I'll be able to post again soon.

Enjoy

-Raggy

Lethbridge Test

Tue, 03 Apr 2007 06:36:29 GMT

6:07AM. Popped in my Zen Grooves CD, threw on some clothes and made a blender drink for breakfast; testing day was upon me. After some mental preparation (and throwing some more sandbags into my truck), I headed out for Lethbridge, through the snowstorm and over ice-encrusted roads. On my way, I had the fortune of passing a snow plow/sanding truck that had slid into the ditch, which is definately something I have never seen before. Five CDs later, I reached Lethbridge, only a couple minutes late for my tour.

The college was incredible, with everything from a mall-style food court, to a student lounge, to a squash arena. Everyone seemed really laid back, and the atmosphere was ripe with acceptance and equality. Above all, the Communication Arts floor was incredibly high tech and professional, and had every similarity to an editor's office or a broadcasting studio. There were so many buttons I can't wait to push.

The tour came to a close, so I quickly ran outside to put some more change into the parking meter where I left my truck before heading in for my exam. There was three parts to the test, two multiple choice exams on the computer (reading comprehension and sentence structure), followed by the essay; all three parts equally weighted. The multiple choice was easy, but when the lady told me I only had an hour to do the essay, I froze up a bit. It took a good while to decide on an intro I was satisfied with, but once that was done, the rest just poured out of me in one even flow. A few more minutes to think of a good finally sentence or two (the 'I'm standing in front of you but somehow I just kicked your anus' sort of finally, it had to be good) and it was good to go. I don't know my essay mark until it goes to whoever looks them over, but I was told my marks on the multiple choice tests averaged out to the high 90s. That feels good.

All there was left for me to do was stop at Sobey's on the way out of town to get some coffee and a package of fake crab meat, and I was off.

*Side story–I forgot to mention that Saturday night me and Jo Anne decided to try going vegetarian for a week, just for the sake of trying everything once. It helped my decision when Nicole told me vegetarians can still eat seafood.

Anyways, I don't believe in going back the way you came (ROUND trip), so I ended up going down some little highway, which later turned into a little secondary highway, which later turned into some treacherous little gravel road, none of which had been plowed at all. Went through a town called 'Picture Butte,' with stores like 'Picture Butte Gas' and 'Butte Waterworks.' That lightened my mood for a while.

Somewhere, in the middle of nowhere, there was a big lake on both sides of the road, that just came out of nowhere. It was huge. I tried to take a couple pictures, but it was pretty foggy outside and I don't know how well they turned out. If they're alright, I'll put them up here tomorrow.

All in all, it's been an eventful and fulfilling day, but now I'm bushed. I'll try to get a copy of my essay back from the Lethbridge people and put it up here, it turned out well. For now, I sleep.

Enjoy

-Raggy

Snow on Sun Day

Mon, 02 Apr 2007 03:04:08 GMT

What a good weekend. Saturday was the first time in so long that we all went to Pk, and that gym has really caught on. It was busier there than I've ever seen it before. When we used to go a couple years ago, it would be the five or six of us and maybe five or six other people with the whole gymnastics center to ourselves; this time there was easily thirty people. But I have to say, it felt good to be back there. Its been way too long since the last time I've done a huge flip into a pit of foam. No pictures this time, unfortunately, but when we go back in a couple weeks I'll be sure to get some to put up here.

After Pk, we headed down to the river for our coffee/philosophy sesh, also just like old times. It's funny how quickly a routine hang-out can be abandoned when high school ends.

My test at Lethbridge is tomorrow. I'm feeling pretty good about it, but it just snowed a decent bit, so I'm going to have to get going earlier than I expected. For that, I'll be needing to sleep pretty soon. Take it easy, and have a good week.

Enjoy.

-Raggy

Time to Relax

Fri, 30 Mar 2007 08:32:54 GMT

Between interviewing both a man I've looked up to for several years and a man who has intense influence over the town I grew up in, attending the World Religions Conference, studying for my test and preparing for the essay, as well as writing for my own purposes, spare time has been in short supply for me lately. But it's all been worth it, as I've uncovered more pearls of wisdom in the last four days than I'll ever be able to fully comprehend. And to think, if the events leading up to a career in journalism are this rewarding, it really must be the perfect job.

Though, after an intense week like this, I think it's time I spend a relaxing weekend with my love and let some of this stress and tension mellow down before Monday. I mean, I still have alot to do Friday, but Saturday and Sunday are strictly reserved for Jo Anne. I hope you can all have a refreshing weekend for yourselves as well.

Enjoy

-Raggy

Picking up the Pace

Wed, 28 Mar 2007 04:30:48 GMT

I'm going to start by saying that I didn't have enough gas to get to Red Deer for training on Monday. Which worked out great, because being in town led to finding a better (and better paying) job available in Cochrane. I had the interview today, and if all goes well, I'll be starting next week.

Plus I got the mail I've been waiting for from Lethbridge, which informed me that they've received my application, my cheque went through ok, and now it's on with the testing. The testing requirements are where my life starts to get busy. Apparently I have to interview one or more people who work in the print media industry, find out what skills they use to get their job done, and then write an essay explaining how this college will help me learn those skills. The letter says "...write an essay to show they've discussed their intended field of study in detail with someone who works in the apropriate industry," meaning that after this interview, I really have to know what I'm talking about. So I've made some calls today, stopped by the newspaper offices, and here's what I've managed to set up: In the morning I'm going to be interviewing Warren Harbeck (I encourage you to visit his site: www.coffeewithwarren.com), who is a columnist that has always been able to grab my attention and keep me reading week after week. His style is unlike that of many other reporters nowadays; he is always positive. No matter what the story, he can always find the good buried beneath the tragic surface, and leave you with a warm feeling in your heart after reading the column.

I'm also meeting with Darryl Mills this week, the editor of the Cochrane Times, and if all goes well, I'll be either interviewing or spending a day with him as a sort of job shadow, because I really have no idea what a newspaper editor does (other than, I'm guessing, edit). Between those two things–as well as a bit of research on the internet and reading up on the course descriptions–I think I'll be set for my testing on Monday.

Earlier this evening, me and Nicole went to the 'World Religions Conference,' which is where representatives of major religions come together for open discussions. Hosted by the ahmadiyya muslim community, the purpose is to promote peace, tolerance and understanding between people of all religions, and discuss the world's current religious issues. The topic of discussion tonight was 'Religion and Social Peace,' with representatives from Buddhism, Judaism, Islam and Christianity, as well as Ken Bech–the mayor of Cochrane–as a moderator. I honestly don't think I've ever taken part in such an enlightening event. Us in the audience were all given the background of these religions, along with the beliefs and values; each representative went on to give their opinion, from their own religious viewpoints, of how religious and social peace could be obtained. This conference is exactly what needs to happen more often, in more places. This meeting was the perfect starting point for a lot of promising changes to come.

I'll definately be writing about this one.

Anyways, I'm glad things are starting to pick up a bit again. I mean, the break has been great, and completely essential for my own personal transformation, but I think I can start getting back into the swing of things without fear of regression or relapse. And, hopefully I'll have more things to talk about soon, make this site a bit more lively.

I appologise if I seem a bit scattered today.

Remember, I always invite your replies.

Take it easy

-Raggy

PS- The trip route for 2009 is coming along, but isn't finished yet. I'll post what I have so far on here soon.

Bracelet

Sat, 24 Mar 2007 07:39:50 GMT

I have to say, it's been a pretty eventful couple days. Yesterday morning I woke up early to go to a place called 'Labour Ready,' which basically dispatches you to different companies for the day, and at the end of the day, pays you for your days work. It sounded like a good idea, but apparently they have their slow days, with more potential workers than available jobs.

So I left Calgary, stopping by my house to pick up my bag before taking off to Exshaw, and later Canmore, to hand out resumes and search for a job. No such luck. I phoned all over Airdrie, Bragg Creek, Carstairs, Olds, Didsbury, and Red Deer hoping to get some leads of any kind, before finally getting a bit of good news. A motel in Red Deer was hiring for a night auditor, and asked that I come in the next day for an interview. So of course, first thing in the morning today, me and Nicole set out for Red Deer. I'll admit that at first it was looking bleak. The owner of the hotel told me that he would review my application, and maybe give me a call back later. Ok, me and Nicole can hang around Red Deer for the day, it should be alright. We ended up driving out to Sylvan Lake for a while, I love that place. It's the closest thing to an ocean-front town you can find in the praries, and is always enjoyable, even just for a quick day trip.

Bit of a side-story: Me and Nicole spent the whole time talking about everything, like religion, politics, the future, our own current problems in life; then she started telling me about some American priest who started this anti-complaint thing. Basically you get a bracelet; I don't really think it matters what kind. You wear that bracelet for three weeks, and the whole time you wear it you aren't allowed to complain about anything. I mean anything. And if you do, you have to switch your bracelet over to the other wrist and start your three weeks over again. The outcome is basically to rid you of unnecessary negative thoughts. It sounds like a great idea, and right now I'm open to any way I can make myself a better person, so we agreed to try it. I think Gandhi said it best, "you must be the change you want to see in the world." That gleaming pearl of wisdom is a driving force behind this reconstruction of my life.

But back to the job hunt. On the way back through Red Deer, I stopped at the motel again to let the boss know we were going to be heading out of town, and to see if he had made a decision. Long story short, I start training on monday, and I feel great. I already feel less stressed, even just knowing that soon I'll have income again.

I'm finally starting to make some good progress; I'm now 20 days without smoking, 31 days without drinking, I've found a career goal and got a for-now job, I've been eating healtier(for the most part), and now I'm starting to work on redirecting my outwardly negative demeanor. A little more work and I'll be well on my way to becoming a good person.

One step at a time.

-Raggy