Thoughts on the Holidays

Christmas is nearly here and, once again, I'm amazed at how quickly the year has moved by me. It's a time filled with memories and reflection. From childhood through to adulthood, this time of year has always been very special in my life. In the spirit of the season, I thought I'd offer a few thoughts that have come to mind of late.

Last year was our first without Priscilla with us. Even though as a parent you know these days are coming, it's never easy when they inevitably arrive. Now that she's back home with us this year, we're all making every effort to insure this Christmas is a memorable one. Because as we learned last year, these times are indeed very special. It seems you never know when an opportunity for memory-making might pass by forever.

So we've decorated the tree and the ladies have been making festive around the place. Collectively, I think we've already been to more holiday parties than probably ever in any previous season. Work is starting to wind down as folks at the office drift away for their own breaks, and the ones who've yet to pack up for a break are feeling more festive and relaxed, creating an atmosphere of calm which is quite welcome after the hectic pace of the past few months.

Plans for our annual Christmas Eve buffet and holiday cheer extravaganza are well in hand. The buffet, filled with its tasty treats and immense variety, is an artifact of my childhood that we all look forward to with special anticipation. In many ways, I think it embodies the sharing and fellowship that so appropriately epitomizes Christmastime. And, of course, a mound of gifts has already begun to appear under the tree in preparation for Christmas morning.

And this year, we'll be doing something extra special as Priscilla and I take to the airwaves of CJSW to spin an entire show filled with our favourite holiday tunes. Not only will the show itself be a great time together, but the recording will, I'm sure, become the soundtrack for many Christmas Eves to come. We also have plans to head out to BC for a short road trip between Christmas and New Year's, which should be a wonderful time together for us all.

I know we will all look back on this year with particular fondness. For it will be, in effect, the product of all our previous Christmases together and a hopeful vision of things to come, not only for the New Year but for a brighter future overall. It's that link from past, through present and into the future that, for me anyway, really makes this the most wonderful time of year.

So it is my sincere hope that all your holidays are filled with reflection and wonder. Peace and joy, today and always.  -Mark

The Journey Continues

Things are beginning to come together, now that fall is beginning to feel a bit more like winter. Yes, I said it. You can officially blame the first snowfall on me now.

By "together" I mean some of the little pieces of the life I think I want to have are starting to form themselves into something tangible, something real. I'll try and explain this. I've been back to work for a couple months now and I'm starting to feel like the routine I've reestablished is feeling more and more sustainable.

During my time off, I really wanted to regain some balance in my life. Some ideal combination of satisfaction with my work, things that I enjoy and get energy from and of course my personal relationships. So far, things are feeling pretty good.

I'm starting my new job Monday and I'm really excited about the opportunity I think it will bring. I get to lead a group of six young and talented people and truly build the kind of culture and team environment I myself crave at work. To be sure, there's a huge learning curve ahead of me - no way around that. But I'm 100% committed to putting my shoulder to the wheel and working as hard as needed to become proficient in the technical aspects of the work. I'm confident that my ability to work with people on issues of importance to them will be a huge help getting me started. And I know I have lots of colleagues who'll support my transition and be true friends, and that means absolutely everything.

I'm having a great time with my two passions away from work: radio and hockey. The show is an absolute blast, and although I'm still struggling a bit with my sleep at times, the enjoyment and anticipation of each weekly episode keeps me jazzed up like nothing else. Hockey remains something that I also look forward to and get lots of juice from. Our team has struggled at times to keep a full roster on the ice, but I love the guys on the team and we all pull together and have fun regardless of the score. And since I don't see a lot of guys my age still tending goal, I'm movitivated to enjoy this ride as long as I can.

The last but most important part of my life feels like it's in a good place too. Priscilla is back with us and we're a family all over again. It is so wonderful to go out together and just talk and laugh and enjoy each others' company. I know we all look forward to connecting at the end of the day and sharing stories or adventures on the weekends. Tonya seems to have found her stride at work too, and although each day brings new challenges, I think she's happy to be back in the action when all's said and done. We're thinking of a special trip out west during Christmastime, and that would be something memorable.

So, for now, life is pretty damned satisfying. And for as long as I can say that, I'll celebrate each and every day like it's my last. I truly hope I feel this way until my days are done.

The Good, The Bad and The Patently Unexpected

This is been a weekend to remember, for a number of reasons. As I was thinking about the proper way to chronicle all this cornucopia of experiences, I heard the refrain of an Enrico Morricone movie theme. It's truly been good, bad and holy crap.

Things started out well enough on Friday. Tonya and I left work a bit early and headed out of town to Montana, in order to "land" and complete our immigration process. The drive was not bad, a little longer than normal due to traffic and road construction, but not overly so. And we were able to arrive in Kalispell in time for a late dinner at our favourite BBQ joint Famous Dave's. 

After a good night's sleep, we did a bit of shopping (as you do when in Montana) and headed to the border with a carload of clothing, groceries and Alaskan beer. So far, so good. We were the only car at the crossing when we arrived and, dutifully declaring our intention to land to the agent, were ushered inside. The agent was a bit surly, grousing about "this is supposed to be done from Monday to Friday during business hours" - yeah, right - but undeterred we smiled and, after a few minutes, our patience was rewarded. We were officially Landed Immigrants in Canada. (Sidebar: The "helpful" agent indicated our ID cards would arrive in the mail SIX WEEKS OR LATER, which means we can't travel by air during that time. But as I'm still in the Good section, I'll save that for another rant). Cue O Canada and pass the poutine please. At this point, ALL GOOD.

Back on the road on the north side of the 49th parallel, we stopped in Fernie, BC for a great cup of organic, hippy-fuelled espresso and pointed the car toward Calgary. It was getting dark but a nearly-full moon poked its face over the Foothills and we expected smooth sailing. Cue the BAD music.

We strayed from our usual route, and chose Highway 22 just for variety's sake. Hey, they don't call it the Cowboy Trail for nothing, right? A few KMs after the turnoff, we saw several deer beside the road. (Did I mention it was dark by now?) Just as our collective sphincters were relaxing, we saw the unmistakeable hind quarters of a MOOSE off the roadway, just visible in my headlights, which I should note were now on HIGH BEAM. Whew! Two near misses, no harm done. We were just settling into normal road trip banter (e.g. "Geez, that douche-bag with the BC plates sure didn't have to tailgate me for so long before deciding to pass across the solid line!") when it happened. 

Out of nowhere, a (stunning) 8 or maybe 10-point (male, obviously) deer ran, no SPRINTED, into view from our right. His intention, apparently, was to cross the road. Let me just say this for the record - HE DID NOT MAKE IT. Thanks to my goalie-honed, raptor-like reflexes I was able to simultaneously veer left and brake hard. But alas, there was an horrific (for the deer) collision. Thankfully the d-b behind me at that point (probably from BC also) was far enough back to miss plowing into the rear of the Jeep. Apparently s/he was in a hurry to get to Longview before the jerky store closed, whizzing past me on the left and never looking back.

Tonya and I verified that our respective undies were unsoiled (each checking his/her own, for the nasty-minded out there) and we exited the vehicle for a peek. (It was stopped by now, duh.) After removing the dangling front fender moulding and rear bumper trim from the passenger side, I returned to the scene of the impact to survey the damage. The first thing we noticed was one half of Mr. Deer's heretofore lovely rack of antlers was in the roadway. Flinging it out of traffic and into the darkness, I noticed the second fender moulding nearby and placed it into the cargo area, with its two companions. The deer, I noticed after some distressed searching, was probably 40 feet off the roadway in the right hand ditch, from whence he came. I thanked all that is holy he was not moving, having nothing in the car with which to humanely dispatch him save a key ring and a couple of goalie sticks. Eww. We made it home without further incident, save yours truly wondering what this little bit of deerscaping will run me at the body shop. Chalk this episode up as definitely BAD.

This morning, I awoke early to play a bit of pick-up hockey with some guys I'd not met before. A fellow at work had posted a "goalie wanted" ad on our Outlook bulletin board. I made it down to the Olympic Oval at the U of C not really expected much other than a good skate. The guys were pretty skilled and I was on the receiving end of a snowman (that's an 8 in the goals against column) heading into the 3rd period. Fortunately, my luck was about to change. I hunkered down (and charged forward, not unlike a certain deer I had recently met) and bagelled (put up a 0) the opposition in the third, as my lads stormed back with 4 unanswered goals for the tie, the last scored in the final minute with me on the bench for an extra attacker. Boo-yah! But then things turned PATENTLY UNEXPECTED, for as we were coming off the ice and heading for the dressing room, little did I know that my professional hockey career was about to begin.

That's right, my friends. At the tender age of 43, I am now part of the fraternity of those who play not only for love of the game, but also for a payday. You see, some other guys were waiting as I came off the ice and begged me to play for them. It seems their goalie was a no-show and they waved FIFTY BUCKS in my face if I'd stay and play another game. Are you kidding me? (I thought quietly to myself - no way was I passing up a pro contract!) Long story short, I stayed, played and sashayed (nice rhyme eh?) my way to a cool 7-1 win and some cold, hard cash. Heading home, I grabbed a quick shower and parlayed (still on the -ay suffixed rhyme, sorry about that) my $50 into a couple Cokes, bucket of corn and a big screen showing of Casablanca down at Chinook Cineplex. Final assessment: UNBELIEVABLE!

It just goes to show, you never know how a weekend will turn out. I may never live to see its equal again, but through the magic of blogging, I at least get to share it with the world. Peace out, and heads up for those deer eh!

Taking Stock

As much as I am loathe to say the words, it's pretty clear summer has given way to fall here in the foothills of southern Alberta. And just like those hardy pioneer forebears who settled here and put aside the bounty of the harvest for the upcoming winter, so I find myself preparing for leaner times ahead.

Well, maybe that's a bit of an overstretch. It's not like I have to fear death by freezing or starvation or the lonely, cold prairie nights spent alone with nothing but cold stars for company. But it is far more than a mere metaphor to think of winter as a time to brace for the inevitable transitions to come.

After the relative bounty of the summer, a time when cares and concerns of the bitter season were far from thought, I find it appropriate to make some small accounting of my time away from work and from the rigours and routines of daily life. Really, what have I learned? What have I accomplished?

I think the single most significant realization I take from the summer is that I rediscovered things I truly enjoy doing. Going back to radio has been a life-changing experience, in so many ways. Regardless of who might be listening in the ungodly hours of the morning, I love being able to produce and deliver a show I am truly proud of. I look forward all week long to those few short hours in the broadcast booth, where I alone am responsible for connecting, sharing on a most personal level. I gain unfathomed energy from the anticipation of and the reflection on my creation of something truly unique and personal.

I've also rekindled my love for reading. I savoured some truly classic novels over the summer and look forward to carving time out of my evenings for some ongoing literary reflection.  There will also be time for films and concerts this fall and winter too. And maybe after our young resident art history expert arrives and sets up shop, some gallery visits too!

All this is to say that I'm really glad for the time away. Work is work; it will always be there and will always be important in its own right. But life, I remember now, is so much more. I look forward to friends and friendships revisited in the weeks and months ahead. And life too, shared and cherished in new and soul-satisfying ways.

Back Home and Back To Work!

After 5500 kilometers and temps as high as 40c we are back home in Calgary, and none the worse for wear. The legend of the Jeep Cherokee continues to grow; this time as a mighty puller of heavy U-Haul trailers and one who chuckles at stiff headwinds. As for me, I've had just about enough of these cross-continent labours of love.

Don't get me wrong. I love a good road trip, the operative word being good. Like, for instance, going somewhere fun. With nice scenery, perhaps. Or even pleasant weather. And definitely NOT involving excessive manual labour. Score on this trip: ZERO!

OK, there is maybe an element of satisfaction to factor into the equation. A job well done and all that. Turning a page, finishing a chapter, closing a book. (I think that's the requisite number of literary metaphors for this entry.) Maybe I need to see the bigger picture and look at what's beginning, in the afterglow (and the searing heat) of what's ending.

Tomorrow we will submit our passports to the Canadian government for their issuance of our Landed Immigrant status. All three of us will then be free to work and do most anything here in this great country, save voting or serving in the Canadian Forces. Those privileges are reserved for citizens, and we have a couple years to wait yet. Having Priscilla with us again is a big plus, too. I know we will enjoy having her close by again.

Oh, and one other small detail: I'm going back to work tomorrow. Yes, the nice folks down at Suncor Energy Centre have seen fit to let me resume my previous employment. Fancy that. It will be odd getting up and actually dressing for work again. I'm sure the routine will return quickly, but in some respects I feel like a kid on the first day of school. Hope my new Keds and Toughskin jeans wow the ladies as much as they did back in the day.

So I end today as I started nearly six months ago - embarking on a journey. At present, colour me both contented and determined to face whatever comes next with vigour and a none-too-small dollop of reality. Work is work; important, certainly but not everything. I've picked up a few loose bits of my life that I'd dropped somewhere along the way, and I have no intention of letting them slip away again...

Packing Things Up On The Scene

Thanks to the band Radio 4 for the title of this blog entry.

The last time I drove to this part of the world during the hottest part of the year, I said it was the last time. Well, here we are again. Oklahoma in August. 38C/101F. Ugh...

Sadly, this is not the actual trailer...

But I can at least draw some solace in the fact that this is definitely the last road trip to this part of the world. We've packed our remaining personal effects into a U-Haul trailer and will head north to cooler temperatures and our new life in Canada. Our old life in the States is behind us now, with an air of finality we've only started to comprehend.

For you see, while we were on the road this time, we received word that our permanent residency status in Canada has been approved. All we have to do is send in our passports for the requisite stamps and within a couple of weeks we'll all have new ID cards which will allow us to live and work in Canada without restriction. Priscilla is included in our application, and she'll be joining us later in September.

There are some things we'll miss from this neck of the woods, though. Real barbecue, Shiner Bock and Blue Bell Ice Cream come to mind. But I won't be sad to leave behind the bugs, the heat or the likelihood of death by tornado. Good riddance to those, I must say.

So at the end of it all, things are looking pretty effin' positive as we head back to work in the next week or two. But we still have one last, hot drive to remind us what we leave behind. Oy.

New Blog Launch - UP ALL NIGHT!

Hey there friends and fans. As I spend more time preparing for and reporting on my radio show on CJSW, I've decided to launch a new blog dedicated exclusively to Up All Night. If you're interested in following my adventures in radio, here's the link: http://upallnightcjsw.blogspot.com/

As part of the new blog, I'll be posting news, notes and playlists for my shows, as well as opportunities for music fans to weigh in our favourite artists and submit feedback on show ideas.

So check it out and let me know what you think!

DJ Mark is UP ALL NIGHT on CJSW!

Okay hipsters.  Time to get serious about your late-night radio.

This past Tuesday saw the official "launch" of my new show, Up All Night, on CJSW 90.9 FM here in Calgary. And while some might opine the time slot (2am-6am) is, shall we say, less-than-savoury, I beg to differ.

Sweet logo - special thanks to Haley Em!

For one, it takes a devoted listener (or someone in a friendlier - say European - timezone) to tune in during the wee small hours. No mollycoddling for my fans, no sir. Only the most hardy and hardcore devotees need apply.

Plus, I feel no constraints on my show content. I can play pretty much whatever I damn well please. Old school alternative? Check. New Canadian artists? Check. Jazz, reggae, lounge???  Check, check, and CHECKMATE!  Four hours of nothing but feet-scootin', butt-rockin', sleep-chasin' beats!!!

So, if you've got the chops, check out the show. And if the middle of the night is no good for you during the week (sissy!) I've a limited time only offer for you: This Friday (August 13) from 7am-10am, my pal Kat Lord (host of CJSW's The Jazz Baby) and I will be holding court on the morning airwaves. This is a limited-time offer, so you know we can't do this every day. Not unlike the Slap-Chop. So for the love of all that's good and wholesome, tune in and check us out!!!

North To Alaska!

I was thinking recently that it's been far too long since I've embarked on an epic road trip. The idea of hitting the highway and seeing the world from behind a windscreen has an almost primal appeal. And since it doesn't get much more epic than Alaska, the idea moved from concept to reality quite rapidly.

For the record, it's been 8 years since I've spent the summer in the 49th State. My folks still live there of course, and Tonya and I both have sisters there, along with some very dear friends. I've never driven the Alaska Highway and Tonya's lone trip was in 1989. What's more, we're already "halfway there" from the perspective of our Lower 48 neighbors. So with all that in play, it was pretty obvious that a trip was in order. So, we're packing up the Jeep and heading out early tomorrow morning.

According to our trusty copy of the 2010 Milepost, it's 2160 miles from Calgary to Anchorage. We plan to take it in three driving days. Day 1 will take us through Alberta into northern British Columbia and an overnight stay in Fort Nelson. We'll head from there to Whitehorse, Yukon Territory on the second day and cross the Alaska border and down into the southcentral part of the state for some long overdue catching up time.

We plan to stay 8 or 9 days and then head back to Calgary, but by a slightly different route. We'll head down the Cassiar Highway into the heart of BC and see parts of the province neither us has experienced to date. And perhaps we'll get our hands on some terrific Okanagan wines in the process too!

Be sure to stay tuned for the occasional travel post. And all my legions of radio fans, don't despair. I'll plan on returning to the CJSW airwaves upon my return to Calgary in August. Of course I'll still be working in the wee small hours but hey, it's a great gig regardless.

So until then, wish us ¡Buen viaje! and safe travels eh!

"Are We On The Air, Sugar?"

Yes, Geraldine, it's true.

For those unfortunate enough to be awake in the wee small hours of Tuesday morning and near your radio or computer, you might have heard yours truly broadcasting on the Calgary airwaves. Yes, that's right. After a hiatus of more than 15 years I am once again a real live radio DJ.

How's that, you ask? Well, it went down something like this. I submitted a volunteer application to CJSW 90.9 FM (our local college radio station broadcasting from the U of C campus) here in Calgary a couple months back. I've been wanting to get back into the music scene for a while now, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity. After two relatively painless orientation sessions, I set to work on the low end of the food chain - cataloging music in the library.

Ironically, most volunteers hate this part of the deal. They find it tedious and unappealing. Not me. Quite the contrary, actually, as I really dig seeing all the new music that comes in to the station as well as the 100K+ title library we are privileged to maintain. Though it's mostly CDs these days, there are still lots of great albums which are only available on vinyl. What's more, many are out of print, which even makes them all the cooler.

I'd probably logged 20 hours or so in the last few weeks and was content to keep plugging away and trying to help out in any way I could, when last week the Program Director (Mark Shields) pulled me aside and asked if I might fill in for some open shifts that needed temporary hosts. He knew I'd done radio before and deftly put me alongside an expert DJ (thanks Hayley Em!) for a quick refresher in the broadcast booth last Monday afternoon.

Although quite a bit has changed in radio since the early 90s, the basics are still the same. Good on-air presence, a sense of timing and, of course, enough musical sensibility to actually program a show that flows from start to finish. Another hands-on session with Mark the PD on the 30th allowed me to "solo" for over an hour. Afterward, he apparently felt I was capable of handling things on my own, so he plugged me into an open overnight slot which needed a host. Which brings me to this morning.

I arrived at the station 'round midnight (cue Thelonius Monk) and started selecting music from the library. Overnight shows like this one (2am-6am) don't get heavily programmed with ads or public service announcements (PSAs) or other required content, so there's a lot of freedom to play a range of music. We are required to select 4 songs per hour off the current playlist, as well as insuring at least 4 Canadian-content offerings are played. But still, with 12-15 songs per hour (I do try to avoid the live version of In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida) means a lot of preparation is needed to adequately cover a 4-hour shift.

When the clock displayed 2:00 I was on the air! The time passed quickly as I served up a blend of old-school college radio staples along with our new material, plus a generous sampling of blues, jazz, reggae and some choice international beats. I think the final product, though still a bit rough by my standards, went over quite well. No one called to complain which means a) I did OK or b) no one was listening. What the heck - I had a blast despite being up way past my bedtime.

Even better, I'm on again in the daylight hours this week (Wednesday July 7 from 4-6pm MDT) so perhaps my legions (ha!) of fans will be able to "stay up" this time around. If you're not in Calgary, no worries. We stream live 24/7 on our web site.

Thanks in advance for your support and hope you can listen in!

Last Dash to the Finish!

Well, we're getting really close folks. Tonya and I completed our medicals in support of our Canadian immigration application this past week. By all accounts, we passed. Barring a late flunking of the blood test for syphilis, that is.

Priscilla is flying up from Big D later this week to complete her examination. Once that's done, the results go to Ottawa for final OK, then off to Los Angeles to get married up the the rest of our application.

The best part is that for our immigration classification, completed medicals precede final approval by as little as a month. Which means if we're lucky, we could have our landed immigrant status before the end of the summer.

Fingers crossed, if you please. Next stop, the tattoo shop for my Maple Leaf insignia!

It's Official: I'm Back in Radio!

All right, so it's not like I'm next in line for the Howard Stern Show or anything. But this week I completed my volunteer training at CJSW, our local college radio station here in Calgary.

It's an important milestone because before new volunteers get to touch any of the cool equipment and such, they have to attend the orientation sessions - four hours in total spread over two consecutive Monday evenings. The sessions deal with the station's history and mission, as well as the various departments and funding process. There's also a comprehensive tour, including the broadcast booth.

There are several things for volunteers to do at the station. For instance, summer festivals are a big part of station promotion, so there are booths to man and event planning to help out with. There's also news gathering and production, web site and social media support, and music library. That's where I'm helping out.

As you can imagine, a radio station has to process lots and lots of music coming in from record labels, independent artists and other sources. I'm helping to catalog and categorize all this music (CDs and vinyl primarily, but also archive materials like reel-to-reel, carts and DATs) and put it away in the library for all the show producers and staff to easily access.

I'd like to get the opportunity to do my own show at some point, but for now patience is the key. Plus, being the organizational guru (OK, neat freak) that I am, I'm providing a valued service to the station whilst learning the ropes at the same time. How cool is that?

If you'd like to join me as a CJSW volunteer, it's very easy to do and a most worthwhile use of your time. Both U of C students and community members are welcome, so what are you waiting for?

Catching the Wave

Last night Tonya and I experienced another dose of Calgary culture first-hand, reaffirming my great affection for this city's arts community. We attended the first annual Calgary Latin Wave, a petite film festival featuring the year's best movies from Latin America. The festival is a joint venture between Fundación PROA and the Calgary International Film Festival.

We were privileged to see The Secret In Their Eyes (El Secreto De Sus Ojos), which won this year's Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. It's an amazing work from Argentine director Juan José Campanella and was shown in Spanish with English subtitles.

The movie is simply amazing. Campanella's creation features a compelling story, fascinating characters and a great score. There are scenes of unspeakable violence, sardonic humour and a touching, understated love story that interweave effortlessly throughout the film. Rarely have I been so incredibly pleased at watching a movie. Our fellow patrons applauded vigourously at the conclusion, which is something you don't often experience at a cinema these days.

And the fact that the festival was so well done, and right here in our back yard, made it all the more enjoyable. As this was the first year of the festival, next year is not yet a certainty. But the showing we attended was very patronized by our fellow Calgarians, so here's hoping they return again next year!

One Step Closer...

This week, I set up appointments for medical exams for Tonya, Priscilla and me in support of our Canadian immigration application. This is a big deal, as it is the final step in the process before receiving our Landed Immigrant status - or "Green Cards" to use the US parlance.

There are a number of ways to apply for permanent residency status here in Canada. The traditional way is to apply directly to the federal government using a point-system which looks at education, profession, language skills, etc. to establish a basis for admission to the country. It's a self-directed plan than can take several years and is mainly designed for people who are still living in their home country.

In additional, there's an employer-based program which allows companies to nominate foreign workers here legally on short-term work visas to become permanent residents. It's much faster (12-18 months) and I applied initially under this program while working for ATCO. The downside is it's tied to a specific job with a specific company, so if you change roles or employers you have to start over. Which is exactly what happened to me when I joined Suncor last spring.

Fortunately, Canada launched a new, self-directed program recently called the Canadian Experience Class or CEC. It allows people who have worked legally (i.e. hold a work visa) in Canada for two or more years to apply directly for permanent status. Since I easily qualified for the work piece, I started the process last fall.

The application forms are painstakingly detailed. We all had to catalogue our complete US residency history (including addresses and dates) as well as work history since the age of 18. Imagine how many times a 40-something couple have moved and changed jobs in 20+ years! We also had to obtain FBI criminal clearance as well as clearances from all state law enforcement agencies in every jurisdiction we've resided in since age 18. Whew!

Once all the documents are prepared and submitted (and healthy fees are paid) the government finally starts their piece. It's taken six months, but the fact that we've been requested to do our medicals means we are close to the finish line. Medical exams are the final step and are required to insure we don't carry diseases which endanger public health or create a drain on the health care system. Which is ironic, since we've been living here and participating in the health care system since 2006 - go figure!

If all goes well, we should have our permanent status confirmed in the fall. Once we are declared "landed immigrants" we can petition for citizenship in two years, provided we are not deported for hooliganism in the interim! So, step by step, we are approaching our goal: dual citizenship and two passports. Which can only mean one possible celebration: Cuban vacation - here we come!!!

Back "Home" in Calgary

Thomas Wolfe's protagonist George Webber in You Can't Go Home Again said so eloquently "You can't go back home to your family, back home to your childhood ... back home to a young man's dreams of glory and of fame ... back home to places in the country, back home to the old forms and systems of things which once seemed everlasting but which are changing all the time — back home to the escapes of Time and Memory."

That may be true, but it sure felt like a homecoming of sorts for yours truly upon landing in Calgary last evening. Sure, the weather was a pale reflection of the tropical magic of Mexico. By all accounts, it has been rubbish around here all spring long, or what has loosely passed for spring. Based on all the rants from my friends and colleagues, this has been the spring of our discontent (with apologies to John Steinbeck).

But home to me isn't about temperature or humidity or precipitation. Home is a state of mind where one finds comfort, purpose and a sense of belonging. I have definitely found my place here at the intersection of the Great Plains and the Rockies, under a big sky. So, for now, Calgary is home. 

There's also something more deeply profound that I discovered about myself during these past few months. I like - no I love - being a foreigner, a stranger in a strange land if you will. Let me attempt to explain.

Sometimes I feel an extreme sense of liberation and freedom in NOT belonging to a place. For me, there is great comfort in anonymity and the ability to move without tether or shackle. Maybe it's an ability born out of necessity due to all the moving I've done since my teenage years. Or maybe, conversely, I've done a lot of moving in a vain attempt to scratch an unseen itch.

I don't fancy myself a loner - I certainly enjoy the fruits of society - music, art, culture of all variety. These are clearly things made by my fellow creatures. But I always feel a bit like I'm on the outside looking in. It's hard to describe, but being a visible foreigner (not quite Ausländer, as I never felt unwelcome) in Mexico for over a month gave a real sense of being on the field, but not really in the game. It was an interesting sensation of being able to move freely and observe people without really being a tangible part of daily life as most people probably know it.

Living in Canada is somewhat similar in certain respects, save the obvious one: it's a lot easier for me to pass for Canadian. And, I suppose in a country with a large immigrant population, I have as much right to "feel" Canadian as someone from China, Kenya or Pakistan who now lives here. So the next step in the immigration process will prove interesting: will I feel any more or less like this is indeed my place, my home once I get my green card or ultimately my citizenship?

Time will tell, as it does in all things. But this little piece of the puzzle now has a place to fit in, and I am left feeling thankful for the time to come to this clarity of mind. My "sabbatical" has a couple more months to go, so who knows what gems await discovery by careful eye and patient hands...?

Last Week in Mexico

We put Priscilla on the plane home to Dallas yesterday. I always enjoy our visits, though of late they never seem to last long enough. Leaving the airport, the realization set in that we would be returning home to Calgary soon ourselves.


It's been a truly amazing month here in Puerto Vallarta. The point of this extended visit was not to discover if we liked it here - we proved that theory many visits ago. Rather, it was to see if we could potentially live here long-term, once our work permitted it. It's safe to say we answered that with a resounding YES! as well.


Which is not to say we won't visit other places in the meantime. We've spoken recently of a trip to the Baja in the spring. Probably not a big tourist destination like Cabo San Lucas, but instead someplace a bit more "authentic" like Loreto or La Paz. The real discovery this time for us is that we truly like observing the local people and not so much the vacationing masses.


Fortunately, Puerto Vallarta is a diverse enough destination to offer many slices of life. We've enjoyed wandering its streets and neighbourhoods, haunting its coffee shops and taquerias and simply admiring life in the tropics.


So, as we prepare to head back to Canada it will be with a mixed sense of excitement for home and regret of leaving such a wonderful place. And of course, counting the days to our next visit...

Sailing Banderas Bay

Sunday the 23rd was an amazing day on the water with Captain Peter Vines of Vallarta Fishing. The four of us (Tonya, Priscilla, our friend Wendy and myself) met Pete and Tony, his helper, at the Los Peines Marina before boarding his lovely 50-foot sloop, the Dos Niños.

Pete and Tony took great care of their guests all day long. We had continental breakfast featuring some nice pastries and fruits, a mid-day snack and then a tasty lunch. Of course there were lots of cold cervezas to be enjoyed as well.

We fished on the cruise out to our snorkel site, catching a number of bonita - lovely fish that put up a terrific fight - as we all got a chance to reel one in. Once we arrived at Los Arcos, a local group of islands known for great snorkeling, we got to get wet in the cool waters of the Pacific. There were tons of tropical fish to swim with and we all enjoyed bobbing around for a bit.

Afterwards, Pete and Tony hoisted the sails and we cruised back to the north toward the Marina. There was nothing but the sound of the water and the wind in the sails. Yours truly even got to take the wheel for a while.

All in all, we were on the water for over 6 hours and enjoyed a glorious time. Thanks to Pete and Tony for a great day and we definitely will plan to sail with them again!

Status Report, Mr. Sulu!

So it's been two and a half months now that I've been off work, which begs the obvious question: Do I miss it?

The obvious answer is, no I don't. But that doesn't really tell the whole story. I do miss the people, those meaningful daily interactions which, for me anyway, make existence as a cog in the giant corporate machinery tolerable. It's the hallway chats, catching up over coffee, or helping someone solve a problem which makes their work easier or more worthwhile. Those are the things I miss.

As for the endless meetings, contrived deadlines, arbitrary targets and general headless chicken impersonations, those I can live without. Sitting here enjoying a tropical breeze and a cold beverage on the patio makes that so incredibly clear. I can definitely do this every day and never get tired of it.

Sure, I'd need to refresh my iPod at regular intervals and restock my book collection (just finished Ayn Rand's masterpiece Atlas Shrugged and now working on John Steinbeck's East of Eden) but other than that I'm pretty good here.

But alas the old bank account will dictate sooner or later that I'll be heading back to work. For a few more years anyway. For if I've learned one thing during these past few months, it's that there's more to life than work. And I hope to explore it as soon as possible.

Who's with me??? Warp speed and fire photon torpedoes!!!

How About Those HABS!

In a memorable debate moment, President Reagan once chided "Well, there you go again..." And it seems the same can be said for these upstart Canadiens of 2010.

After a stunning 7-game upset of the league's best regular-season team (Washington) in the first round, all Les Habitants could do in Round 2 is dispatch the defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins and their stars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Here's a good write-up of Game 7 from TSN, Canada's ESPN-equivalent.

What makes Montreal's accomplishment even more improbable is they almost missed the playoffs entirely, earning a single point on the last day of the season to snag the final berth in the Eastern Conference. And they've enthralled the faithful back home, where over 21,000 fans packed the Centre Bell to watch Game 7 on the Jumbotron. Talk about your fan support - some NHL teams in the Sun Belt can't even get fans into their buildings when they play games there in person!

Now not all is belle in La Belle Province. It seems there is the not-so-small story of some fans back home taking their enthusiasm to extremes, or what most people call rioting. Quelle domage! Let's keep it clean and fun, mes amis! Make all Canadians proud to support the Blue, Blanc et Rouge.

So on to Round 3, and hopefully another treat for fans across Canada and even us supporters here in Mexico. Boston and Philadelphia are tied 3-3 in their best of 7 series, with Game 7 coming up in Boston. Now wouldn't that be a dream showdown - Habs vs. Bruins for a trip to the Stanley Cup Finals. Sweet!!!

Lena Horne (June 30, 1917 – May 9, 2010)

It is with much sadness that I learned of Lena Horne's passing today. She was a remarkable lady in so many ways, and the last surviving member of a quartet of remarkable African-American women (along with Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holliday) who shook the world in the middle of the 20th century.

It's still hard for someone of my generation to imagine the difficulties she faced due to segregation; prejudice which severely limited a budding film career and forced her to take a heroic stance against playing "Latin American" roles to disguise her true ethnicity. She refused to compromise with the big studios, choosing instead to pursue a career in the theatre and as a recording artist. One can only wonder at the mega-star she might have been in a more open-minded society.

But in my mind her talent is both unmistakable and truly legendary. The laughter and joy she made a hallmark of her career will never be lost and never duplicated. The light in her smile will never be extinguished in the hearts of her fans around the world.

Rest in peace Lena. You will be missed.

Sunsets, et al.

Sunsets are a thing of beauty in Mexico, particularly here on the west coast. There is nothing more inspiring and relaxing than watching that big orange orb disappear into the Pacific Ocean. But it's more than just a spectacle to celebrate the end of the day.

I find that the sun sets the rhythm for the entire cycle of life here. It's easy to start a sleepy morning when the sun rises behind the mountains to the east, lighting up the sky but still leaving most of the world in shadows. Mornings take on a fluid, easy pace as the sun climbs over the surrounding hills and trees, illuminating the lower lands which hug the bay.

But don't be fooled into thinking the pace here means the local residents are slow or lazy. Nothing can be farther from the truth. In the nearly 20 years I've been visiting Puerto Vallarta, I've seen quite a transformation from workmen leading donkeys laden with bricks and concrete sacks to today's modern, mechanized workforce. You can argue the pace is different than Canada or the States, but trust me - these folks work hard and take great pride in their labours. And they certainly earn my respect and admiration.

So it's with a bit of sorrow and much longing for tomorrow that I bid another day adios and watch the waves swallow El Sol once again. But a tropical sea breeze and a cold cerveza will certainly take the sting out of the loss for yet another evening.

Until next time, hasta luego!
Don Marcos

Thar she blows!

You gotta love those pesky idioms.

Being in a foreign country reminds me of how little I really know my own native language. There are so many things we say that we take for granted, knowing nothing about the origins of what we speak. "Mind your Ps and Qs" (pints and quarts - Old English) or "Adios!" (go with God) spring to mind. There are countless other expressions we use daily without a moment's thought to what they truly mean.

And so it seems the native Spanish speakers here in Mexico have another thing to teach me - and one I'll remember well. Most beer here is sold in American-sized 12 ounce (355 ml) botellas, or bottles. But as I learned in a previous trip to Mexico (Huatulco, to be exact) they have a special name for the big boys.

Here, it seems the 32-ounce, or litro bottles of beer are known as ballenas.

And if the picture doesn't say a thousand words, that translates to WHALE in English. And how appropriate, I might add.

Nothing caps off your day (pun strongly intended) quite like an icy cold ballena, and my personal favourite when visiting this part of the world is Pacifico. I must say I'll never forget this one in any word-association game, regardless of language...

So as you go about your daily travails, give this a thought: Somewhere, at this very moment, someone in the tropics is hoisting an icy-cold draught of pure heaven. Don't you wish you were here?


Vaya con Dios!
Don Marcos

Bienvenidos a Puerto Vallarta!

Mexico always evokes a sensation of calm each time I'm here. Not exactly the calm of destiny realized or purpose fulfilled, but more like the calm experienced when one bears no responsibility to others, only to one's self.

And, of course, there's the pace of life here. Not slow, per se, although it's easy to think that at first glance. For me, it's more a sense of deliberateness of purpose centred around activities of true importance. Family, faith, work and compassion for others are real values here. Values which easily trump the rampant accumulation of material wealth in more "developed" countries. Mexicans seem to know the real deal, and they truly embrace their part in it.

Sundays are when one really gets to know the Mexican people. Stroll the Malecón or walk along a neighborhood street and watch fathers playing with their children or extended families sharing a meal. It's a window into our own past - recalled with fondness for a simpler time. It's easy to understand that despite all our material riches, these people know a wealth we can only admire.

Hasta luego...

What a Game 7!

I can't let the occasion pass without acknowledgment. The Montreal Canadiens shocked the hockey world and thrilled everyone in La Belle Province with a stunning Game 7 win over the Washington Capitals. I must say I was completely caught up in the excitement, literally jumping out of my seat when the final horn sounded last night.

What's so remarkable about the win isn't the fact that Les Habitants came in as the 8th seed in the Eastern Conference and knocked off the President's Trophy winning Caps. Rather, it was the way they did it - coming from a 3-1 series deficit and winning the final three games (2 in Washington!) to clinch.

Led by Jaroslav Halak's 131 saves of 134 shots in the last 3 games, Montreal gets some reward: a date with the defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins in Round 2. So don't plan the parade just yet, hockey fans. But hope springs eternal across a nation yearning for a return of the Cup to Canada for the first time since 1993. And wouldn't it be something if these upstart Habs brought home another championship...?

Can't wait for Round 2 to begin!

I Survived Grade 9 (Again!)

Here's a quick update on my JA session yesterday. Overall, I think it went very well and the student evaluations confirmed that the kids thought so too.

I hosted a class of 22 students from John Paul II Collegiate in Okotoks. They were a bit chatty at times and the teacher wasn't as helpful as I'd hoped with regard to keeping order. Still, I think they were pretty well behaved and attentive. It was interesting to see which of my adult facilitation techniques worked with a group of 15-year olds. For instance, drawing out the quiet ones worked but standing next to the unruly ones generally had little effect on their behaviour.

Their bus arrived late, so I lost about 25 minutes of my 3-hour session right off the hop. I ended up compressing things a bit and still finished up on time. I think this was a great feature of the curriculum, as it was composed of lots of short segments which could be customized to the time available.

The kids liked the interactive bits the most, particularly the games (as expected). But they also did quite well with the budgeting, specifically trying to match up their expenses with the fictitious jobs and paycheques I gave them. Several students asked some pretty good questions - when they weren't cutting up, that is.

In general, the girls were way more into the day than the boys were. The guys seemed to have a much harder time focusing and keeping their attention on the lesson. Which leads me to the following observations...

Things I'd do differently next time: 1) Assign random seating to break up the little cliques; 2) Arrange the seating in table groups vs. row style; and 3) Expect the teacher to merely observe and not participate.

There are other JA programs for different age groups, so next fall I'd like to try out some other teaching opportunities. I can't say enough about the JA support staff and the way they organize things. It really makes the volunteer's role super easy and enjoyable. I definitely recommend the experience!

Grade 9 Revisited

It’s been 20 degrees and sunny for the past few days, so the thought of blogging was not exactly at the forefront of my mind lately. Still, I feel compelled to share some news of note. Monday April 26 will be a bit of a milestone day, as yours truly will be going back to the classroom. Grade 9, to be exact.

Only this time around, I’ll not be the geeky kid in the back of the room thinking he’s smarter than the teacher. Instead, I’ll be the teacher. Talk about instant karma.

Here’s the skinny: I’ve volunteered through the local Junior Achievement chapter to teach their Economics for Success course (formerly Economics of Staying in School or ESIS). It’s offered free of charge to Grade 9 students from across the Calgary area: public, private, parochial – everyone. The program is run in partnership with Mount Royal College as a field trip opportunity.

In brief, the course is a half-day workshop designed to give kids entering high school an idea of what things cost and what is involved in supporting one’s self after leaving school. The idea is the more they know about the “real world” the more inclined they will be to stay in school and complete an education which will equip them to enter the workforce successfully and sustain themselves.

The curriculum is excellent. I attended an orientation session earlier in the week, along with around 30 other folks from the business community. There is both structure and flexibility in the course materials, plus lots of places to insert some personal School of Hard Knocks anecdotes.

So, as the school bell rings on Monday, think of me standing up in front of a room full of 15-year olds. Will it be a moment of enlightenment and hope, or perhaps sheer terror? Either way, I trust the mental image will bring a chuckle out there in cyberspace somewhere…

Spring is in the Air!

OK, so it snowed and blowed up a near blizzard in Calgary yesterday, and it’s below freezing again this morning, but I still feel optimistic that spring is finally at hand. Maybe it’s the fact that we are blessed with a lot of sunny days here, albeit chilly ones of late. Perhaps it’s the longer days or simply that Easter has passed and April is well under way. Regardless of the reason, I have lots to look forward to.

For one thing, we’re just 3 weeks away from heading to Puerto Vallarta for an extended visit. We’ve booked a lovely condo on the hillside overlooking Banderas Bay and for a soul-satisfying five weeks it will be our home away from home in the tropics. We’ve even been polishing up our Spanish, thanks to the fine folks at Rosetta Stone. It should be a wonderful month plus and a great way to kick off summer time.

I’m also feeling a lot healthier this spring. A combination of better diet, some more exercise and probably just a generally less stressed life has left me with a sense of renewed energy and determination to enjoy life and my place in the world. I’ve got a couple volunteer opportunities cooking too, so that should be rewarding once everything comes together.

So while it lasts, I hope to soak up the sun and seize each day along the way. I hope that those of you who follow my blog will do the same. As George Harrison so wonderfully sang, “Here Comes The Sun!”

Status Check – First 30 Days

OK, so I’ve been off work for nearly a month now. Time to reflect on the weeks since then, and what I feel I’ve accomplished.

For one thing, thanks to the combined efforts of Tonya and yours truly, the house is in the best shape ever. The office is tidy and actually looks like an office, instead of like a storage unit. The entire place is clean and feels altogether spring-like. The only big remaining task is to clean the winter’s grime off the patio furniture and get the balcony ready for some long overdue sun-worshipping. Although admittedly I’m loathe to anger the weather gods with a misplaced show of bravado, so maybe another week or so until that goes down.

But this time off was never about catching up on chores. Rather, it is about getting my own personal “house” in order. And that’s more of a mixed report card at this point, I must admit. I have been engaged in some serious thinking and planning, that’s for certain. And though I may have been aiming a bit high, I don’t feel I’m as far along there as I’d like.

I’ve not selected a radical new career, nor set sail on a one-way cruise to some exotic port of call to open a bar for suntan oil slathered gringo patrons. (That one did make the “possibilities” list though!) Nor have I cured cancer, solved world hunger or learned a new language fluently. In fact, aside from a tidy domicile, I don’t feel I have a lot to show, tangibly speaking. And in some ways, I find this depressing. Perhaps deep down I naively expected some kind of revelation or epiphany to provide a crystal clear path to follow. Alas, it seems life does not work that way. 

So I’m resetting my expectations and going into woodshed mode, getting ready to muck and grind and get dirty, metaphorically speaking. Or since it’s nearly baseball season, it’s time to manufacture a few runs. A bunt single, an error or even (gasp!) a hit batsman or two. Just get a couple runs over and get a rally started. And if not, what the hell. I'll grab a beer and a hot dog and enjoy a day at the park, just the same. Maybe the sun, the crowd and the grass will prove inspirational. Hmm.

So to get the inning started, I’ve decided to embark on a little volunteer work suggested by a trusted colleague. Reaching out to one of my passions, as it were. I hope to teach a few Junior Achievement seminars to Grade 9 students in the month of April. The obvious course fit from my viewpoint is entitled Economics for Success. I hope that for the first time I might be able to use my economics degree for something other than a drink coaster. One of the things I’ve realized this past month is that I really do love teaching others and sharing my experiences, or perhaps just relating my dumb mistakes. Time to embrace that prophetic despair.com gem: It could be that purpose of your life is only to serve as a warning to others.

So for now, life starts with me squaring around to bunt and hoping not to eat a high and tight slider. But hey, it’s a start.  And isn’t that the whole point? Play ball!

Answering the Obvious Questions

Many people, when learning of my intention to take time away from work, ask the obvious question: Why? Or in some cases, they ask the second obvious question: Why now? In this installment, I will try to answer both queries, lest anyone, feline or otherwise, succumb to a fatal bout of curiousity.

First of all, neither I nor anyone close to me is dying, ill or otherwise suffering from some dread affliction. So no worries there. As a matter of fact, I’ve been contemplating some “me” time for a while now. The catalyst for the now part comes principally from my experience attending Priscilla’s university graduation in December.

Being something of a “live in the moment” kind of fellow, I’d not really thought much about how this event would affect me. (Aside, of course, from the extremely selfish notion that I’d have a lot more disposable income from now on.) It all truth it kind of sneaked up on me, as many things seem to do of late. But I digress…

Late last fall, Tonya and I planned a road trip from Calgary to Oklahoma for the first two weeks in December. Our purpose was twofold; to both witness this auspicious event and to pack up Miss P for a “homecoming” trek back to Canada. The plan, as we understood it anyway, was that she would shack up rent-free with mum and dad for a while. This would enable her to start building some career-related experience free from the pressures of fully supporting herself right away. We’d all discussed this rather extensively, so things seemed all set.

A week before hitting the road, Priscilla dropped a bit of a bomb on us. She’d decided that instead of living with us in Calgary she intended to move to Dallas and seek her fortune there. Needless to say, our first reaction was not overwhelming joy. In fact, it seemed capricious and rash. But as the notion settled with me for a bit, I started to see things in a different way.

It really all hit home as I was sitting through her graduation ceremony. I found myself transported back in time some 20-odd years to my own college commencement. I started to recount the years and assess what I’d accomplished so far, all the while trying to remember what I’d set out to do in the first place. I found quickly that my current reality didn’t resemble much of anything I’d envisioned. Indeed, I struggled to remember what I’d envisioned at all.

Now that’s not necessarily a haunting realization, but one that did puzzle my puzzler for a time. (Thanks to Dr. Suess!) I began to understand that my current reality was as much a product of random chance as any kind of planned journey. Priscilla had actually leaped ahead of me in some ways with her bold plan to pursue that which she had clearly wanted for some time – a genuine career working in museums. I both admired and envied her single-minded sense of purpose, and I vowed to find my own.

Armed with this new insight, I started thinking about how I might discover a sense of purpose for myself: my career, my life and those meaningful relationships I believe we all crave deep down. I also realized I needed complete focus, not a “fill in the cracks” approach around my work, which at present doesn’t allow for much mental bandwidth.

So, here I am. All in, for you Texas hold ‘em fans. Six months to sort things out and arm for the fights still to come. I’m not sure what the future has in store for me, but I’m more excited to find out than I’ve been in a long time. Maybe not even since that stifling Sunday afternoon in a gym in Fairbanks so many years ago, decked out in cap and gown and dreams aplenty…