Intendo Games

The past day or so I have been window shopping online for techmolgies that are unavailable at home, so I thought I would share some knowledge of my findings. For you parents of children who enjoy their Pokemon, here are two interesting findings. 1. There is a new game being released for NintendoDS called Pokemon Platinum. It was released in Japan September 16th but a date has not been set yet for a North American or European release. I read somewhere, December 31st, but this cannot be verified. If it is out at this time, Pokemon Platinum will not only be a great item to exchange the unwanted clothing for, but it will also keep your childrem at bay while you entertain company at new years. Although DS games are region free, i.e. you can play a Japanese DS game in a North American DS, the Pokemon games require a lot of reading so there would be no point in ordering a Japanese copy. All the same, it would be pretty cool to show up to school with it 3 month before all the other kids, I'm just saying. 2. My second bit of gaming news might not be news at all, I'm just not up on these things. The Wii game, Pokemon Battle Revolution, was released in December 2007, so your kids are probably board to death with it. However, if they haven't given it a try yet already, you should let them know that the game is compatible with Pokemon Diamond and Pokemon Pearl for the DS. You can use the DS as a control pad and battle your Pokemon from the DS on the TV screen. That's neat. So i was just checking out some video game stuff and all of a sudden a bird flies in the window and crashes into the wall over my clients head. The bird then flew toward the window again and eventually found its way out, but it sure was funny for the time being. I closed the window, but was then instructed to open the top one, so as to allow some air flow. We get a lot fo birds around here, due to the 6 feeders placed out in the back yard. If i'm lucky I will only have to refill them twice a week, but they keep my client happy so that's all that matters. http://catalog.ebay.com/Pokemon-Battle-Revolution_045496900168_W0QQ_catrefZ1QQ_fifptsZ1QQ_flnZ1QQ_pidZ56283919QQ_sopZ15QQ_trksidZp3286Q2ec0Q2em271 http://catalog.ebay.com/Pokemon-Battle-Revolution_045496900168_W0QQ_catrefZ1QQ_fifptsZ1QQ_flnZ1QQ_pidZ56283919QQ_sopZ15QQ_trksidZp3286Q2ec0Q2em271

Venesin is to Deer as Pork is to Pig

Yes, I cooked Venison for the first time tonight and I really like it. It's a game meat but I wouldn't say it's like Moose. It's like... no it's like Moose, that's a good way to describe it. I have been making a list of things i would like to bring home with me, but this list is in my head so I don't know how well it is held together. Venison, Lamb (I'm pretty sure we get Lamb at home but I hardly every see it) and other things that wont go bad in my pocket. We have a visitor here now so I'm going to dodge off. later kids

Bible lesson

This one is all about different things I've found in the Bible, and my search is usually provoked by someones question or behaviour. If you're looking for a story then maybe this read is not the best one for you. It contains a few interesting facts and findings. My brother in law said, in reference to one of my last posts that there were no post-Pentecost accounts of god speaking to people through dreams, and from what I can find on www.blueletterbible.com , he is right. I would like to thank Sam for showing me this site, along with many others I have found useful, such as www.blogger.com where you are reading today. So anyways, I was checking out blueletterbible in the New American Standard section, because that's what I trust, and I could not find any examples of dream messages from God. If you come up with any please fill me in. I searched dream, dreams, interpretation, & Cod Tongues, to no avail. The only mention of dreams is in reference to the last days, so I guess the presence of dreams from God is an indication of the time we are living in, do you think, or not? Here are all the new testament accounts of the word dream, plus the last account of the old testament which I have included because it is prophecy of the last days, and comes up again in the last account of the New Testament. The verses in the middle are new testament but they are still pre-Pentecost. For anyone reading who doesn't know what Pentecost is, it was the day when the comforter come to the disciples after Jesus has ascended into heaven. The comforter being the holy spirit who Jesus promised would come to guide us once he left the earth, until his return. Act 2:1 When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place.

Joe 2:28	"It will come about after this That I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind; And your sons and daughters will prophesy, Your old men will dream dreams, Your young men will see visions.
Mat 1:20	But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.
Mat 2:12	And having been warned {by God} in a dream not to return to Herod, the magi left for their own country by another way.
Mat 2:13	Now when they had gone, behold, an angel of the Lord *appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Get up! Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is going to search for the Child to destroy Him."
Mat 2:19	But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord *appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, and said,
Mat 2:22	But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Then after being warned {by God} in a dream, he left for the regions of Galilee,
Mat 27:19	While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent him {a message,} saying, "Have nothing to do with that righteous Man; for last night I suffered greatly in a dream because of Him."
Act 2:17	'AND IT SHALL BE IN THE LAST DAYS,' God says, 'THAT I WILL POUR FORTH OF MY SPIRIT ON ALL MANKIND; AND YOUR SONS AND YOUR DAUGHTERS SHALL PROPHESY, AND YOUR YOUNG MEN SHALL SEE VISIONS, AND YOUR OLD MEN SHALL DREAM DREAMS;

I thought that dreams and interpretation of dreams were two of the spiritual gifts listed in the New Testament, but they aren't. These are: Wisdom, Knowledge, Faith, Gifts of Healing, X-Ray Vision, the Effecting of Miracles, Prophecy, Distinguishing of Spirits Various Tongues, & Interpretation of Tongues. Any believer can have all of these, but some will only have one.

1Cr 12:1	Now concerning spiritual {gifts,} brethren, I do not want you to be unaware.
1Cr 12:2	You know that when you were pagans, {you were} led astray to the mute idols, however you were led.
1Cr 12:3	Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, "Jesus is accursed"; and no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit.
1Cr 12:4	Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit.
1Cr 12:5	And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord.
1Cr 12:6	There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all {persons.}
1Cr 12:7	But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.
1Cr 12:8	For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit;
1Cr 12:9	to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit,
1Cr 12:10	and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another {various} kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues.
1Cr 12:11	But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills. AND 1Cr 14:1 Pursue love, yet desire earnestly spiritual {gifts,} but especially that you may prophesy. 1Cr 14:12 So also you, since you are zealous of spiritual {gifts,} seek to abound for the edification of the church.

Now this is all just some research I have done, so there is no in depth analysis, but a bare presentation of scripture. With that said I am going to move onto something else which I came across. What are we supposed to do in church? I would love for you to read all of 1 Corinthians 14, but I wont cut and paste it here because it will take up too much space. It's about what we are supposed to do, and not do, when we meet together as believers. This verse sums it up.

1Cr 14:26

What is {the outcome} then, brethren? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. 1Cr 14:40 But all things must be done properly and in an orderly manner. That is the order of things, or at least the check list. Now this is the part where our opinions come in and you decided weather you accept the Bible at face value or is it, "Open to interpretation". Do we lean on the principle of Gods individual plan for each of us, in which he may have a different set of rules for you than for me. Nope, not according to 2 Peter. Here's what it says: 2Pe 1:20 But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is {a matter} of one's own interpretation, 21 for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God. I guess one might argue that this scripture is referring to prophecy and that the whole Bible is not a writing of prophecy but an account of history. I'll have to leave that up to your interpretation. That's all I have for now.

Are you read to go?

I was just lying in bed, thinking about my buddy Jason who has to cut his European holiday short so he can be at Brads funeral. It is these extreme examples that open our eyes to what life is really about, and as I sit here I feel like I'm bursting inside. When you want to put words on a feeling and you can't, so you string a few together that don't quite fit or look conventional together, because that is the best way to describe the tremors of your soul. I wonder what you think about when you read this, because I know more than one of you who have seen someone close to you come very close to death, and you might not be able to explain why they are alive. Or maybe you can explain why they are alive, but you can't completely believe in an explanation which full of the sort of holes our doubts like to peek through. I thought about writing this tomorrow, and then I was reminded of the frailty of our hours, and that the present is all I can count on. I know I have just experienced the loss of a friend, and I know what psychology has to say about my behaviour at this point, but I always feel like death opens my eyes. It causes you to reflect and all those cliche lines, and if you take advantage of it, death will wake you up. I can't get my mind of the pivotal point between life and death, where there is either enough of something to put an end to us, or there isn't, and we live. I wonder what it would take to make you stop reading my blog, and I wonder how many people have stopped reading already. I don't mind making people feel uncomfortable about my words because I'm not subjecting you to them, you are subjecting them to yourself. So here is the question. Are you ready to die? This is not one of those questions like, "If a doctor told you you have one week to live, what would you do?" My question doesn't afford such privileges because you could be gone before you finish Reading this sentence. I'm not writing this to scary anyone, I'm just writing because I feel a responsibility to bring these sorts of questions to the minds of those I love. I hope you can wake up a little more, to do something today and feel purpose in your actions, and if you are not getting that satisfaction then you either need to change what you're doing or accept your good actions and see them for what they are. I'm not even going to preach on this one. I just want to say that I write for fun, and if you have something you want to hear about or a question or anything, just drop me a line and I'll write about it. If it's private then I'll keep it that way. If it's a discussion topic or idea, then I'll have my say here and we will see if we can stir up some ideas. If you'll excuse me I'm going to sleep now.

My Planting Buddy, Brad Colwell, Is Gone

I received an e-mail from Shawn today, one of my tree planting buddies. He's living in Edmonton now and had been working with another ex-planter, Brad Colwell. Shawn told me he had a call last night from Brad's ex-girlfriend, saying Brad had been hit by a truck and was in bad condition. Shawn then called Brad's cell phone, but a Police Officer answered, informing Shawn that Brad didn't make it. Shawn couldn't breath and the officer was very patient as it took over a minute for Shawn to catch his breath. My friend died last night. It didn't feel real at first, but I've known for about two hours now and it is starting to sink in. I've spent the last two hours contacting whoever I could through e-mail, facebook, and msn. I'll let you know a little about Brad, and what it is like to know someone in the woods, tree planting. When you go away and meet a whole new set of people they become your temporary social network. Some of them you stay in contact with and others you don't, but this does not denote any sense of respect or interest in those people. When you live in the woods with someone for three months out of a summer, at the end you often exchange information without ever getting around to talk with them until the following season when you pick up right where you left off. I met a lot of people in the woods, and I can talk to them any time as if we never missed a beat. Brad is one of the planters that I have kept the most contact with, but our contact is, or was, not all that frequent. At the end of the season you chat on msn a few times per week, maybe every day, and then you cut it back to once a week or even once every few months. I've been talk to Brad probably less than 20 times this year, but the last time I was talk to him was two nights ago, and for that reason his passing feels really strange. Brad used the term "friendly" very fluently, in just. The beginning of our conversations would often go like this: Brad: Hello friendly friend. What are you up to? David: Nothing much, just writing a blog Brad: Oh, that sounds very friendly of you. It made me smile. I wish I could remember more about our last conversation, but it doesn't really matter now. All I remember is asking him about his new friendly friend. He asked me how I knew but then answered his own question in the same sentence. "Ahhh, facebook." I had noticed his profile picture had a new girl in it. He asked about London and I told him i was living just outside London now in a smaller town. he told me that our friend Jason was travelling Europe and would be leaving from London next week. I wouldn't be able to get in I told him, and he said jay would probably come out to where I am. I wasn't going to contact Jay, but I think I might now, although he will probably be in a hurry to get back for Brads funeral. They were both from New Brunswick and were close. Retrospect is a curious thing isn't it? All the what ifs, but here I am in the present, and I am only happy that I had a decent conversation with him the day before he left. Lately I've been learning about the frailty of life, and just how temporary these days are. How important our choices are when you line them up in the span of eternity. I believe this physical time we have on earth is only a blip, but in that blip we decide the course of our souls, and we also have the choice to affect the course of others. Yesterday I was skateboarding down the sidewalk and as the cars drove by I considered my safety, and what if I hit a rock while I was about to push and somehow I fell just enough to the left that I collided with a car. It is that easy. My last client had an extreme sports injury, and I don't want to give too much detail as my job requires confidentiality, but he made me reflect on my life. I thought about Dawe and his brushes with death. How he should have died in hospital during a long period of silence, no change for better or worse. I remember when he came out and we would go snowboarding up behind my house. He said he was so skinny at first that his bum cheeks didn't touch. He made it through, but a year or two later he had a snowboarding accident where he flipped forward and buckled his back, creating a crack in one of his vertebrae. It was cracked on one side, but not all the way across, and he lived through this, and is walking just fine. As I spent time with this client and saw picture of the things he used to do I could only think of Dawe and how this could have been him. It could have been me too I guess. I completely separated my AC joint snowboarding in 2006, and all I was doing was trying to get down the hill. I hooked my edge in and flipped over onto my head and shoulder. Life is so precious, but this doesn't mean I'm not going to live it and take a few risks, it just means I consider which ones to take, at what cost. Did you read my blog a few writings ago about ... I don't remember right now what it was about but I know it was applicable, and on a similar theme. Life is short, and these physical choices are so small, but for some reason we can't seem to see things outside of our own flesh and the windows of our comfortable little castles. Conversation around this town is different than what I talk about with the guys. If I haven't been talking a mutual friend in a while I'll say, "have you been talking to Ricky?", but here they ask, " Is Margarete still alive?" "You know, I don't know. I assume so, though I haven't heard from her in a while." Life is winding down for some, and not everyone is ready to go. I see people who think their existence will stop the moment their heart stops beating, and it's sad, because they don't have many more seasons left to see. I met Brad in 2004, in the woods of British Columbia. he came out tree planting with Miz, Mitch and Ryan, the gang from New Brunswick. Canadians get along well when they find each other out in the world, but east coasters get along even better, and so I soon got to know these guys quite well. You can avoid getting to know someone in the woods, but these guys were a good time, and I remember several conversations I had with Brad. Brad was curious and wanted answers about life. He couldn't understand how his ill-mother could believe in a God that seemed to do nothing for her. Brad read the Bible from cover to cover, that's a task even a lot of Christians haven't completed. I sure haven't, but I'm getting there, almost through 1 Kings now. As a Christian in a planting camp I was presented with lots of conflicting opinion, but rarely any conflict. I remember Brad asking me about a certain area of my belief, something more practical, as in a certain approach I took to life, and a couple weeks later he came to me disappointed. He had tried holding my mindset as well, but it didn't work for him. I guess I'm surprised when people listen to me, or follow my actions. It's hard to picture never seeing him again. I didn't have any plans to go see him, but he lives in Alberta and I have plenty of friends there, plus I want to go back to check out Peace River and all those places I used to go to in my tree planting days. Brad and Shawn worked for the same company in the oil and gas business and their boss had asked me to apply with them while they were in Newfoundland. It's still a consideration, good to know there is a possibility there, but it's not where my heart is right now, even though I had thought about how nice it would be to work with Shawn and Brad. When you live in the woods with someone you know them differently. You all go through the same purification process and experience the same insanity of snow, rain, bugs, wasps and other such nasties. I'll miss Brad, and I really wish I could go to his funeral so that my heart would know he's gone, but I'm going to pretend I was as close to him as his family or Mitch or Miz. I remember when we were in Fort Mac, 2 hours up river in a camp we had to boat to. We were in isolation for 27 days and after the first week I heard Mitch, Brad, and Miz walking past my tent laughing and joking about our misfortune on a contract that terned out to be not only isolated but rubbish as well. Cold, poor prices, 2 hour walks to the block in and out, and flies, so so many black flies. I felt bad for the girls who had to pull their pants down all the way to pee because this place was unhappy. So these three guys are walking past my tent laughing and I hear Miz say, "Geez man, it's only a week in and we're already at each others throats! It's like we're three Beta fish trapped in the same bowl." I laughed out loud when I heard this and they all turn to my tent and laughed back. We laughed so much those three summers, especially at our misfortune, because it was the best way to deal with it. We sang Karaoke at cowboy Saloons, we ate fast food on days off and watched movies we didn't even like, just to feel normal, and we planted a lot of trees. Some trees were planted better than others, but needless to say we passed and got paid at the end of the day. Brad was 26, and a good time too. I know you are supposed to say all god things about people when they die, but Brad never did anything to upset or annoy me, he was through and through a good guy. I just can't get the tranquility of our last conversation out of my head. Good night folks.

The Word of the Day

1Ti 4:12	Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but {rather} in speech, conduct, love, faith {and} purity, show yourself an example of those who believe.
1Ti 4:13	Until I come, give attention to the {public} reading {of Scripture,} to exhortation and teaching.
1Ti 4:14	Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you, which was bestowed on you through prophetic utterance with the laying on of hands by the presbytery.
1Ti 4:15	Take pains with these things; be {absorbed} in them, so that your progress will be evident to all.
1Ti 4:16	Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you. It's Sunday so I thought I'd drop a little word into my blog. I had allergies to something in my room last night, so I woke up at 4am and was up for a bit on the computer and eating oatmeal. I find the act of eating helps when I have an irritated throat. So I was up last night and ended up going back to bed this morning after getting my client up and on the go. This means I missed church, but I felt justified in this choice as the body is a temple (1 Corinthians 6:19)* and I am to take care of it, especially on the day of rest. I don't want to end up sick here, that's for sure. I don't think I need to explain this verse any, its pretty strait foreword in telling the Church some key things we should be up to in our day to day lives as Christians. That's all I have for now. I find a lot of the time I get a verse or a suggestion for someone I know, and I want to tell them, but I just don't feel right when it is critical of their lives. I sure don't feel like I am the one to be casting the first stone, but this should not over shadow the accountability we have toward one another. I do have a thought of a verse but I cannot find it. It was about speaking everything with love, but maybe I was thinking of the one I have listed below. I guess here in 1 John I find my answer. We are to pray about the matter that we see in the other person. 1Jo 5:16 If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not {leading} to death, he shall ask and {God} will for him give life to those who commit sin not {leading} to death. There is a sin {leading} to death; I do not say that he should make request for this. This is not the verse I was talking about, but it too is good to keep in mind when someone is trying to have a debate or argument. Tts 3:9 But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and strife and disputes about the Law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. Tts 3:10 Reject a factious man after a first and second warning, Tts 3:11 knowing that such a man is perverted and is sinning, being self-condemned. * http://cf.blueletterbible.org/search/translationResults.cfm?Criteria=body+is+a+temple&t=NASB&sf=5 LOVE 1Cr 16:14 Let all that you do be done in love. 2Jo 1:6 And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, that you should walk in it.

After Supper

Sometimes I don't know what has changed, I just know there has been an change, a freeing, or at least an allowance of grace for an undetermined amount of time. When you get to a point where you are satisfied enough with your life to be comfortable, there you find your hardest tests. Past example: Any time I was ever in a relationship it would always start off so great because it was a new experience and it was a different kind of joy than I experience alone. The comfort of a good relationship would make me relax, and there is where I would fall behind. I'd just get lazy I guess, or apathetic. Lose some zeal and passion for doing good things, or doing creative things. Don't worry, I know grasping for someone or some end product is not where my joy should lie, but as humans we do have a few impulses, and some learned want. A present example of the downfall of comfort is where I am right now. I'm a lot happier than when I arrived here; please see my first few blogs. I'm in a job and I am getting paid to do a few things with lots of flexible time. It would be easy for me to get up and get the client ready in an hour and then do nothing until lunch, then do nothing until supper and then nothing until bed at 9pm, with a few toilet stops in there here and there. I also could cook things more basic, but I enjoy putting in a bit of effort. Enough said about that before I claim my glory now, rather than waiting for post-physical reward. I imagine this is a similar problem for writers and other creators. The fact that you are being paid is enough to pacify the impulsive need to feel useful. I don't know that everyone has this, but I get all antsie after I've been off work for a while and haven't done anything with my time. It is the same principle Jesus was talking about when he said it would be harder for a rich man to get into heaven than for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle. Matthew 19: 24 Mark 10:25 Luke 18:25 http://cf.blueletterbible.org/search/translationResults.cfm?Criteria=needle&t=NASB&sf=5 Now, my friend Christie informed me that the term eye of a needle is not what we think of today. She was over in that old land and she learned that the eye of a needle was something like a gateway into a city or something like that, I don't know exactly, and the camels had to go through it on their knees? Question mark because now I'm not remembering all the details. All I know is this example of a rich man getting into heaven is a difficult task, but it's not like birthing a wheel barrel or any such analogy. If you're not following me at this point, here is what I'm saying. When life is comfortable you can get by alright on your own, and you don't seek your creator with the same fervor. When you are down and out, or on your death bed, you want something to comfort you, and that is where you become so delicate and sensitive to every little thing you do. We want to be as good as gold so that we are chosen for a randomly drawn miracle, but we can also use this time to determine what things we need in our lives and what we can do without. Part of being good, or on point, is for a more practical benefit. When I'm in a bad place I need to give myself every advantage I can, and that is why I eliminate certain things, because when I consider them they don't reflect any light into my life, and I heaves it. Example? Television. Television is just no good. It's okay every now and then, and I even got into watching it a few days in a row last week, but it takes the life out of me. Video games can be a bad one to. The extra kicker you get with video games is that I am not only becoming apathetic and melancholy, I may also become irritable if I'm stuck on something. when life is good you can afford this apathy, and you can afford to indulge in something that isn't of value to you, and in fact may be harmful to your blood pressure. However, just because you can afford it doesn't mean it's a good idea, and that is why I learn from my down times what I should stay away from even when every thing's fine. These things are still detrimental, but you just don't notice the detriment, and this is how things can get blocked up, or balled up, piled up. The snowball effect. Effect or Affect? I'm not good with that one. You are affected by special effects? Aside from this English lesson, this is all theory, but then again so are the natural sciences. In closing I would just like to say thank you, to all the people who contributed to my misery. Honestly though, I hope you laughed at that line. The picture at the top is a quick shot I took of the filed where I go for a run. There are two huge fields next to one another and I didn't take too many pictures because the field I was standing in had kids playing in it on some playground equipment, and I wasn't too keen on coming across as the new pedophile in town. There was a special on the news two nights ago about a new law in London that allows park security to question anyone who is looking "Suspicious". Sited as an example was a charity campaigner who was dressed up in a mascot costume. Seriously though, they could have anything under the shell of one of those things. Before I end up finding my Blog flagged by government officials, I'm going to take off and do what I do. I get a round tetly tea bag in my cup.

Seriously? You still read this?

I'm going to guess that in the coming weeks you are going to lose interest in what I have to say because there are no tubes & trains to get lost on out here, and it's pretty hard to get lost on foot as long as you keep your eyes open. The town is one big road. I think I said that before. So what have I been up to? Well I'll tell you now kids. having this dandy new laptop has been a nice addition to my present affairs. I spent a long while yesterday milling through a job application for a position in youth care taking place in Croydon. I would really like to get the post, but I don't know how interview will work, because I sure can't take a 2 hour tip down there as this job doesn't allow such excursions. If anyone from work is reading this, don't worry, I don't plan on jumping ship, as I have informed future employers of my contract with ENA wherein I have agreed to stay until November 14th. I think that's the date. I wont say anymore about this new job because it is just another job at this point, nothing confirmed or even rolling on it. What have I been up to? I started running, and try to go for a run every night after supper, or in the morning after breakfast. I also try to do some exercise after breakfast. I'm sure this would be a great opportunity for me to get ripped, seeing as how I have all this time on my hands, however, I'm just trying to stay afloat I guess. Exercising to compensate for my lack of activity. I realise my body is not cut out for the sedentary life, no pun intended. At almost every job I've had, with the exception of tree planting, I have found my insides don't feel right at the end of work. It's a combination of a few things I think. First, I'm not at home so I probably don't like the taste of work tap water and end up not drinking enough, though many of my positions have been in places with bottled water. Secondly, I don't eat the same food as at home, and thirdish, I just don't move around enough. At this job they say you must take at least hours a day to yourself and they strongly encourage you to take it outside of the house. I don't want this to sound too unhappy because I really am happy right now with this job, and I don't mind being a house wife for a few months, or living with these limitations. I often draw my security from understanding the temporary limitations I face. Temporary limitations are good springboards to hurl you like a circus midget into nirvana. I could probably express my point in a less ridiculous manor but I'm happy with this. I just realized the time, so i should get into making some supper. I guess I'll post this bit for now for all you hard working folk who take precious minutes out of your break time to read my bludgeoned. Can't get on msn for some reason

My First Skateboard

It's interesting to look back on the different fazes we go through. In junior high school my shoes and shirts had to be an appropriate skateboard brand. This made Christmas and birthday shopping a bit of a task for my relatives. I had always had an interest in skateboarding, ever since I found my uncles' banana boards in my grandparents basement where I would push along with one foot, kneeling on the board as I rolled from the shelving unit, over the drain and to the washing machine. When I was 8 I asked for my own skateboard for my birthday, and I got one. It was one of those dominion boards you got at Wollcow, with one kick and a graphic on the top, no concave. I used ride it in my neighbourhood with an older kid named Greg, and sometimes this other guy, Darren I think his name was, the guy with the lisp whom I traded nintendo games with. No, Darrel was his name. Most of what we did was talk about cool moves without really doing them. We practiced ollieing, and I think I could get up onto a curb, but somehow I don't believe that. In these days we weren't really hardcore about it and like most childhood fun, it was in for a season and then out again, then back in for another time later on. It wasn't until grade 7 that my neighbourhood friends, Dawe and Zach, started getting into skateboarding. They had skateboards and banana boards and stuff too while we were growing up, but it was grade 7 that we began to mature, and we started to take on identity with out tasks. There was a time of roller blading, but skateboarding was king, so if I wanted to hang out with my friend and be able to do what they were doing I had to get a skateboarding. Showing up on roller blades, or "fruit boots" was not cool. I knew I liked skateboarding, but I think I was afraid I wouldn't be good enough, or that it was a new challenge to fail at; probably fear and knowing it cost a few dollar bills. I remember the day I got my first real skateboard. There were no skate shops in the city at the time so I got some black and white catalogues from Zach and Dawe, and I ordered from Boarding House in B.C. It cost $129 + $5 for express shipping. Less than two days later I came home from doing some boy like things out in the sun of mid-May and at the top of the stairs lay a box with my name on it. I opened the box and took out my first complete. A 60/40 blank with blank 48mm wheels, Powell bones bearings, and venture featherlight II trucks. The grip tape was so rough on my virgin fingers, which would become sour in the coming weeks. More importantly it was the 70th wedding anniversary of my great grandparents, Nan and Pop Stevens. At age 14, however, I was too excited about my new skateboard and ran out onto the street in front of my house where I was hit by a Dillorian and taken to hospital for the week, missing the party. No, not really, my life wasn't that tragic in May of 95. I practiced a few ollies before I was rushed off to the party. I don't remember much about the party really, and I think I spent most of the time outside with my cousins, or walking around the neighbourhood, but I do remember Pop sitting at the head of the table with his brewed around him and a great big scoff laid out on the table. After the party I was dropped of at Dawes house, because he had a birthday party, conveniently on the same day as the anniversary. I got out and showed off my new skateboard to all the boys who were out on the street, skating a fun box that was about 5 inches high. I remember Zach, Dawe, Lewis and Buttler skating, while some others were there too, like Sellars. I skated around with the bys and tried my hand at the fun box. I wouldn't get up onto it until the next day. Skateboarding was a serious thing, it was fun, companionship, anxiety and identity. To be a skater meant something. You dressed, walked, acted and spoke a certain way. You had an undercut and pants falling off your backside, with a shirt that was way too big for you. As a nice church boy I wasn't pulling this off very well, but I made my efforts without battling too much with my conscience. I think it was half way through the next day that I realized I was in need of some proper footwear. Not only was I selfconscieous of being seen with my Nike Air Pounds on, but I had warn a hole through the side of them from ollieing. I ollied up a very low curb that day and felt good about it. curbs and drains meant something in the progression toward become a skater and not just a poser who carried a board around. I look back on the slowness of my progression, and how I thought that eventually I would learn to do all the things I wanted to do, and that I would find it easier to try harder, scary things once I gained experience, but I never did reach all of my goals. I have always been too cautious to get anywhere in the sport. I always look at the thing I'm trying, or my friends are trying, and I think about all the ways I could hurt myself on it. I didn't care about falling down, but I did care about broken bones and cracked teeth, these were common themes in my moments of consideration when I battled with my fears, doubts, and good sense. I certainly learned a few things that seemed quite out of reach from the get go, including the kick-flip, which took me 4 months before I landed one. Skateboarding was fun, but it was also a task, trying to overcome fear and get all your body parts to function properly at just the right time. There is a lot of figuring out, trial and error and concentration, but the funny thing is that the moment you do what you set out to do you were probably not thinking about it at all, that is when you land it and ride away with a rush, and a sense of relief. I was always hard on myself skateboarding, but that goes for most everything I do. Sometimes when I'd writing it feel like I've written the same thing 20 times before, and I probably have if the topic is doubt, the heart, or confusion, or maybe I've just thought it before and only now have written it down. I love to look back and remember, and I don't think this feature will change much as I age. I do regret things, and wish I could change the past, but I love my life the way it spun out, and continues to spin, thankful for the moments I can look back on, even if there were some hard times. Go eat something nice now.

Rickey Skains went off with my peddle bike

I know when I picked up this book I ahd something in mind to write, but with a few trips here and there I've forgotten what I set out to say. There's a woman visiting my client and she has a mixed like accent, something cockey, something out of the city like. It reminds me of my grandmother, Mom Vincent, in some of the sylables. NOt the cockney bit. Julia becomes Juli-er. I ahve also discovered where the southern shore accent comes from, it's Stewkley. The difference is the accent is much more pronounced and it bafles me how my client understand half of what these people are saying, becuase he sure doesn't hear me mch, even when I'm loud and put on a british accent. I know he must be more used to their voices and lingo, but he also lets on that he knows what you are talking about when really he doesn't. There's a lot of Elmir Fud in these cats.

I's like to give a shout out to my people on the block

SO how's everyone doing? I would liek to give some shout outs to the faithful few. Mom and Dad, how much money do I owe you now? You can prbably write out the last amount on that check because I'm pretty safe now with mad chedders and all. Grandmom and Poppa, you would enjoy the country side I'm living in, I'll get some picutres. The back guarden has almost everything taken up by now, but you can still see some beans, leaks, carrots, and rubarbe. Poppa, you would be proud, I biled and bottled beats this past week, but over here they call it beat root, and they chuck the greens! Sam, they have some funny looking cars over here, and I discovered why they have that boxed look. The roads are so small that they can't afford any extra carage. I heart connect. Sarah G and Ceara B/G, foriegn adventure is dope and I might take a trip north in december. Any ideas? Matty P, I want to see your YC 2008 video, hook me up. Cerith, are there any PS3 titles you want from here? Ihear they are region free. Lee-Anne etc. I can't wait until Christmas. how many are we having at dinner this year? Last year was 24. Stephany, keep Sociology in your heart, Jesus needs a footstool. Melissa, I hope you are still in love, I tihnk you should look into the mommy business. If you're not, then perhaps this is a tragic message. Tanya, don't let G. P. force you to buy a truck so you can haul around your tailer and quade, and stay away from those sceary movies. In the end they are not a good time. I think that covers all. Joel or Taylor? Do you read this? I'm not sure. Oh! everyone check out Sams page because he gets money if you click on the adds. Real money. http://www.samalamadingdong.com/ It's 10:05 pm and I think I will work on something else. If you write me I usually write back the same amount of words, except for Selina who provoked me with a good question. If anyone sees Perry or Zach around would you please slap them up, they owe me money Time for lunch

September 11th

SO it wasn't until the 6 o-clock news that the date, September 11th, range in my ear a note of memoriam. Last night sure, I even flicked over a program about the 9/11 hotel at the base of the twin towers and thought, "This has been advertised all week. Why does the media always drag things up from the past when they can't find a story?" Like when the Jean-Benet Ramsey murder came up again, sometime in the past 12 months or so, I don't know for sure when. I'm not about to get all "Michael More-ish" now, but I am a sociologist, and more importantly, I have some common sense. I wish I had some more common sense, and I wish sense was more common. I don't know which concept I like more; not being stunned, or the possibility of the bar of common sense being raised higher, to my level even. I think I'm just happy that if we must have mass deception, I'm just glad I am able to see some. Non-believers? Think what you will. Some of these deceptions seem so obvious, and then you're out with one of your mates when you realize, to them it is not so obvious! Exclamation point. Here I will give my favorite example. 99 cents, or p. At home tax is 13% and unlike here it is not added on in the sale price, you have to do the maths yourself. (Maths instead of math, that's what they are up to over here). I can recall a specific incident, because it made me cringe. I saw someone purchase a DVD for $14.99 + tax, and I heard them later telling someone that they got the DVD for $14! I would have settled for $15, even though it is closer to $17 with taxes, but most people like to list prices before tax, especially North American retailers.... It's something like 16.94. Yes, I know I am anal about some things, but don't be a slave to the market. For goodness sake, the Next time Bethany Almost-Laing calls you and tries to persuade you to upgrade your cell phone plan with a free offer, ask the details, or even better yet, say no thank you. The free part is about $7 because the free phone you get for signing up for another 3 months with the service provider is the same phone a new customer gets when they sign up for 3 months, they just have to pay $7 for signing up. Keep your old phone, for goodness sake, it has better reception anyways. Sure your new one doesn't have an antenna sticking up, because if it did you wouldn't be getting dropped calls. I never knew about these dropped calls 5 years ago, and now they have made their way into advertising, with promises of fewer dropped calls. Fewer!? Holy Banana's kids, we are all just sheep being led to the slotter, service charge in toe, with an extra month of payments left for our successors to pay for because mobile companies cannot click cancel for 30 days. I believe this science has something to do with atmospheric pressure and red dye number two. Nobody reading this will know what I'm talking about but, back in around 1997 there was a skate video where one skater had a camera phone in his intro. I'm pretty sure he got the phone off Cerith, The Elusive, but the phone was the coolest thing ever at the time. Oh!, Sorry, Sam, you probably know what I'm talking about. Technologies are fun and foolish I tell ya. Davert

A Word of Thanks

It's a curious thing writing to the ominous. You know, writing out thoughts and whatnot, being made available to whoever might come upon them. Now I know there aren't any strangers creeping around the Internet, looking in on my goings on, but if there are, welcome. I've always enjoyed writing, as I have kept a private journal since I was 14 or 15, or something like that., but that has remained private for the most part. Occasionally i've sent a piece off to someone, but that doesn't occur often. Apart from university papers, exams, etc., I have not written for any other audience. I once received 75% on a paper, and the prof had listed a few criticisms. When I inquired about this paper she told me how to correct it, and that I would get an A if I fixed a few things. That was great, but the thing that stands out in my mind is initial statement. She said, "Well, for starters you write well...." and nothing after that meant anything to me so I don't know what she said. I enjoyed this complement, the way you enjoy when someone tells you your food tastes good, or your house is nice, or you sing well. I enjoy writing, and I wish I could make a living off of it. I know I'm not that good, but I'll try to come up with something during this time I have, just north of London. I hope to write a book between now and Christmas, with all the time I have to play with. Sure right now as I type out everything I wrote a week ago, my client is sleep here in the room beside me, not very demanding this one. I know that if I write a book or two, even if its rubbish, I'll have something physical to look back on and remind me of this time. We humans do love the physical. That's why we take pictures everywhere we go, so we have something to look back on, especially when our memory begins to fail us, or I'm not around to remind you of how it all went down. Any trigger happy photographer want to challenge this? I'm writing now in a journal because it is September 8th and I do not have a laptop yet. This is a significant time because when you are without technology you think differently. For the most part technology is a whole lot of noise, or at least is holds a structurally unsound ball of potential in its hand; no in its clutches. Yeah, in its clutches. Pete L got me using the word "noise" a lot, in reference to the distractions we tend to pile into our skulls. I like to reference different people in my blog, so if you notice your name pop up it means I think you're alright, and if it hasn't made an appearance by now, I think you're rubbish. Just trickin. I started some video blogging, but I ran out of tape my first week here, and I've yet to purchase another. It's easy to justify a purchase here because all you have to do is think about how much your last train ticket cost. SOrry for the jump to something completely different but I was putting my client to bed and now I'm all off track. For anyone who ever wondered what couscous is, it's just like cream of wheat; and if you don't know what cream of wheat is, I would say it's pretty much like couscous, but that's too predictable and cliche. Oh yes, I know what I was going to say! I was thinking about everyone who has replied to tell me what they are up to and that they've been reading. I thought about the diversity of this grow and I just wonder how I am received by all of you. For some it might just be like any conversation you would have with me, while for others this might not sound like the David you know, or perhaps you've never heard me say so many words. Sometimes I wonder if I dream too big or too little, not in the nocturnal sense, but in terms of my ambition. This is where I trail off and probably went to bed. In conclusion I would like to say, I've had a nice time, hope you did too. Fin

Monday night, a week back now

Here I am, thinking about this post out in Stewkley. I'm thinking about my training where Gym told us that "we are not there to be their friend.", and I see how my client is missing his last carer. It's too hard on the client when you are not there permanently, to get involved in their lives, live with them and do everything for them, then leave their lives so they have to do the same thing over again with another carer. My client has visitors, but it's not every day, and it's not for very long. He really doesn't do a whole lot other than sleep and watch the birds in the backyard, or think about things that trouble him. He tries to write but his stroke has debilitated the left side of his body, and because he just sits in a chair and sleeps, or thinks, he really has no energy. The best times are when we go for walks around the community and see a few people who know him, or go out to a restaurant to eat on Thursdays. Every Monday is a taste of home, because the fish and chips truck roles into town and we have some every week. Because of his stroke he can't concentrate, so when he starts to write something it often trails off into something illegible and incoherent, and this makes him frustrated. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfYwIFIbCN0 short little read now kids