Annual Christmas Letter Alert! Every year, I try to write a general letter to everyone outlining that years highlights. Last year was the first year I used Facebook as the medium by which to distribute it, and this year will be no different. This year has been very eventful for Jean and I, and, unfortunately, seems to be ending on a somewhat somber note, but if one looks at it a little cock-eyed, squints a bit with their left eye and raises their right hand just above their right eye in an effort to block out the sun-and-rain mixture, one just may be able to see it as the opening chapter to the next big adventure in life. Maybe not, but then again, maybe... I do not recall the year starting out as particularly eventful; Jean was working at AMA and I at SMART... Pancake was simply working on being a very active kitten, especially at night when we are trying to sleep. Winter in Calgary can certainly be trying, especially when combining some of Canadas worst drivers with a city that has NO IDEA how to maintain and clear their roads from ice and snow (yes, Ontario definitely takes the lead in this endeavour), but we have survived. We generally do not do a lot in the winter anyway, as the only winter sport I enjoy is snowmobiling, and neither one of us ski. That being said, in April, Jean and I went to the Chateau Lake Louise for a few days. I have not seen that much snow since I lived in Timmins, and remember the snow in the driveway piled higher than my Dads height. We got to walk out on the lake and spend some time enjoying the winter mountain scenery. Spring had just seemed to arrive in Calgary, and we were about to leave the winter behind us, when, sure enough, early May, huge snowstorm. Oddly enough, the worst day of the snowstorm, both Jean and I were going to the airport, as Jean was off to Hawaii for one of her yearly Fam Trips for a week, and I was off to Singapore and Malaysia for the better part of a month. Now, Ive never really felt the desire to go to Hawaii, but Jean has, so that seemed to work out nicely. She got to tour around some of the islands, stay at some very high-end hotels, and come back looking a little more like a lobster than when she left. As for me, this was the first time I went to Singapore and Malaysia where I actually had time to do a little personal travel while I was there. I had a couple days to sight-see in Singapore, and a number of days also in Malaysia... I went to the port city of Malacca, a UNESCO world heritage site, where I became one of the main attractions (I have some photos on FB; I was two feet taller than a lot of the people there; I had people come up to me and ask if they could take their picture with me... definitely a unique experience), and while working in Malaysia, got to know the folks at the hotel pretty well! The next month, I started on my summer-off activities. This was the first time since I was about twelve where I actually had the majority of the summer off to do whatever it was that I wanted to do. All through my teenage years, I always worked the entire summer, and once I graduated and started working for a living, never took any vacation during the summer months. I know my boss did not appreciate the amount of time I was taking off, and that may well have contributed to my situation today, but I have no regrets. So, mid-June, I got into my car, and drove 4000km from Calgary to Ottawa. Jean was still working that week, so it was just me, my Charger, and the Trans-Canada Highway. IMHO, every Canadian needs to drive across Canada at least once... if for no other reason, to simply experience the sheer vastness and diversity of living in the second-largest country in the world. I picked Jean up at the Ottawa airport, and we toured Ontario for the next fortnight, visiting friends and family. At the end of the two weeks, I dropped Jean off at the Toronto airport, and started the nearly 4000km drive home. Took me four days to reach home: the obligatory three day drive to get from one end of Ontario to the other, and I blazed through all the prairies in one very, vey long day. But that wasnt the end of our summer travels, oh no! Next month (I showed up at work for a week-and-a-bit in-between trips) Jean and I were off to the midwestern US on another road trip. Unbeknownst to Jean, the sole purpose of this trip was to celebrate her fortieth birthday with our friends in Colorado Springs. Ten years prior, she celebrated her thirtieth at a surprise birthday in Colorado Springs, so it seemed fitting to spend this milestone there as well. Again, unbeknownst to her, one of Jeans close friends from the Springs and I had been collaborating on giving her a surprise party that year. So, we struck out from Calgary for the Springs, visiting Yellowstone (for the third time) and a few other vacation spots from the past along the way. While in the Springs, we got the chance to catch up with some dear friends, as well as have the surprise party, which caught Jean completely unawares! We returned home, again visiting some past vacation spots and some more friends along the way. Still not the end to our summer travels, though! End of August, Jean and I took some time to once again venture south of the border, this time to Glacier National Park in Montana. Beautiful park, but only one glacier in the entire park, and that one is none too large. And to my American friends, I must say, if you want to see some REAL glaciers, venture north of your border, come visit Jean and I, and well show you some glaciers that you will never forget! Came back via BC, and so marked the end of our summer trips. A couple weeks later in September, I was off to Guadalajara, Mexico for a business trip (first time ever in Mexico) for a week. At some point, I will have to go back just for sightseeing! October passed by quickly. Jean and I spent our 18th anniversary at Chateau Lake Louise, and later than month, I was let go from SMART after a little more than two years of service on the eve of Halloween, apparently due to a combination of budget cuts and organisational restructuring through which my position had been eliminated. Whatever. I was given a couple months severance pay and sent on my way. In November, I flew back to Ontario for a job interview that didnt pan out, and a few weeks later, had another series of interviews here in Calgary for a job that also did not pan out. So, these days, I find myself combing the Internet for jobs in my field, and unfortunately, they are few and far between as it is. So, next month, I will be expanding my search to outside my cozy Canadian borders to see what lies beyond. Ive been around the world several times over, so I know the Beyond here there be dragons to be more figurative than literal. Still... So, thats where this year winds down. Jean, fortunately, is still gainfully employed at AMA, and I, unfortunately, am currently unemployed, although my EI benefits kick in around another week or so. One of the fringe benefits of working in a strictly consumer / business market, is that the average worker can now expect to be laid off several times over their career. Third time for me. Im still playing with Great Rain, and we typically play once or twice a month. Weve scored a regular gig once a month at the Aloft lounge and hotel here in town, and were still enjoying it! We both attend Trinity Baptist church as regularly as we can, and I still play guitar or bass there on occasion. Jean and I have both lost friends and family during the course of the year, for which they will be missed. However, as I write this letter, I have a slideshow playing on my Mac of all the photos I have taken over our travels from the past number of years, and realise, I have a lot to be thankful for. Ive lived here, in the US and Europe, have travelled across three continents and every ocean (excepting the Antarctic Ocean), and done more in our lifetime than most people ever dream of. We both have our health (although, ironically, as I write this, both Jean and I are exhibiting flu-like symptoms, and Im sporting a bit of a fever and have somehow injured my left arm), and are not tied down to anywhere in particular. So who knows what the next year will bring? At any rate, Jean and I (and Pancake... cant forget about Pancake) would like to extend a very Merry Christmas / Joyeaux Noel / Feliz Navidad / Prettige Kerstdagen to you and yours, and a very Happy New Year also!
Posted on: Sun, 21 Dec 2014 15:37:11 +0000
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