To Support: The End is Coming

It is coming up on one year of me being in Toronto. I am 2/3 done my schooling and have only 6 more months to fight through. As I sit in my quiet house looking out at the passing train, and beautiful mountains I am over come with a great since of amazement and thanksgiving. Where do I start:

To God who arranges all things, and gives strength and encouragement. Who keeps me balanced and focused on the task at hand.
To Angie for being a great Mother, Wife, Lover, and Best Friend.
To my kids for their uncensored love, and ability to keep growing.
To both my parents and Angie's parents for their support in so many numerous ways. Prayers, Meals, Wheels, Financial, Care of our Kids, Shelter, Emotional Support, Encouraging Words, the list goes on.
To Lisa and Ben for capturing memories in pictures, and also for child care, emotional support, and great friendships.
To extended family and friends who have given encouraging words and understand through personal experience understand the challenges we face.
To all our friends that thougth we were crazy (I guess you have to have a little crazy in ya). For your prayers, encouraging words, and supportive friendships.
To Nihal and Shantha who allow me to live at their place and put up with my coming and going and living a bit like a recluse.
To our Church family for the prayers and support.
To my friends at school who make school a lot more enjoyable and fun.
To Air Canada and West Jet for getting me back and forth.
I am sure there are some I am forgetting and I applogize.

The end has not come yet, but is on it's way. I am one that likes to thrive off of the thoughts of other people as they think, "What are you doing?" I feed off of the doubt to make myself stronger. But without all the support mentioned above it would be a long and lonely road, and sometimes when you feel down, you need support to carry you.

THANK YOU!

Thinking of Me.

Today I opened my blog and found that someone left two comments of unfriendly light. I was first disturbed by them and than laughed about them. I thought about who could have left them and quickly came to one person in the world.

I find it funny because I generally like to think that no one cares or thinks about me besides my family. But obviously I have touched someone so profoundly that my memories
reside deep inside their heart, that they felt they had to reach out to my blog and make comments about me.  This gives me a great sense of joy and I thank you!

On another note, life back in BC is great. The clean air, the slower lifestyle, and great friends and family is a gift I would never throw away.

Joy and Anguish Combined

Have you ever had a day were you feel joy and excitement but also Anguish and doubt? 
The joy: I am going home tomorrow, I did extremely well on my exams, and I finished my clinical evaluations today by completing my Paedo client. I am not here to down play these achievement, but can't deny the fact that I feel alittle down about not completing my client in the afternoon. I had it all planned out that I would finish up the two units left of five, polish, fluoride and my client would be on her way. I finsihed the first unit quickly and effectively, and started on the second unit. With hand instruments, I started in on the unit in the posteriors. This client has moderate to severe perio. so I shouldn't be so hard on myself, but I push myself, a little of my perfectionist ways. The end of it all is that I didn't get all of the calculus out of the 10mm pockets so my client will be back for her 8th and final appointment when I come back from break. Studies have shown that blind scaling in pockets that deep is hard for a seasoned hygienist, so I should keep that in context.
In these situations I learn from the times I feel doubt and anguish and from that will come more joy.

Studying

Today was the last day of my 5 day weekend. I am glad for this because after two days of nothingness I was starting to go crazy. I am naturally crazy but this was something different.

I got up and cleaned my room, so it would be already for me to leave it and then I strolled up to the local store to buy some graceries for the few days left. These groceries are the kind that I can freeze or put in the cupboard and they will not go bad.

I than studying some amazing creatures. I was able to find some on my body so I snapped some shots of them to put on my blog. There is one I didn't have on me and that was Treponema Pallidum which causes Syphillis, so I grabbed a pick off of the web. Usually you can not see these micro-organisms but due to my craziness I was able to. Actually living in T-dot has given me super powers!

Ebola

Treponema Pallidum (Which causes Syphillis)

E. Coli

Salmonella (no relation to fish called Salmon)

Listeriosis

Ok, I got all the photo's off of Google, but it would be crazy if you actually could see all the little creatures that live in the world and on your body. All these would live in your body though.

Monday

4 more sleeps!!

That's all I have to say today.
Down by the bay.

Count Down

Today is Valentine's Day. I had the day planned out as follows:

1. Let Angie Sleep in
2. Make Heart Shaped Pancakes with the kids
3. Go to Church
4. Relax with me Family
5. Play tickle Monster with the Kids
6. Make a great dinner for my family
7. Put the Kids to bed
8. Give Angie a nice Massage
9. Watch a Romantic movie
10. Relax

The only MAJOR problem to this plan is that I'm in Toronto and my family is in Sorrento, BC, enjoying lovely spring weather.

So instead I went to church, grabbed a bite to eat and now am relaxing in my room by myself.  I did go for a long walk, which would impress my father in law. LOL!!

The nice thing about this all is that I only have 5 more sleeps until I meet my family in Abbotsford, BC. I am really excited to see them and be with them.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY ANGIE!! (even though we don't really celebrate it)

Pride

It is easy to become complacent in life and focus only on yourself and the immediate issues around you.

I remember as a young boy always being very proud that I am a Canadian citizen. I was in Ireland for a High School Rugby trip and the billet I was staying with always referred to me as an American. I eventually became frustrated with him that I responded back calling him British.

He quickly shut up with his Mum saying, "you deserved it!"

It has been almost 7 years since Vancouver was given the Winter Olympics. It is easy to remember because our daughter was born on the same day.  

For the last year I have been focused on accomplishing a task in Toronto and haven't felt any sort of excitement towards the games. I didn't really care about the flame and thought it funny that they were having snow shipped in to the local mountains around Vancouver.

But today I started to feel the pride for my country that I have always had, but got buried deep inside.

 The beauty of our country is extreme and the people that make it up are diverse. I maybe alittle bias, but I especially love my home province of BC. From the rainy coast, to the desert inland. From the flat northern area, to the Rocky Mnts. I long to be back, knowing I only have 6 months left until I am finsihed.

My Room

This is where I live 5 Days out of the Week!!

The Results of Tuesday

I look up at the clock. The time is 3:50pm. Finally I can go and see if the test marks have been posted. I leave the computer room, walk towards the boards only to find that many other people have the same idea. I wait patiently and than decide enough is enough, I just need to see what I got.

The mark I scan for is Prevention and Nutrition. I was nervous because when I was doing the test I felt as if I wasn't even reading english. To clarify, it was in English, but my mind was not comprehending the simplest of lines, so I left the test room scratching the fungus on my feet. I see the grade and my heart relaxes because I have passed with a score that still keeps my grade generally high. 

The second test I was concerned about was Pathophysiology. I read and studied for that test, and felt along with many in my class, that I had been blindsided by a "Power" truck when I came to write it. The test went into a lot more detail than we were generally uses to. I found my mark and my heart jumped right out of my chest. Luckily no one around me got blood on them. Instead of getting stab in the back. I had actually stolen the knife, hopped in the truck and ran the test down, squeezing the letters right off of it.

I was relaxed, happy, excited, relieved, and wanted to just jump on a plane straight for home. The only problem with that is I still have one more test to write next week, and want to complete acouple more clients in clinic.

In other exciting news, the Dental Hygiene National Board Finals came out today and Nicolette Janzen PASSED along with many other 3rd Semester student who choose to write the test in January.

IF I WERE A PIGEON

Sunday

Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; but remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.


Epicurus (341 BC - 270 BC)

Daaaa..... Hello!

Meeting

Friday night I went and saw the "Rick Mercer Report." I thought I would never get the chance, but being in Toronto opened the door. So I ran through it!

Unlike other tapings I have been to, this one didn't consist of much live presentation from Rick himself. If you've watched the show before, you know he goes out on assignement. Wakes up a mother bear, or hunkers-down with a member of parliament. This time he was out in Calgary, at the Olympic Park, trying to speed skating and louge. Unfortunitely, Rick was experiencing some technical difficulties with his knee due to alcoholic sledding, so a Summer Olympian filled in for him. Rick also ran pre-taped commercials which were pretty good. The highlight of the night came when about 6 massive men pushed their way through the crowd, displacing 2 audience members to the floor, and proceeded to bring out an archiac large screen TV. Now you know the economic down-turn hit deep, when CBC's budget wouldn't allow for a nicer newer TV. Rick siad it was for the effect of him hitting it with an old metal pointer on glass, but come on, that is what sound effects are for. Once set up, we cheered, clapped, and relaxed, just for the effect of crowd noise. It was a thrilling moment in taping history, and one I will never forget! (Please note the Sarcasm).

Once the taping was all over we were dismissed and were informed we could me the man himself. The line up was long but went fast. The CBC halls were lined with photo's, which CBC got off of Google, of past comedians that adorned the stages. 

The time came for me to meet and great Rick Mercer. Most times I am very good at putting my foot in my mouth, or coming up with some rediculous comment, but this time I got the the numbing symptoms of, "Meeting a TV Personality Disease." My mind collapsed, but my hand went forward to give a joyful greating. No, "Great Show," or ,"I watched you for along time, since 22 Minutes." All that came out of my mouth was, "Hello." I didn't feel nervous by the regular sense of it, but I must have been. I handed over the camera to the lady, sided up to Rick and smiled; Capturing the moment that titles todays blog.

One Day

Finally it is Friday! The week has ended and now only 2 more weeks until I embrace my family and stink up my bedroom with my wife. Sound romantic, doesn't it!!

I missed a day of Blog, Blogging, Blogged, and as much as I was to tired to do it. I actually missed it.

I am still reading many wonderful pages on diseases of the body, and finish that class Monday afternoon.

Creativity will start again, don't you worry.

Here's my question of the day, "Why do people go see an imitation band, when the real band is still alive an preforming concerts!?" Wouldn't you rather see the real deal instead of some corny what-to-be?

Night!

Study

My life currently consists of studying. I spent 5 hours in a library today just reading and highlighting! The time went very quickly but I made it though a lot of material.

Because of this my creativity has as been put on the back burner. I should have taken a picture and will do that for tomorrow.

Do you know I miss my wife and family?? Well, I do and can not wait to be home with everyone in 2.5 weeks

Love you all!!

Don...Out

Living and Learning Never Stops

I felt like have a pity party today. But after much thought and consideration I decided against it.

This all arose from evaluations we had to preform on our fellow classmates as they presented information during our DHP 2 class. There is a line in evalutions that is hard to know where to cross or not cross. Do you just mark perfect to everyone, or do you write comments and mark how you feel fair by your own eyes and ears?
The problem is that the evaluations were not anonymous and they were actually handed back to the groups with the evaluators name written beside them. Myself and others were unaware of this information while doing the eval's. Under these guidelines it is clear to me that it would have been better for me to not be truthful and just mark everyone perfect. But the evaluations were handed back, comments were read, and I can not take those back. So from this I have decided not to have a pity party, because the past can not be changed. I will take it as a learning experience and move on.
Thinking back, I don't believe I wrote horrible comments but I do know that some people have taken the marks and comments very personal.
This situation has probably caused tension or fractures in a group of people that have worked fairy well together to help eachother out. I am not saying we are all best of friends, and hang out every weekend, but there is a understanding that we are all in this together and we need to work as a group.
I guess that the last sentence sums it up, "we are all in this together and we need to work as a group." So the next time there is a peer evaluation in a class. I have decided I will mark all of them perfect and not have to deal with a situation like this again.

February

Today is February 1st, 2010. I decided to make a change and not put up with people on the subway. People here are always in a rush. Need to get on the bus first, the subway first, and in the door first.

I was waiting at St. George Station, to get on the east bound train. The train pulled up and I stood pondering patiently for the doors to open. As the door slowly creeped open, a little older lady stepped in my way. She was wearing a knitted hat, a flowery jacket with scarf, fashionable guess boots and walked with a cane.

My blood was boiling. I stuck my foot in front of her. Applied my hands to her back and pushed. This was it, once and for all I was going to send a statement to all people, young or old, that I am not going to get pushed around in the big city.

As she flew towards the ground, I had a brief sense of remorse, but it quickly faded as she caught herself with the cane. Slowly leveling herself, she turned around glaring straight at me. My first feeling was to run. My legs were like jelly, and now the woman's cane was a dog. It barked, hissed, and clawed its way towards me. I drew the sausage out of my bag and started to eat it. My neighbour pulled out assorted cheese and crackers. As we cut up the tray, the little lady and her cane wondered off the train and up the stairs. I turned back to the people.

"Kennedy Station." I wipe the drool of my lower lip and looked around the train. Standing quickly to look stable I stepped off the subway to a guy handing me a piece of broccoli.