Echoing Green

2006-03-14T09:31:00.000-05:00

Lots have happened over the last couple of months. My house robbed, cars stolen, moved, cat ran away or died?, got a new cat, partied on a boat, partied on the beach, oh ya....i go to work too. I moved because i was robbed twice in a month just around christmas. So Scarlett and I moved to a place right on the beach, just the two of us. I've been applying a little to schools at home. I'm moving back to Ontario for sure in June. Not sure where i'm gonna live yet. Even though i'm a little tired of the island crap....we're making the best out of our last 3 months by living on the beach.

2006-01-05T06:40:00.000-05:00

This was the first time in a long time that I didn't spend New Years in Waterloo or G-Town. I missed hanging out with my boys (and Nat). I was down here in the crazy, busy, Tourist infested south. Christmas holidays were and still are the busiest time down here. Too many people, too many cars. My mom and pop came all the way here to spend a week with me. It was great to see them here. My dad had never been here before, he spent most of the time hiding from the sun. Scarlett's parents were here too. We all spent New Years together. We went to a giant party at one of the restuarants for new years.....great time! Then we made our way (stumbling) down to the beach to see fireworks at midnight. Back to school now....for another 6 month, then coming home!

Scarlett and I

Scarlett and her mom

My Parents

2005-12-07T19:33:00.000-05:00

As Most of you now know, I will not be coming home for Christmas. My parents are coming down here, along with Scarlett's parents. Apparently Regan won't give up a picture, but here is his request for my head.

2005-11-19T18:24:00.000-05:00

Dominica was the most exotic and tropical places I have ever been to. Pure rainforest. Hotels there are a little sketchy.....wait.....i guess more than a little sketchy....but we were there to see the rainforest.....not the room service. We started our first day by visiting two fresh water waterfalls. We hike in the rainforest with a guide for an hour and a half to get to the first falls, then made our way to Trafalgar falls in the afternoon. The second day we visited a place called Emerald Pool....which was a small waterfall falling into a big icy cold pool near a cave....very cool!!! Leaving the island was a little rough.....i left my camera in the cab, didn't have enough money to pay a "departure Tax" to leave the island (which i find a bit of a scam.....you have to pay $25 per person to LEAVE the island)...found the cab driver....got my camera and borrowed money from him to pay the tax....had to be fast tracked to the front of the line in security...because we were late to the airport.....and had a layover in Antigua to get home......Worst flight home ever! Anyway...here are a few pictures of our trip. Also check out the video of the first falls.

THIS WAS LIKE A HOT TUB!!!
Video - Needs QuickTime

2005-11-08T07:05:00.000-05:00

It's been a while! Life on the island is great. The weather is cooler, the cat is bigger, and i'm a little browner. On Sunday Scarlett and a few of our friends spent the day sailing to Tintamar where we had a mud bath, played football on the beach, drank some beers, snorkled and saw some great fish and a lonely sting ray. I would say that was the best snorkeling i have done since i've been here. This weekend coming up is a 4 day weekend for me.....it's St. Maarten day on Friday. Scarlett and I are planning on flying to Dominica for a few days. Apparently it is like a tropical jungle there where we can swim in waterfalls and in lagoons. Pirates of the Caribbean was filmed there. Look for pictures next week. We've got a new pic website here. Here is a pic from Sunday.

2005-10-18T07:55:00.000-04:00

Well.....the Redman arrived on Saturday. Layed low for the first couple of days. His place is right on the water....pretty sweet setup. We went to the beach on Sunday to swim in the monster waves that are hitting the island right now. On friday a few of our friends had a 80s party. After we headed out to a club wearing the 80s gear, where we were the life of the party. Pretty hung over saturday when I had to pick up ben though. Pics :

2005-09-13T08:22:00.000-04:00

I've got a new addition.......a kitten. No name yet! any suggestions?

2005-08-18T12:39:00.000-04:00

well well well. I've been away and busy for the summer. Happy to report that i'm back on the island for another year. I got back to the incredible humid heat 10 days ago with about 2 weeks holiday left before school is kicking once again. My trip back to the north was great. I spent my first week visiting with Scarlett's family and friends. She showed me all around Windsor and the Great Huge Population packed county of Essex. We then took to the road in her Pontiac Sunfire to K-town with a brief stop over in Toronto to see Drew and my buddy Geoff Lovelock. In Kingston we visited with my family, went camping for a few days, and lazed around. THe last week we spent back in Windsor doing some shopping for my apparent "need of a new wardrobe." I also got new glasses because I can't see anymore. I've spent the last half year squinting at people and road signs. I must warn you....these glasses are only a little stronger than the ones before, and NO they are not fashion glasses...they actually help. Classes will start in a few weeks, and we'll have a new bunch of teachers....who i get to show the ropes to. It's gonna be a great year. Only one more though....coming home next year.

2005-07-01T11:47:00.000-04:00

School is all done for the year! I moved into a new 3 bedroom place with a few guys i met here. Dutch Lawyers. The new place is 10 times better than the old place...we are right on the lagoon and beside my school. For the next 3 weeks i'll be in charge of the summer day camp here...i look at it as more of babysitting. Everyday i take the kids to some activity on the island or we stay at the school to learn basketball, computers, swimming, and fun games. We are going kayaking, waterskiing, windsurfing, bowling, rock climbing, day trips to Saba, Anguilla, Pinel. We are going sailing on the America's cup boats, which should be fun......oh...ya, i get paid to do all this stuff too! This month will be pretty fun. I come home for two weeks at the end of july. We're spending a week in K-town with the folks and a week in Windsor with Scarlett's folks....then fly back August 8th for another year of paradise!

2005-06-08T09:48:00.000-04:00

Anybody know stupid Luchies email? Or Luchies, wanna email me. And Deeley doesn't answer his email!

2005-06-07T08:04:00.000-04:00

Anguilla has got to have some of the best beaches in the world! Like, i'm talking beaches you see in movies.....white sand and the bluest water there is. Anguilla is a 20 minute ferry ride away from us. Scarlett and I went there for the weekend last week. We stayed at this condo place right on the beach.....we were the only ones there. The place was great, but i got the Bates Motel kind of feeling. The island is a British West Indes Island so with the car we rented we had to drive on the wrong side of the road...and the steering wheel for some reason was on the wrong side of the car. We toured the island, snorkeled (saw a sting ray - freaked us out), suntanned, and relaxed among other things. Here a few pics:

2005-05-24T14:09:00.000-04:00

Two weeks ago i went to st. Barths just for a sunday with Scarlett to go shopping(there are fancy stores there).....We planned to rent a car when got there, so we got off the boat and looked for a cab to take us to a car rental....little did we know (poor planning) the damn island doesn't run cabs on sunday....or have any shops open for that matter. So, we asked a guy where to rent cars....he drove us to a car rental got us a discount....but the idiotic fool that i am, i forgot my drivers license....so car renting was out of the picture. So we asked some other dude sitting on the side of the road if he could drive us to this famous beach bar where all the rich and famous people go.....and very caribbean of him he drove us there too. We spent the day drinking, swimming, and laying on the beach. Here are some pics below.

2005-04-18T08:06:00.000-04:00

There should be a law. Somebody please make a law here on the island. It is deadly, dangerous, wreckless, disastorous, and above all it makes me frustrated. Here I am saying it, here on the open world wide web....tourists should not be able to drive here on the island. Yep....that's right, they are damn slow drivers. How is that dangerous you may wonder...well...i could run into the back of their cars. I don't care what the law says about who's fault that would be.....i say it is their fault....better yet, the island's fault for allowing them to drive. I mean come on, why should i have to suffer for their "sight seeing". Why should i be late because they want to look at the pretty planes or the broken down shacks or the topless woman (ok....i drive slow for that one too....who wouldn't). But, tourists shouldn't be able to drive, they should be forced to take the bus....they could look at it as a cultural experience. But i guess this new law could never be enforced. Not because the car rental people might have something to say about it, or it being the violation of some kind of right.....but because the police have never pulled anyone over for anything in the history of St. Maarten, or since i have been here (which is pretty much the same thing as far as i'm concerned). I guess we will have to go on waiting for the damn sight seeing, island watchers, and pass them when we get the chance. I mean talk about a waste of my precious, invaluable, limited time......which i deserately need for more quality beer drinking and beach sitting.

2005-04-07T13:47:00.000-04:00

Originally, by looking at my school schedule, I thought I didn't get a "march break." I was also a little dissipointed and jealous to hear that private schools at home get two weeks off. Well......as it turns out I do get a week off, it just comes at the end of April (for carnivale - week). But, what i have also found out is I get a second week off during that time.....so i get from April 22 to may 9 off. Anyone want to come down and visit? Cheap flights on redtagvacations.com.....like $300 CAN.

2005-03-30T16:33:00.000-05:00

If you look close you can see some dolphins that were swimming near a boat i was on a few weeks ago.

2005-03-28T10:07:00.001-05:00

It's been a while.....Things have been great. I have been partying a lot. Here's a quick recap. A while back I went to Anguilla (Another island close by), then went jet skiing the next weekend. A couple of weeks ago the island had the Heiniken Regatta...which is a big race/party time weekend. On the sunday, i went on big boat to watch the races.....got pretty drunk...did some dumb stuff....saw some dophins. This weekend was another 4 day weekend. I hung out on the beach all day friday and saturday......went out saturday night way too late...didn't sleep till 5am. Had Easter dinner at a friends yesterday.....which was probably my first home made meal in weeks. Over all everything is pretty good here....i'm definitely keeping it real!

2005-02-16T07:09:00.000-05:00

Well......you'd never believe it, but now it's official.....I am staying in the sun for another year. Next year I AM NOT teaching business.....only math and computers. While I was laying on the beach during a windy day and the waves being large, I thought that I would try to learn how to surf. But you can't really learn how to surf here, since there are only waves once in a blue moon. So maybe after next year is over I would go teach somewhere where surfing was common just so I could learn. This is what teaching is all about.......using it as a tool for ME to have fun!

2005-01-23T08:15:00.000-05:00

The Previous post?..........................I was totally wrong.

2005-01-21T07:39:00.000-05:00

Apparently, mothers love me more than their daughters. This poses quite a problem, for me anyways. What happens is, I meet someone, we start "Island Dating" (Just so you know, Island Dating is a little different than Dating back at home.....In the sense that no one is looking for a "Relationship" with a Capital R....at least I think they are not looking for a Relationship), for a while, then when I get back from Christmas Vacation, I find that her mother is here for a month. I meet the mother. Upon my exit from the vehicle after my first encounter with the mother, she immediately turns to the daughter and says he so sweet, and nice, and all that shit that a daughter living on a Island in the Caribbean does not want to hear. What my co-workers say is that I am that sweet guy every mother wants her daughter to marry......except no daughter really wants her mother to pick out her boyfriend.....so enevitably, the "like" that the daughter had for me will fade away, and the Island Dating will most likey fade away too. Shit. Mothers should just shut the hell up and leave the Island Dating to the islanders. Stupid Mothers.

2005-01-05T20:50:00.000-05:00

So, just as I predicted the island greeted me with warmth and alcohol upon my return. She held her hands out, brought me in, liquored me up and said you are now home. Glad to have gone home, and also glad to be back. I think I will stay one more year here. Don't quote me though.

We are hiring soon for next year......any teachers interested?

Also....i have old pics up from trips in November

2004-12-21T17:02:00.000-05:00

I've been reading this book, Sex Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs by Chuck Klosterman which is a collection of essays this pseudo- Nick Hornby/Spin magazine writer has written about popular culture. I came across a section in one of his essays I found amusing and insightful. He attempts to tell his readers that movies and music have screwed up peoples ideas about dating and love. What was amusing to me was that he said movies like When Harry Met Sally and Say Anything have "accidentally ruined a lot of lives". He writes,

Stories like Say Anything are fucking people up. We don't need to worry about people unconsciously 'absorbing' archaic secret messages [ from fairy tales] when they are six years old ; we need to worry about all the entertaining messages people are unconsciously accepting when they are twenty-six. They're the ones that get us, because they're the ones we try to turn into life. I mean Christ: I wish I could believe that bozo in Coldplay when he tells me that stars are yellow. I miss that girl. I wish I was Lloyd Dobler... I want fake love. But that's all I want, and that's why I can't have it.

I find this semi-funny, not because Nick Hornby tried to tell me a similar message in High Fidelity [Am I miserable because I listen to Pop music, or do I listen to Pop music because I am miserable?], but because I keep stumbling on to this idea. Why do books always try to tell me the same message, there is nothing wrong with me?

2004-12-20T17:19:00.000-05:00

And again..... Hornby's influence:

Top 5 Things missing on the island during Christmas.
5. Cold weather and snow....yes i am crazy.
4. Malls.....how else are you going to shop for christmas presents. I could of gotten everyone St. Maarten shot glasses. Or $5 t-shirts from the woman on the beach.
3. Family-cooked dinners. By family-cooked, i mean meals cooked by my mom and dad...not me.
2. Presents.....like i would of gotten any if i stayed on an island.
1. Friends and Family. Yes, Yes....i have to have this one..........don't get me wrong, i have friends on the island, but i miss the "old" ones. Looking forward to new years...and most likely pre new years.

2004-12-20T16:56:00.000-05:00

And.......i'm back. Back in Kingston surviving this death-blow cold shock. I remember stepping off the plane in Toronto and thinking, this isn't as cold as I remember, but going out today shopping, .....man was that cold. I was secretly wishing I could travel back to the Island right away for some warmth. While I was on the island i was missing the fall, semi-cold weather, and was looking forward to coming home and putting on a sweater and socks. Since I have been here, I have been missing my mornings on the beach. But, don't misunderstand me.....i am glad to be back. It now feels like Christmas. Being in the Caribbean just doesn't cut it. Yes...my neighbour has Christmas lights, there is a Christmas tree on the top of the Hotel in Maho, the bars and resturants have decorations, but the island has no "real" christmas spirit. My students told me it was December and I just didn't believe them. The school had a "holiday" assembly but it seemed weird to be celebrating the holidays in a summer-like atmosphere. There is something to be said for the unbearable cold and the snow in December.....they just make it a real Christmas.

2004-11-22T21:23:00.000-05:00

Looking up, seeing the top glistening, I slowly sank. I was aware of the muffled sound echoing in the pool yet I could never tell where it came from. I would look to my left and see 7 or 8 students fully costumed as if they were in an underwater James Bond Film. They looked like some kind of underwater swat team, positioning themselves for an assault. My first "closed water dive" gave me this new sensation. I might say that it felt like being in a new world, with new rules to follow, but I have never been in a new world to make the comparison. Yet....It was like I was in a new world. It was very different, very scary, very exciting.

2004-11-20T22:34:00.000-05:00

Lately, the island has become a haven for moms and dads who miss their sons and daughters. Last week my mom called me on Wednesday to tell me she was catching a $150 dollar round trip flight to the island on Saturday. She was here all week, cooking, cleaning, and exp0loring the island. Today, three more sets of parents arrived. They all have the same face. Coming through the gates, with smiles, looking for their brave adventurous kids, having no tan. They look for differences in you, growth. They're happy to just see that you are ok. I was happy to see someone from home.....show them my life.

2004-10-20T07:32:00.000-04:00

Top 5 lists continue……

Top 5 fav things about this island
5. sailing
4. Sunset Beach Bar – Best bar ever
3. No shoes – only sandals
2. Great staff at the school
1. You can get to a beach in less than 5 minutes

Tomorrow is a holiday on the island and we get friday off too. For the four days off I am flying to St. Kitts and Nevis with some of the other teachers. Should be fun!

2004-10-11T19:09:00.000-04:00

The Canadian spirit was all around the island on Saturday. Since most of the teachers at my school are Canadian, we all gathered Wayne and Lorraine's place for a thanksgiving dinner. Yes.....we get turkey here on the island, I was surprised too. We all brought something to add to the dinner. Me....I brought the cranberries and chipped in for the pumpkin and apple pie. I ate so much, I had to have a nap after.....just like home. some pictures.

2004-10-07T18:06:00.000-04:00

I finally finished the DaVinci Code. It took me a month in a half, while my roommate read it in a week after I finished. I thought it was great. Even though the book was addictive to read it took me a month because I never found time to read it except on the beach. During the first couple of weeks i didn't read on the beach because I was too excited. Now, the honeymoon is over, I'm settling in. I finished DaVinci Code and have started Angels and Demons. I am now a local...the bartenders know me and take my drink orders first, people at the restuarants recognize me, and I don't have to wait in line at the bank. You get special deals if you tell people you live here. We see the same people at the bar each week. It is like a small community. It's great.

2004-10-02T13:40:00.000-04:00

Well.....it finally happened. In a world where there is no drinking age, a few of my students were at the bar and bought me drinks. The students here have a crazy amount of money, so while i was dancing with another teacher, the owner approached us and handed us drinks saying they were from "willy" (my student). The night was pretty wild, I had a few drinks, we closed the bar at 5am.

2004-09-21T14:49:00.000-04:00

One of my favorite things about the island is that at almost any bar or restaurant between 5 and 7 pm you can get half price drinks(so $1.00) and free pizza and wings. This is at almost every restaurant.......some other restaurants will give you half price appetizers.

2004-09-15T07:30:00.000-04:00

It was almost like home. Last night the teacher's and I went to a pub here on the island to watch the hockey game. What was surprising was that the pub was full with Canadians also cheering for the national game. Just like at home the whole bar would urupt when the Canadians scored, and booed if a bad call was made.

Yesterday my classroom looked like some classroom back home. Half my students were wearing sweat shirts. I said, "are you guys nuts, it's damn hot" But i guess even though I was still hot, yesterday was the coolest day so far. It was a comfortable summer cool like at home. I guess a tropical storm is moving through because it has been raining for about a week.

I have to buy snorkeling gear! We are going to start weekly trips starting on sunday. Snorkeling crap is so expensive but, it should be worthwhile.

2004-09-06T22:56:00.000-04:00

After classes ended on friday, the teachers headed over the yacht club in Simpson Bay, where we had an open bar curtousy of the principal of our school. One thing about the bars here on the island is that none of them are indoors. I have yet to go to a bar and be inside. Every bar is open and on or near the beach. Saturday was spent laying on the beach. Sunday the owner of the school took the teachers out on her boat and ventured over to a near by tiny island where we had another open bar and free lunch. I had a Marlin Kabob. During the afternoon I went jet skiing with another teacher. Today was back to work at school, and there is another hurricane warning for tomorrow and the next day. It still doesn't seem like I actually work down here.

2004-09-01T19:03:00.000-04:00

My pics are up.

Long day at school today, got home around 6, finished some homework, had a quick bite, and now Ming and I and a couple of teachers are going out to a place called Bamboo Bernies to have a few drinks......but first we are watching the hockey game.

2004-08-30T17:15:00.000-04:00

School is cancelled for tomorrow........A hurricane is coming.

2004-08-26T14:04:00.000-04:00

I am here! The first night Jamie (new roommate, also a teacher) went to a sweet bar right on the ocean. In the bar there is a pool, the dance floor is sand. It is weird because there are no drinking ages here, so it is common to see 13 year olds at the bar. So I will be seeing my students at the bar.

I am being put up at this nice condo for the week until i move into my new place. My new place is less than a minute from the beach and a beach bar. It is close to the school too.

I bought a digital camera yesterday in Phillipsburgh so i will upload pictures soon.

Usually I go for a run in the morning by the beach, then head over to the pool for a swim......It's crazy hot here while running.

The plans for this afternoon are to go the beach with the staff to play beach volleyball. I don't see much work getting done any time soon......school starts on monday

2004-08-16T09:21:00.000-04:00

Well....I guess I have to say goodbye to Waterloo. Sometime today I will pack up all my crap in my crap car and drive back to KTown. Over the next few days I have to meet with people to ship my stuff to St. Maarten, get a form stamped in Toronto, see a couple of people in KTown. On Friday I head out to Buffalo to fly away.

2004-08-10T09:53:00.000-04:00

I have decided to not go with my parents on a camping trip to the states. They were planning on going to the Massachusetts area to visit my brother's wife's parents for a party. I was planning on going, but I have discovered that I still have a lot of crap to do around here before I go. There is all this bull shit paper work that I have to get done. I have to prove that I am not married. In order to do this I had to go fill out a marriage license but leave the bride spot blank (thank god). But I was a little scared filling this form out.....what happens if there is some crazy person working behind the counter thinking it would be funny to fill out her name in the bride spot after I left. I could be married and not even know it. There is some other stupid paper work that requires me to go to Toronto to have legalized and stamped by foreign affairs and the Dutch Consulate. It becomes a lot of running around....especially after you do this and then the school tells me that they forgot to tell me about another form and I have to do it all over again. This is preparing me for a year of ISLAND TIME. From what I hear the island is very slack and if a store says it opens 9 it is very common for it not to be open by 930 or 10. Slack. My kind of place.

2004-08-07T15:21:00.000-04:00

Please tell me if this works or not?

2004-08-07T10:18:00.000-04:00

Here's the main headlined story from yesterday's St. Maarten Herald:

The Shortage of prison cell in the Netherlands Antilles continues to be a serious problem. It has led to what some consider unjust sentence reductions, to sentences not being carried out until years later and even to people being released altogether, because there is simply no place to put them.

From living in Kingston and teaching at Kingston Penn, and now this, I guess I can never get away from these damn inmates.

2004-08-06T10:13:00.000-04:00

Im thinking of getting a wireless internet card for my laptop since my school has a wireless network. Do I just buy the wireless adapter card? Do I need it to be installed by a pro? How does this work?

2004-08-05T23:09:00.000-04:00

some pictures from graduation day and a couple from my brother's wedding.

2004-08-04T10:48:00.000-04:00

Well....the wedding was a success. The rain came and went, they both showed up and said "I do," Mothers cried, alcohol flowed, food was consumed....all the ingredients for a successful wedding.
I am now back in waterloo and finishing some things that need to be done before I jump on a plane. The fact that I am leaving is sinking in a bit, and the fact that I have to move on with certain things is a reality. When I was marking I never thought about leaving because I was so busy, but now I have just begun to think about it and it becomes more and more exciting that I will have 3 classes full of students who look at me as their teacher. I guess it's kind of scary too. I am more excited about the actual teaching than I am about my surroundings. Sure it's going to be good weather and the beaches will be tempting but Im sure I will be spending a lot of time at the school preparing for upcoming days, and worrying about doing a good job.

2004-08-04T10:30:00.000-04:00

Well, it seems the US has been embarrassed once again. My longtime disgust and critisms for the NBA being "less" of a basketball game has been proven once again. Yes! It has happened again........The US' basketball team has lost. The US, famous for having a full roster of NBA players and winning the Olympic gold medal since 1992, has shown they can't handle a 'real' basketball game. I mean a real game in the way players actually play defense with intensity and a real game in the way players actually CARE and put forth all their effort in order to compete. With the "all-star" Laker's recent loss to the heavily underdogged Pistons in the NBA finals, real basketball fans are finally cheering and saying "I told you so" With effort, intensity, heart, and I guess we can't forget talent.....Those unbeatable teams can be defeated. So, this loss by the US should be a giant wake-up call for NBA players and coaches......You can win......You just have to put forth REAL effort........Because not playing with everything you've got is just an insult to the other team.

2004-07-31T09:05:00.000-04:00

"Isn't it ironic......it's like rain on your wedding day" Today is my brother's wedding day. They decided to have an outside wedding, and lo and behold it is raining. It should be quite an interesting day.
Also, what pisses me off is that some friends of friends of family who are not invited to the wedding have decided to crash the wedding just because Ryan Malcolm is going to be there. What fucking balls these people have....to show up on a person's special day just to see a celebrity. I can see them wanting to come to wish Kevin and Denise well, but showing up just in hopes to catch a glimpse of Ryan is just plain rude. I feel like telling them to piss off when they show......Since i am the usher I just might do that.

2004-07-11T17:30:00.000-04:00

Tired is all i feel these days. For the last week and the next two weeks I will be getting up at 5am to travel to Toronto to be a slave and mark standardized grade 9 math tests. I get home around 6pm and fall asleep on the couch. Hopefully now that I have completed a week and am falling in more of a routine, I can feel like doing things after work again.

2004-07-01T16:01:00.000-04:00

The summer of jon is now over half over and finality of moving away is setting in. With the official contract signed and other documents arranged, I keep thinking what it will be like, and I keep thinking that I can see myself staying down there for a few years. THe ease and convience of staying and not looking for another job in a year has me motivated to seriously condsider staying.
The next few weeks will go by significantly fast since i am working, which puts us into the end of july and on the verge of getting ready to go......Im just not sure if I am ready for it to come that fast.

2004-06-22T21:04:00.000-04:00

Remember that show? It was on after school when we were younger. JONOVISION. Well, last week the gang and I tuned in to watch the new installment of The Joe Shmo Show, and lo and behold one of the "fake people," one of the actors hired to dupe the shmos was Jono. Apparently one of our big named actors is unrecognizable in the US. When did Canadian TV get so unpopular? Oh right, it always was.

2004-06-18T00:18:00.000-04:00

Convocation is around the corner and into the weekend. I remember back when I was graduating elementary school, and thinking, "Graduating public school is not a big deal. Graduating from high school will be a big deal." But when I got to high school I had the same thought, graduating from high school is not as major as I thought it would be, now graduating from University, that will be a big deal. But now that I am here and graduation is upon us, It also is not a big deal. It seems like all the other graduations from the past. It was to be expected. There were no major de-railments, there was no real threat of not getting this piece of paper, it is as Joey would say, "A moo point. A cow's opinion. It doesn't matter."

2004-06-16T20:17:00.000-04:00

As many of my friends know, for the last year I have been very anti-NBA. I am a college fan, I am a pure-ball fan. But with the recent giant upset in the NBA finals, and a discussion with my Dad(Who actually watched the games....I did not) I may change my mind about my strong opinions for the NBA. My Dad told me that Detroit played like a college team. They had energy, passion, and intensity, characteristics that I have always criticized the NBA of not having, which college ball does. Maybe there will be a paradigm shift here, maybe the shock of the lagers losing will inspire some players and, more importantly some coaches to change their playing style to a college style, a winning style......It is absolutely shameful that the NBA has to resort back to a so-called(by others) less skilled game to win. On entering the NBA players should be improving their GAME skills(not only offensive skills) instead of weakening them. It is shameful that NBA players have to remember how to play basketball again in order to win. Maybe, if every team makes this change, finally the NBA will become exciting.

2004-06-14T09:18:00.000-04:00

New Zealand's attempt to change students' behavior,

Teachers are about to wipe out slang in our schools. Yeah, right. Well, kinda. At least two schools have introduced zero-tolerance policies over the expressions "yep" and "yeah".

This will be another barrier and fight between students and teachers. Ya...like eliminating the use of slang will change a student's behavior anyway. Is this really important, especially when more and more people are using slang from politicians to computer programmers to even the morally superior beings like teachers.

2004-06-13T23:42:00.000-04:00

I was watching the news tonight and heard that the Crohn's and Colitis Association had a fundraising day at Bingeman's. While bored and finally learning about this disease I have, I discovered this comment on a website,

People with Crohn's disease tend to have abnormalities of the immune system, but doctors do not know whether these abnormalities are a cause or result of the disease. Crohn's disease is not caused by emotional distress.

What is this emotional distress comment. It seems weird to outright mention that it is not caused by emotional distress. It's like the doctors are saying, "We are not sure what causes the symptoms, but hey, listen, don't worry, it's definitely not caused by YOUR over worrying." Maybe emotional distress is a major complaint among Crohn's patients. I guess that would explain my first post today, haha

2004-06-13T22:25:00.000-04:00

I am on the fast track to being a large scale downloader. I desperately want to see Sopranos and Six Feet Under.....now I will be able to.

2004-06-13T15:41:00.000-04:00

Is it posssible to be happy if you are alone?

2004-06-08T22:29:00.000-04:00

Everyone always says that they cannot wait for the summer to arrive. I say that the less clothes, patio weather, summer tans are great, but what about the sleeping? Ya.....what about sleeping? Sleeping in the heat is hell. Unless you have an air conditioner.....but I guess it would have to be on?

2004-06-05T22:49:00.000-04:00

The mountain biking today was absolutely crazy. Kev took me to this wild winding trail that had obstacles, tiny bridges, and intense speed. I almost wiped out a few times. It was a hard workout and definitely the most satisfying. Maybe I will give up running and ride the trail instead.

2004-06-03T09:00:00.000-04:00

I just found out the commenting system for the new blogger template is kind of shitty. What's the deal with signing up for an account to post a comment? Well I guess i'm not really expecting anyone to comment on this post since you have to sign you life away.

2004-06-01T20:18:00.000-04:00

what I have been waiting for all of last week showed up today. A guy in a blue uniform stepped out of a giant box on wheels, handed me a big box of my own, and for the rest of the day, I, sitting in my chair, in front of the tv played with my new laptop. In fact, right now, as you are reading this, I am probably sitting in the same chair playing some new game, never having left my seat for more than a bathroom break, or jaunt to the fridge for a quick bite.

2004-05-30T16:30:00.000-04:00

Finally my new school has updated their web page and put new pictures on it, here is the school

and computer lab

and bball court

it's gonna be sweet!

2004-05-28T23:16:00.000-04:00

It seems late night blog posts are where it's at. Alcohol has set it. My guard is down. The words come out. My head is light and tired. Romantic comedies, Beer, and chips, why are my nights so pathetic, yet satisfying?

2004-05-28T00:10:00.000-04:00

Top Five Weekday morning pleasures
5.Two or three, or four cups of coffee, never just one.
4.Read the newspaper till whenever
3.Can't miss Dawson's Creek
2.Get Up whenever
1.No commitments whatsoever

2004-05-27T23:51:00.000-04:00

lately I have been thinking of something to post. Since I have a lot of time on my hands this summer I thought that I would post more, but boredom has gotten the better of me and I lack the ability to write. So I decided I needed a change, hence the new template and soon new laptop. I am on par for reading a book a week and I plan to write something about the books on my book page to keep me busy. I was also thinking of writing some fiction, which may or may not pop up on a page later.

I am a gardening master! The grass in the backyard is almost grown in now, and some of my veggies are starting to show in the new garden.

2004-05-17T15:56:00.000-04:00

Spent Saturday night with my buddies from high school. These are the guys that I hang out with at home. When I hang out with these guys I am the serious one. I am the least crazy, least fun out of the whole lot of them. I am usually the loser of the group. Most of the time I am the punch line to most of the jokes. I love these guys though. They are the people that made me into the sarcastic, spiteful, verbal bully asshole that I am today. I am coming home soon though,......there is only so much I can take.

2004-05-11T17:24:00.000-04:00

My car is a piece of crap. It has been running a little rough lately, and I was worried letting Lauren and Kev borrow it because I had a feeling it is not completely safe. I took it next door to the good guys at GlenCo, and apparently I have been driving it around for the last month or so without any brake pads. I hear this is unhealthy. So Glen and his right hand man told me that they have to fix it or I can't drive it. It's a health hazard. So all my profits from re-doing matts backyard are already spent.......If it wasn't for these damn expenses I could live for free.

2004-05-08T15:11:00.000-04:00

Waiting in line at Home Depot to return my tiller the cashier asked me what name I rented the tool under. After I told him the customer behind me immediatley said, "Orr?" and I replied "Yes, Orr" Then he said again "Orr? Really, I am a Whore. How do you spell your name. people often mistake my name for Orr." I almost laughed out loud. I met Mr. Whore. It seemed weird he would say "I am a Whore" out loud in public.

2004-05-07T18:42:00.000-04:00

I avoided getting burnt during the whole Mexico trip(except for the feet) only to get burnt here, yes here in Canada, in May. I was outside working in the garden, totally forgot that there was this big ball of fire in the sky, the same sun as in Mexico, It didn't even cross my mind to put sun screen on. My nose and arms are red, I have a farmers tan.

2004-05-06T15:56:00.000-04:00

I am becoming a gardner/maid/cook for the summer term. I have prostituted myself out to my room mates in order to earn cash for the summer. I do not want a real job for the summer and am hoping that I can just survive financially till august. I am going to be kicking back for the remainder of the summer just keeping it real.

2004-04-11T23:19:00.000-04:00

I must be part of the geek squad. A member of loser patrol. Captain of nerd alert. My timeline, instead of constisting of dates and years, consists of books I have read, real books....not the metaphorical books discussed in earlier entries. Many people, normal people, remember times according to dates. They say, "oh ya that was last summer. That such and such thing happended during September of 1999." This is the way a normal person's memory works. Normal. Me, I am abnormal, the absence of normality. I may say these exact things to others, but what goes on right after or before (i don't know which) in my head, I think of the book or books I read or was reading during that period. "Oh that such and such a thing happened last summer: The summer of Of Human Bondage: The camping trip of Lullaby." I came to University the summer of Hannibal." Joce came to live with me during the september of The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay. She wasn't there for Werewolves In Their Youths, or Wonder Boys or Mysteries of Pittsburgh ( My Michael Chabon Kick - January, February, March 2003). The books are time markers, memory holders, sometimes pain killers, sometimes pain enducers. They remind me of everything, and everything reminds me of them.
I never throw my books out, I never sell them. I keep them. They are mine. Sometimes they are better than pictures, less words than a thousand, but a member of loser patrol can use them to remember anything.

2004-04-06T19:09:00.000-04:00

Well apparently I am not going to be a math teacher after all. Nope. Not math. It seems I have become the "utility teacher" meaning, you need a teacher for that course, give it to Orr. Yep. No math.
Four of the courses I will be teaching next year are as follows:

Introduction to Financial Accounting (grade 12 university - University is the new advanced stream)
Introduction to International Business (12 university)
Physics (12 university)
Computer Science (12 university)

Good thing I have no job this summer, I need to learn 4 courses.

2004-04-05T07:41:00.000-04:00

This morning just before my alarm went off, I thought, and it made perfect sense at the time:My alarm will only play songs that are divisors of the number of songs on the CD. Too much studying for pure math already.

2004-04-04T23:36:00.000-04:00

Top five exam-time favourites:
5. Listening to music all day - buy a new CD
4. No classes or deadlines, or profs, or anything. Just you. Just you and time.
3. There is this thought running through your head most of the time. A thought that tells you that all you have to do is put in the time and everything will be ok. Everything will be done soon. It's a good thought.
2.Night-time studying doesn't exist. Never heard of.
1. The thought of the feeling you get when you are writing your last exam and you only have a couple questions left, and you know you could just stand up right now and hand that sucker in, never see it again. Oooh, that's going to be a good feeling this year.

2004-04-04T23:23:00.000-04:00

Head stuffy, hands shaky, a view that appears condensed, shrunkin, as if every item in view has been scaled down to one third it's size. I know this because I see it. I stare; I am looking down, but I am looking at my page, looking at my writing, my questions, my answers, my crap. The staring becomes blurring. No, I say to myself, no it's not time for another coffee. It's time to go home. Yes, my home.

2004-04-02T19:37:00.000-05:00

I'll take with periodic spouts of boredom for $1000 Alex. Three days of studying, and I already find myself day-dreaming of what is to come this summer or what is not coming. Three days of studying and I find myself thinking that there are 18 more days of this.

2004-03-27T17:41:00.000-05:00

I drove my wife to the airport today, and that bitch didn't even think to kiss me goodbye. I mean, come on, she didn't even say she'll miss me. I feel so used, so unloved, so unappreciated, so, so resentful. I thought everything was going well, everything was fine. Now I don't know what is up. Why oh why did she not kiss me goodbye. Now I won't be able to sleep till I go pick her up. Damn her.

2004-03-27T00:19:00.000-05:00

The weather today has an increasing trend of disappointment with a slight chance of an alcoholic haze.

2004-03-22T22:25:00.000-05:00

Bathroom. Fourth floor. MC. I walk in, behind someone else, I see he is going for the urinals. Which one will he choose. Which one is he SUPPOSED to choose. Definitely not the middle urinal. No one else is in the bathroom. He chooses the middle one. Genius

2004-03-21T18:50:00.000-05:00

Essay's done, feet are up, basketball is over for 3 days
ups and downs always come together.
boredom seeps, time is almost finished
ups and downs are together.

2004-03-20T10:33:00.000-05:00

Definitely now, more than ever, as the due date approaches.....Vision weakens as the tie tightens.

2004-03-19T08:04:00.000-05:00

Remember when you rode the bus to school, I mean the school bus, if you rode one. If you watched the bus driver as another bus approached he/she would always wave. There was this special bond between bus drivers, or it was like a club, once you became a bus driver you had instant friends, instant membership, access to the secret wave. Jackpot.
If you are a runner you also get these random acts of kindness, acts of friendship, as if you are ok, you are part of an elite club. But, the club is kind of elitist since no other waver will wave at a non-runner. I usually don't wave. I don't wave even if some one waves at me, I usually nod. Today I got a wave, I thought, whatever, I want to be part of the club too, I waved back. I thought waving at a perfect stranger shouldn't make you an elitist, it should make you a friendly person, then I thought, am I friendly?

2004-03-16T19:54:00.000-05:00

There she is. Head on the desk, eyes shut. Snoring. The prof does a double take, walks over and says, "You are snoring. I wouldn' t of said anything but I could stop laughing." The definition of embarrassment.

2004-03-13T09:26:00.000-05:00

Last night: "It's the same as the exact opposite.....but..... it's the same just not so much" - quotes from me trying to explain the difference between verbal irony and sarcasm.

2004-03-13T09:19:00.000-05:00

Standing at the top of the stairs, peering down, seeing the stains on the floor I hear the music rising up with the stench of vomit. I enter, not becuase of the ridicoulsy inexpensive drinks, or the semi-good music, but becuase my friends are there and there is not much longer to go.

2004-03-09T00:38:00.000-05:00

Top 5 on the play list:
5. "We've been had" - the walkmen
4. "Re- Offender" - Travis
3. "Into Your Hideout" - Pilate
2. "Do You Realize" - The Flaming Lips
1. "Wise Up" - Aimee Man

2004-03-07T17:00:00.000-05:00

Top 5 things I learned during the weekend:
1. I have an addiction. I am going to try and ween myself off it.
2. If you can't make fun of yourself who can you make fun of? ............other people!
3. Lost in Translation was pretty good.
4. Wine is good.
5. Irony is not as funny when you are smack dab in the middle of it.

2004-03-07T16:42:00.000-05:00

Bad timing. There are things that you think about, wish could happen, and never act on them. Then along with everything else you learn to forget them, forget the choices. There are some things that you think about and then build up the courage to make something you want happen. THe worst would have to be believing you made the right choice, being proud you did it, then hating yourself everyday since. I can't help myself.

2004-02-26T22:25:00.000-05:00

So, midterms are all finished. Although it feels good to be all done, I do feel a little disapointed with my performance overall. I know I have said that this term I am going for just a pass, but it still sucks when you know your shit and don't show it. I don't think I have ever looked more forward to the end of the term than this term. I cannot concentrate. I think too much. I worry too much. I think my school work will improve if I stop thinking and concentrating.

2004-02-22T19:50:00.000-05:00

So I saw it again today. Walking home, through the park and ball diamonds. Two cars parked beside one-another. Two people in one of the cars. Making out. Definitely an affair. I thought about running up to the window, pretending to take pictures. The people would freak out. Maybe the guy would get out of the car and chase me down, beat me up. It would be exciting, maybe a story to tell......but hey, didn't I just tell the story?

2004-02-15T18:12:00.000-05:00

The results of a weekend spent at an international teaching job fair:
2 interviews: New York City, Caribbean International Academy, St. Maarten
Result: I am going to be moving to St. Maarten for a year to teach CS and math.

2004-02-11T22:34:00.000-05:00

I know it's crazy, and many people might disagree with me entirely, but I believe that there are people out there in the world who are even lazier than the shoe horn users. Yes yes, I thought it was impossible too, but they exist. They sneak it in. They seem harmless. They get on the elevator on the ground floor, then ride it up all the way to the second floor. I know that going up a couple sets of stairs is a rough ride, a work out worthy of Richard Simmons training, but come on people.........1 flight of stairs. Today I shook my head at one such individual. I almost said something. Should of. Next time, and oh yes, there will be a next time.

2004-02-10T22:30:00.000-05:00

Top five benefits of final semester (random order):
1. I'm done! Out of school. Except that I will probably be in some school for the next 30 years.
2. All I need to do is pass my courses. This leads to serious slacking off.
3. Everyone is back together for the first time since 1st semester.
4. You feel sorry for those first year punks.....but you love it. You shake your head and laugh. Pointing and snickering are also acceptable.
5. Maybe, just maybe on my last day......I will run into the comfy lounge, grab the first board game i see and smash it over my knee, then frantically, run away yelling......"get a life. And while you're at it, a shave and shower won't hurt either."

2004-02-09T23:51:00.000-05:00

Silly Puddy is such a wonderful invention. The best time waster. Even better than the slinky. For the last 2 years, my buddy mark and I have wasted many class hours manipulating, molding, creating fun fantastic silly puddy characters. We started with silly puddy while at Queens trying to waste (or make class more enjoyable) our 3 hour classes. Tonight, during our dreadful night class with the "so on and so forth" prof, (only 10 times tonight) the silly puddy made an appearance. I played with it all class, missing most of the lecture.......and I wonder why I am falling behind this term

2004-02-09T23:39:00.000-05:00

My mind has become pre-occupied lately. I can't help it. Why do I dwell on the things I can never get. I know I will never have a lot of money. I will never go live someplace exotic. I will never own a monkey, or an expensive sports car, or a giant TV. Will we end up with the person we really want. As my good buddy Chuck says, "The person you love is never the person who loves you." But Chucky might be wrong. Can we really be happy? I think so. I wait, because everything's not lost. I will get some things. The good things, if I wait.

2004-02-08T12:40:00.000-05:00

Today Ming and I ventured out to buy groceries together and fuzzy slippers. Oh ... Ming also stopped off to buy earrings......Yes, yes we are confident in our masculinity.

2004-02-06T19:59:00.000-05:00

I listen to the same songs on my computer over and over again. ALWAYS the same ones. I pick a few, put them on the play list and that's where they stay for the rest of the term. Right now it's "Green eyes," and "Warning Sign" by Coldplay, "Everything's in it's Right Place" and "Talk Show Host" by Radiohead. I listen to these songs like three times a day a least. I think I have some kind of obsession problem. Music, is just the start.

2004-02-04T22:10:00.000-05:00

I have been skipping classes all over the place, leaving assignments till the last possible day, not doing the reading for english class. What is the deal with me, you ask? What has changed? I have been corrupted.

2004-01-31T17:23:00.000-05:00

The drive home was brutal yesterday. Brutal in the sense that I had to pick up people in Toronto, and brutal in the sense that they were over an hour late. I was a little pissed. Being late ruined all my timing. I was supposed to pick this idiot(and I mean complete dope, really, he is not bright) and his girlfriend up at 3, but she didn't show till after 4....which puts me in the middle of Toronto during rush-hour. I didn't get home till 7:30pm. Also, the dope kept nagging me, trying to get me to allow him to smoke up in the car during the drive.....I comprimised and let him smoke cigarettes. I'm not coming home again for a while.....well if I do, I'm not telling anybody.....I'll go in secret, vanish.

2004-01-26T22:16:00.000-05:00

Ohh......shoveling,how I love thee, let me count the ways....I can injure myself.
1. I have a weak ankle and have sprained it badly while sitting..yes sitting. So you see how I could really do a number on myself while lifting snow.

2. I am becoming an old man. My back actually hurt after. What's next.....broken hip.

3. Frostbite.

4. Broken leg, arm, back, and maybe neck. Heaven for bid, maybe a tooth. Getting clipped by a car.....That might hurt a little.

2004-01-25T10:34:00.000-05:00

Lessons learned last night:
1. There exist other people my age that buy and drink '50'....mindblowing
2. Parties where ex-girlfriends are in attendance can be really really bad or ....in some people's case really really really covient.
3. Newspaper can substitute for "Zig-Zags"

2004-01-24T14:40:00.000-05:00

Most of my class time I sit and stare at the clock, waiting for time to end. Usually twenty minutes after the hour is the best time of the day. It's the time I get up and head for the door. But sometimes as I head for the door in my good mood once I get to the door my mood disintegrates. Vanishes. Mostly due to the complete idiots who try to squeeze into the classroom before anyone gets out. What the hell is with these keeners. I bet they stand outside peeping through the window waiting, anticipating, on the edge of excitement so that they are amost jumping up and down in hopes that the prof ends lecture and they can get their seat. When I get to the door to leave, I am the one who has to wait. Once one keener squeezes in, 6 others chase after him/her. I am standing at the door silently cursing these sons of bitches. I just say to myself...must be frosh.

2004-01-24T14:24:00.000-05:00

Ah...the start of college basketball season makes saturday afternoons oh so much more.....lazy.

2004-01-17T13:27:00.000-05:00

Recently I have been doing a lot of reading. Currently I am reading up to 4 or 5 books at once. I have never done this before and feel kind of weird doing it. There were times maybe a few years ago that I really really wanted to read maybe just one or two books at a time because I had nothing to do, but for some reason I couldn't. Now it seems there are a lot of books I want to read but don't have time for them. I really just want to read one book, but it's kind of long and confusing and often annoying, but I really still want to read it. Recently I have had a few other books pushing their way into my reading list, tempting me to put the good book on the shelf for a while. The problem I have with the new books is that they aren't the good book, and the book I want. But nevertheless I think it's time for the shelf to make itself useful.