A storm's a comin'..

Five years ago tonight, we were preparing for a hurricane strike. We had a house in Bedford, Nova Scotia. The weather folks had been mentioning throughout the previous days that we should expect Hurricane Jaun to give us "a strong wind event", but they failed to realize how bad it was going to be. Only late in the day did it dawn on them that the storm was not weakening as expected, and would make landfall, at high tide, in the capital city of the province.

The damage from the storm was dramatic. Sailboats were strewn about on people's back yards. lifted up and dumped there by the incredible winds and high tide storm surge. Throughout the city, massive trees, which has withstood hundreds of years of Maritime storms, were blown over like matchsticks. On our street, only our house , and the one next to us, owned by a dear old gentleman, were untouched. Everyone else had some sort of storm damage, from trees blown over, and in some cases, into peoples houses, to siding and roofs torn completely off.

What stays with me these years later were some of the memories of what happened during the storm.

Our master bedroom featured a large picture window. As the hurricane began to hit us, I peered out of the window, watching in awe as the massive oak tree across the street was bending like a young sapling. It was then that I noticed that the pressure from the wind was flexing the glass in and out agian, like a large piece of card board. Alarmed, I moved Shelly and the kids( 5 and 2 at the time, and terrified by the howling winds) into a back bedroom.
There was a set of train tracks about 100 yards behind our house. In the time that we lived there, we became accustomed to the daily rumble of large freight trains rolling by, on their way to Montreal and beyond. Sometime around 1 a.m., as the hurricane was in full throttle, I was astounded to hear the familiar booming rumble of a train. What was a train doing out this late, and in the teeth of a hurricane? I was wrong.When you hear people describing the sound of a storm resembling a freight train, they are only partially correct; it also feels like one. The ground shakes, and the wind takes on a life of its own.
As we lay in our bed, frankly in fear of the storm, the house swayed from side to side, as the wind pushed anf shoved with all its fury. Then, I clearly felt the house lift, as the wind pushed up against the eaves, trying to tear our roof off. Fortunately, we lived in a house that was built strong.

And now, exactly five years later, Hurricane Kyle is bearing down on our part of Canada. We now live in an area away from the coast, that won't expect to feel the full effects of the storm. However, Yarmouth Nova Scotia is due for the full brunt of the storm, which will likely weaken to a tropical storm, but still be dangerous. I lved there a few years ago; there are plenty of friends and family there, whom I hope are prepared with flashlights, water, and good company. It will be a long, eventful night.

Canadian...er...eh.

I am not Canadian. I was born in England, to a British father and a Canadian mother. We came to Canada long ago enough, that save my penchant for Monty Python and a good cup of tea, you would likely never know.
However, it wasn't because I didn't give it the ol' college try.
During my teen and early adult years, it was a subject of non-issue. I paid taxes like the next person. Travelling abroad simply meant a confident and non accent toned" Halifax, sir!" when asked at the border where I was from. Rarely was proper I.D. ever asked for. And, back then, proper I.D. was a drivers' licence.
I was registered as a Landed Immigrant, got a S.I.N., and Bob's yer uncle. Or so I thought.
Then came 9/11. The Canadian government quietly changed the rules around becoming a citizen sometime around 2002. Prior to then, there was, in effect, a grandfather clause that made it not much more than a formality to get your citizenship, if one of your parents was Canadian.
You see, it is now more difficult , costly and time consuming to become a Canadian citizen if you are a landed, long term resident of the country, then if you just landed at Pearson Airport and staggered off a flight ,with all your worldly possessions, from Godknowswhereikstan. Even had a government employee in citizenship office tell me so.( He didn't say Godknowswhereikstan; I made that up).
The current waiting period for people in this situation is 24 months from time of application, to granting of citizenship. If you need to get a passport( which would be a further wait) to travel...well thats' just not good.
A few years ago, I had to get a passport for work travel, and found myself in this difficult situation.

So, in desperation, I contacted the U.K. citizenship office, in what I thought was an outside chance of getting an alternative in place. I assumed that my long term status as a tax paying, hockey loving landed immigrant in Canada would make this impossible. Not so.The cost? $250, ( yikes!)- But a passport was couriered to my house exactly 21 days after application. Sweet.

Now, when travelling to the U.S., I answer a few more questions than a Canadian does, and have my retina scanned and fingerprints taken EVERY time I cross. other than that...it is clear sailing.

I feel for the most part wholly Canadian, and a little miffed that, while the government is delighted to take my taxes, I cannot vote, join the RCMP( not THAT big a deal), or run for parliment;like that would happen.
The final insult?- I got a letter in the mail today, telling me that I am the registered voter in this household. Does the Rhinoceros Party have a candidate running here?

Dollars and Scents

The other day I noticed Wal Mart had my favorite cologne for a remarkably low price.Now before we go any further, let me give you my 2 cents(scents??) on the issue of ..well..scents. I see no reason, despite the trend of "scent-free work places", to discontinue the practice of wearing cologne. Don't get me wrong; I too have suffered the encounter of the pimply faced pubescent who took the "bathe in Axe and the chicks will dig ya" ads too literally. I just don't buy the whole allergic reaction gambit. I'm as much for basic personal hygene as the next guy, but I'd like to exercise my freedom of rights to include smelling like more than just toothpaste and deoderant, if it's all the same to you.
Back to the issue at hand...
This particular cologne ( Burberry Brit, in case you were wondering) was locked in the small glass case,in the cosemetics area of the store. Now, the fact that it's locked away , was a curious thing to me, as other more expensive, and I assume, theft-worthy, colognes and perfumes were displayed on a quite open shelf mere feet away from said case. Yep, there was a $50 dollar bottle of Beckham out in the open, and my little $20 bottle of Brit keep safely away from would be thieves.Actually, a cologne that brings to mind an over-paid, Posh-whipped football player after 90 minutes on the pitch makes me want to leave it right on the shelf.
I tracked down a blue smocked young lass, and explained to her that I wanted to purchase an item from the case.
And her response?
"Well, I don't have the key. And the woman that works at cosmetics leaves at 3, and takes the key with her."
THE key. The only key to the case. In the entire store. She takes it home with her. Every night.........
Perhaps, I'm missing something, but it seems to be counter-productive to the basic rules of retail to prevent your employees from being able to sell an item that a customer would like to purchase.
I'll give the young lady credit, as she called several managers in the store, trying to track down another key...to no avail.
The response from Management?- If I could come back tomorrow...during the daytime, they would give me the cologne at half price, for my troubles. So, Wal-Mart would rather give away $10, than simply have another key available? Surely, this can't be the first time this has occurred? Am I the only sap who wanted to buy cologne after 3 p.m.?
While I am grateful for the offer, and will take advantage of it, I am astounded at the situation.
By the way, the young lady informed me that, to her memory, there are only three items that are locked in a case at Wal-Mart
1)- Bullets( you get my vote on that one...) 2)- Video games. 3) Cologne. and not the expensive cologne either.

One's view of their current job can be a funny thing. It seems like a common past time to grouch about all the things wrong with your job: bad boss, un cooperatice colleagues, crappy facilities: I'm sure we have all heard, if not echoed all the reasons why we don't like our current work.
Very often, I have heard from business colleagues who have professed to be so fed up with their work situation that they plan to find another job. Here's the funny thing; its' one thing to talk about leaving your job; its' entirely another matter to actually make the leap.
Recently, I made the switch from a sales manager role of a large software company, to a sales director role in a fast moving start up. Since the day that I announced to my now previous employer that I was leaving, up to and including this very day, I have been the object of a great deal of interest from employees of said previous employer. Its been everything from" How is the new job" to" You guys looking to hire" ( A real favorite of mine) to " I need to get the hell out of this job"....
In difference to respect for my previous employer, if not out of fear of legal reprisal, I have steered rather clear of recruiting any person from my previous employer(whom I shall refer to as MAJOR CORP from now on). I have met, at the request of individuals, over coffee, to explain why I was compelled to join my new company, what our expectations are, what the pay is like, etc; all the things sales minded folks want to hear, and all positive things.
And then...nothing.
I am of the firm belief that the fear of risk that comes with a voluntary job change far outwieghs the frustration of the current working environment for most people. Or...its more appealling to go where you are comfortable, as opposed to happy.

And away we go!!!!

so..this is the first kick at the ol`blog thing. I suppose in relation to the majority of bloggers, I`m a late adopter; but now that I`m employed with a software firm that delivers social media monitoring tools to business.....not blogging would be like a radio dj not owning a radio. 

I don`t profess to be an expert in any one area, but like most everyone else, I`ll offer an opinion on a varity of subjects when asked, or as in the case of this blog, when the laptop battery is good, and the mood is willing.......