ABOUT ME

Way better than any Facebook listing.

So, you want to know a little bit about me, huh? Well, since I don't want to ask my friends what they really think of me and I don't wish to share my reference letters (and rejection letters) with you, I guess I'll have to do all the talking. I hope that everything is satisfactory!

What's Up - November 2011 Archive

Here are the past postings...

2011.11.30 - 19:13 EST - Ottawa ON Canada
Get the Math, I'm Gone

Perhaps I'm not supposed to feel guilty about getting a promotion. When I was packing my items and moving out of my office though, I couldn't help but wonder what I had done over the past six years to get the call-up.

I still remember the last time I changed jobs. As much as I was excited to work on a new project, I was especially happy to be working in a window office. It also helped that I respected my new supervisor and that I was already friends with some of my fellow colleagues.

Having worked on business surveys during my career to date, it was challenging learning about health statistics. In addition, it was a little strange to see my survey mentioned in newspaper articles. I don't think I had ever seen any publicity about my last project.

One thing that was new to me was dealing with non-response to the survey. Respondents had the option not to answer our interviewers, so I learned the different techniques used to account for that issue. Still, I was amazed at how many respondents the interviewers were able to get.

Eventually, my survey got so large that it was split into two portions. I was assigned to work on the smaller focused component, which gave me a chance to see the entire survey from start to finish. For my first component, the survey focused on the elderly population.

As the project advanced, I even got the chance to supervise my own employee. I feared for the worst that I wouldn't be able to motivate my staff. However, I was assigned a former Co-op student who had a penchant for large numbers and other odd facts, so we got along perfectly.

When survey collection ended, I found out that it wasn't a simple task to transform responses to the final results. I learned a lot about methodology as well as about the aging population, and I got to talk about my experiences at a statistics conference in Vancouver.

During the application process for my promotion, I was confident that I could do the job. In fact, the most difficult part was renewing my linguistic levels. Once I succeeded in that, the pressure was off. Following a written test and an interview, I had qualified for the higher level.

Now, it's off to my old floor and an office just around the corner from my first windowless one. It will take time to get used to business statistics again, but I'm up for the challenge.

2011.11.26 - 23:07 EST - Ottawa ON Canada
It's Trouble We're Handing Off

For the last few years, I have been quite active at my curling club. I have always believed in volunteerism, and I rather enjoy helping out in order for activities to run smoothly.

At the start, I simply timed games during the Junior SuperSpiel in order to get front row seats while watching some skilled play. Then, I decided to help out with scheduling and webmaster duties for the weekend league. It didn't take much effort on my part, and I liked all of my assigned duties.

By sticking with my weekend tasks, I assumed the presidency of the league last year. In curling, there are fancy names for the person who oversees each league. Some places call them directors or convernors, but I'm just happy being the guy who answers questions at our league e-mail address.

Also last year, one of my friends decided to step down as the organizer of our club's annual bonspiel for mixed teams. I had always enjoyed playing in the event and even was on the winning side one year, so I stepped up to run it this time around. Little did I know how much work it would be.

When the curling season started, there was a large bag waiting for me in the club office with my bonspiel supplies. Inside were a series of folders, papers and other paraphernalia. The bonspiel had been running annually since 1960, so I quickly realized that it was a privilege to run the event.

I also figured out that I would need a good team of volunteers so along with the registration forms, I posted up around the club a call for helpers. Eventually, I got a few people to help with buying prizes, setting out snacks and preparing banquet dishes for the hungry curlers.

Once the bonspiel got underway, I was able to finally relax a bit. People naturally came forward to help out while I was playing, and everyone seemed to enjoy when I would refill the bowls of chewy candy out on the ice. Even the suggestions that I received were politely given.

Tonight, the final games were played and the prizes were given away at the ham dinner. I had a good time running the bonspiel, but maybe it's time to let someone else enjoy organizing this bonspiel.

2011.11.06 - 14:08 EST - London ON Canada
Won't You Give Me a Smile?

It's been six years since I have been to London, Ontario. However, in the past year I've gotten to know a few people that live there so it was time for me to make a return visit to The Forest City.

While planning the schedule for the weekend trip, I realized that there was a Canucks game on Friday night. Therefore, I phoned up my Whitby friends who are proud subscribers of NHL Centre Ice and reserved two seats on their couch for my girlfriend and me to watch the game.

We arrived in town early, so we decided to stop at a supermarket in Oshawa to do some shopping. While there, I found a sale on Herr's chips. I visited the factory in Nottingham, Pennsylvania last year on my Senators roadie, so I texted my fellow road tripper about the find. Promptly, I received a request to buy six bags of Heinz ketchup chips.

When we got to my friends' place, we ordered up some pizza and cracked open some English Bay pale ales. As usual, we opted to have a drinking contest and decided to have a beer for each Canucks goal scored instead of each one allowed since Roberto Luongo was in net. Sure enough, he let in three as St. Louis beat Vancouver 3-2.

Saturday took my girlfriend and me to Toronto as I arranged for lunch with my uncle. He got us a table at Sky Dragon in Chinatown, where we arrived just as their happy hour special was ending. We got a few cheap plates before the good stuff arrived at regular prices. Following lunch, we got some barbecued meats to bring along to London.

After dropping off our bags at her parents' home, my girlfriend took me on a quick tour of the city. We missed meeting one of her friends at a downtown mall, but I still had fun checking out the food court. We also swung by the University of Western Ontario, where I missed seeing a former colleague who is now back at school.

On the way back home, we passed through the London Hunt and Country Club, which is currently ranked the 61st best golf course in Canada. However, it is a private course so I could only dream about hitting shots on the fairways as I watched a couple of deer run along them as we drove away.

We had a nice dinner along with my girlfriend's aunt, uncle and inquisitive five-year-old cousin who insisted on calling me suk suk (uncle). The next morning when we met up for lunch at Shiki Japanese Restaurant, she finally referred to me by the less elderly goh goh (brother). The sashimi was tasty, and the black sesame ice cream was delicious too.

Now, it's off to Ottawa as a six-hour drive awaits us. It was nice to see some familiar faces again and try some good local food. Next time, hopefully I'll get to go to the food court again and have some fish tacos too...

last updated: February 6, 2012