I fly out tonight on the start of a 34 hour trip back to Canada. I have quite a long stop over in beijing and I am hoping I will be able to leave the airport and head downtown for 4 or 5 hours and do some sight seeing. I am not sure I need a transit visa for that. If I can't do that, I have access to the lounge at the airport.
The good news is the longest legs of the flight are both at night but as I mentioned I arrive at night in Vancover, so no matter what, my internal clock will be messed up and I may be awake all night long. May get some work done!
I must remember to pack a jacket for the trip. I think my TWU jacket wold be appropriate seeing as Jordan is graduating.
TTYL, probably from the airport :-)
Jim
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Monday, April 25, 2011
2 More Sleeps
Two more sleeps and I head back to Canada. I fly out Subang Jaya airport via Firefly to Singapore at 8 pm and arrive in Singapore at 9 pm. I then switch airports/terminals to catch a flight to Beijing at 00:15 am. I then get to spend all day in Beijing before heading out to Vancouver that same night. Jordan's convocation is on Saturday May 30th and we will celebrate with a beer later that night.
I am in Vancover from the April 28 to May 2nd and arrive in Ottawa later that day. It appears the weather in Ottawa is a little warmer than that in Vancouver which is good as it is the start of the Tulip festival in Ottawa on May 6th. I am looking forward to Spring weather as I have not had a Spring in 2 years now :-)
I have lots to do, meet up with the chimps, see the lawyer, see the real estate agent, visit my mom, etc. It will be a quick visit in and out.
I am then back to KL via London, England, having circumnavigated the world in 13 days. Should be fun, I hope :-)
TTYL,
Jim
I am in Vancover from the April 28 to May 2nd and arrive in Ottawa later that day. It appears the weather in Ottawa is a little warmer than that in Vancouver which is good as it is the start of the Tulip festival in Ottawa on May 6th. I am looking forward to Spring weather as I have not had a Spring in 2 years now :-)
I have lots to do, meet up with the chimps, see the lawyer, see the real estate agent, visit my mom, etc. It will be a quick visit in and out.
I am then back to KL via London, England, having circumnavigated the world in 13 days. Should be fun, I hope :-)
TTYL,
Jim
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Back in Canada Soon
I must admit I am a liitle homesick for Canada at this moment. You have no idea how much you miss the 4 seasons until you do not have them. I quite enjoyed winter when I was back at Christmas and I look forward to my first Spring in 2 years.
Not much happening here. I am in a routine where I swim early every morning and workout every second day at the gym. I am now 180 pounds and have not seen that weight since I was about 21. I am also in great shape without any aches or pains. I have the perfect weight loss program ... travel half way round the world, exercise a lot, eat 3/4 of what you normally do, and get divorced at teh same time. It's amazing how stress burns calories :-)
I miss seeing Jaime while I am in canada as she will be practice teaching in Sweden while I am in Canada. The closest I get to her is passing through London England on the way home. However, she is always just an SMS away from anywhere in the world.
I am looking forward to Jordan's graduation on the 30th of this month. It is a real sense of accomplishement for a parent when all their children achieve a university degree. You feel that you have done a good job! However, Jordan has done all the work and should feel fantastic with his accomplishments. He has been accepted to the Faculty of Education at Ottawa University and thanks go out to Bill Fox for his great reference :-) Thanks Bilbo :-)
TTYL,
Jim
Not much happening here. I am in a routine where I swim early every morning and workout every second day at the gym. I am now 180 pounds and have not seen that weight since I was about 21. I am also in great shape without any aches or pains. I have the perfect weight loss program ... travel half way round the world, exercise a lot, eat 3/4 of what you normally do, and get divorced at teh same time. It's amazing how stress burns calories :-)
I miss seeing Jaime while I am in canada as she will be practice teaching in Sweden while I am in Canada. The closest I get to her is passing through London England on the way home. However, she is always just an SMS away from anywhere in the world.
I am looking forward to Jordan's graduation on the 30th of this month. It is a real sense of accomplishement for a parent when all their children achieve a university degree. You feel that you have done a good job! However, Jordan has done all the work and should feel fantastic with his accomplishments. He has been accepted to the Faculty of Education at Ottawa University and thanks go out to Bill Fox for his great reference :-) Thanks Bilbo :-)
TTYL,
Jim
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Day off Work
My eyes have been causing problems for me over the past week and today I came down with 'Pink Eye'. Pink Eye, both in Canada and Malaysia is an automatic get out of school for a while disease. I went to a clinic, walked in and the Doc asked what are you here for and I said 'Pink Eye' and she said yes, good diagnosis, wrote me out 2 prescriptions, and a MC (medical certificate) for 2 days off work. Pink Eye is pretty contagious :-) It is a malaysian law that requires a MC if you miss school or work for any time. I think the law exists because their are too many doctors and they can't make enough money. It is pretty easy to get qualified as a doctor in many parts of the world so it is very good that Canada does not let them practice until they recertify in Canada.
So, I left work, walked back home, and spent horizontal time catching up on my Zzzzz's and then read for a little while. Every 2 hours the antibiotic eye drops go in and tonight I get to spread some antibiotic cream on my eye lids. Should be great fun.
Not much has changed since yesterday. I am reading the final (book 10) of a great fantasy series called 'The Malazan Book of the Fallen'. It is highly recommended if you are into Science Fantasy, but if you are just starting out, the 'Sword of Truth' or 'Sword of Shannara' series are much more apporachable for newbies.
I get to sleep in tomorrow so I guess I will read late tonight.
I get my high speed internet installed on the 28th of April and it gives me 20 MBS upload and download guaranteed due to the fact it is fibre. However, once I leave their network and head across to Canada or the USA the speed usually drops off but I am still able to stream movies, sports, and television shows immediately. Do we have fibre to the home in Canada yet? Malaysia is a country of contrasts, no pollution checks of cars, 2 stroke motorcycles, mega malls, and fibre to your home.
TTYL,
Jim
So, I left work, walked back home, and spent horizontal time catching up on my Zzzzz's and then read for a little while. Every 2 hours the antibiotic eye drops go in and tonight I get to spread some antibiotic cream on my eye lids. Should be great fun.
Not much has changed since yesterday. I am reading the final (book 10) of a great fantasy series called 'The Malazan Book of the Fallen'. It is highly recommended if you are into Science Fantasy, but if you are just starting out, the 'Sword of Truth' or 'Sword of Shannara' series are much more apporachable for newbies.
I get to sleep in tomorrow so I guess I will read late tonight.
I get my high speed internet installed on the 28th of April and it gives me 20 MBS upload and download guaranteed due to the fact it is fibre. However, once I leave their network and head across to Canada or the USA the speed usually drops off but I am still able to stream movies, sports, and television shows immediately. Do we have fibre to the home in Canada yet? Malaysia is a country of contrasts, no pollution checks of cars, 2 stroke motorcycles, mega malls, and fibre to your home.
TTYL,
Jim
Monday, April 11, 2011
Stages of Life
When you reflect back on life there are some pretty simple stages. There is childhood, the teenage years of rebellion and trying stuff on, and the 20's where you think you have it all together, graduate, get married and start having kids. Then comes middle age and the family rearing years. Before you know it, you are in your 50's at the top of your career and thinking about retirement.
THEN you are retired, or in my case, still working full tilt, teaching, and volunteering for extra 'stuff'. It is also a time in your life when you start reflecting on the big question, "Is that all there is? "
It is also fairly easy to do the Math to figure out how many years you have left. Then you subtract off the years at the end of your life span and you are left with a figure that may just give you a decade of quality life. Been there, done it, it is kind of depressing. I have a friend whose, whose favourite saying is, "What to do?" I asked myself the same question.
We have all heard the expressions, "Life is not a dress rehearsal", and 'You only go around once". They start to take on real meaning later in life. What to do? You can travel halfway round the world, you can simply travel, looking for new experiences and wonders in the world, you can volunteer and do good deeds, you can meet new people from different cultures, or you can simply live your life the way you always have and wonder, "What if?"
I decided to try on some new things in life. Along the way, I lost my marriage, and someone who was very dear to me. Kind of reminds me of the Arlo Guthrie song with the lyrics, 'You can't always get what you want, at Alice's restaurant'. Then there is my favourite, "I don't want a pickle, just want to ride my motorcycle!" (pronouncd motorsickle). By now, you are probably thinking Jim has lost some of his marbles. Some folks think so, but I don't. You can judge for yourself.
So, the big question that you are thinking about may be, "Does Jim have a romantic interest and is that why the marriage broke down?". The answer to that is no, so sorry to disappoint you. I wish :-)
I live alone, do the same old things like go to work in the morning, come home in the afternoon, make dinner, read a little, and go to sleep. Kind of like my dog in the park outside my window. I have to make a point of taking him some food one day and see if he needs a friend.
So, what does the future hold? That is a really good question. In the short term, I will continue as is. There are some items on my bucket list I have to attend to, like my motorcycle circumnavigation of North America with my son Jordan. Then there is the tour of tour of legendary NCAA basketball stadiums with Coach Brown and any other basketball junkie who wishes to join us. I wish to relocate to British Columbia sometime in the future and I would not say no to coaching some youth basketball if the opportunity arose.
I am travelling to Singapore, then Vancouver for Jordan's graduation on April 30th. I then travel to Ottawa on May 3rd for a little business and to meet with my lawyer. I then fly to London, England, on May 7th, and then on to Singapore, and then back to Malaysia. That will tick off another item on my bucket list, circumnavigating the world in 10 days.
I am now Head of Instructional Technology for Taylor's College. In particular, I am in charge of implementing 'Disruptive Technology' at Taylor's. Those of you who know me, will be smiling, saying Jim does know how to be disruptive.
That is enough for now. I am doing the Prescott in Ottawa as soon as I get back. Give Coach Brown a call if you wish to join us.
TTYL,
Jim
THEN you are retired, or in my case, still working full tilt, teaching, and volunteering for extra 'stuff'. It is also a time in your life when you start reflecting on the big question, "Is that all there is? "
It is also fairly easy to do the Math to figure out how many years you have left. Then you subtract off the years at the end of your life span and you are left with a figure that may just give you a decade of quality life. Been there, done it, it is kind of depressing. I have a friend whose, whose favourite saying is, "What to do?" I asked myself the same question.
We have all heard the expressions, "Life is not a dress rehearsal", and 'You only go around once". They start to take on real meaning later in life. What to do? You can travel halfway round the world, you can simply travel, looking for new experiences and wonders in the world, you can volunteer and do good deeds, you can meet new people from different cultures, or you can simply live your life the way you always have and wonder, "What if?"
I decided to try on some new things in life. Along the way, I lost my marriage, and someone who was very dear to me. Kind of reminds me of the Arlo Guthrie song with the lyrics, 'You can't always get what you want, at Alice's restaurant'. Then there is my favourite, "I don't want a pickle, just want to ride my motorcycle!" (pronouncd motorsickle). By now, you are probably thinking Jim has lost some of his marbles. Some folks think so, but I don't. You can judge for yourself.
So, the big question that you are thinking about may be, "Does Jim have a romantic interest and is that why the marriage broke down?". The answer to that is no, so sorry to disappoint you. I wish :-)
I live alone, do the same old things like go to work in the morning, come home in the afternoon, make dinner, read a little, and go to sleep. Kind of like my dog in the park outside my window. I have to make a point of taking him some food one day and see if he needs a friend.
So, what does the future hold? That is a really good question. In the short term, I will continue as is. There are some items on my bucket list I have to attend to, like my motorcycle circumnavigation of North America with my son Jordan. Then there is the tour of tour of legendary NCAA basketball stadiums with Coach Brown and any other basketball junkie who wishes to join us. I wish to relocate to British Columbia sometime in the future and I would not say no to coaching some youth basketball if the opportunity arose.
I am travelling to Singapore, then Vancouver for Jordan's graduation on April 30th. I then travel to Ottawa on May 3rd for a little business and to meet with my lawyer. I then fly to London, England, on May 7th, and then on to Singapore, and then back to Malaysia. That will tick off another item on my bucket list, circumnavigating the world in 10 days.
I am now Head of Instructional Technology for Taylor's College. In particular, I am in charge of implementing 'Disruptive Technology' at Taylor's. Those of you who know me, will be smiling, saying Jim does know how to be disruptive.
That is enough for now. I am doing the Prescott in Ottawa as soon as I get back. Give Coach Brown a call if you wish to join us.
TTYL,
Jim
Separated
You probably noticed the lack of posts during the past 3 months. There have been many changes in my life and the biggest is that Shelley and I are now separated as of March. I will not go into the marriage breakdown as this is not the appropriate venue, but I will now talk about how I am adjusting.
I bounced around a few hotels while looking for a new condo. The Subang Dorsett was great and I got to know the staff on a first name basis but unfortunately could not afford to stay there more than a week. I then moved to a low cost hotel that I refer to as the Cockroach Hotel. It was never boring because killing cockroaches is quite challenging. The little buggers are fast :-)
Eventually, I decided that I needed to rent a condo and enlisted our (my) previous real estate lawyer Elissa. I was looking for someplace inexpensive and Elissa dutifully showed me around some places where she knew I would never live. I realized she was humouring me and I evenually looked at a new building, Saujana Residency, and rented a 2 bedroom unit for $2,700 ringgit per month which compares favourably to the previous rental of $2,500 in Boulevard Condos where Shelley is still living.
However, as always, I had to put down 3.5 months deposit t move in, so I am broke for a month. It is back to peanut butter and toast! The new building is with a 2 minute walk to 2 shopping centres with grocery stores. This is much more convenient than Boulevard where a taxi was always required. It is also a new building with a much better fitness centre and huge swimming pool.
I have a view of the park and noticed there is a wild dog living there. He is almost always there and almost always alone. I have begun to identify myself with this dog as my life is very much like the dogs. I am pretty much always alone and can do whatever I want, whenever I want. That is good, but life is lonely at times. I try to stay as busy as possible as it keeps me happier, especially as the divorce proceedings are starting to begin.
So you are probably wondering; am I happier now that I am separated. The answer to that is yes/no and it depends. You will have to read this blog over the coming year to get the answer to that question. I will ask you not to pass judgement on me until that time.
TTYL,
Jim
I bounced around a few hotels while looking for a new condo. The Subang Dorsett was great and I got to know the staff on a first name basis but unfortunately could not afford to stay there more than a week. I then moved to a low cost hotel that I refer to as the Cockroach Hotel. It was never boring because killing cockroaches is quite challenging. The little buggers are fast :-)
Eventually, I decided that I needed to rent a condo and enlisted our (my) previous real estate lawyer Elissa. I was looking for someplace inexpensive and Elissa dutifully showed me around some places where she knew I would never live. I realized she was humouring me and I evenually looked at a new building, Saujana Residency, and rented a 2 bedroom unit for $2,700 ringgit per month which compares favourably to the previous rental of $2,500 in Boulevard Condos where Shelley is still living.
However, as always, I had to put down 3.5 months deposit t move in, so I am broke for a month. It is back to peanut butter and toast! The new building is with a 2 minute walk to 2 shopping centres with grocery stores. This is much more convenient than Boulevard where a taxi was always required. It is also a new building with a much better fitness centre and huge swimming pool.
I have a view of the park and noticed there is a wild dog living there. He is almost always there and almost always alone. I have begun to identify myself with this dog as my life is very much like the dogs. I am pretty much always alone and can do whatever I want, whenever I want. That is good, but life is lonely at times. I try to stay as busy as possible as it keeps me happier, especially as the divorce proceedings are starting to begin.
So you are probably wondering; am I happier now that I am separated. The answer to that is yes/no and it depends. You will have to read this blog over the coming year to get the answer to that question. I will ask you not to pass judgement on me until that time.
TTYL,
Jim
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