Monthly Archives: March 2022

Getting better

I’m liking videos like this, and this that have become popular on TikTok. I work out at home, but when I go to a gym, I like seeing people there that aren’t obvious gym rats.

Social media is filled with gym snobs shaming people, but more and more I’m seeing things like this. We are all on our own journey, and not everyone is as lucky as I am to be able to work out at home. We need to celebrate the fact that more people are going to the gym, and we need be positive supports on people’s healthy living journeys.

I think things are getting better, and we are seeing more and more people try to better themselves. This is to be celebrated. Find a place that lifts you up, rather than brings you down… and get active!

Masks and heights

I shared this metaphor with families before the March break started:

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I knew at some point this would happen. At some point the covid guidelines would include optional masks. I also know that this will be something that some people look forward to, while others will be concerned.

When I think about life beyond wearing masks in a pandemic, I think a good analogy is people’s comfort level with heights. I don’t have a fear of heights, but heights still scare me. What does that mean? Well, I’m the guy who stands on the edge of a massive drop-off at the end of a hike to a high lookout point, and I want to lean over to see more. That said, I’m not stupid and know this can be dangerous, so I’m scared that I’ll be too comfortable with leaning over and might be careless. Not afraid of heights, but afraid of doing something reckless. Other people fear heights. Still others lack the little fear I have, and they partake in dangerous activities with respect to heights, like free climbing without any ropes. 

Just like people have different levels of comfort with heights, many people will have different level of concerns around wearing or not wearing masks. Some will not wear a mask again, some will wear them only in crowded places, some will wear them almost all the time in public settings for quite a while now. Our job is to make sure we are following all other safety precautions and to respect others’ decisions around what they want to do. Going back to the heights metaphor, we don’t need to push people closer to the edge of the lookout, nor do we need to comment on others being more willing to get close to the edge… as long as they aren’t doing anything dangerous… and that’s the tricky part. Someone fearful of heights might think even standing one foot away from the edge is too dangerous! 

What has made BC more successful than most jurisdictions around the world, keeping schools open all year and still keeping cases lower or comparable to other jurisdictions that have had far more restrictions, has been that we have followed the guidance given. We have one of thehighest vaccine rates in Canada, and the world. And from what I’ve seen (despite the news highlighting a very vocal minority), we’ve had incredibly respectful compliance from fellow Canadians. It’s time for us to move towards normalcy again. That doesn’t mean we suddenly go cliff jumping, but it does mean that we have to be prepared to live in a world where we respect each others comfort levels with mask wearing, just as we would respect other people’s comfort level with heights… let’s allow everyone to determine their own comfort levels, and let’s be respectful to people who don’t share the same comfort levels as us. 

Wishing you all a safe, healthy, and happy March Break,
Dave 

A quick life lesson

“If I couldn’t handle not being good at something, then how can I consider myself a successful person?” ~ Gerald Hodges

Watch this story about a young man who picked a sport that was the most challenging one he could choose, to prove to himself that he can find success when challenged.

https://fb.watch/bROEBEZ6cB/

Even if he didn’t get his team to qualify for the state championships, which he did, this is the kind of attitude I want to see in my kids and the kids in my school.

It’s magic

Yesterday I shared a simple, but very convincing magic trick with my niece and my mom. It starts with me shuffling the deck, and then giving them so much choice about where to put a couple cards that the outcome seems impossible. It’s not, it’s a simple trick.

When I was younger I was fascinated by magic. A few years after starting teaching I got a bit more into it. I got pretty good at a few tricks and could really fool students. But it was hard to keep up. Slight of hand is not something that comes naturally, it takes hours of practice to look effortless.

The thing about learning magic tricks is that as soon as you learn them the magic is gone. Sharing how a trick is done takes away the mystery and the experience of being ‘Wowed’. Even though you know it’s just a trick, while you don’t know how it’s done it carries a special power. When it’s known, it’s known, when it’s not known, it’s magic.

When you share a trick with someone, don’t share how it’s done… if you do, you are not just giving them something, you are also taking something away from them.

The waterfall experience

In March of 2017 I was in Costa Rica and we visited a beautiful waterfall. This was my description on Facebook.

Take 43 seconds out of your day and watch this waterfall in slow motion.

Nature is amazing. There is a reason why we are drawn to the outdoors, and why natural formations like peaks, vistas, and waterfalls become beacons that draw us to them.

But what made this a truly incredible experience was that it was felt as well as seen. It was a full body experience.

A sunset walk in photos

In still, silent air, my daughter and I went for a sunset walk. We did the walk a couple days before and saw the single line animal track, shared below, and we thought it was a fox’s. Today we saw what we thought were deer, a dog or coyote, and rabbit tracks around our previous tracks. These tracks make me wonder how often animals cross our trodden paths and without the snow telling the story we are oblivious.

It’s amazing how good a walk can make you feel, especially when you can surround yourself with trees, and observe the natural world. Walks work to lift your spirits. They brighten your day, even as the sun sets.

Here are a few photos from my evening walk last night.

What’s between our ears is the last frontier

That’s a quote my dad often shares,

“What’s between our ears is the last frontier.” ~ Abraham Truss

Isn’t it amazing how much we know about the complexities of life, the universe and everything, but we don’t know where consciousness comes from? We still debate whether or not we have free will.

There is so much we still don’t know about the last frontier.

Put another log on

I could sit and watch a fire all day. It’s mesmerizing and hypnotizing. I wonder if the appeal is somehow ingrained in our DNA from caveman times, in the same way that animals know things, like turtles hatching and heading straight for the ocean.

Fire is warmth. Fire is safety. Fire makes food. Fire is life.

For thousands of years fire was also community. It represented an opportunity to share stories, to connect with family, friends, and neighbours. We don’t gather around fires anymore. People share stories in different, digital ways.

Thanks for sitting around this digital fire with me. I’m honoured that you choose to join me. The visits are short, but I’m here every day, I’ll keep the flame going between your visits.

Family and food

I have been back with my parents for just over 24 hours and I’ve already over-eaten. I blame it mostly on my sister who barely weighs 100lbs and eats 6-7 meals a day, each one bigger than a normal sized meal for me. She’s always thinking about food and she’s an incredible cook. I just finished a pickled cabbage salad she made that I could eat every day for a month without getting bored of the taste.

For me, getting together with my family has two wonderful benefits. First, I spend time with them and laugh, and enjoy their company. And second, and equally as important, I get to enjoy the fusion flavours of home. With Chinese and Jewish heritage, both with roots from South America (Guyana) and the Caribbean (Barbados & Trinidad), my family meals are three things: eclectic, spicy, and delicious!

I’m glad that I’m maintaining some level of fitness while here, because in the coming days I’m going to over-eat. I can’t help myself… and I don’t want to!

There’s nothing like home cooking.

Red eye flight

It’s 7:14am in Toronto and our red eye flight from Vancouver just landed. I’m visiting my parents and I’ve still got a long day ahead. First one of my sisters is going to pick us up, she arrived last night and is renting a van to get us to my parents. Then we drive onto downtown Toronto to pick up another sister before driving 2.5 hours north to my parents.

After about 45 minutes sleep the whole night, I’m not really looking forward to more travel right now, but I’m with family and that’s the whole point of the trip. In about an hour and a half I’ll be in a van with one of my daughters, one of my nieces, and two of my sisters. The trip up north will go by quickly… and there might be a nap for part of it.

It’s wonderful to connect with my family. In no time at all I’ll feel rejuvenated, even if I didn’t sleep much on the overnight flight.