Blog-enema

Used to post so regularly, but then it all stopped, like some sort of blog-constipation. Not sure why, guess I just didn't feel like it. Was feeling kindof alone, and ended up withdrawing a bit. Anyway, time to get things flowing again, it's blog-enema!

Mainly been doing lots of physical activities lately...

HIKING: Starting over a month ago now, been going out hiking each saturday. The first one was with a bunch of people from work, did Yamnuska, even though the back was still pretty snowy. But it still turned out pretty fun. since then, have had trouble getting a big group. Once went with a few friends, my cousin, and her coworkers, a couple times went with just one guy, another time went by myself. Work people have been going Sundays, but that would mean not going to my temple, and missing dragonboat practice. Anyways, I made a website for all my hike photos rather than trying to put them here. I'll continually update it as I go on more hikes.

DRAGONBOAT started up a couple weeks ago. I've returned to Topmade. I'm really not into it much this year, compared to previous years. At the beginning of last year, the club seemed to be changing a bit organizationally, and I've heard we didn't do very well last year. Even when I dropped in to the wrap-up party it didn't feel much like "my team" anymore. Now, for this year pretty much the entire competitive team, meaning the people who have been around a long time, all the people I paddled with over the 5 years, have split off and formed a new team/club. I guess cause of some personal and some political reasons. I tried to get in touch with a few of them, but didn't hear anything back. So now I'm still with topmade, out there paddling, but all the people I consider my "teammates" are off on a different boat. It really won't feel the same doing dragonboat stuff without all my "dragonboat friends". Especially out of town races. Have so many fun dragonboat memories with some of those people. So to a certain extent, I didn't want to do dragonboat again this year. Also, I feel a bit rejected in a way that my whole team left and didn't invite me to come along. I guess even though I really enjoyed being with them, I was never quite part of that inner core group of people.

SOLDIERS OF FITNESS is a military-style group exercise program administered by a couple army reservists. I saw a commercial for it once, thought about it a while, and decided to give it a try. Figured I needed a bit of a kick in the butt. It's different from the army in that they're actually supportive, not insulting, they don't tell us they'll tear through us like kleenex at a snot party (simpsons) or anything like that. But still quite strict, if you show up 5 seconds late it's 20 pushups for everyone, that sort of thing. And quite intense exercise. So far I have mixed feelings about it. It probably is helping me get in better shape, although with that three days, dragonboat three days, and usually hiking the last day, that's some intense physical activity 7 days a week, which is probably too much. The commitment is a little annoying sometimes, cause I can't just decide I don't feel like exercising. Though I guess that's good in that it forces me not to be lazy. Generally I've been enjoying it, has some good teamwork feelings, like a few days ago we started at edworthy (as always), and 4 people had to run down to crowchild and back along the other side, while the rest of us dragged a few tires on a chain and carried two heavy poles (and had to lift/switch shoulders 150 times for each pole and hold above our heads for 4 minutes each before rendezvousing with the runners) then turn around and take things back after meeting the runners. Generally had two people on each pole, with a couple people to switch off when they got tired, and the remaining people dragging the tires and switching off, which had to stay ahead of the poles. So I liked working together to keep things going, switching off and helping out when needed, pushing hard to get things done, that sort of thing. But in the end, like I said, I'm not sure if I will continue beyond this first month, it's a bit inconvenient and I don't have much time, and possibly too much exercise. Also of course it costs a bit.

JET: Haven't really heard anything new since hearing I'm an alternate. I called htem a couple weeks after the initial acceptance deadline, figuring they'd know how many people turned down their positions and how many alternates were bumped up, but they didn't really have anything to say. Anyways, I started the free japanese course offered by JET wednesday nights. Looks like there's just about 4 people in the class though! And I have to show up late cause of SoF.

WORK: Still quite boring. Need to start applying to other stuff, though I still hope that I'll hear from JET saying they want me.

HOME: Still don't really like the place I'm at much. But still seems to be the best option for a little while longer.

GPS WORLD: My GPS World magazine article is finally going into press in the June issue, supposedly, after many reviews and delays. I honestly don't feel it's that special or important, but my prof did.

AMAZING RACE turned out about as well as I could hope. I'm glad the hippies won, and that the frat boys were so close. The hippies were always so positive and optimistic, and so adventurous, respectful and interested in other cultures, and generally nice. They were my favorite since before the race even started (I glanced at the teams on the website before the show started). I also liked the frat boys, maybe it's cause they seem fairly down to earth, like they admit they're lazy bums who'd rather play beach volleyball than find a real job, hit on girls they think are hot, and that sort of thing. And they're pretty sarcasticly funny, often making jokes like about being head of the college swan-boat paddling team and such. And they did so well on each leg of the race. The close competition between frat boys and hippies was a recurrent theme throughout the season, and it was nice to see it finish that way too. I don't like how they were generally unhappy with second-place though. But the hippies still are almost my 'heros'. I'd actually really like to be more like them, though maybe not quite so extreme, I think they'd get on my nerves eventually.

I guess that's about it for this update.