Most of my adult life I have been an exercise after work guy. I hit the gym off and on in university, and it would be either after class or in between classes if I had a long break. When I started exercising regularly at twenty-six, I would hit the base gym after work, do my thing and go home. The same was true when I moved to Ottawa. I would go on Saturday morning, but it was at a reasonable time, when I was ready.
Last summer I started to occasionally go in the morning. I have to admit that I do like it but it is really easy to not go in the morning. In fact, asa matter of full disclosure, I am writing this instead of exercising.
There are some real upsides to working out in the morning. You are done your work-out and know that nothing is going to come up and keep you from getting that much needed exercise. You get to enjoy that post work-out bliss all day long. It puts you in better spirits for your day. It frees up your time after work for other activities. The gym is never as busy before work as it is after work.
There are also some thing that seem to be preventing me from exercising in the morning. Getting up to a cold,dark, or rainy morning to walk down to the gym is tough to do. If you didn't sleep very well the night before, it may be easier to use those two hours to get some rest. I am always watching the clock to make sure I get out of there on time and I get really frustrated with delays in the morning because I have a schedule to keep.
One thing that is also looming in the back of my mind is how often I have been having a bad day but planning to hit the gym after work. That post-workday time in the gym has always made it better. I'll admit I haven't had too many bad days in the last four months but it's a hard factor to ignore.
Now, let's be honest here. It doesn't matter when you get your exercise in, it only matters that you get your exercise in. As long as you are making time for vigorous, demanding, rewarding exercise, you are doing it right and you will benefit greatly from it. All the benefits are there no matter what time you get your sweat on so find a time that works for you, get out there and be active. If you already are, that's even better.
Friday, May 30, 2014
Thursday, May 22, 2014
Photography is Good for the Soul
Several years ago, when my hobby of flying became my job I realized I needed a new hobby. There had to be something in my life that I did for myself, at my own pace for challenge and enjoyment. I decided on photography.
I have taken a lot of pictures. A lot of them are bad and are never shared. Some of the better ones I organize and put on the Facebook so others can enjoy.
Today after work I decided to grab my camera and go for a walk for the first time in a long time. There are a lot of reasons I can give for not getting out and taking pictures. The weather was not very nice for a long time. I have been really busy with changing jobs twice and moving in the last six months. However, I have to be honest, getting out and walking with my camera was a great decision. It was a chance to see some of the world around me and capture some of it's beauty.
Smartphones have changed photography. If you know what you are doing, you can take good pictures with your smartphone but I don't feel like I have the same control as you do with a single lens reflex camera. Being able to control the focal depth, and exposure gives you a lot of control and can lead to great pictures. You can tell a story or capture something truly unique. It's a lot easier to focus the attention of the photograph.
I have to admit, I have not mastered all aspects of the craft. I still find it a huge challenge to take a good picture of humans. I haven't figured it out. I think it's more luck than anything else when I get a good picture of someone. People are so variable and dynamic. It's hard to capture them in the ideal moment. That being said, not mastering everything yet leaves a challenge to be worked on and I always find a challenge is a good motivator.
For me, photography is a great hobby. It can go with me when I travel. It allows me to be creative and I find it very rewarding. Beauty can be found in the the obvious and unexpected locations and capturing it to share is a very rewarding way to spend my time.
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| Rusted Anchor at Peggy's Cove NS |
There are a lot of things I like about taking pictures but most of all I like how it allows me to show others a bit of how I see the world. It's a chance to capture the beauty of the world around us. We often see beauty and I like to capture it.
I have taken a lot of pictures. A lot of them are bad and are never shared. Some of the better ones I organize and put on the Facebook so others can enjoy.
 |
| Moss on a branch at Cathedral Grove BC |
Smartphones have changed photography. If you know what you are doing, you can take good pictures with your smartphone but I don't feel like I have the same control as you do with a single lens reflex camera. Being able to control the focal depth, and exposure gives you a lot of control and can lead to great pictures. You can tell a story or capture something truly unique. It's a lot easier to focus the attention of the photograph.
 |
| Colourful trees in Ottawa ON |
I have to admit, I have not mastered all aspects of the craft. I still find it a huge challenge to take a good picture of humans. I haven't figured it out. I think it's more luck than anything else when I get a good picture of someone. People are so variable and dynamic. It's hard to capture them in the ideal moment. That being said, not mastering everything yet leaves a challenge to be worked on and I always find a challenge is a good motivator.
For me, photography is a great hobby. It can go with me when I travel. It allows me to be creative and I find it very rewarding. Beauty can be found in the the obvious and unexpected locations and capturing it to share is a very rewarding way to spend my time.
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| Me |
Friday, May 16, 2014
The Strength to Change
About a year ago I wasn't so happy with my work life and it was spilling over into the rest of my life. The program I had been a part of for the last twenty years and had dedicated eleven years of my working life to was falling apart around me. My first instinct was to grind it out and make the best of it. I was going to make whatever was left of the program into the best it could be. It sounds like the right thing to do but it was killing me. It was killing my motivation and I didn't want to dismantle something so important to me. I didn't get a long with my boss and that didn't help this situation. If you don't feel like you can trust the person who should always be looking out for you as you are expected to dismantle the program that made the single biggest improvement in your life.
So, I decided it is time to make a change.
As miserable as I was, leaving a job with all the benefits I had was difficult. I made a lot of money. I had a lot of vacation. These are nice. However, I realized that when you are loathing getting up and going to work, especially on Monday morning, it's time.
I started looking for a job. I applied for a lot of different jobs. I almost got a job I would be good at but I came in number two. That one really stung. I started to think outside the box. Some jobs are a lot easier to get than others.
I secured a position selling cars.
Since the day I started selling cars I can honestly say that I do not regret leaving my old job since that day. There were some things I liked about selling cars and a lot I didn't like about it. However, from that experience I realized that I can change if I want to.
Last January my phone rang one morning. It was from the company that I had applied to the summer before. The position was once again available and they wanted to know if I was still interested. I was. Selling cars, at least in the environment I endured, was not for me. We met, I was offered the job and I accepted.
It was 30 weeks ago that I started selling cars. I sold cars for fifteen weeks, I took a week off and I have been in my current position for 14 weeks.
I am happier than I've been for a long time.
I'm excited to go to work every day. I am making a difference. There are a lot of great people around me and I have a lot of fun.
It was scary to walk away from something you have been doing for a long time. The transition was not all that smooth. I worked through selling cars to get to a better place. At times it was scary. At times it was frustrating. However, once I found my way, life is much better.
If a part of your life isn't good, have the strength to change. I'm not saying it will be easy but once you are on your proper path, life will get better and you will smile a lot more. Let's be honest, who doesn't like to smile.
So, I decided it is time to make a change.
As miserable as I was, leaving a job with all the benefits I had was difficult. I made a lot of money. I had a lot of vacation. These are nice. However, I realized that when you are loathing getting up and going to work, especially on Monday morning, it's time.
I started looking for a job. I applied for a lot of different jobs. I almost got a job I would be good at but I came in number two. That one really stung. I started to think outside the box. Some jobs are a lot easier to get than others.
I secured a position selling cars.
Since the day I started selling cars I can honestly say that I do not regret leaving my old job since that day. There were some things I liked about selling cars and a lot I didn't like about it. However, from that experience I realized that I can change if I want to.
Last January my phone rang one morning. It was from the company that I had applied to the summer before. The position was once again available and they wanted to know if I was still interested. I was. Selling cars, at least in the environment I endured, was not for me. We met, I was offered the job and I accepted.
It was 30 weeks ago that I started selling cars. I sold cars for fifteen weeks, I took a week off and I have been in my current position for 14 weeks.
I am happier than I've been for a long time.
I'm excited to go to work every day. I am making a difference. There are a lot of great people around me and I have a lot of fun.
It was scary to walk away from something you have been doing for a long time. The transition was not all that smooth. I worked through selling cars to get to a better place. At times it was scary. At times it was frustrating. However, once I found my way, life is much better.
If a part of your life isn't good, have the strength to change. I'm not saying it will be easy but once you are on your proper path, life will get better and you will smile a lot more. Let's be honest, who doesn't like to smile.
Thursday, May 8, 2014
Accept vs. Respect
Everyone says it. Young people are not the same as they used to be. In my world, this change took place between my grade and the grade behind me in school. I know what you are thinking. Everyone thinks they are part of the good group and the people behind you don't live up to your high standards but in this case it is true.
In the first couple of years after high-school, when I would be back in Russell, Manitoba, some teachers would mention that my class was a much better class than the ones that came behind.
Kids these days are not the same. Throughout history, there have been several instances of youth uprising and change the establishment. However, it seems that kids these days don't do it right.
It all comes down to the difference between respecting an individual and accepting what they have to say.
People deserve to be respected. There may be a few exceptions. Names such as Hitler and Dahmer come to mind, but for the most part you should respect the people around you. You should really respect the ones that have gone before you and are trying to pass their knowledge and experience on to you.
However, that doesn't mean you should accept what is being said. History is full of instances where the establishment has passed on bad ideas to the newest generation. You don't have to dig deep to find some. The world is flat, women shouldn't vote, and the earth is the centre of the universe are a few examples.
Everyone should respect the people around you but you do not have to accept what they are saying. It is good to question and challenge what you are being taught but it must be done in a respectful manner.
This may be a bit easier said then done. It takes skill and tact to challenge and disagree while remaining respectful. You need to challenge and question the idea, not the person delivering the information. This can be hard. People can be very tied to their ideas but you can ask how does this idea fit within the natural world.
It is important we send the newest generation down this road. It is my best idea to break the current entitled disrespect you see from so many young adults and teenagers. We need to build a society where free exchange of ideas for betterment is a skill held by everyone. Now, to have credibility in what you say, you need to have education and experience to back it up. Education is access to a lot of people's collective experience but you need to have experience to understand how the collective knowledge manifests itself in the world. At that point, you may be able to challenge while maintaining respect.
All is not lost but, we need to make sure that people understand that you do not have to accept what people are saying while you give them respect that they deserve.
In the first couple of years after high-school, when I would be back in Russell, Manitoba, some teachers would mention that my class was a much better class than the ones that came behind.
Kids these days are not the same. Throughout history, there have been several instances of youth uprising and change the establishment. However, it seems that kids these days don't do it right.
It all comes down to the difference between respecting an individual and accepting what they have to say.
People deserve to be respected. There may be a few exceptions. Names such as Hitler and Dahmer come to mind, but for the most part you should respect the people around you. You should really respect the ones that have gone before you and are trying to pass their knowledge and experience on to you.
However, that doesn't mean you should accept what is being said. History is full of instances where the establishment has passed on bad ideas to the newest generation. You don't have to dig deep to find some. The world is flat, women shouldn't vote, and the earth is the centre of the universe are a few examples.
Everyone should respect the people around you but you do not have to accept what they are saying. It is good to question and challenge what you are being taught but it must be done in a respectful manner.
This may be a bit easier said then done. It takes skill and tact to challenge and disagree while remaining respectful. You need to challenge and question the idea, not the person delivering the information. This can be hard. People can be very tied to their ideas but you can ask how does this idea fit within the natural world.
It is important we send the newest generation down this road. It is my best idea to break the current entitled disrespect you see from so many young adults and teenagers. We need to build a society where free exchange of ideas for betterment is a skill held by everyone. Now, to have credibility in what you say, you need to have education and experience to back it up. Education is access to a lot of people's collective experience but you need to have experience to understand how the collective knowledge manifests itself in the world. At that point, you may be able to challenge while maintaining respect.
All is not lost but, we need to make sure that people understand that you do not have to accept what people are saying while you give them respect that they deserve.
Sunday, May 4, 2014
I Like Where This is Going
My foray into the world of car sales lasted fifteen weeks. it was not a long time and I quickly realized that although I can do the job I don't like the environment I was in. Since moving on I have been twelve weeks in the new job with Valspar. I love the environment. As long as the culture remains the same, i can see myself at Valspar for the rest of my career.
I have been quite busy in my job. The weeks are absolutely flying by. In my ninth week with the company I went for new hire training in Moorseville North Carolina. This gave me a chance to see deeper into the company and be around other members of Valspar every day. I came to realize that what I was seeing leading up to this trip was not a facade. The corporate culture is genuine and what I want to be around.
People that work for Valspar work hard but are honest about where they fit in the world. We sell paint. If you are late, nobody is going to die and the nation is not going to be invaded. When you are driving around in your company car you are expected to be driving. You are not expected to be doing other work or eating at the same time. Valspar takes safety very seriously. The will fire people who violate safety regulations. I like this. I don't have to worry that a co-worker is going to put my well-being in jeopardy.
Valspar provides the tools and support to be successful. I have a car, a couple of credit cards, a computer, an iPhone, a boss who gets it, and support from every direction. I also represent the best paint in the store. All this makes it easier to do a good job.
The company is happy with me and they express it on a regular basis. I can see it myself. I was looking at some numbers and business is better in my territory since I started serving the stores. Eastern Ontario has not received the attention is should for nearly a year. I'm getting things back to where they should be. Once that's achieved, I will push to advance the yardsticks.
When you find your self working for the right organization, you will work harder, be more productive, and like it more. That's the spot I'm in these days and I could not be happier.
I have been quite busy in my job. The weeks are absolutely flying by. In my ninth week with the company I went for new hire training in Moorseville North Carolina. This gave me a chance to see deeper into the company and be around other members of Valspar every day. I came to realize that what I was seeing leading up to this trip was not a facade. The corporate culture is genuine and what I want to be around.
People that work for Valspar work hard but are honest about where they fit in the world. We sell paint. If you are late, nobody is going to die and the nation is not going to be invaded. When you are driving around in your company car you are expected to be driving. You are not expected to be doing other work or eating at the same time. Valspar takes safety very seriously. The will fire people who violate safety regulations. I like this. I don't have to worry that a co-worker is going to put my well-being in jeopardy.
Valspar provides the tools and support to be successful. I have a car, a couple of credit cards, a computer, an iPhone, a boss who gets it, and support from every direction. I also represent the best paint in the store. All this makes it easier to do a good job.
The company is happy with me and they express it on a regular basis. I can see it myself. I was looking at some numbers and business is better in my territory since I started serving the stores. Eastern Ontario has not received the attention is should for nearly a year. I'm getting things back to where they should be. Once that's achieved, I will push to advance the yardsticks.
When you find your self working for the right organization, you will work harder, be more productive, and like it more. That's the spot I'm in these days and I could not be happier.
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