Feltham Rambles

It may be that the old astrologers had the truth exactly reversed, when they believed that the stars controlled the destinies of men. The time may come when men control the destinies of stars.

Although I am doing a decent job assuming the mindless office worker role, I am being to feel somewhat like Kelsey Grammar. He played the roll of TV’s Frasier for the better part of 20 years, which makes me wonder, has he now become Frasier and not Kelsey anymore?

It is scary to think that up until only 7 years ago I inspired to become an artist. Whether that took me into graphic design, media design, or animation remained to be seen. Whatever the case, how in gods name did I go from there to here? Another question is where exactly is here?

I have been playing this role for the better part of 6 years now and I am already longing to escape. When I look around and see all these people in their 50’s and so on doing the same bullshit day in and day I can’t help but wonder what is wrong with them. If I were to continue this routine for another twenty years, I would be a nervous wreck.

Since the beginning of time, people have searched for the meantime life, whatever it might be, has to be better than working from 8 to 5, Monday to Friday. Perhaps it is because I detest routine that I can not shake this feeling. Or maybe it is because the thought of working to make someone else’s pockets deep doesn’t really appeal to me. Maybe if I actually got the initiative to start up my own small business I wouldn’t mind breaking my back. At least at the end of the day I would have the satisfaction that what I did directly benefited me and not corporate shareholders.

Freedom 30 baby! I have four years to gain whatever experience, training and education that I can gather and then I am off. The problem is getting motivated to go ahead with one of my many business ventures, but I will keep telling myself that when I am 30 I have to take that plunge and risk. How will I ever know if I don’t try?

Keep your fingers crossed.

If you worked for a company that made signs and nothing else, and you went on strike, what exactly would you carry on the picket line?

If you live in or around Detroit, this may just be the funniest thing ever

http://muglets.com/WNW

I have always wondered where the “God bless you” bullshit that I hear each time I sneeze originated from? I guess I could use my friend Google and figure it out; however, to be honest, I don’t really care. I am more interested in figuring out how I can get people to stop asking God to bless me each and every time I sneeze.

I am in no way an expert on the subject, but I am guessing that if there is a God, chances are he has more important tasks to complete than blessing your nose. By all means, if he is going to do that then I am all for it, but something tells me that this is not the case.

Although, perhaps if God wasn’t busy blessing all these noses and such, he could have seen the Earthquake coming in Pakistan and the Hurricane in the Gulf, just a thought.

As I was driving into work this miserable morning, it dawned on me; I left Newfoundland exactly four years ago today.

If I were to reflect and record the places I have been, the people I have met and all the around strange situations I have been since I have left, the end result would be the size of an encyclopedia. I was told at a young age that traveling is the best education that you could ever give yourself and that is something that has held true.

There are an infinite number of crossroads in your life that will alter your destiny; however, my move to the US would be one of the more significant. Less than a month before I took the job in Indiana I was slated to go to Kazakhstan for six months for a job. I feel in love for the first time - I thought that I had experienced love many times before, but was I ever wrong - that summer and decided on the closer move.

To say that Indiana was a culture shock would be a major understatement. If it wasn’t for Carrie I don’t think that I would have survived the first 6 months in Martinsville.

The longer that I have been away, the more I treasure where I came from. As much as I have traveled the world and as many people I have met, there is no group out there like a Newfoundlander. It’s not to say that I have not met good people along the way, I have actually made friends from all walks of life who are truly great individuals that I will never forget. There is just something very different about the Island and the people who live there and call it home.

About 70,000 people have left the Island in the past 15 years, if that is not a sign of a desperate situation than I don’t know what is. Due to this out migration, we have lost an entire generation of our young people. A perfect example, my sister Laura and I live in Windsor and my sister Leah left for Boston just this morning.

Where will I be in four years from now?

I would like to say that I will be living back in Newfoundland, but that remains to be seen I guess. As bad as things have been financially, however, things are on an upswing and if they continue this way it should be fiscally stable for me to move home. With that said, there comes a time in your life when you have to weight out what matters more to you in life. I already know that in the not too distant future, I will take the quality of life you receive in Newfoundland instead of the big pay check.

The ever talented Wayne Chaulk said it better than anyone ever could about the misery Newfoundlanders have suffered about leaving their motherland…

Just to wake up in the morning to the quiet of the cove
And to hear Aunt Bessie talking to herself
And to hear poor Uncle John mumbling wishes to old Nell,
It made me feel like everything was fine.

I was born down by the water, It's here I'm gonna stay;
I've searched for all the reasons why I should go away,
But I haven't got the thrist for all those modern-day toys,
So I'll just take my chances with those salt-water joys.

Following the little brook as it trickles to the shore
In the autumn when the trees are flaming red,
Kicking leaves that fall around me, watching sunset paint the hills,
It's all I'll ever need to feel at home.

This this island that we cling to has been handed down with pride
By folks who fought to live here, taking hardships all in stride,
So I'll compliment her beauty, hold on to my goodbyes,
Stay and take my chances with those salt-water joys.

How can I leave those mornings with the sunrise on the cove
And the gulls like flies surrounding Clayton's wharf?
Platter's Island wrapped in rainbow in the evening after fog,
The ocean smells are perfume to my soul.

Some go to where the buildings reach to meet the clouds,
Where warm and gentle people turn to swarm in faceless crowds.
So I'll do without their riches, the glamour and the noise,
And I'll stay and take my chances with those salt water toys.

Some go to where the buildings reach to meet the clouds,
Where warm and gentle people turn to swarm in faceless crowds.
So I'll do without their riches, the glamour and the noise,
And I'll stay and take my chances with those salt water joys.

Original Story

BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Do you have an accountancy qualification and are you familiar with the bureaucracy of the European Union? Perhaps a career as a shepherd on the plains of southern Hungary beckons.

The "puszta" flatland, traditional home to more than a million sheep, is running out of qualified shepherds and is now importing them from neighboring Romania.
Not only are herd numbers growing, but shepherds must have accountancy skills and, since the country joined the EU last year, be capable of applying for grants, the newspaper Nepszabadsag reported Tuesday.

Ference Silay, who trained as an architect, is an ethnic Hungarian from Romania who now earns a living from the award-winning herd he owns in Domaszek, southern Hungary.
"Being a shepherd isn't just sitting next to your dog on the field all day, smoking a pipe," he told the paper.

I just purchased a flight to Calgary for my Yankee Thanksgiving break; I get into town Wednesday evening and leave on the red eye Sunday night / Monday morning.

This will be my first trip to Alberta, I was initially going to Fort McMurray, but Mike will be working during that weekend, so I ruled that out and instead I will be heading further south to Calgary.

A few Ski Hills (some of the best in the world I may add) will already be open during the weekend, which is a bonus. The Oilers are in town on Saturday, obviously tickets are already sold out, but I am willing to pay extra from a scalper outside to see the biggest rivalry in the NHL!

Going to be a killer trip!

How many times have you heard the media and politicians tell us what Newfoundlanders or Canadians think? “Blah, blah, blah, well the majority of Newfoundlanders think, blah, blah, blah”

Have you ever once been asked what you really think?

As I was sipping on the black water that they pass of as Coffee here at the good old office, I came across this article, it made me smile.

I completely agree that the bitch should not be allowed to enter Canada. The USA and Canada have similar laws forbidding people to enter their country if they have a criminal record and are on probation. Regardless of your financial and celebrity status you should be treated the same.


Criminal past keeps Martha from Nova Scotia

Halifax -- Martha Stewart isn't coming to Nova Scotia after all.

Town of Windsor spokeswoman VanEssa Roberts said that the domestic guru and TV personality can't go to a local pumpkin festival on Sunday because she's not allowed to enter Canada.

Roberts told The Chronicle Herald that she spoke to Stewart by phone from New York and she apologized for the cancellation.

Stewart had planned to take part in a parade and pumpkin-craft race -- which has attracted much publicity in the province.

Stewart was jailed last year and recently finished a home-confinement penalty for lying about a U.S. stock sale.

A person with a criminal record who is on probation is considered inadmissible to Canada, said Iadi Nardi of the Canada Border Services Agency in Ottawa.

Roberts said she was told by Stewart's people it could take a year for her to be admitted to this country. CP

I have been plugging away at work here today - somewhat hung over from my escapades last night – listening to old Metallica on bust through my headphones. It has been such a long time since I have listened to these guys; I almost forgot how bad ass the first couple of albums were.

That’s it, just thought I would write that down, it’s ironic too, as I am listening to Pulling Teeth from the Kill ‘Em All Album at this moment. To be quite honest with you, I would rather have my teeth pulled now than updating this cursed project plan.

…sitting at my desk again, the sun was shinning but it was dark inside the cubicle walls. I do however have a window desk, but I have yet to decide if that is better or worse? Is it a plus that I can gaze out through the glass and see that it is a beautiful day and I am trapped in here, or would it be better to have no view and be none the wiser of the weather outside?

Too many questions that don't have answers.

http://www.zefrank.com/punc/