12:03 a.m. - 2003-07-24
Food for Thought
Juicy tidbits today.
First up in Medicine Hat - yes, it really is the name of a city here - it is rodeo time. Every Alberta municipality having a population of more than 50 seems to have one, ranging in length from one to several days. Each community works hard to make theirs unique. Medicine Hat's rodeo is on now and one of the draws is a carnivore's dream. "If you can eat it all, it's free." In this case, all means a 72 ounce steak with a plate of vegetables on the side for nutritional balance. Eat it all: it's on the house; gag and it's $69 Canadian. I'm guessing the doggie bag would last you a few days.
And for the bulls' revenge? The town of Strathmore - just a few miles east of my abode - is going Hemingway. Uh huh, they're going to sponsor a running of the bulls just like the Spanish version. 80 people have already signed up. I think the entry fee is $100 and survivors get a bandana and a t-shirt. Of course local health experts are "shocked and appalled", but the reality is that if these participants weren't going head to head with a bull, they'd likely just find something equally as dangerous to do. You know - white water rafting, extreme skiing, and Christmas shopping on Christmas Eve.
A couple of reporters struggling with the dog days of summer already, decided to test out the saying "it's so hot, you could fry an egg on the pavement" yesterday. They were out on the municipal plaza with eggs, bacon, and steak testing out the theory. Did they succeed? Well, bricks aren't the most efficient holders of solar energy, so the food congealed more than it cooked. Apparently, some of the hardier outdoors type among us came by and offered suggestions such as "use the hood of a car - just not mine" or "cook where there's asphalt". The paving crew nearby could probably have seared the steak in under a minute, but maybe that's considered cheating. Anyway, it amused the tourists.
New definition for losing one's car in the parking lot. Visitors to the city reported their vehicle stolen after they couldn't find it in the parking lot after an afternoon of shopping. Turns out they were a block away from the correct parking lot. Probably will be a story to laugh about - a few years from now.
Me? Got positive feedback from the team working on the hearing. They liked the document, now running to over 100 pages with the attachments. Sent in my timesheet for approval and got it back. Sometimes, presentation matters more in such situations, but the substance (and the scientific formulas)is definitely there too. Something for everyone.
I decided if my work pace was going to be uneven, I might as well take some courses to improve and broaden my knowledge in areas that I have an interested. The problem is always the same though. No time when working, and no money when not. Bit of a conundrum. Today, while surfing, I came across a web address www.barnesandnobleuniversity.com, that offered both free and for fee courses on a wide range of topics. I'm not looking for accreditation, so I signed up for one lit (Shakespeare's comedies), one grammar, one science (astronomy),and one "new age" course. Keep my mind busy - right?
Work issues? I have a workshop to attend next week on new legislation specific to document and records management. Found a website tonight too, that was instructive. I was searching the word "deconstructionist" and found a website for people who want to protest the way democracy is practiced in Canada. I know that our country has one of the safest forms in the world, but that doesn't mean it's always that healthy or that honest, for that matter. Money still buys votes and politicians. The tactics advocated aren't necessarily what I would recommend - and certainly they drive some people in Elections Canada crazy - but open debate and critique are key elements in a democracy. At least these people are passionate about it.
�
�
