Melissa's back home now. Things didn't go all as originally planned for the last few days she spent here, but she had a good time at least. She had thought there was an immediate train leaving for here from Montreal in the early afternoon but had a surprise, there was a good 3 hours between trains so she had to find things to do without missing that one. So Sunday's exploration of our immediate area was put off until Monday, which we did. I think her highlight was either the Cornwall Jail or St. Raphel's Church. Then that evening we took her back to Ottawa so she can take her VERY early flight back home. LOTS of fog so many flights were cancelled that night and the hotels were packed with irritated airport users. I said my goodbyes to Mel and wished her well, hoping to see her again when we both get the chance.
Tuesday I had to work and my wife stood by to hear on Mel's safe trip home....no calls though. Then I got home, checked the Ottawa and Calgary airports for departure/arrival times and got a mixed answer. Ottawa said her flight took off early while Calgary said it was cancelled. After a few inquiries to Mel and her sister by e-mail, I was relieved to learn she got home safely. Original flight cancelled so she did a layover hop in Toronto....an experience she does not want to repeat. Point of the matter, she's back home, safe and sound and I hope well relaxed from her trip.
I also did a bit of "cleaning house" in my life. The last few months I became involved in MANY issues and groups and you know that old saying.....if you spread yourself out too much, everything you are involved in will suffer. That's the truth and it took me getting ill to realize I had to get my priorities straight, regardless of how I feel about some things. I knew that things at home with my family, work and the municipal heritage group were my important things so I dropped everything else. My wife recently had major surgery, my son needed his parents for homework help and work needed me several times to be called in....all were suffering so enough was enough. My focus is back on track and amazingly in this first week I actually have time to myself, something I haven't had in a few months.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Saturday, November 21, 2009
An Old Friend Over For a Visit
2006 was a busy year for me. I achieved to be in charge of the municipal heritage group, I cemented some great contacts for my research and I managed to renew old friendships with high school pals whom meant a lot to me back then. I thought that would be the crowning achievement but what capped off the year was meeting for the first time face to face in 25 years with my only childhood friend that I cared about. I already wrote at length about how we got back in contact when we were 17 and how that meeting in Belleville went, even if it was just for seven hours. The fact was that she specifically took a day out of her week trip to Toronto to meet up with me and that meant a lot.
Now 3 years later circumstances have brought about an opportunity. Melissa had some time to herself and I had joked that now would be a good time for her to come my way to visit. Three weeks later I have a house guest. Mel decided to go for the trip idea and what started out as just a passing statement, serious plans were made between us and now she's here. I finally was able to introduce her to my wife and son and later she'll meet my mother and brother again. So far I would have to say that everything went well. She arrived on Tuesday and stayed in Ottawa to do a bit of her own site-seeing. Wednesday we went up to get her, did a couple of Ottawa places and brought her to Cornwall. Thursday she spent the time seeing things between Iroquois and Kingston and Friday it was Montreal viewing. She's still there today and will return to Cornwall tomorrow. Plans are that we'll check out immediate area stuff, visit my mother and brother, then Monday check a site or two then back to Ottawa to look at any last minute sites before she checks in to her hotel. Then Tuesday she's headed back to Calgary.
So far I would have to say it has been great having the extended time together. We have been able to comfortably talk about a lot of things about ourselves, have some laughs, look at some serious matters and, above all, just relax and have a good time. It may not be the ideal time to be here due to many places having limited hours of being open or are closed for the season, but the company is great.
Well, today's the Christmas Parade and unfortunately she'll be missing it, but I also hope that her visit with other friends in Montreal is going well on such a beautiful day like today. Maybe she'll come back and bring the kids with her. Although it is now my turn to get me and my family to go westward to visit her.
Now 3 years later circumstances have brought about an opportunity. Melissa had some time to herself and I had joked that now would be a good time for her to come my way to visit. Three weeks later I have a house guest. Mel decided to go for the trip idea and what started out as just a passing statement, serious plans were made between us and now she's here. I finally was able to introduce her to my wife and son and later she'll meet my mother and brother again. So far I would have to say that everything went well. She arrived on Tuesday and stayed in Ottawa to do a bit of her own site-seeing. Wednesday we went up to get her, did a couple of Ottawa places and brought her to Cornwall. Thursday she spent the time seeing things between Iroquois and Kingston and Friday it was Montreal viewing. She's still there today and will return to Cornwall tomorrow. Plans are that we'll check out immediate area stuff, visit my mother and brother, then Monday check a site or two then back to Ottawa to look at any last minute sites before she checks in to her hotel. Then Tuesday she's headed back to Calgary.
So far I would have to say it has been great having the extended time together. We have been able to comfortably talk about a lot of things about ourselves, have some laughs, look at some serious matters and, above all, just relax and have a good time. It may not be the ideal time to be here due to many places having limited hours of being open or are closed for the season, but the company is great.
Well, today's the Christmas Parade and unfortunately she'll be missing it, but I also hope that her visit with other friends in Montreal is going well on such a beautiful day like today. Maybe she'll come back and bring the kids with her. Although it is now my turn to get me and my family to go westward to visit her.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
I'M BACK!!!!!!!
Yep, after so long I am back to blogging
What happened to the old blog?
For some of you whom read my previous blog, you seen how I talked about things, etc. Well one of the topics was about my old high school friends and how it felt to have reconnected with nearly all of them. That feeling changed quickly....
The last reconnection I made was with the East Indian girl of our group. We spoke once, seemed all good and she was to call me back later....she never did. Suddenly one day I logged on to my e-mail and saw a letter from one of the reconnected "acquantence" that had a weird subject line. She said that the East idian girl found my blog and was furious about what I wrote and told her about it. She too was POed. Then they told a recent reconnected friend of mine and she was none too pleased either. Point of matter....she supposely seeked legal advice and told me to NEVER speak to her or the East Indian girl again. Luckily the third friend had enough sense to put herself in my shoes and knew I meant no harm, that I was just happy with everything that happened.
My initial reaction....panic. I worried about how legal action would affect my family, forget about myself because I didn't care about me. So after an hour of trying to apologize and getting advice from friends, something suddenly hit me....logic. The one friend whom understood my blogging accepted my apology and asked me to remove anything with her name on it. Seems like the right, mature way to go. To this day we still are in contact. But the other two, it took a bit of time in that morning but I realized something....I was duped!
The one ex-acquantence was never really a friend of mine, just someone I talked to from time to time ages ago. She claimed how we have grown and matured and were beyond the petty school yard antics. On Facebook she deleted me as a friend, which makes sense, but why did she deleted my wife, whom she was closer to and had no problems with? Now concerning that East Indian ex-friend, she never called me back as she said she was going to. I heard about her reaction from the previously mentioned person....which was 10 months after she said "I have to go, can I call you back later? Give me your number." So I concluded one thing.....NEITHER of them actually wanted to reconnect, right the wrongs done to us and be civil to one another in respect of our old friendship. I called my lawyer that afternoon and we had a good (free) talk about this matter. I managed to save the entire blog in txt format and then took the blog down....out of respect for the friend that asked me to remove her name. My lawyer said not to worry because what he read had no slander, no lies, was not insulting anyone, I had absolute proof of everything I had wrote and was actually praising the people whom were angry with me. I waited and nothing happened so.......
Why Back?
I'm back to blogging and doing it the way I want, regardless of people. I will however keep certain names out (as you can see here) and just carry on as I use to. I wanted to blog again because things changed in my life. I've grown to have more influence in my area of work and have been involved with a lot of decision making. Thing is, I am tied of all the hidden agendas and "look good for the public" things so I feel I need to speak out....hence why this is called Point Blank.....absolute honesty, absolute thoughts and absolutely no regards to anyone trying to sneak around on others in the quest to push their own agenda. So stay tuned. I will be blogging like I use to, but also be more open about things. And to those people that are or use to be my friends....no names will be printed.
What happened to the old blog?
For some of you whom read my previous blog, you seen how I talked about things, etc. Well one of the topics was about my old high school friends and how it felt to have reconnected with nearly all of them. That feeling changed quickly....
The last reconnection I made was with the East Indian girl of our group. We spoke once, seemed all good and she was to call me back later....she never did. Suddenly one day I logged on to my e-mail and saw a letter from one of the reconnected "acquantence" that had a weird subject line. She said that the East idian girl found my blog and was furious about what I wrote and told her about it. She too was POed. Then they told a recent reconnected friend of mine and she was none too pleased either. Point of matter....she supposely seeked legal advice and told me to NEVER speak to her or the East Indian girl again. Luckily the third friend had enough sense to put herself in my shoes and knew I meant no harm, that I was just happy with everything that happened.
My initial reaction....panic. I worried about how legal action would affect my family, forget about myself because I didn't care about me. So after an hour of trying to apologize and getting advice from friends, something suddenly hit me....logic. The one friend whom understood my blogging accepted my apology and asked me to remove anything with her name on it. Seems like the right, mature way to go. To this day we still are in contact. But the other two, it took a bit of time in that morning but I realized something....I was duped!
The one ex-acquantence was never really a friend of mine, just someone I talked to from time to time ages ago. She claimed how we have grown and matured and were beyond the petty school yard antics. On Facebook she deleted me as a friend, which makes sense, but why did she deleted my wife, whom she was closer to and had no problems with? Now concerning that East Indian ex-friend, she never called me back as she said she was going to. I heard about her reaction from the previously mentioned person....which was 10 months after she said "I have to go, can I call you back later? Give me your number." So I concluded one thing.....NEITHER of them actually wanted to reconnect, right the wrongs done to us and be civil to one another in respect of our old friendship. I called my lawyer that afternoon and we had a good (free) talk about this matter. I managed to save the entire blog in txt format and then took the blog down....out of respect for the friend that asked me to remove her name. My lawyer said not to worry because what he read had no slander, no lies, was not insulting anyone, I had absolute proof of everything I had wrote and was actually praising the people whom were angry with me. I waited and nothing happened so.......
Why Back?
I'm back to blogging and doing it the way I want, regardless of people. I will however keep certain names out (as you can see here) and just carry on as I use to. I wanted to blog again because things changed in my life. I've grown to have more influence in my area of work and have been involved with a lot of decision making. Thing is, I am tied of all the hidden agendas and "look good for the public" things so I feel I need to speak out....hence why this is called Point Blank.....absolute honesty, absolute thoughts and absolutely no regards to anyone trying to sneak around on others in the quest to push their own agenda. So stay tuned. I will be blogging like I use to, but also be more open about things. And to those people that are or use to be my friends....no names will be printed.
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