Ha ha! Been waiting to make that joke all day!
It has been over two years since my last blood donation. I went three or four times in Vancouver but didn't keep it up. Today, as I was walking back to the office after lunch, I noticed a mobile Hema-Québec clinic in the entrance of PVM. I stopped by the registration table and signed up on the spot for an appointment later that afternoon.
Back at work, I can honestly say that the reaction with colleagues is always predictable. It ranges from "you're doing what?" to slight discomfort to some even feeling slightly noxious as they think about the needle. Nobody jumped up and volunteered to join me. Oh well.
The process of donating blood is pretty much the same between the provinces of British Columbia and Quebec, so I knew the drill. I had eaten a good lunch, drank a large juice before going, but unfortunately, felt a bit dizzy after the half-way mark and wasn't able to complete my donation. The nurses know the drill, as soon as someone mentions that they are not feeling well they unplug you, lower your upper body, place a cold towel on your forehead and then monitor you until they feel you're good to go. I felt better almost immediately, I must have been a bit tired (didn't sleep too well last night) and my temperature was a bit high, so maybe I'm fighting something.
I plan on going back in 56 days, once whatever I donated is fully regenerated by my body. It was so convenient to have the clinic come to work!
Monday, February 16, 2009
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Dry
Live somewhere else for a few years and then move back, you'll obviously notice differences (big and small) between your home town and adoptive city. I thought the irony of today's weather in Montreal would provide a perfect backdrop to a little discussion about moisture.
Winters in Vancouver are everything but dry. Anything you leave on a balcony (flower pots, BBQ, chairs) ends up as a breeding ground for moss as the city is drenched for weeks at the time in heavy rain. All your shoes end up leaking at one point or another, even your umbrella one day just gives up. But, to be fair, all this moisture in the air keeps the skin naturally soft and hydrated. I always used face moisturizer, but never bothered lathering up from toes to shoulders when I was living on the West Coast.
Let's talk about Montreal now. I can deal with the cold, love the sun and bright winter days, but why is it so dry? I knew something was wrong when my little home thermometer's moisture level indicator did not bother reading the air's water content. "Low" is what it said. My hair became limp and very unruly, all at once. Add a tuque to the equation and you then have to also deal with static. I started using a humidifier, but it's so much work to keep the damn thing clean and I think a spider has moved into mine. I feel I should leave it alone, it must be eating whatever bacteria is growing in the water left in the tank.
My bathroom counter is now host to a collection of moisturizers, body butters, scrubs, leave-in conditioners, baby oil, lip balm, and several other products that promise to keep me from madly scratching my otherwise dry, itchy skin. Fortunately, I have managed to stay away from scented moisturizers, because I would otherwise smell like a mix of strawberries, lavender, ylang-ylang and lemongrass, surely a combination that would keep any potential suitors at bay.
Winters in Vancouver are everything but dry. Anything you leave on a balcony (flower pots, BBQ, chairs) ends up as a breeding ground for moss as the city is drenched for weeks at the time in heavy rain. All your shoes end up leaking at one point or another, even your umbrella one day just gives up. But, to be fair, all this moisture in the air keeps the skin naturally soft and hydrated. I always used face moisturizer, but never bothered lathering up from toes to shoulders when I was living on the West Coast.
Let's talk about Montreal now. I can deal with the cold, love the sun and bright winter days, but why is it so dry? I knew something was wrong when my little home thermometer's moisture level indicator did not bother reading the air's water content. "Low" is what it said. My hair became limp and very unruly, all at once. Add a tuque to the equation and you then have to also deal with static. I started using a humidifier, but it's so much work to keep the damn thing clean and I think a spider has moved into mine. I feel I should leave it alone, it must be eating whatever bacteria is growing in the water left in the tank.
My bathroom counter is now host to a collection of moisturizers, body butters, scrubs, leave-in conditioners, baby oil, lip balm, and several other products that promise to keep me from madly scratching my otherwise dry, itchy skin. Fortunately, I have managed to stay away from scented moisturizers, because I would otherwise smell like a mix of strawberries, lavender, ylang-ylang and lemongrass, surely a combination that would keep any potential suitors at bay.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Day 1
Even though I've been working at the new job for four months now, today felt like the first day where I was doing what it is that we do (or are supposed to do). My first mandate in Halifax wasn't entirely a "typical" mandate and although it kept me busy and had me log a lot of billable hours, it shielded me from some of the regular activities undertaken by my team. How can I explain this... Imagine information as water. Imagine a hose, heavy pressure, wide diametre, being fed by ten or twenty sources. Imagine the pressure at the other end when you are responsible for receiving the rush of water and transforming it in a mist gentle enough (and at the right temperature) to spray a delicate orchid. Repeat daily.
That's how it felt.
The biggest problem when you join a firm in the knowledge industry is that there is a LOT of existing knowledge already developed and the biggest challenge is finding the right pieces to repurpose, reuse, or further develop, and as fast as possible.
To my colleagues, this must feel almost natural but to me, it's as if this was my very first day in the office. Maybe it is.
Tonight, however, I have to admit that I was happy to be home after work and to prepare myself a tasty dinner (I bought some groceries this weekend and cooked a bit). This morning, I loved being able to pick an outfit from my closet and then change my mind about it. Not something you can pull off when living out of a suitcase.
Hello Montreal. I'm happy to be spending some time with you for a little while.
That's how it felt.
The biggest problem when you join a firm in the knowledge industry is that there is a LOT of existing knowledge already developed and the biggest challenge is finding the right pieces to repurpose, reuse, or further develop, and as fast as possible.
To my colleagues, this must feel almost natural but to me, it's as if this was my very first day in the office. Maybe it is.
Tonight, however, I have to admit that I was happy to be home after work and to prepare myself a tasty dinner (I bought some groceries this weekend and cooked a bit). This morning, I loved being able to pick an outfit from my closet and then change my mind about it. Not something you can pull off when living out of a suitcase.
Hello Montreal. I'm happy to be spending some time with you for a little while.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Last night
Tonight is my last night in Halifax. My mandate ends tomorrow, I fly back home late afternoon (fingers crossed that the snow doesn't delay flights too much) and then will be staffed on a mandate in Montreal for a few months. As I sit on the bed at the hotel, finishing some odd tasks for work, with my nose itchy from the dry air, I'm also thinking about all the things I never had a chance to get started since I moved back. For instance, I miss climbing and I feel like I need to get back into a regular exercise program. I've been looking at the downtown YMCA schedule, the gym is close to work and has a pool. Swimming is a great exercise, it would feel great to do laps a few times per week.
I'm also feeling a bit of pressure about the climbing since my good friend Typhanie, who was away in Burkina Faso for 18 months, is moving to Montreal in March or April. Typhanie is an awesome climber, I look forward to have the opportunity to learn from her again. Obviously, it would help to rebuild the climbing muscles a bit before she arrives. I'll make it a point to visit Allez Up this weekend, a climbing gym in my area.
I'm also feeling a bit of pressure about the climbing since my good friend Typhanie, who was away in Burkina Faso for 18 months, is moving to Montreal in March or April. Typhanie is an awesome climber, I look forward to have the opportunity to learn from her again. Obviously, it would help to rebuild the climbing muscles a bit before she arrives. I'll make it a point to visit Allez Up this weekend, a climbing gym in my area.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
And... the saga continues
A little while ago I wrote about my experience dealing with the SAAQ (and not the fine people at the SAQ) to get my driver's license from BC exchanged for a license from Quebec. Well, it's January 20, I still don't have a license and because my temporary license expired yesterday, I'm not even allowed to rent a car this week. OK, I'm partly to blame for this little mishap, but why oh why is this entire process so painful?
When I arrived in Halifax yesterday (on time, woot!), I walked over to the car rental counter, and handed them my credit card and temporary license (a piece of paper that honestly doesn't look like anything official, I wouldn't even rent myself a car with this ID). The lady at the counter handed me back the license and said it was expired. What? Yes, in the right-hand corner of the paper was the expiry date (in French, because Quebec does not publish bilingual documents it seems): January 19. And since that was the only license I had, she said she couldn't rent me a car. However, if the fine people from the SAAQ were willing to fax her an updated paper, she'd be happy to give me a set of wheels.
So, sitting near the rental counter, my luggage, laptop and purse plopped on the seat next to me, I try calling the SAAQ. The 1-800 number I initially try refuses to let me through, as I am calling using my cell phone which uses the 514 area code and should be calling the 514 number instead. Since I'm not entirely sure how this will show up on my phone bill, I use my calling card instead and phone the 514 number. Lucky me, I'm only on hold for a few minutes.
I explain the situation to the lady on the phone and she sounds a bit stunned, then asks me to confirm my home address to make sure the license was mailing to the right place. That's when I look at the temporary license and notice the root cause of all my problems: 2848. My address is 2248, not 2848. You would figure that I would have noticed that, but it is a new address and the numbers never jumped at me for being wrong. It only took 30 minutes for the rep at the SAAQ to complete my file and type in a few pieces of data (and I do get my Hydro bill, so I'm sure the address it gave her was correct). But she got the numbers wrong. So my license was probably mailed on time, but it had no way of reaching me.
OK. I can deal with this situation later. How do I get an extension to my license so I can rent a car a make it to the client? Just so happens that I can't. They cannot issue another temporary permit, unless I show up at an SAAQ office in person to sign more paperwork. None of my pleading is getting through. If I was staying in Halifax for the next two months and needed a license, they could possibly mail a new one to me, but since I'm back in Montreal this weekend, they can't help me.
At this point, I'm slightly discouraged and ask if they can change my address and mail me the license again. Can't do. I need to go back to an SAAQ office, explain the situation, wait in line to get a new temporary license, get my picture taken and sign a few times for the process to start all over again. Oh goodie. But don't you think they would have my picture and signature on file, I was there on December 30. Nope. Pictures and signatures are erased from their system after ten days. Just perfect.
No choice then, I'm stuck all week in an industrial park without a car. I took a taxi from the airport ($58, tip included) but fortunately am getting lifts between the hotel and the client from another consultant who happens to be staying at the same place as me. Also good is the fact that 2848 doesn't exist, so I don't really have to worry about my license being misused by someone. It's probably on its way back to the SAAQ with the letters "undeliverable" stamped on the envelope.
I look forward to spending more time Friday morning in line at the SAAQ office to fix this little boo-boo. Word.
When I arrived in Halifax yesterday (on time, woot!), I walked over to the car rental counter, and handed them my credit card and temporary license (a piece of paper that honestly doesn't look like anything official, I wouldn't even rent myself a car with this ID). The lady at the counter handed me back the license and said it was expired. What? Yes, in the right-hand corner of the paper was the expiry date (in French, because Quebec does not publish bilingual documents it seems): January 19. And since that was the only license I had, she said she couldn't rent me a car. However, if the fine people from the SAAQ were willing to fax her an updated paper, she'd be happy to give me a set of wheels.
So, sitting near the rental counter, my luggage, laptop and purse plopped on the seat next to me, I try calling the SAAQ. The 1-800 number I initially try refuses to let me through, as I am calling using my cell phone which uses the 514 area code and should be calling the 514 number instead. Since I'm not entirely sure how this will show up on my phone bill, I use my calling card instead and phone the 514 number. Lucky me, I'm only on hold for a few minutes.
I explain the situation to the lady on the phone and she sounds a bit stunned, then asks me to confirm my home address to make sure the license was mailing to the right place. That's when I look at the temporary license and notice the root cause of all my problems: 2848. My address is 2248, not 2848. You would figure that I would have noticed that, but it is a new address and the numbers never jumped at me for being wrong. It only took 30 minutes for the rep at the SAAQ to complete my file and type in a few pieces of data (and I do get my Hydro bill, so I'm sure the address it gave her was correct). But she got the numbers wrong. So my license was probably mailed on time, but it had no way of reaching me.
OK. I can deal with this situation later. How do I get an extension to my license so I can rent a car a make it to the client? Just so happens that I can't. They cannot issue another temporary permit, unless I show up at an SAAQ office in person to sign more paperwork. None of my pleading is getting through. If I was staying in Halifax for the next two months and needed a license, they could possibly mail a new one to me, but since I'm back in Montreal this weekend, they can't help me.
At this point, I'm slightly discouraged and ask if they can change my address and mail me the license again. Can't do. I need to go back to an SAAQ office, explain the situation, wait in line to get a new temporary license, get my picture taken and sign a few times for the process to start all over again. Oh goodie. But don't you think they would have my picture and signature on file, I was there on December 30. Nope. Pictures and signatures are erased from their system after ten days. Just perfect.
No choice then, I'm stuck all week in an industrial park without a car. I took a taxi from the airport ($58, tip included) but fortunately am getting lifts between the hotel and the client from another consultant who happens to be staying at the same place as me. Also good is the fact that 2848 doesn't exist, so I don't really have to worry about my license being misused by someone. It's probably on its way back to the SAAQ with the letters "undeliverable" stamped on the envelope.
I look forward to spending more time Friday morning in line at the SAAQ office to fix this little boo-boo. Word.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
An angle?
Two posts in two days? I must be on a (mini-) roll ;)
I had an idea that I wanted to share. Part of my rediscovery of the lovely city of Montreal is also learning all about the talented people who surround me. I would like to share these discoveries with others, tell more people about the artists that I know and meet. I'll use this blog to write about Montreal talent. In a sense, this is very much in alignment with my interest in sustainability, because I plan to also support Montreal talent when I purchase clothes, jewelry, art, music, and so on.
I had an idea that I wanted to share. Part of my rediscovery of the lovely city of Montreal is also learning all about the talented people who surround me. I would like to share these discoveries with others, tell more people about the artists that I know and meet. I'll use this blog to write about Montreal talent. In a sense, this is very much in alignment with my interest in sustainability, because I plan to also support Montreal talent when I purchase clothes, jewelry, art, music, and so on.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Inspiration
Every day, as I go about my day, I think about interesting things I could write about in the blog. As soon as I return home (or to the hotel room), I draw a blank and the inspiration is gone. The fact that I'm often tired in the evening, especially when I'm traveling, probably doesn't help.
Maybe I need a system. A system to either capture these elusive ideas, or a system to shake the brain cobwebs in the evening and generate new ones. I really enjoy writing, I want to do it more often. My system should not involve anything heavy to carry around (like the agenda I got at work that is currently on my table in the kitchen), or any complicated steps.
Any suggestions?
I'm in Halifax again this week, and for the following two weeks, but after January, I believe I will be back in Montreal. Well, unless my next mandate is also out of town again. Everything is possible. I scored this week with the rented car, mine has heated seats and when it's cold outside and you are trying to warm up the vehicle, the seats are the first things to warm up. Love it!
Maybe I need a system. A system to either capture these elusive ideas, or a system to shake the brain cobwebs in the evening and generate new ones. I really enjoy writing, I want to do it more often. My system should not involve anything heavy to carry around (like the agenda I got at work that is currently on my table in the kitchen), or any complicated steps.
Any suggestions?
I'm in Halifax again this week, and for the following two weeks, but after January, I believe I will be back in Montreal. Well, unless my next mandate is also out of town again. Everything is possible. I scored this week with the rented car, mine has heated seats and when it's cold outside and you are trying to warm up the vehicle, the seats are the first things to warm up. Love it!
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