Still in Shock

Okay, I'm kind of in shock and aw right at this moment.

I just received an amazing gift from my neighbour.

For those of you that don't already know my neighbour Jim just passed away a couple of weeks ago. It wasn't anything unexpected but it still wasn't easy seeing one of the nicest and most generous men I have ever met pass away. I was able to keep my emotions in tack most of the time however on a drive to work that day I lost it. I don't like showing my emotions in front of people and I guess I have always felt secure in a car.

Well now Ruth is left living all alone which can't be easy for her. I had already been helping out Jim & Ruth for quite some time, then Jim started to take a turn for the worse and then I increased my support for them, including taking out their garbage, taking Ruth to the beauty shop, picking up things from the store and helping prepare their lunch and what ever else I could do. I had also driven them to doctors appointments, and helped pick up prescriptions.

I believe that I took Jim & Ruth for lunch the last time they went out to eat together. It was after taking Ruth to the salon we went to the Beef House which was one of their favorite places to go. The thing with Jim & Ruth is that when ever you took them out for dinner they still insisted on paying. However this time I beat Jim to the check and I paid for lunch. Jim fussed and fussed until he finally agreed to let me pay for this one if he could leave me a tip at the restaurant the next time they were in. Well unfortunately do to his failing health they never did make it back in but we did bring him his favorite dish when he was in the Hospital as well as the Rehab center.

The thing is that they always wanted to pay me for what ever I did for them and I tried not to accept it. The thing is that I usually didn't win those arguments. The one that I did win was argument with Jim that he would buy me new tires for my car, or if I bought two he would buy the other two. This was something that we argued about for over a year.

The thing is that today their son came knocking on the door and handed us a card and thanked us for all we did and he had special instructions from his mom too say that this wasn't a payment for anything and that this is merely a thank you, and in no way were we to think of it as a payment for anything that we have done or may do, this was just a "thank you" and that we were just to accept it for that. Inside that card was a Check. I can't ever remember being given a gift like this. I'm still a little dumbfounded. I have opened up the card a few times thinking that maybe this is a dream, but its not.

Right now I'm a little emotional as I think Jim won that argument regarding purchasing me the tires and then some. Ruth was just the go between on this.

Attendance (Things I want to See)

I guess this should actually go into the Just for Fun section.
- Go to a Weekend Music Festival ~ Got the idea during the 25th anniversary of Woodstock.
- Goto Lake Geneva for the Annual Car Show ~ Idea came from a car magazine in my teens.
- Attend all my High School Reunions ~ I don't know why I put this here.
- Attend an Award Show (Academy Awards, Golden Globe, NHL Awards Ceremony, Music Awards) ~ Idea came when I was 16 and enjoyed watching all the awards show for some reason.
- See a Broadway Show ~ Got the idea when I was in my teens and thought that experiencing these culture events would be something I should try at least once.
- Go see a Opera ~ Same as above
- Go see a Ballet Performance ~ Same as above
- Go See a Frank Lloyd Wright Building ~ Started enjoying his buildings in my teens.
- Go to a Art Gallery ~ I always enjoyed art as a youth.
- Go to Pamplona, Spain for the Running of the Bulls (possibly run with the bulls) ~ Idea when I was a teenager.
- Attend the Iditerod (Dog Sled Race in Alaska) ~ Idea from Paul Harvey Radio, from when I was a kid. I always followed the race via his broadcasts.
- Attend a Horse race ~ I just thought that this would be fun.
- Go to a Sea World ~ just thought this would be fun.

Who I'd Like to Meet!

This is a list of people that I would love to meet. The thing is that these people I wouldn't just want to meet but be able to have a conversation with as well. I didn't write when I first wanted to meet these people or why I want to meet these people but I did put a bit of info about the person in case you don't know who they are.
I will continue to keep adding to this section of the list.
- Dave King (Hockey Coach, Previous coach for the Canadian Junior National Team)
- Don Cherry (CBC TV personality, Hockey Coach, NHL Hockey Player)
- Ron McLean (Host for HNIC)
- Wayne Gretzky (Hockey Player, Hockey Coach)
- Mario Lemieux (Hockey Player, Owner of the Pittsburg Penquins)
- Steve Yzerman (Hockey Player)
- Joe Sakic (Hockey Player)
- Paul Henderson (Hockey Player, 1972 Summit Series Hero)
- Scotty Bowman (Hockey Coach)
- Sidney Crosby (Hockey Coach)
- Bobby Orr (Hockey Player)
- Bobby Hull (Hockey Player)
- Gordie Howe (Hockey Player)
- Herman Maier (World Class Downhill Skier)
- Mike Candrea (Coach for the USA Womens Softball team)
- Annie Leibovitz (Photographer)
- Write a fan letter and get a reply ~ Idea came from another list I saw.

Transportation

When I started my life goals list I thought that a part for Transportation would be necessary as there is a lot of different forms of transportation that I would like to try.
- Fly in a Jet ~ Got the idea when I was a kid.
- Ride in a Limo ~ I think this one was from T.V. as a kid.
- Drive a Limo ~ When I was 15 my old neighbours had a Limo service and they told me when I was 16 I had the first dibs on buying there limo for myself but I didn't have the money at that time.
- See a Motorcycle Race ~ Idea came when I was 16 and really enjoyed the speed of motorcycles, not really a priority now.
- Go on a Hot Air Balloon Ride ~ I was 9-10 when I did a puzzle with Hot Air Balloons and that made me want to go on ride.
- To Own a Car ~ I had a car when I added this but I had a loan for the car. I meant to own a car with out making payments on it.
- To Own/Buy a New Car ~This was the young me that thought New was the way to go. Now I don't think I could ever buy myself a new car.
- Learn how to Drive a Standard ~ When I was 17 I drove a stick for the first time with friends and well I didn't do so well. I had to learn so I could drive the car later in the day for a friend. I stalled on the main intersection in Winkler with 3 cops sitting at the intersection.
- To Own a Corvette ~ My favorite car since I was 13.
- Buy somebody a Car (Used or New) ~ I think it would be rewarding to buy somebody else a car. One of the Nurses I was working with when I first made this list said that this was one of her favorite things she ever did.
- Fly in a Helicopter ~ Loved the T.V. show Airwolf as a kid.
- Go Sailing ~ Inspired by a movie I saw as a teenager.
- Own my own Sailboat ~ Idea came when seeing all the sailboats on the lakes in the Dallas Texas area in 2006.
- Attend a Indy Car Race ~ This one was inspired by my cousin Russel, and Uncle Rick when I was a kid.
- Attend a Formula 1 Race ~ See above.
- Drive a Moped ~ I loved mopeds when I was 14 and thought that I would love one but didn't ever think it would be to practical to own up north. So I figured driving one would be fun.
- Be in a land vehicle going 150mph or Faster ~ I guess that 120mph wasn't fast enough at the time I put this list together.
- Drive a Motorcycle ~ The teenager in me.
- Join a Car Club ~ Idea from when I was a new driver and wanted to own my own classic car.
- Drive across Canada Coast to Coast in one Month ~ Idea came when I was 18, just thought it would be fun to do.
- Drive across USA Coast to Coast in one Month ~ same as above.
- Fly a Plane ~ When I was 19-20 I wanted to join the Air Force.
- Get my Pilots License ~ See above
- Go to the Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Kentucky - Love Corvette's.
- Go on an Ocean Fairy ~ Inspired by my Grandma when she told me how much she always enjoyed going on the Fairy in British Columbia.
- Travel on a Yacht ~ Idea came from a travel magazine.
- Own a Fishing or Cruising Boat ~ Just something I wanted since I was a kid.
- Test drive a High End Sports Car like a Lamborghini, or Ferrari ~ Really who doesn't?
- Ride a Camel ~ How many people do you know have rode a Camel?
- Ride a Elephant ~ How many people do you know have rode a Elephant?
- Go on a Gondola Ride ~ From pictures I saw in a Travel magazine as a kid of Gondola's in the Swiss Alps.
- Live in a Motor Home for 1 week ~ I grew up in a community that is know for their motor homes and know friends who did this.
- Live for 3 Months (ideally 6 Months) without a Car (Try relying on Public Transportation, Bicycle, Walking and so on) ~ This idea came when I thought this would be good for the environment, good for me, idea came from Outside Magazine.
- Go Snowmobiling in the Mountains ~ Watching a promo video when living in Lake Louise.
- Drive a Four Wheeler ~ I wasn't ever into this kind of thing as a Teenager so I thought I should try it someday to see if I would enjoy it.
- Drive a Dirt Bike ~ see above
- Ride a Seadoo ~ Something about speed and water that made this look and sound like fun.

Just for Fun

This is my favorite section of my Life Goals.
- Sleep in a Hammock ~ Inspired by Outside Magazine as well as when I was a kid I always wanted to have my own hammock.
- Publish something I write ~ Inspired by my grade 12 English Teacher.
- Write a Magazine Article ~ Just something that I thought I would be fun to accomplish.
- Write a Newspaper Article ~ This was inspired by reading the Winkler Times and was always disappointed when reading the sports section.
- Build a Website ~ I saw what some people were doing in the late 90's and figured I could do that if I put my mind to it.
- Brew my own Wine or other Alcohol ~ Inspired by my cousin who always brewed his own beer. - Recreate a Passage from a Book ~ Idea from Outside Magazine.
- Recreate a Scene from a Movie ~ Idea from Outside Magazine that I adapted to movie.
- Write & Perform a Comedy Act (Perform at an Open Mic Night) ~ Was told a story about my uncle who was going to perform at Open Mic Night when I was a kid and thought that I would love to do that just once.
- Appear in a Movie (at minimum as an uncreated extra that I could point out in the movie) ~ I can't recall where I got this idea from first. Maybe while they were filming a movie in Winnipeg Manitoba and were looking for extras.
- Be on TV ~ Doesn't everybody want their 15 minutes of fame? I put this one on list before a Annual Meeting at Gateway Resources because a news station had called and said they were interested in doing a piece on one of our clients success stories. My boss said that they would probably want to interview people that were involved in the success story.
- Be on a Television Show (Besides News) ~ Put this one on the list when I thought there would be a good chance that I was going to be part of a news story.
- To Run outside Naked in Snow (temperature must be -15 Celsius and must go a minimum of 100 feet) ~ Idea came about kind of as a dare years ago a friend said I wouldn't do this and I said that I bet I would someday.
- Do a Polar Bear Dip (Swim in a lake on New Years Day in Water that is just above freezing to 15 Celsius) ~ Idea came when I was in my early Teens and was watching news on New Years Day and they showed some people doing this in different parts of North America.
- Join a Choir Again ~ In 2001 I got this idea when the church was looking for members for the Christmas Choir. I always enjoyed being in a choir and thought that it might be fund to join again someday.
- Learn to Play Piano or the Guitar or other Instrument ~ I always wanted to learn how to play the Guitar when I was a teenager but I didn't have the motivation to learn.
- Learn how to Dance ~ Growing up in Winkler, Dancing was like a curse word.
- Live/Vacation on a Houseboat or Sailboat for 3 or more days ~ I don't know where this idea came from as I am scared of water.
- Help with a Archaeological Dig ~ Idea came when I was a young teenager and the local museum always did a Dinosaur Dig, as well as Outside Magazine #72.
- To Hold a Bold Eagle on My Arm ~ Eagles are one of my favorite Birds of Prey and I saw a Falconer hold a Hawks, Owls and a Falcon on his arm. This was when I was 12 and I even had an opportunity to start a local rehabilitation facility at home and was told that there would be a good chance every year to get a Bald Eagle to rehabilitate.
- Swim Naked ~ Just seems like fun.
- Announce at a Professional Sporting Event ~ Idea came while in High School and was announcing at the High School Hockey Games.
- Learn how to pair Wines with appropriate Foods ~ When I turned 18 and first started ordering Wine with Dinner at restaurants I just ordered the house wine, but knew the wines that I was getting were not very good.
- Learn how to tend Bar ~ Idea came when I reached 18 and went hay wild at the Liquor store.
- Watch the Tides Change on the Ocean ~ As far back as I can remember I have wanted to see this, probably due to a David Suzuki nature show.
- Play Blackjack in Las Vegas ~ Something that just seems like fun.
- Get a Tattoo ~ I think this was when I was teenager and having a discussion with my cousin Russell we came up with this idea.
- Join the Mile High Club (hopefully not alone) ~ Idea came when I first heard about the Mile High Club from a movie, or magazine.
- Shave my Head ~ Idea came from two sources, the first came from a Cancer Fundraiser where all the people shaved their head for donations, the second was from a group of High School Students who shaved their head when a friend who had cancer started to loose his hair.
- Go on a Roller Coaster Ride ~ Idea came when discussing amusement parks with some friends and they were all talking about their favorite Roller Coaster Rides at either Six Flags, Disney Land or Disney World and I sat their quietly until somebody asked me what my favorite Roller Coaster Ride was and I said that I had never been on a ride.
- Stay the Night/Weekend at a Ice Hotel ~ When I first saw the Ice Castle on TV and then later on saw a special on how they construct the Ice Castle.
- Have my picture taken with a Celebrity ~ Idea when I was in Lake Louise and meet some TV Announcers, members of the IOC, as well as World Class Skiers such as my Skiing Idol Herman Maier.
- Sleep in a haunted castle, house, hotel or pub ~ I was really big into the paranormal when I was in my teens and now it seems like there are TV shows and books about this everywhere.
- Experience Weightlessness ~ Inspired by a news story about Zero Gravity flights.
- Bareboat ~ Outside Magazine List #75. When I read what bareboating was it sounded like fun and something that may interest me so I put it on my list.
- Master the Bowline Knot (and other knots) ~ Outside Magazine List #44. I did always want to know how to make great fishing knots as well as what knot would be best for different situations.
- Make a Pilgrimage ~ Outside Magazine List #46. Still not sure what I would make my Pilgrimage.
- Have my own Garden ~ Inspired by my Girlfriend Rebecca in 2007 when she was planting her own garden. It made me realize that I have always helped others with their gardens and never enjoyed it that much but may enjoy my own garden.
- Horseback Riding (not on a group trail ride) ~ I have only been on a group trail ride and I thought that being able to choose the pace would be more fun. I think this was kind of inspired by the movie City Slickers.

Work

This part of my life goals is about careers and jobs that I would like to try during my life.
- As a Natural Resource Officer (Parks & Wildlife, at a Campground, State/Provincial Park) ~ This idea came in the winter/spring 1999 when I got a information package from a small community college in Northern Ontario and noticed that they had a Natural Resources Program that seemed to interest me. Then in spring 2000 I was tempted to apply for a small position at a Provincial Park in Manitoba and even did, however when I got a phone call to discuss a possible date for an interview I told them I no longer had any interest in the job. The reason was I realized that I wouldn't be able to work at a Park as well as coach Softball.
- On at a Resort ~ I had a cousin as well as a friend that both worked at fishing resorts and that seemed to spark my interest.
- Where people go for a Vacation ~ When I was 19 I thought it would be cool to work and live where people pay to go on a vacation.
- To Invent something ~ Idea came from a magazine.
- Retire ~ When I was in Grade 12 one of my Teachers said that the rate that people get into dept and stay in dept now and in the future would make our parents generation and our generation work well into there 60's and even into their 70's. With this happening there will be more people that will die before they get the chance to retire. I don't want to be that statistic.
- To Own my Own Business ~ Inspired by several relatives and family friends who had there own business when I was a kid.
- To Start my Own Business ~ Idea came from a business class in High School.
- To Run my/a Business (CEO, Manager) ~ I know that some people have the money to start or own a business but not everybody has the ability to lead and run a business.
- Take a Year Off of Work (before retiring) ~ When I worked at Bethel Hospital I met a patient that retired at 62 and a month after he retired he had a stroke. He told me if he could have a do over he would have taken a year or more off of work in his mid - late 50's and see if he could have worked till he was 65 instead.
- To Own my own Restaurant ~ Idea came from a business class I was taking in High School.
- Run my own Restaurant ~ Same as above. However I thought that I might only be a part owner and if I ran the restaurant as well as owned it then it would be something that is my idea as apposed to a franchise.
- Apply for a Job Over Seas ~ When I was working at Lake Louise I met several people who were from other countries working at the Hotel and then thought how cool it would be to work in some other country.

Travel

- Go to every Province / Territory in Canada ~ When I was in High School taking Geography I realized how diverse Canada was and decided that traveling across Canada would be great as it has so much to offer.
- Go to every State in the United States ~ Also while in High School I was taking American History and thought that if Canada has that much to offer that the USA would have lots to offer as well. Just compare the amount of countries that could fit inside Canada and USA.
- Go to Europe ~ As far as I can remember I always wanted to go to Europe and see the Castles and Churches that were built there so many years ago.
- Go to Asia ~ When learning about my family heritage when I was a kid I wanted to learn about where my ancestors came from and found out that they were from Russia (the old USSR) and thought that some day I could go there and see where and how they lived.
- Go to South America ~ When I was in the early years of Elementary School I had several friends from different areas of South America and they explained how different it was from Winkler, Manitoba and that's whey I decided that that someday I would enjoy going to South America.
- Go to Africa ~ I loved watching the documentaries of Africa's wildlife as well as their different civilizations as it seems so primitive yet evolved in its own way.
- Go to the Scandinavian Countries ~ One of my high school teachers told me that this would probably be an area that I would love, because of the culture, food, landscapes, and history.
- Go to Switzerland ~ Switzerland being one
- Go to Fort Lauderdale ~ This was the Horny High School Student in me wanting to do something different for Spring Break. No longer a real priority but if I was in that area of Florida I would definitely want to stop by there.
- See a Volcano ~ Through the studies of Geology while in school.
- Watch a Volcanic Eruption ~ Got this idea while reading a story about Kayaking in the Hawaiian Islands.
- See the Mountains ~ Growing up in the Prairies made the Mountains seem special as a child.
- See The Ocean ~ Growing up in the Prairies the Ocean's seemed so far away.
- Go to Niagara Falls ~ Got this idea when I was a child as every day would start off with O Canada and when watching Television they would show the Falls.
- See the Pyramids in Egypt ~ I was probably 8 or 9 when I studied Pyramids and Egyptian Civilization for the first time for a school project and learning about the Egyptian Gods and all the Pharaohs which in turn made me want to someday get to witness these amazing man-made feats in person.
- See the Nile River ~ Also came from my first studies of Egypt.
- Go on a Cruise Ship Vacation ~ Not sure where this idea first came from
- Go on a Holiday with only a tooth brush and a Credit Card ~ I believe this idea came from Outside Magazine.
- Throw a Dart at Map of North America And Drive there ~ I believe this idea came from a movie I saw when I just got my drivers license.
- To See the Sun Rise and Set twice on the same day ~ This one came from the idea I first had in 1999 just before New Years, of standing on the International Date Line and jump between days, but since the International Date Line doesn't run through any land mass this one is impossible. I figured out that this is possible but would probably require a renting a private jet.
- To see all the 7 Wonders of the World (Stonehenge, Colosseum, Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa, Great Wall of China, Porcelain Tower of Nanjing, Hangia Sophia, Leaning Tower of Pisa) ~ Idea came from while reading an article in a Travel Magazine.
- Drive to the Road's End ~ Idea came from Outside Magazine's List of things to do before you die.
In Texas's Big Bend National Park, drive up the road ending at the Juniper Canyon approach to the lonely Chisos Mountains. Everywhere you look will be cacti and birds, unpeopled brush, rock, sandy gravel, and a big, empty temptation.
- Go to Every National Park in Canada (There are 42 National Parks in Canada) ~ Idea came during my first visit to Riding Mountain National Park in 1994. During this visit I spent some time at the visitors center and watched some short movies about Canadian National Parks. I also love parks.
- Go to Every National Park in United States (there are 58 National Parks in the U.S.) ~ Idea came during 1998 when I read a magazine article about the top 10 National Parks in the United States.