Danger - Open Mind

Been Awhile!

Between doing volunteer work to try and help further the goals of the local Spondylitis Patient Community as a Director on the Board of the Canadian Spondylitis Association, President of the Alberta Chapter, and other things going on in my life, I’ve been neglecting this site.  Time to dust it off and use it again.

Especially, I have a few things to share on my FaceBook page.  In the last 3 weeks, I’ve really started to use FaceBook to keep in touch with people, but it is a little lacking in some tools, like the ability to post longer writings, which I believe is a cornerstone in any rational discussion.  Instead, I’ll be posting the longer versions here, and linking to them from my FB front page as a shared link.  This should hopefully help out, as I think I have a few things to offer some folks that have been writing me privately.

I have no delusions that the world needs to hear my “voice”, but I find the act of writing very fulfilling, that’s primarily why I write longer essays and posts.  If I get feedback that is useful, or someone offers information on an issue I haven’t considered, then perhaps I will benefit.  Maybe I have something that will benefit someone else, too.

Long Overdue Update

I don’t know who - if anyone - is following this blog, but the point in the first place was more for me to have a place to express myself through my writing.  I have a ton of things going on right now, so it’s been hard to sit down and write.

On the Ankylosing Spondylitis front, I still haven’t started my Humira.  We got approval from Susan’s employer’s benefits insurance company to start it - it’s going to be pretty expensive, about $1600 a month without insurance.  If I pick it up a month’s supply at a time, though, it should only be $200 according to the plan.  The problem’s been that stupid infection, it took a long time to clear up while the docs sent me in for more tests, and so on.  Finally, though, I’m able to eat, sleep, and soon start the Humira.  I need to get my TB Test finalized, and some XRays at the U of A.  I’d intended to get those done today, but I’m starting a new flare - go figure - and driving is not an option today.  I will be getting it done next week, I don’t want to put it off any longer, I want to start the new treatment on the 3rd if at all possible.

Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve managed to get a few things done.  First, we’ve changed over the Support Group to being the founding part of the Alberta Chapter of the Canadian Spondylitis Association, and I’ve been elected to the Board of Directors of the national organization.  I’ll be travelling this Thursday to Montreal, meeting the other members, and attending the Scientific Conference and Patient Conference there as well before returning home.  I have a lot of things I want to get underway, and I’m hoping there’s a sense of urgency on the Board, at least enough to allow me to get some things started here in Alberta.

I’ve been speaking with a >lot< of people over the last few weeks (thanks to the Arthritis Society, I have an office here that I am able to work out of…I’m planning to be in at least 2 half days a week, more when I’m feeling up to it), and we have some real issues here.  Remote communities with minimal doctor support, patients who are being told by doctors that they are going to have to stay with light DMARDS - Motrin, Ibuprofin, etc, and that “no one knows anything about Arthritis”…patients being run over by the AISH (Assured Income for the Severly Handicapped) boards, employers trampling all over their rights, just to name a few problems.  We have got to get some public awareness campaigning going, it’s pretty ridiculous what some of us are being forced through.

Susan’s enjoying her job, and the kids are taking private swimming lessons on Sundays - the last one is coming up.  We’ll take a look at how they’re doing, and if we can, then we’ll put them in with other kids for further lessons, if they want them.  The idea was to give them the basics, anyway, so that if they’re ever on a lake, sea, whatever, they will be able to survive.

I’ve been slogging (no other word seems to do the effort justice) through an english translation of War and Peace, trying to keep my resolution to read 3 classics this year.  It’s been a trial, and frankly, I’m not convinced that in English, it deserves the moniker “Classic”.  It is probably losing a lot in the translation (I have to question poetry quoted in the book that follows traditional rhytmic pentameters, etc, as they are supposedly translated from Russian…what are the odds that the rhythm, tempo, and rhyme, are all going to match properly between the original and the translation?  Almost astronomical, considering it happens with each and every poem in the book), and really, the tone and actual exposition are more like gossip about the Russian aristocracy during the times of the Napoleanic Wars, with an occasional piece of good writing sneaking it’s way in.  I’m not sure whether to question Tolstoy or the translator, or both…but I will have read this “masterpiece”, and formed my own opinion, before I put it down, probably for good. I can feel literature professors loading shotguns all the way up here.

I haven’t been playing World of Warcraft so much since June of last year, which I’ve been calling “The Summer From Hell”.  And even then, once the summer was over, ending with my sister’s wedding, I was kept busy and in flares up until December…when the infection hit.  At best, I’ve been able to do a little bit of playing, getting my character to level 80, but not much since.  I’ve recently gotten ahold of a Playstation Portable, probably the best recreational purchase I’ve ever made, I’m getting more use out of it because of it’s portability and the fact I need to rest in bed when the flares are at their worst.  Chandler got himself one with his birthday money, and we’ve been playing some of the same games, and we each have a copy of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories, so we can play against each other, too!

Cheyenne’s been working hard at school, her last report card was almost all A’s, 1 B, and that one she is not really interested in the class, so isn’t putting her best effort forth…we had a long chat about that, so I’m hoping to see another Honor Roll report card at the end of the year.  She’s playing a bit of WoW, not much, which is a little disappointing (all 4 of us playing, and on an Arena Team could be a TON of fun!), but she’s starting to work on it again.

Not much else to report at the moment, but I will be trying harder to post updates a bit more often!

Late Update

The last few weeks have been a challenge to say the least.  Lost an uncle, and on the day of his memorial, I wind up in the Stony Plain emergency ward.  I was having problems with shallow breath, temp, hot and cold shakes and sweat, and a whole pile more.  Dummy me, I ran out of Hydromorph Contin a day and a half earlier; I knew it was somewhat habit forming, but I didn’t expect withdrawl reaction that quickly.  I sure as hell won’t forget again

On top of that, because of the symptoms I was showing, which weren’t exactly matching with Withdrawl Symptom.  The doc ran me through the xray, urinalysis, blood work, ECG, and so on, and determined that I might have a systemic infection in my blood.  I’ve since been through a whole other battery of tests, but no news yet - I’m hoping this changes by the time I hit Dr. Parrish’s office on my upcoming appointment on wednesday.  On top of all the AS symptoms I live with every day, I am sleepy, naseauous every day, headaches, digestive problems from A to Z, and of course, as usual when I have an infection, cold, or flu, it kicks the arthritis into overdrive.

I also have been to see Dr. Maksymowych at the University of Alberta hospital.  I hadn’t seen him since I participated in a trial study on using Pamdronate on AS patients, back in ‘99/ought-ought (heh…can’t resist, dagnabit!), but I have been watching his research and career pretty closely; we here in Edmonton are lucky to have him, and AS patients in general probably don’t know his name, but they should, he is considered one of the top AS specialists on the planet.  After 3 hours of poking, prodding, testing, bending, and twisting, what it boils down to is that we’re going to give Humira a try.  This takes some work - an MRI, XRays, TB test, and of course, the insurance company had to approve.  These drugs are pretty expensive, around fifteen hundred ($1500!) for two doses, which are taken once on alternate weeks.  It means more injections, but when I tried Enbrel, I got pretty used to it.  I’m pessimistically optimistic, preparing for the worst, but hoping for the best.  I’ll take his criteria for progress - improvement after 3 months, and triple it, however, before I go back to work (we’ve been discussing having me work from home, the kids need some guidance yet, and Susan is relying on me to keep an eye on pops, who will be 81 this year), and if I can see progress for a year, I will cautiously and slowly enter the job market again.

The issues this raises are huge for me — is there any way for me to resume my career where I left it before the AS hit?  I was very successfully in place as a junior executive level at IQ Ludorum in Costa Rica, and I did some contracting since we returned.  I’d love to get back into management, working with people, but not the computer consoles anymore - the biologic drugs at the very best will halt the AS entierly in it’s tracks, but there’s no way to reverse damage done to that point.  The cartilige fusing the spine together will still be there, for example, but for me, I think 99% of the pain is from inflamation more than anything.  I’ve been keeping up my physio best I can, and it has helped some to keep me a little flexible.  If I can resume my career, or even if I can’t, do I really want to work in that field again?  Or should I try something else?  I have slowly been working through Apple’s Certification for Final Cut Studio 2, just in case; video editing for me, is fun.  I could also give a try at writing, maybe even write a novel; I’m going to say right now, it may not be a good novel, but I’d love to write one ;).  Lastly, I might like to learn how to create or produce video games.

Right now, we’re just waiting for the docs to come back with whatever this infection is, or if it was a set of false positives — they had me test at a different lab after the hospital, and that will help isolate a false positive.  Frankly, I hope it’s a true positive in the end, then they’ll know what to treat.  Once we have it identified and dealt with, then I can continue on my journey to getting Humira.  I’m going to try and keep this updated more regularly, stay tuned.

Playing World of Warcraft

Unless you’ve been living under a rock somewhere, you’ve probably at one time or another, heard of online games usually referred to as Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO), with the majority being Role Play (RP; together MMORPG), and a few newer MMO games leaning towards the First Person Shooter (FPS) genre.  I have friends who ask me why I play World of Warcraft (WoW), and why I would pay a monthly fee to play a game.

World of Warcraft Map

In my case, there are a number of reasons, begining with the fact that I’ve been fascinated with video and computer games, and the industry that creates and licenses them.  I’ve had the good fortune to work in a specific slice of that MMO pie, that being Casino games.  Roulette, poker, blackjack, craps, keno, bingo, progressive slots, you name it, we did it.  Usually, if it wasn’t getting done, or wasn’t working, or wasn’t ready, I was the General Manager of Professional Services for IQ-Ludorum, which provided sportsbook wagering and online casino software, to both the regulated jurisdictions, as well as to the questionable operations.

I am not exaggerating when I say that if anything, The Sopranos was an understatement of the personalities involved in organized crime.  It’s hard to understand unless you’ve actually been there, and some people choose to believe those of us who had been there, writing us off at best as fibbers, at worst as outright liers.  But I digress.

The first reason is purely financial.  Everyone needs some leisure time and activities.  However, as an example, the last time we all went to a movie, it was almost $100 for tickets and snacks.  Dinner at a reasonable price ranges from $30 to $50 depening on where we’re eating.  Instead of spending ludicrous amounts of money on temporary entertainment, we instead have two main sources of entertainment - 1, the internet and MMOs, and 2, DVD Movies.  For the same cost as taking the family to one movie a month, we all have access to play WoW, either on our own, or together if we choose, or with any of thousands of other players.

Secondly, is the game content.  Since the game is supported by monthly subscriptions, it’s in the best interest of the company providing the MMO - Blizzard Entertainment, in this case - to give players something new and different to do, see, or experience, from simple new quests, all the way to the Raid Bosses, some of which require 25 or 40 people to have a reasonable chance at beating.  New content in the form of new spells, items, armor and weapons, new battlegrounds, entire new “zones” (like a province or state), seasonal events such as the Darkmoon Faire, Lunar Festival, and so on, all add value to that $15/month subscription fee.

Social setting is the third reason.  Although we see the representations of the characters in the game, there are real people behind them. Having someone to help you (or for you to help, if that’s your bent), work on skills with, bounce ideas off of, or just to shoot the shit with, makes the game a lot more fun to play.  Real friendships can result, and although the news stories sound very tabloidish, I do know of several couples who “met” ingame, and then met in real life, hit it off, and are now married.

The fourth is the pure size and scope of the game. There’s always something new to do, somewhere new to explore, new people to meet, or on pvp servers, people to beat!  Playing the profession game can result in a Donald Trump empire, where you can corner the market of certain items, and then make twice as much in profit as you sell it off during the most demand. Collectors of special in-game items can opt to collect many different things - bottles of alcohol, flowers, jewelery, or my personal favorite, small pets that you can have following you around - cats, snakes, dragonings, mana wyrmlings, floating skulls, and so on.

There are so many more reasons, I could easily run into several pages just on those. The last I will mention, however, is more closely related to me, and my situation the last few years.  When I was told I couldn’t work, I went into a deep dark depression, even thinking about suicide at times. It’s been very important that I have some tethers to the world out there, so I don’t feel so isolated and alone.  Even though Susan and the kids are here every day, I still have the need to feel as if I were a part of a larger community of human beings.

I started playing games like World of Warcraft, back in 1998, in Ultima Online.  I’d formed a Guild (or player’s team, clan, club, etc) called Clan Red Hand…which is alive and well on 3  World of Warcraft servers.  Running the guild was good experience for when I worked my way up to junior executive level at IQ-L; if you can motivate people that have absolutely no reason to be helping you, and have them work together so that everyone succeeds, it’s a lot easier In Real Life (IRL) to motivate people who report to you.  It’s also a handy skillset for Project Managers, Process Managers, and various other positions where you have no direct influence.

My main character from that time, up until June of last year, was named Legin. He’s been a variety of types of explorer over the years, and has had his share of scraps and scars.  He was always a tall man or humanoid, with white hair and a knowing scowl on his face.  He served me well, and I had a lot of fun playing him through all of those challenges in all of the different games we’d played in.

Gillych and Auriane

My new character, however, I went for opposites wherever I could.  So, Voila, let me introduce to you:

Gillych

No, your eyes aren’t decieving you — that’s pink hair.  The well-dressed female warlock wants to shine like a star wherever she is.  So, that’s me; the bone juggler next to me is Susan’s Death Knight character.  I’m still working out her background, story, and all the fun little details you can work out to give your character a life of his or her own. Warlocks are essentially glass cannons, spreading pestilence, fear and terror wherever they go, laughing maniacally, feeding off of the stink and decay, stripping your flesh from your bones in one breath, stealing your soul for their own dark purposes.

Summoning and controlling Demons is one such use.  It takes an iron will and the discipine to keep a constant control over the Demon while ordering it to do your bidding.  Over time, a bond may form, and eventually a Soul Link may form, bonding Demon and Master forever after.

Aezola, Gillych's Demon Companion

And yes, there probably are a number of teenage boys that took the Warlock class just so they could control this “pet”. ;)  However, you can see the details the graphic artists put into the succubus model.  It’s that kind of attention to craftsmanship and poilsh that Blizzard brings to all their game, and made them a powerhouse in not only the video game industry, but the entertainment - motion picture, music, attraction, and so on - industry as well.  With more than 11.5 million subscribers, many of them celebrities.

You can visit the World of Warcraft website for a free trial - come see me (Gillych) on the Drak’Thanor server!

New Year’s Resolutions Update

I made a series of New Year’s Resolutions, and I intend to update on my progress at least once a month or so.  So, let’s take a look at the resolutions:

In 2009, I resolve to:

1. Become a better person - “me”, father, husband, community member - as best I can.
2. Get more involved in Ankylosing Spondylitis Survivor advocacy, fundraising, and raising public awareness.
3. Become as fit as possible. This will be difficult because of the pain factor, but losing a few pounds and moving around a bit will overall be better for me.
4. Quit smoking. I will use a nicotine patch, or maybe try the new losenges. In any case, I know I must quit smoking for all kinds of reasons
5. Complete Apple’s Final Cut Pro Certifications by the end of July, 2009.
6. Try and make a friend or two I can escape the house with, or at least have a meaningful conversation with in email or by phone a couple of times a week (more than “how’ve you been?”).
7. Take a proper family vacation in the summer of 2009.
8. Read at least 3 literary classics during 2009.
9. Write more on this blog, and other writing methods.

So, #1 is a constant effort, and #2 is moving very slowly.  Unfortunately, I have to wait on other people.

#3 Not progressing as I’d hoped.  Between nausea side effects from my medications, and pain still being a barrier, even when I add medical marijuana into the mix.

#4 We’re on day #27…been tempted a few times, and a quick puff on pipe tobacco (in a pipe, of course!), or from a Colt cigar, got me through the worst of it.  I used the patches for the first

#5 Still working away on it.  Have video of all of Cheyenne’s basketball games this season (she took her team’s first shot of the year in a game, and it also was the first 2 points of the team’s year :)) and that gives me something to work with besides the video provided with the self study courses.

#6 Can’t say I’m there yet.

#7 Working on this one — we’re looking at renting a cabin somewhere along to the Okanagan valley in British Columbia.

#8 I’ve started Tolstoy’s original version of War and Peace.  I’ve heard many jokes over the years about the size of this book, of course…and they do it justice, the tome is HUGE.  Tolstoy apparently would write and rewrite, write and rewrite again, until he was happy with his work — even after the original edition was published, he kept making notes and rewrites for the next printing.

#9 Well, I haven’t let a whole month go by between updates, that’s a start. :)  I’ve also been doing some writing in other places - forums, wiki’s, and so on.

So, I obviously can’t quit, but so far, I can safely pick out #1, #2, #4, #5, #7, #8 and #9 all right on track, with plans to work on #3.

So far, so good!

Soundbite Society

I’ve been tossing back and forth for a while now, what and how I want to write my first Opinion post.  The problem, as I see it is this — in todays “Soundbite Society”, most people are making their decisions based on 30 second or 1 minute TV News Broadcast stories, which mostly take on the editorial slant of the network broadcasting.  The same can be said for newsprint articles, but to a greater degree; in my area, we have two major newspapers, the Edmonton Journal, and the Edmonton Sun.  The Edmonton Journal, especially this decade, has more of a socially liberal slant, putting “stories” on the front page that are written by opinion Columnists (frankly, I wouldn’t have a problem with this, if these Columnists were presenting fact instead of their personal opinion), presenting it as “News”.  The Edmonton Sun, to a lesser extent, but still far “beyond the red line” of truly objective journalism, slants more socially conservative.  The same is obviously the case for such publications as Greenpeace’s newsletter and magazine, The Alberta Report (is that even still around?), Guns ‘N Ammo, PETA, the CBC, CTV, CNN, and other “news” networks, and so on…the only difference is the degree of slant each puts on their stories, and the “direction” the slant lays.  Online, it’s a nightmare, you need to consider several sources, and their own individual slants — Wikipedia, for instance, where political or human society issues come up, many of the articles are rewritten to fit whatever slant the “majority” of participants for any particular article decide it should be.

When it comes to a complex issue such as if or when we as a society and nation, should get involved in a military conflict, abortion, safe injection sites (all of which I hope to write separate posts on), and the like, however, is 30 seconds really enough?  Can anyone who’s given more than 2 seconds thought to this say “Yes”?

It’s been my observation (and I’m sure somewhere philosophers, anthropologists, psychologists, psychiatrists have written reams on the subject as well) that it’s human nature to “warm up” to or to positively identify with people who agree with us.  If they think the same way, they must be OK, right?  It’s a compliment to us as individuals, and our individual intellect, that someone else believes the same way we do.  In today’s age of “Instant Information” and 30 second sound bites, this becomes amplified, as we trust that the people who are presenting the news to us are being as objective as possible, and as complete as possible. Many of us believe that we can make mature, informed, and effective choices, based on these assumptions.

However, it doesn’t stop there — the habit we’ve been forming of making decisions on inaccurate, subjective, and woefully incomplete reporting in just a minute, extends outwards, to the people we associate with in work or social settings.  This habit also amplifies the inclination we have to pick out “pearls of wisdom” in conversations with other people — we make an instant decision based on a few phrases or a sentence someone says that is either in alignment with our beliefs, or against them.  How we then interact with those people - if at all after we decide that the other party’s opinion is that of an “unwashed heathen” - is comprised of our relationship with that person to that point.  If we have a lot of respect for them, and they agree with us, we have an increased respect and attachment (in whatever relationship it may be - work, friendship, lovers, enemies, neighbours, whatever); however, if we have a lot of respect for a person or source, and they disagree with us, then we may find ourselves examining our own opinions more closely.  In the case of a “first impression”, a disagreement will turn us away from that person, and an agreement more towards the person.

In any case, we take away an impression of the people we interact with, especially on highly emotionally charged issues, and bits and pieces of the conversation.  We then act according to this “impression”, and adjust the relationship accordingly.  Again, this is amplified by our “Soundbite Society” to extremes — we don’t hear (or even listen at all!) what people with different opinions have to say.  We do focus in on key ideas and phrases that align with our own opinions, or those against, and treat these people accordingly.

Here’s a relatively distant example — when Susan, the kids, and I returned from living in Costa Rica for almost 3 years in 2003, we were invited to go out for drinks with some old friends, at a downtown bar over what used to be a theatre (I can’t quite recall it’s name).  These are people I’ve known since I was 16 in most cases, 13 in one.  At this time, the United States invasion of Iraq had just begun, and virtually everyone threre was either planning to attend a “Peace Rally”, or supported those who did.  In the course of the evening, this topic wound up dominating the evening.  Two items in particular caused Susan and I some discomfort during the evening - one, I stated that while I didn’t agree with what Bush had done, “at least Hussein’s sons wouldn’t be dragging 13 and 14 year old girls off the street to torture and rape, and if they were lucky, released alive”.  Guess which phrase was focused on for the remainder of the evening, with the folks we were conversing with?  You bet — not the “I don’t support Bush” the “at least…” statement.  This was greeted with some pretty open sneers, derision, and frankly, disrespect that wouldn’t be tolerated if it were displayed towards wild animals.

(( As a sort of aside — frankly, the situation was probably aggravated by a couple of other facts with a few people in particular — one, I had not seen them since the funeral of a friend I loved like a brother, 5 years previous; that’s my own fault, I’ll admit, I have not dealt well with his death, even to this day. I will have to make a separate post on this someday, just to work it out for myself, maybe.  Two, in our “misspent youth”, I was definitely and completely anti-drug, and didn’t want to be around it at all.  Since then, as far as marijuana goes, I’ve learned that I fell for a ton of propaganda, and as a result of having it recommended in Costa Rica by a doctor for pain control of my Ankylosing Spondylitis — it took both Susan and the doc 3 months to convince me to give it a try — and when the Hydromorph Contin (8x stronger than morphine, 5x stronger than heroin, and at 48mg/day I still feel pain on good days, bad pain on bad days…have been off of it twice to gauge the pain response, and put right back on by the docs) and the other methods we put into place don’t work, even today I visit the compassion society and get a supply to get through the particular rough spots…to be completely honest about it, since November I’ve been on it quite regularly…again, that’s a whole other topic.  Before we went to the bar, I had asked if anyone could help hook me up here, as the compassion society had not been formed yet…one gentleman in particular displayed some pretty open hostility right at the begining of the evening, while putting a joint into my shirt pocket. Also, it’s important to mention that between the 8 to 10 or so other people attending, there were 1 or 2 that weren’t hostile or disrespectful. ))

The other, as Susan and I do try to understand differing opinions, or even degrees on similar opinions, was that one of the folks planning to attend the Peace Rallys was asked “Do you really think you’ll have any effect?” — to which, the answer was “No, but it makes me feel better to do SOMETHING about it”.  I can understand that, but since we had dared to ask that question as well, the disrespect, sneers, and derision, increased.

On the other hand, I have had the exact same conversations with two other people that I’ve known for about the same length of time.  During the conversations, I made the same statements, and we exchanged opinions, and the reasons behind them.  We’re still very close today, and we have a mutual respect for each others opinions, but I should point out that even then, the inclination to pick out “Sound Bites” was headed in the same direction.  I had to point out several times that “at least Hussein’s sons…” and “I don’t support what Bush is doing” are not, in fact, opposing statements, just the simple inclination to try and find positive in a very negative situation; like a lot of people, I have a soft spot for atrocities visited on minors.  Because we keep a mutual respect even when disagreeing (in one case, having argued Quebec separatism with her when we were much much younger, as her family had moved to Alberta from Quebec, we had developed a further respect for each others opinions anyway; having differing opinions does not necessarily preclude having a friendship with someone).

Although I am not a baptized or practicing Catholic, I attended Catholic Junior High, and Senior High School.  In Grade 11, I was fortunate enough to take a Sociology class with Father Wirtz.  He would often make statements like “As a Sociologist, I would say….but as a Priest, I would say…”.  During the course of the half-year with him, I learned what I feel is probably the most important lesson of my life — how to think for myself, inform myself on social issues, empathize with various viewpoints, and form my own conclusions, but being open to new information and viewpoints, which has resulted in a certain amount of flexibility in changing my own opinions based on these foundations.  If I had to pick one lesson only to give my children before they go out into the world, this would be it.

Instead of accepting individual statements or news reports (print, web, or video) at face value and forming my opinions on such limited and subjective information, I try to:

• Keep flexibility in my viewpoints, allowing for new information, viewpoints, and anecdotes from people directly involved, where possible.
• Keep an open mind, with an awareness that no matter the source, there is an objective slant to information I receive.
• Where an issue is important, do research to achieve the above.
• Ensure that a basic level of human respect is maintained in my dealings with anyone, no matter the situation.
• Realize that we live in an imperfect universe, where things are mostly out of our individual control, but that with some thought, those things we can affect are done in a responsible, effective, and humanly respectful way, and that acting on my beliefs within that imperfect universe will not always garner the results I am looking for, and that a reevaluation and perhaps compromise, may be required.

I believe that if I follow these basic points, I will make better decisions in my life and in my own opinions, values, and everyday life; especially as life itself is in constant flux, let alone the changes in society virtually from day to day, that a flexibility is required to my mindset if I want to be able to be the best I can be, do the best I can do for my immediate and extended family as well as friends, and the best citizen I can be.

Socially, I’m liberal, economically, I’m conservative; (for example: Funding of the Arts: I do not believe that we should be supporting art through taxation, but rather encourage individuals and corporations to make contributions to privately run Arts councils…my reasons, once again, are too numerous to go into here; one alternative I’m in favor of, is a line on my income tax return allowing me to donate a portion of my refund (or increase my payment) to a truly independent and objective Arts council, similar to the Media Surtax we pay now on blank media) a post on politics would just take this already long article, and double it, so I’ll get into that another time.  Because of the political situation this decade, this has given me many, many headaches when voting time comes around.  When it comes to that time, however, I’m usually fairly sure I’ve educated myself (read the candidates’ party platforms, party constitutions, and refreshed my memory of history of the parties during the last 5 or so years), and am making the best decision I can.  As a result of carrying this over to other opinions and values of my life, I’m also fairly confident that at any point in time, I’m making the best decision possible.  I hope more people start recognizing the issues around forming your opinion on a limited set of information (ie: TV, print, etc - the “Sound Bites”), and start thinking issues through…if we had more respect and free flow of ideas, resulting in more understanding of each other, I believe that the world would be a much better place.

Once I’ve arrived at an opinion or value, I will act appropriately.  For example, I’m a believer in Fair Trade, that work or products that are the same no matter the geographical location, should result in a fair and equitable wage for the workers, even to the point of paying a reasonable amount more for a product that is “Fair Trade”.  Case in point: Despite the aggravation caused to and by our neighbors, Susan and I paid our housekeeper more in line with North American wages, as well as let her have a 5-day week, without requiring her to “live-in”.  Same with the Costa Rican employees, and where an inequity was discovered between male and female counterparts (both Ticos — Costa Ricans call themselves that — and Canadians), corrected when I was placed into the executive management and could affect such change.  I’ve definately learned since that such is rarely appreciated by the recipients of the same (I have not heard from anyone in Costa Rica since I left the company and returned, and I have definately been let down by some Canadians I that were beneficiarys that I thought I could trust that were there, but now back here as well)…but I am satisfied knowing that I did the right thing, regardless, and don’t lose any sleep over these things.  Having lived in a “devleloping nation” for almost 3 years, and seeing the benefits to that nation when Free Trade is enacted fairly and in good faith (NAFTA is not one of these, but that’s another post that will take a lot of time to write!) between nations, and the further steps to Fair Trade…I believe that this is the future of Humanity.  Right now, money makes the world go ’round, but if we’re going to survive and evolve as a species, I believe that we must eradicate hunger, poverty, illiteracy, racism, sexism, human rights violations and so on…as long as we live in a monetary system where 80% of the resources are controlled by 20% of the population, I don’t believe we’ll move on to the more important issues.  However, I also recognize that I live in “the real world”, and this will probably not come to pass in my lifetime.

Note: The reason I started this blog is to be able to think and write out various ideas or issues in a place that is my own.  I will always maintain a basic level of human respect, no matter the disagreement in opinions; past that point, the respect I have for someone’s opinions will largely depend on how they have arrived at such a conclusion.  Feel free to contact me if you disagree with me, but do so with the same respect you’d show a co-worker or neighbour, please.  I am always open to considering different opinions, provided they are thoughtful, respectful, and formed more responsibly than “Sound Bites” from the news.

Support Group 2009 Home and Meeting Schedule

Well, now that everyone’s more-or-less back from holidays, this week’s been busy working on some of the Northern Alberta Spondyloarthritis Support Group items.  First and foremost, we have managed to book a reasonable place to hold the meetings, the Central Lions Senior Recreation Center, every Third Tuesday of the Month.

Northern Alberta Spondyloarthritis Support Group Meeting

New Year’s Resolutions

Well, they say publicly committing to a change, or changes, in your life or lifestyle, gives you more impetus to actually follow through. Usually, Susan and I each write 2 copies of our resolution list, fold them shut, and one copy goes into our wallet, the other into the fireplace to burn.

This year, I thought I’d do something different, and post my resolutions here - so that I have them written down, and that I’m making a commitment to work on them, and report my progress from time to time.

In 2009, I resolve to:

1. Become a better person - “me”, father, husband, community member - as best I can.
2. Get more involved in Ankylosing Spondylitis Survivor advocacy, fundraising, and raising public awareness.
3. Become as fit as possible. This will be difficult because of the pain factor, but losing a few pounds and moving around a bit will overall be better for me.
4. Quit smoking. I will use a nicotine patch, or maybe try the new losenges. In any case, I know I must quit smoking for all kinds of reasons
5. Complete Apple’s Final Cut Pro Certifications by the end of July, 2009.
6. Try and make a friend or two I can escape the house with, or at least have a meaningful conversation with in email or by phone a couple of times a week (more than “how’ve you been?”).
7. Take a proper family vacation in the summer of 2009.
8. Read at least 3 literary classics during 2009.
9. Write more on this blog, and other writing methods.

As best I can, I hope to keep my progress updated here on my blog.

I hope you all are enjoying the Holiday Season, and Happy New Year!

NASSG Update

The Northern Alberta Spondyloarthritis Support Group (NASSG) will be meeting at 7PM on Weds, Dec 17th, at the Jean Hamilton Conference Room, Community Services Building, Royal Alexandra Hospital.

A new website is being set up for this group at http://www.nassg.org.

Northern Alberta Spondyloarthritis Support Group

Well, it’s been almost 2 and a half months since the Patient Forum held at West Edmonton Mall.  With the help of the folks at the Arthritis Society and the Canadian Spondylitis Association, we now have a date and a place for our first Support Group Meeting.

We’ll be seeing how many people show up, who will have interest in continuing a support group, and who will be interested in volunteering to work in managing the group and it’s upcoming meetings.

As well, we’ll be looking to see if there is interest in creating an Alberta Chapter of the Canadian Spondylitis Association - in addition to the Support Group, this would give us an opportunity to participate in raising public awareness, fundraising activities, creating a website, and other activities by patients, for patients.

Anyone who wants to contact me regarding anything around this meeting, please don’t hesitate to!  I can be reached at kevin.shubert@gmail.com.