mark it zero

Once again CBC Radio 1 has given me a fairly important topic of discussion. This one has a very obvious knee jerk reaction response, and also a more in depth, thought provoking side of the debate. From what I have gathered from the radio broadcast a teacher at an Edmonton high school has been suspended indefinately for breaking the schools' grading policy which states that teachers are not to mark a zero for any incomplete or missing assignments. According to the schools' policy the instructor may only make a written comment of the missing work, and must grade the students for work that has been completed and handed in. Now of course this has created an uproar in the Edmonton area and also across Alberta. The phone calls and emails to the radio station pretty much echo one another. "Zero mark for zero work", "How will students be prepared for college/university if they get a free pass in high school". Noone has really looked at it from the schools point of view. The school says that a zero grade will only deplete the students' self esteem and give them no incentive to try harder. They also believe that the repeated missed assignments may be an indicator of a behavioral issue that cannot be beaten into submission by poor marks. This is the sort of outside the box thinking that many school districts are missing. Let me explain from my personal experience why I think a zero grade is just a way of the teacher saying "if you don't care, then I don't care" and why low high school grades may actually help some students choose a college education. Now I know there's a bit more to it than what I am going to cover here, but some crumbs must be left behind for chewing on later. Here's a few numbers as well. 30% of high school students in Alberta do not graduate, of the remaining 70% only 30% of those will carry on to post secondary education. So does it seem like the system is failing to you? Or am I alone on this one. To me it seems obvious that some of these kids are not getting the attention they deserve, given too many zero's over the years and they just don't give a shit anymore? Maybe a bunch of those kids have not had a single nutritious meal in the last month or two and they just can't think from the lack of brain food. Maybe they have drug or alcohol addiction in their lives and show signs of brilliance at times, but just aren't consistent in their work. When you start to open up the pages of this book and read between the lines a bit you begin to notice how deep the wound is. The system is hemmoraging and we are in the golden hour. I did ok in high school, but I worked evenings and weekends at a local restaurant so I would blow off the odd class here and their to go fishing or hang out with my girlfriend. My grades suffered and I dropped Math 12 for lack of interest. I did well in shop and physics, leadership and social studies. After graduation I felt as though I was missing some valuable courses so I enrolled in the local college and took biology and math, both of which I enjoyed and my marks were much better than what they would have been in high school, so for me those low marks I got in high school gave me the incentive to improve myself, I don't remember ever getting a zero though, low marks were enough to keep me interested without the feeling like I had been given up on. If there is a single correct answer to this debate we would have found it already. Teaching methods vary as much as learning ability and readiness. I agree that hard work deserves reward and nobody should get a free pass. I also believe we need to invest a little bit more thought into the system before we start telling kids that we don't care about the real reasons why they are having troubles getting their homework done. I know I have probably left out a few key points in this issue so feel free to give a little input into this story as it affects all of us. Thanks for reading and sharing!!!

find yourself

The last time I found myself on two wheels on a island named Hornby was 1994. Driven by a teenagers' sense of adventure and looking to get lost in a haze of girls, bikes, beer and hash. Mission accomplished, I was convinced I had lived the ultimate Hornby experience. Little did I know, some 18 years later I would revisit this island oasis, this time with a different outlook. A lot changes in 18 years, the once shoulder length haired, squinty eyed, stoner has blossomed into a somewhat responsible, SOBER, loving father of two amazing children, eyes wide open. My love for mountain biking is stronger now than it ever was in the '90's and what better place to find yourself than this remarkable island. But this time it wasn't about me, it was about us. I was so proud of my 4 1/2 year old son as he peddled his way over roots, sticks, rocks and calmy stopped and pulled over to the side to safely let the odd vehicle pass on by. The whole time his 10 year old sister leading the way on the 4 km ride from Tribune Bay to Whaling Station Bay. Our riding was cut short by a blackberry thorn that punctured Haileys' tire, so we got to experience the fine art of hitchin' back to the Co-Op! Luckily, we got a ride back to our truck in no time and the tube was replaced at the local bike shop (fantastic little store!). We had alot of fun in a short amount of time and I look forward to many more trips, hopefully mom can tag along with us next time. I would also love to get over there for a dedicated day or two of mountain biking, this time I want to remember a bit more than '94!

the truck story

Hello loyal readers! I have really been slacking on the blog lately, just haven't really been in the mood I suppose. Anyway things are going well. We decided to trade in our old 5th wheel and pick-up truck on a new truck, I am going to miss the trailer this summer, as I was anxiously waiting for the cold, grey winter to lift its' chilling grip and allow us to enjoy our wonderous habitat without first wrapping up with multiple layers of wool. We will still spend alot of time out and about, but may have to haul the big tent out of the closet and go back to roughing it for a couple camping trips this year. This should give us the motivation to pull out all of our old camping gear and decide what needs to be upgraged, and what needs to be tossed or recycled. I have restored our old 12' aluminum boat, it has a fresh coat of paint, new wood in the transom and I replaced the rotting plywood seats with some knotty pine that I clearcoated. I also replaced all of the rusted out bolts and screws. The boat looks looks much better and will get alot more enjoyable use in its' refurbished condition. So what about that new truck you ask? Well most of you might know that I am a pretty loyal GMC fan as three of my vehicles have been GMC, the other being a Chevy. For those of you that don't know my previous vehicles have been as follows, '86 GMC s15 Jimmy 4x4, '88 Chevy Scottsdale 3500 regular cab long box 4x4(i loved that one!), '98 GMC Sierra SL 1500 reg. cab short box 4x4 and a '91 GMC Sierra SLT 2500 ext cab short box 4x4. All of these vehicles served their purpose quite well and I must say they were mostly reliable for the crap that I put them through.This time around I decided to broaden my research base and gave the other manufacturers a look. I knew that with the higher payload and towing capacities out there in the half ton pick-up sector I no longer had to look at purchasing a three quarter or even a one ton. We can easily tow a new 23' travel trailer with any of the new light duty trucks and the HD models are a little more money than what I wanted to spend. I had already driven the new chevy, and the dodge, both trucks were comfortable but their options packages didn't really fit my needs and the salesman at the chev dealer was uncertain of the towing capacity of their truck. The new f 150 was a nice driving truck, with plenty of power and good numbers, except for the price tag, and it lacked a few important features, like a bed liner and the stock tires were crap. I knew some of the guys at the local Nissan dealer so I took a trip up there to see what they had to offer. I was on my way to the airport and didn't have much time so Brandon was quick to grab a D plate and introduced me to the Titan. The truck we took out that day was a 2012 Titan SV crew cab long box 4x4. I had been attracted to the Titans stocky stance and brawny design since they were first introduced in 2004, but never really saw myself ever driving one. This truck impessrd me right away. It had all of the features we need as a family and it handled very well for its' size. The test drive was short and sweet. A great truck, however not the one for us on that day. A month or so passed, Was this something we really needed to do? Well the old truck was almost at 300,000km, it had no modern safety features and the lack of rear doors was getting very frustrating for everyone. Yes, it was time. So, on another trip to the airport I stopped by Comox Valley Nissan to see what was on the lot, by this time I had already given their service department a trial run with our Honda Civic, just to see how they handled their customers and to get to know the staff. Turns out one of my high school buddies is still turnig wrenches in their shop! They met all of my expectations. This time Brandon had a used model to show me. This truck looked really nice, a 2011 Titan Pro-4X. It was also a crew cab model, but had almost every option. Power heated leather seats with red stiching and embroidered badging, and new BFG all-terrain tires, a Reese brake controller and tube steps. The stock 350 watt Rockford Fosgate 10 speaker stereo is awesome. This was the truck for our family. I have to thank the love of my life for doing all the paperwork and cleaning all of our gear out of our old truck and trailer while I was away at work. I was totally surprised when she texted me the news that it was ours. We took it done to Victoria for a day trip last week and it was an absolute pleasure. The kids don't even fight in it! I am looking forward to many new adventures in Titan, and will keep you posted as they happen!

my semi-paleo diet, and stuff

As I type, a snowstorm whisles outside my window. -21 windchill, three days ago it was +11. Alberta is a land of extremes this is certain. Anyhow, I haven't had a sandwich for over two months, no cookies, cereal, pastry (a couple pieces of birthday cake only), pasta, crackers, basically anything wheat based. Also very little refined sugar. I have not been pushing myself in the excersize department, just a few good mtb rides so far. I eat a large breakfast and a large dinner. Usually no lunch, as I don't really build up an appetite at work, just an apple and some nuts to keep the growlies at bay. I have lost 14 lbs in two months and I feel pretty darn good to boot. I no longer find myself craving food throughout the day, nor do I worry about portion control or counting calories. So, for now at least I shall stay the course on my semi-paleo diet, and will do my best to buy more locally grown foods, luckily the "Land of Plenty" has an abundance of selection.
Life has a funny way of keeping you humble if you pay attention the the cues, it seems when things have been going real good for a while, you will undoubtly lose someone or something near and dear to you, when this happens there is always a lesson to be learned. Things have been going well for myself of late and for that I am grateful. I owe alot of my new happiness to a very special man, he is my inspiration to live my life to the fullest and to love and care for my family and friends the best way that I can. Thank you, Grandpa. You will forever be in my heart.
So, what else is there? I really hope we all sit back once and a while and give thanks, I try to at least once a day, this world changes so fast it's easy to get caught up in the race...personally I'm in no hurry to get to the finish line.

good times, bad times

Well, it's days like today that re-affirm my love for the Comox Valley. It wasn't a nice lazy day, but a it wasn't to stessfull either. After my first sleep in my own bed in a couple weeks I was glad to be greated by a sunny, but frosty morning. After a confused few moments of half alertness I loaded the truck and proceded to drive to north on Hwy 19A to Courtenay. This is a good twenty minute drive and I was in dire need of a GOOD coffee. Luckily we have a terrific coffee roasting company in Royston (Royston Roasting Company) and they have recently opened a coffee shop. After a quick pit stop for a large Americano for myself and a homemade gingerbread man and an apple juice for my little buddy we were off to town to drop him off at his twice weekly pre-school. I parked at Lewis Park, took my bike out of the truck and walked Corb over to his pre-school. The sun felt great and frost was all but melted away. I hopped on my Giant Trance, and hit the road. Of course my tires were under-inflated for road riding so I cruised into Mountain City Cycle for some air, they noticed a bit of a squeak in my front disk brake so he put the bike on the stand adjusted this and that, checked out the drivetrain, aired up the tires and all with a smile and a few good trail recomendations. No charge. Lets see your car dealership do that. The downtown core really has everything you need in a few blocks, but is a nightmare to navigate in a vehicle. I made a few stops on fifth street, some hard times have come to many of the local shops and being forced to close out. I talked with three of the store owners and they all shared similar reasons for their new found misfortune, it all boils down to competition with the big box stores that have started to dominate our once quaint landscape. It's too bad because they all sell far superior products than the big box and their prices are typicaly at par and I always find at least one bargain when I shop the downtown core. Last Christmas I shopped exclusively local businesses and saved money and actually enjoyed my shopping experience. These people work hard to make you feel good and truly mean it when they say have a nice day. So next time you have a spare bit of time, use a big box store as a drop off point for your car or truck and walk or ride downtown. Re-discover shopping as it was meant to be and support your neighbour!

down to earth

Hi everyone! In the waning days of winter, at least on the south coast of BC, I really start looking forward to the promise of spring and a chance to enjoy a lazy afternoon overlooking the sea and the coast range. Recently I have gotten some frightening news about a family member that was in a major car accident. The details of which at the time I do not know much. I am aware however that he was the victim of a drunk driver. As a person that struggled with alcohol addiction for many years I understand the inability for a person to make sane decisions when they are intoxicated. I can only ask from the bottom of my heart for those of you who do consume alcohol to arrange for your transportation before you start drinking. I made the mistake way to many times of making it easy for myself to drive when I shouldn't have. How many times have you done the same? Alcohol is an extremely dangerous drug, disabling your ability to make rational decisions, while at the same time giving you a sense of immortality. Not a safe combination when you are behind the wheel. The only answer for some of us is to give it up all together. If you think you could be in this group don't worry, there's many of us out there that share alot of your fears and problems.

A new project?

Well there goes January! The closer we get to spring, the more I start thinking about and preparing for the bounty of outdoor activity that blooms with the season. I was listening to a program on good 'ol CBC radio the other day that had a topic that caught my attention, as many of the fine programs do on the CBC. This one stood out because the guests were outdoor types that had recently given up some of their sporting activities due to the dangers involved and or severe injury sustained during them. This got me thinking about a new system to help outdoor enthusiasts plan for the best and prepare for the worst. I need to do alot of work to advance my idea. I believe it will help reduce injury rates and also could aid search and rescue opperations. The best part is it is very low cost and the technology is extremly simple. I don't really want to talk about it much more until I have done some more research and shopped around my idea, in case it has already been done. Keep an eye on my blog for more news on this idea.
I need to check the long range forecast for the island, I may de-winterize the 5th wheel a little early this year to try some late winter rv'ing. Corbin has been bugging me since November for us to go to Comox Lake, but now he asks me almost every day. I would like to see how the old rig performs in the cooler months as well. I'm sure the furnace would keep it plenty warm, however the solar panel may not be able to keep up with the load on the batteries from the furnace fan. The great thing about the lake is it's only 20 minutes away from home, so if worst comes to worst we can always pack up and be infront of a glowing warm woodstove within an hour. Hopefully we get an early spring, we can only wait for the groundhogs to pop up tomorrow, they seem to have a pretty good hold on the weather forecast. Hmm, suddenly I have a craving for campfire roasted meat on a stick.