Motivation

A teacher once told me that she felt anyone could succeed.  She even had a quote posted on the wall of her classroom.  SUCCESS COMES IN CANS NOT CANT'S.  It was one of the drivers for me to keep attempting to push through a system that had little interest in people with disabilities and they're academic well being.  Though officially I never graduated high school I did make it to the 11th grade, in the Quebec system. 

Eventually I went on to study at Mohawk College in Hamilton, I trained to be a Radio Broadcaster and was actually able to find limited work in the field.  This after being told that I was not employable and in one interview referred to as told and blind by a program director.  4 months later I was working for CBC in the national news recording room as a Group 4 Radio Tech and for the summer of 1994 was the lead tech on the day shift during the week for the hourly news cast.  FYI radio techs are the people who operate the soundboards at CBC.  In 95 I created and produced Aware a show about people with disabilities and the issues surrounding the disabled at CFMU in Hamilton Ontario with a grant from the provincial government that paid my salary.

Recently, 2 years ago, I took a course and trained to be a Medical Secretary and though I have not taken a post in the filed I can say it was interesting to learn.  My career success to date has been in of all things call centres, a field I really have no interest in at all.  Funny how life works.

Some of the other success points for me have included winning a bowling tournament, beating some of the very best in the local scene in Montreal as a pre teen.  Serving in the Army Cadet Corps and winning the first every Green Star most improved Cadet Award, a giant boot on a trophy base.  The award has been renamed but is still handed out to this day.  And, yes my name is still on it.  I have also won numerous radio sport contests as a ham radio operator.  And, in my career have also been given praise and reward for success on the job.

And, here is the interesting part I was tested before being mainstreamed into regular school and was pretty much told I had the capacity of a grade 4 student and at best could expect to do nothing more than learn how to MOP A FLOOR after going to a "trade school".  Most blind and visually impaired persons do not not work and have low to almost no education.  The unemployment rate is staggering for people with a disability in Canada and in particular for the blind and low visioned. 

Fail yes I have, but more often than not I have won the battle.

Now for the post.  If you have ever felt like a failure take a look at this interesting trailer for a company doing motivational videos on Youtube.  It's really astounding to see what people have had to face and how these very famous people showed they're detractors up big time.

C. T.

JE SUIS PARIS

In Memory and solidarity with the victims of the attacks in Paris France.

World's Largest Hockey Stick & Puck

It's only natural to associate hockey with Canada.  Canadians love the sport and follow it with a passion that is incredible, to say the least.

So it is only natural that the sport would have an homage paid to it in a big way.  The world's largest stick and puck is located in Duncan B.C.  I have the link to the directions for anyone who wants to go and see it.

To give you an idea of the size of this thing here is a picture of it.

Imagine what it looks like close up.  Here is the link to the address.  http://www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/8404

Happy thanksgiving and happy surfing.

Cliff T.

The Smallest Radio Station in Canada

Years ago I worked in community radio.  I had the opportunity to work on air at CFMU and also CHMR before it became CIOI or as it is now known, the Hawk 101.5 in Hamilton.  But, from what I hear there is a station that is even more shall way say local community oriented.

Calling itself the smallest radio station in Canada at 92.1 FM CJAI boasts a mere 250w signal.  The station serves the West Kingston Ontario region out of Amherst Island, it is also heard in Picton and Napanee.  And it's all volunteer run.  Pretty cool.

Even cooler or is it more like moooler is the fact that the studios are located in an old milk house, yes that is a barn.  A throwback to days when stations in Canada were housed in such places like this and in houses.  Yes houses, I know as I visited one while looking for work in radio, eh when I had more hair :).  That is a story for another time.    

Check the station out on the web at http://www.cjai.ca

Chain Reaction Gets a Face lift

Today I am feeling kind of lazy, ya, just want to play a game.  So I searched around and found an new take on an old game.  Remember chain reaction?  The idea behind the game was to cause balls to blow up and any others near them to do the same.  The result a chain reaction, the bigger the reaction the more points you got.

Well the game has grown up so to speak, now the advanced version is out.  Not bad if i do say so myself.  I will admit this is just a time waster.  That said sometimes it is nice to blow an hour or two on doing nothing online.  So indulge if you can.

The site is at http://www.yvoschaap.com/chainrxnadvanced

 Below is a screenshot of the the game in play.

Fine dining in Hamilton? Yes at Radius!

Fine dining in Hamilton, yes believe it or not you can actually have a great food experience in Hamilton.  I know so as I was very pleased to come across a great restaurant called Radius.

Located at 151 James St South in Hamilton the restaurant features a menu with a very interesting selection of foods.

Starters include Fish Cakes and Goat Cheese Rolls.  For lunch they have a Mac & Cheese dish that my wife loved.  I had a steak with a lemon spread on it really interesting I think it's called Steak Frites,   I loved it. 

Want to see more for yourself, head to radius.ca and poke around.  If you are in Hamilton stroll over and try the food.  I think you may find yourself saying I am coming back again soon.

Cliff T.

The Anne Murray Centre

I will admit I am not a fan of Anne Murray, but I do think she represents Canada.  To her credit Miss Murray has gained a certain shall we say fame.  She has showcased the music of Nova Scotia to the world.  Springfield, the town she is from hosts the centre named after her.  Of course that would be the Anne Murray Centre.

The idea was to stimulate the economy of the town, as well as to showcase Anne and her music as well as her life.  The museum that bears her name is run as a not for profit with all the money they get goes to upkeep of the centre and the employment of those working in it.



C.T.

The Blog of Unnecessary Quotation Marks

Ha ha, this is a funny blog I found, though I do not think that it's intended to be funny, then again maybe it is.  Quotation marks are used daily by people around the world, but they are not always used correctly. 

Straight up the blog of Unnecessary Quotation Marks highlights the misuses of quotation marks.  The blog has been online since 2005 and has hundreds of examples of the use or misuse of quotation marks.  Brilliant and unique I liked it the moment I logged on to the site.


Check them out at http://www.unnecessaryquotes.com.

By the way I have changed things up a little Mixed nuts will now feature other interesting places besides Montreal, as I have moved from the city.  See ya again soon.


Cliff T.