A Season of Giving

Last night I changed the oil and filter on my bike, cleaned it up and took the cover out for it. That really signified the beginning of winter for me.


Another good indicator of the changing of the seasons for me, is the fund raising that seems to kick into high gear.

Our neighborhood is extensively full of young families and with that comes the weekly door knock and ring. Work is also a large source for fund raising events and last but certainly not least is the Kwoon.

It would be easy to become annoyed and jaded by everyone looking for something off you but I think a person needs to keep their perspective in check.

Most of us are lucky enough to live in a comfortable lifestyle with extras on the side. we plan our personal goals to include things we want such as education, physical health, vacations, personal improvement and consumer goods. All this is generally done with an abstract or hardline budget in mind(time and money that is). This list should include giving back, both financially and of your own time, as applicable, as each of our own lives will allow.

I try to think ahead, plan for a certain amount of money each year and/or month that I will donate and to whom. A cross section of locally and globally. When I have reached my limit I graciously and politely let the other individuals fund raising know they are on my list but it will have to be next time.

Lastly, I budget my own time to volunteer. When I volunteer I treat it like a job that I am paid to do. Volunteer means you can keep a commitment and represent the activity with passion(conveniently this ties in with personal self-improvement).

So, yeah, I can't give to everything out there but I can give of myself to the best of my ability,... its a matter of commitment and forethought, kind of like everything else we strive to do in our lives to improve who we are and make a difference.



JC Masterson, Silent River Kung Fu, Alberta, Canada

Mental Wellness

This does not run in line with mental awareness but it is just coincidence that the topic is on the table and I have a sideline story.

We went to visit some of my in-laws last weekend. My brother-in-law is usually a happy up beat fellow but for the past year and half he has been dealing with terrible stomach issues. After a battery of tests including ruling out cancer the doctor has been prescribing different medications over and over again.
In a nut shell, it has gone like this..."try this, it takes about six weeks for your body to adjust".
That didn't work so its a combination of some other drug with the same results.
When we were visiting he was on yet another type of drug but only 3 weeks into the dosage so no change yet, however, what has changed is the anti-depressants he is now on. Why??
Well, simply put, the mans spirit is dwindling away. He is tired of feeling sick all the time, tired of feeling like a human guinea pig and frustrated with the system. He has no lust for life right now and I can say he is a different man.
I am not a doctor but something seems wrong with this situation.
Why is the answer to bandaid the problem when to me the root cause is so obvious.
Is this just a prescriptive society . The answer is drugs, more drugs because we don't have the time to deal with the human being.
Perhaps with every diagnosis procedure it should be mandatory to include orientation to the medical system and counselling to assist people with stress brought on by health issues.

JC Masterson, Silent River Kung Fu, Alberta, Canada

Ottawa

Last weekend my husband and four year old son flew to Ottawa and I met them for a compact 2 day tourist adventure of the Capital of the country.(its Ottawa, not Toronto...right??:)

All in all it went well.

We started with a trip to the nature museum to fulfill our need to see Dinosaurs, spent the afternoon at Parliament Hill, an hour and half double decker bus tour which included a glimpse of Steve's place then swimming in the evening. The Sunday was spent at the Museum of Civilization(very interesting if you want to know about Canadian history and politics which I might add is not very old relatively speaking), then a drop off at the airport.

It was a jam packed visit but the weather was perfect and the highlight was actually Parliament Hill. I did not realize how big the grounds were. It is kind of cool to watch the public frolic on the democratic symbol of Canada. There was definite RCMP presence for security purposes, however, you were free to roam about , have wedding pictures taken or just play frisbee on the lawn. Symbolically it gave you a sense of democracy, freedom and peace which I think is important.

The visit to Parliament Hill was a way of putting a face to a name, if you will. I would call myself a novice when politics are concerned but this visit in conjunction with my new government position has sparked a new interest and a feeling of obligation to not only understand politics but be actively involved.

JC Masterson, Silent River Kung Fu, Alberta, Canada

Duty of Care

We had a lawyer from the Department of Justice put us through the paces this week. All in all it was actually quite interesting. He mostly spoke to us about duty of care in regards to Transport Canada and public safety regarding aviation. Good stuff!(really!)

Here's something I didn't know and was a little stunned to learn about.

As a general statement ...a person walking down the street who may see another injured or in distress is not compelled to a duty of care. Meaning you have no obligation to help someone. Funny thing is, I have seen it too often already when walking downtown.

The general rule is to step over the guy passed out on the sidewalk. Assuming that he is drunk and passed out, nobody seems to stop and make sure the guy isn't dead or near dead. I had too, just for peace of mind.

Anyways, the lawyer pointed out there is no duty of care in regard to one human being to another in a non relationship(professional or family).

Apparently some states and Quebec have a duty to rescue , specifically with children involved but as far as strangers mingling amongst each other in the city...no duty of care exists.

Its a glass half full or half empty the way I look at it. Perhaps we don't need to legislate goodwill to one another it will take care of itself...I hope.

JC Masterson, Silent River Kung Fu, Alberta, Canada

Routine has become Routine

I am sitting in the computer cafe of the Nav Canada Training Institute in Cornwall, Ontario.
Wow...just saying that sounds like its boring..(actually, it kind of is!?)
Its like I put everything in neutral.
The days are full of lectures, discussions and too many coffee breaks. We finish at 15:30 hours( we have to talk military talk here). There is lots of spare time.
This is actually a treat and a blessing. Along with all the food you can eat it has an awesome workout center.
Training is not a problem...unfortunately eating all you can eat is too accessible as well.

I have had time to think about my routine and realized its been so routine that it hasn't been a problem.
Alas!! this is the problem.
I have plateaued... I need challenge.
I am hoping in the next two weeks to reevaluate my goals, my fitness level and set some new parameters.
I already know I am having a slump in the cardio and conditioning area. I think intensity training will be on the menu.

Its interesting, I used to think once I had a routine set up and established it would be just a matter of doing it , granted a few changes here and there but none the less established, like brushing your teeth. Now I find it ,my training routine, that is, has become boring.
These couple of weeks should give me the opportunity to asses, plan and then act.

I'll either come back home really pumped...or really fat!

JC Masterson, Silent River Kung Fu, Alberta , Canada

P.S. I am unable to post on the UBBT site from here...I will update later.

Leave the Battles for the Younger Guys now.

I was speaking with my former boss last week and we were reminiscing about times gone by and the changing work force. It was a pleasant conversation but something he said struck me.
He is working for a very large corporate company now and enjoys it, however he admits he recognizes many flaws but feels he is too old to deal with it. Basically he said after the age of 50 he is trying to slow down, "leave the battles for the younger guys now".
On one hand I understand where hes coming from but for me it seems all wrong.
I think as long as you are breathing you should never lay down your guns. Drag them if you have to! (Metaphorically speaking of course).
He is not alone in his position, I know plenty of other 50+ individuals whom have the same ideologies. Slow down, relax, take the retirement job...don't rock the boat and collect your check.
Problem is, if you have the "not my problem" attitude at work it can only creep into the rest of your existence, choosing to care and put quality into what you do only when it suites you or its convenient.
Thankfully, I know just as many other 50+ individuals who are the exact opposite.
Tenacious in their work ethic, always looking to improve themselves and in good physical shape on top of everything else.
They are my mentors.

On a somewhat related note...I am in the middle of a training course, I have been learning about the judicial system and how it relates to aviation. I am off to Cornwall, Ontario next week for the second half of the course. It is all very new learning about civil and criminal law in relation to aviation, pretty interesting stuff...OK , maybe not that interesting nobody gets put in an arm bar!

I am glad to be learning something new and quite excited about challenging myself...this is what keeps you young.

JC Masterson, Silent River Kung Fu, Alberta, Canada

Can I keep him in a Bubble?

My little guy starts kindergarten tomorrow.

You would think it is me going to school for the first time and not him. I am both excited for him and nervous. There is the usual hopes that he makes new friends and enjoys the learning experience. It is a monumental point in ones life whether you remember it or not.

I suppose I could be overprotective but I am already worried about "Bullying". Both the thoughts of him suffering from it or worse he starts to develop into a bully send me into a frantic,loss of control panic.

I recall how prevalent it was when I was in school and how it was ignored by most of the grown ups. If a student complained, you were a "tattle tale", teased even more, told to play elsewhere, etc. I think the views of the time were "bullying " was a fact of life and it built character.

That is simply garbage.

The effects of "bullying" unchecked are life lasting for both the victim and the perpetrator. I think the younger it starts the more profound effect it has on the individual.

As a small human being developing character, self esteem, self worth and good morale fiber this all begins with their first interactions. Guidance is imperative, first from the parents, caregivers, teachers...it does take a village to raise a child.

I don't know why but I am always very interested in human character that goes off the rails. How much of it began at a young age...can you blame genetics... I suppose to a certain point, however, I think as "grown ups" we play an enormous part in the development of youth today, not just our own but all in our community. The neighbors kids, the teenager who plays his drums across the street, the babysitter with too many body piercings, the little girl on the tricycle that asks too many questions, the nervous kid student driver whose taking too long to turn, all of them, everywhere.

The point is, each day I have an opportunity to interact with the future and influence in my own way, whether with words or by example but I first have to be aware, take the time and care.

Too often, we are on the go, too busy to take the time or probably more accurately, we are so preoccupied with the buzzing in our own heads we have become oblivious to whats happening in front of us.

Something as simple as "bullying" (and it is simple if you think about it) could easily be eradicated if we, all of us grown ups, just took the time to watch, listen and act.

All for now, from an excited but slightly panicked parent.

JC Masterson, Silent River Kung Fu, Alberta, Canada