Yes, I'm Still Golfing

 Sunday, November 08/20

So I got a message asking if I was still golfing as I haven't mentioned it lately and the answer is a resounding yes.

While it is true that I haven't mentioned golf in many of my posts lately it's also true that I haven't posted that many blog entries the past couple of months, but rest assured that I have been partaking of my one true vice.

My free time is split doing several activities depending on the season.

There are two things I do as much as I can regardless of the season: spend time with my family, especially my grandson and grandaughter as both of them refuse to stop growing, and read, like read every single day.

Spring, summer, and fall are all golf seasons for me and I was playing 2-3 times per week up until October 24th when the weather turned cold and I made the decision to put the sticks away for the season. Of course, Mother Nature has decided to tempt me with some warm weather once again but the bag has stayed in the basement, for now, lol

It was an interesting season as I did my usual series of lessons at Kevin Haime to work on my slice and wedge yips, seeing improvement in both areas but still have more to do get things right.

I added a new driver to the bag, well a new used driver, in the form of a Callaway Great Big Bertha Diablo in 9.5-degree loft, it caught my eye while walking around Golftown and I couldn't resist it at only $50. When I'm hitting well I've managed to average about 240 yards off the tee. Now I bought it because it is the same model as my 4 Hybrid that I love to the moon and back, so much that I added a 3 Hybrid from the GBB family to my bag. My go-to is still that 4 Hybrid when my round is feeling a bit shaky.

I've been playing Ping G30 irons since the fall of 2014, a gift from Corrina that went far and beyond anything I ever expected, and thought those would be my last new set of irons, at least until this year when I started flirting with the thought of getting the Callaway Great Big Bertha B21's next season. They only came out in September so it didn't make sense to buy them and only get a month of play before I had to put them away. Interestingly, the set comes with a 4 & 5 Hybrid instead of 4 & 5 irons.

If I go with the new irons in the spring I'll probably add the GBB B21 driver as well since it is supposed to help combat a slice, my ongoing nemesis these days. All in all, I'm looking at about $1,800 for the new set up and something I'm banking my overtime to pay for when the time comes.

Because of the pandemic I really only golfed at my home course this year, Stittsville Golf Club, and did one round at The Marshes with a friend from work. Usually, I'd have split my rounds between a rotation of Stittsville, Smiths Falls, Pakenham, Sandpoint, and The Mississippi but my usual playing partner was a no show this season and never gave me any reason for not golfing so I decided to just stay close to home, plus since I know most of the staff on a first-name basis made it easier to book last-minute rounds.

Golf is my form of yoga. It relaxes me and lets me use the time spent walking around the course as a form of meditation, thinking about things I need to get done, and also just letting the stress of working so damn much fall off my shoulders, good shot or bad shot, doesn't matter as all leave me feeling more content with my life.

I had two close calls with notching my first hole in one this season, the first in July on the 132-yard par 3 8th at Stittsville and the second last month on the 188 yard 1st at the same course. I did manage birdies on both holes but man that ace would have felt so good.

The only way my golf game could be better is if I get lucky and meet someone who loves the game as much as I do and we could play some rounds together, my ultimate dream partner :-)

So to answer the question, yes I'm still golfing and it was even more part of my life this past summer as it got me out of the house and helped lessen some of the stress from working 55+ hour weeks for most of the pandemic.

My name is Marcus and I've not given up on finding love, experiencing my last first kiss, or hitting a pure 8 iron from 135 yards to within 3 feet of the pin. All three are possible and I keep my fingers crossed I'm successful at each this coming year. It could happen!

Want to chat about golf, dating, music, books, or just about anything else under the sun? hit me up at ooasm2018@gmail.com and I promise to respond.

America, Can Someone Please Explain to Me.......

 Saturday, November 07/20

America, can someone please explain to me.....

How the presidential election results were not confirmed until today, four full days after the nation took to the polls to democratically elect a leader?

How is it that someone who:

• Started off his presidency by flat out lying about the turnout, vastly overstating the numbers, for his inauguration back in 2017;
• Told the world he was going to build a wall between the United States and Mexico and expect Mexico to pay for the said wall;
• Implemented an immigration policy that literally tore children away from their parents and, at last count, managed to lose the parents of almost 500 kids in the system to such an extent that they can't guarantee the ability to reunite these children with either a mother or father;
• Surrounded himself with family members who were completely unqualified to advise him with anything remotely resembling expertise - Yes, I'm referring to Ivanka, Jared, Donnie Jr, Eric, and the spouses and girlfriends to Donnie Jr. & Eric;
• Shut down the National Security Council directorate at the White House charged with preparing for when, not if, another pandemic would hit the United States in 2018;
• Claim the economy was roaring based solely on the rise of the Dow and S&P Indexes without ever realizing that a rising stock market does not impact citizens equally, that in fact, literally tens of millions of Americans don't earn enough to partake of the stock market;
• Claimed the previous president spent far too many days away from the White House golfing to end up actually playing more rounds of golf in his first two years in office than Obama did in his eight years;
• Argued the prior administration left his administration with empty cupboards in regards to PPE to use in battling the Covid19 pandemic when his team had over 3 years to rectify any shortfalls, if there were any to even begin with, so crying foul seems a little disingenuous to this blogger;
• Was the most racist president bar none to reside in the White House in the last 100 years;
• Claimed there were good people on both sides of a riot in Virginia protesting statues and buildings honoring Confederate leaders - how does being a racist make you a good person?;
• Defended the actions of 17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse who drove from Antioch Illinois to Kenosha Wisconsin to exercise his right to bear arms, his attorneys' words, in the aftermath of the Jacob Blake shooting. Now for those of you not familiar with the geography of the midwest, that means our little hero drove across the state border to a community in which he had no legal claim;
• Ordered the use of federal officers from various departments to deploy to Portland, Oregon and use tactics reminiscent of the KGB in Moscow to snatch people off the streets if they thought they might be persons of interest to the ongoing civil unrest;
• Suggested he would be sending these federal officers to other cities if they did not get control over the people protesting, usually referring to them derisively as democratic cities, conveniently forgetting that few if any cities are 100% of any one particular political party.
• Ignored the civil unrest generated by the rash of police killings of black men over the span of several months, not once making a statement to try and reassure the people that he understood how they felt and would put the full might of the U.S. government behind finding out the causes, punishing the wrongdoers, and putting into play steps to make sure these kinds of things didn't happen again;
• Used his personal toady U.S. Attorney General William Barr to clear out lawfully protesting individuals in front of the White House so he could have a photo opportunity of himself holding a bible in front of St. John's Episcopal Church;
• Offering up non-medically proven treatments for Covid19, like taking an anti-malarial drug that was untested or even sanctioned by the FDA;
• Argued that if we just quit testing people for Covid19 we would see a decline in the number of reported cases - just because you don't test doesn't mean people aren't still getting sick, his analogy is like saying if I take the speedometer out of my car it'll mean I'm not going over the stated speed limit if I floor the gas pedal;
• Placed his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, in charge of the White House Covid19 response task force, after arguing there was no pandemic, claiming it was caused by China in an attempt to destabilize the world. I'm still trying to understand how old JK was qualified to head such a critical task force given he has literally no background in infectious diseases or managing a supply chain for a pandemic;
• Claimed that his own recovery from a bout of Covid19 made him an expert in the disease and how to beat it, never mind his unconscionable action of dragging part of his secret service detail into a closed vehicle so he could drive around maskless and wave at his delusional fans;
• Mocked veterans as losers, refusing to visit a military Cemetary in France to honor marines killed in WWI because they were suckers for getting killed and laying the blame on the secret service, saying they nixed it due to poor weather for a helicopter sortie, ever hear of a thing called the car Donnie?
• And last but not least, did nothing while over 225,000 of his citizens died from the Covid19 pandemic, well he did claim it was a hoax, created by the media and left to frighten people away from voting for him. I think what frightened a lot of people away Donnie was the pictures of refrigerated trailers with corpses stacked inside from the people who were killed by your ineptitude. 

Explain to me how over 65+ million of you voted for this man?

I can honestly say that waking up Wednesday morning to see the election was still in doubt left me speechless, dumbfounded, angry, and dismayed.

America is supposed to stand for what is right in the world, to be a shining beacon of hope, held to a higher standard than the rest of the world.

Joe Biden has his work cut out for him in healing the wounds and rift generated by Donald Trump over the last four years, but I pray he succeeds for the alternative does not bear thinking.

Now before anyone accuses me of being a left-leaning socialist democrat, know this, I have been and continue to be a conservative, but I'm also a person who doesn't just blindly follow any idealogy, no, I ask questions and if the answers don't make sense or leave me with a feeling of unease, then I vote my conscience and not my party affiliation.

My name is Marcus and while this blog isn't really about being a single man, it still stands to be published as my goal has been, and shall continue to be, to get people to think about things.

Agree or disagree with me, I'm still willing to listen to you with an open mind and clear heart, so reach out to me at ooasm2018@gmail.com and let's have an honest discussion.

Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man

 Friday, November 06/20

I came across a YouTube video on Thursday called "A Conversation with the Police - Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man" and upon the conclusion, I immediately subscribed to the channel run by Emmanuel Acho as it struck a chord deep within me.

The link to the video is right here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pM-HpZQWKT4

There was no finger-pointing or name-calling, but there was simple dialogue that raised some thought-provoking points on how we as a society view one another, from both sides of the colour spectrum.

I highly recommend you take a few moments to watch some of the videos on Emmanuel's channel and see if they don't make you stand back and rethink how you've been seeing things around you.

I just finished the episode on inter-racial couples and was blown away at how both couples had similar approaches to dealing with the attitudes they face from people around them to family and friends.

The link to this video is right here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONTXrsvenUY

I'm not going to stand on my soapbox and spew out a diatribe on how we all need to get along and that colour doesn't matter because unfortunately in this day and age the colour of a person's skin does matter to some of those around us. I can't change peoples minds but what I can do is distance myself from them when they show me who they really are as a person.

My name is Marcus and I try to make each day better than the previous day through my thoughts and actions, I strive to understand the situation around me and what I might be able to do to improve it. I challenge you to do the same.

Thoughts, questions, and viewpoints are always welcome - hit me up at ooasm2018@gmail.com and let's have a conversation

 

One Question From The Debate Made Me Stop & Wonder

 Sunday, October 25/20

So being in Canada and not having cable television makes it a bit harder to keep up on things around the U.S. but I do my best to read as many stories and articles as possible.

Now before anyone gets the wrong idea, Yes, we have cable in Canada, I just chose to get rid of it last year when I realized that neither my son nor I have been watching it all that much. I do subscribe to Netflix, Amazon Prime, and DAZN so my watching needs are more than met with those choices.

What I do miss is watching golf, seeing some of the news stories, or special events, like the presidential debates. Yes, we do pay attention to those as it tells us a lot about the people who might have an influence on our lives.

One thing that I did read was the question posed by moderator Kristen Walker around "The Talk" that black parents have to have with their children and the responses by the two candidates. I don't want to get into those two much other than to say one candidate skirted the question like he does with every one centered around race and the other candidate tried to answer but in all honesty, wasn't as strong as I'd hoped.

So if you missed the debate and the question you might be asking just what is the talk?

It is one I'll likely never have to have with my son or even my grandson.

Why is that? Because they are both white and aren't likely to ever have to face the hostility and discrimination that most blacks face day-to-day.

My son won't have to worry about a traffic stop that might result in his being arrested, beaten, or even killed for saying the wrong thing or giving someone a look that they don't like.

My son doesn't have to worry if authorities are going to be called on him when he is shopping and finds store employees following him around thinking he is going to try and steal things.

My son can go into a bank and use his debit card to withdraw money without having to be worried that someone will doubt the card actually belongs to him.

My son can be out with friends at 2 AM and not have to worry that people will view him as some kind of gang banger looking to get into trouble.

My son can go into a restaurant and not have the wait staff keep an eye on him thinking he's going to dine and dash.

The talk is about how a young black person has to act when they leave the boundaries of their homes so they stand a good chance of coming back to it the same day.

I'll admit that the whole "Black Lives Matter" slogan initially made me angry as I looked at it from my own point of view, a white person who has never had to face the daily struggles that some of my friends have had to face growing up.

Black Lives Matter doesn't mean that a black person's life matters more than a white person or law enforcement officers.

No, I believe it means that we should value that life the same way we value our own lives.

Try and imagine the emotional toll you'd feel if every single time your child left home and you had to worry about who they might cross paths with that could end up with them being arrested, beaten, or killed.

What would be the public outcry if whites were killed in the same numbers and manner as black men have been killed and the person behind the knee, baton, or gun was a black police officer??

Pretty sure we'd see the same kind of demonstrations and the media would be inflamed and demanding answers, unlikely to let it go until some action had been taken.

I'm not standing on my soapbox to say all police officers are bad, as that is just statistically impossible, No, what I'm saying is that a disproportionate number of times the person on the receiving end is one of colour and the one dishing it out is a caucasian. That is what needs to be addressed and a solution found that would eliminate the fear a black parent has when they watch their kids leave home.

I've tried to stay out of the mess that is the current political landscape in the United States but was reminded of a saying by Edmund Burke recently that I feel stands the test of time when thinking of the situation down to the south of me.......

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”― Edmund Burke (in a letter addressed to Thomas Mercer). Published in 1770

These are those times when good men and women need to stand up and let voices be heard loud and clear - we've had enough and it is time for a change.

I will say this......I've been more conservative in my political leanings but would not be caught dead voting for Donald Trump, I could not be paid enough to cast a ballot for that man.

I am a white, middle-class, middle-aged male and though I fall in his prime demographic target market could absolutely say with 100% conviction that his box would never be marked on my ballot. I have more pride in myself than to give that despicable excuse for a human any kind of support.

When a sitting president refers to cities as either democratic or republican and doles out financial assistance based on that classification he loses the right to govern. You are the president of the entire country you fucking horrible excuse for a human being.

When you fail to pay respects to a civil rights pioneer whose body is resting in state in the rotunda of Congress and when asked about it reply "He didn't come to my inauguration so why should I waste my time walking past his casket" you are showing everyone around you that you are nothing more than a petulant child who wants to take his toys and go home.

So here is a piece of advice - pack your bags as come November 3rd the people will show you just how despised you are and vote you out of office.

I look forward to 2021, not just for the hope that we can get past the Covid19 pandemic but also for the headlines that you and the gaggle of sycophants you surround yourself with will face as you end up under scrutiny for crimes committed while in office, and the fall of the Trump Organization as the world turns its collective back on you.

My name is Marcus and I approve this message.

Happy Canada Day!!

Wednesday, July 01/20

Just want to take a quick moment to wish all my fellow Canadians a Happy Canada Day and celebrate the awesomeness that is our great country.

If you have any doubts about that last part just think about the mess our neighbors to the south have to deal with on a daily basis and you'll probably agree with me.

We aren't perfect by a long shot but we don't pretend to be either, unlike some idiot I can name whose initials just might be DJT lol

But enough about that subject..........

Today is about our national birthday and doing our best to enhance and grow the society in which we live.

With the weather looking so nice I'll be getting in a round of golf, what else did you expect from me, and then visiting my daughter and her family to watch some fireworks tonight.

I hope you have a relaxing and enjoyable day as well :-)

Marcus

One Most Awesome Day

Friday, May 15/20

I was awakened this morning at 7:18 am with a text notification from Carleton University that made me simultaneously smile and tear up.

What did the notification say?

I've got the Carleton University app on my phone as does my ex as our son has been attending the school for the last 3 years in pursuit of his Bachelor of Arts degree.

When professors post grades the app sends you a notification and you can log in and see which course posted a new grade. So far over the past week or so we've gotten four such notifications and were waiting on his last professor to post to his mark.

Today was that day as he earned his final mark as a student and became an official university graduate!!!!

To call me a proud father would be putting it mildly.

Education has always played an important part of my life and I've tried my best to pass that along to my children, successfully so far, and now it is time to turn that attention to my grandchildren :-)

Yes, I get it that my grandson is only 3 years old and my granddaughter is only 14 weeks old but you can never start too early, I started with my daughter when she was 6 and my son even younger.

I literally started to cry as I sent him and his mother a text congratulating him and telling him how proud I was of him and all the hard work he put into his studies. He ends his undergraduate degree with an A- average, not too bad for a kid who was worried he'd be able to do the work and even graduate when he headed off to his first day of university 3 years ago.

My name is Marcus and my heart feels so full of love right now. Eight weeks into the Covid-19 Pandemic and I'm still finding things that make me happy.

Happy Mother's Day

Sunday, May 10/20

I would like to wish every mother a very Happy Mother's Day.

Whether you are a mom in the traditional nuclear family with a husband or baby daddy, a single mom doing it on her own, a mom in a two-mom family, or even a dad doing both parental roles, Happy Mother's Day.

Being a parent is such a difficult role and one that doesn't come with any instruction manual.

If we are lucky we've had great role models in our own parents upon which we can base our own actions and hope to match but at the end of the day, the only single thing that really matters is the love and support we give our children.

I was fortunate enough to have a loving mother who tried her best to instill in me a love of education and the written word, loves I embraced and used to advance myself in life.

I just sent my ex a text wishing her a Happy Mother's Day and expressing how lucky my daughter and son are to have her in their lives, the love she has shown them as well as the support she has tirelessly provided them have been a blessing for each of them at different times in their lives.

While we didn't work out as partners in every sense of the word we did work out exceptionally well when it came to raising our children, having shared values around what we wanted to teach them, and the core values we provided them so they could flourish on they're own.

I had a text chat with my daughter the other day and told her that not only do I love her as my daughter but I like her as a person as well. I told her that when her own children get older and she'd been through some trying times with them that she'd understand that comment better. She sent back a smiling emoji and told me she knew she wasn't the easiest teenager but she came through it because we never gave up on her during the difficult times. Her mother was the rock upon which we leaned as a family!

Happy Mother's Day today and every day to come, you may never hear these word enough from your children but you are loved so much and appreciated far more than you think.

My name is Marcus and I'm quite sure my mom has been my guardian angel since she left us in 1998, looking down upon me, her grandchildren, and now her great-grandchildren. Thank you mom, love you and miss you every day but I know we'll see one another someday in the future.

Today's song is in honour of the song shared between my daughter and her wonderful mother, "You Are My Sunshine" I don't know the orginal artist but have included a link to a nice YouTube video for the song here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dh7LJDHFaqA

Times Like These.........

Sunday, April 26/20

I came across the YouTube video put together by the BBC around the Live Lounge series they run with musical artists that they've dubbed the Live Lounge Allstars performing the Foo Fighters classic "Times Like These" from each of their respective homes around the globe.

That simple fact is amazing in and of itself but combined with the incredible quality of the actual video and the words of the song completely blew me away and made me feel some serious tears.

These are some of the most trying times that we've had to face in our lives, the most comparable I can think of would be what our grandparents and parents faced during World War II. I think that was the last time we could point too where we were all united in a common cause.

I'm doing my best to remain upbeat while trying to understand what is happening all around me, the conflicting news stories about how long this pandemic might last, the surging demand by some of the fucking stupidest people in the entire world that the very actions we've had to endure to stop the spread of Covid19 are removed or rolled back.

Please remain safe, care for one another, and offer to help those who can't help themselves while we beat the spread of this insidious disease and push our way from the current darkness to sunshine, life-sustaining sunshine that will allow each of us to once more bask in its warmth and grow as a collective of warm-hearted people.

None of us walk this path alone, if you ever think you do, reach out to me and I'll more than gladly talk to you about any worries or pain you are experiencing. I might not have a solution for you but I promise to have a shoulder to lean on and listen to your concerns, sometimes that alone is enough to help us persevere when we thought all was lost.

My name is Marcus and the last 6 1/2 weeks have shown me that when the times get tough we do have it in ourselves to reach out and help one another. My hope is that when we do crest this problem we don't forget what it was like to be there for each other, that we learn that simple smiles and compassion cost us nothing and yield amazing results.

The YouTube video can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GElP4YdrBE

I've probably watched it about 15 times already............

I can be reached at ooasm2018@gmail. com for those wanting to talk or just comment on the world around us.

Happy Easter

Sunday, April 12/20

I'd like to take the time to wish everyone a very Happy Easter.

I hope you are doing well in these trying times, staying safe and practicing our new norm of social distancing.

I was out yesterday to get some groceries and it dawned on me that people are walking around like it's the end of days, almost as if the four horsemen of the apocalypse are bearing down on us with death and destruction to be rained down upon us.

I literally stopped in my tracks at that thought and decided that enough was enough.

From that moment on I made it a point to make eye contact with each person I passed, to smile at them, and to wish them a good day. I thanked the teenager working the checkout for being there so I could get groceries to sustain myself and will continue to do so for as long as this lasts.

I stand in my living room at the front window in the morning and late afternoon before and after my work from home workday concludes and watch people as they pass by taking a daily walk. I gently tap on the window to get their attention and when they look up I smile, offer a small wave and a thumbs up.

None of this is magical. Nothing I am doing will suddenly make things right, nor will it eliminate the scourge that is Covid19.

No, it won't do any of those things.

But it does remind people, and more importantly myself, that we are not in this alone, that through group efforts and assistance we can and will prevail.

God, or whatever name your chosen diety goes by, doesn't give us impossible tasks to meet head-on.

Nope, He/She rather gives us tests to meet and beat, to allow us to develop as a person and as a people, to show our worth not only to those around us but to ourselves as well.

Trying times show us who we really are and who we truly can be when we set our minds to it.

My name is Marcus and I get stronger every single day knowing my heart is pure and my eyes are wide open to the possibilities.

The Email Nobody Wants to Receive

Saturday, April 04/20

So my Saturday morning started off with a message I'm sure no one wants to ever see these days.

It appears that one of the staff at the Shoppers Drug Mart I frequent has tested positive for the Covid19 virus and as it turns out I might have been exposed as well, I checked the dates against my receipts and found two that match so now I'm playing the waiting game.

It looks like I'm about halfway through the time frame where I could start to experience symptoms and am happy to say so far so good, keeping those fingers crossed, dotting all the i's and crossing as many t's as possible.

This all comes on the Friday announcement by the provincial government that we can expect approximately 1,600 deaths from Covid19 if we continue with the current procedures and could see as many as +10K if we don't.  I say we stay the course and try and keep that number as low as possible, what say you world?

So while my Saturday hasn't had the start I was hoping for, I'm going to do my best to remain positive and upbeat, nothing else I can really do as I already am eating well, hydrating, and getting rest.

I think it was only a matter of time until these things started to happen as unless we literally went into 100% lockdown with absolutely no human interaction it is impossible to completely eliminate the potential of someone developing the virus, and let's be honest here, that is not a real option in this day and age.

My name is Marcus and I'll deal with the hand life sends my way.

Amidst the Worry Came a Moment of Joy

Friday, April 03/20

Well, we are through week 3 of the Covid19 Pandemic and though the times are stressful and the future unknown let us take part in simple acts we see all around reminding us that all is not lost and we shall persevere and see a brighter day in our futures.

One such moment came for me this morning as I was sitting at my breakfast nook enjoying an English muffin and a nice glass of ice-cold milk. There are times a glass of ice-cold milk is like nectar to my taste buds, better than a beer on a hot summer day.

So I'm sitting there and I hear the slamming of a car door, making me get up and look out the kitchen window to see who is out front, wondering if my son was coming over early, silly me as that would mean getting up before noon after another all-nighter with his friends in the virtual world.

Nope, not my son but rather my next-door neighbors' parents, well Erin's folks to be exact.

Now my first thought was what the hell were they thinking coming over, they are both in their late 60's so prime target for exposure to the virus and Kyle and Erin have a little guy born last year.

As I watched, Erin's dad placed a cardboard and paper candle on the front porch and then joined his wife in the middle of the front yard and held a banner wishing their grandson a happy 1st birthday.

He saw me watching from the window and smiled and waved at me, I responded by miming wiping tears away as it made me sad that they weren't going to get to actually hold the little guy on a such a special day but still made the effort to pass on their love to him.

All-day long I noticed the same thing repeated with Kyle & Erin's siblings, all stopping by to stand in the front yard and wish Ryan a happy birthday.

I mentioned this to a coworker on a zoom call and how self-isolating isn't as bad for me given my own tendency to act that way most of the time but the one thing I did miss was being around my daughter and her family. She asked if I was thinking of doing the same but told her I couldn't do that as my grandson is older and would be more upset to see me outside and not be able to come and give poppa a hug.

I make it a point to smile at people as they walk past my place or sit next to me at a stoplight, waving to those I know, just trying my best to remind people that they aren't alone.

My name is Marcus and please accept a virtual wave from me to let you know you aren't alone.

Today's musical suggestion is "Up In The Air" by Thirty Seconds to Mars. For those interested in the unique YouTube video created by the band I've added a link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9uSyICrtow

As always, I'm here if you have any questions, comments, or just want to talk ooasm2018@gmail.com

Some Q&A For A Lazy Sunday

Sunday, March 29/20

So I referred to it as a lazy Sunday but the truth is that it's the first of many given all that is going on around the world.

I've received a lot of messages from people all over the world and thought I'd use them to create a general question and answer posting, something I've done before but thought it's time again in order to maybe shed some light on things.

So without further ado here we go in no particular order.

Question from Sal in Memphis: How are you spending your days during self-isolation?
Answer: Probably the same as a lot of you are doing yourselves. My work was pretty proactive and when they first heard there might be instructions for people to stay home mobilized and told everyone to grab the monitors and laptops and set up shop from home, working around childcare requirements as needed.

The hardest part about working from home is setting strict hours and sticking to them. Week one was good but I found last week was fucking brutal as it seemed like every single day was booked with meetings from 8 am to 6 pm, leaving little to no time to actually work on the projects I've got to have completed before the end of day on March 31st.

The hours tend to blur and it's really easy to lose track of how long you've been sitting in front of a monitor, forgetting to hydrate properly or take a break at noon to have a meal.  I've been lucky in that last week my son was with me and would tap on my door at noon to remind me it was lunchtime and to get up from my home desk to change up the scenery.  I have my door closed so the calls don't disturb him as he's been working on his university courses in order to earn his degree in May.

Question from Theresa in Toronto: What is the mood like in the capital, are you getting more information that the rest of the country?
Answer: I'd say it's probably no different in Ottawa than it is in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). I've been on Google Hangout and Zoom calls with fellow employees around the globe and believe we all have the same worries and concerns. How long will we have to endure being isolated from family and friends, what will the final financial impact be on us, and what happens if I or someone I love develop symptoms related to Covid19.

As for information, well I think we are all in the same boat in regards to the regular flow of information. Being in Ottawa hasn't made me privy to more than anyone else around the country.

Question from Xing in Montreal: You mentioned in a prior post that you don't have cable anymore so I'm wondering how you are staying up to date on things?
Answer: Great question!  I have the radio on almost all the time I'm awake and not either on a work call or watching something on Netflix and Amazon Prime. I like to listen to both Hot 89.9 and Live 88.5 and both are owned by Stingray Radio which operates over 100 radio stations across the country in numerous formats. The nice thing is they are posting hourly updates when things develop as well as the daily news releases from both the federal and provincial governments. I also ping some online new platforms but am judicious in those I use so as to not fall victim to false news.

Question from Rachel in Ottawa: You've referred to yourself as an introvert and I wonder how this new social dynamic impacts you if at all?
Answer: I like to call myself an introvert with some extroverted tendencies. I understand that I can't be 100% introverted or I would never be able to function in the workplace, so I make myself talk with people when I'm out and about running errands, playing golf, or at work. Corinne used to roll her eyes when I said I was an introvert, especially after witnessing one of the many spur of the moment conversations I'd have with total strangers when we would be out. What she never really understood was the massive internal struggle I had to deal with in order to initiate those talks, how the inner voice was always telling me the words I was using were wrong, and how my inner demon would tell me that people were laughing at me behind fake smiles. All my demons to deal with and I've done so for many years.

So I think I'm in a better place than a lot of people are when dealing with social distancing as it's really been my norm for many years. It doesn't mean I like it or wish I wasn't more outgoing, but we deal with the cards we've been dealt the best we can. I absolutely miss seeing my grandkids face to face, trying to annoy my grandson with silly questions or holding my now almost 8 weeks old granddaughter.

Question from Bob in San Diego: What are you watching on Netflix or Amazon to fill the time?
Answer: I've mostly been using Netflix but have been over on Amazon Prime a bit more lately. I recently finished The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina on Netflix and will probably go back and watch Riverside as well, though since I only got through episode 5 of the first season I'll probably go back and start from scratch. One show my daughter suggested was "Formula One - Drive to Succeed" and i loved it. Never really thought too much about F1 racing but each episode really kept me on the edge of my seat. Over on Amazon Prime, I finished off the two seasons of Jack Ryan and have started to watch "The Good Fight" as well as "Psych". One legal drama and one comedy.  I mix in movies all the time but really tend to spend most of my free time reading books, either the old fashioned way or on my iPad.

If anyone has suggestions for other shows or movies let me know, don't be shy lol

So this was the first of what will likely be a few of these Q&A sessions.

My name is Marcus and I will come out the other side of the Covid19 Pandemic a better person, count on it friends!

Want to add some questions or just chat about life? ping me at ooasm2018@gmail.com

Today's musical suggestion is "Yin Yang" by USS (Ubiquitous Synergy Seeker). The YouTube video is pretty cool so I've added the link for you. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrOB_QIlzLE

A Simple Message To The Haters

Saturday, March 28/20

Just because you lost me as a friend doesn't mean you gained me as an enemy. I'm bigger than that. I still want to see you eat, just not at my table.

Marcus