The internet is full of Newfoundlanders proclaiming their love for, and desire to return to, their home. One of those, this post’s namesake, chronicles the life and observations of Nadine and her family as they manage their way through life somewhere on da mainland, yearning for the day when they can reasonably provide for themselves back on da rock. She says, “There is something about the Island that seeps into your soul, and never allows you to truly leave.” Nadine is not alone. It may not give her any comfort knowing there’s more of us out there, but there are. I was once content being away, but lately I’ve had a strong desire to be a CBFA. (Come Back From Away) Maybe someday the opportunity will present itself (fingers crossed).

Just this morning, I received an email from a colleague of mine, another Newfoundlander who has built a life and career off the rock and who truly appreciates all things Newfoundland.

So my daughter sends me these….They’re from some companies web-cam I’d guess, and they are real time this morning. Between Quidi Vidi and the Narrows, I don’t know what makes me feel more homesick this morning. You know the beauty of Newfoundland, like most things is wasted on the young. She just wanted to show me, or prove to me that it was a beautiful day in St. John’s. How do I explain that every day in Newfoundland, at home, or ‘on da rock’ is a beautiful day.

I just thought I spread the home sick virus…

If you are a Newfoundlander and you are somewhere other than home, I dare you to look at these pics and honestly say you don’t wish to be back there, if not now, at least someday… and for good.

Sigh. A year ago, almost to the day actually, I had an unfortunate (and embarrassing) mishap with a new shirt. Well… It seems that I’ve decided to make this an annual event.

Yesterday morning, I proudly donned my brand new shirt that I had purchased on sale just a couple of weeks ago. Looking dapper in my new duds, I headed off to school… er, I mean, work ready to take on the day. I walked through the office to my desk, booted up my computer and sauntered down to the cafeteria for a nice hot cuppa java. Several smiles and “Good mornings” later, I managed my way through the crowds at the coffee urns and I was on my way with my steaming mug of perkiness. (Perkiness… get it? Sorry.) Wandering back down the hall, I approached one of my colleagues. As he walked toward me he said, “Steve, is there a sticker or something on your shirt?” As throngs of people sauntered by, rubbernecking toward me as if I had just overturned my car in the median, he walked behind me and carefully took his time removing a sticker boldly displaying “XL” - the size of my shirt.

Sonuvabitch!

How did he know about the sticker on the back of my shirt as he walked toward me from the front? How long ago had he seen it? Or worse, who told him? Was word getting around?

Sigh. Oh well, at least there were lots of witnesses.

• Me: Hello.
• TM: Hello. I wonder if I may speak with Mr. Steve Meelay. (mispronounced last name)
• Me: Speaking.
• TM: Mr. Meelay, I’m calling on behalf of [blank] company. I would just like to inform you that this call may be recorded for quality assurance reasons. The reason I am calling you, sir, is to introduce you to a one-time offer only presented to our most preferred customers…
• Me: (interrupting) I’m not interested.
• TM: But, Mr. Meelay, this amazing offer is available to you at no cost for thirty days and no commitment to continue beyond thirty days. You will have a full month to enjoy benefits such as [blank], [blank], or [blank]. If after thirty days you don’t want to continue receiving this service, simply call us up and we’ll cancel your service, no questions asked.
• Me: Sounds wonderful, but I’m not interested.
• TM: Mr. Meelay. Do you own a [blank] , or do you intend to [blank] or [blank] over the next several months?
• Me: Nope… and like I said, I’m just not interested. Do you want me to hang up on you?
• TM: Thank you for your time Mr. Meelay. [blank] company values your patronage. Have a nice day.

Now… that seemed rather painless right? Wrong. Try doing that 5 or 10 times every night and pretty soon “I’m not interested” turns into “Piss off!”.

In comes our great Canadian Government to the rescue. No longer will they tolerate their citizens being verbally trespassed by the pestering persistence of these tele-solicitors. The government created a federally monitored “do not call list” or DNCL and telemarketers would be forced to abide by the wishes of those not wishing to be called. To register your number on the list, all you would have to do is call 1-866-580-3625 or visit LNNTE-DNCL.gc.ca and they would suffer no more. Wrong again!

The volume of calls and hits on the website was unanticipated. Within 9 hours, the website crashed and the phone lines were down. Only 200,000 people were able to register. (Perhaps the DNCL employees registered their own number!) Now it’s back to the drawing board. I think the DNCL should hire telemarketers to call every household in Canada asking if they want to be added to the list.

I think we might be stuck with doing what our son does. He picks up the phone and lays it down in front of his computer speakers blasting rap music.

But now it’s Saturday. And it’s raining. Some low pressure system is hanging around and will likely dump a couple of inches of rain on us today and overnight. Then, tropical storm Kyle is going to pay us a visit tomorrow and as it passes through it will be leaving behind another 4 inches of rain accompanied by bales of gales.

So… it’s a lazy day. My darling wife is napping on the couch and I’m clicking around my computer. I decided to change the picture on her profile (right) as mentioned in a previous post and I think you’ll agree it’s an improvement over what was there before.

Then I decided to click on the posts featured in my Random Post section in the sidebar of my site. I must say, it was very interesting for me to remember what was going on in my life and see the timelines associated with them as I clicked away, re-reading post after post. Some of them were a little cryptic, but I was immediately reminded of where my head was as I read and reminisced. This project/hobby of mine is serving as a journal of sorts, a “captain’s log” if you will. I know, I know, big revelation right? But it’s not until you get a few years of this thing under your belt do you realize what value it brings to you personally. While I post shit about stuff I encounter that interests me and little anecdotes from everyday life, I also record significant happenings like family deaths, injuries and other stressful or lifechanging events.

It’s amazing how life passes by. Days blend into weeks and months. Months blend into years and generations. I find that unless something else significant was going on in your life, sometimes it’s hard to remember the timelines and order of things in your past. This blog thing of mine is starting to serve a second purpose. It’s not just a hobby and a waste of time for me and my readers, it’s turning into a form of autobiography; a journal of events and eye-catchers in the life of me and my family and friends; a map of my past and a record of that journey…

I highly recommend doing something like this. It doesn’t have to be put out there on the interwebby thing for all to see. A journal, or diary, or even a special folder on your computer with selected pictures with captions will do.

So, go ahead, give it a try. Three or four years from now you’ll be happy you did.

The word “lethologica” describes the state of not being able to remember the word you want.

If you were to ask me if my wife would ever do something like this, I’d say “no frikkin’ way, eh.” But I’d have been wrong. My darling wife, nervous about heights, strapped on her safety harness and ventured aloft, swinging like a monkey in the trees. I must say… I’m quite impressed.

From their site:

You begin TreeGO on the green course where you get comfortable with the equipment and the rhythm of moving through each activity. Balance is required, and we know you can do it! Now on to the blue course where suddenly childhood memories of rope swings and climbing trees comes back to you. Up further into the trees you head on to the red course. You’re feeling confident now and can’t help laughing out loud as you zip through the forest or watch your friend try to walk gracefully across a moving obstacle. Now it’s time for the ultimate in focus and fitness - the black course. You climb up even further into the tree canopy discovering that your movements are even more fluid than before.

Way to go, Donna! You GO girl! Or rather, you TreeGO, girl!