The Swim

Growing up in a city that borders two lakes, I did a fair bit of swimming growing up. I took swimming lessons at the local park as a small child, and later joined the local swim team. (Checking my ribbons was a good way to tell how many guys in my age group were entered in a particular event. First place meant I was the only one. Second meant there were two of us and on down from there.. But I digress.)

I'd gotten out of the habit for a few years, swimming rarely, yet enjoying myself when did. I'm swimming a lot more lately, though. Partly because I'd like to get in better shape for my upcoming 30th birthday (see the countdown above) but also because I promised my mother that I'd accompany her on the cross lake swim she's doing in honour of her 60th birthday on August 10th.

It's not a big lake, by any stretch of the imagination, but it should take more than a couple hours to swim the 5k across. It should be a good swim and I'm looking forward to it.

My mom is using the opportunity to raise money for a few charities, including the one she works for, by taking pledges for the swim. Me, I've been mostly focusing on the actual experience and less on the money raising part. That said, if you'd like to sponsor me and contribute either to NSVCS or to the CanadaDave Student Beer and Pizza fund, email me using the link at the bottom. Contributions to the former as even tax deductible for Canadians. Not so much for the beer and pizza fund.

Close Call for the Communicator

Yesterday's attacks in London struck fairly close to home, since London is the current home of my brother, the Communicator. (Hence the London weather link on the lower right side of the page.) Thankfully, he ended up being inconvenienced, but not hurt and also on the front page of my hometown paper. (Not sure how long that link will keep working) How he ended up in London is a story in and of itself.

My brother graduated from university with a degree in commerce and went into investment banking. He worked for several companies for a few years, working insane hours and making what I gather to be a rather decent buck. He'd dated the same girl since high school, lived in nice apartments, played hockey and was mostly pretty predictable. Or at least it seemed to me. We're not terribly close and rarely see each other or speak outside of family occasions.

The joke had always been that one day he'd call me and say "So, uh, are you free this weekend? I'm getting married." That didn't happen. The Communicator and the girl I called my "sister in-common-law" broke up, and then I think possibly aliens took over my brother's body.

First he fairly abruptly quit his job and then went to Europe on vacation for a few months. I guess he liked it there because shortly after he came back he started talking about finding a job in London.

Since our grandmother was a British citizen, my siblings and I are allowed to work in the UK. So, after some paperwork and some packing, off he went. He landed a job fairly quickly there, doing the same sort of investment banking stuff he did here. (I have only a faint idea of what it is he actually does. It involves lots of money and natural resources).

He shares a "flat" with two 23 year old Swedish girls and a Norwegian chef and from all accounts is having quite the time there.

He was quoted in the article as saying "I won'’t let it (the attacks) affect how I live my life."

Frankly, neither would I.