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Tonight was our night to skate at the Olympic Oval. We made an attempt first to pick up a freecycle ADSL modem that had been up for grabs, in the northern reaches of the city (ie FAR away), but the freecycle Lady forgot to put the components inside the box …. our first disappointment. Next we drove to the west of the city (even FURTHER away) to go skating, but found at, after parking in a paid lot, that tonight was one of the exceptions for when there was NO ice time available to the public = disappointment #2. Okay, so maybe we missed yoga in lieu of running about the city, for no apparent reason, but we made the most of our ‘extra’ time and went shopping for a new digital camera.
 First stop, Future Shop = disappointment #3. They had crappy service, unhappy staff, untidy shelves, disorganized aisles and just an inadequate experience on the whole. But rather than give up, on our night of frustration, we headed next door and browsed through the Best Buy store. Night and day between purchasing encounters … here we found our camera, on sale with a level of quality to the escapade that we didn’t find in FS. In the end, after much browsing and testing, we opted for the Canon A710.
Makes me ill, when I think of all the different digital cameras that I’ve had, and with each, a different brand of memory stick. Why on earth can’t they all get along, come together and combine their technology? Make it easier for the spend-thrift and klutzy (I’ve gone through 3 cameras!) consumer that I am where I don’t have to waste money on another Company’s proprietary hardware [RANT - Sony vs Nikon vs Canon = all different memory sticks]. Sony especially … Beta Max vs VHS, BluRay vs HD, MemoryStick Pro vs SD vs …. Come on guys, get your acts together. Get with the program! Treat your irreverent customers with respect and loyalty.  Give us a break!
Oh, one could say that excitement filled the air of our cosy Calgary home at the anticipation of our bobsleigh ‘wild ride’. No expectations, only excitement at the thought of another sort of adrenaline rush (outside of our realm of skydiving).
 We arrived on time for our 2:30pm ‘Tour Bob’, at the top of the CODA’s Canada Olympic Park hill where the 1,500 metre ice track carves its way around 14 corners of pure exhilaration. As an aside, it’s important for me to point out that skydiving is relatively safe in comparison to bobsleigh racing … when jumping out of an airplane, the only time that we are dangerously close to the ground is in our final few seconds before a tippy-toed flare or a fast paced flare & run. If necessary, we can perform a PLF (parachute landing fall) to ‘cushion’ a clumsy landing (whether it be on land, tarmac or tree!). I won’t go into malfunctions or non-pulls in skydiving where the danger of course is imminently more tangible @ 120mph. But these instances are the exceptions. Careening down a icy chute like a rocket on a bobsled is another thing … being inches away from severe ice-burn and a broken body, at all times, makes me rather nervous, to say the least. But, being the adrenaline-junkies that we are, slaDE and I were up for the challenge (pretty much like a tandem ride — going along for the spin).
 We were introduced to our pilot Sarah on entrance to the registration area, at the top of the bobsled run. For what it was worth, we really tried to persuade Sarah (she’s been piloting a bobsleigh for 11 years) into allowing slaDE to wear my skydiving camera-helmet (with, of course, my Sony handycam attached) to capture the 60 second thrill-ride. But because it wasn’t a full-face enclosure, the possibility was nixed. Somewhat deflated, but still enthusiastic, we were kitted out and settled into our sled … just like that, with minimal instruction! And of course, we didn’t have to push the sled and jump into
For me, the experience was pretty much like a wicked rollercoaster ride multiplied by 100. The g’s pulled as we navigated the 14 curves were intense …. up to 4.5 g’s on the radical curves. Our top speed was clocked at 122.6 km/hr and we crossed the finish line in 59.87 seconds!
 Haven’t had this kind of rush since …. ages! My knees were shaking and my legs wobbled like jelly. I’m truly happy that I didn’t eat anything beforehand, in anticipation of the possibility of ‘tossing my cookies’. Can you believe that it’ll be 2 years this August 21st (yes, the day before my birthday  ) since I last extricated myself from an airplane — 2 years ago since I dislocated my shoulder?!! I was really really due for shaking things up a bit … a homecoming, of sorts. In fact, I have to admit that I haven’t had this kind of neck ‘vibrancy’ since shooting video. Ouch! My head was tossed around like a ping pong ball being whacked in reckless abandon; my noodle lolled from side to side with every g-force turn, as I forgot to shrug my shoulders in protection. I can honestly (and embarrassingly) say that I wasn’t in a hurry to go back up there and try it again. But the thrill didn’t stop here … the waiver that we signed was not for the bobsleigh ride itself, but for the drive up the mountain in the sled shuttle . Sarah was by far the better of the drivers …. this was indeed scary with as many vertical twisty turns to the top.
Our infectious post-ride excitement apparently was contagious. Sarah casually asked slaDE about his athleticism … and being the proud partner, I gushed about his natural talents and strengths, in anything that he pursues athletically. Slade, being the modest man that he is, laughed at her candour and questioning. From there, Sarah made him a proposition. If he was interested, slaDE could train with her teammates and enter the 2007 VISA CANADIAN BOBSLEIGH, SKELETON AND LUGE CHAMPIONSHIPS this Thursday, if he was up for a challenge. The official training would take place this Tuesday evening, with 2 orientation runs. A zealous and ebullient ‘yes’ was resounded by slaDE, excited at the prospect of 4 more runs AND the thought of competing against Canada’s top sliding athletes (who are coming off successful World Cup and Europa Cup seasons)!
Being in the right place, at the right time … I must be rubbing off on him?!
 As a prelude to our big day, I’m going to give you a bit of history about the world of the Bobsleigh. Bobsled racing began in the winter of 1888-9 using wood-hauling sleds. The Olympic website cites that:
The sport’s governing body, the Federation Internationale de Bobsleigh et Tobagganing (FIBT), was founded in 1923.This competition has been part of the official programme since the 1st Olympic Winter Games in Chamonix Mont Blanc in 1924.
Today’s sleds are built of fiberglass and steel, looking more like missiles than wood-hauling sleds. They come in two sizes, one for two-man teams and the other for four-man teams (Women’s two-crew bobsleigh made its Olympic debut at the 2002 Winter Olympic Games).
Wikipedia describes the skill behind a bobsledding sportsman:
A crew is made up of a pilot, a brakeman, and, in 4-crew only, two pushers. Athletes are selected based on speed and strength, necessary to push the sleigh to a competitive initial speed at the start of the race. Pilots must have the skill, timing and finesse to drive the sleigh along the best possible line to achieve the greatest possible speed. In the early 1950′s weighting was introduced to compensate for the natural advantage of having a heavier team.
On the HowStuffWorks website, Bobsledding is discussing in finite detail (for those interested):
A Few Rules Men’s Olympic bobsled races include two runs per day for two days, and the team with the lowest combined time wins. Women’s Olympic events include only two runs on the same day. Starting order in the first heats of Olympic races is determined by World Cup rankings. Any team that fails to finish a run is disqualified, as is a team that crosses the finish line without all of its members in the bob. However, crossing the finish line with the sled upside down or on its side doesn’t disqualify a team, as long as everyone is still inside.
You might ask why I have such an avid interest in the Bobsleigh, all of a sudden? Well today’s events kind of changed our world and experience here in Calgary. After a crazy week, I’m finally getting to the nitty gritty of it all and will keep you posted  .
 Growing up, I learned through trial and error that it is best to treat people the way you think that you would want to be treated. As an adult, I’ve appended my own addendum: treat your peers the way you think that they would like to be treated. There truly is a difference … stepping outside of the box of one’s own biases, I like to think. With this in mind, I enjoyed my leisurely warm walk into work today and stuffed my way (my job description involved filling bulk containers with healthy edibles = bulk clerk) through several hours, before getting the chance to speak with my Supervisor. I do know that the store goes through employees, kinda like flies stuck to fly paper (it captures its fair share but a few get away — juicier waters) … difficult to maintain your workers when the wage is more competitive at Burger King and such … Calgary is booming so rapidly, jobs are readily available with a higher pay rate than average (for the same position elsewhere). Personally, I just want to pursue my web and contract work on the weekends. No guarantees, but if I don’t open up a time slot in my life outside of a full-time job, the opportunities will not come, nor will I have the time to cre8te those possibilities.
My Supervisor was so kind and understanding in my decision to pursue my own work … And with a clear conscience and light heart, I made my way home to my adorable husband, and then spent several hours at the Stampede’s Home and Garden Show. Another ‘aha!’ moment, with work right at my doorstep: networking a-go-go. And I’m happy to state, that indeed, I did find myself a few leads to my personal freedom from a Saturday job away-from-home. Gotta love it!
Vinegar is now right up there with baking soda as indispensable, and I’ve listed the top 10 of their fantastic uses. Hope you can use these environmentally friendly solutions in your home. You CAN make a difference .
1. Killer of Bacteria, Mold & Germs
2. Grease Cutter
3. Floor Cleaner
4. For Windows
5. Toilet Bowl Deodorizer
6. Remover of Mineral (scale) Buildup
7. Fabric Softener
8. Furniture Cleaner
9. Drain Clearer
10. Brass Cleaner
Finally, this is the ULTIMATE bathtub cleaner and so inexpensive! Not only is it cheap but it works wonders, on even the toughest grime. I discovered this myself (after finding out the joys of using peroxide and vinegar in cleaning)!
Fill one spray bottle with peroxide, a separate bottle with vinegar. Spray your tub with both and then sprinkle with baking soda. Works better than ANY bathtub cleaner that I’ve ever used …. and the peace of mind it gives me when I take a bath afterwards is priceless!
I really despise the use of Antibacterial products in the clinics and hospitals (I’m grateful that the Family Planning Clinic that I currently work at has found another alternative).
From an article that I read, The American Medical Association (AMA), and a number of scientists are casting doubt on the facts that there is no evidence that these products stop infection any better than regular soap, and they worry that increased use of antibacterial products might lead to antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
Here’s an interesting article, found at the Care 2 website.
You can make natural antibacterial products like those that they used at home instead of buying commercial disinfectants that we are now finding out may cause drug resistance. Here is the famous Vinegar of The Four Thieves recipe; it is sometimes called Grave Robber’s Blend. Use it wherever you would normally use disinfectants.
Place a small handful each of dried lavender, rosemary, sage, rue and mint in a large jar, and cover completely with organic apple cider vinegar. Cover tightly and set for six weeks. Strain into a spray bottle. Whereas no home can be made to be sterile, spray the powerfully antiseptic Vinegar of Four Thieves recipe in areas of concern, such as on cutting boards and door knobs, always making sure to avoid your eyes.
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