Thanks for all the words of support....I really needed some good "old fashioned" Ontario lovin after this week.I hope all is well back in the homeland....out here things are the same I'm really coming to expect obnoxiously rude behaviour as the rule of thumb when I'm at work now.. for those of you who asked.. the 4 day class I taught only got extra special after our first day.. On the 4th day I had the VP of IT come in to be a guest speaker to talk about how the new program will be implemented across the 4 hospitals.. and needless to say these special people showed him about as much respect as they showed me.. so I knew I shouldn't take any of it personally...While he was presenting two of were talking on their cell phones making plans for their Canada Day BBQ... others were checking email.. or on ticketmaster buying Stampede tickets...they all took 45 minute breaks and a 2 hour lunch break that day and then complained that they wanted me to let them out early...
after the VP finished I went up to him and apologized for the \n rude behaviour of my class..and he just said..."why are you apologizing... \n they were the best behaved group all week"he said that with the \n straightest face possible...I wasn\'t sure if he was serious or not...but I \n wouldn\'t be surprised if he was serious...at the very least the class didn\'t \n tell him where he could shove his face... ~~~~Oh I am responsible \n now for orientating the new staff in my department.. which is kinda funny \n since I have only been on the job for a month and didn\'t receive an \n orientation myself.. but they somehow feel I am the best person for the \n job...anyways this new lady started and at first she seemed soo sweet... she\'s \n in her 50\'s and has a voice like Melanie Griffith.. very high pitched \n and annoying after 4 words....so we\'re alone in this big computer lab and I\'m \n showing her the computer system...and she turns to me and says " Have you \n accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour?" not wanting to offend \n her.. I just tried to steer the conversation back towards the systems \n functionality...but she kept pressing the issue...and asking what my religious \n beliefs were.. so I finally told her...that I felt really uncomfortable \n talking to her about this.. and it wasn\'t work related.. and we really should \n focus on work.. Well that just upset her.. and she started to cry.... \n and now I felt like the biggest ass...but I figured part of the reason \n she was crying.. was because this computer program was a bit hard for her.. \n she didn\'t know what a "right Click" was or the difference between "single \n click or double click".. So to make it easier for her.. I started to \n make Biblical Analogies .. and she just LOVED THAT and started to really \n understand...as I was explaining the different screens I would compare it to \n the struggles of Cain and Able.. and then when I was demonstrating how the \n program can build reports we talked about Moses and building his arc..well she \n just ate it all up and had the biggest smile on her face.. she was starting to \n act like a little girl getting all giddy because finally she was understanding \n how to use the system.. and every time she did something right..like order a \n chest x ray, or chart a blood infusion in the computer correctly.. she would \n raise both her hands into the air.. wiggle her fingers and shout out \n "Hallelujah.. praise Jesus!" ",1]
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after the VP finished I went up to him and apologized for the rude behaviour of my class..and he just said..."why are you apologizing... they were the best behaved group all week"he said that with the straightest face possible...I wasn't sure if he was serious or not...but I wouldn't be surprised if he was serious...at the very least the class didn't tell him where he could shove his face... ~~~~Oh I am responsible now for orientating the new staff in my department.. which is kinda funny since I have only been on the job for a month and didn't receive an orientation myself.. but they somehow feel I am the best person for the job...anyways this new lady started and at first she seemed soo sweet... she's in her 50's and has a voice like Melanie Griffith.. very high pitched and annoying after 4 words....so we're alone in this big computer lab and I'm showing her the computer system...and she turns to me and says " Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour?" not wanting to offend her.. I just tried to steer the conversation back towards the systems functionality...but she kept pressing the issue...and asking what my religious beliefs were.. so I finally told her...that I felt really uncomfortable talking to her about this.. and it wasn't work related.. and we really should focus on work.. Well that just upset her.. and she started to cry.... and now I felt like the biggest ass...but I figured part of the reason she was crying.. was because this computer program was a bit hard for her.. she didn't know what a "right Click" was or the difference between "single click or double click".. So to make it easier for her.. I started to make Biblical Analogies .. and she just LOVED THAT and started to really understand...as I was explaining the different screens I would compare it to the struggles of Cain and Able.. and then when I was demonstrating how the program can build reports we talked about Moses and building his arc..well she just ate it all up and had the biggest smile on her face.. she was starting to act like a little girl getting all giddy because finally she was understanding how to use the system.. and every time she did something right..like order a chest x ray, or chart a blood infusion in the computer correctly.. she would raise both her hands into the air.. wiggle her fingers and shout out "Hallelujah.. praise Jesus!"
by the end of the day she had me doing \n that too...and we started to sing church songs like "On Eagles Wings" and "the \n Lord is my Sheppard" while we were charting medications , Flamazine \n applications and starting IVs.. I must say I am getting the hang \n of Calgary now.... like when I\'m shopping in the grocery store..and someone \n body checks me into the aisle.. I don\'t get upset anymore... instead I realize \n that after working out for a year I\'m a bit bigger now..and have a wicked body \n check myself... and before I used to hate driving thru a 4-way \n stop in Calgary....for the longest time I was really frustrated cause I was \n the only person to come to a complete stop and wait for when it was my right \n of way to go..... and I used to always get the finger from some redneck in a \n pickup because right of way apparently is only a suggestion here.. Now I \n know in order to survive I have to be like them.. so when you come to \n Calgary... just remember the red sign the says "STOP" really just means "slow \n down".. unless of course your in a pickup truck.. then that red sign really \n means "accelerate"... on Saturday I went shopping to get my Stampede \n outfit... we went to Lammalls which is the official cowboy store of \n Calgary...and I got some real cowboy boots...and some real cowboy jeans.. and \n a shirt that just screams BrokeBack Mountain...I must have looked like the \n biggest fool... because I soo cant walk in those boots.. I felt like I was \n doing cowboy drag or something because the boots had such a huge heel on them \n I was falling over.. and they had soft leather soles so on carpet I was \n slipping everywhere... it was like wearing figure skates... that \n evening was the Gay Rodeo... the biggest one in the world.. so i figured ... \n why not..I have the outfit.. well. I ended up going with some guys we \n had met in Edmonton because Tim and his friends were all going too...and he \n had no more room in his car for me. ",1]
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by the end of the day she had me doing that too...and we started to sing church songs like "On Eagles Wings" and "the Lord is my Sheppard" while we were charting medications , Flamazine applications and starting IVs.. I must say I am getting the hang of Calgary now.... like when I'm shopping in the grocery store..and someone body checks me into the aisle.. I don't get upset anymore... instead I realize that after working out for a year I'm a bit bigger now..and have a wicked body check myself... and before I used to hate driving thru a 4-way stop in Calgary....for the longest time I was really frustrated cause I was the only person to come to a complete stop and wait for when it was my right of way to go..... and I used to always get the finger from some redneck in a pickup because right of way apparently is only a suggestion here.. Now I know in order to survive I have to be like them.. so when you come to Calgary... just remember the red sign the says "STOP" really just means "slow down".. unless of course your in a pickup truck.. then that red sign really means "accelerate"... on Saturday I went shopping to get my Stampede outfit... we went to Lammalls which is the official cowboy store of Calgary...and I got some real cowboy boots...and some real cowboy jeans.. and a shirt that just screams BrokeBack Mountain...I must have looked like the biggest fool... because I soo cant walk in those boots.. I felt like I was doing cowboy drag or something because the boots had such a huge heel on them I was falling over.. and they had soft leather soles so on carpet I was slipping everywhere... it was like wearing figure skates... that evening was the Gay Rodeo... the biggest one in the world.. so i figured ... why not..I have the outfit.. well. I ended up going with some guys we had met in Edmonton because Tim and his friends were all going too...and he had no more room in his car for me.
WELL... when we got there I felt \n like I had truly entered another world...it was at this crazy ranch in the \n middle of no where..and the dance was in this big old converted barn... \n everyone was in their cowboi gear and the music was totally crazy... it \n completely embodied every gay and western stereotype one could imagine... \n well when Tim and his friends got there I went over to say hi and \n introduce myself... but no one acknowledged me or even my presence \n there...well my friend from Edmonton was like... ok Matt lets go \n dance.. figuring maybe they couldn\'t hear us.. it was loud and crazy busy \n so we were doing some crazy two step on the dance floor .. when Tim and \n his friends come out to the dance floor.. and they walked right by us... \n I just thought maybe they didn\'t see us.. so we went over to them and said \n hi... I went again to introduce myself to them.. put my hand out ... and the \n other guy just looked at my hand ..looked away and turned his back to me.. \n and my Edmonton friend got really upset and said something to the guy.. \n and then asked if we could leave the dance floor...He thought Tim and his \n friends were ignoring us because he\'s from Edmonton...and I asked.... " who do \n they hate Edmontonians too".... and I guess there is this thing between the \n two cities..but its not like people from Edmonton or Ontario are visual \n minorities... so anyways..I couldn\'t believe it was true.. and went \n and found Tim and his friends who were now outside...walk up to the group.. \n said hi.. and again tried to introduce myself to the group since I didn\'t know \n anyone...and as soon as I put my hand out again .. in almost perfect unison \n they all turned their back to me and walked away... I didn\'t know what \n to do next... like should I go and ask Tim (who I am living with) whats up.. \n or just ignore it...well my Edmonton friend and I just went back to \n the dance floor and had a good time.. but we left fairly early..and as I drove \n him back to his hotel.. we talked about how its like a "tale of Two Cities" \n here and how the rivalry between Calgary and Edmonton was deep rooted and goes \n back generations... ",1]
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WELL... when we got there I felt like I had truly entered another world...it was at this crazy ranch in the middle of no where..and the dance was in this big old converted barn... everyone was in their cowboi gear and the music was totally crazy... it completely embodied every gay and western stereotype one could imagine... well when Tim and his friends got there I went over to say hi and introduce myself... but no one acknowledged me or even my presence there...well my friend from Edmonton was like... ok Matt lets go dance.. figuring maybe they couldn't hear us.. it was loud and crazy busy so we were doing some crazy two step on the dance floor .. when Tim and his friends come out to the dance floor.. and they walked right by us... I just thought maybe they didn't see us.. so we went over to them and said hi... I went again to introduce myself to them.. put my hand out ... and the other guy just looked at my hand ..looked away and turned his back to me.. and my Edmonton friend got really upset and said something to the guy.. and then asked if we could leave the dance floor...He thought Tim and his friends were ignoring us because he's from Edmonton...and I asked.... " who do they hate Edmontonians too".... and I guess there is this thing between the two cities..but its not like people from Edmonton or Ontario are visual minorities... so anyways..I couldn't believe it was true.. and went and found Tim and his friends who were now outside...walk up to the group.. said hi.. and again tried to introduce myself to the group since I didn't know anyone...and as soon as I put my hand out again .. in almost perfect unison they all turned their back to me and walked away... I didn't know what to do next... like should I go and ask Tim (who I am living with) whats up.. or just ignore it...well my Edmonton friend and I just went back to the dance floor and had a good time.. but we left fairly early..and as I drove him back to his hotel.. we talked about how its like a "tale of Two Cities" here and how the rivalry between Calgary and Edmonton was deep rooted and goes back generations...
totally crazy eh? I mean we \n have our rivalries in Ontario but not like this....I think this was a bit \n extreme...I don\'t think Tim meant any harm and I\'m not mad at him...he \n is a sweet guy.. but I totally really started to miss all of you... at \n least you guys would shake my hand..well I\'m off now.. going \n canoeing up in Banff againhave a good one.. Cheers :)-- Matt Stewart~Saru mo ki kara ochiru
posted by matt @ 8:51 AM
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