yesterday I couldn't spell engunear. today I are one.

Big news. April 22nd I wrote my PPE exams (ethics and law for engineers), a major step towards becoming a Professional Engineer. I finally got my result yesterday, which was a pass. Pass/fail exams are an oddity. I'm not sure how I feel about them. It would be nice to know by how much I passed (or maybe not). Anyway, after they check my references and review the past 4 years of my experience, I should be designated as a Professional Engineer, and with that take on some new responsibilites.

Thursday night we decided to paddle across the lake and climb blueberry mountain in order to catch the sunset. We were certainly rewarded. I must have taken 30 pictures up there.
A fantastic week was had and none of us wanted to leave. It was nice to come home to plumbing and a bed though - two true luxuries that I don't take for granted.
My theory that 'food tastes better when you're camping' has once again been proven. We ate like royalty around our campfire. Even the fish we caught tasted great.

gone fishin'

the red dot is where I will be spending the next few days, camping, canoeing, fishing, reading, hiking, praying, friending, etc. you are jealous.

night clouds

I had a dream last night that I was taking pictures of the night sky, the moon, cool cloud formations, etc. I think it was sparked by hearing about someone yesterday who saw a nightime rainbow (a bright full moon, with a gentle rain...). Anyway, this morning, the daily dose of imagery is night clouds. Cool.

Does anyone else find "Operation Mountain Thrust" to be an amusing choice of a name for a military offensive?
I know I'm not in grade four anymore, but last night while watching the overtime edition of the National, neither myself or any of the other guys in the room could actually concentrate on what Peter Mansbridge was saying while describing the operation. We were listening intently, but only for words of double entendre nature. Honestly, can you expect anything more (or less) from a group of guys who have had several beers, and watching the stanley cup playoffs, anxiously waiting for the extra session (OT) and victory???

Shitless in Alberta

It seems the only thing that can slow the construction boom in Alberta is a shortage of Porta-Crappers. That, and a dwindling supply of materials, labour, etc.
I've had people ask me why I'm not out in Alberta right now. I'm a young, single engineer, they argue. I could go out there and make tonnes of cash. There's more to life than work/cash I argue. I love the town I'm in, I love my friends, my community, etc. My family lives here (or close by), I've got a good job here, a good church.
Maybe, if I had no friends, no family, no job, no community here I'd consider it, but really, when the pros/cons list is made, there is only one line item on the 'move to alberta' pro-side, and it's pretty minor. I'm staying put.

Hockeyville

Hockeyville on CBC - Vote now. Vote for Peterborough. You get 5 votes per email address...

Gas Prices - Sweet sweet crude.

Gas is over a dollar a litre again where I live, which is really just a psychological barrier, but annoys me at the same time. It's one of those obvious expenses that I notice almost every day. I don't drive around town looking for a grocery store that has milk for a few cents cheaper per bag, or bread a few cents less per loaf, nor do I complain if a green pepper costs me $1.27 per pound this week when it was $0.99 last week.
I looked at my finances from last year, and I spent a little more than 3% of my net income on gas. I spent more on insurance for my car. I say this because I suspect that a lot of people are in a similar situation, and that while it sucks to have to pay more for gas, there's certainly room in my budget for increases. How high will it have to go before I start changing my driving patterns, style and habits. How high will it have to go before 'society in general' begins to drive less, drive smaller cars, walk more, bike more, use transit more, etc..?
I try to think 'green' and when I bought my car a couple years ago one of the main selling points for it was the fuel economy, both because of economic benefits, but also reduced environmental impact. But, I'm sure I could change a few things around so that I drive a bit less than my 20,000km per year. I could use my bike more in the summer, and I can walk to work year round, if need be. The only stuff I really need to drive for is getting to church (on the other end of town), and visiting my parents or friends who live out of town... Anyway, I'm curious to see how my thinking on this will have changed in a couple years when oil/gas continue to climb as we continue to drain our planet of all things sweet and crude.