Last fall, after a late frost ruined all of the fruit on two apple trees in my back yard, I made the decision to leave it all as fodder for the birds this winter.   Much to my chagrin, the squirrels are the only creatures that have been making use of the offering and mostly that’s been happening over the last month or so.  We haven’t had a particularly hard winter, but I suspect that the more palatable winter food has been consumed and now these little vermin are having to settle..

I’ll be clear that these little creatures are vermin, and a nuisance, they’ve chewed through more than one important bit of the house, and make a habit of skittering along the stucco outside my bedroom at ungodly hours of the morning. I yell at them, shake my fists, and even pound on the walls  on occasion, but I must admit it’s difficult to NOT enjoy watching them scamper through the snow and scurry up the trees to pick fruit nearly the same size as their little carcasses.

I caught this little guy the other day camped out on a sunny window sill and quite enjoying his meal (until I came along that is..)

I still have no idea where the impulse came from, but I dug up a copy of Baz Luhurmann’s 1999 release Everybody’s Free (To Wear Sunscreen) this morning.  As I listened with a decade of additional experience under my belt, I’ve realized how simple wisdom can be, and how we tend to ignore that of those who are further down the path then ourselves.

As I progress through Leadership Calgary, the focus shifts frequently back to building wisdom in to our ways of thinking and being. At times the prospect (and in fact the process of getting there) seems immeasurably daunting.  After listing to this recording for the first time in ten years  though, I realize that wisdom really can be simple.. to those that posses it.  It’s the getting-there that’s difficult.

Baz Lehurmann: Everybody’s Free (To Wear Sunscreen)

Ladies and Gentlemen of the class of ’99, wear sunscreen.

If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be
it. The long term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by
scientists, whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable
than my own meandering experience…

I will dispense this advice now.
Read the rest of this entry »

I had an interesting encounter this afternoon when I met the Postie out in front of the house..  I introduced myself and as we chatted, he commented about some stock he’d purchased in a company that I haven’t worked for in over a year.  For the first time I caught a glimpse of a completely different perspective, a world where the only connection to your client is through the outer markings on an envelope.  When I realized this, I even felt a bit silly for offering my first name.  I’m the only one who gets mail at this address after all, and why wouldn’t I be me?

When I worked at technical support several years ago, I knew clients by their username alone (save a few regular-callers), and often I would recall a plethora of information about the specific configuration of their computer, previous problems and additional email addresses without much thought.  Several of the regular clients I could still list off by username, but any further details of their lives are forever lost in the Telco archives..

This really highlights to me what a huge impact our environment can have on our orienting stories, our way of seeing the world. I’m curious now, has anyone else had this experience, or can you relate to the tech-support or postman’s side of the equation?

In the beginning of September I posted a note about the youth photo initiative that I’ll be running in conjunction with the Calgary board of education and the Boys and Girls Club of Calgary..

The first few weeks have gone very well, and we’ve managed to select approximately ten students to complete the for-credit program. During the last class we discussed some of the current events that students felt strongly about, and in the end the group agreed to focus on the community of Bowness here in Calgary, which is an incredibly diverse and (dare I say) unique community. Given said diversity, this will prove to be an interesting project as time goes on!

With the help of Jim at The Camera Store, we sent requests to several camera manufacturers to sponsor the program with equipment.   Unfortunately the requests were not met favorably and as a result the school will have to purchase the cameras outright.  I’d really like to give a plug to The Camera Store and particularly Jim for being so supportive of Boys and Girls Club programs. They’ve helped on a few projects already and their commitment to helping the community should not go unnoticed!

I’ve sent the students out with the following homework and next week (if all goes according to plan) we should begin to actually work with cameras..

• (Current Events) Bring in 2 articles (or pieces of writing)
  • Be prepared to talk about what they mean to you.
• (Observation)Find two outside objects and visit them on at least four occasions in one day: Morning, Mid-Day, Evening (sunset), Night
• Record your observations
  • Shadows
  • Colours
  • Texture
  • Contrast

Now I’ll have to get myself out to do some homework too; I must admit, it’s kinda fun to be back in school!

In response to a request for gallery content I’ll be assembling a couple of different photo series’ in the next month or two..  I welcome comments, suggestions or any other input.

1. Belly Buttons
   • After an interesting exercise at the Leadership Calgary opening retreat, I’d like to explore Belly Buttons, an anatomical feature that everybody on this earth shares. My intention is to explore the similarities and differences of said BB’s to highlight our common origins.
   • Please send me an email if you’d like your navel featured in this exhibit.
2. Garbage
   • I was asked to exhibit a series of photographs at a local cafe in November and in doing so, I’ve decided to capture some of what we throw away and the places the garbage inevitably ends up..   I’d like to use this to encourage people to consider the impact of their Christmas purchases this year, and in the future.
   • As with the belly-buttons, if you’d like to take part in this, please let me know..

I’ve had reason to ponder property ownership and the breakdown of the traditional community lately and figured I’d share a few of my thoughts with you.

Several weeks ago, persons unknown rifled through my car overnight and took it upon themselves to relieve me of an iPod that was tucked in to the centre console.  While it is reasonably clear that I must have left my vehicle unlocked, I feel a great sense of disappointment that I should even need to lock my doors in front of my own house.. Really, is nothing sacred any longer?

Yesterday I looked in to my back yard to find a well dressed man picking the apples from one of the two trees growing against the inside fence.  I was shocked at his brazenness and went out to speak with him.  I’m certain he was caught as off-guard as I was, and when I politely enquired as to whether I could be of assistance to him he told me point-blank that he’d just stopped by to gather fruit.  I reminded him that it was customary to ask before (trespassing and) taking someone’s fruit, and that had he done so he would have been welcome to it.

He tried to explain that he thought the house was unoccupied (I’ve been here full-time since November and owned the place for two years), and that he knew the lady that used to live here (three or more years ago) so I found the argument a bit weak.  I’ve vehicles parked both in front of the house and out back as well.  The lights are on at night, and I’m usually around during the day so really there’s no excuse to think the house is vacant.. or is there?

Property and entitlement

We live in such a consumer state that the quest for ever-more stuff in our lives is becoming an all-consuming passion for people and these two separate happenings have given me cause to reflect on the nature of property and what it all really means.

I pride myself on being generous and pretty relaxed about my own property, particularly the abundance of fruit in the yard.   In fact, several people have open invitations to pick fruit throughout the summer just because they’ve expressed interest. I’ve given poppies and plant cuttings to several people because they asked. It pleases me to share and to be fair I have far more than I can use anyway. I’ve even an arrangement with Charles, the man that collects bottles in this area to set my recycles away for him.  He asked, and I was happy to oblige.

What irks me though, is that people feel a sense of entitlement to the property of others; we’re drawn to the shinier-fancier-prettier stuff that other people have and we’ve been conditioned to desire it almost at-all-cost..  Why do we forget manners in the face acquisition? Why is this still desire still acceptable?

Further, what does it say about me to claim ownership of something that I’ve done nothing to create and little to maintain (after all, trees are pretty self sufficient)?   Am I just part of the problem?

Rekindling the real community

This brings us to the real bee in my bonnet, which takes shape in an incredible lack of community here in my own neighbourhood (and I’ll suggest, in all of Calgary). I’ve lived in my house for two years, and know several of my neighbours through pleasantries exchanged over the hedge but I couldn’t even tell you a whole lot more than first names and whether they’ve got a dog. Of the ten houses that surround my own, four are vacant and two want nothing to do with the outside world.

If I wanted to borrow the proverbial cup of sugar I’d be forced to knock on four or five doors before anyone actually answered, there’s really nobody I can share tools with, nor ask for assistance with a home project. This may be partly because the neighbourhood is established, and full of retirees, or may just be an excuse on my part.  I don’t know which end of that statement is true because I have not made the slightest attempt to find out.

Through this disconnection we breed ignorance of what is going on around us, and perpetuate it in ourselves. Had I neighbours that knew the score, would it have been more likely that my stuff wasn’t getting pinched? Possibly. We can’t know until we find out though..

My challenge next week is to start meeting the neighbours that I’ve neglected to date, and I challenge you, dear reader, to do the same!

Through Leadership Calgary I’ve had the opportunity to meet a remarkable lady by the name of Gena Rotstein.  Her company, Dexterity Consulting is Canada’s first and only Philanthropic Brokerage Firm(tm) and specializes in building and maintaining diversified philanthropic investment portfolios for clients that want to maximize the impact of their charitable contributions to the community.

Dexterity’s unique approach to business is reflected even by it’s office location–the back of Gallery 213, an art gallery created in part to support Canadian artists by offering up commission-free wall space. And here, here is where the post begins!

On September 3, 2009, Dexterity Consulting along with a number of sponsors presented the first Canadian taste of the Milestones Project, a 35,000+ image collection of moments depicting a series of firsts for children around the world. The first tooth, first best friend, first day of school, and first haircut are shared by people the world ’round regardless of race, color, religion or location.  The aim of the program (if I may be so bold as to summarize) is to show how similar we all are when you strip away the meaningless hatred and ignorance that segregates us from others.

Photographers Richard and Michele Steckel, the real heart of the Milestones Project were on hand to speak about their work and what it meant.  Their graciousness and commitment to the betterment of the world is to be commended, and has been recognized by such organizations as the United Nations among others.. They were a true inspiration to speak with!

The opening night was by all accounts a great success with a packed house for most of the night.  We were joined by several special guests and a crowd of enthusiastic supporters for the opening comments.  The show will continue until October 31, 2009 and is located in Gallery 213 at Art Central in downtown Calgary..

I managed to catch a few photos using available light. With the gallery as packed as it was, I felt it would be a bit ignorant to use a flash and blind the whole audience regularly but in hindsight, the quality of the photos would have been greatly advanced by a little off-camera flash.

I’ve been asked to build and deliver a 12-week photography training course for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Calgary and the Calgary Board of Education, Start Outreach High School, and yesterday we had a very positive initial meeting to discuss the logistics of such a course.  Needless to say, I’m extremely excited by the possibilities this project will present over the coming months as both organizations are really open to new ideas and encouraging the students to explore.

The Boys and Girls Clubs of Calgary provide a dizzying array of programs for Calgary youth to provide them with a caring and safe environment in which they can grow and learn.  I’ve worked with them on a few different occasions and I’m chuffed to be working with them again!

Start Outreach provides high school students with a self-paced learning environment that allows them with the flexibility to complete their high school studies without the typical constraints of a traditional school. As we discussed their philosophies and learning structure I couldn’t help but think that I wish this sort of thing was around while I was still in school.   I’m really looking forward to working with them on this project as well!

The project itself is just in the planning stages at the moment so I’ll provide more detail on how the program will run later. It will be open to students at the Start Outreach High School in Bowness, with additional spots available to students at other CBE Outreach schools if we have space available.

Leadership Calgary officially kicked off today with a two-hour informational lunch. After all of the personal introductions were made, it became abundantly clear that we’ve got a group of people assembled for this program that are, for lack of appropriate language, phenomenal. As each and every person outlined what they wanted out of the program and how they’d arrived at the decision to take part, I found myself nodding along in agreement and even smitten with a bit of awe at what an engaged and passionate bunch they are.

To say the least, I’m completely stoked; these are my kind of people..

The eight month program is by all accounts a very unique and tailored lesson in wisdom and adaptive learning (and much more) which I’m only now beginning to understand.  As we progress through the year, I’ll have more to report on the topics we cover and even observations I make whilst working through the course materials but suffice it to say, this will be a very interesting Journey..

To give you just a teaser of what is to come, a segment of our first (err.. second) homework assignment. Watch Home (Maison), a film by Yann Arthus-Bertrand. (this is a full length film, so make sure you’ve got an hour and a half to spare before you start..) And…  If you have a little extra time, or would like to catch a quick preview of what Home is all about, you can see Mr. Arthus-Bertrand’s TED Talk filmed just prior to the movie launch. (Thanks to Rahim for the early heads-up on this stuff..)

Last thing, please feel free to comment, the old CAVOK didn’t have that functionality, but I welcome your thoughts.. -J

After nearly ten years of online journaling and an eight month hiatus, I’ve returned with a new sense of purpose.  Much has transpired in the first half of 2009 including a complete dump in the economy, the finishing of my home renovations and a critical shift in my views of this world..  I still subscribe to the theory that Blue Skies are a State of Mind however, I believe that we must now more than ever take an active roll in ensuring that this is so.

I have shifted my career focus as well, and begun to service my photographic clients on a full-time basis now.  In the past, work always managed to get in the way of getting out to play photographer.  I’ve formed a new division in my company called Dromedary Photography with a focus on providing photographic services to environmentally and socially responsible clients and will be working diligently to build my client base.

Also, I will be participating in Leadership Calgary in the coming months and this will provide much fodder for the mind and soul, all of which I’ll gladly share with you.

I should also like to note that I’ve set this blog up using the Green-Apples theme from RoseCityGardens.com for the sake of efficiency in getting this back up and running.  I like the simplicity of the template, but the code that makes it so is nowhere near as friendly so the look  may change from time to time until I have sorted out a design I can live with.   Please feel free to comment on the changes as you see them!

So, in closing, to those of you who’ve supported CAVOK in the past years I’d like to offer a warm welcome back, and to those of you who’re new to CAVOK, please sit down, hang on and enjoy the ride!  — Jordan