End of second Coop, bye bye OPS !

Here it is, December 17th came and my second RIM coop term has ended. It was different that the first one, that's for sure! I have learned many new things, used and improved many of my old skills, said goodbye to Dong who left the team and moved on to Engineering to learn new stuff, and even had our manager fired! (we didn't caused it, promise !)

Turbulent coop term was crowned on Thursday night, night that was absolutely priceless! It started at 9pm with fantastic dinner at Crabby Joe's with my boys Adam, David, Manny and Zeeshan. We ate, drank and summarized the past fall, our relationships and our lives.

From midnight to 3am (eternal) Naythan and I performed the last Networking action together in the most secured RIM building in Waterloo and then in Hollywood manner with crazy slides on snowy roads and parking lots with (summer tires FTW !) we "raided" couple of other places for tea, candy and occasional mini-golf session!
:)

Now is the time to have a little break until January 10th when my 5th out 6 semesters will start. Great thing is that I will be coming back to RIM and Waterloo in summer, but the sad part is that I will not be working with my old team - I have switched from Corporate Data Network Operations to Blackberry Academic Group. There I hope to be part of the efforts to get Blackberry knowledge in the Curriculum for Colleges and Universities. I am excited and little bit scared about the change and I am sad that I am leaving my team (I love you guys!), but I have changed a bit in these past 6 moths and I felt a subtle whisper in my soul, calling me to continue adventure and exploration of limits and the unknown me. Change becons and I will follow.

Bye Ops !

While I will spending Cristmas with Heather and her family (Thanks H!), I am still debating about the New Years Eve. I can't decide between nice, cozy cabin with fireplace and cooked wine an some unknown (masked) party that must be happening somewhere and I just need to find it and launch my brain into orbit. I do not have much time to plan and organize NYE thing, so that will mostly be a spontaneous action with absolutely unknown outcome. You will find out more in early January... ;)

And the Le Grande News is that my Mom is coming to visit in summer! That is going to be so AWESOME! We will have a blast, she is not even aware how fantastic it will be!
:)

That's it for now, I will try to keep posting as things start happening again - now is time to chillax.
I think I deserved it.

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Master Pieces of Love

I just love how there are so many ways to express love, or like in this case, how it all begins... :)

Son of Anarchy

I simply love this show. It is an understatement to say that it is helping me channel myself into this world, this other reality that I live now. I find it hard to believe that I would ever be able to describe to anybody who knew me how I feel at this point in time and what is going on with me and in me. Here, play this song, close your eyes and let me tell you a story about a prince...

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Before and now

1960 vs. 2010

Scenario: Jack goes quail hunting before school, pulls into school parking lot with shotgun in gun rack.

1960 - Vice Principal comes over, looks at Jack’s shotgun, goes to his car and gets his shotgun to show Jack.
2010 - School goes into lock down, FBI called, Jack hauled off to jail and never sees his truck or gun again. Counselors called in for traumatized students and teachers.

Scenario: Johnny and Mark get into a fistfight after school.

1960 - Crowd gathers. Mark wins. Johnny and Mark shake hands and end up buddies.
2010 - Police called, SWAT team arrives, arrests Johnny and Mark. Charge them with assault, both expelled even though Johnny started it.

Scenario: Jeffrey won’t be still in class, disrupts other students.

1960 - Jeffrey sent to office and given a good paddling by the Principal. Returns to class, sits still and does not disrupt class again.
2010 - Jeffrey given huge doses of Ritalin. Becomes a zombie. Tested for ADD. School gets extra money from state because Jeffrey has a disability.

Scenario: Billy breaks a window in his neighbor’s car and his Dad gives him a whipping with his belt.

1960 - Billy is more careful next time, grows up normal, goes to college, and becomes a successful businessman.
2010 - Billy’s dad is arrested for child abuse. Billy removed to foster care and joins a gang. State psychologist tells Billy’s sister that she remembers being abused herself and their dad goes to prison. Billy’s mom has affair with psychologist.

Scenario: Mark gets a headache and takes some aspirin to school.

1960 - Mark shares aspirin with Principal out on the smoking dock.
2010 - Police called, Mark expelled from school for drug violations. Car searched for drugs and weapons.

Scenario: Pedro fails high school English.

1960 - Pedro goes to summer school, passes English, goes to college.
2010 - Pedro’s cause is taken up by state. Newspaper articles appear nationally explaining that teaching English as a requirement for graduation is racist. ACLU files class action lawsuit against state school system and Pedro’s English teacher. English banned from core curriculum. Pedro given diploma anyway but ends up mowing lawns for a living because he cannot speak English.

Scenario: Johnny takes apart leftover firecrackers from 4th of July, puts them in a model airplane pain t bottle, blows up a red ant bed.

1960 - Ants die.
2010 - BATF, Homeland Security, FBI called. Johnny charged with domestic terrorism, FBI investigates parents, siblings removed from home, computers confiscated, Johnny’s Dad goes on a terror watch list and is never allowed to fly again.

Scenario: Johnny falls while running during recess and scrapes his knee. He is found crying by his teacher, Mary. Mary hugs him to comfort him.

1960 - In a short time, Johnny feels better and goes on playing.
2010 - Mary is accused of being a sexual predator and loses her job. She faces 3 years in State Prison. Johnny undergoes 5 years of therapy.


What will it all look like in 50 years from now ?

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