1/6/2020 2 Comments January 06th, 2020After reading my Grandfather’s (Fred MacInnis) 2019 year-end letter I have decided to do one of my own. I hope that my letter finds you well.
In 2019, my partner (Brooklyn Glass) and myself adopted our first Dog. Josi is an 11-year old Woodle that, until recently, lived her entire life in Ontario. The dog is Brooklyn’s father’s dog whose habit of visiting Mexico led him to ask us to take care of her. Josi is a well-trained saint who is the reason why I have now enjoyed many more sunrises and sunsets. This last spring, Brooklyn and I planted our first garden together. We opted for guerrilla gardening and built three raised bed gardens on the boulevard outside our house. There are gardens in our backyard, but they don’t get much sunlight due to the trees. I didn’t know I could get so excited about seedlings. But, it’s truly a miraculous thing to wake up in the morning to see that the squash seedlings have catapulted dirt so that they have room to stand. Our bounty included peas, tomatoes, strawberries, kale, herbs, Brussel sprouts, broccoli, and lettuce. Unfortunately, the squash got a fungus that led to their demise. We are excited to plant again. It was also the first year that I had family out for Thanksgiving in Victoria. Big milestone. Hopefully next time Erin can make it out. Brooklyn and I have joined our neighbourhood association (Fairfield-Gonzales). They recently started a climate change action group. The group’s goal is to align under the City of Victoria’s Climate Action Plan. I have a started facilitating portions of the meetings. It’s been an exciting process that is connecting me with more and more people. Brooklyn pitched an idea called the Pledge Program, which is a mixture of goal-setting and social buy-in to get more people moving in the direction of climate change. It was chosen by the group to be the first project. We both feel inspired being with other environmentally-minded and motivated individuals. I have just finished reading the book “The Art of Learning” by Josh Waitzkin. Josh is an amazing storyteller that talks about his journey as a Chess prodigy to becoming a world champion in Tai Chi. The book is filled with many important lessons and is an overall inspiring read. The main lesson I would ask anyone to explore is how to create a Growth Mindset. It’s common that people become limited from their self-perception of their innate abilities. That is, they only do what they are good at without a willingness to improve (both good and bad skills). However, learning is improvement. So, if you have a willingness to learn you will improve naturally. 2019 marked my return to soccer. I have not played since my concussion back in September of 2017. I’m still very wary of going for headers. In fact, I have opted to not play full field soccer because it is impossible to not head the ball. Instead, the YMCA offers a drop-in indoor soccer three times a week. One of the rules is that there are no headers. The game has a different style of play that is faster paced. There are many international players, so the skill level is quite high. It’s a good challenge. In May of 2020 I will have been at Urban Systems for two-years. In the last year, I took a Management Consulting Course that taught me basic strategy on how to diagnose problems and select solutions for businesses. I attended a Watershed Symposium in Parksville to learn the current state of our watersheds. At the Symposium, I challenged myself to sit with people outside my comfort zone. Turns out they are just lovely individuals that happen to be Executive Directors of various organizations. I’ve been able to work on many diverse interesting projects with highlights in Affordable Housing. I’m starting to hit my stride at work, and it feels amazing. Finally, my goal for 2020 is a simple one. Connect more with family, friends and colleagues.
2 Comments
4/20/2020 09:11:47 pm
Drawing coffee cups don't really seem that great at first, but they are. I find people who enjoy coffee as people who I can be with. If you are one of those people, then believe me, we are going to have a great time together. I prefer drinking coffee than other beverages, simply because I enjoy it. I hope that we can enjoy it together, that is if you are up to the idea of meeting a complete stranger.
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AuthorRobin Roger Gagne is a freelance writer, web designer, and SEO wizard. Archives
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