It's time for a recollection or two. Today's topic: higher education.
Back in the day (i.e. when I was in high school in Canada), going to university wasn't a given. In high school, you were "tracked" into a university program or a college program. What, you say? Aren't they the same? No, actually, in Canada they aren't the same. University programs are oriented towards the attainment of a degree ... in the intellectual pursuit of "higher learning and education". Professional programs - doctors, lawyers, physiotherapists, dentists - those are all university programs. But so is the Bachelors in Arts focusing on Canadian history (a bit of a misnomer since we all know that Canada doesn't have much history - at least much that we are prepared to acknowledge!). The university setting is all about attaining a higher level of knowledge in something - and, frankly, it's not for everyone. It's for the best students, those with the highest grades, those who have the greatest potential to expand and add to the knowledge base, the research base, the development and enhancement of what we as a species know.
Now here's something odd - a US president pardoned somebody the other day. Oooops sorry - he didn't, he just commuted a sentence. I'll pull my tongue out of my cheek now.
Let me check my Constitution here. The legal system is set up to provide a fair trial ... to examine the evidence ... and to provide a verdict which is then upheld by the system itself. Beautiful. Elegant. Fair (more often than not). Good stuff. The Constitution of the United States of America - a work of art.
Dateline 2007 ... Scooter Libby's going to jail. Or is he? He was convicted ... and thus, if he's in the same category as any other convicted criminal, he's headed to jail.
But wait! President Bush flies in with his Superman cape on and says "no worries mate, it doesn't matter what the legal system says because what *I* say matters most - and I say you're not going to jail".
Over the past few weeks, there have been a lot of stories coming out of Coeur d'Alene regarding this year's Ironman CDA on June 24. My sources tell me it was a difficult day between the very choppy water for the swim and a challenging new bike course. Reports put the waves at up to 3 feet, though from what I could see on the live video, I highly doubt that the whitecaps I saw were on top of 3 foot swells. Having grown up next to the St. Lawrence River, I know my whitecaps!
They gave the participants the opportunity to not do the swim - and to simply make it an "Iron-duathlon". This decision wasn't made until just prior to the swim start.
I have no difficulty whatsoever with keeping participants safe. I totally understand the rationale - and the liability involved.
But let's face it - Ironman SHOULD be difficult. Ironman SHOULD have it's own set of risks. Isn't that part of the appeal in attempting it?
First of all, let's start with the obvious: Happy Birthday, United States of America!
July 4th ... a day of celebration of the nation's birthday. A day for ... time off from work, beer drinking, grilling out, fireworks ... what more can you ask for, right?
The Canadian in me would like to remind everyone out there that your neighbor to the North - your number one trading partner and world's longest undefended border-mate - just had a birthday as well.
It was on July 1. Yes, we know you missed it, but a belated birthday card would have sufficed.
Creativity.
Inspiration.
Two things that you need to latch on to when they appear at your doorstep. Trust me on this one.
They can pass you by quickly, on stealth mode in your daily grind. It's easy to lose sight of them, or to barely recognize that they are in your presence. But if you stay open to the world around you, stay quiet deep within, you will hear them - and when you do, you must seize them, seize the moment, free your mind, know the flow, sense it, revel in it, submit to it ... and hope that life hasn't passed you by in the meantime.
Sure, easy for you to say.
Consider me one pissed-off Canuck today.
Here's the deal. A sacrilegious event occurred yesterday. Lord Stanley's Cup - the highest award in all of hockey - the gleaming 36" cup that every male Canadian kid dreams of raising when he's growing up - has gone south on us. Again. Literally.
You see, last night, the Anaheim Might Ducks (now that's a lame Disney-fied name if ever I've seen one), beat the Ottawa Senators to take home the Stanley Cup.
What? What has this world evolved into now?
We've got a war in Iraq. Kobe can't decide if he likes Los Angeles or not. Jordan's retired for good. The health care system is in the toilet.
And now - this.
The blues have always been something important to me and my spirit. I knew it was so when I first heard Cream on the radio playing "Crossroads" when I was in high school. I was on a trip with my parents, we'd just arrived home in our Toyota Celica, and I stayed in the car until the song was over. I knew that something special was contained in the chord structures and verse of the blues. Eric Clapton's spirited solo in "Crossroads" gave me a desire to search deep within the meaning of the blues ... and within it, I found Robert Johnson.
Very little is known of Robert's life. Robert had done his recordings in November 23, 26 and 27, 1936 in San Antonio and June 19 and 20, 1937 in Dallas. That's all of his recorded history. For many years, I was unable to find much more about him other than his legend. Then, I heard "Crossroads" ... "went down to the crossroads, fell down on my knees" ... and something struck a chord deep within me.
Allan Besselink, PT, DPT, Ph.D., Dip.MDT has a unique voice in the world of sports, education, and health care. Read more about Allan here.