A Collection of Daily Wisdom by Dennis Sylvester Hurd since September 2003.

Yesterday, I corrected final examinations. I also looked over the confidential message board area. This helped me to gage the students' ability in writing short answers. After my Excel spreadsheet was completely filled in, I entered the data in the BCIT online gradebook. The students will be able to see their own marks and then will read my email sent to their BCIT email account. I was thinking how quickly technology has been adapted for use in higher education. Only a few years ago everything was done on paper.

I can contrast this to the situation I encountered at my doctor's office yesterday. I needed to renew a prescription. Surprisingly, my doctor had moved to a new office. Somehow, I wasn't informed until I tried to make an appointment at the old number. The nurses did find my paper file in the mountain of them on the shelves. Certainly my medical practitioner hasn't got my email address. How archaic the office seems. Everything is still done on forms. The doctor's scribbling exists only in a file folder whereas, I'd like to see my complete medical file via the Internet. Hell, I don't see why the whole process of getting a prescription couldn't have taken place via the Internet.

In this age of increasing electronic efficiency, why are medical practices so out of date? Or is it just that my particular doctor is behind the times?

Labels: BCIT, Internet, students

Living in this building is very convenient but it can be a bit of a curse too. I can walk to a convenience store without going outside. That sounds fine but you have to remember that it means I can buy junk food easily. It's probably not good that I can get a bag of potato chip in my slippers.

Canadians spend a great deal of time trying to figure out how we're different from the people who live to the south. Some compare our health care systems while others point to the difference in political views. At the moment now, let's focus on potato chips. I've heard that dill-pickle potato chips aren't available south of the border while it's a Canadian favourite. We'd much rather have 'em all dressed than settle for the boring, original flavour.

This evening, although I should have eaten an apple, I bought a bag of Lay's new Spicy Curry chips. They were okay but I thought I detected a chicken taste. If it's curry, I'd much rather mistake it for veggie than tandoori. I might return to bacon flavour next time.

Still, I will keep my eyes (and tongue) peeled for the rumoured Wasabi-flavoured bags and will let you know my opinion.

Labels: food

Today's the last day I will meet with my current class. The students will be doing a bit of work, filling in Course Evaluations, and taking their Final Examinations.

At 16 hours per week, we've accomplished a tremendous amount of work over the last five weeks. Many students also work and many have family obligations. I'm always amazed by their fortitude. Yet, I've grown especially fond of this group. They never waste time and they always laugh at my jokes.

Next week, I'll be free. We've not planned any trip or vacation activities. That means I can spend money on something else, I guess. It's really long past time for a new couch.

Then, during the following week, I expect to start with a new batch of hard-working BCIT students.

Labels: BCIT

Most of us end up owning lots of things. For many acquisition is the goal while for others keeping can actually become a burden.

I am amazed how long some things last. For example, I think I have the suit my father was married in. I don't dry clean it because I doubt it would fit me. Still, the material is perfectly usable all these decades later.

Around the apartment there are small items from various corners of the earth. Some are practical such as the dishes from Bahrain which are still used on a daily basis. Souvenirs, on the other hand, don't have a practical purpose. It's nice to know, however, that things collected decades ago still surround me.



The photo above is a handcrafted Sri Lankan decorative container. It was purchased in the late 1980's and has been a part of my environment since. Today, it sits on the coffee table full of other souvenirs and junk.

Labels: Bahrain, opinions, souvenirs

I was wracking my brain for an entry idea. Then, it occurred to me. If this really is a journal of personal events, I should include the recording list from the PVR. Here is a listing of television that's a part of my life at present. These automatic timers change quite frequently. A quick estimate shows that I save 6 hours a week by using the machine to skip through commercials!

The titles followed by (C) indicate Canadian programming.

TUE
Godiva's (C)
Boston Legal

WED
Still Standing
CSI: NY

THU
Survivor: Panama
Will & Grace
Four Kings
CSI: Original

FRI
Malcolm in the Middle
Royal Canadian Air Farce (C)
This Hour Has 22 Minutes (C)
Hatching, Matching, and Dispatching (C)
Getting Along Famously (C)

SAT
Mad TV

SUN
Kala Kavaya (Singhala Language)
Desi Door Darshan (Hindi)
Ebert & Roeper
Grey's Anatomy
Nova PBS
The Simpsons
Family Guy
American Dad

MON
King of Queens
How I Met Your Mother
Las Vegas

Labels: lists, television

Although we can appreciate the various types of life on the planet, I think we can only love other mammals.

I am often surprised by the things on my 'D' drive. When Windows Vista arrives later this year, I'll probably replace my drives with a shiny new big one. I haven't done a fresh install for years and years.



This fellow was a resident at the Vancouver Aquarium. He wasn't a chameleon. To get this colour, I'd have had to be wearing my 1970's, mint-green leisure suit. I found this lizard among the photos taken when my sister visited Vancouver in 2003. Laurie, it's time to start planning another trip out here, isn't it?

Labels: Laurie, Vancouver

Yesterday in the evening, we headed on the SkyTrain through Burnaby and into the downtown core of Vancouver. Even though all was damp and dark, the mountains which shoulder the city, were obvious. We were on our way to a dinner at the apartment of friends. Early on, the host put on a disc which included family photos on the DVD player. We saw people, houses, and land in south-eastern Nepal. A bit later in the evening, there was a discussion of New Years in various cultures and first hand accounts from countries such as Japan, Thailand, and Sri Lanka. Later in the evening the discussion turned to the current world affairs regarding the cartoons of Mohammad and some spoke of knowledge from the living and working in the Middle East. There were many other topics too, of course. A flight attendant had to leave a bit early as today he's on his way to Dallas and connecting to work a flight to Osaka.

When coming home, I discovered my actual life had turned out to be as interesting as those National Geographic magazines I collected as an adolescent.

Labels: Thailand, Vancouver