Fifth Business

A Fortnight to Go!

2008-10-11T05:53:00.003-05:00

Well,
Yes, I know that it's been a long while since I've posted here. My bad. Truth is that I've been pretty busy, but still no excuse.

In August, Kate the kids and I met in Hong Kong to spend my R&R with Brock, Sophia and the girls. I can't begin to describe how awesome a vacation it was. We bimbled around HK and saw what there was to see, which is an awful lot. What an incredible place. I was blown away with how vibrant a place it is, and how many people can be jammed into such a small space. And yet, while Central was a zoo, out where Brock lives in Sai Kung it was so suburban and quiet. Jungle right behind the house. A real study in contrasts. You know, every time we travel, and go see something new, I understand a bit more the bug that bit Mom and Dad years back. A good vacation or visit to somewhere you've never been is always a good bet.

Anyhow, after noting that I would like to see a bit of sea to go with the endless sand of Afghanistan, Brock found a super deal on 5 nights in Thailand for all 8 of us. It was just amazing. It was perfectly timed in the middle of our 3 weeks and was a spectacular spot to unwind in.

The best thing, though, was probably the fact that Brock and I became real friends for the first time in almost 40 years. The truth is that we never got along very well when we were younger, but after spending 3 easy, relaxing weeks in each other's company, I think that we both realised that we could be good friends. I miss his company for the first time, and that's a very good thing.

Right, I have to post this and get back to real life.
More to follow,

Kent

The Grey Cup in KAF

2008-07-19T23:39:00.002-05:00

So, I know it's been a while since I've posted. Truth is, (and you've probably caught it from the news), we've been rather busy lately.
Anyhow, for Canada Day, besides being allowed to have a beer (!), the Grey Cup came to KAF, along with Roger Aldag and Steve Mazurak. As some of you already know, my buddy Ryan and I actually made it into the Canwest papers with a story and a photo.
So, here's how it happened:
Ryan and I had heard that the Grey Cup was coming, along with some 'Rider alumni. On 30 June, we found out that it would be on display at New Canada House at around 9pm. So at 830pm we ruck-up and walk down there. We went in, and as soon as we saw it, we bee-lined for it. Kinda like kids at the toy department at Sears. So, we were so preoccupied at looking at the 2007 and 1989 'Rider victories that we didn't notice a bunch of photographers started gathering around and taking pics of us; those are the ones that made it into the 'papers. So, after that, we noticed Aldag and Mazurak, and got to talk with them for a bit. Ryan then pulled out his 'Rider jersey because he wanted a pic of him with the Grey Cup. Well, the place went a bit nuts; Aldag and Mazurak were thrilled. Ryan let me wear his jersey for a couple of shots, so that was pretty cool.
There was an Army cameraman there as well, and he decided that he wanted to shoot some footage for the giant screen at Taylor Field for the Labour Day Classic. So Ryan and I each got to actually hold up the Grey Cup and address the crowd at Taylor Field. Everyone had better watch the Classic!!!
On Canada Day, Maz and Aldag were actually helping in the beer line at New Canada House, and they were giving out 'Riders 2007 Grey Cup ball caps. I managed to get one signed by the both of them, and I got two others that I can wear...Hey, the autographed one is going up on a shelf!

So, that was Canada Day here in KAF. Just about the best one that a 'Rider fan could ask for. Now, if Kate and the kids could have participated, well, it would have been just that much better.

Later,
K

For Harry

2008-06-20T10:21:00.003-05:00

For my beloved and much maligned father in law:

Harry, voici un vrai 45C, et ceci a l'ombre ;)

K

Some Pics From KAF

2008-06-20T10:05:00.002-05:00

Hi everyone,
As promised, here are some more pics from KAF. The first one, obviously, is me in my office. I'm drinking a Timmy's and eating a Pop-Tart. Our NATO 'friends' have decided that this is the official meal of the CF in KAF. The Timmy's is pretty obvious...The Pop-Tart because we get them every two weeks in what are supposed to be ration supplements. The truth is that those of us in KAF really don't need them. The guys doing the hard work outside probably do, but us back here really don't.

The second pic, for those that requested it, is a shot of our 'garden'; arguably the most pathetic patch of green in all of Kanahar province. Not only is the soil complete rubbish, but it gets really dry and hot. Not much growing there, although it's supposed to be local corn, sunflowers and wheat from Herat province.

Finally, the third pic is of a group of us at a BBQ. We were having a really nice BBQ after a long meeting, and decided to invite a bunch of other people we work with to come by. Well, the bad dudes decided to throw a couple of thumpers into the mix. Not a very big deal, but we had to go into the shelter, so we carried on there. Hey, fun is what you can make of a silly situation.

If there is a market day tomorrow, I will try to get some shots and post them up. The market is a really great place, and lots of fun. You can get some really neat stuff there, and goodness knows, I've purchased enough of it myself!

Take care,
Kent

Another Sunday!

2008-06-15T01:08:00.002-05:00

Well, it's another Sunday here in KAF. Actually, the running joke around here is that it's just another Monday. Every day is another Monday. The truth is that I actually forget what day of the week it is most of the time. We all mark the days by the date which is more efficient! And when someone is getting short, they mark them by the number of "wakies" left. Actually, there are a number of these nifty Excel calendars kicking around which calculate the number of days you have left, how many you've done etc etc, and they all have graphs and pie charts to show your progress. My fave is called "The Donut of Misery", which is a circular graph (shaped like a donut go figure!) which changes title depending upon how many days you have to go before you head out on the Herc home! Anything to keep morale up!

Kate and I have booked all of our dates and stuff for Hong Kong. We (the kids, Kate and myself) are going to HK to visit Brock and Sophia and the girls. We've never been, so we decided that it would be a good idea for us to go. Brock and Sophia have been there for years, so it's about time. We will be meeting there in a few weeks time, and it's going to be outstanding. Brock's talking about the eight of us going away to a beach somewhere. Sounds fantastic to me, considering that I've seen enough sand for a lifetime, but no water to go with it!

So I had intended to post up some pics of me and the gang, but I can't seem to get the digicam to pick up on the USB. I'll come up with a cunning plan (thank you Baldrick) and try again later.

Take care all,
Kent

First Month Done

2008-05-24T23:40:00.002-05:00

So there we have it, my first month is done; only five more to go! So far, it's all been going fairly well. It's still hot and dusty, but the work is pretty good, and the guys in my office are great. A good mate of mine is actually down into single digits before he leaves. He's from Halifax. He owns a sailboat which he keeps at the Bedford Marina, and he's going to get her out into the water when he gets back. I made him promise that when he leaves here, he will take two pictures and send them to me. The first one will be of him on the beach at Fujairai with his first beer in hand. The second has to be of him in Halifax Harbour, on his sailboat, with a Halifax landmark in the background. Mark is an awesome guy, and I will miss him being around, but he's done his time and deserves to enjoy summer in Halifax.

So I think that I've mentioned that I go to Mass on Saturdays because it's the Canadian priest who presides. Father Lloyd would be pleased, because for the last two Masses, I've been 'drafted' by Father into being a Minister of the Eucharist and a Reader. I have to admit that I was a bit worried about being a Minister of the Eucharist, but it went off just fine. I particularly enjoyed being a reader. It was the second reading for the Feast of Corpus Christi, so it was short, but it also gave me a bit of latitude for inflection. All good.

The photo above is one that Nicole took when she, Mark and I went out to the village. I put it in today because I think that people who complain that Afghanistan isn't 'our war' need a bit of a reality check. I always hear that we are in Afghanistan because the Americans asked us to be (as if our gov't can't make up its own mind). Honestly, we need to be here to help this country get back on its feet. Truth is, these kids in this photo really need our help. Without the Gov't of Afghanistan and ISAF, this place would be in a very bad way. Just think about it.

Take care and God bless,

Until next time,
Kent

The School

2008-05-17T23:59:00.003-05:00

So a couple of days after I landed, Nicole, Mark and I went to visit a school which is just outside of the KAF, but inside the second perimeter. Here I am with a group of the children. They really love having their photos taken, and are real hams...Much like one of my beloved uncles (Hi Doug!!!)

The first photo is of the apartment block where the families live, and the second is of the 'village' bakery. Basically this is the village where the chaps out of the local ANA base live.
Later,
Kent

Hey Again!

2008-05-13T10:59:00.002-05:00

OK, sorry it's been a while, but we're keeping busy here.

Thanks for the comments Karen and Mosey; it's good to know that someone is reading this stuff!!!

So, I know that I said that it was hot before, but that was nothing. We've started to hit 40 in the shade, and let me tell you, it's brutal! I had to use the 'portaloo' AKA 'blue rocket' today, and for the first time I know how the colonel in "Bridge on the River Kwai" felt when he was locked in the oven ;)

That said, my mom managed to send her extra camera (it's pretty sweet, because it's really small and light and fits well in my shirt pocket) so I'm going to try to see if I can post some photos on the weekend when I get a couple of moments.

Apart from that, the bad dudes have tried to land a few 'thumpers' into the camp, but as my Aussie co-worker says: "no worries mate!" Of course, one worries that they will get it right one of these times, but, well, enough said.

Well, I'm going to post this up, and on the weekend I will try to get a couple of pics up.

Take care all,

K

Greetings from KAF

2008-04-28T10:51:00.002-05:00

Wow, is it hot...and dusty...and hot...and dusty

Yes, I finally got here last Friday mid-morning after a few hours from the Camp which is naught but a Mirage.

The flight was cramped but uneventful, and the first day here was a bit overwhelming. The heat and the dust and the smell really hit you when you jump out of the Herc onto the tarmac kitted to the teeth.

It took a couple of days to get shaken out, but I'm pretty much sorted now, and my changeover with my friend of many years, Nicole, is going well. She's counting down in single digits now and very cheerful about it too! I'll be working with an excellent crew, and am diving into the material...Like I have anything better to do for the next few months ;)

Lest you worry, however, be assured that the amenities are superb, and won't be wanting for anything while I'm here. For those of you who know me well enough, you know that I'm more of a Starbuck's than Timmy's kind of guy...So the good news is that I've found Greenbeans which is the Camp's equivalent to Starbuck's. Yes, I'll have a Timmy's, but only for form's sake!

I went out to visit an Afghan school today; wow, what an eye opener. All I could think was that we live a pretty cushy life in the West, and I doubt that most of us really appreciate how good life is in our western countries. Good food, shelter, jobs and plenty of clean potable water. Anyone who complains about the stadard of living in the West really ought to spend half a day in a bombed out apartment complex in Afghanistan to get a better perspective.

Oh yeah, and as a footnote, the Darwinist's ideas about moral evolution...Totally out to lunch, and unrealistic except for a situation where nobody is starving.

Right, I have to sign off, until next time.

Waiting!

2008-04-23T08:53:00.002-05:00

So I'm waiting for my flight out now. We start our trip across the pond this evening. Hopefully the travelling won't be too bad, and the transit time will be short.

I'll post up when I get there.

K

What's So Great About Christianity

2008-04-12T12:16:00.003-05:00

Yesterday I received a shipment of books from Chapters. Amongst the others is a copy of Dinesh D'Souza's What's So Great About Christianity. (Note that the title is in the form of a statement - tells you something right off the bat).

At any road, after seeing footage of D'Souza calmly and cogently eviscerating Hitchens in a debate, I figured that I had to read his book. Long story short, What's So Great About Christianity is D'Souza's response to anti-theists and atheists such as Hitchens et al, as well as being his call to Christians as a group to rally 'round the King and stop being so abject in their apologies to all and sundry.

So far, I've only managed to get into the first few chapters since yesterday evening, but it's a really good read. I'll do a review of it once I've finished.

RCIA - Thanks!

2008-04-09T16:44:00.003-05:00

So for those of you who don't know yet, I (finally!) received the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and the Blessed Eucharist for the first time at Easter Vigil. Hey, it's only been 39 years in the making!

I just wanted to send my sincere thanks out to all of the St Ignatius RCIA Team as well as my fellow traveller Tom.

It was a fairly long voyage, and it took considerable work and introspection. Truth, 'graduating' from RCIA was/is only the first step in a lifelong commitment, but I get a very real sense that the Church puts catechumens through the process for some very valid reasons. You know how your Mother always tells you that nothing worth doing is ever easy, and nothing easy is ever worth doing? Well, RCIA is very much like that in the sense that the Church basically lays out her beliefs and traditions in front of catechumens and says to them: this is what we believe, and you are free to take it or leave it, and should you choose to take up the mantle, here is what you need to reflect upon and subscribe to.

I now understand why the Church mandates classes and preparation for marriage and baptism, and IMHO it's a superb idea.

So, thanks to Claire and the rest of the RCIA team and our cheerleader/secretary Colin for guiding me through this initial journey. There will be work to do every day, but I feel that you've set me on the path I needed to be on, especially for the next six months or so. I just hope that I'll be able to contribute back to the parish when I return.

Enough for now, I'm feeling all verklempt ;)

Change of Format

2008-04-08T16:27:00.002-05:00

Following a request from two dear friends yesterday, I've changed the background of the blog.

Please let me know if this is more legible than the previous.

K

Spooling Up

2008-04-05T10:27:00.003-05:00

Hey all,
This is the first new post on my blog in about 2 years; and as such this is a bit of a test.

A number of people have been asking about my going overseas to "that place" so I've decided that the best means of communicating with everyone will be through this blog. I'll post stuff up while I'm overseas and you will be able to read up on what is going on, and will be able to make comments as you wish.

Some caveats though. We have been told to take it for granted that everything posted or e-mailed is being scanned and dissected by those who ought to be our allies and by our enemies. To that end, there will have to be some ground rules for both my posts and your comments (should you wish to leave any). At all costs be vague in your comments. Don't use surnames, and don't leave any personal info. You can expect me to be fairly circumspect at all times. We have been warned that others 'over there' have been putting out too much info and have been getting themselves and their families into trouble.

For those wondering, I ought to be leaving in a few weeks, and taking leave in the week leading up to my departure. I expect that the travel to get there will take a couple of days, with at least one stop along the way in the airfield that is only a 'Mirage' in the desert ;) Google Maps is your friend.

As most of you know, although I'm really looking forward to going, I'm not happy about leaving 'my crew' behind for the next few months. Although I know that they are made of some pretty stern stuff, I'm heartbroken at the prospect of not seeing them until mid-way. I'm just happy that it's a summer tour and so they will do some travelling, and the weather wont't be so depressing. I'm grateful too to all of our friends and the Parish, all of whom will be watching out for K and C and M (and Mr. D too!)

Keep watching this blog for future posts as I spool up for my departure.

Take care and may God bless you and keep you.

K

Why Analogue Photography?

2006-03-09T15:11:00.000-05:00

Most of the people who find out that I spend a good deal of my leisure time involved in photography invariably end up asking the question: 'So, why don't you get a digital camera, it's so much easier to use?'
After answering the question innumerable times, I think that I've finally distilled it down to a few basic elements. First and foremost, I spend a better part of my working life behind a computer. When I'm not in meetings, I'm sitting behind my desk either reading e-mails, writing e-mails or using some other Microsoft programme and staring at a computer screen. The last thing that I want to do in my photography is spend hours trying to manipulate a digital image so it will print out how I imagined it at the moment of capture. The second major issue is cost. In order to take digital images which would attain the resolution which I obtain presently I would need a prosumer DSLR and a medium format back for a 645. After that I would need a printer and all of the consumables which are necessary to print. Thousands of dollars? And then what happens when my DSLR becomes outmoded or breaks?
At the moment, my workhorse cameras include one 25 year-old Minolta SLR with a hockey-sock full of amazing lenses, a 30 year-old M645 and a 10 year-old FED 5V rangefinder. Each and every one of these cameras functions precisely as it was intended to the moment it left the factory. If they stop working properly I can send any one of them off for a professional CLA and after a week or two they will come back like new. I have serious doubts that my Sony digicam will last 5 years, let alone 30 or more. OK, you ask, what about processing costs and lab-work? Well, I built myself a basement darkroom and do all of my developing and printing myself; and it's so easy to do that it's almost scary. Darkroom work is not magic; it's part science and part artistry.
As for the consumables (paper, film and chemicals) well, they're both abundant and inexpensive. An $18 100ft roll of APX-100 or Arista makes about 25 30 frame rolls of film. Paper is $35 for 100 8x10 sheets and the chemistry is dirt cheap.

Finally, though, you know what it really comes down to? Apart from all of the monetary and artistic justifications either for or against, digital just doesn't float my boat.

And if tomorrow, there was no more film left anywhere, I'd go to making my own wet-plates before I went digital.

Cheers,

APX 100

2006-03-06T22:05:00.000-05:00

Last summer I added a FED 5V and a J12 and J9 to my stable of favourite user cameras. I went with my family out to the Chaudière Falls south of Quebec City for a picnic and took my FED kit with me. I ripped off a couple of rolls of APX 100 and after developing I slid them into sleeves and put them in a binder. Sunday I was messing around in my basement darkroom and did this enlargement of the falls. APX 100 and Rodinal; what a stunning combination. Although I've replaced APX 100 with Fomapan 100 and Delta-100, I'm still gonna miss it. Even a crappy wet-print scan can give one an idea of the tonal range of APX.

David Emerson: Why The Ongoing Fuss?

2006-03-06T20:26:00.000-05:00

For my first post, I just gotta comment on the tempest surrounding David Emerson.

See, the thing is, I just don't understand what all of the fuss is about; had Emerson been a Tory who crossed the floor to become a Liberal MP or even *gasp* a Cabinet Minister, would the furore have lasted as long? What if he were a wealthy, blonde woman? Would the journos still be cranking out news reports? Would people be drafting recall petitions? Recent history tells me no.

So what I really, really want to know, is: what's the difference between Belinda Stronach and David Emerson? Seriously...

I have a possible answer. Perhaps the individual voters of Vancouver-Kingsway are a little more *left* than most and therefore are outraged at their MP shifting to the right. Truth is, the left-of-centre class in this country is an awfully vocal group. Those who fall into the slightly right-of-centre demographic are so used to being beaten on by the Volvo-socialist crowd, that after the initial furore over a floor-crossing has passed, they just lie low. The Volvo-socialists, however, aren't used to taking a back seat to anybody; kick 'em and they'll raise cain.

So again, can someone satisfactorially and calmly tell me what the difference between Stronach's defection and Emerson's is?

Cheers