Unsupervised Design

  • thesis writing. not sure how I’m finding anything on my computer today.
    Two Monitors full of windows with research.

  • today I risk being a stereotype.
    I am a grad student working in a coffee shop, debating scarf + t-shirt combo to stay warm.

  • when you come across sentences like this you have to remind yourself you are still doing comp sci.

  • sometimes I appreciate just how much targeted advertising campaigns just “get me”
    Blue hoodie with

  • two years

    time is a funny thing.
    two years disappeared in the blink of an eye.
    two years seems like a lifetime ago.

    ~~~

    the one thing I have learned in the past two years is that no matter what happens you just keep living.
    my father taught me that the best way to be alive is when you are helping other people grow.
    this is why I teach. this is why I coach.

    ~~~

    when I was seven I wanted to play hockey. this was a surprise to no one in my family. my mother grew up playing and eventually coaching hockey. my father volunteered with the local can skate program. playing hockey was the natural progression for me.
    unfortunately there was a small “situation” at the beginning of the season. when it was time to purchase my hockey gear mom was away and so the task fell to my father. full credit to him though, he didn’t have any experience with hockey gear but I was fully equipped for my first ice time. he stepped up to the challenge because making sure I had a great experience was the important thing.
    this story doesn’t end at that first ice time. buying all my equipment came right down to the last minute and resulted in the purchase of a pair of hockey pants that could be described as “large”. they were the only pair available so dad bought them. they were so large on me that I pulled them up to my armpits and they still went almost to my ankles.
    I wore those same hockey pants until I was a teenager in bantam.
    I still laugh about it every time this story comes to mind.
    134148_557162091868_3029214_o

    making sure this hockey player had fun meant my dad was willing to appear a bit foolish

    ~~~

    my father was a silly man.

    we loved laughing at him, he loved hearing us laugh.

    I miss you dad.

  • apparently I’m participating in some sort of comedy variety show tonight…
    come out to the al whittle at 8pm

  • playing our game

    For the 2014-2015 season I have been afforded the privilege of being the head coach of the Acadia Atom A hockey team. Five years ago it occurred to me that I really wanted to be involved in coaching and found an opportunity with the local sledge hockey program, which was great and I will continue this year, but the truth is I couldn’t be more excited about being a Head Coach.
    I am not excited because I get to say I am the head coach, or because I am at a higher competitive level than someone else. I am excited because I get to be the final say on creating an amazing experience for 17 young hockey players. It is my job to make sure they are having fun during practices, games, tournaments, and road trips.
    We kicked off the season by attending the Jordan Boyd Memorial Tournament in Bedford over Thanksgiving Weekend. With the help of my assistant coaches I was able to distill my plans for the season into a simple message before the tournament. We play with our heads up, our feet moving, and by passing the puck. The city teams we were playing in the tournament were much bigger than us, physically imposing even, but I hoped that getting my players to buy into the message of what our game would see success.
    The players bought into the idea of Our Game quicker and with more drive than I could have hoped for. Even in moments where we were hopelessly behind when I took a moment to talk to the players on the bench I was greeted with smiles from players having fun.
    We ended up earning a spot in the championship game, and after falling behind in that game my team dug deep, and kept playing our game, managing to force overtime. A bad bounce in overtime ended our run differently than we might have liked, but I couldn’t be more proud of my team or more excited for how much hockey is yet to be played this season.
    It will be a fun season, and it will be Our Game.
    Jordan Boyd Memorial Tournament Runners Up

  • sitting in a local brewery and overheard an order for a coors light…
    there are some people I will never understand.

  • coaching debut ended with a heartbreaking bounce during overtime of the championship game. I couldn’t be more proud of my team.

  • All the fancy new school clothes appear to have been traded in for sweat/pyjama/yoga pants and flip flops.

  • in a stunning turn of events computer science not only fielded a soccer team but managed to win the science department soccer tournament.

  • the tie says “legitimate head coach”.
    right?
    Me wearing a Hockey Nova Scotia jacket and a shirt and tie next to a rink.

  • it has become clear today that having a cold is awful and I remember why I don’t like doing it regularly.

  • trying something new this year. I’m going to be the head coach of the AMHA Atom A team.

  • experimenting with new forms of transportation
    My feet up on the rail of a power boat

  • sometimes one coffee is not sufficient.
    Me drinking from one cup of coffee and a second cup in my other hand

  • wandering memory lane today.
    Me walking through the woods to the Canoe launch at the old Bayside Camp property

  • I know @grantisagrant has a thing for grocery store parking lot jeep owners so I found him a prime candidate today!
    Yellow Jeep with

  • I made it on the news!

  • this weekend I’m reprising my role as “respectable adult”
    My Hockey Nova Scotia Track Jacket and Lanyard