Describe a decision you made in the past that helped you learn or grow.
What an interesting writing prompt! One of the best decisions I ever made was to quit being a glorified food inspector for different industrial food production companies and apply to OISE/UT… otherwise known as the Ontario Institute of Secondary Education (University Of Toronto). My experiences as a volunteer docent at the Vancouver Aquarium and the training-testing-troubleshooting aspects of my gigs at Seenergy Foods Ltd. and Yves Fine Foods Ltd gave me the valuable transferable skills I needed for the calling. It helped that TS was already in the Toronto District School Board (TDSB). The program was a breeze and I had plenty of internship opportunities at my spouse’s worksites. My only regret was going into the York District School Board. I took the advice of one of my practicum teachers and avoided the TDSB… it’s not a growing board. Go where the expansion is. Yeahhhhhhhhh, the YRDSB had significantly less struggles than the TDSB; however, the leadership was ridiculous. In the TDSB, the staff are struggling so much with at-risk students that they glom together. The YRDSB had funding and the 905-Mike-Harris-elitism. The bored administrators had to do SOMETHING. And that that something was a toxic workplace where upper leadership fostered an atmosphere of one-upmanship, racism, sexism (((both ways))), and a distrust of any professional who chose unconventional teaching styles. I didn’t find my peers-people until the last couple years of being a science teacher… and even then… I chose to take a hit with my pension and leave by 50. I regret not transferring to Special Education sooner. I met a whole lotta buncha people who also struggled “working for the man”. I don’t regret the work I did with students. That was the highlight. And the pay, benefits, and pension were/are excellent. I want to avoid applying to the Bluewater District School Board for their supply teacher list (((despite their profound lack of substitute teachers)))). I’m off my SSRI and anti-anxiety prescriptions. I can get more satisfaction from being a gentleman forester, farmer, and dabble in cottage industries (((than doing the standup science philosopher gig in the BDSB))).
MAY 8 2026 SPRING UPDATE.
Holy shit, the snow’s gone. According to the local gossip boards, our region got approximately 1 metre more snow accumulation than last year. There’s blooming trees about an hour south of us. At our latitude, there’s barely any ground cover. The wild leeks are sending up their sword-shaped leaves. TS’ garlic, tulip, and ornamental onion patch is busy. We see growth on the hugelkultur mint-mound and something’s happening with in the raised bed housing rhubarb.
This weekend, I’m going to attempt and find more peers-people at the Bruce Trail Commission (BTC) annual general meeting. TS, thank you for making a banana chocolate-chip coffee cake as my contribution to their 16:00 potluck. Before the AGM, I’ll be picking up trash along the highway. Let’s “spruce up the bruce”. Next month, there’s a Tobermory “scrub the tub” event. Let’s make this place nice and pretty for the tourists who are coming to town. HAPPY AND WELCOMED TOURISTS = spend money on goods and services (hopefully).
I’ve already reached out the to North Bruce Turtle Trackers. Yep, they support and install anti-predation grates over possible turtle nests. What fun!
BCB&B, neemtree, bdb, and blog 