CaptainOrange

Stats Completion Distance: 67 km Steps: 92,000 Walkers at Departure: Mike, David, Bri, Liz, Anthony, Shannon Support Team: Leora, Eric, Gary, Vin, Jodi, Dillon, James, Appa Walkers at Finish Line: Mike, Liz Departure was textbook this year. Everyone arrived at Bri and David’s and we were outside within a minute of our exit time. I have to give a huge shout out to their espresso machine (and whoever oversaw it’s machinations). There was a large and beautiful latte waiting for me as I stepped through the door. Not leaving from my house was a bit of a sacrifice, but the coffee made it an easy pill to swallow. As it so often is, 4:30-6 am is strikingly beautiful at this time of year. Spirits were high and we all enjoyed the joyous, silent, glow of the morning sun as it nudged aside night’s clouds to the east.* *Note to Wendy: I would say the clouds were most definitely NOT scudding. Much more of a lazy drift. Fate, it seemed, was waiting around every corner wit...

A Brief History Lesson I’ve been working at SPL (Saskatoon Public Library) for a little more than 10 years, now. First as a Page for 3 months, then at Cliff Wright for 6 months and then 9 1/2 years in the Children’s Department at FMCL. There have been ups and downs as I took on too many responsibilities as Chief Shop Steward and then Vice President of our union (CUPE local 2669), but the work of the library has been overwhelmingly positive. If you know me even a little, it is obvious just how well suited I have been to working as a storyteller and entertainer of children. Upheaval Currently the library is undergoing a rather large shift from a traditional model of libraries that has existed for a very long time to the much newer concept of Community Lead. You can read all about the details on the  change info page  of SPL’s website. It is a very complicated process and if you don’t care enough to dive into the nitty gritty, the essence of community lead can be summ...

Here we are again. The universe is bigger than ever and that includes Saskatoon—both because of the expansion of space-time and due to the more pedestrian fact of population growth. We must make some plans. The Plan: Saturday, July 14th, 4:15 am at David and Bri’s house (if you don’t know, ask someone). 4:30 am departure. It is my plan to walk counter clockwise. This means no wet river crossing*. Leaving from a new location means that I don’t quite know where the lunch should happen, but I suspect somewhere out past the Shaw Center in the early afternoon. *Stay tuned for late breaking news about direction and/or river activity. I expect you fall into one of the categories below: Accidental Tourist : Google brought me here by mistake... <cough> Observer : You think the Hopefuls are idiots, but you love us anyway. In other circumstances you would consider being on the Support Team but it won’t work this year. You will observe from a safe distance in case our crazy is ...