I've been so caught up in the #darkTO experience that I haven't really given enough thought to what 2013 has been like now that it's coming to a close and what I might dare dream of for 2014. High time to fix that!
A timeline in one thought per decade:
1970 (death), 1980 (separation), 1990 (rebirth), 2000 (professional
growth), 2010 (personal growth), 2020 (who knows?)
There have been a handful of
landmark moments between these and after... life's lessons, first hand
experiences.
2013:
Starting at the end and working back...
We have power, back on the grid, happy to be getting back to some sense of normality.
For a while, I was concerned that our house might make it to "the elite 1%", that exceptional minority that has everything to excess. Except this would have been the inverse... the remaining one percent of 300,000 homes to still be without power. It was a tough and insightful experience, and we only got down as far as the 8% mark. Personally that is how I will look back on this year. There have been a few other experiences as tough, not sure any have taught me more though.
This past week+ has been exceptional, unprecedented in all of my experience. And it fits right into what my 2013 has been like.
My year started out with some firsts... my first time in Louisville (Jan/Feb), first time covering CX world championships, first time traveling with someone else at the wheel. Those firsts were awesome. And seeing how the Louisville organization dealt with their impending catastrophe was something to behold! Imagine working at that level and having to deal with a flood that would cancel day 2 before it got started. Day 2 that would have the most important race of the whole weekend. And pulling it off as if there wasn't any doubt about it. I'm still impressed almost a year later.
Then there was April in North Carolina. Not the first time there, first time leaving the way we did though. First time I broke my neck, at least that I know of. And first time Andrea drove Babe that much and in some challenging places. Add a halo neck brace to the mix once we got back, followed by 9 months of learning... this is getting closer to what my year has been like. By comparison, the ice storm and a week of dealing with some limitations was a piece of cake. And yet... I got very tired of being limited even more than I had been. Enough is enough. It's been a year of learning about things I hadn't considered before.
Between an exciting start and a frozen end, there's been a "well, that happened" year. I'll stop trying to explain it away, it just happened.
2014:
Well...
It will start with more physio, I'm not where I expected to be by now so I'll keep working at it.
The contract I took (another learning experience) will come to an end in March and I've already decided I won't renew... I miss all of the things I got to experience and learn as 2011/2012 shaped my next chapter. My calendar is filling up quickly and it doesn't include being in an office.
My plans start with a trip to Moab in April instead of a trip back to NC. Nothing is finalized yet, even though most of the spring and summer are already mapped out (I have potential trips and events listed on my KraikerPhoto calendar (on Google). A spring trip west, much of the summer in central Canada and the norther U.S., September in Quebec, a few music festivals along the way, and I assume there will be some unexpected events (as there almost always are).
I'm less concerned about what or where, I'm more interested in being able to actually be there. Where-ever "there" is or whatever it is.
Yup.
I'm happy to be here. And that's one thought I've kept close for decades now. I will live 2014 in the moment. No change there...
I'll close by saying, simply:
Happy new year! I hope 2014 is filled with unexpected treasures and pleasures.
Monday, December 30, 2013
Saturday, December 28, 2013
A Week of Suspended Anticipation
Every time we've left the house, coming back held a little glimmer of hope that the power would be back on. Only to disappoint us. Yesterday was no different.
A week is a long time to stay in a state of suspended anticipation. Like the tree branches encased in ice, we are frozen in the moment just before the power comes back on. We don't know how long that moment will take, only that it will come at some point. Hopefully before the temperatures drop significantly but there are no promises being made. Only that "we're in the queue". Each day of this week has been a part of that moment and today is no different.
Of the 300,000 homes and businesses that were without power, almost 280,000 of them are back online. We're now in the remaining 8% still waiting.
The @TorontoHydro twitter feed keeps giving out statistics like this, don't they realize how disheartening it is to know you're in an ever diminishing group of people? It's much more constructive to say where the crews are currently working (which they do from time to time). It would be even better if they said where they will head to next. Instead all we get is reminders to be patient and vague promises about the crews not stopping until everyone gets their power restored. A week of hearing that promise makes it sound very hollow.
We are in a cluster of about 20 houses, waiting for them to come to fix one transformer on top of a pole. None of us have downed wires that I can see, no tree limbs came down on the wires between us and the feeder. We're just in the queue somewhere. Waiting, frozen in time.
My biggest concern is this: the warmer weather has things melting, the forecast is for the temperature to drop 10 to 15 degrees and there are likely some branches or other hazards waiting to take out power somewhere in the city. Will we then be waiting for that to get fixed before they remember we're still without power?
Seven days is a long time to hope for something to happen that you can't control or make happen.
A week is a long time to stay in a state of suspended anticipation. Like the tree branches encased in ice, we are frozen in the moment just before the power comes back on. We don't know how long that moment will take, only that it will come at some point. Hopefully before the temperatures drop significantly but there are no promises being made. Only that "we're in the queue". Each day of this week has been a part of that moment and today is no different.
Of the 300,000 homes and businesses that were without power, almost 280,000 of them are back online. We're now in the remaining 8% still waiting.
The @TorontoHydro twitter feed keeps giving out statistics like this, don't they realize how disheartening it is to know you're in an ever diminishing group of people? It's much more constructive to say where the crews are currently working (which they do from time to time). It would be even better if they said where they will head to next. Instead all we get is reminders to be patient and vague promises about the crews not stopping until everyone gets their power restored. A week of hearing that promise makes it sound very hollow.
We are in a cluster of about 20 houses, waiting for them to come to fix one transformer on top of a pole. None of us have downed wires that I can see, no tree limbs came down on the wires between us and the feeder. We're just in the queue somewhere. Waiting, frozen in time.
My biggest concern is this: the warmer weather has things melting, the forecast is for the temperature to drop 10 to 15 degrees and there are likely some branches or other hazards waiting to take out power somewhere in the city. Will we then be waiting for that to get fixed before they remember we're still without power?
Seven days is a long time to hope for something to happen that you can't control or make happen.
 | |
| From TorontoHydro.com |
Thursday, December 26, 2013
Day 5
This will be my 201st post to the blog since starting it in 2011. Usually my multi-post threads are related to a trip, this thread is more of an "adventure" since it all takes place in the same location...
The Toronto Hydro twitter feed tells me how hard the crews have been working for the past 5 days:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
Power restored to approx. 82% of (or 245,726) customers since height of storm. 54,724 remain without power.
— Toronto Hydro (@TorontoHydro)
<a href="https://twitter.com/TorontoHydro/statuses/416197050477203456">December 26, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async="" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
We are in the remaining 18% though, without power for over 100 hours nows. We've been out of the house a few times to visit family and celebrate this festive time. And each time there has been an edge to being out; a hint of concern mixed with anticipation. I hope to be home when the power comes back on... the water pipes are fine but I'm not sure about the radiator pipes as they've been without any circulation. And I expect the furnace will kick in once the power is on. That's the concern, the trepidation.
The anticipation comes from driving through streets and intersections that had been dark earlier in the day wondering if perhaps we're also back on the grid. Both times it has been disheartening to get to our little nook and see no change.
Five days into this, it's hard to keep a positive attitude. The fridge and freezer are empty with some frozen food saved in the bike shed and lots of spoilage waiting for the next garbage collection. The floors and walls are all cold to touch, there is ice building up on some of the windows, and most of the time has either been in the living room by the space heater or under the covers in bed. Not much motivation to do things. Even reading means holding something cold in your hands.
I should have been out taking photos, the grey days have had some interesting light effects, there have been bright sunny periods and the ice at night in a mix of lit and dark sections has lots of potential. I just haven't been motivated to be out in the cold.
That's not to say I haven't taken any photos. But they have mostly been on my iPhone. I"ll wrap this entry up with a few photos. We'll be heading out again this afternoon, perhaps tonight we'll come home to light.
The Toronto Hydro twitter feed tells me how hard the crews have been working for the past 5 days:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
Power restored to approx. 82% of (or 245,726) customers since height of storm. 54,724 remain without power.
— Toronto Hydro (@TorontoHydro)
<a href="https://twitter.com/TorontoHydro/statuses/416197050477203456">December 26, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async="" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
We are in the remaining 18% though, without power for over 100 hours nows. We've been out of the house a few times to visit family and celebrate this festive time. And each time there has been an edge to being out; a hint of concern mixed with anticipation. I hope to be home when the power comes back on... the water pipes are fine but I'm not sure about the radiator pipes as they've been without any circulation. And I expect the furnace will kick in once the power is on. That's the concern, the trepidation.
The anticipation comes from driving through streets and intersections that had been dark earlier in the day wondering if perhaps we're also back on the grid. Both times it has been disheartening to get to our little nook and see no change.
Five days into this, it's hard to keep a positive attitude. The fridge and freezer are empty with some frozen food saved in the bike shed and lots of spoilage waiting for the next garbage collection. The floors and walls are all cold to touch, there is ice building up on some of the windows, and most of the time has either been in the living room by the space heater or under the covers in bed. Not much motivation to do things. Even reading means holding something cold in your hands.
I should have been out taking photos, the grey days have had some interesting light effects, there have been bright sunny periods and the ice at night in a mix of lit and dark sections has lots of potential. I just haven't been motivated to be out in the cold.
That's not to say I haven't taken any photos. But they have mostly been on my iPhone. I"ll wrap this entry up with a few photos. We'll be heading out again this afternoon, perhaps tonight we'll come home to light.
 |
| Day 1 |
 |
| Day 1 |
 |
| Early Ice |
 |
| Sun and Ice |
Wednesday, December 25, 2013
Still in the dark
Social media is an interesting thing. It's become a great source for getting news quickly and from numerous different perspectives. In the case of #darkTO it's revealing itself to be a challenge.
Reading as friend by friend gets power back while we are still without has an odd taste, a twist of bitter in it and a hint of something more.
Don't get me wrong, I'm really happy for everyone who's got their power back! And we're doing ok thanks to some great and generous neighbours. It just feels a little more... Difficult? Frustrating? Not sure what the right word is but getting so much news without getting any direct news about when our situation will change has given me cause and pause to reflect.
Is this a small sampling of how people felt in Japan after the tsunami? Or in Sryia? Or any major natural or man-made disaster since we all got so connected? I'm definitely not saying this is anything close to as bad as that... Only that perhaps I have a little more sensitivity to how challenging it can be now. And perhaps I have been given a glimpse of how a drop of rain, greed for power, a wave, or some wind can alter someone's life forever.
In any event, I'll take this as my second reminder this year about how lucky I am and how good it is to be alive. That's a lesson I hope I have already taken to heart.
Reading as friend by friend gets power back while we are still without has an odd taste, a twist of bitter in it and a hint of something more.
Don't get me wrong, I'm really happy for everyone who's got their power back! And we're doing ok thanks to some great and generous neighbours. It just feels a little more... Difficult? Frustrating? Not sure what the right word is but getting so much news without getting any direct news about when our situation will change has given me cause and pause to reflect.
Is this a small sampling of how people felt in Japan after the tsunami? Or in Sryia? Or any major natural or man-made disaster since we all got so connected? I'm definitely not saying this is anything close to as bad as that... Only that perhaps I have a little more sensitivity to how challenging it can be now. And perhaps I have been given a glimpse of how a drop of rain, greed for power, a wave, or some wind can alter someone's life forever.
In any event, I'll take this as my second reminder this year about how lucky I am and how good it is to be alive. That's a lesson I hope I have already taken to heart.
Tuesday, December 24, 2013
#darkTO
Encased in ice, Toronto is struggling to get back to normal. At the height of the "storm" and in the aftermath over 300,000 people were without power. Trees in many of the older parts of the city shattered under the weight, described as 3 time what they would normally bear. Exploring some parts of the city was impossible as roads were blocked by the carnage and the power lines that came down with the limbs. Even major roads like Leslie Street were narrowed by the trees leaning down from the park. Traffic lights were out, for the most part people were considerate toward each other.
Amazing how damaging a steady light rain can be.
It's now over 56 hours since the power started going out, the Hyrdo crews have been working non-stop and over half of the people who lost power are back online and have their heat back. There have been some tragedies as people made mistakes with barbeques indoors, generators in their garages or unattended candles. Not many, but a few needless deaths.
We are still without power, fortunately we have a gas stove and water heater. The furnace needs electricity to pump the water through the rads but we were able to keep the house warm enough while the outside temperature was still around freezing. And now that it's dropped to -10c we're lucky that our neighbours got their power back. With an extension cord from their outdoor outlet running in through our mail slot, we have one light on in the living room and a small electic space heater near Punch's cage. He seems happy enough at +15c so we're all doing ok.
Next up: Andrea is going to bake a cake for tomorrow's Bowker family gathering while I get things ready for the Kraiker gathering with our traditional fondue dinner. An evening out of the ice-encrusted city will be good. Fortunately the storm didn't reach up to Midland so my mother was unaffected.
Perhaps we'll have power and heat by the time we get home.
Amazing how damaging a steady light rain can be.
It's now over 56 hours since the power started going out, the Hyrdo crews have been working non-stop and over half of the people who lost power are back online and have their heat back. There have been some tragedies as people made mistakes with barbeques indoors, generators in their garages or unattended candles. Not many, but a few needless deaths.
We are still without power, fortunately we have a gas stove and water heater. The furnace needs electricity to pump the water through the rads but we were able to keep the house warm enough while the outside temperature was still around freezing. And now that it's dropped to -10c we're lucky that our neighbours got their power back. With an extension cord from their outdoor outlet running in through our mail slot, we have one light on in the living room and a small electic space heater near Punch's cage. He seems happy enough at +15c so we're all doing ok.
Next up: Andrea is going to bake a cake for tomorrow's Bowker family gathering while I get things ready for the Kraiker gathering with our traditional fondue dinner. An evening out of the ice-encrusted city will be good. Fortunately the storm didn't reach up to Midland so my mother was unaffected.
Perhaps we'll have power and heat by the time we get home.
Thursday, December 12, 2013
Too much on my mind
I should be calling it a day and putting my head down to get some sleep... funny how life can get in the way of things you plan. Things happen, adrenaline kicks in, you go with it. So here I go...
My last (terse) blog entry was about writing an article about doping in cycling a year ago, specifically about doping and a Canadian cyclist (Michael Barry). Then there was a second revelation, it hit home even just as deep for a second time here in Canada. That news (about Ryder Hesjedal and others) prompted me to write an early reaction piece for the Pedal magazine website (plus a follow-up) and am following that up with an in-depth print article about the latest round. Funny thing: it just keeps getting more in depth as I ask more questions.
I honestly like where it's going though.
The news of Ryder Hesjedal's confession to doping broke really hard, there were more negative reactions to this than any of the Rob Ford revelations (IMHO, likely only Toronto friends will get that, it's ok). It was a much stronger reaction than when Michael Barry came forward too, it seemed to be very short lived though. Beyond initial reactions, I was looking to confirm a few things and found some even more interesting details in background stuff.
One thing (a CCES email interview) led to another (a USADA phone+email interview), requests for comments from Slipstream Sports (email), which led to another USADA conversation (background discussion via phone+email), follow up requests to Slipstream (email), which led to a call from USADA (regarding an extended video of a presentation by Travis Tygart... yes, USADA is forthcoming to media requests).
And then Twitter.
I saw a tweet that went like this:
I've been trying to get some time on the record with him to balance what I've gotten from other sources so I decided to respond...
I'm not sure I even hit enter before my phone rang with a Denver CO # showing up. About 1/2 an hour later I was sitting back wondering if that really happened. And of course it had. Vaughters is that kind of person.
Details to follow...I hope the essence of this extended story comes through in the piece I'm writing... you can let me know what you think when it's published.
My last (terse) blog entry was about writing an article about doping in cycling a year ago, specifically about doping and a Canadian cyclist (Michael Barry). Then there was a second revelation, it hit home even just as deep for a second time here in Canada. That news (about Ryder Hesjedal and others) prompted me to write an early reaction piece for the Pedal magazine website (plus a follow-up) and am following that up with an in-depth print article about the latest round. Funny thing: it just keeps getting more in depth as I ask more questions.
I honestly like where it's going though.
The news of Ryder Hesjedal's confession to doping broke really hard, there were more negative reactions to this than any of the Rob Ford revelations (IMHO, likely only Toronto friends will get that, it's ok). It was a much stronger reaction than when Michael Barry came forward too, it seemed to be very short lived though. Beyond initial reactions, I was looking to confirm a few things and found some even more interesting details in background stuff.
One thing (a CCES email interview) led to another (a USADA phone+email interview), requests for comments from Slipstream Sports (email), which led to another USADA conversation (background discussion via phone+email), follow up requests to Slipstream (email), which led to a call from USADA (regarding an extended video of a presentation by Travis Tygart... yes, USADA is forthcoming to media requests).
And then Twitter.
I saw a tweet that went like this:
Some days I do stupid things. Most days, actually. Just that only sometimes my stupidity becomes public.
— Jonathan Vaughters (@Vaughters) December 12, 2013
I've been trying to get some time on the record with him to balance what I've gotten from other sources so I decided to respond...
@Vaughters a Westword too many? Wasn't the interview we didn't have today...
— Peter Kraiker (@kraikerphoto) December 12, 2013
Smackdown... careful what you ask for. I do feel that I got more than I bargained for and I love it.I'm not sure I even hit enter before my phone rang with a Denver CO # showing up. About 1/2 an hour later I was sitting back wondering if that really happened. And of course it had. Vaughters is that kind of person.
Details to follow...I hope the essence of this extended story comes through in the piece I'm writing... you can let me know what you think when it's published.
Sunday, December 1, 2013
Writing... A Recurring Theme
I've just finished writing another feature article for Pedal Magazine, I can't help but think back to the one I wrote about a year ago...
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