Movember - raising the awareness of a fundamental flaw.

The following is the original and the rewrite can be found by clicking here.

I will put it out there and say that there is a fundamental flaw with human nature and most definitely with being a man ...it goes something like this : "that won't happen to me", "I don't have time for being sick so it won't happen", "cancer happens to other people not me", "I don't want to know", "I don't need a map... I know the way" ... "deep down I'm strong; I'm a white knight who will not be knocked off his horse".

Mish-mash this together in any combination you want but men just don't think it will happen to them or if it does... "my super human strength will beat it".

Understand the fundamentals of Cancer.

News "fucking" flash for my brethren... cancer will touch you either directly or indirectly in your lifetime!!! You can not sidestep it,  IT IS A PROBLEM.

Up front I will say my sister, as  my well as my oldest friend passed away from cancer recently and way before their time -  so this is a sensitive topic for me. This is what I know from the experience - it is a disease that is relentless and will take everything away from you without mercy... I also know that the more you know about cancer (see video), its prevention and early detection the more you will be in a position to deal with it if it comes knocking.

So now we get to Movember - here's some quick facts for future dinner party chit chat.

In 2003, two guys from Melbourne, Australia, Travis Garone and Luke Slattery, were having a beer (or two) at the Gypsy Bar when their conversation turned to fashion trends and where the moustache had gone - they joked about bringing it back. As with guys and beer, the conversation led to a "thing", and the "thing" led to a "lets do it", which then manifested itself into growing facial hair and formally supporting prostate cancer as a cause. (I was not there but I am familiar with where two guys and some beer can lead)

• About 1 man in 7 will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime.
• In North America 256,000 men will be diagnosed with prostrate cancer in 2014
• In North America 34,500 men will die from prostrate cancer in 2014

The Movember message has moved away from just Prostrate Cancer to a broader Men's Health message and in the grander scheme of things it is heightening awareness about cancer in general, because as we know, cancer pays little mind to gender, race, creed, religion, political stripes as well as if you are good or bad. It is very equal opportunity that way.

So cancer is a Big Problem - and with all problems, it needs to be understood so it can be dealt with it... here we are back at the fundamental flaw I speak of. 

So Gentlemen, spend a little time understanding what cancer is (and what it isn't), have regular physicals (particularly the Canadians, with our socialized medicine and all), consider donating to cancer research (the cost of a weeks worth of coffee) and know as a community we can keep beating cancer back.

Ladies, if you happened to know any "flawed gentlemen" please pass this on.

gpe

We all like Mr Wolf... but why?

The following is the original and the rewrite can be found by clicking here.

Some of what I am about to say is because I am a "fanboy" of Quentin Tarantino's work, be it his writing or his abilities as a director. This will probably have more context if you have seen Pulp Fiction but hopefully I can set up the situation sufficiently to offer a perspective as to why we all like Mr Wolf - independent of gender, race, religion or sports team affiliation.

See, Mr Wolf solves problems and not just any ol' problem... the messy ones. 

Meet Mr Wolf (again language warning)

Jules and Vincent, through a series of events find themselves with a dead body in the back of their car and unwittingly call on Jimmie at his house with their problem in tow. It turns out Jimmie's wife Bonnie comes home from the midnight shift at 9:30 am and she would "appreciate the situation none to much". After a series of phone calls pulling him away from a black tie affair which is 30 minutes away, Mr Wolf arrives ten minutes later at Jimmie's door as he is the one people call to solve their problems. This clip offers a glimpse into the brilliance that is Quentin Tarantino and Mr Wolf. (strong language warning... remember you were warned)

Up front we know that Mr Wolfs' associates with killers and thieves and it's not much of a leap to assume he's a comrade in arms - although with this said, from the moment we see him dressed in a tuxedo we know we may like him and when we hear him say "I'm Winston Wolf, I solve problems" we know we do!

It is something with those three words, what they mean and by implication that they say "if you are good at solving problems, you will end up well dressed with a fast car and a fancy watch" (an earlier scene). A problem solver can do what others cannot do - be it solving act of god problems or those of our own creation... and so we like Mr Wolf.

Mr Wolf is a clear critical thinker using hard facts, looking at the overall situation to formulate a decisive plan which in-turn he communicates clearly, with explanation and rationale on the way, to ensure buy-in and optimal execution. And contrary to what Vincent thinks, I believe Mr Wolf wraps it all up with being rather polite throughout the whole thing.

There is something subtler that also comes with Mr Wolf - he is different than any character to that point in the movie - different... be it in manner, image, language or in how he sees things leading to the way he thinks.  His off handed request for a cup of "that coffee" he smelled in the kitchen as he is inspecting the car, its contents and clarifying mechanical issues is a reflection of this (Ok I couldn't smell it but I sure didn't see it either). So is Mr Wolf different because he is a problem solver or a problem solver because he is different? - either way different is the operative word.

We are social beasts and want to belong but we are also attracted to "different and unique" as ultimately it sets one apart, and if you are Mr Wolf, it's critical for solving problems and seeing what others can not. 

Ultimately we like Mr Wolf because what he can do is different and effective problem solving is something we want to emulate - as deep down we know there is not a "Mr Wolf" for us to call.

Or maybe its simply because Mr Wolf is Harvey Keitel.

gpe

Elegant problem solving or simply a bad decision?

My last trip had me trekking through the highlands of Iceland where our group would ultimately walk almost 100 kilometres and explore the beauty of Iceland. I want to say Iceland's beauty is beyond description and if you can, see it firsthand; there are truly no words to describe it.

As I look back on my travels and a situation that warranted a MacGyver-like* solution, I wanted to share what I think was ultimately a creative and elegant solution. Keep in mind two things as we get into this story, the whole situation took about 15 minutes from problem to solution and Icelandic rivers are very, very cold... as well as fast moving and rocky.  

I should also mention that before the trip we were told there would be some "knee high river crossings" and water shoes were a required item to be packed. I have a great pair of water sandals that are designed for the wilderness, as well as a pair of sandals that where in my hockey bag (designed to keep your feet off those nasty shower floors). I was concerned that my travel bag was already too full, so in the end I went with the lighter more disposable sandals. Frankly I only had two short crossings and if I lost these sandals it was no big deal.

Let our story begin.

About seven kilometres into day two of the hike we came down an embankment to our first river  that involved crossing a small stream and then a 30 meter walk to the main river (where the crossing would take place in earnest). I put on my sandals, and with hiking boots around my neck, I began to cross the small stream. In turn, the strap separated from the sole of one of the sandals and fell from my foot as reached the other side. Recognizing quickly it was an issue with the adhesive, I hoped I could insert the strap back into place and use my weight to hold it secure. Three failed attempts left me at the rivers edge with a broken sandal and a sore foot. 

A problem had been identified, a number of attempts at denial and wishful thinking had been tried, and now I found myself with a ten minute deadline to determine a solution as we gathered around our guide who was reviewing the process of crossing. There was definitely a factor of pride that came into play as I really did not want to be the guy holding everyone up, so with the clock ticking the assessment of possible solutions began.

Cross in bare feet - The river is very rocky and slippery and could result in an injured foot or slipping into the water. Because of the nature of how we cross as a group**, I could take others "down with the ship". Overall too risky and REJECTED

Cross in my hiking boots - Solves my immediate problem but I still had to hike over 15 more kilometres; doing this in wet boots would be very uncomfortable and increase the chances of blisters and foot problems. LAST RESORT OPTION

Repair my sandal - Viable option and worth considering. My thought process was as follows:

1) I could glue it back together... this was rejected without much thought because I was lacking waterproof glue that can dry on wet surfaces in 7 minutes. 

2) Duct tape... A wonder material which I had, but not in my day pack. So close!! 

3) I could sew it back together - a viable solution as I had the material and in theory it should work. SOLUTION IDENTIFIED (An Elegant Solution?)

There you have it - With one knife, one boot lace and some fundamental sewing skills, I was able to repaired my sandal literally as we were lining up to cross the river - Viability assessment of possible solutions, solution identified, and then implemented.

After a successful river crossing I reviewed my sandal repair and determined that no changes were needed for the next crossing - Problem resolution review to identify any required changes.

My repaired sandal ultimately served me well and a couple of people even called me "MacGyver" (for my ability to think quickly and solve the problem with ordinary things around me). I felt good that I was able to think on my feet so quickly. 

But you know, if I had made the decision to bring the proper water sandals in the first place, none of this would have happen. 

In the end, a fun story as the result of a bad decision.

iamgpe

www.gpestratagem.com 

* MacGyver was a TV show out of the late 80's where the hero solved his weekly challenges with elegant solutions involving ordinary items like binder twine, bubble gum and balsa wood.

**When crossing a river as a group you line up behind each other holding onto the person in front of you to form a chain... this adds stability in the current and reduces the chances of falling