Eric sat on the beach overlooking the Strait of Georgia. Two years ago he had been on a beach on the opposite side of Canada; Halifax, Nova Scotia in 2007. He took this last reprieve before classes started for his final year of his Education degree to enjoy the ocean and the beauty of Vancouver with his friend Colin.
The weekend passed quickly in Vancouver. Eric enjoyed the time on the coast, window shopping and sightseeing with Colin. Though the highlight of the trip was when Eric went to see the good friend of his grandparents, Charles Beer; whom he considered a great uncle. Charles had recently moved into an assisted living home, under a medical scare. Though by the time Eric saw him, Charles was nearly back to full health; age was showing, but he was up and mobile. Together they had a lovely lunch with Penny, one of Charles’ previous homecare aides. Unbeknown to Eric this was the last time he would ever see Charles, though at the time he had a feeling it might be, as on June 15, 2010, Charles Beer passed away peacefully in his sleep (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Thomas_Beer).
Returning to Edmonton was also returning to studies. Over the summer Eric’s schooling plans changed; what was initially going to be his final teaching practicum term turned out to be another term of classes as he had one full term required course to go. Eric decided to finish his course work and then do his practicum rather than returning to classes after a 9 week teaching term.
Aside from his required course (EDPS 410 Ethics and Law in Teaching) Eric chose two drama courses to be registered as a full-time student; DRAMA 279 Introduction to Stagecraft and Design, and DRAMA 327 Community-Based Theatre. Both of these drama courses he found interesting for different reasons. In the stagecraft and design course Eric was able to use his engineering mind in seeing how the backstage aspects of theatre work and in the design project; presenting an overview for a full production design of the Brecht play The Caucasian Chalk Circle, which earned him a B+. In the community-based theatre course Eric first learned a definition of community-based theatre; theatre done by a community, for the community. He then could see the real impact and importance of theatre in various communities; from incarcerated youth and women, to giant puppetry and masks, to defining and passing on cultural and local identity. His Research Paper on Celebration Theatre, L.A. U.S.A., A GLBTQ Community-Based Theatre resulted in Eric getting an A-.
With Eric’s two project-based drama courses, and taking his ethics and law in teaching as an evening course, his only exam happened to be the last class of his ethics and law course; in which he got a B+. This meant he had some time over the course of the term to continue some of his volunteering activities.
Eric once again volunteered for the Study Buddy program, and got a placement at Ottewell Junior High, a leisurely 10 minute walk from his house, where he helped out a few students in their English and Social Studies either one-on-one, or occasionally in a small group. Eric also continued volunteering for the Education Students’ Society (ESA), this time taking on the responsibilities of Technology Commissioner; maintaining the website. This tied in nicely with the part-time job he had on campus for the Faculty of Education Technology Professional Development (Ed Tech PD) unit, where he took carts of dual boot Mac laptops (which run Mac or Windows depending on user’s choice) to classrooms when requested, troubleshooted any issues with them, and ensured they were all returned. Eric found out about this job when he ran into Jeff, a classmate from his Mechanical Engineering days, the facilitator for the Ed Tech PD unit, and also was a teaching assistant for a Lego Robotics course Eric took in the summer of 2009.
Eric was pleased with his course schedule, specifically with his the fact he was done on the last day of classes, well before Christmas, thus affording him the opportunity for seasonal work; as Santa’s photographer / helper at St. Albert Centre, and a couple other malls in Edmonton.
During the last few months of 2009, there were a few other minor changes in Eric’s life. Chris, Eric’s first tenant, moved out at the end of September to continue with work in Northern Alberta. In November Sheldon joined the household, followed closely with Mick having to return to Australia. Eric spent most of December, and the new year, looking to rent out the vacant room.
Considering all Eric had going on around Christmas, working and looking for a tenant, he was pleased to have a quiet celebration; due in part to Samara, Geert and Sebastian spending their Christmas in Belgium. Eric enjoyed a road trip with friends (Ricardo & Melissa, Martin & Jessica, and Brian & Tasha) to Montana to ring in the New Year.
With a new year came new challenges and experiences for Eric. His five week courses in his Advanced Professional Term (APT) were fun, as the class: organized and ran a Science Olympics at St. Mark Catholic Junior High, participated as judges for Nellie McClung Girls’ Junior High Science Fair, had a day field trip at the Telus World of Science (Edmonton), and conducted a variety of labs (mostly biology). Although Eric was technically registered in three classes (EDSE 451 Integrating Theory and Classroom Practice in the Advanced Professional Term, EDSE 456 Curriculum and Teaching for Secondary School General Sciences Majors I, and EDSE 457 Curriculum and Teaching in Secondary School General Sciences II), they were essentially all one class; approximately 5 hours every day. The five weeks flew by, and before he knew it Eric was preparing to step into the classroom as a student teacher once again.
Earlier in the year Eric had attended an information session on unique schools within the public school system. He put his name down on the list as a possible teaching practicum location on the ones that had piqued his interest: Aspen, Next Steps, and Centre High. As Eric left he questioned whether he really should have put his name down for Aspen, a school for students with severe behavioural issues. The teaching methods mentioned interested him, but Eric wasn’t too sure if he could handle the students.
As luck would have it, Eric was placed in Aspen. He was a little disappointed, but decided to step up and accept the challenge of teaching in the behavioural high school. And it was a challenge as the expectations by the University did not mesh easily with the teaching style at Aspen. Eric did have support from his mentor teacher Mrs. Taylor, as well as the rest of the great staff of Aspen. Despite the support, Eric struggled with some of the aspects of classroom management. It should be noted that the class size was somewhere between 3 and 7 students, usually closer to the lower end, and each student was at a different place in the curriculum. Between his struggle with classroom management and the planning expectations of the University, Eric decided to drop out of the practicum with 4 weeks to go (after 5 weeks). It was a hard decision, one which Eric’s University Facilitator, Mr. McNeill, helped him consider all the options and consequences. Although Eric felt like he was taking the easy way out, both Mr. McNeill and Mrs. Taylor expressed their respect for the courage it took in making the decision. Eric left Aspen having learned a lot about himself and a little more clarity on how to prepare for his next teaching practicum; he left with no regrets, just lessons learned. Because Eric had passed his 5 weeks of classes, earning a B, withdrawing from the teaching practicum meant all he had to repeat was the 9 weeks teaching.
Free from the last 4 weeks of his teaching practicum, Eric took the opportunity to:
- reflect on the experience
- contact HFP Acoustical Engineering about starting summer work at the end of April
- focus more on advertising the room he still had vacant.
Soon after Eric had started at Aspen he signed up for a year long membership with a gym and was going four times a week (seeing a trainer once a week), with the time off he still continued the routine, which helped him relax and de-stress. Another benefit from withdrawing when he did, was allowing Eric not be overly stressed when he joined the rest of his family (parents David and Chris, sister Samara, brother-in-law Geert, and nephew Sebastian) in Hawaii at the end of March.
Eric enjoyed Hawaii, though his week there was not long enough. He spent a lot of time with family, going to the beach every other morning with all but Chris. Of the days he did not go to the beach, one was on a day long bus tour of Hawaii (the big island), where he got a chance to see the fiery Mount Kilauea; more the smoking volcano as there was no hot lava to be seen where the bus stopped. Another day Eric accompanied his parents to the Akatsuka Orchid Gardens, a greenhouse full of beautiful orchids, which had marvellous aromas. Aside from travelling to different beaches on the West coast, near Kona, Eric also made it one night to the base camp for the observatories on Mauna Kea. Even at that altitude Eric and his father, David, observed a spectacle of stars and the full Milky Way.
Eric’s work at HFP Acoustical started following his return to Canada. He spent the rest of the summer in Calgary (the first half with his friends Ben and Scott and the second half with his friend Brent), coming back to Edmonton about twice a month. His returns to Edmonton were primarily to meet up with his trainer at the gym, but also included:
- attending the Education Students’ Graduation Dinner at the end of April, which he helped organize
- meeting Stephany, a Couchsurfer from New Brunswick, and showing her around as well as offering her a ride to Calgary for more of her travels
- welcoming Robin, a student from France on a 2 month work exchange, to the house for the months of July and August
- writing the National Professional Practice Exam for APEGGA (Association of Professional Engineers, Geologists and Geophysicists of Alberta), his last step in obtaining his Professional Engineering designation (he passed the exam which means he is just waiting for confirmation from APEGGA that he can use P.Eng. [P.S.: As this letter is sent out later than anticipated, it is confirmed that Eric has his P.Eng. designation, official as of September 8, 2010])
After writing his Professional Engineering exam, Eric went and met his niece, Klara Kemeny DeCock-Jones, who was born two days before, on July 17. This gave him yet another reason to return to Edmonton throughout the summer.
Aside from these trips to Edmonton, which ended up being three day weekends, Eric spent most of his time working, with the occasional extra few days off in Edmonton (such as to study for his exam). He did have some field work around Edmonton and Fort Saskatchewan which he was able to accommodate into his planned time in Edmonton. In fact his work in Fort Saskatchewan fell right between his double Fringes.
Having volunteered for the 2009 Calgary Fringe, and making an impression on the organizers, Eric was asked to be Venue Supervisor for the 2010 Calgary Fringe; which he willingly accepted. He enjoyed the smaller atmosphere of the Calgary Fringe, despite feeling like his venue was on the fringe of the Fringe.
In 2009 Eric saw probably his record of Fringe plays in Edmonton (about 40), in 2010, Eric felt that the Edmonton Fringe was more of a holiday from work, and took the time more to relax, so only saw five plays. However he did increase his volunteering; adding shifts with the Kids Fringe to his position as Information Team Leader.
We end this chapter with Eric finishing a project for HFP Acoustical in Calgary and looking forward to his final teaching practicum in October.
2010/10/06
Chapter 32 - Studies (2008-2009)
Eric felt overwhelmed as he started a new year and the start of a new life. There was a lot to do, which kept his mind off the fact he was currently alone in his first house. Between all the new house preparations and looking for housemates, going back to university (University of Alberta) came quicker than Eric realized.
In no time Eric had made a few new school friends who were also doing an education after degree; Alex, Alana, Cynthia and Wanda. Slowly he got the rooms in his house rented out; Chris moved in in September, Jorge immigrating from Mexico, in October, and Mick from Australia, on a work visa (though he had been in Edmonton for a while before joining the house), in November.
School took a little while to get back into the swing of things, though luckily Eric felt quite capable in his four education required courses: EDIT 202 Technology Tools for Teaching and Learning was a breeze for Eric as the fundamentals of the course were concepts, knowledge and computer skills he already had. In the end Eric got top marks (A) in the course. He also got top marks (A) in EDU 250 The Profession of Teaching, in part due to his research paper on Traditional to Discovery-based Teaching Methodology; The Relevance of Pedagogical Reforms in Modern Society? Eric found the third purely education course somewhat dry, and only got a B+ in that course; EDPY 200 Education Psychology for Teaching. Despite his engineering background Eric still had to take a geometry course, MATH 241 Geometry, which he found interesting and enjoyable as it was more the theories and some history of geometry, something he had not learned. His interest in the course, which being theory based was difficult, earned him a B+.
Eric also took one option for the fall term, one that he chose not from pure interest, but from practical interest. He choose his education degree to be in secondary education with a major in general science (with a specialization in physics), and a minor in math (hence the required geometry class). Since no biology course was required, the math course was the only required course directly related to his specializations, he decided to take an introductory biology course; BIO 108 Introduction to Biological Diversity. Although he found it interesting, it had been about 12 years since his last biology course, and the majority of the class were first year university students (having done their previous biology course within the past couple years). Needless to say he persevered and managed to pull off a C+.
Also during this time Eric got involved in a couple volunteer organizations; assisting in the Education Students' Association and a Study Buddy program. The Study Buddy program was helping out a grade 5/6 special needs class once a week at Balwin School.
Christmas break was a time to relax slightly and enjoy family and friends; Christmas with family and New Years Eve with friends. But Eric was soon back to his studies, with an increased workload as the winter semester courses were condensed to 9 weeks to allow for a 5 week teaching practicum. Eric took the standard Introductory Professional Term (IPT) courses; EDPS 310 Managing the Learning Environment, EDPY 301 Inclusive Education: Adapting Instruction for Students with Special Needs, EDPY 303 Educational Assessment, and EDSE 337 Curriculum and Teaching for Secondary School Mathematics Minors, with EDFX 350 Secondary Route Field Experience for the Introductory Professional Term as the teaching practicum itself.
Eric thoroughly enjoyed the management course, the instructor Ms. Shewchuk was very approachable and had informative lessons, and she asked for a copy of his paper on Personal Reflection on Classroom Management From a Pre-Service Student Teacher Perspective for her own files. Eric was most willing to provide a copy, considering he got an A- in the course. The two EDPY courses were a struggle for Eric, one (inclusion) due to the boring nature of the course, and the way it was taught, the other (assessment) in the amount of material presented, which was overwhelming and seemed to be more than what the time would allow. In the end Eric managed to get a C+ in EDPY 301, and a B in EDPY 303. Despite Eric's enjoyment and interest in the math curriculum class, his end mark fell between the EDPY courses, with a B-. He learned about new ways of presenting math and had the opportunity to use a SmartBoard (interactive whiteboard) in the math class, and had fun working with his fellow Mathematics Minor classmates.
Despite all this preparation, Eric was not entirely ready for his actual teaching of Grade 7 & 8 (ages 12-14) math at Steele Heights Junior High; mostly in his classroom management abilities. However with the guidance of his mentor teacher Mr. Sheehan, he learned a few tricks, and managed to make it thought the five weeks. The first week Eric observed not only Mr. Sheehan's class and teaching style, but other teachers in the school. This observation week was followed by the last two weeks of campus studies with exams. In the second week at Steele Heights Eric started teaching the grade 7s; a little rocky, but as this was his first time actually teaching, it passed without major issues.
The following week was spring break and Eric took the opportunity to visit friends in Calgary, and attend the Jewish Gay Wedding of his friends Ben and Scott. The next two weeks (teaching week 3 and 4) bridged Easter. Over these weeks expectations grew, and Eric continued lesson planning and teaching not only the grade 7s, but now the grade 8s. The last week Eric experienced more of the full gambit, including one day when Mr. Sheehan had meetings and put Eric in charge of a couple grade 9 math classes; under the supervision of a substitute teacher of course.
With the school year over, Eric had expected to return to HFP Acoustical Engineering, however in discussions with Les, as Eric's practicum started, he learned there was no work for him for the summer. So Eric decided to speed up his studies and registered in spring and summer courses, obtaining consent to take a full course load over the spring term; 3 courses: CLASS 102 Greek and Roman Mythology, DRAMA 149 Dramatic Process I, and EDPY 442 Introduction to Counselling. Eric chose his courses on interests, as there were options.
Eric selected Greek and Roman Mythology as his English credits since he felt he had a decent background in the myths from his earlier school studies, and a general interest in the subject. Despite his confidence and interest, as well as a respectable mark on his paper which transposed the Icarus myth into a science fiction story, he only obtained a C+.
After his involvement in a touring Fringe show in the summer of 2007, Eric had grown more curious about drama and theatre, even though he had taken drama courses in his teens. The concepts of performance improvisation presented in the course description intrigued him. Eric's interest in Drama showed through, as well as his enjoyment in being in the class, for he got a B+.
As part of his education courses Eric was required to choose options within the education faculty. Counselling was one thing people had commented to him as a possible career. Eric decided to learn more though a course, and a spring (shorter) course was a good chance. Eric enjoyed the course, and learned a great deal about counselling, and skills he could transfer to teaching and everyday life. His hard work earned him a B.
By far Eric's most enjoyable, and fun, course was his interim summer course; offered between spring and summer sessions, but counted as a summer course; EDCT 400 Robotics & Learning: Constructionism in Practice; Introduction to Lego Dacta Robotics. A whole week playing with Lego and getting a robot to perform simple, then more complicated tasks and mazes (videos available here: http://www.youtube.com/user/ericmj77 ), which wound their way to a B.
During these past few months of schooling, his practicum and spring courses, a few minor events of note happened in Eric's life. Jorge, one of his tenants and housemates, moved out; buying a house for himself and his parents. This left a room open for his friend Zack to move in upon getting a job back in Edmonton. Over the May long weekend, a break from classes, Eric took a short trip to Ottawa for the intimate wedding of his cousin Paul to Tiffany, and to see his extended family.
Eric had intended on taking the required course EDPS 410 Ethics and Law in Teaching in the summer, however as fortune should happen, he received a call from HFP Acoustical Engineering as they had a project that he could work on, dedicating his time completely to it. Weighing the option between paying for the course or earning money for what would become another year, as opposed to just a semester, of school, Eric opted to earn the money. And for seven weeks, from July to August, Eric moved to Calgary and stayed with his friends Ben and Scott. It was convenient that Eric was back at HFP for this time, as APEGGA (Association of Professional Engineers, Geologists and Geophysicists of Alberta) wanted him to apply for his P.Eng. (professional engineering designation), or cease being a member-in-training. The time over the summer ensured Eric had enough experience.
As Eric's job starts to near its end, and this chapter too, we come upon that theatrical festive time of the year; the Fringe. This year Eric was able to volunteer for both Calgary and Edmonton Fringes, making it his second time volunteering for Calgary (2006 being his first), and the 18th year since his first time volunteering at the Edmonton Fringe. Both fringes were a marvel to Eric, with him seeing around 40 performances at the Edmonton Fringe, and an extra special encounter in Calgary; meeting Sean.
Eric met Sean on his first day of volunteering at the Calgary Fringe. Their relationship is best expressed in poetry:
The Muse*
I could feel the moment I saw you
A deep connection that penetrated through and through
The more we got to know each other
The more my soul ached for us to be closer
They say one never forgets their first kiss
Yet with you it was the first hug that filled me with bliss
You hugged my body mind and soul
And I wished you would never let go
A longing filled my heart
As I knew we would have to part
I cherished every moment with you
And my senses of the world grew
Connections and inspiration blossomed within me
For being with you drives me to be the best I can be
A yearning to pursue my passions full on
Consumed me after our first day of conversation
Four days was all the time we spent together
But the emotional and spiritual feelings will last forever
Our walks and talks were filled with magic
And our farewell was truly romantic
All that we have said and done I hold in my heart
For only fate knows how long we are to be apart
Even if we should never meet again
You are my muse and inspiration
The week Eric was with Sean he truly learned that love has no boundaries, and romance comes in the little things. Eric had to return to Edmonton for his studies, Sean to Ottawa for his. Friendship was the extent of their relationship upon parting.
*By Hugh Kemeny, based on Eric’s four days with Sean.
In no time Eric had made a few new school friends who were also doing an education after degree; Alex, Alana, Cynthia and Wanda. Slowly he got the rooms in his house rented out; Chris moved in in September, Jorge immigrating from Mexico, in October, and Mick from Australia, on a work visa (though he had been in Edmonton for a while before joining the house), in November.
School took a little while to get back into the swing of things, though luckily Eric felt quite capable in his four education required courses: EDIT 202 Technology Tools for Teaching and Learning was a breeze for Eric as the fundamentals of the course were concepts, knowledge and computer skills he already had. In the end Eric got top marks (A) in the course. He also got top marks (A) in EDU 250 The Profession of Teaching, in part due to his research paper on Traditional to Discovery-based Teaching Methodology; The Relevance of Pedagogical Reforms in Modern Society? Eric found the third purely education course somewhat dry, and only got a B+ in that course; EDPY 200 Education Psychology for Teaching. Despite his engineering background Eric still had to take a geometry course, MATH 241 Geometry, which he found interesting and enjoyable as it was more the theories and some history of geometry, something he had not learned. His interest in the course, which being theory based was difficult, earned him a B+.
Eric also took one option for the fall term, one that he chose not from pure interest, but from practical interest. He choose his education degree to be in secondary education with a major in general science (with a specialization in physics), and a minor in math (hence the required geometry class). Since no biology course was required, the math course was the only required course directly related to his specializations, he decided to take an introductory biology course; BIO 108 Introduction to Biological Diversity. Although he found it interesting, it had been about 12 years since his last biology course, and the majority of the class were first year university students (having done their previous biology course within the past couple years). Needless to say he persevered and managed to pull off a C+.
Also during this time Eric got involved in a couple volunteer organizations; assisting in the Education Students' Association and a Study Buddy program. The Study Buddy program was helping out a grade 5/6 special needs class once a week at Balwin School.
Christmas break was a time to relax slightly and enjoy family and friends; Christmas with family and New Years Eve with friends. But Eric was soon back to his studies, with an increased workload as the winter semester courses were condensed to 9 weeks to allow for a 5 week teaching practicum. Eric took the standard Introductory Professional Term (IPT) courses; EDPS 310 Managing the Learning Environment, EDPY 301 Inclusive Education: Adapting Instruction for Students with Special Needs, EDPY 303 Educational Assessment, and EDSE 337 Curriculum and Teaching for Secondary School Mathematics Minors, with EDFX 350 Secondary Route Field Experience for the Introductory Professional Term as the teaching practicum itself.
Eric thoroughly enjoyed the management course, the instructor Ms. Shewchuk was very approachable and had informative lessons, and she asked for a copy of his paper on Personal Reflection on Classroom Management From a Pre-Service Student Teacher Perspective for her own files. Eric was most willing to provide a copy, considering he got an A- in the course. The two EDPY courses were a struggle for Eric, one (inclusion) due to the boring nature of the course, and the way it was taught, the other (assessment) in the amount of material presented, which was overwhelming and seemed to be more than what the time would allow. In the end Eric managed to get a C+ in EDPY 301, and a B in EDPY 303. Despite Eric's enjoyment and interest in the math curriculum class, his end mark fell between the EDPY courses, with a B-. He learned about new ways of presenting math and had the opportunity to use a SmartBoard (interactive whiteboard) in the math class, and had fun working with his fellow Mathematics Minor classmates.
Despite all this preparation, Eric was not entirely ready for his actual teaching of Grade 7 & 8 (ages 12-14) math at Steele Heights Junior High; mostly in his classroom management abilities. However with the guidance of his mentor teacher Mr. Sheehan, he learned a few tricks, and managed to make it thought the five weeks. The first week Eric observed not only Mr. Sheehan's class and teaching style, but other teachers in the school. This observation week was followed by the last two weeks of campus studies with exams. In the second week at Steele Heights Eric started teaching the grade 7s; a little rocky, but as this was his first time actually teaching, it passed without major issues.
The following week was spring break and Eric took the opportunity to visit friends in Calgary, and attend the Jewish Gay Wedding of his friends Ben and Scott. The next two weeks (teaching week 3 and 4) bridged Easter. Over these weeks expectations grew, and Eric continued lesson planning and teaching not only the grade 7s, but now the grade 8s. The last week Eric experienced more of the full gambit, including one day when Mr. Sheehan had meetings and put Eric in charge of a couple grade 9 math classes; under the supervision of a substitute teacher of course.
With the school year over, Eric had expected to return to HFP Acoustical Engineering, however in discussions with Les, as Eric's practicum started, he learned there was no work for him for the summer. So Eric decided to speed up his studies and registered in spring and summer courses, obtaining consent to take a full course load over the spring term; 3 courses: CLASS 102 Greek and Roman Mythology, DRAMA 149 Dramatic Process I, and EDPY 442 Introduction to Counselling. Eric chose his courses on interests, as there were options.
Eric selected Greek and Roman Mythology as his English credits since he felt he had a decent background in the myths from his earlier school studies, and a general interest in the subject. Despite his confidence and interest, as well as a respectable mark on his paper which transposed the Icarus myth into a science fiction story, he only obtained a C+.
After his involvement in a touring Fringe show in the summer of 2007, Eric had grown more curious about drama and theatre, even though he had taken drama courses in his teens. The concepts of performance improvisation presented in the course description intrigued him. Eric's interest in Drama showed through, as well as his enjoyment in being in the class, for he got a B+.
As part of his education courses Eric was required to choose options within the education faculty. Counselling was one thing people had commented to him as a possible career. Eric decided to learn more though a course, and a spring (shorter) course was a good chance. Eric enjoyed the course, and learned a great deal about counselling, and skills he could transfer to teaching and everyday life. His hard work earned him a B.
By far Eric's most enjoyable, and fun, course was his interim summer course; offered between spring and summer sessions, but counted as a summer course; EDCT 400 Robotics & Learning: Constructionism in Practice; Introduction to Lego Dacta Robotics. A whole week playing with Lego and getting a robot to perform simple, then more complicated tasks and mazes (videos available here: http://www.youtube.com/user/ericmj77 ), which wound their way to a B.
During these past few months of schooling, his practicum and spring courses, a few minor events of note happened in Eric's life. Jorge, one of his tenants and housemates, moved out; buying a house for himself and his parents. This left a room open for his friend Zack to move in upon getting a job back in Edmonton. Over the May long weekend, a break from classes, Eric took a short trip to Ottawa for the intimate wedding of his cousin Paul to Tiffany, and to see his extended family.
Eric had intended on taking the required course EDPS 410 Ethics and Law in Teaching in the summer, however as fortune should happen, he received a call from HFP Acoustical Engineering as they had a project that he could work on, dedicating his time completely to it. Weighing the option between paying for the course or earning money for what would become another year, as opposed to just a semester, of school, Eric opted to earn the money. And for seven weeks, from July to August, Eric moved to Calgary and stayed with his friends Ben and Scott. It was convenient that Eric was back at HFP for this time, as APEGGA (Association of Professional Engineers, Geologists and Geophysicists of Alberta) wanted him to apply for his P.Eng. (professional engineering designation), or cease being a member-in-training. The time over the summer ensured Eric had enough experience.
As Eric's job starts to near its end, and this chapter too, we come upon that theatrical festive time of the year; the Fringe. This year Eric was able to volunteer for both Calgary and Edmonton Fringes, making it his second time volunteering for Calgary (2006 being his first), and the 18th year since his first time volunteering at the Edmonton Fringe. Both fringes were a marvel to Eric, with him seeing around 40 performances at the Edmonton Fringe, and an extra special encounter in Calgary; meeting Sean.
Eric met Sean on his first day of volunteering at the Calgary Fringe. Their relationship is best expressed in poetry:
The Muse*
I could feel the moment I saw you
A deep connection that penetrated through and through
The more we got to know each other
The more my soul ached for us to be closer
They say one never forgets their first kiss
Yet with you it was the first hug that filled me with bliss
You hugged my body mind and soul
And I wished you would never let go
A longing filled my heart
As I knew we would have to part
I cherished every moment with you
And my senses of the world grew
Connections and inspiration blossomed within me
For being with you drives me to be the best I can be
A yearning to pursue my passions full on
Consumed me after our first day of conversation
Four days was all the time we spent together
But the emotional and spiritual feelings will last forever
Our walks and talks were filled with magic
And our farewell was truly romantic
All that we have said and done I hold in my heart
For only fate knows how long we are to be apart
Even if we should never meet again
You are my muse and inspiration
The week Eric was with Sean he truly learned that love has no boundaries, and romance comes in the little things. Eric had to return to Edmonton for his studies, Sean to Ottawa for his. Friendship was the extent of their relationship upon parting.
*By Hugh Kemeny, based on Eric’s four days with Sean.
Side Story: A Tale of Three Cars
In the spring of 2007 Vicky[1] moved from Edmonton to her new home in Calgary, with the knowledge that it was a start to a great journey; possibly her last. It was a journey of a life time; to escort a new playwright, and his cast, on the launch of his first play in Winnipeg, followed by performances in Saskatoon before returning to Edmonton for the final run. Despite a broken tail[2], Vicky happily made the journey east and back west. On her return to Edmonton from Saskatoon she was glad to be able to help out other artists on the journey.[3]
After her adventure Vicky started to feel her age. As the winter wore on she developed a limp[4], which first appeared right before Christmas while she was visiting Edmonton. Over the holidays she was doctored and back to health.[5] Or so she thought. The limp was only the first sign. In the early spring she broke her leg[6] as she was coming down the 14th Street SW hill in Calgary. After some medical attention[7] she was allowed to recuperate[8], while someone new moved in to help.
Neo[9] was initially looking for a place to stay temporarily, more of a temporary change of address actually, and meeting Vicky he could see there was potential. He moved in with Vicky prior to her mishap, however continued to hang out with his old group of friends[10].
After her injury, Vicky needed the rest, and initially called upon Neo to help. But his friends were a bad influence on him, and he refused to come home[11]. It took a run-in with the law[12], and a short time in custody[13], before Neo was back with Vicky.
Neo’s time with Vicky was short as Vicky’s leg did not improve[14]. With regret she accepted that her freedom, and life, was essentially at an end, and in late spring, moved to a facility where she could spend the rest of her days helping others in need[15].
A couple months after Vicky’s departure, Neo moved to Edmonton. He was not one to really settle down, and after a couple more months at a temporary place[16] in Edmonton he found a more permanent place[17]. Having someone move in with him soon after getting the place helped him overcome the stress he felt from losing Vicky.
Persephone[18] had been quite happy in her old place, but it was about time to move on; a youngster was moving in to take her place[19]. Through a whim she found out that Neo was interested in having a housemate, and planned to move in with him.[20]
Persephone was beginning to reach her middle age, Neo wasn’t that much younger, but she figured the two could help each other out. She was actually hoping for a bit of a rest.
On the September 2008 night that Persephone agreed to move in, Neo fell into the wrong crowd once again[21]. The people Neo went on a joyride with were upset when he got to a point and refused to go any farther[22]. This resulted in his new acquaintances beating him up and leaving him for dead[23]. Persephone found him a week later in the morgue[24].
This meant the rest Persephone was hoping for would not come. She resigned herself to taking over the house, and dealing with her pains[25] as she grew older; including a heart attack[26], while staying in Calgary for the summer of 2010. A successful operation[27] brought her back to health.
To this day still lives at the house, feeling her age everyday.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[1] 1990 Chrysler Voyager van named Vicky (V)
[2] Broken tailgate which hand to be propped up with a broom handle (V)
[3] Helping by carrying one performer’s set and another performer & set as a passenger (V)
[4] A flat tyre – back passenger side (V)
[5] Newer (refurbished) tyres (V)
[6] Blown tyre – back passenger side (V)
[7] AMA putting on the spare tyre (V)
[8] Left in Edmonton at my parents’ place (V)
[9] 1997 Dodge Neon named Neo (N)
[10] The old owner still had use of the car (N)
[11] Previous owner refused to give up the car (N)
[12] The car was reported stolen, and the RCMP recovered it at a gas station in Carstairs (N)
[13] Impound lot after being recovered (N)
[14] The back passenger tyre was slowly going flat, again! (V)
[15] Junk yard (V)
[16] My parent’s place while I looked for a house / waited for possession (N)
[17] Taking possession of my house (N)
[18] A 1993 Plymouth Acclaim named Persephone (P)
[19] The previous owner (family friend Robin I.) bought a newer vehicle (P)
[20] Family friend Robin I. asked me if I wanted to buy her old car (P)
[21] The Neon got stolen (again) (N)
[22] Ran out of gas as it only had 1/8 of a tank (N)
[23] Slight over exaggeration; the steering column was torn apart, probably from being stolen, the cops who recovered the Neon said it could not be repaired (N)
[24] Impound lot for wrecked cars, I got the licence plates and most of my stuff out of the car and never returned (N)
[25] Various upkeep expected from an old car (P)
[26] Loss of power, while parked (P)
[27] Repairs that included a replacement spark plug and some electrical wiring (P)
After her adventure Vicky started to feel her age. As the winter wore on she developed a limp[4], which first appeared right before Christmas while she was visiting Edmonton. Over the holidays she was doctored and back to health.[5] Or so she thought. The limp was only the first sign. In the early spring she broke her leg[6] as she was coming down the 14th Street SW hill in Calgary. After some medical attention[7] she was allowed to recuperate[8], while someone new moved in to help.
Neo[9] was initially looking for a place to stay temporarily, more of a temporary change of address actually, and meeting Vicky he could see there was potential. He moved in with Vicky prior to her mishap, however continued to hang out with his old group of friends[10].
After her injury, Vicky needed the rest, and initially called upon Neo to help. But his friends were a bad influence on him, and he refused to come home[11]. It took a run-in with the law[12], and a short time in custody[13], before Neo was back with Vicky.
Neo’s time with Vicky was short as Vicky’s leg did not improve[14]. With regret she accepted that her freedom, and life, was essentially at an end, and in late spring, moved to a facility where she could spend the rest of her days helping others in need[15].
A couple months after Vicky’s departure, Neo moved to Edmonton. He was not one to really settle down, and after a couple more months at a temporary place[16] in Edmonton he found a more permanent place[17]. Having someone move in with him soon after getting the place helped him overcome the stress he felt from losing Vicky.
Persephone[18] had been quite happy in her old place, but it was about time to move on; a youngster was moving in to take her place[19]. Through a whim she found out that Neo was interested in having a housemate, and planned to move in with him.[20]
Persephone was beginning to reach her middle age, Neo wasn’t that much younger, but she figured the two could help each other out. She was actually hoping for a bit of a rest.
On the September 2008 night that Persephone agreed to move in, Neo fell into the wrong crowd once again[21]. The people Neo went on a joyride with were upset when he got to a point and refused to go any farther[22]. This resulted in his new acquaintances beating him up and leaving him for dead[23]. Persephone found him a week later in the morgue[24].
This meant the rest Persephone was hoping for would not come. She resigned herself to taking over the house, and dealing with her pains[25] as she grew older; including a heart attack[26], while staying in Calgary for the summer of 2010. A successful operation[27] brought her back to health.
To this day still lives at the house, feeling her age everyday.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[1] 1990 Chrysler Voyager van named Vicky (V)
[2] Broken tailgate which hand to be propped up with a broom handle (V)
[3] Helping by carrying one performer’s set and another performer & set as a passenger (V)
[4] A flat tyre – back passenger side (V)
[5] Newer (refurbished) tyres (V)
[6] Blown tyre – back passenger side (V)
[7] AMA putting on the spare tyre (V)
[8] Left in Edmonton at my parents’ place (V)
[9] 1997 Dodge Neon named Neo (N)
[10] The old owner still had use of the car (N)
[11] Previous owner refused to give up the car (N)
[12] The car was reported stolen, and the RCMP recovered it at a gas station in Carstairs (N)
[13] Impound lot after being recovered (N)
[14] The back passenger tyre was slowly going flat, again! (V)
[15] Junk yard (V)
[16] My parent’s place while I looked for a house / waited for possession (N)
[17] Taking possession of my house (N)
[18] A 1993 Plymouth Acclaim named Persephone (P)
[19] The previous owner (family friend Robin I.) bought a newer vehicle (P)
[20] Family friend Robin I. asked me if I wanted to buy her old car (P)
[21] The Neon got stolen (again) (N)
[22] Ran out of gas as it only had 1/8 of a tank (N)
[23] Slight over exaggeration; the steering column was torn apart, probably from being stolen, the cops who recovered the Neon said it could not be repaired (N)
[24] Impound lot for wrecked cars, I got the licence plates and most of my stuff out of the car and never returned (N)
[25] Various upkeep expected from an old car (P)
[26] Loss of power, while parked (P)
[27] Repairs that included a replacement spark plug and some electrical wiring (P)
Chapter 31 - X-Canada (2007-2008)
Eric sat on the beach overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, saying goodbye as his week in the Maritimes came to a close. His time there was enjoyable and a nice break from the stress of producing "5 of a Kind" on the Fringe 2007 circuit; Winnipeg, Saskatoon and Edmonton (last 'chapter' - ask if you want to hear that chapter).
Eric arrived in Halifax a week prior and met Dodie, his couchsurfing host, her friend Jarret, and her other couchsurfer Alisha, from Australia, and together they went to the beach to say hello to the west side of the Atlantic (a different beach than the one Eric now sat saying goodbye to). The rest of the week was a whirlwind of exploration. Over the last few days of August Eric went to Wolfville with his Halifax (host / couchsurfing) family (Dodie, Jarret and Alisha), and saw the low tide of the Bay of Fundy, as well as exploring Halifax on his own.
Having few plans, Eric decided to rent a car and see more of Eastern Canada. Jarret's band was playing in Port Hawkesbury the night of September 1, so Eric decided to attend. He took the day to drive the beautiful coastal road towards the Cape (Cape Breton), and made it to Port Hawkesbury early enough to take a break before enjoying the music of Jarret’s and another band.
After a short sleep and a filling breakfast, courtesy of Jarret and his family, Eric headed off in the late morning sun to the red sand island of PEI. Catching the ferry at Caribou, Nova Scotia (just north of Pictu, NS the landing spot of many a Scotsmen) was Eric's first major driving stop for the day, and he took the time to take in the view and senses of the ocean voyage.
Eric's second major driving stop was Charlottetown, though on the journey to and from the PEI capital he stopped many times to appreciate the view, take photos, and enjoy the trip. His engineering mind marveled at the physical experience of seeing and driving the Confederation bridge (longest in the world crossing ice-covered water) back to the mainland.
As Eric drove through the corner of New Brunswick, while the sun set, he questioned if this short journey, with no stops, should count towards his goal of making it to as many provinces as he could in 12 months (starting with his Fringe tour through Manitoba, Saskatoon and Alberta, and now including Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island).
Eric planned his time in Truro by the moon. The night's rest after PEI was only the precursor to checking out the Bay of Fundy at low tide. In the intervening hours between low and high tide, Eric visited the historic site of Peggy's Cove, a rocky place with a lighthouse and many tourists, though picturesque for sure. After watching the tide come in, back at the same location near Truro, Eric returned to his Halifax home; Dodie's place.
Fall rolled into winter and Eric's next province came as the winter chill started to set in. Since September Eric had seen the work trip to Trail BC, with his acoustical engineering job at HFP Acoustical Consultants, approaching. How could he not when most of the office was going?
Eric tried to keep warm in the chilly November days in Trail, but noise measuring equipment is difficult to use with thick gloves. Eric got some reprieve from the cold when up on the stacks, near the warm exhausts. Despite this one relief, his other senses were tested; between the smell of some of the exhaust, and Eric's vertigo occasionally setting in, the work was tenuous and, well, hard work.
November ended and Eric prepared for Christmas with family, which included putting his sewing skills to work as he made a quilt for the newest member of the family; Sebastian David Georges DeCock-Jones, born December 18, 2007. Eric was happy at becoming an uncle, and even more so when he later heard that his sister, Samara, was recovering well from the rough birth. Eric spent Christmas with family and New Years Eve with friends.
As Eric rung in 2008 he was unaware of the emotional turmoil and decisions awaiting him. The first being a relationship he got into in the start of the year that could have turned into deep trouble for him had his new friends Rick and Bob not informed him about the true nature of his romantic interest. A learning experience that Eric figured could be of use to help in the event of a rewrite of "5 of a Kind."
With the impact of that failed relationship barely out of his mind, Eric began to contemplate his full future. With a life changing decision on his mind, Eric took a late spring trip. He still wanted to make it to most of the remaining provinces within the 12 months of the 2007 Fringe tour, so he packed his bags, cashed in his Airmiles and headed to central Canada; Ontario and Quebec, thereby making it to 9 out of 10 Canadian provinces in the 12 months (missing Newfoundland).
Eric had a great three days visiting family in Ottawa before taking his first city to city train in North America; Ottawa to Montreal. Up to this point Eric was blessed with free accommodation and nearly free transportation (only airline tax on Airmiles flight and local transit as VIA rail tickets were purchased with Airmiles). This blessing continued for most of his stay in Montreal as he Couchsurfed most of the week he was there. His first Couchsurfers were Marie & Eric, living in Montreal on a work permit from France. Eric had a lovely stay with them for three nights. During those days he spent time with his good friend Tom, and occasionally with Tom's boyfriend Jon and greyhound Bull.
Eric's second Couchsurfer, Anuj, had an emergency come up, but found a place for Eric for one night. The following night was the only night Eric paid for accommodations, finding a pleasant B&B in downtown Montreal. Anuj was still able to host Eric for his last two nights in Montreal. These last couple days Eric spent some time with Tom, Jon and Bull, as well as exploring Mt. Royal, shopping along St. Denis, and meeting an old school friend, Cyrus, for tea and stimulating conversations. For Eric's final evening in Montreal, Anuj took him to a Montreal Fringe Free-for-all promotion, as their festival started June 12, ten days after Eric's farewell. Overall Eric had a fun and relaxing time in Montreal.
A first class VIA rail trip took Eric from Montreal to Toronto, where his friend Christine met up with him, and together they had dinner with Joan and Ken, fellow Edmonton Fringe Team Leader volunteers. Christine hosted Eric for five nights. Toronto was more a chance to meet family and friends than to sightsee, but Eric managed to do a little exploring on this first time to Toronto on his own. A success of combining visiting and touring happened in attending a free evening at the Royal Ontario Museum, followed by dinner, with Tiffany and Paul (his cousin). In the evening Eric saw his old friend Zack, and they caught up over drinks. The following day included tea with Christine, then dinner and a walk around Toronto's downtown with Wes.
A little too much sun on the beach on Toronto Island meant Eric was a little light headed when he met up with Helen and Tyler, whom he had hosted in Calgary for the 2006 Fringe, for dinner. The dinner with Helen and Tyler was a great chance to catch up on theatre. The slight sun burn made Eric slow on his last full day in Toronto when he went on a walk in High Park with Jessamyn. This was a pleasant day and a chance to see the work Jessamyn had put into her beautiful house. That evening was a relaxing time with Christine, chatting and watching movies. The following morning Eric said goodbye to Zack over brunch, then packed up and after saying goodbye and thanks to Christine, caught his flight home.
With his cross-Canada trip over, Eric could turn his attention to other things, specifically the life changing decision he had arrived at earlier. With the birth of his nephew, and family living in Edmonton, Eric felt like he wanted to be closer to them... closer than the 300km between Calgary and Edmonton. Eric had also applied to the University of Alberta, Faculty of Education to start an education degree for the fall of 2007, and was accepted, however due to the financial cost of the Fringe tour, Eric declined to take that step into a new life. In April he had applied again, and was accepted. This time he decided to take the plunge back into student life. Though at the same time Eric didn't want to live entirely the life of a student; living with his parents. So, with his parents' assistance, a good credit rating, and a decline in the housing market, Eric bought a house. The remainder of June and July was packing up in Calgary. Possession of the house wasn't until September, so Eric placed all his belongings into storage for six weeks. Time was also spent with friends in Calgary and Edmonton. Les, of HFP Acoustical Engineering, was quite open and understanding of Eric's decision to take an education degree, and informed him that a place would be open for him at HFP should he want to return.
In the last few weeks of this chapter in Eric's life, he enjoyed volunteering for the Edmonton Fringe and attending the wedding of his cousin Katrina to Kris. At the events surrounding the wedding Eric had a chance to catch up with his cousins Steven and Maureen whom he'd not seen for a long while.
Eric arrived in Halifax a week prior and met Dodie, his couchsurfing host, her friend Jarret, and her other couchsurfer Alisha, from Australia, and together they went to the beach to say hello to the west side of the Atlantic (a different beach than the one Eric now sat saying goodbye to). The rest of the week was a whirlwind of exploration. Over the last few days of August Eric went to Wolfville with his Halifax (host / couchsurfing) family (Dodie, Jarret and Alisha), and saw the low tide of the Bay of Fundy, as well as exploring Halifax on his own.
Having few plans, Eric decided to rent a car and see more of Eastern Canada. Jarret's band was playing in Port Hawkesbury the night of September 1, so Eric decided to attend. He took the day to drive the beautiful coastal road towards the Cape (Cape Breton), and made it to Port Hawkesbury early enough to take a break before enjoying the music of Jarret’s and another band.
After a short sleep and a filling breakfast, courtesy of Jarret and his family, Eric headed off in the late morning sun to the red sand island of PEI. Catching the ferry at Caribou, Nova Scotia (just north of Pictu, NS the landing spot of many a Scotsmen) was Eric's first major driving stop for the day, and he took the time to take in the view and senses of the ocean voyage.
Eric's second major driving stop was Charlottetown, though on the journey to and from the PEI capital he stopped many times to appreciate the view, take photos, and enjoy the trip. His engineering mind marveled at the physical experience of seeing and driving the Confederation bridge (longest in the world crossing ice-covered water) back to the mainland.
As Eric drove through the corner of New Brunswick, while the sun set, he questioned if this short journey, with no stops, should count towards his goal of making it to as many provinces as he could in 12 months (starting with his Fringe tour through Manitoba, Saskatoon and Alberta, and now including Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island).
Eric planned his time in Truro by the moon. The night's rest after PEI was only the precursor to checking out the Bay of Fundy at low tide. In the intervening hours between low and high tide, Eric visited the historic site of Peggy's Cove, a rocky place with a lighthouse and many tourists, though picturesque for sure. After watching the tide come in, back at the same location near Truro, Eric returned to his Halifax home; Dodie's place.
~~~~~~
Eric sighed as he headed away from the beach. A lot of first had happened as he said good bye to his 20's. Alone in the bar he quietly said happy birthday to himself; 30. The bouncer didn't even say happy birthday when is ID was checked, but Eric was fulfilling his desire to be somewhere different (than the year before at least) each birthday. Eric finished his drink and said good bye to the few people he met on this Tuesday as he headed off into his last night in Halifax and the Maritime Provinces.Fall rolled into winter and Eric's next province came as the winter chill started to set in. Since September Eric had seen the work trip to Trail BC, with his acoustical engineering job at HFP Acoustical Consultants, approaching. How could he not when most of the office was going?
Eric tried to keep warm in the chilly November days in Trail, but noise measuring equipment is difficult to use with thick gloves. Eric got some reprieve from the cold when up on the stacks, near the warm exhausts. Despite this one relief, his other senses were tested; between the smell of some of the exhaust, and Eric's vertigo occasionally setting in, the work was tenuous and, well, hard work.
November ended and Eric prepared for Christmas with family, which included putting his sewing skills to work as he made a quilt for the newest member of the family; Sebastian David Georges DeCock-Jones, born December 18, 2007. Eric was happy at becoming an uncle, and even more so when he later heard that his sister, Samara, was recovering well from the rough birth. Eric spent Christmas with family and New Years Eve with friends.
As Eric rung in 2008 he was unaware of the emotional turmoil and decisions awaiting him. The first being a relationship he got into in the start of the year that could have turned into deep trouble for him had his new friends Rick and Bob not informed him about the true nature of his romantic interest. A learning experience that Eric figured could be of use to help in the event of a rewrite of "5 of a Kind."
With the impact of that failed relationship barely out of his mind, Eric began to contemplate his full future. With a life changing decision on his mind, Eric took a late spring trip. He still wanted to make it to most of the remaining provinces within the 12 months of the 2007 Fringe tour, so he packed his bags, cashed in his Airmiles and headed to central Canada; Ontario and Quebec, thereby making it to 9 out of 10 Canadian provinces in the 12 months (missing Newfoundland).
Eric had a great three days visiting family in Ottawa before taking his first city to city train in North America; Ottawa to Montreal. Up to this point Eric was blessed with free accommodation and nearly free transportation (only airline tax on Airmiles flight and local transit as VIA rail tickets were purchased with Airmiles). This blessing continued for most of his stay in Montreal as he Couchsurfed most of the week he was there. His first Couchsurfers were Marie & Eric, living in Montreal on a work permit from France. Eric had a lovely stay with them for three nights. During those days he spent time with his good friend Tom, and occasionally with Tom's boyfriend Jon and greyhound Bull.
Eric's second Couchsurfer, Anuj, had an emergency come up, but found a place for Eric for one night. The following night was the only night Eric paid for accommodations, finding a pleasant B&B in downtown Montreal. Anuj was still able to host Eric for his last two nights in Montreal. These last couple days Eric spent some time with Tom, Jon and Bull, as well as exploring Mt. Royal, shopping along St. Denis, and meeting an old school friend, Cyrus, for tea and stimulating conversations. For Eric's final evening in Montreal, Anuj took him to a Montreal Fringe Free-for-all promotion, as their festival started June 12, ten days after Eric's farewell. Overall Eric had a fun and relaxing time in Montreal.
A first class VIA rail trip took Eric from Montreal to Toronto, where his friend Christine met up with him, and together they had dinner with Joan and Ken, fellow Edmonton Fringe Team Leader volunteers. Christine hosted Eric for five nights. Toronto was more a chance to meet family and friends than to sightsee, but Eric managed to do a little exploring on this first time to Toronto on his own. A success of combining visiting and touring happened in attending a free evening at the Royal Ontario Museum, followed by dinner, with Tiffany and Paul (his cousin). In the evening Eric saw his old friend Zack, and they caught up over drinks. The following day included tea with Christine, then dinner and a walk around Toronto's downtown with Wes.
A little too much sun on the beach on Toronto Island meant Eric was a little light headed when he met up with Helen and Tyler, whom he had hosted in Calgary for the 2006 Fringe, for dinner. The dinner with Helen and Tyler was a great chance to catch up on theatre. The slight sun burn made Eric slow on his last full day in Toronto when he went on a walk in High Park with Jessamyn. This was a pleasant day and a chance to see the work Jessamyn had put into her beautiful house. That evening was a relaxing time with Christine, chatting and watching movies. The following morning Eric said goodbye to Zack over brunch, then packed up and after saying goodbye and thanks to Christine, caught his flight home.
With his cross-Canada trip over, Eric could turn his attention to other things, specifically the life changing decision he had arrived at earlier. With the birth of his nephew, and family living in Edmonton, Eric felt like he wanted to be closer to them... closer than the 300km between Calgary and Edmonton. Eric had also applied to the University of Alberta, Faculty of Education to start an education degree for the fall of 2007, and was accepted, however due to the financial cost of the Fringe tour, Eric declined to take that step into a new life. In April he had applied again, and was accepted. This time he decided to take the plunge back into student life. Though at the same time Eric didn't want to live entirely the life of a student; living with his parents. So, with his parents' assistance, a good credit rating, and a decline in the housing market, Eric bought a house. The remainder of June and July was packing up in Calgary. Possession of the house wasn't until September, so Eric placed all his belongings into storage for six weeks. Time was also spent with friends in Calgary and Edmonton. Les, of HFP Acoustical Engineering, was quite open and understanding of Eric's decision to take an education degree, and informed him that a place would be open for him at HFP should he want to return.
In the last few weeks of this chapter in Eric's life, he enjoyed volunteering for the Edmonton Fringe and attending the wedding of his cousin Katrina to Kris. At the events surrounding the wedding Eric had a chance to catch up with his cousins Steven and Maureen whom he'd not seen for a long while.
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