Over $100
—–
Home gym with as many different exercises as possible (Kijiji)
Treadmill (Kijiji)
Lenovo Thinkpad Tablet 16GB wifi only (Lenovo)
Logitech G510 Gaming Keyboard (Futureshop)
LG 47″ 1080p 120Hz LED HDTV (BestBuy)
Espresso Machine
Flight Time on a Cessna 172 (Dual hours for refresher)
Managerial Full back Chair

Under $100
—–
Mophie iPhone 4 Battery Case – Red or Black (Bestbuy)
Black pin strip fedora (Lids)
M*A*S*H DVD set
Espresso Machine
Watches (Preferable metal, silver colour band)
Logitech Gaming Keyboard G110

Under $40
—–
Belt Buckles of any kind
8-Bit Tie (http://www.thinkgeek.com/tshirts-apparel/hats-ties/9352/)
Scrolling LED Belt Buckle (http://www.thinkgeek.com/tshirts-apparel/miscellaneous/7c60/)
USB Rocket Launcher (http://www.thinkgeek.com/geektoys/warfare/8a0f/)
Samurai Sword Handle Umbrella (http://www.thinkgeek.com/geektoys/japanfan/b625/)
Mirror Universe LED Digital Watch (http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/watches/e944/)

Gift Cards
—–
Le Chataux
Running Room
Henry’s Camera
StarBucks
Old Navy
Tip Top Tailors
Star’s Mens Wear
Build-A-Bear
Apple

Camera Wish list
——
Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Canon EOS 7D
Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM
Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS USM
Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM
Canon EF 35mm f/1.4 L USM
Canon EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II USM

I know the steps and actions I need to do in order to lose the final couple pounds, I just find it hard to get myself motivated to do something about it. I know I love the feeling during and after a run but it’s getting myself to get out every other day when I am working a 12 hours shift.

I do wish I could afford a gym membership and had a partner to help motivate not only myself but them as well. I think it would make losing and maintaining the final steps of my weight loss that much easier. But I know that before I pay for a membership for anything, I should make sure I am ready to commit myself to doing the work by running at least three to four times a week for a month.

Since he was visiting family in Kingston and was otherwise occupied, I hunkered down and tried to figure it out. It took some time and some realization that things are not instant when it comes to DNS’s propagation, but once I figured it out, I was really proud of myself. Knowing that the knowledge that I once had on the tip of my tongue was still buried deep inside my head just waiting to be accessed.

I also came to the realization that I need to challenge myself more when it comes to doing things on the computer. I have become to complacent with my current job since I am not really allowed to do any programming and aside from loading paper into giant printers and loading tapes into the tape drives. I need something to challenge me but since printing is on a set schedule and then their is the frequent ad-hoc request, it makes it hard to try and program something during the day when there are people around if I run into trouble. I do feel very under utilized and fear that the longer I am where I am, the harder it is going to be to access the information that is still at least catalogued correctly in my head.

So here is what has happened since my last update. The deadline for ROTP applicants to have everything completed came and went on March 16th. This means that even though I had all of my information in and my appeal was under way, I was not going to be merit listed for consideration by the RMC council. There was still some hope as I had heard that the 100% hard date for the clerks to have the paperwork done was the 22nd. Sadly that day came and went as well. Once April 5th came and I had not received an offer or denial, I knew that no word meant that I was not accepted and that my appeal was still holding me back.

After April 5th came around, I ended up losing track of how long my file had been in Toronto at the A&UMB and stopped bugging the staff at the Kingston CFRC as to what was going on with my file. I started checking in every two weeks rather than the ever week and twice every week I was doing prior. So about 5 weeks ago I got a call from the Kingston RMO letting me know that the file was back on it’s way to Ottawa and that I should know more information soon. So I waited another two weeks and called back. It was at that time that I was told that the file had not been sent back to Ottawa, but rather my file was going to be reviewed by the entire Medical Board rather that just one doctor. This made me happy as it could possibly mean good news.

Sadly, it didn’t. I received a call a week or so later informing me that my file was now on it’s way back to Ottawa after the board had reviewed it but that I was deemed not fit for Air Crew selection. I was a bit bummed out with the news, but still kept up hope that I was going to be able to change my primary choice to something else but still be accepted for my other choices as the final say for my other selections was now back up to the RMO in Ottawa. The Kingston RMO informed me that if I the reason I was deemed unfit for Air Crew had no limitation on other careers, I might still be deemed fit for those. This gave me a little ray of hope.

Two weeks after I was told this, I checked in again to find out how things were going and if there had been a final decision from the RMO in Ottawa. It was at this time that the RMO in Kingston told me some more “good” news. She informed me that it looks like I have not 100% been deemed unfit for Air Crew and that the way my file is, the A&UMB is looking for more medical information before they make a final choice. Only problem now is that she has no idea what information they are requesting from me but the RMO in Ottawa has send me a snail mail with what I need to get from my Doctors.

This would be all good if it was not for the recent  Postal Worker Strike and Canada Post Lock-out. This means that until they get back to work, I will not be able to get the information of what I need my Doctor to sign off on. Very frustrating. The good news this evening is that the Bill for a Back-to-work for the Postal worker has passed the House and is now on it’s way to be “rubber stamped” by the senate. This means that on Monday they Canadian Postal Service should be back up and running. This is a whole other ball of wax that is a touchy subject with me. I’m glad that I will be getting my letter soon, but I don’t like the politics and everything else that happened with Canada Post and the Canada Post Workers Union. That is a whole other topic that I could ramble on about for hours.

So as of right now, there is “good” news that my file is still being reviewed and that I might still have a fighting chance to join the Canadian Force next year, but as it stands right now, I am still in Limbo and deemed Med Unfit.

So a little update on the where I stand right now for ROTP. I will not be accepted this year because I missed the March 15th deadline to be put on the merit list for review by the RMC council. I know this because April 5th was the day that all ROTP applicants were informed that they were accepted to be a member of Canadian Forces and will be attending either RMC or their civilian university of their choice.

So what this means is that I still have a red flag on my file until it has been reviewed by the AUMB and then sent back to the RMO’s office and then sent back to the CFRC here in Kingston. Once I find out either way, I have two steps to take. One is to talk to the Ombudsman if I am once again deemed unfit for duty, or see about transferring my ROTP application to the Ottawa CFRC for next year.

Right now my plans are to attend Carleton university for first year Computer Systems Engineering and then see about getting into the CF next year and have them pay me back for my first year. Right now it’s just a huge waiting game that I am getting tired of playing. I will not give up hope that in the next 5 year to be an officer in the Canadian Force.

‘Tis the season once again where I send out yet another… wait a second, this is my first ever Christmas newsletter. Therefore, I would like to welcome you to a wonderful journey of events that have been going on in my life since Christmas of 2009.

As some of you may or may not know, over the last twenty-four years of my life, I have been all over the scale with my weight. Sadly, I had ballooned all the way up to 365.8lbs just after Christmas 2009. Thankfully, that has all changed. On December 31st, 2009, Nancy and I went to Utica, New York where I received a Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass. Since January 1st 2010, I have lost a total of 160lbs. I am currently sitting between 205 and 207lbs.

On January 5th, 2010, I started my new job as a Computer Print Operator at Empire Life Financial. To say this is something I enjoy doing, would be an overstatement. Nevertheless, it has been a good learning experience and is a stepping-stone for me to realize that I need another change in my life.

That change will hopefully come next year as I am applying to be an Officer in the Canadian Forces (CF). Joining the CF has been something I have wanted to do most of my life. I love the organization and honour one gets from being part of something big. I have always felt I was destined to do something big and to help others. So that is why I am joining the military.

I began the application process after working as a Computer Print Operator for 8 months and coming to the realization that it is not what I want to do with my life. I have applied to the Regular Officer Training Plan (ROTP) and I have applied to attend the Royal Military College of Canada (RMC) or a civilian university. If I get accepted in late January, early February 2011 to attend RMC, I will be working towards my bachelor of computer science. If I don’t get accepted to RMC, there is still the option to attend a civilian university of my choice and become an officer. I have chosen to attend Queen’s for their bachelor in computer engineering and Carleton for their bachelor in computer engineering or computer science.

At this point I am in a holding pattern to hear what the next steps will be in my application process. I have applied to be a Pilot, a Maritime Surface and Sub-Surface Officer and Signals Officer. Because I applied to be a Pilot, if selected, I will be going to Trenton to do more testing at the Canadian Forces Aircrew Selection Centre (CFASC). If I pass that then I just have to wait to find out which university I will be attending. If I don’t get selected, then I will have to change my primary choice and choose a new third option.

So that has been my year in a nut shell. There are some other bits of news, but most of them are not so positive and I want to keep this letter on the upbeat side for the Christmas Season. If you want to keep up throughout the year on thing happening in my life, just on over to my personal site at www.markwood.ca and have a look around. There is some good stories and pictures on there.

Till next Christmas. Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Sincerely,

Mark Wood

Hope this Holiday Season is good for you!