Almost 14,000 visits later, I am moving on from blogger and blogspot to Wordpress. As I venture into more freelance writing, it just makes sense, with more options, features, and a smoother appearance, to explore my options. (www.toddrowley.wordpress.com)
In addition to my day job I have a few projects underway. Two are novels - and who among us truly knows where they will end up (store shelves and your coffee table, I hope) and two are children's books. I am also in the midst of developing magazine queries and intend to make a new life and new career for myself, and for my family as well. (www.toddrowley.wordpress.com)
Your comments and encouragement have helped sustain my adventure in words for the past few years. It has grown into a love that I hope remains for many more to come. I look forward to continuing to share my writing with you over at www.toddrowley.wordpress.com. See you there! And keep the comments coming.
- Todd
Friday, October 5, 2012
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Just Eat It!
Without a doubt, each person reading this has heard at least
one story of random food findings. When
the stories break there’s a rush of stories hitting Facebook and Twitter with
people telling their tales – some true, others, well, that’s up to the reader
to decide.
Such items have been reported in the media including a knife
in a Subway sandwich, a finger in a bowl of Wendy’s chili, and a chicken’s head
in a package of McDonalds chicken McNuggets.
I’ve seen the pictures online…they look real to me.
I turned to Facebook to ask my friends what they had found
in their food. Though not as extreme as
the aforementioned treasures, a few were reported:
- a black rubber washer in my burger
- an elastic in my salad
- a piece of stem-like wood in my salad
- a screw in my Wendy’s salad (I was there for this
one. She took it back in and they were
thankful because they knew where the screw had come from and they were now able
to fix their equipment!)
*** NOTE: Looking at this list I have found that my friends
eat a lot of salad. Looks like it’s
safer to eat meat. And after reading
this, you’ll find a considerable amount of “meat” or at least “meat
alternatives” in your food anyways.
Certainly these sorts of finds are unusual. Many more, though, are permitted through the US Food and Drug Administration. “Title
21, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 110.110 allows the Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) to establish maximum levels of natural or unavoidable defects in foods
for human use that present no health hazard,” and “The FDA set these action
levels because it is economically impractical to grow, harvest, or process raw
products that are totally free of non-hazardous, naturally occurring,
unavoidable defects,” and “It is incorrect to assume that because the FDA has
an established defect action level for a food commodity, the food manufacturer
need only stay just below that level.”
The site assures that while these limits are set, the averages are much
lower.
So, on that note, let’s get specific (Gag ALERT…read on if you dare)
- 20 maggots are
allowed for every 100 grams of drained mushroom
- At
anywhere from 1/25 to 1/8 of an inch long, Thrips, these tiny little winged
parasites are legally allowed in apple butter, canned or frozen asparagus,
frozen broccoli, and frozen Brussels sprouts.
- Five fruit
flies with every 8-ounce cup of juice. An 8-ounce handful of raisins and you
could be eating as many as 35 fruit-fly eggs.
- 30 or more
insect fragments in 100 grams of peanut butter
- 475 insect
fragments in 50 grams of ground pepper
- Average of 10
or more fly eggs per 100 grams, OR 5 or more fly eggs and 1 or more maggots per
100 grams, OR 2 or more maggots per 100 grams, in a minimum of 12 subsamples of
tomato juice
This list is extensive and can be found online at the FDA site.
Take comfort friends, the government has everything under
control and is only looking out for the good of it’s citizens. So, what are you having for lunch today? Still hungry?
Everyone has a story and I think that if animals could talk
in a language we could understand, they would have a story too. I wonder what story the frog found in a can
of Diet Pepsi would be…?
More food findings found can be found here…
Monday, October 1, 2012
The World is My Home
I have been blessed with fortune of doing some travel for a
variety of reasons – work, vacation, and missions. My first out of country experience was a trip
to England when I was only four years old.
I remember very little, but what I do recall is filled with joy.
Living in southern Ontario a trip south across the world’s
friendliest boarder is less than 90 minutes away. I ventured to Florida when I was 16 to take
in Disney experience. I’ve ridden my
motorcycle to Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Kentucky.
 |
| In Red Square, Moscow |
When my wife and I were first married and venturing out on
our honeymoon, we did so without any planning.
When we awoke after a night in Niagara Falls we quite randomly decided
to go out east (“Where do you want to go today?” “I don’t know. How about out east” “Sure!”). We began our drive and soon (14 hours later)
found ourselves in New Brunswick. We
toured around New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island.
 |
| In Ocho Rios, Jamaica |
In 1998 we moved out to Edmonton, Alberta. A mere 36 hour drive from our home in
Ontario. We took time to visit Jasper,
Lake Louise, and Banff in the Rocky Mountains.
We met up with family in Kelowna, British Columbia. Toured through Calgary, Alberta and over to
Vancouver, British Columbia.
I Love Canada! It is
such a tremendous country to take in, but you need time. A lot of time. I still have much to see and I hope to make
many more visits to each province and territory.
I have been to Novokuznetsk, Ocinniki, and Moscow in
Russia. To Ciego de Avila, Camaguey, and
Florida in Cuba. To Ocho Rios in
Jamaica.
 |
| Me, playing catch in Florida, Cuba The children had not seen an 'American' football before |
And I long, I ache, to see more.
I posed the question to my Facebook friends, “If you could
live anywhere, where would you choose and why?”
I expected some tropical and exotic replies, and certainly there were
some: “The moon so I could fly,” and “Italy…just cuz,” and “Israel. Because it
is warm all year but mostly because of the wonderful people, the culture and
the incredible history.” Instead,
though, I was mostly surprised by people’s contentment and I questioned my own
desire to go into the all world.
Many responded that they liked where they lived and wanted
to stay in their current home! “I
actually love where I live (Ontario),” “Colorado. I love the mountains in the summer, but my
home the rest of the year (Ohio),” and “Florida for the summer and my home the
rest of the time (Ontario).”
 |
| Clingman's Dome, Tennessee Highest point in the eastern US. |
Maybe I’m different.
Well, truth be told, I know I’m different. I’m just not sure why. I don’t really want to live anywhere, but I
want to experience it all. I long to see
parts of the world that are vastly different than my own back yard. To spend time in the mountains of Peru. To hear the sounds of the jungles in South
America. To feel the emotion in Rwanda. To experience the culture shock in Asia. Just to see how others live. And maybe find a fit in this world. Or maybe, just maybe, the world is my home,
and there are so many rooms that I just haven’t seen them all yet.
If you have a few moments, take a visit at www.chrisguillebeau.com. I think this guy is really on to
something. Even if it’s a lifestyle that
doesn’t interest you, but you find yourself having to pack up and travel for
work or missions trips, he has some ideas that you may find helpful.
Everyone has a story.
Many more chapters in mine are yet to be written, with many more destinations
to come. If you could live anywhere,
where would you choose…and why? How
about you, Chris?
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
STEP - St. Thomas Elevated Park
Well, that was interesting.
One thing that I admire about my brother-in-law, Damon, is his activity
in his community. He moved to Stanstead ,
Quebec
Take a walk down the streets of St.
Thomas and you will soon see that there is a very
different feel and it makes many uncomfortable.
There is a higher than average population of our neighbours living with
problems related to mental health struggles.
The regional mental health centre is situated on the outskirts of town
along a road that once showed warning signs “Don’t Pick Up Hitchhikers.” A new forensic psychiatric facility is being
built as we speak. There are a number of
adult group homes supporting those with challenges. Ontario Works (welfare) is situated on the
main street. Ontario Disability Support
Program (ODSP) is on the main street – at least until the province makes the
final decision to close the office. A
satellite office of Family and Children’s Services is on the main street. A methadone clinic is on the main street.
 |
| Alma College, a lost treasure |
A number of companies have packed up shop and moved out of
the city. Factories have closed and
moved out of the country. Mom and Pop
shops closed. Schools have amalgamated
leaving empty century-old structures that once stood proud. The historic old jail was torn down. The old Alma
College
The old Michigan Central
Railroad Kettle Creek
Bridge Ontario
straddling the road between London
and Port Stanley .
It was an engineering marvel in it’s day and truly is something to
behold.
 |
| Future home STEP...with the community support, YES! |
Tonight, community based program ‘On Track’ presented the
concept of the St. Thomas Elevated Park (STEP).
If this idea moves ahead, it will take the title of first elevated park
in Canada ! Similar elevated parks exist in New
York and Paris ,
but nothing in Canada . Sure there are bridges that are incorporated
in various trails throughout the country, like the historic wooden Kinsol
Trestle on Vancouver Island , but nothing like what was
proposed. A Canadian first…in St.
Thomas ! It
could be a reality. As a public park, it
would serve as a high profile addition to the Trans Canada Trail offering
panoramic views of the Kettle Creek valley.
 |
| New York Elevated Park |
The City has put forward an offer to the developer with the hopes that a community partner would come alongside them with the finances as
 |
| Paris Elevated Park |
One outspoken community member spoke out tonight citing the
numerous losses of the city and requested that the community embrace this
possibility and to no longer sit idly by and allow opportunities to slip
through their hands as many have in the past.
Others made brash comments about annual suicides occurring as people
chose to end their life by jumping 80 feet to their death. The On Track committee assured the public
that a safety assessment would be reflective of this reality.
Landowners complained that they weren’t made aware that the
property backing their land was up for sale, but a 16 year old stood up and
said that if she was able to find this out then there wasn’t much of an excuse
for others.
Concerns were raised about vandals having access to people’s
properties. I thought there was a valid
point, but generally speaking, people who are hiking or exercising aren’t
usually the destructive type.
Traffic flow and parking were concerns, but plans would have
to be approved by the city with public input.
A loss of tranquility was raised. There were once 140 trains a day rumbling by.
“There’s no where to go, nothing to do in this city.” How about a one of kind park in Canada
being located in St. Thomas?
 |
| CASO under extensive renovation |
Regardless of personal opinion, On Track has brought rail
heritage back to St. Thomas . Numerous murals appear throughout the city,
Thomas the Train visits for two weekends each summer much to the delight of
children and their parents, and they have seen to the restoration of the
deteriorating railway station which now stands proudly as a beacon to railway
enthusiasts – it also houses the office of MP Jeff Yuerk and small commercial
spaces. Another railway park along a
former rail corridor is underway.
It’s easy to view the city in a negative light and I have
often been critical of the condition of
Everyone has a story.
St. Thomas had a story that
many have forgotten. I hope that people
who were unaware of this project would throw their support behind it and learn
a bit more about the heritage of the city that they, that we, call home.
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Support your Red and White
I woke up this morning and went about my usual routine;
staying in bed as long as possible, having a coffee, checking in with Facebook,
Twitter, and Gmail, double checking my agenda to make sure I’m on my way to the
right place, getting another coffee ready for the road. Nothing glamorous about my mornings.
Another great day was shaping up. Sun was out, the breeze warm. My car, unlocked and the door not quite
closed. Wait, what? I don’t always lock my car, and this wasn’t
the first time that someone exploited my trust.
CDs, papers, and business cards were scattered across the drivers
seat. My multi-tool money clip from the
church was gone, a red Bic lighter was gone, some loose change was gone
although some remained. This is the
second time I’ve had a red Bic go missing, yet I’ve never purchased a Bic
lighter before; I find them on the ground, in parks, along the curb. The first one was taken from my office.
It wasn’t really worth phoning the police over, but the last
time this happened, the local authorities advised me that they need these
reports for two reasons: 1st, statistics, 2nd, they know
where to focus their time during shifts.
It’s not uncommon to see the police roll through out neighbourhood, but
nothing substantial goes down. Most
times it’s for things such as what I faced this morning, or to recover stolen
bicycles that found their final resting spot on a front lawn.
As I waited for the police to arrive, I noticed a 31” scrape
along the rear right quarter panel.
That’s new. I initially thought
it looked like a scrape from a bicycle’s handlebar, but the police advised me
that it was keyed. They’d faced a series
of similar concerns on the south side of town a couple weeks back, but there
has been little to report over the past week or so. I was now the first of five calls this
morning. Looks like things have moved to
the north side.
This sort of thing doesn’t really bother me. It’s annoying, it’s rude, it’s an
invasion. It’s stupid. I hope that whatever they were looking for,
they found. I hope they find it
useful.
It’s in these situations that I am reminded, “It’s just
stuff.” And I rarely find myself
concerned about stuff. Stuff can always
be replaced, but those things that matter, the people in life, the
relationships, and the memories…those are the parts of life that matter.
Everyone has a story.
Mine goes on. The people that
took my stuff, well, only time will tell how theirs will end…
All of this got me thinking about being robbed. I’ve been watching the Olympics every day
since they began. While I wasn’t able to
watch the entire opening ceremony, what I did see was quite a spectacle. Visually thrilling, and I think that a seat
at home was the best place to watch such a production.
The men’s gymnastics seems to have so many pieces and events
to make up the event, I really don’t know when it was, but there was an event
that saw the China team file an appeal which resulted in Canada being bumped
from the medal standings.
Now I am the first to admit that I don’t know a ton about
gymnastics, but if you saw the video recap to determine whether the hand stand
by the Chinese was worthy of points, I am sure most people would say
“Nope. That wasn’t a handstand.” The judges, however, changed their original
scoring, elevating the Chinese team from fourth, to second, moving Canada from
silver to bronze, and removing Ukraine out of the standings.
I felt robbed as a Canadian.
I’m not an athlete. I
don’t represent Canada on a public stage (except on my various missions
trips). But I do have a sense of pride
in Canada. I feel a genuine sense of joy
when our athletes capture a medal. To be
the winners of silver, only to have it downgraded to bronze because of a
disagreement just felt wrong. Robbed.
Much like I felt this morning. Disappointed in the actions of others, actions
that cost me.
As a final word, I want to encourage my Canadian readers to
support your Red and White – the colours of Canada. Be proud of our country, stand up for it,
defend it. Support your Red and White. Fly your flag with the pride that so many
other countries show. (Watch for another blog coming soon on the Red, White,
and Blue).
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