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Adventures in University and the great outdoors. "You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself Any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. And you are the one who'll decide where to go ..." - Dr. Seuss
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Friday, September 03, 2004
FLYING: Thanks to a niffty little web tool, Great Circle Mapper, and a little inspiration from Evan, I have mapped what I think is every flight I have ever been on. The number of flights between Detroit and the NYC area are fuzzy including flights on Eastern and Big Apple. The map and list of flights can be found here. The total distance of my flying is a whopping 62,737 miles. Now where did all those frequent flier miles go? FLYING: Thanks to a niffty little mapping web tool, Great Circle Mapper I mapped what I think is every flight I have been on. The number of flights between Detroit and New York (Westchester County Airport and La Guardia) are fuzzy including a flight on Eastern Airlines and one on Big Apple?) Unfortunately, I can't post the map (note to self: upgrade blog), but you can find the map and list of flights http://gc.kls2.com/cgi-bin/gc?PATH=DTW-HPN%2CDTW-HPN%2CDTW-HPN%2CDTW-HPN%2CDTW-HPN%2CDTW-HPN%2CDTW-HPN%2CDTW-HPN%2CDTW-HPN%2CDTW-HPN%2C+HPN-DTW%2C+HPN-DTW%2C+HPN-DTW%2C+HPN-DTW%2C+HPN-DTW%2C+HPN-DTW%2C+HPN-DTW%2C+HPN-DTW%2C+HPN-DTW%2C+DTW-SFO%2C+SFO-DTW%2C+DTW-STL%2C+STL-PHX%2C+PHX-TUL%2C+TUL-STL%2C+DTW-PHX%2C+DTW-PHX%2C+PHX-DTW%2C+PHX-DTW%2C+YUL-MSP%2C+MSP-PHX%2C+DTW-AMS%2C+AMS-TLV%2C+TLV-AMS%2C+AMS-DTW%2C+DTW-YUL%2C+YUL-DTW%2C+DTW-YUL%2C+YUL-DTW%2C+DTW-YUL%2C+YUL-DTW%2C+DTW-YUL%2C+YUL-DTW%2C+DTW-YUL%2C+YUL-DTW%2CYUL-PIT%2C+PIT-DTW%2C+DTW-PIT%2C+PIT-YUL%2C+YUL-ATL%2C+ATL-SCL%2C+SCL-ATL%2C+ATL-YUL%2C+PUQ-PMC%2C+PMC-SCL%2C+DTW-LGA%2C+DTW-LGA%2C+DTW-LGA%2C+DTW-LGA%2C+LGA-DTW%2C+LGA-DTW%2C+LGA-DTW%2C+LGA-DTW%2C+LGA-DTW%2C+DTW-IAD%2C+DTW-DCA%2C+DCA-DTW%0D%0A⦥=&PATH-COLOR=red&PATH-UNITS;=mi&SPEED-GROUND=&SPEED-UNITS;=kts&RANGE-STYLE=best&RANGE-COLOR;=navy&MAP-STYLE=>here. The total distance is a whopping 62,767 miles. Now where did all those frequent flier miles go? Tuesday, August 31, 2004
PAPER CHASE: I'm in Montreal, Burnside Hall, Room 624. After a nice summer break spent swimming in Lake Michigan, its time to settle in for my Masters. Yes,, at McGill. Alaska didn't work out because I would have been unable to do the field work due to my shoulder injury. But, I am still young and will make my way back to the wilderness soon enough. So, back to your regularly scheduled programming. Thursday, July 08, 2004
THE LONG ROAD HOME: I'm leaving tomorrow morning for Michigan. I've been trying to leave Montreal for the last week now. Everytime I make a train reservation, I find some reason to delay it a few days. But now I need to go because its time for a change and to make a decision about my future. While in Michigan, I will be spending time with my Dad and step-mom, Mary, going up to the Garden peninsula in the UP (Say Ya To Da UP, Eh?) to visit my grandparents, seeing the dentist, maybe seeing a surgeon about my shoulder, catching up with old friends like Murph and going blueberry picking. Then off to my future, where ever that may be. Tuesday, July 06, 2004
CALL OF THE WILD: I have made a decision about my placement for the next two years - I will be going to the University of Alaska - Fairbanks for an interdisciplinary MS in environmental science. So in less then a month, I will living near the land of the midnight sun, where the moose walk through downtown and professors live in castle in the woods. This place is going to be crazy and insane. Last New Year's, I stared up at the dark sky in Santiago, Chile and wondered where I would be in one year, I would have never dreamed of Alaska. But that is life for you. Meanwhile, my goods friend Kevin is off to the Philippines for an internship, Steph will be conducting research in Bolivia, Emily is looking for work in Brussels, Laure is in Amsterdam, Tania is looking to go to Norway, Van Africa, Dorey med school in Haifa, Israel, Nick ph.D at the University of Washington, and Annika in Winnipeg. Based on my friends, I guess I'm just not meant to stay in one place. *howls at the moon* Here is a description of hassels for dealing with insurance companies about my coverage for my future surgery (don't worry, its only a shoulder): ===== In our last episode our midwestern hero Ben Heumann was devastated to find he had to abandon his life-long dream of graduate work with the Eskimos of Alaska because of a shortcoming in the U.S. Health Care system, denying him much needed surgery.. Just as he was about to throw him self off an Academic cliff into a sea of dispair (A Canadian Master's program), his guardian angels (played by real life parents Mary & Matt) managed to devinely intervene and conjure up medical coverage that would allow him to go to University of Alaska, Fairbanks. ----Now with the ashes of the medical red tape smoldering in the dust, the University of Alaska awaits its next geomorphology prodigy and the guardian angels can ascend from bureacratic Hell and return to their heavenly peace and quiet-----stay tuned for our next episode of parental crisis! ===== *howls at the moon again* UPDATE: Okay, so I got cold feet, again, horrible dreams plus pains in my shoulder. While UAF will be an amazing experience, it mat be wiser for my physical and mental health to stay at McGill, get my shoulder fixed, then proceed on to other crazy adventures. Tuesday, June 29, 2004
GO GREENS!: The Green Party of Canada got 4% of the popular vote, twice as much as required to receive federal funding. This was the goal of the Green Party and it will allow them to continue pushing for Green issues. It was interesting to watch the election from this point of view (two of my roommates worked as researchers/media relations out of the apartment). What amazed me was how few people read party platforms. For example, there were tons of eco-freaks campaigning for the Green Party, but if you read the platform, they are fiscally conservative and call for cooperation with private industry. I'm sure these people would not agree with that. Or maybe I'm just stereotyping. "DO I STAY OR DO I GO?": So, I haven't posted anything in a while, nor have I really made a decision about my future, although I need to make it today (I said that yesterday). I have secure funding at both McGill and UAF, housing, and supportive faculty. Fairbanks and Montreal a slightly different in nature as are McGill and UAF. Montreal is just so much fun and McGill such a fantastic institution that it is hard to pull myself away to the unknown. Last night I watched the election results with my friends. We got really drunk, as this is the way all politics should be observed. I realized how much I really love living in Canada and that in my heart I actually want to become one!? I found a note from my government teacher in high school. "Be careful about becoming Canadian." Any comments? Friday, June 25, 2004
Fahrenheit 9/11: This movie is going to be big here in Montreal. Cinema du Parc, Montreal's English language repretoire theatre has it showning in two of three theatres for all times for the next two weeks. I have never seen a movie shown there in more than one theatre as it really limits the variety of shows. But I guess if there is the demand...Personally, I will be going to see it tonight with my roommates. Tuesday, June 22, 2004
WHERE IS HOME? I just had an interesting thought. I have lived in Montreal for the last four years, three of which I have thought of it as my home. Currently, I think I am going to grad school at UAF (U - Alaska - Fairbanks). I will fly back to Michigan at Christmas, but not to Montreal. Montreal feels more like home though. More friends, more connections to the city, more familiar overall. Many of my friends have gone "home" for there summers and have a greater connection there than with Montreal. So where is my home? Friday, June 18, 2004
WHAT HAPPENED?: I just learned yesterday that my home town of Chelsea, Michigan passed a $28 million bond proposal for the public schools. According to the Chelsea Twenty teachers laid off! Wow, things must really be bad. When I was in high school, the district was running a surplus and was wisely saving it for potential budget problems in the future. I guess those budget problems have been far worst than expected. This bond means that Chelsea School District tax payers have a lot of debt considering the $28 million bond passed only six or seven years ago to build the new high school, Pierce Elementary and renovation to the other existing schools. I hope none of my favorite teachers were affected. Monday, June 14, 2004
BAD BOYS: Remember those bad boys of basketball in '89 and '90. Well, good luck to Detroits current not so bad boys. I see that the Pistons have returned to their original team colours of blue and red. For a few years there when Grant Hill was captain, they had some awful turquoise type uniforms. I wonder if the colours have anything to do with the team doing well...I mean, who can play well and be respected while wearing turquoise!? Friday, June 11, 2004
I MISSED THE BUS....errr...THE TRAIN: Here is an interesting article about what happens to people who miss that last train north from Grand Central. Luckily, this has never happened to me. I have been part of the mad rush for a lat night NJ transit train with the fear of not getting on and having to spend an hour and a half waiting in Penn Station for the next one. At least there was a next one. In Montreal, the trains only run during the days so no worry about drinking too much and missing the train. In winter, missing the metro usually means staying the night, taking a late night bus, or getting a cab...most people I know opt for the first option. HOME SWEET HOME: I plan to head back to the A2 area in about three weeks. Although I only plan on stopping by for a couple of weeks, I would like to take the time to take in the sights, particularly restaurants such as Crazy Jim's Blimpy Burger, Jerusalem Garden, Dynersty, and Back Room Pizza. Please tell me places are still open!? I understand the places change but its devistating to return home and find your favorite teen-age places gone. Thursday, June 10, 2004
WELCOME REALITY: Dave Barry could not have explained the situation any better. On a similar note, Grandma reminded me last night that she has an empty house in Ypsilanti with air conditioning and free cable that needs to have the lawn mowed on occasion. It has been a right of passage in my family to return to the house on Lester. My father moved back with my mom. Uncle Kim was back with his two daughters on a number of occasions during the 90's. I'm sure Jody was there after high school. Uncle Kurt moved back in after he was done with the Navy. My oldest cousin Aimee spent a summer there and Jessica stayed there during the week when taking classes at EMU. Nick somehow managed to not move in and I think I too will pass. Maybe the Heumann children have broken the trend, maybe our time has yet to come. A SHORT RIDE: With the craziness of convocation, I have not been out on my bike in over a week. Yesterday, my friend Kevin and I decided to search out a bike path that connects Montreal with the town of Chambly on the South Shore. Overall, the ride was nice in that we got out of the city. However, the bike path was useless because it was discontinuous and we lost it several times. We ended up just riding on the roads even though they had fairly heavy traffic. On the way back, I saw where Kevin grew up in St. Lambert, is rained, and I got a flat (a small piece of glass worked its way into my rear tire). Tuesday, June 08, 2004
SAYING GOOD-BYE TO A FRIEND: Yesterday was the funeral for my friend Chris Barker. Chris was only 21. I knew him through the McGill Outdoors Club, of which he was an active member and the new equipment manager. Chris was a member of my Chic Chocs trip in February 2003. He was one of those guys that spoke his mind and always finished what he set out to do. He was always the first one out of the hut in the morning to hit the slopes and the last one in at night. He died last week when his car collided with a moose in Northern B.C. Chris, we will all miss you. CONVOCATION: Originally, I didn't really want to attend convocation. My plan was to leave Montreal in April, get a field job for the summer before heading off to grad school. My parents didn't attend their graduation from college, but they insisted I did. It was a very nice ceremony, under a big freakin tent (like the circus but missing the lions). We all had our funny costumes on and the more important one ones, the funnier the costume. Mine was a simple black robe with a large yellow satin lined hood with fur trim which hung over my back. The Chancellor, the grand pumba that he is (former IOC chairman), has an elaborate outfit and a throne in which to sit on the stage. The ceremony was relatively short, less than 2 hours 30 minutes for 700 science students and we ate like there was no tomorrow afterwards. Monday, May 31, 2004
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