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So in addition to being a weather fanatic, I also LOVE Star Trek. Every now and then I will be posting some reviews of Star Trek: Voyager episodes. They will sort of be like Brendan’s SNL Retro reviews. This is just a heads up for what’s coming! Because I know that I haven’t posted on here in quite some time!
Can’t wait to get my first review started!
Chow!
—Interesting Stories is an article that showcases
the intriguing stories of everyday people.
By Matthew Casey
Most people will never know what it is like to jump from an airplane, except maybe for those thrill seekers out there who constantly strive for that adrenaline rush. In fact most people would probably never even want to jump from an airplane if they absolutely did not have to. Now, imagine being a teenager and being forced into an army and having to do whatever you were told, no matter how scary it seemed. For Adrian Patrascu this is what happened when he was drafted into his home country’s army in 1986 and was handed a parachute kit and told to board a plane. He was only 19 at the time.
After training and making about twenty jumps during his time in the military he got the technique down to land safely without injuring himself. “You have to land on the tips of your toes then roll to the heel of your foot or else you will break your legs,” explains Adrian confidently as he reflects back on the days of his youth. He now lives in Toronto and works in the maintenance department of a hotel, but most would never know that he once sported a parachute long before his tool belt.
Even though it seems like a terrifying thing to have to jump from a plane that is flying at 3000 meters, for Adrian, he seems to shrug it off as just a normal event in his life. He was lucky in one sense because he never had to fight in combat during his military time which lasted for nine months. With that in mind, he described falling from the sky and racing towards the ground below as a wonderful feeling, saying that it was as if time and space just came to a stop for a brief moment.
Adrian tells of an incident that occurred on his fifth training jump where he witnessed one of his colleagues who had landed on his feet the wrong way and broke his legs. But even after witnessing this it still did not make him fear jumping from the planes in the training exercises he had to take part in.
Although Adrian was not afraid of jumping into the sky, some people were. On one of his first jumps the soldier in front of him froze and would not jump, but this was not tolerated by the sergeants. When Adrian witnessed the drill instructor push the man out of the plane he says it was in this moment that he realized that he had no choice but to jump whether or not he was afraid and this is what helped him to tolerate the situation a little better.
For the bravery of accomplishing these tasks the paratroopers were paid the equivalent of a mere $24 a month. It takes a lot of character and determination to do these things with little to no reward for them.
Today the Romanian army no longer practices the use of conscription to enlist people into their ranks, and as for Adrian he doesn’t plan on ever jumping from a plane again, not even for a thrill.
Sometimes life seems very difficult and it feels like there is too much to deal with. But at least here in Canada you can take solace in the fact that most people are pretty lucky and enjoy a great quality of life. No one in this country is forced into doing things that they wouldn’t want to do.
The next time it feels like there is too much to handle on your plate and everyday stress gets you down just be glad that you will never be forced into jumping from airplanes in the military. Just think that things could always be much worse and maybe that will help you make it through the tough times that life can bring.
By Matthew Casey
Fall is full of wonderful and vibrant colours.
The days are getting shorter and the air is becoming a little cooler and crisper. What could be coming our way? Fall. Out of all four seasons autumn is my absolute favourite and I just love the transition of summer into this glorious and often dreaded season.
It may be a difficult concept to grasp that fall is my favourite season, but I think that it if you look at some of the great attributes of this time of year and don’t just focus on the fact that it is the end of summer, then fall really is a likeable season. The official start to the season isn’t until September 23, but here is why I love fall.
First of all, summer is so hot! I love mild temperatures but those days where the mercury can climb to well into the 30s with a humidex factor of 40 are just too much for me. Some people love the heat, but I am not one of them. I prefer temperatures that range in the high teens to low twenties—without ANY humidity. The last couple of weeks as the air masses in the eastern half of Canada seem to be transitioning from those hot summer conditions to a more seasonable cooler air mass typical of fall have been great for me. The cooler temperatures are also great if you love to exercise outdoors, it just makes jogging or going for a walk a little more comfortable when the breeze has a slight chill to it.
Secondly I love fall because it is the most colourful season we experience. Sure the summer is great where everything is green and growing, but I am talking about rich colours like reds, yellows, and oranges. When I lived in New Brunswick I loved to take a leisurely drive through the countryside of the province right when the fall foliage was becoming saturated with vibrant and rich hues of colour. All of those maple trees off in the distance looked like an oil painting brushed by the hand of Mother Nature herself. It just gives me an immense appreciation for the wonder of nature’s beauty and makes me realize how often I can be oblivious to it when I am caught up in the rush of everyday life. Just taking in the wonders of all the colours takes my mind off of the worries of the day for a moment. It’s almost like the proverbial “stopping to smell the roses” saying.
There is also something about the air and the way it smells and feels in the fall. The air, no matter if you live in a big city or a rural part of town, just seems to have such a freshness to it that just isn’t there in those hot summer months. I know when I step outside my door on a cool fall morning the air just smells so great and it is invigorating and it livens my senses. If I was able to take a bite out of the air in the fall I absolutely would! The cooler and fresher air of the season also makes sleeping much more comfortable than in summer. For once I can actually sleep without the hum of an air conditioner or a fan in the background.
Canada Geese are majestic birds that migrate in large flocks every fall.
Another sign that summer is drawing to a close is when the flocks of birds begin gathering on the power lines and in the trees. They are getting ready to fly away and migrate to their winter home. I find that it is amazing to watch a flock of birds flying through the sky, all off to one place together. In particular, I love Canada geese and watching a large flock of them fly over head is very majestic and also gives me a sense of the wonder of nature.
So all in all maybe fall doesn’t look to be as bad as it seems on the surface. If you delve deeper into it, it really is one of the most amazing seasons that I am glad we get to experience year after year here in Canada. If you haven’t taken the time to admire the beauty of fall then maybe this will inspire you to get out there and do so this year. Now if I were to talk about winter on the other hand…well don’t get me started on what I think of that “wonderful” season!
What is your favourite season?
