| So Friday I decided to head out on a kayaking | | | | set up an appointment. People work on the |
| weekend with my friend Leslie. This was the first | | | | weekend, according to official statistics, many |
| time in about 8 years that I went camping again, and | | | | Canadians don't even manage to take advantage of |
| I had a ball sleeping under the stars. A fabulous | | | | their full 2 weeks of vacation since they can't get |
| weekend in nature makes you think about life a little | | | | away from work. I was talking to a client recently |
| bit, so here are a few snapshots of what's been | | | | who works for a major international retailer. I asked |
| going through my head in the last few days. In | | | | her why she doesn't work from home since she |
| particular, I have been thinking about our lifestyles in | | | | receives all her documents electronically from head |
| the city and some of the stark contrasts with the | | | | office anyways. She said the head office people just |
| experiences of this weekend. | | | | don't trust people working from home, so she |
| City snapshot number 1: | | | | continues to spend 2.5 hours a day in traffic (on a |
| Thursday night I linked up with a friend of mine who | | | | good day, way more during a snowstorm...) |
| works for a big international bank in finance. He was | | | | Country snapshot number 1: |
| telling me how his employer was sending around a | | | | After getting out of rush hour traffic my friend and I |
| survey to find out what tasks people were spending | | | | thoroughly enjoyed the drive into Eastern Ontario, |
| time on at work, all for the purpose of efficiency and | | | | particularly once we headed north of Belleville into the |
| downsizing the workforce. In his employee | | | | rolling hills, past tiny country towns and provincial |
| newsletter he read that his company was proud that | | | | parks. Saturday morning we were woken up by the |
| the annual turnover rate among employees is now | | | | mooing sounds of cows who were announcing day |
| below 30% (!), and this was a big story in the | | | | break. The sounds of crickets and cicadas filled the |
| newsletter. We were wondering why a turnover of | | | | air in the campground. |
| almost 1/3 of the entire staff in a year would be | | | | Country snapshot number 2: |
| considered a good thing, considering the recruitment, | | | | The facilities at the Equinox river rafting camp are |
| training and outplacement costs as well as the | | | | extremely basic. We realize that we can get by on 2 |
| disruptions caused by a constantly fluctuating | | | | toilets in tiny plywood cubicles and 4 co-ed shower |
| workforce. But on a few days of the year his | | | | stalls that are located in a wooden shed. We sleep in |
| company gives away free icecream cones to their | | | | a tent on a mat, I forgot my pillow and I borrow |
| employees.... | | | | Leslie's mini-pillow. There is no Internet, no cell |
| City snapshot number 2: | | | | phones, no appointments, no fancy clothes, no |
| Leslie and I left to go on our kayaking excursion at 3 | | | | make-up. |
| pm Friday. We left in mid-town, just north of the | | | | Country snapshop number 3: |
| 401, Toronto's major cross-town highway. It took us | | | | Evening in the campground. About 60 city folks are |
| about an hour and a half, to get to Toronto's eastern | | | | letting out their inner child, they are partying, |
| suburbs, from about Pickering onwards we were | | | | shouting, playing music, having fun. That's what it |
| stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic until I had enough | | | | looks like when city people let loose. The next night |
| and headed northwards to a local road where at | | | | is a lot quieter, after a full day of paddling the rafters |
| least we were moving in between being stopped at | | | | and kayakers are tired and Saturday night was a |
| red lights. | | | | much tamer affair. |
| City snapshot number 3: | | | | Country snapshot number 4: |
| At the outdoor adventure camp I actually talked to | | | | I am doing my interview with Krista, the spunky |
| another weekend traveller who told me that he | | | | young intern at Equinox' river camp. I ask her if it |
| worked for many years for a major international | | | | would be possible to borrow one of the bicycles that |
| paper manufacturer until he got unceremoniously laid | | | | were leaning against the shed. "Sure", she says, "just |
| off a few years ago. He had been living and working | | | | help yourself, my bike is the silver-coloured one. Just |
| in Toronto's east end. After his lay-off he finally | | | | grab it whenever you feel like it". You don't see this |
| found a job in Toronto's west end and he ended up | | | | easy-going generosity in the city. |
| commuting probably about 2 hours in rush hour traffic | | | | Country snapshot number 5: |
| on a daily basis between his house in the east end to | | | | During the interview, Krista tells me that a number of |
| his new workplace in Toronto's west end. He figures | | | | her rafting/kayaking guide colleagues are living in |
| there is no point in moving since he doesnt' know | | | | tents, in a tree house or in a cobbled-together shack |
| when he's going to get laid off again and where his | | | | during the summer. During the winter they go off to |
| next job might be. | | | | teach English as a Second Language, study theatre, |
| City snapshot number 4: | | | | teach skiing or plant trees and do horticulture in the |
| This same person told me that one of the travellers | | | | spring. Krista mentions a key phrase several times: |
| in his group was trying to use her cell phone in the | | | | "It's amazing how little you need to live." And this |
| middle of the wilderness on Calumet Island in the | | | | morcel of wisdom is coming from a 25-year old |
| Ottawa River. She even tried to get up on a picnic | | | | woman! The guides are young adults that co-exist |
| table and lifted the cell phone up in the air to try to | | | | without a lot of structure, very few rules, and they |
| get better reception. He found it rather ridiculous that | | | | are just having fun doing sports they love and |
| someone would need to make a cell phone call during | | | | interacting with the clients. And somehow they |
| an 2-day weekend outing into nature. I guess we | | | | manage to feed the clients and safely get them |
| need to be wired all the time these days. | | | | down the river. Everybody, the guides and the |
| City snapshot number 5: | | | | clients, feels like a kid again..... |
| Life is speeding up all around us. To meet a friend for | | | | Makes you think, doesn't it? |
| coffee you now need at least 3 weeks notice and | | | | |