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A Crock of Schmidt

Single-handedly solving nothing

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The Return Intern

September 10, 2019 by acrockofschmidt Leave a Comment

I have a fantastic idea. It’s a self-serving idea, to be sure, but I believe it to be fantastic nonetheless. I haven’t looked for a job in nearly fifteen years. I haven’t had a job for more than ten of those. But kids age and spouses lose jobs. So like a fledgling, I awkwardly tumbled […]

Filed Under: Deep Schmidt Tagged With: Calgary, intern, jobs, oil patch, stay-at-home parents, student

McLean Creek Campground – McLean Creek PRA – review

June 19, 2019 by acrockofschmidt Leave a Comment

CLERK 1:          Do you need firewood. ME:                  Yes, please. CLERK 1:          Oh good, how many bags? ME:                  Umm.  Well, how much is it? CLERK 1:          $10 per bag. ME:                  Hmm.  Two bags, I guess. CLERK 1:          It’s supposed to rain tonight.  Are you sure you don’t want three? ME:                  [???] CLERK 1:          [smile] ME:                  [???] […]

Filed Under: Camping Schmidt Tagged With: Alberta, Bragg Creek, Calgary, camping, McLean Creek PRA

There’s No Vaccine for Layoffs

March 4, 2019 by acrockofschmidt 6 Comments

You think you’re immune, until you discover you aren’t. In February 1995, god that’s nearly thirty years ago, I grew up in a hurry.  Or at least my budding work persona did.  I was one of five wide-eyed geology students freshly fallen from the Ontario turnip truck in the early weeks of eight month, co-op, […]

Filed Under: Deep Schmidt Tagged With: Alberta, Calgary, jobs, layoffs, NotAngryAB, oil patch

Calgary Needs a Shrink, Not the Olympics

November 12, 2018 by acrockofschmidt 1 Comment

One week ago, the debate over Calgary attempting to host the 2026 Winter Olympics kicked of in an online community forum with an interesting comment.  Someone whom I don’t know personally shared a CBC article accompanied by the interesting observation that this person learns more from the comments posted to such articles.  My immediate reaction […]

Filed Under: Sports Schmidt Tagged With: 2026, Calgary, No, Olympics, Plebiscite, vote, Winter Olympics, Yes

The Nostalgia Driven Mistake Calgary Wants to Make

March 12, 2018 by acrockofschmidt 2 Comments

The winter of 1988 was quite the momentous time.  I was about to turn sixteen and was focused, albeit anxiously, on honing my driving skills in order to obtain a coveted driver’s licence.  Hormones were wreaking havoc on my body and mind.  Girls were a growing distraction, dare I say, obsession.  My part time job […]

Filed Under: Deep Schmidt Tagged With: Calgary, Canada, Olympics, Winter Olympics

Slow Mo Reno – Contracting a Sticker Shock

November 9, 2017 by acrockofschmidt 4 Comments

There are two groups of people in Calgary; those that work in the oil industry and those that renovate their homes.  Sure, there are thousands of others who work in service industries and the civil service, but in two years’ time when the NDP is obliterated in the provincial election and the “new” conservatives dial […]

Filed Under: House Schmidt Tagged With: Calgary, contractor, cost, debt, house, money, real estate, renovations

Wyndham-Carseland Provincial Park – review

July 25, 2017 by acrockofschmidt Leave a Comment

There’s a first time for everything.  This is absolutely true except for when it’s not.  Forget things I have no intention of doing like, say, seeing how many ball bearings I can stick up a nostril; the dime scare of 1980 was enough nostril adventure for one lifetime, thank you very much.  Forget also the […]

Filed Under: Camping Schmidt Tagged With: Alberta, birds, Calgary, camping, RV, Wyndham-Carseland, yyc

Little Bow Provincial Park – Review

May 31, 2017 by acrockofschmidt 2 Comments

Victoria Day.  The long weekend with the antiquated name, unless you use the more colloquial May Two-Four, marks the unofficial start to summer for Canadians.  There are spring cleaning and summer projects, sure, but more importantly BBQs and camping.  Unless, of course, you live in Alberta where we’ve become all too familiar with everything from […]

Filed Under: Camping Schmidt Tagged With: Alberta, Calgary, camping, fishing, Little Bow

Crude Awakening

September 19, 2016 by acrockofschmidt Leave a Comment

“It builds character.” These words of encouragement, long-favoured by well-intentioned relatives and friends, cycled endlessly in my mind as I sat behind my faux-wood desk in my soon-to-be-former cubicle on the west side of the fourteenth floor of Gulf Canada Square in suddenly not-so-opportunity-filled Calgary.  I was numb. A few minutes prior, my phone had […]

Filed Under: Funny Schmidt, Writing Schmidt Tagged With: Alberta, Calgary, CBC, Job, layoffs, non-fiction, oil patch, university, writing

When Your Vote Doesn’t Matter

October 20, 2015 by acrockofschmidt Leave a Comment

I woke up this morning with a bright red pimple above my left eye.  Fate, always eager to mess with me, has apparently decided to brand me with a scarlet letter of sorts, outing my voting choice in yesterday’s federal election.  I’d consider it a relatively minor prank except that I reside in the blue […]

Filed Under: Deep Schmidt Tagged With: Calgary, conservative, liberal, NDP, proportional representation, Stephen Harper, voting

Next Page »
  • Rockwood Geo Pro 16BH - review
    Rockwood Geo Pro 16BH - review
  • The Invisible But Very Real Border Wall Between Canada and the USA
    The Invisible But Very Real Border Wall Between Canada and the USA
  • Canada Has Lost Pride In Our Beers
    Canada Has Lost Pride In Our Beers
  • Kinbrook Island Provincial Park - review
    Kinbrook Island Provincial Park - review
  • So This is Imposter Syndrome
    So This is Imposter Syndrome
My Tweets

My Life Is A Song #97

Fame is fleeting.  More often, it is completely absent.  This is especially true of my family.  It … [Read More...]

My Life Is A Song #76

I am no Deadhead.  I appreciate their better known songs like “Casey Jones” and “Sugar Magnolia” and … [Read More...]

Hey Doc, Here’s My Impression of an Hypochondriac

Edited April 2014 from letter dated September 2007Good morning Dr.  I am writing you this letter … [Read More...]

Redshirts by John Scalzi – Review

There’s a great country song written by Steve Goodman and made famous by David Allen Coe called ‘You … [Read More...]

Beaumont Provincial Park – review

One night stands are legendary for a number of reasons ranging from the terrible to the … [Read More...]

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