Monthly Archive for April, 2006

May 30, 2006
Tonight, I find I’m questioning everything about my life. Am I doing the right things? Treating people well enough? Doing enough to improve the world? Do I think before I speak? Do I realize the consequences of my actions and what I say?
What do I want to do career wise? I’ve had some wild opportunities thrown at me recently. What’s the value I add to the world if any? Can I do more? In five years, where do I want to be? Who do I want to be?

What kind of father would I be? What kind of role model am I? Am I even a roll model? Would I be a good husband?

What would you do if you knew you had a year to live? I answered myself “I’d travel the world and see as much as I could Egypt, would be one of my first stops followed up by a stop at Macchu Picchu .” A friend of mine went there and said it was amazing trip.
All I have is questions.

May 27, 2006
Well what’s done is done. I have put in my resignation letter with Altus, so officially I am moving to China in a few weeks. I must say the management has handled very professionally. My boss Jim called me this morning and talked to me for a few minutes. He did not say one negative thing at all, in fact it was all positive and encouraging, I was very impressed. My direct boss Dave came by and he was in more of a joy full and encouraging mood sad to see me go but happy that I have the stones to do it. He was happy that I was going and living my dream even if he thought I was off my rocker. I must say I was lucky to work for both of these guys in my time here.
My motto is focus on leaving on the best of terms because you never know what will happen. If things go to hell in a hand basket (love that saying), and I am back in two months and asking if I can be the mail room boy or any ones bitch I might at least have a chance.

May 25, 2006
People come and go out of your life all the time, your whole life this happens. Some people make an impression and others are soon forgotten. I have met people from my past whom I have no idea who they are but they seem to remember me very well. I have also run into people form my past that I remember very well and as I speak to them I know they kind of remember me a bit from the glossy look in their eyes.

So what is it that makes you remember and you forget these people. I tend to think it is your experiences you share with people. I have known people for a few days and just got along with them so well I will never forget them. Their personality and how the treat you has a lot to do with it. I would guess if they had a great personality and treated you well you will remember them, if they were an ass and treated you dreadful you will also remember them also. A great example of this is when I went to Korea with my buddy Luty, he introduce me to a couple named Chad and Mandy, two great people that for some reason left a lasting impression on me, why I have no idea, I only knew them a few days but have not forgotten them.
This concludes your session with Dr. Pelyk (Psyciatrist). Please go I have another patient waiting and oh boy does she have stories to tell. Wonder who I am talking about Can the real Slim Shady please stand up – that’s you (G).

May 24, 2006
BAM big news of the day I have been offered a job in Beijing China. Now a few of you might have wondered why I went to China well the cats out of the bag I went for a job interview, yes that’s why. Well it seems I have landed this job. Now as I way the positives and negatives my brain has been working over time to try and decide what to do. So many questions here are five for each:

Do I stay in Toronto because of a girl?
Do I stay because I have been accepted to IVEY?
Do I stay for family and friends?
Do I stay because of my job?
Do I stay because I will be taking a step backward with this job?

Do I go because it’s an opportunity of a life time?
Do I go because who knows if she is the one?
Do I go because I am in a rut in my job?
Do I go because the Olympics are coming?
Do I go because in two years I will be making more money than today (One step back three steps forward, so I hope)

So many rewards and so much risk like a giant scale of my life; to be honest the scale is heavily leaning to go. I have to admit relationship wise it’s tilting to Toronto and staying, but do I make such a major life decision for a girl? I had promised myself after doing that a few times that I would never again. Yet I find myself at that crossroads again.
I have lived by the saying:
“If it’s meant to be it’s meant to be” Meaning if I am suppose to be with someone then I will be, but now I find myself wondering if I really believe in that.
Can you say “Chris Pelyk Soap Opera” all together now.


May 16, 2006
Ok so what have I been up to? Last two days were spent at a Hotel Trade show. I ran into a friend of mine Cleo, I am sure she thinks I am the village idiot as I introduced her to a co-worker and I said his name incorrectly. To top all that off I had run into Cleo about four months ago at a club and I did not recognize her, so in her eyes I am the village idiot and rightfully so. I am usually not that bad at remembering peoples names and faces honestly.

A few days ago I headed out to Niagara Falls just to get away. Took a walk up to the new Casino. I wanted to see the property as Altus had done a lot of work on it and I had yet to see it. I have to admit it was Impressive with a capital I. We thought we should gamble a bit. The man with a full head of gray hair (me) was asked for ID go figure.
I was shocked to see that smoking was allowed in the gaming part of the casino and it looked like there was a low cloud just hanging over the heads of the “players”. I stuck a quarter in one of the one armed bandits and it did not work, you needed to have some sort of token, well I could not be bothered so we were out of there. Yes in and out of the gaming part of the casino in about 1 minute.

The funniest part of the day was when my hooky accomplice said oh Chris you have a bee on your hand. I was startled and almost jumped out of my shoes. I have to admit I slightly panicked, but then I saw it was just a wee little bee. I knew I had really and I mean really over reacted. I was teased the whole way home and have no doubt I have not heard the last of that incident. As I was sure there was going to be some blackmailing going on in my future I thought I should get out in front of it and tell the story before I got a blackmail letter in the mail.

May 15, 2006
Added new photos

May 8, 2006
Ok the weekend was a busy one. The Foundation room was fun thanks everyone for showing up. Sunday was also a full day. Studied for that dam LEED exam, shit I just need to take the dam test and get it over with.

Had a little day trip over at the ROM on Sunday, thanks Gwenny and Byron, I had a great time with you guys. I learned a lot of great info that may come in handy at my next Trivia Pursuit game thanks to Byron. I have come to realize that kids and I am including myself in that category love Egypt and dinosaurs it is just a fact. It was fun to sit watching the kids dinging up dinosaur bones in a large sand box over and over again. The people who work in this area of the ROM are fantastic. Talking dinosaurs and putting the sand over the bones thousands of times a day they all seemed passionate about working there. I also learned that some people get gassy from mangos! No mango salad at my house

My thought of the day is a new business idea like my cold chicken wings this one is a sure fire hit. Have dinosaur bones or Egyptian artifacts imbedded in some sort of brick that kids can break open and act like paleontologist or archeologist and uncover. When they have broken the brick they can slowly brush away the dirt and find there item. When its all done, you can place the brick in your oven and it will be like new and you can start again.

May 5, 2006
It is official I have been accepted to The Richard Ivey School of Business for the 2006 Year. The question now comes up will I actually go? Do I want to go, do I want to burden myself with $75,000 worth of debt. I have to admit my company seemed CHEAP when they decided not to help me finance this. I would have thougth that they would be all over it and help pay for half.
When I went to a seminar at the school for possible new students I learned that I was going to be one of the few that would be paying. Most of the people I talked to in fact had the entire amount paid by the company. I know the company is small and with just over 600 employees can’t afford to pay for everyone’s education but I do wish they had the foresight to see this would have been a good investment for them. Anyways I have vented its Friday and a nice day what more can you ask.

May 2, 2006
May is rolling in, and I have a ton of stuff on my plate. I am sure that’s the under stament of the year. I am starting to look more and more forward to the weekends and relaxing. I need to get some sun on this albino body of mine.
Work has hit a rut a bit, when my boss is around I am busy but I am having a hard time at the new office if he is not around.
I seem to have let a few people down in the last week or so hopefully I can make up for that. I had a cold for a week and it killed me even had laryngitis. Basically I was talking as loud as I could and only a whisper was coming out. When I was at my MBA meeting I think everyone there thought I was a cigar smoking party animal and we all know that I am not. As most people like to point out I am the guy that goes home early, rarely if ever shut a bar down, but when I do look OUT.

I need to get my ass back in shape. No more carts when I golf from now on it’s all about the walking and pushing a cart and getting in shape. I am back in the gym this week full time can we say 4 pack for the summer.

May 1, 2006
1. Nicknames: Chrissy, Pelykin, dude and Master .

2. Piercing or tattoos: None and none again yes I am boring.

3. What is the most recent movie you’ve seen in the theater? I don’t hit the theatre all that much but I am going to take some leeway with this question and include in flight movies. The best and last one as I saw was on my Air Canada flight back from China it was the Chinese one where the guys wife dies and her heart is donated to another women.
The other woman is very sick as there some problems with the transplant. The man falls in love again with this new sick women and acts like the sick girls boyfriend who had left her. The story was heart wrenching. I mean take out your heart (no pun intended) and stomp all over it. I was crying like a baby on the plane.

4. Eye color: Blue – light blue – on really sunny days I can’t see a thing.

5. Place of birth: Toronto. Yes, my hometown has treated me well. I have been all over the world and when you go away you realize how great Toronto really is.

6. Favorite foods: I usually try and eat or at least taste everything that is put in front of me. I have a problem with anything that has a best before date. If it’s after that date even by a day forget about it (I saw that with an Italian accent). My favorite food would have to be Sushi so many kinds and types yum yum.

7. Ever been to Africa? I have traveled just a bit in that area of the world. Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco.

8. Been in a car wreck? I was in a fender bender when I was a 16 my dad killed me. I also was hit by a car while on a bike and came within maybe a foot of my loosing my life. The car hit me and tossed me into the traffic, as I was laying there a dump truck drove by and missed running over my noggin by less than a foot. I will never forget I could read the make of the tires as they skidded by my face.

11. Carziest thing you have done for a date: I had to really think about this one and I mean really think. I once had 4 hours to spare while I on a stop over in Seoul Korea Airport, I knew the location of Larissa’s school so I jumped on an a subway and showed up at her work for like 1 hour. Then back to the airport I went.

12. Croutons or bacon bits: I like croutons that are home cooked not the store bought ones. Wendy made amazing croutons.

13. Favorite book: Well I read a lot so it’s hard getting to just saying one book. I am fond of books that when the end you’re like no I need another 100 pages. The Count of Monte Cristo was one of those books.

14. Favorite day of the week: Well who does not love Friday’s but I also am found of Wednesday half the week is gone half to go. It’s like third down and 5 yards to go for a first down

15. Favorite sport to watch: Well we know we can count soccer out. If I can’t sleep at night I might put on a soccer game as I will be out like a light. Favorite sport to watch would have to be hockey. Any hockey playoffs and any Team Canada hockey games.

16. Place you’d like to visit: Egypt – I have wanted to see the pyramids, Ashwan and the Sphinx for along time so much history.

17. Bungee jumped? Yes one weekend when I went white water rafting up in Ottawa.

18. Favorite song: well my song favorites come and go, but one that has lasted a long time would have to be Solsbury Hill by Peter Gabriel.

19. One thing people can’t imagine you doing: haha this is a loaded question. Let me see yoga I guess. I happen to enjoy hot yoga, yes the fact that there are 15 good looking women in the room helps, but I find the hour I spend in there relaxing and a great workout.

20. What did you want to be when you were growing up: well I thought about being a pilot even took a few flying classes. That thought died quickly when I got sick in the plane.