Jase Watford - Elegantly Slumming

01/15/2026

I don't like cold weather. The app said minus 20. I was like I don't want to go to the doctor. I have had 2 days without being sick. But I also needed script refills.

I fought it off and ordered Uride at 130.

I stepped outside with my snow pants and 3 layers.

It was snowing...

Snow means close to zero. Sunny clear skies minus 10 and colder.

Fu***ng weather apps. Or AI, juggle dicks you bastards!!!

Anyway... Profanity excluded I jump into a Uride. And it's just a thing for me. Maybe being from Toronto. And living 7 years on ships? Other cultures intrigue me.

The driver holds open the door for me, we exchange pleasantries, and he uses some forced laughter (I know this because it sounds like mine)

But...

I throw out the where are you from?

I always want to know this. It is in my nature to connect but I always want to learn about people and places.

I couldn't pinpoint his accent or look, and having been around a bazillion different people, that's uncanny.

I am from Iran he says.

I pause and we lock eyes in the rearview mirror.

How long have you been here my friend? I say.

2 years, he replies.

So you have people still back in Iran? I say

My mother, father and sister he replies.

Are they okay? I ask.

I don't know he says there is no internet.

Now...... I read yesterday that Musk and his satellites are in Iran and connecting people.

My driver hasn't spoken to his family in 2 months.

So much for that news report.

We spoke more about Iranian food, which if you know me, any chance to learn about other people's food. I am in like Flynn.

We joked a bit about leaving Iran for Thunder Bay trading a desert for snow. Had some quality laughs.

And just as I stepped out he says to me 'i was having a bad day. But you asking me about things helped, your energy rises me up, I feel a lot better now so thank you.'

I leaned forward and patted his shoulder. 'You made my day, drive safe.'

I exited. Opened the app and gave him a good tip.

Thunder Bay has a massive influx of foreigners. I was on campus for a bus transfer and walked around, it was a melting pot.

I grew up in Toronto and being white I was a minority. Oddly it just feels good being around other ethnicities, hearing their stories, getting to know them and their passions. Thunder Bay having strong indigenous and Finnish roots is growing culturally and I love it.

And a take away, my energy.

That's nice to hear. We resonate at specific frequencies. I am glad that I put out a vibe which is picked up as positive.

01/15/2026

This just hit me.

I have been to Greenland numerous times. It's a huge frozen husk, what I would call inhospitable. I almost died there. My Australian mate, who was the youth coordinator on Holland America Line thought it would be a good idea to skinny dip off a dock in Qaqortoq. But... Lemme premise this with Australians generally are a crazier, more augmented version of Canadians. They also have more charisma than we do. So it's very easy to be lured into bad decisions lol.

But but but... I digress, so Dave and I strip down. It's colder than anything I have ever experienced, and I was naked. He grabs my arm and we plunge into the water.

It was like I was being electrocuted. Complete shock to my body and it seized up. I couldn't think, I couldn't move. Next thing I know I am being fished out by 3 Greenlanders and Dave and I are naked on the dock with these men rubbing us down and putting our clothes back on.

Once I was able to sit up. They start yelling at us in broken English on how stupid we are ha ha. Sadly this isn't the dumbest thing we have done.

My moral tho. Is that I have been there. It's like the planet Hoth from the Empire Strikes Back. From a crazy Aussie standpoint, the only thing fun Greenland offered was a skinny dip dock dive into frigid waters. So I can't imagine soldiers being stuck out there to stave off an American invasion. I feel sorry for them, it's gonna be a bad posting. But I also feel that it is necessary to prevent a war with America.

It would be a travesty if America spoiled the natural beauty, even if it is freakishly cold and cloudy.

When I went there I was fortunate for sunshine at the end of our journey. It was grey for 8 days previously. Iceland and the Faroe Islands were overcast going there and coming back.

The pictures are of Dave and Shaun (the Canadian steakhouse chef who was almost as crazy as Dave, I have a good Russia story about him)

That iceberg floated in with us. There was a point that it was traveling 17 knots alongside us. It was a literal battering ram.

The other two shots were from Christian Sound and Cape Farewell. A rare passage for a cruise ship to travel. Due to size (need to be a smaller ship) and free of icebergs and frozen spots. I have never been to a place that has zero carbon footprints. There wasn't anyone, any human life for 2 days as we dropped to around 5 knots to navigate. I spent hours on deck with my passenger friend from PR.

I haven't ever heard such silence. Which was the opposite at night with the Northern Lights. If you think they look cool here in Canada?

It's an explosion up there. And they make sounds, they pop and hiss. One of the most beautiful things I have ever seen.

Sailing a transatlantic cruise was special even if I almost died. Ha ha.

And yes Dave had a thing about getting everyone tarps off lol

12/03/2025

We’re raising $2,000 by December 23rd to support the next season of Speakers’ School!

This free program helps people build confidence, community, and strong self-advocacy skills.

Take a look at our poster below to see how your donation makes a real difference, from food and transportation, to childcare and class supplies.

If you’re able, please donate or share. Thank you for helping us keep this program going! 💛✨

12/03/2025

Dagnabbit.

They figured out I am not a Dr.

Oh well. It's another quality experience. We have a 5 year grant to follow this up which should be interesting and probably my last submission of anything in the addiction field. So I gotta make it count

Very grateful!

12/02/2025

Happiness is when your creativity and passions intersect. I love having a job with an abundance of both.

11/20/2025

Well Humanities 101 wraps up again, another season done.

This year was special tho. The students we had set a new bar as to cohesion, vibe, and overall love of knowledge.

They were so close knit that I actively recruited a number of them for Speakers School.

Life definitely doesn't suck when you are surrounded by passionate people. It makes you want to be better, to match their dedication.

I have spent the last 2 days working on speakers for the next 12 weeks and I have scored some of the best speakers. Makes me excited for the students and the speakers to meet up in class.

Life definitely doesn't suck.

11/19/2025

Reaching deep into my bag of tricks. We have 14 weeks, so 14 classes, which means 14 guest speakers.

I haven't had the luxury of planning such things having worked Humanities 101 for so long, I have been able to provide input as to who is speaking.

But I am over the moon, getting to 'craft and draft' the class speakers.

It's strange, that planning speakers gives me such joy, the anticipation of the excitement the students will have after we brainstormed on Monday, who they wanted to see speak.

11/17/2025

Day 1, first of 14 classes. We have 13 students (lucky number) and it is day 1 of a brand new adventure, being at the helm of New Directions Speakers School.

Very excited. Upwards and onwards!!

10/23/2025

We are looking for future students.

This is an incredible program, to strengthen and empower people.

💪 Public speaking isn’t just about words—

it’s about leadership, confidence, and creating impact.

That’s what Speakers’ School is all about

Find out more here 👇

https://www.speakersschool.ca/contact-us

10/22/2025

I have been working with Bonnie Krysowaty of the LSPC to create a Living Wage report in time for Living Wage week (2nd week of November)

I am very excited to work with one of my social work idols on such an important project!!

10/09/2025

So here is something.

If I was using drugs today. I would be dead.

10 years ago I ODd three times.

If I used to the extent today, that I did then? Dead.... Stone cold dead.

I work frontline social work, have for over a decade.

Once I saw what Fentanyl did. As it erased friends from my life. Clients from my support.

I can honestly say, cut a line out, give me a straw, for free.

Nope.

I don't want to die.

That's what recovery gave me.

I like living, life. Is it perfect? No do I have struggles? Yes.

But having a certain amount of time being drugs free. Gives you a clarity.

I am grateful of that grind. Cause it was. I fought through probably a decade of recovery based structures.

Today I sit calmly with peace of mind. I never think about drugs, dream about drugs. When they say we do recover. I have recovered. And thank everyone who was ever a part of it.

09/17/2025

I love being associated with the ODPRN. I can't wait to get my own work published.