A Few Not So Random Thoughts
by
, September 21st, 2018 at 04:10 (23958 Views)
I am still quite angry with the treatment of veteran's issues by Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC), and by extension the government, as I ranted about in my last post.
Even worse because of stuff like this CRAP posted by CTV News.
A few years ago, VAC couldn't cover service dogs for veterans because there was no national standard in place. Okay, so a group of stakeholders, including veterans who had been given service dogs through private charities, service animal providers, as well as VAC, got together and worked on a national standard. Just as it was being finished up, VAC walked away from that process. Apparently the standard wasn't good enough, no national overseer body to enforce the standard, stakeholders not working in good faith. The reasoning behind it doesn't matter. The current government walked away from that process.
Now they say they are waiting on the results on an US study that they already have?
Come on really? Time for the idiots running the show to give their head a shake.
How hard is it to look at veterans that have a service animal and see how well that animal works?
How much more money do you have to throw at studies for this?
Same thing for the whole medical marijuana issue, but hey...keep pushing all those medications that big pharma wants you to push.
Both work, all you need to do is look at the quality of life of veterans who use either. It is amazing to see the difference in the veterans I know personally that have either.
Speaking of money. That $372 million in budgeted funds unspent to the government? That's actually an improvement..not that long ago is $1 billion returned. Yet, THAT'S the fault of the veteran who aren't applying for programs??
Somehow I don't think so...not when you have to wait a year or more to find out if you qualify for a program. Well over a year more if you want to appeal a decision.
Its been a motivator of sorts. I don't have the energy, the will or the desire to become some public advocate for veteran's issues. There are already some really good guys that are out there doing that already, and in a far better manner than I could ever do.
I need to find another route to contribute, and to feel like I am contributing in someway. I have been mulling over some ideas, then kind of got caught off guard by my wife's suggestions. I got voluntold twice.
Our youngest is attending the NB College of Craft and Design in their fashion program, and has decided he want to start a YouTube video blog, where he discusses Canadian art, artists and fashion designers. My wife promptly decided I will handle all the "other stuff...you know - like editing the video and uploading." So apparently I need to learn some video editing skills. Worst part about it, the kid has the personality for it.
Second, grows out of the nebulous of an idea I have had for a bit, and it involves far more work for me. I have been thinking hard about getting being my own indie rpg writer/publisher. With the rise of the community content creation Guilds make this far easier through the OBS system. I need learn how to do layout and a bunch of other stuff as well.
Since I have been doing a lot of work with Campaign Cartographer, from ProFantasy software suite, not super competent with the platform yet but this is my more recent Map (hig rez). I have also have been experimenting with the Map Forge software, as well as Dungeon Painter Studio on Steam.
The crux of my wife's idea is create stuff - stories, maps adventures then sell those. (Nice to know I have her support and backing in something like this though.). Now thinking back to my that news story couple with my drive...that need that I stubbornly that I need to feel like I am contributing to something bigger than myself. To me this includes contributing to the household.
I see two possibilities in front of me.
The first is I create material - maps, small adventure ideas and sell them directly through OBS, possibly even the Savage Worlds Adventurers Guild and taking all of the proceeds and donating them to a suitable PTSD service dog training charities here in Canada.
The second idea is to possible set up a Patreon creators page and do the same thing with the proceeds - donate them to a service dog training charity here in Canada.
To be honest, the only critique my wife had with either those choices, is in her words...."You are a veteran, and you could use that money as much those charities can right now."
For all those content creators, not just map creators, but all of you that I know out there, whether you use one or both of these platforms you have any tips or pointers from your adventures as you started out?
Any other thoughts or comments?