2013 Summed Up

In short, it was not my best year for blogging, with only 127 articles, half of my usual output.  The most significant event of this year was my turning the venerable 60 which resulted in a lot of soul searching as well as outward looking, evaluating world events and the impact it has on the individual.

·         January – blogging started off with high quality

·         February – the start of Canadian political madness in 2013

·         March – reading and evaluating Boundless Potential

·         April – first trip to Hawaii, discovering history and American tropics

·         May – became addicted to card making and started my birthday garden

·         June – 60 birthday and lived through Alberta floods and “a state of emergency”

·         July – 60^th birthday high school reunion

·         August – Lake Huron cottage retreat with sister & trip to Drumheller

·         September – Started taking Spanish Lessons

·         October – worrying about aging and giving thanks

·         November – Remembering Kennedy and another company Christmas party

·         December – self evaluation and looking globally

Primal Anything

Late yesterday the wind started up and reached a pitch of howling that made me wonder if something was going to fly right through the walls.  Once nature gets in full swing neither man nor beast can withstand the power generated by it.  While past years’ powerful horrors fade away the events of 2013 are still very vivid in people’s minds.  The Alberta floods are still being felt around the south, especially in my neck of the woods with people still without homes.  Just over the past week Ontario has suffered a horrendous ice storm that made it’s way further along to Quebec and the Maritimes.  Around the world there were amazing floods in Europe, typhoons in the Philippines and Asia, earthquakes in South America.  The list goes on.

Political upheaval continued in the Middle East, Korea continues to cause concerns, closer to home we had scandals in the Senate and a mayor in Toronto who made international news.  Human behaviour is as unpredictable and uncontrollable as the weather.  Primal lust in the form of greed is evident every day although our psyches are so desensitized by it that we can no longer feel enraged or shocked.

So here we are in the midst of the Christian world’s celebration of the birth of one who represents Peace on Earth and Goodwill toward Men.  At the same time we reflect on the events of the past year and somehow, once again, we see that things just do not jive.  Recently a man passed away who, in death, was celebrated as someone who “changed the world”, someone who made a difference.  I speak, of course, of Nelson Mandela.  I refrained from commenting on his passing not out disrespect for the man, but in respect for the nameless and countless others who have also fought for freedom in one form or another but who will never be recognized.  And as we reflect on the year that has gone by, let’s also reflect on what we, as tiny individuals, can do to make the world a better place.

To quote Frank Capra’s John Doe:

“Now, why can't that spirit, that same, warm Christmas spirit last the whole year around? Gosh, if it ever did, if each and every John Doe would make that spirit last 365 days out of the year, we'd develop such strength, we'd create such a tidal wave of good will that no human force could stand against it.”

Yoga and Healing

Living with constant pain can be mentally disabling.  For the last 2 months I have been suffering through a mysterious knee injury (and not gracefully I might add).  I say mysterious because I have not real idea of how the injury was caused.  After countless sessions with my chiropractor I finally went to a physiotherapist who diagnosed compressed nerves in lower spine which then manifested itself in extremely tight muscles all along my hip and leg which then seized up my knee area.  After just one IMS (needling) treatment I had some relief; 2 more sessions and some heavy massage on the leg has almost taken the knee pain away.  I have a tightness in my calf at the moment but otherwise feel pretty darn good.

I’m sure no one really is interested in my injury but the fact remains that while I was suffering such excruciating pain I was unable to think straight.  Consequently I was unable to put my chaotic thoughts down “on paper”.  My point being that good health is not to be sniffed at.  Whether one is in physical pain, mental anguish or simply feeling sluggish good health suddenly becomes the be all and end all of the day.  We are approaching the time of year when Resolutions are looming for many of us.  Let me point out that making a resolution for good health, exercise, proper eating and mental stimulation should become the norm of your life, not a resolution to maybe succeed in.  I’ve said it before and I will say it again, I believe that yoga is probably the best exercise anyone can do for themselves forever.  Being flexible is vital to anything else one may wish to do.  In moderation and as soon as you can possibly start, I say go for it.

I truly believe that yoga is the exercise that has helped me get fitter in other areas.  When I practice I feel more tranquil in my mind, I crave more water and less garbage in my diet, and my body feels almost as though it is singing in bliss.  After my yoga practice I can step on the treadmill feeling loose and ready for something a little more vigorous.  Or I can sit down with a cup of green tea and write a Haiku with serenity.

The nice thing about yoga is that it costs nothing to practice, except time and mental attitude.

Good health should never be taken for granted, and it’s particularly important as we approach our Act 3 (Jane Fonda’s word for senior years).  Stay healthy my friends, seek it, heal yourself, and be safe! 

Boxing Day Meditation

Here it is, another Christmas come and gone.  Now there are 5 days before a new year dawns and I start thinking about what is to come.  I took a brief review of the beginning of 2013 and thought “wow, you wrote some good stuff” and then I cringe as the months moved on and my passion waned.  Never mind, 2014 will see a resurgence of my energy and I will forgo regrets.

What I can say about 2013 is that it has been a year of deep introspection for me.  There have been so many things going on, flood, reunion, significant birthday, renewed endeavours in the career front, friends with illness and troubles, and the biggest question of all, when to retire?  One of the many books I received this Christmas was Jane Fonda’s “Prime Time” which I started flipping through right away.  It is a timely book despite the fact that I have already been doing a Life Review (as she calls it) for quite some time.  I like her way of splitting life into 3 Acts although the breakout of where the ages split is subjective.  I wrote similar wisdom in January about evaluating life.  Who knew I was as wise as the 73 year old Jane?

Though I just glanced through the book I see elements of “Boundless Potential” in her thoughts.  Some of the most meaningful lessons that I have learned about having a quality old age is keeping engaged, learning new things, giving back, volunteering or mentoring, staying engaged with the younger generations.  Whether I am watching Barbara Walters’ documentation on “Living to 100” or reading “Boundless Potential” or any other book on joyful living, the themes are similar.  And so my meditation thought for today is “thank God for the joy of reading”.   I can always find a nugget of truth in a book.

Thanks to all the wonderful gifters of books!

It's Christmas Time

One of my most memorable Christmases happened when I was 7 years old.  We were living in “the doctor’s house” (a cottage on Lake Ontario) at the time.  The house was perfect for a Shirley Temple style Christmas, with a fireplace, an upstairs so we could sit on the stairs and look through the banisters to await Santa’s arrival.  We had hung stockings on the fireplace, our simple little skinny socks.  There was a piano in the dining room where we could pretend to play Jingle Bells.  All three of us, Jeanette, John and I sat on the stairs for quite a while until finally my parents forced us to go to bed. 

Next morning we hurried downstairs and were aghast to discover the socks had been thrown on the Christmas tree and there were no presents under the tree.  Needless to say Jeanette began bawling almost immediately and only got worse when Dad came down the stairs and told us that Santa must have got angry that we had forgotten to leave cookies and milk for him.  Oh my but he had to hurry back upstairs to bring out the packages.  In all the excitement of getting presents I have forgotten what the excuse for Santa leaving them in my parents’ bedroom would have been. 

I look back and smile at that skinny little girl looking through the banisters.

Twinkle!

Everyone Wants a Piece of Me

Do you ever feel like?  I mean, it seems from September through December there just isn’t enough of me to go around.   I refuse to believe that it is “because I’m getting old” that I can no longer keep pace with the social demands put on me.  Rather, my circle of friends has widened to the point that I cannot seem to stretch myself any further.  That and the fact that things seem to get postponed because of the weather! 

For some reason this year time really seemed to run away from me, to the point that for the first time in my life I did not finish sending out my Christmas cards before the deadline.  Me, the organized one, the one who writes her cards in November.  I can’t believe it.  And as my niece recently posted “it’s so lovely to receive them” and I sure don’t want to get cut off from any of my friends’ lists.  I’m feeling a little of that bashfulness that comes from not listening to my own advice.  Get organized and say no when you have to.  Yes, I confess, I am not perfect.

There, it’s been said.  Do I feel any better?  Well, not immediately but I hope the salve to my conscience will set in within a half hour or so.  Seriously, we few, we unhappy few, who strive towards perfection have a hard time letting go of the goal despite recognizing the fact that we know it is unhealthy as well as giving poor returns.  We need to appreciate a Charlie Brown Christmas tree, burnt cookies and late greeting cards.

At the end of the day, perhaps the thought really does count.

Festivities

Christmas time has always been a time that I have looked forward to.  Unlike a lot of other people are rarely have been stressed over the holidays because I usually have everything bought by the end of summer.  This year has been particularly difficult though and as early as September I felt that things were coming to a peek in what I could carry.  I started to say “no”.  I have not reached the level yet where I can say it without feeling guilty that I have done so but despite that I do feel good about actually saying it. 

Have you ever noticed that there is always someone who will pick up the ball and run with it?  The one who is always picking up the slack?  The one who never gets a thank you.  Right, I knew you would miss that last one.  And that’s the thing.  After a while even a door mat will get fed up and say “no more”.  People are always coming up with good ideas but most of these idea people are not executioners.  Have you noticed how people are always criticizing the office Christmas party the next day?  Ask a little deeper question and you find that not one of those people have sent a memo to the organizers with suggestions, never mind actually volunteering to help with the next one.  Yep, I mean you Mister.

For the first time I understand why my mother is not so keen on all the bells and whistles that surround Christmas.  But as soon as I write that down I feel horrible, I feel deprived.  Where has all the sparkle and anticipation gone from this time of year?  Stress, feelings of being overwhelmed, uncertainty for the future, too much materialism, oh, there are any number of reasons why the season is feeling Grey.

So here’s a little suggestion, if you are one of the one’s who sit back and let others do all the planning here’s your chance to roll up your sleeves, raise your hand and say “let me help with that”.  And if you are one of the little Elves who is always doing the work, raise your voice and say “I need some help please”, and if you have to say it a little louder, do so.  Empower yourself, and then smile.

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, smiles are everywhere . . .

Now What's Funny

Just because I’ve been pondering some heavy stuff lately doesn’t mean I haven’t had some laugh out loud moments.  Watching my critters demonstrate for me makes me grin and when they start doing the fandango I have to laugh out loud.  Thumper has started zipping around the house if he thinks he is being given “what for”.  Cherie gives me soulful looks after he’s tracked mud all over the new bedding and then rolls over like a dog to get a pat on the tummy. 

My mother repeats something I did not say and then says “I’ve got to go put my ears on”.  The other day she thought I said I wanted her to make a cow to go around my neck.  One look at her with my eyebrows raised and she got up and hurried to her bedroom to put on her hearing aids.  What I said was I wanted her to make me a collar; we both couldn’t stop laughing when she realized how crazy the “translation” sounded.

The other night we were watching some old family movies and we couldn’t stop laughing at ourselves laughing so hard.  One story in particular still keeps me laughing.  My mother has always been a stickler for good behaviour in stores.  As children we were warned well in advance of entering the story not to “plague” her; in other words, no asking for anything.  We weren’t allowed to touch anything either, only look longingly at the dolls and other toys in the bins or on the shelf.  Flash forward 50 years and there is my mother picking up a ball in Staples.  Just as she goes to test it’s bounce-ability I turn around and see her; my eyes look frantically at the sign but before I can say anything “whack” to the floor goes the hand calculator.  Mom looks up at me with horrified eyes; I spin around and shuffle out of the store holding my legs together, with Mom right behind me.  We stand outside the door and laugh so hard we can barely hold each other up.  Gasping for breath I ask her “why on earth?” and can’t get anything else out.  I start laughing again, Mom is laughing so hard she is crying, I am almost wetting myself.  Every time we looked at each other all the way home we would burst out laughing again.  At last Mom gets out “I thought it was a ball” which sets me off again.  “Why would you do that in an office supply store?  You with your perfect behaviour?”  She manages to get out “It was for Bobby” (her dog).

I tell you, it’s not easy raising a mother.

Mingle, Mingle, Mingle

Company parties are not my thing.  I find company parties forced, phony and basically a drinking bash.  However, I must confess that this year I again took the plunge and attended a party that turned out to be quite a lot of fun.  What was the difference for me from previous years?  I pushed myself to mingle.  This is well beyond my comfort zone but I did it.  I moved around the room, stopped to chat for a few minutes with someone I knew, then excused myself and moved on to the next victim.  In other words, I did what everyone else has always done to me.

       It seemed ruthless but I felt that I was in control.  Now isn’t that a peculiar way of enjoying oneself at a party?  Being rude, almost.  However this seems to be the established mode of cocktail parties, mingle, chat, and excuse oneself before you get bored with the person you are chatting to so move on before they do.  I stopped and had a little snack here and there, refused wine and stuck with bottled water, and finally gave out and sat down when my knee started talking back to me.

       It was a true learning experience for me in how to have fun at a Christmas Party.  I just hope I didn’t hurt anyone’s feelings.  And hey, I got a memorabilia picture out of it!

Remembering Kennedy

As a Canadian it’s interesting to realize that one of the most significant moments in our political life may have been the day John Kennedy was assassinated. Certainly for me it is one of the moments that I remember.  I was 10 years old, in grade 5 and had never heard of President Kennedy until he was dead.

       My classroom had a door that went to the principal’s office and that day our principal opened the door for the first time, beckoned Miss Bailey over, whispered in her ear and before our astonished eyes she burst into tears.  She quickly composed herself, the principal went back into his office and as she turned towards us she said “President Kennedy has been shot”.  We all looked at her in wonder, not at all comprehending.  And then Susan Kennedy, who sat across the aisle from me, whispered across “So sad, and a relative”.  That struck me as funny although of course I did not laugh.  I was pretty certain that President Kennedy was not her relative.

       Having that experience in a small Canadian town, I can only imagine what it must have been like for American citizens on November 22, 1963.  I’ve seen plenty of media coverage, movies, read the books on the Kennedys and the conspiracy and still I find it an awe inspiring moment in history.  For many it spelled the end not only of the Kennedy era in the White House, but the end of an era of building up, of innocence and a belief in the American Dream. 

       John and Jacqueline Kennedy had brought glamour and style to the White House.  They brought youth, intellectualism, idealism and charm.  As much as there is to criticize and condemn there is even more to admire and inspire.  The Kennedys brought poets, artists and intellectuals into the White House.  Jacqueline Kennedy restored priceless art, furniture and curios in the White House and returned it to former glory, indeed, she made it more glamorous than ever before.  Celebrities flocked to the White House, fashion took on a whole new life with a young Jackie wearing charming little suits and pillbox hats.  And let’s not forget the oh so cool sunshades of both John and Jackie.

       I remember my father bought a comic book telling the life story of John Kennedy and of the summer camp counsellor who confiscated it from me and refused to give it back to me.  It’s probably a collector’s item now.

       Flash forward 5 years and I remember how Jackie, the young widow suddenly became vilified because she started to date and then ended up marrying Aristotle Onassis.  How fickle the American public became.  Their icon had fallen in their eyes.  It was many decades before she went back up on the pedestal again.

       50 years later, the Kennedys are still glamorous.  Still the number one story of the ‘60’s.

What is a Citizen?

Citizenship can take on many guises and embrace many different philosophies but in today’s world what do we mean by being a good citizen?  Obeying the laws of the land, participating in elections, being a good neighbour, carrying on the economy by being employed, these may be some of the elements of being a good citizen.  Other clichés come to my, such as “giving back to the community”. 

       In a nutshell, how are we being informed?  We can listen to mainstream media via radio or television but just what are we being told about how the world is run?  So if we begin to suspect that we are being lied to we can start going to the Internet and search out conspiracy theories, or look for elements that seem to confirm what we may suspect.  However, there are  avenues that may be more legitimate and more balanced even within the mainstream media.  There are magazine style programs such as “60 Minutes”, “W5” “The Fifth Estate” or “The Nature of Things” that go a little deeper into a story although even here one wonders if there are axes to grind.  One program that I find particularly interesting is “Moyers & Company”.  For one thing he is a well spoken moderator and I find his guests articulate and frequently “non-mainstream”.  After listening to the guest I find myself searching out more information on the internet about their topic, their blogs or websites, or their books.

       Being a citizen means different things to everyone but one of the best things an individually can do for themselves is to be informed but their neighbourhood, province, country and the world at large.  There are so many topics today that ultimate affect the individual that at the every least one ought to understand the topic.  Perhaps we cannot all form an opinion on every topic going, perhaps we cannot engage in changing the outcome of every topic that comes along, but don’t you think it would be a good thing to know what may harm you?  I think it's important to be engaged in topics once in a while even though most of us struggle with the day to day matters that help us put food on the table and shoes on our feet.

      Several very interesting women were on Moyers & Co in the past couple of weeks speaking on similar topics that boils down to the illusion we live in called democracy.  I encourage you to visit this website, it is an eye opener.

http://www.popularresistance.org/issues/

Third Anniversary

It’s hard to believe this month is the third anniversary of my blog. I’ve run the gamut of thoughts running through this brain from childhood reminiscence to political musings.  I’ve talked a lot about values and the confusion created by a rapidly moving, technology driven world.  When I commute on the city train each day I observe individuals many of whom I see on both the morning and evening commute.  I wonder about their lives, how similar are they to mine, and I wonder about the reason we all toil as we do and to what end.

       I recall a gentleman I worked with some years ago, he would muse to any of us his colleagues with the question “what’s the meaning of life” and reflecting back on it now I realize that he must have been in a very serious older mid life crisis (I suspect he was in his late 40’s or early 50’s at the time).  Thinking about my 60 years I feel “venerable” but only from the point of surprised and shocked.  Somehow crossing over that threshold has me in a state of constant incredulity.  It’s not that I dread age per se, I just feel very surprised that I feel as I do at SIXTY.  I don’t feel the way I would expect an older person would feel.  I still feel very young and giddy.  So I observe the people on the train / bus and wonder “what are they thinking about”, to what end are we all toiling our lives away.  Naturally I understand that we have to survive, we have to earn a living.  But is this all there is?  Are we really meant to work so hard and enjoy life so little?

       It’s a disturbing thought.

       But I am lucky to have my mother with me still and I can tell my readers this – even at 80 the questions are the same, the sense of humour is still alive and rip roaring.  There’s still a lot of enjoyment in life 20 years down the road, despite aches and pains.  So despite my sense of surprise even dismay, I can smile and realize I still have a lot of laughing to do.  I hope you do to.

Energy, Energy, Energy

Discouragement, anxiety and doubt are all emotions that can drain one of energy.  Perhaps the most draining of emotions is poverty.  Poverty is not only a state of being but a state of mind.  Poverty drives humanity to actions that can be horrendous; it can make a person desperate or drive one to acts that they might not do under different circumstances.

       On the other hand, excitement, curiosity, wonder and belief in the positive can create energy.  If one has been on one end of the spectrum is there any way to swing the other way without doing some extremely hard work, soul searching and forcing energy into the mind and body?  Well, there is this little thing called luck.

       The question is, do we bring luck to us, does it become “ones luck” or is there really such a thing as luck?  How many books have there been written about the power of the positive?  Hundreds in one form or another.

       This is just one person’s belief but I believe that we create our own luck by being positive.  When we have positive energy we attract good things to us.  It may take time, it may take practice and it may take a lot of trust in that positive energy, but I honestly believe that in the long run the positive, like the good, is the energy flow that wins.

       It takes real effort to get out of bed when you feel your world is crashing around you but it’s worth it to make the push; somehow we can all come out at the other end of the tunnel if we really try and we really believe.

       And sooner or later, the world pendulum will swing back to centre.

Senate, Senate, Senate and tsk, tsk, tsk

There has been so much fodder for the politicians this week since Parliament came back in session that it’s all we can do to get home to watch the soap opera of a Scandal.  The drama, the lies, the hurled accusations, the lies, the melodrama, the lies, the backstabbing, the lies, the stance for due process and did I mention lies?  I enjoyed the question period today on The National but I did have to raise eyebrows as they talked about the “good week the Prime Minister was having”.  Again, did I mention the lies?  So how could Harper possibly be having a good week because who in their right mind believes one word he has said after the remarks made this week (or ever given what he has said this week)? 

       I thoroughly enjoyed Rex Murphy’s take on the Senate this evening.  Earlier I had been inclined to believe that while I want to be rid of those cheating senators it ought to be done with “due process” but Rex Murphy enlightened me.  It’s true, why should we accept the high moral ground some of the senators are taking now in defending democracy when the fact is that most of them have been appointed as political favors, the senate has run on very loose or non-existent rules so why should they suddenly defend democracy?  Oh right, because now they are threatened with having their gravy taken away; and no, you can’t lick the spoon first.

       I write tongue in cheek because the journalists who are “telling it like it is” are the ones who could be lining up for a position in the senate someday too.  Let’s face it, wouldn’t any of us jump at the chance of getting on the gravy train?  The trouble with most of us is that we have too  many ethics to ever get a chance to be offered such a post.  With all the scandals we have seen over the decades is there anything we can learn from them?  I strongly suspect that anyone who runs for politics, who in any way is going to land on a tax paid salary, is most likely a sociopath.  How else can one explain the scandal statistics?  The ones who are really doing any good are those in the trenches, doing the work of the people for poor pay and little reward except the satisfaction of doing good (and one hopes, no harm).

       Noblesse oblige? Now there’s a myth for you.

What's Up Lollipop?

When Madonna came out with her song “Material Girl” back in 1980’something I thought “yep, that’s me, the material girl”.  I like my stuff, my clothes, my jewelry, my ornaments, my stuff.  Generally though I have been pretty restrained in my buying power until the last couple of years when I let my inner Shopping Girl take over and roar.

       Now as I hit old age I find myself turning inward and doing the conventional soul searching on what do I really need?  I haven’t taken any giant leap towards “down-sizing” but I am questioning what I want.  Even as I enjoy my new hobby of card making I wonder, why?  I find myself looking more seriously at my mother’s comments when she says “do you really need it” or “why do people buy all that junk from China”?  Oh dear, is this a sign?

       A therapist would tell you that people buy and accumulate things as a way of feel secure; it helps to cover up their feelings of inadequacy.  Or so they say.  So then I wonder, why do people who already have a lot of money and things, why do they feel compelled to have more, more and then more?  Why do they begrudge others from having “enough” while they accumulate multi-millions?  How empty are they inside that they can never have enough?  People who keep sticking their hands in the cookie jar are deviants from normal social behaviour.  How is it that people such as they get into positions of power?

       What fills you up?  Is it material things, activities, relationships or something else.  As we get older and wiser, I hope we are able to be introspective enough to recognize who we really are.  And know what we really need is character, not stuff.

Ageism

This morning I am sitting here nursing a sore knee and wondering what I could possibly have done to it.  Did I twist it in the night, do I have rheumatism or did the chiropractor over work the body?  In any event I am missing work today, or rather “working from home”.  Now those quotes could be interpreted in various ways, the truth being that yes, I actually sit at my computer for the bulk of the day working on whatever comes across my computer screen or else I work in the background completing various tasks online.  But bosses tend to be suspicious of staff that “work from home” not believing they are doing anything at all.  Indeed, I had one manager make a comment that the staff would be in their pajamas and my thought was “does it matter as long as they are working”? 

       All that aside I find myself becoming more sensitive to that term “ageism” in the work place.  I reflect back to when I was a youngster first entering the workplace and often noting that the middle aged staff seemed to have difficulty with new concepts or processes.  I was 18 and I was trying to teach a 40 something the simple task of working the telex machine.  Not for the life of her could she grasp how to turn the machine on, much less type on it.  I could not understand it.  Forty years later I look at my generation of workers and wonder, why can we learn things at rapid rates when this poor woman couldn’t understand a two step process?  In my company we learn at least two new processes a year, some years up to seven, and we seem to nail them almost immediately.  Are we smarter or are we just so inundated with change that our minds are nibble and attuned to learn?

       I recognize that there are individuals who slack off but those people come in all age groups and for the most part I see my peers going the extra mile in professionalism, coming in early, leaving on time or later, working through lunch hours, following up loose ends and basically giving their all at work.  I therefore question why employers only look at a spreadsheet that indicates that Susie, Dolly and Molly are “expensive” and they should be the first to be “attritioned”.  Are they really so shortsighted as not to realize that they get four times the amount of work out of the senior folks than they get out of the majority of juniors?  Not to mention the history, quality and added value of the work they put out.

       This article is dedicated to the wonderful women that I’ve been privileged to work with, associate with and acknowledge as peerless peers.  I salute you.

What's In A Word?

Have you ever noticed it when your whole conversation seems to be one long string of clichés?   Language can be an interesting study whether you are learning a new language or dissecting your native tongue.  Even when I sit in meetings I hear a lot of jargon, buzz words, business clichés and while I sit silent and merely take notes I wonder if anyone knows what is being decided.  Sitting on the train I hear snippets of conversation; whether conversation between passengers (rare but it does happen) or on a cellphone chat but a lot of what I hear is “yeah, yeah, yeah” or other nod words.

       Now I am studying Spanish and I am amazed at how many meanings one word has.  They tell us that Spanish is one of the simplest languages to learn but that is deceiving in my opinion.  Just learning the alphabet is complicated because the letters are pronounced quite differently depending on the rest of the word.  Perhaps I am too used to English to see that it is equally complex just in the alphabet but somehow, I don’t think so. 

       So picture this, we have a room of perhaps 20 people made up of 5 Koreans, 4 Danes, 3 Venezuelans and 8 Canadians.  Talking about money.  How do you think that conversation is going to go?  The nuances of 4 very different languages can produce some very interesting results even at the most basic level.  Is it any wonder we have wars?

       I think politicians should be required to study languages, not least of all their own.

Another Thanksgiving Weekend

Another year has gone by in a flash and I sit here thinking about what I am grateful for this Thanksgiving weekend.  Just saying the words “the traditional family, friends, harvest, work, health” at first seems lame but then I think about how many people don’t have the traditional family, friends, harvest, work or health and I say “give your head a shake” because it is never enough or wrong or lame to be thankful for what we have.

       Indeed, Thanksgiving weekends come and go, we say the words but do we actually feel them?  Deep down, do we feel what it is to be thankful or grateful?  I don’t think we do, on a daily basis, because we take so much for granted.  We take the country we live in as safe and sound, but unless we pay attention to the news, pay attention to what happens around us, we don’t really realize that being Canadian is a wonderful privilege because it could be so much worse.  We don’t realize that having a home and a job are fantastic givens in our lives when many people don’t have homes or jobs.  More than we realize.

       Even looking internally, forgetting about what others have or have not, do we know what it means to give thanks to the universe for our lot in life?  I said to my Mom yesterday as we drove to the grocery store “I am so grateful for the wonderful childhood that I had” and she replied “It makes me feel good to hear you say that”.  It was a simple, impulsive exchange but it was genuine.

       I’m hoping everyone did look at their lives with gratitude and amazement because we really do have a lot to be thankful for.

       My cup runneth over.

Picture It

I’m groping for the brilliant idea I had this morning and coming up empty.  Do you ever have days when you wake up knowing you’ve just had an intense dream but even as you try to assemble your thoughts they have floated away in a cloud of grey mist.  There are days when I remind myself with a long list of tasks that I must do on the return trip but at the end of the day it’s all I can do to walk in the door and say hello.  With this sort of mind how is it possible that I retain a bit of hope that I can learn a new language, even if it is supposed to be the easiest one in the world.

       That’s right, I had my first Spanish lesson yesterday and by tomorrow I am hoping that I will still be able to remember how to count to ten!  We are supposed to write out lists in Spanish (once we progress to that level) and we are encouraged to study between classes.  However, I am terrified of forgetting my exercise book so I keep it at work.  Folks, I am between a rock and a hard place, to do my homework or to forget my book – what is a girl to do?

       Not grow old.  And here again, I have a dilemma because part of learning a new language is to prevent the mind from growing old.  Oh dear, I am starting to sound old as I ramble along.  What was I trying to tell my audience?

       Yes, picture where you put your cell phone tonight because in the morning you are going to need it to remind you to wake up and, what was that, smell the what?

       I hope you are enjoying entering your sixties!

Mountain Climbing

Picture 7 women traipsing along a mountain path with rugged shoes, ball caps and flashing whistles talking and laughing as they make the climb to what, they are informed, is a spectacular view.  It takes about an hour to reach their goal, with several (let’s say lots) of pauses to catch their breaths although the pretext is to observe the view.  The last little jaunt up the side of the mountain is better done by a mountain goat than 5 inexperienced climbers but at the behest of the 2 worthy climbers we gird our loins and make the last effort to see . . . an crystal clear mountain lake, where the bottom is deep aqua and yet we can also see emerald green moss, clear as daylight.  All is pristine, the trees are quiet as there is no breeze and the sun is shining brightly on the water, causing it to sparkle.  The effort was worth it, we all agree, while we settle down to our packed lunch, pull out our water bottles and breathe in the crisp mountain air.  Then what a surprise as one of the ladies pulls out a flask with . . . wine.  The day is complete.

       This is how I spent my last day off and after waking up with aching limbs the following morning I still was able to say “it was worth it” and that I ought to do this more often, in fact, every weekend would be great.  This of course won’t happen because for one reason or other “things” come in the way of it.  Even as I write I realize how very lame this excuse is, there are places to see, easily accessible and if one is in good health, one ought to do it.

       We shall see, but meantime, another mark against my bucket list, marked complete for my 60^th anniversary list.  Ah, the sense of accomplishment is wonderful!

Communicating is Fun

My writing muse seems to have taken a vacation so I have been looking at other creative avenues and find myself suddenly addicting to card making.  Who knew there were so many new inventions in paper art?  I have been seriously out of the loop.  There are affordable machines that can emboss, cut and imprint.  While I was aware of punches and stamps I had no idea of the range of themes available.  Look out Papyrus, you may have lost a valued customer!

       Naturally I have looked further along in the card making process because what is the point of creating a bunch of cards if one is not going to take up letter writing again.  Fortunately for me I have a number of friends who are not fluent in email so that will pose no problem.  But I wonder about other people who may not have the knack of writing, or indeed, keeping in touch with friends.  Letter writing is a true art form and in some ways I believe that it was part of my writing apprenticeship.

       I began writing letters to my grandmother overseas when I was 8 years old.  Those early letters entailed drawing a picture and then writing a story describing what the picture meant.  By the time I was 10 I was writing detailed letters without any picture prompting me along.  By 14 I was writing to one of my aunts and 2 cousins as well as my grandmother and shortly thereafter took up writing to 3 friends as we moved away from our childhood home.

       Nowadays I don’t believe young people even know what a letter is; it’s rather like the days after the invention of the telephone when people suddenly stopped making afternoon “calls” as in visits.  We simply have to move along to the new ways, darling.  From morning retro.calls to telephone chat to card sending to emails and then on to texting.  Whatever will they think of next?  Ah, a cuttlebug and back to cards.  Truly

Jumping Train Tracks

So I am sitting on the train during the morning commute and instead of reading my book I look around noticing the Friday crowd.  The curious thing about Fridays is that the crowd is definitely different.  From Monday through Thursday you will find a lot of sleepers, sloachers and readers but on Fridays there is an air of anticipation around the train.  It’s not just in the casual dress that Friday allows but how the people frequently are not doing their usual thing.  In other words, they aren’t sleeping, slouching or reading to the same extent.  Often it’s not even the same set of folks on my regular train but I recognize them from other Fridays.  Some of the regular women are only carrying one bag instead of the usual two.  They seem to wear more makeup instead of less.  Yes, there is definitely something in the air on Friday mornings.

       Friday afternoons are also different from the rest of the week.  For one thing there seem to be less students (both college and high school) but this doesn’t mean the train is less crowded.  Au contraire.  The five o’clock whistle hasn’t blown but the workers have blown off work an hour early so we have double decker evacuees from downtown.  Great.  And while everyone may have been cheerful in the morning they seem more growly on Friday afternoons.  Why is that?  Did they get chewed out by their boss?  Do they have to work Saturday?  Are they anxious to get home to their family?  I don’t know but they are generally more unpleasant on Friday afternoons than any other day of the week which is saying a lot for the ordeal of taking public transit.

       Now this is the usual state of affairs and I have grown accustomed.  And somehow since turning 60 I feel as though my fortunes have faded because when I was 59 I almost always got a seat but now, well, now it seems that this senior gets to stand A LOT.  To the point that I have considered buying a grey wig to wear on the homeward commute.  Two things hold me back.  One is the absolute state of sweating I would be in if I had to wear something like that.  But more importantly, I know for a fact that as much as I am watching Them, I am also being watched.  If I have brown hair in the morning, I know I will be outed in the afternoon.  Can you imagine the uproar when I am unmasked?  I would almost like to do it just for the drama.

       Yes, the things a person thinks about on the train is really kind of scary.  I wonder what They are thinking about?

 

Thursday`s Contemplation

Every time I see a drizzle of leaves floating off the trees I shiver.  I feel like screaming just like that old Staples commercial when children realize its back to school time.  Not just because of the advent of winter’s chill but because it means it’s time to put the garden to bed.  But the positive side is that I can sit on the deck and actually think rather than have my eye roam around the yard, ready to pounce on an errant weed or figuring out another project that needs to be built, for “improvement” of course.

       Yes, it’s nice to sit on the deck and just look around at nature allowing the mind to drift here and there.  Usually by this time of year I am in full swing with social activities and other projects but for some reason I find myself very much in a pondering frame of mind.  Is this because I have turned 60?  Is it because we had a very emotionally fraught summer?  I don’t know the answer but I very much feel unsettled.

       Which brings me slowly (and definitely not without less verbage) to Armageddon.  This is a state to which I have always been fascinated because there is so much scope for what could happen, how it could end, why it could end, and what the end means.  Should the world self destruct by means of a natural phenomenon such as a giant meteorite crashing into earth it would be sad but unavoidable.  But if it should happen because of man, then it would be a tragedy beyond all else.  When I think about how far mankind has come and yet we still behave so primitively I just feel baffled.  I do not understand why the people who lead the world are so selfish and thick-headed.  Not to mention short-sighted.

       Frequently on Facebook people will share little slogans with profound ideas to which 100’s will “like”.  The world is filled with good people, bright people, those with wonderful ideas, great compassion, profound thoughts.  And yet we have lunatics killing their own people and a “great” nation preparing to attack the lunatics “to save the world”. 

       Days like today fill me with despair.