It's probably too late for Happy New Year wishes, and if I wait long enough, I could probably sum up all of the year's wishes into one blog post. But, as with every other year, the same holiday celebrations happen every year, so what does it really matter anyway.
I haven't been here lately, because I have quite a few things on my plate right now. I also felt the need to re-establish the purpose for me keeping this blog. Re-focus. The title always summed it up for me...It's About Time. It was not intended to be a regular installment of what was happening in my life on a day-to-day basis. Gosh, if it was, you'd all be tremendously bored to tears.
So, this year promises to be a year full of change for me. You guys don't need all of the details, and because of the very personal nature of this, suffice it to say that they will not be published here, but, at the end of it all, I will either go insane or not. Hopefully not though.
So, if you wish to stick with me through this unknown journey, you are welcome to be my guest. It ought to be quite a story.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
4th Time Lucky?
Well, mattress number four arrived yesterday. It's a Tempurpedic, meaning that it is a foam mattress that molds to your body impression. I think that it was the first style that I admired, but because of the price, we didn't opt for it. But, when we visited the store for what we hoped was the last time, we decided to go for it...seeing as there were so many problems with every other mattress so far.
Anyway, yesterday was the big arrival day. The truck pulled up, and two burly men carried the new monster into the house. They tried to get it up the stairs, but there was one problem. The mattress was frozen (apparently foam has a tendency of doing that), and that made it impossible to bend it in order to get it upstairs. So the newest baby had to be left on the main floor, in order to thaw, and the delivery people would return today (which they did), after the thaw, in order to get the beast upstairs.
Now, the mattress actually started thawing pretty much immediately, so we decided to get out the sleeping bags and sleep on it anyway. I must admit, it was a pretty comfortable night. Yes, the mattress has a 'smell' (it's a foam smell not a mold smell), but we were aware of this, and we also knew that the smell would dissipate with time.
Happy 2009 everybody! Here's hoping this mattress is 4th time lucky.
Anyway, yesterday was the big arrival day. The truck pulled up, and two burly men carried the new monster into the house. They tried to get it up the stairs, but there was one problem. The mattress was frozen (apparently foam has a tendency of doing that), and that made it impossible to bend it in order to get it upstairs. So the newest baby had to be left on the main floor, in order to thaw, and the delivery people would return today (which they did), after the thaw, in order to get the beast upstairs.
Now, the mattress actually started thawing pretty much immediately, so we decided to get out the sleeping bags and sleep on it anyway. I must admit, it was a pretty comfortable night. Yes, the mattress has a 'smell' (it's a foam smell not a mold smell), but we were aware of this, and we also knew that the smell would dissipate with time.
Happy 2009 everybody! Here's hoping this mattress is 4th time lucky.
Friday, December 19, 2008
Strike Three!!!
This post was certainly not in the cards. I had thought that when we received Mattress #3, that all of the problems would be finished.
Not so!
Mattress #3 smelled as well. I dare not venture into the world of mold, but it would not surprise me at all if this mattress was moldy as well.
What this means is that we are getting yet another new mattress....soon-to-be Mattress #4! Yes, you read it here, Mattress #4. To make things interesting, we have decided to throw all caution to the wind and not exchange the present mattress for a traditional mattress. No. This time we are going out on a limb and try a Tempurpedic mattress. If you want to learn more about this type of mattress, you can find it on the Web, but mostly it is a foam based mattress, also known as memory foam.
We are keeping our fingers crossed on this one, and hope for no more stinky mattresses.
Happy Holidays everybody!
Not so!
Mattress #3 smelled as well. I dare not venture into the world of mold, but it would not surprise me at all if this mattress was moldy as well.
What this means is that we are getting yet another new mattress....soon-to-be Mattress #4! Yes, you read it here, Mattress #4. To make things interesting, we have decided to throw all caution to the wind and not exchange the present mattress for a traditional mattress. No. This time we are going out on a limb and try a Tempurpedic mattress. If you want to learn more about this type of mattress, you can find it on the Web, but mostly it is a foam based mattress, also known as memory foam.
We are keeping our fingers crossed on this one, and hope for no more stinky mattresses.
Happy Holidays everybody!
Thursday, December 18, 2008
I Am, But I'm Not and I Do, But I Don't
....a whole lot of nothing...........
I love bluegrass, but am not a Country music fan.
I like purple, but not mauve.
I am smell sensitive to women's perfumes, but not to men's colognes.
I collect keychains from every place I've ever visited, but I never use the keychains for keys.
I adore the music of Jakob Dylan, but was never a huge fan of Bob Dylan.
I am a huge Survivor fan, but I could never be on the show because I wouldn't eat bugs!
I am excited to try snorkeling, but I am afraid of fish!
Nighttime sailing is fine, but I am afraid of the dark.
I love bluegrass, but am not a Country music fan.
I like purple, but not mauve.
I am smell sensitive to women's perfumes, but not to men's colognes.
I collect keychains from every place I've ever visited, but I never use the keychains for keys.
I adore the music of Jakob Dylan, but was never a huge fan of Bob Dylan.
I am a huge Survivor fan, but I could never be on the show because I wouldn't eat bugs!
I am excited to try snorkeling, but I am afraid of fish!
Nighttime sailing is fine, but I am afraid of the dark.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
My Mother's Trunk
My Mother had a storage trunk. It was nothing out of the ordinary. Just a navy blue trunk in which she would store her keepsakes and build her wedding trousseau. Once she was married, her trunk became a repository for important papers, family pictures, and treasures.
Through my childhood, I would get the odd opportunity to peek into the trunk. It always sat in a very inconspicuous spot in the house. Because Mom loved to sew, she had made a special cover for that trunk, and stored extra blankets underneath.
When my Mom passed away, I inherited her trunk. It was carefully moved from her apartment into my house and then to my current house. Because it was, and still is in my mind 'her trunk', and housed her personal possessions, I never felt comfortable going into it. In the past 3 and a half years, I have only gone into it twice....once to locate important papers that were required when she passed away....and a second time, to satisfy my curiosity, and look.
During that second visit, I spent quite a few hours living in her world. I was very careful to put things back where I had found them, almost as if I was afraid that Mom would notice of things were out of place. She had treasures from all of her past....my Grade School report cards, assorted cards for various occasions, old family pictures, clothing from my Christening and babyhood. Aside from the 'things' that she kept, I was keenly aware that she had spent her life storing away the odd memento. Whether she meant it for herself, or for me to find later, these things were collected and stored with love and thought.
I also became aware of where my packrat nature stems from.....and this is a good thing.
Through my childhood, I would get the odd opportunity to peek into the trunk. It always sat in a very inconspicuous spot in the house. Because Mom loved to sew, she had made a special cover for that trunk, and stored extra blankets underneath.
When my Mom passed away, I inherited her trunk. It was carefully moved from her apartment into my house and then to my current house. Because it was, and still is in my mind 'her trunk', and housed her personal possessions, I never felt comfortable going into it. In the past 3 and a half years, I have only gone into it twice....once to locate important papers that were required when she passed away....and a second time, to satisfy my curiosity, and look.
During that second visit, I spent quite a few hours living in her world. I was very careful to put things back where I had found them, almost as if I was afraid that Mom would notice of things were out of place. She had treasures from all of her past....my Grade School report cards, assorted cards for various occasions, old family pictures, clothing from my Christening and babyhood. Aside from the 'things' that she kept, I was keenly aware that she had spent her life storing away the odd memento. Whether she meant it for herself, or for me to find later, these things were collected and stored with love and thought.
I also became aware of where my packrat nature stems from.....and this is a good thing.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Iggy Does It
Right now in Canada, we have a prorogued government, which means they are not sitting in Parliament, acting on behalf of the people (which would be us). The Liberal party has been in a bit of a mess. The other parties are not much better off.
Until today.
Today was the day that Michael Ignatieff made his official debut as the interim leader of the Liberal Party of Canada. I, for one, am thrilled that he has been chosen to lead. He commands a certain presence in person. I had the opportunity to meet and talk with him a couple of years ago. He has the charisma, the intelligence, and the backbone that is needed to stand up against this mean-spirited and full-on-attack government.
Go Iggy! We've got your back, as they say.
Until today.
Today was the day that Michael Ignatieff made his official debut as the interim leader of the Liberal Party of Canada. I, for one, am thrilled that he has been chosen to lead. He commands a certain presence in person. I had the opportunity to meet and talk with him a couple of years ago. He has the charisma, the intelligence, and the backbone that is needed to stand up against this mean-spirited and full-on-attack government.
Go Iggy! We've got your back, as they say.
Sunday, December 07, 2008
The Mattress - The Final Chapter
In the mattress complaint department, I feel as though I have written about this before, except that this time we seem to have a happy ending.
For those who are not in-the-know, or who are totally lost, here is a synopsis. We purchased a mattress less than 2 years ago which began to develop a big time sag (hence, mattress #1). I first wrote this initial post about how it's not in my head
That mattress was replaced with a mattress which had a smell (hence, mattress #2). Then, there was a follow-up post it's not in my head-the sequel
Then I wrote about how the saga continues.
This is the final chapter (at least I certainly hope it is) in the saga of the mattresses. We were scheduled to receive mattress #3, and it arrived safe and sound. It is working out fine (so far). There are no sags. There is a smell, but a different smell from the previous mattress. It is comfortable.
I have to add, though, that when mattress #2 was being removed from the house, the movers should have had air masks on. I was not at home to see this, but I was told that the underside of the mattress had black streaks along the bottom (strongly resembling mold, which we all know is not good for us). Gross me out.
So, wish us luck with the new one. So far so good. Maybe it's third time lucky this time.
For those who are not in-the-know, or who are totally lost, here is a synopsis. We purchased a mattress less than 2 years ago which began to develop a big time sag (hence, mattress #1). I first wrote this initial post about how it's not in my head
That mattress was replaced with a mattress which had a smell (hence, mattress #2). Then, there was a follow-up post it's not in my head-the sequel
Then I wrote about how the saga continues.
This is the final chapter (at least I certainly hope it is) in the saga of the mattresses. We were scheduled to receive mattress #3, and it arrived safe and sound. It is working out fine (so far). There are no sags. There is a smell, but a different smell from the previous mattress. It is comfortable.
I have to add, though, that when mattress #2 was being removed from the house, the movers should have had air masks on. I was not at home to see this, but I was told that the underside of the mattress had black streaks along the bottom (strongly resembling mold, which we all know is not good for us). Gross me out.
So, wish us luck with the new one. So far so good. Maybe it's third time lucky this time.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Looks Like Winter, Feels Like Winter, Must be Winter
That title should say it all, but it does not. It's not winter...not yet anyway. We are still, technically, in Fall (or Autumn). Outside, however, it certainly looks and feels like winter.
On Saturday, we got dumped with a foot of snow (and it continues to snow as I write this post). Remember how I was whining about how the Christmas spirit has eluded me so far? Well, with all of this beautiful snow, I am starting to feel somewhat Christmas....and I did say somewhat.
What I do mostly feel is very lucky that I am in shape, because for anyone who attempted to shovel out their driveway yesterday, I suspect there were a few calls to the hospital for heart assistance. That snow was extremely heavy. The snowblower did most of the work, but what I did manage to do was to shovel part of the driveway and all of the front porch. That was sufficient for me thank you.
The snow that is currently falling is supposed to dump even more snow overnight.
I did manage to snap a few pictures of the white stuff before the snow plows came by. Enjoy!
On Saturday, we got dumped with a foot of snow (and it continues to snow as I write this post). Remember how I was whining about how the Christmas spirit has eluded me so far? Well, with all of this beautiful snow, I am starting to feel somewhat Christmas....and I did say somewhat.
What I do mostly feel is very lucky that I am in shape, because for anyone who attempted to shovel out their driveway yesterday, I suspect there were a few calls to the hospital for heart assistance. That snow was extremely heavy. The snowblower did most of the work, but what I did manage to do was to shovel part of the driveway and all of the front porch. That was sufficient for me thank you.
The snow that is currently falling is supposed to dump even more snow overnight.
I did manage to snap a few pictures of the white stuff before the snow plows came by. Enjoy!
Friday, November 14, 2008
The Mattress Saga Continues
Not kidding! I have written a number of posts about our mattress, and the problems we've been experiencing.
The saga continues.
At the end of my last mattress post It's Not In My Head, I mentioned a smell that was emanating from the new mattress. This smell has not really disappeared, even though we tried airing it for the past few weeks.
It's a rather disgusting smell, and between My Sweetie and I we describe it quite differently. He describes it straight out as mold (mildew). I describe it as fried food.
In any case, the mattress smells. It does not smell new (as the Customer Service person was trying to drill into us). It does not smell pleasant at all.
To add to all of this, since we don't know what the smell is exactly, we worry about toxins. Thanks to our wonderful global market, where everything that we buy is produced elsewhere in the world, it is quite possible that the materials used in this particular mattress may not have been top quality. And we get to breathe that crap.
Anyway, not to belabour the point, we are getting yet another new mattress in two weeks.
Here we go again.............
The saga continues.
At the end of my last mattress post It's Not In My Head, I mentioned a smell that was emanating from the new mattress. This smell has not really disappeared, even though we tried airing it for the past few weeks.
It's a rather disgusting smell, and between My Sweetie and I we describe it quite differently. He describes it straight out as mold (mildew). I describe it as fried food.
In any case, the mattress smells. It does not smell new (as the Customer Service person was trying to drill into us). It does not smell pleasant at all.
To add to all of this, since we don't know what the smell is exactly, we worry about toxins. Thanks to our wonderful global market, where everything that we buy is produced elsewhere in the world, it is quite possible that the materials used in this particular mattress may not have been top quality. And we get to breathe that crap.
Anyway, not to belabour the point, we are getting yet another new mattress in two weeks.
Here we go again.............
btw....when I said that we were going to get a new mattress, this translates into a replacement mattress. The company will be coming to take away the existing mattress and replace it with the same model. In other words, we had an original mattress which got replaced, and now we are having that replacement mattress replaced.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Not Really Feeling It
The season has suddenly switched. We just finished Halloween, not even 2 weeks ago, and already, some of the homes in our area have sprouted Christmas lights....and red ribboned bells. The gym has some Christmas decorations at the entrance.
I have to say, I am not feeling it. Not yet anyway. Maybe it's because Remembrance day was just yesterday, but to be fair, US Thanksgiving hasn't even arrived yet, and neither has December.
Very soon, we will have snow, and that usually spawns more of a Christmasy feeling. But right now all I can say is 'bah humbug.'
I have to say, I am not feeling it. Not yet anyway. Maybe it's because Remembrance day was just yesterday, but to be fair, US Thanksgiving hasn't even arrived yet, and neither has December.
Very soon, we will have snow, and that usually spawns more of a Christmasy feeling. But right now all I can say is 'bah humbug.'
Sunday, November 09, 2008
Geekdom Rules on Sunday
As if we didn't have enough computers in the house, it became apparent that another addition was on the horizon. We've been thinking about this off and on for awhile now, and I had considered asking for one for my birthday, but then thought that the money could be better spent elsewhere. As with all things, whim turned to reality, and yesterday, we brought home Silver (my nickname for the new HP Notepad....complete with Windows Vista). Let me recount exactly how many active computers are in our home. For starters, we both have work Notepads (neither of which belongs to us. If we lose our jobs (God forbid), then we lose those machines). We each have a personal Desktop (purely for the space capacity). Actually, one of us (not me) has a separate Desktop machine (totally built from scratch) for gaming.
Okay, so we are up to 5 machines I think.
We have a very old Thinkpad that we've been using for the boat. That machine is now quite old, very slow, and, at this point, may not serve much more use than being a boat anchor.
Enter Silver. She is a simple yet pretty machine, with a 15.6" screen. The main purpose for this baby is to keep it mobile. We don't want it attached to printers and docking stations. It is meant to be our free-to-move, on-the-spot search machine, instead of having to run upstairs whenever the Web is needed.
Now, as with every new piece of technology, nothing is ever really plug-and-go. There were a few screams last night, all circling around the router's evasive username. Steam began to form upstairs. The air turned a vivid blue color. We needed to engage the wonderful world of global tech support, which accidentally disconnected us, not only once but twice. Hours later, and hopefully a few lessons learned, Silver was connecting to the Internet.
Right now, I am making this blog update from my comfy couch. The sun is trying to stream through the window, and the satellite radio is tuned to an accoustic guitar channel.
Life is good.
One thing. These types of purchases are never conducted while we sit in comfy leather chairs with lattes being served. No way. Instead, we struggle with numbers and decisions while standing in an aisle beside some cash register/computer terminal, under the harsh glare of flourescent lighting. Maybe in the future. Way!
Saturday, November 01, 2008
The Day After Halloween
Halloween is over, and it was a bit disappointing. Everything was ready. I had made 100 goodie bags to hand out. The front porch was decorated. We had dressed up as hippies. The weather was perfect.
Well, almost perfect. The kids didn't come. Sorry, a lot of kids didn't come. Last year, and in years prior, we had anywhere from 75 to 100 little creatures visit. Not this year. For some reason the numbers were down. It was closing in on eight o'clock, and we started handing out 2 and 3 bags just to get rid of it.
When we decided to pull the pin on everything, we stayed dressed as hippies and went to a favourite local restaurant for dinner. That was good.
.......and I love Halloween....even more than Christmas.
Well, almost perfect. The kids didn't come. Sorry, a lot of kids didn't come. Last year, and in years prior, we had anywhere from 75 to 100 little creatures visit. Not this year. For some reason the numbers were down. It was closing in on eight o'clock, and we started handing out 2 and 3 bags just to get rid of it.
When we decided to pull the pin on everything, we stayed dressed as hippies and went to a favourite local restaurant for dinner. That was good.
.......and I love Halloween....even more than Christmas.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
It's Not In My Head - the Sequel
It might not be in my head, but now it's in our nose. The wonderful replacement mattress, which has been providing me with restful snoozes, has an odour, an odour which vaguely resembles mildew. And we are not amused.
This started probably minutes after we received the new mattress. The protective plastic wrap was removed, and the mattress was set in place, and all of those lovely toxins started to be released into the atmosphere. My Sweetie noticed it first, seeing as he has a most excellent sense of smell. For me, I have noticed that I am sneezing more than usual, and am feeling somewhat congested (and it isn't a cold).
So, now we have a call into you-know-who....the mattress Inspector ...Mr. MI. He is due to come back and examine the situation.
Oh, and there's something else! The pillow top has already shifted!
What happened to quality assurance I ask you?
Further to all of this is the fact that we have had the bed turned down all week. All of the covers have been pulled back, right to the mattress cover. The ceiling fan runs on high to try and get rid of the smell....and still it lingers.
This started probably minutes after we received the new mattress. The protective plastic wrap was removed, and the mattress was set in place, and all of those lovely toxins started to be released into the atmosphere. My Sweetie noticed it first, seeing as he has a most excellent sense of smell. For me, I have noticed that I am sneezing more than usual, and am feeling somewhat congested (and it isn't a cold).
So, now we have a call into you-know-who....the mattress Inspector ...Mr. MI. He is due to come back and examine the situation.
Oh, and there's something else! The pillow top has already shifted!
What happened to quality assurance I ask you?
Further to all of this is the fact that we have had the bed turned down all week. All of the covers have been pulled back, right to the mattress cover. The ceiling fan runs on high to try and get rid of the smell....and still it lingers.
This grates highly on my nerves, since I detest not having the bed made. I am obsessive about having the bed made everyday. The room looks as though it is in turmoil, with the duvet and assorted pillows strewn everywhere.
I hope this ends soon.
And don't forget to check out my sidebar, which now has Google displaying Ads about Mattresses!
Monday, October 27, 2008
It's Not In My Head
About 2 years ago, we purchased a new mattress set. This was an expensive purchase consisting of a king sized mattress and box spring, frame, headboard, 2 sheet sets, duvet with cover and box spring cover. It was a nice set...on the surface. Over time, I began to notice that the comfort level for me was declining. I would get into bed, and just when I was getting comfortable, I would need to roll over. That's when the evening event would take place. I would roll and roll, back and forth, evidently trying to find comfort. When I glanced at my body impression under the blankets, I found that I was SINKING! There was a deep crevice into which I sank! At times I felt as though I were sleeping in a ditch.
Finally, I had enough. Hubby had no problems on his side of the bed. He was comfy. I thought that this was all in my head.
Until I called the company who sold us the mattress. They booked us an appointment with the MI...the Mattress Inspector. I didn't even realize that there was a job role of this nature. When Mr. MI arrived, he basically looked at the mattress from 10 feet away and said "your mattress is defective. You're getting a new mattress.". That was music to my ears. I was doing a major Happy Dance.
After some measurements were taken, and forms were completed, we were given the go ahead to pick out another, more suitable, mattress.
The waiting was the hardest part (thanks Tom Petty), but it finally arrived, after much banging and crashing to get it up the stairs...leaving the hanging light fixture dangling by two arms.
It's been about a week now. Things are better. The mattress is firmer and my evenings spent rocking and rolling are over.
Now there only remains one little issue.....a smell.....more to follow on this one.
Cheers.
I forgot to mention that we could have simply done a switch for the same type of mattress of equal dollar value, but we were so unhappy, that, for a nominal dollar upgrade, we got a better mattress. It has a thicker pillow top and is a taller mattress in general (interpreted this as 'the sheets now have a snugger fit'). I guess you could say that buying a mattress is like a bunch of chocolates...younever know what your gonna get!
Saturday, October 25, 2008
End of Sailing Season
The sailing season has come to an end...again. The boat has been hauled and winterized. All that is left to do is to rig the frame (and repair the broken pieces from last winter) and get the winter cover on.
Haulout is always a job and a half. There are so many things to do in advance, then there are things to do on haulout day itself, and then there are post haulout tasks. Sometimes these tasks seem like they are never ending, but the list eventually gets complete.
We have done this for many years now, with various sizes of boats. This boat, which we have had for 5 years now, is the biggest that we have had, but even with all of the extra stroage space, we have managed not to overload it. There are always the necessities that need to be onboard (safety gear, etc), but the extras were kept to a dull roar this year. I guess that's where experience comes in.
This past season seemed especially short. I don't think there was one weekend where we weren't paying special attention to the weather...ah yes the weather...which would change at a moment's notice. Fall was no different in that aspect, what with the warm summer-like temperatures one day, then snow falling the next.
...and they say that global warming doesn't exist...yeah right!
Haulout is always a job and a half. There are so many things to do in advance, then there are things to do on haulout day itself, and then there are post haulout tasks. Sometimes these tasks seem like they are never ending, but the list eventually gets complete.
We have done this for many years now, with various sizes of boats. This boat, which we have had for 5 years now, is the biggest that we have had, but even with all of the extra stroage space, we have managed not to overload it. There are always the necessities that need to be onboard (safety gear, etc), but the extras were kept to a dull roar this year. I guess that's where experience comes in.
This past season seemed especially short. I don't think there was one weekend where we weren't paying special attention to the weather...ah yes the weather...which would change at a moment's notice. Fall was no different in that aspect, what with the warm summer-like temperatures one day, then snow falling the next.
...and they say that global warming doesn't exist...yeah right!
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
It's Snowing Here Today!
Ayeee....it's only October 21st, and it is snowing outside. Big white flakes, with some of it actually accumulating on the ground. Our deck chairs are still outside. I managed to get out at lunchtime to remove the curtains from the gazebo, but I stil have to rescue my deck frog or he is going to freeze.
Last year we had snow on November 7th, which I thought was a bit early. Now I take that thought back. October 21 is definitely way too early.
Maybe we'll get all of the snow out of the way now, and there will be none left to fall in December.
*fat chance*
Last year we had snow on November 7th, which I thought was a bit early. Now I take that thought back. October 21 is definitely way too early.
Maybe we'll get all of the snow out of the way now, and there will be none left to fall in December.
*fat chance*
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Withdrawal for a Political Junkie
The lamenting is over. The decision was made. The election and the fallout from that is finished.
Since September 7th, when the writ was dropped, I was actively involved with the election process as it related to supporting our candidate. When I would finish my day of 'real' work, I would visit the office almost every day. There would always be something to do, whether it was door-to-door canvassing, literature drops, or putting up lawn signs. I also maintained the candidate's website every day.
That was just the tangible stuff. I also met, and I think I have said this before, some really nice people, a few of whom I can call my friends. As we got to know each other more, we would greet each other with a hug. When hard times fell, we would hug. We would end the day with a hug. We became huggers.
This past week I have been experiencing withdrawal. I miss my friends, my huggers. I miss the stimulating conversations. I miss updating the website. I miss the excited pace, and the adrenalin rush of having a special guest, like Frank Mahavolich or Michael Ignatieff, join us. I think of the fun that we had, and there was a lot of it, I get a lump in my throat.
Now we look forward to the aftermath, the lessons learned. We will get together and plan for the future, whatever that will hold for us. We will change the things that didn't go right, and will continue with the tings that have always worked well. We will strive to get our government back.
And we will hug.
Since September 7th, when the writ was dropped, I was actively involved with the election process as it related to supporting our candidate. When I would finish my day of 'real' work, I would visit the office almost every day. There would always be something to do, whether it was door-to-door canvassing, literature drops, or putting up lawn signs. I also maintained the candidate's website every day.
That was just the tangible stuff. I also met, and I think I have said this before, some really nice people, a few of whom I can call my friends. As we got to know each other more, we would greet each other with a hug. When hard times fell, we would hug. We would end the day with a hug. We became huggers.
This past week I have been experiencing withdrawal. I miss my friends, my huggers. I miss the stimulating conversations. I miss updating the website. I miss the excited pace, and the adrenalin rush of having a special guest, like Frank Mahavolich or Michael Ignatieff, join us. I think of the fun that we had, and there was a lot of it, I get a lump in my throat.
Now we look forward to the aftermath, the lessons learned. We will get together and plan for the future, whatever that will hold for us. We will change the things that didn't go right, and will continue with the tings that have always worked well. We will strive to get our government back.
And we will hug.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
All Over But the Shouting
It's all over but the shouting now. Election 2008 is finished. Millions of dollars were spent to bring us into pretty much the same minority government. Think of what that money could have been better spent on.
Aftermath, we are both a little beat up and very tired. The past six weeks have been quite hectic...right up to the very end. Yesterday was spent trying to get the vote out, but it was not to be. Mostly what hurt us was voter apathy...people who did not get out to vote. As they say, if you don't vote then don't complain. That pretty much sums up everything.
Politics is a funny game. The players change, and even the rules change.
The future is a little cloudy, and things need to change. That much is obvious. One thing is for sure, it will be exciting.
Aftermath, we are both a little beat up and very tired. The past six weeks have been quite hectic...right up to the very end. Yesterday was spent trying to get the vote out, but it was not to be. Mostly what hurt us was voter apathy...people who did not get out to vote. As they say, if you don't vote then don't complain. That pretty much sums up everything.
Politics is a funny game. The players change, and even the rules change.
The future is a little cloudy, and things need to change. That much is obvious. One thing is for sure, it will be exciting.
Saturday, October 04, 2008
Remembering Mery
Many years ago, when I was starting a new career as a computer programmer, I was introduced to a lady named Mery. She was an adept programmer. Her forte was DB2 and CICS programming. She was a whiz.
The more we worked together, the closer we became. She was from Iran, and was trying to improve her English. She had a daughter in Iran, and she had made plans to return to her country and bring her daughter to Canada to live. This was a very intense time for Iran. The Gulf War was still active. As a team, we were all immensely worried about Mery and were hopeful that her daughter would be safe with her.
Mery did return with her daughter, and we continued to work together for many years. We went through some trying times together at work. But we always seemed to surface somehow.
When I changed employers, Mery and I lost touch. I think she went to work in the States, but was unsure of where she went.
Recently I was thinking about Mery. I had found a gift that she gave me for my birthday back in October 1994. I kept it in my nightstand drawer. With the world of Facebook, I decided to search for her. Instead I found one of her relatives, and through correspondence, we had managed to have Mery's and my information exchanged, with the hope that we would be able to get together.
That was not to be. We will not be getting together.
Mery passed away on September 28th.
"The Angels are always near to those who are grieving, to whisper to them that their loved ones are safe in the hands of God... "
The more we worked together, the closer we became. She was from Iran, and was trying to improve her English. She had a daughter in Iran, and she had made plans to return to her country and bring her daughter to Canada to live. This was a very intense time for Iran. The Gulf War was still active. As a team, we were all immensely worried about Mery and were hopeful that her daughter would be safe with her.
Mery did return with her daughter, and we continued to work together for many years. We went through some trying times together at work. But we always seemed to surface somehow.
When I changed employers, Mery and I lost touch. I think she went to work in the States, but was unsure of where she went.
Recently I was thinking about Mery. I had found a gift that she gave me for my birthday back in October 1994. I kept it in my nightstand drawer. With the world of Facebook, I decided to search for her. Instead I found one of her relatives, and through correspondence, we had managed to have Mery's and my information exchanged, with the hope that we would be able to get together.
That was not to be. We will not be getting together.
Mery passed away on September 28th.
"The Angels are always near to those who are grieving, to whisper to them that their loved ones are safe in the hands of God... "
Wednesday, October 01, 2008
There Is Always Hope
Last night there was an interesting political program on CBC, Canada Votes 2008: The X Challenge. It was a debate-style program with 4 candidates representing the 4 main political parties: Liberals (Scott Brison), Conservatives (Blaherty), the NDP and the Green.
The audience was comprised of engaged citizens who were decided voters, and, at the beginning of the program.
During the show, important audience questions were posed to the candidates, and their responses were heard, along with a small inter-candidate debate. At the end of each question, the audience was asked to rate which candidate won that particular round of questioning. At the end of the evening, one of the candidates would be the winner.
The overall winner was Scott Brison for the Liberals!!!
What was most interesting was the pre and post percentages:
Before the show, the audience revealed how they would vote:
38% would be voting CONS
33% would be voting Liberal
17% would be voting NDP
12% would be voting Green.
At the end of the show, the percentages were quite different:
52% would vote Liberal
29% would vote CONS
16% would vote NDP
3% would vote Green
These are interesting numbers. People actually got to hear Scott Brison explain the Green Shift plan, and people listened.
Blaherty came of as bullish as he usually does. Maybe people are just plain sick of bullies. After all, they wouldn't want bullies in their schools, so why have this behaviour in government??
The audience was comprised of engaged citizens who were decided voters, and, at the beginning of the program.
During the show, important audience questions were posed to the candidates, and their responses were heard, along with a small inter-candidate debate. At the end of each question, the audience was asked to rate which candidate won that particular round of questioning. At the end of the evening, one of the candidates would be the winner.
The overall winner was Scott Brison for the Liberals!!!
What was most interesting was the pre and post percentages:
Before the show, the audience revealed how they would vote:
38% would be voting CONS
33% would be voting Liberal
17% would be voting NDP
12% would be voting Green.
At the end of the show, the percentages were quite different:
52% would vote Liberal
29% would vote CONS
16% would vote NDP
3% would vote Green
These are interesting numbers. People actually got to hear Scott Brison explain the Green Shift plan, and people listened.
Blaherty came of as bullish as he usually does. Maybe people are just plain sick of bullies. After all, they wouldn't want bullies in their schools, so why have this behaviour in government??
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