I promise to stop being so damn effusive but I just have to acknowledge that Richard Takata is pretty awesome. I already marvelled at the fact that he sent me an e-mail but this week I even received a postcard written following his final marathon in Cyprus. I have never met him but I am definitely impressed.

While his fundraising journey may be over the fundraising itself isn't, so consider donating through his site.

Spring has Sprung

I think the arrival of Spring (as well as the Persian New Year) is post-worthy. I'm not going to say much about either but Happy New Year to any of you who celebrate Norouz and to those of you who don't this may be a bit like the start of a new year anyway. At least that's how the arrival of spring feels to me. People, plants and just about everything come out of their winter slumber and the whole world grows anew. Maybe there should be Persian New Year Resolutions because at the change of the seasons people may be more likely to take on those new challenges. That, or maybe just enjoy the warmth. Either way, fine by me.

Equations UPDATED

I wasn't sure whether this would get any curious readers wondering. Probably not.

Believe it or not, these equations are said to calculate how attractive women's and men's behinds are.

(S+C) x (B+F)/T - V

The calculation above is supposed to be for women. It represents: shape, circularity of buttocks, "bounce factor," firmness, texture of skin, and vertical ratio. The below calculation is for men representing: shape, muscularity, leanness, firmness, texture of skin, and overall symmetry.

(S+M) x (L+F)/T - O

Science is crazy. Can attraction be calculated? Some scientists, including David Holmes who developed these calculations, would imply it can. I've also heard that the symmetry of people's faces correlates with their "attractiveness". Hmmm, I say. Hmmm. I don't want to be anti-science but, c'mon... Then again, I haven't tried the equations. Maybe I should find out more.

Cheering Success

Blogs are great soap-boxes. You can rail against injustice, go on uncontrolled tirades or you can draw attention to issues that are important to you (maybe hoping that those reading will agree, or at least consider your points). Over the past while I've been touching-in to Richard Takata's efforts. They are something that I thought deserved whatever attention I could turn their way. Again today, you see me standing on my soapbox, drawing attention to the herculean efforts of a young boy. Dakota Russ, a boy of just 9, who has taken on his town and he has won. A truly inspiring moment for all of us. Take a look at what his local paper had to say.

Thanks go to Rob, for drawing my attention to such and inspirational story.

We are all here for a spell, get all the good laughs you can.

--Will Rogers

St. Paddy's +1

Directly following the day that everyone tries to be green and Irish is the day the everyone tries NOT to be green and Irish but often only succeeds with not being Irish. Oh what a festive time!

Now if only people would get equally excited about Nooruz which follows a few days later. Just imagine it. Everyone pretends to be Persian in honour of the Persian New Year. Granted, it might not be a big night at the bars but who can argue with a holiday that coincides with the time that those of us in the Northern Hemsiphere consider to be the start of Spring? That feels like it's worth a celebration.

Top o' the afternoon!

It is here. The day that people in nooks and crannies all over the world forget their cultural background and consider themselves Irish.

The ubiquitous Irish Pubs throughout the world have a chance to empty their dusty Guinness kegs and shifty guys get to pull out their "Kiss me, I'm Irish" shirts in one last-ditch hope that it will work. The lilt of "top o' the mornin' to ya!" will be heard from in the streets of some otherwise lilt-free city or town. Why, I wonder, is it always the mornin'? No afternoons? No evenings? Time of day aside, it's a chance to get a group together for a good time and I can't argue with that.

So, in honour of one of the most popular Saints around (second to Nicholas, I imagine), I'm going to work on my Gaelic.

Lá 'le Phádraig faoi mhaise duit!

If you got the last line and you're my type then this is for you: Póg mé! Is sort Éireannach mé!

Sero sed serio

Whenever I miss deadlines (which is never), I figure it must have to do with my family heritage. No, my family are not shiftless layabouts that don't get things done. Rather, we are Kerrs. The family motto is the title of this post. For those who haven't been keeping on top of your latin, it means: "late, but in earnest". Which brings us to the next paragraph (which is a day late but still "in earnest".

Happy Pi Day! No, not pie. Mmmm, pie. Pi day celebrates Albert Einstein's Birthday. Why pi? For the non-mathematically-inclined of you, pi is equal to approximately 3.14. March 14th is represented as 3/14 in North America. See the tenuous connection? The 14th is not the only time that people celebrate this. Be prepared for a geek-stravaganza when you delve into the link and find out all the associated possibilities. That, or have a piece of pie.

Borat

It took me a while, but I saw it. I expected to cringe as I sometimes find myself doing that when people get into uncomfortable situations (of which there are plenty in Borat). So imagine my surprise when I found myself laughing all the way through. Maybe I'd been desensitized by all the coverage of it when it came out. Maybe it was just SO over-the-top that I couldn't help but laugh. Either way: a well-spent, if not necessarily a constructive, evening. People should have more of those.

Congratulations!

Congratulations go out to the only World Record Holder who has ever sent me an e-mail.

Richard Takata finished his plethora of marathons by competing in the Cyprus Marathon. In all he ran 379.755 kms (give or take). He had already set the World Record when he completed the "Fin del Mundo" Marathon in Ushuaia, Argentina a few days ago but probably figured one more couldn't hurt. What's 42.195 kms here or there anyway?

While this effort is certainly worthy of congratulations, I feel like this is a small part of his larger goal. I don't think he'd have done all of this purely to make it into the Guinness Book of World Records. Cancer and it's eradication seems to me to have driven this super-human effort. The battle against it will continue. Richard has done a great thing in raising both awareness and funds for Cancer research. I wish him well with all his future endeavours. To get more on his journey or to donate to Cancer research, visit http://www.power2cure.com.

Lament for a Sunday

You started late (at least for me) but you made up for it by sharing your sunny demeanor with all of us. Your warmth brought us out of our caves like cheese brings the proverbial mouse. Unlike our rodent friends, we were trapped only by the sun and the lingering thoughts of spring.

We knew it was inevitable but your end is near. Your light is being traded for the ink of night, though mercifully late. Your greatness is emphasized by that which follows... Sigh. Monday.

Thank you media!

The media taught me about myself today. CBC taught me that I have a clock in my head and it's set to 3 minutes. Before any of you filthy folk start thinking, I don't know... Something filthy, you should know that they are talking about our willingness to stand in lines.

BBC taught me that I have high levels of testosterone because my ring finger is longer than my index finger. I didn't see that one coming. I mean, I'm a hairy dude but I very seldom go into uncontrolable rages, throwing parts of my Royal Doulton china figurine collection at passers-by or knocking holes in my textured walls with the power of my mind (which, coincidentally, controls my fists). By the way, in case there was any question, in this case "very seldom" = "china figurines?! You have GOT to be kidding!"

Who me, bitter?

Here I find myself sitting in my apartment, if you must know. In a broader sense I find myself in a beautiful city with a job that has me interacting with the world in one way or another every day. Okay, we all interact with the world, but I mean the World. I'm lucky enough to see people from around the world each day. I've been lucky enough to see a few parts of it too. Still, I come back to being right here while my brother is in Amsterdam and my dad and step-mom are just arriving at the airport for their flight to Rome! I've got friends heading to Spain in the coming days too. And here I sit.

Sure, I'm not really bitter. I'm thrilled for them actually. What I need to do is get myself back into travel mode and actually do it, rather than lament that other people are and I'm not. So, to the travellers: Goede reis! Buono viaggio! ¡Buen viaje!

News!?

I was listening to an interview last night with the creator of Monocle, a new "monthly magazine delivering the most original coverage in global affairs, business, culture and design." At least that's what they say.

They issued a "no celebrities" edict, meaning that their magazine will not be reporting on Robbie Williams getting out of rehab or Britney Spears going in and out. They referred to the recent, and admittedly untimely, death of Anna Nicole Smith. Without targeting her, he questioned whether her death should've warranted a Breaking News moment on BBC. I think that's a fair question.

I'll cop to the fact that many people can't think about the state of the world every moment of every day but is the media stretching our escapism by serving up such a smorgasboard of star sillyness? I would like to able to blame the media but a recent check of http://news.bbc.co.uk showed me that both their most read and most e-mailed story was not about Darfur, the West Bank or Iran. Instead it was about how supermodel Naomi Campbell will be spending her court-ordered community service time for throwing a phone at her housekeeper.

We are all a bunch of fickle puddin'-heads.

By the way, Ms. Campbell will be cleaning floors (though I'm sure you don't care). ;)

Follow-Up

I recently blogged about an amazing effort. Richard Takata, from beautiful Northern Ontario, has been taking on a huge challenge. It began as an attempt to run 7 marathons on 7 continents in 7 weeks to raise money for the Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation. "Stunning!" you say. "Yes!" I agree with gusto. "A world record?" you question. "Yes!" I return.

It turns out that that sort of record wasn't quite Richard's style. His new goal: 9 marathons on 7 continents (sorry, no new continents were added to the planet since my original post) with the 7 continents being covered in 31 days! "Blimey!" you blurt. "Ditto." says I. Remarkable. More so to know that there are only 2 marathons left of the 9 (with one just hours from now).

Visit www.power2cure.com to be truly amazed by this stunning undertaking.

Today is a beautiful day. Sometimes the outwardly bad has a silver lining. A Saskatchewan referee got clocked by an irate player but when he was checked-out at the hospital, doctors found a brain tumour that may have otherwise gone undetected. In this case, it is much less serious and at least somewhat less life-affirming. The crap-condition of the dryer in my building sent me out in search of a more suitable means of drying my clothes. After deciding against a wood-fire (nobody needs smokey sheets) and the hand dryer in the men's room at work (no clean clothes should ever be exposed to that), I settled on the dryer at the local laundromat (seems like a terribly easy choice in hindsight). I always feel like the grinch or some traditional cat-burglar when I go over to the laundromat. The full-to-bursting laundry bag on my shoulder could be the Grinch's distended gift-taking bag after slipping into a who-ville home. I always wonder what folks must be thinking as I sneak by. But I digress. It was the necessity of visiting the laundromat that brought to my attention the beauty of the day. It doesn't just seem like a particularly nice day. It seemed almost like a chink in winter's armour. I know, we've had a reasonably gentle and short winter and there's still probably plenty to come, but today is pregnant with the pent-up energy of spring and all that comes with it. I find it hard not to smile on a day like that.

Not a shred of evidence exists in favour of the idea that life is serious.

- Brendan Gill

Happy International Polar Year

Most of you (who, like me, haven't had the luck of visiting the planet's polar regions) may wonder about the importance of the International Polar Year. Well, these regions are likely the "canaries in the mineshaft" when it comes to Climate Change and this planet. Many major changes have been witnessed in the make-up of these regions. What better time to focus some of our energy there? It all makes sense to me, save for one thing: Why does the year start in March and actually go for 2 years (it ends in March 2009)?

Spammers seem to think I'm letting myself go

A quote from an e-mail I received today:

Hey, I hate to be the one but when people continueto talk about your weight issue, we'll it just disgustsme. Whether you know it by now, people are always chattering about one another at work but you come up morethan enough.

Do I disgust YOU? Do I come up in conversation THAT MUCH? If people who send crap e-mails for a living think I'm getting portly, maybe I should sit up and take notice. ;)

UPDATE: It seems like a lot of spammers are thinking that way. This message is all over the internet. How do they all know about me and my problems?! ;)

You filled the world with mirth, but are no longer on the earth.
Today is the anniversary of your birth, it would be easier to rhyme with cat.

Did you know that Dr. Seuss "was not particularly fond of spending time with" children? Be that as it may, he certainly helped inspire and entertain the child in many of us.

You cannot teach a man anything; you can only help him to find it within himself.

- Galileo

Shutdown Day

I think I'm posting this more for myself than anyone who reads this. There are definitely those who think I "click-click-click" too much. Sometimes I even agree. To be clear: "click-click-click" refers to typing on the computer not taking photos or trying to light firecrackers with a broken lighter. I allow myself to fall victim to my television more than I would like. It is my company when I have no other. The computer seems a step-up, albeit small, from the inactive intake of tv. I enjoy posting, working on my photos and the like but while some people seem to use the computer as an intentional wall between themselves and other people, I like to think I use it to bridge the gap with the people who are important in my life. Still, there are better ways to spend one's time than in front of the click-machine.

A reminder of this is Shutdown Day. While it's a full month away: March 24, it may take a little forward-thinking to make it happen. Then again, maybe that defeats the purpose. It's just like going out and doing a bunch of shopping before Buy Nothing Day just so you can avoid the shops on that day. Maybe a little organic non-computing is the better approach. Then again, participation seems to always be better than non-participation, regardless of the intention or preparation. So put it in your calendars. Prepare for it, or don't. Maybe you'd have stayed away from your computer on the 24th anyway. Then it can just be a reminder of the value of life beyond the computer.

Sickening

I just watched The Last King of Scotland, a film highlighting some of the life of Idi Amin, former leader of Uganda. What kind of world is this? I am sadly sickened by what horrors we as people can perpetrate on others, our planet and ourselves. It seems that stories of such intensity and saddness can also serve as opportunities for people to show the strength of their character when acting in the face of such evil. Of course, it is difficult to say how many people find the opportunity to express their strength in such circumstances. Movies might make us want to believe that there is always at least one person who's efforts bring about change, but for every such person there are innumerable others who are complicit. This is understandable when one considers how easy it is to "join the crowd" regardless of the severity of the circumstances. Or perhaps it is better but that it is more difficult to step out of the crowd since we are already in it.

And then there's me. Someone who has never faced such trying circumstances. While I am truly thankful for the life that I have had and my luck at having avoided such tragedy, I find that life is relative. So instead of needing to be sickened by such horrors going on immedieately around me, I can instead be sickened by the fact that Britney Spears takes so much of our attention (my own included). Maybe this visit to rehab (supposedly her 3rd in a week) along with her hair-free head and new tattoos will adequately prove that the girl has stuff to work out. Now if only we could figure ourselves out and why that guilty part of us cares. Maybe it is just a great place to shift our brains and emotions into neutral in the face of the true horrors that befal the planet and those on it every day. While I could complain that our relative wealth here in North America affords us that opportunity, one which others may not have, I know that people facing the most difficult hardships need diversions. Everyone deserves to be happy, whether affluent or destitute. This is by no means an attack on the excesses of our culture (since I partake in many), just some meandering thought on the different contexts from which we come. Essentially, a lot of hot air that clearly needed to escape.

If at first, the idea is not absurd, then there is no hope for it.

- Albert Einstein

Close to Home

When most things hit "close to home" they are usually touching us personally. In this case, I use the term literally. It's not even my home. Rather, it's my grandmother's home. She lives on the border with Minnesota. Specifically International Falls, the "Icebox of the Nation". They even have a giant thermometer to prove it. Well, it just goes to show that history isn't always enough in the face of changes in laws. It turns out the good folks of International Falls forgot to renew their trademark. In steps Fraser, Colorado trying to scoop up the title. Oh what a tangled web we weave.

Speaking of weaves: Britney is still without her hair and the salon is attempting to sell it directly along with, get this, the clippers used for the job and a crappy lighter and can of Red Bull that she left there. Minimum bid: $1,000,000. Please accept my previous closing and add: Shudder.

Unfortunately for you, the folks at Ebay are a scrupulous bunch. In some of the biggest-breaking non-news of the weekend, Britney Spears seems to be taking shore leave from the S.S. Sanity and in doing so has shaved her head. For all of 15 minutes this morning I had a link up to an Ebay auction for the hair she had cut off (it was up to $30,000US!). I can't quite say "the" hair because there were probably at least 10 auctions all touting the same person's hair. It didn't take the Ebayers long to cut off the auction (pun intended). What the hell kind of world are we living in anyway? Can't buy organic, but can bid 30 grand on hair?!

I have lamented the state of the environment before. Enter the Globe and Mail's New Climate Almanac, an interesting and lengthy (for online newspaper content) "compendium of curious facts, dire warnings and inspirations." From new technologies, to the terms used to describe it (Climate change? Global warming? Climate chaos?), it is an engaging read. Some parts that stood out to me: Acidification of the world's oceans as Climate chaos continues, solar technology designed to capture infrared instead of visible light and to be painted-onto surfaces and projects/communities like Drake Landing in Okotoks, Alberta that have adopted solar energy on a large scale. While there's lots of scary stuff happening, it's good to know that there are some new approaches that could help us lessen the effect we have on the world. Hopefully, in doing so, we'll lessen the effects the changes have on us.

Doin' some visitin'.

Be back soon.

Vultures

The business world has all sorts of shady folk. I trust it has even more respectable and responsible folk but this is not an example of the good that hopefully resides in even the worst people's hearts. Vulture Funds (named after the scavengers that circle the weak) are organizations that purchase debts in "distressed environments". Distressed environments may mean companies nearing bankruptcy or countries with large public debts. A small percentage of the paper value of a debt may be paid to take it over. The vulture fund then is responsible for trying to collect the entire debt (to both get their investment back and to make a profit). It's one thing when it is a company about to go bankrupt but something entirely different when it is a developing country in crisis. I feel like, in whichever case, the most vulnerable are the losers. In a business context this could be employees who would be less likely to receive compensation because the vulture fund is able to claim first. In the case of countries it is much more insidious. Vulture funds have sued countries and won payment of the debts owed. Zambia and its people are the most recent losers. In the face of widespread debt forgiveness, vulture funds have come in and won the right to be paid a portion of their outstanding debt. The money would otherwise be spent on badly-needed infrastructure, education and health services. How do we expect to eradicate debt and speed development when we have a financial system that facilitates taking resources from those who desperately need it? Grrrr...

Say it like you mean it

You know what's upon us. It's VD. You know, Valentine's Day, a crassly-commercialized opportunity to show the love for one another that we should show every day. Crassly-commercialized or not, it is an opportunity that is going to get acknowlegement and if you're going to celebrate it then you may as well do it right. In light of all of this a reminder of ways to be more in tune with the planet when showering your sweetheart with gifts.

Gifts are great, but what's better than spending time with the important people in your life? Don't waste your time working.

I hope that you all have the kind of VD you've always dreamed of. If you don't, then try just having the kind of day you've always dreamed of.

So, what'll it be? Postmarks from Love or Fidelity in advance of Valentines Day? Stories about the value of midday naps or a Kenyan school that sent students home because they weren't circumcised? Maybe the inevitability of failure (on some level anyway) when trying to figure out what someone else is thinking?

It's all got a place. Problem is: right now food has a place... In my stomach (in case you were wondering). I'm going to make sure it gets there.

Growing Old(er), Not Growing Up

I have always liked the quote:

Growing old is mandatory.
Growing up is optional.

- Chili Davis

I'd like to think that I live that in my daily life. I know that there are parts of me that fit with that quote and parts that don't. Still, I think it is a great goal in many ways.

The quote and the idea came to mind when I saw a short documentary about a game I remember from my childhood. This was not a film to remind people of their childhood but rather to show people who have taken that game and changed it to fit their current urban lives. The game is "Manhunt", a cross between hide-and-seek and tag. I used to play it a while back and most often in the woods or some other natural environment. Fast-forward to 2007: People are playing it many urban environments. Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Edmonton and even Perth, Australia. These are young adults (of which I consider myself one-even if it has the word "adult" in it), using their urban surroundings entirely differently from the way most people do. I think it's great for so many reasons. Maybe I should start a regular game in Kingston.

Green

Elizabeth May spoke at Queen's today. In case you don't know, she is the leader of the Green Party of Canada. Perhaps not surprisingly, she is very well spoken, passionate and knowledgeable. She spoke with a focus on the environment and climate change, again, not surprisingly. She also highlighted the fact that they are the only global political party in Canada with Green Party's existing in over 70 countries and that they are a complete party with platforms stretching beyond the environment. I personally have voted for them for a number of years. I mean, it's sad that I have known in each election that they will not win the seat they are contesting but if my vote doesn't count for anything then what's our democratic system good for? Speaking of democracy, the Green Party has created a site called Demand Democratic Debates with the goal of getting the Green Party into the Leader's Debates in advance of the next election (which may be coming soon... eeek!). Having seen her speak today, I think she would be a great addition to the debates and I have added my name to the petition. While I intend to continue to vote Green, it was comforting to hear that she believes Stephane Dion, the leader of the Liberal Party to be quite genuine in his support for environmental initiatives. I say that because they are the only party that has a chance of beating the Conservatives in the next election (whenever it happens). Hopefully that'll change someday and we'll see the Greens and the NDP battling it out to see who has the next majority government. I know, I won't hold my breath.

Hey Gramma! It's your Birthday!

For those of you wondering why I would share my Grandmother's birthday: She reads this blog just like you do. Yes, a real card is in the mail which will hopefully arrive today. See. I'm a good grandson. But this is one of those "0" birthdays and I thought it deserved a little extra attention. So, if you've got any extra birthday wishes floating around send them towards northwestern Ontario. I know they're always welcome.

Whoever said that math was a waste of time was wrong

What are you looking at? Not sure? Does this help?

- An = number of units of alcohol consumed
- S = smokiness of the room (graded from 0-10, where 0 clear air; 10 extremely smoky)
- L = luminance of 'person of interest' (candelas per square metre; typically 1 pitch black; 150 as seen in normal room lighting)
- Vo = Snellen visual acuity (6/6 normal; 6/12 just meets driving standard)
- d = distance from 'person of interest' (metres; 0.5 to 3 metres)

Still don't know what you're looking at? You are looking at the equation used to calculate the "beer goggle" effect. STILL don't know what I'm talking about? While I'm sure none of you have experienced it and I'm entirely sure that I haven't, I can explain this mysterious phenomenon to you (but not in the detail given above). Rather, the "beer goggle" effect is used to explain why someone who would not attract you when you are sober becomes more attractive after a few drinks. Thank goodness that someone finally got around to doing this research! Thank goodness that the BBC for sharing this important breakthrough with the rest of the world. I know I will sleep better knowing this.

A Life, in Quotes

Be what you are. This is the first step toward becoming better than you are.

- Julius Charles Hare

I could throw quotes at you forever. There are plenty that have touched me in one way or another over the years. I don't want to just toss someone elses words at you though. Of course it's not just tossing someone elses words since the insightful readers will know that the quotes I choose resonate with me. That may or may not mean that they apply to my current experience or betray my immediate thoughts. I guess you'll have to guess when you see quotes come up.

This particular quote I find deep in its simplicity. Whether it means more to me than that is your call. ;)

The secret of achievement is to hold a picture of a successful outcome in the mind.

-Thoreau

And so the weekend ends. I guess that makes this moment the true "weekend". My place is cleaner, I feel a little more organized and a little wiser. The wisdom comes from my (over) thinking and a little bit of the idiot box.

While tv is a nice companion sometimes, it's role as a companion means I waste too much time with it. Thankfully, there is the odd gem that makes me feel like my tv-watching was at least somewhat worthwhile. Last night, it was catching The Greatest Canadian Inventions. Run like The Greatest Canadian, candidates were shown and viewers had a chance to choose their favourites. For me, the best part was learning new things (as with the original). Who knew that there was a Canadian connection to everything from the light bulb to the Wonderbra, to plexiglass? I sure didn't. But now I do. All thanks to tv.

Now that I've been able to praise tv, I can return to the regularly scheduled programming of complaining about it's role in my life. Must. Stay. Away.

Justy Homemaker

The sky coughed up plenty of snow on our fine town today. Happy not to be driving, I spent my day cleaning. Yes, ladies and gents, I have reached the pinacle of blogging. I am talking about how I spent my day cleaning. Before you turn off your computer with a disappointed shake of your head, let me justify the boring subject matter. While it may seem like a lame justification, this clean-up has been healthy. No, I do not have fungus growing on my walls (that I know of). Instead, it was healthy because it made me do something that I don't have much experience with: purge. I'm talking about stuff, not lunch. I have long been in the habit of holding onto things that I may not really use but "I'm sure someone else could use, if only I could find the right person." Most people find "the right person" by donating things to charity. I have held tight. You know, just in case I suddenly am overcome with a need to where something that I haven't touched in YEARS. So, I've got stuff that's goin' out the door. That feels good, and if it feels good, do it.

Newsflash!

I know you all come here for your fill of late-breaking news. That's why without delay I had to tell you that spring is coming early! At least according to my good friends Shubenacadie Sam, Punxsutawney Phil and Wiarton Willie. Ok, good friends might be a bit of a stretch... They are, after all, groundhogs (or woodchucks to some). Still 3 out of 3 dentists agree... er, groundhogs agree, spring is set to come early.

Turns out they have a few friends I didn't know about (I don't know what they had to say about the arrival of spring):

- Brandon Bob in Manitoba
- Staten Island Chuck in New York
- Balzac Billy in Alberta
- Gary the Groundhog in Kleinburg, Ont.

Seems to me that the folks in Staten Island didn't get the memo. "Groundhogs/woodchucks must have alliterative names." Which one of the names is not like the other ones?

From a day calendar/piece of note paper (Thursday June 29, 2006 - to be exact).

Your work is to discover your world and then with all your heart give yourself to it.

- The Buddha Siddhartha Gautama (560-480 BC)

Stuff

For all: A website created to draw attention to an amazing effort. "Power 2 Cure" is meant to raise funds for cancer research at Princess Margaret Hospital (a hospital that is dedicated to treating those with cancer and searching for a cure). What are you doing for the next 7 weeks? Working? Sleeping? Playing? Richard Takata plans to run 7 marathons on 7 continents in 7 weeks! Doing so would be a world record and will hopefully help him reach his goal of raising $120,000 for PMH. I consider it an amazing effort and worthy of any attention I can draw to it.

For those with munchkins: A website for you and your little ones. "Sho, Mo and the Monkey Bunch" are a collection of artists that wanted to create music and entertainment for kids AND their parents. The website alone is... well, a barrel of monkeys. I'm sure their albums and concerts are very much the same.

Get a (virtual) Life!

We eat. We sleep. We work (if we're lucky). This could/does make Justin a dull boy. That's where escapes and diversions come in. For me it's... well, ultimate... photography... I'm inclined to spend some time click-click-clicking on the computer too (in case reading this blog wasn't a dead giveaway). Still, I like to think that my time on-line doesn't get in the way of my time in-life. Messenger and other on-line chat programs. Facebook, MySpace and the other social networking sites. While I pursue some of them, I consider them ways to maintain or develop the relationships I have with people I know in real life. For that, I am thankful.

There are so many diversions that seem to be relationships in-and-of-themselves. That is not to say some don't provide the opportunity to meet someone in person. I had a conversation with a friend about on-line dating sites such as Lavalife and how effective they can be at pulling people who are interested in similar things together in real life. While it wasn't exactly my point of view I understand. It's the things that create or at least maintain distance between people that I don't think are so great. Case in point: Second Life. This is a virtual world where people can be who/what they want (probably an interesting opportunity). Real money is even exchanged in this virtual world. In fact, the equivalent of over $1 Million USD has been exchanged IN THE LAST 24 HOURS! Real money, used to buy virtual money, used to buy virtual things to create a virtual life. The business side of it is certainly promising with over 3 million users and clearly plenty of money moving around. Real stores have opened up. Reuters has a Second Life news outlet and now, Sweden has an embassy. No real visas but real information. I hope that those who populate this world find it adds to there experience outside of it. As someone who is trying to add to their experience outside of the computer, I have trouble imagining the resources invested in something that is, at it's heart, another diversion. Then again, maybe the "real" activities and diversions that I pursue end up being very much the same. I guess I can't help but feel/trust/hope that investing in life outside of the computer I am investing in something more long-lasting and real. Maybe it's all virtual too (ahh the Matrix).

I know this is an incomplete musing leaving many spaces for well constructed comments critiquing my view. I'm cool with that. Comments are always welcome, even if you disagree with where I'm coming from (making you very clearly misguided and wrong). ;)

The Nut v. McDonalds

Prepare yourself of a tale of woe. Jimmy, our plucky, though sometimes odd hero taking on the mega-corporation... Wait! Wait! Wait!

Wrong story, this story is about the Brazil Nut and the Brazilian economy. It is not in competition with a clown-faced corporate foe (and for all I know, Raunchy Ron's doesn't even use meat from that region anymore, though they probably do). Rather, it is the cutting of the Brazilian rainforests for ranching purposes that is endangering the Brazil Nut. This little nut, that goes around minding it's own business, could serve as a financial opportunity for many rural communities and a way to inspire protection rather than destruction of the rainforest. I must admit, I learned lots from that article. That's me, always learning. Bettering myself for the benefit of the world around me... Oh wait, that's not it... Procrastinating. Now that's a better description. Still, did you know that there are trace amounts of a carcinogenic toxin on the shells of Brazil Nuts? I sure didn't. Still, I'm not going to let it keep me from nuts that could be a key to a sustainable source of revenue in the Amazon Basin. Maybe it's all a ploy by the cattle-lobby. ;) More nuts, less meat.

Getting Lucky

No, this isn't going to be THAT kind of blog post. You have such a dirty mind. Instead, for those of you who feel that luck passes you by, an article that talks about some tricks to help you catch the good luck before it moves on to someone else.

Beautiful Day

-16 degrees is not considered warm by many people. I'm not sure I'd like the people who do. Thankfully, cold doesn't necessarily have to mean bad. Today was a prime example. I couldn't help but take advantage of my proximity to Lake Ontario to stalk the mythical "Ghost Ferry". It was a successful hunt.



It was nice to be out snapping again. It had been too long and any reminder to find beauty where you might not have expected it is good as far as I'm concerned.

I know that I do, well... Stuff. Things to be proud of. Things not to be proud of. One thing I don't do, is ride 8000kms from the capital of Mongolia, Ulan Bator, to Calcutta, India on my bicycle. Thanks to the Banff Mountain Film Festival for reminding me that these opportunities are out there and some people take advantage of them.

Funny... Not Funny

Funny:

From a junk e-mail I received today:

Hi. I am tatyana, 25 y.o., I am single

Are you looking for relations?

Don't get me wrong, I know the English language is a difficult one. Still, I don't think there's anything wrong with finding some amusement in it.

Not Funny:

There is a legal battle that has been taking place in France regarding the distribution of free soup to the homeless. First reaction: Food for the homeless? Great idea! But then you find out that those distributing the soup are intentionally distributing pork-based soup to fight the "Islamicization" of France. While the French government has deemed it illegal because it discriminates against Muslims and Jews, the nationalist organization has vowed to continue distributing the soup from private property to avoid the ruling. It is just such a bloody shame to see those in need of support being used to make a political statement. Nobody wins. Least of all: the homeless.

Feeling more joyous than sorrowful (but recognizing the place for both), I like this Swedish proverb (I know... Swedish proverb?!)

Shared joy is double-joy, and shared sorrow is half-sorrow.

And now in it's native Swedish (thanks Phil!)

Delad glädje är dubbel glädje

Happy "Tell Them Day"!

Tell Them Day? Inspired by a Postsecret card, Tell Them Day is supposed to provide the added inspiration to share something with someone important to you that you haven't otherwise been able to tell them.

You know that thing you have been dying to tell someone? That thing you haven't been able to find the courage or the excuse to bring up? Well, now there's a day for it! tellthemday !

Who will you tell and what will you tell them?

We don't see things as they are, we see things as we are.

- Anaïs Nin

Give us this day, our daily bread...

I've mentioned my love for the Walrus before. And no, I am not talking about Paul or anything with tusks. My appreciation for this great Canadian magazine increased when last month's issue included a number of images and information from a book called Hungry Planet: What the World Eats. A wife and husband team (they're always husband and wife) visited 30 families around the world and photographed and listed all of the items each family consumed over the course of a week. Included were some calculations of the value of each of those food items. The value, quantity and quality differences are astounding. Find more information from the photographer/husband's website or from this article from U.S National Public Radio (which includes a few of the images). To see every food item consumed by each family every week is eye-opening in and of itself but the comparisions that can be made are shocking. If the old adage "you are what you eat" holds true, then I have fears for all of us.

The End of the World

Chicago is home to a rather peculiar clock. It is the warm-and-fuzzy-named "Doomsday Clock". Developed by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists at the end of World War II, it was designed to represent how close we as a planet were to Armageddon. Sad to think that the clock has never been more than 17 minutes from midnight (ie. The end of us all). Sadder yet that the clock was just moved to 11:55. That's just 5 minutes from... well, something bad. What's interesting is that the Atomic Scientists that maintain this scary timepiece included Climate Change in their calculations. No longer is nuclear annhialation the only way which we might conceivably bring about the end of the world, we've now added to the list. Aren't we imaginative? ;) Hopefully, we are in the midst of a sea change where Climate Change is being widely recognized as a threat to all of our well-being. Not to give the Canadian government any more credit than they deserve, there at least appears to be some understanding that what is happening is not good and doing something about it might not be such a bad idea (even if it's only to get votes).

Okay, that is enough conciousness-raising or being a downer (however you look at it). Now for something happy (literaly):

ataraxis

noun
the absence of mental stress or anxiety [syn: peace]

Makes for a much nicer way to end a post, don't you think? ;)

(More) Things that have made me smile so far today

- dry snow blowing off the roof of a house on the way to work, floating gently down towards the ground

- a student giving me a cheesy souvenir

- messenger

- the crunch and squeak of snow underfoot

- the irony that I give (really good) advice that I do not apply to my own circumstances

- a cheeky comment asking whether the cheesy souvenir was, in fact, cheese (It was actually a tiny clip-on Koala, holding a tiny boomerang and wearing an equally tiny "I love Australia" vest. They are clearly from the Netherlands ;) )

There you go. I've managed to get around to completing the tagging/labeling of all 206 posts. It was a bit of an interesting trip down memory lane. As a reader it would have it's own meaning. Having written it, there are the other parts, the background that returns. As much as I've said, you would have a hard time figuring out certain details of my life based on what I have written. That is the part that lets me be the mysterious of tall, dark and mysterious (was that supposed to be handsome?). Uh oh, I guess that means it makes me the mysterious of mysterious stranger (we all know I've got the stranger part down). I've got enough foibles (some coming to the fore) that I don't want to appear silly. I guess there's always more to anyone and I want to make sure that, good or bad, people around me know that.

I must admit, I'm somewhat embarassed at how many posts I labeled with "me". Then again, what is a blog besides a little useless navel-gazing? Thankfully, I've had plenty else. Lots of musings and plenty of links (I do like those links). I will declare my biases: based on my writing, every post could've probably had a "silly" label. Instead, I chose only to give those that stood-out that treatment.

Here's the breakdown so far:

factoids (23)
holiday (20)
links (92)
me (85)
musings (68)
photos (53)
quotes (5)
silly (30)
video (4)

P.S. Here's another post to add to the "me" pile. Sheesh! When will I get over myself? ;)

Earlier in the week I threw a quote at you as a way of avoiding sharing my thoughts directly. I recognize, though, that my selection of quotes belies my inner thoughts. Sure, I'm not baring my soul directly but I guess I am communicating a little more about myself than may be obvious at first glance. I promise not to communicate only in quotes but I am not going to stop sharing some now and then since they wouldn't be quotes if they didn't do a bang-up job of communicating someone's thoughts. If I happen to share those thoughts, then all the better. And feel free to add a (Wo) to the beginning of the quote. I don't think Gandhi would mind.

"Men often become what they believe themselves to be. If I believe I cannot do something, it makes me incapable of doing it. But when I believe I can, then I acquire the ability to do it even if I didn't have it in the beginning"

-Mahatma Gandhi

The weekend

"I dare you to milk an elephant."

Tequila shots with kiwi chasers.

Burritos.

Corkless wine miracles.

Scum.

State of the World

Enough of the state of me. I want to draw attention to the State of the World. Rather than mulling over the wonderful and terrible things going on around the planet I am actually drawing your attention to State of the World 2007 - An Urban Planet. Published by the Worldwatch Institute, this year's version of the annual volume "will show what is needed to foster sustainable cities." That would usually be reason enough to be posting about it but this time there's more. Yes more! Not only will you get a book that "presents a view of our changing world that we, and our leaders, cannot afford to ignore." You'll also receive, at no extra charge, a chapter written (in PART) by my very good friend Lena. Don't be the last on your block to get this life-changing book. Order yours... slowly... today.

To Lena: Way to go superstar!

Note: Sections in bold are not as straight-forward as they may appear. Think Rebus.

Slow Down You Move Too Fast,...

... You gotta make the morning last!

You might be feelin' groovy but that doesn't mean that things aren't flying by at a pace that you can't sustain (or just don't want to). Enter International Slow Down Week (January 14-20, 2007):

For one week, instead of running to catch the bus or zipping in and out of traffic, try walking to work. Instead of grabbing take-out on the way home, cook a meal with your family. Leave the TV and computer off, and play an old-fashioned board game, or just sit and catch up with family and friends. If possible, take a day off work -- and then while it away with a long walk and an afternoon nap.

Thanks to Adbusters for the reminder. I don't know if slow is necessarily the answer for me. Not to devalue the Slow Food, Slow Cities, Slow E-mail or Slow Sex Movements (Find more about these in Carl Honoré's In Praise of Slow(ness), or at the book's website and blog. By the way, the (ness) is for the American market. I feel like the important part is being deliberate, whatever your speed. I could use a good dose of deliberate in many aspects of my life at the moment. Maybe this, along with Goethe's Commitment will be a useful inspiration.

The question is: Do I deliberately stop clickity-clicking and head for bed, or do I rush out to by the book?

Ever wondered what was making news in, say, Slovenia? What about the Northern Mariana Islands? Maybe Guinea-Bissau? Wonder no longer. Mondo Times will help you find media from those countries and more. Go ahead, expand your bubble (just don't burst mine).

Bicenpostial

Another artificial milestone. Two hundred posts. It's hard to believe that I've had that much to say and share in the past year-and-a-bit.

As at many points on this journey, I'm at a transitionary point. Exciting? Sure. Challenging? Somewhat. Still, it's all part of the adventure. Perhaps this should be my "New Year's". This could be a point to make a resolution for the posts/year ahead. I guess I could come up with something to share with you but I'm resolutionless at the moment (and yes, I am aware of the irony of that situation in light of the content of what follows). Instead, I'm going to leave you with a great quote that was kindly sent my way after the last Goethe quote I posted. Maybe it will resonate with you as it has with me.

Commitment

Until one is committed,
There is hesitancy, the chance to draw back,
Always ineffectiveness.

Concerning acts of initiative (and creation)
There is one elementary truth
The ignorance of which kills countless ideas
And splendid plans:

That the moment one definitely commits oneself
Then Providence moves too.

All sorts of things occur to help one
That would never otherwise have occurred.

A whole stream of events issues from the decision,
Raising in one's favor all manner
Of unforeseen incidents and meetings
And material assistance
Which no man could have dreamt
Would come his way.

Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it.
Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.

Begin it now.

-Goethe

... of the year

Who gets to choose the ... of the year? I bet we could all get together and choose something. Holiday card of the year? Most embarrassing photo?

It seems there's some disagreement about who gets to choose the word of the year. In December, "Truthiness" was named the word of 2006 by the good folks at Merriam-Webster (dictionary publishers). But just today, "Plutoed" was chosen by the American Dialect Society as their word of 2006. While I'm entertained by "Truthiness" (a creation of Stephen Colbert of The Colbert Report), I think I'm more inclined to use "Plutoed" in a sentence. "To pluto" is:

"to demote or devalue someone or something, as happened to the former planet Pluto when the General Assembly of the International Astronomical Union decided Pluto no longer met its definition of a planet."

I imagine we've all been "plutoed" at one time or another. I know I have.

Who's to say that dictionary publishers or professional word geeks should have the final say on the word of 2006? What's yours?

UPDATE: It turns out that the folks at Merriam-Webster may not be as good as I thought. The American Dialect Society selected "Truthiness" as their word of 2005, a full 11 months before M-W chose it. Hmmm, there's some word wackiness afoot here.

In order to avoid delving into my own psyche I am going to provide you with another quote to chew on.

Things which matter most must never be at the mercy of things which matter least.

-Goethe

A quote for all of us (politicians especially)

You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.

-R. Buckminster Fuller

Leave it to... UPDATED

- Vanity Fair to tell me that Russians drink, on average, 4 GALLONS of vodka per year.

- The Globe and Mail to tell me that Algeria is Canada's largest trading partner in Africa and the Middle East.

- Columnist Dave Barry to tell me that the United States has a "strategic helium reserve" in case they ever have a sudden need for a fleet of dirigibles.

- The Cornwall Standard Freeholder to tell me that the average income of the 100 top-paid Canadian corporate executives by 6pm on January 2nd is $70,000.

- My mother to tell me I'm cool, and my brother to kindly echo the sentiment in the comments.

- TV to tell me that I'm not cool.

- Me to tell me that this is silly (and the internet can be bad for your brain).

"It's the most wonderful time of the year."

No. Stop. This is not a Christmas song! Sure, Christmas was a wonderful time with friends and family but it is not the focus of my attention at the moment. Rather, I'm talking about this being a busy time at work. Lots of late nights this week but well worth it (remind me of this statement if I fall ill). The busy times tend to be the most fulfilling for me, even as I embrace my ability to waste time. Thankfully, busy for me often means knowing I've helped people out and who doesn't feel good about that? Yes, I know. Scrooge and Mr. Burns, that's who. Quit answering my rhetorical questions! ;)

Would you like to find out more about... well, everything? If you think I come up with links, check out Arts and Letters Daily. Updated six times a week, there's something for most inquiring minds. If you can't find something that interests you, you're either not trying hard enough or you're sleeping.

Quickie

Just letting you know I'm back in Kingston working away (was in 'til 11 last night). I'll type more at you soon.

Happy New Year!

A quick note wishing those of you who have already celebrated it, and those who have yet to (and those who go on different calendars who celebrate it at an entirely different time), a Happy New Year!

Housekeeping

No, I am not knocking at your door so that I can come in and clean. That would be "Housekeeping!" Instead, just letting you know that due to some new functions with my blog host I am able to add tags to each post. As such, you'll see tags at the end of each post. By following one you can find other similarly themed posts. Just a note, I've just started adding these tags and I have 190 posts to go through. Hopefully the holiday spirit will encourage you to give me some slack if not everyone of my posts has tags immediately. If slack is too much to ask, then you can... do whatever you want, it's your life. I'll get to them in my own sweet time.

Want it? Can't have it!

It's the strangest thing. While I am really enjoying my holiday and time spent with friends and family, I feel as though everywhere I am, I want to be somewhere else. Everyone that I see, makes me want to see someone else.

I have been truly lucky to spend my holiday in great places with great people but I still find myself longing for other experiences. That being said, I am not doing anything in particular to make the "other experiences" a reality. I can only believe that that is due in part to the fact that I am enjoying myself and what I'm doing.

It may be part of a larger personality trait that I carry with me, the fear of committing to any one thing. I feel like I worry about missing out on some other experience or connection and that keeps me from making the most of those things that I choose to do and getting the most out of the time I spend with those who are important to me.

Maybe I need to be able to compartmentalize better, to see the present experience as the whole experience. "Live in the now." I do like the essence of that quote. It may be a life-long goal to bring myself more in line with it's advice. Still, I recognize that I wouldn't be me if I were to completely shift away from my tendency to (over)analyze. I guess this is where balance comes in. Time then, for me to go test the balance beam.

To those, I've seen over the holiday: It has been a pleasure. To those that I won't get to see: I am sorry we have missed each other but am thankful for our connection (I mean, you wouldn't be reading this if we weren't connected).

Merry Happy Christmas!

Warm wishes to all of you. Joyeux Noël! En God Jul!

Now that you've read that, stop ignoring your family, get away from the computer and get back to eating!

In light of the season, this may be a timely quote:

The time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time.

-Bertrand Russell

Light at the End of the Tunnel

Your life is going to improve. Your days are going to seem brighter. Wait... Your days will be brighter. In fact, you've got about 182 days that will continue to brighten. Hopefully, in doing so, your days will brighten too.

Oh ya, it's also time for the holiday that many folk have likely been looking for (unless you're stuck in retail or a hospital or some other such thing). A holiday may just be the light at the end of the tunnel that you were looking for. I know I'm not complaining.

Happy Holidaying!

Human Nature

First of all, I'm wary of a term like "Human Nature" because it makes a broad assumption that humans share particular thought processes. It's kinda like "common sense", besides the assumption that people share a broad belief it also implies that the majority belief (the "common" part of "common sense") is the way to go.

I will cop to the fact that these terms do serve us. If we could not paint aspects of our world with a wide brush we might be quickly overwhelmed by the minutiae and detail associated with it all. It does serve a purpose. There, I said it. Still, I think it is important that we approach things consciously and remain prepared to ask questions.

Ok, that tirade out of the way. Now to the reason that I was posting, Global Warming. Clearly this is going to be an uplifting post. ;)

I've been lucky enough to start my holiday early and am in the big city. Sunday was almost 13 degrees! That's WAY over the "normal" temperature for this time of year. The problem lies in the fact that at this time of year, plenty of people think "if this is global warming, then give me a double-helping." Of course, "this" isn't global warming and no, we don't want "seconds". Maybe the name is part of the problem. If it had been called Global Cooling then when the weather gets particularly bitter, people might support the fight against it. That would only be a half-answer as the weather 6 months from now might make people ask for it rather than fight it. The fact is: it's not Global Cooling. The changing weather patterns with more and more intense storms and "weather events" are more representative of the effects of Global Warming than just mere changes in temperature.

It seems to, all too often, come down to if and how it affects us. Perhaps that is why it so often takes disasters to spur us to respond rather than forward planning. I wish that were not the case, particularly when it is something that affects everyone who lives on this planet.

Until we do recognize it, I'll be wandering in this "unseasonably" warm weather. I wonder how long we'll be able to call anything "unseasonable"?

Ads, ads everywhere!

Consider this an incomplete tirade as I'm not going to take the time to target our crass consumerism around the holiday period. Instead, I'm focussing on the "viral" nature of advertising and what may or may not be considered effective. Dove has effectively used Youtube, as have many others. At least in many cases you can watch or look at something and know immediately it is an ad. Sometimes though, they are a little sneakier. Take "Will it blend?" for example. This is a site where a guy regularly puts things in the blender to answer the age-old question "Will it blend?". While it might have been simply entertainment, and it can be entertaining, there are enough links to information about the brand of blender for me to feel pretty comfortable that this is all meant to drum-up business. Still, if you make something interesting/entertaining/stupid enough that people feel the need to blog about it, watch it, or whatever then maybe you're just an advertising genius and we should bow down before you and buy six copies of your latest product (one for all of our friends) and get all excited about the new model coming out in '07. ;) That, or maybe we should just watch it, enjoy it, but take it (like everything) with a grain of salt.

It's that time of year again

While it is the holiday season, that's not what I'm talking about. As we get near the end of the calendar year, lists start appearing. Best music, worst movies, longest fingernails, whatever. I actually find it kinda fun. Sure, it's arbitrary but it's an interesting way to revisit a year. It can serve as a reminder of many other goings-on. It is also one last chance for things that wouldn't otherwise warrant further recognition to see the light of day. Thus, the BBC brings you: 100 things we didn't know this time last year. Interesting, entertaining, and stuff that wouldn't have necessarily made the news here in Canada or beyond the UK. Enjoy!

I am a multitude

I love that I can consider myself a socially-responsible person and can still find this article funny.

Postsecret

I may have already shared with you my love for Postsecret. I have had a link to it along the side --> for about as long as this blog has existed but I don't know whether it has received any introduction.

It began as an art project by Frank Warren, of Germantown, Maryland, USA. He distributed 3000 blank postcards to people in all manner of ways. Each invited the person to share their deepest secrets anonymously on the back of the postcard. A simple, yet hugely effective project. I seem to recall hearing about it through the BBC. As of the time of writing, the site (which posts a new collection of postcards each Sunday) has received 54574779 hits. In case you have trouble figuging it out without some commas in there, that is OVER 54 MILLION hits. Needless to say, that's more than my blog by a few orders of magnitude. Postcards arrive from around the world. This though, was not some effort at fame. Frank has conciously chosen not to allow advertising on the site, which surely would bring in quite a sum of money. Still, money is important, though in this case, not specifically for Frank and his family. Instead, any requests for support have been in support of Hopeline, a US-based suicide prevention call centre. It is obvious through both the postcards and responses that this endeavour has benefited many people and likely helped them choose to avoid such an end.

Even when it is not touching on issues of such import, Postsecret serves as an outlet for thousands and for those that choose not to send their secrets, an opportunity to realize that their secret does not make them an outsider. Instead, they can see through the secrets of others, that they are part of a large international community.

Speaking of community, a secret was posted last week by someone who found solace going alone to movie theatres but held out hope and the belief that they would connect with another person sharing their experience. An e-mail response was posted not long after from someone who said that they would be at the movies that night and would love to meet. As neither knew which city (or even country) the other was in, the e-mailer signed their message "waiting with a white hat". This inspired others to attend movies with a white hat to represent their openness to connecting with others there. It even inspired the development of a blog White Hat Stories. In just over a week it has garnered responses from around the world and already seems to have inspired many. While so many sad things happen in this world, efforts like this are a wonderful reminder of the caring that exists in so many people's hearts.

Also note that there are two (with a third on the way) Postsecret books. A poigniant holiday gift, perhaps? Everyone has or has had secrets. Maybe something like this might be just the inspiration necessary to let it go.

Navigation

To those of you who are directionally deficient, assistance with navigation could be really helpful. Now imagine you're trying to find your way through the byzantine maze that is the Canadian medical system. What about when dealing with a potentially deadly disease like cancer? While I don't have any particular plans to leave my current vocation, I was genuinely interested in the positions of "patient navigators" mentioned in this article. I enjoy the work I do, in large part, because I get to help people. I feel like the support that these "patient navigators" provide is indispensable to those who find themselves in need of their services. It seems that problem-solving is only part of the process. Recognition as a human being, sadly, is also an area of service that they provide. I am amazed at how easily such an integral part of someone's well-being can be overlooked. There are enough studies out there that point to people's mental state directly influences their health and well-being that treating someone as a number just doesn't seem to cut it. Everybody wants the people they interact with to be invested in them. What about when your life is at stake? What happens if the person leading you on the journey doesn't (seem to) care about who you are? I don't think that would be good for my journey back to good health and so I can't imagine it would be good for others (I'm clearly very self-centered). So cheers, to "patient navigators" who can advocate on behalf of people at the time when they can probably most use such support.

Equality and Human Rights

Sounds like a no-brainer, eh? Especially in a developed country like Canada, right? Well, it's not quite that rosy. This Sunday, December 10, is International Human Rights Day. This is truly a day that should be recognized across the planet but here in our own backyard, the government's decisions to take funding away from Status of Women offices throughout the country, as well as the decision not to support a National Childcare system are prime examples of less than equitable treatment. So, on Sunday, there will be a march in support of Women's rights, Equality and Justice at our Supreme Court. In case you won't be in our Nation's Capital this weekend, find out what you can do through the Canadian Feminist Alliance for International Action. It's a shame that such events and efforts are even required. I'd love to imagine a day when the world would be equitable without the constant efforts of many. Love to, but you won't find me holding my breath.

Thanks to "Chipy" for drawing my attention to what's going on.

Status of Women

Our Conservative government has just ended funding for Status of Women offices throughout the country. It is a sad step, and one who's idiocy is highlighted by today's anniversary. Since 1991, December 6 has been known as the National Day for Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.

I believe there is still a great need for the efforts of an office like the Status of Women. I hope that those who govern our country, regardless of their political stripes will recognize that and act.

...

If today were International Talk Like a Ninja Day then the title of this post would be the extent you would hear. Luckily, it's actually International Creep Like a Ninja Day which means you can make all the noise you want as long as you move around stealthily. To some, it is merely Day of the Ninja. While this kind of day is just my thing, I am saddened that it comes to blows with another day that is close to my heart, none other than International Talk Like a Pirate Day. It appears that there's some bad blood between the Ninjas and the Pirates. Can't we all just get along? Imagine if the two groups could work together. What a world we would live in. I'll leave you to picture the utopia.

Is Red turning Green?

So who amongst you is going to give me my cricket primer? One measly response from a librarian that finds cricket too boring to figure out. Sad. This is a chance to expand your bubble immeasurably. ;)

In the world outside of cricket, some of you may know that Stéphane Dion was chosen to be the new leader of the Liberal Party of Canada. He was a "dark horse" in that he wasn't really expected to win going into this weekend's convention. While he may not have been my personal first choice, there are some good reasons why he was chosen. One area of particular interest to me is his environmental credentials. Well, who am I to speak about credentials? Having said that, he was the Minister of the Environment. He and his family also have a husky named "Kyoto". In this case it is in reference to the Environmental Accord of the same name and not the city itself. I can only hope that he will represent a clear alternative to many of the Harper government's misguided efforts (in my opinion, of course) especially with relation to the environment. Maybe, just maybe, the Liberal Red will turn an Environmental Green. Just in time for Christmas too. :)

I probably shouldn't be wading into politics and should keep my pedantic, self-centred mumblings to myself. Then again, this would be a damn boring blog if I did.

Going to the GTA

Chew on this while I'm gone.

I expect you to know all about cricket by the time I get back.

Not looking good to me

Today I saw something that fills me with fear. It is not related to what has been going on in my life recently. Rather, it was an article in today's Globe, "Water is the new oil: CIBC". When the business section of the paper starts telling people to invest in privatized water schemes because they are bringing in lots more money and are in-line for unprecedented investment (which the public sector won't be able or willing to make), I worry. When they make the point of ensuring people know that the world isn't running out of water, just that a small minority of us have access to it, I worry. When they don't highlight the fact that the very privatization that they are encouraging is likely to worsen the inequalities of access, I worry. One point, that is bound to set others to worry, is the note that the cost of water in the "industrialized world" has been increasing to bring it more in line with the actual costs. This has the capability of lessening the access gap. Still, shouldn't safe access be a right? Is the "free market" in the business for providing for people's rights? I'll let you answer that question yourself.

A childhood friend died this weekend.

We had not maintained close contact but had crossed-paths in the past couple of months. It is almost impossible for me to imagine though, the grief that his family and close friends are confronting. My thoughts are with them.

It is in times of tragedy that I am all too often reminded of the importance of living life to it's fullest. I feel an inherent guilt in tying someone's intense loss to my approach to day-to-day life. That being said, it was wisely pointed-out to me that many of us want to have a positive impact on the lives of those around us. I know that is very clearly the case for me. While I have failed miserably at it at points in the past (and even quite recently), I know that I still want it to be true. So, if I knew that even in my dying I could help others revisit their approach to living, I would be happy knowing that. I'd like to think that my friend would think that too.

It has certainly reminded me of the importance to express to those around me the important role that they play in my life. I don't think that is ever a bad idea. Still, I have taken much for granted and want to try to continue to live consciously. Conscious of myself and of those around me. Except consciousness is not enough. Maybe "active consciousness" is more important. Being conscious of things sometimes just make me over-analyze. Even having thought things through, I have failed in their application. To those who have been on the receiving end, I apologize. To the rest of you, I hope that my muddled thinking provides you with a moment of clarity on your own approach to living.

It's Friday

There was a time when my week was framed by Tuesday (the day that new music comes out) and Friday (new movie day-usually). Okay, it probably wasn't that long ago. Okay, it was last week. Okay, it's right now.

While I haven't been watching too many movies of late I still like to keep up-to-date on what is hip, happening and cool (or so the director's mother says). That doesn't apply just to movies. I try and stay up-to-date on plenty. That's why I find myself reading lots of different sources for news. Maybe I'm expanding my bubble.

Whether I am trying to burst my bubble or procrastinate from, well... just about anything, I do touch in to different things. Don't worry, this is where it comes back to movies. While a quick look at Rotten Tomatoes is good to get the overall feel of a movie based in the reviews of plenty of critics, some people do better with finding a critic with whom they share an affinity (for David Hasselhoff, perhaps) and listening to them. Well, I can't say that I've necessarily found that "perfect critic". Seems like an oxymoron anyway. What I have found is the most interesting approach to reviews I've seen in a long time. No, they haven't replaced the tried-and-true "thumbs up" or "thumbs down". Instead they go into greater detail than I've seen before. Now maybe I should've seen this coming based on the source but I have a tendency not to see obvious things coming sometimes. In this case, the source is the Christian Science Monitor. Not considering myself particularly Christian, I could have immediately considered such a publication out of my area of interest. But the CS Monitor is widely read and widely respected. While I have read a number of their articles, I had not ever seen their movie reviews, that is, until today. This is where it falls more in line with what I might have expected from a publication called the Christian Science Monitor (this is not a judgment, just recognition). Listing the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) rating isn't enough in the case of many of their reviews. They go all out:

Sex/Nudity: 18 scenes, including frank talk about sex, graphic depiction of sexual activity, and full-frontal male nudity. Violence: 3 comic scenes. Profanity: 42 harsh profanities. Drugs/Alcohol/Tobacco: 4 scenes with drinking.

Think you can figure out that one? What about:

Sex/Nudity: 4 instances of innuendo. Violence: 6 scenes. Profanity: 24 mild expressions. Drugs/Alcohol/Tobacco: 2 instances of drinking.

I dunno, I might be inclined to watch the movies just to try to add them all up. Not tonight though. Good luck figuring it out.

More days

I mentioned it last year and, remarkably, it has come around again. "What?!" you ask. Why Buy Nothing Day, of course. It is both Friday and Saturday this year, depending on your locale. Really, it could be any day of the year. You could declare every Thursday to be Buy Nothing Day. This is not necessarily a money-saving event but rather a planet saving one. At least that is the intent of many. Why now? Well, tomorrow is known as "Black Friday" in the 'States. Unlike the many other associations with Black that are negative (Black Tuesday, the Black Plague, Conrad Black etc.), this is supposed to represent a positive. It is the supposed day where businesses go from being in debt (in the Red) to making a profit (in the Black). And in a country where nobody needs an excuse for a sale

(case in point, what is recognized in Canada as Remembrance Day in Canada and Armistice Day in many other parts of the world is Veteran's Day in the U.S. and darn if you weren't going to find yourself some great deals at Macy's or Walmart or some such place if you honoured the fallen by dropping some coin)

"Black Friday" is another occasion to shop. So it is, that "Buy Nothing Day" was moved from it's original September home to counter some of the energy around this shop-stravaganza. I'll do my damndest to follow the tennets of BND but I question my own dedication to the cause. How could I not as the owner of my very own auto-car, computadora and host of other toys? Still, awareness is always a start. One just has to avoid the scourge of indifference if they want to create change. Indifference is a truly dangerous reaction to evil and sadness in the world. This was the theme of a speech last night by Elie Wiesel. While he spoke from his experience in the holocaust I do not find it any great stretch to see the dangers we still find ourselves in to which we react with indifference. Global warming seems to me to be the big one since nobody can escape it. Still, I, and infinite others, go about the day's business with scarcely a thought. Maybe we should all think conciously about our mantra

(mantra |ˈmantrə; ˈmän-| noun (originally in Hinduism and Buddhism) a word or sound repeated to aid concentration in meditation. • a Vedic hymn. • a statement or slogan repeated frequently : the environmental mantra that energy has for too long been too cheap.).

We seem to meditate on the repetition of "convenience, convenience, convenience". What sort of mantra suits me better? Sadly, I feel like "silly, silly, silly" fits the bill at the moment but I know with some time and concious thought I can come up with something better.

In terms of awareness building, here is some press BND 2006 has received.

Further to awareness, or lack thereof, it turns out that I missed my 1 year blogging anniversary. We are one! With 180-some-odd posts and plenty of useless links. It actually happened on the 17th but better late than never. In fact, our family motto, not mantra, is "Late, but in earnest."

I must admit that I am surprised at myself for continuing this blogging adventure as regularly as I have for the past year. Often journaling has trailed-off with me in the past. Probably because I'm "just" writing it for me. I don't have the responsibility to others that I have here. So, I guess it's time to thank you for figuratively holding a whip to my... fingers and keeping me on task. Maybe a little more of that might help me get rid of the first part of the motto and just be "in earnest". As long as it's not Ernest Goes to Camp. Shudder.

Any Day

Sadly, World Toilet day has flowed by but it is not the only day worth celebrating. I am amazed at the range of momentous events that fall on any given day. We all have our "bubble". Within it we are keenly aware of the goings-on. Birthdays, anniversaries, news-making events. The question is: How big is our bubble? I imagine that many of our bubbles include just a small fraction of moments of note for any given day. Take tomorrow (November 22) for example. There are those (much older than I) who might have an immediate reaction to that day. Why? John F. Kennedy was assassinated on that day in 1963. But, on that same day, just last year, Angela Merkel became the first female Chancellor of Germany. It seems that narrowing our scope can very tangibly effect how we perceive any moment. Does that mean that we should always look at the "big picture"? Maybe we'd feel more balanced. Maybe, we'd just be overwhelmed trying to process so many things. I think we all find our own balance. I'm still working on finding mine. I try to see the "big picture" but risk losing some of the focus on the more immediate. Where do you fit in?

By the way, for those of you trying to look "big picture", the 22nd is also Lebanese Independence Day and the anniversary of the death of Blackbeard the pirate (a good day for law abiding sailors in the Caribbean in the early 1700's but a bad day for Global Warming).

Today's post was brought to you by the letters a-z, the numbers 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 0, a handful of punctuation and Wikipedia.

Day of Days

Of all the things that we celebrate, this should be the most important. It is something that touches our lives every day. In fact, if it doesn't we usually start to worry. As something we probably don't want to live without, we still don't like to see too much of it. It is known as "The Great Equalizer". You'll likely spend three years of your life with it. Avoiding it can make you sick. You may be surprised to know that it is considered musical and that most "sing" in the tone of E flat. It is a space where people look for solace, while others share intimate experiences. It shouldn't be but once a year, but yet today is World Toilet Day.

There is humour out there, in spite of everything... and I just found some

I know, hours have barely passed since I posted about a devastating disease that has touched too many lives and acknowledged the effects it can have on it's victims and their family and friends. But to consider such things is not to give up on the life we lead (as was so effectively highlighted in the Globe).

Maybe, just maybe, if there is any truth to the old adage "laughter is the best medicine" then this might be a good treatment for all of us (at least those who have high speed internet). Having posted a previous video of his I couldn't help but share a few laughs. "Jump in my Car" is an Aussie tour de force by the one and only "Hoff". It starts a little slower than "Hooked on a Feeling" but it's still worth a view. My brother may have done a great job in spoofing the dove "Evolution" ad but the Hoff seems to parody himself. It takes a strong person to do that. Strong, or downright stupid.

Lives (Being) Lived

Earlier this week a friend was mentioning how they enjoy reading the "Lives Lived" section of the Globe and Mail. Morbid curiosity was not the inspiration. Rather, it was the recognition that everyone has lived a life. Some are long and fulfilling. Others we, all too often, feel should have lasted longer.

It was that discussion that came to mind today as I checked the Globe online to find a report about Cancer. In particular, they follow a day in the life of those "dying from and living with cancer". That day was June 15, 2006, almost one year to the day that my grandfather fell victim to cancer. My day has been spent on the mundane tasks of cleaning-up after renovations which can be seen in a positive or negative light. Sure, it is a rare fool that looks kindly on cleaning but it can be seen as a sign of a life of following the path that we had in mind (minus the maid). So it was, that I spent my day cleaning, thinking of my grandfather and reading the stories of June 15.

The introduction explains things well and is an important preview:

"What you are about to read may sadden and disturb you. It may galvanize and inspire you. It is a window into the all-too-common reality of cancer that cries out for understanding."

There is a deep sadness that is inevitably associated with such a topic. But more importantly, it is a frank sharing of lives lived and those still being lived. It too reminds us of all those lives that are associated with the 70,000+ people who die of cancer each year.

Back... And Still Tired

Still back and still tired. Luckily, I'm not still without a kitchen sink. It seemed like I could start cleaning and not risk everything getting dusty again. The good news is that my house will not have been this clean in a long time. Will write more soon. G'night.

Back... And Tired

Quebec is great! The conference went very well. The weather did not. Nor did the renovations on my apartment. As such, it was not a particularly restful return. Oh well, c'est la vie.

Photos and further stories are forthcoming.

A+

No, I did not do particularly well on a pop quiz. Instead, I am saying "A plus tard" or "until later". Why the French? Because I'm heading to Quebec City for a conference in less than 10 hours. No more posting 'til I get back (most likely anyway). In the meantime, you should know that the coming week is International Education Week so educate yourself... Internationally to celebrate.

Guiness World Records Day

How was your day? Do anything interesting? Exciting? Did you join the thousands in Paris who were trying to kiss their way into the Guiness Book of World Records? What about the 1715 who "can-can-ed" outside the Hummingbird Centre in Toronto? Zorbing in NZ? Putting rattlesnakes in your mouth in NYC? Perhaps it was joining the undead in the largest "Thriller" dance. I wish I could say that anything I did would put me in a record book, Guiness or otherwise. Not today.

If you're going to do something silly, and we all do silly things, why not get recognized for it? I wonder if I can get recognized for my monkey impressions?

:) :(

In light of my brother's new-found celebrity (their video has now been viewed 5196 times and discussed on MTV Canada) I am sad to say that my most recent brush with worldwide recognition is a no-go. Some of you might remember about a month ago I mentioned that a nameless magazine (with the name of the New Yorker) had contacted me about publishing one of my photos from Zipolite, Mexico. Well, I was patient, but after a month with no further word I sent an e-mail asking where things stood. Sadly, they went ahead without my photo. It seems they had two from the same area and had to cut one. Mine. In the good column, it was a cool experience and the art director said he'd keep an eye on my work because he found me "so easy to work with." :) Now I just need to get out taking pictures that might be of interest. Clearly I need to go on a trip. ;)

Beauty UPDATED

I have dabbled with promoting things to you and I have dabbled with video (Oh Hoff, how you entertain me). Well, now I am going to bring the two together.


As altruistic as the ad may be (and sorry to those without high-speed internet and flash-player downloaded that can't see it, that's you gramma), I am not trying to sell you on anything that Dove does. I do consider this an effective ad, but wouldn't have thought twice about including it in my blog if it weren't for my wonderful and talented brother. You see, he and his friends have adapted that ad to fit their view. I think they've done an AMAZING job which is highlighted by having seen the original. Technically outstanding and thought-provoking to boot.

Sadly, it's not online yet so you'll have to start with the original. The spoof is posted so here it is:

What Month is This?

Before you ask, I didn't fall victim to a horrible cheese accident that left me in a coma, where upon waking I didn't know who I was or what month it is. In fact, nothing terrible has befallen me at all, unless you include the continued lack of carpet in my living room and tile in my kitchen.

So, back to the month. I know, I know, it's November, right? Wrong! It's Movember. I have The Walrus (not Paul) to thank for drawing my attention to this misunderstanding about our calendar. Movember is the month of the Moustache. Supposedly, we have Australia to thank for the month of Movember. Sure, there's plenty of reason just to celebrate the "lip caterpillar" but they are also using the month as a way to draw attention to male health issues like prostate and testicular cancers and male depression. Movember isn't just a month though, it's also a challenge. Participants have to shave clean at the beginning of the month and "go mo" for the rest of the month. On top of that, they can get donations to support the cause. Awareness. Fundraising. Moustaches. Seems like a great combination. It's not just happening in the rest of the Commonwealth, the Canadian Movember site is focusing their fundraising on the Princess Margaret Hospital (a renowned cancer treatment centre in Toronto).

Now I know I've opened myself to something vaguely troubling. I get the feeling like I may receive a response from my faithful readership asking why I am not asking for sponsorship. Do I consider my work done by drawing attention to this through my blog? Maybe. Could I be convinced to "go mo"? Perhaps. You can be sure that any votes for my participation would have to come along with donations. You know, put your money where my mouth is. I'll mull it over. You do the same.