A new piece in the corner of my living room. Here's the wood stove in all it's electrical glory!Note: The candle on top is real.
Thursday, March 30, 2006
the Wood Stove
A new piece in the corner of my living room. Here's the wood stove in all it's electrical glory!Note: The candle on top is real.
Sunday, March 26, 2006
Making It Up As I Go Along #211
MONDAY…
--- Around the house for a bit until it’s time to take the parents to the airport. We drop by Price Club or Costco, or whatever you call that thing, on the way. Then it’s home for some down time before work.
--- Work is alright. Get good burgers from the Works for supper and go for a walk with Linda Jackson at 10:00.
TUESDAY…
--- After a bumpy start to the work day, I get on alright. Pretty much a quiet thing before and after work.
WEDNESDAY…
--- Busy day at work and I didn’t sleep much last night either so I’m sort of dragging myself through. But I think things end alright all the same.
--- Walks at work are back on the menu with Linda these days.
THURSDAY…
--- Longish day for real. I pretty well start work a half hour early because I need to talk with Christine (the other CNI leader) about stuff before she leaves… and then I’m caught an extra ten minutes or so at the end of the night too. But still it’s alright, a fairly interesting day.
FRIDAY…
--- Work a 12 to 8 day and it’s pretty good. Birthday greetings throughout the office and cake and a card from my team are all helping in making the goodness I mention. Not that it’s my birthday today but whatcha gonna do?
SATURDAY…
--- Quiet day around the house with some movies… and then a period of the hockey game… followed by going out to the movies with Karl. Ultraviolet is cheesy and not overly good (not about to win any Oscars for sure) but it’s a guilty pleasure kind of movie with some cool special effects.
Birthday Weekend
Friday:
Celebrity like popularity
With waves and wishes
A card signed by many
And laughing, smiling, friendly faces waiting for cake.
And a first meeting in a week
With a friend once seen much more.
A dollar spent and a quick note written
Sometimes no more is needed in a present
Saturday:
Sitting in the room
With the woodstove glowing
Quiet conversations
With pauses of silence.
Nothing outside
No car or voice.
No TV or stereo within
Only us and the dim warmth in the corner.
Sunday:
In one of our pauses I glance
And the clock flicks to midnight.
A new year begins but we let it go unspoken.
The conversation picks up again after a sip.
Daylight brings some e-mails
And a phone call from family.
Even when I’m all alone,
Well wishes and contacts bring people close.
And with the sun shinning bright
And an afternoon movie planned with a friend.
All in all, over a three day stretch,
Not a bad way to turn another year older.
--- Around the house for a bit until it’s time to take the parents to the airport. We drop by Price Club or Costco, or whatever you call that thing, on the way. Then it’s home for some down time before work.
--- Work is alright. Get good burgers from the Works for supper and go for a walk with Linda Jackson at 10:00.
TUESDAY…
--- After a bumpy start to the work day, I get on alright. Pretty much a quiet thing before and after work.
WEDNESDAY…
--- Busy day at work and I didn’t sleep much last night either so I’m sort of dragging myself through. But I think things end alright all the same.
--- Walks at work are back on the menu with Linda these days.
THURSDAY…
--- Longish day for real. I pretty well start work a half hour early because I need to talk with Christine (the other CNI leader) about stuff before she leaves… and then I’m caught an extra ten minutes or so at the end of the night too. But still it’s alright, a fairly interesting day.
FRIDAY…
--- Work a 12 to 8 day and it’s pretty good. Birthday greetings throughout the office and cake and a card from my team are all helping in making the goodness I mention. Not that it’s my birthday today but whatcha gonna do?
SATURDAY…
--- Quiet day around the house with some movies… and then a period of the hockey game… followed by going out to the movies with Karl. Ultraviolet is cheesy and not overly good (not about to win any Oscars for sure) but it’s a guilty pleasure kind of movie with some cool special effects.
Birthday Weekend
Friday:
Celebrity like popularity
With waves and wishes
A card signed by many
And laughing, smiling, friendly faces waiting for cake.
And a first meeting in a week
With a friend once seen much more.
A dollar spent and a quick note written
Sometimes no more is needed in a present
Saturday:
Sitting in the room
With the woodstove glowing
Quiet conversations
With pauses of silence.
Nothing outside
No car or voice.
No TV or stereo within
Only us and the dim warmth in the corner.
Sunday:
In one of our pauses I glance
And the clock flicks to midnight.
A new year begins but we let it go unspoken.
The conversation picks up again after a sip.
Daylight brings some e-mails
And a phone call from family.
Even when I’m all alone,
Well wishes and contacts bring people close.
And with the sun shinning bright
And an afternoon movie planned with a friend.
All in all, over a three day stretch,
Not a bad way to turn another year older.
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Making It Up As I Go Along #210 (Story)
Going to be shortish in the writing this week (and yes father, I know shortish isn’t really a word). I just find that a story written on a Tuesday can’t take an hour and a half of my morning.
Eating With the Edison’s
I sit here, not having yet eaten breakfast, with a house so full of food that the only way I won’t be throwing half of it away is if I go from the traditional three meals a day to twelve. Yes, I figure if I eat a meal or snack every two hours, I’ll get through the mountain.
Had I a girlfriend of wondrous appetite or a group of slightly fat friends who were inclined to drop by, the food problem wouldn’t be a concern. But loner me sits and peers into the mountain of sustenance every time I open the fridge door. And here I’ve been up for an hour after sleeping a good seven before that and none of the food as entered my mouth yet! I am falling well short of the job in hand.
It is a Christmas of food. Peanuts and seeds, for popping into the mouth, sit in the living room for TV time. Grapes lay on another table, already softening… hold on… be… right there… alright… Good, I just saved four grapes from the trash and dropped 1% of 1% of the total quantity of food in the house.
You know the irony of this? With enough food to feed a dozen, I’ve got to go to the grocery store! I’ve got about a day’s worth of milk and juice left. How odd the world is.
We’ve got a cake and a pie here… strawberries and yogurt and pineapple and bread. All priced to go! And sweet mother of God the turkey! Three meals of it in the fridge and another three or four in the freezer.
As presents under the tree signifies Santa had come, this country of food quite clearly shows that my mother has been by.
Food is what is expected at times of visits and gatherings. It has always been that way in Newfoundland generally and in the Edison (my mother’s maiden name) family specifically. And the Edison recipe book knows no serving sizes. You pretty well get the same amount whether it’s a weekend gathering of three or a week long visit of a dozen.
On Sunday, Melissa came over to help fight the battle and the four of us chowed down on heaping plates of a traditional Sunday Dinner. And when we all sat back and tried sighing some space in our bloated bodies, we waddled out to the counter to see that it appeared no food had yet been eaten. It was what myths are made of. The Horn of Plenty where any food taken is magically replaced.
For twenty minutes we worked at bagging some food and breaking out the Tupperware for more… and still the Horn remained full.
This is all a part of family. We share in good fortune and eat meals that our grandparent’s grandparents ate many a Sunday ago. And the leftovers are there on purpose as a welcoming snack when more friends and family happen to drop by to say hello. Keeping such a tradition alive here keeps a little bit of the Newfoundland mindset here in my Ontario life.
Now it’s time to eat. A day after a three day visit from my parents, four grapes just doesn’t get the job done.
Eating With the Edison’s
I sit here, not having yet eaten breakfast, with a house so full of food that the only way I won’t be throwing half of it away is if I go from the traditional three meals a day to twelve. Yes, I figure if I eat a meal or snack every two hours, I’ll get through the mountain.
Had I a girlfriend of wondrous appetite or a group of slightly fat friends who were inclined to drop by, the food problem wouldn’t be a concern. But loner me sits and peers into the mountain of sustenance every time I open the fridge door. And here I’ve been up for an hour after sleeping a good seven before that and none of the food as entered my mouth yet! I am falling well short of the job in hand.
It is a Christmas of food. Peanuts and seeds, for popping into the mouth, sit in the living room for TV time. Grapes lay on another table, already softening… hold on… be… right there… alright… Good, I just saved four grapes from the trash and dropped 1% of 1% of the total quantity of food in the house.
You know the irony of this? With enough food to feed a dozen, I’ve got to go to the grocery store! I’ve got about a day’s worth of milk and juice left. How odd the world is.
We’ve got a cake and a pie here… strawberries and yogurt and pineapple and bread. All priced to go! And sweet mother of God the turkey! Three meals of it in the fridge and another three or four in the freezer.
As presents under the tree signifies Santa had come, this country of food quite clearly shows that my mother has been by.
Food is what is expected at times of visits and gatherings. It has always been that way in Newfoundland generally and in the Edison (my mother’s maiden name) family specifically. And the Edison recipe book knows no serving sizes. You pretty well get the same amount whether it’s a weekend gathering of three or a week long visit of a dozen.
On Sunday, Melissa came over to help fight the battle and the four of us chowed down on heaping plates of a traditional Sunday Dinner. And when we all sat back and tried sighing some space in our bloated bodies, we waddled out to the counter to see that it appeared no food had yet been eaten. It was what myths are made of. The Horn of Plenty where any food taken is magically replaced.
For twenty minutes we worked at bagging some food and breaking out the Tupperware for more… and still the Horn remained full.
This is all a part of family. We share in good fortune and eat meals that our grandparent’s grandparents ate many a Sunday ago. And the leftovers are there on purpose as a welcoming snack when more friends and family happen to drop by to say hello. Keeping such a tradition alive here keeps a little bit of the Newfoundland mindset here in my Ontario life.
Now it’s time to eat. A day after a three day visit from my parents, four grapes just doesn’t get the job done.
Sunday, March 19, 2006
Making It Up As I Go Along #210 (week)
With the parents in town, writing time isn’t too plentiful. So for now it’s the week portion of things done with a story to follow either late Monday (after evening shift at work) or on Tuesday morning.
MONDAY…
--- With several off for different reasons today, it’s four people in CNI (me included) to do the work. Pretty busy day.
--- Squash tonight is alright. I stink win/lose wise but feel like I’m a better player… who knows.
TUESDAY…
--- Work is alright although we have a meeting that talks about the promotional process which makes me shake my head at the way government organizations practice hiring and promotions. The main goal with all government institutes is to take thought and common sense out of the equation. Make some sort of formula that takes the human element out of the matter entirely.
WEDNESDAY…
--- Sort of busy and alright work day. Lunch across with Shannon, Mark Gray, and Carole. A bit of a nap after work, some phone time with the folks, and some baseball on TV end the day.
THURSDAY…
--- Pretty busy day at work… hotdogs for lunch is a nice change.
--- Squash tonight… I’m the best bad player I know. I rarely win and often don’t even keep the score close… but still I seem to play alright. Odd.
--- Some cleaning before the parents show.
FRIDAY…
--- Take the whole day off work but still get up just after 7:00 to clean the house up before the folks arrive. Pick them up a little late (they’re already there with their bags in hand) and we go downtown to walk around, check out some photography, and let mom shop while dad and I have lunch in a pub.
--- Supper is Chinese takeout and it’s a quiet night in front of the TV after that.
SATURDAY…
--- Some shopping with the parents. Clothes and an electric stove for the living room are my main things.
--- Cards to end the night is a nice change from my regular Saturday night in Ottawa.
MONDAY…
--- With several off for different reasons today, it’s four people in CNI (me included) to do the work. Pretty busy day.
--- Squash tonight is alright. I stink win/lose wise but feel like I’m a better player… who knows.
TUESDAY…
--- Work is alright although we have a meeting that talks about the promotional process which makes me shake my head at the way government organizations practice hiring and promotions. The main goal with all government institutes is to take thought and common sense out of the equation. Make some sort of formula that takes the human element out of the matter entirely.
WEDNESDAY…
--- Sort of busy and alright work day. Lunch across with Shannon, Mark Gray, and Carole. A bit of a nap after work, some phone time with the folks, and some baseball on TV end the day.
THURSDAY…
--- Pretty busy day at work… hotdogs for lunch is a nice change.
--- Squash tonight… I’m the best bad player I know. I rarely win and often don’t even keep the score close… but still I seem to play alright. Odd.
--- Some cleaning before the parents show.
FRIDAY…
--- Take the whole day off work but still get up just after 7:00 to clean the house up before the folks arrive. Pick them up a little late (they’re already there with their bags in hand) and we go downtown to walk around, check out some photography, and let mom shop while dad and I have lunch in a pub.
--- Supper is Chinese takeout and it’s a quiet night in front of the TV after that.
SATURDAY…
--- Some shopping with the parents. Clothes and an electric stove for the living room are my main things.
--- Cards to end the night is a nice change from my regular Saturday night in Ottawa.
Sunday, March 12, 2006
Making It Up As I Go Along #209
MONDAY…
--- Fairly quiet day all around. Quiet around the house in the AM and early afternoon… and quiet night at work.
TUESDAY…
--- Work is fine. It’s good to hear my new team agreeing with the stupidity of Paul McCartney and wife. I wondered if it was really only Newfoundlanders who thought that way.
WEDNESDAY…
--- Dull week. Again, not much out of the ordinary. Do some grocery shopping before work… work is pretty normal… supper at Wendy’s with Mike… some TV when I get home.
THURSDAY…
--- Day of the Amazon! I come home after evening shift is over and I have a package in the mailbox… from Amazon. Then as I walk from the mailbox to the house, I see another package sitting patiently at my front door… from Amazon. Presents from sister and family and a treat from me arrive on the same day.
--- Work goes smooth once again.
--- NHL trade deadline day means the morning is spent with sports channels on TV. Always a bit of fun on this day.
FRIDAY…
--- Feeling kind of achy all over at work tonight. Maybe I’m tired… sleep wasn’t great last night.
--- Saw Crash again before work (part of it on the movie network anyway). I like that movie more each time I see it. Also watched Punch Drunk Love on DVD… very different movie but I really like that one too.
SATURDAY…
--- Lord of the Rings on DVD in the morning… and part of the afternoon. Long but the extended version is good too.
--- The windows are open! It warms up today to a point where I can actually let some fresh air into the house.
Attaining World Harmony
Paul and Heather McCartney want to save the seals. Bless their hearts, they work really hard at it. The trip across the Atlantic and a bumpy helicopter ride out to the ice flows of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Heather even had a seal take a snap at her… how something so cuddly and fluffy can be so ill tempered I just don’t know.
Then came the press. Interviews and debates and TV time… I mean the makeup, just think of the time getting makeup! Poor, poor McCartneys.
But there was a simpler way to fight for their cause. A way that has worked well for two other cold weather animals. Their images have never been stronger among humans and it’s all due to one wonderful organization. An organization that has been linked to so much good that it will soon battle the major religions of this world as it preaches peace on Earth and a love of all creatures. That organization… Coca Cola!
It began back when I was a child. Who among us, at least thirty years old, can forget the commercial with people from all different nationalities singing together… “I'd like to teach the world to sing/ In perfect harmony/ I'd like to buy the world a Coke/ And keep it company”
As the years went by, Coca Cola went from peace among all the peoples of the world to a love of animals. And the first species to be saved… the Polar Bear.
Coke has bombarded the world with cuddly, domesticated cola drinking families of bears. We see mother bear nurturing baby bear with a bottle of sweet Coke nectar. We go to stores and there to greet us are stuffed toy bears with Coca Cola emblems attached to them. Playing cards with Coke bears on the back… drink coasters… posters… the Polar Bear and Coca Cola developed a truly symbiotic relationship. Take a look at some of the bear/Coke products here
We’ve been so inundated with the Polar Bear/ Coke partnership that when I recently saw footage of real Polar Bears at a zoo… with a mother bringing her cubs out for the viewing public… all I could think was “aww, how cute… give them a Coke!” Somehow the picture wasn’t complete without at least one of those cubs suckling on a glass bottle of black goodness.
Coke decided to teach us harmony among those of the animal kingdom… although they decided to forgo any element of a geography lesson. The Polar Bears wander up to and embrace the world of the penguin. The fact that Polar Bears are only found in the arctic and penguins are an Antarctic animal doesn’t matter… cold is cold and we’ve got Coke to sell.
And rather than partake in a wondrous penguin feast the likes of which no bear has ever seen, the Polar Bears are here to promote love, harmony and Coke. Baby bear finds baby penguin and the concept of sharing is taught as well… with a smile and a bottle. Yes, mamma bear looks pleased and penguin starts a chuggin’.
And due to the efforts of Coca Cola, would anyone ever dream of doing harm to a Polar Bear or a penguin? Of course not. They’re our friends. In fact, if we got great heaps of tourists and flew them to the natural bear and penguin habitats, we could stand lovingly by, watching these miraculous creatures as we sip on our own Coke. Maybe we could even get a picture of our children handing a Polar Bear a bottle… wouldn’t that be a beautiful moment?
So the answer is clear for Sir Paul and Maid Heather. Don’t fight the Sealers. Don’t bone up on your facts prior to a sit down interview with Larry King. Strike a deal with Coca Cola. Bring seals into the mix with the bears and penguins. Let Paul write a song that will be remembered for generations (much like that song wishing to ‘buy the world a Coke’).
It will be win/win… Paul will get a new hit song... Coke will pick up a new merchandise line… the seals will be saved… and so will the codfish. After all, if you had a choice between a raw fish belly and a Coke, which one would you take?
--- Fairly quiet day all around. Quiet around the house in the AM and early afternoon… and quiet night at work.
TUESDAY…
--- Work is fine. It’s good to hear my new team agreeing with the stupidity of Paul McCartney and wife. I wondered if it was really only Newfoundlanders who thought that way.
WEDNESDAY…
--- Dull week. Again, not much out of the ordinary. Do some grocery shopping before work… work is pretty normal… supper at Wendy’s with Mike… some TV when I get home.
THURSDAY…
--- Day of the Amazon! I come home after evening shift is over and I have a package in the mailbox… from Amazon. Then as I walk from the mailbox to the house, I see another package sitting patiently at my front door… from Amazon. Presents from sister and family and a treat from me arrive on the same day.
--- Work goes smooth once again.
--- NHL trade deadline day means the morning is spent with sports channels on TV. Always a bit of fun on this day.
FRIDAY…
--- Feeling kind of achy all over at work tonight. Maybe I’m tired… sleep wasn’t great last night.
--- Saw Crash again before work (part of it on the movie network anyway). I like that movie more each time I see it. Also watched Punch Drunk Love on DVD… very different movie but I really like that one too.
SATURDAY…
--- Lord of the Rings on DVD in the morning… and part of the afternoon. Long but the extended version is good too.
--- The windows are open! It warms up today to a point where I can actually let some fresh air into the house.
Attaining World Harmony
Paul and Heather McCartney want to save the seals. Bless their hearts, they work really hard at it. The trip across the Atlantic and a bumpy helicopter ride out to the ice flows of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Heather even had a seal take a snap at her… how something so cuddly and fluffy can be so ill tempered I just don’t know.
Then came the press. Interviews and debates and TV time… I mean the makeup, just think of the time getting makeup! Poor, poor McCartneys.
But there was a simpler way to fight for their cause. A way that has worked well for two other cold weather animals. Their images have never been stronger among humans and it’s all due to one wonderful organization. An organization that has been linked to so much good that it will soon battle the major religions of this world as it preaches peace on Earth and a love of all creatures. That organization… Coca Cola!
It began back when I was a child. Who among us, at least thirty years old, can forget the commercial with people from all different nationalities singing together… “I'd like to teach the world to sing/ In perfect harmony/ I'd like to buy the world a Coke/ And keep it company”
As the years went by, Coca Cola went from peace among all the peoples of the world to a love of animals. And the first species to be saved… the Polar Bear.
Coke has bombarded the world with cuddly, domesticated cola drinking families of bears. We see mother bear nurturing baby bear with a bottle of sweet Coke nectar. We go to stores and there to greet us are stuffed toy bears with Coca Cola emblems attached to them. Playing cards with Coke bears on the back… drink coasters… posters… the Polar Bear and Coca Cola developed a truly symbiotic relationship. Take a look at some of the bear/Coke products here
We’ve been so inundated with the Polar Bear/ Coke partnership that when I recently saw footage of real Polar Bears at a zoo… with a mother bringing her cubs out for the viewing public… all I could think was “aww, how cute… give them a Coke!” Somehow the picture wasn’t complete without at least one of those cubs suckling on a glass bottle of black goodness.
Coke decided to teach us harmony among those of the animal kingdom… although they decided to forgo any element of a geography lesson. The Polar Bears wander up to and embrace the world of the penguin. The fact that Polar Bears are only found in the arctic and penguins are an Antarctic animal doesn’t matter… cold is cold and we’ve got Coke to sell.
And rather than partake in a wondrous penguin feast the likes of which no bear has ever seen, the Polar Bears are here to promote love, harmony and Coke. Baby bear finds baby penguin and the concept of sharing is taught as well… with a smile and a bottle. Yes, mamma bear looks pleased and penguin starts a chuggin’.
And due to the efforts of Coca Cola, would anyone ever dream of doing harm to a Polar Bear or a penguin? Of course not. They’re our friends. In fact, if we got great heaps of tourists and flew them to the natural bear and penguin habitats, we could stand lovingly by, watching these miraculous creatures as we sip on our own Coke. Maybe we could even get a picture of our children handing a Polar Bear a bottle… wouldn’t that be a beautiful moment?
So the answer is clear for Sir Paul and Maid Heather. Don’t fight the Sealers. Don’t bone up on your facts prior to a sit down interview with Larry King. Strike a deal with Coca Cola. Bring seals into the mix with the bears and penguins. Let Paul write a song that will be remembered for generations (much like that song wishing to ‘buy the world a Coke’).
It will be win/win… Paul will get a new hit song... Coke will pick up a new merchandise line… the seals will be saved… and so will the codfish. After all, if you had a choice between a raw fish belly and a Coke, which one would you take?
Sunday, March 05, 2006
Making It Up As I Go Along #208
MONDAY…
--- Some e-mails with Jim in the morning. Work is pretty good this evening… I’m getting more comfortable with things but am thankful that Christine is around with me for this week.
TUESDAY…
--- One cool dog, the Great White Hope, will be missed. Jim and Stann’s faithful friend and a pal I many times dog sat for was a good one.
WEDNESDAY…
--- Still really cold out right now… I’m getting tired of the bitter cold. We’re too close to Spring to deal with this.
--- Work is fine… Greek for supper tonight and fall asleep watching a movie on TV before bed.
THURSDAY…
--- CNI luncheon. It’s to say bye bye to Linda who’ll head to QC while I take her place here. So with that, I’m working 11:30 to 7:30 today.
FRIDAY…
--- Bring on the seal hunt… bring on the ignorance. Latest celeb to show a lack of thinking… Paul McCartney. The former singer/songwriter and current Knight of the Round Table… Sir Paul ventured onto the ice off the coast of PEI to search for the endangered seals! Blah!!! There are so many of those things out there that McCartney was tripping over them. Once again I’ll say it… I don’t eat seal and I don’t have anything made with seal fur… but protesting this hunt is only logical if you also protest slaughter houses and the inhumane treatment of cows and pigs. So Paul, ‘let it be’… you became irrelevant many a ‘yesterday’ ago. Back off what you know nothing about and try writing a new song.
--- And after work I go home to see Larry King Live talking seal hunt with Sir Paul himself. Pauly boy feels that the hunt should be replaced by an eco-tourist style event. Like whale watching, bring the tourist to the ice flow to view the seals! Yes indeed, let’s bring an overweight Texas couple to the ice flows of the North Atlantic… in the middle of winter… no law suit waiting to happen there! Idiocy. And talking idiocy… Paul’s wife has been brainwashed. Paul can at least listen to another point of view… she can’t understand why another point of view exists.
--- Work is okay, today is a QC luncheon (my last with them for a while). And the work afterwards is fine enough.
--- Talk to Jim on the phone for a while after I get home.
SATURDAY…
--- Movie day with Missy. Melissa and I go to two movies today. The first is Brokeback Mountain. I think it’s good… Heath Ledger is very good in it… but I think the hype is a bit much. I’ve seen two of the movies up for best picture this year (Brokeback and Crash)… and I’d vote Crash to win with little hesitation.
--- After a break at Melissa’s place, we go to Last Holiday with her friend, Karin. We decided to end the night on a lighter note and it worked… a fun little movie.
Educated by Way of Celebrity
Our celebrity fixation is enough to make my head explode. It props up so many who don’t deserve or need the propping and it brings on behaviour from the masses that can only be seen as moronic.
An example… the public have made Michael Jackson into a freak. He has been treated like the messiah ever since he was six years old and the result is, he’s never had a chance to grow up. Mike’s emotional growth ceased when the Jackson Five became famous and he’s been forced to live as the child he is ever since. If Michael Jackson was not famous but acted the way he does, he’d have been brought to some sort of asylum years ago. Instead, this is a guy linked to children in a most disturbing way. And even then, when he’s going to court to face his accusers, mobs of fanatical people scream and cry as they catch a glimpse of their hero. They’re truly blind.
The Winter Olympics have come and gone and the celebrity factor held strong here as well. It came right at day one when Yoko Ono gave some bizarre speech for world peace and unity. Yoko has done nothing deserving of worldwide fame ever. She married a talented singer/song writer and rode his coattails. And because she was seen next to John Lennon for so long, the general public have become accustomed to her… so she becomes famous simply for being Yoko. But why should any of us care to hear what she has to say at the Olympic games?
It seems that showiness is seen as more important than substance. You can be a lesser actor or athlete but if you have a wild side, people will love you for it. Or they’ll love to hate you for it… either way, it means publicity, so the celebrity is happy.
Baseball player, Barry Bonds dressed up as a woman for a team function. The team held a mock American Idol event and Barry went as real American Idol judge, Paula Abdul. I’ve seen footage of this at least a dozen times. None of those showing Busty Barry speak very complimentary about it. They sort of make fun of it. But nobody really chastises him for it either. It, like so many other celebrity watching events, has become a grey event. It’s not good… it’s not bad… it’s just a happening and we’ve got to see it.
Fact is, Barry looked gross and ridiculous. Footage of him dressed like that made me only want to change the channel.
In today’s world, we the masses look to celebrities, not only to entertain us… we want them to educate us too! John Lennon had his Yoko… and now, so does Paul McCartney. His wife is some dim girl who, because of who she married, suddenly has a voice to be heard by millions. Heather knows nothing. She’s passionate but she’s uneducated. But in today’s world, passionate will do.
This week, the McCartney’s took to the ice in hopes of saving the seals. Seals aren’t endangered… but that doesn’t matter to celebrities. Seal meat is eaten and seal oil is used for all sorts of human causes… but all Heather and Sir Paul can see is fur coats. This past week, they were on CNN’s Larry King Live and they felt that sealing should go the way of whaling. End the hunt and bring the tourists to see the animals in their natural habitat.
There are two big flaws there. The first is the fact that many whale species were being hunted on levels that made extinction a real possibility. This isn’t the case with seals. The second is that whale watching occurs near shore, in the summer. To bring tourists to the seal herds would mean going much further from shore and doing it in the winter. The North Atlantic isn’t all that hospitable a place at the best of times… it’s downright dangerous in winter.
Larry King did a reasonable service to the sealing argument by bringing Newfoundland Premier Danny Williams on the show. Danny spoke of the reality of the seal hunt and offered to bring the McCartney’s to Newfoundland in order to better educate them on the matter. Paul claimed that they “are already here.” He seemed to feel that he had learned all he needs to know. But PEI is not Newfoundland. And PEI is where Paul was. But details don’t matter… let’s just save the seals!
Danny also brought up a species of animal that really is endangered. One that is in much more need of celebrity voices. The cod fish. Danny asked Paul and Heather for their help in saving the cod from extinction. To which Paul answered, “I’d love to, but one thing at a time.” That’s celebrity on camera slang for “No”. You see, in Paul’s world, he sees all the seal pups being wiped from the face of the earth in the next three weeks (when the seal hunt is set to begin). So time is of the essence. And cod fish? Well if they were cute and their blood was splattered for all to see on pure white ice, well the story would be quite a different one.
Danny Williams also brought up the inhumane treatment of cattle, pigs and chickens. He even went so far as to claim that if slaughter house floors were painted white, the blood would make them a pretty gruesome place too. The McCartney’s felt this was avoiding the real issue and accused Williams of trying to change the subject. “We’re talking about seals!” whined Heather.
And with that, Danny Williams was able to prove the ignorance of the McCartney’s. He pointed out the flaws in their logic and they got flustered and annoyed. The problem is that, from the point of view of a world wide audience, Danny Williams is a nobody and the McCartney’s are worshiped. And, like Michael Jackson’s faithful fans as they applauded him while he went to court, the masses will follow the McCartney’s blindly.
Education and knowledge on events and matters are seen much like the boring celebrity. There’s nothing bold or stylish about it… it takes time to digest and think about and you need to make a point of allowing yourself to get it. No, in today’s celebrity driven, stylish world bold statements and headlines are seen as the all important. Ignorance is indeed bliss.
--- Some e-mails with Jim in the morning. Work is pretty good this evening… I’m getting more comfortable with things but am thankful that Christine is around with me for this week.
TUESDAY…
--- One cool dog, the Great White Hope, will be missed. Jim and Stann’s faithful friend and a pal I many times dog sat for was a good one.
WEDNESDAY…
--- Still really cold out right now… I’m getting tired of the bitter cold. We’re too close to Spring to deal with this.
--- Work is fine… Greek for supper tonight and fall asleep watching a movie on TV before bed.
THURSDAY…
--- CNI luncheon. It’s to say bye bye to Linda who’ll head to QC while I take her place here. So with that, I’m working 11:30 to 7:30 today.
FRIDAY…
--- Bring on the seal hunt… bring on the ignorance. Latest celeb to show a lack of thinking… Paul McCartney. The former singer/songwriter and current Knight of the Round Table… Sir Paul ventured onto the ice off the coast of PEI to search for the endangered seals! Blah!!! There are so many of those things out there that McCartney was tripping over them. Once again I’ll say it… I don’t eat seal and I don’t have anything made with seal fur… but protesting this hunt is only logical if you also protest slaughter houses and the inhumane treatment of cows and pigs. So Paul, ‘let it be’… you became irrelevant many a ‘yesterday’ ago. Back off what you know nothing about and try writing a new song.
--- And after work I go home to see Larry King Live talking seal hunt with Sir Paul himself. Pauly boy feels that the hunt should be replaced by an eco-tourist style event. Like whale watching, bring the tourist to the ice flow to view the seals! Yes indeed, let’s bring an overweight Texas couple to the ice flows of the North Atlantic… in the middle of winter… no law suit waiting to happen there! Idiocy. And talking idiocy… Paul’s wife has been brainwashed. Paul can at least listen to another point of view… she can’t understand why another point of view exists.
--- Work is okay, today is a QC luncheon (my last with them for a while). And the work afterwards is fine enough.
--- Talk to Jim on the phone for a while after I get home.
SATURDAY…
--- Movie day with Missy. Melissa and I go to two movies today. The first is Brokeback Mountain. I think it’s good… Heath Ledger is very good in it… but I think the hype is a bit much. I’ve seen two of the movies up for best picture this year (Brokeback and Crash)… and I’d vote Crash to win with little hesitation.
--- After a break at Melissa’s place, we go to Last Holiday with her friend, Karin. We decided to end the night on a lighter note and it worked… a fun little movie.
Educated by Way of Celebrity
Our celebrity fixation is enough to make my head explode. It props up so many who don’t deserve or need the propping and it brings on behaviour from the masses that can only be seen as moronic.
An example… the public have made Michael Jackson into a freak. He has been treated like the messiah ever since he was six years old and the result is, he’s never had a chance to grow up. Mike’s emotional growth ceased when the Jackson Five became famous and he’s been forced to live as the child he is ever since. If Michael Jackson was not famous but acted the way he does, he’d have been brought to some sort of asylum years ago. Instead, this is a guy linked to children in a most disturbing way. And even then, when he’s going to court to face his accusers, mobs of fanatical people scream and cry as they catch a glimpse of their hero. They’re truly blind.
The Winter Olympics have come and gone and the celebrity factor held strong here as well. It came right at day one when Yoko Ono gave some bizarre speech for world peace and unity. Yoko has done nothing deserving of worldwide fame ever. She married a talented singer/song writer and rode his coattails. And because she was seen next to John Lennon for so long, the general public have become accustomed to her… so she becomes famous simply for being Yoko. But why should any of us care to hear what she has to say at the Olympic games?
It seems that showiness is seen as more important than substance. You can be a lesser actor or athlete but if you have a wild side, people will love you for it. Or they’ll love to hate you for it… either way, it means publicity, so the celebrity is happy.
Baseball player, Barry Bonds dressed up as a woman for a team function. The team held a mock American Idol event and Barry went as real American Idol judge, Paula Abdul. I’ve seen footage of this at least a dozen times. None of those showing Busty Barry speak very complimentary about it. They sort of make fun of it. But nobody really chastises him for it either. It, like so many other celebrity watching events, has become a grey event. It’s not good… it’s not bad… it’s just a happening and we’ve got to see it.
Fact is, Barry looked gross and ridiculous. Footage of him dressed like that made me only want to change the channel.
In today’s world, we the masses look to celebrities, not only to entertain us… we want them to educate us too! John Lennon had his Yoko… and now, so does Paul McCartney. His wife is some dim girl who, because of who she married, suddenly has a voice to be heard by millions. Heather knows nothing. She’s passionate but she’s uneducated. But in today’s world, passionate will do.
This week, the McCartney’s took to the ice in hopes of saving the seals. Seals aren’t endangered… but that doesn’t matter to celebrities. Seal meat is eaten and seal oil is used for all sorts of human causes… but all Heather and Sir Paul can see is fur coats. This past week, they were on CNN’s Larry King Live and they felt that sealing should go the way of whaling. End the hunt and bring the tourists to see the animals in their natural habitat.
There are two big flaws there. The first is the fact that many whale species were being hunted on levels that made extinction a real possibility. This isn’t the case with seals. The second is that whale watching occurs near shore, in the summer. To bring tourists to the seal herds would mean going much further from shore and doing it in the winter. The North Atlantic isn’t all that hospitable a place at the best of times… it’s downright dangerous in winter.
Larry King did a reasonable service to the sealing argument by bringing Newfoundland Premier Danny Williams on the show. Danny spoke of the reality of the seal hunt and offered to bring the McCartney’s to Newfoundland in order to better educate them on the matter. Paul claimed that they “are already here.” He seemed to feel that he had learned all he needs to know. But PEI is not Newfoundland. And PEI is where Paul was. But details don’t matter… let’s just save the seals!
Danny also brought up a species of animal that really is endangered. One that is in much more need of celebrity voices. The cod fish. Danny asked Paul and Heather for their help in saving the cod from extinction. To which Paul answered, “I’d love to, but one thing at a time.” That’s celebrity on camera slang for “No”. You see, in Paul’s world, he sees all the seal pups being wiped from the face of the earth in the next three weeks (when the seal hunt is set to begin). So time is of the essence. And cod fish? Well if they were cute and their blood was splattered for all to see on pure white ice, well the story would be quite a different one.
Danny Williams also brought up the inhumane treatment of cattle, pigs and chickens. He even went so far as to claim that if slaughter house floors were painted white, the blood would make them a pretty gruesome place too. The McCartney’s felt this was avoiding the real issue and accused Williams of trying to change the subject. “We’re talking about seals!” whined Heather.
And with that, Danny Williams was able to prove the ignorance of the McCartney’s. He pointed out the flaws in their logic and they got flustered and annoyed. The problem is that, from the point of view of a world wide audience, Danny Williams is a nobody and the McCartney’s are worshiped. And, like Michael Jackson’s faithful fans as they applauded him while he went to court, the masses will follow the McCartney’s blindly.
Education and knowledge on events and matters are seen much like the boring celebrity. There’s nothing bold or stylish about it… it takes time to digest and think about and you need to make a point of allowing yourself to get it. No, in today’s celebrity driven, stylish world bold statements and headlines are seen as the all important. Ignorance is indeed bliss.
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