In the News
You know when society is crazed with material goods when Canadian newscasters biggest story is of America’s biggest shopping day of the year... the infamous... Black Friday.
We see a woman on the TV... dressed up in fancy coat, with a purse under her arm... she talks about being out, lined up in the middle of the night, so she can be there for sales. She’s looking for... more fancy coats... more purses. And shoes, of course shoes.
And funny enough, none of the people you see on TV make any mention of buying Christmas presents on Black Friday. This is all Me Shopping. And all rationality is lost.
One woman is talked to in Mississauga. She sits on a bus, awaiting the ride to Buffalo. Daylight is hours away and the reporter asks her what she’s going to Buffalo to try to buy.
“An HD TV” she responds... and then the glint fades from her eyes as she follows that up with “But I probably won’t be able to come back to Canada with it.”
The woman realizes the duty that she’d be charged, getting a large TV on a day trip to the States. Yet she’s going anyway. She knows well enough that the goal can’t be met, yet is so caught up in the frenzy that she must go anyway... she must try. My thought... Canada would be a smarter nation if that bus leaves Buffalo minus one TV shopper. Plus she’d be happy... no worry of paying the duty if she never comes back.
Also recently in the news, Danny Williams and his leaving Newfoundland politics.
People on the mainland have very little understanding of Williams. Even smart people who follow politics don’t get it. Case in point, Peter Mansbridge... CBC’s biggest news man... seriously asked the question of the At Issue political panel... “Is Newfoundland better off with or without Danny Williams?” And the panel seemed to consider both sides of the matter.
Even if you don’t believe in Danny Williams, witnessing what has happened to Newfoundland in the last ten years should be enough to know, without any thought, Newfoundland has been a better place with him.
Yet one of the panelists somewhat smugly states that Newfoundland’s fortunes have changed, not because of Danny Williams, but because of the price of oil and nickel on the world market.
This argument completely ignores several things. It ignores history for one. When Newfoundland, thanks to poor leadership, gave away billions of dollars in revenue to Quebec. The Churchill Falls blunder continues to haunt the province generations after the fact. The rising price of oil is meaningless if you don’t have a leader in place who’s ready to look out for the best deal in processing it.
And they also question the idea that Danny Williams was able to raise the self esteem of Newfoundlanders. The panel’s argument being “Haven’t Newfoundlanders always had a good self esteem?” Even Rex Murphy... a Newfoundlander... misses the point. He speaks of the individual self esteem being fine, but collectively, Newfoundland has had issues in this matter.
The collective lack of self esteem may be true. It could be argued so. But the point that was missed by all is that what Williams has done is less about the people of Newfoundland... and more about everybody else in Canada. His goal wasn’t so much to raise our self esteem but to tell those ignorant to Newfoundland that they’ve got it all wrong.
The general attitude of much of Canada... especially in Quebec, Ontario and Alberta... is that Newfoundland is a land of unsophisticated hicks. I’ve seen this attitude first hand... even from friends who don’t seem to know that they’re being prejudice. Newfie jokes still fill e-mail in boxes. Many of these jokes taking the form of funny pictures of the aftermath of stupid people. If a car was driven off a cliff and was stuck in a tree, the caption would be “Newfie do-it-yourself hydraulic lift”. The picture could be of a car in a tree in California... but it’ll still be tagged “Newfie”. I’ve heard people joke about Newfoundland drinking and obesity with the never clever “What else would you do there but eat or drink?”
Many Canadians believe that Newfoundlanders are mostly unemployed and looking for a handout and Danny Williams has been fighting to end this type of idea. The benefit to Newfoundlander self esteem is more of a bi-product. If you make ignorant people see that you are not a lesser person... and they stop treating you as lesser... well of course you’d feel better about yourself.
The At Issue panel sees Danny Williams as a man who has looked for fights. They don’t see that maybe he was looking to fight that which needed to be fought.
FRIDAY...
— Work. Goes okay. Alone at lunch as I draw the short straw as far as going to a retirement luncheon. Someone must stay behind... it’s me. Some snacks and TV after I get home.
SATURDAY...
— Fairly quiet day at work. I talk some with Tucson Arizona... that’s the biggest thing.
— You know (a) that the pope is out of touch with reality, and (b) that people are desperate to cling to any fact from the pope as a positive. Today, the pope decides it’s okay to use a condom as long as you’re a male prostitute who is looking to stop the spread of HIV. Anyone else... you’re a sinner. With retarded thinking like this, how long will it take for the world to wake up and ignore the pope?
SUNDAY...
— Some TV and naps until ball. We win again... 6-0-1 now... and I’m starting to hit again, finally.
— Work is pretty quiet. With freezing rain outside making the Monday morning drive home a touch iffy.
MONDAY/TUESDAY...
— Work Monday night is alright. Once I get home though, I find my smoke alarm beeping every 30 seconds. Not ideal for sleep. I check online (tired) and find this means the alarm needs to be replaced. The Carbon Monoxide/fire alarms give out after seven years. So I disconnect and get to bed.
— Up before noon. So not a lot of sleep. Some TV... and go get a new alarm... then an evening of video games. Baseball followed by hockey. The thumb feels it by the end... too marathon on the controller.
WEDNESDAY...
— Some TV, some groceries, some sleep. Endured the two hours, forty-five minutes that is the movie Bridge on the River Kwai. Some of it is dated now... I’d rather the officers of my military unit take part in the work of a prison camp... I wouldn’t be admiring them holding out and strong arming the Japanese so they don’t get their hands dirty. But I understand the feeling of that notion. And the movie has several amazing scenes of cinematography. Plus now with that, and Lawrence of Arabia, I can better understand why Alec Guinness wasn’t totally thrilled with being primarily known as Obi Wan Kenobi.
THURSDAY...
— Video games and a little TV. Danny Williams is leaving political life. Too bad for Newfoundland... he’s the best they had.
Friday, November 26, 2010
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Making It Up As I Go Along #441
The Curse of Connection
The more we are connected, the worst the connecting can be. Today I got a phone call. My cell phone erupting into song, proclaiming there to be someone searching for me. But when I answer, there is no wait for my “hello”. No “How are you today?” A robotic voice lets me know that I’m a valued customer at Costco, and I can press “1" to receive a free gift in appreciation of my patronage.
The problem with this call is, officially, I’m not a customer at Costco. I don’t have a Costco card. I’ve bought things there yes, but always under another’s card. Be it mom for half a year’s worth of toilet paper... or dad for a cheap DVD... or aunt Ruby for a load of groceries. As far as Costco is concerned, they’re the customers... not me.
My connectedness to the rest of the world allows much of that world to lie to me. Had I been a Costco customer... and had I been in a moment of weakness, perhaps I would have pressed “1". And who knows where that would have led.
I had a moment of such mentioned weakness recently. My doorbell rang... twice. With knocking in between. I head down to the door, ignoring the peep hole, expecting a frantic parent who’s child has just been hit by a car out front. Such a thing happened in the past... when I was a kid back home... and a frantic person came to my house with a child, just outside, being hit by a car.
My desire to be a good person cost me. As I open the door, it’s a man with a clipboard... wanting to make sure I don’t get screwed with my utilities... signing me up to lock in my prices with his company. He rushes through his spiel and I’m only recently up and preparing for work... I’m weak... and signed up.
Luckily, there is a positive in my connectedness. I’m able to call the company a few days later and tell them I want out of the deal. And out I am, nullifying the sale job of the door to door man. But even then, I have to endure their attempts at making me feel stupid. “Are you sure you want to pay 5 cents per kilowatt more?” “Yes,” I reply, “I’m happy doing it”.
80% of my e-mails are garbage. I remember the happiness of e-mails of years gone by. Checking your computer was like going to the mail box. E-mails were as letters... communication from someone far off.
Today such e-mails are as rare as the letters. Where my Superbox (for the mailbox next to my door is no longer visited by postal carriers, but instead hired carriers of flyers) is now full of menu’s and coupons I’ll never use... my e-mail inbox is full of sales pitches.
My cable company e-mails me a special offer if I’d let them take over my phone service too. My phone company e-mails me a pitch to take over my internet. Someone named Nicole has written me at 4:15 this morning, wishing me a “good evening”. And deals at TopMeds are only a click away.
Facebook used to be different. A place where friends of yours will give a little hint of what’s going on in their day. Now when I visit Facebook, I learn of when any of my friends are playing a game. Because I like Newfoundland, I get a link to an article I have no interest in reading. And even when my “friends” update their status, it’s often telling me to “Like” this... or “Repost” that.
Be it mail, e-mail, the telephone, Facebook, or even the front door... my world has become a sales pitch.
It makes me appreciate the days gone by. When something in the mailbox was often a letter or postcard... a friend or family member who thought of you from away... and wanted to say “hi”.
When a knock on the door came from a loved one who happened to be in the neighbourhood.
When a telephone call was from someone you knew, asking how you’re doing, with no hidden agenda of making a sale.
The world, as connected as we are, is now set up for two choices. You can either be skeptical of 90% of any contact. Expecting a ringing phone to be a telemarketer. Expecting offers from cable and phone companies to come with hidden clauses that will cause you to lose in the long run, as they take a bit more from you... bit by bit, month by month.
Or you can be trusting. Trust is supposed to be a good thing. A characteristic that others appreciate. I have friends that I am happy to say I trust. And I feel good knowing that they can trust me. But trust can break you in this world. Too much trust means you get taken. If you believe every caller is telling you the truth, and every piece of mail is steering you straight, chances are you’ll be even more bombarded by these people... and hundreds, if not thousands of dollars will vanish... all thanks to your trust.
Our daily lives are no more than a walk through a Turkish Bizarre. Where people on either side of you are yelling out, trying to catch your eye, hoping to get noticed... so they can lure you in, and sell you something you never had any intention of owning.
I’d love a day... just one day... when I could take the good of being connected. Of being in touch with people that mean something to me... of learning of their day... without the instruments of our connection trying to sell me something.
It would be a wonderful thing to feel trust and intrigue as I’m about to answer my phone. It’s a sad thing when we have to get our guard up when the telephone rings.
THURSDAY...
— Fairly quiet day at work. I’m alone for eight of the twelve hours as well. Hockey on TV after work.
FRIDAY...
— Computers down most of the day at work. Made for a long day as we were fairly workless for much of the time.
— To Shannon’s after work for burgers and some hanging out.
SATURDAY...
— Some TV around the house before work. Work the night alone. A pretty quiet night... goes pretty well.
SUNDAY...
— Leave work in the early morning to a skunk wandering the grounds around our building. Upon seeing me, it runs... towards me. Time to get to the car.
— Sleep is not long enough. Eyes pop open before noon and that may bite me later... as no nap this afternoon before work. Ball game instead.
MONDAY...
— Got real tired at work. By 3:30, I am on fumes. Straight home after and into bed but, even though tired, I’m up before noon. Groceries... catching up on the PVR’d TV... and a few cat naps through the day.
TUESDAY...
— Some movies, a walk around the pond (two laps). And video game baseball. A relaxing day.
WEDNESDAY...
— Some cleaning up around the house. Preparing to make my kitchen nook more useable. I clean out the spare room closet and the storage room... and by tossing several things, and repacking some boxes, I’m left with four empty boxes to deal with the clutter in the nook.
The more we are connected, the worst the connecting can be. Today I got a phone call. My cell phone erupting into song, proclaiming there to be someone searching for me. But when I answer, there is no wait for my “hello”. No “How are you today?” A robotic voice lets me know that I’m a valued customer at Costco, and I can press “1" to receive a free gift in appreciation of my patronage.
The problem with this call is, officially, I’m not a customer at Costco. I don’t have a Costco card. I’ve bought things there yes, but always under another’s card. Be it mom for half a year’s worth of toilet paper... or dad for a cheap DVD... or aunt Ruby for a load of groceries. As far as Costco is concerned, they’re the customers... not me.
My connectedness to the rest of the world allows much of that world to lie to me. Had I been a Costco customer... and had I been in a moment of weakness, perhaps I would have pressed “1". And who knows where that would have led.
I had a moment of such mentioned weakness recently. My doorbell rang... twice. With knocking in between. I head down to the door, ignoring the peep hole, expecting a frantic parent who’s child has just been hit by a car out front. Such a thing happened in the past... when I was a kid back home... and a frantic person came to my house with a child, just outside, being hit by a car.
My desire to be a good person cost me. As I open the door, it’s a man with a clipboard... wanting to make sure I don’t get screwed with my utilities... signing me up to lock in my prices with his company. He rushes through his spiel and I’m only recently up and preparing for work... I’m weak... and signed up.
Luckily, there is a positive in my connectedness. I’m able to call the company a few days later and tell them I want out of the deal. And out I am, nullifying the sale job of the door to door man. But even then, I have to endure their attempts at making me feel stupid. “Are you sure you want to pay 5 cents per kilowatt more?” “Yes,” I reply, “I’m happy doing it”.
80% of my e-mails are garbage. I remember the happiness of e-mails of years gone by. Checking your computer was like going to the mail box. E-mails were as letters... communication from someone far off.
Today such e-mails are as rare as the letters. Where my Superbox (for the mailbox next to my door is no longer visited by postal carriers, but instead hired carriers of flyers) is now full of menu’s and coupons I’ll never use... my e-mail inbox is full of sales pitches.
My cable company e-mails me a special offer if I’d let them take over my phone service too. My phone company e-mails me a pitch to take over my internet. Someone named Nicole has written me at 4:15 this morning, wishing me a “good evening”. And deals at TopMeds are only a click away.
Facebook used to be different. A place where friends of yours will give a little hint of what’s going on in their day. Now when I visit Facebook, I learn of when any of my friends are playing a game. Because I like Newfoundland, I get a link to an article I have no interest in reading. And even when my “friends” update their status, it’s often telling me to “Like” this... or “Repost” that.
Be it mail, e-mail, the telephone, Facebook, or even the front door... my world has become a sales pitch.
It makes me appreciate the days gone by. When something in the mailbox was often a letter or postcard... a friend or family member who thought of you from away... and wanted to say “hi”.
When a knock on the door came from a loved one who happened to be in the neighbourhood.
When a telephone call was from someone you knew, asking how you’re doing, with no hidden agenda of making a sale.
The world, as connected as we are, is now set up for two choices. You can either be skeptical of 90% of any contact. Expecting a ringing phone to be a telemarketer. Expecting offers from cable and phone companies to come with hidden clauses that will cause you to lose in the long run, as they take a bit more from you... bit by bit, month by month.
Or you can be trusting. Trust is supposed to be a good thing. A characteristic that others appreciate. I have friends that I am happy to say I trust. And I feel good knowing that they can trust me. But trust can break you in this world. Too much trust means you get taken. If you believe every caller is telling you the truth, and every piece of mail is steering you straight, chances are you’ll be even more bombarded by these people... and hundreds, if not thousands of dollars will vanish... all thanks to your trust.
Our daily lives are no more than a walk through a Turkish Bizarre. Where people on either side of you are yelling out, trying to catch your eye, hoping to get noticed... so they can lure you in, and sell you something you never had any intention of owning.
I’d love a day... just one day... when I could take the good of being connected. Of being in touch with people that mean something to me... of learning of their day... without the instruments of our connection trying to sell me something.
It would be a wonderful thing to feel trust and intrigue as I’m about to answer my phone. It’s a sad thing when we have to get our guard up when the telephone rings.
THURSDAY...
— Fairly quiet day at work. I’m alone for eight of the twelve hours as well. Hockey on TV after work.
FRIDAY...
— Computers down most of the day at work. Made for a long day as we were fairly workless for much of the time.
— To Shannon’s after work for burgers and some hanging out.
SATURDAY...
— Some TV around the house before work. Work the night alone. A pretty quiet night... goes pretty well.
SUNDAY...
— Leave work in the early morning to a skunk wandering the grounds around our building. Upon seeing me, it runs... towards me. Time to get to the car.
— Sleep is not long enough. Eyes pop open before noon and that may bite me later... as no nap this afternoon before work. Ball game instead.
MONDAY...
— Got real tired at work. By 3:30, I am on fumes. Straight home after and into bed but, even though tired, I’m up before noon. Groceries... catching up on the PVR’d TV... and a few cat naps through the day.
TUESDAY...
— Some movies, a walk around the pond (two laps). And video game baseball. A relaxing day.
WEDNESDAY...
— Some cleaning up around the house. Preparing to make my kitchen nook more useable. I clean out the spare room closet and the storage room... and by tossing several things, and repacking some boxes, I’m left with four empty boxes to deal with the clutter in the nook.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Making It Up As I Go Along #440
Driving to Ball
God damn the mighty Greenbank
Running straight to where I go
Yet every hundred yards a yellow
Which makes the journey slow.
Hurry along the pathway
Until yellow turns to red
Bringing me to anger
The halting light shade of my head.
Others travel ‘long the Greenbank
They don’t seem to mind the wait
Yet I sit behind them fuming
This motion stuttering makes me late.
In the distance see the goal
It sits so very near
Though it seems utterly impossible
Will I ever make it there?
WEDNESDAY...
— Work is alright... not too busy.
— Booked for Christmas. Barring bad weather or plane trouble, I will be home Christmas Eve.
THURSDAY...
— Annoying afternoon for a bit. Sometimes I’m just not much of a people person... there are times I’d rather not be around many of them.
— Eddie and Paula booked on the same flight home as me for Christmas. Good times.
FRIDAY...
— Pick up pizza for the office on the way to work. Pretty easy going night at the office.
SATURDAY...
— Work is pretty quiet. And I gain some luck as Debbie comes in to relieve me an hour early. Nice times when the relief forget to roll their clocks back.
SUNDAY...
— Catch up on some lazy TV watching... then to ball. We win again and I have a tonne of balls hit at me at 3rd base. Probably am in on about half of the outs for the entire game. Fun stuff.
MONDAY...
— Lunch with Karl. A nice time out. Some TV and video games after I get back.
TUESDAY...
— Reading much of the afternoon. Some computer work and a movie on the TV get me through the rest of the day. Plus Montreal vs. Vancouver in French on TV.
God damn the mighty Greenbank
Running straight to where I go
Yet every hundred yards a yellow
Which makes the journey slow.
Hurry along the pathway
Until yellow turns to red
Bringing me to anger
The halting light shade of my head.
Others travel ‘long the Greenbank
They don’t seem to mind the wait
Yet I sit behind them fuming
This motion stuttering makes me late.
In the distance see the goal
It sits so very near
Though it seems utterly impossible
Will I ever make it there?
WEDNESDAY...
— Work is alright... not too busy.
— Booked for Christmas. Barring bad weather or plane trouble, I will be home Christmas Eve.
THURSDAY...
— Annoying afternoon for a bit. Sometimes I’m just not much of a people person... there are times I’d rather not be around many of them.
— Eddie and Paula booked on the same flight home as me for Christmas. Good times.
FRIDAY...
— Pick up pizza for the office on the way to work. Pretty easy going night at the office.
SATURDAY...
— Work is pretty quiet. And I gain some luck as Debbie comes in to relieve me an hour early. Nice times when the relief forget to roll their clocks back.
SUNDAY...
— Catch up on some lazy TV watching... then to ball. We win again and I have a tonne of balls hit at me at 3rd base. Probably am in on about half of the outs for the entire game. Fun stuff.
MONDAY...
— Lunch with Karl. A nice time out. Some TV and video games after I get back.
TUESDAY...
— Reading much of the afternoon. Some computer work and a movie on the TV get me through the rest of the day. Plus Montreal vs. Vancouver in French on TV.
Tuesday, November 02, 2010
Making It Up As I Go Along #439
The First Snowfall
Drifting into the night
Shaved slivers of ice
So thin they flutter on the breeze
Melting instantly once touched by anything more than air.
The coming of winter
Unseen from inside
Only spotted around lights
As moths to the flame, each flake seen for a moment and then becomes a puddle
A night of culture
The family out for an event
Leaving with dance and song buzzing the mind
And walking out into the night, faces kissed with sloppy flakes of snow.
Walking through the park
A lit up castle in the background
As the softness of snow
quiets the city as father, mother, and son share the show’s memories.
Each year brings a first snowfall.
Most with grumbles
Many screeching cars into each other
Coldly slapping faces on gales.
This one is different.
Gently shared one still evening
As a family makes it’s way home
TUESDAY...
— Work. Day shift goes alright. Fairly busy but alright. Left over ham for lunch... thank’s to mom’s cooking... and chili for supper... again mom... brings goodness to the day.
WEDNESDAY...
— Alone in CPSIC for much of the day (10 to 6). A busy day working the rust off.
THURSDAY/FRIDAY...
— Work the night shift Thursday and sleep much of the time I’m not working... with a little TV in there too. Work is fine on the first night. Not too tired.
— And Friday goes pretty well. Fairly quiet night followed by a few quick groceries before Saturday morning bed.
SATURDAY...
— Up before noon. Some catching up on the TV shows on the PVR.
— Sarah over for movies in the evening. 4th Kind is kind of interesting. Where the Wild Things Are is cool.
SUNDAY...
— Low key around the house until ball. I don’t play very well but the team wins again. Home for Sunday night TV. Only two or three rings of my bell by trick or treaters tonight. Ignored.
MONDAY...
— Quiet day with some TV and time dealing with my hockey pool.
Drifting into the night
Shaved slivers of ice
So thin they flutter on the breeze
Melting instantly once touched by anything more than air.
The coming of winter
Unseen from inside
Only spotted around lights
As moths to the flame, each flake seen for a moment and then becomes a puddle
A night of culture
The family out for an event
Leaving with dance and song buzzing the mind
And walking out into the night, faces kissed with sloppy flakes of snow.
Walking through the park
A lit up castle in the background
As the softness of snow
quiets the city as father, mother, and son share the show’s memories.
Each year brings a first snowfall.
Most with grumbles
Many screeching cars into each other
Coldly slapping faces on gales.
This one is different.
Gently shared one still evening
As a family makes it’s way home
TUESDAY...
— Work. Day shift goes alright. Fairly busy but alright. Left over ham for lunch... thank’s to mom’s cooking... and chili for supper... again mom... brings goodness to the day.
WEDNESDAY...
— Alone in CPSIC for much of the day (10 to 6). A busy day working the rust off.
THURSDAY/FRIDAY...
— Work the night shift Thursday and sleep much of the time I’m not working... with a little TV in there too. Work is fine on the first night. Not too tired.
— And Friday goes pretty well. Fairly quiet night followed by a few quick groceries before Saturday morning bed.
SATURDAY...
— Up before noon. Some catching up on the TV shows on the PVR.
— Sarah over for movies in the evening. 4th Kind is kind of interesting. Where the Wild Things Are is cool.
SUNDAY...
— Low key around the house until ball. I don’t play very well but the team wins again. Home for Sunday night TV. Only two or three rings of my bell by trick or treaters tonight. Ignored.
MONDAY...
— Quiet day with some TV and time dealing with my hockey pool.
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