political landscape..

I never used to get very involved in politics. Actually, when I was in university I did do some volunteer time with the Conservative Party though it wasn't because I was in the know about what they stood for. I had a friend or two that supported them however they could and I was just tagging along. I have actually voted NDP more than once. It's not until the past few years that I've really developed a desire to know more.

One of the biggest things I have not been able to understand is how the Bloc came to be a federal party in Canada. However it happened, I would love to see that reversed. As I mentioned in another earlier post, I just don't "get" how they can run in a federal election when they care only about Quebec... when they are NOT there for all of Canada. This article from Sun News entitled "Change Funding Rules to Block the Bloc" explains some of that and how to put an end to it.

I posted just a few days ago about how irritated it makes me to hear the NDP smear campaign advertisements on the radio. It's really sad that a party that I used to see as strong and proud has had to resort to this type of advertising. I wish there was more of the explanations of what they will do and how they want to accomplish each task instead of putting others down. There's a way to compare policies and plans without constantly bashing the others.

The other thing I'd like to say about politics is how annoying it is that these grown men and women can't act older than they do in the House. It's really worse than an elementary school's playground! I'd love to see these people stand together where they can to make Canada better and stronger. After that, they can hash out the rest with much more civility than they currently do. I'd like to see the system changed for the better. I'd like to see a Canadian democracy that doesn't make us look like spoiled brats fighting for their own way even if there are other better ways to reach the same goal.

Change is needed. I'm just not convinced that it's a shift to another party that will create the refocussing that's required to build a Canada we can truly be proud to be a part of.

Dee..

a little off balance..

Labyrinthitis? My husband was quite impressed with his diagnosis. I'm sure I've had it before (about 3 years ago) and they just didn't tell me the medical terminology for the condition. It seems appropriate that Mr. K would be told though. He's a lover of all things medieval and it really sounds pretty cool until you are experiencing the symptoms. It's an inner ear thing so it throws off a person's balance. It's kind of funny to see him staggering around like he's drunk... especially since he rarely drinks and I have never seen him drink to excess in all our 22 years. He's not a big fan of how he feels, but dang, that name is something to talk about!

Dee..

the election queasies..

I'm starting to get queasy every time I hear an election ad running on the radio. I'm also feeling that way when I read my facebook newsfeed. It's time to end this neverending litany of bashing. I'm so tired of hearing the NDP ads tell how and why no one should vote for Stephen Harper or the Conservative Party. I think they have effectively made sure that I will NEVER vote NDP again. I can't stand it. Seriously, maybe Jack Layton should instead focus on answering questions about HOW he's going to do what he says he will. Maybe he should actually tell the voters that without raising taxes they will get little to nothing of what he promises. I saw all of 15 minutes of that leadership debate and my impression was that there is only one man there that didn't scare me. His name was not Iggy nor Gilles Duceppe, and his name certainly was NOT the power-hungry Jack Layton.

Dee..

playing dress-up..

Can you tell I've been reading a lot of news articles? This one is with regards to the dress of some parents' daughters.

The CNN article claims, in a way that really makes you think, that girls are being dressed like tramps. The author starts out describing a girl he saw at the airport where the implication is that the girl he saw was older, more like adult aged. It's a rather pleasing portrait he paints until he says that the girl was about 8 years old. He goes on to talk about some of the fashions available to these young girls that are not even appropriate for an 18 year old.

One problem I have with this article is the neglect to mention that there is currently little choice for parents who would rather dress their daughters more conservatively. When going to a local store that carries children's clothing, there is little available that covers their skin and allows them to remain little girls. Even if a parent wanted to go that way, there is little in the way of options. These days not many girls are still learning to sew in school so when they have children, that isn't even an option to them.

The other thing is that our children are sexualized at such a young age by everything going on around them, such as television, music and so on. On top of that, parents are currently discouraged by society from actually parenting these days, unless their child is a real troublemaker and drawing attention to this lack.

There are many reasons why things are the way they are with fashion and our children and I like that some attention is being drawn to this issue. I just wish that more of the reasons were explored to give a more balanced view to the situation.

Dee..

medicinal marijuana..

A while ago I read an article in the Toronto Sun about a judge calling the current "pot laws" unconstitutional and invalid. Judge Donald Taliano claimed that the law creates a hardship for those who need medicinal marijuana to control their pain. The patient in question suffers from osteoarthritis and insists that marijuana is the only way to control his pain even though, reportedly, no doctor will back his request for it.

I understand legal medications do not always help those in chronic pain as much as one would think. My husband suffers from a severe and debilitating chronic pain condition. I saw the amounts of legal medication that he was prescribed and consumed faithfully in an attempt to control the ongoing pain. However, even with the amounts of pain he endures on a daily basis, he refuses to resort to what has been termed "medicinal marijuana" because there are better ways to cope with pain. There are days when he can do little else but wipe tears from his eyes. He's not perfect and there are those days where his pain is far from controlled but it really is amazing what the mind can learn to cope with if one learns a few techniques ranging from meditation to distraction. He manages most days fairly well now that he's better learned his tolerance and threshold. He knows what techniques work best when and puts them to use when needed. Everyday is not pretty but he's functional. He has a life, albeit a limited one, and he appreciates what he has. It wasn't like that when he was on prescription painkillers and we are convinced that it would be much the same with medicinal marijuana.

Any drug, legal or not, alters the person's personality and has side effects on bodily functions. Sometimes prescription drugs are necessary. Sometimes the person could die without it, as in the case with insulin, for example. The benefits can far outweigh the dangers and side effects. In those cases, I support the use of prescription drugs. This is not always the case and the person's family doctor is the best person to help us determine that.

In the case in question, the man could not find a doctor to support his use of medicinal marijuana. Could it be that he was simply looking for a legal out for an already established habit? I don't know. I'm simply throwing that out there. I don't doubt that there are times when this so-called medicinal marijuana might help one bear the pain they suffer with. What I doubt is the necessity of it. I believe it's a choice that people want to make on their own, without a doctor's supervision. I believe they want to go about their life while under the influence of a substance that is proven to be mind altering. For example, should someone using medicinal marijuana be allowed to drive? When my husband was on painkillers, he had to take his road test again to prove that he was capable of giving the needed attention to driving. I believe that should be done in cases where marijuana is being used as a medication.

This issue is not near as straight-forward as some would like to believe and the laws need to appropriately reflect the many facets if this use is to be allowed. As for whether the current laws create a hardship for the user, thereby being unconstitutional, perhaps that is the least of our concerns if a doctor isn't willing to back marijuana as a treatment for this man's pain. Perhaps he should stick with more conventional methods... and possibly attend a pain clinic to learn how to cope without going this route.

Dee..

Easter: What It Really Means..

Easter. No bunnies. No eggs, no chicks. No candy and chocolate. Those are all nice pleasant things to focus on in order to avoid the reality of the events that make up Easter. Instead, on Good Friday we make an effort to remember pain and suffering endured and that Jesus was willing to carry our sin for us into the depths of hell so that we wouldn't have to. He spent 3 days there paying the penalty. When the debt was paid He rose out of the grave and walked on the earth once again, being seen by people, before ascending into heaven.

He never sinned. But he was willing to die so that we could join Him in heaven one day. It's like taking a bullet for someone and dying. Would YOU take a bullet for someone who hated you? Would YOU be willing to be tortured for them? That's what Jesus did for us all. In all honesty, I'm not sure I would even though it's nice to think that I would.

Mixed emotions are what I feel when I think of Easter. Happy and sad all at the same time. I am happy to have the opportunity to have eternal life. I'm sad that someone had to DIE and be tortured in order for me to have it. How about you? Are you grateful for life everlasting?

Dee..

*GOOD* Friday..

Good Friday. Most people would agree that Fridays are good - especially if their work week happens to be Monday to Friday. It signals the beginning of the weekend, which the vast majority of people long for repeatedly.

For a Christian, this particular Friday is labelled as good for a very specific reason. It is the day set aside for remembering what historical records refer to as the crucifixion of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Not everyone agrees on His place in history but the Christian community as a whole believe Him to be the Saviour of the world. He is the one who was fully God and fully man, born of the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary over 2000 years ago. The majority of people will know the story, even if it doesn't fit in the realm of their belief system.

So, the death of Christ was said to buy our entrance into heaven. Believing that to be true leaves us grateful for His sacrifice since He willingly gave Himself over to death. It's nice that there are two specific days in a year to focus on being thankful. Both Easter and Thanksgiving allow us the opportunity to be specifically grateful for all our God does for us in this lifetime and beyond. Take a moment this weekend, to express thanks to the Creator for the good things you have in this life. It's a good feeling.

Dee..

"stepping" your way to health..

I came across a website a few days ago posted on Twitter that was intriguing to me. It's all about getting exercise and becoming more healthy because of it. It was something new to me and I never expected that I'd find a local group. Now when you hear the term "stepping", one would think it was in reference to a step bench that one would step up and down on in a rhythm in place. There are plenty of programs for that type of thing. No, this was different.

What I'd stumbled upon was a website for stairclimbing. It might be along the same lines as the other "stepping" except that you do a lot of up and then a lot of down and then repeat instead of up, down, up, down. What I really found interesting was that this is becoming an organized sport! There are various events and even competitions to go to!

I'm not sure how I feel about it because it somehow sounds a lot more difficult to me. I guess because I do some of that kind of thing at work and, after a while, it really plays me out. I also notice that the stairclimbing that I do can make my knees seem to creak more. I would think that both stairclimbing and stepping with a bench might be harder on the joints than something like walking. It was an interesting concept but I don't think I'll be trying it very soon.

Dee..

procrastination..

Even when I feel like being productive, it is so easy to procrastinate! Sometimes it is on one specific task... and sometimes it's on EVERY task. What's up with that??

I think the biggest thing for me lately is that there are still renovations that need doing but we are waiting for the weather to co-operate. It's frustrating to feel that one thing depends on another, on another, on another. That's how life often is though. Before we can wash the laundry it has to be sorted. Maybe we don't mind washing, drying, folding... but we hate sorting and so the job ends up taking a long time to complete because one step is difficult to want to get done. Sometimes it's just that one task is best done before another. Cleaning is best done top to bottom. Dust before you vacuum or sweep.

Honestly, most of the time I just like to do what I want to do and it takes self-discipline to push myself to get it done. And speaking of getting it done, I better go clean my bathroom!

Dee..

discrimination? or lack of work ethic?

I read a news article a week or so ago that really got me riled. The article entitled Hire Canada's Indigenous Peoples Before Foreign Skilled Workers, says Chief upset me because of the implication of a handout. To be fair, perhaps that was not the intent of the message being sent by this Chief or by the media. I really hope it wasn't.

There is nothing wrong with needing a helping hand and there is nothing wrong with getting some of that help along the way. What really gets to me is the implication that it doesn't matter if these indigenous peoples are skilled or not. It bothers me that this chief seems to want for his people to not have to work for the positions. That might take finishing high school and taking a student loan to further their education. It might take being willing to do what it takes and being persistent. I understand that sometimes there is discrimination at work with regard to certain people groups but, for the most part, if the same steps were followed that anyone else needs to do to get those jobs, they would have as good a shot at being hired... if not better! Let's not forget that they are part of a "visible minority" in Canada and, as such, can often be hired even more easily than the general population.

Dee..

Oh Canada..

I missed most of the federal election debate because I was at work. I did catch the last 15 minutes and Duceppe's closing comments just baffle me beyond belief. I cannot fathom, for the life of me, how a separatist party leader can even be part of the debate for a federal election.

Gilles Duceppe's closing comments were very clearly stating that Quebec should be their own country but since they aren't, he's the best leader for them to keep focus on separating. Huh? He talks of how "the other parties don't recognize Quebec as a nation". He says Canada "bases it's policies on it's own interests". He goes on to say that Quebec needs to be it's own country. "As long as Quebec is part of Canada.... the Bloc will be there for Quebec." How does any of that say that he will make a good Prime Minister to Canada??? If he cannot be a good Prime Minister for all of Canada, he should not be part of the federal debate. A federal election is not about each province as a whole but as a part of the greater whole: Canada.

Now, don't get me wrong. I want to see Quebec remain as a unique part of Canada. I just can't stomach the comments made by Duceppe. First of all, Quebec is a part of Canada... not their own nation... so how could Canada recognize them as a nation? Of course Canada is going to base its policies on it's own best interests! Why ever not? And lastly, why should ANY province have a Prime Minister that is there only for them and them alone? They shouldn't. The PM should be there to make each and every province strong... as the important part of Canada that they are.

Dee..

leadership debate..

I missed most of the federal election debate because I was at work. I did catch the last 15 minutes and Duceppe's closing comments just baffle me beyond belief. I cannot fathom, for the life of me, how a separatist party leader can even be part of the debate for a federal election.

Gilles Duceppe's closing comments were very clearly stating that Quebec should be their own country but since they aren't, he's the best leader for them to keep focus on separating. Huh? He talks of how "the other parties don't recognize Quebec as a nation". He says Canada "bases it's policies on it's own interests". He goes on to say that Quebec needs to be it's own country. "As long as Quebec is part of Canada.... the Bloc will be there for Quebec." How does any of that say that he will make a good Prime Minister to Canada??? If he cannot be a good Prime Minister for all of Canada, he should not be part of the federal debate. A federal election is not about each province as a whole but as a part of the greater whole: Canada.

Now, don't get me wrong. I want to see Quebec remain as a unique part of Canada. I just can't stomach the comments made by Duceppe. First of all, Quebec is a part of Canada... not their own nation... so how could Canada recognize them as a nation? Of course Canada is going to base its policies on it's own best interests! Why ever not? And lastly, why should ANY province have a Prime Minister that is there only for them and them alone? They shouldn't. The PM should be there to make each and every province strong... as the part of Canada that they are.

Dee..

a retail worker's thank you..

Today I'd like to say a big thank you to those shoppers who enter a store with a good attitude and don't get all bent out of shape when the store's employee doesn't respond the way you think they should. I work in retail and it's always so nice when people recognize that you are doing your best to give good customer service in a timely manner. It is tough for anyone having a bad day to keep a positive attitude; however, negativity and rude remarks only set the stage for a bad day to turn worse for both of us. So... thank you. Thank you for your smile. Thank you for your patience. Thank you for being a pleasant you. :)

Dee..

holding onto things..

I had a thought the other day about things I have and don't use. In fact, some of them haven't been used in several years or more. Sometimes it is because of reasonable delays and sometimes it's just because we don't really "want" to use it. A few of the items I thought of, I decided I could let go of and should I want them again someday, I could always get another. That was all well and good.

A few days later, I saw someone I thought to pass an item along to. I forgot to mention the item and see if this person would have use for it. I had a brief moment of wanting to hold onto the item and that feeling caused some thought about the television programs about hoarding. It's so EASY to put off getting rid of things that are really pretty unimportant in our lives. It's so EASY, even without an emotional attachment. Imagine... just imagine how it must be for those who have formed an emotional attachment to items as a replacement for a person they have lost from their lives or another type of loss such as a job or health. Imagine the heartwrenching pain associated with a loss being transferred to items and then to have others telling you that you have to get rid of them.

Walk a mile..... I'd rather not, but I have an imagination and feel compassion even if I can't FULLY understand what they go through. How about you?

Dee..

new baby..

I haven't a lot of time but wanted to share a little tidbit of news. I never had a car of my own or a second car for the family until I went back to work a few years ago. It wasn't something I planned on, even. However, the bus service wasn't great to my first job leaving me late for work almost every morning so my husband took an opportunity to purchase for me, a 1991 Toyota Corolla from another homeschooling family. It served me well and I loved being able to have the shorter trip to and from work... and then also to have a vehicle that was smaller to run errands when needed.

Sadly, it was starting to have some issues and the time had come to think about how much work to put into an older car. I had been browsing online off and on dreaming about what it would be like to have a newer little car but I really saw it as a pipe dream because I didn't want to be working just to have a car payment. I changed jobs about 6 months ago and this one will soon require me to drive across the city at least a day or two a week so an older car that was becoming less reliable just didn't seem to be the best idea.

I spotted a 2009 Pontiac G3 Wave on a dealer website and just knew I had to go see it. The price wasn't bad for that new a car and it also had low mileage. So, the next day was a Saturday.... the only day in my week that I work a full 8 hour day. My husband, Mr. B., agreed with me that we should see it so before work we went to the dealership. I took it for a test drive and loved it! I went to work and Mr. B. took care of all the little details, having the car "bought and paid for" by 4:30pm that same day! What a blessing that was for me! So, now I am the proud owner of a bouncing baby Bianca! lol Here's a photo from before she was mine.

She's a good girl... and seems to like to play in the puddles. I don't mind as long as they aren't too deep. ;) Isn't she cute?

Dee..

hiatus: one year..

April 3rd. It's been a year long hiatus from blogging for me. This was not an intentional absence but also not exactly a forced one. It just happened... sort of. Life events prevent a blogger who is not dedicated from posting anything new. Sometimes the coherent thoughts, and the words to express them, don't emerge.

Yes, I suppose I am one of those bloggers in the sense that I struggle with what to write about and have allowed several life events in the past to stop the flow. Often it's simply that indecision and fear of putting myself out there. One big one was renovation upheaval. More recently there was another major life event where, for a time, I was unable to even think, really. You see, my only daughter ran away from home and for 3 months I had no concrete knowledge on where she was, though I had a pretty good idea who she was with. At the time, I had no clue how we had all come to the place we were at. She wasn't a young child or even dependent teen, so she could technically do as she pleased and live her life in whatever manner suited her during any given moment of fancy. And she did...

Despite the fact that she's been "back" for a solid 6 months, life is settling down, and I am extremely grateful that we are no longer in the place we were in a few short months ago, there has been so much damage to the family relationships that could take more than a lifetime to heal if they continue the way things have been. It's a very sad experience for us because we did our best to raise our daughter well. However, no one is perfect and it would appear we failed at our mission. Perhaps someday hindsight will reveal a different picture but for now, it is what it is. Failure.

Failure is an ugly word. Most people these days don't like to think that they might have actually failed at something. It's not a politically correct notion. I have thought a lot about it though and it was definitely a fail. That's not to say that we did everything wrong, which is frequently implied by the word but simply that the accumulative outcome was such.

Issues began with the journey into puberty when friends' opinions became more important than those of parents and siblings. This is a natural thing but it's sad that the hormones of puberty can overwhelm the senses and make untrue things become true in the undisciplined teenage mind. Then unwillingness to work through issues, in spite of the discomfort involved, clearly drives a deeper wedge between family members that should be close, that should trust, that should love beyond all else. What should be... isn't.

People say it will come. They say we have to just give it time... much time. Maturity needs to be developed. In the meantime, there are many uncomfortable pauses in conversation that shouldn't be. In the meantime, there are raging emotions that ebb and flow, threatening to overtake me. In the meantime, it just hurts.

Dee..