Gentle readers. You may not know this but I have not actually ‘blogged’ in days. It is because I blogged ahead, wrote two or three pieces but did not send them immediately on to Chris for posting. AND wait until you hear this – I did not miss writing the daily missive one tiny little bit. I began this whole blog thing being compulsive and addicted – I HAD to write, it HAD to be posted. Now, quite frankly, I could give a shit. Not sure why but asking WHY is a fundamental waste of time because there is always more than one cause or reason for everything and sometimes it is just bloody chance or happenstance.
I am experiencing a parallel emotion – I do not give a shit about emails either. I used to live and die for emails, which made sense when I lived in London on a ‘short term’ basis but I am not living in London (and have not for a whole year) and I guess I am here in Vancouver to stay.
I ‘guess’ because my honeymoon with Canada has ended. Yes indeed. You Canadians are not as wonderful as you keep telling yourself. Trump is bad, not doubt about that, but Trudeau (which also begins with a T) is more than a little bit flawed. And I am not just talking about his bad choice in socks. (thank you for that Rick Mercer). I was talking to Hottie yesterday and told him that I have decided that I am not Canadian after all, I am not bloody American either and I could hardly be British as I lived there for two and a half years before they they kicked me out. I guess I am just me – dirty work but somebody has to do it.
So I am having trouble with this fiction/fact thing. The proposed title mentioned in the March 10, 2018 blog should be A Saskatchewan-Singaporian Coincidence That Actually Happened in Canada. That is because Kim Mee Poo was born in Singapore, not Malaysia. Alicia McTwit was born in Saskatchewan. There will be more about the wedding in a couple of paragraphs.
It was an amazing day yesterday – believe it or not the sun was shining yet again even though I was going to North Vancouver. I managed to find an actual person (versus a machine) and bought a Compass card and then I went on a SeaBus, got to North Vancouver for an appointment with a trul wonderful doctor. He is a gem and he actually began our consultation complimenting me on my shoes. I almost fainted, they are great shoes purchased in London about five years ago – flats, of course. But then he went on to tell me the most wonderful news – no polyps, minor symptoms, nothing requiring intervention. But like everything there is good news and bad news, as I said to his wonderful assistant Anne.
Me; Do you want the bad news or the good news first?
She: Bad news I guess
Me: I will not be back again for five years.
She: What is the good news?
Me: I am healthy and I do not have cancer.
We did of course laugh. She is so efficient – another patient and myself complimented her -I do believe in being positive. I do feel sad, not being able to see the doctor and Annie. Now there might be a family connection but that is doubtful, at best.
So I went back to Lonsdale to celebrate my good fortune. and while I was there went to this fantastic store called Celtic Collections and hung out with Jill, who is employed at the store. We had such a jolly good time. Their jewelry is magnificent – so very fine that I picked out a ring for the groom – Kim Mee Poo. I put it on my finger and took a picture of it and it is attached to this blog. But I did not buy it because the wedding is fiction – not fact.I also took a picture of a saying which is so true. It describes courage: “Courage does not always soar. Sometimes, it is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying I will try again tomorrow.” I am actually very courageous and I do know that to be true. I bought a calendar at the store and learned that on my birthday there is an Ascension of Sake Dawa, a Tibetan Buddhist belief. I do not know what to make of that.
But now I am going to switch and become a bit intellectual and political on you. Michael Adams discussed the Trudeau Liberal’s decision to pull the plug on all talk of voting reform. Adams said: Are the Trudeau Liberals saying they’ve studied the issues and determined that all’s well —nothing to look at here? Or does the fact that they broke a core election pledge serve as a mender that Canadian democracy has always been a game played by and for elites. Is the political class circling the wagons?” Adams went on to discuss the Trump situation, casting a different light on the matter. “As for the U.S., Trump’s election marked the second time in a generation where the candidate with fewer popular votes won the election—a stunning indictment of the antiquated electoral college system. But, as may traditional conservative commentators have acknowledged, Trump’s ascendancy underscored not just the failings of the epc nomination process but also the extreme and worsening polarization that has beset American politics and its democratic institutions.” Then Adams really slams the political scene in the USA. “But when the most visible defender of the U.S. Constitution attacks no less than the First Amendment by vilifying the media as ‘enemies of the people,’ you know the problems run deeper than politics as usual.”
Now old time friend Bruce disagrees with this, particularly the Trudeau part. But I am not just a pretty face – I have my viewpoints augmented by research and solid facts.
I am strangely happy and content as of late. I wonder why and have arrived at a partial explanation. For the first time in my life I am surrounded by people who are emotionally supportive of me and ‘give back’. The takers and underminers are no longer in my firmament – it does make a world of difference. On that positive note I shall close.
