Major decisions will be made in Alberta, probably already have by the time you read this. These decisions made by the Alberta Conservative party may affect my life but at this moment I am completely powerless to not only effect change, but even to influence anyone as I am sure that no MLAs are reading this blog. The present Premier of Alberta, Jason Kenny, has stepped down from his leadership role, party members will elect a new person to head their party and that person will become Premier. This does not appear to be good news because the front runner, Michele Smith, is reported to be anti-science, anti-vaccine, anti-federal government and seemingly anti everything that is positive.
She has publicly announced that she will not hold a new election immediately but will instead wait for the regularly scheduled election date. Wait until you hear this, it is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. It is scheduled for May 29, 2023 which happens to be my eightieth birthday. Is this perhaps an omen? Maybe I should run? What a birthday present?!! A province singing Happy Birthday dear Alexis. This is almost too much to ask. Hahahaha
By the way, the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth is the absolute truth about something, without omission, embellishment, or alteration. It is used to swear in witnesses while giving evidence in court, and used by extension in other contexts. The formula of the oath as “the whole truth and nothing but the truth” originated in the common law jurisdiction of medieval England, finding its way in sometimes subtly altered form into the formula for the oath in other common law jurisdictions. Now you know! These little gems of knowledge which I impart freely and constantly and for free.
You: Thank you so much Alexis! I appreciate this.
Me: You are quite welcome and I always tell the truth. Occasionally I exaggerate a little but that is rarely necessary.
I am about to undertake a new phase in my life. It was announced on Instagram with a photograph which will be attached to this blog.
“What is this? Homelessness is a huge problem in Edmonton. But in order to solve the problem more must be known. These books borrowed from the Alberta Legislative Library studied the problem across Canada. I am going to read them and see if I can help. Will begin journey on my blog soon.
Let us put it this way, I was not overwhelmed with Likes for this post. But those that did got a direct message from me. What follows is the thread between me and a woman whose nickname if Flower Girl’s Wife. I met she and her husband on a bus tour in Iceland. The tour guide was so boring – we sat in the back row and giggled quietly amongst ourselves. That was in 2018 – we have remained in touch through Instagram since then. She lives in the UK – visited she and her husband during one of my visits to London – in 2019, I do believe.
Me: Thanks for liking my new big project. Making some changes from when you first me. Flower Girl has no role at all in the study so he can stop practicing. Hahaha
She: What are you studying. Sounds like a good plan. Xxc
Me: Well, on my own I am studying homelessness and the Islamic faith. No more formal school for me as I now have more degrees than ex-husbands and it looks like I am not going to get married again. Other plans include the practice of Ikebana – took lessons for twenty years. With the Internet and Alberta Legislative Library within walking distance I shall have all the resources needed. So things have worked out beautifully.
So here goes. My study on homelessness which you shall share (well if you read the blog that is).
First of all it is important to define terms so we all know what we are talking about. Appendix 1 of Amanda Grenier’s Late-Life Homelessness contains the following selections of the
Canadian Definition of Homelessness.
Homelessness describes the situation of an individual, family or community without stable, safe, permanent, appropriate housing, or the immediate prospect, means and ability of acquiring it. It is the result of systemic or social barriers, a lack of affordable and appropriate housing, the individual/household’s financial, mental, cognitive, behavioral or physical challenges, and or racism and discrimination.
More selections shall be included in subsequent blogs. It is incredibly and thoroughly well defined and documented. It is most impressive.
But I do know that many readers tune in, so to speak, for humor. Well, lucky you as I was blessed to find something funny and most topical in the New Yorker. I shall include some headings but you must link onto the document itself to see the hilarious cartoons that accompany each situation. It is called Untested Solutions to the Housing Crisis. Here is the link: https://www.newyorker.com/humor/daily-shouts/untested-solutions-to-the-housing-crisis.
Here are some, shall we say, rather innovative solutions:
- Cover your whole floor with beds to make space for more roommates.
- Single family flying houses
- Noise cancelling earphones for nimbies.
- Moling with the homies in underground tunnels
- Put a roof over the whole country so that technically everything is indoors.
- Let the boomers colonize Mars.
- Maybe just build housing????
I do admit that my very favorite is putting a roof over the whole country so that technically everything is indoors. Now that would be an easy task in Qatar as it is tiny but not so easy to do in Canada. This, of course, is so paradoxical. Why? Because there is no homelessness in Qatar.
What is paradoxical? It is seemingly absurd or self-contradictory. Is synonyms are: self-contradictory, inconsistent, incongruous, anomalous, conflicting; improbable, impossible, odd, illogical, confusing, absurd, puzzling, baffling, bewildering, incomprehensible, inexplicable; oxymoronic. My very favorite is oxymoronic. So it is oxymoronic that covering a country with a roof is the solution to homelessness, however it is only possible in a small country like Qatar, not a vast country like Canada. However, there is no homelessness in Qatar, only in Canada.
But back to my favorite topic of the day: Me, Alexis McBride. I spoke to Flower Girl’s wife about my return to the practice of Ikebana Flower Arranging. With great delight found that there was an Ikebana Club in Edmonton and made plans to attend their semi-weekly instructions and a special conference to be held this month. But nothing seemed to come together properly. It was a different school, I had to go back to the Beginning Basics Class and learn new procedures, new ways. Necessary but very exacting and not very creative at this level. Then huge problems with the financing because I do not have a solid Canadian financial presence. So decided that I would just go my own way and do it on my own. I did yesterday, announcing again on Instagram with a photo that will be included on the blog.
“Flower arrangement by Alexis. Decided to use my Ikebana talent learned from twenty years of lessons using flowers from the Alberta Legislative gardens. Flowers were a gift from the gardeners as beds are being readied for winter.
So it seems clear to me that I am finally at the right time, at the right place. It might have taken 79 years but I am most grateful to be here. There is a great definition of this on Wikdictionary:
At a location where something good is about to happen at just the time of its occurrence; lucky; fortunate; able to obtain a benefit due to circumstances, rather than due to merit.
There are examples in the Bible of being at the time and the right place. They are: Nehemiah was the right person in the right place at the right time. Other biblical stories of people being in the right place at the right time for the right reason are the stories of Joseph and Esther.
There are examples also in the Quran and do not forget that Joseph is considered a prophet in the Islamic faith. The Arabic translation is Yusuf.
Photos of Instagram photo entries. Also a photograph showing the flower arrangement and a photograph taken by Alexis on the wall behind it. All this and I can photograph (and cook) too.
