I am teaching a group of teenagers and I see them three times a week. Sometimes they will do whatever they can to wriggle their way out of work. Sometimes they simply want to connect with the person teaching the class. Today was one of those days. It started when E asked me how old I was. I of course said, "You don't ask those kinds of questions."
"Well why not. Ms. S told us how her husband proposed to her." "I'll tell you what, take a guess and I'll tell you if you hit it." "24," she asks inquiringly. Now everyone is listening intently. I smile and say, "not quite," thinking if I were I would scarcely be out of university. "26 then." I tilt my head and smirk. M blurts out, "28." At this point, I can't hold it in. I really start smiling, truth be told I was trying not to laugh. "I knew it!" he says. "Madame is 28. Look, she's blushing." Yep, that's how I look when I try to not laugh outright...nice rosy glow, that is.
Class went on as usual and close to the end E comes up and sits opposite me and takes a good hard look at me before saying, "I can't believe you're 28, you look so much younger."
I just love these kids. I wonder if the parents would notice if I took them home with me.
As nightfall does not come all at once, neither does oppression. In both instances, there is a twilight when everything remains seemingly unchanged. And it is in such a twilight that we all must be most aware of change in the air – however slight – lest we become unwitting victims of the darkness.
~Justice William O. Douglas
Today I had a chance to browse through a book called, “The End of America – Letter of Warning to a Young Patriot,” by Naomi Wolf. Like I said, browsed, so I can’t give you a full synopsis, but what I read, was disturbing, to say the very least. This book is a wake-up call that brings to light issues of tyranny, democracy, and survival. It is a call to arms…compelling us to face the way the freedom in America is under assault. She draws parallels to the Bush administrations post 9-11 policies and events that took place during the early years leading up to the rise of Nazi Germany, Pinochet’s Chile and Stalinist Russia.She explains how Americans have the wrong idea of what a closed society looks like, how in the initial shut down, for the most part, for most people, life goes on as usual.
She takes one through the steps that dictators in the past who have taken over democracies or crushed prodemocracy uprisings by invoking emergency decrees to close down civil liberties, creating military tribunals, and criminalizing dissent have used and brings to light echoes of these events in America today.She calls to our attention important lessons from history about how fragile civil liberties are and how quickly freedom can be lost. Our fundamental rights and freedoms are being eroded as we apathetically sit back unaware. She clearly outlines the same ten steps that have shut down democracies all over the world at different times:invoke an external threat; develop a paramilitary force; create a secret prison system; surveil ordinary citizens; arbitrarily detain and release them; harass citizens’ groups; target writers, entertainers, and other key individuals for dissenting; intimidate the press; recast dissent as “treason” and criticism as “espionage”; and eventually subvert the rule of law. She then warns and illustrates how the United States is moving towards becoming a more closed society.
Naomi makes us aware of the urgency to become informed, act, and protect our rights and liberties. Although I am not American, being a close neighbour, and looking at the US’s place in the world, any movement the US might make towards a more closed society would have immense implications internationally. To quote one paragraph: “If a democratic America, with working checks and balances, often exempts itself from international agreements whenits strategic interests don’t coincide with international goals, would a United States led by a dictatorial regime be likely to subdue in itself any level of aggression internationally or restrain itself from any plunder of resources that it seeks, simply because it was upsetting the rest of the world?
If you don't have time to read the book, I encourage you to watch the video below of Naomi speaking at a university campus. It's a little long, but she goes through most of the points covered in her book.
"You're a funny bird," laughs my sister, "You know, most birds head south for the winter. And what do you do? Winter comes along and you head straight north."
She's right you know. Just when almost everyone else is mourning the loss of those last summer rays and making their plans to grace those welcoming beaches in the south, I do an about face. I head out north on the autobahn zooming my way along until finally one by one the cars begin to disperse and it is no more. I am now on what amounts to not much more than a lonely country lane, yet still I forge on, urged by the gentle secret whispers of the North Sea. Long fields of flat farm land stretch out around me fringed by forested areas. Every so often I happen upon quaint red bricked houses with welcoming candles gracing the windows. And then, a small village with the same neatly organized quaint brick houses.
I continue past it all. The air grows thicker and mist periodically rests its heavy head upon the fields. The call of the sea is getting louder now. Soon I reach its edge, the very edge where it greedily swallows up the land and makes it disappear into its steely grey waters. But this is not where I want to stop. No, I want to ride the waves until I reach a speck of land that bravely pokes its towhead out of these icy waters and gulps for air. I want to wash upon its naked, lonely shores, be enveloped by its sandy dunes. I want to listen to the wind quietly whisper its secrets in my ear as it gently brushes the hair off my forehead and kisses my cheek. I want to bask in the pale winter sun, soaking up its cool rays. More than anything, I want the moment to stretch out into eternity with the promise of forever in the now, although ultimately I understand that it must cede its spot for another to take its place.
Have you ever met someone and instantly felt an amazing connection? I'm talking about one of those situations that blows you right out of the water, where you seem to be connecting on all levels with that other person, so much so, in fact, that all you can think is, "wow!" And then, a little while later, something happens that makes you realize that perhaps, although you're completely baffled by how you didn't pick up on it, the connection wasn't mutual. How could this fact have slipped by you? You are now left perplexed, wondering, "what was that all about anyway?" Well, here we have it, Pink Martini performing possibly one of their best songs about just that. Please join me in listening to, "Hey Eugene."
A gigantic stratification of slate (132 meters above sea) impressively overlooks the Rhine near St Goar. Far below, the Rhine twists its way through a narrow valley which over centuries has been the site of many a tragic shipwreck. German poets have immortalized this place through their romanticized writings. As a result, various legend and lore has come about.
In one such story, it is said that from the top of this rock a ghost-like image of Loreley sang sailors to their doom. As they heard her fascinating, sad voice when they passed the bend of the river, they would become mesmerized with her, crashing their ships onto the rocks. This tale goes on to say that she was once a mortal girl who threw herself from the top of the rock into the Rhine because her lover proved her unfaithful.
Clemens von Bretano tells yet another tale in his novel “Godwi.” Here a ravishingly beautiful woman was cursed to attract men and thus bring about their undoing. Because she could no longer bear this tragedy, she threw herself off the highest point of the rock into the Rhine to put an end to the spell.
Yet another slightly different version of the story is found in a poem written by Heinrich Heine in 1824. He tells of a girl who combs her golden hair and lilts a little song with such a powerful melody that the sailors below, instead of watching out for shallows and wild currents look up to her and crash their boats against the rocks only to be dragged to the bottom by strong river currents which at this point is almost 100 feet deep. Thus their fate was Loreley’s song.
"I cannot explain the sadness That's fallen on my breast. An old, old fable haunts me And will not let me rest."
I do not know what haunts me, What saddened my mind all day; An age-old tale confounds me, A spell I cannot allay. The air is cool and in twilight The Rhine's dark waters flow; The peak of the mountain in highlight Reflects the evening glow.
There sits a lovely maiden Above so wondrous fair, With shining jewels laden, She combs her golden hair. It falls through her comb in a shower, And over the valley rings A song so mysterious power That lovely maiden sings.
The boatman in his small skiff is Seized by a turbulent love, No longer he marks where the cliff is, He looks to the mountain above. I think the waves must’ve flung him Against the reefs nearby, And that did with her singing The Lovely Loreley
I could be anywhere. My mind flits from my "to do" list when I get back home to an altered plane of reality in a variety of different locations. But the reality is that I am sitting in a black Mercedes heading north towards Köln at 180 km/hr. We're in the fast lane. My surroundings whir past me similar to my brain's present mode of processing. Everything outside of the vehicle is in muted tones of brown, grey and white. Winter does interesting things to the landscape. I feel like I am passing through a black and white film with selected objects tinted in sepia. It all adds to the surrealism of the situation. The radio is turned on playing mainly 80's pop songs which carries me back to my high school days. I see peoples faces, remember situations, places...it's all in there somewhere. Man, it's been a long time. I don't even know if I know their names anymore. Occasionally the music stops and a news clip is interjected. I catch a word here and there but realize that I am presently oblivious to the happenings in the world. And does it really matter anyway? "Charlie get down. Charlie get down." Have I heard that one before? I'm not so sure. Every so often they throw in one I don't know. Even now as I sit here, it all feels like a dream, I can just imagine that it will only feel more so later.
Well, apparently Blanche can hold her own in a beauty contest. Unbeknownst to me she went off and put herself out there with a bunch of other snowmen. She knew I probably wouldn't approve. But what is done is done. There's no going back now. In any case, one must strike while the iron is hot...or I guess before it gets hot, in the case of a snowman. A snowman's life is short so I admire her tenacity to seize the day and live life to the fullest. I just didn't know that a snowman's life could be so full. Apparently her dream was to see herself in glossy print, and now she's done just that and gone off there and put herself out there on the web too. At least she chose a respectable magazine: British Columbia Magazine. Check it out, and you will see what a busy girl she's been. I believe she's the third picture down. Rumour has it that she is now eying Broadway. I have my doubts about that one, but I must admit that I have yet to hear her sing and she has surprised me thus far. Who knew that a snowman's life could be so full?
Thanks to Steffi over at Mausbär's Nähkistewho asked me to complete this meme.
1. Jobs ... where I worked... If I start at the very beginning...Nelson Golf Course (I worked as a waitress); Vienna Cafe (waitress); The Hummingbird Gallery (frame shop and gallery); I did a short stint as a highway flag person; various teaching jobs - University of Sherbrooke, Red Deer College, Canadian International College, Cegep de Rimouski, Ecole Westview School, School district #23 and School District #8; Publishing - Gage Learning, Thomson Nelson, Mysotis Press; Staffing and Recruiting Consultant - Tech Recruiting Ltd; Biofeedback therapist. (Whew! That's kind of crazy. There may well be a few in there that I have missed but you to get the idea.)
2.Movies... Delicatessen, Amelie, The Red Violin, Lord of the Rings, Princess Bride, and so many other....
3. Places where I've lived ... I grew up in Nelson, BC, so I guess it's kind of ironic that I'm back. Other places where I have lived in between, in chronological order, Victoria, Quebec City, Rimouski, Prince Rupert, Kelowna, Vancouver.
4. Series... I don't watch a lot of TV shows but I tend to enjoy "cop" shows: Law & Order; Criminal Minds; CSI
5. My favourite food ... If you get me started on food, I just may not be able to stop...isn't it everyone's big love? Okay, I'll try to keep it short: cherries, chocolate, lox, crepes (only the way my Mom makes them with berries and whipped cream), whipped cream...it goes great on just about anything, cheese, fondu, raclette, pasta, really, I could be here all day.
6. My favourite websites ... Where does one start? My daily blogroll, of course. For the rest...it kind of depends on mood and what I'm looking for.
7. My favourite places ... Nelson (of course) especially in the mountains. West coast of Norway (very happy in the Bergen area) Amrum (this small island in the North Sea is a new favorite place...someday I will live there and write books) Rocky Mountains (how can one not be happy in the midst of such beauty) Switzerland (Have had good experiences in both Geneva and Zurich. What's not to like? Very friendly people, amazing food, chocolate, beautiful scenery...ah, the list goes on.) Pienza (a place where one can forget all their former lives, the incessant business and, perhaps for the first time in life, simply exist)
8. My favourite colours ... Sapphire Blue The colour of Lake Louise Cherry Red Earthy colours (for my house)
Now I suppose I really should tag someone. Who would like to participate? Let me know. I'd like to see all your answers.
I have spent the past two days in what has felt like a snow globe, surrounded by large, white, fluffy flakes wafting down around me. Today I was supposed to head up to the hill to carve up some of that powder. Today, is the day that Red Mountain has a free ski day. There would be tons of people. It would be awesome. But alas, 'twas not to be. I woke up to a forecast of nasty rain warnings.
Ever the optimist, I piled on my ski attire and decided that they just couldn't' be right. I loaded all my equipment into the vehicle and set off with friends. The roads were a mess. They were a mixture of ice, snow, slush, water... nothing pleasant no matter what sort of snow tires one has. Oh, the conundrum. We decided to stop by the grocery store while contemplating to at least push one task out of the way. The produce manager was very chatty and had all sorts of opinions about the hill. What to do? What to do? I knew he was right. I've done the ski in rain before and decided that I'm at a point in my life where I can choose to be picky. We turned around.
Now I had the whole day ahead of me. I was up, it was early, I was dressed for the great outdoors. It seemed a pity to return home to simply crawl back into bed. But then our friend "Blanche" suggested we meet her at the beach. She's not one to hang out indoors. The heat makes her melt, she complains. She thought the weather was almost perfect to get some fresh air. She was optimistic that the sun would show up and we could catch a few rays. She also suggested a polar bear dip, but the rest of us were a little hesitant. So instead, we frolicked in the snow and generally had a very merry time.
Hello everyone! I know it's been awhile since I've posted anything. This is an extremely hectic time of year and I've had a lot going on. And now I am away and am not sure as to how often I will have internet access. In the new year, however, I will be back (hopefully in full force). In the meantime, I wish you all a very merry Christmas, a wonderful holiday season, peace, joy, love and all the rest.
I have been very quiet as of late. Life continues to flurry about like the snow that has wafted down in thick flakes all day. My schedule fills up in a frenzy and at the end of the day I hardly have the energy to sit down at my computer to keep you informed of all the happenings in Kootenay Bliss. But much is happening. It is a very busy time of year and the festivities are now well underway that will undoubtedly carry us full speed ahead into the new year.
Last Saturday evening, I had the lovely honour of attending an intimate piano recital in a private residence out at six mile. The approximately fifty of us in attendance listened completely rapt to the beautiful Ivana Cojbasic, a seasoned recitalist, a soloist with orchestra, and a chamber musician who has played to critical acclaim in Yugoslavia, Hungry, Italy, France, Mexico, and the United States. This talented musician was the first prize winner of the first annual International Piano Competition, "Frederick Chopin," in Rome and also won the fifth prize and a special jury award at the 16th annual International Piano Competition "Franz Liszt" in Lucca, Italy.
On the repertoire for that evening's performance were a series of enchanted sonatas by Domenico Scarlatti, Ludwig van Beethoven and Sofia Guvaidulina. Ivana's technical mastery and interpretation particularly of the pieces she played by that last composer were astonishingly powerful. The evening wrapped up with champagne punch, decadent desserts and stimulating conversation. I must say there are some things we really know how to do right here in the Kootenays. It was a most lovely evening, indeed.
Imagine. You drive into Horseshoe Bay, join the queue, and then turn off your engine. You are off on a great adventure. You get out of your vehicle and take a little stroll while you wait. You pass a mother with her child. You hear the child exclaim, “But Mom, you said we were going to see a fairy. All I see is a big boat.” You chuckle to yourself as you continue on. Time passes quickly and the next thing you know, you’re boarding that big boat. You cover your ears as the horn blasts loudly. The boat leaves the terminal. It meanders its way along the coast, through the islands and across the straight. You pass numerous abodes: large houses, estates, mansions, little cottages, cabins and make-shift shelters. They dot the hills and cliffs. You wonder about the people who live there, where they work, what they do, who they are, these people who are so tied to the water, so exposed to the elements. Water, water, water, water, water. Wind. The ferry approaches the other side. We are now nearing the Nanaimo terminal. You patiently wait to be signaled off. You disembark. You drive through the town and head north on the Island Highway. You continue along following the pack of cars that came before you. Slowly they disperse along the way. Just north of Parksville, you take the Highway 4 exit towards Port Alberni. You drive along the narrow, winding, twisty highway across the island. You take in the views of snow capped mountains and rushing streams as you traverse the passes. You travel through dense forests where the trees loom high overhead obstructing the few rays of autumn sunshine fighting to get through. You pull over into a small parking lot alongside the highway. This is Cathedral grove.
You get out of your vehicle and stare in awe at these ancient towering giants some of which are 800 plus years old. The huge branches stretch out above draped majestically with moss. The largest tree in this particular grove has a circumference of 9 metres and stands a proud 76 metres high. It was once much taller, but its top snapped off in a horrific windstorm in 1997. It is still, however, a sight to behold. The air seems denser, thicker, moister. Your breathing is as slow and calm as the zephyr which gently moves through the trees. You listen to the forest speak. You take in its noises, you breathe its peace. You are transported to a place where time doesn’t exist. It doesn’t matter. After thoughtful meditation, you decide to continue on to your final destination. You pull out of the parking lot and onto the winding highway a much calmer you. You continue along towards BC’s rugged west coast. Before you even get there, you can almost smell the salt in the air. You finally have it…your first glimpse of the Pacific Ocean.
You pull into the famed Long Beach with its miles of pristine sand. You rush from your vehicle and head straight for the crashing waves. You follow the thundering roar of the surf and disappear into the sheets of ocean mist. You spend the remainder of the afternoon exploring the coves and beach, checking out the tidal pools, watching a few brave surfers ride the giant curling waves, following the shore birds, mesmerized by it all. You end it all with a glorious west coast sunset.
On this eve of this Remembrance day, I encourage all Canadians to watch this tribute to Canadian soldiers in honour of the men and women who have sacrificed their "today" that we might have a "tomorrow." Although by nature I am more or less a pacifist, I acknowledge that many of the freedoms that we are blessed with today are a result of the sacrifice that others have made on our behalf. I don't take our freedoms in this country lightly. There are many places in the world where individuals are persecuted for speaking their mind, acknowledging their beliefs and speaking out about injustices. There are many of us, who have lost relatives somewhere down the line in our ancestry because of their differences or unwillingness to blindly follow those with power. Although I do not believe that all wars fought are justified, I have a great respect for the soldiers who have chosen to actively stand up for our beliefs and values and to fight for our freedoms. At the same time, I feel that we all have a responsibility. Even without an active war in this country, it is still possible for our freedoms to slowly be usurped. I hope that we will all have the courage to stand up and support our neighbours when we know that something is wrong and I hope that when the time comes, there will be someone there to stand up for us.
Sally was driving home from one of her business trips in Northern Arizona when she saw an elderly Navajo woman walking on the side of the road. As the trip was a long and quiet one, she stopped the car and asked the Navajo woman if she would like a ride. With a silent nod of thanks, the woman got into the car. Resuming the journey, Sally tried in vain to make a bit of small talk with the Navajo woman. The old woman just sat silently, looking intently at everything she saw, studying every little detail, until she noticed a brown bag on the seat next to Sally. "What in bag?" asked the old woman. Sally looked down at the brown bag and said, "It's a bottle of wine. I got it for my husband." The Navajo woman was silent for another moment or two. Then speaking with the quiet wisdom of an elder, she said: "Good trade."
We did not choose death, but neither did we fully embrace life. We lingered in the shadows of mediocrity, afraid to show our faces for who we truly were. It was in this state of putridity that we began our slow decay.
