Ahhh. I suppose I am getting a little ahead of things, but..I have the time, and the urge, so here goes my Christmas musings.
I am getting old! That much I have had to accept. My bones ache, I have lost the ability to open simple things like jars, or, sometimes even doors! My hair is dull, my skin has dried, I can not longer see as well as yesterday. I hit the hay long before the rest of the world, and crawl out of bed at an ungodly hour, all because my body has changed it's whole routine.
Unlike my parents, I do like much of today's music..so...that is a bonus,LOL. I don't care if folks now, want to show their underwear, although I still cannot understand why...I don't care if others in my age group refuse to accept they look their age, and perhaps should tone things down a little. I don't care if Joe Blow likes green hair, and bones in his nose, hey, that's his choice. Sure I might cringe a little, because I have always hated even having a resistant booger stuck in my nose, so a bone, well, I just imagine it would be irritating..but..if he wants it, his decision, it doesn't affect me! See, if something doesn't have bearing on my life, well, fine and dandy..
I now work pretty steady (for this I am somewhat grateful). My days consist of the same routine, over and over, but, in truth, it could be worse. I could be all alone, I could have fallen through the cracks, run into something really dreadful, and be on the streets, without the simple things in life. I know that those living that life, at one time were not lost.
As I have mentioned many times, I don't participate in much of a social life, but....I did once! I lived a pretty excellent childhood, and entered into an amazing relationship, and although times right now, may not be the best, and I may not feel 100% every day, I have something that, thankfully, I can enjoy, any time the mood hits me. I have Memories!
At this time of year, those flash back on a constant basis. Just a few days ago, someone put a post on (of course) Facebook, about rewinding and pausing a time way back in the past. Bam..Butterscotch pie!! My Mom was a magnificent baker. We had lemon pies, raisin pies, (yucky mincemeat pies) French meat pies, apple strudel, jellyrolls, and...my ultimate favourite, Butterscotch. I grabbed my Mom's recipe book, turned to the right page, and made my own pie. I admit, it did not look like my Mom's, but...when I licked the spoon, I groaned...I savoured that taste, it was a taste from my childhood, what a wonderful thing! So although I also admit, I ate the whole damn pie..that taste was filled with emotions. To cry while eating pie..who would have thought? But that I did, because, those days of Mom's pies have been gone forever, and I miss them desperately. However, she left that, something I can replicate, just a little, and bring back a teeny tiny piece of time gone by.
I do a lot of stuff as Christmas draws near, to remember the past. Although, unlike my Mom, I am not a great baker, there are certain things I must bake..well two things..Shortbread cookies, and butter tarts..Christmas is not complete without those two things. I know darn well my kids will remember these, because they are expected. I try to always have a Christmas candle, because, again, my Mom always had one of those sitting on the window ledge over the kitchen sink, usually one with the Nativity scene on it, flickering away. She would make her turkey stuffing with the giblets, now, I am sure some folks feel raisins and walnuts make for a better addition, not in my house! Stuffing without the giblets is unacceptable, and anything else foreign is not happening! That is tradition, and I am confident, I have now managed to pass this on, to my own kids. Funny, memories are tapped through all senses.
Songs, Christmas songs, can take me to snowy evenings, in the little Church across the road. Two wonderful missionary women, handing out bags of Christmas candy and Japanese oranges, as we leave near midnight, on Christmas eve. Me jealous, because all my German and Austrian friends going home from church, will be opening their gifts, and I have to wait until the morning. I think I put up with this for a year or two, and then appealed to my Mom, and was granted the ability to open one gift after church. Oh, the gifts would be handed to my little brother and I, and....I don't understand how she managed it (LOL) they would always be new Pajamas! Yep, we always had a nice new pair of PJ's in all the Christmas morning pictures. PJ's were also, strangely enough, the gift my kids got to open the night before.
The year I got my two wheel bike. I am sure there must have been easily 6 feet of snow on the ground, but that things was wheeled down the front steps, out onto the road, and I painfully made my way to the end of the block. I don't think I pedaled because I had no clue how to ride, but I took the thing out. Naomi Blokker somehow taught me how to ride long before winter was over!
One year, my Mom bought me about 4 wigs..You know that ad in the comics and papers, along with the one for the Sea Monkeys, of all these amazing wigs for some incredible price? Yep, that's what I asked for, that's what I got. O.K. some years I made some pretty stupid requests, and that was definitely one of them! I never once wore one of those things out in public, but, I got what I asked for.
Now in my house, we don't dress up for Christmas, but back then, we did, because the house would be filled with company. My Mom would put on her plaid skirt and grouse pin, with her Ross Tartan sash, my brother and I would be duded up, him in his cowboy shirt, and his own rope tie dealie, me in my dress and white leotards (about the only time I wore white), and even the dog would have one of those sticky red bows on her, and we were set for the best day of the year. It was, the best!
I am not saying every Christmas day, as a kid, was wonderful, because I have a few that were not so great, but those I try and set aside, don't want to remember them, there is no need..over the years, I would far rather leave the remaining room, for those times that I hope will remain with me, to bring smiles, and fond tears, and the knowledge that those I loved, are still close by, and I can bring them closer with a Butterscotch pie, or the scent of lavender, old spice, and the sounds of Away in the Manger, or the flicker of a candle.
So, I wish all a Very Merry Christmas, and hope that each and everyone of you enjoys spending the time with those who may not be seen, but are only a memory away.
Tuesday, 15 December 2015
Thursday, 10 December 2015
No More Funny K Oakley
Just recently, a friend mentioned that I had stopped writing blogs about funny stuff. I understood what she was saying, and it gave me pause, to figure out what has happened to that side of me. I will say, I enjoyed telling those tidbits of hotel trivia, and I hope some of the stories have enlightened those who spend time in hotels. The whole idea, when I started was to ensure some of that stuff was not forgotten, some of those characters I wrote about were so unique, they had to be shared, so those of us who encountered them, never forgot.
Perhaps it is because we don't get very many characters now? Most of our guests are hardworking guys, who just don't do things that make one shake their head. I am sure the time will come, when we get a real winner again, but, they have been few and far between, lately.
I really don't think it is the lack of characters that has caused me to fixate on the gloomier side of life, I think it is more likely, life has battered me with far too much crapola the past few years, and I have become even more jaded, and find it harder to put a humorous spin to things. No, my life is not devoid of smiles and laughter. I do enjoy moments with people who, like me, can let their guard down, and just go to a place that a single word, "Guano", or..a series of words "ooooooooh..ever cute" can send all of us into peels of laughter. I love those moments, they allow all the stress, and anxiety to disappear, and my body to relax,to simply live for the moment. I am not so foolish that I don't understand, everyone else needs those moments as badly as I do. We share the desperation to forget all that drags along with us, day after day, and embrace the opportunity to focus on fun.
See, I admit, I am a bit of a loner. Not much of a social butterfly, and extremely picky about those who I let into my space. I also admit, I have to work hard to be happy, it is something that comes naturally to very few people, and I am certainly not a natural optimist. Most of the time, having fun, takes at least two, cripes, I guess, in truth, all of the time, well, at least for me. I can lose myself in a good book, and belt out some laughter when I read something that tickles my funny bone, there are a few shows that have the ability to make me listen to myself chuckle, and I have to say, it is almost eerie, to laugh all alone.
Fun, is not a single pass-time. Oh, we can say we had "fun" spending the day in the garden, or "fun" reading a book, but..truthfully it isn't fun, it is pleasure, not quite the same thing. Fun is something that needs company, that can mean people or pets, but, not me, myself and I. So, yes, I enjoy the pleasures of life. My pleasures in life are,my dogs, books. Lays potato chips, coffee and....(whisper) nicotine...Those are my pleasures now, because the reality of life has required everyone else to leave, and I now spend most of my time, outside work, alone.
I think that is probably why I have changed my writing. I spend so much time alone, and most of that time is quiet, so my thoughts are always on what events caused me to be placed in the position of living a single life, when I am not single. I wonder why, now that I am heading into the "golden" years, my honey is off, 1/2 a day away from me, and neither one of us enjoys this fact. I spend hours and days, and weeks, trying to figure out what we did wrong, and how long are we going to have to continue this. I wonder if I will continue on the hamster wheel of life, spinning around in the same circle, wake up, go to work, come home, eat, go to bed, with only the dogs for company, and the moments of social interaction between toilet scrubbing. This living apart is not something new to us, we did it many times over the years, but back then, our kids were young, and aside from a lack of adult socializing, I was not totally alone. This time, things are different, and to think it hasn't affected me mentally, would be foolish.
So...after much thought, I guess this is the answer I have, for the change in my blog. I don't have to work near enough to try and be nice, or funny, because my dogs are pretty accepting, and my job consists of being by myself, most of the time.
I will say, I appreciate those few times, that I get to laugh, and I realize I am luckier than some, because there are still some, who laugh with me! Thanks guys!!!
Perhaps it is because we don't get very many characters now? Most of our guests are hardworking guys, who just don't do things that make one shake their head. I am sure the time will come, when we get a real winner again, but, they have been few and far between, lately.
I really don't think it is the lack of characters that has caused me to fixate on the gloomier side of life, I think it is more likely, life has battered me with far too much crapola the past few years, and I have become even more jaded, and find it harder to put a humorous spin to things. No, my life is not devoid of smiles and laughter. I do enjoy moments with people who, like me, can let their guard down, and just go to a place that a single word, "Guano", or..a series of words "ooooooooh..ever cute" can send all of us into peels of laughter. I love those moments, they allow all the stress, and anxiety to disappear, and my body to relax,to simply live for the moment. I am not so foolish that I don't understand, everyone else needs those moments as badly as I do. We share the desperation to forget all that drags along with us, day after day, and embrace the opportunity to focus on fun.
See, I admit, I am a bit of a loner. Not much of a social butterfly, and extremely picky about those who I let into my space. I also admit, I have to work hard to be happy, it is something that comes naturally to very few people, and I am certainly not a natural optimist. Most of the time, having fun, takes at least two, cripes, I guess, in truth, all of the time, well, at least for me. I can lose myself in a good book, and belt out some laughter when I read something that tickles my funny bone, there are a few shows that have the ability to make me listen to myself chuckle, and I have to say, it is almost eerie, to laugh all alone.
Fun, is not a single pass-time. Oh, we can say we had "fun" spending the day in the garden, or "fun" reading a book, but..truthfully it isn't fun, it is pleasure, not quite the same thing. Fun is something that needs company, that can mean people or pets, but, not me, myself and I. So, yes, I enjoy the pleasures of life. My pleasures in life are,my dogs, books. Lays potato chips, coffee and....(whisper) nicotine...Those are my pleasures now, because the reality of life has required everyone else to leave, and I now spend most of my time, outside work, alone.
I think that is probably why I have changed my writing. I spend so much time alone, and most of that time is quiet, so my thoughts are always on what events caused me to be placed in the position of living a single life, when I am not single. I wonder why, now that I am heading into the "golden" years, my honey is off, 1/2 a day away from me, and neither one of us enjoys this fact. I spend hours and days, and weeks, trying to figure out what we did wrong, and how long are we going to have to continue this. I wonder if I will continue on the hamster wheel of life, spinning around in the same circle, wake up, go to work, come home, eat, go to bed, with only the dogs for company, and the moments of social interaction between toilet scrubbing. This living apart is not something new to us, we did it many times over the years, but back then, our kids were young, and aside from a lack of adult socializing, I was not totally alone. This time, things are different, and to think it hasn't affected me mentally, would be foolish.
So...after much thought, I guess this is the answer I have, for the change in my blog. I don't have to work near enough to try and be nice, or funny, because my dogs are pretty accepting, and my job consists of being by myself, most of the time.
I will say, I appreciate those few times, that I get to laugh, and I realize I am luckier than some, because there are still some, who laugh with me! Thanks guys!!!
Sunday, 29 November 2015
Lost in Left Field
O.K. It is likely pretty obvious I am not a Trudeau lover. I absolutely HATED his father, and already can't stand to listen to the twit Pierre produced (well, Margaret did). I also must admit, I really never knew much about Liberals as a political party before, and have attempted to open my eyes and find out who they are.
I know, I have probably been squinting, my eyes might not be wide open, but, it is impossible for me to open them more than tiny slits, because the glowing white light shining off of them, is blinding! Who the F*ck knew there were so many holier than thou's floating about this country? They are beyond the regular bleeding heart NDP'ers, they are perfection, they are all Animal Farm Pigs, with the answers to every problem. They stand on podiums quietly droning, unlike those who holler (like myself) speaking in hums and umms, not really saying anything of substance, but informing everyone else that they are dirty, because they just can't find their way to the Liberal Grail.
Now, not sure how, but when there was a change in our government, we apparently found a huge treasure chest of un-used money! No one told us about all this money! The past government must have lied beyond lying, because they kept telling us we had to tighten our belts, there was no money to spare, things got cut, one after another. Now we seem to have a sh*t load of cash to throw about to other countries..I assume that means those of us who paid into that stash will soon see our rewards..Heehee..Oh I am not that stupid, I know there will be no rewards for me, I am simply a lowly worker ant, drudging along, barely making ends meet, and stuck somewhere in the grey area, where those often mentioned "middle Class" folk hang out. Yes, one of those who heard some pretty wonderful fables of how life was going to get so much better for us (the backbone of the country).
So...the big world picture, of course, takes center stage, before dealing with us sorry middle class, the big picture of Climate change.
O.K. again...I am not a great believer in this scary monster. I believe climates do change, but, that is natural. I believe what the Inuit are saying...the earth has tilted, the stars and planets they have watched for centuries have moved position, therefore things on our green planet are a tad out of whack. But...of course the Inuit are not university educated scientists, so what the heck do they know? No sense in putting any stock in their words, we will jump on the climate change band wagon, and put the blame for everything on people, because....Mother Nature never throws a wrench into things, man is always the culprit.
I have never really understood what all the money handed over to other countries was all about..until today. Today I was blown away, because it was explained simply, so idiots like myself , finally understood. I will explain what I heard experts state, and you can make up your mind whether this makes any sense to you..it doesn't make a lick of sense to me.
O.K. my country, which right now has lost tons of manufacturing jobs, Bank jobs, phone jobs, in truth, jobs of all sorts, to off shore countries, my country that is now experiencing unemployment, homelessness, cut-backs on Health, education, etc., apparently developed beyond third world countries, because we were very dirty!! Yep, we polluted the air with coal, and other nasty stuff. We built factories and mines and logged, and drove about, spewing garbage into the world, making a horrible mess, all so we could have jobs and make money. We did this all wrong! So...because we screwed up so badly, we have to ensure the developing countries don't do the same as we did, and we are going to send them a boat load of money (not just us, many other countries) so they can develop in a more environmentally friendly way.
I am sure I have this all wrong, I have to..because it just doesn't make sense to me. We are sending billions to countries like China..YES China..who has already got most of the manufacturing jobs we used to have, a country that is richer than we could hope to be, a country that is stuffed full of pollution, because they don't give a rat's A$$ how they make money, and what happens to the air, water, and earth, and we are going to give them this money so they can stop belching out sh*t, and clean up they way they are making money!
We are INSANE!!! We are paying people to take our economy and flush it down the toilet! Are we so stupid as to think the almighty dollar they get to produce the amounts they do, will suddenly be clean? Are there really people out there who think this handout is going to go towards a good cause? Do you trust a country that doesn't listen to the rest of the world, one that does as they wish, and appears to be thriving because of this? Is there someone out there who believes this money is really going to fix pollution and climate change? Well, I am a Fairy Godmother, and if you all send me $10, I will grant you three wishes..You can believe me as much as you can believe this sh*tload of cash is going to go towards stopping the crap in the air over China!You see, China was smarter than us, already. Unlike all those nasty phone lines my country used, China started with cell phones, right off the bat..oh, they are so much better! BS..I know they must have had a phone or two floating about before cell phones, but..true enough, probably nowhere near as many phones as North America..dirty filthy pigs that we are.
So..the whole idea behind handing out money, is...to ensure those countries that somehow managed to get our jobs, find a cleaner way to continue making money, and not produce the emissions we do. I have to think, if we continue handing out money, our emissions will truly diminish, because...we will become green as a result of not having an economy to speak of.Good to know, the folks with the great economies will certainly be much more astute than we were!
I have come to understand, besides being a filthy polluter, I am a racist, a bigot, and un-Canadian, all thanks to the people who live life on the left. Oh thank goodness we have such a pretty Prime Minister, who doesn't seem to know West is left..East is right, and is not threatening the folks in La Belle Province with putting the boots to nasty jobs...If he can join forces with Ms. Nut Job, and Crispy Crusty (perhaps if he blinks his eyes and lets them touch his hair?) he can just screw the west and make enough brownie points in the East to keep on handing out the prizes. He has to know..he is bound to hit dust when the treasure chest dries up...Oh but, that's right, he left everyone else in the dust, he is the greatest...He is SQUEALER!!(Animal Farm..give it a read)
BTW..I was a little confused with the left and right of the Liberal Party, but there is little doubt Justin tips to the far left. Left is fine, I lean left on somethings..but one can't focus on one side, and forget about the other, because sooner or later they are going to bite the dust!
MPO
I know, I have probably been squinting, my eyes might not be wide open, but, it is impossible for me to open them more than tiny slits, because the glowing white light shining off of them, is blinding! Who the F*ck knew there were so many holier than thou's floating about this country? They are beyond the regular bleeding heart NDP'ers, they are perfection, they are all Animal Farm Pigs, with the answers to every problem. They stand on podiums quietly droning, unlike those who holler (like myself) speaking in hums and umms, not really saying anything of substance, but informing everyone else that they are dirty, because they just can't find their way to the Liberal Grail.
Now, not sure how, but when there was a change in our government, we apparently found a huge treasure chest of un-used money! No one told us about all this money! The past government must have lied beyond lying, because they kept telling us we had to tighten our belts, there was no money to spare, things got cut, one after another. Now we seem to have a sh*t load of cash to throw about to other countries..I assume that means those of us who paid into that stash will soon see our rewards..Heehee..Oh I am not that stupid, I know there will be no rewards for me, I am simply a lowly worker ant, drudging along, barely making ends meet, and stuck somewhere in the grey area, where those often mentioned "middle Class" folk hang out. Yes, one of those who heard some pretty wonderful fables of how life was going to get so much better for us (the backbone of the country).
So...the big world picture, of course, takes center stage, before dealing with us sorry middle class, the big picture of Climate change.
O.K. again...I am not a great believer in this scary monster. I believe climates do change, but, that is natural. I believe what the Inuit are saying...the earth has tilted, the stars and planets they have watched for centuries have moved position, therefore things on our green planet are a tad out of whack. But...of course the Inuit are not university educated scientists, so what the heck do they know? No sense in putting any stock in their words, we will jump on the climate change band wagon, and put the blame for everything on people, because....Mother Nature never throws a wrench into things, man is always the culprit.
I have never really understood what all the money handed over to other countries was all about..until today. Today I was blown away, because it was explained simply, so idiots like myself , finally understood. I will explain what I heard experts state, and you can make up your mind whether this makes any sense to you..it doesn't make a lick of sense to me.
O.K. my country, which right now has lost tons of manufacturing jobs, Bank jobs, phone jobs, in truth, jobs of all sorts, to off shore countries, my country that is now experiencing unemployment, homelessness, cut-backs on Health, education, etc., apparently developed beyond third world countries, because we were very dirty!! Yep, we polluted the air with coal, and other nasty stuff. We built factories and mines and logged, and drove about, spewing garbage into the world, making a horrible mess, all so we could have jobs and make money. We did this all wrong! So...because we screwed up so badly, we have to ensure the developing countries don't do the same as we did, and we are going to send them a boat load of money (not just us, many other countries) so they can develop in a more environmentally friendly way.
I am sure I have this all wrong, I have to..because it just doesn't make sense to me. We are sending billions to countries like China..YES China..who has already got most of the manufacturing jobs we used to have, a country that is richer than we could hope to be, a country that is stuffed full of pollution, because they don't give a rat's A$$ how they make money, and what happens to the air, water, and earth, and we are going to give them this money so they can stop belching out sh*t, and clean up they way they are making money!
We are INSANE!!! We are paying people to take our economy and flush it down the toilet! Are we so stupid as to think the almighty dollar they get to produce the amounts they do, will suddenly be clean? Are there really people out there who think this handout is going to go towards a good cause? Do you trust a country that doesn't listen to the rest of the world, one that does as they wish, and appears to be thriving because of this? Is there someone out there who believes this money is really going to fix pollution and climate change? Well, I am a Fairy Godmother, and if you all send me $10, I will grant you three wishes..You can believe me as much as you can believe this sh*tload of cash is going to go towards stopping the crap in the air over China!You see, China was smarter than us, already. Unlike all those nasty phone lines my country used, China started with cell phones, right off the bat..oh, they are so much better! BS..I know they must have had a phone or two floating about before cell phones, but..true enough, probably nowhere near as many phones as North America..dirty filthy pigs that we are.
So..the whole idea behind handing out money, is...to ensure those countries that somehow managed to get our jobs, find a cleaner way to continue making money, and not produce the emissions we do. I have to think, if we continue handing out money, our emissions will truly diminish, because...we will become green as a result of not having an economy to speak of.Good to know, the folks with the great economies will certainly be much more astute than we were!
I have come to understand, besides being a filthy polluter, I am a racist, a bigot, and un-Canadian, all thanks to the people who live life on the left. Oh thank goodness we have such a pretty Prime Minister, who doesn't seem to know West is left..East is right, and is not threatening the folks in La Belle Province with putting the boots to nasty jobs...If he can join forces with Ms. Nut Job, and Crispy Crusty (perhaps if he blinks his eyes and lets them touch his hair?) he can just screw the west and make enough brownie points in the East to keep on handing out the prizes. He has to know..he is bound to hit dust when the treasure chest dries up...Oh but, that's right, he left everyone else in the dust, he is the greatest...He is SQUEALER!!(Animal Farm..give it a read)
BTW..I was a little confused with the left and right of the Liberal Party, but there is little doubt Justin tips to the far left. Left is fine, I lean left on somethings..but one can't focus on one side, and forget about the other, because sooner or later they are going to bite the dust!
MPO
Sunday, 15 November 2015
MPO
Been awhile...I have wanted to sit down and natter, but, suddenly life has become extremely hectic, and I just can't seem to find the time. Until now, until something so ginormous has collided with my world, and I take issue with how things are being perceived and dealt with by those in power. I understand, we ALL have the right to PO's..that is personal opinions, and although mine is not what seems to be the momentary politically correct one, hey...going to put it out there, because I can!
ISIS ..wow..who would have imagined 4 letters would take a chunk out of life as we know it. O.K. this is not the first time in recent memory that the middle east has decided somewhere else in the world is not following their rules and deserves to be punished. The words Radicals and extremists have been bandied about. Well...duh....terrorists, there is another one..Of course they are, but....they don't live here in North America, they don't live in Paris..or do they?
If there are folks sitting at home in Nebraska, or Saskatchewan who think they don't live down the road from them, they are fools! Granted there are not a sh*tload of them settled nice and neatly on the 3rd floor above John and Judy Doe, but, they are here...They are the people who stick out like sore thumbs, who have a great big weight hanging off their shoulders, and a bone to pick with anyone who questions them. They are the people who scream blue murder because the rest of the country requires them to follow rules they don't like. They are the ones who refuse to assimilate, although they chose to come here, they made a conscious decision to leave their homeland, and their laws to move to a place with different laws.
Sorry, just have no stomach for the bleeding hearts, telling me I must accept lifestyles and beliefs I find totally medieval, just because someone decided they wanted a change of scenery. If the lifestyle and beliefs are so important, stay where they are rooted, don't pack up, and spread your sh*t all over my country, and tell me I have to deal with things. NO..you have to deal with it, or...if you don't want to, don't get on that plane, with the mindset you have more rights, and you have the power to change laws that have worked reasonably well up until this point.
I cringe when I read statements that the acts of terror and our reactions to Islam are just what the bad guys want. Oh, don't fall for this, they want folks to become Islamaphobic (not my word). Really? Why, so we close the door to the refugees, and the bad guys get to keep them? Are grown people that stupid that they think all of this is so that ISIS gets to keep the refugees, and if we don't close the doors they are going to be ticked? What lunatic came up with this reasoning?
Politically correctness is going to kill our world as we know it. People unable to argue matters because they are instantly labelled racist, cold blooded, fear mongers. Why are we to sit silent while people who have lived their whole lives in 3rd world conditions, with habits and ways of life that are so backwards and so chauvinistic, invade our world? Honest to goodness, folks, I would love to save all the downtrodden children in this world..but...do you really think because a family that has lived in a world that treats children and women as collateral, moves to a country that does not do this (as a rule), they are suddenly going to change? Do you think Daddy Dearest is suddenly going to say to his wife and children, we are all humans, you deserve respect? Do you think these women and children will be calling social services because they are still being beaten, and abused, risking the man being punished? Do you really think they will come to our doorstep and open it, and suddenly they will mutate, and embrace the new world?
Nope, you are simply bringing in a large group of folks who don't want to change their lives, they just want to change their location. Yes, they don't want to be shot, they don't want to be bombed, they don't want to be pushed out of their world, but..they don't want to belong to the world of those who are not Muslim.
For the sake of those reading, I don't hate Muslims, I don't hate Jewish folks, I don't hate Jehovah Witnesses, I don't hate Mormons (Scientologists..well got a bit of the eebie jeebies with them). I don't give a rats behind what religion you believe in, or even if you don't believe in anything. That's your right, and your PO. However, when you start to push your beliefs and your values onto others, in fact, when you force the rest of the world to morph so that you feel comfortable, that is when I have a problem.
Yes, Islam has been around for a very long time, Buddhism has been around for a long time, Druidism has been around for a long time, but the roots of these religions are in countries far away. Cultures are often based on religion, but, most religions do NOT exclude the rest of the world, even if they are non-believers, those days, we thought were over. We were suppose to learn wars should never be fought for a God. God's , if they are above humanity, do not want killing. We have read history that tells of horrors fought in the name of religion, in my lifetime, wars have been fought, and lives lost, because one's almighty beliefs were different than another, well, actually, it was just their PO on what the rules were.
Religion is the most difficult battle to wage, because most writings made in the name of religion abhors murder, life is most precious, and always a gift.
Yes, the people committing these horrors are extremists, but, they are also religious fanatics, not adverse to using humans as walking bombs, using women and children as dispensable fronts for their resolve. I am sorry for those who must live in a world such as that, but Muslim murderers are popping up all over the world, and there are many incidents that they overlook hostages that profess to be fellow Muslims, and kill women and children that are not. Those refugees that are fleeing are for the most part Muslim, in the big picture of what is happening, they hold the golden card, tattered though it is...When it comes down to brass tacks, folks, religion is what this is all about, and I am sure, not a single person coming out of their Syria Law (Sharia law Arabic: شريعة) is the body of Islamic law. The term means "way" or "path"; it is the legal framework within which the public and some private aspects of life are regulated for those living in a legal system based on Islam.) country, will allow any of those teachings to dissolve, simply because they abide in another country!
I believe in compassion, but, I don't believe in blindly accepting all, when those already living by the rules, have their rights and their security compromised. Rules have to be set, contracts have to be signed, histories have to be checked. We already know what happened when we allowed a whack of Nigerians in, and the baddest of the bad sailed on into our world along with those fleeing the same people. We need to check folks out, we don't need to allow family members a free ticket in, just because someone else is here already. Cripes, again, families have collections of dirty laundry, so just because one shows up shiny and bright, does not mean everyone else they are connected to, is the same way! Oh but they are living in deplorable conditions, they have to be rushed through...No they don't! Not all have the right to come in the door, just because there is a swarming mass, does not mean we can't carefully weed through the garbage. If the door opens and all come in, it is far more difficult to get rid of the stink, because, as our new bright eyed leader states, once they are here, they are entitled to all that the rest of us are, and getting anything through a court of law in our country takes forever, at the best of time. Let's take this slow and sure, lets make sure these are truly people in fear for their lives, people who are willing to follow our laws.
I am NOT Islamaphobic, I believe most God's are cut from the same cloth, just different names, and different tweaks, all based on good things, holy things, and all that is holy is pure, and bright, and precious, not death, and destruction.
I say Life be Praised, and protected. Slow and steady wins the race..so lets just take our time, and not jump into the fire. The conditions they are fleeing, if unbearable, they will be willing to wait until they pass the test that must be given. No free pass for anyone!!
Just MPO!!
ISIS ..wow..who would have imagined 4 letters would take a chunk out of life as we know it. O.K. this is not the first time in recent memory that the middle east has decided somewhere else in the world is not following their rules and deserves to be punished. The words Radicals and extremists have been bandied about. Well...duh....terrorists, there is another one..Of course they are, but....they don't live here in North America, they don't live in Paris..or do they?
If there are folks sitting at home in Nebraska, or Saskatchewan who think they don't live down the road from them, they are fools! Granted there are not a sh*tload of them settled nice and neatly on the 3rd floor above John and Judy Doe, but, they are here...They are the people who stick out like sore thumbs, who have a great big weight hanging off their shoulders, and a bone to pick with anyone who questions them. They are the people who scream blue murder because the rest of the country requires them to follow rules they don't like. They are the ones who refuse to assimilate, although they chose to come here, they made a conscious decision to leave their homeland, and their laws to move to a place with different laws.
Sorry, just have no stomach for the bleeding hearts, telling me I must accept lifestyles and beliefs I find totally medieval, just because someone decided they wanted a change of scenery. If the lifestyle and beliefs are so important, stay where they are rooted, don't pack up, and spread your sh*t all over my country, and tell me I have to deal with things. NO..you have to deal with it, or...if you don't want to, don't get on that plane, with the mindset you have more rights, and you have the power to change laws that have worked reasonably well up until this point.
I cringe when I read statements that the acts of terror and our reactions to Islam are just what the bad guys want. Oh, don't fall for this, they want folks to become Islamaphobic (not my word). Really? Why, so we close the door to the refugees, and the bad guys get to keep them? Are grown people that stupid that they think all of this is so that ISIS gets to keep the refugees, and if we don't close the doors they are going to be ticked? What lunatic came up with this reasoning?
Politically correctness is going to kill our world as we know it. People unable to argue matters because they are instantly labelled racist, cold blooded, fear mongers. Why are we to sit silent while people who have lived their whole lives in 3rd world conditions, with habits and ways of life that are so backwards and so chauvinistic, invade our world? Honest to goodness, folks, I would love to save all the downtrodden children in this world..but...do you really think because a family that has lived in a world that treats children and women as collateral, moves to a country that does not do this (as a rule), they are suddenly going to change? Do you think Daddy Dearest is suddenly going to say to his wife and children, we are all humans, you deserve respect? Do you think these women and children will be calling social services because they are still being beaten, and abused, risking the man being punished? Do you really think they will come to our doorstep and open it, and suddenly they will mutate, and embrace the new world?
Nope, you are simply bringing in a large group of folks who don't want to change their lives, they just want to change their location. Yes, they don't want to be shot, they don't want to be bombed, they don't want to be pushed out of their world, but..they don't want to belong to the world of those who are not Muslim.
For the sake of those reading, I don't hate Muslims, I don't hate Jewish folks, I don't hate Jehovah Witnesses, I don't hate Mormons (Scientologists..well got a bit of the eebie jeebies with them). I don't give a rats behind what religion you believe in, or even if you don't believe in anything. That's your right, and your PO. However, when you start to push your beliefs and your values onto others, in fact, when you force the rest of the world to morph so that you feel comfortable, that is when I have a problem.
Yes, Islam has been around for a very long time, Buddhism has been around for a long time, Druidism has been around for a long time, but the roots of these religions are in countries far away. Cultures are often based on religion, but, most religions do NOT exclude the rest of the world, even if they are non-believers, those days, we thought were over. We were suppose to learn wars should never be fought for a God. God's , if they are above humanity, do not want killing. We have read history that tells of horrors fought in the name of religion, in my lifetime, wars have been fought, and lives lost, because one's almighty beliefs were different than another, well, actually, it was just their PO on what the rules were.
Religion is the most difficult battle to wage, because most writings made in the name of religion abhors murder, life is most precious, and always a gift.
Yes, the people committing these horrors are extremists, but, they are also religious fanatics, not adverse to using humans as walking bombs, using women and children as dispensable fronts for their resolve. I am sorry for those who must live in a world such as that, but Muslim murderers are popping up all over the world, and there are many incidents that they overlook hostages that profess to be fellow Muslims, and kill women and children that are not. Those refugees that are fleeing are for the most part Muslim, in the big picture of what is happening, they hold the golden card, tattered though it is...When it comes down to brass tacks, folks, religion is what this is all about, and I am sure, not a single person coming out of their Syria Law (Sharia law Arabic: شريعة) is the body of Islamic law. The term means "way" or "path"; it is the legal framework within which the public and some private aspects of life are regulated for those living in a legal system based on Islam.) country, will allow any of those teachings to dissolve, simply because they abide in another country!
I believe in compassion, but, I don't believe in blindly accepting all, when those already living by the rules, have their rights and their security compromised. Rules have to be set, contracts have to be signed, histories have to be checked. We already know what happened when we allowed a whack of Nigerians in, and the baddest of the bad sailed on into our world along with those fleeing the same people. We need to check folks out, we don't need to allow family members a free ticket in, just because someone else is here already. Cripes, again, families have collections of dirty laundry, so just because one shows up shiny and bright, does not mean everyone else they are connected to, is the same way! Oh but they are living in deplorable conditions, they have to be rushed through...No they don't! Not all have the right to come in the door, just because there is a swarming mass, does not mean we can't carefully weed through the garbage. If the door opens and all come in, it is far more difficult to get rid of the stink, because, as our new bright eyed leader states, once they are here, they are entitled to all that the rest of us are, and getting anything through a court of law in our country takes forever, at the best of time. Let's take this slow and sure, lets make sure these are truly people in fear for their lives, people who are willing to follow our laws.
I am NOT Islamaphobic, I believe most God's are cut from the same cloth, just different names, and different tweaks, all based on good things, holy things, and all that is holy is pure, and bright, and precious, not death, and destruction.
I say Life be Praised, and protected. Slow and steady wins the race..so lets just take our time, and not jump into the fire. The conditions they are fleeing, if unbearable, they will be willing to wait until they pass the test that must be given. No free pass for anyone!!
Just MPO!!
Wednesday, 21 October 2015
You Knew It Was Coming
LOL..Well, I expect most of you knew at some point I would find it impossible to put down my thoughts about our recent Federal Election. Here it is!!
First off, did my party get in? Nope!! Well, it did get the seat in my area, because....most of us living here, realize, the party that did get in, doesn't give a rats ass about anyone outside of their vision. How do we know this? Because we have experienced this party before, and life has gone down into a nasty little recession, with jobs going down the toilet (faster than they are right now) and folks who are typically Blue collar, losing everything they have worked for.
Our "new" Prime Minister, well..folks, you know I speak from the heart, and I don't mince words, because then I would not be true to myself, is a total idiot!! He won this election, not on a platform beyond legalizing pot...whooo got the young vote with that one...he won simply because his last name, and his social standing.
Go ahead, tell me different! Has he promised anything that will in fact make the life of the Middle Class...heard this term out of the boy born with a golden spoon down his throat, one too many times, better? A boy who lives on a trust fund, and does not know what working for a living means. A boy who thinks (and of course the media and public allow him this joy) he is good looking, and has great hair. A boy who cannot speak more than 3 words without pausing, leaving one to assume he is listening to a voice in his ear telling him what to say. A boy who decided he would be just like his daddy, and run on his fathers coat tails. A Boy who claims British Columbia roots, which basically means his mother, who was well known to party and sleep with a large chunk of folks including at least one of the Rolling Stones, while growing up, and...while married to Daddy dearest, came from here. His mom doesn't know where she is from, she simply knows the finest area of Vancouver, because she too, had that golden spoon caught in her throat.
Am I bashing because he has only known the good life? Nope!! I am bashing because he offers nothing!! He offers the country a cut in military spending, he offers the country open doors, and welcoming arms to folks who he states are allowed all benefits Canadians work and pay for, even if they commit acts of terror. Helloooo..excellent!! He promised to lower CPP, well, his bottom line, folks, is above the line we were going to get. but again, no one really heard what he was saying, because they were too busy looking at his Elvis smile, and, of course his hair!!
I said this when the States voted in Obama, he won simply because media built him up, and...he played in the circle of the rich and famous Hollywood folks. Not because he was smart, nope, because his appearance was appealing. Same thing with Justin, he is young, appealing to students and stupid women, he is surrounded by the media darlings,and, he has the right last name.
F*ck!! I am so sick and tired of people assuming that because two people have a child, and those two people are either smart or ethical, or organized, that whatever they conceived is going to be the same!! I hear that crap on a daily basis, and I just want to scream. Good people often produce nasty offspring. Smart people can raise an idiot! Your last name means diddly!! I can't fix anything mechanically, and I suck at math, my Father could put engines back together, and solve pretty much any math problem given! I had the same last name as he did!!
I am fed up with folks chosen to run a country, run my life, who have no clue what they are doing!! Our country wanted CHANGE, well, we are certainly going to get that!! Are we going to like it? Well, I expect some will, those who have a whack of money, and don't need to work for a living. But..those of us who have to pay for all the perks it takes to maintain him in power, someone who apparently feels the budget will balance itself, well, we are in for a very bumpy ride, but hey..we can look with pride at the photos, because, he cuts a pretty fancy figure. A new PET for Canada, FUDDLE DUDDLE!!!
First off, did my party get in? Nope!! Well, it did get the seat in my area, because....most of us living here, realize, the party that did get in, doesn't give a rats ass about anyone outside of their vision. How do we know this? Because we have experienced this party before, and life has gone down into a nasty little recession, with jobs going down the toilet (faster than they are right now) and folks who are typically Blue collar, losing everything they have worked for.
Our "new" Prime Minister, well..folks, you know I speak from the heart, and I don't mince words, because then I would not be true to myself, is a total idiot!! He won this election, not on a platform beyond legalizing pot...whooo got the young vote with that one...he won simply because his last name, and his social standing.
Go ahead, tell me different! Has he promised anything that will in fact make the life of the Middle Class...heard this term out of the boy born with a golden spoon down his throat, one too many times, better? A boy who lives on a trust fund, and does not know what working for a living means. A boy who thinks (and of course the media and public allow him this joy) he is good looking, and has great hair. A boy who cannot speak more than 3 words without pausing, leaving one to assume he is listening to a voice in his ear telling him what to say. A boy who decided he would be just like his daddy, and run on his fathers coat tails. A Boy who claims British Columbia roots, which basically means his mother, who was well known to party and sleep with a large chunk of folks including at least one of the Rolling Stones, while growing up, and...while married to Daddy dearest, came from here. His mom doesn't know where she is from, she simply knows the finest area of Vancouver, because she too, had that golden spoon caught in her throat.
Am I bashing because he has only known the good life? Nope!! I am bashing because he offers nothing!! He offers the country a cut in military spending, he offers the country open doors, and welcoming arms to folks who he states are allowed all benefits Canadians work and pay for, even if they commit acts of terror. Helloooo..excellent!! He promised to lower CPP, well, his bottom line, folks, is above the line we were going to get. but again, no one really heard what he was saying, because they were too busy looking at his Elvis smile, and, of course his hair!!
I said this when the States voted in Obama, he won simply because media built him up, and...he played in the circle of the rich and famous Hollywood folks. Not because he was smart, nope, because his appearance was appealing. Same thing with Justin, he is young, appealing to students and stupid women, he is surrounded by the media darlings,and, he has the right last name.
F*ck!! I am so sick and tired of people assuming that because two people have a child, and those two people are either smart or ethical, or organized, that whatever they conceived is going to be the same!! I hear that crap on a daily basis, and I just want to scream. Good people often produce nasty offspring. Smart people can raise an idiot! Your last name means diddly!! I can't fix anything mechanically, and I suck at math, my Father could put engines back together, and solve pretty much any math problem given! I had the same last name as he did!!
I am fed up with folks chosen to run a country, run my life, who have no clue what they are doing!! Our country wanted CHANGE, well, we are certainly going to get that!! Are we going to like it? Well, I expect some will, those who have a whack of money, and don't need to work for a living. But..those of us who have to pay for all the perks it takes to maintain him in power, someone who apparently feels the budget will balance itself, well, we are in for a very bumpy ride, but hey..we can look with pride at the photos, because, he cuts a pretty fancy figure. A new PET for Canada, FUDDLE DUDDLE!!!
Tuesday, 1 September 2015
Racism
Hey, ranted away on another subject, but decided I just didn't want to finish it...so..sat down and figured out a way to leave my day off housework, for just a little while longer.
Last night my youngest daughter (23) informed me she had just finished watching "To Kill A Mockingbird". Now, this amazing story was, and still is, listed in the top 3 books I have ever read (and I have read a flipping ton). Ms. Harper Lee was able to take readers right back to that nasty time, when Racism ran rampant, and as painful as the basis of her novel was, it was a lesson for me. It was a lesson for many of my fellow students when we were assigned this novel, and it came to life even more when I paid my 75 cents to watch the black and white movie.
Both my grown daughters have enjoyed this book, and my oldest asked me why it was no longer assigned for required reading. Well, it is loaded with the N word, and that is offensive, right? At the time of my reading I had never encountered a Negro, and I use that word because...that is what I learned when studying the people of the world. I am a Caucasian, there are Asian people, East Indian people, North American Indian people..and...somewhere in the list..there are Negro people. However, as I read, I understood how unfair one group of people were treated, simply because of their Genetics, and I knew I would never ever want to dislike a whole world of folks, just because they have different characteristics than my own. Cripes I am so white, the sight of my bare legs would blind someone I have duck feet, and stubby crooked thumbs, all a result of genetics, but I had no say on any of this, I am simply a result of a mix of Scottish and French Canadian DNA, that shows to the outside world, inside, I am ME.
Yes, I judge a book by the cover..I will take an instant dislike to someone, it is not because of their looks, it is because something they say or do, rubs me wrong, and in my tiny little world, 95.9% of those who rub me wrong, are Caucasian, because through no fault of my own, just logistics, they are who I meet.
Perhaps unlike the average person I associate with, I also have spent a fair bit of time with First Nations, or...as I learned in school..North American Indian. I have, in fact, spent the majority of my life with an amazing man who is Gitxsan. I fell in love and made a life with him, not because of his DNA, but because of who he is..O.K. I admit, I thought he was pretty handsome when I got hit by cupid's arrow. But, see, I never gave a moments thought to the fact that he wasn't lily white, skin colour means nothing to me. Who the heck doesn't think that Denzel Washington is a gorgeous man? I have a crush on Kunai Nayyar (Raj on Big Bang) just because I find something very appealing about the person I see on TV.
But, the saddest part of Killing the Mockingbird, is I understood. I understood that no one group of people is better. Skin colour, traditions, culture, heritage , whatever, do not encompass all within it's group. Because people of my colour have, in the past, been the explorers, and the uninvited immigrants in many countries around the globe, that does not make me less than others. I accept that wrong was done, I accept that promises must be kept, I accept that we are all humans, people of the Earth.
I do not judge by race, creed or colour, I judge by the single person. I am trying very hard to make things right, I wish only for acceptance from those who I must share space with, while I live my life out. The most difficult part..why can those who feel they were treated (and they are certainly not mistaken) unfairly in the past, not accept to stand on equal scales with me? Why, instead of fixing a terrible wrong, must so many feel they need to stand taller than me? Why, in this day and age, do I find myself, and trust me, it has happened many times, set aside, left out, not even acknowledged, because of my DNA?
Racism will never end! Generations have come and gone, since Ms. Lee wrote her book. The battle between black, red, white and yellow has not really changed. Everyone still focuses on their DNA, still thinking because through a fluke of fate, their parents, grandparents, etc, mated, and produced offspring, they are somehow higher on the species ladder. I am only one ME. I was created by two people, and I certainly didn't have a choice who my biological parents would be, no one does. Each and every one of us, become adults, through battles the rest of the world does not see. I admit, some battles are as a result of how one appears to the world, as someone who has always carried a little extra weight, that was one of my battles that everyone could see. I may not have had skin that tanned easily, or eyes that were exotically slanted, but I fought to become ME, and, sadly, when it comes to racism, I find myself still fighting, just because I was created.
A world without racism is impossible.Maybe it is pride, maybe it is a sense of pay-back, no matter what, the Caucasians are not the only race that feels a sense of superiority, they are just the ones who have a history. 100 years from now, who will be written down in history as the "bad guys". It won't be the Caucasian DNA holders, we are now put in our place, silenced because of history..however..history repeats itself when lessons are not learned, and I am afraid there are more birds that will die for naught.
Last night my youngest daughter (23) informed me she had just finished watching "To Kill A Mockingbird". Now, this amazing story was, and still is, listed in the top 3 books I have ever read (and I have read a flipping ton). Ms. Harper Lee was able to take readers right back to that nasty time, when Racism ran rampant, and as painful as the basis of her novel was, it was a lesson for me. It was a lesson for many of my fellow students when we were assigned this novel, and it came to life even more when I paid my 75 cents to watch the black and white movie.
Both my grown daughters have enjoyed this book, and my oldest asked me why it was no longer assigned for required reading. Well, it is loaded with the N word, and that is offensive, right? At the time of my reading I had never encountered a Negro, and I use that word because...that is what I learned when studying the people of the world. I am a Caucasian, there are Asian people, East Indian people, North American Indian people..and...somewhere in the list..there are Negro people. However, as I read, I understood how unfair one group of people were treated, simply because of their Genetics, and I knew I would never ever want to dislike a whole world of folks, just because they have different characteristics than my own. Cripes I am so white, the sight of my bare legs would blind someone I have duck feet, and stubby crooked thumbs, all a result of genetics, but I had no say on any of this, I am simply a result of a mix of Scottish and French Canadian DNA, that shows to the outside world, inside, I am ME.
Yes, I judge a book by the cover..I will take an instant dislike to someone, it is not because of their looks, it is because something they say or do, rubs me wrong, and in my tiny little world, 95.9% of those who rub me wrong, are Caucasian, because through no fault of my own, just logistics, they are who I meet.
Perhaps unlike the average person I associate with, I also have spent a fair bit of time with First Nations, or...as I learned in school..North American Indian. I have, in fact, spent the majority of my life with an amazing man who is Gitxsan. I fell in love and made a life with him, not because of his DNA, but because of who he is..O.K. I admit, I thought he was pretty handsome when I got hit by cupid's arrow. But, see, I never gave a moments thought to the fact that he wasn't lily white, skin colour means nothing to me. Who the heck doesn't think that Denzel Washington is a gorgeous man? I have a crush on Kunai Nayyar (Raj on Big Bang) just because I find something very appealing about the person I see on TV.
But, the saddest part of Killing the Mockingbird, is I understood. I understood that no one group of people is better. Skin colour, traditions, culture, heritage , whatever, do not encompass all within it's group. Because people of my colour have, in the past, been the explorers, and the uninvited immigrants in many countries around the globe, that does not make me less than others. I accept that wrong was done, I accept that promises must be kept, I accept that we are all humans, people of the Earth.
I do not judge by race, creed or colour, I judge by the single person. I am trying very hard to make things right, I wish only for acceptance from those who I must share space with, while I live my life out. The most difficult part..why can those who feel they were treated (and they are certainly not mistaken) unfairly in the past, not accept to stand on equal scales with me? Why, instead of fixing a terrible wrong, must so many feel they need to stand taller than me? Why, in this day and age, do I find myself, and trust me, it has happened many times, set aside, left out, not even acknowledged, because of my DNA?
Racism will never end! Generations have come and gone, since Ms. Lee wrote her book. The battle between black, red, white and yellow has not really changed. Everyone still focuses on their DNA, still thinking because through a fluke of fate, their parents, grandparents, etc, mated, and produced offspring, they are somehow higher on the species ladder. I am only one ME. I was created by two people, and I certainly didn't have a choice who my biological parents would be, no one does. Each and every one of us, become adults, through battles the rest of the world does not see. I admit, some battles are as a result of how one appears to the world, as someone who has always carried a little extra weight, that was one of my battles that everyone could see. I may not have had skin that tanned easily, or eyes that were exotically slanted, but I fought to become ME, and, sadly, when it comes to racism, I find myself still fighting, just because I was created.
A world without racism is impossible.Maybe it is pride, maybe it is a sense of pay-back, no matter what, the Caucasians are not the only race that feels a sense of superiority, they are just the ones who have a history. 100 years from now, who will be written down in history as the "bad guys". It won't be the Caucasian DNA holders, we are now put in our place, silenced because of history..however..history repeats itself when lessons are not learned, and I am afraid there are more birds that will die for naught.
Friday, 28 August 2015
Said Hummmm...
O.K. my mind has been in a real turmoil for some time. Most moments are spent trying to figure sh*t out, or..wondering if the light really has gone out at the end of the tunnel, or it's just flickering, and I'm missing it. The mind is pretty damn amazing, mine is totally beyond my control..it just flips about whenever the urge hits it, and I just have to try and keep up. I am wondering, am I getting just a little too old, and maybe a tad too crippled up to keep up, and that is why we have so much turmoil? Thing just goes a mile a minute, and I am often left shaking my head, because I simply cannot comprehend what is going on.
In what appears to be a moment of my mind and myself being on the same level, the thought pops up...yes scary, I know..but it scares me just as much..because I am never sure what is going on. In a moment of stasis, I wondered...why kids now a days do not work. True, at least in this part of the world. It is not like when I was young, and we went about, when we reached an age that we were deemed reasonably responsible and employable, grabbing a part-time job to supply us with pocket money. Nope...now kids just don't have the gumption to devote themselves to giving up weekends so they can buy their own stuff, with their own cash. WTF happened?
Then I realized..kids now, are too busy. They are in ballet, they are in gymnastics, they play hockey, they play soccer, they go off to volleyball. Every single moment of their "spare" time is taken up by after school activities, bought and paid for by parents. They don't have the time to work, because they are too busy having "lives".
See, the term "having a life", has become some what of a sore point with me. I hear it often, as a reason for not being able to do something. I could never figure out why those who make this statement feel that I, on the other hand, apparently do not have a life...Well, last time I checked, I do..and in fact it is a pretty hectic life, and one that is basically the main reason I work...I need to work, so I can afford to keep my life, somewhat in check.
When I hit this little level between my mind and me...I sort of think I figured this "having a life" issue out. Why on earth would a child who spent their younger years enjoying after school activities, even consider giving fun up, to work? Monday to Friday they must deal with the drudge of school, and after that, let the fun begin. Costs are never an issue, because this is given freely by parents, who feel they are doing the right thing, and allowing their children to enjoy what they like.
Well, that is all fine and dandy..for awhile, but...reality is, unless parents want to support these kids for the rest of their adult lives..they are going to have to teach them the sad facts. The fact that when you grow up, the drudge does not only happen from 9-3 Monday to Friday, (except holidays), it continues 7 days a week. 365 days that must be bought and paid for, somehow. Unless you luck out, "having a life" means working about 320 of those days..O.K. maybe a little less if you can enjoy the odd "holiday". Weekends are not a given, days are not 4-5 hours long, and then fun takes over.
So....that is my take on why you don't see a whack of students working every weekend, why folks argue that they, unlike myself, "have a life". It is because someone thinks they are doing them a favour, and allowing them to have fun, with no expense, and no work. It is a sign of things that have changed from my generation..like students moving through grades without performing to a given standard, and Sport's days with participant ribbons instead of 1st, second and third, and losers without a prize. It is pretending we are all equal, when we are not. It is cheating children, who grow up, without the ability to face the real world, with the knowledge that sometimes, life is not fun, and not everyone plays fair.
In what appears to be a moment of my mind and myself being on the same level, the thought pops up...yes scary, I know..but it scares me just as much..because I am never sure what is going on. In a moment of stasis, I wondered...why kids now a days do not work. True, at least in this part of the world. It is not like when I was young, and we went about, when we reached an age that we were deemed reasonably responsible and employable, grabbing a part-time job to supply us with pocket money. Nope...now kids just don't have the gumption to devote themselves to giving up weekends so they can buy their own stuff, with their own cash. WTF happened?
Then I realized..kids now, are too busy. They are in ballet, they are in gymnastics, they play hockey, they play soccer, they go off to volleyball. Every single moment of their "spare" time is taken up by after school activities, bought and paid for by parents. They don't have the time to work, because they are too busy having "lives".
See, the term "having a life", has become some what of a sore point with me. I hear it often, as a reason for not being able to do something. I could never figure out why those who make this statement feel that I, on the other hand, apparently do not have a life...Well, last time I checked, I do..and in fact it is a pretty hectic life, and one that is basically the main reason I work...I need to work, so I can afford to keep my life, somewhat in check.
When I hit this little level between my mind and me...I sort of think I figured this "having a life" issue out. Why on earth would a child who spent their younger years enjoying after school activities, even consider giving fun up, to work? Monday to Friday they must deal with the drudge of school, and after that, let the fun begin. Costs are never an issue, because this is given freely by parents, who feel they are doing the right thing, and allowing their children to enjoy what they like.
Well, that is all fine and dandy..for awhile, but...reality is, unless parents want to support these kids for the rest of their adult lives..they are going to have to teach them the sad facts. The fact that when you grow up, the drudge does not only happen from 9-3 Monday to Friday, (except holidays), it continues 7 days a week. 365 days that must be bought and paid for, somehow. Unless you luck out, "having a life" means working about 320 of those days..O.K. maybe a little less if you can enjoy the odd "holiday". Weekends are not a given, days are not 4-5 hours long, and then fun takes over.
So....that is my take on why you don't see a whack of students working every weekend, why folks argue that they, unlike myself, "have a life". It is because someone thinks they are doing them a favour, and allowing them to have fun, with no expense, and no work. It is a sign of things that have changed from my generation..like students moving through grades without performing to a given standard, and Sport's days with participant ribbons instead of 1st, second and third, and losers without a prize. It is pretending we are all equal, when we are not. It is cheating children, who grow up, without the ability to face the real world, with the knowledge that sometimes, life is not fun, and not everyone plays fair.
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