Day 3 - 182 -- Summer Abundance

The first strawberries of the season -- amazing!  There seems to be few things that taste as good as fresh picked fruits and vegetables. I buy several quarts of strawberries each year with the plan to freeze some for baking in the winter. Very few, if any, strawberries make it to the freezer. A bowl of fresh berries prepared in various ways is such a great way to finish a day.

Summer brings with it the seasons for many wonderful foods. Our local food box program and several community supported agriculture programs provide local households with all sorts of fresh produce. The Farmers' market has expanded to a summer season size. Several markets around the province provide local food products. It is an exciting time of year. Buying food directly from the grower can bridge the gap between food production and consumption. Many people have never visited a farm, not do they understand the business of farming. Food comes from the grocery stores that get the food from trucks. Tracing foods back to their origins is a challenge for many people faced with the abundance in our local large chain supermarkets. Stepping back a bit and getting to know your local growers as people working to produce the food while hoping to make a living, may lead to better understanding of global and local food systems. If you want raspberries today, and they are in season but not at the market, the farmer can explain that they can't be picked in the rain but will be available in a couple more days. Food production isn't a given or an instant supply for the consumer demand. It is a complex process involving physical and psychological tolls.

The song that my mind settled on today is another folk song. The video is part of a larger music and labour history production. The singer/songwriter is a classic. The song was written several decades ago, so please ignore the title that some may see as sexist today. That aside, the song clearly shows that it is a difficult career choice. Enjoy!

The Farmer is the Man -- Pete Seeger

Day 3 - 181 -- An (un)Common Beverage

My beverage of choice through the day is tea. I make a mug of chai with more milk that water for breakfast and bedtime, but during the day it is plain black tea. My favourite blends are from the rift valley -- Kenyan blends. Others include darjeeling (black not the first flush green), a strong Irish breakfast blend (from Fortum and Mason) and a highland blend from Malaysia (blended at Raffles Hotel). Now, I can't easily find these in this small town, but when friends travel overseas, I've been able to source things through them. <smile> Tea is a social beverage, after all. I have no use for fruit flavoured teas or non-caffeinated non-tea 'teas' <smile>. I like black tea straight up -- 'clear' being the technically correct term here. A day without tea is rare. I have one regular each day at the office and all others at home or later in the day at work are a decaf variety blended and packaged in New Brunswick. It isn't available outside the Atlantic provinces, so I've sworn that when I move away, I'll have to forward a case of the stuff to my new abode <smile>.

Everyone has their own favourite tea and are very particular as to its preparation in the pot and in the cup. I find this interesting. It is a relaxing and enjoyable break, but is not the same in each household or region. Cape Breton is known for its brewed tea that sits on the stovetop on low until a new pot is needed. That stuff is strong! I generally leave the teabag in the mug while I know some who quickly dip the bag in their mug once, twice or three times and then put it into the compost. So -- some of us like the spoon to stand straight in the mug while others prefer coloured water with a hint of flavour. Yet, we all call it tea. Again, interesting. Ordering tea in a cafe can be an exercise in frustration since each of us has our own particular ritual. When Tim Horton's moved to steeped tea (pre-prepped tea concentrate used to make tea) it created an issue with many people. I enjoy this new one, but it is a bit stronger than some prefer. So, they now make steeped and can offer a teabag for those who don't like the strength of the steeped variety.

I've grown up with tea since a wee one. My grandparents made 'tea' for us that was more milk than tea, but that began my tea drinking lifestyle. I have my grandmother's teapot to brew tea (and several other fun teapots). I have many mugs and cups and saucers from which to drink my beverage. A friend once wrote about making a concerted effort to use all the 'good' dishes regularly rather than have them linger in a cupboard for years. I do need to do more of this. I have two favourite mugs and I tend to use them most often, while all the other lovely dishes sit unused. That will be my new resolution -- to shake things up a bit at tea breaks at home.

There is a folk-country style song that seems to fit my musings today. There are a few covers, but I've chosen the original to share. The lyrics contain many points that make you smile as well as some with strong social commentary. Enjoy!

Have a Cuppa Tea -- The Kinks

Day 3 - 180 -- Taking it in Stride

So very tired feeling today. The weather added humidity to the heat and it seems to zap the energy right out of me. I managed to finish up one  of the documents needed for fall classes today. Even with a/c the building felt so much warmer than yesterday. The outside parking lot construction still creates major vibrations that are felt throughout all internal organs -- a bit disconcerting. I went for a good walk after supper and had a good visit with a friend. On the way home, I seem to have developed a blister. This was the first day I wore those sandals -- should have known better. <sigh>

So -- when walking and later when washing my hair, I thought we just have to go along with these intrusions. A line from a song surfaced and I share that with you today. It has a rhythm that would make you dance, if it was just a few degrees cooler and less humid <g>. Enjoy!

Roll with It -- Steve Windwood

Day 3 - 179 -- Untangling Emotions

The day brought with it interesting events all packed full of various emotions. Frustration surfaced with one project that seems to have created issues with report formatting -- I'm having to become more familiar with software abilities that I've never used before. The upside is this will help me to explain the process better to students in the fall. Planning and booking for a conference continues. It is all quite exciting, which includes happy anticipation tempered by a good dose of trepidation. The work and arrangements will all get done, but there seems less time to devote to this than I'd hoped.

The temperature became quite hot -- about 27C while I was walking out to a meeting 10 minutes away. Luckily the wind had picked up which helped make it feel more bearable, though the winds are pulling the humid air up from the eastern seaboard. The evening air cooled a bit, so the house should cool some tiny amount and maybe sleep won't be as elusive as it has been the past two nights. That made me think I'd deal better with events if well rested.

Conversations throughout the day made me think of how emotions become so entwined that it becomes difficult to identify which emotion one is feeling. It is easier to note if it feels good or bad, but the exact feeling isn't as easy to pinpoint. I believe this is likely due to the presence of several emotions at one point in time. When we say we are angry, there are likely bits of rage, fear, disappointment, frustration, jealousy and possibly several other things swirling around inside. The same could be said for 'happy' which could comprise joy, hope, excitement and all those other things that are labelled 'good' most of the time. It seems that few of us take the time to try to be in touch with what is happening emotionally until things either swing way up or way down. Can we learn to recognize in ourselves the feelings that exist before they burst forth in a somewhat exuberant or violent fashion? Perhaps a better question is - do we want to know about or acknowledge our emotions? Being sensitive to the feelings of others is often easier than being ready to turn inwards a bit more often. Someone today said that there is power in all those emotions that we could harness for the force of good <smile>. I like that idea and think it bears some pondering. Perhaps if we can begin to see what is in us at any point in time, we could understand the reactions those around us are having -- which may be an effect of our emotional state. Lots there to explore and refine before I get this thesis clearly articulated, but I'm ready to start. 

The lyric I heard in my head was a single word from a song of the same single word title. It has to do with being more in tune with our reactions and how they may impact us and others -- being more sensitive. It is sung by a great Canadian artist. Enjoy! 

Insensitive -- Jann Arden

Day 3 - 178 -- Summer Begins

It was an almost perfect summer day -- blue sky, bright sun and a pleasant breeze. We gathered as a work group to say farewell to one of our own who is retiring at the end of the month. The afternoon was great with family members of colleagues attending. It was fun to watch the kids playing in the sun -- running, exploring, dancing, and drawing. The adults had a good time catching up. The supper was potluck, which is always wonderful when we all have a food background <smile>. The theme was local foods and all dishes had main ingredients that were locally grown or made. I am feeling full still <smile>.

There seems to be a trend to put off enjoying the day with some relaxing activities. Instead of working for pay or puttering around the house, we could go out and enjoy nature and visit with others. Seeing people outside the workplace allows us to get to know each other as people rather than only work colleagues. Meeting spouses and children can help put people into context -- helping us to understand them better.

The song today came to mind since today was a beginning to summer activities. The lyrics also speak to not putting things off until another day or year. This is performed by a favourite band featured here often. Enjoy!

Door into Summer -- The Monkees

Day 3 - 177 -- Thinking about thinking

Moved through a lot of weekend chores today. I was trying to get through a lot of things since tomorrow will have less work time.  There is a group gathering for the afternoon and supper, so less time for the usual weekend activities.  That is not a complaint in any way. This is the part of the world where we madly try to cram 12 months of living into a 3-4 month time period known as summer. <smile>  The weather looks like it will cooperate with sun and heat.

While working through the cleaning and online tasks, I found myself feeling a bit world weary. I'm unsure why that occurred, but there are many potential causes that keep popping in and out of my thoughts. So many questions as to why people do what they do, particularly in large groups -- 'group think' is so illogical. Someone told me once that I thought very logically and that this might be why I am puzzled and frustrated with the actions of others. That was very insightful -- others don't think as I do, so my thought processes can't help me to understand what they were thinking <smile>. I have to remind myself of this quite often, though. Perhaps I'll eventually accept that and find fewer frustrations. Or, I could just develop into a great curmudgeon. We'll see.

The song that fit well with this odd thought process today is from an album that was owned by my brother. I did enjoy much of it, though I often didn't let him know that <smile>. It was from an album with a wonderful food reference, too. Go figure. Enjoy!

Logical Song -- Supertramp (from Breakfast in America)

Day 3 - 176 -- Sleep Disrupted Again

I've felt like I was dragging myself around today -- answering e-mails, sitting in a meeting or speaking with colleagues -- I felt slower than usual, like walking in a fog. The cause was inadequate sleep. I got to sleep, but was very restless. I woke abruptly just before dawn and was up for two hours. Often when this happens, I'm hungry. That isn't what woke me. It was a scary image in a dream. Often I can turn over and fall back to sleep, but it was almost immediately apparent that I was now awake. When this has occurred in the past, I am usually falling asleep after an hour. Last night it was two hours. I woke several times in the following two hours before the alarm sounded.

I have found my sleep patterns disturbed a lot in the past two to three weeks. There are many things going on in life -- work and personal -- that I wake thinking about. There is a need to find a way to get around the anxieties. I have tried walking to work through issues with some success. I've tried some thought processes to see things from different perspectives, also with some success. Yet, it seems that there are still aspects of the situations that are not fully dealt with and then surface at night. Peace is illusive. Learning to be at peace within the turmoil around and in our lives is a definite challenge. The goal is to find this spot more often and learn to control my responses before they get all wound up. <smile> So, the journey continues and that is a good thing.

A couple of lines from the song shared here today really fit the situation from last night -- being awoken by a bad dream -- and the artists have a food related name even <grin>. It is a selection from the early psychedelic genre. Enjoy!

I had too much to dream last night -- The Electric Prunes

Day 3 - 175 -- Flying Insects Attack

The day was filled with revising materials for courses in the fall interspersed with several smaller errands when I needed to take a break. There is still so much left to do for fall prep and I generally try to get this done before the end of June and we are pretty much there now. Research and writing needs to occur during the summer months. This is also the only time during which we can take vacation. How to fit that into the next 9 weeks is enough to make one lose their grip.

We had a pleasant supper out tonight -- a group of friends with great conversation and silliness. On the way home, two of us walked back. We paused to chat a bit in the front yard and I found myself swatting at black flies and mosquitoes. I seem to be a beacon for such creatures. Even if I wear bug repellent, I will still get dozens of bites when others get one or none. Sadly, these bites swell up more than they do with other people, too. It is also frustrating that a conversation is interrupted because of insects <sigh>. Granted, I am in their territory when in the yard. Over the years I've found a couple great products that  help with the discomfort the bumps cause--  an ammonia-containing product that helps take the sting and itch out right after being bitten and a calamine lotion mixed with an antihistamine that works to calm the itchiness. The latter is kept on the bedside table to be there when awoken by itchiness. I suspect that even writing about this has some readers scratching <smile> -- for that I apologize.

Thinking of a song brought a real oldie to mind. Enjoy!

Itchy Twitch Feeling -- Bobby Hendricks

Day 3 - 174 -- Adjustments and Changes

The day was filled with adjustments.  It began with an early meeting. In the summer I tend to go in later so this was the first hurdle of the day.  The meeting was four hours during which curriculum changes were discussed. Assessments of the alterations that will be put in place this fall ensured that nothing had been missed when new topics were added and others moved between courses. It was an informative meeting and a huge amount was accomplished during the session.

In the afternoon, I visited my physio. The ongoing SI joint issue has been making itself known again. So, I decided to have it tended to before it gets worse. It seems this time the sacrum was slightly out of centre, when it is usually the illium that has a wonky torsion. This is the result of a high school gymnastics injury. We have learned how to deal with it over the past few years. Today we did a new adjustment maneuver that seemed a bit more gentle than trying to move the illium around. I'm not kidding myself, though, there will be some pain tomorrow. I came home almost directly after the appointment to do some work from home where my heating pad resides <smile>. I did a bit and then had a short nap around supper. This was during a thunderstorm so I'd unplugged the electronics at that time.

Thinking through the theme of adjustment brought to mind several songs. The one I chose to share includes lyrics that stress the need to keep self intact during change. The integrity of the curriculum and my skeletal structure were central to the changes discussed today. This song is by a band from Saskatoon -- my old stomping grounds. Enjoy!

Change -- Wide Mouth Mason

Day 3 - 173 -- Shaking Things Up

Another day with many special events attached to it -- the first full day of summer, National Aboriginal Day, and the birthday of a wonderful, dear friend. Each of these is worth celebrating but when they fall on the same day it is type of trifecta <smile>.  On the other hand, work today brought several stresses. Working to get many projects completed while there is still time to do them is creating stress. I feel like a small critter running in a big wheel, but I am not in control of the speed or direction of the wheel. I just have to try to adapt and keep up with external forces. To top this off, the work continues outside the windows to build a large parking lot where there had been a small one and some grassland. Today the building actually shook as the roller, excavators, and dump trucks amble around. It was very disorienting and my work needed concentration. I finally left to get groceries.

Feeling pressure to finish work and having other tasks or external environmental intrusions can leave one feeling very odd. I was angry, then sad and disappointed and finally came to place of calm. That place was not reached without the help of two great friends who I visited briefly after supper tonight. We often chat during the week, but life has made this occur a little less often. We can always laugh even when things are feeling tense. So, the visit today was cathartic.  Finding ways to deal with the stress is challenging and can come from places that one hadn't intended. That made me realize that I need to be open to what is going on around me and try to see situations from different perspectives. Even if they seem a bit absurd at the time, lateral thinking can help one to be creative with problem solving.

The lyrics of the song that I share relate to the shake-ups encountered during the day. The singer has had a long and colourful career --he's been a bit of a wild man. Enjoy!

Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On -- Jerry Lee Lewis

Day 3 - 172 -- Lost or Found?

It is International Refugee Day -- a time to take note of the many reasons people are forced to leave their homes and homelands. It is the first day of summer -- and we had a very warm day with a cloudless blue sky -- like not even a little wisp of a cloud. While it was Monday, the computer hard drive seems uninfected, though there were a couple quirks last week. Also, I've been searching for my Spanish-English dictionary which is a golden yellow with red and black outlines around titles. I've stared at the book shelves in the office for a week. I've checked in boxes that should not contain this book at home and in my research space. After checking the last of the impossible places, I walked into the office today resigned to purchasing a new copy. As I sighed and looked upwards, my eye caught a book spine that appeared to have the correct words. The spine of this colourful book is pure white <sigh> so I'd overlooked this several times when searching. I found something that had been driving me crazy and it was just two shelves up from where I expected it to be. Go figure.

Losing and finding things can be such an interesting process. Invariably I find things exactly where they should be and right where I'd carefully checked the first time I looked anywhere. Why keys can hide in a purse or book bag even when it seems I've emptied the carry bag, I'll never know. Black insides of bags and searching at night might have something to do with it, but when I think I pull everything out and still the one thing I want remains inside is just silly. Perhaps I'm in a rush or being semi-panicked. I do know that it is frustrating when I find things where I've already looked. <smile>. Happy to find them, but frustrating nonetheless.

So while there are large things to ponder today, I've chosen to write about something less huge, but likely familiar to everyone. A song that seems to fit this self-assessment is shared here today. It also could represent the situation of the many refugees globally.  The Canadian singer has a distinctive voice and great ability to add emotion to a song. (excuse the spelling of the artist's name on this video -- the sound quality is good, though) Enjoy!

We Found What We Were Looking For -- Bryan Adams

Day 3 - 171 -- Pondering the Past

Many long past due tasks were tackled at home today. A common point in these unrelated activities was that each had me recalling past adventures of life. These thoughts had me pondering current and past relationships and many life changes. There were many smiles and a few tears -- all that emotion in one day can be a bit overwhelming. I hadn't planned to do this grouping of things all at once, yet that was the way things worked out. Outside my windows, the temperatures climbed in the high 20s with full on sun. The house is now very warm and it will be warmer for sleeping than we've had yet this year.

This is the Sunday that we celebrate fathers. While mine has been gone for almost 11 years, I think of him daily. He loved music and that was something that we shared often. I'd like to share two of his many, many favourites here today. The first is an instrumental from the big band era that we listened to often over the decades. It always makes me smile. The second is a song that we listened to by many artists and played together with me on piano and him playing saxophone. I've always loved the poetic nature of the lyrics. I'm sharing a cover from a CD that I gave him. Love the background visual in this performance. Enjoy!

String of Pearls -- Glenn Miller

Stardust -- Willie Nelson

Day 3 - 170 -- Living with Nature

Around midday I had to run out to pick up a grocery item. I found the car covered in bird droppings. I've heard more birds in the yard in the past couple of weeks with the result needing me to carry a wet cloth with me when I go to the car each day. Today, I waited until I got home and then took a pail and soapy water to help rectify the problem. I felt somewhat on display as I drove out to the store and back -- the car is a very deep navy so the 'spots' were very visible. <sigh>  I cleaned the doors on one side and then moved to the hood. It became clear very quickly that the droppings were not just from birds, but from the canker worms in a couple of the trees. The sand-like black grit from these icky green critters was stuck all over the hood, roof and any surface that faces up - even just a bit. It all came flooding back to me from the years in Saskatoon and Winnipeg. The former was the worse infestations I'd seen. These things munch away at the leaves to the point that only the leaf veins remain. Tree health can be affected with repeated years of such abuse. The droppings can lightly scratch a windshield when using wipers and washer fluid to be able to see each morning. I've noticed a couple of the critters here over the years, but have seen more this year than usual. It occurred to me that this must be the reason for the increase in bird song in the yard and droppings on the car -- the nasty green things provide a neighbourhood party for all the birds -- all in the branches high above the car. <sigh> I do love nature and want to live in harmony with it, but we may have to get something done with tanglefoot and such to avoid a repeat of this next year.

On an entirely different note, today is the 74th birthday of an icon in the music world. I chose to share a song that could speak to his career. The other song shared today deals with where I am headed next week to deal with what nature has visited upon my car. Enjoy!

Early Days -- Paul McCartney

Car Wash -- Christina Aguellera ft. Missy Elliott

Day 3 - 169 -- Living or surviving?

The main activity today involved a discussion of reviewer comments to a manuscript we'd submitted for publication. It often takes two minds to interpret statements and questions and provide a solid response in the form of revisions and rebuttal for areas that may have been misunderstood. It can be emotional when dealing with others trying to rewrite your precious words <smile> or trying to remake a study after the fact. I often have to sit with the comments for a few days to feel more comfortable and see that all but a smattering of shared ideas will provide a much stronger manuscript. I've chosen in classes to share some of the feedback I've received over the years along with how we responded -- how we revised a section or an explanation of why we didn't. The goal is to show students that comments they receive are not just being picky, but are meant to help strengthen their writing and presenting ideas as clearly as possible AND that we all go through this <smile>. The meeting with a co-author today really helped me to begin to visualize how my suggested edits to the paper would come into a cohesive whole -- one that is better than the first submission.

I heard somewhere recently (likely a TV show <grin>) a conversation about 'what if I'd only done something differently' providing the assumption that the world or life would be perfect now. The wise friend noted that this was the cost of living. By accepting the small and the very large parts of life that we sometimes feel we had the power to alter (we likely didn't), we can move through life with lesser baggage, fewer regrets and more peace. This doesn't mean the journey will be smooth sailing on calm waters, but it does mean that we can acknowledge the pain and find ways of living with it rather than spending all our time wishing we could have changed events -- so living life in all its glory rather than hiding from the realities and stagnating as an individual. Some had termed these two states living versus surviving. It comes to a choice. Once we make that choice, it is hard work to learn to accept, but it should be worthwhile. 

A great song that speaks to this as a wisdom of age was my choice to share here today. We often think of older people as the wise ones, but it can happen at any age, though perhaps the longer journey provides more insights as we age. The singer is an older person and sings about that, too. The audio isn't super from this live performance, but the lyrics are just too good not to share. Enjoy! 

P.S. the video shared here has the song end about 3-1/2 minutes in. The rest of the recording is the patter between songs and the intro to the next song. It does show the singer's sense of humour well.

Cost of Living -- Don Henley

Day 3 - 168 -- Walking to Recenter

Today saw the main project on the 'to do' list completed. It took a few hours of focused attention, but ideas for the working meeting tomorrow have been completed. Two other group projects that were underway this week were also completed. Time existed to respond to two other key discussions. I had time between a couple of the tasks to walk around the building and spend a short lunch with colleagues. This sort of day seems rare. Far fewer interruptions and competing priorities appeared today. It felt good. After work, I managed to fit in a longer walk to visit a friend -- a few good laughs that helped me recenter.

While walking I listened to the iPod -- something that added to the relaxing aspect of the exercise. Seeing the lush greens from the recent rains was fabulous. I was able to note that several tree varieties have some infestation eating the leaves. Not sure how that will affect tree health -- something to discuss with my ecology friend. The temperatures were rather cool, so the walk was invigorating. I was able to walk more quickly than is comfortable when temps are much warmer. There was sun along with the last of some rain clouds, which had very interesting formations. Getting back in touch with my surroundings and my place within that environment helped calm me. Walking helps to put life back in perspective when there are worries or irritations that have taken over. Music and walking bring a double dose of refocusing.

A song that reflects my thoughts while walking today may seem a bit trite, but the sentiment expressed is spot on. enjoy!

Smell the Flowers -- Jerry Reed

Day 3 - 167 -- Running

Wednesday has been filled with running around from one place to the next. Home to office to physio to home to meeting to office and finally home for the evening. Luckily it was a cooler day with just a bit of drizzle -- until right now when there is actual rain blowing against the house in fits and starts. The cooler temperatures made the racing from one locale to another more bearable since I didn't overheat in the process <smile>. Several tasks were moved forward, some new ones begun and a couple of existing ones completed today. So, it was a reasonable day overall.

Busy schedules that mean moving around town rather than just around campus or around the building can be trying. Changing focus from one topic to the next requires a person to be on their toes. This type of day means running at full bore for each new event, often resulting in less down time to recharge between activities. Adrenaline plays a key role in ensuring you stay bright and energized enough to tackle each task as if it were the first. The occasional day like this is fine, but I don't thrive on such hectic schedules. I have friends and colleagues who put their days together to ensure this constant running from one item to the next -- they work best that way. I can do several things at once and can do several things throughout the day, but having some time between each new command performance is paramount for me to function in top form. I prefer having a full or even half day when I can focus on one larger task and just immerse myself in that, seeing major movement with that single project. Both days end in a type of fatigue -- today it is more a physical tiredness and the other days are more mental fatigue.

The selection for today came to mind as I was changing venues repeatedly. It is a great doo-wop style song. enjoy!

Runaround Sue -- Dion

Day 3 - 166 -- Sharing

When I went for a short walk this afternoon, I encountered someone who lost their mother just after my own loss. I hadn't seen her over the past couple of months, so this was my first chance to tell her I was sorry for her loss. We exchanged the basic details and were able to take a few minutes to verbalize some of the emotions of the past little while. We aren't close but do see each other a few times throughout the year around campus. There seems to be no way around the pain, but having the chance to share a small bit with someone else going through something similar can help. I think it is part of the healing process and helps you to care for others while you work to care for yourself.

Commiserate is a cool word. It deals with sharing the feelings and usually involves negative feelings. Synonyms include sympathy and empathy -- those feelings for others -- feeling sorry and feeling their pain. Neither of those two words encompasses everything that I connote when I use commiserate. Use of that one word brings the main aspects of each of the other words if used in combination. So, while it is a polysyllabic word, commiserate can save a word or two <smile>.

The lyrics that came to mind are from a song by a Canadian artist. A few lines note how someone else can help us feel validated and less sad just by their actions. Enjoy!

Empathy -- Alanis Morissette

Day 3 - 165 -- Caring Gestures

I found myself deep into the task at hand this afternoon --typing and listening to the iPod. Once I'd finished the main writing, it needed to be uploaded. I turned to face the screen differently and gasped when I saw the clock. It was 3:45 and I'd had a physio appointment for 3 PM. After a quick phone call (while I was powering down), the appointment was flexed for 'now'. In under 15 minutes I shut down, packed the briefcase, walked over the car and drove to the appointment. There are some great pluses to living in a small town -- quick to get around and knowing the professionals well <smile>. Things feel better at present but the day after is often a bit sore. We'll see.

When I got home tonight, the mail was waiting for me. In today's delivery I found another postcard from my home town. Two dear friends have sent a series of postcards with a line or two every so often since I returned back here after Mom's funeral. What an amazing thing. These come when I need something to remind me there is a link to 'home'. These were the folks who told me I'd never be alone as long as they walked the earth -- imagine! We could do this by e-mail or something electronic, but the postcards are so much more personal and tactile. I've sent one in return and was going through my drawer of cards and found numerous old postcards from all over the place <smile>. I will try to get one from the campus tomorrow to send the thoughts I'd had about my friends last week. then I'll use some of the oddball postcards from travels over the decades. I've enjoyed receiving these simple gestures of love and friendship. I feel more ready to respond with some thoughts now than I did for the first month and definitely more ready than when feeling unwell with infections. So, it may become more of a conversation than a one-sided check-in. <smile>.

Just over a year ago, a song was released as part of a new album by a well known rock star. This song included little lines of interest from the past woven into the writing of a new song. Brilliant! The title also made me feel this song was perfect for my thoughts today. Enjoy!

P.S. How many familiar lines (titles) can you find? <smile>

Postcards from Paradise -- Ringo Starr

Day 3 - 164 -- Early Teen Idol Dies

Clouds and grayness prevailed today with only a bit of rain. Risk of thunder storms exists this evening and tomorrow will bring further rainfall. Luckily there was no shortage of indoor work to occupy my day. <smile>.

I wanted to take time here to acknowledge the loss of one of Canada's earliest teen idols, Bobby Curtola, who died last week. In his early career, during the 1960s,  he had 25 gold singles and 12 gold albums, an unheard of feat for any recording artist here. His later career involved longer stints in Los Vegas and continued road shows. For the '60s and '70s, he was affiliated with Coca-Cola and sang the first pop-style jingle, Things go better with Coke. He later wrote and sang Coke The Real Thing. Sadly, his wife was killed last December when headed for the airport to join him and the family at his show in Montreal. During this man's 50+ year career he sang with many greats from various genres -- Elvis, The Beatles, the Rat Pack, Jerry Lee Lewis, Mick Jagger, Chubby Checker, The Guess Who, Michael Buble, and many, many others [facts from his web site bio]. Upon reflection, I discovered that he was the first musical star that I went to see. He was a 'teen idol' when he came to my home town, but I was far from being close to becoming a teenager. I asked to go to the autograph session at Zellers on Main Street. My dad gave in and took me to see him. The store was filled with screaming girls, so we stood outside the huge front windows and there he was -- even though he was facing the other direction, I felt satisfied that I had seen him. <smile> So, he was involved in my early rock and roll roots. <grin>.

I've chosen two of his songs that were my early favorites -- ones I knew every word to and still do <g>. The first was the break through hit that moved him to a recording contract with a US company. The second displays the innocence of the time. Enjoy!

Fortune Teller -- Bobby Curtola

Three Rows Over -- Bobby Curtola

Day 3 - 163 -- Hosting Guests

The sun shone most of the day with some darker clouds moving closer into the evening. Rain is expected overnight and into tomorrow accompanied by a slight temperature drop. I didn't go outside today except to trim some chives for supper. I cooked the rest of the meal today -- rice, gai lan, apple crisp -- and reheated the chicken curry that has been allowed to sit overnight (in the fridge) for the flavours to come together. While prepping this all, the regular Saturday laundry and cleaning were on tap, making for a rather full day. Supper went very well and I had a great visit with friends. We've not had a good sit down visit for several months, so this was a treat. The wine was a new red that turned out to be perfect for the spicy entree.

We were unsure if rain might begin before my friends headed home, since they'd walked down. Luckily their walk home would have been dry. That conversation made me recall times when we'd go out or others would come to the house only to have the weather turn during the evening -- a blizzard, blowing snow or sharp temperature  drop made travel home tricky or impossible. Many people from outside of town were used to packing a 'go bag' whenever they came into town. People were prepared to host overnight visitors, too. The whole concept of being 'storm stayed' is one prairie people are most familiar with -- it might mean being stuck at school or work when a storm arrived during the day -- unexpectedly or with greater ferocity than forecast. Most schools and workplaces are more tuned in to weather forecasts now than in past decades. We had few snow days that I recall -- we slogged through the snow or walked against the winds regularly. It seems we are more ready to avoid possible injury -- or perhaps we fear litigation more now.

Pondering times with overnight guests after an evening visit brought me to a song. <surprise> This one line came to mind and made me smile. While the song actually deals with a different type of situation, it still sort of fits the theme -- well that one line does, anyway. Enjoy!

Crash Here Tonight -- Toby Keith

Day 3 - 162 -- Having a Heart to Heart

Another week behind us as Friday has arrived again. It was a cool, cloudy day, but they promise some sun and a a bit of warmth tomorrow. Work moved a few projects forward a bit with plans for further tasks to complete next week. I headed home and did some preparations for dinner with friends tomorrow. Fun and relaxing to cook -- particularly when it is to be shared and I'm not exhausted. <smile>

The evening brought a wonderful surprise -- a phone call from a friend I hadn't spoken with for a long time. We chatted for two hours and it didn't seem nearly that long. We talked about everything, exchanging ideas for managing the stresses of life -- breathe, stretch, meditate, walk. Often, though, people get so wrapped up in life that we forget these simple things. We suggested there should "be an app for that" -- with simple text messages to remind us to take two minutes and recentre when things get a bit wild. Sticky notes can help with this as long as one remembers to read them. The audible note of a text message might serve as a reminder -- like an alarm of sorts but to relax rather than run to the next task.

The phone conversation today focused on changing our reactions to external stresses. I heard a line from a song that fit much of our conversation and my thoughts over the past while. It is a beautiful lyric and melody, with a strong female vocal. Enjoy!

Landslide -- Fleetwood Mac

Day 3 - 161 -- Scattered but Productive Day

Today contained many different unrelated tasks. I began with the annual fasting blood work. I go late as I have a snack and chai before bed each evening, which avoid my waking in the wee hours with a growling tummy and can help keep occasional meds from eating a hole in the stomach lining. I arrived in the parking lot to discover that I'd left the requisition on the kitchen counter. That cost the $2 flat rate to exit the lot and go back for the req. When finished with the blood draw, I went upstairs to say hello to an in-patient friend. The halls on the ward were filled with newbie student nurses, many of whose faces I recognized from classes over the past two years. I smiled and nodded a lot and chatted with one. My friend messaged me later to say that a couple entered her room after I'd left to note their excitement at my visit. My response was that it must be my rock star persona. <grin>

The afternoon involved boring work things like editing a conference poster and preparing meeting minutes -- my life is to be envied <grin>.  I spoke with a colleague about a medical screening procedure and chatted with another friend between work reading and other tasks. The day ended with a lovely meal out with friends -- amazing red wine (zin) and shrimp saganaki (Greek dish). Conversations were fun and kept us smiling and laughing most of the meal. Temperatures dropped in the evening, which made me *almost* put on my stretchie gloves to keep my hands warm. Instead, I kept them in my pockets. I do like this cooler weather personally, though many other folks are not happy with it.

So, all in all, it was a busy day filled with many different work focuses. The last line of a song ran through my mind several times today as I felt unfocused, but managed to recognize I was being productive with smaller unrelated tasks. The song shared here was recorded by a band that defined what a band was all about. Enjoy!

Here, There and Everywhere -- The Beatles

Day 3 - 160 -- Finding the Positives

While the saga of travel planning continued into this afternoon. Travel companions ran into further difficulties yesterday -- but it seems things are settled for now.  It took me a bit of time, but I'm almost at a more positive way to seeing this -- the absurdity does make one laugh, though it takes a bit of distance to be able to tell the story with a smile and not anger. My mother and a dear family friend always said that I should write a book about my travel stories -- the misadventures I've encountered trying to get from one place to another. This latest episode is but another adventure for another chapter of that book. I've threatened to tell the stories here some day -- we'll see <smile>.

Getting around adversity to a place where it is viewable from something other than anger or fear is an amazing feat. It takes time and effort but being able to laugh at many of life's odd situations is a gift. There are some negative events that will never be seen through a humorous lens, nor should they be. Yet, it seems that many of the small bumps encountered are treated as major hurdles rather than minor disruptions. Learning not to become overwhelmed when plans are changed for you is a challenge -- breathe, feet firmly on the ground, recenter and then tackle the issue. <smile>

A friend shared a great musical video today. The song lyrics describe a wonderful mindset, while the musical arrangement and vocals blend into an unbelievably great whole. Enjoy!

Day 3 - 159 -- Back in Control

In follow up to yesterday's blog, the saga continued until supper time after which a final plan was made and accepted. It means some parts will not be as planned together with travel companions, but the main parts are in place and we are working on accepting the less than perfect alternate offers -- which were different offers for the two groups. Go figure. It reminded me of Sleepless in Seattle that noted the vagaries of the travel industry. When the two kids book the flight to NYC through the girl's mothers business, she stated that no one actually knows how much a ticket costs. I would add a corollary to that law that no one actually knows the routing of travel plans, either.

I began to think as it became clear that different stories were proposed by different assistants. Life is about the journey not the destination. Acceptance of the bumps along the way can make our journeys more enjoyable, allowing us to live in the moment and find the joys in the small things as we find a way around, over or through that bump in the road. Things have worked out for us today, but not in the exact way we'd hoped. The end result will be the same, we'll just take different paths around this bump to get to the next destination <smile>.

The song that fit today's struggles with finding a plan that worked, notes that we can set our minds to accept all parts of the journey. It firmly places the power back with the traveler not the maker of bumps <smile>. Enjoy!

Grammar note for any of you whose ears bleed when major grammar mistakes are made <grin> The first version chosen has a major grammar error propagated throughout. Another cover from back in the day, clearly fixed this to the objective form 'whomever' -- I've added that version below this one.

Go Where you Wanna Go -- The Mamas and the Papas

Go Where you Wanna Go -- The Fifth Dimension

Day 3 - 158 -- Feeling Disappointed

One major item was completed today along with a few personal errands. However, the day began with an unexpected e-mail message from a company that Id recently purchased something from. It seems that the travel plans I'd made have been altered in a very major way -- likely to cost me more to meet the new timelines. Why offer and then sell something that isn't going to be what was described? Why would I accept these changes? Do people generally just roll over and accept such silly things that will cost extra? Feeling that this is a new age bait and switch -- though the small print notes things may change.

Feeling that one is at the mercy of a faceless corporation that seems to care little about the product they sell is uncomfortable. This is what leads consumers to move on to a different company. Customer service is necessary to maintain a business. Promoting such service with lower prices isn't enough if service and product can't be delivered. Needless to say, I'm a bit worked up about this silliness. Well -- while typing this, the phone rang -- later than a usual call. A pleasant young man explained and presented another option. The option they have offered is better than the first, but still much less pleasant than the original product chosen. I will need to speak with my travel companions to see if this will be acceptable to them and then get back to the big company to get things organized and settled -- until the next alteration they throw at us prior to the event. <sigh>

The only lyric that went through my mind today dealt with feeling cheated or used. The song makes the response to this quite clear <smile>. Enjoy!

Don't Do me Like That -- Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

Day 3 - 157 -- Seeing friends in strangers

Greyness permeated the outside world today. It would appear than we will have clouds and rain for most of the coming week. Granted, some days will have small bits of rain and some days will have torrents. The rain will help raise the water level in the creeks and should coax my new plants to take root and flourish. I look forward to seeing them grow even if they don't bloom until next year.

Another Sunday has me thinking of people who are not here with me. Not in a fully sad way, but noting that many friends and family aren't terribly close to my house in the back of beyond. <smile> While doing the cleaning, laundry and some food prep many of these people came to mind. To be truthful, for the past couple of weeks, I've seen several people who closely resemble friends and family -- on Main Street, the grocery store, or on a walk. It is interesting that some aspect of a total stronger, reminds us of people we know well. For one it was the hair and glasses and for another the way they walked. So, it seems clear that I'm thinking of those closer in my head and heart but further from me geographically. I've found this resemblance of strangers to be an intriguing aspect of memory. Apparently, as we get into adulthood, our brains find similarities more often -- sort of comforting in some ways, I suppose.

A song that fits the experience of seeing familiar people came to mind. While searching for it online, I found a cover from a newly released album. The singer and guitarist gives it a bluesy take, so it truly becomes his own. Enjoy!

I'll be Seeing You -- Eric Clapton

Day 3 - 156 -- Saturday blossoms and losses

It's been a busy Saturday. It was mainly cloudy and cool, but the humidity was high. I did some weeding and planting in the front beds and felt sweaty but it was the humidity not hard work <smile>.  After the usual laundry and cleaning tasks, I did some reading for research purposes. I walked out to visit a friend and by early evening the walk back was through misty drizzle. It was not unpleasant at all. All around town the apple blossoms are out -- pink ornamental trees and the white wild trees. It is lovely.

The news today brought me the message of the passing of Muhammad Ali. I remember seeing him on Saturday afternoon Wide World of Sports in the early days before his name change. Cassius Clay was already a household name. Converting to Islam and becoming an outspoken conscientious objector to the draft for the Viet Nam war made Muhammad Ali something far more than a boxing champion. His career was interrupted when he was arrested for draft dodging. After several years and a successful legal case before the Supreme Court, he returned to boxing and with much work did very well again. For people who were not around during this time, publicly making a stand against a major government policy was almost unheard of by an African American man. Yes, there were several civil rights advocates speaking out at the time; yet, they all risked life and health by doing so. It may be difficult to understand this given the same country now has a black president, but the 1960s were a very different time socially -- not all love, music and flowers. Though he was a polarizing figure, he will be remembered for taking a stand and sticking to his principles.

The song today came to mind after I read the news. While Cassius Clay did make a record, more spoken word than singing, the song I recalled was about this man rather than by him. Enjoy!

Black Superman (Muhammad Ali theme song) -- Johnny Wakelin

Day 3 - 155 -- Loss of a National Institution

Well -- today saw the end of a Canadian institution -- Canada AM went dark after their last episode this morning. This corporate decision was announced only yesterday with a note that the replacement programming would be announced next week.

I have woken with Canada AM everyday for the past 18 years -- since I moved to the Maritimes where the programming began at 7 AM -- in SK it began at 8 or 9 AM when I was already at work, though I watched often during both times I was in in grad school. I have seen all of the hosts and regulars since the program began. The program format built awareness and knowledge of Canadian history and culture. It shared appreciation of Canadian music, literature, film, traditions, food styles, gardening and ways of life. It respectfully explored current issues in politics, policy (including policy failure), markets, economies and current events. Memories of coverage of Swiss Air 111, the death of Princess Diana, the royal weddings, and disasters, most recently of Fort Mac, will be with me forever. All of this was done in short segments that moved along seamlessly allowing viewers to feel they'd seen the show without having to be there for 30 or 60 minutes uninterrupted. This format also served to retain attention in a world of shorter attention spans.In fact, it was this format that led me to suggest to students in the university courses I  instruct, to find a way to build in 15-20 minutes of Canada AM as part of their days. This helped tremendously with many broader discussions held formally and informally. Moreover, everything covered on Canada AM was done with a distinct Canadian perspective. It was unlike any other Canadian network morning show and definitely different than the similar US programs.

Personally, the show has been an integral part of my day -- letting me know what was going on through news, weather, sports, business news, pop-culture, and so, so, much more. Nothing can replace the sense of family brought to viewers each day. I'll admit to having tears when hearing the news on Thursday and again during the last segments I saw of the final broadcast today. I wish all the best to everyone involved in the program past and present. They will be sorely missed in this household. And nothing can replace this gem. 

The song chosen for today is one that seemed to say everything I'd like to say -- in the eloquent lyrics and classic voice of a favourite singer/songwriter. Enjoy! 

Say Goodbye Today -- Carole King

Day 3 - 154 -- Acknowledging Inequities

Sunshine with cooler winds made this a great late spring day. Meetings were productive and further built bridges. I took a walk at the end of the day and visited a good friend I hadn't seen for a while. Visiting friends can be so revitalizing. The one bigger event of the day was a gathering to celebrate the promotion of female colleagues who were made full professors. This is rarer than it should be. At our institution less than 25% of faculty at this rank are women. Even though 60% or more of students are female, only about 40% of faculty are female. It is still somewhat of an 'old boys club.' 

When we discuss inequities pertaining to females in the workforce as a whole or in academia specifically, many still assume we are the bra-burning, man hating, feminists of the 1960s. While those women laid the groundwork, there is still much that needs to occur to bring things to the point of equity. My students are often surprised to learn that it takes a bachelors degree for a woman to begin to make the same income as a man with a high school diploma and that the average pay for women is about 74 cents for every dollar a male earns. The same myths exist about women in the workforce that have been around for a century or more. It appears to be the type of struggle that puts you back a step or two for every one or two taken forward -- we just aren't getting as close to equal pay for equal work as we'd expected to be by this point in time. And, just a quick side note here about the equal work term -- much research has clearly shown that while women are under-represented in the higher paying academic jobs, they are over-represented in the part time contract positions and those in all pay levels fill proportionally more of the service committee work that makes the institution tick along than do male colleagues. This isn't a complaint about my place of employment specifically, but rather a concern being voiced that this seems to be the status quo in post-secondary education everywhere. There's a long way yet to go. 

A song that reflects the tone of the struggle to adjust all social inequities is shared here tonight. The lyrics bring in a positive feel rather than a negative rant, while the music and rhythm are somewhat soothing. Enjoy! 

I Hope -- Dixie Chicks

 

Day 3 - 153 -- Mid-Week Thoughts

Another Wednesday is almost over. Work included completing one part of a larger update to a course for the Fall term as well as checking out a few other possible tasks for the next month. It is the first of a new month today -- calendar flipping day as it is termed by a friend. So, while it is the middle of the work week, it is the beginning of a month. Lots to take stock of for both of those time frames.

Wednesday carries the nickname "hump day", a rather ignominious honour. There are weeks when counting down to the end of an excruciating week may seem necessary, but the mid-week positioning of the day can also mean that half the week is left to use, rather than run over on a race to Saturday. I've found the concept of noting this as the midpoint making us that much closer to the non-work days somewhat sad. Does this mean that many of us truly dislike what we do for a living? There definitely are days when things do not go as smoothly as we'd like, but if we hate things so much, why don't we look around and find somewhere else to go? It brings to mind the quote from Thoreau, "Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them." I've met co-workers like this but most people seem to truly love aspects of the job enough to put up with the less than stellar parts. I've always tried to go with the advice "Do what you love." Not that any job will be filled 100% with all one's favourite activities, but if a balance can be achieved between favourite and not-so-favourite bits, the value of that position will keep us there. When the balance no longer is present, then we need to reassess to find a way to re-balance or find somewhere else to refocus and add that balance back to our lives.

The song today reminded me of those who treat the rest of the week as a water slide into the weekend -- like playing shoots and ladders <smile> -- finding a way to bypass half of our work time and thus, huge chunks of our lives. Refocusing on the positives of the last half of the work week seems worthwhile to me. The singer makes this song fun. Enjoy!

Downhill Stuff -- John Denver