A sunny Sunday visited, one that was thankfully cool. I prefer cooler spring into summer temperatures as does the furry friend. Sleeping is so much more comfortable <smile>. I ran a few quick errands. The sun was very bright, but with the major north wind blowing, I couldn't wear my ball cap and have it remain on my head. So, much squinting was involved. I've had a headache for the past few days and this didn't help things much. Back at home, I worked to figure out what was on TV. I'm getting the hang of things with the new carrier service, but there is a long way to go. I guess after being with one company for 18.5 years, learning new channel numbers and on-screen searching can be difficult. I expect it will come together in a month or so. After all, it has only been 4 days since the change over. So -- why change? It is a simple case of monthly expenses. Savings will be significant moving everything to one carrier -- much as I dislike the concept of bundling, it made no sense to stay with a company I'd been loyal to but who saw me as a way to subsidize their new customers.
Change will pay off -- literally and figuratively in this case. Adjusting to change can be challenging at best. Yet, working through the process can teach us about ourselves and the world around us. Where do we fit? Where is our comfort zone? How can we move outside that zone in order to grow? Remaining in the same spot, whether due to comfort or fear or both, means that opportunities may be missed. Trying new things helps us grow. Even if they don't work out for us, we learn and grow. I keep a list of new things I try or that occur in my immediate surround. This helps me to look back and realize that things don't stay the same much. Despite routines, changes happen with great regularity.
A song that seemed to fit this topic deals with adjusting to changes in life routines. The blues genre suits the topic well. Enjoy!
Change my Way of Living -- The Allman Brothers Band
Temperatures have been warmer than usual for April for the past few days. Warm humid air flooded into the region and is heading out tonight. Temperatures are to drop sharply overnight -- from 20ish Celsius to 3-4C. Some rain will accompany this new air mass. Last night there was thunder and both evenings have had short sharp showers. Wind speeds even picked up briefly before supper. Odd events all around.
Indoor activities were less odd thankfully. While it is humid and warm in the house, the work was usual. The methodical and rhythmic nature of cleaning and grade calculations felt relaxing -- something I've needed to feel for a while. The source was rather surprising -- just like the weather - most unexpected. <smile>.
Eating supper and hearing the pounding of rain on the roof briefly, brought a song to mind. The singer has done much of note since this video. Enjoy!
Well, things should wrap up this weekend -- at least in terms of grading. I've been doing nothing but grading all day and through last evening and for most days over the past 1-1/2 weeks. It feels like much longer than that, but when it is with you seven days a week, it does seem unending. Tonight, there is a light in the distance. It will be pleasant to remove all the exams from the house and squirrel them away for the requisite year before shredding.
This is a part of the job that is rather uncomfortable. Being paid to sit in judgement of others feels distressing. Not only is the process painful (physically and emotionally), it brings awkward feelings of lack of communication on both sides. As a friend once said, "I don't belong to the clairvoyant school of marking." I can't assume that two words mean a full sentence without more clarity. What was meant by the writer must be clear to the reader. I can see when students are tired when they write, and this can lead to reduced clarity and challenging word choices. Being the authority charged with determining correctness of responses does not mean that I don't want to see each and every one of them succeed. It hurts when the numbers aren't what would make them happy. But, as I said, this is almost over for this term.
An older song spoke to me today. Its lyrics discuss the feelings that I've been having. Enjoy!
Remember how I noted it was damp and cold yesterday? Today wasn't. Temperatures were in the high-teens Celsius (60s Fahrenheit) and the dampness had turned to humidity. So the feel like temp was in the mid-20sC (into 70sF). It was an abrupt entrance into summer like weather -- another aspect of spring transitioning. The office was very humid. I dislike the feeling. It is, though, a key component of a maritime summer. <smile> Along with the humidity today was a low pressure system that brought a brisk wind and drizzle that made my hair curl like I'd stuck my finger in an electric socket <grin> -- another interesting biochemical aspect of humidity.
The day was filled with office work and meetings and ended with even more grading. Tomorrow will be devoted to the latter task only in hopes of finishing things up by end of day Saturday. Grades for graduating students are due Monday morning while the others are due the following Monday. The sooner I can finish the sooner I can move on to the summer activities of planning courses for next year and getting to research writing and further data analysis -- the fun stuff <smile>.
Humidity and low pressure brought to mind the lyrics of a silly song from the age of disco. Both meteorological concepts are found in the first few lines of the song. Have fun with this one. Enjoy!
Got up early today to be ready for the technician to arrive and upgrade the wifi and change the television to a different carrier with a whole home type pvr. The appointment was for somewhere between 8 AM and 5 PM. That part bothered me as the lack of precision is a bit odd -- surely they could book for 8-12 and 12-5. The reminder phone call told me that he'd call before arriving to give me 30 minutes notice. When the tech arrived I suggest that SHE let the others know that using the term technician might be better than always assuming a male tech. The install took just over two hours -- a hardware issue with one new box and then the phone wouldn't reset. That took a long call to the office techs to fix. Things seem to be working well. My only frustration is that when ordering I was assured this package came with the Food Network, but that seems not to be the case. I'll call tomorrow when I need a break to see when that changed.
Once that was done, I ran a couple of work errands and then went out for a nice dinner with friends. I needed that social time outside of work. I finally began to feel warm. I'd been shivering much of the day despite wearing a sweatshirt. It is cool, but drizzly outside. The dampness makes it feel colder inside. When walking the wind was strong and very cool. Misty rain hit my face. It wasn't really unpleasant, but was fairly brisk <smile>.
The song shared fits the walk well. I enjoy the keyboard -- piano was my instrument. The melody and harmonies of the group have a melancholy sound, which seemed to fit the day, too. Enjoy!
What a day! The last exam was written this afternoon. I was so tired having slept about 3.5 hours last night and not consecutive hours. Laying out the 139 exams was relatively easy and I had colleagues offer to help me get them all down. The rink arena is huge so this help was amazing to have. <smile> I asked two students parked beside me in the lot to help me carry the boxes into the room, which they did with smiles. Two friends offered to help me get the boxes back to the car -- very nice gestures.
Once back in the office, I counted them all -- again, as it seemed that we were short a person in the exam room. We were. Counting and recounting and then counting and checking names took forever -- ensuring that all the requisite pieces were there and everything had a name on it (they all didn't). I've been counting these things all day, it seems. <smile> They are all now here and ready for the onslaught of the red pen. My brain needs some rest before I can do much else with them, though. I'm sure that is why I had to restart my counting and checking several times, as I kept drifting off from the methodical, though somewhat frantic counting that was running through my mind - or what was left of it today. <smile> I've done advanced level maths -- stats, trig, calculus -- but it was always a challenge as I'm not a numbers person.
One song seemed to fit the frenetic activity of the day filled with numbers. Interestingly, my students were alternated with those writing calculus <shudder>. I do love this song and its energy -- something I could have used earlier. Enjoy!
Grading is taking its toll physically. I woke this morning with a very stiff neck. I've come to term this a 'grading injury' as it happens often with final exam seasons. When I called my physio, he laughed when he heard my voice and said that it must be grading time again <smile>. After some further work with grade calculation and responding to student questions for the exam tomorrow, I ventured out. Once I'd gotten a few groceries, I stopped to gaze at new electronics and learn a bit more about some of the different styles. That was fun and left me with some things to ponder before making a decision as to what to purchase. I then went to have my neck seen to and try to get some relief from the muscle spasms.
The lead line of a song from the 1970s expresses the way my day began. This song has a bluesy old jazz feel to it. Enjoy!
After getting to bed rather late the past two nights -- as in well after midnight -- I am feeling a bit tired. Waking earlier than hoped occurred each of the past two mornings. This morning it was the sound of something dropping on the roof. Even in a deep slumber, it was clear what it was. Snow. Snow falling from the tree branches and landing on the roof. The trace of snow forecast was a couple of inches or more. It was heavy and wet, hence the disrupting sound on my roof. It melted by supper. There was just a hint of sun but the ground is warm so snow won't hang on for too long. It seems that parts of Newfoundland had 60 hours of continuous freezing rain. That is far more disruptive than the bit of snow that fell here. People ask where spring went and my reply is still that this IS spring. <smile> Transition time.
More work was done on grading, calculating and answering e-mail queries about the next exam. This is the time of year when I often find my mind wandering back to when I graduated from the undergrad program at USask. Those were heady times with our lives ahead of us. It seems that in two years there will be a reunion year for what should be 2 decades, but I'm told that my math is somewhat off there <smile>. When I see the students writing their last finals (though I have told them to never say never -- as we just never know when we might end up back at school <smile>) I find those old feelings returning. We had dreams and plans. Not that those have been ignored. Dreams and plans should be fluid to change as one grows. We've all accomplished many things -- some on those early lists and some that appeared as we've been moving through life.
A song that can bring those early days back to mind is shared here tonight. The link provided does explain this as a song from an early work site of the group singing. The visuals show many others who worked at the same place. The young fresh faces remind me of times past -- in a happy way. Enjoy!
I've been buried in exams and believe the red pen is now permanently fused to my hand. So, sorry that this post is late (it should have been written yesterday). When I stopped last night, I was hungry and very tired, so I ate, washed my hair and tried my best to sleep.
While grading yesterday, the topic of sustainability appeared often on the television that was on in the background trying to act as white noise and drown out anything from outside my house. My yard care fellow arrived to work on the spring cleanup. We discussed the repair work needed at the edge of the lawn and down the driveway from large plow blades cutting sod and tree roots as well as creating rather deep ruts in the ground and grass. I'm hoping it will all come back without much issue. It was pleasant to get outside and to talk to another human even if for a brief period between exam questions and laundry loads. <smile>
Many vignettes on the television were highlighting Earth Day topics. Some were positive, dealing with what is being done, while others drew attention to the need for further work. My e-mail contained several donation requests from various not-for-profits. The day was not easy to miss. The song shared today is one that I've heard before. The lyrics (and the video chosen) contain a plea to notice the beauty of the world and not damage it further. The singer's voice fits this song well. She is from Sainte-Felicite in the Gaspesie area of Quebec. (seems I can't get the diacriticals in where they are needed in those words <sigh>) Enjoy!
A few things of late have led to disappointment -- in others but mainly in myself. I've had experiences many times in life where things end up being very different than I'd first envisioned. Misplaced trust has been at the core of many of these things through the years. Each time I've felt the need to alter my approach, yet I find I am generally a trusting individual -- and I dislike losing trust in me or others. Lying to myself creates layer of difficulties <smile>.
How can we present ourselves in a positive light without being overly self-indulgent? How can we clearly understand the needs and wants of others? Can we actually speak with and listen to others without always seeking the story behind the story? Will we ever be fully 'us' when communicating? Many answers exist for these questions and they are all likely to be partly true. Overlapping truths do exist. Each of us can portray several different personas depending on how we feel at a particular minute and what is driving the messages we are communicating. I'm not sure we can ever fully understand ourselves, so how can we ever understand others? <smile> I still believe it is worth trying, though.
The song chosen to go along with these meanderings deals with a different form of interpersonal communication but the sentiments are similar. The song was written by a multi-Grammy and Oscar winner. The lyrics were written by a long-time partner of the composer. The piece was developed for a movie from 1968 and this pairing appeared in a more recent movie in 1999. Enjoy!
I'll Never Fall in Love Again -- Elvis Costello and Burt Bacharach
Today was filled with many hours -- like almost all waking hours -- in close contact with a red pen and a box full of paper. Exam grading can bring such challenges. Concentration, objectiveness, alertness -- each brings its own unique difficulties throughout the process. Grading brings myriad emotions but when the groove is found, it can be trance-like. Again, this is when errors can occur, so trying to remain alert is paramount. While wanting the whole thing to just be finished, there is a major need to remain objective. Subjectivity is not your friend in this instance.
A song I often here as I decorate the pages with red marks is shared here today. It is by a great singer and poet. Enjoy!
Today's word is exhaustion. The alarm went off this morning and I couldn't get myself to wake up. I kept falling back to sleep. Throughout the day, I was yawning much more than usual. I invigilated the second final exam today, so am now in possession of 140 exams that need attention from my red pen. Finding the spell from the sorcerer's apprentice to make the pen work would be good. My luck, though, the pen would go crazy and just draw doodles instead of do the actual grading. Grading gnomes might work, but I need a shoemaker to help me figure out how to get in touch with such creatures. Exhaustion seems to be messing with my thought processes <smile>.
As I've said many times, getting my head in the game can be so challenging when I understand the hatefulness of the task. I'm trying not to keep counting the number of exams. I have three courses as do many others. I just need to get through them one at a time and forget the total number of exams. The numbers have the ability to make one focus on them instead of the task at hand. So -- two exams written with the third to come in a few more days. Getting through what grading I can before the next exam, would be the best goal for now. This has never been easy. Being exhausted before it begins in earnest doesn't bode well.
The title line from a song ran through my head tonight as I was thinking through these feelings. I'm sharing a version by one of the co-writers of the song, but not the one we hear most often. It is a demo version and I like the small changes to the phrasing and melody. And thankfully the great guitar is still there. <smile> Enjoy!
Up way to early today, but had to get into the office to make tea and then trundle me and the big box of exams across campus to set up the exam in the 'gym' -- in quotations as we were using the hockey arena (sans ice) this year as the gym is being refurbished. I was so tired all day. I got home and ate supper earlier than usual. I then finished a review that is due this week, since the rest of my week will involve exams. As of tomorrow there are 140 from two courses with another 140 arriving a week from today. Only 6-8 of these area graduating students with earlier grade entry deadlines.
During a meeting this afternoon, I found it difficult to carry on a conversation -- especially to begin a topic. Later this evening, I came upon the descriptive word for what I've felt all day -- uninspired. I believe that it is usual to feel this way every once in a while, so I won't pull the alarm just yet <smile>. There is simply so much to do in the next 2-1/2 weeks, that it is difficult to get 'up' and into the groove to tackle things that are not always rewarding and may, in fact, be very tortuous. Its just this time of year in academia, yet that doesn't really make things appear better.
All of this thought brought a single song to my mind. The lyrics describe how I'm feeling, well the 'before' descriptions not the 'after' ones. <smile> There are several wonderful covers of this song, but I often find myself back with the original in my head. Yet, when choosing the video for today, I chose the same voice from a different time point. This performance brings tears and not just from me, as is clearly seen at the theatre. The song has always been an emotional one, but this performance is the pinnacle. I hope this is a key to peace of mind. Enjoy!
Natural Woman -- Aretha Franklin (from Kennedy Center Honours for Carole King, 2015) {with part of Broadway show 'Beautiful' as an intro]
Monday went fairly well. Lots of small tasks needed to be done today in preparation for the next two days with exams. Again, as it seems I've said here many times already, everything took longer than estimated to complete. So, my trip to the grocery store will be later in the week. I do need two items earlier, so a quick stop will fix that tomorrow or Wednesday. Among the 'to do' list items, I had a couple of good conversations with friends. Laughter always makes the day move along better.
As I left the office a couple of hours after I'd hoped to leave, I felt that I was moving in slow motion while time was moving normally or even a bit quickly. When I looked at the clock I realized that I needed to get home to supper and the evening report review. The later hour meant no time to shop today. This brought a few songs to mind, but I settled on one of my favourites -- from a favourite album. The lyrics note my feelings of being behind time despite trying to get things done as planned. The singer/songwriter has been featured in this blog many times -- difficult not to when she has written so many songs. Enjoy!
Today is filled with auspiciousness. This year Easter is being celebrated by western and the eastern Orthodox churches -- all together on this day. Other historical events have occurred on this date in the past. I love history <smile>.
The Battle of Culloden Moor took place 271 years ago, yet is remembered still. This battle was the last of the Jacobite rebellions -- the risings of 1715 and 1745. The goal was to place a Stuart king back on the throne in place of the Hanoverian kings -- this was to be Prince Charles grandson of King James II (VII in Scotland) in the second rising. The battle was short and devastating, particularly for the highlanders fighting against the government forces (George II). In an hour it was over with about 1500 dead, at least two-thirds were Scots on the Jacobite side. The English troops also included Irish and Scottish lowland clans. The implications of this loss or win depending on your leanings, were immense. The clan seats were destroyed. Wearing tartan -- even owning a piece -- was treasonous. Many Scots were imprisoned and then sold into indentured servitude in Britain and the Americas. The lucky ones were deported through the mass clearances. They traveled to Europe and many came to what is now Canada and the US. This part of Canada, Nova Scotia, saw many of the people settle in the north east mainland and throughout Cape Breton Island. To this day, the Gaelic spoken here is the 'old' style as is the step dancing and fiddle playing, with many residents teaching these in Scotland. Gaelic is also a teachable subject in the Education degree from St. Francis Xavier University. Next weekend, just outside of town, the annual remembrance of Culloden will occur at the cairn, led by families whose ancestors came here after the fall of the Jacobites.
Today is the 35th anniversary of the patriation of the Canadian constitution. The Act (1982) included the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms as well as part of the former British North America Act (1867), but now constitutional reform could occur within Canada. This event was major for the country, though today seems a bit low key even in the news feeds.
So on this day, I did my taxes <smile>, cooked an Easter dinner, and ended the day with a CBS special a Salute to the Bee Gees. I heard a song of theirs with new ears tonight -- thinking of remembering and understanding the past. The lyrics to this song speak to that. The version shared here combines wonderful voices -- with a somewhat historical video. Enjoy!
While working on household chores and grading over the past two days, I've been doing something I don't do very often -- binge viewing a series. Space played the last two seasons of Dr. Who yesterday and today -- with the 12th doctor, played by Peter Capaldi. While his is a darker doctor than the previous two incarnations, there were a couple of intriguing story lines. One in particular led to the end of a companion who has been around for several years. She became the main companion for the previous and the current doctor. Her name was Clara Oswald, though she had been called Impossible Girl and Oswin Oswald in her early appearances. Her first appearance involved making omelettes which would take far to long to explain here <smile>.
I find reactions to fictional characters interesting. In books, movies and television shows, one can become quite attached to particular characters or to whole casts. When the books, movies or series end viewers can be left with a void and not unlike losses in real life, can bring a type of grief. Clara's final death scene was very moving -- sad as viewers hoped that something would interrupt this death. It didn't -- well not really -- but as Riversong often said "Spoilers" <smile>. Jenna Coleman, who played Clara, has gone on to other work, most recently -- and notably -- as Victoria on the PBS series. For someone who is 30, she has had an amazing television career already. I've enjoyed many of the other companions, but this is the the one I've seen most in the past two days <smile>.
A song for this topic? Of course! <smile>. The theme for Clara on the Doctor Who series is one of my favourites. It sounds sad but it also played during her many positive experiences. The theme dealt with the beauty of her and her storylines. This version was taped much before her death, and shows that beauty of character and melody. Enjoy!
It's been a rather slow day. Some laundry done and a batch of spaghetti sauce made. There were several small paperwork tasks that got done, too. So -- a rather boring quiet day. Its just been one of those days when one is occupied but nothing major seems to be involved. For some odd reason when this sort of day occurs, I can't help but feel guilty for not doing something important. Not certain what it is that I think needs to be done, but the mundane tasks of life don't seem to be it. All things needed to be done -- need clean clothes and linens, need something in the freezer to eat when I'm grading in the coming weeks, and need a semi-clean environment in which to live. Yet, even with that, I feel like I should have been doing something of note. Go figure.
Long ago there was a movie with an little ditty that covered this very topic -- little of note going on but not just sitting being lazy. The version from the movie is shared here. Three voices involved and only one of them known as a singer. Enjoy!
Busy Doing Nothing -- Bing Crosby, William Bendix and Sir Cedric Hardwicke (from A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court)
It was another bright sunny day with unseasonably warm temperatures. I did what I thought would be a quick grocery run before noon. All registers were open and I had more than the 12 item maximum for the 3 'quick' lanes. All lanes had 2-3 customers waiting. As I waited, a cashier from two rows over motioned me into her 12-max aisle as she could see that I likely had 18-20 items. She said she'd rather call someone over while waiting for the next group to line up with just a handful of things. Interesting. So, the day began well there.
I headed into the office for what I thought would be 1 hour or 2 tops. Granted I chatted over a short lunch with friends and with other friends in their offices as the day progressed. The printing ftom an online pdf took a lot of manipulation to get only the 4 pages of several hundred I needed. These were to have been submitted with an application yesterday. The deadline is a couple of days out, so I had time to get that added to the document dropped off yesterday. Another positive set of things in the day.
Once home I made supper and finished the last of the final exams. I'll do a quick review and submit it to the printer for Monday. That too took longer than expected. Seeing a trend here? <smile>. The song for today had two lines that entered my mind as I sat and waited for technology and people so I could do what needed to be done -- "I've been waiting so long to be where I'm going.". Luckily, the title also pays homage to the lovely weather encountered outside my window. All that and it contains a great guitar riff line (and super guitarist <smile>). Enjoy!
Forecasters predicted some cloud and rain this morning, but it seemed to just get sunnier -- until there were no clouds in the sky. I had some things to do on campus, so I headed in late morning. Went to a meeting, got some e-mail done, responded to a major question through a face to face chat, and got a report submitted. Now, I think that last one needs another paragraph for explanation, so will likely do that tomorrow.
While working on all these busy work tasks, there seemed to be something hanging above and behind me. Today a dear friend was laid to rest. I remember thinking that the weather was so amazing here today, and I hoped that it was like that at home today. It seems incongruous that the sun shines when such events are taking place -- when inside one feels only grey. I wish I could have been there today. As I've said several times this week, sometimes this country is so so big.
A song shared today says a lot about loss yet manages to sound a bit 'up' and not be maudlin. It has shown up on this blog a few times in the past years, but if the song fits, using it again seems right. Enjoy!
Woke early after a rather vivid dream -- not scary but emotionally disturbing nonetheless. Carrying around these feelings of loss creates major fatigue. I walked to the office in the wonderful sunshine this afternoon. I came home early to do some yard clean up -- the old pick-up sticks game. Many branches and twigs littered the yard. Now that much of the accumulated snow has melted, the leaf and twig litter is much more visible. It has that dirty look of spring. Yet, in the front yard this afternoon were 6 snowdrops that weren't out this morning. The lilies and tulips are up 2-3 inches and the irises are just emerging. All this points to the hope that is wrapped up in the spring season. Life will emerge through the dirtiness to make the yard pretty again.
Thinking through this as I put together the third of three final exams tonight, I realized there was a metaphor in there somewhere <smile>. As bad as I feel right now, it will get better with time. Just as the tulips will bloom in a few weeks, so will I feel less lost and sad. Each time grief drops by it is different and always seems overpowering. Perhaps we bury that pain so that each time something new arrives it is a shock -- though each time IS different, so maybe it isn't a lack of memory. Hmmm.
A song from an album coming out later this week fits my feelings today. The words say what I'm thinking -- things will be OK maybe not right at this moment, but it will happen. In the meantime, I'll manage. The album is a collaboration by two unique groups. They recorded it 'live' in studio -- a more organic sound rather than something overproduced and sounding too perfect. Enjoy!
Odds Are -- The Barenaked Ladies AND The Persuasions
Not much happened today. The sun shone -- warm and bright. I had a couple of quick student meetings and then worked behind a closed office door to get two exams finalized for printing. Seems I forgot that Friday is a holiday this week, so I was technically late getting these in to be done for pick up on Monday and Tuesday. One more exam to go and that one will be a week early. A few other fun bits of paperwork and grade calculations that still need to be done this week. I looked at the calendar and realized I should also think about dealing with doing the taxes. <sigh>
Working late and now it is time for a snack and then head off to bed. Need to go forage for some chai and something. A quick little ditty for the day to fit the short post and my need for a bedtime beverage. Enjoy!
Mud that sucked at your feet with every step. Dead and dying all around you. Noise so loud you couldn't hear them -- or yourself -- scream. Forced further forward every three minutes.Snow and sleet stinging your face. Nightmare? No. This was only part of what greeted the men at Vimy Ridge when they went over the top at 5:30 AM on Easter Monday 1917. The craters from the artillery shells from the creeping barrage looked like a safe place to rest, but these places were a slow death by drowning in water and mud. The battle continued for four days, when finally the four divisions of Canadian troops took the hill. Of the roughly 100,000 troops that began the assault, 10,600 were injured or killed. The technology of the creeping barrage worked this time and the aerial battles included Billy Bishop and Baron von Richthofen. These two parts of the battle along with machine gun and rifle fire would have been deafening. My grandfather fought there and lived to come home. When I knew him, he slept late into the morning, which I thought odd when the rest of us were up and ready to roll. It wasn't until years later that I realized that he didn't sleep well at night. I imagine some of that was due to the First World War -- the war to end all wars.
Today Canada remembered the sacrifice of those soldiers. Vimy Ridge was ceded to Canada by France in perpetuity as an historic battleground park. A large monument was built and unveiled in 1936 and the refurbished site was rededicated in 2007. This monument was not to celebrate the victory of the battle. Instead, etched into stone are 11,285 names of Canadian missing and presumed dead -- all those troops with no permanent resting place. (Technically, 16 of those names have been buried and memorialized on a headstone since they were carved into the monument stone. Remains are found in farm fields, along with unexploded ordnance even now.) Not only is this area a memorial park, but it is the resting place of some of those men who were lost (quite literally) at Vimy.
Remembrance ceremonies came from a place of pride and gratitude with a fervent wish to not forget the sacrifices made in this battle. At the National War Memorial in Ottawa, an honour guard was present by the tomb of the Unknown throughout the night. This represented the long wait in the trenches and tunnels before the battle began. Earlier in the evening, people placed 3598 lit candles around the War memorial -- each light representing one of the dead or missing men from the 4 day battle at Vimy Ridge. Today, in France, thousands of people attended the events of the day. Music, dance, and readings from soldier journals brought to life by actors provided context and emotion. Paul Gross presented sections from the journals of Dr. John McRae, interspersed with the lines from In Flanders Fields. I found the description of death from mustard gas particularly difficult to hear -- necessary but difficult.
While I had hoped to be there today, travel plans just didn't come together well. This trip will occur in the near future. Next year is the centenary of the end of the Great War. Many songs came to mind today -- those from that era, those from the ceremonies today, and those written recently to commemorate World War I. I settled on two songs from the latter grouping and one from the ceremonies. Each is hauntingly beautiful in its own way. N'oublions jamais. Enjoy!
I had a conversation this week about a couple of things that seemed to be connected -- when the people involved did not know each other so couldn't have been communicating. I said that I felt at times the universe or someone wandering it was watching and made things 'click' at times. I feel odd when I voiced this out loud to another human being, but she just smiled and nodded. We were in agreement that such events come to us when we need them, often as messages that mean something personal to each of us. I had shared one of the broader messages with one of the people who had been involved in one of the two main events this week. She, then understood what her gesture had meant in that broader context.
So -- having written that, I feel that some readers may have stopped already <smile>. That is fine. I do believe in other-worldly things and have many experiences to back that up. It is always when you are not looking for things that they arrive from the oddest connections. We do need to be open to ourselves and to others -- maybe that is what this is, though I tend to feel it is much more. I've had moments when I feel so terribly alone -- generally when travelling far from home. At these very moments, someone or something, arrives to speak to me that lets me know I am far from alone. People and things are very tangible and not imaginary here <smile>. -- just people, creatures or things that I don't know but they bring a message. An example would be when sitting in Windsor enjoying my cream tea, looking out the window and realizing how far I was from home for just a few seconds. I was roused from this pondering by a voice of the person from the next table of 6 people, who said that they were having such fun and since I was alone, they'd taken care of my bill. Just at the exact instant that I felt a teensy bit alone this happened.
So -- the song for today is from a Canadian artist -- singer, songwriter, actress, poet and much more. She has a wonderful voice. Enjoy!
A gathering of colleagues to celebrate the end of classes ended my day with some laughter and fun. I'm afraid I needed it. Last night I received a phone call telling me that a friend -- no, a family member -- had passed earlier in the day. She was 95. She loved to tell people that she knew me before I was born -- so it is truthful for me to say she has been a part of my life from the very beginning. While she was over 30 years my senior, we could always talk at great length about life. As a high school student, I would call her and we would speak at least once each week for an hour or so. I valued her opinion and sense of humour. Her laugh was amazing.
She traveled with the family to southern California. She had lived in greater LA for several years around the late the '60s. The trip was great fun. When she married after I was in university, she moved to Nova Scotia. We visited one summer and traveled around the province with her. Again, it was a fun time. We were driving through Cape Breton the day we heard the news on the radio that Elvis had died. She was part of many of my life moments. She was still living here when I moved, though her husband had just died and she was living with her sister-in-law. When she was alone again, she moved back home to SK. She was an honourary aunt when I was little and has been part of our family celebrations at major holidays for as long as I can recall. She introduced me to classical music and to traditional ballet -- a major gift. We went to see Gone with the Wind when I was still young. I loved it, but was (and still am) haunted by a couple of the scenes depicting the lack of medical care as I knew it as a child. She had worked in health care and cared for aging family members for much of her adult life.
Her final years were challenging. I believe that she is now at peace and enjoying the freedom she lost later in life. Now she can settle in with a great book and a good cup of tea and simply enjoy.
The selection for today is a classical piece that I've always loved. It feels peaceful. I haven't thought of it as sad, just relaxing and simply beautiful. This one is for her. Enjoy!
The final day for my three courses was today. We did summary and exam discussions in each class. It is exciting to be at the end of the term but can feel a little sad knowing that our thrice-weekly meetings won't be there anymore. Just odd emotions all around. I may be lucky to see some of the nutrition majors in other courses next year, and at the very least will see them in the hallways. The other two courses this term were for nursing students, so I will not be involved in any future classes. It is also the last time we offer the course for second year nursing students, as nutrition is now in the first year of their new curriculum. When I said that I'd miss teaching second year nursing students, they all clapped -- very touching.
Today was also international tartan day -- which is rumored to have begun in Nova Scotia <smile>. It wasn't until moving here that I was able easily to find the potential family tartan. Our Scots ancestors (Love) were said to be part of the greater MacKinnon clan, so that is the tartan I've adopted -- unofficially.
The song for today comes from the tartan part of the day. I chose a folk song sung by an artist with Scots background. Enjoy!
When chatting today, I was asked if I'd celebrated doing something that had been hanging over me for a year. It was simple, yet took a whole lot of brave to get to completion. When I finally managed to address the task -- likely seen as inconsequential to others -- I let it go by as done. Today I realized that I have difficulty celebrating me and my accomplishments. Interesting. I feel a degree of satisfaction when completing planned activities, yet don't fully celebrate. Even if it is just a small acknowledgement to me, I should work to do this more often -- not big splashy public celebrations, generally just something with me or with a select few. I have no problem celebrating others and their accomplishments, but personal milestones can be more difficult to celebrate with others -- it is the old threat of self-aggrandizement making me hear negative talk in my head. How to get around that for smaller self acknowledgements and improved sharing of events with others are on my list of things to work on in the coming year.
Today, I chose to celebrate the accomplishment at home on my own -- still a major step <smile>. I had to get groceries, so I picked up some gyoza and veggie sushi rolls and served these with some Asian veg and a nice glass of Zinfandel. It felt good to do this, so don't know why I don't do it more often. It was almost like the question posed to me today somehow managed to give me permission -- as silly as that sounds. Just more interesting things to explore in my spare time <grin>.
A few lines from a well-known song came to mind as I reflected on the concept of the day. While the lyrics bring much defiance, they also carry self acceptance and direction. The singer adds power to the messages -- an amazing voice, gone too soon. Enjoy!
Today brought wonderful sunshine, disappointments and successes. Two courses have finished the major content. There needed to be major editing due to time constraints, but key points were covered. Disappointed that I couldn't cover some of the contextual pieces but the basics were there. One more class for each course will review and tie things together, while also speaking to the final exam format. A personal disappointment occurred, but I can learn from this and improve any similar situation in the future.
Reflection can be amazing. Trying to include a reflexive component helps to situate self in the review of past events. From this we can gain better understanding of our role in events and how things can stay the same or be altered for similar events in the future. Moving to the reflective place can help stop the blame game -- trying to find fault elsewhere. Sometimes the blame lies in many places and sometimes in just one place. While finding someone to take the weight of a failure might feel positive, understanding one's own role in the process can BE positive. Hmmm
The song that came to mind today has a bit of defiance in the lyrics. It sounds like a good reflective process. Enjoy!
A long day for the first of the week involved almost 12 hours at the office. Many things were part of a usual Monday -- classes and student meetings. The less common items were a faculty meeting at the end of the day and a seminar in the middle of the day. The meeting was my last as Chair of that group, a post held for a two year term. The seminar was by an intern who is the first in a program designed specifically for indigenous students. He shared his experiences with us all -- working in First Nation and aboriginal communities on Cape Breton and in Labrador in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, and smaller communities along coast. He outlined some of the wonderful food and dietetic experiences he has had, always including phrases in the local languages of Innu, Inuktitut, and Mi'kmaw. Linguistically I learned things; that nouns are not thought of as male or female as in many languages, but rather as animate and inanimate -- though not without some complexities with those categorizations. The seminar began with sampling of food made by a chef from Paqtnkek, just east of town. It was eel soup and a bannock type of bread. The soup was wonderfully peppery, made from three different broths, vegetables and of course, eel. The spiciness reminded me of the bison stew from home.
Listening to the news this morning and again this evening, there were many highlights from the Juno awards last night -- Canada's music industry awards. The show opened with an indigenous band and dancers. The group later won the award for producer of the year. Their style comes from a combination of many music genres, with indigenous music as the central component. The drumming is quite captivating. I'm sharing two of their songs here tonight. It seemed to fit the cultural awareness that was central to my day. Enjoy! Stadium Pow Wow -- A Tribe Called Red ft. Black Bear
Bread and Cheese -- A Tribe Called Red ft. Black Bear
What's in a name? An online friend asked for ideas to help them name a pair of kittens. Many creative ideas were shared. It made me think back on naming processes I've been part of over the years. Often names seem to reflect the personality of the namer as well as hopes for the namee. For people, uniqueness is often part of finding a name. It might be a name or word that isn't often seen as a name (e.g., Apple, Rumor, Moon Unit) or it might be a more common name but one that is spelled differently (e.g., Katelyn and all its permutations). Others use family names passed from one generation to another and to anther.
Naming of animal companions takes on a broader group of names from which to choose. I've had friends with names from the arts -- artist, choreographer and literary character from a favourite book series. Choosing such names has meant having a test period -- trying out the name to see how the furry one reacts. Once a positive reaction is seen, the name is tried again later in the day or on the next day. If the response is reasonably consistent that name is it. No use having a name that I like but won't be responded to when called. It is process that can be quite fun. I'm sure others have their own methods to choose names for companion animals -- like the crowd sourced ideas used by my friend today. As long as names 'fit' and feel right, how we choose them shouldn't matter.
Thinking through the fun of past name choices led me to thinking of songs. I chose a fun song that many will recognize even with this 'newer' cover version. Enjoy!
A new month began today -- April, a time of year when spring takes hold. The sun shone brightly today, resulting in melting of some of the accumulated snow. There is still much piled outside my windows, but less than yesterday. The transition from winter to spring continues here. The forecast states to expect two inches of snow overnight. This is quite manageable and won't last long with just a bit of sunshine. Yet, cloud seems to be on tap for the rest of the week, leading into a 15 cm (6 inch) dump of snow on Wednesday and then above freezing and rain by Friday. I will admit that I yelled at the TV when I saw the forecast for Wednesday. As I've said, smaller bits of snow can be dealt with, but larger, disruptive snow falls seem to fill me with something akin to anger these days. That part of the season should be over. I'm holding out for a forecast change, for the better, since this one is still four days away.
The unrelenting hold of big wintry weather is simply oppressive. It is like some claw-like, skeletal hand refuses to yield to the next season -- well, at least not with any speck of grace. It makes me want to just ignore the weather -- refuse to shovel, and only acknowledge this for the 40 minutes I have to travel through it daily. Even then, I'd like to take myself somewhere else while walking -- somewhere that gets me thinking of something other than weather. Maybe if we can be successful at ignoring it, the silly thing will finally let go and give way to the mythical April showers and all that follows.
An odd song seemed to fit my feelings today. While the melody is rather morose, the words do speak to a bit of hope for seasonal change. The version shared today is sung by a voice that is easily identified -- an iconic female singer. Enjoy!
