The bit of cooling in the house overnight put me in a better mood today. I ran errands and then walked into the office, passing several Special Olympics team contingents. Everyone seemed to be having a good time cheering and waving at passing cars, who honked in return, or heading to and from meal hall on campus. It will be an interesting week in town, for sure.
While sitting at my desk, I checked the calendar to see what was planned for the rest of the week. I had to turn the page to check meeting and appointment times. That action led me to the realization that this is the final month before retirement. So, 31 days left. Wow! Even though I've been thinking of retiring for some time, when it seems so close emotions run the full gamut. The overwhelming feeling is one of anxiousness -- even bordering on fear. I assume this has something to do with the 'great unknown' and inability to picture what the new normal will be exactly. Excitement is part of the overall feeling, too. This one is mainly positive as the immediate plans for the next few months come together. Stress surfaces with a bit of panic when I realize what needs to be done before the end of the month. Moving offices brings the hateful job of packing and unpacking. It is moving forward though not without a few palpitations along the way. As I sat in the kitchen this evening I said, "What should we do this evening?" It struck me then, that I rarely ask that question since the choice has been generally work related tasks. Faced with another realization, it became clear that the activities from which to choose will change dramatically. Finding a way to navigate the 'newness' of rediscovering former pastimes and discovering altogether new pursuits no doubt will bring challenges. I'm sure it will be worth the work, though.
The phrase that came to mind immediately was a song title. That made me smile. This selection is a well recognized song by a Swedish band. The '80s hair and what could easily be an infringement into the edges of glam rock can be seen clearly in this video. Enjoy!
I fell asleep earlier than usual last night. I went to bed early on purpose -- just felt so tired. I seem to blame it all on the heat these days <smile>. I woke some time later not clear what time it was. I realized I hadn't moved the car out of the end of the driveway for the painters to drive in early in the morning. So -- I got up and dressed and went out to move the car to the side parking area. The air outside was cooler than I'd felt in weeks. When I got back in the house, I opened some windows. Then I saw that it was 12:30 AM and realized I was now awake for a while again -- it was 2AM the next time I turned off the lights.
All day today I felt a bit foggy. I walked into the office since there would be no parking allowed. All lots are designated for the National Special Olympics. Well, it seems that parking ban didn't start until tomorrow. Another detail that I forgot. I almost forgot a major meeting this afternoon, remembering about 30 minutes before I had to head out. Again, putting this all on the lack of sleep due to the excess heat <smile>.
A few songs came to mind when thinking about forgetting things. I chose one for its fun sound. The tempo is perfect for a quick two-step <grin>. Enjoy!
Something different for today. You've all heard my weather-related complaints. So, I tried to focus me on something else. Needles to say, music was where things led me <smile>. A friend shared a wonderful video by a band that has been around just for a year. The band does covers of past hits from many genres. The group began when two high-school collaborators got back together to try a day in studio for four songs -- one lives in San Francisco and one lives in the LA area. For this first day, nothing was pre-planned -- not songs, keys, arrangements or anything. Just that these two and a group of musician friends would spend the day laying down some tracks and seeing how well they worked together. Thankfully, things worked well. Once posted online, even these low-end production songs garnered over 100,000 views. From there, plans firmed up for further recording sessions.
I listened to several songs and I do like their renditions of older hits. The covers present the songs in a funk format -- unexpected but it works so well. I'm sharing the first one that I heard, shared with me by a wonderful musical friend. The singer's vocal style and skill is wonderful. Enjoy!
I Will Always Love You -- Scary Pockets ft. Mario Jose
The heat continues -- indoors and out. While there was a bit of a breeze, I headed out to do some yard work. The breeze didn't cool, but it helped the sweat evaporate just a bit in the humidity and heat. I deadheaded the peonies and placed some uprooted ferns into pots with the hope that they would survive until I can plant them. That won't be until painting is completed. The back porch needed sweeping so I ended with that and then headed back indoors. Doing laundry forced me to go up and down stairs to the cooler area. Sadly, stairs are one activity that aggravate the twisted knee, so going up and down takes extra time and some sort of training for the brain -- seems I'm always trying to lead with the incorrect leg. I must lead with right on one trip and left on the other to avoid excessive bending and weight bearing. Learning that is not easy <smile>.
Forecasters stated that the next two weeks will remain warm and the lead meteorologist noted that both models will have above normal temperatures in this part of the world for the month of August. I'm hoping for a bit of respite along the way. They had told us that there would be a brief break in the humidity today into tomorrow, but that message seems to have been lost in the forecasting today. I will try to remain hopeful.
While grumping about the temperature and humidity (it was 78% humidity in the kitchen and living room area this evening -- crazy!), I said to the air that it felt like having a fever. I then realized what day it was and laughed -- a good thing <smile>. The song for the day will be recognized by many and is from the days of disco. Enjoy!
Night Fever -- The Bee Gees (it is Saturday night here after all <grin>)
The calm before the storm -- packing into boxes and the campus and town readying for national Special Olympics arrivals.
The day began with heavy cloud and a dampness that made the breeze feel cool, even when it really wasn't. I headed to my physio to figure out what is up with the knee I twisted badly yesterday afternoon. Seems it is most likely a bursitis aggravated by the stretching of tendons during the twist while kneeling on a harder surface. Stairs created pain, particularly while going down, but some weight-bearing getting up from seated position or going up stairs was also accompanied by pain. With some icing and care it should improve over the next few days.
The day had moments that made me think of future changes in the offing. The office clearing is nearing the end. Still much to do, but the rhythm will change. The campus showed signs of readying for the incoming athletes, coaches and spectators for the Special Olympics. Something new and different is in the offing for the next week. When I left campus by early evening, there was no traffic on the road entered at the turn off campus. That is so rare and certainly not what will be present in the coming few days. On an up note, the front porch has been finished. The house painting will begin again next week and should be done quickly depending on the weather -- how quickly will the paint dry?
Given the major changes racing in this direction and the heavy cloud of the past couple of days that led nowhere, I felt a bit anxious about the potential changes. I found myself stating a phrase that is also the title of the shared song today. The lyrics speak to taking things for granted -- like cool air when sleeping, parking near the office, going to a restaurant without a reservation -- all things that will change for a a few days. <smile> Enjoy! Calm before the Storm -- Paul Brandt
In the middle of last night, I thought of getting up and moving the furry one and I to a motel. When I woke at 5 AM and couldn't get back to sleep, I considered online shopping for an air conditioner that would fit the goofy windows of this house -- still not convinced such things exist. The heat was horrific. It had been about 33C (91F) in the bedroom -- the kitchen was a balmy 28C (82F). Overnight the temperatures dipped to 30C (86F) and 26C (79F), respectively. The humidity level was about 65%, so the air felt much warmer. Needless to say the day began poorly with discomfort and left me feeling a bit angry and at times sorry for myself <sigh>. There is no end in sight for a cooler, drier air mass to arrive when looking at the forecast. We might have a single day of drier air, but it will take several days to get the house back to a livable temperature. The key is to have cooling overnight along with less humid air. A friend noted that this was sure to happen saying "and then it will be winter." So, I'm not the only one with little hope or positive thoughts.
Summer is generally hotter than I find comfortable. Heat waves that involve tropical air arriving on the Gulf Stream make the world uncomfortable for most people I encounter. Hanging out in malls, libraries and motor vehicles can help to cool down temporarily, but heading back to a non-air-conditioned abode will quickly make people overheat again. This can be dangerous for a number of people. It is a time of year, that we need to check on our neighbours to make sure they are OK. As we age, the ability to detect thirst and to maintain body temperature diminishes. Infants and people with chronic illness can also be at increased risk of a heat injury. Companion animals can suffer in heat waves, too. For all of us, staying hydrated and cooler can help avoid major problems.
Thinking of the weather that has come to visit made me think of a guest who overstays their welcome. The song that ran through my mind made me smile today -- something I hadn't done as often as usual. It is a fun song. Enjoy!
A conversation this week led me to interesting places. It was an online chat -- so they can be substantive <smile>. We typed about taking risks when opportunities present themselves in life. Major changes come with a mixture of terror and happy excitement. In a second online discussion, I noted that my advice to my younger self might have been to be open to changes that present themselves. Never say 'never' <smile> since that closes doors before you have a chance to peek inside or walk in and look around before committing. I've been called a risk taker, which totally surprised me years ago. Now, I see what that mentor saw. I was and I am -- but reasoned risk not crazy brain-turned-off kind of risk. <grin>.
In the first online chat conversation, I read, "Sometimes, I feel like its amazing any of us get old." In the context of the death of a younger adult, this made sense, Though, it also made me think through the risk my friend was considering. I noted -- being the one who is retiring -- that all we can do is to live each day to the fullest and work to become the best 'you' possible. These goals take work and can be scary at times, but moving forward in whichever chosen direction beats the hell out of living in fear of change or forward movement. More advice for my younger self perhaps.
I did ask my conversant if they had a song that might fit such advice and he came back with three excellent choices. One is shared here today and the others are on a list of potential blog post material. This one is from a genre that I've used a few times, but not as often as I could. The chorus says what we were discussing -- take the chance when it is in front of you. The beat is mesmerizing and lyrics say so much. Enjoy!
NOTE: This one does come with a language warning -- one word used twice.
Two concepts describe today well -- parallelism and serendipity. An interesting pair, no? <smile>. The morning began with a loud banging and vibration that jolted me from a deep sleep about 6 AM. I couldn't find anything that might have created this disruption, so I tried to no avail, to go back to sleep. While making breakfast about 90 minutes later, I still felt so groggy. Making breakfast, I got out a teabag and put it into the cereal bowl. Just not a good start to the day. I mentioned this at work and found others who had awkward starts to the day. One put a top on backwards. Another was hanging laundry to dry in the wind when the clothes line broke dropping the clean clothes onto the lawn covered in the dew-kissed clippings from the mower of the previous evening. Clothes were put into the washer to remove the clippings when the power went off. My first task at work was to look up something needed for a report only to receive the message that the database was not available likely due to incorrect credentials or the expiration of our paid access. Two phone calls later, this had been rectified. I had not been the first to report the inability to use this valued resource. So -- Tuesday seemed to equal Monday with parallel silliness occurring in different lives.
After work a group of us went out for supper to celebrate a birthday and a recent accomplishment. The company was wonderful and eating in air-conditioned comfort helped me to consume something a bit more balanced and exciting than canned fish and salad <smile>. On the short walk home, I was smiling and enjoying the breeze that felt almost cooling. Today, again, was hotter than yesterday -- a trend which seems set to continue for another couple of days. As I was approaching a crosswalk, I noted two people crossing the street perpendicular to my path. A fleeting thought made me think they looked like someone I know -- something that occurs often in adults by middle-age. On second glance, I realized it was the actual couple -- a colleague and her husband that I haven't seen in person since they moved to Ontario about 17 years ago. I see photos on social media and knew they were visiting family in the area, but running into them was serendipitous. They were on their way to a local pub and I joined them to chat and catch up. I got home much later than planned, but for very good reason. It was such fun talking about what we are all up to these days.
The song today deals with the latter concept of serendipity. The alternative rock sound brings relaxed feelings. Enjoy!
Wow! Yesterday was hot, but today was even hotter. There was a stiff breeze on and off during the day, but this made it feel more like a blast furnace. One might expect this breeze to help cool things. In the short walk from the car to the building -- both with a/c -- I was soaking wet from sweat that won't evaporate due to the humidity. The forecast for tomorrow shows no signs of change. The overnight 'low' will still feel like high 20s (close to low 80s). In the house it is 30C (84ish F) with humidity so it feels hotter here, too. Outside the window feels warmer and wetter than indoors, so not opening them tonight.
I don't do well in major heat especially with humidity. Most people I saw in the building today looked sweaty and exhausted while indoors with a bit of a/c. The humidity made everything sticky -- tearing paper was challenging when it was almost damp. <smile> Sleeping becomes difficult when the house stays hot for days. Tired people = grumpy people -- if past heat waves have taught me anything. Thank goodness the day is spent in cooler air and the fan helps cool things in the night.
A line from a song went through my head today. It referred to heat and a reaction to it, though I heard my name instead of the machine named in the lyrics <smile>. Love the guitar and voice of the singer. Enjoy!
Roll Over Beethoven -- The Beatles (George Harrison)
Why do people say things to try to appease someone? It isn't that they really believe what they're saying, but for some reason they think the recipient is naive enough to find it truthful. Such conversations mess with any hope of developing trust for future communications or actions. If one side of a conversation is speaking honestly, it is difficult to understand why the other side would not. It has something to do with perception filters on both sides. Perhaps the one telling the untruth doesn't want to disappoint someone or maybe they just don't want to be confrontational. If the latter, in many cases they behave in a passive-aggressive fashion -- tell you what they think you want to hear and then do what they jolly well feel like when you aren't looking. I've encountered this many times in my life and have always had difficulty understanding this form of 'communication.' As a friend once told me, I think too logically and this may be the cause of my inability to understand what others may do -- they may be working from an illogical place. <smile>.
To be honest, I'm not entirely sure that any side of a conversation may be fully aware of their motivations. In some cases, they may just want to move on with their task and want the other party to leave. They may not be giving the exchange their full attention leading to unexpected responses in the eyes and ears of the other person. That unequal vesting in the conversation can result in major misunderstanding in the moment or down the road. Why does it happen? There are too many reasons -- fear, fatigue, preoccupation, worry, anxiety and so many, many more.
A perfect song for today's pondering is shared here. Often feelings are trampled on in such exchanges, as these lyrics clearly outline. Enjoy!
Another mundane Saturday. I worked away at the usual housework with the usual break mid-afternoon. I feel like not much was accomplished even though I seemed busy with things for much of the time. I did realize later in the day that I'd missed a community event celebrating local foods and community gardening programs. That made me sad as it was something I'd looked forward to, but got so involved in the cleaning that this was missed.
Local foods have again been dominating my meals since this is the major production time of year in this part of the world. This week I've had the most succulent strawberries for my bedtime snacks. Sugar snap peas appeared as a vegetable side dish, crunchy snack and part of a great curry stir-fry. Garlic scapes added to stir fries, vegetables, salads and pizza toppings. It is wonderful to have this bounty grown close to home. It brings a bright spot to the days to know where the foods came from and, in some cases, who grew them. Being in touch with the food system in this way can help us to understand some of the unsustainable parts of the expectations when going to the grocery store. It can also help acknowledge the work that goes into getting the food we eat from farm to market.
Last week, a friend (who enjoys puns) with a local garden box containing sugar snap peas, stated, "Give peas a chance." I responded with "whirled peas". Just a brief moment of whimsy <smile>. Today it made me think of a few songs that deal with the concept of peace -- something I still struggle with at times. So -- I'm sharing a song that focuses on opening oneself up to the potential. The singer-songwriter is a favourite of mine. Enjoy!
A fun Friday. I worked at clearing shelves in the morning and went on a road trip to the next town for a quick shopping trip with friends. None of us purchased anything, but we learned about the items on our lists. That means that there will be other trips or online searches to find the perfect fits. The day was sunny and hot by late afternoon. Thank goodness for air-conditioning.
I'm still working through the damage of the past few days and the new damage found today from workers in the yard. A friend noted that renters - especially longterm ones - have a strong feeling of ownership, yet no power or responsibility. The disempowered feeling of yesterday remains. Understanding the reasoning behind such callous behaviour will not likely happen. Finding a way to accept this activity will be difficult. I didn't stop to chat or laugh with them today -- just responded to their morning greetings. I do want to understand the depth of my response and discover a way to move forward without feeling bitter, angry,a and betrayed. Just trying to be the best me I can be in the face of ridiculousness.
Lines from a song came to mind as this issue festered today. The words note that being 'perfect' or 'strong' isn't easy. We need to think about this and be kinder to ourselves and others instead of expecting the impossible. Working towards improvement in our thought processes will take energy, but might make situations feel less oppressive. I enjoy the melodic nature of this song. Enjoy!
This morning the painters deemed the wood still too wet to paint so they moved on to the porch -- tearing it apart. It needed replacement as the wood had sections of rot that could create damage should someone's foot break through. I brought out a large plant pot and shovel and asked that they remove the irises and gently cut the ferns on either side of the steps. We discussed working around the two hostas for the second time. All explained and repeated back to me, I went on my way to work. When I got home tonight, I was stunned to see the porch gone -- it looked so bare. Worse was that half of one hosta has been removed -- not cut, pulled. The ferns were likely pulled as well, but where the stump should be there is a thick layer of gravel. I expect these perennials will not return in future years. The irises were in a pot on the back porch, so I added some new topsoil to the pot and tried to tuck them in well. I hope they survive. This year looked to be the one where they would actually bloom.
When I got back in the house, I just cried. The landscaping in the yard is something I have worked to maintain for two decades. To have the two beds the width of house destroyed without full need makes me angry. The tenuous trust that was there for these workers is now fully gone. I rent so I can't change them or charge them for damage. The yard has gotten compliments because it is pretty -- well was pretty. The only thread I'm hanging onto is that perhaps friends will be splitting plants in the fall and next spring and would be willing to share bits of things with me to try to refurbish the space somehow. I'm not even sure I can look at the men tomorrow -- I don't trust myself not to say something inappropriate. <sigh>
A song that meets the deep-seated sadness I feel tonight was difficult to find. The one I chose, may sound trite to some, but the words of the title and other lyrics do say what I was looking for today -- something to reflect these emotions. Enjoy!
(Hey won't you play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song -- B.J Thomas
The early morning rain meant the house painters did not arrive as I got ready for work. That made the day more relaxed -- much less hustle and bustle. Time at the office saw more sorting. This set of files came from the many conferences and workshops I've attended over the years. In the early days, much paper was produced in the form of booklets of presentation abstracts, handouts for attendees and general information and itinerary. The arrival of different software platforms has made the shelf footprint much smaller -- just a few pages of my conference notes. Going through these I found the exact day and time I first heard about qualitative methods in nutrition research and the likelihood of television daytime talk shows to begin to form social mores. Each of these were filed away in the memory banks waiting to burst forth when I began to develop research questions. This partial shelf also contained my first research presentation at an international conference on child health. I also found a certificate telling me I'd completed a workshop on a topic that I clearly don't recall. That was decades ago, so I'll give myself a by just this once. Parts of these many files went to the recycling bag, while I kept some parts of the larger documents.
The day ended with much more rain -- spitting around supper time and then a deluge later in the evening. I met a friend and colleague for a lovely visit over supper and a glass of wine. We have worked on a number of projects together, two of which were quite large in scale and funding. I'd sent her some of the files and materials I still had from one project, which led to her recalling the ups and downs of those years. So, it seems I'm spreading the memories around. <smile>
Perhaps the rain helped to work through the memories and reflect on how they fit into the here and now. They do as things underway now were built upon the base formed by those many projects. Lyrics that highlight this concept seemed best to share today. The singer-songwriter is a Canadian Indie-pop artist. Enjoy!
The day began with the sound of sanders on the side of the house -- prep for the painting -- the quieter phase of the project <smile>. A walk across campus at lunch today took me to see the Prime Minister speaking briefly at a barbecue gathering. An interesting event. Back at the office I got a few tasks completed. The writing project had me feeling anxious and flitting from one thing to the next rather than getting anything completed. I had two questions for colleagues, which turned into much longer conversations. My lack of focus affected others in their work plans -- no where near my goal for the day <sigh>.
Being unfocused today could be from the heat, lack of decent sleep or the usual muddled feeling when I'm writing things in my head before they come out on paper -- or a combination of all three. It is stressful to be unable to concentrate on a task and find the day over with me not finishing the major project -- just some bits of work. Feelings of guilt surface on such days. Learning to recognize such days before they get out of control might help me to use some techniques to help with focus. I find popping in the ear buds can help as can shutting off e-mail notifications. Tomorrow can bring improved productivity and help me get the ideas out of the head and onto the screen or paper. I'll begin with trying to get a good sleep and go from there.
A song title that made me smile today is shared here. It uses a sport metaphor to address the lack of focus I encountered through the day. Enjoy!
The week began with rising temperature, humidity and cloud cover. The latter brought a bit of misty rain throughout the day, which only served to raise the humidity further. The clouds also fended off the ferocity of the sun. It appears from forecasts that tomorrow will not be like this. More sun and higher temperatures will settle in for a few days. With the humidity remaining, the 'feel like' temperature will be at least in the mid-30s Celsius. That is somewhere past unbearable. While there will be some cooling overnight, the next two nights show no such signs. This will bring one more reason to have a restless sleep.
Today also brought with it painters who will be doing the outside of the house -- finishing what wasn't completed last fall. The humidity won't be helpful there, either. Sleeping will be disrupted due to anxiousness -- to be up before they are outside the bedroom window painting and trampling the flower bed. It does need the paint job, but I wish they started later. With the extra heat, I do understand that early starts are best <smile>. I just don't like early starts. So, while the sidewalk construction silliness left for other regions, I've had three days without invaders and the painters will be around for some time. <sigh> And they seem not to take weekends off -- which is very disruptive to me. We'll see. They may have some other plans in place from families. One can hope.
Trying to find positives in the weather and activities in my yard helped me choose a song. Recording for the song began on this date 49 years ago. It is said to have been written in Eric Clapton's garden. The lyrics are more upbeat about things than I expect in the next few days <smile>, however the guitar is relaxing. Enjoy!
Temperatures rose a bit today with rain on the grass for most of the day -- it just didn't evaporate due to the humid air mass entering our region. While it felt warmer outside, there was more time with cloud cover than with full sun. For that reason, the yard work I did was not as onerous as I'd expected. As the sun went behind clouds the breeze was quite refreshing. I weeded the front flower beds and cut back some tree suckers and the spreading ferns. This allowed the hosta the space it needs to flourish and bloom. The large green bin was almost full when I finished.
The other item that we keep seeing on the newsfeeds is that today in National Ice Cream day -- in the US. The holiday was designated by President Reagan 34 years ago to be celebrated the third Sunday of July. The full month was also declared Ice Cream Month. Six years ago I was at a conference in the US on this day. The hotel set up a make-your-own ice cream sundae bar in the main lobby. Large soup sized bowls were provided with staff scooping ice cream of your flavour choice. The we could wander around adding the toppings. It was a fun event and was free to those in the lobby. My ice cream this evening will be a cone with strawberry frozen yogurt. Yum!
Ice cream and summer go together. Even when ice cream or some other frozen dessert hides in the freezer all year 'round, summer is the season when the cold confection fits best. Choices come in many flavours and the novelty items in many shapes. Yet, even with the huge variety, most of us have a favourite. Mine is strawberry, though the coconut ice cream I had in Singapore runs a close second -- just not a flavour we find in local grocery stores too often.
The song chosen for today brings with it the fun associated with ice cream. It is a parody of a well-known rock song. It seemed fitting for the day dedicated to ice cream. Enjoy!
Most of today was the usual mundane housework. I spent some time reading, but mostly deeply engaged in chores. Luckily, the evening brought something of greater interest -- the local summer theater. The playwright grew up locally and spent years in Quebec training as a singer and actor. She wrote a play about one of her roles and that of a friend. Being Hank and Patsy tells the story of the two actors playing the roles of Patsy Cline and Hank Williams, Sr. It imagines what it would have been like if these two country music artists had sung together, while telling the story of the couple on stage. The first notes of each of their songs while in character were stunning. She brought tears and he took my breath away.
I reflected on the ability to tell one's story on stage -- the ups and the downs. I've seen autobiographical stories presented to a live audience and have always been moved by the vulnerability. It must be cathartic and validating, but likely painful as well. Going through the personal pain repeatedly cannot be easy. I recall Denny Doherty telling his story in Dream a Little Dream -- the joys, sorrows and regrets were laid bare. Perhaps this form of reflection helps one come to terms with the pain. It certainly does affect the audience.
I've chosen to share the two songs that highlighted the singers tonight. There were many others that brought goosebumps and smiles through the performance so the choice wasn't an easy one. <smile> Enjoy!
Friday, and when I left the house today there were no construction crews on the street. Two weeks ago, the replacement of the town sidewalk began. This is only on my side of the street. A narrow boulevard of grass is next to the curb, then the sidewalk and then our yards. No use of the driveway has been in effect for a nine days. I did drive in later on Wednesday, noting that there was a few inches between the entryway and the sidewalk. Last evening, this was filled with asphalt -- an upgrade from the gravel that has always been in place. Later in the evening, several of us drove back into our driveways. I've been parking behind one of the apartment houses across the street (with permission) and the past two evenings parked in a private lot behind the house until the workers cleared the driveway and street. On Monday, the contractor had parked in my driveway, when I was told I couldn't drive across the new cement <sigh>. On my way out for the day, I asked that he move out of my driveway (he'd let another car in behind him, too). His response was that it was just someone's driveway and no one was parking there -- a poor justification from my standpoint. He told me all I needed to do was ask, which is what I'd done. I also noted that he could have done the same -- a little courtesy could go a long way. In a passive-aggressive response to my simple request, that evening I found the front lawn and driveway were being used as a staging area. Really? This was a bit less the following day, but there were still coolers and water bottles littering the driveway. Now, I am one of the few houses back from the street and not built right up to the town sidewalk, so there aren't many other places -- but that isn't a good enough reason to use private property when the town property is available complete with grass. Very odd week that brought much stress as it felt like strangers were invading my space <smile>. When I drove home tonight, I saw the full crew at a new site on Town property, so work on our street must be officially done. YAY!
The concept of home as a safe place without intrusions is deep within each of us. Any threat to this safe enclave can bring anxiety. I've encountered this with roofers, painters, or neighbours (once choosing to practice their golf chip shots on my front lawn <shaking head>). Remaining calm to ask people to move along or inform when they plan to work in the yard can be challenging. I feel tense but want to be polite -- even in the face of gross impoliteness. It takes so much energy to keep an even tone with no rudeness and then be faced with unexpected aggressive responses that only increase the anxiety levels. Moving all involved to a problem-solving place can be impossible. As one who thinks logically, this type of response makes no sense at all. What is the basis of their lashing out? Do they realize their error and feel embarrassed or does their sense of entitlement lead the response? Either way, spewing vitriol at someone making a polite request is shear silliness.
The feeling of being able to drive straight into my driveway after work felt so freeing. A big weight was lifted. I was home and so was my car <smile>. It may sound silly, but having things back to normal brought a sense of calm that hadn't been there for a few days. Lyrics of the song shared today mention feeling like a prisoner, being uninformed, and waiting a long time -- all feelings I've had in the past couple of weeks. This selection is from the solo career of a drummer for an outstanding rock band. He made history at Live Aid on July 13, 1985 (33 years ago today) when he sang at Wembley Stadium in London, flew on the Concorde to the USA and sang at JFK Stadium in Philadelphia -- each venue was part of the Live Aid concert that was broadcast around the world. Enjoy!
The summer jazz festival is in full swing just down the road. A headliner is Chaka Khan. The local talent who will be opening for her was interviewed on the evening news today. I was blown away by the wonderful vocals. I love hearing new musicians and singers, especially when I'm not expecting music -- like on the 5 PM news. <smile>. That made me think of the need to be open to unexpected messages. If not aware of what is going on around me, I'd miss all sorts of interesting experiences. Note to self -- head up, look around.
I want to share the song they used snippets of on the television news so you can hear this great song and voice. I know this is short today, but I am all caught up with the blogs. A couple of late nights left this part of my daily routine behind -- just too tired to type. <grin>. Enjoy!
The day began with an interview on the morning show about the FEQ -- the summer music festival in Quebec city. They noted that the Foo Fighters had been on stage when a storm arrived. They had to leave the stage after 4 songs. The band will return this week to do a full set. This reminded me of an experience I had over 20 years ago at an outdoor concert in Cleveland along the river. As the concert began, the ominous clouds swirled around and let loose with a major thunder storm -- pouring rain, lightning and thunder. Seating was full and the audience had stood when the band began to play. During the deluge, some people left. Most of us just stood in the rain singing along and dancing. We chose not to leave unless the band did. Our vehicle was about a mile away, so we'd be soaked either way and as long as they kept playing we'd hear what we came to hear. They never left the stage, though I think it might have been safer to do so. We could see the water on the stage and with all the electrical equipment we'd noted that this was somewhat dangerous. When the rain stopped, the depressions in the plastic chairs were filled with water. Our shoes were soaked as the water had been running over the tops during the worst of it. We did our best to wring out our clothes and rescue the wet purses -- all while singing and dancing.
The people who stayed behind had an excellent experience with an extra long concert. The band members were enjoying themselves fully, as well. This reminded me of a saying -- When the going gets tough, the tough get going. Well, in this case the tough stayed put and were rewarded -- not just by the concert but by the wonderful camaraderie and great stories we can tell or reminisce about when we get together. That was one of those life moments -- we could have been miserable and stayed and felt yucky and wet; we could have been miserable and just left cursing the weather; or we could have stayed to see what transpired. There are times when leaving would be easy or even prudent, but staying could bring something wonderful. This was one of those moments. Despite getting somewhat lost on the road heading back to the hotel, lack of drying lines in the hotel rooms, and one person whose feet were blue when her skirt proved not to be colour fast, we had a blast. Trying to find the positive or the potential in a situation that may not look promising can be difficult. Practice at finding the positive can help. Seeing absurdities and noting the potential of these to bring laughter rather than yelling would be a great way to go through life. Something else to add to the practice list.
After the storm, two songs brought peals of laughter. The first shared here brought giggles to the soaking wet group at the flood of Cleveland. The second one shared has a single line that we all shouted in unison -- 'you're going to wash right down the drain' <smile>. Enjoy!
Meetings filled the day and were interspersed with work on two writing projects. Discussions with those I met with allowed for an interesting exchange of ideas. That is always a positive type of meeting <smile>. I headed home a bit later than usual, had a quick supper and then met a friend for an evening at our summer theater festival. The play was written by an individual who has featured prominently in past festival seasons. The story took place in Lunenburg. This town name was also the title of the play. With some witty banter, there was a more serious centre to the story that explored feelings of individuals to major life events. Comedy intervened as things took a more serious tone, so it wouldn't focus too long on negative emotions. The audience was deep into the dialogue, often answering questions out loud or wanting to share the punch line before the actor completed the sentence. I sometimes wonder if we spend too much time talking back to the television that it seems the natural thing to do when out at a movie or live theater. I found that part of the live audience a bit disconcerting. As an audience member, I want to be along for the ride and would choose to have the characters drive the bus. But, there are always backseat drivers, right? <sigh>
The evening was cooler than it has been for some time -- pleasant to feel the cool breeze. I'd hoped to get into my driveway by that time (10:30 PM) but found a dreaded red cone in my driveway entry -- set there most likely to help walkers see that there was wet cement on the downhill side of my driveway. So -- night number seven again saw the car out behind a house across the street. I do hope that tomorrow will find me back in my own yard bringing my car with me. <smile>
A song came to mind that reflected some of the meeting concepts for the day. The group singing is from early psychedelic rock period of about 1968. While the world knows this band best as a trio, in their early days there were two other members. This song does not showcase the trio harmonies that became their signature sound. Enjoy!
In some ways it was one of 'those' Mondays, but in many ways it was a wonderful day. It began with an odd interaction with the contractor replacing sidewalks on our street. I have been parking in another yard for 6 nights and when I went out today, the contractor was parked in my driveway rather than the street because - "it was just someone's driveway and no one was parked there." Where to begin with that. <sigh> I hoped that interaction would not find its way into the central theme of the day. I worked on some writing projects and left early to meet a friend and colleague. We were driving to another colleague's home for dinner. She'd invited us since we were both retiring this year -- Or so went the story. <smile>
It was a surprise party for my friend. The potluck menu was amazing -- summer salads with fruits, cheese, chicken and many different greens. Wonderful lean cold cuts, guacamole, pasta and meatball casserole, chicken curry, carrot cake, and coconut cream pie rounded out the evening. While the food was fantastic, spending the time in conversation with colleagues,and friends (and spouses) felt wonderful. The weather was warm, but the gentle breeze off the water freshened things well. I thoroughly enjoyed the event. I got home about 9:30 PM and felt happily tired, heading off to bed a bit earlier than usual.
On the morning show, an alt-pop duo was interviewed as part of the summer music festival in Quebec city. I listened to several of their songs and one had lyrics that fit several parts of the day -- particularly the evening events. Phrases introduce opening doors to a 'zephyr', 'waves of conversation', and riding in the back seat -- all parts of my evening. Enjoy!
Temperatures rose again today with the house heating up by bedtime. The forecast still says it is to cool overnight, so may help to cool the house before the heat of tomorrow begins. A tropical storm named Chris was introduced to to me on radar screens today. The meteorologist presenting the potential passage of this storm stated that maritime Canada was in the 'cone of uncertainty' so would likely be impacted in some way. While this storm is expected to reach hurricane force Monday into Tuesday along the eastern seaboard, it will likely down grade to tropical storm status or post-tropical low pressure system by the time it reaches anywhere close to where I reside. It is only Sunday and the storm isn't expected to be in Canadian waters until Thursday or Friday. The meteorologist, also named Chris, instructed us all to keep checking back with them to see how things progress and which computer model will be the winner for this round.
The term 'cone of uncertainty' struck me as rather funny. As I thought about it, I realized that is where my life is at present. I've chosen to retire and have some immediate plans but really don't know where within the cone of uncertainty I will end up. This fits well with the concept of liminality. As someone goes through a rite of passage, they are in a type of 'no man's land' where they no longer hold their pre-ritual status but have not yet begun the transition to the status they will hold when the rite is completed. This 'liminal space' appears in life often -- when we leave the tried and true and have yet to replace it with anything else. Given the rate of change in life, we often reside in this space where we are uncertain about what is to come but are unable to go back to what we were. So, my life has similarities with the stormy Chris. It is a journey that must be taken through internal and external forces that can affect the outcome. I'll keep you updated on both my journey and that of the storm. <smile>
A few lines of lyric seemed to fit this thought process today. The song has a folk-rock or indie-folk feel, with very metaphorical lyrics. Enjoy!
Head Full of Doubt/Road Full of Promise -- The Avett Brothers
Saturday -- yet I was up and out of the house before 9AM. Today was the Highland Games parade. It is just beyond my backyard on Main Street, so no worry about parking and such. The temperature cooled overnight leaving dry and pleasant air. The turnout for the parade was wonderful. Many people and families lined the street. We had pipe and drum corps from around the province and from Ontario, PEI, and NB. The classic car show had been this past week, so the winners were driving in the parade along with the requisite floats, fire and rescue vehicles and Shriners from across the province. I found myself smiling through the whole display. It was a great way to start the weekend. The rest of the day involved reading for a meeting tomorrow and the usual laundry and housework.
This evening the cathedral bells rang for 5 minutes -- not sure why but it was lovely to hear. The day seemed to be special in some ways -- out of the ordinary may be a better phrase. Yet, the extraordinary mixed with the mundane. Full days of special-ness might be overwhelming, or perhaps less special because of the constancy of it all. The small special moments can make a day wonderful. From that, I'd conclude that a little bit of special goes a very long way. <smile>
A song line came to mind as I was walking down Main Street today. It did make me smile and almost laugh. I first heard this as part of a movie and that image appeared in my head again today. I've chosen a video with the film clip. The singer has a powerful, recognizable voice. Enjoy!
Don't Rain on my Parade -- Barbra Streisand (from Funny Girl)
The last of a four-day week draws to a close. The rain arrived during the afternoon with several small showers into the evening. This did add to the humidity but the temperature is forecast to drop overnight and tomorrow to be a cooler and drier day for a change. Temperatures will begin to rise again by Monday, but in the meantime, I might be able to coax some cooler air into the house to bring the heat down inside, too. Work involved reading, writing and preparing for a discussion on writing a paper that will occur during the weekend. It is fun to get into something like that instead of sorting and pitching so much. <smile>
Friday is thought of as a day to party or celebrate the end of a work week -- for those working Monday to Friday jobs, at least. I've worked all types of shift work with various days off during the week. It just isn't the same when those days are Tuesday and Wednesday <grin>. The common concept that work is something unpleasant seems prevalent. That makes me somewhat sad -- that people work at something they dislike for most of their time. No job is perfect. I've had many and some were more perfect than others, but all had downsides. That didn't make me hate them all, but when I had Saturday and Sunday off it made the world more normal somehow. Interesting that we put so much on two days, though Friday night and Saturday are more relaxation days in colloquial parlance than Sunday -- the day to prepare for work on Monday. There must be a way to capture that joy and feeling of freedom during the week -- well, perhaps there should be.
The song shared celebrates Friday. The lyrics and tempo exude fun, as does the video shot in St. John's, NL <smile>. The arrangement combines country and Celtic genres well. Enjoy!
The day was hot and humid. Even the office provided a tropical feel. Air-conditioning helped, but not a lot. I had to keep washing my hands as I worked through more files, binders and such. The humidity made them feel wet and any dust or paper debris seemed to stick to the palms -- or so I imagined <smile>. By the end of the day, the stickiness of the humidity made me wish for a shower to de-stickify. I finally read the e-mail that had arrived during the work day and found one from my wonderful neighbours. They found a great spot for me to park the car for the next 3+days -- in behind the house next to them. Students generally rent there, but only one is present this summer leaving oodles of room for my car. Yay! As I read this and was cheering, I noticed an invitation for supper, too. They have three window air conditioners in the large house so it is cooler than outside. She had even used the oven to bake the meal! So, the day ended with a lovely visit.
The sidewalk construction and heat made me feel disoriented -- a feeling that was echoed as I sorted through older research files. Some files to save, some to shred, some to recycle. It is rather mind-numbing and required me to take brief breaks to walk around the building in hopes of clearing my head. The weather outdoors and indoors clouded the mind even with the bit of physical activity. The illusion of sleep occurred last night, but the heat indoors made is less restful. I found neighbours sitting on the front porches in the evening -- even with the construction just a few feet away. Given the noise or the indoor heat, they chose the noise. I think I understand that choice <smile>.
With the noise from the street today, a line from a song came to mind. It is one from the '80s with a voice that was with us from 1960s-2016. Enjoy!
Where to begin? It was a day of altered plans. Disruptions appeared at every turn. I began by heading out to get new fluorescent bulbs for the kitchen light which ceased to function yesterday evening. I headed straight home with the things only to find that the sidewalk replacement crew had placed cones in front of my driveway. I noticed the neighbours were out, so quickly parked in their drive, left the precious lights in the kitchen and headed off to work. When I returned home in the evening, I couldn't get in the drive even if I moved the cones. They dug up the old sidewalk and had frames in place to pour cement tomorrow. This is not what the contractor had noted. He was going to do up to the house next door first and then move to the next two yards. Somewhere his plans changed and so did mine. My neighbours kindly let me park behind them for the next couple of days while the cement cures. Given the humidity, this may be weeks off. <smile>
Driving from home to the office meant taking a different route due to the street fair on Main Street. Many other people had the same idea so were using my street with all the construction to try to bypass the blocked street. Some even backed up and turned in the middle of the street when the equipment closed one lane for mere seconds. One of these individuals nearly backed into me as I left my driveway. Wouldn't be the first time someone backed into me as they drove in reverse down a major road. <sigh> So -- armed with the knowledge that the bozo factor was high today for in-town driving, I set off while trying to watch in all directions.
The weather was another disruption. Temperatures soared past the forecast numbers and the humidity made things feel in the 40s again today (well over 100 F). When I got home, the house was even hotter and wetter feeling than outside. The dehumidifier filled in about 12 hours. I put a fan on in the living room where the furry one was stretched out. The basement is cooler, but he chooses not to head that way often. He is enjoying the fan and I'm enjoying the one by the bed. I will head out earlier in the morning to do the errands on Main Street and then back to the office to continue the clearing and decluttering -- again trying to find order among disorder. Thankfully, the office has a/c so it is bearable -- still humid and warm, but not like outside the window.
As my plans were thwarted numerous times today, I hope to find a place and time (as in soon) with fewer needs to change plans. An older song lyric fits the altered plans well. It has been covered by many smooth male vocalists from the 1940s to 1950s. I got it down to two and just had to do a mental coin toss to choose. Both were great recordings so either would have worked. Hope this one works for you. Enjoy!
I Guess I'll have to Change my Plan -- Bobby Darin
The first of a four-day workweek is behind me. Much clearing of research files occurred today -- items that one is required to keep for 5 or 7 years for ethical purposes., depending on the type of study. With many projects undertaken over the past decades, there are many files or boxes of materials to store and then discard years later. Many files will remain as the allotted time has not yet past. Revisiting these projects was interesting -- mostly in a positive way <smile>. I will admit to feeling tired with the sorting and carrying of filled bags to the recycling pick-up down the hall. My right arm is feeling troublesome today, when generally it has been the left. Go figure.
I have a lot left to do along with some 'real' work and am feeling overwhelmed. The anxiety that accompanies such feelings makes for sleepless nights and abdominal discomfort. Recovering the things that have been squirreled away in various places must also occur. Then things need to move to the research space. Several of us are doing this in the building, as two biologists chose to retire this year, as well. Simply putting things into recycle bags sounds easy, but the process feels unending.
A song that I shared a few years ago came to mind today. When stressed there are various 'happy places' where we can go in an attempt to find a moment of calm. My place always lets me see all around me with no forests or hills to block the view. I am a prairie girl after all <smile>. This song is by a woman from southern Saskatchewan who is a wonderful folk artist. This song describes just what I think of when I picture a calming place. Enjoy!
In some ways it feels like a lost day. Monday of a long weekend provides an 'extra' day away from work and time to spend on leisure pursuits or household chores. While I did bits of extra laundry and cleaning, most of the afternoon was spent watching older movies and checking in online with friends and family. Now this isn't really a 'loss' but there were other things that I could have done -- other cleaning, reading for work and such. Going for a walk was definitely out of the picture with the weather being hot and muggy.
I've often wondered why when we spend time reading, online or watching movies, it can be termed 'doing nothing.' Is taking time to recharge a bad thing? None of the activities equate to nothing as something was done. How often when asked what we did yesterday or on the weekend, do we say nothing? The time was filled with some activity even if it seems too inconsequential to mention. Was the movie something new to you or one you really like seeing repeatedly? If enjoyed, why do we belittle the process? I've wondered if this is a backlash from the a work ethic that sees virtue in hard work. If so, then leisure could equate with laziness -- something that seems particularly so now if leisure does not involve physical activity. Does the core of past social mores support evolving social morality concepts? Hmm -- this will take more thought to clarify. <smile> Perhaps we need to be kinder to ourselves and others -- to understand that we can always be doing something else, but that doesn't mean we've wasted our time. Maybe we can learn from the time spent in any pursuit.
Lyrics about the topic of thought today brought me to a great song to share. It is from an amazing album and written by a great songwriting due, Henley and Frey. Enjoy!
Happy Canada Day! There was sun and heat in the afternoon, and the evening was cooler and bearable. We went to friends for the annual 'make your own pizza' evening complete with fireworks. Both parts were spectacular. I made a Greek style pizza, another one had shrimp & avocado, and the third had black olives, artichoke hearts, and mushrooms. Very yummy. Crowd favourites for the fireworks included 'shotgun wedding', 'big bubba' and 'wild thing'. <smile> It was a relaxing way to end the day with colleagues and friends.
Fifty years ago today, The Band released their first album -- Music from Big Pink. While an odd title for the album, it comes from the colour of the house where much music was pulled together for this group debut. The group formed in Toronto with Canadian and American members. I've thought of it as a major Canadian contribution to the rock-country-folk sound of the late '60s -- the country-rock and roots-rock genres. For that reason, I'm sharing a single from this first album. Writing credit was assigned to Robbie Robertson, though it may have been a group effort of all members of The Band. The lead singer for most of the song is Levon Helm with Rick Danko singing lead on the fourth verse. The Band performed this song as part of their set at Woodstock. The video is from a 1978 documentary, The Last Waltz. Enjoy!
About 10 days ago, Paul McCartney released two songs from a new album expected to release in the Fall. Why do I find this interesting? <smile> He has been called one of the greatest composers and lyricists of the modern era. For over 60 years, McCartney has been making music, performing and recording. That alone makes the new releases exciting. His career began with the fame of the Beatles and continues with several iterations of a fantastic solo career. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice -- once for the Beatles and once for the solo career. He also has received 18 Grammy Awards.
Looking around I've noted many people who move from career to career -- successfully. I've done this myself -- about seven different parts to the career path. In two months, I'll move into the eighth career. I plan to retire from my current position, but will remain linked to the university to complete some ongoing research. So -- taking note of people who move on but remain successful helps me to keep positive about my chosen life change. It also explains my blog discussions about file clearing <smile>. The transition has just begun <grin>.
The song chosen for today comes from the two recently released by McCartney. I heard this first when he sang a few lines on Carpool Karaoke. The tempo is upbeat and the lyrics fun, making it a relaxing listen. The lyrics lead to questions of life -- though very different than those I'm dealing with these days <grin>. Enjoy!
