10-55 (24/2/23) -- Surfing the Electronic Skim

A cloudy start today was followed with sunny periods by midday and a return of the clouds by evening. I moved the overnight snowfall of 2-4 cm (1-2 in), which was light due to the colder temperature. The wind picked up during the afternoon, so I was glad I'd gotten the snow moved before having to face into that that windchill. 

While pushing the snow around today, I was thinking of electronic communication modalities. A quote came to mind. 

Post-literate man's electronic media contract the world to a village or tribe where everything happens to everyone at the the same time: everyone knows about, and therefore participates in, everything that is happening the minute it happens. Television gives this quality of simultaneity to events in the gloval village. -- Marshall McLuhan from Foreword, Explorations in Communication, 1960

This media theorist coined the term 'global village' and spoke about electronic media that were nothing like we experience 63 years later. He was talking about basic telelvision (still mostly black and white), radio, and stereos. In many ways, what he saw happening then has become prophetic. Our current availability of social media has increased access to world events in the moment, not just at the evening and nightly news broadcasts. Instead, anyone, anywhere can spread news as it happens in what Edward R. Murrow called "the constant striving to reach the largest possible audience for everything." [From Oct 15, 1958 speech]   

This brought a second quote to the front of my brain.

This instrument can teach, it can illuminate; yes and even it can inspire. But it can do so only to the extent that humans are determined to use it to those ends. Otherwise, it's nothing but wires and lights in a box.

-- Edward R. Murrow, October 15, 1958 in a speech delivered to the Radio Televsion News Directors Association convention) NOTE: RTNDA became RTDNA (Radio Television Digital News Association). 

Murrow foresaw the pros and cons of consumption and distribution of facts, opinions and such. The current social media venues were born out of a sence of need to democratize media production and sharing of these productions. People record audio and video everwhere showing all or only part of a story. Misinformation has always been part of information sharing, it just is much easier to have a global reach now. I see the need for media literacy as greater than it was when news content was curated and under legisltation that required balanced reporting of news stories. Such skill sets help people discern fact from fiction and navigate the endless messages coming at us from all directions.  

McLuhan referred to navigating the 'electronic skim' as a form of surfing, which leaves open the metaphor to us ultimately drowning in it all. The cacophany from all the messages bombarding us can be disorienting. I share a song that notes how media affect us in this way. Keep safe. Enjoy! 

Noise -- Kenny Chesney 

 

10-54 (23/2/23) -- (De)Clutter

The day was colder than the past week or so and clouds filled the sky. I saw the sun through clouds during a walk to do several errands on Main Street. It was good to see that it was still up there even though not fully visible. <smile> I've been in contact with people with whom I have deadlines looming. It will be a busy couple of weeks upcoming. I thought March was still a ways off. <sigh> 

Time passes oddly. I've written of this before and am still working at understanding some of the contradictions in how time goes by and how we feel it. It can be difficult to realize that yet another wekk has gone by or even that a month has evaporated before your eyes. Juggling several projects has not gone the way I'd hoped. A few hit completion while others get lost in the sea of paper and files online and on the cluttered desk. I'm doing my best, but feel disappointed with the lack of results in several areas. As we approach a new month, I'm hopeful -- that organization improves to move things forward, that I feel more motivated most days and most of all that spring arrives soon. 

A song came to mind about the seasons and the change we are moving into now. It is a great instrumental that can clear the mind -- declutter, if you will. <smile> Keep safe. Enjoy! 

Season Suite: Late Winter Early Spring -- John Denver

10-53 (22/2/23) -- Quiet Sunshine

I woke to a lovely sunny morning. The kitchen floor had a great big square of sunlight on the floor that the furry one enjoyed. I had planned to go for groceries and this was a great day for that outing. I even had time to stop by a local bakery for a sweet roll, which is safely put away for a day when I hear it calling my name -- loudly. <smile>. After a phone meeting, I spent the rest of the afternoon with a peer review manuscript. Read and annotated the documant and will now sit on the comments for a couple of days before adapting and sending them off to the editor. 

The day felt better than several over the past week and a bit. It has become clear that weather plays a role in my mood lately. The way the sun just crept into the kitchen and was there to greet me this morning reminded me of a favourite song. The first line and the pschadelic era music  is so relaxing. Keep safe. Enjoy! 

Sunshine Superman -- Donovan 

10-52 (21/2/23) -- Mardi Gras

Sun and grey cloud shared the sky today. I wore sunglasses when out for errands, but the cloud seemed to be present more of the time. Some of the puddles did soak into the ground, while others were topped with a thin layer of ice. Walking the clear sidewalks felt good. I am much less tense when little worry about slipping is present. I had a meeting that went longer than expected and then stopped to pick up needed items at two stores. 

Today is Mardi Gras. I made red beans and rice (Lundi beans) to eat yesterday for Lundi Gras. Today I made blueberry pancakes for supper. Both meals were very yummy. Eating breakfast for supper feels a bit odd, but fun. I'm also sure that there is far less snow in New Orleans today than there is here. It is likely even warmer than here <smile>. I loved visiting that city for the music which was everywhere of every genre; for the food that was so amazing -- a combo of European, Caribbean and indigenous; for the overall atmosphere of taking life as it comes and enjoying every day. I do need to go back there -- After all the Southern Food and Beverage Museum calls New Orleans home. And Food is My Life [tm]. 

The song chosen fits the celebration today. The version shared features a wonderful younger voice. Keep safe. Enjoy!  

Take me to the Mardi Gras -- Paul Simon

10-51 (20/2/23) -- Eerie Fog

It rained all day long. I thought of shopping for groeceries, but the stores were closed for Heritage Day. I did get to a physio appointment, though. The lower back has been problematic again. The adjustments and ultrasound should help things feel a bit better.  

The puddles outside are huge. I fear they will freeze before soaking into the ground. This is the time of year when the driveway becomes covered in skating rink style ice -- smooth and slippery. Just before turning in tonight, I looked out the kitchen window and saw a most eerie sight -- fog over the graveyard on the other side of the fence from my backyard. I checked around through other windows and the only place with fog was the graveyard -- not the entire area, just the part closest to my fence and a smaller building beside the stones. While it was likely caused by the temperature change above the snow covering the ground there. Yet, it sill looked a little creepy. I thought this would make a great book title -- Fog over the Graveyard. <grin>

The selection for today is a bit silly, but it fit the day. 

Lundi Gras Night -- Tijonne Reyes

10-50 (19/2/23) -- Hello in There

Sunshine visited today. Temperatures were cooler, but the sun made the day more pleasant. It was a usual weekend day filled with laundry and cleaning chores. I spent some time outside clearing snow and ice off the car. The roof still has some ice that won't budge, but most of the stuff on the windshield and hood was removed. Rain is forecast for tomorrow, so the rest should move off as the temperature rises and rain falls. 

I spent a big part of the afternoon doing online orders. I'm sure shopping in a store, if there was one in town, would be so much easier and quicker. I know -- I sound like the boomer  I am. <sigh>  I just don't think companies should require you to dig through multiple menus each with way too many levels only to end up back at the first page 30 minutes later. Why can't there be an easier way to find a phone number for difficulties encountered when ordering? It would keep customers calmer and save them from yelling at the screen yearning for someone to hear them <grin>. Perhaps I am becoming curmudgeonly <grin>. 

My struggle with finding a phone number to contact a human being for assistance had me thinking of a line of lyric from an older song. The conversation is with an telephone operator -- someone who could help you find phone numbers in the dim distant past <smile>. Keep safe. Enjoy! 

Operator -- Jim Croce

 

 

10-49 (18/2/23) -- Enough Already!

After some light breakfast and a good cup of caffeinated tea, I headed outside ... to shovel ... Again! I had expected a layer of heavy ice pellets, but was met with a considerable amount of snow. This was  light but was about 15ish cm (6ish inches) and a bit deeper in some areas. The plows left some ice and slush at the end of the driveway, but not as much as I expected. I moved this all in two outings, the second to clear the end of the driveway with a smaller shovel.Under all that snow I found a layer of ice (about 1 cm/0.5/ inch) in some places. The porches and sidewalk are covered in a much thinner layer of ice and ice pellets -- thinner but no less slippery <smile>. On the upside, freezing rain and ice pellets accumulation was less than expected. Inside it was the same old Saturday housework. All in all a rather major physical activity day. 

I know that wintery weather didn't really arrive until late January. We did have some larger snowfalls earlier, but they didn't stick around for long. The past 3 weeks have brought cold temperatures and several larger snowfalls that have not disappeared. Rain has been minor and just enough to make the snow heavier to move. In terms of snow, I am so over this. It has been irritating at best. Snow and icy conditions make moving around much more difficult. Whether walking or driving, conditions are less than ideal.  

I've been noticing that even with the frozen precipitation, temperatures are going up and down -- almost in a transitional way. I like to think this means spring is not far off. <smile> I'm holding onto that to get me through the days of shoveling snow or walking on ice. The song today is an homage to that season. The folk sound of this one is somewhat soothing -- something I've needed. <smile>  Keep safe. Enjoy! 

A Lullaby of Spring -- Donavon

10-48 (17/2/23) -- Careful Walk

 Today was another cloudy day with rain. After sundown, the risk of freezing rain increased. Looking out now, the porch rails have a fine coating of ice crystals. It looks like diamonds. Beautiful. The rain seems to continue based on the sound on the roof and porch. This will change over to snow into the overnight, so the risk of freezing rain and ice pellets will hold for the next few hours. 

I went out for one errand -- to pick up some eggs. I tried walking uphill on the sidewalk and there were bits of frozen slush and water from yesterday, so I turned around. walked into the street and walked downhill on the dry pavement. The sidewalkes on level ground were fairly clear. Water running downhill on the sidewalk outside my yard always creates slippery conditions at this time of year. Even if salted, it all runs downhill and doesn't stay put. So, walking alternate routes becomes necessary. I was worried of slipping and aggravating the already sore back. Then I realized I was carrying eggs <grin>. Great day to need a restock. All eggs arrived home without incident.  I don't have plans to go anywhere tomorrow. Sun is expected on Sunday, so that will help to melt any ice that arrives tonight. 

Arriving home with intact eggs reminded me of a song I heard on television a while ago. It makes me smile. The duet provides some good harmonies in this rendition. Keep safe. Enjoy!

Scramble Eggs -- Jimmy Fallon & Paul McCartney

10-47 (16/2/23) -- Black on Black

I walked up to campus in the sunshine and warmth today. Temperature hovered around mid- teens (mid-50s F) this afternoon. The printer cooperated with me today and geve me the documents needed. I got a few other small tasks started, too. That always feels good. Later in the afternoon, I met with a friend for tea and a good chat. It is fun to see each other in person as we often meet virtually. I had to go back to the office as I got home without my sweater. My friend drove me up to retrieve it. Luckily it was in my office and not in the copy room or elsewhere along the hallway. I had been carrying my coat and thought the sweater might have fallen by the wayside as I left the building earlier. It is a black sweater that was lying on a black chair and when I picked up the black coat I assumed the sweater was inside. I may need to add a splash of colour to the wardrobe, eh? <smile> 

A lyric line came to mind about good guys wearing black and not seeing what we think we see <smile>. I share that with you all tonight. Keep safe. Enjoy! 

Men in Black -- Will Smith 

10-46 (15/2/23) -- Back Again

I woke with back pain. It has been a while since it has gotten this sore. I had to move from side to side repeatedly in the night due to sorness radiating down into the upper thigh area. In my dreams, I had been trying to phone the physio and to explain the pain to others. Once awake and moving around, I found that bending forward was not a good idea. A med helped reduce the pain and by mid-afternoon I could touch my toes and the floor without it hurting. I did manage to make an appointment with the physio for the end of the week, so things should beel better by the weekend. 

Often when I have major pain I hear one word of a song over and over in my mind. Today was no different. Now, I do hear the lyric incorrectly. My brain substitutes the word Pain for the main word repeated in the song. The singer makes the word sound like anguish. Keep safe. Enjoy!  

Fame -- David Bowie

10-45 (14/2/23) -- Memory Overload

I shoveled a foot of snow to get to the sidewalk this morning. I called the plow guy to clear the back of the driveway. A second trip to move snow happened when I went out to clear the pile from the end of that plow push. I chose to clear around the side of the house and the back porch. Memories flooded into my mind as I was out shoveling the second time. Unwanted news arrived today. 

I had a phone call when in an appointment and by the time I got home I had 1 missed call, 2 messages and 1 text on cell and two messages on house phone -- an unheard of amount of activity on either phone for a couple of weeks to say nothing of in a single day. Two calls and one voice mail were from my cousin's spouse who called to note that she had passed. The communication he'd requested didn't happen so I never heard of this event until today -- almost a year later. I'm feeling very sad about the news. We were together for most of our childhood, teen years and always chatted as adults. I didn't get my birthday e-mail last fall but then I didn't send her one either. My holiday greetings were Valentine cards, so my contact was late. 

She was part of all but 6 weeks of my life -- and I didn't let her forget that I was older -- when we were much younger, of course. <smile> I recall picking holes in hot loaves of bread at my grandmother's. we were about 3 years old and could just reach the top of the counter where gramma let the loaves cool. My cousin was a force -- a strong female role model for women in science. She told stories much like I do -- in excruciating detail <grin>, and I loved hearing her retelling of events -- often with a helathy dose of sarcasm. Her skill sets were wide and varied. She could fix or build anything needed, made wonderful handiwork and quilting projects, and taught many grad students how to -- and not to -- work in research labs. I loved her laugh -- which was sort of a giggle. She loved animals and many years ago was instrumental in me finding a wonderful cat companion after my other furry friend of 14 years had passed. It is going to take some time to grasp that she is gone. <sigh>

A song for such a day brought a number to mind, but one title and lyric line explained best how I feel today. Keep safe. Enjoy!

Hole in the world -- The Eagles

10-44 (13/2/23) -- Flee the Winter

It has been a cloudy grey day again. we had a bit of sun late afternoon yesterday but clouds returned quickly. The weather forecast indicates a major storm moving north towards us. This evening this should drop 10 cm (4 inches) and another 10 cm (4 in) overnight. In the morning there will be 2-4 cm (1-ish to 2-ish in). So, there will be shoveling in my immediate future. <sigh> I have an appointment in the afternoon tomorrow, so provided others get into town for work, I will likely have to walk to that. The sidewalk and street plows will leave more than I can push at the end of the driveway. I will need to call my plow person who does my drive on his way home after a day of snow removal elsewhere. 

I dislike huge snowfalls.  Two to three cm (1-2 in) is easy to manage, but 15, 20 or 25 cm (6, 8 or 10 in) at a time is crazy. There have been times when we've had well over 35 cm (14 in) with drifting. I've waded out of the yard -- a 100 feet journey -- not being able to  touch the ground, with drifts being over 30 inches (75 cm) deep. The expected storm won't be that bad if  forecasters have the computer modeling correct this time around. I am beginning to dispise the time it takes to clear the snow. It is measured in hours. I have other things I'd like to do to fill my time. <sigh> I noted when chatting with a friend today, that I never quite got why folks back home went south for the winter. Well, I guess I am at that point finally. <smile> 

People who spend an extended time in warmer climes are called snowbirds. That, of course, reminded me of a song made famous by a singer from a couple of hours down the highway. The shared version is a duet with another wonderful voice. Keep safe. Enjoy! 

Snowbird -- Anne Murray ft. Sarah Brightman

10-43 (12/2/23) -- Night Visitor

In the early morning -- very early -- like 1:30 AM -- a great banging noise outside happened twice. It sounded like a garbage bin being tossed around -- or at least what I expect that might sound like <smile>. The second time this occurred, I headed to the front window to see if there was something visible. I expected it to be from the yard next door, but there was no movement outside at all. Later, I thought it could have been my compost bin, so at 2 AM, I put on a parka and boots and went out to check. Indeed, the bin was lying on the ground with the lid open. I put it back in place, which took some effort given the snow piled around that area. The only prints in the snow were from a single deer. The bin sits by the yew tree that these local critters choose to feast on in the winter. Perhaps the bin was blocking access to the choicest of branches. I just hope that this doesn't become a habit. 

When examining the footprints in the daylight today, I wasn't clear what had happened. I recalled that on road trips as kids we'd call the signs noting deer in the area 'dancing deer' since they appeared to be standing on their hind legs. This could be what I was seeing on the ground around the incident. In terms of music, it reminded me of a scene from a movie from the '80s. Perhaps the deer was trying to recreate that scene. <grin> Keep safe. Enjoy! 

Flashdance -- What a Feeling -- Irene Cara

10-42 (11/2/23) -- Non-conformity

I  shoveled again today. About 2-3 inches of light snow arrived by lunch time. Difficulty arose when pushing new snow within the shovel wide walkway made yesterday. The sides had frozen solid, so pushing the snow meant staying in the exact path made yesterdeay -- a difficult task, indeed. 

The whole shoveling procedure had me thinking of the phrase -- colouring inside the lines. It was a challenge to get the task completed due to the constraints of the ice. I have many examples of living life as a non-conformist. I dislike being managed <smile>. Support from others helps a lot, as long as it doesn't move across that line and become a form of directing me, which isn't supportive. I ask for opinions when making decisions, but dislike people telling me what decision I should make. Worse yet, is being told what to do without providing the reasoning behind it. I've always needed to know the 'why' in the 'what'. I prefer to be part of decisions that involve me in some way. I don't need to drive the bus, but I'd like to be part of deciding where we are heading as well as planning the route to get to the destination. 

I guess individuality has been central to me for as long as I can remember. That doesn't mean I'm always contrary. Sometimes I like to be part of a group with a purpose. The lyrics of the selection chosen for today notes that we are different in some ways and similar in others, but individuality plays a major role in the world. Keep safe. Enjoy! 

All Kinds of Kinds -- Miranda Lambert

 

10-41 (10/2/23) -- The Unexpected

Clouds returned overnight. I did see the moon and a few stars last evening, which felt great. The clouds also shared some snow overnight -- forecast was for 2-4 cm and the walkway had closer to 10-15 cm. With the warmer temperatures today, the snow turned heavy and wet. I managed to clear a pathway to the street (about 100 feet), another around the side of the house and both porches. I needed to stop at that point. A second trip out a few hours later helped me to clear the stuff from the street and sidewalk plows and the bit of driveway behind the car. That was somewhat  less work than completed earlier. It needed to be done today due to the colder temperatures expected into tomorrow that will turn it all to immovable ice. 

The mystery of the unprintable pdf from yesterday seems to remain. The Help Desk was able to print a page without issue, so there may have been a weird glitch yesterday. I'll try again when I'm into the office next. If it still dislikes my requests to print, I'll head over to the IT folks and try to figure out what is up with this one file. I've encountered several technology snafus this week. Things shut down once without telling me that the device had to be plugged in -- right in the middle of a virtual visit <sigh>. Several othere small but no less annoying gliches happened with other devices. So, it must be my week. I hope that the gremlins involved head elsewhere now. I've put up with a lot of their nonsense -- some one else's turn. <grin> 

The song choice today is ont about something that can shake up the mundane in life. The snow and the technology issues came out of no where and added something unusual to my day. Surprise can come in many flavours. This song itself is a bit of a surprise given the pop, upbeat sound being sung by someone known for a a decidedly different sound. Another of those unusal things for today <smile>. Keep safe. Enjoy! 

Surprise Surprise -- Bruce Springsteen

10-40 (9/2/23) -- New Shades

Today was a sunny but cooler day. I went to campus to do some work and print a couple of documents. One pdf won't print. Not sure what is up with that, so will need to call the help desk tomorrow to see if they have any suggestions. Other pdfs printed, just not this one. <sigh> I got through a couple of smaller tasks that took much longer than estimated. I headed home for a virtual meeting with a good friend. We had a great talk and catch-up. I ran errands on Main Street at two drug stores -- one for bread from a bakery down the highway and the other for a couple of grocery items and a new pair of sunglasses. I took advantage of the senior's day discount for the sunglasses (the other two items were already on sale so no discount applies). The two sunny days in the past week have been tricky without functional sunglasses. I hope these ones work well for me. Finding a case that they will fit in has been a challenge. I have several but most are not deep enough. The arms are somewhat curved so don't lie flat to fit most of the cases I've gathered over the years. 

Being more active today both cognitively and physically helped me feel a bit more upbeat than the past few days. Missing my planned trip for research and visiting affected me more deeply than I expected. I can plan for alternate travel dates but the petulant 3-year-old inside me is stomping its feet and demanding to be there NOW! <grin> I smiled when looking at the few sunglasses on sale -- smiled because I heard a great lyric line run through my head. <smile> Keep safe. Enjoy! 

Cheap Sunglasses -- ZZ Top 

10-39 (8/2/23) -- Upside of Grey

It was a dismal grey day. I find it odd how the presence or lack of sunshine affects my attitude <sigh>. It was a quiet day with little activity. I find it difficult to be motivated to do household or professional tasks on gloomy days. I had one phone meeting followed by an outing to the post box in the next block, which led to a further stroll through the neighbourhood. The temperature was slightly above freezing, but the wind added to the chill factor. The outing turned into a brisk walk in terms of temperature and pace -- a good physical workout. 

The selection for today refers to the grey zone we often live within. It does this with an upbeat rhythm and melody. It isn't all down and sad like many songs about grey days can be. It has hope. <smile> Besides, I have grey clothes I love and my car is even a charcoal great not full on black <grin>.  Keep safe. Enjoy! 

Fields of Gray -- Bruce Hornsby 

10-38 (7/2/23) -- Shopping Changes

The sun shone brightly today. The arm came off my sunglasses, so it was difficult to see while walking without the glasses. I am one who wears sunglasses on cloudy days -- I'll spare you the long anatomical and physiological explanation <grin>. Thankfully, the car windshield has tint and a visor. I spent much of the afternoon shopping for groceries in three places. Then I walked to the post box in the next block to mail the letter I forgot to mail when out yesterday. So, a productive afternoon, albeit rather expensive. I'm not sure I'll get used to the cost grocery bills over $100 when nothing purchased fit into the what used to be the 'expensive' category. Many items were on sale, and yet that didn't seem to help in the final total. I got six bags worth of stuff, though, so I'll count that as the win for the day. 

I do very little shopping other than groceries and drug store items these days. I wasn't a huge shopper before this, but would look at clothes and books and stuff. I do a bit of online shopping, but that is for necessities more than 'want to have' things. I'm not sure if this is due to inflation or retirement or a combination of the two. I used to go to stores just to look around -- get to know what they had in stock for when a gift might be needed. I don't even do much of that anymore. It is a small town with few stores overall, so that isn't as much of an avoidance as it might be in the larger cities. 

A song line came to mind while shopping today. The lyrics refer to something other than groceries <smile> but work for my thoughts today. Keep safe. Enjoy! 

Shop Around -- Smokey Robinson and the Miracles

10-37 (6/2/23) -- Quake

The day felt warm for a change. Temperatures were above freezing for most of the day. My outing was to the store to pick up three items at the drug store. I didn't turn on the computer at all until the evening for a visit with a dear friend. I didn't really miss it. Perhaps it is good to take a break from some of the screen time.

I was away from the news for most of the day, too. So, when I heard about the massive earthquake in Turkiye and Syria. The original quake seems to have been a magnitued 7.8 with many after shocks ranging from 4.0 to 7.5. Thousands are confirmed dead and the rescue and recovery operations have just begun. I immediatly thought the many families in town from Syria -- they likely have family and friends in the region. The local choclate company has partnered with the Red Cross, with all proceeds from select products going to the relief fund. It is heart wrenching to see the devastation and people outside in the cold winter air. 

The selection today was chosen for its title and the rather unsettling nature of this instrumenta. It ends abruptly since on the album this ran into the next track without a pause. Keep safe. Enjoy!

Fault Line -- Deep Purple

10-36 (5/2/23) -- Going Up?

It was a mainly cloudy day with a bit of sunshine in the morning. Temeratures are more seasonal now with very little wind. I shoveled the snow that had fallen and blown around two days ago. The deeper snow on the car was moved off while it was still feeling light. Tomorrow it may turn slushy and be hearier to move. A neighbour walked by and we had a good chat about the bitterly cold days. She has radiator heat with a smaller wood stove. She set her alarm for every two hours on the coldest night so she chould add fuel to the stove and check on the water lines to ensure things were not freezing. Another friend had a furnace stop functioning so she had to heat only with a wood stove. It has been a wild few days for this region.

While shoveling, I was pondering the grocery bill increases of late. Inflation has made checkout at the stores surprising. Tomorrow milk prices will increase for the third time in a year. This increase still doesn't cover the production costs of dairy farmers. The spin off here is that cheese, yogurt and other dairy products will increase, too. I expect all items to increase at the same time rather than in a week or two as the more expensive milk makes its way through the system. I expect others along the supply chain will be making more money than the farmers. This got me thinking about other price ncreases I've encountered. Package size has caught my eye a lot. "Shrinkflation" has hit many product lines. I generally keep a can or two of ready-to-eat soup on the shelf for emergencies or illness. When I bought a replacement can recently, I noticed the can was narrower and taller than before. Now, psychologically the taller aspect of the can makes it appear to be larger than a shorter can regardless of the diameter. So, I checked the volume. It was a couple ounces less than the former can. Frozen dumplings and samosas kept the same package, but held fewer pieces dropping from 15 to 12. The price increased a bit for each of these food products, too. I got some shampoo and conditioner last week. The shampoo was the same size and bottle as usual, while the conditioner changed to a large toothpaste style tube. The latter looked larger than the bottle, but was 50 mL less. The regular price of these also increased about $2. A moisturizer that I use comes in a bottle in a box. The box remained the same, but the bottle is much smaller. It went from 120 mL to 70 mL. The price increased by $2 per box, too. Other products may alter the quality of the ingredients to keep costs and prices in line. when doing consumer surveys, I always note that I'd like the quality to remain the same but make the package size slightly smaller. It seems that to deal with inflation at the production end package size was reduced and price was increased. Now some of the cost increases come from the higher cost of transporting goods from one place to another. Also, the floods in California affect the supply of fresh produce. With reduced supply and steady demand, princes increase. <sigh> 

A recent survey noted that Canadians felt prices would drop a bit once inflation is reduced. I am not nearly that optomistic. <sigh> I would gladly be proven wrong, though. <smile> The song chosen for today deals with cost of livng increases and unemployment. Recent figures show unemployment rates are dropping and inflation is coming down -- but slowly. Keep safe. Enjoy! 

Cost of Livin' -- Ronnie Dunn 

10-35 (4/2/23) -- Lower and Lower

Mid-morning today the windchill was -42C (-44F). Temperature increased slightly during the day, but winds remained major. I haven't been able to see the thermometer ourside the kitchen window since last evening. The frost on the windows is very thick. It will remain cold overnight and warm as the day progresses tomorrow. Forecasts suggest that the temperature will hover around the freezing point later tomorrow. I remained indoors doing house cleaning chores and laundry. There was a bit of new snow overnight, but that will wait until tomorrow or Monday before I head out to move it off the walkway and clear the snow off the car from the past few days. 

The house has made some loud noises as things contract in the extreme cold. Outer walls and the roof produce the most amazing banging sounds. The local deer chose to visit to eat the yews and insist on getting in behind the bushes. This has them bumping into the side of the house -- yet another loud noise when trying to sleep. 

A line from a song kept running through my mind while checking on windows and water lines. The line comes after the drum solo near the middle of the song and reflected the question I had as I checked the temperature regularly. Beware -- this song has the ability to become an annoying ear worm <smile>. Keep safe. Enjoy! 

Born to Hand Jive -- Sha-Na-Na

10-34 (3/2/23) -- Keeping Warm

Snow fell until mid-afternoon when the wind picked up and temperatures began to drop 2-3 degrees C per hour. I left the house for about 20 minutes to more the snow -- about 10 cm (4 inches). It was very light and easy to move, so spending time outside was minimized. Overnight we expect temperatures to drop to -27C (-16F) with windchills in the range of -35C to -40C (-31F to -40F). We have a weather advisory in place for the cold temperatures and wind chill values. Tomorrow should be slightly warmer, but still with major wind chills. By Sunday, everything will be more seasonal with temperatures closer to the freezing point. 

This is a polar vortex that extends from the arctic region into the southern US. Luckily, it seems to be moving quickly so we won't have this settle in for a week or more as I've experienced when living on the prairies. I will watch the snow tomorrow as it will sparkle and if I went out, the snow would sound squeaky. All are things I grew up, but being in the maritime area for almost 25 years, I've become softer and less willing to deal with mega cold snaps. <smile> Tonight I'll put on the extra winter blanket that is generally in use long before February. I'm also pulling out the sweatshirts, hoodies and sweaters to keep warm. <smile> 

The title of a song intrigued me, so I'm sharing that here today. The title fits with the advancing cold air. The song is interesting with a melody that sticks in my head. Keep safe. Enjoy! 

Sweater Weather -- The Neighborhood

10-33 (2/2/23) -- Mood Elevators

I had a wonderful luncheon with former work colleagues -- three of us have retired. We always have great converations and it has been a few months since we've gotten together. We hope to adopt a monthly meeting time again. Last night I had dinner with a friend at the same restaurant. It has an Indian food special each Wednesday. We were lucky and got the last two servings they'd prepared. It is a popular event and we'd chosen a later meal time so were very lucky. 

Today was sunny when I walked to lunch but clouds mixed with the sunshine by afternoon. I walked to lunch and home. Later I headed out to the drug store for a few good specials and to take advantage of seniors' day. Gotta love a deal, eh? <grin> Snow moving took about a half hour with the inch or so that fell overnight. So, I've done well with my exercise today and yesterday -- lots of walking and small bit of snow to shovel. Getting some physical activity helps with mood -- activity produces endorphins which make us feel better. When there is sunshine at the same time, I think there is a synergistic effect that elevates mood. To me, it just feels better than the grey cloudy days. Walking around the neighbourhood helps one feel connected with the community and nature. Even a short walk can help with one's outlook. Building this type of activity into my daily routine does wonders for my attitude most days. Winter can bring some impediments to walking. Icy walkways don't help with relaxation at all <smile>. So, there are days with something else is needed to adjust a mood. Finding what works for each of us can provide a list of alternates from which to choose. 

I share a song today that is one of several that I can listen to or dance to when I can't get out for a walk. the impact is similar. Keep safe. Enjoy! 

Don't Stop Me Now -- Queen 

 

10-32 (1/2/23) -- Re-Routing

I had a phone meeting and an in-person appointment today. The day was sunny but cool. I walked to the afternoon appointment only to find that I had mixed up the time and was there almost an hour early. <sigh> I wrote some notes for the research project to forward to sites where i will need some asssistance combing the archives -- so the time wasn't wasted. <smile>.  

When at the health centre, I was given a new mask and asked the usual questions -- Do you have any flu symptoms? Have you been in contact with anyone who has COVID? Do you have an appointment? and then the best one -- Do you know where your going? I laughed at that one and said yes I do, but was thinking more broadly than whether or not I could find the necessary office.  Do any of us know where we are headed? I know where I'd like to be heading and can make plans to reach the goal. Yet, there are always obstacles along the way -- road blocks thrown at us by those who seem not to realize the impact their actions may have on others. The necessary problem solving techniquest remind me of finding my way around a city by subway systems when one line is down for repair. There are several ways to transfer between trains to get around the blockage. It might take longer than planned, but one gets to the destination eventually -- just not quite as planned with the original route. This re-routing generally feels good when I complete the travel. It shows I can circumvent the unanticipated roadblocks. I need to remember such incidents when faced with less tangible obstacles. Detours are part of daily life. I'm not sure I notice the lesser changes but I do get very bogged down with the larger ones. 

I heard the first line of a song when I got the question today. The rest of the lyric deals with very different topics, but that first line seemed to fit my pondering today. Keep safe. Enjoy! 

Theme from Mahogany  (Do You Know Where You're Going To) -- Diana Ross

10-31 (31/1/23) -- Snow & Disruptions

Today began abruptly with an emergency alarm on the phone noting that the 911 system was down in the probince. The text of the message gave alternate phone numbers to call depending on where we were located. About two hours later another alarm was sent to inform us of the restoratcion of service. Another message later in the day noted that some places did not have service restored and that the alternate numbers shold be use for those areas. When the evening news covered the service loss, I learned that it wasn't just the provice but the two other Atlantic provices, too. 

A summons to jury duty messed up my research and personal travel plans for this week. I found out today that jury selection was canceled for the February call. I'm not sure when things will fit together to rebook the travel -- sooner than later I hope. 

My afternoon outing involved shoveling more snow. Most was fairly light. It took about an hour to clear -- going slowly and pausing along the way. The expected about 10 cm (4 inches) but it was closer to 15 cm (6 inches) or more. At least the temperature was not very cold and there was almost no wind. A song about snow came to mind today. I enjoy the harmonies in this one -- great voices. Keep safe. Enjoy! 

Snow -- Bing Crosby, Rosemary Clooney, Danny Kaye & Vera-Ellen (from White Christmas movie) 

 

-- song about shoveling snow