Day 2-52 -- Infiltrative Thoughts

Today seems to be one of those days when sad thoughts infiltrate the mind. A couple things likely set off this train of thoughts that just ferreted its way in. I'm tired of many things from winter to regular frustrations to the (real) pain in my neck. <smile>  Perhaps this is the January blues showing up a bit late --I seem to feel behind in many tasks, so maybe this one got shoved to the side and is now demanding attention.

Thoughts that I would rather ignore find their way into the front of my mind -- often when I least expect them. In the grand scheme of life, these are not huge things, but they do create several negative feelings. I focused on some grading most of the day, which helped me to push the other thoughts out of the centre  space they were vying for.  I walked to do some cat care for a travelling friend and the ice on the hilly sidewalks demanded all of my attention. Often walking helps me to remove the stressful thoughts, but this walk brought in new srtesses <smile>. Knowing that more rain and snow is expected over the next 2 days and again mid-week is just more than I care to ponder.  I guess the bottom line is that I am just tired physically and mentally --either that or I'm becoming a curmudgeon. <smile>

The song that came to me today discusses a painful feeling -- one caused by the thought of a person. The lyrics fit well with the infiltrative thoughts experienced in my day. The singers work well together. Enjoy!

Here Come Those Tears Again -- Jackson Browne ft. Bonnie Raitt

Day - 2-51 -- Ice, ice, everywhere

Today was the end of a long week, even though it was only four days in the office. So much happening all at once creates a frenzied feeling. There is a lot to complete in the coming week when we have no classes.

The sun shone all day with bright blue skies. The freezing rain that occurred overnight left the ground covered in a slick layer of ice. Even with warmer temperatures and sunshine, the rain left the slushy piles of yesterday as solid, slippery mounds today. Hand rails on stairs on campus were covered and gave little support to anyone hoping for something to steady their assent. Walking today was compounded by a major wind that pushed me off my intended path -- that well chosen and thought out route across an icy expanse. Extra salt in some places provided some slushy areas for the walk home. These areas allowed walkers to relax briefly and breathe before traversing the next section of ice. It reminded me of driving the east-west Trans-Canada in southern Saskatchewan in the winter. The small tree breaks on the north and south sides of the road led to areas where ground drifting was eliminated for a couple car lengths. I found this helped to relax, breathe, and reposition before the next area of drifting. So, as silly as some people think the small trees are, they do the job for which they were intended.

Today's selection ran through my head as the wind chilled my cheeks and threatened to blow my toque off my head. The relentless keyboard back beat reflects the never-ending winter weather issues. It can create a feeling of anxiety if one concentrates on it too much. The title and chorus lyrics definitely reflect an aspect of this particular winter. Enjoy!

Cold as Ice -- Foreigner

Day 2-50 -- celebrations, crowds and ruminants

An auspicious day today -- it is lunar new year and my mother's birthday -- The Year of the Sheep or the Year of the Goat, depending on what you read. I've been told the traditional greeting translated from the original Chinese does not mean Happy New Year, but something akin to "congratulations on becoming wealthy."  That is a good wish -- to have as much as one needs.

I've been in Hong Kong on Lunar New Year before.It was the year of the Horse and the decorations in the city had been amazing. The shopping district was wall to wall people. Hundreds and hundreds of people crossing at the lights.We held onto each others coats to ensure the four of us were not separated. It was a wild experience for someone who hasn't lived anywhere nearly as large as that city. On New Year's Eve Day the whole city seemed to be out shopping for new clothes, household goods, and fresh flowers. The crowds there were nothing compared to what we encountered at the airport the next morning. This is a major four day holiday and everything shuts down as people go to visit family. Flights are generally over-booked as was our flight. We stood firm and refused to be shunted to a different airline with very different routing and arrival times in Vancouver. The flight itself was bizarre, with flight attendants in the galley for 9 hours of a 10 hour flight, totally ignoring the passengers. Another interesting life experience everyone should try -- but just once <smile>.

I expect that everyone feels lost in a crowd every once in a while.  Its a sort of anonymity among many even if they are people who know you. Maybe it is more like feeling ordinary or shunned. It may be an almost lonely feeling that can be very fleeting, but it can settle in for a nano-second every now and then. Sometimes it involves a moment of anxiety or panic, but just a tiny moment. Then before you have time to fully grasp the breadth of the event, it is over, much like our experiences crossing those streets years ago. Perhaps it is a reminder to choose not to go with the flow -- sheep mentality <smile>. So -- today the song of choice mentions a line that I've thought of often. It is a simple song, but very effective.  Enjoy!

A Face in the Crowd -- Tom Petty

Day 2-49 -- Little changes making big waves

How many Mondays can there be in a week that had a holiday Monday? Tuesday had several odd occurrences and seemed non-stop from waking until sleep. Today seemed worse <smile>. Several typos were discovered during a midterm exam -- granted I had a major headache the day I wrote it and proof reading failed me then, too. For the first time in 16 years of examinations, several had errors from printing -- great black swaths running from top to bottom of random pages.  That created further stress in the exam room.  We managed and most gave me a smile as they left. Now that may be out of pity, but today, I'll take it and hope the exam tomorrow goes more smoothly.

It is interesting that a long weekend can be so disorienting. Perhaps it is a result of the holiday after a number of snow days. We must be greater creatures of habit than we wish to recognize. When thinking of this, I realized that changing my surroundings - like moving things from one place to another can create some frustration. For years my jewellery has sat on the dresser top in the original little boxes. I've wanted a wooden jewellery box, but have never found the style and size that would work best. Instead I purchased three nesting boxes made of bamboo. A couple of weeks ago, I put all the little boxes inside the three new boxes and artistically stacked these three on the side of the dresser.  Not seeing all the little boxes seems to remove them from my mind and I find that I'm going to work without bracelets or broaches more often than not. I do know that my personality type does need to see things. If I put papers in a file in the filing cabinet, it is like they no longer exist. I've read that having file folders in stacking cubes or something similar would make them much more usable -- all because I can see them.  This may be the reason I have piles of files out in the open so often and deal well with chronologically piled papers and journals. It does mean the office has that absent-minded professor look to it -- papers piled everywhere. It also means that I would have a high score for the clutter-blindness scale (a real thing -- really). I just fear someone will call that show about hoarders <smile>.

Today's selection deals with change through intriguing lyrics and an artistic video. Enjoy!

Everything Changes -- Julian Lennon

Day 2-48 -- Laissez le bon temps rouler!!

It seems at work all brains need a major break -- some very silly questions received today and we're all making silly errors.  Reading week is next week but this week is still midterm week.  We will all survive with few disruptions -- no disruptions actually would be my goal. <smile>

When I finally got home today, there was no question about what to make for supper -- it is Shrove Tuesday -- so it was pancakes. Well, to be technically correct -- pancake. One large cranberry pancake folded with a filling of spiced apple sauce and topping of melted creamed honey.  Very yummy. It is fun to have breakfast at supper. <smile> My other choices were blueberry pancake with maple syrup or corn & cormeal pancake with maple syrup.  The syrup, blueberries and cranberries are all relatively local -- within an hour of home for the cranberries and the other are about 10 minutes outside of town -- 20 minutes from the house. So, today I went local.  As I came home, the Knights of Columbus hall had many cars arriving, so there must be a pancake supper there, too.

While I grew up calling this Shrove Tuesday, it is also Mardi Gras.  I love New Orleans, but I don't think you could get me into those parade crowds for anything. Parades begin around Epiphany with different krews presenting their king and queen. It all ends with the grand Rex (king) arriving by boat on the Mississippi into the French Quarter. This occurs on Monday, so is called Lundi Gras (we ate red beans and rice with greens at home last night). Tuesday has a big parade for Mardi Gras -- a day for beignets and king cake and all things purple, green and gold. It is the day before Ash Wednesday and the beginning of the lent season, which often is marked by fasting and self-denial.

The song today is a cover of one made famous by Professor Longhair. The singer is another prominent New Orleanian. Enjoy!

Go to the Mardi Gras -- Fats Domino

Day 2-47 -- Stormy Holiday Monday

Very strong winds blew snow about all night long and are still audible outside my windows. I moved more snow today, but far less than others in the maritimes have encountered. We also had a reasonable amount of rain yesterday, but haven't seen quite the same degree of flooding as elsewhere in the province. It is a long weekend, so while many businesses were closed due to road and visibility problems, there were no school closures due to weather today. The campus is closed, but classes and offices had not been planned due to the holiday.

Today marks the first time for a new provincial holiday in Nova Scotia -- Heritage Day. The honoree chosen for this inaugural year is Viola Desmond.  A Canadian stamp issued earlier also honoured her active protest for equal rights for African Canadians. In November 1946, this woman was travelling from Halifax to Sidney for business. Her car broke down and while it was being fixed she went to the local movie theatre. She tried to buy a ticket to sit on the main floor, but was refused. It seemed that persons of colour were relegated to the balcony seats only albeit at a 10 cent price reduction.  She still chose to sit on the main floor. This protest led to her being taken to jail overnight and subsequently convicted of defrauding the province of 1 cent tax that would have been included in the price of a main floor ticket. She was given the choice to pay a fine of $26 or go to jail for 30 days. Desmond ran a beauty school and could not abandon her work, so paid the fine. It was 2010 before a pardon was provided (posthumously) due to the unfair treatment she received in the courts based on her colour. Desmond's protest occurred before Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a bus in the US. Both women showed courage in pointing out that the practices in place at the times were unfair.

Only one song came to mind to fit the Heritage Day honoree and those like her -- a simple lyric and melody that speak to the hope behind such advocacy. Enjoy!

We Shall Not be Moved -- Mavis Staples

Day 2-46 -- Horizontal Snow and Waving Flags

Horizontal snow flew past the windows for most of the morning. Once it became less thick out there, I went to move the snow off the porches and stairs. The rain began once I started moving snow. I'd wanted to get the snow moved before it became slush. There is a flash freeze warning and that would be a terrible mess.  The snow was heavy and wet and got wetter as I moved it around for 40 minutes.  It was perfect snowman snow,  When I came in, my jacket was soaking wet. It is an interesting experience -- the coat gets heavier and heavier as one shovels. <smile>.

The winds today were major this morning and then died back a bit but still with hefty gusts. It would be a great day for flying kites. It has been a perfect day for flags, too. A good thing, since today is the 50th anniversary of the red and white maple leaf flag of Canada. Prior to adopting this flag, Canada flew a red ensign with the 'Union Jack' in the upper left corner and the shield from the Canadian coat of arms. This naval flag was widely used despite the Union flag being the official flag of Canada. This all changed in 1965 when, after heated debate, the red and white maple leaf became our national flag. It is an interesting story of politics and emotion that is well worth reading.

A teacher from an elementary school in Kitchener, ON wrote a new song for the occasion. It was recorded with the teacher and the school choir. The video is delightful. Enjoy!

Canadian Flag Waver -- Stephen Bergen and Smithson Public School students