Sunday, March 28, 2004
Trust
I recently experienced a dying car battery. I needed to ask complete strangers for a boost. Well first of all if you have starting problems always carry booster cables and back into the parking spot.
With recent news of violence and shootings, I thought I might have trouble getting people to help. The first place was Scarborough Town Centre. With lots of shoppers, there was many to ask. I tried to ask people who were with others so they wouldn’t feel threatened. A black couple helped me out. The second place was a little more difficult. It was a long term care facility (nursing home). There were not many people in the parking lot. However, first person I waved down did stop. It was a woman by herself in the car. She may have had second thoughts after she popped her hood. Anyway, I had the hood open by the time she got out of the car. I just hooked up, got going, thanked her profusely and we were on our way. Funny how our first instinct is to help someone. Our response of distrust and suspicion are learned, fanned by the media and urban myths.
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With recent news of violence and shootings, I thought I might have trouble getting people to help. The first place was Scarborough Town Centre. With lots of shoppers, there was many to ask. I tried to ask people who were with others so they wouldn’t feel threatened. A black couple helped me out. The second place was a little more difficult. It was a long term care facility (nursing home). There were not many people in the parking lot. However, first person I waved down did stop. It was a woman by herself in the car. She may have had second thoughts after she popped her hood. Anyway, I had the hood open by the time she got out of the car. I just hooked up, got going, thanked her profusely and we were on our way. Funny how our first instinct is to help someone. Our response of distrust and suspicion are learned, fanned by the media and urban myths.
Sunday, March 14, 2004
Young Love
I don't often read fiction books. Maybe a few a year.
I had picked a few new releases from the on line Library catalog to have a look at.
I ended up reading Linda Newbery, "The Shell House"
It's targetted to at teen fiction audience but it stirred ideas, events, memories and people I knew when I was a teenager. I could identify with the main character; the strong emotions and new feelings, the search for life's options, evaluating religion, first love, fitting in and not fitting in. Basic human emotions and experiences are somewhat universal even though the setting is in the UK.
The events in the book brought it very much up to date: Use of the Internet and email, dealing with gay relationships.
The one bone I have to pick is the ending is a non-ending. It seems every author needs to write books to lead up into a sequel. Maybe I'm old fashioned but I like a sense of resolution and completion to the main areas of interest. Too many of these are left hanging in this book.
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I had picked a few new releases from the on line Library catalog to have a look at.
I ended up reading Linda Newbery, "The Shell House"
It's targetted to at teen fiction audience but it stirred ideas, events, memories and people I knew when I was a teenager. I could identify with the main character; the strong emotions and new feelings, the search for life's options, evaluating religion, first love, fitting in and not fitting in. Basic human emotions and experiences are somewhat universal even though the setting is in the UK.
The events in the book brought it very much up to date: Use of the Internet and email, dealing with gay relationships.
The one bone I have to pick is the ending is a non-ending. It seems every author needs to write books to lead up into a sequel. Maybe I'm old fashioned but I like a sense of resolution and completion to the main areas of interest. Too many of these are left hanging in this book.
