Life and Times

Shyness

2010-07-28T09:18:00.001-04:00

I told my counselor that I think Jeremy and Melinda are quite shy. She asked me where they got that from. I've always considered Carmen the more outgoing of the two of us so I had to say myself. I have to make an effort to interact with others. Over the years, various things stimulated me to be less introverted. My Grade 5 teacher made a surprising comment in my final report card about

If time could move backwards

2010-03-12T18:55:00.001-05:00

If time could move backwards. Carmen said she had a dream where time ran backwards.I’ve moved my home office upstairs because I can’t seem to hear Carmen calling from the first floor anymore. And she seems to have forgotten how to use the Intercom feature on our cordless phones. I’m in the back room. And as I reflect, I remember having my first computer in this back room before Melinda was

Percé Quebec

2009-08-22T18:50:00.009-04:00

An island with a hole at the end of the Gaspe. Seemingly quite remote but there is quite a large tourist crowd in Percé. In midtown it is pay parking only. The first two nights we stayed at a motel just outside the midtown so we got to know where the free parking was and it's really only a 5 minute walk to go to the wharf.The boat tour to Bonadventure Island is really worthwhile. The Northern

The Ride

2009-06-19T01:06:00.004-04:00

Riding the second year in the Ride to Conquer Cancer (Ontario) 2009 was a lot more relaxing than last year. The first year I was a little stressed about how I’d handle it. I paced myself and was generally cautious. This year I just burned out. I got to the finish line by 1 pm (beat last year by an hour). Part of the reason for that is the lunch arrived on Day 2 frozen. Really frozen solid.

CBC - The Brain

2009-01-22T08:13:00.004-05:00

I'm always listen to CBC when I want to hear new ideas and stimulate the brain. My laptop has CBC.ca as home page but I rarely go any further than the current news. Here's an interesting one they had posted on their "The Hour" Blog:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbASOcqc1Ss

Nanotechnology

2009-01-10T09:21:00.004-05:00

An interesting series on Nanotechnology.http://www.thestar.com/sciencetech http://www.thestar.com/sciencetech/article/563790It confirms some of the environmental concerns that I have had and raises others. Did you know that companies have stopped listing whether their products contain nanoparticles? Nanoparticales are known to never breakdown.

Working the Rotary TV Auction

2008-11-23T14:48:00.002-05:00

How could the journey Be finished? Mine was one without Destinations For if my search was over Maybe life was also over. Yet the thread of the past Seemed

Nanotechnology Safety

2006-07-10T10:05:00.000-04:00

I`ve questioned the safety of nanotech products to others. Nanotech makes things that are only 4-400 atoms thick.A Google seacrch of "Nanotech fibres" and "nanotech cosmetics" yields many articles that explain and question product safety.http://www.etcgroup.org/article.asp?newsid=516http://www.rediff.com/money/2004/jul/03perfin.htmThese products are much smaller than human cells. One thing I

Line Dance The Great Big Party June 23-25/06

2006-06-28T00:56:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, I couldn't write about The Great Big Party in Toronto over theweekend because I had PWD (Post Workshop Depression). It's that withdrawalyou feel after spending 3 days with two dance floors available with alwayssomething playing or something being taught. So many familiar faces andsmiles as we sway, step, slide and bop to the music.Adele Plantamura did an amazing job organising and

Life

2006-06-15T13:42:00.000-04:00

May I say that I consider it irresponsible that a doctor would say 24 hoursuntil you die. Medicine is not that precise an art. I recently lost my Aunt inOttawa she spent 6 weeks in the hospital on oxygen and was unconscious forthe last 24 hours. We die because we loose Hope.The human mind is immensely powerful at healing the body. That is why alldrugs studies are blind. The placebo effect is

Line Dance Event Review JG2 June 1-4/06

2006-06-06T11:50:00.000-04:00

First time at JG2.I always appreciate hearing about LD events in Carol's newsletter, especially to know what ones to consider attending in the future. JG2 is in their 13th year. It's easy to understand why it's an enduring event. Everything ran smoothly from the demos, competitions, shows, costume parade and lots of open dance time in multiple rooms. James and Jean ask choreographers to bring

Book Review

2006-05-30T09:50:00.000-04:00

A Short History of Progress by Ronald Wright Ronald is a Historian and documents the rise and fall of specific civilisations and cultures with regard to today's society. He warns of a impending limit to growth or "Dark Age" ahead similar in message to Jane Jacobs. Failed civilisations that he

Education

2006-05-05T09:52:00.000-04:00

Originally posted elsewhere in 2004, re-posted in honour of her passing:Jane Jacobs writes in "Dark Age Ahead" that education has becomecredentialing. Rather than teaching people critical thinking skills,guiding people to where they can excel and exhibit creativity.Graduation from college or univeristy merely becomes an admissionticket to be eligible for the workplace. Likewise, high school

Canadian Born Chinese

2006-01-26T09:42:00.000-05:00

I guess I am a rare breed of Canadian Born Chinese. It was lucky that my father's mother came to Canada before Head Tax. My mother's father had to pay the $500 for his wife to come. This was a small fortune in 1921. Between 1923 and 1947, the Exclusion Act prevented all Chinese immigration. Many Chinese men were stuck here unable to get a wife and unable to return home during the rise of

Tribute

2006-01-24T12:52:00.000-05:00

The long silver strands of our lives branch out and touch each other's lives. It is sometimes surprising where our roots find fertile ground and flourish. Yet all our growth can be bounded or unbounded. We can see beginnings and endings. We can limit our growth within boundaries, within walls and borders. Yet we should seek opportunity. Where there is no fertile ground or ground that bears

Death Notice

2006-01-03T18:57:00.000-05:00

LEE, Alice Mah (born Mah Fun Yuen Hep Chong) January 26, 1916 - December 29, 2005 Peacefully at the General Hospital on Thursday, December 29, 2005, in her 90th year. Born in Cranbrook, B.C. Beloved sister of the late William and Henry Mah and sister-in-law to Mary. Much loved aunt to Diane, Edith, Eric, Robert, Joane, Elizabeth and Wayne. Friends may visit at the Central Chapel of Hulse,

My Aunt Alice

2005-12-28T13:35:00.000-05:00

Dear Friend, I am writing to you on behalf of Alice Mah Lee. I am her nephew and next-of-kin. She has been in the hospital for the last 6 weeks (Ottawa General). She is in stable condition but quite frail and unable to continue alone in her apartment. We have applied for the Glebe Centre, a long term care facility.