If you love something, let it free...

Well the news is out, so I guess I can blog about it.

Last night was emotional - with Howard being so sick and everyone being so afraid for him there were many different feelings people were having. The many different feelings conflict, not complement, and it makes it hard sometimes to define how one feels about the whole thing.

Howard has been sad, devastated even, since his partner Mavis died in July. When we were here in July, looking for a home Duncan and I watched them swim together, happy. When I returned I saw a very different Dolphin, an alone dolphin. Harold obviously missed Mavis. I can relate to how that might feel.

But he hasn't been well since, and this weekend it got much worse. As I have come to know Howard, and spent several late night breaks with him, just me and him in the nighttime quiet of a super huge mall, I have grown fond of him, attached even, as selfish as that might be. I have marvelled at the absolute dedication of his four trainers, who have spent so much extra time with him trying to make him feel better, even to the point of sleeping beside him all night long when he was lonely. He is not just a dolphin, he is Howard. But Howard needs a friend. And it does seem wrong, at some level, to have him cooped up in a tank.

As I watched last night the huge effort of getting him into the smaller dolphin tank, the greatest emotions I felt were fear and sadness - that this was the end... that I was witnessing the pinnacle of a steady decline that could only end one way. I have wanted to feel hope but maybe I am being pessimistic so as not to fool myself. Regardless, if letting Howard go to another Zoo is what he needs to pull through this, then we need to let him go, and fast. But then again, that might not be what he wants either. A tank is a tank, is a tank...

When I was a kid, I remember playing far out in the ocean, on a clear summers day when the tide was so far out - swimming around in the water and all of a sudden there were dolphins... dolphins everywhere. They actually seemed excited to be swimming around with me rather then I them! I was captivated. It was magical. I was in love! Wild Dolphins like to share themselves with people. They are amazing and curious creatures. I also remember one Christmas on the ferry to the Mainland a bunch of Dolphins escorted our ship for a ways, jumping high out of the water beside us - higher then I have ever seen any captive Dolphin jump. As a child growing up on the coast I have witnessed and been touched by the spirits and hearts of these animals. It hasbecome part of who I have become.

Perhaps some spirits were never meant to be held captive. Us humans sometimes have a way of forgetting this.

On my Dare List, I had listed one of my future goals to be swimming with the Dolphins in the Bahamas, sort of a trip I had planned out in my mind a while back. But knowing what I know now, I will take that off my list - I have already swam with Dolphins, in a more touching and sweet experience then one could ever have in an artificial environment. Nothing could ever top this memory, and I would rather not be party to the prolonged captivity of a creature who needs to live life free.

My Blog ate my homework...

Sooooooooooooo tired.

It is sometimes funny the extent to which one's brain attempts to portray itself in the dreamworld even though I am awake. Atleast, I think I am awake... It is like my minds own personal protest at being made to work 12 hours straight through the night with little or no sleep the night before.

Work was so boring last night the Edmonton Police phoned me just to chat. They apparently hadn't had a call come in either, for four whole hours. It's harder when it isn't busy, but I play Pokemon (Ruby) when its slow, so it is mostly all good. Sad news at work though, Howard is very sick. I don't know how much I am allowed to say here yet, so I will just plead inate ramblings of a sleep deprived woman and hope as I go to sleep that everything is better tonight.

My Friendster...

At the end of the summer I decided to try Friendster, seeing that it was a big deal with the online community, and I guess I didn't want to feel left out... I have neglected it, alot, recently, but it has been interesting, and sometimes even fun.

I am now connected to *235,987 people* in my Personal Network, through 19 friends. I'm always up for new friends, so if you wanna add me, use alliesmyth@hotmail.com!

Where in the world is Cecilia Zhang ?

The journalist/parent in me suspects there is more to this story then is in the media - but regardless, if you see this girl, or know of her whereabouts, or have any information on the case, call 416-808-8390 from Toronto, or 1-800-222-TIPS throughout Ontario, or contact your own local law authorities.

Someone knows where this girl is. Someone always knows. She is not where she is supposed to be.

Read the Original Press Release here.

Providence or coincidence?

Ever hear someone say "if god doesn't like it let him strike me down right now," and feel the urge to step away, just in case?

If I was Mel Gibson right now, I'd be doing some serious soul searching about my role in this new Jesus flick. Not even Martin Scorsese was hit by lightening whilst filming the Last Temptation...

Thinking of changing comment systems...

Enetation seems to be losing my comments. I am thinking of changing systems. Any suggestions?

The Perfect Storm?

One dynamic area of the sun has recently produced an Earth Directed CME (coronal mass ejection), and another area is currently erupting. This G-3 (moderate-strong) geo-magnetic storm should reach Earth by Friday, October 24.

HOLY SPACE STORMS, BATMAN... THAT'S...

TODAY!!!

"It's somewhat unusual to have this much activity when we're approximately three-and-a-half years past solar maximum," said Larry Combs (a forecaster with the NOAA Space Environment Center's Space Weather Operations), adding "In fact, just last week, solar activity was very low with an almost spotless sun."

So what's happening now then, Larry? (cue Twilight Zone music)

"[Well Allie], like anything in nature, sometimes [solar activities] don't act like we expect them to".

I see. What then, if anything, does that mean for my weekend... my first real weekend off since I started working?

Normal space storm disruptive stuff, like mass power outages, communication blackouts, satellite damages, airline navigation system failures, the dreaded interruption of the internet... but most excitingly...

THE NORTHERN LIGHTS!

NASA's Space Weather Web site is predicting that Aurora's from this storm might be visible as far south as Oregon and Illinois in North America. It's like a big surprise party thrown by the sun! I am enthralled. I am hoping for clear skies for this weekend. I love the Northern Lights!

AND... atleast it's not an earth directed asteroid... breaks into a rendition of "Always look on the bright side of life..."

Once Upon a Time ...

I thanked my friend for letting me know, and gently placed the phone back in its receiver.

I knew in my heart she was already dead.

I paused briefly as a surge of memories rushed through my head. Her young smile. Her wedding, her beautiful dress. Her playing with her children. The way she would stand with her hands on her hips. The way her hand felt in mine. The way she would look at everyone with love. How much she wanted to make a difference in this world.

I picked up the phone to dial the number for my sister in England. It was very early in the morning there, I would be the first to break the news to her.

"Oh my god" she gasped. "They killed her".

No more words were necessary, nor offered. Indeed, those very words resonated someplace in my soul, someplace that didn't want to accept this horrid reality as a mere accident. The unfairness and cruelty of it all better denied lest it become overwhelming. I was unable to disagree with my sister that night, and that doubt, that nagging betrayal, has stayed with me even to this day.

As I watched the events unfold on my neighbours' TV that night, shock dulled the sting that would eventually follow. Reports attempted to offer the world hope, but I shook my head sadly and said "She's already dead..."

Princesses are supposed to have fairytale lives. Princesses are supposed to live happily ever after, loved by those around her, admired from afar.

My Princess was dead... And it wasn't pretty.

In many ways, Diana was MY Princess, belonging very much to MY generation, and her death rocked me. Not just because I am British, or a royalist, or even that I had actually met her (she was an amazing inspiration to me).

In the end, it was the grand unfairness of it all. The sense that some underlying evil had been invoked, and as a result the happiness she seemed just about to obtain, the very happiness the world felt she deserved, was ripped from her prematurely and irrecoverably.

And still years later, the feeling, the suspicion, lingers, unanswered.

And now, today, I read in the paper that Diana's own fears and suspicions may now spark an inquiry into her death. Part of me is not sure if or what I want to know, and the other part knows that only that answer will ever fill the void left by such a travesty.

Yet, the fairy tale needs an ending...

Sometimes it's all about perception...

"...Oh my darling, I love you, And I always will... Love me Tender... Love me true... All my dreams fullfilled..."

Elvis music playing softly in the background, freshly made coffee, the wondorous aroma of an eggs benedict meal cooking, the morning papers, and my most special bestest friend...

Who would have thought 6:30 am could look so good?

6, 300, 675, 000 People on this planet...

And yet we still managed to find each other!

*dreamy smiles*

Pure Fate. Rare Connection. Eternal Love... and...

Choices... Choices... Choices... and more Choices...

How am I ever gonna decide on my own?

CALLING ALL GIRLFRIENDS EVERYWHERE! This is an emergency broadcast of the Emergency Girlfriend System... I need help!

Wiggle your toes!

Determination. It is a gift we give ourselves, the moral fortitude to make it through anything and come out better for it on the other side.

Well, truth be told, it wasn't like my day yesterday was so awful that I was actually upset with it (never fear). But I did have a mild fascination with how the things I had planned, happened, but seemed to do so on their own volition at times. I don't often have days like that, and I don't remember the last one - but I was still bound and determined for it not to happen again.

And for my determiniation I was rewarded with a wonderful day! I slept in (sort of, I mean I came home and slept for four hours). Duncan woke me up to go and see KILL BILL with him. Very good movie. Again, about determination. The way the movie is directed and the action presented is amazing, but I will blog about that another day. We brought home food for the kids, and then we all headed over to Galaxy Land at West Edmonton Mall. I went on many rides with Duncan... all of them I think, except for the Space Shot, but we are likely going on that one the next weekend we have together, just us. I will post something another day about that Roller Coaster. It deserves it's own post.

To touch off a perfect evening, we each got a cone of delato ice cream (low in fat!) to eat as we walked home together, enjoying the warm fall evening. As soon as kids are sleeping, Duncan and I are going to watch the Matrix Reloaded.

Determination is a wonderful thing. I am determined to have a lifetime of wonderfully perfect days, and I can put up with the occasional off day in order to provide appreciation for the good!

Wiggle your toes!

Allie and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.

When author Judith Viorst wrote "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day" she wrote it not for kids, but for all of us who suffer days like mine today. See, Alexander's not really having a bad day, persee, and there is nothing really wrong with his life, it's just "one of those days".

Alexander's day starts when he wakes up with gum in his hair. At breakfast, Alexander's brothers Nick and Anthony find amazing prizes in their cereal, while all Alexander ends up with is, well, cereal. The situation gets worse at school when his teacher doesn't understand him, he visits the dentist only to discover he has a cavity, and his Mom buys him shoes he hates cause the ones he likes aren't in stock. His brothers push him around until he finally pushes back, but then he is the only one his Mother catches. A visit to his Dad's workplace incurs him the wrath of his father (not to mention he seems to upset all the papers and office equiptment without really trying). If I remember correctly somewhere in the story the ice cream falls off his ice cream cone and rolls into the dirt. For dinner it is the only meal in the world he despises, his PJ's are all wrong, and the cat wont sleep in his room.

Alexander, in all his wisdom, surmises that since in Australia, everything is upside down, maybe his terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day would become a wonderful, terrific, really good day, and he decides he will move to Australia.

Today I got up early with Duncan to make him coffee so he could get to an early meeting. I succeeded, but I forgot to make the kids lunch for school. I was actually shooing them out the door before I realized. I wanted to celebrate my first paycheque so I took Duncan out for lunch and bought everyone some presents. That fish tank Raven wanted got real heavy after some time and my arms still hurt. I tried to nap when I got home, since I have to work a stupid event tonight, all night long, but I couldn't sleep, and even if I had my ex still phoned and woke me up. I am tired already. I planned a special dinner and got take out ready to be delivered when Duncan was soposed to arrive home. Five minutes after dinner arrives, Duncan phones and says he has to stay late to finish some work. He wont get home now before I have to leave, which is in ten minutes (and for anyone paying attention I don't really want to go). Did I mention I am tired? Sigh. It's just one of those days, I guess.

I think I will move to Australia.

Protecting Marriage from its Defenders since February 2003!

Well, I guess, when I first decided to blog, I was going to blog about the UN support of the american resolution, how they had sold out Iraq and okay'd an american occupation... with a surprising 12-0 vote total, even. But surfing around this afternoon, I have found myself a new rant.

In a recent speech proclamating October 12-18 to be MARRIAGE PROTECTION WEEK, President Bush stated:

"To encourage marriage and promote the well-being of children, I have proposed a healthy marriage initiative to help couples develop the skills and knowledge to form and sustain healthy marriages. Research has shown that, on average, children raised in households headed by married parents fare better than children who grow up in other family structures... By supporting responsible child-rearing and strong families, my Administration is seeking to ensure that every child can grow up in a safe and loving home".

The politics of american administration(s) have always been religiously christain, right and based on such prejudices. This has been made clear, in more ways then one, for time immorial... I am not sure how a nation, that soposedly supports individuality, claims to be a bastion of freedom, and pretends to support a persons right to choices, can be so fundamentally homophobic...

I support same sex marriage.

I support lasting bonds of friendship and marriage. But more importantly, I support the right for all to people to enjoy equality, and this HAS TO mean that they share the same rights as everyone else.

I reject government sponsored exclusion. Of anyone.

I reject the notion that my rights and freedoms can be valued more highly then those of another human being's. I believe that if rights and freedoms arent supported equally and defended as such then at some future point I can expect my rights and freedoms to be removed from me as well.

I believe that individual preference should govern the make up of an intimate, marital relationship. How I choose to define my sexual friendship with my chosen and trusted partner is important to the type of relationship I want to have with him, and how I chose to share my life with him. That is significantly more important to my overall personal commitment than some state governed definition of what marriage is, or is soposed to be. Ask anyone who has been divorced what the actual institution of marriage means to them.

I can tell you. It means nothing, really. What means anything at all is how two people feel about each other, and how they express their love and need to be together and share their life in a meaningful way. Marriage has to be defined between the two people who are themselves inherently involved for it to mean anything. A slip of paper does not a marriage make.

However, for the time being, we all must submit to being licensed in marriage. Any so called democratic government should extend that right of licensure to all it's citizens. It is what is fair. It is not the start of a slippery slope.

For the fundamentalist religious right christians out there among you, who may wish to suggest that traditional marriage is a sacrament and anything else is an abomination in the eyes of your righteous god, go read your precious New Testament. It doesn't cite homosexuality as being a sin, and Jesus himself, who is not portrayed as married in the story, is recorded as certainly encouraging people NOT to get married, at all.

Maybe you should/could/would start paying attention to the suggestions of acceptance and message of unconditional love that Jesus preached and believed in (and likely died for), but somehow failed to get through the notions of human selfishness and greed.

"In my fathers house there are many rooms", said Jesus. "If it were not so, I would have told you." (JOHN 14:2). A place for everyone. The whole human family.

Jesus, please save me from your followers. They are a callous and mean people. Maybe you could send them to their rooms now.

Happy Thanksgiving Day everyone!

Compliments are wonderful ways to communicate your truest feelings to your partner, friends and loved ones. They come in all manners and forms, but the sweetest are those sincere expressions intimately revealed without motive or intent.

Duncan pays me the best compliments. He often doesn't realize how much of a compliment it is at the time, and sometimes I don't either until I think about it for a bit, outside of the mundane context it is usually presented in.

After Duncan moved in with me, he would often lament that he didn't stay up late anymore, or at least as regularly as he did in his previous life. Of course, we would stay up late watching movies and/or playing video games, or going out for the night somewhere, or just walking/talking... but just as frequently we would retire together for the evening - and not just for sex - but to actually go and fall asleep together, in each others arms. So, yeah, every once in a while he would make an offhand comment on how he notices he goes to bed earlier then he used to, but didn't understand why, or what exactly had changed.

Sometimes we just don't notice how much our lives change when they do change.

Then I started my new job, which began last week on a set of night shifts, and Duncan began to notice that he stays up late when I am not home, that he misses me, and that he doesn't go to bed until he really is tired, as there "was no reason to go to bed". And then he noticed a correlation.

He shared this with me the other day... telling me (in casual conversation) that since I had been absent for some nights, he had figured out why he doesn't stay up for half the night anymore, that he now understands what had changed... it was ME, he said, that he actually goes to bed to be with me/spend time with me JUST because he wants to, and that didn't exist for him before he moved in with me.

He goes to bed because he wants to be near me. He goes to bed because he wants to spend time with me, to wrap his arms around me, to talk about our dreams, and to keep me warm. AND he actively makes this choice, no one makes him go to bed.

Can there be a better compliment then that?

They say that...

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

That to imitate someone is to pay that person a genuine compliment, yet an often unintended compliment. It is unintended, I imagine, when it is borne from the depths of hatred, obsession, preoccupation, jealousy, and denial.

It is as if, in one's own furious resentment, they entrap themselves into a never ending, pathetic, cycle of perpetually envious coveting. Like somehow, if they become "like" the person being imitated, they will somehow be as "liked" by those around, or knowing, the subject person. It's like they forget that they are actually a person themselves, with a life to live. Get on with it, already.

Or maybe it is just Bipolar Disorder (usually characterized by elevated or irritable moods, grandiosity, sleeplessness, extravagance, an inability to maintain relationships, a tendency toward irrational judgment, lethargy, withdrawal, showing lack of concentration, and expressing feelings of worthlessness, self-blame, and guilt) as some have been so bold to suggest. Who knows? AND if so, why won't this person get some help?

As I am not a big fan of dishonest internal dialogue, I will say (as all is fair in the public domain) that I am referring to my fiances ex wife. In a crude sort of way, it is at times, like having my own private stalker, except the obsession surrounds my entire family and likely even my friends. I can, of course, track her IP address(es) as she views my web pages, and everytime I add something it seems that I eventually discover that she has added it too. Flattering? Maybe. But mostly sad. It's been two years since they have been seperated/divorced, three or four years if you consider the emotional separation. It's more than time to move on.

Yesterday I was surfing through a second wives/blended family (thank gods they never had kids) web board and was pleasantly surprised to discover we are not the only family with these kinds of issues to deal with. Lucky for us though, we actually don't have to deal with them. It's over. We have moved on, new beginnings from one of life's endings, as the world demands. There are no more ties to be severed, no reason to maintain contact or even wonder at the state of the other person's life. Who cares? And if, in the future there are issues to be dealt with, they will be dealt with within the extent that the law allows, not by our own personal concern. Otherwise, there is much indifference.

I realize that with the presence I have built on the web that my life is open to public scrutiny, and I am okay with that, even if it means someone who doesn't like me choses to visit my space. Like I said, it is public domain, and everyone is welcome. I have often wondered to myself, out loud, how much of the story to tell, and I have decided today that I will tell it like it is, as it arises, if it does. That way, it isn't open to interpretation by storytellers with no, or little, rights to tell the story. After all, it is my life, the story is already being told...

As for being observed/copied/etc, *shrugs*, who cares? I have inspired many to begin blogs and web pages and Duncan and I have often helped in the creation of such. We have helped many more, as I have been helped by those who have inspired me during my journey across the web community. It's what the web is about, and I believe in that.

Imitation is a sincere form of flattery. I like to be sincere and genuine, and if that inspires others - then I am honored, regardless of who they, or what their intentions, are.

Color me Proud

Today, I am a proud momma. My kids had wonderful days at school and both came home excited with their good news! Congrats Wes and Raven!

RAVEN won a Bookmark contest, where she had to design and color a bookmark. She has always been quite a little artist so I am not surprised - for her efforts she won a book on behalf of her class (I will let you visit her blog for details) and had her name announced to the entire school.

WESLEY passed his School Crossing Guard Exam today (some kids didn't so it's a big deal for him) and is now a fully fledged Patrolman. He also reieved a SUPER SCOOP today, and the Principal phoned me to tell me wat a great kid he was and how happy they are that he is part of the school! Isn't that a nice call from the school?

HEY BABY! READ THIS!

"I don't think women can have too much intercourse," says Dr George Winch Jr. Dr. Claire Bailey concurs, adding "regular sessions can not only firm a woman's tummy and buttocks but also improve her posture."

Come home baby. My posture and I miss you!

Dear Mr Bush

Cut and Paste doesnt work well when it comes to speeches. You cant use the same speech you used for Afghanistan and just insert Cuba and Castro where it seems to fit.

Allie

PS. Do you know where Cuba is?

Hat tip: Thanks Kim!

Who is your most likely your idol?

This question was on a quiz I was taking this morning. The answer I decided to choose was this:

"Idols are for people who can't live up to thier own dreams so they have to chase after someone else's."

At first I found it to be a little tounge in cheek, but the more I thought about it, I realized just how serious I was about the answer itself. Then I started thinking... There really is many people I respect and have admired or even thought brilliant. People I have allowed to inspire and influence me, people I have looked up to and aspired to grow and emulate their characteristics or actions which have touched me. But Idolization seems to me to be too close to obsession, and obsession seems to me to be a very exclusive trait. I would rather allow myself the benefit of all wisdoms and thoughts, even if it challenges the notions I currently hold. Correction - especially if it challenges the notions I hold. So there I was thinking, as I said, and all these names started collecting in my head... so for momentary prosperity I am going to list (some of the) people, off the top of my head, that have been most influential to me as a person, or have had (or caused, as the case may be) the biggest impact on my life, my experience, our shared history and/or have illustrated the mysteries of our shared human condition. It is a wholly inconclusive list, too short for any real justice - and in no particular order, importance or otherwise...

Mahatma Gandhi, H. G. Wells, Oscar Wilde, Orson Welles, Galileo Galilei, Stephen King, Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso, Nelson Mandela, Mikhail Gorbachev, Elie Wiesel, Bill Clinton, Terry Fox, Mother Teresa, Diana Spencer, Buddha Siddhartha Skakyamuni, Marshall McLuhan, Roberta Bondar, Thérèse Casgrain, Emily Murphy, Louise McKinney, Irene Parlby, Nellie McClung, William Shakespeare, Henrietta Muir Edwards, Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Daniel Quinn, Wil Ferguson, Dominik Hasek, M. Night Shyamalan, Martin Scorsese, Confucius, Prophet Muhammad, Sarah McLachlan, Soren Kierkegaard, Albert Einstein, Ambrose Bierce, Seneca, Stephen Hawkings, Sir Winston Churchill, Martin Luther King Jr, George Bernard Shaw, Bertrand Russell, Elvis Presley, John Lennon, the Rolling Stones, Johnny Cash, Ludwig van Beethoven, Charles Darwin, Amelia Earhart, Karl Marx, Aldous Huxley, Socrates, Maggie Thatcher, Jesus Christ, Desmond Tutu, Paul Henderson, Wayne Gretzky, Brian Mulroney, Pierre Trudeau, Michael Moore...

That being said, I do have heros not on this list, many in fact. But listing my heros would take much more consideration and would perhaps be done better another day.

Also, there are evils that need to be recognized as influencing my/our experienc of history, defining the world as we see it today, and even though they are despised by myself (and perhaps by history), they should be included (as they have forced sometimes the most influence into the world as I know it), but do deserve their own list:

Napoleon Bonaparte, Adolf Hitler, Josef Stalin, Mao Tse-tung, George W. Bush, Osama bin Laden...

I have been conversing with Duncan over MSN while typing this blog post - and he is excited at my endeavour and has proposed us a project - we are going to spend some time massing the actually huge amount of names of those who deserve to be recognized as influential to us, and after deciding methodology, categories and the likes, we will publish our results for those who may be interested! I love pet projects, and Duncan has great ideas.

Well. now I have some housework to get done, and some video games to play, and an evening meal to prepare for... aren't days off wonderful?

EDIT AND ADDITIONS (courtesy of Duncan):

Adam Smith, Adolf Hitler, Albert Einstein, Alfred Hitchcock, Alfred von Schlieffen, Aristotle, Bill Gates, Buddha, Charlemagne, Charles Darwin, Christopher Columbus, Confucius, Constantine, Elizabeth I, Enrico Fermi, Galileo Galilei, Issac Newton, James Watson / Francis Crick, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Jesus, Johann Gutenberg, John Calvin, John Lennon / Paul McCartney, John Locke, John Maynard Keynes, Josef Stalin, Julius Caesar, Karl Marx, Leonardo di Vinci, Ludwig von Beethoven, Mahatma Ghandi, Mao Zedong, Martin Luther, Mohammed, Napoleon Bonaparte, Orville Wright / Wilbur Wright, Otto von Bismarck, Plato, Shigeru Miyamoto, Sigmund Freud, Simon Bolivar, Thomas Edison, Thomas Jefferson, Vladimir Lenin, Walt Disney, William Shakespeare, Winston Churchill

It's all fun and games until someone loses an eye...

... and then it's a sport.

And I like my sports even better when they are Extreme. And now, thinking of my favorite "extreme" holiday, Samhain (aka Halloween), I have truly found worthy inspiration!

Operation Give

Sending Smiles to Iraq, one gift at a time...

Wesley and Raven think this is a great idea too! I think its a great excerise for them to go and pick something appropriate, spend their allowance on it and send it off. Go visit them and give them some encouragement!

California's Economic Woes to be Terminated...

Arnold Schwarzenegger to Gray Davis:

"You're Terminiated... Mo'F***er."

Okay, so thats not a direct quote (atleast not officially but I can imagine it being said), but... Wow. How the mighty will fall. And Fall Davis did. To be frank, it makes me happy. Although somewhat ambivalent to such far away politics, I'll admit I wanted Schwarzenegger to win, I thought he played his cards well and deserved it. Good for him.

On a related note, it appears (hat tip to LT Smash) that the cause of the October 7 California earthquake has been found.

I am in one of those moods today... it's a good mood but I lack direction... which is ok, cause it is my first day off of four (I dont work again until Saturday night). I am enjoying my afternoon home alone, while planning the rest of my day and looking forward to everyone coming home. I think I will go to the mall, do some housework, and cook dinner. Tonight I hope we watch one (or two maybe?) of Duncan's new movies. Theres no need for rushing today and I like that. Just me alone with a silly smile on my face and all sorts of odd thoughts running through my head. Allow me to elaborate:

10 Greatest things since SLICED CHEESE:

1. $2.99 Kids meals at Hooters. 5 big Wings and a plateful of fries. (Duncan interjects here with, "we almost can't justify eating anywhere else!")
2. West Edmonton Mall. It has everything, even a Roller Coaster.
3. Staff get Mall discounts at above mentioned Mall with everything. Yay!
4. Working four days on, four days off. Wow, a four day weekend, everytime. And if I take a shift off, thats 12 days off right there! Anyone out there jealous yet?
5. Every month, my family gets a free pass to one of WEM's attractions, our choice.
6. My benefits start after only three months, and then I get a raise!
7. Being woken up for sex. Three times.
8. Having a second bathroom downstairs in our house. I don't know what we did pre-second bathroom.
9. Sunbathing/tanning in Edmonton in October. Boy- it's gorgeous here.
10. Being engaged to my best friend. I'm gonna marry that man!

Oh yeah, and someone else does all our yard work. That's pretty sweet.

Hugs and Kisses and Naughty Spanks

IT'S A GREAT FEELING - When everything turns out just the way you want it, and then even better then anticipated! I love the satisfaction of absolute success.

The event of Duncan's birthday today was just that, amazingly perfect. He's happy with his gifts (he's off playing as I type) and I did manage to throw in a few surprises as well (meaning he didn't guess it all in advance). He also has an IOU for a special gift not quite available yet... but soon.

Dinner at Hooter's was a big hit, and I made sure the girls knew it was his birthday so he got some extra loving. We came home tonight with a great picture of him with four of the servers and he is beaming from ear to ear, lucky guy, they were pretty hot! On his picture they wrote "Hugs and Kisses and Naughty Spanks." Indeed! Every good birthday boy deserves some naughty spanking!!!

And now I go off to administer his spankings, and what ever else the good birthday boy desires. No wonder he likes his birthday!

No wonder he loves me!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DUNCAN!

It's Duncan's 25th Birthday today!

Happy Birthday my love!

First Edit: Just got back from taking Duncan to lunch at Sherlock Holmes Pub. As an interesting side note, besides being duncan's birthday, today is also the day the winds came and all the leaves fell off the trees. We had a very enjoyable walk in the swirling leaves. I love fall walks, almost as much as the summer rains.

The Science of Intimacy

As promised, I am blogging about about the "Loving Styles Profile" that Duncan and I participated in (U of A's Department of Human and Family Ecology). After individually answering and scoring 54 separate questions, this is what we have discovered:

My predominant loving styles are "Companionant Love" (first) and "Altruisitc Love" (second). Duncan's predominant loving styles are "Altruistic Love" (first) and his second scores were tied with both "Companionate Love" and "Romantic Love". Apparently, "Altruistic Love" is very uncommon in Adult loving styles, especially so prominently figured as we scored. But then again, we are no ordinary couple, and never have been. For the curious, here are the definitions of the above mentioned styles...

COMPANIONATE LOVE: is experienced as close and loving friendship, and develops over time. Having common interests and hobbies provides an important foundation for companionate love. This kind of love is generally not experienced as intense, but rather as comfortable and secure. Companionate lovers can disagree or argue without threatening the relationship. Committment, trust, and loyalty are important to companionate love.

ALTRUISTIC LOVE: is a gentle, patient, caring style of love. It is a giving and self sacrificing kind of love. Loyalty is important. Altruists put their partners happiness and well being before their own and expect nothing in return. Although many people have a component of Altruistic Love in thier loving style, it is very uncommon as a predoominant loving style in adult love relationships.

ROMANTIC LOVE: is a passionate kind of love that begins as a powerful attraction to the typical appearance of another. Romantics experience love as an intense physical respose to another. They love to look at the person they love, gaze into their eyes, touch and hold them. Romantics have intense desires to be with their partner and care for them. Sexual intimacy is usually an important component to this style of love.

The other Loving Styles featured in the Profile are as follows: Manic Love, Egotistical Love, and Pragmatic Love.

It's no wonder we seem to be so perfectly suited for each other.

"You love me more in a minute than anyone could in a lifetime"

I love this song...

"Marry Me"
Lyrics by Amanda Marshall


I wanna laugh
Until I cry
Wake up with you each day 'til the day that I die
Let's go to New Orleans
And watch the parade
Take funny pictures, eat jambalaya and drink lemonade

And when the day is finally over
We stumble home
Before we sleep
Baby, marry me

I wanna drive
'Til we get lost
Lie in a field staring up at the sky
While you point out the Southern Cross
And somehow I know
Without asking why
That you love me more in a minute
Than anyone could in a lifetime

Dancing in the parking lot
While the band plays inside
Sweep me off my feet
Baby, marry me

We don't need no preacher man
Readin' from the Good Book
And I don't want no fancy dress
Ain't no ceremony for the vows that I took
From the moment I met you
I have been blessed...

So let's make a toast
And drink up the wine
Here's to you lying here next to me
Until the end of time

Wherever you are
I wanna be
And anything that means anything to ya
Means everything to me

Sneakin' out the back door
While they're throwin' the rice
And they'll talk for weeks
But we're all we need

So baby, if you're free
Marry me...
Baby, marry me...
Marry me...

Hi ho, Hi ho, It's off to work I go...

Thats right. Off to earn money. I am a regular grown up, once again.

Blogging from an iBook

So here I am, blogging from the "executive laptop" at the Open House for the U of A, at Duncan's booth. He is answering all sorts of questions that one might ask a very important Executive Communications Officer. He has almost finished. The kids and I explored a world of exciting and interesting things; they were very interested in all the science stuff and we are coming away with trees to plant. I will post later about the interesting stuff I found, especially the BSc in Human Ecology and the results of the love test Duncan and I took. But for now, I just want to go home!

He asked...

... AND I SAID YES!


Thats right, it's official, we are engaged! Duncan came home on Monday with a special surprise for me: he was so cute, the ring is so beautiful, and I love him so - so ofcourse I said yes. Apart from the computer being down (borrowed a laptop so I could finally blog - talk about withdrawal issues!) we also wanted to contact a few relatives by phone before broadly announcing, and not all those are quite done yet, but soon they will be. I just couldn't wait a moment longer. I am bursting at the seams with the news! I wanted to include a picture of the ring but I can't get the card reader on this laptop to recognize my media card (yet), so soon I will post a picture.

So, actually, tonnes of exciting stuff has happened since the computer died - My ring doesn't have the only diamonds in our lives right now - Raven was awarded a Diamond of Distinction Award for academic excellence at her school today. Very proud we are.

AND... I was offerred a job today! West Edmonton Mall Security offerred me their Communications Officer Position. They treated me super nice so I kind of knew they would offer it to me... plus, I am just that good! I start this weekend, and it is exciting to be working in the same field as Duncan is - and close enough to home that I don't have to get a bus pass! Yay me!

Also, in the past few days, I made another friend. The mother of one of Wesley's friends, her name is Janine. She just moved here from Victoria. She seems nice, we have loads in common, and she stayed the other day, while Chelsea and Wes played, for a few hours talking. It's starting to look very good here indeed.

Everything is going well. Our computer should have all working parts by the 20th and until then, well, this shall suffice. Hope everyone is well - I was excited to see my visitors list approaching almost 4000, even in my absence! I love you all!

Sick Computer

Our home computer is quite sick - but Allie will be back posting very soon!

When did the Trees turn Yellow?

It's a Mellow Yellow...



Yesterday I mostly stayed inside except for going out to the concert, and by then it was dark... So imagine my surprise upon venturing out today at seeing the trees almost completely and uniformely yellow. "When did the trees turn yellow?" I managed, surprised. The answer, from Quynn was "yesterday." Duncan confirmed - on his way home yesterday from work the entire river valley had turned yellow, where it had still been green that morning. Well, atleast fall is a pretty season

We went bike riding today!



T3 was ok, not terrible, but there were some issues with it. Mostly I can see T4 from here... and I don't know how I feel about that. Regardless, I enjoyed it, and we talked about the movie over Hooters wings for a good hour or so before table talk turned to Politics (as it always does).

I miss my kids, who will be home tomorrow, but it has been a great weekend so far! We rock, life is good!

These Boots were made for....

The Painting Daisies ROCK! Sexy girls and great music too! They are a dream, for sure. Opening for the Daisies was the War Party. It was all very well done.


We had SO much fun. Wish there was a wee bit more room to dance, but it was all good!


It's a perfect Friday. And what about those boots, mmMMMmm?

I love Sex.

That is all.

Toys for Iraqi Kids

Chief Wiggles is running a toy drive for Iraqi children. He is looking for basic toys, in good shape (preferably new) to give out to the kids. The following list are toys that are not welcome:


No guns of any kind
No violent action hereos
No violent toys
No barbie dolls or dolls skantily dressed
No toys that shoot something, no projectiles
No water guns


You can check his website for updates on other stuff that is needed, such as pencils, pens, paper to draw and color on, toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss, brushes, combs, etc.


Here is the mailing address to send items to:


Chief Wiggles
CPA-C2, Debriefer
APO AE 09335


Please folks, spread this around. Let's get as many toys as possible over there.

Okay, I have finally gone and done it!

Tonight, I have created my Photoblog - may I introduce, Shutterfly! I don't know yet how often I will post there, but I humbly invite you to visit!

FOR SALE: Iraq (It's a fixer-upper)

Now, there's privatisation, and then there's privatisation...


Philip Thornton and Andrew Gumbel wrote an interesting article today for the UK's Independant News. Entitled "America puts Iraq up for sale" the article highlights some alarming new policy in the Middle East country of Iraq.


(comments added in brackets are mine)


"... the American-appointed administration announced it was opening up all sectors of the economy to foreign investors in a desperate attempt to deliver much-needed reconstruction... (and) the Iraqi Governing Council announced sweeping reforms to allow total foreign ownership without the need for prior approval."


"... the biggest reconstruction contracts have been allocated to American firms such as Bechtel (George Schultz, Former Secretary of State, is now Senior Councillor of Bechtel) and Halliburton (formerly headed by now Vice President Dick Cheney), which (CLEARLY) have ties to the Bush administration. They were selected behind closed doors, with no opportunity for competitors to present bids." (and thats not even considereing the involvement of companies like the Carlyle Group - which former President GHW Bush currently works with, or the New American Century Project, or other war profiteers to be found in the numerous oil companies and weapon producers).


So, Iraq, the 51st state of America? Are there any buyers?

THE MEEK ARE GETTING READY ...

So much hate. So much that I don't know where to start even. People who hate are dark unhappy creatures indeed. Sad and Pathetic and Lost.


Yesterday I covered a Rally for The Gateway. The rally itself was supposed to be in support of the traditional family (aka a protest against Bill C250 and same sex marriages) but what it ultimately degenerated into was a big gay bashing rally.





Of course, while at the rally, I had to remain impartial in order to write a balanced and fair article. I managed to write a pretty good piece that my editor was impressed with. But this is my blog, and I can say what I want to. And I want to say is that these people made me sick. Literally, sick to my stomach. I left despising their so called "loving" god, their misled religious fanaticism and their hateful bigotry.


I have other words that I would like to say, but first I will share with you some of the words they shared with me. I want to point out that every single protester I interviewed refused to give their full name (leading me to believe they know what they are saying is wrong).


One protester told me that "I am a Nurse, and I can tell you that homosexuals are not born that way and that they can come out of the lifestyle if they choose too." She then proceeded to add "I find them the most intolerant group of people in this country."


The Speakers, clergy men and prominent community members, sometimes had the most hurtful things to say. One speaker addressed the counter protesters with "Shame on you brother. The shame is on you... don't bend over for anyone". The rally MC, Marshall Deslauriers, claimed "The real danger of assigning homosexuals with group human rights lies in ... awarding [human rights] on the basis of deviant sexual practices. The suggestion that Canada has evolved into a country that now accepts homosexual marriage is both morally and intellectually repugnant."


Yep, if we give homosexuals equal rights and protection, everyone will want them... (rolling eyes).


As the Counter Protesters chanted "EQUALITY FOR ALL" and "SHAME", an older woman in the crowd behind me said to her friend "Just goes to show you how sick these people are". I turned around and looked at her. She looked about ready to die. Before I turned my attention back to the rally, I silently hoped that these antiquitated, bigoted ideas will unceremoniously die out with this entire older generation. One can hope can't they?


I talked to a little 10 year old girl holding up a sign about Homosexual marriage being a sin. Her parents said I could interview her, as long as I was reasonable. I asked her to tell me what her sign meant, but she didn't know. I asked her why she was there that day, but she didn't know. I asked her what she thought about all the people and being here today, and she said in a low voice to me, "I'm scared". Poor kid. And I'm the one who has to be reasonable?


I did hear some things I agreed with on that day, though, and I want to share those words and voices as well.


Marilyn Hooper, and her family, came to the rally in support of Same Sex Families. Marilyn told me "I believe in Equal rights for all, not just for some. The argument is that extending equal rights to Same Sex Families threatens the family, but my husband and I are here to say that we aren't threatened by equal rights."


Bill Lee, who was wearing a shirt that said "Hate is not a family value," told me "I think that straight only marriage is a kind of apartheid."


I also was able to talk to Wendy Robutka, a mother who came to the rally in support of her gay son. Wendy was in tears at the hatred being expressed towards her son, and other people. Pointing out that the definition of marriage has been changing in this country for over 30 years, Wendy said "There is no room here for Hate Crimes. I believe they should have equal rights and if they are denied equal rights then this isn't a free democracy."


Otto Frank, the father of Anne Frank, once said "We cannot change what happened. The only thing we can do is to learn from the past and to realize what discrimination and persecution of innocent people means. I believe that it's everyone's responsibility to fight prejudice."


Me too.


I have an earnest need and desire to live in a world where everyone has equal rights. I reject the notion that I should have more rights then someone else. I reject the notion that my rights mean anything at all if they are only at the expense of someone else. There is room in my world, and yes, in Alberta, for Same Sex Marriage and Families.


Lots of bible passages were bantered around at the rally on Sunday. But they forgot one... Matthew 5:5. "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth".


And they are getting ready.

I have found the one

Aphrodite/Eros


?? Which Of The Greek Gods Are You ??
brought to you by Quizilla

"Indifference to Evil is Evil"

Today is the International Day of Peace.


At this years United Nation's Observation ceremony (at UN HQ), a young Rawandan girl asked a question, "How could the world have done virtually nothing to halt the 1994 genocide of 500,000 people, targeted only for their Tutsi minority, in Rwanda?"


Nobel peace laureate Elie Wiesel, a Holocaust survivor, answered the question as thus: "We knew and we did nothing. I have no answer... except that we must now learn the lesson that indifference is never the answer. Indifference to evil is evil."


He should know.


Just days ago, George Bush said "We have no evidence that Saddam Hussein was involved with the 11 September attacks." Hmmm. No WMD, no 9/11 connection, no Osama bin Laden... Is our own indifference to these truths as a world community indicative of a level of apathy relevant to how directly we are affected by the actions of america or is it denial that "one of us civilized nations" could be rampantly achieving its goals through less then favorable means? Do we really think two wrongs make a right?


Will one day someone be asking us why we didn't do anything? Will we have an answer?

It's all fun and games...

Until someone loses an eye. Then it's a sport...





Duncan to me (as his Dad "ends" our "mutual" pact of non-aggression in one fale swoop across my borders): "See Allie, It's genetic!"


Duncan to Dad: "I love her, but I'm not going to let you have her cards. I'll kill her myself if I have too".

I love IKEA. Finally, a kitchen table! Unböring!!!

Better than Ice Cream!

You are Ice Cream


You're madly in love, cheerful, and carefree. Life couldn't get any better than this!

Which
Sarah McLachlan Song Are You?

Created by Noor

Gateway Drug?

As a result of my eternal search for allie type activities, I am now writing for the Gateway (and would you have guessed they are a bunch of bloggers too?). I cover my first story on Sunday - didn't realize how much I missed it until now.

The obvious priorities of a ten year old boy

Well, atleast he's putting his own stuff away...

How does one run out of time when, really, they have nothing to do?


Today has been a fabulous day! Spent the morning updating/adding features to my web pages (you'll likely have to refresh to see the changes) and planning how I would like my domain page to eventually look. Now I am off to meet Duncan for lunch at his new place of work.


AND ...it's not snowing here in Edmonton like it is in Calgary!

Don't get me started...

"Your child is the canary in the miners cage."
(graffiti written on the wall by my old home)

Not my child.


The kids school sent home a notification of intent to immunize all grade five kids for HepB AND Chicken pox this year. Well - I am not going to descend ito the stupidity of the Chicken Pox Vaccine, mostly because my son has already had the disease and as such they wont require him to recieve the immunization, but Hep B is fair game in my books...


Anyone know what Hepatitis B is? Thats right... it's a blood borne, semi contagious, lower risk virus mainly passed on through sexual contact, or non casual contact with blood/body fluids. The virus, if one should become infected, can cause nausea, vomiting, fatigue, low grade fever, pain and swelling in joints, headache, cough, jaundice, enlargement of the liver and fatigue. Even in cases of acute Hepatitis B most patients do not require hospital care and more then 95% of patients recover completely with no side effects (with the case-fatality ratio being approximately .1 %) and furthermore acquire life-long immunity for their troubles.


Well guess what? I don't have Hep B, and I certainly didn't have Hep B when my 10 year old son was born. So, unless my ten year old son is sexually active, an intravenous drug user, or a f**king paramedic, gimme a break.


Oh yeah, and North America has had the lowest actual percentage of cases in the world (along with Europe), with the occurences of the virus itself declining since 1985. Yay for personal hygiene.


There are some increasingly troublesome connections and implications between vaccinations themselves and long term auto immune side effects (as well as immediate debilitating side effects, like death) that should concern anyone considering this procedure for themselves, or others. Thankfully, in Canada, we are allowed Informed Consent with respect to making these choices, although unbiased information is hard to find.


A quick perusal of product package inserts (all medication in Canada must come with a little data sheet that you may - and should - read before taking a medication) will reveal a multitude of all sorts of neuro toxins used as perservatives in the carrier solution of the vaccine, including (but not limited to): Sodium Chloride; Sodium Hydroxide; Formaldehyde; Hydrochloric Acid; Thimerosal (mercury); Phosphates; and Monosodium Glutamate.


Who needs that crap inside their body? Not me thank you (I was never vaccinated since my parents had friends' whose baby became severely brain damaged after recieving her first immunization). And not my kids. Sometimes, you have to make choices with all of the risks considered, and after looking at both sides, I decided that I did not want my child to be merely a statistic that I would spend a lifetime blaming myself for.


Michael Belkin, who testified twice before the ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON IMMUNIZATION PRACTICES, for the CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION (USA), lost his baby daughter within hours of her recieving the Hep B vaccine. His words echo the pain many families feel after they discover the potential risks, too late. He warns “Parents should be aware that the Hepatitis B vaccine is not administered for the well being of their child. Rather, it is delivered by the long arm of some incompetent and mindless bureaucracy in the name of stamping out a disease most babies can’t possibly get,” and I hear him. My child is not at risk of contracting Hep B, and even if he did get it, we would get through it.


It's a Shot in the Dark, and not one I am willing to take.

We are so getting a dog!

  

  

So, our travels took us down into the river valley, along the river and eventually up (and up, and up) to the U of A campus where we hung out for a while reading the Gateway and sharing a pop before heading back home. We passed through a big dog off leash area, and we were amazed at how many dogs there were! At first I thought it must be a dog walking club, but after talking to some of the owners we discovered that this was normal here for Edmonton.

Holy evil reptilian kitten eaters from another planet, Batman!

Bits and pieces of my thoughts grace my Blogosphere this morning, and I have been meaning to share them... I found these in, around and about:


With blogging being so prominent in my own web experience, I sometimes forget that there really are people out there who don't quite understand the phenomenon - like for example, I left a comment once on someone's blog about his subject matter (I wanted to know his thoughts on something in reflection to the experience he writes about) and somebody after me commented on "the nerve of some people who read a free blog and think they can make demands". I, of course (after rolling my eyes), refrained from retorting with an "all blogs are free, Moron" response and just chucked it up to blog naiveté. But I found a gem, a gem I tell you, on Matrix Essays the other day. I am going to share it with you, because I know you will all be able to relate to it, in some form or another!


From the mailbag (of Matrix Essays)

Q. How much money do you make from this blog? Is it easy to make a living from blogging?


A. Well, let's see, let me get out of my Matrix Essays hot tub on the deck of my Matrix Essays yacht and walk down to the accounting department so they can get me that figure. Oh, here it is: so far I have not made any money at all from this site.


So, a morning smile for all of us hard working, underpaid, stimulators of blogosphere wisdom, keepers of world history and personal philosophical commentarists. We rock, but we're obviously not in it for the money!


Today, I am off bike riding with my best friend! We are going to go explore the river valley here, so expect photo's. My entire life is lived as an adventure... I must be really in touch with my inner child! (See proof below)

My inner child is ten years old!
The adult world is pretty irrelevant to me. Whether I'm off on my bicycle (or pony) exploring, lost in a good book, or giggling with my bestfriend, I live in a world apart, one full of adventure and wonder and other stuff adults don't understand.
How Old is Your Inner Child?
brought to you by Quizilla

The Man, The Sound, The Legend... The Life.

Every one I know goes away in the end...
(click to listen, but it takes a while to load)





Duncan and I share many fond memories of Johnny Cash's work (is it sacrilege to mention on a day like this Duncan and Oliver's drunken rendition of "Ring of Fire"? Or our bouyant hilarity in enjoying "A Boy named Sue" over and over again?) and were both recently touched by Johnny Cash's last video, "Hurt", which we felt should have won more awards then it, in the end, garnered itself.


God's speed to the river bend, Johnny... and don't forget to meet June there.

"We also remember our firm resolve that such hate should never again transform an ordinary day into a day of horror"

“September 11 will forever be a day that we stop and remember the moment terror changed our world... Two years later, we find that our wounds are deep and the pain of our losses remains. History will never forget the events of September 11. But neither will it forget the will of humankind to rise above hate and prevail over violence and extremism.” - Prime Minister Jean Chretien

Let's Roll

There is so much emotion. So many memories. So many reactions. It makes it hard for one to define exactly what September 11th means to her, two full years after the fact.

Only, it's not really after the fact. We live in a post 9/11 world - almost everything, it seems at times, is a result or a reaction to what happened to us during those few hours. 9/11 is everything and nothing all at the same time. Everyone remembers where they were and what they were thinking at that moment in time.

Well, not everyone. And this is a day to remember those people.

So much was lost. Was anything gained?

Remembering Sept 11
Flag of Rememberance
Flight 93

MmmMmmm! I'm so yummy!

Strawberry Pocky! You're energetic and you probably bounce around a lot. You're also a bit naive, and you probably fall in love easily.

What Kind of Pocky are You?
brought to you by Quizilla


They forgot smart, cute and sexy as well...

As my wonderful and understanding boyfriend can attest to, my variant mood swings (read PMS) today have made today a rough day, and I wisely decided to spare the blogosphere with any real rantings for the time being (although I did post on Duncan's blog this morning).

But we did some shopping today, and in honor of Duncan's fetish for Pocky (combined with the close proximity of an Asian food store) I bought him some Pocky. Just happened to be Strawberry Pocky as well. I know, the coincidence is shocking. While he sat here at the computer consuming all of them, he found the above quiz. Yes we are both yummy.

Knowing (really) is Half the Battle…

I was going to blog about how I thought the Bush Administration needs a change in their posturing over Iraq (and North Korea, and Iran), especially in light of the newly announced cost (87 billion) just for the US to carry out the next year in Iraq.


But then, after reading the local news, I thought today I would entertain something a little closer to home. Closer to home, mostly because I, like many of us, have mini versions of adults running around that we dearly hope will actually someday make it to adulthood.


Last weekend, a gruesome early morning rural car accident (in Leduc) left four party going teenagers dead, while 5 others, were found scattered among truck fragments and across the ditch at the accident scene. Only one of the victims was wearing a seatbelt. Although tragic, these deaths are an unchangeable reality that no one can escape.


What has peaked my ire this morning is the debate that has arisen from the aftermath; misguided suggestions on how to prevent this type of incident, including “More police on the streets”; “higher fines”; “stronger penalties, like your license being taken away for three years”; “better laws”.


Well, anyone who has been a kid, or knows a kid, knows what the term fearless means. Kids are invincible, and rules are for breaking, no matter how tough they are. Teens don’t care because they can get away with it, pay a fine (if caught) and get on with it. And teens don’t grow out of it either – every time we chose not to put on our seatbelt, or flagrantly disregard the speed limit we are doing the same thing. It doesn’t mean much to us. Why?


We have to teach kids how to think, not what to think (hat tip to Barbara Colorosso). Don’t tell them to put on their seatbelts because it is the law, we all can find the fault in that logic. Tell them why. Show them that people get hurt, that people die. Show them pictures, accident scenes, get them into morgues even. Show them how seatbelts work, how cars are designed to protect the occupants within the core area of a vehicle. Giving them the real world reasons and knowledge as to why we wear our seatbelts will help them make a better informed choice when they get into a vehicle. Then, when they are putting on (or leaving off) their seatbelts, they atleast will know why they made their choice. And it really is their choice to make.


BUT some choices aren’t really for kids to make, which brings me to the next issue that has irked me. Why is everyone ok with a 100 mostly underage school kids drinking out at a party? One parent, who knew most of the crash victims and had a child attending the party, was quoted in the Edmonton Journal as saying “I know it’s not right for them to be drinking, but I’m also a realist and I know they’re going to do it… and yeah, it was stupid to have kids in the back of a truck. But they’re kids”.


Pardon me? I hope I am not the only parent to be insulted by this lack of responsibilty. Yes, they are kids. Kids have parents for a reason, to provide them with the skills and the judgment needed to make decisions and survive in this world, and to not throw them into potentially life threatening situations. Well, as a realist, I guess you can’t escape the fact that these kids are dead, and yet they needn’t be. The whole kids will be kids excuse sounds to me as a way of saying “it’s not our fault”. A parent who allows their child to ride home in the back of a pick up truck, from a party where everyone has been drinking, is as derelict as the kid who made the choice to get in. So you lose an hour of sleep going to pick them up – is the alternative worth it? And that’s not even addressing the drinking issue.


I remember as a child reading an empassioned "open letter" from an RCMP officer (my Dad gave it to me) who had just mopped up a similar road side disaster, and was petitioning parents to take a more active role in caring and knowing where their children were at night. He felt that parents (and the society) often blamed him for being “too hard” on the kids about drinking and driving, speeding, seatbelts and what not, and as such undermined the importance of enforcing vehicle safety in the minds of the kids involved. “Kids will be kids” he often heard people say. I actually found his letter published on the web, so I urge you to go read it. But I will leave you with the final words of his letter:


“… if you continue to regard alcohol abuse as just a part of growing up, then please keep your porch light on because some cold, rainy night, you will find me at your doorstep, staring at my feet with a message of death for you.”

The Govenator...

Vote for me if you want to live...


Isn't politics an interesting game?

Allegations over September 11 'monstrous', says US

From telegraph news:


"Mr Meacher listed a number of reports detailing intelligence that the US was said to have which warned of the September 11 attacks... The MP for Oldham cited a document called Rebuilding America's Defences, written in September 2000 by a neo-conservative think tank, Project for the New American Century, which was set up by a group that included Dick Cheney, the American vice president, Donald Rumsfeld, the defence secretary, and Paul Wolfowitz, the deputy defence secretary, which he (Meacher) called "a blueprint for US world domination". He said the document stated that making America "tomorrow's dominant force" would be a long process without "some catalysing event - like a new Pearl Harbour".


A blog I read this morning posted this article and the blogger insisted that there could be no way the Bush Administration would allow this to happen to americans.


Why? Why not? What happens when someone believes the good of the many outweighs the good of the few? What happens when that person, or persons, have power? What happens when other people don't critically approach it because it is more comfortable to shrug it off as impossible?


Discuss...

Places we still need to find:

corner store
coffee shop
video rental store
dentist for Raven
afterschool program
eb games for Duncan
hockey team for Wes
gymnastics for Raven
gym for Allie
grocery store
movie theatre
big ass mall


Life here is almost perfect!

Punishing the children for the sins of the fathers (to the third and fourth generation...)

As reported in the Globe and Mail today, 70% of americans believe there is a link between Saddam Hussein and the 9-11 WTC attacks. According to the poll, conducted by the Washington Post, that means nearly 7 out of 10 americans actually believe that Saddam was personally responsible for the WTC attacks.


They actually do believe this… even though there has never been any evidence to support this claim (a claim that was thrown out there by Mr. Bush in order to garner american public support for an invasion of Iraq), to the contrary there has even been evidence to suggest the complete opposite – so why does this belief persist? If the american public is so easily convinced, which country (and which excuse) will be so easily swallowed next?


The Washington Post story suggests the reason for this groundless belief lay in the ease of which a shocked american public could demonize and blame Saddam for 9-11, a presumption which Mr. Bush happily exploited while manipulating public opinion with his pro war rhetoric. As an immediate respsonse, this can be understandable - yet this poll was taken two years after the fact... Is this connection, made, embraced and maintained by the american public indicative of a nation scared enough to place blame on any “evil doers” presented to them by their “president” – borne of a culture of adults spooked by random boogey men – or have they merely allowed themselves to suspend all intelligent skepticism and/or belief in order to have the satisfaction of revenge for the worst terrorist attack in their history?


Is it my imagination, or are the phrases “Land of the Free” and “You are either with us or against us” diametrically opposite?


Fear can be a good thing, if utilized properly it can mobilize a necessary response for survival, but it is a bad thing when it is open ended and undefined. The american public is afraid – but where does their fear transpire from? Do they know what they should be afraid of? Should they not fear the loss of their independent freedom? Should they not fear the loss of open and critical inquiry, imperative to the democratic process? Should they not fear a “president” that seems more intent on misleading and scaring the public he leads into perpetual war then actually empowering them?


Fear has long been used by undesirable governments to solicit control over their peoples. It is often used as a way of removing choices from a "free" people so that the only choice they logically see is the choice the government wishes them to support (think Germany, World War II). BUT, the american people still do have a choice. Their government is still “elected” (regardless of what happened in the last election). Lets hope they are both free and brave enough to make a choice. Let's hope that when Mr. Bush is long gone from the geo-political scene, that the american people were brave and strong enough to withstand what ever his antics have brought down upon them, and the generations to come.

Thank gods it's Friday!

Such a good day today! I got stuff done, so I feel productive! The house is all unpacked, and I have met my neighbours... We all went to West Edmonton Mall after the kids got out of school and watched the Dolphin for a while, and then Duncan took us to watch the fire breathing dragon at Silver City. We had to hurry home to meet Quynn, who was coming over for the evening with Pizza and his adorable dog, Mischief. We just got back from the park, where the kids exhausted themselves and the dog, running around playing frisbee. It's a huge field, and I decided that I would run around the field in the mornings (Duncan said that he would come with me too) for exercise!


Anyways, we are about to settle down to an evening of watching "Yes, Prime Minister", which Quynn brought Duncan as a birthday gift...


Awww, the month of Duncan's Birthday has begun...

It is nice to be home!

You know that feeling that occurs when everything seems like it is all planned out and confirmed but some little part of your instinct nags at the back of your brain, in some vain attempt at warning against the complacency you have allowed yourself to settle into?


Well, I have come to believe that every good moving story must begin with the following dialogue:


Me: “Hello. I’m here to pick up a moving truck”
Guy: blank stare
Me: (helpfully offering) “I have a confirmation number”
Guy: “You’re here to pick up… a truck?”
Me: looking around to see if I am somehow not at a U Haul outlet, “Yes”
Guy: “We don’t have a truck”
Me: (hopefully, insistent) “I have a confirmation number”
Guy: “That doesn’t mean anything to me”


Well see, it was pretty early in the morning that day, on a Sunday no less, and I hadn’t yet had my coffee. I had been packing and cleaning for days and there was no way I was leaving this U Haul outlet without a truck to get all our stuff to Edmonton. I was done with Calgary nonsense, I had places to be. So my darling friend Cathy and I pulled a good cop / bad cop routine on the guy (damn she is a great bad cop) and before he knew what had hit him I was driving out of the parking lot with a 26 foot U Haul truck for less then the price of the 17 foot I had originally “confirmed”. (Note to all movers: “confirmation” doesn’t mean to U Haul what it means to you…)



So like I said, all good moving stories start out with some sort of laughing matter. I think it is the law of moving. A teensy bit behind schedule, I finally got this (diesel sucking, manual shifting monstrosity) truck home, and we (thanks to friends) had all of our worldly possessions packed into Pig (as it lovingly became known) and ready for the road before 12:00. It was actually better to have a big truck, as it was easier to pack everything in, not having to be so precise to preserve space. I love the way everything works out in the end.


When we went to pick the kids up from their Dads house, my ex came out and helped us plot a route into Airdrie that would have us avoid the road side scales – with the truck being so huge we would have had to have submitted to the scales, and with the way we packed I was sure our load would be deemed unbalanced (and there was no way I was repacking that thing). So we took his advice (Thanks Mark! Thanks for not being a crazy Ex!) and avoided what we later learned was three hour line up at the scales. In Airdrie we met up again with Cathy and Dan (who came to Edmonton to help us unpack – what lovely and entirely incredible friends we have!) who took Raven in their car, leaving myself, Duncan, Wes and an unimpressed cat in the cab of Pig.


To make a long story short (and bygods it was a long story) it took Pig 5 (expletitve deleted) hours to drive to Edmonton. We were passed by motor homes driven by people three times my age even. Our moment of excitement and glory came when we actually passed one vehicle… (there must have been something wrong with it) - Much whooping and hollering ensued with that event!


It didn’t take us long to unpack the truck once here, and although Cathy and Dan couldn’t stay long enough to enjoy it, I can say it has certainly turned into our new home. I was really happy when I saw it, the walls are a gorgeous beige color, and all the trimmings are white. The kitchen is beautiful, we have two bathrooms and a dishwasher, and both the basement and front (fenced) yard are huge. The only thing that broke the whole time was some wine glasses, and all in all, I can say the move went perfectly! It is nice to be home.



The kids started school, which is right next door to where we live, and they are enjoying it. We got Wes registered for Hockey and Raven will be doing Gymnastics instead of Ballet. The transit system where we live is great – so many bus routes. We live very close to West Edmonton Mall, and the only thing we haven’t found close yet is a major food store. Things have worked out wonderfully!


I am enjoying my Edmonton friends, and looking forward to making new friends, but I am missing my Calgary friends (as you all know). I can’t wait to see everyone who are planning trips up here this month. I am so excited!

Last Post for a while...

I thought I would leave you with a picture of my new style to tide you over! Blogging will resume in September!


P.S. This great haircut just got me ID'd at the liqour store, but I didn't actually have my ID on me; so Duncan, who was drunk after too many Strongbow's consumed in the sun at Kilkenny's, was made to purchase our alcohol. So, as much as I am flattered to be considered young enough to ID (it's been ten years since I was ID'd), there must be some irony somewhere in liquor laws that allow a drunk Duncan (drunk enough to lose all train of thought to follow random dogs upon seeing them) to buy the alcohol while the sober one waits outside the store.

Girl welcomes South to her Blogosphere...

Everyone Applaud and Rejoice. South's Adventures is here!


Also, for a beautiful pictorial essay on China, please visit Mike's Blog, while he reflects on his first year in China.

Only 5 more to go...

My hit counter sits at 2995 visitors. Check it out... if you visit and you are number 3000, let me know! I don't know exactly what that will get you (yet), but even a little bit of fame is exciting is it not?

MARS MADNESS

We need a break, it's (finally) a lovely clear night, and Mars is visiting. So we shall go and entertain it.


UPDATE: 10:55pm: It is gorgeous! If you haven't seen it, talk a walk to admire it! It is the brightest, yellow-orange planet in the eastern sky! Duncan said "it's like you could just reach out and grab it". That about says it all.

My life with a Historian...

To understand what living with a (wonderful, beautiful, sexy, intelligent, amazing) historian means for a girl lost within the throngs of moving chaos, check out DUNCAN'S BLOG for his lovely and enlightening (note the hint of sarcasm) pictorial illustration of our packing. Well, our pre-packing state, admist the sorting of wanted and unwanted stuff. I asked him why he felt it was neccessary to take pictures of everything in absolute disarray when we had every opportunity to take pictures of our home in it's normal state of order and tidiness, but he said it was for historical purposes that he should document our moving in all its glorious and jumbled mess. He said he was the true state people get into when moving. I know I can't argue with that, so I just nod my head and smile prettily. Anything that makes him happy is fine with me...


It is worth some pondering over the portrayal of our lives through the pictures we take - and is it accurate - does any one take pictures of the things they don't want to remember? Or just everyday, mundane things that make up our experience but are overlooked when it comes to the documentry of our lives? I love pictures: they are, among many other important artifacts of my life, proof of my existance (and my enjoyment of) here. I love what I see within pictures, I love what pictures represent to each observer, I love how I can see so much of a common human condition in a shot that someone, sometime, was moved enough to capture on film. I even collect pictures other people have taken - and I am a big fan of how the intro to the film ONE HOUR PHOTO (a freaky website, check it out) describes the overall phenomenon of picture taking... "[Family] pictures depict smiling faces. Births, weddings, holidays, children's birthday parties. People take pictures of the happy moments in their lives. Someone looking through our photo album would conclude that we had led a joyous, leisurely existance, free of tragedy. No one ever takes a picture of something they want to forget..."


Or do they? I think maybe we do.


Anyways, I am soposed to be taking a "break" (today we have finished, incuding cleaning carpets and washing walls, the upstairs of the house) so I should hurry this up. We had lunch out at the Den today with Kim and Kirsten, and I had the most fabulous sandwich (Parmeson coated Avocado, Tomato and Red Onion Sandwhich.) It was DELICIOUS. Also, thanks to Kim, we did a Belief based quiz from Beliefnet, and it appears that we are to be (rolling eyes now) Unitarian Universalists. Hahaha. Also, Secular Humanists and buddhism were high, and they fit well into who I am spiritually. I guess it could be worse... Anyways, here are my results:


1. Unitarian Universalism (100%)
2. Mainline to Liberal Christian Protestants (96%)
3. Liberal Quakers (96%)
4. Secular Humanism (82%)
5. Neo-Pagan (80%)
6. Mahayana Buddhism (76%)
7. New Age (75%)
8. Theravada Buddhism (74%)
9. Taoism (69%)
10. Bahá'í Faith (66%)
11. Christian Science (Church of Christ, Scientist) (65%)
12. New Thought (61%)
13. Nontheist (57%)
14. Reform Judaism (56%)
15. Scientology (55%)
16. Orthodox Quaker (53%)
17. Jainism (52%)
18. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) (47%)
19. Sikhism (45%)
20. Mainline to Conservative Christian/Protestant (42%)
21. Hinduism (37%)
22. Jehovah's Witness (33%)
23. Orthodox Judaism (30%)
24. Islam (23%)
25. Seventh Day Adventist (22%)
26. Eastern Orthodox (11%)
27. Roman Catholic (11%)

Take the test yourself. Warning: Belief-O-Matic™ assumes no legal liability for the ultimate fate of your soul.

At 0438 hours...

Whose to say whether or not it's time to go to bed, or just stay up for the rest of the night playing Civ III? I mean, isn't it the next day anyways?

And getting close...

To 3000 visitors. Who will it be?

Almost time for moving!

Today, while I packed my stuff in the bedroom into boxes, Duncan took the kids out on an adventure (to rent them some movies so they would stay out of our hair...). After a while, they came back bearing gifts; Raven brought me a chocolate bar, Wesley brought candy and Duncan gave me LORD OF THE RINGS: THE TWO TOWERS (I also got Chicago as a gift the other night, right after I had been given Bowling for Columbine. I have been spoiled!).

Right now we are taking a LOTR intermission break - kids are outside making loud outside noises, Duncan is making ground beef into hamburgers which he will BBQ, and I'm, well... I'm blogging, obviously.

The packing is going well. Very well, actually. Yesterday I got the bathroom all cleaned up and ready and today we almost finished the Kitchen. Cathy hung out with us for a while yesterday, and Dan dropped off some boxes to aid in the packing efforts. I started a war against the Mongols, a tiny backwards civilization that has done little but build spearmen in the years since our game began. It's my "peace through superior firepower" strategy (inspired by the americans, ofcourse). It worked on the English and the Celts... now they are mere blots on the history of the world.

Good news is, our internet will be hooked up in Edmonton relatively soon after moving, so I will be back online soon. Just don't expect anything massively indepth or with any real substance until after I am unpacked and everything is settled. Then I can begin to really blog again.

There's no such thing as too much Civ III

I'm not sure which one of us decided that beer and packing go together, but I am happy to announce we have found a great beer... Big Rock's Honey Brown. Yummy. Between packing and among other things today (including our coffee ritual - likely our last in Calgary for a while) we played Civ III. I know, I know, we are sopposed to be packing, but it's soooo much fun, and we can play together (and take turns packing/playing) so it's perfect!

Damn Brits and Celts made me stay up until 2:20 am destroying and assimilating their meger cultures. It's bad enough being alive when nobody wants you...

That's it for me. I am following Duncan upstairs to our bed now. Sleepy time. Sweet Dreams Allie.

I a.m. tired...

As it's officially Sunday, I just missed blogging on Saturday by a few minutes. It was a busy and productive day today - packing, cleaning and other stuff that a couple does when home alone on the weekend - plus we played Civ III for quite some time as well. I'm tired. That's all I have to say, except to mention that the news about Kelowna (and the other forest fires) was shocking, and my heart goes out to the fire victims in BC. This is all getting out of hand. I don't remember a time ever in BC (or Canada) where 30,000 people were evacuated (with another 15,000 on Standby). Given that Kelowna's population is around 90,000, thats more then problematic.

Pray for rain.

Rain without Lightening.

Every new beggining comes from some other begginings end...

I have a quick chance to blog while on my lunch break, before a friend (Lincoln) comes by to say goodbye. However, that leaves me with the problem of what to blog about, and with all sorts of different things floating around in my head (and I surely mean to blog about them all), that is no small feat. The UN Bombing in Iraq; Bush (as always); The "war" in Iraq (and how americans continue to die over there daily but no longer recieve combat pay); Bowling for Columbine (which my glorious boyfriend surprised me with yesterday); the "prisoners/detainees" in Guantánamo Bay (as they approach their second anniversary in captivity still without trials); the capture of "Chemical Ali" (hey didn't they kill him a few months ago?); my annoyingly mild concussion; or even just my last day of work here at the University of Calgary. But I think what I really need to blog about is how my life is changing in these next couple of weeks, and how I have been feeling about those changes.


With my pending move, I have been in a state of nostalgia for this past little while; an odd observance of my world here as I prepare to engage an exciting, new world in Edmonton. In the due process of natural separation, I have already more then detached myself from many mundane aspects of Calgary (my school, my job, the place that I lived in, my hairdresser's, even some of my favourite hang outs) but there really are things that are harder to leave behind (mostly they are the things that aren't really being left behind, I am just adding distance between me and them). Saying goodbye to friends is obviously what is influencing my thought here, but I know that distance is not a true impediment to friendship and I welcome the warm thoughts and well wishes that our friends have graciously expressed, both from near and far.


I must admit, that it was with a tiny twinge of saddness that I came to realize that this summer, as it draws to a close now, will likely be the last summer that I ever stay home with my children. I have, for every summer since they have been born, stayed home with them (working minimally part time, if at all). In these treasured summers I have come to know my children as the individuals they are, gone many places with them and shared many of my own favoured childhood pass times. This year, Wesley turned 10, old enough to babysit and be home alone, and Raven 8. We have had a great summer this year, and I am so proud of how they have grown up.


Mixed in with all of these feelings is a pure, raw excitement. It's full of passion and expectation and a sense of danger with the unknown ahead. I am looking forward to making a home, with Duncan and our family, in Edmonton. Wish us luck!

Boing, Boing, BloG!

So yesterday... hmmm, where to start? See, I own this beautiful, almost new (read hardly ever used) blue and silver Giro bike helmet, that ran me about 100.00 (only the best for me!) a couple of summers ago. And if I had been wearing that helmet yesterday, (cue hysterical laughter) I totally would have wrecked it while executing my glorious three point landing (Shoulder, Knees, Head) while jumping various cement items in the local urban jungle (read mall parking lot). Wow. I left body parts behind with that one. Well, I ride my bike. And if you're not bleeding, you're just not really riding your bike!

And, today... a very full day indeed, one of those exhausting days where you welcome your bed at the end of the night. I travelled, care of Duncan's Dad (who drove me) to Edmonton for a big job interview. I was surprisingly more nervous then I have been in an interview in a while, but it went well. When I arrived home I changed very quickly as we were going out for dinner, and then off to Kim's house for a party. I am always surprised at Kim's party's by people attending (you just never know who is going to show up), subject matter (the potential for anything is there) and the varying level of attention that I get (Yes, it is all about me!). I was actually somewhat flattered by the fascination one of her friends showered my blog with, so I showed her a few different blogs as she wondered at the extent of the blogosphere. I guess, when you stand back from it a bit, it really is an amazing thing.

Its a nice day

I think we will go for a picnic.