30 days! I started a day late, so I decided to post today to make it the full 30 days. While not technically following the rules, it totally counts in my book. Yay me!
I started NaBloPoMo on a total whim, and there were a few times I considered stopping. Like after I wrote this totally uninspired post. But I hate failing at anything, so I kept going even though I didn't always want to.
There have been lots of good things about the challenge. For one, I am really darn proud of myself for sticking with it for 30 days, particularly given that I've not been feeling at my emotional best this month. It's nice to know that I have the discipline to stick to something, even when the consequences for not doing so are essentially nil. Second, I've loved all the comments I've been getting! NaBloPoMo happened just after I joined Twitter, so the volume of comments has increased both from having more posts and from having more traffic. I love that people will visit my blog, even though I'm just some random person somewhere in Canada, and I love even more that people are affected enough by what I write to leave a comment. Thank you! And I am sorry that I have been negligent at replying lately. I blame Stranger Things. I am still reading and appreciating every comment.
Lastly, I love that NaBloPoMo has gotten me thinking more creatively. My work is very rote and routine most of the time, and it's easy for me to fall into boring life patterns. I've appreciated being challenged to look at life differently and to come up with interesting things to say. In a tiny way, it makes me feel a little bit more alive. And the comments on this post have inspired me to take on another challenge at Christmas: I'm going to write a play. I've had an idea for a Fringe play bouncing around in my head for months, and I think 10 days will be enough for me to get a very rough draft written. (Maybe? Creampuff? I feel like Creampuff, who is a professional playwright, is just laughing hysterically at this. But worst case scenario I get something on paper. Right?) I don't have any intention of ever presenting the play at the Fringe (I have zero acting experience. And just barely more than zero playwriting experience.), but I think the experience could be fun.
(Also, Judith Thompson told me to write a play. I got to talk to her one-on-one for 45 amazing minutes at a local women's theatre festival, and she encouraged me to write a play. And what else can you do when JUDITH THOMPSON TELLS YOU TO WRITE A PLAY?)
So this is the end of NaBloPoMo. Huge thanks to Creampuff and OMDG and ana for keeping me company with their own NaBloPoMo writing. Although I won't be writing every day anymore, I am committing to a minimum of one blog post per week going forward. NaBloPoMo reminded me of how much I value this space, and I don't want to wait another year to write here regularly.
Showing posts with label Canadiana. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Canadiana. Show all posts
Friday, December 1, 2017
Wednesday, July 5, 2017
Greedy Rich People
For the Canada Day long weekend, M and I left the city to camp in front of a lake for three nights. It was an amazing escape, complete with star-filled skies, late evenings in front of the campfire, and tasty but not-so-healthy camping food. I felt more relaxed than I have in months, and I constantly found myself saying that I didn't want to go home (and particularly not back to work).
We had planned to completely avoid the Canada Day celebrations, as we both had some reservations about celebrating 150 years of colonization and abuse of indigenous peoples, but while stopping for gas we heard about "the best small town fireworks show in the province" from the sales clerk, and we decided to go. So on Saturday night, we left our refuge in the woods for the relative civilization of a town of 1,000 people.
When we arrived in town, there was a small area by the waterfront that had been designated the fireworks viewing area. It seemed that all 1,000 townspeople had come out for the celebration, as there wasn't an inch of available space on which to sit or stand. So we walked down the street until we found a lovely grassy area on which many people had set up blankets to watch the show.
Unfortunately, the area had been blocked off with orange plastic fencing; however, there was a steady stream of people walking under the fencing, so we followed suit. We found a great spot on the grass with a clear view of the water, and we settled in to watch the show.
And then, an angry woman came over and started yelling at us.
"This is private property! What are you doing here?"
We were a bit surprised, as there were easily hundreds of other people lying on the ground, so we explained to her that we were looking for a place to watch the fireworks and had simply followed other people into the area.
"Well! It's private property! You can't stay here! You have to leave!"
Now...I understand that no one wants their property trespassed on, and I do recognize that we were trespassing. However...it was an enormous field that easily could have accommodated many more people than were sitting on it. The woman who was yelling at us was part of a group having a large bonfire, and they were taking up only a very small portion of the grass closest to the fireworks, so the people watching the show were not impinging on their space in any way. And the people who had come for the show were sitting quite peacefully, not appearing to be disruptive or damaging to anything.
And yet, this woman didn't want any of us there. Because it was part of her property, and heaven forbid someone else enjoy something to which they aren't entitled.
Which I completely don't understand. If I have something that I'm not using, such as a giant piece of land that is too large for myself and my small group of friends, I would happily let someone else use it. This woman and her group could easily have let us all sit and watch the show, at no harm to them. If they'd been concerned about crowd control, perhaps they could have negotiated with the town to block off a portion of the property for the public, so that the space could have been enjoyed by everyone while still "protecting" the group who owns it.
But no. It was her property, and she didn't want anyone else to enjoy it.
Fitting metaphor for the celebration of 150 years of colonization.
Am I wrong about this? I was and still am horrified by the way that this woman treated us (and many other people who had come to watch the fireworks). The pure selfishness of it offends me so much.
We had planned to completely avoid the Canada Day celebrations, as we both had some reservations about celebrating 150 years of colonization and abuse of indigenous peoples, but while stopping for gas we heard about "the best small town fireworks show in the province" from the sales clerk, and we decided to go. So on Saturday night, we left our refuge in the woods for the relative civilization of a town of 1,000 people.
When we arrived in town, there was a small area by the waterfront that had been designated the fireworks viewing area. It seemed that all 1,000 townspeople had come out for the celebration, as there wasn't an inch of available space on which to sit or stand. So we walked down the street until we found a lovely grassy area on which many people had set up blankets to watch the show.
Unfortunately, the area had been blocked off with orange plastic fencing; however, there was a steady stream of people walking under the fencing, so we followed suit. We found a great spot on the grass with a clear view of the water, and we settled in to watch the show.
And then, an angry woman came over and started yelling at us.
"This is private property! What are you doing here?"
We were a bit surprised, as there were easily hundreds of other people lying on the ground, so we explained to her that we were looking for a place to watch the fireworks and had simply followed other people into the area.
"Well! It's private property! You can't stay here! You have to leave!"
Now...I understand that no one wants their property trespassed on, and I do recognize that we were trespassing. However...it was an enormous field that easily could have accommodated many more people than were sitting on it. The woman who was yelling at us was part of a group having a large bonfire, and they were taking up only a very small portion of the grass closest to the fireworks, so the people watching the show were not impinging on their space in any way. And the people who had come for the show were sitting quite peacefully, not appearing to be disruptive or damaging to anything.
And yet, this woman didn't want any of us there. Because it was part of her property, and heaven forbid someone else enjoy something to which they aren't entitled.
Which I completely don't understand. If I have something that I'm not using, such as a giant piece of land that is too large for myself and my small group of friends, I would happily let someone else use it. This woman and her group could easily have let us all sit and watch the show, at no harm to them. If they'd been concerned about crowd control, perhaps they could have negotiated with the town to block off a portion of the property for the public, so that the space could have been enjoyed by everyone while still "protecting" the group who owns it.
But no. It was her property, and she didn't want anyone else to enjoy it.
Fitting metaphor for the celebration of 150 years of colonization.
Am I wrong about this? I was and still am horrified by the way that this woman treated us (and many other people who had come to watch the fireworks). The pure selfishness of it offends me so much.
Monday, January 18, 2016
How to Survive a Canadian Winter
I'm suffering from a horrible case of winter blahs at the moment. Until a few weeks ago, we were having a very mild winter (0 to -10 C on most days), and it seemed completely bearable. Then the weather dropped into the -20 to -40 C range, and everything started to feel unpleasant. Our apartment never quite warms up, despite the heaters running continuously. My skin freezes in an instant if I go outside without it fully covered. And nothing feels quite worth going outside, no matter how fun or smothered in cheese it might be.
My instinct at this time of year is to cocoon myself in bed with cats, hot chocolate, and a pile of library books. I have zero desire to work or to do any of the things necessary for maintaining my existence. Laundry? Groceries? Dishes? All of these things seem like too much effort when the outside world is frigid and the daylight disappears before I leave the hospital. Every year I long to bypass these months, even though I recognize the finite nature of life and theoretically want to enjoy every precious moment of it. For me, there is nothing precious about -40 C before the windchill*.
This year is about being present though, which includes being present during the loathsome months between Christmas and the Spring melt. So I'm trying to come up with ways of not being miserable until March. Some of the things I've come up with?
Long johns**: My girlfriend made me buy a pair of long johns last year, and they may be the only thing that keeps us from killing each other when the weather is cold. (She is a crazy person who thinks that people should go outside despite the cold. She is very wrong.) Winter is slightly more bearable when I have long johns and an undershirt and a down jacket and a toque to keep the warmth inside.
The Conservatory: Our local zoo has a plant conservatory, which is a rather unimpressive greenhouse filled with the type of tropical plants that you can buy at Walmart. But! It is ridiculously hot inside, and it has a glass ceiling, so visiting it in the Winter can feel just the tiniest bit like being outside in a warm place.
Winter foods: Soups, stews, and casseroles smothered with cheese. Warm and hearty things from my kitchen are all that keep me going on some days.
Hot tub: I'm spoiled and live in a building with an indoor hot tub. I really must spend more time warming my frozen bones in it.
Skating: I haven't yet mustered up the strength to do this, but it seems like it would be good for me to get outside and participate in something Wintery. Maybe I would hate Winter less if I actually enjoyed something about it. Cross-country skiing is also a thought, and it would take advantage of the flatness of the region in which I live.
Sigh. I don't think this list is helping. I want to go to street festivals and run along the river and sit on a patio drinking overpriced cocktails. Nothing about winter seems pleasant right now. Maybe I should just blow my budget and go to Mexico.
If you have the misfortune of living somewhere that is frigidly cold right now, how do you manage to be happy despite the weather? Or do you give up on being happy and just treat Winter like a horribly bad call shift and wait for it to pass?
*If you live someplace warm and don't know what a windchill is, I kind of hate you.
**Are there people who aren't familiar with long johns? And toques? I hate all of you.
My instinct at this time of year is to cocoon myself in bed with cats, hot chocolate, and a pile of library books. I have zero desire to work or to do any of the things necessary for maintaining my existence. Laundry? Groceries? Dishes? All of these things seem like too much effort when the outside world is frigid and the daylight disappears before I leave the hospital. Every year I long to bypass these months, even though I recognize the finite nature of life and theoretically want to enjoy every precious moment of it. For me, there is nothing precious about -40 C before the windchill*.
This year is about being present though, which includes being present during the loathsome months between Christmas and the Spring melt. So I'm trying to come up with ways of not being miserable until March. Some of the things I've come up with?
Long johns**: My girlfriend made me buy a pair of long johns last year, and they may be the only thing that keeps us from killing each other when the weather is cold. (She is a crazy person who thinks that people should go outside despite the cold. She is very wrong.) Winter is slightly more bearable when I have long johns and an undershirt and a down jacket and a toque to keep the warmth inside.
The Conservatory: Our local zoo has a plant conservatory, which is a rather unimpressive greenhouse filled with the type of tropical plants that you can buy at Walmart. But! It is ridiculously hot inside, and it has a glass ceiling, so visiting it in the Winter can feel just the tiniest bit like being outside in a warm place.
Winter foods: Soups, stews, and casseroles smothered with cheese. Warm and hearty things from my kitchen are all that keep me going on some days.
Hot tub: I'm spoiled and live in a building with an indoor hot tub. I really must spend more time warming my frozen bones in it.
Skating: I haven't yet mustered up the strength to do this, but it seems like it would be good for me to get outside and participate in something Wintery. Maybe I would hate Winter less if I actually enjoyed something about it. Cross-country skiing is also a thought, and it would take advantage of the flatness of the region in which I live.
Sigh. I don't think this list is helping. I want to go to street festivals and run along the river and sit on a patio drinking overpriced cocktails. Nothing about winter seems pleasant right now. Maybe I should just blow my budget and go to Mexico.
If you have the misfortune of living somewhere that is frigidly cold right now, how do you manage to be happy despite the weather? Or do you give up on being happy and just treat Winter like a horribly bad call shift and wait for it to pass?
*If you live someplace warm and don't know what a windchill is, I kind of hate you.
**Are there people who aren't familiar with long johns? And toques? I hate all of you.
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