The Quickies

Haven't posted for far too long, but, I have been writing other stuff; stories about things and places and people and issues and trying to ooze out some personal philosophies (rationales?) for existing that make at least some sense (to me). I'm getting on and keepin' on eh. And yes I'm a lucky one who still can and wants to. 

Thoughts pop into thought regularly. I think; "That's a great idea; live with it for a while; a few minutes, a day or much, much longer. See whether it's sticky enough to dance with and even merit preservation". 

So I'm going to try this little section. Calling it  the Quickie. Gonna post those popup thoughts. And look at them. And cogitate. And try. And...who knows?. So....here we go...starting Dec 023, newest/most recent at the top.

Right? Wrong? You never get anyone to change by telling them they're wrong!!??

Who's Story? Tell your stories with passion as factually as you can or as creatively as you might imagine, but... it's the readers and listeners who will complete them.

Balance. If life is in perfect balance does anything/anyone move or change? And if not, why would anyone want to be perfectly balanced? Swinging, ups and downs are good, yes?

A Road Trip of the Body and Mind. Road trips are great because every day you chose a starting time, a new place for breakfast,  new food, meet new people, decide how far you're going to take life today, where you're going to sleep tonight and in more than one way, "Fill your (Gas) Tank" every...single...day...and sometimes...more.  

No Word has a single meaning to all people. They exist to convey notion or ideas. They are not singularly effective; they need perspective. Perspective - yours and the who and where and what you are tofday...at this moment - change them. Try to be clear, but don't get hung up on them. Use them, create new ideas with them. Reinvent and expand their possibilities.

Tell your stories with passion as factually as you can or as creatively as you might imagine, but... it's the readers and listeners who will complete them. Balance If life is in perfect balance does anything/anyone move or change? And if not, why would anyone want to be perfectly balanced? Swinging, ups and downs are good, yes? A Road Trip of the Body and Mind. Road trips are great because every day you chose a starting time, a new place for breakfast, new food, meet new people, decide how far you're going to take life today, where you're going to sleep tonight and in more than one way, "Fill your (Gas) Tank" every...single...day...and sometimes...more. No Word has a single meaning to all people. They exist to convey notion or ideas. They are not singularly effective; they need perspective. Perspective - yours and the who and where and what you are tofday...at this moment - change them. Try to be clear, but don't get hung up on them. Use them, create new ideas with them. Reinvent and expand their possibilities.

Charlie is an Inspiration in the midst of....everything!

I have long been bewildered by the world, its order, its disorder, its beauty and its power and am even more so now, in these pandemic days that is. I have seen deeds, read words and heard songs of love that serve to perspectivize the pandemic and life itself; many are creative and inspiring. The source of inspiration seems at first to be the words and deeds themselves but it may rather be the thought that there are people who are capable of such writing and songs and deeds – and that some are my friends. Always knew they were gifted.

But I’m a pretty simple guy. My recent night time reading was Volume 1 of Charlie Brown’s ‘Cyclopedia...Featuring Your Body” (1980). It took maybe 4 nights to get through its 54 pages. The section on “What is a Virus” was notable but there was no mention of the current beast of course. Many of the other sections could form a good Trivia game for all of us as we look for stuff to do and think about. How about these gnarly questions...

• What is a Funny Bone?
• Why do you shiver on a cold day?
• What actually are “Goose Bumps”
• Why do you drop a hot potato?
• Why are some people ticklish and others not?
• What is an Adam’s Apple?
• What is the process of sneezing?

And here’s a few facts I gleaned from Charlie. (I trust him and did not fact check any).

• Hair grows faster in summer and averages about 3/4 inches / month
• The longest sneezing fit (in 1980) was 155 days!
• People have about 100,000 hairs on their heads. (Those were the days my friend).
• We have 206 bones, 1/2 of which are in hands and feet.
• H2O is =~ 60% of body weight.
• We breath about 11,000 litres of air in and out a day.
• Our skin weighs twice as much as our brain.

So, thanks again to Charles and Charlie, Snoopy, Woodstock and all the others...you are all continuing lights in the middle of a dark tunnel.

Keep on keeping on eh!

Driving (Miss) Canada

I read a good article about some car journalists driving some Mercedes Benz vehicles in each province for a Canada 150 "event". (See: Oh Canada, What a Road Trip by Norris McDonald. Saturday July 1, in Wheels section of the Toronto Star). Made me think about my own experiences, hence a comment or two... 

I agree with Norris. Seeing the country by car is the way to “do” the country and doing it with the top down is extraordinary. For 3 years when in Vancouver on business, I bought an old car (MGB, VW Beetle and TR8, each a convertible with many kms and standard transmission) so that I could drive home (to Toronto) rather than fly.  The convertible opens the experience. It allows you to be swallowed up by the majesty of our mountains and awed by the Living Skies (as they say in Saskatchewan). You just feel and smell the air in a way that puts you at one with the country. (And in the older car, you drive a bit more slowly allowing you to see more while hoping that it won’t give up the ghost somewhere north of Superior!).

Norris’ story also reminded me of a contest my association* ran some years ago, called Test Drive Canada. We represented the manufacturers and dealers of the 6 Japanese car brands. There were 5 winning families. They were flown to Victoria where they met a 6^th family (the wagon masters for the trip) and were introduced to 6 different Japanese cars. Each family was to drive each car as they tripped across the country to St. John’s. A thorough itinerary set out hotels, car switch points, and several special presentations to the group by local dignitaries along the way. They were Hatted, Screeched, feted and entertained. More importantly, they met 5 other families from different parts of Canada, with whom they shared a pretty unique experience. I am in periodic touch with them still. I feel good that we helped them see Canada in a special way.

As I continue to contemplate another X Canada trip, I hope the car industry will do more to promote trips like this for individual Canadians and families and respectfully, let the scribes and pundits find their own wheels.  

* The Canadian Association of Japanese Automobile Dealers aka CAJAD)

Be The River!

There was a report in my local paper recently saying that a High Court in India has ruled that two historic and socially significant rivers have the status of living human entities.

The law henceforth would treat anyone who harmed or polluted the waters the same as if they had harmed a person. Rather a good idea, but I doubt we’re ready to do it here in Canada. Instead though, we might do well to take note of the great movie Caddyshack's  line "...just 'Be the Ball'" (see clip below*). 

I adopted the notion a while back. As an example when my kids would slam a door; a few “Be the Door” exhortations and they’d get the idea! 

The concept could be applied to a new Canadian Environmental/Natural Resources Program. It would urge all Canadians to “Be the River (or Lake or Tree). If you really think that way, why would you ever want to harm them? You wouldn't. And there you have it, eh.

*Caddyshack Clip; Be the Ball

Some Friends

First snow today. Hmm. Haven't written to the blog for a while but certainly have written to friends who have, over the last few months, been faced with troubles and challenges. In several cases I have signed off letters with "Keep On" which readers will know is part expression of hope that life and health and happiness and fulfillment will indeed keep on, and part exhortation/encouragement to the receiver to keep up the good fight. To friend who's seen a loved one seriously injured, another who is faced with cancer treatments and another who suffered a miscarriage, I have said - and say again now and into the future - "Keep On."

On the subject of sign offs I read a humorous letter from a noted Canadian writer to an Uncle of mine back some many years ago and he signed it off with the words: " To the deep end" which I rather liked.

Can we change people? Can they change themselves?

I’ve said many times - that I don’t think people change. Some good friends disagree with me. So, I’ve tried to think about it some more. 

When I say that people don’t change, I guess I’m really talking and thinking about their inner essence, their soul, their spirit so-to-speak. It is clear that our bodies evolve over time. Muscles, brain cells, joints etc. all age …but does that change who we are? Maybe we can’t do the same things, but we are likely the same person inside. If we were competitive, we likely still are; our inner competitiveness just manifests itself in different ways.

If we change jobs and learn to use new and different software techniques, adopt different ways of doing things or handling issues or dealing with people…have we changed?  I think our perspective and some aspects of behaviour might have changed…but we are not fundamentally different people. We have the same brain and senses and belief about human beings that we always did: we just apply them differently.

If I stop smoking, certainly my habits and behaviour have changed, but I have not. I may still crave the idea and I still love the same things and the same people. If a person quits drinking, what is it that changes? It’s his or her behaviour. The weakness or character trait that lead to (or enabled) the smoking and/or drinking is still there; its how we deal with them that has changed.

Which brings me a related thought; I often say that “You don’t have to ask people what they like to do you just have to watch them!” They will consistently do what they want to do, and that I think reflects a great deal about who they are. Sometimes, we are annoyed or displeased with what others do. Does that mean we don’t like who they are? And in such cases, do we think we can get the other person to change that behaviour? And if they actually do restrain themselves or adopt a different behaviour in a given situation, have they really changed? Likely not, I posit. They may change behaviour but their essence has not changed. And as a note, we cannot – in my view – change someone else’s behaviour or attitudes…people will only change when – and if – they decide to. It is always their choice.

So, I think that people’s behaviours can change, but that doesn’t change the essence of the person. Changes in behaviour they do make are because they (decide to) make them. Our inner self, personality orientations and belief system about other people and relationships just keeps on keeping on.  We cannot change others. Once a cynic, always a cynic; once a conspiracist, always a conspiracist; once open or  loving or  trusting or accepting of others, always open or  loving or  trusting or accepting of others. And, that’s the last word (for now at least)!         So...Keep On Eh.

Things I Don't Know

I am continuously aware of how much I don't know. It's shocking on the one hand and perhaps just so very normal on the other.

The latest head-ringer was the discovery of a very, very good folk singer, author and activist whose songs resonate and whose experiences parallel  my own in many, many ways. His name is Bob Bossin! We were born the same year and raised in the same City. We attended the same University. He sang with some famous folkers (Seeger and Guthrie) with whom my uncle (Paul Bain) sang in New York in the 50's. Bob grew up watching the same baseball team in Toronto that I did. Better still, we shared a common hero, a centre fielder named Sam Jethroe. The Bossins were around the baseball players at the Barclay Hotel in Toronto. My father and I were around lots of the Argo and Leaf players for a time at the Isabella hotel.  Bob and his dad Dave used to go to the same Racetrack that my high school friends and I did. After school we'd make a mad dash to Greenwood to get there for the last 2 races. (Ed note: entry was free for the last 2).

All this to say: I am amazed by Bob's accomplishments, a bit embarrassed that I have not followed him all these years but, I am ecstatic that I have found a new "brother."

Which is to remind us all to keep looking and realize there is so much yet to discover and enjoy. Once again, the blog's message rings true; "Keep On eh!"

Minerva's Ark,the Ship We Sailed in at Jarvis Collegiate in the "60s

Regular readers know that there is a group of guys –proud alums of JCI from the 1960s - who hold a Golf Tournament & Reunion/Revival each year. Benita has often asked about the people involved. When I sent the details of the 2013 event to The Diary the other day an interesting thing happened!  Lady Minerva calls and says: “If I’m going to promote this event, I want to know who these people are. What are they like? What keeps them interested in getting together? What have they done for the last 50 years or so?”

In deference to Benita and particularly Lady Minerva, this short piece is offered. It is not about any specific alum, but about us all.

By “all”, I mean a group of about 50, a number we grow a little each year. We share a fascinating Jarvis experience, and are all about the same age. To a man there is a respect for Jarvis, many of the teachers and coaches and each other. We enjoy golf and love to tell stories. We like to play and participate in the broadest sense of both words. Most important, we are good friends. How we got to be is not a simple story; we came from very different places and backgrounds, but we’ll try to explain. 

Reach Out; Don't Preach Out!

Mr. Kevin Deveaux wrote recently for a CBC podcast about the need for Parliament to become better at reaching out to the public. (http://fw.to/CftGONX). 

Deveaux makes a good point, and he’s certainly not alone. As reported in the Toronto Star (November 24^th) Stephen Lewis recalled the respect that existed in the Ontario Legislature during the William Davis years which he attributed (in part) to the attitude of the Premier. Lewis was quoted as saying: “Vitriolic nastiness in debate does not breed respect…nor does the spectre of …exercising authoritarian control.”  

I served as Director of Research for a Select Committee of the Ontario Legislature on the Highway Transportation of Goods. It sat during a time of minority government (1976/77). The members of the Committee represented 3 parties and became a cohesive unit in search of reason as they reached out to the public, industry groups and other government bodies. It traveled to every corner of Ontario and examined regulatory systems in the US and parts of Europe. As noted in the Final Report, the Committee went to great lengths to ensure that its inquiry would be open and fair and would consider all the views of all who wanted and should be consulted.  The Chairman said in the final report: “…the Members of the Committee approached the task with vigour and a sense of purpose which enabled them to ...report on time and with unanimity…I congratulate them for their ability to work well together…”

There is need for our politicians and governmental systems to reach out and not preach out; my experience suggests that the Multi-party committee philosophy & model can be extremely useful to this end.  We know that people of different political persuasions can work together (and often enjoy doing so). We also know it creates better public policy…and that is what we need…public policy, not policy.

Getting Back to Keeping On

I am becoming sadly cynical about people who don't follow through with their undertakings to "get back to others." Sure, I've missed or forgotten a few deadlines, but despite the constant to and fro via Twitter and Facebook and other social media, it shocks me that people who say they'll get back on a subject, very often don't. It seems to me that it's trending. Is it that there is just too much noise out there for people to remember what they said they'd do? Or is it that today's tweets are more important than what we said we'd do yesterday? I still prefer voice-to-voice (if not actual face-face) communications. I sense that with the dwindling use of phones as phones the "etiquette of replying" is dying. Any comments?

What’s with the name? “Keep on” suggests keeping on with the search for peace  and however fleeting, some relevance, satisfaction and happiness. The “eh”...well, it reflects the inherent Canadianism of the commentator.  I intend to post about things that happen or that I see or read that strike me as humorous or meaningful in other ways to the challenges of Keeping On, particularly in our regular lives and relationships.

I am often taken with cartoons as they so directly make us laugh at situations and ourselves. I am also fascinated with the simplicity of certain quotations that- like cartoons- elegantly put things in clear perspective. Then of course there are lessons to be gleaned from “real life” events and occurrences. All these can alter our willingness and ability to Keep On.

Regarding relationships...someone once said: “People will forget what you said, and forget what you did, but they will never forget how you made them feel.” 

And, regarding both relationships and even the environment: “If you want to use something again, treat it very well!”

Have a good day and, "keep on, eh."