Notes #72

                                    True Friendship    (3rd in the series of 6)

None of that sissy crap

Are you tired of those sissy 'friendship' poems that always sound good, but never actually come close to reality? Well, here is a series of promises that speak of true friendship. You will see no cute little smiley faces on this card, just the stone-cold truth of our great friendship. 
                
1. When you are sad - I will help you get drunk and plot revenge against the sorry bastard who made you sad.   
                 
2. When you are blue - I will try to dislodge whatever is choking you. 
                 
3. When you smile - I will know you are thinking of something that I would probably want to be involved in.   
                 
4. When you are scared - I will rag on you about it every chance I get until you're NOT.

5. When you are worried - I will tell you horrible stories about how much worse it could be until you quit whining. 
                 
6. When you are confused - I will try to use only little words. 
                 
7. When you are sick - Stay the hell away from me until you are well again. I don't want whatever you have. 
                 
8. When you fall - I will laugh at your clumsy ass, but I'll help you up. 
                 
9. This is my oath... I pledge it to the end. 'Why?' you may ask; because you are my friend.

Friendship is like peeing in your pants, everyone can see it, but only you can feel the true warmth. 

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If I could catch a rainbow, I would do it just for you.
And share with you its beauty on the days you're feeling blue.
     If I could build a mountain you could call your own:
           a place to find serenity, a place to be alone.
                    If I could take your troubles,
                    I would toss them in the sea.
But all these things I'm finding are impossible for me.
      I cannot build a mountain, catch a rainbow fair.
              So let me be what I know best...
                 A friend that's always there!

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Friends Don't Happen Every Day

Friends don't happen every day- just once in a while.

They come, like refreshing showers on the hottest day of summer, bathing the soul in life for a moment, and then they go leaving behind them the desperate aridity of life as usual.

Some people talk about making friends, but friends aren't turned out on an assembly line; they just happen now and then. They come at will to bridge chasms of isolation 
with wondrous meetings mind and heart; and then, always too soon, they are off to separate worlds.

So, treat lightly if you will the friends who freshen your desert today; 
but learn first this simple truth: friends don't happen every day, 
and they're never for keeps.

William T. Joyner from "Wheels in the Air"

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Best Friends:--They know how crazy you are and still choose to be seen with you in public.
                    -- Will be friends till we're old and senile,
then will be new friends!

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What Are You Thinking?     (written in January 2022)

Just What Are The Anti-Vaxxers Thinking That Makes Them So Resistant?

One thing for sure is that they do not appear to be rational! Despite all the solid research and scientific evidence, they continue to hold on to an explanation of what the pandemic is about that can only be explained as "their personal view", which fits their warped frame of reference.

The unvaccinated seem to believe that pseudo-science is factual even though it is totally incompatible with the Scientific Method. They heard it on the Internet, a podcast, or from a friend who heard it from a friend, and therefore it must be true. These people believe they have information that nobody else has and this gives them a superior sense of entitlement. It seems that what they believe is not open for discussion; it is their absolute truth.

Mac Horsburgh, "Essentially pseudo-science takes a hypothesis and attempts to prove that it is true. Science, on the other hand, follows a rigorous process of randomization, blind studies, peer reviews and other processes to attempt to prove a hypothesis could be wrong".

It is not possible to reason with or provide necessary information to the anti-Vaxxers because their folly is that their minds are closed; there is no other side. Sadly, we are passed common sense and reliable information, and now see this issue as "Us" and "Them".

It is unfortunate that we must resort to the law to keep people safe. There doesn't seem to be a realization that in deciding not to wear a mask or get vaccinated, thousands/millions of people are cost their lives, and millions more their quality of life because of the economic disaster that this COVID lifestyle has forced upon so many. And we can see how that has worked out.

It troubles me greatly to think what will happen to this generation of young students who are falling further behind in their education with each wave of the pandemic and it will get worse if we have to go back to homeschooling.

Perhaps in light of this world pandemic, our politicians might consider that our unvaccinated people might need a stronger reminder to do their civic duty. Seeing that so many of our hospital beds are filled with unvaccinated COVID patients, and the unvaccinated are insisting it is their right to be unvaccinated, then perhaps they need to be triaged behind those folks who need the beds after their heart, hip, and knee operations and be prepared to pay for their stay at the hospital
-- can't have it both ways! And get used to picking up your groceries at the outside pickup window-No Vax-- No Shop! (Of course our government won't allow this to happen.)

I know I sound Orwellian/Big Brother but the life we have here in Canada is not based solely on individual rights. It is not my right to bend the law and the wish of society whenever it suits me. It is a privilege to live here and whether you like it or not we make decisions for the whole, for all Canadians, not a misled minority. Our priority should be to keep each other safe! 

Please help us to end this pandemic--get vaccinated and wear a mask--and let's do it together! 

So much has happened since I wrote this in January. I now know better than to expect any leadership from our provincial government. We have been told we are on our own even as COVID numbers rise. So, please take care of yourself and...
               
              Be prudent and careful but not paranoid!

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Ok, for sure this is the last article on the Convoy craziness. 

Because of the convoy and the ensuing nonsense, I look at our flag a bit differently than before it was desecrated.

Author Unknown

I have reclaimed the Canadian flag. 
It does not belong to a minority faction who wrapped themselves in it to stage a mocking carnival of intolerance, selfishness and conflict. The flag belongs to all Canadians. 
To each of us it likely represents different things including justice, peace, democracy, fair mindedness, objectivity and order. I understand that for some, the Canadian flag also represents inequality, injustice and discrimination. Canada is not perfect, neither is democracy - they cannot be so, for they are the products of humans. And humans are well known for a wide range of traits and actions good, bad and somewhere in between. 
And so, the Canadian flag - which Canadians are generally shy to wave - represents myriad perspectives, values, aspirations, hurts, achievements and wrongs. But it is ours to fly at protests, demonstrations, celebrations and just because. 
But when I saw symbols of hate and evil being hoisted proudly alongside the Canadian flag, I was stunned. To fly the flags of Nazism and the Confederacy, and call for the dissolution of a democratically elected government whilst braying 'freedom' is the height of ignorance and absurdity. To hamper business and impede citizens' in their own streets is not a call for freedom, it is bullying. And to spout misogynistic, homophobic, racist and violent rhetoric demeans and degrades the speakers themselves and undermines the legitimacy of their arguments. 
So enough. I have planted my Canadian flag in a giant snowbank outside my house. It is reclaimed.
So enough. I have planted my Canadian flag in a giant snowbank outside my house. It is reclaimed.
The less you are in charge of your life, the greater your need to be in control of those around you.

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Reader Response

My  'burning' question to you is, how does one come to terms with a person like Putin and his choices? 

I am at a loss by the lack of soul and heart this leader shows to the people of Ukraine, Russia and the world. 

I like to believe that all people deserve to live in peace and respect with their family and friends. 

While discussing the current devastation in Ukraine, I wondered what you thought!

Jan 

My responses are: “Putin is mentally ill”; he has Steroid Rage thinking (rumour is that he is on steroids); he is delusional, in that he wants to single-handedly bring Russia back to the “Old Glory Days”; that he feels like he is losing ground to “ Western the way of thinking” and his popularity is waning, so let’s start a war (it had worked previously in Crimea and other countries), maybe his low self-esteem just won't allow him to be anything less than the saviour and hero of Russia and so his monstrous behaviour is his way of maintaining control of his power position of Russian. Who really knows?

We'll be taking the next 6 weeks to go visit Brad and Suzanne on Cayman Island. The way things are going, I hope when we come back it will be Spring!     Dan