On Continuing the Family Name
I am the last male Braids that could carry the family name on, but, alas, I have no boys. After our second was born my aunts cornered me at a family function and began interrogating me about having another. When I said Theo and I did not believe we would have any more children they voiced the fact that I was the last able male to carry on the family name and that it would be a shame if the Braids name were to come to an end. I remember my response very well as we stood holding our styrofoam cups of coffee in the hall at Westminster Presbyterian Church where my uncles are Deacons. "The odds are that one of my two girls will be a lesbian and being that they are both strong-willed I would bet my life that either one would be the dominate female in the relationship guaranteeing any child they might have would wind up with my last name". It is a beautiful thing to watch grown women turn many different shades of red and fumble for words.
Monday, October 30, 2006
Friday, October 27, 2006
The Interview
Qualifications required were University degree and 2 years experience. Salary was dependent on experience. Duties included answering phones, filing, customer service and data input. With the skills and experience required I believed this was going to be a relatively good paying job. Say in the 30k/year area. I refer to the employer as EM.
EM: So, Mr. Braids, what do you think?
Me: I think I could fit in well here and I don't see any problems that would prevent me from quickly learning the routine.
EM: Great! Can you start next Monday?
Me: I can start right now if you want. Heh heh.
EM: Heh heh. Monday will be fine. We start at 8:30.
Me: Sounds great! Not that money is a real issue, but I was wondering what my wage would be.
EM: Well, we will start you off at $9.00/hr and after three months you will automatically get a raise.
Me: I see. And after three months the raise would be how much?
EM: Well, usually it is a full $.50 raise, but we can talk about that when the time arises.
Me: Oh hmmm. So you desired a University Degree for this job?
EM: Well, obviously it wasn't the most important issue since you haven't completed your degree, but you did indicate to us you would be finishing your degree at night school and you do offer the kind of experience we were looking for.
Me: Thats wonderful. Did you get a lot of applicants with degrees?
EM: Oh yes. We got a few.
Me: Sorry to go on, but I am just trying to understand this. You are going to pay me $9.00/hr based on my education and experience?
EM: Yes. That's correct.
Me: Well, after I pay for daycare that should leave me making about $1.50 an hour so I really hope I get that full $.50 raise after three months.
EM: I am sure we can work something out.
Me: I was being sarcastic.
Qualifications required were University degree and 2 years experience. Salary was dependent on experience. Duties included answering phones, filing, customer service and data input. With the skills and experience required I believed this was going to be a relatively good paying job. Say in the 30k/year area. I refer to the employer as EM.
EM: So, Mr. Braids, what do you think?
Me: I think I could fit in well here and I don't see any problems that would prevent me from quickly learning the routine.
EM: Great! Can you start next Monday?
Me: I can start right now if you want. Heh heh.
EM: Heh heh. Monday will be fine. We start at 8:30.
Me: Sounds great! Not that money is a real issue, but I was wondering what my wage would be.
EM: Well, we will start you off at $9.00/hr and after three months you will automatically get a raise.
Me: I see. And after three months the raise would be how much?
EM: Well, usually it is a full $.50 raise, but we can talk about that when the time arises.
Me: Oh hmmm. So you desired a University Degree for this job?
EM: Well, obviously it wasn't the most important issue since you haven't completed your degree, but you did indicate to us you would be finishing your degree at night school and you do offer the kind of experience we were looking for.
Me: Thats wonderful. Did you get a lot of applicants with degrees?
EM: Oh yes. We got a few.
Me: Sorry to go on, but I am just trying to understand this. You are going to pay me $9.00/hr based on my education and experience?
EM: Yes. That's correct.
Me: Well, after I pay for daycare that should leave me making about $1.50 an hour so I really hope I get that full $.50 raise after three months.
EM: I am sure we can work something out.
Me: I was being sarcastic.
Monday, October 23, 2006
Repitition (The Rut Song)
Dropping some change in the wishing well
With serious thoughts that I cannot quell
My mind lingers and dwells
On serious thoughts that I cannot quell
Well wishing for some change
On matters to some that may seem strange
These formless patterns I rearrange
These formless patterns seem so strange
I dwell on thoughts that linger long
Dropping like bricks where they don't belong
Serious thoughts that are much too strong
Making me question where I belong
Lingering long on these thoughts I dwell
Formless thoughts contained in a shell
I drop more change in the wishing well
With hopes one brick might crack the shell.
Dropping some change in the wishing well
With serious thoughts that I cannot quell
My mind lingers and dwells
On serious thoughts that I cannot quell
Well wishing for some change
On matters to some that may seem strange
These formless patterns I rearrange
These formless patterns seem so strange
I dwell on thoughts that linger long
Dropping like bricks where they don't belong
Serious thoughts that are much too strong
Making me question where I belong
Lingering long on these thoughts I dwell
Formless thoughts contained in a shell
I drop more change in the wishing well
With hopes one brick might crack the shell.
Thursday, October 19, 2006
Botox
Wow, no youtube posting this time. You gotta admit youtube is a great site. It has just about anything you could think of. I digress. Botox. I opened up my servers homepage and am greeted with "Botox For Beginners". Society places way too much emphasis on appearance, but to actually poison yourself (botox contains the same toxins found in food poisoning) defies logic. If you want to have a younger than your years appearance why not exercise a little. But more pointedly, why not grow old gracefully. The image that women have to live up to (and men which is gaining steam)is an impossibility. The image is unattainable unless you starve yourself, poison your face, get your breasts done and get lyposuction which is what the industry wants you to do. Wouldn't it be nice if we could all accept that different is beautiful? Personally, I find the altered woman unattractive at best. Moreover, the desire to cosmetically alter ones appearance is an admittal of dissatisfaction with ones self. It is not an external cureall, but rather an internal psychological problem with the belief that fixing any percieved external flaw one can cure the inner self. Of course, the reality is that unless one can accept themselves for who they are they will never gain the happiness they long for. Also, that this article was given a prominent place on the page is dissapointing. That such a technique is now considered mainstream news is a sad indictment not only on our media, but society as well. Thats my take on it.
Wow, no youtube posting this time. You gotta admit youtube is a great site. It has just about anything you could think of. I digress. Botox. I opened up my servers homepage and am greeted with "Botox For Beginners". Society places way too much emphasis on appearance, but to actually poison yourself (botox contains the same toxins found in food poisoning) defies logic. If you want to have a younger than your years appearance why not exercise a little. But more pointedly, why not grow old gracefully. The image that women have to live up to (and men which is gaining steam)is an impossibility. The image is unattainable unless you starve yourself, poison your face, get your breasts done and get lyposuction which is what the industry wants you to do. Wouldn't it be nice if we could all accept that different is beautiful? Personally, I find the altered woman unattractive at best. Moreover, the desire to cosmetically alter ones appearance is an admittal of dissatisfaction with ones self. It is not an external cureall, but rather an internal psychological problem with the belief that fixing any percieved external flaw one can cure the inner self. Of course, the reality is that unless one can accept themselves for who they are they will never gain the happiness they long for. Also, that this article was given a prominent place on the page is dissapointing. That such a technique is now considered mainstream news is a sad indictment not only on our media, but society as well. Thats my take on it.
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
How's Everything Here?
Theo and I dined out at our favourite restaurant last night before going to the doctors. Our waitress smiled, laughed at my dumb jokes and was timely on her routine look-ins. She was very attractive, had a beautiful smile and was very friendly. I couldn't stand her. Our usual waitress would be considered unattractive (frumpy) by most peoples standards, but really, what has that got to do with quality of service? The difference between the two is sincerity. I detest feeling humoured by a person and the friendly phoney interaction that must be tolerated for as long as you are thrown into a situation together. These situations usually send me into "fuck you" mode. When last nights waitress would come to our table I would be short in hopes she would piss off and leave Theo and I to our own amusements. With our usual waitress we wind up chatting for as much time as she can spare. We are planning to take our kids together to public swims on Saturday afternoons. I guess it comes down to my preference for people who can remain themselves whether at work or home vs those who take on a persona to fill the notion of a stereotyped role.
Theo and I dined out at our favourite restaurant last night before going to the doctors. Our waitress smiled, laughed at my dumb jokes and was timely on her routine look-ins. She was very attractive, had a beautiful smile and was very friendly. I couldn't stand her. Our usual waitress would be considered unattractive (frumpy) by most peoples standards, but really, what has that got to do with quality of service? The difference between the two is sincerity. I detest feeling humoured by a person and the friendly phoney interaction that must be tolerated for as long as you are thrown into a situation together. These situations usually send me into "fuck you" mode. When last nights waitress would come to our table I would be short in hopes she would piss off and leave Theo and I to our own amusements. With our usual waitress we wind up chatting for as much time as she can spare. We are planning to take our kids together to public swims on Saturday afternoons. I guess it comes down to my preference for people who can remain themselves whether at work or home vs those who take on a persona to fill the notion of a stereotyped role.
A Little Time On Our Own
Theo and I left the kids with their grandparents last night so we could go to the walk-in clinic. We both have sinus infections (hers is worse) while I also have an ear infection. What a crazy virus this turned out to be. Many of the people that have contracted it have had to go on antibiotics. We had a long wait before the doctor could see us so we just sat together and talked. You can forget why you love each other so much when you don't get any time alone. I made Theo laugh most of our wait and that fills me with happiness. I am a lucky man.
Theo and I left the kids with their grandparents last night so we could go to the walk-in clinic. We both have sinus infections (hers is worse) while I also have an ear infection. What a crazy virus this turned out to be. Many of the people that have contracted it have had to go on antibiotics. We had a long wait before the doctor could see us so we just sat together and talked. You can forget why you love each other so much when you don't get any time alone. I made Theo laugh most of our wait and that fills me with happiness. I am a lucky man.
Monday, October 16, 2006
Sunday, October 15, 2006
Ming Ming and Linny
These two servants of the animal kingdom traverse the globe in exciting ways (ie. homemade ballon, sailboats made from soap dishes) so they may, against fierce obstacles, save the day for animals in distress. Do not miss an episode as our daring heroes free giraffe's from electrical wires, help zebra's search for their missing white stripes or unhinge cages entrapping friendly repressed monkeys.
These two servants of the animal kingdom traverse the globe in exciting ways (ie. homemade ballon, sailboats made from soap dishes) so they may, against fierce obstacles, save the day for animals in distress. Do not miss an episode as our daring heroes free giraffe's from electrical wires, help zebra's search for their missing white stripes or unhinge cages entrapping friendly repressed monkeys.
Saturday, October 14, 2006
My Wife
My wife does not listen to me. I can offer her some sound advice and it is ignored. Someone else, perhaps a coworker, will say the same thing and she will listen. Do all of us married men suffer through this? After a length of time do you woman think we are completely incompetent? Does it have something to do with your own self-image (he married me, he must be stupid)? It is getting worse too. Now I find myself in the "I-told-you-so" role. It is not where I want to be, but even when I say nothing my eyes still say "I told you so" and I know that pisses her off which makes me laugh a little and sigh a little and forces me to seriously consider any advice I might freely give a little.
My wife does not listen to me. I can offer her some sound advice and it is ignored. Someone else, perhaps a coworker, will say the same thing and she will listen. Do all of us married men suffer through this? After a length of time do you woman think we are completely incompetent? Does it have something to do with your own self-image (he married me, he must be stupid)? It is getting worse too. Now I find myself in the "I-told-you-so" role. It is not where I want to be, but even when I say nothing my eyes still say "I told you so" and I know that pisses her off which makes me laugh a little and sigh a little and forces me to seriously consider any advice I might freely give a little.
The Spin Zone
I continue to grow increasingly ticked off with government and media. The anti-semitism issue brewing between Harper and Ignatieff and their respective spins on the issue are idiotic. The resignations of Kadis and Cotler I find childish. Call Qana what it is; another clash between two sides that hate each other, have no respect for each others lives and are both guilty of committing atrocities on each other. The spin of right wing media (in America especially) is beyond ridiculous. I can't believe people actually believe the crap they spew on these "News" networks. The constant barrage of ads that attempt to trick us into believing they are looking out for our interests I find insulting. The spin these people put on reality is out of control.
I continue to grow increasingly ticked off with government and media. The anti-semitism issue brewing between Harper and Ignatieff and their respective spins on the issue are idiotic. The resignations of Kadis and Cotler I find childish. Call Qana what it is; another clash between two sides that hate each other, have no respect for each others lives and are both guilty of committing atrocities on each other. The spin of right wing media (in America especially) is beyond ridiculous. I can't believe people actually believe the crap they spew on these "News" networks. The constant barrage of ads that attempt to trick us into believing they are looking out for our interests I find insulting. The spin these people put on reality is out of control.
Friday, October 13, 2006
Friday 13th
Most places I have been to talk about it being Friday the 13th and how it's supposed to be an unlucky day or filled with superstitious ideas. In Port Dover, depending on your view of bikers, it's a day that brings in a whole shitload of cash to the area. It's cold and raining and last night it snowed here for about 6 hours, but the place is still rocking with bikers. It is Canada's largest motorcycle event and the town shuts down to accomodate all the people. We are talking hundreds of thousands of visitors who spend millions of dollars. A small sacrifice to pay to ensure our local programs get funded. I went to my first Friday the 13th 3 summers ago. I remember walking down Main St. amid the loud, gaudy, smoggy and nauseating throng and was treated to a morbidly obese male biker lifting his shirt up and stroking his nipples followed by a 17 yr old pregnant girl with beer in one hand and smoke in the other. Makes you feel all juicy don't it. Not to paint an altogether biased masterpiece, I should mention that the majority of people are really cool, no trouble and are just having fun, which is all fine by us townfolk.
Thursday, October 05, 2006
A Daily Dose
I am an avid watcher of "The Daily Show". Their "special reports" are good, but not what keeps me coming back. It is, in part, due to the guests that Jon Stewart interviews, but mostly it is the political satire. At present I am loving the coverage of Republican Mark Foley and the scandal he finds himself facing. His attempts at cyber-sex with teenage Whitehouse Page's while maintaining to be a "defender of kids from predators and a supporter of traditional family values" is yet just one more chapter in the present administrations epic novel of immoral "errors in judgment". Now more than ever the Fox News channel is showing its complete bias for the Republican party. Sean Hannity of Hannity and Combes decided a trip down memory lane was required citing the 1983 Democratic scandal of Congressman Jerry Studds having sex with a Page. Hannity went on to say "That's not that long ago". I guess the Democratic party hasn't changed at all in 23 years and besides, those Dems are way more perverted than the Reps. He also went on to "report" that the Dems had knowledge of these allegations long before it came out into the open which of course places the blame squarely on the shoulders of the more liberal of the two parties. To top it off (just to add the proverbial cherry on top), Hannity went on to mention former Prez Bill Clinton and his scandal with Monica Lewinsky "You know something, I don't want to bring Clinton into it, you're gonna say that Monica was 19, but hold on a minute...". Monica was actually 22, but why split hairs right. I mean 22 is awfully close to 16 accepting that 22 is a legal age of consent whereas 16 is statutory rape, but why should that concern anyone especially government officials who right the laws. The crown jewel in Fox's coverage had to be the story they ran about the allegations showing footage of Foley answering questions in a media scrum with a subheader that included the Fox logo and the title "MARK FOLEY (D-FL). That's right people; Mark Foley is now officially a Democrat according to Fox News.
I am an avid watcher of "The Daily Show". Their "special reports" are good, but not what keeps me coming back. It is, in part, due to the guests that Jon Stewart interviews, but mostly it is the political satire. At present I am loving the coverage of Republican Mark Foley and the scandal he finds himself facing. His attempts at cyber-sex with teenage Whitehouse Page's while maintaining to be a "defender of kids from predators and a supporter of traditional family values" is yet just one more chapter in the present administrations epic novel of immoral "errors in judgment". Now more than ever the Fox News channel is showing its complete bias for the Republican party. Sean Hannity of Hannity and Combes decided a trip down memory lane was required citing the 1983 Democratic scandal of Congressman Jerry Studds having sex with a Page. Hannity went on to say "That's not that long ago". I guess the Democratic party hasn't changed at all in 23 years and besides, those Dems are way more perverted than the Reps. He also went on to "report" that the Dems had knowledge of these allegations long before it came out into the open which of course places the blame squarely on the shoulders of the more liberal of the two parties. To top it off (just to add the proverbial cherry on top), Hannity went on to mention former Prez Bill Clinton and his scandal with Monica Lewinsky "You know something, I don't want to bring Clinton into it, you're gonna say that Monica was 19, but hold on a minute...". Monica was actually 22, but why split hairs right. I mean 22 is awfully close to 16 accepting that 22 is a legal age of consent whereas 16 is statutory rape, but why should that concern anyone especially government officials who right the laws. The crown jewel in Fox's coverage had to be the story they ran about the allegations showing footage of Foley answering questions in a media scrum with a subheader that included the Fox logo and the title "MARK FOLEY (D-FL). That's right people; Mark Foley is now officially a Democrat according to Fox News.
Monday, October 02, 2006
The Genographic Project
So the hippies were right all along. We are all brothers and sisters. Dr. Spencer Wells has added strong proof to the hypothesis that all of humanity evolved from a group of African ancestors some 60,000 years ago. By mapping human DNA Wells has been able to map the human migration beginning in Africa to all other points in the world and sharpen the time-line theories of human occupation in those regions. It is a sad day for religious orders whose creation beliefs have been soundly quashed by fact. To me the most amazing part of this odyssey was Wells' discussions with the Navajo people. His theories on human migration are mirrored by the history of most 1st Nations tribes making their oral histories among the most accurate whereas the oral history of the 1st Australians sees themselves as the origin of human migration and not Africa where DNA and anthropologic evidence prove otherwise. So, being that we are all brothers and sisters and that our cultures and religions are obviously human-made, why all the bloodshed? Where in our evolution did it become cool to kill a brother? When did objectifying other people become part of life? With such a great history of surviving, why are we so bent on destruction? Come on Dr. Wells. Don't stop now. We really need to quicken the evolution of humanity before we waste it all.
https://www3.nationalgeographic.com/genographic/
So the hippies were right all along. We are all brothers and sisters. Dr. Spencer Wells has added strong proof to the hypothesis that all of humanity evolved from a group of African ancestors some 60,000 years ago. By mapping human DNA Wells has been able to map the human migration beginning in Africa to all other points in the world and sharpen the time-line theories of human occupation in those regions. It is a sad day for religious orders whose creation beliefs have been soundly quashed by fact. To me the most amazing part of this odyssey was Wells' discussions with the Navajo people. His theories on human migration are mirrored by the history of most 1st Nations tribes making their oral histories among the most accurate whereas the oral history of the 1st Australians sees themselves as the origin of human migration and not Africa where DNA and anthropologic evidence prove otherwise. So, being that we are all brothers and sisters and that our cultures and religions are obviously human-made, why all the bloodshed? Where in our evolution did it become cool to kill a brother? When did objectifying other people become part of life? With such a great history of surviving, why are we so bent on destruction? Come on Dr. Wells. Don't stop now. We really need to quicken the evolution of humanity before we waste it all.
https://www3.nationalgeographic.com/genographic/
Lynn Valley Trail
This trail runs from Port Dover to Simcoe. Took Grandpa Georo, Rain, Cassidy and cousin Tony (as well as Miqmaq and Meggie) out yesterday for a hike. Brought binoculars to bird watch and got to see plenty of Jays and a brown-headed cowbird. Kids love to be outdoors. Give them the choice between tv or a walk in the woods and mine will always take the walk.
This trail runs from Port Dover to Simcoe. Took Grandpa Georo, Rain, Cassidy and cousin Tony (as well as Miqmaq and Meggie) out yesterday for a hike. Brought binoculars to bird watch and got to see plenty of Jays and a brown-headed cowbird. Kids love to be outdoors. Give them the choice between tv or a walk in the woods and mine will always take the walk.
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