Dona Nobis Pacem

As those who follow my Blog know I haven't posted in awhile, a long while. I do Blog for Peace every year though, I feel it's important and my civic duty. (like voting)
I had this post buzzing in my bean for weeks, it kept editing itself and going off on tangents while inserting a peace/ love/ hippie soundtrack.


 I was (as usual) horrified by the news. I'm a news junkie and tune in every day with a sense of foreboding mixed with trepidation and a lot of nausea. Lately I've been angry and sick more often than not.


I had prepared a list of all the atrocities for the last month or so that I've seen on local, national and international news casts. The indignities done to our children our elderly and the down trodden, the horrors of war, assassinations and animal cruelty. I had my well researched list of links for you to click on, the facts to back up my observations as it were. I was prepared.


However, when it came down to actually writing the post I couldn't do it. Who needs to see all that again? Who needs to re-live it? I certainly didn't.


I ended up wanting to talk and write about two words, two little words that we toss off every once in awhile. I've written extensively about one of the words and try to fill my posts with the other.


Love and Respect. That's it, two little words; but also two huge things to use and embrace, to practice and perfect in your day to day. Love and Respect. Two huge things to implement when you interact with your family and friends, and most importantly yourself.


Love and Respect, we need to show our children these two little words from the time they come to us. Love them for who they are, respect their rights and personal space. Embrace their religious beliefs, their lifestyle choices, their attempts at art, music and self expression.


 Love them unconditionally, teach them by example, not punishment. After all they are all miraculous.


Dispense hugs and shoulders to cry on, the remains on blouses and shirts can be washed away, not so easy when you wound some one's psyche, or damage them with abuse and neglect, ridicule and name calling.


Respect and love that's all it takes.

Don't be a bully, don't be a racist, don't be an abuser, don't be a gossip, don't be a liar, don't be a hater.

Love and Respect it starts at home.

 It gets carried through the lives your children lead, and it ends up in the hearts of all the people that you and your children and their children come into contact with. Lead by example.

Respect and love.

Imagine.

It's funny

Not funny haha, but funny odd how my priorities change when I'm in constant pain.
Last week I was moaning and dripping about money and shoes and a dress for the wedding.
I was badgering Buzz (hard to believe I know) about getting fitted for a suit, worried about The Boy's clothes and the price of a hotel. Then there was my hair, my uneven grey hair.


This week I'm prepared to give away everything and everyone I hold dear for just one pain free day.
The first snake oil salesman to knock on my door can have it all. If he brings cake, he can have absolutely everything.
Cake and a pain free day to scarf it down sounds pretty sweet to me right now.

This had nothing to do with hockey.

Wow.
I've received a couple e-mails on what I thought about last night's idiocy in Vancouver. I'm still trying to process, what a stupid thoughtless thing to happen.


I guess it wasn't without thought, people brought matches, gas, rags, Molotov cocktails and masks. They were evidently planning on a riot win or lose and apparently wanted to be part of *History*.


It defies description the thought process that went into this, call me naive, I just don't understand why this is considered a cool thing. Luckily for the authorities they also brought along their cameras and cell phones to record the whole thing, and being of the new interconnected generation, the darlings of social media, they posted their criminal acts on-line, and helpfully tagged each other.


That right there goes toward showing the intelligence of your average "rioter".


What did they gain, apart from their picture in the paper? Not a damn thing, all they accomplished was hurting some business's and destroying some property . They hurt some law enforcement officers and put all first responders in jeopardy, not to mention the really innocent people who were trying to get the Hell out of there. They hurt the small business guy as well, what's the point in that?


I wonder if we'll hear from some of these people about police brutality like we did in 1994? You riot, you hurt people and you get all pissy when you get gassed or put on the ground, tough for you eh? Poor Diddums. Then you have the audacity to complain about liquor pour outs or events being cancelled, you're the reason that Vancouver is billed as *No fun city*.


I also wonder what these twits have to riot about? Not allowed to vote? Not able to get an education? Beaten in the street for your religious beliefs? Being bombed by militant forces? No groceries in the stores? No clean water? Living under the boot of a tyrant? Forced circumcision for your daughter?


No? Then why?


Perhaps Rogers wouldn't give you that really good cell phone plan? Maybe your mommy took away your video console? Couldn't borrow daddy's Mercedes for the night? You Chai Latte too expensive?


You had no reason and no bloody right. Were you residing in Libya, Iran, Iraq, Syria or Lebanon I could get behind your right to protest, your right to a better life, but living in Vancouver and wearing your expensive hockey jersey's and using your cell phones to record your idiocy, I have no respect or sympathy for you. Not one scintilla of pity.


Keep the photos coming and keep on tagging yourselves. Parents turn in your kids and don't pay for a lawyer, let them squirm and let them do time. Better yet, send them to Afghanistan to fight for the freedoms they enjoy and take for granted, let them see what real suffering is.


So I guess I'm a lot pissed off and saddened. This beggars belief.


I've also been hearing reports about the police presence, complaints from business owners about not getting help in a timely fashion. Cut them some slack, it was a riot, people come first as unfortunate as that is for your business or your car, which can be repaired and replaced.




Thank you VPD,RCMP, VFD and all the rest who dropped everything to get this under control.

Does she....

Call too often?
Ask endless personal questions?
Keep crashing her computer?
Mix up your favorite dish with your sib's?
Screw up her PVR settings?
Tell you how to raise her grand kids?
Embarrass you with the same old stories?
Haul out the family movies?
Comment on every little thing on FB?
Complain about your Dad?
Make you clean the gutters?
Expect to see you on Sunday?
Overfeed you?
Live in an outdated home?
Wear that same old coat?
Send you five bucks on your birthday?
Talk too much?
Hug too much?
Wear that tacky shade of lipstick?
Expect you to drop everything to drive her to an appointment?
Have old canned goods in the cellar?
Refuse to get a hearing aid?
Drink cold tea?
Use a magnifying glass?
Hum?
Have ill fitting dentures?
Bake?
Stuff a stocking for you at Christmas?

If you answered yes to any one of these, it means your mom is still living, still engaged, and loving you as she always has; she's still here for you and worried about you.

Hug her, kiss her, enjoy her, eat whatever the Hell she puts in front of you.
You are so lucky.

Where would you be

without your pets?

We aren't all fortunate or financially/physically capable of owning a pet. (or in the case of a cat owner, being owned)

I'm lucky enough to have three cats and Booker Todd. When we first brought Booker home I was in the midst of a big fibromyalgia flare that lasted almost 6 months. I was on the verge of taking him back to the S.P.C.A, because I felt that I wasn't capable of caring for him properly.

We couldn't go for walks and I couldn't wrestle with him or chase him around the dining room table. Soon I was to discover that Booker took care of me, not the other way around.

He got me out of bed in the morning, he got me moving and he got me out of my head. (where quite frankly it can be a tad bit scary)

He makes me laugh, he makes me worry about him and not myself. He's excellent company when Buzz is working nights, even if he justs lies on his end of the couch and farts.

I talk to him all day, or I tell people I'm talking to him. (makes me seem less crazy to the casual observer)

He's brought me back to a group of friends that through my own idiocy and self imposed isolation I'd almost lost.

I have two friends right now who are ill and housebound, off of work and feeling some of the isolation that you feel when you're in chronic pain.

They both have pets and I really believe if it wasn't for our cats and dogs that they'd be in dire straights right now.

I'm not a religious person, however I believe our fur babies were sent to us by a higher power, we are blessed.

I knew you when

I knew you when

Your mother's water broke in my mother's kitchen,
School,
Sleepovers,
First loves,
Pierced ears,
Grandpa's house,
Bobo's house,
Shopping at Woolworth's,
Skipping school,
Birthday parties,
Biking to Oliver Lake,
Walking to First Fort,
Hiking up Mt Hayes,
Eating donuts at Inez's,
The Capital Theater,
The Totem,
Boston Pizza,
Mr Mikes,
The pool,
The civic center,
Walking for hours,
Knock Down Ginger,
Red Rover,
Cowboy's and Indian's,
King of the Castle,
Skipping,
Double Dutch,
Hopscotch,
Weddings,
Babies,
Shoppers,
Losing our Mom's,
Losing our Dad's,
Laughing 'til we begged for mercy,
Getting drunk,
Smoking,
Camping,
Road trips,

I knew you when we only had each other,
I knew you when life was full,
I knew you when life was empty,
I knew you when life was good,
I knew you in my heart, from the first second I drew breath.

I love you

Oh so preventable

Wow, where to start this week.
Duncan teenager Tyeisha Jones was murdered. Poor little girl, out at a house party and then on her way to meet a friend. How very sad and heartbreaking. I can only hope they catch the murderer in a timely manner , and throw away the key. I can't help but think about her poor mother.

Outdoor adventures in B.C. thought it was a good idea to slaughter 100 healthy dogs. I say slaughter because that's what it was. These little guys were not euthanized in a vet's office, but picked off in front of one another and rolled into a mass grave. How the Hell does something like this happen? Why oh why couldn't they utilize the Social Media and ask for homes or money to care for these animals?
I personally could have found at least 40 homes and probably dozens more foster homes, if only they'd asked. I am absolutely sick about this and am boycotting their business, you can too.

http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/pages/Boycotting-Outdoor-Adventures-in-BC-Whistler/180065432029885

They thought business was bad before, well they have another think coming. Today the shooter wants compensation, as he was just doing as he was told. That right there is why God gave you a conscience and the ability to tell right from wrong. You just should have walked away buddy, no job is worth that.

Dr Smith the pathologist lost his medical license today. He plead no contest to professional misconduct and incompetence. There's another one who should go to jail, due to his fudging and out and out idiocy he sent William Mullins-Johnson to prison for 12 years for the rape and murder of Mr. Mullins-Johnson's 4 year old niece. 12 years, not to mention the stigma attached to this innocent man for the rest of his life. Plus as Mullins-Johnson pointed out, "Justice was not served."
There's still a guilty party out there.
Out of 44 cases they reviewed, 20 were found to be screwed up and resulted in 13 people being criminally charged.
These are families who not only lost their children, but had charges brought against them.

Metered Internet! WTF? Seriously? Dudes, come on. Sheesh. Go here, like it, sign the letter/petition to stop this lunacy.

http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/openmedia.ca,

Then a lot farther from home, but very disturbing is the crisis in Egypt. I call it a crisis, there have been deaths, injuries, injustice and a huge amount of property damage.
Mr. Mubarak, just leave already, follow your family and get the Hell out of Dodge. You're done, really. 29 years is long enough to be a power hungry omnipotent despot, you aren't a young man any longer, go away.
Today he announced that he wouldn't run in the next election. DUH
I couldn't quite wrap my head around the damage to the museum, what a senseless thing, and oh so preventable.....Show your support for the people of Egypt.
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/Avaaz



Well let's see, on the home front we're all ok. Had a merry chase and obsessive time getting my passport application in. Whatever will I do now?
Had a couple days where I felt like I was run over by a street sweeper, not fluish but not arthritis either, odd.
Hot water tank went a couple weeks ago, that was fun.
Dog is scratching and chewing at himself again, this after a couple hundred in treatments and whatnot.
Cats are good, shedding already and exhibiting signs of spring fever/insanity. So basically normal, for cats.

I've been haunting the movie store. My reviews:
Inception=BORING BAD BAH
Red=pretty good.
A-Team=pretty kinda ok but longish.
Winter's Bone=Best movie ever.
Expendables=Things go boom, I laugh.
Salt=Freaking A, way to kick butt Angelina (predictable plot. but good)
Resident Evil, afterlife=usual campy goodness.
The Town=BORING
Henry Brown=depressing, but really well acted.
Eat Pray Love=good, I was surprised. (Julia Roberts ain't no pretty woman when she cries) (really)

Well I'm outta here, gotta feed the meter........hehe

Our Apathy

Once again, I sit and wonder WTH is happening in the world? Tuscon Arizona, a mass murder/shooting. 14 injured and 6 dead. Among the dead a 9 year old girl, Christina Taylor Green (ironically born on 9/11) a federal judge, John Roll, Congresswoman Giffords' aide, Gabe Zimmerman and Mr. D.Stoddard who threw himself on his injured wife Mavy, Dorothy Morris, and Phyllis Scheck both grandmothers.

What caused this obviously mentally ill 22 year old kid to do this? Were there warning signs? I'm reminded of the Columbine shooters who posted pretty much what they had planned on the web. All the warning signs were there, yet nobody did a thing about it. I figured after that it would never happen again, yet it has.

Jared Lee Loughner had a myspace page, with many clues, maybe not what he had planned or the where and the when of it, but there were signs that he was disturbed and violent. He railed against many different things.
He had 100 rounds and a knife and according to sources at the scene he was pretty pleased with himself afterward. They found an envelope at his home that had writing on it; Giffords, my assassination and I planned ahead.

He was suspended from college, (PIMA sent him a letter saying he wasn't allowed back until he brought in a Dr's note saying he wouldn't be a danger to himself or others.) and according to Dateline he was denied enlistment in the Army. hhhmmmm. YET THEY LET HIM BUY A GLOCK 9mm!!!???

I was also disgusted by the Sarah Palin political ad, she put crosshairs on a map with representative Giffords and 19 other democratic representatives. She then urged her followers to *reload* and *aim* for democrats. The map read, "We've diagnosed the problem... Help us prescribe the solution."


Then there was Ms. Giffords political opponent Jesse Kelly, who held an event last June to shoot a fully automatic M16, to get on* target* and *remove* Gabrielle Giffords.
Soon after her office was vandalized.

Seems to me they did everything to facilitate this horror except buy him a juice box and a bus pass.

Once again our friends from the Westboro baptist church plan to protest at some of the funerals.
What an outrage, they get to spread their hate and spew their prejudice while a peaceful gathering outside of a Safeway on a sunny January morning takes it on the chin.

I'm sickened and saddened and horrified, have we become so desensitized and worried about not getting involved or fitting in that we can't nip something like this in the bud?

Our apathy allowed Ms. Giffords to be shot point blank in the head, a nine year old girl to be murdered and scores of families that will never be right again.

I wish things were different.