the other side of town

What to do when you find out your farmer is retiring

2012-02-05T20:05:00.000-04:00

Sheesh. We just got rolling with Stu and Nancy and their awesome farming and food delivery service. But it seems Stu's back isn't well so they're retiring from the delivery aspect of the business later this spring. Talk about a panic when I found that out - I've just got in the habit of re-thinking my purchases around what they can provide.

Luckily, at the wonderful Youth Entrepreneurship Showcase this weekend (hosted by Falls Brook Centre) we met the Livingstones, who have a farm in Pembroke and are doing a weekly food box from June until November. You should consider getting food there too - here is their website.

It is encouraging to see a sustainable family farm like this setting up around here. We need more wholesome food grown by people who care about health and the land. Stu has certainly spent his lifetime in Carleton County trying to encourage this sort of thinking. Stop by the Speerville Mill website sometime and read the story of how they got started. Kinda reminds me of a plucky little arts festival I know (not to mention the story of the founding of the Carleton County Historical Society). Thanks goodness for good people and good food. I don't want to imagine a world without them.

It's not what they say, it's how they say it.

2012-02-05T13:04:00.002-04:00

We saw our third play of 2012 last night, a UNB production of Michel Tremblay's "Bonjour, la, Bonjour." I've seen three of Tremblay's plays now and I really like them. He writes primarily about working-class francophones, which aren't too far from the working-class anglophones that constitutes 95% of my extended family. What could contain more 'drama' than family, youth, identity, and intimacy?

A few years back at Mount A., I saw "Messe solennelle pour une pleine lune d'ete," (Solemn Mass for a Full Moon Summer) and now that I look back on it, the characters perched on Montreal balconies in the heat of summer probably inspired my fascination with that city.

The Mount A. production was in French, and after seeing two subsequent Tremblay plays in English (the other was a TNB Production "For the Pleasure of Seeing Her Again"), I will try to see more Tremblay productions in the language they were composed in. Although my French is far from perfect, you can surmise a lot from watching good actors even if you don't get every word.

And words are important in these plays - Tremblay is known for introducing vernacular Quebecois French joual to the stage - it's analogous to the outback type of "Dooryard" words and phrases we have here in Western NB. And the characters are defined as much by the way the speak and not just what they say. As someone who has taken her 'county' slang to wine and cheese receptions and scholarship interviews, I can tell you that how you say 'er really does have some import (wink, wink).

I guess it just goes to show that "English" or "French" are very nebulous ideas in some ways - whose English (London, Caribbean, Carleton County, Mumbai) do we really speak? I will never forget the story my Acadienne friend told me about her trip to France. She showed up speaking French, mais oui, only to have French noses turn up at her unrefined accent. I think she was back on the plane to 'the New World" within days, but I digress.

So, speaking of English and French, next week we're off to - where else? - Mount A! to see Alex Fancy's Tintamarre team present "Camp." Students help Fancy write these bilingual productions, so it will be interesting to see what they've come up with. We're also going to see a wonderful friend present a vocal recital in the hall where we studied (and enjoyed) so many excellent performers during our wonderful student days. Felicitations, bravo and congratulations Jessica!

Do we have to talk about politics?

2012-01-29T15:26:00.001-04:00

Lately I've been involved in a few conversations about politics with people of different ages and backgrounds. Inevitably, someone will sigh or throw up their hands and voice their disgust/frustration/mistrust of the entire system. And who can blame them? So many poor (partisan) decisions are made, and so many people are completely alienated from and disenfranchised by our political systems, be they local or provincial or national.

At the same time, standing on the sidelines does nothing to improve the state of things - in fact, it makes it worse. The young people I talked to at a local pub felt completely uniformed on political issues. Some of them, well into their twenties, with degrees in hand, have never voted in a single election. The retired man I talked to at church today told me the story of how quickly a local MLA became disgusted with politics after he was elected. How can you get involved in politics and be successful in 'playing the game' without getting your hands dirty? Good question.

I've been interested in politics since I was a kid. My parents used to be card-carrying Liberals. People like my folks used to be the party rank-and-file, who played some role in bringing leaders to power. And inevitably, decisions about policy will be made, either with the participation of citizens or not. Mostly it seems that that power has been abdicated to large corporations and power-brokers, who understand the stakes and have their representatives trained and ready.

How do we re-ignite a conversation about the common good? How do we convince people (and particularly young people) to get involved in decision-making that affects their community?

My personal opinion is "without pressure, nothing changes." And that pressure can only be created when people work together to achieve specific changes that they feel will improve the community in which they live.
And sooner or later, in some form or another, that means politics.

Living on muscle, guts and luck

2012-01-26T06:38:00.000-04:00

So much food, so little time...here's a little round up of what I am learning lately. First of all, I've had a pretty much 180 degree change of opinion about animal fat. It feels strange after a decade of vegetarianism to be so into meat, but I think the evidence is in favour of high quality organic meat. I am not talking about feedlot beef here, or claustrophobically caged chickens. Or fast food.

I am realizing that my health in the future will be largely dependent on two things: exercise and managing my blood sugar. I have diabetics on both sides of the family so it's a major concern for me. Plus obesity/diabetes are the number one health problem in our society right now.

I just finished reading a book called "Deep Nutrition: Why Your Genes Need Traditional Food" which was so fascinating. The author shows how beauty and health are connected, how siblings appearances differ because of the nutrients available to them in utero, and how cholesterol is good for you. It's sugar and vegetable oils that cause illness. Yes, you read that right. Sugar and veg oil. Eat the butter, it's good for you.

She also says that we are losing the genetic nutritional advantage that our ancestors gave us, in part because they ate the whole animal - guts, livers, eyeballs and everything. I know that may not entice you but we aren't living longer anymore, we're aging faster and our children are less healthy. Shanahan thinks this is one of the reasons why - our food is no longer as nourishing.

Also, here is a podcast with Raj Patel, author of "Stuffed and Starved." He talks about lesser-known aspects of the 'green revolution' (ie. industrial farming) such as authoritarianism, overpopulation, the Cold War and more. Patel says we currently produce enough food to feed the entire world, it's just not distributed to people who need it. He says when capitalism controls food it actually leads to more hunger, because people without money can't eat.

Dark times we live in now. But we still have a choice, and the more I go to the grocery store, the more I don't want to go there anymore. So I am slowly working out a way of eating that is best for me and for my loved ones, and that doesn't involve an industrial outlook on life.

Sabbatical: Month 10, Time's Up!

2012-01-22T13:17:00.000-04:00

This time last year I felt grumpy and worn out. So I took a break from RiVA, cut back on my work schedule and made an effort to do less. It was the right choice and after nearly a year I feel re-charged and ready to go again.

Since New Year's I have also made some major revisions to my diet - adding (quality local, mostly organic) meat to my diet after a decade of vegetarianism and eliminating almost all grain and sugar (except fruit of course). I feel great and after the sugar binge that is Christmas it's a huge difference. I never realized how much the fluctuations in blood sugar made me anxious (sometimes to the point of hostility) and how much more satisfied and energized I feel now that my diet is higher in fat and protein, and lower in carbohydrates.

For anyone who feels worn down by life, I would highly recommend taking some time to re-evaluate your life and take some time to deliberately be unproductive. Taking the pressure off myself and being able to put my needs first was very empowering. In seven more years I fully intend to do it again.

More time for plays

2012-01-18T09:32:00.000-04:00

The New Year has arrived and with it, many changes and cause for excitement. Nick and I have made a goal to see 30 plays this year - yes! This is the kind of 'work' we can get excited about. So far we have attended "Screwjob," a new play by Step Taylor and "Chicken Hearts and Baby Onions" which was put on by Theatre St. Thomas.

Step's play was originally slated for last summer's Dooryard Arts Festival but was delayed until January. This was Valley Young Company's first production at the Charlotte St. Arts Centre in Fredericton. The TST production was helmed by Woodstock native Ryan Griffith, who gave an outstanding performance as the Croatian trucker Jan. It was so refreshing to see working people portrayed on the stage, dealing with the drama inherent in politics, family, class and friendship. Thanks gang, for encouraging us toward our goal.

Upcoming, we will be seeing "Oh What a Lovely War" (also at TST) and then the TNB redux of "The Dollar Woman" by Alden Nowlan and Walter Learning. This was TNB's first original production and I am looking forward to this slice of New Brunswickana. Nowlan has been a very inspirational figure for me personally so it will be great to hear his words spoken aloud.

We're also planning to read 20 plays and are currently reading Harold Bloom's commentaries on various Shakespeare plays. That man is an encyclopedia, in case you didn't know. So, our play is work and our work is play. Exciting stuff for those of us who find human stories endlessly fascinating. If you'd like to be apart of this play reading - which will be done out loud in the living room, beverage optional, feel free to drop me a line.

Cheerio!

My Industrial Education

2012-01-12T09:53:00.000-04:00

On Saturday we drove back from Fredericton. I hate being in the car for long periods of time - it makes me so stiff and irritated. When we got home, Nick and I took a walk near our house, in the industrial park. It's a short walk and has a good hill to climb so it's a good way to unwind your muscles after being caged in a car.

All this week I've been busy and decided to do a little something for myself - get some exercise. So I bundled up and headed out to retrace the route we walked on Saturday. I huffed my way up the hill and began the flat section that leads downhill and back home. I could hear a flatbed transport coming along behind me - it's an industrial park, after all.

I have a lots of truckers in my family, both current and retired and I have taken a number of free trips to Montreal and Toronto courtesy of truckers. So I'm not trashing truckers but this guy really freaked me out.

I was approaching an intersection and kept to my side of the road. I heard a voice and the driver (whose door said "Levasseur") motioned to me. I thought maybe he needed directions or he was concerned for my safety, walking in an industrial park. But at the same time, the Paul Bernardo alarm bells went off in my head and I took only one step closer, to see if he would speak to me.

He didn't.

Instead he motioned again for me to come closer. I was very confused - I do speak some French and could have understood any basic questions he wanted to ask. I took one more step and he opened the door to his truck. Then it hit me that he was trying to a.) solicit me or b.) abduct me. We didn't debrief so I can't be entirely certain.

I don't know who you are M. Levasseur, or if that's even your name. But if there's a Mme. Levasseur, I hope she knows who she's married to and what he could be bringing home.

Pretty bad for 9am on a Thursday in a small New Brunswick town. The whole thing makes me feel a little bit sick. It makes me wonder how many women this guy has picked up, whether it's consensual or whether he's another violent creep on the loose, and why he would think it's okay to approach a random woman out for a walk.

And it makes me sad for all the wonderful men in my life who would never dream of doing this. Men like Levasseur give good men a bad name.

Back to the Heart of Things

2011-12-15T11:12:00.002-04:00

One of the final projects of this sabbatical is a group undertaking, where five friends and I will be creating works of art based on six photographs by another friend. Some of the photographer's other work is here.

So now I am attempting (with fear in tow) to write 6 poems, and realizing I want these to be much better than my skill level will allow. Hence, research.

Here is a great little article about blank verse, what it is and how it is "at the heart" of much good English poetry. I like the idea of putting words on paper with 'a minimum of excess.'

We'll see how this goes. At some point after the visuals, words, music, stories and drama are created, I will post some of them for you to consider. I am not expecting perfection from myself on this, but I am looking forward to 99% perspiration.

Maybe, baby

2011-12-05T10:39:00.001-04:00

I was just reading a post about women pictured on television and how far those female characters have (and in some cases haven't) come in the past 40 years. I am not a regular tv watcher, but I found it interesting nonetheless.

It concluded with the thought that "the realities of rape, women's ability to choose abortion without shame; the fact that not all women are hungry for marriage and babies; and women's genuine experiences of having passion for their work" are still not comfortable scenarios for writers/broadcast networks/corporate advertisers/audiences -or whoever controls these televised situations.

I read that and I thought "that's true," because I know so many ambitious, talented, caring and capable women in their twenties and thirties who could be wonderful moms, but are deeply ambivalent about whether they should or will ever have children someday.

For some women, it's partner issues - they haven't met a good man (mostly) or they can't see themselves parenting with the person they are with (value conflicts) or they like their lives as-is and are not sure if they are ready for the lifetime commitment that parenthood entails or they can't afford to have kids because of their financial situation. Lots of varied reasons, a spectrum of doubt.

So, I just wanted to put it out there that there are lots of fine ladies on the 'maybe, baby' train. And I don't see that stopping anytime soon.

My exceptional friend

2011-11-24T09:18:00.000-04:00

It's not often I dedicate a post to singing the praises of an individual, but after getting our local paper today and finding out that one of my wonderful friends is going to China in an attempt to break a few Guinness World records involving a frisbee, I think it's time.

His blog is here, I will be adding it to my links (which you should check out if you're into the 'best of local' around these parts).

Let me tell you a little story about this guy. He was on the high school hockey team but hung out with the rest of us nerds and misfits. Fittingly, his blog is called "Odd and Misunderstood." Boy, can I ever relate to that some days. Instead of being a standard-issue jock, he once told me he liked listening to Gregorian Chant before hockey games because it helped get him pumped up. Now he says that throwing a frisbee is "his favourite form of mediation," and I believe it!

Hats off to you Rob, for listening to your inner voice on a slightly 'odd and misunderstood' journey that involves an immense amount of practice and perseverance. World records or not, I am astounded at what you've accomplished and I know the best is yet to come.

An endlessly varied recombination of age-old components

2011-11-22T10:07:00.001-04:00

How's that for a headline? Yowzers.

I am reading Carl Jung's 'memoir,' which is called " Memories, Dreams, Reflections." Rather than recalling chronologically the events in his life, Jung recalls how he came to understand the psyche, the unconscious and the formation of human personality.

Here is an excerpt which I find totally fascinating:

Our souls as well as our bodies are composed of individual elements which were all already present in the ranks of our ancestors. The 'newness' in the individual psyche is an endlessly varied recombination of age-old components. Body and soul therefore have an intensely historical character and find no proper place in what is new, in things that have just come into being. That is to say, our ancestral components are only partly at home in such things. We are very far from having finished completely with the Middle Ages, classical antiquity, and primitivity, as our modern psyches pretend.

Nevertheless, we have been plunged down a cataract of progress which sweeps us on into the future with ever wilder violence the farther it takes us from our roots. Once the past has been breached, it is usually annihilated, and there is no stopping the forward motion. But it is precisely the loss of connection with the past, our uprootedness, which has given rise to the 'discontents' of civilization and to such a flurry and haste that we live more in the future and its chimerical promised of a golden age than in the present, with which our whole evolutionary background has not yet caught up.

We rush impetuously into novelty, driven by a mounting sense of insufficiency, dissatisfaction, and restlessness. We no longer live on what we have but on promises, no longer in the light of the present day, but in the darkness of the future, which, we expect, will at last bring the proper sunrise.

We refuse to recognize that everything better is purchased at the price of something worse; that, for example, the hope of greater freedom is cancelled out by increased enslavement to the state, not to speak of the terrible perils to which the most brilliant discoveries of science expose us. The less we understand of what our fathers and forefather sought, the less we understand ourselves, and thus we help with all our might to rob the individual of his roots and his guiding instincts, so that he becomes a particle in the mass, ruled only by what Nietzsche called the spirit of gravity.

Reforms by advances, this is, by new methods or gadgets. are of course impressive at first, but in the long run they are dubious and in any case dearly paid for. They by no means increase the contentment or happiness of people on the whole. Mostly, they are deceptive sweetenings of existence, like speedier communications which unpleasantly accelerate the tempo of life and leave us with less time than ever before. Omnis festinatio ex parte diaboli est - all haste is of the devil, as the old masters used to say.

Reforms by retrogressions, on the other hand, are as a rule less expensive and in addition more lasting, for the return to the simpler, tried and tested ways of the past and make the sparsest use of newspapers, radio, television and all supposedly timesaving innovations.

In this book I have devoted considerable space to my subjective view of the world, which, however, is not a product of rational thinking. It is rather a vision such as will come to one who undertakes, deliberately, with half-closed eyes and somewhat closed ears to see and hear the form and voice of being. If our impressions are too distinct, we are held to the hour and minute of the present and have no way of knowing how our ancestral psyches listen to and understand the present - in other words, how our unconscious is responding to it. Thus we remain ignorant of whether our ancestral components find an elementary gratification in our lives, or whether they are repelled. Inner peace and contentment depend in large measure upon whether or not the historical family which is inherent in the individual can be harmonized with the ephemeral living conditions of the present.

A lesson from someone else's 90 years

2011-11-13T13:33:00.000-04:00

Sometimes I am tempted to think I am a pretty hip person - I've been to 'free school,' I helped start a mixed arts festival with my friends, I like the idea of open-source everything, and I am not afraid to eat sushi or spicy food or dance in public.

But then there are other days when I am pretty sure I was born in the wrong generation, and that I am secretly an old lady inside. Case in point: I love stationary and letters, I know how to make bread and baked beans from scratch, I don't have a cellphone, I sew on buttons and mend clothes that aren't ruined, I like to read actual books, sing hymns and play the piano. I realize this much of this is tragically unhip but I can't be bothered to hide it. And I don't put pictures of myself doing these things on facebook.

Today after church we had a 90th birthday party for a lady in our congregation - you only turn 90 once and she is a lively lady despite the year on her birth certificate. What a lovely time: lots of small tables set up, a nice bowl of unpretentious soup for everyone, cake and ice cream. Conversation, smiling. Kids, old people and everyone in between. Another lady played the piano intermittently while we ate. We all sang happy birthday together, whether we felt we were excellent singers or not.

Which brings me to the point: this generation (the one that lived through the Depression and WWII) knows how it's done. They can enjoy the simple pleasures that truly matter: a meal with friends, lighthearted music, kind words spoken and time well spent. Nothing flashy, no pressure to participate by buying stuff (who really needs more stuff now anyway!!). What a nice change from the emotional ambiguity of text messages, the narcissism of the online world and the lack of human contact that makes us all retreat too far into our own heads.

Thank you elders for reminding me what really makes life wonderful.

Meat or no meat: still a big question (for me)

2011-10-27T11:26:00.003-03:00

We live in a consumer society, there's no escaping it. Even after ten years of consciously attempting to avoid giving my money to multi-national corporations (as much as I can in this economy), I have to admit, I still get a little thrill out of buying things. I don't imagine this will ever go away - whether it's the Mad Men and their effect on me, on the evolutionary thrill of getting something new, I am not certain.

But today our household signed up for a food box delivery from Speerville Farms (Stu Fleishaker and Nancy Cantafio and their lovely girls). Every two weeks we will get bread, eggs, cheese, meat, and veggies delivered to our door. The price is excellent and everything is organic.

About ten years ago, I quit eating meat. Lots of people ask me why. They also ask me how I get my protein, which really bugs me, but that's another story. Here is a handy reference chart, in case you were wondering:

Food Amount of protein (grams)
Dried Parsley 1 cup 31
Lentils, cooked 1 cup 18
Black Beans, cooked 1 cup15
Tofu, firm 4 oz 11
Quinoa, cooked 1 cup 9
Peanut Butter 2 tbsp 8
Almonds 1/4 cup 8
Sun-dried Tomato 1 cup 8
Brown rice, cooked 1 cup 5
Broccoli, cooked 1 cup 4
Potato 1 med. 4
Lambsquarters 1 cup 4

I quit eating meat because I didn't trust where it was coming from - this is the system that gave us listeria, mad cow, swine flu and has increased antibiotic resistance. I don't have a beef with farmers, but I didn't want to give my money to the corporations who have made it impossible for small pork farmers to make a living. I also think ten years as a vegetarian has allowed me time to really think about killing and take responsibility for my ethical decisions.

However, in the past year I have noticed an increase in local meat offerings, and I have also noticed that soybeans - which I consume in the soymilk I drink - are driving the destruction of the Amazon rainforests. So, although I am not ready to go hog-wild just yet, when the food box comes on Monday I will see if I am ready to take on a bit of animal protein.

So, buying feels good. But buying something that helps a local family make a living feels better. We live in one of the most food insecure provinces in Canada. I think we would see a big change in our families, our schools and our economy if more people supported local food.

Word of the day: mendacity

2011-10-19T10:13:00.007-03:00

Until today, I had no idea who Chris Hedges is. My bad. You can find his bio here but you should really watch this interview with him in Times Square. He is talking about the similarities between the Occupy movement and the people's movements that brought down totalitarian governments in Eastern Europe. Hedges was a war correspondant for 20 years overseas so he brings a lot of experience to the table.

Mendacity: unthruthfulness; the act or process of lying.

Hedges makes lots of insightful comments about this movement but it's his remarks about the consensus decision-making process that I think most people don't understand. In our working lives (and in our school experiences) we are told what to do by a 'superior' and we do it, or else. This is how governments and corporations exert control over massive numbers of people.

In the case of the Occupy movement, the decisions are taken by consensus, where everyone is informed, the terms of engagement are completely transparent, people have the power to amend, support or block motions, and the discussion can't be shut down at will by the chair (or any other party). It's slow, it can be very frustrating but it is also rock solid when the group finally reaches consensus.

Hedges says that he has written about why the corporations that control the global economy need to be taken out, but never thought about how. When ordinary people reach a consensus about what to do - whether withdraw their money from mainline banks and put it into credit unions, or something else - that solidarity will be real.

Here's a great video of the people's mic in action. Blogger won't let me format the link so here's the address to put in your search bar: vimeo.com/30513599

Global Women

2011-10-16T14:28:00.001-03:00

I'm halfway through this great podcast about how women are in the process of claiming their rights and standing together for greater equality all over the globe. It's hard to hear their suffering, but it's so uplifting to know that half the world's population - nearly 3.5 billion people - stand a better chance than ever of being healthy, equal and productive citizens. It's well past time that happened, and we owe our thanks to all the women and men who struggled to make this happen.

One interesting point they make in this podcast is that policy makers, economists and politicians all around the world have concluded that to make progress on poverty, health, violence and the economy, you have to give women an equal place in society.

In New Brunswick, we all know our economy could use some improvement (so could our health, not to mention poverty). This makes me wonder what we are and aren't doing to include girls and women and to ensure that they flourish. Neglecting to deal with women's issues here only serves to put us a greater disadvantage.

The past is never entirely over

2011-10-15T13:07:00.000-03:00

If you're interested in the history of New Brunswick, or forestry or the Irving Companies, you really should go to the CBC.ca/nb site and read the story - and the comments - about the closing of the Deersdale sawmill and the debate about wood from Crown Land vs. private woodlots.

It encapsulates so much of the issues we are facing (and have faced) here in New Brunswick.

The 'Crown Lands' are a creation of the British colonial government - part of the empire of the 1700's and 1800's. The private woodlots are predominantly in Western NB, which was settled by American Loyalists after the war of independence from the British, and in Miramichi, where more prominent Irish and Scottish immigrants were able to buy or be granted large tracts of land.

I often think about how NB is like a developing country - very concentrated wealth and land ownership in the hands of a few - brain drain - largely disfunctional government - bright people but lacking education.

It's all there on the comment boards, if you're interested. As for me, I say history lives.

Back to the Forest

2011-10-14T08:51:00.001-03:00

I wrote about the opening shots here and here. This week JDI announced that it is closing the Deersdale sawmill due to lack of wood supply. Deersdale is in the middle of NB, east of Juniper. Here is a handy dandy map of where the Crown Land is in our fine province.

The Supreme Court of Canad holds that New Brunswick's Crown lands are held by the Province of New Brunswick for the benefit of the people of New Brunswick, not as their owner but as their trustee. The "public trust doctrine" handed down to us through English Common Law says that resourced of the commons are "gifts of nature's bounty" to benefit present and future generations."

Here is a handy dandy map from JDI's website about their operations.

The NB Federation of Woodlot Owners, which represents 30,000 people in New Brunswick, says that the price JDI is willing to pay from private woodlots is too low. The Federation says its members are harvesting 72% less wood and revenues have fallen from a combined $100 million to a combined $30 million.

Here's what Ken Hardie has to say about Crown Lands and private woodlots in NB.

"Essentially Crown land is our biggest competitor in the marketplace, which fundamentally has been our fight for many years, is the fact that we're in competition with our own land, pubicly-owned land," he said, noting that they have been in discussion with the Department of Natural Resources on the issue.

"At this time there is some positive. The department seems to be recognizing that in order for private woodlots to survive, maybe some Crown land needs to come off the market."

You Deserve Good Things

2011-10-13T18:09:00.000-03:00

Once I had a conversation with a very wise woman whom I respect very much. We were talking about why people who are in bad relationships stay there. She said that it's because they don't feel they have options, or because they are attached to the people who are mistreating them, or because they're not ready to leave.

I related a conversation I'd had with one of my extended family members, who always seemed to blame himself when someone else treating him poorly. I asked him if he thought he deserved good things in life. He avoided the question. So I asked him again, if he thought he deserved good things. You mean like, nice stuff, he asked me. No, I said, like being happy, and being treated with love and kindness by the people around you. He did not want to answer this question.

The lady looked me squarely in the eye and she said "many people - most people - do not believe that they deserve good things in life. They don't feel they are worthy."

I didn't grow up in a Jungian family where my parents told me I was entitled to good things. But I did grow up in a family where people (inevitably) screwed up, owned up, made it right, and moved on. I think this was an important lesson that there can be justice in families and relationships, even if it is difficult.

Now that I'm older, and I've seen so many people in bad relationships - and I don't just mean romantic relationships. I mean with their friends, or siblings, or co-workers, bosses or whomever. And I see them stick around and I think back to the conversation I had with that woman.

I wish I could tell people that they deserve good things in life, and I wish they would believe me. Overall, I think people are much tougher and resilient than they think they are, and when fear keeps them from moving forward I wish they could sense that better things await, and that they are worthy.

Sabbatical: Month 7

2011-10-10T21:59:00.000-03:00

Somehow, time crawls by so slowly and I look away - only to look back and find it's been weeks. A friend of mine mentions she's been reading my blog and I think to myself "my blog?! there's nothing on there to read..." Which may or may not be true, depending on your perspective.

All around me, I can sense that people's relationships are struggling - word of breakup after breakup reaches me, and other people who normally seem so together seem a little unhinged. Personally, I feel okay, I feel like things have settled down tremendously after a turbulent and financially stressful summer. But almost every day I see evidence of how people are equally capable of hurting or supporting each other. Sometimes it seems like a fine line and I wonder how anyone survives into old age with a positive outlook. Maybe it's willful ignorance, or wishful thinking, or luck or grace, depending on how you look at it. I'm not sure.

The elegy of fall is hard to bear sometimes, and this year since I've been on 'sabbatical' I feel wasteful. I feel like normally I would be working harder, investing time and energy in projects and seeing them come (hopefully) to fruition. This year I am not investing in anything, I am watching the time pass. I feel idle sometimes, and guilty as a result. At the same time, I can feel my inner battery re-charging and I feel much more resilient and joyful than I have in the past few years.

We also have less money in the household, which has been a very interesting process. Since the spring, we are eating a lot of stored food that previously would have gone to waste, altering or repairing clothes that would have gone unworn, visiting people and generally just slowing down the pace of life. It's been good.

Sometime I wonder about human generations in years past - without the iPhone, with less 'options' but more time for making bread and visiting family, less 'wordly' but more connected to the earth. I think everything in life is a trade-off and this sabbatical has really made me wonder what I am trading. Overall, I feel immensely thankful for the gentle and kind people we seem to have in abundance here in New Brunswick. I realize without a doubt that human relationships are so complicated and difficult, yet so rewarding, and I am thankful for my tiny place in the midst of this great cosmos.

Happy or not, here life comes

2011-09-19T10:37:00.001-03:00

Time and time again, I hear people talk about being happy - as in "he makes me so happy" or "I just don't feel happy" or the ubiquitous "do whatever makes you happy." And then, of course, there is the infamous reference to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" in the US Declaration of Independence.

Lately happiness has become a major topic of discussion around here - with some projects completed we have time to reflect on what might be next. As I work further into my adult years (indeed, the big 30 is just around the corner) I can see why people get worn down and start to lose touch with the joy in their lives. Being an adult is tough and sometimes I wonder if my generation is prepared for the realities of adulthood - the necessity of working, whether it be for financial gain or in relationships with those around us, and the realization that bad things often happen to good people.

In any case, here is a great podcast called "Just Say No to Happiness." It begins with an interview with the author of "The Happiness Project," which has been on best-seller lists since 2009, and concludes with great discussions about suffering, the psychology of morality, the necessity of faith and how ultimately, depth and meaning are more important than 'happiness.' So if you're wondering if you'll ever be happy, check this out. It may re-assure that there is much more to human existence than yellow smiley faces.

What to do with two gigantic zucchinis

2011-09-03T12:12:00.000-03:00

It's the most wonderful vegetable time of the year! Late August and September are when I revel in being a vegetarian - so much to eat, so little time. This year our garden hasn't been the greatest but I have been getting some local produce from George at Uphill Garden and also bought a decent supply of winter garlic from my friend RW. Delicious!!

My mom also gave me two gigantic zucchinis - so now everyday we are trying to eat it so it won't go to waste. Below are a couple of recipes I've been using. Maybe you are also faced with a glut of zucchini and don't know what to do with it. Enjoy and happy Labour Day weekend.

Zucchini Bruschetta

Make or buy a pizza dough.

If you make it from scratch (which I like to with 50% Speerville Red Fife Flour), pre-cook it about 15 minutes so it will crisp up better.

In the meantime, thinly slice 2 cups of zucchini and grill them in the oven to eliminate some of the water (big zucchinis are bad this way).

In a bowl, mix: fresh or dried basil, (1/4c fresh or 1 tbsp dry), 1 tsp. dried oregano, 2 tbsp. dried parsley, 1-3 cloves of garlic depending on your love of garlic, 1/4 cup diced onion, 1/2 cup chopped tomato, the zucchini from the oven, 2-3 tbsp. olive oil, salt and pepper. Mix well so oil and spices coat toppings.

When the bread comes out of the oven (or if you bought the dough) cover with toppings and spread out evenly. Add feta or mozzerella cheese to taste. Bake in oven for 15-20 mins. @ 375 degrees. Cool and slice. Great as a group appetizer (makes enough for a 14-16" dough) or with a meal.

Zucchini Muffins - today's project

•2/3 cup vegetable oil

•2 large eggs
•2/3 cup granulated sugar (I will use less)
•1/2 cup light or dark brown sugar, packed
•1 teaspoon vanilla extract
•2 cups all-purpose flour (I will use 50% Red Fife)
•1/2 teaspoon baking soda
•1/2 teaspoon baking powder
•1/2 teaspoon salt
•2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
•1 1/2 cups finely shredded unpeeled zucchini
•1/2 cup finely shredded carrot
I will also add 1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Grease and flour 12 muffin cups. Heat oven to 375°.

In a mixing bowl, beat the oil with eggs, sugars, and vanilla extract.

Combine the flour, soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon; add to the wet ingredients; stirring until blended. Fold in the shredded zucchini and carrots.
Fill muffin cups about 3/4 full; sprinkle with cinnamon sugar or granulated sugar, if desired. Bake for 20 minutes. Makes 12.

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If all else fails and my zucchini are still around on Monday, I will make a big veg lasagna and could freeze it for later. Enjoy!

A Learning Farm

2011-09-02T13:35:00.001-03:00

This interview on CBC's Shift tells the story of a 114-acre farm near Woodstock that will become a learning centre for marginalized people. Very exciting, especially considering all the problems I was reading about yesterday. Thank goodness for practical people who actually attempt to solve problems. What a debt we owe these guys.

Never forget that a farmer wrote the Declaration of Independence.

Food, jobs, debt

2011-09-01T15:18:00.002-03:00

Debt seems to be a topic-du-jour around here lately. Not only personal debt, mortgages and student loans, but also national debts ceilings and 'bailouts.' We watched "Inside Job" again, which you really need to see. It does a great job explaining how Wall Street bankers made a system 'too big to fail,' pushed it off a cliff, and then collected a huge payout from taxpayers. But I digress.

On the topic of debt, this afternoon on facebook, my friend Dru shared an interview with British activist David Graber entitled "Debt, Slavery and Our Idea of Freedom." In the article, Graeber talks about how we now use the same langugage to talk about debt and morality - for example, that we have a moral duty to be financially responsible and pay our bills, and if we don't, it's because we're 'bad' people. Now, I'm not calling you bad but if you've ever had a phone call from a collection agency, you know what I'm talking about.

Graeber also talks about how very wealthy people often write off each other's debts, and very poor people often give each other 'loans' that are actually gifts, but when the transaction is between a rich person and a poor person, then it becomes a question of 'moral obligations' for the repayment to be made.  He also points out that "Sanskrit, Hebrew and Aramaic all use the same words for ‘debt’ as for ‘sin,’" which was interesting, but maybe not too surprising.

Knowing you are highly in debt - or "highly in sin" as Graeber might say, is mentally exhausting. It has a tremendous impact on your day-to-day life and stress levels. Many people are struggling to juggle bills and make ends meet, and when another person posted a link about how school breakfast/nutrition programs are not fixing the problems with child hunger and food insecurity in Canada, I was very disheartened.

The author says that movements towards local and organic have overwhelmed the discussion of policy changes needed to eliminate food insecurity in Canada - that we should also be focused on "housing, employment, childcare, and the protection of staples."  She echoes what I have read elsewhere - that gainful employment is increasingly hard to find. Apparently many people who are food insecure are not welfare recipients, they are working poor.  In her words:

There are some very important issues emerging now with our working poor, such as the precariousness of employment, the notion of employment protection and eligibility for employment insurance. This means the vast majority of those who are food insecure in Canada are those whose income is almost exclusively from earnings and salary, and not from income support.

It concerns me that we have a system that pays corrupt and morally bankrupt bankers, but working people cannot earn enough to keep an warm apartment and food in the fridge. These are not people laying around watching reality television all day, they are people serving coffee at drive-through windows and caring for the elderly. I couldn't help but think of those famous words from the King James version of the Lord's Prayer.

                                    Give us this day our daily bread.

                      And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

As much as I love to trash facebook sometimes, the links people post really do make me think. Frank McKenna famously stated that in his opinion "the best social program is a job" but you've really gotta reconsider when that won't pay the rent and put food on the table. Methinks this song is due for a revival.

Not so fast, funny girl

2011-08-29T21:44:00.000-03:00

I used to read the Globe and Mail a lot. A major part of my Saturday student routine involved getting some take-out curry and German pastries, and hunkering down with the massive Saturday paper, to read all afternoon. What luxury! When I was at Mount A., I read some excellent features about the HIV/AIDS epidemic and women, a great piece on Jean Chretien's wiles as a Shawinigan schoolboy, Mark Miller's eminent jazz reviews, not to mention an entire section devoted to book reviews.

Occasionally, I would read Leah McLaren's column, and although sometimes her sarcasm directed at people who take themselves too seriously made me laugh, I never was into her 'cool girl' vibe. I am too much of a nerd at heart, go figure.

So, when I came across this article in Maisonneuve Magazine - which I love, love, love for its intelligent eclecticism- I wasn't too surprised tolearn that Leah McLaren had written a column about why women aren't funny. Turns out she was opining about a piece by Christopher Hitchens ( here it is too ), who basically says that women aren't funny because we have ovaries, which lead to babies, which leads to a one-way ticket to no-funny-land. How about that.

But although I do think parenting must inevitably make your life more serious, I think that women are funny. I have seen many gatherings of silly women who laugh until the tears stream down their faces. My sisters and I have done this on many occasions - and not just because we were being wooed by a man (do men today still woo? hmmm). And I know some funny, funny girls who have a way of just putting the truth out there, in a roarious, pants-down, how do you like me now kinda way.

So although many of the standard forms of humour may have been originated by men, I do think women use them, and I am thankful for anyone and everyone who can make me laugh. Sometimes it's the only defence I have against this grim world.

It doesn't fall from the sky, you know

2011-08-24T16:07:00.000-03:00

I love watching elections, and I stayed up til the bitter end for the last federal election. Now I am glad, because although I was maddened by the majority government the Conservatives achieved with a minority of the popular vote, I did get to see Jack Layton's speech as incoming Leader of the Opposition. Watching Layton, Harper and Ignatieff that evening (not to mention the jubliant Elizabeth May), it wasn't hard to see why the voters did what they did.

So it's heartbreaking to see Layton's passing without him ever having the chance to put the heat to the PM, in Parliament, as the Leader of the Opposition. There are no guarantees in life, are there? But beyond elections, when I watched Jack Layton speak I could tell that he was a 'man on the move' and that he was the rare sort of leader who pushed his staff, not the other way around.

Here's what Paul Wells said about Jack Layton:

Today everyone will be writing and talking about his last campaign, the one he fought with a cane and a smile, as sustained a feat of physical courage and political agility as any I’ve seen in all my years covering this business. But I think it’s important to recognize that his party’s final breakthrough was no fluke. It was the product of a lifetime’s preparation and a decade’s effort, concentration and adaptation. It was the work of a man who won over his party, then his caucus colleagues, then his party’s traditional voters, then hundreds of thousands of new supporters. Jack Layton promised to build, and he was as good as his word.

So here's to you Jack - well done, good and faithful servant. Thanks for reminding us it can be done.

"Out of the Mountain of Despair, a Stone of Hope

2011-08-22T22:52:00.000-03:00

It has taken nearly 20 years to complete a monument in Washington, DC, in honour of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Over the summer, I read an excellent biography of Thomas Jefferson. The book details Jefferson's many intellecutal accomplishments: the writing of Notes on Virginia, the Declaration of Independence and Jefferson's remarkable intellectual strengths and his depth of feeling for fellow human beings.

This biography also dealt with the issue of him being a slave owner and maintaining a life-long relationship with his slave Sally Hemings (after the death of his first wife). Since then I have been reading a bit about the British colonization of North America and their attitudes towards the slave trade, all of which has given me a much greater perspective on the struggles of a.) Americans to gain their democratic freedom b.) the descendants of African slaves and their generations-long attempt to win justice and equality for themselves.

Oftentimes, we who are involved in movements for change are too impatient and we sell ourselves short. We think we have not succeeded because tomorrow things will be largely as they are today. But reflecting on the 'long train of history' - from 1948's "I Have a Dream" until today's reality, that a black family lives in the "white house," we see that culture does change, and that individuals do make a difference.

So when I heard they carved on the side of the monument "With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope" - which comes from the "I Have a Dream" speech, it reminded me that human beings have the remarkable capacity to change the world for the better.

It's hard to believe that it took so long for a man who did so much for so many to be memorialized (rightfully) among Washington, Jefferson and Lincoln. But some things do change, after all.

Thanks, kids!

2011-08-22T09:16:00.000-03:00

The subject of children seems to be everywhere in my life right now. We can't decide if or when we might want to have our own children but people ask me all the time - people at work, relatives on both sides of our family, even strangers. I love kids and I always have - they are so interesting in the way they look at the world. I find their observations to be so clear at times, they have a way of getting right to the truth, and it's not always the truth we are looking for.

Recently my friend Richard Wetmore completed an album of songs about food and food production. He is an organic farmer and works at Speerville Mill, where you should be buying your grains, if you aren't already. Although Richard's songs have a lot of strong statements about the dangers of industrial agriculture, it is his attitude towards children that stands out for me. When is the last time you saw a fitysomething man state (sing) in public that "childcare should be at the top of our list, because what's more important than that?" Not lately....

I had a wonderful childhood - despite my mom being sick with cancer and despite my family not having a lot of money. But we weren't 'hurried' and we weren't medicated and we ate food straight out of the garden and were very close with our extended family. So looking back I do miss those sunny days of bike rides and swimming and playing on our grandparents farm. And I look at what some kids have to contend with these days (lingerie lines for 8 year olds, princess culture, bullying, etc.) and I don't feel too good about our society.

Here's a great article on the need to protect children from big business and here's a link to a great CBC podcast about the trend towards turning 2 year olds into academic stars. Not kidding, unfortunately. Something to chew on just in time for back to school.

One of the best parts of the Dooryard Festival was watching the kids go nuts with the sidewalk chalk at the mainstage on Saturday. They had that place as vibrant as could be, and they told me they were making a dance floor. Now that's a world I can enjoy. Thank goodness for kids, the world would be a terrible place without them.

Always building

2011-08-17T14:40:00.000-03:00

On days like this, I know I am obsessed. I can't stop thinking about all the possibilities: a great start for our business expansion - now renamed the Centre for Culture and Creativity, a bigger profile for the Dooryard Arts Festival, and better local co-operation on markets and small businesses, among other things.

I did plan a short culture vacation for next weekend - we'll take in a few sites in southern NB (agricultural and cultural), then on to a new production in Parrsboro (Ship's Company Theatre) and Halifax (Shakespeare and Bill Murray on the weekend). When we go on vacation, we are always looking for great ideas we can emulate at home.

One thing I have noticed many times is that we have all the building blocks here to welcome cultural tourists, but we're not organized enough. And we're too damn modest, pardon my backwoods language. The scenery here is absolutely stunning, the people as friendly as any self-respecting Maritimers, the B&B's equally elegant, the concerts just as affordable. But we don't brag about it and we don't use media/advertising properly.

This fall I would like to host a get-together to strategize for next year's summer season. Over 30 million vehicles drive through this valley in a year. New people are moving here and they have great ideas about how to enjoy living in one of the most beautiful parts of North America.

Check out the Golden Unicorn Arts Festival - run by some people from BC who are getting into organic/local food production. Also, I've tested all the links to your right and eliminated the out-of-date or broken links. Take a look, there's more going on here than meets the eye.

Hope you're eating locally! Stay tuned as the craziness of fall unfolds.

Charmed, I'm sure

2011-08-08T22:35:00.000-03:00

Usually, at this time of year all I can think about is the Dooryard Arts Festival. When you spend a whole year planning something, it's natural to be mildly obsessed when it actually comes to pass. This year, I've taken one year off from the RiVA Board of Directors in order to take care of some house/home/heart projects.

It's been good, but it feels kind of surreal to see the festival I helped begin take place entirely without my input. It's good - it gives me hope that the model we've created will have some longevity, and it feels good to see the broader community taking ownership and even getting excited about having music, art, film and theatre take over their downtown for four days.

Seven years ago, when I moved home from Sackville, there were barely any musical/artistic events to speak of. No exhibits (except at the library), few concerts (attendance was poor), and no drinking outside in public (except at the occasional beer garden or fundraising dance). Young people ages 18-35 were completely invisible in the town landscape - there was no place to hang, and nothing to do. Sometimes things change so slowly we don't perceive the difference. Today ,Woodstock is different, and tonight, on the eve of Dooryard's third edition, it's clear that our little festival has taken on a strength of its own.

It is easy to get depressed about New Brunswick - why don't we have a cultural identity? why are we so poor? why does everyone leave? . . . but on the other hand, if you really observe a place and listen to the things people say, it is possible to create a new culture where people can contribute to something that makes them proud.

Let's face it, it's easy to get depressed about practically anything, given the state of the world today. But it's a heck of a lot more fun to go downtown, celebrate being in the Dooryard for another summer, with people who actually understand what a Dooryard is. And having been 'away,' I can tell you that not everyone has a clue about what a Dooryard is.

So, in honour of the Dooryard Arts Festival's third edition (which starts Wednesday, schedule is here) here is my customary 10 Things Not to Miss at Dooryard 2011 list. Enjoy and see you in the Dooryard!

Ten Things You'd be Foolish to Miss at Dooryard 2011 - the completely biased and subjective edition

10. Free noontime showcases in the Town Square.

9. The return of Charlie Bomb, Ricky 6 and more great NB films at the Dooryard Film Fest (Wedneday, 10pm)

8. 8 FREE Wokshops from makeup to pottery, to t-shirt painting, to ukulele. That's right, ukulele

7. Valley Young Company premieres Step Taylor's new play "Screwjob" Wednesday night at WHS. VYC will take this show on tour across NB after Dooryard is over.

6. Tracy and the Hurtin' Hearts (Wednesday at Connell House). My sister debuts her new CD with a sizzling 5 piece band in a great venue!

5. 5 hours of FREE mainstage music on Saturday (11-4pm)

4. Sally Dibblee with Andrea Dickson (Thursday at Connell House). Two of the most talented classical musicians ever to emerge from Carleton County. Guaranteed to be a stunning collaboration.

3. Longtime Woodstock favourites Transatlantic Zodiac Ensemble close down the Mainstage Thursday evening. Some of the best players I've heard in years are in this band, don't miss it.
.
2. Meghan Smith with Chris Kirby (Saturday 6:15pm). Two of the brightest up-and-comers on the East Coast and Canadian music scene.

1. The Saturday Dooryard Market. A little slice of city, with food, music, vendors and all right here at home.

We're our own boss

2011-07-26T10:08:00.004-03:00

Haven't been blogging much because we've been too busy working - on the house, on the business, and on Tracy's new live project "Tracy and the Hurtin' Hearts." CD's have arrived, if you haven't heard!!

But do not despair, here's a fabulous piece by my friend Dru, who attended a conference in Baltimore about "Workplace Democracy." He talked to dozens of people who are building co-operative businesses - businesses that are owned by the people who work there. An excerpt:

      Finally, an interest of mine that seems to be lurking beneath the surface of a lot of discussions is our societally-limited sense of self which seems to interfere with non-
     hierarchical cooperation. At least one other person is having similar thoughts:

          I think worker co-ops need to change mantra from "I'm my own boss" to "we're our own boss"" - throw off the mantra of individualism.

As a (north american non-indigenous) rule, we're trained culturally to be either subservient automatons or ego-visionary individual celebrities. A major obstacle to collective management is that there's an empty space where the in-between option of cooperation should be. The lack of positive examples of building trust in a collective vision and the accompanying day to day practices seems to be one of the main impediments to building workplace democracy. I've recently been privy to some experiences that are both inspiring in terms of people's ability to overcome these issues, but which have simultaneously confirmed the need for significant steps in terms of addressing this cultural deficit.

Dru paints a great picture of the types of work people are doing in co-ops, from dog-walking to brush manufacturing, to IT work. Check it out!

You won't read this on the TV news

2011-07-09T15:38:00.001-03:00

A rising star of Quebec journalism quits his job and reflects on his despair at where Canada is headed politically, at home and internationally.

My real major? Student loan repayment!

2011-07-07T10:30:00.001-03:00

Finally, an article about student debt in the Globe and Mail. I cannot tell you how many hopeless conversations I've had when the "how am I ever going to repay my student loan?" remark comes up at parties. It is one of the most instantly demoralizing topics to discuss with people between the ages of 20-40.

I think student debt is the unifying issue for young Canadians right now. The current interest rate on my loan is prime plus 2% if I let it float (ie. 4.5%) or prime plus 5% (7.5%) if I lock it in. For some people with large loans (and I know people who owe 40-50k plus), the daily interest alone is more than gas or groceries. I know some people who don't even open their student loan statements because it is too demoralizing. I wouldn't recommend this but it's true.

With real wages in decline and good jobs harder to find, it's no wonder many young people can't afford to leave their parents' nest. I can't see how many people afford to buy a house, car or condo without their parents' financial assistance. People wonder why the Canadian birth rate is so low, but who could afford to have kids when they haven't even finished paying for their first degree?

As a result, there are a lot of semi-employed, highly educated young Canadians out there right now. Which might be good for the "teaching English abroad" companies, but isn't doing much to better Canadian society. It's a shame more adults don't encourage high schoolers to consider a skilled trade, when a university degree is no longer a guarantee for a good job.

The number one reason I chose not to apply to grad school was the uncertainty of landing a job afterwards. Five more years, then slug it out to become a university prof and live far away from my family? Non, merci.

As a result, I moved home and spent three years walking before I got a hand-me-down car when my grandmother passed away. During those mornings when I would walk in the freezing cold to work, I would tell myself, "you're walking off your student loan, you're walking off your student loan." I'm not whining, there are many people in the world who deal with much worse on a daily basis.

But I find it disheartening that a society which claims to value 'education' would place such a tremendous financial burden on young people seeking to get an education.

Berries on the web

2011-07-06T12:09:00.000-03:00

Haynes' berry farm is now on the web. I was there yesterday and there were lots of berries to be had. $1.75 for U-pick berries and $3.00 for all picked. Forget those California golf balls dressed up like strawberries and go get some of the real thing. They freeze well too and are delicious in smoothies all year long.

The pressure's on

2011-06-28T11:29:00.000-03:00

The government was going to reduce the amount of wood allowed to be cut from Crown lands. Then the forest industry (I won't say Irving because they're not the only ones) started lobbying for more wood.

Read about it here. Apparently the forest hasn't been regenerating as quickly as the computer models predicted.

Sound Off

2011-06-27T09:05:00.002-03:00

The forestry battle is on again - though it's so quiet, you can't hear it if you aren't listening closely.

I noticed in last Friday's edition of the Bugle (our local Irving-owned paper) that there was a press release dressed up as an editorial from a JDI spokesman. The spokesman was accusing David Coon of the Conservation Council of NB of manipulating the amount of wood that was cut from Crown Land last year.

I don't know enough about the documents to weigh in, but the Irving attack dog was clearly trying to put conservationists on the defensive, with the old line that we need to cut as many trees as possible in order to keep people working. Omitted from this line of reasoning is that NB employs steadily less and less people working ''in the woods" because of large forest-clearing machines favoured by companies such as JDI.

In the same edition of the paper (which isn't online so I can't link to it!), Jean Arnold of the Falls Brook Centre cited government figures that the Province of New Brunswick actually lost money on Crown Lands last year, by compensating companies for wood they were not allowed to cut. That's right, our largest collective resource actually cost the taxpayers money.

There is a constant conflict over Crown Land in New Brunswick - about which companies get to cut it, and how much, and for what price. And most of what really goes on is never fully explained - the story is told in cancelled press conferences, recommendations on 'wood supply' and commissions whose reports may never be implemented.

Here is a story from the Telegraph Journal (which this morning was trying to change the channel on the repeated calls for a shale gas moratorium, and instead encourage the peasants of NB to think about the royalties our government will get) about the debate over forestry in Millinocket, Maine.

People there are debating about whether to take land formerly used for logging and convert it to a national park. The thinking from the conservation side is that eco-tourism could potentially be a bigger economic boost than continuing to try your luck in the race-to-the-bottom of the global wood industry.

Signed, sealed, delivered

2011-06-27T08:34:00.001-03:00

I have mixed feelings about unions, probably because I hate beauraucracy and unnecessary rules with a passion. However, I think in general that unions are a big step forward for workers, who used to be bullied into taking whatever they could get for wages and forced into working in unsafe conditions. Lots of people seem to be of the opinion that the Canada Post workers, who are getting legislated back to work soon, are 'lazy' and 'spoiled.'

Like many, I have never enjoyed the (lack of) service that I have received from Canada Post. They've lost some things I shipped and are generally slower than slow. The Canada Post Corporation has been trying to take away the mailboxes of rural Canadians (claiming they are unsafe) and my parents had a particularly frustrating time dealing with an unnecessary change to their postal code - at an address they have lived at for more than 25 years.

This being said, I find the whole strike/lock-out and accompanying public debate is really missing the point. Whether letter carriers for Canada Post get paid x amount or work x amount of hours is a sideshow compared to the fact that Stephen Harper and his majority government are about to eliminate the right to collective bargaining in this case.

I never really understood what was going on until I read this column. Imagine the government being involved in your wage negotiations with your boss, and then telling you you must accept less than what your boss offered to begin with. Read the comments too, if you're inclined. Very interesting stuff.

Fail again and fail better

2011-06-21T14:51:00.001-03:00

My sister loves Tavis Smiley - and I love this video. Tavis is right, that failure is unavoidable, and it makes us who we are today. I think this is a message young people need to hear, and a message our school system ought to think long and hard about. I read once that nobody in Silicon Valley takes you seriously until you've had at least three failed businesses - by then you might know what you're doing.

Here is a radio doc my friend Geoff made, about the failed project at 702 Main Street in Woodstock. Someday I plan to 'fail up' and see the creation of a community art space in Woodstock. Thanks Tavis!

Tarring us all with the same brush

2011-06-19T21:07:00.000-03:00

I couldn't believe my ears this morning when I found out that the Vancouver Police Chief has described the Stanley Cup rioters as "anarchists and criminals who appeared to be the same people involved in the pre-Olympic demonstrations and noted police saw many equipped with goggles, gasoline and other tools to create damage."

It is incomprehensible to me that the police chief would associate these drunken, testosterone crazed young men with people who had legitimate grounds to protest the Olympics. Protesting a decision to displace poor people and spend billions of dollars on militarizing the city of Vancouver is not the same as trashing a police car because your team lost the final hockey game of the season.

So far, the charges stemming from the Vancouver riot include: 101 arrests, with 85 charged with breach of the peace, eight charged with public intoxication and eight charged with Criminal Code offences including theft, mischief, assault with a weapon and breaking and entering.

I have been to legitimate political protests. As I wrote here, I think protest has a very legitimate place at the heart of our democracy.

When police shut down a hockey riot and then attempt to confuse the public by stating that hockey rioters are 'the same no-good types' as G20 protesters and anti-Olympic demonstrators, they are attempting to dis-empower people and manipulate honest, law-abiding people into viewing all protests as events 'like those hocket riots in Vancouver." What this does is de-legitimize protests, leaving people to conclude that all protesters are 'thugs', and that mass demonstrations are 'dangerous.'

The other reason I find this offensive is that many of the hockey rioters are obviously white and middle-class. The story of the privileged athlete lighting the police car on fire is one easy example. But, as one commenter on this newspaper story pointed out, anarchists don't buy $150 trademarked NHL jerseys.

Then when the police chief comments, he doesn't (accurately) point out that the people arrested were mainly middle-class kids who probably don't even know who the current leader of the Liberal Party is. Instead, he tars them with the 'anarchist' tag, implying that rioters are probably lower-class rabble who don't deserve Charter rights anyway.

Take for example a group of cyclists arrested during the Toronto G-20 protests. As you read this, ask yourself if hockey rioters were treated this way:

About 80 people were detained and some were seen being strip-searched in front of Parkdale Community Legal Services on Queen Street West. About 40 of them had been preparing to board a bus bound for Quebec when the police surrounded them, freelance journalist Rebecca Granofvsky-Larsen told CBC News.

The police even arrested people for having a peaceful pro-cycling demonstration.

Over the weekend, I attended the Richard Olmstead Sustainable Living Tradeshow here in Woodstock. The keynote speaker was David Coon of the Conservation Council of NB. He spoke about whether it was possible to live 'sustainably' in a world that is ecologically unsustainable.

The crux of his speech was that meaningful change can only be achieved through politics, and that our democracy is in a sorry, sorry state at present. Looking at the lack of initiative shown by our current local, provincial and national governments, I am inclined to agree with him that we have to get our politics re-assembled into something functional before we can fix our problems.

The difficulty with this is that some people benefit from a broken system, and I think we need to challenge statements like "people who were part of the Vancouver hockey riot are the same as anarchists and anti-Olympic demonstrators." In addition to being factually incorrect, statements like these lead to a further erosion of the democratic rights and process that so desperately needs revitalizing.

Coming Soon

2011-06-19T09:23:00.000-03:00

A post about the differences between last summer's G-8 protest in Toronto (which resulted in the larges mass arrests in Canadian history), and last week's hockey riot in Vancouver is in the making.

Here's last summer's post if you want to read it. Feel free to post comments in advance. Happy Father's Day to all the Dads out there.

A word, please

2011-06-16T08:50:00.000-03:00

Lately I am getting a bit bored with the internet. Or rather, with my stale internet habits - always visiting the same websites, too much facebook, not reading enough insightful-type stuff. I realize the internet is an infinite wealth of information; however, it can also be a giant conflagration of spam, robo-sites, uninvited pornography and other such things. It's a little tiresome sometimes, when all you really want is to read something interesting.

So, lately, I've begun a slow return to print media. For those of you under 25, print media includes newspapers, magazines and other physically printed items such as books. Now, I never left books - that's probably going to the biggest love of my life, but magazines and newspapers are making a serious comeback in my household.

Right now on the kitchen table we have the Dominion - a cooperative grassroots newspaper that tells the stories the corporate media won't, the Walrus, Canada's most award winning magazine (think New Yorker, but Canadian), and my personal favourite, Maisonneuve. Check out these publications - they are great.
There's also an issue of Scientific American kicking around here somewhere, but I haven't gotten around to that one yet.

Mostly, I like that these magazines are written - by a real, thinking person with some devotion to the crafts of interviewing, thinking and writing, and that they are edited - allowing for the removal of sloppy thinking and needless words. You also get to read about things beyond "Osama Bin Laden is dead" or the latest Harper scare tactics (and subsequent Liberal bumbling). This I also like.

Finally, I like getting into bed with my magazine, away from the glowing screen that seems to suck as much time as I will give it. I like putting it down when I've had enough and being able to find my place quickly and easily the next day. But most of all, I like that the magazine contains stories I didn't go looking for - such as painted portraits of every Canadian killed in Afghanistan, or an article about Canada's newest sketch comedy group, now famous on the internet.

It's interesting stuff, it's made in my neighbourhood, relatively speaking, and it doesn't require pushing buttons or a screen. Sign me up.

An honest day's work

2011-06-15T11:57:00.002-03:00

When RiVA and the Dooryard Arts Festival first got started, one of the things I was trying to do was create an economic 'node' for the arts in Carleton County.

Sounds fancy, but basically I was looking for ways for artists/musicians/craftspeople to do their work and get paid for it. This may seem obvious but if you work in the arts, you know it isn't. Requests such as "Could you play for free? It's a fundraiser," or "We're asking artists to donate a piece of their work," are more common than you might realize.

When you have an entire sector of the economy that works but don't get paid, this is a problem. First of all, it creates inequalities - people whose work is not valued are more likely to a.) become bitter b.) stop doing that work or b.) move elsewhere. It also sends the message that the things these people do is a 'hobby' which literally has no value.

In Carleton County, where we have a small economy to begin with, leaving people out only gives us less leverage with larger economies such as Fredericton, Halifax, Montreal etc.. We need more people contributing - not just so money changes hands but so those people have some measure of economic security.

But even as I have my arts axe to grind, I think that the issue of working and getting paid is becoming more and more of a sticking point for everyone in the workforce. I know people who have gone from working in IT to working in the trades. The IT worker gets paid by the hour, regardless of productivity. The tradesman gets paid by the project, regardless of how many hours it takes to do the job properly - and that time is always underestimated.

Looking at the Canada Post and Air Canada strikes, it seems that nobody wants to pay anybody a living wage, which is what I'm really trying to get at here: people are raised into debt but good jobs are disappearing.

In many cases, young men and women graduate high school, get a student loan, are forced to buy a car (at least in the Maritimes) attempt to buy a house and then all of a sudden, look around for a job that will pay for these things. And those jobs are disappearing.

Real incomes have been in decline for 30 years and the rich and poor are way farther apart than you think. Check out this graph from a great Mother Jones magazine article you should read.

This morning I read an article about "zombie consumers" - how people are dangerously financially over-extended, yet government wants to find a way to get us spending again. I don't see how this is possible - they can't borrow any more money, and it's unlikely they have a job which supports their spending habits.

Ultimately, I guess this is what capitalism means - in order to create profits, some work must be undervalued, and in order for the economy to "grow," some things must remain cheap (ie. oil, foreign labour).

Will we ever get past this to an economy which values putting people to work, building societies instead of fragmenting them? In real terms, what would that even look like? Sometimes I think the biggest challenge in all this is just to see it in our mind's eye. If we can't imagine it, how will we ever get there?

Planting the seeds

2011-06-14T21:36:00.000-03:00

My sister Tracy and I have a lot of projects on the go. Her cd is in the finally final stages now, with photographs and graphics being gathered, mastering nearly complete and liner notes written. She hopes to have it in hand by July 1st - this 'baby' is getting a little overdue.

Tracy and I also work together, teaching piano, voice and guitar lessons. Now we are re-vamping our business as "The Centre for Culture and Creativity" - a place where people of all ages can go to develop their artistic and creative skills. We will be offering a youth theatre program, Music for Young Childen, and are very excited to welcome three additional instructors - Laurel Green (visual arts), Jens Jeppesen (advanced guitar) and Nickolas Lawson (playwrighting and acting).

Our eventual goal is to have a building dedicated to 'everything arts.' We see the tremendous talent in the children of Carleton County - they are expressive, and they deserve creative and cultural opportunities.

These additional programs will mean a few changes for our house - sealing off the studio from the rest of the house, getting a new piano (hurray!!), knocking out the leaky chimney and updating the bathroom. Between this, the garden and a few gigs, this will keep me busy over the summer months.

It is so exciting to be planting a new generation of seeds. I can only imagine what kind of harvest we will reap in the years to come.

Sabbatical: Month 3

2011-06-03T23:34:00.000-03:00

Lots of people have been asking what I'm up to. Not the sabbatical per se, that's too much to get into in a small-talk conversation, but more likely because I am not out in public like I used to be. I feel like I am being very greedy with my private time, it's true, but I am also a lot more focused on being home.

The past few summers have been absolutely consumed with organizing. Looking back on it now, I can't fathom how we did it. The first Dooryard Festival was a massive and almost impossible undertaking - we spent the days on emails and telephone calls and the evenings trying to avoid our despair. But luckily, we made it, and now it's well on its way to the best incarnation yet.

So, this spring - wet though it has been - I have been at home, organizing our music teaching business for spring concerts (June 14 and 15th), digging weeds, planting food, visiting my folks, dreaming, reading, practicing the accordion, accompanying fabulous choirs, and generally thinking about the next phase of life. It's good.

It's amazing how quickly life blurs past while plans are always being made. I felt lost in the busy-ness lately and now that I have taken some time to hear the inner voice again I can see that I feel very compelled to live a simple life, full of real food, family, projects, friends and conversation. I am really relishing privacy (as much as one can have in a small town) and being on my own schedule during non-work time.

It also feels good to finally give my (our) home its due. I have lived in this house for seven years now and it needs some love - landscaping, insulation, bathroom and kitchen updates. Not only for appearance sake but also to make it truly serve our needs and embody our artistic ambitions and philosophy about life. So as we approach the chimney-removal project and the seeds start to sprout, I am thankful for the tasks at hand.

The Master's voice

2011-05-11T09:38:00.001-03:00

" It was not mystery or the divine touch that got them where they were, but labor, discussion, thinking, study, trying, failing, trying again."

Great article on why we never hear from modern composers anymore. It's hard to imagine members of the general public running out to music stores to buy batons.

Deliciousness abounds

2011-05-10T13:32:00.003-03:00

This'll be short and sweet - see the recipe below for how to make a creamy fiddlehead soup. I am not really enthusiastic about fiddleheads, actually, but I figure I can learn to like almost anything at this point. Hence the recipe. Also, fiddleheads are local and in season and I am trying to eat locally more often.

Creamy Fiddlehead Soup
Two large potatoes,peeled and diced
A half cup celery,finely diced
One medium onion,chopped
One small clove garlic,minced
One cup water
One tsp. salt
Pepper to taste
Two cups fiddleheads, fresh or frozen
1-2 cups cream (heavy or half and half)*
1cup chicken or vegetable stock

Bring potatoes, celery, onion, garlic, water, stock and salt and pepper to a boil. Cover and simmer about 20 min or until vegetables are tender. Add fiddleheads and simmer until tender. Cool slightly. Puree in blender or food processor in batches. Return to pot and stir in enough cream to desired consistency. Heat just until boiling point. Season to taste.

* I used 1/2 cup heavy cream (whipping cream left over from Mother's Day dinner) and 1c water, plus 1/2 cup milk. I also wanted some texture, so after I pureed the soup I added 3/4 cup diced mushrooms.

Tasted like cream of broccoli, but fresher and not as 'mealy' in the mouth. Yum yum.

This one's for you, Dr. Evil

2011-05-09T22:51:00.001-03:00

A tremendous debate is taking place south of the border right now because the USA is approaching its "debt ceiling." In other words, the US government can't owe more than $14.294 trillion dollars. For a handy reference on what a trillion is, click here. Currently, the government owes $14.243 trillion dollars. When did that happen?

Well, it started at the end of Eisenhower, grew during Nixon and the Vietnam Wars, and has been growing like a bad weed ever since.

However, this is where is gets really interesting: because of the old-school series of checks and balances in US democracy, politicians have to vote to raise the debt ceiling. If they don't, the USA will be in default - the world's largest economy will be unable to pay the bills that are due. Which means that conceivably, creditors like the Chinese government, the Saudis or the Japanese could come knocking.

So where has Uncle Sam been spending other people's money? Have a look!

Mostly on wars, preparing for wars, and intimidating other countries not to start wars. Somebody tell Edwin Starr that war is good for something - escalating a nation's debt beyond its capacity to produce wealth.

The craziest part of all this is that the Republicans are saying the only way they will vote in favour of raising the debt ceiling - remember, this money pays for veterans, what little Medicare they have, and for Social Security - is if Obama agrees to massive spending cuts.

The crazy part is, nobody is talking about the giant Kevlar elephant in the room. Nobody is talking about cuts to military spending, or closing bases in foreign countries (they have dozens). They are talking about cutting Medicare. Without getting too apocalyptic, I can't even imagine what a US default would do to the Canadian economy. I can't imagine what would happen if the US government runs out of money, especially when that same government has been printing money in an attempt to maintain the dominance of the US dollar abroad and spend its way out of a recession.

Something tells me that if those chickens ever come home to roost, we're going to see the ugly shadow of globalization, all over the world. Instead of the 'rising tide' the big spenders keep promising us, it's going to be a debt tsunami that wipes away most of the material progress of the post-industrial age.

Makes 100 million dollars seem quaint, doesn't it?

Sabbatical: Month 2

2011-05-08T21:52:00.000-03:00

The backstory is here for people not up to date on how the Old Testament can help decrease your stress level. I am now minus two fairly large time committments, with several others tapering off in the months to come. It's getting interesting. So, what have I noticed so far?

1. Less crises. I don't inadvertantly double book myself as much now. I am getting my short-term memory back a bit. When something important comes up, I usually have enough flexibility to deal with it. As a result:

2. More time and patience for people. Now I'm not in such a hurry all the time, I can take time to chat and listen to a person's reply. I have time to remember family occasions and I actually stop in and visit my parents/friends/relatives to say hello. I'm able to cook better food and have lost a small but of weight.

3. Practicing! I spent a lot of time learning piano accompaniments for the Music Festival so now my fingers are in semi-decent shape again. And I'm working on some Beethoven and some Schumann. Plus I've got a good start on my accordion playing - Hey, Good Looking, Red River Valley, and of course, Olive's Ghost.

Don't get me wrong, life isn't suddenly perfect - I also now have more time to obsess over stupid stuff that probably shouldn't matter. But I do have time to reflect on my life a bit too, which is nice.

One thought that has me pre-occupied is what the "pre-facebook" me was like. I think I was happier. I think I worried less about other people and what they were up to, since it was just idle speculation, and I think I felt that my friends were friends, not "friends." So I'm trying to cut back on that too, in the hopes of spending time where it counts.

Looking forward to summer and getting to food production underway. Just a friendly reminder to buy local this summer - our economy needs the support and everything tastes so gosh darn good when it arrives fresh!

Failing to pass, passing to fail.

2011-05-03T23:29:00.000-03:00

Not going to blog about the new majority conservative government, except to say that I found the result very disappointing. I really cannot believe that so many people hit the snooze button and returned a PM to Parliament who was twice voted in contempt. I digress . . . although I am not a stickler for rules, certain principles of respect and decency are incredibly important to me, Parliament being one.

Below is a letter I wrote after witnessing the final concert of the Carleton County Music Festival. The Premier was there, opera singer Sally Dibblee presented the inaugural Roberta White memorial award (good work, Bragdon!), and the choirs really blew 'em away. WHS choir currently has 70+ kids and they know a thing or two about the 'big sound' and Jen Muir's Corner Studio Choir was also right on the money.

So then I got to thinking about why our kids aren't allowed to do the Music Festival. That's right, not allowed. And then it made me indignant, which resulted in this letter. I would encourage you to write, call or email the Superintendant and challenge her decision to take music away from kids. They need the music. Much more so than the tests.

Letter to the Editor

Dear Editor:

Last night the Woodstock High School theatre came alive with the sounds of guitar, trumpet, piano and singers of all ages. One past performer remarked, “it just melts my heart.” Rightly so. Music is the birthright of every human being – our brains are wired for music and our hearts long for it.

What does a student learn in preparing for the Music Festival? They learn the self-discipline of practice, they learn to face the fear of performing in public, they learn to accept constructive criticism, and they learn the technical skills necessary for their particular piece of music.

But most importantly, the student attempts to give an emotionally expressive performance, one that moves us to joy, sorrow, laughter or celebration. What better experience could children have in today's world?

Today, schools in District 14 are occupied with the sounds of students preparing for year-end assessments – standardized tests. Our Superintendent will not allow students in Carleton County to participate in the Music Festival, unless they are in Grade 1 or Grade 3.

Why? The tests are more important to the School District than what the child learns from the process of preparing for and performing in the Music Festival. What a short-sighted position for our educational leaders to take.

There is a mountain of scientific educational research that proves that a quality music education makes kids smarter. Parents should challenge the District's decision not to allow all K-5 students to sing in the festival.

We need to stand up for kids – they love music, and they value the lessons it teaches. Our world needs more music, not less. Our kids deserve an education that teaches the brain, the hands, the voice and the heart to work together.

Amy Anderson

Tracy Anderson

I was bored out of my mind

2011-04-11T23:17:00.000-03:00

I just finished listening to a very good podcast of Michael Enright's program "The Sunday Edition." He was discussing university education and whether students today are forced into university degrees so they can get the credential and move on to professional schools or graduate degrees.

At one point Enright is interviewing an English prof from U of T, and asks if the professor was a good student in high school. The man replies: "I was a great student in elementary school." In high school he became pre-occupied with illicit substances, girls, and furthermore, he says he was 'bored out of his mind.'

The prof also stated that he dropped out of high school, later went back to complete a few credits, and went on to university, eventually getting his Ph.D., and was now rated one of the best professors in Canada. The prof also said that he knew Michael Enright was a high school dropout. So, then I got thinking - how many people who couldn't stand high school went on to lead very successful lives? Google, google, on the wall, who's the most successful droput of them all?

Here's a good sampling of names, if this list is to be believed: Shakespeare, Einstein, William Faulkner, John D. Rockefeller, Oscar Peterson, Peter Jennings, Bobby Orr, Sarah Polley, Henry Ford, etc. etc.

I think it's a real shame we have an education system that legally mandates that kids be in school until they're 18 years old (you can thank McKenna for that), and that these kids are lumped together into classrooms without any regard for common interests. Most of the teenagers I know are real obsessive types - whether it's bands, sports teams, staying in touch with their friends, acting, decorating their rooms, cars, whatever.

So why are we making them wait until they're young adults before they have the opportunity to develop their skills and passions? By then, their brains are not as keen and they have learned to be complacent and 'just get by.' Is it any wonder we have so many problems with bullying when we have a bunch of kids cooped up together without any positive outlets?

Kids self-identify their interests very early in life. If we would let them take the lead, they would be learning night and day.

I would go out on a limb and say that I think our present education system probably wastes as much human potential as it develops, because it is so focused on a narrow definition of 'knowledge,' to the utter exclusion of everything else. What a shame, especially for a place like New Brunswick, where we have so much unrealized potential.

The other thing I would like to point out is that we have loads of educational research that shows people learn best when they are fully engaged (ie. brains + hands working together on real situations). And yet we have classrooms that immobilize people and beauraucrats positively obsessed with standardized testing. No wonder our kids are bored out of their minds. I know I was.

This life, and the next

2011-04-04T20:44:00.004-03:00

One of the signs of passing youth is the birth of a sense of fellowship with other human beings as we take our place among them.
- Virginia Woolf

I have a legion of humble music jobs. They are not glamorous concerts with "production values." I do not exude technical ease at the piano and yet I am grateful for what it teaches me, and the joy it can bring to others. It's a far sight better than the passivity induced by television, or even the ad nauseum complaining that we all tend to do in our spare time.

I play a lot of funerals, church services, the occasional background gig, sometimes larger concerts with bands (as keyboardist or conductor), and a few times each year our church is responsible for the service at the Carleton Manor. When I first started going there, I was very uncomfortable.

The residents there are obviously in their last days, some limping towards the finish line and others present in body only. It is very difficult to see other people suffer, especially other people who belong to a generation for which I happen to have a tremendous amount of respect.

Yesterday we went and we were asked to provide a longer service than normal. There was some debate in meetings about whether this was actually necessary or even appropriate, since many of the congregation are asleep within 20 minutes of the service beginning. But we did our best to oblige the request, and the choir sang a couple of numbers. At the end, we sang the Irish Blessing:

May the road rise up to meet you.

May the wind always be at your back.

May the sun shine warm upon your face,

and rains fall soft upon your fields.

And until we meet again,

May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

To my right was a man all curled up, his wheelchair tilted back so he was cradled in it. He was obviously a church-goer because, although his words were staggered, he managed to get out parts of the 23rd Psalm. After we finished our song, he managed to look up briefly and I heard him say ". . . nice! " in a small but clear voice.

I dare say I have encountered few things in life as humbling as the residents recite the Lord's Prayer together. Their halting tones are about half the normal speed and due to the miracle of long-term memory, many of them who are normally mute suddenly chime in - remembering parts and omitting others. But inevitably, they get to the end together, and when they are done I can sense that they have somehow managed to transcend the reality of their suffering for a short minute, and have returned to some snapshot of normalcy they knew long ago.

As quickly as it comes it is gone again. But I am thankful for having witnessed it, because it reminds me that "time and chance befalls us all," no matter how rich, beautiful, talented, charming or well-connected we may or may not be. Although my jobs are humble in many ways they make me rich.

We interrupt the regularly scheduled post for a New Brunswick Literacy Minute

2011-03-27T22:20:00.001-03:00

Not quite a heritage moment, but the post below is the first in a series by my friend Julie, who is very passionate about books, learning and literacy in New Brunswick. Here's the standard disclaimer: her opinions do not reflect the opinions of her employer etc. etc. If you're not careful you might change your mind about something!

Hello readers!
Now that we have that out of the way….

I am passionate about a lot of things (for better or for worse!). Two of my biggest hot button topics are my love of my home province of New Brunswick, and literacy. This mostly works out for me because I work as a library manager in the town Florenceville-Bristol, and I get to connect with other people who are passionate about these topics.

I recently attended a workshop that was put on by the Literacy Coalition of New Brunswick with Anne Hunt and Lynda Homer facilitating. There were people from all areas of the province who work with families of children ages 0-5.

In her opening remarks, Anne said something that really resonated with me when she was talking about different kinds of literacy. Commonly the term ‘literacy’ is defined as “the ability to read and write”. Amongst scholars, the term is expanded by adding qualifiers such as “prose literacy” or “information literacy”.

The International Adult Literacy and Skills Survey (IALSS) looks at four separate domains

prose literacy - continuous text, like what you are reading now
document literacy - written information that is discontinuous (ie. a pamphlet with charts/graphs)
numeracy - mathmatical concepts
problem solving - analytical reasoning

It seems to me that a lot of fuss has been made over the low literacy levels of New Brunswickers. And there should be!

When Statistics Canada released their report on the IALSS, they found that 56 per cent of adult New Brunswickers have unacceptable reading and writing skills.

The Survey rated the respondents’ proficiencies on a point scale they were assigned one of five levels, one being the lowest level of ability and 4/5 as the highest. Level 3 was selected as the “desired level of competence for coping with the increasing skill demands of the emerging knowledge and information economy”.

The breakdown for New Brunswick was:

Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4/5

Prose Literacy 22.7 33.3 31.6 12.4

It is important for the future of our province that we produce citizens who are able to function in society.

However, I think that we also need to assign value to traditional forms of literacy. I’m thinking of the way a fisherman can “read” the sea and know when it is time to haul in the nets and head for shore, or how a gardener can “read” the conditions and know when to plant and when to harvest. After all, the people of our province will all still need to eat, and reading about a garden alone won’t make it grow.

Wouldn’t it be cool to have every adult in NB reading text at the “acceptable” level? Of course it would.

Is it realistic? That is up for debate.

Perhaps some of these low scores can be attributed to the “use it or lose it” principle. What happens to prose literacy skills once the student has graduated if they choose not to read? There are excellent programs out there that are staffed by wonderful volunteers, like Laubach Literacy, who work with adult learners to improve their prose literacy skills. The catch is that the learners have to WANT to do the work.

There are many people out there who simply are not readers. For example, my Grandfather can pick out most words, but I remember pretty clearly the day that as an elementary student I climbed up on his knee and took over the reading duties. Just because he isn’t much of a reader does not mean that he doesn’t have a wealth of knowledge to pass on.

If we as New Brunswickers really want to improve our literacy situation, we need to have a dual focus:

1) Value and appreciate the transmission of ‘traditional’ knowledge – what I mean by this is to not discount our elders, and to take the time to learn what they have to teach. When the nukes hit, we might not be able to stock up on everything we need at the Superstore…then you’ll be glad you learned to plant a garden or sew a quilt!

2) Focus on the future – it is a great a noble goal to teach everyone to read…but I think that if we spend for time and energy on making sure our kids have strong literacy and numeracy skills before they leave elementary school then we will be helping to improve the future of our province. I’m not saying that adults aren’t worth the time, only that our return on investment will be greater if we get at the young ‘uns!

While statistics are merely numbers and can’t tell the whole story themselves, I would encourage you to look at the Statistics Canada report, it is really eye opening. And once you’ve done that I would challenge you to come up with some ideas of how we can help make our community a more “literate” one.

Contempt of Parliament is Contempt for Canadians

2011-03-22T21:52:00.003-03:00

con·tempt (kn-tmpt)
n. 1. The feeling or attitude of regarding someone or something as inferior, base, or worthless; scorn.

2. The state of being despised or dishonored; disgrace.

3. Open disrespect or willful disobedience of the authority of a court of law or legislative body.

I know it's very quaint of me to care that our current government has been found in "contempt of Parliament." But I hope everyone understands that this is the first time in CANADIAN HISTORY this has happened, and that it has happened twice in a month.

When I look at Stephen Harper and his mean band of merry men, I see people who intend to maintain a grip on power by dragging Canada (and Canadians) into the gutter. As it's probable we move into an election, consider that Harper & co. have:

lied about documents presented in the House of Commons

refused to acknowledge that the government did nothing to prevent the torture ofAfghan detainees

interfered at an aid organization known for its even-handed judgements

shut down Parliament twice to avoid non-confidence votes

defended ministers accused of influence peddling

broken Canada's electoral laws

ignored a Supreme Court ruling that Omar Khadr be removed from Guantanamo and returned to Canada

removed the phrases "international humanitarian law" and "child soldiers" from our foreign policy

removed the mandate for "equality" from the agency responsible for the Status of Women

decided to put forward a budget whose big ticket items are corporate tax cuts, fighter jets and prisons.

Welcome to Harperland - where a "law and order" government acts as if it were above the law. How demoralizing for Canadians. Wake me up when it's over.

Exhibit A: the Irish

2011-03-16T23:24:00.000-03:00

For a long time I have been mildly obsessed with this little mystery I like to call New Brunswick. As in, New Brunswick, who the heck are we, anyway?

New Brunswick is a lot like Canada in miniature. We like to talk about "Canadians" but it's really more of a term of convenience in many ways. What makes a Canadian? Love of beer? Compulsive small talk about the weather? Nobody is entirely sure what a Canadian is supposed to look like, or what language they are supposed to speak etc. So it is with New Brunswick, too.

One thing is for sure - New Brunswickers have a serious deficit, and I'm not talking about money. I'm talking about our lack of self-knowledge and cultural identity. Name me one New Brunswick song, story or painting. Name five New Brunswickers who have made a significant contribution to modern politics, business and culture. I bet you are struggling right now. If you're not, please leave your list in the comments. We don't teach it in school so most people have no idea.

So . . . for a long time I've been contemplating the idea of a series of posts about New Brunswick, and all the different groups and their respective legacies. Seeing as how tomorrow is Saint Patrick's day, I thought I would provide you with some interesting factoids about the Irish who passed through NB and settled.

Historians estimate that, between 1815 and 1865, the majority of immigrants to NB were Irish (60%)
In the period between 1827 and 1835, alone, some 65,000 Irish migrants landed.

We had different Irish here, as opposed to Halifax or Newfoundland.

The sources of Irish migration to New Brunswick were not primarily from the port of Waterford.
New Brunswick’s Irish generally came from either Munster or Ulster, provinces whose port cities had strong ties to timber ports and merchant centres in New Brunswick.

Irish Protestants settled in different places than Irish Catholics.

While Protestant Irish tended to settle the Saint John River valley, Irish Catholics could be found in great numbers along the Gulf of St Lawrence, in the entrepôt of Saint John, or in the timber-rich valley of the Miramichi River, in the northeast.

I have Irish Protestants in the family, so it's not surprising we're here in the valley. At some point in the future I will present a snapshot of the Scottish, the Acadiens and the original peoples who were here before "Crown Land."

Here's a bit of Irish humour to go with your beer.

An American lawyer asked, "Paddy, why is it that whenever you ask an Irishman a question, he answers with another question? "Who told you that?" asked Paddy.
-----------------------
An Irishman, an Englishman and a beautiful girl are riding together in a train, with the beautiful girl in the middle.The train goes through a tunnel and it gets completely dark. Suddenly there is a kissing sound and then a slap!

The train comes out of the tunnel. The woman and the Irishman are sitting there looking perplexed. The Englishman is bent over holding his face which is red from an apparent slap.

The Englishman is thinking "Damn it, that Mick must have tried to kiss the girl, she thought it was me and slapped me."

The girl is thinking, "That Englishman must have moved to kiss me, and kissed the Irishman instead and got slapped."

The Irishman is thinking, "If this train goes through another tunnel, I could make another kissing sound and slap that Englishman again!!

Sabbatical: month 1

2011-03-16T10:13:00.000-03:00

Back in November, I realized it's been seven years since university and I want to take a year off. Now obviously I need to make a living so it doesn't mean quitting my job. But I have a lot of projects on the go - some of which pay, some of which don't, and starting April 1st I am re-organizing my life.

When I first came up with the idea, which is based on an instruction in the Old Testament (yes, the Bible) that after seven years of cultivation the Jews should let their fields rest for a year, I was very nervous but excited. I couldn't even imagine what I would do for a whole year without endless meetings and rehearsals to fill my time. I am a work-a-holic and even two or three days off can be very unsettling for me. But I decided this was yet another reason to try to slow down, not plan, and see what happens.

Now I am starting to see small ideas taking root - mostly I am remembering that before I did so much volunteering and community organizing, I was a musician. A person who loved music, listened to music, went to concerts, wrote music and practiced music for her own improvement. I have started taking a few organ lessons and combined with visits from musicians from away (thanks guys!) and working with Tracy on "Squirrel On a Wire" I can see that music continues to inform and inspire how I work and why I work.

I am excited at the prospect of having a "happiness project" and having time in the day (most days, anyway) to do what brings me joy and helps me improve my life. It's my hope that in a year I will be able to take this energy and bring it back to the community.

Here's a great TED video about work-life balance and what it means.

I'm not the best ___________, but . . .

2011-03-09T16:07:00.001-04:00

Over the past week I have been very inspired by my sister Tracy's debut recording project, "Squirrel On a Wire." Watching these songs take shape has been a slow process - words were conjured and later changed, melodies revised, chords substituted, keys changed, arrangements devised. Hundreds of hours of work, for six songs.

The sound world is so hard to pin down - it can't be seen or touched and how something is played is just as important as what the note or word happens to be. Each note is scrutinized - first when it is written, later when it is revised, and again when it is recorded. It will be reviewed yet again before it is pressed closer to permanence.

This project has been especially interesting because of the number of instruments and musical styles involved: guitars, trumpet, accordion, harmonica, multiple vocal layers, electric bass, percussion, and even a string quartet.

The players came and went over five days, while slowly, painstakingly, the recording was assembled like a patchwork quilt. Little scraps were stitched together into a sum far greater than their parts.

Art is amazing. Humans are amazing. Recording technology, which makes sound waves into little digital bits that then turn back into soundwaves, is like a miracle from another world.

When musicians who have never even met play in perfect recorded harmony, I am at a complete loss for words.

Sometimes when I work on a project, I notice little sub-themes that appear and re-appear. Often they are not the main focus - ie. "now I am going to make a cd containing 6 songs I have written" - they are slightly "off topic" but interesting nonetheless.

In the case of "Squirrel On a Wire," one of those emerging themes was "I'm not the best _________, but . . . ". Usually it was a musician commenting on their own lack of technical perfection. We all have holes in our musicianship with which we are unhappy. It's part of being human.

But what I find very interesting is that musicians who say "I'm not the best __________, but . . ." are really saying that they find music-making so inescapably compelling that playing is not a choice. It is a vocation, and although they are keenly aware of their own imperfections, the joy of making music remains. It's not about perfection, it's about the joy.

And I think that really came through for me this week: musicians can be a lonely breed. We spend so many hours alone, practicing our instruments and chasing the sounds around in our heads. And often we are quite self-critical. But even if you're not the best _____________, you still have the capacity to play, for your own joy and hopefully to share a bit of it with others.

A list, with pictures

2011-02-14T15:39:00.001-04:00

THINGS MY PARENTS TAUGHT ME ABOUT FOOD

Preamble: Growing up, my family did not have much money. But my parents are smart and resilent. Looking back on what we ate and how we ate it, here are some of the implicit things they taught me about food.

10. Raw veggies are delicious.

9. Plant a garden. It's cheaper and tastes delicious.

8. There's lots of free food to be had: maple syrup, fiddleheads, rhubarb, berries, potatoes etc.

7. Buy direct from the farmer, it's cheaper.

6. When you go to the grocery store, try to get the best nutritional bang for your buck.

5. Eat at home. Preferably with your family. At the table.

4. Treats are okay, but save them for the weekend.

3. No junk food before noon.

2. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

1. Food is fuel for your body, and your body needs good food.

Thanks Mom & Dad!

Please raise your hand

2011-02-10T10:01:00.010-04:00

Don't you hate having a cut on your hands? Maybe it's the piano player in me, but the worst thing about having a cut somewhere on your hand is that it is gets in the way of using your hands. Which we humans do, all the time. I love to work with my hands, whether it's piano or organ playing, writing, cooking, gardening, whatever. Even when I read books it gives them something to do.

As a piano teacher, I see lots of people (young and old), whose hands are not educated. They have trouble moving fingers independently of one another, they can't get one hand to go left while the other goes right, and they can't get one finger to hold still while the others all move.

Our education system does not do a good job educating people's hands. Which is a toublesome because people's motor skills and manual dexterity are crucial to their well-being, both psychologically and financially.

Anybody who has ever seen a master hand-worker (potter, painter, carpenter, mason, floor installer, flower arranger, hairstylist, massage therapist, pastry decorator, musician, mechanic) has likely noticed how fluidly the hands of these people move as they work. I never realized how much intelligence hands can have until I watched my father fix the old dryer in our basement.

He couldn't see the part he was fixing, so he felt it with this hands, figured out what was wrong, unscrewed part of it, felt around and moved the things that were in the way, and reconnected it. I watched and then I understood that he can think with his hands.

In school we are taught to hold our hands very still so our brains can get smart. At risk of sounding like a zombie, the most education in our society has to do with brains, brains, brains! We have largely divided humans into two classes: people who think, and people who work. Brains, and hands.

So sad, isn't it, because brains and hands are such a great combination - they built the great dome at Saint Paul's Cathedral.

Together, brains and hands devised the most efficient form of human transportation, the bicycle.

Brains and hands create beautiful works of art.

But best of all, a person with an educated brain and educated hands can be independent. They do not need to work too much on other people's terms, because they can be productive and make a living on their own. They can make a contribution to the community when they choose, in they way they are best able.

So I guess, if I could sum up my educational philosophy in one sentence, it would be "I believe we need an education system that educates people's brains and their hands." To do otherwise is to deny people the opportunity to reach their full potential.

If we were smart, New Brunswick would focus their educational efforts on brains and hands - developing the best skilled, most intelligent practioners in every discipline. Notice I didn't say the best skilled workers. This is because I believe in a small province, we should focus on small businesses where people don't just mindlessly work.

We need more people to be productive, to create employment for themselves via their skills. And the best way to develop the skills and bring out the hidden capacities of every child is to educate their brains and their hands.

A journey in sound and words

2011-02-07T07:56:00.007-04:00

When I was young, I liked music but I really didn't know why. Maybe it was the sounds: the physical density of certain waves together, or maybe it was the attention being musical afforded me, or maybe the mysterious feeling of resonance inside my body. Looking back, I still can't quite put my finger on it. But it stuck.

As a teenager, I become more studious and started to really listen. Focus hard, and listen.

My musical adolescence was exciting. I learned to play Chopin, Bach, Haydn - large and challenging pieces of sophisticated music. It sounded impressive, and it was fun. I've always loved working with my hands. Plus, my skills improved to the point where I could earn a little cash and some work experience.

But even then, in many ways I was musically ignorant. I could not replicate sounds I heard, I could 'read' music, but actually I had very little rhythmic understanding of what was going on in the musical notation. And I could not for the life of me, despite hours of trying, make the sounds I heard in my head come out of my instrument.

Although I had some technical skill, I did not have the fluency necessary for complete self-expression in musical terms. It was frustrating, but I could create music by improvising. Occasionally a really good idea would come out the ends of my fingers and I would hang on to it.

That said, the phrase "self-expression" sometimes makes me cringe. The idea that "self-expression" is the be-all and end-all has led to lots of bad artwork. It conjures visions of self-important psycho-babble, people "full of sound and fury, signifying nothing," to quote the Bard.

But when I started listening to jazz, I realized that people really can speak through their instruments. I was too immature to be able to follow the entire conversation (let alone contribute), but I could hear musicians commenting, lamenting, or throwing in the occasional one-liner.

The more I listen, the more I realize that music is a conversation. In several ways - between the listeners and musicians, each of whom brings their own experiences and level of musical proficiency to the table, but also between musicians themselves, who "speak the language," and who have the ability to narrate and interpret sounds.

Music can be very rhetorical, and a heartfelt player will relate sounds in a way that can change our perspective - seems ridiculous, I know. But narrative is such a powerful force in the human psyche: it frames details and presents events, illuminates images and casts shadows.

And somehow, a precise combination of sounds can intervene in the atmosphere and speak in an expressive way analogous to the human voice.

We all tell stories about ourselves, and those stories shape who we are - who we really are, and who we pretend to be. And musical storytelling can be the same - facts and fiction, details omitted, truths disguised as real life.

When we listen to someone tell a story, we hear the words, and those words impact us. They meet us where we are and they take us somewhere else. And they make us reflect on who is speaking,and how we relate to them.

Narratives and conversations, whether spoken with words or musical instruments, have to potential to transform us into somebody new. When the story is over and we come back from the transient world they have created, we are not always who we used to be, or even who we expect to be.

Maybe that's why I like music.

Woodstock Heritage Moment

2011-02-02T08:39:00.001-04:00

Remember those lovely "Heritage Minute" commercials the government used to air? As in, "Doctor, I smell burnt toast!" or "Johnson, sir, Molly Johnson!" Well, I've started reading a great book about Dalton Camp, formerly a resident of Woodstock, and the "best prime minister Canada never had." It's a fascinating book that re-tells Camp's life in the context of 20th century politics.

Here's what he says about Woodstock during the onset of World War II:

War was coming. You could sense the coming from beyond the earth's curve, not a distant thunder, but an eerily silent wind, a light wind that turned the leaves over, their soft white undersides showing in the sun. People always said it was a sign of coming rain...

Walking down Lower Broadway, on a still, airless afternoon, I recall hearing Adolf Hitler's voice on radio, coming out from behind a screen door. I heard the sounds of a crowd, and an American voice talking over it, explaining what Hitler was saying and why the crowd was cheering. People were beginning to talk about the possibility of war now, the way people might talk about being struck by lightening - something possible, yet unlikely.

It was a summer of heightened sensation, as though the ice cream were colder, the choke cherry bushes heavier with their berries, the sun higher, the shade darker, the nights longer. The music seemed more haunting, though we laughed longer, as if the laughter were a treasure that might soon be spent. It was a season of small pleasures; life was anecdotal, time measured by the length of an embrace, a kiss, an early morning round of golf, by swimming naked under the railway bridge at Bull Creek, the water lit by a burning fire under a steaming kettle of fresh corn harvested from an unknown farmer's field. Seamless, sensuous, seemingly endless, one summer day folded into the next while Italy invaded Albania and the Germans marched into Danzig and Vienna.

Hard to imagine, isn't it, and yet I can imagine just what it would feel like to walk down Broadway and hear that radio. There's a reason some things make the history books: not just because they change the world in the political sense, but because they alter the million mundane little actions that make up "life" for so many people. We are "at war" in Afghanistan but I don't think we really feel it at home like this.

Three word recipe for a balanced budget

2011-01-31T10:53:00.000-04:00

1. Cancel
2. Point
3. Lepreau

Since the Conservatives came to power in September, we've been told repeatedly to get ready for cuts to government spending. If we don't get tough on the deficit, it could reach a billion dollars soon, in a province of 750 000 people. Fair enough.

But no MLA or official accountant wants to point out that the Point Lepreau "refurbishment" is already 1.4 billion dollars over budget, and more than a year behind. The lights have remained on across NB while Lepreau has been the site of, in my opinion, one giant research and development project.

So I guess the common sense part of me wants to know: why do we need it, and why isn't cancelling Lepreau a viable option to eliminate our deficit? Let's see, fund health and education or nuclear power generation destined for US export? Hmmm, which one is really benefitting New Brunswickers? I'm not normally this sarcastic but seeing as how it's partly my money being flushed into the Bay of Fundy, I just can't see how that's good public policy.

I realize things are rarely this simple and I would love to see a well reasoned and financially responsible argument for why we ought to keep Lepreau and slash everything from legal aid to nursing homes.

A Civil Conversation

2011-01-15T14:11:00.002-04:00

A good conversation goes a long way. Here's an excerpt from David Brooks' excellent column in the New York Times. You really should read it all. He says:

But every sensible person in public life also feels redeemed by others. You may write a mediocre column or make a mediocre speech or propose a mediocre piece of legislation, but others argue with you, correct you and introduce elements you never thought of. Each of these efforts may also be flawed, but together, if the system is working well, they move things gradually forward.

Each individual step may be imbalanced, but in succession they make the social organism better.

As a result, every sensible person feels a sense of gratitude for this process. We all get to live lives better than we deserve because our individual shortcomings are transmuted into communal improvement. We find meaning — and can only find meaning — in the role we play in that larger social enterprise.

So this is where civility comes from — from a sense of personal modesty and from the ensuing gratitude for the political process. Civility is the natural state for people who know how limited their own individual powers are and know, too, that they need the conversation. They are useless without the conversation.

This sums up much of how I feel about society, politics and people. I do want to live in a community where my shortcomings are mitigated by the strengths of people around me, and vice-versa.

When We Mourn

2011-01-12T22:50:00.002-04:00

I'm not one for vacuous public statements - you know, those ones politicians tend to make when they can't risk taking sides. I find all of that verbal bet-hedging very tiresome. No comment is fine, maybe there's nothing more to be said, it happens. But to be "all sound and fury, signifying nothing" is regrettable.

Tonight I was watching the memorial service for the Arizona shooting victims.  I've been to a lot of funerals: when I was younger, family funerals; in my teens and early twenties, funerals for friends (sad but true); now, mainly churchfolk and often strangers. As bizarre as it sounds, I think memorials (or funerals, take your pick) are very moving and sincere, in a way almost no other modern ceremonies are.

Maybe this is because, as my friend remarked to me, "death is a form of justice."  I think she is right - seeing as how the rich and the poor, the famous and the obscure, death comes to us all.  I'm not sure.

But one thing that strikes me about funerals and memorials is the necessity of including music or art. Even people who have never been involved in the arts, who probably couldn't name you more than three pieces of music, will have music at their funeral or the funeral of their loved ones.  Many people love to ridicule or ignore poetry in their day-to-day lives, but will have poems read or printed after a loss.

We live in a society which values the empirical and the measurable - money, status, studies, statistics, 'demonstrated track records.' And yet, when a human life ceases, we find comfort in the unquantifiable (and often intangible) aspects of life: sound, figurative language, poetry, movement, the embraces of fellow human beings. Maybe this is because grief calls us to be 'outside ourselves' for a time; I'm not sure why.

But as I watched the singers give their "Simple Gifts" during the live broadcast tonight, the swaying of their bodies and the sweetness in their voices reminded me that human beings will (almost always) use beauty as a means of self-defense when faced with tragedy or mortality. I know that "time and chance" befalls us all, but I am grateful that at least a little beauty, and hence a little hope for the human race, can be called forward in times of great doubt and senseless destruction.

Warm Keys to Success

2011-01-10T18:17:00.000-04:00

Here's a re-post of a link from a certain local reporter's blog. Love what Seinfeld has to say about productivity, I'm thinking a lot about day-by-day, little-engine-that-could type discipline. As a musician, I know it works. It's just a matter of doing it.

Show Me The Money - Budget 2.0

2011-01-03T11:29:00.000-04:00

My mind on my money and my money on my mind.
- Snoop Dogg

Here's the disclaimer: I can't stand Snoop Dogg, and I have never wilfully listened to his music. That said, the man has a point: it's a new year and we're thinking a lot about money. So is New Brunswick's finance minister, and the Alward government. Rightfully so.

New Brunswick has huge financial problems, and our aging population (not to mention the looming diabetes epidemic) will make it basically impossible for the status quo to continue. We have problems, and the government is telling us all that we need to help solve it. Which is true, we need to face the facts.

Since the money received by the government comes from New Brunswickers, I think the government should lay out every single place that money went in 2009 - every car rental, every can of office coffee, every piece of monogrammed stationary, all the legal aid, all the textbooks, all the gauze, MLA pensions, business development loans and salaries and everything.

Data-obsessed people should have access to this open-source budget so we can see where our money is actually going. Then we could have a really informed debate about how our money is being put to use and what our priorities really are as New Brunswickers.

Some wards in the city of Toronto have participatory budgets, as does the city of Porto Alegre, Brazil. Residents in these places work one year in advance to determine priority spending and allocate amounts for various city departments. Remember, Toronto has more people than all of New Brunswick put together.

We always say our priorities are"health and education" but when we say health, what do we actually mean? When we say education do we mean consultants and standardized testing, or putting meaningful skills training back in high schools? It's not hard to see what someone's (or a government's) priorities are, if you "follow the money." And I don't mean departmental, ball-park numbers, you could bury anything in there. I mean dollars and cents for everything.

Most New Brunswickers are not rich people. They make choices every day about whether to spend, save, go without, or find a better solution. If the government needs to reduce programs and services, it should be determined by the people who pay the taxes and will suffer the consequences.

Eating in the New Year

2011-01-01T22:37:00.002-04:00

One of my goals for 2011 is to eat more local food, as much as I can manage. Our household has several adults coming and going, and we cook lots from scratch. Food is important to us, we are lucky to be self-employed and we make time to eat well most days. Good food is the fuel for good work and a good life.

Over the summer I started buying garden produce from George Peabody. He delivered it right to my door every Friday and I could choose what we wanted to order. Delicious and no more griping about ending up with the "slow" cashier uptown. In August I purchased 20 beautiful 'braids' of organic garlic at the Dooryard Market. We've always bought our grains and cereals direct from Speerville, as well as local eggs from the Lawson family farm and local maple syrup from peddlars on the roadside.

Then in the fall, our tomato bounty harvest came due, and that kept us going for at least five weeks. Our friends planted oodles of tomatoes in May and then promptly moved to PEI in August, leaving us with the delicious spoils of their labour. I also started ordering food from Buckwheat Flats food delivery service in Knowlesville - mostly meat for the carnivores in the house but also some tasty Indian treats, pitas and delicious organic cider. They also deliver, which seems like such a luxury in the era of self-scan check outs.
Stu & Nancy in Speerville (call 277-6301) have a wonderful organic food /farm delivery service too.

I happened across these blogs about local food, complete with recipes. Here's a directory to help you find more good stuff grown in our neighbourhood. Real food tastes better, make me feel great, and helps me support the local economy. Here's a great little article about how three recipes can get you off the fast-food spiral and into healthy and cheap eating. So, just to recap, here are your standard excuses for not eating locally:

1. No time
(for home deliveries?!)

2. Only available in summer
(not anymore!)

3. Too expensive
(How often do you pay $$$ to eat out? You are voting with your food dollars)

4. Need meat not just veggies
(lots of local cows, chickens and pigs . . .)

5. Want prepared items, not just raw food
(they have this too!)

I am telling you, eating locally will improve your life. And it will change the world. So what are you waiting for?

7, 32, 85, 103, 299, 300, 2011

2010-12-30T23:16:00.003-04:00

I am a number person. I count things, I see quantities as multiples (ie. this box is twice a big as that box). It just so happens that the year is finishing, and this is my 300th post to this blog. In 2007 I posted a paltry seven times. In 2008, it was 32 and in 2009, 85. Since then I have barely stopped jabbering but now, A Moment of Reflection:

This blog is one of my quiet joys, a place where I can record some thoughts and share them with people thoughtful enough to stop by my corner of the virtual neighbourhood. What a wonderful way to overcome the inherent isolation of living here in NB. And this little blog is so faithful and undemanding. It will sit neglected for weeks and still be waiting when a loud thought pops into my brain and is later forced out my fingers and into your neurons. Pretty wild when you really think about it, isn't it?

Believe it or not, I have rules about writing this blog. Such as:

1. Don't write in ridiculous over-thought prose.
One might consider asking oneself: did the word choice matter or was all choice merely an illusion? She digressed.
Ever since I read Orwell's "Politics and the English Language," the importance of plain speaking, and the uncessary pretence of too many Latin-based words have hit me like a lightning bolt. Just say it simply, and mean it. I try not to write if I don't have anything worth saying.

2. Personal blogs are not for me.
Discussing ideas and experiences in public with acquaintences rather than intimates is a very valuable and underrated process. I wish we lived in a world with more engaging conversations. I do enjoy some personal blogs but the thought of putting my life out there is actually pretty nauseating.

3. Keep it positive where possible and avoid overgeneralizing everything.
There are enough stereotypes, shallow news stories and shoddy thinking without me adding to the heap! People will never change their lives and our society if they aren't given a better alternative. How's that for a stereotyped, generalized statement?

4. Less is more

5. Proofread. And then proofread again. Try to mean exactly what you say, and nothing more.

I hope 2011 will bring you growth, joy, laughter, rest, work, love, and peace. Thanks for reading.

MIT, for free

2010-12-21T11:17:00.003-04:00

Some of us are learning junkies. I would count myself firmly in that category - I get so bored and restless if my neurons are not getting their proper workout. So I've heard about the MIT open-source courses, but until today I had never actually checked them out.

Basically, you can choose from a HUGE list of courses, their syllabi, reading materials, and in some cases, assignments, exams and solutions. And in many courses you can download all the things you need onsite. For free. That's right, no student loan, so 8:30am deadline, no excuses. It's all there for the taking, topics from Music and Theatre Arts to Theoretical Physics, Urban Studies and Special Projects.

Wouldn't it be incredible for Carleton County and New Brunswick to have groups of people working together on these courses? To have our leaders and teachers and citizens educated MIT-style while enriching life here with their knowledge and capacities?

Oftentimes, I think there is no 'payoff' for getting formally educated around here. You certainly won't find an experimental laboratory to pay your salary, nor is a master's degree particularly lucrative for most self-employed people. As someone counting the months until my student loan is history, I can say that debt is a tremendous deterrant to getting an education. However, being self-educated is of tremendous value in allowing a person to understand the world in which they live, and being able to shape it in a responsible and inspiring way for future generations.

I look back on the history of Woodstock and Carleton County and I see the things that our citizens accomplished: F.P. Sharp and his (successful) experiments in adapting apples to the short Eastern growing season, Tappan Adney and the preservation of the birchbark canoe, the people who built the beautiful and enduring Victorian houses.

What kind of culture will we pass on? A culture of learning, now at our finger tips for free; an insistence that feeding one's curiosity is a worthwhile pursuit? A legacy of quality work and craftsmanship, of practical innovations ? I hope so, because I think we deserve to live in a place which asks for, and values, the contributions of people who live here.

It's tempting to play the victim and pretend we're second class citizens, when actually, the problems are ours and so are the solutions. So get busy learning. We need you to educate yourself, we need to enrich each other, whether with MIT courses or by any means available.

P.S. Watch this link to the wonderful Sir Ken Robinson's commentary on the pitfalls of our industrial education system. Thanks Gill!

It's a Man's World

2010-12-16T09:19:00.001-04:00

If you're interested in places outside of North America, you've probably read some of Stephanie Nolen's excellent journalism. Listen to this excellent podcast - Nolen is a journalist who discovers the truth in large part by talking to women.

Your Hurtin' Heart

2010-12-14T18:54:00.000-04:00

Many of you know my sister Tracy, the musical chameleon. She sings jazz, she plays the keys, she studied opera, she teaches many wonderful students 'round these parts. But before all of that, she was - wait for it -a country singer!

That's right folks, twang and slang and all those other things your English teacher tried to talk you out of.

As kids, we grew up with Dad singing "Hey, Good Lookin'," and we knew all the words to "Coat of Many Colours" before we left elementary school. Now Tracy is preparing to release her first ever CD recording - a project she has been dreaming of for years now. We like to joke that Tracy's having her first "baby" - and it will probably involve a similar amount of love, sweat and tears!

Yours truly has been accorded the golden opportunity to sing back-up and I am pretty tickled to step away from the keys and do my backwoods holler.

Look for the Hurtin' Hearts coming to a town near you soon. Check out the website to pre-order the CD and support the Heartin' Heart cause. The CD will be a mix of country/alt-country, jazz and blues, and will feature many fine Maritime musicians and artists.

Pre-order yours, make a donation and help Tracy take her country blues coast to coast!

And then there were men

2010-12-06T12:43:00.000-04:00

I remember a lot of things from the evening news I watched with dad when I was a kid. I was born in '82 and some of the things I saw as a youngster must have had quite an impact, because I still remember seeing them on the screen. The piles of bodies during the Rwandan genocide, countless elections, the Rio earth summit, the Quebec referendum, the Westray coal mine disaster - the nightly news was (and is) my father's lullaby.

Today is the 21st anniversary of the Montreal Massacre, which means I would've been seven when it happened. It feels strange to me that I can't remember seeing it on news, but for some reason there's a hole in my brain where those horrendous images could've been.

Last night I was thinking about all of this - the horrible reality of what those women faced on that day, and the subsequent battles over gun control (yes, the long gun registry goes way back to Ecole Polytechnique). It seemed, and still seems, so unbelievable to me that a man could be so enraged by female engineers that he would gun them down in cold blood. How could a seven year old make sense of that?

Growing up I was lucky enough to have parents who were both capable of cooking, cleaning, caring for people, piling wood and doing all the other things life required. For a time, my mother was very sick with cancer, and when she was, dad did it all, with the help of Grandmother and Grammie. Grandmother being such a feminist, and Mom being a natural tomboy, the gender roles were pretty fuzzy at home, and without any brothers we learned to do whatever was necessary to keep the fire going, feed ourselves, do our homework, and present ourselves in public.

In my late teens I became an ardent feminist because I didn't think most women were equal to men, and I didn't think most men treated most women as equals. The exception to all of this, of course, remained my parents, and even when I became interested in the idea that "the personal is political" in university, I did not feel it was fair to tar all men with the label of "oppressors." My father did not 'oppress' my mother, he cared for her when she was sick.

I've always found the 'feminist' discussion prickly - you know, that moment at a party when someone drops the 'f-bomb.' Inevitably, some eyes roll, others suddenly have to visit the bathroom, one or two people start raving, and the other people watch silently, waiting for it to be over. I've seen it many many times, and it doesn't seem to change whether the people are 15 or 50 years old. The arguments are so counter-productive, all it does it make people take sides. Nobody is thinking or really listening.

Now that I'm a little older, I have married into a family that is the mirror image of mine - all sons and no daughters, but where the boys were taught to take care of themselves so they wouldn't be dependent on a woman for their well being. I see them out shoveling my driveway, lifting heavy things repeatedly without resentment, being sensitive about things and having hurt feelings just like people in my own family.

And I also see them struggling with the idea of what it means to be a man, to win people's respect with work and money, but to do it in a way that engages women as equal partners and makes a positive contribution. It is not any easier on them than it is for women.

And I wonder when people will realize that patriarchy is a problem for men too - that it marginalizes their feelings the way it marginalizes women's work, that it invites miltarism and violence as the solution to all the world's problems, that only a few 'alpha dogs' will get the payoff while a room full of good men secretly wonder what's 'wrong' with them.

I think we could do a much better job as men and women to envision what kinds of families, workplaces and communities we really want to have. Worldwide, many women are still treated like cattle and it is the moral responsibility of women and men in privileged countries to stand up for them, and help with projects they have already started to improve their own lives.

Here at home, where women are legally equal, the lines are a bit blurrier. We certainly have a problem with missing Aboriginal and poor women - they are still disposable in our society. If the Montreal massacre had been the Moosonee Massacre and the victims 14 aboriginal women in Northern Ontario, would we still be remembering 21 years later? I'm not convinced.

I think we have a tremendously anti-woman government at the moment. Which I find so wierd, if for the sole reason that Stephen Harper's wife Laureen seems so worldly, educated and intelligent. While Harper was doing economic analysis, she was riding a motorcycle across Africa. And yet, they have removed 'equality' from the mandate of the Council for the Status of Women, and eliminated Supreme Court challenges under equality provisions. Not pro-woman policies, not in the least.

And Canada has a dismal, dismal, dismal, record on women participating in the political process. Rwanda is recovering from a genocide and now has more than 50% female parliamentarians. Here in Canada and in NB it's consistently less than 20%. When is the last time you saw a women premier or leader of the opposition anywhere?

So, twenty one years later, the Montreal Massacre still raises a lot of questions, and holds a mirror up to our society. I think individual Canadians do have a lot of respect for each other as women and men. My own experiences of sexism have been limited, thankfully, although I can tell you lots of second-hand stories. But I don't think individual respect can trump a system where some women are disposable, some men are marginal, and decisions about power and resources are still made in the 'interest' of men who don't exhibit a lot of caring for the world.

Although dates like this one do make good men feel bad, those good men feel bad because they would never do to their spouses, sisters and mothers what the killer did all those years ago.

But it can happen in Canada, and it did. To remember the women is to dignify the memory of those who have passed. It reminds each one of us that peace starts at home and at work and will only come from our own committment and dedication. It will never be legislated, it will never be financed and that is precisely what makes it valuable.

Every Seven Years

2010-12-03T16:54:00.000-04:00

The number seven is surrounded by myths - I've heard that every seven years, we replace all the cells in our bodies, and become entirely new people. In the Bible, the seventh year was the "shabbat" or "ceasing" for the Jewish people, as God decreed:

The Lord spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai, saying: ²Speak to the people of Israel and say to them: When you enter the land that I am giving you, the land shall observe a sabbath for the Lord. ³For six years you shall sow your field, and for six years you shall prune your vineyard, and gather in their yield; ⁴but in the seventh year there shall be a sabbath of complete rest for the land, a sabbath for the Lord: you shall not sow your field or prune your vineyard.

In May, it will be seven years since I graduated from university. Since then, I bought a house, worked 5 jobs simultaneously, founded a concert series, a non-profit, an arts festival and assisted with more volunteer projects than I can count (or remember!!). I have loved them all, but I feel tired in my bones.

Lately I have been thinking a lot about the wisdom of Earth's self-sustaining systems. When something gets out of whack, the Earth's feedback loops put it back into balance. Without human intervention, living things have everything they need, and are connected in a web that doesn't 'waste' anything. This is beautiful, and what could be a more fitting model for our own lives?

Hence, in May I will be on Sabbatical from volunteer projects - one year to rest, let myself recharge, not expect anything other than what grows without cultivation. I am not quitting, I'm invested in community for the long haul. However, I would like to arrive at the finish line knowing that I took the time I needed to do my best work.

Welcome to Bertie County

2010-11-18T08:52:00.000-04:00

Watch this video. It has some parallels with Carleton County, and specifically with our downtown and how design can work towards the revitalization process.

Town Council needs to initiate a process that designs the downtown with the people of Woodstock, not just tells them what they're "getting."

Your morning thought

2010-11-01T09:04:00.000-03:00

Have you seen the face of a philosopher lately? I really enjoyed these photos and the comments of the thinkers. Sometimes I feel like we are afraid of ideas.

Why I'm running

2010-10-25T11:04:00.004-03:00

I am now officially a candidate for Woodstock Town Council. There is one seat available in the byelection on November 15th - and four candidates. I am nervous about my first election but I'm also pleased that there are four people running. It means people care about our town, and that voters will have some susbtantial choices to make.

Here is the long version of why I'm running. If you're the speed-read type just skip to the end.

Woodstock is a beautiful heritage town. And if you said that in a crowded room, most heads would nod in agreement. But I don't think we always believe that Woodstock has the potential to be a great town - a lively town with people greeting each other on the streets, where local businesses are thriving, where local food is served every day, a place where each business, house and street corner show the care and pride people have in their hometown. I love living here, but I think we can do better. And I don't mean that as an insult to the people who volunteer countless hours of time to serve their fellow residents. But if we don't push ahead, we risk falling behind.

Over the course of the next month, I'll be blogging about some ways that Woodstock can go beyond the status quo and build a reputation based on its past, present, and vision for the future. Please leave comments, suggestions, points for debate. If we want to improve our hometown, it's up to us.

My main concerns:

1. The current state of our downtown.

We need all the partners: Chamber of Commerce, Farm Market, Woodstock Tourism, RiVA, and all interested community members. Good solutions come from people participating in a process that respects their intelligence and goodwill. The community is the expert, I've seen processes like this in action already. We have a lovely waterfront. Let's stop driving through it and get people out to enjoy it!

2. Our zoning rules.

This is a super-nerd issue but actually affects almost everyone in our town. We need to be moving towards mixed-use neighbourhoods that are walkable, where people can operate small businesses in their homes. In a small town, small businesses are absolutely vital.

3. Vision for the future.

Woodstock is a very well-managed town. Financially, we're doing well even in the midst of a recession. That is great news, but we can't afford to spend all of our energy balancing books and neglecting discussion about what kind of town we want Woodstock to be in 5, 10 or 15 years. We need to figure out innovative ways to promote Woodstock to our local region/provincially and to bring new people and businesses here, based on the strengths we already have.

Solutions will come from dedicated people working together. It won't be easy and it will take a lot of time. But Town Council has a crucial role to play in leading these processes, and in encouraging people to work together. I care very much about organizing a team of people who want to see Woodstock thrive. It will happen if we all play a part.

Doubt, and Faith

2010-10-18T18:32:00.001-03:00

There is a lot on my mind lately. It all seems to swim around in there, enough to keep me distracted but nothing pronounced enough to really put my finger on. Very hard to characterize. Maybe my brain is imitating the seasons, which are hinting at winter but not quite there yet.

One thing I am preoccupied with at the moment is the suffering and lack of resources poor people face. In Carleton County we have lots of individuals and families who don't have warm clothes or food for winter, and who do not have jobs with dignity. I accept that this is 'the way it is' but I certainly don't like it. There IS enough in this world to go around, and the fact that things are so unequally distributed hurts makes me angry sometimes.

At the same time, I had the tremendous fortune to see Jacob Deng speak at Fusion on Saturday night. He is one of the "Lost Boys" of Sudan who left during the midst of a civil war. He never saw his parents again, and now as a refugee living in Halifax, is doggedly working to improve the lives of Sudanese in his home village.

Listening to him talk was eerie: he is only two years older than I am, and as he spoke, I tried to picture Debec in the middle of a civil war. I imagined leaving there with the knowledge that my family members would likely be killed. He was seven years old when he left. But he stood in front of the small crowd and talked about how urgent the need is for primary education in his village, how people have the right (and the need) to make something of themselves.

Like people in Carleton County, they need basic resources, training and education in order to be able to build a better life for themselves. Different place, but the same story in many ways. I work a lot with children and I see the tremendous potential in them, like little seeds. I work in community organizing, and I see how progress is made slowly, like a garden that increases in productivity each year. And when I stop and think about the obstacles faced by so many good people the world over, I honestly think it's a miracle we even have a "society" at all. I guess it's a testament that human beings are social, like our primate cousins.

But at the same time, I would like to see a society with more cooperation, with more caring and less materialism. And I'd really like to see laws that keep some people from dominating those who are vulnerable, both physically and economically. Maybe someday. In the meantime, I will do what I can, build peace in my own life and home and encourage others to do the same. Nobody can do everything, but everybody can do something.

Music: An Endangered Species?

2010-10-04T17:54:00.000-03:00

I am concerned. Every now and then I hear about 'a study' that says that such-and-such a percentage of species in a certain region is disappearing. The last stat I can remember is 1 in 5 species face extinction in the next generation. Meaning 20% of everything alive in that region will cease to exist, with largely unknown consequences for the natural world.

And that bothers me, make no mistake. But I am also concerned about music and whether live music (and acoustic music in particular) should be on our culturally endangered list. Here are some of the reasons I worry about this:

1. Digital gadgets are so easy to manipulate and offer instant gratification. (think Guitar Hero)
2. Music is 'free' now.
3. Getting good at an instrument requires discipline and time, both of which seem elusive these days.
4. There are less and less venues for live music, that pay less and less money.
5. Our education system no longer supports quality music education for young people.
6. Community choirs and bands are becoming a relic of the past. Even military bands are struggling. So are many symphony orchestras.
7. Ordinary people no longer dance in public.

Of course there are exceptions, with the megastars always shape-shifting into something profitable. But by and large musicians are a disappearing breed.

I do a lot of conducting and it's getting harder all the time to find musicians with the skills needed to play in a pit band. Every church used to have a choir, and now, even in a religious town like Woodstock, to the best of my knowledge only 2 choirs sing every week for the congregation. Now there are lots of guitar heros out there but few people who can tell a trumpet or trombone apart, either by sight or by sound.

It's hard to find the words to explain why these types of situations bother me: maybe because I see the joy music brings to people of all ages and backgrounds, maybe I think about the role music plays in my life and see what a tremendous gift it continues to be, maybe because I believe that music is cultural 'glue' that keeps us connected to each other, and to our past.

And somehow, I don't think that karaoke and Guitar Hero are sufficient substitutes for real people making real soundwaves of their own accord. I worry about the songs we will lose, the times people will spend sitting at home alone instead of with friends, the elders who won't have any musical consolation in their old age. We are losing our native species - not just plants and animals, but tunes and the culture that goes with them.

Many children I teach no longer know the world to "Old MacDonald" or "Three Blind Mice." This may not seem like a big deal to you, but it's hard to build musicians from people who don't even know what their parents' singing voices sound like. And it's even harder to see how this decline can be reversed in an age of drive-thrus and ringtones. Don't get me wrong, I'm not hanging up my musical hat. But I see it, and I worry.

Saying NO to the Yes Men

2010-09-17T12:32:00.001-03:00

So, long time no blog. Busy with other things, like getting married. (See the other blog for that.)

The provincial election is coming. Consensus seems to be that New Brunswickers are trying to pick the candidates that offend them the least. The two major parties are making tons of unrealistic promises, sniping at each other, hiking their own salaries and pensions, and generally demoralizing the population. A couple of thoughts on this situation:

First, everyone loves to complain about politicians but few good people actually take the plunge to get involved in politics. There is something about politics that attracts narcissists, and we seem to have become captivated by personalities (ie. David Alward's lack of public speaking finesse) than by policies. Sometimes I wonder if all the complaining just keeps the good people afraid of trying to change things.

Secondly, party leaders have a lot of power, especially when their MLA's are mostly 'yes men.' Or 'yes women.' The NB Power sale was a great example of how the Premier made a decision and then told his MLA's that they'd better shut up or toe the line.

I would propose that the best way to vote is to choose the candidate who is the most knowledgeable, an independent thinker, and a person who has integrity. I don't think it matters one iota which party that person belongs to. Because at the end of the day, you need somebody in the legislature who understands that power is a double-edged sword.

We need MLA's who will stand up to a poor leader and tell him or her, 'this is a bad decision, I won't support it, kick me out if you have to,' are the people who will put the common good ahead of personal gain. Debating about policies and ideas forces people to sharpen their arguments and sharpen their thinking. We are experiencing a painful lack of practical ideas and sharp thinking from the red-and-blue teams.

Nerd Alert: I am an info junkie, and yesterday when the Elections NB flyer arrived, I looked it over a few times. It was really interesting because every single candidate in the province had to list their occupation. Some were career politicians, and listed their occupation as "MLA." Personally, I find this a bit scary, but okay.

Did you know Shawn Graham identifies himself as a 'businessman?' And that the People's Alliance of NB has a lot of 'trucker' candidates? Many NDP candidates are retired, and that many Liberal candidates are businesspeople or consultants? The Green Party candidates were by far the most unconventional: early childhood educator, recording engineer, media monitor, fisherman, air traffic controller, mother.

So these are the people who want to represent us. They're also the people who will or won't take orders from 'the boss,' who ever may end up with that title.

Working for the Weekend

2010-08-20T18:05:00.000-03:00

Friday came in full-swing, with good crowds under the tent at lunchtime and a fabulous performance by the Monquartet, which is a folk group composed mainly of Johnvillians. Special folk, those Johnvilians!! Speaking of which, they're playing at the beautiful Bath Meeting House next Wednesday so take your Sunday drive a few days early and go check them out. You won't be disappointed - their Led Zepplin renditions are particularly good. But I digress....

Then notable country gospel group Side Effects breezed in, playing for a great crowd for over an hour. They were graced with a group of audience members from Woodstock Fun Park, and the kids danced, listened and decorated under the tent with sidewalk chalk while the adults enjoyed the river breeze, toes tapping.

We broke for a quick supper (super Dean strikes again) and the evening kicked off in fine style with NB Country Music Hall of Fame-r Al Dupuis and bassist par excellence Will Davidson warming up the crowd. They were followed by New Denmarkian (New Dane?? New Denmarkite??) guitarist Jens Jeppesen, who brings the fire as only he can. Thanks for the kind words Jens, but you didn't need my help getting gigs. The music speaks for itself.

Following Jens was Juno award winner Old Man Luedecke, who actually looks quite baby-faced in person. He stomped, he sang, people listened, a few danced and at the end we demanded an encore. It's difficult to describe how special it was for me to see a musician I've so admired come to play in my hometown, in part because of time and effort I put in. Beauty speaks for itself, even in this crazy virtual mechanized world we live in. And it was a beautiful performance, without a doubt. In my opinion, the Old Man is one of the finest songwriters working today and has a lyrical aptitude on par with Bob Dylan or Neil Young. Not to mention the soul of a poet.

After pulling myself together I made it up to Dooly's to hear Lonesome Jim wrap up: he can still giv'r, as we say around here, despite 25+ years in public education. That's a FEAT, let me tell you. I lasted three years, and even now I can't giv'r like he can. Way to go Jim, when people are looking for a show you certainly don't dissapoint~! And Fusion was home to Beth Tait and her band. Rumour has it the beers were being ordered two at a time, that's how much fun people had. Cheers to that :)

Get ready for a long post on Saturday, it exceeded my expectations. Which is so nice when you spend nearly a year planning!

Then came Thursday

2010-08-16T21:16:00.000-03:00

You might want to read these posts in reverse order; if you weren't there, they'll make more sense.

The crowd started to pick up steam a bit on Thursday. Certainly, part of that owes to the fact that we pitched a tent in some prime parking territory (I can only imagine the parking anxiety this induced! Oh, the humanity!). If I had a dime for every craned neck that drove by, my student loan would nearly be paid. But that's kind of the fun part too, doing something so unexpected that people's little worlds suddenly start misbehaving. A little novelty is irresistable.

Lunchtime showcases started with a handful of people but Keith MacPherson and Kendra Gale started roping them in. If you didn't catch this duo, you missed out. Kendra is a multi-instrumentalist and fantastic singer, and Keith plays bass and sings along too. They sound so great together, and when Kendra gets her foot tambourine going all is right with the world. Loved that they made it here, and that they were willing to stick around for another go at the Queen Street Market on Saturday. Not to be missed in the future, FYI.

Richard Wetmore played his food songs later in the afternoon, educating the crowd about corn, corn syrup, agribusiness, farming. Richard's unique combination of Anglican singing, swearing and jokes really has a way of getting the point across, despite the fatigue we inevitably feel when someone starts telling us how truly messed up the world is. Hats off to you, Richard, I'm happy to come along.

Evening entertainment was Marc Zsammer and Dianne Roxborough Brown at Connell House (classical music), Tracy Anderson solo debut at Fusion (jazz), Keith and Kendra at Dooly's, and a triple feature at the Mainstage - Lonesome Jim, the Beaters and Singing Bridge Orchestra. Reports are that all went well - the classical musicians were impressed by the beautiful sound and setting at Connell House, the Fusion gig was wall-to-wall, and they were still dancing at Dooly's when I got there at 1am. Tracy tucked away her butterflies long enough for her fingers to show us some of what she learned in Toronto this summer. And Lonesome Jim was his usual self- acerbic wit coupled with virtuosic strumming and inimitable harp playing, the Beaters got the party started, and the SBO managed to get all the way through our disco and funk set without anybody throwing things. Life was good!

I need to pause here to re-iterate what a good job Dean Weeks did. Our SBO is an eight-person band with everything from 5 vocalists to trumpets, trombones, cowbells and shakers. Thursday night was the clearest we had ever heard ourselves, and we played with only a short, informal soundcheck. It takes real talent for a soundman to deal with that and make it look natural. And SOUND GOOD. So Dean, we salute you. Thanks again :)

Thursday wrapped up with 152 through the gate at the mainstage. By then people had caught on that they should walk from one place to another. Don't ask me where they parked. So once again people forgot that 10pm is 'bedtime' and walked from venue to venue, seeing what they were missing and marvelling that in a tiny town, people could have a choice of which event they wanted to take in. It was great - even the Mayor was there. Again. At every event. Nice work, your Worship.

For the Faithful Who Have Answered

2010-08-16T10:11:00.000-03:00

Well, we did it! I guess you can see how much time I had to blog. Too bad. But if I would've had time, here's what I might've said.....

Wednesday: We managed to get the mainstage site set-up without any major hitches. Passed the building inspection and even had time to get a haircut. Best not to look like a shaggy lion when so many people are coming to visit....Music and art at Connell House were well-received. The crowd was smaller this year but also more thoughtful. People who left early missed John Thompson playing the harp and the piano at the same time. It was surreal!

The Transatlantic Zodiac Ensemble kicked things waaaay up at Fusion. It's a miracle the band even fit in there - 9 players, including a regular drumset and percussionist, soprano sax, violin, accordian and more. Wall-to-wall people ate up every morsel they played. There are always moments as an organizer when you can't believe how little things can add up to something so exciting and that was definitely one of them

Over at Dooly's a few intrepid souls disregarded their Carleton County bedtime (ie. 10pm!) to stay up late and hear Atlantic Bridge. I am now playing keys and singing with this group and thanks to the steller hosting and tech support of Peter McLaughlin, we managed to make some toes tap and even a few brave souls danced.

The loudest show of the week was already underway at the Mainstage, sponsored by MES Music. I didn't have a chance to get there but I heard people had a great time. I can't say enough about Dean and Jennie Weeks and their support for this festival. We would have fallen on our faces without Dean. He had the gear, he was there all week with only a few breaks and made everyone sound fantastic. So if you live around here, you'd better buy local, because we're screwed if something ever happens to MES Music!!

I'll write some more about the rest later. Didn't realize there was this much to tell! Stay tuned.....

How To Build A Dooryard

2010-08-11T07:42:00.000-03:00

Step One: Get a bunch of rugged volunteers
Step Two: Disassemble 44 sections of steel 10 foot fencing
Step Three: Rent a mucho expensive tent ($$$$)
Step Four: Get a Building Permit
Step Five: Figure out how to secure said tent according to Building Code without going broke or crazy (cement blocks, thanks Town of Woodstock)
Step 6: Add caffeine and mix
Step 7: Rent a portable stage
Step 8: Add merch and bar tents
Step 9: Finish with PA Systems from busy local soundman
Step 10: Pray that the people come to enjoy it

See you in the Dooryard, I'll be blogging as much as I can for those who can't be here in person (or prefer the eerie glow of their computer monitor).

Like a Carleton County potluck, only for the arts . . .

2010-08-10T18:00:00.000-03:00

The excitement surrounding this year's Dooryard Arts Festival is palpable. Everyone is waiting to see how it's going to go, because this year it's waaay bigger than any one person or stereotype. We've got rockers, we've got banjos, we've got violins, we've got paints, prints, kids, vendors, singers, songwriters, poets, body artists, knitters, potters, painters and writers. And more - really.

What excites me most about this festival is the variety - it's not just a rock fest for hipster teenagers. It's not another gospel concert with the same old tunes, or another fancy fine arts show. It's everything all mixed together, with everyone contributing in their own unique way. Even the "steering committee" isn't really steering this bus - Dean Weeks booked the Indie Night, Valley Young Company chose their production, musicians built new bands, and the excitement just keeps growing.

Don't get me wrong, we're readier than ever. But if you're looking for a genre typecast for this festival, you'd best keep rolling down the river. Because the only thing that really unifies this festival is our location - being here in (mostly) Carleton County, and having some form of individual or collective human expression. Expect the unexpected, expect to see, hear, taste, smell and even touch things you don't normally experience.

This is the wonderful thing about the arts: it takes us beyond our puny and often self-absorbed personal identities (I put myself in this category too, don't worry) and takes us somewhere else. Like trying that new dish at a potluck. You don't have to eat a plateful, but just try it, already. You might like it, and even if you don't, at least you will have experienced a little shred of personal growth. This is the stuff that life is made of.

VYC: Never Swim Alone

2010-08-04T11:36:00.000-03:00

VYC has changed its Dooryard Production to "Never Swim Alone" by Nova Scotia playwright Daniel McIvor. If you've purchased an "Our Town" ticket, those will be honoured at the door and any difference in price refunded to you. Full refunds will also be available should you choose not to attend "Never Swim Alone," but we encourage you to check out this great Maritime show.

Some info from Lee Kinney, Artistic Director of VYC:

Never Swim Alone by Nova Scotian playwright Daniel MacIvor. The play is a very contemporary piece with three actors - 2 men, 1 woman - with very minimal set, costume and lighting requirements. The piece is very engaging and exciting, and will introduce new staging and production styles for our company.

Russ Hunt, a STU professor, wrote a review of the a Hampton High production in 2003 that can be found here: http://www.stthomasu.ca/~hunt/reviews/swim.htm and is worth taking a look through for an idea of the play.

If you're not familiar with MacIvor, he is also well worth taking a look at. He is one of the most successful and prolific Canadian playwrights, specializing in meta-theatrical plays, and profound and hilarious one-man shows. He is originally from Sydney, NS, and has been working across Canada since the early 80s, continuing to write today (his latest play "His Greatness" about Tenessee Williams was published in 2008).

There's Something About Dooryard

2010-08-03T16:25:00.000-03:00

Well, we've seen what's coming down the river, and it's a whole lot of festival fun.

Last year's Dooryard Arts Festival was the first edition. And we all know what "firsts" can be like: thrilling, hectic, terrifying, confusing, and unforgettable. We ended last year sunburnt to a crisp, not quite broke and fiercely proud of what we managed to accomplish - despite needing Plan A, Plan B, Plan C, and Plan D to find a location, and figuring out how to close streets, recruit artists, pay musicians, power PA systems and countless other things.

This year we've made many improvements: cleaner porta potties (oh, YEAH!), a larger tent, food vendors, children's activities, art workshops for adults, more bands, more artists, a great Saturday market lineup, new venues and much more. I dare say this is the largest display of local talent anywhere in the province. So, in keeping with last year's tradition, here are 10 things you do not want to miss at this year's Dooryard Arts Festival.

10. Still-life drawing workshop for adults, Thursday, 7pm. Yes, Virginia, adults can learn something new.

9. Charlie Bomb: Hit and Run premiere, Wednesday night. Charlie's worst nightmare and a few laughs too.

8. The opening cocktail party at Connell House. Beautiful room, beautiful food, beautiful music. MMmm...

7. Writers! Jason Wilson on Thursday evening, Vagabond Trust on Friday afternoon, Beyond Words on Saturday afternoon. Writers don't go out in public often, get a peek while you can.

6. The biggest little bands you can imagine stuffed into Fusion: Transatlantic Zodiac Ensemble (Wednesday ) and Oh No, Theodore! (Saturday). No cover, but the Karma Cup will be in attendence.

5. New artworks from Jill Stephenson, Adam Atherton and Laurel Green.

4. Tunes "from away:" Montreal's Abigail Lapell, NYC violinist Marc Zsammer and Nova Scotia's Mike Dalton.

3. The most rockin' evening Carleton County has seen since Woodstock. Oh wait....Mike Bochoff, Telfer, and Andrew Hunter & the Gatherers blow the roof off the mainstage Saturday night.

2. Juno Award Winner and banjo poet Old Man Luedecke makes you take back all those banjo jokes. Friday night on the mainstage.

1. Saturday. A full day of all-ages programming, including the return of the Queen Street Market. Buskers, food, artist vendors, children's readings, drumming workshops, a magician, writers and songwriters. This year, folks, the city comes to us. Say it with me: Saturday!

We've heard through the grapevine people are talking about the festival. We hope so, it's for you!

Who Cares for the Body?

2010-07-31T12:25:00.000-03:00

The random farmers near the roadside make me wonder. They make my mouth water because I came from a family where you went outside to pick your supper, washed it and then put it on the table. But these berry, egg and vegetable offerings next to commercial centres also make me uneasy - they shouldn't have to sit in deserted parking lots all day to get their produce to people. When farmers aren't in the grocery store, and aren't at the Farm Market, something is wrong.

I don't say this to upset any of the fine people on the Farm Market Board of Directors - they've worked hard to get a building and keep things going during times when food wasn't the blockbuster issue it seems to have become lately. But we desperately need to have fresh local food at our Farm Market - not just for farmers, but for our bodies (not to mention the body politic).

But all this talk of food and the issues that surround it - corporate control of meat and grain production, obesity and diabetes, the death of cooking and the family meal, the separation that most people have from their food producers - really makes me think about the body and how uncared for it is nowadays.

For example: we're continually blasted with images and exhortations to buy food that is terrible for our bodies and for the planet. And we're told it's a "treat." No, it's not. My mother's rasberry pie or string beans from the garden or real strawberries or a homemade cookie is a treat.

We don't send kids outside to exercise and run around anymore, we don't go out dancing with our friends and spouses, we don't walk anywhere and we wonder why our ten year olds look sickly, our twenty year olds have back pain and everyone is depressed. It's because we don't give proper consideration to our bodies anymore. Using the phrase "my body" in most social situations will immediately make people suspect you are a wacko of some kind. Too bad.

When I think back to my childhood, most of my good memories have something to do with my body: the smell of working men in my family coming in for supper (sawdust, hay and motor oil), the taste of food picked off the plant and eaten (carrots rinsed with the garden hose and devoured), long uphill bike rides and flying downhill on the other side, swims in the brook and lake, the homecooking of numerous aunts, mothers and grandmothers, mud pies, sandboxes, swing sets, sunsets, horses, long stories after supper.

These are treats and not of the high-minded philosophical variety. They are the things that form culture, keep us civilized and make us truly human. I feel sad that we've lost the body. I think the mind can be a terrible tyrant if it runs the show all the time. A mind can be convinced of anything if you put the right message on 'repeat.' The body is an ecosystem with its own internal balance. When the environment of the body is off-kilter, it colours everything we see, hear, taste, touch, feel and think.

Until we make peace with our bodies, we will never solve our overconsumption problems. As goes the body, so goes the nation, perhaps....

Passivity

2010-07-25T10:14:00.001-03:00

I'm nearly finished reading Richard Sennett's brilliant book "The Fall of Public Man." I am on quest right now to understand why things are they way they are, both in general "society" and also in our little town. It's pretty interesting, and beats watching the same commerical ten times in one evening.

I like Sennett because he doesn't just repeat the standard answers: ie. capitalism is bad, people are obsessed with material things, the political elite don't want an electoral system that actually reflects the priorities of working people. Spare me, please - it's not that simple.

Instead he looks at ideas of public and private and how our perception of what those mean has changed since the industrial revolution. In the 17th and early 18th centuries people in public saw themselves as actors. Showing your feelings was a well-practiced art, with specific ways of demonstrating each. Talking to complete strangers in public was totally normal. Being social in a crowd was completely normal. Costumed public appearances were normal too.

Today people are absorped in the psychological dimensions of their families, living in neighbourhoods where people are just like them, and seeing crowds and strangers as something to be feared. The most valued bonds are formed by sharing deep intimate thoughts. "Community" is made up of people forming these bonds. Narcissism is everywhere.

Our fundamental ideas about public and private have changed a lot, and where people used to be demonstrative in public, now they are passive, keeping their feelings on the inside and keeping their bodies still and silenced. We teach our children this all the time.

It was very common for people in the 18th century theatres to heckle, spit, boo, hiss, cry, laugh, and even sit on the stage. They did this unabashedly. Picture the House of Commons during Question Period - that's what it was like.

Now it's difficult to get people to respond or participate in ordinary situations. I've seen it - audiences that won't laugh or can't decide if it's "okay" to clap, people who won't dance to music designed for dancing, people who won't introduce themselves to someone despite being in close proximity to a stranger, church congregations who won't sing above a whisper for fear of hearing their collective voice. It's everywhere, pass the remote control. It has poltical implications - most people won't get organized enough to protest or to challenge systems which are actually doing harm to them or their compatriots.

Situations where people shun this passivity are seen as audacious and maybe slightly dangerous. Heaven forbid you might be seen enjoying yourself in public, or that you might experience something out of the ordinary in a crowd of strangers. You might actually change the system.

I think school has a large part in engraining passivity, as do television and advertising. I think this passivity makes us insecure about ourselves and robs us of opportunities to express joy, sorrow and anger in a meaningful way in public. We have a need to participate in something other than consumerism, whether it's collective joy, the political process, storytelling, or the social life of a town or city.

So get off the couch/internet/txt and go somewhere new today. What you will see will change you. And you'll be fine - slightly different, but more fully human.

How will I know what to "like" ?

2010-07-22T11:57:00.002-03:00

I don't have time to fully explore this right now but it looks promising. All you techno-punks (or people who value their private information) will likely find this interesting.

http://www.joindiaspora.com/project.html

More to come after I have a chance to digest...

That pesky Charter of Rights

2010-07-07T10:13:00.000-03:00

A lot has been said and written about the G8/G20 events in Toronto. Here's what I have to say about it.

A lot of the commentators seem to have really bizarre perceptions of people who protest. There is generally no discussion about why normal people decide to skip the family BBQ, the trip to the movies, etc. to go and get their heads whacked by a bunch of agressive and.or frightened police officers. (I'm not convinced all police officers are inherently evil).

The assumptions tend to go one of two ways:
1. These "privileged kids" should stop whining and realize how good their lives are.
2. The protesters are trouble-makers who don't even know what they're protesting.

I have been to a couple of large protests (tear-gas included) and here's who goes to protests: old ladies who are concerned about cuts to public health care and pensions, students who feel that corporations have too much economic power/political influence/not enough responsibilty, union members who are concerned about their job security, indigenous people who have been kicked off their land, people concerned about climate change and environmental degradation.

There seems to be a real disconnect between Canadians' assumptions that we have "free speech" and supporting fellow Canadians in the exercise of those rights. In case you forgot, here's what ye olde Charter of Rights and Freedoms has to say on the issue:

SECTION 2: Everyone has the following fundamental freedoms:
(a) freedom of conscience and religion;
(b) freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression, including freedom of the press and other media of communication;
Citizens have the right to challenge the legitimacy of corporate institutions like the G8 and the G20. Disagreeing with the government does not equal losing your democratic rights.
(c) freedom of peaceful assembly; and
Standing with a sign and a message does not make you a terrorist.
(d) freedom of association.

If this G20 mess had happened in China, lots of self-righteous commentators would have disapprovingly mentioned that the government spent over a billion dollars on militarzed police, and that shortly after the singing of the national anthem, those police charged into a peaceful crowd, swinging clubs at the heads of mothers, grandmothers, uncles and brothers.

But it wasn't China, it was Canada. And lots of people on the sidelines seem to have forgotten that the majority of people who protested are people just like them. And what I find the most disturbing is that the same people who want to pretend that protesters are "trouble-makers" also complain that corporations have too much power and that governments won't stand up to them. Well, you can't have it both ways, folks.

One last thing: if people hadn't protested in the past, women would not be legal "persons" in Canada, there would be no regulations against child labour, there would be no health care, minimum wage, collective bargaining or environmental laws. So maybe it's time to abandon the simplistic assumptions and take a closer look at why regular people would put themselves in harm's way.

Meet the "Meeting House"

2010-06-29T14:10:00.002-03:00

I've heard good things about this little beauty in Bath!

Parking first, women and children second

2010-06-23T13:36:00.002-03:00

Check out these incredibly depressing photos of downtown Atlanta. Lots of parking! No people anywhere....just what you needed on a grey day like this, right?

Daily Dead Birds

2010-06-23T12:45:00.002-03:00

You can find the numbers dead, oiled and released here. The BP spill is still gushing.

Woodstock: The City That Wasn't?

2010-06-16T14:34:00.000-03:00

I finally finished "The Death and Life of Great American Cities" this spring, on my way to the placemaking workshop in NYC. Since then I have been thinking continually about places in general, Woodstock in particular, and how our culture becomes visible in the buildings we construct, the town we live in, and our attitude towards public gatherings.

I've also been reading a lot by Richard Sennett, an academic who has a very interesting perspective on history, the private vs. public realms, buildings, theatre and culture. Right now I'm working through "The Fall of Public Man," which deals with the ways people present themselves in public now vs. they way they did in the 1700, 1800 and 1900's. Apparently back then it was completely normal to address strangers in public, to see oneself as a 'performer' in public, much like an actor, and to assemble in public places for celebrations.

I look at a town like Woodstock, with its small but preserved public square and I start thinking about who really built this town, how it has evolved from two small settlements (one at Upper Woodstock, one at the Meduxnekeag and St. John rivers).

If you look at the Census information for Woodstock, the population really hasn't changed much since its founding. Add to that the fact that Woodstock is at an ideal geographic location - the meeting point of two rivers, at the junction of TCH #2 and Interstate 95, the fact that it is equi-distant between Portland, Maine, Halifax, and Montreal, and it would appear that Woodstock has all the geographic characteristics of a city.

But it hasn't grown. Why?

I think there are several reasons. First, because the people who settled here were Loyalists, people who were averse to taking risks, preferring instead to follow rules and leave the American Colonies to preserve their social status and avoid conflict.

Also, I think this conservativeness (and I mean that in a general sense, leave the blue guys out of this) has implications for public gatherings, the encouragement of creativity and the status of young people. Creative young people want to socialize, try new things, experiment and take risks. All of which are seen primarily as negatives around here. Challenge me on that if you can think of examples of risk-takers being lionized in the public realsm, but I can't think of any ready examples.

A culture that sees young people as a threat or a liability or a culture that is uncomfortable with sexuality outside of monogamy/heterosexuality is not going to meet the needs of many young people. And many profitable enterprises are started by risk-taking, creative people in their teens and twenties. Look at Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, etc. This reticence has a big impact on the future of small towns.

An overemphasis on marriage and families causes people to withdraw from public life. I think it would be fair to say that many people around here conside cities and families incompatible. As in "you can't raise a good family in the city," or "I would never raise kids in the city." I guess cities are associated with crime, but there are break-ins (and even the occasional shooting) around here frequently and nobody labels Woodstock as a "dangerous" place to live. So why do we feel that way about cities?

The other day my friend and I were listing all of the organizations that attempted to locate in Woodstock and were denied: King's Landing, McCain Foods, the Nackawic Pulp Mill. Those are some pretty heavy hitters and if you took those and added them to Woodstock as it stands today, you would be well on your way to "city" status.

I will likely write more on this topic, as it's something I think about a lot. Add your two cents: why do you think Woodstock is not a city?

If people in Woodstock wanted to grow the town into a city, how could we go about doing that?

Hmmm.

Can you say "escrow" ?

2010-06-15T08:02:00.002-03:00

Looks like BP had better start saving for the billions they will have to pay out in damages and compensation. Not that the ecosystem can put it in its RRSP, of course, but you know what I mean, right....??

More on NYC

2010-06-03T17:03:00.001-03:00

Trying to balance my oily despair with something positive. Here's more on what I learned in NYC. This might appear soon in the Bugle-Observer.

What makes a good public place?
This is one of the questions I tried to answer during a short trip to New York City at the end of April. On April 29th and 30th, I was part of a group of businesspeople, city employees, sustainability advocates and students from around the world who came to learn "How to Turn a Place Around."

I went because I am concerned about Woodstock's downtown. When I look around downtown, I see two beautiful rivers, some remaining historical buildings, friendly people and high-quality small businesses.

But the downtown is also occupied by a large number of vacant lots, such as the one at the corner of Queen and Main streets. Many parking lots used during the day are vacant during evenings and weekends.

Thinking that workshops on "How to Turn a Place Around" could provide fresh ideas, strategies and insight, off I went to Manhattan, the only person from a small town in a room full of "city folk."

We looked at lots of photos of great public places, spaces where people go to relax, walk dogs, buy sandwiches, play with their kids or go on dates. These places were more than "parks" - they are intended to be the "backyards of people who live in the area." What a great notion!

Although Connell Park is the "backyard" of people living in the Creighton and Deacon neighbourhoods, downtown Woodstock doesn't really have a place where you can sit in the shade, take your shoes off and spend an afternoon or evening.

We also learned about "Placemaking" - that every successful public place needs four things: to be accessible and well-connected to other important places in the area, to be comfortable and project a good image, to host activities people can participate in, and to be a sociable place that people will gather over and
over again.

We learned about some very simple processes to engage local residents in improving public places. We also learned how to observe how people actually use a place - where they will and won't cross the street, how long they will stay, which age groups are or aren't present, etc. This information helps lead the improvement process.

One simple piece of advice we were given was "start with the petunias." If a place looks cared for, poeople are more likely to visit and also to respect the space.

During the sessions, we heard the fascinating story of Bryant Park, which is located just south of Times Square. Apparently it was a notorious haven for drug dealers and criminals in the late 1960's and early 1970's.

Using the "placemaking" process, some of our workshop presenters helped revitalize Bryant Park. They eliminated the concealing hedges, made the entryway open, added furniture and a sandwich stand to encourage people to frequent the park.

I visited Bryant Park the evening before I left and it was truly the most beautiful, serene, and magical place I have ever seen in a city.

Sometime in the future I would like to share some more information about what I learned and see what the residents of Woodstock can do to create a shared "backyard" in our downtown. Let's start with the petunias!

BP Oil Could Reach Atlantic Coast This Summer

2010-06-03T16:59:00.002-03:00

It's a global village, alright.

The madness continues

2010-06-02T12:23:00.000-03:00

Follow up to yesterday's post: Greece announces plans to sell its railways and public water systems as per its agreement with the IMF. Bye, bye public assets.

On the oil front, the latest attempt is looking like a failure. Had a dream last night I was clinging to a fake leather couch covered in oil, trying to avoid falling into the oily water. Wonder what those pelicans must feel like...

Who's afraid of the big bad wolf?

2010-05-31T09:37:00.001-03:00

The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico continues. I feel like this is exactly what's wrong with the western society - never mind just the United States, although it's easy to point the finger at them and safeguard our own superiority.

Oil companies have manipulated legislatures, pressured and bought politicians in order to relax regulations intended to safeguard the common good. That's what's really at stake here, some sense that the Gulf is important enough to belong to everyone - the people who depend on it for fishing, tourism or making a living, the marine life it contains, the birds that stop there along their many thousands of migratory miles.

All of a sudden, we have a legal/political system that says that drilling for oil (and making profits for oil companies) is more important than safeguarding a body of water that controls a large part of the climate in the North Atlantic. We're drowning in our own arrogance, to think that these kinds of policies are in our "best interest." Everything is connected and we've blown a large hole right into one very important link. And judging from the latest reports, it's unlikely that the gusher will be silenced before August - after several hurricanes have likely had the chance to stir the oily ocean and wash it half-way to kingdom come. You're right, I'm mad.

I'm mad because we live in a society that refuses to restructure itself away from oil dependency because it will be "too slow" or "too hard" or "too painful." I doubt our grandparents who lived through the Depression or the World Wars were this wimpy and selfish. And I'm also upset that each person who drives everywhere, buys food shipped from the other side of the world, and can never have enough "stuff" doesn't want to admit that their personal choices are part of what created the demand that put the Deepwater Oil Rig in the Gulf to begin with. We can continue this kind of denial but the people, birds, animals and marine life off the coast of Louisiana are now paying the price for our actions.

One final thing - and I'm sorry if you find this depressing but it's the reality we have created for ourselves - if this crisis had been a crisis of public finance, or healthcare, or transportation, corporations would be banging down the doors of government demanding we privatize those resources. If you don't think that's true, look at the recent IMF bailout of Greece, or read Naomi Klein's "The Shock Doctrine."

If people and environmentalists are smart, they will use the current ecological tragedy to implement stiff environmental laws. If you have a rig like this blow up, you should lose your drilling license in the U.S. for at least five years. That would be the kind of deterrent big oil understands - a threat to the bottom line. But of course, society is too addicted to oil to restrict our own access. Will we continue to act like junkies who let their dealer burn down their house and ruin their neighbourhood, or will we see what's really coming down the pipeline if we don't change our ways?

Turning a Place Around: let's go!

2010-05-05T21:05:00.000-03:00

It's hard to know where to begin writing about my recent trip to NYC. I haven't travelled alone in a while and life is so busy here at the moment that it's hard to focus my reeling mind on anything other than what I have to get done tomorrow. Nevertheless, it was a fabulous trip, and the workshop I attended, called "How to Turn a Place Around" was excellent. I went because I think Woodstock could use a little turning around. Our downtown looks like it's been hit by a bomb, and it's been that way for over a year. Here's my first in a series of posts.

DAY 1 - Thursday, April 29th.

We gathered in a room full of anticipation, strangers with no common frame of reference except some vague affinity for "great public places," whatever that means. We came because we were interested in change, because we could envision a world beyond the one we knew right now. We were sick of being told it "couldn't be done" and that "nothing would ever change around here." Wherever "here" was, we had all been told the same thing.

Then the presentations began, with no manifestoes about "the man" or "the machine" or invectives against cars or capitalism, no conspiracy theories, no MBA's, nothing except discussions of benches, moveable furniture, garbage cans, crosswalks, sightlines, trees and bicycles. Really elemental stuff, objects with which everyone has had direct contact, spaces we can experience in the flesh and report back on, whether we are homeless people or corporate executives. It felt very liberating not to have to "apply the formula" or "read the manual" in order to give valid feedback on something we'd experienced.

It was really nice to study how to create a place that would acknowledge human needs and meet them, instead of rigidly demanding that humans set their deep needs aside and bow to "rational management." It felt good to acknowledge that people want to be in the presence of other humans in a way that isn't rabidly commercial or psychotically self-interested. That fullfillment isn't in staying home and surfing the thousand channel universe.

The workshop threw ideologies out the window and let us be ourselves. We were glad.

Another reason to like Saint John

2010-04-23T13:32:00.000-03:00

Great story here about a 1979 action by longshoremen in Saint John that prevented "heavy water" from reaching the military dictatorship in Argentina. An excerpt:

As a result of the protest, 11 of the 17 political prisoners were released within days and three were sent into exile. Another of the prisoners identified by the NO CANDU campaign, union leader Alberto Piccinini, was released a year later. During a visit to Canada, he expressed his gratitude to a group of Canadian workers: “Unity is the unity of all of us; and it must go beyond national boundaries. I am very clear that I am free today because of the struggle first of the people in my country and second because of workers elsewhere – especially in this beautiful country.”

Chile under Pinochet was one of the most brutal regimes of the 20th century, and was supported by most governments, including Canada. Luckily, the courage and common decency of people in Saint John was able to help a few Chileans.

At long last, the facebook status blog

2010-04-22T12:13:00.001-03:00

I knew it would come to this eventually. Today I'm not writing about an article or podcast, but about a friend's facebook status. She wrote:

JW is thinking about words: burqa, niqab, sharia, Europe, dhimmi, submission, identity, public security, social inclusion, choice, public/private dichotomy... and wondering whether it is possible to come to agreement on what these words mean.

It got me to thinkin'.

I have read a bunch of books about the Muslim world and the veil and face-covering issues just never go away. For women in the west, we've grown up hearing (if not always experiencing) that women and men deserve to participate equally in public life. Canadian society is increasingly one in which women earn as much money or more than their partners, fathers take paternity leave or even stay at home with children, and the view that women belong in the kitchen, or are the property of their husbands and fathers is long since passed. Thank goodness.

Of all the words in her status list, I think choice is the most important. Whether burqas are banned or not, either way you still have men (either Islamic fundamentalists or western lawmakers) telling women what is okay to wear. They don't have a choice in the matter - their dress is dictated by someone else.

I find this debate very difficult - Canada is supposed to be a nation of religious freedom. But when religious freedom means one gender oppresses the other it's a hard pill to swallow. The sad part is, most Muslim women don't even have any way to voice their opinions on the matter. They are mostly shut out from public participation. That's what bugs me the most.

So then you have to ask yourself whether passing a law banning female face coverings will actually enhance quality of life for these women or further contribute to their seclusion. Looking at the examples of Muslim men murdering their wives or daughters for becoming "too westernized" you have to wonder if banning face coverings could mean putting a vulnerable group even more at risk. It could mean they will never be able to leave their houses. Then you will have an entire sector of the population effectively under house arrest.

The other part of the debate that bothers me is that the law is aimed at Muslims. I don't see anyone taking on the oppression of women within extreme Christian sects - and they do exist, in places where 14-year old girls are married off to old men who already have multiple wives. And let's not forget that some religions don't allow women to wear pants or cut their hair. So it seems a bit hypocritical to me for western parliaments to point their fingers at Muslims only when religious "oppression" (if that's what you want to call it) exists in many forms. So to me the "human rights" argument feels a bit sanctimonious.

I don't believe a ban is the way to go. I believe it will do more harm than good. If we really wanted to do well for Muslim women, I think there are other things we could be doing, like education and job training. Women will take off their veils when they have adequate social resources to do so. When they can stand on their own feet economically and make their own choices financially and in terms of marriage then they will have a choice on how to clothe themselves, either at home or in public.