Jaberwocky

Hopefully I didn't leave the impression that I'm currently in some kind of personal hell. That wasn't my intention at all. I was just pointing out that the darkest moment in my life was the trials and tribulations of a first year teacher, up north, teaching grade 8 of all foolish things. I don't even have nightmares about it 7 years later. I got caught up being dramatic, but I fear I missed the point. There are people who suffer through some terrible things out there - abuse, neglect, addiction. Stuff that makes teaching look like a picnic. I meant to highlight just how good I have it, and how much more society could do to help people in need. Yet, even solving those problems is mind boggling. Oh, and of course you can't really solve other peoples problems - they have to find it in themselves to take up the challange - but you can try to give them the scaffolding they need to at least make it easier and a few vorpal swords wouldn't go amiss to scare off the monsters and predators.

Today's excitement is that after coming into the office early to aviod bad driving conditions with traffic - I appear to be locked out of my office. Sigh. So, I'm huddling in this chilly room trying to work on my stuff, but it isn't really great. Hopefully they'll open the doors soon and I can go up to a nice chilly room with a desk. In the meantime... life continues. The picture is of a lake somewhere between Ottawa and Kingston last October. Saturday, I met with a couple of old friencd at "the Harp" in Port Credit. A bit of a drive for a pub, but the decor was nice and the bathrooms were almost perfectly clean. It was nice to see everyone, although the volume of the coverband "Sonny Boy Mick" precluded much meaningful chat - hopefully next will be easier.

Anywho..

Ta for now

JP

Paddling in Calm Waters - and movie recomendations

After the last few stressful weeks, Gabe and I decided that we needed to go on a date (to celebrate increased sleep rations and all that). We went to Failte - an Irish Pub near Square One with a fairly standardly priced menu including a tempting selection of pub favorites, pizza and then some nicer stuff. The food was good (the fries unusally so) although I would not have called the servings overly generous, there was more than enough to fill us up. I had a stuffed chicken breast and Gabe has Salmon - I got fries, he got salad - which we each ate half of. The only down side is because we went there later in the evening - they had the hockey game up fairly loud. However, it probably would have been cool, if we hadn't been aiming at a romantic dinner. Then we went to see the Pursuit of Happyness [sic]. Will Smith and his son were fantastic. The movie was really well done, and while maybe the take home message equates happiness with money - I think thats an oversimplication. It was weird seeing Will Smith look so old and ungoofy, but I was impressed. I think I might just buy this one when it comes out on DVD (high praise from me). I think among its best points is that it made the concept of poverty for normal, well intentioned people, far more real to me. How it impacts your ability have choices, the stress of fearing bills and no support system to fall back on. An interesting and related Toronto Star article "War on Poverty" compliments this topic well. Actually, the Star has been running a series on Poverty lately, many of which are superb.

Not much other news. Watch for an upcoming series of old photograph taken by my gradparents. My grandfather has offered to work with me to tell the stories behind some of the pictures- like the one above. Sometimes - the sorries may appear as comments and sometimes they may appear as edits to the original post - which I'll put back links to in new posts so you'll know to check them again. This picture - I think will require some explaining, however, you'll have to wait for it later - not the elk?? Caribou?? swimming in the water.

I'll leave you in suspense for now...

Cheers,

Jennith