34. Something the same is going on here!

Below, looking skyward from National Gallery of Canada. Right (if you are not on a mobile, otherwise, below below), looking skyward from the newly (finally!) renovated National Arts Centre (NAC). They are blocks apart. They seem drawn by the same inspiration.

Through my job I recently had the chance to work in the back offices of the NAC. It was fun. Not as swanky as the public areas. A secret labyrinth of offices and meeting rooms. A staff cafeteria called the Green Room. Low ceilinged corridors lined with endless black with white lettering chalkboard reminiscent upright trunks of the Alberta Ballet.

Also in the back, staff desensitized to the excitement of what goes on on the other side of their walls - for example Christine Girard receiving her Olympic medals, of interest nationally and internationally, but not so much for the folks steps away.

32. Blessed

I have a spot to do Skype video calls. Logically, it is the only spot where the mess of my home is out of sight. I am usually focused on my computer screen.

I just looked up to my left, and check out the view! That is the top of Canada’s parliament buildings. People come from all over the world to see them. Magical.

The main building, the Centre Block, is about to close for 10 years of renovations!

P.S. I still listen to CBC radio but have been ruthless about switching off all gory depressing stories.

Later. Jan 5, 2019. I am compiling a list of the gory CBC stories (while not listening to them). Stay tuned.

It is dark, but yes, that is a flying pig on my windowsill. In my world, pigs can fly.

31. As darkness descends, I bid a sad goodbye to CBC Radio One

I have been listening to CBC Radio One Ottawa since forever. I heard it turns 50 this Friday. Well done.

It has been hard to be loyal.

While I am in love with many of the talented hosts, they are under fire.

CBC made massive cuts many moons ago and now replay the same story over and over. In the same day. And then in the same week. And I suffer.

When CBC management turned a blind eye to Jain Ghomeschi’s reprehensible behaviour, I suffered.

And now the news content is depressing and irrelevant.

As darkness descends during mid-afternoon, and people become surly and depressed, CBC is on rotation 1-2-3. Topic 1: Forced sterilization of First Nations women. Topic 2: Discrimination of black ballet dancers. Topic 3: The fight against female genital mutilation. Really? They have the entire world and universe of news and this is the best they can do?

I ask myself, to what end? This news does not entertain. This may inform, but we, the CBC listeners are not equipped to right any of these wrongs. And consequently, I hate to say this - we don’t care.

I mean we care. Of course we do. But we don’t care for the all day 1-2-3 rotational immersion into the world of discrimination and harm against women.

And what about men? Why don’t we talk about them? Oh right, there was the piece tonight about the male lawyer who brought his ass to court. It was funny. And then they reverted to rotation 1-2-3.

That’s it. I am going to find a radio station that airs more stories about barnyard animals.

With Apps, podcasts, Twitter, Reddit, etc., I will know everything I need to know. And the truth is, everything I really need to know is on Netflix.

I can’t post a picture of the sky right now. I am too mad. Or maybe I am just too old, wanting radio to be my lifeline to the rest of Canada.

On the bright side, I will be able to choose my stories, I will choose interesting and happy stories, and I will be happier.

Maybe even ecstatic.

30. I've looked at clouds from both sides now

I've looked at clouds from both sides now
From up and down and still somehow
It's cloud's illusions I recall
I really don't know clouds at all

Joni Mitchell musing on clouds. It’s cloud’s illusions I recall. I like that.

Joni Mitchell turned 75 on November 7th.

Ms. Mitchell is Canadian! Eh? Yes, you heard that right. Born in Alberta.

In other news, it is Remembrance Day in Canada today. I have mixed feelings. I do remember, and it is painful to think about. But I am becoming increasingly doubtful about the future value of present day remembering. Globally, human beings are demonstrating such an astoundingly shameless self-interest and indifference to lessons of history that remembering might be just pain with no gain.

2 days later: A Canadian woman died during a Remembrance Day event. I might be onto something about the risks of Remembrance Day ceremonies. I heard about the unfortunate death on CBC Radio. Of course I did. Read Blog #31 where I explain CBC Radio One is Canada’s harbinger of doom.

29. Patriotism

I went to the Ottawa Writers (I struggle with apostrophes. Apostrophe’s? Apostorphes’?) Festival two nights ago to hear former Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien speak to a cult-like-glazy-eyed enraptured crowd of fans who gave him the longest standing ovation. Before he even said a word.

He hesitated at the start, and I worried that he would become yet another of my inspirational idols who was losing their mind. He was toying with us. He was sharp, quick witted, and had us laughing and guffawing and snorting non-stop for over an hour.

It was a bittersweet moment as it has been a very long time since Canada has had a charismatic leader. We would benefit from pirouettes, leaders who can speak straight from the heart, and admonishments that make it clear that our Prime Minister is nobody’s baby.

Mr (the Right Honourable?) Chretien spoke of patriotism. And nationalism. And then patriotism.

I agree with him. Whether we are from the Nation’s Capital (YAY OTTAWA), or Quebec, or the Maritimes or a french speaking family in New Brunswick, (I have left out the West Coast on purpose), under this great Canadian sky, we are all Canadians. And that matters.

I keep hearing Trump-governed Americans saying “This is not who we are”. Guess what? It is.

If you haven’t revolted, stormed the White House or found a way to take him down, that’s who you are. The pity party is over and it’s time for them to wear it - the reality of who they are. Many of them are old enough to remember Hitler. Isn’t that enough of a cautionary tale? People are literally dying due to Trumpian-fuelled hate. Including an early blow in Canada with a shooting in one of our mosques, merely two months after Trump’s election.

I hope that means it is not who we are. What would I do if we had a Trump travesty in Canada? I certainly wouldn’t have time to blog. I would be mobilized and mobilizing. That would be a hill to die on.

Or maybe I wouldn’t. I hope I never have to find out. I find the moral high horse very comfortable.

Many skies blew across my window this aft

In this picture, 7 different variants at the same time!