Back on the trail

I had a wonderful sunlit autumn walk on the back 40 with Abby this morning - a nice breather before getting back at it - so to speak.

Not only is the campaign running hot and heavy, but work also seems to be busy all of a sudden. And yes, I know I'm not working "full time" any more - but this week, you'd never know it.

Not that I'm complaining! I feel incredibly blessed to have all I do have - to do work that I enjoy and that I'm good at - to have people want my work. In today's world, these are blessings. As is the sun and the colour of the autumn leaves and the joy I experience walking with my dog.

The toughest part of this whole campaign deal is remembering everything - not just what's on my calendar but also on Jim's - and then reminding him. Whew!

I grilled him today on his position on jobs, the economy, transparency and so on - his answers (you'll have a chance to read them soon) made me so glad and proud that I am supporting him.

Rainy Sunday

A mere half hour ago I was contemplating a rainy, lazy Sunday. I was wondering, what am I going to do this morning?

And let this be a warning to you - don't ask questions like this. The universe has a way of filling up spare time - especially if there is technology in the universe. I have spent 30 minutes trying to log into my blog.

It seems that ever since YouTube, Google and Yahoo got together, an evil beast has been unleashed - the beast of resetting passwords and/or email addresses and not letting you use anything that even vaguely resembles any information you have ever had - EVER - even if you had it in a previous life. It isn't good enough that I spent two hours last week resetting everything and then making notes of what everything was reset to - and of course every time the Google gods rejected my latest attempt and I tried again, they made me copy these squiggly numbers and letters that NO ONE can read anyway - so I had to attempt to copy them another half dozen times.

But I digress.

Last week I finally managed to break into my accounts. As an aside, the CIA may want to take notice - if they have Wikileaks problems, they only have to hire Google/Yahoo/YouTube to set up password/username requirements - problem solved!

Sorry - that was another digression. Back to this morning. Once again, Blogger refused to accept my email address, username or password, even though I had JUST reset them this week - and I have the notes to prove it. When I gave up and asked for help, I simply kept getting mail in my inbox telling me what usernames are associated with my account - usernames I dropped about 20 years ago. And nothing - not even a hint of what my password might be or why I am not allowed access to my account.

Finally after 30 minutes, during which time I barely resisted either breaking down into tears or throttling my computer, I logged back in again with my old email address and password. Viola and presto! Access!

Sigh.

So - here's the moral of this story. If you ever find yourself with a rainy few hours with time on your hands, just turn to your computer and tinker with your password - problem solved.

Almost a Weekend Off

Hiking alone has its own particular joys but hiking with others is an activity I appreciate more and more, especially with really good friends. That was the case today. Five people and three dogs and the Extension Ridges - now that's a recipe for a perfect Saturday morning.

Would is surprise anyone to hear that we talked local politics at least part of the time?

Then, the sweet luxury of coming back, having lunch, napping, eating chocolate - ah yes - glorious.

I almost don't have any work this weekend - except for putting together a video for Bill Robinson who is the most deserving person I know for being a school trustee.

Go Bill!

Change the name of my blog?

It has occurred to me to change the name of my blog. I mean, it's not much of a retirement, is it?

Of course, I do go back to my original definition of re-tirement. Getting a whole new set of all-weather tires so that I can go another 100,000 kilometres or more. That's what it feels like - like I'm brand new all over again. My energy is as high as ever. One difference? Well, those all night parties are never going to happen again.

But what is going to happen is a hike tomorrow morning - rain or shine.

And lots more campaigning including lending a hand in my (spare!) time to my good friend Bill Robinson who is running for School Trustee.

It's Friday - a good day. With any luck, I've got the weekend off!

Still on the Trail

Yes, We're still on the campaign trail - for another few weeks yet. It's not much different from being on the road - not really. It's constant movement - constant surprises and constant unexpected things coming your way.

So far it's been an excellent ride. At Jim Routledge's Open House last night I got a chance to meet some terrific people. I was most impressed with a man named Kevin, who oversees the Balmoral Hotel - a supported housing project in the South End. He's a man who has come up through the ranks himself. He knows addiction and all the issues that go with it first hand. And let me say that he's as fine a human being as I have ever met. He's wise, he's smart and he's got a heart a mile wide. No wonder the Balmoral is doing well.

These success stories abound. They start with a community opening its heart to welcome all its members and to work hard at finding the best solutions for all.

Other terrific people there included Darcy Olsen and Dianne Brennan - both running for City Council.

We have very good people in this community who are putting themselves forward to serve the public. I only hope we give them the respect they deserve by getting out and voting. It's such a simple thing to do and it means more than we can possibly imagine.

The Lull Before the Storm?

Is this the peace before the storm?

I wrote a story this morning and then took Abby for a quick walk in the back 40 - and now I have a whole 30 minutes of quiet before another interview and story to write. It feels like a major vacation. Oh sure, there's another piece of campaign writing to do and there's an open house tonight (Oliver Woods at 7.45 - 9 p.m. - be there or be square) but all in all, this is peaceful compared to the last few days.

I was running on adrenaline. This normal energy thing feels so much more grounded.

Still, I have to say that every day I am prouder to be campaigning for Jim Routledge. His integrity runs very, very deep. He really cares. He really wants a better Nanaimo. He really listens to people - and that last bit may be his biggest strength.

Whew! What a day!

 The fact is that if technology can make things difficult instead of easy, it will opt for difficult every time.

It's a Murphy's Law sort of thing.

The video of Jim Routledge for Mayor is done - you can check it out here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McHcQI_AgoQ

Shooting the video and editing it were really the easy bits.

It started getting tough when I tried to upload it to YouTube and from there share it on FB, Twitter and so on. It seems I had not logged into my YouTube account for some time. And it seems that YouTube is now tied to Google and I needed a new password and so on. I don't want to bore you here with everything I went through for TWO HOURS - but suffice to say that I finally had to end up setting up a new email account on Yahoo (also tied to Google) and then three new accounts on Google and YouTube until one finally worked.

And then, just when I thought that I was done, I logged into my blog only to find that my info here had changed too because, of course, Blogger is tied in to Google and Yahoo and YouTube.

Sigh

And this was after spending the entire morning editing - trying to remember how to use the rusty software (coupled with my rusty brain) and discovering the "help" on my Adobe software no longer works - so figured it all out - made a few mistakes - went back - fixed them - and so on.

End of the day - almost. Whew!

A Bridge to Newcastle Island

I have to admit that when Jim Routledge first presented me with the idea of a bridge to Newcastle Island I was the tiniest bit skeptical. Sure, it would be nice - but how important is it?

I've had some time now to learn more, to think about it and to consider all the angles and, by George - I think he's right! (gad - I hate to admit that!)

First, yes it is an incredible treasure - it really is our "Stanley Park" - and we can't get to it! I mean how crazy is that? Can you imagine if you couldn't get to Stanley Park in Vancouver or High Park in Toronto or Central Park in New York. - What if the only access to Stanley Park was by a small foot passenger ferry that ran six months a year?

Then I thought about the economic impact and this is what won me over completely. In Nanaimo, we have a history of building infrastructure to accommodate people who come here and when we want to attract more people, we build more infrastructure. But isn't that putting the proverbial cart before the horse?

Shouldn't we have a reason for people to come here first? Example: Chemainus. One man (who was called crazy at the time) had this amazing idea of putting murals on all the buildings. Finally people listened and did it - and people came - that was followed B&B's, a theatre and a great new hotel.

Attractions first - then handle the influx of people and business.

Newcastle Island is a huge attraction. A pedestrian bridge makes sense on so many levels.

I'm for it!

Video

It was a perfect day to shoot a video. The light over Long Lake was lambent - in fact the light everywhere was magical.

During the pause between morning and afternoon shooting, I took Abby up into the Lantzville Foothills - the view over the Winchelsea Islands today was extraordinary.

And a word about Kevin White - not only is he a talented videographer - he also happens to be a great guy to work with - nothing is too difficult or too much trouble.

My job now is to put all the footage together. It's been a couple of years. Hope I remember how.

Quiet Saturday

Plan A was to hike the Westwood Ridges this morning. When I woke up to pouring rain at about 6.30 a.m. I decided that maybe a shorter walk was in order. Now, of course, the sun is coming out and I feel guilty for denying Abby (and myself) a vigorous hike.

Deep breath - I deserve a day of sloth - right? Right?

Trying to take my mind off politics for one day. This isn't easy for me because political upheaval seems to be all around me. It isn't "out there" any more - it's here. OWS is active in my community and I continue to support it.

And then there are the municipal elections. I kept up the Concerned Citizens of Nanaimo open house with Tweets last night and read a very good summation on Facebook this morning. Thanks To Don Bonner who noted that if these vocal few in this one neighbourhood were really concerned about Low Barrier Housing they would have protested the other houses in Nanaimo as well - not just the one going up in their neighbourhood. It's just a matter of not wanting it in their back yard. As I said before, a few decades ago it was fear of Blacks moving into the neighbourhood and before that it was Jews and I can recall having rocks thrown at me when I was five years old and newly arrived from Europe. There were some who didn't want me in their neighbourhood.

People fear what they don't know. The solution is to educate themselves - education is the answer. But some people choose to be angry instead.

In fairness, I think this particular mayor and council have done a very poor job of transparency and communication. In Camera meetings - are they ever justified? I doubt it. What is there to hide? Communicate every step of the way. And don't forget that listening is half of communication.

Honest communication engenders trust.

And speaking of honest and open communication - what about the Jerry Berry issue? It's shameful that mayor and council still refuse to talk about what happened.

Enough - I think it's time to go for a short walk - short, in my case, being about 90 minutes.

Friday at last

This is nice.

Work is almost done - almost but not quite. Almost enough that I am taking a break. As I said to my neighbour this afternoon - "What retirement?"

And I think that's the way it should be. Yes, we should "retire" from work that is simply work - even if we like that work. We should, however, never, ever retire from that things that get us excited - from the things we are passionate about.

I've had a strong, deep-seated interest in politics for years. I have just never been involved on a personal level. And I would never have become involved if it wasn't for and with a candidate I totally believe in. Some years ago I was asked to head the communications team for a provincial candidate and I turned him down.

My heart has to be in it. I have to believe passionately. And with Jim I do.

Okay, how much time was that? Ten minutes? I think that's all the break time I get. Shooting a video on Sunday - what fun!

Please vote

I want to give you good reasons for voting in the local elections November 19.

First, the closer to home (the more local) political involvement, the more likely things will get done in your community. At the federal level, politics are painted with broad brush strokes. Here, in you city, you can affect what happens right in your community.

But you can't do it if you don't vote.

It's so sad that only 30 percent of the population voted in the last municipal election.

Let me tell you what happens. Those who are running want to be elected and in large part they concoct a plan that will appeal to those who vote. Who votes? Generally home owners, business people and definitely older people. If you want your voice to be heard, you have to vote. You have to look at candidates who take your needs and wants into consideration and vote.

Sometimes I wish we had election laws like Australia where you *have to* vote. The country enacted that law because when the population was small it would have been too easy for one fringe group to hijack an election. We're in danger of that happening right here. We have one group in particular that is very vocal about supported housing and is asking each candidate where he or she stands.

Don't let them control the vote.

A vote is a very powerful tool. It's yours. It does no good if you leave it on the shelf. Please vote. Inform yourself of where the candidates stand and make an informed choice. Do it no matter who you are - young or old - no matter where you live - north or south - we all have one vote. We all are equally powerful.

I was reminded of that today when I dropped some food off at Occupy Nanaimo - these people are powerful - every one of them. And, by the way, kudos to the city for the porta-potties and for the support. I opened an account today at the Credit Union. One more step in putting my money where my mouth is.

Editorials

I'm going to start by saying I love the editorial in today's Daily News! If you haven't read it, I suggest you do. I don't always agree with it - not every day. Sometimes I find the editorials trivial or too "soft" on issues or just regurgitating what has already been written elsewhere in the paper. But today's was bold, brave and spot on. The subject is Low Barrier Housing and the reasons why the paper is for it are well thought out and intelligently presented. Good for you, Daily News!

I think I'm probably like a lot of people when it comes to reading newspapers: Front page first, then bridge, comics and editorial page - then I get around to the rest of it.

Newspapers have a big role to play in elections. They are, I think, our best source of information about the candidates and they can influence how the vote goes. I've always thought the Daily News did an excellent job on local election coverage. Good start so far!

Busy

Okay - I think I am officially too busy to blog - in fact, I just interrupted myself blogging in order to jot down a few more ideas.

I have two pages full of thoughts and questions to address at our meeting today. And EVERYTHING has to be down AT ONCE!

Yes it does.

And it's okay. I understand this is the way it works.

I can't imagine how easy politics in the United States are (well - um - easy in a way) where they run for office for TWO YEARS!

Here we get five or six weeks. Certainly puts the pressure on. And I certainly like our system better. How can you have a decent government working for you if it's constantly campaigning for re-election?

Ha - just had another thought.....

Another day of politics

The photo is from my afternoon hike yesterday on the Extension Ridges. It was nice to take a break from politics.

More work this morning: signs are being made. Hurrah!

Jim is in Vancouver gathering information. One thing he is good at and that I admire about him so much is his patience and ability to get the information he needs in order to make good choices and his willingness to pass that information on to others.

Jim's Website is now up and running. Please visit it: www.jimroutledge,com.

And now - oh joy - I am actually going to do some work this afternoon that pays the bills. Even thought I would rather work on the campaign straight through. I love this! I love it because I believe in my candidate and what he stands for.

He's a good man.

Political Thoughts

I'm taking a bit of quiet time today before I leap into the fray again tomorrow.

Occupy Nanaimo was good and important. This movement has to succeed. If we continue to let corporations rule the world with their only concern being greed and more greed, this planet will die - or at the very least, the human race will - and sooner rather than later. It swells my heart with joy to see so many people from all walks of life taking part. The time for real democracy is now!

So that was one thought today - along with the thought that I will continue to support this movement any way I can.

My next thought was the current municipal election campaign. I'm incredibly excited and proud to be part of it. We have a democracy to the extent that we are willing to participate in it. I love participating. I love working on Jim Routledge's campaign in particular. I know Jim - I know how well and intelligently he balances and considers issues. I know he's got the business smarts and experience to make this city work - and he has the heart and compassion to make this city a better place to live for everyone.

It's this balanced approach I stand behind - an approach that combines heart with mind - a good heart with an intelligent mind. I've known him well for enough years to know that he is painfully honest - and that is a quality that is a must in anyone I support.

So I'm excited. Jim's website should be up and running later today or tomorrow. I'll let you know when it is

www.jimroutledge.com - I'll link to it from here as soon as it's up.

Exciting times. Did I say I was semi-retired? Ha!

Not so much.

more politics

I am still absorbed by politics and expect I will be until at least Nov. 19.

And I love it!

So much for retirement - or as someone or other said, "you can get plenty of rest when you're dead."

I was interested to see the full slate of those running for City Council in Nanaimo. Thrilled to see Arlene Blundell on the slate -a formidable supporter of the arts. We have long needed a genuine spokesperson for the arts on council, particularly one as intelligent as Arlene. Hurrah!

On a broader note, I am gearing up to head downtown to Occupy Nanaimo. It's time (way past time) to let our voices be heard.

The Politics of Fear

Perhaps I shouldn't be, but still I admit I am surprised that a United States brand of fear politics has entered the local elections.

I'm talking about a group of anonymous people calling themselves "Concerned Citizens of Nanaimo." I'd suggest that what they are concerned about is themselves - not the city or its immensely diverse population.

On the group's page today under the "news" tag the following headline appeared: Jim Routledge - Hypocrite for Mayor and then the following quote from his blog; "It is right next door to a fire station. It is also right next door to a large seniors living facility and backs onto a regional library administration building. There are residential multiunit developments across the street and a high school in the next block. It is not however, right next door to me. I know I would feel different if it was."


I am stunned by the use of the slur "hypocrite" and the quote taken out of context.


His blog goes on to say: I wonder though why I would feel different if it was - is it because I know whats going to happen and its all bad or because I know that there have been many protests about other locations?

I may be different because I have dug into this a bit. This being the whole issue of substance abuse & homelessness. I have learned about what is already going on in our community in the way of group homes, treatment facilities, drug & alcohol counselling, aid and addiction services. I have learned something about the history and the growth of the issue. I have some idea of the future projections based on the experience of similar communities. I am at least a bit prepared for this. I know people that live and work in this "other" world every day. Its part of what Nanaimo is, was and will be. It is natural or as natural as can possibly be. I thank goodness we have a system, many dont.

I actually think that I would feel different because I am indeed very curious. I'd almost rather have it where I can see whats going on. It is drama, neighbour behaviour to judge and criticize - how natural is that? Or maybe even learn more about the process and maybe even participate in some meaningful way. Its hard to say - I am glad to now know, at least where to look.

And at that point Jim went out to educate himself - he made three trips to Victoria to visit these low barrier projects - 12 of them. He talked to many people including neighbours of the projects, before he came to the conclusion that yes, he was in favour.

Back to "American style politics" - these are politics based on fear. We fear what we don't know. I understand that the people in this neighbourhood are afraid and I empathize but there are better ways of dealing with fear than castigating others. Education tends to shed a light in the dark corners. I think it is completely understandable for children to be afraid of the dark (the unknown) but surely as adults we can deal effectively with these fears. The 2009 McIntyre Report is one good place to start. A trip to Low Barrier Housing projects in other cities, such as the ones Jim undertook, would provide first hand information.

This fear-based reaction reminds me of the days of the civil rights movement in the United States where people were terrified that Blacks would move into their neighbourhood. They were simply afraid of the unknown.

I actually find the group's premise in its ads quite amusing. "What's wrong with this picture?" (You know the picture we're talking about.)

Two things are wrong with the picture. First, here's a happy family completely oblivious to the suffering individual inches away from them. Second - here's a person shooting up on the street - probably because he doesn't have a home. Perhaps that scene could be altered if he did have a roof over his head - if he had some support that would eventually lead him to a more productive life.

I believe that we in Nanaimo can be inclusive of everyone who lives here. I believe we can be compassionate - and that we need to care. We also need to care about the people who are afraid of neighbours they don't understand. Let's all work this out together - without the politics of fear.

Jim Routledge for Mayor

I'm really proud and pleased and downright excited to be working on Jim Routledge's mayoral campaign.

I'm ready to tell anyone to vote for Jim. Jim will make a really excellent mayor for Nanaimo.

This is my personal endorsement. Doubtless I'll have a lot more to say over the next few weeks - but today I want to tell you why I am so excited that Jim threw his hat into the ring.

I have known Jim for about a dozen years. We've hiked together, walked our dogs together, eaten countless meals together and debated and argued every issue under the sun. You know that old adage "Never discuss religion or politics?" We've tended to ignore that - arguing about politics has been one of our favourite sports.

I tend to lean to the left. I always thought that Jim leaned too far to the right. It took me some time to realize I was wrong about that. Jim is one of those rare people who analyzes and weighs both sides and takes the merits from both. He is probably the most inclusive person I have ever met. He loves community. Making connections is everything to him.

The North Nanaimo supported housing issue really exemplifies what Jim is all about. He heard the nays and he heard the ayes and then made three trips to Victoria to visit 12 such projects so that he could see for himself how they worked, who lived there and how they impacted their neighbourhoods. He talked to the workers, the residents and the neighbours. What he heard and saw convinced him that that his neighbourhood could and should support such a house. What impressed me was that he didn't let fear get in his way.

Too many people make choices based on fear. In my experience I have seen Jim make his decisions based on solid information - and on compassion. I like that. I think we need more of it.

Jim wants to work with everyone in the community to make Nanaimo great - and that includes business people - (after all, Jim is a successful business person) - families, youth, First Nations, retired people and those in need.

We are all Nanaimo. We become a great city when we work together as a team.

More stuff I know about Jim - he's a fabulous team player and a thoughtful and respectful leader. When he dedicates himself to something, he gives 100 percent. He's smart. He's funny. He's a very good friend, father, family man. I know that I can count on Jim to be there when he says he will. He's loyal.

I think what I like best about him is that he tells the truth. He's kind and he's honest. I can't imagine a lie falling from his lips and that's important to me. That's also a trait that leads him to be utterly transparent in what he does - another trait I think is necessary and admirable in a politician. Lastly, he has some very cool ideas - ideas that will really benefit the city - and I'm not about to give them all away.

Oh yes - I almost forgot - he plays well with others.

In other words - vote for Jim!

Politics

I'll be picking up some poster board tomorrow and making a sign for Occupy Nanaimo (also known as Occupy Everywhere!)

My sign: Separation of Corporation and State!

Imagine it! Imagine what our world would look like if there were no lobbyists - none - zip.

Imagine if not one single corporation was allowed to donate to a candidate.

I think we would have a world where people with high ideals and integrity would actually run for office in the first place. I think we would have a world where things would get done for the good of the people and the good of the environment and even for the good of small businesses and local manufacturers.

Yes - I think it would be a better world - and we have the ability to change that. We are 99 percent. We are too many and too big to fail.

Exciting Times

Yes, these are beyond interesting times - these are exciting times. For a long time now, I have taken a serious interest in politics - that interest is skyrocketing. I sense that I will soon be thoroughly involved on several levels, not least of which is Occupy Everywhere!

This also mean busy times for me and I like that - within reason of course.

I still need time to do nothing.

Rainy Day

So much for today's semi-ambitious plans. I was going to hike Cable Bay. Truth is, with all the rain coming down, I just didn't feel like it. This is going to be an indoor day (except for walking Abby of course - if you own a dog, you never have a completely indoor day).

So what have I done with myself this morning? I've been watching some great TED talks. I adore TED. Watched some talks on revolutionizing  education and I watched Steve Jobs' commencement address at Stanford in 2005 - and cried. Stay Hungry Stay Foolish.

Have I? Have I stayed hungry and foolish? For the most part, I think so.

Have I spent my life doing what I love? For a large part, yes.

I think there is room for improvement - work to be done. And there's nothing quite like having a good project. In this case, the project is me.

I now have layers of wool on topped with a cozy fleecy. I think it's time to curl up on the couch with a good book.

Sunday happy Sunday

Any Sunday in October when the sun is shining is a great day.

Just like every day I wake up in the morning breathing, is a great day.

Thanksgiving: a time to give thanks. But then every day is a day to be grateful.

I give thanks for Abby, for the friends in my life, for the love that surrounds me, for the strength, health and vitality of my body, for every living creature in nature, for sunshine and for rain, for beams of light and for fog, for rainbows, for raindrops, for the ocean, for tall trees and lush ferns, for wind whipping across the prairie and the stillness on an August night - for the beating heart I can feel under my puppy's skin when I run my fingers through her fur.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Return to the Gravel Pit

I am pleased to report that it isn't just me. Today I was accompanied by two friends and another dog - although I'm not altogether sure that having a second canine along was a big help. Nevertheless, there we were - back at the gravel pit and I was convinced that I now knew where I had gone wrong in locating the trailhead for the Trans Canada trail to Haslam Creek and beyond.

Alas - it was a dead end. In no time, we were back in the gravel pit doing a thorough tour. leaving no grain of rock unturned. I'd like to say right here and now that if anyone out there would like a scenic tour of South Nanaimo's gravel pits, I feel eminently qualified to offer up my services.

We finally gave up and headed back to the intersection where the map showed every logging road and major paved road in the area - everything, in fact, other than the TC trail (which it advertised itself as being a map of.) I finally had the bright idea to pop into the office of the Rondalyn Resort and ask.

Somehow, I was not surprised when the guy in the office said, "Yup - that trail's a bit difficult to find." Amazingly, he had an actual map in his office showing the trailhead! He also explained - twice - how to get there. I listened carefully - twice - and admitted that I didn't understand the directions. M, however, nodded confidently and said, "I got it!"

"You sure?"

"Yup."

Excellent. We are back at the gravel pit - and then in the gravel pit - and then at the far end of the gravel pit - and there isn't a trail to be seen. M gets out of the car and crashes into the trees. Eventually we hear a shout: "I see a sign! All we have to do is drive over the other side of this ridge!"

Excellent! We head in "the other side of the ridge" direction. In order to do this, M has to get out of the car to remove a rather large rock from the middle of the road. This makes me a tad suspicious. Wouldn't some other intrepid hiker have done that? Answer: yes they would have but didn't because this is not the road that takes us to the other side of the ridge.

We drive back. We find what we finally determine is the correct road. We find signs leading to the trailhead. We find the trailhead! And all this only one hour after arriving! Excellent!

On a happy note - great hike!

fabulous day!

I loved today - adored it!

The sun came out. I went hiking in the Foothills with my dear friend, J and his wonder dog. We had gorgeous views and good conversation.

I went to Chapters and bought an armload of books.

I watched X Factor on YouTube.

What's not to like about a day like that?

And last but not least, I have a full day of hiking to look forward to tomorrow with good friends and dogs.

Life is awesome!

Very Full Day

I am at my best when I am involved in a cause.

Now that I have two major causes on the go, I am cooking.

First: Occupy Canada. Not sure how I will directly impact this movement yet - but I will.

Second: Nanaimo's Low Barrier Housing. Thanks to my friend, J, I am passionately involved. This supported housing project will not fail. Every member of our society is a *member.* Everyone deserves the basics of food and shelter. When they have that, we can begin addressing other issues such as addiction. A society is judged by how it treats its most vulnerable members - how are we going to treat the most vulnerable among us?

And I'm pleased that I did the right thing today. I was in a store that wanted to sell me "pink ribbon" candies at the cash. I guess I'd seen one too many cases of "pink washing" and went off into a bit of a rant about it. Then, as I left and continued my shopping, I realized I didn't feel good about myself. "What is the right thing to do right now?" I asked myself.

I went back to the store and apologized to the cashier. It wasn't easy but it was the right thing to do and the good thing to do. I felt much better, she felt much better and, as a result, I hope there was a bit more good will in the world.

Occupy Canada

I am officially "in."

Into what?

It started with Occupy Wall Street.

Then it grew.

Occupy Chicago. Occupy San Francisco. Occupy Vancouver.

and now

Occupy Canada.

Tomorrow: Occupy Earth.

And that is the right direction. Yes, it's time for the top one percent to stop dictating how the other 99 percent of us live our lives. It is time for democracy - something we have not enjoyed for a very long time.

I am eagerly awaiting an Occupy Nanaimo chapter of this movement - I suspect it is coming soon.

Trouble

Sometimes I wake up in the morning and wonder, "Is this all there is?"

It's not a depressing thought but it's more along the lines of curiosity. I realize that today is going to be a day very much like every other - and I will go to bed at the end of it content but without having accomplished a great deal or leaving a mark on the world. And then I ask myself if I have ever made a significant difference. I certainly have not won a Nobel Prize or an Academy Award - and it's pretty likely I won't do either in the immediate future.

So what, I wonder, is the point of my existence. Surely I don't want to be one of those sad nonagenarians who sit in nursing homes staring at the wall with nothing but regrets.

I think about these things. And then something exciting pops up that makes it all worthwhile. Today I unearthed my years old Myst Exile game that I only ever played for an hour when I got it and never thought to install again because I didn't think it would work with my current operating system. Today I installed it and it works. I have hours and hours - nay, weeks and months of play time ahead of me!

In other words, I can stop flagellating myself and begin reveling in my purpose - to solve this blinking game!

Long Weekend

I love having a long weekend when it is officially a not-long-weekend. In fact, I think this is a five-day weekend and I adore it.

Yes, I still (like right now) get pangs of "But I should be working! I should be doing something to earn money!"

I think only time will still those thoughts. I will be working tomorrow and possibly the next day as well. I will work as it comes in and as I want to. I have to tell myself this repeatedly because the truth is I can't just go from work to no-work. Not after having worked for 45 years.

But at the heart of it all, I love it. I wrote a bit of my new book this morning and it's nice to see it coming along slowly. I like the new project a lot. Don't want to say too much about it yet. Title is "Wonder Lust."

So it's about being in a state of wonder... at times.

more updates as I get deeper into it.

On Second Thoughts

Here's a daring thought - I am heading back to Timberlands next Saturday and this time I am going to find the darn trail. A quick perusal of a map on the Internet showed me where I went wrong (other than trusting official TCT signage.)

First, I can't tell my left from my right so when the gravel pit appeared I turned right and drove into it, thinking that the actual pit was supposed to be on my left. It was, of course, exactly where it was supposed to be - on my right.

Then I took a road that ran up to a gas storage facility - also not a good plan.

The only road I didn't take was the one that skirted the bottom of the pit - that one just didn't look right to me at all. So of course, it was the right one.

Next week I shall be armed with knowledge.

Just a word to the TCT trail sign manufacturer. I know that when you made the signs really really small and in nice earthy green tones, you were hoping they would blend into the background and not spoil the natural beauty around them. You were successful. And kudos as well to those who put the signs up - consistently in nice, inconspicuous places and very, very widely spaced - why, you can hardly see them at all. Well done!

Hiking Rant

Okay - I've had issues with the Trans Canada Trail before - I and others who have gotten lost because of terrible, terrible signage.

Today I am even more miffed than usual. I decided to drive out to Timberlands and hike the Haslam Creek suspension bridge section and then backtrack and head south on the trail - a good several hours of hiking I figured. I got the directions to the trailhead from the website. Pretty simple: drive down Timberlands Road, turn left at the Rondalyn Resort and park across from the gravel pit and there you are at the trailhead.

What could go wrong?

Well, first I turned left. The road narrowed and a big sign proclaimed: Private Property - no trespassing.

Oops - I must have driven too far. I turned and drove back very slowly. I notice a TCT sign with a big map where I had turned left. Oh good! I got out of the car and studied the map. The map showed the entire region of Nanaimo and points north. At the bottom was a little bit of road that showed a gravel pit and a parking place.

Hmmm - I drove back up, past the no trespassing sign and found myself inside a gravel pit - not near one. Five roads branched off heading in various directions. I notice a TCT sign on a fencepost so this was good. But which road to take?

I took them all and drove around the gravel pit for a good 20 minutes searching in vain for another TCT sign or any kind of directional sign.

Alas - it was not to be.

Grrrrrr.

If anyone can help unravel this mystery, I'd love to hear from you.

Better still, if anyone with some common trail marking sense could fix the TCT signage, that would be truly appreciated.