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| Wheat Kings and pretty things...So now that the dust has somewhat settled on my national travels, it's nice to finally be at home and get back to life. I haven't been home for a weekend in two months, or really even a full week. Ridiculous, right? It sounded like a great idea at first, however I am not as young as a used to be and definitely love being in my own bed. But, after gallivanting all over the country almost every week, I thought I'd reward myself with a vacation. What a great idea. So I picked Saskatchewan. Because lots of travel needs more travel, in my mind. After the wedding of two very dear friends, I got on yet another plane (don't ever ask me about my carbon footprint, I will probably ask you about a punch in the face) and jetted off to Saskatoon to visit some friends and witness a legend. And you know, I think it was one of the best decisions I've made in a long time.
Saskatchewan has never held much excitement for me. I drove through it twice on the way to Winnipeg and back, and was not impressed. All I remembered was a long straight highway that never seemed to end. No mountains, no wildlife, and stuck in a fifteen passenger van with alot of guys who wanted to constantly play the safari game. Being a prairie province and fully in the Canadian Shield, it seemed pretty plain in my mind and in any fantasy cross-Canada trip I had in my head never included Saskatchewan. That could be skipped.
You know what can be skipped? Highway 1. Go north. That's where you'll find the goods.
Did you know Saskatchewan is the only province to remain unaffected by the recession? Or that the premier is embarking on a North American tour to entice potential workers, because the province cannot keep up with its demand for labour? The guy I sat beside on the plane worked for a well-known oil company, and told me a "pond" of oil had recently been found and is being internationally fought over. That puts the former have-not province on the map. Potash has never been higher. And you better believe Saskatchewan has some of the toughest penitentiaries in the country; it makes up a formidable portion of the province's industry.
But enough about that. I flew to Saskatoon, where my dedicated friend drove an hour and a half from Prince Albert to get me at 11 at night, and turn around and drive back again.
You might be wondering why I have friends in Saskatchewan. Or maybe not. Regardless, I was actually supposed to live in Prince Albert not so long ago. I spent alot of time during my training with my future coworkers, whom I later abandoned at the end without ever setting foot on prairie soil. I promised that I would one day come visit. I don't think they believed me. Little did they know.
I didn't take any pictures of Prince Albert, unfortunately, but if you've ever seen Prince George it is pretty much the same but smaller. I was shocked to wake up the next day and go for a run along the North Saskatchewan River, which was identical to running along the Nechako in Fort George Park. PA is bizarro PG. It was almost unnerving. It even had a mill smell at times. So I spent a day touring around my former potential job site, which was absolutely fascinating being one of the oldest institutions in the country. Though I never wanted to work in a place such as that, I think I would have been okay had I ended up there after all. There was something sort of familiar and almost...engaging, I guess would be the word.
We left for Saskatoon the next day. On the way there I got to see my fill of grain elevators and even some silos after some searching. That got old, I will admit. But Saskatoon was a great surprise. Named by Maclean's magazine to be the most dangerous city in Canada 2007, it is a great little community with all the history a story seeker such as myself could imagine. I actually witnessed nor was the victim of any crime while I was there, just to be clear. Saskatoon is called the city of bridges, and even the Paris of Canada. It was shockingly pretty, clearly planned out and felt like an easygoing university town.
The Delta Bessborough, the oldest hotel in town. Stunning, no?
The back. I thought it looked like a jail.
Elevators inside. YES those are red lions engraved on there!
Vimy Memorial Gazebo. I loved this, can't you just see a string quartet in matching red jackets playing in this on Canada Day or something?
One of the many bridges...University Bridge, I think. I've never been to Paris, but I thought this would totally pass for Parisian...maybe aside from all the green grass and trees.
Okay enough sight seeing. The big reason I went to Saskatoon was to see the legend, the man, Leonard Cohen himself. I felt very Canadian, flying two provinces over to see a national treasure. I know approximately no one in BC who listens to Leonard, and Raylene knew no one in Saskatchewan. So we made it happen.
This is a very dark Raylene at the Ivy. I was SO excited to eat here, after learning Neil Young had eaten here a few weeks earlier. I didn't get anymore pictures as we got a little stressed when our server screwed up our order and almost made us late for the show, however all hard feelings dissipated when she told us she had served Mr. Young herself, got backstage passes and tickets from him AND something else she likely would not appreciate having a stranger post all over her blog. Good enough for me, that was about as close to Neil Young as I was going to get.
Ya we weren't super close. But we were on the floor, and I tell you it was one of the best shows I've ever been to. I have never been to a concert where there were people up to my grandparents' age down to people younger than me. It was phenomenal; his music and his poetry is transgenerational. And you know, I think I like his music better with his voice all ripped up and gravelly than I do when he was younger and kinda nasally.
The next day, we did a walk around the University of Saskatchewan before hitting Broadway.
I'm pretty sure I'd be okay going to law school here. I don't know what people are complaining about.
Remember these? I do. I remember Oregon Trail on the arrow keys!
At the Convocation Hall, no longer in use because it is too small. Sad. It is BEAUTIFUL. It is lined throughout the building with names of those lost in WWI, and here is a list of nurses who died in duty who hailed from Saskatchewan.
This is a little bit of a gushy post, but someone needs to. Saskatchewan is completely underrated, and I am guilty of perpetuating that lie. No more.
This past weekend I decided to not go to the Liberal Convention in Vancouver, since I thought three weekends down south could simply not be justified. I was sad to miss out on speeches from Chretien, Louise Arbour, and of course Ignatieff. CLEARLY. And this video is a little bit much but after years of worry and disappointment, it made me feel like someone put their arm around me and told me everything was going to work out alright.
Enjoy.
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| Being Sick with SarahI hate being sick. I hate missing work more. And I hate feeling trapped at home playing survivor with whatever has entered my system. So instead of sitting around thinking about everything I should be doing right now but can't, I am going to sit around and do what I never get to. Journey with me, if you will, on a magical adventure called dealing with boredom.
1. I get to update my blog.
I am not a good blogger. Obviously. I can go for months without even thinking about this. It's not that I don't have anything to say, it just means I have to sit in front of a computer for longer. This can be very one-sided. At least Facebook gives some sense of interaction.
2. I finish books.
Books are fun. Finishing them takes commitment. It is too easy to start one, then get so excited by another one that the first gets dropped so the other one can be read. But then yet another scintillating literary piece comes along, and the latter follows the former. It is a vicious cycle. So, being trapped forces me to confront these half-read works. Today, I finished this one:
 Yes, today I claim accomplishment. This book was extremely insightful along with some strong academia behind his statements. I got lost a few times in his biological descriptions behind addiction, but feel he nailed a number of the myriad of reasons why individuals continue to abuse substances. Just wait til I get back to work! But now, I am onto finishing this book: I am learning alot about the CIA. And about backroom politics. And why it helps to have friends who are world leaders. I didn't see the movie, and am not sure I want to anymore. I really don't believe all of this fit into a feature film, to be quite honest.
I am eager to move on though...I still have these lined up:
  
3. I pretend I'm a doctor.
Google is great. I don't know what people did before it. Seriously. I do not like going to my own doctor, because that somehow makes my illness real. I'd much rather sit here, typing in all my symptoms and finding that I have tuberculosis and HIV.
Okay, but then I do read further, and find I just have a flu. I refuse to get flu shots, so I know everyone who is familiar with my slight opinions on this subject is going to try to use this as evidence for me to partake in this nonsensical ritual from now on. Not so, people. I have now had the flu one (1) time in my conscious life, out of at least 17 years of being flu-free. Pretty good odds, wouldn't you say?
And on that note, since I don't have a cold, I still hold that my regimen works. I usually am the person who contracts every virus that floats around, and will get three or four viruses every winter. The last time I was sick was September, when I started myself on my own little immunity system. It works. Trust me.
You take this:
So once your system is ODed on Vitamin C, you take these every four hours:
I don't know what's in them, but it works. Believe it.
4. I learn what my cat does all day
This is very important. I've strongly believed my cat has somehow been cooking crack while I'm at work, but it turns out no. He's just like that, though I suspect it might have something to do with a lack of oxygen getting to his brain. Let me show you:
He has no face. I ask him all the time where it went, and he just doesn't know. It's really great when you are trying to sleep and he has to sniff your face...which entails putting the whole front of his head on yours because his nose is pushed back so far. But this doesn't faze him at all, and never forgets to remind me it is me who is living in his space. For example, water glasses that have carelessly been left within his reach are clearly vessels for him to wash his paws in. Any cries of protest warrant a glare of disdain while the swishing continues.
I'm getting a dog next time.
5. I can figure out the Nickelback conspiracy
They are the reason for everything wrong with the world. And for giving me the flu. If on the off chance I am ever awarded a Juno for my melodica album, I would probably throw it away JUST BECAUSE Nickelback somehow rigged the whole system to get themselves 4, thereby officially reducing the merit behind the award. 4 Junos. How on God's green earth did THAT happen? Really Canada? Nickelback is who we are proud of? The band who actually opened the show with a song featuring the lyrics "you'd look cuter with something in your mouth" ?
I'm dying.
6. I can finally watch This is Wonderland!
When I first moved to Vancouver, one of my roommates and I devoted every Friday night to CBC. Laugh if you must, but starting at 7 every Friday we would be ready with our Bailey's on the rocks in hand for This Hour Has 22 Minutes back when Rick Mercer was still on it, then The Sean Cullen Show, The Newsroom, and finally, This is Wonderland. What are these shows, you might ask. Well CBC in its infinite brilliance continues to cancel all their good programming to replace it with drivel, to say the least.
Regardless, This is Wonderland was the highlight of the night for me. It was a Canadian Law & Order complete with very Canadian humour, and without all the nonsense of who the main characters are outside of work. It was brilliant.
One Christmas, my mother gave me the first season, and I had yet to watch it. Today is a different day, however.
7. I can clean
But I'm not going to.
8. I can read policy
And I probably will. Just because I'm not AT work doesn't mean I can't work, right?
And with that, I'm off to take a nap. I will not be caught having to take two sick days in a row. Not this one.
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Remember the terrible story of the two young girls who froze to death in a field in Saskatchewan? This is news. The father has requested a sentencing circle, and the judge has granted this opportunity. Already a rare occurrence, the judge has also ensured that the circle will not happen on the reserve and it will be open to the public and media.
I'm urging you to pay attention to this for a number of reasons. For one thing, it is not common for the accused to request a sentencing circle. It is typically sought after by the community. Sentencing circles are not an easy prospect. Imagine yourself in his situation: you can sit in a courtroom, be handed a sentence, go and serve your time and be done with it. Or, you can sit in a room for any given number of days with everyone who is important to you in your life, everyone you have hurt, and have all your dirty laundry aired out for all to see. Now for anyone with a TV to see, apparently. And in consideration of your past, present and future, a unanimous decision is made in terms of your future. It is not determined according to precedent, to case law, to mandatory minimums or to an impartial and objective entity.
For another thing, to my knowledge it is simply not done with serious crimes. Though this death has the accents of an accident, two young children, babies, really, died in a very disturbing manner. So disturbing that news media carried it nationally for weeks. Sentencing circles are typically done with property crimes that received likely no media attention and are typically very limited circles.
As someone who has been completely captivated by the promise of restorative justice, I will be watching closely to the proceedings and results of this. If this is considered to be successful, the implications would, I think, propel justification in funding such initiatives and agencies devoted to restoring justice in Canadian society.
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| I came across this today, which everyone who ever spoke out against Dion's Green Shift should have to read. Oopsie. Turns out the ever-popular cap and trade systems won't do much more than slow down our imminent arrival into a wall of fire. But really, didn't we all kind of suspect this already?
I am still convinced that these environmental initiatives can never come from a top-down approach, and must be initiated and developed at the grassroots level. Because the massive change that is inevitable to take place in any kind of real contribution to improving the future of our environment is going to mean complete lifestyle turn-arounds for the tenants living in this environment. No politician is ever elected on a platform of unfamiliar territory. It's time for Canadians to take ownership of this project because we will never let our leaders do it for us.
On a side note, it is with great interest I read that Mr. Guite will be released on Day Parole on February 15. With somewhat less interest, David Radler, Conrad Black's co-convicted, was released last month.
Oh to be a fly on the wall during those supervision meetings...
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| As 2009 is barely beginning, it seems so much of the world is in a state of unrest. While these past two months have yo-yoed around with political junkies nationally, globally attentions have abruptly turned eastward.
Demonstrations made headlines today in Canada's cities (though I would like to note, Prince George had no demonstration. I can't remember the last time a cause outside of Prince George was protested) in response to Israel's military response to Hamas. Governments have officially placed support behind the Israeli campaign, while the people behind these governments cry for peace and denounce Israel's action.
I am a far cry from being any sort of expert on the situation and do not want to come across as such. Furthermore, I am not pro- or anti-anyone at present time. However, based on the little I do know, I have some problems.
Violent and aggressive behaviour must be responded to in a decisive manner. I think we can all agree that peace in the Middle East is ideal, but not necessarily a goal within reach right now. After conducting a fairly brutal coup taking power from the President of the Palestine, Hamas took Gaza by force. This is not, in my mind, legitimate power. Some may argue, I allow.
Hamas has launched several attacks on Israel via Gaza. It is clear, then, that Hamas is not interested in peacemaking. They have rejected attempts at "truce" from Egypt. At this point, meeting in a roundtable discussion was an option left behind at the first rocket launch, in my opinion.
The people of Gaza, then, have been left caught in the middle of this. They suffer from rockets flying over their heads, and are dealing with diminished lines to accessing humanitarian aid. As Israel is responding to Hamas' attacks, it is my understanding that trucks with supplies were allowed into Gaza for these people. However, I have heard that it is Egypt who is keeping much of the crossings into Gaza closed; not Israel. This is not to excuse what is happening here. It is a terrible situation not bereft of difficult questions of ethics and utilitarianist philosophy.
My point is, we don't know what is going on over there. For demonstrations to occur everywhere in our safe and stable countries demanding the violence to stop in a country that is not...well...is somewhat presumptious.
From what I can tell, again from my limited knowledge, they are trying to stop the violence. As nonsensical as it sounds, it is an attempt by Israel to stop the violence with violence.
Arguments can be made easily on the logistics of this, I am well aware. And no one can ever justify the deaths of civilians in the advent of such events.
Injustice should well be battled; however doing so from a place of arrogance will only and can only perpetuate it.
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