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the last of us – a feminist perspective

The Last of Us– a highly anticipated and positively reviewed (unanimous 10s?) game– came out on Tuesday and has been in the PS3 since then. Some of you out there have probably already beaten the game or at least progressed way beyond where full time job and two kids allows you to progress to but that’s okay– not gonna stop me from passing judgment on the stuff that I’ve seen just yet.

Now just in case you haven’t heard about The Last of Us because you don’t typically care about these things or you’re out of the loop somehow, it’s about the post cordyceps-cum-human-fungi-strain apocalypse (zombies, basically) that runs over the earth and makes everything complicated, sad, and stressful. Not to mention, of course, zombie apocalyptic.

So about that game…

It’s interesting the game chooses a single father relationship to demonstrate the pain of becoming a survivor. The daughter is such a small part of the game play (though big part of the story) that including a wife would have been an irrelevant freebie for the ladies that really makes no long-term difference to the storyline. Especially since the game writers did include an uncle (though he does return later in the game).  But the game could have included a wife or that uncle could have just as easily been an aunt (Lara Croft anyone?) or even a best friend (boy or girl) who is a person of color (if the interracial family doesn’t fly with your writers). The daughter could have been half white, half something else or adopted PoC.  I would say the lead could be a PoC or even a woman but I think that’s rather ambitious of me (as if everything previous to this statement wasn’t).

(My ambitious wink.)

Regardless, there is a single father relationship and of course the absolute worst thing you can imagine– okay, second to worst thing you can imagine– happens to this little girl (who possibly inconsequentially looks boyish). So back to the practical aspects of the game without going into all the speculations on what could have been, the first female character to appear in the game is freezer-boxed within like 10 minutes of gameplay. But at least there was a feminine-esque character included at all despite the fact they were a tom-boyish little girl.

SarahBut here’s the funny thing about a daughter, why is a daughter considered frail? Why is it that in all the games whether the girl is a tomboy or a girly girl (whatever those terms mean anyway) women and daughters are always portrayed as frail?  Obviously she’s a “tough” little girl and as if to demonstrate the horrors, she’s killed off.  Sons just aren’t afforded this same weak status though they’re arguably just as vulnerable– it just never comes up.  But killing off your daughter is definitely a quick and effective way to rope you deep into the story almost immediately in the most brutal way imaginable (as a parent writing this). Even so, the idea that the girl is supposed to be more progressively strong and “masculine” (for lack of a more appropriate term coming to mind) yet still manages to get hurt in some way or relies on the male lead for protection is unsurprising.  It smacks of sexism– men are stronger than women– and ageism– the young are weak and vulnerable and the same old stereotypes recycled as compelling story a million times.

Even deeper than the frailty of a child, we have a pasty blonde girl as the daughter.  The father has dark hair so the daughter having light hair is, for all intents and purposes, not biologically likely (though still probable). The reason why it matters is because white is often held as a symbol of purity so what’s weird is the fact that she is killed when things go bad like a great symbolic death of purity on the macro and micro levels.  It’s not surprising to imagine that an otherwise capable little girl wouldn’t make it through the beginning stages of the apocalypse (parents try not to think too hard about why) but it does smack of cheap parlor tricks story-wise.

So the call to adventure is loud and clear– kill or be fungied– and 20 years in the future the father has gotten himself into some sort of illicit trading scheme to make questionable living circumstances marginally better with a woman who turns out to be a love interest of sorts. Like a sort of fallen hero, he has no children (can you really blame a person?) and so we’re kind of watching this game unfold like “where is this going”? Where is Joel (the main character) going after 20 years in this zombie hell?  And if it’s 20 years in the future how come there are still “infected” roaming about?

Anyway, when you watch the trailers, there is a little girl and the man and it seems like he’s her father and she’s his daughter. However, you know that the daughter of the man you see from the trailers (Joel, the lead) has already died. So at this point I was wondering where the little girl was going to come into play.  Also, I was hoping the little girl was going to come into play because the “strong male lead with a witty and driven female accomplice” game is so played out in my opinion. Looking at the gaming company, Naughty Dog, it doesn’t seem that out of sorts (x) but still.

On the way to reconciling the daughter-figure question, you wind up crossing paths with the first POC that isn’t inconsequential (more or less) and she’s wounded and only serves to propel story forward (but she’s a woman and she’s black). Seriously though, I know in a zombie apocalypse everyone is dying and it’s crazy, but what’s up with the females being shot, weak, and irrelevant? And has there ever been a PoC character that’s made it to the end of the movie or show without being killed off (though they stress multiple times that she will be fine, she’s essentially dead to the storyline so…)?

So it is through the wounded POC, Marlene*, that you meet the little girl you’re supposed to deal with.  This girl is a quick-wit, strong willed and tough little warrior.  She is also the same age as the lead’s daughter when she died– and she has dark hair. While this girl is still innocent and of course lighter skinned (pure), her hair is not blonde (still soiled by hell) and there are not even any blonde characters on screen (’cause no one can be pure in hell) as though even the innocent can’t be completely innocent in an apocalyptic world like theirs (no matter how true that is). She also happens to be filling a bit of a savior role as they think she can be useful in contributing to great immunization work.

So the plot– kind of– thickens. The female partner of Joel is bitten and succumbs to the fungus (another fridge, eh?). Joel, of course, has a difficult time dealing with her death and institutes a ban on discussing her (the stern but caring man trying to fulfill the dying wishes of his lover-friend– humble, aloof, loyal…) and they continue on their tortured way.

A few times the girl insists that she is capable of defending herself and Joel insists she quiet herself and let him take care of everything. While it makes sense from the perspective of a parent-child relationship (stereotyped relationship, anyway) but it’s disappointing. Why not be a bigger dad type and let her try? Why not break the boring cliche parent trope that says adults must always take care of children because children aren’t capable of responding and behaving properly? That could have been an incredible moment where parents go, “YEAH! THIS IS HOW I WOULD FIGHT WITH MY KID IN THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE!” but no. Instead these moments are filled with awkward projection and overbearing stereotypical parental crap that should have stayed in the 50’s when they didn’t understand much about life.

Which is all to say, this could have definitely been interesting to break through boundaries on many levels. There’s still, of course, plenty of game to get through, but that doesn’t mean that if and when the girl is allowed to fight (after inevitably proving herself capable somehow) that it’s empowering. Instead, females proving their worth to battle is always the way females are allowed to fight. That’s asinine and at some point (thought maybe when the world as we knew it ended) you have to say to yourself– gender norms are a thing of the past, grab that bow and shoot the heads off some infected, girl.

On a side note, I’m not sure what’s going to happen to the girl, but I do find it interesting that she’s essentially going to die so from the perspective of positive female representation, does she count? If we’re able to relate to a character that from the start is going to die, then how positive is her inclusion in the game?  Even if she lives, does that make a difference in the way that they were able to integrate her into the game? I know it’s all part of relevant story and the story line, while problematic for the aforementioned reasons, is great. The question is just why must it be part of such a rigid gender based paradigm that is completely played out?

So the now-duo’s ultimate goal is to get the girl to the anti-government group, The Fireflies, but first they must bring her to Joel’s brother* (the uncle from before) who can be reached via a car. Getting a car means they have to talk to some other guy who is strange and reclusive– and totally could have been a woman (talk about breaking gender barriers with a woman living on her own in the midst of a zombie apocalypse!) or a PoC. This guy is neither and while the mentally unstable white guy is a more believable representation of a… well… mentally unstable loner, variation and twists on the status quo are always welcomed. Twists, of which, there are none so far.

As far as game play and visuals go, this game is amazing. The detail is absurd! It blows my mind that video games can be what they are today and I am blown away by this game. Naughty Dog is top notch gaming and I would still recommend The Last of Us for many other reasons outside of the problematic story elements.Gaming is always going to be fun and rewarding, it’s just that sometimes it would be nice to have gaming culture or games reflect important social movements in relevant ways.

Gamer culture is so overtly hostile toward women. While there are women in games, the representation of them has almost always been in some way sexist or misogynistic. Even The Last of Us has elements of that misogyny (think loner white dude) in its game. But instead of catering to the same old tropes and easy stories, make something that blows the tropes out of the water by challenging gender stereotypes, norms, and oppressive perspectives. Make a game that, like The Last of Us, wows people so much with its attention to detail and gameplay (amongst other things), that it’s groundbreaking socially as much as any other category by which we judge an amazing game.

*Has been edited to reflect oversights in the original post.

  1. admin says:

    Just saw your comment. At the time I had posted this, I hadn’t found out that Bill was gay or at least greatly implied that he had a relationship with his “partner” Frank (I think we can safely assume that is the lover-partnership and not just an all business partnership). That is where I was when I wrote this piece. I can greatly appreciate that detail and I welcome it!

    With that said, IRL just because two men are gay (especially gay white men) does not mean that they aren’t misogynistic or racist. For the sake of the game, it doesn’t matter. I did see that while Bill was reluctant to help I think it was coming more from a place of survival than total assholery and he did wind up giving kudos to Ellie when she handled herself well. And I agree with his inclusion being awesome. 🙂 Thanks for your comment!

    • Andre says:

      “especially gay white men”
      What about gay white men makes them “especially” likely to be misogynistic or racist?

  2. admin says:

    What is wrong with you aside from a complete lack of reading comprehension skills and hatred of women? I was going to go through and point out all the things wrong with your comment but frankly, I’ve already addressed them and if you had half a mind to actually learn something, my response would be unnecessary. I stand by my words and choice of words. when I finish the game I will write a part 2 of my thoughts and feel free to keep trolling my blog until then or forever. I don’t care.

    • Ogre says:

      I try to be civil, I really do. You push the boundaries of civility, and for the life of me, I can’t understand why. I will attempt, however, to give you measured, even-tempered responses.

      If you know the names of the female characters, why did you not mention them? You obviously know Joel’s name, but that seemed to be about it. You didn’t even mention Bill or Tommy’s name you just gave one a very prejudiced description. The one character aside from the main character that you did name you got incorrect. That doesn’t make your brain a “scumbag racist” (which, by the way, is a weird thing to say, because you wouldn’t say your mouth is a scumbag racist if you called someone a nigger, would you?) what it does, however, is indicate you that you could not be bothered to look it up, which makes you a lazy writer. If you are going to talk about a subject and you aren’t familiar enough with it to remember information to look informed, it usually doesn’t take long to find references. That’s middle school essay writing level stuff, and considering you are one Google search away from the info, there’s no excuse for that except either laziness or the writer, you, simply not caring.

      Maybe this says something about the way you and I view things; I never considered Sarah’s death “irrelevant.” It was emotional to me. It could be that, as a father, I can empathize with that situation. It would be horrific for me to lose one of my girls.

      Point of fact, you did contradict yourself. Allow me, if you would: You talked about how Joel has dark hair and his daughter is blonde, and you even provided a link about things that genes influence, including hair color, which agreed with your statement that it is biologically unlikely for that to happen, and then in parentheses you said that it was “still probable” which means that it is likely to occur. So, in six words you say something isn’t likely to happen followed immediately by a statement that says that it is. That is, in a nutshell, a contradiction.

      Calling you illogical is not gendered, as it simply means you are not following logic. As the above paragraph pointed out, that is a factual statement based on words you wrote. If you are taking a gendered connotation from it, I can’t help that. You are projecting that. I call you illogical because you repeatedly say people are using gendered slurs against you, and they are not.

      Also, at no point did I tell you that you are ignorant. Go back and read my comments. Alt + F on this page with a search for ignorant will show that you are the only one to use that word. I also did not “mansplain” your movement to you. At no point did I ever even imply that. I did make comments how I find that there is a strong correlation between a woman dying and it being automatically classed as “friding” even when that term doesn’t really apply. I also thought it odd that, as a feminist, you didn’t seem to name any of the female characters, but we discussed that above as not necessarily you being a poor feminist, but instead just being lazy in your writing. The reason it seemed so me is that the female characters are very important to the story, more so really, than Joel at this point.

      Anyway, if there are any facts I got incorrect as you said, please point them out to me, as I like to be as factually accurate as possible. Now, if it is an opinion I am wrong about, that is something else entirely, but perhaps we can actually discuss that.

      Last thing: You are the one who is rude. You are the one who has been directing profanity and calling me and the rest of the commentors names. That certainly isn’t polite.

      This reply has been unfailingly polite. I’ve not called you any names, I’ve not directed any profanity at you. Instead, I’ve asked questions and clarified things I would like to know.

  3. Andre says:

    I do very much understand the tropes and I still have to disagree with your take on the game. As a feminist I love this game AS a feminist game.

    The interesting take on the power dynamics of men and women in this game is thought provoking and powerful.

    Just one line at the end of the game made me rethink the whole game and it’s power dynamic.

    I find your take on it kinda shallow when there is so much to enjoy and think about this game as a feminist.

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Sunday, 29 March 2015

Beyond the band #3: Pete Williams

Nicely connected after a lifetime of rock and roll ups, downs and setbacks, Pete Williams is punching out fabulous songs.

It didn't start with his bass work with Dexy's Midnight Runners in the 80s, or even through the revived Dexy's in the Noughties and again in 2012. But often that's all that you read about him. Pete played in both bands, and people always want to talk about the juicy stuff.

There's a lot more. Williams has just come out with his second, very successfully crowd-funded, album, Roughnecks and Roustabouts, and he's doing shows, on the road in his own name. The past may be lurid and colourful, although much of it is not of his own making. But it's what's come out of that past now that matters.

Sunday, 22 March 2015

Catching the buzz: Rhino and The Ranters

That critical moment when it all starts to work...

Assuming there's merit and talent in a band, and that the band then backs it up with graft and a bit of a marketing push, there's usually a point when word gets out. Suddenly, big numbers show up for gigs. Suddenly, the name gets bandied around. Suddenly, there are faces turning up to check out the new boys on the block. Suddenly, people you tend to listen to are mentioning them.

Last week, at Dylan Gibbons' Blues Night at the Spotted Dog, you could see the signs. There were faces aplenty, come to take a look at Rhino and The Ranters. And it was a cracking gig.

Sunday, 15 March 2015

Curtis Little: goodbye to one of the greats

On Friday, I went to another funeral.

It was to send the great Curtis Little on his way, and to celebrate his life.

When I landed in Birmingham, two generations ago, I was taken, very early, by Slender Loris, a band that mixed complex intelligent songs with delivery, from Curtis, that was punchy as hell.

As a DJ, I couldn't believe my luck: a voice like that? On my patch?

Whip-thin, all sinew and muscle, not a spare ounce on his frame, Curtis was the epitome of a front man. He had a voice to die for, rich, soulful, deep, and he really knew how to use it. Where it came from, God only knows. But he was a joy to watch.

Sunday, 8 March 2015

Old folks boogie: astute business by Ricky Cool

Wander into Broad Street's Brasshouse at the right time, and you're in for a treat. A free treat.

    Photo: Birmingham Post
It's weird. Broad Street Birmingham is the last place I'd expect to see decent live music. The place swapped Ronnie Scott's jazz venue for a lap-dancing club, just when Birmingham was trying to get City Of Culture. The place is full of loud chain pubs, industrial dance joints, karaoke bars and some very iffy catering. You go there to drink, lots.

As the night wears on, Broad Street becomes Purgatory Street: shrieking hen parties, testosterone morons in sports cars and quad bikes, pissed-up conventioneers and lads on the pull. Buses don't stop there now on Friday and Saturday nights. And just watch where you put your feet.

But on a Sunday lunchtime, once they've hosed it down and swept it up, it's a whole different place. In the Brasshouse, you can now catch, free, some of this city's most experienced bands, playing to an up for it, older, crowd. These aren't lame covers outfits who don't 'get' the music they serve up. These are players.

It's all good. And it's all been set up by local muso veteran, Ricky Cool.

Sunday, 1 March 2015

The great BBC Midlands underspend: the Birmingham Post and Mail wade in

On Birmingham streets this week
I've written about this before. You may have already seen the posts; if so, I thank you. There are links to my main blog outpourings on this at the bottom of this post.

Some background: the Campaign for Regional Broadcasting Midlands have been lobbying hard about this for some time now; they are absolutely right. But there has been little or no serious response, let alone attempts to address the issues raised.

I'll sum it up: The BBC Midlands region sends more money down to headquarters in London that any other region, and gets an insultingly small amount spent back locally, way less than any other region.

This has led to a collapse in the regional broadcast sector. It has done damage. It has stunted careers and jobs growth.

Frustrating. How do you reverse arrogant and remote corporate mindsets and actions which have, very deliberately, crippled job prospects and hobbled creativity in the region?

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Overcoming Dyslexia

Aug 12, 2011

What do financier Charles Schwab, writer John Irving and actor Orlando Bloom have in common? They all have dyslexia, an oft-misunderstood and chronic condition. Now research into how the brain works is revealing the root causes of reading problems and offering strategies for overcoming them. On Friday, dyslexia expert Dr. Sally Shaywitz joins Jennifer Napier-Pearce for a look into the dyslexic mind.


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Sunday, March 20, 2011

I saw this quilt at the Dallas Quilt Celebration...of course, I don't know who did it...come on, you know me by now. In fact, I'd like to use this quilt as an analogy and not having a clue as to who made it plays into to that analogy perfectly.

So, the hodge-podge of my life quilt analogy.

I can't seem to decide on anything so there's a little of this and a little of
that. Big things and small things get equal value...ie. I sweat the small stuff as the saying goes. Some of the pieces are JUST.NOT.RIGHT, yet they are right in the middle of it all. It is discordant, and distracting, but somehow it works and that is just how things are feeling right now. If I could extract the red bits, particularly that little rectangle of random flying geese it would be much better....but then again, if you remove the icky bits then there are gaping holes....which is worse? icky bits or holes?

But I would really like my life to be like this: a BALANCE of order and chaos....BALANCE....

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2016 Ford Expedition Release - Ford Cars Review

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Welcome to Raiacars.com, The next review about 2016 Ford Expedition Release from Ford cars. Let's see more specification, concept and review details for this cars below.

Categories : Ford

2016 Ford Expedition Release, No doubt, each of the eight accessible trim levels will likewise be extended and Expedition will be accessible as: XLT, XLT EL, Limited, Limited EL, King Ranch, King Ranch EL, Platinum and Platinum EL. Such a variety of accessible models but then stand out powertrain. However accessible 3.5L ecoboost V6 motor fits well in Expedition’s story and 365 hp and 420 lb-ft of torque don’t require an option. All models have standard back wheel drive and 6-rate programmed transmission, while all-wheel drive is discretionary.2016 Ford Expedition Release DateUndertaking is square shaped, additionally intense but tasteful in its own specific manner. Front end has three-stripe chrome grille and rakish headlights with substantial guard and huge bumpers as an afterthought. Out back, full-estimate pickup-based SUV has long clear three-side window as back columns are simply behind the back entryways. Liftgate leaves a lot of space for stacking as plate stands out by a couple inches.The up and coming era of the 2016 Ford Expedition will unquestionably be bounty redone and modern. Expected real adjustments, vastly improved materials, better flight science and normally the gear that is every time at a more noteworthy level. As beforehand, the faceplate should be greater in size and produced using chrome covered material. We must envision a colossal front guard that will positively be genuinely lively with charming outline. On these autos headlights are most square, enormous, and this time ought to be outfitted with LED lights. This lights supply great perceivability with low power utilization. Body will absolutely have three lines of windows and 5 entryways. Windows can alternatively be tinted. On the rooftop will be chrome material rails. On the posterior for phenomenal flagging will surely watch over LED lights. Back entryway are enormous and open electronically. However, the back window can be opened particularly and independently of the door. Wheels will unquestionably yet again be aluminum however undoubtedly will experience upgrade and beautification. Will stay in size from 18 inches stays to be seen.2016 Ford Expedition Release DateMileage evaluations have been redesigned in 2015 year show and will be replicated in 2016. With base RWD, Expedition will be appraised at 16/22 mpg, while 4WD ought to bring down the numbers to 15/20 mpg. Costs will again begin from $43,500 and ought to achieve the $61,000 which is the expense of top Platinum EL model.2016 Ford Expedition will stamp the end of a period for blue oval’s square shaped full-measure SUV. Insights of cutting edge models have as of now been seen as new scaled back powertrain returns somewhat better mileage appraisals, yet what will be the story in outline division stays to be seen. For the present, 2016 year model will keep its square shaped look, yet these sorts of vehicles are turning into a diminishing breed.

via : autopricesreviews.com

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Wednesday, June 16, 2010

day 163: summertime—beginning reading help—tutoring your child yourself without a program part ii of ii

Tips for tutoring your child yourself without a program…continued from yesterday:

4. Work every week day (and sometimes even weekends)—or even twice a day, if possible. Work in short snatches of ten to fifteen minutes. Work on reviewing previous day’s sounds, reading yesterday’s “reader,” learning a new sound, then reading something containing today’s sounds. Short snatches. No bells and whistles—just keep plugging away on learning sounds, learning words, and reading, reading, reading.**

5. Use sight words as needed—but do not make sight words out of words that have phonetic components. I had one entire graduate class that did nothing but teach us that phonics is unnecessary and even harmful. The professor gathered literally dozens of articles about the breakdown of phonics, how there are too many exceptions in phonics for it to be useful, etc., into one huge “book” that was our textbook. He advocated a sight word approach to teaching a child to read—like treating each word as a sight word and giving children word lists of twenty unrelated (phonetically-speaking) words is superior to some exceptions! Are there exceptions to phonics rules? You bet! But there are also exceptions to grammar rules (galore), but we do not skip grammar because of it. (“There are so many exceptions to verb conjugations that we are just going to hope for the best when our kids write”—and not teach them the conjugations that are similar, consistent, and alike? We wouldn’t consider that.) Thus, my take on sight words is that if a word has a phonetic component to it, teach that component whenever possible. For example, the word “you” is a common sight word—and rightly so. However, we would be amiss if we didn’t at least point out to our student that he knows what “y” usually says at the beginning of a word, like in “yes,” “yak,” and “yellow.” And that “you” is at least consistent with the consonant “y” sound in its beginning sound. It is unfair to our kids to not give them every tool we can think of to unlock learning for them.

6. Use readers liberally. Teaching reading without readers is like teaching a child to play the piano with theory worksheets and musical note flash cards only. A pianist must play a piano in order to learn to play piano—and a reader must read “books” in order to learn to read. I will delve into readers tomorrow.

**Read, read, read: Be sure you do not practice skills but not apply them to reading! Phonics is for reading; grammar is for writing and speaking. Learning skills without applying them often feels useless to students (and rightly so).

Happy reading lessons from Ray and Donna Reish at Positive Parenting 3*6*5!

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Friday, June 19, 2009

A Very Special Adventure

This past week we went on a special adventure with Z's best mates N and C (and my BF L). As always, Z had no idea where we were going or who was coming. He was so excited to see Auntie L pull up with N and C and was psyched to be back at the fish ladder. When we had gone weeks earlier, it had been too early to see fish in the ladder. Unfortunately we waited a week too long and didn't see any again this time but we still had so much fun sharing this special place with our good friends.

Here are some pictures of all of the fun we had. Next year we hope to time it just right :)

No Fish :(

Connie Weiss said...

How fun!

Thanks for your sweet comment yesterday. :)

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1/43 Trofeu Ford Sierra RS Cosworth “Andrews” Brookes RAC 89

Latest release from Trofeu, in 1/43 diecast, the long awaited (!) Ford Sierra RS Cosworth, Russell Brookes / Neil Wilson from the 1989 Lombard RAC Rally. Model Number TR119 will be available at the end of May, priced at £42.99 inc free UK shipping, please e-mail us to reserve one  andy@rallymodels.co.uk

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Chapter 37 – Grandpa

Tao never does anything
but nothing is left undone.

If our leaders
could get in touch with Tao,
the world would take care of itself.
Even if they wanted
to impose their own ideas,
they’d be drawn back to Tao’s
nameless simplicity.

When our lives are that simple,
we want for nothing.
We can relax,
and the world becomes a better place.

Translation by Ron Hogan (2004)

One day I’ll be old gray grandpa
All the pretty girls will call me sir,”
Now, where they’re asking me how things are
Soon they’ll ask me how things were.
Well, I don’t mind being an old gray grandpa
If you’ll be my gray grandma,
But I suggest we move with our milk and cookies
To the shade of the old pawpaw

Jesse Winchester, “Nothing But a Breeze” (1977)

If I could have your attention.  We will begin this Tao Te Ching Tuesday with an announcement.

Yes, sir. Yes, ma’am. It has happened. Our daughter Suzanne became a mother a couple of weeks ago. That makes Cathy and me grandparents. How did that happen? As soon as it warms up and we can find a pawpaw tree (it may be on our next vacation since I have never seen one in Colorado), we will have to think about that.

Let us turn to the child who actually brought about the change in status: Ryder James Koskimaki, born January 12, 2014. When I ask Suzanne and her husband Jeff how they were able to get Ryder’s eyes on either side of his nose, right where they are supposed to be, they look at me strangely and say, “I don’t know; maybe pre-natal vitamins.” And when I ask Ryder how he managed to get exactly 10 fingers and exactly 10 toes, he looks at me less strangely and sort of half smiles the way a baby can if you move your finger along the edge of his mouth. He doesn’t answer, though.

Even from my position as a wise grandfather with a couple of college degrees, I don’t really know how he is going to develop language skills, learn to walk and run or any of the other things that humans usually end up doing. For that matter, I can’t tell you exactly how puppies and kittens or any other young creature comes into this world in a state of more or less perfection.

I don’t know why the pawpaw or any other tree can transform from a tiny seed under the ground to a large living organism that provides shade and recycles the world’s oxygen. I mean, getting down to the very basics, I can’t say for sure why the earth rotates, creating night and day and making possible the life we have come to expect.

Sure, there is the initial state of angular momentum and no friction to speak of; but what caused that? I believe we are going to have to give credit to the infinite Tao.

Although it did not take any particular action to bring about any of the results I have mentioned, all of those and many, many more occur without effort. I am able to write these words and you are able to read them because at this second there are perhaps 6 trillion different reactions occurring within each of our bodies.

If those reactions should suddenly cease in my cells – as someday they will – I will no longer exist in my present persona, though the trees and birds and bacteria and fungi will continue without my participation.  And, without any effort on my part, as the poet Rumi has written:

When I die I will soar with angels,
and when I die to the angels
what I shall become
you cannot imagine.

All of this is because the Tao is, God is, the Universe is; and nothing is left undone. I think Ryder is going to like it here – and there – and everywhere beyond. I am going to enjoy being his grandfather.

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text:
Chapter 39 – One Body

 Of old those that obtained the One:
Heaven obtained the One and became clear.
Earth obtained the One and became tranquil.
The spiritual beings obtained the One and became divine.
The valley obtained the One and became full.
The myriad things obtained the One and lived and grew.
Kings and barons obtained the One and became rulers of the empire.
What made them so is the One.
If heaven had not thus become clear,
It would soon crack.
If the earth had not thus become tranquil,
It would soon be shaken.
If the spiritual beings had not thus become divine,
They would soon wither away.
If the valley had not thus become full,
It would soon become exhausted.
If the myriad things had not thus lived and grown,
They would soon become extinct.
If kings and barons had not thus become honorable and high in position,
They would soon fall.
Therefore humble station is the basis of honor.
The low is the foundation of the high.
For this reason kings and barons call themselves the orphaned, the lonely ones, the unworthy.
Is this not regarding humble station as the basis of honor?
Is it not?
Therefore enumerate all the parts of a chariot as you may, and you still have no chariot.
Rather than jingle like the jade,
Rumble like the rocks.

Translation by Wing-Tsit Chan (1963)

This is a long chapter.  What is said here is important, but it is not terribly difficult to

St. Paul - Public Domain

St. Paul – Public Domain

understand.  Therefore, I will try to be as succinct as possible in this commentary – which is not like me at all.

 If one were to study Chinese medicine or various forms of Qi Gong (Chi Kung), he would learn about what have been called the “three treasures of life” – Jing (essence), Qi (or Chi) (energy) and Shen (spirit).

Jing is seen as the genetic potential of the body, so to a large extent it is inherited from one’s parents.  However, it is also the essential building block of physicality, so it must be nurtured through eating wholesome food, drinking pure water and breathing clean air.

Qi is the life force energy.  When it flows freely – through meridians in the human body – the body is healthy.  When Qi is weak or blocked or out of balance, illness is experienced.  When Qi is finally dispersed, death results.  Our initial Qi is also something that is inherited; but, as in the case of Jing, its continued healthy flow depends on the nutrients and air that are provided throughout life.

Shen is the spiritual power that guides us, and which keeps our energy vibrating and directs or permits the cellular and organic activities necessary for life to function.  Again, the initial allocation of Shen comes to us at birth.  Thereafter, the Shen is affected by our interaction with the world around us in the form of our mental activity.

All three of these “treasures” are necessary for life, and none is more important than either of the others.  Nevertheless, in order to make an analogy, I would like to emphasize the importance of spirit.  Jing would represent the purely physical, in that it is matter that exists like a rock or a piece of dead wood.  For Jing to be the essence of a living thing, though, it must be energized.  We will then consider Qi to be less physical and compare it to electromagnetic energy.  When the energy is applied to a physical conglomeration of cells in the proper manner, the cells become energized and are able to move, eat, drink and generally act like a living creature.  Still, with only physical mass and energy, there would be no more than an android or a robot, and not true life.  For true life to exist, there must be a spiritual component, and that is supplied by Shen.  The life force which comes from Shen exists in every living thing from protozoa to plants and animals and human beings.

In this chapter, Lao Tzu tells us that everything that exists – not just those things we would normally consider to be living – is infused with some sort of special force that is referred to as “the One.”  For purposes of this analogy, the One is for all the universe quite like the Shen is for us humans and our fellow life forms.

So what is the One?  It is the Tao, the void which is the source of all.

Of course the Tao is source of Jing, Qi and Shen, so the analogy gets strained.  Let us change our focus a bit, then.  Since Jing, Qi and Shen each result from the One –the ONE, meaning undivided – all three must co-exist for any of us to experience life.  Also, since heaven and earth and the spiritual beings and the valley and 10,000 things are extant because they have obtained the One – the ONE – all must co-exist for any type of life or energy to exist.

I mentioned at the beginning of this essay that this concept is not difficult to understand.  I think that is especially true for those who have been raised in a Western, Christian culture because what I have discussed to this point is quite like a famous passage in St. Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians.  It goes like this:

 As a body is one, though it has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body, so also Christ.  For in one spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons, and we were all given to drink of one spirit.

Now the body is not a single part, but many.  If a foot should say, “Because I am not a hand I do not belong to the body,” it does not for this reason belong any less to the body.  Or is an ear should say, “Because I am not an eye I do not belong to the body,” it does not for this reason belong any less to the body.  If the whole body were an eye, where would hearing be?    If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be?  But as it is, God placed the parts, each one of them, in the body as He intended.  If they were all one part, where would the body be?  But as it is, there are many parts, yet one body.  The eye cannot say to the hand, “I do not need you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I do not need you.”  Indeed, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are all the more necessary, and those parts of the body we consider less honorable, we surround with greater honor, and our less presentable parts are treated with greater propriety, whereas our more presentable parts do not need this.  But God has so constructed the body as to give greater honor to a part that is without it, so that there may be no division in the body, but that the parts may have the same concern for one another.  If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if one part is honored, all the parts share its joy.  (1 Corinthians 12:12-26)

 Accordingly, since you and I and everything else in our universe, and beyond, are from and part of the One, it is our responsibility to treat all with respect.  We are required to honor life and be environmentally conscious.  Are we human beings doing that?  Sure, some of us are, but not all.

Not all, and perhaps not enough of us.  The failure of one or many to respect the all-encompassing One can be dire.  This chapter tells us that the heavens could crack, the earth could be shaken, the spiritual beings could wither away and the myriad things become extinct.  That does not sound good; but look around and it may surprise you that some of those things are happening as we speak.

Lao Tzu and St. Paul both tell us what is necessary to correct the imbalances that are being created in the natural world.  They tell us to be humble, and not place ourselves above any other part of the body or any other part of nature.

In this chapter, it is said that “the humble station is the basis of honor” and “the low is the foundation of the high.”  Once again, Lao Tzu is saying the same thing that many have discovered in their Bibles:

 Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth.  (Matthew 5:5)

 Whosoever … shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.  (Matthew 18: 1,4)

 Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled ; and he who humbles himself shall be exalted.  (Luke 14:11)

 Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart.  (Matthew 11:29)

 I could go on, but I am afraid that might not be succinct.  I hope these reflections have rumbled like rock and not simply jingled like jade.  For further thoughts on these concepts, I would invite you to read the comments on Chapter 30 of the Tao Te Ching on the” Cascadian Wanderer” web site, which you can find by clicking here.

In the meantime, we should try not to destroy any part of the One, for that is surely self-destruction.

4 thoughts on “CHAPTER 39 – ONE BODY

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  2. I often wonder where plastic fits into all this. I know that it is part of Tao, and I also know that I need to make peace with it and with all the choices that I and all my fellow human beings have made to bring us to this point. That is a tough one. We are wrecking this planet. But even this planet is a small part of the entire picture. Our very lives are just a speck of dust in the bigger realm, so I guess it is just part of a larger cycle of destruction & creation, right? If I think bigger, it helps.

    Thanks for always being so present with this work. It’s a gift to us all.

    • Oh, my! In just a very few words you have raised some interesting and quite difficult to answer questions. The most memorable line in the 1967 movie The Graduate was when the older businessman gave Dustin Hoffman’s character one work of advice – “plastics.” It was humorous because back then the consumer’s world was made of wood and glass and steel. Plastic substitutes were seen as something cheap, phony and superficial. For several years in the late 1960s and early 1970s the slang use of the word “plastic” was as reference to the fake and the superficial in our society. Looking back from here in the 21st Century, that one word of advice should probably be seen as a one-word warning. We live today in a plastic consumer society, and most people wouldn’t think it pejorative anymore to call anything “plastic” – but it should be. As you say, “we are wrecking this planet.”

      Although there is no good or simple answer to your question about where plastic fits into all of this, I would recommend that you look at an interesting summary of “the environmental toll of plastics at Perhaps within the foreseeable future the same science that created the plastic menace will create a means to save us. We can hope.

      In the meantime, if we accept that from a God’s eye view or a Tao’s eye view we have a perfect world in a perfect universe, I think we still need to ask where does plastic fits in. It truly is a very difficult question. I could go on (and on), but this probably isn’t the best forum for that. There is another famous line from The Graduate – “Mrs. Robinson, you’re trying to seduce me.” Well, manufacturers were seduced by the economy of plastic and consumers were seduced by its convenience, and now we are stuck with …. what?

      Thank you for being aware of the issue. If you or anyone else has a good answer, I would love to hear it. I do think there is a solution to the problem, but I cannot tell you what it is at this moment.

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text:
Tuesday, 11 February 2014

Walking to the Moon

'My name is Lenny and I love walking to work. It makes me happy. I am twenty-two years old but when I walk to work people laugh at me. When I watch cartoons on the TV, I laugh because its funny but they laugh at me and shout at me saying I am stupid. Mum says I should ignore them but they make me feel sad. I try to be nice and smile but the kids run up and try to trip me and hit me and say bad words. They throw things at me. If you do not believe me, look at the scar near my eye. See it? That was done by a stone the size of my fist. My face got all hurtful and my eye went dark with blood. I cried and ran away. The big policeman came and let me ride in his car and asked lots of hard questions and said he would tell the mums and dads of the kids not to throw stones. They still did and Mum said a rude word about them and said their mums and dads gave lots of presents to bad kids and none to good kids.I walk to my work at the mushroom factory in Cable Street. I enjoy my work. Mr Armitage is the boss. He tells me to stand by the conveyor belt and pick out the brown and black mushrooms as they go past. These are bad. He says I am the best mushroom sorter he as ever seen and always gives me and the others a smile when he says that. Mr Armitage is nice. He says I am money in the bank. The others laugh and look sad when he says that to them. When I am picking out the bad mushrooms, I like that I can add and think about how many mushrooms I am sorting. And how many my friends are sorting. The small numbers make patterns in my head and I use them to count big things like where the stars are and how small things can get.I go and see Mike my friend on Saturday. I met him on the internet. I have lots of friends on the internet and we talk about numbers and what you do with them. Mum will not let me see the friends I make chatting. She says they may be bad and want me to take my trousers down and I must only allow Doctors do that when she is with me.That is silly. Mike has said he is not interested in my trousers and says I am the best in the world at looking at shapes and breaking them up into many small boxes, and adding them up to say how big or small things are. The words he writes are too hard for me to understand but he is showing me lots of new ways of playing with the numbers in my head. He says I can look at any figures and get answers quicker then a machine. Mike says he going to help me get work going to the moon. I have money for a train ticket and he says he will meet me at the station. And has asked me have I told my mum about meeting him.He says I can still walk to work but I will miss counting the mushrooms. If I tell the kids that say bad things to me that I am going to walk to the moon they may be nice to me. I will tell them when I walk home tonight. And I can tell my mum my big surprise. I bet she will be happy.'


text:
Tuesday, July 6, 2010

if i was flying on a plane above your town, and you were gazing at the sky, i'd feel somehow intact and reassured, if you began to wave goodbye

I woke up at least once an hour between the time that I went to sleep and when the phone alarm went off. But I woke up awake (that’s what I call it – you know, as opposed to waking up all groggy), and got ready with my stuff gathered in time to make the 6:05 airport shuttle.

The shuttle was stopping at both the south and north terminals, but I had no idea which one my flight was leaving from, and the printed itinerary I had didn’t say. So I just got off at the south one, because what difference did it make?

I went all the way up the very long ramp. The signs didn’t say which terminal delta was at.

Finally, at the top and down a hall and into the main part of the terminal, there was a sign that listed all the airlines. Delta was at the north terminal. Rats. So I had to go all the way back down the ramp again, and take a shuttle to the north terminal.

I finally got there, and got inside, and found the screen with all the flights listed so that I’d know what gate to go to.

There it was.

Delta 811 … 9:00am … CANCELLED

Oh dear. Now what? I was glad now that I had a long layover in Atlanta. At least I had plenty of time to figure out a new flight, if I could get one. Time to go find the Delta people.

I saw a Delta service desk, but when I went to it, it said “position closed”, and no one was there. This gave me the momentary worst-case-scenario impression that Delta airlines had suddenly gone out of business entirely and no one was left. However, a few moments later I saw the main Delta desk… with lots of people in line. There was also a Delta employee nearby, so I asked him where I was supposed to go if I was on the cancelled Atlanta flight, and he directed me to said line. (Rats. I’ve been in the states too long. I’m already calling it a line instead of a queue.)

I joined the line, and spent the fairly long wait chatting with a stocky, dark-haired young man behind me – comparing travels, and wondering what they were going to do with us.

When we asked one of the airline workers, she said that some people would probably be sent to Heathrow, and some might be sent on other airlines if necessary. As I had lots of time to spare to make my connecting flight, I was satisfied with this.

A bit later – when I was about halfway through the line – I heard another person ask a different worker the same question: what was to be done with us? This worker said the same thing, but added that they were rerouting some people through different cities – Houston, Denver, Detroit

“Oh, send me to Detroit!” I said, excited but not very loud, to no one in particular. If I went to Detroit, even if I couldn’t get a flight to Grand Rapids, my family could come and get me! My new friend and I discussed how much we hoped they were smart enough to reroute us based on final destination and not just send us all to Atlanta regardless of where we actually wanted to be in the end.

I finally made it to the front of the line, and to the desk. I pushed my itinerary printout forward on the counter.

“Where are you going?” the lady asked me.

“My final destination is Grand Rapids,” I replied. She asked for my name and stuff also, and then punched lots of things into her computer.

“There,” she concluded. “I’ve got you on a flight from Heathrow to Detroit” – I jumped up and down, literally – “that leaves at 10:30 and gets into Detroit at 2:30, and then a flight from Detroit to Grand Rapids leaving at 3:30.”

“Hurray! I’m going to be home six hours early!”

“Well, I’m glad it worked out for one person, at least. Here’s a certificate for food, but you’ve got to hurry because you need to get to Heathrow. Here’s your voucher for the shuttle ticket – but ask at the shuttle service desk because I’m not sure whether this counts as your ticket or you need to get one from them.”

So I ran off with my luggage, and followed the signs until I got to the service desk for the shuttle. I did need a printed ticket from them, and the next shuttle would leave at 8:00 – in fifteen minutes. So after I found the place from which the shuttle would leave, I had just enough time to go to the nearby Costa Coffee inside the airport, and get hot chocolate and a banana nut “breakfast loaf” – basically a little bitty loaf of banana bread.

When I came back out, the shuttle was there and people were just starting to get on it – there was a pretty big queue to get on. I gave them my luggage to put below, and got on.

There were few enough people that I could get a window seat, so I curled up there with my hot chocolate and banana bread.

The traffic was pretty bad, so it took us about 45 minutes to get to Heathrow. But it was a beautiful drive – my last glimpses of the English countryside.

And there was this cool truck of huge mirrors.

It also involved me periodically bouncing up and down in my seat, saying in a sing-song voice, “I don’t have to go to At-LAN-ta! I don’t have to go to At-LAN-ta!”

When we got there, and I got off at Terminal 4, where I belonged, and got to the Delta check-in gate, and they found out how soon my plane was leaving – it was already closed for boarding apparently – I got a personal escort to run with me through the airport. One advantage of having no time to get to your flight (if it’s the airline’s fault) is that they don’t fuss about your suitcase being three pounds overweight.

So I ran through the airport, and got through customs as quick as I could, and ran to my gate. Fortunately, people were still boarding, and I joined the line. I didn’t have any trouble getting through – though I was kind of out of breath from running – and I was so incredibly happy to be getting on a plane that was taking me straight to my home state.

It was a great relief to finally be on board the plane. The seat I was assigned was not a window seat, but it was next to a seat that was, so I could see out some. I was next to a middle-aged lady who was friendly but not too talkative - this has been the case with nearly all my seatmates on journeys. I have had good luck with seatmates.

I heard the two teenage girls behind me talking before we took off, and we realized that we had all been at the concert the night before. So I turned around in my seat and we chattered excitedly about that for a bit. I think the lady next to me thought we were all crazy teenagers. But she didn't seem to mind too much.

Then I turned back around, and tried to use the screen in the back of the seat, but it wasn't working yet. So I got out a book or a notebook or something. It was somewhat annoying to be having to kill time when the plane hadn't even taken off yet. I don't like sitting there not moving.

We didn't have a terribly long wait, though, and I was really happy when we were in the air. I kept wanting to bounce up and down with my "I'm not going to At-LAN-ta!" song.

The flight was... long. But not terrible. I tried to watch Sherlock Holmes, but the screen was dark so I couldn't see it very well, and the earphones were cheap so I couldn't hear it very well, and I gave up. I crocheted a bit, and read a bit, and wrote a bit...

When it was about twelve-thirty England time, they brought us a meal. It was seven-thirty Michigan time, so I chose the scrambled egg meal instead of the chicken meal, in hopes of beginning to shift my internal clock to the right time. The scrambled eggs were kind of gross, though. Made from powder. But if you didn't think about the texture and only focused on the taste they were okay. And I was hungry. The "sausages" were inedible, though.

We went through some turbulence. And the fasten seatbelt sign went on. And it stayed on and stayed on even after we weren't jerking anymore. And I had to go to the loo. So I walked up there and went anyway. And then realized that it was the first class loo, so I'd double broken the rules... oh well.

At one point, already feeling like I had been on the plane forever, I looked at the time. Four hours down, five to go. Oh help. This seemed unbearable. I needed to find a position where I could sleep in order to kill some time, or I was going to lose my mind.

I put down my tray, and put a folded blanket and then my pillow on top of it, and then lay down my head on my arms. That was reasonably comfortable, and I was so tired that I fell asleep quickly.

I really crashed, because when I woke up - I think someone came by with a cart - I had no clue how much time it had been, and one of my arms was totally dead. (This always happens to me. I find sleeping with my head on my arms incredibly comfortable, but then my arm goes dead.) It felt like it had been about half an hour. I checked the clock on the screen - it had been two and a half hours! Only two and a half to go! That was doable.

Two of the more exciting parts of the flight were flying over Iceland and Greenland. This is Greenland:

The dinner was good. I don't remember what the main part of it was now, only that I enjoyed it, and that it came with cheese and crackers and a roll and real butter and some other kind of good side dish and a mini chocolate chip cookie bar. Oh! I remember! It was french bread pizza. And it didn't come with all that stuff; the breakfast did. I ate those things as snacks during the afternoon.

The last two hours went faster than I expected.

The moment that they said we could use cell phones, I got mine out to call my mother. I couldn't wait to tell her that I was in Detroit and that she could pick me up in Grand Rapids in two hours. I would say, "What are you doing this afternoon? Could you come to the airport?"

I dialed, and she answered almost right away.

"Hi, Mommy."

"Hi. Does this mean your plane has landed?" Her voice was very happy in a quiet sort of way.

"Yes - "

"Do you know where we are?" I didn't know what to think. Could they be at the GR airport already? But why would they be?

"No, where?"

"Rebecca and I are sitting outside customs at the Detroit Metro airport."

"What - how - but!"

"We got an e-mail that your flight was changed to Detroit - I'll have to tell you whole story. But we'll be here when you come out."

"Now I am crying!"

"Me too."

The doors were finally opened. I got my things out of the overhead compartment.

Out of the plane and into the airport. I suddenly realized that I'd lost my water bottle. I dashed back - and they let me back on, and I found it, rolled a few rows up from where I'd been.

Now I was really arrived. It was a long walk through dim hallways and down an escalator and along a moving walkway, and finally we reached the luggage carousel and customs. I waited in line, and waited in line. I should have switched lines, but I didn't, and by the time I realized it would have been faster it wasn't faster any more. The lady directing us was friendly and seemed like she was happy for us to have arrived, as though she knew us and was welcoming us there. I had the impression - through the blur that mind was - at the time that she was treating us special because we'd been on the flight that was canceled, but looking back that doesn't really make sense because most of the people weren't from the Atlanta flight. So I think she was just a very kind lady.

It was much easier to go through customs back into the States than it had been getting into England. He asked a couple questions about my trip, and I explained. The funny thing was that I used two different English expressions, and I kept almost talking in an English accent. But he didn't seem to care. He looked at my passport, and sent me through.

I had to declare - or thought I did - because I was bringing food back. But I think that that really only counted if it was produce. Oh well. They sent me through very speedy, so that was all right.

Then we were all sent to a queue for re-checking in. I could see the doors to the rest of the airport, and I was going to go through them, but then I thought maybe I was supposed to tell someone that I wouldn't be on the flight to Grand Rapids. So I asked an official lady who was standing there. And she said that I did need to tell them, and to wait in line. Rats. I was too blurry-headed to argue, so I went and got in line. But it was a very long line that seemed to be going very slowly. Having to stand in this line for an hour just to tell them that I wouldn't be on the plane, when my mom and sister were right outside the door, seemed like a terrible thing. But then the lady came up to me again.

"You just need to tell them that you're not on the Grand Rapids flight?"

"Okay. You don't have to wait in this whole line - I'll let them know. You can go."

"Thank you so much!" I ducked under the queuing barricade fabric thing - knocking it loose in the process, which was embarrassing - and finally got myself and my luggage out the door.

There they were - Mommy and Rebecca. And we hugged and everything, and they helped me with my luggage, and we went through the airport until we finally got to the car. It wasn't really that far; Mommy had had extraordinarily good luck in selecting a spot close to the gate where I was landing.

The day was bright and sunny, and the carport seemed warm and familiar even though I'd never been there before. Maybe it was just the presence of our tan van - which looked much more beat up than I'd remembered...

I was so excited about the presents I had for my siblings, and kept wanting to talk about them, but I made myself wait.

I thought that the parking lady who took our money on the way out had an accent, but Mommy and Rebecca said that she didn't. So apparently I was just hearing the Midwestern accent.

When we'd gotten ourselves out of the airport and onto the freeway, Mommy said,

"So, now we have two hours to kill."

I was confused. I hadn't yet figured out why exactly they'd come to get me instead of letting me fly to Grand Rapids, even though it was nice. I don't remember exactly how the conversation went, but eventually the light dawned - my cousin Rachel's graduation was tonight! In Ypsilanti! And I was going to be able to go to it! We would wait around for two hours until it was time, and in the meantime my father would be driving all the rest of the family in the white van. And all the cousins and the grandparents would be there! And they didn't even know I was coming!

We went to Tim Horton's for a sort of supper - it was about 4:30 by this point, I think, but my brain and body were totally off, and it didn't feel like any time in particular. So we just had soup and sandwiches, and doughnuts afterward. And then we still had a lot of time to kill, so after I changed clothes out of my rumpled dirty ones, we went to the Payless that was next door and shoe shopped. The poor lady spieled at us even though we had no intention of buying anything.

Eventually we continued on to the graduation, and got there without any trouble. We were quite early, and we sat in the parking lot waiting for the rest of the family to arrive. Then, finally, they did, and pulled up next to us, and they got out and we got out, and they all took turns hugging me. Then I could absolutely not wait any longer, and made them go to the front of the car while I got all the presents out of my suitcase.

They were telling me to hurry - family was starting to arrive, and they'd seen the van, and would be wondering why we weren't coming in. Finally, I had all of the presents into cloth grocery bags, and brought them to them at the front of the cars.

These were the presents:

Thad - a .3 lead pencil and a copy of the Apocrypha from Oxford

Bram - a junior cricket set, and postcards of the tram engine that inspired Toby

Josh - socks that say Mr. Strong, a red journal, and a pencil from John O'Groats

Zach - fancy yellow and black pencils and a Welsh flag

Rebecca - a ring with a star on it and a mobile phone cover that says Rebecca

Lydia - a porcelain spoon with pink flowers on it from Kensington Palace

Jae - a pirate captain Playmobil set

Mommy - sand from John O'Groats, and something else but I can't remember it

Papa - a flag sort of thing from John O'Groats

When I was all done giving them out, we went inside. There were already lots of people there. I found my cousins and surprised them with hugs, and then my uncle and aunt and my grandparents. Then I found my cousin's boyfriend's graduation display, because I had to investigate to see if he was worth of her.

Then it was time to go into the auditorium for the ceremony. Each graduate's parents gave a two-minute introduction/speech/spiely-thing about him or her, which surprisingly enough wasn't boring. They kept them short, interspersed them with music and stuff, and said interesting things about them. It was fun to feel like I knew them all a little bit. My cousin Rachel did a dance to Jeremy Camp's 'My Desire' - I love her choreography so much.

Then it was done, and we all went into the gym and had food - vegetables and fruit and meatballs and you know, the kind of thing one always has at that sort of event.

And then there was music... and then there was swing dancing. Oh yeah. A lot of swing dancing. Rachel's boyfriend Michael is quite good at it, plus another friend of theirs [friend of theirs is COMPLETELY ungrammatical. This just occurred to me. It should be "friend of them". But nobody says that.] teaches dance. So Thad danced with Rebecca and I danced with Josh (mostly - we switched it up some, too, and Zach and Lydia and Jae joined us sometimes) and they taught us lots of new moves. And we danced for hours to dozens of songs, and had homemade cookies and fruit, and I was very happy.

For the first part of the evening, my brain had adjusted to the Michigan time and it felt like the time it actually was. But by the time 9:30 arrived, my exhausted brain and body had switched back to England time and it felt like 2:30am. Everything was surreal, like a strange but pleasant dream. We left at about 10, I think. They let me have the back seat all to myself so I could sleep. If you don't count the sleep on the plane or in the car, and count getting up to going to bed, I was up for 24 hours - on 4 hours sleep.

Shan said...

Even though I have heard the story, I still got choked up reading about Rebecca and your mom waiting for you in Detroit. <3

lois said...

Even though I LIVED the story, I got choked up when we were waiting for you in Detroit.
(You got me the bear that says "Mum", and the cute little book.)

Uncle Christopher said...

I really enjoyed hearing the whole story. It brought back the smile on my face from the moment I saw you at the graduation. I'm glad your flight was canceled and got re-routed through Detroit.

Ever Thankful said...

I so rarely do the blog thing, it's been MONTHS. I was on and realized I hadn't heard the end of your story. So I came to find it. It was very engaging and by the end I felt emotionally exhausted and so happy you were home at last. Even though you have been home for months, reading the end of your story threw me back in time. I am so glad you were able to go to England. What a blessing! Rob went to England on business and brought home some "Digestives". It was fun to eat something you'd mentioned in your blog. Clearly you have many wonderful memories that will surly last you a life time. I'm so glad you told us your story. I enjoyed your telling of it, and all of your photos as well. To be a part of the adventure was a blessing. Thank you for taking us along!


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Sampling 101: Andrew Ford Medina x Funky Cold Medina During the 90s, one of the most notable trends in Hip Hop music was Sampling (Samples). You can hear it especially DJs looping samples in their turntable. Sampling was taking a small portion of music and looping it and/or incorporating it into the music. When we […]

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Thursday, July 10, 2008

Queen of the Underground

Female rappers have been an endangered species for several years. Let's look at the sad landscape of yesteryear's stars and last week's chart toppers.

Queen Latifah is singing jazz standards and allegedly planning to marry her trainer. Monie Love plays other people's records on the radio instead of making her own. Remy Ma is spitting bars from behind bars. Lil Kim has done her time and is hoping that her old fans recognize her on a new label with a new face. The only hits Foxy Brown has been responsible for lately have been those upside her manicurists' head. MC Lyte is doing voice-overs for award shows instead of being nominated for awards. Lumidee, Lumi-don't. Yo-Yo's judging a reality show contest with female rappers, including one that had a established rapper as a contestant.  Lady Sovereign hasn't been seen since her meltdown at Studio B in Brooklyn.  (She's short, so it could be we're all just looking over her.) Add to the list, these ladies from the 80's who are missing in action: J. J. Fad, Michie Mee, Ice Cream Tee, Oaktown 357, Wee Papa Girls, Antoinette, Ya Kid-K, Deadly Venoms, Poizon Posse, Boss and  Lin-Que. R.I.P. MC Trouble and Lisa Lopes.

While some have survived the game and made a successful career for themselves away from the microphone, like Roxanne Shante, (that's Doctor Shante to you)  few have kept it real in the game for years. Philadelphia-born Bahamadia, while only three albums deep, has been in the business of music for over a decade. She cultivated a fan base in the underground scene while guesting on projects with The Roots and Erykah Badu. The True honeybun sat down with me after a show with Unspoken Herd at Alley Katz in Richmond to talk about her next project, European audience and why she's always being asked about the status of females artists in hip hop.

Shout out to the other sisters doing the damn thing: Missy Elliott, Jean Grae, Imani Coppola, Trina and Khia.

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Courthouse Row for Jan. 21

Home/land transfers

The following home and land transfers were recorded at the Rappahannock County Circuit Court Clerk’s office Jan. 5-14

Robert J. Foley and Victoria B. Ritter-Foley to Scott Callaghan, 31.239 acres, $575,000, deed bargain sale, general warranty, tax map 41-3-U

Building permits

Flint Hill VFD, add bathroom, $5,000

Thorton Hill Farm LLC, Sperryville, electric service, $1,000

George Harrison, Woodville, gas lines replaced, $200

Richard and Dorothy Lessard, Sperryville, dwelling, $15,000

Patty Massey, Flint Hill, remodel, $11,000

Fred Schottman, Woodville, dwelling, $400,000

The costs cited with the following permit applications are estimates.

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You should eat more cherries. The little fruits are low in calories, yet packed with antioxidants, fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

RELATED: If you’re already missing Starbucks’ Cranberry Bliss Bars, here’s how you can make them at home

Here’s an easy way to incorporate cherries into your favorite dessert. Cherries jubilee is a classic adornment to ice cream. It has booze and you get to set it on fire — what’s not to love?

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Unit 5 'Bayana', 13 Merrima Avenue Kings Beach, QLD 4551

Sold for $356,250 on 8 Dec 2015
  • 3 Beds
  • 1 Bath
  • 1 Car

Sold By

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Unit in Kings Beach

Position Perfect!

  • 3 Beds
  • 1 Bath
  • 1 Car

If you are looking for a unit close to the beach with an entry level price tag - do not wait as this unit is priced to sell. This best thing about this unit is its position! Just 40 paces to the sand of Kings Beach, with no roads to cross!

The well appointed kitchen is the hub of the home with the open plan living room flowing from there to the balcony. Add to that the three bedrooms and you have the making of a very comfortable lifestyle. Elevated to catch the ocean breezes, you will be left thinking, 'Who needs a view when you live this close to the beach!'

Suitable for investors and owner occupiers alike it is located within a very short stroll to the Kings Beach park lands, cafes, shops, coastal walkway and the patrolled safety of Kings Beach. You will love all this precinct has to offer.

With Body Corporate levies that won't break the bank; this property is sure to be a purse pleaser.

  • Close To Schools
  • Close To Shops
  • Close To Transport
  • Only 40 Paces To Beach!
  • Single Garage
  • Terrace/Balcony

Kings Beach

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50 Buckingham Drive ROWVILLE, VIC 3178

Sold on 29 Apr 2014
  • 4 Beds
  • 2 Baths
  • 2 Cars

Sold By

The Right House… The Right Postcode!

  • 4 Beds
  • 2 Baths
  • 2 Cars

Pride and joy gardens, a generous family home with 4 robed bedrooms and 3 big living zones and a Rowville address that promises schools, parks, walking tracks, shops and transport links all close by and all on a HUGE block of 1050 sqm, this is the sort of home that's meant to be for years. Heany Park Primary School is an easy 200m walk down the street, ABC child care centre is nearby, as well as Stud Park and Wellington Village shopping precincts, and access to tennis courts. Something for everyone! Favorably designed, the master and formal living are positioned upfront, followed by a large kitchen with a double oven, adjoining meals and family room, and the added sunroom to provide yet another dimension to the options of living zones that this home has to offer. The other 3 bedrooms, family bathroom (with spa), powder room and large laundry are all positioned for maximum privacy branching off from a lengthy hallway. If you consider yourself a bit of a green thumb, then these gardens will keep you in your element. Relax in what nature has provided and enjoy what the change of seasons brings to these beautiful gardens that are kept fed by an automatic watering system. Extra detail you can expect include: Refrigerated ducted heating and cooling, a gas wood fire, external window shutters, tradies shed that can be turned into a 'granny flat' and a double garage with internal access, all on an impressive 1051 m2 parcel of land.

  • Air Conditioning
  • Alarm System
  • Built-In Wardrobes
  • Close To Schools
  • Close To Shops
  • Close To Transport
  • Double Garage
  • Fireplace(S)

See all features

1,050m² / 0.26 acres

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Monthly Archives: July 2017

Piolo in tights!

Bikini boy ditches the bikini yet again!

Bear Brand

In a sea of little boys with frail bodies and tiny waistlines, we sometimes crave for manly men, the beefy ones. Govinda Lloyd fulfills that hankering, as the personal trainer, model and occasional TV personality gets to show off his body of work in his social media accounts.

Martin Escudero resurfaces

Bigger, Redder

A surefire way to gain more followers on social media accounts is to post shirtless photos, underwear shots the better.  Add some visible penis lines bordering on lasciviousness, and that’s another couple of hundreds of excited likers. Kevin Redder does just that, and he has thousands in his  admirers list. Pull down dem shorts and maybe gain thousands more?

Another sexy shot from Ivan!

A.k.a. Xian Pascual in camo

Ervic’s gone commando

You’ve seen the whole Albie Casino enchilada, now he’s wearing pants, joggers and there’s no denying he’s still sexy AF!! There’s something rough and risqué with this boy, and of course, we’re loving every shirtless fucking moment.

(no) Bikini boy

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Saturday, May 1, 2010

The Battle of the Labyrinth - Rick Riordan

Summary: Percy Jackson isn't expecting freshman orientation to be any fun. But when a mysterious mortal acquaintance appears on campus, followed by demon cheerleaders, things quickly move from bad to worse.

In this fourth installment of the blockbuster series, time is running out as war between the Olympians and the evil Titan lord Kronos draws near. Even the safe haven of Camp Half-Blood grows more vulnerable by the minute as Kronos's army prepares to invade its once impenetrable borders. To stop the invasion, Percy and his demigod friends must set out on a quest through the Labyrinth--a sprawling underground world with stunning surprises at every turn. (Summary from book - Image from

My Review: Battle of the Labyrinth continued along similar lines as the previous novels – action, adventure, almost certain death followed by miraculous escape. While previous novels have been set primarily in human world, with occasional jaunts into the mythological realm, this book was the opposite. Most of the action took place in an underground labyrinth riddled with monsters, ghosts, and deadly traps. I found that I wasn’t nearly as taken with this book as I have been with the previous three. I much preferred the heroes above ground adventures to the Labyrinth and the time they spent in it.

I’ve heard people criticize this series as being too “cinematic” and they are right. Riordan’s books are very cinematic, but that is what I like about them. He always keeps the story moving (a surefire way to keep a young, reluctant reader or this tired mom’s attention) and I can always see the action quite clearly in my head. What can I say? Sometimes my imagination needs a little encouragement.

I definitely sensed a change in the characters and storyline in this book. Battle of the Labyrinth shows a darker aspect than any of the previous novels with themes of revenge and betrayal, while still staying relatively kid-friendly. As with most series (ahemHarryPotterahem) Percy is growing up and so is his story.

My difficulties with this book did nothing to temper my eagerness for the final novel, The Last Olympian, which is currently out in hardcover. The only thing that is keeping me from buying it and completing my series is that I’m one of those weird people that needs my series to all be the same format (mass market, trade paper, or hardcover). I can’t mix and match. It bugs me. So, I’m 10 out of 13 in the library reserve line and it is not-quite-but-almost killing me.

My Rating: 3.5 Stars

Sum it up: My least favorite of the series, but still worth reading.

Also reviewed by Kari.

Come back tomorrow for Kari's review of the final book in the series, "The Last Olympian".

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Seriously, Facebook, What Is Up With These Obnoxious, Sexist Ads?

Remember when Facebook was going to reinvent media and advertising? Its grandiose promise was that Facebook could deliver targeted ads with pinpoint accuracy, delivering ads that were perfectly aligned with people’s interests. As Mark Zuckerberg famously intoned in 2007, “Once every hundred years, media changes.”

If that’s the case, how come it’s now 2013 and my Facebook homepage is littered with ads that remind me of the cheap one-column ads you used to see in the back pages of “men’s magazines,” back in the day? Why am I getting all these crappy, annoying ads featuring women with enormous breasts urging me to learn a second language or buy solar panels?

It’s not just me. My buddy Lonn Johnston yesterday posted a copy of one of these obnoxious big-boob ads, because apparently they’re popping up in his feed too.

The problem isn’t the boobs, per se. I’m sure Lonn likes boobs as much as I do. But it’s the cheesiness. It’s all so low-rent and tacky.

Adding a touch of irony is the fact that Facebook’s chief operating officer, Sheryl Sandberg, is a brainy accomplished woman who has just penned a book called Lean In, which is all about empowering women with a new brand of can-do, you-go-girl feminism. Sandberg has launched an organization and a website, Lean In, where women are urged to share stories that “paint a picture of the shared struggles and obstacles we all face.”

All well and good. And today is International Women’s Day, for what that’s worth, and Google is celebrating this with a doodle about women from around the world.

Meanwhile, here are some of the ads I’ve seen on Facebook over the past few weeks.

Then here comes her friend:

Spanish! Okay. I took it in college, but don’t remember much. Then comes this one:

French! Awesome. I could learn to pronounce croissant the way the cool academic types in Cambridge do. But I’m starting to notice a trend here. More of same here:

Here’s another, but this time she’s selling solar panels in Massachusetts:

Lean In? You Betcha

This gives new meaning to the phrase “lean in,” right? But seriously, what is this crap doing on Facebook? And what’s next, ads for X-ray specs and Charles Atlas muscle-building programs? Ron Jeremy male enhancement pills

Look, I’m no prude. I get that Facebook needs to make money. I get that they’re under pressure. God knows, all of us who work in ad-supported businesses are searching for some kind of silver bullet, and in our search we’re all trying a little bit of everything.

But this stuff is just so cheap and inauthentic. And how does it square with Sheryl Sandberg’s mission to empower women? I don’t want to make too big a deal of this. I realize Sandberg doesn’t personally sell the ads or approve each one. But the contrast is a bit jarring.

I’m guessing Sandberg wrote her book because she intends to run for public office at some point, and that her global campaign (launched with A-list book parties like this one hosted by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg) is about raising her own profile and introducing herself to a wider audience. This is a woman who at age 27 was Chief of Staff to the U.S. Treasury Secretary. She’s still young (43) and her ambitions surely go way beyond playing second fiddle at a social networking company.

But while she’s still at Facebook, and since she’s so committed to empowering women, maybe Sandberg could do something about these ads. Not even out of any kind of feminist crusade, but just because, well, they’re stupid and obnoxious and a throwback to a kind of moronic advertising that long ago became obsolete.

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Tuesday, January 25, 2011

The Great Wings of Dreams

Life seems to get harder
as the days go by
nothing is ever simple
not anymore.
are we drifting through life
on the wings of empty dreams
hopes that are just there
to keep us hanging on
too scared to take the risk
of jumping from the sky?
We don't want to see the ground
where the dreams have died.
They are seen on the ground
their great wings clipped by death
or the moment lost to chance.
Their broken bodies fill the ground
and we don't want to see ourselves down there.
But if we don't take that leap,
and fall on toward the ground,
Our dreams will never fly higher,
among the planets and stars.
Instead we'll keep on holding on
through hopes that should've died,
and we'll hang onto the the great wings of dreams
that we don't want to die.
We don't have the courage,
to see it all fail,
fail and fall,
fall to the ground.

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Sunday, January 09, 2005

Green Fuzzy Slippers
For Mark Young

Upon an attempt to parse the lectures of theoretical physicist Richard Feynman about the instability of matter

That there is so much space between atoms it is a wonder how objects like a table, a pair of shoes, common dirt or big boulders keep from flying apart

That there was a colleague who habitually wore large green fuzzy slippers at home and in the lab for fear of slipping through the gaps and having nothing soft to cushion the fall

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Introduction to the Tyrrhenu goes from here.

About the Tyrrhenu

The Vale of Nidaros

The Tyrrhenu Council

List of Leaders

Athramal Apr 2001*
Garl Sep 2001
Horadrim Mar 2002
Kelgore 02/17/04
Lyrin 01/02/05
Farlina 11/05/08
  • before this time I didn't keep records

Past and Current Plots

Roleplaying Logs

Unless otherwise stated, the content of this page is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License


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Tuesday, February 23, 2010

The Next Class

The next class I'm teaching at the community college is Headbands. The pattern for the class is the same pattern that you receive free when you purchase a pattern or finished item from my pattern shop or etsy shops. I realized last night, that I haven't actually taught this pattern before and I have NO samples for it. {GASP}

This morning I went to work making up the step-by-step samples.

Ok, that should do it. All my classes have a "learn a technique while finishing a project" theme to them. This technique is working with elastic + casings for beginners. I think the steps are pretty well outlined with these samples. And its a super easy pattern for spring/summer. In fact, I should whip up a few more headbands to have on hand for after the pool. Lord knows, my curly hair decides to have a wild party on top of my head after a trip to the pool.

The class is March 4th and there's still time to sign up through the continuing ed department of the college. You can email me for more information. Space is limited, so hurry and sign up.

And if you are in the Wichita/Andover KS area, feel free to "retweet" this post to your networking sites.

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Tuesday, 21 April 2015

Now they are 40

<< Pascal

Last weekend we went up to the tiny village of Cambon, and beyond, into the green fields of the Parc naturel régional du Haut Languedoc to celebrate the joint 40th birthdays of my belle-soeur, Anne, and my beau-frère, Pascal.  Green.  It was all so green.  In the sun, in the rain - there was plenty of both.  Everything was green and beautiful.  It felt like England.  Slightly parochial that that should be my ultimate reference for beauty but there you go.

La cabane (ou 'tente en bois de princesse' - Owen)

It was a party very much in Anne and Pascal's image.  Down-to-earth and generous.  Many good things to eat and drink, live music (provided by Pascal's band) and, as the rain battered down on us, increasingly muddy.  We arrived on the Saturday in glorious sunny weather but by Sunday, the day of the party, those cats and dogs were running amok.  There was a brief moment of light and calm, in which Steph and I set off for a walk through the forest and, much to everyone's great surprise, including our own, managed not to get lost.

I'm all for 40th birthday parties.  This is my second, and whereas my experience with weddings (be it good or bad) only ever confirms by horror at the very idea, I think 40ths are rather splendid .  All the fun, none of the outrageous fuss.  You are still young enough to enjoy yourself but old enough to know that all the flim flam of weddings is unnecessary.  You can invite who you want, you can do it whenever and wherever you want, there are no ridiculous expectations, but you still get presents.  The older you get the harder it is to gather friends together, at 40 you are both nostalgic and mobile, people seem only too willing to reconnect after the fug of the baby years.

Both my lovely belles-soeurs

So watch this space, maybe in two years' time Fanf and I will be inviting you to a muddy green field in honour of our own aging process...

1 comment:

  1. It sounded like so much fun! I can't wait to be invited to your party! (Or maybe "start spreading the news…" ?) xox

Many thank yous if you're taking the time to leave a comment. You are most lovely in my sight.


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Starbucks Banana Walnut Bread

Author: Daily revenue // Category:

It is such a treat to go into Starbucks and enjoy a coffee and something sweet. It is one of my life’s little pleasures. Freshly baked banana bread is hard to beat. Banana walnut bread isn’t difficult to make, in fact you can make banana walnut bread that will taste just like Starbucks. I recommend using bread flour if you have it on hand, as it gives the bread a more dense feel. Why not try making some this banana walnut bread, and bring it to your co-workers. Unlike in the store, you can enjoy this banana walnut bread while it is still warm out of the oven.

1 3/4 C. flour (bread flour is best)

2/3 c. sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 C. mashed ripe (this is usually 2 or 3 bananas)

1/3 C. margarine

2 Tbsp. milk

2 eggs

1 cup chopped walnuts (divided into 2 (1/2 C.) portions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a medium size bowl combine all dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt), stir together to combine. In another medium size bowl combine margarine and sugar, with a mixer cream the margarine and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add in mashed bananas and eggs, and mix well. Add 1/2 of the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, mix until the flour is just mixed in, then add in the remaining flour and 1/2 cup walnuts, blend together until everything is mixed together. Do not overstir.

Pour batter into a greased 8×4 inch loaf pan. Then top the batter with the remaining chopped walnuts. Bake at 350 degrees for 55 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack.

While Starbucks does not make their banana bread with butter, I think this comes out more rich this way. I also like to add in a sprinkle or two of cinnamon and sugar into this, again, not in their recipe, it does add that little something extra.

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Asparagus Frittata with Creme Fraiche and Chives

Author: Daily revenue // Category:
6 large eggs
1/2 cup minced fresh chives
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons half and half
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
One 1-pound bunch fresh asparagus, trimmed, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch pieces
1/4 yellow onion, minced

1/3 cup creme fraiche or sour cream

Asparagus Frittata with Creme Fraiche and Chives Recipe at
Preheat broiler.

Whisk eggs, 1/4 cup chives, parsley, Parmesan cheese, half and half, salt and pepper in large bowl until just blended. Melt butter and oil in heavy nonstick 10-inch-diameter omelette pan over medium heat. Add asparagus and onion and saute until asparagus is crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Pour egg mixture over asparagus. Reduce heat to low; cook until edges are just set, about 3 minutes. Using heat-proof spatula, lift cooked edges of egg mixture and tilt pan so uncooked eggs run beneath. Continue cooking until egg mixture is nearly set on top, about 5 minutes.

Broil until just puffed and lightly golden on top, about 2 minutes.

Slide spatula under frittata to loosen; slide out onto cutting board. Cut frittata into 1-inch squares. (Can be made 1 hour ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)

Arrange squares on serving platter. Spoon dollop of creme fraiche atop each square. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup chives and serve.

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Vida de bombeiro Recipes Mister Colibri Informatica Humor Jokes Mensagens Curiosity Saude Video Games Car Blog Animals Diario das Mensagens Eletronica Rei Jesus News Noticias da TV Artesanato Esportes Noticias Atuais Games Pets Career Religion Recreation Business Education Autos Academics Style Television Programming Motosport Humor News The Games Home Downs World News Internet Car Design Entertaimment Celebrities 1001 Games Doctor Pets Net Downs World Enter Jesus Variedade Mensagensr Android Rub Letras Dialogue cosmetics Genexus Car net Só Humor Curiosity Gifs Medical Female American Health Madeira Designer PPS Divertidas Estate Travel Estate Writing Computer Matilde Ocultos Matilde futebolcomnoticias girassol lettheworldturn topdigitalnet Bem amado enjohnny produceideas foodasticos cronicasdoimaginario downloadsdegraca compactandoletras newcuriosidades blogdoarmario arrozinhoii


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Friday, October 3, 2008

How This Radio Life Began

Song of the day:  "Radio Silence" Thomas Dolby

Looking back now, the signs were all there. I was odd.  I pulled apart my radio, the shiny red Panasonic that twisted into shapes my grandma gave me, to see what J.P McCarthy looked like.  Yes I did.   May he rest in peace, the guy was THE man of Detroit Radio on “the Great Voice of the Great Lakes” WJR for so many years.  I really thought he lived in my radio.  I was very very young then.  Really young.  Ok, not that young, but big imagination is a funny thing.

I also PLAYED radio. I would write down the songs on a yellow pad, in the order that they were played. Didn’t know at the time that was a PLAYLIST and I was acting as a Program Director.  I liked to be boss and run the show even then.

It was great when my best friend came over; she had an 8 track player and much different music selection than me. We could play one song on my turntable, and another song on her 8 track, without having to stop and change the record.

 It was sheer genius.

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Recyclore is looking for:

on Wed, 09/24/2014 - 19:15
  1. People who want a good bike at a good price;

  2. Cyclists who want to tune or fix up their own bike in our DIY shop;

  3. Donations of used bicycle so we can get them back on the street;

  4. And most of all, volunteers to help make it all happen!

Ottawa City cycling budget jumps from ~$7M/year to ~$60M just this year!

on Mon, 04/17/2017 - 11:14

  • This is an exciting time for cycling and active transportation in and around Ottawa. Read the 2017 budget hightlights from Citizens for Safe Cycling including the following enhancements in our local community:
  • enhancements to Multi Use Paths (MUPs)
  • Enhancements to the Pinecrest Road 401 overpass
  • Cycling Safety Improvement Program
  • New paths near Richmond and Croydon
  • Bike parking at transit stations

Helmet purchase discount at Ottawa retailers May 14 and 15th

on Wed, 04/20/2016 - 11:29

For a fifth straight year, Ottawa Public Health has partnered with sports retailers across Ottawa to bring Ottawa residents a discount on helmets. Visit for more information about getting a helmet discount between Saturday ay 14, 2016 and Sunday May 15, 2016.

Beautiful, but not always practical

on Wed, 04/13/2016 - 15:58

"Velocopedia is an amusing project by Italian designer Gianluca Gimini. For three years, Gimini has been asking his friends to draw bicycles, which he then renders in 3D. The result is a pretty hilarious reproduction of some very dysfunctional looking bikes. What Gimini has discovered is that most people simply do not know how to draw a bicycle."

See the full story (and many more gorgeous creations) here.

Bored of Directors: The 2016 AGM Report

on Sun, 04/03/2016 - 13:43

The 2016 Recyclore AGM was held on Mar 29th. We did alll of the usual stuff like pass past minutes and etc still my beating heart.

From there we did a report on 2015 in review. There are several important parts to that story. One would be the new work stations, tool boards and general shop clean up. A HUGE help in making this happen was The Green Bear Farm who provide us with free storage space, and volunteers Darcy T and Ray B. who did much of the work.

Another part of the story would be the general review which is present in the table below:


text:
Transportation Alternatives - Bike Rules!

One of my biggest role models for advocacy has always been the Transportation Alternatives organization in New York. While I was visiting there, I found that their office was only one block away from my office and I was lucky enough to attend several of their events and presentations. TA has helped push the bike/ped culture that New York has suddenly gotten in the past few years. They helped implement 200 miles of bike facilities in the past 3 years and proposed 50 miles/year in the future.

Above is a video from their Bike Rules! campaign, from their executive director Paul Steely White. He sums up my thoughts exactly. I personally donated to their organization and received one of their "One Less Car" t-shirts. The money only goes to help New York cyclists, but I figure that by helping them, I may be helping to set a national precedence and get this type of treatment implemented here in Orlando.