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Archive for April, 2013

When I’m with the homeless I don’t judge. I ask a minimum of questions, only enough to keep the conversation moving. I don’t interrogate or ask about their past. Mostly, I listen and try to understand. I am often asked why I am there. Although the reasons are deeper, I usually answer by saying, “The conversations here are more interesting than where I work.” I visit them before work, and at noon hours, so I always have an excuse to leave.

What I have learned over the past two years has changed my life. The people, who I consider my friends, are alcoholics, drug and other substance users. Some work as prostitutes, some have AIDS, most or all have served time in jail for various offences. All of them I would trust with my life. They have declared themselves my family. I am honored to consider them my family.

I have heard sickening stories of abuse as children and babies born with drug dependencies. Most have mental and physical illnesses, suffer beatings, broken bones, stabbings, and have a fear of abusive partners, or the police, or both. Authority in any form is seen negatively, as a means to control their lives. The homeless shelters are noisy, infested with bed bugs, the scene of fights and a place where personal items are stolen. Most of these people prefer to sleep inside common areas such as bank foyers, outside under bridges, or behind dumpsters.

In the conversations I recall, and write on these pages, I try to be as truthful as possible. I leave out details that I think might incriminate, but generally I try to give an accurate picture of the conversations I have with my friends. These people need help, but they want it on their own terms. They don’t choose to be addicts. It’s a disease and should be treated as such.

I’ve sometimes wondered why I’m drawn to homeless people. I’ve found some answers in the book, In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts: Close Encounters with Addiction by Gabor Mate, M.D. He has a web site at:

Dr. Mate works with drug addicts in the former Portland Hotel, on Hastings Street, in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, considered Canada’s drug capital.

“What keeps me here? muses Kersten Steuerzbech. “In the beginning I wanted to help. And now…I still want to help, but it’s changed. Now I know my limits. I know what I can and cannot do. What I can do is to be here and advocate for people at various stages of their lives, and allow them to be who they are. We have an obligation as a society to…support people for who they are, and to give them respect. That’s what keeps me here.”

Liz Evans began working in the area at the age of twenty-six. “I was overwhelmed,” she recalls.”As a nurse, I thought I had some expertise to share. While that was true, I soon discovered that, in fact, I had very little to give — I could not rescue people from their pain and sadness. All I could offer was to walk beside them as a fellow human being, a kindred spirit.”

It rained last night, so there were puddles on the sidewalk. I didn’t expect Joy to be at her spot, but there she was. I asked, “How was the barbecue yesterday?”

“It was good, except for Shark. I told Chuck that Shark and Irene would bail and sure enough they did. We were waiting to eat, Chuck had to go to Shark’s place to buy some pot.  He figured he could talk Shark into coming. When he came back he asked me, “What is it between you and Shark? He said to me, ‘I’ll sit at the same table with Joy, but I’m not going to feed her.’ I said, ‘It’s thirty years of fighting. Don’t sweat it. I wouldn’t eat any food that Shark’s greasy, fuckin’ fingers had touched anyway.

“I’m expecting Big Chester to come by. He’ll have his check by now. He want’s me to move back in with him. He know how much I hate the place I’m in now, but I don’t hate it that much.”

“He’s still seeing Teresa isn’t he?”

“Whenever he thinks he can get a piece of ass. I’ve had it with her. The last time I had anything to do with her was at his place. I think I told you about it. I was cooking steaks. She came over and leaned her head almost into the frying pan.  Her long fuckin’ hair was nearly touching our food. I was cool, I just went downstairs to talk to Fifi. What I wanted to do was take the steaks out  and push her skinny face into the grease of the pan.

“Since then she’s come up to me and said, ‘I’m so sorry Joy.’ I just said, ‘Keep the fuck away from me, and don’t ever talk to me again.’ I can be a real bitch sometimes.”

I asked, “Apart from Shark and Irene not turning up, how was the rest of the party?’

“It was good until Chuck’s landlord came over. Chuck laid into him with, ‘When are you going to fix my fuckin’ window? It’s a hazard. A child could fall through there.’ I could see this was going bad so I stepped between them. I took Buddy into the hall. He asked, ‘Who are you?’ I said, ‘I’m Chuck’s sister and I may be looking for a place if the price is right.’ He said,  You sure don’t look like Chuck.’ I said, ‘Yeah, well, same mother, different fathers. The only thing we share in common is sperm.’  He asked, ‘Where are you from and what do you do.’ I couldn’t decide what to say, but I said, ‘I’m from Toronto. I work in housing maintenance. I could fix that window for you, but as far as living here you’re charging way to much.  Chuck’s paying $890. I know you’ve done some painting upstairs, but I wouldn’t take it for more than $700. It’s only one room.

“Chuck came storming out and said, ‘Look, you fuckin’ nigger. Get out of my place before I put you down right here. ‘ I said, ‘Hold on Chuck, I was negotiating a reduction in your rent.’ I knew that Buddy had a button on his phone that would have brought a dozen of his black brothers here in minutes. He got in his truck drove ten feet then slammed on his brakes. I thought we were in for it then, but he drove off.

“I picked up a butter knife and tightened the screws in the window so it doesn’t sag.  Chuck said, ‘What about the next time it comes loose?’ I handed him the butter knife, saluted and left.”

I’m not much of a conversationalist, so when Joy was at a loss for words, which happens very rarely, I read her poetry.  She said, “I have glasses now, Can you leave those poems with me, I’d like to read them again.”

I went to the park at noon. Pierre had mentioned that he didn’t have anything to read for the weekend. I brought him Ian Fleming’s, “On Her Majesty’s Foreign Service,” a James Bond novel.  He was very grateful.  He said, “I’ll give it back to you once I’m finished.”

“No, you keep it Pierre.”

“I really appreciate that. It’ll be in my bookshelf if you ever want it back. Books are like gold to me. I can’t stand it when people abuse books.

“I’m just coming off a ten day drunk. I was even drinking what these people drink. What is it, Imperial or that Pale Dry. I know why Joy went to hospital. I haven’t had a solid shit since I started drinking that stuff. It’s back to Blue for me;  not even Old Milwaukee. I don’t need that extra half percent of alcohol.

“If you don’t have a solid shit, you’re not healthy. That’s my advice. Now if you don’t mind I’m going to sit down before I fall.”

Matches called me over. He was half sitting half sprawled on the curb. He reached for my hand and pulled me down.

Jack said, “You two are really getting close.”

Matches whispered, “Dennis, can you give me some bus tickets? I’ll need six, two for me to get home and four for Tom and I to come down tomorrow. Tom’s not like me. I’ll say to him, Lets jump on at the back door. He won’t, not if he’s sober. Did you know that Tom is living at my place now. He doesn’t like the way I live. He’s always tidying up. Thanks, Dennis.”

I sat between Pierre and Fifi. I asked her, “I guess you heard about Joy leaving her purse at Bleeding Heart’s place last night?”

“Yeah, she came running up to my apartment, but I didn’t have any cash.  She should get it back today, Unless she dropped it somewhere between Lonely Heart’s and the cab. You know how us women depend on our purses.”

Pierre leaned over and whispered to me, “I’d be surprised if her money’s still there. I don’t know if he’s steal from Joy, but he stole from me when he came over to buy some crack. He can’t be trusted, but that’s just between me and you. Nobody else heard that.”

Matches came over and crouched to sit down on the sidewalk

“Yeah, Matches, you might as well join us. You’re already sitting on my toilet seat cushion (referring to the Montreal Canadiens hockey team logo.”

Pierre’s dog Shaggy started barking. Pierre reached into Shaggy’s buggy and pulled out a tinfoil bag of treats. Matches was fumbling, trying to open the bag. Pierre said, “If he doesn’t get that bag open soon, Shaggy will bite him. She will, she’s like that and it doesn’t matter what race the person is;  black, brown, yellow or white,  she’ll bite them.”

Matches had the bag opened and put one of the doggy treats in his mouth, then leaned toward Shaggy. Pierre said, Those treats are pretty small, I don’t think he should try that.”

Shaggy took the treat without incident. “How old is Shaggy?” asked Matches.

Pierre said, “She’s as old as I’ve know you. You came here twelve years ago; she’s twelve years old.”

Jacques said, “Matches, hand me that bag. I want to see if it has glucosamine in it. I’ve asked my doctor if glucosamine will help my arthritis. He always changes the subject. He won’t give me a straight answer. Yes it has glucosamine, along with pea flour, rice flour, miniblablabla…”

I said, “Ask Matches how they taste. Maybe you’ll like them.”

“Fifi said, “It’s good for cartilage.  I take it all the time.”

It was time for me to go back to work.  As I struggled to my feet. Fifi held out her arm. I leaned on it to get my balance.”

I said, “Us old people need a helping hand every once in a while.”

“You could have leaned harder than that. I’ll need a hand up when it’s time to go.”

This morning was sunny but cold (4 degrees centigrade / 39 degrees Fahrenheit). I usually walk straight to Joy’s spot, but I had run out of bus tickets and Tim Horton coffee cards, so I had to make two stops, stand in two lineups. When I got to Joy’s spot she was sobbing. “Thank God you’re here. I saw you cross the street and I thought I wouldn’t see you. I left my purse at Bleeding Heart’s place last night. I took a cab, and only after I tried to pay the fare did I realize I didn’t have my purse with me.  In it I had my cash, my pot, all my phone numbers. I told the guy, ‘I’m just going to go up to my friend’s place to get some money.’ He grabbed my bag and said, ‘I’ll hold onto this until you get back.’ I went to Fifi’s place. She wasn’t home. Even if she didn’t have any money I could have used her phone to call Andre or Bleeding Heart. I went down to the cab and said to the guy, ‘Fuck man, I got no money. I can’t call my friends. C an I pay you tomorrow? He said, ‘I’ll give you twenty-four hours, then I call the police.

“What is it with you people? You think you can get away without paying. I got bills to pay.’ I said to him, ‘First of all, what’s this YOU people. Do you think I’m a ho? I wouldn’t be wearing nearly these many clothes if I was hooking. Do you think I’m a crack addict? Do I act like a crack addict? Is it because I’m part native?’ This guy was a fuckin’ immigrant! I was born here.

‘”This morning I had to beg the bus driver to let me on. I said to him, ‘I got no tickets, can I give you four (each fare is two tickets) tomorrow. He said, “Okay, I see you going in to the hotel through the back way. Why don’t you go through the front?’ The only reason I go in there is to take a piss, but I said to him, ‘I work as a cleaner there. Only paying guests are allowed to use the front door.’

Most of the regulars on the bus think I work in construction. I overheard this woman say that one of her pipes was leaking. I said to her, ‘It sounds to me like you just need a plastic elbow. It’ll fit inside your pipe and stop the leak.’ This other guy says, ‘If you’re a tradesman, how do you cut marble.’ I said, I’d use a Jig saw and plenty of water to keep the blade cool.’ I just pick this stuff up on programs like How’s this Made.

It’s just like when I was in prostitution.  For a while I worked in a phone sex chat room.  People say I have a sexy phone voice. I’ve heard myself on tape recorder. I just think it sounds nasal, like I have a sore throat. I went by the name Lincoln. But I’d say ‘I’m not that big, but I do purrrr.’ It was crazy working in that place. There were about sixty of us in this room, we each had a cubicle. Most of the time we’d have our feet up munching on something. When we’d get a call we weren’t allowed to initiate the conversation. Just like when we were on the street, the guy would have to tell us what he wanted and we’d give him a price. We’d wait until the guy said something like, ‘What are you wearing?’ I’d say, ‘Im just curled up in my pink baby dolls, waiting for you handsome.’ Otherwise we could have been charged with soliciting.

“Jake phoned me one time, and, I mean I was living with the guy, right, so he knew how I’d be dressed and what I looked like. We chatted for a while and when I got home he said, ‘I had such a hard on all afternoon. I had to leave work it was such a stiffy.’   — or woody, or chipmunk, or whatever you want to call it.

“Anyway, I was sure glad you came along this morning. You cheered me up. When I saw you go by, I just put my head down in my lap and started bawling my eyes out. This old lady stopped, not one of my regulars, and asked, ‘What’s the matter deary? Is there any thing I can do to help?’ She reached into her purse and dropped me one blue bus ticket. I don’t know if they even take them any more. That was before the pink ones, the orange ones. And there was only one. I guess I could have told the driver that it was folded and I couldn’d get it apart. That might have worked. ”

We saw Chester coming. “What does that old fart want? It’s always something, bus tickets, cigarettes.”

Chester said, “Hi Joy, Dennis. I can’t stop I’m going somewhere.”

Joy said, “You’re always going somewhere.”

“Cheer up,” he said we get our checks tomorrow. You’ll be getting yours too. I’ll see you.”

“I was hoping that Andre would be coming down. Last time I saw him was at Fifi’s. He was fooling around with this stupid camera. When Fifi saw that He’s taken her picture she beat the shit out of him –had him in a headlock and was pounding his face. There are a lot of people who don’t like to have their picture spread around.”

I asked, “What’s Fifi worried about?”

“I shouldn’t even be saying this, but when she was with a motorcycle gang in Toronto.  They’ve now joined up with a larger, international gang.  Well, she brought the affiliation papers  to the larger gang. I’d tell you the names, but then I’d have to kill you.”

Next came Toothless Chuck (not to be confused with Chuck who has teeth). Hi Joy,  Dennis!  Haven’t seen you guys for ages. Joy, I got those paints you wanted.”

“Cool, man. I’ve painted some vines on my walls and I wanted to add some color — flowers or something.”

“If you see Tom, tell him I have a box of oil pastels that I want to sell. I’m having a barbecue this afternoon. Do you want to come? Shark and Irene will be there.”

“I don’t know man, Shark and I don’t get along so well.”

“Just talk to Irene then. There will be lots of other people. I’m on my way to Hartmans to pick up some groceries. I’ll pick you up on the way back.”

“Yeah, okay.”

Before I left Joy asked me, “Would you like a pear?  Someone gave it to me.  I don’t eat them.”

“Sure, I’ll probably see you at noon.”

This morning was bright and sunny.  When I approached Joy, she said, “Hi, Sweetie, I listened to Buddy the weather man this morning. He said it was supposed to be warm, so I didn’t wear my long johns. As soon as I got outside I thought, That was a mistake, but it’s too late to go back now. I’m sitting here shivering. I’m glad I’ve got my blanket. I’m also glad I have this box to sit on. When I was down on the sidewalk I could see way too much. Now, at least I’m above ass level.

“Some of these women wear skirts that are way too short for the size of their waist lines. I don’t need that view before breakfast.”

“How was your weekend?” I asked.

“I wasn’t here yesterday, because I was feeling sick. I was at Andre’s on the weekend.  I cooked spare ribs. We got barbeque sauce from this Chinese place where we got the ribs. Every time I’ve used it for marinating, I’ve had the runs for four days.

“I was at home Sunday, all snuggled up in my jammies, ready for bed, when Andre bangs at the door. I said, ‘What are you doing here?’  With a mournful look he pouted, ‘You said I could come over sometime.’ I said, ‘I didn’t mean now!’ He came over the next day with Hippo and brought the rest of the ribs, so I cooked supper again.

“I explained to him, ‘There’s never going to be anything between us. Stop pushing me!’ If he had teeth it might be different, but he’s got this gaping space in front, and the few teeth he has in back are rotten. I can’t even sit close to him because of his foul breath, Matches is the same.

“He said, ‘I’m saving my condom supply for you.’ I said, ‘Don’t bother.’ I believe in safe sex, but I can just imagine what kind of diseases he’s carrying.

“You should see some of the skanks he goes out with. There’s one fat bitch who is huge. I can smell her from fifteen feet away. He said he only gets blow jobs from her, but she sleeps in his bed. I don’t know how he can put up with the stink.

“He came down here this morning at eight o’clock. He asked, ‘What are you doing?’ I said, ‘What the fuck do you think I’m doing! I’m working!’ Even Jake had the sense not to come down for me until nine o’clock.

“Well, that’s my venting for the day.”

I asked, “Have you heard from your workers about taking you to the furniture warehouse?”

“I’m going to phone them this afternoon. I’ll borrow Chester’s phone. One worker was over yesterday. She asked to use the bathroom. It was just an excuse to scope out the place. When she came out she asked, ‘Why do you have two tooth brushes and men’s hair gel in the bathroom?’ I said, ‘Hippo brought  the Axe, ’cause his hair’s getting so long he can’t manage it. The two tooth brushes are mine. I use the blue one in the morning, it’s newer, but I like to use the green one at night, because it has a tongue cleaner on it.’

I said, “You mentioned that Jake was getting out of prison soon.”

“Yeah, May 17. One of his friends was going to sponsor him, but he’s been sick, so I guess he’ll be going to a halfway house. He’s got family here so this is where he’ll be coming. People ask me if I’ll be getting back with him. I tell them, ‘I don’t want to be with anyone, but if he’s changed I might consider it.’ I’d rather just have him as a fuck buddy.

“Here comes Chester. I wonder what he wants.”

I said, “I’ll leave you to it.”

“That’s it, leave me alone with him.”

21 April 2013

Today is Sunday, which means that I won’t be seeing my friends until tomorrow. Following  are some word portraits, so you can get to know them:

Joy and Me

Love is amazing —
when we give it freely
it doesn’t diminish,
it enriches our souls.

Joy, is a panhandler
(incapable of anything else),
she is also my friend.
Each morning
(on my way to work)
I eagerly anticipate
her greeting and warm smile.

I sit with her
on the sidewalk,
as witness
to her blackened eyes.
I listen to her stories
of beatings and abuse,
give comfort
when she cries.
“Tears are a sign of weakness”
her father used to say.

I bring her tea
(cream and three sugars),
a bagel with cream cheese,
on mornings when frost
is on the ground,
and on the hearts,
of most passers by.

She gives to me
her hand to hold,
an attentive ear
to my daily problems,
and a hug
(when a hug is needed).

With her love,
Joy has enriched my soul
and filled my heart with tenderness.
She has given me so much
that I didn’t know existed —
I am deeply in her debt.

My friend, Antonio,
greets me
with a salute and a bow
(it’s his way).
I am very glad to see him
and very honored.

I don’t see him very often,
he has his own schedule,
not necessarily
corresponding with mine.
He is a free spirit.

Through dark glasses
he sees the world
(so not to offend).
He is very conscious
that his appearance
may cause concern.
He wears a beard,
his clothes are ragged,
all his belongings
follow him
in a shopping cart.

He feels uncomfortable
in enclosed spaces,
so he sleeps outdoors,
summer and winter,
on a park bench
(with his friends
the squirrels),
when temperatures
are well below freezing.

He is not immune
from assault,
(having his teeth kicked out),
not because of what he does,
but what he is,
how he appears.

I usually see him
in front of the library,
one of his favorite places.
He likes to look at books
and see pictures
of kings and other people
he has studied
in school.

he joins me for coffee.
He tells me
the most wondrous stories.
I think he makes them up
for my benefit.
In any case
I am honored.

Through Shaded Eyes

A breathless beauty,
enchanting and fanciful,
where castles of ice abound —
if we didn’t know just where to look
they never would be found.

A wonderland of mystery
in a public park downtown.
The squirrels know what life’s about —
in Antonio’s sleeping bag
they tunnel in and out.

They scamper
over drifts of snow,
no boots upon their feet.
When he awakes, he’ll feed them
the little he has to eat.

Through shaded eyes
he views, the world passing by.
With gentleness and thoughts of kings
he tells me of his precious dreams.
A shopping cart, holds all his worldly things.

So, I’m panning
in my usual spot.
This suit walks by —
in passing he says,
“Get a job!”
“Hire me!” I say.
“Take a shower,” he says.
“I may sleep outside,
that doesn’t mean
I don’t wash —
I wash all over.”

“Hey,” I say,
“if you’re so successful,
why do you look
so unhappy?

“I’ve made the price
of my bottle.
I’ve got some smokes,
a little pot.

“Me, I’m the happiest guy alive.”

it’s nice
waking up
in the morning.

If I don’t,
I know

I don’t know
where I am,
or how I got here,
but, I’m here.

I got some wine,
some cigarettes
and some ‘mary jane’ —
I start walking,

ain’t looking
for trouble, but
it finds me.

how am I?
I’ll be doing fine
soon as I get
this drunk on.

I look into your eyes,
grey with tears and sorrow
from the Arctic Ocean.

I feel your hurt deep inside,
hear your thunder,
see your rain.

With your fist at your chest
you open your heart,
tell me of hardship,
betrayal and pain.

I listen
with my heart
as one who has been there.

With my arm around your shoulder,
as a brother,
I urge you, to act with patience
and with love —
to be Love.

A Lost Brave

a lost brave
leans against a building
(tho he is unwelcome)
beside a busy walk.
everything he owns
fills a pack
upon his back

he is far
from his fishing boat,
an ocean teeming with fish,
from the majestic forest,
from his children,
his clan

his eyes reveal
a story of hurt and pain –
the uncertainty of the city.
a sidewalk for a bed,
charity of strangers
his only grace

a challenge
every day –
a new beginning.
beyond the fire
that tames his demons
the only plan that matters
is to survive

far from home
he can scarce remember.
a lost brave, fighting back tears,
pride in the knowledge
of his ancestry,
his place –
his blood

When I squatted down to talk to Joy she said, “Nick and Lucy have been creeping about this morning. They’re both drug sick. Nick went somewhere to get some sleep. Lucy said she’d stop to talk with me, but she had to get fixed. You wont believe believe it but she asked me, ‘Do you have a rig with you?’ I said ‘I’m not a user, and even if I was I wouldn’t keep that stuff on me.’ It would be just my luck to have a cop check my bag and get pricked with a needle. That would be an attempted murder charge against me. Jack has AIDS and he spit at a cop last summer. They told him that, if it had landed on them, he could have been charged with attempted murder.

“Anyway, Lucy slunk off to Tim Horton’s to use their bathroom. They won’t let her into Lorenzo’s. She’ll be smashing in there. It’s been a while since she left. Maybe she’s nodded off. I guess I’ll find out when I go there later.

“She was looking really rough, wearing baggy winter pants. It looked like she hadn’t bathed for a while.

“I’ve got a sore neck from that office chair I got. It has a high back and the only way I can rest my head is to stretch out. I have to hunch my back to watch my DVDs. Animal brought me a bunch. The ones I enjoy the most I’ve been watching over and over, there’s The Godfather, Serpico, Bladerunner. I have the dialog memorized from that one. Pirates of the Caribbean. He also brought me Charlie’s Angels. I can’t see myself watching that.

I said, “I like movies with Johnny Depp.”

“They’re wierd, man.”

“Do you mean wierd as in Edward Scissorhands?”

“Yeah that and Willie Wonka, and there’s the one where he plays the Mad Hatter and Finding Neverland. I heard that in real life he wears women’s underwear under his clothes.”

I said, “He played in the movie Ed Wood. His character was a producer of b movie, who is also a cross dresser.”

“That wouldn’t be much of a stretch for him. I can’t imagine any guy wanting to wear women’s underwear. Even I don’t like to wear women’s underwear. I wear men’s boxers, because they’re more comfortable.

“When I was with Jake he wanted me wearing these panties cut way up on the sides. He thought they looked sexy. He even had me wearing a thong. Can you imagine walking around with a string up your ass? if you sat or squatted wrong, they’d cut you.”

I asked, “Have you been taking your medication?”

“I’ve been taking it, but not the way I’m supposed to. I’m trying to make the pills last until I get my health card. It pisses me off that my worker hasn’t got me one after five months. Everybody else has theirs.”

A well dressed lady stopped to talk to Joy and dropped a five. She asked, “How have you been, I haven’t seen you around for a while?”

“I was in hospital from December to the end of January. It was because of the fibromyalgia I’ve got in my legs. I was in a wheel chair for a while then a walker then a cane. I couldn’t get out much.”

“How are you feeling now?”

“I gimp around a bit. I won’t be running anytime soon. If I get chased by a ferocious dog, I’ll just lay down and get eaten. I won’t have any choice.”

“All the best to you,” said the lady as she walked away.

I said, “She seems nice.”

“Yeah, she doesn’t usually drop me money. She’s a big shot with the government. When she’s alone, and only when she’s alone, she’ll stop to talk with me. When she’s with people from work, she doesn’t even look at me. I guess she’s embarrassed.”

I met the rest of the group at eleven o’clock, at ‘the point’. They were all there: Joy, Douglas, Little Chester, Tommy, Jacques, Matches and Jack.

I asked Joy, “Did Nick and Lucy come back after I left?”

“No, and I checked the washroom. I just can’t understand people smashing that stuff in their arms. It just makes you nod off.”

Two women, Sophia and Becky approached. Sophia said, “We just graduated on Tuesday, so we’re free now.”

“Congratulations!” said Joy. “Hey, you’ve put on some weight. The other day I saw you from across the street. I was going to say, ‘Sophia, your ass is bigger.’ I decided not to.”

After they left I asked, “What did they graduate from?”

“I don’t know, probably rehab. I think that was part of Sophia’s parole, that she’d have to attend rehab. They’re confined to a house. They have to do chores. They’re monitored all the time.”

“When I was released from Toronto I was sent to the Phoenix Program in Hamilton. It was all paid for. I was using crack then.

“They gave us these little, blue 12 Step books from A.A. I said to the woman, ‘I’m not here for alcoholism I’m here for drug addiction.’ She said, Just replace the word alcohol with the word drug. It’s the same program.

“I got kicked out of there. You couldn’t buy crack in Hamilton so my friend and I went out and got drunk.” They made a mistake in refunding to me the unused portion of the money paid for the program. I got really wasted after that.

“My mom wouldn’t speak to me while I was taking drugs. I quit, but I’d lost weight, so she thought I was still using. She wouldn’t let me see my kids. I had lots of money then. She liked that.”

“Earlier, I tried taking a pee behind that brick wall. Douglass yelled over at me, ‘Joy, I can see your bum.’ I tried to turn around a bit, but the shrubs don’t give much cover. I couldn’t pee after that. I’m going to go back there and try again.”

Joy waked across the street and I talked to Douglass, who I hadn’t seen since he’d invited me over for Christmas dinner. “How are things going in your new place, Douglass?”

“Great, sometimes I don’t even want to leave. I pan in my usual spot from six to around nine. I make about twenty bucks, enough to buy my smokes and a few groceries. I go grocery shopping twice a week. My freezer is full. I’m eating well. I only drink once a week — today.

“My place is small, just a bachelor with a big double bed. My girlfriend had been staying with me, but she had to go to hospital for gall stones. They did, what they call, non-invasive surgery. They put a tube through her nose and vacuumed the stones out that way.

“It was awful when I went in to see her. She had the tube in her nose, the oxygen tube, she had to have a blood transfusion. There were machines with wires hooked to her arms. Her blood pressure was going up and down. I thought I was going to lose her.

“Then she developed pancreatitis. I’m sure she picked that up in the hospital, because it was antibiotic resistant. She’d never taken antibiotics before so she wasn’t immune. It wasn’t an alergy. Anyway, they had to use two of the strongest antibiotics they had. She’s fine now.

“Now, she’s gone to stay with her folks for a while. I hope she doesn’t start drinking again. When she was here, I could keep an eye on her.”

It was time for me to go back to work, so I said my good byes.

This morning was interesting, as in the Chinese curse, “May you live in interesting times.” Joy was on her box as usual, standing behind her was a powerful looking man and a small woman. I recognized them, but hadn’t seen them for about a year.

Joy said, “Dennis, you remember Nick and Lucy in the Sky”.

“Yes,” I said, “I haven’t seen you two for a long time.”

Joy whispered to me, “This is scary.”

Nick pulled out a bottle of sherry, took a swig and passed it to Joy. She hesitated, but Nick insisted.

Joy said to Nick, “I really appreciate you guys coming by, but I don’t want any of my regulars seeing me drinking. I’ve been out here since six o’clock and I’ve only made about two dollars. Have a look in my cap”

Nick said, “No problem, Joy, I’ll help you.”

A man walked past and Nick said, “Hey, don’t forget about the hat!”

Lucy laughed and said, “That’s what he does when we’re panning.”

Joy whispered to me, “Do you know what time it is?”

“No,” I said, “I don’t have my watch.”

“You hid it when you saw Nick and Lucy. Am I right?”

“No, I just forgot it at home

Joy said to Nick, “Have you been in any fights lately?”

“No, not for about a year.”

“Of course, you had your leg in a cast for most of that time.”

“No, it wasn’t that. I didn’t have the need to fight anybody.”

Joy asked, “How about you, Lucy.”

“No, I haven’t been fighting. I robbed a guy yesterday. It was his stupidness. He didn’t see Nick standing in the background. He asked if he could have anal sex with me. I said, ‘Sure, let’s go into the alley.’ Nick followed us in there. He said to the guy, ‘Give this woman all your cash, then fuck off.’ The guy ran. What was he going to do? Call the cops?

Joy said, “Something similar happened to me last week. A guy propositioned me. I said to him, ‘It’ll cost you eighty bucks and cab fare to my place. Cash up front, now.’ We hailed a cab, when we got to my building the guy was busy paying the driver, I hopped out the door — I can be pretty nimble when I have to. I ran across the parking lot, into my apartment and locked the door. The guy didn’t know where I went. Served him right.”

Nick and Lucy moved on toward the library. Joy said, ‘They told me they were feeling drug sick. Nick said he has a check coming, so they didn’t hassle me. When Jake was around, I got in a fight with Lucy. Nick punched me in the side of the head. Jake picked him up by the front of his coat and threw him right on his ass. He said ‘This is girl stuff. Let them fight it out themselves. If It’s man stuff you want, you can take me on.’ Nick just sat there in the middle of the street.”

Joy whispered to me, “Do you know what time it is?”

“No,” I said, “I don’t have my watch.”

“You hid it when you saw Nick and Lucy. Am I right?”

“No, I just forgot it at home.

“I’ll let you get back to work. Will you be at ‘the point’ later?”

“Yeah, the whole gang should be there.”

10:00 am, at ‘the point’ (the traffic island)

I sat between Joy and Chester. Chester said, The busses are free for seniors today, but do you have any spare bus tickets for tomorrow?”

“Sure, Chester. How are your legs feeling?”

“They’re okay. They hurt a bit. I’ve been sober for the last three days. I can do that. It gives my body a chance to recover.”

Joy asked Chester, “Can I borrow your phone? I want to call Scarface to see if he can bring me some weed and some cigarettes.”

On the phone Joy said, “Hi Sweetie, where are you? In bed? I’m sorry did I wake you. I was going to ask, Were you whacking off? But, you beat me to the punch. So, are you coming down? Okay, we’ll see you then.”

To me she said, “Poor guy, he walks all the time and he wonders why he gets tired.”

I asked, “How did the meeting with your worker go? Do you have furniture yet?”

“It was a joke. They took me to the Salvation Army Thrift store and gave me a voucher for sixty dollars. I was supposed to get a hundred. Anyway, I bought a comfy office chair and a foot stool that opens up at the top for storage. I also got two black fluffy mats. One I’m going to put under my air mattress. The other I’ll put in the hall. What I really wanted was a love seat they had, but the price was a hundred dollars, so I’ll have to make do with what I got. They will be scheduling a visit to the giant warehouse, that’ll be in about two weeks or so. I guess they’ll bump me to the top of the list. I’m not quite sure how that works.

“When this furniture deal gets settled I’m going to have a showdown with my worker. I want to find out why she treats me the way she does. I know she’s a dyke and I’ve got no problem with that. What people do in their private lives is up to them. What they do when they’re working for me is what I’m concerned about. I’m not the only one having trouble with her.

“By the way, when I went back to the library again, to use the washroom, I saw Nick and Lucy again. They were sitting on one of the top benches. Nick said, ‘We’re up here looking down on everyone.’ When I came back they were both asleep.”

I asked Chester if he knew the time. He pulled out his phone and said, “Can you read the numbers? They’re pretty small.” He shaded the phone inside his jacket. “It’s 10:45.”

“I should be going,” I said. To Joy I asked, “Will I see you tomorrow?”

“Maybe, It depends on how much it’s raining.”

I walked across the street to talk to Uncle Peter and Shaggy. “Hi Peter. I’ve got a book put aside for you. Do you like Ian Flemming?”

“The guy that wrote the James Bond books? Yeah, I like him.”

“I’ll try to bring it tomorrow. I’ll see you then.”

16 April 2013

It was raining this morning, so I wasn’t expecting to see Joy, but there she was in her usual place. I said, “I’m surprised to see you here. I thought you’d stay at home because of the rain.”

“I was up early and didn’t have anything else to do, so I came here. It rained three times and it stopped three times. Who knows what the rest of the day will be like.

“Boy, I’m really glad you came, I’m near to busting with having to go to the bathroom. Can you watch my stuff?”

“Sure, you go ahead.”

When Joy returned I asked, “So, did you talk to your workers? Is there any news about getting you furniture?”

“Yeah, that’s set up for 1:00. The only thing I haven’t done is the dishes. I’ll do them before they arrive.

“I saw the guys yesterday. Jack threw Matches out of his apartment. Matches has lived outside all his life, he doesn’t know how to act inside. Jack doesn’t have furniture, just an air conditioner, still in its box, but, just the same, he likes his place kept tidy. Matches was flicking his cigarette ashes everywhere, grinding his butts out on the hardwood floor. It’s not his fault. It’s just the way he’s lived all these years.

“Chester came with Frances, but as soon as she saw that Jacques had money she went with him. Chester wasn’t too happy about that. Before they left Jacques said, ‘Maybe, me, I get to play with a little pussy this afternoon.’ I’m just glad that I’m single and cellibate, no cooties for me. Some of the women these guys go out with — they’re not pretty — most you’d have to double bag, and I mean Hefty bags.

“Can you mail a letter for me? It’s to my youngest son, he lives with his older brother in Toronto. I’m trying to get some communication going between us. The others I haven’t heard from in a while. One’s up in the Northwest Territories, working in a gold mine. He was raised by my sister and sent her a huge nugget. She had it appraised at twenty thousand dollars. I said, ‘Hold on to that, he’s going to need that for college.’

“I saw Andre yesterday, while he was still sober I said to him, ‘You know there is never going to be anything between us. You’re like a brother to me. Do you understand that?’ He said, ‘Yeah, I guess so.'”

“So, do you think he got the message this time.”

“I hope so.”

At noon it was still misty, as I passed a bus shelter I saw Tom and Matches. “Hey, it’s been a long time, man!” said Tom.

“Yes it has. Matches do you have your hydro turned on yet?”

“Yes I do. That Friday that it went off, I phoned my worker and said, ‘I want my fuckin’ hydro turned on. It’s a long weekend coming up. How would you like your fuckin’ hydro off for that long. I’m going to be out this afternoon, but when I get home for supper the fuckin’ hydro had better be on.’

“You told her, Matches!”

“Yeah, I sure did, ha ha ha.”

“So, Tom, have you been panning near the mall?”

“No,” Tom said, “Did you hear what happened to me there a couple of years ago? I wanted a Happy Meal from McDonalds, but I was a bit drunk and I knew they wouldn’t serve me. I didn’t have any money, but I had just been to the pharmacy and had my prescription for Percocet renewed. I asked a guy going into McDonalds if he used Percocet. He said, ‘Yeah!’ I asked, ‘For three percs would you buy me a Happy Meal?’ He said, ‘Sure!’ What he did was go straight to this big security guard and told him I stole some Percs from him.

“The security guard came out and tried to put his hands in my pockets. I wouldn’t let him and pushed him away. Another security guard came along and grabbed my arm. The other one kicked my leg from behind and broke it. It was sticking way out to the side. They put me in cuffs and phoned the police. I managed to squirm my way, with the broken leg, to a pay phone. With the hand cuffs behind my back I was still able to pull myself up, knock the receiver off the hook and dial 911. I said to the operator, “This is Thomas Pelletier, I’ve been beaten by security guards and they broke my leg. I need an ambulance. The operator said they had already received a call and an ambulance was on its way.

“By that time the police had arrived. They wouldn’t listen to anything I said. One put his knee on my head, breaking my glasses. The other one took the pills out of my pocket and handed them to someone.

I said, “I have a prescription for those pills, just ask at the pharmacy. They didn’t even check. The cop said to me, ‘You’re nothing but a homeless, drunken Indian. If you don’t shut up we’re going to take you out of town and bury you.’

“I yelled to people in front of the mall, “My name is Thomas Pelletier. The police have just told me they are going to kill me, take me out of town and bury me.

“The ambulance came and took me to the hospital. They set my leg, put it in a cast and a brace. I was supposed to go for physio therapy, but I’m an alcoholic. There’s no way I could sit in a room for three hours without a drink. Besides, it was on the other side of the city. I didn’t even have money for bus tickets. I hadn’t been panning, so I had no money coming in.

“I wore that leg brace for a year and a half. In the end it did help me. People are more likely to give money to a guy in a brace than one without.

“Ever since then I’ve been afraid for my life. I’m supposed to be part of a native group protesting the wind turbines scheduled to be installed on Thunder Mountain. They want to put them on sacred land. If the police see me, I’m afraid that one of them will push me in front of a car.

“I was talking to the Anishinaabe Clan Mothers at Maniwaki and in Cornwall. I explained to them that this protest could end up like the one at Oka. The young people wouldn’t remember, but I was there. Some of them wouldn’t feel comfortable carrying guns, but there would be guns behind them, protecting them.

“It was our Chief that signed over the land to the wind turbine company. I said to him, ‘It won’t be you standing in the front lines blocking the equipment. It’ll be me.’ I’ve served over fifteen years in correctional institutions and mental institutions. I don’t mind going to jail. In fact I would be proud to give my life to protect our sacred ground. It’s all we have.”

“I have to go now, Tom. If there’s anything I can do to help, let me know.”

Matches asked, “Dennis could you spare some bus tickets and a Tim Horton’s card?”

“Sure Matches.”

“Thanks Dennis, we’ll see you soon.”


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Be Green at Work

Posted on 2019-12-13 04:30:00

It doesn’t take too much effort…

If you’re the type to reduce, reuse and recycle at home, why not do the same in the office? A greener workplace can mean a lighter carbon footprint as well as a healthier place to work. In fact, research has shown that employees who work for a green office are generally more productive and happier.

Plus, it doesn’t take up too much effort or time. You can even start a go-green initiative at work, which your boss will notice, especially your attention to detail, team-work effort and leadership potential. Earth wins, you win.

Here are some ideas for a green workplace.

#1 Reduce paper waste
The amount of paper that gets used and thrown out in an office! While it may be impossible to go entirely paperless, you can still work towards using as little as possible at work. Ask yourself twice if you really need to print something, for example the emails you get. Reuse paper whenever possible for note taking.

#2 Carpool to work or take public transportation
If your office is accessible via public transportation, try doing that. Maybe two days out of the week or whenever you don’t need your car for work. That will help you reduce your contribution to pollution as well as save some money and time. Got a colleague or two who live nearby? Think of carpooling! Again, it doesn’t have to be every day but once or twice a week will still make a difference. And if you are going to the same meeting with your colleagues, share the ride!

#3 Shut it down
Did you know that even if you’re not using your computer, it still uses energy? In fact, 75 percent of electricity consumed is when your electronics like your laptop is on standby mode. So at the end of the day, make sure you completely shut down your computer to reduce its C02 emission.

#4 Bring a container for lunch
You can use it to tapau your lunch if you need to eat in. Get yourself a flask too for your morning coffees and your own set of cutleries to avoid using the plastic stuff.

#5 Switch it off
Finished your discussion in the meeting room? Make sure you switch off the lights. Last to go home? Don’t leave the office lights on till the next morning. It may sound like things that don’t need reminding but you’d be surprised at how many lights are left turned on in offices! Like your computer, turning off unused lights will help reduce energy consumption. You can also get your office admin to print out reminders and paste them on the walls.

#6 Set up your own “recycling area”
Take three boxes and use it to collect paper, aluminium and other recyclable material from the office. Then at the end of the week, you can bring it to a recycling centre for processing. Even if you don’t do this, sorting out your rubbish will help make life easier for the collectors.

#7 Set up a sustainable team
Want to take your go-green efforts further? Talk to your boss about setting up a go-green committee that comes up with green ideas and activities, and offer to lead it. You can then organise workshops or casual talks with relevant authorities to educate your colleagues on the importance of sustainability. Or organise inter-department go-green competitions to get everyone involved.

Interesting article? Share it with your friends!

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The Ledger Report-1058-This is a Battle for the Heart & Soul of this Constitutional Republic

Where are the good, Kennedy Democrats and why are they so silent about these attacks on our civil society?

These are not “race wars” happening in the inner cities. They are the ugly, radical side of the modern Democrat Party. The “good people” who support Biden for president must stand up for our civil society, as their candidate continues to prove that he’s a walking, talking blooper reel.

The Ledger Report can be accessed and downloaded at your convenience at the following locations: Apple Podcast Connect, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Podchaser and other platforms.

Thank you for sending me your email. If you no longer wish to receive these newsletters with THE LEDGER REPORT PODCAST, then simply unsubscribe. Again, your email was sent to me by you. Please do not put this newsletter into spam; if you no longer wish to be on the subscription list, then simply unsubscribe. Thank you.


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Tag Archives: Is Your Emotional Status Compromising Your Job Search?

Is Your Emotional Status Compromising Your Job Search?

iStock_000016004829XSmall (2)

At Grammar Chic, Inc., we’ve helped countless jobseekers refine their resumes and cover letters, utilizing the precise wording and specific formatting needed to win the attention of recruiters. Obviously, we’re nothing if not passionate about the importance of a good resume. With that said, we have no trouble admitting that your career prospects are about more than just words on a page. They’re about more than your skills, achievements, and past opportunities.

In a very real way, your career advancement can be aided—or compromised—by your emotional state. If your mind or your heart aren’t in the right place, it’s going to be evident to hiring managers and HR bosses. They’ll sense that, even though you may look like a perfect fit on paper, there’s something holding you back from total investment in the process—and because total investment is what they’re after, they’ll simply move on to the next qualified applicant.

So what are some of the ways in which your emotions might be hindering your career progress? Consider the following four scenarios:

  • You’ve become discouraged by the process. Let’s be honest: Searching for a new job can be grueling. It’s easy to become wearied by it, and to feel discouraged by the process. Unfortunately, your feelings of discouragement can come through in your job interview; hiring managers need candidates who don’t just have the right skill sets, but also have positive attitudes and boundless energy. That’s what makes it vital to do something to prevent total discouragement—to enlist the help of your friends and family members to support you and keep your spirits as high as possible.
  • You’re trapped in a terrible job and just want to escape. To be sure, there’s nothing wrong with doing everything you can to get out of a bad work situation. However, if your only interest is in escaping your current job—if you’re not actively, positively interested in this potential new employer—recruiters will know it. It will be obvious that you don’t care about the company per se, but rather just need a way out of your current gig. If you are looking to escape a bad job, make sure you take time to research new employers and to cultivate some passion for what they do.
  • You don’t actually wish to leave your current job. Some jobseekers look for new work just as leverage to negotiate a better salary at their current gig. Again, there’s nothing necessarily wrong with that, but a lack of active interest in your potential new gig will come through in the job interview. Learn about the company, and at the very least try to fake a sincere interest in it.
  • You’re unsure about your career. Do you feel like you may wish to change careers within the next year or two? Then looking for work along your current career track may prove tricky. Make sure you have a clear sense of what you want to do and what you want to be; indecision will be perceptible to recruiters!

We’re not suggesting, by the way, that you can simply flip a switch and change your emotional state—and if you’re dealing with any of these issues, working through them can be tough. However, just being aware of your emotions, and trying to get a better handle on your feelings and motives, can be a big help to you in your job search.

To learn more about job search dos and don’ts, we invite you to contact us today. Call 803-831-7444, or visit http://www.grammarchic.net.

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Higgs Boson…comic edition

It has nothing to do with statistics, but the Higgs Boson story has been the most exciting news I’ve heard in a while.  Physics was always my favorite of the sciences, and it’s nice to see hard science reporting make major headlines.

Thanks to my science/math geek cred, I’ve gotten asked by a few people to break down what the big deal is, so I’ve been looking for a good, simple, comprehensive resource to point people to.  PhD comics apparently was all over this back in April, and I’m posting it here because I like it.  Yay for science!

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Home » Humor » The Hazards of Trial Travels

The Hazards of Trial Travels

I've been flying between Seattle (Washington) and Denver (Colorado) once or twice a month since late October to participate in a Phase I lung cancer clinical trial. Flying frequently exposes lung cancer trial patients to all sorts of hazards. The most obvious, I suppose, are the airborne respiratory viruses which spread so easily in cramped TSA security lines and airline cabins. Another is the long walk from security to the gate, which can tax those of us with compromised lung function. And travel for a cancer trial is inherently stressful, with embedded concerns about time away from family and home, negotiating an unfamiliar city, and the possibility of side effects occurring when you're hundreds or thousands of miles away from your oncologist.

But these hazards pale in the face of the unknowable threat that looms over the entire flight and infuses dread in the hearts of all airline patrons, no matter how healthy.

I'm talking about seat partners.

Please don't misunderstand me. I've sat next to pleasant SPs during trial travel: college students going home for winter break who slept through everything, business people occupied with a project, even some articulate folks knowledgeable in a subject of interest to both of us (I'm actually sorry to part company with them). And once, my SP was a Harvey-style pooka with laryngitis, who I especially appreciated after a sleep-deprived week.

Other flights are more ... interesting.

There was the 9-year-old boy traveling alone, a creative and verbal lad, who explored scenarios that might cause a plane to crash.

SP: "What if two guys had a sword fight in the aisle and broke a window?"
Me: "That's why we can't carry pointy objects onto airplanes."
SP: "What if the pilot forgets where the airport is?"
Me: "The airplane has a GPS system that tells her where the airport is."
SP: "What if the GPS fails?"
Me: "She has a big book with maps of all the airports as backup."
SP: "What if she forgets how to read?"
Me: "So what do you want to drink?"

I received a free glass of wine from the cabin crew on that flight.

On another trip, a science geek occupied the middle seat next to my aisle seat. I would have loved to chat with him, but our window SP babbled nonstop about her hobbies, grandchildren, and assorted afflicted body parts. I empathized with him, silently.

The most memorable SP to date was a twenty-something conspiracy theorist who shared his wisdom while crossing three Western states (Western states are very wide). I learned so much from this young man. Big corporations are suppressing cheap clean energy (engines can run on water). Congress wants the US economy to fail. Our government is hiding the cure for cancer – never mind that cancer is not just one disease, the cure exists. Also, perpetual motion machines work. Being an engineer by training, I couldn’t resist the urge to correct that last misconception. I set about explaining entropy and physics. I managed to emit all of three sentences before I was corrected. I was surprised to learn we don’t really understand physics yet. But we will Someday, when we know The Truth. And there is only one Truth.

As I was told more than once on that flight, all we need is The Truth.

I'd settle for a good set of noise-cancelling headphones.

3 thoughts on “The Hazards of Trial Travels

  1. Just what I wanted to hear since I’m leaving for Dallas on Friday! Of course, with all the news about cancelled flights due to air traffic controller furloughs, I guess I should be thankful just to get there.
    You could write a book (or at least a short story) about all you’ve “learned” from seatmates. When’s your next flight to Denver?

  2. I appreciate what you are saying about the long, long walks to departure or exit gates. I had a lobectomy so supposedly no more cancer but have emphysema. Some days it goes well and some days, not so much. I have managed four trips to South Africa though and I live on Vancouver Island. Where there is a will, we find a way.

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Home Tags Lebron James

Tag: Lebron James

LeBron James Praises Greece Through Instagram

NBA superstar LeBron James is currently in Athens touring ancient archaeological grounds and captioned the featured photo on Instagram with: "Site seeing in Athens, Greece....

LeBron James Takes ALS Ice Bucket; Challenges Obama from Santorini

NBA superstar LeBron James just got dunked in the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge during his stay on the island of  Santorini in Greece. The Amyotrophic Lateral...

LeBron James on Vacation in Mykonos

LeBron James is visiting the island of Mykonos in Greece with his wife Savannah, ahead of the birth of their baby girl. In an Instagram...


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Talking community energy at NSDC’s Parish Councils Conference 2019

Today we presented our thoughts on the potential of community projects to contribute to the sustainable development of communities across the Newark and Sherwood District.

We talked about the range of projects that have been developed by communities in the District and elsewhere, covering food, waste, transport and energy – and how they were funded. Over the past decade communities have tended to develop energy projects that raise revenue, but there are also Lottery grants and other funds available for other intiatives.

For the right projects, over the right time-frame, a business case can still stack up for community energy in pure financial terms. But the lesson learned from others is that communities should pursue the opportunities that local resources and skills can deliver. Funding options change over time, and it is those projects that have had time in development – often without certainty over funding – are those that are ready to take opportunities as they arise.

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Greenville, SC

Chapter of the American Guild of Organists
Welcome from the Dean

The Greenville Chapter of the American Guild of Organists is alive and well! Our Executive Committee has a vibrant vision for our chapter and our community. This enthusiasm reflects a desire to bring together musicians and lovers of music so that we might learn, grow, and advance the worthy causes of organ and choral music—whether our vocation or avocation.

2020 has been a year of challenge and change for individuals and churches, for businesses and communities, for education and amusement. Our team has planned a strong slate of programs for the year including the return of our popular "Pedals, Pipes, and Pizza;" a masterclass by Dr. Jack Mitchener entitled, "The World of Bach through his Chorale Preludes;" an organ crawl at Bob Jones University; and a Members’ Recital at Christ Church. A complete list of programs is found on our website. With the uncertainties of our day, programs may change as quickly as the weather on a muggy summer day in South Carolina! The latest program information will be posted on our website and on our Facebook page.

We have a variety of membership options available (Regular, Special, or Young Organist) for active organists and includes the monthly publication The American Organist. We also welcome institutions, clergy, choir members or those interested in the organ as a Chapter Friend for only $10 per year. This category gives you access to emails concerning upcoming concerts, workshops, and masterclasses; and you will be notified of current positions available. Memberships are processed through our the national headquarters. Click HERE for information on becoming a member of the AGO.

Thank you for visiting our website. Please join us at our meetings and enjoy this journey in 2020-2021!

Ed Dunbar, Dean
Greenville Chapter


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The Dark Road Diary: Part 14

Nelson, BC: wherein we bury a part of the Night and make our way to the US for the last time this year.

Calling In The Saints and RIP Hoskins’ speechifying.

If I have my wits about me (and mostly I don’t) I give my camera to Charlie to snap a couple photographs for me from his vantage point during the proceedings and I did this last night in Nelson,BC. Back in the hotel room after the show, I was thumbing through some of these pics and stopped short at this one.

We start every Night with what we privately call “The Invocation”. It is exactly what the word implies, but its proper title is “Calling In The Saints”. This shot is from the beginning of the Night: Lisa, Emily, Ana Elia, and Colleen singing a very old song, the rest of us in the room listening to this overture to the invocation, to calling in the saints.

Every night we get to play is another chance for me to get some things right. After the refreshing dip back into the songs and sounds in Langley on the other side of a couple weeks off, last night found me floundering when it came time to play the trumpet and take a turn at the mic to talk about a new song. This “speechifying “ has been challenging, and the band has been patient (the band has also been patient with my trumpet “playing”, but I’m not ready to give that up quite yet). But it’s clear I’m not built for talking, not in the way that is being asked of me. The guitar and singing lets me leave a part of me behind, but the talking drags me back into my muddled brain. So, no more.

You will thank me later.


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Select Page

Bank Street

POSTCODE———————————–KA12 0AA

LOCATED————————————-The town of Irvine lies roughly twelve miles north of Ayr. The entrance to the stadium was on Bank Street, and was located about half a mile north of Irvine town centre

ORIGINAL SITE——————————Grazing land.

DATE VENUE OPENED——————–August 1933.
Meaning other sports may have taken place prior to the arrival of Greyhound Racing.

FIRST MEETING—————————–August 21st 1933.
Greyhound Racing only.

All venues covered would have to be licensed with the government, licensed suggested in this section would refer to tracks operating under NGRC Rules.

INSIDE OR OUTSIDE HARE TYPE——-Inside Sumner during its latter years.
Please note that the Electric Hare suggested is only a guidance, and would have been in operation for a certain amount of time at this venue. Although it is not necessarily guaranteed that it was operational all the time, as other types of lure may have been used and updated as time progressed.

DISTANCES————————————325, 525 and 725 yards.
Please note that most racing venues distances had become varied throughout the years, the ones given above were at once point set and offers only a guidence to the track size.

CIRCUMFERENCE—————————400 yards.
Please note that alterations at most racing venues throughout its existence would see that the circumference of the track would vary, the one shown above offers only a guidance to the track size.

BIG RACE NAMES—————————Marymass Handicap.

STADIUM SHARED WITH——————Nothing found.

LAST MEETING——————————-April 18th 1996.
Greyhound Racing only.

Meaning other sports may have taken place after Greyhound Racing had ceased.

STADIUM DEMOLITION——————–Late 1990’s

BUILT ON SITE——————————–Nothing known of as yet.
In some cases, structure’s that originally covered the venue after the stadium had been demolished, may have been themselves demolished too, so the one described is more likely to be the one which now presently covers the site.

EVIDENCE LEFT TODAY——————–The tarmaced access road is still there, with trees and shrubbery still outlining the stadiums location and clearly visible on Google Earth.

A copy of a racecard dated September 2nd 1933.
Two views of a racecard dated February 1941.
All racecards courtesy of Mr G Yates.
This Greyhound Owner caption is dated December 1955.
A 1964 OS Map. Courtesy of Old Maps.
This caption printed in a May 1997 edition of The Greyhound Star confirms the tracks closure during April 1997.
The outline of the track is clearly evident on this 2000 aerial view. Courtesy of Google Earth.

Irvine is a town located on the North Ayrshire coastline roughly twelve miles north of Ayr. Irvine became another town that could boast it supported two greyhound tracks at one time, both opening within nine months of each other during the early 1930’s. The first one was known as Townhead, a track situated less than half a mile south west of the town centre, with the other one described in this chapter as the Caledonian Stadium, a venue situated roughly half a mile east of the town. The track had been constructed on a section of grassland situated between Quarry Road and Bank Street, and had two covered stands, both on its south eastern side, which overlooked the start and finish straight, which in itself had a slight gradient. The track had long straights and tight bends and had a circumference of 400 yards, which created distances of 125, 325, 525 and 725 yards. Opening up as a flapping track, its first meeting came on the 21st of August 1933, with races consisting of six greyhounds chasing a trackless type hare. The track promoters later installed an outside McKee Scott type hare, before switching to an inside Sumner type during its latter years. Its final meeting came a Thursday evening of the 18th of April 1996, with the demolition of the stadium following soon after, yet the site lay totally abandoned for many years following, leaving nature to invade the site with weeds and shrubs. It is still not yet clear whether the site has been built on or not, but satellite views still offer its location, with the shape of the track and its tarmacked access road clearly evident behind the houses on Bank Street.

A programme, photograph or even memorabilia for this track is required for this page, if you can help please contact me.


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by grimbeau

The Sunday Hunt gets off in foible, bloodfeud & birdshit·mild panic ensued over still waters ·quelled a relapse into hell· then half thought it over-

applied soothing silver slave, deployed a magic plunge, ointed it with ju-ju leaves                                   & sat & waited till cries abated watching England fuck up at Trent Bridge—

forgive him for his gaping wounds old chap he suffers from tsunamis— gotta to getta grip Odette· crushed velvet gauntlets of three hundred one armed bandits sit before me egging me on —

up you get face a newbie — car chokes back coughs old farts depart—no gumtree for old man early worm catches bird off guard—watch it you—getting displacement wobbles· and the night—what of it?

up ever three times
experience tells us so
pees foreshadow poohs· but seriously!
Errant on the side of caution
What garbage Mistah Torrent—
object of intent obscure scotch bonnet mist on Loch Drongo
(one that never lifts it seems)—put the ball in the right area
—hard work when you only know the left areas—
process pit of imagination
pure dredgery
through all the detritus
litterbug droppings denote
previous expeditions—
swimming Annapurna? Yep

at last resort-read hardback book
‘Occidental death of an Onanist’
By Edgar Rice-Krispies
smirk cyno-cryptically
recounting quest to find
two thousand year old Egg
preserved in catnip
Dr Living-Room one presumes
—She part man part wheelchair—
crash landed on alfalfa centauri
hurled out at hi speed
jaw jut headstrong altitude
plaid exuding quirky confidence
made noodles fine as angel hair
not that many knew that side
hid light under a bushel
aware it would soon burn out
burnt rice paper lanterns


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Jason Ott, Daniel Tan, Tyson Loveless, William H. Grover, and Philip Brisk, Journal of Chemical Information and Modeling (in press).

While safe chemical storage and disposal are simple in principle—users should read safety specifications and place chemicals in appropriate cabinets or collection points—high-profile incidents involving improper storage and disposal of chemicals continue to occur. This paper introduces ChemStor, an open-source, automated computational system that can guarantee (mathematically verify a system is correct with respect to its specification), with regard to prescribed constraints, safe storage and disposal of chemicals used in academic, industrial, and domestic settings. ChemStor borrows concepts from formal methods—a branch of computer science capable of mathematically proving a specification or software is correct—to safely store or dispose of chemicals. If two or more chemicals can be combined in the same cabinet without forming possibly dangerous combinations of chemicals (while observing cabinet/shelf space constraints), then ChemStor determines that the storage configuration is safe. Likewise, if chemicals can be added to an existing disposal container without forming possibly dangerous combinations of chemicals (or exceeding the volume of the container), then ChemStor determines that the disposal configuration is safe. ChemStor accomplishes this by first building a chemical interaction graph, a graph that describes which chemicals may interact with each other based on their reactivity groups as determined by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Next, ChemStor computes the chromatic number of the graph, the smallest number of colors used to color the graph such that no two vertices (chemicals) that share an edge (an interaction) share the same color. ChemStor then assigns all the chemicals of each color to a storage or disposal container after confirming that there is enough space in the container. These steps are encoded into a series of satisfiability modulo theory equations, and ChemStor uses an industry-standard tool to try to find a valid solution to these equations. The result is either a solution which dictates exactly where to store or dispose of each chemical, or an indication that no safe storage or disposal configuration could be found. To demonstrate the feasibility of ChemStor, we used the tool to analyze ten real-world chemical storage and disposal incidents that led to injuries or destruction of property. In each case, ChemStor quickly and successfully identified a proper chemical disposal or storage configuration that would have prevented the incident. In the future, ChemStor may be integrated with electronic laboratory notebooks, voice assistants, and other emerging technology to protect users of chemicals in labs, workplaces, and homes.


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January 2017 Patient Of The Month

January 2017 Patient Of The Month Garden State Bariatrics & Wellness Center

Today (11/11/2016) is my one year anniversary since my surgery. After struggling with my weight for the better part of a decade, the yoyo effect with trying different “fad diets”, losing weight and gaining it back, an unhealthy addiction to food, a poor self-image and self-esteem, dealing with social anxiety, being borderline diabetic, and suffering with sleep apnea…

I made the decision to have weight loss surgery. I had a sleeve gastrectomy on 11/11/2015 and took charge of my health and my weight. I had 85% of my stomach removed which forced me to eat smaller (normal sized) portions, which also got me in check with what I’m putting into my body because surely I don’t want to fill my “pouch” with anything that isn’t giving me the nutrients that I need. I used to be a “soda junkie” and ate a lot of fast food, and I was also an emotional eater (which normally consisted of sugary junk food). Today, I can’t tolerate soda, sugary or greasy foods (I’ve tried a couple things, and learned REAL QUICK that its not even worth it!). I don’t even crave it anymore.

It’s been a very empowering journey. I have lost 102 pounds altogether! I weighed 223 lbs at my heaviest, I was 212 lbs the morning of my surgery, and I am currently down to 121 lbs. I went from a size 18 jeans, down to a juniors size 7! It wasn’t “the easy way out”, you definitely have to be ready for this change, you can’t just have surgery and think it’s going to do all the work for you, there were some struggles I had to overcome along the way, but I would do it all over again (just glad I won’t have to)! In fact, I believe this was the best choice I’ve ever made for myself. I have more energy, a higher self-esteem, and an all around better outlook on life. Treating my body better feels AMAZING, I eat clean, I stay hydrated, I work out, and my hard work has paid off! I look and feel 5 years younger than I did this time last year! The borderline diabetes and sleep apnea? GONE!

However, I didn’t do this all on my own, I’ve got a lot of people to thank for being in my corner. I had an amazing support system, and I am truly grateful for my team at Garden State Bariatrics. Dr. Yurcisin has been awesome and made me feel comfortable with the process, and confident in my decision right from the beginning. I drove an hour and a half from Vineland to the Toms River office for my appointments just because I loved my team so much, between Jessica (at the front desk in the office), Julie (my appointment coordinator), Anna (my nutritionist), Keith (the surgical assistant), and of course my family and friends have been there to help keep me focused and motivated along the way. I’m very grateful to be where I am today, truth is I was depressed for a long time with a lot of it stemming from being overweight, unhealthy, and uncomfortable. I’m extremely satisfied with my decision, NO REGRETS!

You may also like

July 2017 Patient Of The Month

July 2017 patient of the month, shares his story about how Garden State Bariatrics of Millburn, NJ, changed his life with bariatric surgery. Visit us today!


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Hacks Blog - Tips and tricks to improve your life - Hacks That Work

Hacks Blog – Tips and tricks to improve your life

This website contains little shortcuts, known as hacks, that are meant to help improve your life.

I’ve been fascinated by life hacks for a while. Anything that lets me have an easier life, I’m all for. Also, hacks take very little effort so they are easy to accept.

I’ve written or curated information only on hacks that work. I’ve included only information on this site is either from my own experience or that I have tested. Also included are ones that fall into the category of “Obviously that would work, why didn’t I think of that!”

What is a hack?

I’m often asked this question by people thinking I’m talking about ‘computer hacking’ which is an entirely different subject.

A hack is a shortcut, procedure, or action that:

  • Solves a problem
  • Simplifies a task
  • Reduces frustration

spring home improvement hacks

4 money-saving Spring home maintenance hacks

Spring home maintenance hacks may not be on the top of anyone's list but with winter coming to an end ...
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4 Quick Organizing Hacks to Keep Your Family Less Stressed

Raising a family is tough. Keeping everyone on schedule is a lot like herding cats. These family organizing hacks below ...
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How to easily and deliciously save money using rice

I've been thinking a lot about how I save money using rice over the last couple of weeks because of ...
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7 McDonald’s Secret Hacks That Will Have You Lovin’ it!

If you are one of those folk who "Deserves A Break Today" and inclined to "Lovin' it" you may be ...
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Originally the term was only used as “lifehack”

 The term lifehack was coined in 2004 during the O’Reilly Emerging Technology Conference in San Diego, California by technology journalist Danny O’Brien to describe the “embarrassing” scripts and shortcuts productive IT professionals use to get their work done. After his presentation, use of the term lifehack spread in the tech and blogging community.

However, thanks largely in part to social media, the term has evolved into such categories as:

  • Cooking
  • Teachers
  • Winning games

And just about any other combination under the sun. The blog will focus mainly on shortcuts that will improve your life, and leave the video game cheats to other sites. (There are a lot of them!)

Everyone has problems. While big difficulties will require big solutions, often it is the little everyday things that can grind us down. These simple suggestions are meant to solve little problems with as little as effort as possible. Here you’ll find shortcuts and advice on everything from saving money to finding side hustles to organizing your house.

Reduce Stress

When you can get more done with little effort it reduces stress in your life. Because you have less stress you have the happier you are! As a result, the easier it is to get things done.

Other things that reduce stress:

  • A Clean House
  • More Money
  • A Happy Family
  • A Shopping Bargain
  • Travel on Vacation

These simple hacks that work have been curated from social media, and from my own life experiences. I’ve especially attempted to include suggestions that pack a punch, and only require a bit of time to implement.

I hope this blog I’ve put together can help you with some of those things listed above and help you to enjoy life.


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Journal articles

Are spatial variations in the diets of hydrothermal fauna linked to local environmental conditions?

Abstract : Trophic relationships in Bathymodiolus azoricus mussel bed communities on the Tour Eiffel hydrothermal edifice (Lucky Strike) were assessed using delta C-13 and delta N-15 signatures from 14 hydrothermal species. The nutritional basis of B. azoricus was also investigated with delta S-34. Faunal samples and environmental data (temperature, pH, total dissolved sulfide, iron and copper concentrations) were collected from 12 different locations on the edifice. Chemical conditions varied between microhabitats, and were all correlated to temperature. Carbon and nitrogen isotopic results revealed the presence of two, apparently independent, trophic groups. The first was composed of symbiont-bearing fauna (B. azoricus and their associated polychaetes Branchipolynoe seepensis), while the second enclosed heterotrophic fauna (bacterivores, cletritivores, scavengers, predators). A majority of mussels displayed delta C-13 values ranging from -27 parts per thousand to -34 parts per thousand, supporting thiotrophy as the dominant nutritional pathway at Tour Eiffel, with methanotrophy and filter feeding emerging as secondary strategies. This result was corroborated by delta S-34 signatures. However, higher delta C-13 values in larger mussels suggested that, as they grow, B. azoricus mussels rely more heavily on their methanotrophic enclosymbionts. Significant spatial variability in isotopic signatures for single faunal species was observed at the scale of the edifice for three species (B. azoricus, B. seepensis, Amathys lutzi), and environmental conditions explained variation in isotopic signatures for one-third of the species. This confirms the hypothesis raised by several authors on the role of hydrothermal fluids on the trophic network at small spatial scales. We suggest that vent fluid characteristics, by influencing microbial production, are key factors in the variation of local carbon sources at vents.
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Journal articles
Complete list of metadatas
Contributor : Ivo Grigorov <>
Submitted on : Wednesday, May 12, 2010 - 4:19:20 PM
Last modification on : Thursday, April 2, 2020 - 4:20:06 PM

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F. de Busserolles, Jozée Sarrazin, Olivier Gauthier, Y. Gélinas, M.C. Fabri, et al.. Are spatial variations in the diets of hydrothermal fauna linked to local environmental conditions?. Deep Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography, Elsevier, 2009, 56 (19-20), pp.1649-1664. ⟨10.1016/j.dsr2.2009.05.011⟩. ⟨hal-00483137⟩

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Three Buckle Leather Corset
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Three Buckle Leather Corset

Style #: VC1338-04204

Details and Notes

The Three Buckle Leather Corset from Vance Leather wraps you in luxuriously soft lambskin leather. This three buckle zip front corset is made from Lambskin leather, one of the softest and most durable leathers available, which will meld to your body shape for that perfect fit. The corset features authentic wired steel boning, which allows the corset to flex and contour to the body. 100% cotton lining makes the fit very comfortable. The front features a silver YKK zipper and gunmetal gray buckles. In back, you'll find traditional corset lacing with a 6.5-inch modesty panel (not shown in photo - there is no opening under lacing - the modesty panel covers). You'll adjust the corset to your perfect fit in back and use the front zipper to put it on and take it off easily after that. Four garter straps are included. Corset lacing instructions are also included.


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So, starting off this day pretty bad at work, I was greeted by basic christmas as soon as I came home. Not one, but TWO new albums were waiting for me upon arrival. Seriously, this time is just amazing, as I know I have more albums incoming as well, and just one week til Paris. But enough talk about that – what was in the packages then?

Well first one, was a bit of a surprise.

Tore and the No Smokers album “Rökning Dödar” (“Smoking Kills”). I won this album in a contest on Facebook, and sure, I knew I won the contest but I wasn’t really aware on what album I was about to get. This was really exciting though, I can’t wait to dig into it.

Second one, was not as much of a surprise. You got it.

Amaranthe’s long awaited album “Maximalism”. Finally is it here! I got the signed version as well, so accompanying this CD was an autographed card. God, I have waited for this album so long, and I’m actually listening to it right now as I’m writing this. I’ll give you my thoughts of this album in a few days, don’t worry!

So, I guess you could call it a small Christmas here at home with all these albums arriving. But I love it. New CD’s is like a drug to me – to hold a brand new case, smelling the plastic and knowing you have a load of brand new music on there, about to be listened to… It can’t be better than that.

// Sara

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Using natural plant extracts, this superior lotion is made with the finest ingredients.
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16 oz. / 473.2 ml

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You’re out of work, spending a lot of time in front of the computer looking for job leads.  You go to networking and chamber of commerce events, attend job fairs, and try to be where you meet potential employers.  But this has been going on too long and its getting old fast!  And though you’ve gone on a few interviews, you’re burning out from the stress of the search, and it’s starting to take its toll.
Maybe it’s time to back off a bit from thinking about yourself and your job search, and finding something else to do with your time. Have you considered doing something that would benefit others more than it would appear to benefit yourself?  Have you thought about volunteering?
Think about this:

  • A woman who contributes her time at a science museum learns that a new data entry project is starting up and there will be paid positions.  Though she had no formal experience doing data entry, she had already received formal training on how to use the software, and volunteered to help get the data entry team started and to prove that she had the skills.  In doing so, the department manager recognized her ability to accurately do the work and a job offer was made.  She’s been on staff in the finance department of the same museum for over 5 years.

Here’s another example:

  • The mother of an elementary school child – a freelance bookkeeper with a dwindling client list – wanted to see first-hand the kind of education her son was receiving, so she volunteered at her son’s school.  Working in the school’s administrative office, she helped with a wide variety of tasks, including the tracking of expenses.  In the spring toward the end of the school year, she was contacted by a district supervisor about the departure of the district’s bookkeeper, and was invited to apply for the job.  Being already known by the supervisors and principals of the schools made applying and getting hired a quick and painless process.  She’s been with the school system for 3 years.

And one more:

  • After an accident sidelined him from work for a couple of years due to surgeries and physical rehabilitation, a former computer tech with a passion for audio and video gear volunteered at a community center.  While there he regularly set up sound systems and projectors for events and presentations and got to meet with distributors to arrange for equipment loans and technical details.  One day a distributor for a major manufacturer recognized the passion the man had for the gear and its applications and suggested he come to work for the electronics company.  After a meeting with the distributor’s boss, the man was hired as a regional marketing and training supervisor.  He’s been with the electronics company for over 7 years.

These three, and thousands like them, found meaningful work that was a direct result of a volunteering experience.  People were met, skills were revealed and experiences were shared.  I’m not implying these people would not have found success without volunteering, but the fact remains that they found new work situations by giving of themselves and their time for the benefit of others!
At the very least, volunteering can take you away from the tedium of your job search and provide an opportunity to make a contribution to the lives of others, and there is nothing small about that!   But volunteering can also present you with the networking opportunities and introductions to people and experiences that can advance your job search into a paid work situation.
There are countless schools, religious groups, nonprofits, community based organizations like food programs and shelters, disease support organizations, hospices and hospitals, and so many more that can benefit from the skills you already have.  They can also provide the opportunity for you to learn new skills or improve on skills you don’t use frequently.
To find locations where you can put your skills and heart to work to help others, go to favorite search engine and enter the word “volunteering”, to find a list of groups that can match you, your interests and strengths to where they can be put to good use.
On the road to your next gig, take the route marked Volunteerism.  It’s the right road, even if you already have a good job!
To learn about other ways we can help you with your job search, please visit:

By Hank

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Peppa Pig Live Show Coming To The Modell Performing Arts Center at the Lyric – October 13

This post may contain affiliate links. That means I get a small compensation if you make a purchase. Thank you for your support!

Coming to The Modell Lyric on October 13

Tickets On-Sale NOW!

(Use promo code “MUMMY” to save $10!)

Surprise, Peppa Pig fans! A brand new, live stage show announced today ensures Peppa Pig will be touring North America through 2017 and beyond. Peppa Pig’s Surprise will visit more than 60 cities, stopping by The Modell Lyric on October 13 at 6pm. The Peppa Pig stage show, based on Entertainment One’s (eOne) top-rated TV series, airing daily on Nick Jr., is one of the most successful family theater tours in U.S. history. One hundred twenty five venues have completely sold out with 300,000 tickets sold in the U.S. to date.

Tickets start at $31.00 and can be purchased at, 410-547-SEAT, or by visiting the box office Monday-Friday 10am-4pm. VIP packages that include a meet and greet are available starting Tuesday, May 7 at 12 Noon local time.  Tickets will go on-sale to the public beginning Saturday, May 13 at 10:00 a.m. local time.

In Peppa Pig’s Surprise, it’s a lovely day and Peppa is playing outside with her friends. Mummy Pig and Daddy Pig have got a surprise for her and her younger brother George, but no matter how hard they try, they cannot guess what it is. Audiences will enjoy interactive fun, games and, of course, many surprises. The live show encompasses the charming, colorful nature of the incredibly popular television series and features brand-new songs and life-size puppets that walk, talk, dance, and jump up and down to give audiences a unique, interactive theatrical experience from the moment the curtain opens. The fun-filled show brings the hit TV series to life on stage, giving families the opportunity to engage with their favorite characters like never before in an unforgettable first live theater experience.

Peppa Pig’s Surprise promises to be the perfect theater show for all preschoolers,” said Director Richard Lewis, who returns to adapt episodes from the hit TV show for stage as he did with the touring smash hit Peppa Pig’s Big Splash. “It’s been an incredible experience seeing the children’s reactions to the live stage show. It just confirms that Peppa Pig really is a worldwide phenomenon.”

“Audience response has been overwhelmingly positive to the first tour and we look forward to bringing Peppa’s story to life on stage once again with a whole new adventure,” said Jonathan Shank, Executive Producer, Red Light Management. “Kids love interacting with these characters on stage.”

For more information and tour dates, please visit, Facebook and Twitter


text:
Breathe | Din, smog, concrete, grit, my soul despairs of respite. Park waits patiently. |

Breathe | Take a break

Big cities are high energy and fast-paced. Sometimes nothing can beat the excitement of adventuring a new one. I’ve been fortunate to visit some of the biggest in the world, and there are many I’d still love to experience. Paris and Rome are two on my wish list!

Then comes the drain

However, the downside of cities is that it can be extremely depleting to live in one full-time. The subway system in Hong Kong is one of the best in the world, and fun to ride as a tourist. But, I observed the residents carefully in the time I visited. People constantly sandwiched into crowded places, faces planted in their cell phones. There was little connecting with other people, smiling or even making eye contact. Everyone just seemed to be enduring their own personal grind, surrounded by soulless cement.

Be in tune with body messages

It is very important to be cognizant of the drain on our energy in cities. Sometimes it can be difficult or even impossible for city dwellers to escape to green space for a reprieve from the pollution, noise, and crowds. I realized about a year ago that the traffic noise near my house was constantly making me feel on edge. It was a low grade, incessant drain that at first was easy to block out. But there came a time when I realized it was slowly sucking the life energy out of me.

Find your piece of green, today

So as much as I hate moving (who doesn’t?), I bit the bullet and did it for my physical and mental health. My partner and I are now installed in a new neighborhood, which is a short 5-minute walk to green space with a large park and river. I head there frequently for my “nature medicine”, and I’m feeling in better balance these days. And never underestimate the power of even a little patch of nature to energize. If outdoor green just isn’t easily attainable, how about a mini-garden on your windowsill?

Such simple medicine, but so potent. There’s a great Time article about embracing nature as a mood booster. What Green Spaces Can Do to Your Mood is well worth the short read.

Breathe © Susan L Hart


text:
Isaiah 6:5

In our ACTS acronym for prayer, the C stands for confession. It is good to follow the opening adoring parts of prayer with heartfelt admission of sin and repentance. Confessing and asking for forgiveness is like clearing the air before speaking with someone you know you’ve wronged.
An old song says, “I can see clearly now the rain is gone.” It’s somewhat like that for Isaiah. When his character is displayed against the holiness of God, the veil of ignorance is torn down. Often we see ourselves as good when we look out on the world. When we see horrors in suffering, crime, slavery, and war, it is easy to compare ourselves and think we are clean. We say, “Sure I sin, but not like that.” Yet compared with Him who dwells in unapproachable light, we are utterly depraved.
Confession of sin is the proper response. We can’t take away our own sin; only God can do that through His Son. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness”(1 John 1:9).

Scripture Focus

Isaiah 6:1-7

Confession of sins is the natural response to God’s holiness. Once our sinful blinders are removed, we can see our sin for what it is.

Bible In A Year

  • Isaiah 59-60
  • Psalm 100
  • Acts 23


text:
(Colossians 1:27)

Exodus 13:21-22,
14:19-20, 33:12-23

Moses longed to be close to God – to know Him and His ways. God promised him, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest” (Exodus 33:14). Moses pursued God and asked to see His glory, but God couldn’t fully grant this request. Though Moses could see God’s goodness and hear His name, only when God hid him in a cleft in the rock and covered him, could His glory pass by. In the wilderness, the Israelites were guided and protected by God’s visible Presence – His glory in the pillar of cloud and fire (Exodus 13-16). It set His people apart from the other nations.

God had a wonderful mystery that had been hidden for ages. The mystery was that Christ would not only be present with His people, but He would be in them, giving them desire and power to follow His indwelling “pillar,” guiding and protecting them. And the only way we can do that and live is to be “hidden” in Jesus, the Cleft in the Rock, covered by His righteousness. His dwelling place is in you – and in that, we have the hope of glory.

Scripture Focus

Exodus 13:21-22,
14:19-20, 33:12-23

Do you, like Moses, long to be close to God? With Christ in you, you couldn't possibly be closer. You're hidden in him!

Bible In A Year

  • Lamentations 3
  • Psalm 129
  • 2 Corinthians 11