Blog or white ... because it never is.

Hope is the dream that we have when we are awake. Hope is the one thing we all have in common.  We are all breathing, we are all living, we are all dying, and we all have hope.  Hope that tomorrow will be a better day.  Some hope that they win the lottery.  Others just hope for sunshine.  Others hope for a call from a loved one.  Some hope to read some good news.  I hope that fairies will come into my home in the middle of the night and clean.  I also hope that I will drop 50 lbs overnight.  Even though I know it is doubtful, I still have hope. We can always think of that ant, you know that little old ant, thinks he'll move that rubber tree plant.  Anyone knows an ant, can't move a rubber tree plant.  But, he's got high hopes and "oops, there goes another rubber tree plant." What happens when you lose hope?  What happens when you are so pessimistic that you can't see anything positive on the eve of Canada Day? Canada...

Today is the first official day that one can declare themselves a candidate in the Mayoral and Councilman election in my city of Winnipeg.  This has been a great year so far for our city mostly because of the success of the Winnipeg Jets.  Our playoff success has made us believe that we can succeed and we celebrated together through some amazing street parties, with minimal incidents.  I have a friend who will be lining up in a few short hours to declare himself a candidate.  I am so excited for his journey.  He has already learned so much and I know he will continue to grow and learn with the experience.  I am saddened that I only know one candidate.  Of course, I want my friend to win by a landslide and I can't even vote for him as I don't live in his Ward, however, civic elections are notoriously poorly contested and voter turnout is also not high.  Maybe it will be different this year as people are feeling more pride with the Jets. ...

Trump has been raging about a trade war with Canada for a while.  We have put up a brave front that we are not scared of his bullying.  That we are a great country and that everyone wants to do business with us so "bring it on".  That we have the moral authority on our side and we are ready.  We are not concerned with what that blow hard says.  Unfortunately, we may actually have something to be concerned about.  There are subtle little signs that we may not fully realize what we are getting into.  Our local cost of living seems to be increasing.  All bills seem to be going up for some reason.  It is starting to add up.  Interest rates will be rising.  The former Kinder Morgan pipeline, now the Canadian Govt pipeline seems to be a big disaster.  Every second day, Canada Revenue is putting out news releases.  Earlier this week, this said they had something like $4.6 Billion in outstanding taxes due to be collected but...

I used to think being a mother-in-law must be the hardest job on the planet.  I based this on personal experience.  I have had two mother-in-laws and both of them were difficult for me to have relationships with.  Both are nice ladies, and let's face it, I'm adorable, so it had to be the role of mother-in-law that was making things difficult.  So, I was very nervous about having my son-in-law holidaying with us for a week.  And not just any week.  This past year, my son-in-law got his first "adult" job, one with good benefits and a pension plan.  So, this was his first "adult" vacation.  I felt a lot of pressure.  This was my first extended test as a mother-in-law.  I didn't want him to go back and tell his co-workers about his monster mother-in-law.  When I went to pick them up at the airport, there they came down the escalator.  My Princess, my grandson, and my son-in-law.  I realized I was equally happy to see all o...

For the last year, we have had hope in Melania, hope that she could be the one person who could influence Trump.  We saw signs of a deep compassion from her.  We felt she could be our savior. After last weekend, that hope seems dashed.  She visited a migrant refugee camp wearing a jacket.  The jacket had written in graffiti like lettering, "I don't care, do you?"  Who could think a jacket like this would be appropriate for any function, let alone any function attended by the First Lady of the United States. Why would she purchase this jacket?  Does she even purchase her own clothes?  Did someone purchase this for her?  And to wear to the site where children have been separated from their parents?  How tone deaf do you have to be? I recall reading several pundits claiming that they had interviewed Melania years ago several times.  They all said the same thing.  She actually holds the same extreme views as her husband....

I saw a post today on facebook asking if you had a choice, would you: a)  add ten years to your life and get $10 Million, or b)  go back to your 20th birthday with all the knowledge you have now. It is a tough question and since no one has a working time machine, I won't waste much energy in thinking about something that will never happen. But, if I had to do it all again, I think I would try to become a literature professor.  (Those who can, do; those who can't, teach).  I love literature and I love that great literature evolves. I have always loved to read and I have always loved words.  I was always saving my allowance buying journals that I could just write.  I remember the first book that brought me to tears.  It was Anne of Green Gables and my mother and I were driving to my grandfather's house in Melville, SK.  Great literature is timeless and has the capacity to transport you to another place. My father and I read Michener...

There are so many entertainers out there, it is hard to settle on favorites, but my two current faves are Bruno Mars and James Cordon.   Bruno Mars just radiates happiness.  If you can watch this man move and not feel joy, there is something wrong with you.  He just has this way of capturing your heart and making you feel happy.  He looks like every move coming out of him and every note is effortless.  I don't know if that is true or not but it is easy to be transfixed by his music and it makes you feel like all is possible.  For me, he is the message that you can be happy where ever you are with whoever you are.  Happiness is where the song is.   James Cordon is so gifted and his gift is himself and in sharing his soul, he inspires the world to share their souls and then we all are blessed.   Of course, I love car pool karaoke but not just for the singing but for the windows into the souls of the artists he drives aroun...

Marijuana will be legal in 119 days or on October 17 for those that are not counting down the days.  I don't really have much opinion of the subject. I guess we should be thankful for our legislation process with all of its checks and balances because it seems everyone was consulted, with the possible exception of those who actually use the substance.  Regardless, the July 1 date with come and go without decriminalization.  I guess in the greater scheme of things a 4 1/2 month delay is not that bad. The wheels of change move slowly in society on both ends.   I remember when the Casinos opened in Winnipeg.  It was under a Conservative Government and I believe Bonnie Mitchelson was the Lotteries Minister.  At first, the Crystal was opened and there was a dress code making the argument that it wasn't a tax on the poor.   The NDP were going to shut down all casinos once they got elected.  Well, now we have more gambling opportunities...

President Trump has signed an Executive Order ending the policy of separating children from their parents while attempting to cross the border.  As reluctant as I am to give him praise, he has done the right thing.  It is too bad he couldn't just do the right thing rather than having all of your allies having to put enormous pressure on you, but, in the end he did the right thing. There is an old joke about how can you tell when a politician is lying?  Well, their lips are moving. It is not a very funny joke. Last week, and as early as two days ago, Trump was saying he was powerless to do anything about the policy of separating children from their parents.  He said it was up to the Democrats to pass legislation in Congress.  Now, once he is sufficiently motivated, he can sign an Executive Order. One minute he brags about how powerful he is and how he can do anything.  The next tweet, nothing is ever his fault and always the fault of someone else, us...

USA United Nations Ambassador Nicki Halley announces the withdrawal of the US from the United Nations Commission on Human Rights. Hard to know where to start on this one....... Interesting timing.  Apparently, the "official" reason is something about Egypt.  To the cynics in the world, one thinks this may have something to do with the US separating children from their parents at border crossings and this gives the US no credibility to lecture other nations about human rights. It could also mean that the US no longer has a commitment to human rights.  Yes, there are abuses of human rights throughout the world.  No country comes out spotless in this one, however, I think the most powerful nation in the world should still think that human rights are important enough to be at the table when discussed by the UN.  There is no guarantee of success moving forward on these issues even if the US is represented, but there is also no chance of moving forward if the US...

Yesterday, I watched on tv a clip for a 4 year old Mexican boy being literally pulled out of his mother's arms at the US border.  The mother was very petite and the boy was tiny.  It still took over 6 border agents to pull them apart.  My heart was breaking. The UN Human Rights Panel has issued a statement to the US asking them to stop this barbaric policy. Sarah Huckabee Sanders has faced this issue over the over in the daily briefings.  She just repeats that the US administration is just following the law on the books and blames the Democrats for not changing it. Yesterday, former First Lady Laura Bush wrote an opinion piece calling for the end of this policy.  It was a very classy and emotional yet thoughtful piece.  Kudos to Laura Bush.  After facing a lifetime in politics, it would be easy for her to just enjoy a blissful retirement but she is choosing to do something. The current First Lady Melania Trump issued a statement calling on both...

I can't tell you how hard of a life lesson that was for me to learn.  Unfortunately for me, I hit the jackpot when it came to choosing my parents.  They raised me to be a confident positive woman who believed that I was the Game and the rest of the world were merely players.  It was a hard fall to find out that the world still kept on moving even whilst I was sleeping.   I have learned that lesson more than once and it is always just a little difficult.  But, it is an important life lesson and keeps you humble.  At my house, my sweetie was up at 5 am cussing at the tv.  Apparently, Australia was playing soccer in something called the FIFA World Cup.  When you have no interest in this whatsoever, your options are limited.  I chose to read the newspaper.   There was the article.  Trump was claiming personal success for North America being awarded the site of the FIFA World Cup for 2026.  Honestly.  This ...

"Hi.  My name is Shelley and I've been doing psychic readings for 38 years for people from all walks of life.  If you would like to book an appointment, please call at xxx-xxx-xxxx or email me at blah@blah.net." No, it is not me.  I don't do psychic readings.  But, I have been practicing looking at the world through rosier coloured glasses.  Seriously.  There is a lot wrong in the world.  There is an unpredictable tyrant who is capable of using nuclear weapons for no particular reason.  He makes the world unsafe.  Then, there is Kim Jong Un.   There are lots of reasons for peaceful protest.  Arguably, there are lots of reasons for protest.  Apparently, women aren't allowed to watch a male sporting event in Iran.   I try desperately to leave a greener footprint by using the three Rs only to receive inches of useless flyers in the mail.   A simple task, such as grocery shopping, is made...

I have just been informed that Jeffrey Orridge is no longer the CFL Commissioner and the new Commissioner is Randy Ambrose who is from Winnipeg.  My apologies for this egregious error.  However, a Winnipeger did not call that game.  For shame. Secondly, how can you have a competitive football if your own website CFL.ca can not even give accurate information.  For shame. 

I have a friend, Shae, who is Winnipeg Blue Bomber fan extraordinaire.  I don't get it, frankly, but I love watching her passion for all things Blue.  I think she needs a special award for Fan of the Century because the Bombers could not ask for a better ambassador.  It is only because of her enthusiasm, and Andrew Harris, that I have an interest in the Bombers. I remember growing up in rural Manitoba and cheering the Bombers.  At the time, and at the risk of showing how ancient I am, Dieter Brock was an amazing quarterback.  It seemed like every game he was putting another record in the books.  Joe Poplawski and Trevor Kennerd were also my favorites, not only for their amazing performance on the field, but for all they did off the field.  I have literally ran into both at local restaurants and they are still heroes to me.  Very nice gentleman who are very gracious.  I didn't like Coach Ray Jauch for some reason.  (It was because my...

My perfect grandson arrived yesterday along with my beautiful Princess and her chosen one. I love my sweetie completely and entirely but I know I am a distant second in his list of loved ones.  He loves our grandson so much.  It makes us love each other more when he is here.   We are so blessed. We spent a week scrubbing and making everything perfect for their arrival.  It is all destroyed but it doesn't matter.  It can be cleaned again. Last night we weren't parents or grandparents, just friends of my Princess and her Prince.  It was great laughing and seeing them holiday.   Very proud of the parents they are. So, for the first day in a long time, I haven't looked at the news feeds or twitter feeds.  It is a reminder that life will go on without me for a few days. I'm too busy enjoying bliss. 

Ok, I will admit that I am not a fan of the beautiful game or the real football or whatever fans are calling it.  I prefer watching a sport in which something actually happens.  But, even I can't deny that it is the most popular sport in the world.  As it often happens in sports, its beauty is the ability to help teach life lessons.  I watched a story about a Muslin who is playing for Liverpool and he is changing the notions and challenging stereotypes about Muslin to the blue coloured Liverpool fans.  It is wonderful to see.  It is wonderful to see a club like Barcelona and their deep traditions come to play.  It is sad that it is looking more and more like Canada and the USA are enemies.  Mexico and USA have been enemies ever since Trump talked about his wall.  It is wonderful to see that the three countries can come together and put a bid together for the FIFA World Cup.  If we can work together for a common goal for a sport, ...

Have you ever known someone living with mental illness?  Of course, you have.  The prevalence of mental illness is so high in all aspects of society that there is no possible way that you could not know someone living with mental illness.  If you think you have never known someone with mental illness, then you truly are a selfish person who doesn't listen or care about your family and friends.  If you have never experienced mental illness, count yourself as lucky, as the odds are against you.  Like any other disease, it transcends social class, gender, race, etc. It is a funny illness, though.  If you are having symptoms of a common cold, you are urged to stay at home.  If you are having symptoms of depression like not wanting to get out of bed, etc, you are likely not given sick time. If you have diabetes, no one is afraid to sit next to you for fear of catching it.  If you have social anxiety, no one wants to get anywhere near you for fea...

Shocking, isn't it? Today, the top economic adviser to Trump is going on as many media shows as he can apologizing for his "special place in hell" comment.  Yesterday, in the Press Conference after his summit with the Tyrannical Dictator, Kim Jong Un conceded the microphone to Trump.  Trump said Justin's remarks would cost Canadians billions of dollars and then he waved his finger like some little three year old.  Justin is actually looking weary and doesn't want to sink to his level.  Meanwhile, people in the United States have unleashed a twitter campaign #ThanksCanada for all we do and have given the world.  The funniest line came from the man who started this campaign and urged Americans to send a message to the orange maggot in the White House.  Political pundits on both sides of the border are trying to make sense of this.  It is like trying to have a rational conversation with a person living with dementia.  It is far from ove...

My grandson is 2.  Now, granted I may be biased because I think he is pretty special, but even he knows the phrase that you can't compare apples to oranges.  They are different colours.  One you can eat by just taking a bite and the other you have to get someone to peel off the skin.  They taste different and most importantly, one tastes good with chocolate and the other does not. The whole problem with Trump's approach to trade and tariffs is that he thinks that apples and oranges are the same thing.  Trade just doesn't work that way. Let me explain.  I have an acquaintance who makes perogies and her perogies are the absolute best.  I really really love her perogies and want them very badly.  I actually could make my own perogies but it would take a great deal of my time and they wouldn't taste as good.   She is a new mother and sometimes needs a break from her baby.  I love babies and spending time with a baby is something ...

It has been a remarkable but bewildering 24 hours.  Trump leaves G7 early.  Who cares, I know.  I get that.  But, as he was leaving he was describing his personal relationships with the other leaders.  10/10 pretty much across the board, especially with Justin, Macron, and Angella.  The Canadian and German leaders are on first name basic, but he apparently doesn't know the first name of the French guy (he probably knows the first name of his wife, just saying.)  Then, Angella posts on her twitter account a picture taken at the summit.  No caption just a picture of Trump sitting alone while everyone else standing against him and looking like they are confronting him and not exchanging pleasantries.  He has a press conference where one reporter asks a question and he asks the reporter which agency he is working for.  The answer is CNN.  He refuses to answer the question on the basis of where he works as he calls CNN fake news....

So, he leaves the G7 early to prepare for the summit with Kim Jong Un and then spends about an hour saying good-bye with a bombastic press conference that doesn't even make sense.  This, after he said, he needed no time to prepare for the summit.  Then, after the longest goodbye in history, he finally goes.  Then, rather than spending any time preparing for the summit, he has his eye on G7 and then goes on a twitter spree about Justin, not only calling out Canada but attacking him personally.  I guess if anything Prime Minister Justin Trudeau can brag that he has "arrived".  He is now referred to by Trump as Justin.  That is either because he doesn't remember his last name or has forgotten his title.  But, he is essentially declaring trade war because of one thing we do to his dairy farmers.  The dairy farmers themselves have not expressed any malaise about this practice but Trump is hammering home this one thing.  I actually have bee...

I really wanted to call this entry, "What an Ass".  I'm watching Trump's news conference as he is leaving the G7 summit early to leave for his summit with North Korea's leader.  The news conference is going on for almost 30 minutes.  I have to put this in context.  He arrived late for the summit this morning while the topic of gender equality was being discussed.    Rude.  Disrespectful. Then, he said he was leaving early to prepare for his Peace Summit.  After he has declared repeatedly, he needs no preparation as he has been preparing for this for his whole life.  He needs no preparation except when he wants to leave G7 early.  So, he is leaving to prepare, yet he has time to have this lengthy news conference which is self-promoting and contradictory.  While the other leaders are still talking, trying to resolve issues for the betterment of the planet.  He is self promoting himself as being brilliant.  He is ...

We didn't start the fire. It was always burning since the world's been turning We didn't start the fire, No, we didn't light it, but we tried to fight it........ That is the chorus from Billy Joel's 80s hit named "We Didn't Start the Fire." Those who remember the 80s either think that this song was brilliant or they think this song was stupid.   Joel said that the ultimate purpose of the song was to neither provide a complete account nor pass blame; what he really wanted to do was help young people realize that there are lessons in the past that might help us work through the present. That may be why he somewhat curiously included George Santayana in the song. The Harvard professor stated, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." Joel phrased it a bit less poetically; “No matter how much you try,” he said, “the world is going to be a mess. All you can do is the best you can and maybe make the world immediately...

Time Magazine's latest cover picture has people talking. What is shocking to me is that people still buy magazines.  I mean, really?  Who reads print anymore?  I admit that I subscribe to both newspapers in my city, but, sometimes I think I do so just so I can complain about the paper carrier.  It is beyond my control.  It is genetic.  I get it from my father.  He was the nicest, most forgiving man ever, except when it came to his paper carrier.  He was unforgiving.  I am not as bad as he is, but the paper assures me that it will be delivered by 5:30 am.  I just expect that the commitment will be honoured.  When I call customer service, and I press 1, press 2, press 3, etc, when I type in my phone number associated with my account, I literally get a message that says, "Oh, you are one of our special subscribers, please wait for our Supervisor on duty to talk to."  Anyway, I digress....... So, Time Magazine's latest cover...

Samantha Bee is back on her show Full Frontal with Samantha Bee.  The title of the show may give you an idea of what to expect in terms of content.  The fact that it usually plays close to midnight when all children should be asleep may be another clue. The fact that she is the only woman starring in a news spoof is probably another clue.  You know the quote.  It has been attributed to a number of people and has been said many different ways but you know the sentiment.  The quote is about needing to be twice as good as a man in order to be considered half as good.  Fortunately, it is not difficult.  Well, the reality is, it is difficult in the comedic world.  We have a number of talented female comedians around who are held to a much higher standard than male comedians.  Don't believe me.  Just ask Michelle Wolf.  Her jokes at the White House Press Dinner were tame compared to male hosts in the past.  I used to dabble in ...

What exactly were you thinking?  I hope you know what you are in for.  A little country called the United States of America elected a populist bombastic leader a couple of years ago.  You might have considered asking them how that was working for them?  And a huge majority.  Deep cleansing breathe in.   Deep cleansing breathe out.  Nope, apparently he is still Premier Elect.  Just what exactly were you thinking? 

He didn't look extraordinary.  In fact, more often than not, he needed his beard groomed.  He would call himself, "fat boy".  He didn't have an extraordinary job.  He never married.  He lived all of his life in the home that he grew up in.  But, he was extraordinary.  I hope he knew that.  I hope he knew how extraordinary he was, and just being him was enough.  I remember the first time I met him.  I was competing in a humorous speech contest.  Well, I was the only competitor.  But, I had to compete to have it timed.  The organizers didn't want to have a boring night so they asked him to give a previous winning speech.  He gave his speech first.  I laughed so hard that I cried and I literally fell off my chair.  I was still laughing when I had to give my speech.  Then, I got sick to my stomach and didn't want to give my speech if that was the benchmark.  After my poor showing, he came to me wit...