Blog or white ... because it never is.

My partner volunteers to speak about his journey living with depression to high school and middle school classes.  Every time he does this, he comes home completely pumped.  He feels so positive about the next generation and can't get over the amazing insightful questions that he receives.  The empathy and emotional intelligence displayed by these kids are inspiring.  He did it again today, but I wanted to see it for myself. The following are unedited comments by Grade 9 students.  I am not going to comment or give any analysis.  They say it all better that me. 1.  I really appreciate you sharing your story about your past. 2.  You are brave 3. Was there ever a time when you wanted to give up and how did you push through that? 4.  I am glad you have a blog because social media is so important to get information 5. How many years did your depression last? 6. How did you find the love of your life? 7.  You are very special for being open with your depression and I wish mo

It seems fairly obvious that Steven Fletcher has no team advising him on how to manage his politics.  A few months ago, he launched the Manitoba Party.  Well, he managed to find a loop hole to take over the old Manitoba Party which had gotten no traction but was on the books, so it was cheaper to take that over than to create a new Party. He promised to announce a star team of candidates in the next few weeks.  I must have missed that.  He tried to align himself with whatever party Maxime Bernier is trying to create.  Bernier didn't want anything to do with it, which must have hurt.  Fletcher supported Bernier in the Conservative leadership before Fletcher ripped up his membership in the party.  The platform of his party was "to axe the tax".  Since Pallister also denounced this tax, he is struggling to find another platform. I have some advice for Fletcher, because I believe he needs it.  Give me some latitude.  I will get there.  Yesterday was "Let's Talk

Who am I kidding?  Like I only have one problem.  Sheesh.  I have a lot of problems, much like everyone in the universe.  The human experience is universal and that is what I love about our struggle with life.  On many levels, we can all relate with each other. One thing that I struggle to do is to live my life more mindfully.  That is the way to build a life worth living.  Live in the moment and accumulate moments of enjoyment.  Sounds simple.  It isn't.  My problem is that I borrow from the past and I borrow from the future which I should just be simply living in the moment.  I will give you two examples.  A colleague at work thanks me for covering for her last week when she left early and she brings me some home-made muffins.  If I was living mindfully, I would say "thanks, and enjoy the muffins."  But, I have a hard time doing that.  I remember that one time I left early and she tattled on me so I think she is setting me up somehow.  Or, I borrow from the fu

I went a workshop a few years ago with a simple but profound message.  The workshop was on burnout; not how to burn out, but how to prevent it.  Since then, we have renamed the term and now we call it "compassion fatigue'".  You can replicate the message that the speaker was trying to explain.. All you need is the stop watch function on your phone.,  First of all, time yourself counting to 26.  I got 9 seconds.  Secondly, time yourself reciting the alphabet.  I got 8 seconds.  (As an aside, this was disappointing.  Infection control people have told me that I should wash my hands for a minute and the best way is to sing the alphabet.  It is much less than a minute.)  Finally, say the alphabet again, but this time, count 1 to 26 after each letter.  So, it should like this, A1, B2, C3, D4, etc.  Time yourself doing that.  I got 25 seconds.  Don't worry if you are not that fast.  I was the guinea pig at this workshop so I've done this before.  It is a simple

What is the difference between one who obtains and one who scatters?  It is a way of living and managing oneself.  It also is a way of managing those around you.  Think of parenting styles.  Those who can't let go of controlling their children, even when they are adults, have little to show.  Then, things of those who allow their children to be flown, grown, and on their own have much.  George H. Bush said that one of the biggest accomplishments of his life was that his children chose to come back and visit often.  Obviously, he encouraged his children to scatter their seeds far and wide.  The seeds grew.  On the opposite side of the spectrum, look at Trump.  Focus on obtaining. He has made his children think they are nothing but his children.  He doesn't have much.  I was thinking of this quote on the weekend.  A friend of mine lost her mother on Friday.  From what I understand, her mother has been ill for a while and the death wasn't unexpected.  Of course, you are ne

New Year's Resolutions don't work.  I can tell you from anecdotal evidence as well as sourcing every magazine designed for women.  This year, I decided to have a theme for this year as well as having monthly resolutions.  My resolution for January has been not to eat food that I didn't prepare.  My overall theme for the year is Scattering Seeds.  You never know what is going to grow and when, so keep scattering.  My partner also has a theme and it is focusing on abundance.  The thing about themes is that you have to celebrate when they happen in little ways.  In that way, it builds momentum and keeps the themes close to your mind.  We love going to MoModays.  For those that haven't had the privilege, you need to investigate this monthly show.  It is motivation and entertainment in one evening.  You don't know if you will be laughing or crying but you will be changed.  It is a wonderful way to feel good about Winnipeg.  Last Monday, we attended to be uplifted

I share a bed with an immigrant from Australia. Many times, he acts like he just got off the boat.  He will walk around saying, "no worries, mate." and things like that.  The truth is that boat landed 51 years earlier, but, he still feels a strong connection to his homeland.  I get that.  I feel a strong connection to the Ukraine, even though I haven't been there.  Yesterday was Australia Day.  I basically get that.  They also have a holiday called Anzac Day.  It has been explained to me, but I still don't get it.  That's ok, I'm not Australian.  And, despite him living in Canada for 90% of his life, he still doesn't get some Canadian things.  This is a Canadian thing.  There is absolutely no doubt that the Russians interfered in the US election.  It seems that has been proven beyond a shadow of a doubt and Muller has not even become close to releasing his report.  Yes, that is originally what his report was supposed to be about.  I feel compelled to

I have worked with the elderly for more than a decade.  It is challenging work but it is also unbelievably rewarding.  No matter how challenging, I find something rewarding in every single day.  A smile costs nothing and it brightens up someone's day.  I was really fortunate when I chose my parents and I hit the jackpot.  Both of them gave me wisdom.  I may not have gotten it at the time, but it makes so much sense now.  It helped that they shared incredible life lessons in Coles Notes versions.  Both my parents used to tell me that it costs nothing to make someone's day, so you should do it at every opportunity.  It is amazing how easy it is to do with the elderly.  Asking a question about their lives, giving them the slightest compliment, they glow.  And, the thing is, I feel better than they do by making their day.  Sometimes I feel guilty getting paid.  That feeling soon passes, of course.  I remember one of my first days working with an elderly woman who was living wit

It is the old bait and switch.  Show an adorable picture of my grandson eating cake and talk about something else.  Atleast, today it is not about the evil empire.  But, the evil empire in the US called the US Administration.  We are into day (I don't even know what ) close to day 40 anyway.  Longest partial shutdown in history.  People working and not getting paid.  People having trouble getting to work because they don't have the funds to do so.  I am certainly not an economist but the economy is losing billions as a result.  If it hasn't already, it will be affecting all Americans, and trickling to the rest of the world.  The security agencies are saying that they can not protect the US borders, wall or no wall.  Meanwhile, we are distracted by temper tantrums from the orange maggot and Nancy P over State of the Union Speech.  That has been resolved.  Victory for the democrats?  Not really.  "Shutdown" has become one of those words that we hear so much

Almost 9 years ago, I really liked this guy and wanted a relationship with him.  We were doing a dance, I think.  Both of us had been hurt in the past so we were acting like we were elementary students.  You know, when a guy likes a girl in elementary school, he pulls her pig tails and if she likes him back, she will punch him.  That kind of thing, only the adult version of that.  So, we were flirting (sort of) but everything said could be interpreted like we were heading to a relationship or could also be interpreted that we were firmly in the friend zone.   So, one day, I got an email from this fellow perhaps asking me out, but perhaps not.  On the same day, I got an email from that guy in the picture asking me out on a date.  My work bestie, Kelly, was helping me navigate through this situation with the guy I liked.  We both agreed that his email could be interpreted both ways.  Then, she saw the email from the other guy.  She told me that I needed to go out with that guy. 

We went to our Student Match retreat and had a wonderful amazing time, but at the same time, we were emotionally exhausted.  We were learning a lot of adult information and we were still in high school.  We did a lot of role playing and we did a lot of personal sharing.  We couldn't expect our junior matches to share with us if we were uncomfortable sharing on our journeys.  In addition to sharing our dark side, we also had many exercises to bring us up emotionally, but the roller coaster was exhausting.  Even though we were emotionally and spiritually exhausted, we had lots of physical energy.  As I mentioned, we played "duck duck goose" for hours at the end of Saturday night.  There were two girls in our program that I didn't feel were participating to the fullest.  But, we were taught not to judge so I was doing my best.  Except, they were the only ones who didn't play "duck duck goose."  No one had taught me the QTIP method of handling thins.  Qu

I remember being in high school in Dauphin when the AFM opened up an office.  Our high school was called the Dauphin Regional Comprehensive Secondary School.  We shortened it to DRCSS and often called it the DR and some people called it the Alphabet School.  It had a long name.  I was lucky to go through high school with only good memories.  It wasn't the difficult time for me that it is for so many.  Believe me, I have had so many difficult times since that have more than made up for this.  I read in the Dauphin Herald that the Alcoholism Foundation of Manitoba had opened up an office.  Before it was glad the Addiction Foundation of Manitoba, it was called the Alcoholism Foundation.  A sign of the times.  Decades ago, that was the only substance we were focusing on.  When we know better, we do better.  The article in the paper indicated that the field office would have a Manager and an Outreach Worker.  I remember wondering what an Outreach Worker would do.  Well, it turns o

Ross Romberg died in early 2010.  He was 58.  You probably have heard the name as he was principal owner of Rumor's Comedy Lounge and a very funny guy.  The comedy world is one of those boom or bust businesses and he managed to keep Rumors going.  I know it was important for him to keep Rumor's going but I also think he didn't care too much about how much money he made.  Don't get me wrong.  He wanted to make money, but he also thought it was his responsibility to nurture local talent.  When he couldn't find local talent to open his shows, he was more than prepared to go on stage.  He had one particular joke that makes me laugh out loud whenever I think of it.  It went something like this........ If you have been to the casinos, you have likely sat in a bathroom stall and seen the signs for the phone numbers of Problem Gambling.  I just want to tell you that that service is of no help whatsoever.  I have phoned them several times and gotten no help.  I phone

The partial government shut-down in the US continues.  Longest in history.  Stupidest in history.  Holding 800,000 workers hostage.  Assuming 80% of those 800,000 have spouses and children, that is a great deal of people affected directly.  Not to mention the millions more affected indirectly.  There doesn't seem to be much hope of a settlement as the orange menace seems perfectly entrenched in his own temper tantrum.  Or, he is using this as a distraction for allegations that he is "really close" to the Russians.  I think that is a ridiculous allegation.  Vladamir Putin may be an evil dictator but he is not stupid.  He would never associate with such an idiot like Trump.  Regardless, I am going to stay in bed as long as I can.  You know what is the worst thing about the shut-down?  Every week day morning, Trump goes somewhere on his helicopter.  (By his, of course, I mean the American people who fund this with their tax dollars.)  But, every week day morning, Trump g

I was really lucky in my first four serious relationships.  They all treated me like a princess.  I know other women weren't as lucky as I was.  I met my first serious relationship when I was 18.  He was a few years older and he had a great sense of humour..  I felt like the luckiest woman ever.  I was still immature and he was so worldly and he refined me so much and made me have an appreciation for culture.  He encouraged me to try new things and he added so much wisdom in my life.  It seemed like this would be the man that I would spend my life with.  There was only one problem.  He was Asian and I didn't know how my parents would react to me being part of an inter-racial couple.  Now, I know they wouldn't have even noticed but decades ago, this was an issue.  I was on the verge of telling them of my love with I unexpectedly went to his apartment.  What happened next ended our relationship.  I found him in bed with a good friend of ours.  It was our friend, Doug. 

This may sound strange but my feet are not my feet.  I mean, I can see them at the end of ankles and see that they are attached to me, but, honestly you have to believe me, they are not my feet.  With every step I take, I feel like my feet are betraying me.  Those things that are at the bottom of me are not mine.  That is not how my feet feel when they take a step.  My feet frustrate me because they are not my feet and I can't stand them.  I look at them as little as possible because I get angry And the thing is, I know my feet are trapped within these feet. I can feel my feet inside my feet so I have done things to try and correct this.  I have scratched them until they bleed. It actually makes me feel good seeing them bleed because I feel that means that they are closer to be actual feet.  When I got to a pool and am walking back to the change room, I look at the wet foot prints and scowl.  Those aren't my foot prints.  I don't know those things at the end of me a

When my babies were babies, about a quarter of a century ago, diapers were very different.  They were very soft on the inside and plasticy on the outside.  It was like wearing a cloth diaper and plastic pants all in one.  This became the first environmental concern because it was pointed out that all dirty diapers were taking centuries to break down in our landfills.  New parents were encouraged to revolt.  I bought cloth diapers for my prince.  They weren't cheap, but I was willing to do what I could for the environment.  When he was first born, I couldn't use them.  He was a preemie and weighed 3 lbs.  The cloth diapers that I bought for him did not fit so I was going to use disposable until he gained weight.  When he got bigger, I tried again.  I found that they worked as long as he was changed immediately after he wet.  I mean immediately.  Not to mention stools.  It was a lot of work using cloth diapers and it was a big commitment.  As a new mom with a preemie, I was al

Fake news does exist and exists more than we would like to admit.  Fake news started to happen over two decades ago and it continues.  Since it widely exists, I will like to try and help to discern what is fake news.  Fake news really came into its own with the creation of 24 hour news networks.  That is when news became business.  The traditional television networks had separation from their news divisions and their entertainment divisions and now they became blurred.  Advertising dollars now became a factor in editorial decisions. Also, the 24 hour news stations had to fill air time.  Probably, I will be the only one who remembers the DC sniper.  This happened about 20 years ago and I was home recovering from minor surgery.  I was glued to CNN watching this story unfold.  At one time, I got up to make myself a cup of coffee only to hear the "breaking news" alert come up.  I moved so fast to get in front of the tv that I popped two stitches.  The "breaking news"