Think before you speak

Some aspects of life on planet earth that have been long suppressed from public discussion are being brought out into the light with the idea that to confront these issues people need to be armed with knowledge. For the most part I wholeheartedly agree with this assertion and in many cases I would like to see more of it. Knowledge is power because in ignorance is fear. But at the same time people need to think about what they are saying before they say it. I'm talking to you Janet Jackson.

I recently read a story on Canoe in which Ms. Jackson talked about the food issues that have plagued her life since childhood and while her goal was admirable in that she wanted to warn people about the dangers associated with eating disorders and body image one part of the article really gave me pause.

I won't repeat her error in mentioning what she said but essentially it was an idea that I'd never considered but sounded really unhealthy. So I got to wondering how many young people who do have food issues read this article? And how many of them thought, "what a great idea I never thought of doing that to lose weight!" Not helping matter is that she attributed this idea to nameless "celebrities".

So its a good thing to talk about these sensitive subjects but think about what you are saying first.

Speak Mindfully.

The Not so Good Doctor?

I went to the classic cinema show at the Colosseum and watched all 192 minutes or Dr. Zhivago the other evening. It’s a good movie but one thing really stuck out to me after the movie that I think is a sign or really good story telling. And acting.

For those not familiar with the film Dr. Zhivago is set during the Russian revolution and is the story of a poet with a loving wife who falls in love with another man’s wife and proceeds to have an affair. The most remarkable thing about the story in my opinion is that in the swirl of tragedies the adulterous Dr. Zhivago remains a sympathetic character without resorting to turning his loving wife into a villain.

Even his mistress’ husband is hardly a villain, more a victim of his own ideals than anything. There is a human villain but he is also a minor player mainly used to highlight the real villain which is, in my opinion anyway, the suppression of individuality demanded by the communists.

I've seen other movies that try to make an adulterous character sympathetic but it rarely works. Few storytellers are able to do more for such a character than portray them as weak.

Wake up call

It was warm enough so I biked into work yesterday. On the whole it was pretty miserable. Mississauga is not a bike friendly place in summer and in winter it’s almost criminal.

The ride was mostly on a mixture of cigarette buts broken glass and ice. It didn’t help that a cable busted leaving me stuck in 12th gear. Or that I am in such poor physical condition that I’m afraid to go to the hospital as I might be declared D.O.A.

On the bright side I can now stop musing about dieting and get off the couch. Yesterday’s ordeal was a wake up call that it’s time to lose my 20 pounds.

Musings on Dieting

I’m thinking I should maybe stop dieting. Maybe it’s time to embrace my extra 20 as the love 20. You’ve probably noticed, as I have, that people, men and womyn, tend to gain some weight once they settle into a relationship? Well I’ve developed a new (r)evolutionary theory on this - it’s baby prep.

Everyone knows that people in love or even just committed long term relationships are totally different when put under under the microscope than normal people. My theory is that combined with living longer they get fatter. The reason for this is to facilitate the cold hard football fact that, like all animals on this oasis in the void, humans are made to breed. You can decide for yourself if that’s purpose or a side effect but it just the way it is. Stored energy, AKA fat, is step two in becoming a breeder (step one was the finding a potential breeding partner).

I know what you’re thinking - “this is fine for chicks who need the fat to carry a fetus to term but Ken, you’re a dude why do you need the fat?” Well it goes something like this: as a single dude I eat a lion every day (‘cause I’m a really good hunter) but once I’m saddled with progeny I’m going to have to share my lion and hence, just in case, I better store up some extra now while I can. Never mind the not planning to breed part because evolution hasn’t had a chance to catch up to that quirky modern option.

Next question: So why are single people fat? Bad eating habits is my guess but if you don’t like that answer I suggest you try to hypoallergenic diet as a starting point.

A better winter

I must say I am liking this winter in the 'Saug much better than my first winter here. Not only am I not spending my free time on a Go Bus stuck in rush hour traffic but we have snow and cold. My northern roots have left me with this idea that you need snow and cold to have a good winter.

Snow is what makes winter activities doable. Skiing, snowshoeing, skidooing (yeah, not snowmobiling) and building stuff like forts! And without cold the snow quickly becomes dirty mush not good for much of anything.

If you just have cold and no snow, well, that's not much fun. It's like summer only with padding. Not that I don't enjoy a nice crisp autumn day but it's not winter.

Anyway the recent cold snap has reminded me that I don't have any good winter boots/shoes. I've been wearing my chainsaw boots with my thickest wool socks in them and it's been serviceable but not great. I have to go in for a warm when working on the land more than I should. But soon it will be winter clearance time and I will go look for some cheap lined boots or high shoes for next ear's use.

One of the few benefits of consumerism is that if you can hold out for two weeks the stuff you need goes on sale to make room for the junk you might want for 4 months from now.

Snowmageddon

Hardly, but at least it looks like winter now. For the first time in my two years in the GTA we had a significant snowfall. I haven't seen any casualty reports yet but it looks like most of the metropolis survived. So I'll chalk this one up to another naked attempt to encourage the fear society that serves our neighbours to the south so well. But seriously c'mon kids, is it really fair to call a snowfall that barely lives up to the myth of Canada as the edge of an arctic wasteland Snowmageddon? Whoever came up with that label (and everyone who perpetuated it) needs to be fired for incompetence.

At least the Ice Storm was inconvenient. Snowmageddon couldn't even take down my cheap blue tarp tied up with even cheaper nylon rope. Or maybe I am the knot god superstar?