A Day Late and a Few Hundred Thousdand Dollars Short

If the New York Times can print corrections, so can I... Last week there was a glaring error where I wrote TGIM when I really meant TGIC...my wife made fun of me, "haha you can't spell"...that's the kind of love we share...the mocking-your-spouse-when-they-are-a-bonehead kind of love. So apologies for the poor spelling but that's what you get when I write at 4am after spending 8 hours in a freezer! So the reason this email didn't come out yesterday as per normal was the fact that we were knee deep in "are we getting our house yet?" stress. Today we got it :) We have the keys and it is ours...our own...our precious!! (oops too much Lord of the Rings for me I guess) Anyway, things are great except now it is all about moving *sigh*. I hate moving. Note to self: build transporters as soon as possible! Well so we picked the keys up this afternoon and went to the house to take a look. Within 10 minutes my wife already had me doing chores!!! The grass was in desperate need of mowing. We don't have a mower yet, however Shell met the next door neighbor and he offered the use of his. I was going to go there tomorrow to do it, however they are calling for thunderstorms...so I took care of it today http://stamant.org/P5010021.jpg http://stamant.org/P5010022.jpg Shell grabbed a rake and started at it too!! http://stamant.org/P5010023.jpg Of course, if you know Shell, you know her favorite part of the new house is her huge workshop http://stamant.org/P5010024.jpg Susan is visiting from Denver this weekend and snapped this picture of us and our keys!!! http://stamant.org/P5010025.jpg Well it's been an exhausting day so this weeks TGIF is rather short. We have so much to do. Shell and Susan (and James and AJ will be taking in some Toronto sights tomorrow while I sleep (because that's what I do during the day since I work nights...I miss all the fun). Shell had great success with her garage sale last weekend netting somewhere in the neighborhood of $400 (Canadian) AND (more importantly to me) got rid of lots of stuff we don't have to tote to Georgetown (woohoo!! less stuff to haul). Susan brought me some Oreo cookies from the States (because Canadian Oreo cookies are a fraud...a FRAUD. They aren't REAL Oreo cookies they are phoney cloned ones cooked up by Canadian scientists to fool the population...but my taste buds are keenly designed to spot fake cookies. This week's deeper thought: Vox Populi, Vox Dei The voice of the people is the voice of God. This week some headlines were made when Iraqi public reaction to the new Iraqi flag was decidedly negative. The new flag has colored stripes below an Islamic crescent. The problem? The blue is too close to the blue in the Israeli flag. There are other problems too- the fact that this version doesn't contain traditional Arab flag colors (red and green and black) and also the phrase "God is great" is absent the new flag. The Iraqi Governing Council took submissions from Iraqi artists and decided upon the particular design in question. When Iraqi newspapers printed the new flag design, neighborhood coffee shops were abuzz with debate. Iraqi newspapers were flooded with letters from angry citizens, and editorials decrying the American chosen Governing Council, and America. What is lost in all of this is the fact that all of the above- the debate, the newspapers, the dissent- wasn't possible in Iraq before the US led coalition removed Saddam Hussein. Irony much? Whether you agree or disagree with the war, you must acknowledge the new freedom in Iraq is moving through the people- even if at times that freedom is very anti-American. A recent poll of Iraqi citizens showed, despite widespread opposition to American occupation, well over 60% still believed that it was worth removing Hussein, and nearly as many believe that complete US withdrawal at this point would be as bad for security as the occupation. In the end, Iraqi democracy will rise and fall on the ability of the citizens to accept it, and it will and must be on their own terms. In the meantime however, democracy is hard when authoritarianism has been the rule of the day for nearly a generation. The fact that the people are debating the small issues, as well as the large ones, is the most hopeful of signs and that the voice of people will create a self-defined, self governing system that is secure in itself, and a threat to none. Cheers

Canadian Edition

Technically, this week's TGIF should be changed to TGIM to stand for Thank God I'm Canadian...except I'm really only Canadian-ish. But there you go. It's official. This week the wonderful country north of the 48th parallel decided I was good enough to sit at the cool kids table. I was officially welcomed into the country with the blank stare and monotone voice of the processor at the Immigration office in Toronto. No big fireworks, or grand celebration by the immigration people (I'd even have settled for a punch drunk moose in a hockey helmet, something, anything). As we sat there awaiting my name to be called, Shell had to calm me down several times as I was knee-shakingly nervous. There really wasn't anything to be nervous about, but it is sort of like when you're driving your car and suddenly you notice a cop in your rear view- you know you haven't done anything wrong but there's still that little twinge. I was so nervous that I was sure when they called me up for my interview I'd blurt out that I was actually the Lindbergh baby kidnapper, or that I was secretly in league with Alger Hiss, or that I knew where they buried Hoffa...it was THAT kind of nervous. But all went well. They looked at my documents, made sure Shelley was Shelley, and I was me, then I signed some stuff and whoosh- Canadian-ish. They also told me I could apply for citizenship in 2 years and 7 months..."I'll have my people call your people" So apparently I have a lease with an option to buy- how quaint. The rest of the week has passed with little excitement, though after game 7 of the Leafs-Sens series, we are all pretty worried about the citizens of Ottawa committing mass hari-kari. They are oh so serious about hating Toronto in the capital city. We are having a big garage-yard-going out of business sale here this weekend as we try to clear out some stuff before we make the big move in 2 weeks *yikes 2 weeks*. Shelley has the cold I had last week and is soldiering forth with the sheer force of will (and some Fisherman's Friends cough drops). Dixie and Willow are getting a bit unsettled by the sight of boxes and packing materials. Dixie is convinced we'll forget her and Willow just doesn't know what to make of the whole thing. Earlier this week, Shell fell asleep in the back room with her arm hanging off the bed. Willow crept over and put a tennis ball in Shell's hand...well it SEEMED open and ready for play time I suppose :) Work has been somewhat of a struggle this week as morale sinks there each day. I'm having a better time handling the physicality of the job, however the tension that is pervasive is a bit to overcome. Tonight they asked me to stay late, work all weekend and yet mentioned that they have a problem with me taking some time off as we close on the house and move. I think they missed the sarcastic head scratch I made. I did stay a bit late last night and tonight though as a gesture of good will- for what it is worth. Also please note that as of May 1st...ron@stamant.com will no longer work. Remember the new place to find me is ron@stamant.ORG Much love and prayers go out to my friend Susan who lost her grandfather this week. Susan is visiting us this weekend we hope and will get to be the first person to enter our new house after we actually OWN it- if it was a ship she'd get to smash champagne bottles against it but since it isn't a ship we just might let her throw a can of beer at the porch...maybe...we'll make it a Molson because as of Tuesday... I AM CANADIAN (okay only a permanent resident but I just like the way that sounds). This week's deeper thought concerns the Spanish withdrawal of troops in Iraq: I'm dismayed that so many good people can't seem to understand that the net result of the new Spanish socialist government's decision to remove their troops from Iraq in the wake of the terrorist bombings in Madrid is complete and undeniable capitulation in the face of terrorism. I'm sure the fine citizens of Spain don't believe their actions are appeasement but folks...if the Neville Chamberlain black umbrella fits... How can they believe they've done something noble? A hypothetical: Let's say Al-Qaida cells, with the backing of say Syria, attack a NATO country, say Italy. As a member of NATO, Spain is obliged to assist in any war against a state that has attacked a fellow Alliance member. Do they really believe that in the face of their recent capitulation, they won't be one of the first NATO countries to suffer retaliatory strikes by supporters of Syria in an effort to force a retreat? Appeasement doesn't stop the threat, it merely postpones it and in turn makes the second wave worse than the first. Rather than making herself safer, Spain has painted a huge "Hit us, We shall cave" sign on her back. Dr. Jose Ramos-Horta, the Foreign Minister of East Timor and winner of the 1999 Nobel Peace Prize wrote: "As human beings we must always pause, reflect and resist the temptation to use force and the practice of an eye for an eye. However, there are times, when the use of force is legitimate and necessary. In the face of evil, invocation of false pacifism leads to inaction and betrayal of the victims of oppression. " Something to think about! See you next Friday folks, Cheers Ron

Anniversary

Hey folks, It's the third instalment of the TGIF email and this one comes with pictures (ooo ahh). Well this past weekend we had a big celebration in our house...no, not Phil Mickelson winning the Masters (finally), though that was cause for much joy. Instead we celebrated our one year anniversary as a married couple. :) Friday evening I took Shell to a nice little restaurant on Bloor St. and we had a lovely meal, then a nice walk up and down Bloor. With the new house and everything there wasn't much in the way of "gifting" too much, though Shell reminded me that the first anniversary is "paper", which to me means the mortgage and the big ginormous check we'll be writing in a few weeks. She did however get some nice flowers from me which she really seemed to like http://stamant.org/Albums/Variety/images/100_4214.jpg and she picked out a little bauble at one of the shops on Bloor. Saturday (our actual big anniversary day) we had planned to go to Home Depot and IKEA and look at some things for the house, then catch a movie...however, fate (and the monstrous cold I've had) decided against that and I was forced to stay in bed, medicated out the eyeballs, while Shell spent the day shopping. I was very sad that she had to go alone (at least I was sad the moments I was conscious). Shell is working on a new stained glass window as a donation for a charity event. This is the work in progress, I'll make sure to send a picture when it's finished. http://stamant.org/images/100_4216.jpg This weekend we're going to Georgetown to sign the mortgage papers and then on to Waterloo to spend the day there. Tuesday is the big Landing Day, so this afternoon I got a haircut and had some pictures taken for my Permanent Resident Card!!! Next week's TGIF should include the official story of how I was welcomed to Canada (unless they send me back to the US) Here's the deep thought of the week: I finished the Sidney Blumenthal book this week, and on the whole it was a good read. There was an interesting portion of the book that dealt with President Clinton and Prime Minister Blair's attempts to promote Third Way politics abroad. In one speech, Clinton spoke about the irony of the real dangers we face in the future. He remarked that here we are, in the most advanced age imaginable-technology and science have created vast new areas of research and development, we are exploring the very fabric of our universe and ourselves. And yet with all strides we've made, and as modern as our civilization has become, the real danger exists in the form of our oldest problems- fear, hatred, and fanaticism. In the age of our most evolved state, we are threatened by the oldest disputes. We have not been able to overcome them. Author and cartoonist Kin Hubbard said, "There is no failure except in no longer trying. There is no defeat except from within, no really insurmountable barrier save our own inherent weakness of purpose." We must continue to tackle the problems of our own age, and those of our fathers, and our fathers fathers, for often they are one and the same. Cheers, Ron

The Holiday Edition

Hello everyone (including people I've added to my mailing list in the last week-most of the newbies are people I write to most everyday but I want to include them because I love them too) So first thing's first... I have given a name to this weekly email (Ron's TGIF). Since Tammi named her email, I figure I should name mine as well because it offers you (the home viewer) the chance to scan your subject line of your emails and say one of two things: A) Wow! Another great email from Ron telling us all about his exciting life in Canada and the minutiae that fascinates him... or B) Just Great! Another one of those stinkin emails from Ron telling us all about his exciting life (*rolls eyes) in Canada (*like that's actually the name of a country, we all know he's really in prison) and the minutiae that fascinates him (because my life isn't busy enough without hearing from that hairy monkey)... See it's YOUR choice. (also if you wish to be removed from my weekly email update just drop me a line...keep it clean and free of threats of lawsuits...and I'll be ever to happy to not send it to you). Now that I've covered everything my attorneys have asked me to cover on to the big show... Well this weekend sees my one year wedding anniversary! Now I know most of you are thinking "How did he manage to fool Shelley for a whole year?" Well friends the answer is simple...hypnosis. She still hasn't caught on when I waive shiny objects in front of her. I can't tell you how amazing (and fast) the year has been. I owe a debt of gratitude to all of you in one way or another for making it successful and happy. This week, Dad Snyder and I caught the Jays home opener and BOY is it going to be a long season for the Blue Jays. We did have a good time though. In other sports new, things weren't any better for the Leafs tonight as they lost game one of the playoffs to Ottawa (yuck). On to better things. We had some great news this past week or so. First Steve and Tara are getting hitched! Congrats to them. More congrats to James and AJ who are expecting!!! This week also sees the debut of our new web domain. http://stamant.org We figured as long as we're moving to a new house, why not a new domain as well. So there's a new email address for me: ron@stamant.org you only have to change 3 letters!! the other one will work for a month or so longer but as soon as possible it will be shutting down so please change your address books :) Now the biggest news of all this week is that my long awaited Landing Ceremony is finally scheduled!!! Whew. April 20th I will be interviewed and hopefully granted Permanent Residency status in Canada. Shortly thereafter to receive my PR Card which will allow me to travel, apply for Health Insurance, etc. We will hopefully have some pictures of the ceremony when it happens. We're very excited (and nervous). 3 weeks till the new house...*gack* so much to do. Finally my deeper thought for the week: My mind is blown daily by the hearings in DC, and the continuing squabbles between the left and the right in regards to nearly everything. I love politics as much, and often more, than anyone. I understand the nature of partisanship. I understand, and hold fast, the value of questioning leadership, debating policy, and stating opposing viewpoints. It is what makes us free. It is what keeps us free. Thomas Jefferson wrote: "The price of liberty is eternal vigilance". Liberty is sacrosanct, and vigilance must be universal. It seems to me that too often these days, the very things that separate us- as a nation, a society, a civilization, are the very things that should make us stronger. We must be tolerant of others, and never mistake disagreement for antipathy. If we do, we suffer the same hyperbolic destructiveness that we as citizens of liberty are trying to defeat. In other, more eloquent words, show "eternal vigilance". Cheers, Ron

Thank God It's...Saturday?

I'm very proud with myself that I'm remembering to send out a mass email for the second straight week! Granted there isn't the big gigantic announcement that the last one carried but at least I feel like I'm making an attempt at keeping in contact with everyone I love and care for. This week saw me receive my first actual Canadian paycheck! Hurray, I'm once again gainfully employed and I might add somewhat handsomely compensated (though frankly short of a truckload of gold bullion arriving at my door, nothing else is probably accurate to account for the work I do...but I digress) I'm handling the freezer better this week and I'm not nearly feeling as poor in my physical condition as well. Perhaps I'm adapting as all species must lest we perish. Also I get to take home a box of assorted ice cream for $5 and that's not too bad as fringe benefits go. There is still no progress on the University front as I continue to await the slow grinding wheels of bureaucracy (I'm looking at you transcript providers!). To celebrate my suddenly happy wallet, I took Shelley out for dinner last evening. It was a nice little place on Bloor. I think we'll miss this little corner of Toronto when we move next month. Shell will miss the little shops and I the great places to get used DVDs. Though Bloor isn't going anywhere. Is it? We also had a small "Ron finally got paid" splurge of a nice little trinket for Shelley and a couple of used DVDs for me (I got 4 of the 5 Planet of the Apes movies so we'll be having a mini Talking Monkey marathon soon). Since I have Friday's off I think we're going to try and work it so I can drive into town and pick up Shell from work but as any of you who've actually been to the big TO know...traffic is a nightmare. So the Friday pickup may observed more in the breach, but we shall see. Let's see what other bits of randomness might I plague you all with this week... I'm currently reading Sidney Blumenthal's "The Clinton Wars" and I have Madeline Albright's "Madame Secretary: A Memoir" on deck, and last night I saw a book called "The Measure of All Things" about Delambre's and Mechain's expedition in the 1790's to measure the meridian. (While I'm at it let me recommend Clark Blaise's "Time Lord" about Sir Sandford Fleming and the development of time zones) Last Sunday saw my one year mark in Canada. I can't believe I've lived here for a year. Time has both flown by AND crept by at the same time (I can't explain it but that's the way it feels). This week we start the rituals of packing for the new house. We have amassed some boxes and soon will transform the back room into a staging area (that's a phrase I though only applied to NASA projects, however I was wrong). We are excited AND terrified, but I think excited will win out in the end. This week will be a short week for me because I get an extra day off for Good Friday, so I get Thursday off (yeah I don't understand it either but I'm going with it). Monday Dad Snyder and I are taking in the Jays home opener against the Tigers. One of the few benefits of graveyard shifts is free time in the days for afternoon baseball (and golf soon too). For those who haven't heard yet, my brother David had a rather unexpected encounter with a car this week. A drunk driver ploughed through his house! Fun times eh? This marks the second time someone close to me has had someone drive through their home- Dave and Missy Andrews had a similar close encounter last year or so. Let's hope these things don't come in threes!!!! He seems fine when I talked to him on the phone and he was already meeting with claims people so hopefully it will all be okay. Imagine the stupid luck of the drunk driver to not only crash his car into a house but the house of a police officer...when will people learn? Sadly when they wind up hurting someone probably. Well that's all for now. GO LEAFS GO!! Your quote this week is on the topic of opportunity "Small opportunities are often the beginning of great enterprises" - Demosthenes Cheers Ron