Like Certs With Retsin, Two Posts In One Edition

First let me apologize for both the tardiness of part one and the early nature of part two of this (I'm sure will turn out to be) tome of an email. The last 10 days or so have been filled with many things of a pressing nature and so I was unable to find the time to write last week. Also this is normally written after I finish my work week sometime in the wee hours of the morning on Fridays, however as I am off this weekend (more on that later) tonight was my last night and so you get this (or at least part of it) early. Forgoing the normal narrative structure of my emails, the topic(s) of this email will be The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly and will jump around with no apparent tip of the hat to the chronological . So with those disclaimers, on to the show. Let's start with the Ugly (because I want to end on a high note): Work has been much of a struggle lately. Much I cannot go into other than to say that with respect to a certain personality conflict the last few weeks have been Bataan Death March-like in their own special way. To relate another piece of the ugly file I must tell you something good first- we purchased our new kitchen! On Friday of last week the new appliances arrived (fridge, dishwasher, and stove). The cabinets and cupboards have been ordered and will arrive in a week or so. So this is great news...except... When the old appliances were being removed, I was unaware that every piece of bake ware Shelley owned was in a drawer in the bottom of the stove (cripes!). We were unable to retrieve the lot and therefore were are baking goods-less for the time being until we restore our once proud baking tins and pans to fully equipped status. I'm a very bad husband! Ok enough with the ugly, now on to just the merely Bad: As I prepare to return to the States this weekend to pick up the rest of my things, I've run into many snags along the way, dealing mostly with having to import my car upon my return trip. It will cost some $$ and the hassles go beyond money. I've had to have paperwork faxed and sent overnight, plus forms that I have to fill out, and I still haven't found out all I have to do (and I leave in less than 24 hours). Essentially I recommend NEVER move to another country and bring a car...it isn't worth the pain. I'm sure there's more ugly and bad but frankly I think we're all tired of the whining so onto the Good!!! (and the crowd goes wild) Well, I finally heard from the University of Toronto and I was accepted. Furthermore, I was accepted into Trinity College (the U of T is like the British university system where the student body is broken down into colleges within the university, these colleges are sort of fraternity/sorority, advising, clubs, etc. all rolled into one area) Thanks to Trisha (who by the way has accepted the role of my personal sherpa at UofT), I learned that Trinity accepts the least number of students per year and it considered the most prestigious of the colleges...so you know me...ego swelling...swelling... I'm still waiting for my transfer credit to be processed but it looks good at this point that they'll at least grant me third year status. Once that is done, I'll be looking at a double major of American Studies and History (let the fun begin). Also in the very good file, the party for Shelley was really quite nice last Saturday. We didn't have too many guests but we had the best ones. Tim and Les (and Quinn and Leah) came by, followed by Daniel and Trisha, then James and AJ. We had food, fun, and lots of great talk. Here's what the scene looked like: http://stamant.org/Albums/Variety/images/100_4401.jpg Here's a blurry image of Trisha and Daniel: http://stamant.org/Albums/Variety/images/100_4404.jpg and another somewhat blurry one of Leah and Quinn: http://stamant.org/Albums/Variety/images/100_4402.jpg Quinn, the budding stand up comic of the family, informed us from the haughty comforts of his and Leah's bag chairs that they were the prince and princess of our little kingdom and we were their servants...then he demanded that we serve them. I asked him if he knew what a palace coup was and I was met with a blank stare. Needless to say, Quinn's reign as overlord of the Backyard of 9 Ewing Street was short-lived...after all the streetlights were on and it was past his bedtime. Also, frankly, he didn't inspire much in the way of a royal presence when he put on his footy pyjamas (but then who would...I mean would his armies have marched across the Pyrenees so boldly if Charlemagne was ruling them whilst wearing footy jammies?? I think not). Since I'm in photo sharing mode, here's the obligatory one of the dogs. Apparently, Dixie and Willow are already getting into the Olympic spirit as we head closer to the games in Athens. Here they showcase their fondness for Greco-Roman wrestling: http://stamant.org/Albums/WillowandDixie/images/100_4373.jpg Willow is apparently using a 12th-century technique of attacking her opponent in a Sheltie Armpit Death Grip, while Dixie attempts to distract her with the Ancient Tongue of Escape maneuver. For the record this match ended in a draw when both competitors were distracted by a rogue squirrel. Something I'm sure must have happened once or twice in the sands of Greece back in 708 BC. Shelley has been furiously working on her gardens. Here she shows off one of her birthday gifts, a lovely pot that she picked out http://stamant.org/Albums/ShelleysGardens/images/100_4370(2).jpg Things are really coming along. Here's a before and after of one section Before- http://stamant.org/Albums/ShelleysGardens/images/100_4241.jpg After- http://stamant.org/Albums/ShelleysGardens/images/100_4399.jpg Another gift she received was a nice park bench that she loves to lounge about on: http://stamant.org/Albums/ShelleysGardens/images/100_4400.jpg As always you can view the transformations of her landscaping at Shelley's Gardens photo album here http://stamant.org/Albums/ShelleysGardens/index1.htm It is updated as often as I have new photos so check back there frequently if you have a green thumb and like pretty flowers and plants. Well, I'm sure that next week I'll have more to share in regard to my trip and the tribulations that result at the border crossings for now though I want to wish a happy Father's Day to all the dads out there. Of course for me there are two special people who fit that bill. First my dad, Lloyd, who taught me right from wrong and mostly to stand on my own two feet, to trust my instincts, and that faith is the key to peace of mind. Then to my father-in-law, Gerry, who has never wavered in his support and who is there whenever I need a friend and an advisor. Both these men are important to me and I thank them for their love and support. This week's deeper thought is a memorial of sorts to the late President Reagan. It is no secret that I was no fan of President Reagan's domestic policy, but as someone who seeks to study Presidential history I offer a hopefully non-partisan perspective. With any death of such a significant person, eulogy often becomes elegy from his partisans, and a jeremiad of sorts on the part of his detractors. As with most things, somewhere in the middle one finds the truth. Perhaps the truest sign of a man's prominence is how much mythmaking, of both extremes, occurs even before his death. Reagan was no exception. To dispense with a bit of the myth, Reagan did not win the Cold War, as many in the conservative movement claim, nor was he a passive participant and a accidental player who just happened to be on watch when Communism fell. The Cold War was won by many, with numerous battlefields, some public, some silent. Much of the credit is due to Harry Truman and General George C. Marshall, for without the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan in the early stages following World War II, Stalinism would have spread further than it did. These two men, Truman and Marshall, set the course for the eventual undoing of the USSR. Yes, it is true I believe, that on its own communism would likely have fallen on its own- the failed system that it was, but Truman and Marshall definitely had a hand is accelerating its demise and establishing a democratic bulkhead in Europe. President Eisenhower to some extent also gets partial credit. As the saviour of Europe, Eisenhower, despite his relative uneasiness in office, was a symbol of victory of democracy over totalitarian aggression that the world could look to as Stalin moved to build an iron curtain. President Kennedy stood face to face with the Soviets, and with a deft mix of force and diplomacy, signalled to Khrushchev, the US would not be blackmailed with the threat of nuclear war. The space race, also, was an effective tool to both push the Soviets beyond their economic limits while offering a bold vision and a dream of a world thought beyond our fingertips that we could suddenly grasp. While we wandered somewhat in the wilderness under Johnson, he too at least faced the spectre of spreading communism. Nixon's opening the door to China is perhaps the boldest foreign policy move of the last 50 years, and as much as anything had a dramatic effect on the Soviet state. Reagan's dramatic defense initiatives, culminating in the deployment of Pershing missiles in Europe, signalled that the US was not going to allow Soviet targeting of Western Europe to go unchecked. While it threatened to, and some would argue did, reignite the arms race, it also eventually forced the Soviets to the table and shift the discussion from offensive weapons systems to more defense based weapons and led to the first significant treaty, the INF, in '87. What Reagan meant to the conservative movement cannot be understated. He was, is, and will likely be for a long while, the singular figure of the shift to a more conservative Republican party that exists today. Though Barry Goldwater remains the ideological godfather, Reagan was the man who put the philosophy to action. He was, therefore, a transcendent figure in politics, someone as large as the office. That is his legacy. Now that I spent this time in non-partisan mode, I end with Vote John Kerry :) Cheers, Ron

The Black and Blue Edition

Wow...what a week it has been (and as such this is a bit lengthy). I've been a little sheepish in the last couple of weeks because there wasn't really all that much to report, but alas, be careful what you wish for. There's been so much flying across my radar this week that you should be warned to fasten your seatbelts and keep all arms and legs inside the vehicle until we come to a complete stop. Here goes: Last Friday night, a scant few hours after my last dispatch, I went to see Shrek 2 with Shelley, Tim, Les, Leah and Quinn (he of the newly 4 year old persuasion, dressed like Harry Potter no less). After the movie Shelley and I walked into Chapters (for the Yanks here that's like Barnes & Noble, without those scary sketched faces on the shopping bags...somehow I'm frightened by shopping bags from which I can't shake a stare...but anyway). There we were on the third floor of the downtown Chapters, enjoying some quiet book reading (read: loitering and reading for free...okay but I bought the book "Play Poker Like A Champion" by Phil Hellmuth) when a young couple who had been sitting near the window wandered away and left their bags. I heard a cell phone ring and looked around and there was no one on the third floor (at least that's what it seemed like to me). Basically, I got a little 'skeeved', 'spooked', or otherwise 'let's get the heck out of here' in my gut. So we left. When walking through the parking garage (like that's the place to go after you've seen a massive terrorist attack scenario rushing though your mind right?...Ron=nimrod), I rolled my ankle. Me, ankle, pain. It didn't hurt all that much after the initial sting, and I drove us home. Somewhere along 2am I was suddenly unable to walk. Nothing, nada. Just intense pain. So that's how the week began!! On Saturday Shelley and I went to Renee and Jeff's wedding, which was so very lovely and I muddled through (cue the superstar action hero music) and with the exception of a little boy apparently nearly drowning in a well before the reception everything went smoothly. You know what I always say, "it isn't a wedding until someone loses the will to live...it's just usually the groom". Well, that's what I say? (I just make sure I'm not anywhere near my wife when I say it!!!) (aside to my wife: I love you honey and I have plenty of will to live still) Sunday I was still pretty banged up but I went to work, only to be sent home halfway through because I was limping pretty severely. I've been back and forth this whole week though. Just when it feels better and I go in and work a shift, I come home and the next day it's killing me. So I was off today in the hopes that three days of straight rest will finally make me able to walk better than someone staggering home from the $.50 Well Drinks Happy Hour at Chi-Chi's (memories...like the corners of my mind...misty water colored memories...) Where was I? Time for a random comment. Apparently Paul McCartney granted an interview where he said a lot of the Beatles songs they wrote in the late 60's were influenced by the drugs they were taking!! "I'm shocked, SHOCKED to find there's gambling in this establishment" C'mon Paul... cellophane flowers of yellow and green, towering over your head, look for the girl with the sun in her eyes and she's gone... you, John, drugs?? NO!!! Say it ain't so!!! Back to my life now- We finally have photos you've all been waiting for (those of you in my LJ circle you've seen them so move along)- the Bathroom is done. and here's the link http://stamant.org/Albums/Renovations/Image1.htm to the before and after pictures. Just scroll though by clicking on the arrows and you can also get a bigger image by clicking the magnifying glass. Some details for you: The floor is new though you might not be able to tell. The color as I mentioned last week is a Granny Smith Apple Green and it is very lovely. The tub surround was actually pretty easy (I say this like I actually did something other than watch Shelley "Amy Wynn's got nothing on me" St.Amant work some magic). All of the wooden trim was painted white and the light fixtures changed. Shell asks that I point out two things. First, the curtains shown in the after pictures have NOT been sewn yet, but I bugged her since I wanted to send these out, so she pinned them up. Second, Shell made that door above the toilet to turn a horrendous shelving unit into a cabinet!! Well, I clearly married UP but you already knew that. The week ahead is looking solid, if I can get back on two working feet. Tomorrow night is Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, and Wednesday is Shelley's birthday. You aren't supposed to tell a woman's age so I won't...but it rhymes with "Flirty Kicks". We are going to have a party next weekend for her (assuming I survive the beating for the "Flirty Kicks" comment above). In two weeks I'm heading to the States to gather up some of my belongings from the "Mom And Dad's Garage Storage Facility" where they've been languishing for eons- not my Mom and Dad...the belongings. Mom and Dad are fine. Some of the items I have there have been packed since before I moved to Utah. Sheesh. By the way...has anyone noticed that my Calgary Flames, the team that I have rooted for since they were in Atlanta is one game from winning Lord Stanley's Cup??? Judging by the TV ratings you probably haven't, oh well. Go Flames!! Also Saturday night (or Monday night if it goes to a Game 7) maybe a significant (and sad) night for Canadian Hockey fans who aren't my friend Joni from Halifax, because it could very well be the last Coaches Corner for Donald S Cherry- the man, the suit, the legend. See Don Cherry has a way of saying what's on his mind which tends to offend some people and seems to anger the Canadian Broadcasting Company (CBC) which employs him to, you know, say what's on his mind. So they may not renew his contract and the first period intermission of Hockey Night In Canada may be a lifeless void next year. Except for people who hate having to adjust the color levels on their TV sets, this is sad news. You can see 'Grapes' in all his glory (at least for now) at his CBC website I recommend you click on one of the links to the videos and watch him because he's great. (But don't tell Joni you did) http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/hnic/coach.html This week's deeper thought: Decisions are made by those who show up. If you knew how many times I've heard (especially from the Canadians who get this), "I really like your email Ron, but I sort of lose you when it comes to Politics"...I say fear not my Canuck friend, I'm going to lose you in your own forest for a change. Federal elections have been called here in Canada for June 28th which means Canadians may or may not elect a new Prime Minister. Right now, Paul Martin is PM but his Liberal Party is in a bit of trouble because of a number of scandals that have been plaguing them lately. He is opposed by Stephen Harper, the head of the Conservative Party (more on that in a moment), Jack Layton of the New Democratic Party, Gilles Duceppe of Bloq Quebecois, and Jim Harris of the Green Party. Quick political science moment for my American friends. Review of a Parliamentary Government. Basically you vote for your local candidate, which ever party has the most candidates when the smoke clears, is the majority party and has the right to elect the Prime Minister (Somewhere Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert is a jealous man). Told you that was a quick review. Essentially on the Conservatives and Liberals have a chance at winning but this is far from a two party government. The NDP (which are the left-left leaning party) draws anywhere from 10 to 20% nationally and that can swing an election (think Ralph Nader but with clout). The Bloq Quebecois are really only a power (and less of one today) in Quebec (they are basically the French party, so thing of um The French only with less appeasement of the Nazis...I kid the French, I'm a kidder), and the Green Party are pretty much on the far side of nowhereville (think your average audience for a Phish concert!...I kid Phish fans, I'm a kidder...and they're all too high to notice anyway). The biggest change in Canadian politics has been a merger between the two right wing parties (or I should say the two most recent ones) The Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservatives. The CA came out of the Reform Party in the late 80s/early 90s and the PC was the result of yet another merger between (obviously) The Conservative Party and the Progressive Party in the 1940s. If all this sounds too Melrose Place for you...welcome to the Right Wing in Canada. Unable to dent the Liberals, the CA and the PC have joined into one party with the hopes of regaining the government (though it didn't look like it was going to happen for a while as there was much infighting between factions in both of the older entities). Confused yet? Well so is the electorate. Recent polls have shown the Conservatives have narrow what was once about a 10-12 point lead for the Liberals down to about 3 points (35%-32%). The NDP is polling around 18%, Bloq Quebecois is at 10% and the Green Party is at 5% (but remember they're probably too stoned to notice). Nationally they are projecting the Liberals to have between 122-126 seats, the Conservatives 107-111, Bloq Quebecois 56-60 (remember most of that is because they nearly run the table in Quebec) and the NDP between 15-19. The Greens are not projected to win a seat (note: I erased another 'pot' joke here because really the Greens aren't all that bad and besides there's already a Marijuana Party in Canada...yes I'm serious, they even have a website...though I'm sure it just links to the official website of OREO cookies...look I got a pot joke in anyway...go me!). Now we haven't even gotten to the fun part (the part that affects most of the Canadians who read this- the Ontarians). The bulk of Liberal support federally comes from Ontario. Of the 168 seats controlled by Liberals in Ottawa, 95 are from Ontario. You could see then how a shift in Liberal support in Ontario might go a long way in determining the race. So what gets thrown into this then?? At the moment, in Ontario, we have a very unpopular Liberal Premier, Dalton McGuinty, who was just elected last year. The Liberals took back the Provincial government from the Conservatives (who remember weren't unified as The Conservative Party then) in a landslide (72-24, with the NDP getting the remaining 7). The Ontario Liberals have been seen here as going back on some campaign promises, and their shrinking support is probably one of the big reasons why the Federal election is closer. So there's elections north and south of the 48th parallel this year and they are both seemingly up for grabs. Makes a political junkies dream, trust me :) What's the point of all this? Well back to my original one- decisions are made by those who show up. Whether it's Ottawa or Washington DC, your vote matters. If you think your vote doesn't count think of it this way- If you lean to the Democratic Party, let's say you are pro-choice, and the Democratic Party is generally the party of pro-choice candidates (not all but a healthy majority). You don't vote because you don't think your vote matters. It now takes 2 people who share your opinion to vote, to make up for the vote you didn't cast to balance it out. Also low voter turnout in your area might mean that in the next election candidates don't bother visiting your area, or putting effort into winning the vote in your district (which means your Congressman has a harder time getting money for your neighborhood in the Legislature, or the local office of the opposing party gets more funding to get out the vote). Decisions are made by those who show up. Look at the news. Read the newspaper. Can you honestly tell me it isn't important that your voice is heard? We live in deeply serious times, and everyday, people we elect to be our representatives make decisions on our behalf that have far reaching consequences, historical consequences, and even a few that hit close to home. In the US, our Constitution begins with three words. Words written 5 times as large as all the rest. These words signalled to the world that "WE THE PEOPLE" were now the government. Let that one sink over you. The government is us. You and me and the neighbor down the street, and the guy at the gas station, and the old lady sitting behind you in church, and the rancher in Wyoming, and the machinist in Michigan, and the teacher in North Carolina...all of us. To tie it all together, to bring both the country of my birth America and the country of my new home Canada together I leave you with this... Sunday is the 60th anniversary of the invasion of Normandy. D-Day saw Americans and Canadians fighting together to defeat the greatest terror of the 20th century. As we remember the sacrifice of those who gave what Lincoln called "the last full measure of devotion", let us also remember that the sacrifice demands of us to make of our future something worthy of that devotion. So to those men of June 6, 1944, to those of that day and others, to those who served in time of war, and especially for me to my father, who served his country with honor for 21 years, I say thank you. God Bless Canada and God Bless America Ron