No Smiles

Tears are sometimes an inappropriate response to death. When a life has been lived completely honestly, completely successfully, or just completely, the correct response to death's perfect punctuation mark is a smile.- - - - Julie Burchill

Unfortunately, tears are well warranted considering the gruesome events that have occurred in several African countries over the past few days.
If you haven't been obsessing over the news, you may have missed the events including those in DR Congo http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4673609.stm and
Kenya http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4678211.stm
In fact, just read the entire BBC Africa index.
10 years after Srebrenica http://web.amnesty.org/pages/bih-040705-action-eng, apparently we've barely evolved.
Why aren't these events public knowledge? Why is there not some sort of intervention taking place?
Perhaps Colonel Oliver in Hotel Rwanda best summed up the stance of the world: [explaining why the world will not intervene] You're black. You're not even a nigger. You're an African.
And there you go, we'll say to each other "That's terrible" and then we'll turn the channel on the television and return to our supper.

So. Let's start by changing how we approach the world.
A little list for you (many thanks to various websites and a great poster from 10 Thousand Villages):

How To Build A Global Community
Think of no one as "them"
Don't confuse your comfort with your safety
Talk to strangers
Imagine other cultures through their poetry and novels
Listen to music you don't understand
Dance to it
Act locally
Notice the workings of power and privilege in your culture
Question consumption
Know how your lettuce and coffee are grown: wake up and smell the exploitation
Look for fair trade and union labels
Help build economies from the bottom up
Acquire few needs
Learn a second (or third) language
Visit people, places and cultures -- not tourist attractions
Learn people's history
Re-define progress
Know physical and political geography
Play games from other cultures
Watch films with subtitles
Know your heritage
Honor everyone's holidays
Look at the moon and imagine someone else, somewhere else, looking at it too
Read the UN's Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Understand the global economy in terms of people, land and water
Know where your bank banks
Never believe you have a right to anyone else's resources
Refuse to wear corporate logos: defy corporate domination
Question military/corporate connections
Don't confuse money with wealth, or time with money
Have a pen/email pal
Honor indigenous cultures
Judge governance by how well it meets all people's needs
Be sceptical about what you read
Eat adventurously
Enjoy vegetables, beans and grains in your diet
Choose curiosity over certainty
Know where your water comes from and where your wastes go
Pledge allegiance to the earth: question nationalism
Think South, Central and North -- there are many Americans
Assume that many others share your dreams
Know that no one is silent though many are not heard.
Work to change this.

Life's truest happiness is found in friendships we make along the way.

A Weekend in Toronto

Life just continues to be incredible - seriously.

I spent Friday night in Scarborough with my lovely friend Shannon. Our conversation lasted into the wee hours, and, per usual, we broached all of the important topics - love, life, happiness, religion, politics and men!

On Saturday morning we made our way to Chris' house, (after a little bit of a mapquest detour), met up with Chris, Rob and Graham, and from there headed into the big city!

I've never really been a fan of Toronto. As far as cities go, it's a little too big, usually dirty and never quite sure of its identity. However, on Saturday it was alive! The Street Festival was on on Yonge Street and there was music, street performers including Paolo that unintentionally threw glass balls and fire into the crowd, he may not be invited back!
There were also some comedians from Second City that were doing live improv. The boys suggested that they would do a much better job - and for the remainder of the day they proved this hypothesis!

Despite missing the beginning of the Weezer concert, including "Say It Ain't So" (possibly the only song that I could sing along with) the concert was great. I think that we would have felt a better vibe if we had been on the grass, but after walking all day, the seats that we had were mighty comfortable!
The Pixies were really good, although I wish that the female member of the band had had the opportunity to sing more - she was incredible.
The evening ended with fireworks from Lake Ontario Place that were absolutely beautiful!!!!

We finished off the entire evening (after the longest 2 block walk ever - thank-you Graham) at a nice little pub!

Quotes of the weekend include (and please forgive me for lack of explanation, some are better left up to your own interpretation):
"20 women, bam, bam, bam..."
"Phenomenal.."
"You'd have to move pretty quickly..."

Anymore that you can remember gentlemen??

Oh, and yes, Sunday morning included a delicious buffet breakfast.

To sum up - incredible weekend, incredible people, lots of laughter!

London, thou art the flower of cities all!

On my first of, hopefully many, trips abroad, I spent a great deal of time in London, and developed quite an affection for it. London for me is a city of parks, wild nights, beautiful days, adventure, indulgence and meaningful friendships.
Today, it was attacked.

After the September 11th bombings I remember feeling as if I were in a movie. Everything moved slower and I just couldn't comprehend what was going on.
Going back to New York and seeing the aftermath (we went in November for the Canada Loves New York celebrations) was scary and eerie. It changed things. I suppose that's the purpose of terrorism.

So now, in solidarity with the Londoners that lost family or friends, were injured or simply had to walk home from work - I'm angry. I'm angry that people can infringe on our security and make us nervous to travel, or walk outside or talk to our neighbours.
I'm angry that this type of action causes us to hate - when the only solution is the very opposite - to love.
I'm angry that my nieces and nephews will grow up in a world where terrorism is common and where security alert levels rise and fall based on daily events.
I'm angry that I don't know what to do about the situation, how to solve it or even how to make it better.

So perhaps a little prayer tonight - a prayer to whatever God you believe in -
that we will rise above terrorism, that we will love our brothers and sisters and continue to work towards a global community, one day at a time.

"A baby is God's opinion that life should go on."

Today began with an Oliver visit.
That means that I met Chantal and Oliver downtown and we strolled around, fed some ducks and took some pictures!
I love Oliver visits.

I must admit that I love my nieces and nephews more than anything in the world. It's difficult to imagine loving anything or anyone more than I love them. Little children just kind of help you figure out what unconditional love is all about.

Chantal and Oliver looking at the toys!

Oliver and the flowers

It took Chantal almost two weeks to teach Oliver that we should smell the flowers and not step on them!

Chantal and Oliver at the lake

Oliver!

We wish nothing more, but we will accept nothing less. Masters in our own house we must be, but our house is the whole of Canada. -Trudeau

It was truly a grand time on The Hill for the birthday of Canada!
Alison treated me like royalty, and decorated my shirt in true Canadian spirit!

We enjoyed the sights and sounds of Ottawa including the concerts on the Hill (although the talking head was a bit much), walks through the market, Aboriginal drum circles and a great bbq "hosted" by Alison's brother!

Although the trip was a little rushed there was still time to unwind and enjoy delicious cake (Alison did the baking, I did the decoration)!

We had an absolutely perfect time at the fireworks

We revelled in the atmosphere that exuded from the celebratory crowd, and joined in several renditions of O Canada throughout the day!