Management Microcosm

In an hour, I'm off to my silly minimum-wage job. I would enjoy it a bit more if it weren't for some of the managers...exhibiting the full range of faulty management 'styles':

Everyone's Friend
Tries hard to bond with all the staff on a buddy-buddy level. After hours, once the doors close, she's hip because she puts pounding rap on the speakers while people run through their closing routines. Is rather lackadaisical in her management duties. Can't actually discipline (or manage) because she has no respect from the staff.

Drama Queen
Reads her management handbook, but only comprehends 'be a bitch'. The kind of person who upbraids staff, about anything, with an ever-present surly 'I'm the boss' attitude. I have to bite my tongue in her presence, or I'll be muttering "pot calling kettle black" or "more flies with honey, Honey" all the time.

Mr. Aloof
Thinks management is above it all. Or maybe he's just distracted. The kind of manager you really don't want, because when a manager is actually needed, he's no where to be found. A manner that makes you wonder if he even knows your name or not.

The GM and the other manager at the store are brilliant. They've got the balance of friendly, down-to-earth respect for self & staff that is crucial to good management.

So, the gamble of the shift -- will it be boring or boring and annoying -- depends on this 3:2 gamble of who's going to be the 'manager on duty' for the time I'm there.

Wish me luck.

I swear, this is my last week at this tedious job. But I'm a sucker for the GM and this other manager, and want to be able to fill a shift for them, 'cause, like every other service industry business, they are short-staffed.

Lori

"Spam spam spam spam!"

Damn! Just got a spam-bot comment!

Metro was ranting about email spam yesterday (check out the Monty Python clip at the end). But the relevant post is from Creative Energy, where she talks about breaking 'CAPTCHA'.

Argh.

Lori

Glacial Slowness

In July, I applied for a government job. "Why on Earth?!?" I hear you ask...well, the job description (such as it was) listed all of the skills that I want to be using, and it, needless to say, didn't start at $8.50/hour!

Well, I applied online, and the site told me that a 'decision' would be made August 31st. Whew. A long time to wait. So, when the end of August rolled around, I looked back at the site...my application seemed to have been passed on to a human! (O Joy! O Bliss!)

A couple of weeks later, I got a tersely-worded email telling me to go to another town to take a couple of tests (the General Competency Test Level 2, and a knowledge test). [Wanna try the GCT2? Here's the sample test.]

Yesterday, I received my results from the GCT2...a definitive pass! Yeah. It had to be sent to Prince George to be marked, and it took almost another 2 weeks. It only had to be fed through a computer! Now I have to wait for the marking of the knowledge test, with its handwritten essay answers. That should take what? Another month?

Then, assuming I didn't screw up on that one, I will be entitled to an in-person interview.

Anyone out there with any experience on working for your government? Who knows, I may need some tips!

Lori

Realities...

Cold Desert, who is blogging to help him focus on his Ramadan fasting (right, Ahmad?), has just posted a good list of the usual fun email 'wisdom' -- I like:

Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.

Yup, ya gotta hear 'em talk.

I generally trust my instincts, I've been wrong numerous times, but with time, I'm getting better at reading people. Metro, love him though I do, has a hard time catching undercurrents in a situation.

What's that other line: "It's better to be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt." (Ah, you ask, "Who said that, anyway?" Very good question. Here it is discussed on a forum...probably the original source is the Bible, and Proverbs 17:28 "Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding." [and no, I didn't have time to do an actual Bible search, so for all I know that quote is off!])

Good morning all. Have a great day, a productive day if possible. If you are celebrating Ramadan this month, may peace find you (and enjoy your evening festivities!).

Lori

Overheard

Metro and I, walking past the school near our house on this lovely sunny Sunday, passed a gaggle of 13-year-olds, including two couples holding hands (oh! the first hand-holding!! Remember it?). One girl expounded: "Tyler, there comes a time in every teenager's life...."

Damn! Missed it! I so wanted to hear the Words of Wisdom.

But haven't we all been there? Expounding on our age, our era. I'm guilty of it.

How to identify a 20-something:

• prone to asking "how old do you think I am?"
• believe s/he invented sex

How to identify a 30-something:

• prone to making pronouncements about 20-somethings

Ah, well. I'll be 40 soon enough!

Lori

In-law Impetus

My in-laws arrive today. This afternoon. And it's a great thing...I'm excited about them seeing the house (we're both so happy and proud of the place!), and they are lovely people. We've planned a dinner out at the Lost Moose Lodge tomorrow, with my mom joining us. I figure, the view will overwhelm...10 km up into the mountains, with a spectacular view:


But, the great advantage to having any visitors come, is the impetus they're imminent arrival gives to the cleaning, arranging, organizing of the space. Everyone has experienced it, so you'll all agree that there's just something about mothers coming to visit that get you motivated...right?

The place is looking its best yet!

Lori

Arrr! Mateys!

Don't forget, today is Talk Like a Pirate Day!

Lori

Back to definitions...

What makes a good neighbour?

For us, in our new house, it means people who greet you enthusiastically when they see you. People who lend you their lawnmower. People who come over for a glass of wine and a chat.

And people who clip your picture out of the paper and save it for you.

Yup. I was in the paper again. Third time in 5 months. This time, at a networking event.

Small towns. Definitely cuts down on the number of people you can, well, cut down. It's decidedly bad form to lose your temper, or bad-mouth anyone in a small city (about 30,000 people in the area).

Like ignorant anonymous commentors...ya just gotta grin and ignore it.

Tell me your stories of neighbours, small town, or small press fame!

Lori

There's nothing like a British comedy!

Brought to my attention by my friend (who does not blog nearly often enough for the world to get a decent taste of her writing talents), 30-something media addict, is this trailer for a new Brit Com, Driving Lessons. Starring no less than Rupert Grint, still cast as somewhat of a sidekick, but more the star of the show.

30-something was right -- it looks like an English Driving Miss Daisy, but mixed with a heavy dose of Harold and Maude...mop-haired shy boy and outlandish (much) older woman. But the romance comes from somewhere else this time...

And one of my favourite under-appreciated actors is in it, Laura Linney. Hmm. Her IMDB.com filmography lists 8 projects for 2006 & 2007 (3 in post-production, 1 still in pre-production), so maybe she's no longer under-appreciated!

Lori

Googlism is more than a religion

...it includes a wonderful set of really useful tips on how to get the most out of Google: How a Googlist Uses Google. Tres cool.

The Church of Google itself is...um...colourful.

Wonderful silliness.

powered by performancing firefox

I like surprises...

A couple of weeks ago, we picked up a VHS copy of Looney Tunes: Back in Action. I'm a Bugs Bunny fan, so when a supposedly awful movie has Bugs in it, and it's available for $3 at Liquidation World, well, I'll pick that sucker up.

Last night, we watched it. Guess what? It was good. Amusing. Silly. It really helps to expect nothing, but this was easy to enjoy. Fun cast, crazy slapstick, quasi-adult story...Ah! That's the problem it had in the theatres -- parents expecting kid-fare. Adults avoiding it because they expect it to be kid-fare.

No. It ain't Oscar material, it ain't anywhere near cult-movie status...but it was fun.

And the current meme the last two days (after watching Phil the Alien tonight, adding its madness to Looney Tunes), is aliens in glass bell jars. Watch for it.

Hair care

I would like to confess that I have crossed over to the...dark side, quite literally. I've had my hair dyed. Coloured. Tinted. What-have-you.

Yes, I do realise that women (and men) around the world have been doing this for a year or two, but I am, and have been my entire life so far, a hair minimalist. I get haircuts that are maintenance free. I don't use a blow dryer. I sometimes use a bit of mousse, or hair spray, to make my non-style look a little more like a style, if I'm going out.

I've ignored my incoming gray for years. (But not my sister...one day I was standing in the sun, and she asked: "Oh, Lori! When did you start dyeing your hair gray?" Hag.) Or tried to. But lately, it has been starting to bother me. Here I am, trying to get a professional job, and my gray is not coming in in any becoming way. It's blotchy and uneven, not some lovely salt-n-pepper colour. So, I got it done. It looks great, but I realize I've now stepped onto the slippery slope of hair care -- I'm going to have to do it again. And again. And again. . .until I go completely gray and can just let it be.

Gads.

On another note, has anyone ever heard about this natural haircare wonder: A few years ago, someone said to me, "Oh, doesn't so-and-so have great hair! She doesn't use shampoo you know" and proceeded to explain to me that if you stop using shampoo, and just use water to wash your hair, after awhile the body produces its own sudsing element when the hair gets wet.

What?!? Is this true? I've done a bit of googling (I can't type in "natural shampoo" or some such, as I'd get pages and pages of advertising) for phrases lik "don't use shampoo". . . . and it seems like there are plenty of people with really long, thick hair who don't use soap or shampoo, but no mention of a natural 'sudsing agent'.

Talk to me of hair.

Lori

Jokey emails...

Normally I don't like the emails that start "You know you grew up in the 80s when..." or "Ten ways to tell you are addicted to the Internet..." But my mom sent me a funny one today.

Here we are, at then end of our first Okanagan summer here in our new town...it's still hot, even though it's utterly hazy with the smoke of a fire that's been burning for ages, and has crossed the border from the USA into Canada.

Anyway, the joke:

The only true desert area in Canada.. the Okanagan

May 30th: Just moved to THE SUNNY OKANAGAN. NOW THIS IS THE PLACE TO
LIVE. Beautiful sunny days and warm balmy evenings. What a place! It is beautiful.I've finally found my home. I love it here.

June 14th: Really heating up. Got to 100 today. Not a problem. Live in an air-conditioned home, drive an air-conditioned car. What a pleasure to see the sun everyday like this. I'm turning into a sun worshipper.

June 30th: Had the backyard landscaped with western plants today. Lots of cactus and rocks. What a breeze to maintain. No more mowing lawn for me. Another scorcher today, but I love it here.

July 10th: The temperature hasn't been below 100 all week. How do people get used to this kind of heat? At least it's kind of windy though. But getting used to the heat is taking longer than I expected.

July 15th: Fell asleep by the community pool. Got 3rd degree burns over 60% of my body. Missed 3 days of work. What a dumb thing to do. I learned my lesson though. Got to respect the ol' sun in a climate like this.

July 20th: I missed Lomita (my cat) sneaking into the car when I left this morning. By the time I got to the hot car at noon, Lomita had died and swollen up to the size of a shopping bag and stunk up the upholstery. The car now smells like Kibbles and shits. I learned my lesson though. No more pets in this heat.

July 25th: The wind sucks. It feels like a giant freaking blow dryer!! And it's hot as hell. The home air-conditioner is on the fritz and the A/C repairman charged $200 just to drive by and tell me he needed to order parts.

July 30th: Been sleeping outside on the patio for 3 nights now. $300,000 house and I can't even go inside. Why did I ever come here?

Aug. 4th: Its 115 degrees. Finally got the air-conditioner fixed today. It cost $500 and gets the temperature down to 85. I hate this stupid city.

Aug. 8th: If another wise-ass cracks, "Hot enough for you today?" I'm going to strangle him. Damn heat. By the time I get to work the radiator is boiling over, my clothes are soaking wet, and I smell like baked cat!!

Aug. 9th: Tried to run some errands after work. Wore shorts, and when I sat on the seats in the car, I thought my ass was on fire. I lost 2 layers of flesh and all the hair on the back of my legs and ass. Now my car smells like burnt hair, fried ass, and baked cat.

Aug. 10th: The weather report might as well be a damn recording. Hot and sunny! Hot and sunny! Hot and sunny! It's been too hot to do shit for 2 damn months and the weatherman says it might really warm up next week. Doesn't it ever rain in this damn desert?? Water rationing will be next, so my $1700 worth of cactus will just dry up and blow over. Even the cactus can't live in this damn heat.

Aug. 14th: Welcome to HELL!!! Temperature got to 115 today. Forgot to crack the window and blew the damn windshield out of the car. The installer came to fix it and said, "Hot enough for you today?" My sister had to spend $1500 to bail me out of jail. Freaking OKANAGAN!! What kind of a sick demented idiot would want to live here?? Will write later to let you know how the trial went.

Have you all come to visit yet??

Lori

'dere ain't nuting more absurd dan dis'

I forced my man to watch Hudson Hawk tonight, for the umpteenth time. Poor guy.

I have a confession to make...

I like bad movies. Ridiculous, over-the-top, silly-fun movies. Spoofs and silliness. Tongue-in-cheek wacky and 'way-too-serious-for-our-own-good' absurd. But there's a fine line between a brilliantly stinky fromage and a bad-bad-stinky-bad film.

I'm not going to defend my bad movie collection (Can you name 4 extra silly movies with Kurt Russell? I have them all!), or the somewhat sketchy merits of Hudson Hawk, but I will recommend reading the Agony Booth's take on the film -- very funny, if unforgiving.

Any guilty pleasures out there anyone would like to confess to?

Lori

"You can't make this stuff up."

Ain't that the truth. With Metro writing a book this weekend, and me just trying to stay out of his way (and be supportive at the same time!), the truth is, the best dialogue is what is merely overheard.

Which is why you should take a run past Waiterrant.net this Labour Day. (Apt, in so many ways...) His work day is our entertainment, as you can see in his latest, eavesdropping post. A sample:

1) “I want Diet Coke in my Absolut. Not a Diet Coke and Absolut.”
....
3) “This Apple Strudel’s not what my mother used to make. I don’t want it! Send it back!”

So. Always remember that the people who serve you in the grocery store, gas station, restaurant, stationery store, or what-have-you, are listening...

Lori

4 p.m. update...

Left a comment on Waiter's blog, to let him know I'd blogged about him, and linked to him...and he seems to have deleted my comment. What?! Did I break some unspoken blogger code of conduct? Is he too cool, now that he's got a book deal, that he doesn't need the traffic anymore? Or maybe doesn't feel he needs to add my two readers to his tally of thousands. Did he come here, read my little bit of nothingness, consider me beneath him, before he deleted the comment?

Weird. Leaves me feeling uncomfortable, like I've been caugh peeing on the sidewalk or something.

UPDATE to the update

Okay, so I was wrong. As a few people have told me. My sincere apologies, Waiter, for doubting you. I am, by the way, very pleased at your book deal, and hope (as I'm sure all your readers do) that you don't stop telling stories!

Lori

Are you interested?

I just spent a month, writing 100 words every day. It's like a snapshot of my life...the vaguely interesting minutae. Read it if you're bored...and imagine the apostrophes (for some reason, they didn't show up...sort of like it was created for Andy Rooney, who refuses to use them -- just google "Andy Rooney apostrophes" to read the furor):

Loricat's 100 Words

Reminds me of a boyfriend I had once who thought it would be a good idea to write a daily 10 word diary. Ten words. If it was a slow day, he could write: "Ate dinner at home again. Mom cooked my favourite pasta." (He lived with his parents.) If it were a more, oh, I don't know, momentous day, he'd have to be awfully choosy: "zombie comic thai food Tarantino blood gore Gregorian chant sex" and hope that years later it would all make sense. On super-special days, he allowed himself an extra word -- but only twice a year!

Will I do this months' 100 Words? I have to decide today... 'cause ya gotta commit to the whole month.

I'll let you know. Anyone else with me?

Lori

Still on travel...How about a castle?

From our friend IH who lurks and occasionally posts comments, I received the coolest story...Stone by stone, craftsmen in Burgundy build a medieval-style castle.


Seriously, how cool is that? They are not working in the 21st Century:

The 50 paid craftsmen, plus volunteers, wear tunics and use rustic tools. Except for the occasional hard hat or pair of safety goggles, there's little to remind visitors that this is not the 13th century, but the 21st.

Started in 1996, the castle is one-third finished, and is no longer funded by the government...now tourism pays the bills.

...Last year, 245,000 visitors admired the work of Guedelon's stonecutters, carpenters, potters, rope-makers and blacksmiths.

....

On a recent visit to Guedelon, I watched in awe as a man climbed into a wooden contraption that looked like a huge hamster wheel. He ran frantically, spinning the wheel and activating a pulley system that lifted a load of stones atop a tower.

When he was done, our tour group broke into applause, and poor Jean-Paul climbed off the wheel, huffing and puffing and fanning his tunic. It was all so ... medieval.

The craftsmen say "it's satisfying to build something slowly, as a team, especially in the fast-paced Internet age."

This reminds me of my long-held wonder at how the value of things has...twisted. Handmade soap is now a luxury, as are the hand-woven jackets my cousin crafts and sells for a small fortune. The things our ancestors needed to do are now our expensive 'extras', and building a castle stone-by-carefully-carved-stone is a tourist attraction.

Crazy humans.

Lori

Feel like a roadtrip?

Here's a YouTube (yeah, I know, me too, you tube...) Time Lapse Video of a Guy Driving Across the Country.

Priorities

Two neighbours....

Time to renew our tolerance engines...

I've been doing a lot of random blog surfing lately, and have been running into a lot of intolerance... mostly aimed at, unfortunately, all Muslims. And I'm not even talking about security at airports, or border cops, or GWB...this is average USians just being ignorant and intolerant.

If everyone who comes here today (and tomorrow, and...) could take a moment to visit ReligiousTolerance.org, I would be truly grateful.

Advantages to visiting this site:

• It is user-friendly. They even have a page for first-time visitors.
• It's enormous. They are trying to write balanced essays (as balanced as humanly possible) on an amazingly wide range of topics. I've used their material a lot for various ESL classes -- discussions on Euthanasia, Capital Punishment, etc. But, in their opinion, they are nowhere near done:

Completeness: Although we first established our web site in 1995, and have been writing material ever since, we "only" have 2,801 essays as of early 2005. We estimate that we need at least another two thousand essays to fully cover all topics. You may well find topics on this web site which should be covered, but which are not.

• You will learn about other religions -- how they are similar to your own, and how they differ, and why.
• You can read their hate mail. It is utterly sad that a group of people who are attempting to spread tolerance are subject to the worst intolerance from the ones who need them the most:

Some of our visitors are quite disturbed at seeing their particular world view compared and contrasted with a different one. A few write us very angry letters. We even receive the occasional death threat. We don't see a solution to this problem. It is inherent in the type of work that we do. Still, we get about 3 or 4 positive Emails for each negative one.

Please go, and click on all their banners. Browse around, and read up on areas of interest to you.

Thanks.

Lori

I couldn't pick just one...

Found yet another blogger who amuses me, here's his blog: Life, allegedly.

This guy, who writes about day-to-day absurdities, composes his observations in the snippets of poetry that are haiku. (Does he follow the 'rules'? I don't really care. Rules are meant to be broken anyway.)

Oh, there's a lot of haiku out there on the Internet...classic Japanese-in-translation, to SF haiku, to mullet haiku... (What? You haven't discovered mullet haiku yet? Just Google it, and enjoy!) This is just another sample.

Here are some examples that struck my fancy (it was hard to choose...it ain't necessarily literary, but 'tis fun!):

For Howlin' Wolf

if blues was money
i'd be a big ass rich man
i'd be The Donald

Night on the Town

Staggering in the night
Above me, a strange light blinking
DON'T WALK DON'T WALK DON'T WALK

Migratory Rant

A duck walked past my house.
He quacked as he waddled.
He seemed angry.

Thanks, and keep writing.

Lori

Big News from CBS

The next filming season for Survivor has been announced. Executives from the TV network have decided to counter criticism that the show was "not ethnically diverse enough" by (get this!!) dividing the 'tribes' along ethnic lines...one Hispanic group, one Asian, etc.

Uh, are we unclear on the concept of ethnic diversity? Diversity, in case you're interested, means:

1. the state or fact of being diverse; difference; unlikeness.
2. variety; multiformity.
3. a point of difference.

So, if you're being accused of homogeneity, then you aim for mixing the groups, as in diversifying them.

Or, if you're developing a show where you want conflict, then you aim to fan the fires of racism for ratings.

Note of course, that the article about the CBS show is on the ABC News website. It could all be a hoax.

I'd actually prefer that version of reality.

Lori

Enough of that!

Well, just to update the situation...

I went in this morning and was pretty much snubbed by her, the woman in Receiving, and the woman who comes in early every day to deal with the Aisles. And I was told, "Well, I'll find something for you to do, 'cause I have to get my work done."

Honey, your precious work is deadly dull, your attitude sucks, and your training skills leave everything to be desired. I did some stuff for an hour, and when I finished that, went to find her. Nothing. I quietly made puppies for a bit, realized naught was going to happen, so talked to the GM. I suggested that I go into the copy centre for a bit, to become a bit familiar with that, until they could throw me on cash for the rest of my shift.

I was chatting later with him and one of the other managers, and found out that a couple of people already working there had shown interest in the job.

Ah! Now I understand! I'm betting the woman who works in Aisles, who is not an unfriendly person in the least, must have been feeling passed over...I'm sure she's interested. And she'd be ideally suited for it. (No excuse for the other cow though.)

Okay! Good.

Now I can get back to part-time until something better comes along, and you won't have me blogging about this silly job anymore.

Apologies.

Lori

A Good Training Attitude

I'm not talking about mine.

Classic situation -- a woman who has seen too many years at one workplace is now leaving. She is, understandably, feeling a little negative about the whole place. She's into her last week, and has been saddled with me as a shadow, to train.

It's not an easy job...inventory control for a big box retail outlet (yeah, yeah, the same one I've been boring myself at as lowly cashier). The weekly and monthly and quarterly product counts are scheduled, and important (read: deathly important). And she has been there long enough to feel that she knows best.

I have some tips for training your replacement. Try to:

• Get over your negative attitude, and make your replacement feel welcome.
  
• Remember you are not irreplaceable. (Hell, they weren't even that concerned about replacing you with me, it was just a sudden thought on the part of the GM.)
• Be aware that you may think you know better than all of the other staff in the store, but that mindset is probably why you're generally unhappy there.
• Not tell the person you are training "You will never get this." It does not 1) make the trainee feel welcome, nor 2) make you look good.
• Actually train your replacement. Yes, you can do it faster than I can, but I'm the one who has to continue doing it once you've gone.

My first day as this woman's shadow has just left me thinking, "Fuck you very much."

I liked her prior to today. This evening, while I could still like her socially, I have very little respect for her.

As always, a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down.

Lori

"Everyone loves mail"

How true that is.

Last Christmas, my sister-in-law gifted me with a monthly piece of non-bill-related mail, a Button of the Month Club from a lovely little company in Vancouver called The Regional Assembly of Text. (I would link to individual pictures/pages, but it's a flash site...nice design, but entirely un-linkable, un-searchable.)

For our wedding, our favourite local band, lesismore, gifted us with "Just Married" buttons that managed to garner us some great freebies.

So, I finally changed my address with my button of the month club, 'cause I've been at a new address long enough without making all the necessary changes. One down. Umpteen to go.

Lori

a meta-blog posting

Do circles of friends grow more quickly in the real world, or in the digital world?

Would, for example, my friend raincoaster have met Lydia (a lurking, sometimes-commenting, not-yet blogging friend "Start blogging, woman! It's not like you don't have anything to say!") as quickly if they'd had to depend on me to finally drag them together? Instead, they meet online, through our blogs, and then hang out together in the real world.

My new friend PJ doesn't count in this question, since she's been driven to blog only after meeting me. But if she suddenly ends up having barbecues at Lydia's, then we know that there's some truth to it!

Then there is Ahmad, way off in Lebanon. Never would have connected with him without the digital world.

We've all experienced how hard it is to make new friends. You've got to be out there, aggressive even.

So, does knowing someone through their writing, before meeting them in person, make it easier?

Stories, anyone?

Lori

25peeps.com

Okay, check it out. I'm up on 25peeps.com -- it's a weird thing. What's the point? To drive traffic? To see how enticing your picture can be without showing your boobs?

No boobs here.

So, this is me:
Lori

My last word(s) on spelling

I'm a word person. I like them individually for their meaning ("defenestrate") or their sound ("curfew"). I'm a nit-picking speller. I have a dictionary collection, including a couple on my computer, but I must admit I check dictionary.com first (and easiest).

But, I was also trained as a linguist (in the "I studied Linguistics" sense, although I can function quite well in French and Portuguese, if pressed, with a bit of Spanish, Korean & German thrown into the mix), and taught English as a Second Language for 12 years. I know I have an uncanny sense for spelling. I also know that while listening and speaking a language are natural acts, reading and writing (and thus spelling) are not.

When I StumbledUpon a(nother) list of commonly misspelled words, I thought I'd ramble on about my spelling philosophy.

• English has notoriously awkward spelling. The Norman Invasion of 1066, the Great Vowel Shift, Shakespeare...blame who you want, we're stuck with it.
• As we should be. The word "night" has a history and depth that "nite" will never have.
  
• In the grand scheme of things, being a "good" or "bad" speller is not important.
  
• That said, there is a social stigma to incorrect spelling, so when it is important, spell words properly.
• When is it important? Unfortunately, pretty much any time you want to be taken seriously. When you're a contractor quoting for a job (I've sat on Strata Councils -- when two quotes are really similar, we would go with the slightly more expensive one, if the cheapest quote had spelling errors. Our reasoning? If the guy wasn't paying attention to those details, what else would he miss?), or when you're writing your resume, or...you know the list.
• It's also important for credibility on the web. "U R 2 cute" is fine in chat, but if I end up at a blog that is written like that, or someone comments on a blog using texting shorthand, that's it. I tune out. Blame it on my age or 'unhipness', but it just tells me that this person was too lazy to write full words. (And don't even start me on things like "24/7"!)
• And, saving the best for last: Never trust a spell-checker to find your mistakes. It will miss your homonyms, those words that sound the same have different spellings: its/it's, there/they're/their, etc. And, it will miss your 'slips of the finger' -- when you type "form" for "from" and so on. If it's important, get a friend to check it, or hire someone in your office to do it for you.

(Wow. This turned out longer than I expected.)

All of that said, I'm not an ogre when it comes to spelling -- at least not socially. I do not sit with mental red pen correcting the odd error in my comment section (Except with Metro, he should know better!).

Lori

How do you lace your shoes?

Uh...the normal way?

In kindergarten, I was taught by some silly intern to tie my shoes differently from everyone else (I've only ever met one other person afflicted like me...). I make two bows, and tie them together. My Dad teased me about it all the time ("You tie your shoes like Joe Sausage!") (No, I never did find out who Mr. Sausage was...)

But lacing shoes...how many ways can you do it?

How about 31?

For some much-needed education on laces, check out Ian's Shoelace Site.

What other prosaic elements of my life have their own fanatical devotees?

Lori

Today's lesson

On the billboard outside a local church, this week's lesson:

"Your life either sheds light or casts a shadow."

What light am I shining, or I guess, blocking, with my choices?

Definitely something to think about.

Lori

Minimum wage and the service industry

What on Earth was I thinking?!?

Being surrounded by stationery products ("O Paper, O Pens/How do I love Thee?/Let me count the ways") and people does not in any way balance out a minimum wage repetitive job.

Who was I trying to fool?

I'll help them through the back to school rush, then I'm outta there.

Gads.

[On topics less absurd, I've blogged twice today at my Book Nook...]

Lori

A few tips for going to your grad reunion.

Having just survived mine, I thought I'd share what I've learned.

• Definitely go to the 'Grads Only' pub night, if one is planned. It's great to get the trippy "oh my god, I haven't seen you in 20 years!" moments out of the way before the spouses (plural "spice"?) come along.
• Be aware that your high school crush (or worse, ex) will be at the big night with his wife/her husband in tow. Be prepared to get over it quickly.
• Don't worry about the career thing. It is guaranteed that someone is ultra-successful (in our case, I guess one guy married serious money), and others have really interesting jobs. What is also true is that people are doing supremely unexpected things...and are not as successful as they had envisioned themselves.
• You will recognize the women easier than the men. As 18-year-olds, the guys had barely finished growing...they have hair to lose, beer bellies to gain, and polish to acquire.
• Be above the rivalries high school brought, but know you will probably feel them again.
• Know that the girls who were popular in high school will still (be trying to) look like they did then -- that was their peak. The other women will be...who they were meant to be.
• My friend Sonia will say that if you dread your reunion (10- or 20-year), the best remedy is to get involved in the planning.

And, if you are a man accompanying a woman to her reunion, the best, most subtly supportive line you can utter is: "Oh, everyone knows only the good-looking people go to reunions!" (And no, I can't attribute that one to Metro, but he did me proud anyway! It's weird being the newlyweds at a 20-year reunion...)

Anyone out there want to share their experiences?

Lori

Where's the absurd in my life?

I've got none!

Metro has found some in his comments, here and here. Read for entertainment value. One guy probably surfs all day for the uses of the word 'r a p t u r e' on the Internet, then hobbles right over to leave a weird comment. (Note the judicious use of spaces, I'm hoping to avoid him.)

I had my second shift at Staples yesterday, another today. I'm a little worried that it's going to bore me sooner than expected. Good thing I only want 2 shifts a week. I've already pretty much nailed the register -- complicated, but just fine.

School is coming, and a woman came in yesterday, 2 kids in tow, and spent $299 on school supplies. Okay, a couple of backpacks were in there, but the rest was pens, pencils, notebooks, erasers, paper, binders...Insane.

The mundane lives on over here, while the absurdity in the world takes the form of dropping bombs, still, in the Middle East.

Ahmad, on the other hand, is keeping his chin up, and enticing his readers with pictures of beautiful women, and rather pointed jokes. Plus he's sending me songs by Natacha Atlas -- not only are they great, but check out the cover of her 'Best of' album, and try to tell me she's only appreciated for her musical talent:

And this weekend is the long-awaited (dreaded?) 20 year high school reunion for yours truly. I'll tell you how that goes when I survive it.

Lori

A break

On the holiday Monday yesterday, Metro and I agreed to take a much needed break from the Internet. Instead, we spent time together, puttering around the house, shopping for the house. Putting furniture together for the house...

I first met Cold Desert (Can I use 'met' for someone I've never seen face-to-face? We're going to need a new word for someone we only know via the Internet....unless one already exists?) when I googled "too much paper" ages ago, and ended up on his blog, where he had this picture posted:

So I linked to him, he linked to me...and now he worries about other things than piles of paper. (I never did find out if this was his reality or just a nightmare pic he found somewhere else. Ahmad?)

Today, in our home office, we have a solution:
I don't know about you, but this piece of furniture, while a bitch to put together, is a dream come true in a lot of ways.

Thanks, Metro. Big kiss.

Lori

Is this really wise?

In a little bit, I'm off for my first shift at Staples...a rather wonderful full-service stationery store.

Is this wise?

Won't I find myself spending my miniscule wages (I'm not doing this for the money, obviously) on store product?

Or maybe it will be like the time I worked in a bakery. Common practice in a bakery is to tell new staff to eat what they want...very soon they will tire of it. It's when they can't have it that they want it so badly.

Hmm. There's a truism in that.

Lori

And now for some local news...

I was reminded last night that I still have blog visitors who come for news of me...surprisingly, I'm a terrible email correspondant when it's social.

So, here's a bit of an update.

It's 6:08 a.m. Saturday morning as I write this. Metro and I are up at this ridiculous hour because it is Market day! I'm still the manager of the local Farmers' Market, and my sweet husband gets up every Saturday morning to help me put up the barricades on the street. I don't actually need his help, but I appreciate it.

The Market is a hoot -- every week I get to block off the street, and in come my vendors. Most of them are regulars and know exactly where to set up. Every week I have a mini event to produce, which means a lot of emails and phone calls during the week, some planning, some marketing...

I'm also applying to other jobs around town. Ideally, I was looking for other part-time work that was meaningful...I applied to Big Brothers Big Sisters for example. As a receptionist. Okay, so that's not really me.

Instead, tomorrow, I'm starting a few shifts a week at Staples...I love stationery, so why not? I'm there all the time anyway, doing photocopies for the Market, browsing -- why not get a 15% discount?

I applied for a juicy Fed job too...ain't crossing my fingers for that one.

We've moved into our new house. It needs a number of small things done -- nothing is ever perfect when you buy. But it is amazing to suddenly find myself utterly comfortable in this new space. I'm happy, Metro's happy, the cats are happy.

Socially, all is well. We know people in town, we're starting to make friends, and my family lives 40 minutes away...that's driving 3 towns away, not across Vancouver. Wow. I hadn't really thought of that before. I used to take the Skytrain to work, 40 minutes door-t- door, without batting an eye. Now, it's a longish trip to visit Mom...

More later. Gotta go.

[For other updates, check my blogroll. General wackiness: Nag. Political commentary: Metro. Pop-culture: 30-something. A squid-tastic nuttiness: raincoaster. And of course, Lebanon updates: Cold Desert.]

Lori

Things we worry about....

Is it an age thing? Recently, I've found myself forgetting common words.

Yesterday, Metro was reading on the bed, and I was lying next to him...being ignored. So, I flopped my arm over his book to get his attention (hell, it works for the cats!). We chatted a moment, then I mentioned the cat-maneuver. He drew a blank. Something that happened two minutes before, and he forgot it.

Maybe it was the scintillating conversation.

But at least we don't have Nag's issues (hilarious post!).

Now over to Cold Desert, to see what there is to really worry about...

Lori

When pop culture meets absurdity

[Spoiler: Not a Lebanon-related blog posting.]

Wandered over to raincoaster today, and she's all in a dither because she's involved in the most incredibly civilised flame war in the history of the Internet (more like a hot flash war?).

But she's also linked to the fabulousness of the absurd Flying Pastafarian Monster flame war. Seriously, go read this. The flamer is a man so stupid and narrow-minded, his picture is in the dictionary.

I knew I had to blog on it, when part-way down the page was a couple of commentors have a few moments of ludicrous silliness that made me blow milk out my nose:

To quote:

One fake "Casey Powell" says:

Don't make me go all Peter Venkman on you bible-hater!

The next says:

DONT CROSS THE STREAMS!

Love those 80s movie references...

Another "Casey Powell" posts:

I've studied 50 religions, I have interviewed doctors, lawyers, biophysicists, I even spoke to jews. And all of them agree, wholeheartedly, that Baked Lays Sour Cream and Onion chips are fucking delicious.

What is the lesson here?

"It is better to be silent and thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt." (Mark Twain)

And there is nothing more powerful than the Enter key to identify fools.

Lori

I was going to let others speak...

...and not blog here all the time about the Isreali attack on Lebanon. But I was just reading the comments on a post by Ahmad, and here was a brilliant absurdity (and thus clearly in my mandate!).

A USian (why do citizens of the USA think they have the exclusive use of the word "American"? I don't mean this as an attack on my neighbours to the South, but I used to teach ESL and my Latin American students used to get quite peeved at that -- and it makes sense. Aren't we all on the American continents?) argued:

The best you can hope for is that the UN establishes a peace-keeping force, with the goal of disarming Hezbolleh. (UN 1559)

Ahmad responded with:

It is amazing how the world has always double standards when it comes to Israel. If Lebanon has to apply the UN Resolution 1559, then there is a list of 68 UN resolutions against Israel awaiting execution. (You can read them here, here or here)
A list of UN Resolutions against "Israel" 1955-1992:
* Resolution 106: " . . . 'condemns' Israel for Gaza raid".
* Resolution 111: " . . . 'condemns' Israel for raid on Syria that killed fifty-six people".
* Resolution 127: " . . . 'recommends' Israel suspends it's 'no-man's zone' in Jerusalem".
* Resolution 162: " . . . 'urges' Israel to comply with UN decisions".
* Resolution 171: " . . . determines flagrant violations' by Israel in its attack on Syria".
* Resolution 228: " . . . 'censures' Israel for its attack on Samu in the West Bank, then under Jordanian control".
* Resolution 237: " . . . 'urges' Israel to allow return of new 1967 Palestinian refugees".
* Resolution 248: " . . . 'condemns' Israel for its massive attack on Karameh in Jordan".
* Resolution 250: " . . . 'calls' on Israel to refrain from holding military parade in Jerusalem".
* Resolution 251: " . . . 'deeply deplores' Israeli military parade in Jerusalem in defiance of Resolution 250".
* Resolution 252: " . . . 'declares invalid' Israel's acts to unify Jerusalem as Jewish capital".
* Resolution 256: " . . . 'condemns' Israeli raids on Jordan as 'flagrant violation".
* Resolution 259: " . . . 'deplores' Israel's refusal to accept UN mission to probe occupation".
* Resolution 262: " . . . 'condemns' Israel for attack on Beirut airport".
* Resolution 265: " . . . 'condemns' Israel for air attacks for Salt in Jordan".
* Resolution 267: " . . . 'censures' Israel for administrative acts to change the status of Jerusalem".
*Resolution 270: " . . . 'condemns' Israel for air attacks on villages in southern Lebanon".
* Resolution 271: " . . . 'condemns' Israel's failure to obey UN resolutions on Jerusalem".
* Resolution 279: " . . . 'demands' withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon".
* Resolution 280: " . . . 'condemns' Israeli's attacks against Lebanon".
* Resolution 285: " . . . 'demands' immediate Israeli withdrawal form Lebanon".
* Resolution 298: " . . . 'deplores' Israel's changing of the status of Jerusalem".
* Resolution 313: " . . . 'demands' that Israel stop attacks against Lebanon".
* Resolution 316: " . . . 'condemns' Israel for repeated attacks on Lebanon".
* Resolution 317: " . . . 'deplores' Israel's refusal to release Arabs abducted in Lebanon".
* Resolution 332: " . . . 'condemns' Israel's repeated attacks against Lebanon".
* Resolution 337: " . . . 'condemns' Israel for violating Lebanon's sovereignty".
* Resolution 347: " . . . 'condemns' Israeli attacks on Lebanon".
* Resolution 425: " . . . 'calls' on Israel to withdraw its forces from Lebanon".
* Resolution 427: " . . . 'calls' on Israel to complete its withdrawal from Lebanon.
* Resolution 444: " . . . 'deplores' Israel's lack of cooperation with UN peacekeeping forces".
* Resolution 446: " . . . 'determines' that Israeli settlements are a 'serious obstruction' to peace and calls on Israel to abide by the Fourth Geneva Convention".
* Resolution 450: " . . . 'calls' on Israel to stop attacking Lebanon".
* Resolution 452: " . . . 'calls' on Israel to cease building settlements in occupied territories".
* Resolution 465: " . . . 'deplores' Israel's settlements and asks all member states not to assist Israel's settlements program".
* Resolution 467: " . . . 'strongly deplores' Israel's military intervention in Lebanon".
* Resolution 468: " . . . 'calls' on Israel to rescind illegal expulsions of two Palestinian mayors and a judge and to facilitate their return".
* Resolution 469: " . . . 'strongly deplores' Israel's failure to observe the council's order not to deport Palestinians".
* Resolution 471: " . . . 'expresses deep concern' at Israel's failure to abide by the Fourth Geneva Convention".
* Resolution 476: " . . . 'reiterates' that Israel's claim to Jerusalem are 'null and void'".
* Resolution 478: " . . . 'censures (Israel) in the strongest terms' for its claim to Jerusalem in its 'Basic Law'".
* Resolution 484: " . . . 'declares it imperative' that Israel re-admit two deported Palestinian mayors".
* Resolution 487: " . . . 'strongly condemns' Israel for its attack on Iraq's nuclear facility".
* Resolution 497: " . . . 'decides' that Israel's annexation of Syria's Golan Heights is 'null and void' and demands that Israel rescinds its decision forthwith".
* Resolution 498: " . . . 'calls' on Israel to withdraw from Lebanon".
* Resolution 501: " . . . 'calls' on Israel to stop attacks against Lebanon and withdraw its troops".
* Resolution 509: " . . . 'demands' that Israel withdraw its forces forthwith and unconditionally from Lebanon".
* Resolution 515: " . . . 'demands' that Israel lift its siege of Beirut and allow food supplies to be brought in".
* Resolution 517: " . . . 'censures' Israel for failing to obey UN resolutions and demands that Israel withdraw its forces from Lebanon".
* Resolution 518: " . . . 'demands' that Israel cooperate fully with UN forces in Lebanon".
* Resolution 520: " . . . 'condemns' Israel's attack into West Beirut".
* Resolution 573: " . . . 'condemns' Israel 'vigorously' for bombing Tunisia in attack on PLO headquarters.
* Resolution 587: " . . . 'takes note' of previous calls on Israel to withdraw its forces from Lebanon and urges all parties to withdraw".
* Resolution 592: " . . . 'strongly deplores' the killing of Palestinian students at Bir Zeit University by Israeli troops".
* Resolution 605: " . . . 'strongly deplores' Israel's policies and practices denying the human rights of Palestinians.
* Resolution 607: " . . . 'calls' on Israel not to deport Palestinians and strongly requests it to abide by the Fourth Geneva Convention.
* Resolution 608: " . . . 'deeply regrets' that Israel has defied the United Nations and deported Palestinian civilians".
* Resolution 636: " . . . 'deeply regrets' Israeli deportation of Palestinian civilians.
* Resolution 641: " . . . 'deplores' Israel's continuing deportation of Palestinians.
* Resolution 672: " . . . 'condemns' Israel for violence against Palestinians at the Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount.
* Resolution 673: " . . . 'deplores' Israel's refusal to cooperate with the United Nations.
* Resolution 681: " . . . 'deplores' Israel's resumption of the deportation of Palestinians.
* Resolution 694: " . . . 'deplores' Israel's deportation of Palestinians and calls on it to ensure their safe and immediate return.
* Resolution 726: " . . . 'strongly condemns' Israel's deportation of Palestinians.
* Resolution 799: ". . . 'strongly condemns' Israel's deportation of 413 Palestinians and calls for their immediate return.

Now, that was an absurd argument.

And the UN is in itself not un-absurd, in it's patent inability to actually enforce any of these resolutions.

What? Worried that you might be called anti-Jew if you actively condemn bad behaviour?

Besides the various sides sitting down and having real dialogue (let the mothers of each country do it), how do governments think they are ever going to solve this Us vs. Them dilemma?

Lori

My Curiosity Satisfied.

A few days ago, I'd wandered over to Google Earth to see what Beirut looks like today by satellite. It hadn't updated, almost 2 weeks into the war.

Ahmad sent me pictures today.

The suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon, before:


And after:


Hmm...

Lori

Speaking out against Israel's actions...

Chomsky, Pinter, Zinn, Vidal et al on Israel
Wednesday, 26 July 2006, 12:56 pm

Opinion:

A Letter

The latest chapter of the conflict between Israel and Palestine began when Israeli forces abducted two civilians, a doctor and his brother, from Gaza. An incident scarcely reported anywhere, except in the Turkish press. The following day the Palestinians took an Israeli soldier prisoner - and proposed a negotiated exchange against prisoners taken by the Israelis - there are approximately 10,000 in Israeli jails.

That this "kidnapping" was considered an outrage, whereas the illegal military occupation of the West Bank and the systematic appropriation of its natural resources - most particularly that of water - by the Israeli Defence (!) Forces is considered a regrettable but realistic fact of life, is typical of the double standards repeatedly employed by the West in face of what has befallen the Palestinians, on the land alloted to them by international agreements, during the last seventy years.

Today outrage follows outrag e; makeshift missiles cross sophisticated ones. The latter usually find their target situated where the disinherited and crowded poor live, waiting for what was once called Justice. Both categories of missile rip bodies apart horribly - who but field commanders can forget this for a moment?

Each provocation and counter-provocation is contested and preached over. But the subsequent arguments, accusations and vows, all serve as a distraction in order to divert world attention from a long-term military, economic and geographic practice whose political aim is nothing less than the liquidation of the Palestinian nation.

This has to be said loud and clear for the practice, only half declared and often covert, is advancing fast these days, and, in our opinion, it must be unceasingly and eternally recognised for what it is and resisted.


John Berger
Noam Chomsky
Harold Pinter
José Saramago
Eduardo Galeano
Arundhati Roy
Naomi Klein
Howard Zinn
Tariq Ali
Charles Glass
W.J.T. Mitchell
Richard Falk
Gore Vidal
Russell Banks

Mieussy, France

PS: As Juliano Mer Khamis, director of the documentary film Arna's Children, asked: "Who is going to paint the 'Guernica' of Lebanon?"

And loads of commentary if you google "letter chomsky pinter zinn"

When words no longer exist...

Today I don't feel like celebrating the absurd.

It's absurd that I can read all day, listen to music, watch a movie, putter around my house...when the IDF is bombing apartment buildings at night in Lebanon.

What can I say to Ahmad that someone hasn't already said, that I haven't already said?

I sit in safety, powerless to do anything because the decision to allow Isreal its "little war" were made without consultation with the people...the 'demo' of our so-called democracy.

Ahmad, my thoughts are with you and your people tonight...

Lori

Your Favourite Music?

At Christmas, Metro and I bought a few Napster cards for people, each worth 3 months of unlimited downloads. With Metro away this weekend, I started it up, and have been happily downloading some great stuff, mostly albums of artists I already like.

• Nina Simone
• Tom Waits
• Cowboy Junkies
• Lucinda Williams
• Bonnie Raitt

And a neat treasure: another album of Leonard Cohen covers: the soundtrack to the movie Leonard Cohen: I'm Your Man, a documentary on the man's life, which I have yet to see.

But I don't know if I've got 3 months worth of downloading in me...I need suggestions. So, my loyal (?) readers, why don't you tell me your favourite bands & performers, so that I can learn some new music?

Thanks!

Lori

Best Movie of All Time

My man is out of town tonight, so I think I may watch a couple of cheesy cult classics.

The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension will be one. Here's the trailer from YouTube.




And Tank Girl.

What? You've seen neither? You have no idea what you're missing!!

Lori

20 years

How do you mark time?

I seem to do it in 10-year increments.

I remember 10 years ago, hearing that it was time for my high school reunion. I was in Korea at the time, teaching, and I breathed a sigh of relief, that no one knew how to get a hold of me.

I absolutely hated high school. Oh, I had some good friends, but I was awkward, unpopular, nerdy. You know the drill. My crowd hung out in the drama room, because most of us had some wonderful peculiarities that translated into wacky comedy and sensitive drama, what-have-you.

Then, for my Grade 11 year, I went to Brazil on exchange. Can you imagine how that changed my perspective on life? I definitely did not fit in when I returned for Grade 12. I remember descending on a favourite teacher at the break, closing the door and bursting into tears. The guidance counselor was also my rock.

The only advantage to that year, and my different point of view, is that I no longer gave a shit about the system. After a jackass Algebra teacher humiliated a girl in class, to the point that she left the room, I followed her, answering his "Where are you going?" with a calm "To help her." Suddenly, people mattered more than rules and authority, and I was just biding my time until I could get the hell out.

Did I even think about the 20 year reunion, until my friend called me to let me know it was coming? No. High school is long gone. I have not lived in the 'live for the summer' mindset for 20 years. I went straight to university, and because of its 3 equal semesters a year, I was able to finish my degree & certificate in 4 years of leisurely semesters -- 4 classes instead of 5 all the time makes a difference. But I no longer had 'a summer'...it became just another season.

Talking to the woman organizing the reunion was enlightening. I'd always seen her as 'in' (I, on the other hand, was always 'out'). But, as she pointed out, she only followed to avoid being targeted herself.

Sad, ain't it?

The point is, now, 20 years later, my wounds from high school are all healed. Now I'm ready to meet these people who used to be the jocks, brains, nerds, geeks, bullies, preppies of my own hellish years...all of us using whatever strategies we could to deal with high school.

It's on the August 12th weekend. Wish me luck.

Lori

New template

Hope you like it. Not the wishy-washy one I was looking at using.

A real post tomorrow, I promise.

Lori

Off the bandwagon...

Well, as Metro pointed out in the comments to the last post, my updated template didn't work in Internet Explorer, although it worked just fine in Firefox.

{How come his does?!?}

AND, I couldn't get my original template back in it's lovely original form...even if I re-established it, with all of my modifications lost.

I didn't change the HTML, I swear!

So, now I'm stuck with this rather wishy-washy template (for awhile?). And no blogroll. (Don't worry, I'll get to it. Just a little frustrated at the moment.) And no nifty people & country counters.

Argh.

Lori

On the bandwagon...

Okay, I've joined the NeoWorx.net craze...

Blame Metro. Hell, I might even *gasp!* pay to have the service once my trial period is up. It is cool to know where people are from when they arrive at your blog.

Since last night, 10 visitors from 4 countries. It's like call display for your blog -- now you know who's called, and you can be pissed off that they didn't leave a message!

Just kidding.

Lori

History Repeats

Twenty years ago, in 1986, slumlords around Vancouver evicted tenants to be able to lure unsuspecting international guests to their fleabag motels for Expo 86.

The fact that I was beginning university in Vancouver that year is an issue I will blog on another day, as my 20-year high school reunion creeps up on my...in a couple of weeks. (Gods, give me strength!)

But, as the saying goes, those who ignore history are destined to repeat it...or in this case, those who learn from history that they will only get their hands slapped for being underhanded and cruel, thus reaping great financial benefit, will repeat it.

From the Pivot Legal Society:

Press Release – For Immediate Release, July 26, 2006

Province moves to evict 13 more low-income people

Vancouver –Vancouver Coastal Health has issued an order to tenants of the Powell Rooms lodging house at 556 Powell Street stating that the building would be closed today, Wednesday, July 26, 2006 at 5:00 p.m due to health reasons. Coastal Health has made no provision for relocating the 13 people that live at the Powell Rooms, including one terminally ill individual.

The order, issued a week ago by Dr. F.J. Blatherwick of Vancouver Coastal Health, lists four reasons for the hotel closure: (1) lack of hot water, (2) pest infestations, (3) non-functioning washrooms and (4) garbage accumulating in a City of Vancouver lane.

David Eby, a lawyer with Pivot Legal Society, learned of the order on Monday and visited the lodging house on Tuesday with a team of volunteer trades-people and community members. The repairs to the hot water tank were completed within minutes, and all the toilets were found to be in working order. A removal service has been contracted to remove garbage from the back lane. No evidence was found of mice, cockroaches or bedbugs, although a pest control service has also been engaged to conduct a full inspection.

“Its fairly shocking that the Coastal Health Authority, responsible for ensuring the health and well-being of the community, would rather force people onto the street than ensure some very basic repairs are done,” said Eby. “It would have been a simple matter for Dr. Blatherwick to order the steps we’ve taken today to be done, and any health hazards be cleaned up.”

The City of Vancouver also has the power under City bylaws to order repairs and maintenance to Downtown Eastside lodging houses and hotels. However, although the Powell Rooms building was inspected regularly by the City, there have been no City Standards of Maintenance Orders for the lodging house since November of 2001.

“It boils down to community volunteers doing the job of Coastal Health and the City because, for some reason, they would rather close hotels than ensure that they are livable,” said Eby. “If the government won’t do its job and protect low-income people from losing their homes, what will happen to the Olympic commitment to prevent homelessness?”

The pending closure of the Powell Rooms (25 units) and the ongoing closure of the Lucky Lodge (48 units total) by the City and the Province follows the dramatic closures of the Burns Block hotel (18 units) and the Pender Hotel (36 units) in March, 2006. These rooms, together with rooms lost due to rent increases brings the total of low-income units lost or under imminent threat to 375 for the first seven months of 2006.

-------------------------------------------------------

Further Comment: David Eby (778) 865-7997 – Pivot Legal Society

Dr. F.J. Blatherwick (604)675-3804 – Vancouver Coastal Health

-------------------------------------------------------

The 2010 Inner-City Inclusivity Commitment to protect low-income housing and ensure that people are not made homeless was part of the Vancouver Bid Book, the formal application to host the Olympic Games. To read the Inclusivity Commitment Statement, visit: http://www.city.vancouver.bc.ca/commsvcs/housing/sra/pdf/statement.pdf .

About Pivot Legal Society
Pivot’s mandate is to take a strategic approach to social change, using the law to address the root causes that undermine the quality of life of those most on the margins. We believe that everyone, regardless of income, benefits from a healthy and inclusive community where values such opportunity, respect and equality are strongly rooted in the law.

Crazy Cat Names

Just had a long cool drink with a friend & colleague, discussing some big plans...

Their cat has recently had babies, and she & her husband (and can we also blame it on their son?) named the kittens:

• Chairman Meow
• Fidel Catstro
  
• Meowmar Catabby

What is the difference between wit and silliness anyway?

Lori

Does Google Maps update?

Doesn't look like it. I was just looking at Beirut, Lebanon with the satelite function, and the infrastructure seems to be in place.

So it's at least 13 days behind now. Get your daily update at Ahmad's blog, Cold Desert, there in the blogroll sidebar. [I'd link to it, but Blogger is acting strange this a.m.]

In the news...

Nag has a great post here -- a very visual representation of the 'sides' in this cruel and disgusting undeclared war on the Lebanese people, from the Independent.

I went, trying to find the original, and found a font of other interesting articles instead. Including this one, with some great quotes from some influential people in England:

Alexei Sayle, WRITER

Anyone can see that what Israel is doing is unacceptable, violent, cruel, evil and wicked. If Israel is behaving in the manner of a psychotic bullying child, then Britain and the US are like its mad tattooed parents.

Dr Muhammad Abdul Bari, MUSLIM COUNCIL OF BRITAIN

By wilfully turning a blind eye to Israel's indiscriminate killing of women and children and the destruction of Lebanon's infrastructure, we have further tarnished how our country is viewed in the eyes of the Muslim world. There can be no doubt that Israel's actions constitute war crimes.

Mark Thomas, COMEDIAN AND ACTIVIST

It is absolutely shameful that our Government is standing by while collective punishment and war crimes are meted out on the people of Lebanon. Let us be clear: if America and Britain had not given Israel the green light to do this, then it would
not be happening. It is beyond horrific.

Here's hoping someone, with some influence where it matters, can use it to stop Israel.

Lori

Progress...

...is transitory.

Since we've moved into our place, I've discovered a new joy: using the clothesline instead of the dryer. Not only is it cost-effective, it's good for the environment, it's a pleasant experience, and the clothes smell nice. My mom thinks I'm crazy -- but she's from a generation that had to use clotheslines...changes your perspective.

It's a phenomenon. Hand-made soap is a luxury item, hand-woven sweaters sell for hundreds of dollars...elements of lives past become the luxuries of today.

Or the necessities of tomorrow, if you live in Lebanon. Go over to Metro to get his (rather good, in my unbiased opinion) take. But don't forget to visit Ahmad's blog, with his daily updates (and links to other Lebanese bloggers).

Nothing today

The only absurd thing in the world today is that world 'leaders' are doing nothing to stop Israel's unwarranted attack on the Lebanese people and infrastructure.

Read Cold Desert's blog if you haven't already. Follow this link to Metro's latest post, and send an email to the 'leader' of your choice.

Lori

The Five Love Languages

Was wandering around the web, and happened upon a nice blog, one I'd like to visit again: take-u-away. A bit of a romantic, he blogged about the Five Love Languages. So I took the test.

Here are the results (Metro, pay attention!):

My primary love language is probably
Quality Time
with a secondary love language being
Acts of Service.

Complete set of results

Quality Time:		11
Acts of Service:		9
Words of Affirmation:		6
Physical Touch:		2
Receiving Gifts:		2

Information

Unhappiness in relationships, according to Dr. Gary Chapman, is often due to the fact that we speak different love languages. Sometimes we don't understand our partner's requirements, or even our own. We all have a "love tank" that needs to be filled in order for us to express love to others, but there are different means by which our tank can be filled, and there are different ways that we can express love to others.

Take the quiz

Lori

Over a year has passed!

Wow. I first blogged over a year ago, on July 2, 2005.

I blog.

I am blogging.

I have blogged.

I have been blogging for a year and 10 days.

Lori

Good gift ideas

What is the definition of a good gift? I've always thought it was something that showed the giver's insight into the recipient's mind, by surprising that person with something they would have bought for themselves, if they'd thought of it, or had the extra cash.

Metro and I have recently been the recipients of a lot of presents, having just gotten married, and I'm finally in a position to write our 'thank yous' -- my computer is out of storage, and my wedding gift list is on it, in digital form only.

Great gifts...Euros for a Paris honeymoon. Cash for a couple facing the upheaval of a move. The useful odds'n'sods of a domestic life. We'll finally be thanking people for those things.

Here's a great idea: My realtors in Vancouver gifted Metro and I with the news that they'd hired someone to clean the apartment once we'd moved. I'd never felt so...relieved!

And another great idea, which we just finished appreciating: a basket filled with ice cream sundae ingredients...and long-handled spoons to get the last bit of deliciousness from the bottom of lovely blue ceramic parfait cups.

Thank you.

Lori

"Respect for the Aged"

Saturday morning, as Metro and I were closing off the street for the Farmers' Market, it was a typical quiet morning. It was maybe ten minutes before 7 a.m., and a couple of vendors were already setting up.

So, the picture is of my market block, at 7 a.m., from the middle of the block, where I normally set up my table. On the sidewalk is where I drop off my box of miscellaneous stuff: a bright table cloth, brochures, photo albums, recipes, my water bottle...you know.

Well, this weekend, I was walking back towards my spot, when I saw an old guy on one of those mobility scooters, stopped at my stuff. He sees me coming, shuffles back into position on his roadster, and toddles off.

Sitting on top of my basket was a lone, blue bottle cap. That rat-bastard had rummaged around, found my water bottle, emptied it, tucked his 5 cent recycling profit away, and left the bottle cap (and wet sidewalk) as spoor.

"Hey, buddy!" I yelled after him, "That was my water bottle!"

I start walking quickly, following him down the sidewalk, yelling. He doesn't look back...just keeps on truckin'.

At this point, I have to stop. Otherwise I'd be chasing down and kicking octogenarian butt, and that would just not be cool.

His pennies of profit cost me another $1.50 to hydrate myself for the morning. And left me with such a load of annoyed anger, that it took me two days to blog on it.

Well, I doubt age has turned him into an ass. I'm sure he always was one.

Lori

Back to the absurdities...

...and there are lots when you are a homeowner.

For example, last night, Metro picked up some ant traps at that most fabulous of fabulous retail establishments, Canadian Tire. Now, I before I put down poison I don't need, I will try my method: scrub their chemical trail with my own chemical cleaners, then sprinkle some chili powder in the area.

Anyway, I wish I had my scanner set up, because this ant trap package says, no lie, "May contain peanuts." It's ant poison. If your kid picks it up and ingests some of it, wouldn't you have other worries than the possibilities of peanuts?!? Plus, who cares if the ants have nut allergies -- you're trying to kill them!

Speaking of allergies, I'm glad I'm not allergic to anything -- Yesterday, an angry wasp stung me twice on the arm...damn! that hurt! Luckily, raincoaster was on the scene and used the wisdom gleaned from some obscure Viggo film to rescue me: ice to freeze the venom (0r whatever it is they have) in place, then a paste of baking soda and water to draw it out.

Oh yeah, we bought some wasp traps as well!

2 More Sleeps!!

I can barely contain my excitement.

Yes, it's going to be a lot of work to unpack everything. Yes, I have a lot to catch up on (wedding thank yous being the #1 priority). Yes, our monthly 'outgo' is going to be very close to our monthly income.

But...

only two more sleeps!

Lori

A rant on wages...

A few weeks ago, a local business columnist spoke to a group of professionals who are actively seeking meaningful work (me included). He told us about how a group of business leaders had met and discussed their challenges: finding good people to work. He cited one business owner who had 40% staff turnover a month, or some such ridiculous figure.

We all jumped in and pointed out that it was no mystery for us -- obviously the guy paid shit. It's all about the money, unless the work is totally rewarding in some intrinsic way to an individual. Oh, it might be the benefits, the flexible hours, the perks...but if the money is too low, why would anyone stay?

In the lovely valley where I now live, the businesses were enticed in over the last 20 years with the promise of cheap labour and beautiful environs -- and people were told, when they complained about low wages, that it was a 'sunshine tax'. [From "Okanagan Sustainable Prosperity Study" 2004]

Another feature of sustainable prosperity was the upward growth in wages. Historically, the Okanagan had been known for its “sunshine tax” where jobs simply paid less in the Okanagan than in other places because people took a pay cut to experience the quality of life. Unfortunately, that strategy had started to create disgruntled workers and frustrated employers who were not accustomed to paying the salaries necessary to get qualified people—even if those people assumed
a pay cut based on salaries in Toronto.

Well, that time is over, but businesses are still figuring that out (the study cited above says the transition from "sunshine tax" to a living wage has been relatively painless.) Stores can't get/keep service staff. There's a huge need for skilled labour. "Help Wanted" signs are peppered all over town, some companies are raising their starting wage, but it's still not enough. It is more and more expensive to live here, and the rental market is tight.

And with the right skills, the labour market is wide open -- with fierce competition for the right workers. A career coach with a column on Castanet.net (the Central Okanagan news site) says:

I’ve recently spoken with a recruitment company who are seeking Class 1 Drivers
with air brake tickets. This company has been contracted to find lesser paid
drivers in the interior of BC to go work in Alberta’s oil patch. In particular
this company is focusing its attention on the Okanagan Valley. The reason for
looking in the Okanagan is because workers have been paid less than elsewhere.
In the Okanagan workers have experienced something known as the “sunshine tax.”
Say goodbye to the “sunshine tax!”

The local paper had two articles this morning that were related: one about illegal basement suites hopefully being legalized to help with the rental market. The other was about entry level service jobs being so plentiful here that teenagers were finding it easier to wake up with a hangover after partying all night to just go find another job than to call their old job to quit.

So folks....think of going into skilled trades if you're not already there, and don't live in the United States of America, where the Senate, in its overpaid 'wisdom', has voted to NOT increase the minimum wage of $5.15/hour to $7.25/hour -- to have come into effect gradually over 2 years!! Some bleeding hardship that woulda been.

I can't really think of anything scathing enough to say...

Lori

7 Days!!

I can't believe it! Next Wednesday, at noon, we take possession of our house. That afternoon, we have movers booked to pack up our storage unit, and transfer it all to the house.

Want to see another couple of pictures?

The hot tub on the deck.











The kitchen.












The living room, with its gorgeous front window, and lovely (yes, trendy) colour.














And the master bedroom, with the patio doors opening on to the deck, and the hot tub!







Sigh....

Not soon enough.

Lori

When is not getting the job a good thing?

Okay, so not a good thing, but not such a terrible thing....

In order of icky, the first being the ickiest:

1. your application is ignored, lost in the ether, no acknowledgement, no human contact
2. you don't get an interview, but you get an automated response
3. you don't get an interview, but a human is involved in the response (has to print off the form letter, saliva on the stamp)
4. you get the interview, teach the sample lesson, give them an hour or more of your time, and you have to call them because you've heard nothing for weeks
5. you get the interview, but screw up somehow, are deemed inappropriate, and get the 'we've gone with someone else' phone call
6. ?
7. ?
8. ?
9. ?
10. the least icky of all, is you get to the second interview, but still don't get the job. I don't mind not being hired after the second interview. Now it's no longer personal, you didn't screw up, it's down to skill set/experience...and that's understandable.

Of course, the un-icky version would be to get the job...

But ya can't win 'em all.

(So ya, I didn't get the job, but I did get called back for a second interview.)

And I have another interview next Friday morning.

Lori

A mountain side...

We went to visit friends this weekend on their substantial hunk of property on Hwy 3a, on the way to Keremeos.

Some of their horses are wandering around out there...Now, that's the life!

These three came thundering home from the range as we arrived.

They rested, got some attention, and then were let loose again.

Of course, Metro was helping to build a fence while I was appreciating the environs...

Lori

Job Hunt Irony

Have you ever noticed how ironic/annoying the job hunt is?

The "can't get the job without experience, can't get experience without the job" is the rage of the 19-year-old out of high school.

The "can't get work without the right attitude, can't maintain the right attitude without work" is the reality of the I-didn't-choose-to-be-between-jobs group.

Women still have to play the high heels and stockings game in a lot of arenas...but then, men have to still wear the portable noose, otherwise known as "a tie."

Then, if you're in career transition and you need a cash flow job until your dream job comes along, you're stuck in the "You're overqualified" trap.

But then, when you're at that stage, your dream job will likely not be advertised anyway, so you're stuck with the "hidden job market" bullshit...companies who know, or don't know, they need help, and you have to convince them that you are the One.

Now, it's a matter of planting the seeds of a network, watering it, watching it grow, and harvesting it at the 'ripe' moment -- even then, you'll not know the quality of the fruit until each and every lead is (oh, so casually!), squeezed for all it is worth.

I have the luxury to not be desperate for work, due entirely to my rather traditional man who satisfies some Maslow-ian need in supporting me.
(But where in the hierarchy is it?)

But I have my own ironies to add...Me, a woman who has gone through a slew of books & counselors on the subject of getting hired, and who has been carefully applying the principles, had an interview today for a position as an Employment Facilitator -- essentially someone who helps others find work.

Sort of a meta-job.

I'll keep you posted.

Lori

Garage Sales

What is it about garage sales that warps the human psyche? Why do we suddenly feel the desire to own a used karaoke machine for $20? or a pipe cleaner book with no pipe cleaners for $2?

Metro and I went cruising garage sales today...We were driving around, looking for signs on telephone poles -- and suddenly, there it was: "Garage Sale at ...." OUR NEW ADDRESS!

What does one do in that situation?

Well, we went. I parked half a block away, just in case they recognized our car from the frequent drive-bys we make, and we walked up.

They had absolutely nothing of value on sale. If we'd bonded with them, we may have introduced ourselves...but, no.

Weird.

What would you folks have done?

Oh, and what was your best garage sale find ever?

Lori

Okay, okay...

I did it. I started another blog: a book blog in Wordpress.com -- thought I'd learn a new system while I was at it.

So, please visit the cheesily titled Lori's Book Nook (how Dr. Seuss is that?). Only one (real) post up so far, but the musings will continue.

Lori