12:52 a.m. - 2003-08-29
Hidden Treasure
Link to the Masses for the Music Entry
With apologies. I "Write On" everyday.
I turned on the heat in my home for the first time in about five months yesterday. No surprise, this morning first headline in the newspaper "Gas prices to rise by 50% starting Monday". Ya huh. Noted in the body of the story that "it will dramatically increase the Provincial government's coffers, because of royalties paid on the increase". Oh, and who approved the rate hike? Guess. Thought deregulation was supposed to reduce energy prices. Right, just like in California and New York.
Now just a couple of weeks ago, the same government increased the daily fees for nursing home beds by an obscene amount. One woman on a fixed income (as many seniors are) noted that, after paying for essentials, she would only have $23 a month to spend on personal items like clothes and toiletries. Her question was how could she possibly budget that? Guess they've solved her problem for her haven't they? Where's Robin Hood when you need him? King Arthur? Anybody?
A couple of more positive stories. One was about the discovery of a new type of gemstone, maxixe, in the Yukon - just lying scattered around on the ground. Apparently, a small amount was found once in Brazil, but it lost it's colour - ranging from deep green to sapphire blue - when exposed to sunlight. This stuff keeps it's colour. The discovery follows on the heels of a find of emeralds in the same province last year. Diamond mines in the Northwest Territories are starting to produce some very nice stones too. So, why in my dream about the Arctic was I walking toward the ocean? Oh yes of course,pearls - that's why I was going to dive in. Yeah right, only in my dreams.
The second story was about the possibility that our "Writing on Stone" Provincial park is being considered for a world heritage site designation. Oddly enough, when I was traveling home from training in Ottawa a few years back, I sat beside a geologist who was working for a mining firm. They were looking for a seam of emeralds (I think that's what it was that or sapphires) that is known to exist in that area too. Apparently it crosses the border and is known to extend through Montana too. Who'd a thunk.
Link of the day was of all the photos taken of Mars lately:Astropix.
I didn't entirely miss out on seeing Cher after all. A special featuring her concert was on Much Music tonight. I have to admit I was feeling mightily sorry for myself when I realized I wasn't going to be able to go to the real thing. Concert tickets are way out of my budget most of the time and this would have been one I would have enjoyed. I even had someone to go with. However, the whole purpose of getting those tickets for my Dad was that I've often read, that what people find later in life is that what they regret most,is the opportunities they had that they hadn't taken. I can't afford to send my Dad to New Zealand, but I wasn't going to let him miss one of the few entertainers he really did want to see in person when the chance came.
Maybe my missing it was for a purpose though. After that special there was a retrospective on Madonna's career to-date. Both specials had quite a lot of commentary from the two divas about their challenges as females in a tough industry. In a lot of ways, some of the issues they created controversy and debate about, because of their choices, have made a big difference for women like me who have lived lives not sanctioned and quite often punished by society. You know - the single mom, divorced woman etc stereotypes. They are punishing even now, but I've talked with a lot of women who had to cope with those issues before prominent women with public influence took stands. Their stories of continuous censure and abuse because of their marital status and consequent poverty are unbelievable. For insight into some of the attitudes at that time try reading "The Church and The Second Sex" by Mary Daly. I was so offended by what I read then that I couldn't finish the book, but it was an accurate reflection of our society's beliefs and consequent actions about women who didn't "fit the mold".
At one point, Madonna was talking about the rage that was directed at her when she challenged some of the sacred cows of various western religions - especially since she was Catholic. I remember the same kind of anger directed at me from some of the work that I did as a volunteer. It wasn't the work I was doing that was being challenged, just the fact that I was female. "Ladies don't do those type of things - you're supposed to let the men deal with public issues" My response became "Yes, well Moms do do these types of things for their childrens' sake, especially when there is a decided absence of ANY male taking up the issue publicly." All they ever wanted to talk about was covered stadiums and hockey rinks. Give me a break.
So back to the wallowing in self-pity. After listening to what they had to say, I realized I had made the right choices and that the constant crticism and censure are the problem of the people making them. I've always made my choices based on what I believed to be the best interests of my sons and my community. I don't need to apologize about that to anyone. Lately that's a pep talk I really needed to hear - I've really been questioning everything about my life the past while. Well not in my diary - too whiny by far. As Mother Teresa (Happy Birthday) wrote:
******* LOVE THEM ANYWAY *******
People are unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered. Love them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some false friends and true enemies. Succeed anyway.
The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow. Be good anyway.
Honesty and frankness will make you vulnerable. Be honest and frank anyway.
What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. Build anyway.
People need help, but may attack you if you try to help them. Help them anyway.
In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.
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or as Martin Luther King said: "I have a dream.....".
Things happen a certain way for a reason.
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