00:20 - 16.01.07
pressure
Well weather is THE story isn't it dear diary. Fortunately we are on the good end of the story as we go into chinook conditions. My youngest and I had really nasty headaches yesterday as a result, but for above 0 C/+32 F temperatures we can cope.
One of the reasons for crankiness at and in our little part of the transit world are two new young women arriving at our stop. They must live within line of sight of the bus route because, for the past week, they usually come dashing across traffic just before the bus arrives. They push and elbow their way in front of the people who have been waiting for some time at the bus stop so as to board the bus first. Today one of the young couples, who are regulars, was standing where the bus usually stops. Although I arrive first or second most mornings, I tend to stand back until the bus arrives to allow for a free flow of pedestrians. The second woman to arrive usually stands inside the bus shelter, because she is not yet acclimated to this country's weather. Today those young women attempted to step in front of the young couple - and about a dozen other riders - as is their wont just as the bus pulled up. The second lady to arrive had seen them coming and took a stance just to the east of the couple and several people stood together with her. I stepped up right behind the young couple as did others, so that it was obvious that there already was a line up there too. All the same those two started to shove in front again - until I turned and looked the one in the eye. The two take advantage of the "no eye contact" behaviour that is common at heavily travelled stops. As long as one doesn't make eye contact, it is commonly agreed that one's behaviour is not noticed or challenged. The eye contact from me was the cue to them that their pushing and shoving was noted. The one girl backed off, but the other still tried to shove in front. She only stopped when her buddy grudgingly went to the back of the line. The really aggressive one - the one that towers over everyone there and is aggressive with her elbows - sniggered and said "well it is only Monday". It seems as though she is wanting to start an altercation, but doesn't want to be seen as the cause. I don't really understand what is driving her.
The two girls also shove people out of the way when we are all trying to climb the stairs after arriving at the train station in order to get to the train platform. One of the gentlemen who climbs with us is either lame or has an injury to his lower back. He struggles to make that climb every day. Those girls have almost pushed him down by shoving in front of him a couple of times now, because he finds it hard to keep his balance while transferring his weight from one step to the next up. Just really ignorant. And yes, each person at that stop has been distracted and stepped in front of another passenger at least once, but it isn't deliberate and it isn't done in such a way as to somehow convey that they are more equal than everyone else in the area. With the girls it is both. I'm more annoyed by their attitude than their actions I think. Grumble. I sent bubbles of pink light their way for most of the journey, thinking maybe it would turn their thoughts to other things. Silly, but better than stewing about their behaviour and giving them power over how my day begins.
The train ride went quickly, because the one neighbour and I sat talking all the way in. She told me that the one woman we travel with who is pregnant was on the train that caught fire in rush hour last week. She was in the car when the wiring started to smoke and said she couldn't believe that the rest of the riders didn't seem to notice or react. It was likely because the cars do tend to steam up when it is very cold and the heat comes on. Sometimes the smell from the heaters can be less than pleasant, so that burning smell wouldn't be all that noticable either - especially not at the end of a work day at the end of the week. Our conversation then turned to work issues - ones that we've both encountered in a particular discipline we've both had some responsibility to clean up. She was asking about what I was going to do next. We chatted about various alternatives until we reached the downtown then parted company.
My connector bus driver was deep into his newspaper, but had the door open for me when I stepped up. Quick dash through downtown and I arrived at my son's home a bit early. There is a concrete barrier between the freeway and the cul de sac where his home is. Right on the other side of the barrier is a wide swath of grass - at least in summer. There is parking on both sides of the cul de sac after that little parklet. I was startled to find tire tracks running through the grassed verge this morning. Checked to see if the driver who had caused them was still nearby. They had driven on the barrier side of the parked cars, on the grass instead of on the roadway on the other side of the cars, you see. Kind of like driving down a sidewalk instead of the street. I didn't want an encounter with them, since there was no room for a car and a pedestrian too. I figured I'd come out the worse for it. As it turned out, the driver of the jeep had found a gap in the parked vehicles, driven across the curb at a right angle to the flow of vehicles across the street to park in front of my son's complex. All that hassle and I hadn't even started the day.
My son is still in a fair amount of discomfort. He says it feels as though the remaining teeth are all shifting into the open space left by the extraction. The movement against the gums and the jaw bone is less than comfortable. My granddaughter was really sleepy still, but perked up with breakfast and a good laugh at the sight of her grandmother trying to use the electric treadmill for the first time, now that it's back in it's place where the Christmas tree was. Apparently my lack of co-ordination was entertaining. In my own defence, there was no instruction manual and I was occupied with trying to figure out how to turn it on and adjust the dozen or so settings to get it to operate safely. I'm used to about an hour's walk time at lunch when I work downtown, so I'll be aiming to work that much treadmill time in while she plays with her toys and watches her favorite shows. She loves Barney but ...... When my daughter-in-law arrived home she was silling to give me a quick cooking lesson for some of her culture's traditional dishes. Like the survivor of torture from the Middle East I worked with decades ago, the ingredients are the same as what I would normally use but the combination of them and the herbs and spices used make the difference. Very tasty.
Arrived home at the end of the day to find the package of documents that is the next phase of the application for Elections Canada. My Member of Parliament's assistant had sent further comments and questions late last week. I may have responded a bit too bluntly to them this weekend so I might have compromised my chances a bit. However, faced with the prospect that the four people I was required to have do assignments for me during the last of the pre-writ work are still not paid and may not be if I can't advocate for them and that no one at heaquarters will respond to my questions, I asked if the MP would intervene on their behalf. I expressed my feelings about being asked to hire staff then being faced with the prospect that those people will not be paid or potentially allowed to continue on in the position that they have started working in if I am not rehired. I also expressed my frustration with the fact that it appears the legislation is not in force and that that means the entire process is not legal. Maybe not all that wise, but there is a point where consent is implied, if one doesn't speak up about the bullying. Consequences of one's actions - even if they seem the only thing one can do - aren't always that pleasant. I just don't want to become part of the bullying by exploiting the people I've asked to work for me in the same manner as head office has done to Returning Officers. Maybe it's my perception that's wrong, but offering someone a job and getting service from them, only to turn around and not pay them, then also refuse to let them continue on in the position that they've already begun working in isn't going to be perpetuated by me. Grumble too.
My youngest had tried to go to see our doctor today, since he has an infected tooth that needs attention. He finally got the story out of the receptionist. It appears our doctor is only working for a few hours each week. I had nagged him last time I saw him over a year ago. Told him he was going to end up as a patient instead of a doctor, if he didn't look after himself fairly quickly. Guess he didn't listen. The receptionist didn't say so, but I'm guessing his health finally cratered under the weight of all the demands on him. Doesn't change the fact I still can't get the meds I need, but understanding why I can't helps a little.
Anyway time for bed. Hopefully the commute tomorrow will be less of an adventure. Good night dear diary.
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