test blog 5

Allan and I have been greatly anticipating "Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story", the new film by Martin Scorsese released this week on Netflix. When "The Last Waltz" opened at Radio City Music Hall in 1978, I was a senior in high school. My friends and I skipped school and snuck into the city to see it. About 10 years later, Allan and I saw it together (he for the first time) and it became a touchstone of our relationship. These days, rearranging work schedules to watch a movie is no longer an option, but we waited until we were both available and could watch this film together. I loved it. The film is a joy from start to finish. I'm sure I will watch it again and again, and future viewing will reveal more to delight, enlighten, obscure, befuddle, and entertain. Here are some reasons why. 1. Dylan then. His stage persona is warm, forceful, and passionate. The songs he has chosen are socially engaged. His voice has never been better. He seems relaxed, happy...

There is not one traffic light in any town north of Campbell River. 1. Don't be in a rush. Everything takes time. Everyone has time. You have time, too. You might have to wait while people finish chatting. No matter. You have time. 2. Don't try to make plans. People stop by. They want you to stop by. Or you can wait for them to come 'round. They will. 3. Don't be too picky. Everything you need is here. It might not be exactly what you had in mind, but does the difference really matter? If it does, there's the internet, and you can wait. But generally you have a few choices. That's enough. 4. Don't say too much. People will ask. They are genuinely interested. Share a story. They will genuinely appreciate it. No need to go on at length. A short story will do. Don't say more than you want to, because whatever you say, everyone will know. 5. Don't talk about other people. Everyone knows each other. * * * * The small-town norm that is most divergent with ...

I agreed to stand for election because it was an opportunity -- an opportunity to bring a progressive perspective to a riding where those ideas are usually overlooked, and a personal opportunity to expand my own skills and experience. Overall, it was a positive experience -- because it was so short-term. If it had been gone on for six months or a year, I would have been miserable! Here's what I liked, what I hated, and what I just don't get. Positives 1. I met a lot of people! Community activists, progressive-minded neighbours, minority voices in our suburban city. Strangers reached out to support our campaign, to encourage me personally, and with ideas of how they could help. I loved making these connections. It was personally gratifying, and it also expanded my own network in the community. 2. It was a completely immersive experience. I was fortunate to be able to take a leave-of-absence from both library and union work, so I could campaign full-time. I felt exactly like I ...

Many of my co-workers keep colourful lists like this, or use Goodreads or Shelfari to track their reading. I prefer plain old text. Like most avid readers, my to-read list contains far more titles than I could ever read in a lifetime, even if I did nothing but read. Although I add books at a considerably faster rate than I tick them off, I do still keep The List, and I consult it when I'm looking for my next book. I do this with movies, too. I also read books  not  on my list, much more so now that I work in a library, and my reading tastes have broadened. But I don't keep a list of all the books I've read. This really bothers me. It has bothered me for a  very  long time. But at no time did I ever start keeping a list of All The Books I Read, because... I didn't start it a long time ago, so it will always be incomplete, so there's no point in starting it, ever. I know this is not rational, I know it's part of All Or Nothing thinking, which I work at avoiding, b...

I don't do New Year's Resolutions, but I do enjoy using the revolution of our Earth around the Sun as an excuse to take stock in where I am and think about where I'm going. This is not a Big Promise To Do Something; it's not even goal-setting. In my ongoing work to free myself from a strong tendency towards All Or Nothing , to not paint myself into a corner, to not create Rules which I then use to limit my experiences, I don't even set concrete goals. My thinking takes the form of general precepts that I'm trying to remember. When the weather is nice, spend more time outdoors. Walk more. Remember to make plans with friends sometimes. Do a jigsaw puzzle now and again. At work, take my full one-hour dinner break without doing union work. Remember that it's all right to make mistakes. Explore local history. Stop multi-tasking. Remember to blog instead of Facebook. Read more.

I've posted 11 anti-war songs , and I've done Labour Day readers' advisory , but I don't think I've ever done anti-war readers' advisory.*** Here are 11 great books with an anti-war themes. 1. The Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins 2. Slaughterhouse-Five, Kurt Vonnegut 3. War Is a Force That Gives Us Meaning, Chris Hedges (nonfiction) 4. Regeneration, Pat Barker 5. Johnny Got His Gun, Dalton Trumbo 6. Hiroshima, John Hersey (nonfiction) 7. Mother Courage and Her Children, Bertolt Brecht (drama) 8. A Farewell to Arms, Ernest Hemingway 9. Catch-22, Joseph Heller 10. The Deserter's Tale, Joshua Key with Lawrence Hill (nonfiction) 11. And finally, the greatest anti-war novel of all time, All Quiet on the Western Front, Erich Maria Remarque There are many, many others: here are some lists . Honour the dead by working for peace. *** Turns out I had done this very thing, just two years back! The post was incorrectly tagged, so didn't come up in the search. Here...

In response to my help me find a new series to binge-watch post, I got tons of answers both here and on Facebook. I'm keeping the list for future reference. In the category of watching by myself during R&R downtime, I am starting with Hinterland, which has long been in my Netflix list. I've watched the first two episodes, and it's very much like Wallander, a good sign. After Hinterland, the to-try list: Peaky Blinders, Shetland, Fringe, Bloodline, Wentworth, River. Also will try The Defenders, Jessica Jones, and Luke Cage. Intelligence sounds good, but two seasons and no conclusion is a dealbreaker.  Possibles: Lost, Criminal Minds, Friday Night Lights. I was pretty adamant about not watching FNL years back, but now I might give it a chance.  Will try both Man Seeking Woman and Letterkenny, but have to wait until either there's more episodes or the show ends.  In the category of Allan and I watching together over the winter, which generally means the best shows and...

I've been taking a break from social media, and I am feeling the positive effects. But I do miss people. But I feel better...but I miss people...but I feel better. And so on. This is your brain on fibromyalgia I struggle with low concentration and intermittent brain fog. I believe it's from fibromyalgia, but whatever the cause, it's a minor disability or a weakness for which I must compensate. I have devised various coping mechanisms, and for the most part, they are integrated into my life, as are all my many coping mechanisms for all the bullshit life throws at me. (Not complaining, merely stating.) I recently went through a rough patch where my mental state was particularly frustrating. I had a really hard time chairing a small meeting. (When I apologized, people told me they didn't notice anything different. But were they just being kind?) I had to write an email with a lot of names and dates -- numbers are the biggest challenge when I'm mentally impaired -- and ...

I've been scanning some old photos -- some of Allan and me through the years, others with my siblings at various ages -- and have been posting them on Facebook. This experience has led to two insights. The thoughts themselves aren't new, but this walk on memory lane has recalled and reinforced them. Insight number one: my self-image was extremely distorted throughout my life.  I thought I was fat and ugly. Yet there is evidence that that was not the case. I am now overweight, but that's a different story. This was a girl well within a normal, healthy weight and size range, thinking she was seriously overweight. It was no surprise that many of my female Facebook friends related to this. We came up with the following list of reasons. The reasons are not ranked in order of importance; it's a big mix, a preponderance of evidence, as the legal phrasing goes. 1. Media. We are constantly barraged with images of what is supposed to be beauty perfection; most are completely unre...

My book list is extremely long, so long that I don't call it a reading list or a to-read list, because I will never read even half the books on the List. It's more like books I would read. A list to narrow down the universe of books to a smaller universe of books to choose from. Working in a library has increased the likelihood that I won't read even a majority of these books -- or decreased the percentage that I will read. Where I used to stick faithfully to my List, I now read lots of books not on the List -- books colleagues or customers talk about, and more often, books on display. Being a librarian has broadened my reading, which I love. It has made the List less a goal and more a general guide. This is fine. Recently I noticed that certain authors appear on the List more than once, but remain unread. These are sometimes nonfiction titles that become hard to find. I'm clearly interested in the author's topics, but by the time I am ready to read the title, it...

Like all good people, I am horrified by recent developments in the US, and like everyone who has been paying attention, not surprised. I take hope from the immediate and powerful resistance that has been set in motion. But also at the resistance, I am angry, too. What took you so long? Let's hope it's not too late. Here are a few things you can do to fight back. 1. Donate to the American Civil Liberties Union. For nearly 100 years, the ACLU has been fighting for the civil rights of people marginalized or targeted by the dominant culture. These are the people best equipped to fight back -- the best and the brightest of the resistance. Even a small one-time or monthly donation can make a difference. 2. Canadians, sign a petition calling on Prime Minister Trudeau and Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Ahmed Hussen, demanding that they repeal the so-called Safe Third Country Agreement with the United States, which would allow Canada to welcome people fleeing viole...

I spoke to a customer yesterday who was visiting from Denmark. He described himself as a trade-unionist, and he came to the library, looking for me, to learn about our strike! He also said he had read a book he loved, and was looking for more like it. He described the book: "by a Canadian author, takes place in Toronto, about the struggles of workers building a viaduct". It is some measure of my Canadian acculuration that before he finished his sentence, I idenfitied Michael Ondaatje's  In the Skin of a Lion , an excellent work of historical fiction and labour history. For the "more like that" question, I immediately thought of The Given Day , by Dennis Lehane, which led me to write this post about historical fiction in general.  So on the Labour Day weekend, I thought it would be fun to do a little labour-themed readers' advisory. Here's my list. Fiction In the Skin of a Lion - Michael Ondaatje The Given Day - Dennis Lehane Ironweed - William Kennedy T...

What it takes to be an effective activist: 1. Hopefulness 2. Persistence, perseverance 3. Reliability 4. Enjoyment of teamwork 5. Willingness to take direction from others 6. Willingness to make space and time in your life for your cause 7. Good listening skills 8. A long view 9. Boundaries 10. Passion for your cause

I was watching MASH when Netflix pulled the plug on our VPN. I found a new VPN... but now MASH is gone. One day I hope to finish the end-to-end rewatch. But right then, my comedy-before-bed slot was left hanging. I tried "How I Met Your Mother," and I was very happily surprised. I have not watched or read ahead, so please do not even allude to the ending. I understand many fans hated it, ok? No need to fill me in. How I love "How I Met Your Mother". 1. Smart, character-driven comedy. Not easy to find. 2. Great female characters. Generally non-sexist, even anti-sexist. 3. Around Season 5, I thought the show was going off the rails, as Barney's character became more outrageous and non-believable -- usually a sure sign that a show is struggling. Then I was very surprised and happy that it found a new groove. 4. Most good comedies have at least a little pathos mixed in, and this show was brave enough to go there. Revealing the pain behind Barney's bravado was a...

#7: Hold a logo contest! Trying to increase member engagement in your union? Here are some ideas that work. 1. Always make time for your members' concerns. This is number one through infinity. If you don't make time for your members’ concerns - if your members don't know that you're fighting for them - everything else you do is a waste of time. I made a pledge to myself and to our members: I will never  say, "I don't have time for you," or "Your concern is not a priority for us." I often cannot fix the member's problem. But I can empathize. I can affirm and validate. I can let them know they're not alone, that someone is fighting for them. 2. Identify allies. Find one or two members who will conspire with you, and work with them. They may be of totally different backgrounds and have completely different perspectives than you. That's good! Come together over your shared concerns. Sit down for a coffee or a pint, talk about steps you ca...

If you enjoy detective shows, murder mysteries, and legal dramas, you learn a lot of things that don't necessarily reflect reality. Here are some things you may learn from these shows. 1. Women are crazy and kill people. I have already blogged about and disproportionate percentage of female murderers on TV detective shows. In reality, about 90% of homicides are committed by men. I don't know what percent of TV murderers are women, but on some shows it's well over half. 2. Defense lawyers are all scum. On quality police and legal dramas, most categories of people are portrayed as both good and bad. There are honest prosecutors and corrupt prosecutors. There are valiant feminist crusaders and wacko women schemers. But only one character is uniformly and consistently portrayed in a negative light: the defense attorney. On TV, there are no honest defense lawyers. They are all evil magicians who use the law - often dismissed as "a technicality" - to subvert justice. I...

For those who want the question with no context: Do you love a cult show or movie? What movie and why? List at least 10 reasons. Update!  Judging by comments, this list will be more fun if we omit one word and get a bit more specific. So here it is again. Do you love a TV show or movie that is not (or was not) a huge mainstream hit? Which one and why? (Better now?) * * * * Further to my longstanding tradition of watching TV shows and movies years - or even decades - after they first run, I have just completed Season 1 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. (What can I say? TV was not important to me in the 1990s!) One of my TV gurus, the famous NFC, is a big Buffy fan, and after hearing the show mentioned several times, it was time for me to check it out. I enjoyed S1 enough to continue watching, with the understanding that a first season often just lays the groundwork. In other words, I liked it, but I'm hoping and assuming that the show will develop into something more than what I've s...

Many artists and bands have recorded anti-war songs, and they're not always those associated with protest. Here are 11 songs that decry the deceit, corruption, and futility of war. 1. What's Going On - Marvin Gaye 2. Generals and Majors - Andy Partridge (XTC) 3. Welcome to the Occupation - REM 4. The Call Up - Joe Strummer, Mick Jones (The Clash) 5. Wargasm - Donita Sparks, Suzi Gardner (L7) 6. 99 Luftballons (99 Red Balloons) - Fahrenkrog-Petersen / Karges / McAlea (Nena) 7. And the Band Played Waltzin' Matilda - Eric Bogle (The Pogues) 8. The Words that Maketh Murder - P J Harvey 9. Self Evident - Ani DiFranco 10. Rich Man's War - Steve Earle And number 11, one of the most enduring peace and justice songs ever written: Blowin' in the Wind - Bob Dylan Limiting myself to 11, I omitted powerful anti-war songs by Black Sabbath, Jynkz, Phil Ochs, Billy Bragg, Pete Seeger, Green Day, and so many more. Please post yours below.

Eponyms everywhere! Who knew? Our most recent list of eponyms was a smash success. It gave rise to at least three subcategories, as I wrote here : - Inventor/creator/discoverer, not genericized. These are eponyms, but have not entered the vocabulary as a separate noun or descriptor. Example: Alzheimer's. Compare to pasteurized. - Fictional characters --- Mythological names ----- Biblical names This list is more specific, and more difficult. Allan and I have done this one before, and even with help from a well-read listserv, came up with only a handful. (Idea for new reality show: Are you smarter than Wallace-L?) When Joseph Heller died, I marveled at how his creation has entered our vocabulary as such a widely recognized generic expression. The often-misused phrase "catch-22" was long ago separated from its origins. I'm sure many people use it who have never heard of Heller's book. I wondered if there were any other examples. Using a very strict criteria, we came...

I really enjoy learning about the origins of words and expressions. (I included this in our last list .) Several words now part of ordinary vocabulary started out as proper names. In 1880, a group of Irish tenant farmers organized a labour ostracism against the agent of an abusive absentee landlord. The agent's name was Charles Boycott. Charles Ponzi was a con artist who promised investors they would double their money in 90 days. In the film "La Dolce Vita," directed by Federico Fellini, an intrusive photographer is named Paparazzo. Thomas Bowdler was a crusading editor who published a book called "The Family Shakespeare": the Bard without the naughty bits. Bowdler believed his work made Shakespeare suitable for the delicate sensibilities of ladies (i.e., upper-class women) and children. So there we have four words - boycott, Ponzi scheme, paparazzi, and bowdlerized - that are derived from people's names. Can you think of any others? Adjectives like "O...