November draws to a close, it has been a month for the ages.
Ottawa Red Blacks Grey Cup Champions. Great game, lived up to expectations.
After a highly divisive campaign with two disliked candidates the United States did the unthinkable. They elected a misogynist, bully blowhard with no political experience as President.
A result that will leave the country further divided. A result that has produced riots in big cities because the vote didn't go their way.
One of the best things about the election was Saturday Night Live's electoral parodies. Alec Baldwin and Kate McKinnon nailing their portrayals of the candidates. Even having the decency and integrity to break character and urge Americans to vote.
You know you have made an impact on society when Trump took exception to his portrayal. If you can't take the heat get out of the kitchen. It may get worse for you Donald and Alec Baldwin's parody of you will not be the worst of it. If any one was to be offended it would be Hillary who was portrayed in a lesser light.
As Dave Chappelle said on the November 12/16 episode of SNL, let's give Trump a chance, see what he can do. In that same episode Kate McKinnon gave a stirring rendition on the piano of Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah as a fitting tribute.
Leonard Cohen was one of the famous people to leave us this month. A great Canadian who left his mark in many fields as a poet, singer, songwriter, composer and activist whose haunting voice will be hard to forget.
Other greats to leave us this month include Dave Broadfoot long time regular on the Royal Canadian Air Farce who brought us legendary characters as Sgt Renfrew and Big Bobby Clobber. He parodied 2 great institutions The Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Janet Reno, the first female Attorney General of the United States. Great actors such as Robert Vaughan (Man from Uncle and Law and Order), Florence Henderson (Mrs. Brady) who most teens like me in the 1970's had a crush on. Ron Glass who played Detective Harris on the classic police comedy Barney Miller. Fidel Castro Prime Minister and President of Cuba. A polarizing figure in many ways.
One of the lasting images I have of him was in 2000 watching the funeral of Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, there was Fidel Castro seated beside Jimmy Carter.
I am pleased that President Barack Obama reestablished relations with Cuba. Obama will go down as a great President, no scandals in 8 years and encountered every criticism of him with grace, respect and dignity.
I was pleased to meet one of my heroes earlier this month Michael Landsberg. He was sharing his mental health story. A humble and blessed man. Two takeaways from his story that I can relate to when I am depressed. First " when I am having depressive moments, the first thing to go is self confidence". Second " depression robs us of the ability to experience joy".
No truer words are spoken about depression. Check out Michael's website www.sicknotweak.com
I am already looking forward to December and closing the year out on a high note.
Sunday, 27 November 2016
Evolution Under Construction
I am enjoying one of my favorite holidays, American Thanksgiving by watching football. It provides me with the opportunity to reassess and reenergize and look forward to 2017.
Last week I reflected on what would have been my father's 87th birthday. I drink scotch 2x a year, his favorite drink to his memory. Once on his birthday and once on the anniversary of his passing. He has been gone now for 11 years and miss him more and more each day. He loved history, current events and sports (the real football Chelsea was his favorite team).
I would of loved to ask him questions about the US election and his take on how a msogynist, racist, bully and blowhard is President elect. His insight as this vote came to fruition would have been valuable knowledge moving forward.
In the last 10 years of his life I understood him and worked hard to reignite a relationship with him. I stepped out of my comfort zone and stopped listening to other people's and my own viterol.
When I first started dating my partner, I thought I did not want her to meet my father had he been alive. My father like all of us had his flaws and one of his flaws was he liked women and had a wandering eye. He would bat his eyes at pretty women when I was with him in public. Because of my own flaws I was intimidated by pretty women.
I was extremely jealous, lacked confidence and didn't know how to talk to women. I went on a lot of first dates, not too many second or third dates. I was even stood up on several blind dates.
This is not to say I didn't have girlfriends because I did. I would somehow find a way to screw things up. By being jealous or just being a shit. I wad always trying to hard to please and not being myself.
The ironic thing is all but 2 of my former girlfriends I am friends with on social media. Do I guess I couldn't of been that much of a shit or else why are they friends with me on social media.
My current partner Shelley or Shell going on 6 and 1/2 years now, I feel like I hit the mother lode. We complete each other. She brought me out of my shell (pardon the pun) and showed me what you present to the world you will get back. She also showed me how to confront my demons and to stand up for myself.
When we first started dating I was angry, irritable and clearly in a rut going nowhere. My father told me to take risks and see where they take you. This is what I did with Shell when I asked her out via email. I am thankful every day that she accepted my request. She later told me she never turned down a date request when she was single.
About 4 months in we were out for a walk when she stopped me and said I think you are low grade depression. It made sense, all of the anger, irritability, outbursts and mood swings. I was depressed and had been depressed for many years going back to my teenage years when my parents seperated.
The layers of the onion were being peeled off and I was recalling all of these moments from the last 30+ years except now I added the context to them.
October 24, 2010 was a watershed moment. The recovery started and continues to be...
Last week I reflected on what would have been my father's 87th birthday. I drink scotch 2x a year, his favorite drink to his memory. Once on his birthday and once on the anniversary of his passing. He has been gone now for 11 years and miss him more and more each day. He loved history, current events and sports (the real football Chelsea was his favorite team).
I would of loved to ask him questions about the US election and his take on how a msogynist, racist, bully and blowhard is President elect. His insight as this vote came to fruition would have been valuable knowledge moving forward.
In the last 10 years of his life I understood him and worked hard to reignite a relationship with him. I stepped out of my comfort zone and stopped listening to other people's and my own viterol.
When I first started dating my partner, I thought I did not want her to meet my father had he been alive. My father like all of us had his flaws and one of his flaws was he liked women and had a wandering eye. He would bat his eyes at pretty women when I was with him in public. Because of my own flaws I was intimidated by pretty women.
I was extremely jealous, lacked confidence and didn't know how to talk to women. I went on a lot of first dates, not too many second or third dates. I was even stood up on several blind dates.
This is not to say I didn't have girlfriends because I did. I would somehow find a way to screw things up. By being jealous or just being a shit. I wad always trying to hard to please and not being myself.
The ironic thing is all but 2 of my former girlfriends I am friends with on social media. Do I guess I couldn't of been that much of a shit or else why are they friends with me on social media.
My current partner Shelley or Shell going on 6 and 1/2 years now, I feel like I hit the mother lode. We complete each other. She brought me out of my shell (pardon the pun) and showed me what you present to the world you will get back. She also showed me how to confront my demons and to stand up for myself.
When we first started dating I was angry, irritable and clearly in a rut going nowhere. My father told me to take risks and see where they take you. This is what I did with Shell when I asked her out via email. I am thankful every day that she accepted my request. She later told me she never turned down a date request when she was single.
About 4 months in we were out for a walk when she stopped me and said I think you are low grade depression. It made sense, all of the anger, irritability, outbursts and mood swings. I was depressed and had been depressed for many years going back to my teenage years when my parents seperated.
The layers of the onion were being peeled off and I was recalling all of these moments from the last 30+ years except now I added the context to them.
October 24, 2010 was a watershed moment. The recovery started and continues to be...
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