Friday, October 17, 2008

What Else??

It's getting late and I'm feeling about as bright as a 3 watt light bulb so I'm just going to ramble.

On the drive in to work tonight I was thinking about how I'd been meaning to post about the programming revamp to CBC Radio2, what I would have to say about it, and how to say it. Actually I've been holding off because I was trying to be really openminded from the get-go back when they ushered this in back at the beginning of September. Largely it has been a huge disappointment, sorry to say. And I feel really sorry for my favourite on-air personality, Tom Allen, who does the morning drive show. He must look at his playlist some days and just shake his head wanting to cry. While there is some great music being played there is an awful lot that simply doesn't deserve airplay........ it's banal, it's mediocre, it's unappealing to the ear.

I tune in at all different times of day, listen to all the shows, classical, jazz, rock, roots, blues. They've also set up 4 new sub-channels that stream on-line and I've checked them out, too. I suppose what ticks me off is that they have a reputation for excellence and what they're offering up isn't cutting it. And besides, they're operating strictly from tax dollars so I want my moneys worth. More wheat, less chaff please.

On another note - that last gasp of indian summer seems to be over; driven out by a cold front yesterday that brought some rain. It's a cool, clear night tonight with temps around 4C. There might be a bit of frost on the windshield when I go to leave in the morning. The fall colour change is peaking around here, the leaves are falling and there are waves of birds passing through on their migrations.

Some bad news to share - insanity. I'll likely get a tongue lashing here from a couple of on-line amigos but I've broken my smoking quit. Yeah, about a week ago I was going through some stuff and picked up a smoke. Still at it, too. What I feel worse about is I haven't told Lynda as yet because I thought on a daily basis that I wouldn't smoke again. We've only seen each other after I've gotten up, cleaned up and she gets home from work. Shit. I guess tomorrow is crunch time - either tell her or stop. I'd vastly and simply prefer to stop. 7 months down the tubes. But still, that tells me I can do it; I just need to stick with it and get'er done. (Not thinking about drinking or drugging though. :-)

The two main pushes for next week are a) the job search and b) stowing my belongings and getting the house properly organized. I'll need to get some book cases, other sorts of display cases and a couple of dressers in order to have places to actually put things but we can't abide the mess anymore. There might be some things landing in the trash as well. I admit it - I'm a pack rat. When did I move back?? May?? I think so. Gotta get my sound system set up too - I miss my tunes. Hmmm... procrastination.... character defect.

Time to check on the moon and the stars.......

Afterthought - About an hour after all the clients had gone to bed one of them got up for a talk. We had a nice long leisurely one about his primary danger for relapse once he leaves treatment tomorrow - resentment. He had been betrayed by his best friend and he is struggling with how to get over the hurt inflicted on him and all the other emotions wrapped up in that. That and his desire for revenge. It felt good to hash that stuff out with him and offer some meaningful ways of dealing with it. Patience, prayer, and enduring progress not perfection. Keep the good memories; dispense the bad ones. What are the reasonable expectations? What is the best possible outcome for everyone? How long is he willing to carry the crappy feelings around, and at what cost to himself? to his sanity? He shook my hand, gave me a hug, wished me well and went to bed smiling.

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Monday, November 13, 2006

On 'Change'

King Whitney Jr. - "Change has a considerable psychological impact on the human mind. To the fearful it is threatening because it means things may get worse. To the hopeful it is encouraging because things may get better. To the confident it is inspiring because the challenge exists to make things better."

Over the course of the last few years I've tried to recall what I was like at various ages - 10, 20, 30, 40. By that I mean my make up; attitudes and perceptions of life, attributes and liabilities, characterisics and traits. What an eye-opener this trip has been; exploring the timeline. While, in retrospect, there were a lot of negatives to be found - insecurity, lack of direction and initiative - on balance there have always been a lot of positives too - caring, hard working, creative. Now at age 52 (god that sounds old) I can see the evolution of personality, feel that I'm alright but remain open to still more change.

Fearful? No! Hopeful? Yes! Confident? Oh yeah!!

In reflecting on my past the thing that dismays me most is that, although I'm generally a pretty conventional, responsible type, there have been periods where I've put myself in some pretty incredible physical danger as well as dwelling in some ugly head spaces. I don't live in the past though I believe very strongly that we are products of our experience.

What I'm grateful for is a pivotal moment of clarity where I knew change was a neccessity. Opportunity grew out of hardship - a job loss leading to longterm unemployment neccessitated re-education, which lead to re-entering the work force in a new field. Attitude has proven to be key - openness to change, optimism, enthusiasm, commitment.

Marcus Aurelius Antoninus - "The universe is change; our life is what our thoughts make it"

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