Income Tax

Okay, this is it. The last break before I finish my income tax. Yup, if you read the date you know that I am just going to make it. Can not help myself. I am very good about most other things but income, tax I hate it. I started doing income tax for my father when I was sixteen. I had no trouble with the forms. Easy and manageable. Somehow, the government bureaucracy has managed to create an incredible jumble. There is no flow and the forms make no real sense. It is a total mystery if you owe or will receive a refund.
Here's hoping for a refund.

Gardening in July and August

Those of us who are gardeners love July and August. However, a garden that is started at a school usually is neglected during those holiday months. What to do? Well, a school in the west end of the city has an answer. They turned the garden over to students whose families are Karen from Burma. The families tended the garden and enjoyed vegetables during those months. What a wonderful idea.
Eventually, more gardens will be started and we will enjoy more fresh food during the summer.

Creativity

I am reading a book about Creativity by the author who wrote about Flow. He makes the interesting observation: "And what holds true for the sciences, the arts and for the economy also applies to education. When school budgets tighten and test scores wobble, more and more schools opt for dispensing with frills-usually with the arts and extracurricular activities-so as to focus instead on the so-called basics. This would not be bad if the 'three R's' were taught in way that encouraged originality and creative thinking; unfortunately, they rarely are. Students generally find the basic academic subjects threatening or dull; their chance of using their minds in creative ways comes from working on the student paper, the drama club, or the orchestra. So if the next generation is to face the future with zest and self-confidence, we must educate them to be original as well as competent."
Now that is certainly an argument for the arts!

Help needed!

I met a friend for dinner and to discuss what she needs to do with her father's furnishings. It has been awhile since I have seen her so I lost track of the fact that it has been some time since her father passed away. Seven years to be accurate.
In those seven years, she has stored his furniture and clothing and paid for the storage. ($150- she was not even able to accurately account for the money spent on storage! Now, that is a problem to begin with. No math skills.)
We are not discussing a wealthy person. In fact, she lives in subsidized housing. She hid the fact that she inherited money from the sale of her father's house. The house was $150,000 and divided with her sister who it sounds like did not need the money.
I had to tell my friend not to expect a great deal of money for some of the items. She had a vacuum cleaner and was hoping for $150. I suggested that $20 was more realistic.
She is going to take the train to Halifax where she is taking of these affairs. She does not drive which means if she wants to bring anything back, there will be major expense involved.
I felt like a genius as I discussed her options. She has no idea. Oh well, I tried.

Ludditite

Just read an article Why Social Media Matters that suggests that in addition to Blogging, I need to twitter, join Linkedin, and Facebook. Oh my goodness, when do I find time to do these things. Went to a meeting on Saturday and several people said that when they are bored with work they check facebook and other social networking sites. Now, how productive is that? I appreciate the fact that we need to be connected but can't we just use contact lists on our e-mail sites?
How many people are checking these twitter accounts. Are people surfing them looking for interesting topics that appear in under a certain number of letters. Sorry but I forgot how many letters can be used.
Seriously, those people who check my blog have noticed that I have days and sometimes it is almost a week between postings. This is because I run out of time and sometimes, I know that this is hard to believe topics that I think will be of interest.
Will continue to blog but must think carefully before I twitter or participate in other social networks. Letters and cards still work for me. I love mail.

Big Sisters

This week, I received a thank you from a friend who is involved with Big Sisters. They held a Bowlathon and she managed to raise $1195 for the cause. What an impressive effort. She is good at raising money. Must admit that I have never been good at getting people to sponsor me.
I must say congratulations to her for her effort. Guess more of us need to try to do as well.

Spring is here!

After a mild winter at least in terms of snow, Spring has arrived. I would love to take pictures of the spring flowers and post them, and I think that will be my mission later today. The temperatures have been warmer. A sure sign of spring, indoor tennis ends today. We are going to play and then have an end of season luncheon. At that time, we will already book for the next season. Always nice to have something to look forward to when the weather gets nasty again. In the meantime, going to enjoy the lovely weather that we are having.
Hope that you manage to do the same.

Le Papillion on the Park rediscovered!

After a 33-year partnership, the original owners of Le Papillion parted ways two years ago. Michael and I were heart broken because we had followed Le Papillion to each of its new locations and had hoped that it would remain on Church St. Little did we know that the break up would happen. Who would think that after 33 years, the partners would come to a parting of the ways.
We celebrated Michael's birthday at the new location and were very happy. We had gone to the other Le Papillion but were not pleased with its staff and offerings. Sad to see this happen. However, we were pleased with this Le Papillion and plan to return for future celebrations.
Things change but that is a part of life.

An inquiry into the value of work

I love to read and every once in awhile I read books that are not simply a escape from the everyday. One of those books is "Shop Class as Soulcraft" by Matthew B. Crawford who operates a motorcycle repair shop and not just any motorcycles but classics. It is a discussion by a man who finds that after obtaining a PHD that he would much rather work on motorcycles.
It is an insightful description of what we are loosing by forgetting the value of working with our hands. Sometimes, I try to tell students that not all of them will go to university. Some of them may actually find careers that are fulfilling that do not require a degree but practical skills. I am not sure if some of the students understand this yet; in fact, I am certain that they do not understand this. It will take time and experience and in some cases much like the author they will have to go to school and discover that academia or the jobs that it offers are not as fulfilling as the practical job.
Hopefully, we can all find that job that will allow us to experience job satisfaction and not the search for the almighty dollar.

Droopy Drawers

It seems that droopy drawers have caught the attention of New York Senator, Eric Adams. He has started a campaign against droopy drawers. His slogan is: "Raise your pants, raise your image!" Hopefully, this catches on but since this practise has been around since the 1990's when it moved out of prisons where droopy drawers are not a statement but happen because prisoners are issued uniforms that tend to be too large and are not permitted to wear belts. End result: droopy drawers. It seems that performers decided that the image was acceptable and end result we have youngsters walking around with droopy drawers. One positive, they have great difficult moving quickly. They tend to be more careful about what they do.
Not a positive image but I think that eventually, people grow out of it.

It is always something!

In the words of Roseanna Dana, it is always something. Just when you think that life is going smoothly and things are settled well something comes along to change the course of things and keep us alert.
A friend's mother is not well and now the friend must deal with it. When I write this, there are several friends who have mothers who are not well. It is a matter of degrees of illness, both mothers are not well.
I will not discuss my difficulties with my brother other than to say it is trying and we will never again not visit his condominium for months on end. Monthly visits are now in order.
Going to enjoy today and then deal with the next challenge.