A neighbour has begun demonstrating unusual and strange behaviour. Every so often during the day (I'm a stay at home senior) this young man (25-30 years old) appears on his balcony to have a smoke. That isn't new behaviour.
He has taken to smoking in the alley behind our buildings (we live in side-by-side buildings.)
I am not a nosy busy body old lady - I am fascinated by human behaviour. It comes of an incurable inquiring mind about people and it is a lifetime hobby that morphed into a professional career in personal life coaching, teaching meditation and building a website that offers a self-mastery course.
I find this young man interesting on several accounts. In the 12 months that I have lived in my apartment, I have noticed that the number of cigarettes he smokes in a day has increased considerably. I know that because when I was smoking, before I quit on March 1st, it was my habit to take only three puffs on a cigarette and return to my writing - very short frequent breaks away from my computer. It was rare that we were both out there at the same time.
Nowadays, he appears at least a couple of times in an hour. While I have gained weight since quitting, so has he gained weight while increasing his smoking. That is an unusual consequence of smoking at least for most folks.
This guy has gained so much weight that his walk has become a waddle. When he waddles out into the alley to enjoy his smoke, he stands in the same place almost every time. Before he takes out a cigarette he seems to deliberate for a minute or so, staring down at the pavement beneath his feet.
Then very slowly and deliberately he opens his pack of cigarettes and withdraws one and ever so slowly raises it to his lips. He acts if every movement is a carefully calculated function that requires his 100% attention. Fascinating!
He smokes all of his cigarette without pausing; one puff, inhale, exhale, a puff, inhale exhale - without taking a break to look around - his eyes moving from the ground to the cigarette occasionally.
Now here is why I am writing about this person.
During the last few days his to his already odd behaviour he has added a strange quirk. Frequently my attention is being drawn to the outdoors by a very loud exuberant laughter. At first I wasn't sure whether it was a male or female voice.
Then I discovered the laughter was coming from the smoking man. At first I thought I was mistaken - this quiet deliberate young man laughing out loud - very loudly - with energy that was not characteristic of him?
I did detect a touch of insincerity - but eventually most of the time he was genuinely laughing - often like a child.
He seemed to be alone. I could see no one else around - but I can't see entirely inside his apartment.
Note: I usually sit on my couch when I read and from there I gain a panoramic view of my neighbourhood from my second floor apartment. I am aware that I am also in plain view for people who care to see what I am doing unless I close my vertical blinds.
A woman who shows up in his apartment occasionally had been seen there for a few days recently. I could see her cutting the young man's hair and actively engaging in what may have been tiding up his place.
She was not present during these periods of laughter. I love laughter - I love laughing out loud and do it often while watching comedy or talking on the phone to friends, or even thinking about a past event.
So when I heard and saw this man hilariously laughing, I tried to ascertain the cause of his laughter (without asking him of course - we are not within talking distance.)
I guess I could have yelled to him, but that would have been intrusive - my spying on him is bad enough, but I do live in a glass house - sort of. I have windows on two full walls on my corner apartment so people can see almost everything I do unless my vertical blinds are closed.
Back to the laughter - eventually after these outbursts of laughter - one last night after midnight - I want to assume that he is wearing a wireless blue tooth device that I cannot see from my vantage point.
I sure hope that is the case, because otherwise this young man is loosing his mind. What a fine way to loose it though.
I wish my immediate next door neighbour would follow suit. His unusual behaviour is a long story, but for now suffice to say that his emotional and verbal outbursts are much less pleasurable than laughter.
Norman (I have met him once when I asked him to keep the volume down on his very expensive sound system) has a friend or family member that annoys him - occasionally. The poor gets so annoyed with this person that he ends up screaming at the top of his lungs - SHUT UP! STOP IT! SHUT UP!
I have on occasion heard a very quiet female voice through our very thin adjoining wall - so I assume he has a visitor - whom I have never encountered in the hall. Last night his outburst around midnight was somewhat quieter.
But oh my!
Yes, it was a full moon the night before last - and as we all know a full moon brings out the strangest behaviour in human beings.
Blessings to all of my neighbours - especially the one on the main floor one apartment over from my immediate neighbour beneath me. I heard a few very strange noises - like a man screaming - the night before last.
About an hour later I heard the loud voice of a policeman demanding a door to be opened - then a loud pounding on the patio door. The policeman sounded furious as he told the tenant to open the door to the police or get his door kicked in. When I 'peeked' out of my window and saw a policeman walking around the property.
Living in this apartment building provides great material for a book, or a TV sit com.
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Junk Mail
Wow! Talk about easy to do! For over a year now I have felt a touch annoyed every time I emptied my tiny mail box of advertising pamphlets, grocery store advertising, department store advertising, you name it advertising.
I fretted and wondered how I could stop this intrusion.
Then I went to my local post office. The manager did not know the answer but told me to call customer service at Canada Post.
I did and after a very friendly and hilarious conversation with a delightful woman, junk mail will no longer be deposited in my mail box.
Now, I am delighted to say that I may have saved $40 to have my mail held for one month while I am away on vacation.
Imagine paying $40 to stop advertising from overcrowding my mail box.
Now I am looking at the possibility of having my statements from being delivered during my vacation. Making just a few calls may be all that is necessary and it will save the post person the trouble of delivering even the few bills that I receive.
Thank you Canada Post.
I fretted and wondered how I could stop this intrusion.
Then I went to my local post office. The manager did not know the answer but told me to call customer service at Canada Post.
I did and after a very friendly and hilarious conversation with a delightful woman, junk mail will no longer be deposited in my mail box.
Now, I am delighted to say that I may have saved $40 to have my mail held for one month while I am away on vacation.
Imagine paying $40 to stop advertising from overcrowding my mail box.
Now I am looking at the possibility of having my statements from being delivered during my vacation. Making just a few calls may be all that is necessary and it will save the post person the trouble of delivering even the few bills that I receive.
Thank you Canada Post.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Still reading Shock Doctrine
The other day I watched Part I of the new TV series, Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follet with Bernice. Near the beginning I realized that I had read the book within the last year and the characters were becoming familiar.
Bernice mentioned "things haven't changed much in the world since the 1100s".
I vaguely agreed with her except for an individuals personal safety. In those days, based on my readings of the Templars and comparing the ordinary folk to my own life, I feel a whole lot more safe to live now than I would have then. I can speak my mind to my friends and even strangers without worrying that I'll have my head chopped off. Of course if I found myself on an elevator with a group of teenage boys smoking, I would hesitate to chastise them for fear of being beat up. So Hmmmmmm! Maybe she has a point.
As I was reading Naomi Klein's writing about Israeli's recent rise to high technology fame, particularly where it applies to security surveillance equipment, Bernice's comments came to mind and began to make a lot of sense.
Naomi's book, Shock Doctrine, the Rise of Disaster Capitalism, reads like a Knight's Templar book by Jack Whyte, except that Jack kept me on the edge of my seat with anticipation and even fear for my favourite characters.
Naomi has woven a few personal experiences and true tragic stories of specific victims of the wars into her historical reporting. She also reveals horrible truths of many recognizable political (both former presidents, the Bushes) and corporate individuals (Larry Summer) who I recognize and who would indeed frighten the daylights out of anyone who learns the truth about them. For some reason my whole being resists what she has to say - so much so that I can only read a few pages at a time before dosing off to sleep.
Perhaps it is too real and too horrid for me to accept as truth. I don't doubt that her information and facts are true - she has them well documented with references. I keep asking for help to understand what I am reading...and ... what about Canada and Canadian politicians and corporate giants? I can't even form the questions, yet.
During the times when wars were a way of life (BC and AD) (as if they aren't today) people enclosed their villages with high stone and concrete walls and wide water filled moats to defend themselves from thieves, murderers, and corrupt insane Royals with blindly loyal knights and armies.
I am happy to say that growing up in the East end of Toronto, in the early 40s we never locked our doors during the day and even sometimes at night while we slept the doors remained unlocked - it was not much on our minds to defend ourselves.
In 70s in the Toronto suburb of North York with my own family, I did not even think of being broken into - it was a rare occurrence in the neighbourhoods I lived in.
However, I do recall when a low income housing complex was being developed within a few blocks of our house. I heard my neighbours express their concerns about leaving toys and bikes out on the street at night. And sure enough one morning when the complex was completely inhabited a bike when missing from our street.
And yes, a search by a few neighbours found the bike down in the new housing development. What a shame! Now we all had to be more conscious and careful of our belongings. That was around 35 years ago - and still there are no gated communities that I am aware of here in Vancouver or in Toronto - gated mansions of the rich and famous, yes, but not yet of communities.
Oh yes, and even the thieves/criminals - members of biker communities board up their windows and barricade them with iron grills to defend themselves from the law enforcers.
South Africa's elite has for many years had gated homes and property with hired security guards. But here is what shocks me.
According to Naomi, since Katrina, American middle class suburban communities are in defense mode. They are erecting walls complete with Israeli security equipment. Who on earth are they defending themselves against? Why it's the poor have-not's - that's who! Hmmmmm! Sounds familiar.
Things they are a-changing back to the way it used to be. That is very scary! Something must be done about it - will be done about it.
There will be no "opportunity" here in Canada. No shock doctrine! Although it is happening as I write - I don't have to just sit here and accept it - I will find a way to bring about a peaceful loving solution and it won't be by hiding behind a virtual wall of defense with the elite of Israel profiting from surveillance equipment.
Bernice mentioned "things haven't changed much in the world since the 1100s".
I vaguely agreed with her except for an individuals personal safety. In those days, based on my readings of the Templars and comparing the ordinary folk to my own life, I feel a whole lot more safe to live now than I would have then. I can speak my mind to my friends and even strangers without worrying that I'll have my head chopped off. Of course if I found myself on an elevator with a group of teenage boys smoking, I would hesitate to chastise them for fear of being beat up. So Hmmmmmm! Maybe she has a point.
As I was reading Naomi Klein's writing about Israeli's recent rise to high technology fame, particularly where it applies to security surveillance equipment, Bernice's comments came to mind and began to make a lot of sense.
Naomi's book, Shock Doctrine, the Rise of Disaster Capitalism, reads like a Knight's Templar book by Jack Whyte, except that Jack kept me on the edge of my seat with anticipation and even fear for my favourite characters.
Naomi has woven a few personal experiences and true tragic stories of specific victims of the wars into her historical reporting. She also reveals horrible truths of many recognizable political (both former presidents, the Bushes) and corporate individuals (Larry Summer) who I recognize and who would indeed frighten the daylights out of anyone who learns the truth about them. For some reason my whole being resists what she has to say - so much so that I can only read a few pages at a time before dosing off to sleep.
Perhaps it is too real and too horrid for me to accept as truth. I don't doubt that her information and facts are true - she has them well documented with references. I keep asking for help to understand what I am reading...and ... what about Canada and Canadian politicians and corporate giants? I can't even form the questions, yet.
During the times when wars were a way of life (BC and AD) (as if they aren't today) people enclosed their villages with high stone and concrete walls and wide water filled moats to defend themselves from thieves, murderers, and corrupt insane Royals with blindly loyal knights and armies.
I am happy to say that growing up in the East end of Toronto, in the early 40s we never locked our doors during the day and even sometimes at night while we slept the doors remained unlocked - it was not much on our minds to defend ourselves.
In 70s in the Toronto suburb of North York with my own family, I did not even think of being broken into - it was a rare occurrence in the neighbourhoods I lived in.
However, I do recall when a low income housing complex was being developed within a few blocks of our house. I heard my neighbours express their concerns about leaving toys and bikes out on the street at night. And sure enough one morning when the complex was completely inhabited a bike when missing from our street.
And yes, a search by a few neighbours found the bike down in the new housing development. What a shame! Now we all had to be more conscious and careful of our belongings. That was around 35 years ago - and still there are no gated communities that I am aware of here in Vancouver or in Toronto - gated mansions of the rich and famous, yes, but not yet of communities.
Oh yes, and even the thieves/criminals - members of biker communities board up their windows and barricade them with iron grills to defend themselves from the law enforcers.
South Africa's elite has for many years had gated homes and property with hired security guards. But here is what shocks me.
According to Naomi, since Katrina, American middle class suburban communities are in defense mode. They are erecting walls complete with Israeli security equipment. Who on earth are they defending themselves against? Why it's the poor have-not's - that's who! Hmmmmm! Sounds familiar.
Things they are a-changing back to the way it used to be. That is very scary! Something must be done about it - will be done about it.
There will be no "opportunity" here in Canada. No shock doctrine! Although it is happening as I write - I don't have to just sit here and accept it - I will find a way to bring about a peaceful loving solution and it won't be by hiding behind a virtual wall of defense with the elite of Israel profiting from surveillance equipment.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
A Break from World Affairs
Today I celebrate a new discovery in Vancouver.
I have been asking for a more convenient way to shop for groceries.Shopping for one is a relatively new experience after over 20 years of living with others.
It has taken me time to adjust to cooking for one - I usually end up cooking enough to feed at least two and sometimes even three or four. Trouble with that is I usually eat far too much because I am hungry enough to eat it all. And it is even worse if it is my comfort food. My inner guide always tells me not to cook so much, but then I argue that I'll save what I don't want for leftovers. Not a good idea because I love the food so much that I can't stop eating until the pot is empty.
No wonder I have put on so much weight since I quit smoking in March.
So I have decided to eat healthy and try to include less meat and more raw fruit and vegetables in my diet. It has been working - I am actually enjoying salads now.
Again the challenge is in the purchasing - a whole bag of organic carrots lasts me way too long and I haven't found them in smaller quantities until today.
Whole Foods on Cambie is my new discovery. On my way to the Factory Outlet to order my new prescription eye glasses, I was delighted to see this beautiful store and I promised myself to drop in on my way home and purchase a few things.
Well low and behold - Whole Foods caters to single folks - young and old. They even had bins of bulk cherry tomatoes, sliced zucchini, prepared vegetables for those who just want to make a little salad for themselves.
I found organic carrots in bulk, individual celery stalks - bins of organic salad greens - although I did not find romaine lettuce in small quantities.
I found a small basil plant that I could easily consume without any waste. The product section today was soooo beautiful - local produce as well as fruit and vegetables from other areas.
Organic is quite important to me, even though my income is not really compatible. But I am going to investigate how to do organic, more frequently (it only took me 15 or 20 minutes at the most to get to the store and I was finished all my errands before my transit ticket expired - $1.75 to go there and back) Now that is a definite advantage...plus I get exercise by walking to and from the skytrain.
I am a happy camper and I am determined to eat healthy, get lots of exercise, and stay within my budget.
I love Vancouver.
I have been asking for a more convenient way to shop for groceries.Shopping for one is a relatively new experience after over 20 years of living with others.
It has taken me time to adjust to cooking for one - I usually end up cooking enough to feed at least two and sometimes even three or four. Trouble with that is I usually eat far too much because I am hungry enough to eat it all. And it is even worse if it is my comfort food. My inner guide always tells me not to cook so much, but then I argue that I'll save what I don't want for leftovers. Not a good idea because I love the food so much that I can't stop eating until the pot is empty.
No wonder I have put on so much weight since I quit smoking in March.
So I have decided to eat healthy and try to include less meat and more raw fruit and vegetables in my diet. It has been working - I am actually enjoying salads now.
Again the challenge is in the purchasing - a whole bag of organic carrots lasts me way too long and I haven't found them in smaller quantities until today.
Whole Foods on Cambie is my new discovery. On my way to the Factory Outlet to order my new prescription eye glasses, I was delighted to see this beautiful store and I promised myself to drop in on my way home and purchase a few things.
Well low and behold - Whole Foods caters to single folks - young and old. They even had bins of bulk cherry tomatoes, sliced zucchini, prepared vegetables for those who just want to make a little salad for themselves.
I found organic carrots in bulk, individual celery stalks - bins of organic salad greens - although I did not find romaine lettuce in small quantities.
I found a small basil plant that I could easily consume without any waste. The product section today was soooo beautiful - local produce as well as fruit and vegetables from other areas.
Organic is quite important to me, even though my income is not really compatible. But I am going to investigate how to do organic, more frequently (it only took me 15 or 20 minutes at the most to get to the store and I was finished all my errands before my transit ticket expired - $1.75 to go there and back) Now that is a definite advantage...plus I get exercise by walking to and from the skytrain.
I am a happy camper and I am determined to eat healthy, get lots of exercise, and stay within my budget.
I love Vancouver.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Consciousness and awareness of world affairs
Can I maintain my peace while being aware of world affairs?
I learned that how I view my external world is a reflection of what is going on inside my mind. I teach that to my students and I share that idea with friends.
I have a dilemma - my attention is attracted to the corruption of the super powerful countries and I feel trapped by the thought that by letting go of these thoughts and my awareness of external activities I would be irresponsible.
I do not want my kids, for example, to end up in a world that is controlled by a few greedy power hungry people.
The only way I could justify that for anyone is if those few individuals suddenly turned coat and became benevolent, generous and altruistic.
With the trillions of dollars that they have accumulated from tax payers and indirect sources of the public money, they would begin creating a world where everyone was given equal opportunity to create health and wellness and happiness and all things lovely in their lives.
BUT, that is just an unrealistic dream and desire for all the people on this planet - even the folks who think that power, greed and money make you happy. I wonder if they are happy? Oh to be a fly on their walls.
Speaking of being a fly on the wall here is a Naomi Klein claim that may rock your boat.
Have you noticed at your supermarket that new automatic check out stalls have been installed recently. Yes, they are not new - I remember them from years ago - can't remember where, but where I shop now, the Safeway at Oakridge Centre, they recently installed about 6. When I was with a friend who is employed by London Drugs as a checkout clerk, pointed out that those high tech conveniences put people out jobs, I wondered why I hadn't thought about that.
Naomi writes in Shock Doctrine that prior to 9/11 this kind of technology was already ready to be utilized for many different functions, grocery checkouts being only one. The purpose of these is to put people out of work, or to put it differently, to reduce the work forces in as many locations as possible.
So, I need someone to tell me the benefits of that for the average person. Now if it were to make life easy and pleasurable for average individuals, then how nice would that be - my dream come true.
BUT we all know - or at least some of us do - that the rich people in this world do not give a rat's ass about our pleasure and comfort.
So, please would all the average individuals please stand up and begin protesting?
There may still be time to reverse the tide - reverse the economics from shocking corrupt Freidmanism to what the people really want - true, pure democracy.
OR, is democracy overrated?
What is democracy?
I learned that how I view my external world is a reflection of what is going on inside my mind. I teach that to my students and I share that idea with friends.
I have a dilemma - my attention is attracted to the corruption of the super powerful countries and I feel trapped by the thought that by letting go of these thoughts and my awareness of external activities I would be irresponsible.
I do not want my kids, for example, to end up in a world that is controlled by a few greedy power hungry people.
The only way I could justify that for anyone is if those few individuals suddenly turned coat and became benevolent, generous and altruistic.
With the trillions of dollars that they have accumulated from tax payers and indirect sources of the public money, they would begin creating a world where everyone was given equal opportunity to create health and wellness and happiness and all things lovely in their lives.
BUT, that is just an unrealistic dream and desire for all the people on this planet - even the folks who think that power, greed and money make you happy. I wonder if they are happy? Oh to be a fly on their walls.
Speaking of being a fly on the wall here is a Naomi Klein claim that may rock your boat.
Have you noticed at your supermarket that new automatic check out stalls have been installed recently. Yes, they are not new - I remember them from years ago - can't remember where, but where I shop now, the Safeway at Oakridge Centre, they recently installed about 6. When I was with a friend who is employed by London Drugs as a checkout clerk, pointed out that those high tech conveniences put people out jobs, I wondered why I hadn't thought about that.
Naomi writes in Shock Doctrine that prior to 9/11 this kind of technology was already ready to be utilized for many different functions, grocery checkouts being only one. The purpose of these is to put people out of work, or to put it differently, to reduce the work forces in as many locations as possible.
So, I need someone to tell me the benefits of that for the average person. Now if it were to make life easy and pleasurable for average individuals, then how nice would that be - my dream come true.
BUT we all know - or at least some of us do - that the rich people in this world do not give a rat's ass about our pleasure and comfort.
So, please would all the average individuals please stand up and begin protesting?
There may still be time to reverse the tide - reverse the economics from shocking corrupt Freidmanism to what the people really want - true, pure democracy.
OR, is democracy overrated?
What is democracy?
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