There's a New Love in My Life!

There's a new love in my life and her name is Paisley Belle. She is my precious just turned four month old beagle puppy and she is a total sweetheart who I am absolutely smitten with. She is not the "new Topaze" any more than Topaze was the new Perky. She is her own adorable doggy self with her own unique personality.
We got her at a farm in Sunbury (near Kingston) on Labour Day weekend. She was a tiny and shy five and a half pound little pippin. Now, almost two months later she has doubled in size, but is the same timid and gentle soul. She is probably the sweetest puppy I've ever had. She is nice to all people and dogs. She is learning not to nibble and is finally catching on to the idea of housebreaking too. Her only "flaw" is that she is not very fond of walking yet. She's pretty good by the lake, but the streets have too many noisy and scary things ... and forget about going out at night; that's even scarier! I do hope she gets over this phase fairly soon; I'd be rather disappointed to end up with a dog who doesn't want to walk with me. But she is, as Mary Poppins would say, practically perfect in every other way. I love her to bits and hope to have a lifetime of happy memories with her.

Going Low-Tech in Silicon Valley

There was a fascinating article in the October 22nd New York Times that really called into question the role of technology in education. It focussed on very high-tech Silicon Valley executives who have chosen to give their children a very low-tech - no-tech, actually - education.

These are intelligent, affluent people who could send their children anywhere and who have made a very deliberate decision. Their children attend Waldorf schools where traditional educational principles and practices and hand-on learning are the emphasis. Classrooms are filled with books not computers. Children do music and arts and crafts, baking and knitting. Tech use is not introduced until the eighth grade; even television and movie watching is discouraged.

And the success rate is amazing. These are students who will be filling Ivy League universities in the next decade. These are kids who can read and write and calculate, who are focussed and creative, who are sociable and who can think outside the box. (And these traits seem to be characteristic of most Waldorf schools - not just the rich, Silicon Valley ones. From what I've read, lower class students attending these type of schools are also significantly more likely to end up in the Ivy League ... and on full scholarship too.)

Now I suppose you do want to take the article with a grain of salt. These are children, for the most part, from well-to-do families who can get their daily dose of tech at home. Their parents are obviously committed to, and involved with, their education to an admirable extent. They could quite likely succeed in a variety of milieus. But the fact their parents specifically opted for this type of educational experience does say something. It says that the type of human being they want to raise is far more than someone who can text hundreds of words a minute or download the newest app. They want kids who can think and be creative and, moreover, believe those are the types of people future employers will want too.

I agree. Particularly at the primary level, there is so much that needs to be learned. I would much rather schools focus on producing kids who are literate and numerate at or above grade level. I want students who, when they are taught to research online can actually focus on and read the articles they find, and who can think about what they're reading instead of mindlessly accepting it, kids who can draw their own conclusions and generate original ideas. They can easily acquire tech skills in middle and high school and, by then, will have enough of a background of ideas and knowledge that they can use technology that much more effectively and productively.

I'm not saying to necessarily ban all tech either. It can be a godsend for students with certain educational challenges. For underprivileged students who don't have access to technology at home it might be a great motivator too. But it can way too easily become a time-waster and distractor - not the productivity enhancer or key to getting ahead so many parents mistakenly believe it to be. There's such a short time to be a kid and so much to learn; let's leave the technology until they've become well-rounded enough people to use it to its best advantage.

"Nano"WriMo

Today is the start of NaNoWriMo - the 13th annual National Novel Writing Month. The ultimate objective is to produce a complete 50000 word (or approximately 175 page) novel during the one month period from November 1st to 30th. And this year, for the first time, I am going to be a participant - albeit in my own unique way.
I have always wanted to write more, but I have never been successful at it. This year I have the twin luxuries of both time and an iPad. I have apps like iA Writer and Blogsy to write with; I have apps and web sites to track my progress. I have a laptop, a bluetooth keyboard. Really, what possible excuses do I have NOT to write???
I am not a novelist, however - at least not at this point in time. My objectives, therefore are significantly more modest. If I achieve them though, it will still be a HUGE breakthrough for me. My goals are simple and two-fold:
Each day I want to accomplish two things:
a) I want to write a blog entry. Any length. Any topic.
b) I want to write a poem. Ditto.
So my daily word count might be as little as a few hundred, far from the almost 1700 needed to complete NaNoWriMo successfully. For me, this project is more aptly called "Nano"WriMo; even the tiniest bit of writing will be a big achievement if it's done on a daily basis. Since habits are reputed to take at least 21 days to form, hopefully by the end of the month writing regularly will have become my new best habit. Wish me luck. I'm already one day and 293 words closer to my goal by the end of this sentence!

Don't go, Indigo!

Or Coles or Chapters or Babar. Or any other bookstore either. I was horrified to read an article this week predicting the imminent demise of the brick-and-mortar bookstore. It figured the last of the independent bookstores would close - or be converted to cafés - in 2015 and even the last chain stores would be gone by 2018. After that Amazon and other online retailers would rule the literary world.

It may be a bit melodramatic to say, but I don't know that I want to live in a world without bookstores. (And if they disappear, can libraries be far behind?) Yes ebooks are convenient, portable, and don't require shelves to store (my brand new library, the delight of my life, is already obsolete!) but there's much to be said for the physical and sensual experience of the real book too. And how delightful to pass an afternoon browsing through a bookstore, discovering hidden treasures you could never have found otherwise.

I believe at least some books will remain as interesting artifacts and art objects. Collectible and used bookstores may hang on. And (at least until they invent unbreakable and chew-proof ereaders) books for kids should be safe. But, disheartening as it is, I think the article has a point. Retail stores are expensive propositions. So is publishing hard copies. You can find a lot of new books through Amazon links and Goodreads too. And once you're into a story the format you're reading in sort of fades into the background. Personally I'm not reading quite as many books digitally as physically yet and I do still buy "real" books, but it's admittedly fewer than in the past. And I hate the thought that I'm contributing in any way to the demise of something I treasure. I guess that's what "progress" is though: things change, like it or not. Still, I hope the predictions were a bit too hasty and that at least some (I'll concede there will be fewer) bookstores hang in for the rest of my life. A world without them is a sad, sad thing to contemplate.

There's a Beagle-shaped Hole in my Heart

(Picture is of Topaze lazing on the front lawn this summer.)

In the wee hours of the morning on August 15th, my beloved beagle Topaze took her last breath on this earth. Now she is prancing about heaven with Nicky and Taffy and Perky and all the other dogs who left before her. And I fully expect her to be waiting, tail awag, when I arrive many years from now.

I loved her so much and I miss her so much. I can still feel my hands running over her sleek back, sliding down her tail, and especially stroking her beautiful velvet ears. Without her I somehow feel empty and incomplete. I've had a beagle in my life for the bulk of my life - thirty years now! Beagles aren't the easiest breed, it's true ... just the best.

I am definitely a beagle girl. Topaze (and Perky before her) taught me all about love and loyalty, bravery and forgiveness and I know made me a better, happier person. Some of the very happiest moments of my life are the simplest: strolling leisurely by the lake, snuggling together on the bed in the morning and, especially, reading on the loveseat in my library, Topaze curled warmly on one side, Hershey on the other. Now Topaze's earthly remains are watching from atop a bookshelf, next to Perky's. So they're both close to me still; just not the way I'd wish it. Dogs' biggest flaw, really, is that they do only live fifteen years or so. But I guess we should be grateful it gives us a chance to meet so many.

And what a wonderful fifteen years I had with Topaze! We did obedience and flyball, had hikes in the woods, a few trips to the Maritimes, and countless walks by the water. And when I am ready - and it could be soon - I hope I will be led to yet another beautiful beagle girl to share my life with and to brighten my every day.

Bye Bye Jack

As if we needed any more proof that life is blatantly unfair, Jack Layton, leader of the NDP, died early this morning of cancer. He was just 61. Now this was a man who did everything right. He exercised religiously, ate very healthfully, and despite a busy schedule wasn't the sort of guy to stress out. He was pretty mellow and laid-back actually. He was a genuine person, loved and respected by people of all political persuasions. To be taken at the height of success, after leading the NDP to the role of Official Opposition and essentially annihilating the Bloc Quebecois only months ago, is just so wrong.

And so sudden. When he temporarily stepped aside as leader at the end of July to undergo cancer treatments he confidently - albeit weakly - spoke of returning for the opening of Parliament in early September. That might have been a bit optimistic; I felt maybe the beginning of 2012 would be more realistic. But somehow, though you worried, you didn't doubt him. He'd already overcome prostate cancer and campaigned right through hip replacement recovery this spring. He was a fighter and so so positive. How could he lose this skirmish? Except that he did. You sort of wonder if even a guy who kept in such good shape could succumb, what chance would an ordinary person have?

Anyway, my thoughts and prayers today are with his family and friends. All of Canada has suffered a loss and is the poorer for it. I fervently hope his successors will be able to carry on his legacy in the way it deserves. I hope they stay true to his values and ideals and continue to be a real party for the ordinary person. And I hope Jack does attend the opening of Parliament in spirit since he sadly won't be there in body.

I'm Making a List and Checking it Twice

August is a lazy time of year for me typically. I'm usually dopey from heat and a little bit at loose ends about how to fill each day. It's easy to putter around doing nothing in particular until I suddenly notice another whole day is gone and I haven't really accomplished much of anything. Not that there is so much that absolutely has to be done on any given day. Mainly it's lots of odd jobs where it really doesn't matter which day they get done. Still, they do need to be done sometime, and the good old-fashioned paper checklist is my current miracle tool.

There is something so fulfilling about writing stuff down, no matter how trivial, and then checking it off when it's finished. Sometimes I even add an item to my list after I've finished it, just to have the pleasure of checking it off! Pathetic? Perhaps. But it works.

Naturally "there's an app for that". I've downloaded several to-do list apps. They're good too. Still, at least for me, a paper list I can scrawl onto absolutely anytime is the number one choice. The act of physically crossing something off is so satisfying. And as fast as the iPad is to launch, my paper list is even more instantaneous. And when the day is over and everything is done (or moved to the next list) I can just scrunch it up and toss it away.

For a procrastinator like me, the list is a godsend. My biggest trouble is that I sometimes have difficulty estimating how long a task will take. Electronic tasks in particular are notoriously hard to predict. Yesterday I had to reinstall Dan's baseball game. I thought fifteen minutes would suffice, but it was more like forty five ... without letting myself get distracted or off task either. It was just plain slow. But I can tell you that checking it off felt awfully good.

Today I've come up with another dilemma. What happens when everything is done? Except for a concert I may or may not go to tonight (and very basic things like walking the dogs and making supper which I don't put on the list at all), I really have finished all I'd earmarked for today. Guess what I need to do is make sure I either have a list of any-day odd jobs saved up, or start scheduling in a few fun things too. "You must read for at least an hour today. You must eat a Popsicle!" That could be kind of fun. And now I absolutely must go and have a cup of tea and do a few puzzles - it's not on the list yet, but it could be soon!

"Montreal is falling down, falling down, falling down ... "

The Mercier is dubious. The Champlain is suspicious. Turcot is troubling. And now you can add the Ville-Marie tunnel to the (increasingly lengthy) list of places I'd really rather not drive in Montreal.
Yesterday morning a 15-metre by about 1-metre thick slab of concrete (25 tons worth!) crashed down across all three lanes of the eastbound tunnel. It was a Sunday morning miracle that nobody was killed. But it certainly doesn't inspire confidence in the state of the city's infrastructure.
Of course investigations are still ongoing and a large part of the tunnel is closed indefinitely as we ponder what exactly is going on here. One theory in yesterday's collapse is that people working on the tunnel walls somehow jarred the section loose with their vibrations. But it obviously wasn't a concern at the time because the tunnel was wide open to traffic. And if it's really that fragile, what about the vibrations from the hundred thousand plus vehicles that use the tunnel every single day?
This province has a sad history with our roadways and bridges. The du Souvenir and de la Concorde overpass collapses are still all too fresh in people's minds, and we certainly don't want any repeats. A combination of age, extreme weather, excessive traffic, questionable construction quality and inadequate maintenance can be deadly. Hopefully this very narrow escape from tragedy will wake up the province to the realization that we have to be far more diligent with our roadways. I know Quebec City is the jewel in the province's crown, but Montreal is its driving engine and if people don't want to drive here - or live or work here - the whole province will suffer. It's high time our biggest city gets some big investments. Next time we might not be so lucky.

We're Having a Heat Wave

My annual battle with the heat has begun. And this year it's especially urgent as poor Topaze is really feeling her age ... and the heat. The very first warm days, a month or so ago, she started being sick. She would cough up her meals or parts of them, she's panting and wheezing, and is listless and lacklustre. She wants to walk but has trouble coming back from the walks. One sad day I actually had to carry her the two blocks up from the lake. And she's not a light dog; it took several stages. For now she's limited to walking up or down the street to the stop signs (either four or seven houses).

Yesterday was the worst yet. The humidex was somewhere in the 30's and we spent a good part of the day in the basement. It's actually quite nice down there now that it's all fixed up. I had my handy new Canadian Tire camp cot, my iPad and laptop (wireless reception is fairly good); I ate my lunch down there too. But no matter how nice, the fact remains that it's still a basement - and I really don't like basements. I do like my dogs, however, so we even ended up sleeping there last night. I threw my memory foam mattress pad on top of the cot and had a surprisingly good, comfortable sleep.

I don't really want to spend every night there, though, so today it's on to Plan B. Dan isn't about to give up the bedroom (and has never been too hot in his life, hence is very unsympathetic) so I'm experimenting with our little portable air conditioner in the library. [I keep watching the thermostat to see if it's falling. No change yet.] Our windows are not designed for air conditioner vents so I've improvised with cardboard and duct-tape. And I'm hoping. It might just be my imagination, but it feels dryer if not actually cooler. Topaze seems to be breathing a little easier too, although it could just be masked by the noise! That, along with the blocked window of course, is the downside. But for happier dogs and a happier me it will be worth it. [Yay!!! We're down a degree to 77!]

When Everything's a Big Deal, Nothing Is

A rather sad trend in parenting these days is to celebrate every accomplishment - no matter how minuscule - in increasingly elaborate ways. Used to be that graduating high school and university were pretty much the only truly noteworthy events in a young person's life. Now, though, grade six graduations, kindergarten grads, even preschool grads are matters of pomp and circumstance too. It's all going just a little bit far. Same for sports teams where everybody gets the trophy even if they were the worst player on the lousiest team. Kids have so many medals and certificates that they become meaningless articles shoved in a drawer and forgotten the next day.

Kids aren't stupid; they know if they really worked hard at something or excel at something and actually merit an award. It's too bad more and more parents feel they have to make a big deal out of absolutely everything. It's sad because it debases the genuine accomplishments, which of course will be different for every child. Getting a high school diploma was actually no biggie for me because I knew I didn't have to work particularly hard for it. I cherished the English prize I received far more because that was my toughest subject; I felt I truly earned it. I felt proud of it.

So why do it? I guess the "keeping up with the Jones" factor is always at play. If every other kid is having a graduation party for kindergarten you probably should too or your child might feel left out. Perhaps some parents are feeling sorry for themselves and trying to recapture and reinvent childhoods where they didn't feel enough attention was paid to them. (I've never won a trophy for anything - guess I'm deprived!) And I'm sure a lot of it started with parents feeling guilty about not being there for all the little moments that are really what matter most in life. So they try to compensate - overcompensate - by putting special emphasis on easy to delineate events, even ones as small as finishing up the soccer season their kid missed most of the games of!

I worry a little about kids whose self-esteem is so fragile (or is being made that way by misguided parents) they have to get extrinsic rewards for every minor achievement. Life doesn't really work that way. How much better it would be to skip most of the medals and certificates and have a parent who sits across the kitchen table from their child and talks about each day, who knows what their child thinks and feels ... and, most importantly, when their child has done something truly special, no matter how small, and praises it. Now that's a child who will feel valued - and know what to value in life. That's a child who will be happy and successful even without a single trophy to show for it. Of course you should celebrate your big achievements with gusto. But knowing inside that you've tried your hardest and been your best is something to cherish even more.