A Do Nothing Day

Today was kind of a "do nothing day". I'm not sure exactly why, but it was rather refreshing. I think we all need those from time to time.

• Maybe I was just plain tired; I actually slept in until 9:00! (Can't even remember the last time I did that.) Hershey has been scratchy and restless lately (itchy skin; we think his diet has been too dry and are adding a drizzle of olive oil at breakfast and a spoonful of Little Caesar meat at supper). So I guess I haven't been sleeping as deeply as I should for awhile.
• Maybe it was the weather. It was grey, wet and cold - in short, November - today. I wasn't a total sloth; I did go out with the dogs for three walks. But I can't say I really enjoyed any of them.
• Maybe it's the time changing tonight. Although I hate it and complain lustily about it every year, perhaps it's ingrained somewhere deep within me and my body has already adjusted itself.
• Maybe I haven't completely vanquished the cold I've been staving off all week. I'm not really sick ... but I didn't feel quite perfect either most days.
• Maybe it's just because I didn't plan anything to do. Usually I jot down three or more tasks to accomplish every day. But today my calendar was blank. There were a few things I thought about doing, but other than doggie detail, there was absolutely nothing I absolutely had to do. And that felt kind of nice. I wouldn't want every day to be so aimless, but it was awfully nice for today.

So anyway, whatever the reasons, not much productive got done. But I had a luxuriously long, hot shower. I finally got to finish the Alexander McCall-Smith book I've been reading ("A Conspiracy of Friends" - number three in the Corduroy Mansions series). I did a little research on wifi cameras (now that the iPod touch is no longer on my Christmas list, I'm looking for alternative ways to get photos to my iPad). We had an easy pizza supper, then I watched my beloved "As Time Goes By". And that's that: a pretty nice day, all in all. Now I'm about ready to head back to bed for another long autumn's nap. I think tomorrow will be more fruitful. But I also think we all need a "do nothing day" from time to time so that most of our days can be "do something days".

Hurricane Sandy Has Struck

Although I needed to get that rant off my chest yesterday (you know how it is in a breakup; you really have to talk about it), it was definitely a first-world complaint, and I am very aware there are far more important issues going on. The current big one is far too close to home, sadly; it is the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.

Sandy hit the U.S. East Coast on Monday, spiralled all the way up to Ontario, and is drifting off through Quebec and the Maritimes now. She was a "superstorm"; the most unfortunate convergence of at least three separate weather systems. And she unleashed devastation the likes of which has not been seen in the region for decades. Houses were washed away, others burned in uncontrollable fires. Streets, tunnels, and the New York City subway were flooded. Roads, bridges and boardwalks were washed out - or away. Millions were without power (still over four and a half million households as of yesterday evening), and some will be for a long time yet. There are gas shortages. And over a hundred people were killed - including a woman in Toronto hit by a falling store sign.

The pictures and videos you see are extraordinary. It's hard to believe water can do so much damage, though of course it can. The most iconic one for me is the fleet of cheery yellow NYC taxis sitting submerged in a parking lot. It sort of symbolises the storm bringing one of the world's greatest cities to a halt. The flooded subway station is sort of surreal too. And equally strange was the two feet of snow that fell in parts of West Virginia. Weather certainly can do extraordinary things. You have to respect and fear it.

All pics from nbcnews.com

It was all especially hard to believe when here, a mere six hours away, Monday and Tuesday were among the more beautiful fall days we'd had all month. There was the odd shower and a couple of pretty strong gusts of wind Monday afternoon and evening, but nothing near what had been predicted. The rest of the time it was sunny and warm - bordering on hot Tuesday. Short sleeves were the norm and shorts wouldn't have been out of place - in fact our mailman did have his shorts on. Incredible. We did get our share of rain and cold yesterday and today, but really nothing you don't expect in November either.

Back in the States, the cleanup is progressing. The Red Cross, FEMA, the National Guard and others are working tirelessly. Hydro crews from Quebec are down in Vermont. NBC is running a benefit concert tonight. And nightly there are stories on the news of just ordinary people doing extraordinary things - serving meals to relief workers around the clock, climbing twenty storeys in the dark to bring fresh water to apartment-bound seniors. It will take a little time, but Americans will emerge, as they always do, stronger and more resilient than ever. Sandy may have destroyed many things, but she could never break the indomitable American spirit. And that you have to admire.

The Lustre has left the Apple.

Yes, the rumours are true. It is official. After a year and a half affair, Apple and I have broken up. Hurt and betrayed, I will never feel the same passion again.

It happened last week, October 23rd. Watching the Apple keynote to see what was up with the iPad mini and if there were any other surprise goodies, I got a decidedly unpleasant surprise. Along with the mini and its computer brethren, guess what else was introduced? The iPad 4. Scarcely six months after purchasing my iPad 3, along comes an upstart model with processor and wifi speeds twice as fast, the new connector and a better front-facing camera.

My heart broke. The iPad 3 represented one of the only times in my life when I actually had the newest and best of anything. I felt so betrayed and cheated. Obviously this was what the iPad 3 was truly meant to be, but it either wasn't quite ready in spring or they didn't want to steal the iPhone 5's thunder. Instead of doing the responsible thing and delaying the release, however, Apple decided to dupe and milk their unsuspecting customers. I could have really used that extra power for my photo editing and the graphics-laden PDF's I love to read. And who wouldn't want faster internet?

I promptly wrote a heartfelt letter to Apple, suggesting a plan allowing iPad 3 owners to upgrade for a modest sum. I elaborated the next day, proposing the trade-ins go to underprivileged schools or other charitable organisations. I even called Apple when I didn't get any response after a few days. And guess what now? Their customer service is about as bad as their decision making. They couldn't tell me anyone at Apple Canada to contact, couldn't guarantee I would ever receive a response to my emails, didn't even know how to fix my non-functioning ID on their own forums. Pathetic!

And that's that. We're over, Apple and I. Of course I'll still use and enjoy Pearl, although I simply can't feel quite the same way about her just yet. It stabs me to the core when I read about the new and improved model. I will come around to appreciating her again ... but I won't be forgiving Apple any time soon. The iPod touch that was on my Christmas list? Scratched off permanently. Maybe - just maybe - I'll consider it when the 8 MP camera model comes out ... which could be in February or a year or more from now - who knows. (In fact, why should I ever buy a new Apple product knowing that the word "new" doesn't really mean anything to them.) I will be looking very closely at alternatives, however, before I do - and there are an ever-increasing number of them available.

So here I sit, a little sadder, a little wiser and very disillusioned. Like with any first love, I guess I was a little naive. I believed Apple actually cared about me as a customer when all they really care about is money. Thing is, though, if they keep treating their customers like that (and make no mistake, I am far from the only irate iPad 3 owner) they'll find they won't have quite so many customers - or quite so much money. It won't be tomorrow, next week, or next month, but people will start looking elsewhere. Nobody likes being taken for granted and pure greed isn't a viable long-term strategy. Too bad Apple. It was fun while it lasted, but we're through. You just can't stay in love with someone you don't trust and you've definitely lost your luster with me.

What's New in the World of Apple?

It's been a while since I wrote a technology post so, without further ado, let's get up to speed on what's new in the world of Apple.

It's been a bit of an up and down month for them. They had a big keynote September 12th announcing, not unexpectedly, the new iPhone 5, as well as iOS 6 and a completely revamped iPod line ... including (finally!) a decent iPod Touch.

The iPhone 5 came out first, on the 21st, and from all accounts is a decent performer. It boasts a faster processor and bigger screen, it's thinner and lighter, and the camera has been updated, although it remains at 8 MP. Of course there are people who complain that it's not a significant enough upgrade but, honestly, you can only advance a phone in so many ways and the five million plus people who bought it the first weekend alone seem to suggest overall approval.

Next came iOS 6, and this hasn't turned out as well as hoped at all. You have complaints from people whose devices won't run some features - or be able to use it at all. (And this includes all iPad 1 users whose device may theoretically be less than a year and a half old and really shouldn't be considered obsolete in my opinion.)

Then you have the even bigger complaints from the people who did upgrade and, even with the newest iPhone and iPad, are not impressed at all. Apple hasn't been getting along with Google of late, so they removed both YouTube and Google Maps. The first isn't a huge issue; there are alternatives. The second, however, is a fiasco. Apple's own maps app is clearly not ready for the big time. There are whole web sites dedicated to some of the most egregious examples of mis-mapping imaginable - things like bridges sinking into the water and highways to nowhere. And woe betide the poor users who have tried to follow its directions to places like hospitals that don't exist! Tim Cook even issued a public apology and (gasp) suggested alternatives including Google until the situation can be remedied.

There are a few less serious complaints as well about things like wifi connectivity problems and of apps not working well with iOS 6 - including the popular photo editing app Snapseed that just happens to belong to Google. Coincidence anyone? Needless to say I'll be sticking to iOS 5 awhile longer. It's running along just fine and I've only seen a single app that actually requires iOS 6 ... and it was a YouTube replacement which I obviously don't need anyway. It is a little disappointing that Apple released what seems to be a subpar product though. We expect the best from them.

Next up are the new iPods and I'll be watching the iPod Touch reviews very attentively. If the camera is up to snuff, it could be THE item on my birthday/Christmas list this year. I was hoping for 5 MP and my wish came true ... although naturally I immediately wished it were 8 and that they'd bumped the iPhone up to 10. Anyway, even at 5 it is a very significant improvement and it has a lot of the mechanics of the iPhone camera and even an LED flash. I can hardly wait for those first photographs to start appearing!

Of course the Touch itself has to appear first and Apple is being uncharacteristically vague about the release date: currently it's just “October” which could be today (obviously not likely) or over four weeks from now. And then there is the wild card of the mythical iPad Mini. Whether the world really needs a 7” iPad is debatable. Personally I think the combination of the ultraportable Touch and the powerhouse full-size iPad is hard to beat, but I'm sure if Apple builds it the buyers will come. And if you only want one device, a Mini might be the best of both worlds for you.

So I'm still a little skeptical, but there is a rumour of a rumour that there will be another keynote on the 17th, at which time the Mini will be unveiled. The main reason I think it just might be a possibility is that it could explain them holding off on the Touch. They wouldn't want a whole bunch of unhappy people who had just bought a Touch only to discover they could have had the option of a Mini if they'd waited a few weeks more. So I guess I'll be hanging in there with bated breath watching for the next big news from the world of Apple. It's always nice to have something to look forward to, after all, even if you don't think you could possibly need it.

An "Age of Miracles"

I just finished reading one of those “could hardly put it down” type books: Karen Thompson Walker's exquisite “Age of Miracles”.

It has a fascinating premise: the world is gradually but steadily slowing. Days and nights grow ever longer - by mere minutes at first, but they’re up to sixty hours each by the time the story ends some twelve years later. Of course there are all kinds of inevitable side-effects because of this - everything from food to fuel shortages. Birds tumble from the sky; whales beach themselves en masse. Tides shift; lawns wither and die - as do virtually all plants and trees. Yet in the midst of all the natural changes, life more or less goes on and the narrator, eleven-year old Julia continues the challenging, sometimes painful process of growing up.

So besides being a very decent coming-of-age story, the book also raises big issues that are hard to stop thinking about. How would I deal with a slowing? Would I be a real-timer, trying desperately to continue to follow the sun’s rise and set, hoping my body will adapt? Or would I be a clock-timer, sticking rigidly to the twenty-four hour cycle even if it did frequently mean rising in the pitch dark and going to bed in broad daylight?

There is no ideal solution, of course. Either one would be a huge challenge for a person who can't even adjust with ease to the routine change of time every fall. In the end, though, I suppose I'd opt for clock time; it just seems it would give a greater sense of normalcy and badly needed structure to life. And in the book, that's the government mandated option that the majority do adopt.

The other major thing I ponder is how many small things we take completely for granted, yet would miss terribly. When Walker writes something like “it was the last banana (or grape or pineapple) I would ever taste” I just found it so intensely painful; heartbreaking, really. No birdsong. No wind in the trees because there are no trees. No smell of fresh grass. No flowers.

How many tiny pleasures we have to cherish. How little we appreciate them. How much we'd ache for them if they were to leave forever. How much we would miss the sun’s warmth on our cheeks. (A year or so into the slowing, the sun’s rays are growing so intense you can no longer safely go out in the sun. It can burn right through clothing. People clad their homes with radiation shields, build underground shelters, and essentially live their lives in darkness.) And how much more might we appreciate the miracle of sunrises and sunsets if we only got to see them every five days.

Despite what is obviously a somber topic, I didn't find the book totally negative or depressing. I certainly wouldn't want to live through a similar situation, but I had to admire the ones who did. Although there were some people who fled to alternative, real-time communities or religious communities, as well as the inevitable suicide cults, the majority continued to live more or less as normally as possible. (The book does hint that the situation was considerably more dire in places like Asia and Africa but doesn't get into details.)

Some did suffer - even die - from a mysterious “syndrome”, but most continued to go to work or school; to fall in love, marry and even have children. Scientists continued to work on solutions to meet food and energy needs. World War III didn't break out. There wasn't massive civil chaos. Humans really are incredibly adaptable creatures with an indomitable spirit and will to survive. Julia, in fact, is planning to follow in her father’s footsteps and become a doctor by the book's end (a flash forward to when she is 23).

The world has shrunk in many ways - no more Internet, for one example - yet life goes on, will always go on if humans have any possible way to keep it so. Because, underneath everything, we want to exist, to have made our mark, however small, on the universe. As a young Julia and her first boyfriend, Seth, etch into a freshly cast sidewalk, “We were here”. And that, in itself, is a small one of many in an age of miracles.

The Treasure of Tasha

Lately, in honour of what would have been Tasha Tudor’s 97th birthday on August 28th, I read “Drawn from New England” by daughter Bethany and also “The Private World of Tasha Tudor” written in conjunction with Richard Brown. I have a few more related volumes I may treat myself to as well. Like Beatrix Potter, she was a unique and exceptional woman, a talented artist, a little unconventional, and lived life very much on her own terms.

Born into what she called “genteel poverty”, she had an interesting childhood, experiencing both Boston high society and the Bohemian lifestyle of rural relatives in Connecticut. Her mother was a gifted artist in her own right, her father a naval engineer. Her education was minimal, yet she was surrounded by books and could quote from Shakespeare and many more at length.

From girlhood she was drawn to the country and the lifestyle of days gone by - somewhere back around 1830. And she pretty much lived that way her entire life. When her children were young, frugality was a necessity; but ultimately she became quite a successful commercial artist/picture book author and that gave her the luxury to follow her desires. She lived in remote, antique-filled homes, first in New Hampshire then Vermont her entire adult life, maintaining the lifestyle of a century ago or more. That meant wood stoves and candles, weaving and long gowns, not to mention massive flower and vegetable gardens and a collection of animals; she was especially fond of corgis and Nubian goats.

I suppose some would claim - and probably not without reason - that she was eccentric. But how much more interesting a person it made her! And I'm sure being so immersed in the past lent an authenticity to her artwork that wouldn't have existed otherwise. Besides, you have to admire people who live their passions. They may be a little different, but I'm certain they're happier than the vast majority of more traditional folk. Tasha Tudor was certainly unique and a treasure whose art I will forever cherish and admire.

So Much More than Peter

Although she is certainly best remembered - and arguably most loved - for her creation of Peter Rabbit and his woodland and barnyard friends, Beatrix Potter was so much more than the author/illustrator of children's books. That became evident the further I read in Linda Lear's marvellous biography Beatrix Potter: A Life in Nature. In fact, years before Peter, Beatrix was a very knowledgeable amateur scientist, with a particular interest in fungi. She made incredibly detailed illustrations of these as well as other plants which are still studied today. And some of her observations about fungal reproduction and spores were decades ahead of their time. While not appreciated when she made them (especially with the double curse of being an amateur and female), they were subsequently borne out.


Despite having to deal with somewhat difficult parents, Beatrix was a very fortunate girl and young woman. She was well educated, albeit at home with governesses, never attending school (something she was grateful for later, saying school would have rubbed off some of her originality). Her parents were very well off and able to indulge her interests, whether she needed new reference books or art lessons. She was able to experience life outside of London on annual holidays to places like Scotland, Wales and the Lake District. And her parents were tolerant enough to accept the wide variety of creatures she and her brother kept in their third-floor schoolroom. Really, her parents were probably just conventional Victorians of a certain class who expected a dutiful daughter to care for them - not one as ambitious and energetic as Beatrix. All things considered, Beatrix was certainly far better off than most women of her era I'm sure.

Beatrix's most productive years, literature-wise, actually constitute a relatively small portion of her life, mainly in the first decade and a half of the 1900's. Subsequently, with her Peter Rabbit et al proceeds as well as some family inheritances, her focus turned increasingly to farming and land preservation. In conjunction with the National Trust, Beatrix was almost single-handedly responsible for saving huge swaths of land in her beloved Lake District. She was also a canny shepherd, and worked hard to preserve and promote the hardy Herdwick breed of sheep native to the region. Other areas of interest included the Boy Scouts and Girl Guides whose camps she welcomed on her land and classic furniture (especially old oak pieces from the area). And, although she really didn't write or illustrate much in her later years, she did become close with the editor of Horn Book magazine and kept abreast of the world of children's literature.

She certainly was a busy and active woman, very much involved in her community. Just reading about all her work left me feeling slightly exhausted! Although it would have been nice had she written more, I respect her choice to move on to other things that she found more interesting and important. Unlike many authors, she had a relatively happy life in later years. She didn't let the tragic loss of her first love and fiancé blight her, enjoying a happy thirty year marriage with a local lawyer, despite her demanding parents' disapproval. All in all Beatrix Potter Heelis was a remarkable woman who left England a rich legacy in both literature and land.

I Would I Were a Penderwick!

I spent an absolutely delightful couple of days this week with the Penderwick family. I reread "The Penderwicks on Gardam Street" first (I had already read the original volume at least twice anyway), then moved on to "The Penderwicks at Pointe Mouette". That was a pleasure I had been saving for just the right time ... and this week was it.

For the uninitiated, the Penderwicks are a creation of Jeanne Birdsall. Though they are recent volumes, they are also old-fashioned and timeless, definitely destined to be classics. They are reminiscent of authors like Elizabeth Enright with her Saturdays series. They're the kind of books where nothing extraordinary really ever happens (although the third book did have a rather large, coincidental revelation), yet they still manage to be compelling reading. Genre-wise, they'd be classified as family stories; I call them ordinary books or daily life books because they're about the everyday sort of things you do - or wish you did.

Basically, the Penderwicks are four sisters (currently 13, 12, 11, and 5) who lost their mother shortly after the youngest was born. At the very end of the last book their father remarried and they also have a new, toddler step-brother although, conveniently, both parents and brother are absent in the third volume. (So too, largely, is eldest sister Rosalind. The younger three sisters, along with a good friend and their aunt are vacationing in Maine.) Loving but limited adult supervision is a hallmark of stories like this, as is great characterisation. You get to know each sister intimately; each has a strong and distinct voice: Rosalind is the nurturer, Skye the tomboy, Jane the dramatic and it looks like young Batty will be musical, as well as being an animal-lover, perpetually accompanied by the family's beloved dog Hound.

Reading about the Penderwicks life and adventures is such a wonderful experience. You really feel you are a part of the family. I would be a mélange of the sisters - nurturing, an animal lover, a reader/writer with a hint of tomboy too. I would like to come in right between Jane and Batty, I think. As an only child, reading about the relationships between the sisters is fascinating and makes me more than a little envious too. How wonderful to grow up with such a loving, supportive group of people. And how fortunate readers are to be able to share their experiences with them. Supposedly the series will have five volumes ... personally I hope it's even more and can hardly wait for book number four. I don't have an especial favourite yet in the series; I think it's still being written!

 

Olympic Adieu

Yesterday the games of the 30th Olympiad in London came to a close. As IOC President Jacques Rogge said, they were indeed "happy and glorious" and I thoroughly enjoyed them.

I wasn't particularly fond of the closing ceremonies - just not my style of music, I'm afraid, and to me fashion and models are a bit incongruous with the Olympics - but I certainly enjoyed watching many of the events. Coverage (at least in Canada) was superb; in the rare case I couldn't find something I wanted to see live on one of the five channels covering the games here, I could always catch it online using the CTV app or website.

Londoners truly did themselves proud and made their city a place I'd definitely like to visit some day too. Everything ran like clockwork - if an event was scheduled for 9 AM, it started then - and the literally thousands of volunteers always seemed to be smiling and pleasant. Regular glimpses of royalty (William, Kate and Harry were at many of the events) were a nice treat too. It was lovely to see the pride Great Britain had, and it was well justified. Not only were the games a huge success, so too were their athletes. They came in fourth in the medal count with 29 gold!

I was also glad the games came off safely; beforehand there were some concerns about security and I admit I was a little worried someone might try something. (I really need to be a lot more positive and optimistic and just trust that everything is going to be OK. It puts such a damper on things when you're always fearful.) It was so good to see the world coming together, being happy and fair for at least a few weeks.

There were so many heartwarming stories too. There's Oscar Pistorious, the double amputee who nonetheless ran (and well) for South Africa. There's Jamaica's Usain Bolt who won the "triple double" or "double triple" depending on how you want to say it: the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m gold medals in both the 2008 and 2012 Olympics and has to be the greatest runner - at least the greatest sprinter - of all time.

And there were several stories from the pool: Michael Phelps - the greatest swimmer of all time - ended his career with an additional four gold and two silver medals for an astonishing total of 22 Olympic medals ... 18 golden! In men's diving, our own Alexandre Despatie competed despite smashing his head on the board in training only a month or so before the games. Two other young divers might not have been there at all. Three years ago Britain's Chris Mears ruptured his spleen in a diving competition, lost five pints of blood and was given only a five percent chance of surviving - let alone diving. And Australia's Ethan Warren had a serious heart infection just last year and wasn't sure he'd ever be able to dive again. None of these three won medals, but they all made the event finals and exemplify what the games are all about - just going out there and doing your best. In my book that definitely makes them all - just like the games - winners.

Another Day, Another Controversy

Yesterday it was a badminton scandal, with eight players (from four teams) being sent home for trying to throw matches in the hopes of getting more favourable matches subsequently. It was pretty pathetic to watch. The poor referee was pleading with them to just play, to actually attempt to hit the shuttlecock. Instead they just kept swatting it limply into the net or batting at it so halfheartedly that the longest rally was a mere four shots. Talk about unsportsmanlike conduct!

Today we're back to gymnastics again, the women's all-around finals this time. That would be the event where the best aren't all competing because their countries' teams were too strong and had too many good athletes. Anyway, the U.S.'s Gabby Douglas was awesome and deservedly won the gold medal, followed fairly closely by Russian Victoria Komova. And the two of them were followed by the second Russian, Aliya Mustofina and the second American, Aly Raisman.

In fact, they were followed identically by those two. Now in other sports, if there were an exact tie, all the way down to the thousandth of a second or point, they would share the bronze medal (and I'm positive I remember shared medals in previous games, although perhaps not that recently) . But for gymnastics, that would be too generous, apparently. So there's a whole complicated procedure to prevent ties from happening. You drop the lowest scoring apparatus, one at a time, until the tie is broken. In the highly improbable case that it isn't, you then go by the highest execution scores and, if it still isn't, by start values. At that point - which of course will never happen - a tie would stand.

So in the end, because Mustafina's three best events were better than Raisman's, she got the final medal. It just seems so petty. To tie to the thousandth of a point was already pretty remarkable, showing they were both worthy of a medal. Why not give it to them both? Would it really have done any harm? I think, along with the "maximum two qualifiers per country" rule, this is another area the Gymnastics Federation really has to take a look at. As with all other sports, don't you really want the best competing, and don't you really want to reward deserved achievements even if they do cause the slight inconvenience of an extra medal? Hopefully by the next Olympics things will be just a little bit different, just a little bit better.