Hump day

March — comes in like a lion, goes out like a lamb, and vice-versa.  Yesterday’s storm sort of counts as “start of March” but just to underscore the oddities of this month, there’s more snow projected tonight and this week, and the long-term forecast hints at a few dumps into April (and possibly May.). I’m happy to report that my back is behaving again today, although my appetite persists in being moody.  I’m alternating between craving some impossible things and wanting to avoid all food.  The boys are both grousing that they’re freezing, and have hunkered under a blanket — Jerry spent most of the night under mine — I agree that it feels surprisingly cool, but I can’t find a reason.

I spoke with the family today, and my sisters are still both testing positive, although my niece is now negative, and thankfully my father never contracted the illness.  They’re all recovering, with the major complaints being extreme fatigue (one sister) and a dreadful cough (other sister.)  In other, semi-health related news… remember when I was searching for a family doctor?  I’d registered with the province for them to help with the search.  I’d received about 3 letters saying that I was still registered, and I needed to search for a doctor myself.  Then I found one, through (I’d call it) divine intervention, and notified the province (through the assigned health coordinator) so I’d be removed from the listing.  Well, in today’s mail I got a letter from the province saying that the coordinator “had referred me to a doctor” (name and address of the doctor that I had provided) and that it was now up to me to contact the doctor.  That, my dear people, is the dictionary definition of chutzpah.  We both laughed for about an hour when we read those! 

There is a long and proud tradition of mocking politicians and bureaucrats for being out of touch and unaware.  I can’t pretend that I don’t participate sometimes, especially when there are some howlers and head scratchers.  For instance, Ottawa introduced a light rail service a few years ago.  It was intended to replace part of the bus fleet and move large numbers of people — you know the arguments.  However, I don’t think that there has been a full week since it launched when there were no shutdowns — the trains failed in snow (in Canada!); in heavy rain; there were sinkholes created on surface streets while tunnelling; a door failed to close on one train, causing the system to shutdown; there was a derailment in ice… anyway, the level of confidence of riders is low.  Justifiably so, in my opinion.  Then there was the pandemic.  Combine all of that (and another month-long shutdown just after last Christmas) and ridership is still about 30% of what it was pre-pandemic, so public transit is losing money — over $30 million annually.  What’s the proposed solution for getting more riders and reducing the deficit?  The City says a fare increase.  I think that’s fair game for mockery, especially for the councillors who voted in favour of this idea.  It’s been years since the trains were installed, and they remain unreliable, even as the expansion goes on.  It’s impossible to have everyone agree on everything, but it does seem that some decisions could be better addressed before they’re finalized and then publicly shamed.  

Then there are the ad hominem attacks, with which I disagree vehemently.  Just because a person enters politics doesn’t mean that they suddenly become paragons or automata.  So a politician is allowed to attend parties, go on vacation, have had teenage years, make mistakes and generally exist without being attacked for it.  There is an obvious difference between someone who indulges in illegal or inappropriate behaviour while performing their duties, and youthful indiscretions, unless there is clear evidence that the unacceptable youthful behaviour continues to the present and is detrimental to people.  So, for instance, an electoral candidate who brags about assaulting women, and who has open claims of harassment against them should step down and out of the public eye; but someone who wore a silly Halloween costume as a teenager (and is now in their late 50s) without repeating that, is fine to stay in.  Just to extend the point, though, the code of ethics that applies to public servants (including public officials) limits how much can be accepted as a gift, and that applies in their private life as well as ‘On the job.”  So the rules prohibit accepting “even a cup of coffee” from someone who does business with an official, and as long as they’re in a role where they can influence the spending of public funds.  The argument that “I’ve known them since we were kids, and I can’t be bought!” is weak, disingenuous and a red flag for corruption!  That being said, attacking an individual for having a private life is just wrong!

I’m clearly not naming any specific people; but I am tired of the mindless attacks that proliferate on social media.  The lowlifes who attack, and then share the attacks really are disgusting trolls.  I think they hit a low when a public official sent out a message of condolences on the death of a popular individual, and the comments were filled with vitriol against the official.  Whether or not you like them, are you really so mindlessly stupid that you must turn everything into an attack?  Could we, do you think, manage to teach that freedom of speech is not absolute, and your freedom to “say what you think” is constrained by context, content and intent?  Also that your urge to be the centre of attention is not an excuse for stupidity, cruelty and violence?

Right, I’m climbing down off my soapbox… I didn’t intend it, but I was annoyed by several posts on social media.  I think I understand why the Archbishop recommended “fasting from social media” for the next 6 weeks… I found this prayer that I think I’ll adopt:   

I pray that I would speak words of peace instead of anger. May I use my words to build up rather than tear down. When I am under pressure, help me to remain compassionate and gentle. Protect me from sin when I feel angry.

That being said, it’s puppy tummy rubbing time!  My evening is usually well managed with a dog on my lap, followed by a dog on my tummy while I sleep!  Evidently I enjoy it, even if I pretend to complain 😁 Good night!