Still wondering who I am and why I'm here.

I did a personality test that I found online (and now I've lost the site) and the results state that I am a benevolent visionary. Well, what on earth does that mean?

Let's start with the word "benevolent." According to Wikipedia, a benevolent person characterizes the true goodness of the mind and spirit, the unbiased kindness to do good. It is the expression of "agape love" (greek word for unconditional love).

Okay, so for me it means I'm understanding, giving, and trusting. My caring nature goes beyond a basic concern in that I take the time to understand the nuances of people's situations before passing any sort of judgement. Yes, I believe that is very true of me. I often find myself standing up for someone whom others dislike for any reason. I feel it isn't right to judge anyone unless you have stood in their shoes. That goes for people I know personally and for others whom people verbally judge in my presence. On the other hand, because I can spend a lot of time caring for others, I can forget to take care of myself. This is true and I've recently come to a realisation that I need to look out for my own physical, emotional, and mental health.

Okay, on to the word "visionary." Wikipedia states that people like this see "visions" or "apparitions" either supernaturally or through meditation, lucid dreams, or day dreams. By extension, visionary came to mean also a person with a clear, distinctive and specific (in some details) vision of the future. It could mean imagining what doesn't yet exist or will never exist on Earth but will in another realm.

Well, I am very imaginative and I'm much better at seeing the "big picture" than I am with details. Plus, I do see wonder in abstract things. For example, I can't draw my way out of a paper bag, but I can "see" things in certain pieces of abstract art. I experience vivid dreams to the point that I sometimes feel that I actually "live" in another life when I'm asleep. I have a strong faith and have experienced one visit each from my grandmother, my husband, and my parents after they passed away. As a result of those experiences, I am not afraid of death at all, although I do hope the actual process isn't painful. However, I never force my position on this type of thing on anyone and enjoy hearing about others' belief systems and customs. On the other hand, my way of thinking can sometimes prevent me from being open to new ideas so that's something I need to work on.

Overall, I'm totally feminine, extroverted, and hold great trust in other people. I'm also highly aesthetic, meaning I'm very receptive to what is considered to be pleasurable to the senses (e.g. art, music, fashion). On the other hand, I'm very low in openness which can make me appear to be rather mysterious. That sounds a bit contradictory since I'm an extrovert, too. But when you think about it, it can make sense.

I've come a long way from age 21 (above photo) to now being a grandmother of two. And still I'm not sure sometimes who I am and why I'm here. I don't understand how these tests work, but it's fun to take them and see if they're even close to what you think about yourself. This one was pretty close to the mark and made me think about how I might change things in the days to come. One goal I've made from doing this test is to try to become a bit more spontaneous when it comes to doing things for fun.

What about you? Do you ever ponder your place on this earth? Do you ever wonder why you were ever born? Do you even like your own personality? What would you do differently if you could?

ABC Wednesday - I is for Impressive Illustrations

One of my best girlfriends was here in November, cleaning out her Mom's place now that she's moved into a care home. It was interesting going through her things because some of her possessions dated back a long way. The most intriguing items we discovered were all her original illustrations of Disney characters that date back to 1946. These illustrations were individually mounted in matching black and gold frames on a pale blue wall in her hallway. When I saw them, I exclaimed, "Oh! These are very valuable!" It was then that my friend told me the story of how her mother came to have them.

D's mother and her friend had been in the Canadian Armed Forces during the war and in 1946 they decided to go to Los Angeles for some swinging good times. The war had put Walt Disney's plans for his magic theme park on hold, but these two attractive women met a couple of men (illustrators) who worked for the big man himself and were taken on a tour of the Disney Studios where plans were in the works. It wouldn't be until 1955 that Walt Disney's magic kingdom would become reality.

In the meantime, the young men probably wanted to impress the young ladies so, with nary a thought to possible future fame, blithely gave them their scraps of paper. A couple of them are autographed and dated so you can tell they're definitely originals. They'd been tucked away in an old scrapbook for many years until D's brother found them and had them framed. I imagine they're worth a fortune today!

Can you just picture two young Canadian women giggling flirtatiously as they were given nine illustrations of Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy, and Pluto! They were too busy flirting with those American illustrators to even think about those pieces of paper. Today, those illustrations are priceless! And I sure wish they were mine!

This is what I call the "Disney Wall of Fame."

Sketches of Donald Duck

more Donald Duck

Goofy boxing - signed by Don T, Disney Studios, Hollywood on Jan. 24/46

Mickey Mouse sketches

Mickey and Donald Duck together on one page.

Pluto and a sleeping kitten autographed by Duff Tweed at Disney Studios, Hollywood Jan. 24/46


Mickey and Pluto together on one page.

To see more ABC Wednesday posts, see Mrs. Nesbitt's blog here.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

I just read that the Chicago River is dyed green each year for the St. Patrick's Day celebration! Along with that, everywhere you go on March 17th you'll find green beer, Irish stew, and the famous shamrock.

The man we remember as St. Patrick was apparently born to a wealthy British family who owned a villa in what is now Wales in the 4th century AD. His name was Maewyn Succat and was kidnapped by pirates when he was 16 years old and sold into slavery in Ireland. After 6 years of hard labour, he escaped to France where he adopted the name Patrick. Eventually, he returned to Ireland where he began converting many of the Gaelic Irish to Christianity. He used a visual aid - the three-leaf shamrock - to explain the concept of the Holy Trinity (the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit).

The old Irish word craic refers to a spirited affair, to the fun, enjoyment, abandonment and lighthearted mischief that is often, although not necessarily, associated with drinking. I can remember students sneaking into the school before 9:00 am and turning the desks upside down and backwards along with the garbage cans and writing all sorts of mischief on the boards. Lots of fun and all done in the innocence of youth.

St. Patrick's Day is celebrated in all corners of the world now. Canada's own province of Newfoundland/Labrador has made it an official holiday due to the huge Irish population. It's also celebrated in Russia, Germany, Argentina, Denmark, Japan, Mexico, and around the United States. The day provides people with an opportunity to hoist a mug of green beer and celebrate their Irish heritage.

As someone who has absolutely no Irish blood, I enjoy the festivities as much as the next person, and wear something green on the day to honour my Irish friends of the past (those who arrived in Scotland and helped to fight off the French and British).

The leprechaun is a type of male fairy said to inhabit Ireland. They usually take the form of old men who enjoy partaking in mischief. He's a craft specialist (shoemaking, tanning, or metalwork) and are considered to be very rich, but thrifty. According to legend, if anyone keeps an eye fixed upon one, he cannot escape, but the moment the gaze is withdrawn, he vanishes. If one captures a Leprechaun he must be truthful and honest and tell you where he has hidden his treasure. Isn't it at the end of the rainbow?

Have a happy St. Patrick's Day, everyone, whither ye have green blood or not.

And, as the Irish are known to say,

"As you slide down the banister of life,

May the splinters never point in the wrong direction! "

Signs of Spring

Even though it's grey, windy, and cold today I decided to go for a walk to return some DVDs and pick up some cereal at the local grocery store. I'm glad I took my camera because I was able to take my mind off the dreariness of the day to record the promise of warmth to come. The sooner the better, in my humble opinion.

My heather is glorious right now, in full bloom and brilliant in colour. Soon it will fade and become simple greenery amongst the other colours I'll add to the garden.

Daffodils are blooming everywhere - in private gardens, along municipal roadways and in parks as well as in large pots that decorate the business districts. These daffodils dazzled passersby as they scurried out of the wind into the local shops.

I noticed a cherry tree outside the bank last week that had the first blossoms I'd seen this season. So I walked on in order to get a photo. It is blooming beautifully and is the only one in the area so far along. Other cherry trees are not even close to blooming so this one stands out in its glory. On the way home, I stopped to see how many buds were on a neighbour's camelia bush. This bush must tower over ten feet tall and always has masses of flowers every year. There were so many buds I couldn't even begin to count them, but as I started to pass I turned for one last look. Behold! One small, lone camelia flower stood out amongst the greenery so I just had to pull out the camera for one last shot for the day.

Whom Do I Resemble the Most? lol

Not Quite Spring at Bear Creek Park

Last week, in order to give my daughter a break, I took #1 grandson to Bear Creek Park, not far from where they live. Be sure to check out this site for gorgeous photos - more than I've included here.

Bear Creek Park is a great place for children and adults alike, having beautiful gardens featuring a variety of horticultural treasures in a tranquil setting, a jogging track, paths through forested areas, a fantastic children's playground, and a train that travels through the woods. This children's train runs on a 15" narrow gauge track and the steam locomotive is named "Chough" (pronounced Chuff) was built in 1968. Although built in Holland and now resident in Canada, this locomotive ran in Scotland and Wales, as well as South, West, East and Northern England!

Our visit included, naturally, a trip to the playground area, and then as Noah rode his little two-wheeler ahead of me, I followed along the trail through the forest. It was a fairly warm day with the sun fully out, necessitating sunglasses. Next time we go, we'll take a different route and look through the garden area to see what we can find.

First off, I saw this stunning birch tree, bare from winter, but with just the beginnings of growth showing on its branches.

I could have used the following photo for the "I Spy" theme for today, but didn't even realize myself that you can just make out Noah crossing the bridge on his teeny bike.

We spent quite a while on this bridge because Noah wanted to practise some mountain biking by riding up to the top of the ridge and zooming back down over the bumps and muddy areas before finally stopping to gaze down at the water below.

I managed to get some shots of the waters below. There are always ducks living in the area and we were lucky to spy a male and female preening themselves on some rocks. No babies yet, though, so we'll have to go back to see their family.

The water was quite low, but soon it will rise as the snow melts off the mountains and we'll see more water fowl and lots of fish here.

Of course, I think the highlight of the day, for me, was seeing a little boy waving to the engineer on the train as he took it for a spin getting it ready for all the children who will soon be clambering for a ride.

I SPY WITH MY little EYE

Photo Hunt

Today's theme for the Saturday Photo Hunt, brought to you by tnchick, is I SPY. To sign in early, go to carver's site.

These photos have actually come in handy now because there was something in each one that you can't quite see, so they had been relegated to the files. See if you can find them in the following photos.

This is part of Cardiff Bay and you might be able to make out some sort of water fowl if you look carefully.

This is Stokes Bay across from the Isle of Wight and there is something around 2 o'clock. Can you tell what it is? (a solitary sailboat)

This is at Charlton Lake near Andover, England, and there's another type of water fowl here.

I think you can see what's up this telephone pole. What's strange is that we seem to have been inundated with these creatures this past year.

I just thought this was a fun shot of me in Cardiff by a shop. Check out all the things in the window and through the doorway. I loved the sign, "Wales the Happy Country," so had my friend take my photo. You can tell I didn't even mind that it was raining! (Oh and I've lost about another 10 lbs since then, too! :D)

I hope you enjoyed this little "I Spy" game and hope everyone has a great weekend.

Skywatch Friday

Skywatch Friday is brought to you by Wigger's World here.

I took this photo last month when walking around the Boundary Bay Regional Park about 10 minutes south of me. The day started out sunny, but as I was strolling along, these black storm clouds rolled in. They were spectacular and I'm glad I took the picture so I can share it now.

Have a great Friday, everyone, and a wonderful weekend.

Leonard Cohen - Canada's Poet

On March 10, Canada's Leonard Cohen was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He's been labelled "the poet laureate of pessimism", "the grocer of despair", "the godfather of gloom" and "the prince of bummers". He has, none the less, given pleasure and even laughter to the million or so people who buy his records.

I first heard of this highly-regarded poet, singer, and songwriter in October 1972 when my then to be husband asked me if I'd like to go back to his place and listen to his Leonard Cohen records. After his invitation, which I regarded as extremely original and much better than "come on up and see my etchings," I did listen to all his records and was very impressed. Brian had every one of LC's records up to that point in time and in the years to come, I gave him more. Whenever we'd go to the lake for our holidays, Brian would play LC's songs on his guitar at the campfire and I got to know all the words to "Suzanne," "So Long Marianne," "Hallelujah," "First We Take Manhattan," and others. In 1987, we saw Leonard Cohen perform live in Ottawa and he was absolutely amazing!

Two years ago, Cohen published his Book of Longing and I was able to get an autographed copy for my daughter. She treasures it as she knows how much her Dad loved Leonard Cohen. Have a listen to "Suzanne" here on youtube and you can see why he's in the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, the Canadian Songwriters' Hall of Fame, and a Companion of the Order of Canada.

H is for Hieroglyphics

ABC Wednesdays is brought to you by Mrs. Nesbitt.

When I was teaching 4th grade, part of the Bible curriculum was about the history of written language dating back to Egyptian times. I learned a lot by teaching it and had a lot of fun with the kids using pictographs and hieroglyphics.

Then when I was in Italy in the fall of 2006, I visited a town named Orvieto, built on top of a mountain made of volcanic rock, on the border between Tuscany and Umbria. It has a fantastic Etruscan history. (see notes below) We visited the necropolis at the base of the mountain and there I found original hieroglyphics scratched into the openings of graves. A fascinating revelation to me, it brought to life what I'd been teaching children for many years.

From the necropolis looking up towards the city of Orvieto.

The entrance to a grave.

Hieroglyphgics scratched at the entrance to a grave.

The inside of a grave.

For those who are interested in learning more, feel free to read the following:

Etruscan alphabet

The Etruscan alphabet developed from a Western variety of the Greek alphabet brought to Italy by Euboean Greeks. The earliest known inscription dates from the middle of the 6th century BC. Most Etruscan inscriptions are written in horizontal lines from right to left, but some are boustrophedon (running alternately left to right then right to left).

More than 10,000 Etruscan inscriptions have been found on tombstones, vases, statues, mirrors and jewellery. Fragments of an Etruscan book made of linen have also been found. Etruscan texts can be read: i.e. the pronunciation of the letters is known, though scholars are not sure what all the words mean.

No major literary works in Etruscan have survived, however there is evidence for the existence of religious and historical literature and drama. It is also possible that the Etruscans had a notation system for music.

The Etruscan language was spoken by the Etruscans in Etruria (Tuscany and Umbria) until about the 1st century AD, after which it continued to be studied by priests and scholars. The emperor Claudius (10 BC - 54 AD) wrote a history of the Etruscans in 20 volumes, none of which have survived, based on sources still preserved in his day. The language was used in religious ceremonies until the early 5th century.

Etruscan was related to Raetic, a language once spoken in the Alps, and also to Lemnian, once spoken on the island of Lemnos. It was also possibly related to Camunic, a language once spoken in the northwest of Italy.

Source: http://users.tpg.com.au/etr/etrusk/alph/etrFont.html

Winning Ways With People

Every month I receive the "Body Bulletin" from my retirement insurance plan. It has lots of good articles about health and exercise. This month, there's an article called "Winning Ways With People" and I thought I'd share it with you.



* Think before you speak. Say less than you think.


* Keep an open mind. Discuss rather than argue.


* Cultivate a soothing voice. How you speak often means more than your words.


* Respect the feelings of others.


* Refuse to discuss the shortcomings of others. To discourage gossip, change the subject.


* Exceed your employer's expectations of your work.




I think these are good tips not only for the workplace but also for dealing with family and friends, too. Needless to say, I'm perfect! (*tongue in cheek*) Are you?

Being a woman doesn't pay

I saw this online this morning and am shocked that after all these years, we STILL haven't "come a long way baby."

THE CANADIAN PRESS

OTTAWA - A new report says women are still getting paid less than men, regardless of talent, education or experience. And the report by the Canadian Labour Congress says women who put off starting a family so they could earn a degree and build a career over the last 10 years are actually worse off than they were before.

It says the wage gap between them and their male counterparts has grown. The CLC report, coinciding with International Women's Day on Saturday, found that women in Canada who worked full-time, full-year jobs in 2005 earned just 70 cents for every dollar earned by men.
The report says full-time working women earned an average of $39,200 in 2005 compared with $55,700 for men - a wage gap of $16,500.

There were two times more men earning over $60,000 a year than women, and far more women than men worked at jobs that earned less than $35,000. The majority of people working for minimum wage were women. In 2005, 11 million women and 11.8 million men filed income tax returns. Over 40 per cent per cent of the women who filed fell below Revenue Canada's low-income cut-off and did not have to pay taxes, compared with 22 per cent of the men who filed.

"As the report shows, the jobs women hold in Canada today mean they get paid less," the labour congress said in a release. "These jobs also mean fewer women are able to access benefits through the federal government's Employment Insurance program. "It means fewer women have the savings they need when they retire." The group notes that the wage gap between women and men is smaller in unionized workplaces. The report makes several recommendations:

-Change employment standards so that full-time hours and part-time hours get paid the same when the same work is done.

-Raise the minimum wage to at least $10 an hour.

-Improve public pension plans so women, who live longer, aren't penalized for taking time away from the workforce to care for children.

-Improve access to quality and affordable child care; the report says two-thirds of women with children under the age of six are working outside the home.

"Canadians don't expect their daughters to earn less than their sons," the congress says. "They don't want the money they pay to send their daughters to university to count for less.
"But unless things change, that's what we have to look forward to."

Comments?

The Proust Questionnaire

Josie over at C'est la vie recently challenged her readers to do the Proust Questionnaire, a regular feature in Vanity Fair magazine. I'm up for the challenge, so here goes:

What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Lying on the wharf by the lake, feeling the warmth of the sun on my body and the gentle sway as passing boats create waves. All I can hear is the lapping of the water on the sandy beach, the distant sound of children laughing, and birds singing. All I can smell is my coconut-scented suntan lotion. If I open my eyes, I can see the brilliant blue sky and a few cotton ball clouds standing immobile in the late afternoon sun.

What is your greatest fear?
Being surrounded by snakes.

Which historical figure do you most identify with?
Queen Elizabeth I – she had inner strength yet was feminine but because of circumstances beyond her control, missed out on the greatness of love.

Which living person do you most admire?
Queen Noor of Jordan. I admire her activities to address national changes in education, health, sustainable development, women’s empowerment, human rights and cross cultural understanding. Her official website is: http://www.noor.gov.jo/index.htm
I also admire Bill Mahr for the unabashed way he says it like it is…to him. He makes me laugh and want to smack him - at the same time.

What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
Fear of failure

What is the trait you most deplore in others?
arrogance

What is your greatest extravagance?
Makeup and earrings

What is your favorite journey?
To the airport when I’m leaving for Europe.

What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
Impartiality – it’s impossible to be impartial about everything in life.

On what occasion do you lie?
I lie to avoid doing something I don’t want to do or to keep from hurting someone’s feelings.

What do you dislike most about your appearance?
My belly

Which living person do you most despise?
My former brother-in-law

Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
"Idiot" about other drivers

What is your greatest regret?
That I didn’t take more chances when I was young.

What or who is the greatest love of your life?
I loved my husband, but hope I’ll have another chance at love. Maybe it'd be better the second time around. Right now it would be my children and grandchildren.

Which talent would you most like to have?
To play the piano

What is your current state of mind?
Relaxed

If you could change one thing about your family, what would it be?
That my sisters could and would remember only the good times and forget the bad.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Bringing up my two daughters alone.

If you were to die and come back as a person or thing, what do you think it would be?
Well, I don’t believe in reincarnation, but if it could happen I guess I’d hope to come back as a cheetah. I’ve always wanted to run like the wind but can’t.

If you could choose what to come back as, what would it be?
Me - for another chance at a better life.

What is your most treasured possession?
The opal and diamond ring my husband gave me for Christmas one year.

What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
Clinical depression - I have seen first hand how terrible it it.

Where would you like to live?
The English countryside.

What is your favorite occupation?
teacher or writer

What is your most marked characteristic?
Inner strength

What are the qualities you most like in a man?
Sense of humour, intelligence, gentleness, faithfulness

What are the qualities you most like in a woman?
Sense of humour, intelligence, gentleness. loyalty

What do you most value in your friends?
Loyalty.

Who are your favorite writers?
Too many to mention

Who is your favorite hero of fiction?
Meggie in "The Thorn Birds"

Who are your heroes in real life?
I don’t have heroes per se, but I admire people who are able to get through hard times with grace and dignity.

What are your favorite names?
Noah and Eden

What is it that you most dislike?
Arrogance, poverty, fear, olives

How would you like to die?
gently, surrounded by my loved ones

What is your motto?
This, too, shall pass.

Saturday Photo Hunters Theme: Different

When I saw what the theme for today was, I was a bit perplexed. Different.

Merriam Webster defines the word as partly or totally unlike in nature, form, or quality. So does that mean it has to be something that "everyone" would find different? Does it mean something that only I would find different?

So with this feeling of uncertainty regarding the facts and lacking confidence in myself, I decided to go with a few photos of things that are different to me. Being born and brought up in what is considered a fairly new. or young, country (after all, we're only celebrating our 150th anniversary on July 1) caused me to look in wonder at things like milestone markers from the 19th century, light boats (boats that actually carry lighthouses on board to warn boaters of the coastline or other dangers lurking in the waters), tree trunks thousands of years old that have been carved into weird looking creatures, (all these in Wales) and queer yet quaint mimes enticing tourists into the Uffizzi Museum in Florence, Italy.

Perhaps to those who live in ancient lands won't find these things out of the ordinary. I am wondering, though, who does find these things different.

Milestone marker at St. Fagan's, Welsh Living History Museum

LightBoat in Cardiff, Wales

Carved tree trunk at the Priory, Newport Wales (I call it "Dentally Challenged")

We don't see anything like this outside any of our museums. This fellow was outside the Uffizzi Museum in Florence, Italy, and tourists would go up to get a kiss and have their photograph taken. No cost.

Friday Fill-Ins

I found this Friday happening over at Melli’s today! I've never seen it before and it looked fun, so I'll play along! Thanks Melli!

1. Ahhhh, it's so nice to have my house back to myself and listen to the silence!

2. One of my favourite things on my desk or bureau is the card my daughter gave me years ago in which she wrote, "Just because you’re my Mom and you do a great job at it! I love you!

3. Japanese Cherry Blossoms are already starting to bloom!

4. My blue recliner that used to be my mother’s is my favorite place to sit and read.

5. My homemade macaroni and cheese is delicious!

6. I love to watch scenery of other countries in movies.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to watching "Ratatouille", tomorrow my plans include getting my 3rd CT scan in 8 years and meeting Josie for a walk on the beach, and Sunday, I’m going to church to share my photos of the new baby!

Eden Comes Home

The family is reunited - everyone is home together! Yes, Eden came home with her Mommy and Daddy, resplendent in a beautiful mauve outfit and tucked into the shawl that her own Mommy and her brother Noah used when they came home from the hospital.

When Noah's Daddy called and said, "Could you please bring my big boy home? I miss him SO much!" I leapt into action, quickly packed up some things and we headed out. I didn't stay long (about an hour) because Jamie was tired and needed to sleep after she'd fed Eden. But I'll be back tomorrow with Auntie Jaclyn in tow.

Then we'll leave them alone until at least Monday when Jason goes back to work. For the next few weeks, I'll go over when and as needed to take Noah out bike riding or do some cooking or cleaning - whatever my daughter needs. In the meantime, here are a few more photos of Eden's first day at home.