A Skewed View

Facebook shows me lots of videos of tourists/random people helping wildlife they've come across in trouble. Great. Glad to see it.  Just a quick note, though: you don't have to let the creature struggle and panic while you film it to show the dire situation it is in. You CAN put down the camera and just help the creature . (No, I'm serious. It is possible. I wouldn't lie about something so important.) You might want to sit down and prepare yourself, but wildlife can be helped without you filming it at all . Contrary to prevailing opinions, posting it publicly in a pitiful attempt to gain pats on your own back does not actually affect the survival rates of the wildlife you helped. (I know! I know! Blew my mind too!)  In fact: In many cases, the rescue goes much quicker -- and is less traumatic to wildlife -- if you use both hands instead of keeping one hand on the camera and one eye on whether you've framed yourself well If two people find wildlife in trouble, this s...

I originally drafted a post in May as response to the Washington Capitals move to terminate Brendan Leipsic’s contract after he disparaged women and teammates on social media. Then the world hit the fan over racism. I realized much of what I had intended to say about misogyny is very similar to what I would say about racism. So, I guess it’s just as well I have been very bad about following through on intentions these past few months. It is more economical to speak on two atrocities at once. Like Leipsic’s misogyny, I'm very saddened by what I am now seeing is widespread racism. I can speak on misogyny more honestly than racism, because only the former has been directed at me. But I truly thought we were teaching our young men better about women and that we as a people were better about race. I was wrong. The advent of social media hasn’t brought about misogyny or racism. It just began recording it for widespread distribution and posterity. Shining a light on these injus...

Just a friendly reminder: Thanos is a fictional character. Racism can't be eradicated with the snap of a finger. It's going to take effort to change how things were up to now. And time to put in that effort. And steps to get there. If someone who hasn't been an ally before tries to be an ally now, negating their effort because they weren't always an ally isn't productive. They were wrong in the past. They can't go back and be right. They're trying to be right now. Let them try. You might get an ally where once you had an opponent. Block them from trying, though, and you'll most likely get your opponent back. If what someone does right today doesn't erase all the wrong someone else did yesterday... well, that's the way this all works. Change happens over the course of a period of time. What matters is someone did something today towards making a change. With momentum, more people can be doing right than are doing wrong. But momentum takes time...

Before we get too happy about any news saying the social distancing and sheltering in place seems to be working, keep this in mind: when you're hiding in the closet because you woke to the noise of a burglar rummaging through your house, you don't come out the second the noise stops. You wait. You wait until you're good and sure the virus - I mean burglar - is good and gone. Because right now you're safe in the closet. Come out too quickly, and the hiding will have been for naught.

This weekend, I had planned to go grocery shopping Monday afternoon. I needed to complete my "stock up in case I get sick and can't leave" cupboard. When I went to bed Sunday night, though, I was feeling woozy, my mouth was dry, my heart was racing, and my muscles felt like bricks. Oh no! I thought. It's too late! I'm already sick. After a few minutes, I realized: I'm not sick. I'm panicking . Panicking at the thought of leaving my house to go to the grocery store! See, I'm one of the lucky  ones who work at an entertainment facility that has cancelled its upcoming performances until further notice - which means I can hole up in my apartment without fear the wall will cough on me. (that also means I have no income right now... but that's another rant) As the popular meme floating around says: "Your grandparents were called to war. You're being called to sit on the couch. You can do this." Yes I can! But after a week and a ...

Whenever I see motorists who refuse to pull over for a fire truck or an ambulance or a police car -- because they're on the way to someplace themselves and they don't want to be inconvenienced by any delay -- I always think the same thing: if all you care about is yourself, then do that. Think of yourself. Maybe it's your house on fire. Maybe your kid was struck by a delivery truck. Maybe someone just robbed the gas station where your spouse was filling up and now has them hostage. You don't know it's not in your interest to make way for the emergency vehicle. Pretend it is, and you'll have no regrets later if you find out you were right. Same thing with COVID-19. Sure, maybe for whatever reason you're not at risk. Maybe you work from home anyway and don't interact with many people on a daily basis. Maybe because of that you assume that when you are out in public, precautions aren't meant for you. Only those at risk need wash their hands, or kee...

...We're going to find out! I have never been a team sport chick. Okay, not never. When I worked for the provincial government, I joined a Corporate Challenge volleyball team that was extraordinary because the people were fun AND we'd win! Huzzah! But until now, I haven't really been part of any ongoing team. Now I've joined a dragon boat paddling team! And I'm 50! Really, the only reason I considered it was because it is a team made up of breast cancer survivors. Different ages, shapes, sizes, and fitness levels. My age, shape, size, and fitness level had to fit in there somewhere! Tonight was my first dry land training date. 45 minutes in weight/aerobics training, then 45 at the side of the pool just paddling. As if we think we can move the pool over a few feet if ten of us sit at the edge and put our backs into it. That being said: it was super fun to sit at the edge of the pool and just put our backs into it. I can't wait for May when we can get onto t...