resolutions shmesolutions

I have never created a list of resolutions to torture myself with in the New Year. I know myself. I know that I rebel against silly restrictions, including those put upon me by my own self. I know that pizza and doughnuts build character, and that exercising too much is unhealthy...both physically and mentally.

walking mrs. wigglebum

A brief synopsis of one of today's walk with my dog Zoe:
- She crashes through the front door and drags me to a patch of grass, squats, pees.
- There is a woman walking front of us....MUST....LICK...HER HAND!
- "Ooo, man on crutches...sooo scary!" as she wraps me two times around with her leash. I drop keys. Curse.
- Zoe stops and stares at wall across the street so intently that two passers-by stop to find out what she's looking at. We decide she's looking at absolutely nothing. Several minutes later she decides we're right and we continue.
- Sketched out Zoe keeps an eye on the homeless-looking guy walking behind us for the whole block....until she walks headfirst into a mailbox which seems to divert her attention momentarily.
- Stops to "do bidniz" off edge of curb (best place to do bidniz, in her opinion)....looks at me strangely as I pick it up as if to say "now why would you do that?"
- Frightened-looking woman scoops up her toddler as we approach...apparently she's been watching too many newscasts on "vicious pitbulls"....Zoe takes one look at woman's big hair and scurries to the other side of the sidewalk with her tail between her legs.
- "Lady of the night" who loves dogs and is very boisterous tries to pet Zoe...Zoe tries to run away...I feel bad as if I snubbed her myself...apologize to "lady of the night".
- Go home...Zoe bashes her head on the elevator door trying to get out of the elevator too quickly.
- I sit down to get all the white hairs off my black coat. Estimated time of hair removal? 25 minutes. I can't wait for the next adventure.

nice faces, black hearts

I volunteer for an organization (to remain anonymous, of course) and had a shift last night. We were called upon to assist a woman whose husband had threatened to beat her 2 month old fetus/baby out of her belly if she did not agree to an abortion. Brought to Canada to be a subservient maid rather than a wife, she could not speak English, had no friends or family, and no financial resources.

Leaving most of the details out, she set out by bus to get away from the beating promised to her later that night and ended up on the other side of the city, knocking on doors. As someone who is relatively well-informed of the stretched resources existing for women in a similar situation, I don't think I would ever have the courage to take such a giant leap, much less in a foreign country. All this brave woman ever knew in her life was oppression and domination--she had no reason to trust the authority figures she fled to but it was a desperate attempt to save her unborn baby.

Through an interpreter the woman described her husband by saying "He has a nice face, but a black heart". Even so, like so many other women before her, she did not want him to be arrested. Unfortunately for her dark-hearted husband, it was too late and his arrest was imminent. My volunteer partner and I took the woman to a shelter and the house rules were explained to her via broken translation. I had a sinking feeling...if she couldn't understand where to get clean towels how will she manage to stay away from the familiarity and predictability of her husband's home? The drive to protect her baby is her only chance at staying away.

Will she get the support she needs? Will she stay away? Will she have her baby? Or will he triumph over her yet again? The statistics are stacked against her. It's probably better that I'll never know.

thai noodle salad, yo

I could eat this shite for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and that extra meal before bed that only I know about.

INGREDIENTS:
8 ounces Udon noodles
1/2 cup unsalted crunchy peanut butter
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 cucumber, julienned
2 cups fresh bean sprouts
2 carrots, grated
6 green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
1 head romaine lettuce
1 cup chopped peanuts

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a large pot of lightly salted boiling water, cook the udon noodles for about five minutes or until tender. Drain and rinse the noodles under cold running water and let cool.
2. Whisk the peanut butter, milk, ginger, garlic, vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl until well blended.
3. In a large salad bowl, combine the cooked noodles, cucumber, sprouts, carrot, green onions and mint. Wisk the peanut butter dressing and pour it over the salad. Stir until well coated and serve chilled on a bed of romaine leaves. Garnish with the roasted and chopped peanuts.

admiration and defeat

My cousin Amy was one of the chosen few to ask a question on the Federal Leadership debates in English last night. As the other pea in my pod, I was so thrilled to see her sock it to the big guys…who never did answer her question (of course).

I admired Amy for still having the drive to have a question, and to expect an answer from any of the four politicians. I’m 24, and I already feel so disillusioned that I would never even try to ask one of those slippery men a substantive question.

However “disillusioned” I feel, I guess I’m still naïve enough to wonder why the leaders don’t just answer directly and honestly. Would Stephen Harper really lose any followers by frankly acknowledging his personal intolerance for non-heterosexual rights? Would Paul Martin really threaten his reign by conceding that corruption was endemic in the liberal party over the past years? It seems to me that both are public knowledge, and yet maybe the slick ducking and dodging actually does fool the dumber half of the Canadian population—and apparently they’re the only ones voting.

In the video clip played at the debate I saw Amy fight to restrain her personality. She has such a vivacious demeanor and watched her struggle to suppress the intonation, the sarcasm, and the exaggerated facial expressions that so define who she is. Alas, she had to fit in with the context of the debate--and they don't allow honest personalities in politics.

However skilled they may be, the editors weren’t quick enough to catch the wry smile that escaped Amy at the very end…I am allowed some hope.

howdy-ho...

The first post is the hardest one. What do I say? How do I introduce myself? I've been putting off the birth of my blog for so long now I finally had to just do it. Coincidently I'm currently in the throes of exam/assignment stress. Oblivious to all my worldly obligations, my dear little blog choose today as the day it arrives into the world. Welcome blog.

Part of me hopes that no one ever finds my site so I can get the thrill of putting myself out there without the agony of overanalyzing every comment I may receive. But if you do arrive here, please excuse my chronic use of ellipsis, my tendency to rant, and my inevitable descent into madness. I chose a blue background to assuage the anger I may inspire as I'm inclined to get a little mouthy, a little judgmental, and a little preachy. About what? You'll have to wait and see.