Puzzling Patience

One thing that has always puzzled me is the polar opposites that I have in terms of patience. In some things, I have to hold myself back, to continually tell myself to hold on, to wait, to give it time. In other things, I have the patience of Job. So I'm both patient and impatient.

How can that be?

Odd place for an ad.....

From a link I was sent: http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=431_1232680237

The sad text seemed to not go along at all with the "Meet Sexy Women in your Area!" ad link....

I know, I have a sad sense of homour.....

Sadly enough, as for the link regarding the use of kittens as bait...there unfortunately might be some truth to it. I did find an entry at snopes about the same practice, only with dogs: http://www.snopes.com/critters/crusader/sharkbait.asp Unfortunately as well, apparently activists might be distorting the truth as to how widespread this practice is. (Do two lies make a truth?)

I know people also use live frogs as bait.

Devils Avocate:

Switching sides...I know, as you read this you can't beleive it. It's horrifying. Using dogs, kittens, frogs, as live bait. It's cruel. Inhumane.

Hmmm, but, what about a minnow?

A worm?

Not equally as cruel?

Hooking a fish, just for sport?

Yes, I have a fishing license. Thinking about it, think I'll reconsider on it a bit. Only fish for food. If and when required.

Faults

Everyone has faults. Each of us. Everyone. Maybe the trick is to know what they are. One that runs though me, deeply and cannot be wired aroud or bypassed, no matter what I try is in my tolerance level, or my reaction to some thing one might do to me. You can push on me. I'll gve. Push on my more. I'll give more. Push more I'll give and give. I'll bend.

Until...

...invariable, you'll reach the end. Then you'll find an inpenatrible, inflexible surface. Graphically, it would look something like this:



It's how it is. I've tried to change it, but cannot. It's how I'm wired. I've just been trying to decide if it's a good or a bad thing. In some ways, it's a good thing. I'm very tolerant. Can endure much, although somewhat at the expense of myself. In other ways it's a very bad thing. Reach the end and I'm a maelstrom. Yes, I ebb a bit, if given time, however the edge remains. A fair maelstrom, even a tolernat maelstrom, as it ebbs, but a maelstrom just the same. However, there's no return to the other side of the line. To how it was.

As I said, trying to decide if it's a good or a bad thing. Maybe a bit of both.

Sky

Imagine a world without a sky. A blue clear sky. A brightening sky at dawn. A vividly coloured sky at dusk. A sky full of clouds. A sky.

I think it would be a dull, univiting place.

The same could be said for clouds. They are wonderful to watch as the move about the sky.



As they swell and grow, stealing the sunshine on a summers afternoon:



Even ones about to empty their contents on me:



Imagine a world without clouds. Imagine a world without sky.

Photos to make you think

http://matadorchange.com/intolerable-beauty-chris-jordan-photographs-american-mass-consumption/

As found by my friend C over at Eclecta (see Intolerable Beauty: Chris Jordan Photographs American Mass Consumption).

If you want to see some more photos from the series try google images

I feel a bit guitly. I think some of that stuff was mine......

Spring!

Actually, it's summer. The way the temperatures have been lately, it's easy to get confused. Spent a nice, sunny, but cool (I shouldn't have worn shorts) day at the park by the lake in Whitby yesterday.

Nice clean air though:



and lots of interesting clouds:

Bums

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/toronto/story/2009/07/10/comprehensive-offer.html

Well, the union has rejected 7.2% over 4 years. They want 12%.

Now I'm not a public sector employee. I work in the private sector. At the moment, if offered, I say thank you to 7.2% over 4 years. It's more than I'll get, and it's hard out there.


Bums.

Art

http://www.torontooutdoorart.org/

Checked it out this afternoon with my youngest daughter. Very neat. Lots to look at. Both in terms of art and of people wathcing.

The problem with spray on sunscreen....

Took yesterday off work to hang out with my youngest daughter. We spent the afternoon at Kelso Park in Milton. Just the small "lake"(er...pond?) pictured about. BBQ'd up some lunch then lazed away on the (man made?) beach there. Great beach weather. 29 Celcuis and sunny. First real hot summery day this year I think. I tried some spray on sunscreen. Think I'm more a fan of the original rub on type. I didn't get enough protection out of the spray on. I think part of the problem is I may have held the can too close. I have burnt and non burnt areas. A lobster zebra man look, if you would. My daughter held up just fine, so it can't be the product. Must be the application....

Thunderstorms and a weather change went through this morning and took the summer weather off with them. Back to 19 Celcuis. Ah well, with city workers on strike and no garbage pickup, maybe cooler is better.

Oh, and despite what you hear on the news, I haven't had garabge pickup in several weeks, but the neighbourhood I live in is still quite clean. I'm sure in the areas right around the designated temporary garabge drop off and storage depots the same can't be said, but individual neighbourhoods seem to be holding up ok. Not swimming in stench and garbage yet. It's only been 3 weeks, after all.

Camping Trip

Spent the last four days camping. Not far, only a 2 hour drive out of Toronto. A place called Glenn Allan Park on Crowe Lake near Marmora. Here's a couple shots from the campground out across Crowe Lake:





Near Maroma there is an open pit mine where they used to mine iron ore:







If you haven't figured out from all the water in the bottom of the pit, this part of the mine is no longer in operation. If not, here's a sign from the old mine:



Aecon own it now, and are still processing aggregates on site from the limestone that was stripped off (120 feet of it) to expose the iron ore.

Camping was fun. Here's a shot from a canoe on a bit of a windy day:



to close this out, another shot across Crowe Lake, closer to sunset: