tim’s thought property

This is the recap of my Election 2006 evening.
I had decided to try a stab at renegade journalism, and take notes on the evening, to jog my memory to interesting points. What I have for you are a collection of notes, pictures, and quotes from the evening. I will write word-for-word from my note-pad in bold lettering; I will expand or clarify in italics. Simple enough.

5:30 vote.
I went to my old high school to vote.
5:45 shower.
I went home to wash away the day. Mostly due to work. Perhaps to wash myself of the former government. Water is symbolic, after all.
6:00 eat supper.
6:28 leave house.
6:32 get beer.
This is an after-thought, en-route to the Girls’ house. I wanted Sleemans Amber Ale, they only had Honey Brown and Cream Ale. I discovered that I really am a dark beer kind of guy.

6:37 en-route to [Girls’ House].
At this point it is raining. Raining. In January, in Winnipeg. I was informed that the 23rd of January is the most depressing day of the year, due to placement between Christmas and Tax Season, and also daylight something. The rain didn’t dissuade that idea.

7:01 turned on Rick Mercer Report.
This program turned out to be quite hilarious and well placed before the evening’s race. I was worried however, that the broadcast was on CBC Newsworld instead.
7:40 Rene and I talk politics in kitchen.
Rene and I discussed who we voted for and how we both ended up voting opposite of one another. Yet I disclosed that I found no party that upheld all the ideals I wanted, or even a third of the ideas. They were split up between the top three parties for my issues, and I ended up voting the incumbent in my riding. FYI.
7:45 opened beer.
7:51 eliminate “gayness”.
This Hour Has 22 Minutes anchor makes comment that Stephen Harper will “eliminate gayness.” or something.
7:56 Chars eats banana and peanut butter.
She hasn’t had supper, so she takes a bite of a banana and then puts a dab of peanut butter on the banana and proceeds to eat the meal in said fashion.
8:00 “Snuggle up to the sharpest election campaign. It doesn’t get any hotter than this.”
The last line of Peter Mansbridge’s opening statement to the Election Coverage.
8:05 “He’s got squirrely eyes from staying up all election.”
Rene commenting on a news anchor from B.C.
8:10 “Stephen Harper drinks his own blood. We’re not allowed to make this up.”
Rick Mercer’s mock Liberal Campaign ad.
8:21 “If I were in, there’d be more prisons.”
Don Cherry ranting about a topic he has no real ability to wade through.
8:25 Con.-watch Que.
NDP.-B.C., Toronto, wants. maj
Lib.-bad hair
My attempt to condense what the panelists were saying about the election. As it turns out, I forgot two of them, and I really wasn’t listening to the prediction of the Liberal. Apparently, he had a bad toupee.
8:27 Matt Good is on commentary w/ G. Stroumboulopoulos.
I thought that Matt Good would end up ranting on this and that sharing his opinions. He was only mentioned in passing. Funny how I wrote out George Stroumboulopoulos’ last name, and not his first.
8:30 L-19 C-10 NDP-3 Ind.-1
The closed and leading ridings at the time.
8:39 “I hope the Liberals win, their slogan should be ‘How do you like me now, bitches?”.
Rene talking about how he wanted the outcome to look.
8:41 L-31 C-11 NDP-4 Q-1
The closed and leading ridings at the time.

8:50 L-50 C-39 NDP-12 Q-8
8:57 “Sweet’s winning! That’s awesome!”
Amanda (from Seattle) making commentary on how the running candidate in a riding was winning. And how his name was Sweet. To her, it was awesome.
9:00 C-84 L-68 Q-29 NDP-23
9:02 “Stronach is a lover and a leaver.”
This was me commenting on Belinda Stronach, the Great Defector.
“I wouldn’t trust a woman with those perfect highlights.”
This was Rene commenting on Stronach after I told of her treachery of betraying Peter MacKay and then crossing over to the Liberal Party.

9:10 Matt Epp comes in. Hugs a-plenty.
9:10 C-99 L-86 Q-49 NDP-22 Ind.-1
9:14 “I’ve had an erection all election.”
Matt reacting to my comment that I would be quoting everyone on this blog. He had an hour long trek to go vote, while carrying his laundry.
9:16 “As soon as I walked in, you saw a good episode.”
Matt responding to Rene’s attempt to begin a story involving a staged episode of Jerry Springer. He concluded that all were staged, yet this one more than others.
9:19 “Miller looks like an organ grinder.”
My commenting on a very unflattering picture of a candidate running in Ontario. We had decided to decide that, out of the pictured three candidates in every riding (when shown on the program), who was the most attractive. Apparently, Miller lost on that vote.
9:20 C-111 L-87 Q-51 NDP-23 Ind.-1
9:21 3,665 Smith; 3,165 Duguid
This was part of the “close race” projected in my riding. It was sort of close. It was a closer race last time.

9:23 Carolyn enters. Wine was crap; asked if the Cons. were wining.
Carolyn came home from a wine tasting at her work. She said she identified the three Red Wines offered, but missed on the three Whites. Her work has a very large wine selection. She was sick of wine that night.
9:30 C-113 L-96 Q-50 NDP-26 Ind.-1
9:35 “I haven’t gotten sleep for the last six nights.”
Rene commenting on being tired and waking up at 6:00am every morning.
“Make it seven, then it’s lucky.”
Matt offering his advice.
9:40 C-121 L-100 Q-50 NDP-27 Ind.-1

9:45 “Harper looks like that guy……..with a big nose…….wears a suit………I’m just narrowing it down….”.
Carolyn trying to compare Stephen Harper with a movie villain. She’s not sure who or what movie he was in.
“Spiderman 2, did he have eight arms?”
Amanda trying to encourage her to describe it more.
“No”.
It turns out it was the creepy Thin Man played by Crispin Glover in Charle’s Angels.
9:50 C-123 L-103 Q-50 NDP-32 Ind.-1

9:53 Marc comes in. Opens bottle of wine; throwing cork @ Carolyn.
Marc had his hair in a faux-hawk since someone at his work wanted to see if he could get better tips. He didn’t. It was also Monday. It was also Election Day. It was also the Most Depressing Day of the Year.

9:56 Rex Murphy reads letters. looks like Doc Brown.
We had a short and ensuing conversation, spurned on by Amanda to how an anchor with his looks could get a job in Canada. I said it was really because we only have one credible news station. Also, Rex’s opinions matter more than his looks. Besides; he looks like Doc Brown to me, and that’s all I need.
9:57 Jim Harris is trailing in his riding.
I found it perilous for the leader of the Greens, with their first bit of Federal credibility (they received more than a million votes last election to qualify them for federal status) were in trouble of losing their leader’s seat in Parliament.
9:59 Marc gives wine to Amanda.
He gives her the first glass, as guest of honour. She flew home today.
10:00 C-121 L-103 Q-50 NDP-32 Ind.-1
10:01 “Wine and chips? F***in-A!”
I made an exclamatory remark.
“Tim!”
Amanda reacted.
“Is that a little out of character?”
I responded.
“For you.”
Was her reply.
10:10 C-123 L-103 Q-50 NDP-31 Ind.-1

10:11 Goodale is re-elected. He looks shady.
I glowered at that man. He looks so shady. Like some sort of criminal mobster that I can’t quite place. I was trying to compare him but I was coming up blank. A shifty man…..
10:17 14,814 Alcock; 14, 743 [Bruinooge]
Another “close riding” in the city. Incumbent Reg Alcock was a Liberal Cabinet minister that was expected to remain in power. But he was ousted by the Conservatives.
10:19 Ignatieff - Toronto - Lib. “I’m going to vacuum my house.”
When asked what he would do, now that he won his riding, Michael Ignatieff in a failed attempt at humour told the reporter that he would be vacuuming his house. Poor guy. He was joking but it sounded foolish in any case.
10:20 C-123 L102 Q-50 NDP-31 Ind.-1
10:20 “Our leader is like a tiger.” - Ignatieff.
This time in an attempt at seriousness, Ignateiff refers to Paul Martin as a tiger. By what means, I’m not sure. …Endangered…? …Rare?…. …In captivity?….
10:26 Stronach won.
She won in her riding. Oooh the comments I could say. I was seethingly angry at her.
10:28 “We did it…….I gotta breathe.” Stronach.
….because you literally ran the election race? …because you are overwhelmed at returning to office to face off against your former lover now opposing party minister, Peter MacKay? …because you’re a political betrayer and your conscience has finally caught up with you?
10:30 C-124 L-102 Q-51 NDP-30 Ind.-1

10:32 “I think beauty is in the flaws.”
Amanda commenting after Rene said he was un-photogenic.
10:40 C-122 L-105 Q-51 NDP-29 Ind.-1
10:40 “For an Election Night, this has been the most politically incorrect night I’ve had in a while.”
Myself commenting on the various comments being said about the Election commentary or others commenting on the comments of others, or even the comments on the candidates in the election that was being commented on.
10:43 16,549 Smith; 12,846 Duguid
At this point, I felt the riding was no longer in a “close race”.

10:47 Smoke break.
Everyone went outside. Not all were smoking, but not all were in the house.
10:49 Bathroom break.
I was here. In the bathroom.
10:50 “You can never lose when you follow your heart and that’s what I did.” Stronach.
Blluuaaawwwggh!! I don’t know whether to vomit or be enraged.
10:50 C-123 L-104 Q-50 NDP-30 Ind.-1

11:00 No count - out the door.
At this point, I had packed my things to leave.

And that was what was written down.
The final numbers as published on Tuesday January 24th in the paper were:
Conservatives-125 Liberals-104 Bloc Quebeçois-50 NDP-28 Independant-1
The coverage of the election was interesting. It turned out to be a good reason to get together. Besides, these sorts of things (elections) are very important, even if they are frustrating. And although I’m not nearly as informed as I could be or would like to be, there is a civic responsibility to your country to vote. Now, as I get down off my soap-box, I hope that you enjoyed this little vicarious look into an evening of my life.

___________
photo credit for marc-fauxhawk, rene, tim noting goes to Carolyn Reimer.

Sometimes, if you put things off long enough they can get amended.

I am speaking, in this case, about my Nalgene. I posted back in August about the untimely demise of my former Green Nalgene. It went through many trials, tosses, rocks, ravines and the like, and it ended up biting the proverbial and literal dust on a concrete pad. Well, I had intended (but was in no hurry) to either contact the makers of Nalgene to see if I could get a replacement, or at least regale them with my story of the Nalgene. But I had put things off, since the summer was over, and the need for a litre of water to carry was less imperative.
But one of my Christmas gifts from Sarah turned out to be this shiny new Nalgene.
It is green…ish. I would say an aqua or teal, (I hear teal is the more appropriate colour) and it has a black lid like the old one. I took out the spill guard, and now have a fully operational Nalgene. And although it has seen no harsh terrain (man-made or natural), it will be no doubt broken in quite soon. Yes, I believe that I will have many stories to tell, involving my new Nalgene. It is like a scrap-book of dents and scrapes, reminding me of some of the places I’ve been; not unlike patches from various countries or decals on a steamtrunk.

Some people get attached to lap-dogs……
I seem to have found affection for inanimate polycarbonate bottles.
Each to his own, they say. Each to his own.

In the same way a book is read, so a life is lived.
It can contain many of the same elements: Start to Finish; conflict and resolution; protagonists; drama; the ability to become lost in the story. In the reading of a story from the beginning, one is given a background to the lead characters. The gradual build up of what created this person to function how he or she does; the hardships and follies that crafted the personalities and character of each; the joys and celebrations that shape a person, all are told for the sake of the reader to know the characters.
And as events unfold, intertwining together and separate, so the story begins to build momentum. With each conflict, unfolded in every chapter, the need for resolution and desire for victory is given to the reader; they become almost as involved as the characters themselves.

Yet, despite the most fervent hopes of anyone romantic, anyone with heart; there is not always a happy ending in store. Where Life and Story depart is at this junction. For life, with all its trials and joys never is “happily ever after.” And Life does not cease after a series of many chapters. It goes on and on until the end of human life. Even then, it is the closing of another chapter, and the spirit lives on. Story often closes itself, with a tidying effect, to give the reader comfort, that if left, everything will be left in good terms.
And although an ending to a chapter may not be happy, they are not by all means sad. For even if the direction that is now set before the characters is dramatically different than what had lead up to it, the characters have to continue forward. No character ever retreats to the previous moments in a book; they never run from what is before them to the early chapters. No, even though no choice is given to them, returning to what is behind is only a delaying of temporal pain ahead and will lead to further and perhaps a deeper pain beyond.

Life-Story and Story are different.
The latter is the basis for the former; and the former often stylizes the latter.
In my life now, a chapter is closed.
The end of a beautiful relationship has occurred, like the completion of a chapter in a book. And although it is sad, and I have cried over it, momentum pushes me forward. I am not sure how these next few pages will read, for I have not yet experienced them. But I do know that further on in this Life-Story, there will be a re-introduction in different chapter involving Sarah. There will be a marked difference in both of us, for we will have grown up a little more.

This isn’t a Life-Story that I’m writing myself, or at least not by myself. And I am definitely not the only one reading it. GOD is there, has been there, all along. And even though things have changed, they have not changed for the worse.

More on the Tea Story…

I tried more of the collection of tea, and I have more tales to tell. In brief, though…….(like pretty much all of the tea drinking experiences).
Envy - Organic Green Tea. This one tasted alright, but for green tea it had a bite to it. I tried to take the edge off with some sugar, but I didn’t use enough. On New Year’s Eve, I stopped in at the Broadway Starbucks and got a new mocha I’m trying to create (it’s a Grande, 3-pump Mocha, 3-pump Hazelnut, 1-pump Toffee Nut Mocha. I know it’s a mouthful, but I’m trying to re-create the Ferraro Rocher flavour and construct a new latte. But this is supposed to be about tea!), I got the new drink, dumped out the rest of the cold tea on the snowbank and promptly forgot about that tea.
Earl Grey - A standard Black Tea. This one was decent for the first bit, I had a cup on the way to dinner on New Year’s. But I found that after the first few sips, each following sip robbed my mouth of precious saliva, drying out my tongue and causing me to smack my tongue against the roof of my mouth in the most dissatisfied sound, not unlike a child who, upon tasting brussel sprouts and does not like them, will make a protest with noise and a scrunched up face.
African Vanilla Rooibus - Some kind of Herbal Tea (this one isn’t from the ‘bucks). This one I had at Ashley’s during the New Year’s party. I was told it was tasty and was in for a treat, and I looked forward to it. However, as I was about half-way through the beverage, I had rested my cup on the upstairs banister at Ashley’s house. As things so happened in our group, it was only a matter of time until something minorly disastrous occurred. Matty Peters, a high-energy kind of guy was goofing off bugging some of the girls, and I was leaning against the banister. I joined in on the mild hazing, ran back to my spot to be undetected, and in the process knocked the banister and sent the tea and mug down the stairs to a shattering, wall-soaking mess. And Matty got the heat for it.

When all was sorted out, I helped dry the stairs, stood up for Matty’s false implication and I replaced Ashley’s destroyed mug with two other, lesser ones. And, as the story continues, I believe that the Tazo Honeybush is the best tea so far. I am having my second cup of it right now. A little honey and it’s all right.