Whoops, I seem to have forgotten to publish yesterday's entry. Oh well. I've published it now. Rick was over last night. He made a delicious fish dinner for me with a lovely veggie combination that was reminiscent of chili ingredients, but without the chili beans (corn, onion, red pepper, etc.). So tasty. It was done in white wine and ... well, gosh, it was good. We watched CSI and then to my delight, we watched Army of Darkness ! I hadn't seen that since ... well, probably about eight or nine years ago, and while it's not as funny as I remembered it having been, it was still wonderful. Thanks for a nice night, Rick.

While I was processing some e-sales earlier today, I came across a new member with three children. Now, this in itself is not interesting, even with them listed on the sale (not required). However, it seems their names are: Oran, Doran, and Dorian.

Oran, Doran, and Dorian? Holy crap. If they're triplets, it's only that much worse.

My day started with a bizarre incident. I was waiting (for a long time) at the bus stop, awaiting the Dufferin bus, when this fellow got to the newspaper stand outside the corner store, where the bus stop is located, and grabbed up the copy of the Toronto Sun that I was glancing at. Now the Sun is not what one might call a high class or thought-provoking newspaper, but a headline is a headline and I'll read it while waiting for a bus. The man yanks the front page off and turns the paper over in order to see page three, which is now the cover page, and therefore revealing the 'sunshine girl'. He lets the cover page fall to the ground and sets the paper up back in its stand, sunshine girl in her yellow bikini showing off for the world to see. He nods, grunts and walks off. I watched him head down the street, expecting to see him look back for my reaction, but he didn't. I shared a look with the other woman at the bus stop, both of us with our eyebrows raised, and she and I proceded to pick the cover up and reapply it to the newspaper and set it down properly in the stand. "That was weird," she said. I agreed. There sure are some strange folks in my neighbourhood.

I have things to say, really. Not just about recapping events, which I do quite often, but of events and news items and thoughts that take my fancy. You all know that. Yesterday, I was going to post some bits of blather of the latter sort, but Blogger seemed to be a little disfunctional, in that it was down. But it's back. Now, however, I have much more important things to say than my adventures at the Y on Monday (I ran on the track... and did 8 girlie push-ups !). There was some other stuff, like I was going to talk about Brazil, but that's not so important now as this.

Today, my mother was finally diagnosed. I don't think it is official yet, as the doctor sent her for some X-rays as well, but he pronounced on the spot in his office, following an hour-long examination, that my mother does, in fact, have fibromyalgia. This isn't good knews, so much as it's a relief to finally have something we can tell people. I met her at Mount Sinai Hospital at 9:30am and we were there until after mid-day. We went for sushi and walked about on Bloor St a bit. I took her into the little framing shop that I like to go to and she and Mr. Dhanka (the owner) got on very well. He's such a sweet man. Sort of in celebration, as well, we went up to Yorkdale and went into Tallgirl to buy, of all things, socks. We left with clothes numbering a great deal more than knee-highs. I got a pair of pants that is so damn sexy... and I have to have them hemmed UP. *cackle* I got a matched shirt, too, which looks swank. Mom picked up two pairs of pants and shirt. A fine celebration activity right before she goes off payroll and possibly onto EI (thanks to her less than stellar manager not doing the paperwork she should have done). Anyway, it was a good day with Mom.

We went back to Julie and Jerzy's place, where she's staying while in town, and on the dining room table were a couple of articles printed from this very good alternate news site, AlterNet. I feel that one of them, in particular, is MUCH too important to let go unnoticed, and I recommend this site very strongly. In fact, this article was so compelling, that I have copied the text directly from the site in order to paste it here. It is long, but it really is very important.


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War: The Most Horrible Human Experience

By Senator Robert Byrd, AlterNet
February 17, 2003

U.S. Senator Robert Byrd (D-West Virginia) made the following statement on the floor of the Senate on Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2003.

To contemplate war is to think about the most horrible of human experiences. On this February day, as this nation stands at the brink of battle, every American on some level must be contemplating the horrors of war.

Yet, this Chamber is, for the most part, silent – ominously, dreadfully silent. There is no debate, no discussion, no attempt to lay out for the nation the pros and cons of this particular war. There is nothing.

We stand passively mute in the United States Senate, paralyzed by our own uncertainty, seemingly stunned by the sheer turmoil of events. Only on the editorial pages of our newspapers is there much substantive discussion of the prudence or imprudence of engaging in this particular war.

And this is no small conflagration we contemplate. This is no simple attempt to defang a villain. No. This coming battle, if it materializes, represents a turning point in U.S. foreign policy and possibly a turning point in the recent history of the world.

This nation is about to embark upon the first test of a revolutionary doctrine applied in an extraordinary way at an unfortunate time. The doctrine of preemption – the idea that the United States or any other nation can legitimately attack a nation that is not imminently threatening but may be threatening in the future – is a radical new twist on the traditional idea of self defense. It appears to be in contravention of international law and the UN Charter. And it is being tested at a time of world-wide terrorism, making many countries around the globe wonder if they will soon be on our – or some other nation's – hit list.

High level Administration figures recently refused to take nuclear weapons off of the table when discussing a possible attack against Iraq. What could be more destabilizing and unwise than this type of uncertainty, particularly in a world where globalism has tied the vital economic and security interests of many nations so closely together? There are huge cracks emerging in our time-honored alliances, and U.S. intentions are suddenly subject to damaging worldwide speculation. Anti-Americanism based on mistrust, misinformation, suspicion, and alarming rhetoric from U.S. leaders is fracturing the once solid alliance against global terrorism which existed after September 11.

Here at home, people are warned of imminent terrorist attacks with little guidance as to when or where such attacks might occur. Family members are being called to active military duty, with no idea of the duration of their stay or what horrors they may face. Communities are being left with less than adequate police and fire protection. Other essential services are also short-staffed. The mood of the nation is grim. The economy is stumbling. Fuel prices are rising and may soon spike higher.

This Administration, now in power for a little over two years, must be judged on its record. I believe that that record is dismal.

In that scant two years, this Administration has squandered a large projected surplus of some $5.6 trillion over the next decade and taken us to projected deficits as far as the eye can see. This Administration's domestic policy has put many of our states in dire financial condition, under funding scores of essential programs for our people. This Administration has fostered policies which have slowed economic growth. This Administration has ignored urgent matters such as the crisis in health care for our elderly. This Administration has been slow to provide adequate funding for homeland security. This Administration has been reluctant to better protect our long and porous borders.

In foreign policy, this Administration has failed to find Osama bin Laden. In fact, just yesterday we heard from him again marshaling his forces and urging them to kill. This Administration has split traditional alliances, possibly crippling, for all time, International order-keeping entities like the United Nations and NATO. This Administration has called into question the traditional worldwide perception of the United States as well-intentioned, peacekeeper. This Administration has turned the patient art of diplomacy into threats, labeling, and name calling of the sort that reflects quite poorly on the intelligence and sensitivity of our leaders, and which will have consequences for years to come.

Calling heads of state pygmies, labeling whole countries as evil, denigrating powerful European allies as irrelevant – these types of crude insensitivities can do our great nation no good. We may have massive military might, but we cannot fight a global war on terrorism alone. We need the cooperation and friendship of our time-honored allies as well as the newer found friends whom we can attract with our wealth. Our awesome military machine will do us little good if we suffer another devastating attack on our homeland which severely damages our economy. Our military manpower is already stretched thin and we will need the augmenting support of those nations who can supply troop strength, not just sign letters cheering us on.

The war in Afghanistan has cost us $37 billion so far, yet there is evidence that terrorism may already be starting to regain its hold in that region. We have not found bin Laden, and unless we secure the peace in Afghanistan, the dark dens of terrorism may yet again flourish in that remote and devastated land.

Pakistan as well is at risk of destabilizing forces. This Administration has not finished the first war against terrorism and yet it is eager to embark on another conflict with perils much greater than those in Afghanistan. Is our attention span that short? Have we not learned that after winning the war one must always secure the peace?

And yet we hear little about the aftermath of war in Iraq. In the absence of plans, speculation abroad is rife. Will we seize Iraq's oil fields, becoming an occupying power which controls the price and supply of that nation's oil for the foreseeable future? To whom do we propose to hand the reigns of power after Saddam Hussein?

Will our war inflame the Muslim world resulting in devastating attacks on Israel? Will Israel retaliate with its own nuclear arsenal? Will the Jordanian and Saudi Arabian governments be toppled by radicals, bolstered by Iran which has much closer ties to terrorism than Iraq?

Could a disruption of the world's oil supply lead to a world-wide recession? Has our senselessly bellicose language and our callous disregard of the interests and opinions of other nations increased the global race to join the nuclear club and made proliferation an even more lucrative practice for nations which need the income?

In only the space of two short years this reckless and arrogant Administration has initiated policies which may reap disastrous consequences for years.

One can understand the anger and shock of any President after the savage attacks of September 11. One can appreciate the frustration of having only a shadow to chase and an amorphous, fleeting enemy on which it is nearly impossible to exact retribution.

But to turn one's frustration and anger into the kind of extremely destabilizing and dangerous foreign policy debacle that the world is currently witnessing is inexcusable from any Administration charged with the awesome power and responsibility of guiding the destiny of the greatest superpower on the planet. Frankly many of the pronouncements made by this Administration are outrageous. There is no other word.

Yet this chamber is hauntingly silent. On what is possibly the eve of horrific infliction of death and destruction on the population of the nation of Iraq – a population, I might add, of which over 50 percent is under age 15 – this chamber is silent. On what is possibly only days before we send thousands of our own citizens to face unimagined horrors of chemical and biological warfare – this chamber is silent. On the eve of what could possibly be a vicious terrorist attack in retaliation for our attack on Iraq, it is business as usual in the United States Senate.

We are truly "sleepwalking through history." In my heart of hearts I pray that this great nation and its good and trusting citizens are not in for a rudest of awakenings.

To engage in war is always to pick a wild card. And war must always be a last resort, not a first choice. I truly must question the judgment of any President who can say that a massive unprovoked military attack on a nation which is over 50 percent children is "in the highest moral traditions of our country." This war is not necessary at this time. Pressure appears to be having a good result in Iraq. Our mistake was to put ourselves in a corner so quickly. Our challenge is to now find a graceful way out of a box of our own making. Perhaps there is still a way if we allow more time.

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This never made any mainstream news. It should have, but it didn't. Thank God, this senator had the courage to stand up and make this statement.

My day began well enough and now I only hope that it continues thus. For a start, I didn't lounge about in bed like I usually do, which is more a product of awaking tired than being lazy. No, today, I was aware of my stereo going off and then by my alarm twittering like a chickadee on ritalin. I didn't flop back down into bed like usual, though, no, I sat up, played with my cat, and climbed out of bed. The result? Timely arrival at work !

Anyway, let me return to this past week, since I gave mention of various things last night that deserve better attention. Firstly, Rick came out to the Petes with me on Saturday when I had finished work at the ROM. We packed up the cat and my laundry and headed out for we had tickets to the PSO. The concert was amazing. The soloist was John Rudolph who is the principle percussionist for the TSO and he gave a resounding performance. It was super. Then, leaving Mom and Ray at the reception, Rick and I headed to Al's parent's place for a jack-and-jill. That was fun, and I didn't meet half the people there, but good times were had.

Sunday was a good deal of fun as well. I attended a bridal shower for Carrie at an aunt's house (Carol) where there was delicious food and very merry company, including one very jolly baby. I got there late, naturally, mostly because my mother wouldn't stop talking despite my saying I had to get ready. Not that I've ever done that. *snicker* I came home and Ray joined us all for dinner, which was fun. Rick seemed to have a good time out there - each time he loosens up a little more. And Mom's cat, Chester, now finds him to be merely an irritation, rather than something terrifying and to be avoided at all costs.

I dropped Rick off at the Greyhound terminal early Monday morning and then came home and went back to bed. I didn't get dressed at all that day. It was great. On Tuesday, nothing much happened, but Mom and I went to see Chicago. Ray didn't like it (he came, too), but me and Mom enjoyed it thoroughly. The choreography was very much under the influence of Bob Fosse, the show's original choreographer, and there were a number of shots reminiscent of Cabaret. I found a pretty good review of the film that reflects my personal opinion quite well, though I would add that Queen Latifa is also the most sensual and sexual character in the entire show. Damn, she was awesome.

Wednesday had Mom and I running some errands, which was kind of fun in a bland sort of way. However, following that, we went to a PSO related dinner where we mingled with musicians, board members, volunteers, and whatnot. The event was held at the Peterborough Golf and Country Club and the food was excellent. I had to teach the bartender how to make a bourbon sour, though, which was sort of fun and exciting. I felt... suave.

Unfortunately, Thursday and the early part of Friday were spent not at the ROM as they ought to have been, but in bed, in the Petes, with a migraine. That was a definitely downer. Happily, I was still able to attend the charity Valentine's dinner in Stoney Creek with Rick and his family, which was kind of fun, though the venue sucked. There isn't much else to tell. I've had a relatively uneventful couple of days since then. Nick is in Philadelphia, experiencing heavy snowfall and visiting friends, which means the appartment is very quiet (except when Willi is yelling).

Oh, speaking of Willi, she caught a mouse the night before last ! Hooray for Stinky-Bee ! She almost caught it while Derek was over (he came by to make me watch Brazil, which was pretty fascinating as far as films go, though I'm not sure it lived up to the hype), but was foiled when she fell into her waterbowl and snagged her foot on my hat (why was my hat under the couch?). Undaunted, she must have pursued her quarry throughout the night and when I awoke the following morning and walked into the living room, lo, there upon the rug was most of a mouse, carefully laid out for me to see. I gave her much praise and then immediately whisked it away into the garbage.

Tomorrow, I'm going to A&C's for girlish smashy-smashy (translates to playing Dark Alliance all day with Carrie) and then I'm doing dinner there for Buffilicious fun. Mom's coming into town tomorrow, too, because on Wednesday she will be in hospital getting checked out by a rheumatologist in order to hopefully get a final diagnosis one way or the other. I'm trying to reschedule my work shifts with Aman so that I can be there with her for support.

I can't make my archives yet, and I'm sorry for my lengthy delay in telling you this. I'm still waiting for someone at Blogger to figure it out and get back to me, but, surprise, suprise, they're slow.

There is a lot to say as I spent most of last week in Peterborough, though the final two days were with migraine and really don't count. There was a Jack and Jill and a bridal shower and Rick was there for a couple of days and we did stuff... and I saw a movie with Mom... Oh man. I'm not sure where to start. Oh, maybe I'll come back later when I'm in a writing mood.