Life Coaching, Observations, Reflections, Things that make you go hmmmmm
One of the community friendlies stopped to speak with me in a coffee spot. We know each other to smile and nod. The personable “I know you as part of my community” stuff that personable people do.
It was related to me that this individual had their bicycle stolen. Three locks cut right off the bike rack of their car which was in their condo parking spot and stolen.
I was being asked to do something if I saw the bike. I noted that risking a confrontation could lead to violence and it isn’t worth it over a bike.
We talked about policing in Toronto. Naturally enough, this person wasn’t pleased and to a degree, understandable. This person went further with their distaste for the police. I was rebutting with what Toronto’s finest must cope with in violent crime among other things.
The individual went on to tell me they were going to a 50th anniversary party that night.
The party was for an individual who was marking 50 years as a draft dodger.
There were a goodly number of low frequency words used by me to illustrate my disgust. None of the words I used were curses.
The individual brought up the politics and I cut that short with the politics of the Viet Nam war are a different argument and I don’t disagree with the futility geo and political of that police action that became a war.
Dodging the draft is an absolute hot button for me. You are a coward.
There is no argument “for” the dodging the draft and I told the individual so. I explained my reasoning, directly.
There is a level of service in my family. The small piece I have is just a scratch compared to others in my family and the good people who serve and have stood in service to our countries. Yes countries, I have American family who have served.
Along with being draft dodgers, they’re illegals. I have zero tolerance for both. Draft dodgers are also illegal aliens, period end of story. Neither will ever be welcomed by me in my Canada. I’m far from the minority on this one.
It is my position that all illegals should be returned to their country of origin so naturally that includes draft dodgers.
There is a status of “Conscientious Objector”. The “CO” was used by Cassius Clay and you probably know him better as Muhammad Ali. You can if you care to, research what it cost Ali to take the position he did.
My Time as a Vietnam War-era Conscientious Objector
A Conscientious Objector in a War Zone
Muhammad Ali: the world’s ‘greatest’ conscientious objector
The point is that these individuals didn’t turn their backs to their country and run!
I also said to the individual I was speaking with that the person celebrating his 50th anniversary of the dodge is a coward. There were avenues and I fucking grant you that Leavenworth isn’t exactly palatable but…
G.R. Hambley ©
July 09, 2018
Jumping at the making of allegations by nameless and faceless entities must stop.
When allegations are made and there is no spine attached to the allegation, you can’t give it credence.
Strange days indeed and that aint no allegation. I wonder if John Lennon would find the days today stranger than or less than what his days were. I also wonder if Vlad Lenin is looking in from where ever he is, stroking his goatee and thinking, “Da Komrads”.
Fractured Factions punching out their truths without fear of repercussion. Have we not all learned that you don’t need to be accountable here in the age of knee jerk reactions to slander or libel. The current star of the knee jerk reaction, if a woman names a man, the man is guilty with out question and the poor hard done by sainted woman doesn’t even have to reveal her name or face. Pretty sweet card to have at your disposal f you’re a game player or maybe just want a woman in a job that a man has.
On the political front the Leaders I’m most aware of are our PM and the POTUS. This is about where their dedicated opposition doesn’t snipe on a comment made. Both of those entities have stated allegations are wrong. No one from anywhere got on the leaders for the statement because all of us, each and everyone of us knows, making allegations without a formal declaration or charge is wrong.
It is too easy in today’s social justice climate to throw an allegation at your mark and have it stick with some faction that demands an immediate hanging out to dry of the person that the allegation names. This is wrong!
Ontario’s PC Leadership race is now over and I wonder how much 2 of the hopefuls were damaged by taking the FemiNazi position of, “if a woman says it and a man is involved, he’s guilty”.
I did see that there were both males and females who were outraged that the “Autoguilt Switch” was installed in Christine Elliot and Caroline Mulroney.
Had the conversation with a few people about what led up to the event, or as I like to say, “The trigger/driver for the event. Elliot and Mulroney did something that appears to be fine for Liberals and the NDP but not for conservatives.
Anyone who doesn’t take a conservative approach to nameless and faceless allegations; not throwing colleagues and friends under a bus to support the Social Justice Warrior position.
Both Mulroney and Elliot had the chance to do the correct thing, the proper thing and make a societal statement and didn’t. They sold out and championed for the FemiNazi ass saving position. Look where it got them both.
Obviously, there was dissension in the party, so we just might want to consider whom had the most to gain by what took place. Elliot ran for the lead previously and lost and she has now lost again.
Conspiracy theorists of which I am not one but when you do the math on this one, someone got the knee jerk reaction they wanted but with Ford winning, I’m reasonably certain they didn’t get the result they expected by thinking the selection process had been set to auto-female.
We cannot give nameless and faceless allegations immediate credence because it is flat out wrong.
G.R. Hambley ©
March 15, 2018
Softly creeping comes the light
seeping through your prison’s glass
Masking out the stations of the cross
along your rotting creaky floor
Memories leaking from the dripping faucet
that’s really your beleaguered mind
Swirling slowly away you, cry
washing them down the drain
Hey you, you up there,
can you feel her stare?
Hey you, you listening up there,
can you take her despair?
Hey you, you watching up there,
can you show you care?
Once there shone glimmers of hope
now there’s only the hanging hemp
Taking your place in the stations
last light the signal of descent
The shrieking beams might as well
be your muted screams
Alone in your corner you swing
twisting over all the years left unspent
Hey you, you up there,
couldn’t you feel her stare?
Hey you, you listening up there,
couldn’t you take her despair?
Hey you, you watching up there,
couldn’t you show you care?
G.R. Hambley ©
February 01, 2018
I’ve played my “English Teacher” card a few times and I like it!
I too, officially, can be a grammar snob and a giant keeper of the word PITA, pain in the ass. I was that way prior to getting the English Teacher Designation and higher education made it official.
If I say it, I’m correct, you’re just not, so stop it! Great fun!
Shortly after I passed the assessment that gave me the, “I’m a teacher” designation a good friend who is not a native speaker of English showed me the assignment their child was given. I told my friend I really liked the kid’s thought process on one of the questions and I knew where the smartass on that answer originated.
Nice parenting indeed! That was an honest statement and not a facetious one. A little clowning with humour aint a bad thing at all. I enjoy it, in small doses.
What really got my attention was the error in one of the questions. The assignment is a “Cloze”, fill in the blanks.
That 4.2 was shown to a couple friends who went, “What, that isn’t right” but didn’t peg the error in the moment. English is a strange thing.
Question 4.2 was shown to the parent who did return me a correct response and I trust will for ever more realize their ESL is just fine.
Playing the “English Teacher” card on that little exchange was satisfying!
I have been asked to chime in from my exalted position on several occasions as well. One of them was just identifying the word being sought and the word needed, “Voracious” was already in my vocabulary before my anointment
What isn’t satisfying is when the card plays me. I’m not sure I care for this behaviour even though it’s my own damn fault for getting the edumucation. Not a typo.
I haven’t had the same “Sarcaustic” feel to some of my opinionated pieces. I and “Good Friend” were disappointed to find that my new word was already on “Urban Dictionary” when I unleashed it. Damn! GSTA I suppose. Great Smartasses Think Alike.
All said and done, this old cunning linguist is more so and loves it!
G.R. Hambley ©
January 22, 2018
I was given what you’re looking at as a Birthday Gift a number of years ago. I’ve carried it ever since.
Someone I know somewhat closely was in a quandary. In a head-space that someone else laid on them.
That my friends is what we call an “Emotionally Controlling Act”. If you’ve read enough of my stuff, you know that behaviour does not fly with me!
I took my Talisman out of my pocket and did a few shots. I looked at it a few ways. Looked at it in the colour version you see and desaturated to Grey Scale or B&W if you like.
The Grey Scale is starker more statement than feeling. Go ahead and try it for yourself.
I sent the someone I’m somewhat close to the colour version. It’s warmer, more embracing. The warmth and embracing is what I believed was needed.
My gift was very well received and the one I’m somewhat close to will be exhibiting.
I’m glad.
G.R. Hambley ® December 07, 2017
I’ve made it known along with showing bits and pieces of the work and results that I’m taking a TEFL course. The question was asking about practicality and as I saw it, philosophy because it was asked what I would do.
Challenges you face in the classroom. How you going to manage it. How are you going to meet needs. They’re asking about practical knowledge and coping skills. I got above average coping skills. My recognition skills aren’t to bad either.
Not only will I be watching my students, I’ll be watching out for my students.
So here you have it. As I wrote and submitted for the assignment. But now, I call it, “The Teaching Philosophy of G.R. Hambley”.
Lyric
Walking on home alone,
that old bell softly chimes
Passing right on by,
the tower bell strikes again
Falling farther behind
that niggling bell tolls once more
now it’s gone to three
world’s turning quietly
alone in the night
and it’s mostly alright
if only you were here…
if only you were here with me…
Feels like I’m missing
more than a few chimes of my own
Wondering why I even said
this place isn’t striking me as home
Really starting to understand
It’s me for whom that bell is tolling
Everything tangling me up
get so damned lost sometimes
Mind turning it end over round
keep expecting that lost key to show
Walking around thinking way too much
hoping this magic hasn’t got lost
now it’s half past three
world’s turning quietly
alone in the night
and it’s not alright
if only, if only you were here…
if only, if only…
if only you were here with me…
If only I could just walk over
leave this lost feeling behind
If only I could just touch your smile
let you see love isn’t lost
If only I could so tenderly say
only my mind was lost
now it’s long, long past three
world’s brightening quickly
alone in the light
and it’s gonna get right
it wasn’t freedom chiming
the lightning did strike
now it’s time to pay the toll
if only…
if only…
if only you’ll believe
believe when I say I’m sorry
G.R. Hambley ©
August 01, 2017
All he kept talking about was glory days.
I was thinking about this piece this morn and then Springsteen’s , “Glory Days” came on. Now that’s what I call a set your dial to write clue. “Good Friend” calls that summoning something else. Barely got any coffee in me, damn.
Many of us know one or two or three people that are like that. One of the best film portrayals of the “Glory Days” individual was by Dennis Hopper in “Hoosiers”.
You’re not getting older you’re getting better. A well known campaign with an affirming PSA touch by Clairol.
Once upon a time I was a member of the “Yea right” brigade as it applies to the “You’re not getting older you’re getting better” slogan.
Change of perspective, and it happened a good while back, changed the mindset.
Yes I’m old. We have statistical data for a reason and statistically, I’m in the last quarter of my life.
I’m adverse to dragging my old glory days out. Even writing it in this context where it’s actually useful, it doesn’t fit well with me.
You can find the following online and is an older posting. Which do you think I was…. Bear, Ram or Hawkeye?
CJFL
The Toronto area really needs to look at getting back into the Canadian Junior Football League (ages 19 to 22 years). Back in the day there were at least three teams in the GTA. The Lakeshore Bears playing out of Centennial Park in Etobicoke, the Scarborough Rams playing out of Birchmount Stadium, and the Oshawa Hawkeyes playing out of the Shwa.
Back then talented football players who couldn’t attend college or university because of grades, money or whatever reason had a place to keep playing a high level of football in Canada. Back in the mid 70s the Scarborough Rams having winning records of 10 and 0 seasons along with the Ottawa Sooners, and the Hamilton Hurricanes could give any University ball club a run for their money. Bring Junior ball back to the GTA!!!!
I see in my research for this tale that the Ontario Football Conference in 2017 is again part of the CJFL. Toronto is represented by the GTA Grizzlies.
So yeah, I had some Football glory days. Last one I signed, it was with Junior Argonauts. I’m pretty sure you can figure out the affiliation.
I remember it well. A weekend in mid March colder than a witch’s…., down at old CNE Stadium (I could tell you where to find pieces of CNE Stadium today but that’s a story for another time). Wind was blowing in through that gap between the 3rd base line and the North Grandstand.
The Bulova Clock Tower which used to be the Shell Tower was stuck at a balmy -6 C. Fun Wow!
There is an eeriness to an empty stadium. It’s both a bit haunting and really thrilling looking around all the empty seats when you’re down playing on the field. Visualization is an important tool and yes I envisioned 55,000 people cheering for me.
If the witch image isn’t working for you, try going with, “Brass Monkey”. Equality friends, equality, something for everyone.
I do appreciate why football players bitched about that outfield fence seam on the CNE gridiron! You hit that seam the wrong way, hey what’s a new ankle or knee between friends! Back then they had, “Turf Gripper” footwear. All those things did was make it easier for the “Turf Monster” to get you!
I’m old. This is a fact. Using our measuring sticks, ¾ of my life is over, I’m old.
I had a brief conversation some months back with one of the people in my community I’m friendly with. You don’t need the entire context. What I told the individual is this, at this point in my life, if I want a story I write one. If I want a pretty picture, I make one.
Community friend was not made aware of what is in my past. I’d love see the face of community friend when they’re reading this piece.
I’m a far better writer, photographer, artist than I ever was a football player. We’ve already established, I was a good football player.
How wonderful is it to be able to do those things? How much better is this legacy of art? Sure, those questions are debatable, debatable to everyone but me that is and it is all about me.
To sit down and create. To be seen and read in 103 countries around the world. Now that is one glorious ego stroke. I worked and pushed out, I earned it.
My top 5 countries in order of viewership:
Number 1 and 2 aren’t a surprise. Those two should be where they are. Now number 3, if you know what I am now and what I espouse, it isn’t a great surprise.
When comparing numbers between Canada and the USA, Canada has about 10% of the people that the USA does. When I look at the stats I’d kind of expect to see the same ratio of 10 to 1. It’s about 5 to 1 and that pleases me.
“Far have I travelled and much have I seen”, Mull Of Kintyre. I don’t have your miles on me but hey, thank you Sir Paul!
What I’ve become is much better and far more powerful. I grew stronger and better. As I grew, I touched others significantly. I’ve met some real outstanding individuals and made a couple lifelong friends. To my mind, that’s the glory.
It isn’t all one way. I have been significantly touched myself. This makes me stronger, it makes me better.
“Carry me back to the days I knew then”, thank you, no. I have mulled it over and I have no desire to return.
Yeah, I’m older and I’m better. I’m worse too, the physical thing. I have that aspect of my life under control. It’s a non issue in the older/better sense.
The better not older campaign was aimed at the preoccupation with aging and death. That preoccupation is still with us. If you can give someone something they can rationalize a condition with, they just may.
If quarterbacking from the armchair and reliving whatever your “Glory Days” were and are, you can. Being the intelligent donkey I am, I’d say enjoy your retirement!
I’m telling you, if stronger and better is what you want to have as you move through life, then you gotta be engaged in life. Why? Why because that’s how it works.
When people tell you that your style or something you’ve done reminds them of the greatest of dead poets, you know you’ve achieved your goal of someday being one of them.
Try wrapping your head around this one. I knew it when I first started writing poetry. Monetary returns, never a real concern. I write for me and share. I happen to think some of my stuff is gonna live forever.
I don’t expect to realize the full glory until 150 years after I’m dead.
No, no, no, don’t fret for me!
I will be checking back to see if I’m correct. What!? You don’t think someone as glorious as I wouldn’t be able to check back and see what y’all are up to. Not a question.
G.R. Hambley ©
July 31st, 2017
Canada Escalates War With Denmark and Now Ready for USA CelebEXit!
OTTAWA CANADA – May 21, 2017
While your source has been unable to verify the timeline, the belief is that the plan to drive the savage cheese wielders from Canada’s proximity will be enacted 24 May, 2017 and has received Royal Assent.
Word is that Her Royal Highness, Queen Liz, is in agreement with the plan to end the war between Canada the right and Denmark the wrong. Hostilities to begin following the Canadian May two four long weekend.
Operation “Fish Schnapps” is part of the ongoing advancement of the Canadian movement as the right and honourable rulers of the world.
Canadian Immigration states they are finally ready for the influx of celebrities and their followers. The ones actually making good on their promise and exiting the USA. Canadian officials apologized for the delay in being ready for the exodus. Apparently it was easier to raise the country than build a wall (see attached map).
Major General Carrie Boux leads the Canadian operation to secure Hans Island and forever put an end to the despised moldy cheese wielders of the Danish Butter & Croissant coalition.
The appointment to duty of Major General Boux is much to the chagrin of disgraced Defence Minister Harjit Sajjin. An unnamed source (Prime Minister Gerald Butts) stated Sajjin wanted to orchestrate the venture and may still have if you ask him.
When asked why Ms Boux was chosen to lead the Canadian contingent, Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau sang passionately, though off key, that Ms Carrie Boux is the very model of a modern major general.
Ottawa also announced that all women of Denmark, Iceland and Greenland that have received honorary Canadian Citizenship, that honour has been revoked. Those women will have to reapply after hostilities have ceased.
The psychotic ranting of the Danish. These usurpers of the Great White North will use anything in their propaganda mill to derive sympathy.
Denmark’s position that they are the rightful owners of Hans Island is supported by Greenland and Iceland. This support despite the objections of the respective populaces to conscription.
Danish minister of defence, “Herr Ng” refused to rise to the bait when grilled by representatives of the impotent United Nations.
While Canadians are not a nice people, they aren’t the Nazis the Danish would have the world believe we are stated a justifiably perturbed Carrie Boux!
For many years now, the Canadian military has systematically invaded the Danish territory of Hans Island. In doing so, Canada have demonstrated a total disregard for international treaties. Despite repeated pleas for peace, Canada has not shown any remorse on the matter. Because of this, we demand that Canada is excluded from NATO, and apologize to the people of Denmark for their repeated offences.
Response from most Canadians to the Danish lies have been to offer the Danes a fish dinner. It was clarified that when those Canadians said, “Feed the Danes and their conscripts of Greenland and Iceland a KOHO”, they were not talking about a big fish.
When General Boux was queried on how Canada expected to defend Hans Island, the question was taken for answer by Canada’s dictator in waiting, MS J. Trudeau. On sighting what he believed to be a new giant selfie cam, Ms Trudeau fled the stage without so much as a single um or ah.
It was later revealed the object Ms Trudeau thought was a giant selfie cam, is in fact the spy cam that will be attached to “Free Rosie”.
The Canadian Navy feels this is an important step towards interspecies relations.
The Royal Canadian Navy further believes the initiative taken will also appease Ontario Premiere Kathleen Wynne. The Premiere is dead set against a Willie or a Sam of any kind. Wynne had previously threatened to withdraw the use of Ontario’s, “Polar Bear Provincial Park” as the training ground for Americans of CelebEx were the picture not, “Rosier”.
Immigration Canada’s contribution to operation “Fish Schnapps”, directs all Celebrities and their followers fleeing emigrating from the USA to an intake point in Vancouver British Columbia. After portage training, the Celebs and their followers will make their way by traditional canoes to defend build their new homes on beautiful Hans Island! (See attached Map)
The celebrities and their brethren will be standing on guard for Canada’s mighty pretty rock for the next 7 years less a day. Canadian’s being the fair people they are, didn’t want the Celebrities to think they were signing up for some form of servitude.
Canadian Forces provided photographs of a current training mission involving the first wave of American Celebrities.
The modern Major General did note that while the trainers are harsh, there is nothing partisan in the way they conduct operations. Carrie Boux further said that not everyone had to out run the trainers, “outrun a few of the other trainees and you’ll be fine”.
General Boux ended the press briefing by making it clear Canada and all Canadians will no longer stand for the Danish theft of our beloved Maple Leaf and a very good bottle of rye whisky. “Enough already with trying to appease Canada with a semaphore flag and fish schnapps” said the Major General.
The General did answer one final question as she was leaving the platform. It was asked what would be the fastest way to end hostilities, the General replied, “Send in a seal team to get Herr Ng”.
G.R. Hambley ©
May 20, 2017
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