Life Coaching, Observations, Reflections, Things that make you go hmmmmm
Majik moments, the making there of, not for the feint, of heart
Yes, you can call those moments grand illusion or a fool’s delusion
Por those of us that embrace the alchemy, we know no constraint
One, two, three and sometimes four, creating ripples in your mind
Roving places in space from now to then and to where… now hasn’t been
Take from there, bring to here, leaving trails of discombobulation
Area spatial has consequence not for those of a true heart’s majik
Land of Lilliput awaits those unlucky souls chosen by me
G.R. Hambley ©
May 16,2018
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
But necessary how are those of the ilk demented to those cerebral
Any one in full flight uproar draws the kindred to the scene obscene
They’re beyond brash, removed from rash, seemingly just mean
Seething anger, rooted deep in the soul could well be the rascal
Heed of a well placed word never given a single seconds recognition
Inward worldly space where no other is shown the faintest welcome
Tormented displays, tormenting as they meander about in full blossom
Chain of distant current events fuelling enflamed infatuation
Realization of purpose does not remove, solve, or at all excuse
Attempts to diffuse, patience of the saints; of which we are not blessed
Zealots of the church profane, worship best served in solitary space
Ingenious, fraught filled but; lead them to follow the shepherd of recluse
Exodus follows embracing, sanctuary where the cursing are not cursed
Smiling, each day’s break comes quietly; achieved with beguile and grace
G.R. Hambley ©
July 29, 2016
It’s My Rite Right!
Had this piece on the go for a while and I find myself back to the start for a preamble so to speak after conversations with a couple friends and an elf. The elf would be one of them coffee elves I like and appreciate.
I am a Canadian first, an Ontarian second and a Torontonian third. Yes, we must deal with the order inversely in our daily lives. Our daily lives go on at the municipal, then provincial and finally the federal level.
Me and the elf were talking about faces, specifically faces in our Provincial and Federal politics. We are talking leaders here and the elf nailed it, I don’t like anybody.
I had to think about it when the elf asked me who I did like. One I liked and were our Canadian politics like that of our friends below us in the USA where you are voting for an individual, this person would have got my vote where the Party never could. That person is Ed Broadbent. I liked him a lot.
I’ve liked facets of others and they include Jean Chretien, Bill Davis, Mike Harris, Paul Martin, Jack Layton and yes Stephen Harper. I don’t know enough about Elizabeth May to say one way or another but she seems okay.
There have been a couple I’ve come to despise, Dalton McGuinty and Kathleen Wynne.
There are three for me that invited immediate disdain, distrust and foreboding. They are Bob, “I’m now currently a Liberal” Rae and the misfit boy toys that are Pierre and Justin Trudeau.
I’ve been following and participating in political feeds in social media. Been doing it some since a few weeks prior to Canada’s national election mid October, 2015.
I’ve been keeping an eye to what is going on over the back fence too. Hello family and friends in the US of A! I see the FBI isn’t charging Hillary. With what the FBI said about Hillary’s behaviour, “extremely careless”, doesn’t that just make you all warm and fuzzy on the competence level she displays!
Prior to Canada’s election the stance taking and posturing of all those who were absolutely right that governance their fanatical way was the only way, was indeed something to see. I’m seeing the same behaviour State side. America has a whole different issue and their choices are much more contracted than Canada’s choices were.
This story and my feelings on the matters I’ve observed have been developing in to a narrow focus. Focusing on what I’ve observed about Political Parties and their followers that display as sycophants.
The sycophants never deviating from what they vote. The singular narrow focus of the vapour locked mindset.
Heaven help anyone that disagreed with the divine ones I’ve observed because you were being sent straight to hell for deviant behaviour.
That scared the crap out of me it did! Hey my guardian angel is Lucifer and lemme tell ya, Luci didn’t tell me that hell was filled with all those self righteous sanctimonious sycophants. I’m going to have to have a talk with that Angel of mine and see about getting all those malignant souls moved to purgatory!
Mindset is what we’re talking about here. The mindset of the lifelong devotee to a single political party. Never looking at other points of view and perspectives. They know in the bottom of their little black hearts that their rite is right. No one ever needs anything different because what they believe by their political religion should be believed by everyone.
Those of you with the locked in tunnel vision that declare as “Liberal”, I got a bulletin for you. You are exactly the same thing you rage against in a different skin. There is no difference between you UltraLiberals and the NeoConservatives or the Dippers. You all buy the party line and vilely vomit back the doctrine and gospel according to your Party.
I see zero tolerance and consideration for others and their views. Not terribly Liberal is it? The conclusion I’ve reached is the last thing about a Liberal is their liberality.
You do not get to be Liberal just by declaring yourself one. Those around you decide if you are liberal by how you conduct yourself.
I referred to myself as having my focus narrow. The difference is I’ve been looking at a hell of a lot of behaviours before reaching conclusion.
Some of those UltraLiberals, with commentary I’ve made that criticizes their anointed leader Justin Trudeau have decreed me to be a Conservative. I’m not. I’m a centrist.
Something else the zealot Liberal fails to take in to consideration when their shiny pony is being taken to task is that their shiny pony is the focus because Liberal with majority is the current flavour!
What the ones with tunnel vision don’t get is that Trudeau as the current flavour stick, it is what he and the Liberal party are doing that is to be watched and criticized, condemned or congratulated.
Of course I have my own ideas of what is a good behaviour and what is bad behaviour. That doesn’t matter to anyone of the Kool-aid set.
The rage against and for Stephen Harper. I know there are UltraLiberals who’ve read what I related and said nothing. I’m a writer and an observer. I understand that no comment can indeed be a comment.
National Post Story; Harper preparing to step down as MP.
The former prime minister’s next career move will involve foreign policy.
I’ve said this and I meant it about Stephen Harper.
Harper should have stepped aside 1 year before election. There were indicators and the CPC should have acted. I’ll get to that!
Stephen Harper did himself, his family, his constituents and this country a great disservice by hanging on when he knew he’d had enough.
I think that when Harper got half way through the campaign it hit him that he couldn’t do 4 more years and that is when he went right off the rails.
What no one takes in to account is the leader of a country be it Prime Minister, President, Chancellor, whatever the designation may be, the leader never gets so much as 1 second off. It wears on you. If you have any conscious and conscience, it has to wear on you. You may be calling something a vacation but this is the bottom line; if something serious enough happens, you are getting the call. You damn well know you’ll be getting a call and you wear it as it wears on you.
Stephen Harper, thank you for your service to Canada. Enjoy what comes next in your life.
This is where I get to it and this brings us to the real villains, the parties themselves. It is all backwards and more and more people are noting it and speaking up against it. The vision of the Leader, what a crock! Our elected officials have got this stuff all backwards.
The Leader is supposed to be representing the vision of the party. The elected are supposed to be in tune and representing their constituents who put them in a seat. It isn’t happening that way and there is only one way these fools are going to get it, you take them out of the seat.
The “Leader” and their advisors are running roughshod over the elected member. The elected member who cares nothing about the people that put them in office kowtow to the Leader. Those elected because they’re afraid of being dismissed from the party and facing pressure to flat out resign their seat.
An advisor never has the right to address caucus as if they are the Leader. Currently Butts & Telford who don’t have a seat and can address the Liberal caucus with Trudeau’s blessing. Before UltraLiberals start spouting the vitriol, it was the Liberal Caucus themselves that leaked it to the press.
I believe Canada needs a term of service for the Leaders and Prime Minister. The parties riding the horse in to the ground then vilifying the carcass. How wrong is that behaviour? If the party itself had a spine they’d be keeping the Leader in check and none of them are doing it.
Next up sycophants and others! Those being designated as sycophants for this purpose are the UltraLiberals, NeoConservatives and Naturally Delusional NDPers. Sorry BQ while you have your deeply warped followers, not being a National Party we all know exactly what you’re about and you fall in to the other category. Green Party I do appreciate that you ran in every riding in Canada’s last election and I give you full marks for being so fully engaged!
It’s now 9 months past the Canadian election and the war rages on. The political religious rites of all sides continue to be championed and vilified by their respective sycophants. I’m seeing lemming behaviour in the blaming and justifying as well from all sides.
There are a few months to go before our American friends and neighbours pick a President. The war that is the political rite rages on for them and will go on after their election concludes as well.
I was talking with a woman from New York City who lives here in Toronto the other day about our cities and countries. She was upset over the FBI finding. We talked about it and we both like Bernie. Doesn’t look like that’s going to happen but it just might.
The 7% solution. No single party in Canada has the numbers on their own to get the big chair in Ottawa. It isn’t possible. If you look at the result for the Conservative majority in 2011 and the Liberal majority in 2015 the numbers are the same. No real difference in the numbers for the winner, 39.5% is close enough.
What moved is where the centrists put their votes. Those 7% decide who gets the chair. Simple stuff. The faithful party voters just cancel each other out and don’t mean a whole lot in the grand scheme.
The parties themselves know the number and it is that 7% they are trying to land. You faithful don’t matter. Of course they don’t want to drive anyone away so under usual circumstances the party doesn’t deviate that far from their platform.
We, all of us together cannot afford those who are absolutely sure their Rite is Right. We need thinking competent people who read, watch and listen to multiple sources before making a decision as to what “X” they’re going to mark on the ballot.
It is up to us lowly citizens to keep the politicians in check. That is our job! The job cannot be done properly by people who aren’t paying attention to the world. For all levels, it is our job to put the people in the seats that will carry their constituents voice up the chain and ensure what we say is heard and acted upon.
This is a hard world. There is world war going on and a war on the world taking place at the same time.
We Canadians shouldn’t be taking each other on, it’s not what we do. The politicians love it because if we’re at each other we aren’t watching them.
Liberals tax and spend because it’s what they do. Conservatives tighten the screws because that’s what they do.
We aren’t getting responsible government. We aren’t getting what we are supposed to be getting from the circuses that are the political parties. It’s happening here at home and from what I read, and hear from friends and family, it isn’t happening in the USA either. No responsible government.
Here in Canada we have a precedent. In my travels I pass the heritage commemorative 3 or 4 times a week and lately, it makes me angry when I pass the plaque. We the citizens are not being served as we should be by the politicians we elect at any level. Responsible Government is nonexistent!
You are free to send this to the politician of your choice with my compliments
We got a real good look at just what Canada is about with the countries refugee revolt. The current flavour sticks had to listen because 66% of the country was saying the same thing. That number of 66% means there are both die hard Liberals and Conservatives thinking and feeling the same thing, DO IT and DO IT RIGHT! If the Liberal date and time stamp wasn’t going to get met, tough! Why? Because getting it right mattered more to Canadians.
Currently the politicians aren’t afraid of us and they should be. I made that observance in a parody shot at the current flavour stick that I did.
I’m not talking about taking the politicos out behind the woodshed and beating them with a big stick. As appealing that may be on some days we just can’t do that. They have to be afraid our vote will go elsewhere and the politicians just aren’t. They see what we do and they know they’ll get their shot. The tax and spend Liberals and the tighten the screws Conservatives. We turn them over fairly regularly and they know their turn will come if they don’t screw up too bad NDP.
Join the light side. The side that scares the crap out of politicians. The thinking, watching and chair deciding side.
Don’t give any political party your undying affiliation and ensure you are personally making a real difference!
I did a piece on Bill C-14 where your right is the Governments duty. On that page there is a link to a page listing every sitting MP. Feel free to tell any or all of them what you think. It is your right.
You know, and I’ve done this before at all 3 levels, marked my ballot so it lets them all know I don’t like any of them!
G.R. Hambley © – all rights reserved
July 07, 2016
This began as something I was going to offer a quick comment on. The more I thought about our current communication standards the longer I went.
My narratives are mostly story telling with lessons. The language flows in the form of me just telling the reader a story as if I was telling the tale verbally. I do not concern myself with being politically correct.
So many people, women and men alike are just sick of the politically correct hyperbole. You can count me among those that are not only sick of it but just not doing it anymore. I didn’t worry about the political correctness much in my own discourse any way. I don’t need to.
The language has reached new heights of emotionless. I’m feeling it and quite frankly it pisses me off. Gone too far and because of it people including myself feel pent up and frustrated. They think and feel they cannot express freely because it doesn’t fit the acceptable PC method of communication.
We in Canada have Mr. Feminist in the PM’s chair saying everybody should be a feminist. Just wonderful that is everybody thinking feeling and talking one way. Excuse me while I have as George Carlin put it, “an involuntary protein spill”.
Hell no! Everybody should not be a Feminist! No one should be a Feminist and everybody should be an EQUALIST!
Feminist can have an offensive connotation. Some, male and female alike will see it as marginalizing men and promoting women over men based on gender regardless of merit. This word will drive the Equalists who believe completely in merit appointment batshit crazy and is a sure way to start an argument with the Uber Feminist. There goes your touchy feely don’t ever even give the hint of offense to those looking to be offended language right down the crapper!
I don’t see much PC consideration in the use of that word so it becomes a one way word that isn’t fair to either sex.
The Prime Minister defined himself as a Feminist so don’t be getting all over me for opting to use the term!
I as an “Equalist”, contributed to a storm this Feminist created and you can read what I said about Mr Feminist’s PC “gender neutral cabinet” should you be so inclined.
Women are the reason for this soft indirect language. This language that teaches people to shut off emotion, avoid any contradiction or confrontation while teaching everyone how to be offended.
I started out my adult life in a trade. At the time it was all men in the Union Local I was in. The only woman I ever countered in a trade was an iron worker. She was job foreman too. She had her apprentice who is her brother on the job. The poor bastard. Oh I’m sorry, for the PC folks who are no doubt offended, a bastard is a type of file. Yeah, she’d file him good at times.
The language of the trade was created by the people in that industry. No right or wrong.
This paper was written 10 years ago. See page 4; point 3. “Estimates of the mental health workforce”.
The mental health professions: Workforce supply and demand, issues, and challenges
I had a quick look for more recent data and not finding what I was looking for fast enough, I’ll use my own observations. Nothing stopping you from going and looking for yourself. I wish you would.
I am an accredited Life Coach. My contacts include, psychiatrists, psychologists, psychotherapists, other coaches and those in related health and wellness fields. I look at the fields and the number of women in the industry noticeably outweighs the males when contacts are suggested to me.
Most of my contacts are women. There are a couple women I have chatter back and forth with from time to time. In our communication they have no issue that I’m freer and male speak. We have had some talk on how men and women use different words to describe the same feeling. Yes this would be exploring our feelings and doesn’t come in to the PC Domain.
Much of the language in the industry is driven by women. I’m part of it and I get it. This is especially so with the nature of the industry, you have to be softer and more tactful. It is the nature of the beast and again, no right or wrong.
The biggest culprit for the indirect soft language is H.R., Human Resources. That is a field that is dominated by women. Simple stuff, those in majority in any industry are going to produce the language.
Male dominated or female dominated, how those dominants think is how the descriptive language and the components of the field are going shape and be communicated. No right or wrong.
I’ll offer this up as further evidence of the statement I made that women drive the soft PC language. A piece written in 2012 entitled, “Why Human Resources Isn’t Just For Women Any More”.
I read an item posted on LinkedIn and it led me to writing a response piece using my argument responses, to “Gottman’s Repair Checklist” responses regarding arguing in relationship. When I read the Gottman, it screams written by a woman at me.
Women being the majority in those fields created the language. Again, no wrong and no right. The one’s doing it are going to make the dialect, simple stuff.
The language that those females created made it’s nefarious way in to every day usage and became the standard for interpersonal communication. I understand how that language in personal doings can make people ill at ease.
If the number of people that say they’ve had it with the PC is so large why do we keep using that language? I think that language is used out of fear. We fear when we talk and that upsets us.
Now we are hitting the right and the wrong. If something makes you feel wrong then there is something bad going on. When those bad feelings occur you must explore them and discover why. Might be a damn good idea to stop doing what’s making you feel wrong.
People I’ve worked with appreciate that I’m earthier without being profane. Men and women alike appreciate how I convey. If you want a different description, I talk straight. If you don’t understand, “talk straight”, you have reading to do.
Men and women, while the same species are very different animals. There is no right or wrong in this. We see differently, we think differently and we express differently. We do this because we are different. That is how we are supposed to be or we’d all be the same with a very different means of procreation.
I am an “Equalist” and always have been. I’ve always liked the girls too. What that means is I enjoy the company of women and what they bring as women. I like that we’re different and we can express a mutual feeling with different words. I hope we never all “become one way” with expression.
One of those women I have chatter with, talk to, and yes we talk. I haven’t asked her if she considers what we do, “sharing” and if I did I don’t think she would use that word to describe what we do together. I think and believe this because she has told me she enjoys how I express myself. I like what she says too. Neither of us encumbered by the PC Language.
We both saw something we liked and felt the same about that thing. Her key word was, “Resonate”. My key word was, “Impact”. The feminine and the masculine, together and equal.
Together and equal. Men and women together without having to give up what we are to accommodate a language none of us like.
Together equally, men and women can make this despised correctness and fear that goes with it end. I am so good with that!
FYI …. My “E” IQ is 10 points higher than my “G” or “S” IQ 100 times out of 100.
G.R. Hambley ©
March 29, 2015
A friend of mine posted up an item on Facebook that I decided to take part in. This is what was posted by my friend Johnny Sinclair, “I intend to fill Facebook with comic book heroes for Childhood Cancer Awareness, Give me a like and I’ll assign you a character.“.
A truly worthy cause. Awareness is one of my categories on WordPress and I use an awareness category on Linkedin as well. Filling up FB with comic book heroes also appeals to me as a wonderful alternative to some of the remanufactured crap that is passed off as newly profound and is so prolific on FB.
Johnny’s posting also got me thinking about something else on the cancer awareness front that will be with us for the month of October and that is breast cancer awareness. Again a very worthy cause and from what I’ve seen a terrific way to sell merchandise. Buy our stuff and part of your purchase price goes to the fight against breast cancer.
About a year ago a purveyor of home furnishings was brought to my attention on FB that was doing exactly what I just said. You buy from them and part of the purchase price goes to the fight against Breast Cancer. I went over to that retailers FB page with a purpose.
Everywhere you look in October something is pinked. Well almost everything because I choose to opt out of the pink. The truth is I’ve opted out on the pink for a number of years.
Included in the list of being PINKED for breast cancer awareness is, The National Football League, The National Hockey League, Major League Baseball, The NBA and MLS Soccer and here in Canada the CFL is for awareness for women’s cancers.
A deadly, ugly disease with what is an incredibly cute cause. The pink merchandise you can buy sporting your favourite teams logo is vast and I know this because I went and looked. Lots of other merchandise out there you can buy to support the cause as well.
I went to that furniture retailers FB page with the same purpose of mind that causes me to question the motivations of the major sporting leagues that serve Canada and the United States. The beauty of FB is that unless you take down what you put up, it stays there. You just have to scroll back far enough.
I went scrolling back on that FB page looking for something specific and was not the least bit surprised to find that what I was looking for wasn’t there. I sent that retailer an email asking very nicely about why what I was looking for wasn’t there. I received an email back that said in the future what I was looking for would also be something they would show cause for.
The Toronto Argonauts at one time showed cause for what I was looking for and I don’t know if they do anymore.
I don’t see any of the major sporting leagues doing anything for the cause I was looking for and you think they would. I don’t see much in the way of visible cause at all for what I was looking for. Maybe that’s because you can’t put something cute like “Save The Ta Ta’s” like I saw on a t-shirt for this cause so it just don’t fly.
Johnny assigned me “Thor” as the comic book hero.
And just so you know, April is awareness month for testicular cancer.
Gary “HAMMER” Hambley – all rights reserved
September 24, 2015
Toronto Argonaut Norm Casola and a small tribute to the man.
Been a bit since I’ve just randomly and not mused for the benefit of myself and those who read me.
Those of you who read me, thanks! Those of you who don’t read me, why not?
Toronto is back to normal after the PanAm and Para PanAm games. Not that there was much that you’d notice to cause disruption in the everyday life of us core dwellers. H.O.V. lanes were driving the denizens who had to use the highways around the G.T.A. (Greater Toronto Area) dingy but other than that, not much to speak of in disruption. It was nice that the City did close off parking for the entire day on Front St when the Para PanAm’s opened and closed. That was fair and equitable and unlike what they did for the PanAm opening and closing, no one unfairly got their vehicle towed away!
The Athletes for the PARA GAMES were much more visible on the streets I travel and at the establishments I visit. I think mobility may have been part of the reason. Easier to just make use of the facilities and get around in the area you’re billeted in I suppose.
One of things that did make an impression me was the exuberance the PARA Athletes showed. Not to say that the “able bodied” weren’t pleased to be here just that the greater challenged were out and enjoying Toronto more. I saw the U.S.A.’s wheelchair basket ball team 4 or 5 times. A couple times just enjoying Front St. by the St. Lawrence Market and a couple times using the streets as paths for their cardio work.
I would like to comment on polo shirts I saw one country wearing, and I did go looking for a picture. The sleeves and shoulders looked kind of like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle that, that dog Sam created after eating the purple flowers!
I was very pleased to see some of the Para Games Athletes, Coaches and Support Staff stayed beyond on the Games to enjoy Toronto The Good! The smiles and good will of all who visited this city were infectious and the smiles on those who call this city home, welcoming!
In closing on the Para Games I’m pleased to say there was no International Incident when some from the American Team and some from the Cuban team showed up at one of my coffee spots. Oh wait silly me, they were Athletes having a good time and not fear mongering politicians.
Going to be a beautiful afternoon here in Toronto and I think better when I move so I’m off to enjoy it and ponder on some goodies I got in the works!
G.R. Hambley – all rights reserved
August 22, 2015
Five Paragraphs
I haven’t been feeling my usual unusual self for a couple weeks. Goes that way and I manage to cope just fine. The physical issues started acting up and there is a new level to come to terms with. An accompanying stress issue is exacerbating the problem.
I’ve managed to keep the presence fresh because I have well stalked vaults at both WordPress and Linkedin. Call it whatever you like. Making hay while the sun shines, going Boy Scout by being prepared. I got goodies at the ready.
I have pieces in progress, coaching awareness pieces as well as a couple poems and a couple that are being written as lyrics. I found a comfort with rhyme scheme that I didn’t use to have and am now finding myself having to make conscience act to not use rhyme scheme in my writing.
Coping Skills is what it really is. Knowing what you can expect to rear its ugly head and take a bite out of your usual and normal way of functioning. We all have those days no matter our age or physical condition.
I’ve stated previously I just don’t buy in to the 110% mentality. All the things I have in reserve are in place because on those days where my 100% was more than the norm, I did more.
Five Sections For The Mythical Stranding
For some reason I found myself as I was heading for coffee the other morning thinking about those things you’d take if you were to be stranded on an island. Gotta stimulate the mind on that island so you don’t go crazier than an outhouse rodent.
Yup, it is a strange and beautiful mind I have.
Five Things You Can’t Take
GPS/Satellite Phone
Majik Folk
Your momma
Your Pet
Your B.A. – BAD ATTITUDE
Five Albums (no greatest hits or compilations)
Bruce Springsteen – Greetings From Asbury Park
Bob Dylan – Street Legal
Alan Parsons Project –Tales Of Mystery And Imagination
Crosby Still Nash & Young – Déjà Vu
Carole King – Tapestry
Five Books (trilogy style is allowed)
Richard Bach – Illusions
Stephen King – The Stand
Farley Mowat – The Boat That Wouldn’t Float
Sun Tzu – The Art Of War
John Donne – Anything that his a vast amount of Donne’s writing in between its covers
Five Films
To Kill A Mockingbird
Gladiator
Harvey
Raiders Of The Lost Ark
Wizards (Bakshi Animation)
Five Items
Knife – Crocodile Dundee style, “Now that’s a knife!”
Magnifying Glass
CD/DVD Player Solar Powered with built in speakers
Fish Hook
Sewing Kit
~.~.~.~.~
I would be delighted if you desire to leave your thoughts on what you’d take and why. If you brought your “B.A.”, kindly take it with you when you leave. 😉
I was having a conversation with an individual and somehow a twist in the conversation led to me stating why I’m not allowed to play with among others, Divinity Students.
Something I genuinely want to know is if God has parents. I wondered if God’s parents would be proud of the work to date.
The person I said it to responded with, “God doesn’t have parents”.
I told the person you don’t know that. Faith, sure. Belief, yes. Knowledge, no.
I’ve had conversations of similar nature with other people before and my, “How I Know” came out of one of those conversations.
I showed that piece to the person I was conversing with. Their response was, “If God has parents I’m sure they’re proud”. I agreed.
I’m making my way later that eve thinking about the question. I have stated before I’m never bored because I have me to talk to. The conversation with myself was in truth just thoughtful probing of the question.
The conclusion I reached is the title, “God Has Parents”. The rationale to my mind is simple. If God did not have parents, how would the knowledge be there to create male and female? You wouldn’t know is the answer.
We are also told we are created in God’s image. If God is singular as it widely believed and taught, to my mind there would only be one sex and procreation would not be what it is. Yeah no, I aint even going there. Just not something I care to explore, ever!
So now that it is established that God has parents that raises other questions. Siblings? Aunts and Uncles? Are the powers that be in actuality a Continuum as portrayed on Star Trek T.N.G. and Voyager?
If it is those omnipotent that are the powers that be, who is their God?
G.R. Hambley ©
May 25, 2015
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