Tag: Understanding

The World Has One Less Hero

This morning my Grandmother passed away. I don’t have much detail at this point, but if the last two weeks are any indication, she finally fell victim to a long and painful bout with Alzheimer’s. A nasty, unrelenting disease.

What could I ever hope to say about such an inspirational figure in my life? Except, of course, I love you so very much and you will be sorely missed. Plus I’d be remiss not to highlight something I’ve already said;

“I am the person I am because of the people they are. Growing up I’ve witnessed my Grandparents having to face peoples often misguided expectations. And although they never showed one bit of frustration towards peoples unawareness they had every right to be irritated. Ignorance of peoples feelings is purely a reason for treating people indifferently. It’s NOT an excuse…”

Or in other words, not only was my Grandmother an important half of an unstoppable team of personal motivation, she was so much more. She was an image of an individual who had lived with difficulties most, all but 7 years, of her 84 year stint on this planet. I can’t help but feel great sorrow for all she represented and, much more pressing is, what we’ve lost…

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Je M’Appelle Jean

So I was stewing away in my own broth, not an hour ago, when I got to thinking. Why do movies released on DVD, manufactured here in Canada, dawn the film’s name in both English and French? I’ve never really understood that.

Yes I, of all people, am aware of what it’s like to be excluded. Not matter how unintentional or deliberate it might seem or is. But, better still, I fully appreciate providing both versions of the title is the law of an officially bilingual land. 

But isn’t something as recognizable as a film’s title, on many more levels than how it’s written, its “brand?”

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F.O.D

Friday night Travis Barker, drummer of a few bands but “most famously” that of Blink 182, was involved in what I can guess was a rather serious plane crash. And at this time, well as of this morning at least, was still in critical yet stable condition.

Why do I care? Never much liking the bands he’s ever played/plays with. But he’s an individual much like any of us, who, I’ll assume, is in a great deal of pain. So en route to another point, I want to wish him all the best. He’ll need it.

Last week a friend and I were discussing musical influences on our lives. Which at first seemed like a very natural thing for me to explore. But it soon started to feel “odd.” In a sense that I, a person who grew quite used to expressing himself musically, hasn’t touched an “axe” that sits in the loneliest corner of his bedroom in a good 10 years? Then I was ever so casually reminded I look upon it each and every single day for whatever reason. And, I think, that fact alone speaks volumes about the music I listen to being such an important part of my life. And I don’t ever see that changing. Or I can’t imagine it being any different.

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The Shivers

Ever since my accident my “wiring” has been altered from how it was prior to my bump. When use the term “wiring” I’m merely referring to the manner in which my brain communicates with my body. And even more specifically I’m speaking from a physical perspective. In terms of my ability to operate the various parts of my body.

And, yes, I did, for some time, suffer from locked-in syndrome, which insured I couldn’t move voluntarily. But that didn’t mean I was a soft pile of skin and bone. Far from it. I did my fair share of moving, during that time, in the form of spasms. Often it was a reaction to something as non-threatening as a persons touch. It freaked out more than one massage therapist. That’s right, two.

I was a mess. And it hurt. Bad…

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