Well fall has really arrived. The leaves here are quickly changing color...and all falling off. And it seems to be happening very quickly. We've had beautiful weather so far this month - much warmer than usual. This week it's supposed to get up to almost 90 again (31). Yay! But even though I'm sure it'll be getting cold soon enough, I've decided fall is pretty great. The leaves changing are beautiful, as are the cool days (especially when you live in a desert-y area like Calgary, so it's nearly always sunny) - and then at the end of it is my birthday, Dave's birthday, and Christmas! (not in that order). Plus, I might be able to get 2 thanksgivings this year - the benefit of being an American living in Canada. Though I must say, American Thanksgiving is far superior to Canadian. Sorry, Canada, it's true. That's what you get for putting it on a Monday.
I also have new things to look forward to. I'm starting a 4-week women's squash club at Mount Royal College/University(?) on Wednesday, which is also when I'll start driving to work. I'm also starting an interior design continuing ed class at UofC starting in October. yay!
Anyone else have anything new and/or exciting planned for the fall?
Monday, September 21, 2009
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Free thought, anyone?
This week's quote of the week is brought to you by Shanneen Barron of Colorado, on hearing that Obama would be delivering a back-to-school speech to students: "Thinking about my kids in school having to listen to that just really upsets me. I'm an American. They are Americans, and I don't feel that's OK. I feel very scared to be in this country with our leadership right now"
This quote is a real roller coaster of emotions for me.
First, there is laughter. What does that part in the middle about being American even mean? Am I the only one who thinks that's hilarious? Then there's confusion - wait, what is she actually trying to say by that? Then there's disbelief - did she say that she's *scared* to be in the US with Obama as president? Then there's irritation.
And finally there's depression. Are people in our country so scared of ideas that are different from their own that they would keep them from their children? If this were a question of showing something obscene or of questionable morality to elementary-age children, I could understand the uproar. But this is a speech from our president. Cause guess what - even if you didn't vote for him, he's still your president (same as when W was OUR president for 8 years - like it or not - and trust me, living abroad for 5 of those 8 years was a 'not like').
Now a lot of people would say that it goes both ways - that crazy liberals would have the same reaction if, for example, a similar speech by W had been broadcast on the first day of school last year, but I don't think so. What do you think? (see, cause I - whom many conservatives I'm sure would call a liberal socialist [I'm 1/2 Canadian - it's in my blood ha] am open to ideas other than my own)
This quote is a real roller coaster of emotions for me.
First, there is laughter. What does that part in the middle about being American even mean? Am I the only one who thinks that's hilarious? Then there's confusion - wait, what is she actually trying to say by that? Then there's disbelief - did she say that she's *scared* to be in the US with Obama as president? Then there's irritation.
And finally there's depression. Are people in our country so scared of ideas that are different from their own that they would keep them from their children? If this were a question of showing something obscene or of questionable morality to elementary-age children, I could understand the uproar. But this is a speech from our president. Cause guess what - even if you didn't vote for him, he's still your president (same as when W was OUR president for 8 years - like it or not - and trust me, living abroad for 5 of those 8 years was a 'not like').
Now a lot of people would say that it goes both ways - that crazy liberals would have the same reaction if, for example, a similar speech by W had been broadcast on the first day of school last year, but I don't think so. What do you think? (see, cause I - whom many conservatives I'm sure would call a liberal socialist [I'm 1/2 Canadian - it's in my blood ha] am open to ideas other than my own)
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