And Happy 4/20!

One of my goals for my time house sitting was to clean up and organize my files. This image from 2007 was a nice find - one I had forgotten about.

“Time will explain.” - Jane Austen

I brought some books to house sit, but I really didn’t need to as there are many, MANY books on every wall in this house. I picked up this one on the first day and finished it yesterday. A great read for many reasons. I learned about where so many of our household terms and practices come from.

But, perhaps, more interesting is realizing how far we’ve come in such a relatively short time (250 years). And how ridiculous some of our practices and beliefs look now with some perspective. At the same time, it’s stunning how some things really haven’t changed.

An example:

The Reverend Thomas Robert Malthus, whose “Essay on the Principle of Population as It Affects the Future Improvements of Society” which became resoundingly influential wrote, “Even when they have an opportunity of saving, they (the poor) seldom exercise it for all that is beyond their present necessities goes, generally speaking, to the alehouse.”

This was during a time when average life expectancy was 18.5 years and children were put to work as early as 4. “As ever, those who suffered most were the youngest, yet their welfare and safety excited remarkably scant attention.”

Makes me wonder how we will look back at our present world many years down the road?

P.S. If you’re going to use a book to support an argument, READ IT! I’ve had a number of discussions lately about books where the person “quoting” the book, after some questioning, has admitted they didn’t actually read it. Instead, they simply “know” what someone else has cherry-picked and interpreted about the book. The irony is these same people often complain about bias. But if you want to avoid bias, the best way to do so is to read the book yourself.

I don’t get a chance to shoot the big(ger) city lights very often so I thought I better take advantage of the opportunity.

“I walked a mile in your shoes/ Now I’m a mile away/ And I’ve got your shoes” - Kings of Leon

I’m a big believer in the idea that the best way to understand how others can see things so differently is by putting yourself in their situation. Which is one of the reasons I decided to house/cat sit alone in Guelph this week (that, and Stacey has been after me to let her have some alone time in our house for a while now. Something I fairly regularly get).

Although it’s only been three days, I’ve already noticed a few things:

- being alone in a city actually feels much more isolated than being alone in the country. I guess it’s because I can see and hear so many people, but few, if any, acknowledge my existence.

- Which makes me feel a little ghost-like. No one knows I’m here, who I am or what I’m doing. And if they do see me, it’s only for brief glimpses and in passing. This near invisibility can be very freeing.

- But I can also see how it could feel depressing. And could also lead to some very self-indulgent thoughts, mainly because there is no one else (except the cats) that I have to negotiate with or make room for.

- I can also see how this isolation could lead to anger at the world. Especially when so much interaction then comes through social media.

It makes me thankful for the friends and family, that are normally close by, who are willing to do things with me at the drop of a hat. But who also understand when I need my alone time. The best of both worlds.

Time to go sunbathe on the back deck with the cats.

Happy Sunday!

Spending a week on my own cat/house sitting for some friends.  Went for a big walk around the downtown to get my bearings this morning. 

Anyone recognize where I am?

Posting this photo taken during our family trip to Costa Rica in January with the hopes that it will inspire the sun to show itself a little more around here soon.  I’m feeling a little ghost-like.

Good News! (for some) - I’ve decided, unless directly asked for my opinion, I will no longer be talking about or commenting on anything political in nature on social media. The main reason being that there seem to be very few who actually want to discuss what their preferred candidate stands for and, instead, simply want to spread fear (and sometimes misinformation) about the candidate they dislike.

And this strategy has a tendency to paint things as either blue or red, when the reality is they are many different shades of purple. It also puts the focus on the past and future, while the present is what matters most. And when I am able to stay in the present, my life is much better than when I get hung up on the future or the past - which, of course, are not “real.”

However, I will continue to talk about things that I know and things that I believe are important. Media literacy being the main one.

So here’s today’s #MediaMonday moment - As you traverse the political landscape, try to stay focussed on your reality, not someone else’s. Because if you get your information from the media (and by this I mean ALL media - MSM/legacy media, public broadcasters, alternative media, social media, memes, etc.) as everyone does, rather than through personal experience and knowledge, then the media, rather than you yourself, are constructing your reality. 

 And it is clear that there are at least 2 very different realities in our country right now (which, to me, proves this concept to be true). 

The best way to counter this is to have more direct experience with things. Or to talk to people who have direct experience. If you’re concerned about homelessness, go and talk to a homeless person and get their perspective. If you’re wondering how small business has changed since Covid, go and ask a small business owner their thoughts. If you think Canada is “broken”, travel the world (And no, I don’t mean cruises or resorts. Nothing wrong with these for vacations, they just aren’t really experiencing another country) to see how things compare. 

 Not only will you have a better personal understanding that is based more on reality, but you might also learn that things aren’t as bad as media are designed to portray.

May we all find peace of mind!

“Prepare for Take Off” (click on photo for larger version) My first official post of my beginning again is this black and white image I took outside Pearson airport in Toronto almost exactly a year ago.

“I sound my barbaric YAWP over the roofs of the world!”

Thank Buddha I know I can begin again in every moment as I’m beginning again…again.  As I’m now much happier with the design of this website (if you haven’t had a look around, please do) and because I have so much writing and photos and video and other stuff I want to share, I want this to be the home for Good Noise.  It should have been long ago, but I too often neglect it.  But not anymore.  From now on, I’m going to post here first and share to my social media (I’m writing this so I’m committed) and my newsletter (coming soon).  My main reason for doing so is to remove myself a little from social media.  I also have more control and I can possibly reap some reward.  It feels a little like I’m leaving the giant mall and reopening in a corner store.  So, If you’re reading this, thank you for stopping by.  If you’d like to join my mailing list, you can do so here.  And if you enjoy what you see, please tell your friends and family.  And share.

UPDATE - my temporary membership at the co-op ended much sooner than I had hoped.  Currently looking for another home for my art.

I’m super excited (my family would argue that’s not possible) to announce that I am now a temporary member of the Owen Sound Artists’ Co-op located in the McKay building in downtown Owen Sound.  This has been a goal of mine since I was first a guest artist many years ago now for a number of reasons:

- When asked, “Where can I see some of your work?” I now have an answer other than “In my basement.”

- Having always struggled calling myself an “Artist” this reaffirms that I now must be one.

- As those of you who know my politics, I believe co-ops are a much fairer and more community-focused way of doing things.  And I believe they are the way of the future.

- As someone who has defended downtown Owen Sound for a long time, I am happy that I now get to be part of it.  Both having my art there, but also that I get to work there occasionally.

Today is my first opportunity to do so.  So if you are downtown Owen Sound between 1 and 5 today, feel free to stop in and say hi.  And if you want to see and purchase some of my work, which currently includes large framed, canvas and acrylic prints, books and loose, unframed prints, my work is in the back corner by the food.

Hope to see you there.  Your support of what I do is much appreciated.

The Co-op homepage and my bio can be found here.