Philips Sonic Care Gives Good Service!

Last week, our rechargeable toothbrush for kids by Philips began vibrating very loudly and the shaft, which connects to the toothbrush heads, was coming loose.

Now I know this is not earth-shattering news, but, I figure when you encounter good service that you should acknowledge it in any way you can.  It is why I have an account with TripAdvisor, Yelp and I always send a quick e-mail when I receive particularly good or bad service.

The toothbrush cost us close to $100 and has been worth every penny.  Having had to revert to the manual toothbrushes, I can honestly say that the sonic care brushes help me to make sure that the kids teeth are as clean as they can be.  Anyways, I spoke to an client service rep. via a chat client and within 5 minutes of giving the rep. the serial number and my personal information, I was told they would send a replacement handle and it would reach us within 5-7 days!!  Now that's service!  So thank you Philips for a great product and great follow up service.

This is the second such article I have posted recently:  My last bout of adulation was for SimpleHuman.  It seems that when you go with a product which is well made to begin with, even though price may initially seem exorbitant, it actually pays off in the long run.

Hurray for consumerism!

The Last Nail and Other Goodies

 

Source: MakeUseOf.com

Dr. Duane Sewell

My wife's cousin and our friend passed away on November 26th. Duane was an ENT Surgeon and a cancer researcher, but more than this, he was gentle, brilliant, kind-hearted, a great father and, as I've written before, exemplary in every way. And this is not only the kind of praise one doles out at the death of someone...but it is heartfelt and true to the last word. Marsh and I will both miss Duane greatly.

I have appended below an obituary that appeared in the Baltimore Sun recently:



Dr. Duane Anthony Sewell, a highly regarded head and neck surgeon and researcher who was also a member of the faculty of the University of Maryland School of Medicine, died Nov. 26 of gastric cancer at his Mount Washington home.


Dr. Sewell was 44.


"I can't think of anybody who better exemplified what it means to be a physician than Duane Sewell. He combined excellent surgical and research skills, and making his patients extraordinarily comfortable," said Dr. Kevin Cullen, director of the University of Maryland Greenebaum Cancer Center.


"His illness came as a complete shock because he had been so vibrant, and it went too fast," said Dr. Cullen. "He was part of a strong team, and Duane's death is like losing your quarterback. He was a critical and revered member of the team, and now it's going to be a real challenge for his patients, care and research."


"Duane was a brilliant physician, and his brilliance I'd argue was defined by his incredible passion for his patients and a burning passion to investigate the unknown things we didn't know about the biology of cancer and how it impacts us. He was excellent in both arenas," said Dr. Mohan Suntha, associate director of the Greenebaum Cancer Center and professor of radiation oncology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.


"There has been an outpouring of emotional response to the impact of his death by his patients, colleagues and those he trained. … That will be his lasting legacy," said Dr. Suntha. "We've lost a tremendous colleague and friend. Duane's death has moved us all in a unique way. He was a man who was blessed with both intellect and curiosity."


Dr. Sewell, whose father, Dr. Trevor E. Sewell, was a psychologist and former dean of Temple University's School of Education, and whose mother, Fay Barbara Sewell, was professor of mathematics at Montgomery County Community College in Pennsylvania, was born in Milwaukee. He was 7 when he moved with his family to Abington, Pa.


After graduating from Abington High School in 1985, Dr. Sewell earned a bachelor's degree in biology in 1989 from Harvard University.


He briefly contemplated a legal career but decided to pursue medicine.


"I think Duane was driven by his desire to help people, especially underprivileged people. That was a big factor in his choosing medicine, plus he was good at science," said his wife of 15 years, Dr. Catherine Sewell, a gynecologist and faculty member at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, whom he met when both were students at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.


After graduating from medical school in 1994, Dr. Sewell completed a surgical internship at Union Memorial Hospital in 1995. He was a postdoctoral fellow in the department of otolaryngology at Johns Hopkins Hospital from 1995 to 1997.


He completed a residency in 2000 in the department of otolaryngology at Johns Hopkins Hospital and from 2000 to 2001 was a postdoctoral research fellow in the department of microbiology at the University of Pennsylvania.


From 2001 to 2002, he was a head and neck surgery fellow in the department of otolaryngology at Penn.


Before coming to the University of Maryland School of Medicine in 2007, Dr. Sewell was an assistant professor in the department of otorhinolaryngology at the University of Pennsylvania, and was also a staff surgeon at the Philadelphia Veterans Administration Medical Center.


"He was extremely soft-spoken and humble," said Dr. Cullen. "We all respected his thinking and his final word enormously. He was marvelous at unraveling extraordinarily difficult situations."


"Duane was able to balance his career and at the same time be an incredible family man. I'm willing to bet that his wife and children were the most important thing in his life, and he made his patients feel the same way," said Dr. Suntha.


"From the moment they were diagnosed with cancer, he understood the challenges of the diagnosis and wanted to make sure that the patient and their family were taken care of," he said.


"He was wonderful at calming them, and the bitter irony was that he had to deal with his own at the end of his life," said Dr. Cullen.


In an email Monday to staff members of the Greenebaum Cancer Center, Dr. Cullen wrote: "Duane's compassionate yet commanding demeanor instantly (and rightly) put all of his patients at ease, be they an ambassador with all possible privilege or a homeless person clinging to any hope. He saw them as equals and provided them the best care possible."


At the end of his life, Dr. Sewell, while technically on leave, maintained an interest in his work and research, said his wife.


He wrote many journal articles and abstracts. He also was section editor of "Comprehensive Overview of Otolaryngology," published in 2003, and was the author of several book chapters.


His professional memberships included the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, American Association of Cancer Research, American Head and Neck Society and the American Association of Immunologists.


A physically active person, Dr. Sewell was training for a triathlon when his cancer was diagnosed.


"He enjoyed camping, and reading African-American and sports history," his wife said.


He was an avid Eagles and Phillies fan.


A memorial service will be held
advertisement


Dr. Duane Anthony Sewell, a highly regarded head and neck surgeon and researcher who was also a member of the faculty of the University of Maryland School of Medicine, died Nov. 26 of gastric cancer at his Mount Washington home.


Dr. Sewell was 44.


"I can't think of anybody who better exemplified what it means to be a physician than Duane Sewell. He combined excellent surgical and research skills, and making his patients extraordinarily comfortable," said Dr. Kevin Cullen, director of the University of Maryland Greenebaum Cancer Center.


"His illness came as a complete shock because he had been so vibrant, and it went too fast," said Dr. Cullen. "He was part of a strong team, and Duane's death is like losing your quarterback. He was a critical and revered member of the team, and now it's going to be a real challenge for his patients, care and research."


"Duane was a brilliant physician, and his brilliance I'd argue was defined by his incredible passion for his patients and a burning passion to investigate the unknown things we didn't know about the biology of cancer and how it impacts us. He was excellent in both arenas," said Dr. Mohan Suntha, associate director of the Greenebaum Cancer Center and professor of radiation oncology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.


"There has been an outpouring of emotional response to the impact of his death by his patients, colleagues and those he trained. … That will be his lasting legacy," said Dr. Suntha. "We've lost a tremendous colleague and friend. Duane's death has moved us all in a unique way. He was a man who was blessed with both intellect and curiosity."


Dr. Sewell, whose father, Dr. Trevor E. Sewell, was a psychologist and former dean of Temple University's School of Education, and whose mother, Fay Barbara Sewell, was professor of mathematics at Montgomery County Community College in Pennsylvania, was born in Milwaukee. He was 7 when he moved with his family to Abington, Pa.


After graduating from Abington High School in 1985, Dr. Sewell earned a bachelor's degree in biology in 1989 from Harvard University.


He briefly contemplated a legal career but decided to pursue medicine.


"I think Duane was driven by his desire to help people, especially underprivileged people. That was a big factor in his choosing medicine, plus he was good at science," said his wife of 15 years, Dr. Catherine Sewell, a gynecologist and faculty member at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, whom he met when both were students at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.


After graduating from medical school in 1994, Dr. Sewell completed a surgical internship at Union Memorial Hospital in 1995. He was a postdoctoral fellow in the department of otolaryngology at Johns Hopkins Hospital from 1995 to 1997.


He completed a residency in 2000 in the department of otolaryngology at Johns Hopkins Hospital and from 2000 to 2001 was a postdoctoral research fellow in the department of microbiology at the University of Pennsylvania.


From 2001 to 2002, he was a head and neck surgery fellow in the department of otolaryngology at Penn.


Before coming to the University of Maryland School of Medicine in 2007, Dr. Sewell was an assistant professor in the department of otorhinolaryngology at the University of Pennsylvania, and was also a staff surgeon at the Philadelphia Veterans Administration Medical Center.


"He was extremely soft-spoken and humble," said Dr. Cullen. "We all respected his thinking and his final word enormously. He was marvelous at unraveling extraordinarily difficult situations."


"Duane was able to balance his career and at the same time be an incredible family man. I'm willing to bet that his wife and children were the most important thing in his life, and he made his patients feel the same way," said Dr. Suntha.


"From the moment they were diagnosed with cancer, he understood the challenges of the diagnosis and wanted to make sure that the patient and their family were taken care of," he said.


"He was wonderful at calming them, and the bitter irony was that he had to deal with his own at the end of his life," said Dr. Cullen.

The Missing Girls of India



Why an estimated 40 million girls have gone "missing" in India. 

simplehuman

I bought a dual recycling can from Home Outfitters made by simple human about a year ago. It is a rectangular can divided into two separate bins with their own independent lids. One side is for organic waste and the other is for cans, bottles and plastics.

It has served us well and well it should, because it cost us somewhere close to $100.00! I was feeling guilty about buying a garbage can for such an exorbitant price, but nothing quite fit the bill as this recycling can did.

Unfortunately, the lid on the left side somehow broke off last week. So off I went to the interweb to find a replacement. What I found was that the bin I have is no longer made by simple human, that there is nowhere else to look for the lid as the can carries no identifying numbers or model name. I then went to the simple human again and used the parts and service page to send an e-mail describing our recycling can.

I soon received an automated message confirming receipt of my e-mail AND on the first business day after I sent the e-mail a reply arrives saying...

Dear Zahir Paryani,

Thank you for your inquiry and we apologize for any difficulties you are experiencing with your can. We will be glad to send you that replacement lid free of charge. Please allow 7-10 business days for the delivery of your replacement part. Your order will be shipped via UPS to the address you provided on the online form. You will also receive a confirmation email when your order has been processed and shipped.

At simplehuman, we stand behind our products 100% and are working to offer the best possible service. We hope that our products can continue to serve you well for the years ahead.

Best,
Olivia

How cool is that? That, ladies and gentlemen, is customer service! Thank you simple human.

Miami Day 3

And on the third day, Zahir went to the Freedom Tower and he saw an art exhibit on the Negro Baseball League, and he saw that it was good.  He was pleased and it was well-pleasing....especially given the fact that entry to this travelling show was completely free.

The exhibit entitled, We Are The Ship: The Story of the Negro League Baseball, is a collection of about 40 portraits and other scenes referencing some of the greatest figures from the heyday of the League, whose players, it needs to be said, rivalled the White baseball league.  All of the paintings are by the talented Kadir Nelson.  The exhibit runs till January 8, 2012.

I found the colours on these canvases so very vibrant.  Nelson captures the strength and determination, the dignity and professionalism of the men of the Negro Baseball League with a uniquely identifiable style all his own.  Each painting I approached took my breath away....not just the realistic execution of the pieces but the sad back story of segregation and ultimately, due to the overwhelming skill of players like Josh Gibson and Satchel Paige, recruitment of the cream of the crop from the Negro Leagues into the Major Leagues.  My pictures do not do the paintings the justice they deserve, but I think you will still be impressed and know why I am gushing over these paintings.  Click on the pictures to have a closer look.

 The Freedom Tower

Kansas City Dugout, 2005, Oil on canvas

First Colored World Series, 2006, Oil on canvas

 Detail, First Colored World Series

Bullet Rogan, 2004, Oil on canvas

Detail, Bullet Rogan

Josh Gibson, 2006, Oil on canvas

 Martin Dihigo, 2006, Oil on Canvas

Martin Dihilgo, detail

Diz and Satch, 2004, Oil on canvas

 Detail, Diz and Satch

Groucho Marx

"Outside of a dog,” he once proclaimed, “a book is man’s best friend. Inside of a dog it’s too dark to read."

Source: More Intelligent Life

Poem by Ruth Stone

Mantra

When I am sad
I sing, remembering
the redwing blackbird’s clack.
Then I want no thing
except to turn time back
to what I had
before love made me sad.

When I forget to weep,
I hear the peeping tree toads
creeping up the bark.
Love lies asleep
and dreams that everything
is in its golden net;
and I am caught there, too,
when I forget.

Miami Day 2

In some ways today was a wash: It has rained all day and after a long first day, I awoke bleary eyed at 11 a.m. Had breakfast at a nearby iHop (all day breakfast) where the service was brisk and courteous, unlike many, many other place and locations, including the hotel I'm staying at.

I Was going to go to a place called The Freedom Tower. The tower is an exhibition venue and has a show on the Negro Baseball League. The link is a review of the exhibit by the Miami Herald.

The show, "We Are the Ship,” is by an award winning artist/illustrator--Kadir Nelson. The Miami Herald wrote, "42 breathtaking oil paintings and drawings rich with emotion fill the gallery, capture the soul and bring to life the story of professional pioneer black baseball players."

Read a lot at the hotel and napped some in the afternoon. Later, in the day...went to a street called the Miracle Mile. The area is respledent with high-end shops, valets, beautiful girls standing outside chic little stores with umbrellas in hand to assist customers to walk the 10 steps from the valet parking to the store.

I ended the day by reading and then watching a now defunct TV series called Firefly on Netflix. Tomorrow the plan is to drive downtown, catch the exhibit, then into Miami Beach, do some shopping for a gift for the kids and then hit the beach for as long as I can. Later, I will have to return the scooter and make my way back to the hotel by bus.

Miami Day 1

Last time I flew out of Toronto was a complete debacle. See my post La Floride...this time was not so hectic. U.S. Customs did not even blink at my overly Muslim looks.

Got into Miami at 9 a.m. and took shuttle to the hotel amidst all the humid-hot-chaos of Miami Airport. Something to be avoided. The hotel is everything promised on Trip Advisor (pictures to follow).

After settling-in I made a call to rent a scooter for two days with Roam Rides. This outfit had good reviews on Yelp South Beach and is the only place which rents Vespas instead of plastic scooters from China. To get to the rental location I had to take the local buses to downtown Miami and change over to another bus (the 119). No one seemed to know anything about the bus heading into South Beach. Apparently, the 119 is actually known as the "S" bus. The driver on the first bus I hopped was surly and seemed to have no clue as to what the 119 heading into South Beach was. Similarly, no one on the bus, filled with low wage working types, seemed to know what I was talking about.

Downtown Miami was filled with heart-breaking signs of the homeless and those suffering from mental illness, some nattily dressed professionals heading home and many Hispanics (recent arrivals?) who did not speak much English. Finally, a young Black woman sporting a Best Buy polo shirt explained about the 119. Another half hour on an over crowded bus brought me to Miami Beach -- a world away from Miami.

By the time I got the scooter, had a coffee at Starbucks and consulted my iPad for the best and safest route to my dinner destination, it was fully dark. I scootered my way from the Beach across the Venetian Causeway (the quietest of all the causeways bridging to Miami) and through some pretty sketchy areas of downtown Miami. Areas with no street lighting, homeless people living beneath overpasses and dead end streets. Eventually, I made my way south to Coconut Grove: An extremely well kept, brightly lit area filled with chichi stores and white tourists.

It was about 8 p.m. by this time and I was very tired, wearing shorts and t-shirt in an area with scrubbed-clean tourists on walks from their hotels to shop and dine. I stopped in on a jewellery store to ask for directions and ended up meeting a Yemeni-Jew named, Avi. More on him later. Once again, Yelp did not let me down as the Indian restaurant--Bombay Darbar--was elegant, not too pricey, the food was great and the service was excellent. I chowed down without a care in the world.

I went back to the Yemeni Jeweler (get it...Jew-eler...a play on words but not anti-semitic in nature whatsoever). Avi is a man with a lined face but not aged looking. He has a full head of greying hair and a vivacity for life which even his recent personal setbacks have not dulled. Avi had talked to me for 20 minutes, when I had asked for directions previously and had asked me to come back to the store after eating. It was Avi that made the connection from the minute I walked in....he asked, "Are you Arab?" I explained to him that my father was born in Yemen but was culturally an Indian...and so on and so forth. He specializes in make Yemeni-like jewelry and we meandered through our thoughts on Arabs, Jews, Yemenites, Iraqis, women (he was very recently divorced), Indians among other topics. I bought some silver from him as a gift for my wife and he gave me a couple of trinkets to take to the kids. And then, after consulting my ipad, I headed back to the hotel at 10 p.m.

I am unable to add pictures to the blog through my ipad, but will do so on my facebook account. I haven't edited the above...so apologies or any errors.

Plans for Miami

I'm going to Miami for 4 days of R & R on November 17th. Anyone have any ideas about what to do, see...where to eat.

Here are The places I have looked at:

Scuba diving with South Beach Divers.. This will chew up a whole day and going for the whole day with a bunch of strangers could turn out to be a bore. Plus, I only have 3 full days to RELAX.  Scuba is fun but it's not lying on the beach like a whale.

Rent scooter with Roam Rides.. They have good reviews on Yelp and considering the state of public transit from Miami to Miami Beach, might be a good investment and cheap way to get around to....the Dolphin Mall!. If you've been to this place, drop me a line.

I've also found a few well reviewed restaurants, but if you have any suggestions I'd be happy to hear from you.

And, of course, the daily trip to the beach.

Get Together with Zap

This is for Terri, Pam, Russell...I'm polling people on Facebook to see when they can meet up.
Here r the options:
November 26, December 3rd, 4th, 10th
At either 10 a.m. Or 1 p.m.
For brunch or lunch?
So far suggested only Sunset Grill by Kelsey's in Whitby....suggestions are welcome.

If I'm forgetting anyone invite them too, please.

You can reply here by leaving a comment or e-mail me.

Keep an Open Mind

Just came across an essay by Paul Graham. One of the best pieces of writing I've come across in a long time. Definitely worth a 9th or 10th reading! Here's one sentence which I've always thought was true but have never been able to put quite so succinctly: "To launch a taboo, a group has to be poised halfway between weakness and power." within the context of the article, the statement is truly eye-opening.

Here's another tidbit: "When there's something we can't say, it's often because some group doesn't want us to."

The article is about taboos in our society and how to try and truly think outside the box. Check it out.

"Small Keypad, Old Hands"

ME: Mom you can just go to the app store and get the app for you iPad
MOM:  It’s too late here
ME: What do you mean?
MOM: It’s 9pm
ME: and…
MOM: It’s 9pm SOO I will have to wait until the morning to go to the apple store!!

Source: When Parents Text

Traveling on the T.T.C. Is Killing You

Just came across a study which states that "People with a lengthy commute show an increased amount of stress, get worse sleep, and experience decreased social interaction. A commute of 45 minutes carries such a cost to well-being that economists have found you have to earn 20 percent more to make the trip worth it. Length alone isn't the source of the problem: stress rises with a commute's variability, and for transit riders it rises with the unpredictability and overcrowding of a bus or train."
The study comes at a serendipitous time: I have decided to stop using the T.T.C. Starting next month. I hate the idea of driving the car downtown with just one person traveling, but it actually ends up being cheaper than buying a monthly pass. Add the frustrations of the daily delays through mechanical failures, sick passengers, over crowding, rude T.T.C drivers and commuters, and it becomes a no-brainer.
I have signed with car-pool services online but my schedule is too unpredictable to allow me to hop in a car with somebody who would most probably want to meet up at the same time each day.
Feeling a little guilty about this, environmentally speaking, but here I am anyways.

You da Man, Reece!

Just came across a picture Seth's friend.  Ain't he a picture of happiness.

Test 2 from my iPad for pics

Why doesn't blogger have a way to post pics via iPad? More importantly, why doesn't blogger have an iPad app for posting to blogger? Just downloaded diigo, to see if I posting pics from a different browser would work any better...no luck! Very frustrating!

Test post from iPad

Just a quick test to see if this works from my iPad. First with text.

Poem by Shiv Kumar Batalvi

Mainu tera shabab lai baitha

Mainu tera shabab lai baitha,
Rang gora gulab lai baitha,
Mainu tera shabab lai baitha,
Mainu tera shabab lai baitha
Kini Piti te kini baaki eh,
Kini Piti te kini baaki eh,
Mainu eho hisaab lai baitha,
Mainu tera shabab lai baitha

Wel jad vi mili hai farza taun,

Wel jad vi mili hai farza taun,

Tere mukh di kitaab lai baitha,

Tere mukh di kitaab lai baitha

Mainu jad vi tusi ho yaad aye,

Mainu jad vi tusi ho yaad aye,

Din dihaade sharab lai baitha,

Din dihaade sharab lai baitha

Changa hunda je sawaal na poochda,
Changa hunda je sawaal na poochda,
Mainu tera jawaab lai baitha,
Mainu tera shabab lai baitha

Mainu tera shabab lai baitha,

Mainu tera shabab lai baitha.

~  Shiv Kumar Batalvi

You can hear this sung by Jagjit Singh here.

Bene Gesserit Litany Against Fear

I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.

Ik Shikra Yaar

Jagjit Singh R.I.P.

 

I have long loved the ghazals sung by the venerable Jagjit Singh.  I've never missed an opportunity to see him when he was in town.  I had been looking forward to hearing him in concert again.  Today, while listening to Maye Ni Maye, Main Ek Shikra Yaar Banaya, to assuage my own sadness, I came across a comment: "RIP, Jagjit Singh ji" below the video.  I quickly searched Google News and found the reports of the Maestro's death.  Here's a piece written by Neha Thirani for the New York Times:

Delhi “turned some of us lonelier by the day. We fell in love, suffered in love, lost our near and dear ones, made careers, or what is perceived to be a career. Our hair went gray. Emotions lost their edge.
But on some balmy night, when there was no one else to go to, we would seek refuge in Jagjit Singh’s voice. Long ago, he sang these lines of Ghalib’s: “Maut se pehle aadmi, gam se nijaat paaye kyun…” (Before death, why does man want relief from sorrow). Sitting in a metro train, when I learnt about his death, I hoped that in death my friend would be rid of life’s sorrows.”
-- NY TIMES

Do you like it or LOVE it?

"So are our smartphones addictive, medically speaking? Some psychologists suggest that using our iPhones and BlackBerrys may tap into the same associative learning pathways in the brain that make other compulsive behaviors — like gambling — so addictive. As with addiction to drugs or cigarettes or food, the chemical driver of this process is the feel-good neurotransmitter dopamine."

Source:NY Times.com

Alligators and Polo Players

"It turns out that wearing designer labels is an effective social strategy. It makes people think you have high status, and probably gives you access to better jobs and more money."

read the original article here, or the quick and free version quoted above.

Tarah's Status II

Tarah is at home tonight and her symptoms have lessened for the time being. All tests performed over the last 3 days came back negative. She will have a follow up appointment at Sick Kids with a Gastro in a week or two for an endo- and colono-scope. Hopefully, her symptoms will Be minimal while we push for an earlier date for the follow up. Thank you all for your concern and offers of help!! We're better now and will remain vigilant!

Tarah's status

Thanks for all your good wishes, guys! Many of you have asked for details....following are my messages with a nurse/friend of mine...a little too much info but im too lazy to type it all cleaned up.....

3 hours agoZahir Zap Paryani
Hey
you were asking for an update....they did some nuclear imaging thing today....blood work came back negative for infections....stool samples (still no news). Nothing showed on x-ray or imaging. Tarah continues to eat well, voiding bladder fine, but having intermittent stomach pains followed by bowel movement minus stool....mostly blood....about half a table spoon to one tablespn. no fever or nausea. hemoglobin a little low but not a concern. Next step might be a scope...although the gastro was thinking of sending her home with an antibiotic for two weeks and see if things improve. I tried to dissuade her of this since we have been dealing with this in a milder form (on and off) for 6-9 mths. WTF?

3 hours agoZahir Zap Paryani
i want them to do the scope and have an actual look...i know its invasive but....so far nothing is showing! don't want to go home and come back two days later, wondering and second guessing ourselves on whether we are over reacting.

Via Ramona Taylor

"We tend to forget that happiness doesn't come as a result of getting something we don't have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have."

- Frederick Keonig

My Goodbye Lunch

 Marcee, Rox and Denise

Krista

Matt and Michelle after one too many

Derrick and Matt mugging for the camera.

Matt and Michelle

Matt and Michelle after a cup of coffee.

Michelle, Cindy and Melani

 Michelle pointing out the obvious, Cindy trying to keep her under control and Melani.

Melani and Heather.

Denise and Jaydan.

Gord

Horsing around with Pam.

Jack and Krista.

Jen and Kelly.

Kelly being not very managerial :)

For My Wife

Come to Me


Come to me
I know we are out of sync
I know they will call it dying
but come to me anyway
I have tried to hate you with the strength
of many animals and I cannot hate you
so come to me burning
and I also will burn
come to me with ancient music and I will be a snake
writhing with my many wrists
each one more undulant than your long hair
o I still have nights and nights of you
all queued up in the thirst of a single slave
to work out
come to me with snow and I will promise
to be red in it
come to me unique and I will match you
stare for stare
come to me in greek in spanish in french in hebrew
and I will sing that I found you
because I overthrew reason
because I live in the wreck of my senses
by wish and magic
like a roc in the ruins of its egg
come to me dancing
that dark bacchanal of your kiss
so wet on my lips for days I will not want
drugs or water
just your own sea broken like a sheet of lightning
on your thigh so sensual
come to me because we will arrive
anyway at each other
because it has been many lives
and each time we touch
great forces
are again able to move
come to me cruel and lovely
because I am abandon
because I am silver
because a million years
you have suffered
and know at last how to be free


-- Robert Priest

apane hi kuun ke dariya mein nahaane nikale

And you call yourself a Muslim? 

From Reuters: July 18 - The Pakistan Taliban releases a video, posted on Liveleak.com, showing masked militants...shooting more than a dozen Pakistani security personnel in firing-squad style in the northwest part of the country last month. WARNING GRAPHIC IMAGES.

By what stretch of whose imagination could this be considered" in the service of God?"  Surely, God is sitting shamefaced, with his head in his hands, for these supposed followers of His will.  Silly men with toys can be dangrous sometimes.

It seems that some people will happily step out to bathe in a sea of their own brother's blood.

 

A New Beginning?

Okay, people! I have decided to return to blogging. I have been struggling and ignoring the blog for quite some time now. I'm going to start safely tell you that I am moving workplaces from Durham Mental Health Services to Surrey Place Centre in Toronto. So, all you lurkers and what-nots, come and find me...I dare you!

Surrey Place is a new beginning of sorts: Six years ago I left the Griffin Centre's Crisis Network for Durham and was already familiar with Surrey Place and some of the staff working there at the time. At Griffin I was doing crisis case management with developmentally delayed and dual-diagnosed clients. Surrey Place (SP) will give me an opportunity to exercise some of those same skills again.

The bonus is I will be better paid (important, though no one seems to talk about this elephant in the room) and there are some familiar faces (even friends) at SP and the other agencies in the developmental services sector. It is a homecoming of sorts for me.

I'm very excited for the (soon to come) arrival but am also saddened by the (almost) departure. Today, I reconnected a client to a therapist he had walked away from nine months ago. Among other things discussed, his therapist discussed the importance of saying goodbye appropriately; about how I have been with this client through many hoops and over many hurdles. There have been a ton of changes and some definite successes. And it was sad to have to say goodbye to him, there is so much still to be done and it's all very much, given time, achievable and do-able. Letting go is not easy for me.

Nevertheless, the moment arrives. We shake hands, a few words exchanged. He says, "You're the best worker in the whole world!" And I say, "You've done a lot of great work and I'm sure that you will get lots done (with your new worker)." Words seem to let people down and lingering, waiting for the right phrase/sentiment to come, seems so awkward. So we shake hands, I give him a hug and say, "Be well." And drive away feeling the pain of loss, try to re-focus on the present moment and put up my work shield.

Now we're both grown up a little.

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Loving You Is Killing Me - Aloe Blacc

LOVE THIS! Thanks, Lisa!

D. H. Lawrence Says

"A woman unsatisfied must have luxuries. But a woman who loves a man would sleep on a board."


"A woman has to live her life, or live to repent not having lived it."


"The world is supposed to be full of possibilities, but they narrow down to pretty few in most personal experience. There’s lots of good fish in the sea...maybe...but the vast masses seem to be mackerel or herring, and if you’re not mackerel or herring yourself you are likely to find very few good fish in the sea."

"One must learn to love, and go through a good deal of suffering to get to it, and the journey is always towards the other soul."

Filipino Names

Fun article on the Filipino penchant for wacky nicknames:

"On my first day in Manila, I walked down to the local cafe and was served by a smiling young girl who wore a name badge entitled BumBum."

Readings

I seem to read, at random, books that seem to be closely allied: A while back I read "A Long Way Home: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier." Recently, I finished Alexandra Fuller's, "Scribbling the Cat: Travels with an African Soldier." Fuller's book is beautifully written and is a journey into the history of a man known to the reader only as "K," who also happens to be an ex-soldier of the conflicts in Southern Africa. His tale is heart breaking and told unflinchingly in vivid colour by Fuller. There is a problem with this memoir: In order to get "K" to open up to her Fuller allows K to think that she is as "in love" with him as he is with her. It is never clear whether Fuller was unhappy with her husband in the U.S., in love with K, or merely allowing K to think that she is the one for him in order to coax his story out of him. She does, however, have the decency to cover K's true identity by not naming him in this book. Well worth a read despite my moral hand wringing.

I have also been reading a work of science fiction by Jack McDevitt called "The Engines of God." The first and last book that I read by McDevitt was also in the series of "Priscilla Hutchins Novels." I normally avoid multiple novels held together by a repeating character because they, in my experience, end up being rehashes of the initial successful novel even if ably written. Having said that, if all you want is a good romp (read) than this book will do the trick. Like his other novel ("Chindi")which I read previously, "The Engines of God," was a repetition of the archaelogical-space-mystery-adventure which I had experienced before...I may yet give another one of McDevitt's books a try as he has some powerful reviewers on his side.

Lastly, I have just picked up M.G. Vassanji's, "A Place Within." It is a travelogue by this Tanzanian born, Ismaili writer who goes to India, his ancestral homeland, to discover....well, I'm not sure as I haven't read the book yet. Nevertheless, you can't go wrong with Vassanji -- a two-time winner of The Giller Prize and winner of the Governor General's Award too!

Raghu Dixit "No Man Will Ever Love You, Like I Do" LIVE on BBC Later Wit...

Snow Patrol

Narayanan Krishnan

Shab-E-Gham ae Mere Allah

Shab-e-gham ae mere allah basar bhi hogi
raat hi raat rahegi ke saher bhi hogi

maiN ye sunta hooN ke wo duniya ki khabar rakhte haiN
jo ye sach hai to unhe meri khabar bhi hogi

chaiN milne se hai unke na juda rehne se
aakhir ae ishq kisi tarha basar bhi hogi


Jagjit and Chitra Singh
Album: Your Choice
Lyrics : Seemab

Listen to this ghazal