There was an article in the Winnipeg Sun on Wednesday this past week, and I don't know a single person that's read it that didn't finish it with a fairly strong opinion. It was written by Floyd Perras, the director of Siloam Mission here in Winnipeg. In it he refers to a situation that took place at the Health Sciences Centre in 2008, where a homeless, double amputee named Brian Sinclair died waiting for longer than 30 hours in the Emergency department. Mr. Sinclair was sent alone by taxi from a community health centre to present himself at HSC concerning a blocked catheter that required changing. On arrival he may or may not have presented himself to triage, as he was never registered as a patient waiting for medical attention. After more than a day, unable to void his bladder, he died in his wheelchair in the ER waiting room of a bladder infection that spread to his bloodstream. The resulting furor has been going on nearly 4 years. His family has brought legal action against the Health Sciences Centre, the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority, and the province of Manitoba, going so far as attempting to have the HSC ER declared a "public nuisance" and suggesting in their lawsuit it should be shut down (a move I felt stole an enormous amount of credibility from their grievance). No final legal decisions have been made, but the province in now seeking to dismiss the lawsuit after paying Sinclair's family approximately $110,000 for "loss of care, guidance and companionship for his wrongful death." They are still seeking $1.6 million.
There is no question that this incident warranted investigation and corrective measures. As the only hospital in the core area of Winnipeg, HSC is presented with unique challenges and opportunities in its delivery of care, and must remain vigilant and consistent in providing it. I am given to understand in the wake of Mr. Sinclair's death that the ER has taken measures to ensure this kind of oversight doesn't occur again, and has improved their triage process to ensure all who are waiting for care are accounted for.
Many including myself, have found it somewhat baffling that his family have appeared to be such tireless champions for Mr. Sinclair and his cause following his death, given that he was homeless in life, and spent over a day in ER all alone. Where were any of them when he was alive and really needed an advocate? There's no way I would allow any of my loved ones to sit in an emergency room alone, and certainly not for anywhere near that length of time without exploring other options. His family suggests that he had a speech impediment that made communication difficult. Why was he put in a taxi alone from the community health centre then? If they suspected he was incapable of triaging himself, they had no business sending him alone, without at least a telephoned report to the ER prior to his arrival. The ball was dropped by many people in Mr. Sinclair's life it would seem, far before he turned up at the hospital. Mr. Sinclair's family claim they persist in their legal efforts to "find out the truth about what happened to him" and that "he's going to leave something behind to this city, and that's a better health system". I would ask how them getting a substantial pay day provides them with any further details about Mr. Sinclair's death than were provided to them by the medical examiner, or improves the health system by taking money out of it. How does shutting down the only ER in the core area make for a "better health system"? With many accessing ER for routine medical care, where does the family expect people to go instead? Do they plan to donate the proceeds of the lawsuit (should they be awarded them) to aboriginal or homeless causes that would improve the health of these demographics? If they do, they certainly haven't mentioned it publicly. If changes have been made and processes improved, what more are they really hoping for in terms of "ensuring this never happens again"?
The article written by Mr. Perras was an incredibly glib, underinformed, and self-satisfied interpretation of these complex events, and attempts to lay blame solely at the feet of racism and discrimination. While this would be an easy explanation, it in no way represents the truth. Mr. Perras claims that "ER staff prioritize homeless people to the bottom of the list. If they are aboriginal, they can be put even lower on the list. They've learned that if you make a person wait and wait, they will eventually go away." Firstly, anyone who has so much as walked past the ER waiting room at HSC would find it easy to see that the majority of the people being served there are aboriginal, and many would appear to be homeless, or at least from less than ideal living situations. It's a fair assumption that HSC provides care to more people of these demographics than any other hospital in Winnipeg. Mr. Perras also takes issue with wait times. "A simple data base could remind intake staff of how long people have waited for help. Perhaps after 6-8 hours, they automatically go to the front of the line." Well Mr. Perras, HSC is designated as the trauma centre for Manitoba, northwestern Ontario and Nunavut. This means that ER staff there deal with life-threatening injuries on a daily basis and prioritize their slate based on the seriousness of cases, not race or socioeconomic status. This means that if you utilize the ER as a family doctor or walk-in clinic, you can expect to wait behind those who have been hit by cars, who've been stabbed, shot, assulted, or who have suffered major burns. This is how it should be. Imagine the hospital trying to explain to a family that their loved one bled to death while the staff tended to a headache simply because that headache waited longer. Staff know how long people have been waiting, and they don't like it any better than the patients. The goal of ER staff is to see an empty waiting room, and patients receiving timely attention, not just outwaiting sick people in the hopes they'll "go away". This is not why those who take on the massively stressful task of ER work do what they do. They aren't in the back room drinking coffee and watching daytime TV thinking "20 more minutes and I'm sure they'll all give up." They are on their feet for hours and hours, saving lives, and dealing with untenable situations every day that the rest of us couldn't even begin to imagine.
If Mr. Perras would like to take issue with how he believes aboriginals and homeless people are discriminated against by the health system, I say people in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. His own organization categorically refuses shelter to those who appear intoxicated or who may be under the influence of drugs. As substance abuse and addiction are understood to be a prevalent issue amongst homeless and/or aboriginal people, and addiction undoubtedly makes them even more vulnerable, I would ask Mr. Perras who's really deprioritizing the homeless? And according to the Siloam Mission website, every single one of their beliefs and values centres heavily on the Christian faith and emphasizes that "without a faith commitment to Jesus Christ, the future is one of eternal separation from God and all that is good", which I am given to understand is not a philosophy in line with traditional aboriginal spirituality. If Siloam Mission disapproves of how one of the resources utilized by the aboriginal homeless is treating them, perhaps they as a resource should be making greater efforts to pick up the perceived slack and be more inclusive. I certainly respect Siloam Mission's right to operate their organization as they see fit, but in doing so, they are alienating or outrightly barring a large percentage of those that need help, while criticizing HSC for allegedly the same thing. Perhaps a little self-reflection and fact checking would have done Mr. Perras some good prior to writing his article, as it certainly wasn't a good vehicle for organizational promotion published as it was.
Thank you for reading and have a well-informed week :)
*none of the preceding represents the views or opinions of HSC, the WRHA or the province of Manitoba*
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Monday, February 20, 2012
Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes
WCCNEP graduation was Friday, and I am pleased to report, lasted only an hour! I spent most of the day with a strange, disbelieve-y feeling, like I couldn't believe it was finally over. Sometimes at the end of a journey, people look back and talk about how the time flew by. I will not be doing that. This was the longest, unhappiest, most difficult 6 months of my life. It caused me more self-doubt and anxiety than anything I've ever experienced in my life. And it's over. I made it. And no one is more surprised about that than me. I think it's easy (and nice!) for other people to say "Oh, I always knew you could do it", but from the inside, and as the person trying to do it, I wasn't so sure. I had weeks where I was scheduled for 6 shifts, or 72 hours. I had a stretch of 12 days where I only got 2 (non-consecutive) days off. I just kept slagging through and eventually came out the other side. I have truly no idea how. I want to take a moment to recognize a few people, without whom I wouldn't have been able to make it. Firstly to my parents, your faith in me and your willingness to listen through hours and hours of whining and crying....I couldn't have done without it. Amber, your sympathy and attempts to share in my outrage in what was required to finish this monstrosity were a constant source of comfort. Mike, your realism and listening skills will never be forgotten. And for showing up for another of my graduations :) Jaime, your constant positive reinforcement and enthusiasm got me through several hard days and weeks. And my preceptors, Jill and Kevin. Jill, your pragmatism, thoroughness and oodles of experience are things I will take with me the rest of my career. And Kevin, you really fostered my independence and built my confidence when I needed that most. I really appreciated that during the grad speeches that one of the speakers acknowledged our friends and families. I can't imagine I (or any of us really) would have made it without them.
Needless to say, after this past week was over, and a celebratory dinner was had, I was thoroughly exhausted. I spent the entirety of Saturday and Sunday at home, cleaning, crafting (I know right?!) and watching the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. I can't explain it outside of the fact that I'm a dog person, but I LOVE watching it every year. I love that it's still this spectacle of good manners and refinement and that they haven't resorted to putting sunglasses on the dogs and having them trotted out by Hooters girls to improve ratings or some such hot nonsense. It always leaves me feeling like I want another dog, we were always dog people growing up, and while I have a cat, I am in no way a "cat person". Anyways, here are the ones that this year's show made me feel like I want:
I don't care what anyone says, I'm beyond excited we are in an Olympic year again :) The Olympics are like my Christmas, or Super Bowl, or March Madness. If I had enough seniority to take my holidays around the Olympics (summer or winter) that's what I'd do. I'd so not wild about the logo they chose though, it looks kind of 80's. Like if Jem and the Holograms were asked to commission a logo....
I can't help but notice that since Will Forte left SNL, he hasn't done a damn thing. And SNL is worse off for him not being there. If Bill Hader ever leaves, I might just give up on it altogether.
Needless to say, after this past week was over, and a celebratory dinner was had, I was thoroughly exhausted. I spent the entirety of Saturday and Sunday at home, cleaning, crafting (I know right?!) and watching the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. I can't explain it outside of the fact that I'm a dog person, but I LOVE watching it every year. I love that it's still this spectacle of good manners and refinement and that they haven't resorted to putting sunglasses on the dogs and having them trotted out by Hooters girls to improve ratings or some such hot nonsense. It always leaves me feeling like I want another dog, we were always dog people growing up, and while I have a cat, I am in no way a "cat person". Anyways, here are the ones that this year's show made me feel like I want:
And most of all......
I don't care what anyone says, I'm beyond excited we are in an Olympic year again :) The Olympics are like my Christmas, or Super Bowl, or March Madness. If I had enough seniority to take my holidays around the Olympics (summer or winter) that's what I'd do. I'd so not wild about the logo they chose though, it looks kind of 80's. Like if Jem and the Holograms were asked to commission a logo....
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Sigh.
The longer I do the job that I do, and the longer I am around simply as a human being, the more I wonder how people can do such terrible things to each other. I have not become desensitized to it like people assume you will be working in the medical field, and in some ways I find it harder to stomach now than I used to. Maybe because I'm exposed to it more directly. Maybe because I've been in ICU some weeks now, and I've seen people die from the brutality meted out to them by others, sometimes by their own flesh and blood.
About 2 weeks ago, the 1st murder of the year in Winnipeg was committed. Sadly, people were quite surprised it took til the 23rd of January for it to happen. It happened 2 apartments directly below mine, when a man took it upon himself to beat and stab his wife to death. They were new immigrants to Canada from Eritrea, and had only been here about 5 months. The person this woman had been to hell and back with, who she had tried so long to build a new future with, who she should have been able to trust inherently, was the person that took everything from her.
Then last week, in Winnipeg's 2nd homicide of the year, a 29 year old man got into an argument with 3 other men at his residence. 2 of them left for a time, only to return with knives and stab him repeatedly, and ultimately, fatally. According to news reports, the accused are only being charged with second-degree murder, not first. While I've always been vaguely aware that first-degree murder entails an element of pre-meditation, I decided to find out the difference. According to the Criminal Code of Canada, first-degree murder is "planned and deliberate" whereas second-degree is "more likely spur of the moment". The 2 accused in this case left the home, giving themselves ample time to cool down and consider their course of action, and the course of action they chose was to return with knives. In what way is this NOT "planned and deliberate"??? As someone pointed out to me today, perhaps the police feel their chance of getting a conviction on second-degree murder is better than taking their chances trying for first-degree. If that is in fact the case, I guess some conviction is better than none at all, but it's unfortunate the legal system is so inefficient as to tie the police's hands this way.
Anyways, onto frothier things....
I love wearing scarves, and this girl is cute as a button. Enjoy :)
My sister and I were discussing Paula Deen's announcing that she has type 2 diabetes a few weeks back, and how everyone seems to think she was obligated to announce this news sooner, and in some cases, that she should have completely overhauled her way of cooking the very minute she found out about her diagnosis. She's also being criticized by many, (including a usual personal favorite of mine, Anthony Bourdain), for signing on with a drug company to represent an anti-diabetic medication. Firstly, I think her health is her own damn business, and no one else's. I don't think she has an obligation as a public figure to disclose what is very personal and life-changing information the moment she finds out. If people who claim to be such huge fans of hers (who are now feeling SO betrayed that she kept this to herself) didn't realize the way she cooks isn't conducive to a long and healthy life, well perhaps they should have taken their heads out of their asses sooner. Her high-fat, high-calorie cooking has been the butt of obvious jokes for years, and it's common knowledge it's not exactly good for you. To the people who think she should change the cooking she presents on TV, in books and in magazines, I say B.S. There are umpteen dozen food personalities out there who cook lighter, and make over high fat recipes, but Paula Deen built her brand on her particular style of cooking, and there are few others out there doing the same thing. She's never come out and said her cooking is how people should be eating every meal of every day. In terms of her representing a drug company, is anyone surprised in the least that a celebrity jumped at a timely opportunity to line their own pockets? I think not. At least it's a treatment she herself actually (allegedly) uses. I doubt very much that Denis Leary actually drives a shitty Ford truck, or that Jennifer Lopez uses a drugstore razor. As for Anthony Bourdain implying that she somehow is giving people diabetes and then profiting off of their requiring treatment for it, I call shenanigans on that too. People should be accountable for their own decisions about what they feed themselves, and how they treat their bodies. Paula Deen is not responsible for anyone else's health. The American (and sadly frequently Canadian) mindset is to try to offload blame for any and all of life's ills onto someone/something/the government, claiming ignorance/naivety/etc. This victimized way of thinking is underselling us as a free-thinking, free-willed people with open access to information. We are all responsible for ourselves and our choices.
Now just to to finish off on a lighter note:
Oh and to those of you wondering, less than 2 weeks left in this 6 month nursing boot camp I voluntarily signed on for!!! What was I thinking??!?!! Hahahahahaha!!!
Thank you for reading, and have a wonderful and well-informed week :)
"In the midst of winter, I found there was, within myself, an invincible summer" - Albert Camus
About 2 weeks ago, the 1st murder of the year in Winnipeg was committed. Sadly, people were quite surprised it took til the 23rd of January for it to happen. It happened 2 apartments directly below mine, when a man took it upon himself to beat and stab his wife to death. They were new immigrants to Canada from Eritrea, and had only been here about 5 months. The person this woman had been to hell and back with, who she had tried so long to build a new future with, who she should have been able to trust inherently, was the person that took everything from her.
Then last week, in Winnipeg's 2nd homicide of the year, a 29 year old man got into an argument with 3 other men at his residence. 2 of them left for a time, only to return with knives and stab him repeatedly, and ultimately, fatally. According to news reports, the accused are only being charged with second-degree murder, not first. While I've always been vaguely aware that first-degree murder entails an element of pre-meditation, I decided to find out the difference. According to the Criminal Code of Canada, first-degree murder is "planned and deliberate" whereas second-degree is "more likely spur of the moment". The 2 accused in this case left the home, giving themselves ample time to cool down and consider their course of action, and the course of action they chose was to return with knives. In what way is this NOT "planned and deliberate"??? As someone pointed out to me today, perhaps the police feel their chance of getting a conviction on second-degree murder is better than taking their chances trying for first-degree. If that is in fact the case, I guess some conviction is better than none at all, but it's unfortunate the legal system is so inefficient as to tie the police's hands this way.
Anyways, onto frothier things....
I love wearing scarves, and this girl is cute as a button. Enjoy :)
My sister and I were discussing Paula Deen's announcing that she has type 2 diabetes a few weeks back, and how everyone seems to think she was obligated to announce this news sooner, and in some cases, that she should have completely overhauled her way of cooking the very minute she found out about her diagnosis. She's also being criticized by many, (including a usual personal favorite of mine, Anthony Bourdain), for signing on with a drug company to represent an anti-diabetic medication. Firstly, I think her health is her own damn business, and no one else's. I don't think she has an obligation as a public figure to disclose what is very personal and life-changing information the moment she finds out. If people who claim to be such huge fans of hers (who are now feeling SO betrayed that she kept this to herself) didn't realize the way she cooks isn't conducive to a long and healthy life, well perhaps they should have taken their heads out of their asses sooner. Her high-fat, high-calorie cooking has been the butt of obvious jokes for years, and it's common knowledge it's not exactly good for you. To the people who think she should change the cooking she presents on TV, in books and in magazines, I say B.S. There are umpteen dozen food personalities out there who cook lighter, and make over high fat recipes, but Paula Deen built her brand on her particular style of cooking, and there are few others out there doing the same thing. She's never come out and said her cooking is how people should be eating every meal of every day. In terms of her representing a drug company, is anyone surprised in the least that a celebrity jumped at a timely opportunity to line their own pockets? I think not. At least it's a treatment she herself actually (allegedly) uses. I doubt very much that Denis Leary actually drives a shitty Ford truck, or that Jennifer Lopez uses a drugstore razor. As for Anthony Bourdain implying that she somehow is giving people diabetes and then profiting off of their requiring treatment for it, I call shenanigans on that too. People should be accountable for their own decisions about what they feed themselves, and how they treat their bodies. Paula Deen is not responsible for anyone else's health. The American (and sadly frequently Canadian) mindset is to try to offload blame for any and all of life's ills onto someone/something/the government, claiming ignorance/naivety/etc. This victimized way of thinking is underselling us as a free-thinking, free-willed people with open access to information. We are all responsible for ourselves and our choices.
Now just to to finish off on a lighter note:
Oh and to those of you wondering, less than 2 weeks left in this 6 month nursing boot camp I voluntarily signed on for!!! What was I thinking??!?!! Hahahahahaha!!!
Thank you for reading, and have a wonderful and well-informed week :)
"In the midst of winter, I found there was, within myself, an invincible summer" - Albert Camus
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Trivial gripes of little substance
Dear Jennifer Hudson,
If there's something you're up to besides talking about your body and/or Weight Watchers, we would all love to see/hear it. Otherwise.....ummmm.....we get it. You weigh less now than you used to. Good on you. But you've won an Oscar and the top-of-mind thing anyone knows about you now is that you went on a diet. It may be time to move on.
Sincerely,
Everyone routinely exposed to mainstream media
I was super sad to find out today that Heidi Klum and Seal are filing for divorce. I mean yeeeeesh. If there was ever a couple you were sure would make it, it was those 2. He adopted one of her kids! What happens to that now??
There's been chitter chatter going on here in Winnipeg about one of the Winnipeg Jets skipping out on his cheques at a number of city restaurants, and not tipping even when his bill IS comped. If this is true, it's obviously an inexcusable dick move. It seems like the people who expect/get the most for free are the people who least need it. However, this is not the point of what I want to say. In the backlash against this individual (on Facebook anyways), people are super pissed because it "shows a lack of respect for the city" and are continually pointing out that "he's the one who never wanted to come to Winnipeg in the first place" and "maybe he's trying to get traded since he hates this city so much" and "Teemu Selanne would never do anything like that!". Ladies and gentleman, the kid is 20 years old, with clearly more money than brains, and enjoying a fairly high level of professional success. He's only been playing a couple of years, and if he didn't want to come to Winnipeg, who could blame him?? Winnipegers bitch and complain about this city ALL the time but God forbid anyone else do it! If I was a 20 year old kid making bank like that, I wouldn't want to leave Atlanta either!! Nicer weather, bigger market, less scrutiny. Winnipeg has a completely (and nearly insufferable at times) small town mentality. Evander Kane isn't Teemu Selanne and never will be. That glorious man (apart from being the only Finnish person I could ever like), is a once-in-a-lifetime find. Trying to do a side-by-side comparison is silly.
I went to my first movie of 2012 today, and saw Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. It was really, really good. Really, really graphic, but tense and well done throughout (maaaaaybe a titch long?). I find Rooney Mara vaguely unlikeable in interviews, but there's no denying this was a tour de force performance. Even Daniel Craig, perhaps one of the most uneven and inconsistent actors working today, turns in something pretty great. Go see it. Apparently if it doesn't do a little better revenue-wise, they won't bother making the sequels :(
The Charles Barkley SNL a couple of weeks ago may very well be one of the best and most solid all the way through episodes of that show I've ever seen. Barkley can't speak at a normal tempo or read a teleprompter and I for one find it hilarious. The Daniel Radcliffe episode that followed the week after (the Lana del Rey performance notwithstanding) was one of the worst I've ever seen. He's such a sweetie and tries so hard, but he was given nothing to work with. The writing was just awful and uninspired.
Thus ends my collection of trivial gripes of little substance. For now.
"Why you have 5 spare bedrooms??? You have 5 grandmas??" - Charles Barkley
If there's something you're up to besides talking about your body and/or Weight Watchers, we would all love to see/hear it. Otherwise.....ummmm.....we get it. You weigh less now than you used to. Good on you. But you've won an Oscar and the top-of-mind thing anyone knows about you now is that you went on a diet. It may be time to move on.
Sincerely,
Everyone routinely exposed to mainstream media
I was super sad to find out today that Heidi Klum and Seal are filing for divorce. I mean yeeeeesh. If there was ever a couple you were sure would make it, it was those 2. He adopted one of her kids! What happens to that now??
There's been chitter chatter going on here in Winnipeg about one of the Winnipeg Jets skipping out on his cheques at a number of city restaurants, and not tipping even when his bill IS comped. If this is true, it's obviously an inexcusable dick move. It seems like the people who expect/get the most for free are the people who least need it. However, this is not the point of what I want to say. In the backlash against this individual (on Facebook anyways), people are super pissed because it "shows a lack of respect for the city" and are continually pointing out that "he's the one who never wanted to come to Winnipeg in the first place" and "maybe he's trying to get traded since he hates this city so much" and "Teemu Selanne would never do anything like that!". Ladies and gentleman, the kid is 20 years old, with clearly more money than brains, and enjoying a fairly high level of professional success. He's only been playing a couple of years, and if he didn't want to come to Winnipeg, who could blame him?? Winnipegers bitch and complain about this city ALL the time but God forbid anyone else do it! If I was a 20 year old kid making bank like that, I wouldn't want to leave Atlanta either!! Nicer weather, bigger market, less scrutiny. Winnipeg has a completely (and nearly insufferable at times) small town mentality. Evander Kane isn't Teemu Selanne and never will be. That glorious man (apart from being the only Finnish person I could ever like), is a once-in-a-lifetime find. Trying to do a side-by-side comparison is silly.
I went to my first movie of 2012 today, and saw Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. It was really, really good. Really, really graphic, but tense and well done throughout (maaaaaybe a titch long?). I find Rooney Mara vaguely unlikeable in interviews, but there's no denying this was a tour de force performance. Even Daniel Craig, perhaps one of the most uneven and inconsistent actors working today, turns in something pretty great. Go see it. Apparently if it doesn't do a little better revenue-wise, they won't bother making the sequels :(
The Charles Barkley SNL a couple of weeks ago may very well be one of the best and most solid all the way through episodes of that show I've ever seen. Barkley can't speak at a normal tempo or read a teleprompter and I for one find it hilarious. The Daniel Radcliffe episode that followed the week after (the Lana del Rey performance notwithstanding) was one of the worst I've ever seen. He's such a sweetie and tries so hard, but he was given nothing to work with. The writing was just awful and uninspired.
Thus ends my collection of trivial gripes of little substance. For now.
"Why you have 5 spare bedrooms??? You have 5 grandmas??" - Charles Barkley
Thursday, December 15, 2011
A Lisa Simpson retrospecticus
I've never tried to compile a year's worth of opinions and impressions all at once before, but this year I've decided to give it a go. It's the last year I'll be in my 20's and able to get away with being fairly insipid. This is by no means a "best of" list, it's more of a "I like the most of". I don't want angry emails challenging me on cinematography and musicology and why scientifically my picks don't represent the "best".
So with no more ado, here they are.
Best Movies I Saw In '11
Bridesmaids
Fast Five
Friends With Benefits
No Strings Attached (2 movies about casual sex! What a banner year!)
Born To Be Wild 3D (Seriously. See this if you get the chance)
Twilight Breaking Dawn
*Honorable Mention: Insidious was hands-down one of the scariest movies I've ever seen. It was super well done, but I'd never want to see it again.
Worst Movies I Saw In '11
Dream House (thanks a lot Vee :s)
The Dilemma (Was this even meant to be funny? It was just awful)
Your Highness (Godawful. Perhaps the worst of the bunch)
Gnomeo & Juliet (I was so sad that this wasn't better!)
Our Idiot Brother (Just the worst kind of hipster crap)
Best TV Shows I Bothered to Watch in '11
Parks & Recreation
Criminal Minds
Modern Family (Getting a little weaker over time though)
Game of Thrones (Oh. My. God. So. Amazing)
True Blood
New Girl (despite my rampant annoyance with Zooey Deschanel's "quirkiness")
Best Book I Read in '11 (but wasn't actually published this year)
My Custom Van: And 50 Other Mind-Blowing Essays That Will Blow Your Mind All Over Your Face by Michael Ian Black. The only book I've ever read and actually laughed out loud while reading. Profusely.
People I'm Sad Died in '11
Jack Layton
Elizabeth Taylor
Harry Morgan
Heavy D
Peter Falk (Oh I love the Princess Bride!)
People I'm Not Sad Died in '11
Moammar Ghadafi
2011 was the year the world got angry. Mother Nature did, in Japan, in New Zealand, in Brazil, and here in Manitoba. Ordinary citizens did as well, in Greece, the U.S, Southern Sudan, the Middle East, and Vancouver, Canada, to varying effect, for things as noble as the struggle for democracy and self determination, to things as petty as a hockey team losing a game. Where a lot of this anger will lead is largely yet to be determined. But with it, in most instances, has come hope. Hope for change, and hope for the better. Let's all keep our fingers crossed.
Big News Stories of '11 (by no means comprehensive, just ones I paid attention to)
New Zealand earthquakes (February)
Japan tsunami/nuclear crisis (March)
The "Arab Spring" uprisings in the Middle East
The Royal wedding (whether anyone likes it or not, this was apparently a big deal)
The city of Vancouver embarasses itself hard in the wake of losing the Stanley Cup
That unbelievable massacre in Norway
Osama bin Laden (maybe) dies
The Jets come back (I for one couldn't care less if I tried, but other people seem to)
The U.S repeals DADT and the world manages not to implode
Occupy Wall Street
Steve Jobs dies (again, not a big deal to me, but other people seemed quite upset)
New Zealand finally wins the Rugby World Cup. Flawlessly.
Europe continues to kind of.....fall apart.
Winnipeg is back on top as the murder capital! Take that Abbottsford!
If I think of anything else between now and the end of the year, I'll get back to you :)
Onto some other miscellany.
Is the purpose of Rogers TV spots to convince you that every single person on the Rogers network is a complete tool? Gosh I hate advertising. The 2 genuinely clever and/or cute ads you see per year really don't compensate for the thousands of idiotic ones you have to be subjected to to get to them.
Elizabeth Taylor's jewellery collection went to auction at Christie's in New York this week, and wow. Richard Burton was THE man to be married to back in the day. Everything truly stunning in the collection was something he gave her. I can see why she married him twice. Have a look. It's like nothing you can believe. The Legendary Jewels of Elizabeth Taylor.
Finally, I would like to take a moment to remember someone special that was lost this year. Ashley Robinson was the first nursing student I ever precepted, when I had only been a nurse about 7 months myself. It was a huge learning experience for us both, and I was so proud to watch her become a competent and respected professional, and to hear from nurses on other units what a great job she was doing. Ashley died in June in an ATV accident at the age of 24. If there's anything to take away from something so senseless, I guess it might just be to be safe. Wear your seatbelts, wear a helmet, don't drink and drive, just be careful. You don't want your family to be the one preparing for their first Christmas without their loved one.
Take care of each other and have a wonderful holiday season :)
"Every man is more than just himself; he also represents the unique, the very special, and the always significant and remarkable point at which the world's phenomena intersect, only once in this way, and never again." - Hermann Hesse
So with no more ado, here they are.
Best Movies I Saw In '11
Bridesmaids
Fast Five
Friends With Benefits
No Strings Attached (2 movies about casual sex! What a banner year!)
Born To Be Wild 3D (Seriously. See this if you get the chance)
Twilight Breaking Dawn
*Honorable Mention: Insidious was hands-down one of the scariest movies I've ever seen. It was super well done, but I'd never want to see it again.
Worst Movies I Saw In '11
Dream House (thanks a lot Vee :s)
The Dilemma (Was this even meant to be funny? It was just awful)
Your Highness (Godawful. Perhaps the worst of the bunch)
Gnomeo & Juliet (I was so sad that this wasn't better!)
Our Idiot Brother (Just the worst kind of hipster crap)
Best TV Shows I Bothered to Watch in '11
Parks & Recreation
Criminal Minds
Modern Family (Getting a little weaker over time though)
Game of Thrones (Oh. My. God. So. Amazing)
True Blood
New Girl (despite my rampant annoyance with Zooey Deschanel's "quirkiness")
Best Book I Read in '11 (but wasn't actually published this year)
My Custom Van: And 50 Other Mind-Blowing Essays That Will Blow Your Mind All Over Your Face by Michael Ian Black. The only book I've ever read and actually laughed out loud while reading. Profusely.
People I'm Sad Died in '11
Jack Layton
Elizabeth Taylor
Harry Morgan
Heavy D
Peter Falk (Oh I love the Princess Bride!)
People I'm Not Sad Died in '11
Moammar Ghadafi
2011 was the year the world got angry. Mother Nature did, in Japan, in New Zealand, in Brazil, and here in Manitoba. Ordinary citizens did as well, in Greece, the U.S, Southern Sudan, the Middle East, and Vancouver, Canada, to varying effect, for things as noble as the struggle for democracy and self determination, to things as petty as a hockey team losing a game. Where a lot of this anger will lead is largely yet to be determined. But with it, in most instances, has come hope. Hope for change, and hope for the better. Let's all keep our fingers crossed.
Big News Stories of '11 (by no means comprehensive, just ones I paid attention to)
New Zealand earthquakes (February)
Japan tsunami/nuclear crisis (March)
The "Arab Spring" uprisings in the Middle East
The Royal wedding (whether anyone likes it or not, this was apparently a big deal)
The city of Vancouver embarasses itself hard in the wake of losing the Stanley Cup
That unbelievable massacre in Norway
Osama bin Laden (maybe) dies
The Jets come back (I for one couldn't care less if I tried, but other people seem to)
The U.S repeals DADT and the world manages not to implode
Occupy Wall Street
Steve Jobs dies (again, not a big deal to me, but other people seemed quite upset)
New Zealand finally wins the Rugby World Cup. Flawlessly.
Europe continues to kind of.....fall apart.
Winnipeg is back on top as the murder capital! Take that Abbottsford!
If I think of anything else between now and the end of the year, I'll get back to you :)
Onto some other miscellany.
Is the purpose of Rogers TV spots to convince you that every single person on the Rogers network is a complete tool? Gosh I hate advertising. The 2 genuinely clever and/or cute ads you see per year really don't compensate for the thousands of idiotic ones you have to be subjected to to get to them.
Elizabeth Taylor's jewellery collection went to auction at Christie's in New York this week, and wow. Richard Burton was THE man to be married to back in the day. Everything truly stunning in the collection was something he gave her. I can see why she married him twice. Have a look. It's like nothing you can believe. The Legendary Jewels of Elizabeth Taylor.
Finally, I would like to take a moment to remember someone special that was lost this year. Ashley Robinson was the first nursing student I ever precepted, when I had only been a nurse about 7 months myself. It was a huge learning experience for us both, and I was so proud to watch her become a competent and respected professional, and to hear from nurses on other units what a great job she was doing. Ashley died in June in an ATV accident at the age of 24. If there's anything to take away from something so senseless, I guess it might just be to be safe. Wear your seatbelts, wear a helmet, don't drink and drive, just be careful. You don't want your family to be the one preparing for their first Christmas without their loved one.
Take care of each other and have a wonderful holiday season :)
"Every man is more than just himself; he also represents the unique, the very special, and the always significant and remarkable point at which the world's phenomena intersect, only once in this way, and never again." - Hermann Hesse
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Hand-wringing! Pearl-clutching! Vapors!
This week has been full of ups and downs, and some consequential and inconsequential observations. Strap yourself in!
People. If you name your daughters things like Destiny, Jasmine, Crystal, Nevaeh, or Misty, you WILL end up with a stripper. Don't act so surprised. If you name your sons things like Tucker, Ashton, Jace, Jayden, or Parker, you WILL end up with a jackass. Don't act so surprised. If you're going to give your kids names' bizarre spellings like Kym-br-leigh, Aschyeleigh, or Kaytelynne, they ARE going to resent you someday, probably sooner rather than later. Don't act surprised.
Has anyone else noticed since Ricky Gervais lost a modest amount of weight, he's not really funny anymore, he's just mean? He used to be self-deprecating and clever, now his jokes are 90% "Isn't is funny how fat people are fat?" and "Isn't it funny how Charlie Sheen has substance abuse problems? That's a smart joke that's not been done before right??? Right???"......Ummm....... His humor was sometimes kind of arrogant before, but now it's just....pitiful and irritating and desperate.
There are 2 pseudo-political issues sticking in my craw lately, and I'm going to address one of them this week. The other one, I haven't decided. Anyways, I don't pretend to have a deep and abiding understanding of the American political system, OR the American psyche. At all. But if media coverage is to be believed, the economy, widespread joblessness, or military involvement in overseas conflicts are nowhere near the top of the list of "Things To Address". Nope, it's those pesky gays and the reprehensible idea that everyone should have health care. But mostly the gays. Somehow, other people's sexual identity is hands-down the most pressing issue facing America today, with most of the Republican candidates publicly appealing "Won't someone PLEASE think of the children? How can we explain this sort of thing to the children?" Well, you know what's easy to explain to children? That everyone's different, and we should all respect that. You know what's truly difficult to explain to children? Rationalizations for bigotry and intolerance. Rick Perry releases ads equating gays serving openly in the military with a "war on religion". Rick Santorum makes nonsensical, ignorant comments every time he's asked about gay issues (which is all he's ever asked about, it's the only thing that comprises his platform). And Michelle Bachmann and her husband run a clinic which claims to "cure homosexuality" with prayer and good old-fashioned Christian shame. I think all of these things are far more difficult to explain to children (who, in the end, are far more understanding than the rest of us) than the simple fact that people love each other. Why the American people are tolerating their political discourse being constantly steered in this direction in the face of far more serious and immediate problems, I will never understand. As a little 8-year old boy whispered in Michelle "Pray The Gay Away" Bachmann's ear this past week in South Carolina, "Miss Bachmann, my mommy is gay and she doesn't need any fixing." And as one of the most conservative people I know once said, "How does it affect me if Frank and Larry down the street want to get married? Frank and Larry are already gay. They already live together. Being able to get married isn't going to make them gay. How does their getting married affect me sitting here watching TV? It doesn't"
I have no way of knowing if these are dentures or not, but if they're not, Billy Joel's teeth are exquisite.
And to the people from Russia who seem to be following pretty regularly, hey there! Thanks for reading!
"Nobody can make you feel inferior without your consent." - Eleanor Roosevelt
People. If you name your daughters things like Destiny, Jasmine, Crystal, Nevaeh, or Misty, you WILL end up with a stripper. Don't act so surprised. If you name your sons things like Tucker, Ashton, Jace, Jayden, or Parker, you WILL end up with a jackass. Don't act so surprised. If you're going to give your kids names' bizarre spellings like Kym-br-leigh, Aschyeleigh, or Kaytelynne, they ARE going to resent you someday, probably sooner rather than later. Don't act surprised.
Has anyone else noticed since Ricky Gervais lost a modest amount of weight, he's not really funny anymore, he's just mean? He used to be self-deprecating and clever, now his jokes are 90% "Isn't is funny how fat people are fat?" and "Isn't it funny how Charlie Sheen has substance abuse problems? That's a smart joke that's not been done before right??? Right???"......Ummm....... His humor was sometimes kind of arrogant before, but now it's just....pitiful and irritating and desperate.
There are 2 pseudo-political issues sticking in my craw lately, and I'm going to address one of them this week. The other one, I haven't decided. Anyways, I don't pretend to have a deep and abiding understanding of the American political system, OR the American psyche. At all. But if media coverage is to be believed, the economy, widespread joblessness, or military involvement in overseas conflicts are nowhere near the top of the list of "Things To Address". Nope, it's those pesky gays and the reprehensible idea that everyone should have health care. But mostly the gays. Somehow, other people's sexual identity is hands-down the most pressing issue facing America today, with most of the Republican candidates publicly appealing "Won't someone PLEASE think of the children? How can we explain this sort of thing to the children?" Well, you know what's easy to explain to children? That everyone's different, and we should all respect that. You know what's truly difficult to explain to children? Rationalizations for bigotry and intolerance. Rick Perry releases ads equating gays serving openly in the military with a "war on religion". Rick Santorum makes nonsensical, ignorant comments every time he's asked about gay issues (which is all he's ever asked about, it's the only thing that comprises his platform). And Michelle Bachmann and her husband run a clinic which claims to "cure homosexuality" with prayer and good old-fashioned Christian shame. I think all of these things are far more difficult to explain to children (who, in the end, are far more understanding than the rest of us) than the simple fact that people love each other. Why the American people are tolerating their political discourse being constantly steered in this direction in the face of far more serious and immediate problems, I will never understand. As a little 8-year old boy whispered in Michelle "Pray The Gay Away" Bachmann's ear this past week in South Carolina, "Miss Bachmann, my mommy is gay and she doesn't need any fixing." And as one of the most conservative people I know once said, "How does it affect me if Frank and Larry down the street want to get married? Frank and Larry are already gay. They already live together. Being able to get married isn't going to make them gay. How does their getting married affect me sitting here watching TV? It doesn't"
I have no way of knowing if these are dentures or not, but if they're not, Billy Joel's teeth are exquisite.
And to the people from Russia who seem to be following pretty regularly, hey there! Thanks for reading!
"Nobody can make you feel inferior without your consent." - Eleanor Roosevelt
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Vitriol and sparkles!
As most people know, I’m not a fan of Sam Katz, the mayor of
this city circling the drain. He treats
this city with disdain and contempt, and seems to hold his office purely for
the purposes of using this place as his own personal cash cow. I’m not sure if he ever did, but he doesn’t
even bother to try to keep up the appearance of caring about his job
anymore. And when faced with any manner
of criticism, his response is to basically flip the public the proverbial bird. Every. Single. Time. Last year, Sam Katz held a taxpayer-funded
Christmas party at a restaurant he owns, essentially funnelling the city
coffers into his own pockets.
Unsurprisingly, people were kind of annoyed with this. And yet he’s publicly doing it again this
year. "When
people are busy, I’m able to get a significant discount to save us money,"
Katz said. "From my point of view, it’s a win-win." Well….which is it? Is it that you’re trying to save taxpayers the money (for
something they shouldn’t be paying for in the first place) or is it that venues
are all booked up? Were you unaware the
holidays were coming this year? I’m
going to go ahead and assume that any of the hundreds of local restaurants or caterers
here in the city would have made room on their slate for a city hall function
with a normal amount of notice, and would probably appreciate the business even
more than Sam Katz’s already overstuffed pockets might.
Anyway,
to this end, I emailed my city councillor Jenny Gerbasi, who has a long history of publicly
defying Sam and just generally sticking in his craw. I like this. I emailed
her Saturday morning when the story first appeared
(Mayor Tells City To Go Eff Itself)
and actually heard back from her on Sunday morning, stating it was she who had
alerted the media to this repeat offense, and has refused to attend this
function since the mayor started using it as an opportunity for personal
profit. Sam Katz is like Nickelback or
the Conservative party. No one seems to
like him, but he always seems to do well….This city is so effing terrified of
change, even when changing might mean a more ethical city hall and not existing for the sole purpose of making a rich asshole richer.
For those of you who caught the Victoria's Secret fashion show tonight, can we all agree it was pretty spectacular? Maybe not the most spectacular they've ever done, but pretty close. Plus they were without Heidi Klum for the first time, and it was definitely noticeable :( Sparkly and fantastic though. My 2 favorite looks were on Miranda Kerr and Alessandra Ambrosio (pics below), 2 absolutely gorgeous women who you would never guess in a million years have both had children.
 | ||||||
| This bra is apparently worth $2.5 million |
 | ||
| This was actually much sparklier on TV :) |
The only glaring ickiness of the evening was seeing Karlie Kloss' sternum as though you were looking at an X-ray. You just wanted to make the poor girl a sandwich.
Moving on.....
Our beloved Bombers lost the Grey Cup on Sunday evening. It was heartbreaking to watch, not because we deserved to win and were robbed, we weren't, this city could really just have used the boost, that's all. The Bombers really didn't start playing til late in the 4th quarter, and by then it was too little, too late. B.C, as much as I hate to admit it, played an awesome game.
Friday, November 18, found me and my best gal waiting in line, like so many other silly girls, for the opening night of Breaking Dawn Part 1. I was satisfied. Not thrilled, not disappointed, just satisfied. It was fairly true to the book, and now the final installment won't be out for another year. It's already been shot! It's done! Put it out! Yeesh!
Things on the ICU front continue to chug along. I have about a week and a half left in MICU, and as of yesterday, decided to do my 10 week specialized orientation in SICU. Which means I am in the absolute middle of the course. It feels like it's been much, much longer than 12 weeks already though.
Take care everyone!
(Yes, I know the font changes about halfway through, and it refuses to be fixed!)
"It's a hell of a thing, to be able to recognize what makes you happy" - Lucille Ball
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