Sunday Night Blog, Post 3

Over the course of the week, I had tried to think of a subject to write about this week, but I wasn't having a lot of success. Then I just started looking around me and the phrase "ignorance is bliss" kept popping up. It's not, is it? To be fair, I have a bit of an issue with that particular saying. For the most part it's actually quite an ignorant one. Literally.

Innocence is the blissful state. To not have experienced anything: no loss, no joy. Utterly devoid of anything on the "outside" of one's own self - that's what's blissful: pure, guiltless, harmless (according to Collins). In that same dictionary, the first definition of ignorance is disregard. Disregard is about choice. Ignorance is about choice. Ignorance is knowing better, knowing the right course to take, the right decision to make, but choosing not to. What one turns a blind eye to doesn't need to be anything earth shattering or have global implications. Over time, it dulls the senses of the individual who thinks he/she's protecting him/herself from something they just don't want to see. It's like teaching yourself not to care about anything other than yourself and what you hold dear. That's not a way to live and it's not something I care to pursue either.

Serendipitously, this afternoon I heard someone say: "Ignorance is a curse. It takes courage to do something about it." I couldn't agree more. I challenge anyone reading this to reflect on this, and to at least consider doing something about it.

Sunday Night Blog, Post 2

This past week has been an eventful one. In the vein of “be careful what you wish for”, I received a Games-time offer. I’m to be an NOC assistant for the nation of Ethiopia based in Whistler for the entire duration of their stay in BC: 22 days. Wow. It’s still sinking in. This is major.

I knew Jamaica had a bobsleigh team, so a Saharan country participating in the Olympic Winter Games is not what I would call a shocker. I kind of thought I’d be doing a European country, seeing as I am fluent in German, grew up in Europe, and have a smattering of Italian, Spanish, and French. But Europe tends to mean many powerhouse winter sports nations, most of which are going to be arriving as soon as they are permitted to arrive and leaving on the last possible date. My availability despite linguistic matches didn’t work then, so enter the non-obvious countries. What on earth does Ethiopia compete in? I went to the Vancouver 2010 Web site and there isn’t a list of what sports qualified countries are competing in, that would have been useful. From what I’ve heard, qualifications are ongoing, and will be until late January, so perhaps things are still in flux. I would assume, bearing in mind the larger implications of using the word, that as a neighbour to Kenya, known for their endurance running athletes, that Ethiopia would have a similar focus, so perhaps the endurance events such as cross-country skiing or biathlon. Seeing as both of these are based in Whistler, this would be a logical conclusion.

Then there’s the part about me working for a living, with print deadlines and things. Fortunately, the timing would work so I would only miss a couple of classes at University, because they’re shutting down for two weeks on an extended reading break, and I could take all of my reading with me (note-taking buddy will hopefully get worked out in January). But work-wise, if I’m based in Whistler, then I can’ t go to work on days off, even for a few hours because a good 6 hours of that one day off would be spent in transit, either by bus or whatever other transportation options are available. I don’t have the software on my computer that I would need so I could theoretically do it remotely, so that part is a bit of a mess. It’s weird. Most of what I do has to do with electronic communication and transmission, and yet, I can’t feasibly do it without being on site. Maybe Whistler would have a business centre that has Microsoft Publisher or InDesign available on a computer or something. I’ve been told in no uncertain terms, there will be no one doing my job whilst I’m away. The joys of being a one-woman department without actual department status, I suppose.

I wouldn’t see my apartment (or be able to water my plants for 3 weeks). What if there’s a water leak of some kind? What if the heating blows up or something? What if my PVR melts down? Going to Whistler (I’ve been there maybe 4 times in my life) gets me quite a bit out of my comfort zone. And then there’s me: the pasty white, undertall, blonde-haired pudgy person looking after all of these no-doubt tall, lanky athletes. I’m getting a distinct Laurel & Hardy visual. You?

Logistics and over-thinking aside, I have no doubt this will be an exceptional experience. Truly one-of-a-kind, and I would actually be needed. Smaller teams get fewer Assistants and “my country” would rely on me a great deal. There’s not a doubt in my mind I wouldn’t be welcomed, but not being up on “local knowledge”, I wouldn’t want to disappoint. Any connections or local expertise I have is limited to Vancouver, so I’ll have to let my fingers do a lot of the walking up in Whistler. Or, get a couple of “field-trips” in before-hand.

Sunday Night Blog, Post 1

So, I was looking forward to launching a Sunday Night Blog on the 1st of November. I figured it was about time I got some use out of my blog, and although I truly am not a journal writer, I figured a weekly thing was something I could commit to. Then I had to decide on when and Sunday seemed an ideal candidate. Weeknights are not the greatest for me as I can barely be inspired to do my reading for school – and I pay for that privilege. If I did Saturdays, that’s really no good either because on the odd occasion I do actually have plans. So Sunday – and the first of a new month to boot, well, wasn’t that auspicious. As you can see, not a lot came of it.

I could cite spotty internet connectivity at home as an excuse, because it has been a bit of an issue of late, but, in all honesty, I plum forgot and spent most of the day getting the memory down on my PVR, which concluded with a recent film adaptation of Thomas Hardy’s Tess of the D’Urbervilles. It was my first exposure to Thomas Hardy, and for an English Lit. Major, I thought that was odd, to say the least. Being interested in literature, I have heard the name mentioned many times, and seen the titles of his novels on library shelves and reading lists, and yet, here we are. Obviously Victorian, I wonder how contemporaries felt about it.

In today’s mode of thinking, the poor girl had no chance and one traumatising experience ends up tainting her entire life, robs her of her future, and the past not staying in the past is always the cause of the next chain of unfortunate events. I think it also questions how we view independence as a concept. In the film, Tess’s independence is mentioned many times, but her ability and desire to stand on her own two feet is always at odds with her reality and her environment. I consider myself independent, fiercely independent even, but in Tess’s case, her circumstances, societal amongst other factors, those things beyond her direct control, have a hold on her so firmly, that her independent spirit is how she travels from jess to jess, never actually losing the fetters binding her, regardless of who’s holding them. Breaking free, only to be captured again and again, it’s like she’s ultimate prize bird, because everyone wants to keep her, for differing motives and purposes, and all she wants is...I don’t know. I don’t believe she ever said what she really wanted, other than to be with Angel Clare. Could it really be that simple?

At this point I would really like to read the book. It sounds like a complex story, and there’s only so much a cinematic screenplay can convey and address. Or maybe I just don’t want it to be that simple, so conventional.

More next week - circumstances willing.