Notes #73

Welcome back! 

In all honesty, I can't say that "Notes" is all shiny, new, and vastly improved. In fact, it's more similar, slightly changed, but interestingly acceptable. (How is that for keeping expectations low!) One thing is for sure, the "Notes" mailing list is now a realistic-a couple of hundred actual subscribers instead of a couple of thousand fake ones. So enjoy, and if you're so inclined, agree/disagree, but now realize you are among friends who do want to hear what you're thinking and feeling.

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Relationships

As a vintage (a term coined by my granddaughter to prevent me from describing myself as old) marriage counsellor I have asked the question many times over the years, "Can this relationship be saved?" And most often the answer was yes. However, I believe in 2022 the question that is asked most often is, "Should this relationship be saved?" The answer, unfortunately, more than 50% of the time, is no! 

The basic components of a relationship/friendship that work are safety, affection, and stability. If the partners don't feel this, and if they don't have a safe connection, then they end up being judgmental, and critical, finding fault with their partner, and/or they end up withholding their affection.
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Statistics tell us that relationships are falling apart and divorce rates are rising. So let's just live together, keep separate bank accounts and divvy up expenses so that when our relationship falls apart it will be an easy split. Sounds pre-planned, but in light of how things are (the divorce rate in Canada is exceeding 50%") it may be realistic to just "See how it goes."
  
                              What do you think?

"The couple who would strive for perfection in their marriage have taken the first steps towards divorce and despair."  (Stuart, 1980)

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I'm sarcastic and have a smart-ass attitude.
 It's a natural defense against drama, bullshit, and stupidity.

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Political Assassination

Just recently we have had a municipal election and the results are in. Some candidates won and some lost. Nobody I'm aware of is claiming the election was fraudulent or stolen, sending their supporters hooligans to march on City Hall. Outside of a bit of mudslinging at Glen Murray a month or so before the election and some pointing out that one's brother was not a saint, the process was mostly about what the candidates stood for, what they would do when they got elected. As it should be! 

Have you seen some of the ads that candidates in the United States are putting out on their opponents? Absolute lies, innuendo, and information about the candidates' lives have no bearing on their ability to do a job and very, very little about what they stand for. I blame the escalation of this style of politics on the Trumpet. He didn't start this style of politicking but certainly has helped to lower the bar and raise the violence even further. 

I watched a commercial break made up of 10 commercials; 7 were political and all of those political ads were negative and complete character assassinations of the other's opponent. Not one of those 7 that I watched said what they would do for the American people or how they would make things better for those they professed to serve. 

On Meet the Press, Sunday, October 30, 2022, the moderator showed a graph indicating that threats of violence towards politicians, their families, and those that work in assisting the political process have gone up over 950 percent in the last 5 years. It is so sad that the "American Way" has fallen to such depths.

I look at our friends to the south and wonder what it will take for them to regain their world status. After all, this is the USA, a proud defender and world leader of democracy, fighting for its democratic life.   
Dan

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Humour 
Change all mention of blonde to BALD (like me)

Three Blondes were applying for the last available position on the Ontario Provincial Police force.  The detective conducting the interview looked at the three of them and said, "So you all want to be cops, huh?"

The blondes all watched as the detective got up, opened a file drawer, and pulled out a folder. Sitting back down, he opened it and pulled out a picture saying, "To be a cop, you have to be observant. You must be able to notice things such as distinguishing features and oddities such as scars and so forth."

He then stuck the photo in the face of the first blonde and withdrew it after about two seconds. Now, he said, "Did you notice any distinguishing features about this man?" The blonde immediately said, "Yes, I did. He has only one eye." The detective shook his head and said, "Of course, he has only one eye in this picture! It's a profile of his face! You're dismissed!" The first blonde hung her head and walked out of the office. 

The detective then turned to the second blonde, and said, "What about you? Notice anything unusual or outstanding about this man?" "Yes! He only has one ear!" The detective put his head in his hands and exclaimed "Didn't you hear what I just told the other lady? This is a profile of the man's face! Of course, you can only see one ear!! You're excused too!" The second blonde sheepishly walked out of the office.

The detective turned his attention to the third and last blonde and
thought, "This is probably a waste of time", but he flashed the photo in her face for a couple of seconds and withdrew it, saying, "All right,
did you notice anything distinguishing or unusual about this man?"

The blonde said, "I sure did. This man wears contact lenses." The detective frowned, took another look at the picture, and began looking at some of the papers in the folder. He looked up at the blonde with a puzzled expression and said, "You're absolutely right! His bio says he wears contacts! How in the world could you tell that by looking at his picture?"

The blonde rolled her eyes and said, "Well, Helloooo! With only one eye and one ear, he certainly can't wear glasses."

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Perhaps the most valuable result of education is the ability to make ourselves do the things we have to do when it has to be done, whether we like it or not.
                                                                                                    Edna McCann

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Have a great week!
Dan