Olympic Fever

I cannot remember when I have spent so much time in front of the TV. I only watch hockey and Survivor, as a rule, but lately I have been spending too much time with the Winter Olympics. Apart from the athletic competitions, there have been some interesting aspects to these games. Take the above photo for example. How many millions of photographs have been taken through this chin link fence? What a sad comment about our modern society that we build an icon such as this and shield it from the very people who are paying for it. No doubt, without the fence, it would have been vandalized by now. But why not build it on a pedestal with unscalable walls. Or put it out on a mini island with a moat around it. Or dedicate some of the $ Billion in security funding to protecting this cauldron? And how did that person get on the other side of that fence? Privilege or stealth?

There is much talk about the cost of the games. By most standards, it has already been deemed a huge success. The figure of $8 Billion has been bandied about, but that would include the cost of most of the infrastructure that will remain long after the Olympians go home. The actual cost of putting on the games apart from infrastructure is said to be less than $2 Billion although that is difficult to believe when the security bill alone is half of that. But, if one is to extend that $8 Billion into the future as an ongoing debt, then it is only fair to incorporate into the numbers all the future revenues that will be drawn from the infrastructure. Only time will tell if the books will be balanced in that regard.

The legacy of the games are many faceted. We will have use of an up-graded Sea to Sky Highway, we have a new Trade and Convention Centre, we have huge Sky Train up-grades, newly developed Real Estate at the Olympic Village, and probably most important, we have the goodwill and amazing advertising of our city and our province as images were broadcast around the world every day for two weeks. One of the biggest and most unexpected bonuses has been the sense of pride, unity, and patriotism that risen up during these games. You cannot put a price on that but it will have long term positive spin offs.

I suppose I sense these games are a bit of historical turning point for our province, much like what Expo '86 did for us almost 25 years ago. I guess that is why I am watching so much TV.

My Neck

Just a quick up-date on my hip problems which were actually neck problems. I am very happy to report that I am almost completely better. My adjustments (treatments) are few and far between these days and the hip continues to improve. I am able to drive long distances now, something I have not done for a few years now. I am back walking and have even taken to a treadmill daily.
Today I am mailing a number of letters I have written to several of the seven therapists I went to and was treated by in my quest for a solution. They are not nasty letters, but merely to inform the various doctors and practitioners that there are limits to their knowledge, understanding, and capabilities of their particular discipline. It is in their best interest, I went on to say, that they should admit when they do not know and they should be open to new ideas and realise that there are people out there who know more than they do. How many patients are 'barking up the wrong tree', who are given false hope and who are paying money they cannot afford for treatments that are not doing them any good, and in some cases doing more harm? Of the seven, only one admitted, after two treatments, that I should seek other options as he did not know what my root problem was. I suppose it is a conflict for them to send a patient away, knowing they could earn hundreds of dollars by giving them hope and getting them to come back time after time. It is unethical for them to do that. In the long run, being honest is always the best policy and it would give them more credibility, which is good advertising, which results in more patients, which results in more income. Being greedy is always shortsighted.

Up Close and Personal

We were extended an invitation to a 'House Concert' on Sunday afternoon. Our friends, Ian and Mona, have a vested interest in a band by the name of "House of Doc". The band's newest member is soon to be their son-in-law. When Ian told me the genre was Blue Grass/Gospel, I was in. I checked out their tunes here and liked what I heard, but we were in for a real treat hearing them in person, up close and personal. These are 4 inter-related people with Menno backgrounds and a vast array of musical talents. Between the four of them they played 14 different instruments, all with skill and verve. But their finest instruments were their voices. They have improved since their album releases and since Ian's future son-in-law has joined the team. The vocal harmonies sent chills down my spine, and they do plenty of that. Their music is lively, at times soulful, and always toe tapping. They had just come back from playing at two different Olympic venues. We were a small group for an audience, maybe forty five of us, but they did a full blown concert! They certainly made a fan out of me.

A Rare Goal

Ryan Miller, the USA goal tender, letting in a rare goal tonight.

The Canadians are choking in the games. Never before has there been so much hype about "owning the podium". The Canadian Olympic programs have received infusions of cash and the athletes have contended well on the world stage prior to the Olympics, but when it comes to 'crunch time', the results are just not there. Tonight we saw another example in the Men's Hockey as Canada fell to the USA. Let's face it. Ryan Miller was outstanding. Normally, with the way Canada played, and with the amount of shots they put on Miller, they should have won. But, some rather untimely penalties and some poor puck handling by our own goal tender made the difference and we now have to go the more difficult route to get to the medal round. We are down but are not out.
The expectations on our athletes are huge and many of them are taking their losses very personally. We are hearing things like, "I feel I have let down my country". That is a heavy burden. Instead we should be celebrating our athletes for even qualifying to be there in the first place! When the top ten competitors are only hundredths of a second apart, being fifth or sixth holds no shame. What I am most proud of is the way we as Canadians are wrapping ourselves in a patriotism that actually out performs the Americans. I have never seen anything like it and this new feeling of pride and of country bodes well for our future. Nations become great when all the citizens pull together and have common goals. A sense of unity will bring us much farther than dissension and strife. When the people of this country, of all stripes, wear the Maple Leaf, we become strong and will be able to accomplish great things.
Sure, it is disappointing for the athlete and the fan when we do not win, but, if in the process we can become unified, we have won much more than a piece of metal to hang around our neck, we have won a great future for our country.

Olympics

Forget the Blog. I'm into Olympics! Go Canada, go! Curling rocks! (Get it?)

Careful Now

I like the move our Government took today when they announced that they would be tightening up the qualifications for mortgages, especially for first time buyers. The buyer will now have to be able to show that they can sustain a 5 year mortgage at current rates as opposed to three years. Also the amount of equity a home owner will be able to withdraw from their home is decreasing. It is nice to see that someone is learning from the huge mistakes that were made south of the border. It is said that a large number of first time buyer are one paycheck away from being in default with their mortgage lender. It used to be three months.

So beware. This is a huge indicator that the government is more or less admitting that there is big time inflation in our near future. This is actually a no brainer because inflation always follows a recession and government deficit spending. And of course, inflation guarantees that the interest rates will go up. How nice for those with a big bank account when the interest rate rise, as opposed to those with debt. Unfortunately, most are on the debt side of the equation.

A Good Read

Modern day Mongolian horsemen

A number of months ago, I picked up a book that I thought might be interesting. I was completely unfamiliar with the author, Conn Iggulden, but was intrigued with the cover's synopsis. I have been a Wilbur Smith fan for many years and really enjoy reading about history disguised as fiction. Or is it the other way around? If I can learn some history while reading a ripping good story, it comes alive for me and I can remember and understand the history part of it much easier.

The book to which I am referring happened to be the second in a series of three books depicting the story of Genghis Khan. Then, just before Christmas, when my kids asked me what was on my Christmas list, I suggested the two books of the series which I had not yet read. My Mexico 'beach read' was the first in the series, "Wolf of the Plains". It traces the great Mongol leader's early years and tells the fascinating story of how Genghis united the warring Mongol tribes when he was yet a very young man. His very difficult childhood fashioned him for the job, but he was always driven by who he was, the son of a great Khan who met an untimely death.

I have now learned about his life from childhood to the invasion of China. These books are very well written and hard to put down, right from the first page. I am looking forward to the third and final book of the series. I do not have to go looking for it. It is right here on my shelf. Yes!

The Guide

We took a trip to Bellingham on Saturday. It seems that fabric is hugely less expensive in that city than anywhere near here. Lizzy is into quilting these days so, of course, we had to make the journey. For any of you who have ever driven there from the Canadian border, you know what a slow and agonizing trip that can be. Like the freeway that leads north of Puerto Vallarta, the Guide Meridian (what a cool name for a road) has been under construction since the days of Julius Caesar. I am happy to report that the up-grade is almost completed. There are five or six roundabouts which makes it a trip free from traffic lights. It is wide and smooth and there are only a few little bumps and irregularities that need fixing and it will be a done deal.

I had the brilliant foresight to take a book with me while 'the busy one' was shopping for just the right pattern and shade for her next quilt. As I scanned the parking lot at Joanne's House of Fabric, I saw that I was not the only guy who refused to enter that establishment. I had the car window rolled down an inch and a couple was walking past. There were very few couples going into the store, but mostly women on a mission who wisely left their men at home or in the vehicle. I overheard the whiny voice of the man say,"Please don't be mad at me" as he followed his little woman by ten paces. He had probably made a very reasonable request to stay home and watch the Winter Olympics. Before you, my dear readers, jump to any conclusions, I will tell you that I went voluntarily. Actually, I had an ulterior motive. We happened to turn into the Costco Parking lot on the way home, happened to walk into Costco, and happened, of all things, to stumble upon those delectable Macadamia Nut Clusters Enrobed in Milk Chocolate. There happened to be such an immense pile of them that I felt sorry for the order clerk, who obviously overstocked on that item, so I relieved him of some of them. I may have saved his job.
I try to do at least one good deed every day.

Fixated

It stared with what was to be just a bit of Women's Hockey. After enjoying the 18 to 0 drubbing the Canadian girls gave the Slovakian women, I watched some speed skating. I got a bit hooked and then the women's moguls came on and by the time I witnessed Jennifer Heil win a silver medal, I had spent several hours in front of the TV.
I realised that for the very first time, I was able to watch an Olympic event in my own time zone. This has some good advantages. I also saw what a fantastic turnout the venues are getting and it makes me proud and happy that we do not have to populate the stands with zombies the way the Chinese did in the summer Olympics. Of course, we as polite Canadians are being good hosts by cheering all the athletes, in the spirit of good sportsmanship and hospitality. And, in spite of the warm rains, Cypress bowl is still able to have some snow, even though it came from Manning Park.
I keep thinking about that torch run at the end of the opening ceremonies last night. It has to be one of the lamest finishes, to what was a fantastic program, that I have ever seen. I thought the Olympics was about athleticism. Here we have a 'has been' hockey player riding in the back of a pickup truck, in the rain, trying to keep the torch burning. It looked like a bit of a red-neck idea to me. And didn't riding in the back of a pick-up result in Rick Hansen's spinal cord injury? After all the fantastic artistry and showmanship of the ceremonies, I guess they just ran out of ideas. Let's hope they do better when they close shop in a few weeks.

The Ceremony

I sat in front of my TV for 3 1/2 hours on Friday night watching the 2010 Winter Olympics opening ceremonies. How could I not after all the hype? A few observations.

It was spectacular and very well done. It made me proud to be a Canadian on a certain level. Being in our back yard made it even more meaningful. I have not been a big fan of the Olympics, but neither have I been a protester. There are two Olympic worlds, the politics and money, and the sport. The sport I have no problem with and the ceremony celebrated the athletes, and in part, the events that will take place in the following days.

For the uninitiated, it would appear that Canada is a French country full of Aboriginals. This has not been my experience in the 61 years that I have lived here. Why portray our culture so heavily leaning to the Native Indian culture? That was our beginning, but none of us live in that century any longer and Canada can be defined by some of our modern day attributes more accurately. I suppose it is political correctness.

Why do we have to listen the embarrassment of Alberta, KD Lang. Again, for the uninitiated, it was probably impossible to tell its gender.

When will we put Wayne Gretsky out to pasture? In my opinion he was a manufactured hockey player and was not that great except for his very early years. Gambling scandals and a dismal coaching career (when we all learned his limited and profane vocabulary by lip reading his rants) have turned me against him as a sports icon.

Other than those beefs, I thought the event was very well done and I must say that I had a moment or two of pride that I was a Canadian. But then I have always felt that way and I do not need a multi-billion dollar event to boost my pride.

The photo above was the one moment when things did not go well. That empty hole on the left was supposed to be a fourth pillar of fire, but alas, the hydraulics did not function and it was a blemish on an otherwise perfectly executed ceremony.

Tomorrow the events begin. The weather is a concern for many of the outdoor sports, but somehow they will manage to get the medals awarded. They always do.

After the Big Blow

I make decisions and then try to have no regrets, but this time, my decision to be unencumbered with my camera, on a trip to a place I have many photos of already, was a dumb move. One never knows when photo opportunities arise. Lizzy had her camera but does not see things the way I do so the record of events is minimal, to say the least. I would have been keen to record all the destruction the following morning, but I cannot tell another person what to do with their camera.
The complex was littered with a blanket of plant debris, most of which looked like it had gone through a food processor. There were many larger limbs down also, and a few larger trees snapped off or uprooted. The staff had already been working through the night to clean up the mess. It was unbelievable how in 48 hours there was not a stitch of evidence that there had been a hurricane. We heard many stories about that night, making us grateful that we were in our rooms when it hit. Those near the beach had to take shelter on the lea side of pillars and walls as the sandblast from the beach was brutal. Anything loose, such as a young man's papers, as I overheard the next day, simply vanished. The rooms facing the ocean, about 100 yards off the beach, had their patio windows blown inward and the guests had to take shelter in their bathrooms from the driving sand and broken glass. The clay tile, a common form of roofing, littered the ground and there was not a tile roof anywhere unscathed. A large thatch roof on a building near the beach was demolished. Poolside umbrellas and lounges were scattered. Rows of low shrubs were simply uprooted and lying on their sides where once they stood erect. Fifteen foot palm fronds were hanging down, their backs broken. One building nearest the ocean had a lot of its paint blown off and it was lying in the grass in large pieces. It was a mess.
We decided to walk to the little village of Bucerius while the clean up was taking place. There we saw the largest tree in the middle of the town Flea Market completely uprooted and fallen across the main power lines. The power was out and crews were working to restore it, with chain saws buzzing and men up on the power poles. It began to rain again and soon we were darting from overhang to tree, trying to prevent a good soaking. We were grateful it was not cold. Soon the water was running down the streets once again and we took shelter in the big open doorway of the Catholic Church in the town square. A big tour bus pulled up and a wedding party dashed out of the bus and into the dry confines of the church. It was the wedding that was supposed to be on the beach that day. We made our way back through the streets of Bucerias, no longer caring about being wet and wading through water up to our ankles.
We got back to our rooms, had a refreshing hot shower and changed into dry clothes. We looked at one another and wondered how we could have picked the worst week of the year in which to have a vacation.

Just Like on CNN

After thoroughly checking out the bruised jaw and determining that it was not a serious issue, we got into some holiday attire and set out for out first dinner. It was everything we had remembered but better. We noticed throughout the week that there were many improvements to the resort since our last visit there three years ago.
After dinner we decided to attend the evening show. Because of the constant threat of showers, the event was held inside the disco which is immediately behind the outdoor bowl theater where it usually takes place. It was crowded and humid in the somewhat confined space, but the show was great and we were really getting into the mood of a Mexican vacation.
We had been up since 4 am that morning so we decided to call it a day and headed back to our room which luckily adjoined the room of our travelling companions. We stood out on the back balcony watching the lightening in the distance and marveling at the balmy air in spite of the rain. We bid each other good night and stepped into our rooms where only a minute later we heard a sudden roar as a violent wind hit the resort. It went from dead calm to hurricane force in the blink of an eye. We did not dare step out for fear of being blown off the third floor balcony, so we watched through the patio window. Almost immediately, the lights went out and our view toward the village of Bucerias became devoid of even the smallest flicker of light. The lightening was now coming at rapid intervals, each time illuminating the violent scene unfolding before our eyes. It was like watching CNN coverage of Hurricane Katrina or Andrew as the palm branches were splayed at a horizontal angle and the torrential rain was flying by without falling ground ward. We began to hear popping and cracking noises and knew that trees were being ripped apart and probably many being uprooted. It was scary but I must say that never once did we feel insecure in our concrete constructed building. There was never a shudder, creak or groan in the building itself.
Within an hour, it had blown itself out and we went to bed, wondering what we would see the next morning. Just before we drifted off to sleep, the distant roar of generators was evident and the lights came on. I fumbled for the switch and fell into a deep sleep.

Not What We Expected

For a week before we left, we kept an eye on the Puerto Vallarta weather forecast. Each and every day we looked at it, the rain was supposed to come the next day and then nothing but sun.
There was a delayed system hovering over the Bay of Banderas and sure enough, we landed there in a torrential downpour. It was a warm tropical rain, but water was running everywhere and it was obvious that the streets were not engineered for good drainage. The airport runway was a river and our baggage was soaked and dirty just from the transfer from plane to terminal.
Once again we survived the gauntlet of time share sales people in Arrivals, but our travelling companions were almost not so lucky. They were being sucked into the vortex of slick salesmen disguised as our tour guides and were only rescued when we grabbed them by their arms and heaved them away to the waiting bus that was our escape.

We were following the porter on the way to our rooms, weaving in and out of the rain and the dryer corridors. There were "Slippery when Wet" signs everywhere, but when you fall, you fall. Lizzy did a face plant right on the tile floor in the Tropical Lobby and when I looked back, there she was, lying spread eagled, flat on her face, and not moving a whole lot. I rushed to her side and she started to turn over, working her jaw back and forth. She had taken the impact on her jaw and it was a miracle that it was not broken or cut. No teeth or tongue missing either! We thought that would be enough trauma for one night, but we were only starting!

There Are No Photos That Represent The Way I Feel

I pulled my thick winter socks over my tanned feet this morning, and it hit me. I'm Back! It feels rather odd to being wearing long pants, but I do it today for survival. As I shaved my haggard face, the colour in it was the only redeeming quality. Because part of the tan is burn, it will no doubt peel away in a day or two. I stood on the scale and noticed, not to my surprise, that I had gained five pounds. That too will go away, hopefully as quickly as the tan. Our new luggage is battered and dirty for reasons I shall reveal later, and the clothes in it, which still smelled like tropical Mexico, are now in the laundry.
What did I come home to? What some might call mild weather, phone messages, a mountain of mail, and 95 emails, the most of which required some response or action. I know from experience not to schedule work for the day after a vacation and in this case, I may need more than that just to catch up. I will decide tonight. Having known before hand that there were critical issues to deal with once I was home, I was still able to shut it all out and bask in the pure joy of an all inclusive vacation in a beautiful Mexican resort. I soaked it all up, drank it all in, absorbed it into my sub-conscious, there to retrieve at will when I am cold, miserable, tired, hungry, or discouraged.
In the next couple of posts, I will talk a bit about our little getaway, and how it got off to a most astounding and unexpected start.

Wish You Were Here

Picollo's Specialty Italian Restaurant in the newly constructed area of the Royal Decameron.

We had a 'close call' and we had not even left home yet. Late Sunday night I was looking at our flight tickets and noticed that my name was spelled wrong. This kind of slip up was never a problem before the world became paranoid about safety. Apparently the name on the flight information had to match, exactly, the name on the passport. I hustled over to the travel agent first thing Monday and she informed that yes, it was a good thing I had noticed. The information they took from me was accurately recorded in their files, but the airline issued the ticket in a revised spelling, the way somebody thought it should be spelled. Had our flight been to the USA, there is no doubt that I would not be permitted on board the plane with a discrepancy such as that. Going to Mexico is a lightly different story, but still ugly and complicated.

It is no wonder that some people are too nervous about travelling to get up off their easy chair. Anyway, wish you were here, or at least that is what people almost always say when they communicate with those unlucky enough to not travel with them.

Gone At Last

This is exactly where we will be if you are reading this at 3 pm this afternoon. No more blog posts until we return.

OOps! This got posted a day early. Do not read until Feb. 2

Amish

A medical study has just been released that has a surprise result. It was a study on the prevalence of cancer in closed societies, where many of the members of those societies are closely related. The theory was that genetically influenced diseases such as cancer would be more common and the incidence of the disease would be greater than the norm. Being a Canadian study, and having a closed society at hand, the Amish of Eastern Ontario where chosen in the eight year study. The surprising result was that the Amish are less likely to have cancer by a factor of 40%!

It is concluded that environmental factors can and will over ride genetic factors. The clean living, hard working, and healthy eating Amish have the lifestyle to emulate if you want to live to a ripe cancer free old age.

I suppose it also proves that the exhaust from horses is less harmful than the exhaust from cars and trucks.

Isn't it Obvious?

The 2010 Winter Games are almost upon us and there are some interesting stories coming to light. I was sent this information a few days ago by a cousin who is quite removed from Beautiful BC but these stories are filtering down to him nevertheless.

In what is likely a case of overkill, Vanoc (Vancouver Olympic Committee) published and distributed to its employees, a 128 page book on protocol with foreign dignitaries during the Olympics. It contains such useful tips as 'match your socks to your trousers' as well as not 'smiling too zealously or prolonged'. It might be helpful in teaching those things that one should have learned at their mother's knee but mother was not around that much. At least it is giving the rest of us a chuckle.

Think about it. Wouldn't you be thoroughly embarrassed as a Canadian if some under informed city employee said with a big prolonged grin to a foreign dignitary "Dude, do you feel the breeze?", instead of "Excuse me sir, I feel compelled to inform you that your trouser fastener seems to be disengaged"?

Four More Sleeps

This is the famous church in downtown Puerto Vallarta ..... St Somebody, I'm sure.

I was not sure why I was almost getting depressed about everything and was so looking forward to a bit of time away, and then I was 'Tagged' by my daughter and now I know why. 'Tagging is a blogger thing that bloggers do to each other. They will answer a series of questions and then 'Tag' some of their readers and then the person who is 'Tagged' is supposed to answer the same group of questions on his/her blog. It is a way of getting to know other bloggers better. So I started looking at the questions and suddenly realized why I need a holiday. Here it is in all its patheticness.

10 years ago today: I have no idea. All the years blend together. I think I had less pain.

Yesterday: Same as today and the day before that. I got up, I went to work, I came home, I slept.

Tomorrow: Same as today. I will get up, go to work, come home, and then sleep.

Five snacks I enjoy: Can't snack 'cause I will gain weight.

Best impression that I do: Kermit the Frog

Five things I would do with $1 million: Nothing I haven't done before, just more of it.

Five locations I would like to run to: Only five?!

Five bad habits I have: Only five?!

Five things I love doing: Snacking, running to my favourite getaways, indulging in my bad habits, spending a million dollars, and doing my Kermit the Frog impression.

Five things I would most likely never wear: A turban, a fez, a burka, a parachute, and a bra.

Five movies I like: The last five I saw. (I like movies)

Five famous people I would like to meet: What would be the point?

My biggest joys at the moment: My grandsons, my faith, my books, my computer, my friends.

My favourite toys at the moment: My Nikon D5000 DSLR, my computer, and my paper shredder. (Just kidding)

Now that you have seen how exciting my life is, is it no wonder that I need a holiday?

Day Dreamin'

A dream, unless very intense, will likely fade away from the memory in 24 hours. My dream is in continuous mode. As I was working today, my mind was far away, somewhere just north of Puerto Vallarta. I was sitting beside the clear blue waters of one of the seven swimming pools, my head in the shade of a swaying palm tree while my body was soaking up UV, washing my eczema splotched body in Vitamin D. I can feel the healing as I slowly turn the pages of my paperback novel. The background sounds are muted and far away. There are not too many people around the pool today but I can catch bits and pieces of conversation. The words 'snow', 'north', 'cold', and 'home', are caught on the breeze and I know where those tourists are from. Over there I see a white skinned couple dragging their luggage behind them, still wearing their blue jeans and sneakers, and anxious to get to their room so they can change into shorts and sandals. A few minutes later another couple, dragging their luggage in the other direction, look longingly over their tanned shoulders, dreading the return to their cold and snowy home. But me, I just bask in the sun and take it all in. There in that tall tree, the one where the doves coo early in the dawn light, there is a commotion. I train my eyes on the lower branches where I thought I saw movement. I see others pointing and soon I see it too. There is an iguana, about three feet long from the tip of its long sharp tail to its blunt nose. They are everywhere but very difficult to spot. They are very shy, and well camouflaged. I soon lose sight of the reptile, even though it did not move away. It just blended in. I take another sip of my cool sweet drink and go back to my book. I toy with the idea of getting a big plate of fresh fruit, watermelon, papaya, and succulent pineapple. But first I will take a quick dip in the pool to cool down a bit. It is 30C and I am not used to it, but adjusting rather nicely. As I roll off my lounge chair, I look down and get a cold chill. I am staring into my tool box, looking for the umbrella straw I dropped but seeing only screwdrivers and hammers. Which one is reality? For now, I am afraid that the hammers and screwdrivers are winning out.

The Dream

I awoke with a start a half hour before the alarm could jar me out of my dream. It was such a vivid dream that it took several minutes to realise just where I was. I cannot remember ever being more anxious to go on a vacation than I have been this winter. It has been two years since we have been anywhere warm in the cold, dark, and wet months of November to February. I have been thinking of nothing else since we booked this vacation several weeks ago. The thought is now invading my dreams.
We were dining in the Flamingos, the open air restaurant that faces the sunsets and the open waters of Banderas Bay. The food and beverages were delicious, the company and conversation were stimulating, and balmy early evening ocean breezes were cooling our skin after a day in the hot sun. The tinkling of glasses and distant clatter of dishes were all that remained of our dinner and it was soon time to make a decision. Our friendly Mexican waiter made one last attempt to refill our coffee cups and departed with an amiable "Amigo" greeting. Should we take a stroll along the beach as the last vestiges of the sunset were spreading their reflection on the water, should we wander about the impromptu market that sets up around the main pool each evening, or should we take in the Latino show that will grace the entertainment bowl that night? There was no wrong choice.
But, the reality was that I was still in my bed at home, a whole week to go, and six days of hard work ahead of me. This dream has given me serious second thoughts. I think I have made a big mistake. I know I have made a big mistake. I should have booked two weeks instead of one!

The Last Chapter

This is not the window we ordered!

The whole process started last August when we called the salesman to give us an estimate on the new doors and windows. We were sure we would be done by Christmas but one window and one door were ordered the wrong size and type so we waited until just last Thursday to finalize the project. I am pleased to announce that all is done and meets all our expectations. The issue of the steel door that was wrongly installed has been resolved and the only issue now is the missing latch from our storm door on the outside of the kitchen entry. When the guys un-installed the door in December, the latch must have been swept up with the debris and tossed out because we cannot find it anywhere. I will have to scrounge for one at a second hand store or rig something up in my work shop.
I have been a very light sleeper most of my adult life and will awaken during a storm, or if there is unusual noise near our house. I suppose it is the noise that does it because our house is now so air tight and quiet that I am sleeping right through the night. There was a violent wind storm here last week and I never heard a thing. Then the fire at the end of the block last week, with people on our street watching from a distance, and I was totally unaware. Not sure yet if this is good or bad.
Our heating bill decreased with the new energy efficient furnace we installed in August, and now in the month of February, we will get the first true result of the savings with both furnace and windows installed and doing their efficient thing. I am actually looking forward to getting a bill. I can't believe I just said that!
The next step is to get our house re-evaluated with another pressure test and then fill out the paperwork for all the rebates, grants, tax credits, and kick-backs. It was an expensive project but with all the refunds, the lower heating costs, the added value, and the increased comfort, it was all worth it.
Next project? Two actually. Get my dad's place up to date so we can put it on the market and when the weather warms up, paint our own house on the exterior. Without a project, I will have nothing to blog about.

Sing

Tonight (Friday) we were at a wonderful concert called "SING!". It was put on by 'The Christian Tenors' and their special guest was the MEI choir, from a local private school. These are three guys, one local boy, one from Minnesota, and one from Nashville Tennessee. They are all excellent tenor soloists and when they blend their voices they are quite phenomenal. They sang mostly hymns and on several of them they invited the sold out audience to join in on the chorus. The three fellows interacted quite well and it was entertaining on several levels. Overall, it was an excellent concert and fun time. They have been here before and will be coming back. I think I would go again.

Airport Security

New strict security rules were put into place on Dec 26th as a result of an attempted airplane bombing. The public were greatly inconvenienced, mainly because the security people dropped the ball and then had to give the appearance of doing something about it, other than just doing their jobs, which was already greatly inconveniencing the general flying public. On Wednesday morning, something changes. The question is what? Passengers will at that time be once again allowed to bring carry on luggage into the plane. But why on Wednesday? Was it not safe to do so on Tuesday?
Nothing changes except for the creative ways in which we, the public, are being convinced that somebody is doing something about our safety. Thousands are killed every year by drunk drivers and yet there is not nearly the effort to curb this kind of behaviour as there is effort to curb the destruction of an airplane that would result in the loss of a few hundred lives. I suppose one life lost at a time does not have the impact of 200 lost at one time.

The Next Big Scare

Do you get the feeling that the AGW (anthropogenic global warming) scare has run its course. There seem to be more and more people and articles speaking out and questioning the so called settled science. There was 'Climategate', a fiasco of a climate conference in Copenhagen, the debunking of shrinking glaciers in the Himalayas, the coldest winter in Europe in decades, record snowfalls in Korea, a snow covered UK, and ice on the oranges in Florida. The movement is losing its credibility.

If you have been reading my rants on this blog, you know that I believe the whole thing is about a socialist agenda to re-distribute the wealth of the world. You simply have to read the agreement that came out of Copenhagen to this quite clearly.

So if the AGW is losing its legs, does the agenda then fail. Well, it must continue and it will do this by creating a new scare. It is now testing the media to see which of a number of new ideas will fly. Here they are in order of importance according to the IPC. (Yes, the UN is always behind these kinds of things because the UN is an agent of unrest against the wealthy countries of the world) Here are the new scares coming to a newspaper near you, and possibly a theater too when Al Gore can get his mind unwrapped from the disappearing Polar Bears and the 16 foot increases in ocean levels.

1. The most threatening green house gas of them all N2O ( Nitrous Oxide a.k.a laughing gas) I'm serious! Actually, it will destroy the Ozone layer. Remember the Ozone layer, the one that continually deteriorates and then repairs itself? Sure you do.

2. The smothering of the planet in plastic. I guess that warning on the bag is not only for young children.

3. A decrease in Oxygen in the atmosphere. Apparently during the days of the dinosaurs there was more oxygen around.

When these options have been test driven, you will be seeing one of them replacing the failed AGW.

If you want a really interesting read, go here.

Windows and Doors

The saga of the windows and doors continues. The time promised for a call back to install the last window and door has long gone. The Home Renovation Tax credit deadline looms. Having been in the home renovation business myself for 35 years, I know the value of integrity and a word trusted. I am at times taken aback by the surprised looks on my customer's faces when I do what I say I am going to do and when I come when I say I am going to come. Keeping one's word seems to be a rare commodity these days.

There is yet to be installed, one patio slider door, and one kitchen entry door. The door that is in that opening now is two inches too short and needs replacing. I cannot understand why they are dilly dallying because I am withholding a lot of money. I do not for one minute believe that these guys are dishonest, but perhaps the problem is that they are a rapidly growing company and they are not able to keep up with the growth. It would be wise for them to not forget one of the fundamentals of business and that is a totally happy customer. That, in return, will bring them the best advertising that there is and that is 'word of mouth' advertising. At the rate these guys are going with me, they are soon going to get some 'word of mouth' advertising from me, but it will not be of the desirable variety.

Standing Room Only

This photo does not begin to do justice to the following story.



When I get a call for work, rarely is the person I am talking to not a complete stranger. I glean what I can from the call, the person's voice, a little bit about the nature of the job, and a phone number with address so I can visit the site, give advice and a free estimate of the work required. It is always an adventure driving up to the address, ringing the doorbell, and seeing the customer face to face for the first time. I am often surprised at the age of the person as it is very difficult to tell by a voice over the phone.

But, beyond that, I never know what kind of home I am about to enter. About a week ago I was greeted at the door of a condo on the third floor of a building I was totally unfamiliar with. She was a single lady in her fifties, short, plump, thick glasses, and looking very nervous. When I had spoken with her on the phone, I remember having had a difficult time understanding her. Not only did she have some sort of strange accent, but she phrased her sentences in an unusual way. I was expecting to see an Oriental lady, or maybe someone from the Middle East.

I was able to eliminate Oriental immediately. I knew I would eventually ask her where she was originally from, that is, if it did not come up in conversation.

She bid me come in and promptly backed up to make room for me. The aromas from her cooking breakfast hit me but otherwise the place smelled clean. I took one glance from the tiny entry and was able to survey the kitchen, the dining room, and the adjoining living room. It was a sea of clutter. There was a tiny space in which the two of us stood while she rambled on and on about her decorating ideas.

"This is how all my ideas started" she said as she pointed to the kitchen and the three blenders and two food processors pushed into a corner on the counter top to make room for a bread maker, coffee maker, can opener, and several rows of canisters and cookie jars. There were pots and pans, stacks of clean and dirty dishes, bottles of water and juice, bags of pasta, loaves of bread, an opened and half used carton of eggs, and various other kitchen items that should have been stored in the refrigerator or in the cabinets, had they not already been stuffed to the point where the doors were standing half open, unable to close.

"I want to build more cabinets here where the little kitchen table stands. Then I can get rid of the table and chairs and eat off the top of the new cabinet"

I am thinking that really all she needs to do is get rid of stuff.

She rambled on for almost an hour before she got to the part that involved me in her impossible dream of making her space habitable.

She could only point to the area where I was to work as there was no way of getting there, physically. She then, stepping gingerly sideways, took me into her bedroom and the adjoining tiny bathroom where there was not even room to change one's mind. Again, her idea was to change the colour on the wall to give the illusion of space.

I was beside myself and could stay silent no longer. I told her in as nice a way as possible, that there was no way anything could be done in her suite the way things were at the moment. I blurted out that she simply had to get rid of a lot of her stuff.

"The best and most effective way of giving the illusion of space is to actually make space", I stated in the most professional voice I could muster.

"How about mirrors?" she countered.

"I'm sorry, but that will just make it look like you have twice as much stuff. In fact, I cannot do what you want me to do here until there is room to at least get to the walls."

She seemed a bit sad and hesitant. She then told me she was from Quebec and there she had nothing so all her things meant so much to her.

But then she perked up and started thinking out loud about who she could give this to and where that could go.

My morning was getting eaten up so I excused myself and asked her to call me back when she got rid of at least 1/2 of her clutter.

She thanked me profusely for the advice and seemed actually excited about the new challenge ahead of her.

Yes, she did call me back and it seems she wants me to come to do the work in mid February.

I will get back to you on just how well this went. In the meanwhile, I am going to have to lose some weight just to get in there again!

Becoming a Habit?

In October I told you about a chance meeting. When we go for a long Sunday afternoon walk, we never know who we are going to bump into. We saw a couple way in the distance, ahead of us, and something about them looked familiar. We picked up the pace and after some strenuous speed walking, we caught up to them and yes, it was the same couple. We had not seen them since our last encounter in the park.
At the time, he was getting over the swine flu, but there was another issue he was dealing with. He had, only last summer, experienced a 'neurological event'. Today he tells me that what he had was a stroke. All the testing, poking and prodding has been done and it is determined that if he does not lead a very healthy lifestyle from now on, he could be hit again, only this time with much more devastating results. He has not worked for a 1/2 a year and will not be going back any time soon. When he does, it will start at 4 hours per day and work up to maybe three days a week. His future is very uncertain now to say the least. He is much younger than I am and that makes me grateful that I have reached the age I have without a similar experience.
He was able to tell me of a few positive benefits which have arisen as result in this event in his life and that tells me that he is not very stressed about it. That in itself will serve him well. His future is a life of taking things one day at a time and being grateful for every moment.
I told him that he is fortunate to have found this great secret to life before it was too late.

Eighty

It has been an interesting week at work. I often try to guess the ages of the people I am working for and I am most often dead wrong. I rarely bring it up, but after a few days, it is usually revealed for some reason or other. We were the guests (at least they made us feel that way) of a couple of retired bankers. Jock is a hunter, and you can easily believe it by the trophies in his family room and his rugged outdoor appearance. He is a large, strong man, with bushy eyebrows and a deep, harsh voice. But he has a heart of gold. He treats his golden retriever like his best friend, and when he found out we have a fund raiser garage sale every spring, he immediately went out to his garage and gathered up a pile of stuff for us, including an excellent micro-wave/convection oven.
His wife, Carol, is a delight. She is conversant on any topic and has an intelligent opinion on everything without being shrill. Her hot button is travel and indeed, she was on the phone and the Internet most of the time we were there, booking her next trips. She travels at least 4 times a year and has been in 120 countries. Her next trip is to Brunei and Borneo. She and her girlfriend travelling companions have had some real adventures over the years. Nothing scares them except, perhaps, sitting on the beach in some well travelled resort.
And their ages? They are both 80! I guess 80 is the new 70.

Connected

I just noticed as I posted this photo, that we are all connected by knees and shoulders. I am happy that we are connected by more than that. My readers previously saw Louise and her daughter Bonnie, now have a look at my Uncle Jack. The last time he was at our home, he put on a magic (sleight of hand) show. That was back a ways at Thanksgiving. He always has something up his sleeve and this time it was his daughter. He brought her over so we could see each other after a long absence.

He also brought me a book and asked me to read it, which I have done. The book is "Transforming Encounters" written by Henry Teichrob from right here in Abbotsford. There are many locals who have written their biographies, many of them having come from very tumultuous circumstances, before they came to Canada. This is not really a biography, but more an account of a dynamic period of time in the life of the church. Henry was a key player in a genuine revival that took place in the seventies and spread throughout many parts of Canada and the USA.
Through an interesting accounting of how he, and his wife Freda, came to be involved, he goes on to tell of experience after experience how both Christians and non -Christians came to be free from what he calls 'self-life'. It is really a treatise on being free in Christ and allowing the Holy Spirit to work through the believer. He documents many testimonies and and they are all, every one, remarkable. If a person were ever in his life to wonder if there is more to Christianity than what they are experiencing, this is a book for them. I found it encouraging, insightful, inspirational, interesting, instructional, and quite well written. When I see all the books flying off the shelves in the local Christian Bookstore by authors such as Yancy, Eldridge, Colson, and Lucado, I wonder why Henry's book is not a best seller also.
Thank you, Jack, for the book. I will now do as you asked and pass it on to someone else, and if they return it like I will request, it will get passed on again.

Consumer Driven

I read today, that the more accurate figure of 17% is closer to the reality of unemployment in the USA. Add to that the decline of outstanding consumer credit by 8 percentage points in the last year. This means that fewer people are working as well as fewer people are using their credit cards or dipping into their lines of credit. Unemployed folks are not big spenders. They cannot afford to be. And those that are working are trying to re-establish their financial position of a few years ago and are saving, not spending.

These factors do not bode well for an economy that depends on consumer spending for 70% of its existence. If consumers are not spending, that means that retail outlets are not making much money, in fact many of them are laying off people and many are closing their doors. This results in fewer factory orders and soon factories are laying off people also. These companies, many of whom are publicly traded, are not making the profits of the good old pre-recession days.

So, when I read today that stocks in these companies are over priced, it came as no surprise.

A few months back I was saying the price to earnings ratio on the stock exchange was 27 to 1. Since then the stock markets have risen, while earnings have fallen, until today, the earnings ratio is 100 to 1! This means that for every dollar that is spent on stocks, one penny is earned in dividends. This has got to be the worst investment around and still you hear these financial institutions say that we should be getting into the markets because they keep going up.

The average investor sees the dismal returns on GIC's and interest rates and thinks the market is the place to be. It is exactly the place not to be when it crashes, and it will. The next wave of 'option ARM' mortgages are coming due right now and there will be more foreclosures, more fallout from that, and the economy will slide farther downhill.

In the end, the folly of government bailouts will be revealed. It is said that if it were not for the stimulus programs in the USA, there would 2 million more unemployed than there are now. That works out to $800,000.00 spent for every job saved. If I were Obama, I would not be too proud of that.

Help Where it is Needed

A CC-130 Hercules tactical transport prepares to take off for Haiti.


There are many countries around the world that need help. Their people live in abject poverty, their governments are corrupt, and hopelessness and fear are a way of life. These countries are ignored. There are so many of them and so few resources with which to help. We wring our hands and say how terrible it is that people have to live that way and then we go to Tim Horton's for our daily coffee and gossip session.
But then something changes. A tsunami comes out of the blue, a volcano erupts, or a major earth quake hits. Suddenly, the world wakes up to the tragedy and aid pours in, mostly from the USA, the UK, and Canada, but help arrives, and it should.
The people of Haiti will get some housing re-built, roads will be repaired, food will be provided and the injured and maimed will get some relief, probably short term. And in a few months or years what will be left will be a few NGO's (non governmental organisations) doing what they were doing before. They will be fighting poverty, child abuse, neglect, disease, malnutrition and disease. A new born baby will be abandoned at the orphanage, it will be cared for, and then a caring compassionate family from Canada will adopt and give it a new life in a free and wealthy country. The biological mother of the child will again get pregnant and will again abandon the baby at the orphanage and the circle will go on.
It is no wonder we turn a blind eye. We like permanent solutions. We want to fix it once and for all and then move on to the next problem that we can have a crack at solving.
'Power To Change' is taking a fresh approach in Guatemala. There are teams of professional men influencing government and business leaders in that country. They are showing them that justice and morality is a win/win. The 'flavour' of a country comes from the top down. When the leadership understands that every one will be better off, including themselves, then corruption is cleaned up, and a real change can take place.
Haiti needs a good dose of this kind of help after the Hercules cargo jets leave for home.

Clarity?

St. Stephen's Tower and Big Ben in the snow, taken from Westminster Bridge

According to what we read here, there is yet hope for clarity in this climate change confusion.

We Need More Greenhouse Gases, Now!

Tropical Ice Sculpture courtesy of Flikr.com

What do you think of when you conjure up images of Central America? Heat, humidity, tropical temperatures, ceiling fans swirling lazily in hot room, warm rain, and perhaps humming air conditioners? Read this from my cousin whose daughter lives in Guatemala.

Be on alert for intense cold in Guatemalalunes, 11 de enero de 2010Monday, January 11, 2010The National Coordination of Disaster Reduction has placed a "yellow" alert for the intense cold in almost all of Guatemala. The cold will get worse over the next few days.Sacatepéquez, Quetzaltenango, Quiché, Totonicapán, San Marcos, Huehuetenango, Sololá, Alta Verapaz y esta capital, éste de la municipalidad.For the people that have very low resources (housing etc), this organization will open 15 shelters in various places. (as listed above)According to the National Institute of weather, the temperatures will descend even more on Monday and Tuesday, and may begin to rise on Thursday.For the moment, the city of Guatemala "woke up" this morning with a temperature of 8 degrees. (46 F)They are estimating that for the regions that are 3000 meters above sea level, temperatures will be below zero.----------------------------------------------------------------------*This may not mean much for many of you, but please remember to pray for the Guatemala people. Many of which live in shacks and very poor housing facilities. And there are also a lot of people that live on the streets. There is NO heating in the houses and the wind usually blows between the gaps between the windows and the walls. It is COLD!

Help us, Al Gore, we are confused!

Getting into Hot Water

Ever since my dad moved into his condo ten years ago, we have toyed with the idea of one day making use of the hot tub in the commons recreation area. I have been down there many times, and indeed we have had a few family and friends gatherings right next to the hot tub room, and I have never seen anyone ever use it. But, it is always hot and circulating, inviting me into its warm and swirling depths. It is a wonderful thing to do on a cold winter night. Not only do you get warm to the bone, but the atmosphere is very conducive to visiting with those brave enough to enter the waters with you. After the initial embarrassment of exposed white pudgy skin with way too many wrinkles and enough hair on the shoulders to make a quality mop, things settle down and it becomes time for warm and meaningful conversation. Perhaps it is the shared vulnerability that encourages one to open up, and also confidence that nobody will walk out in the middle of your story.
After several attempts, we got a couple to come join us but first rewarded them with a wonderful salmon steak dinner. After that, how could they not join us? But, it was pre-arranged so they were good with the plan. We drove the few blocks and were anxiously looking forward to our clandestine adventure. I say that because we do not actually live in the building so we were technically uninvited guests, or moochers, as some would call us. But we were also technically entitled to be there because I am on the title of ownership of my dad's condominium and as an owner, I could use all the facilities.
All our plans and anticipation were stopped dead in their tracks as we approached the door to the hot tub room. It read "Sorry, out of order". Disbelieving, we entered to see for ourselves and much to our dismay, it was stone cold and had a garden hose running water into it. It was truly pouring cold water on a hot idea. We are now more determined than ever to use it. It will easily hold 6-8 bodies. Any takers?

Long Lost

My Aunt Louise and her daughter Bonnie.

She does not look Korean, but she practically is. My cousin Bonnie raised her family in the USA and then she and her husband Larry tootled off to Korea where they have been for the last 13 years. I had not seen her since our high school days together in the seventies and then one day she showed up at our garage sale! That was about two years ago. We heard she was in town yesterday and promptly invited her and her parents in for coffee and chocolate cheesecake. These are two amazing ladies. Louise is 90, and she will probably be reading this so I must be careful. She is one of those rare people who are teenagers trapped in an aging body. She is by far one of the sharpest, cleverest, wittiest and just downright nicest ladies I have ever known. In spite of living with pain, she keeps a youthful vigour about her and her enthusiasm is very catchy. I have only the greatest admiration for her. I see many similarities in Bonnie and the aging process has only enhanced those qualities in her that I admired so while we just teens. One of the things that makes her so endearing is her genuine interest in others. In fact, I feel guilty now that I allowed her to divert so much attention to us, and as a result, I feel we must get together again soon so I can reverse that situation and get to know her better.
As for Uncle Jack, I will save some thoughts for another post as he gave me a book to read and he wanted some feedback from me. I will only say for now that he considers himself as an 'over ripe teenager'.

Another Law Book

I enjoy reading a good book and always have. I have a list of favourite authors but there is a very popular author who is not really on my list and yet I keep picking up his books. John Grisham is a prolific writer who has published 21 novels and one work of non-fiction. I have just read my fifteenth Grisham novel and am into his latest effort, which is a collection of short stories called Ford County. His books are easy to read and he is a very good story teller. I sometimes get the feeling, after having completed another of his books, that anybody could do that.
Having been a lawyer himself, his books tend to be about lawyers. "The Associate" is no different. It takes the reader into the world of a brilliant law student and his first experience working with one of the largest law firms in the USA. There is a mantle of blackmail and intrigue surrounding his experience and he deftly tries to extricates himself from a very sticky situation. It makes one very cynical about the legal profession, but then there is a built in bias in all of us in that regard. It was a bit more satisfying than "The Appeal", which left me cold and tossing the book in the corner.
"Ford County" is proving to be interesting and diverse. I am half way through and will definitely finish.
My favourite story of his has nothing at all to do with the practise of law. It is the "The Painted House". My second favourite, "Playing for Pizza" is strictly about Italian football. So, why do I keep reading Grisham? I guess I am waiting for another novel from him that is not about lawyers.

Reason to be Proud

I would love my grandsons no matter what their lot in life. We have invested time in their lives and it has paid us back in spades. We are very close and free and easy with each other. It is such an incredible pleasure watching them grow and become such great guys. With all three, we have taken a lot of time reading to them from a very early age. It started out the same for each of them. We would pick up a book and start reading and they would just want to turn pages. We were OK with that as we knew they would naturally have short attention spans. We kept at it, as did their mom and dad and other grandparents. Soon they were being attentive as we read the whole book through. Eventually, they began to read some words on their own, and soon small books.
This last week, Liam, 15 months old, graduated to sitting still for a whole children's book. Chad, 9, continues to read at a level way beyond his age. His vocabulary and knowledge on so many different subjects are a testament to his love of reading. And Nate, 11, and in grade six this year, was tested and found to be reading at a grade twelve level. Just to top that off, he was also on the 'honour roll' and the 'effort roll'.
We always hear from educators that reading to children is one of the best things you can do for them. We have proof that they are right!

Last Laugh

This is the other barn at the end of Marshall Road Extension

Today, more evidence for climate change, but not the kind we are supposed to fear. Maybe a little more carbon in the atmosphere would rectify things.

My friend from the UK tells me that it is snowing there again with no let up in sight. "The coldest winter in 30 years" they are saying. They are not equipped with salt nor snow plows and things kind of grind to halt there as roads get slippery and snow covered. A news report on the TV says that there are not too many groceries left in some stores, whether a result of hoarding or poor transportation is a guess.

The Des Moines paper reports 30 degrees below normal temperatures.

Seoul, South Korea, has just received more snow than it has had in the last 70 years! And there was no global warming 70 years ago!

Those Russian scientists I blogged about a while back, the ones who studied sun spots, predicted another ice age and that was at the height of the all the global warming fear mongering. Look who might get the last laugh.

What Did the Priest Say?

Abby Monastery in Mission

I have raised the topic of the 'Emerging Church' with many people and I get a lot of blank stares. At best, they will say that they have heard the expression but admit that they do not know what it is . If one is not a Christian, and does not attend church, then it does not have any meaning or significance and is not an issue. For those of us who are Christians and do attend church, it is an issue of major significance and will sooner or later influence our thinking and our way of understanding the gospel, if it has not already.

I certainly do not claim to be an expert on this topic but it is of enough concern to me that I have been prompted to look into it. In my previous post, I made reference to the conversation I had on this topic as a result of a CD that was loaned to me. The Catholic monk (on the CD) was describing the emerging church and indeed promoting it. There is too much information to cover in a simple blog post, but it seems to be evident that two of the pillars of the new face of Christianity are universalism and ecumenism. For the uninitiated, universalism is the idea that all religions are true, valid, and lead the seeker to God. Ecumenism is the movement to amalgamate all denominations into one unified body, in particular, protestant and Catholic. The objective of promoting these two pillars of faith is to create a heaven on earth for all, through our accomplishments as a united front.

This movement is gaining momentum and is fraught with dangers. It is cloaked in well meaning sentiments and the familiar language of 'Christian speak' and its effects are being felt world wide. My personal belief is that there will be few Christians who will not succumb to its subtle apostasy because of its lofty ideals and because of the powerful and influential people it has drawn into its leadership.