The Joy Of Laughter

There is nothing more relaxing and refreshing than a good belly laugh. Laughter reduces stress, relaxes muscles, helps refresh the air in our lungs, lowers blood pressure, and releases nature's painkillers (endorphins). It has also been found that laughter sparks our creativity and rejuvenates our mind and soul.

Laughter is sometimes called our "internal jogging" because it helps strengthen our hearts. For people who are not able to get regular cardiac activity, laughing is wonderful exercise. It aids in circulation and delivers oxygen and other nutrients to the rest of the body. And, believe it or not, women receive more benefit from laughing than do men. I think that is one of the reasons women always seem to fall in love with men who can make them laugh.

Laughing is wonderful, but did you know it also helps your immune system? Yes it does. It increases the natural killer cells that attack viruses and even tumors. Laughing also wards off colds because it increases immunoglobulin in saliva, and has a cleansing effect.

Laughter is the universal language, and a great ice-breaker. Often groups of people will not share the same ideas, and that can create tension, especially over the long term. Most of us find ourselves in that situation from time to time. I work closely with a co-worker who never laughs. It is all business, all the time. There is no sense of humor, or sense of the ridiculous in this person, and unfortunately as a result, my co-worker suffers from high blood pressure. I am just the opposite, and I love to laugh. However, there are times when I feel as if I'm doing something subversive when I laugh. But never fear -- that doesn't stop me. We have a new young doctor who has the most wonderful, infectious giggle. Hearing him laugh makes me giggle too. His laugh is ... just what the doctor ordered.

No one has ever discovered the negative side effects to laughing -- it's free, and it's good for you. Find every opportunity you can, and laugh.

Rockwell, Images Of An Illustrator

There is a wonderful article in Vanity Fair this month about Norman Rockwell, and in particular about how he set up the compositions for his paintings. He photographed his subjects first, and now there is an extensive collection of his photographs, which I think would be as interesting to see as his paintings.

This is one of my favorite Rockwell paintings. The little girl is comparing herself unfavorably to the actress Jane Russell, whom she sees as beautiful and glamorous. But the viewer can see that the little girl will be far more beautiful when she is grown up. I like this picture because the little girl reminds me very much of Marigold.

Most people are familiar with "The Gossip". Rockwell used friends and family members as subjects for his paintings, and you can see the same folks throughout many of his works. I have never been a huge fan of Norman Rockwell's art. He really was more of an illustrator than an artist, but as an illustrator, no would could outshine him. He created images that today are referred to as "Rockwellian" or "kitschy", because they seemed to reflect a perfect way of life that perhaps did not really exist. But if you look closely at his paintings, you can also see images of reality. In his painting "Saying Grace", if you look through the curtains covering the diner window, you can see the diner is located in an industrial area.

Photography is very much a form of art, and I think it would be interesting to see Rockwell's photographs. Somehow they would give a whole new dimension to his paintings.

The Story Of Frank Paul

The other night I watched a movie that has just been released on DVD called "The Soloist", starring Jamie Foxx and Robert Downey, Jr. The movie is based on the true story of Steve Lopez (Robert Downey, Jr.) who is a reporter for the Los Angeles Times. He discovers a Juilliard trained musical prodigy, Nathaniel Ayers (Jamie Foxx) living on the streets in downtown Los Angeles. Ayers had developed paranoid schizophrenia while at Juilliard, and he ended up alone and homeless. Both Robert Downey, Jr. and Jamie Foxx's performances were wonderful, even though the movie seemed to lack direction.

The most gut-wrenching scenes in the movie were the scenes of the hundreds of homeless people, with nowhere to go, no hope, and no one who seemed to really care. Most of them suffered from some sort of debilitating mental illness. I have never liked the term "mental illness" because it seems to imply a psychological connection rather than a physical connection. I believe most so-called mental illnesses are really a form of physical brain disease, and should be treated as such. There should be no stigma attached to having a "brain disease", any more than there is to having heart disease. But here we are in the 21st Century, still stigmatizing these poor folks. In the 1980s, the policies in many countries were to close the hospitals where people could receive the treatment they needed, and most of these folks who were powerless to help themselves were forgotten. The idea was to help people get better, learn new coping and life skills, and gain some independence. Unfortunately, we now see them now sleeping under piles of rags, in doorways and on park benches. Most of us walk past them, trying not to look at them, or to make eye contact.

A few years ago there was a Mi'kmaq Aboriginal man by the name of Frank Paul who used to panhandle outside the liquor store next to my local supermarket. Something about him touched my psyche -- or my heart -- if you will. He looked people in the eyes, and there was a whole world of communication in his expression. He appeared sad and ashamed of how low he had fallen, he had a certain dignity that I have rarely seen, and he seemed to be saying, "Don't look at me as I appear to be; I am really more like you than you realize. What has happened to me can happen to anyone, and I am embarrassed that it has happened to me." He also had a thoughtful look of gratitude when anyone gave him money, and I had the feeling that if the tables were turned, he would be more than generous in return. One day, Mr. Paul was arrested for being drunk in a public place. A sergeant at the city drunk tank refused to allow him to stay, and Mr. Paul was dragged to a police wagon and then dumped in the back alley, where he died of hypothermia.

Later on, Vancouver Police Chief Jim Chu issued a news release apologizing to Mr. Paul's family and the community. "We deeply regret the loss of life caused by the mistakes our officers made, who had a duty of care for Mr. Paul," said Chu. "Since that tragic event, we have strengthened and modified certain policies, our procedures and training have been reinforced, and we continue to work closely with our public health partners to further safeguard the lives and well being of those in our care."

While I was watching "The Soloist" the other night, I kept thinking of Mr. Paul. What talents did he possess? Could he have been a wonderful writer, artist, musician? Maybe with the right opportunities, he would have been a great diplomat, or a doctor, or a teacher. Would he have ever had the opportunity to find out? Well, certainly not on the streets of Vancouver, that's for sure.

Homelessness should not exist; it is unacceptable. And none of us really knows if it could happen to us, or someone we love. There but for the grace of God goes any one of us.

Out Of The Mouths Of Babes...

"You guys said we did this for a show...!"

Gotcha...!

Out of the mouths of babes.

What is wrong with people who exploit their children in order to become famous? One of the very first things children learn is, when they do something bad, they must suffer the consequences. But, what about when their parents do something bad, and use the child as an accomplice? Parents are supposed to be the big people. Now this poor little fellow - Falcon Heene -- is being used as a pawn, and he's being paraded on every television talk show from Larry King Live to Good Morning America. He's very confused and probably a little frightened, and he knows he did nothing wrong. As the days progressed, we could see the anxiety building in this little fellow, until he was sick to his stomach -- live and in living color -- on morning television. And then his father, the redoubtable Richard Heene, actually blamed the little boy, saying he was confused. For that alone, the father should be charged.

Where are Child Protective Services? Don't they have them in the U.S.? Why are they allowing children such as this little boy and the Gosselin children to be put in the spotlight until they squirm with apprehension and fear?

The sheriff in Fort Collins Colorado is expected to charge Mr. and Mrs. Heene with felony charges. They deserve it, but now their children will be faced with more anxiety that Mommy and Daddy are bad people and may end up in prison -- just what every child needs.

This would all end of people would just stop watching reality shows that involve children. "Nanny 911", "Supernanny", "Wife Swap", "Jon and Kate + Eight", "18 Kids and Counting" ... and so on. We get to watch these children throwing tantrums, being potty trained, and all the other normal things that children do, and it's supposed to be entertainment. The producers of these shows are to blame, the parents are to blame, and the people who watch these shows are to blame. Would any of you folks want your children involved in something like this, and exposed to the whole world on a day-to-day basis? These children have no voice in the matter. How far does it have to go before the authorities step in and put an end to it? Someone is making a lot of money off this, and they're using children to do it. Make it stop...!

I now relinquish my soap box and return you to your regularly scheduled broadcast.

Interesting Times

My favorite thing to do at this time of the year is to go for a long walk, crunching leaves. Today I plan to do just that. When I come home, I am going to make some of my famous killer delicious beef stew, have a cup of tea, and visit all of your fabulous blogs. Did I hear someone whispering back there, "She needs to get a life?" Well, I suppose it's true. My life can be rather dull and uneventful at times. What is that ancient Chinese proverb, "May you live in interesting times." One should be happy to live in calm, serene and uninteresting times.

This is a little pencil sketch I did a few years ago of the fallen leaves. I loved the colors. In the meantime, I am going to leave you for today (get it? leave you -- oh, never mind...) with one of my favorite pieces of music, "L'autunno" from Vivaldi's "Four Seasons". I hope you get outdoors today and kick some leaves.

The Black Widow Spider And The Black Knight

For several years I have had an idea -- a suggestion -- that would cut the back log of work in our organization and would also significantly impact the turn-around time of patient care from a couple of weeks to a day or so at most. And for several years I have pitched my idea to the Black Widow Spider, only to be told, "Oh, no, no, that would never work, uh-uh, can't be done. Nope. It won't work. This is the way we've always done it, and your suggestion just can't be done."

Oh, okay...

Enter The Black Knight. I thought, here is an intelligent person who perhaps might see the advantage in at least trying my suggestion to find out if it might possibly -- maybe -- actually work. I sent her an e-mail, I requested a meeting with her and with all the people who are involved in the process. We met, and once again I pitched my idea.

The Black Widow Spider spoke up, "No, no, no, it can't be done. It will never work."

The Black Knight, "Why wouldn't it work? Shouldn't we at least try it to find out?"

Yes! Finally -- the voice of reason. I silently cheered The Black Knight. This is why this person was hired. The new broom sweeps clean, as my mother used to say. Here is some someone with some intelligence and common sense.

The new process I suggested was implemented. It worked immediately. It took a backlog of work that was chronically backed up for two or three weeks -- or more -- and brought it current, and it remains current. And not only has it eased the burden of work in general, it has directly affected patient care in a positive way and it has greatly lessened the stress on the support staff. Of all the changes that have been made recently, it has produced the most significant results with the greatest impact, and for that I am pleased. For several years I have given the idea a lot of thought, and I knew it would work. It has seemed to me to be a "no-brainer", as they say.

Yesterday I discovered -- quite by accident -- that The Black Knight is taking credit for my idea, and is being supported by The Black Widow Spider. At at off-site management meeting, The Black Knight received kudos for her (my) suggestion that significantly reduced the turn-around time in the backlog of work regarding patient care.

It is always impossible afterwards to speak up, "But that was my idea...!" At that point, we have to remain silent. But, I know it was my modest contribution, even if the credit goes to someone else. The Black Knight may even believe it was her idea. Memory is a strange thing. We sometimes edit and prune the things we don't choose to believe, and embelish the things we do until we believe it ourselves. But it was my idea, and I pushed for it until it was done.

"Lives of great men all remind us, we can make our lives sublime, and, departing, leave behind us, footprints on the sands of time."

... Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

2010 Winter Olympic Medals

The 2010 Winter Olympic medals were unveiled yesterday. They're quite strange and unique, but much to my surprise, I like them. One interesting fact is that they're partially supplemented with trace amounts of gold, silver and copper reclaimed from discarded electronics -- gold 1.52 percent, silver 0.122 percent and copper 1.1 percent -- the practice is an Olympic first. The thing I like best about them is the art work, they feature the Orca whale and were designed by artist Corrine Hunt, a First Nations Artist. According to the Vancouver Olympics website, The orca, designed across four panels in the style of a traditional West Coast First Nations bentwood box, is often associated with the attributes of strength, dignity and teamwork. The sleek and powerful black and white whales are common to the waters off Canada’s West Coast but are also found in all the world’s oceans. The medals for the Paralympic Games will feature the Raven.

I have always been very partial to Orcas, and when I was growing up on Vancouver Island my father used to take us "whale watching" off the coast of Tofino, where we would watch the pods of Orcas swim close to shore. My father loved Aboriginal art, and he did a painting of the Orca and the Raven, which I now have in my house, and is one of my treasures. My parents had a wonderful First Nations art collection of baskets, totem poles and paintings which they donated to the museum in Port Alberni, but I still have some of the baskets and paintings. So, I think my Dad would approve of the medals as well. All we need now is for some of our Canadian athletes to win a few -- gold would be nice.

And while they're at it, perhaps this will be the season a Canadian team will bring home the Stanley Cup.

Jaycee Dugard And Elizabeth Smart

Jaycee Dugard and Elizabeth Smart resemble each other enough to be sisters. How is it that these two lovely young women could have endured horrors beyond our imaginations, and still remain so fresh-faced and cheerful? I think hope must be very strong in the human heart. Every parent's worst nightmare is to have their child taken by a stranger and to have them suffer the indignities -- to say the least -- that Jaycee and Elizabeth suffered. The worst thing would be the not knowing, and there should be a special place in the Ninth Circle of the Inferno for the monsters who kidnap, molest and murder innocent children. It's wonderful that these girls were returned to their families.

Hope springs eternal in the human breast;
Man never is, but always to be blessed.

... Alexander Pope

La Mer

What do you call it when you have a particular song that goes through your head -- over and over and over -- for days, weeks, months...? It's called an "earworm", I believe, although that is a rather unfortunate choice of words. I have had the same song going through my head, on and off, for several weeks. Fortunately, it is one of my favorite songs, but enough is enough. I'm fortunate that I live beside the ocean, and I spend a lot of time strolling on our wonderful beaches, whenever I have the opportunity. And when I do, I always have this song going through my head. So here you are, my lucky friends, I will share with you my "earworm". Enjoy!

Blogging As A Form Of Journalism

During high school, I went through a stage where I wanted to be a journalist. I belonged to the journalism club and everywhere I went, my notebook and pen went with me, and I learned to observe things. I was fortunate to grow up in a family where current events, politics, religion, art, music, philosophy and literature were discussed at length every day. My father subscribed to several newspapers and magazines -- Time, Newsweek, the New Yorker, and he and my mother had a wonderful library of books available for my brothers and me to read. One of my favorite books was "The England of Elizabeth" by A.L. Rowse. The book described life in Elizabethan England, from the lowest classes to the Monarch. Elizabethans invented some wonderful recipes that are still used today, including meat and cheese pies and pastries.

Blogging seems to have taken off as a form of journalism. Blogs vary from personal journals of folks' day-to-day lives, interests, hobbies, etc. Blogging gives us the opportunity for creative freedom and interaction with people from all over the world. With the mainstream media becoming more questionable and biased in their reporting of news, bloggers are making their voices heard.

Two years ago a man named Robert Dziekanski was tasered to death by the R.C.M.P. at Vancouver Airport. They hit him with the taser four times. The entire incident was videotaped by a young man named Paul Pritchard. The R.C.M.P. confiscated Pritchard's camera, but Pritchard hired a lawyer and two days later the R.C.M.P. were forced to return it. Pritchard released the horrifying video to the public, where it quickly made its way to the blogs. The R.C.M.P. were unable to cover up their misdeed, and this month the Braidwood Enquiry is concluding its investigation of the incident. Without Pritchard's video, the R.C.M.P. would have made the whole thing quietly go away, and indeed several of the R.C.M.P. officers were found to have lied about it.

Never before in history have ordinary citizens been able to have their voices heard in such a manner. It is an amazing phenomenon. My boring-little-blog is what might be called a "slice of life". There is no recurrent theme, and I post about whatever happens to be going through my mind on any particular day. I do, occasionally however, like to post about things of which I have a strong opinion. And anyone who knows me, knows I do sometimes tend to have strong opinions. I'm not always right -- in fact very often I am wrong. But, if I think something is bunkum, I will say so. And I cherish other people who feel just as strongly about their opinions, and feel free to disagree with me. To me, the most dangerous people of all are the ones who have no opinions whatsoever, and often they called upon to make tie-breaking decisions, such as in the work place or in the voting booth. As Voltaire said, "I do not agree with what you have to say, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it."

He also said, "I hate women because they always know where things are." It seems he had a sense of humor.

Blogging has become a forum where people can discuss anything and everything, and I think that's wonderful. The one thing I have learned is that no matter what part of the world we are from, and how different we are, we are all the same. People can agree, disagree -- whatever -- but we should never, ever stop the conversation. Keep it going, and keep it honest.