Afternoon At My Destination

By Norm Richards


Just as in my last visit, photo's with the Prime Minister were necessary. Got to keep up the image, you know? My son in-law asked if I was hungry. Since the coffee and donuts at five thirty, lunch seemed a long way off. By the time we landed I was ready for a hot meal of any kind. Airline food was sparse as you can see from the photo on the right.

Scott told me he had the best place in mind. We stopped for a bowl of soup in Kanata. This wasn't just any soup. It was a meal in itself. I love when you get hot tea and sweet roles brought to the table almost without asking. Scott ordered for both of us, so I counted on him.

On arrival, his business partner was there with his wife and another couple. We knew we were in good company right away. Also, I like a restaurant that's full of the people who's country the food originates from. The next table over was festuned with a large group of oriental folks smiling and having a nice conversation. It's a good sign.

 

Sure enough, nearly burnt my face off consuming the hot sauce that accompanies the soup. Glad Scott asked for it on the side. I couldn't help stiring the sauce in librally since I like hot and spicy food. Wow! Ultra Hot! But, I was in the mood for hot food after the long flight. I sure got it. How often do you spend the time over a meal and your host spends the whole time laughing at you? Happened to me.    

Morning of September 4th 2011

By Norm Richards

Well, the day started out well. I got up and showered at 4:10AM. This, after laying my head down well after midnight. On the eve of my birthday I thanked a number of early greeters from around the world and as far off as India. It's a place I've never visited. This reminded me that my social networking has grown. I noticed another friend who connected with me in 2008. I hadn't heard from him again until this evening. Nice to hear from old friends. It seems like a lifetime in cyberspace. Nevertheless, he got in touch.

My Presley family friend responded to my gentle poke from earlier. She's a lovely lady who lives in California. She's a cousin to Elvis Presley and she makes me feel like I'm in touch with the great one himself. As the night rolls by and the constant log-on at Facebook must come to an end for another day, I say goodnight to all and sign-off. I'm pleased with myself. Packing has gone well. My trip east in the morning to visit my daughter and her family is now only near hours away.
By shower time I realize I've only slept three hours and here I am again. Feeling no pain and quite awake, I slumber through my shower chore.

Later, I'm sitting three miles from home in the cab at a stop light. It's dark, quiet and no one can be seen in all directions. It hits me. I left the Jeanne's cake behind. I'm one of many who travel with those famous Jeanne's cakes. It comes in log shape complete with cookie crust and you order it in as many servings as you need. They just make it longer. Of course I have Happy Birthday written on our cake. Even though we have birthdays spread throughout the year, we celebrate them together when I arrive with the cake. I think to myself, this is going to be an expensive cake while we double back to get it.

Check in comes easy. Flights on time. Food service is limited at this hour. Coffee and donuts anyone? Just past the security area I stop to pick up a recent Nick Hornby novel to amuse myself on-route. Arriving in the waiting lounge I notice many wear jackets or sweaters for protect against the morning chill. But, it's actually a calm morning and I'm ok in my cotton shirt. I figure if I need too, I'll ask for a blanket and pillow on the airplane. But who knows, I may need to pay for that.  

It's mid flight when it strikes me I've spent the first half of the trip writing these morning pages. Julia Cameron would be proud if she knew. Julia's a modern writer's guru and creator of "The Artist's Way," a series of books to help artists and writers be better. I gave up doing her style of pages in exchange for doing a blog some time back. She's been a help for me. She got me through the development and progress of writing my first book. Now, I've found an improved routine for my writing with the blogging I do.

I remind myself, life is good. I didn't leave the cake behind or worse; out in the rain. I made the flight. I packed underwear, socks and shaver. It's the fourth day of my annual fall vacation and all is well. The sun begins to shine on me through the aircraft's port window giving me a warm safe feeling. I plug into my ipod and tune in some classic listening. It's Roxette turned up loud and reminds me of a previous visit where I shared this music with my daughter I'm about to see once again. I sense the day will be perfect.      

Plans for a Life

By Norm Richards

I remember when it was easy to make plans to do something. You'd pickup the phone and call your friends any time of the day. Apart from the cold reception when told he or she will call you back once dinner is done, they've showered or even gotten out of bed. In my case I was usually in bed.  I'm sorry, drummers get tired. But, you'd get a quick call back and plans were struck for later. Something happened. Things got done, fun would never be held up. Life happened.

Today, you make contact with friends online and wait. Sometimes days, weeks go by before response comes. You've lived a lifetime meanwhile. By the time contact comes you've forgotten who they are, never mind what they want. Oh ya, shit! Okay, let's do that!

I live a pretty busy life but it's insular and crammed with things going on. I let my brain take me in all kinds of directions. I love being spontanious to my whims. I never stray very far from music. My taste is refined and selective. Time needs never to be wasted.
I love contact with others. Seldom is it enough. People have to go, where, I don't know. Why not stay and we'll discover and have fun. Yet, I have so much to do myself. A life to live. Plans have to be realized. Okay?
   

Another bear killed today!

Yet another bear was killed today after yesterday's killing. I can't believe it. A man wearing a provincial uniform with shoulder flashes reading "conservation" said "this is what we do" when a bear wonders into a resort area. No bear traps are put in place and officers are not on hand in force with tranquilizer guns to capture and remove bears. The bear is just shot dead without any hope of living a full life without harm from humans. What is going on?

Another Bear Killed in Manitoba

I reported a black mother bear and her two cubs were shot last summer in Swan River for going into town. They never bothered anyone and were sent up a tree. They were simply shot down without a chance to escape human intervention. Again yesterday at a Lake Winnipeg resort area a young black bear was killed. He wandered near a beach area unknowingly. No doubt the smell of human food drew him near. He was hunted down by police and immediately killed, killed, not captured and returned to the wild unharmed. It just disturbs me that the provincial government has taken no steps at all toward protecting bears from humans. It sad, very sad.

Out on the Town

Story by Norm Richards


Went out last evening. I don't do it much. I suppose going out has changed quite a bit over these recent months, days and decades for sure. My friend and co-worker was celebrating his birthday. Bunch of us went up to the same rooftop bar we gathered at last year. It offers large tables and lots of room to move about. The music is not so loud and the games on TV can be seen from the bar. It's quite open for a social exchange, chats, play, sharing. Sounds like being online with friends doesn't it?
But it took time getting in. I got there after the others and waited in line. I stood in line stewing and steaming. I asked to be let in to join my party but the lug at the door wouldn't have it.

There are a lot of places to go out to in this city. I almost turned tail and went elsewhere but for my friends upstairs. You know, If you want live music there's not many other cities in north America that would rival our city. I spent a number of years playing bars and clubs here as a musician. I've experienced the scene from a different perspective I suppose.

I remember walking home on a Saturday night in Vancouver when I was in film school and seeing long lineups for dance bars. I was amazed how people would stand in a line for long periods of time just to dance. But I suppose hooking up happens and perhaps that's the payoff for lineups in certain bars. I'm a whole hearted supporter of live acts. I think dance clubs with recorded music have there place I suppose. Going out today takes selection and making up your mind what it is you want for entertainment before you leave home. Once you get into an establishment that's probably where you will remain for an evening. I used to love bar hopping but it's harder to do. I love to discover a bar with a good act. I think it just takes so much pre-planning to go out today. So, if I'm not playing I'd rather stay home. Why not? Why bus ta gut trying to get in somewhere and not be satisfied in the end. I loved living in Banff, Alberta. You could cover four to five bars in one night and have a super time all in a two block radius. But that's a resort town and few others compare.

I've become quite expert at packaging an evenings entertainment at home. Preparing food and libation is a good start. The stereo turned up loud with a solid ipod rotation of all the hits warms the heart. Every once and awhile I feel the need to get up and play my drums to the songs I hear. If the mood strikes I pull from a large collection of feature movies I own. The computer screen can be seen over my shoulder for the once and awhile exchange with cyber friends. I write story. I read a book. My library is full of any kind of reading I prefer including an e-reader to select from. So why do I need to go out? Should I? For friends, I do.       

Amy Winehouse is Gone

By Norm Richards

Amy was not with us very long. 27 years seems so brief a time. Time enough to touch my heart and my soul. Her voice struck me first. At first, I never knew what she looked like. I thought she was black. She was a thin woman from England with Jewish background. I'm not sure history or religion played much part in her life though. Her father is a working class bloke, a taxi driver who loves music. He shared it with her just as I always have with my own children.

Amy is many years my junior and close in age to my son. He's developed a great love for music and now shares that with his own son. I love that about my kids. My daughter loves music too. Dance took over her life. She's gone onto a professional career in business and now, today, her life is taken over by her children's dance demands. They're fine award winning dancers and will continue to perform.

But today, I feel for the parents of Amy Winehouse. I make my condolence for her passing. She was a soul sister to many around the world including me. She suffered and wrote about it. That's not so different than me. She put her words into song and interpreted that wonderfully.

I own her video "I Told You I was Trouble" Amy Winehouse Live in London. It documents her career and her visit to the USA. I love her performance with the big band. She has two black men backing her on vocals. That somehow seems appropriate rather than female backup singers. It might have been misunderstood like she was trying to copy The Ronettes. That was never true. He voice alone was different than what Ronnie Spector did although Amy's stage look resembled her. I love a performer who finds a look. Lady Ga Ga did it recently and Cher and others did too. So Amy's gone. What did we learn from her? It doesn't hurt to feel. It does hurt to love but we have a human heart and can't help ourselves. Mainstream media would rather report Amy's drug and alcohol abuse. But we understand. We know we can escape. We know we can medicate. Does it help? Maybe, for awhile. We know the love and hurt Amy had for the people she knew. We have relationships too. I'm grateful we knew her for awhile. I feel better for it.