Gung Hei Fa Choi!

In true rat fashion, the year of the rat has scurried away taking our economic security with him. In his place comes the the spartan Ox. The Ox is a hard worker. Plodding day by day to accomplish his tasks he is undaunted by the enormity of the job before him. The ox does not have the ability to take short cuts. Instead he reminds us that diligence and focus with get the job done. The year of the ox is a time to get our houses in order. Pay off those bills - take that upgrading course we have been putting off. The ox represents honesty reminding us to get back to our roots and use integrity in all our dealings.
In the Chinese Zodiak I am a Dragon. This year the Dragon will need to be strong and focused in order to reach their goals. I am also supposed to take my and time and consider all advice. That is a tough job for me. I am used to flying by the seat of my pants and making my own decisions with out consultation. I have never been someone who trusted enough to rely on others advice much. Instead I figured if I was going to blame someone for screwing up it might as well be me and not someone else. However, I think the zodiak may be right. This year may be the year I need to seek more consultation. Listen intently and accept some outside advice.
For all my friends, Chinese or otherwise, I hope that the year of the Ox bring order to your lives. I hope that it instills in each of us a sense of responsibility for our neighbors around the world. I hope it sees us spending more wisely and ridding ourselves of the desire to have more and more things that we don't really need. I hope the slow pace of the ox allows us to meditate on what is really important in our lives and our world.

Mellow Yellow Monday

Nothing better than yellow to remind you of summer! Get summerized at Mellow Yellow Monday!

Camera Critters

After watching a show on TV about the struggle that Trumpeter Swans have had and are still encountering to survive I had to post this picture I took about 4 years ago of one of the Swans on Lost Lagoon at Stanley Park.

Check out all the other critters at Camera Critters

Hope, Reconcilliation & Renewal

I have not been unaware of the excitement around the inauguration of President Barak Obama this week. In this photo, sent to me by a friend, I was stunned by the incredible numbers of people who trekked to Washington and braved the cold to watch this historic occasion. Some of these people didn't make it close enough to even glimpse the President and First Lady in person. Yet there was jubilation on their faces and hope in their eyes.

As a Canadian watching the occasion and listening to a very different speech than that of former President Bush - it gave me hope. Hope that I would on feel that my brothers to the south were once again my friends. Hope that there would be reconciliation around the world that the Amercians that I know and love will again feel proud that they are reaching out and trying to bring peace through their actions and words instead of sowing discontent and malice with words and actions of aggression. However, it was the actions of the new President that has begun to renew my faith in mankind. In his first week President Obama has closed Gitmo, shut down the CIA's network of secret overseas prisons and order the cessation of torture interrogation techniques. He also invoked the Geneva Convention for the treatment of the prisoners left at Gitmo and has allowed the international Red Cross access to the inmates.

For eight years I have watch my American friends struggle with the pain of feeling like they had lost the moral high ground that their country was founded on. Finally they can lift their heads and move forward with pride once again.

As a Canadian President Obama's actions this week have given me hope for a more peaceful world and better cross border relations. However, after the things I have seen and the pain that has been brought to fellow Canadians such as Maher Arar over the last eight years I am cautious. I will wait, with hope in my heart, for more good things from this new president.

Congratulations America - I think - I HOPE - you may be on to better times!

Mellow Yellow Monday

Doesn't get much more yellow than that! Check out all the yellow here at Mellow Yellow !