Forrest Gump

Life certainly is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you are going to get. That's how I feel about the movie Forrest Gump. I just don't get it.

I have watched it several times, even tonight. I still don't understand what the message of the movie is.

I certainly feel for Forrest. I have experienced many of the same emotions he has had. I have waited and waited for my "Jenny" in my life. I have done the unconventional and somehow come out just fine.

But I still don't know what it is all about. And it just ends with a feather floating in the air after he has sent his son off to school.

Mind you, there are times when I just don't get things because, like Forrest Gump, I am pretty naive about life. If anyone can help me, please send me a comment. I will be sure to post it. I'm sure I'm not the only one who is confused.

ESL adventures

I really love teaching ESL. Every day brings a laugh or two. It sometimes works out that my students teach me a thing or two about life, particularly when I hear their stories. I am thankful and happy for the life I have lead.

Names in other cultures are fun, too. In one class, one of the students is named Heh, pronounced as if you were saying, "Hey, Jude." Unfortunately, this is the way I often greet people, which has her looking at me every time I meet somebody.

In the same class is a woman with the name Pie, but it is pronounced "pee". Another has the name Kah Kah, which sounds like it is spelled. So in the same class I have pee and caca, which is the word for poo in French.

The challenging part is trying to communicate with adults who often have no clue what I am saying. You have to be innovative in explaining a concept. For example, some of the students put the small "p" above the line. How can you tell them that it is too high when they don't know the words too and high?

What I did was loosen my belt and pull my pants up as high as I could so they looked silly and said that when they wrote their "p"s, they looked funny like this. Well, the whole class cracked up. You know what? It worked. Somehow they got the idea.

There are times when it is pure joy. One of their favourite songs is "Hello, Goodbye" by the Beatles. As soon as I sing, "You say yes," they sing, "I say no," and off we go with the whole song. It's magic.

My hope is that one day their English will be good enough that we will be able to sit down over a cup of coffee and discuss anything and everything.

I subscribe to a daily email from Kim Komando, a woman who is a high tech guru in the United States. She has a video of the day. Usually they are pretty good. This one is exceptional.

This one is by Malaysian director Yasmin Ahmad, who died of a stroke in July.

All I can say is get out your Kleenex.

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Brian Clark

He is my connection to the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. Brian Clark was one of the few people who worked above where the planes struck the towers and survived. I was shocked to see his face on the television many months after.

It's funny how people weave into your life, exit and pop up again many years later. Brian Clark was on my softball team in 1973, I believe. He played second base. Offensively, he wasn't a huge threat, but he rarely made an error defensively.

Knowing he lived through the terrorist attack made it more real to me. Often we hear of tragic events, but really don't relate to them. They happen to others far away. Brian brought it much closer to me.

When you hear his story, it is quite amazing. Initially he was leading a group down the stairs in the South Tower. A couple of people were coming up and told everyone that it would be better to go higher. An argument started among the employees. Brian heard a voice of a trapped man on the floor they were on. He went to extract him from the wreckage. When he returned to the stairwell with the man, nobody was there.

At that point, he could have gone up like everybody else did. He didn't. He continued down the stairwell. That decision saved his life. Within a few minutes of his leaving the building, it collapsed, killing all who were inside it.

I remember the CBC asking if he felt any guilt. His response was that he didn't. They had made their choice and he had made his. He wasn't responsible for their decision.

I feel there are some life lessons to learn from this story. Sometimes everybody tells us the direction we should follow. They tell us to go up, when we strongly feel we should go down. We can be swayed by what others say. They can put fear in our hearts and their words may seem logical. Sometimes we need to be like Brian. We need to do what we feel is right, even if it means going against the grain. It may mean going through some immediate discomfort and working your way through wreckage. At the end of it all, it may mean your release from disaster. Sure, you could have climbed to the higher floors and experienced momentary relief, but the result was sad.

Regardless of whether there is anything to be learned from this, Brian put a human face to the story, bringing it a lot closer, and making it real.

I'm Going To Change My World

I want to change my world
I want to change my world
I want to change my world
Change my world

I'm going to change my world
I'm going to change my world
Yes, I'm going to change my world
Change my world

I will turn the night to light
I will change the wrong to right
I will never lose my sight
I'll change my world

It's with me I have to start
Take the love that's in my heart
And from this point depart
And change the world

As I stand upon this stage
I'll erase all thoughts of rage
Today I'll turn the page
And change the world

Not a country will be missed
With open hands and not a fist
In harmony we will exist
We'll change our world

I'm going to change my world
I'm going to change my world
Yes, I'm going to change my world
Change my world

Teaching ESL

Teaching ESL is such a joyful experience. I sometimes wonder who learns the most. Each day I am immersed in the values and cultures of people who have come to Canada. Many of them have escaped very difficult circumstances, often leaving everything behind for the chance of freedom and safety.

I wish everybody could hear their stories. Canadians would get a greater appreciation for our own country. Also, some of the negative attitudes towards immigrants would disappear.

Teaching newcomers is sometimes not easy. Some come from places, like China, where there is no alphabet in their language. The Arabic alphabet doesn't resemble ours in the slightest and they write from right to left. Some of our sounds are difficult for them to make, like "th".

The approach I take is like putting post-it notes on a fridge. I stick as many as I can on each day. When I arrive the next day, I see how many have blown off and I start putting them on again.

Learning a language is not an instant process. It's like putting drops of water in a glass a few at a time. In the beginning, you might not see much happening and get a bit discourages. Drop by drop the glass eventually fills up as long as you keep putting liquid in.

Come to think of it, that's the way many things are in life. We live in an era where we want an instant fix to everything, but many things, including building great character, are the result of a long, difficult process.

Fantastic!

Fantastic! Unbelievable! Wonderful! Fabulous! Awesome!

I have been teaching my ESL students different ways to say very good.

Every morning I ask them how they are. If they say, "Very good," or "Fine, thank you," I ask them again and again until they say one of these words. Once in awhile I get "Tanfastic" instead of fantastic, but just saying these words has made the class a more positive environment.

I'm sure all of the students and many of my teacher colleagues will remember me every time they hear the word fantastic.

I know some of my other verbal mannerisms have stuck on people. When I was with Softball Canada and the Canadian Association of Journalists, if I had a question, I would raise my hand and say "question". Many of my board members started immitating me.

It's funny how we associate words and things with people. It can be something as simple as yellow Volkswagons, almonds, a certain brand of perfume, but the most amusing one in my life is our toilet.

We just had a low-flush toilet installed in our home. It reminds me of our friend Goksel Kortay in Turkey. What on earth would be the association between this lovely woman and plumbing? It was made in Turkey. So every time I flush, along with the water, the memories of Goksel are flushed into my mind and I immediately start sending kind thoughts her way.

False Promises

"You can have anything you want - if you want it badly enough. You can be anything you want to be, have anything you desire, accomplish anything you set out to accomplish - if you will hold to that desire with singleness of purpose."

Robert Collier
Writer and Publisher

I got this little note on something I get called Insight of the Day. Most days I love getting these nuggets of wisdom. While I understand the purpose of the above quote - we should expand our horizons and not limit our potential - I am concerned about the messages that tell you can have anything you want. Think about it.

There is nothing on this earth that I would like than to be a professional baseball player.

Yesterday, Tiger Woods didn't with the PGA Championship. I can't imagine anyone wanting to win more than he did.

And how about Tyson Gay? Do you think he didn't want to win the 100 metre final badly at the World Track and Field Championships?

In Tiger and Tyson's instances, other people just happened to perform better than they did. In the case of my desire to be a professional baseball player, while the desire might be there, I don't have the body of twenty-two year old anymore.

I imagine Robert Collier might say that Tiger, Tyson and I didn't want it badly enough or hold to the desire with a singleness of purpose. I like to think of it, rather, of having a touch of reality in my life.

Unlike those who send money to televangelists who lead extravagant lives on the promise of God giving them more money than they can imagine, I just give what I can towards anything. In other words, I give it my all. Yes, I have an objective or goal in mind, and some of them come true. But I do allow for the fact that sometimes in life your strongest desires, your fondest dreams just don't work out. That doesn't mean that you have failed. It just means that there is something better for you around the corner. You just have to keep on walking.

Don't give up on your dreams. They are wonderful to have. And there are some that will be difficult to let go, but don't pretend that they will all come true just because you desire them. That just isn't reality. Of course the people who do believe and have their dreams come true will preach this hope to you, and usually charge you to hear their inspirational message. Why? Because they figure that is what got them where they are. And there is some truth in what they say, but to come out and say you can have anything is stretching it a bit far.

Just so I don't sound too negative, here is a recent one that I really liked.

"Living consciously involves being genuine; it involves listening and responding to others honestly and openly; it involves being in the moment."

Sidney Poitier
Actor and Author of The Measure of a Man

Good quote and great actor!

ESL Logic

I am teaching English as a second language this summer. It is a delight. It is interesting looking at your own culture through the eyes of others. It is often very funny, too. Such was the case today.

My students were on a human treasure hunt. For example, they were trying to find somebody who could speak three languages. Another task was to try to find somebody who could play the piano. The problem was there there wasn't a single soul in the class who played this instrument.

I decided that this was the time to teach them what "nobody" meant. I went to each person in the class and asked, "Can you play the piano?" Each answer was, "No, I don't." I then indicated that when the answers were no, no, no for each person, we would say, "Nobody can play the piano."

I then went around the room and asked, "Can you use a computer?" The answers were all, "Yes, I can." I then asked them what the word would be if all responses were yes. The reply came quickly - "Yesbody can use a computer." And you know what? It makes perfect sense. I then explained that the word was everybody. The student's response made my day.

Taking It Like A Pro

I had to laugh last week.

The Toronto Blue Jays released one of their pitchers, B. J. Ryan. The manager called him into his office before the game and the newspaper article said that B. J. took the news like a pro.

I have a couple of comments.

Of course he should take it like a pro. He is a pro, so why shouldn't he act like one.

But that's not the one that has me chuckling.

Even though B. J. Ryan is cut from the team, he will still get $15 million. Hey, cut me for a mere million and I will take it like a pro.

Think about it. If you get $15 million dollars, unless you go out and invest it unwisely, you are set up for life. You don't have to lift a finger if you don't want to. You can live a very comfortable lifestyle.

So what does B. J. Ryan have to worry about? His pride? I think $15 million should take away some of the pain. Anyway, I have just heard today that he has been scooped up by the Chicago Cubs. The way I figure, he's taking this news like a pro, too - all the way to the bank.

Important Deaths

Does anybody remember what the most important news was a couple of weeks ago? It was people protesting the results of the election in Iran. People were being beaten and some were killed.

Then the death of Michael Jackson pushed all of this to the back burner. It seems that the world cares more about the fate of his three children than millions of people in Iran. Heck, the death of Billy Mays, the guy who hawked Oxy-Clean on the television, has been given greater prominence in the last few days.

Indeed, it seems that there are some deaths more important than others. If we can put a familiar face to it, then it touches us more dearly.

Michael Jackson

He died today. Many around the world will be writing about his life. I will be brief.

There are those in life who are so rare that they are beyond comparison. Michael Jackson was one of those people. Rather than representing culture and society, he helped define it.

Razor Blades

It all started with a single blade with two edges in the good old days. It did a great job of removing the hair from your face. It also did a very good job of scraping half of the skin from your face and slitting your throat at the same time. You would then splash on some cheap after shave, something like Aqua Velva or Brut if you were more adventurous, let out a scream like Tarzan and apply a roll of toilet tissue to the open gash. You felt that you gave less blood to the Red Cross, yet they used to call this a "safety" razor.

Next came the twin blade. Smoother shave, less blood, more efficient and a bit pricier.

Hmm, how do we improve it? Let's allow the head to pivot, and charge people a bit more. And then we can put a Teflon strip to help it glide better.

What comes after two blades? Three, of course! And we will get the pivoting head, the Teflon strip and add a battery-operated vibration to nick those little hairs in style.

You guessed it. They have one with four now. How long will it take before there are ten blades.

I like progress, though. I also appreciate the skin that has been allowed to grow back on my neck. However, there is something that has got me pretty steamed up.

Razor blades cost too much. I remember when you used to get ten of the original safety razor blades for less than a buck. I just bought eight triple blades and the bill came to over twenty-nine dollars. It can't cost even close to that to make them.

Since one of the Gillettes owns the New England Patriots, I figure I am financing the football team with my grooming aids. Now I like football, but I figure Tom Brady can make a few million less if it means cheaper razor blades.

What is a man to do? Do I protest by growing a beard? At this stage in life, I don't need more white hair. I am surprised that somebody hasn't started making generic blades. My guess is that there is some sort of patent on the design so it can't be copied.

I have an idea. I should create a holder that fits into the Gillette razor that holds blades made to my design. I could make millions. I might be able to buy the Phoenix Coyotes and move them to Hamilton. Wait, somebody has just tried to do that and failed. Anyway, I could have a lot of fun with my money.

Or maybe I could find a way to go back to the original double-edge safety blade, that is if they sell them anywhere. I may go even one better. I will buy a straight edge razor, the one you see barbers weild in the old westerns. You have to sharpen them on a leather strop, but they seem to give a pretty close shave and at a fraction of the cost.

New Relationships

A call came out of the blue the other week. It seems I had signed a contract in 1994 with a company that gave it certain "electronic" rights. It was creating a problem in today's world because the meaning of what these rights entailed had changed. My feeling is that most people in 1994 would have had a hard time envisioning just what electronic rights would mean in 2009. Things have change that much. The question becomes, when the technology changes, does the meaning of the word changes. Also, does somebody have an obligation to accept the new meaning, one that couldn't have been predicted, when he signed a contract under a different set of circumstances?

This line of thinking has more to do than with legal contracts. Our relationships have changed immensely over the past decade. We are more in touch with people, many of them strangers, than ever before without touching them. Text messaging, Facebook and Twitter have brought new dimensions to the way we interact with each other.

Just like my legal contract, how do we maintain our relationships in a world where the very meaning of that word often changes faster than we can keep up with it?

The Doldrums

I remember learning about the adventures of Christopher Columbus and his trips to the West Indies. One of the problems he encountered was the lack of wind - the doldrums - when his ships entered the Sargasso Sea.

Well, as far as the thoughts of Johnny V., I have hit the doldrums. I still think about lots of things and I have the odd interesting thought. It's just that I don't feel any desire to write very much these days. My inspiration just isn't there. Hopefully it will return. It is as if the wind has been taken out of my sails.

I look forward to the days in the future when the gusts will pick up and I will feel the force drawing me towards my destiny. It just isn't happening right now.

It has been said that people have to suffer for their art. I find that my writing is quite the opposite. I write best when I have a zest for life and feel it coursing through my hair. That just isn't happening right now.

The Tamil Protest

I understand that innocent people are being killed in Sri Lanka. They are also being killed in many other parts of the world, too. However, there is something about the way the Tamils in Canada are bringing it to our attention that bothers me.

Canada is already involved in Afghanistan and many are saying that we should not be involved there. How is Sri Lanka any different?

From what I have read, the situation is quite different, though. There have been many attempts to negotiate peace on the island once known as Ceylon. The 2006 attempt failed. A Wikipedia entry on the Tamil Tigers (the LTTE)states:

Further peace talks were scheduled in Oslo, Norway, on June 8 and 9, 2006, but canceled when the LTTE refused to meet directly with the government delegation, claiming its fighters were not being allowed safe passage to travel to the talks. Norwegian mediator Erik Solheim told journalists that the LTTE should take direct responsibility for the collapse of the talks.

So now there are Tamils in the street of Toronto trying to force the Canadian government to take action. Why are they trying to force us to do something? As I understand, we are being told that this disruption will continue until we do what they want. Why should we forced to enter into a civil war that has been going on for years? Why can't the Tamils themselves become the agents for peace in their own land?

Yes, there may be many things I don't understand about the situation, but the actions of the Tamils in Canada are not making me feel sympathetic about their cause, particularly when there appears to be close ties with the Tamil Tigers, a group that Canada considers a bunch of terrorists.

If I am wrong educate me, but don't threaten me.

By The Time I Get To Phoenix

Concerning Research in Motion's Jim Balsillie's (on the left) attempt to buy the Phoenix Coyotes franchise and move it to Southern Ontario, NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly (on the right) had this to say:

"It doesn't take into consideration all the people and the money that has been spent on and devoted to the Coyotes franchise here in Glendale, both in the creation of a new building that was paid for largely by taxpayers and in the emotional and financial connection Coyotes fans have with their team.

"In any situation we believe, once you've committed to a market, you have to give the market a fair chance to succeed or fail and I don't think this market has had that chance at this point of time."

I can think of two words to say to Mr. Daly - Winnipeg and Quebec. My guess is that there would be few tears shed by the departure of the NHL team in Phoenix. The people of Winnipeg would dearly love to have another crack at a franchise.

Are people worried about too many teams around Toronto? New York has three teams and New York citizens don't have the same passion for hockey Canadians do. No, this is not a convincing argument.

So, what's the problem? There is no doubt that a Southern Ontario team would be a success financially and in fan interest. Many are saying that much of it is the struggle of egos between Jim Balsillie and league commissioner Gary Bettman, which is why Daly made the most recent response. I think there is something else to consider.

The NHL keeps trying to convince the Americans that it is a major player on the sports scene. It's all about marketing. Looking at the current Canadian teams, Toronto and Montreal are solid. Because Calgary has hosted the Olympics and Vancouver will be hosting them, Americans are aware of them. Edmonton has been on shaky ground for years. Going there is compared to being sent to Siberia. In the league's eyes, if the American public doesn't know or care about a city, it is expendable as in Winnipeg, Quebec and Edmonton.

You can imagine, then, the tremors the league's brass has when they contemplate hockey night in Hamilton or Waterloo. To them, Kansas City and Portland are more recognizable to Americans. Putting a team into these city will give the league more credibility in the eyes of the US media. Forget what is in the fans' hearts. My guess is that Moscow or Toyko has more of a chance of a franchise than Jim Balsillie's attempt to put one into a hockey-starved Southern Ontario city. Of course, Canadians don't share or accept this view, but try telling somebody in New York, Chicago or Los Angeles that his team has to fly to Hamilton, Ontario. Where?

Don't believe me? Tell me, which city has a greater population, Kansas City or Hamilton? It's Hamilton. Hamilton is bigger than Buffalo, too, and about the same size as Portland, Nashville, Seattle and Baltimore. Who would have thought that? Not many. But which cities will capture the hearts of Americans as being seen as a sport having arrived in prominence? Not any of the Canadian ones except Calgary, Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal.

And that is probably why Jim Balsillie has met his Waterloo.

Sound Off

Sorry I haven't been writing much lately. I've been busy. I've been launching my Facebook group called Sound Off.

Yes, it's a play on words. It is a group dedicated to issues relating to the sound polution of our environment.

There are many horror stories of people who have been bullied by sound. There are scads out there who feel it is their right to play music or make noise. Sometimes they even do things like alter their vehicles, be it the muffler or an expensive sound system with extra bass, to make even more noise.

If you want to join, check it out.

Unfortunately, the people who are subjected to these bad vibrations often suffer in silence. Their ears are raped by inconsiderate "soundanistas" who equate freedom as imposing their will on others.

Just like non-smokers pressed for their rights and won, the time has come for those who want to live a life in peace to do the same. The information is there. Excessive sound is bad for your health. It is ignored. If I work in a factory, there is legislation under the terminology of health and safety that requires me to wear earplugs. In society, though, we tolerate, ney, condone and encourage, activities where sound levels exceed these limits. Why?

All we are saying is give peace a chance.

All A-Twitter

It sounds like a plausible analogy. The person was being interviewed about text messaging and Twitter. She was asked if this might have a negative effect in human interaction. Her response compared it to what would have happened when the telephone came on the scene. People long ago, she stated, probably complained that not seeing somebody face to face would lessen the human interaction.

And for two seconds I believed it. Then I thought, "Didn't Marshall McLuhan say that the medium is the message?"

You could say that television is just radio with pictures, but that's not true. In the same way the affect of Twitter and instant text messaging is not the same as what happened when telephones came on the scene. Sure, some of the questions might be the same, but if McLuhan is right, the answers should be quite different.

What amazes me is how people have no problem writing the script of their life as it unfolds. You get this a lot on Facebook, too, but it is intensified on Twitter. You get the play-by-play of everything they choose to reveal. And it is broadcast to everyone that person chooses to allow to tell. Interesting.

Not quite like the telephone, is it? When I pick up the phone, I am speaking to a specific person, not broadcasting it to an audience.

You could say that writing this blog is even worse. Here I am expressing my thoughts to many people and I don't even know who is reading this. There is very little feedback. And while I stick my thoughts and emotions out there for anyone to see, I wonder from time to time if exposing my inner feelings does any good. Perhaps it is a waste of time. Why do I keep on writing, then? I enjoy writing. To be a better writer, I feel you have to write, so I keep at it.

So is Twitter ultimately good for society? I don't know. Like all technology, my suspicion is that it depends how you use it. My only concern is that we seem to be approaching a world that is becoming more and more like what George Orwell predicted. The other fear is that we are not sure what the real message of this medium is in the terms of McLuhan. Is it hot or is it cool?

Susan Boyle

Imagine the Miss Universe Pageant. The contestants parade onto the stage in their evening gowns. Suddenly one of the judges feels that one of the girls is not dressed in the proper attire and asks if she has something else. She instantly says she has and goes backstage and just as quickly emerges in another costume, much to the approval of everyone.

What would you say if this happened? Now watch this.

Shaheen's performance

In this clip you will see the latest sensation on Britain's Got Talent, Shaheen Jafargholi, sing a song. The crowd and two of the judges seem to appreciate his offering. Simon does not. He stops the kid, tells him he has it all wrong, and asks if he has anything else. He replies that he has and instantly belts out another tune.

What's happening here? Here are my thoughts.

This was planned. The kid would have probably made it through this round with his original performance. Why would a judge force somebody to change? This is supposed to be a competion. Look at the lack of emotion on Shaheen when he is told to stop. Listen to how quickly the second song is ready to roll. Am I the only one who is suspicious? I don't think so.

Then why did the producers of the show plan this? My answer is money and power. The success of Susan Boyle the previous week was phenomenal, one could even say astronomical. Unfortunately, this was not good for the future of the show. An outpouring of this proportion amounts to a crowning of the winner early on in the game unless .... another challenger can be found.

That is exactly what happened through the magic of television. Jafargholi overcame the power of the evil Simon to win everyone over and create the controversy of who is the better talent.

Richard Ouzounian of the Toronto Star enters the debate with the suggestion to shut your eyes and listen to Susan Boyle and you will discover that her voice sounds the same on the two songs you can find on YouTube. That is why she is destined to lose the competition. Nice try, Richard. Your logic doesn't convince me. I could do this with Celine Dion or Shania Twain or Faith Hill. Many of their songs sound the same. Why? Unless you are an impersonator, you are born with one voice.

However, I do agree with Ouzounian that Sarah Boyle may well lose. Why? Just like Hollywood will often plan different endings for movies and select the one based on controlled screening approvals, my guess is that the producers of Britain's Got Talent will do the same. What ending will create the most controversy? Which one will give it the highest ratings and generate the most media coverage? They are well on their way to achieving that already. What concerns me is that few seem to care about or understand this manipulation.

Have you ever wondered why on Survivor, for example, why it only takes a majority to get somebody off the island, but it always seems to come down to a final vote? My logic tells me that once in awhile the result should be determined early on in the game, just like if you roll the dice often enough, you will consecutively roll numbers under seven several times in a row. Then why do they do this? For the same reason you have to wait to see who is eliminated on Dancing with the Stars. It heightens the emotion and boosts ratings - artificially. You are not being told the whole truth.

Having seen the Shaheen clip on Britain's Got Talent, it makes me wonder how much Susan Boyle's performance was manipulated to create the desired effect.

Both Susan and Shaheen have great talent. They deserve all the accolades they earn. It is a pity when third parties sully the competition for motives that may, indeed, help both of them, but are designed, in my opinion, to line the pockets of the people producing the show.