Hidden Treasures

When I first started writing in this blog, it was to periodically introduce folks to my diverse musical tastes.  Since then it has evolved into opinions and stories.  With all that is going on in the world today, I figured what a better time to shut my door, turn on the CD player and listen to some great music.  In this edition I am going to introduce you to three recordings that I felt deserved a better fate in the eyes of the public.  I am also going to introduce a new recording from a legendary Canadian band.  So turn it up and here we go.

KISS – Music from the Elder

 The year of was 1981 and KISS decided to release an album that was a little off center of the women and party anthems they were known for.  The result was the orchestrated album called Music from the Elder.  This concept CD was based on a short story created by Gene Simmons, their bassist.

This album demonstrated this bands willingness to experiment with sounds and music while staying true to them.  The truly symphonic feel can be heard on such tracks as “Just a Boy”, Odyssey” and “The Oath”.  A tender KISS was given to us with the track “A World Without Heroes”, as well as a defiance one, “Mr. Blackwell”.  The rock and roll attitude that made KISS the band they were at the time is prevalent on the Ace Frehley track, “Dark Night”.  The closing tracking, “I” lets us this rock and roll attitude once again with Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons trading vocals.  This is something that, unfortunately, these two co-captains did not do enough of within KISS. 

To add to this must have of any CD collector, there are two instrumentals, “Fanfare” and “Escape from the Island”. 

The key to this CD is the operatic harmonies presented by the members of KISS and the creative process that was undertaken to step outside of their creative box.  At the time of its release, The Music from the Elder album was a commercial disappointment in comparison to their other recordings with justification. 

Motley Crue – Motley Crue

In 1994, Motley Crue decided to do something that was almost unheard of unless you are AC/DC or Van Halen.  That was have the same success they had with a different singer and a completely different sound.   The CD introduced as to the new singer / guitarist John Corabi.  With this introduction was their heaviest set of songs to date.  It was full of hooks and heavy blues.  Throughout this CD, you can hear the double guitar mixes that had not been on previous Motley Crue sets.

This CD saw them take on subjects not really known to these monsters of mayhem.   The ultimate party boys wrote about such topics as child abuse, “Uncle Jack” and life away from their families on “Misunderstood Man” and the gentle, ”Driftaway”.   Though heavy, this CD gave us sing along with “Poison Apples”, "Loveshines”, and “Welcome to the Numb”.   Have no fear; the Crue boys do give a nice, loud tribute to their partying ways in “Hooligan’s Holidays”.

This would be the only recording with John Corabi as Motley Crue did end up bringing the original vocalist back into the fold a few years later.  The opinion is held by myself that if this CD came out with a different band name that it would have deserved a more commercial and critical fate. 

So these are two selections and trust me I have plenty more that I will be sharing with you over time.  I may be listening to the next one right now. 

"A Mistake"

I was reading my daily news as I usually do when I came across a very interesting article.  A disgraced RCMP Police Officer was fighting to keep his badge after an sexual assault at a party.  I believe we have to look at the facts a little closer when it comes to this one.  So, here we go.

Constable Mario Jimenez went to a farewell party on November 10, 2008.  During this party he cornered a female officer and fondled her breasts and according to evidence sexually berated her.  These are the facts.  They are not disputed in the least little bit. 

In June 2010, the ruling came down from a disciplinary board that he essentially attempted to rape a fellow officer.  Now I know what you are thinking, case closed.  Well, unfortunately, it is not closed.  This alleged “officer” is seeking his badge back while he is sitting at home waiting for his appeal.  Here is where this gets a little disgusting on his part.  Once again follow me.

Constable Mario Jimenez stance is that he is not the person that everyone is perceiving him to be.  He even has letters from no less than four fellow females officers that said they would have no issue working with him.  When I think of this, I can think of one person who would have a problem working with him.  The lady that was at the party.  Let us not forget about her in this. 

A side note since this man is presenting himself as a person who is not an animal at all. Since joining the RCMP in 2007, Constable Mario Jimenez has been investigated for showing up drunk to work several times, another assault on a female, and had damaged a cruiser while on duty. 

These are the facts.  Please judge for yourself because I already have.  If this was me or you, we would have been through the court system, which he was by the way.  He did get a deal to avoid jail.  If this was me or you, we would have lost our jobs, period.  Now where this is an RCMP officer, who is suppose to obey the laws that they enforce, the fact he believes that he should have his job back is beyond comprehension. 

More importantly, would you want him protecting you knowing what he is capable of?

Finally Free

“Finally we are free.” That was the quote from a sixty year old Egyptian protester when their President stepped down after 18 days of protests demanding him to resign. Their President Hosni Muberak had been in power for 30 years and the citizens had seen enough of his rule over them. There were many unique factors of this protest and demand. The location was the Middle East, where uprisings are generally put to rest as soon as they occur. It was peaceful and with the sheer number of citizens involved, this was also an unheard of feat. However, this would be the most surprising; the Egyptian military was present the entire time of the protest and largely did not get involved with dispersing the crown.


We need to look at what brought this about. On the outside looking in, it is a classic case of the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer. In the thirty years that President Hosni Muberak was in power, it was said that he amassed over $40 billion in assets and these were spread around the world while the majority of the citizens of Egypt were living at or below the poverty level.

This is in mind the Egyptian citizens took to the streets and fought with their voices the lock on power, government corruption and the large differences between the rich and the poor.

Since their voice was heard, the military has dissolved power and has promised elections to the citizens.

This is a brief summary compared to what really happened. This is the point in the future that will interest me. What happens if promises are not delivered? History of neighbouring African nations has proven that this may happen even if the world is watching. What will happen if other uprisings occur in neighbouring Middle Eastern countries? In the end, will the citizens be fully prepared for what may happen next? Not one person will be able to predict what may happen next.

In going back to the protestor that proclaimed, “Finally we are free!” I ask, are they?

I Cannot Read Properly

A little thing happened that I was told not to take personal but too late, I did and here we go.....




That is right folks; I have discovered that I do not know how to read properly. Actually, I will tell you why also. I, unfortunately, was sent a list of classic books that people should have read while alive. I know this was a made up list by someone who was just giving their opinion. However, I looked at this list and realized I was not read the proper books and that was the opinion of not one person but many. I had read three of the hundred that were listed. Now I will admit that I go through spurts on how much I read. I have read three great books in the last month and sometimes life takes hold and I do not get the time. Now I will attempt to read almost anything put in front of me. I like to learn and books do that for me. They also do something else. In a world and life where tons of everything can get to you, taking a break by putting on a CD and reading a book is a great escape. I turn off my phone and no one is allowed to contact me. That is just the way I am.



Now that I have explained this, I will explain my issue. Who has the right to tell me what I should escape too. In high school I had to the read “To Kill a Mockingbird” and hated it. It was not until later in life that I picked it up and read it again that I enjoyed it. Then my mind starts thinking like this. Does this mean the fine folks that do not enjoy reading what I read are not enjoying themselves when they pick up a romance novel, news paper, magazine or comic book? I know a lot of people like this and if it what makes them happy then why not. Who are we to say because what people read are not the “classics” then they are not worth it. If the end means is escape and it makes you happy, why not?



This may be a better example. I wrote poetry and working on a few other writing projects that will see the light of day soon. I have been told by family members that they do not enjoy them. However, they do enjoy this type of book and article. Good for them. Not everything written in for everyone and I understand that. Why others cannot I do not know.



I say this as I am sitting at my favourite coffee shop / bookstore looking at a book that I will be purchasing this week sometime after I am done reading the book I am reading. By the way, I am reading Thomas Harris – “Black Sunday” and the book I am looking at is has actually two stories in it. It is called “The Tale of Two Cities” and “Great Expectations” by Charles Dickens. I hear that these are classics but I will not be reading them because of that. I will be reading them because I want to.



Now that I have finished my rant about that, I have more. So here we go.....



I have had the pleasure of meeting a lot of people in my time. All of them have something they do as a hobby or fun. They like to challenge themselves and I think it is great and fully support them for it. It cleanses their souls we will say.



Some of these fine folks will actually put their work out for everyone to see. That takes gut and here is why I say this. A piece of that person is being revealed that has never been revealed before. I applaud you and your courage to do this. I will even go as far as saying that I may not even like it but I will encourage you to put it out there. So in saying this I have a message for those who criticize it. Back off!!! Just because you do not like, understand and you would not have done it that way, does not mean you have the right to say what is good or not. It is not a career, people are just sharing and it makes them happy. So why not encourage that.



I often wonder how much talent is hidden because of people who do not get it and decide to say negative things. Sad really.

Remembering Potential

I have never made it a secret that I like all kinds of music. To walk into a CD store and buy something new can be fun. One of these trips over this Christmas made me start thinking about how we look at human potential. I know what you are thinking. How could a simple walk into a CD store get that thought brewing? Well, walk with me and find out.

Since this occurred over Christmas, I picked up a specially package Jeff Buckley collection. Actually it was a studio and live CD. For those you do not know Jeff Buckley passed away after his first and only CD made in a studio. I was looking at this CD and then started thinking about how many times an artist has passed on and we hear how the person was never going to be given the opportunity to reach their potential. Let us think about that for a second. What if what the person gave us was all they were suppose to give us?

Most of the artists that have passed along during the years, early in their careers may have hit their peak when we discovered them. The list goes on and on; Jimi Hendrix, Gram Parsons, Janis Joplin, Kurt Cobain and Jeff Buckley. What if their creations that were given to us as time went on were not anywhere close to what they already had? This has happened to many people that we listen to every day. That list would include Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Bon Jovi and Pearl Jam to list a few. So really we do not know what may or may not have happened if artists that have left us would have been the genius they portrayed themselves to be.

Now, let us take this one step further. Losses in each person’s life happen every day. Naturally, we mourn those people who have left us and do this for years. Deep down we are celebrating what each person has given to us such as memories and impact. Do we ever say that they did not reach their potential? We hold on to everything that one person gave us and thank them. The memories we have for those that are close to we are unselfish and we appreciate all of it. These people are the ones we know and love.

This is something to think about. As well as this, why do we celebrate and cherish our loved ones but want more from people we do not know and the only effect they had on us were some songs? Especially, when we know that they have families that have to feel what they have lost.

Vigilante or Hero?

Vigilante or Hero?

A lot has been made in these parts of the world about a very simple trespassing and firearms case. Nine months ago, in a small community nearby called Burton is where all of this took place. Around 2:30 in the morning, a neighbour of Lawrence Manzer heard trespassers going through his yard. Now in this community there had been vandalism being applied to homes, so naturally the owner wanted to get rid of these trespassers. As this gentleman was confronting the three trespassers, Lawrence Manzer decided to assist him like any good neighbour would. So, Lawrence Manzer grabbed his shotgun and shells and proceeded to assist his neighbour. The sixteen year old involved were sitting on the ground when police officers arrived. Lawrence Manzer’s neighbour asked him to put away the gun shortly before they arrived. The youths involved were ticketed for a liquor offense, the neighbour for assault (later dropped) and Mr. Manzer was charged also for “possessing a weapon for a dangerous to the public peace.” Here is where the whole case gets interesting. Follow me on this one.

There has been a huge public outcry that has actually hit the west coast of Canada. I live on the east coast and Canada is a very big country. This gentleman has been getting support and funds from all over. Now let us look at the facts of this.
1] The kids were drinking and no harm was done to the properties in question.
2] They were drinking and were ticketed for such by the police offers that finally did arrive.
3] Mr. Manzer did not call the police and decided to take matters in his own hands.
4] He brought a shotgun and in no way was his life even close to being threatened.
When a person just looks at the facts, what Mr. Manzer did was illegal. Instead of calling the police and letting them do their job, he took matters into his own hands. Once of the defense used was he was protecting his property. The kids were not on his property.
If this were me or anyone else, we would have been charged because what we did was illegal. For him, it was illegal too. The most frustrating part of this whole crime is that Mr. Manzer has gone on record as saying he has won the public opinion. Well I would like to know what percentage of the public actual supports him and are they going to be bringing out guns whenever something happens. I do not want to live there.
It reminded me of a huge legal case up here involving a gentleman called Robert Latimer. If you want look this one up but I will say he went to jail even though he had the full country’s support. He went to jail because euthanasia is illegal here in Canada.

Now you may think this is an extreme example however I think that he honestly believes he was in the right even though the law states he is not. In the end all he is going to get is a fine. The same as the kids that night who were breaking the law too. I bet they actually were very sober when the police were finally called in.

Changes

I do not know about you but I wake up every morning and I have to get a cup of coffee before the thoughts of speaking to anyone enters into the equation. It has been this way for over twenty years and I do not plan on changing that tomorrow. Can you imagine what it would be like if I had tea, cocoa or water? I shiver at the thought of that.

I think we all are programmed to do the same. Think about it. When you wake up in the morning, you kiss your partner, get in the same car and go to the same job.

Now what if it all was different for us?

The one reason that that sends a shiver down our spine is an old phrase, “The devil you know, not the devil you don’t”. A lot of us stay in places because we know what to expect when we arrive there. It does not matter if we want to be there or not.

A lot of us stay in relationships we do not want because we know what to expect. Same with our jobs and the things that make us unhappy or unfulfilled. It is easier than not know what to expect at all. This goes with anything that we do truly.

Now with this in mind, I have a friend who is trying to change her exceptional life. I have to say not only is she trying to change her mindset but she is documenting it on a blog also. EVERYDAY!!! Her name is Tilly Rivers and lend her support in doing something that most of us are too scared to do.

The blog address is this……. http://pulse.yahoo.com/_HUR33NJ3ZHEDUWGTCXOCJU2BYA

I read it in the morning while having my coffee.

Musical Theory

Any person that knows me knows I am a huge fan of all types of music. I use it to relax, think and work at home. I believe most of us do. I have yet to meet a person that can not evolve a memory to a song or certain type of music. This is even true when you are planning your day. When you are relaxing it may be classical music, romance may be Motown or jazz and rock when you are working out.

I have been asked if I have ever bought a CD I did not like. The answer is “Yes”, and this happened very recently. You see I will purchase music from artists that I have never heard before and usually this has good results. However, we will revisit this later.

This is where my musical theory comes into play when it comes to people and how to discover their level of understanding about cultures and people, places and things that or who are different from them. Hear me out on this.

The passion a person will use to defend what they listen to and what they like does happen. Now here is the theory at work. I believe if a person will take the time to listen to something out of their normal music pattern they are willing to try and understand different things in life. You know they are open to understanding and listening.

When listening to all music, you will discover, African beats, Native rhythms and the social minds. More importantly you will understand what they are trying to say. I believe you will find that all people of this world have the same worries and concerns as you and I in every language and just want someone to listen. If this sounds familiar that is we do everyday.

I also believe that if we take these small steps at opening ourselves up to every experience in life that we will be more accepting of all of our differences. I think the world would be much more of a better place if this did happen. Just think if it did just because we would take the time to open ourselves to different styles of music and learn from that. Something to think about.

Oh by the way, that CD, “Lamb of God”. The music was great but the vocals not so much. At least I can say I gave it a try.

Do We Really Look?

I have to say I saw quite a disturbing sight a few weeks ago that still bothers me a lot today. Usually I can just wipe something away as a “that’s life and it happens” moment. Not this time for some reason.

I was in a place of business the other day when there was a special customer in the store. This gentleman was older, a little weathered, and you could tell he had been through a lot in this life. When I spoke with him, he was nice and polite in a very meek voice.

This gentleman was purchasing a shopping cart of goods with the lady I will assume was his wife or partner. Like most customers, he went to the check out and pays for his goods. This is where things went incredibly wrong. An employee asked him about two other bags that he had in his cart. It should be pointed out that these bags were marked and from another store. I have no idea why this question was even asked. Needless to say, the customer freaked. He screamed at employees and yelled curse words at them. His anger was very apparent to all. Being an employee there, I was asked to come up from and when I did I just stood there. Once his goods were finally paid for, I asked him if he wanted help with the carts he had. This was taken with the same low, polite voice that he originally demonstrated,

Once he left the store, employees were talking about how rude he was and could not believe the way he acted. I just shook my head. I pointed out to more than one that he was disabled and mentally impaired. This was the part that bothered me.

In today’s world where we teach and scream inclusion and tolerance, absolutely no one demonstrated any that evening. Most of the people that I spoke to did not even realize that the person they were talking about was disabled in any way.

Now this is what I saw. This man was in his mid sixties; face completely weathered, arched back that looked painful, head off to the side or turned, and something different about his eyes. He spoke slowly unless enraged. When he was not enraged, he seemed like he did not know what had just happened.

I do not understand why no one else saw this at all and just completely judged a person without paying attention. Now most of the people involved would not want to be judged however had no issue in doing it. I have no idea what may have been wrong with this man. If could have been that he was abused and it wore on him. He could have been impaired in many ways. It was not for me to know exactly what may have been wrong. It was up to me to understand that I had no idea what had happened to him before he walked in the store. This part I will never know. It is also none of my business.

The biggest question I have is do we look at other people or do we just look at ourselves. I know most people want understanding when talking about themselves but I am trying to figure out why we cannot give the attention or respect to another person whose world we may know nothing about? We would want people to when it comes to us.

Abuse Me

Funny thing happened a few weeks ago that I cannot stop thinking about. I was at work and speaking to a lady whom I had never met. I was making small talk and that was it. I have no idea why but she pretty much told me her whole life recent life story. It turned out that she was dealing with the after effects of an abusive relationship. She has been to the group home and still nearly two years after leaving she was not even close to thinking of a new relationship. Actually the thought made her shake. I had never thought of this before. How long the after effects of abuse stayed with you or if they ever leave.
The more I thought about it the whole thing made sense to me. This is especially after I thought of the emotional aspect of it. A man or woman has been dealing with certain abuses all their life and that is what makes us all different. It starts actually when we are kids and receiving it from either friends of family. Then it may progress through our adult years. How it is dealt with all depends on our mental makeup.
Does it ever leave? The answer is,”No”. When a person is on the receiving end and it is from a person that was suppose to support, love and share, the effects are worse. How can a person believe in themselves when the person who was supposed to be with them just made it worse? Friends, family, lovers, and partners are the people who are supposed to protect not contribute.
The abused person does not know who to believe or go to. They are mentally tired, scarred, withdrawn and ashamed. One of the most devastating parts about this, is that the abused person will go from person to person and receiving more of it because that is what they believe what they deserve when the opposite is in fact true.
More importantly, when someone does enter their life and treats them properly, the abused does not know what to do at all. In some cases, they will destroy it themselves because they feel they are not worthy. This outlook takes years to go away and for some people it never leaves.
Something to think about when you meet a person and they are quiet about their past and when you touch them, they flinch. It is the people that came before you, not you. Try to understand.

A Family Affair

Family Health
We, as a whole, hear that a family around us has been affected by one of their members being found sick, had an accident, or a new life long disease. What we do, when we do hear, is say how unfortunate they are and move on. We do this without issue. As a human race we have no idea what others go through.
I believe it goes something like this. You discover a family member now has Alzheimer’s, stroke, alcohol problem or suffered an accident that is life threatening.
Now here is what we do not think about. We do not think of the person affected at all. The person who has gone from freedom to a dependency. The people, who can remember everything, run, have energy, control emotions or even just be able to walk. These may be all gone and the person most affected is the person who it happened too and the majority of the time did not see it coming at all. They have to adjust to others doing for them where it was not that way previously and the pride that goes with it. Take the time to imagine not being able to have the life you have now and that is what the person would be going through also. So not only are they trying to live with the new way their life is but the mental impact too.
These inspirational people are not the only ones who are adjusting either. We cannot forget their loved ones too. Anyone who lives under the roof of the person who is affected is affected also. They now have to take care of them in the home, give baths where they did not have to anymore, feed them meals, and give care to them that extends love.
When family leaves the home t go to work, there is a panic every time a telephone goes off as the first thing you think of is bad news. Anyone who is close to the situation just braces themselves. A deep breath before coming back into the house. Family members who do not live there flinch every time a call is received from the house. One day that call will be real. Today or Tomorrow

The New Prisoner

The Prisoner
Though Unfortunate, divorces are a mainstay in today’s society and very difficult to live through. There is a division of assets and the fears of starting a new life that will hopefully be happier than the one being lived before.

With the new start in life comes uncertainty. The standard of living will not be there as previously with two incomes, which will take care of the children for when the now single parent was to work and let us not even talk about the new dating world out there. These are just a few of the things that are thought about when making this new step in life.

Now we have to remember that this step does not come lightly and there are many factors for it. They are different in each home but the one common item is that two people are not happy with each other. However, when one person does pull the trigger on moving on, it is typical for the other to not want to go. The indecency that comes after is a horrid spectacle to see. Ego takes over and nothing is the same ever again. Once given the option of divorce, the party involved that all the sudden finds themselves happy will become one of the most vengeful human beings on the face of the earth. Everything becomes threatened. They will threaten monies, children and almost to the point of physical abuse. We all know that emotional abuse has already happened. Why do they act this way? Ego and fear. They cannot accept that maybe something in their life did not work out as panned and have no idea what to expect when the new door opens. Well married or not, none of us know what tomorrow brings.

So to prove they live the person who asked to leave, they involve the kids and threaten to take them away, threaten to make the other person life a living hell financially and outright threaten them. This has been seen so many times before and after separation and is cowardly.

The question in front of them is simple though. Doesn’t this just go to solidify why the other person wants out?

From the Headlines
Last week, NDP Leader, Jack Layton sent in a motion requiring the prime minister to seek the consent of the House of Commons to shut down Parliament for longer than seven days was passed in the House last Wednesday.
The motion does not include the Prime Minister, because only a constitutional amendment could rein in the prime minister's prorogation power.
Now this is on the heels of the controversial decision to prorogue Parliament this past winter for over the hundredth time in Canadian history.
Personally, this motion will not accomplish anything because in the end the Prime Minister will still have the power to do this. However, we should all take solace in the fact that this is the only issue facing our country in 2010 as it has been beat like a dead horse and has never really been a topic before. I say we eliminate it, not hunger, homelessness or monitor our healthcare or crime!!! Sorry, I have more important things to worry about than this.

From the New Brunswick political headlines, we are still debating the upcoming sale of NB Power to Hydro Quebec. Now we are debating this without any facts of the deal because it has not been released so anything anyone has said is based on hearsay or in the real world, gossip.
There is a mandated election this year and a lot of New Brunswickers have been calling for the Premier’s head on this deal and a lot of opinions are being given that the Liberal Government will not survive the next election. In a typical situation they would not but in a year where all parties involved have known the election date, the NDP Party or Progressive Conservative have not really shown that they can lead either. In all honesty the names of their party leaders escape me. So if they want to lead, they really need to step up. Especially when this is not a snap election and there has been plenty of time to get organized.

CD Review
Collective Soul – Home
Every so often a band will release a live CD with a symphony. The ones that stand out in my mind that have gotten it right are Tom Cochrane and Red Rider with the Edmonton Symphony and KISS with the Australian Symphony. You can add another to the bill that got it right with this one. Collective Soul shares their talents with the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra.
There are reworking of such classics as “Gel”, “December” and “Shine”. Collective Soul let the symphony shine on their slower songs such as “How Do You Love”, “Youth”, “Compliment” and one of the best songs ever written, “The World I Know” as well as lending a very strong hand to the heavier tracks, “Counting the Days”, Better Now” and Heavy”.
The one element about this CD where others have failed is that all the musicians are having fun and that comes out in the music. Another is that the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra is not considered background music, you can actually here them and they are spotlighted many times. This is where Collective Soul got it right.

Africville

On February 24, 2010, Mayor Peter Kelly of Halifax took the time to send an overdue apology to former residents of a small community that was once located in Halifax called Africville. He acknowledged that the incident that lead to the destruction of this community in the late sixties that had taken away their homes, churches and more importantly their history in this great community. The Mayor of Halifax also promised millions of dollars to build a church and a replica centre.
Let us take a look at this community and what lead to this apology very recently.
Africville was settled in Northern Halifax after the War of 1812, when former US slaves came to settle when a promise of free land and equal rights were given to them. This never did happen.
This community started with around 50 people in the 19th century. In the latter part of that century, they were given an unfunded school, making it useless to any community.
As this century changed and with the increase of population, industries and facilities started during World War I, Africville became a place of poor and neglect with a population hovering around 400. During this time also, the Canadian National Railway had constructed railways that went through this community, causing trains to run through the heart of this poor community.
To add insult to injury, the City of Halifax built a dump right beside this community in the 1950’s. Expropriation proceedings were started in the sixties with the last resident being moved out in 1970. Being moved to a whole new world only added to the torment that these residents had as the majority of them were under educated and near unemployable due to the education that the province was not giving to them. The elders were hit hardest of them all. The City and Province took everything they knew away. It should be mentioned that while moving residents out, they were moved in dump trucks. A sight and symbol never forgotten.
So this community that settled here after being slaves were treated as such once again. Just discarded.
This is a community that held itself together since they day they came here by the church they knew and the family they shared. This overcame the disrespect they received from the government, the land that could not be used to grow food, the lack of proper roads, health services, water, streetlamps or even electricity. This was not a community that should have been kicked out because it was an eyesore to Halifax and torn apart. This was a community that should have been celebrated and learned from for their perseverance. The apology would not have been necessary if we had just used our minds of right and wrong at the time.
I first heard of Africville a few years ago by a resident of Halifax who is a friend of mine and I researched it back then. Out of this research came this writing

Africville

I remember when I left here just five years ago
My father somehow wanted me to go to school so I could see places to go
To him books were worth more than anything
Money just never made him sing
Somehow he was able to get them though he had nothing
Hard work and pride was all he could bring

He loved this land so
Built by our ancestors that had no other place to go
Warriors coming for a place for a bed after a war
To lie down their worn spirits that was frail and sore
A place where they could lay their own fill
In this place they all named Africville

They loved this little piece of land
This is something I could never understand
Soil was not even good enough to farm
Anything from it brought harm
Suitable for just pigs to roam
But, somehow to my father and many before him, it was home

Saturday was family night
Memories of that bring delight
Small card games amongst family
In this private, little society
My forefathers always said that it was the most important of all
Good foundation so none of us would fall

We learned and built with our own hands and minds
Trying to keep pace and grow with mankind
Taxes were paid with nothing in return
So taking care of each other was all that was to learn
Outsiders built around us with a dump and a slaughter house
Human spirit was something they could never douse

Years before they even tried to divide our spiritual table
By putting a railway line right down the middle
That did not even make a divide sing a long
It just made everyone just a bit more strong
There was nothing that could tear them
Not even the city’s worst flam

I came back in the 1960’s
Educated by the books of the big cities
Africville was being wiped away by a large cloud
But under it all I just wanted everyone proud
All I saw was their confusion
As they were moved away with expropriation
I saw them all look at me with shame in their eyes
They saw people take away everything they had with lies
As I passed them cheques, saying their worth away from their homes was better
When he was forced out, I could not look in the eyes of my father

June 4, 2009

Meet Maggie

Each and every day we take the time to speak to friends to see how they are doing in life. Each and


Every day we walk passed fine folks that look a little different to us. Each and every day we walk passed

People who look as though they have not bathed or eaten in days. Their hands are out to us for help

and we ignore them and feel justified in doing so. The truth is we look down on this community. We do so without knowing what has happened to get the person there. In previous lives, they could have been someone who had a lapse in judgment or was dealt a playing card that sent them there. It cannot be said that homeless people want to live they way they do.



I did the same until a couple of things did happen to make me realize that these fine folks that we look down on are human beings just like the rest of us.



I came across a story of a homeless person that was a little different than most once you found out about the person. This person was characterized as close to being insane. She would shout obscenities down the street and most would say that there was a mental illness involved that made her very scary to approach. This was the opinion of us who chose not to get to her this person but just walk by.



Turns out that this is the story of this person. Maggie was born to us in the forties. She started experiencing differences in her personality in the late fifties during the already rough teen years. She was the daughter of a mercenary priest and once this difference started to fester itself, Maggie was shipped off to other members of her family and lived as a transient in the sixties. Instead of correctly finding out what may be wrong, her father said that she was a sinner and that was what was wrong with her.



In the early seventies, she took to the living on the streets after a series of events that would make most of us give up. She was finally properly diagnosed with a mental disorder and the hospital that she was in constantly performed what was known as electro shock treatment on her to fix the issue we will say. In other words sent electricity into her brain. We should also mention that she was given medication to also assist in this. Then the largest betrayal of all. This was also being done when it was discovered that she was pregnant in order for her to miscarry the child. Once this child was actually born and Maggie demonstrated how tough she actually was, the child was put up for adoption or correctly said, taken away from her. That was the turning point for Maggie and she walked out in to the streets of Hamilton until she passed away in the mid nineties being ignored y all of us.



You would think her story would end there but it does not. Maggie was profiled many times once her death occurred and the community that ignored her had several candlelight vigils and memorials in her name. A headstone was donated in order for anyone to remember her by two ordinary citizens. Maggie’s passing affected many people and her legacy on this earth so not completely there.



Maggie’s name was used in a proposal to implement a program called COAST in Hamilton. This program assisted families in this region on how to handle living with a person with a mental disease. It gave not only law enforcement but counseling services and consumers groups. All of this after Maggie had left us.



I think of this story and ask myself, would we be able to accomplish as much and even after death have such a positive impact as a person that we just walked by and ignored.



This lady’s life had affected me so much that this was written about her and I hope to give you more details about Maggie one day.



Maggie’s Piano



Maggie has seen days that have been better

Now she is held together by the old stitches of a tattered dress

Her gibberish screams at passerby’s make her seem sinister

She cannot keep it all calm and together, Maggie’s mind is a mess



Maggie’s magic happened each night before we settled in

She would sit, smile and give a gift like no tomorrow

Touching us all before she would really begin

The mystical, magical sound of Maggie’s Piano



Every day her eyes looked so worn

Head down and tired when she takes a dirty seat

Scattered worries race through her mind, so forlorn

Maggie cannot figure out when next she will eat



Each day, Maggie helped our homeless strive

Lifting our wandering sorrow

Touching us to come alive

By the sweet sound of Maggie’s Piano



People walk by Maggie with her hands out

Street cratered face. Years of street and alley living

As they went by, she gave an angry, unrecognizable shout

One that sent them away from giving



When most of our bodies felt like death

Sweet sounds gave us smiles for tomorrow

That on extra, smooth breath

From the heart of Maggie’s Piano



We were so sad when Maggie left

Gone, to us, was that fighting courage

To the rest of us, it was the higher power’s theft

Tired of watching her get kicked like every day garbage

So he took her to a better place

Where maybe her clothes were sparkled new

Where there was no more anger in her face

Where weathered skin could be new



Each night, we close our eyes

Listening for her grace

Gifts from the skies

To the battered piano in this place

How it takes away our tired and cold

A warm, safe place to go

For the warm, unkempt and old

At the foot of the always playing Maggie’s Piano



October 31, 2009

A Canadian Tradition

Very recently, Former US President Bill Clinton had these words to say about Canadians as he is currently the United Nations Special Coordinator for Haiti.




“The Canadian people have been so generous. I'll bet you on a per-capita basis they're the number one in the world in helping Haiti. Probably because of the prime minister's matching-grant program, but for whatever reason, the Canadians have all given money, and all want to support it. And you should be very proud of that,” Mr. Clinton said.



We all know what happened to this country that has had it trial and tribulations before. Personally I could not even imagine what they have lost or what they have to go through to rebuild. I have not lived in such a place and cry at the thought of what they are going through.



Am I surprised we, as Canadians, have stepped forward and given to help at this time. I am not. I am Canadian and the first thought is to help and in this past decade we have stepped up many times and did what was right. We just helped other human being no matter where they were.



When the tragic circumstances of 9/11 took place, we send monies, firefighters, and opened our country to over 200 airliners and the 33 000 people on them. We made sure they were fed and sheltered during that time. Our fine folks in Newfoundland became world renowned for opening their kitchens and showing them good old fashioned Canadian care.



The tsunami that completed destroyed parts of India in 2004 and left many dead is another time where Canadians stepped up to help another neighbour of our in this world. This devastation completely turned the country of India into a disaster area where they were pulling bodies from homes for an endless period of time and heaven knows what they are still finding to this day.

We immediate set forth to help rebuild and comfort. No less than 11 agencies set up donation fund for humanitarian efforts. Not only did we donate millions of dollars but people were sent to help with clean up and treatment as well as contributing to equipment necessary to detect tsunamis so this would never happen again in that region again.



When Hurricane Katrina essentially wiped out the City of New Orleans we were there. Eighty percent of this city was lost to flooding and 90 percent of the residents of southeast Louisiana were evacuated. The losses were beyond anything we can ever imagine. We once again sent millions of dollars and people to assist in the rescue efforts and the rebuilding process to this day. We took people into our country with open arms, deployed our navy and sent items such as tent, and toiletries.

So in looking at what has been said of our efforts in Haiti are of no surprise to me. We lost good citizens that were already there helping this country before this disaster had happened and we will continue to do so in the giving spirit we are known for. This is not because we are forced; it is because it is natural for us to just help all. So very proud to be Canadian.



CD Review

Tom Cochrane – Trapeze

To continue with CD’s I believe are classic and the Canadian giving spirit, I will introduce you to Tom Cochrane’s Trapeze. I am a huge fan of greatest hits CD for the reason that you will find all the songs you like on them and maybe you will go back and buy the remainder. This one is no different. This collection has it all on three CD’s. Yes folks he has had that many hits.



On Disc One you will find the songs that started it all here in Canada. The dreams of being in the spotlight in “Avenue A”, the looking back on a life spent in “Boy Inside the Man and the broken dreams of a hockey family in “Big League”. On this disc there are 17 of his eighties materials. To show that he was not afraid to take on any subject in his time, his most popular song on this side

“Lunatic Fringe” was about anti-Semitism in the seventies. Tom Cochrane writes about never giving up in “Human Race”. Something we should all adhere too.



Disc Two kicks off with his most popular hit “Life is a Highway”. A song written after one of his many trips to Africa on behalf of World Vision. Of the thirteen songs on this disc, Tom Cochrane shows his tender side like never before on, “Sinking like a Sunset”, Washed Away”, “Widest Dreams” and “Dreamers Dream”. One of the strongest tracks on this side is a message to his wife who he was separated from at the time, “I Wish You Well”.



There are extras with this great package that include a rare live performance on disc three and two new original songs, “Just like Ali” and “Postcards From The Edge”. Both of which continue his rich tradition of excellent story telling.



Tom Cochrane take the time to paint a rich, Canadian landscape and used his fame to not only give us the gift of music but used it to enrich those around him who were unfortunate by being a person who gave through World Vision, War Child, Amnesty International and Make Poverty History.

Hats off!

Mark McGuire Vs Andre Dawson

I have to admit that I have been a baseball fan for many years. I believe the first game I did see was a World Series match up in 1980 between the Kansas City Royals and Philadelphia Phillies. Since then I was a diehard Montreal Expos fan and, yes, my heart did break during the 1994 season that they would have won it all if there was not a strike.


This week I was able to witness one of the biggest cons ever to play this fun and great game. He goes by the name of Mark McGuire and he admitted something that we already know. During his playing days, he used steroids. Now he did state that this was to get over injuries and not enhance his power. Well if anyone does believe that, please look up pictures and take a look at what he looked like when he entered the league and when he retired. Through his career, Mark McGuire has statistics that looked like this.

Homeruns – 583

Runs Batted In – 1414

Batting Average - .263

12 time All Star, AL Rookie of the Year and won 1 Gold Glove for defense.

Now these are impressive statistics and as well used to hold the record for most home runs in a season with 70. This record was broken by Barry bonds in 2001.

These Mark McGuire statistics would have gotten anyone into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Mark McGuire has gotten a very low vote since he has been eligible to be elected. The reason for this was that since the steroid scandal that has rocked Major League Baseball, he has gone on record previous to this week with an admission of indifference. Neither confirming nor denying. Finally, He has admitted to taking steroids but now he is not blaming himself for taking them or that these substances may have helped him. He is blaming the era that he played baseball and that these drugs did not enhance his ability. If this be true, why did he take them? We will get back to that in a minute.



Another baseball player who has been elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2010 is Andre Dawson. This man played 19 seasons and the majority of them with legs that could hardly keep him up. He has had numerous knee surgeries and even a replacement put in one of them. The hard surface of playing in Montreal for ten years has essentially disabled him to this day.

Now let us take a look at his statistics for his playing career

Homeruns – 438

Runs Batted In – 1591

Batting Average - .279

8 Time All Star, 8 Time Gold Glove Winner, NL Rookie of the Year and MVP in 1997

What is interesting about Andre Dawson’s career and how long it took him to get into the Hall of Fame is that he just played for the love of the game. He signed a contract for one half a million dollars in the era of collusion. More importantly his size never changed and if you examine the statistics of these two players then you will realize that Andre Dawson had better statistics than Mark McGuire with the exception of homeruns. I find this interesting. If you want a given talent for playing baseball, look no further than a person who put up these numbers on hobbled legs.

Now Andre Dawson would be the perfect role model for anyone who wanted to teach their children how to play baseball properly. Mark McGuire would be the perfect example of a man who could not look himself in the mirror properly because if he could, he would be truthful about why he did what he did and not blame others. I should mention that while Andre Dawson signed a contract for less than a million dollars when he played and that year he won the MVP Award, Mark McGuire’s last contract paid him 11 000 000 dollars in his last year of playing. I wonder again why he took them.

Starting Over

Sarah is starting her new job today. This is the first job she has had in eleven years. Before she became a widow, Sarah was a stay at home mother of three and her husband was the person who was the home provider. He was in the military and had his life taken on a peace mission. Now Sarah, spends every day trying to balance the bills, babysitters and a minimum wage job that does not provide enough to her. The strain has aged her face by years beyond her real age.


This is a scenario that happens each day. People all around us start over in life with riles that they are not used to in order to just survive. Every day, we are amongst divorcees, widowers or people who have been laid off and seek new employment. Their life has not worked out with the plan of just the day before but we have to give them credit. These good human beings are struggling while smiling and we do not know what is actually going on at home at all. We do not know how it feels with the loss of everything and finding employment in places that they are not used too and where they are not paid enough to essentially survive.

This thought was brought to myself as the new year came upon us and how people use this as a time to restart something in their lives. We do not realize that people have to do this every day and not by choice.

So, here is to these “Start Over” ladies and gentlemen in 2010. May it be the year you successfully rebuild.



How to Buy a Book

I have a habit of purchasing books by authors I have never heard of by looking at the title of the book and then the artwork. I have to recommend a great story that I had discovered this way. The White Road by John Connelly. I am not going to tell you what the story is so pick it up and once in a while choose a book this way. It proves to give interesting results.



In closing I was walking to my work recently during a snow storm. A complete stranger pulled over to the side of the road and gave me a lift. Later on when I was walking home from work during the same storm, a complete stranger pulled over and gave me a lift home. Looks like 2010 is going to be a good year.

True Heroes, Classic Album and Random Notes

Heroes


Each and every day we shamelessly give the term, “Hero” to people in the spotlight, who are able to use their talents to make monies for the businesses they work for. There are baseball, basketball and football players that are called “hero” every time they play just a game. These people, whether good or bad in their own lives, are given this credit by lending names to a foundation or cause while actually not giving to the cause.

In our lifetime we have been fortunate enough to have known of three true heroes from the athletic field. They are Roberto Clemente, Terry Fox and Rick Hansen. Let us look at what these great humanitarians did to be considered heroes too.

Roberta Clemente was a right fielder for the Pittsburgh Pirates who was from the Dominican Republic. He exhibited his hall of fame talents in Pittsburgh from 1955 to 1972. Some say that he was and still is the best baseball player ever from the Dominican Republic. He was able to win MVP awards and a World Series. Roberto Clemente’s greatest accomplishment was giving back to his home country to assist the children of this great nation. He not only lent his name but paid the ultimate price with his life on December 31, 1972 while on a relief mission to Nicaragua by his plane crashing in the Caribbean. A fellow country that was devastated by an earthquake.

Terry Fox became famous for his Marathon of Home across Canada from April 12, 1980 to September 1, 1980. What made this marathon a special marathon was that Terry Fox was a cancer survivor and was doing this to show cancer can be beaten not the human inside us all. Unfortunately, the Marathon of Hope was not completed because there was cancer discovered in his lungs. We lost this inspiration on June 28, 1981. His legacy is that Terry Fox united a nation and completed 5373 KM and an annual run is hosted under his name. More important he gave us all hope.

Rick Hansen was involved in a car accident when he was fifteen years old. While recovering from this accident, Rick Hansen realized he was to be paralyzed for the remainder of his life. Before the accident, Rick Hansen was a very athletic individual. These skills were put to the test and he graduated from the University of British Columbia with a Physical Education Degree, even with his disability. His lasting legacy started on March 21, 1985 from Vancouver. Rick Hansen took his wheelchair across the earth in the Man in Motion Tour that took place in 34 countries and logged over 40 000 KM. Rick Hansen’s main goal was to raise awareness and funds for spinal cord research and at the end of this tour on May 22, 1987 $26 million dollars had been raised.

These are just three examples of human beings who truly do not want the attention but were able to use their heart and desire to unselfishly affect us all. People everyday give unselfishly to all of us and should be considered heroes in our world. They are the people who volunteer at shelters, walk a thons, and raise awareness. Unfortunately one of the best characteristics about these heroes is that you do not know who they are because they do not want you to know they are heroes.



Classic Albums

Richie Sambora – Stranger in this Town

After being the side man in Bon Jovi for many years and adding some of the best harmonies to all of the songs that you and I love, in 1991 Richie Sambora decided to release this masterpiece. This rock and blues influenced album has never gotten the credit it so richly deserved by the masses. Richie Sambora lets his true soul out in this piece of recording. You can hear this in his very honest passion and playing throughout this album. Known for his guitar playing, Richie Sambora bares his soul in the slow ballads, “Stranger in this Town”, “One Light Burning”, “Father Time” and concluding the albums with the tearfully passionate “The Answer”. Now this is not just a ballad album. He lets the music and songs rip during “The Ballad of Youth”, “Rosie” and “Church of Desire”. Throughout the album, Richie Sambora’s backing band was not other than the remaining players in Bon Jovi themselves and a Mr. Eric Clapton takes over the guitar playing in “Mr. Bluesman”. What struck me throughout the entire album was the voice that was given to these songs. You can tell that this was a labour of love and when you listen to it, you cannot help but feel that too.



Random Notes

I have been reading about the controversy in regards to Adam Lambert’s performance at the American Music Awards. Well being an eighties child, this brings me back to a time where not all music was based on talent just looks. What he did was sacrificed his actual talent for a performance that got everyone talking and that was it. There is no doubt that Adam Lambert has vocal talent and has the potential to be compared to such great singers with range such as Freddie Mercury, Axl Rose or Paul Stanley. However, he played the publicity card that took away from his talent. I wonder if he did not have a CD coming out the same week if he would have done it. I do not think so. It is a shame.

I will give credit to Kris Allen, the person who did actually win American Idol the same season and here is why. The week before he released a CD and did not play that card. Kris Allen is letting the music speak for itself. Kris Allen’s CD will not sell near the amount but he has my respect for not going that route.