Sunday, December 06, 2009

Scattered much?

I like headings. They keep my thoughts clear:

1.) Intro
I am listening to the melancholy beauty that is Damien Jurado's art and drinking a cup of Christmas tea.

I went to Otterburne this weekend and walked outside with my long johns and winter hat. The snow was quiet and the air was free and my heart was light.

2.) Lindsay
Today is my sister's 25th birthday. I remember when she was just a young thing, and would sit at the kitchen table for hours sewing dresses for our barbie dolls. I was the official "barbie doll walker" and after Lindsay finished an outfit I would prance Barbie around the living room to music and show off her splendour to our younger brother who probably has blocked those moments out of his memory. Lindsay is an individual of intense dedication and patience, something I am constantly remiss of.

3.) School
In my Social Welfare class on Friday we talked about how meaning can dictate our actions. During this conversation, my professor brought up Viktor Frankl and his book, "Man's Search for Meaning" (Which he wrote while living in a concentration camp).

Viktor wrote this:

"When we are no longer able to change a situation - we are challenged to change ourselves."

And this:

"Then I grasped the meaning of the greatest secret that human poetry and human thought and belief have to impart: The salvation of man is through love and in love."

Sound familiar? Name that movie.

4.) Procrastination
I need to finish my research methods paper. I am writing a paper on the well-being of elderly who live in long-term care. I had some pretty cool interviews. Here is a little sampling of my findings:

Respondent #1: "Kindness means a lot"

Respondent #2: "I was perfectly fine until one day I collapsed, and ended up in the hospital. Never went back home."

Respondent #3: "You have to go along with the times. Even the TV changes each year. The programs are the pits this year."

Respondent #4: "You’re damned if you do, and damned if you don’t."

Respondent #5: "It’s not a matter of liking it here. Where else are they gonna put me? You know?"

5.) Conclusion:

I love Tim Tams. No mom, that is not a boy, it is edible poetry.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Respondant #2 happens all too often. My 2nd patient ever was a sweet British woman in a long term care facility. She was moving into a little apartment, and on moving day, she went to try on some slippers in a store, and she fell while trying them on, fractured her hip, and never regained her independence. She told me this story with tears in her eyes. She said "I am so stupid! I should have sat down to try them on. I was just so stupid"

Tell Respondent #3 if they want to see something on TV to bring a smile to ANY face...watch Glee. Except for last weeks episode, which was kinda real life-ish. All the other ones are EXTREMELY happy.

Hee hee...I was reading this, and you know how a word or phrase can catch your eye before you get to the bottom of the page, and you are dying of curiosity about how it fits into what you are reading...well out of the corner of my eye i saw "I love Tim" and I couldn't actually not skip ahead. I was relieved, and able to continue reading about your respondants after putting that phrase in context. :D
Love you Jennie!