Happy New Year

It's 9:38 Central Standard Time. That means that it's almost midnight in Fredericton. Having been born in New York, I often think of 11 pm as my "real" midnight. Makes it easier to go to bed before the clock at home strikes twelve. Yeah, big party-gals are we. So, maybe tonight we'll use 10 pm as midnight - in anticipation of our new home. But, before then... it's the rest of our fifth episode of Corner Gas. We absolutely love this show. Just when we decide to try to become a television-free household... Bummer.

Nonetheless, I just wanted to wish everyone a happy new year for 2008! May the coming year bring you everything you desire.

Taking the Plunge

Well, after a lot of web research, discussion, etc. we've decided, at least for now, to drive a truck when we move. While the additional $2000+ for a PODS move might have been worth it for not having to drive, we decided against it, primarily because we would have had an extra load/unload step. We considered a full-service move, which wasn't as cost prohibitive as we thought and would have been home door-to-storage door, but when even the movers advise that you move your own tv, stereo, sentimental belongings, etc. what's the point? Almost all we're taking is either electronics or sentimental! We're taking very little in the way of furniture, no major appliances, etc.

For those considering a DIY move and who might happen upon this post sometime, let me address the potential "why Penske?" question. I have been reading various postings, etc. for months. Virtually everyone says to avoid U-Haul. U-Haul was the one company that would have enabled us to leave the truck in Canada, but the different between Calais, Maine - on the border - and Fredericton, NB - about 140 km into Canada - was $800. And, get this, they allowed slightly less mileage. Nah, I don't think so. Budget wasn't bad, but we get a AAA discount with Penske and almost all the postings I found had glowing reports on Penske. I had also called them a few months ago and a very nice representative had said there was no problem taking the truck into Canada, that we would just have to bring it back to Maine.

So, I've been watching the website, waiting for the 6 month reservation window. I checked this morning and discovered that I could reserve a 22' diesel truck and get both a AAA discount and web discount. But, I had a question about changing dates as we get closer so I called. I was told that we could change dates any time up to the day of the reservation and we can cancel altogether up to 48 hours in advance. Plus, it's unlimited mileage - which is a HUGE benefit - and we got an additional discount by reserving right then on the phone. So, we've reserved a truck for June for a reasonable $1047.96.

I can check periodically to see if there's a better deal, though, in my experience, the above is pretty good for a move of this distance. With a truck that's 22' we should have tons of room; so much that we won't have to pack stuff in the car like we had thought. The only down side - besides driving at all - is that we'll drive past the Maine drop-off, unload in F'ton, and have to return the truck to Maine. But, the up-side is that they give us 7 days, more than we had planned to take.

So, if all goes as planned - we'll do something like this:
Day 1: Pick up and load truck
Day 2: Saint Paul to Chicago - ~400 miles - evening with friends
Day 3: Chicago to Cleveland - ~345 miles - evening with friends
Day 4: Cleveland to Boston - ~640 miles - evening with friends
Day 5: Boston to Fredericton - ~430 miles
Day 6: Unload truck
Day 7: Return truck to Maine

There ya' have it. One of the most fun things about this blog is that I'll get to look back at this after knowing how things really played out!

I am continually amazed...

Seriously. I am continuously amazed at the incredibly useful information I find on various websites of the Canadian government. I've been trying to determine with which bank I should open an account. I accidentally ended up here, but then went here. I'm not saying it's perfect, but it sure gave me some nice information as a place to start.

BTW, I've heard so much about how different - and expensive - banking is in Canada. Anyone out there who wants to offer their advice is most welcome to do so! Thanks!

SIN

That's social insurance number, of course! This morning I was able to get ours by phone. I'm feeling so, well, so, permanent resident-like.

First, I called one of the numbers on the website and was told, politely, that I could only do so in person. I asked, politely, why the website said, "blah, blah, blah." She put me on hold and came back and told me that I would have to call the other number. Then, she looked and realized that that was an 888 number that I could only call from within Canada. So, she transferred me!

The next clerk started to take the information for 6YO and then said, no, she couldn't do it because I didn't have my SIN yet, that I would have to come in person. Again, I read from the website and said, politely, that I didn't understand why the website said one thing and I was being told another. She then suggested that we do mine first and, since the numbers are issued immediately, then try to do his. So, we did that. I then passed the phone to P who was able to get hers. Success.

What was really great was that they were so pleasant even as I questioned them and they were so helpful when I was fairly insistent. Gotta love it!

So, silly as it sounds, it's one step closer to feeling like we're actually there! Merry Christmas to me, Merry Christmas to me!

Now if I could just figure out how we're going to get our stuff there!

Immigration Exam

Now, perhaps you're thinking about some exam that one has to take in order to immigrate to someplace, say Canada. Nope. Maybe you had flashbacks to your medical exam. Nah.

P came home today, having taken her second final examination - in Immigration Law. And, while I don't have it verbatim, one of the questions was about a same-sex couple! It went something like this - A, a US citizen, and B, a Spanish citizen, met... married in Spain and were settled there, living happily. A's mother, in the US, was taken ill and A returned to the US to be with her. After a while, with A remaining in the US to care for her mother, A and B decided to try to get B to the US for an extended period of time...

Being a law exam there were all kind of little issues thrown in; e.g., B was an internationally recognized author. It probably ended with the "call of the question" going something like, "Discuss all of the options available to A and B."

Pretty cool. Not just because P thinks she must have smoked the question, but for the fact that the prof even had such a question on the exam. Rock on.

Okay, back to work!

Incremental Movement

My, how time flies when you're doing too much. It's that time of year when most of us are just too darn busy. In our house one of us is giving finals, another is taking them. 6YO is anxiously awaiting the arrival of Santa Claus and watching every holiday special that has ever been made. Add to that the recent - and stressful - closing on our lot in Canada and, whew, that's pretty much why each time I think I'll sit down and write something I haven't.

So, what's happening? I'm dreading all of the work that we have to do in the next two months to get the house ready to go on the market and I'm dreading what the market will hold. I decided to teach an overload in Spring term to make some extra cash so that will mean more work. But, it's on-line so that's great both in terms of energy and experience. I've been communicating with a couple of folks at UNB and, at a minimum, I will have dual-sponsorship as a Visiting Scholar, with office space, etc. I won't know until May or June whether I'll get any money. There's also a position to which I will be applying, though that's a long shot. Then, there's the house we hope to build...

I've decided - after much insanity with emails to and from the realtor, builder, etc. - to go back to F'ton in January. Email is great, but some things just need to be hammered out face to face. Plus, I can meet with the guys at UNB and take care of some things like opening a bank account, etc. This, of course, is all dependent on the weather.

So, here's what coming down the pike -
January - Travel to Tucson for RDW's celebration of life
January - Travel to Fredericton, as above
February - Stay put, get the semester up and running
March - Travel to Toronto! Put house on the market.
April - Travel to Portland, OR for a conference and possibly Vancouver*
May - Travel to Fredericton for a conference and final move arrangements
June - Move to Fredericton?
July - Hopefully spend Canada Day in Fredericton, New Brunswick!

* I won't know about Vancouver until after the semester begins. With all the goings-on I may not be able to be gone that long.

So much for reducing my carbon footprint on the earth. That's five round trip flights. Ugh.

BTW, check out Consumer Consequences for a game about your impact on the earth. Or, this one which is shorter and less graphic intensive.

And, to continue veering off "topic" - was there a topic? - if you are fighting consumerism you might enjoy a new documentary/docucomedy, "What Would Jesus Buy?" I'm teaching a class on affluenza/consumption so a group of us went to see it last weekend. It's by Morgan Spurlock, the guy who did "Super Size Me!"

Speaking of consumption... As 6YO has been watching the holiday programs we've recorded he's had pretty much his first "heavy" exposure to commercials. Until now he's really seen only DVDs, PBS Kids, and the infrequent Disney program. We put a block on the Disney Channel when he discovered it and got into Zack and Cody, etc. Anyway, we've decided to put the televisions away on 1 January. Yup. We're going to try to go cold turkey and see how things go. I figure this is the best time. This morning's New York Times has a piece that is highlighted with, "Because of the writers’ strike, networks’ schedules will be filled with repeats or reality programs come January." Perfect timing!

Well, P is busy in the kitchen making corncakes with cotija cheese. Yum. I'm off! More as it happens.

Greetings

I should be grading papers, but it's been so long that I thought I would just post a quick note. P is approaching finals - taking them - and I'm approaching finals - giving them. The holiday season is fast upon us, too. With 6YO, as you might expect, everything is ramped up. Add to that the fact that I'm in my second month of some kind of cold and that we traveled to Missouri over the (US) holiday weekend... then there are the hundreds of house plans I've been looking at. And, we've got tons of work yet to do on our house before it goes on the [dreadful] market in March. Oy! Anyway, I'm still here and still reading. I'm looking forward to mid-December when I will be almost done with the semester. Except for a trip to Tucson, 3-9 January, for RDW's memorial, I don't go back to teaching again until 30 January. So, lots of time to catch-up, work on the house, etc. I hope this finds you well and a particularly hearty hello to new members of our on-line family! I look forward to following your adventures!

The Post 9/11 World

(CNN) -- A Canadian firetruck responding with lights and sirens to a weekend fire in Rouses Point, New York, was stopped at the U.S. border for about eight minutes, U.S. border officials said Tuesday.

The U.S.-Canadian border is more than 5,000 miles long.

Fire officials battling the blaze called for help from fire departments in nearby Quebec, using a longstanding and often-used mutual aid agreement. But the first truck that arrived at the small Rouses Point border crossing was delayed as officials checked documentation of the firefighters and their truck, officials confirmed.

Two other trucks that arrived at the crossing next were cleared in less then two minutes each, a time that one fire official said was still too long considering the situation.

"It's embarrassing," said Chris Trombley, chief of the Champlain [New York] Volunteer Fire Department and deputy fire coordinator for Clinton County Emergency Services. "We're calling for help from another country and the first roadblock they hit is at our border."

Go here for the rest of the story.

Florida, again.

Florida Ends Shuttling of Refugees to Canada
By Monica Davey
November 10, 2007

A Florida organization that assisted hundreds of illegal immigrants in fleeing to Canada must close and return thousands of dollars it collected from the immigrants, who believed they would be given legal status in that country, Florida’s attorney general said yesterday.

Complaining of stepped-up sweeps by American immigration officials, about 450 people made their way from Florida to Canada in recent months with guidance from the organization, the Jerusalem Haitian Community Center, of Naples. Mostly Mexicans and Haitians, they presented themselves as refugees seeking asylum. Many are still waiting for hearings.

“While the state attorney general’s office cannot enforce federal immigration law in this case, my office can investigate potentially misleading or deceptive practices, and I believe this organization was engaging in questionable practices,” said Bill McCollum, the state attorney general. Many of the immigrants paid “donations” to the center of as much as $400, his office found.

For the entire article go here.

Clara Elizabeth, 1990/1991-2007

When I met P she had a tabby cat that she described as "very nearly round." At that time, Clara had been with her for almost eight years. Having once weighed 12 pounds, today she weighed a hair over 5. Clara would have been 17 in January - give or take. P never knew her exact date of birth because Clara found P when she was a kitten. I'm more of a "dog person," but I have to admit that Clara was really a great cat. Today, she went to the big kitty heaven in the sky...

Although she's been up and down with kidney disease for a while now, she pretty much stopped eating even her wet food sometime in the past day or so. And, she pretty much stayed in the same spot, not looking well. We called the vet yesterday and then, this morning, took her in.

We talked with the vet and then did blood work that confirmed serious renal distress. She also had an infection that was likely making things worse. The vet said that given her condition, if she were to treat her, in addition to a round of antibiotics, she would advise a 2-3 day hospitalization so that she could be hydrated by IV. The vet said that with aggressive treatment she might improve, but it would only address the infection and not the underlying kidney disease. And, given the kidney disease she might face the same thing in a matter of weeks. After P made the decision to let her go the vet offered, twice, that she thought it was the right decision. And, I do believe she was sincere.

This morning, before he left for school, we talked to 6YO about it. So far this year he's lost two goldfish, two snails, and his grandpa. He knew there was a chance that she would be gone when he got home and we had talked about it last time she seemed to be failing. Honestly, I'm actually more concerned about our eight and a half year old lab/spaniel given that he has never known life - save the first 8 weeks - without Clara and, unlike with P, we can't explain it to him!

So, it's been quite an autumn...

Yippee!

And, in other news, more delightful than the post below - I'm thrilled to announce that my book is now in print! I look forward to the day that it's merely an historical artifact, the policy long gone.

I had a conversation with a friend yesterday. Her 23 year old brother is in the military, wants to make it a career, etc. He recently split with his girlfriend of several years. Apparently his mother has, for quite a while, wondered if he might be gay. Even his girlfriend had come over several times bringing up articles she had read - things like "How to Tell if Your Man is Gay." Hmmm... My friend thinks that he is, but that he is really struggling because of the military. This is a guy who has already spent a year in Iraq. He also has a lesbian sister, a lesbian aunt, a gay uncle - no lack of support. His mother wants him to come out because she realizes that if he is gay, he'll be happier. His dad, with whom he served in Iraq, is, apparently, a challenge. While he had no problem with lesbians, he apparently has issues with gay men. Funny that P and I have often wondered about him... Anyway, I commented that I actually think that by the time he - the brother - is eligible for retirement, the policy will no longer exist. I've never been accused of being an optimist, but really think it's had its day. I guess only time will tell.

Run for the Border

No, I'm not referring to Taco Bell. It's "fall back" Sunday and I'm lying in bed with a miserable cold, catching up on the Times via computer. First I read Bob Herbert's (no relation) column on health insurance. Then I read Frank Rich's column on candidates, Iran, etc.

Herbert begins, "Lonnie Lynam, a self-employed carpenter in Pipe Creek, Tex., specialized in spiral staircases. Friends thought of him as a maestro in a toolbelt, a whiz with a hammer and nails. 'His customers were always so pleased,' his mother told me. 'There was this one family, kind of higher class, and he built them one of those glass holders that you would see in a bar or a lounge, with the glasses hanging upside down in different sizes. It was awesome.' Lonnie had a following, a reputation. He was said to have a magic touch. What he didn’t have was health insurance...." For the rest of the piece, go here.

Rich begins, "When President Bush started making noises about World War III, he only confirmed what has been a Democratic article of faith all year: Between now and Election Day he and Dick Cheney, cheered on by the mob of neocon dead-enders, are going to bomb Iran. But what happens if President Bush does not bomb Iran? That is good news for the world, but potentially terrible news for the Democrats. If we do go to war in Iran, the election will indeed be a referendum on the results, which the Republican Party will own no matter whom it nominates for president. But if we don’t, the Democratic standard-bearer will have to take a clear stand on the defining issue of the race. As we saw once again at Tuesday night’s debate, the front-runner, Hillary Clinton, does not have one...." For the rest of the piece, go here.

I hate to sound too dramatic, but I keep thinking that best gift I will ever have given 6YO is his permanent residency card and, hopefully, his Canadian citizenship.

Now, back to being Sparky, the barking seal...

Three Years

2 November 2004. Three years ago today. I was watching state after state amend their constitutions to "protect" marriage, blah, blah, blah. That was when I more seriously than ever before entertained the thought of leaving. Three years later we're waiting to go. I hope that next year at this time we're several months into being settled in New Brunswick. I wore my November 2 t-shirt today. You'd be surprised at how many people wondered what it meant. Or maybe you wouldn't.

Pending...

And, the big news is... if the builder gives his approval we'll close on a nice 1 acre lot in Douglas, New Brunswick at the end of November. I won't go into the whole story, but I'm really, really pleased with this decision. Although you can't tell much, here are a few photos of the lot, 15 minutes from downtown Fredericton.


And, a HUGE congrats to Tom and Emilio on what sounds like a pending sale for them! I know that's an incredible relief!

Get me out of here!

A little background. I buy family health coverage. To cover 6YO and P, as well as myself, is $546 a month, including dental. Even though domestic partnership benefits are taxable (i.e., paid post-tax), I have been able to have it as a pre-tax deduction because 6YO is my son. Now HR has been told, not surprisingly, that they have to tax me on it.

One might think that they would then tax the "portion" that provides the DP benefit. Technically that's zero since the premium is the same whether it's only 6YO or 6YO and P. But, let's call it 50%, or $273. Oh, no, silly. They have to tax me on the "fair market value" of single coverage, or $400. Thus, I pretty much lose and non-taxability of the dependent child coverage.

Yes, nice that we now have DP benefits. But, I am so tired of being told, indirectly, that I'm not a valued citizen of this nation. I looked at the benefits manager and said, "This is why I hate this country." I don't know if I posted this before, but I got a really nice raise this year. But, after the increase in tax on P's tuition "benefit," I saw an additional $17 in my paycheck. Woo-hoo. Get me out of here.

Okay, there's my rant for the morning... and how are you?

Banking

I didn't have time to do this while actually IN Canada... Does anyone know if I can open a bank account in Canada while still in the US? And, do I need an SIN in order to open an account? Just thought someone out there might know. Thanks!

Live - from Newark!

I am now in my fourth hour here at Newark Liberty (ha!) airport. My flight was cancelled and I'm re-booked on a delayed flight.

I left F'ton around 7 am - after missing a turn and going the wrong way on the Trans-Canada, with the fuel light on, in pitch darkness... I made it to Halifax right on time, gassed up, returned the car, and treated myself to a lobster roll. Here's what I wrote while in flight:

I arrived in Halifax at 1:50 on Saturday afternoon and was soon on the road to F’ton. I made it exactly four hours, good time considering it included a stop for a snack. When I arrived I immediately drove by a few of the properties I would be seeing with the realtor on Sunday. I knew as soon as I pulled up to the “primary target” that it was a no-go. Without going into too much detail, it was just a weird set-up in terms of the garage, access, etc. And, when my lights hit the side of the house I could see that there had been a lot of touch-up work to the wood siding, but not a full paint job. Normally that’s nothing, but after six years of major renovations to a 1918 home we are really not interested in moving in with a “First we’ll want to do this…” mindset.

I drove past another place that was intriguing, but really on too busy a corner. I had made up my mind that I was not going to ‘settle.” If all goes well this may be the last house I ever buy; I want it to be as close to perfect as possible. It was getting dark so, after a quick stop at Atlantic Superstore - I had to be sure to take back a few Coffee Crisps – I headed to C&L’s for the night. My hosts, C&L, were out for the evening so I was able to unpack and get settled and, just as I was writing a note for them - before turning in - they arrived. We ended up talking until almost 1 am!

On Sunday morning C – a Montrealer by birth – made cheese and apple crepes with maple butter. Oh, my gosh – to die for! At 10 the realtor picked me up and we spent a whirlwind day looking at I don’t know how many properties. I’m glad I hung on after the rocky start of wondering if she would return my emails. She’s great! Later in the day I saw a place quite a way out of town. I wasn’t sure about the location, but the house was perfect!

Now, allow me to digress. We started this adventure hoping to rent while we built. Then, as renting became more and more challenging and the idea of building seemed more and more daunting we abandoned that idea and focused on buying. Then, it was condo, city, country, house…? With a going-on 7YO there is one set of criteria, regardless of my yen for less burdensome property. And then there’s our dog. He’s always had a yard. So, late Sunday evening I returned "home" absolutely frazzled and exhausted – and feeling like I was getting a cold. I had seen a lot of houses that I couldn’t imagine buying – all needed too much work, or had a layout I didn’t like, or were on too busy a street… Except for the aforementioned house and it seemed a bit far away.

So, up and at ‘em Monday morning - I drove out to the property - 20-25 minutes from downtown, max. It’s a psychological adjustment, I think, that, given the size of the city, something so rural is only 20-25 minutes – shorter than my previous commute from Minneapolis to Saint Paul. After a delay while she got a dog on the plane to Australia, I hooked up with the realtor and discovered that the owner had just accepted an offer. But, having been down that road before, I concluded that it just meant something better was to come.

After looking at a few more things and talking about how perfect that house was, we talked about building. Was it really possible? The builder whose work she likes – not a big, mass production guy – came and met us at the house. I knew that it was basically a stock plan bungalow and that it would be easy enough, but we walked the house and talked about what I like about it, etc.

We then went to an area where he has a few homes and we talked further. Longer posting short – based on what I had figured out about the different areas of greater Fredericton I pretty much knew where I wanted to be, if possible. Lo’ and behold there are two one acre lots available, heavily treed, 15 minutes from downtown.

I figure that, if we buy a lot, and things fall apart, we have a lot to hang on to for the time being. But, we both (P and I) like the idea of getting what we really want. E.g., we want smaller and greener. A lot of the homes I saw were too big. Even the one I loved was bigger than we need. The builder is really into green building and R value. It’s more expensive up front, but one home that he did that is something like 3500 square feet has a heating bill of about $180/month. Some of the homes I saw that are that size or less were running about $350/month.

So, I don’t know how this will all turn out. It will be fun/ny to look back at this post a year from now and know where we’re living, how it all turned out, etc. I’ll keep you posted!

Other thoughts from this trip –
My blood pressure drops when I arrive in Canada. I love cheerful, laughing tollbooth attendants. The trees in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia were just gorgeous. This year a more muted yellow dominates, punctuated by bright reds and orange, with the green of the firs. I can’t wait to go hiking. I know there were other things that made me think, “Oh, I should write that down for later,” but I didn’t and now I’ve forgotten.

Stay tuned!

Back and off again!

Thanks to those of you who posted your good wishes. It's very much appreciated. I've been back almost a week and have spent most of it playing "catch-up." My mother, fortunately, is in San Diego with my sister so I've not been worried about her. She did tell me yesterday that the worst time is when she wakes up during the night. She's now feeling guilty that she wasn't assertive enough with the hospital staff. That's a bit troublesome. I assured her that she is probably the most assertive spouse they've seen in the last ten years. Seriously. I am just so glad that my sister and I both have the kind of lives that enable us to pick up and go at the drop of a hat. I can't stay gone long, but I can go. I am very thankful for that. Very thankful.

In other news, I'm going to make a quick trip to Fredericton next weekend to check out some property. We decided that we need a better idea of neighborhoods and it's easier to do it now than as we get closer to the end of the term. And, making plans to travel there in the middle of winter is a bit dicey as the weather will play a huge role. I'm actually flying into Halifax and driving over as I was able to use frequent flyer miles. I would have flown into Bangor, but by the time I was sure about going the ticket was gone! Hey, I'd rather land in Canada and drive across Nova Scotia anyway!

BTW, those in the GTA, I'm still planning a January trip to Toronto - there I don't have to arrive and drive 5 hours! Watch for news off the blog.

That's about it from here. Yesterday was beautiful; today is a cool, rainy fall day. So, it's off to the indoor playground so that 6YO can play while I grade papers. I hope everyone is doing well. I've been keeping up my reading, just haven't had much time to post.

RDW, 1926-2007

Shortly after 6:00 this morning, my father, RDW, died at the VA hospital in Tucson, Arizona. A veteran of WWII and Korea, his professional career was in the non-profit world, first as a teenager with the, then, Boys Club of America. He was a golf fanatic and a very dear man. One of the most notable things about him, I think, is that he married my mother when she had three children ages 6, 7, and 10. What a saint!

In the update below, posted on Monday, things were really up in the air. On Tuesday my mother called to tell me that the doctor said he thought he had 2-3 days to live. I quickly arranged to fly down on Wednesday morning. My sister was also able to fly over from San Diego. We arrived at the hospital around 11:30 am. It was just horrible. I can't believe how much he had deteriorated from when I left on 9 September, never imagining it was going to turn out like this. I don't know that he was truly "comatose," but he was not truly conscious. I do, however, believe - by his breathing, etc. - that he knew when people were there. He was receiving pain meds every three hours, but clearly in pain much of the time, howling if moved ever so slightly.

My mother had been at the hospital since Monday morning so I got her to let me take her home - about 8 miles away and right past the scene of the accident - to shower and get some fresh clothes. We went back and all stayed until 3:45 am when my sister and I came back to the house to rest. My mother was able to doze, intermittently, in the lounger. We returned at 6:30 am.

On Thursday we all stayed with him throughout the day. His system was clearly shutting down, but we had no idea how long it would be - hours, days, weeks? My sister and I, encouraged by our mother, left around 8 pm thinking we'd sleep a few hours so that we could make it through the night in case she wanted us back. She called at 1:15 am, unsure if he was still breathing. We had agreed that she would call us before calling the nurse. We got back and, yes, he was still breathing though very, very shallowly.

At around 5 am we could note a distinct change in his breathing and knew the end was near. I hope I never again watch someone taking his or her last breaths. The time between breaths got longer and longer, not knowing if the next one was coming. At 6:05 he died.

Fortunately, I was able to immediately get a hold of my brother, who is in the Middle East; it sounded like he was right next door. As much as cell phones annoy me they can be a blessing.

My mother is doing remarkably well. And, as odd as it sounds, if this was going to happen the timing was good to us. We had two days to spend with him and her which I think made things easier on all of us. I had time to meet with their attorney and yesterday we were all able to meet with him again before he left for the long weekend. We were able to write his obituary and take care of things with the mortuary and bank. Now, we have two days to do things around the house to make it less difficult when my mother returns from San Diego. We convinced her to go spend a couple of weeks with my sister which is wonderful.

Although he was legally my stepfather, R and my mother had been married 40 years last April. I knew him longer than I knew my natural father. Coincidentally, my natural father died at the age of 56 on R's 56th birthday. I should add that I found my father dead on the floor of his apartment. As terrible and unexpected as that was, it was actually much easier than the last two days have been.

Again, everyone, my mother included, is doing well, better than many might expect, I think. My sister and I are incredibly lucky to have the kind of lives that enable us the ability to take off at a moment's notice and not lose our jobs, income, etc. And, we were incredibly lucky to have had R in our lives.

Thanks for reading and for any kind thoughts you may send our way.

In other news...

After almost two weeks of hassling with PDFs and email, I received the restrictive - emphasis on restrictive - covenants on the condo in which we were - past tense - interested. And, bummer, but they prohibit pets.

Oh, you can have a dog - are you ready? - under five pounds! Now, I don't have anything against tiny dogs, but what kind of adult dog is under five pounds? I once lived with a toy poodle named Monte. But, heck, even he was eight pounds - and he wasn't carrying any extra weight either! You can have a cat if you owned it at the time you purchased the property. How generous. Good grief, Charlie Brown - or should that be "Good grief, Snoopy!" We were willing to accept the no flags, no hanging beach towels, etc., in exchange for being able to pick up and go without arranging for shoveling, mowing, etc., but no pets? In property we own? No way!

I don't know about the rest of you but I can easily place my number one stressor as housing. Yup, housing.

Update from Tucson

Just thought I'd post a quick note. On Friday my father's doctor asked my mother about a DNR order, etc. Fortunately they took care of those years ago. Last night was the first time my mother has gone to his room to visit and just turned around and gone home. I guess she was stroking his forehead and he was screaming.

This morning she said that he has not had food or fluids for 48 hours. She is planning on having them bring a lounge-sleeper to the room so that she can just stay there. One of the things that, I think, has been hardest on her is that she has often gone home thinking, "This is it," only to go back and find him awake and lucid. I do think that one "good" thing about the pace of his demise is that she's now, I think, adjusted - as much as one can - to the very real possibility/likelihood that he won't be coming home. But, stranger things have happened.

All of this as a result of the accident and treatment for three fractured ribs. Anyway, that's the latest.

Update to the update: My mother called me at work earlier today to tell me that they think his hip - the one he had "fixed" last Monday - was dislocated. My sister just called to say that he's now on an IV and yes, it is dislocated and the surgeon will be coming to talk to my mother tomorrow. I guess in addition to the dislocation and the pain it causes there's now the possibility of it having stretched the ligaments beyond repair. The "good" news is that he was lucid enough to tell my mother that he had been complaining about the hip and "nobody believed him." This is getting beyond ridiculous. Stay tuned.

Rainy Days and Mondays...

No big news on the immigration front. P did send an email to the prof she needs to talk to about taking classes "abroad" next fall. And, we're in intermittent communication with the realtor. And, I continue to try to give things away. Other than that, it's just the same ol' busy stuff. It's been raining all day and is, I think, expected to continue throughout the evening.

The big news of the day is that we went and picked up 6YO's violin. He decided, completely on his own, last year that he wanted to learn to play the violin. It happens to be one of the few instruments that he can do at school, as part of the school day. So, on Wednesday he will begin weekly violin lessons. For a kid who is an officer in the "It's-too-hard" Club - i.e., tying his shoes, reading, writing, zipping, buttoning, soccer, catching..." - he is thrilled with the violin. He wanted to hold it on his lap in the car. He is watching PBS Kids and "playing" the violin. I guess I'll have to break it to him that he can't sleep with it. We'll see what happens when he has actual lessons to practice. I'm just glad I purchased the insurance, too.

Well, not much else going on around these parts. Just thought I'd say "hello." Hope all is well with everyone.

USD

In case you're interested in details, more on the weak US dollar here.

Update: I've adopted a new perspective on the shrinking USD. Here's my logic. We'll be taking some money to Canada, but, given the housing market, it's safe to say that it won't be tons. But, over the next couple of decades the student loan debt we'll be paying off in USD will be significantly greater than the amount of our expected capital gain. And, we will need to travel to the US to visit family, for professional meetings, etc. Thus, in the long run we will be better off with dollars that are near parity than the old days when one USD got you CAD1.25 or even 1.50. So, that's my conclusion. While there's an initial "ugh" when we think of converting whatever we manage to make off the house, in the long run a stronger loonie will be to our advantage.

Courage

From Joan Walsh, salon.com:
"This is the way necessary social change happens. It starts out unthinkable, and then one day it's inevitable.

I'm not going to spend much time describing San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders' statement about why he changed his mind and supports gay marriage. Watch the video, below. (Don't watch it if you can't afford to have a good cry this afternoon.) Sanders, a Republican, explains that he planned to veto a City Council resolution supporting efforts to overturn California's ban on gay marriage, but he changed his mind when the resolution reached his desk."

Go here for the rest of her comments and the video and, please, do watch the video!

Ripley's Believe It or Not

As you may recall, on Friday, 17 August, my father, who had turned 81 that Tuesday, and my mother were in a car accident. My mother was treated and released, but my father spent the first week at the University Medical Center in Tucson. He was transferred to the VA on Friday, 24 August. His only "direct" injuries were three rib fractures which have long ago healed. But, due to morphine induced delirium he is frequently confused, cannot write legibly, requires speech therapy and physical therapy, etc. He has various pain, pre-dating the accident, that has been exacerbated by the lengthy hospital stay. On Monday of this week the PT thought something seemed wrong because he was complaining of much more severe pain. They did x-rays. Nothing. He's been in agony all week. They did more x-rays. Well, to quote my sister who called to bring me up to date, the doctor practically genuflected when he came to tell my mother that they had discovered that he has a broken hip. I am not making this up. I'm fuzzy on the details, but it turns out that apparently one of the nurses said she was told he had fallen about a week ago, but thus far nobody has found it noted on his chart. He has to come off the blood thinner he takes before surgery, but he will have surgery sometime soon to have a pin put in the hip. My mother said that it will either be general anesthesia or a spinal. That's the part that makes me the most nervous. Take someone who's 81 and already a mess and give him general anesthesia. Wonderful.

It gets better. As I said, my sister called to tell me about this. Then she told me that she had left work yesterday and treated herself to a facial at a place she has gone for years. At first application of the cream - or whatever - her face burned. Long story short - her face looks like she's been scalded or some such. She got in to her dermatologist today and although there is no such contraindication for the medicine she uses, that's likely what caused the reaction. But, wait, yesterday when she got home my nephew asked her why the carpet was wet. Turns out they have a slab leak. A pipe in the slab - no longer a "to code" design - has leaked so the house is now in chaos while they replace, as I understand it, part of the slab and the pipes.

And, did I tell you that one of my good friends here - do you remember the Hup Holland photo? - was hit last Friday and her car was totalled? She's fine. Fortunately the guy who hit her, an attorney, jumped out and immediately acknowledged his fault.

I called my mother and she made me promise that nothing will happen here. We live and hope.

Ugh!

About a minute ago the USD was worth less than the CAD. The site keeps refreshing so it went to 1.00050 a second later and then to 1.00044 and then to 1.00035... Great for those of you already over the border, but, oy, how depressing for those of us with our "money" still here and not yet liquid.

Do Not Enter

I just received the latest issue of Academe, the "Bulletin of the American Association of University Professors." It included a section titled, "Scholars Excluded from the United States."

Here are a few excerpts -
"John Clarke, a Canadian anti-poverty worker, was stopped at the U.S. border in February 2002 on his way to a speaking engagement at Michigan State University. He was questioned by officials, who asked if he was opposed to the “ideology of the United States” and accused him of knowing where Osama Bin Laden was hiding, according to Clarke. He was then denied entry to the United States."

"In 2004, Canadian citizen Karim Meziane, a physicist at the University of New Brunswick, was turned away at the U.S. border en route to a research conference to which he had been invited by the University of New Hampshire. The Department of Homeland Security gave Meziane written reasons for his exclusion, which he demonstrated to be false using official Canadian government documents; the department, however, refused to reconsider and the U.S. ambassador refused, without explanation, a request from the Canadian Association of University Teachers to discuss the case."

Not a Canadian, but on our campus we were to host Dr. Shirin Ebadi, but her visa was denied.

"Dr. Shirin Ebadi is an Iranian human rights activist. In 2003 she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her significant and pioneering efforts for democracy and human rights, especially women and children rights. She is the first Iranian and the first Muslim woman to receive the prize. A lawyer by training, Ebadi lectures at the University of Tehran. She has represented several dissidents and intellectuals, made significant contributions to family law. She has also established two non-governmental organizations in Iran, the Society for Protecting the Rights of the Child (SPRC) and the Defenders of Human Rights Center (DHRC). She also drafted the original text of a law against physical abuse of children, which was passed by the Iranian parliament in 2002. In addition to the Nobel prize she has been awarded the International Democracy Award in 2004, the Legion of Honor award in 2006 and the Rafto Prize, Human Rights Prize in Norway in 2001. She has received 11 honorary doctorates from universities in the Middle East, North America, Europe and Australia."

Not the same as "brain drain," but arguably with the same long-term effect...

Welcome, Toma!

Friends, please welcome another member of our cyberfamily, Inside These Borders by Toma. Toma, like others here, is in a binational relationship and has been going through the nightmare of the discriminatory US immigration system. Welcome, Toma!

In other news, I have given away more stuff via The Free Market. I just love that site! And, some of the students were collecting things for those who were hit by the floods in Southeast Minnesota so we gave away our wheelbarrow and Shop-Vac. Woo-hoo. Each thing that goes makes me feel one step closer to "real" packing. Although I don't have a formula, I'm using an off the top of my head "calculation" of "weight + mass + replacement cost" to determine if something is worth hauling to the Maritimes.

I'll soon be proposing a study abroad course for May 2010, "Sustainability and Social Justice: Maritime Canada." If all goes well, 10 students will spend three weeks with me, and a staff member, in Nova Scotia, PEI, and New Brunswick. We'll visit sites like an organic farm, co-housing site, restorative justice organization, etc. I am going to have so much fun planning it!

I guess that's about it. I have to work on my proposal for my visiting professorship, grade papers, etc. But, the fall is pretty much my favorite time of year. We also get to go to the apple orchard/pumpkin patch, see the fall raptor release, and, this year, attend the commitment ceremony of two of our very best friends. Today we met them for breakfast at Maria's Cafe and then we went for a short hike to a place called the "Quaking Bog." 6YO had hoped to see more bugs, but I think had fun anyway.

Hope this finds you well! And, again, welcome Toma!

Voices of War - Silenced

Not that long ago, here, I posted the Times' editorial written by seven soldiers in Iraq. Just minutes ago I heard that two of them, Yance Gray and Omar Mora, died when their truck overturned in Baghdad.

From ABC News: "Gray, who grew up in Montana, is survived by his wife, Jessica, and infant daughter, Ava. Mora, who is survived by his wife, Christa, and 5-year-old daughter, Jordan, was expected to come home to Texas City, Texas, in November, his brother, Roger Mora, said."

Some will note of interest that "Mora's mother wants the Army to explain his death to her. 'I want to know all the details of how he died. I want to know the truth,' Olga Capetillo told The Associated Press. 'I don't understand how so many people could die in that accident. How could it be so bad?'"

Shades of Pat Tillman or just an accident? Regardless, it's sad. Just really, really sad.

Canada - or Atlantic Canada - Question

Last spring, and upon a personal recommendation, I contacted a realtor (R1) in F'ton. It took him about a week to respond to my email, during which time I rec'd no auto-response. Eventually, I decided to chat with someone else (R2), also recommended, because R1 and I just didn't seem like a good fit. When I originally emailed R2 in July, it took about a week for her to respond and only after a second message. She had been understandably delayed because of some family issues. But, I also hadn't received any kind of auto-response indicating that she was out of the office, etc. I emailed her on 29 August and haven't yet received a reply. I sent the same message again the other day. Still no response.

What I'm trying to balance is this - I don't want to be a pain in the ass "American" who is used to rapid turnaround with what I would call business requests and just needs to chill. But, I also need to know that someone is going to be responsive. How can I figure out if this (emerging) pattern is just how business is done in this smaller, slower environment as opposed to it just being my dumb luck to have encountered a couple of less responsive folks?

Any thoughts?

Greetings from Tucson

I flew down yesterday for a quick 48 hours to see the folks. My father is still in the hospital and, after talking to my mother last weekend, I decided I should come down, if only for a quick visit. I think her spirits were really sagging. Friday was three weeks since the accident and, while my father is improving, he still has a long way to go. His ribs are healed but morphine induced delirium has created a host of problems. E.g., During dinner last night he asked how my sister was, thinking she had been in the accident. She flew over two days after the accident and was here for that first week. After dinner we went back to his room and got him settled. He then thought we were getting him ready to go to breakfast. He has physical therapy and speech therapy and isn't yet able to stand up on his own. Good thing my mother, at 76, is in great shape - though I could hardly believe the photo my sister took of her bruises. Airbags and seat belts, no doubt, made all the difference, but they do their own damage for sure.

I've not been posting because I've been swamped with getting ready for the semester, etc. But, I am checking in on everyone. Things have been very quiet in the blogosphere as of late, eh? Well, I just thought that since I had a couple of minutes, I'd post a quick hello. Take care and I'll try to catch up some time this coming week.

1997 Camry

Well, it was a 1997 Camry. Update: My father was moved to the VA and is doing much better. My mother sounded downright ecstatic on the phone!

Importation of Vehicles

I was just perusing the information about exporting/importing vehicles. Both the Canadian and US sites mention providing documents to US Customs 72 hours prior to export. What do folks know about this? Did you fax things in advance? I know that Tom and Emilio mentioned this in their great "to do" list. Do we just contact the US people at the border where we'll be crossing? Any insight is most appreciated. Thanks!

News of the Day

What an interesting morning. Let me first say that I do not like birds. I am afraid of birds. I would not welcome a free trip to Venice. I duck - no pun intended - when pigeons fly toward me. But, raptors are pretty cool. I've learned that from P and 6YO.

This morning, while on my walk, I saw a bird that seemed to be a raptor sitting in the street about three feet from the curb. It didn't move when cars flew by. It didn't move when I got closer and stamped by feet. I got home, got my phone and car and returned. This was about 15 minutes later. It was still in the exact same place! Clearly the bird was sick or injured. Then, a man walked by with his Rottweiler. The bird extended its wings, but hopped - to the middle of the street! Grrr - damn bird!

The Raptor Center at the UM wasn't open yet so I called M - the father of one of 6YO's best pals - who used to work there to find out what he would suggest. Did I say it was 7:12 am? I was on the phone, in the middle of the street, waving traffic around that bird. The guy with the dog was still trying to get the bird to move. Then, a woman pulled up behind my car and asked if we needed a blanket. I had a great box from our CSA in the trunk so that was helpful. She - now remember, I'm afraid of birds - put the blanket over it, as M had suggested, and placed it in the box. I then put it in the trunk and went home.

P had her first class - Immigration Law! - in 30 minutes and I had to take 6YO with me and then to camp. Off we went to the Small Animal Clinic at the UM, across the street from the Raptor Center and a few blocks from camp. They confirmed that it was, in fact, a raptor and put it in a quiet room. The Raptor Center would be open in about 25 minutes so we waited, both so that we could find out more and get the blanket and box.

At 8:00, a young man came walking toward the building with big, heavy red gloves. He had to be the raptor man, and he was. He went to the room and just a few minutes later came out carrying the raptor - a juvenile male Cooper's Hawk. 6YO - who, btw, is having his birthday/hatchday party at the Raptor Center this year, got to see it close up. The middle picture on the right side of this page is what it looked like. Off they went. Off we went.

I got a call about two hours later to let me know that they haven't yet identified what might be wrong and to ask if we'd seen any others in the neighborhood as they have another juvenile ready to be released. She said that it may have been slightly clipped by a car and be somewhat traumatized, but not actually injured. They'll keep it for observation and determine what's to be done. Ifi he can fly, he will likely be released back into the same area because they apparently stay close to their family.

Let me just to say to any experts out there - I don't know if it's even correct to call a raptor a bird or a duck a bird. If it can fly toward me - and isn't clearly an insect or some other thing -it's bird enough for me!

I don't know what excitement is next. BTW, my father is doing well. Much better since they reduced the morphine. He still has moments of confusion, but physical health-wise I think he's doing great. My sister is there until Saturday. She said I won't believe the photos of the car. Thank goodness for air bags.

There are a couple of other posts below. Busy morning!

American?

A colleague sent this my way. I thought some of you might find it of interest.

http://insidehighered.com/views/2007/08/22/mclemee

The Prerequisite for World Peace?

Personal Happiness: The Prerequisite for World Peace?
People with Strong Sense of Well-Being Support Democracy, Equality, Nonviolence

A new study in the Journal of Social Issues states that individuals with a strong sense of personal well-being tend to have more confidence in the government, express more support for democracy and exhibit less racial intolerance. These individual level differences are moderated by nation-level societal factors such as violence, inequality and economic development.

"Global peace efforts often give strong emphasis to economic and democratic development within societies," say study co-authors Ed Diener and William Tov. “Our results provide support for these efforts in showing that the social, political and economic structures of a society are related to peace, as reflected in the attitudes of the people living in that society.” Diener cautions, however, that the correlation between happiness and peace is not simple, and that happy, satisfied people are well aware of their political and social surroundings.

Living in a wealthy democracy does not guarantee support for democracy—particularly if people are unhappy and dissatisfied. The findings of the study suggest that dissatisfied people who live in wealthy democracies may be even more critical and less supportive of democracy than dissatisfied people who live in poorer, less democratic nations. "Confidence in the government is enhanced in those countries where homicide rates are low, economic inequality is low, and people are happy and satisfied with their lives," says Diener.

"Although efforts to improve societal conditions are implicitly aimed at increasing happiness, we suggest that well- being itself be more explicitly stated in the ideals of a peaceful society," say the authors. "Well-being is not just a final goal, but a key factor in fostering and maintaining the conditions for peace."

This study, "Subjective Well-Being and Peace" by Ed Diener and William Tov, is published in: Vol. 63 Issue 2 of the Journal of Social Issues.

The Corporal's Boots

I came across this while preparing some things for class...

Why am I not surprised?

I wasn't able to attend the annual meeting of my national professional organization, the American Sociological Association, this year, but I just came across this while reading their website to "catch up." I thought you might find it of interest.

Political Ideology May be the Cause of the U.S. Government’s Failure to Admit World-Renowned Scholar Adam Habib to Participate in the 2007 ASA Annual Meeting

New York, NY—The United States Government has declined to act on the visa application of world-renowned South African scholar Adam Habib, thereby preventing him from entering the United States to participate in the American Sociological Association’s (ASA) 102nd Annual Meeting in New York City. Dr. Habib was scheduled to speak on Saturday, August 11, on an invited presidential panel titled “Globalization and Resistance.”

Adam Habib is an American-trained PhD, renowned scholar, internationally sought-after analyst, and Executive Director of South Africa’s Human Science Research Council’s Program on Democracy and Governance. He is also a Muslim of Indian descent who has been a vocal critic of the U.S. war in Iraq and certain U.S. terrorism-related policies.

Months ago, Professor Habib accepted an invitation from the President of the ASA to participate in the ASA Annual Meeting. Although, Dr. Habib has been a frequent visitor to the United States and held a valid visa, he was turned away by U.S. officials last October after arriving at JFK International Airport. He was coming to the United States for a series of meetings with private research and academic organizations and U.S. government agencies including the National Institutes of Health.

Along with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the ASA has pressed the U.S. State Department on Dr. Habib’s behalf to gain permission for him to enter the United States to address the Association’s Annual Meeting which attracts over 6,000 national and international scholars. Because the U.S. government has previously excluded other intellectuals from entry into the United States apparently on ideological grounds, the ASA is concerned that the State Department’s denial of a visa by its failure to act in a timely manner may also be ideological exclusion. If so, this raises significant concerns for the Association’s leaders and its more than 14,000 members about the fate of academic freedom.

Academic freedom is absolutely fundamental to the mission of the ASA, which rests upon the ability of scholars from wide-ranging perspectives to engage in dialog that nurtures scientific development to the benefit of the larger society. Academic freedom is the hallmark of American democratic culture. It has allowed scientists, intellectuals, and their scholarly societies to flourish and create one of the world’s most dynamic educational systems and robust knowledge-based economies. ASA opposes the use of visa denials or de facto denials on ideological grounds, because such action suppresses free intellectual exchange. The United States has a long and enviable history as the world’s foremost host to scholars and supporter of intellectual exchange with its many social and economic benefits.

The ASA expresses its deepest disappointment and profound concern about the Department of State’s de facto denial of a visa, which has barred Professor Adam Habib from participating in the Association’s Annual Meeting. Such actions undermine the willingness of numerous scientists and academics from many nations to visit the United States and collaborate with their American colleagues. The ASA believes this limitation on scholarly exchange erodes our nation’s reputation as a defender of the free and open search for knowledge.

Voices of War

The New York Times
August 19, 2007
Op-Ed Contributors
The War as We Saw It

By Buddhika Jayamaha, Wesley D. Smith, Jeremy Roebuck, Omar Mora, Edward Sandmeier, Yance T. Gray, and Jeremy Murphy
Baghdad

Viewed from Iraq at the tail end of a 15-month deployment, the political debate in Washington is indeed surreal. Counterinsurgency is, by definition, a competition between insurgents and counterinsurgents for the control and support of a population. To believe that Americans, with an occupying force that long ago outlived its reluctant welcome, can win over a recalcitrant local population and win this counterinsurgency is far-fetched. As responsible infantrymen and noncommissioned officers with the 82nd Airborne Division soon heading back home, we are skeptical of recent press coverage portraying the conflict as increasingly manageable and feel it has neglected the mounting civil, political and social unrest we see every day. (Obviously, these are our personal views and should not be seen as official within our chain of command.)

The claim that we are increasingly in control of the battlefields in Iraq is an assessment arrived at through a flawed, American-centered framework. Yes, we are militarily superior, but our successes are offset by failures elsewhere. What soldiers call the “battle space” remains the same, with changes only at the margins. It is crowded with actors who do not fit neatly into boxes: Sunni extremists, Al Qaeda terrorists, Shiite militiamen, criminals and armed tribes. This situation is made more complex by the questionable loyalties and Janus-faced role of the Iraqi police and Iraqi Army, which have been trained and armed at United States taxpayers’ expense.

[snip]

In the end, we need to recognize that our presence may have released Iraqis from the grip of a tyrant, but that it has also robbed them of their self-respect. They will soon realize that the best way to regain dignity is to call us what we are — an army of occupation — and force our withdrawal.

Until that happens, it would be prudent for us to increasingly let Iraqis take center stage in all matters, to come up with a nuanced policy in which we assist them from the margins but let them resolve their differences as they see fit. This suggestion is not meant to be defeatist, but rather to highlight our pursuit of incompatible policies to absurd ends without recognizing the incongruities.

We need not talk about our morale. As committed soldiers, we will see this mission through.

Buddhika Jayamaha is an Army specialist. Wesley D. Smith is a sergeant. Jeremy Roebuck is a sergeant. Omar Mora is a sergeant. Edward Sandmeier is a sergeant. Yance T. Gray is a staff sergeant. Jeremy A. Murphy is a staff sergeant.

For the entire article, go here.

Hmmmm?

I don't know where to start. I last posted on Sunday the 12th when my brother and his wife were visiting, along with my parents and sister. They - the brother and his wife - arrived driving their Chevy truck that gets about 9 mpg, towing a cargo trailer containing two Harleys and a golf cart. With that load they get about 6 mpg. They had a generator in the back of the pick-up because, of course, you have to have lights and AC when camping. On Monday he was wearing his black polo shirt with the Harley Kuwait insignia. Hers was a black polo shirt from a Harley shop in Georgia. Talk about culture clash.

They left on Tuesday morning, my father's 81st birthday. Everyone else left on Wednesday. Yesterday - Thursday - was P's birthday so we went to lunch. That was after my appointment at hand therapy to get a splint for my arthritic thumb. Yes, it's true. Yesterday evening 6YO spent the night with friends and we had dinner and watched Dreamgirls. Today I had to finish grading and I did. After picking up 6YO at French Camp, we got home and I had a note from our painters-friends saying that my folks had been in a car accident.

My father is in the hospital with fractured ribs and something to his sternum - all from the air bag. Because of his meds and pacemaker they're keeping him overnight. My mother was released and, except for being really sore, has only a small fracture in a wrist bone. The car is, apparently, totalled. Other good news is that she was not at fault. The driver of something like a Suburban blew through the intersection and, even slamming on the breaks, my mother just couldn't stop in time and smashed their Mazda 626 right into the SUV.

Yeah, we like to keep a little excitement in our lives. Other good news is that the house painting is going well, looks fabulous. My colleague who had the cardiac arrest went home from the hospital today. He had a defibrillator implanted for his 37th birthday.

In other "regular" news, I sent two pieces of furniture off with my brother - he had a cargo trailer ya' know - and shipped another to my sister. I may have mentioned this before, but, having had the family heirlooms for 25 years I've decided to pass them on rather than haul them to Canada.

Okay, not really interesting, but I thought I'd post something.

Update: My sister just called. More good news - she's in San Diego - about 6 hours away from the folks in Tucson - and, if needed, can drive over to help. She's supposed to be back at school Monday, but can get coverage if need be. I'm glad one of us is fairly close by.

What does tomorrow have in store? 6YO has a play date and P and I plan to go see Death at a Funeral. More as it happens...

Hatred

Church cancels gay vet's memorial
Texas congregation acted out of principle, not malice, pastor says
The Associated Press
Aug 11, 2007

ARLINGTON, Texas - A megachurch canceled a memorial service for a Navy veteran 24 hours before it was to start because the deceased was gay.

Officials at the nondenominational High Point Church knew that Cecil Howard Sinclair was gay when they offered to host his service, said his sister, Kathleen Wright. But after his obituary listed his life partner as one of his survivors, she said, it was called off.

“It’s a slap in the face. It’s like, ’Oh, we’re sorry he died, but he’s gay so we can’t help you,”’ she said Friday.

Wright said High Point offered to hold the service for Sinclair because their brother is a janitor there. Sinclair, who served in the first Gulf War, died Monday at age 46 from an infection after surgery to prepare him for a heart transplant.

The church’s pastor, the Rev. Gary Simons, said no one knew Sinclair, who was not a church member, was gay until the day before the Thursday service, when staff members putting together his video tribute saw pictures of men “engaging in clear affection, kissing and embracing.”

‘It’s not that we didn’t love the family’
Simons said the church believes homosexuality is a sin, and it would have appeared to endorse that lifestyle if the service had been held there.

“We did decline to host the service — not based on hatred, not based on discrimination, but based on principle,” Simons told The Associated Press. “Had we known it on the day they first spoke about it — yes, we would have declined then. It’s not that we didn’t love the family.”

Simons said the decision had nothing to do with the obituary. He said the church offered to pay for another site for the service, made the video and provided food for more than 100 relatives and friends.

“Even though we could not condone that lifestyle, we went above and beyond for the family through many acts of love and kindness,” Simons said.

Wright called the church’s claim about the pictures “a bold-faced lie.” She said she provided numerous family pictures of Sinclair, including some with his partner, but said none showed men kissing or hugging.

The 5,000-member High Point Church was founded in 2000 by Simons and his wife, April, whose brother is Joel Osteen, well-known pastor of the 38,000-member Lakewood Church in Houston. Now High Point meets in a 432,000-square-foot facility in Arlington, near Dallas.

Wright said relatives declined the church’s offer to hold the service at a community center because they felt it was an inappropriate venue. It ultimately was held at a funeral home, but the cancellation still lingered in some minds, she said.

© 2007 The Associated Press.

URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20221295/?GT1=10252

Chaos, of a sort

A couple of days after the bridge collapse my best friend from graduate school called to say that her sister, who was studying to become a Unitarian Universalist minister, had committed suicide. Although she left a twelve year old son, fortunately he has a very good relationship with his father and stepmother. As I sit here in the living room, a ball cap that reads "Pizza Hut Iraq" is on the table across from me. Not a chance that it's mine. My brother and sister-in-law arrived yesterday, bringing that gift for my father. They're visiting on their way back from the bike rally in Sturgis, SD. My parents arrived from Arizona on Wednesday. My sister arrived from California last Sunday. This week a colleague of mine, who is 35 or 36, had a severe heart attack. Again, the "fortunately statement" is that he appears to be recovering quite well. Our painters started power washing the house on Friday. Paint chips are everywhere. 6YO has been behaving exceptionally well considering the upheaval. E.g., his trundle bed is in our room so that someone can sleep in his bed. Our very good friends, G & D, are having us all over to their (bigger) place for a BBQ this evening. Mostly, I think, because they want to see my brother. Insert smirk. I've had a variety of things about which I've wanted to post, but, needless to say, I've been a little busy. I had to finish taping and painting in the basement, cleaning, etc. But, I've been keeping up with my blogreading. Everyone will be gone by Wednesday afternoon and, as soon as I'm done grading, perhaps I'll find a few moments to catch up! Hope all is well with you.

Minneapolis/Saint Paul

Just a quick post for anyone who might remember where we live. We were not on the bridge, we're fine. We've been getting calls from various friends and family around the country and it occurred to me that someone among our cyberfriends may wonder if we happened to be there. We drive on that bridge frequently, but fortunately not today. More soon.

It's All Because (The Gays Are Getting Married)

A friend in Massachusetts sent this my way. It's both sad and hilarious. Check it out! And, thanks to Bob for helping me edit this!

Get Me Outta Here

Saw this elsewhere via a link to a link...

P's response to my forward of it - "You're f***kin kidding me!" No, unfortunately I'm not.

In Case You Missed It

Why Dennis Kucinich is the only person for whom I will even consider voting. From tonight's Democratic debate...

COOPER: Our next question is on a topic that got a lot of response from YouTube viewers. Let's watch.

QUESTION: Hi. My name is Mary.

QUESTION: And my name is Jen.

QUESTION: And we're from Brooklyn, New York.

If you were elected president of the United States, would you allow us to be married to each other?

COOPER: Congressman Kucinich?

KUCINICH: Mary and Jen, the answer to your question is yes. And let me tell you why.

Because if our Constitution really means what it says, that all are created equal, if it really means what it says, that there should be equality of opportunity before the law, then our brothers and sisters who happen to be gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender should have the same rights accorded to them as anyone else, and that includes the ability to have a civil marriage ceremony.

Yes, I support you. And welcome to a better and a new America under a President Kucinich administration.

(APPLAUSE)

COOPER: Senator Dodd, you supported the Defense of Marriage Act. What's your position?

DODD: I've made the case, Anderson, that -- my wife and I have two young daughters, age 5 and 2.

I'd simply ask the audience to ask themselves the question that Jackie and I have asked: How would I want my two daughters treated if they grew up and had a different sexual orientation than their parents?

Good jobs, equal opportunity, to be able to retire, to visit each other, to be with each other, as other people do.

So I feel very strongly, if you ask yourself the question, "How would you like your children treated if they had a different sexual orientation than their parents?," the answer is yes. They ought to have that ability in civil unions.

I don't go so far as to call for marriage. I believe marriage is between a man and a woman.

But my state of Connecticut, the state of New Hampshire, have endorsed civil unions. I strongly support that. But I don't go so far as marriage.

COOPER: Governor Richardson?

RICHARDSON: Well, I would say to the two young women, I would level with you -- I would do what is achievable.

What I think is achievable is full civil unions with full marriage rights. I would also press for you a hate crimes act in the Congress. I would eliminate "don't ask/don't tell" in the military.

(APPLAUSE)

If we're going to have in our military men and women that die for this country, we shouldn't give them a lecture on their sexual orientation

I would push for domestic partnership laws, nondiscrimination in insurance and housing.

I would also send a very strong message that, in my administration, I will not tolerate any discrimination on the basis of race, gender, or sexual orientation.

(APPLAUSE)

COOPER: This next question is for Senator Edwards.

QUESTION: I'm Reverend Reggie Longcrier. I'm the pastor of Exodus Mission and Outreach Church in Hickory, North Carolina.

Senator Edwards said his opposition to gay marriage is influenced by his Southern Baptist background. Most Americans agree it was wrong and unconstitutional to use religion to justify slavery, segregation, and denying women the right to vote.

So why is it still acceptable to use religion to deny gay American their full and equal rights?

(APPLAUSE)

EDWARDS: I think Reverend Longcrier asks a very important question, which is whether fundamentally -- whether it's right for any of our faith beliefs to be imposed on the American people when we're president of the United States. I do not believe that's right.

I feel enormous personal conflict about this issue. I want to end discrimination. I want to do some of the things that I just heard Bill Richardson talking about -- standing up for equal rights, substantive rights, civil unions, the thing that Chris Dodd just talked about. But I think that's something everybody on this stage will commit themselves to as president of the United States.

But I personally have been on a journey on this issue. I feel enormous conflict about it. As I think a lot of people know, Elizabeth spoke -- my wife Elizabeth spoke out a few weeks ago, and she actually supports gay marriage. I do not. But this is a very, very difficult issue for me. And I recognize and have enormous respect for people who have a different view of it.

COOPER: I should also point out that the reverend is actually in the audience tonight. Where is he? Right over here.

Reverend, do you feel he answered your question?

(APPLAUSE)

QUESTION: This question was just a catalyst that promoted some other things that wrapped around that particular question, especially when it comes to fair housing practices. Also...

COOPER: Do you think he answered the question, though?

QUESTION: Not like I would like to have heard it...

(LAUGHTER)

COOPER: What did you not hear?

QUESTION: I didn't quite get -- some people were moving around, and I didn't quite get all of his answer. I just heard...

COOPER: All right, there's 30 seconds more. Why is it OK to quite religious beliefs when talking about why you don't support something? That's essentially what's his question.

EDWARDS: It's not. I mean, I've been asked a personal question which is, I think, what Reverend Longcrier is raising, and that personal question is, do I believe and do I personally support gay marriage?

The honest answer to that is I don't. But I think it is absolutely wrong, as president of the United States, for me to have used that faith basis as a basis for denying anybody their rights, and I will not do that when I'm president of the United States.

(APPLAUSE)

COOPER: Senator Obama, the laws banning interracial marriage in the United States were ruled unconstitutional in 1967. What is the difference between a ban on interracial marriage and a ban on gay marriage?

OBAMA: Well, I think that it is important to pick up on something that was said earlier by both Dennis and by Bill, and that is that we've got to make sure that everybody is equal under the law. And the civil unions that I proposed would be equivalent in terms of making sure that all the rights that are conferred by the state are equal for same-sex couples as well as for heterosexual couples.

Now, with respect to marriage, it's my belief that it's up to the individual denominations to make a decision as to whether they want to recognize marriage or not. But in terms of, you know, the rights of people to transfer property, to have hospital visitation, all those critical civil rights that are conferred by our government, those should be equal.

What's a mother to do?

This is a first. At 11:30 this morning I delivered 6YO to a friend's house to go camping for the weekend. 48 hours. Away. Without us. Swimming. In the woods. Bees. Am I panicking yet? Just don't think about it. Just don't think about it.

As I was pulling away from their house I heard, "thumpa, thumpa, thumpa." The tire suddenly looked awfully low. I have to admit it. I hate cars. I hate maintaining cars. So, we don't do as well as we should with routine stuff. A chunk of change later we have four new tires. We needed them. Having to replace one was the catalyst. Normally I freak at such unanticipated (in the immediate sense) expenses, but I feel like it's one more thing we knew we'd do before moving that's done. And, before winter.

It means I didn't get to the housework I had planned to do this afternoon (i.e., priming the sheetrock, painting...). Oh, well. Soon I'll be picking up P to go see Sicko. If we're feeling particularly indulgent we may even go to a second movie tonight. Perhaps, Hairspray. Or, we could stay home and watch Thank You For Smoking. Hmmmm... Then we will be joining the hordes for the Harry Potter release. I'm not a fan, but P is more than a fan. Unless she changes her mind, we'll be there at midnight. Hey, I'm not the one who has to get up for class tomorrow!

On the TM front, I spoke to a wonderful rep at Penske and we will probably end up renting from them, driving to F'ton and unpacking, and then returning the truck to Maine. Their rates and reviews are good. There's also a AAA discount. And, unlimited mileage. That's a biggie. Of course that could all change before next summer, but it's still data. Since they provide more days than we need for the trip, returning the truck to the US is worth the savings - if they continue to beat the other vendors' rates and offer unlimited mileage.

Off to the movies!

Preparation

This morning we took another step toward the move. Perhaps I'll start referring to the whole relocation process as TM - as in "the move," not "transcendental meditation." Though, come to think of it, perhaps a little TM - the latter - wouldn't hurt.

We spent an hour and a half with a realtor, going over what she would suggest we do to the house before putting it on the market. The good news is that there's only one thing she suggested that we weren't already planning on doing and she wasn't adamant about that. But, not to keep you in suspense - it's the kitchen countertop. It's probably from the 1970s, if not earlier. It's a yellowy-marble-like formica. Since there is so little of it it hasn't bothered us. Of course, walking in and seeing a nice gray SilverStone or something would be nice, especially with everything else being recently painted and new stainless appliances. The materials, even something really nice, wouldn't be much. Labor, that's another issue. We'll see. Also, I've been worried that an inspector might "call" the roof. She didn't think it would be a problem. Hope she's right. All in all, good news. Now, if the market would just ease up, even 2%. Fortunately we're in the "entry level" market and, while prices have dipped a bit in the past two years, that's still fairly strong market for sales. Even though I loathe to do one more thing to this house, anything that makes it feel like we're closer to moving is great!

That's about it for this week. 6YO doesn't have any camp this week so we're hanging out. Last night was baseball where I think he shocked himself with a nice hit off his second swing. Next time up he had a nice hit, too. That was fun! Tonight it's swim class. Tomorrow his team is going to the local - literally just up the street - minor league game, the Saint Paul Saints v. the Sioux City Explorers. Thursday is baseball practice and swim class. But, Friday he's been waiting for all summer.

For the last two years we've gone to Rainbow Family Camp. We weren't going to go this year because P has class and I didn't want to go alone. I just don't enjoy it that much. But, our fabulous friends, K and S, who have two boys with whom 6YO plays, asked if they could take him along. Ask me how thrilled 6YO was with that! S introduced 6YO to fishing so he adores her. I hope it goes well. He'll be in seventh heaven and us? We get to have a big night out - dinner, Sicko, and the 00:01 release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

Speaking of Sicko, did you hear that Canadian nurses were to get free admission to the film this Monday through Thursday? And, his website has this page about Canadian health care, etc.

So much reading, so little time...

Back in the US of A

We made our flight Friday morning and - with a few minor annoyances, courtesy of Northwest Airlines - returned to the US around 1 pm. I am making a point of saying "back in the US" rather than "back home." I am relieved to imagine that in less than a year from today we'll be living in Canada. Although much of this should be evident from earlier posts, here or on Traveling, we ended up absolutely loving Fredericton. And, things look promising with our academic connections. We can't wait to get back!

I'm catching up on some of the news. Looks like McCain is pretty much out of the running for '08. That thrills me since he personally insulted me - I mean, to my face - back when I was a constituent. I only caught a snippet of Bush's address the other day. Whine, whine, whine. I don't think he'd piss me off so much if he weren't so whiny, petulant, something! I'm also catching up the blogs - keeping my fingers crossed for the guys in Seattle, thrilled that Mary got a job - albeit temporary, etc.

That's about it for now. I have three weeks to get things ready for my family to arrive. My sister arrives on 5 August, my parents on 8 August, and my brother and sister-in-law on 11 August. Everyone leaves on 14/15 August. Whew! Throw page proofs in there somewhere - and finishing the laundry from vacation - and things will be busy.

On the immigration front - if anyone has any particular insight about moving, US to Canada - and I mean, actually moving your stuff - let me know. We'll be moving ourselves and can probably manage with a 17' rental. I'd love to find a company that has a truck with an extended cab, but I don't think they exist. We'd use something like PODS, but I don't think any of those companies are serving the Maritimes yet. So, all advice is welcome! Thanks!

Another day in Canada...

Check Traveling for the latest on our adventure!

The Latest...

Let's see, what's new? Yesterday we looked at the apartment that I've mentioned here before. The location was terrific and the yard - though not fenced - was amazing. Each year the landlord has the garden tilled for tenants! And, 6YO really wants to live there because he found bugs under the big tree! I wasn't particularly taken with the apartment, especially given the rent, but we were able to see a different apartment that may or may not be available this time next year. It had wonderfully large bedrooms! But, there are a lot of aspects of the old Victorian that leave a little something to be desired. The very steep stairs and lack of adequate railing in the attic bedroom that would be for 6YO is one.

So, we continue the conversation about renting v. buying, etc. There are two townhomes right downtown that looked intriguing. Of course we can't buy now, but we figured if we could see them then we'd know if we were interested should something become available at the right time. Yesterday evening we saw one and this morning, the other. Either one would be terrific except for the lack of yard. We've been going back and forth over things like yard v. no yard, downtown in exchange for bigger, etc. More "decisions, decisions."

I think we've identified all of the areas we'd consider living and the core of the area that we consider ideal. I think that next March I will probably line up a bunch of prospects and spend a week looking at whatever is available - rental and purchase - and take it from there. We've also got folks who will be keeping their ears to the ground for faculty members who might be looking for someone to stay in their home during sabbatical, etc. and who wouldn't mind us having our dog. Long shot, but you never know! While we don't have something lined up, I feel like we got a ton of information about neighborhoods, possibilities, etc. And, with mls.ca, we have tons more at our fingertips!

After lunch with a couple of UNB colleagues, we headed to Moncton, really wishing we could just stay. As P said, usually by now you're ready to get home. We've been on the road for 11 days! But, we would be very content to have stayed in F'ton another week!

Tomorrow we will spend the day in Halifax; hopefully visiting Pier 21 and the Discovery Centre. Then, our last night will be at a hotel near the airport. Early Thursday morning we'll be on our way back to the States - where I see Bush has a record low 29% approval rating.

This has been a terrific, albeit stressful at times, trip. We've learned more than I could have hoped about all kinds of relocation "stuff." We can't wait to get back and settle down. I wish it weren't a year off and I wish we had a lot more answers than we do right now. But, we just keep telling ourselves, all in due time.

In addition to the "relo recon," we had some fabulous vacationing - we watched Canada Day fireworks over the Halifax harbour, saw the lighthouse at Peggy's Cove, skipped rocks in Blue Rocks, ate seafood galore, went swimming in the Northumberland Strait, saw Hopewell Rocks at low and high tides, dipped our toes in the Bay of Fundy, walked across the bridge to Maine and back, and just had a generally great time. We shopped at the Atlantic Superstore and Chapters - as well as some nice independent booksellers, made our first visit to Canadian Tire with our friends in Port Williams, and discovered some wonderful shops in F'ton. We were here long enough to get used to looking for the "washrooms" and to not have to look closely at our coins to figure out which coin was which. I hadn't seen any US news until this evening when CNN was on in the restaurant. I've been reading the Globe and Mail and the Daily Gleaner. Life is good.

Maritimes Update!

Let's see - I posted here on Thursday after our driving over in the rain... Details of what we've done can be found over on Traveling. For my US2CA friends... if all goes according to plan we're headed to Fredericton.

On Friday morning, as planned, I called my contact here at UNB. He suggested we meet for coffee, that he would run down to the hotel after taking care of a few emails, etc. I went down to the lobby to get some change for the laundry and there was someone at the desk, waiting for the clerk to get off the phone. Having seen one photo on the website I had a feeling it might be him, but I waited. Sure enough, it was. I could tell right away that we were going to "hit it off." I brought him upstairs to meet P and 6YO. When we walked in the room, 6YO was watching tv and had spilled applesauce on his sock. P was in the bathroom. She came out having had water sprayed all over her by the "exploding toilet." There had been a problem with the chain in the tank and she was fixing it. We all had a good laugh - how nice that he wasn't some "stuffed shirt." So, off the two of us went to, yes, Tim Hortons! We talked for about an hour and a half with him basically asking, "What can we do to help make this work for you?" I won't try to detail more of the conversation and a lot of it is out of his hands, but let's say it's really, really nice to know that, at a minimum, someone is willing to advocate for you!

We spent the afternoon wandering around downtown, walking on part of the recreational trail, did a little shopping, and had a great time. We also drove around some neighborhoods we hadn't seen before. P contacted the law school folks and is going over for a visit on Monday. We have a much better "feel" for the area and, as long-time readers will know, what we can make happen with regard to academic opportunities is key. So, while nothing is cast in stone for the long-term, Fredericton is looking like the perfect place to start. So, unless something completely unexpected happens we'll be coming here next summer with the plan to, at a minimum, stay for my sabbatical.

What we do today depends - big surprise - on the weather. Tomorrow we'll spend some more time on campus and then check out the apartment at 4 pm. We've decided to drive back to Halifax Monday night so that we wake up having all of Tuesday there. We didn't get to either Pier 21 or the Discovery Centre earlier so we hope to do that before we have to leave.

So, there you have it. I think that Fredericton has everything we're looking for and a lot of "bonuses" that are attractive, too. And, of course, the possibility of things working out in the academic world are key. I'm bummed that milk is ridiculously expensive, that the USD is down to $1.049, and that we can't just buy before we sell, but, minor points considering the trek we've taken thus far! On to see what today holds!

Halifax v. Fredericton

I put a "travel update" on the Traveling blog. Here, I get to muse over what we've discovered in our Maritimes journey thus far.

We loved what we saw of Halifax and the other areas of Nova Scotia we visited. But, we also had beautiful weather. Today has been very gloomy and it's hard to get a real sense of the "life" of the city. As in every other Canada trip, the people are exceptionally pleasant, helpful, etc. So, on what measures shall we distinguish Halifax and Fredericton from each other?

Size, cost of living, access, weather, politics, economy, university, GLBT community...? We're going to see what the next couple of days bring, but at the moment we're very torn about which would be the better fit.

We like the size of F'ton.
We like the cost of housing in F'ton.
We like the easier access to Halifax. People might actually visit us there!
Weather is a toss up, though winters in Halifax do tend to be more mild.
Halifax wins in the politics category, hands down.
Halifax - and Nova Scotia in general - has a stronger economy.
University issues remain open - i.e., admission, etc. The big unknown(s).
Halifax, because of size, has more of a GLBT "presence."
Both have UU fellowships.
Both have decent shopping options.
We like the proximity of F'ton to Boston, but that's no dealbreaker.

So, fellow travelers, your thoughts?

Late June Potpourri

If you can, check out today's New York Times for an article on Canadian immigration and Maureen Dowd's op-ed, the latter available, I believe, only via Times Select.

For exciting news in my world, click here! I've been in the office all week going over the copyediting. I should have page proofs in late July. Woo-hoo!

And, in 72 hours we should be on the plane to Detroit/Halifax. I sure hope we make it! NPR did a story just this morning on the increase in flight cancellations, especially by NWA. Another account can be found here. Ugh!

I have been planning our itinerary, digging up all kinds of fun things to do, some of which I'm keeping a surprise - so stay tuned. As before, I do plan to post on the Traveling blog, so I hope you'll follow our adventures there.

Sneak peek: In Halifax we'll be spending Canada Day at Pier 21 and the Nova Scotia International Tattoo. Then, it's off to Wolfville/Port Williams to visit another US-to-Canada family. While in Fredericton we'll be looking at an apartment and I'm going to meet with the chair of the sociology department at UNB to talk about visiting the department in 08-09.

More soon, but right now it's back to the copyedits!