The Joy of NBC.

Like most of North America, The Office, brings me great joy.

This is one of my favorite scenes of all time.

Michael: I’m gonna toss the ball, and when you catch the ball, I want you to say the name of somebody. Somebody really important to you, somebody really special who died. And you may cry, if you like, that is encouraged …

Pam: Let’s see. I had an aunt that I was really close to. She was this amazing female boxer. Anyway, she was injured in a fight and she was paralyzed. So you can imagine how upset I was when I found out that she asked her manager to remove her breathing tube so she could die.

Michael: Wow. If you want to cry, that’s ok.

Ryan: A few years ago, my family was on a safari in Africa, and um, my cousin Moufasa was, um, he was trampled to death by a pack of wildebeasts. And, um, we all took it really hard. All of us, kind of in the audience of what happened.

Michael: Do you want to talk about it anymore?

Ryan: Oh, it would probably take another hour and a half to tell that whole story.

Kevin: Me me me me me. YES. Ok, I was trying to throw this party with my friends and everyone was over for the weekend. And then my uncle Bernie died so me and my best friend, we had to pretend like he was alive.

Michael: Wait a second. That’s weekend at Bernie’s.

This is taken from Season Three Episode Four, if you'd like to watch further.

Babies Having Babies.

Last Monday, my baby, had her babies. What a blessed event.

I got to watch the whole thing, which, gross as it may sound was amazing.

So this is the first baby. I thought she was black but turned out to be stripped

just like her daddy. Cute.

There are two stripped ones and I am unable to tell the difference. Either way, Duckie is extremely protective of all of them.

They especially enjoy using each other as headrests and blankets while sleeping. This pic features the black male kitty.

This is Olive, she will be Ben's baby. She is definitely the runt of the litter. Her size is hilarious and she's feisty so she's not afraid to fight for prime placement on Duckie's belly.

Here is me and the proud Mama. She's good to her babies.

Neither Duckie nor the baby were very happy about this picture taking place,

but it had to happen sometime.

If you're interested in a kitty let me know. I'd be happy to supply you with one.

Psychological Dissociation.

I experienced some psychological dissociation last weekend, while driving the long, dark road home from Hudson Bay, SK. Just as an aside, never go to Hudson Bay, SK.

It was around 12.30 and we'd been on the road for about two and a half hours. My mind kept telling me that the road was about to curve when it clearly was not. I began to feel more and more like someone else was driving the car I was in control of.

Then, I saw a sign telling me that the road was in fact about to curve so that I could prepare for it. As I snapped back to reality and into control of my vehicle I began to think about the fact that no matter what road I am on, be it a major highway, minor highway, gravel or dirt road, there will always be a sign telling me that the road is about to curve.

What a wonderful aspect of American travel. As I thought about this, I began to feel an imense amount of gratitude for the men who, decades ago, put up every one of those signs. I began to wonder who they were; why they were hired for that task; if they belonged to a union of highway workers that simply got stuck with the job. Perhaps it was a make work project during the thirties. Who will ever know?

So next time you're driving in the early morn and you're not sure what exactly is ahead of you, be grateful for the assurance that at least regarding the road, you will always know what's coming.

Fight Club . . . a little too far.

There are support groups for everything. Anyone who has seen the beginning segment of Fight Club knows this. Sincere meaning can easily be found within these groups.

Some groups exist appropriately. AA is one of the most (if not the most successful) anti drug/alcohol programs in the world. It's statistics do not produce an unsatisfactory emotion in anyone.

However. Upon examination of the University of Montreal's website an Anglophone support group was discovered. A support group for speaking English?

I wonder why I didn't know this was available to me. I could use a group of people just like me to relate to.

The New Two . . . or Do.

As the likelihood of me ever styling my hair again is very small, I have cut it off.

Why I didn't do this years ago I will never know.

Waiting for my turn . . .

I just witnessed a mother with her three daughters.

One was less than three. One was around seven. The third had Downs Syndrome.

My feelings as I witnessed the complexity of this level of motherhood consisted of fascination, love and . . . jealousy? How unusual.

Up there on the list.

The Soloist would easily be named as one of the best movies I've seen in a long time. It's up there on the list with Doubt and Rachel Getting Married (which, despite the language I challenge all to see, at least for the family/relational dynamics).

Jamie Fox plays a schizophrenic homeless man, Nathaniel, who happens to be a brilliant musician. Nathaniel grew up in the midst of 60's black degradation and through this was exposed to a lot of social turmoil and violence. Music became his livelihood and escape fro mthe terror he was experiencing. Discovered in a city square forty years later by Robert Downey Jr., journalist Steve Lopez, the two become friends and form an unlikely bond.

Committed to bettering his life, Steve takes Nathaniel to a homeless shelter called Lamp. Here the viewer is given a powerful image of the forlorn state of the homeless in Greater LA. Beyond this, the viewer also pexperiences a powerful image of the injustice of the law regarding the homelss. It would seem that to those with power, the homeless are simply of no consequence. Though they have no where to sleep at night, these men and women are removed from any place deemed 'unfit' for them to lay their heads.

The owners of Lamp welcome Nathaniel, as they do most, and work with Steve to bring him back to his musical history. As a result of this relationship, Steve becomes a sort of God to Nathaniel. And though he is convinced he can fix this for Nathaniel, Steve is constantly aware of his inadequacies and inability to provide a solution. He works to get him into the health system; to get him diagnosed and on medication but is told that being who he is, the last thing Nathaniel needs is another diagnosis.

A revelation of grace occurs for Steve. By witnessing Nathaniel's humility and courage, he is able to learn to live without question. He is able to committ to being Nathaniel's friend and instead of providing a solution, providing love.

This is the underlying message given; the homeless are not scary, disease ridden or to be avoided. They are just lacking in hope; forlorn. What is needed is not the ability to provide a solution but simply to love and care and provide friendship. And perhaps along the way food and clothing too; but that must not be where it ends.

Those who live and view this film are left with a profound understanding of the need to love the homeless and I am personally grateful for the inspiration that has transpired as a result of it.