Help Wanted -- Guardian of Gates and Doorways

This position requires the unique skills of a being who can remain in the present for eternity, while those who pass through concern themselves only with the past and the future for their entire earthly lifetimes.

Primary responsibility: to mark the comings and goings of personages and of time.

Must possess skill in the following areas:

• great patience and discernment
• the ability to welcome friends and cast away foes
• knowledge of various human conditions, including but not limited to urban and rural life, war and peace, and various levels of so-called civilization
• the ability to remain alert with little or no sleep for at least one eon, the duration of which shall be determined by the employers
• the ability to be omnipresent (will train)
• preference for stationary amusements
• bi-directional visage would be an asset
• Roman lineage also an asset, but not a requirement

This full-full-time position offers the right applicant countless opportunities to become acquainted with all who come and go and to make decisions of great import. Candidates for this position may already be worshipped for various qualities and reasons, provided he or she has the ability to fulfill the aforementioned gate-keeping responsibilities. Upon successful completion of the standard thousand-year probation period, the Guardian of Gates and Doors will be issued the key to all portals.

Application deadline: the precise moment when the most suitable being recognizes his or her interest in eternal guardianship.

Apply in person or in spirit to God on High and Father Time.

Sue Grafton

I am sad to say that one of my favourite authors, Sue Grafton, has died. I have read all of her books, except for the latest, Y, and will do so as soon as I can get a copy. It just came out in August. In 2012 I re-read them all in order, to get a closer look at the life of her protagonist, Kinsey Millhone, and to dwell more on the accomplishment of her creator, Sue Grafton.

When I discovered Grafton's alphabet series I marveled at the young woman, who in 1982 embarked on a plan to write a series of mystery books with a female protagonist...and to work her way through the entire alphabet. Admirable audacity! And she made it to Y. Wonderful determination and commitment.

Through the years, as I read and re-read Sue's books, I wondered what she would do after writing Z. Would she keep writing or actually retire...in whatever way writers can be said to retire. Sadly, we'll never know.

I hope that Sue enjoyed the ride, as this reader certainly has.

Writing Quotation

What kind of life can you have in a house without books?

- Sherman Alexie

Of course, many people have wonderful lives without books in their homes, but I do share Alexie's apparent passion for books. I love looking at them on my (numerous) bookshelves, stacked on tables, balanced horizontally on their vertical cousins because the shelves are too full. I suppose one could say that I hoard books. I suppose I would agree. And I'm okay with that.

Through the years I've gone through a number of reading phases and interests. That's part of the fun. I have enjoyed thousands of hours of enjoyment and learning and inspiration. Through those same years I have been given the great gift of passing on a love for reading and creativity and story to my children. 

Having read Alexie's quotation, I wonder how the richness of my life would be changed if I had no books in my house except, perhaps, the one I was reading at that time. The richness of friends and family would still be there, as would the bounty of other interests...but I would miss seeing the books. Part of the pleasure of books is holding them and soaking up their smells and textures, their weight and shape. A book presents one with the opportunity to see the world through another's eyes, heart, mind and experiences. A book forces and invites me to consider other views which, in turn, enrich my own.

What kind of life would you have in a house without books?

#WordWednesday

I like to play Scrabble and Words with Friends. On a fairly regular basis my opponents play words I've never seen before. This happened recently on Words with Friends when my computer-opponent played the word eyne. Never heard it. Had to look it up. Found out that eyne is the ancient plural of eye. Who knew? Well, perhaps Shakespeare did, but I sure didn't.

Eyne solves a sweet little quasi-dilemma in the land of love. If someone is the apple of your eye, what do you do with several of them? Now they can all be the apples of your eyne. Very handy.

On my little etymological adventure I went on to learn not only that eyne can also be spelled "eyen," but that the English language supports other versions and relatives of "eye" of which I knew nothing. Did you know that something or someone could be "eyeable?" Neither did I. And that if that someone is eyeable, then that makes me the "eyer." Sad to say, something might also be "uneyeable." I'm not kidding. It's a word.

So, although these words may have been undereyed until now, you must admit that they are now well-eyed and, perhaps, even overeyed. But then, surely, such things are in the eye of the beholder.... 

Writing Quotation

Which of us has not felt that the character we are reading in the printed page is more real than the person beside us?        

― Cornelia Funke

#WordWednesday -- eve

Now here's a common little word that has many uses yet remains mainly in the background of our verbal lives…except at this season: the capitalizable Christmas Eve for those of that persuasion and New Year's Eve for those of that persuasion. Neither Eve has the distinction of being declared a national holiday anywhere that I know of. Eves are the also-rans in the holiday world. Many people have a minor affection or disaffection for Eves because of either the anticipation or dread that they stir. As I write I can't help but wonder why we don't have Eves for other holidays: Kwanzaa, Easter, Hanukkah, Labour Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving or Birthdays. We humans are an odd lot.

Anyway, on to lower-case eve. This venerable little word harks back to about 1200, when it meant the time between sunset and darkness, as it more or less does today. It comes from the Old English word æfn, but at some point the final "n" was dropped, which is retained in today's more common "evening."

I hardly need mention – though of course I will – the several other uses of eve's forbear, even: The ground is even. Both sides are even now. Even me!? Two, four and six are even numbers.

And then we have the inevitable colloquialisms that arise in all human speech. They provide some of the spice in languages, even for common little even. People became even-tempered in 1712 and didn't start getting even until 1833. Shortly thereafter, they began to sort things out when in 1866 they learned how to make things even-steven. It took until 1907 for anybody to get an even break.

Then there was Eve in the garden with Adam. Her name comes from the Hebrew word Hawwah and means "a living being." So every living thing could be called Eve. I like that. Derivatives of her name are Ava and Eva, and perhaps it also got extended to Evelyn. 

And there you have it – more than you ever thought there was to learn about one tiny little gift to the English language. 

Yesterday I posted the last of Canada's Truth and Reconciliation 94 Calls to Action. I hope that seeing them listed separately over the past five months or so has given you a chance to become more aware of what they're about and to think about them. What can each of us do to further recognize some of the truths in Canada's history? Even more importantly, what WILL each of us do?

We have many opportunities to learn and better understand, to ask questions and listen to answers. To be open to new answers and new questions.

It took millions of people and hundreds of years to get where we are today…for better and for worse. How can we help individuals and this country to heal and move forward? How will I? How will you?

Truth & Reconciliation Call to Action 93

Newcomers to Canada 

We call upon the federal government, in collaboration with the national Aboriginal organizations, to revise the information kit for newcomers to Canada and its citizenship test to reflect a more inclusive history of the diverse Aboriginal peoples of Canada, including information about the Treaties and the history of residential schools.

Truth & Reconciliation Call to Action 92.iii

We call upon the corporate sector in Canada to adopt the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples as a reconciliation framework and to apply its principles, norms, and standards to corporate policy and core operational activities involving Indigenous peoples and their lands and resources. This would include, but not be limited to, the following:

iii. Provide education for management and staff on the history of Aboriginal peoples, including the history and legacy of residential schools, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Treaties and Aboriginal rights, Indigenous law, and Aboriginal–Crown relations. This will require skills based training in intercultural competency, conflict resolution, human rights, and anti-racism.

Writing Quotation

I write about the power of trying, because I want to be okay with failing. I write about generosity because I battle selfishness. I write about joy because I know sorrow. I write about faith because I almost lost mine, and I know what it is to be broken and in need of redemption. I write about gratitude because I am thankful - for all of it. -- Kristin Armstrong

Truth & Reconciliation Call to Action 92.ii

We call upon the corporate sector in Canada to adopt the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples as a reconciliation framework and to apply its principles, norms, and standards to corporate policy and core operational activities involving Indigenous peoples and their lands and resources. This would include, but not be limited to, the following:

ii. Ensure that Aboriginal peoples have equitable access to jobs, training, and education opportunities in the corporate sector, and that Aboriginal communities gain long-term sustainable benefits from economic development projects.

#WordWednesday

I just finished reading a book by Bill Bryson, my second by him. He is a funny, astute, critical, self-deprecating writer whose books I've enjoyed reading. In this one, I'm a Stranger Here Myself, Bryson wrote about many topics from government ridiculousness to people ridiculousness, silliness and wonderfulness. The chapter that sparked today's #WordWednesday is called "Word Play," so if you know me at all, you'll know that my reading ears perked up at that one. The first sentence of the chapter is, "Have you ever noticed that some words sound perfect for the things they describe and other words don't sound right at all?"

For example, he thinks that "Snooze…is also first rate, as are chortle, clank, gasp dribble and bloat." Well, I have to agree with him on all of those. We part ways, however, on several others. Some of his "bad words" are anorak, spatula, pantaloons and settee. I happen to think that those are excellent words, both for fittingness with the thing they name, and as a bonus, the way they feel in my mouth. They are, shall we say, double winners for me.

Then there are the words we both agree are agreeable to say, no matter how well or poorly they fit the thing they name: galoshes, pandemonium, transubstantiation, rudimentary, palpitation, kiosk, and quisling…to which I shall add abracadabra, melodious, balaclava, boobaloo, Dubble Bubble and anaconda. The word anticlimactic doesn't quite get to be on this list because though it's satisfying to say, that darned middle c bugs the heck out of me because it taunts me, making me want to pronounce it, which is instantly clumsy and much too clackety-clackish, not to mention wrong.

So, there you go. One wordster gone a little gah-gah (another good word, by the way) over language. I believe I shall don my balaclava and recline on the settee, for all this melodious pandemonium gives me palpitations Some other time I'll give myself palpitations by writing about words that are not words but ought to be, such as malodiferous. Stay tuned.

Writing Quotation

I've had people who see all my characters as Native, even if they aren't. It's kind of like assuming all a writer's characters are really female because the writer is a woman. I've learned to let that go.

-- Eden Robinson

#WordWednesday

I'm not sure why we do this, but in English many common names have come into use in non-name forms. For example: We use a jack to change a tire. A stevedore works on ships and docks. A jane is a girl or woman. We send a bill to someone who buys something, but if they don't pay, we might sue them. If they rob us, they're really in trouble. When it's too sunny we might don a hat.

We've also taken many common words into the language from a job designation…which became a surname...and then a common noun. Got that? How about a Wright – someone who makes a thing, such as a wheelwright, a millwright, etc. Then there's a Smith, a Clark (or clerk), a Webster (female weaver), Baker, Brewer, Hunter, Thatcher, Glover, Gardener, Archer…it's a very long list.

I can’t help but wonder if someday we will meet Mr. and Ms. Programmer or Ms. Mechanic.

Truth & Reconciliation Call to Action 90.ii

We call upon the federal government to ensure that national sports policies, programs, and initiatives are inclusive of Aboriginal peoples, including, but not limited to, establishing:

ii. An elite athlete development program for Aboriginal athletes.

Truth & Reconciliation Call to Action 90.i

We call upon the federal government to ensure that national sports policies, programs, and initiatives are inclusive of Aboriginal peoples, including, but not limited to, establishing:

i. In collaboration with provincial and territorial governments, stable funding for, and access to, community sports programs that reflect the diverse cultures and traditional sporting activities of Aboriginal peoples.

Truth & Reconciliation Call to Action 89

We call upon the federal government to amend the Physical Activity and Sport Act to support reconciliation by ensuring that policies to promote physical activity as a fundamental element of health and well-being, reduce barriers to sports participation, increase the pursuit of excellence in sport, and build capacity in the Canadian sport system, are inclusive of Aboriginal peoples.

Writing Quotation

Perfectionism is the voice of the oppressor, the enemy of the people. It will keep you cramped and insane your whole life, and it is the main obstacle between you and a shitty first draft. I think perfectionism is based on the obsessive belief that if you run carefully enough, hitting each stepping-stone just right, you won't have to die. The truth is that you will die anyway and that a lot of people who aren't even looking at their feet are going to do a whole lot better than you, and have a lot more fun while they're doing it.

                                                                             ― Anne Lamott

Truth & Reconciliation Call to Action 88

We call upon all levels of government to take action to ensure long-term Aboriginal athlete development and growth, and continued support for the North American Indigenous Games, including funding to host the games and for provincial and territorial team preparation and travel.

#WordWednesday

happify

First, let's be clear. I made up this word. It means to make someone happy, and I don't believe in it.

"She makes me happy." or "Presents make me happy." But here's the thing – I really do not believe that someone or something else makes me happy…or unhappy. I think that what we mean is that certain events, actions and people are more pleasant, and so we feel happy (or some other pleasant emotion). But we all know that those very same events, actions and people can at times feel unpleasant. What's the common factor? It clearly can't be the event, action or person who has "made" me happy or unhappy, so it must be me. My emotional and mental response or reaction to the pleasantness or unpleasantness is the key.

For example: A man and woman have a fight. He brings her flowers by way of apology. She feels happy and forgives him. The flowers and their implied message seem to "make her happy." OR She's still angry and doesn't forgive him….and the very same flowers and the same implied message do not "make her happy." So it's not the flowers, and it's not the implied (or even sincerely spoken) apology that "make" her happy or not happy. It is in her to decide how to feel.

Of course, another person's actions or an event might make it easier to feel happy or unhappy, but it's still an internal decision, in my opinion. So I can happify myself, no matter what others do or don't do.

Truth & Reconciliation Commission's Call to Action 87

Tom Longboat, just one of many superb
Aboriginal athletes throughout history. 

Sports and Reconciliation

We call upon all levels of government, in collaboration with Aboriginal peoples, sports halls of fame, and other relevant organizations, to provide public education that tells the national story of Aboriginal athletes in history.

Truth & Reconciliation Commission's Call to Action 86

We call upon Canadian journalism programs and media schools to require education for all students on the history of Aboriginal peoples, including the history and legacy of residential schools, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Treaties and Aboriginal rights, Indigenous law, and Aboriginal–Crown relations.

Truth & Reconciliation Commission's Call to Action 85.ii

We call upon the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network, as an independent non-profit broadcaster with programming by, for, and about Aboriginal peoples, to support reconciliation, including but not limited to:

ii. Continuing to develop media initiatives that inform and educate the Canadian public, and connect Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Canadians.

Writing Quotation

If you're struggling with a character, write 20 things about the character that the reader will never know about your character. These will naturally bleed into your writing and provide a richness even though you don't share the detail.

– Barbara Poelle, agent, Irene Goodman Literary Agency

Truth & Reconciliation Call to Action 85.i

We call upon the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network [APTN], as an independent non-profit broadcaster with programming by, for, and about Aboriginal peoples, to support reconciliation, including but not limited to:

i. Continuing to provide leadership in programming and organizational culture that reflects the diverse cultures, languages, and perspectives of Aboriginal peoples.

Truth & Reconciliation Call to Action 84.iii

We call upon the federal government to restore and increase funding to the CBC/Radio-Canada, to enable Canada’s national public broadcaster to support reconciliation, and be properly reflective of the diverse cultures, languages, and perspectives of Aboriginal peoples, including, but not limited to:

iii. Continuing to provide dedicated news coverage and online public information resources on issues of concern to Aboriginal peoples and all Canadians, including the history and legacy of residential schools and the reconciliation process.

Truth & Reconciliation Call to Action 84.ii

We call upon the federal government to restore and increase funding to the CBC/Radio-Canada, to enable Canada’s national public broadcaster to support reconciliation, and be properly reflective of the diverse cultures, languages, and perspectives of Aboriginal peoples, including, but not limited to:

ii. Increasing equitable access for Aboriginal peoples to jobs, leadership positions, and professional development opportunities within the organization.

Truth & Reconciliation Call to Action 84.i

Media and Reconciliation

We call upon the federal government to restore and increase funding to the CBC/Radio-Canada, to enable Canada’s national public broadcaster to support reconciliation, and be properly reflective of the diverse cultures, languages, and perspectives of Aboriginal peoples, including, but not limited to:

i. Increasing Aboriginal programming, including Aboriginal-language speakers.

Truth and Reconciliation Call to Action 83

We call upon the Canada Council for the Arts to establish, as a funding priority, a strategy for Indigenous and non-Indigenous artists to undertake collaborative projects and produce works that contribute to the reconciliation process. 

[Note: Here on Manitoulin Island, 4elements Living Arts and Billings Township have partnered with numerous Indigenous and non-Indigenous individuals and groups throughout the years, including a number of projects this summer. Visual results include sculptures and historical markers in that township that show both Indigenous and settler activity.]

Writing Quotation

Once your writing is out there, you can't control how other people perceive it. All you can do is stand in your truth.

-- Eden Robinson

#WordWednesday

Malapropisms are vaguely related to mondegreens in that they're about mis-speaking. However, where mondegreens are often charming or even make sense, malapropisms are at their best when they are ridiculous.

A malapropism is the unintentional misuse of a word through confusion with another word that sounds similar. A huge part of Archie Bunker's appeal was his liberally sprinkled malapropisms. Here's one example: "It's a well known fact that capital punishment is a detergent to crime!"

Check out many other good malapropisms(Bunkerisms?) at https://thelastdrivein.com/2015/07/02/the-archie-bunker-malapropism-dictionary-of-mangled-english.

Truth and Reconciliation Call to Action 80

We call upon the federal government, in collaboration with Aboriginal peoples, to establish, as a statutory holiday, a National Day for Truth and Reconciliation to honour Survivors, their families, and communities, and ensure that public commemoration of the history and legacy of residential schools remains a vital component of the reconciliation process.

Truth and Reconciliation Call to Action 79 continued…..

We call upon the federal government, in collaboration with Survivors, Aboriginal organizations, and the arts community, to develop a reconciliation framework for Canadian heritage and commemoration. This would include, but not be limited to:

iii. Developing and implementing a national heritage plan and strategy for commemorating residential school sites, the history and legacy of residential schools, and the contributions of Aboriginal peoples to Canada’s history. 

Truth and Reconciliation Call to Action 79

Commemoration – [It's interesting that this Call to Action about remembering and honouring came up on November 11.]

We call upon the federal government, in collaboration with Survivors, Aboriginal organizations, and the arts community, to develop a reconciliation framework for Canadian heritage and commemoration. This would include, but not be limited to:

i. Amending the Historic Sites and Monuments Act to include First Nations, Inuit, and Métis representation on the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada and its Secretariat.

ii. Revising the policies, criteria, and practices of the National Program of Historical Commemoration  to integrate Indigenous history, heritage values, and memory practices into Canada’s national heritage and history.

Writing Quotation

A writer is a world trapped in a person. – Victor Hugo

Truth and Reconciliation Call to Action 78

We call upon the Government of Canada to commit to making a funding contribution of $10 million over seven years to the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, plus an additional amount to assist communities to research and produce histories of their own residential school experience and their involvement in truth, healing, and reconciliation.

#WordWednesday

A mondegreen is the mistaken hearing and, then, pronunciation of a word or phrase that is sung or spoken. The term came from a childhood experience of author Sylvia Wright. Here's how she heard the lyrics from this version of the Scottish ballad, "The Bonny Earl O' Moray:"

Ye Hielands an ye Lowlands
O, whaur hae ye been
They hae slain the Earl o' Moray
And Lady Mondegreen.

Eventually she learned that she had misheard, and mis-said, the Lady Mondegreen part. The lyrics actually say that they "slay the Earl O' Moray and laid him on the green." In 1954 Wright coined the term "mondegreen," and over time "mondegreen" spread into (relatively) common usage.

Sometimes the mondegreen version of a lyric sticks better than the original word. The Christmas carol "The Twelve Days of Christmas" has a line about four calling birds. But did you know that the original carol referred to "four colley birds." The word colley meant black (perhaps a pronunciation of "coal-y"?) Well, somebody heard "calling" and it stuck.

Randy Bachman did at least two shows on mondegreens on his CBC show, Vinyl Tap, and Gavin Edwards gathered a collection of mondegreens in his book, “Scuse Me While I Kiss This Guy.” There's even a website called www.kissthisguy.com. Check that out for a few chuckles.

What are your favourite spoken or sung mondegreens?

Truth & Reconciliation Commission's Call to Action 77

National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation
We call upon provincial, territorial, municipal, and community archives to work collaboratively with the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation to identify and collect copies of all records relevant to the history and legacy of the residential school system, and to provide these to the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation.

Truth & Reconciliation Call to Action 76

We call upon the parties engaged in the work of documenting, maintaining, commemorating, and protecting residential school cemeteries to adopt strategies in accordance with the following principles:

i. The Aboriginal community most affected shall lead the development of such strategies.

ii. Information shall be sought from residential school Survivors and other Knowledge Keepers in the development of such strategies.

iii. Aboriginal protocols shall be respected before any potentially invasive technical inspection and investigation of a cemetery site.

Truth and Reconciliation Call to Action 75

We call upon the federal government to work with provincial, territorial, and municipal governments, churches, Aboriginal communities, former residential school students, and current landowners to develop and implement strategies and procedures for the ongoing identification, documentation, maintenance, commemoration, and protection of residential school cemeteries or other sites at which residential school children were buried. This is to include the provision of appropriate memorial ceremonies and commemorative markers to honour the deceased children.

Truth and Reconciliation Call to Action 74

We call upon the federal government to work with the churches and Aboriginal community leaders to inform the families of children who died at residential schools of the child’s burial location, and to respond to families’ wishes for appropriate commemoration ceremonies and markers, and reburial in home communities where requested.

Writing Quotation

The truth about stories is that's all we are.

― Thomas King

Writing Quotation

The truth about stories is that's all we are.

― Thomas King

Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada's Call to Action 73

We call upon the federal government to work with churches, Aboriginal communities, and former residential school students to establish and maintain an online registry of residential school cemeteries, including, where possible, plot maps showing the location of deceased residential school children.

#WordWednesday

A couple of weeks ago a friend asked me if I knew where the word "godspeed" comes from. I didn't. So, of course, I wanted to find out. Here's what I learned.
You might know that wishing someone godspeed (or God speed) is a way of wishing him or her well. It's a pleasant parting wish that in the 14th century meant, "I wish that God may grant you success." In order to understand the origin of the word in its current spellings and meaning, we have to look at the parts separately. It won't be arduous (or particularly thorough), I promise.

First "G/god": In the 14th century and thereabouts, when spellings of many words varied, the words "God" and "good" were sometimes spelled the same and sometimes differently.

Now "speed," which surprised me a little: Turns out that our modern word "speed" comes from various old European languages, including the Old English word "sped," which meant prosperity, success, luck, wealth. So to wish someone "goodspeed" or "godspeed" or "Godspeed" all meant that you hoped that they would do well.

So there you go. I wish you godspeed as you go about your day today.

Truth & Reconciliation Commission's Call to Action 72

We call upon the federal government to allocate sufficient resources to the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation to allow it to develop and maintain the National Residential School Student Death Register established by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada.

(Note by KJT: To read the National Residential School Student Death Register go to https://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/lbrr/archives/cn000043947884-vol.4-eng.pdf )

Truth and Reconciliation Call to Action 71

Missing Children and Burial Information
We call upon all chief coroners and provincial vital statistics agencies that have not provided to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada their records on the deaths of Aboriginal children in the care of residential school authorities to make these documents available to the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation.

Truth and Reconciliation Call to Action 70

We call upon the federal government to provide funding to the Canadian Association of Archivists to undertake, in collaboration with Aboriginal peoples, a national review of archival policies and best practices to:

i. Determine the level of compliance with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the United Nations Joinet-OrentlicherPrinciples, as related to Aboriginal peoples’inalienable right to know the truth about what happened and why, with regard to human rights violations committed against them in the residential schools.

ii. Produce a report with recommendations for full implementation of these international mechanisms as a reconciliation framework for Canadian archives.

Truth and Reconciliation Call to Action 69

We call upon Library and Archives Canada to:

i. Fully adopt and implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the United Nations Joinet-Orentlicher Principles [on the Preservation and Access to Archives Bearing Witness to Human Rights Violations], as related to Aboriginal peoples’ inalienable right to know the truth about what happened and why, with regard to human rights violations committed against them in the residential schools.

ii. Ensure that its record holdings related to residential schools are accessible to the public.

iii. Commit more resources to its public education materials and programming on residential schools.

Writing Quotation

Fear isn't so difficult to understand. After all, weren't we all frightened as children? Nothing has changed since Little Red Riding Hood faced the big bad wolf. What frightens us today is exactly the same sort of thing that frightened us yesterday. It's just a different wolf. This fright complex is rooted in every individual.

– Alfred Hitchcock

Truth and Reconciliation Call to Action 68

We call upon the federal government, in collaboration with Aboriginal peoples, and the Canadian Museums Association to mark the 150th anniversary of Canadian Confederation in 2017 by establishing a dedicated national funding program for commemoration projects on the theme of reconciliation.

#WordWednesday

Try this for fun:

Write a tiny story or long sentence or a poem using all of these conveniently rhyming Halloween-type words: 

gloom 

     doom 

         boom 

               tomb 

                    broom 

                          loom (as in, shadows loom), 

                                             and just for the heck of it...exhume.

Truth and Reconciliation Call to Action 67

Museums and Archives

We call upon the federal government to provide funding to the Canadian Museums Association to undertake, in collaboration with Aboriginal peoples, a national review of museum policies and best practices to determine the level of compliance with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and to make recommendations.

Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Call to Action 66

Youth Programs

 We call upon the federal government to establish multiyear funding for community-based youth organizations to deliver programs on reconciliation, and establish a national network to share information and best practices.

TRC Call to Action 65

We call upon the federal government, through the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, and in collaboration with Aboriginal peoples, post-secondary institutions and educators, and the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation and its partner institutions, to establish a national research program with multi-year funding to advance understanding of reconciliation. 

Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Call to Action 64

In my continuing efforts to support and disseminate the TRC's Calls to Action as widely as I can, here is number 64:

We call upon all levels of government that provide public funds to denominational schools to require such schools to provide an education on comparative religious studies, which must include a segment on Aboriginal spiritual beliefs and practices developed in collaboration with Aboriginal Elders.

Writing Quotation

Don't tell me the moon is shining;

show me the glint of light on broken glass.

– Anton Chekhov

Truth and Reconciliation Call to Action 63

We call upon the Council of Ministers of Education, Canada to maintain an annual commitment to Aboriginal education issues, including:

i. Developing and implementing Kindergarten to Grade Twelve curriculum and learning resources on Aboriginal peoples in Canadian history, and the history and legacy of residential schools. 

ii. Sharing information and best practices on teaching curriculum related to residential schools and Aboriginal history.

iii. Building student capacity for intercultural understanding, empathy, and mutual respect.

iv. Identifying teacher-training needs relating to the above.

#WordWednesday

At this time of year, when my kids were growing up, we had a lot to celebrate! We had two birthdays (and parties and gifts and food), Thanksgiving (and decorations and a gathering and food) and Halloween (and three jack-o-lanterns and three costumes and food). Yikes. October was a lot of work and a lot of fun.

So in the spirit of all that autumn-ness and food, I decided to look into two common words of the season: pumpkin and candy.

Pumpkin, a delightful-sounding little word that we've forgotten to appreciate (say it five times fast, and you'll see what I mean), comes to us via Middle French via Latin from Greek. Throughout its long life since the 1540s, the venerable pumpkin's ancestors were pompone, pompon, pepon and peptein – words for melon and, originally, "cooked by the sun" or ripe.

Pumpkin pie has been around since the 1650s. People have been smart for a very long time.

The word "candy" has an even longer history than "pumpkin." As far back as the late 13th century, folks have had their candi (French), qandi (Arabic), qand (Persian) and khanda (Sanskrit). All of these words are related, unsurprisingly, to sugar.

Of course, October isn't all about food. There are other things going on – garden clean-up and beautiful trees and changing weather and crisp afternoons. But let's face it, this month has a lot of food going on, so we might as well know where some of it comes from.

Here's wishing you all the beauty and freshness and deliciousness of the season!

Writing Quotation

This story deserves to be told; all stories do. Even the waves of the sea tell a story that deserves to be read. The stories that really need to be told are those that shake the very soul of you. I prepare to be shaken. ― Lee Maracle

Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Call to Action 62.i

Education for reconciliation

62. We call upon the federal, provincial, and territorial governments, in consultation and collaboration with Survivors, Aboriginal peoples, and educators, to:

i. Make age-appropriate curriculum on residential schools, Treaties, and Aboriginal peoples’ historical and contemporary contributions to Canada a mandatory education requirement for Kindergarten to Grade Twelve students.

#WordWednesday

My friend Heather sent this great word along. I'd rarely heard it and wasn't exactly sure what it meant, so I figured I'd better find out and share it here. "Toothsome" refers to something edible that is temptingly tasty, delicious, delectable. You get the idea. The word came into use in the 1500s and seems to have peaked around 1900.

Toothsome treats aren't necessarily sweet; any delectably appealing dish can be considered toothsome. I enjoyed two wonderfully toothsome turkey dinners this past weekend. And one time a few years ago, my boys (Lucas missing from the photo but not from the baking) made a delicious cake for my birthday. We were toothsomely chocolatized!