Happy Canada Day

Happy Canada Day!

July 1, 2011

Did you notice the face in the clouds?  Maybe that is Big Brother watching you.

Retirement Update: 1984 revisited

   

 Retirement Update: 1984 revisited 



This post was originally published on June 13, 2011

Welcome back friends. I haven't talked to you for a while and I think it is time to do some serious communication. Today is the day that marks exactly one month into full-time retirement for me. Now, I know that doesn't mean much to most people, but to a lot of people it does. Many of the baby boomers out there are wondering just what it is like to actually pull the plug. Well, that is exactly what I did on May 13, 2011.

Any regrets?  Actually, none at all. I feel free and healthier and that is the main thing of course. I get up in the morning and there is no one to answer to except myself. If I want to sluff off and do absolutely nothing then that is what I do. But, as you may appreciate the mind is always active and it is looking for something to do. Fortunately for me, I have  lots of things that I want to do.The harness races on Saturday remain as the the highlight of my week. It is fun going to the races and trying to beat the system as you can imagine.  Can you really beat the system?  Well, that depends where you are on the social ladder I suppose, or maybe it just depends on what your individual goals are. It is all about personality of course and that is the underlying factor in these matters.

Luckily, I don't mind doing yard work either or going to the dump for that matter. I love going to the dump as a matter of fact; it is one of those instant gratification kind of endeavours; like cutting the grass. Pretty basic stuff eh?  Well, like I said in many of my posts, especially Dear Courier Diary, I am a very basic person. So, that means that good old physical labour and yard work can turn me on.  And, it is good for your health too.

The other thing that I like to do is studying on the internet and just reading things and trying to inform myself about what is happening in the world. I guess it is like the folks who engage in gossip or even watch the soaps or just any kind of TV or whatever.  It is what keep us amused and interested that is what it does. We all have our favourite past time things and our interests.  And, if we didn't well, we would all just shrivel up and die.

But, the really big thing that I like to do is to try and figure out where my life fits in with the grand scheme of things. Remember my story about 1983 - and the girl? You can read about that true story right here: Friday October 7, 1983 Well, rest assured dear friends that this thing is still alive in my mind and I am trying  to make the best of what now amounts to a very bad thing. Well, maybe not so bad. Important,  might be another way to look at it.  I mean, just think of the personalities involved in that story and try and fit them into my life and my history. It's a huge story for me and very meaningful as well. So, what is the really biggest thing that I did in the past 30 days or so?  Well, I re-read the novel 1984 by George Orwell that is what I did. Actually, I upgraded my phone since the contract was up anyway and I got a smart phone. Neat phone and I am sure that many of you already own one of these babies.  You can do your banking on these devices, take pictures and videos, and even bet the races and all kinds of things.  But, what I did is to download a free pdf copy of 1984 and I just sat down and basically read the whole thing. read 1984 here  Now, this is the first book that I probably every read as a young person and the stuff in there never went out of my mind let me tell you. In fact, this book is probably the most influential piece of literature that ever entered my mind - and it stuck like I say.

So, I read it again with vigour and I didn't want to miss a thing this time. So, many things I forgot let me tell you. But, the main characters were all there as big as life. Now, remember 1983 like I say because why I acted like I did back then probably has got a lot to do with this book. So, check out the link on the sidebar or the link above and get reading. You will not be disappointed I do not think. Anyway, I digress . Of course there is a girl in the book and her name is Julia. Winston Smith is the main character and there is even a guy in the book with a black moustache. Hahahahah.  And, that is Big Brother.  That's right, this is where the term Big Brother comes from. It is a totalitarian society that is what it is.  And, Winston Smith is a rebel, just like me. So, do you see now why I am like I am?  Winston bucks the system and is against authority.  There is an ongoing threat to the system or enemy of the state named Emmanuel Goldstein.  A  Jewish name, so how do you like them apples?  The real point is of course that this is the very same idea as our Osama bin Laden. The state needs someone to hate and to keep the population in line. It is a very tyrannical society and there are telescreens everywhere; all movements and speech is monitored. It is very much like a Nazi or Soviet Union controlled society. There are class divisions and everyone is expected to be loyal to the state and to hate the enemy. Remember the terms Ignorance is Strength and War is Peace?

This book was written in about 1949 and is very applicable to our day and age. If you are paying attention you will have noticed that the United States today is very much like the society that George Orwell was talking about. Now, he might have been describing the Soviet Union in particular, but I think if you examine the situation, the US is very much a totalitarian state that engages itself in continuous war. And, it did indeed create this enemy for us. In the sixties it was communism, but that has been transformed into the war against Islam as exemplified in Osama Bin Laden. I think this is a very easy comparison to make indeed.

Winston Smith, and his sweetheart Julia are both interested in overthrowing the system and Big Brother. They think that there is a better world out there. Both Winston and Julia are Party members, but not Inner Party members. There are in fact three classes in the society of Oceania, namely Inner Party members, regular Party members, and the Proles or the underclass. According to Winston all of history is organized in this way. And, further according to Winston, the Proles will never start a revolution, for that role is assigned to the middle classes or regular Party member in this case. The Proles ( and modern day Americans ) are only interested in survival and entertainment and do not concern themselves with matters of philosophy or the business of overthrowing despots or tyrants.  And, that is why people like Smith and Julia are dangerous and must be dealt with. They are capable of understanding things and taking action to overthrow those with all of the power. But, in the world of Winston Smith there will be no regime change for Big Brother is all powerful.

If you take the time to sit down and read this book I think you will find a great many comparisons to modern day America. Winston Smith worked in the Ministry of Truth and his job was to change the facts of history and to indoctrinate the masses.  And, so it is with the modern press in America; it is highly controlled and the only information that gets out is the information that the elites want to get out. As you may appreciate of course that puts the authorities and the alternative media on a collision course. For it is here where the Winston Smiths are going to pop out and try and overthrow the system. But, the system is strong as we well know. Not only do they control the media but the political figures and police and military are controlled as well. There is constant war and there is an identifiable enemy. And, if you are paying attention you will observe how the enemy is treated. And, in the US they have something called the Patriot Act as well. In the novel peoples' movements and thoughts were monitored like I said. They even had something called the Thought Police and ' thought crimes ' and they would get you in the end of course. Every house had a telescreen where speech and movement was monitored. Just how do you know dear friends if your TV or even your cell phone is not a modern telescreen?  Something to think about eh?

Anyway, I would encourage everybody to read this book and to examine what is really in there. It is more that just the human being wanting to be like humans and having a love affair, it is much more  in fact. It is about power and it is about philosophy and religion as well. The state wants to destroy everything that is meaningful to a human being.  There is even something called a Junior Anti-Sex League of which Julia was a member. But, Julia was also a rebel and she played the game as long as she could.  Children would turn their parents into the authorities as all loyal members of the state were spies. There is much in this book friends and it is all highly relevant to today's state of affairs in modern America. It is about power and the ability of those with that power to make humans non-human and to accept Big Brother and to love him. Even the rebels ended up loving Him before they were liquidated of course. The name of the game is control friends and to understand that is to understand everything that occurs around and within us.

Related: Big Brother on your phone ( added June 20, 2011 )

 Have a nice day. And, if you are a Canucks fan:  Go Canucks Go?  PS. I am not a hockey fan friends.

Gladys Baydala is glad to be alive at 85

Gladys Baydala

is glad

to be alive at 85

Happy Birthday

 Gladys Baydala!

June 20, 2011

Carl Baydala Pulls the Plug

Feature Report

Courier Press International


Delivering the Best in Courier
News to You.

Carl Baydala Pulls the Plug

William Charmichael and Alice McNab, staff reporters, CPI. Vancouver, BC. Sunday May 8, 2011.


 ......In a surprise move, veteran courier,  Carl Baydala announced his official retirement late last week. Baydala, a twenty year courier professional told reporters that his full retirement would not take place until Friday next. 
 Although semi-retired for the last three years, his move to full retirement continues to shock many observers.
" Not everyone is aware of my decision at this time. " Baydala revealed to reporters. And, that statement was indeed corroborated from discussions with his former employer Corporate Couriers, based in Vancouver, B.C. Management staff confirmed that Carl had indeed given his notice, simply by stating that it was time to ' pull the plug. ' There was no further comment given by his former employer. They too were apparently surprised by Baydala's snap decision.

Carl Baydala is a seasoned courier professional and spent the most productive part of his life in this role in the City of Vancouver and the surrounding municipalities, commonly known as the Greater Vancouver district or Lower Fraser Valley region. He served doggedly and aimed for the highest standards in the challenging field of the fast paced delivery business. Carl had become a model and inspiration to many of his peers in the industry. His time spent in the business was testimony to his commitment.

 " It's a great job and I love it. I don't think I could have asked for a better career than the courier business. It's a great match for my personality and my life ambitions. It really is like the carnival business where I started out working as a teenager. The jobs are similar in many respects; both involve a lot of people contact, driving, and just plain old working hard. I mean, when you think about it, there is no gain with no pain. And, like the carnival business you have to stick and stay to make it pay. " Carl chuckled to himself as he rattled off some of his favourite old sayings. Carl told staff reporters that he had no idea that he was going to windup as courier. He recalled the story of his life and the events of early 1983. He detailed his life as a teenager working in the carnival business and how this job paid for his university education. Carl graduated from Simon Fraser University in 1973. He graphically explained the conditions that he was working with in the restaurant management business in 1983 and how this career came to an abrupt ending. " I didn't know what to do, but I knew that I had to do something. Oh, I could have gone full time into the carnival business and made a go of things, but instead I decided to try something brand new and exciting. I decided to become a courier and I just went out and bought a new truck and dove right in. In fact, if you examine my history you will see that I make quick business decisions and then just implement them. "

And, implement them he did indeed. He started off his career in 1987 with Nova Messengers.  The Company was one of the leading courier companies in the City at that time. This Company is now called Novex.  Like all beginning couriers Carl had to learn the ropes. There is no other way to learn the courier business except on the job training. All couriers have to earn their stripes as it were. You have to know where the parking spots are and use the loading docks and the lanes. You have to learn the streets and you have to remember addresses, one way streets and you have to know the good routes from the bad ones. It takes a lot of work and it is stressful sometimes. You are constantly dealing with other drivers and their mannerisms. The good and bad experiences can make or break your day. But, if you are persistent and dedicated then you will learn to survive and to make money. These are the thoughts of Carl Baydala as he was trying to explain the business to us.

" And, don't forget about the customer. Treat that customer with respect and they will take care of you. People remember the little things and how you treat them.  And, that is why it is important to interact favourably with receptionists and shipper receivers and the like. These are the front line people and you as courier are representing the company. So, don't ever forget these things. "

Carl had nothing but praise for the company that would be the longest lasting employer that he ever had.

" I have to tell you that not all courier companies are the same. I had worked for a few others before finally settling down at Corporate. Corporate Couriers is a very successful company and it has earned many service awards in the City of Vancouver during its 30 year history. Customer service is the key to its success. The dispatcher and the courier must work together to get the job done. The dispatcher is probably the most important guy in the organization. He is part of the management team so don't forget that. He needs to know company policy, driving situations and the ability of his drivers. He also has to be firmly committed to pleasing each and every customer. On time deliveries are a huge deal in the company and that is where our success comes from. When our customers are paying premium rates for service we do not want to let them down. In fact, that is where our success comes from, just by sticking to the basics like getting the delivery done on time. Some competitors do not even adhere to this one basic goal of the same day courier business. But, it is the most important thing imaginable. Another key to our successs I would say is the treatment of drivers by management. Some companies will try and achieve profit or fixing management mistakes by taking it out of the hides of drivers and bikers. Corporate Couriers never did that because they didn't have to - and didn't want to.  And, that says a lot if you ask me. "

For some final thoughts I asked Carl for his current impressions of the business and where it was headed. I also asked him what he was going to do with all of his spare time.  He informed me that much of the success of his business was related to the construction industry and the ability keep long term corporate clients. He stated that the company was lucky to have a good steady base of successful businesses in their own right. He thought that their successes were complimentary.  He closed out by talking about the current stresses on the job. Traffic congestion, and particularly construction were huge issue for couriers and their on time commitments. Other problems are the losses of important loading zones which the City has taken away from the courier. " It is like an ever tightening screw and it just gets worse and worse. " Carl exclaimed.

High fuel costs and speeders, Road Ragers and tailgaters are big negatives too. So, there are lots of things to be critical about and not all is rosy in the courier business. " But, it's a tough job and somebody  has to do it. I did my share and I survived even as the screw tightened around me.. it did not suffocate me necessarily, all that I am saying that it was time to pull the plug. I think everyone in their own situation reaches that conclusion sooner or later. "

I asked Carl what he was going to do for excitement now that his courier career was over.

" Well, I am not going to stop going to the racetrack on Saturday so you can count on that. Also, I do spend lots of time on my computer studying things so I am not going to be bored at all. Lots of house work to do and maybe just take a drive or two when it is  sunny out. I think I am going to enjoy myself and I am not apprehensive at all. "

Carl's official retirement begins on Friday, May 13, 2011.

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Related Post:

" When The Going Get's Tough....Jump "

Onward Christian Soldiers: Battleground Canada

Onward Christian Soldiers

Battleground Canada

Well, welcome to the election of 2011 friends. That's right, here in Canada we now have an election on our hands. Oh, it is more than just an election of course. It is a political battle to the finish that is what it will be. The Stephen Harper Government has fallen and now it is time to get the soldiers into the battlefield and inflict the necessary mortal wounds upon the enemy.

The enemy friends is Stephen Harper and what he stands for. In my opinion, he does not represent mainstream Canada. His focus is limited to his vision of Canada and what he wants to achieve and those things I believe are not in the interest of our great nation. Stephen Harper wants to change our country and make it look more like the U.S. I don't think the majority of Canadians want that to happen. So, once they realize what the Stephen Harper agenda really is then I think they will all be on board to defeat the man who has just lost the confidence of the House of Commons.

Having lost the confidence of the parliament of Canada and forfeiting his right to govern means that it is every one's duty who believes in Canada to do the right thing. And, the right thing is to remove this man from the corridors of power before it is too late. So, that is why I have titled this blog entry " Onward Christian Soldiers ". I think there are in fact many God-believing citizens in our country. Christians are good people and can be responsible Canadians like all the rest. But, they are being led by a Christian man, namely Stephen Harper who, as I said would do Canada wrong. We need to let the Christians who vote for him know that. And, that is why I am bringing Jesus Christ on board to help out with the cause. Now, I am not a practicing Christian myself, but I think you can appreciate that politics does indeed make strange bedfellows and that is why Jesus and I are now friends. We just have a lot in common that is all.

 You will notice from previous blog entries that Jesus and I are friends on facebook. Well, I plan to be having a meeting with Jesus soon enough to find out what we can do to change the tide in Canada. Jesus is a great ally and friend to have on board in these troubled times. So, I hope that all of you Christians and right minded thinking Canadians join us in the battle to remove Stephen Harper from the political landscape once and for all. D - Day is May 2nd. so see you there at the battle of the century here in Canada.

The Canadian Perspective

The Canadian Perspective

by Carl Baydala

I have to tell you friends that things are OK by me in this part of the world. Canada is a very fortunate place in which to live. We have a very small population relative to our land size, we are a stable democracy and all of the people that I know are basically happy individuals and glad to be Canadians just like myself.

How does a country get to be so fortunate and how does it survive so happily when there is so much trouble in the world?  I mean, poverty and war occurs in so many parts of the world and in such frequency as well. In the last couple of years there has even been a financial meltdown and many people world wide are suffering as a consequence of that. Our neighbour to the south is experiencing terrible fiscal problems all around and many have lost their homes and their jobs. The middle classes are essentially being decimated, and the few assets they have left are quickly being depleted. Their financial and political power is evaporating in front of them, yet Canada survives basically intact.

What is so special about Canada?  Canada has a lot going for it of course otherwise it would been sucked into the vortex long ago. Why didn't Canada experience the same kinds of problems that the US did for example? We are both modern democracies with laissez faire capitalist systems are we not? Canada has a good supply of natural resources and good management and well trained workers.  And, ditto for the US. We are both advanced economies as they say. On the surface of things we both appear to be blessed. But, there are differences as I think you can appreciate. The main difference between Canada and the US I think is the political system itself and how it operates.

The US political system is highly driven by money. Politicians appear to be bought and sold like so many automobiles on a given day. This means of course that good policy that would have a positive effect on the whole nation might not naturally come about. Since money is the thing that drives things, it is the people with money itself that are favoured under that kind of system. That is why in the States the percentage of people who hold great wealth decreases daily. They have bought and paid for political results. Look at what the financial barons on Wall Street got away with - and continue to get away with.  The elites who control the economy and the politicians grow more powerful year by year. On the other hand, the so-called middle classes get poorer and poorer. And, this is certainly manifested in political events and decisions as well. Look at the recent events in Wisconsin, for example to see how even those with relatively more power than the truly down and out are finally being affected by politics and money. It is a virtual war in the US friends, a war in which those with power want ultimate control, at any cost and consequence whatsoever.

No such thing is occurring in Canada. And, just look how close with live to the States. You'd think that like in the Middle East when the revolutions started that it would have the same type of collateral effect, but not so here in Canada. You'd think that the middle classes would be under serious attack here in Canada and not just in the US.   Now, the current Conservative Regime in Canada is just a smaller version of the Republican Party in the US. ( Don't misundersand me here, I know that at the present time there is no real difference between Republicans and Democrats since they are both driven by money ) But, they do NOT  have the same kind of power as their counterparts in the US.  This is the basic difference between Canada and the US and that is what I am trying to point out to  you tonight. The Canadian mentality, at present, will not allow the Republican/capitalism gone wild mentality to take hold in this country, and that is in spite of the fact that the political party in power that we have  would act in the very same way as a Republican Party if they had the power to do so. I think the recent relevations about Conservative contempt of Parliament is testimony that they would like to subvert democracy, but the Canadian people will not let them. That is my hope at least.  But, they do not and that is why Canada is different than the US and that is why we are not experiencing the same kinds of problems as our brothers and sisters are south of the border.

Canada is structurally sound and we believe in the rule of law ( contrast this idea with what is happening or not happening in the US for example; think of the illegal invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan, a proper investigation into 9/11, and ask yourself why no one on Wall Street has been indicted for financial fraud ) and that is why we survive relatively unscathed. Our resources are a huge plus as I am sure you can imagine. But, there is more to it than resources otherwise we would just be another Middle Eastern dictatorship now wouldn't we?  Of course, and that is the key to our staying on top of things. Power is a very important feature of society friends and it needs to be  distributed evenly otherwise you run the risk of ruining your nation. And, the power in our country friends comes from knowing the difference between right and wrong and sharing the wealth, as is humanly and politically possible, that is. At least we try and that is the point of the whole thing. The Stephen Harper government is a minority one for the very reasons that I have listed above. Thanks for reading.



The Carnival Business:1965 to 1995

The Carnival Business:

1965 to 1995

' The Elephant in the Room '

Above picture is Playland Amusement Park

Vancouver, B.C. Canada

Friends, I have to tell you that the ' Elephant in the Room ' for me is the carnival business. Here I am over five years into my blog and I have not detailed for you any serious information at all about the carnival business. This was my first job as a teenager, but it was to become much more than that because this is the business that carried me through my teenage years and forward into many of my adult years as well. This occupation would extend into over thirty years of my life in fact, but mostly it was concentrated in the sixties and the seventies and into the early 1980's as well.  It bought me my motorcycles and my cars and it paid for my university education and it kept me going while I tried to to get a full time job after completing university; it was always my insurance or backup job.  It provided me with a unique education in the business of life and laid the groundwork for my business background as well. After my initial employment at the Amusement Park I would travel a great deal throughout the western provinces of Canada, working with various carnival companies ' playing ' small towns and the large urban centers as well.

The picture above is Playland Amusement Park in Vancouver, B. C. This is what it looked like in 1965 and this is what it looks like today as well. The midway had partially burned down just about the time I started working there. Once restored and put back to life they called it ' The Million Dollar Midway '  I am not sure if that was meant to be a joke or not.  I started off  my working career as a ' ball boy '  in the ' One Ball ' concession. I did mention this detail of my life briefly in a previous post. I was a very energetic teenager and eager to perform in my job. I was physically very fit and quick at my new job. I was proud to be ' the fastest ball boy that Playland ever saw ' ( my interpretation ) and that is in spite of the fact that I was now quite a heavy smoker.  In the photo above the last concession or ' joint ' at the end of the midway was mine. ( After a couple of years as a ball boy I would graduate and become another ' agent ' or concessionaire and being in charge of the management and operation of an individual store. ) That is where I operated the ' slingshot ' joint. I worked in other locations on the midway, but this was to become my concession when Playland opened up in the Springtime. I worked here on the weekends while I was still attending school.

The carnival business was different back in those days, when I first entered the business, that is. It has matured as a business of course, but I was lucky I suppose because I experienced the real thing back in 1965; real carnival action, that is. That's right. At the very beginning of my career as a ball boy I was learning that people could be conned and they wouldn't even know that it was happening to them. Even a simple carnival concession such as the One Ball had a ' gaffe ' to it. People are throwing a soft ball trying to tip over three milk bottles. The configuration is that one bottle is sitting atop two on the bottom; the two bottles underneath are filled with lead and the one on top is much lighter and very easy to knock over; they are all painted the same white colour and appear to be identical.   Most people cannot tip these bottles over  unless they are a very good shot and are able to put some strength into their efforts. The point is of course that we could let people win when we wanted to. And, that was part of my job description as a ball boy. When the ' agent ' or concessionaire in charge of the joint wanted to let someone win so as to encourage him or her to spend more money,  he would simply yell out to me: " set em up. "  And, that would be my directive of course to place one of the heavier bottles on top so as to make the game much easier for the ' mark ' or ' mooch ' throwing the balls.  And, this was my introduction to the wonderful world of the carnival business as a young teenage boy.

Lots of the other games had gaffs too, and I worked in many of them. The whole idea of the carnival business was to gain the confidence of the customer. You were dealing with people and you wanted them to spend as much of their money as possible. I worked in the ' Hanky Panks ' or the stores that gave away plush toys and other smaller toys. But, later on  I would work in the ' PC ' or percentage joints as well. These are the gambling joints and they are a very big deal in Vancouver and all over Canada in fact. I remember looking forward to the summer fair or the PNE ( Pacific National Exhibition ) This was always the most exciting time in the business because this when most of the money came in. Anyhow, our amusement park was run by Americans and every year many Americans travelled up from the States  to work the Fair. I worked with many of these Americans and became their friends in fact. I learned a great deal by working with some of these individuals. They were very good concessionaires and they were very smooth operators indeed. This is not to say that our own Canadians were not excellent operators because many were just as good as anybody else. But, I remember one of the gambling operations that came up for the Fair. In particular, I remember the team that came up and operated the ' Pea Game '. This is a table game enclosed under canvas ( a stick joint ) and it is set up right on the midway across from the concessions themselves. There were a number of these joints situated in different parts of the park during the PNE. This is when I learned about the concept of ' shills ' or as we called them ' sticks '. During the early opening hours when things were slow each joint would have people who were pretending to play the game. They were called ' sticks ' because they stuck to the joint and they made out like real players. Nobody knew any different of course and once a ' tip ' or crowd  built up then the sticks could gradually quit playing the game. It was all fascinating to me of course and there were many other wonderful discoveries and insights just waiting to be uncovered....

....to be continued

photo of Playland Amusement Park

found in Wikimedia

Bachelor Philosopher Number Seven: Jesus Christ

Bachelor Philosopher Number Seven:

Jesus Christ

I don't think any writer would have the temerity to underestimate the importance of Jesus Christ to Western civilization, and particularly, its religious and consequent political development. But, there are the detractors of course and many of these originate from the center of the Abrahamic religions themselves, and that is to say, that certain elements of Judaism do not have much use for the man, Jesus Christ at all. The early Jews, believers in the Old Testament and its prophesies, did not recognize Jesus as the Messiah, nor as the Son of God. He was more likely seen as an irritant and one who should be removed so as not to cause further harm and political unrest.  More on this aspect of Jesus Christ later on the presentation.

Both Christianity and Islam revere the philosopher known as Jesus Christ. I am taking the liberty here of identifying Jesus Christ as a philosopher, for what else could he be described as anything but a philosopher? He tried to portray his view of the world upon man; He was God's representative on earth and he died for our sins; through the acceptance of Jesus Christ one could get to Heaven and be with God. Followers of  Islam did not take nearly the generous views of Christ as the Christians did; they did not think of Him as God, nor did they believe in the crucifixion of Jesus. He was to be honored as an important prophet such as Mohammad and as another worldly human who could tell us what God was like and what He expected of us in terms of human behavior. Through believing in the prophets man could achieve his place in Heaven next to God or Allah.

The name Jesus means ' savior ' and  Christ means ' anointed. '   Jesus was a bachelor and a philosopher and that is why I am spending some time on Him here. He belongs on my blog and in my thoughts. As a bachelor philosopher you may appreciate that there might be similarities among us, such as was the case when I was discussing the bachelor philosophers Arthur Schopenhauer and Friedrich Nietzsche. The latter two philosophers had romantic problems ( Schopenhauer in particular ) which I can certainly relate to. And, as you might expect their experiences would somehow show up in their philosophies,  and in their attitudes toward women.

But, Jesus Christ and myself come together on altogether different terms. I would call it a political similarity. Not only was Jesus a rabbi ( teacher ), but he  was a rebel and he was working against the powers that be.  And, that has been my lot in life as well as you will have noted by reading my blog. Read this post here and you will see what I am talking about. And, this post here where my rebellion and independence shows up. Jesus was crucified for his behavior and I was fired. Both events happened on a Friday and by all accounts Jesus was roughly 34 years old as I was myself in the year 1983.  And, what got the job done was our beliefs and our attitudes. We were both fighting for something and we were against something. And, that is our common bond.

Now Jesus had a ministry and he had a following; he had disciples. I should be so lucky of course. But, the philosopher Jesus believed strongly in something and that was the salvation of mankind, through belief in Him and what He stood for. He could save mankind from sin if only they would believe in Him.  By His actions a world-wide religion would be created. His beliefs and ideas were that strong and that is why they have survived, whether they be in the Christian or the Islamic form.

 But, as I stated at the beginning, there are the detractors to Jesus and what he represents. Why are the Jews and the rabbis throughout history against Jesus Christ and what He represents? Was it not they in fact who were instrumental in the execution of Jesus? You can read and hear about the controversies and decide for yourself ( see videos below ) whether or  not it was Jesus's fellow Jews who did Him in, or something or someone else who was ultimately responsible for the deed. There is more involved of course than just the crucifixion itself. Jesus is rejected, I think, because He is a threat to Judaism. What is Judaism?  Judaism is an ego centric religion that lays its foundation on a relationship with a people and a God. That God and that people will share wealth and glory together; that is the essence of Judaism as I understand it. ( For a better understanding of Judaism and Christianity you might want to take the time and read Ludwig Feuerbach: The Essence of Christianity )

 Is it not some of these followers of Judaism who consider themselves to be Chosen at the expense of all others, including members of Christianity and Islam itself?  Doesn't Talmudic Judaism, and its  political expression, Zionism,  have its own agenda in fact, an agenda that cannot allow other members of the human race to be part of it?  How can one continue to benefit from a special relationship with God if everybody was to be considered ' Chosen '? Wouldn't that just cheapen the notion of ' chosenness '?  Of course it would and that is  why the rabbis continue to foster the separateness of the Jews; they need to protect their monotheistic turf as it were.   And, that is why they cannot accept Jesus Christ and His teachings, or anything like Jesus Christ.

Jews like to refer to non-Jews as Gentiles and in more modern times, even the derogatory term, Goyim. If you know what the term Goyim really means then you will begin to appreciate how some aspects of modern  Judaism operate in the real world. Quite simply put, Jews see themselves as different than us Gentiles. They feel a privileged and special relationship to their God; if they are in fact religious that is. For lest we forget that many Jews are in fact very atheistic, but that is not going to detract from their separateness in the Gentile world as you may appreciate. The rabbis are keenly aware of these features of Jewish culture and it is their job to continue to propagate this identity of the Jews. That is why on almost every occasion, be it a wedding or any opportunity for public dissemination you will hear the rabbis talking about the suffering of the Jews and how the Holocaust has affected them. This is the full time business of the modern rabbi and it all goes back to the crucifixion of Christ of course. As Rabbi Boteach states in the video below ' Jesus was one of our own '. ' How ironic ' he states.  And, indeed it is. Jesus is a great figure in history no matter what side of the political fence you are on. He is either your saviour, or one of your own who just didn't fit in with the crowd.

Jesus remains revered all throughout the globe; Christianity and Islam are alive and well, as is Judaism. All three religions stem from the same source, but have gone their different ways as we now know. It does not do us well to speak negatively of dead men and this certainly applies to Jesus Christ as well. He is a tremendous historical religious and political figure as you can now easily determine.  A great philosopher and a great teacher, and a martyr for all mankind as well; He paid the ultimate price; He gave His life so that we would all be able to experience the love of the God that He represented.  Jesus was on the right side of things and that is why no matter what religion or belief one adheres to, Jesus Christ is a man that must be respected at all costs.  Listen to the political debates below  and see for yourself how the modern Jew and the modern Christian thrash about and relay to us what their meaning of the crucifixion of Jesus is really all about....

    Rabbi Boteach - Who Killed Jesus?

" they nailed him to the rancid wood of racism and bigotry "

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Jesus Christ in Wikipedia 

above is the companion part of the debate. just what do you make of this interaction dear reader?

Here is an interesting related video for your consideration friends. It is part 1 of the God Delusion. Richards Dawkins is giving a speech at a Christian college in Virginia. The topic is Judaism and the Old Testament. At approximately 24:45 minutes into the presentation he is citing examples of how religion affects the lives of modern day Israeli children. Lest we forget of course, that Israel is a religious entity; it is a Zionist state and the religion of the children is Judaism. Listen closely to what the children believe and how the word Goyim forms part of their mindset .



Related Discussion


Jesus the Jew ( video )

Jesus and the Pharisees;

The.Man.from.Galilee

This is an interesting discussion friends. It is a chapter called " The Man from Galilee " contained in a book entitled " The Controversy of Zion " by Douglas Reed. Very interesting reading indeed.

added on February 7, 2011

Mark Glenn discusses Judaism, Zionism, Jesus Christ and many other lively
and related interesting topics. Audio file forms part of a series as found on
 Wing TV

2006-06-02 Mark Glenn Exposes the Jewish Agenda: M3U, RAM, MP3

Jesus in Islam ( from the Ugly Truth website )


picture of Jesus found in wikimedia commons

Some thoughts on the optimism of an older person....

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Some Thoughts on the Optimism
 of an  Older Person....
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by Carl Baydala

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Friends, I have to tell you that life is not getting any easier for me. I am getting older and I can feel it now. Life has been pretty good to me though, generally speaking, that is. I am still healthy and I can still do a good day's work at my job if required to do so. The basics are still intact and as you can see my mind still works just fine. However;

With old age comes the effect of time. Time, and its consequences, is just one of those incessant things that we cannot control. Time is that thing that keeps reminding us that one day everything must end. We do not know how it is going to end, but life gives us enough clues that it will in fact end one day. I am sure that most of you have friends who have died suddenly or became the victim of some horrible disease and the like. They died, but you continue to live. You are lucky that your number has not come up yet and you continue to enjoy what life doles out to you.  And, I am the same kind of  person as all of you out there. I am alive and I was blessed or allowed to live yet another day and to enjoy all that life has to offer.

Do  I have any complaints about my life so far?  Well, actually I do. I have made the same kinds of mistakes that many others have made along the way in this business of life. The biggest mistake that I made I suppose was not really appreciating that you cannot always get what you want. That is a huge life lesson friends so don't ever think otherwise. The problem of course is that we are all human and we don't always understand these kinds of things in the ways that we should. But, life has a way of teaching us hard and valuable lessons as I am sure most of you have discovered by now. Life gives us this lesson and we all deal with it in our ways of course. Depending on our personalities, this lesson is hard fought or accepted, or it is even rejected, depending on how strong our personalities and ambitions are.

But, we all get older and that is the point friends. We get closer to death every living day in our lives. We relish our victories and we remember them well. That is the stuff of memories of course. But, then there are the failures, or our failed dreams; things we wanted but never acquired. So, this becomes one of the central issues for the aged friends. That's right, life and old age makes philosophers out of all of us. That is one of the benefits of life and advanced years, if not the main benefit. Living gives you memories and experience. This is the kind of stuff that a philosopher needs to formulate his ideas with.

Some people are  fortunate and have lived very good lives indeed. We are not against these people and what they have accomplished. Of course not. That would be a negative sentiment and we get absolutely nowhere by condemning or criticizing these people. I am just suggesting to you friends, that most people had goals when they were young, and that is what made life valuable and meaningful for them; life was worth living in the context of pursuing individual goals. And, some of us achieved our youthful goals, while others did not.

All that I am saying friends is that old age is the time for reflection and an opportunity to get that philosophy together and to make an attempt to  figure the whole thing out within the context of your own personal experiences. If you are a bit of an outsider like myself, a non-main streamer if you will,  then you know that you have some extra opportunities to put a philosophy together. If you are like me in fact, then you did not experience anything approaching a normal life. So, we certainly have to take these kinds of things into account when we are tallying everything up and trying to make sense of it all. Now, fortunately for me of course,  I like thinking about stuff like this and I do in fact accept the challenge of making an account of myself at this stage in my life.

Does everybody worry about these kinds of things and feel compelled to say something about it; about their life histories, that is?  I mean, is it some kind of a responsibility, for example, to provide some kind of meaningful account of one's life and sell it to everybody else?  Well, actually the answer is no, and the reason is that not too many people would actually care about how you made out or what your individual problems were - and are.  They are too busy with their own problems or with their successes. That is kind of the reality of the situation friends. Life is an individual thing. If you are a living and breathing personality then you already know that. Everybody is just trying to get to the end of the line in one piece and they hope and pray that no unforeseen calamity will fall upon them and make their lives more miserable than it might be right now. If they are like me and begin to construct these elaborate philosophies for others to peruse then they will have to provide even more details of the things that have influenced them, especially if these are negative things of course. But, the point is dear friends, that not too many people will really be interested, except a handful of loved ones, you know, the people that really count anyway.  

Pretty dreary prose here tonight eh friends?  Actually, it was not meant to be at all. I am just getting older now and I know it; time for reflection and aging politics if you will.   And, don't forget: all of the people that I am interested in are getting older as well. My hope is that they will find time to reflect when that time arrives in their lives - and it will if they are normal thinking human beings like myself. I am an optimist friends and I believe in understanding. I am counting on my friends to grow older and when they do, to finally figure out just what kind of a person I am and what I wanted out of life. I don't think that is too much to ask for actually, and in fact, I don't really have to ask for it because I know that it is going to happen anyway. Old age will deliver the goods for me, and that is when I will be vindicated for everything that I have done and ever wanted, within reason of course. I will be vindicated via the process of understanding and acceptance. I am counting on philosophy to do the job that it was intended to do, and that is to bring understanding to all of those who never bothered or take time do such things.  I will win my consolation prize even if I am not here to accept it. Thanks for reading and have a great day friends.


Here is a great song friends. It is called ' Dark Horse ' by Amanda Marshall.  I am a courier you know and I listen to this kind of music all day long while driving about. I heard this Dark Horse song again last week and I thought to myself that I would like to place this song on my blog somehow.  It is about optimism is it not, and beating the odds or betting on a long shot or a ' dark horse ' in a horse race if you will.  That is my interpretation at any rate.  Well, the first thing I did was to incorporate this song into one of my Harness Racing entries. You can see that particular entry  right here  if you like. I thought it would be a nice touch for my friends who are visiting that site in the hope of getting  some of my tips on my harness racing picks.  Well, I like this song quite a bit and I hope that you guys do too.


Dark Horse - Amanda Marshall

The train of life....

The Train of Life

Some foreward looking philosophy for you. Forwarded to me by my friend who is constantly worried about my backward looking philosophy. Great link here to some very fine music by Patsy Cline and Willie Nelson. Don't forget the earphones or you will be missing out, big time....

Why Toyota Corollas are lucky for me....

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Why Toyota Corollas are lucky for me....

Friends,  the story I  am about to tell you tonight is sweet and creepy all at the same time. Sweet, because it involves my dream girl, and creepy because my dream girl thinks that a lot of the things I do are just plain creepy. But, that is her and forever shall she remain herself.  And, that is why we continue to  love her ( no matter what I say on these pages ); because she is who she is.

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 .....anyway, back in 1983 when  I was on top of the world so to speak, on top because  I had the great fortune to cross paths with this wonderful female that I am always talking about. And, part of the scenario was the fact that I was driving a 1982 Toyota Corolla  Hardtop SR5. Now, rest assured dear friends that this car was the most important thing in my life, until I came across this girl that is. I remember trading in my 1978 White Toyota Corolla Liftback for this new vehicle of mine.  I bargained very earnestly in those days let me assure you. I loved to bargain and hassle over purchasing new vehicles. In fact, when I finally got delivery of my new vehicle the salesman said: " you got a really good deal ".  Well, that may be so. Who is to say for sure right?  Anyhow, I got my dream car and I did some serious bargaining to get it.  After the paperwork was signed I remember that I had to wait a couple of weeks for delivery. I just couldn't wait, the excitement was too much. I recall driving into Richmond where I purchased the vehicle and just sitting by the railroad tracks watching the trains roll by to see if my new car was on its way to the dealership.  Anyhow friends, that is just the way I am when I really want something; I just can't wait; the anticipation is just so great for me....

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Shown below is what a Toyota Corolla Hardtop in 1982 looked like. Mine was silver and it was a 5 speed. I had to have a standard of course because automatics were for sissys...

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So, why is all this stuff important?  Because when I met my dream girl this was my car. The Toyota Corolla was the reason why I met my dream girl. Toyota Corollas are lucky in love that is all. Not only that, I remember driving my dream girl home in this car of mine and that is when I fell in love with her. Sweet....or creepy?  Well, you decide.

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Anyhow, let us move up to the present and not waste too much time because I am sure you guys are now fairly interested in what I have to say and just what does all of this stuff mean?...

  It means that I am driving once again, a Toyota Corolla, a brand new and up to date model of course.  And, you can rest assured that I did my best bargaining that I could with these sellers of Toyota Corollas...

So, let's cut to the chase here and relay the importance of all this car stuff. It involves my dream girl as you might expect. A chance meeting or exchange was about to occur....and that interaction could only take place if certain things were to make it happen. Like the alignment of the stars, things on earth had to be in perfect order as well. Part of the coordination would involve my car of course..  But, there is more than just the car here friends. A lot of things had to come together before the love gods would even think of becoming involved in the wonderful event that was to unfold. That's right, they saw the similarities between 1983 and the present, well, the present being December, 2010. I was back at the old house and I was starting to drink beer again, just like in 1983, and maybe even puffing on a cigarette or two to boot. In other words friends, all conditions were in place for the best Christmas that I would have in a long time. I did my part and the love gods did the rest. Confused?  Well, don't be. Out of the blue it came and a fluke if there ever was one. But, that is the method of luck and destiny friends and you can count on that. My dream girl and myself crossed paths if only for a fleeting moment. Such a treasure. But, this time the internet was involved, and it was very special indeed friends. But, I am convinced now friends that conditions were ripe for it to happen - and destiny could not fail to do its part.  And, the purchase of the Toyota Corolla I feel played no small part; it is of course a key ingredient here.   The only thing missing was luck, and she appeared just before Christmas - and I am forever glad that she did. So, you see friends, Toyota Corollas are the best friends that a guy could ever have.

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2010 Toyota Corolla Image Found Here

picture of1982 Corolla found here

The Philosophers are saying marry ugly....

The Philosophers are saying marry ugly....

Friends, you and I both know that there is no such thing as an ugly woman. All women are beautiful in their own way. In fact, all people are beautiful if you just take time to examine them.  Falling in love with a so-called ' beautiful ' or ' pretty ' woman though can sometimes make things problematic for those who fall in love with such a person.  If I, or anyone else  finds a woman desirable then quite possibly, others are going to come to the same conclusion about her.  We soon discover that we have a problem on our hands.  And, that is the fact that the woman in question is going to quickly realize that she is desirable once she notices that many others are clamoring to win her hand or otherwise spend some time with her. She most likely will become quite picky about her suitors.  So, that means competition friends and it also spells trouble for the potential losers in these kinds of situations as well as you might expect.  Now, you certainly cannot blame the woman for making her choices. She is deemed to be beautiful and she would be stupid to not capitalize on her favoured position. So, what we have to do here friends is to try and soften the blow to the failed suitors or the non-winners if you like.  We need to offer these poor souls some advice in these kinds of situations; i.e. trying to win a beautiful women in a sea of suitors, so to speak.   Now, whether they take that advice or not is simply a matter of how common-sensical they are. Some people will simply not listen to reason of course. There really is a way out of this kind of situation friends. You do have options for your emotional survival. There are beautiful girls, and well, there are the other girls too - the overlooked girls if you like.  Guys simply need to take a second look at so-called ' Ugly Women ', ugly being defined of course as not being so highly in demand as some of the other girls. Friends, please take this advice. You don't need to waste you time in these kinds of situations; i.e.  pursuing beautiful and unattainable woman. In many cases they are simply not worth the effort anyway.  Mostly, dealing with highly desirable women is just a recipe for pain and disappointment anyway; it is a colossal waste of time.   There are options friends and they look like very good options indeed if you take time to study a situation like this. Hit on and pursue that so-called ugly woman. And, don't forget: if you are successful in your endeavours you are still getting a woman- even if she is deemed to be ugly. But, rest assured that she will not be anything resembling ugly - she will become beautiful in fact and in every sense of the word.   This so-called ugly woman may not be your first choice, but she will be an all woman all the time. Count on it! And, she is going to be faithful and she is going to make you a very happy man indeed. So, marry her if she likes you and be done with the issue. Let the other guys deal with the pain, you don't need it.  .... But, there is more friends. Much more indeed. What if you are the successful suitor of the so-called beautiful woman and you do actually win her hand in marriage? Then what happens?  Well, most likely the beautiful woman will turn into a two-timer. Not guaranteed of course, but the potential is certainly there is it not?  And, why shouldn't the beautiful woman play the field so to speak?  She is beautiful and she needs to build and capitalize on that beauty. So, listen to what the philosophers are saying friends.  They are suggesting  that you don't have to necessarily marry a beautiful woman if you want to be happy. They are saying: marry that ugly woman if she comes your way and don't even think about it, just do it.
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 So, lessen your risk and marry ugly.
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 Looking at things in another way; the failed suitors are already the winners  because they will not have to deal with a potential unfaithful wife.  So, it is the winners who potentially turn out to be the losers, happily married to their unfaithful wife if you know what I mean - and the losers who potentially turn out to be the winners - because they get to marry an ' ugly ' but faithful companion. So, this is where losing actually becomes winning.   Isn't philosophy great friends?
 So, think about it. Philosophy is a really cool thing and, it is this basic if you want it to be:

Here is a sixties song which, hopefully, will explain everything for you;

1963

Jimmy Soul - If you wanna be happy


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The above offered as a public service by the author.
Other similar offerings include the following:
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How To Pick Up Women....
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Closing the book on the Karen Lenihan Project....

Closing the Book on

the Karen Lenihan Project....

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Friends, it is with  a great deal of sorrow that I must announce on this day, the end of the ' Karen Lenihan Project '.  I trust that you are all aware of my reasons for this necessary, and timely decision, and thanks to all of my friends and acquaintances who have expressed an interest in my life, and in my dreams.....

Bye for now....

photograph found in Wikimedia

Happy New Year 2011

Happy New Year



All the best for 2011 Friends

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Here's hoping that all of my friends and acquaintances make it to the next year in one piece, because that is what I am hoping for.

Friends, I believe in destiny, and because I believe in destiny I am forced to accept conditions as they are presented to me. Why even bother to fight destiny if you cannot control it? Greater powers than us humans control these things. The human psyche is soothed by knowing these kinds of things. Destiny delivers and destiny taketh away. If you read my most recent play here then you would accept these things as I have come to do.

 Have a great year and see you one year down the road, destiny willing, that is. Singing below friends is Skeeter Davis. In 1963 she had two top hits, and this is one of them;
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'Always an optimist'

The meaning of 2010...

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Friends, this City of ours keeps on surprising me. What a wonderful day it was here in Vancouver. Brilliant sunshine put a smile on everybody's face and that was in spite of the very cool air. The North Shore mountains looked fantastic with their new coat of fresh snow and everywhere I went I just knew that people were enjoying this day as much as I was.
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I started out the day buying gas at a Chevron gas station. Chevrons are the best because they are always neat and tidy and the bathrooms are well taken care of as well. They don't give you the bums rush either when you need to do a critical pit stop if you know what I mean.  On this bright and sunny day I got my truck washed in one of their automatic car washes. A female attendant gave me a voucher for a free car wash a couple of days ago and this was the day that I decided to take advantage of her unexpected gift to me.  When I got to the station she asked: " have you done it yet? ".  And, I said " no, but today will be the day. "  She smiled approvingly. And, that is how my day started out. Everything would be pretty and neat and I would feel wonderful all day long as I listened to my tunes and drove about in the December sunshine in my shiny and very clean white truck.

At about 5 PM I was approaching the downtown core area and what a show nature put on for us let me tell you. Words cannot describe the magic that  I saw in front of me, but words will have to suffice because I had no electronic gadgetry on hand to record the drama for you. You cannot beat nature friends when it wants to perform. I am driving into the downtown core via the Granville Street Bridge from the Southside area and the sun is setting and it is causing reflections on the highrises of the urban core. And, these majestic, glass laden pillars are now numerous indeed; they are welcoming you to the core; it is like a beckoning. The sky is darkened, but the buildings and their windows come alive all dressed up in their various shades of greens, blues and twinkling whites.  It is as if the buildings themselves were part of some sort of production; they played their part and they did it brilliantly. Need I say more?

Friends, we simply need to acknowledge that the end of this year is near. 2010 is rapidly coming to a close, only one more day of the year to experience and then it is all over but the shouting so to speak. 2010 was a tremendous year for me in terms of experience; there was meaning and revelations for me on numerous fronts.

We all lived through and loved the Olympics. I cannot even begin to describe for you the emotional joy and pride that us Vancouverites felt when the event was alive. I have never encountered such a thing in my life. It is amazing what thousands of people gathered together in common cause can do in terms of producing that do good human feeling. Never have I been so proud to be born in Vancouver.   It took the Olympics to bring it all into focus for me; I was living in the best damn spot in the world and this event proved that to me.   Check out this Olympics video in the streets of Vancouver:

Robson Street Video

On another front, 2010 also saw the death of a comrade courier. His name was Bill. If you want to read more about him then you can visit the part of my blog called Dear Courier Diary I need to ask Bill's forgiveness for what I am about to do here. Bill and I were friends, well maybe not really close friends, but darn good acquaintances anyway, and he knows about my dream girl since I talked about her just about every chance I could get. After Bill died I went to a small gathering honoring his death. These were his friends that were gathered here. Some of them loved him and others were his friends and work mates such as myself. Some memorabilia was assembled on a table in the building where the honoring took place. On display were the precious moments of Bill's last days as they were enjoyed by him and his loved one. Among the items that were assembled there was a photograph of him and his girlfriend and their most recent trip. Bill and his girlfriend had been to Juneau, Alaska and there was the picture sitting on the table right in front of me to prove it.  I was literally taken aback when I saw that photo. What did it mean -and why now?  Bill never told me that he went there and if he had he would never hear the end of my questions about his trip.... All the best in the Great Beyond Bill and sorry you missed the end of a magical year and today was very magical indeed.
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