My Trip to Pictou, Nova Scotia

On Thursday, May 10th, I headed out for another reading from Chasing Freedom down to Pictou, Nova Scotia. What a beautiful slice of Nova Scotia located on the picturesque Northumberland Shore. the birthplace of New Scotland. With its rustic charm, period stone buildings, unusual layout and walking trail along the harbour, it is the perfect place for a quiet retreat.   
At the Willow House Inn B&B, I and fellow author, Susan White, were welcomed with warm Maritime hospitality. This historic house, built in 1840, offered such a comfortable bed, I drifted off to one of my most wonderful sleeps. The following morning,  we enjoyed  a delicious breakfast which featured freshly baked rasin and fruit peel scones. Delicious.

After a brisk walk around the town which for me always includes finding a special something to purchase, we met with  two classes of Grade 8 students at Pictou Library. A grand time it was with community members, students, teachers and librarians.

This was one of those ventures that takes me back to my roots... a small town where community is strong and people wear their pride like a badge of honour.

Ship Hector

Salt Water Cafe





Guard Your Time

Looking through old photo albums, I was thinking how nice it would be to travel back in time for a spell and relive my life with more enthusiasm and wherewithal.

I have come a long way, from ring box phones and one-room schools to the magic of the Internet. With change, I have evolved as well. My personal evolution came with much stress. I belonged to many organizations. Had two marriages. And as a teacher, there were always endless hours of preparing lessons, tests, exams and then marking all that paperwork.

Time had little mercy, moving at lightning speed, taking me along on a whirlwind while I barely focused on any one thing and before I knew it, my children had slipped through my hands and things I had intended to do never materialized. I blame part of it on the fact that we are caught up in a capitalist system that forces us to spend our days creating wealth for others. A system that steals a huge amount of our time from enjoying many of the beautiful things in life. And I blame myself for casually passing through life without truly appreciating it.

I wish I had guarded my time and used more of it for myself because as the saying goes, "Time waits for no one." Luckily, I get that now and I must be off because there is not a moment to spare.

Who is the Joke Really On?

Many public and private schools around the world have a mandatory rule of wearing uniforms to school for the duration of the school day. And while there is much agreement in the private realm about the wearing of uniforms, the public realm continues to do battle over the issue. It is not my intention to list the pros and cons of uniforms regarding cost, social equity, modesty, sexual provocation, loyalty or even discipline.

However, I do want to address the argument put forth against adopting school uniforms. Many contend that school uniforms would restrict the outward expression of their unique individuality, be a major hurdle in the road to self-expression, even a stumbling block in the path of creativity and self discovery.

Well, let’s take a closer look at “Generation Z” (those born between 1990 and 2010) to see if this argument holds water. The trends and interests of today’s youth change from week to week. In the U.S. statistics show this group spends $30 billion of their own money each year and influence another $150 billion of their parents’ spending. I dare say that Generation Z in Canada have much the same power over spending though in smaller amounts. Children have become an especially lucrative market in the establishment of brand name preferences. The conclusion I draw from this is that today’s youth are buying into the advertising, opinions, images and stories contrived to influence them to conform to a specific image of how they are supposed to be, look and act.

NIKE, McDonalds, Disney, Barbie, Pepsi, music labels, fashion labels, liquor/cigarette companies and movie producers spend millions every year on product development, marketing and advertising to youth. The use of cartoon characters, models, and young movie stars, increased levels of violence and sexual content and youth oriented activities is specifically geared towards influencing attitudes, interests, tastes, buying habits and decision making of young people. This can only means one thing― Generation Z is being programmed to follow the leaders.

One need only visit a shopping mall or school to view the results― the majority of people are dressed in the same attire: pajama bottoms, low rise jeans or pants on the ground, revealing tops or hoodies and leggings while sporting piercings and tattoos, similar hair styles and make-up. What I’m saying is that this amounts to following the leaders, something we have all done to feel part of the pack. So if everyone looks like everyone else, is that nothing more than wearing a uniform and the loss of individuality and creativity?  Whether one wears the official uniform of a school or the official uniform of corporations, the ideal of self expression, individuality and self-discovery could really be nothing more than a myth.

Anne Connor Brimer Award

This past year has been an exciting  time for me. I have travelled across my home province and Canada on a book tour and met so many wonderful people. I am excited to now be short listed for the Anne Connor Brimer Award for Children's Literature. As a part of the Atlantic Book Awards, I will travel to St. John's Newfoundland on May 17th for the celebrations. Congratulations to my fellow nominees Vicki Grant and Susan White. I look forward to meeting Susan on May11th in Pictou where we will read from our novels at the Pictou Library.