Phendrana Drifts

At first glance it might appear that I have a case of blogger’s block. But I don’t think we can safely call it that, as I have a couple of draft posts sitting unfinished and it certainly can’t be said that there is nothing to write about. Hurricane Rita is about to hit the Texan coast, the Conservative Party of Canada may go though another phase, and of course, the topic I am most often contemplating, the wisdom of distributing $400/Albertan “prosperity bonuses.” I also can’t say I haven’t had the time, because while I am not bored and full of time, I do have enough to write. So, with the total absence of a good excuse, I won’t try and think of justifying myself with a bad one. Instead, I will just write. But about what… hmm… I will think of something, hopefully after the Thorncliff Elementary BBQ, and come back to you.

I forgot to mention I finished Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. It was fantastic. Much better than Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, which was a little bit of a let down for me. Of particular note, I teared up when I read this passage on the bus:

"I am not worried, Harry," said Dumbledore, his voice a little stronger despite the freezing water. "I am with you."

I am stuck again in the odd position of wishing for nothing more than the weekend and then coming up with remarkably little to do during it. Not that it is anything resembling a waste - far from it. I have ideas. I might do a bit of writing, certainly some video games, and preparing for my visiting cousin, who shall join us tomorrow for a brief stay.

I learned today through reading geeky forums that Wizards of the Coast isn't making any more books for the Star Wars RPG. And that they may stop printing the books that are in print. Boo.

After reading the Globe and Mail article today, I can't wait to read the book.

It is the fourth September 11 since September 11, 2001. I still can't fathom how much world politics and my society has changed since then. The world is different, and I can say with confidence that I doubt many would say it has changed for the better. Occassionally, I do find myself contemplating not how much it has changed here in Canada, but how little. Not that there is not changes - in our security and mindset, in how we perceive and interact with our neighbours to the south, in our academic and everyday outlook on Islam, terrorism and our place in the world. But in many repsects, I am hardpressed to think of a developed nation that has changed less. Our lives, at least my life, is carrying on at much the same pace. Of course there have been changes, but none attributable to September 11, 2001. The same certainly can't be said in New York or Baghdad, but here in Edmonton, it seems a distant thought.

The tragedy in New Orleans of course made it more real in my mind at least, the base level of can my family and I survive the "thing", whatever it is that would make us fear for our very lives. I like to think so, but I am not certain. Allie seems confident. She knows stuff I don't, like good first aid and how much food we will need. And that survival instinct I lack. Genuinely I would wait for the government to tell me to do something in such situations. But in New Orleans, that didn't work perfectly, especially those who ignored out of ignorance or necessity the demand to evacuate in the first place.

On a lighter note, when I started this blog post my cat was missing (for only about an hour). She is now found, sleeping in the closet, but not her usual spot. Yay cat!

So the relative rash of birthdays is over. Not that I feel any intrinsic posts coming to mind so I suppose it is safe to say nothing much is missed. To some degree, I feel this desire to post something intelligent, and while it isn't that my mind is devoid of intelligent thought, nothing relevant and appropriate is coming to mind. Perhaps I will think of something today - literally I have nothing planned for the day, and the kids are gone to Calgary for the weekend. Looking at the movies playing nothing super duper comes to the fore to rush out and see. Laziness may end up being the watchword of the day.

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