Life and Random Thinking

Gate A-4

Posted on July 31, 2017 by dfolstad58

My heart was warmed by this blog post, please enjoy the optimism you feel thanks to the author (not me)

Wandering around the Albuquerque Airport Terminal, after learning my flight had been delayed four hours, I heard an announcement: “If anyone in the vicinity of Gate A-4 understands any Arabic, please come to the gate immediately.” Well— one pauses these days. Gate A-4 was my own gate. I went there.

An older woman in full traditional Palestinian embroidered dress, just like my grandma wore, was crumpled to the floor, wailing. “Help,” said the flight agent. “Talk to her . What is her problem? We told her the flight was going to be late and she did this.”

I stooped to put my arm around the woman and spoke haltingly. “Shu-dow-a, shu-bid-uck, habibti? Stani schway, min fadlick, shu-bit-se-wee?” The minute she heard any words she knew, however poorly used, she stopped crying. She thought the flight had been cancelled entirely. She needed to be…

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Posted in Uncategorized | 4 Comments

I protested too much

Posted on July 20, 2017 by dfolstad58

Another disadvantage of getting a little seasoned every day, as in being a grizzled veteran of life, is that you are honest with yourself.

Okay, that honesty is a good idea, isn’t it? If you expect a certain result, then be clear, be precise on what you are wanting or needing otherwise learn telepathy, because they can’t read your mind. That applies to business, and relationships.

winnie 8 About two weeks ago, I had, for me, a very special day. I reached the 30 year milestone of my 2nd kidney transplant. I really started to look forward to crossing this “finish line” of sorts about two years ago when I received some bad news at a medical appointment.

During the day, on July 7, I thought back of the gadzillion visits I’ve had at hospitals, and laboratories since 1978 when I met a renal specialist downtown alone in Vancouver. It was likely a shock to the specialist that I was alone, and 18 years old getting this news but no one saw it coming. It was a lot to absorb for a teenager.

Now it is nearly 40 years later, years of dialysis, peritonitis, one failed kidney transplant and one kidney transplant successful were behind me. I felt a bit like I reached my own Mount Everest summit. Still, the journey continues, but it was a summit worth celebrating.

Back to the title of this post – In my life I protested too much about parties to celebrate milestones because I realize that I do really like making a fuss once a year, and I can see that it is fun for my inner circle of special friends and family also.

The days march on, and if we don’t take the time, with our circle – the days will march on regardless.

memory 2 In the last two weeks I have reflected that those celebratory parties are the whipping cream that comes free with the special cake that is life.

My takeaway thought for you reader and myself is – take the cream on your cake, throw on the icing character, put the flamingos on your lawn and not only that, don’t wait for someone else to plan it for you, make sure you get what you want or need from life, by planning for it yourself.

No regrets, please.

Thanks for reading, following along, sharing, commenting and have a wonderful day. 🙂

Posted in Thinking Out loud, Uncategorized | Tagged 30 years, birthdays, celebrate, honesty, mount everest, no regrets, piglet, thirty, Transplant | 11 Comments

July 1 was extra special this year

Posted on July 4, 2017 by dfolstad58

July 1 is Canada Day, ironically I am writing this on July 4 which is USA’s national day.

Allow me to say that over the years of travels to the United States, and interactions with some fellow bloggers in the USA, my fondness for their nation keeps improving. I know that my family tree is on both sides of the Canada/USA border as two brothers immigrated to New York in the early 1900’s, one brother stayed in the US, and the other went to and stayed in Canada. As a result, it seems natural that I like the USA, but my heart is Canadian as this is my home that I love and am proud of.

This Canada Day was especially memorable as my yard is flourishing with flowers, and we added a Canadian flag to hang from our front deck at our home. It looked grand!

Later in the day, we took it to the beach and my wife, son and I took turns posing with the flag with Skaha lake in the background. We have never done that before and we enjoyed it.

My home city, Penticton, I am informed, is one of only two cities in the world that is located between two different lakes. Canada Day here is celebrated with much public fanfare. In a park downtown there is bandshell and all day long the bandshell hosts different types of music and entertainment from belly dancing to scottish highland dancing. Of course there are food trucks everywhere and after the grand opening there is free cake!

During the opening ceremony, we citizens stand and sing O Canada, and recognize the indigenous people and their culture. At night the boats and beaches are full as the light is lit up with fireworks, as I know it will be tonight all over in the USA.

Many years we enjoy aerial displays from the Snowbirds but not every year. They put on a dazzling show that is always exhilarating to watch. Click here to see what I mean.

In Ottawa, the national capital for Canada, there is a huge party on July 1 – click here to hear The Nylons sing O Canada

Every country has it’s national day, and hopefully you will enjoy yours especially this year, as I did mine.

Nice day to sit on lakeshore bench

Thank you for visiting, and big thanks if you follow and add helpful suggestions/comments or ask questions, 🙂

Posted in O Canada, okanagan related, travel | Tagged Canada Day, national day, O Canada, Penticton BC, Snowbirds, The Nylons | 17 Comments

Arnold Chan – Member of Parliament

Posted on June 26, 2017 by dfolstad58

Okanagan Lake statues Saturday, June 17, 2017 In the Globe & Mail newspaper I read an article written by Laura Stone. If you want to read the short article – click here

I don’t as a rule find my blog inspirations from newspaper articles but this one about the Liberal MP Arnold Chan struck a chord. It struck a chord because:

What he is doing,
What he is not doing, and
His marvelous attitude

Arnold Chan is a member of parliament, and a lawyer. He is also a man who is seriously ill with a cancer diagnosis.

What he is doing

He continues to go to work in the Commons, and he does this he says; because he still can. ” I have this privilege. I want to exercise it to the best of my ability, one should just continue to live one’s life, despite whatever challenges you happen to have. And that’s how I choose to deal with it.”

What he is not doing

Mr Chan is not complaining, he is not blaming, he is not whining and this is despite having a serious health circumstance. He is very aware of every day but his daily choice is to “carry on“.

His marvelous attitude

Life for Arnold Chan has difficult, battling cancer for two years, but he says ” Life will take me where life will take me, this thing that unfortunately I have, will take me where it will take me. That’s all.”

My thoughts after reading this is that so many people are rich in health, and future and yet they are oblivious and complain. They grump, they swerve around cars and pedestrians in traffic, too discontent to look around and take in the moment, and oblivious of the treasure to be alive.

Some people are hoping to see another day, some others hope to leave their hospital bed and feel the wind on their cheek, and yet some people are irate because their drive took 30 seconds longer to get to a destination. I have no patience or understanding for drivers who think the road belongs to them.

I appreciate this article by Laura about Arnold Chan MP, a gentleman living his life the best he can despite illness and doing so with inspiring style. Visit Arnold Chan’s website here.

A person’s a person, no matter how small. – Dr. Seuss

Thanks as always for reading, and I always try to reply to any comments.

Posted in Thinking Out loud | Tagged Arnold Chan, attitude, cancer, duty, Globe and Mail, health, Laura Stone | 3 Comments

Kodachrome World

Posted on June 23, 2017 by dfolstad58

Yesterday the theme of my weekly Toastmasters Club meeting was Colour.

Grand Tetons2-67HDR There is so much science about color, cultural perceptions about colour that are specific to different parts of the world. I also learned that color blindness is much more likely to happen to males than females.

Psychology of color – if you look around online you will quickly find that color choices in ads are carefully planned to reach target audiences. A lot of research has been done to be able to predict how the public will respond to the commercial uses of color. It isn’t exactly behavior manipulation but still the right color choice affects how audiences respond, but the color choices could be totally different for a different culture.

Go to this link to find out What Colours Mean in Other Cultures.

I was wondering would you wear glasses that block colors for a week so that you could experience color for the first time like these people did?