Coming to a paper near you ...

Actually, it's only to a paper near me, so if you don't live in my area I guess you're outta luck. Starting next week (I think) I will be writing a monthly column for one of our local papers. While it's just something small, it's a start. I'm excited to be committing to doing some writing on a regular basis. Now I just need to make the same commitment to my WIP.

Obama envy ...

Tomorrow Barak Obama makes his first official visit to our beautiful country and the Canadian media is acting like a giddy school girl. But can you blame them? This man has made history. This man is hope incarnate on so many levels for so many people. This man inspires. Is it any wonder that it's not just the American people who are enamoured with him? Don't we all wish we had an Obama?!

I think this envy is felt not just for the man himself. As a Canadian I feel envious that our southern neighbours have found a leader that excites his people. He aspires for a better country and leads his citizens to follow that dream. He is someone that his people trust. While I wish Obama was born in Halifax rather than Hawaii, I have to accept reality. He's already taken. In the mean time we are left pushing our noses against the glass and dreaming about what our neighbours are so lucky to have found. Of course there is that guy named Trudeau ... I guess we'll just have to see what ten years or so bring ...

And so it begins ... sigh

So tonight we're eating dinner. Our six year old comments about how skinny her little sister is (she is VERY thin - a tall, almost four year old with the waist size of a 24mth old). M says, "she's so skinny and I'm fat." Of course we immediately jump all over that. M is not fat at all, really, not parental bias talking here. She's small (go figure). In fact she is so small that she is the second smallest kid in a SK/grade 1 split class at school and she's in grade one. But she's not a petite, little elfin waif. She has a cute little compact muscular build. My husband likes to call her the "pocket rocket". A few hours later she said it again "I'm fat." Once more we reassured her that she is in no way fat and she replies that her friend "M" is skinny and she wants to be skinny like "M". My husband tells her skinny isn't pretty. She rolls her eyes and leaves the room.

Why oh why at six years old is my child now worried about her weight?! We're not sure if this requires further investigation (ie. has someone said something to her) or if she's just testing the waters and checking our reaction. In the mean time I'm left shaking my head. What a sad commentary on our society.

Making some noise and actually being heard!

You may recall my rambling posts a few weeks ago about the changes to Canada's Citizenship Act and how it will potentially affect the children of kids adopted internationally (you can scroll back and read if you missed it, I won't get into it again here). Well I am amazed to report that the Citizenship and Immigration Minister has apparently listened to the concerns of adoptive parents and is asking his officials to review the legislation. The issues that the new legislation have created for adopted children were allegedly an oversight (although I find it hard to believe that not one person involved in this whole process didn't catch it, especially when the Ministry's website contains a specific reference to adopted persons in it's explanation of the impending changes, however I digress ...). It is heartening to know that the outcry was heard. Let's just hope that it can affect some change.

Props to the girl in the shiny silver dress

So my hubby and I are watching the Grammys tonight. The announcer introduces Kanye West. He starts singing. I'm thinking "he doesn't sound that great. Obviously he's someone who benefits from a little post-production ." Then this girl joins him on stage. She starts singing. Now I recognize the song. She's good. In fact, she carries the song, does most of the singing. I figure Mr. West will introduce her at the end. The applause fades. He acknowledges someone else and then introduces the next segment. There is obsolutely no mention of the girl with the voice standing next to him. I found this odd, and insulting for the singer. Out of curiousity I looked it up. It turns out the song isn't even Kanye West's. It's the girl's! Her name is Estelle. The single is "American Boy" featuring Kanye West. Bizarre. I think Miss Estelle needs to get herself a better manager or contract or something.

Congrats Hedley - love this song - kinda touches a cord right now.