Happy Canada Day!

Yes, July 01 is Canada Day.

And confession…it is no longer Canada Day where I live unless I try and do a quick calculation with time zones…erm…nevermind…

Enough of my anonymity has already slipped through the cracks. I’ve backdated a few posts to keep up with Blog365…what’s one more?

So, here’s a YouTube. Any Canadian readers will know this instantaneously. Well, if they are of my generation, they certainly should.

If you are not Canadian, then you should recognise that in just one form (early 1970s) we had no problem making fun of ourselves re: the RCMP. Also, Dudley Do Right was intermingled with Rocky and Bullwinkle.

Your Tits Are Now A Threat To National Security

I was sick over the weekend and as a result, haven’t had a chance to catch up on any “news items” such as this lovely piece of work. I linked to a blog as, well…shameful as it is, I kind of don’t want it to sink into the archives as some of the other charming “news stories” that I’ve occasionally mentioned.

So erm…yes. This woman had to yank out her goddamn nipple ring with a set of–believe it or not–pliers. Yes, how does that “grab” you? They set off a metal detector at the airport and they wouldn’t let her board the plane. She did manage to get the one out but the other was being a bit stubborn?

Now, I don’t have any piercings. Well, my ears are pierced but I honestly can’t remember the last time I actually even bothered to put a pair of earrings in. Beyond that? Body piercings really aren’t for me and I can’t imagine having my nipples pierced (or anything else!) as it would really hurt? And yanking something out of my breast with a tool that they may have just used to repair that 767 sitting out on the tarmac?

Well, I suppose having your bellybutton pierced may not be that bad. And yes…she was allowed to get on with that. Uh huh.

So your tits are a danger but your stomach is okay.

Fuck, I have a bonded retainer on my bottom teeth at the front. It’s left over from when I was a teenager and it was a quickie preventative measure as I had braces on the top. By having the bonded retainer “installed” (it’s basically a small metal wire on the back of my teeth!) I wouldn’t need braces. Well…if they need me to remove it because my teeth are a danger… Whoa, I’m pretty well screwed, chewed and barbecued! I need a dentist to help do that!

A set of pliers? My teeth?

I change my mind. I’d rather rip out my nipple rings in front of the whole bloody airport on Christmas Day than try and remove my bonded retainer with a set of pliers!

Still, not to make light…this whole thing is so out of control.

Hey! After I Become A Man, I’ve Got A Great Excuse To Commit Adultery!

Oh, I just found this but no doubt all the media pundits/bloggers have been all over it since it happened.

Prologue: “Dr.” Laura (Laura Schlessinger) is more of a fucking whackjob than I could EVER be!

This may not be news to any of you out there.

Whoo boy.

Here we have the first lovely clip that ran on the Today show where our…I don’t even know what to call her…gets into a bit of a “theory” about perhaps why Spitzer/Shitzer went astray. You see, it was all Silda’s fault…well, so some people are interpreting it *PA rolls eyes* Regardless, whenever a man does go astray: it is the woman’s fault.

Oh, fuck. Make that that WIFE’S fault. I’ve got to find a name for her…okay…”Useless Tit.” Useless Tit would never approve of anything other than a God-Sanctioned-Hetero-Union. I should have said, “Wife.”

But the above clip gets kind of funky and it turns into a weird sort of clusterfuck (now Useless Tit would never approve of that!) There is this other panel of “experts” (including Jim McGreevey’s ex-wife Dina Matos…) and well, you’ll just have to watch it yourself. Not to mention, Useless Tit gets a little Freudian on you re: men learning their first connections to heterosexual relationships from Mommy…thus, if Wifey doesn’t nurture them, everything goes to hell in a brothel, right?

And you know? I thought I heard in a clip that Useless Tit had some advice for the Spitzer daughters (I won’t call them Shitzers.) Did Useless Tit say the same thing about them with Daddy? That they, and all other little girls, develop their heterosexual learnings from their fathers? I may have been hallucinating after listening to this shit for so long, however.

Either way, good fucking lord. Oops. Useless Tit wouldn’t want me taking “The Lord (Hallelujah!)’s” name in vain now, would she?

In the second clip here that ran on Fox, Useless Tit tries to do some weird ass back pedalling garbage like she’s getting all Freudian on herself and trying to masturbate her id, super-ego and ego all at the same time. Useless Tit tried to pull the same useless (tit) stunt later on Today but look out! In this clip, Useless Tit starts whipping out actual diagnoses for philanderers! No. I am not kidding. And how that all factors into the fucking around, the relationships and “Wifey’s” role.

Still, if I ever do become a man, I guess I’ve got my excuse all rolled up tightly thanks to Useless Tit. I just have to get married and say my wife is a complete dud, won’t fuck me like I want or do anything like I want! Then I’ll be off the hook and be able to screw as many other women as I’d like!

Unreal.

Now, I really think I need a drink. Or several.

Ah…and obviously the question that needs to be asked here is, what if the husband is not fulfilling his “dutiful” role? Can his “wife” go out and find some guy and bang his brains out senseless? Or even better, Useless Tit? Can she go find a woman and do it with her!!!

Let’s Hear It For Being Gay In New York!

So here’s some lovely news from New York about gay marriage. It’s a little long, but worth it if you’re interested. It seemed to be the best that I could find out there.

There’s a second link to an article that makes mention, and drags poor Jason West from New Paltz back into the mix. He got into trouble as mayor there in 2004 as he “proposed” (pun intended) to marry a bunch of gay couples–even though it wasn’t legislated by the state? Hmmm. Oh you’ve got to love him for his stance on the matter, and his conviction! You really should read the link in this paragraph. It’s great! He’s funny.

However, the “bad news” from the other link that mentions him from the first paragraph says that charges are now going to be reinstated against him for all the ruckus he caused. Oh dear.

If you haven’t read any of the above, what it all has boiled down to is that there has been a court ruling to recognize that gay marriages (or same-sex, if you prefer) can now be recognized within the state if they are performed anywhere outside of the state.

Like in Canada!

Yes, all we happy homos (like PA)…

…can all end up in wedded bliss…

Still, it’s just the beginning. No doubt there will be appeals, and fights, and blah, blah, blah. I mean, Massachusetts tried to get the whole ball rolling, and legalize it, but that fizzled out.

But what about Canada, you say? How did we get there? Well, basically it was a whole lot of bitching, and fighting, and it was not ultimately decided by Parliament. No, it was actually decided by the Supreme Court of Canada (if memory serves…I am really not that into politics, even if they do surround issues that may impact my life…I may have been too depressed to even pay attention depending upon what was going on in my life at the time.)

Anyway, based upon that decision, it did actually go to “vote” in Parliament but it was a sort of “sham” vote since it was already deemed legal from a civil perspective. The voting process was merely for the politicians to say “yes” or “no” in order to either state their convictions or their constituents’ positions. If it’s the latter, and it’s the hottest item on the ticket, that’s how you hope to win your seat, right? Regardless, other issues on the ballot, of course.

So, it’s more of a “civil” issue here. That is not to say it is like a “Civil Union,” like in the UK. Or, is it just England. I don’t know if it is in Scotland as well as they have a different Parliamentary process. No, it is completely legal here, and it can be performed in churches, shuls (well, Reform Judaism or course!) It is entirely up to the religious institution/location. Or you can just head down to “City Hall,” and do it on the cheap. Or find someone who has a license to marry people, and do it on the beach! I went to a marriage ceremony for two women who did that!

Now, is there a chance that gay marriage will “go away?” Yes. Here we have something called The Notwithstanding Clause. If you didn’t link to the first article, this one might kill you. Do you speak, “Legalese?” It’s not that bad, really. It’s not actual legislation, but more an overview, and an explanation of what it’s about and some discussion.

What the Notwithstanding Clause is basically about, and what it can do is take some of the rights out of our Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and toss them out the window. (I’m not going to link to the “Charter” as it is actual legislation and you will kill me.) Some rights are considered “entrenched,” or untouchable. However, gay marriage is not one of them. It is not, or was ever specifically written into the “Charter,” but it’s awfully gray…still a Human Rights Issue.

The Notwithstanding Clause also has a “shelf life,” if you will. It can only be invoked for a period of five years. This is basically due to the maximum length the Federal Party at the time will be in power–in a Majority Vote setting–yes, that should be right. Still, that’s an awfully long time to sit and wait under ridiculous, asinine, fear-mongering, despotic, hypocritical, discriminatory…fuckwads.

Stephen Harper (aka Bush Lite) has actually uttered the words: “Notwithstanding Clause.” I have discussed this with people (I can’t stand talking with people about religion, and politics when they get so inflamed!) They seem to think that if he wins a Majority Government in the next Federal Election, he’ll invoke the “Clause.” I disagree.

Harper is the leader of our most right-wing party, the Conservatives. They’re really only one of two that have a chance of taking over the House. The other are the Liberals, and they have a majority support of gay marriage. Actually, I think there might have even been a few Conservatives who supported it, much to the party’s horror *laughing* Our other “larger” party is the poor, downtrodden NDP who is “lefty, lefty!” They are in full support of gay marriage, but will never get a majority or minority in Parliament!

So we’ll see if the “Clause” ever gets invoked in this manner. I still don’t think it will. It’s only ever been used in the past on a Provincial level–never Federally. This is a huge Human Rights Issue as well. What about all the people that have already gotten married? Stamp them null and void?

I think Harper is just shooting all of this out of his big yap to keep his electorate happy. He surely must have bigger fish to fry. Anyway, good luck to you pink New Yorkers, and also the rest of you in the U.S. Keep up the fight!

Bhutto: Why Did I Have To Read All About That?

I wanted to get this up on Friday but I became rather consumed at work and then later that night, I went out to dinner with a man from the neighbourhood. We hadn’t seen each other in a while so we had some catching up to do. Then we went back to his place and just kept talking up a storm. He is quite lovely. A fair bit older than me and truly an old school gentlemen as men of his age are or would almost be expected? I am never allowed to pay for our evenings out! And he took me shopping for groceries with his car on Saturday!!! Now, of course I had to pay for those…

I went a bit crazy. Take advantage of someone with a vehicle and buy a couple hundred dollars worth of food? Well, really…what a better thing for me to spend my money on, right? I’m actually quite pleased I have this amount of food. I don’t actually quite understand what this means. I suppose I was truly grateful for “Grocery Man’s” generosity (I think I’ll give him that as a nickname?) but it also could mean that my appetite is improving a bit and well…I have a sufficient amount of stuff to keep me going for a while.

He reminds me…well, of an “ersatz friend” that I had mentioned earlier. A bit older but very similar in a lot of ways. I haven’t seen this other man in so long. I can’t even remember the last time. It is sad. So, replace your old friends with new ones? Well, you can’t really do that–not completely. People you care for in your life are irreplaceable individually.

But I already covered “lost friends” earlier. However, this does tie into loss…just in a different way. Alright. On to Bhutto, etc…

Now, no doubt all the politico-bloggers out there are typing up a storm about Bhutto’s assassination on Thursday, three days ago. I really don’t have much (more) to offer in that respect.

Other than perhaps this: The world is a goddamned, bloody, fucking mess! Wow, PA. What a fantastic and erudite observation! Maybe you should enter the arena of politics, too!

So, it comes as no surprise that any leader–or ex-leader pitching to lead it again–of a country like Pakistan (or so many others these days) would need to consider the prospect of being assassinated. And she was a woman. And she was highly controversial. And the corruption allegations and scandals. And the fucking war that is going on and is there or will there ever be an end in sight with that?! Or is that the most asinine question to pose?

No, I didn’t read all of this terribly depressing news because of the politics or even Bhutto (although, I do find her interesting.) I read all of this, again, terribly depressing news because it made me think of my birth father. If you don’t already know, he is (was…I don’t even know if he is still alive) from Pakistan. If you don’t know the story of it, I blogged about it here. One error in the post as it was originally on my Blogger blog is something about a “list” in my sidebar but no matter. And also an “update” regarding my mother as this was written back in December 2006.

If you don’t wish to click on the link, here’s the basic rundown. In 1969, my non-bio dad had to go to Pakistan on business. The whole family went, my mother and my older sister. My sister is 5 years older than me. My mother who is completely mentally unhinged slept with one of the servants (the Westerners were treated almost like Royalty, right?) He’s my dad…my biological daddy.

I never knew this and found out completely by accident when I was 29. I mean, if it wasn’t for a slip from non-bio dad to a psychiatrist who documented it, I still may not know to this day. And I am quite sure that everyone in the entire family knew. Even my sister. Although she was just a wee tot when I was conceived and born, when I spoke to her later, she said that she had “overheard” some things when she was older.

I felt like such a “dirty little secret.” Well, I suppose I was. Rather taboo? I suppose for some women it still is or could be. And wow…my biological father could have gotten in so much trouble.

*sigh*

So, I completely tortured myself by reading all about Bhutto on Friday and thinking about the man who is my biological father that I will never know. Even what little I have been told about him is vague, conflicting, possibly warped by mom and non-bio dad’s ridiculously selfish perspectives. And certainly my own mother’s denial. They could even be lies. For example, non-bio dad told me that they were the same age. My mother told me that no, he was about 20 years older than her/non-bio dad (they are close in age.)

So yes, that brings me to my mother and I. On my birthday last year (early March) I finally “confronted” her about all of this over the telephone. Now, recall, I found out about this when I was 29–eight years ago. I held all of this in for a really long time for fear of basically driving her over the edge. I had only spoken to non-bio dad and my sister. And really, I felt that my mother held the key or keys to the kingdom. She was really the only one that knew…possibly any information? And due to her mental state…what could I get out of her?

It was a tough conversation. It was very circuitous and at times, full of denial and then some hints of truth would come out. I cried a bit, she cried a bit less? But at the end, she went right back into denial mode and said, “If this is what you need to believe, I won’t take that away from you.” That was…not a very good way to end the conversation. Again, it is the kind of double-talk you will invariably receive from her. Normally, I can do know wrong in her eyes as…well, it’s complicated as in the link above, there is reference to a possible miscarriage. I “survived,” as she still remained pregnant. Due to that fact, I was “chosen by god to live.” This is due to her religious grandiosity as she believes she is the second coming.

So, I am a god child. Who is perfect. I am a “chosen one,” too. Trust me…it’s quite a burden to grow up with. Especially when there was a juxtaposition that my sister was “evil.” Or at times.

So, regardless, to have the conversation end that way when I am always praised and given whatever I want was difficult. Things have improved to a degree…perhaps? Last spring, we did speak again of my biological father briefly when I came out of hospital and I had a visit with her. She actually referred to him as “my father.” I found that interesting.

She has also extended the offer to get together and talk about it and “tell me whatever she knows and can.” That might help. She also said she wants it to remain private and just between the two of us. That also may mean she might be willing to open up a bit and slip out of her denial and deluded state regarding it all.

I do not know. She is and always has been incredibly unpredictable. She can turn on a dime. I probably shouldn’t get my hopes up.

I’m going to stream something for my biological daddy now. “Cloudbusting” by Kate Bush.

Patriotic Guilt

 

Okay, okay…so I’m late. Happy Canada Day. With July 04 passing, I’m seeing some US bloggers wishing everyone a Happy 4th and all of that. Well, oh dear…bad, PA.  She didn’t fulfill her patriotic duty and wish everyone a happy “Canada Day.” Canada Day is July 01.

Now, PA isn’t even sure how many Canadian readers she has. She suspects that her readership is comprised mainly of UK readers and then secondly US readers. Fellow Canucks, speak up and be heard! Let me know who you are! I only know of two of you in my Blogroll. She can recall a couple of commenters from Canada stopping by…hmmm. Well, it’s not like it’s mandatory to say where you’re from but…well, it is kind of interesting, I find. And stupid stats counters as we’ve all covered a gazillion times are unreliable. I think when I’ve gone into Site Meter just out of curiosity, my suspicion above has been proven: UK first, US second.

Kind of funny, don’t you think? PA’s Canadian. But she still has this bizarre UK “thing” about her. She even composes her posts in her mind and reads in her head with a UK accent. She is odd. No, perhaps, deranged and insane might be more apt descriptions. She is obsessed with something about the UK. She should probably find out all holidays in the UK and start celebrating them too? Is there some kind of illness about being obsessed with another country? Or maybe it’s just the accents. Oh dear. Get her in a room with someone (particularly England) and she’s done. If it’s a woman? Oh my god…she’ll just die on the spot. An attractive woman? Oh, don’t even go there…PA will be a little puddle on the floor.

Will some woman from the UK please ring up little PA? She’ll give out her number…just email her! She’ll even pay for the call! When we talk you can give me your address and I’ll send over the money–I’m good for it, really. PA’s got the cash. Or maybe there’s a way to do a collect call from overseas. Either way–WE CAN MAKE IT WORK!

Apologies, I’m getting off point. Like I said, I’m rather obsessed.

So I didn’t really think anyone from overseas (or maybe even Canada) would give a big whoop-dee-doo about our National Holiday. Don’t get me wrong. I love my country just as much as the next Canadian (or maybe even more) but to me, it’s just another day off work.

However, some brief history. It’s not the same as in the US where it’s like an “Independence Day” where the country severed it’s ties from England. No, no…we stayed actually pretty well tied to England’s apron strings until 1982! How’s that for funny! I’m actually (re)learning a bit of my own Canadian History as I’m writing this. I hate our history and was so bored with it in school. It’s boring because we’re so young–nothing exciting happened–unless you might wish to count our 20 minute war over the battle of Upper and Lower Canada–basically between the British and French…yawn.

But I still love my country.

But what is now “Canada Day” was formerly called “Dominion Day.” It recognizes Canada as a “Dominion’ as far as the British North America Act in 1867. England still retained much control over the country and several provinces hadn’t even been established yet. But it was a step in the direction of us becoming completely independent from England…formally in 1982. HA! That kills me. PA was 12 years old.

Maybe that’s why she’s so enamoured with the UK and accents (specifically British ones) *wink*

Oh yes. And how did I celebrate our most patriotic holiday? I didn’t do a damn thing. Except have my startle response fully and completely triggered numerous times by people setting off firecrackers outside several nights in a row.

Movie Review #1

Okay, so I mentioned to a fellow blogger that I rented four movies today. Yes, I am trying to keep my brain occupied. I mentioned that I would attempt to write reviews on my blog. I suck at this, I am sure of it. And the first one is probably not a good one to start with because I have enough UK readers so I am positive I will embarrass myself. It was “The Queen.”

I get too caught up in movies, I think, to actually review them. I used to have a friend, well I still do I guess, even though we haven’t talked in years who was a Filmmaker and she would always bring a pad and a pen to movies and take notes obsessively. I would think, are you even watching or paying attention?

So I will not be reviewing this movie. The only real reason I wanted to see it is because I love Helen Mirren. I want her to adopt me. I know. Could I want to be from the UK any more? If it’s becoming annoying, people, please tell me. Or maybe all you people from the UK think I’m sweet. I do like Canada, though, I do. I just have this unexplainable *thing* for the UK. I don’t understand it. I don’t question it. I just let it be.

Ah…Seroquel…and Imovane…and sickness…altogether a relaxing combo if only my chest didn’t hurt so much.

Anyway, basically well cast and well acted and Helen was great, as always.

I don’t know what everyone out there thought of Diana dying. Maybe some cared, maybe some didn’t but it almost seemed like a “Kennedy Moment” for a different generation. It’s like, “What were you doing when Diana died? Do you remember?” Well, maybe that’s a little much as she wasn’t a World Leader but she was pretty damn important to a lot of people and she did make an impact on peoples’ consciousness and minds. Even if you didn’t care for her you still knew who she was, what she was involved in and what she was up to. If nothing more she was a huge pop culture icon.

I remember I was in a gay bar and dancing up a storm and they stopped everything and put the news on the big screen TV. We all thought it was a joke. A comedy show skit or something. But later, we found out it was true.

I felt bad. I really did. I liked her and I think she had to put up with a lot of shit. Indeed, she made a choice to marry into it but she was so young! I don’t think she really knew what she was doing or what lay ahead. And Charlie had a mistress all along and good grief. Yes, happiness all around. A “fairytale” for sure.

And it all happened when Blair had just started and he was eager and shiny and new, the Queen et al. (save Charles in the movie anyway) hated her…and I won’t even bother to get into the bloody Royals (does anyone even care?) and/or UK politics because I haven’t got the faintest clue. But I know a lot of people aren’t happy with Blair and the Labour party. Shit, all you have to do is read about the NHS on peoples’ blogs to get a glimpse?

But all I could do as soon as I finished watching was listen to this song. And if you don’t already know, it was inspired by Bush and Blair. I’d post the actual music video but it’s not very good and I thought this one was a bit more fun because it’s from a German TV show.

Crazy Psychiatrist?

I know.  I’m back.  This might be a record for the number of blog posts in one day.

Oh boy.  Good news? Bad news?

I was so completely beside myself I decided to make a flurry of calls to psychiatrists this afternoon.  During dinner, one called me back and agreed to see me as soon as I was discharged.  I asked, just to be clear, no waiting list? Nope, he said.  He sounded very nice over phone.  We reviewed my laundry list of diagnoses and he said to simply call and we would meet, see if we “liked each other” and then go from there.  Okay…

I mentioned this to some of my pals on the ward and they quipped, “What, is he taking you to dinner?” Yes, haha.  I felt good about it though and thought…well, maybe he’s actually a decent doctor? Maybe I lucked out? Maybe some good news after all?

So off I go to do some research in attempt to find out more about this fellow and erm…I see that he is affiliated with a group that advocates…how shall I say this…rehabilitative therapy for homosexuality.  Or maybe “reorientation therapy?” Yes, that is how one “therapist” has phrased it.  So basically, if you don’t want to be gay anymore you can seek therapy for that.  And yes, you can change.  Well, I suppose that’s possible? I don’t know.

I’ve never tried to go back to being straight.  Well, that’s not entirely true? I was with a man for a while years ago but really, I missed women too much so I ended it.  So I don’t know what the hell kind of “label” you’d want to stick on me or what this organization would say about me but I don’t really think I was “trying to be straight” or head back into the closet or “reorient” myself at the time.  Not at all.  If anything, I was bored, lonely, angry, self-destructive, cycling like crazy and self medicating on a regular basis.  I really wasn’t thinking “clearly.”

Anyway, I don’t know if he does this or not.  The group claims to be open minded and asks everyone to do this on all sides but some of the statements they make…well, okay…I try to be open minded and respectful of debate as well but…oh dear.

One of the best things that they say is that they respect that people that are gay may not want to change and that is fine.  But they get pretty right wing (dangerously, in my opinion) and stray into issues of homosexuals as paedophiles (although the data is inconclusive they state) and quote that same-sex lifestyles are “dangerous.”  Now, this may be the case for some but let’s not paint us all with the same brush? I mean, shit, I know that “barebacking” is on the rise with men but as a gay woman/lesbian/whatever, I’ve never felt my lifestyle was “dangerous!”

And I don’t really feel comfortable posting the link just in case I actually do go and see this man.  Not that I think anyone would be able to find him but…I don’t know.  The whole thing is freaking me out enough!

He’s from the UK (originally, presumably?) and I even found a letter he wrote recently that was published in a newspaper there! Granted the story did sound a little wacky but his response was also a little wacky!

Perhaps my sexual orientation will never come up? Or if it does it won’t be an issue as I don’t really care about it and “don’t want to change?” But I’ve seen some things that this guy has said and he’s basically really pissed off some gay advocates.  He’s got some strong views about other things too.

*sigh*

I guess I should just try and keep an open mind? I may get some other calls back as well but so far, of the 10-15 I made, from those that I have heard back, the waiting period is six to eight months.  Well, I guess if things don’t work out with “potentially, scary, lunatic guy” then I can always sit around and rot for a while to see someone else.

On the lighter side of things I called another psychiatrist and was told that he doesn’t treat ADHD.  I said that well, I had an ADD diagnosis but Bipolar was really my primary issue.  I was told that he didn’t really treat that either.  I asked politely just exactly what it was he treated.  The receptionist quietly whispered into the phone: “Sexual Dysfunction.”

Hmmm.  Well, I suppose I could add that to my list of problems too if it would get me a shrink?

Being “Mentally Ill” and GLBT

I’ve never had a problem with these two areas intersecting and creating any “conflict,” for lack of a better term, in my life. Well, hang on. Let me back up a minute. In my own mind, I’ve never had any issues with the two.

Personally, being disordered has wreaked havoc on relationships but this post is more about clinicians, professionals and therapists.

I suppose I have been rather lucky in this regard. I don’t feel that I have been discriminated in any way from any practitioners while I have been open about my sexual identity. Except for one, many years ago, prior to being diagnosed with Bipolar. He could not understand why in a panic, one day a self-proclaimed “lesbian” would need “the morning after pill” or emergency contraception. Yes, the telltale hypersexuality of (hypo)mania strikes again! And I probably wasn’t pregnant but in my out of control mental state, best be sure!

I can’t say that I always have actually been open about my sexual orientation in every mental health setting as it may or may not have been relevant at the time (i.e. when asked during an inpatient stay, perhaps.) But I do understand that for some other members of the GLBT community who have mental health problems it can add an enormous strain on all the other issues that are already impacting them.

Alicia Lucksted has written a summary report that you can read here.

Reading some of it just made me feel so terribly awful. Sometimes I forget how lucky I am to have not experienced such discrimination. Even outside of a clinical setting and in the “real world,” I have been relatively untouched by being “gay” (or whatever you wish to call me–I sometimes really hate labels but perhaps they must be used at times.)

I have not lost any friends because of it, I have not lost any family members, I have not been discriminated in the workplace. I can even marry in my country if I so choose. I have never been assaulted or even stared at or called names for public displays of affection.

However, we still have a long way to go. Just because I may be one of the more blessed ones of my community doesn’t mean that the fight is over. Far from it.

Peut-être Les Quebecois ne Prendront pas L’offense…?

I had to work on that one a bit (with the aid of an online translation tool.) My French is not what it used to be. I studied it for six years when I was younger but if you don’t use it–you lose it.

What that should say is: Perhaps the Quebecois will not take offence?

I was catching up on some reading and found an article that amused me somewhat. I say “fuck” a lot on this blog. Now to be fair, I warned everyone in my first post. In the article I read, apparently, “copulate” coupled with it’s partner “off” is not really such a big deal in French-speaking Canada. Hmmm.

According to the article, it’s actually used quite frequently on shows that run on Radio-Canada owned by the CBC. Now the CRTC has all sorts of guidelines, mandates and even a complaints process but I find it completely impotent in all areas. I don’t think anyone gives a “fuck” at the CRTC either, be it in Quebec or in English speaking Canada because you will hear that word on English speaking channels as well. Canadian, American, if you have cable over here you can get some BBC. If you get some wild and crazy satellite operation set up who knows what else you might receive!

Now in Quebec, apparently my completely inappropriate term of language might sound like the word for seal (”phoque.”) I actually didn’t like this part of the article. It made me think that my Francophone friends sounded dumb? So while all the ranting and raving and swearing is going on during the Radio-Canada broadcasts, people are thinking that they’re calling each other seals? Sorry, I’m picking at journalistic integrity again.

In Quebec, it seems a lot of swearing is done to curse the Roman Catholic church such as “Tabernac!” This is alluding to “Tabernacle” where the Eucharist is held. It’s a very bad word. There are others but I won’t bother to list them. You can get the point–the distinction of how different groups of people determine what is profane, culturally.

I’ve always loved words. Not just profane ones, that’s very limiting. One of my most embarrassing moments occurred during Kindergarden when the teacher had to leave the room during “story time.” She asked me if I could continue for the class. A lot of the other kids snickered (i.e. they didn’t believe I could do it), some glared (”teacher’s pet!”) and some just stared kind of dumbfounded. I stepped to the front of the class and tried to hold the book open with my tiny hand, just as the teacher did, so that everyone could see the pictures as I read aloud. The book kept falling but there I sat and recited to the class, completely mortified. I had been reading since about the age of three? I can’t remember but around that age–by four for sure.

I took a course in Linguistics in my first year of university and it was a lot harder than I thought it would be. It was an introductory course so we only covered certain aspects of the discipline. We looked at Phonetics and transcription (that was like taking words and dismantling them into hieroglyphics!) We also delved into Articulatory Phonetics a subfield of the former. This was a little funny. You get to learn all sorts of terms like “fricative,” “obstruent,” “trill” and “stop.” Well, perhaps that last one isn’t so fascinating. The articulations are all over your oral anatomy–well, not all of them in English. That was also rather interesting too. Many different languages make sounds that we, well, not that we can not make but it is very hard to do as we tried to attempt in class! We all failed. Also covered was some Phonology and some Morphology.

If you’ve bothered to have a look at any of those links, you will see that it’s a lot more than just “sitting around and talking about words!” I didn’t do as well as I thought I would. Alas.