Friday, November 23, 2012

Blog Jam

With apologies to Grannymar who really dislikes the term "BlogJam"  but it's my blog and I like it as it's like a big jar full of unconnected thoughts and observations. Much like bramble jam which has all the wonders of the late summer in it, rosehips, blackcurrants, late rhubarb, gooseberries. Not that I'm saying this post is full of wonders, mind you. 

It's Black Friday. I'm so, so glad I don't have teevee as I'm sure I've been spared the spectacle of the near death experiences of insane shoppers hunting down the latest can-opener or camping for 7 days outside a Best Buy or a Walmart. Black in the truest sense of the word. Soul death.

Log Toasting
 
I imagine it is symptomatic of the time that's in it. How can we all be going to hell in a handbasket if we can shop will we drop? This way for a massive disconnection. The experience is so far removed from the little farmers' markets and fairs I see around here. Where you get to know the maker of the hat or the mittens or the table runner or the gorgeous canned goodies. Where things are kept simple. Not that we don't have Black Friday here. They tell me you can't find parking in all the major shopping centres for the past week. Imagine. How would we behave if we could Skype the workers of our latest gewgaw (fridge, stove, washer, I-Everythings) and have a chat with them? But no, they remain anonymous. We are completely detached. We don't want to know of forced labour and sterilization, or child labour, or dormitories and unregulated hours. Otherwise our flatscreens would cost $5,000, wouldn't they? We are all culpable in the outsourcing of our manufacturing industries.

I was with dear friends last night who replaced their 4 year old noisy dishwasher with a more silent, far more expensive, one. The old one, hardly used (it being noisy 'n all) will go to the dump for they wouldn't inflict it on anyone. And we complain about the constantly increased costs for the disposal of our detritus. We are all mad.

I was putting the fire together this morning. And marvelling at how connected I am to the source of my heat for the winter. The wood is harvested on my land and hewn into kindling and logs. Some of the wood was slightly damp but I've learned to dry it on top of the stove. It dries quickly. But you pay attention as it could get too hot.


Log Harvesting
 
A friend is dying, he was brought into palliative care last night. Actually an ex-friend. Which is weird, you know?  We had a few heavy disagreements where he revealed a truly ugly side to his nature. I went so far off him as to be on another planet. And yet. He's dying. I called a few times over the past few weeks and was not surprised when he didn't return the calls. My mind races ahead to the funeral (selfishly, abominably) as in wouldn't I be a complete hypocrite if I showed up? And yet he haunted my thoughts for hours this morning as I lay in bed. Nearly always, I can take the bad with the good in a friendship but I felt there was a hidden side to him. A darkness, his rage was so ugly. And frightening. And I told him this at the time. How unsafe I felt. He did not acknowledge my feelings  at all but demanded a book back that he had lent me on the effects of WW1 on Newfoundland.

Black Friday. Indeed.

14 comments:

  1. We choose to participate in life's events as we please and as we think is right according to our own level of comfort. Madness lies in the eyes of the beholder and some people are blind to it. We live in a faulthy world where common sense does not seem to prevail yet there are many rational people out there. They just seem to be outshouted by the idiotic crowd. Yes, you should go to the funeral. It would be hypocritical if you didn't. You did share that book after all and I am sure many other significant things. xox

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  2. Oh go on and blame little innocent old me! All I want in jam for my toast. ;)

    As to the forthcoming funeral, be there and it will help close the chapter. There is nothing worse than unfinished business.

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  3. I typed and typed and it disappeared.
    The shopping - I am so pleased that I want nothing and need nothing from a store at this time of life. Need no more clutter and pleased everything else is still working. On the funeral - follow your heart. I always am aware that the heart says something different then the mind :)
    Oh, how I miss my woodstove...
    Hope this not land in spam.

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  4. I love the smell of blog jam in the morning.It smells like inspiration. (apologies to Mr. Coppola)

    Black Friday is as a American as drive by shootings.Here in Ontario it was scarcely noticed.A lady standing outside a Future Shop store in Toronto at 6 A M was surprised that she was the only one there.In another location a line up that I guessed would be 50 people sedately walked into the mall as soon as the doors opened.
    Canada eh ?

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  5. Didn't leave the house on Black Friday - or today. Staying "far from the madding crowd".

    I'd thought your "Blog Jam" as post heading, related to, or was a play on log jam, where a mass of bits and pieces collide - or alternatively something of a "jamming session" as in jazz where various instruments join in. It's a bit of it all really isn't it, including the fruity delicious kind. :-)

    I've had "haunting thoughts" along similar lines recently too, about someone I knew who I discovered by chance had died, WWW.
    Go - it could help exorcise bad memories.

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  6. Bramble jam sounds really good by the way and I hope it's kind of sour tasting and nice to eat on freshly bakes white bread with real buuter on it.

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  7. Irene:
    thanks for the input, I'm still a bit up in the air on it.
    XO
    WWW

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  8. GM:

    Twilight's definition is exactly how I came up with the term. I've always been fascinated by jam and its many connotations.

    Advice under consideration, ma'am.

    XO
    WWW

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  9. OWJ:

    I am so delighted, you are finally out of spam, I kept telling me over-efficient system and it finally believed me!!

    Yes, emotion beats logic every single time.

    XO
    WWW

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  10. GFB:

    Oh I love it!! So Canadian. Not ones to get excited about Chinese gear.....well most of the time...

    XO
    WWW

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  11. T:
    You got it of course!!

    and I am sorry to hear about your old friend. It is haunting when that happens.

    XO
    WWW

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  12. Irene:
    Yes, the real butter makes all the difference, I don;t know why people eat the chemical laden substitutes....
    XO
    WWW

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  13. We do not have black Fridays, but do have shopping mania during festivals including Christmas. This year, from all accounts, the season was very low key for both Id and Diwali and Christmas is not expected to be any better.

    On Friday, after many decades, I ventured into driving all alone on an outstation trip. I spent the whole day with my cousin and his wife and time just flew. On Saturday, I returned to Pune again driving by myself, and was very pleased with myself for having done that. On reaching home I was advised about the death of a 62 year old neighbour who simply did not deserve to die so young. But that is life and we just move along.

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  14. Balance. There's nothing wrong with buying in moderation, according to your needs - but the crazy hype-fueled buying is just bad for us, bad for our planet.

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