It's that time again... vote for me!

It's another upcoming municipal election.  This is the time when you are asked to put an "x" on a ballot for positions you have no idea about the job involved....  School Board Trustee or Library shelf duster...

We all get the importance of choosing the right Mayor and the right Council members, but we don't seem to get out butts out of the chair to go and vote for these folks.  Voter turn out for municipal elections is abysmal.

Maybe it's because we think no matter who gets in, our taxes will go up and our services decrease.  That has been the trend.  I'm not going to go on and on about taxes and services today... that's a novel, not a blog!

Municipal elections are as true to a democracy as you can get... you vote for the person and if they get more than the next guy.. they win.  You don't vote for or against a party who's leader may or may not be a complete twit. 

People have already been knocking at my door and there is one disturbing trend coming out of all the campaign literature... "I can do this"  "I can do that"  "I will make sure..."

Since when did a democratic election become about "I"?

As an "over-taxed nearly out of the middle class because of it" resident,
I would like to see a bit more revolt! 

If you got enough votes to win a seat on my local council and part of your campaign platform was to hold or lower my taxes.. and they may go up... you better be back at my door rallying the support of the people!  I don't want to read about the increase when it's too late.

The people of Ontario raised their collective voice and had the Eco-tax taken away.. at least for now.. I'm sure you can get the people in your ward to raise bloody hell in chambers, on-line and via e-mail!

If you... Mr or Mrs Candidate.. empower the people, maybe you'd get a few more out to vote.

Bullets and Beers and the 'Burbs

In the late 90's we lived on a quiet street in a quiet town.. and we had some great neighbours.  Don and Judy were already there when we moved into our first home.  It wasn't long before Don and I would be outside on the weekend or any other evening for that matter, trying to get the grass cut or a door painted and fail miserably...Don was the master of having a drink in one hand and the garden hose in the other putting out the inferno in his BBQ.  Everything turned into a 6 beer job.

Then Ray and Michelle moved in next to Don and Judy, taking over the house from the strange guy who used to shovel the snow off his lawn... and the momentum grew.  You'd never know which backyard, front porch or kitchen you'd end up in.. it just happened spontaniously and everyone got along beyond expectations.  It was a magical thing to watch... 6 strangers becoming neighbours and friends.

There was a 4th neighbour.. quiet family, never really joined in and never complained about our shenanigans.

After a few years, Don and his growing family moved to a bigger home only a few minutes away, we did the same soon after. Ray and Michelle stayed in the 'hood.  As it always seems to happen, we started to lose touch.  Shame really.  Then, one day near the end of the summer of 2004 a man was killed by a police sniper in downtown Toronto during a hostage taking.

Things like that didn't normally happen in Toronto and after the papers had more information and pictures were published, it was my wife who recognized the man as our former fourth neighbour.  Calls were made, disbelief was shared and we all ended up in Don's backyard for an evening... remembering.

It's sad to think that the rekindling of our friendships had to be motivated by a rifle.

Tonight is another gathering at our house... this time with no tragic event needed to spur it on.  We're a little older, hopefully wiser and some of our kids have been watched going from diapers to University.

Look around you... acquaintances are many, friends are few and like good food and good wine, being good friends takes a little work.... but in the end everything tastes just a bit sweeter.

Empty Nest.. trial run...

My wife and I are experiencing a little bit of what it will be like in the future... something you don't get to do very often.

My oldest is still around, but at 15 she's either sleeping upstairs or hanging out somewhere else with her friends.  In her defense, she will check to see what I'm making for dinner via SMS and will make an appearance if the menu pleases her.  The BBQ Lamb Chops the other night were a real hit.

Child number 2 is camping with my sister and her family up near Bon Echo.. well, if you call a 32 foot trailer camping ( I would ) for 12 days.

The house is a lot quieter, her little friends aren't constantly calling or banging on the door all day.  I'm not tripping over stuff, picking apple cinnamon circles or cheese doodle things off the couch and I can usually find the TV remote.

My wife and I can have a conversation without being interrupted or eat nasty things like fish.  Should I feel the need to belch or even let one rip in the family room while watching sports, I can do so without offending the gaggle of women I live with.. except of course my wife.

I'm not sure I'm ready for when they really grow up and move away.

Ramblings: It's been too long...

Ramblings: It's been too long...: "It's been a while since I've shared my thoughts, opinion and insights in cyberspace... is this the 21st century way of ensuring we leave som..."