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A place for Writing 12 students to read each other's writing, to critique, to suggest, to improve.
About Me
- Brad
- Former adult teacher who loves island beaches. Happy homebody and family man; once devoted dog owner, now without Tashi, my Tibetan Terrier. I prefer the absurdity of the imagination to the absurdity of imagining nothing.
17 comments:
Hello, brad... this is my seasonal online notebook, i hope u like it~^^*
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"Merry Christmas!" whenever I hear this comment, I feel very excited, not as a Christian myself, but as a human being. But nowadays, the comment is almost gone because of religion. These days because of the religion, we, as a human beings, are careful of even saying "Merry Christmas!" to most of people. But I wonder, what if Christmas never exists, would people still say, "Merry Christmas!" to the other people??
Hi Ester, I like your observation. I wondered about that as well, sometime before. That`s why I prefer saying "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas". I have a lot of non-christian friends back in Philippines, some are Muslim,Jehova`s Witness and other Religions. The spirit of Christmas is more just a Christmas tree or Christmas parties. Christmas is not only for Christians and Catholics. I believe that we should see everyday of the year as a Christmas, a time for sharing and spreading love.
It's Christmas Eve in Vancouver and it's been quite the day! I've shoveled a lot of snow and helped two of my neighbours with cars stuck in the snow. It's treacherous and very beautiful.
The snow makes this the first white Christmas in 12 years. Enjoy!
Snow changes everything! Now that it's stopped (at least temporarily) I've had time to reflect. My shoulder hurts, my neck's stiff, yet I'm feeling healthy and well exercised.
But it sure is inconvenient! I had adventures driving with tire chains, guiding inexperienced neighbours out of their parking spaces, dodging wads of snow falling off of trees.
It's been an amazing week. I've lived here in the Lower Mainland since the fall of 1964 and this is pretty much the most snow I've seen since 1972 (which closed the schools for two days or more!).
Oh, and I had a nice turkey dinner in there between snowstorms. Lucky to get to New Westminster that day to see my family as I know many people didn't get home for the holidays.
See you in January!
Jottings on New Year’s Day
After breakfast, I received several New Year’s greeting calls from my friends, and then I reclined on a sofa beside a French window of my living room, began to do my favorite job—drinking coffee.
The smell of the coffee was sent out of the cup, and slowly flew around corners of the room, accompanied with a light music of piano, which slipped out of the CD player. The special smell lightly enveloped the room, and the music softly touched my heart. My husband was sitting in an armchair quietly reading a book as usual, and my son was focusing on finishing his sketch drawing. I felt intoxicated in such relaxed and warm atmosphere.
Through the window, I saw the sky covered with fleecy clouds. Trees changed back into their dark-green dresses from the snow-white coats. The lawn was still covered with thick snow. The crystal whiteness of the snow-light made the world bright and clean, peaceful and calm.
This was the third time I spent the New Year’s Day in Canada. I suddenly felt a kind of home-feeling, as if I was sitting at my home of my hometown. I realized that I increasingly like living in Canada.
Christmas brings the atmosphere of joy and peace. Tension of life stress on people’s faces are replaced by smiles and greeting words: “Merry Christmas”.
The strain was stuck at the Edmonton Station on the Christmas Eve for more than one hour. Chilly breeze frolicked through the doors. In stead of usual anxious reaction, people are rather calm and peaceful. We watched the excited snow flakes dancing through the beam from the street light and wads of them falling down from the trees. A Christmas song was echoing in my mind “Away in a manger, no crib for a bed…the little lord Jesus asleep on the hay.”
Is this the last snowstorm? I wonder. My neighbours are shoveling out across the street, a husband and wife team—she's breaking up the hard packed snow and he's shoveling it onto the boulevard.
People were carrying umbrellas and wearing rubber boots on Main Street this afternoon. The snow is wet and we are sure (aren't we?) that the rain will come and wash it all away. Hopefully!
The New Year has come and gone. Time to get back to class and engage in the intellectual again (after the physical of all that snow removal). Let's hope that the parking lot is cleared on Monday . . .
White Seasonal Notebook
From the last class in the last year until now, I just stare at snow from my home’s window.
I had never seen such winter entire my life. Everywhere is white, and the snow never stops.
I wonder homeless people where will sleep? I always pray for them. Do charities and churches have enough room for them to sleep?
I learned more and more Turkish during this holiday. I know, one time I'll return to Turkey,
maybe for work, and I need to speak fluently. Right now, I can understand Turkish better than the time I was living there.
I sent some programme proposals for a Persian Christian satellite and wait for their answer. I worked on two animation storyboards for that satellite. The time passed; we have to go back to school, but who wants to go to school in this heavy snow? Not me, absolutely.
I can say that, without a doubt, last night's snowstorm wasn't the last! Man oh man, I am SO tired of all this snow. Like Sonya, I have never seen so much winter snow in my entire life. Everyone is fed up! Tonight, I won't shovel because, this time, the weather man better be right and, soon, the rain will wash it all away.
Everyone was excited, for the country had a wonderful white Christmas from coast to coast. However, this excitement has turned into deep concern. The weather drove people crazy since it has snowed off and on for over two weeks.The snow made roads wet and slippery, and many drivers couldn’t handle this kind of severe road condition, so they chose the public transit. But the public transit also couldn’t depend on based on the tough weather. At this moment in time I am writing, it is snowing outside. No doubt it is a traffic disaster tomorrow.
Brad, you are a hopeful person. Maybe I have to look at you for encouragement. You told that rain will wash all snow up in Jan. third, but in Jan. forth it was a horrible snowstorm. I won't anymore trust on your predictions about weather! You are horrible in forecasting.(joke)
The Yalda Night
I do not understand why western people use the wrong calendar. Iranian calendar made by Hakim Omar Khayyam, Iranian scientist, mathematician, and poet, in my mind is the best calendar in the world. In western calendar, you can see the start days of seasons, but the beginning of the months are not matching with seasons. In my mind it looks strange because our ancient calendar, that we never lost it, is completely mathematical and seasonal.
The first day of spring is the first day of year, Norooz that means new day. Norooz is the biggest Persian ceremonial event in the year. All three spring months have thirty-one days. The first day of summer is the starting season of planting and its ceremonies. We call it Tirgaan means endeavour like an arrow. Again all three months of summer have thirty-one days.
The first day of autumn is the first day of schools, and we call it Mehregaan means full of love and kindness. The thirty days months start from the fall. At last the first day of winter is Yalda, the birthday of light (Mitra). To bring glad tidings of ending suffers and sorrows of the coldness and darkness. This is the right time for Christmas, but the Roman calendar had four days difference from the Persian calendar, and made all people around the world confuse. Two first winter months are thirty days except the last one that is twenty-nine days. Each four years once, the last month of winter will count thirty days.
Iranians still celebrate Yalda. We stay awake until midnight, eating watermelon, pomegranates, and sweet nuts special made for this special night of the year. Since we had been arrived in Canada, each year my family and friends come to my home to celebrate Yalda, the longest night in the year. We stay awake to see the victory of the light on dark. This is the true meaning of Christmas.
A Snow Scenery
The big snowflakes fell all night. It looks as if it isn’t going to stop. Vancouver has become a silver world.
Heavy snow makes a lot of troubles. Autos trap on the slippery road. Some people trudge in the deep snow. The others welcome the “bad “weather. My neighbour built a big snowman in his yard. Boys sled down the hill cheerily. Some of them are just with their makeshift sled. And all of them are all wild with joy.
I am the one who like snow, so I go to the park of Dr, Sun Yet-sen. At this time, only one or two person visit this private garden for their special hobby--appreciate the scenery of snow.
The pavilion and the trees stand still as before, but covered thick snow. Only a profile remains valid. No fish can be seen and no turtles take sunbath on the rock. Everywhere are white. Everything is quiet. No sound can be heard except the step sound you tramp on the snow. It is such a tranquil place and makes you feel this world is as pure as jade.
A young girl stands in front of a glove of bamboo and takes photo. The fair, slim bamboo sticks and their graceful green leaves with white snow constructed a wonderful picture. --It’s the eternal theme for a poem or a painting.
When I walk close to her, she gives me an understanding smile. Obviously, we cherish the same interest. And I am pleasant to think a local girl has the same aesthetic standard with me in this silver world.
Free Chinese
Last Charismas Eve, my husband and I spent in casino. We dressed up and moved around in Vancouver downtown and found nothing exciting or even opened. The very disappointing experience for our first Charismas in Canada -- it was nothing like Chinese New year.
This year, my friend saved us from spending another pathetic Charismas Eve, we were invited to her house with her parents and neighbour and a huge turkey. There were so much warmth and laughter, although her house is in White Rock.
We left at 3pm thinking about to use 2 hours to finish this 30 minutes journey—if you still remember how heavy the snow was in that day. Luckily, the highway was cleaned, so our Charismas eve was fun and safe.
After I reached home at 3am that day, after passing the cold and snow-white, desolated cities and towns, I charted my friend who was still working in Beijing on line. It’s never public holiday for Charismas officially, so everybody works. He told me the Charismas eve was so busy and crowded everywhere and the municipal government had to take traffic control.
I remembered that. Finding a restaurant was almost a battle since last 10 years during Charismas Eve. Chinese are never hesitated to say “Merry Charismas” with not even 1% Christians. Actually all holidays are celebrated in China; no matter they are Chinese or whatever. The restaurants are always decorated; food is always elaborately prepared; people are always excited to their hearts contents.
People say that China is an autocratic country, so Chinese has no freedom. Maybe it’s true, who knows that? But I’ve never seen any another countries enjoy their life so freely and confidently, no matter rich or poor, no matter any religions or regions It’s perfectly and safely okay to celebrate the Eid-ul-Fitr or Charismas or Easter day and worship Buddha.
Being as a Chinese, I’m glad to lose my freedom of holding weapons, so I won’t be shot when I walk on street; I’m glad there is birth control, so there are less single mothers and most of Chinese can live decently without being helped by western countries and NGOs; I’m glad there is only one party so the central government won’t be closed during economic crisis; I’m glad there is death penalty, so some people can be lessoned and punished
On December 20, the snow was bad at night. As we drove to pick up our guest at the airport, drivers stopped their cars in the middle of the road and got out to clean the windshields. My brother, too, would now and then get out to clean his windshield wipers that have frozen and couldn’t wipe properly.
What I also noticed were stuck cars parking in the middle of the street with their emergency lights on, passengers getting out of cars and pushing their cars while the drivers drive unsteadily, and drivers driving at gas stations to wash their windscreens with hot water for visibility.
I was lucky I had four days off work so I didn’t have to plod and slip on slippery sidewalks or wait for the sky train for one and a half hour.
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