Monday, December 31, 2012

Yulia Brodskaya's Amazing Paper Furl Artwork is a Modern Take on the Tradition of Quilling | Inhabitat - Sustainable Design Innovation, Eco Architecture, Green Building

Not your usual paper quilling.  Yulia Brodskaya's art work is amazing.  I was first introduced to her via a theme for my Chrome browser.

Yulia Brodskaya's Amazing Paper Furl Artwork is a Modern Take on the Tradition of Quilling | Inhabitat - Sustainable Design Innovation, Eco Architecture, Green Building: "a series of portraits that illustrate her paper graphics process with much more detail than her commercial work."

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Friday, December 28, 2012

Artist Daily

Want to play with some drawing or painting?  Here are lots of free resources to get you started.  Dabble in a bit of everything 'til you find which medium makes your heart sing.

Artist Daily:

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Cloth Paper Scissors

Interweave has so many free resources for paper art, beading, jewelry, fabric art, ... you name it, they have it.  Check out Artist Daily and Beading Daily too!

Cloth Paper Scissors:

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The Bright Owl: Zendala Dare #24

As a lover of circles, Zendalas are high up on my "to do" list.  Once I learn more of the basic tangles that is. The Tangles:  River, Mosaic, Paradox, Betweed, Tipple, N'Zeppel.  I've only tried two of these so far, Paradox and Betweed.  I'm in trouble.  Paradox reminds me of iris-folding, a technique we used in our Ugly Paper Competitions.  I'm not a huge fan.  And Betweed is only the second tangle I've not been able to "get". hmm. Lots more practice in store!

The Bright Owl: Zendala Dare #24:

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Tuesday, December 18, 2012

White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack by Peggy McIntosh

One thing that I noticed when we moved from up north to the farm was that the general community here is so white.  Not only is there a definite lack of Aboriginal people in our community, there is  less than 5% of any skin colour other than "white".  But, until I read this article, I've never contemplated the undeserved privileges I have enjoyed because of my skin colour.

White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack by Peggy McIntosh: "For me white privilege has turned out to be an elusive and fugitive subject. The pressure to avoid it is great, for in facing it I must give up the myth of meritocracy. If these things are true, this is not such a free country; one's life is not what one makes it; many doors open for certain people through no virtues of their own."

Some of the white privilege I have been oblivious to:


Daily effects of white privilege
...  identifying some of the daily effects of white privilege in my life.

1. I can if I wish arrange to be in the company of people of my race most of the time.
2. I can avoid spending time with people whom I was trained to mistrust and who have learned to mistrust my kind or me.
3. If I should need to move, I can be pretty sure of renting or purchasing housing in an area which I can afford and in which I would want to live.
4. I can be pretty sure that my neighbors in such a location will be neutral or pleasant to me.
5. I can go shopping alone most of the time, pretty well assured that I will not be followed or harassed.
6. I can turn on the television or open to the front page of the paper and see people of my race widely represented.

8. I can be sure that my children will be given curricular materials that testify to the existence of their race.

10. I can be pretty sure of having my voice heard in a group in which I am the only member of my race.
11. I can be casual about whether or not to listen to another person's voice in a group in which s/he is the only member of his/her race.
12. I can go into a music shop and count on finding the music of my race represented, into a supermarket and find the staple foods which fit with my cultural traditions, into a hairdresser's shop and find someone who can cut my hair.
13. Whether I use checks, credit cards or cash, I can count on my skin color not to work against the appearance of financial reliability.
14. I can arrange to protect my children most of the time from people who might not like them.
15. I do not have to educate my children to be aware of systemic racism for their own daily physical protection.
16. I can be pretty sure that my children's teachers and employers will tolerate them if they fit school and workplace norms; my chief worries about them do not concern others' attitudes toward their race.
17. I can talk with my mouth full and not have people put this down to my color.
18. I can swear, or dress in second hand clothes, or not answer letters, without having people attribute these choices to the bad morals, the poverty or the illiteracy of my race.
19. I can speak in public to a powerful male group without putting my race on trial.
20. I can do well in a challenging situation without being called a credit to my race.
21. I am never asked to speak for all the people of my racial group.

23. I can criticize our government and talk about how much I fear its policies and behavior without being seen as a cultural outsider.
24. I can be pretty sure that if I ask to talk to the "person in charge", I will be facing a person of my race.
25. If a traffic cop pulls me over or if the IRS audits my tax return, I can be sure I haven't been singled out because of my race.
26. I can easily buy posters, post-cards, picture books, greeting cards, dolls, toys and children's magazines featuring people of my race.
27. I can go home from most meetings of organizations I belong to feeling somewhat tied in, rather than isolated, out-of-place, outnumbered, unheard, held at a distance or feared.
28. I can be pretty sure that an argument with a colleague of another race is more likely to jeopardize her/his chances for advancement than to jeopardize mine.
29. I can be pretty sure that if I argue for the promotion of a person of another race, or a program centering on race, this is not likely to cost me heavily within my present setting, even if my colleagues disagree with me.
30. If I declare there is a racial issue at hand, or there isn't a racial issue at hand, my race will lend me more credibility for either position than a person of color will have.

32. My culture gives me little fear about ignoring the perspectives and powers of people of other races.
33. I am not made acutely aware that my shape, bearing or body odor will be taken as a reflection on my race.
34. I can worry about racism without being seen as self-interested or self-seeking.
35. I can take a job with an affirmative action employer without having my co-workers on the job suspect that I got it because of my race.
36. If my day, week or year is going badly, I need not ask of each negative episode or situation whether it had racial overtones.
37. I can be pretty sure of finding people who would be willing to talk with me and advise me about my next steps, professionally.
38. I can think over many options, social, political, imaginative or professional, without asking whether a person of my race would be accepted or allowed to do what I want to do.
39. I can be late to a meeting without having the lateness reflect on my race.
40. I can choose public accommodation without fearing that people of my race cannot get in or will be mistreated in the places I have chosen.
41. I can be sure that if I need legal or medical help, my race will not work against me.
42. I can arrange my activities so that I will never have to experience feelings of rejection owing to my race.
43. If I have low credibility as a leader I can be sure that my race is not the problem.
44. I can easily find academic courses and institutions which give attention only to people of my race.
45. I can expect figurative language and imagery in all of the arts to testify to experiences of my race.
46. I can chose blemish cover or bandages in "flesh" color and have them more or less match my skin.
47. I can travel alone or with my spouse without expecting embarrassment or hostility in those who deal with us.
48. I have no difficulty finding neighborhoods where people approve of our household.
49. My children are given texts and classes which implicitly support our kind of family unit and do not turn them against my choice of domestic partnership.
50. I will feel welcomed and "normal" in the usual walks of public life, institutional and social.


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A Letter To The Guy Who Harrassed Me Outside The Bar

A Letter To The Guy Who Harrassed Me Outside The Bar: "You don’t get it because in your world, this is just you being clever and hilarious, just a little light-hearted late-night banter! Where's my sense of humor? Dude, you are the third, or fifth, or ninth man this week to be rude to me, to think that what you want—to get a rise from your friends, to make your desire known, to make me uncomfortable, to project some twisted "proof" of your virility into the air—is more important than my comfort or safety. This is not an anomaly. This is constant."

I actually got a knot in my stomach reading this article.

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Accessible Travel | Spinal Cord Injury BC

Accessible Travel | Spinal Cord Injury BC: "Accessible Travel Advice by Peers, for Peers
Just because you have a physical disability, it doesn’t mean your travel days are over. You just have to be prepared for the unexpected and plan things a little bit differently.

That’s why we created a Travel Tips Ebook and an Accessible Travel Video Series. We hope these new resources will help you plan your trip so that you get the most out of your travel experience–regardless of your level of ability."

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Friday, December 07, 2012

SGD Presents...

A Canadian supplier for Gelly Roll brand gel pens.  Extraordinary customer service.  I highly recommend these gals.

SGD Presents...:

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Friday, November 23, 2012

Washi tape ♥ Washi tape | Ishtar Olivera

aha! so this is what you use washi tape for!  Adore the fancy white frame for the washi tape calendar.

Washi tape ♥ Washi tape | Ishtar Olivera:

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Saturday, August 11, 2012

byrds words

Maybe it's about time I got brave and shared more via this blog I've had for years, but rarely post on!

byrds words: "I used to do lots of artwork but not show it to anyone, not even my husband.  I literally would put it in a closet and never look at it, unless it was in secret.  I guess I thought it wasn't good enough or something.  The same for my words.  I would write things down and squirrel them away, never even thinking about letting others read them.

I am not alone in this peculiarity.  I find there are many of us who keep our talents hidden.  We may be shy, or think our work is not worthy, or just not ready to share something so intimate as a part of ourselves.
"

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landscape 001 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

landscape 001 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!:

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Zentangle - my new artsy craftsy phase.  I hope I can make things like this one day!

Sunday, July 01, 2012

Video - Movies Portray Unbalanced View of Women - WSJ.com

Video - Movies Portray Unbalanced View of Women - WSJ.com:

This is incredible!  Since 1946, the beginning of "media", society has been projected as profoundly NOT balanced with regard to gender.  Geena Davis has some interesting thoughts and theories.
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Black Animal Syndrome - YouTube

Black Animal Syndrome - YouTube: "black cats and dogs in shelters who are the least likely to be adopted because of the colour of their fur."

Support Manitoba Mutts Dog Rescue. http://manitobamutts.org/

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Monday, June 25, 2012

An MP who can think for himself - Winnipeg Free Press

An MP who can think for himself - Winnipeg Free Press: "Hyer is making freedom for backbench MPs a calling card of his time as an MP. "

Very interesting reading.  Thought provoking.

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Saturday, April 07, 2012

Message from the Auditor General—Spring 2012

An excerpt from the Auditor Generals report: [emphasis mine] ... "National Defence and Industry Canada recognized that Canada’s participation in the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program provided opportunities for industrial benefits to Canada, and they took appropriate steps to help Canadian industry take advantage of those opportunities. 

In contrast, National Defence did not recognize early enough that its involvement in the program had procurement implications. Consequently, it did not engage Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) early enough to establish a suitable process, consistent with procurement rules and including appropriate safeguards, to manage a project of this nature and magnitude.

When National Defence decided to recommend the acquisition of the F-35, it was too involved with the aircraft and the JSF Program to run a fair competition. It applied the rules for standard procurement projects but prepared key documents and took key steps out of proper sequence. 

As a result, the process was inefficient and not managed well. Key decisions were made without required approvals or supporting documentation. Information provided to decision makers was incomplete, and no plan was developed for extending the life of the CF-18 fleet in the event of prolonged delays in the delivery of a jet that is still being developed.

For its part, PWGSC, in its role as the government’s procurement authority, did not do enough to ensure the integrity—the fairness and transparency—of the procurement process.

National Defence did not follow the basics of good management that would be expected for a $25 billion commitment by the government. It is important that a purchase of this magnitude follow a rigorous, transparent process.


Message from the Auditor General—Spring 2012:

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Mindfulness Bell

Useful online timer.

Mindfulness Bell:

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Why?

Why oh why do people say this?

Why do reporters include this comment in their stories?

2 homicide victims identified - Manitoba - CBC News: ""You hear about it all the time, but you don't expect it to be in our neighbourhood,""

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Sunday, March 18, 2012

Jonespeak 2011 | 4 Mothers

Reading this blog that I stumbled upon makes me think of two things, sneezing and radio-speak.

When Jay was really little and sneezed, Himself came out with "Gazoongabungle".  It stuck and is our family phrase, still 22 years later.

Since both Himself and I worked at the same place it was inevitable that speaking with proper radio telephony procedures would leak into our non-work lives.  Since we socialized with pilots, controllers and other aviation types, how much that happened wasn't highlighted until Kidlet started school.

Affirmative and Negative for yes and no are as natural to us as please and thank you but apparently sound odd to elementary school teachers. As does "standby" for "hang on a sec", and using the phonetic alphabet for spelling out words.

Himself and I were called in to see the teacher because of our job as well.  Apparently children need to know their lower case letters and when upper case are appropriate in the "real world".  We print in upper case because for logging purposes, that is the clearest.  oops.

Finally, because of our tag-team parenting necessitated by shift-work, who is "PIC" for any given date and time [Parent In Charge] is also not a common phenomenon amongst "normal" people.

Jonespeak 2011 | 4 Mothers:

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Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Adopt a Black Dog Month

It's "Adopt a Black Dog" month at Manitoba Mutts Dog Rescue.

Looking for a new furry friend?

Check out the possibilities at Manitoba Mutts facebook page or website.

Places I've been, places to go.

I was born in Winnipeg. Raised half 'n half between school days in the city and the rest of the time in Lac du Bonnet. When I was 18 I moved away to go to school and then moved 13 times in 14 years up north before settling down south, here on the farm, in 1994.

Unlike most Canadians, instead of being an east to west type of traveler, I'be been living on a north-south line all my life.

Winnipeg to Thompson, "Y" out: north-west to Lynn Lake, north-east to Churchill, then back in straight north to Qausuittuq, Nunavut [Resolute Bay].

I've always been a swimmer. Built for comfort not speed, my specialty was endurance. I can and have swum [swam?] all day.

I have taken a swim in the Arctic Ocean off Dynamite Beach, Cornwallis Island, waded in the Creswell River, on Somerset Island. Off the coast of Vancouver Island @ Qualicum Beach in the Pacific Ocean, in Hudson Bay off the coast of Churchill.

I've been in 6 of 10 provinces, none in the Atlantic, so I have to get to Nova Scotia, PEI, Newfoundland and New Brunswick and swim in the Atlantic Ocean before I die. I have been in 2 of the 3 territories, so just have to visit Yukon.

The farthest north I've been is Eureka, Ellesmere Island, Nunavut. The farthest east, Quebec City, Quebec.
The farthest west, east coast of Vancouver Island. Unless you count Hawaii.