Category Archives: thoughts and observations

THAT MIDDLE FINGER

humour, thoughts and observations, , , , ,

I think my childhood may have been a tad lacking in some things but it was my Big Brother and my Best Friend who set me straight. Maybe my parents wouldn’t have agreed but how else was I to know about that middle finger?

I remembered the first time I saw it. I was learning to drive. Dad was my teacher. I actually got out of the mall parking lot and on the road in our ’64 Corvair. Needless to say, I was thrilled beyond words . Dad gained 20 white hairs and kept reminding himself I was the last off-spring to learn to drive and he could finally retire. At least, that’s what he always told us years later.

We were driving down this quiet residential street and Dad kept up a running commentary of “Stop sign coming, remember to stop” or “School zone, slow down” all the while his foot was tapping invisible brakes on his side.

I stopped, checked left, checked right and proceeded across. Immediately a raucous blare of someone’s horn jarred my concentration and a noisy Volks passed me with a finger sticking out, the middle finger.

Dad said, “Ignore that jerk. He had no right to pass as you were doing good. Make sure your door is locked.”

I thought back. What exactly did I do wrong? What did that finger mean? It clearly wasn’t friendly.

I showed my Big Brother when I got home and asked him what it meant.

“Don’t ever, ever do that finger thing to anyone and especially not in a car unless the windows are rolled up, the doors are locked and you drive away fast. It’s not a good thing to do unless you’re prepared to run.”

“But what does it mean?” I bugged him.

“It means bad things and even if you’re really angry, don’t do that middle finger thing. People–especially the wrong kind of people–find it insulting and fight-worthy.”

Big Brother explained it the best he could. I got the impression that males can do it ’cause they know how to fight and probably spoiling for a good fight. On the other hand, females aren’t supposed to be spoiling for any fight, so they’re not supposed to know this finger thing to get into trouble.

That was the explanation I got when I was sixteen.

I’m much older now. And I have arthritis in both hands. But it’s worse in my right hand. It affects my fingers, especially the middle finger that doesn’t fold down–it sticks up. The honest truth. I can’t make a decent fist without giving the finger.

“Why on earth would you want to make a fist?” asked my Best Friend.

“Well, you know–blood tests and stuff, they always ask you to make a fist.”

“Which hand is making the finger?” queried my BF.

“My right.”

“Well for Pete’s sake, it’s the left hand that would make any gesture out the driver’s window and all those fingers are good, right?”

“Yep.”

“Then stay away from using the right hand and it’s middle finger and you’ll be fine. Jeez for a minute there, you had me worried you got mixed up in the wrong crowd!”

“Do you realize that in my entire life so far, I’ve never used that middle finger wave and I’ve only seen it 3 times?”

“First of all, don’t ever wave that finger. Secondly, stay away from people who do. And thirdly, if you ever have to, make sure your windows are rolled up, the doors are locked and you drive away fast, ” my BF advised.

I forgot to ask how do you do the gesture if the windows are rolled up? Anyway, I’ve never had to give the unfriendly wave, so I guess I’m safe.

New Adventures. . . .

thoughts and observations, , , , , , ,

September seems to beckon with new adventures. I suppose it’s because September gave a brazen wave telling us “Say farewell to lazy, sunny Summer, ‘cause here I come in all my blazing glory!” Little kids starting formal schooling for the first time AND adults trying new activities at the Senior Centre. New adventures for everyone. One of my neighbors was eager to try her skills at pickleball and signed up for classes. Another friend signed up for billiards while a third was determined to prove her bridge skills. Exercise classes and dance classes did not beckon to me yet, so I decided to go for a walk and see what new adventures awaited on whatever route I ambled along. Besides, I was testing out my new pedometer and was curious to see how far I really walk when I do my jaunts.

Tucked among some rocks, I found this treasure that set the mood for the early morning.

A person certainly couldn’t be gloomy seeing that! A few blocks along, I decided to explore a lane I had never noticed before, And just as I walked a few yards, a bright yellow house with the most cheerful garden came into view. I’m sure it was the colorful “cat” umbrellas providing shade to some of the more fragile flowers and foliage housed in colorful pottery set against the yellow—but it made me smile with delight.

Framed in a “window” of the hedge and foliage, was this tiny birdhouse, perched near one of the umbrellas. This was almost missed. . . .

Reluctantly leaving this show-stopping corner, I moved along to see what else awaited me down the lane and over the hill. . .

Near the end of the lane, another backyard showed a replica of a Chinese Terracotta Warrior. It looked as if he was peacefully meditating in a serene corner surrounded by Nature. I thought of it as his calm before the storm of war.

The fruit of this tree stumped me. Then I remembered my handy-dandy grown-up cellphone and used it. Wikipedia informed me that this was a species of a “Chinese Lantern” tree. I had never seen a real Chinese Lantern before that wasn’t a dried orangey husk used for Fall arrangements! You really do learn something new every day!

I knew there were loads of readers in my area because most streets had at least one ‘free library’ available to any passerby. I loved to photograph the colorful and unusual ones. This one caught my eyes because whoever built it continued the marine theme by using glass seahorse knobs for the doors. . . . .

I decided to turn right onto a major road that would take me through the Village and finally home. I had heard that the merchants were sponsoring local artists by having their works displayed in their front windows or on the street. I was curious to see what was chosen.

Initially, I had thought this ‘elegant’ lady was constructed of paper mache, but I was wrong. The owner of the ladies’ wear who sponsored this piece of art said it was strong enough to sit on. AND she did. The seat was surprisingly quite comfy. There were a lot of details artfully added to the gown, neckline and hair, but my eyes were caught by the sturdy black boots beneath the elegant gown. . .

A few windows beyond, this piece of art pulled my camera closer. . .

Does this remind you of fun school trips and the not-so-fun part of writing or drawing what you learned?

I’m not sure if this birdhouse builder meant this to be hung so low, but concluded these were meant to be decorative. They looked so cute and pretty.

Yes, Fairies are real. You just have to believe. . . .

The flowers and fruit trees are pushing out their colors–the fruit is definitely coming. AND those busy squirrels are scurrying to gather up the fallen nuts. .

The deer population has been growing with many twins and a set of triplets. This one was a lonely only. However, all the deer know exactly where to go for the best nibbleys and greens. . . .

Home at last! It was a fun walk and I did learn something along the way as well as enjoy all the things I saw on my rambling walk. I hope you enjoyed it too. Stay safe and well. . .always.

AN EARLY MORNING. . . .

thoughts and observations, , , ,

I love my early morning walks the best. Not because it’s cooler or even quieter, but because I’m always amazed at things I see and can photograph. I can be attracted to gardens or store-fronts or even a simple bloom that must be photographed or it’s gone forever.

The deer population had been quiet–meaning unseen–on my walks, although the gardeners have remarked how much of their gardens had been treated as a buffet for the four-legged wildlife. Much as I sympathized with munched upon gardens, I marvel at their survival instincts. I wasn’t quick enough or close enough to photograph a Mama Deer with her very young triplets or another family with their new twins. On another early morning walk, I did see several young bucks taking their chances being hit with an errant golf ball. I think the second guy felt no one would hit him among the trees. . . .

I enjoy spotting the unusual among the garden plants in stranger’s gardens. I admire the creativity of so many who do their best with very little.

These were handpainted plates mounted on a worn fence and tucked behind some lavendulas and tiny daisies. Another fence had ‘musical roosters’. I recognized the sax-playing bird on another owner’s property but had never seen the guitar playing buddy. His guitar isn’t clearly seen as he’s turned the other way. . . .

Since I was exploring lanes and side streets I wasn’t familiar with, my walking route was rather convoluted. The short street I was walking on took me back to the water view, which changed constantly.

The centre art piece is called “Cosmos” and is one of the newly installed 2025 Oak Bay Street Art at McNeil Bay. Cosmos is likke a giant pinwheel and often caught spinning by the sea breezes. The “Copper Bird” is an art piece from 2021-2022. It was an amazing sight when caught by the sunlight.

Signs always fascinated me. It can say so much with only a picture or a few well chosen words.

The last photo is a well-worn sign with a faded raven and the words, “The Coven.” It intrigued me as no one was in and the sign on the door simply stated “By Appointment Only.” As a writer, my brain was buzzing a million miles a minute. Was it really? Could it be? Rest easy my friends. It is a very clever marketing ploy by a trio of creative and professional hair stylists. . .

It’s true that if you stand still and keep looking up, people will stop and look up too–even if there was nothing you were actually looking at! BUT, there have been times when I would have missed completely moments like the following:

I’ve seen many birdhouses but this is the first multi-housing one. Who would have thought our feathered friends would be having problems finding their nesting place?

An old-fashion cowbell at the high back gate but with the cow attached! AND, yes it does have a very loud ring . . .

This house had an old-fashioned bi-plane hanging from their tree. It was made of recycled coco cola cans and looked amazing.

I’ve often wondered if the deer could actually read this sign. I think just looking at the grumpy face would be enough to deter them. . .or maybe not.

You don’t have to get a crick in your neck looking up. You can also look around and see some pretty entertaining things.

Everyone makes their home their own. I’m convinced the first is a retired fisherman. The second homeowner has a gate that is distinctive and marks the garden and home behind it as his. AND even the gnome’s home has his comfy bench to sit on to enjoy his early morning coffee. . .

Another fun walk to almost end my week. I feel very blessed that photographic moments are there for my camera to capture. No matter which direction I walk, the opportunities are present–you only have to see them.

WHOOPS

thoughts and observations, , , , ,

(NOTE: This is an excerpt from an on-going manuscript of a group of retirees who meet each morning for coffee and conversations with their Moka-House friends. They are of various ages and careers ranging from 57-88. Their opinions don’t always agree. The book is tentatively titled “The Moka-House Gang.”

“You know the one word you never want to hear a repairman utter?” asked Henry Goldman, as he put his cup of mocha latte on the large round table where Charlie Swanson and Annie Loo were already enjoying their coffees and pastries.

“Bill?” laughed Annie.

“No, ‘whoops,'” was the morose reply. “Goodness Henry, what happened?” Annie asked in a concerned voice. “Plumbing problem,” Henry said succinctly.

For a moment, only the sounds of cups returning to its saucers and jaws enjoying the Moka-House pastries were heard. Violet Whitfield and Walter Young both made places for themselves and their coffees at the round table.

“Uh-oh, I heard the word ‘plumbing'” Walter said sympathetically.

“Plumber,” said Henry. “Young one,” he added solemnly.

“Young doesn’t necessarily mean ‘inexperienced’,’ Violet commented.

“It does when Senior figures Junior can handle the simple problem of replacing a filler valve.” “Uh-oh,” Walter murmured, knowing what would happen.

“I could have done it but my hip doesn’t allow me to squeeze into that tight space to turn off the outside water valve,” Henry explained.

“Did he forget that important step before he drained the tank first?” Annie asked with a grin. “Yep,” was the succinct reply.

“Oh my,” Violet commented.

“It was a good thing I insisted the kid put a bucket where it was needed, otherwise there would have been much more mopping to do. Being young and thinking he knew it all made his learning experience a very wet one!”

“Well hopefully Junior changed his attitude and chalked this up as an experience never to be repeated!” Violet huffed indignantly.

“You know,” Charlie said thoughtfully, “we all tagged this youngster as inexperienced as soon as Senior called him Junior. Well Junior definitely has his own interpretation of a white-haired senior who tried to tell him about the shut-off valve. After all, who’s the real plumber here?”

A moment of silence followed while everyone munched the last bites of their danishes, brownies and Charlie’s wise observations. Then Violet spoke.

“I sympathize for you , Henry. It must have been a very trying experience. I hope Junior ventures forth on his plumbing career with an enlightened attitude towards seniors.”

“And I hope he does change his attiude as he won’t make it far in his career. There’s an awful lot of seniors needing the services of a plumber in the immediate future. If a smart-aleck-know-it-all lands on my doorstep, I’m not sure I have the patience to deal with him,” Annie added.

“I can understand the ‘whoops’ part,” Walter added, “but what did your plumbing bill actually come to–especially with the mini-flood in your bathroom?”

“Senior decided the work was free gratis. Junior confessed he had ignored my suggestion about the turn-off valve. Senior actually rechecked his son’s work and it was all fine–just that one wet mistake!” Reflecting a moment, Henry added, “Junior definitely changed his attitude and apologized for his mistake. I think he’ll do just fine despite this mishap on his first solo as a plumber.”

“Well, I’m glad all’s well that ends well,” Charlie commented. “At my age, everyone is a youngster. By the time I use their services, they are all experienced. After all, we were all in their shoes once too.”

Gathering up his newspapers and popping his cap on his head, Charlie nodded his goodbye to everyone as he headed out the door, fortified with coffee and conversation to start his day.

MY COUNTRY’S BIG DAY

thoughts and observations, , , , ,

Today, July 1st is my country’s big day–Canada Day. My country is 158 years old so it is still very young. I have always felt proud being Canadian. When my grandparents came from China in the early 1900’s, it was supposedly a land of opportunities for this was a very young country. It was a lie for the country was still ruled by racists and strong prejudicial feelings towards any non-white foreigner who was willing to work hard at any menial job just to survive and raise a family. Both my parents were born in Canada, but not recognized as Canadians. It was a hard life for them too because racism and prejudice still ruled. When World War 2 broke out, young Chinese men enlisted to fight for an adopted country who didn’t want them. My father helped build ships. They fought a war that semi-promised they would have citizenship as Canadians when the war ended. It wasn’t until 1949 when Chinese Canandians were allowed to vote, giving them the opportunity to finally enter business, universities and pursue professional careers.

My brother, sister and I were fortunate. By the time we were born, people were more open-minded in their thinking. Education and opportunities were there if one was willing to work hard. My classmates and I did. There were engineers, teachers, doctors, lawyers, accountants–even politicians and judges. Times were changing and Canada was growing.

Today, my fellow Canadians and I are sharing strong patriotic feelings for our country. We are made up of thousands of immigrants who, like my grandparents, built up generations of their families, making Canada their forever home. Asians, Europeans, Middle -Easterners, Africans–any one wanting to start a new life–all contributed their cultures, foods and skills to make Canada special. The First Nations people, who were here first, have fought long and hard to be recognized too. We all have a history. We all have a story.

July 1st will see new Canadians proudly taking the oath of allegiance to their new country. Many will be grateful for the opportunities to choose their own paths; the freedom to speak and write their thoughts; the freedom to travel wherever they w ish. I can’t imagine living in a country with a dictator who rules using terror and fear 24/7. And if your thinking is not along the lines of the dictator, then you are labeled a subversive, a dissident, a trouble-maker.

I hope and pray Canada will never be that. We need to speak out freely. We need to disagree if something doesn’t seem right. President Trump said Canadians were difficult people. We’re not. He just hasn’t learned the art of respect, diplomacy, friendship, compromise and fair negotiations. He can’t run a country like a television show. Pointing a finger and yelling, ‘You’re fired!’ just isn’t acceptable. And, he can’ t take another country just because he wants to.

I feel grateful and proud that I’m a Canadian. Today my walking route was through the Village and along the water, but the Canadian flag was fluttering in the breeze everywhere. Thanks to my grandparents who came to this country and put down roots for all the generations to follow. Their perseverence, determination and hard work, despite all the difficulties, made the members of my family what they are today.

Canada Day is a celebration that Canada is its own unique country. Yes, we still have growing pains and bumps in the road as we navigate our future. After all, my country is only 158 years old. But we will never be the 51st state for our American neighbors. I live near the US border and American visitors to my city will always be warmly welcomed. I have many friends and some family in the US. Visits across the border have always been friendly and fun. But forgive me if I travel within my own country for the next little while.

As Canadians celebrate with enthusiasm and joy July 1st, I wish all my American friends and family the same for their July 4th. No matter what side of the border we live in, people are the same. We all want a peaceful existance with democracy in full display. This is what we all fought for in our long histories. And, this is what we all want to firmly hold.

A JUNE WALK

thoughts and observations, , , , , ,

So far, June has been a month of blue-skies and sunshine. It wasn’t difficult to decide on a walking route–choose the one with the cool breeze, a water view at the end and a place for coffee plus an almond croissant. I knew the route I would take–it would take me past a few of the recently installed Avenue Art 2025.

One of the first pieces installed is titled “Modern Man Thinking.” It is a very provocative and controversial piece constructed of stainless steel and cleverly assembled. I noticed the Tin Man’s boots first—very detailed–then the cigarette he held to his mouth and the cellphone in his other hand. It was my Singalong buddy who pointed out what the Tin Man was sitting on. I couldn’t stop laughing. . . .I hadn’t noticed . AND here I thought my neighborhood was too conservative!

It appears there is no common theme for the art pieces this year. Each piece is quite individual and completely on its own. The first is an acryllic face I named “Ice Maiden”; the centre piece is two fish locking lips and heck if I know what that means! And the last piece is named by its artist, “Butterflies in Flight.” There are a few blank places left so it will be fascinating to see what will be installed there over the next few weeks.

Moving through the Village, I remembered the three strange flowering plants that had been planted by the Village clock’s container. And yes, my new iPhone identified it as “Tower of Jewels.” This is a biennial, native to the Canary Islands off the coast of Morocco and now surviving in my neighborhood.  This photo was taken in late April–now, the blooms have fallen and it is all green. I think the bees are giving a huge sigh of relief as the zillions of flowers were quite challenging . . .

As I continued onwards, I marvelled at the many creative ways home-owners made gardens from very little. Not all the homes along my route had big front yards , but I liked what was done with the space available.

A tiny corner off the sidewalk. . .what a wonderfully, peaceful bench to sit and think. . . among the colorful flowers.

Small plants in colorful ceramic pots–resting on a bed of pebbles–very eye-catching.

These hardy purple flowers are thriving very well at the edge of a gas station–hot as blazes with hardly any soil.

I think even my brown thumb can manage this!

Outside the gates of this home that has security, I saw this rooster playing his horn very confidently in a tiny patch of purple flowers..

There’s something about gates that I’m attracted to–this one has a crane–I would love to see the garden behind. . .

I was walking past and had to return for another look. Yes–it definitely was a tiny blue ceramic frog enjoying his stump time in the hot sun. . .

The Dogwood Flowers, BC’s provincial flower, are all in bloom now. They are so magnificent when it fully covers the tree.

I do enjoy the whimsical humor of home-owners. They have definitely recycled a bit of tree stump!

Almost home and the many flowers, along my route, are all blooming well. I enjoy the colors, the warmth of the sun, that bit of breeze. These are just a few of the blooms–they are at their peak and will be enjoyed by all the walkers who pass by.

Passing my fave store called “Good Things,” I had this urge to enter and explore. I was glad I did as this cluster of unique houses made a fantastic photo op.

Perfect ending to my walk. I was almost home and I had walked off that delicious almond croissant. Tomorrow would be another day to explore another direction and hopefully more photos.

A Mother’s Day Walk

humour, thoughts and observations, Uncategorized, ,

This fantastic grafitti is there no longer . Progress took over. But I loved seeing it when I took a walk a few months ago in a different direction and felt compelled to photograph it before it disappeared forever.

Reaching into my pocket, I reached for the first of my fortune cookies I had packed for a snack. Munching away, I read my fortune and laughed out loud. Destiny or Karma really knew how to gently scold . . . .

My fortune read: Do not despair. Embrace new changes.

Karma had perfect timing. . . .

The deep pink camellia petals was so picturesque as I ambled around the corner to the Library with my bag of books.

I was anxious to see what Anthony and his Creative Team did with their Spring display at my fave stop, Gardenworks–and they didn’t disappoint. This was an outstanding display a month or so ago–always filled with eye-catching displays, Gardenworks gives its creative staff free rein and customers truly appreciate the artistic creativity.

It was hard to decide which direction I should explore as I was just beginning to use my new cell-phone camera again. I opted for a stroll along the Avenue to check for photo ops. AND as usual I found a few. . .this beautiful dogwood tree in bloom. . .

These gorgeous eye-catching towering plants called Towering Jewel, was newly installed in the centre of the Village.

Before I knew it, the camera and my feet took me through the Village and on a street I knew well. It had my fave house–a house I always felt should have a writer’s den in the tower.

There’s my den–just below the green pointy roof. . .

At least, that’s what I always think whenever I pass. . .

This beautiful Guardian of a consignment store found a new home immediately. I thought he looked quite comfortable in the midst of all the other treasures. And I’m so glad I snapped a photo when I did. . . .

This is one of the many artwork displayed along the Avenue–a family of foxes, enjoying the view.

I had to make a rest-stop and this was cleverly drawn on the inside of the door–such a cheeky looking cat and I’m sure, a cheeky artist!

Homeward bound, I marveled how life goes on–with or without you. It felt good to discover new things and rather disconcerting how progress can destroy the familiar. Reaching into my pocket, I unwrapped the last of my fortune cookies that I had brought along for a snack. Reading my last fortune, I had to laugh–Destiny or Karma really knew how to make a mere mortal laugh. . . . .How did she know?. . . .

IChanges brings positive vibes–embrace them.

I must say, Karma did recognize my mood at the beginning of my walk, but at the end–on the home stretch–I was feeling much more positive. Mother Nature, artists and things can change a person’s mood very quickly. and for the better. It was a fun walk and I had some great photos. .

I hope my Readers did too. . . . .Embrace your day with a smile—that’s Me, not the fortune cookie!

IT’S THAT TIME OF THE YEAR

thoughts and observations, , , , , , ,

It’s that time of the year again. ..already.

Whatever happened to the rest of the year? Do you find that time zipped past so fast that the growth rate of your grandchildren are your only clues that this happened?

I was asked the other day–by a lady who is so organized that she had already set up her two fully decorated real trees and had done her massive amount of baking—“Are you ready for Christmas?”. Thank goodness, my friend had a sense of humor and had answered the question that her tree would be decorated Christmas eve by her family coming from out-of-town. As for me and my family of collectable gnomes, I asked, “Does putting a sprig of holly on Simon’s hat count?” Simon is my woodland gnome.

Norbert, Simon and Homer look ready to burst into song, especially “Rocking’ Around the Christmas Tree” (that’s not up yet). . . .

At least, one saving grace this Christmas is the lack of postal lineups and the cards sent to family and friends. But the downside of that is the time saved on this task did not spread to other tasks. I found that I liked writing personal notes on my cards to family and friends who are far away. AND if you ever received a card with just a signature, it means you’re off their list next year because they can’t remember who you are and why you rate a card. But that’s okay–I already eliminated them from my list as I couldn’t remember who and why either.

I love the Christmas lights. It’s really pretty driving home when it’s dark seeing The Village and boulevards all lit up. The workmen had been busy weeks before, stringing up lights in impossibly high places while other busy elves placed lights around all the store-fronts and doorways of the Village businesses. The lampposts at the beginning and at the end of the Village route, were also wrapped in lights .. The candy cane lights were actually three canes, each holding a lighted ornament. . .

Shop windows and indoor displays are always a favorite of mine. It’s amazing to see the creativity of the merchants’ front windows. I like to see the bits and pieces as well as the whole picture. . . .

Anthony at Gardenworks never disappoints. He is phenomenal in his annual Christmas displays. And all his other artistic and creative displays throughout the year.

My favorite Christmas camels in Nicholas Randall’s window.

This was part of a planter display shared by two clothing stores.

I loved the sight of this Holiday spirit with the holly in the basket, a “topper” with a red band and a bicycle—parked outside a Village merchant. . . .

I don’t know about you but the more Christmases I go through, I learned this one truth. Don’t panic and just go with the flow. It only took me a few decades to figure that out. When I’m organized, a number of things can go wrong like the year the power went off as the turkey was cooking. That’s when you know Murphy’s law is about to fall on your head. Now I bake for our visitors and I put up a few Holiday decorations.

Another beautiful tree decorated by Anthony from Gardenworks. . . .

Hubby and I are ready–at least as ready as can be. Meanwhile I get to wish all of my Readers, a very Joyous Holiday Season. May your homes be blessed with the laughter and love of Family and Friends. May all your dreams and wishes come true in 2025.

MERRY CHRISTMAS! HAPPY HANNUKAH! and a HAPPY, HEALTHY 2025!

And oh yes, may you always have a bowl of dark chocolate cherries in brandy by your side.

Telephone Robotics

humour, thoughts and observations

Hubby and I detest AI with a passion. Hubby detests them because it upsets me so much that my baking suffers.

As for me, I do understand that AI can help sort out the mundane and lets a real person carry on with their real work, whatever that is. But in this 21st Century, why aren’t robots programmed better?

My phone company prides itself on “Customer Satisfaction.” I always visualized happy humans chatting with clients who had problems but these happy humans always knew the solution.

Really? To get to Customer Service and reach that “satisfaction” level, a human client has to first navigate past a Robot.

Robot: Hello–How may I help you today? Do you require “Home” or “Business?”

Me: Home please

Robot: Would you require assistance for Telephone, Internet or Cable?

Me: Telephone

Robot: What is the problem?

Me: Dead phone

Robot: Could you repeat that please? I do not understand.

Me: Phone has no connection.

Robot: I do not understand. Please repeat in simpler words.

Me: Phone. Died.

Robot: How may I help you?

Me: Need a real person

Robot: Please repeat

Me: Agent NOW

Robot: Sorry. Do you want Home or Business?

Me: AGENT

Robot: Perhaps I can help. What is your problem?

Me: AGENT ASAP

Robot: Please repeat

Me: AGENT YOU DUMBASS!

Robot: I believe you requested an agent. Is that for “Live Chat” or a call-back?

Me: CHAT YOU BLOCKHEAD!

Robot: I’m sorry. I do not understand. Please repeat.

(A heavy sigh from me . . .) Me: CHAT

Recently Hubby and I moved into the 21st Century with the installation of fibre optics and available Wifi in our home. The latest tuggle with AI was a message we discovered on the phone screen. We had a voice message. No problem. We accessed the voice mail with our usual access code. But we were stymied when a robot insisted on a second password to actually retrieve our message. Hubby and I looked at each other. Did we ever have a second password to hear our messages? Never.

This meant another call to our phone service. However, this time we chose the landline route and got into the right queue without the aid of a robot. Forty-five minutes later, we talked to a real human who understood our problem immediately. She set us up with access to our voice mail and with the option of changing the temporary password later to one we preferred.

By this time I was beginning to worry just how urgent this message was. If it turned out to be a marketing ploy, I was ready to stomp on the troublemaking message recorder and its artificial innards.

Hubby and I held our collective breaths while we made it through each successful step–tapped our usual coded access to the voice-mail; punched in our new secondary code to retrieve and finally hear our voice-mail.

A robotic voice announced: “Welcome to your new voice mail. I am the robot who will guide you through the easy steps of this tutorial to set up your new system. It will take only a few minutes of your time. Let’s begin by. . .

Welcomed to AI, whether you want it or not. It’s like waking up to a sci-fi where the robots have finally taken over the planet.

JUST WALKING AND CAPTURING THE MOMENTS

thoughts and observations, Uncategorized

I seldom have any specific plans, just a vague direction where I decide to walk. Sometimes I have a yen to walk by the water, especially if I have a hankering for a warm croissant, a leisurely cup of excellent coffee and a superb sea view. Other times, I’ll feel adventurous and follow lanes or connectors to discover side streets that I didn’t realize would take me down another lane. The highlights of my jaunts would be finding stuff to photograph—often unexpected stuff.

One recent venture led me to a couple of streets that displayed some excellent utility pole art—art that only the area locals or adventurous walkers would delight in finding. According to one of the neighbors, their Community Centre had supplied the paints and the utility companies had encouraged the artwork lining the neighborhood. It was a fun walk, following the poles where one street melded into another, until I found myself temporarily “lost” in an unfamiliar area.

I eventually found myself on a familiar street, but being temporarily “lost” was worth the neighborhood art show. I heard from another neighbor that the paints were no longer supplied and the utility companies terminated the art project. However, the enterprising artists on the street ignored this and purchased their own paint to continue the pole art.

On other walks I have discovered the coincidence of a recurring theme—decorative gates or artsy fences or even bicycles—miniature, middling or normal —all recycled.

And yesterday, my walk kept encountering boats. This was unplanned and nowhere near water.

It seems no matter which direction I take , there will always be something for a walker to enjoy. And if you’re an adventurous urban walker, there’s an amazing amount of photographical treasures to be seen.

HAPPY WALKING EVERYONE!