Two, within 14 hours. (Tuesday night & Wednesday afternoon)


1) After drum circle, Sumi, Chris, and I were hanging out in Sumi's kitchen. She turned on the light to get something from the cupboard, at which point I made some smart-ass remark about her destroying the ambience I'd created by "strategically placing candles around the room." Chris retorted that there were only two candles, to which I responded with a reference to a fairy tale in which the princes, in a competition to win the inheritance rights to their father's kingdom, each try to fill a room with limited resources. In the end, the youngest son, using only a candle, wins - by filling up the room entirely with light.

To qualify, this is a story I hadn't heard in ages, but felt was appropriate to recall at this moment. Sumi said I'd have to tell her the whole story, and I said something to the effect of "I don't know if I remember it well enough to tell it well, but I'm sure we can arrange something..."

We ended up getting comfy again, and I proposed calling the Toronto Public Library "Dial-A-Story" number (a free service that tells different stories in eight languages, with the option of selecting stories for "younger children" or "older children"). There was a bit of reluctance, since we had to wake up early the next morning, but eventually Sumi agreed, so long as we listened to the younger children designated (a.k.a. presumably shorter) story. Done deal.

It only took a few sentences to realise that the story that was being told, in a feminized version totally new to me, was in fact that very story of the candle-light - with princesses instead of the traditional princes and other minor variations. That, combined with virtually a whole night of basically chanelling non-verbal understandings with Sumi, was pretty mind-blowing.


2) Geoff R. offered to take me to lunch after massage class ended. I accepted, but when he told me where he was taking us, the same restaurant we'd frequented the previous time, I immediately started asking (very insistently) about other restaurants in the neighbourhood, as though I knew we had to have a contingency plan. When we arrived at the restaurant, a sign on the window told us of its having been shut down for "restructuring".


There has been a lot more synchronicity I've been experiencing over the last several months. Not sure if I'm becoming more psychic innately, or am just by circumstance more open to the possibilities, but it's a welcome phenomenon. Would like to develop/hone it more. Note to self: find copy of "The Psychic Pathway" or re-borrow it from Ayla!

Wednesday night I attended a "roast" in celebration of my father's retirement from the ER after 33 years. Almost the whole cast was there - it even sold out, so that supporting characters had to scramble to try to get tickets.

For 5 hours, I heard literally hundreds of people, most of them complete strangers to me, singing the praises of the man who, along with my mother, brought me into this world some quarter decade ago. And I mean PRAISE write large. I have never heard so many superlatives applied to one human being in apparent consensus by such a diverse (live) audience.

For example, here are some quotes:
"the most charming man i've ever met"
"as mellow when he worked as portrayed (in the skits) and so fun"
"kind, generous, sincere"
"laid-back, never phased by anything"
"compared to him, patch adams seems like the devil"

The funny thing is, I don't know this man. He is definitely not any father I ever met. It was almost surreal to watch them refering to this stranger (who incidentally looks just like my dad, shares his name, and was sitting at the table with me and the rest of my family) as this friendly, patient, massaging, caring, donut-bringing, never-get-upset, cheer-up-everyone-around-you type - the kind of person I would have loved to have had as a father, to have grown up around and be proud of. And, with all this anecdotal evidence, I am convinced that my father must, at times, have been this person.

But not any time I can recall, any place I can remember.

Somehow, on the long drive home, this magnificent, wonderful, compassionate doctor vanished, leaving behind a Type-A shell of a father, quick to anger and criticise, and definitely not abounding with infinite acceptance and love.

Anyways, I guess it's interesting to know where his positive energy was being spent all these years. Maybe now that he's retired, he'll spread the cheer a bit more liberally - at home.

So, I'll admit, when Chris R. woke me up for the second time (I'd gone back to sleep after Chris S. gave me the first wake-up call) with a proposal that I come out with him to Hamilton so, from there, we could get a ride to search for a Mexican worker in booneyville, I really just wanted to go back to sleep. A few hours later, after coming to my senses a bit more, I called back and agreed to tag along the Justicia mission as a translator.

At 4:15pm (post-physio), I made my way to the GO station. Chris met me in Hamilton (having taken an earlier bus from Missisauga) with Murray, our chauffeur, who works in the occupational health industry. [All relevant names (human and farm) from now on will be changed to protect the identities of those who could be royally $@#*ed over by that.]

We arrived at the FoodMart in _______(I am so bad with proper nouns. Will check with Chris on this later...) at around 8pm. Saw a group of Mexicans sitting outside the convenience/grocery store. I went over and addressed them in Spanish, explaining that we were looking for a worker from [Rich Green] farm. They said they didn't work there or know anyone who does. I approached several more men (surprisingly easily identified as Mexican by their appearance - in contrast to the stark whiteness of the majority of the "natives" of the town and the other migrant workers, Jamaican and Trinidadian, hanging about). After a while, we decided to give up, and try to visit the farm itself - a more risky move, since (*surprise surprise*) farm-owners often don't like it when grassroots justice-seeking types try to talk to their workers about their rights and related themes. A worker from a different farm waiting for the pay-phone sent us on our way with directions akin to "Go about 500 metres, then turn right, go about 300 metres, etc." Needless to say, people guestimate the size of a metre very differently from one another and we got lost.

Back-track/background: Our goal was to contact the cousin of a former migrant farmworker (currently dead - presumably - from pesticide exposure on the job). From the cousin, we were to obtain contact information for the deceased's brother, also a migrant farmworker. From the brother, the intent is to, some time in the near future, acquire forensic evidence and other helpful information for the legal aid lawyer lined up to take on the case. The objective: some kind of renumeration to the family of the victim, following a coroner's inquest and demands for workers' compensation.

So, anyways, back at the farm (which we finally found by following the truck of the "Family Restaurant" owner's son, who kindly volunteered to lead us there upon our wandering in, no questions asked), we knocked on the bunk house and were let in. We asked for [Ricardo Sanchez], and were invited in, out of the rain. He appeared, and I explained why we had come. He offered to call his family and find out his cousin's contact information, since he didn't have it on him.

Several botched cell phone/phone card combo call attempts later, we finally switched from Chris's phone to mine and Ricardo got through. We were then told he would have to wait 15 minutes, while a family member in Mexico biked over to his cousin's house to find out the information. Soon enough, we had the datos.

We were supposed to be stopping into another farm to look into the case of a Trinidadian worker who was supposed to get an important surgery a month ago, but was still waiting for the procedure - so there was a bit of a rush factor. However, as I was stepping away from the porch, Ricardo stopped me and said that he wanted to talk "con mas confienza" about some of the treatments the workers were being subjected to (i.e., in private, away from the others in the bunk). He started asking questions about, for instance, how to make the farmer follow the rules set out in the contract - like giving workers the option as to whether they wanted them to work well into the night and giving them breaks during which they could eat. I couldn't anwer the detailed legal questions, plus the cold rain was coming down heavier, so I invited him to join us in the car.

There we had a long-ish conversation (to be continued on another occasion, since we had to cut it short), where he outlined some of the medical and abuse of power issues that are present on the farm - and how the workers are too scared of losing their jobs to want to speak up. He explained that some of them are simply in bad financial situations and really need the money to support their families. Others are older and have worked their way up to the less demanding jobs; if these were to have to start over with a new employer, they would be "demoted" to more strenuous labour they couldn't handle.

Ricardo acknowledged his gratefulness at having been given the opportunity to work , and reiterated that he has no problem worker hard. However, he would like to create some changes. Despite his strong work ethic, he doesn't appreciate some of the underhanded tactics being employed by his boss. The farm owner capitalises on the vulnerability of the migrant workers by employing divide and conquer methodologies that don't allow for worker solidarity (i.e., rewarding those who work faster), forced overtime and overnight shifts in inclimate weather conditions, and neglecting his workers' medical care needs unless they are very severe or directly work related (for example, Ricardo suffers from gastritis, but has been told he can't eat until he is done his shift, which has exacerbated the problem to the point he is considering not returning next year).

Ricardo is concerned for other workers because he is young and strong and himself has been so affected. He says if someone in his condition is being harmed, he knows that many more are worse off.

It's been a while since I've reported on the day-to-day. About time.

----------------
So, Tuesday evening I get a call from Rob. I can tell he's really off. Not too much longer, the reason:

"I don't quite know how to say this. I've never had to tell anyone this before."

I know it's bad.

"My dad's dead."

Wow. I tell him to call me if he needs anything. He's at Sandra's. Can't be on the phone. I let him go, but call back when I get to Anita's.

"I just borrowed a bike. If you need anything, or want me around, I can be there in 15 minutes, just call."

He doesn't call back right away, so I go into go into a movie at the Bloor with Anita, keeping my phone on vibrate - just in case. It vibrates 10 minutes into the film, and I run into the lobby, and it's Rob, and after a few seconds of hesitation/deliberation, I dismiss any thoughts of staying and zoom down Markham street. The next hours are passed in some combination of attempts to be the best friend the situation (we being a bit of an odd trio: crestfallen Rob and his current lover/partner/applylabelhere and me) calls for. Meaning maker of tea, offerer of words/hugs/energy/comfortable silence, etc.

It was a wreck diving accident, what was to be the last dive of the season. Rob Sr. was 51. Fucked up. (http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&call_pageid=971358637177&c=Article&cid=1097531409090)

As Rob says, though, "How many people get to die doing the thing they love most?"

----------------

In general, people keep asking what I am doing, given the whole not gainfully employed situation. Funny thing is, I don't have a standard answer I can give, beyond:

1) "attempt to find work" - which includes
*hours in front of the computer trying not to get distracted with MSN and to focus on searching and applying for actual positions
*getting out for good ol' fashioned in-person networking
*the occasional interview
*volunteering (not always self-interested, but these days, there's always the hope it may, directly or indirectly, lead to something...)

2) "hang out with people" - which includes
*chilling/cooking/making music/creating/participating in passive entertainment with friends
*attending drum circles
*frequent downtown sleep-overs (so as not to have to trek back up to North York)
*random outings/events like the Harvest Festival or "Art Day/Night at Oriel's place or last minute escapes to Em's cottage or last night's opening of the Faces exhibit for ARCfest Human Rights Festival - which, even though Geoff forgot to put me on the credit list, I did PA for - see http://www.arcfest.org/)
*family time (especially with my grandmother, whom I am trying to see more of)
*religious gatherings (e.g., high holiday services at Holy Blossom for the first time in like a decade, a late night/early morning post-Trinity-Bellwoods somewhat illegal Sukkah experience behind the Synagogue on St. Andrew St. in Kensington Market, and a "sight-seeing" trip with Kevin to "Catch the Fire" at the Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship, apparently one of the most famous churches in the world, and definitely a close second to San Juan Chamula in Chiapas, Mexico for crazy quasi-Jesus-related experiences.)
*etc. etc.

Today (or, given the post-midnight timing, yesterday) I went to the HRDC building to check out any assistance they might be able to offer should I decide to forget the whole employment thing and become my own boss. You know, self-employment. As in, everyone who contracts you (i.e., potentially anybody) is your boss. Anyways, they are on strike.

Tomorrow (or later today, whichever) I plan to meet with an ex-employer, who not only happens to really like me, but has also been implying there may be work opportunities for me on the horizon. We will see...

On that note, must sleep now, or I will miss the aforementionned meeting. 'Night.

To Whom It May Concern: (Alternately addressed "Dear Sir or Madam:")

Please allow me to present
A skilled enthusiastic detail-driven worker heaven-sent
Plays nice with others on the team and willingly stays late
And (of course beyond the customary) won't exaggerate
Plus she'll smile and gladly do the jobs that other people hate

You can stick her on a podium, shove cameras in her face
Sit her down before a monitor or dress her up in lace
Knows her way around a meeting conference luncheon boardroom plane
Can converse in French and Spanish on themes bordering inane
And (during working hours) won't appear the least insane

Her goal's to work with absolute professional devotion
At world-saving or at least to do her part in the promotion of
Sustainable development, the buzz word cum solution to
Environment, human rights, health, economic distribution
Issues toward which her intention is a tangible contribution

She is actively pursuing that elusive great position
Fitting to her disposition and her longer-term ambition
Even though this new arrangement may be different from before
She hopes you'll have the bravery to gamble and explore
The value-added presence she brings to the meta-f(lo)or

If you're seeking education in the formal sense it's there
From an institute of learning high on ivory tower air
Liberal Arts Certificate, Honours (First Class) B of A
Final Transcript 3.96 - fairly decent GPA
If you care to note that rounding it becomes a perfect A

But theories and textbooks aren't the highlights of this show
More than a decade's bread-win toil amounts to quite the folio (including
Retail Teaching Volunteering Corporate-execu-wheeling-dealing
Academia Non-profit United Nations and Touch healing)
Forward thinking, international momentum she is feeling

She fulfills the base requirements listed clearly you can see
For more details take a gander at her explicit CV (attached)
Should these heady rhymes succeed in style or content to enthrall
Contact information follows; please don't hesitate to call for
References, an interview or anything at all

Anyway, suffice to say
If you'd like to make her day
Make an offer of employment
Assuring your complete enjoyment
Ready now for quick deployment...

Yours most truly,
She


[Optional P.S.

If you, the HR guru and/or hiring committee
Hearing out this little ditty
Thinks it at all cute or witty
Give it credit, not your pity

(I.e., benefits and pay
And have a lovely day!)

Thank you for your time;
You're welcome for the rhyme.

It's been fun to apply -
I await your kind reply.]

To Whom It May Concern:

Please allow me to present
A skilled enthusiastic detail-driven worker heaven-sent
Plays nice with other peons and never shows up late
And (of course beyond the customary) won’t exaggerate
Plus she’ll smile and gladly do the jobs that other people hate

You can stick her on a podium, shove cameras in her face
Sit her down before a monitor or dress her up in lace
Knows her way around a meeting conference luncheon boardroom plane
Can converse in French and Spanish on themes bordering inane
And (during working hours) won’t appear the least insane

If you’re seeking education in the formal sense it’s there
From an institute of learning high in ivory tower air
Liberal Arts Certificate, Honours (First Class) B of A
Final Transcript 3.96 – fairly decent GPA
If you care to note that rounding it becomes a perfect A

But theories and textbooks aren’t the highlights of this show
More than a decade’s bread-win toil amounts to quite the folio
Retail Teaching Volunteering Corporate-execu-wheeling-dealing
Academia Non-profit United Nations and Touch healing
So you can probably imagine how sans job she has been feeling

Anyway, suffice to say
If you’d like to make her day
Make an offer of employment
Assuring your complete enjoyment
Ready now for quick deployment…

Yours most truly,
She




Dear Manager X,

I’m excited to apply for the post that you are posting
Fits my ideal description of a job I’d like to do
Here let me convince you of my assets without boasting
Or revealing desperation (as time passes I’m more prone to)

My goal's to work with absolute professional devotion
At world-saving or at least to do my part in the promotion of
Sustainable development, the buzz word cum solution to
Issues of environment, human rights, and economic distribution

I fulfill all your requirements listed clearly you can see
For more details take a gander at my explicit CV (attached)
I am leaving contact info; please don’t hesitate to call for
References, an interview or anything at all

In conclusion, dearest Manager,
I'm excited to apply
For the post that you are posting
And await your kind reply.

Sincerely,
May
the best candidate
win



Attention: Hiring Committee

What a rocky road it’s been!
I wonder if this application by a human shall be seen
Likely instead it will be sucked into black hole cyberspace
Key-word screen pre-considered, compu-filtered, and erased

Am I wrong to keep on looking for the ultimate position
Fitting to my disposition and my longer-term ambition?
Endless searching takes its toll upon my mind, upon my soul
And the process comes replete with total absence of control

I may not have done this job before but even so you might explore
The value I bear nonetheless I’ve heard I am among the best
My skills will transfer, this I swear, and I won’t long stay unaware
Of just what I need to do to succeed in my work for you

So, please if you’re a real committee
Hearing out my little ditty
And you think me at all witty
Give me some credit, not your pity

And offer me a job.

Thank you for your time.
You’re welcome for the rhyme.

Signed,
Honestly