tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86079782024-03-07T03:51:10.278-05:00In My AbsintheCathy Rattuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07641738545238279583noreply@blogger.comBlogger60125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8607978.post-35848050447428030592009-10-04T22:11:00.008-04:002009-10-05T00:19:58.193-04:00In My Absinthe<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikdtApEDH3gplRgpZ0Smrb_cOZOsDG9YyerORaAVGr6avMFTGPrSLmP_VpcF07T24jPOdhsO1bacefLJFl0SC_9zZZ2nnLhAfWH_1hUttVeQr6EQ8nFg09MC53qHmbUayb9nq7Wg/s1600-h/ASC_0255.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 245px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388964794437851042" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikdtApEDH3gplRgpZ0Smrb_cOZOsDG9YyerORaAVGr6avMFTGPrSLmP_VpcF07T24jPOdhsO1bacefLJFl0SC_9zZZ2nnLhAfWH_1hUttVeQr6EQ8nFg09MC53qHmbUayb9nq7Wg/s320/ASC_0255.JPG" /></a><br /><div align="justify">In my long absence much has happened yet none has been blogable.<br /><br />I watched "Thelma and Louise" last night. Today I read of Wally Lamb's work with incarcerated women who write. Cruelty within the human genome horrifies me - specifically towards objects with no defence: animals, earth, children, those afflicted with mental illness, those who have offended. I believe society defines criminals and immoral acts; society is neither correct, nor fair; it is merely self-interested. Hence: overpopulation, pollution, extinction, imprisonment, torture, terrorism, excess, waste, addiction, religion. All are the result of attempts to soothe human angst. Recognize the beast within; see it in others; punish it in others; and, above all, relieve ones's own nauseating shame. The arrogance of the right prevails.<br /><br />So, turn things around. Choose kindness, tolerance, generosity, self-restraint. Don't punish. Don't condemn. Walk away if you can't contribute, teach, conserve. You'll feel better about yourself and you'll make this planet a better place.</div>Cathy Rattuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07641738545238279583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8607978.post-78882060761562410102008-05-17T17:44:00.006-04:002009-05-18T21:33:05.761-04:00Lil Green Patch Application in FacebookFor every 10 of the free plants you have sent that has been received, the sponsors of the application will donate money to protect 1 square foot of rainforest.<br /><br />http://apps.facebook.com/greentrees/home.php?userId=761005065Cathy Rattuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07641738545238279583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8607978.post-45980436836803296152008-01-27T08:50:00.001-05:002008-12-09T11:32:32.273-05:00Writing Contest<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq19yxK7h-C_L1roY53C63P_Dh4EBzSnqRdPXZtv3A7ucvgIfBXT_in-GOjW0gTy3p8zvURmEmLcBC757GmlUW1v9T1zpApVzWmW1E-k6Zw1BOIULCz1HrMpsbO9fkTHSlpsPf5Q/s1600-h/ASC_0050.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5160153629538588146" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq19yxK7h-C_L1roY53C63P_Dh4EBzSnqRdPXZtv3A7ucvgIfBXT_in-GOjW0gTy3p8zvURmEmLcBC757GmlUW1v9T1zpApVzWmW1E-k6Zw1BOIULCz1HrMpsbO9fkTHSlpsPf5Q/s320/ASC_0050.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>I think that writing is craziness. It is for me. I just finished the writers weekly 24 Hour Contest. It's sweet torture and the only relief is to submit. Having not submitted at times in the past I can tell you that it does NOT feel good. Sure, it's only $5 to enter, but I'm haunted until finished.</div><div> </div><div></div><div>I look forward to these weekends and I hope I am off work. I don't know why because I tend to write better on the weekends I am working. Less screwing around. I must say that this weekend I got more cleaning, shopping, reading, grooming done than when not writing. I took the tv off the shelf and dusted behind it. I moved the shelves. Old photo albums were thrown out. Magazines tossed. Even the dog got her nails filed.</div><div> </div><div></div><div>At first I was excited and I went to bed early Fri night in anticipation of going to Ashbridges Bay to take some early morning photos before the snow started, and to be in a relaxed but alert mood when the topic was posted (1 pm. my time). For the first time I turned off the alarm and didn't go. This gave me strong feelings of self-loathing the second time I awoke.</div><div> </div><div> It was snowing. No camera today! So I looked at the topic and felt sick. Nothing. Blank. Only cliche ideas. </div><div> </div><div>Out for groceries I didn't need. Stayed in the store 2 hours waiting for the guy to make me a chicken-pot pie from scratch because they were out for today. I read a lot of magazines and a lot of labels. Put the pie in the freezer when I got home.</div><div> </div><div> </div><div></div><div>I stared at the blank monitor for about an hour then edited the topic about 50 times. I had a nap. I woke up and had a ranting conversation on msn about genre fiction.</div><div> </div><div> I promised myself I'd get up early and to take some photos so the whole weekend woudn't be wasted. I settled back to bed with a photography book. I had a spark of inspiration (as I always do after I have decided it's okay not to submit). I opened the word processor and typed like a fool, finishing and submitting in one draft. For once, just bloody once, I'd like to write like a normal person with an outline and several drafts. omg but this is insane!</div><div> </div><div></div><div>Now it's early morning and I want to celebrate by taking some photos but it's SNOWING! Don't want to wreck the camera........ so I'm blogging.</div><div> </div><div></div><div>I think this is explained nicely in Steven Pressfield's "The War of Art" and also by Stephen King in his book about writing. Margaret Attwood wrote about organizing, discipline and procrastination. Bill McKee says writing is the hardest thing you'll ever do. So, I'm not the only one...</div>Cathy Rattuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07641738545238279583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8607978.post-70954560882214331952008-01-23T00:50:00.000-05:002008-12-09T11:32:32.558-05:00Fable: A Tale of Tails<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaCL1XCtGrjy-8tLP3hZxmwNMFtDYUmrxTksHJ0oUU8LarlbtyQmdGndZ5J62UJ8r1_-25PYrBQheph4mw6fb019lrcp8oHXNinEykilJnBQYPvCwlZRbWgVCa0EMd0YV-G_ITkQ/s1600-h/ASC_2889.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5158545877250807266" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaCL1XCtGrjy-8tLP3hZxmwNMFtDYUmrxTksHJ0oUU8LarlbtyQmdGndZ5J62UJ8r1_-25PYrBQheph4mw6fb019lrcp8oHXNinEykilJnBQYPvCwlZRbWgVCa0EMd0YV-G_ITkQ/s320/ASC_2889.JPG" border="0" /></a> Once upon a time in a land far away there was a family of spider monkeys. They swung from the trees using their tails as much as their limbs. Because of this, they did not require clothing, backpacks or hiking boots. They lived happily and freely, roaming the forest and jungles without a care in the world. (Okay it's cliche and semimental but stick with me here.) On occasion they would bring their dslrs and telephoto lenses with them.<br /><br />In fact, they were called the tribe of "hand-helds", unlike their cousins whose tails had withered away to nothing from nonuse and thus were called the tribe of "encumbereds" because they carried their cameras in one paw. This tribe was popularly known as the "tripods".<br /><br />I'm looking at tripods. I don't want to. I don't want one. If I don't want blurred photos and repetitive stress injury from lugging a heavy camera/telephoto, I'll be getting one. So, I'm looking a heads, gears, legs, alloys, brackets and more stuff in order to find the most freeing way to encumber myself. This has to be the driest aspect of photography! I think it would be easier to grow a tail!Cathy Rattuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07641738545238279583noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8607978.post-27485423361508844742008-01-22T17:36:00.000-05:002008-12-09T11:32:32.781-05:00Frustration<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4CYqw8yGOo36EDV4hSx-_BqH1MrvYaI2NMguroxn8rtNzUEWiZUVsGOID2FlIa4I6wyd92ac47ZucMMrSuzflOzIrzUNo7VgImZJXLxufeWaC6jG_Gc2LhXHrJWLjxvVn3d6RZA/s1600-h/ASC_3332.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5158445602880306722" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4CYqw8yGOo36EDV4hSx-_BqH1MrvYaI2NMguroxn8rtNzUEWiZUVsGOID2FlIa4I6wyd92ac47ZucMMrSuzflOzIrzUNo7VgImZJXLxufeWaC6jG_Gc2LhXHrJWLjxvVn3d6RZA/s320/ASC_3332.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Okay, there's precipitation again on my day off - had a dentist appt or I would have gone to the zoo in the am - at least you can go in the pavillions with the camera while the weather is not suitable. The guy who said the D300 came bundled with bad weather wasn't joking...</div><div></div><div>Went out in the hall looking for something to shoot. BooBoo the hall cat, a good expressive standby, took off when the neighbours' dog came in. The dog was far too close for the lens I was using and the owners wanted inside so I only managed to get a couple in. Outside it was snowing so I could only stand in the doorway because I'm not yet ready to shoot through a hole in a plastic bag with the new camera, but if this weather keeps up I just may take the D40 and get out there anyway. </div><div></div><div>Looking at tripods. I'm still in denial, thinking I don't need one. Perhaps the monopod will be like the D40: something to show me that, in the end, I should just take the leap.</div><div></div><div>Looking forward to the weekend because I plan to go down to the lake with the camera, and I will no matter the weather...</div>Cathy Rattuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07641738545238279583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8607978.post-71036688952487524812008-01-09T01:02:00.000-05:002008-12-09T11:32:33.034-05:00Zoo<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9lde4oukzpO96r1bkhZWmVB5z01sISHxMk8uiFgNHfHGlSMECWsPnMAi9HfR_PONu33tiu0k1Ua-xwUy4ealBOeusC-P2CMOAoygK_J90-lFuZjNG4SSg8OPa-Di84oGF4fKcrQ/s1600-h/ASC_2916.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5153353592733384210" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9lde4oukzpO96r1bkhZWmVB5z01sISHxMk8uiFgNHfHGlSMECWsPnMAi9HfR_PONu33tiu0k1Ua-xwUy4ealBOeusC-P2CMOAoygK_J90-lFuZjNG4SSg8OPa-Di84oGF4fKcrQ/s320/ASC_2916.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Today I again was realizing how much I have to learn...</div><div> </div><div>Spent a good 3 hours with the jaguars and monkeys, getting the settings right and waiting until the animals calmed down enough to be enticed to make some eye contact.</div><div> </div><div>Will be very nice when the technical stuff becomes second nature so I can relax into getting the shots I'm envisioning.</div><div> </div><div>Met a very cool person today. She's a talented and perstistant photographer who does what it takes to get the job done. Got to admire that kind of passion and discipline.</div><div> </div><div>In the meantime I'm looking out toward this world of photography, challenging myself. </div>Cathy Rattuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07641738545238279583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8607978.post-43585975453549977732008-01-08T06:45:00.000-05:002008-12-09T11:32:33.547-05:00Up Early<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizemDks40b2C_sp_yjn23X2FAqll9ENop1dIz6W_zrswgur9SZdyq-nrFSAMn7WXOfg62Xto5BoMcYkQVMZG2xGwqphk79Qrnteeme1tqjCgTIY4j8H_-WsWJEp2L6Uty0rQH43A/s1600-h/ASC_1872.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5153073255923006978" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizemDks40b2C_sp_yjn23X2FAqll9ENop1dIz6W_zrswgur9SZdyq-nrFSAMn7WXOfg62Xto5BoMcYkQVMZG2xGwqphk79Qrnteeme1tqjCgTIY4j8H_-WsWJEp2L6Uty0rQH43A/s320/ASC_1872.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>I woke early in anticipation of zoo day. I go for the exercise, the camera practice, my love of animals. What I do at work is intense and stressful. The camera provides a balance, helping me to be as focused, kind and present as possible. It doesn't always happen that way but it is an ongoing project. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>I'm aching to go into the bush with the camera and a compass, but in winter it's not such a good idea until I get inserts for my hiking boots. Rather than winter boots I chose the hikers 'cause they're absolutely waterproof. Still like new, they have served me well for 10 years. Thing is, I spilled liquid laundry detergent into one of them last spring - and forgot about it! The insert, insole, whatever you call it was ruined. Can't wear the boot without it.</div><div> </div><div></div><div>Last evening while at work I called shoes stores and sports stores - very hard to describe the thingamajigger that goes there - can't buy these objects online: they need to be tried in the boots. Store clerks are scary - they all have everything I've ever wanted in-stock and on-sale, if only I would venture into the store...My two best bets are Sporting Life at Yonge and Eg and Marks Work Wearhouse/Coast Mountain-Sportcheck in the Eaton Centre; it's too bad the two places aren't closer to eachother. I may try downtown first after returning from the zoo because I don't want to walk around Y&E in the rain.</div><div> </div><div></div><div>It's now 0710 and I need to get mobile in order to get to do the whole circuit before the rain starts. </div>Cathy Rattuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07641738545238279583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8607978.post-21834851190990536212008-01-07T00:29:00.000-05:002008-12-09T11:32:33.661-05:00Relations<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9aLBziDJbXD4CIeJDUFgmbxQLevUbDsjbzc506mki7U_XWdN1e2EvU2qbuGdWiERWGKL9EYCOCIGEoKCuxtVjMmoys6hcPZ-wb_6YUqzymaWYNuc6dIk6qqGxuBlTroXtI7t2AA/s1600-h/ASC_1602.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5152604035040886226" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9aLBziDJbXD4CIeJDUFgmbxQLevUbDsjbzc506mki7U_XWdN1e2EvU2qbuGdWiERWGKL9EYCOCIGEoKCuxtVjMmoys6hcPZ-wb_6YUqzymaWYNuc6dIk6qqGxuBlTroXtI7t2AA/s320/ASC_1602.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Oh, the comfort, the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person; having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, but to pour them all out, just as they are, chaff and grain together, knowing that a faithful hand will take and sift them, keep what is worth keeping, and then, with the breath of kindness, blow the rest away . --George Eliot </div><br /><p></p><p>When ambivalent, vascillating between careful precision of apt words and the gift of trust and spontaneity, managing one's relationships can be a lot of work. Time to be serious. Time to relax. But what the hell, I can't word it any better than GE.</p><p></p>Cathy Rattuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07641738545238279583noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8607978.post-19937107602453535102008-01-06T03:36:00.001-05:002008-12-09T11:32:33.757-05:00Courage<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrUYqgjkux2E2ep50ZGjlnCJNnMYJDHlktl5A8SsaeyMIfdUVgPz-_wRnokuH0_strxZlAlAJ2Fw_Quvsc0IHKxAA1r0vhZIEtiPlUrThTQZmzDltL18bF6l0B6MMtrwYRGziozg/s1600-h/DSC_0282.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5152309739586796994" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrUYqgjkux2E2ep50ZGjlnCJNnMYJDHlktl5A8SsaeyMIfdUVgPz-_wRnokuH0_strxZlAlAJ2Fw_Quvsc0IHKxAA1r0vhZIEtiPlUrThTQZmzDltL18bF6l0B6MMtrwYRGziozg/s320/DSC_0282.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying "I will try again tomorrow". <a class="l" onmousedown="return clk(this.href,'','','res','1','')" href="http://thinkexist.com/quotation/courage_doesn-t_always_roar-sometimes_courage_is/214948.html">Mary Anne Radmacher </a></div><br /><div></div><br /><div>A good friend sent me those words in an email a few weeks ago - a friend who has held onto her humanity in spite of having experienced the worst kind of loss. </div><div> </div><div>Experience alone doesn't make a person capable, nor does time. Actively living does, regardless of doubt, fear, or hopelessness. It grows from the making of a choice and it is deliberate. </div><div> </div><div>Courage is as much a product as it is a tool, and it strengthens when utilized. This is the reward of challenging oneself, of persisting. I will try again tomorrow because I am certain that when I try I will expand myself. </div>Cathy Rattuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07641738545238279583noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8607978.post-54009141568139809122008-01-05T03:31:00.001-05:002008-12-09T11:32:33.898-05:00I'm Back<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvz5g8oGzxHbwZbt09_DAoGjglAmiwsfDk8RfMRj3LCHxX0aFaBtgcMna-Zk-TXly-lkc0wCpNVT4V7GZ4q8IJcmm_K8snfMsQnOsx-1PXm2Ijybt17757p9GKuHu8PwMIlAVybg/s1600-h/ASC_1875.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5151948210714656162" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvz5g8oGzxHbwZbt09_DAoGjglAmiwsfDk8RfMRj3LCHxX0aFaBtgcMna-Zk-TXly-lkc0wCpNVT4V7GZ4q8IJcmm_K8snfMsQnOsx-1PXm2Ijybt17757p9GKuHu8PwMIlAVybg/s320/ASC_1875.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Hi all,</div><br /><div>I'm back after a long absence, engaged in a newfound serious hobby: photography</div><br /><div>June 23 I bought a Nikon D40 and fell in luv; the beginning of Dec I added a D300 and now I'm driven.</div><br /><div>I'll start with something that stuck in my head after spending some time with the primates at the Toronto Zoo: every once in a while you have an intense exchange of emotion and intimacy with another living thing - and when you capture it with the camera it's called a portrait. </div><br /><div>I find it fascinating that with both writing and photography words and images are a reflection of the perception of the image maker. Both can be intensely personal, although this is neither necessary, nor sufficient to create compelling work... </div>Cathy Rattuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07641738545238279583noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8607978.post-79724439814357806192007-04-08T04:01:00.000-04:002008-12-09T11:32:34.231-05:00Toronto<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlXm29D4e5rxc4pj5N6FHPhUeX6_NT2FYjd2iEYHQweB6BafAoRQgHZpsfzrUXd2stNPDKJgYcDI7WuAZ4bzsU60x8uGqcPTWjW8tArTnKYmlt8gZPuQkEJzWaNEIUpLmK14V9lA/s1600-h/TorSc1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5050994580515108098" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlXm29D4e5rxc4pj5N6FHPhUeX6_NT2FYjd2iEYHQweB6BafAoRQgHZpsfzrUXd2stNPDKJgYcDI7WuAZ4bzsU60x8uGqcPTWjW8tArTnKYmlt8gZPuQkEJzWaNEIUpLmK14V9lA/s320/TorSc1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div>Didn't want to post a day-timer. Can't blog about work. Won't blog about family. The dog has settled into boring doggie-middle-age. </div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div>To Yonge and St.Clair for a haircut, the same as the last haircut. </div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div>I headed for breakfast at Bregman's but couldn't find it. Some youngster said,"It's closed and they're putting up a Swiss Chalet - It's the end of an era!" How apt. Another part of Yonge Street unrecognizable. I went to Loblaws looking for a bagel. </div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div>Outside Loblaws was a large grey scruffy terrier howling for it's owner, quieting whenever someone bent to pet it. I spent some time with mutt and we became quick friends. It's ears twitched when it's owner called from the line-up. The owner and I also became quick friends. She is a lovely woman who prefers animal company and I feel the same.</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2pkERVBiZWgpwq_MmJ73Cb62nT2PMpbJSilowk-10bqKkcnGFDV0kgyLmeqHQ06_r53M1IlwQ3WY15Sn_YtVfkcbET9LImuM5ZoPa8FydLXRx4a3ONJbvs9RE-ljVuB33p8FNgg/s1600-h/16047_eatons_centre_520.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5050994812443342098" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2pkERVBiZWgpwq_MmJ73Cb62nT2PMpbJSilowk-10bqKkcnGFDV0kgyLmeqHQ06_r53M1IlwQ3WY15Sn_YtVfkcbET9LImuM5ZoPa8FydLXRx4a3ONJbvs9RE-ljVuB33p8FNgg/s320/16047_eatons_centre_520.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div>I went to the Cadillac Fairview-Eaton-Sears Centre. It is perfect between 0700 and 0930, until the loud, pushing, talking-over-your-head-and-through-your-ears-to-a-creature-10-feet-away uncivilized people arrive. I sought refuge in the men's department of Sears. Don't get excited; there's a little-known Starbucks with minimal lighting. A middle-aged woman waved to me to sit. She asked me how to meet the president. I explained the three levels of government and that we have a prime minister. She told me her landlady took her passport and money from her room but the police won't do anything to help. She was told everything her husband, who works in Kuwait, was up to and she is afraid of the landlady. I also explained the 3 levels of policing and showed her how to contact the RCMP. She is here to support her son who is doing post-graduate genetics work, or she would move back to the UK, or to Cairo. She is a phys-ed teacher with a degree in what sounds to be kinesiology. She wants to do volunteer work to pass the time and use her skills to help people. I don't know her name and I don't need to. </div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div>I needed an appointment book so I went to Indigo - they are out. I did pick up "Memoirs of a Geisha". Even the credits are a joy to read. The story is well thought out and beautifully told. I had planned to go to bed with Bill Bryson and his tales of wandering through the US, but not tonight.</div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div>A stop in the food court while waiting for my coat to be repaired turned into another adventure. A black cloth wallet with a pink flower on the clasp and hundreds of dollars had been left on the table. No phone number or ID, just an American Outfitters card. I gave it to the cleaning staff to hand to security; I didn't want to lose the only table, or my numerous packages. Two pre-pubescent girls, one who was sobbing, arrived at the table. I, and several others, pointed out the cleaning staff - the girls stopped again to thank me - nothing had been missing. </div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div>The family next to me in the food court was Chinese - we talked about Hong Kong vs China in terms of population density, worldliness and places to visit. A pleasant conversation. I learned some more Cantonese. </div>Cathy Rattuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07641738545238279583noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8607978.post-84308039683996106012007-02-23T01:55:00.000-05:002007-02-23T02:23:28.694-05:00New PuterYes I have a new one - hopefully I can get back on the blogger site regularly. I'm using the old machine as my excuse for my delinquence and I'm sticking to it.<br /><br />One of the most entertaining books I've read is "A Walk in the Woods", Bill Bryson. I now want to hike the Appalachian Trail. I want to meet Katz - is he still available? I'll never wear Ralph L. again. This is the first book that made me laugh and laugh until the dog barked at me. <br /><br />I'm very disappointed. I'm not mentioned on the Bestest Blog site. I went to all that painful work of posting an entry with the Bestest Blog website named. I even wrote a poem - a la seus, but a bona fide poem none the less. Still, I'm not on the site. Remember I'm fragile from having been shunned by the sweet Count Olaf. I don't get over these things easily. Mr. Bestest Blog you have broken my........................................................................ okay, you fill in the rest: leave a comment!Cathy Rattuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07641738545238279583noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8607978.post-10032985806352128692006-12-28T02:45:00.000-05:002008-12-09T11:32:34.336-05:00Haircut<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz3TYDNJPMQJC-ggYTNawpjxOHOESPLMZGHCwIIkFkjnmPORSDItJQ1xyNwe2dva7J8ij1Yn1x9qjUD-5bTF9ppHAjlDWkUhzeGIsHv0uuBlLvLsjj6VT84L2uhoGjpgNA2lVOCw/s1600-h/New+Hair+and+New+Curtains.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz3TYDNJPMQJC-ggYTNawpjxOHOESPLMZGHCwIIkFkjnmPORSDItJQ1xyNwe2dva7J8ij1Yn1x9qjUD-5bTF9ppHAjlDWkUhzeGIsHv0uuBlLvLsjj6VT84L2uhoGjpgNA2lVOCw/s320/New+Hair+and+New+Curtains.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5013481614754287922" border="0" /></a>The curtains are in the background, but they're there: $14. What a deal. They're shower curtains but don't tell anybody.<br />I finished my Christmas shopping today. This is the advantage of working over the holidays and celebrating later.<br />Two more days of work then off for a few. I sure hope these are good ones because I'm still getting over the lurgy. It most likely was pertussis - as my sister-in-law says "it's like coughing up a lung". I wonder if dogs can catch it.<br />Seasons greetings to all. Peace, happiness and good will.Cathy Rattuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07641738545238279583noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8607978.post-1165638318058646192006-12-08T22:08:00.000-05:002006-12-08T23:25:18.466-05:00bestest blogDo you see me? Are you there?<br />What colour are your eyes and hair?<br />Do you blog in winter snow?<br />or summer sun? I want to know.<br /><br />The bestest blog is yours for sure<br />where all your midnight thoughts endure.<br />You capture moments on the page<br />and think you're such a witty sage.<br /><br />So if you do and if you dare<br />Enter my seductive lair.<br />I'll trap you fast and drain you slow.<br />What once was you, you'll never know.<br /><br />OK. Alright, my honoured one.<br />Did google pull you in for fun?<br />Or did green fairies whisper soft<br />to toss your blogging brain aloft?<br /><br />Come stir me, shake me with your words.<br />Challenge me with letter swords.<br />Grant me prose for all my slog<br />then link me to your famous blog.Cathy Rattuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07641738545238279583noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8607978.post-1165559356874460362006-12-08T01:12:00.000-05:002006-12-08T01:29:16.886-05:00Catching Upthe white space is desolate<br />starving for words<br />as is the space inside my skull<br />Inner rumblings only I can feel<br />Thought alone does not satisfy.<br />Font is the appetizer, letters tumbling onto the page stirred by tapping fingers and words become the tools of thought. The bouquet of story is manifested by language. To write, to dream no more - for in that hypnotic wake of writing is the stuff of life.<br />I'm back.Cathy Rattuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07641738545238279583noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8607978.post-1159771270456871362006-10-02T02:39:00.000-04:002006-12-08T02:05:14.170-05:00This Is Me<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/680/588/1600/531935/cathy1.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/680/588/200/346043/cathy1.jpg" border="0" /></a>Cathy Rattuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07641738545238279583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8607978.post-1159759176179135562006-10-01T23:03:00.000-04:002007-04-08T19:03:57.067-04:00Will You Still Luv Me TomorrowImagine being at the top of your game, working with professionals challenged beyond previous limits. Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. What a show! Excellent writing, timing, acting, dialogue. I want more. I'm on the job market. Do jobs like this exist only in television land?<br /><br />No coasting in this job. Each segment of every episode changes the lives of the creators. The trophy: unemployment and professional disgrace or high acclaim.<br /><br />I write, therefore I am.Cathy Rattuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07641738545238279583noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8607978.post-1159258906731913442006-09-26T02:57:00.000-04:002008-01-05T06:25:26.869-05:00Back to the Blogging BoardThis is dog.<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/680/588/1600/Katchina.0.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/680/588/320/Katchina.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Have you ever had an opportunity you knew you should take yet been monogamous to the familiar? Not taken the leap, only to bask in discontentment? <br />Why should mourning for the struggle to prepare weigh heavier than never achieving the goal? Where do hopes end and fears begin? In the universe of the mind. After 3 am.<br />The amygdala rules this hour, it's greedy tentacles suffocating reason and placidity.<br /><br />Right now I'm heading to bed.<br /><br />More on this subject in future posts.................Jan 05 08 0625 (add) For those of you who don't know me I thoroughly enjoying endulging my shadow - anything dark, dismal, icy - bring it up (from the unconscious) I'm nocturnal and find rest at sunrise.Cathy Rattuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07641738545238279583noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8607978.post-1149068116856031252006-05-31T04:22:00.000-04:002006-05-31T05:35:16.893-04:00TodayI signed up for the game "24" in which each person has to log in daily and declare having done an hour of physical activity. Every week there is a task for every individual to complete. There are 24 members per team. If any member does not log in, the team goes back to the last day all team members did log in. The goal is to have 24 consecutive days on which all team members log in their hour of activity. The team with the most hours at the end of the 24 days wins. Now you have the background.<br /><br />A friend and I joined as individuals to be assigned to a team. We ended up a group competing against my workplace's team. Today there was a group send of revised rules. It listed the name of a close friend. On the workplace team - the competition. This makes it delightfully more fun.<br /><br />Tomorrow is my day off - what to do - it will be over 40 C with the humidex. As much as I'd like to go to Canadian Tire I think I'll stay inside. I'm up all night in order to finish all the little tasks I have assigned myself. Tomorrow I will take a day for myself. I will wake up naturally and read blogs over coffee. I'll do some more writing. Then back into bed to read - the ultimate luxury. Next will be my 24 hour activity. Clean the bathroom while doing laundry. Remove the shower curtain rod which has loosened due to the wall having shifted. Repair the hole with screen and Polyfilla. Put up one of those expandable removable all-purpose rods. Vacuum. Dust. Wash the dog.<br /><br />I bought the first season of "Boston Legal" last week. Next to "Six Feet Under" it's my favourite treadmill DVD. I enjoy that kind of humour - no sit coms for me.<br /><br />Canadian Idol is this week. I'm happy to have a day off to watch it. I've tried to figure why I like it so much. Why so many people like it. No idea. I do know many who'd welcome an old folks' idol. How about us? C'mon Simon - think of the money you'll make. How about Lloyd Robertson as the host? It's a sure hit.<br /><br />CathyCathy Rattuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07641738545238279583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8607978.post-1143534357452432432006-03-28T01:21:00.000-05:002006-03-28T03:25:57.493-05:00My DayAfter a long blog-block I have been inspired by a fellow blogger: since I do better with fiction, here is how my fantasy day went.<br /><br />Birds sky sun waves, biting breeze of autumn all sought to wake me. Dog lept upon my chest; dropped a bone. Looking down, she had a questioning expression: will you soften my nylabone so I can chew it? How much of her universe - of my universe - does she control? I lay scratching furry velvet as dog contentedly immersed herself in chewland.<br /><br />Sipping latte and popping blackberries. Birds spiral toward the sea. So many possibilites in a new day.<br /><br />I went hiking. Ran with zebras; petted lemurs; danced with ostriches. The mind is a wonderful place to be while the the body travels.<br /><br />I lay on the sofa reading my favourite books as I nodded off, then awoke again to blog.Cathy Rattuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07641738545238279583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8607978.post-1139050548677625832006-02-04T03:53:00.000-05:002006-02-05T14:33:18.980-05:00Feb. 3Nothing remarkable happened in the last few days. I enjoy the Blog Goddess's site and figured I had better get cracking since she's the one who introduced me to this wonderous universe. I'll start with yesterday.<br />I usually go to Second Cup - great coffee, good services, calm atmosphere. Yesterday I went to Starbucks. I wanted a small decaf latte with skim milk. Well wouldn't you know that was a foreign language. I looked at the cup sizes the perky Starbuckian pointed to. Okay, tall = small. Then there was the skim milk, properly known as "nofat". My latte was put in a paper cup - everyone else had ceramic. I guess I'm only a tourist. I sat at the "bar" because the tables were taken by laptoppers. The 3 staff with high-pitched squeaky voices screeched phrases like "no foam grande vanilla latte" to eachother above the music that I would have otherwise enjoyed. The louder of the three ended each utterance with a higher-pitched cadence. The latte was bitter. Like, am I getting old, or what?<br /><br /><br /><br />1. Who is/was the most influential person in your life, and why?<br /><br />My parents - provided the genes, the environment and the socialization.<br /><br />2. Your favourite toy as a child?<br /><br />A stuffed dog with a plastic face. It looked like a collie and I called her "Lassie". My mother put her in the trash after having repaired her several times. I still ache at that.<br /><br />3. Your favourite toy as an adult?<br /><br />Do I have to name him? Okay okay, I'm using the toy right now<br /><br />4. Who was your first crush? You don't have to name names.<br /><br />Little Joe on Ponderosa<br /><br />5. Remember back to the first time you had sex. Was it all you hoped it would be? (sex with yourself doesn't count)<br /><br />Self-inflicted doesn't count? How about self- inflicted with a bumbling partner?<br /><br />6. Do you still know that person?<br /><br />Never really did<br /><br />7. Can you name all six Brady kids? In order? No cheating!<br /><br />No, but I can name the 7 dwarfs and the 12 nuclei of the amygdala :P<br /><br />8. Have you ever wanted somebody you couldn't have? Celebrities don't count!<br /><br />Is Little Joe, as a tv character, considered a celebrity?<br /><br />9. Did that person know?<br /><br />Seriously, of course not. Why start trouble?<br /><br />10. Has somebody ever wanted but couldn't have you?<br /><br />Yep<br /><br />11. How many serious relationships have you had?<br /><br />Romantic ones, 3<br />Friends, many more<br /><br />12. Which one is best for you, marriage or common-law?<br /><br />How about non-cohabitating, my ideal.<br />Never marriage - a handfasting would be better and so would a contract.<br />To me the only way to "live in sin" is through oppression or hypocrisy.<br /><br />13. From a list of your friends, pick a quality from each that you wish you had.<br /><br />This is far too personal to post here<br /><br />14. If I could start my life over again, I would....(finish the sentence)<br /><br />Never have been a nurse<br /><br />15. Will you hire a hit man to "off" the person who sent this to you?<br /><br />I always do my own dirty work ;)<br /><br /><br />Dinnertime:<br /><br />If I could have any 6 creatures, living or non-living, fictional or non-fictional over for dinner, whom would they be and why?<br /><br />My answer changes with my mood and my interests. Sometimes I think it would be good to have Lt. Worf beat the living crap out of some real-world tyrant. Other times it would be those with great minds in order to watch the debate; Feynman and Einstein. Dinner music would be nice: Perlman and Heifetz or perhaps Callas, Houston, Patinkin and Terfel - toss in Mozart, Tatum and Horowitz.<br />Sometimes it's sentimental: dead relatives. Having the chance to meet someone I would never otherwise be able to: Bugs Bunny or Julius Ceasar (or "Little Joe").<br /><br />Today I say:<br />Buff the Beagle and Ralph the shepherd/husky because I would like them to have met.<br />The source, god, .......whatever you call it. I expect there to be an empty chair there.<br />The "Q" continuum - an omnipotent being and the Loki component. Atticus Finch - To temper Q who is morally challenged. Captain Kirk - because losing is not an option and he's such a sexpot.<br /><br />To continue with my Feb. 3:<br /><br />I went to The Carrot Common. <a href="http://www.thebigcarrot.ca/">http://www.thebigcarrot.ca/</a> I found Manuka honey. Organic bananas are much more tasty. They had organic valencia peanut butter - in glass, not plastic.<br />They had wild BC sockeye salmon - I'm going back next week to get some.<br /><br />I went to Home Hardware. I used to like Canadian Tire until Home Depot forced them to carry only popular items - no more obscure doo-dads to be found. The staff of both are no help.<br />Home Hardware teaches me useful stuff so I can continue to be a self-reliant person.Cathy Rattuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07641738545238279583noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8607978.post-1138344265015708472006-01-27T01:42:00.000-05:002006-01-27T01:44:25.026-05:00RiddleI have been trying to solve this riddle for 10 years. I've lost touch with the person who told me.<br /><br /><br />What is it that a woman does every day of her life and a man does only once in his lifetime?Cathy Rattuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07641738545238279583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8607978.post-1138341790022974062006-01-27T00:51:00.000-05:002006-01-27T01:03:10.033-05:00A Blog ChallengeI have blogger's block so to stir things up a bit I've put out a challenge. Feel free to post a response on your own blog or as a comment on mine. This may be a little inconvenient because I have all comments sent to a web-based email account to prevent spam from being posted. Be patient and I will post them; you are welcome to post more than one answer.<br /><br />If you could have any 6 creatures, living or dead, fictional or non-fictional over for dinner whom would they be and why?Cathy Rattuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07641738545238279583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8607978.post-1137930740921057922006-01-22T05:21:00.000-05:002006-01-22T06:59:34.306-05:00HomeworkSome Jobs I've Had<br /><br />Parks and Rec Security: I was 16 at the Amphitheatre next to Lake Ramsey poised to radio police who were in the stands, should trouble stir. The worst part was handing crying kids back to parents who lifted them over the fence to avoid paying. The best part was enjoying the shows on stage with the other teen employees. We saw Valdy, April Wine, Rush and teen dances under the stars.<br /><br />Tim Hortons: Again I was 16. This supplemented my income in order to buy make-up and records; the work was relatively regular. My best friend and I were hired. She was laid off. I watched pairs hired and singles fired - always the least efficient one. I quit the night before Mother's Day. I learned about good girlfriends and bad management.<br /><br />"Orient" chinese restaurant: At 18 I stayed until 4 am on weekends. After closing the boss would share a meal with all employees while commenting on the service provided during the evening. During hours of operation, the manager greeted customers, worked the cash and watched the goings on, giving us helpful advice as the night progressed. Waitresses shared tips. Anyone could earn a nickel an hour raise by working better than on the previous shift - no ceiling. We all helped eachother to provide the best service and maximum tips. Everyone was driven home after work. I learned French service, teamwork and good management.<br /><br />Le Petit Gourmet: I moved to the big city for a year and lived downtown in the time that living downtown was safe and fun. If people were in Toronto, they would come to the Eaton Centre. I'm sure I saw more people I knew from Sudbury there than I did when I was living in Sudbury. At the time, I was the least educated waitress in the place. I learned about wines, how hard-earned money can be and the value of education.<br /><br />Some Places I've Lived<br /><br />Frood Road, Sudbury Ontario<br />Lively (now part of Walden), Ontario<br />Grandview Blvd., Sudbury, Ontario<br />Alma College, St. Thomas Ontario<br />Hyland Drive, Sudbury Ontario<br />Residence, Toronto General Hospital<br /><br />Websites Visited Daily<br /><br /><a href="http://www.sciam.com">www.sciam.com</a><br /><a href="http://www.cbc.ca">www.cbc.ca</a><br /><a href="http://www.google.ca">www.google.ca</a><br /><a href="http://www.dictionary.com">www.dictionary.com</a><br /><a href="http://www.workopolis.com">www.workopolis.com</a><br /><a href="http://www.reuters.com">www.reuters.com</a><br /><a href="http://earthquake.usgs.gov/recenteqsww/">http://earthquake.usgs.gov/recenteqsww/</a><br /><a href="http://www.nationalgeographic.com">www.nationalgeographic.com</a><br /><br /><br />TV Shows<br /><br />CSI Miami<br />CTV National News<br />Daily Planet<br />Nature Nut<br />The Daily Show / Politically Incorrect<br />American Idol / Canadian Idol<br /><br />Foods<br /><br />Brie Cheese and cream crackers with Chateauneuf-Du-Pape Fiole Du Pape<br />angel food cake from scratch with no topping<br />creme caramel made with Grand Marnier<br />crispy slow cooked pork ribs with baked sweet potato fully loaded<br />fiddleheads with butter and chicken breast roasted with lemon, white wine and tarragon<br />halibut but only at Old York<br />slow cooked steel cut oats with Organic Meadow milk and Manuka honey<br /><br />Albums<br /><br />Sinfonia Concertante in E-Flat, K.364 (Mozart) with Perlman and Zukerman / Heifetz and Primrose (for Stern and Zukerman, see below)<br />Isaac Stern - My First 79 Years<br />A Lasting Impression - Jacqueline du Pre (Daniel Barenboim conducting/piano)<br />Horowitz at the Met - Scarlatti, Chopin, Liszt, Rachmaninoff<br />A Boy Named Charlie Brown - Vince Guaraldi Trio<br />classic Kathleen Battle - A Portrait<br />Carmen - Callas, Gedda, Guiot, Massard,Sautereau,Berbie,Vauquelin,Pruvost,Maievski,Cales,Mars<br />Linda Ronstadt with Nelson Riddle 'round Midnight<br />Sarah Brightman - Eden<br />The Best of the Eagles<br />John Lee Hooker - The Best of FriendsCathy Rattuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07641738545238279583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8607978.post-1137774693197117282006-01-20T10:15:00.000-05:002006-01-20T11:31:33.250-05:00In My MindSo hard to go back to work after having been off for a bit, but will be doing so this afternoon. Such a shame too. Going up to 11 degrees.<br />The mutt pulled the innards from her favourite toy and spread them across the apt. Don't know what she was thinking. At least she didn't eat any of it. She's on a raw food diet. She spat out the little bones. My mother would say she's full of beans.<br />I'm considering getting basic cable so I won't miss any of the American Idol and Canadian Idol shows - somebody stop me!!!!!! First I will look for a way to get the signal from either the tv or the antenna to the video recorder.<br />My keyboard reaches the treadmill console - there are healthy possibilities. Store the table? Add a nice big bookshelf?<br />I am relieved to see that tropical cyclone Daryl will bypass my friends in Port Hedland in Western Australia. I understand that tropical cyclone Peta is still in Vancouver.Cathy Rattuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07641738545238279583noreply@blogger.com0