I often write to educate, but writing for a laugh also interests me. When we have to deal with deep, dark and difficult issues, it’s necessary to lighten the load, and perhaps smudge when dealing with the difficult stuff. As is often the case, we must entertain, enlighten and have some fun with the written word.
Commercial Drive in Tagwaan/Vancouver’s east side is filled with all different types of people: the eclectic, people with mobility challenges, coffee drinkers, Italian men outside Little Italy, people experiencing homelessness and those needing help, and so much more.
The other day, I was walking and noticed a woman wearing a dress with the same pattern as one of my pairs of underwear. It made me chuckle. When all my clean undies are in the laundry, I opt to wear my husband’s underwear. A few weeks ago, I also couldn’t find two matching shoes, so I wore two different ones! There is always a way to problem-solve our way out of a situation.
While I firmly believe in Tagwaan/Vancouver’s Indigenous spirit, I’ve also become somewhat of a believer in Buddhism. Buddhism is attractive because of its calm nature and emphasis on mindfulness. I was interested to read about a study of Buddhist monks in Taiwan and the possible health benefits of their vegan diets, including their relationship to diabetes. Buddhism also stresses compassion, something I think we need more of in the world.
My question to Buddhists is: Do you, or can you, kill bugs? Lice, bedbugs, cockroaches, rats, mice and problematic species like green crabs, cowbirds and starlings?
Another question I have for Buddhists is whether those on the Peace March from Texas to Washington, D.C., were allowed to eat more given the task. If so, by how much? I was deeply impressed by their mission. Definitely a success.
Back on the Drive in Tagwaan/Vancouver, my trail leads to the Spin Cycle laundromat, since we have no washer or dryer of our own. In taking my one or two Santa bags to the laundry, I reflect on all the times I’ve had to carry a load.
As a student athlete at both Duke and UBC, I carried my rowing or gym bag everywhere. One of my friends even gave me the nickname “Sherpa” to describe my load of scholastic backpacks and gym bags.
Dressing up for Hallowe’en has never been so much fun as an educated person. The thought of punning around tickles my fancy. Oh, if my English teachers could see me now!
While in UBC’s Indigenous Teacher Education Program, I glue-gunned Smarties to black pants and wore a white blouse. I was “Smartie Pants.” This year, I am getting my four-year-old daughter to dress as a stick of local butter, with wings. Butter plus fly!
I try to walk to most places I need to go when I have the time. I am a member of a car-share collective and sometimes use electric cars, mostly electric when I can. Modo, the car-share organization, also uses hybrid cars and some gas-powered vehicles.
I walk because I know it’s healthy. It makes my legs feel stronger, I get to see things on the ground, I can talk to people along the way and it doesn’t cost money, per se.
One thing I feel deserves comment is city buses in Tagwaan. In Tanzania, they are called “dala dala.” In Kenya, they are called something I’ve forgotten. In Tagwaan/Vancouver, they have been unfairly dubbed the “loser cruiser.”
I think riders should give credit where it’s due. Drivers often allow free rides for people who can’t afford them. One driver I spoke with also described the difficult situations drivers sometimes face when people are in distress or behaving unpredictably near buses. It's a reminder that the job involves much more than simply getting passengers from one stop to another.
One of my Crofton friends wouldn’t go on the bus. If there is upholstery on the seats, I would be concerned about the potential spread of bedbugs. I usually prefer walking, if I have the time.
One of my quests in life is to decolonize, to Haida-ize, everything. The famous schoolyard game “rock, paper, scissors” can be changed to “spruce root, cedar bark, argillite or obsidian.” Or “Xaaguu hook, ngaal and sgiiw.” Or make up your own.
Like a true Haida, I’m not as interested in popularity contests. They smell too much like democracies. Instead, I vouch for finding different forms of dignity, colouring and shaping our world.
A mixture of gases makes our air breathable, just as we need a mixture of people to lead and show us the way.