On the late side with my entry, but I already did some vacuuming and also laid the last hand at decorating my living area with Christmas ornaments, but without a tree. I don’t really have the room for one and a real tree costs quite a bit, while table sized trees are hard to find in my neighbourhood. Not having a car limits me in exploring for such things that are not available here.
Last Friday Shirley and I met at the newly styled Second Cup on 4th and 17th Ave in spite of the cold. I had a couple of books for Shirley one by Moore and the other by Gloria Steinem. We are never short of things to talk as family and personal experience pass the stage. Sharing feelings at this time of year is important as each of us need to acknowledge losses and hurts in our separate, but now known lives as friends.
On Saturday I did most of the decorating and yesterday John and I took in the Handel sing along at the Arts Commons Music Hall. This after I had visited with my friends at the Palliser and listened to Herman’s “In Praise of Santa” talk. Attendance was just Ken and me, besides the volunteers making for a total of five.
John and I enjoyed the sing along performance like we did last year. Afterwards we went for a ‘Horn and a lump’ at James on Fourth …
John and I enjoyed the sing along performance like we did last year. Afterwards we went for a ‘Horn and a lump’ at James on Fourth, a block over from my abode. We talked about a variety of topics, including my personal morning affirmation and politics. However, it is clear that John feels discouraged at times in his search to find new employment, although he does have nibbles from time to time. He does stay connected with former colleagues, exchanging information and leads.
Going through all those notes, … made me realise how valuable these courses and our intellectual socialising have been.
Last week I spent much time sorting as mentioned. I went through all the Wednesday evening courses that I took with Herman since October 2003 until the one on Quimby fall 2015, the last one. Going through all those notes, along with the ideas offered and discussed in our groups as we went, made me realise how valuable these courses and our intellectual socialising have been.
I also realise that this will not come back and that I am saying goodbye to a much valued and endearing activity. Over these thirteen years we met for two courses a year throughout and for about five years we took in a third - Spring - course as well. That makes for a total of just over thirty courses of five evenings each at 100$$ per course! Money well spent, because you can take it with you when the time of passing comes.
I also am sorting out my talks, which total forty one (41) now, dating back to September the 4th, 2004. I discovered some gaps in my list, namely 2014 when I visited my family in the Old Country. However, I discovered the tape cassettes again when I started looking for my Christmas Cds. So, now I have the tapes, but not yet the handout and relating computer files. So, I have some more work to do here.
I have about two thousand (2000) books, so that will not be a small task to complete.
The days leading up to Christmas I intend to spent on rounding out this sorting process. And, for the time after until New Years, a plan is starting to emerge to sort through my book collection. It needs to be weeded out and organised. I have about two thousand (2000) books, so that will not be a small task to complete.
But, I have done this kind of thing twice before, once in 1999 when storing my belongings and later in Zeist, NL, closing down my apartment in last days of summer 2003. My rule is that if I have not looked at a book for about five years and if I am done with that interest, it goes.
Yet, I have to be careful to not throw out the references that I will need later in my writing. This writing collection too needs to be sorted through, because I am busy focussing in on what is now important to me in formulating my framework and message as I see that in my old age, ripe with experience!
<10:56am~.