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Category Archives: Education

The Book Of Thank You ~ Post 7: The Canadian National Exhibition

01 Monday Aug 2016

Posted by duckykoren in Childhood, Education, Entertainment, Family Stories, Father, Grandmothers, Ice Cream, relationships, Rock And Roll, Thanks, Toronto, Tourism, Uncategorized

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Children, Family, ferris wheel, grandfathers, Grandmothers, grief, midway, Music, Platters, Stories, Toronto, Travel, Writing

 

The month of August always brings thoughts of a family tradition started by my Father in 1966.

That is when we would make our annual visit to the Canadian National Exhibition, or more commonly known to the people of Toronto as the C.N.E.

On the last day of school in late June, every child would be given a free children’s pass to this annual event.

Father was never one to let something free pass him by.

Set in the middle of downtown Toronto and bordering on Lake Ontario, the C.N.E. covers 192 acres of ground filled with a stadium, bandshell, coliseum, midway, fountains, picnic areas and much more.

Using Toronto’s public transportation, Father and I always went on the first Saturday after the grand opening. This usually coincided with the annual grand Scottish Tattoo parades where the sounds of bagpipes could be heard at every turn.

My Father didn’t care for bagpipes, and I remember how he would cover his ears and whisk me off to a quieter venue, a building perhaps, one of the many which would showcase countries from around the world, cars, or home shows.

The food building was a grand concourse featuring kiosks of cuisine from all over the world. I was partial to the corn dogs, while Father always contented himself with a cardboard bowl of spaghetti which cost only twenty-five cents.

Throughout the course of the day we collected free magazines, brochures, samples and souvenirs. By the time we left at the end of the day we would usually have three full bags of treasure to take home. I carried one while Father carried two.

I was allowed to purchase one souvenir of choice which was usually a punching ball, or an invisible dog leash.

The last time that I went to the C.N.E. with my Father was in the early 1990’s.

We brought my two young daughters to share the experience with us.

What I remember the most about that day was when we went to the bandshell where their was a rock and roll revival being held hosted by Bowser from the group SHA-NA-NA. We found a patch of grass to stand and watch. While the Platters were on stage singing their hit UNDER THE BOARDWALK, my daughters and I twirled and danced to the music.

Those were very happy moments.

In 1969, while my Father was away on business, my Grandparents took me for my annual pilgrimage to the C.N.E.

All these years later, it’s hard for me to decide which memories of that day are dearest to me.

Is it the memories of going on the Ferris wheel with my Grandmother?

She handled my rocking the carriage very well. I could be a handful at times.

Shortly after that, as I took another turn on the Ferris wheel alone, she won me an orange stuffed teddy bear. To this day, I think she paid off the carnie just so that she could see the joy on my face as she presented me with a new toy. I named the bear Godfrey.

We were very fortunate that day as our visit to the C.N.E. coincided with the visit of Canada’s current Prime Minister, Pierre Elliot Trudeau, who was there for a cinematic premiere at the Queen Elizabeth building.

My Grandmother and I stood less than ten feet from him as he stood for photographs and welcoming speeches.

At one point, he turned his head left, looked at me and smiled. I smiled back.

Now, my Grandmother has always been of the opinion that the Prime Minister was smiling at her and not me.

Indeed, every time that we found ourselves together in the following thirty-five years we would lovingly spar  with each other over this:

“Trudeau was laughing at me…” she’s say.

“No, he was laughing at me…” I’d respond.

Then we would end the discussion by laughing at ourselves.

One of the last times that I visited the C.N.E. Was in 2005, seven months after my Father had passed away. I brought my two daughters and a good friend.

We made new memories as we walked our way through trapeze artists, upside down rides, tall cups of lemonade, tall ships, log flumes, ice cream, all behind the beautiful backdrop of the Toronto skyline.

It was good to be reacquainted with one of my childhood joys and be able to set aside my lingering grief.

Thank you C.N.E. for those new memories.

May there be many more.

 

 

❤

The Book Of Thank You ~ Post Six: Thank You Wicked Witch Of The West

30 Saturday Jul 2016

Posted by duckykoren in Books, Education, Entertainment, Uncategorized

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

blog, Books, Education, Entertainment, evil, fear, good, Movies, witch, wizard of oz, Writing

 

The first time that I ever felt real fear in my life was when I was four years old. I was watching the movie THE WIZARD OF OZ based on the book by L. Frank Baum. Everything was good until the part of the movie when the Wicked Witch of the West started throwing fireballs at everybody.

First lesson learned from the Wicked Witch of the West:

Don’t play with fire.

I ran into my parents bedroom and stayed there until I knew all was well again in the land of Oz, which was only about five minutes or so.

Second lesson learned from the Wicked Witch of the West:

Fear is only temporary.

Then there was the scene where the Witch has Dorothy locked in her castle. The Witch then shows Dorothy an hourglass and threatens her by saying that when all the sand has run dry, her life will be over.

Third lesson learned from the Wicked Witch of the West:

Time is precious.

Now fast forward to the scene in the movie where Dorothy has just thrown water onto the Witch and she is dissipating into nothingness leaving only her pointy black hat and clothes.

Fourth lesson learned from the Wicked Witch of the West:

If you treat people badly, you will suffer the consequences.

When I learned that Gregory Maguire had written the book WICKED, THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THE WICKED WITCH OF THE WEST, I immediately purchased a copy.

As I read the forward, the author wrote that he wanted the book to be a study on the nature of good and evil. He invited us to ask ourselves as we read the book: By what criteria do we distinguish a good person from a bad one?

Then I went on to read all about the Wicked Witch of the West’s life and realized that I had badly misjudged her.

What had been perceived as an evil hag was in truth a very misunderstood soul.

Now, whenever I watch the movie WIZARD OF OZ it’s a totally different experience.

Fifth lesson learned from the Wicked Witch of the West:

Be careful when judging people without knowing all the facts.

Thank you Wicked Witch of the West for all the lessons. In return, you can count on me to always come to your defence.

I’ve got your back, my pretty…

 

 

❤

My.Daily.Distraction ~ Post 186: Phoneless

10 Friday Jul 2015

Posted by duckykoren in Communication, Education, iphone, Self-help

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

blogs, CBC, communication, phone, podcast, twitter, withdrawal, work, Writing

Today, as I got to work, I realized that I had done something that I rarely ever do.

I forgot my cellphone at home.

Well, that is to say, that I think it’s at home, in fact, I’m fairly sure that it is.

I did not have the phone with me in the car. Home is the last place where I remember seeing it.

Usually, I put it in my right jacket pocket. Until tonight, I have always ritualistically patted this pocket before leaving for work to make sure that I had the phone on me.

But not tonight.

I doubt that it fell out of my jacket pocket, as my pockets are on the deep side. Further, I know it wasn’t in the car or in my purse because a glowing red light on my watch indicated that the phone is not within the maximum ten feet of distance required to enable the Bluetooth.

Now, don’t get me wrong…

I am not a big fan of the telephone. Originally, the only reason I agreed to carry one is because of my thirty-six kilometre trek into work. It was my genie in a bottle in case my car breaks down. In fact, I have never reached even half of my quota for my monthly phone minutes.

What I do use it for is dictating my blog posts. It’s much faster than typing. Also, while driving to work, I enjoy listening to CBC radio program ‘Ideas,’ which is broadcast weekday nights from 9:00 to 10:00 p.m. I never get to hear the end of the programs because I have to report for my shift. Thanks to the podcasts, I can now listen to them in their entirety while I am sorting my mail at work.

Thankfully, I will not have to endure the usual “Where is my cell phone” angst as I believe it is waiting for me at home on top of the coffee table in my living room. This is where I enjoy my last few sips of tea before leaving for work.

So, tonight I am without my phone.

There will be no music or podcasts to listen to.

I won’t be able to take a picture should anything catch my eye.

No silly on-line gaming.

No checking my Twitter.

Last but not least, for the next eight hours, my family has no way to get hold of me.

Well, maybe that’s not so bad.

What I will miss Is the ability to be able to google random questions that tend to pop up from time to time…

Questions like:

Who was the original Ronald MacDonald?

In the television series ‘The Dick Van Dyke Show’ who were Rob and Laura Petrie’s neighbours?

What are the words to Billy Joel’s song ‘We Didn’t Start The Fire’?

How old is Jimmy Carter?

When I first realized that I was without my cell phone, the first thought that occurred to me was that tonight’s eight hour shift at work was going to be an interesting experiment:

How long would I last before I started getting phone withdrawal.

Would I get the shakes? Fidgety? Find it hard to breathe?

Well, we will just have to see.

(Six hours later…)

After finishing my shift and having arrived back home, I am happy to report that none of the above ever happened.

In case you were wondering, I found the phone on the sofa underneath a throw cushion.

It’s a good feeling to know that I was able to detach myself from my cell phone for a change

It was kind of nice.

In fact, I even got some overdue blog writing done.

My.Daily.Distraction ~ Post 149: Finding Forgiveness

20 Friday Mar 2015

Posted by duckykoren in Education, self help

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

back, Childhood, enlightenment, forgiveness, growing up, parents, poise, posture, self help, shoulders, trait, Walking

Still basking in the glow of another birthday, here I am the next day trying to resign myself to being my previous age,

…plus one.

I cannot help but feel grateful that I can still walk unimpeded and hold down a full time job in spite of health issues from the past.

It seems to me that from the moment I could walk, my parents were relentless in reminding me not to slouch and always walk straight.

As a child, I could not understand my parents unstoppable obsession with how I presented myself. Even when I wasn’t in their presence I could still hear both my parents recite their unending tirade:

“Straighten your back,”
“Point your toes outward,”
“Tilt your head up,”
“Shoulders back.”

Then, as a teenager I began to sense the importance of good posture.

That’s when I realized that I had inherited my Mother’s eye for poise and bearing. For many years I wasn’t sure if this handed down trait was a curse or an asset.

Not long after that I began to observe how others carried themselves.

I couldn’t help it.

It’s only in the last little while that I have begun to feel a slight sense of enlightenment.

Picture this:

It’s 4:30 a.m. and I am at work. We have just finished our morning dispatch of the thousands of oversize mail pieces that we sorted during the night, including magazines and catalogues the size of telephone books.

Next, all the carts containing the dispatched mail must me wheeled to the dock so that they can be transported onto trucks. Some carts must be walked the entire length of the mail processing plant to a depot where the letter carriers sort their morning mail.

At the end of it all, my legs are tired, my feet are sore and my back and shoulders ache.

As I walk back to my work station, I try very hard to:

Straighten my back…
Point my toes outward…
Tilt my head up…
Put my shoulders back…

Because even after a handful of decades, I can still hear my parents recitations.

That’s when I automatically feel better.

That’s when everything becomes clear.

That’s when it all finally makes sense.

And at long last…

All is forgiven.

My.Daily.Distraction ~ Post 141… Are Our SmartPhones Making Us Stupid?

12 Thursday Mar 2015

Posted by duckykoren in Education, internet, Media, SmartPhones

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Books, Einstein, Encyclopedia, information, Internet, media, paper, Pennsylvania, Radio, Schoolwork, SmartPhones, Toronto

The question asked yesterday on Toronto’s CBC Metro Morning radio program was:

“Are our SmartPhones making us stupid?”

My interest was piqued. I was going to enjoy listening to this conversation which began right after the 6:00 a.m. news. Hopefully it would see me through my half hour drive home from work.

I was all ears.

The discussion that followed came from people advocating that our SmartPhones are making us stupid. They claim that those of us who use our SmartPhones to google general knowledge questions are getting soft in the brain. They believe that by not working out problems in our head we are diminishing our ability to think.

I disagree.

When I was growing up, my parents did their best to provide me with encyclopedias so that I would always have easy access to information for my schoolwork.

Did anyone question the necessity of these books by arguing that getting the answers was just too easy because all you have to do is look it up alphabetically?

No.

There was a similar argument made in the 1970’s when pocket calculators hit the scene.

Schools immediately began to ban them from classrooms saying that it is important to know how to add, subtract, multiply and divide using only your brain, pencil and paper.

That argument did not live to see the end of the decade.

Albert Einstein said that…

“It’s not important to know all the answers.
However, it’s important that you know where to find them.

It’s empowering to have the ability to answer just about any question imaginable simply by looking it up on the Internet.

On a whim, I can look up any person, place, song, quote and book.

How can this possibly be a bad thing?

In the Star Trek television series we saw futuristic devices that enhanced communication, education, and quality of life. They enabled people to solve really big life and death situations quickly and efficiently.

I remember thinking to myself… “Wow, isn’t that an incredible device. I wonder if I’ll ever have one in my lifetime?”

Well, many of those devices have been created and are now a part of our daily lives.

One of my Father’s favourite sayings was:

“We grow too soon old…
And too late smart.”

Certainly, when using old world tools such as paper and pen, it took a very long time to solve major problems.

Let me be clear…

I have no qualms with the people of this earth getting smarter faster.

We certainly have a great many global problems that need solutions now…

…While there’s still time.

My.Daily.Distraction ~ Post 136: Knitting Faux Pas I have Known And Loved

07 Saturday Mar 2015

Posted by duckykoren in Crafts, DIY, Education, Life

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Correct, Faux Pas, Integrity, Jeopardy, Knitting, Learn, life, Mistakes

image

In the early morning hours, unable to sleep any further I picked up my knitting and settled into my comfy spot on the couch.

The sock that I’m working on is halfway done. It should have been finished long ago but I’ve continually set it aside in favour of finishing off much needed scarves and cowls.

Several days ago I noticed an impediment in the striping of the colours. Upon inspection I learned that I had dropped a stitch.

What to do?

The location of my knitting faux pas is just above the ankle, and I’ve knit half of the foot.

The mistake is a long way back.

Is the structural integrity of the sock in jeopardy?

No.

Should I rip it back and correct?

Pah!

Experience has taught me that this small blip is only cosmetic and nothing more.

Time is better spent finishing the socks than lamenting on a single black stitch that’s out of sync with the other stripes.

I welcome another lesson that life’s mistakes will always happen no matter how I strive to minimize them.

No longer do I feel a tug of guilt as I continue on my set course.

Rather, I feel rather liberated that I can let it go.

I’m beyond it.

I’ve moved on.

Yay me.

How about you?

❤

My.Daily.Distraction ~ Post 133: There’s No Excuse…

04 Wednesday Mar 2015

Posted by duckykoren in clothing, DIY, Education, garments, Learning, Sewing

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Clothes, cross stitch, darning, excuse, grandfathers, mending, needle, sewing, stitching, thread

I’ll never forget the time when I walked by my Grandfather while he was reading the newspaper in our living room. No sooner had I passed him, when I could suddenly feel him freeze.

Even at the age of ten, I could sense when there was something about me that did not meet with his approval.

Setting his newspaper aside, he took off his glasses and asked me to come closer.

I did as I was told.

My Grandfather pointed to a rip in one of my sleeves.

It was then that he told me that there was no excuse for wearing a torn garment.

No excuse at all.

He was right of course.

It’s a matter of self respect for yourself, and maintaining the respect of others.

In his early years, my Grandfather was apprenticed to be a tailor before he received his call to enter the ministry.

I know for a fact that he was an exceptional tailor because even after his retirement, he continued to enjoy sewing for the family. My world was a happier place whenever I had the pleasure of seeing my Opa sitting in a comfortable chair hemming, stitching and darning. His contentment was obvious whenever there was a needle in his hands. My Grandfather’s meticulous nature thrived on perfect stitches.

I was about five years old when someone put a sewing needle in my hand for the first time.

It was my Aunt Elsbeth. I was visiting her house one day when she sat me down at her kitchen table along with her own three children. We were each given a threaded sewing needle and one of her husband’s old shirts. Then, we were shown how to sew in a straight line using medium sized stitches,

That is how I learned to sew.

Now, fast forward several decades.

When my eldest daughter was in grade one, I sat her down and introduced her to a needle and thread as well. Before she knew it, I had her doing cross stitch on a stamped piece of linen using coloured embroidery floss.

She still has this project, or she tells me.

Of course, this makes me very happy because this little piece of cloth that holds my daughter’s first precious stitches, tells me that as her Mother after all these years…

…I at least did something right.

My.Daily.Distraction ~ Post 130: Judge Not

01 Sunday Mar 2015

Posted by duckykoren in Education, Geography, spirituality

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

Earthquake, Family, grandfathers, Mountains, Yugoslavia

My Grandfather was a Baptist minister.

Now, in order to be a good minister you need to be able to tell a good story.

Even better if you can tell the same story in several different ways.

It recently occurred to me that one story he told me was a variation on a theme.

Perhaps you will recognize it:

When my Grandfather and his Sister, my Great Aunt Sophie were still quite young they went for a motorbike ride in the Yugoslavian mountains. When they reached the top, they stopped.

Getting off their bikes they paused for a few moments.

My grandfather told me it was a beautiful view.

The vista was intense with all the mountains that surrounded them.

Yet it was not the natural beauty that brought them to this place.

Over the edge and way down below from where they stood, a sea of monolithic boulders told another story.

Several years earlier this had been the sight of an earthquake

Grandfather then went on to explain that as lovely and as serene as this setting appeared, beneath the boulders below one thousand victims still lay buried.

“So it is with the people in our lives,” he said to me, sadly shaking his head as he finished his story:

“No matter how pristine, craggy or beautiful people may appear to be, we never know the tragedies buried below their surface.”

In essence…

Judge not.

My.Daily.Diversion ~ Post Eighty-Four: We Need More Song Cues

13 Tuesday Jan 2015

Posted by duckykoren in Children, Children's Education, Education, Entertainment, Music

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Bram, Children, Family, Happy Thoughts, Lois, Nylons, Schnitzel House, Sharon, Sharon Lois And Bram, Singing, song cues, Songs, Television, The Elephant Show, The Nylons, tickle, variety shows

Does anyone remember singing?

No one ever seems to sing anymore.

There was a time when I couldn’t even walk to my fridge before a television variety show song cue introduced yet another famous celebrity singing a show tune.

But no more.

I know for a fact that there are lots and lots of fun little songs out there that can be sung alone or with someone else.

Singing was something people use to do to pass the time, to raise spirits, bring comfort, and to praise.

And who doesn’t enjoy a pretty melody from time to time?

One of my favourite joys are children’s shows which are always introducing youngsters to music. The lyrics are ridiculously easy to remember and they are humorous as well.

My kids were raised on Sharon Lois and Bram, the ones who gave us ‘The Elephant Show’ best known for it’s theme song:

‘Skinamarinkadink’.

If you have never heard them sing this song, then in my opinion…

…you have not lived.

Do yourself a favour and Google it one day. And while you’re at it be sure and look up their episode of when one of my favourite bands, THE NYLONS appeared on their show and sang “The Lion Sleeps Tonight.” Even Johnny Carson was bowled over with their version of that song.

And when I was young it was Sesame Street, Mister Rogers, Mr. Dressup, Howdy Doody, Captain Kangaroo, that got everyone singing.

Now, when I was a child, there was one song that was our personal family favourite. Every now and again my Father would reach back in time and dust off this wonderfully silly song decades later and take it for a test drive. Of course, I would always join in.

Grampa Schnitzel would both begin and end his half hour children’s show with these following tuneful lyrics:

‘The Schnitzel House’

“Is this not a little mouse?
Ya, this is a little mouse,
Is this not a Schnitzel House?
Ya this is a Schnitzel House,

…Little Mouse
…Schnitzel House

Inky dinky inky dinky
Inky dinky
Schnitzel House.”

You know, just writing that out gave me a tickle.

I really should take my own advice and sing that song every day.

Guaranteed happy thoughts…

Certainly, something this world can use a little more of.

My.Daily.Diversion ~ Post 79: “Play Me I’m Yours”

09 Friday Jan 2015

Posted by duckykoren in Education, Entertainment, Music, Stories

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Charlotte, daughters, job, Mother, Music, North Carolina, piano lessons, Pianos, play me I'm yours, Toronto

It’s always a good day when I can add a story to my story telling arsenal, and today was a very good day.

While driving through North Carolina today, we tuned into Charlotte’s public radio station WFAF FM 90.7.

They were featuring a segment on the PLAY ME I’M YOURS project spear headed by Luke Jerram.

In this project which began in 2008, pianos are placed in public places to encourage people to sit down and play with the keys. Whether someone has had formal training or not is unimportant. What is important is the opportunity to play around with the keys or just listen to someone else play.

So far, over 500 pianos have been placed in cities around the world including Toronto.

Luke says you never can tell who can play or who cannot when a curious passerby sits down.

Then, Luke went on to tell the story which prompted this post.

The story began with a young girl and her Mother as they passed by a piano.

After they both sat down on the bench, the Daughter began to play…

And she played beautifully…

Later, Luke learned that the Mother had taken on a second job so that she could afford to give her daughter piano lessons.

They had no piano at home.

And so, she had never before had the opportunity to hear her daughter play the piano.

…Until that very moment.

And the Mother could not hold back her tears.

What a happy moment that must have been for both Mother and Daughter.

Certainly, it is a moment they will always remember…

…And a story that I will never forget.

❤

For more information on this project including videos, you can find it on the web under…

PLAY ME I'M YOURS.

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