Detroit

I came to the marvelous city of Detroit, Michigan, USA about four years ago and I have been in love with the city ever since.  It has a little bit of everything, night life, sports - four major league sports teams and a vibrant college sports Mecca; it is known for Motown - a musical hub that discovered the likes of Michael Jackson, Aretha Franklin, Diana Ross, Smokey Robinson and the Temptations.  Currently the biggest music artists hail from Detroit - Eminem, Kid Rock, Big Sean and KashDoll.  It is also known as the Motor City with Ford and General Motors being major players in the automotive industry.

I came to Detroit to seek an opportunity to better myself, to see what was possible in the United States of America.  I found that no better opportunity was better than to seek more education as that would open more doors to success.   Computers and Information Technology seem to be vital to every industry imaginable.  I say this because there is virtually a computer in our cars, cell phones, and even our homes.  I will always try to learn as much as I can about these magnificent technologies.  I am fully invested in the present as well as the future.

The city has seen a lot of highs and lows, resurgence, bull markets, bear markets, lay-offs, and possibly a recession.  Nothing draws more fear and worry than a Coronavirus Pandemic.  The federal, state and local governments have virtually issued a state of emergency and issued a stay-at-home order.  We can only leave our homes for essential services - such as grocery, pharmacy, mail, hospital, etc.  Major businesses have closed their doors and offered limited services as a way to mitigate the current Pandemic.  You always hear of a Pandemic occurring, but we always thought it was from movies like Outbreak, Contagion, I am Legend to name a few.    I have washed my hands so much, practiced social distancing, and most importantly stayed indoors.

I know it seems like a difficult time we are dealing with, and it is felt all around the world.  I never thought of myself as a religious person, but I have never had a closer connection to my faith as I do now.

We should cherish all that is dear to us and weather the storm; be it family, friends, loved ones, relationships, we must pull through and persevere.  Be strong and most importantly be safe out there.

Artic Circle

I left Owen Sound, Ontario and headed towards Pearson Airport in Toronto.  Before my flight departed, I decided to go around downtown Toronto at night looking for a delectable morsel called a Swarma.  It is basically meat in a pita bread wrap with all the vegetable trimmings you want.  I didn't think I would be able to find the culinary delight at 3 AM in the morning, but alas I was successful in my endeavor.   After my culinary escapade, I had to head to the airport and depart for Ottawa.
After an hour flight, I finally landed in Ottawa.  I stayed at the Southway Hotel for a night and preceded  to depart for Iqaluit, Nunavut.  I have never traveled so far north before.  I looked out the window seat to my I couldn't believe it , I was in fact in the Arctic.   I landed in the airport in Iqaluit and noticed the beautiful scenery and surroundings.  I had to get a connecting flight from Iqaluit to Pangnirtung.  Pangnirtung is a hamlet between two mountains.  When I finally landed I couldn't believe I was literally 40 kilometers from the Artic Circle.  This is truly the experience of a lifetime.

A New Beginning!

The anticipation for a new beginning can leave one unsure, scared and curious about what happens next.  I have been told everything has an appointed time and we should not try and speed up the process through any means necessary.  In this instance, I was told the appointed time was April 15th, 2011;  there will be a new addition to a otherwise great family-a bundle of joy.
Someone once told me that you will never be ready for such an event in your life.  It does not matter if you are 16 years of age or a 150; it seems that nothing can prepare you for the event but there are different avenues you can take.  You can try and plan or just go with the flow of the events that are to come.  Take the classes, read the books, listen to people who have gone through the process and those who have not; the choice is yours and your alone to make.  I know it seems like a a lot of the advise is contradicting but it is all there to ease the transition.  A famous saying states that "it takes a village to raise a child" I hope it is true because no one should have to raise a child alone.
I view myself as an outsider looking in but after a time you become more involved in the process.  I remember when I saw the first ultrasound and was astounded of what was to be.  You begin to realize how precious life is, and it is beautiful indeed.  You take a look at the photograph and you start to outline physical features such as a head, hands, feet even a spinal cord and it becomes so real.  Everyone seems to have their part in this play of life.  There seems to be major roles and minor ones but they are all very vital.  My part in this play seems to be small at first but after a time it becomes more and more important.  Whether its taking the mom to be to a doctors appointment or listening to her thoughts and concerns, I felt like a made an impact or an impression.
Months go by and you start to notice the life forming in her womb.  You start to notice that this is not a dream and it is happening as we speak.  You hope that the members of the village can come together in the best interest of the future.  You admire the fact that she made a decision and sought to see it through no matter the cost.
It is now the 37th week of the pregnancy, she has done a remarkable job making her scheduled appointments and classes.  She has overcome the morning sickness and stress.  The father to be has been with her every step of the way.  He really showed his fortitude by "stepping up"  and "rising to the occasion".  I am really proud of both of them.
I have been with my partner for over two years now.  We are engaged to be married and she has two teenage kids which I love like my own.  The children have been in my life for over four years and I can say I have been more like a student than a teacher. They have opened me up to new viewpoints and possibilities.  They are adolescents and adults ready to take on the world in their own way.  I have experience with parenting teens but not a new born so I was not sure how to advise the parents to be.  All I can do is try to be as much as a resource to them as possible.
We get a call 3 A.M. in the morning about her labour pains.  I suit up and start the car and proceed to pick them up and head to the Hospital.  Proceed to the Birthing Unit and we are informed by the nurse that it is a false alarm.  At first we are upset about it but we are reminded that it is a practice run.  "We are not talking about the game, we are talking about practice." I remember Allen Iverson's quote when I think about the whole thing.  Well, I know the shortcuts to the hospital and I certainly think I am prepared for the main event.
Could I ever be so wrong; the main event began on April 7th, 2011-a week ahead of schedule.  This led to another trip to the Birthing Unit at the Hospital.  I get there in record time without any observed moving violations.  She well received by the hospital's staff and the waiting period begins.  I am waiting in a room with my partner and the father to be.  I try to offer some support but am not sure what to do or say.  The labour is a long process from what I have been told.  I get a chance to see the expectant mother in her room.  She has already met with the doctor, her contractions are monitored, so are her vital signs as well as the baby's.  I look around the room to see the different posters or fact sheets explaining birth.  She has to go from one centimeters of dilation to 10 centimeters, I can only offer little and outdated advise.  She informs me that Lamaze is a thing of the past, much to my surprise.
Hours go by and the village members start to congregate in support of the new addition.  Many of them travel hundreds of miles to show support.  I amazed and astonished about this fact.  We all stand around patiently waiting in the hospital for the bundle of joy to arrive.  It is a stressful situation made easier by their arrival.  After hours of waiting at the hospital, I decide to leave and get some rest.
It is 8:05 A.M. in the morning on April 8th, 2011.  I receive a call from my significant other.  She informs me that we have a new addition to the family.  He is a beautiful baby boy, he weighs 7 pounds 11 ounces and is roughly 20 inches tall.  I head to the hospital again to see the new baby, one that will eventually call me GRANDPA.  He is absolutely amazing, I look at the mother, she has put up with a lot of pain and is recovering quite nicely.  The father is full of emotion and joy.  It is hard to explain only a picture can accurately describe it because "a picture is worth a thousand words."  This is certainly true indeed.   I won't give you the baby's name but he is named after an ancient Egyptian mythical bird that reincarnates itself every thousand years to form a new beginning.

The Legend of the Falls

I got the chance to witness the marvel that is Niagara Falls. I came to the city at night, got a glimpse of a fireworks display as I came into time. I guess it was perfect timing. There was a music festival going on at Clifton Hill. It was packed with hordes of people enjoying the festivities and nightlife. I went to the Niagara Falls Casino to view the spectacular venue. I always wanted to try my hand at Blackjack. I figured since I dabbled a little in Statistics, it would be a fun event. I wound up playing the Slot Machines and leaving success to chance. When they say call the machine a "One Arm Bandit" they were not kidding. I talked to a few people to see if I could get the inside track. Some say place small bets others say place large ones because if you don't take risk how are you supposed to win big. I observed the poker table, roulette table and finally the Blackjack table. They were all packed with people trying to twist the hands of the Sisters of Fate. I also noticed a lot of people were playing the "virtual" versions of these games. One thing I wondered is if there was a difference between having a dealer hand out the cards or having a computer doing the same thing. Are the both facilities dealing with a 52 card deck? It is difficult to say but one notion that I have heard people say is that "the House always wins". Whether this is true or not is difficult to determine. I remember the old Kenny Rogers song, and he is absolutely right, in any game you play whether it being Poker, Blackjack, Roulette or the Slots, you really "need to know when to hold em, know when fold em, know when to walk away and when to run". It almost seems you can apply to any situation you deal with in life.
I recommend you head to this city and enjoy the sites, whether its heading to the casinos, riding the Maid of the Mist, heading to Skylon Tower, visiting the wax museums, shopping, camping, eating at any of the fantastic restaurants, visiting the Butterfly Conservatory, Marine Land or perhaps watching a show in the Theatres. I feel it is a venture worth making.
The Falls are truly the stuff of legend.

Oops

I always seem to be making mistakes in my life. I don't heed warning from people close to me. I just seem to take it in one ear and out of the other. They say making the same mistake once is an error, two times is just coincidence and the third is a learning disability.
I have not seemed to find luck in relationships. I seem to pick women that are not completely compatible with my needs. I have chased younger girls in their early 20s and it never seems to work. I have dated older women with children. I almost feel selfish dating them because their attention needs to be focused on their children. I thought playing a substitute father would be easy, it isn't. It seems you almost need to drop everything to cater to their needs. I am not entirely sure what it takes to be a father. I guess I have got a lot of learning to do. Now a relationship with a woman with children is over. How will the relationship with the children go. I know you pretty much break up with the children as well. They wonder if they were a factor in the break-up but I assure you they aren't.
The end of a relationship is difficult for all parties involved, there must be a reasonable attempt to end it on amicable terms. Exactly, what are amicable terms. From all the relationships I have been in during the last couple of years, I have felt like a jerk and on numerous terms been called one.
One thing I have noticed, women seem to ponder deep into my psyche in an attempt to label me or figure me out. I am in the point in my life where I like to have some privacy and mystery to my life. I usually don't want a serious relationship, but it usually heads down that road. I like being free like a bird to explore my horizon but that does not fit into the ideals of most women who are looking for a serious relationship I hate it when the cell phone becomes like a digital leash for your significant other to check up on you. The whole where are you or who are you with comes into play. I guess it is a completely dynamic issue at which different thoughts and opinions arise.
Oops I didn't mean to lead you on, Oops I forgot to tell you what I wanted, I was only catering to your needs while abandoning my own. At times I feel like a geisha enduring the 5 comforts to cater to your needs. What are the 5 comforts, I will tell you:
1) conversation
2) dance
3) music
4) art
5) sexual copulation
Is a relationship healthy when all you become is a "yes man" or a servant to your mate. At first it seems alright but in time it becomes akin to a prison sentence. At this point in time, I will remain single and free till a better offer comes along.

Doctor slain in Kansas Church

A doctor who performed abortions was killed on Sunday in his church in Wichita, Kansas. His death will spark a powder keg in the long stemmed abortion debate. It has been an ongoing debate whether or not to overturn the bill that made abortion legal-Roe v. Wade. Anti abortion activist has been protesting the doctors work for a long period of time. But was his slaying going to far, there must be a better way to prove a point. Whether you are Pro-Life or Pro-Choice, we must respect each others opinions. Right now abortions are considered legal according to the U.S. government. Killing the doctor who performed abortion is just an act of murder pure and simple. Since his murder occurred in a church, it almost does away with the statement "Separation of church and state".
A woman who enters a clinic seeking assistance with the termination of a birth has weighed the options heavily and cannot go through the rigors of becoming a parent. The physician was just doing his job and following through. I do agree that life is precious to all accounts and the women will bear the burden of supporting life. It has been a controversial debate that cannot be labelled as black or white. It definitely has a lot of grey areas. When it comes to the choice of Pro-Life or Pro-Choice, I will tell you "no comment". All I say to women considering this serious procedure is to weigh in all the options presented to you. Do not think for a second that it is the only choice. There are many options, but do not make this decision alone. Consult family members and friends to consider the best alternative.

Delicacy

I was looking at the meaning of the word "delicacy", here is what I found.
-fineness of texture, quality, etc.; softness; daintiness: the delicacy of lace.
-something delightful or pleasing, esp. a choice food considered with regard to its rarity, costliness.
I usually associate the word with a food that is dificult to come by. I had a delight called fried "plantain" or "platanos" in spanish. It is a rare import where I currently reside, but when
I get the opportunity to partake in this delight, I tend to overindulge. To me it feels like "ambrosia and "nectar" combined.
Maybe, I am making too much of a deal of a dish that is considered an appetizer or a desert. It is always the little things in life that garner such importance. We must always make time to partake in the small delights.