11 Days of Remembrance: Disheartened Relief

Anyone with any kind of access to media, newspapers, internet, or otherwise, knows that Canada suffered a double blow a couple of weeks ago. First, Warrant Officer Vincent was ran off the road in Quebec, and then two days later, Corporal Cirillo was shot in the back while standing sentry at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in our nation's capital. In short, people whom I refuse to name, tried to fill us with fear and anguish on our home and native soil.

I don't shy away from my cadet experience. If anything, it can change one's perspective. For me, it was definitely apparent with the shooting in Ottawa. Before anyone takes offence, there's a good reason. By no means am I saying the WO's killing was less tragic, sorrowful, or less capable of leaving an impact. It's just... my former squadron, 779 Black Knight, is in Mount Hope, Ontario, a community that's part of Hamilton. Many of the people I had been a cadet with went on to join some form of military service. Often times, they became reservists. I know of at least two who went on to become Argyles. Yes, the very regiment that Cpl. Cirillo belonged to.

Are you starting to see where my train of thought was headed?

One of my former co-workers texted me about ten minutes before my Wednesday afternoon class was to start asking me if I'd heard about the shootings in Ottawa. I hadn't, but then, I'm old-school pen and paper, so I wasn't glued to an electronic device to tell me what was going on. In my car, the radio mentioned the shooting, but by the time I got home, where the news was already on, that's where I heard "Argyle from Hamilton".

My immediate thought wasn't about my cousin who goes to university up in Ottawa (sorry), but it was, "dear god, was it someone from 779?" Was it one of my former recruits? Could it have been the person who I was a fellow Warrant Officer with, even though he irritated me on a weekly basis? Despite being a first-class pain in the ass, no one, no matter how much they annoyed me, deserves two bullets in the back like that.

One of my friends is a Major in the Infantry. When I saw video of military men in their combats, firearms at the ready, going toward the danger, that's when I remembered that other friend of mine, who I had also been a cadet with, is stationed in Ottawa. I emailed him right away, asking him if he was alright. He was, but like everyone else in Canada, and especially our Forces, he wasn't having a good day. I believe his words were, "everyone I know is safe and sound... not a happy day here, you can imagine." With this, I knew that at least one person came out physically unscathed. But my concern was still far ending. Who was the Argyle?

When I eventually learned that the Argyle killed wasn't anyone I knew from my cadet days, I must admit that I did feel an abundance of relief. I realize how cruel that may sound, but I'm certain I wasn't the only one heaving such sigh. It wasn't an enjoyable feeling, though. Someone- a mother, a sibling, a son- was now going to have to spend the rest of their life without a child, a brother, and a daddy. No matter how relieved a person may be feeling, their heart is going to break.

I watched the funeral procession for Cpl. Cirillo on the local news as he made his way back home to the Hammer. I was alright, holding myself together, but still feeling that disheartened relief. Then, the reporter turned to a couple of older veterans, at least old enough to have been in Korea, possibly old enough for WWII. They were asked why it was important for them to attend the procession for the Cpl. As soon as they answered that it was the least THEY could do, that's when I lost it (it didn't help that their eyes were welling up with tears, and if I see a vet cry, yeah, I'm going to start to well-up myself). We're so used to it being the younger generation showing up, and giving that exact answer, but to hear it from a couple of older vets...

The picture can speak better than the words.

People may be tired of hearing about Cpl. Cirillo and WO Vincent on the news, or maybe even have a similar sentiment toward today's piece. But for the family and friends who lost those two men, their wounds and heartache will never grow tired, despite the relief the rest of us may feel.

11 Days of Remembrance: Poppy Protocol

November 1 is now here, which can only mean one thing- time again for my annual 11 Days of Remembrance miniseries. Like always, poppies are a pretty appropriate place to start.

Earlier in the week, while listening to my favourite radio station, two of the hosts were discussing when you're actually supposed to start to wear your poppy. As I used to sell poppies with veterans during my time as an Air Cadet lo those many years ago, I can give you the correct poppy-wearing procedure.

Technically, you're to start wearing the poppy on the last Friday of October. This is what the veterans and members of our Canadian Forces have always done. If that's when they deem the appropriate time to start, then I'm going to do as they desire. After all, they did the fighting, so they absolutely get to do the deciding. As for where you wear your poppy, it's only on the left side, close to your heart.

 Just like this. And notice that it's the correct shade of RED.

Yes, poppies tend to fall off, which is always unfortunate. This year, at the Legion table I stopped at, they had little pieces of rubber to stick on the pin to not only keep it in place, but to keep the sharp end from poking you. Of course, if you already have a poppy, an earring back will also do the trick. As for me, when I wear my poppy on my coat, I slide the pin between the layers of fabric, so the pin is actually inside the lapel. No poking, and it stays in place quite well. This also works well for tunics and suit jackets. Anything with a stiff lapel.

Now with this poppy protocol in mind, the last week and a half here in this country, has had a different protocol- personal choice by many. As I'm certain you're all aware, especially to my international readers, I'm Canadian, particularly from the outskirts of Hamilton, Ontario. About a week and a half ago, two members of our Forces were killed, on home soil, in acts that were meant to strike fear and terror into our red Maple-Leaf-Forever souls. Many people have chosen to wear their poppies early out of respect for our two fallen reservists. Though I have decided to wait until the traditional time, I 110% support the means of respect that many in this country have chosen to show. I did, however, opt to wear my red "WE REMEMBER" bracelet instead. Just because I didn't sport my poppy a week early doesn't mean I was about to refrain from showing them respect.

So now you know when to traditionally start to wear your poppy. And if you decide to pick one up at a table with veterans, don't forget to shake their hands. Even if they don't look like vets to you due to their younger age, still thank them. Being a veteran doesn't come with an age bracket. For all you know, you're wearing your poppy for someone they knew.
    

A Girl and Her Car: Part IV

Yes, I realize it has been quite a while since I told a tale about this girl and her car. At least a year and a half! Well, I guess last year's car tale doesn't really count much as I shared with you the sad story of some moron in a Subaru ignoring a two-way stop, thus cutting me off to make a left-hand turn, and therefore killing the 2002 5-speed Saturn SL that I'd had since I was 19. It really was a tragic tale of woe.

So, thanks to some inspiration from TTLL, here's another chapter to add to the story about this girl and her car, which, in case anyone has forgotten, is a 2012 Mazda 3 Sport GS with a 6-speed manual transmission that I acquired in March 2013. I really liked the 5-speed, and I really do miss my Saturn something awful, because that little blue berry was a beast, but there is just something about that extra gear that really gives this standard driver a feeling of superiority!

I guess this portion of the tale begins with getting my first oil change with my Mazda sometime last year. So long as my car is still under warranty, I'll take it to the dealership to get any work done, such as oil changes. However, I'm a wee bit trepidatious when it comes to dealerships, because I had a terrible experience many years ago with my Saturn that involved them wanting to "repair" parts that weren't broken, refrain from doing repairs that needed to be done, and kicking out my clutch and refusing to fix it (it was a standard problem for manual Saturns to have clutches that would pop out). But, I learned quickly to educate myself about my vehicle as much as possible so I'd have a fighting chance against mechanics who think that they can pull the wool over female-client eyes.

Anyways...

I went for my first oil change, and the service representative says to me, "because of the year your car was manufactured, and the Skyactiv, we used a different oil." I asked which type, and his response was, "synthetic." Any ladies who are reading this, here's tip numero uno for showing that you're knowledgeable about your vehicle, even if it's minimal: know your oil. I had replied with, "my previous vehicle took 5W30. Now, what oil does this car use?" The answer, for anyone who is curious, is 0W20.

I had often thought that knowing what type of oil your vehicle takes, whether it's regular or synthetic, was something that most people would make themselves aware of. Apparently not. So that's my first suggestion, especially to you ladies out there. Aside from it being a good idea should you ever have to go get yourself a litre of oil for whatever reason, but the slightest bit of knowledge about your car will tell sketchy mechanics that you have a clue, and they won't try as hard to screw you for anything (or at least that's the theory). Or at least this time around, Mazda, unlike Saturn, hasn't tried to pull any funny business. Of course, they could own souls, and that might be the reason why they're well-behaved instead. And for the record, I like to believe that all you wonderful readers are smart enough to figure out if a mechanic or dealership seems half a bubble off plum.

Last month, I went with my parents to XS Cargo as they were having a going-out-of-business sale. If you've never been to XS Cargo, all you need to know is that they have a little bit of everything, usually stuff that's been recalled and repaired, or is out of season, so they take it to sell at discount prices. Sometimes, you can really luck out and get good deals on decent merchandise. In this part of the tale, I got myself two wipers for about $10 total, give or take a few bucks. Once again, little things that I thought more people would think about, but don't.

For those who have no idea, windshield wipers come in various sizes. I'm an odd duck, because I actually know that not only does my Mazda take two sizes, but I know what those sizes are... and XS Cargo happened to have those sizes in stock. I was told that I was actually quite brilliant about this, despite my thinking that it was standard smarts, knowing what size wipers my car takes. But what really impressed my mother was my logic for buying them: winters in Canada are brutal. If this winter is going to be anything like the last (and given the lack of walnuts on the trees, it'll probably be worse), I know that there's a good chance that my wipers are going to get destroyed quick. So, I bought spares. I now keep them in my hatch, so if my current ones do bite the dust, I'm prepared. It's just like keeping an extra jug of washer fluid, and an easy-pour funnel handy (because trying to top up fluids with a wind is a supreme pain in the arse... and you waste so much when it slops all over...).  

And so concludes the latest chapter in the "A Girl and Her Car" saga. I guess the moral in this part of the story is take a few minutes and educate yourself. Know what oil you take, learn your wiper size, and even the most foolish thing will make your life easier, and maybe even save you some money. And you'll impress a few people along the way.

A New Blog to Follow (That Totally Looks Like!)

Hi all!

First, I would like to say sorry for being a slacker with this thing. I haven't been keeping up with this as much as I want to as I've actually gone back to university full-time to finish my Honours B.A in English. So I've been a little busy. And a few other pieces of suck throughout life have come between you wonderful readers and I too, but I won't go there.

Anyways...

My best friend since I was 3, whom I'm certain you all know about (his name's Omar if you don't, which is a crime), has started his own blog, called That Totally Looks Like! He is a massive car nut, so if V8 engines and a discussion of sexy bodies that don't involve the human race are your things, then you just may be interested in what he has to say. And even if that's not along your normal avenues of interest, go check it out anyway! You know you want to. Who knows? He just may decide to do a people look alike (I cannot tell you how many times he's done the whole, "Tills, you TOTALLY LOOK LIKE Cate Blanchett! I will make you dress up as Lady Galadriel for Halloween one of these years!").

So here's the link to That Totally Looks Like! I hope you all enjoy! http://thattotallylookslike.blogspot.ca/

A Few of My Favourite Things: Oh, Canada! Edition 2014

July 1 wouldn't be complete if I didn't at least take a few minutes to share a few of my favourite things about this incredible country that I call home. Yes, I realize that I have been slacking hard with A Paper Voice as of late, but I've been a little busy with a wonderful Canadian right and freedom: Education. That's right, I'm back in the classroom, so something, unfortunately had to give. But I digress. It's all in the name of increasing my knowledge so I can get the job I desire. What can I say? Editors help people use their power of speech to its fullest potential.

Anyways...

To start you off is some Canadian music. Yes, I realize I did a list of epic Canadian tunes last year, but there are a few that I've been listening to lately that I just can't get enough of. These last few weeks, I've been loading up on April Wine "Enough is Enough:...

...Blue Rodeo "Till I Am Myself Again"

...Gowan "A Criminal Mind"

...and The Kings "This Beat Goes On/ Switchin' to Glide"

Within the last couple of years, I've read some wonderful pieces of Canadian literature. A few I highly recommend include Green Grass, Running Water by Thomas King

Who Has Seen the Wind by W.O Mitchell

and Generals Die in Bed by Charles Yale Harrison.

This year, Toronto, in Ontario, Canada, hosted World Pride 2014. Whether you're LGBT or an ally, like myself, it is definitely something that I think many can be proud of (no pun intended, but it is rather convenient).

 

2014 marks the 100th anniversary since the start of the First World War. With that in mind, I'd like to take a few minutes to praise our roles from 1914-1918. I realize this would normally be showcased in November, but there are some things that ought to be shared more than once a year.

Canada has many moments to be proud of. Anyone who's ever followed this blog is well aware of my admiration for our role at Vimy Ridge.

Along with Vimy Ridge, Canada played major roles at the Battle of the Somme,

Passchendaele (the story of which has also been made into a film which I sadly, have yet to see),

and the Battle of Amiens, which many try to deny.

We also have notable military men. I'm certain you're all familiar with "In Flanders Fields" and the man who wrote it, Lt. Col. Dr. John McCrae, who was killed in action shortly before the end of WWI.

Capt. Arthur Roy Brown, the man who shot down the Red Baron, was Canadian.

And, of course, who can forget the second greatest Air Ace of all time, eight kills behind the Red Baron himself, Canada's own William Avery "Billy" Bishop?

For a country that was still fairly young (remember, we became our own nation in 1867, but you already knew that), we certainly made a name for ourselves.

Now, go watch a Molson Canadian commercial or two (found with last year's Canada Day posts), enjoy some fireworks, and embrace all that makes this country great. As for myself, I'm already decked out in my 100% Canadian shirt (the following picture is a few years old, but the shirt still fits and is as awesome as it ever was).

Happy 147th Birthday, Canada! Sing the anthem loud and proud (like hockey gold 2010 loud)! 

Speaking of hockey gold 2010 loud, I think this guy's YouTube video captured the essence of our country perfectly...

For more, please refer to my Canada Day posts from previous years. Videos are compliments of YouTube, and all pictures, except for the one of myself, are from Google.

Canada Post Fails

Reasons why I may never use Canada Post ever again:

1) On March 24, 2014, I paid to have a time-sensitive shipment mailed overnight. As of today, March 26, 2014, it still has yet to reach its destination (notice how two days have now passed).

2) The last update regarding my shipment was sent on March 25, 2014 at 9:08am, saying that it has been "redirected" with no ideas or indications as to where, other than a "new address". What new address? Or did the postman miss the desired building, but decide not to back-track because its only time-sensitive mail, so it clearly isn't THAT important?

3) When I phoned Canada Post to inquire about the status of my shipment, and where it is, I was told that if the "redirection" is close to the original address, it would reach its destination within the day. Otherwise, I could be waiting upwards of 5 business days. It's downtown Hamilton where everything is within walking distance. How much closer do you want?

4) My shipment needed to be at the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board YESTERDAY so progress can be made on my university transfer application status. No transcript by April 1, 2014, no acceptance for May 5, 2014.

5) The Canada Post representative suggested that the reason why my shipment has yet to be delivered is because I wrote an incorrect address (which normally I'd be fine with, but tone of voice is everything). I got the address directly from the HWDSB Student Records representative, and wrote it down letter for letter. I double checked the address on the HWDSB website, along with how it was written on the package (remember, it's on the receipt with the tracking number). I had the correct address.

6) I paid Canada Post for a service that they have failed to provide. Pay for overnight processing and delivery, be told that your shipment might reach its destination a week later.

I have a background that includes cargo and customs compliance. I am well aware that there are many ways to track a shipment. I've done it. If you are going to "redirect" a shipment, when the sender phones, inform them as to where the shipment is, because you know, as well as I, that there is a record of it in your database. Don't be lazy. Do your job, and track the shipment. Otherwise, the sender will presume that you have lost said shipment, and hold the carrier, in this case Canada Post, 100% liable. This kind of customer service is unprofessional, unacceptable, and will not be tolerated.

I have proof of an overnight purchase. I will be putting forth a formal complaint and inquiring as to when I can expect my refund. I'm not the first person in my household to have this issue. Other members of my family have as well, and so have many of my friends.

Need to get something shipped, and need it done promptly? Canada Post is not your answer. I'm certain a carrier like FedEx, UPS or DHL would love to have your service.

Another Year, Another Resolution

I realize we're now almost a week into the new year,  but I can still share a potential resolution or two, can I not?

I how don't know how much resolving I'll be doing this year, but we shall see what happens.

I cannot express this enough, but I would really like to be moved out of my parents' house by the end of the year. Hopefully, I can make that possible.

Next, I want to try to keep my room clean. I guess that means I have to go upstairs when  I'm done this and start putting away some laundry. Maybe even sort through my book stash too. One thing at a time.

This is also the year I plan on going back to school to finish my degree on a full time basis instead of by correspondence.  I have an exam to write by the end of this month and then I can apply for my transfer.

Last, I want to do something that's just for me. Perhaps that'll be the going back to school, or maybe I'll find something really stellar. We'll just have to see what happens.

Well, I suppose that's all for now. Until next time...

Happy 2014.