Happy Chanukah! Merry Christmas! Three interesting years just flew by – so it’s time to share and time to review.
But first, a plug for Lobster Monster – 3249 Yonge St. The décor is unique and soooo ‘with it’ – and the owner is a woman – Marianne Bai-Woo. The manager is also a woman – Kathy Roberge. That is probably why the restaurant has the ambiance that invites a relaxed and fun evening. Now those of us who are lobster lovers know that we have expensive taste. John Fortune, their skilled cook is from Nova Scotia – and if he doesn’t know about lobster, who will? Make time to get there – mention this blog – it is worth it.
2012
I signed a book deal. It had been ten years since FINAL JUSTICE was published internationally, and the world had changed. In order to be “in the moment”, I had to learn how to write blogs, I had to learn to post comments in the media all around the world, and I had to sign up on Facebook. I didn’t know how to do any of it but the genius son did. So we were off!
The first blogs were personal – I had a basal cell scare and wrote about the Mohs Clinic at Women’s College Hospital and the fabulous surgeon, Dr. Nowell Solish who did the job. Well, guess what? I was there last week for another basal cell growth. Less than three years. Luckily for me, the same Dr. Solish looked after me and all is well.
TIFF
Like the sleeping giant, or in my case, the sleeping bubbie, this became my re-introduction to the world of politicos. In other words – who you know, who you want to know, and who will confess that they know you. After months of TIFF stonewalling about their plans to schedule their awards gala on Yom Kippur, I reverted to the strategies of the past and made some calls for help. Willowdale MP C.S. Leung, Mayor Rob Ford, Councillor Doug Ford, and budget chief Frank DiGiorgio all called back. They had no hesitations about supporting an issue of concern to members of the Jewish Community.
2013
In June, after midnight, TIFF posted an announcement on its site that their awards gala was being moved back to its original date – the day after Yom Kippur. No further comment needed.
I was also finalizing my manuscript – The Third Hole – sex, murder, golf. These are a few of my favorite things. I had also begun writing comments in the media. My publisher wanted lots of people to know about it and to be interested in reading it. But infamy had been a major part of my life twenty years earlier and it continued to come back to haunt me.
The world of evil trolls now came crawling. I always used my real name in the media comments because at the beginning, who knew not to, especially when one was promoting their book? And six trolls, using phony user names, latched on to my comments in the Toronto Sun and the National Post.
I don’t have to repeat the lies and obscenities they posted – I shared them with you in previous blogs – but it is interesting that the Huffington Post, the Washington Post, the New York Times. USA Today, and even the media in Calgary, Vancouver, Ottawa and the UK where I am a regular never post those trolls’ comments. I feel good about that.
However, I did get used to it in the Sun and the NP though I often complained– on occasion they did something – and I do thank a very special person who knows who he is – but too often my comments were the ones deleted to make it easier for them.
But – I now have 25,265 upvotes – those are people who have read my comments and blogs and clicked “like” – so that is very good and eases some of the uglies
The Third Hole was launched at Chapters/Indigo. It was a great party – we sold enough books in the first two months to make some money. Maybe my next book will make it to the screen where the real money is.
2014 – Politics
Prime Minister Harper’s courageous stand in support of Israel was so reassuring. I joined a team in Willowdale committed to helping him get re-elected. Chungsen S. Leung is our MP and he will be lighting the Chanukah Menorah on Tuesday December 16th at the North York Civic Centre organized by the Jewish Russian Community Centre. How very appropriate that our MP of Chinese heritage will be front and centre with the Jewish community. Join us.
It has been a long time since I was directly involved in the game of politics so last Spring I volunteered in the campaign of Conservative MPP candidate Michael Ceci, a brilliant charmer. What a great team of volunteers he had working for him. Michael came second but will no doubt be a major political player in the future.
In the municipal election, I volunteered for Willowdale councillor candidate David Mousavi who happens to be a Liberal (not his fault) but he is also a dynamite politician. David came close but not this time. He will no doubt be a force in this province. So how is it that these guys are so much younger than me? I used to be younger than everyone.
Anyhow, before I talk about age and all that jazz, here is a draft of a fundraising letter that I just wrote:
AM YISROEL CHAI!
Dear Friend:
For the first time in Canada’s history, a Prime Minister has stood tall in support of Israel and the Jewish community. That Prime Minister is Stephen Harper.
Beatings of elderly Jews in France, the UK, and other European countries are on the rise. For many of us, this is a terrifying reminder of the years leading up to the Holocaust when too many ignored the warning signs, looking the other way and pretending that “this too shall pass”. Well, it didn’t pass. Six million lives were lost. And with the re-birth of the state of Israel, we all vowed “NEVER AGAIN!”
There will be an election in less than a year. Justin Trudeau’s choice of advisors reflects his own bias. And that bias is aimed right at us. Hamas used women and children as human shields in front of their rockets in Gaza but Justin’s military advisor, Andrew Leslie blamed Israel for civilian injuries. And Leslie is now being touted as a candidate in Ottawa-Orléans.
The Canadian New Citizenship Guide for New Immigrants reports that “Canada’s openness and generosity do not extend to barbaric cultural practises that tolerate spousal abuse, honour killings, female genital mutilation, forced marriage or other gender-based violence”.
Justin Trudeau’s comments on that guide when asked:
“There needs to be a little bit of an attempt at responsible neutrality. Honour killings shouldn’t be called barbaric”.
NEVER AGAIN! Help us make sure with a tax deductible donation to assist Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s re-election. Your support will make the difference.
So? What do you think? I would love your comments.
And now, to the final act of this blog. There is now a 7 at the front of my age. OMG! It can’t be true! Denial is an option. And attitude is critical.
Yesterday I was an endless chick thinking that I was still sixteen. But when a 7 arrives at the front of your age, it is all over. Overnight. How is it possible that from one day to the next, I have become elderly? I twitch when news stories refer to “elderly” persons in their sixties. Okay, I could lie about my age. Sure. All the hype about me on the internet posts my age first. Forget that.
Suddenly, it seems that there is really going to be an end to the road. But I thought I would have forever – that there would always be time to fix it or to try again. I ignored all those warnings in all those articles in all those magazines that kept saying, “don’t put it off, don’t pretend, stop living in denial” – but I didn’t listen. My inaction became so overwhelming that I knew that time was running out – or has it already run out?
My four year old granddaughter knows how to use an i-phone or a smart phone or whatever it is. I really don’t ‘get it’ when it comes to social media. Friends who twitter and tweet and who knows what else tell me that one can even find a sexual partner without ever having to leave their home computer. Pardon me? Online??
I’ll save my editorial comments for face to face chats – my kids read my blogs and I have to be very careful about what I write. But you can guess what I am thinking.
Okay, what next? I’m just trying to share the trauma of now being categorized as “elderly”. But wait! You certainly read my last blog about flirting – didn’t you? Of course you did. I still feel that that way. So what to do?
Stonewall. And be grateful that in today’s world, Seniors enjoy the best that it has ever been. I can still run up and down the stairs at JVS without medical assistance. I play golf, I play bridge (that is just my brain at work) and I’m lucky that in Canada, we have the best medical talent in the world. It has allowed many of us to avoid the pitfalls of maximizing aches, stiff joints, hardening of the brain and orthopedic shoes. Yes! Seventy has become the new fifty-five!!!
2015
I’ll be under the radar for a while – volunteering on PM Harper’s re-election team, specifically with Willowdale MP CS Leung. I will be continuing to write comments and blogs that I hope will make a difference. Saturday mornings I am the volunteer librarian at Temple Sinai– drop in. And as a Senior I get to enjoy my kids and grandkids – and then take off and leave them to entertain each other. That is really nice.
Happy New Year – good health and lots of happy times for you and those you care about.
Latest Comments