Month: June 2011

Yesterday morning I had the delight of being a judge for a Butter Tart Contest at the Treasures N Trash community yard sale, sponsored by the Rails End Gallery and Arts Centre.  Following the delightful event I experienced a sugar rush for about 3 hours.  I ate every bit of every tart I tested … unlike my fellow judges who were more refined in their sampling.  You know what?  I loved every morsel of the event and other than the fact that I crashed after the sugar wore off I had no ill effects.

Here in Ontario the promises are starting to fly in every direction.  We’re getting ready for an election this fall.

Promise this, promise that and be careful of the other guys, ’cause they are “out of touch” … BUT if we get elected. Ho hoa … just watchout.

The lengthy promise list becomes forgotten, or re-written, and re-tooled to suit the reality we voters knew existed all along.

Here’s a little poem that that defines our lives:

Tax his  land,

Tax his  bed,

Tax the  table,

At which he’s  fed.

Tax his  tractor,

Tax his  mule,

Teach him  taxes

Are the rule.

Tax his work,

Tax his pay,

He works for peanuts  anyway!

Tax his cow,

Tax his goat,

Tax his pants,

Tax his coat.

Tax his ties,

Tax his shirt,

Tax his work,

Tax his dirt.

Tax his tobacco,

Tax his drink,

Tax him if  he

Tries to think.

Tax his cigars,

Tax his beers,

If he cries

Tax his tears.

Tax his car,

Tax his gas,

Find other ways

To tax his ass.

Tax all he has

Then let him know

That you won’t be done

Till he has no dough.

When he screams and hollers;

Then tax him some more,

Tax him till

He’s good and sore.

Then tax his coffin,

Tax his grave,

Tax the sod in

Which he’s laid…

Put these words

Upon his tomb,

Taxes drove me

to my doom…’

When he’s gone,

Do not relax,

Its time to apply

The inheritance tax..

It was spring clean-up time in the forest.  And we got it done about a week ago … before summer arrived.

Penelope Trunks writes, “Your earning potential pretty much tops out at age 40. This is because your skills become increasingly valuable until you amass fifteen years’ experience, at which point you’ve hit a peak. According to statisticians at PayScale.com, in all fields except law, people are not paid more money for experience beyond fifteen years.  This means that to remain relevant and continue to increase your value, you are going to have to learn skills outside of your field.”

Yup, that’s the way it works.  Now ZOOM ahead to 65.  The same circumstances exist but if you intend to stay in the workforce you  stand very little chance (unless you own the place) of earning what you are worth … even with new skills and concerted effort to, not only remain relevant, but to continue to be an agent of change.  Sad to say, wrinkles tend to get in the way.  The new reality is to not be disappointed but rather work with what you’ve got and use your passion for being involved to remain vital.

Here’s a little video of the going’s on last Friday morning.  People had a lot of fun.  Thanks to the folks from Durham County for coming up to help put on the exhibition and training …. and to OSGA and District 11 Haliburton/Muskoka for organizing the event.  First games start on June 8th at S.G.Nesbitt arena.  Super.