pigeon problem...

Today was a beautiful spring day, the kind where you think maybe today is the day that you might remove your wool hat and enjoy some bright yellow sunshine. I was waiting at the bus stop for my bus when I spotted a pigeon flying repeatedly back and forth across the road. It took me a few passes to realize that it was collecting twigs on one side of the road and carrying them over to where it was building a nest on the roof of a building adjacent to the bus stop. "Awww" I thought, "how very spring-y", and I watched it fly a bit more before I remembered that I had some popcorn in my purse.

Now, I'm not normally the one to feed a pigeon, I'm more of a duck and geese type, but this guy was working so hard and I admired the job that was still ahead of him (her?) so I quickly checked both ways (safety first!) and scooted across the road to where it had been gathering material and tossed a few kernels onto the ground. I jogged back to my spot and waited eagerly to see if it would find my treat, hoping that I would see it before the bus came and I had to leave.

So I watched, and watched, for about 10 minutes. But it never seemed to go back to that place. Maybe it smelled me, maybe it just didn't have food on its mind, but I didn't see it notice the popcorn at all. I was disappointed, and then I had a revelation that I certainly hadn't expected to get from a pigeon.

You can only help someone so much, and they have to do the rest themselves.

Haha, it's silly I know, but yet it is very true a lot of the time. So I learned something from a pigeon today, and as ridiculous as that sounds, it's probably a lesson that will stick with me simply due to my unexpected instructor.

And without further ado, a pigeon centered video, which I found hilarious: Pigeon Impossible

We Are The World: 25 For Haiti

Came across this video on YouTube today. The crisis in Haiti is everywhere in the media these days, and for good reason. They do need relief from the earthquake that recently struck, but people seem to be forgetting that Haiti has been in terrible condition for many years, and we all turned a blind eye. Rowena over at If You Can't Be Rich Be Happy summed it up perfectly in her post Rant - a tale of systemic abuse , and I believe she is unfortunately right on the money. However, it is still important to be aware of the situation and I did enjoy this video, it is very much like Band-Aid's Do They Know it's Christmas? and equally emotional. Worth watching.

A Temporary Sigh of Relief

Sorry for the lack of posts over the last 10 days, it is week 6 of semester 2 and papers and midterms are upon me! Luckily, it's all over for the time being, so I'll get back to my (semi) regular schedule...

Today is the first day of my Spring Reading Week. It's kind of like March Break but instead of being a relaxing week to take a vacation or play in the snow (a la grade school) it is an opportunity to take a quick breather and then scramble to catch up on all of the readings and assignments you've been falling behind on for the last 6 weeks. It is also an opportunity to begin writing the papers due in the next 6 weeks, especially if all of your profs have chosen to make the final papers due the last week of classes. It sure isn't going to all get written then so that means it has to get started now...unfortunately.

Happily there will still be a little time for leisure activities. For one thing I'll be spending a part of each day at the pool on campus.



I started swimming at the beginning of January with my friend H and have come to crave my daily swim. I'm a pretty good swimmer, not especially fast, but I was a lifeguard and swimming instructor in high school so I know my way around a pool. And of course as my endurance increases I'm enjoying my time there more and more, H and I joke that we are addicted to the endorphines! That's fine by me, I've always had a hard time sticking to any exercise schedule, but this is so fun that it's not like exercise at all!

I also plan on finishing the novel I'm currently working on, Persuasion by Jane Austen.



I've read 2 of her other books, Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility, and I recently purchased the 4 others that I had not yet read. Persuasion is first on my list and I'm about halfway through - and so far Miss Austen is coming through once again. I'm looking forward to finishing it and starting another...maybe Mansfield Park, we'll see!

Time to end pelvic exams done without consent...

I received this article through my midwifery program discussion group, and I found it quite disturbing...

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health/time-to-end-pelvic-exams-done-without-consent/article1447337/

What bothered me most wasn't that they were practicing on unconscious patients, but that there was no informed consent given by women beforehand. If the preliminary research that the doctor has done is any indication, many women would gladly have allowed it, if asked. But it seems like a violation to do it without asking permission.

The second problem that I have with this is that doing a pelvic exam on an unconscious person would have almost nothing to teach a student about the proper technique when dealing with an alert person. If the person is asleep, they cannot protest when the student hurts them or give feedback in any way about the techniques being practiced. It is an incomplete experience.

I know that Laurentian University Midwifery Program has what is called a pelvic teaching program where women are trained to teach midwifery and medical students while allowing them to do the procedure in order to give appropriate feedback. The program has been a huge success and I fully plan on becoming a qualified pelvic teacher in the next year.

People don't wear hats...

...or proper winter footwear.

Then they complain about how cold it is outside. Well yeah, it's CANADA. It's somewhat of a given that at the end of January it will be well below zero outside, you kind of sign on for that when you decide to live here. And yet, if properly dressed I'm sure that most people would find that it's perfectly nice out. I'm talking wool hats (not ball caps), mittens, a scarf, winter boots (not sneakers), long johns and warm socks. (maybe that outfit just isn't 'cool' enough? haha bad joke, I'm sorry...)

I just don't understand how a person can dress as if it's summer and then be surprised that they are cold...it's rather frustrating. It's not as if it's a huge surprise that winter is here, it is fairly predictable, it usually shows up about once a year and sticks around for at least a couple of months. Given this regularity and length, I'm surprised that most people don't bother to purchase a weather appropriate wardrobe. Maybe they think that if they ignore it, it won't come at all?

Bah! Just had to get that off of my chest...