Tricks or Treats

This morning I found myself applying make-up at 6:30 to look like a vampire. I was going to be going to the local Canadian Blood Services clinic(where they collect blood from donors) to hand out a few prizes to folks who showed up to donate and to do a cut in with the morning show to publicize the current depletion of blood reserves in the country. So I got myself a Dracula cape and made up my face to look a little dark and evil. Dark purple eyeshadow, which I also brushed on my cheeks to make me look a little gaunt, dark purple eyeliner, and dark lipstick. Walking in the door at work, I was told I looked "hot". Several people noticed I was wearing make-up and told me how "nice" I looked. Not a one of them was being sarcastic. So much for looking evil, I guess.

Not too many people getting dressed up for work today. We only managed to trick one new gal into putting on a get-up, telling her all week that "Oh, yes, everybody gets dressed up for Hallowe'en here", and she had on pussy cat ears that were easily removed.

My boss gets into the spirit though. I took a picture of him at work as he was preparing to go out and do some "gorilla" marketing. His biggest costume desire, though, is to dress up as one of the Yip Yip monsters from Sesame Street. Here's hoping he can fulfill that desire one day.

A Hike, Pumpkins, and a Kiss

I managed to go for a hike after work today. The wind has been blowing for a couple of days and all day today it was from the southwest and therefore quite warm and pleasant. It shifted around 2 this afternoon and got cold so I was bundled up for the walk. There's a system of trails in a neighbouring community that I'd only been on once before on the bike so was eager to see it a little more "close up" on foot. I came across what I think was coyote scat (that's poop, Braincheese, just for you) but no sign of deer. The trail system is closed to dogs, as it is part of a game sanctuary, and the scat was in the middle of the trail, not on the sides where dogs usually go. That's why I say I think it was coyote. Anyway, I came across skunk tracks:


And a lovely petticoat of fungus on a tree:


I was quite happy to get back to the parking lot as it was getting dark and I had been out longer than I thought I would be. Home to a toasted peanut butter sandwich and my jammies.
I was going to save this last picture for Friday but here it is now:


My carving skills aren't the best, but I had fun doing it (though not cleaning up all the pumpkin guts in the kitchen). The pumpkins are sitting in the lobby of the building where I live for all to chuckle over. The neighbours are probably questioning my sanity as well.

On an unrelated, rather amusing note (to me, anyway), I exchanged a few e-mails with a listener this afternoon who has a herd of unidentified bugs in her home. She was asking me for advice on how to rid her home of the little creatures. I invite them in! Why would I want to get rid of them? I think I have identified them for her, assured her that neither she nor her family and pets are in any danger from them, and that she should shoo them out of the house.

Oh, and thanks to all who commented on my last post. I always want cake, too.

And on one other unrelated note, anybody watch House last night? *Sigh* I liked that kiss. Very romantic. Okay, Wookie, hurry home from work, eh?

S.

I Want Cake

Of late, I've noticed a number of MS bloggers writing about what they are no longer able to do because of the effects of MS. I'm not criticizing the writers, merely observing. I've never been one for major discussions of philosophy, but from time to time I come across a quote that strikes a chord.

"One is not rich by what one owns, but more by what one is able to do without with dignity." Immanuel Kant

With MS, we are prone to focus on the things we lose since they can be so life altering. But that is also the key . If your life has been altered, consider altering your response to it as well. I may not be able to stay to the end of the party, but I'm still going to go to it for a little while.

I have adjusted my life to a degree because of MS. I now do more typing of notes for work than relying on hand writing. I now HAVE to write notes for work as I can't rely on my memory. My weekends sometimes seem to be spent catching up on sleep. I know for a fact that before MS, I never napped unless I was on vacation at Mom and Dad's and in a sunbeam on the floor of the family room (really, that was the only way I could actually nap). Now, Saturday and Sunday afternoons find me under the covers at home for a couple of hours. In the beginning I hated how I missed four hours of the weekend to sleep - but those four hours allow me to cycle or hike for 2-4 hours.

In a way, having MS is like dieting. By eating well most of the time, we can allow ourselves a slice of double fudge chocolate cake from time to time. By living by our "MS rules" most of the time, we can allow ourselves to push the envelope a little bit from time to time.

As MSers, we don't own good health. But we can still live well with dignity (and a lot of humour) by remembering that we can still do many things - just differently.

S.

Does a Bear...You Know....?

We hiked about 2k north of the Old Annapolis Hiking Trail on Saturday, following the logging roads to a turnoff to the Big Indian Lake. It was a gorgeous fall day, but cool, and on the road were several dragonflies trying to warm up in the sunshine. This is the time of year that you can catch these insect helicopters without a net as evidenced by the first picture.

We came out close to the upper dam, climbed over the makeshift ladders and were at the lake. The water was really low for this time of year and had we had rubber boots on would probably have been able to make it across to the side with the building on it. Next time we'll hike the east side of the lake.

We did come across some bear tracks:

And skunk tracks:

As all the guides say, it's better to come across the tracks rather than the animal itself. We walked along the western side of the lake checking out all the tracks and signs of animals, human and otherwise. As we were heading back, still along the beach, we came across this:

Turns out that bears poop in the woods AND on the beach.

Finally, Real Deer Poop

Last Sunday the Wookie and I went for a hike on what is called the Old Annapolis Valley Trail. Actually, it was just a segment of the trail, that dates back to the time before Europeans even landed on the shores of what is now Canada. The native Canadians, mostly Mig Maw and Maliseet (forgive my incorrect spelling as I'm spelling phonetically), camped on the shores of the Bay of Fundy during the winter and in summer would travel to the south shore of the province, outside of what is now Halifax. Better fishing prospects here during the summer. The trail they used runs through what is now owned by a pulp and paper company that is managing the woodlands. The company, Bowater-Mersey, also keeps up the hiking trail for the benefit of the community. There are a few interpretive panels along the trail describing the type of forest, silviculture techniques, and even an old logging camp.
Our first rest stop was in the middle of moss green shag carpeting as far as the eye could see. I love walking on moss.


The next pic is a close-up of one type of moss that looks like tree tops in a tropical forest.


On Tuesday I went for a short hike to Jack's Lake but I took a different path to it. along the way I discovered a tree that reminded of the kids' show H.R.Puffinstuff.


And I finally found seem real, honest to goodness deer poop. Not a gall masquerading as deer poop. I found it on the ground and moved it to a rock to better take a picture. If you only could have heard me laughing when I came across it.



I dissected it with a couple of sticks to make sure it was deer poop and not an insect abode, and again, dear readers, I saved you from the pictures of that operation.
There's no telling what we'll find this weekend as I'm planning a hike on some new (to us) roads and trails. Maybe some bear prints?

S.

Communicating

"When you are on the phone or on the air, you have no body." Marshall McLuhan

A funny thing happens to me when I'm in public but not as a member of the media. At a checkout a sales person might say, "You seem really familiar to me. Do I know you?" Or at a party someone might say, "You remind me of someone I know. Do you have a sister?"

Of course, when I'm making a personal appearance on behalf of the radio station I work for or while wearing logo-ed clothing, when I speak people will recognize me as a voice on the radio.

A couple of days ago the Wookie and I were out for a hike, miles from home and miles into the woods. We were just starting on a new trail when a mom, dad, two kids, and their dog came towards us. We stopped to chat for a moment and the mom looked at me and said, "You're Shauna MacKinnon, aren't you?" I wasn't wearing any identifying clothing so I knew she recognized the voice. "Yes," I said laughing. She was quite excited about meeting me (I mean, who wouldn't be, right?) and said they listen at work all the time. I asked where she worked, she told me, and we went our separate ways.

Years ago I met a woman who was just beginning her career in radio. She told me that before we met she listened to me and imagined diamonds and pearls. The day we met, I was in my sweatsuit. I destroyed that illusion. Some folks imagine me as an Amazon blonde. And most have said they thought I was younger than I am. I am neither.

In this day and age of the internet you can find any body and find out what they look like. It's a little frightening at times when I read about stalkers and those obsessed with on air personalities, but it can happen to anyone, not just those in the public eye. I've had a few people call and ask me out despite not knowing what I look like or how old I am or if I'm attached or not. I politely decline. (When one guy asked me out for a beer, my dad told me I should have said "Yes, my dad and I would love to go for a beer with you" )

Relatives asked me about TV a lot over the years, if I'd like to do that instead of radio. Like we say in the industry, I've got a face for radio. Actually, I'm not the most photogenic person on the earth, though I am cute (and attractive to the Wookie, I might add). The cuteness just doesn't translate to TV however. I have a few friends in TV, one on a nationally broadcast show, and they all contend with constant recognition. If you're on TV, you can't have a bad day in public. You can't make an anonymous complaint at the service desk of Home Depot. You have to smile and be happy with everyone all the time or you're branded as a b###ch or b#####d.

People will criticize everything about you when you're on TV. "OMG, that haircut!" "I can't believe she's wearing that!" "That really makes him look fat!" All this, despite the fact that the talking heads are quite often told what to wear or how to wear their hair. The general public will focus on what they see rather than the message that is broadcast. Our bodies can get in the way of the message. I like not having a body.

"The medium is the message." Marshall McLuhan

Sometimes we want our bodies to be the message. I have been asked to appear in news reports about MS over the years. Most reporters are surprised to see that I don't have a cane or walker or wheelchair - because that's what the general public's perception of MS is.( How many times have we MSers been told we "look great" after disclosing our illness?) I want people to see that I am an active participant in my community, that I cycle and hike and sometimes dance, that I work and play. I show my activity to emphasize that I can lose that any time. This is my reality. And if I can lose my functioning body, so can the audience. If I should lose any functioning I will show that as well because that will be my reality. And I'll probably still be cute.

S.

Gratitude with Attitude

Thanks to Denver Refashionista for this award.

* Put the logo on your blog or post.
* Nominate at least 10 blogs which show great Attitude and/or Gratitude!
* Be sure to link to your nominees within your post.
* Let them know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog.
* Share the love and link to this post and to the person from whom you received your award.

This award has been floating around for a bit so I'm not going to nominate anyone else at this time, but I reserve the right to nominate folks at a later date. Besides, it's Monday morning, I haven't had my coffee yet, and I'm operating (barely) on 4 hours sleep right now.

S.