Heart of Canada

The Giftedness of Angela Hewitt

How can I possibly describe the rare beauty of Angela Hewitt's performance and talent as a pianist? When I listened to her collection of Chopin Noctures, myself having years of classical training on the piano, I was moved, not just by the musical composition, but also by the subtlety and nuance in her interpretation of the smallest detail -- pauses, phrasing, pedal work -- as each piece unfolded at her fingertips. She also wrote her own cd booklet notes, which are worth briefly excerpting here:

One aspect of Chopin interpretation that I feel has been slightly neglected is the question of tempo, most evident in the Nocturnes which of course are all thought to be very slow....One day I decided to enforce the metronome markings left by Chopin for the Opp 9, 15 and 27 sets, and found -- much to my delight -- that they confirmed my suspicion. They are not meant to be all that slow. This changes the character of many of them, and for me adds far more life poetry and passion. I have only used them, however, as a confirmation of what I already felt, and not as a point of departure. On the other hand, it then seems even more important than ever to play as quietly as possible when called for. The Noctures are Chopin at his most intimate. They are secret confessions of the soul. - Angela Hewitt, Notes to Chopin Noctures, Hyperion Records (2003).

What an astonishing and welcome Canadian talent. All I can say is thank you, Angela. For your tremendous dedication to your art and for the beauty you inspire in us all, Angela Hewitt, you are the Heart of Canada.

PS: Thanks, TS. With Love (xoxoxo)

Well, I'm back after a gruelling week. In addition to doing work on my lawsuit and my book, I spent some time with wonderful folks down in Treaty 4 who are always so very good to/for me. Also, the landscape of the Qu'Appelle Valley is so very comforting that I could just live there the whole year round.

I got back in town yesterday just in time to go with my daughter to the Theresa Sokyrka gathering at CU Place. We had a lot of fun, well, except for the fact that the pre-teen daughter of Faye Wray must have been sitting behind us, screaming at a decible level that I wish only dogs could have heard. Honestly, it was like having someone do the four-finger whistle directly into your ear every five minutes or so.  Sheesh.

We were sort of, but not really, sad that Theresa didn't become Canadian Idol. We want her to be able to do her own thing with her music rather than riding the idol bandwagon around. Don't get me wrong -- I'm sure it'll be great for Kalan, especially given his youthful age -- but Theresa's already further along in her career. I'm sure she'll do great, and we can't wait for her cd to come out.  As for Kalan, well, we'll buy his cd, too! It would be nice if CTV put out a top-10 recording.

So, anyway, there we were, at Theresa-fest. We had rushed over there in our super-casual, baggy  clothing, me with my cosy U of A bunny-hug on, and teen-o in some rock band t-shirt and sweats. Before we left, I commented that maybe we should dress up a little more because there would be cameras at the event. Teen-o said, "Nah," so we went as we were -- me "fresh" from hours of travel on the highway from Regina.

We sat at the opposite end of the arena from the stage, a safe distance from the cameras.  Well, you'd think we were safe from the cameras, except those pesky roving cameras. Later, watching the news at home, we see the announcement of the vote results, next some crowd reaction, and then an ever-so-slow close up and pan over WHO OUT OF THOUSANDS OF LOYAL THERESA SOKYRKA FANS????? Yep -- teen-o and fresh-from-highway-travel me.

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I'll give you an inside scoop about something that happened that night on the news: not only was CTV covering Theresa's results, but, after the results were announced, they (unknowingly) focused in on three different Theresa's -- me, another person also named Theresa, and then yet another Theresa, who was somewhere else in the arena. I'm certain this was just a weird coincidence, but here's another weird coincidence:  we're all related to each other. How d'ya like them apples?  I should have bought a lottery ticket that night, too.  Maybe St. Theresa was lurking around, having her "little" influence over events that evening. I sat back after watching the news, looked at hubby, and we were just, like, "weird."

On a completely different note, I loved that Kalan had the presence and courage to sing "I Can Only Imagine" by Mercy Me during his last competitive performance. A couple of the judges thought it was boring, but I was totally drawn in by his performance of that song.  Wow.

And, Theresa -- thanks.

Thanks for being such a great model for young people, thanks for sharing your superlative talents and loving family with us, and thanks for showing us such a beautiful start to what promises to be an even more beautiful career in music. 

For all this, and more, Theresa Sokyrka, you are the Heart of Canada.

Rawlco Rocks

There's a lesson for us all today in what Gordon and Doug Rawlinson did , when they donated over one million dollars to the Hospitals of Regina Foundation in support of a new Centre for Mother Baby Care. Through their magnificent and exemplary generosity, Gordon and Doug have shown us that they care about the people of this province, and they've taught us that successful business can benefit everyone.

If you're a regular reader of this blog, you'll know how much of a Rawlco Radio fan I am already. Now you know my admiration for their company exists not just because of their great programming; it's also because of their super community spirit and dedication to making this province the very best it can be.

In addition to their present donation to the Mother-Baby program, Gordon and Doug also gave one million dollars towards the Rawlco Resource Centre at the University of Saskatchewan, which supports First Nations Business Education in Saskatchewan. Plus, they've been behind so many other great projects in this province.

For your continued dedication to us here in Saskatchewan, Gordon and Doug Rawlinson, you are the Heart of Canada. Auxilliary awards to all those people at Rawlco who make your organization shine everyday.

Blogfest

I had such a genuinely nice time tonight at the Saskatoon Blogfest. I've gotta say thanks to Becky and Ang for organizing the evening and creating the great ad for it (above). I got to spend some time with super-favorite bloggers Todd, Rilla, John, and, of course, Becky, plus I met some new bloggers who were particularly engaging. We were caught up in so much conversation that I didn't really circulate much around to chat with some other blog-faves, like Ang and Jordon, so that'll have to wait for the next blog fest.

After tonight, I think I'd like to say something about blogging. When I was teaching, I thrived on the social and intellectual interchange of the academic world everyday. When I was put out of the academic world, like a cat on a cold winter morning, I looked back a few times and then gingerly stepped, one foot at a time, into a world that was, for the most part, silent. That's what happens when you suddenly are on your own. When I talk to people now, it's private and confidential, and there's no social and intellectual interchange like I had with students.

Then came blogging. I'm starting to recognize how important and meaningful blogging was for me at a time when there really was nobody to talk to on a personal or social basis all day long. Once I was gone from the university, some former colleagues kept in touch, but many didn't. When you leave, you're anathema to some, like the former "colleague" who was telling folks to stay away from me if they wanted to keep their jobs. Whatever. You lose friends fast when people's jobs are at stake. If you file a lawsuit, you lose them even faster as everyone runs for cover. Only the bravest will stand by your side. I count among those the students who sent in the petition to keep me employed -- they were brave, and I love them for that. My experience at work also took away my sense of belonging in the local Catholic community, as well as my own cultural community, as several key members of those two communities had major roles to play in what happened (or did not happen) with my career.

So, after all that, blogging really preserved my sense of discourse with others. Of course, when I started out, it was just a few others -- who knew it would grow to thousands, and, believe me, I appreciate every one of the readers who clicks onto this site. I hope you keep finding posts that you enjoy. But more than the intellectual stimulation blogging provided for me (as well as an outlet for the occasional rant), blogging brought something else into my life: bloggers. For the first time since leaving academia, I felt like I belonged to a community of people again, and I needed that sense of belonging. Tonight, I was able to put some names and faces to more members of that community.

What I love about bloggers is their vastly imaginative, open-ended sense of conversation. We have some great bloggers here in Saskatoon, and a number also came down from PA tonight. Do you know what blogging has done for me? I think blogging saved my life. I mean that. I think without blogging, I would have socially withered and shriveled up, seeing nothing but this gigantic, greystone campus in the middle of Saskatoon from which I felt forever alienated. For nearly two decades, academia was my life. Blogging brought out another community for me, and I love that.

So, if you're a regular reader of this blog, can you guess what I'm going to do now? You'd be right if you guessed that I am going to give everyone in my blog community the Heart of Canada Award.

Saskatoon and area bloggers, for being just who you are and contributing to my overall bloggy well-being, you are the Heart of Canada. Auxilliary awards to all those other bloggers out there who aren't in the Saskatoon area but are part of my virtual world -- you know who you are.

My Guest, the Gull

If it had happened on a different day, I probably couldn't have done anything about it, but it happened today. So, here I sat, at home...with a seagull.

I was driving my hubby to work this morning, when there, tucked up next to a curb on a very major road, was a young gull. I noticed it and thought, hmm, that doesn't look good. I drove hubby to his office and then drove off, but, yes, the bird was on my mind. So, I turned around and went back, hoping it had just been stunned and had already flown away. But, no, there it was, looking really unhappy and afraid.

I just knew someone would run it over or a cat would get it (and probably get run over in the process, too). I couldn't walk away from that bird. So, I put my blinkers on and sat there next to it. It looked up at me, wondering what I was doing.

I called the Forestry Farm Zoo. Nope. They said to call the Small Animal Clinic at the university. I did. Nope, apparently gulls carry a disease that pet birds can catch, so the clinic won't treat the bird. The clinic said to take the bird to the lab next to them, where it could be euthanized.

Do you think a person who would take her own life into her hands by stopping on a major road to nurse a bird would then take the bird somewhere to be euthanized?

I didn't bother calling the lab.

I thought, can I pick this bird up? Do gulls get West Nile Virus? Cars are zooming past. I have to make a decision. Gulls are not a member of the crow family, but I don't really know. The Small Animal Clinic didn't know either, but they gave me the name of the department in the City that looks after dead and sick birds. The City person said, no, they don't think gulls get West Nile Virus and suggested I call the SPCA.

I do. They're not open yet. Rats.

Suddenly, I hear someone say, rather excitedly, "Are you okay?"

It's hubby.

*smile*

He saw me from his office and thought the car had broken down. He came to help because he loves me.

*fluttery sigh*

I point to the bird.

He looks at the bird and then gives me a look. He knows me. Well. We talk about what to do.

Now, here's just one of the reasons I married my hubby. He doesn't tell me I'm being a complete idiot. He doesn't say, "There's a million gulls in the world, so who cares about one dumb gull?" He doesn't say, "Don't they carry disease?" He doesn't even laugh.

He looks at me and says, "I have a tub in my office that I could go get, and we could put it in there." He's so-o-o sweet! He brings the tub, one of those Rubbermaid ones, and a couple of big foams from computer packaging. He gently moves the bird into the crate with the foams, and there we were. Bird in box. He puts the gull in back of the truck, closes the hatch, and, after requisite mutual loviness, goes back to work.

As he leaves, I tell him to wash his hands.

Obviously, I can't take the bird to my office and, since it was a paperwork day, not an appointments day, I go back home with the gull and put her/him on my deck. We spend some time together, and then I call the SPCA.

The SPCA will come to get the bird. I say, "I probably shouldn't even ask this (I don't really want to know), but do you help it or kill it?"

The very kindly woman laughs and says, "We're not going to kill it!" It turns out that they check the bird over to see if they can help it. They only euthanize the bird if it's very hurt and suffering too much. She told me about a pigeon with a broken toe they had once helped. Anyone who would help a hurt pigeon surely would help a gull.

"Okay," I say. They can come and get the bird.

I spend a little more time with it, thinking, I should be doing my work, but the gull is so beautiful, so magnificent in its colouration and form.

Later, SPCA animal rescue came by for the gull. Using gloves, the rescue officer picked up the gull and, good news, it viciously pecked at her fingers! When we first captured the gull, it was completely listless and stunned. In fact, it had rolled on its back and just lay there looking at us, barely able to peck. Now it was suitably indignant at being handled. Animal rescue will try to see if it can take off on its own. If not, they'll take it back to the shelter and check it over.

Animal rescue pointed out that the gull's right leg seemed to have feeling but not be working very well. Maybe the gull got into some poison or picked up gull botulism. Either way, there's still hope for my fantastic, feathery friend.

SPCA, for being willing to help a gull in need, you are the Heart of Canada. An auxilliary (permanent) award and eternal smoochiness to my hubby for, yet again, taking in another animal in need.

PS: If you find a gull, or any injured bird, be careful how you handle it because, as it turns out, birds other than crows can carry West Nile Virus. If in doubt, call Animal Rescue!

RCAB the Heart of Canada

I watched the rerun of the Calgary Stampede Parade on tv this afternoon. Don't I live a fabulously exciting lifestyle?

Photo: National Defence, Government of Canada

Did you see this group? They're the Royal Canadian Artillery Band, the oldest military band in Canada. You can read about their history online.

Watching them march and listening to them play, I was thinking about the dedication it takes to belong to a group like a marching band. I used to sing in choirs, and the best ones practiced often and rigorously. I had to admire the pride and honour with which this band presented itself. It really was a joy to watch them play.

In honour of your excellent talent, dedication and valued tradition, Royal Canadian Artillery Band, you are the Heart of Canada. Auxilliary awards go to folks who dedicate themselves to marching bands across the nation.

We Will Remember Them

Entrance To Normandy
by Brent Baxter

(In memory of Medic John Howard Baxter)

If my grandfather fought this war
For me to be safe
If he lost his fear of death
To protect the human race

If for the love of God
He fought in foreign lands
If for something better
Blood red saw stained the sand

Not death can I fear
If it means I will live
With the man who gave me
The freedom to be who I am

Not life will I waste
When I know it's a gift
A gift from the man
Who sacrificed innocence
So that I may live

From Canada's Virtual War Museum
Piper photo: Department of National Defence Canada

"Normandy may be a long way from Canada but there is a close connection between Canadians and the people of France. Future generations of Canadians of every background will be able to look back with pride and admiration on the immense contribution which the Canadian Army, Navy and Air Force made to the liberation of Europe. The 60th anniversary of the Normandy landings is a moment of thanksgiving and a moment for commemoration. Today we honour all those who gave their lives in this campaign and all of you who fought in this great struggle."
- Excerpted from the speech of Queen Elizabeth II at Juno Beach, June 6, 2004

Act of Remembrance
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning,
We will remember them.

We will remember them

For your unparalleled sacrifice and gift of freedom to the world, Veterans of Normandy, you are the Heart of Canada. Auxilliary awards go to all our Veterans and to Canadian troops currently serving on behalf of our great nation.

Heart of Canada Award to STARS

My clinical internship was done in Calgary at the Alberta Children's Hospital and the Foothills Medical Centre. While interning, I learned about a highly important service offered in Alberta called STARS, the Shock Trauma Air Rescue Society. This non-profit, charitable society has been around for a while, is recognized as an example of best practice in North America, and is an accredited critical care provider, the first service of its kind in Canada to achieve this status.

About 20-25% of STARS funding comes from the Alberta government. A considerable portion comes from private and corporate donations, as well as the time staff, themselves, donate to the service. In addition, STARS holds an annual lottery and sells (really cool) calendars to raise funds. In 2001 alone, STARS flew 1,243 missions -- 1,115 in 2002. They perform about three missions per day and are responsible for 75-80% of the critical care transports in their service areas. The STARS service has bases in Edmonton and Calgary, and they cover 93% of Alberta's population, as well as parts of southeastern British Columbia. You can see a map of this service area by clicking here.

STARS operates two medivac helicopters (they own four), one out of Edmonton and one out of Calgary. The crew consists of a captain, first officer, physician, paramedic, and nurse. If an in-flight physician is not available, the STARS team has online communication with an emergency physician. The team is available 24/7 at both bases, and they transport patients from their locale to a helipad located at the hospital, just like a road ambulance would. STARS also has access to pediatric and neonatal intensive care personnel. You can see the overview of their entire program here.

An important key to the STARS system is that it operates on a "One Call Does it All" principal. According to STARS:

"The ELC's primary objective is to connect all of the emergency and medical services into a single conversation to determine the most effective medical response for the patient and the particular situation. This includes the immediate coordination of medical advice, medical referral and transportation as required. This single conversation decreases the chance for misinterpretation of information and the possible duplication of communication." [Link]

In some locales, STARS triages all 911 calls; in other areas, 911 refers to STARS. Here's the kicker, though. If you are in a remote area without 911 service, you can call the STARS line directly. They can locate you by landmarks or even GPS in some cases. If you can believe it, STARS also operates a Chain of Survival Fund, from which they allocate grant money to community agencies for medical equipment, emergency health care training, education and communication, as well as development of new approaches and techniques for the enhancement of emergency medical care. They also have participated in research, such as their work on developing better night-vision goggles. The province of Alberta has its own, provincially funded air ambulance service in addition to STARS. The provincial air ambulance service has a total of 12 dedicated airplanes at nine bases all around the province, which also cover off more northerly regions.

Saskatchewan has an air ambulance service, called Lifeguard, the oldest in North America. Also available 24 hours per day, the Saskatchewan service uses two pressurized Canadian Ministry of Transport air ambulance planes, which can only be called out by physicians or their designates. While planes are important, they don't have the same flexibility for landing and take-off that helicopters have, which makes them more difficult to use in remote or geographically difficult landing locations, such as the bottom of a ski hill or ravine. Medical personnel aboard Lifeguard flights include a critical-care nurse and a paramedic, although more specialized teams are available, if necessary. They can't drop you off "at" the hospital. The Saskatchewan service is not free to patients, but apparently the government of Saskatchewan has a fund to help people pay for the service when they have to use it. The cost is about $350 per flight, plus the cost for ground ambulance service to and from the airport.

I'm writing this post because, this afternoon, while listening to Murray Wood on Rawlco's 650 CKOM radio, I heard a person from Saskatchewan call in and tell Murray that improved air ambulance services shouldn't be a priority and that healthcare should be delivered primarily on a local level all across the province. The reality is that trauma centres cannot be built all over the province. They're highly specialized services that are extremely expensive to operate because of the staffing and equipment they require. The STARS team is an extension of the trauma centre team, and they start to deliver care on-site. On top of all the amazing work they do, they don't get paid for all of their time, as they donate many hours to the continued operation of the service.

Another healthcare reality is that transportation for critically ill people is always an issue. Unless you actually live inside a hospital, you will have to think about how you are going to be transported to one if you become ill. Silly as it sounds, people who become sick or injured while inside a major hospital can still have problems making it to emergency services and can still require an ambulance to be called. In addition, small hospitals often are just stopping-over points for people who need to be transported to major centres due to the severity of their health problem.

Rather than making demands that a full-service hospital be kept operating in every area of the province all the time, wouldn't it be better to have basic medical or, for larger centres, medico-surgical services available and then a very strong and efficient transportation system for people in need of critical and specialized care? What about having a STARS program here? The key to having a STARS program, I believe, is a combination of expertise, community cooperation, professional dedication and, of course, innovation.

For all STARS does for the people of Alberta and Southeastern BC, STARS, you are the Heart of Canada. Auxilliary awards go out to air ambulance personnel across the country.

Jesse Brown, Canadian

I'm doing routine things this morning, while listening to John Gormley Live in the background (I told you I'm a radio junkie).

John's going to be interviewing Jesse Brown, Canadian, nominee in contention for CBC's Greatest Canadian award.

Jesse got a very funny webpage, which says:

"What makes Canada great is the fact that Canadians don’t care about patriotism, legacy, or pride. These qualities embarrass all good Canadians."

There might be some element of truth in what he says. I don't know if this statement about himself is true or not: "I'm like Muhammad Ali, but without all the boxing."

Anyway, he's certainly giving a small tribute to himself on behalf of ordinary Canadians everywhere. I don't know if Jesse's going to win CBC's Greatest Canadian award, but I'm going to give him an award here.

For standing up as an ordinary Canadian and saying "I'm great," Jesse Brown, you are the Heart of Canada! Auxilliary awards go to self-esteem boosters everywhere!

Mom and Dad

My family and I just had the most wonderful time. You see, my parents came to visit us -- they live quite far away -- and they stayed with us over Easter and the following week. Over the past year, our family has been hit by wave after wave of difficulties...illness, calamity, trauma...and having Mom and Dad here made a big difference for us.

While they were here, they talked and joked, but they also helped. They have always been very hard workers, and this past week, they moved right in a did a lot of things that needed to be done purely out of the goodness of their hearts. They are the quintessential definition of "good people."

They also brought with them their calming, grandparently presence for our teen. The value of loving grandparents really can't be overestimated. When they left, today, we all felt a sense of regret but were incredibly grateful and happy to have had the week together. I overheard my hubby saying to a friend on the phone that the house felt quiet and a little sad now. At the same time, all of us were left with a warm feeling of love in our hearts.

For the loving, caring, and steadfast commitment you have shown to us this past week and every week, Mom and Dad, you are the Heart of Canada.