“Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide.” - John Adams Junior Red Cross Hospital for Crippled Children (1957) The above quote was attributed to former President John Adams in in 1765. I feel it is applicable today as it … Continue reading What Are We Doing…or not doing?
Author: terrywiens
Certainly past my best before date which helps when experiencing the growth of social justice while, as a young polio survivor, understanding the reality of adaptability but still with the same heart of an activists with decades of participatory "wisdom" (I hope), namaste
Do People “Think” for Themselves Anymore
"Until the great mass of the people shall be filled with a sense of responsibility for each other's welfare , social justice can never be attained" - Helen Keller I have been pretty quiet of late, in big part due to "compassion fatigue" and, in part, because I am bordering on just succumbing to the … Continue reading Do People “Think” for Themselves Anymore
A Day of Reflection
Different sense illicit different memories, moods and reflections. We are a collective of our senses and most don't realize that, simplicity is the preference - Terry Wiens (2022) https://videopress.com/v/Lof2s9qx?resizeToParent=true&cover=true&preloadContent=metadata&useAverageColor=true Concert in the park, Sunday was Palladio Music courtesy of the 17th Ave BIA The first Monday in August is a long weekend for many provinces. … Continue reading A Day of Reflection
I’m Back, I’m Pissed and I’m Confused
We all have a past. We all made choices that maybe weren’t the best ones. None of us are completely innocent but, we all get a fresh start every day to be a better person than we were yesterday. - Anonymous Another one of those 5am awakenings. I woke up, partly from the heat, but … Continue reading I’m Back, I’m Pissed and I’m Confused
A Confluence of Events
"Success breeds complacency. Complacency breeds failure. Only the paranoid survive" - Andy Grove Fighting Complacency Today marks my 69th anniversary of my initial polio diagnosis. I had thought of putting my meanderings to bed and hadn't really planned on writing these anymore but here I am. I have spend the last five weeks trying to … Continue reading A Confluence of Events
We Don’t Know What We Know Until We Realize
Cognitive psychology has shown that the mind best understands facts when they are woven into a conceptual fabric, such as a narrative, mental map, or intuitive theory. Disconnected facts in the mind are like unlinked pages on the Web: They might as well not exist. - Steven Pinker I have spent the last five days … Continue reading We Don’t Know What We Know Until We Realize
Memories of a Movie Theatre
"Will theatres go the route of the drive-in, a seasonal roadside attraction?" - Terry Wiens 2022 A shopping bag of the past pointing the direction of the future I kept "channel surfing" last night often winding up at the Oscar's to see what was going on. Movie's have been a hobby of mine (almost a … Continue reading Memories of a Movie Theatre
And the Contrary Continues
Like any good beginning I still like to open with a little quote. Today is an example of how I am viewing the contrary nature of these so called "Freedom Rallies" I quote Albert Camus with "Truth, like light, blinds. Falsehood, on the contrary, is a beautiful twilight that enhances every object." Going out on … Continue reading And the Contrary Continues
The Contrarian Community of Calgary
A community is democratic only when the humblest and weakest person can enjoy the highest civil, economic, and social rights that the biggest and most powerful possess. - A. Phillip Randolph 1969 Polio protest for the right to live independently For the first time since the pandemic was declared I am now sitting at Kanpai … Continue reading The Contrarian Community of Calgary
A Day in the Erosion of Life
"Freedom's just another way for nothing left to lose" - immortalized in song by Janis Joplin however written by Chris Kristofferson Rethinking life I am so pissed off right now I probably shouldn't be writing. However when you wake up at 5AM, and my first thought is how threatening this convoy is to my freedom, … Continue reading A Day in the Erosion of Life
A Poster Child's Perspective 