Wednesday, July 27, 2011

My Summer Journey and JJ's Return











(click to enlarge)

I must admit that I'm finding it hard to blog these days. I'm not sure where I want to go. I don't know where this country is going.

There are a lot of stories out there, but after this story.

So many flowers cut down so savagely. They all seem so trivial.

And then there's summer...












It's so short I want to enjoy every minute of it. Soak up the sun, feel the gentle breeze in my face.

Smell the flowers...















Before they are gone.

Because what happened to Jack Layton reminded me that for everything there is a season. Life is so fragile. And I can't get his parting words out my head.

We WILL replace the Conservative government, a few short years from now.

And we WILL work with Canadians to build the country of our hopes
Of our dreams
Of our optimism
Of our determination
Of our values...
Of our love.


Because they sound so much like an epitaph.

But since I don't know to what dark place Stephen Harper is going to take this country...













I don't know how we can stop him. Nobody wants to talk about that because its summer. And since defeating the Cons means everything to me, the progressive blogosphere seems strangely hollow, and more of an echo chamber than ever.

Or the personal sandbox of a small group of gigantic egos, who can't write enough posts, and suck up all the oxygen in the blogosphere, competing against each other for votes.  

Which brings me to the good news. The return of the Unrepentant Old Hippie.

JJ is an amazing blogger, a feminist warrior, and a very old friend who was one of the first to encourage me when I set out on this blogging journey six years ago.

I missed her terribly, and the progressive blogosphere has never needed her free spirit more.

You know I was thinking tonight if only the blogger Bruce MacDonald could come back it would be like it was before. But of course he can't, and maybe that's why I find his great friend's return so comforting.

I don't know where this summer is taking me. Or where Stephen Harper will take this country.

But all seems fine tonight. JJ is back.

Life goes on and the journey continues...

2 comments:

JJ said...

Thanks so much for the shout out, Simon!

I also think about Bruce often, especially when I see something that I know would prompt him to make some hilariously snarky remark. We miss him so much, eh? Sigh.

I think the blogosphere is still going through the post-election blahs. And summer's always a quiet blogging time. Things will pick up in a few weeks, especially when Parliament gets going again and there's more news. That'll shake everyone out of their ennui! (Hopefully.)

Simon said...

hi JJ...well it was the least I could do, along with the fireworks ;)
I'm sorry it was a lousy post. I was just so tired, and I was probably a little harsh on the blogging conglomerates.
Funny how the blogosphere seems to be imitating the MSM.
Which is why I am so glad your independent voice is back.
In the past I let our differences on some stoopid issue get between us.
But after the scare you gave me that will never happen again.
And yes, I bet old Brucie is out there somewhere cheering you on. And of course muttering, like I did, it's about time... :)