...if my "work" here on the Internet is nothing more than an vain attempt at making myself into something I simply may not be.
Amazing as it is, I have seen enough memes about humankind's incessant need to publish this and that and (yes, of course!) the other thing about absolutely nothing at all. I look at the images & words that are placed on YouTube and that stew-pid Facebook and realize I am just trying to be something else. Which ain't me.
Have you looked at my Facebook feed?
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100012693069979
Have you looked at my YouTube page?
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxf4XQInUl2ARkuSGXyfwDA
There is absolutely nothing there that shows who or what I am. Nada. Believe me, I looked. Then again, my "research" has brought absolutely nothing to mind as to what or who I truly am!
I am a father. I have three absolutely amazing children who have given me more pride and hope in life than I could ever desire.
I am an addict in recovery. That alone has taken me far beyond my self-imposed "Best Before Date" (which just happened to be the age of 30).
Just those two things should (in my imagination) just about put me in a spot of "Way to go, Robb!" Still, I question my accomplishments.
Just what did I do to have such great kids? That question rattles and addles my brain on a constant basis. Just what the fuck was my influence upon those three that made them as good and decent as they are today? And, oh yes, And, was there any influence upon them at all from the likes of me?
Recovery? Many times I think that it is more a matter of "clean time" than any sort of "recovery". I try to give back to my Fellowship, but it pales to utter insignificance when I see (& remember!) that I have not sponsored anyone for more than 8 years. So, wtf am I doing in this business?
The questions continue. Questions about me. Fuck what my kids tell me. Fuck what others in recovery tell me. I need to tell me! I need to learn my place here in life. I also need to just simply accept the fact that I am where I am because that is the way of life.
But, I am a cynical and snide person. Just look at my Google+ profile!
https://plus.google.com/u/0/106328986583670984993
Ha! And once again, I try that shit-hole attempt at self promotion to try and make me be something that I just may not be!
Ooooo, that reminds me! I am at that quarterly point of advertising Robb's Place on FB! Gotta go...
Keep The Faith*
2018/02/27
2018/02/16
Amazing Recovery...
One of those things is what I hear at a meeting. At my Thursday night meeting, the "It's Possible" group on Caldwell (Come visit! It's a blast... and It's Possible!!) we read the JFT --Just For Today-- mediation for February 15. It was about "An Awakening of the Spirit."
I do not read the daily meditations at all. The only time I hear them is at a meeting I attend that uses them as a part of the opening readings. My Thursday night meeting has been opening with the JFT for the past while. Tonight, I am grateful for that!
The reading went as follows:
๐๐๐ฌ ๐ค๐ ๐ช๐จ ๐๐๐ข๐ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐ค๐ช๐ง ๐๐๐ง๐จ๐ฉ ๐๐๐ง๐๐ค๐ฉ๐๐๐จ ๐ผ๐ฃ๐ค๐ฃ๐ฎ๐ข๐ค๐ช๐จ ๐ข๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐จ๐ค๐ฃ๐๐ก ๐๐ฃ๐ซ๐๐ฃ๐ฉ๐ค๐ง๐ฎ ๐ค๐ง ๐๐๐ก๐๐๐ซ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐๐ฉ ๐ ๐จ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐๐ฉ๐ช๐๐ก ๐ซ๐ค๐๐ ๐๐ญ๐๐จ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ฃ ๐ค๐ช๐ง ๐จ๐ค๐ช๐ก๐จ. ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ฃ๐ค ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ก๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐๐ฉ ๐ฌ๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ค๐ช๐ฉ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐๐ข๐๐๐ง๐ ๐ค๐ฃ ๐ ๐๐ค๐ช๐ง๐ฃ๐๐ฎ ๐ฌ๐๐๐๐ ๐ฌ๐ค๐ช๐ก๐ ๐๐ฌ๐๐ ๐๐ฃ ๐ค๐ช๐ง ๐จ๐ก๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐จ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐๐ฉ๐จ.
๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ก๐ค๐ช๐ ๐๐ก๐๐ง๐ข ๐๐ก๐ค๐๐ , ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐๐ง๐จ๐ฉ ๐๐ฉ๐๐ฅ ๐๐ง๐๐ฃ๐๐จ ๐ช๐จ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐จ๐๐ข๐-๐๐ค๐ฃ๐จ๐๐๐ค๐ช๐จ๐ฃ๐๐จ๐จ-๐๐ก๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ช๐๐ ๐๐ฉ ๐ฉ๐๐๐จ ๐ฅ๐ค๐๐ฃ๐ฉ, ๐ฌ๐ ๐ข๐๐ฎ ๐ฃ๐ค๐ฉ ๐๐ ๐จ๐ช๐ง๐ ๐ฌ๐๐๐ฉ๐๐๐ง ๐ฌ๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ฃ๐ฉ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐๐ก๐๐ข๐ ๐ค๐ช๐ฉ ๐ค๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ค๐ง ๐ข๐๐ฎ๐๐ ๐จ๐ก๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐ค๐ง ๐๐ช๐จ๐ฉ ๐๐๐ซ๐ ๐ข๐ค๐ง๐ ๐ข๐๐ฃ๐ช๐ฉ๐๐จ. ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐ฉ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐จ๐๐๐ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ค๐ช๐ง ๐จ๐๐ค๐ช๐ก๐๐๐ง๐จ ๐๐จ ๐ฌ๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ก๐ฎ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ค๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฉ๐๐ฅ๐จ ๐๐๐ช๐จ๐๐จ ๐ช๐จ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐จ๐ฉ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ช๐ฅ, ๐จ๐ฉ๐ง๐๐ฉ๐๐, ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฎ๐๐ฌ๐ฃ. ๐๐ ๐ฃ๐๐๐ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐ฌ๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐จ๐ก๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐ง๐ค๐ข ๐ค๐ช๐ง ๐๐ฎ๐๐จ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐ฌ๐ง๐๐ฉ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ค๐ช๐ง๐ฉ๐ ๐๐ฉ๐๐ฅ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐จ๐๐๐ง๐ ๐ค๐ช๐ง ๐๐๐๐ฉ๐. ๐ฝ๐ช๐ฉ ๐๐จ ๐ฌ๐ ๐ฌ๐ค๐ง๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐๐ญ๐ฉ๐, ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ฃ๐ฉ๐, ๐๐๐๐๐ฉ๐, ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐ฉ๐ ๐๐ฉ๐๐ฅ๐จ, ๐ฌ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ฃ ๐ฃ๐ค๐ฉ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ ๐จ๐ฅ๐ง๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ฃ ๐ค๐ช๐ง ๐จ๐ฉ๐๐ฅ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐จ๐ฉ๐๐ง๐ฉ ๐ค๐ ๐ ๐จ๐ข๐๐ก๐ ๐ค๐ฃ ๐ค๐ช๐ง ๐ก๐๐ฅ๐จ. ๐๐ช๐ง ๐จ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐๐ฉ๐จ ๐จ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ฃ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐จ๐๐ค๐ฌ๐๐ง ๐๐จ ๐ฌ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐ฉ๐ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ก๐๐ซ๐๐ฃ๐ฉ๐ ๐๐ฉ๐๐ฅ๐จ. ๐ผ๐ฃ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐๐ฃ ๐ฌ๐ ๐ฅ๐ง๐๐๐ฉ๐๐๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ฌ๐๐ก๐๐ฉ๐, ๐ก๐๐๐ซ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ค๐ช๐จ๐ ๐๐ฃ ๐จ๐๐๐ง๐๐ ๐ค๐ ๐ค๐ฉ๐๐๐ง๐จ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐๐ฌ๐๐ ๐๐ฃ.
๐๐ ๐๐ค๐ฃ'๐ฉ ๐๐๐ซ๐ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐จ๐ฅ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ง๐๐จ๐ฉ ๐ค๐ ๐ค๐ช๐ง ๐ก๐๐ซ๐๐จ ๐๐ฃ ๐ ๐จ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐๐ฉ๐ช๐๐ก ๐๐ค๐ข๐. ๐๐ ๐ข๐๐ฎ ๐ฃ๐ค๐ฉ ๐ก๐๐ ๐ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐๐๐ฉ ๐ช๐ฅ ๐๐ฃ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ข๐ค๐ง๐ฃ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ช๐ฉ, ๐ค๐ฃ๐๐ ๐ค๐ช๐ฉ ๐ค๐ ๐๐๐, ๐ฌ๐'๐ง๐ ๐๐ก๐ข๐ค๐จ๐ฉ ๐๐ก๐ฌ๐๐ฎ๐จ ๐๐ก๐๐ ๐ฌ๐ ๐๐๐.
๐ ๐ช๐จ๐ฉ ๐๐ค๐ง ๐๐ค๐๐๐ฎ: ๐๐ค ๐๐ฌ๐๐ ๐๐ฃ ๐ข๐ฎ ๐จ๐ก๐๐๐ฅ๐ฎ ๐จ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐๐ฉ, ๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ก๐ก ๐ช๐จ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ฌ๐๐ก๐ซ๐ ๐๐ฉ๐๐ฅs.
What amazed me was the way this reading made understanding the 12 Steps of NA so utterly simple.
From Step 1 where we learn to just wake up from our addiction, Steps 2 & 3 where we get up and stretch, to Steps 4 & 5 when we wipe the sleep from our eyes, Steps 6, 7, 8 and 9 as we discover a spring in our steps plus a little smile, then we sing as we work Steps 10 & 11, and then get ourselves out into that wonderful world to maybe help someone else to awaken from the insanity of addiction and introduce them to the wonder of Recovery in Step 12!
Amazing Recovery!
Keep The Faith*
I do not read the daily meditations at all. The only time I hear them is at a meeting I attend that uses them as a part of the opening readings. My Thursday night meeting has been opening with the JFT for the past while. Tonight, I am grateful for that!
The reading went as follows:
๐๐๐ฌ ๐ค๐ ๐ช๐จ ๐๐๐ข๐ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐ค๐ช๐ง ๐๐๐ง๐จ๐ฉ ๐๐๐ง๐๐ค๐ฉ๐๐๐จ ๐ผ๐ฃ๐ค๐ฃ๐ฎ๐ข๐ค๐ช๐จ ๐ข๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐จ๐ค๐ฃ๐๐ก ๐๐ฃ๐ซ๐๐ฃ๐ฉ๐ค๐ง๐ฎ ๐ค๐ง ๐๐๐ก๐๐๐ซ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐๐ฉ ๐ ๐จ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐๐ฉ๐ช๐๐ก ๐ซ๐ค๐๐ ๐๐ญ๐๐จ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ฃ ๐ค๐ช๐ง ๐จ๐ค๐ช๐ก๐จ. ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ฃ๐ค ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ก๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐๐ฉ ๐ฌ๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ค๐ช๐ฉ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐๐ข๐๐๐ง๐ ๐ค๐ฃ ๐ ๐๐ค๐ช๐ง๐ฃ๐๐ฎ ๐ฌ๐๐๐๐ ๐ฌ๐ค๐ช๐ก๐ ๐๐ฌ๐๐ ๐๐ฃ ๐ค๐ช๐ง ๐จ๐ก๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐จ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐๐ฉ๐จ.
๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ก๐ค๐ช๐ ๐๐ก๐๐ง๐ข ๐๐ก๐ค๐๐ , ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐๐ง๐จ๐ฉ ๐๐ฉ๐๐ฅ ๐๐ง๐๐ฃ๐๐จ ๐ช๐จ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐จ๐๐ข๐-๐๐ค๐ฃ๐จ๐๐๐ค๐ช๐จ๐ฃ๐๐จ๐จ-๐๐ก๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ช๐๐ ๐๐ฉ ๐ฉ๐๐๐จ ๐ฅ๐ค๐๐ฃ๐ฉ, ๐ฌ๐ ๐ข๐๐ฎ ๐ฃ๐ค๐ฉ ๐๐ ๐จ๐ช๐ง๐ ๐ฌ๐๐๐ฉ๐๐๐ง ๐ฌ๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ฃ๐ฉ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐๐ก๐๐ข๐ ๐ค๐ช๐ฉ ๐ค๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ค๐ง ๐ข๐๐ฎ๐๐ ๐จ๐ก๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐ค๐ง ๐๐ช๐จ๐ฉ ๐๐๐ซ๐ ๐ข๐ค๐ง๐ ๐ข๐๐ฃ๐ช๐ฉ๐๐จ. ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐ฉ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐จ๐๐๐ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ค๐ช๐ง ๐จ๐๐ค๐ช๐ก๐๐๐ง๐จ ๐๐จ ๐ฌ๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ก๐ฎ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ค๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฉ๐๐ฅ๐จ ๐๐๐ช๐จ๐๐จ ๐ช๐จ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐จ๐ฉ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ช๐ฅ, ๐จ๐ฉ๐ง๐๐ฉ๐๐, ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฎ๐๐ฌ๐ฃ. ๐๐ ๐ฃ๐๐๐ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐ฌ๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐จ๐ก๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐ง๐ค๐ข ๐ค๐ช๐ง ๐๐ฎ๐๐จ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐ฌ๐ง๐๐ฉ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ค๐ช๐ง๐ฉ๐ ๐๐ฉ๐๐ฅ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐จ๐๐๐ง๐ ๐ค๐ช๐ง ๐๐๐๐ฉ๐. ๐ฝ๐ช๐ฉ ๐๐จ ๐ฌ๐ ๐ฌ๐ค๐ง๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐๐ญ๐ฉ๐, ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ฃ๐ฉ๐, ๐๐๐๐๐ฉ๐, ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐ฉ๐ ๐๐ฉ๐๐ฅ๐จ, ๐ฌ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ฃ ๐ฃ๐ค๐ฉ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ ๐จ๐ฅ๐ง๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ฃ ๐ค๐ช๐ง ๐จ๐ฉ๐๐ฅ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐จ๐ฉ๐๐ง๐ฉ ๐ค๐ ๐ ๐จ๐ข๐๐ก๐ ๐ค๐ฃ ๐ค๐ช๐ง ๐ก๐๐ฅ๐จ. ๐๐ช๐ง ๐จ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐๐ฉ๐จ ๐จ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ฃ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐จ๐๐ค๐ฌ๐๐ง ๐๐จ ๐ฌ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐ฉ๐ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ก๐๐ซ๐๐ฃ๐ฉ๐ ๐๐ฉ๐๐ฅ๐จ. ๐ผ๐ฃ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐๐ฃ ๐ฌ๐ ๐ฅ๐ง๐๐๐ฉ๐๐๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ฌ๐๐ก๐๐ฉ๐, ๐ก๐๐๐ซ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ค๐ช๐จ๐ ๐๐ฃ ๐จ๐๐๐ง๐๐ ๐ค๐ ๐ค๐ฉ๐๐๐ง๐จ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐๐ฌ๐๐ ๐๐ฃ.
๐๐ ๐๐ค๐ฃ'๐ฉ ๐๐๐ซ๐ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐จ๐ฅ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ง๐๐จ๐ฉ ๐ค๐ ๐ค๐ช๐ง ๐ก๐๐ซ๐๐จ ๐๐ฃ ๐ ๐จ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐๐ฉ๐ช๐๐ก ๐๐ค๐ข๐. ๐๐ ๐ข๐๐ฎ ๐ฃ๐ค๐ฉ ๐ก๐๐ ๐ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐๐๐ฉ ๐ช๐ฅ ๐๐ฃ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ข๐ค๐ง๐ฃ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ช๐ฉ, ๐ค๐ฃ๐๐ ๐ค๐ช๐ฉ ๐ค๐ ๐๐๐, ๐ฌ๐'๐ง๐ ๐๐ก๐ข๐ค๐จ๐ฉ ๐๐ก๐ฌ๐๐ฎ๐จ ๐๐ก๐๐ ๐ฌ๐ ๐๐๐.
๐ ๐ช๐จ๐ฉ ๐๐ค๐ง ๐๐ค๐๐๐ฎ: ๐๐ค ๐๐ฌ๐๐ ๐๐ฃ ๐ข๐ฎ ๐จ๐ก๐๐๐ฅ๐ฎ ๐จ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐๐ฉ, ๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ก๐ก ๐ช๐จ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ฌ๐๐ก๐ซ๐ ๐๐ฉ๐๐ฅs.
What amazed me was the way this reading made understanding the 12 Steps of NA so utterly simple.
From Step 1 where we learn to just wake up from our addiction, Steps 2 & 3 where we get up and stretch, to Steps 4 & 5 when we wipe the sleep from our eyes, Steps 6, 7, 8 and 9 as we discover a spring in our steps plus a little smile, then we sing as we work Steps 10 & 11, and then get ourselves out into that wonderful world to maybe help someone else to awaken from the insanity of addiction and introduce them to the wonder of Recovery in Step 12!
Amazing Recovery!
Keep The Faith*
2018/02/09
Without A Country
Well.
Perhaps it is time for me to find a small piece of Crown land, annex it and claim it as my own independent country. Disallow the vaunted and admired Canada entrance or recognition. Impose a levy upon all who would want to venture into my domain. Bar any incursion into my dominion, with force as required.
Now, why would I even consider such a drastic move? Let me tell you a story.
Eight years ago, I was asked by my father to drive him and my aunt to Minnesota to visit family there. I was willing, but I needed to obtain a Canadian passport to make the crossing into the USofA.
No problem. I got all the required documentation together -- applications, birth certificate, driver's licence, photo and a wondrous piece of paper issued by the ruling Canadian government of the time called "Registration of Birth Abroad". It was created because I was born in that same USofA in 1957 and it proclaimed me as a citizen of Canada.
But, Passport Canada (a Canadian government agency) did not recognize the paper I had as being valid. It was a copy. Never mind that this thing had taken me to the States many times and even helped to land me a contract with the Canada Revenue Agency. Sorry, bub...
OK. I heard about an enhanced driver's licence issued by the Ontario government that would allow a person to cross the border sans passport. I went to a Service Ontario office to apply. The clerk behind the desk didn't know wtf this Registration of Birth Abroad was and began to ask co-workers about it. One said, " I've seen that before. It's good." and I got my EDL.
Fast forward to the present. I tried to get myself placed as a signing authority on a bank account for a group I am a member of. None of my pieces of ID were satisfactory. I had lost my EDL because the ON government said my eyesight wasn't good enough to continue driving. I didn't have a Social Insurance card showing my SI number, it having fallen apart after 40 years and me not willing to spend the $10 or so to get a piece of paper... well, yeah. The ID I had used satisfactorily for over 50 years was now worth fire kindling.
Skip a couple of months, and I again tried to become a signature on another account for a group that I was elected treasurer of. Guess what? SSDD.
Hm. I decided to budget my pennies (which we no longer have in Canuckistan) and get an official Ontario Photo Card. I went to the same Service Ontario office where I got my EDL. Hello? The Registration of Birth Abroad isn't on their list of "official" documents. Plus, I had the original document in my hands, not the copy which previously stymied Passport Canada.
I mean, really. Just a few short years ago, this office gave me an enhanced driver's licence based on lesser docs. But, now... sorry, No Soup For YOU!!
Sigh. Anyway, I found that I had an opportunity to go to a convention in Minnesota that just happened to be on my clean date. -[don't ask]- But, I need a passport. Instead of going through the hoops & hurdles of paperwork and photo, I went to the Passport Canada today just to see if the improved Registration of blahblah was sufficient, based on recent roadblocks.
Nope. That document is not listed as a valid form of identification. I didn't want to point out my last visit there and that I had the thing they said they needed and that they were being absolute fucking dickheads about... well, yeah.
My next step is to fashion two letters of concern. One to the Ontario government (ie. Kathleen Wynne), the Minister of Identification Fuckery, and my local Member of Provincial Parliament. That is, one letter to three separate Provincial offices.
The second letter would be the same but directed to three branches of the federal government. One to the PM, one to the Minister in charge of Passport Fuckery and the last to my local Member of Parliament. And each and every one of those six people are all fucking Liberals! I am screwed.
At this rate, I doubt the USofA would even grant me entrance. Thus, I might just have to take a page from les maudit Quรฉbรฉcois playbook and actually declare independence. Look out, world, here comes the Royal Republic of Greybeard!! (population:1)
Keep The Faith*
Perhaps it is time for me to find a small piece of Crown land, annex it and claim it as my own independent country. Disallow the vaunted and admired Canada entrance or recognition. Impose a levy upon all who would want to venture into my domain. Bar any incursion into my dominion, with force as required.
Now, why would I even consider such a drastic move? Let me tell you a story.
Eight years ago, I was asked by my father to drive him and my aunt to Minnesota to visit family there. I was willing, but I needed to obtain a Canadian passport to make the crossing into the USofA.
No problem. I got all the required documentation together -- applications, birth certificate, driver's licence, photo and a wondrous piece of paper issued by the ruling Canadian government of the time called "Registration of Birth Abroad". It was created because I was born in that same USofA in 1957 and it proclaimed me as a citizen of Canada.
But, Passport Canada (a Canadian government agency) did not recognize the paper I had as being valid. It was a copy. Never mind that this thing had taken me to the States many times and even helped to land me a contract with the Canada Revenue Agency. Sorry, bub...
OK. I heard about an enhanced driver's licence issued by the Ontario government that would allow a person to cross the border sans passport. I went to a Service Ontario office to apply. The clerk behind the desk didn't know wtf this Registration of Birth Abroad was and began to ask co-workers about it. One said, " I've seen that before. It's good." and I got my EDL.
Fast forward to the present. I tried to get myself placed as a signing authority on a bank account for a group I am a member of. None of my pieces of ID were satisfactory. I had lost my EDL because the ON government said my eyesight wasn't good enough to continue driving. I didn't have a Social Insurance card showing my SI number, it having fallen apart after 40 years and me not willing to spend the $10 or so to get a piece of paper... well, yeah. The ID I had used satisfactorily for over 50 years was now worth fire kindling.
Skip a couple of months, and I again tried to become a signature on another account for a group that I was elected treasurer of. Guess what? SSDD.
Hm. I decided to budget my pennies (which we no longer have in Canuckistan) and get an official Ontario Photo Card. I went to the same Service Ontario office where I got my EDL. Hello? The Registration of Birth Abroad isn't on their list of "official" documents. Plus, I had the original document in my hands, not the copy which previously stymied Passport Canada.
I mean, really. Just a few short years ago, this office gave me an enhanced driver's licence based on lesser docs. But, now... sorry, No Soup For YOU!!
Sigh. Anyway, I found that I had an opportunity to go to a convention in Minnesota that just happened to be on my clean date. -[don't ask]- But, I need a passport. Instead of going through the hoops & hurdles of paperwork and photo, I went to the Passport Canada today just to see if the improved Registration of blahblah was sufficient, based on recent roadblocks.
Nope. That document is not listed as a valid form of identification. I didn't want to point out my last visit there and that I had the thing they said they needed and that they were being absolute fucking dickheads about... well, yeah.
My next step is to fashion two letters of concern. One to the Ontario government (ie. Kathleen Wynne), the Minister of Identification Fuckery, and my local Member of Provincial Parliament. That is, one letter to three separate Provincial offices.
The second letter would be the same but directed to three branches of the federal government. One to the PM, one to the Minister in charge of Passport Fuckery and the last to my local Member of Parliament. And each and every one of those six people are all fucking Liberals! I am screwed.
At this rate, I doubt the USofA would even grant me entrance. Thus, I might just have to take a page from les maudit Quรฉbรฉcois playbook and actually declare independence. Look out, world, here comes the Royal Republic of Greybeard!! (population:1)
Keep The Faith*
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