Moshe Safdie - National Gallery - Canada

Great fortune to have such beauty in Canada!

Roof Top Japan

Since today is the beginning of my 100 day challenge to post 'things' that are inspiring I can't resist being overly ambitious in the event that I slip .....

Roof Top Garden - New York

Images of interest

21 Day Challenge

Today is the first day of my 21 day challenge. Shawn Achor - Good Think Inc. claims that it is possible to rewire the brain with these 5 easy steps: 3 Gratitudes - each day list 3 things that you are grateful for (3 new things each day); journal recording - write about one positive experience in the last 24 hours; exercise because it helps to produce positive energy; meditation because it helps us to focus when we live in a world of constant stimuli; and finally random acts of kindness: open your email and send a note to someone that you are grateful for. Shawn claims that by doing this 2 minutes a day for 21 days the brain will start to respond to the positive change thereby creating lasting positive change. The small changes will ripple onward. 3 things I am grateful for: 1) my family: my children the simple fact that they are all present in my life; 2)the close relationship I have with my siblings; 3) the fact that my husband is a steady force of peace and serenity in my life. Journal entry: Today, Caleb went to ask Hilary's Dad for her hand in marriage. When he told me that he was going to propose to her in Paris I wondered if he would be old-fashioned and ask her Dad but I didn't want to initiate the conversation. It was a sweet gesture and reminded me of how sweet, tender and endearing my son can be. I love his passion and his sense of chivalry. Moreover, I love him! Meditation: I will give it a go for 5 minutes tonight. Random Act of kindness - I will send a note to two people today.

Pensions - predictions - Public vs. Private

I have been complaining bitterly about the disparity between the public and private sectors long before pensions became a 'hot topic'.
Pensions are front and center because we have an aging population. In the next decade the ratio moves from 5:1 to 3:1. Moreover, pensions are relatively new in the scheme of policy, payment and procurement.
Public servant pensions are not sustainable.
I predict that in the next 12 - 15 years there is going to be a class war between the private sector and the public sector based on the simple issue of those who have and those who have not. The fat cats being the bureaucrats! When the Canada Pension Plan was created the average life expectancy was 67 now average life expectancy is 82. How is it sustainable to pay a pension to public servants who retire at 55?

Politics is like fashion

We really do become our parents or at least we paraphrase them, imitate and morph into them at some point in our life.  What I find humorous about 'young adults' is their tendency to know everything - I am guilty as charged!  The young tend to get caught up in trends, in part, because it defines their generation. Political trends advocated by youth groups could easily be compared to fashion trends: a remix of the old with the new gives us the best of both worlds. It provides us with a sense of unity; it connects us with the past and the present. Essentially, it provides us with common ground. In our rapidly changing world it is refreshing to find a common denominator. Part of aging is realizing that there is so much to be learned from the past.