Dark Days (Ukraine)

I suppose in some ways this isn't all that different from the wars in the former Yugoslavia throughout most of the 1990s in that it feels terrible and yet remote, and life goes on much as usual for people in North America -- and largely in Europe as well.  Europe once again proves it is fairly impotent in the face of sustained aggression, and the U.S. is more or less sitting on the sidelines.  It is hard to know what is really the best course of action but it does seem like Putin will more or less "get away with it," with the minor irritant of Russia being labelled a pariah state.  Canada has actually very little involvement with Russia one way or the other, but it would be wise to gradually wind down our exposure to China, as the struggle between the U.S. and China will probably dominate the rest of this century (and certainly at the moment, the U.S. isn't looking too hot).  

I recall from many, many years ago the debates we had about pacifism and what would really stop another tyrant like Hitler.  And the answer is not that much.  Most politicians are appeasers at heart, frightened to death of actually expecting sacrifice from the public (just look at how little will actually be done on the climate change front).  And Putin really only understands and respects force.  Deep down, Xi Jinping is probably the same, but he is far more vulnerable to economic sanctions if the West ever decides to really get serious, which it probably won't.  

It is unfortunate seeing all the experts who promoted diplomacy and expanded trade as a way to permanent peace have egg on their face, as the consequences are so dire.  I remember in high school there was some essay competition about how to avoid nuclear war and of course all the winning entries were about cultural exchange and mutual understanding, etc.  My essay kind of went back to Greeks or even the Huns to the idea of hostage exchange, but with a technological twist, i.e. world leaders would have their family members surrendered to some world court and have devices implanted so that if the nuclear codes were used, they would instantly die in the process.  I don't know the details of Putin, but I expect Trump is such a raging narcissist that it would have made no difference.  I suppose one small consolation is that Trump is pushing the GOP into such pretzels, i.e. hero-worshipping Putin and other dictators, that for some of them (though not nearly enough!) the cognitive dissonance will make them snap and break free of his spell.

Anyway, there is no point in pretending I can make any kind of a difference in advancing peace in the Ukraine, but these are certainly sad days on top of all the horrible, lingering issues associated with COVID.  These really do feel like terrible days to be alive, as so much of the news is grim.  It definitely does feel worse than the 80s when the spectre of nuclear war loomed all the time, and yet my day to day life wasn't quite so burdened.

Edit (3/3): While the suffering in the Ukraine is very deep, it is apparent that the invasion hasn't gone according to Putin's plans, and in particular his troops are not being welcomed as "liberators."  And the West has gone much further in sanctioning Russia than I think he expected.  On the whole, it is positive that he's being thwarted, but at the same time, he seems clearly unhinged now, to the point he might use nuclear weapons and actually start WWIII.  Strained days, indeed...

Some Normalcy?

The stupid trucker convoy came through Toronto but didn't leave much of a mark.  I did hear them on Spadina and Richmond and flipped off a few (car) drivers with their shit-eating grins who thought they were being so edgy.  I guess the Ottawa residents are finding that life isn't like a movie where the cavalry is going to come running in to the rescue.  The police have said they are completely outnumbered and they aren't getting any help at all from the towing companies.  One might think that in a true state of emergency, the towing rigs might actually be nationalized.  As tempting as it might be to run in tanks or bulldozers to damage the trucks, this probably won't really help solve anything.  While I'm sure in the long run the State will have the last laugh, making it extremely difficult for any of these protestors to have their licenses renewed, etc., it certainly looks impotent in the short run.  And both Ford and Trudeau really do seem to have abandoned downtown Ottawa.  Anyway, the truckers barely made any impact on Toronto that I can see, though Robarts Library decided to shut down pre-emptively over the whole weekend.

I am only very, very slowly getting back into my rhythm of exercise.  I think I am just weighted down a lot by hating to go out in the snow in my boots, having less energy because I am not cycling regularly (or really at all) and some residual worries about how infectious Omicron is.  (That said I had to take 4 rapid tests in 2 weeks and came up negative each time!)  I really had planned on going to the gym over the weekend, though I got in late on Saturday, so I deferred it to Sunday, and I had a very sore throat in the morning.  I got better throughout the day, but just decided it wasn't worth it.  I do think this week should be a bit better.  I have a swimming lane booked for tonight and should be able to make it to the gym Tuesday and maybe Thurs.  I think that should kick start things and I'll be able to keep going through February.  Fingers crossed!

After more than a month, I finally hauled a few more things off to Value Village.  I got a coupon for making the donation and ended up picking up more books than I had anticipated, including a newish translation of Gilgamesh, Bellow's The Actual (a novella from late in his career, which I apparently overlooked), Ann-Marie MacDonald's Goodnight Desdemona (Good Morning Juliet) and an upgrade to Findley's Famous Last Words (with the other copy destined for my Little Free Library).

It has been really disappointing how Sing-for-Your-Supper has pretty much fallen apart.  It would normally be today (first Monday of the month), but there is no sign that it is being restarted.  Indeed, it is very possible that the lack of comments on Facebook has indicated there is no longer a critical mass of actors even interested in attending, making it impossible to carry on.  I actually did email the newish organizers a few ideas on sparking more interest, but haven't heard back.  That would be a huge shame, particularly as I find the monthly deadlines are a much needed spur to write more material, particularly when I am still not going out much to jazz clubs or other places where my creative juices flow.  I might just end up doing my own Zoom thing, but it isn't quite as satisfying.

Plenty of other things going on, either in the real world or just in my mind, but I have to break for now.  Ciao. 

What Am I Actually Reading?

I did get through Of Mice and Men and Giono's The Open Road.  I wouldn't say either was completely enjoyable, but they were fairly short...  The deep foreboding (and foreshadowing) in Of Mice and Men kept the tension a bit too high.  I kept waiting for the worst to happen, and then when it did, I found it just a bit unlikely that Curley's wife would really let Lennie get that close to her in the first place.  The Open Road is a bit different in that I found the narrator's interior monologue somewhat annoying and the novel's dark turn toward the end really comes out of nowhere.  At any rate, I do understand why critics link the two, though it isn't clear if The Open Road truly is a homage to Steinbeck's novella.

I'm pressing on with a novel and a short story collection I am not really enjoying: Ballard's The Day of Creation and Lalonde's Glorious Frazzled Beings.  I should finish Lalonde today.  I know I said I would stop reading books I didn't enjoy, but it is a hard habit to break sometimes.  I did give up on Ballard's Concrete Island almost immediately, and I probably feel I owe him another chance...

I think I'll work through some non-fiction next, including MegaCity Saga and Smart Cities in Canada: Digital Dreams, Corporate Designs.  

I haven't thought too much beyond that.  Perhaps Flannery O'Connor's Wise Blood which is short.  I intend to read Lamming's In the Castle of My Skin soon, but I only have an e-book, which doesn't work for the gym (now that I can start going again!).  Maybe I should borrow a copy from the library.

Probably around that time my replacement copy of Crime and Punishment will turn up.  This is the next major book I plan on reading.  And after that and Chesterton's The Man Who was Thursday, I think I'll tackle Arlt's The Seven Madmen.  That's really as far as I need to think ahead for the moment.

In between the novels, I'm still reading a ton of poetry.  This week I'm focusing on some Ottawa-based poets - Michael Dennis and Rob McLennan.  I do need to put up a few more reviews, but that will just have to wait.

Edit (2/5): Glorious Frazzled Beings ended with two more damp squibs of stories.  This collection wasn't to my taste at all, and I am debating whether to review it.  It's probably not worth it, as my overall impressions are so negative.  I only liked two ultra short stories: " My Five Week Course in Ikebana" and "At the Dentist."  This passage from "The Teeny Ghost People and Their Garments" bears repeating: "Sister desires are clearer.  Sisters want all their sisters nearby. They want their sisters to be happy, but not too happy, so their sisters' lives do not seem so much better in comparison to their own."  Otherwise I didn't like it and can't see what all the fuss was about...

Crime and Punishment turned up a week earlier than I expected it.  Maybe I'll hold off until I've read Lamming's In the Castle of My Skin and Selvon's An Island is a World, but it will probably be the next book after that.