History
Author: Oldblindog
•9:31 PM
History, for many the word invokes a shudder and the associated thought, "boring!" But history
really is so much more than just an impartial enumeration of dates and facts. It is inept historians or
guardians of the past who give the study of history a bad rap. History is the story of our lives, that of
our families and of countries. It truly is an interactive process to unearth the past and to uncover the
links that existed then and the lessons to be learned in the present. History is truly alive and
provides the links to define who and what we are. I think of it as a compilation that chronicles not
only who and what we are, but what we have left behind. It is a story of human experiences.
Donald Creighton, a distinguished Canadian historian wrote, "History is the record of an encounter
between character and circumstance...the encounter between character and circumstance is
essentially a story."
History was my major at Brandon University. I have always had an affinity for this subject. It has
recently occurred to me that I was also the family historian. The family's photographic history is
within my possession. Many of the family stories are now woefully dependent upon my memory for
survival. Stories regarding World War 11 - air battles between Spitfires and German bombers over
Aberdeen, Scotland - watched by two adventurous sisters sitting upon a roof and tracking the
deadly chess game in the sky; Canadian troops in Italy and the interdependency these men shared
with each other; life in Northern Alberta by a young Scottish bride....examples of family history that
form part of where I come from.
As I get older, there is a strong desire to explore who I am. Looking inward and meditating on this
question raises the desire to have a greater understanding of my family and its history. In turn, it
seems to assist in defining some of the lessons being experienced in this present journey.
, | comments (0)
Hello and Welcome
Author: Oldblindog
•9:27 PM
Hello and welcome to my blog.  My world…impressions of what is going around me.  I initially set up this blog a few weeks ago and that is where it sat.  An empty template.  Sigh, the need to get it moving.  I commenced another blog several years ago and it required a high degree of commitment.  Similar in design, I commenced that blog after many months of just “talking and thinking” about it.  That blog was placed on a back-burner last year when I had to deal with a series of family and work issues.  Thus, I have decided to come back at a new site and with some fresh ideas to move me along.

As with this case in the first blog, I procrastinated.  There, I admit it.  One of my weaknesses.  Sometimes the process of planning something out is the fun part but it is not so easy to translate that conceptualization into reality.  The delay in action is also related to another problem which is my intellectualizing the process. What should I write about?  Should I reveal a bit about myself?  Well, that ends up being a given if I am writing about my world or my perception of it.  Who is going to read it? Should I care or just enjoy the  process as an academic exercise?  Sigh, one can worry about worrying about topics.  Then, the fun is slowly sucked out of the whole exercise.

But really, in the end it is all about one’s identity.  The content of what one writes is an extension of one’s being.  It is the affirmation of an identity.  The revelations of one person among many within the community.  Directly or indirectly it provides some insights into an individual’s existence. Academically, I guess, one could consider it another part of the growth process.  Gordon Allport, a psychologist promoting the humanistic side of man’s behaviour suggested that we “think of ourselves not as human beings, but rather as human becomings, reaching always toward new heights of self awareness and achievement.”

For a good portion of my life (twenties to early thirties), I was involved in the field of Corrections.  Back in the eighties I was experimenting with completing reports and statistical summaries on a Commodore 64 and an Apple llc.  That sounds very primitive when looking at the office scene by today’s standards, but I was rather innovative back then.  Now, I have a home-based business that embraces new research methods and learning to adopt new strategies that I have learned through graduate level courses in Distance education and training.  For me, it has been a continuation and a commitment to the life long learning process.  It is also a matter of perceptions and attitudes.  An attitude is a consistent way of thinking about or responding to some aspect of yourself, others or environment.  Attitude provides cognitive structure that allows us to process and respond to social stimuli.  I write something that resonates with something you believe in and that stimulates a response.  Same thing goes in the case where you disagree with my position.

I intend this blog to be a creative outlet to release some of the thoughts, ruminations, rants, philosophies, stories, etc that have been drifting in and out of me for the last few decades.  Some journeys may be sad, some philosophical and others, well they may just be humorous – at least from my perspective.  I am hoping it will reveal a bit of the journey that I have been on in this lifetime.  Hopefully, some of you may find it a tad interesting.  The communication portal will always be open for some honest responses or questions.  feel free to contact me at any time.
, , | comments (0)