The court of public opinion.
Since when had this become a part of our legal system?
I find this is slowly becoming a rather significant issue in our society. Even if we have an amazing legal system based on the legendary "checks and balances" mentality, people are initially tried in the court of public opinion first and foremost. Even if we have the basic premise of "beyond a reasonable doubt", well, that doesn't seem to matter much either. "Guilty" the populace will yell, and to hell with the data.
Everyone in this country is, by law, entitled to a fair trial. If we stand to our principles as a country, then this must occur - and must occur for everyone under the law equally.
It's been a while since I have written anything in these pages. I've been doing a lot of "behind the scenes" development of the site (for many new features coming soon). I've also been searching for a publishing company to make the "Rhubarb Diaries" a reality. Now all I have to do is keep writing!!
As I've mentioned before, when inspiration finds it's way to you, you go with it. There are times when I have these incredible brainstorms while driving in the car ... or in that moment before falling asleep at night. It could be a chance occurrence ... an alignment of the planets ... or something more surreal ... that takes a flicker of an idea and turns it into a beacon of creativity.
Music has always been something that has proved inspirational - and once again, it happened.
I've always had to chuckle about the concept of personality types - you know, you're either "Type A" (driven, motivated, goal-oriented) or "Type B" (laid-back, relaxed). I laugh because I can remember a time when I would have been considered by many to be a textbook case of Type A (perhaps a small textbook, but a textbook nonetheless!). I would process and re-process, problem solve, perhaps even lose some sleep while doing so. I can remember many times when my mind was buzzing at bedtime and I was simply unable to turn it off and call it a day. I could lose sleep and energy simply focusing too much on any given thing.
I remember my first days at Queen's University. I went to university (no, it is NOT the same as college in Canada) with a high school average in the low 90s. I got into the best school in Canada, the "Harvard of the North" (note to McGill alumni - we'll let you be number 2 in the country) and into the only physiotherapy program in Canada that would accept students directly from high school.
I finally watched "The Motorcycle Diaries". At the prompting of my friend John, I took the time to watch this movie. When "Rhubarb Diaries" was born, he'd mentioned that "it could be like the Motorcycle Diaries". Now, I am certainly no Che Guevara (and I've not been south of the equator either), but in watching the movie, there are some aspects that ring true to me.
Don't worry, this is not about becoming a Marxist revolutionary!
You have to peel away a few layers of the onion to understand it all. There is a sense of growth in Che's adventures throughout South America. There is a "knowing" that something stirs within him ... that would take him some time to fully understand. He was learning more about himself - and was learning how he would indeed impact the world. As he explored with Alberto, he discovered things within himself ... discovered a passion, discovered his own voice.
It seems that New Year's Day (and New Year's Eve) is always an "event", the celebration of many things ...
... another year that mankind has survived ...
... another year that the planet has gotten just a little bit hotter ....
... another year that will lead me to write the date incorrectly for at least a few weeks ...
... and another year that the Toronto Maple Leafs go into their run for the Stanley Cup ... but I digress ....
Resolutions are made on this arbitrary day ... the day in which the calendar changes.
I just came back from a trip to Canada - to see my family. Some friends of mine think that "going to Canada" entails "going on vacation". I would suggest that "going to Canada" entails "spending a lot of time with family" ... and that's not always a vacation!
After a number of days of great conversation and catching up with family and friends - I am exhausted.
Five days can go by very fast. Since I only get home about once a year (go ahead, interject the "bad son" thoughts here before you read further), it seems like you take those 5 days to get caught up on all the goings-on from the recent and not -so-recent past. Add in a reminiscence or two and lo and behold, you're ready to head back to Austin.
I've become a "Seinfeld" fan since it's been in syndication. I didn't really enjoy it when it was first on TV, but now I fully appreciate it. Have you ever seen the "Seinfeld" episode in which George Costanza is trying to keep his "worlds" - his love life and his life as "one of the guys" with Jerry and Kramer and Elaine - separate? He's concerned that his "worlds will collide", thereby ruining a good thing.
I bring this up because a similar thing has happened to me recently - an episode in which two very divergent parts of my world collided in a very surreal fashion.
It all comes down to one particular address that brought it all out - 1109-B South Congress. For those of you who know me well, that's my new office address - within the walls of the South Congress Athletic Club. This brings me to my tale for today ...
Allan Besselink, PT, DPT, Ph.D., Dip.MDT has a unique voice in the world of sports, education, and health care. Read more about Allan here.