Michael Robert Dyet's Blog, page 39
July 14, 2018
Metaphors of Life Journal: Butterfly Bonanza - A Blessed Reprieve from the Craziness of Life
Alert: Full on nature geek taking control in this post. Read at your own hazard.
It is a rare occurrence. Years go by as I wait for the next one. I wonder all too often if it happened on a day I was stuck inside and missed it. There are nearly there days that I think might blossom into it, but fall just short. I fantasize about it on the really slow days.
No, not that! Get your mind out of the gutter! I am referring to that elusive summer day – which can only happen if the weather conditions are perfect – when the butterfly population undergoes a mini explosion.
Last Sunday was the day. I headed out to my favourite conservation area hoping for a good outing. Within the first half hour, I knew it was going to be very good. Butterflies were everywhere almost tripping over each other. An hour in it made the leap to great. I spotted movement in the grass and aimed my binoculars at the spot.
Use this link to view photographs in this post: https://tinyurl.com/yda884cs
A Coral Hairstreak! I was fortunate to capture this photograph of the nickel-sized beauty with its orange spot bar resembling a miniature coral reef. It was only the second time I had sighted this species in 15 years of butterfly sleuthing. A Coral Hairstreak is a red letter day happening.
The Comma butterflies, so named because they have a comma shaped white mark on the dead leaf pattern that camouflages the outer wing, are also favourites of mine. There are four that can be seen in this area. My hope is to record them all before the end of the summer. On this day, I did the full sweep.
Use this link to view photographs in this post: https://tinyurl.com/yda884cs
Commas are lookalikes and very difficult to distinguish from one another. I believe this one is a Grey Comma – usually uncommon in this area and a good find. The scalloped wing edges, handsome markings and sun-glory colouring never fail to impress me.
Use this link to view photographs in this post: https://tinyurl.com/yda884cs
This somewhat tattered Milbert’s Tortoiseshell, which posed whimsically upside down on a wildflower, may have escaped an encounter with a hungry predator. Milbert’s are also uncommon. Some years I do not see any. But this year I seem to see them every time I go out.
My best day ever for butterflies was around this time of year in 2014 when 34 species sashayed across my path. When the count was in for this year’s big day, I had tied that record. It may not seem like such a big deal to you. But for unrepentant nature geek, it is nirvana.
Butterflies are my winged metaphor for freedom. Freedom from the craziness, the unrelenting demands and the what’s lurking around the next corner worry that defines life in these turbulent times. For a few precious hours all of that baggage faded away, and for that I am truly grateful.
~ Now Available Online from Amazon, Chapters Indigo or Barnes & Noble: Hunting Muskie, Rites of Passage – Stories by Michael Robert Dyet
~ Michael Robert Dyet is the author of Until the Deep Water Stills – An Internet-enhanced Novel which was a double winner in the Reader Views Literary Awards 2009. Visit Michael’s website at www.mdyetmetaphor.com or the novel online companion at www.mdyetmetaphor.com/blog.
~ Subscribe to Michael’s Metaphors of Life Journal aka That Make Me Go Hmmm at its’ internet home www.mdyetmetaphor.com/blog2. Instructions for subscribing are provided in the Subscribe to this Blog: How To instructions page in the right sidebar. If you’re reading this post on another social networking site, come back regularly to my page for postings once a week.
Butterfly Bonanza: A Blessed Reprieve from the Craziness of Life
Hmmm, will I have to wait another four years for it to happen again?
Alert: Full on nature geek taking control in this post. Read at your own hazard.
It is a rare occurrence. Years go by as I wait for the next one. I wonder all too often if it happened on a day I was stuck inside and missed it. There are nearly there days that I think might blossom into it, but fall just short. I fantasize about it on the really slow days.
No, not that! Get your mind out of the gutter! I am referring to that elusive summer day – which can only happen if the weather conditions are perfect – when the butterfly population undergoes a mini explosion.
Last Sunday was the day. I headed out to my favourite conservation area hoping for a good outing. Within the first half hour, I knew it was going to be very good. Butterflies were everywhere almost tripping over each other. An hour in it made the leap to great. I spotted movement in the grass and aimed my binoculars at the spot.
A Coral Hairstreak! I was fortunate to capture this photograph of the nickel-sized beauty with its orange spot bar resembling a miniature coral reef. It was only the second time I had sighted this species in 15 years of butterfly sleuthing. A Coral Hairstreak is a red letter day happening.
The Comma butterflies, so named because they have a comma shaped white mark on the dead leaf pattern that camouflages the outer wing, are also favourites of mine. There are four that can be seen in this area. My hope is to record them all before the end of the summer. On this day, I did the full sweep.
Commas are lookalikes and very difficult to distinguish from one another. I believe this one is a Grey Comma – usually uncommon in this area and a good find. The scalloped wing edges, handsome markings and sun-glory colouring never fail to impress me.
This somewhat tattered Milbert’s Tortoiseshell, which posed whimsically upside down on a wildflower, may have escaped an encounter with a hungry predator. Milbert’s are also uncommon. Some years I do not see any. But this year I seem to see them every time I go out.
My best day ever for butterflies was around this time of year in 2014 when 34 species sashayed across my path. When the count was in for this year’s big day, I had tied that record. It may not seem like such a big deal to you. But for unrepentant nature geek, it is nirvana.
Butterflies are my winged metaphor for freedom. Freedom from the craziness, the unrelenting demands and the what’s lurking around the next corner worry that defines life in these turbulent times. For a few precious hours all of that baggage faded away, and for that I am truly grateful.
~ Now Available Online from Amazon, Chapters Indigo or Barnes & Noble: Hunting Muskie, Rites of Passage – Stories by Michael Robert Dyet
~ Michael Robert Dyet is the author of Until the Deep Water Stills – An Internet-enhanced Novel which was a double winner in the Reader Views Literary Awards 2009. Visit Michael’s website at www.mdyetmetaphor.com or the novel online companion at www.mdyetmetaphor.com/blog .
~ Subscribe to Michael’s Metaphors of Life Journal aka That Make Me Go Hmmm at its’ internet home www.mdyetmetaphor.com/blog2 . Instructions for subscribing are provided in the Subscribe to this Blog: How To instructions page in the right sidebar. If you’re reading this post on another social networking site, come back regularly to my page for postings once a week.
July 7, 2018
Hunting Muskie: Rites of Passage - Preview: The Reckoning
It is happening with alarming frequency – spree killers opening fire in a crowd murdering innocent people. A few years ago, I explored what might drive such inexplicable behaviour in a story. An excerpt of that story is set out below.
Note: It is not my intention to glorify spree killers or take advantage of what they do. Literary fiction writers are driven to explore baffling issues like this one in an attempt to shed light on aspects of life that seem to defy understanding. Please view the story from that perspective.
The Reckoning
I can hear the sirens now. They’re coming for me. They’ve been coming for thirty years. Their wailing sounds like the personification of grief. Strange how your senses expand when you know the end is near.
So quiet in here now—just faint crying and soft moans—after all the chaos I brought. It’s surreal—serenity turned inside out. This sense of floating above it all after the horror of the moment. I wish he could be here to marvel at it. It’s time to write the ending. I should feel dread. But staring down the barrel is so much easier than I expected. No need for prayers to summon the will. Just one last act of courage. One—two ... three—
Six Hours Later
“Son of a bitch.”
Quentin grimaced as he levered himself up in bed. His head was throbbing and his left eye was swollen half shut. Pain ricocheted across his chest when he took a full breath. He did a quick inventory: a cracked rib or two, definitely a black eye and a couple of loose teeth.
“How bad do I look, Chelsea?” He turned, expecting Chelsea to be watching him. But she was not in the bedroom. His glance landed on the alarm clock on the bedside table: 3:30 p.m.
“Damn, I’ve slept half the day away.”
“Chelsea? You out there?” He eased himself onto his feet, crossed to the door and scanned the small apartment. “Chelsea? Serves me right, I guess. She’s had her fill of patching me up.”
He shuffled to the bathroom, swallowed a couple of Tylenol and took a quick look in the mirror.
“How many punches did I take? You’d never guess looking at me that I won the fight.”
As he made his way back into the bedroom, the closet door ajar caught Quentin’s eye. He reached over and opened it wide. Half of Chelsea’s clothes and two suitcases were gone.
“Shit. Not again.” END OF EXCERPT
If you’re intrigued and want to hear the rest of the story, you’ll find it in my short story collection “Hunting Muskie: Rites of Passage – Stories by Michael Robert Dyet”.
~ Now Available Online from Amazon, Chapters Indigo or Barnes & Noble: Hunting Muskie, Rites of Passage – Stories by Michael Robert Dyet
~ Michael Robert Dyet is the author of Until the Deep Water Stills – An Internet-enhanced Novel which was a double winner in the Reader Views Literary Awards 2009. Visit Michael’s website at www.mdyetmetaphor.com or the novel online companion at www.mdyetmetaphor.com/blog.
~ Subscribe to Michael’s Metaphors of Life Journal aka Things That Make Me Go Hmmm at its’ internet home www.mdyetmetaphor.com/blog2. Instructions for subscribing are provided in the Subscribe to this Blog: How To instructions page in the right sidebar. If you’re reading this post on another social networking site, come back regularly to my page for postings once a week.
Hunting Muskie Preview: The Reckoning
Hmmm, what malfunction occurs in the mind of a person to turn them into a spree killer?
It is happening with alarming frequency – spree killers opening fire in a crowd murdering innocent people. A few years ago, I explored what might drive such inexplicable behaviour in a story. An excerpt of that story is set out below.
Note: It is not my intention to glorify spree killers or take advantage of what they do. Literary fiction writers are driven to explore baffling issues like this one in an attempt to shed light on aspects of life that seem to defy understanding. Please view the story from that perspective.
The Reckoning
I can hear the sirens now. They’re coming for me. They’ve been coming for thirty years. Their wailing sounds like the personification of grief. Strange how your senses expand when you know the end is near.
So quiet in here now—just faint crying and soft moans—after all the chaos I brought. It’s surreal—serenity turned inside out. This sense of floating above it all after the horror of the moment. I wish he could be here to marvel at it. It’s time to write the ending. I should feel dread. But staring down the barrel is so much easier than I expected. No need for prayers to summon the will. Just one last act of courage. One—two … three—
Six Hours Later
“Son of a bitch.”
Quentin grimaced as he levered himself up in bed. His head was throbbing and his left eye was swollen half shut. Pain ricocheted across his chest when he took a full breath. He did a quick inventory: a cracked rib or two, definitely a black eye and a couple of loose teeth.
“How bad do I look, Chelsea?” He turned, expecting Chelsea to be watching him. But she was not in the bedroom. His glance landed on the alarm clock on the bedside table: 3:30 p.m.
“Damn, I’ve slept half the day away.”
“Chelsea? You out there?” He eased himself onto his feet, crossed to the door and scanned the small apartment. “Chelsea? Serves me right, I guess. She’s had her fill of patching me up.”
He shuffled to the bathroom, swallowed a couple of Tylenol and took a quick look in the mirror.
“How many punches did I take? You’d never guess looking at me that I won the fight.”
As he made his way back into the bedroom, the closet door ajar caught Quentin’s eye. He reached over and opened it wide. Half of Chelsea’s clothes and two suitcases were gone.
“Shit. Not again.” END OF EXCERPT
If you’re intrigued and want to hear the rest of the story, you’ll find it in my short story collection “Hunting Muskie: Rites of Passage – Stories by Michael Robert Dyet”.
~ Now Available Online from Amazon, Chapters Indigo or Barnes & Noble: Hunting Muskie, Rites of Passage – Stories by Michael Robert Dyet
~ Michael Robert Dyet is the author of Until the Deep Water Stills – An Internet-enhanced Novel which was a double winner in the Reader Views Literary Awards 2009. Visit Michael’s website at www.mdyetmetaphor.com or the novel online companion at www.mdyetmetaphor.com/blog .
~ Subscribe to Michael’s Metaphors of Life Journal aka Things That Make Me Go Hmmm at its’ internet home www.mdyetmetaphor.com/blog2 . Instructions for subscribing are provided in the Subscribe to this Blog: How To instructions page in the right sidebar. If you’re reading this post on another social networking site, come back regularly to my page for postings once a week.
June 29, 2018
Metaphors of Life Journal: Confessions of an Aging Nature Geek
I am on vacation right now and indulging the nature geek in me. So why am I blogging on a sultry, sun-bleached day custom made for butterfly and dragonfly sleuthing?
Confession: At the age of 60 with a temperamental back, I cannot hit the trails every day anymore. Rest days are a must even though the part of me that refuses to acknowledge limitations bitterly complains. So I will compromise today and take a look at some of the highlights of my summer to date.
Visit https://tinyurl.com/y72jc6t8 to view the photos in this post.
One of my first outings in early June turned up a much prized Harvester – only the second time I have set eyes on the only carnivorous butterfly in these parts. This nickel-sized, gossamer-winged butterfly, with blotching markings that camouflage it well, never visits flowers and feeds on aphids or ant larvae.
Visit https://tinyurl.com/y72jc6t8 to view the photos in this post.
Hairstreaks, always a delight to find, also fall into the gossamer-winged category. They dart out from a perch and furiously flutter around before perching again. Tracking them back to their perch can be maddening. This is the Banded Hairstreak – the most common of this diminutive and hard to find species.
Visit https://tinyurl.com/y72jc6t8 to view the photos in this post.
Butterflies can be a challenge to identify which is part of the appeal of this pastime. But there is no mistaking a Baltimore Checkerspot with its regal attire of black, white and orange. They are usually uncommon. But this seems to be an irruption year for this species as I saw many of them on my outing yesterday.
Duskywings are in category known as Skippers which comprise roughly one-third of all butterfly species in North America. Duskywings are notoriously difficult to ID. But I am relatively confident that this is the whimsically named Dreamy Duskywing which surprisingly put in an appearance on the same day as the Harvester.
Visit https://tinyurl.com/y72jc6t8 to view the photos in this post.
Since this post is titled Confessions an Aging Nature Geek, I must own up to two more of my idiosyncrasies.
I would rather spend my time pursuing these elegant creatures than just about any other activity. They hold endless fascination for me and touch a fundamental part of my being that I do not fully understand.
I have 93 species on my butterfly life list. There are few things more thrilling to me than logging another lifer. The nature geek in me has become irretrievably addicted to this experience.
As you will know if you follow my blog regularly, I interpret life through the lens of metaphor. Butterflies are my metaphor for ultimate freedom – the desire to break free from the confines of everyday life and lose myself in the embrace of nature which demands so little and offers herself up so willingly for our delight.
I am an unrepentant nature geek. If that challenges your concept of normal, I have three words for you – deal with it!
~ Now Available Online from Amazon, Chapters Indigo or Barnes & Noble: Hunting Muskie, Rites of Passage – Stories by Michael Robert Dyet
~ Michael Robert Dyet is the author of Until the Deep Water Stills – An Internet-enhanced Novel which was a double winner in the Reader Views Literary Awards 2009. Visit Michael’s website at www.mdyetmetaphor.com or the novel online companion at www.mdyetmetaphor.com/blog.
~ Subscribe to Michael’s Metaphors of Life Journal aka Things That Make Me Go Hmmm at its’ internet home www.mdyetmetaphor.com/blog2. Instructions for subscribing are provided in the Subscribe to this Blog: How To instructions page in the right sidebar. If you’re reading this post on another social networking site, come back regularly to my page for postings once a week.
Confessions of an Aging Nature Geek
Hmmm, will I ever fully comprehend the enchantment that nature weaves around me?
I am on vacation right now and indulging the nature geek in me. So why am I blogging on a sultry, sun-bleached day custom made for butterfly and dragonfly sleuthing?
Confession: At the age of 60 with a temperamental back, I cannot hit the trails every day anymore. Rest days are a must even though the part of me that refuses to acknowledge limitations bitterly complains. So I will compromise today and take a look at some of the highlights of my summer to date.
Harvester
One of my first outings in early June turned up a much prized Harvester – only the second time I have set eyes on the only carnivorous butterfly in these parts. This nickel-sized, gossamer-winged butterfly, with blotching markings that camouflage it well, never visits flowers and feeds on aphids or ant larvae.
Banded Hairstreak
Hairstreaks, always a delight to find, also fall into the gossamer-winged category. They dart out from a perch and furiously flutter around before perching again. Tracking them back to their perch can be maddening. This is the Banded Hairstreak – the most common of this diminutive and hard to find species.
Baltimore Checkerspot
Butterflies can be a challenge to identify which is part of the appeal of this pastime. But there is no mistaking a Baltimore Checkerspot with its regal attire of black, white and orange. They are usually uncommon. But this seems to be an irruption year for this species as I saw many of them on my outing yesterday.
Duskywings are in category known as Skippers which comprise roughly one-third of all butterfly species in North America. Duskywings are notoriously difficult to ID. But I am relatively confident that this is the whimsically named Dreamy Duskywing which surprisingly put in an appearance on the same day as the Harvester.
Since this post is titled Confessions an Aging Nature Geek, I must own up to two more of my idiosyncrasies.
I would rather spend my time pursuing these elegant creatures than just about any other activity. They hold endless fascination for me and touch a fundamental part of my being that I do not fully understand.
I have 93 species on my butterfly life list. There are few things more thrilling to me than logging another lifer. The nature geek in me has become irretrievably addicted to this experience.
As you will know if you follow my blog regularly, I interpret life through the lens of metaphor. Butterflies are my metaphor for ultimate freedom – the desire to break free from the confines of everyday life and lose myself in the embrace of nature which demands so little and offers herself up so willingly for our delight.
I am an unrepentant nature geek. If that challenges your concept of normal, I have three words for you – deal with it!
~ Now Available Online from Amazon, Chapters Indigo or Barnes & Noble: Hunting Muskie, Rites of Passage – Stories by Michael Robert Dyet
~ Michael Robert Dyet is the author of Until the Deep Water Stills – An Internet-enhanced Novel which was a double winner in the Reader Views Literary Awards 2009. Visit Michael’s website at www.mdyetmetaphor.com or the novel online companion at www.mdyetmetaphor.com/blog .
~ Subscribe to Michael’s Metaphors of Life Journal aka Things That Make Me Go Hmmm at its’ internet home www.mdyetmetaphor.com/blog2 . Instructions for subscribing are provided in the Subscribe to this Blog: How To instructions page in the right sidebar. If you’re reading this post on another social networking site, come back regularly to my page for postings once a week.
June 23, 2018
Metaphors of Life Journal: Summer Solstice - Confronting the Ether of Relentless Time
This past Thursday marked the Summer Solstice of 2018. I have not paid much attention over the years to the milestone days of Summer and Winter Solstice. But as I get older, and hopefully wiser, I find myself contemplating the significance of them.
First, a look at the scientific basis for these dates. Following winter solstice in late December, the Northern Hemisphere begins to get more sunlight as the earth’s axis starts tilting more toward the sun. Summer solstice occurs when the tilt of the Earth’s axis is most inclined towards the sun. The result is the day of the year with the most hours of sunlight.
Around the world, people celebrate Summer Solstice with a variety of rituals often involving bonfires. For example:
In Russia and Ukraine, teenagers and young adults jump over bonfires while holding hands with a potential suitor as a courtship ritual. Scandinavians refer to the day as Midsummer and observe rituals involving bonfires, fertility and folk dancing.
In Latvia, people head to the countryside, start a bonfire and stay up all night waiting for the sun to come up. Women pick flowers to make into crowns for their head. Men strip naked and jump into a nearby lake or river.
I am not inclined to anything as theatrical as these rituals. But I do find symbolism in the fact that the days following Summer Solstice becoming progressively shorter in terms of hours of sunlight – culminating in the shortest day of the year on Winter Solstice.
At the age of 60, I am acutely aware that there are more years behind me than ahead of me. In symbolic terms, I am somewhere between the Summer and Winter Solstice of my life.
Part of me thinks that I should squeeze as much living as possible into every day that remains. But a dissenting voice argues that I should slow down and focus not on how much I accomplish, but rather on the peace that comes from opting out of the race to the wire.
Health issues in the last year stole a few months from my life. I cannot get those days back. The question looms: Make up for lost time or stop being a slave to the notion of time?
Wisdom gained over 60 years counsels me that quality matters more than quantity. But it is difficult to live into that wisdom. The breakneck pace of life in these times argues that if you are not moving ahead, you are very rapidly falling behind.
But I am beginning to believe that falling behind is not necessarily a bad thing. Lingering to enjoy the simple moments while the rest of society rushes forward to the next big thing, may just be the secret to happiness. Going against the flow takes a conscious effort. But the investment in doing so pays dividends far beyond climbing the next hill.
And so, I chose to see Summer Solstice as a metaphor for the importance of ignoring the ticking of the clock and savouring each moment before it escapes into the ether of relentless time.
~ Now Available Online from Amazon, Chapters Indigo or Barnes & Noble: Hunting Muskie, Rites of Passage – Stories by Michael Robert Dyet
~ Michael Robert Dyet is the author of Until the Deep Water Stills – An Internet-enhanced Novel which was a double winner in the Reader Views Literary Awards 2009. Visit Michael’s website at www.mdyetmetaphor.com or the novel online companion at www.mdyetmetaphor.com/blog.
~ Subscribe to Michael’s Metaphors of Life Journal aka Things That Make Me Go Hmmm at its’ internet home www.mdyetmetaphor.com/blog2. Instructions for subscribing are provided in the Subscribe to this Blog: How To instructions page in the right sidebar. If you’re reading this post on another social networking site, come back regularly to my page for postings once a week.
Summer Solstice: Confronting the Ether of Relentless Time
Hmmm, what motivation should we draw from the longest day of year?
This past Thursday marked the Summer Solstice of 2018. I have not paid much attention over the years to the milestone days of Summer and Winter Solstice. But as I get older, and hopefully wiser, I find myself contemplating the significance of them.
First, a look at the scientific basis for these dates. Following winter solstice in late December, the Northern Hemisphere begins to get more sunlight as the earth’s axis starts tilting more toward the sun. Summer solstice occurs when the tilt of the Earth’s axis is most inclined towards the sun. The result is the day of the year with the most hours of sunlight.
Around the world, people celebrate Summer Solstice with a variety of rituals often involving bonfires. For example:
In Russia and Ukraine, teenagers and young adults jump over bonfires while holding hands with a potential suitor as a courtship ritual. Scandinavians refer to the day as Midsummer and observe rituals involving bonfires, fertility and folk dancing.
In Latvia, people head to the countryside, start a bonfire and stay up all night waiting for the sun to come up. Women pick flowers to make into crowns for their head. Men strip naked and jump into a nearby lake or river.
I am not inclined to anything as theatrical as these rituals. But I do find symbolism in the fact that the days following Summer Solstice becoming progressively shorter in terms of hours of sunlight – culminating in the shortest day of the year on Winter Solstice.
At the age of 60, I am acutely aware that there are more years behind me than ahead of me. In symbolic terms, I am somewhere between the Summer and Winter Solstice of my life.
Part of me thinks that I should squeeze as much living as possible into every day that remains. But a dissenting voice argues that I should slow down and focus not on how much I accomplish, but rather on the peace that comes from opting out of the race to the wire.
Health issues in the last year stole a few months from my life. I cannot get those days back. The question looms: Make up for lost time or stop being a slave to the notion of time?
Wisdom gained over 60 years counsels me that quality matters more than quantity. But it is difficult to live into that wisdom. The breakneck pace of life in these times argues that if you are not moving ahead, you are very rapidly falling behind.
But I am beginning to believe that falling behind is not necessarily a bad thing. Lingering to enjoy the simple moments while the rest of society rushes forward to the next big thing, may just be the secret to happiness. Going against the flow takes a conscious effort. But the investment in doing so pays dividends far beyond climbing the next hill.
And so, I chose to see Summer Solstice as a metaphor for the importance of ignoring the ticking of the clock and savouring each moment before it escapes into the ether of relentless time.
~ Now Available Online from Amazon, Chapters Indigo or Barnes & Noble: Hunting Muskie, Rites of Passage – Stories by Michael Robert Dyet
~ Michael Robert Dyet is the author of Until the Deep Water Stills – An Internet-enhanced Novel which was a double winner in the Reader Views Literary Awards 2009. Visit Michael’s website at www.mdyetmetaphor.com or the novel online companion at www.mdyetmetaphor.com/blog .
~ Subscribe to Michael’s Metaphors of Life Journal aka Things That Make Me Go Hmmm at its’ internet home www.mdyetmetaphor.com/blog2 . Instructions for subscribing are provided in the Subscribe to this Blog: How To instructions page in the right sidebar. If you’re reading this post on another social networking site, come back regularly to my page for postings once a week.
June 16, 2018
Metaphors of Life Journal: The New Government Playbook - Paint by Number Politics
I promise this will be my last post on the provincial election. I have one more thing to get off my chest.
I am convinced that there is a playbook that every newly elected government follows faithfully. In the case of the provincial Conservatives who just swept to power, I predict the following sequence of communications verbatim from the New Government Playbook.
One Month In: We’ve had a preliminary look at the provincial books and what we found is disturbing. The (insert name of previous party in power) were not being honest with us. We need some time to see how bad things really are.
Shame on you (insert name of previous premier)!
Two Months In: We’ve done a deeper dive into the books. The province’s finances are a mess. Thank goodness you kicked out (insert name of previous party in power). You can rely on us to fix the problem, but it might take a while. Regrettably, it might affect the timelines for the promises we made.
Shame on you (insert name of previous premier)!
Three Months In: We’ve completed a full audit of the provincial books. The situation is far worse than we thought. (Insert number) years of (insert name of previous party in power) mismanagement has taken a huge toll. We will fix the problem, but it can’t be done overnight. We’re going to have to put some of our plans on hold.
Shame on you, (insert name of previous premier)!
18 Months In: Thank you for being patient while we deal with the financial mess we inherited from (insert name of previous party in power). We’re on the right path. But it would be irresponsible of us to move forward with (insert promises you intend to renege in). We promised you we would balance the budget by (insert date) and that is our top priority.
24 Months In: Our plan is working. We’re wrestling the province’s financial woes under control. Be patient with us. We know you’re disappointed that we haven’t been able to deliver on all our promises. Tough decisions had to be made and we’re committed to seeing them through.
Final Year of Mandate at Most Opportune Time: Our plan is working. Thank you for being patient with us while we put the finances in order. We’ve come a long way, but there is still much work to be done. We need another term in office to complete the work.
Be prepared paint by number politics for the next four years. The only thing more certain than death and taxes is the New Government Playbook.
~ Now Available Online from Amazon, Chapters Indigo or Barnes & Noble: Hunting Muskie, Rites of Passage – Stories by Michael Robert Dyet
~ Michael Robert Dyet is the author of Until the Deep Water Stills – An Internet-enhanced Novel which was a double winner in the Reader Views Literary Awards 2009. Visit Michael’s website at www.mdyetmetaphor.com or the novel online companion at www.mdyetmetaphor.com/blog.
~ Subscribe to Michael’s Metaphors of Life Journal aka Things That Make Me Go Hmmm at its’ internet home www.mdyetmetaphor.com/blog2. Instructions for subscribing are provided in the Subscribe to this Blog: How To instructions page in the right sidebar. If you’re reading this post on another social networking site, come back regularly to my page for postings once a week.
The New Government Playbook: Paint by Number Politics
Hmmm, will we all too soon find ourselves saying: “This sounds oddly familiar. Where have I heard it before?”
I promise this will be my last post on the provincial election. I have one more thing to get off my chest.
I am convinced that there is a playbook that every newly elected government follows faithfully. In the case of the provincial Conservatives who just swept to power, I predict the following sequence of communications verbatim from the New Government Playbook.
One Month In: We’ve had a preliminary look at the provincial books and what we found is disturbing. The (insert name of previous party in power) were not being honest with us. We need some time to see how bad things really are.
Shame on you (insert name of previous premier)!
Two Months In: We’ve done a deeper dive into the books. The province’s finances are a mess. Thank goodness you kicked out (insert name of previous party in power). You can rely on us to fix the problem, but it might take a while. Regrettably, it might affect the timelines for the promises we made.
Shame on you (insert name of previous premier)!
Three Months In: We’ve completed a full audit of the provincial books. The situation is far worse than we thought. (Insert number) years of (insert name of previous party in power) mismanagement has taken a huge toll. We will fix the problem, but it can’t be done overnight. We’re going to have to put some of our plans on hold.
Shame on you, (insert name of previous premier)!
18 Months In: Thank you for being patient while we deal with the financial mess we inherited from (insert name of previous party in power). We’re on the right path. But it would be irresponsible of us to move forward with (insert promises you intend to renege in). We promised you we would balance the budget by (insert date) and that is our top priority.
24 Months In: Our plan is working. We’re wrestling the province’s financial woes under control. Be patient with us. We know you’re disappointed that we haven’t been able to deliver on all our promises. Tough decisions had to be made and we’re committed to seeing them through.
Final Year of Mandate at Most Opportune Time: Our plan is working. Thank you for being patient with us while we put the finances in order. We’ve come a long way, but there is still much work to be done. We need another term in office to complete the work.
Be prepared for paint by number politics for the next four years. The only thing more certain than death and taxes is the New Government Playbook.
~ Now Available Online from Amazon, Chapters Indigo or Barnes & Noble: Hunting Muskie, Rites of Passage – Stories by Michael Robert Dyet
~ Michael Robert Dyet is the author of Until the Deep Water Stills – An Internet-enhanced Novel which was a double winner in the Reader Views Literary Awards 2009. Visit Michael’s website at www.mdyetmetaphor.com or the novel online companion at www.mdyetmetaphor.com/blog.
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