Michael Robert Dyet's Blog, page 80

A CHRISTMAS LIKE NO OTHER

Hmmm, are the things you wish for this Christmas the kind that fit beneath a Christmas tree? The things I wish for don't come in neatly wrapped packages with bows. I wish for a day when:

Travelers on a plane, heading for a rendezvous with loved ones, don't have to worry that there may be a bomb underneath their seat.

We let bygones be bygones and not waste another day nursing old wounds.

The word "soldier" is obsolete and no one need spend Christmas Day in a foreign land on guard duty.

We rejoice in all that we have in common rather than take arms to declare our differences.

Cancer wards in hospitals are closed, not because there is not enough money, but because there is a cure.

We rediscover childish wonder and learn not to take ourselves so seriously.

Christmas care packages aren't needed because everyone has enough and no one has too much.

Poverty is just a footnote in history books.

The only metaphors we need are for peace, love and harmony and we find them in abundance.

May the holidays bring joy for all and the dawning year be filled with miracles of wonder, grace and faith. May you have a Christmas like no other.

~ Michael Robert Dyet is the author of "Until the Deep Water Stills – An Internet-enhanced Novel" – 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.

~ Send comments or questions to michael@mdyetmetaphor.com.

BILBO BAGGINS AND TICKING TIME BOMB PEOPLE

"It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out of your door," he used to say. "You step into the Road, and if you don't keep your feet, there is no knowing where you might be swept off to."

Bilbo Baggins, The Lord of the Rings

Hmmm, just exactly how close is that harried and impatient person – who couldn't wait for me to make a left turn in a safe fashion – to a mental meltdown?

Every now and then I cross paths with someone who gives off the vibe that they are teetering on the edge of completely losing it. It's disconcerting to say the least and makes me wonder how many ticking time bombs there might be in the people I encounter in any given day.

It happened earlier this week on my drive to work. I was waiting to make a left turn from one side street to another. The driver behind me was evidently of the opinion that I was too cautious. He hit the gas, swung around me and made a quick left turn in front of the car approaching in the other lane.

Needless to say, I was rather taken aback by his audacity. In essence he was saying: "Get the hell out of my way. You're slowing me down. I simply cannot wait. I don't give a damn what you think and I could care less if my act endangers you or that other driver."

Yes, his actions were selfish and inconsiderate. But I feel sorry for this person. It must be a terrible thing to be wrapped so tight that any delay is simply intolerable. I imagine his blood pressure is probably off the scale and his brain is on overdrive.

The frightening thing is that I come across this type of person more and more often these days. The driver who blasts his horn if you're a bit slow reacting when the light turns green. The shopper who tosses her three items aside and storms out of the store because there's lineup at the checkout counter. You can no doubt name many more examples.

I have my own moments of impatience. I sometimes fail to be as polite and cordial as I should be because I'm running against a deadline and the stress is mounting. Seeing one of those "ticking time bomb people" is a reality check for me. It makes me take a deep breath, realign my thinking and put things in their proper perspective.

But what happens when two of these "ticking time bomb people" collide? Those are the stories we hear about on the evening news or see in the morning headlines. Their collective build-up of static anger lights a fuse and all hell breaks loose.

The fact is we live in a high pressure, rapid-fire, keep running or you'll fall off the treadmill society. Bilbo Baggins words of wisdom to Frodo translate surprisingly well to the world in which we live today.

There are many metaphors in The Lord of the Rings but let's pay particular attention to the metaphor of Bilbo's travels. Life can, in fact, be a dangerous business. All the more reason for us to stop and smell the flowers. Our sanity – and our safety – may well depend upon it.

~ Michael Robert Dyet is the author of "Until the Deep Water Stills – An Internet-enhanced Novel" – 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.

~ Send comments or questions to michael@mdyetmetaphor.com.

SNEAK PEEK: "Until the Deep Water Stills" Online Companion

A sneak peek at the online companion to Michael's award winning novel "Until the Deep Water Stills". This excerpt is the online entry corresponding to Part Three, Chapter Three: Voices in the Night.

Follow the link below to listen to an audio recording of this entry.

http://mdyetmetaphor.com/blog/jayces-diary-part-2-chapter-3

JAYCE'S DIARY

Moongazing

This is about the only time I feel safe anymore. In the middle of the night when it's dead quiet and I don't have to keep looking over my shoulder to see what is coming at me. Just me and the man on the moon.

What a day. I feel like I aged five years. Should have known something was up by the way Kat shadowboxed with me this morning. I must be losing my edge. How in the hell did she get that photograph of me? She had to be standing right over me so close I could feel her breath on my face. There's something sinister about that image.

I came dangerously close tonight. But it's not the first time and it damn sure won't be the last. The point is I got it under control before it was too late.

Buy why me? Why was I born with this monkey on my back? All I ever wanted was to be normal. Just another face in the crowd with a quiet little corner of the world to make my own.

I guess I'll always have a midnight man. He was gone for awhile but three nights ago he came back. There was the techno music again. Then I was barreling down the street hell bent for somewhere. I ran until I was completely winded.

When I turned around the midnight man was there as if I hadn't gotten anywhere. He shook his head and said: Don't you know? You can't run from it. Finally it registered who he was. It was the kid from high school that I beat the living hell out of.

I didn't even think. I threw a right that decked him. He went down hard and I thought: Shit, I killed him. But the moment he hit the ground he turned into someone else. I jumped on him and started hammering on him. I honestly thought: It's him or me.

It's not hard to figure out. He's telling me it's going to happen again. But it won't. I'm stronger now. I have a live to fight for. So good riddance, midnight man. I don't need you anymore.

The bedroom light is still on so I can't go up yet. I have to give Kat time to do the math on today and realize she still loves me. If I play this right I'll come out ahead. She'll see that I'm not going to let go. That's what this is all about – pushing me to the edge to see if I'll crack. She doesn't really want a divorce. She wants me to show her how strong I can be.

There's the moon rising out of the clouds. I'll be doing a lot of moon-gazing tonight. No chance in hell I'm going to sleep. I've got too many hatches to lock down before morning.

~ Michael Robert Dyet is the author of "Until the Deep Water Stills – An Internet-enhanced Novel" – 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.

~ Send comments or questions to michael@mdyetmetaphor.com.

Random Act of Metaphor: A Heavenly Host of Dancing Light

Hmmm, is there an encoded message in those million flickers of dazzling light dancing on the pond on this clear, crisp December morning?

I have a high angle view of this striking scene from my 18th floor apartment window. Sunlight is animating the surface of the pond bringing it to life as if a heavenly host of fireflies have gathered there to dance and frolic.

When I stare intently at this dance of light, some of the ecstatic flickers appear to be inverted Vs. If I could focus my awareness there awhile longer, perhaps I might detect other letters and eventually words, sentences and paragraphs.

It seems entirely possible that there is an encoded message waiting there for me to decipher. A precious secret to the meaning of life and where within that pageant I belong. Perhaps it has always been there and always will be. The limitation is mine. A lack of vision and second sight that impairs my understanding.

This much I know. I must be open to the possibilities. My mind, my heart, my soul must be an open door to that which I do not yet see but may someday be blessed enough to perceive.

Dancing light like a heavenly host of fireflies – a random act of metaphor for the necessity to believe that there is much more to know that what I at first glance see.

~ Michael Robert Dyet is the author of "Until the Deep Water Stills – An Internet-enhanced Novel" – 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.

~ Send comments or questions to michael@mdyetmetaphor.com.

MY THUNDERBIRD SHIRT: 25 YEARS AND COUNTING

MY THUNDERBIRD SHIRT: 25 YEARS AND COUNTING

Hmmm, would it surprise you to know that I have a red and green plaid, "Thunderbird" brand shirt that has made its home in my closet for 25 years or more?

I suppose I should be embarrassed to admit to that fact but I'm not. I don't remember who bought this shirt for me or exactly when. I can tell you that it shows little signs of wear although I've worn it regularly during the winter months over that quarter century.

I think of this shirt every time I walk through the mall just around the corner from where I live. It is a constant source of amazement to me that at least half of the storefronts in that mall are clothing stores. How is it possible, I wonder, that they all survive?

This same mall underwent a major expansion in the last two years adding a new wing. I walked through this new section recently as a matter of curiosity. Once again, clothing stores predominated.

It seems that North Americans have an insatiable appetite for clothing. A quick visit to the Statistics Canada website revealed that Canadians spent $21 billion on clothing in 2002 – almost as much as was spent on gasoline and motor oil.

I skimmed for some population statistics for that same year. There were roughly 25.7 million Canadian's aged 15 or over in 2002. If my math is correct, that averages out to close to $700 a year spent on clothing by every Canadian.

Taking into account the unfortunate fact that close to 10% of Canadians live in poverty – an appalling fact on its own – and have very little or nothing to spend on clothing, the average rises to over $1,100 per person.

At this point I could dance off into a rant on why we spend so much on ourselves and give comparatively little to charity or to churches etc etc etc. But that's a post for another day. What fascinates me today is how much we define ourselves by what we wear and, accordingly, how we look.

I'm not saying that's necessarily a bad thing. It's just a fascinating insight into our psyche. We men tend to characterize that behaviour as a female thing. Yes, women's clothing does account for a bigger share of the total. But men's clothing still rings up the cash register to well over $7 billion a year.

Now it's confession time. I'm one of the ones who pull down the average as you might surmise by my 25 year old shirt. It could be that I'm just cheap or that I'm a bit odd. I'll leave that to you to decide.

The truth is I'm rather attached to my 55% polyester and 35% viscose, red and green plaid, made in China, indestructible shirt. For me it's a metaphor for longevity, consistency and durability in these disposable, throwaway and non-returnable times in which we live.

I'm hoping for another 25 years from my Thunderbird shirt. I'll let you know when I get there.

~ Michael Robert Dyet is the author of "Until the Deep Water Stills – An Internet-enhanced Novel" – 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.

~ Send comments or questions to michael@mdyetmetaphor.com.

Thanks for All Your Comments!

Just a short post, to all of you who follow my blog, to say thanks for your support and for all the comments. Lately there have been so many comments I can't respond to them all! Be assured that I sincerely appreciate your interest and your feedback even if I'm not able to respond directly.

I'll keep the metaphors coming!

~ Michael Robert Dyet is the author of "Until the Deep Water Stills – An Internet-enhanced Novel" – 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.

~ Send comments or questions to michael@mdyetmetaphor.com.

THE ROYAL WEDDING, THE SEQUEL RSVP – ZIMBABWE CAN'T MAKE IT

Fair warning. If you are a fan of the royal family, you may want to skip this post as I occupy the opposite end of the spectrum.

Hmmm, will the residents of Zimbabwe be huddled around their televisions watching "The Royal Wedding: The Sequel" starring Prince William and Kate Middleton? Probably not since most of them can't afford a television or the luxury of watching it even if they did.

But millions of people around the world will no doubt be glued to their televisions that day to witness the pageantry and the extravagance. Those in the know say that the price tag for the event will likely be around $30 million.

Charles and Diana's wedding apparently rang up a tab of $49 million. But a spokesperson for Prince Charles's office says that they'll be tightening their belt a bit this time around to be respectful of the economic realities of the day.

"Prince William and Catherine are very mindful of the economic situation. It's something they will bear in mind — the state of the nation; it is something that will be considered."

I'm sure the people of Zimbabwe will be pleased to hear that the royal family plans to exercise restraint – to the tune of $30 million. Not that affordability is an issue, mind you. The Queen's personal wealth is estimated to be in the neighbourhood of $475 million.

Why I am drawing Zimbabwe into this discussion? Precisely because Zimbabwe has the dubious distinction of being one of the poorest countries in the world when GDP (gross domestic product) is used as the measure.

GDP is the market value of all final goods and services produced in a year in a country. So let's put things in perspective. Great Britain's GDP per capita is about $35,000. Zimbabwe weighs in at $0.1 per capita. Yes, I did put the decimal point in the right place.

It seems to me rather glaringly unjust for Great Britain to fork over $30 million for William and Kate's wedding when people in the poorest countries in the world live on $2 day or less.

Economists may argue that I'm overlooking the fact that the royal wedding will reportedly add as much as $995 million to the U.K. economy as consumers spend more on food and drink and tourism revenue increases. But Zimbabwe isn't likely to see a nickel of that money.

Wouldn't it be a grand gesture of humanity if the royal family opted to spend only $100,000 on William and Kate's nuptials and gave the other $29.9 million to the poorest countries in the world starting with Zimbabwe? $29.9 million is, after all, only about 6% of the Queen's personal wealth.

I'm not holding my breath that the royal family will take up my suggestion. I expect that William and Kate's wedding will be a roaring metaphor for unbridled extravagance and a "money is no object" mentality.

Zimbabwe has already RSVPed for "The Royal Wedding, The Sequel": "Sorry, we can't make it. We're too busy too earning our $2 a day."

~ Michael Robert Dyet is the author of "Until the Deep Water Stills – An Internet-enhanced Novel" – 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.

~ Send comments or questions to michael@mdyetmetaphor.com.

PURSUING THE INTIMATE STRANGER AND TRADING IN METAPHORS

Hmmm, is there a story behind each and every one of those glittering lights that illuminate the night skyline? Am I gazing upon a galaxy of dreams?

The view from my 18th floor window extends southward from Brampton toward Lake Ontario. On a clear night I can decipher the shape of the CN Tower. There are innumerable lights of various hues and shapes between me and that famous landmark. White pinwheels. Strings of amber pearls. Pulsing needle points of red.

I am inclined to believe that each of these lights shines for a heart that has its own story to tell. Stories of joy and of sorrow and of hope. Tales of wonder and of grief and of longing. All of them with a cherished dream welling up in the heart.

Too often we become so caught up in the drama of our own life that we become blind to what exists around us. I for one confess to that character flaw. At times I put an inordinate amount of energy into shoring up the castle walls of my comfort zone. I'm rather too adept at it for my own good sometimes.

But as a writer I am also drawn to look beyond myself for the stories that lie hidden waiting to be told. I am an observer of human life and an explorer of the secret code of behaviours and idiosyncracies that hint at dreams, desires and phantom hopes.

Every one of us has a face that we show to the world at large and another private one that we show only to our loved ones. But it doesn't end there. Deep down in our heart our hearts we each have an intimate stranger that seldom sees the light of day. An identity that we cannot fully comprehend but which is more deeply us than we care to admit.

It is this intimate stranger that the artist in me is inexorably drawn to explore. I catch quick, phantom glimpses of it when I am attuned to the unspoken. The frightened look that flits across the face of a passerby on the street. The flash of anger that erupts without warning. The pained expression of sympathy and the fleeting moment of elation. The eccentricity that no one can explain.

I trade in the unexplained and go questing to attach meaning to it. I venture into dark alleys of the soul where I am not always welcome. The writer in me is a miner of the psyche searching for rare gems that are not always precious.

It is entirely possible that the artist in me is one and the same as my own intimate stranger. Perhaps the more I write the more intimate we become and the more I understand myself.

Those countless glittering lights in the night sky are a metaphor for the stories I seek. Metaphors are in turn a tool I use to shed light on the intimate strangers I find.

I have no doubt that I too am a metaphor. But that is for someone else to explore.

~ Michael Robert Dyet is the author of "Until the Deep Water Stills – An Internet-enhanced Novel" – 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.

~ Send comments or questions to michael@mdyetmetaphor.com.

RANDOM ACT OF METAPHOR: A WINTER EGRET AT MIMICO CREEK

Hmmm, does that Great Egret hanging out at the mouth of Mimico Creek on November 6 have a bad sense of timing or is it just a rebel?

It's not unusual to find a Great Egret at this location from May through October. They find the shallow bay quite to their liking. But by November they are long gone on their southward migration to warmer locales. Or at least most of them are.

I was pleasantly surprised to spot this Egret hanging out among the gulls, swans and sundry ducks in my swing through Humber Bay Park today. But then I began to wonder. Has its migration instinct short circuited? Has it contracted some avian disease which has rendered it to weak to make the trip? What a shame if it perishes here when the bay ices over.

But then another possibility occurred to me. Perhaps it is just a rebel. It doesn't feel compelled to adhere to the unwritten laws of migratory birds. I like to imagine it might express itself something like this.

Yes, I know I am supposed to be long gone by now. But I rather like it here and I'm not ready to leave just yet. Call me stubborn if you will. I'm used to others thinking I am odd.

The truth is my Maker was in a thoughtful mood when he created me and decided that I would be different. At first I found that troubling and tried to conform. But eventually I came to realize that I am who He made me and he wishes me to remain that way. So I follow my heart and it hasn't lead me wrong yet. Yes, there is a price to pay for being different but I pay it willingly now. I am who I am and proud of it.

A winter egret at Mimico Creek – a random act of metaphor for the courage to be who you are regardless of what others may think.

~ Michael Robert Dyet is the author of "Until the Deep Water Stills – An Internet-enhanced Novel" – 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 15 SECOND METAPHOR: TAKE A BRAIN HOLIDAY

Hmmm, has the relentless pace of the information age put our brains on a crash course with information overload?

Advertisers seem to think so. Not so long ago the 60 minute commercial was the standard. It got kicked by the wayside by the 30 minute commercial because we weren't willing or able to pay attention that long. Now I hear that the 15 second spot is becoming the norm.

It's more than a little disconcerting to think that our attention span has eroded to that degree. But the evidence is mounting. We've all heard of Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). It's a genetically transmitted brain trait which seems to be reaching epidemic levels.

But a U.S. psychiatrist has now put forward a condition called Attention Deficit Trait (ADT). He calls it "A severe case of modern life". It happens when the brain becomes bombarded with more information, obligations and data points than it can tolerate. The result, apparently, is distractibility, impulsivity, impatience, restlessness and irritability.

Confession time: Been there, done that! By nature I'm a reasonably patient person. But it seems I've used up my quota and then some. A few places where this impatience and irritability manifests itself:

Surfing the web: I expect web pages to load instantly. When they don't I have been known to curse out my computer quite vehemently as if it has a personal vendetta against me. And don't get my started on this irritating error messages when a site won't load!

Waiting in line-ups: At the grocery store check-out counter, ATMs, traffic jams, even Tim Hortons. A tiny devil of impatience sits on my shoulder and whispers nasty things in my ear even though I'm not running late for anything.

E-mail messages: I can't ignore the damn things. There is a constant stream of them at work. Every one is like an itch I have to scratch to make it go away even though I know another one will arrive in a few minutes.

The treadmill of modern life speeds up a little bit more each day. In true 'survival of the fittest' fashion, we keep cranking up our brain RPMs to keep pace so we don't get thrown off and left behind.

I hereby dub this modern phenomenon the 15 second metaphor. We keep squeezing our attention down into smaller and smaller increments to compensate for our overheated brains.

Is there a solution to this 21st century dilemma? What if, for one hour a week, everyone – and I mean everyone around the world – were to power down their computer, shut off the TV and radio AND resist the temptation to make a phone call. Take a brain holiday. I think it's worth a try. Are you with me?

~ Michael Robert Dyet is the author of "Until the Deep Water Stills – An Internet-enhanced Novel" – 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.