Looking good for 142
London, ON, October 2008 [Click to embiggen]
A Canada Day Challenge for my readers: I'm chatting about Canada on national television tonight. I need your help mulling over talking points. Details in the "Your Turn" below.July 1st is always a happy day around here as we celebrate Canada Day. In our typically Canadian fashion, we don't go over the top in marking the day. We don't want to draw too much attention to ourselves, and instead would rather enjoy the day surrounded by the folks who matter most. Why? Because our country isn't the super hot, uber popular homecoming queen type who all the jocks want to date. It's more like the reserved, subtly pretty nerdish girl who most everyone ignores until the teacher assigns a pop quiz for the next day and they need her notes.
A stretch, I know, but it illustrates an interesting point: everyone seems to love this country. Every time I'm in the U.S. or speaking with Americans, I often find myself on the receiving end of unprompted gushings of admiration for our nation and the unassuming folks who live here. They love our friendliness, our beer, our music (less Britney, more Jann Arden) and our overall vibe.
So do we. And although we don't always take the time to celebrate our Canadian roots, today's as good a day as any to give it a shot. Wherever you're from, I hope you take a moment today to reflect on what makes your own life such a blessing.
Your turn: I need your help. I'm appearing on a rather fun-filled segment on CTV News Channel tonight (Updated time: 8:15 p.m. EDT, then repeated overnight every half hour - if you're in hoserland, that is) with author and financial planner Theo Caldwell and SportsBusinessNews.com publisher Howard Bloom. We'll be discussing what Canada means to us, how we feel about our country, what we love about it, what we'd change, etc. If you're Canadian - heck, even if you're not! - what comes to mind when you think about this great, maple leaf-wrapped nation? I'd love to hear your thoughts...
We have a static train display close to my home used by Presidents Hoover, Truman and Eisenhower. The Norad Defense Treaty between The United States and Canada was signed on this train. This makes me think about the warm feeling we have for Canada. Of course many fantastic artists such as Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Gordon Lightfoot and Sarah McLachlan are from Canada. I was in Toronto as a kid and was amazed how clean the city was! HAPPY CANADA DAY TO YOU!!!
ReplyDeleteWhoops - posted this on your FB but will repost here and edit too:
ReplyDeleteWe are a peaceful, peace-loving nation among nations, and our anthem speaks for us; it speaks not of war and rockets, but of country and land and people. I've had many American friends speak admirably about how beautiful the lyrics are, to O Canada, as opposed to some of the other anthems we know.
I love standing among my fellow DDO'ers every year at the Canada Day festivities, just before the fireworks start, and singing our anthem loud and proud. We are a lucky bunch to live in this country which continues to build a strong reputation as time moves on!
Carmi...great post as usual. Pop by my blog at www.breezedaze.blogspot.com for my tribute to our great country...
ReplyDeleteHappy Canada Day to you and yours!
Breeze
Happy Canada Day!
ReplyDeleteHappy Canada Day, Carmi!!
ReplyDeleteWe make great video games ( For example, Bioware out in Edmonton does Mass Effect, the new Star Wars MMO, oh, the list goes on, and Montreal's Ubisoft) and we do great comics (with London's own Stuart Immonen the artist on Marvel Comics' THE AVENGERS and another ex-Londoner doing SCOTT PILGRIM--soon to be a major motion picture! In colour!)
ReplyDeleteIt's a good geek country.
Happy Canada Day Carmi to you and you little family!!!!!! Work less today! take a break! (only 8 hours instead of 12 ok?)
ReplyDeleteHappy Canada Day to you and your family.
ReplyDeleteHappy Canada Day!
ReplyDeleteAnother lovely day at home with you and the munchkins!
Happy Canada Day and thanks for all the information :) Aloha
ReplyDeleteRabbit, rabbit
I noticed that I have more Canadians in my blogroll than from any other country :)
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday to Canada (though belated) from half a globe away...
Tanya sent me.
Jean
I had a great visit to Toronto and other parts of Ontario with my family several years ago. Everyone was very friendly. We rode in our car(with several stops) all the way from Tennessee, and saw a great deal of the USA as well, entering Canada through Michigan and exiting several days later through Niagara Falls.
ReplyDeleteHappy Canada Day to y'all!
ReplyDeleteMy best friend in middle school was from London. Grand Rapids got a lot of Canadians in the church and education business, and being so close it was easy to visit.
I appreciate the confidence and humor that seems to fill your land like so much maple sap. I've never met a Canadian I didn't like.