This is Lorraine Doiron’s last column. The Interior News wants to thank her for her 16 years writing for this paper. She will be missed.
I have reached Climax Saskatchewan and am now on my way to Val Marie Saskatchewan. If you remember Climax is a very small village of about 195 people based on the 2016 Census. I was heading toward Orkney, Saskatchewan but it is no longer on my map due to zero population. My goal is now Val Marie, a village in Saskatchewan, about 30 kilometres from the border.
Something I found: Unemployment Benefits Application: Occupation: Burglar. Reason for unemployment: Everyone is home.
Words, I love words. So many words being thrown about lately I thought to tell you their definitions: often heard “Scotus” stands for the Supreme Court of the United States. Often used like a nickname, in use since the 1870s, first found used in a telegraph operators code book.
“Dissent,” a verb meaning to withhold assent or approval or “differ in opinion.”
“Virtually” has been in the news lately after President Trump stated that COVID-19 “affects virtually nobody.” Just to provide information the U.S. has reached a grim milestone of 200,000 deaths. Virtually is defined as “almost entirely; nearly.” The word has been in use since the 15th century.
Always loved cowboys and cowboy films. The movie Gunfight at the OK Coral was super. History indicates the lawmen involved were Virgil Earp, Wyatt Earp, Morgan Earp, Doc Halliday against a loosely organized group called the Outlaw Cowboys: Ike Clanton, Billy Clanton, Tom Mclaury, Frank McLaury, Billy Claiborne, the result of a long simmering feud. October 26, 1881, the gunfight was a 30 seconds shootout. Billy Clanton and both McLaury bothers were killed. Ike Clanton, Billy Claiborne, Wes Fuller ran from the fight. Virgil, Morgan and Holiday were wounded, Wyatt was unharmed.
Check out Dr. Alan Hirsch, “The Effects of Odours,” on YouTube. He is an expert on smell and taste and explains how odour influences human behaviour. Odour can actually affect shopping behaviour and can be used to manipulate consumers. Ever purchase an item of food just because it smells so darn good? Bad odour is even linked to aggression.
Leonard Cohen, September 21 would have marked his 85th birthday. His songs seem to express the times of today, uncertainty, anxiety, bitter loss. I know happy songs can help but sometimes this music can act like kintsugi, the Japanese art of repair that transforms brokenness into beauty.
I realize that this column usually has information about our community but since this is my last column as I am leaving September 30, I have written about things that interest me. Mind you this is only one speck of things I love.
This community has been so good to me and for me. You people are awesome. Smithers has been truly my home. I am going to miss each and every one of you. But I will return when the plans for a new Library become a reality as I have a gold painted shovel to help dig the first hole.
Closing with: a positive thought: “How you climb a mountain is more important than reaching the top.” Yvon Chouinard.
And a word: juncture: a point of time: especially one made critical by a concurrence of circumstances. An instance of joining: junction.