Word on the Street - Visit me. Will be signing and selling my books at booth 401b

Come and visit me Sunday 23 September 2018 at Queens Quay Harbour Front. Find me at Booth 401B, and look for my sign, "Hey Guy Buy Me." I will be near the Learning Station , opposite of where I normally am. "Hey Guy Buy Me" is a book for men. I was inspired by the men I have worked with to write it. It has cartoons guys! It is an easy read and my first book. Satire anyone? Women like it too and I recommend that women give it to the men in their lives and ponder their reactions to it. My second book "For Love of Country - Military Police Woman" is my second book and bio. It stems from my own rite of passage. My third book is my favourite to date, "The Internet Murders", which is a fictional account of a serial killer in Toronto. It involves a non politically correct police Sergeant raised in Toronto of Italian descent. Get an idea of some tourist hot spots you may want to venture at. Come and talk to me.

For Federal Retiree's (Canada) (quotation)

Federal Court of Appeal to hear Federal Retirees’ PSHCP Appeal On September 18, 2018 the Federal Court of Appeal in Ottawa will begin hearings in the matter of the National Association of Federal Retirees and its named applicants who are challenging the decision by the Treasury Board of Canada to increase the health care premiums of retirees from 25% to 50% under the Public Service Health Care Plan (PSHCP). New Federal Retirees CAF Veteran Membership Card We are pleased to announce that Air Canada and Porter Airlines recently confirmed that they will accept the new Federal Retirees CAF veteran membership card as valid ID for their enhanced baggage allowance programs! With this new card, eligible members can check their luggage for free when flying with Air Canada or Porter according to each airline’s military baggage policy. To receive your own Federal Retirees CAF veteran membership card, don’t hesitate to contact the national office.

The Internet Murders Chap 1, pg 11-12

“Sandra missed being a cop, but after two years on homicide, she had seen enough for a lifetime. Now, where was she? “I need a coffee,” she mumbled. She didn’t hear anything. She had barely managed to rise from her chair when she felt powerful arms come from behind her, choking her. Automatically, Sandra tucked her chin down, bent her knees, and flung him over her head. She didn’t wait to see if she could take him. She wasn’t stupid, but was fully aware of her limitations. She ran, hearing the loud thump as her attacker landed over her desk. The instinct for survival took over and she ran out of her office into the vacant hallway. She ran down the stairs, stumbling a few times, but managed not to fall. It had been a long time since she had moved that fast. She almost made it outside. Her hand was on the door that promised her an escape. When she felt the knife slice her arm, she automatically used the force of her entire body to turn and punch him, aiming to kill him by using all her force to strike upward from just underneath his nose. She missed. She dug her diamond ring into his face, hoping to blind him as she rigidly prepared her other hand to pierce his other eye. The ring on her right hand nicked his face before she felt the blow that pushed her out the door she had tried so hard to escape through. The group of young men saw the girl flying out of the building as they stumbled along towards her. They began laughing. All but one – the designated driver. He called 911 as he ran to the girl’s side and moved quickly to help. Her head had hit the pavement and there was a lot of blood. His buddies stopped laughing as reality hit. One of the men began to vomit. Cory quickly removed his shirt and pressed it against the wound to try to stop the bleeding. His friends removed their shirts in turn and finally Cory managed to staunch the flow of blood. He ripped up more shirts to apply pressure, and he bandaged her head wound. She was breathing and moving in and out of consciousness. He looked at her features[…]” Excerpt From: Silva Redigonda. “The Internet Murders.” iBooks. To get your own ebook or autographed hard copy order now at www.silvaredigonda.com For orders outside Canada and the USA contact for price and mailing. Author will attend readings and bookclubs etc......

Narrative and Ethics - workshop notes

I was quite pleasantly surprised when I walked into this workshop a tad late so I do not have the name of the psychiatrist who provided this mini lecture but I was quite pleased because she was talking about actual writing. Narrative therapy is when someone is given the opportunity to tell her story, but this psychiatrist was actually talking about writing, a passion of mine as you may have guessed. She said that when you write a story you should write in the middle of the story. As I type, I wonder how I begin the stories of my three books. My first book begins at the beginning of Once upon a time? My second book, starts at the end of a career but drifts back and forth in the time to the present, years after the end of one career. My third, may start at the middle. After all a serial killer has a life before he has killed. I do break rules, but rules may have been written to be broken. Rules change with the time. However, I was very elated by this lecture, because I was having a feeling of newness in a field that can be quite repetitive. That is not bad in itself because refresher is always positive. However, I need to learn new things to feel excited about what I am hearing. The psychiatrist spoke of asking clients if they are ok with sharing their stories. If I were to actually provide a case study, I would do that, with written approval, I learned quickly in undergrad, when my favourite professor emailed me and asked for my telephone number. My telephone number rang seconds if not a second later, and I received a lecture on the importance of getting proper forms signed when representing a university. That was touchy because I was trying to get women who have been repressed and silenced in a particular country to speak to me and quite frankly they were terrified. It is sad to think that women in Canada may be afraid to speak about certain groups from their country of origin, for worry of their own survival. Yet these are changing times and evil may cross borders. Now going back to the lecture, the psychiatrist spoke of nine doctors who died with ebola disease in a small community of West Africa. She was interested in ebola. Junior doctors were in the front line with no training in Nigeria. “Wasup” to communicate. She exclaimed, “How can you have doctors who are dying? You have a facility but the doctors can’t get in for treatment. Regarding the junior doctors, the psychiatrist had been able to get all the information in writing. She said that there is no story if there is no resolution. “This can’t be this way and this is how it can be changed. That is resolution. How can we organize material? There is a time line. When did this start? She studies each doctor. Head doctor has five children; went back to school. Head doctor of hospital. (Group - different things with each other). What happened next? (time line) She organizes materials that way. Outline - She does not do that. You don’t start at the beginning. You start at the middle. When you write from the middle to the end, you will know. You can’t write anything that is that long - 1000 is a lot. You can’t use that many characters in a book. Everything else is peripheral and only a few people are main characters. Not to do - always have an active voice. Oak tree is spreading its branches - not guy got fired. Say company fired him. Complicate - Company fires him, gets depressed, gets help, sues the company. Resolution - gets his job back. Growth and change in main character. Complication - Surgeon is gambling on patient’s life. Surgeon opens brain. ……… in brain. ………. ambushes surgeon. Women dies. Resolution - Dr has to accept it. He knows there was a risk. He shared it but he did not expect patient to die. Showing - not telling - all action.

The Internet Murders Chap 2, pgs 10-11

Chad was a local pub just off Jarvis, near the station. Many of the coppers went there after work along with some of the paramedics, firemen and one firewoman. She was too tough for some of the guys. The rest were mostly groupies who just wanted to go home with someone who could take care of them. But Paul struck out every time. They figured him for a bus driver more than a cop. *** Sandra was thinking loudly in her head. Friday night and business is slow. Whatever made me think I should get into my own business? Private investigator! All I get are frustrated women wanting to know who their husbands are screwing. The problem is, that’s where I make my money. Men are pigs and can’t say no. Get the right moment, the right time and that’s it. Unless, of course it happens to be fresh – and there’s always that one special guy. In those cases the women don’t come to me for help. Oh, well. I have enough to pay the rent for another month and savings for two more months. Sandra missed being a cop, but after two years on homicide, she had seen enough for a lifetime. Now, where was she? “I need a coffee,” she mumbled. She didn’t hear anything. She had barely managed to rise from her chair when she felt powerful arms come[…]” Excerpt From: Silva Redigonda. “The Internet Murders.” iBooks. Order your hard cover now at www.silvaredigonda.com

18 th Century - Age of Reason (Theology) cont......

Philosophers began to develop rights of human beings. John Locke, Russia, were pioneers in this kind. Many people don’t want freedom - like in prison. In prison some don’t want to leave. Prefer security over freedom. In 1791 - the constitute assembly. France - gave freedom to Jews (Alfred Dreyfus) but still accused of selling France secrets to Germany so went to jail. Found later that he was innocent. Cooked up another charge to keep him in jail. Finally liberated No three persons in God (Jews). Sharma (definition)- God is one whenever they pray. RC - deprived. Protestant - depraved. Believe we have a free will and that God would not have them do what they can’t. Concept of sin is part of purgatory of God. Spirituality - eventually will do what God wants to do. RC - I’m no good - kick me. Not Jews - repent and go to the Father - Prodigal son. No doctrine of original sin. (as per Augustine so don’t need anyone to atone for you. Can do own. Don’t need anyone to come die for us. Torah - is the place - their God. It is their way of finding God in all things. Jews have no problems recognizing that other people have revelation. Mosaic Convenient. Theology is not faith - believe even though don’t know what it is about. Theology is belief, then understanding. “In both cases you are messed up. Explains why you are messed up.”Just the order is different in the Old Testament. Fundamental difference - no saving. Jewish - Morotheism - unique to them at the time. Author Franz Resensweig wrote “Star of redemption”. Christianity is the nation of the pagans. Task is to preach among gentiles. The task of Judices is to remind Christianity of its’ biblical roots. Judaism and Christianity are related to each other as root and branch according to Resensweig. God will christianize through Christianity of one God. Christians and Jews are two worlds that go to the Father. (John) Jews already with the Father. Christ brings a knowledge of the Father. Jews don’t know who the Messiah is until the end of time. Not only King but Kingdom will come. Jews lived peacefully with Islam until the Brits intervened. No missions to convert Jews from RC and United Church………. to be continued with A Christian Theology of Judaism.

Experiential Therapy - Conference continuation - notes (don’t have name of speaker).

Emphasis is creating optimal conditions. Mindfulness - based interventions. 15 minutes or more to relax. eg. HIV patient wants to go on a date but fears he will be “dumped.” Present orientated- focused on sensory experiences of what is happening now. Allow self to see the process, letting go of the thoughts and can practise by breathing and body scan. Can create optimal conditions after medications. Helpful for symptoms of anxiety and depression. Research - gay men living with HIV (mixed centres and hospitals). Internalized stigma - HIV. Growing “shame.” How to integrate compassion into mindfulness; Compassion is being moved by other’s suffering and wishing that they feel better. Wise compassion includes empathy. Softening defences - Many had parents who didn’t know how to calm themselves down, let alone their child. This is compounded by abuse. There are no coping skills. Client has learned to block them (painful memories). Develop self kindness, friendliness, instead of beating yourself up. Alleviating gentleness, curiosity and empathy guides you bodily and sensory experience, feelings and thoughts. Emotion focused mindfulness - breathing; feel what hands are touching, feel your body in the chair, your feet in your shoes on the floor. Lay meditating five minutes and get feelings about work - take elevator down to deep calm. What’s this? Take elevator up and come back half way. Notice the state you are in at the bottom and then half way. What do you feel? Pausing and finding the right distance from the feeling - if too far away, try a body scan to tune into the body better. If too close and intense, try getting some distance. Find a handle symbolizing the felt sense. Find word for your senses. Do meditate and then journal. Explore experience with your therapist. There are many examples of learning how to relax. I normally use a 15 minute relaxation technique for my clients, I was provided with, back in my undergrad in health psychology. He used it on us, and I felt myself relaxing and the calming sensation after a long day at work and then night classes. I normally provide a handout for them as well as some stress relief tips I obtained in post grad. I normally cater what I use depending on the client’s need. This was part of a workshop I attending. I will not have the names of several speakers from the conferences because they were short and I had to find where the rooms were and handouts were not always given. However, I do think it is important for you regardless of why you may need to know it for it to help. Mindfulness is becoming quite popular. What do you think?

The Internet Murders end of Chap 1, Chap 2 begins..........

.... He hadn’t seen the figure who had been watching him approach and begin to follow him. He didn’t feel his head being raised and smashed against the curb. George had never realized that he would die thinking about wine in his cellar and Sandra who would appreciate it. Chapter 2 Robert was aware of his good looks. He didn’t have to flaunt it. He noticed the girls in the office trying to get his attention and because he kept it cool, they only wanted him more. “Hey Robert! Are we going clubbing Friday, after work?” called Paul. Paul knew that the only way women would pay attention to him would be if he was with Robert. His little paunch wouldn’t draw any women, but Robert’s muscular build did, and someone might notice him too. Not even a badge was helping Paul. He wondered why women couldn’t appreciate him. Paul knew that he really didn’t like Robert. Robert was too much of everything. He was too good-looking, had too good a body and worst of all, everything came easy to him. He didn’t even have to work, because he was wealthy. He had it all. What really pissed Paul off was that Robert was good at his job too. “Huh, sure, Friday. Meet you at Chads,” Robert replied casually. Chad was a local pub just off Jarvis, near the station. Many of the coppers went there after work along with some of the paramedics, firemen and one firewoman. She was too ..... Excerpt From: Silva Redigonda. “The Internet Murders.” iBooks. www.silvaredigonda.com

A journal of a day, almost ten years ago. Self care.

I am due to write to you and it has been busy with work and play and readings. I thought I would share with you a day journal I wrote about ten years ago. I know there are people who read my blog who are in the helping positions. Self care is important for everyone but for those in the helping professions, self care is paramount. One way to keep track of how you feel is by journaling. I usually save what I think I can use in a book or blog etc....Eventually, I should write about dying, even if it is a chapter, and I thought that I could use what I share today with you. For people who deal with suffering I usually recommend that they are able to let those who want to burden them with their problems such as aquaintenances to either limit the interacation or recommend a therapist. Burn out can be a problem and if one wants to help others, they must be able to take good care of themselves. Take time for R & R and do not feel guilty about it. How often do I need to give permission for people to take care of themselves, to have fun and not to feel guilty about it. Go to the gym, spend time with God, if you believe in God, and if you do not, take time with nature. Enjoy a serene space. Pay attention to your feelings and watch how often it can change depending on your interaction with others. A smile can make you smile, a tear can sear your heart and then a donut can make it all good with sound company. Pay attention to yourself, and your own needs so you can be your best for others. 20 May 1909 This week I work my first seven day week for 21 days straight. I should be dead by the time this unit is closed. Would I do this work? I would rather have clients in an office, booking at my leisure. But palliative care is my first choice. There is something unique about being with people who are dying. Knowing it is our time, what havoc it does. Their families I find are so wonderful and loving. How else can they be, for dying strips away all pretence. There is only rawness. Please help those souls Lord. Help them die. Mercy can never be more important than it is at death. Please help Mrs…………..Give her strength for what she is facing. Spare her pain and let her die with dignity as per her request, after so many years of service. Help me to deal with all this sorrow. Let me learn from it. Thank you. This has been a gift. How many years have you worked in the service of others? What sustains you? How do you recognize when you need to help yourself? What do you think?