Donald Trump - The Edible Man (non political)

New Years is fast approaching and I must admit I am fully saturated with the holidays. I don’t think I shall take off an entire month again for a while. I have been celebrating since November and it is time to ease myself back into a more serene life, with less excitement. My highlight began with my mini holiday to the States. On my way back, at the border, shopping I was trying to find something unique to the States and then suddenly near the cash register hiding from the main attractions I found it, the edible man. I grabbed about six, paid for it and amused I carefully packed it with the rest of my finds. At my first Christmas party I gave it to the leaving President. I knew he was a Trump fan. At least he was when he was first elected. At a previous party he told us how when he was visiting New York City and entering a restaurant, he was asked by the hostess to kindly remove his Trump baseball cap since Trump was not popular in New York and she could not guarantee his safety (or words to those effects). So, I provided him with the chocolate bar with Trump’s smiling face, proudly displayed as the 45th President. D. smiled and like a boy whose feelings are changing towards his last girlfriend, he released the news that his feelings have waivered. He no longer passionately loved Trump. However, I can see that the chocolate bar made him reminisce of his found and lost love. The new to become President quickly asked if Trump realized that these chocolate bars are being sold. He was concerned that Trump was not getting his royalties. The conversation quickly turned to global warming, religion etc….and at the end we had a toast that we could talk about politics and religion and disagree but yet be able to remain respectful and friendly with each other. My next chocolate bar went to a loyal friend who always brings me back a souvenir from her travels which means a lot to me since I am so stationary. Again another friend of mine came to visit and was so sad that I wanted to make her laugh. “I have something that will make you laugh,” I exclaimed. She informed me that it was impossible. I left to get my next chocolate bar and handed it to her. She looked at the bar, began swearing like nothing I had heard in a long time and began to laugh. Mission accomplished. My final chocolate bar to give out (I wanted one for myself), I gave as part of my Christmas gifts to my last Christmas party. It was special because it was family and a new member had increased the family gathering. My sibling showed off her find and two men begged her for the prize. She said something like no and stomped off with the edible man secure in the palm of her hand. My only wish is that I would have bought more of Trump. I don’t think it will taste very good. I am used to Swiss and Belgium chocolate. But we must sometimes make sacrifices. Happy holidays everyone and a most happy New Year. I hope it is filled with wise decisions, more compassion for others and a time of reflection for the betterment of humanity. www.silvaredigonda.com

A Christmas Tale (published)

A Christmas Tale I found myself standing alone, as the snow fell gently, Creating a pure white blanket on the asphalt, I was standing on. Looking at the Christmas scene outside St Charles Church, I felt sad that I did not have enough money for Christmas to shop; that I still had to prepare for a four hour exam. As I looked at the empty cradle of Jesus, my sadness increased. “Oh Lord, we have made such a mess of things. Here it is Christmas approaching, and our planet is suffering from global warming, we still fight and kill, in the name of God. The middle class is disappearing and corporations are merging and becoming powerful. The rich are getting richer while our poor are getting poorer. Our governments are deserting us Lord. Please do not give up on us. Please forgive us.” “I am hungry miss?” I turned and found a beggar beside me. I wondered why I had not heard him approaching. He was big framed, with dirty long hair, a fat and heavily pimpled face and a foul smell that not even the cool air could dissipate. His face was so dirty that I could not determine his skin color. His mittens were black and he wore a long woolen brown coat that looked frayed but thankfully warm and he wore heavy worn boots that had seen too many winters. “I am hungry miss.” He repeated with patience. I was holding my submarine sandwich which I had just bought. I had decided to give myself a treat. After all, Christmas was approaching and I deserved something. I had just stopped to admire the Nativity scene. I looked into those sorrowful big brown eyes and saw more sorrow than I could ever bare being reflected back to me. I handed him my submarine and whispered “Merry Christmas.” I didn’t know if wishing him a Merry Christmas was politically correct, but I did not care this evening. I wanted to be free, in my seemingly democratic country to say “Merry Christmas.” What has happened to my city, to my country, to my world? I thought with sadness. I had lowered my head and looked up to see my hobo gone. He had taken my sandwich and I wished him well. I walked back to my old, rusted car in the Church parking lot and unlocked it. There was my submarine sandwich waiting for me. I looked back towards the nativity set and saw the boot prints on the snow from the Nativity area, I had just come from. There was only one set of boot prints this late night that marred the soft blanket of snow.

Christmas Time of the Year

I love Christmas but give me a reason to celebrate and I am up for it. I love the Christmas lights, Christmas trees, even the snow. I love celebration. This year I went to Pioneer Village for their Christmas of Lights Dinner and I loved that as well. The food was delicious and I never ventured through the village lit by lanterns. I recommend it, especially for tourists. I have been watching taped movies as well on channel 27. It is like watching one harlequin romance after another with the same actors playing different roles. I would like to see something more Christmas like, rather than female has to decide between two men while aiming to be a successful businesswoman. Once in a while they throw in an angel to help her or him along her path. I would like to see a new Christmas movie with perhaps Jesus in it. How would that look? I happened to be talking to someone who told me she hated Christmas. She thought it was a religious holiday and hated everything about it. I told her that Santa will probably put coal in her stockings. She gradually admitted that for the first time ever she put up a small Christmas tree on her window and the neighbours asked her if she is alright. I still say Merry Christmas because this lady was saying the truth. Christmas is about Jesus. I think that Christmas is also about embracing and it is about love minus Harlequin romance streaming. Please think of something new Channel 27? This is a time of the year when people struggle as well. I went into Yorkdale yesterday and looked at a change purse without the change portion that cost 400.00. Is that all I asked the clerk? I mentioned that I am only middle class (am I still?). I looked for another with a change portion and that cost $600. Needless to say I found something within my budget at Lindt chocolate and the Body Shop. When did Christmas become of big money gifts? I heard on the news a few days ago or so that half of Canadians are $200.00 from being able to pay all their bills. The Mayor who promised us that he would not raise our taxes did. It is to be able to build affordable housing (irony) and improve our TTC. You already know what I think of our transit system. I normally pay the hefty parking fees, than use our transit. Christmas…….It is also a time of great suffering for some. They may be alone, they may have to face relatives they would rather not, or don’t, they may be suffering from addiction or they may just be suffering. Families can be quite intense. One thing I shall recommend for you this Christmas is perhaps to give something of yourself to another. It may be a nice gesture with no money value at all. It may be an act of kindness. One of the problems I also see is where one family member has expectations of another. We would be much happier if we could accept others as they are without trying to reform their attire, tell them how to act and expect others to be a reflection of themselves. There is also incest which I always suggest to report years later, which still haunts people. Then there are in-laws who have difficulty keeping their paws to themselves which causes tension and further distance among families. This Christmas why not do something special for yourself as well? You have earned it. If you need help to get you through this period please get it. There are many free resources if you cannot afford to pay for it yourself. If you believe in a God why not walk into a church, temple, synagogue etc…for reflection. If you have been betrayed by a Church realize that there is good and bad everywhere. Don’t let the bad overpower. Find the goodness in what or where it may be difficult to see. Not all men will hurt you; not all women will hurt you. This Christmas I hope you find your solace. I hope you find your joy. I wish you and yours a very merry Christmas and Happy holidays. The snow flakes are covering the streets right now. Let the purity of it shower you. What do you think?

Christmas, Santa Clause, Politics, Self Care, Retreat, and Ethics - oh boy…. lots of banter

This is my favourite time of the year. I love Christmas. I sent out all my Christmas cards and I included Santa Claus. Why not? Next year I will probably write Santa a letter and post it here as well. I did not participate in the Santa Clause parade this year. My leg was acting up and why not, I have abused my body by running and climbing and pushing my body beyond my limits as part of my training. I have rested my body and am now good. Now for my brain, I took off November and am easing myself back into my practice. During a recent ethics course, I was reminded as being the only person in private practice attending, that I have the option to decrease my hours if I wish. That is true. I blurted out that I took November off. I am very much in command of myself. I am aware that in hospitals there is a decrease of what should be, which puts a heavy burden on those who work. Saturday I attended a retreat and was very disappointed. It became about an educational subject rather of what a retreat should be. I talked to one student who gave me permission to tell her story. She has cancer and is fighting it. She is in a Masters Program and her hospital told her that she would not be able to continue with her studies. She was also asked by the social worker at the hospital if she felt less of a person with breast cancer. She was furious. I was furious seeing her pain and what had caused it. There are questions one asks while determining a disorder in the DSM. It is numerical in different categories and viola you have this or that. I have written in detail about that in previous blogs so I won’t go further. Then there are assessments to determine how a person is doing. Normally it is quite obvious as in anger management and addiction. Viola, this person is an angry fellow and this lady is an addict. Ok, I am making light of this but it isn’t, I am just trying to explain this in its most simple terms. I would presume that this question was in an assessment and not diagnosis of determining how the patient is doing. What I would recommend is removing this question all together. It is biased and as this student said it plants a seed. She begins to question that if this question is asked then perhaps she should be feeling this. As you know I have worked as an Intern with hospital patients suffering and dying from HIV and Cancer. I cannot imagine ever asking such a humiliating question. Why not ask the patient how she feels about having cancer and how she feels with those changes? Why ask if she feels less than a person? Why ask this of anyone, regardless of what they are suffering from? Why do health care workers regardless if they are doctors, nurses etc……use the word can’t? You can’t study? You cannot use your brain? As this student told me she was angry, I joined her. She is not my client. She was my fellow person on that day. She had still to graduate but that was the only difference as far as academia. I knew nothing else about her. I was at a retreat, to relax, to discern and to pray. The only prayer was at mass. That was a prayer, so I shall not be going next year. I have education all year round as part of my practice. Retreats should be of a different nature and at one point it felt more like group therapy because of the lack of facilitators. Once again I was the only spokesperson indicating this view while others remained mute though in agreement. How can we grow if we remain silent? How do we improve if we remain silent? Why be silent in a democratic country? This is why, if I travelled to a communist country it would be like playing monopoly - go to jail and stay there. In this situation I went out to dinner afterward and spent 4 hours at the restaurant. Balance - have fun. I did eat too much and need to be more mindful of that or so my body told me. I wasn’t going to talk about politics but why stop ……. I was surprised to hear the Conservative leader ask Trudeau why he gave 250 million dollars to China. I nearly fainted. Apparently it was for their infrastructure including pipelines? Really? I was reading an article the other day about why persons who would be great leaders do not go into politics. I won’t bore you with the details. It was actually a clinical assessment. 250 millions to China? Apparently Trudeau also sent his small business minister there for photo shoots and talked nice about China being so inclusive. China is a communist country. China, if we are not careful will bypass us with technology they have stolen and are now working to beat us all. They just may do that with artificial intelligence. They already have cities under surveillance and examining their emotions. Boy are we in trouble and we are giving them millions? They have two Canadians in prison. How dare we give them any money at all. They have a prison facility where they imprison Muslims and others for what they refer to as re-education. I think we need to revamp the entire system. We keep making the same mistakes every century which is leading us to a path of self destruction. A young 15 year old girl is more aware of the imminent dangers of climate change than politicians who we vote for. What happened there? A politician apparently had the nerve to say she had mental issues? Why? Laughing or putting down people because they are beyond having the capacity to understand a person’s intellect does not justify them to make demeaning remarks about a child. If this one girl can do so much, imagine what is possible? Last night I heard on the news that we may have a problem getting coffee because of climate change. Now that hurts. I wonder if that will put people on edge? Now enough about my banter and humour. For the remaining season of Christmas, I shall spend more time on reflection and continue with self care. I shall spend more time with family and friends which I have been doing. I shall go to every party I am invited to as long as they are not in conflict with another. I did go to two weddings once at different parts of the city. That was challenging but fun. I shall take a break from anything related to education for at least three weeks (or I shall try). I shall continue with my morning ritual of looking at nature, reading and being with……. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays……..I didn’t want to talk about (fight or flight or )freezing while being attacked today. I am still in the holiday mood. Hey Santa, what am I getting this year? Have I been good? What do you think?

Parkinson (continued from two weeks ago notes from seminar - Rabbi Dr Arsinoff’s research: and more

Loss of Identity as a couple. There is a sense of obligation - loss of communication eg. one feels as if one is talking to the wall. - changes in self; loss of intimacy (feel abandoned) - social isolation; undesired new roles; physical toll (moving dead weight) - fading of their relationship and slipping away. Changes and Disappointment - not hearing partner’s voice is very difficult; lost life style; losses of hopes and dreams of retirement; socializing; hope for future; nurse/patient relationship; for some obligation but most wanted to be with the spouse; loss of physical expression of love; needing to be heard by physician and medical team, “caretakers are taken for granted by physicians.” Ambiguous Loss: -person is there, but not there; many are proud of their partner’s accomplishments but their essence is now gone. - resentment in role of caregiving even with assistance; “I have a husband but there is nobody there (however, she won’t leave him); unpredictability of each day; Love/hate of partner some times; deep sorrow; a continuous grief that occurs in a cyclical pattern of resurgence. Although many expressed caring deeply for their partner, not one spoke of a positive response. Finding Meaning: How can I grieve when partner is still here? It helps when they go to a clinic and someone else is more ill. Find guilt as well in that feeling. Acceptance does not imply finding meaning. Dr Arsinoff finds it is important to explain ambiguous love. Literature suggests men have an easier adaption. Men, more sadness, wanted to give back. Women say they feel as obligation. Men are sad but coping better. All five men wanted to be with their wives and felt attracted to them, not true for the wives caregivers. Husbands were more willing to get help. Women, naught. All experienced full sadness. Dr Arsinoff indicated that this topic requires more research. The health care units need to be aware of how Parkinson Disease affects the relationship. Mutuality is at the core of the marital relationship that is susceptible to chronic illness and resentment. We did have two speakers on this day but I have focused on Parkinson Disease because I provide Couple and Family Therapy as well as individual therapy and I like to keep up to date on how chronic disease may affect the relationship. The second speaker spoke about the Muslim culture and her perspective of how religion may be interpreted in favour of the Muslim woman who are assaulted. I think what I would like to share with you instead is an article I read in Psychology today regarding a therapist who speaks of freezing when sexually assaulted. As you know when one is confronted there is a tendency to fight or flight or freeze. When someone is being raped and does not fight there is an illusion of consent. This is not the case. After this seminar I called my old professor who taught me about the different cultures and religions. I have a few of his books and wanted to discuss the day events. Over dinner at our favourite Mandarin he made me think. I was quite impressed by the findings that men in this research study were still attracted to their spouses and wanted to care for them, not from obligation as it was found to be by the women. I had not considered the culture. My prof let me know that in England there are cultural differences from our own. How stupid of me. When I have a client I am always mindful of all the client’s experiences including spirituality, religion, culture etc…..I was not mindful of the cultural differences in this seminar and though I am resisting any research myself, it would be interesting to perform this research with a Canadian group and American group. What do you think? Saturday I was at a full day Ethics course which I found very useful. One of my colleagues made note that since I am in private practice (I was the only one) I can reduce my hours of work to my liking as part of self care management. That is correct. With each association I belong to there is a standard of ethics and of course I am mandated by own college as well. I finalized my education for the year. I completed all my hours plus. I would like to begin alternating again between theology and psychology. I have discovered there is an audience who wants to read my theology notes as well. So, I again thank you for visiting my sites and reading my blogs. If you have a question please do not hesitate to ask. You may think that I forget when I tell you I will write about a venue. I do not. It just may take a while. However, if you really want it to be sooner rather than later please don’t be angry, just let me know. Have a wonderful week. In Toronto there is snow which is nice with the Christmas lights.

Frankenmuth, Michigan Happy Thanksgiving

This is my last week of holidays and it has been superb. Life is all about balance. I will continue with talks about Parkinson next week. I am in too much the holiday spirit. I spent some time in a Christmas town and I am certain to return. I didn't really feel like I was in the States, and I was thinking about that. I do love the States and grew up watching mainly American shows, though since, our own movies are more sophisticated, I watch them as well as a few British movies such as Fr Brown and Agatha Christie's shows. That is the limit of British. I was surprised of the amount of Canadians wanting to shop and aside from a few purchases at the Disney Store at the Michigan Outlet, I passed. Too much was made in China. I wanted to buy American and was disappointed when I brought my Disney Store items home and found that to be from China as well. The States has grown up stuff at Disney while Canada focuses on kids. Imagine that? The pocket calender I bought and will have as a keepsake is made in Korea, but it will remind me of the States with pictures of the National Parks. Is there anything made in Canada and the US anymore? We may suffer from this in the future. Let us not forget that China is a communist country with a sophisticated IA surveillance to monitor its people. I enjoy my freedom too much to buy freely from them. Have you ever tried to stop? I would like to travel throughout the States and Eastern Canada. There is so much to see and do. As you know I have commitments now which keep me grounded. I am not able to leave for too long, but there is travel in North American in the horizon. I do recommend going to Frankenmuth. I found myself up early at the Drury Hotel which is a pet friendly hotel. It met my needs. While having breakfast and listening to everyone talk about their dogs, I decided to speak out that I have two cats. Talk about total silence. One man was travelling with his four dogs. I felt like the only cat surrounded by dogs. It was rather amusing. It was nice walking through a town and at night the lights just sprinkle throughout the streets. Anyhow, I am now home, but fun is not over. I hope you all had a lovely Thanksgiving. Next week I should be back to work. Talk then. Thank you so much for reading my blogs.

Robotic Pets Are Helping Dementia Patients (HBO)

Parkinson Disease - Research regarding caregivers

Last week I informed you that today I would record my notes for you regarding Rabbi, Dr Rena Arsinoff’s research. Her thesis was on Palliative Care. Her interest is taking Palliative and using it for chronic care. She affirmed that Parkinson Disease is chronic, progressive and degenerative, a neurological disease. Patients have tremors, though not all, rigidity and postural instability. There are many physical symptoms, emotional dysfunctions, sleep problems and falls. As the disease progresses, many experience psychiatric conditions and neuropathic pain. Patients have decreased dopamine. Synthetic dopamine is the drug of choice. There are five stages of the disease. Palliative Care is about living and not dying. There is little research mutuality or Parkinson with spouses. Mutuality is the quality of the relationship. With increasing commitment, a marital relationship shifts. Couple identity changes if caregiving becomes the predominant of the relationship. Research is needed on the lived experiences of changes in relationships, expression of feelings and mutuality in advanced stages of Parkinson. Research on caregiving is lacking and needed. Dr Arsinoff described how she conducted her qualitative research. You may look up my previous blogs where I explain the different types of research and how it is conducted. Dr Arsinoff had what I consider a small sample of seven care giving wives and five husbands. She was attempting to have an equal amount of men and women caregivers which is why the sample is small. The average age of the caregiver spouses is 75 years old. All are married and retired. The Spatiality Themes: Caregivers said: home is no longer the sanctuary it once was. You may leave your partner alone and find him on the floor. Where can we go? Motorized transportation for the patient - one caregiver said Tim Horton’s has a small washroom and therefore not able to use it so goes to the man’s washroom. (Study conducted in England). Dreams for travel has been dashed. Feels like a baby sitter. Feeling trapped at home. “I am in prison without bars.” One man said he feels guilty leaving his wife alone to go out and enjoy himself, so he doesn’t. One woman will not go on the balcony because she fears being pushed, due to cognitive diminishment. Partner has hit her or pushed her. Temporality Themes: Before I knew he was a kind person who helped people and me. After advance Parkinson, he is no longer the same. Now we look like a couple of recluses but that is not who we are. I just can’t do it anymore. Negative self regard over time. I’m more short tempered. Sometimes I feel dissatisfied. Most time is spent together now. “I don’t have time to be me.” One woman said, I am old now, I don’t know when I’ll become sick. Corporeality Themes: My body is falling apart. I’m also aging. Just wears you down after awhile…I will be cancer free in….. Hearing - it is more silent. One man caregiver said that the loss of hearing his wife’s voice was worse than the loss of sex. Smell - he pees. Touch - Sometimes five times a night, I must take her out of bed, like a potato bag. - That’s the only touch. Relationality - Challenge of finding enjoyment in each other. His sense of humour is pretty well shot. - Fun is a bit of a stretch. I have a husband but there is no one there. I feel the partner, the intellectual mental partner is not there. One man said, I kiss her sometimes but it is like kissing a baby. Love - “Well I get nothing (sexually) from him - a kiss maybe. One woman said it is hard getting a card because nothing expresses how she feels. One man said, “She’s my life.” It’s about what you are together. There is a loss of identity as a couple. One man said that Parkinson affects everything. (Hodgson et.al. 2004, Parkinson Disease is a couple disease). Sadness is common especially when cognitive changes occur. Care givers often feel ignored. To be continued next week………. Any possible errors in my notes, I claim as mine and not as those of the speaker.

Catch up - Bringing you up todate

It is a good thing that I took a break from work because boy have I been busy. Last week I signed and sold books at York University and handed out the rest of the chocolates from Hallowe'en. I kept the chips and cheesies, only because the boxes were too big. I had less than half of who usually come during Hallowe'en because of the weather. Those who did come were soooooooo cute. I had little police come, little swat teams come etc.....I thanked them for making me feel safe. I also went to a funeral of another friend who was such a fighter but could not defeat cancer a second time. I do hope they find a cure. We are so advanced in the medical field, yet we have far to go. Money is always needed for research and I do hope that can increase. I am also expecting someone to have a baby. That is the cycle of life. I attended another conference and have one more to go. I also wrote more of my fourth book and was getting a good flow but had to stop to work on my documentation for the college. I did that, and missed reporting a lot of the education because it was so tedious. I only reported the lectures rather than all of my readings and video watching etc.....That was sufficient to meet my minimum requirements. I am going to ask if there is a way to document continuing education on line directly rather than on my own lap top. If there is a way to manage time more appropriately I am all for it and for suggesting it (KISS). As my old prof used to say and now I repeat to him, work smart and not hard. I still have one ethics workshop to attend, a mini vacation to enjoy and to catch up on housekeeping paperwork and housekeeping in general. I still have to hang up all my tree decorations and I am waiting for a nice day to put up the lights outside. In my last four hours of professional education, I heard two speakers and have decided that I won't report both to you. What I will tell you about is the research report from Rabbi Dr Rena Arshinoff "Experiences of Mutuaality in the Spousal Relationship in Advanced Parkinson's Disease from the perspective of the Caregiving Partner. After the day, I called up my old prof and we went out to dinner to discuss the events of the day. My education simply continued during dinner. That is all for now. Have a great weekend. Though I am not seeing clients this month, I am taking appointments for December.

For Love of Country - Military Policewoman

I will be at York University, Vari Hall, showcasing, selling and signing my books, from about 0900 to 3:00 pm, Tuesday 12 Nov 19. Why not stop by and say hello. If you wish to buy a copy on line go to www.silvaredigonda.com “Silva, upon learning of your pending retirement from the Canadian Forces I had to stop and reflect at how old I am getting, since our days together in Germany. I remember many of the firsts within the trade which you were involved in: One of the first women in the Military Police, one of the first female Military Police in Europe and one of the first female Military Police with the Multinational Forces and Observers. Having survived Toronto for so long, I have no doubt that you will do well in retirement. MWO J. Williams The first in Europe… the first in the Middle East… not the first Military Policewoman… . We had been in for about a year already. Oh, Jim. You wanted to come up for a weekend and I was so busy with things to do; I must remember to call you. Bill did not seem to tire from reading the messages. I was sure that people would soon become bored. I had attended so many functions throughout the years. It does not seem that it has been almost twenty years ago that I met you. Upon receiving your retirement message, it gave me a reminder that we are growing older and eventually we all will have to make the inevitable decisions. While I sit and ponder what I should say, I reflect back on QL3 and QL5 and think of the good laughs and times we had during those days starting out, and of the different characters and personalities of the course instructors. There are some fond memories. I will not make an attempt at describing any embarrassing anecdotes and will just say that I personally congratulate you on your retirement and wish you prosperity, health and happiness for the future. ” Excerpt From: Silva Redigonda. “For love of country : military policewoman.” iBooks. Order on line today at www.silvaredigonda.com

CAMFT/ACTCF-AGM/AGA 2019

CAMFT/ACTCF-AGM/AGA 2019

Badge of Life Canada

Since I last wrote to you, I have attended two seminars/workshops, both having to do with Trauma. I shall talk a bit about both so I don’t fall behind. Next month I shall be attending more meetings, seminars and taking mini vacations etc……I will not be seeing clients but will be taking appointments beginning 2 Dec. I will also be doing paperwork required for my own college. I will be available all month except Sundays and holidays. Next year I shall take December off. I attended the Badge of Life, Best Practice For Organizational Wellness. There were interesting speakers from Homewood, from Australia, and from Police and Firefighters. I do encourage any veterans, and EMS suffering from PTSD to consider contacting them. I had attended a function two years ago but had to miss last year due to conflicting schedules. I usually book whatever conference I see first of interest, pay for it and then even though something more interesting comes up, I have already committed myself and my money. They did have a gala which I did not attend. There was another party I missed as well. This function was held in Woodbridge, bordering Etobicoke. The food was amazing though they didn’t have a vegetarian platter of sandwiches - my loss. The rice cheese balls were the best I ever tasted. It was held at The Jewel Event Centre, which I won’t forget. They certainly took care of our palate. I find that as soon as I venture from Toronto, vegetarians are forgotten, although that is rapidly changing. I had the honour of speaking to a Metis elder who educated me on some of my ignorance. I listened to stories from EMS suffering from Trauma which I won’t share because it is not my place to do so. It is their stories and for them to share with whom they wish. I listened to the psychologists speaking of their own stories and research. There is nothing really new that I haven’t shared with you. I was glad to learn that they too are using brain stimulation as those for the American Army though it seems slightly different. My own studies and text books were mostly from the Americans and when I asked why, it was simply not being written by Canadians. That is changing and I am just completing reading 600 pages of a text book regarding Personality Research Theory, which was written by Gordon Flett from York University. They have an excellent Psychology program and I don’t say that because that is where I earned by degree. I say it because it impressed Uof T Psychology department when I went to inquire. I ended up taking a Masters in Ministry and Spirituality at UofT simply because they called me first and accepted me immediately after my interview. I had actually been waiting for a response from Ryerson, psychology department as well. Snooze and you lose. Life is a book of knowledge. So, I want to break down some of the support Badge of Life Offers, incase anyone is interested. I know that there are veterans and EMS reading my Blog. If you feel you can benefit from any of these resources don’t hesitate to contact them. Badge of Life is led by Toronto Police veterans. I am always amazed and pleased how many people try to help their own and try to incorporate volunteer programs for those who have worn the same boots. I would also encourage other EMS persons who are now therapists to consider attending one of their meetings. I still find it routine that therapists, psychologists, etc…..though interested in helping EMS still do not fully comprehend the culture. I have talked about that before so won’t get further into it. Badge of life does have a web site: badgeoflifecanada.org. They offer weekend and six day programs according to their brochure for “first responders dealing with moral injury and operational stress injuries.” There is H.E.L.P Equine for Military, Police, Fire, Corrections-EMS-911 dispatcher. “Setting the standard for Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy and personal development for Military, First Responder and their families affected by PTSD and operational stress injuries. This is located in the country setting. If interested you may look up their web site at www.HELP-PTSD.com. “Badge of Life is a peer-led charitable volunteer organization committed to supporting police and corrections personnel who are dealing with psychological injuries diagnosed from service.” It was a full day for me listening all day and networking. Hallowe’en is coming up and so I have been taping horror movies. I am not into the slashing and dashing that is so popular nowadays. I do make exceptions for Stephen King. There is one of his movies coming out that I want to see next month. Anyhow, I was watching “Poltergeist” night and was pleasantly alone with one of my pets sitting on my lap. I was stretching out and sometimes I have both pets stretching out on my lap and legs as well. I am telling you this story because for the next work shop I used this as an example of my igniting my sympathetic nervous system. I am watching the movie and my sensories are increasing I am on alert, I then feel someone touching me on my left shoulder from behind and I jump. Do I flee, do I fight, do I freeze? It was my male pet placing his paw on my left shoulder, ready to climb over me. I was so fixed on the movie that I never noticed him. I didn’t think he had such a big paw. We all jump and the two ran out of the room. So, I begin laughing and of course they come back in once they know that they are safe. Safety is paramount. They had me laughing, a nice flow of recovery. So in this benign situation, I used it to explain the embodying of the practice of befriending our nervous system. This seminar was very technical with terminology which I won’t bore you with. I am a firm believer in KISS. I had a math teacher who treated us as if we could not figure out 1+1. I got my highest grade in high school that year. She was an author of teaching math books. She was actually amazing. In this seminar we talked about Complex Developmental Trauma in therapeutic work with clients, working with somatic practices and therapeutic interventions. It was a fun day and I picked up some tid bits which I can use in group therapy to encourage a safe place or with private clients suffering trauma. There was also some handouts to assess trauma. I also got to catch up with my previous supervisor and mentor, what an amazing man. Since there were all therapists in the room and we were sharing therapeutic techniques, I will use it for my practice. So, I hope some of this has been interesting. I don’t only work with trauma. I do not specialize. I work with everyone from what ever they are suffering from, it may be a specific problem such as problems with a co-worker, having anger issues, suffering from grief, shame etc…..I work with couples who want to work on their relationships. I won’t work with a couple if one is having an affair and won’t give him or her up. This is only because I don’t think you are serious about working on your own relationship with your partner. I also stop seeing couples if there are ulterior motives, aside from working on their relationships. I work with families as well. One thing I found interesting at the latter workshop is about EMTR. I don’t use that practice. I was talking to one young therapist at the Badge of Life who informed me that she uses it and has found it to be most effective. At the work shop where the psychotherapist has trained only in trauma and all clients suffer from trauma, said that one of her clients who had EMTR came to see her. She could not come out from that experience and it took a while. I found that very interesting. I am not saying that to discourage anyone but to alert you if you have had the same experience. You can come out of it with treatment if required. I had almost considered taking a course about that and have changed my mind. What I do mostly is Cognitive Behaviour Therapy. There are other therapies I use depending on the client. We are all different and what will work for one, will not on another. I focus on whatever research is happening and is effective. That provides so much promise and hope for people who are suffering. Have a nice week. I hope some references will be useful for you. Happy Hallowe’en. Keep safe. Who is that behind you? What do you think? Coffee break.

Exercise Eases Traumatic Injury

Legion Periodical Sep/Oct 19 pgs 12 - 13 reports that traumatic brain injury changes the way brain cells communicate with one another. Genetic alternations can lead to Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease as well as other neurodegenerative conditions. Veteran Affairs Medical Centre in San Francisco found mild concussions double the risk of a veteran developing Parkinson’s disease. Veterans with both mild Trauma brain injury and PTSD have an enlarged amygdala ( tied to emotions that is key in triggering PTSD symptoms. The British Military Researchers found disturbance in balance and eye movement is common following concussion caused by blast and blunt trauma and worsens when combined. This predicts poor long-term mental health. A lead researcher, David Johnson is assessing the effects of intensive exercise on Trauma brain injury and will be releasing the results this year. I shall be attending a few seminars talking about Trauma and will be reporting any news to you. I have begun writing my fourth book, which I promised to write and dedicate to a friend of mine dying from cancer. I have stalled to long. She wants it to be funny. I can do funny. However, I have to kill some people in the process. No one shall be harmed. If you are interested in any of my books, you may order a book to be mailed to you or download a copy of my second or third. Have a good weekend. www.silvaredigonda.com

Voting on the Brain - Monday is quickly upon us. Who are you voting for? Why? These are rhetorical questions.

This has been an awful period, trying to determine who to vote for. I have listened to all the candidates, listened to all the “false news” (I pay close attention to who spreads hate of any kind and it is only reflective for me, on who is responsible for it). I was getting really nervous and wondered if I would be staring at the voting list on Monday and still not know who to vote for. I have never been in that position before. I have been selecting different candidates at different times during the day or week, and I have never been this undecided, when it comes to voting. Last night I watched Peter Mansfield interviewing Canadians across Canada and I heard more voices, some reflecting my own concerns. I have also payed attention to the polls. So with all this information how do I deduce who I think is best to lead our country? I have given this a lot of thought because voting is a big deal. Who best represents my own views? So here goes. What has my own interaction with politicians been like? In my neighbourhood the Liberals are very active. Last election here, the NDP won in my riding which came as a surprise to many. I have never had a NDP representative come to my door. The liberals come in droves. They are educated, well spoken and generous with their time. They fight hard at the municipal and provincial level. They are often on the news speaking on behalf of our concerns. At the provincial and municipal level, they serve me well. Then there are the Conservatives. For the first time last summer I met the Conservative in my area. He came with his mom. I found I had a lot in common with his mom. How many people bring their moms to work with them? I recommend not bringing your mom for a work interview. I talked shop with his mom. He has followed up an email now that the campaign is on. When I told him he was the first Conservative candidate I saw at the door, he revealed that he had heard that a lot. Today I have my door open and screen door locked and am waiting to see who will be coming to the door. I never saw any other representatives. Will that change today? When I spoke to a Green Party representative at Word on The Street and mentioned I never heard a peep in my neighbourhood, he said there weren’t enough to go around. Ok! That can be a problem Huston! Ok, what have I got from the Federal Level? There is Pierre Trudeau. Can I forgive the SNL disaster? Can I forgive buying a pipe line? Has there been a request for forgiveness? Yes, for the “black face”, but does anyone really think that Trudeau is prejudice? He has done much for immigration. Interesting how that came out just before the elections. He was a Drama teacher. Show me a play where you do not dress up the best you can for a production. That may include changing your colour. Ok, maybe it wasn’t the smartest move but who hasn’t done something dumb in their lifetime? I wouldn’t be able to stop counting. Anyone perfect out there? I just got an email from the Conservatives asking me to volunteer. That is two emails now. He is very simpatico. I do get a lot of emails from Ford’s nephew at the municipal level and his nephew does work hard in his community. Ok I have had no communication with any other party. Why? Where are their volunteers? How come I have no one knocking on my door right now? My priority concern right now is global warming. There are still people who don’t understand or believe in global warming. That is a problem if they are in a position where they can do something about it. There is a generation of young people right now out there, becoming loud for immediate action. Are they being heard? Their generation will be the most affected. I attended a three day lecture regarding global warming over 10 years ago and at the time we were informed that it was too late. Not our generation and not our children but after that life as we know it is over. We were told that we were at edge. We were told that we could do nothing to change that but we could make it sooner if we were not careful. Careful was not the word used. So, it is evident that global warming is a serious concern for me. I empathize with the youth because we have made a mess for them, that they may not be able to overturn. Do the Conservatives take that serious? When one sent me an email wishing me a Merry Christmas, I indicated my concern of global warming. He did not respond. Sometimes, silence speaks volumes. Sheer does want to do something about crime. That is also a concern of mine. Then there is the NDP. Singh understands that global warming is a serious concern. He wants to make some changes which are favourable. Then there is the Green Party who probably has the most effective change for climate warming but she also wants to make changes that I am very much against. She wants to legalize drug possession. How can I vote for that? She wants to consider pulling out from NATO. That is a no no for me. How can I vote for that? Can I for the sake of serious work at delaying global catastrophe? What I also heard last night was how older people seem to be loyal to certain parties for better or worse, while younger people do not. I can understand that. There was a time where loyalty counted a lot, but it worked both ways. People worked for companies for a very long time, some got pensions or other bonuses, people could afford homes, a car etc……Young people today are more educated, but have more difficulty finding a standard of affordability etc……Of course they are going to vote for who can help them get back on track for a positive future. So, I feel more prepared to go to the voting polls. I may not stand there looking at names and wondering who should I vote for? Am I still undecided? Yes. But, I know what I don’t want and do want when it comes to issues. I’m more prepared than I was a week ago. Of course there might be someone knocking on my door today who may just sway me one way or another. There might be a knock that will encourage me to better understand something I may be missing, that they can provide to help me decide to vote. Who you vote for is your business. However, please vote. There was a time when women could not vote. There was a time when persons of colour could not vote. There are places in the world where people do not have a choice. There is no such thing as democracy. Just look at Hong Kong whose people are trying so hard to fight to retain their freedom. We live in a beautiful country and a beautiful world. We have a responsibility to take care of it and our freedoms. We are stewards who have not done a great job in protecting those who cannot protect themselves, we have failed our wild life. We have failed at preventing hunger. Maybe a prayer is in order to discern to make the right choice. Every vote counts. We are reflective of our leadership. What do you think? I think I hear a knock at the door.

Signs and symptoms of Compassion Fatigue and Vicarious Trauma... continues from notes

Somatization - How we get stress and hold it in our body - eg. headaches, muscle aches etc… Avoidance of Clients - not returning calls or taking time. Impaired ability to make decisions - not knowing where to go with person or not knowing what to wear. Silencing Response - change topic- can discourage a client- minimize client’s stress. Wishing or suggesting clients get over it and move on. We may become angry or sarcastic - use humour- fake interest or listening. Discussion: Are there any specific clients whose stories I have difficulty listening to? How do I silence my clients? What am I defending against? What do I need to be clinically effective? There are two kinds of debriefing. 1. Formal Debriefing - supervision, case conferences 2. Informal Debriefing - AD HOC conversations between colleagues, variety of setting and times. Low impact disclosures: Are you “sliming” your colleagues? Are you being slimed? Can you still be properly debriefed if you don’t give all the details? She says yes. Four Steps: 1. Increased self awareness. 2. Fair warning. Prepare to hear difficult story. 3. Consent - Is it ok that I do that with you? 4. Low Impact disclosure - start with lowest to highest. Can say she was raped with no details. Colleagues appreciate it and you don’t re-traumatize yourself. Sometimes you need to tell the whole story. Strategy # 2 - Taking stock of where you are. Pro Quo - Professional Quality of Life Scale. Use the tool every 3 to 6 months. If drastic changes can increase or decrease tool use. Can download at www.tendacademy.ca tabB - calculates it for you and it is user friendly. TAKE CARE OF ME. Wash, brush teeth, dress, make coffee, feed pets, etc…..what is your routine……. Wake up, go out - dancing, skating etc……. Wake up: go shopping etc….. travel etc…… Couples: Money and work style Strategy # 3. Early Warning System: television and radio announcements. Weather warnings, amber alerts, codes in health care, emergency or health action plans. Develop an early warning system. Job satisfaction, personal life going well, good self-care, absence of all but a few signs and symptoms. Pro Quo: High or average on compassion…..etc…… yellow: consistent. Scores not as good as last. Job satisfaction challenges. Strategies: good self care in practice. What factors are contributing to yellow zone? Make whatever changes, even small ones. Therapy/ supervision if need it. Ensure solid work/life. Early warning: Consistent prescience of signs and symptoms. Low job satisfaction, cynicism, exhaustion, experience trauma system. Red Zone: don’t minimize, get help, make changes for self care. Strategy: Get professional help. Make changes to move back. Strategy # 4. Self Care: Helpers are not good at putting self care strategies in place - we don’t follow our own advice. We feel guilty when we do self care. Develop a transitional ritual. That’s enough about compassion fatigue for now. I normally hand out a stress tip brochure for clients as well as a stress test which was given to me in undergrad. A certain degree of stress is required for optimal performance such as an exam, however, stress can lead to physical illnesses if not controlled. For myself, I have been practising self care since my first career without even realizing it. I try to maintain a balance life style which is productive in my personal life. I suggest that you think about where you are at in your own lives? How do you really feel? What changes can you make in your own life to enhance it? What is stopping you from making positive change? What do you think?

Tiresome scams - don't fall for it.

Greeting to you, my name is Burrick Richard Maxwell, I'm an Lieutenant General. and I work under the United Nation here in Afghanistan. I decided to contact you to see if it can Interest you to join in this deal. Please reply back to me so that we can communicate and I will give you more details. I will be waiting to hear from you. Via this email below

Compassion Fatigue

Compassion Fatigue (notes) There is a course in Kingston by Francoise Mathieu who teaches there regarding this topic. It is 20 hours long and I would love to take this course but it is too far and too long for me being away. It may or may not be something I would consider in the future. Our instructor took this course and so I shall be sharing with you. The training is “Walk the Walk.” So, here goes. What is Compassion Fatigue? (Figley (1982). We are all profoundly effected by the work we do and if we are not, we may be suffering from compassionate fatigue. Our work though mostly rewarding can be difficult. Difficult clients, case loads - we are at primary risk for compassionate fatigue. It is an occupational hazard. There are three terms. Compassionate fatigue, Vicarious Trauma and Burn Out. Compassionate Fatigue refers to the profound emotional and physical erosion that takes place. Vicarious Trauma - stories we hear from our clients. Burn-out - exhaustion. The difference: we have not lost compassion. Why Compassionate Fatigue and Vicarious Trauma? 1. Nature of the work - case content and workload (what is our balance). 2. Our own vulnerabilities. Eg. if we are grieving, our own trauma, experience etc….more vulnerable. 3. Cynical and negative colleagues. 4. Insufficient training. Risk Factors: The more trauma cases you have, the more likely you are to develop Vicarious Trauma. - Inexperience (emotional impactful) - being isolated from other therapists (private practice). Huge risk factor. Our own trauma history. Negative and positive implications. - Personal injury or illness. concurrent life crises - divorce, grief. Don’t have the energy. Stress is cumulative. Migrating Factors : 1. Access to social support (at home and at work). 2. Working part time doing trauma work is highly protective. Variety is healthier (that is what I do). 3. Reflection on compassion satisfaction. 4. Adequate training about Compassion Fatigue, Vicarious Trauma and Burn Out is protective. Next Week Signs and symptoms of Compassion Fatigue and Vicarious Trauma.

Catch up and bringing you up to date - Who to Vote for in this election. My woe.

I was going to provide you with more notes about sex and aging but I believe it fell behind my desk drawer which I will have to take apart and I am not prepared to undertake that mission right now. So, I shall take that as a sign to stop talking about the Guelph Conference and move to my next workshop of professional development titled Compassion Fatigue. I shall do that in my next entry which I will do right after I submit this entry. Soon we will be returning to the polls to vote. I am still undecided. How are you doing? Any better? Watching my English version of the debate was not inspiring. They were loud, talking over each other, taking cheap shots of each other and I wondered if they were not so lucky, as I was in elementary school where in grade eight we learned how to debate. Who is giving a cheap shot now, hey? I was hoping for a civilized debate where each person would just tell us what their objective for our country is. I wasn’t really impressed with anyone fully. We are so busy making fun of Trump when we should be focusing on our own problems. Let me see how I can deduce who I should vote for? We have Trudeau who concerned me when he bought a pipe line and concerned me more when the Attorney General exposed being forced out of office when he wanted to change the rules so a big business corporation would not face criminal charges. Trudeau said it was to save jobs. For you who have been reading my blogs or reading my books, know by now that I believe in equality, and that includes the law. I could forgive everything else. That bothered me. Then we have the Conservative party which seem to support big corporations and I am doubtful they are concerned about global warming. Then we have the NDP and the Green Party. The Green party takes global warming very seriously as much as I do. However, they want to legalize drug possession. Again, you know how I am against drugs especially since I see the destruction of people who are addicted. When things are legalized it gives the public that it is safe and it is not. Then we also had the peoples party talk and I have my concerns as well as the Quebec block. I do think we need more public newscasts of all candidates to make an informed decision. There is too much at risk nowadays. There is an increase in crime, an increase in my city of shootings and gangs etc…..There is a bigger divide between the rich and poor etc….Instead of learning from other countries, we are joining them in our descent. Racism which I had foolishly believed had been obliterated is not only in existent to the most naive, but growing. Why? Bullying is rampant in schools and it is not being handled at all well. Just recently a high school in Hamilton had a child stabbed to death while his mother watched. There is nothing worse that a child dying but actually seeing it being done and not able to stop it is devastating for the parent. How did this happen? Teens from the school now are telling the media how prevalent bullying is at that school. Why has it got this far? Shameful. So, when I watch a debate program of people who want to run my country, I expect a level of maturity deserving of the job. I expect honesty and would love to see people who cannot keep their promise being forced to step down. So, yes, I am undecided. I will vote, I just don’t know for who. I am sure many of you have been in this boat before. I honestly think we need to revamp the entire system. We keep making the same mistakes and greater ones. Politicians should listen to experts in their field and not think they are beyond the people. As I deduce who I should vote for, I know that the most serious concern right now is Global Warming. I think more people are becoming aware of how devastating this will be. Perhaps I should vote for the person who will try their best for this cause and to eliminate poverty at home and the world. However, that person will not win, so should I vote for someone to keep someone else from power? I have a bit more time to think about this. What do you think? What are your challenges when it comes to voting? Why is there so much polarization? What do you think? I wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving. We do have a lot to be thankful. We still live in a beautiful planet and share with so many. God bless.

Sexuality and Aging

I am going to start this because I promised but will continue next week. I need to catch up because I am booking for workshops/seminars etc….and didn’t even finish this Guelph Conference yet. That’s what happens when I try to write to you about three days worth. This lecture was provided by Clinical Psychologist, Dr T. Kukkonen, Phd, CPSYCA. She is a sexual researcher. This is from a bio social perspective. Dr Kukkonen reported that there is sparse information on the topic. There are a lot of myths of sexuality. Society thinks of reproductive life and then nothing. One undergrad said sex ends when you have kids. Surprised, but the idea is still prevalent. Dr Kukkonen spoke that sexuality is a wonderful way to enjoy life. Increase sexual satisfaction (not casual) is significant to happiness and health. Age related facts - Sex does not occur in a vacuum. Chronological age is not equal to biologic age. The physical changes. Exercise and eat well to slow down the changes. Physical changes are the thinning of the vaginal wall. Less lubrication; less muscle tension; less intensity of organism; increase of painful intercourse; chronic and acute illnesses. Sedentary individuals have significant increase in risk of myocardial infarction (MI) during sexual activity as compared to a physical active individual. Sexual activity is the cause of less of 1% of all acute MI. Impact Arthritis: decrease in increase; decrease blood flow; decrease endurance; decrease engagement; decrease sense of attractiveness; decrease satisfaction; increase sensitivity to touch. Compensation is adapting to the situation. It might take more time. Sex toys may help. Enhance communication. People who have wonderful sex have wonderful communications. Mental changes. How is that going to effect sexuality? next week will continue ………… Have a wonderful weekend.

More fraud?????????? Of course I am cool. I was cool before it was invented. However scammers are not.

Hello! Subscribed for you on Facebook, you are cool! Let's get acquainted, I expect you on the website provided below. Please, do not speak to anybody about this letter, I hesitate. →Click to go!← ↑ Obviously I did not click on this and don't you if you receive something like this. Facebook? Maybe and maybe not. Tiresome. Have a good weekend and definitely will post about the conference regarding sex and aging findings from research conducted.

Word on the Street

Sunday was interesting and it was my lowest amount of sales at an event ever. There was a lot of re-organizing at the event and I found myself in what used to be the kiddie corner. Needless to say I had a lot of kiddies who were very interested in my books especially Hey Guy Buy Me. I would ask them their age and let them know that they were more than welcome to read my books when they were older (much older). One boy asked me if I would be at the same location next year (I hope not). I was impressed at how many children were interested in looking at the books and wanting to open them up. The cartoons in Hey Guy Buy Me is not appropriate for children so I stopped the little ones. However, I enjoyed talking to them. It gives me pleasure to see a genuine interest for children wanting to read. Should I write something for them? I would definitely get a fan base. How hard is it to write a book for a child? I have no clue. There is definitely a demographic there. Nancy Drew Mysteries is coming to TV and I remember reading the series as a young person. I sold a book to my official number one fan as per my signature. However, the event was not a total disaster, at least I didn't travel all the way from the United States to get disappointed as one of my tent sharing did. Will she return? No way. She was telling me how her friend was texting from the U.S.A and doing extremely well. She suggested I go to the States to sell my books. There is no secret that I like Americans but how does it work bringing books over? Good question for the border people. Let me write that down. I'm back. The day reminded me that I do not focus enough on my books and that needs to change. I am always in awe of writers who I observe are so motivated to learn to prosper. Being an independant writer nowadays is not easy. There were apparently two hundred local writers this year. I was cramped this year in my tent which never happened before. Is this still non profit? I understand that it is. I did voice my concerns which I will not share because I believe in giving everyone a break. The most I learned about this day is that I need to place more attention on my book writing. Now that my number One fan has read all my books, I am due to supply another. I have focused so much on my private practice that I have almost entirely neglected my love of writing stories. My mother is no longer there to encourage me and neither is my mentor so I need to do all that by myself. Virginia Wolf said that to write to you need to have a room of your own. I remember how that had struck a cord. I certainly do have all that which she too had. Writing is something I have loved doing since I was a little girl. It has stayed with me. There are authors I interact with each year, yet, after the event, I go back to my practice which does involve a lot of consistent professional development. I am forever researching and reading everything I can regarding anything that I am focused on in my work. Now it is time to take the initiative, take a step back and give more attention to books. I belong to the sisters in crime association, yet I have not been attending events and so that is going to change. By taking November off from seeing clients, I will be able to refocus and to determine which clubs I want to belong to, which associations I should belong to and to learn how to market more effectively etc..... I have just realized that my time is up and I have to actually work and so I do not have time to proof read and must publish now. I will give my other business more attention, but not at this moment. What do you think?

VACATION

I will be taking my vacation for the entire month of November 2019. I shall still be posting on this site weekly. I shall also be attending several conferences etc....and will be ready for book signing/selling. However, I will not be seeing clients November 2019. I will be available to book appointments for this December 2019. I am planning to take vacation next year for the entire December 2020 and working November.

Fraud alert - interesting when fraudsters caution you to be careful of fraudsters

Hello (email) It is good to be in contact with you even though this medium of communication has been grossly abused by impostors and criminal minded people thereby making it difficult for people with genuine struggle to correspond and exchange views without skepticism. The United Kingdom's Treasury Department receives over £10bn every year from unclaimed estates; forgotten funds; abandoned shares and dormant accounts because beneficiaries of deceased families are not being located to lay claim to funds left in the bank. This letter is a final warning notice regarding the death of my Late client Edward,wife and only daughter while on holiday at Louisiana USA in the August 2005 Atlantic hurricane Katrina disaster. According to the laws of England and Wales, section 46 of the Administration of Estates Act of 1925 (with subsequent amendments). My late client's bank has issued me a Final written notice to provide his next-of-kin within 7 days or have his funds declared UNCLAIMED and sent into government treasury. I have been in charge of managing his properties here in London for a long time. There were some of his properties put out for sale before his death,for which payment has since been made. The proceeds of the sale is deposited into his local account here. I found your name in some of his documents and that is why I traced your email through an advanced search. I am contacting you because you bear the same last-name with my late client.I want to know if you are in anyway related to my late client. I await your prompt response, Regards, Bar.Mark Smith Principal Partner

Feeding the future..........more of lectures from Guelph University.

Guelph Conference cont……… I should finish up with Guelph, however, I do think this is all important except for when the politicians came to talk to us, or when the librarian came to discuss what they offer which you can find on line. Don’t get me wrong, it was all good, however, I would like to stick with what I think is of benefit for you, so I may continue with more recent seminars etc……Our second last professor whom I would like to introduce is Evan Fraser who lectured on Feeding the future, climate change etc.. He is a professor of Geography. He has authored books. He indicated that the population is seven billion and growing. Also, with climate change, food will be more sparse and expensive. He reminded us of the potato famine where a quarter of the population died. He showed us slides which revealed that from 2008 - 2011 - an unfair food system where some starve and others have an abundance of food. Does it sound like a production problem? No, it’s about equity and distribution as well. Last generation or so there has been an increase in obesity and also the most malnutrition. What should we eat? Fruit and vegetables 50%. In the future we should be producing more nutritional foods. In Vancouver they throw out 80,000 dollars of food away. Waste and equity is just as important. At the University of Guelph, food for thought has received a grant. A screen depicts a tractor driving itself and functioning better than one would manually, and can tend the soils. Robotic arms identify ripe tomatoes and takes it. Program smart tractors, actually work the land. This can reshape the land of farming. The green revolution was about homogenization. New technology will provide transparency. Now we can discover what is in the meat. They went to a restaurant and had sushi. They ordered tuna but it was not what they received. It was a fish that is banned in many countries because it causes an orange diarrhea. They now have bar codes on the label which you can scan and it will provide you with all information so it is harder to provide food fraud. The prof continued how we all know that there is a war for data ownership. Farmers are saying no and asking where the value is for them. Our food system is being susceptible by cyber criminals. The lesson - technology change means new people will gain power especially around data. This is a big change. Labour upheavals are inevitable. There will be winners and losses. There are four jobs for every OAC grad entering Ontario’s fast food and agriculture. The gap between grads and employer needs is expected to grow. There will be an increase in the number of new hires over the next five years. Check out www.uoguelph.ca/oac/sites. 1. >25 of Canadian jobs will be heavily disrupted by technology. 2. The economy is expected to add 2.4 million jobs over the next four years. 3. There will be those who can adapt and those who cannot which will cause a larger gap. Conclusion: Be pragmatic: be aware of incentives and on the look out for trade offs. Change the training environment. Seek a portfolio eg. Rwanda, on world bank, extraordinary successful. Increased crops by 4X. He was there. They met HIV positive women and asked them how this increase in productivity affected them. With assistance malnutrition decreased among the children. We have to change our paradigm. What will work in our country, may not work in others. Guelph has been provided with a grant to use funding to address food security, to improve life which is the motto of the university. arrellfoodinstitue.ca frasere@uofguelph.ca 57/58 is the average age of farmers. There will be a huge turnover. Will have to train differently. Any errors found in this blog will be only my fault and not that of the speaker. Next week I will like to talk about Sexuality and Aging which I will also utilize as part of my own education hours. How could I forget this one? So there are two more blogs for University of Guelph. I do like it whenever I go there.

Book selling and signing at Word On The Street, 22 Sep 19 (Sunday)

Time is not going fast, it is speeding..........My heels are on trying to stop or at least slow down time. My pets are healthy as I continue to watch property in Niagara Falls. I work and play with equal enthusiasm. I had a wonderful long weekend. However, I also keep up with the news and my heart goes out to Texas and victims of the hurricane. I still owe you some blogs about the remainder of the Guelph Conference. My bad. But I would like to write to you about my book signing and selling today at Word on the Street. I shall be at Booth 338C. Look for the "Hey Guy Buy Me sign" I am glad I thought of that title because it does get attention. Not always good, but attention is attention. I haven't looked where that will be exactly however there are signs and people to direct you. I do hope to see you there. Tourists usually pick up a book and so do Toronto natives. I will bring candy. I prefer chocolate but it depends how hot it will be. So, if you cannot come please consider ordering on line at www.silvaredigonda.com . If you have any problems whatsoever, let me know. Bye for now. Silva

Scams galore This one is new for me......impersonating the FBI I believe is asking for trouble

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Unit on Africa case (filed IIA-8902-F2) regarding seized Funds of Foreign Individuals and Companies 2010-Date. Attn: Beneficiary of Fund! This email is reaching you from the office of Special Agent in Charge (Michael J. Anderson) in Charge of Chicago Division field (CFO) USA. Thank you for your email message with content noted. Sir, this is to affirm to you that my office have received and noted your email message for immediate assistance. You are advised to kindly follow the instruction below and fill-out the plain form as directed and send back to my office for further information and discussion on the release and recovery of your funds. Note, once we have received your full information, we shall contact you with further details and also intimate you on your funds release process. NOTE, PLEASE DO NOT PANIC, WE ARE HERE TO HELP AND GUIDE YOU TO RECEIVE YOUR MONEY. Fill out your personal details on the below plain form. PRINT OR TYPE IN SPECIFIED SPACES. PERSONAL INFORMATION'S Complete Name: ---------------------- Country of Origin: -------------------------------- Present Address: ---------------------- Date of Birth: ------------------- Sex: ------------ Marital Status: ---------------Occupation: ---------Tel/Mobile: ---------------- Kindly attach a Valid I.D copy (D/L / Int'l Passport) --------------------- The attached I.D badge is for Special Agent in charge, Michael J. Anderson. Distributing or Editing is highly prohibited. This I.D badge is attached for your view only Signed By, Special Agent in Charge, Michael J. Anderson, Criminal Investigations Division, Crimes & Fraud Unit CFO (Field office) E-mail:fbicfu@fbireps.com United States of America This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. If you have received this email in error please notify this office quickly. This message contains confidential information and is intended only for the individual named or addressed. If you are not the named/addressee you should not disseminate, distribute or copy this e-mail. Please notify this office immediately by e-mail if you have received this e-mail by mistake, delete from your system. If you are not the intended recipient you are notified that disclosing, copying, distributing or taking any action in reliance on the contents of this information is strictly prohibited. FBI

Fraud, Fraud, Fraud, It does get tiresome. Don't get fooled by these people who gain from the loss and suffering of others.

Dear xxxxxxxxxxx Your 2018 tax refund is now available - Don't miss your payment! Transaction Identification No. CRA/2019/B8AD06189664D9E97D Thank you for registering for the Canada Revenue Agency Portal. You have received this email to be notified that the CRA - (Canada). has issued a refund of $683.15 CAD to you. > CRA PORTAL GATEWAY - REFUND FORM < Connect to your CRA Portal Gateway to complete your refund form. Note! • the link expire's on 31 August 2019. • have your credit/debit card ready • A refund can be delayed for a variety of reasons, for example submitting invalid records or applying after deadline. Refund information Payment details: Amount: $683.15 CAD Description: Payments from CRA Canada.ca Transaction ID: 716F29C3A2BFF568E-26497128CA-2019 Date: 27 August 2019 Please note: (CRA) Office will never request your password, financial information, information about your passport, health card or driver's license. Yours sincerely Canada Revenue Agency Please don't reply to this email; it's been automatically produced from an address that can't accept incoming mail.

Precious Blood Catholic Church in Scarborough

It has been a while since I wrote about my visiting churches. Sometimes the sermons are difficult to listen to, so it was refreshing to visit Precious Blood at 1737 Lawrence East. The mass began with us being asked to greet each other. I turned to my left and a man provided me with a sincere warm smile. I looked around and the smiles continued. I thought this was a wonderful start. We got to actually see who we were sitting with. The sermon was also inspiring. The Pastor spoke of poverty, how it will increase (don’t I know it), and provided a talk about a region in South America which has so much poverty. The Bishop (correct me if I am wrong) helped the poor which the politicians liked, however when he held them responsible for the poverty, they did not like that (my words; not his). His sermon made me think about how clergy has been killed not only in South America but other parts of the world when trying to help their poor and repressed. My heart went to the people of Hong Kong and my thoughts went to China telling us we should mind our own business. I think not. What I liked about the sermon was that it stimulated thought. We were not told about what to do or what to think. We were left in thoughtful poise. I looked up at a photo of Fr Pio at the front right side of the church, who loved the poor. He bore the stigmata. I watched a documentary about him and a film and recommend it. After mass there was coffee and treats, which I love. I noticed the Pastor speaking to everyone. What I also noticed for the first time in my case that there was no request for money for the treats. I can’t remember that. Nor, is coffee and treats available at all churches which is a shame because it brings the community together. Often those who cannot afford treats may be left behind. I thought they had a wonderful selection and I noticed one woman with about four children and was pleased that regardless if the woman could afford it or not, she and her children could enjoy their treats. I left the parish feeling refreshed and wishing there were more of this substance. It is a lovely big church with lots of parking. I also learned something at treat time. One of the Italian women I met, told me that Victoria Park separates East York from Scarborough. The Church is on the South side, just East of Victoria Park. If you are wanting to become a Catholic, they have studies there for that and I would definitely recommend that church. What do you think? (Theology is a definite interest for me. People who go for therapy range from a variety of religions, spirituality and cultures. I am so fortunate to be exposed to so many interesting people and ideas).

Thoughts and update

I cannot believe that summer is coming to an end, especially since with humidity it will be in the thirties and my air conditioner will be running. I was reading one of my retirement associations periodicals and they were requesting information regarding personal experiences regarding the flu shot. I was rather disappointed because they have access to so much updated information by going directly to the sources who teach this. I thought back to my courses and remember studying this. I thought it would be in my blogs and so I read my titles and realized that I am not there yet. I also noticed that about five years ago I thanked my readers especially those from the States (my highest readers) for their dedication, etc…..and that I was stopping to blog. Obviously I didn’t. I got to see the titles of what I was writing about and it was rather a refresher. I have written so much for people to get info. They are merely tid bits but always useful information. I am rather very structured and to find all the technical information of how the flu shot works is not my mandate. I don’t know what the hysteria is all about. You are shot with dead viruses which the little armies in bodies respond to, and fight it. It is dead so it does not harm us, however, our armies will recognize it when it faces the real thing and then slam bang….It saves lives. Of course we don’t always know what new strains will be coming around so we will get sick by that. I am still writing about the new missal (RC theology) and my psych notes. I paused on both to write about the Guelph Conferences because I found it so interesting. In my first year of university, we were forced to take about four courses which I would not have taken because it had nothing to do with psychology. I thought it was a waste of time. It was not. I had to take a natural science, a social science and two others which I chose as (critical )writing with reason and critical thinking. The social science topic I selected was “man and masculinity” (the easiest course I have ever taken and rather fun. My humour would get me into trouble with the prof who didn’t share my sense of humour. He was an ex minister and divorced three times. I found that in itself amusing. My chuckling and laughter is what got me into trouble. However, I did like him and I think he did not mind me either, though I did anger him at times. The natural science was about health. All these subjects have only enhanced me as a therapist and a human being. Whenever I was exhausted about psychology, I would take a break and take an English course because that was my favourite subject. Hence, my love of reading and writing. It is my hobby because I certainly am not making money with that and if you are not making money, I am told it is a hobby. What can I say? I am not going to write back to the person who is asking hundreds of people I believe about the flu shot. I think that is too easy when you have all the resources you can go to. I would like to say go interview an expert and report what they say. However, that would sound condescending. So, I shall refrain from the obvious. Now back to us. Years later I am still blogging and getting all my notes in here and shedding them afterwards. The entire conference may not have anything to do with my profession, however, what I am learning effects people. And what effects people is something for me to take note. I have still to write update info regarding farmers and about coaching. I was going to skip that because I am counting my education hours and have to prepare for my submission to my college. I have to supply records of my education hours, topics and times, dates, people seen, what I call essays but they don’t etc……….It is not difficult but it is very tedious and time consuming. Do I wish I could avoid it? Of course. But the college is there to protect the public and the public does need to be protected. Now, hopefully slowly because nothing is rushed nowadays (that is what the politicians are saying about our daily shootings in Toronto area - it takes time, which is a start from the annoying “we are safer than………..) Enough about that. So I will continue with the last sessions of the conference and then move on to the next seminar, I attended which was about self care. I practise that with a passion. I have to also watch my web stuff which I find boring. I might as well live in Timbuktu (which is a real place, you know?) I prefer live with lots of interaction because I thrive among people. So enough about all this, I am just bringing you to date with the thoughts I have this morning. Don’t hesitate to ask me questions regarding psychotherapy. Thanks again for reading my blogs. What do you think?

Can we use bugs as drugs (conclusion)? by Professor Emma Allen-Vercoe, Dept of Molecular and Cellular Biology Continues notes. Guelph Conference

Can we add beneficial microbes back? Probiotics from the drug/health store? Generally it is very safe and defined. Industry is poorly regulated. Effects are modest at best. There is much hype but little scientific proof. Faecal transplants? Have shown great promise in treating gut infections. There are many unknowns. It is difficult to figure out the therapeutic effects. It is rather disgusting. A hybrid study? Instead of stool, why not use pure microbes, isolated from the gut of a healthy person? Major barriers to cultivation are low abundance and fastidiousness. Someone needs to take the first step. There is a new framework being developed in what Prof Emma Allen-Vercoe considers in research the stability, diversity, functionality, and strain interactivity - The needs of the interactivity of the ecosystem. It needs to be commercialized; Needs of the patient: oral preferred. Coming soon - Met - 2 is a new first class biologic drug - lyophilized, standardized, ecosystem for oral delivery; Clinical c. difficile. Faecal transplant is already a thing and Canada Health is concerned about it. Regarding advertisement: Yoghurt probiotics - no. www.probiotic chart.ca has a list of all evidence that are legitimate. 99% sold is all rubbish. Read the small print.

Sunday at Indigo was successful. Long day ................busy times

I love book events and if you would like to invite me for a reading, or signing please don't hesitate. I consider this fun and meeting new people has always been interesting. Selling my books at Indigo, Yorkdale was fun as per usual but also very interesting, because it was a rather quiet venue. Probably the most quiet. I am usually where large groups gather such as the university or Word on the Street. This was rather a warm atmosphere. I was near a rack of towels which I noticed was a hit. I got to see some habits people have when choosing towels. People seemed very relaxed as it should be in a book store. I also noticed that each person who bought my book was equally male/female, and each represented a different culture, religion or spirituality. This is what I love about my city. We learn so much about each other in special moments. I often speak of leaving Toronto which I cannot right now due to commitments. Niagara Falls is my objective which is becoming more achievable. People there also flock from all over the world to view the magnificent falls. As a relative told me, Niagara has a small town atmosphere with a lot to do. Having a daily walk and viewing the falls while stopping at Tim’s for coffee is a retirement dream. However, after being on my third career, will I really ever retire? Probably not. Why? Because I actually love what I am doing. However, if I ever do retire from providing therapy, I will only have more time to write and so again retirement may work for some, but not for me. I have been more busy than usual this summer which is quickly coming to a close. The Toronto exhibition is coming to town and that marks the end of summer which kept me too much indoors. Global warming challenges me. I seem to not tolerate extreme weather. I am fortunate that I have air conditioning and realize that I need to be constantly aware of how the poor suffer. I am seeing more of it as well as an increase in crime. After the book selling and feel free to order one if you wish or download an e book (for a fee of course at www.silvaredigonda.com) I went to see a movie with a friend, “Once upon a Time in Holywood” It was not my movie choice but I believe in taking turns. I don’t like violence and found some portions a bit disturbing though the crowd cheered. I also didn’t know enough about the cinema past, to distinguish fact from fiction. The audience was an older crowd as well. We later went to Diary Queen and at midnight I was still there. I marvelled that I felt very safe out that late in the open, enjoying the lovely evening. With all the shootings in this city which is only getting worse, you just need to be in the wrong place that could be anywhere. Of course within the same place where I thought was very safe there were bullets flying within the same week. That is another reason for wanting to leave my beautiful city. It is not the same place where I grew up in. Today the Mayor and Premier will be talking about the violence and so I hope that something will actually be done. I have tired hearing from the Mayor and Chief of Police how we are the safest city among so many others. Accepting the new normal only prevents change, to get back to the real normal. Is Niagara better? Not according to people wanting me to stay here. However, we do have everything here and I am spoiled. I know it. I love it. So, that was one busy day of a busy week. My days are busy and my dreams are busy. I thought it would be nice to dream about sleeping. Now, it is time to slow down and to get back to balance. I actually love my life and where I am at in this time of it. So, if you are interested in my three books, I am an email or call away. Or, if you are interested in buying any, check out my web site. www.silvaredigonda.com www.redigondapsychotherapy.com How was your week? What do you think?

Can we use bugs as drugs? by Professor Emma Allen-Vercoe, Dept of Molecular and Cellular Biology Continues notes. Guelph Conference

continues......... How can lifestyle impact? During birth along the vaginal canal - breast milk carries a lot of microbes. Also sugar, proteins are very important for the baby - certain sugar is also food for the microbes. After the age of three, micro is set. What we do that interferes. Caesarean delivery - microbes different. We chemically preserve our food. Not all these things are bad. C section can save a life. Germs terrify people. We quickly get to work on exterminating our microbes. Hygiene hypothesis - we are preventing colonization by being too clean. Missing microbiota hypothesis - We are disturbing proper colonization across generations through eg. antibiotic use. Antibiotic use (especially in early childhood may be problematic. Many studies have shown: gut microbiota changes significantly with antibiotic use. Which is unfortunate because it saves lives and are one of the miracles of modern medicine. but we have failed to understand the full consequences of their use. The additional impact of the Western diet which is rick in refined food (take out all the fibre) low in fermented food, complex carbohydrate; fibre. Refined foods are easily broken down - starving them. Worry about - artificial sweeteners and colour have the potential to do much harm to the micro to actually contribute to obesity instead of what is was thought. Why do some drugs work miracles in some patients and do nothing for others? Answer - We have been focusing on the wrong genome. It is hard to predict how the microbiota will respond to perturbations. eg. of diseases associated with altered microbiota diversity. Inflammatory bowel disease, infant colic, eczema, autism, colorectal cancer, allergic asthma, celiac disease, obesity etc… What have we done? How do we fix it? Can we add beneficial microbes back? to be continued next week..........

and More Scam Alerts for you.......(we really need to do something to catch these people because they cause harm)

"I am in the military unit here in Afghanistan, we have some amount of funds worth $16.500.000.00 USD with Gold that we want to move out ofthe country. My partners and I need a good partner we can trust. It is risk free and legal. Also send your whatsapp number" My response: prizac@iess.gob.ec" has been added to your blacklist.

SCAM, SCAM, SCAM (tiresome) For Professionals and other services providers

The below is an email scam I received which is not uncommon. I know that therapists from other countries read my blog. This is something which first came to my attention about seven years ago. Someone contacts you. They claim to be a professional of some type, needing therapy because where they live it is a problem to find someone. They provide you with a bunch of dates and then they insist that they want to send you funds for that. Years ago they sent me a money order which I had informed them not to, since I do not take payment in advance. They actually sent funds exceeding the amount for the entire sessions. I found this all suspicious, brought it to the bank and they thought it was legitimate. I insisted it was suspicious and the person called a bank out West and guess what? They had this big ring of fraud. I was informed that if I had cashed the money order they would have had all my banking information. I guess these guys are not used to honest people. I wonder why? So, if you get something like this, please remember this blog. It is so unfortunate that fraud is becoming so common. I am all for policing the sites and protecting the public. Note below: "Greeting! I sincerely apologize for the delayed response, I have been very busy. Thank you for your response. I would have called you, but I will need to get a international calling card to do so, which is hard to find. I will make sure I explain what i need in details in this message. My name is xxxxxxxx, I am years old, i'm a Canadian living and working in Mexico. I have been working and living with my family in Mexico since 2012, I'm a xxxxxx, i won xxxxxxx contract in in Mexico in 2012. I always spend 3 months at home in Canada every year for our vacation, We will arrive in Canada on the 15 of September to 15th of December 2019. I would have loved to do the counseling here in Mexico, but language barrier is the problem. The 15 of September to 15th of December 2019 in Canada will give me opportunity to seek for the help i needed, I have been battling with xxxxxxxx for aboutxxxxxyears, I think it's the right time to seek for a professional help. I need 10 appointment sessions. Like i said above that, i will be in Canada between 15 of September to 15th of December, that will be 13 weeks, i will suggest the following schedule for 10 appointment sessions with you; Week 1: 2 sessions (Please select 2 days and time you like for this week) Week 2: 2 sessions (Please select 2 days and time you like for this week) Week 3: 2 sessions (Please select 2 days and time you like for this week) Week 4: 2 sessions (Please select 2 days and time you like for this week) Week 5: 2 sessions (Please select 2 days and time you like for this week) Two session per week is fine with me, but we can do one session per week if that's what you prefer/recommend. This is just my suggested schedule, you can choose other weeks out of the 13 weeks to complete my 10 sessions, if you can't complete my 10 sessions within the first 5 weeks. You can start my appointments at any week you prefer within the 13 weeks, just go ahead and spread the appointments as your schedule permits within the 13 weeks and let me know. My schedule will be totally flexible when we arrive in Canada, so any time of the day or evening you choose will be comfortable for me. I just looked up your location, your location is about 6 miles away from our residence, so coming for my appointment on time will be very convenient for me. Please, it is Very Important for me to know the total cost of 10 appointment sessions Including any other extra fee that may be included. Send me the schedule you prefer and the Total cost for 10 appointment? Thank you very much."

The Internet Murders Meet and Greet Indigo Yorkdale

This Sunday I will be at Indigo Yorkdale, Toronto, meeting and greeting people with about 30 copies of my book, "The Internet Murders." Of course I will be signing as well. I do hope to see you 28 Jul 19, from 1pm to 4pm. I had so much fun writing this book. Looking forward to seeing you there. I shall also be donating one book at the request of "Sisters in Crime", to a library in the States. I am behind schedule a bit, but I shall let you know which library, just before I mail it out. Looking forward to seeing and talking to you.

Can we use bugs as drugs? by Professor Emma Allen-Vercoe, Dept of Molecular and Cellular Biology University of Guleph Conference

Her question to us, I presume was rhetorical, “What is your microbiome and why is it so important?” - Human health depends on microbiota health. We are super organisms of human and microbial cells. We exist on a delicate balance. There is more bacteria living in your gut than there are people on the planet. The human microbiome project indicates the human boy has 100 trillion. How human are we? reference human - .70 Kilograms, 20-30 years old, 1.7 meters tall. - 30 trillion human cells; 39 trillion bacterial cells. A very healthy sample of the population. Bacterial cells are much smaller than human cells. Like a finger print you also have a poo (feces) print. Biodiversity in the gut is important. High diversity of species: - robust ecosystem - balance - functional redundancy - - high gene count - Resistant to damage. The bacterial community in your gut remains stable from weaning to old age. Older - immune system is effected. What do microbes do for us? - regulate the immune system - helps to extract energy from foods, controls potential pathogens - makes some essential metabolites including vitamins and cofactors - improves intestinal function - removes toxins and carcinogens - as important as a liver. How can lifestyle impact? answer will be provided next week.. To be continued next week. I wish you all a wonderful weekend. It has been busy with work and play and paper war. This November I have to submit all my hours to my college of the work I have done. I also want to take a mini vacation. I will have to skip one conference I really wanted to attend regarding couple therapy but hopefully I can see it on the web when I return. I require 20 education hours a year but I am sure I surpass that every year. I have made my holiday a priority this time. Of course I shall tell you about that. It will be in the States. I do love it there and it is so close. Til next week… I thank you for reading my blogs. If you ever have a question do not hesitate to ask. Any errors that may exist are my own and never the speakers. I have big shoulders.

The New Missal - theology notes continues...............

….Israel is still in exile. Living in the new land but still in exile. The belief of the day in exile is still paganism. God is about to act and intervene and once again be Israel’s King. The escatol is coming. So what about Jesus’ celebration of the last supper? Brings it all to a climax. The new exodus is happening through “me” - The action in the meal through the code. Exile is not in the future but through “me”. Twelve around him. Holy week - Jesus the new centre; not the temple. Jesus identifies the bread, part of exodus and oneself. Bread - body his own. Not only his biological, but his existence and predicts his dying which is offered. As the host is being broken, his death is happening. The death of Jesus is the protector like a chicken protecting its’ chicks (mother uses wings to cover chicks) alive under wings. “Do this in memory of me.” After Easter, the people knew that there is a new Israel. Freed by exile. The how do you know? Poured out the spirit - people speaking out in tongues. Not a victory over paganism but over sin and evil - the real thing. Jesus has let evil do the worse to him knowing that God will protect him. God vindicates the Just. This new community source of the world for everyone. Setting the seal - the washing of the feet - putting the poor and the sinner at the centre. A new communal order. Articulating what Israel has always done. Easter is the vindication of the history. The Kingdom has happened but not as expected. Jesus causes himself to be seen in the meal. Eg. At the burning bush - recognized in the breaking of the bed. They are living and dining now in the reign of God. This is very evident in the Orthodox tradition. Our mana from heaven. Final thoughts - death just a death but Jesus chooses to make in that execution to the Father for us. All of this meal and sacrifice indicates Mission. Not isolated from the world - ascending out. to be continued…………Next week continuation of Guelph University conference