Musing

[written and published from the Regina Inn, Regina, Saskatchewan]

3C/38F, early sun burning off that nip in the air, a steady breeze; my walk was not without critters – bold geese and sleeping mallards – along the way

this City is plain and easy; the language is plain spoken (or is that plains spoken), the street called Broad really is, the avenue called College really has one, the view from the 15th floor of my hotel (one of the tallest in this capital city) allows me to see the entire centre of the city, the legislature (see shot below), and the edge of the city where subdivisions meet last season’s harvest remains – the stubble field

speaking of stubble, I better shave and get down to the breakfast from whence flows all events of a full conference day; yesterday was a long drive with agreeable passengers, AW among them; 4 members of our club won the skit contest après dinner last night (congrats to DS, DM, SM & AW) .

winter grime is yet to be washed away, the brick and Tindelstone and stucco have weathered yet another winter, debris hides under hedges and around corners; the morning brings a far off siren sound, so little traffic it seems non-existent

the pace is slow . . this place is the capital of the province; like prairie capitals in provinces and states everywhere, the seat of government is surrounded the state/provincial office of this and that, the collection and culmination of everything that matters there . . though once there was a plan; the spaces between buildings of importance are filled with slivers of other cultures like Korean convenience stores, janitorial companies occupying what were once stately homes – the plan of space and order has evolved to be a mosaic of old, older and really old intermingled with vacant, ‘will develop on this site signs’ and in-fill . . or maybe infiltration of things that come and go; there is not much new here or much need for it . . this place is the hub of activity for a small population of this province that, while humming with economic activity these days, has little need to grow . . but tree buds indicate spring will soon blossum her, again

the day will be full of work and play, laughter and learning; a Toastmasters conference perhaps not unlike many others around the world; a twice a year ritual of the faithful, the regular, the familiar, the dedicated - mixed with the odd weird character, the occasional wing-nut, assorted shapes and sizes of every description and gender including a woman (I think) in the elevator with a better mustache than mine . . of well, the time is come to stop writing and start speaking

"When you talk, you give yourself away. You reveal your true character in a picture which is more true and realistic than anything an artist can do for you." - Dr. Ralph Smedley, founder of Toastmasters

the day will be full of speaking and listening ... and those revelations of character

Mark Kolke
225,360
204.5

Responses/comments welcomed; send an e-mail to musing@maxcomm.ca – please give me your feedback.