Well, that's just great!

I got my hair cut this afternoon,  It was a dreadful and awful cut.  (My usual stylist thought it a good idea to have a baby (a baby!) and go on maternity leave. She did not consult me first.  I then dyed my hair this evening.  It went way too dark.  I swear to you right now that I look like a mix between Leif Garrett (circa 1975) and Marilyn Manson.  Seriously, take the Leif Garrett style and make it dead black.  I can also tell you right now that I don't like either of them or their choice in hair styles. I tried to lighten my hair by dousing it with vinegar and all it did was make my eyes turn blood red. I think I have a mark on me to look shitty one way or another for the rest of my life.  I lose 10 pounds and then I turn myself into a love child named Leif Manson.  Or Marilyn Garrett.

 I should know by now not to attempt my own beauty treatments. I used to do my own eyebrows but I have learned.  Yes, the hard way. Lesson learned by way off ripping off the outer half of my left eyebrow.  There is no way to fix that mistake my friends. 


 You see, I am cheap,  Some will call it thrifty or frugal but no, I am just plain and simple a cheap person.  Why spend $13.95 to get my eyebrows waxed when  I can do it at home for about 17 cents?  Why spend $75.00 at the salon to colour my hair when I can do it myself for $6.47?  Sure it some of it ended up on the carpet (and the walls and the floor) but by god I am not about to waste good money on something  I can do myself.  (It is always referred to as good money by cheap people.)  I don't know what to do now.  I can't really hide.  I guess the only thing to do is spend another $6.47 and re-dye it!  


Tonight I would like to mention Jack Layton.  He was the leader of the New Democrat Party in Canada and he died this morning in his home at the age of 61 of cancer.  I sat in my car and cried when I heard the news.  He is a part of his final letter to his country. 

Dear Friends,

Tens of thousands of Canadians have written to me in recent weeks to wish me well. I want to thank each and every one of you for your thoughtful, inspiring and often beautiful notes, cards and gifts. Your spirit and love have lit up my home, my spirit, and my determination.

Unfortunately my treatment has not worked out as I hoped. So I am giving this letter to my partner Olivia to share with you in the circumstance in which I cannot continue...

A few additional thoughts:

To other Canadians who are on journeys to defeat cancer and to live their lives, I say this: please don’t be discouraged that my own journey hasn't gone as well as I had hoped. You must not lose your own hope. Treatments and therapies have never been better in the face of this disease. You have every reason to be optimistic, determined, and focused on the future. My only other advice is to cherish every moment with those you love at every stage of your journey, as I have done this summer.

To the members of my party: ...we’ve done remarkable things together in the past eight years... There will be those who will try to persuade you to give up our cause. But that cause is much bigger than any one leader. Answer them by recommitting with energy and determination to our work. Remember our proud history of social justice, universal health care, public pensions and making sure no one is left behind. Let’s continue to move forward. Let’s demonstrate in everything we do in the four years before us that we are ready to serve our beloved Canada as its next government...


To young Canadians: All my life I have worked to make things better. Hope and optimism have defined my political career, and I continue to be hopeful and optimistic about Canada. Young people have been a great source of inspiration for me. I have met and talked with so many of you about your dreams, your frustrations, and your ideas for change. More and more, you are engaging in politics because you want to change things for the better. Many of you have placed your trust in our party. As my time in political life draws to a close I want to share with you my belief in your power to change this country and this world. There are great challenges before you, from the overwhelming nature of climate change to the unfairness of an economy that excludes so many from our collective wealth, and the changes necessary to build a more inclusive and generous Canada. I believe in you. Your energy, your vision, your passion for justice are exactly what this country needs today. You need to be at the heart of our economy, our political life, and our plans for the present and the future.

And finally, to all Canadians: Canada is a great country, one of the hopes of the world. We can be a better one – a country of greater equality, justice, and opportunity. We can build a prosperous economy and a society that shares its benefits more fairly. We can look after our seniors. We can offer better futures for our children. We can do our part to save the world’s environment. We can restore our good name in the world. We can do all of these things because we finally have a party system at the national level where there are real choices; where your vote matters; where working for change can actually bring about change... consider that we can be a better, fairer, more equal country by working together. Don’t let them tell you it can’t be done.

My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we’ll change the world.

All my very best,

Jack Layton