A heavy rain last night. Finally, it was warm and I could let it soak through my shirt. I wanted one of those while I was here. And the rain pounded the roof as Janna, Paul and I scooched in for a cheese-soup-movie-night. The sacred event demands warm soup and rice, landing in an empty belly and warming a cool night, settling while a story unfolds in front of you. "Atonement" was a good choice for the evenings entertainment section. Today is Paul's last day. Weird, I know. Time is so capricious. We made it to the beach for three nights, and to the mountains for just as many. Peace and rest are natural responses to both environments, but we managed some adventures as well. I swear I didn't come back to Ecuador just for the food, but I sure enjoy it while I'm here: fresh fish and shrimp at the beach, great meals shared from friends kitchens, the expert vegetarian chefs in Banos, the risky adventures of street vendors. It's all good, and no food poisoning/water parasites/Hepatitis A symptoms have reared yet. On the intellectual front, I have finished True Crimes, a biography/anthology of Rodolfo Walsh, an Argentinian journalist and activist. Great gift, Clayton. I hope to write a more comprehensive piece about my thoughts on that shortly, maybe in May, after the 12th and before the 30th when we have to move. Or maybe in June, after the 1st and before the 24 when I start work.

So farewell, farewell to Nova Scotia's charms For it's early in the morning I am far, far away.

I hope that I don't miss too much in Nova Scotia politics while I am gone.

Something makes me believe, however, that little will change. Nova Scotian progressives ridicule Rodney MacDonald (and, indeed, refer to him with the diminutive, familiar name "Rodney") in much the same way liberal Americans ridicule Bush. It is just too easy.

Simultaneously, social services are being eroded, private-public partnerships are strengthened, real progress is being traded for artificial inflations of the economy. Whole industries are disappearing, and the band-aids distributed by the federal government are received by the provincial one with whoops and whistles. I haven't seen any recent reports on those $35 million that are going to help the forestry and manufacturing industries that are hemorrhaging jobs in this province.

Rodney was loving those millions in the press. More critical minds, of course, wondered how such a small sum could do anything for the numerous communities gutted by mill and plant closures. Liberals and New Democrats were disgusted at the politically motivated payout- only the party in power can effectively bribe its way to winning a hypothetical election.

While covering this story for my journalism beat, I was disgusted mainly by Rodney MacDonald, reading his blind comments and his daftly positive proclamation (much in line with the "My government would leave no Nova Scotian behind" statement that brought him so much flak in the home-heating debate).

However, I can't believe that ridicule is going to get us any further fighting MacDonald than it did fighting Bush. I think public denouncement would go much further than mockery. I think this is serious and scary at times.

That said, Kate Beaton does a great job at making fun of him (her familiarity with Rodney is a bit more understandable, as they both have homes in Mabou, Cape Breton).

Nobody says anything about my new glasses, they just think I am PALE. Well, don't worry, I am going to South America in a week and don't plan to wear any sunscreen. None. Unless there is a homeopathic version. (Just kidding, I don't wear sunscreen. I like sun. And I don't care if my skin ages prematurely. I think that is a lot of hooey)

Latest Photography

"Please Don't Pee!" - Bethany Horne, 2008.


"Anyone Could Mistake This For Affection" -Bethany Horne, 2008.


"Paul's Favourites" - Bethany Horne, 2008.


"The Only Way To Get Lyra To Stay Still" - Bethany Horne, 2008

Yes, I am procrastinating a little bit. But what can you do when you can't write? You can't write!