Jan., 18, 2015

Sunday, January 18 and all is well in the west.  The weather in Vernon remains less than ideal, warmer than in the east and Incheon, but not great.  Cross-country skiing has been good on the groomed trails, and there’s finally some snow back on the trees at Sovereign and Silver Star. 

Yesterday I saw a very entertaining version of “The Merry Widow” live from the Met at the local cinema.  Renee Fleming was great as the widow, and her man, Nathan Gunn, was a happy surprise.  They made an attractive couple.  Kelli O’Hara played the ‘respectable wife’ with real zest for all that was less than respectable.  I had never seen Sir Andrew Davis before.  He’s a sprightly conductor. The dancers were excellent, and the whole production lively.  It lifts your spirit to watch such wonderfully joyous entertainment when so much of the news lately, especially from Nigeria and Syria but also France, Belgium and Canada is awful.

It seems to me that the disparity between rich and poor, whether it be nations or individuals is at the heart of most of the violence.  So many young people have nothing to either gain or lose, and governments do little to encourage society and individuals to be more generous.  Troubled, jobless and hopeless youth who can’t afford the gear to take up an extreme sport look to drugs and fanatics for thrills. 

On Wednesday, I went to Kelowna to see my Korean friend Lusia become a Canadian citizen.  The ceremony was well done, and the new Canadians looked truly happy.  Lusia was too, in her shy way.  Her son, the dynamic one in the family, whose idea it was to come to Canada in the first place, had his picture taken flanked by a Mounty, a judge and a picture of the queen.  I enthusiastically snapped pictures of the family, but none of them was worth keeping.

Jay and his gang laughing it up before the serious picture was taken to celebrate Woo Jin's first birthday

Woo Jin's first birthday formal photo

Jay hiking last week on Bugaksan in Seoul