Wednesday, November 5, 2008

ODE TO AN OTTAWA WINTER

I will borrow liberally from a favourite contemporary jazz lyricist and performer, Michael Franks, and his song: "Under The Sun"...

"Snow in my shoes, mid-winter blues have got me down...from sole to crown where the hell is the snowplow?
Down 95, I'll come alive and by the time I get somewhere near Savannah, give winter the slip. It's well worth the trip to be under the sun. Under the sun stress is undone..."

I stumbled upon this Michael Franks' song in 2006 when I equipped my car with satellite radio and became an instant fan of "The Jazz Cafe", a contemporary (smooth) jazz channel on Sirius Canada. The song has become almost of a year round anthem, but at no time more so than mid-November when I fortunately am able to leave behind the blues of the upcoming eastern Ontario winters.

In the 36 years I have been travelling to Florida, first on winter vacations, and now as a "snowbird" resident; technology has advanced to the state where home, in this case Ottawa, is never really left behind. Of course the Internet gives access to daily newspapers, blogs, media aggregators from Canada. The 'fore mentioned satellite radio providers to CBC Radio, Radio-Canada, Canadian Press Radio and music channels from home. An additional bonus in Florida is broadcaster Pryor Smith's "Canada Calling" daily broadcasts which began their 55Th year last week.

The advantage for these "Politics Canada" posts is that frequently stale eyes get a refreshing new perspective from another country on the things which should matter most to us Canadians. The role we play on the North American continent as well as for that matter, the role we should be playing in the rest of the world.

I'll look forward to the drive south down I-95 this weekend...passing Savannah on Sunday I'll know I am just a few hours away from my place "under the sun". That's where I'll post next on "Politics Canada". See you then.

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