daily life as life goes on . . .

Sitting in a meeting about drugs and addictions, the chair remarked on some recent statistics she had received.   In the past our health district had one of the lowest tobacco uses in the province.  The Statistics Canada report for 2007 showed that we were now one of the highest — supposedly 30% of our health district use tobacco.

My mind immediately raced to those who smoke.  I think there has been a decrease.  But perhaps the increase in transient or short-term workers has brought an increase?

The rest of the group sat for a moment.  Then various comments began to arise.  For those who desire to remain politically correct when they are with the non-smoking group they will chew tobacco.  In sports and other activities chewing tobacco is considered acceptable, if not desirable and seemingly on the rise.  None of these activities decrease the harm of the tobacco, they merely mask the use.

When you put that all together, perhaps we have increased.  Perhaps the signs of tobacco use just aren’t quite as obvious.

No, this is not about a big city!  Nor is it about some type of political approach (as in getting a constituency together for a meeting).

This is about the evangelical youth groups of our town meeting together.  The tradition has gone on for a number of years. 

This year has seen a real changeover in leadership.  So the executive met last night to do some planning.  Looks like the first Citywide meeting will be a service opportunity on Halloween — to go out and collect food for the foodbank here in town.  Not a bad way to start out a new year.

First were the quizzers.  They’ve been memorizing the book of Luke in the Bible.  Time each day is dedicated to memorizing.  Time is spent practicing practice questions.  Once a week they practice together.  Then once every few months they get together with others!  This was 8:00 in the morning, heading down the road to Outlook, 1 1/2 hours away.

Then, later in the day there were the “screamo” artists.  They’ve been practicing their music.  Time each day is spent in listening to music.  Time is spent in writing words and figuring out chords.  Every week or so they talk about music or practice together.  Then finally they get it together and do some recording.  That was my opportunity today, to serve as sound engineer (and yes, screaming is part of the music!!).  The picture is doctored a bit, they actually come in full color!!

As I enter the hospital this afternoon, I asked for the rooms of three different patients.  I proceeded to the rooms.  Two were adjacent to each other. 

The first room was empty.   The second had a stranger in it.

I proceeded to the nurse’s station.  One had been discharged, the second was still in emergency. 

I headed to emergency (this hospital is in Saskatoon so I was not familiar with the hospital — I had to ask).  There I picked up the emergency room phone.  The nurse answered that she knew where the patient was.  She directed me to look straight ahead.  When I turned slightly, she corrected me.  My guess?  There was a camera watching me.

Eventually I found the patient and chatted with him.  Then off to Intensive Care.  This patient’s mother was in the waiting room, and I was not able to visit.  But I did get some background.

So, when you head to the hospital, don’t expect you will find everything in order.  Most often you will, but then there are days!!