Norma Explains it All to You

Norma has experienced a lot of changes for women in her life.  Here she explains how she traversed the complications of cultural expectations and a desire for learning.  Enjoy!

Purpose Driven: Notes to my 13 year old Self.

By Amalia Tauber

This video was made in the blogging class with myself, some students and Mariette.   It came from the conversation I had with one of the young students about what I would tell my younger self.

The transcript, I started below, as well

The first  thing I  would tell myself at 13 is to study... not just for professional life but for learning about LIFE... about mankind, about how things came to be and where they could go.

In 1939 the war started, with that my life changed.  And my perspective about life was completely different then.

Before those days I knew there were rich people and poor people, people who would like to achieve thinking that they couldn't achieve in life but that life could be so hard and people could regress to acting like savages, that was something completely new to me.

War can change everybody.  BUT it is not just the war but it was the things that led up to the war... it was the unfinished work that lead up to the war, the treaties, the fallout from WW1 and the economic pressures, the changes in the country lines and the economic pressures that followed after the first ww - the consequences... in particular what happened in Germany.

How the National Socialist Party could take hold there was because the economic situation was so bad there.  There was inflation and unemployment.

If you know how people came to their circumstances, how they came to live you can understand and anticipate the future.   You can only do this if you LEARN about history, human behaviour, and life situations.  You can learn in many ways

You can learn from experience, from other in your surrounding and life, and you can learn from books and other resources.

Learning from life experience for me meant living in a concentration camp.   I was a teenager, I didn't anticipate this kind of cruelty and horror in what I and many other experienced.

You need to know what is happening in the world and if you want to change it you need to fight for better conditions for living, not just for yourself but for all people.

There are many distractions, especially now, for a young person.  There are many ways to get knocked of a helpful path.  Our cultures encourages us to be shallow.   I am not saying don't enjoy your life but a young person needs to have ideals, a purpose.  You may not know your purpose exactly, but if you read and you explore the failures of humanity through learning, (not through personal experience, I hope for you) and you can find your way to your purpose.  I

Its very important for younger people to go on the path of ideals, it is much harder to find as you get old.  When you are young you are more enthusiast and believe more in the goodness of others.  As you age you can become more cynical, so to capture you ideals and enthusiasm and hold onto it as you grow.

After all I have been through, and it has been much, I still believe in the goodness of mankind.  There are more good people than bad.

What would you tell yourself, leave it in the comments below

Our Launch

Our video launch was a tremendous success with a great showing of over 40 friends and family.   Our intrepid blogger Sandi was our host for the evening and she encouraged us all to have a great time.   We had folks from the Jewish Centre supporting us, The Calgary Jewish Academy came to celebrate with us and some representation from the fantastic youth that were part of the project.

So this week we want to feature the fantastic video made by Micah who asked Bob 5 questions.  These questions were based on conversations around "what stories would you want to share with younger people".

Stepping into becoming an Elder in your community and moving into a position of storyteller is an important part of the aging process.  Only you have the lived experience and understanding if you are ahead of someone.  It makes seniors leaders and we have some great leadership on this blog! 

Hope you stayed tuned for more stories, but for now, here's Bob!

Coming To Canada!

Well today is the day we launch our videos out to the universe!   We hope you will join us.   Here is another video by a good friend of the project:  Irina.    Irina looks at what it is like to come to Canada from a communist country and the nature of truth.

Hope you appreciate Irina's thoughtfulness and care as she sorts through what she was taught vs how it lines up with reality

Come view the rest of the videos tonight!

We invite you to join us at our: 

Video Premiere & Blog Celebration.   

April 30th at The Calgary Jewish Community Centre, in the Seniors Lounge from 6 - 7:30 

For a Dessert Reception.

Please RSVP to Shula Banchik at  403 537 8596

Our First Video Blog

Here at Bubbies & Zaidas Blogging we have been working with the youth at Calgary Jewish Academy and we have been inspired to make videos.    We have been working with this new concept to tell stories and overcome some inhibitions.   

Here is a preview of one of our videos by Manny called:   

From the Good Old Encyclopedia Days to the Google Days

click on it to view it:

Come view the rest of the videos!

We invite you to join us at our: 

Video Premiere & Blog Celebration.   

April 30th at The Calgary Jewish Community Centre, in the Seniors Lounge from 6 - 7:30 

For a Dessert Reception.

Please RSVP to Shula Banchik at  403 537 8596

Following Your Dreams

By Sandi


At the young age of 66, I have experienced an interesting journey that took many twists and turns.

As a child, my dream as some young adolescent females, was to be happily married…have four children…first a son, then a daughter...the order of the last two children did not matter. I wanted a son, Todd, first so that my daughter, Tanya Leanne, had and older brother to protect her if needed. My third child either, Wade or Leah would also have their older brother to guide them.

My dream home was a bungalow consisting of a large kitchen, a bedroom for my husband and me and bedrooms for each child. The yard would be large so that my children could enjoy the outdoors as much as possible. We would live on a safe street with other young families and in time become friends. The purpose for the large kitchen other then the obvious, cooking and eating, was for my family and I to sit around the kitchen table and chat, play games such as crib, board games etc. and to get to know each other by communicating.

Dreams take many turns.

At the age of 21, I joined the Air Force. My journey from Nanaimo commenced January 3 1969 by taking the boat from Departure Bay to Horseshoe Bay. My journey continued from Vancouver by an enjoyable train ride to Halifax N.S. The last trek of the journey was via bus to CFB Cornwallis. At CFB Cornwallis, I commenced my military career as a very proud recruit (Private Starling) with basic training during the very cold and miserable winter months of January, February, and March of 1969. I lived in a barrack block that was identified as South Block with many other women who were military career oriented. Some women wore the army uniform, some the navy uniform and others including myself wore the air force uniform. We did not have the pleasure of wearing the actual uniform until the last week of basic training…instead; we wore dresses, which signified the three military elements. My choice to join the military was one of the best I have made and I would do it again. People thought I was a “bit out to lunch” as one of the routines I enjoyed during my journey was drill…marching…looking sharp, ready for inspection on the parade square. I felt very proud of myself…in fact was complimented once by the inspecting officer.

My military journey took me to CFB Borden for my trades training which was finance. The last trek of my military journey ended at CFB Rockcliffe…a very beautiful base in Ottawa. Along with my career at CFB Ottawa, I volunteered to be on the Base Defence Force. I learned out to use a gas mask…take an FNC1 rifle apart and put it back to together…how to use a baton during a riot.

As a volunteer with the Base Defence Force, I experienced two outstanding highlights:

·       A Commonwealth Convention was held in Ottawa and I had the privilege to be on duty at the Airport terminal when the dignitaries arrived. One of my duties was to check for identification. If I had any doubt that a person should not be going to the tarmac, I would ask for ID this also applied if I had suspicions of anyone who was entering into the building where I was on duty.  It was a great privilege and honour to be in the same building with numerous leaders from around the world….I even had the opportunity to give the odd direction when asked. The second duty was to be on guard outside of the VIP lounge and allow only classified personnel to enter.

·       The second highlight while on the Base Defence Force was being on duty at the Officers Mess at CFB Rockcliffe during the presentation of a medal to an honoured gentleman by the Queen. My location of duty was by the clothe room where I hung up various coats of VIPS. In attendance at this prestigious event were Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip, Princess Ann, Governor General Lège, Prime Minister Trudeau and other dignitaries. After the presentation of the medal was over and the VIPs were preparing to leave, I had the honour to hand Prime Minister Trudeau his “Top Hat” white gloves and scarf…it feels like it only happened yesterday.

I still remember what Queen Elizabeth wore. She had on a beautiful middle green velvet coat, and a gorgeous hat to match. Pinned to the lapel her coat was beautiful pin. I was within five feet from Her Majesty.

I requested and received an honourable discharge from the military, the end of March 1974. I lived and worked in Ottawa as a civilian until June 1976 and eventually moved to Calgary.

You might ask me why I choose to move to Calgary as compared to Nanaimo, the city I am from...my answer is “a voice inside me told me to do so”…I listened to my intuition.

Living in Calgary has had its experiences (ups and downs). I compare my life experiences to climbing up Mount Everest…one climbs so high…stops because of some plateaus or crevices and then commences climbing a bit more. Another analogy is “the little train that could”. I experienced 28 wonderful and educational years with various departments within the Federal Government: (Revenue Canada as a administrative support with Special Investigations; Agriculture Canada as a Staffing Classification Assistant; Human Resources Development Canada as a Senior Contract Support Assistant) I won’t go into the last 10 ½ years of my career with the Provincial Government. (There were more downs than ups)

Volunteering in various capacities helped to make my life seem more successful.

·       During my career with the Provincial Government I was involved with Calgary Corporate Challenge…great experience…this was the best learning experience for me as a Provincial Government Employee as it took me out of my comfort zone and taught me how to become a leader.

·       I joined the Royal Canadian Legion in 1976 and eventually became involved as an executive…for some reason, this gal, me…seemed to have a problem just being a member…she always had to jump in with both feet and be on the board.

·       As if I didn’t have enough on my plate, I joined an Air Cadet squadron and became a civilian officer for a couple of years. This part of the journey took me to Maelstrom Air Force base for an enjoyable weekend tour with other officers and cadets where I challenged myself to rapell Aussie Style down the outside of a small building.

·       My self-esteem and confidence needed a good boost; therefore, I became a Toastmaster. I was a Toastmaster for 15 years and again concentrated on being involved with the planning and organization as compared to concentrating on doing speeches and presentations. Over the 15 years I was involved in two separate clubs. The second club, Twin Rivers, was where I think I burned out. The club was identified as “the old boys club”…, would you believe, I had the honour of being the first female president of the club…how awesome is that? With the support of the outgoing President, as well a good executive, I worked hard to ensure the success of the club. In 2008/2009 I planned and organized the clubs 60^th anniversary celebration with the assistance of other club members. I think I burned myself out because I did not delegate well. The event was very successful.

The newest twist/turn on my journey is being part of the Bubbies and Zaidas Blogging Group through the Jewish Community Centre…it has not been what I expected it, in fact, it is better in many ways. I have met wonderful people. I have been mentoring a woman pertaining to the use of a lap top and writing a blog. I have had the pleasure to meet some students at the Jewish Academy. My first day at the Jewish Academy was a fun. I connected with a lovely student named Lauren…to sum the day up; she helped to make it perfect. The facilitator, Mariette, is astounding.

As I am typing up some of my life’s experiences, I am thinking….hmmm I guess Mom’s do not experience these “types” of twists and turns that have challenged me. It was not meant for me to be a Mom. Well, now that I am settled down to a degree, maybe someday, somehow, I will have the pleasure and experience of having children in my life…maybe in some way I could be a mentor.

Life is what a person makes it…Life is great…All the bumps in my journey have helped me to become a stronger person and also have helped me to learn who I am as compared to who “others” what me to be.

Dreams take many turns...sometimes what is not planned,  fulfills one's life in unexpected adventures.

Marriage is a lot like the Weather

By Bruce Eekma

I’m no expert on Marriages but, after fifty plus years, believe it is a lot like the weather, one day it is hot the next cold. When we first get married we treat each other like Kings and Queens and there are many warm days. However this does not last because after celebrating a couple months of honeymoon, the storms start coming, first little ones mostly rain however after a couple months the fun begins. Don't get me wrong sometimes a good storm is just what the doctor ordered because we get to make up and every marriage need a little rain every now and then to keep things fresh. 

If you are anything like me, I got married to have kids, so got my wife pregnant after three months of marriage. Ones the kids arrive us males are not Kings anymore and we become number two. If we wanted a little sunshine in our marriage we have to help around the house. Gone were the night out with the boys, because we have to babysit, and gone are the extra little treats we use to get when we got home from work. No sir if we are not careful we can have more rain than sunshine and everything starts to droop if you know what I mean. However there is hope, because if a man is smart enough, he will purchase an umbrella to protect his partner and does special extra little things for her, then maybe the sun will start to come out again and the birds will start to sing.

After a couple of years  marriage we feel we can predict a storm or even start a small one, including prepare ourselves for the onslaught, but most of the time they come out of nowhere. Most storm happen around the festive holidays when there are a lot of parties. At these parties there are lots of people in the same boat as us that are looking for a little sunshine. After a couple drinks everything looks better and we start to feel like Kings and Queens again and get that feeling that we have been shortchanged in the weather department. These parties are full of people that agree with us and promise sunshine and happiness everday. However let me tell you don’t start to looking for a little warming, for you will run into a thunderstorm , because when you get home your better half will see right trough you and see it on your face and she will get the trued out of you because you’re a poor liar.

We have a Mayor, in one of the biggest cities in Canada, who also looked for a little sunshine but he ended up with a tornado and is going to spend the rest of next year repairing his life. Maybe it will never be repaired and he will be permanently condemned. Let me suggest to all of you that when you go to these parties make sure you have an umbrella to protect you from getting soaked and maybe some rubber booths to keep your feet clean because sooner or later it is going to storm. 

You don’t have to worry about me anymore because after fifty years of marriage my wife still picks up a treat for me every now and then and I have just completed a book about her life. At my age I don’t go to many parties and now she needs me to help with the great-grandchildren who bring all the sunshine we need so yes we have been blessed.