Thread Drift

[Eden]

I'll admit my first reaction was just wanting to throw up and then to hide under the covers and fantasize that someone would find a big box of uncounted ballots from Pennsylvania... but I've been forced to take a big deep breath and remember

- We survived 8 years of G. W. Bush... we can survive four years of this. There will be setbacks and things will happen that we don't like, but we can still oppose them and we'll get through it. We've got 4 year terms and separation of powers in our government in part to limit the amount of damage any one office holder can do. If anything this can be a serious wake up call and an inspiration for the next term - don't take anything for granted and every vote counts.

- Our friends, neighbors and neighborhoods haven't suddenly changed and the people who supported you before haven't gone away. At least up here, which I will admit is insulated, being one of the bluest districts, in a blue city, in a blue state, it hasn't changed overnight. The people here are still the same and we will continue to be progressive. It may become more expensive as we won't be able to rely on federal dollars for the next few years, and we'll have to fight all the more for what we think is right, but again we'll get through it and we won't change. I feel for those who live in places where some people now feel free to publicly express racism, sexism, homophobia and other bigotries, but now, I guess, it's been made very clear how shallow it was buried and how easy it was to make it all surface again. Hopefully it will inspire more people to speak out and fight - and not just locally - here it's preaching to the choir...

- This was not a mandate - it wasn't even a majority.... It was closer than I like to think about, but the popular vote still went the other way. I believe it's absolutely time to rethink the use of the Electoral College. It's an outdated system that was made when a majority of voters were illiterate and communication was measured in day-weeks-months rather than milliseconds... This is the second time in my lifetime that I've seen a president elected without winning the popular vote. I think change is most certainly needed.

[emily_in_nc]

Lovely post, Eden. I agree wholeheartedly!

RE: Moving to New Zealand. I don't know a lot about it, but I do know that they have strict requirements for retirees (income related, mostly, I believe), and for working folks, they have some kind of points system based on your profession/expertise and their need for that type of work.

I would never move that far from my family, as long as I still have some family, so I haven't paid more than a cursory bit of attention to anything about moving to New Zealand. Would love to visit, though!

[Crankin]

I agree, Emily. My younger son may be moving to Hawaii after he does his initial training for the Army. That is just too far away. His other choice he put in for was Colorado Springs. It would be way more realistic that I would go to Colorado a couple of times a year. Hawaii is just too far. Now, they are in CA and I've even done long weekend visits.

[shootingstar]

Recent article by an American and immigrating to Canada: http://torontolife.com/city/life/dea...g-canada-hard/

I've been to Hawaii twice on different islands and I'm not sequestered on a beach: it struck me as quite different in "feel' than mainland U.S. but of course it's cultural history is just quite different. If it weren't for palm trees and flowered apparel, it felt like to me, like being in Vancouver, BC.

[Eden]

Found myself a mess of matsutakes. I'll be shopping for ingredients today and cooking up these lovelies for myself and a few friends tomorrow. yum! These only grow in the wild and tend to be kind of pricey if you buy them - finding them myself makes them all the sweeter. I got a nice haul enough of chanterelles for one meal too (I don't really like to pick more than I can use in any case) that I cooked the same night. On the menu plain broiled, chawan mushi (egg custard), matsutake gohan and matsutake sukiyaki.

[emily_in_nc]

Recent article by an American and immigrating to Canada: http://torontolife.com/city/life/dea...g-canada-hard/

Wow! I know many expats in Mexico and Belize who had to go through the process to obtain permanent residency in those countries, and it is much less stringent. I had no idea Canada was so strict, but that sounds like the little I've read about immigrating to New Zealand (the points system, and such). The article didn't mention the requirements for retirees, which are sometimes relaxed a bit -- so long as you have plenty of money to bring with you!

[shootingstar]

Wow! I know many expats in Mexico and Belize who had to go through the process to obtain permanent residency in those countries, and it is much less stringent. I had no idea Canada was so strict, but that sounds like the little I've read about immigrating to New Zealand (the points system, and such). The article didn't mention the requirements for retirees, which are sometimes relaxed a bit -- so long as you have plenty of money to bring with you!

Yup. The stories of immigrants coming into Canada with not a lot of money to start a new life, are less and less nowadays. It could still be, if one was sponsored by a family member and then a whole application, waiting period for approval. Sure there are the refugee stories and Canada accepted over 20,000 Syrian refugees within last 12 months are exceptions. One has to present their case to Canadian federal govn't board for refugees.

I know of a personal case for a Canadian engineer who married a Syrian engineer over past 3 years. He applied for immigration...he's still waiting for approval from Canada after 2 yrs. And he is not applying as a refugee at all.

[Pax]

I met my new great niece today, all seven pounds of her, she was amazing!! This tiny little perfect human, all soft and sweet and she smelled good (most of the time).

[emily_in_nc]

I agree, Emily. My younger son may be moving to Hawaii after he does his initial training for the Army. That is just too far away. His other choice he put in for was Colorado Springs. It would be way more realistic that I would go to Colorado a couple of times a year. Hawaii is just too far. Now, they are in CA and I've even done long weekend visits.

I love Hawaii, but flights to/from are tough on the system, especially west to east. You basically lose a night of sleep. I'd hope for Colorado too.