I am too young to have been around when Martin Luther King spoke of his dream. That said, I am very excited at the possibility that Obama might win the US election. Like all politics I don’t always agree with everything this politician believes in – I am most concerned with his take on Gay marriage; he doesn’t fully support it – but it’s nice to see the US shifting towards a Canadian way of thinking. Sadly, Canadians don’t really seem to understand our Conservatives vs. US Democrats. In many cases, their politics are very similar. We are not, and I don’t think we ever have been, similar to the Republicans in our thinking, politics, or beliefs. Hey, maybe the Americans are finally becoming more like us. Is that such a bad thing?

Buffyfest has defined the ultimate Buffyverse cabinet for election ’08.  If only our southern neighbours could be so lucky…

And for those who long to return to childhood or spend significant time trolling my list of favourite online comics, I highly recommend today’s HijiNKS Ensue.

Minus the snow of course *knock wood*

I know it’s early – but then again, it’s never to early to put your Christmas wish list out there for friends and family to view.

As we get closer to Christmas and the economy seems to be balanced on a knife’s edge, I’d like to suggest that people consider downsizing their own collection of Christmas presents under the tree and consider donating some of the money they would spend on gifts to charity. While charity is a great idea all year long, it is at times like these where we need to do more for those less fortunate.

With so many worthy causes out there it can be difficult to choose who to donate to. If you want to make an immediate impact to those in your own community, consider donating food or $$ to your local food banks, the Salvation Army (or it’s local equivalent in your area), local homeless shelters, or soup kitchens.

If you’d like to make a wider impact on the world, consider donating to one of the many charities I have listed on my left sidebar under the title Wearing a Coat of Brown. For those of you not of the Browncoat persuasion (can it be possible?), Browncoats are a dedicated group of worldwide Firefly/Serenity fans who’s main distinction in the world of TV fandom is that they fund-raise and donate money to a number of different charities. Two of the most popular charities for Browncoats are Kids Need To Read (Nathan Fillion and PJ Haarsma are co-founders) and Equality Now.

Kids Need To Read purchases books to donate to libraries so children have access to books to spark their interest in reading a continue the development of their imaginations.

Equality Now works to end violence and discrimination against women and girls around the world through the mobilization of public pressure.

Looking for something different?  World Vision and Heifer International both offer alternate gift giving.  Purchase school supplies, chickens, goats, etc. for families in developing countries. These gifts offer meaningful ways to make a difference in the daily lives of others.

Interested in Supporting Canadian Troops, both current serving members and our veterans?  Visit your local Legion and make a donation or consider donating to the Sapper Mike McTeague Wounded Warrior Fund or Boomer’s Legacy.

Have an ill family member?  Consider donating to a charity that supports research or services provided to those sharing the same disease.  Having lost my father to cancer in 2006 the Canadian Cancer Society is a pretty popular choice in my family.

Want to kill two birds with one stone?  Need something under your tree but want to do good?  Consider purchasing something from the Kids Need to Read Christmas Store on eBay.  Goodies for you and books for children.  What an awesome combination.

Don’t forget many charities allow you to make your donation in someone else’s name.  Your gift to them could be a tax receipt for your charitable donation.  So many people can benefit from small acts on your part. Do something different this year.  Place fewer gifts under your own trees and add gifts to the lives of others.

So quicky they seem to forget.

A security officer at the Bay outside of Yonge and Bloor in Toronto has kicked a veteran off of their property for selling poppies.

While out and about renewing my car insurance and shopping this morning I was disappointed to see that I was the only person I encountered under retirement age wearing a poppy. As the ranks continue to shrink this trend becomes more and more concerning.

I am a student at RMC. My husband is currently serving. My father, grandfather, and great-grandfather served. Each of these men have, at the call of their country, left friends and family to answer the call of their respective nations. They’ve given of themselves in ways that others can’t imagine.

Selling poppies in Canada helps fund services to our veterans. The Legion has spent years and much money to educate those of us too young to remember about the horrors of war and our past. Wearing the poppy is a way to show that we have heard their message and will not forget the sacrifice of those who have gone before us.

I’m ashamed of the treatment this veteran received at the hands of employees of the Bay. Worse, I recognize that this will not be the last time this behavior occurs this year or in the future.

Buy a poppy. Support care for our veterans. Remember.

Papers were uploaded to school on time and now I must begin working on my weekly assignment that’s due late Sunday evening. I’d like to tale some time off school to recover but I know if I did I’d have a hard time motivating myself to finish my classes. So nose back to the grindstone it is.

After finishing school work I decided to for go heading out to party so I could get a good night sleep last night. Apparently makes me “lame”. Whatever.

We had a nice Halloween in the neighbourhood last night. More kids than haul which I’m interpreting as the neighbourhood “cleaning up”. More young parents out with small children meeting the neighbours and stopping for a chat. It’s nice to see people making an effort to connect with others.

Speaking of neighbours. Mine are busy installing siding on my garage today. Drew is still out of town but that hasn’t dampened their enthusiam. Looking good so far.

I’ve got a crazy deadline at work again – quel surprise – so I’ll likely be putting some time in on putting sites together this weekend.

Car registrations have been purchased for the next two years. Normally we only renew for a year due to the expense but apparently I double paid a few utility bills last month (oops!) and had some extra cash available when I went to pay the registrations.

Too bad I could discover the same when it comes to paying course tuition.

My first piece of RMC related clothing arrived today. Got a cardigan. Next up on the shopping list is a sweatshirt.

Last, but certainly not least, Drew is home in 19 days. Can’t wait.