Notes from JB

NOTES FROM JB

Write to JB: jb@jbonair.com

Rushing it

I'm always interested to hear how people's relationships start. It's more fun to know the when and other details about it. Last weekend I got a call from a friend just devastated that the relationship was over. I was even more shocked because I didn't even know there was one. Apparently it was "true love" and it "hurt so bad." Like the good friend that I am I listened to the crying and all the other emotional stuff behind it. But when I asked how long they'd been together I was told "about a month." Well, "how long did you know each other?" "Um, about a month." OK, there's a red flag right there (that's also the time I go into laughing and lecture mode). I've never understood why people rush into something serious so quickly with a total stranger. This totally relates to the webpoll question because I think if you don't know a person very well there's no basis of any sort of committed relationship. In my opinion, and we know I have a lot of those, I've always thought it means that a person is desperate for any sort of companionship when he or she quickly jumps into a relationship. After digging a bit more into the situation with my friend I found out the two got together initially only for a sexual encounter but then one developed feelings for the other after a few rendezvous. The reason this "relationship" caught me offguard was because this friend previously told me that that's all that was desired was a fooling-around-type of thing and didn't want anything serious. For me, I stuck to my line of questioning, "So then what's the problem? You got what you wanted and there are no strings attached. What's so devastating?" Maybe it was me being a little insensitive but people need to do some serious thinking before including another person in the picture. It's much like getting a pet- if you don't have the time and desire to stick it out, don't bother. Better yet, take time to figure out if it's a good match.

Pink is for me

I write this as I'm wearing a pink T-shirt with a pink ribbon in the middle. What is significant about this? One, the fact that I've never worn pink in my life (I even asked my mom if I ever had anything that colour when I was younger) and two, I'm wearing it on a day that coincidentally means a lot to my family.

Today is June 4 - not for you reading, but for me writing. This is the day many of my media colleagues in Winnipeg are pink from head to toe. Obviously they are recognizing the fight against breast cancer. The day is significant to me because this is my aunt's birthday. She died 26 years ago after losing the fight against breast cancer.

So the day is somewhat bittersweet. Even though I'd never met my aunt (she died on Christmas Day about eight months before I was born) there's still that emotional connection knowing how my grandma feels having lost a daughter and how my cousins feel having lost a mom.

While I felt awkward walking around the streets of Winnipeg in a pink shirt and having people stare at me, I started to think about those who have to walk around and sometimes get strange looks from others. For instance, women who have lost their hair and go through a time being bald can get the odd glance.

After awhile I began enjoying the looks I was getting from people. I wasn't embarrassed about what I had on and the reason I had it. In fact, I was proud that I was drawing attention and getting people to notice me. It's the same thing with bald women: if you survived breast cancer and can live to tell about it, rock on and strut your stuff going commando on top of your head!

While I figured wearing this pink shirt would be a one-day thing, it might just be a bigger piece of my wardrobe than I first anticipated.

OK, now I'm being lazy

We all use the excuse: I'm just too busy. Often it's about cleaning the house or doing yardwork. I have to admit I've stooped to a whole new level. Not only do I have a tableware set of 12 plates so I only have to do dishes once every two weeks, I hit a new low over the weekend when I ran out of plates and rather than actually washing them, I went and bought paper plates for dinner.

I had time to lay out in the yard and spend several hours in the Jacuzzi, but I just couldn't drag myself to do dishes or take care of the laundry. I actually wore a swimsuit for much of Sunday since I didn't have any other clean clothes.

Now to my defence. We've had some crazy busy weeks with Toronto travel and weird scheduling changes for holidays this week which has left me working six days a week and sometimes 12- or 14-hour days. When I get home I just want to relax and slow down and do nothing for a while. I wrote about that a few weeks ago when I felt guilty because I shopped or laid around and watched TV. I think I had a really quick change of heart because now I'm enjoying lounging!

Weirdest interview ever

Instead of having a relaxing summer I've been on one weird assignment after another. This time it was talking with the infamous Shirley Phelps-Roper of Westboro Baptist Church, an organization many consider to be a hate group.

Years ago I saw her dad, Fred Phelps, on a talk show and couldn't believe the stuff that came out of his mouth. I wondered if what he was saying was just for show or if he actually had the opinions he was spewing left, right and centre. His messages were simple: everything in the world is hated. He went on about homosexuality being wrong, how God hates pretty much everything and that we're "doomed."

Now with Fred off the media circuit, the new mouthpiece for the church is his daughter Shirley. Could she be as outrageous as her spunky father? Absolutely.

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I am getting sleepy...

Have you ever had one of those days where you just wanted to do nothing? I mean literally flat out nothing. I did that the other day. It totally reminded me of being a teenager.

With the exception of letting the dogs out and feeding them, having a bath and grabbing a bite to eat, I did absolutely nothing. It was great. I stayed in bed and slept probably a total of 20 hours that day. It was one day, give me a break!

But I must say that this day of energy conservation had me up like a shot super early the next morning and ready to go for a 14-hour workday. So while many of you were out partying over the weekend and getting crazy, I was getting cuddly in bed with my fuzzy blanets and DVDs.

OK, maybe it's a little sad. But remember, it was one day!

Remember to VOTE ERNIE!