Laura & Jeff

little ones...

Turbulence...inside and out.

At 40,397 ft. Minneapolis looks HUGE. So did Detroit. I’ve just left London, Ontario, where the Professional photographers of Canada are holding our national convention and trade show. It was really last minute that I’d go at all, but the speaker line-up was just too great to pass up. Friday night, I drove to Calgary to get my 12:45 am flight to London, where, much to my dismay, I was completely unable to fall asleep...the pharmacist had told me that half a gravol should put me to sleep. I should have mentioned my perpetually wired state. Saturday had speakers and then dinner with friends at a Viet – Thai restaurant. We walked back to our hotel in light rain, and spent a little time in the Hospitality Suite. After 42 hours without sleep, I gave in. Sunday we enjoyed more amazing photographers sharing their magic, a tradeshow, and Cultural Mosaic Fun night. I went as an Albertan, with a cowboy hat & Jean jacket. Instant culture. The best part of the night – nobody will believe me – was the mime. Not some mime with a pre-recorded schtick, but a highly interactive, intuitive, responsive, funny Mime. We laughed so hard no sound came out, somebody nearly peed, and the mime, E.T. (real name – short for a longer name) was invited back to the hospitality suite...he was that loved. I’ll find his website info and post that up with some the shots that others got of the night. I’ve never been so fond of the whole ‘mime’ thing, but I was clearly not seeing the comedic improve genius of E.T.
Conventions are a major emotional experience for me, almost always positive. There are so many discussions of the kinds of work we get to do, feelings of gratitude to be able to do this for a career, the joy of working with clients we come to love, the thrill of being thrilled to go do your thing and have it be something that means something to those clients. I’m not the only one who got weepy during a slideshow of images of very old people, and how beautiful those lines are. There is so much inspiration in the air, so much sharing of information and ideas amongst photographers form all over Canada and the U.S. that a person can’t help but become recharged, excited, committed. There are photographers in other markets that are promoting things like weddings together. Different businesses entirely, but based on the existing relationship, they share quite freely and are SO so SO amazing as photographers, you’d be in good hands. There is just a very high level of professionalism that exists within the association that I will always by aspiring to reach.
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....we are having SUCH turbulence right now...not loving this. (There are also frequently other planes in view – freaky, one went under us, these two right now are at a similar altitude to us) My pepsi is SLOSHING....holy crap. Where are my diapers?!!!
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During one of today’s classes, I got the message from my brother that our Granny’s eldest brother Jim has passed away. He was the oldest member of the Retired RCMP association.(91 as of last week) I suppose that distinction goes to someone else now. I’m so glad that he did live such a long life, but I’m also incredibly sad that it’s over. He was the kind of person that everyone wanted to listen to, and he’d almost hold court (unintentionally) in any given living room during family visits, such was his ability to tell a story and relate ideas. He had a book made of a collection of his short stories. I loved to ask his opinion about different topics because he’d had such an interesting life, his perspective was always well thought out. He was 80 years old when he took up painting pictures. He had very high standards for himself, and for others. When my Granny died, Uncle Jim delivered a eulogy and talked about her as a little girl. She had been the only girl of nine children and it struck me how difficult it must be to lose your little sister (even as an old woman), yet he maintained his wit and his dignity. His own wife had been gradually pulled from him by Alzheimer’s in her 60’s, and I believe it was a crushing decision for him to finally take her to live full time in a nursing home. He was such a loving and kind man. One of his later short stories (that I don’t remember as well as I’d like) is called ‘Reflections’ He recalls how proud he was as a young man to catch a glimpse of himself in his police uniform, and other reflections throughout the years that were happy or life affirming. The ending recalls the reflection Jim sees in the glass as he takes his wife to a day centre. The reflection he sees in the glass is no longer the beautiful young couple, but his drastically changed wife, who no longer remembered what to wear to leave the house, or what times of day a person might leave the house. I remember his written description being very pained, raw, and deeply personal. I will miss his stories about police life, about his newest hobby, travels, and advice. Jim was always learning, never stagnant. His example has been important to me. I can remember his voice perfectly. In a way, part of my sadness comes from the reality that my Granny’s brothers are going to be gone some day. They are a little bit of my Granny to me. They look like her, and they’ve all got that dry Scottish humour and effortlessly (it seems) find the irony and laughter in even very sad situations. I’m not even sure they know how much I think of them, and I don’t know how to say it. Here we are over North Dakota, and I’ve got my cry on. The ugly faced one. A little sleep might do me good. We must only be an hour away from Calgary. It would be so nice if I could sleep on the plane. ******************************************

I found his Obituary online (raising turkeys? the things I didn't know!)

Deaths
Description:JIM DUBBIN April 6, 1916  April 13, 2008 RCMP Reg. No.
13720 Born in Speers, Saskatchewan, Jim passed away peacefully at the age of 92
after a wonderful life. Beloved husband of the late Sophie; loving father to Jim
(Lynne), Darlene (Robert), Reg (Joanne) and Susan (Allan) and proud Poppa to
Susan, Chris and Dave Dubbin, Lisa and Nancy Schlomer, and Alex and Shauna
Carlow. Survived by brothers Alf, Charlie and Bruce. Predeceased by brothers
Reg, Bob, Art and Bill and sister Dorothy. Will be sadly missed by cousins Ted
and Irene Hodges and many nieces and nephews. Jim followed his lengthy RCMP
service in Manitoba, Alberta and Ontario with an 18-year career in the Ontario
Department of Highways (DHO/MTO) where he travelled and lectured across all
Ontario first as a Health and Safety Supervisor and later as Executive Secretary
to the Management Employee Group. After retirement in 1981, he immersed himself
in many activities including teaching public speaking, writing short stories,
raising turkeys, learning calligraphy and keyboarding. Always youthful and
engaging, Jim enthusiastically and positively approached life in his later years
by travelling widely, learning the vagaries of computers, digital cameras and
scanners. At the age of 80 he started painting and became an accomplished
landscape painter. At 90, he was determined to master his newly purchased
guitar. Jim made friends wherever he went, most recently at his retirement home
at AMICA, Swan Lake, Markham. A Funeral Service will be held at The Church of
St. Wilfrid (1315 Kipling Avenue, Etobicoke), on Wednesday, 16 April, 2008 at
11:00 a.m., with visitation commencing at 10:00 a.m. and a reception following
the Service. If desired, the family would appreciate donations made in Jim's
memory to the Friends of the Mounted Police Heritage Centre, Regina, to The
Church of St. Wilfrid, or to a charity of your choice.