What gives Winnipeg Humane Society?

http://www.winnipeghumanesociety.ca/home

Are you really interested in the welfare of animals?

I’m seriously beginning to wonder what their priorities are.

I called the Humane Society to report a litter of kittens living in an abandon house on my street. I was told and I quote, “We do not rescue feral cats.” 

Really?

The excuse I got was, they need the owner's permission to enter the premisses. I don’t think anyone owns the burnt out building and if they do, it's more then probable they don't care about the building or the cats.

Just the hell is it they do?

Rescue animals in distress.

If these kittens are not in need of “rescuing” then I have no idea what  is meant by animals in distress.

It's close to impossiable to get within five feet of them, I inquired about trapping them. I was told the Humane Society does  not provide traps, that I would have to call Animal Services and pay 80 bucks to rent a trap for one week.

Well that will accomplish jack n’ shit considering there are 4 kittens. 

Ok lets do some math here, lets say it takes four weeks to catch the kittens, that would would be 320 dollars. 

That s expensive for a person earning minim wage.

Honestly if the Winnipeg Humane Society can afford a brand new multi million dollar building that is in the middle of no where. Not easily accessible to people without cars, I cannot see what the issue is rescuing these kittens.

This situation is absolutely disgusting, and brings to light again how much of donated money actually goes to those in need.

http://www.numberten.com/news/sabmagazine_whs.pdf

For the moment the kittens are all right, it’s summer and a few of us neighbors are providing food and water for them.

They wont be so fortunate come winter,it gets extremely cold in the winter, it can get as cold as -40c.

Flesh freezes in less then a minute in exposure.

I can honestly say, I’m less then impressed with the Humane Society, I will never give money to them ever again. I really question where all the money goes. Marketing firms maybe? It seems the welfare of animals is not their current priory,  a a fancy building and good P.R. is seems to be much more important.

House.

Garage where they live, boards are to protect them from back alley traffic.

Food and water we provide, shelter to keep the food dry. 

Just.....maybe

The past two weeks have been a blur, it feels as though I have been dumped into a worm hole. A phone call changed everything in a millisecond. There’s nothing worse getting a phone call some one you love has passed away unexpectedly. The world tilted, my ears went deaf and my mind strained to understand. All I could do was cry, I was speechless, there where no words to describe the pain I felt.

It’s funny how we take those around us for granted, not really paying attention to how we feel about them and why we feel about them. How much they enrich our lives, support us and live with us here on this planet. Sitting in my living room drinking tea reading blogs about this and that  political corruption, this and that Wall street orgy in greed, seems so petty and pointless, even emotionally juvenile. I used to be an activist for one cause or another, I pulled away from it in frustration, seemly like what I was doing was ineffective and a waste of time. I came to the cynical conclusion, people are fucked, selfish, self-centered, stupid, ignorant and greedy, and to hell with it all. Drop the bloody bomb, do the planet a favour.

My friend's death has given me pause, he touched those around him. He didn’t try to save the world or be self-righteous and preach to the public about how he knew what was best for them. He was just who he was. He saw people as people with their own stories, worries and pains, he respected different views on things, he gave his friendship unconditionally. As a result he impacted the world around him. In doing so he helped to  create a community of people, who love and support each other in the same manner he did us. His teaching where through the way he lived and treated his fellow human. I am by no means painting him as a saint, he had his faults and he was very aware of them. In doing so he was able to accept the faults of others and take the time to try to understand them and the way the saw  the world.

He left us early,  the community he help to create is still there and stronger than ever.

Perhaps true activism is in the small things we do in our day-to-day lives, how we treat ourselves and those around us. Taking time to really listen and understand someone, in doing so expanding our capacity for humanity.

Maybe thinking as a community, instead as a population of people.

I don’t know, this is just a thought while I grieve. Maybe if I act with kindness and humanity towards the next person I meet, maybe just maybe that will be all they need to change how they see the world around them.

Maybe.

Half Baked HiKoooozzzz

It's a gorgeous day May long weekend here in Winnipeg and I'm at home in bed sick as shit.

Who the hell gets sick in late spring?

I'm bored and figured I'll write something.

I have been asked many times how and why I do what I do.

I hate this question cuz it's a hard one to answer.

I just do what I do and don’t think to long and hard about it.

It's my pressure valve, it helps me cope with human beings, work and other shit that invades my life.

Here’s one aspect.

My day job.

I love and hate it. It's a gold mine for creative ideas, and serious pain in the ass. I must admit grumpy, bitter co workers, gossip and general bullshit that goes on is great fodder for a poem or two. My job  really doesn’t have any relevance in my life other then paying bills and putting food on the table. It’s far from satisfying and does nothing to enrich my life. Like most folks I get up go to work do my job as best I can.  Try not to watch the clock, live from break to break and at then end of the day, I’m outta there like a shitstorm. As soon as I walk out of the building I don’t waste any time or energy thinking about it.

On the flip side my job is pretty mind numbing which in turn allows for headspace to meditate on my poetry and how to go about it. I work alone so  I’m free to recited phrases, experiment with delivery, work out kinks and dead ends. I can stop for a second or two and jot down an idea or killer line that pops into my head, there are times when I over hear a conversation that’s very inspiring.

My day job keeps me in line and helps to keep me focused. What little time I have to indulge in my creativity is cherished and precious. If I didn’t have to work 8hrs a day at something I really didn’t care about I think I would waste a ton of time doing nothing. And I have to admit with out my job I wouldn’t be able to afford the stuff I need for my shows and performances. Nor would I have the opportunity to interact with people whom I would normally wouldn’t. Discuss ideas on racism, politics and society.

Art cannot be created in a vacuum.

The other thing my job does for me, is keep me honest. It is important and imperative to wear a mask and costume when at work. We live false lives 5 days a week 8hrs a day. The last thing I want to do is be a phony in the one area that give room to be who I really am.

So I guess it was in accurate of me to state my job has no relevance in my life.

It plays a major roll in the how, what, where, and why I do what I do.

With out my boring annoying job, I don’t think I would be as driven and dedicated to my art. 

Instead my job would drive me insane and I would become a pretty miserable person.

Kitty's HiKoooizims.......

 Bees need knees to please

hot yellow lazy daisies

fencing ladies gitch.

May 15th, Tuesday nite 7 pm @ 318 Ross
Check it... spit it .... support.
PegCity's poetry slam finals....Kitty Kittie, PegCity's only freestyle slam poet.

Dig it deep!

Respect.