The Jetsons Are Back!

By Catherine Bryson

The idea for the Jetsons post came from studying the new apartment buildings on the corner of 13^th and Lonsdale Avenue. I noticed the balconies curved in a futuristic way and reminded me of The Jetsons animated sitcom from the 1960s.

Wikipedia tells me that the sitcom featured: ‘elaborate robotic contraptions, aliens, holograms, and whimsical inventions’ (such as the canine treadmill, remember?)

The show The Flintstones (also a Hanna-Barbera production) was like The Jetsons only in reverse: with machines powered by dinosaurs and birds.

The recent rapid construction on the North Shore caused me to write ‘The Vanishing North Shore’ post last week and to come up with yet another ‘little ditty’:

It’s such a chore

To get to the North Shore

And I do declare

All the new

Construction

Is a frightful

Nightmare!

On the other hand, many of the new condos tend to be low-rises. Thus, our spectacular view of the mountains largely remains unobstructed. But this influx of 21^st century-ness caused me to ponder what sort of animal I am: a techie evangelist, or a Luddite?

Though my older sister tells me that, actually, the Luddites of the 19^th century were not anti-technology. Rather, they were protesting their loss of the means of production—namely, the cottage industries that thrived before the Industrial Revolution.

Upon reflection, I think I am a bit of a happy medium: not an evangelist, but not avoiding social media altogether.

In her article (see Resources), my sister introduced me to two new terms:

‘technoromanticist hyperbole’ (quite a mouthful!)

The ‘neophilic’, the love of the new, and the idea that change is the equivalent to progress.

Which is why I have become greatly curious about Lovot, the new social robot for the residents of long-term care, invented by the IDEA program at UBC (the same people that brought you Zinnia TV, which I mentioned in a previous post.) There’s been quite a bit of ‘buzz’ lately about AI (Artificial Intelligence), and that’s what prompted me to research the use of robots in geriatric care. (See the Resources for more info on that.)

And while it is true that, in some respects, the world is becoming frighteningly similar to Aldous Huxley’s book ‘Brave New World’ (1932), not to mention Margaret Atwood’s ‘Handmaid’s Tale’—I nonetheless find some aspects of 21^st century life rather endearing. For example, those cute little ‘Squishmallow’ dolls. Even the Lovot robot is very cute. In fact, he reminds me of the ‘Minnions’ cartoon back in 2016.

So, the future, while far from idyllic, does nevertheless have some ‘friendliness’ (which at one time was the Telus slogan if your recall.)

This week’s images are first, of a juxtaposition between Old and New North Vancouver, cheek by jowl as it were. The contrast is so amazing, isn’t it? And second, a photo of my siblings at the Ontario Science Centre, back in the 1960s.

Lastly, I’ll close with the news that North Vancouver cartoonist Lynn Johnston is putting out a children’s book series based on a 9-year-old robot boy. The series is called: ‘Allottabotz.’ I cannot help but think of the Pinocchio of my childhood.

If I had anything to recommend to all of us grappling with the dizzying pace of change, it’s to ‘Seize the Day’ (‘Carpe Diem’, remember the movie ‘Dead Poets Society’ back in the 1980s?) Or, as the novelist Jane Austen wrote, ‘Why not seize the pleasure at once?’

So, as the Irving Berlin song goes: ‘Let’s have another cup of coffee, let’s have another piece of pie…’ (Or at the very least, some Doritos.)

The other piece of advice is to slow down.

Next week is my second Hope post, just in time for Spring. I’ve been eyeing the magnolia tree at the end of my street for weeks now. I think it is confused by the fluctuating temperatures.

Aren’t we all?

Resources

‘New Technologies and the Cultural Ecology of Primary Schooling: Imagining Teachers as Luddites In/Deed’ Mary Bryson and Suzanne de Castell. Educational Policy, Vol. 12 No.5 September 1998.

Lovot Robot

https://idea.nursing.ubc.ca/2023/01/06/lovot-robot/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Jetsons

Third image featured:

«The Future is Now: Socially Assistive Robots for an Aging Population Are Here, Courtesy of Goldie Nejat” (2020)

The Future Is Now: Socially Assistive Robots For An Aging Population Are Here, Courtesy of Dr. Goldie Nejat

Newsflash:

Note the following workshop coming up in April (not free) offered by Kristin Neff, self-compassion expert.

Self-Compassion for Caregivers: Caring for Others Without Losing Yourself

9 am-12 pm PST Saturday, April 27^th, 2024.

For more info, visit:

https://learn.centerformsc.org/courses/sccgApr2724

Celebrating The Power of Love (In All Its Forms)

by Catherine Bryson

This week, as a special post for Valentine’s Day 2024 (which also happens to be Ash Wednesday in the liturgical calendar), I write on the timeless topic of love.

For love can take many forms: from romance to platonic friendship, to devotion to craft (Kahil Gibran wrote ‘work is love made visible’), to the unconditional love of a pet.

Upon pondering this topic, I came up with the following little rhyme. I apologize for its flaws but, in truth, I have been rather preoccupied of late with a thorny housing issue. So here goes:

Valentine’s Poem by a Fifty-Something, Circa 2024

How to heal a broken heart without repeatedly shopping online,

Or consuming endless bottles of wine,

Or the entire contents of one’s fridge for that matter (including moldy cheese).

Indeed, how to attract the opposite sex with an increasingly (and alarmingly!) expanding waistline!

Or agonizing nights awake with visions of your bank balance slowly dwindling down to your last dime!

It’s a bit sad seeing yourself in decline

Though it seems the main solace to me now,

Is a divine canine, and a book at the end of the day

Just to recline

Sip and dine.

Still it’s true every now and then I whine,

I know I’m not supposed to but the sun

Don’t always shine

On my life.

There.

Upon reflection, I realize love is timeless. Septuagenarian or 20-something, makes no difference: ‘if you are among the very young at heart’ as the song goes. And didn’t Canadian poet bill bissett (he spells his name in lower case) publish the book ‘Canada Gees Mate for Life’ in 1985? (‘Gees’ is correct by the way, that’s how the poet spelled it.)

Note on the image: My father in the blue yarn ‘lasso’, aged about 9 or 10 at the family cottage on Lake Simcoe, Ontario, circa early 1940s. Even in the midst of war, a little paradise. Oddly enough yesterday, as I walked homewards, the ocean in the distance shimmered and dazzled with thousands of silvery lights. And although I felt sad about my life, and all my struggles of late, I could not help but look in wonder at the beauty around me. And so, it is. Even in the face of tragedy there is great beauty, as well as hope, if you look for it.

So, now I’ll close with another quote, which really makes sense to me precisely because it doesn’t make sense:

‘There is always some madness in love. But there is always some reason in madness.’

Friedrich Nietzsche

Wouldn’t you agree?

To me, mild insanity is an asset, not a liability. For out of all of us, there are only dogs, children and lunatics that have any real chance at happiness.

A sad truth, or perhaps, a silver lining?

Next week is my Jetsons post, where I talk about AI, among other things. And following that, my second post on Hope, just in time for the cherry blossoms.

Resources

‘Those who love deeply never grow old; they may die of old age, but they die young.’

Arthur W. Pinero

https://nursinghomevolunteer.com/15-beautiful-quotes-about-love-in-old-age

‘Vanishing North Shore’

by Catherine Bryson

A while ago, author and heritage activist Michael Kluckner wrote his book ‘Vanishing Vancouver’ (2012). Since I admire and have deep respect for his work, I decided to do my own spin-off: Vanishing North Shore.

Especially in light of all that’s happened lately to change the face of the North Shore forever, namely:

The Oasis Car Wash

Closed September 29, 2023-Manager Steve Daniels cites the high cost of property taxes, materials, insurance and labour. The Oasis opened in 1967 by entrepreneurs Elgin and Helen Arnold. Recently I learned the iconic Oasis Car Wash sign will have a permanent home at the North Vancouver Museum (Minova).

The Knit and Stitch Shoppe

The Knit and Stitch Shoppe in West Vancouver closed its doors recently, after 50 years in business. However, owner Ingrid Mutsaerts plans to convert a bus into a mobile knitting unit, thus preserving the crafting way of life on the North Shore.

The White Spot, Park Royal.

Lastly, the West Vancouver White Spot is set to serve its last burger March 17, 2024 after nearly 70 years in business. The White Spot’s previous location at the site of the newly-built mall dates back to 1955!

For more information on these changes, see the Resources section below.

When I was in my twenties I came up with the concept of ‘votivity’—a daily or weekly ritual humans engage in that contributes to their mental health somehow and, more importantly, their brain health, thus preventing or slowing down the process of cognitive decline. For example, going to a favourite coffee shop every week, to meet up with your urban family. That coffee shop never changes, it is forever ‘a clean, well-lighted place’ as Hemmingway wrote.

The absence of ritual, however, and the relentless pace of change, has the opposite effect. It confuses and upsets the older adult’s need for sameness and predictability (votivity), thus leading to cognitive decline and neurodegeneration, ultimately, AD. Isn’t it true after all that in the course of a single year of life in the 2020s, there is enough change that it would take the average person almost a lifetime to process! I think about change all the time, and its’  impact on mental well-being. In a way, the relentless pace of change is what is truly frightening about post-modern life. The younger generation is accustomed to constant change—not so the older adult. Herein lies the crux of the problem. I have a therapy technique that can help the older adult cope with change better, and that is memory therapy. More on that in subsequent posts.

Next week is my Valentine’s Day post. Romance for the over 50s? A contradiction in terms? Not so, not so. As you shall soon see. And then a post on hope (my second post on that theme) and finally the long-awaited Jetsons post. So, a pretty entertaining month. And why not? Life is hard, we need our entertainment, the same way Bing Cosby used to entertain the troops overseas during the Second World War. Plus, it gives me a chance to write my little heart out. And as my father said (may god rest his soul), writing is enough of a reward in and of itself. He always said you write for yourself first, then one other.

Images:

An anachronistic apartment building on my street, sandwiched between two brand-new condominiums.

A bagpiper in a pink tartan kilt making his way up Lonsdale Avenue, one December late afternoon. Some traditions never die, truly.

Resources:

Oasis Car Wash:

https://www.oasiscarwash.ca

Knit and Stitch

https://www.nsnews.com/local-news/knit-and-stitch-shoppe-dundarave-8042333

West Vancouver White Spot

https://www.nsnews.com/local-business/west-vancouver-white-spot-set-to-close-after-nearly-70-years-in-business-8119072

I also wish to include the following link to a course that is offered by self-compassion expert Kristin Neff, if any of you are interested. This is an 8-week online course (not free) on self-compassion.

The Power of Self Compassion

NSCR did a Powerful Tools for Caregiving course last year. This is just one more tool for your caregiver toolbox. I believe self-compassion has the potential to heal the many emotional challenges of caregiving in a way that is both gentle and self-kind.