on class, race, and poverty
Smells like pizza.
On plane to Ottawa to a friends wedding.
[redacted, for now]
I keep saying I’ve never been poorer but yeah… a new low.
It kind of sucks. It’s humiliating. There is no dignity in poverty. I see where the saying comes from.
I keep saying this is a lesson i’m learing. But man… do I want this lesson to be over.
A steady income. A steady place to stay. A steady… sense of self.
I see why people cross oceans for the hope of accessing it.
Steadiness.
It truly is a luxury.
//
A lot of black faces on this plane.
I remember when I first moved to Ottawa, or maybe, one of the first times I visited with the ex.
We talked about growing up. I grew up in a predominantly white neighbourhood, went to predominantly white schools, went to a predominantly white university.
Most of my interactions were and still are (although becoming less so) predominantly white.
She said she grew up around a lot of middle eastern people, more black people, more non-white people.
I used to think maybe it was Ottawa that was just more “multicultural” but now that I’m older I think Calgary is pretty multicultural… just not really the part I grew up in.
Well… I think there are more non-white people than before. More than when I was young; a lot more than when my parents were young; even more so than when my grandparents were young.
I’ve been working with some Nigerians recently. I like them.
The job site I am on is definitely white people in the minority. Well… that’s not true, or maybe it is. There’s one crew that’s pretty white; but yeah it’s like a United Nations of sorts.
I imagine most job sites in Calgary are this way. Most job sites in Canada probably.
That’s the thing about construction; that’s kind of why I like it.
You are forced to interact with a large cross section of society. Well, a large cross section of the working class.
And it’s interesting you know.
It’s interesting because you learn a lot about culture. What peoples like and don’t like. What’s unique. What’s the same.
The group think that occurs. The politics people have.
Things that unite. Things that divide.
I like to think that there is no more political place than a job site.
People doing favours, building social and relational capital.
Sometimes conscience, a lot of the times not.
I guess “consciencely” is not a word. Dang.
Anyways…
Still alive. Still cracking. Still smacking.
September kicked me in the face.
Hoping October is a bit gentler.
Don’t think it will be, but that would be nice.
Breath in. Breath out.
One thing at a time.
From the Tao Te Ching, “stop thinking, and you solve all your problems.” Perhaps I will give that a shot.
Ciao.