Friday 26 April 2019

Kayleigh and the Lower Your Ears Blues: Friday, April 26th!

I don't know why we are here, but I'm pretty sure that it is not in order to enjoy ourselves. -Ludwig Wittgenstein, philosopher (26 Apr 1889-1951) 










Dear Patrick and Corinne: Just an update about Dhaka. What an interesting time we are having at the conference we are attending. It is the International Information and Knowledge Management Conference. It is the 1st International conference in Dhaka organized by the Library School at East West University (a private university in Dhaka) and the Bangladesh Public Administration Training Centre. The theme is Next Generation Information and Knowledge Dissemination to Realize the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development.

I presented today -- Go Open! Librarians as Leaders and Advocates for Open Education and I managed to make it through. Colin also presented on school libraries and his presentation went very well--he also chaired a session. I must say the conference speakers are interesting and the foreign speakers are from Indonesia, India, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Turkey, New Zealand, Australia, Bosnia Hertzgovina and USA. It has been ever so stimulating getting to know them. The conference participants from Bangladesh are so kind and interested in Canada. Many are young university students--library school students in fact -- they are bright and keen and Dr. Dilara Begum the conference organizer is a consummate organizer. Her students admire her and they are working hard to make this event successful--about 400 people are attending. The young women volunteers wear the most beautiful saris. This is their first international conference and are pleased to be hosting it and to have foreigners attend. Md. Nazmul Hassan the man who made it possible for us to be invited is particularly kind and I feel ever so humbled by the way we have been hosted and welcomed.

John is attending as a speaker as well representing Harvard. I sat in on his presentation
Digital Innovations for Improving the Lives of People with Mental Illness Globally--he was reporting on his work in Bhopal. I have to say I was proud of him. I actually was very impressed with his project and especially his ability to communicate. A super presentation!

Anyways this has been quite the day and tomorrow we start really early 7:00 a.m. for another long day. They don't eat dinner until 8:00 and then we have long bus rides to our hotel compound. The chaotic streets, poverty and subsistence are troubling. But the people are resilient and so many are so kind. Lots to learn. Hope all is well with you and that the weather is nice in Penticton. It was very hot today --38. Lots of good wishes are sent your way!! We head to Delhi on Sunday. Hugs and lots of love Jo-Anne and Colin


Hi High Profile Conference Presenters! Thank you for such a lovely message, especially since you are all obviously extremely, extremely busy with full, long, long days. Congratulations to you three for your presentations. Knowing Famiglia Naslund I knew full well that there would be little doubt that the sessions would be nothing short of well-crafted, keenly informative, stimulating and enthusiastically received. Hats off to you! Bravo! I'm toasting you with a full glass of malt, even though it is 10:00 am, as I pen!!!

Lady Dar would not do well in 38º C! She will take Kona on its first highway trip this Sunday as she is driving into Vancouver for her book club on Monday, plus all sorts of other visits with friends. Almost a strategic military planning situation in terms of making sure she knows where she can re-charge, given vehicle's range over mountain terrain, etc. On Friday I will drive into Vancouver with Chloë as we will be attending Maya's father's 65th surprise birthday party in Gibsons on Saturday. Just a whirlwind tour as we won't even stay overnight in Gibsons and will drive back to Penticton on Sunday. Hope to see Tom Shorthouse on Friday as he will return two binders I had amassed, filled with material used by The Stackettes when they topped the charts! He used some of the material for his magnum opus on The Library. He and Anne will be moving into Vancouver to be closer to family and want to downsize/de-clutter!

Must away as I'm off to the barber to have my ears lowered and my chin revealed! Fondestos, from Lady Dar, who insists on accompanying me as she wants to give direction to Kayleigh, lovely young woman I've been going to ever since my first barber, Mark, retired, just before Christmas. With past cuts, both Chloë and Lady Dar felt she needed to pay closer attention to the back neck. [Seems a bit ominous, doesn't it!]. Enjoy Delhi. What a city! Unfortunately, unbelieveable air pollution was so terrible during our visit in 2015 that it certainly affected/coloured our stay. Coming at the very end of the trip, right after Varanasi, we, along with the Lighthalls, were all suffering from eye and throat irritations of one sort or another. I cannot even imagine the on-going lives of the city's inhabitants. We were only there for five days or so. Travel safely. Stay well. Cheers, Patrizzio! Pics: Olivia in her Easter finery! Felines at rest and play! Duke's Easter rabbit! Andre and Rosemary at Spirit Ridge.


Bangladesh: If she couldn't stand the heat, you couldn't stand the dry. No malts here.
Compulsory detox. Have to make up for it at HK duty free. -Colin Hello On The Wagon People! Trust you are feeling rather superior even though your detox is involuntary! 
Fondestos from Lady Dar to you both. Stay well. Travel safely and enjoy Duty Free in Hong Kong. Cheers, Patrizzio!

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