Eventful Morning

So I've been catching some flak for not having updated the blog for a little while. I know, gentle readers, that you wait breathlessly for the next update, and I'm sorry. I have been away. And I remain insanely distracted (I am talking distracted to an unhealthy degree, like I've been having dreams about it) by the quest for tickets to Leonard Cohen. INSANE. So I haven't blogged.

I'm back on track now though, believe it or not. (Believe it!). Today I was outside with the others, escorting, and of course it was extremely cold. I have lost all feeling in my toes. Well, not really. Having suffered a mild case of hypothermia while in Montreal a couple weeks ago, I feel much better equipped (although not any happier) to face the cold.

We had a special guest today, a reporter from the CBC who is doing a piece on the escorts for Maritime Noon (I will let you know as soon as I find out when it's going to air). So that was fun, getting to chat to her, and see her attempt to tear herself away from an interview with Earpiece Charlie (!). It should be a really interesting piece, all told.

Lots of protesters out today, including at least one new guy - a young fellow with a cross on the ass of his jeans. STYLE. Jesus appreciates it. One of the highlights of the morning was the guy in the snow removal vehicle yelling at the protesters to get out of his way. However, this was followed by about eight different city vehicles going back and forth over the same patch of Brunswick Street, not actually removing any snow that I could see, but making lots of noise. Your tax dollars at work.

Some of the clinic staff have been getting a bit upset lately about Earpiece Charlie and a couple of the other (male) protesters who stare in through the clinic windows at staff and patients. The concern is that this constitutes harrassment. Well this week a couple letters were written and (hand) delivered to the offending parties. I was asked to take the first one to the quiet guy with the grey hair (he's so generic looking I don't even have a nickname for him). I went up to him and tried to hand him the envelope, and we had the following conversation:

Me: Excuse me. This is for you.

Him: Is it a love letter?

Me: No.

Him: I don't think I should accept any hate mail.

Me: It isn't.

Him: What is it?

Me: It isn't from me. It's from inside.

Him: I don't think I should take it.

Me: Just take the letter.

At this point I sort of thrust it into his hands and walked away. He called after me: "Jesus loves you!", and then let SF and SS know that Jesus loves them, as well.

The letters were read (apparently) but the protesters continued to stand still and stare through the windows. Finally, the law on our side - SL called the cops. A police officer came and chatted with the protesters, basically letting them know that they were allowed to be there but they had to keep moving. A tiny victory for us.

Also, some awesome news: our doctor, SR, asked me if I want to go with her to the NAF conference in April! Of course I said yes. I'm super stoked - it's such a good opportunity to learn more about a field that I might very possibly be involved in for a while, and also to network (which I hate doing, but it's a necessary evil). I am very excited that she would think of me.

It's kind of funny...I'm very passionate about the issue of abortion rights and access, and I love this job, but I was sort of thinking of it as something I would do for a couple years while I wait for my partner to finish law school. But now all these things keep happening - the essay contest, the recognition the blog is getting, media interviews, and now this conference. It's as if the universe is telling me this is something I might actually do...with my life. A career in repro rights advocacy. Possibly. Not necessarily here in NB (lord forbid, actually - sorry gang, I hate the climate), but wherever I eventually end up. So I guess it's something to think about. I always sort of envisioned myself with a career that involved helping people in need, which I automatically assumed meant working in international development. But there are a lot of women in need in this country and in the states, who are lacking access to good health care - sexual, reproductive and otherwise. So maybe it's a start.

Anyway...enough of my personal musings. Things are looking up, even though Spring is nowhere to be seen. The only thing that would make my week better would be getting those Leonard Cohen tickets. Please please please please please.