December was full of birthday, wedding, seasonal holiday events, and then family congregated in town to share time together.
Toronto, Ontario; Mississauga, Ontario
The Second City Toronto: Intermission at early Saturday show in new venue, with bumpers on television screens recalling the history of The Second City performers in previous theatres. Six cast members in extended skits involve longer stories than improv shows we’ve recently seen. Ladies may be uncomfortable in east unisex washroom with toilets and urinals; the west facilities have one room with toilets and urinals alongside another room with toilets only. (The Second City, 1 York Street, Toronto, Ontario) 20221203One York Street: On elevated walkway, just west of bridge northbound to Scotiabank Arena, Banksy (2010) Guard with Baloon Dog was installed in 2017 as part of PATH route. After an early show at The Second City, the family took a scenic stroll, unsuccessfully making all of the right turns to stay inside. Our sons are more familiar with the current nightlife spots than the parents. (One York Street, Toronto, Ontario) 20221203John M. Kelly Library: Big splash of colour with @GinaRorai (2007) Are You There, painting 72″ x 60″ visible as soon as the door in the third floor stairway is flung open. The work of the Toronto-based artist probably gets scant attention by hundreds of students who pass by every day. The art is part of the Donovan Collection, the benefactor a professor at the university. (John M. Kelly Library, St. Michael’s College, University of Toronto) 20221206Centre for Social Innovation Annex: Arrived @csiTO Holiday Gathering around 7pm, the live art station for community painting had already been in progress for 2 hours. When we left at 9:30pm, unclear whether more contributions had improved aesthetics. Vegan chili, bread bar and non-dairy cheese, speeches, dance performance, conversation in a room with loud music. (Centre for Social Innovation Annex, Bathurst Avenue, Toronto, Ontario) 20221208
Bliss Chinese Cuisine: Entrance of bride MY and groom JL in traditional Chinese attire, followed by dancing lions and drummers, halfway through banquet. City hall wedding in the morning, gathering with family and friends in the afternoon to share festivities. Event was put on the calendar only 5 weeks prior, lots of support gained by the circle of friends. (Bliss Chinese Cuisine, Mississauga Road, Mississauga, Ontario) 20221210
Bliss Chinese Cuisine: Family weddings are a rare occasion to catch up with extended family, convening from around the province. Stories related about unfortunate scheduling, recent births, and infants sequestered away from crowds. The increased height of children is a reminder that we should visit more frequently. (Bliss Chinese Cuisine, Mississauga Road, Mississauga, Ontario) 20221210Bliss Chinese Cuisine: Honoured to share afternoon with cousin bride, and meet the groom for the first time. Banquet of 10 courses as per tradition, we observed the couple visiting table-by-table, leading toasts and chatting with guests. Lion dance and comedian were unusual, heartfelt thanks to parents closed the festivities. (Bliss Chinese Cuisine, Mississauga Road, Mississauga, Ontario) 20201210Mustard Seed: In downstairs atrium, Christmas Tree to celebrate the season. Short visit with DY on Movie + Pizza program, not really a participant. Afternoon walk around the neighbourhood, near freezing temperature clear of snow. (Fontbonne Ministries, Queen Street East, Toronto, Ontario) 20221220On The Rocks: Reunion of the #SystemsThinking TO meetup founded by @DerailleurAgile, that I joined 2018-2020. The group went on hiatus, just before pandemic shutdowns, and meetings in person have since become the exception. The planned place for tonight was the after-meeting drinks venue Betty’s on King, but its impending shutdown has attracted swarms, leading a staff member to suggest walking south and west. (On The Rocks, Front Street East, Toronto, Ontario) 20221220Riverside neighbourhood: Holiday plans disrupted by flight delays from Vancouver. Drove to Pearson for pickups, 1:00 a.m. arrival came home at 5:00 a.m. after waiting for luggage was fruitless; 3:00 a.m. arrival is still at airport at 1:00 p.m. to file claim for lost luggage. Chinese beef stew for Dec. 23 dinner has become Dec. 24 lunch, if we can coordinate time zone shifts. (Riverside neighbourhood, Toronto, Ontario) 20221224Gautama: The lights are still bright in Little India on December 24 evening, so Indian buffet was a nice change of pace for a family meal. None of us refilled our plates as much as we used to, and the appreciation of vegetables is higher. Easy access in the local neighbourhood was appreciated, with temperatures still below seasonal norms. (Gautama, Gerrard Street East, Toronto, Ontario) 20221224Riverside neighbourhood: Daughter-in-law and sister on first visit to Toronto, holiday season meant all of our sons are in town. Still recovering from delayed flights from Vancouver, plus jet lag. House decorated for Christmas holidays, more family events ahead. (Riverside neighbourhood, Toronto, Ontario) 2022122Riverside neighbourhood: Opening Christmas stockings on December 24, as Christmas Day gets busy with in-law commitments scheduling. New experience for Vietnamese nationals on diasporic Canadian protocols around holidays. Lineup on the stairs has been an ritual for our sons since they were young. (Riverside neighbourhood, Toronto, Ontario) 20221224Dragon Pearl York Mills: Reservations for 11, lunch choices included turkey, although Asian specialties seemed more popular. Opportunity for grandfather to meet up with family now mostly scattered across Toronto, extended through grandsons marriages. Many trips out to the serving queues, with notable repeat visits to stations for sashimi and for duck. (Dragon Pearl Buffet, York Mills Road, Toronto, Ontario) 20221225Woodbine Beach: Brightly coloured lounge chairs facing Lake Ontario, but cold winter winds discouraged a long stay. Educating a newcomer to Canada on dressing tips in a 35-degree switch drop from Vietnam last week, includes the use of a hood when a toque isn’t desirable. Winter fences have led to an off-leash area where dogs are overjoyed to be playing together, while their masters are calling for them. (Woodbine Beach, Lake Shore Boulevard East, Toronto, Ontario) 20221225
Riverdale Farm: The sheep in the paddocks on Residence Road don’t recognize Christmas Day, so the City of Toronto Parks employees treat this as a regular day. With the sun setting, the sheep’s started bleating together, and moving towards the west fence. Attentions may have be drawn to movements over in the horses being moved indoors for the evenings, with an expectation by the sheep for equal privileges. (Riverdale Farm, Winchester Street, Toronto, Ontario) 20221225
Scotiabank Arena: Family arrived into 9 seats, just in time to rise for the singing of O Canada. Boxing Day afternoon game between Toronto Marlies and Belleville Senators. Many more sports fans came with children, later waving to the roaming cameras to get their faces on the big screen. (Scotiabank Arena, Bay Street, Toronto, Ontario) 20221226
Scotiabank Arena: Mid-game faceoff in third period of Toronto Marlies (tied for first rank in the leauge) versus Belleville Senators (last in rank) on Boxing Day. Control of the puck was with the Marlies winning 3 to 2, with 36 shots on net compared to 20 for the Senators. Special occasion with visitors new to Canada, one son commented that we’ve never gone to a professional sporting event as a family. (Scotiabank Arena, Bay Street, Toronto, Ontario) 20221226Scotiabank Arena: Family from overseas joining for the full Canadian experience, watching the Toronto Marlies defeat the Belleville Senators in a Boxing Day match, 3-2. First taste of poutine from the concession stands. Subgroup continued on to Eaton Centre to see the crowds, more than shopping. (Scotiabank Arena, Bay Street, Toronto, Ontario) 20221226Tim Hortons Airport Road: One 10-pack of Timbits, please! Waiting near the airport, as one of our holiday visitors is seeking the luggage that wasn’t unloaded off the plane 3 days ago, deadheading back westward. I’m not a frequent customer of this Canadian institution, as I don’t drink coffee, and would buy donuts for others to enjoy. (Tim Hortons, Airport Road, Toronto, Ontario) 20221227Gristmill Lane: Spiky illuminated art installation named The Snow Family resembling the uniqueness of snowflakes on Gristmill Lane. Winter Village market on December 27 was busy with visitors on the Boxing Day observance, when most other venues were still closed for holidays. Tourist-oriented kiosks welcomed customers, regular businesses and galleries had locked doors. (Gristmill Lane, Distillery District, Toronto, Ontario) 20221227Service Canada Gerrard Square: The good news is that Service Canada treats every individual the same; the bad news is that on the first working day after Christmas, the line can be long. Assisted newcomer with S-1 (not an SW-1) visa obtain a Social Insurance Number, as Government of Canada has improved privileges for students, allowing off-campus work while still enrolled in school. Waited 4 hours standing in line to be assigned a chair in the queue, then 30 minutes to see an official; next time, there’s an online booking system for a timed appointment. (Service Canada, Gerrard Square, Toronto, Ontario) 20221228Art Gallery of Ontario: In the #EdPien (2022) Present: Past/Future exhibition, furniture installation has signs encouraging visitors to sit and become immersed. Secondhand items were sourced from individuals in Toronto, reminiscent of the repurposing of found objects from 13 elderly members of San Agustin suburb of Havana, Cuba who were recorded and interviewed. Showing newcomer from Vietnam how Canadians share time together indoors despite the season, when inclement conditions make outdoor cafes impractical. (Art Gallery of Ontario, Dundas Street West, Toronto, Ontario) 20221228Art Gallery of Ontario: In career retrospective, #DenyseThomasos (1999) Virtual Incarceration is acrylic on canvas 11 feet high by 20 feet wide. After her figurative paintings in the 1990s, the artist moved towards abstraction referencing the grid as a pervasive modernist device. The monochrome of this work led into other pieces with more splashes of colour. (Art Gallery of Ontario, Dundas Street West, Toronto, Ontario) 20221228Upper Cornell: Invited for holiday season hotpot with my father’s friend’s family. One pot cooking meat, with the other pot vegan, as I wasn’t the only plant-based diner at the table. Convening family from Montreal, they reported travel past vehicles still in the ditch on the 401, from recent inclement weather. (Upper Cornell, Markham, Ontaro) 20221229
36 Lisgar Street: Moderating the White Elephant Holiday Potluck, with attendees contributing gifts to the pool. Each then drew a sequence to choose an unwrapped gift, or steal the gift of a prior selector. Good opportunities for catching up with friends, starting at 4pm and running through 11pm. (36 Lisgar Street, Toronto, Ontario) 20221230
The 125th meeting of Systems Thinking Ontario coincided with the closing day for the RSD13-RSDX online program. As a regular systems convening group, we’ve had monthly meetings since January 2013. Zaid Khan moderated a discussion including me (David Ing), Tim Lloyd, Allenna Leonard, and Kelly Okamura. We recollected starting as a spinoff from Design with […]
The International Society for General Systems Research formed circa 1956 became the International Society for the Systems Sciences in 1988. In 1985, Bela H. Banathy organized the annual meeting on the theme of “Systems Inquiring”. Proceedings normally are published in the year following. In 1987, John A. Dillon summarized Banathy’s perspective in the yearbook, General […]
For five immersive days, a team of six researchers had the opporunity to collaborate on ideas on rhythmic shifts (mostly based on Systems Changes Learning) and anticipatory systems (in the legacy of Robert Rosen). The 2024 Banathy Conversation was organized by the Creative Systemic Research Platform Institute, facilitated by Susu Nousala, Gary S. Metcalf, and […]
Systems Processes Theory has been under development for many decades, led by Len Troncale, a past president of the International Society for the Ssytems Sciences. Many have found getting a grip on the science to be a demanding task, both in scope and in depth. Over many decades, Lynn Rasmussen was a collaborator, refining and […]
The Socio-Technical Systems (STS) perspective, dating back to the studies of Eric L. Trist and Fred E. Emery, was on the reading list of organizational behaviour classes in my undergraduate and master’s degree programs. It wasn’t until 15 years later, when I got involved with the systems sciences and David L. Hawk, that the Socio-Ecological […]
Civic Tech can be described as projects using technology “for the public good“. Civic Tech may be related to, but different from Gov Tech. For the May 2024 Systems Thinking Onrtario, we had two knowledgeable guests in conversation. Dorothy Eng, executive director of Code for Canada since 2021, related her professional journey from engineering to […]
David L. Hawk (American management theorist, architect, and systems scientist) has been hosting a weekly television show broadcast on Bold Brave Tv from the New York area on Wednesdays 6pm ET, remotely from his home in Iowa. Live, callers can join…Read more ›
Following the first day lecture on Philosophy of Chinese Medicine 1 for the Global University for Sustainability, Keekok Lee continued on a second day on some topics: * Anatomy as structure; physiology as function (and process); * Process ontology, and thing ontology; * Qi ju as qi-in-concentrating mode, and qi san as qi-in-dissipsating mode; and […]
The philosophy of science underlying Classical Chinese Medicine, in this lecture by Keekok Lee, provides insights into ways in which systems change may be approached, in a process ontology in contrast to the thing ontology underlying Western BioMedicine. Read more ›
In conversation, @zeynep with @ezraklein reveal authentic #SystemsThinking in (i) appreciating that “science” is constructed by human collectives, (ii) the west orients towards individual outcomes rather than population levels; and (iii) there’s an over-emphasis on problems of the moment, and…Read more ›
In the question-answer period after the lecture, #TimIngold proposes art as a discipline of inquiry, rather than ethnography. This refers to his thinking On Human Correspondence. — begin paste — [75m26s question] I am curious to know what art, or…Read more ›
How might our society show value for the long term, over the short term? Could we think about taxation over time, asks @carlotaprzperez in an interview: 92% for 1 day; 80% within 1 month; 50%-60% tax for 1 year; zero tax for 10 years.Read more ›
The appreciation of change is different in Western philosophy than in classical Chinese philosophy. JeeLoo Lin published a concise contrast on differences. Let me parse the Introduction to the journal article, that is so clearly written. The Chinese theory of time is built into a language that is tenseless. The Yijing (Book of Changes) there […]
In trying to place the World Hypotheses work of Stephen C. Pepper (with multiple root metaphors), Nicholas Rescher provides a helpful positioning. — begin paste — Philosophical perspectivism maintains that substantive philosophical positions can be maintained only from a “perspective” of some sort. But what sort? Clearly different sorts of perspectives can be conceived of, […]
Finding proper words to express system(s) change(s) can be a challenge. One alternative could be diachrony. The Oxford English dictionary provides two definitions for diachronic, the first one most generally related to time. (The second is linguistic method) diachronic ADJECTIVE Oxford English Dictionary, s.v. “diachronic (adj.), sense 1,” July 2023, https://doi.org/10.1093/OED/3691792233. For completeness, prochronic relates “to […]
The selection of readings in the “Introduction” to Systems Thinking: Selected Readings, volume 2, Penguin (1981), edited by Fred E. Emery, reflects a turn from 1969 when a general systems theory was more fully entertained, towards an urgency towards changes in the world that were present in 1981. Systems thinking was again emphasized in contrast […]
In reviewing the original introduction for Systems Thinking: Selected Readings in the 1969 Penguin paperback, there’s a few threads that I only recognize, many years later. The tables of contents (disambiguating various editions) were previously listed as 1969, 1981 Emery, System Thinking: Selected Readings. — begin paste — Introduction In the selection of papers for this […]
