thanks for your kind words re the importance of public transit which is indeed a part of the puzzle of solving global climate change which is of course the great crisis of our time. so uplifting to see the young activists taking on this paramount cause.

i do enjoy my passion but i don't see a role for me to play in making public transit free. i've spoken out to my fellow citizens as much as i can already and supported my city councilor so vigorously in his election (as free public transit was part of his platform and i thought it was a revolutionary idea from an inspiring new voice in city politics) -- i supported him so vigorously one woman asked how i liked "working for him"! i wasn't "working" for him! at least not for money! i wasn't even an official volunteer! i was just a concerned citizen helping to elect a young man with a new vision of doing the right thing for public transit and the planet in general. I like to think that i contributed to his success and now i am going to let others carry on with the cause.

sorry to hear you're without a parrot but understand completely about not wanting to get one when you are considering moving abroad. it's very responsible as a pet deserves a good stable life and you are aware of that. i get uneasy when i hear you talk about moving abroad tho. being so far from familiar health care systems and providers and familiar things in general can be quite challenging and even traumatic as i learned when i moved halfway across Canada. i came back after six months and was glad to return home, breathed an epic sigh of relief. and you're thinking of Eastern Europe, am i right? just concerned that you're prepared for all the challenges. you seen like a competent lady tho and i'm sure you will make the right decision. Not trying to undermine your confidence but i don't want to hear about my lovely BirdDancer unhappy in a strange land and curse myself for not saying anything..