a peek inside the fishbowl

Breadwinner.

It’s an interesting word, isn’t it? Someone who “wins the bread” (so to speak) is the primary earner in a family.

The word “bread” has Old English roots and has commonalities in other Germanic languages. In German it’s brot, and in Swedish it’s bröd. According to the Wiki entry about bread, it is believed that the original term derives from the word “brew” or “break.” (Did you know I was such a word nerd?)

Bread – whether it’s leavened or unleavened – has been the core of the family meal for thousands of years and features prominently in kitchens around the world in many forms. Think about it for a moment:

Tortillas
Matzo
Naan
Roti
Rye
Baguette
Pretzel
Bagel
Pita
Bannock

These breads have as many similarities as they do differences.

Bread is one of the world’s oldest prepared foods. The existence of leavened bread has been traced back to prehistoric times, so how could it not become part of our global culture? We break bread together. It’s part of the Lord’s prayer. It is one of the elements of the Eucharist. It’s one of our most basic needs: “A loaf of bread, a jug of wine, and thou.”

I thought this was a particularly interesting snippet from Wikipedia:

“During the 1950s the beatnik community used the term bread as a euphemism for money. In Cockney rhyming slang, bread means money; this usage is derived from the phrase “bread and honey”. The word bread is now commonly used around the world in English-speaking countries as a synonym for money (as is also the case with the word dough).

“The cultural importance of bread goes beyond slang to serve as a metaphor for basic necessities and living conditions in general. A “bread-winner” is a household’s main economic contributor and has little to do with actual bread-provision, for example. This is also seen in the phrase “putting bread on the table”. A remarkable or revolutionary innovation is often referred to as “the greatest thing since sliced bread”. In Russia in 1917, Lenin and his fellow Bolsheviks promised “Peace, Land, and Bread.” The term “breadbasket” is often used to denote an agriculturally productive region. In Slavic cultures bread and salt is offered as a welcome to all guests. In India, life’s basic necessities are often referred to as “roti, kapra aur makan” (bread, cloth, and house).”

So, yes. Breadwinner. The winner of the bread. What happens to a family when the breadwinner’s basket is empty?

–

I haven’t been very forthcoming here, have I? As I look over what I’ve written so far I realize that I’m delaying the inevitable by burying the point of my post underneath a pile of words about something inconsequential that has been occupying my mind. Half of you may not even get to this point. I don’t know. Perhaps I’m trying to help soften the blow for myself. To see the truth written here in black and white… hurts.

I feel like my normally sunny outlook has been obscured by a large black cloud.

As some of you know, my husband Mark works at CTV Ottawa. There was a big layoff on Friday (you can read the CEP press release here) and he is one of the many people who has been affected. Mark, who has worked there for over 25 years, may or may not have a job. I won’t go into detail right now, but I will say that we still don’t know the exact details of his situation and cannot predict what the outcome will be. A dreadfully sharp ax is hanging over our heads and we are absolutely paralyzed. MENTALLY, physically, it’s been a blow… and it has been taking its toll on us every sleeping and waking hour this weekend.

The girls were devastated when we told them. They are very proud of their dad, and to tell them he might not have a job anymore, at a television station that by all counts is very successful, well, you can imagine how well that went over. We’ve spent the weekend trying to keep them distracted but the mood has been a somber one. The evenings have been quiet and the nights… sleepless.

It’s been quite the Family Day weekend.

So yes, Mark and I are feeling rather helpless. He’s pouring over numbers. I’m counting my clients. We’re pulling back from practically everything like a pair of frightened old tortoises. Emma’s getting braces tomorrow… that is going ahead as scheduled. As for the reno we were planning? That’s a topic I’ll save for another post.

Me and some Star Wars dude!

When I was first approached about the Funatorium Explorium I couldn’t wrap my head around the idea at first. I’ll spare you similar kinds of wonderings and describe it as it really is: two giant halls in Ottawa’s CE Centre (which is near the airport) filled with all kinds of things for families to do together. There’s active play, quieter play, and lots of really interesting activities that you may not have tried before. (Me: I love trying new things. This, in my view, is what life is all about!) Standouts for us included…

Balloon Darth:

The climbing wall… (Sarah made it to the top!):

A spider wall – complete with magnetic boots and gloves (is this a kid’s dream come true or what?):

Gyro gym (no one barfed!):

Bodyzorbs (inflatable spheres… think of them as inflatable “body” bumper cars):

Jousting (although I think the girls used this as a sanctioned opportunity to beat the pulp out of one another):

There was also padded costume sumo wrestling to try, which Emma and I did together. I’ve always wanted to try this and it was HILARIOUS. You can catch a glimpse of it in this 30-second video Mark made on his iPhone:

What I liked most about the Funatorium Explorium is that we all had an opportunity to try something new and exciting … and excel at it. Whether it’s scaling to the top of a rock wall or tackling your mother while wearing padded pants, well, isn’t it nice when something fun ends up being a confidence booster too?

Family Day Monday is your last chance to check the Funatorium Explorium it out before it’s gone. So go!