CFN – So on doctors orders I’ve had to cut back my work load. The seven days per week 100+ 
hours thing after nearly five years has had its toll.
But I still like to have fun and it’s not like I’m working in a coal mine or factory although it feels that way sometimes.
It’s Ironic and funny that now that I am curtailing my availability to events I’m getting more and more invites?
Yesterday I attended a wedding. Now family and friends know I hate weddings. Heck, I hated my own even. Not because I didn’t love my ex-wife or didn’t want to marry her; but it meant flying and it meant dealing with her family and friends, many of whom hated me because I took their beloved to Eastern Ontario from beautiful BC.
But Saturday’s wedding was very different. For one it was the first Gay wedding I was ever to attend and it had a Hawaiian motif, and as anyone that knows me knows I love my Hawaiian shirts!
And I didn’t have to fly! It was at a lovely golf course. The grooms wore white for the ceremony, and the shafts of titanium bonked golf balls behind the lovely trio that serenaded the couple to the tune of Bolero as they made their entrance.
Gay Marriage has been one of the hottest topics in the news in 2013. It really has and frankly it’s odd and bewildering to me. I stood back, enjoying my Bombay Gin & Tonic watching some of the onlookers cry tears of happiness for the couple.
Was it really that different than a heterosexual wedding? Not really. At the end of the day and debate on the subject it’s such a huge thing for any couple to lay it on the line and make that lifetime commitment. It was a lovely joining of two lives.
Being single again at my advanced age is bewildering. Did I have pangs of jealousy for the Happy couple who were about to embark on this magical journey that nearly 40% end up in divorce within 8 years?
No. It was just a beautiful day, in a beautiful place, where I got to share a beautiful moment with the 200 or so guests and family.
Shakespeare was famous for starting epic tales with lightning and storms. You know everyone was safe when the sun shined and birds sang and flew.
Watching two doves released at the wedding gave me hope; not just for an old single guy like me, but for the world. If we can accept each other for whom we are that’s half the battle.
And at that lovely ceremony we all won…..except that the couple were hesitant to have media coverage in this story. Progress always comes in steps. As long as they’re in the right direction we all get to move forward.
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I married my husband almost 2 years ago here in Cornwall and it was the best day of my life! Would do it all over again in a heartbeat! Cheers to you for having an open mind and printing such a great story!
Ed CFN was a media sponsor of Gay Pride events in Cornwall for our first two years. We’re not into ‘isms.
Jamie, you may feel it from time to time, but believe me, 50 IS NOT OLD. By today’s standards you are going through middle-age…still…
Good article. I am not strong on this subject purely for my concern that we as a society continue to eliminate growth in our numbers, especially in light of other culture who produce off-spring at a phenomenal rate, far greater than our own.
Prudish, no, just real.
That old argument being said, I hope the couple live in peace and harmony.
Geez Diddly, I’m only 49 🙂
I bet it was fun.
@ Diddlyscwatt. You don’t have to worry too much about the human population being in decline. We’re at about 7.2 billion right now. In 1960, a mere 53 years ago, we were at 3 billion.
LOL LOL. I am asking what the bride wore? LOL LOL. That must have been very strange indeed.
Jamie…..what a heart warming story. Thank-you for sharing.
I am not surprised at the Dr.’s recommendation. Putting in 100+ hrs a week is just too much for any human being. You need to care of yourself. What good is money if you don’t have good health. Besides, we need you to be healthy in order to keep this site going.
Jamie wrote: If we can accept each other for whom we are that’s half the battle…….you got that right.
Take care, slow down some and take time of you………everybody needs this in order to keep their sanity.
Jamie ,
I really enjoyed the article .
I have many friends who are gay and believe in their commitment to marriage .
Being lesbian ,gay or straight we all long for that partnership with ever lasting love,I feel proud that we live in a more excepting times and these couples can express their love through marriage.
I have always felt that if more people were to meet openly gay people through friends and family the world would be a much more tolerable place.
As well a few straight guys would learn how to dress better..LOL LOL
Ps. Jamie ,
I know CFN is your passion ,but at times one must step aside if but for a few moments to keep that passion before it becomes a burden.
I know you live and breath CFN ,but take some time for yourself and health ,as we want you here for the long haul.
@ Highlander. Are you saying that I dress badly?
Furtz
August 18, 2013 at 5:50 pm
“@ Highlander. Are you saying that I dress badly?”
HEY WE CAN ALL USE A STYLE CONSULTANT !
That and interior consultant as well ..lol..lol
Can’t forget the next election…short cuts now blast em then……
You are doing a great job. I enjoy reading your stories, I am originally from Cornwall and moved away a few years back, I have lived in Collingwood area for a while and now out in Calgary. I come back twice a year and will be coming back for a wedding of my own next august. I choose Upper Canada village. Hey your welcome to attend ! Keep up the excellent reporting, Maintain balance, mind body and soul. As you already know with out “YOU” there is no reporting or even the love of your pets. very unique combination of dogs, by the way ! Have a great week ! Thank you.
Thank you John and keep reading CFN!
j
Jaime 100 hours a week is too much. Your health can pay the toll for all of that. Slow down some and enjoy your life. Like John mentioned about your dogs, honest to God Jamie they are a prize. I had a good chuckle looking at little Fitzie and a very nervous dog in the arms of the police chief and then I saw him with that toy around his neck. All your dogs are so loyal and no wonder they call dogs a man’s best friend. Sit back Jamie and enjoy them – they bring such happiness.
Jules the reality is that because of the city boycott and all of its tentacles I really cannot stop until it’s broken. When every city agency refuses to advertise or post notices; when CAS with its huge budget refuses to take a meeting; when the hospital, EOHU, EOTB, the school boards, and of course St. Lawrence College that has a journalism program that actually trashes us even though we’ve become a member of the top ten Independent media outlets in Canada. (They even refuse to allow us Journalism interns) The entire province of Ontario including agencies like OPG and The Parks commission (Upper Canada Village) and the Federal government all refuse to advertise in the most read media in an area it starts to look conspiracal. It certainly says something not about what the public wants to read; but about the nature of our political class… With over 60,000 unique visitors and over 3M pageviews monthly there is no business reason for any of these entities to not only market with us; but for them to not even take meetings…..
And the irony is in August we are on target to crest the 70 Unique Visitor plateau. So to answer your question sometimes you just have to keep working and punching until the bad guys stop.
When a local restaurant gets it’s patio permit only after their ad on CFN comes down and the Mayor himself escorts the inspectors who fast track the process it shows the nature of what’s been going on and what needs to change, no?
Jamie I sure do see what you are talking about and yes I do agree with you saying that it is a “conspiracy” and even a “witchhunt”. Jamie you are the best and that gang in Cornwall knows it and they hate competition because they cannot compete with you at all. I swear to God that you are the only paper I read. I used to look at Cornwall’s toilet paper of record – SF but it has been a very long time that I won’t even look at anything in there nor any other not even Ottawa’s papers. If I didn’t listen to the car radio when we go out I wouldn’t know what is going on here in Ottawa. Jamie you are the very best there is and I mean that. I don’t want to see you sick in any way. You take very good care of yourself and those beautiful dogs.
I wonder what the bride wore??????? What in hell does that have to do with anything??? There is no bride in a GAY wedding! They are both husbands to each other. I also was in attendance, and it would put a lot of STRAIGHT weddings to shame. Everything was done extremely well and to perfection! They both were dressed exactly the same.
The food, the music, the drink were all given free! You did not need to bring your wallet with you at all. All that was asked of you as a gift, was to give to a charity of your choice, in lieu of gifts to them! Wow! How very unselfish!
The tables were all set to perfection, the setting was natures own outdoors, and the friends and family that were gathered, were drawn to tears to see such love and affection.
Congratulations to two beautiful people who shared everything with us! I had a beautiful time!
It was an amazing Wedding Miss Steak.
Gay if you are into it, fine. I wonder how any of us would have turned out if we were say ‘cloned’ and/or a test tube mistakes where a human being grown, or say a GMO human. Can’t say that is NOT going on today, as we speak.
With 9.0 billion on the planet no doubt some are gay. A concern would be would the rate of gayness be the same in every region of the world?
Perhaps it is a good thing that gays are now accepted in the military as well as a strong female contingency. When we go to war with Iran, other Muslim countries, Russia, China and others lets hope our fight for our freedoms against an all testosterone muscle bound opponent that we can hold our own.
Lets hope head to head combat scenario’s won’t even be part of it, we will just send in our drones and robots to fight for us. Besides, we are a peace loving country just wanting to have fun, so just f… off and leave us alone already. We are dying off anyway, so who the hell cares.
Still I like and prefer the idea of replacements. Thank you for allowing the straights the same rights and freedoms…….even to comment here, even though rainbows are all over the globe.
I do hope it was Bombay Sapphire.
Always Bombay Sapphire; this editors fave Gin 🙂
Lovely piece, Jamie. Now follow doctor’s orders and look after yourself