Voluntary Solitary
I have reached that point in life where changing the bed sheets is a day-long goal, especially when there is a seasonal change. Bringing out the duvet and putting the cover on requires a work period of...
View ArticleShe Did Her Best
If I were to have a headstone one day, I would want it to read “She Did Her Best,” but that won’t happen because I plan to be cremated after I shuffle off this mortal coil. I don’t know what will...
View ArticleOne Thing Leads To Another
Yes, friends. This is another of my shaggy dog stories in which one event, or thought, or action leads to a surprising and unrelated consequence. Yesterday I went to the local presentation of Beyond...
View ArticleAnger Management
Today I watched as one angry man evoked three very different responses in the people around him. I had an appointment for regular blood and urine tests at a nearby clinic. When I arrived I found the...
View ArticleToad Work
Recently I have been enjoying the British television series “Down Cemetery Road.” It is a brilliant mystery drama with first-rate acting, and it can be found on Apple TV and Amazon Prime in Canada. I...
View ArticleFlippin’ Heck!
Recently, I enjoyed attending the performance of the magnificent Island Soul Choir at the Nanaimo Port Theatre. The whole show was a treat and included performances by Treble Magic and Tai Williams....
View ArticleWho Am I, Again?
I had a conversation the other day that made me doubt my entire self-perception for the entirety of my life. The social club that I belong to is having a holiday gathering in December and I was asked...
View ArticleGlorious Self-Delusion
I recently enjoyed a play performed by the Nanaimo Theatre Group (NTG) entitled “Glorious,” written by Peter Quilter. It was a delightfully comedic performance portraying the life of Florence Foster...
View ArticleLearning to Say No
I am learning, much too late in life, to say no to people without apologizing. For reference, I am 76 years old and have always tried to accommodate, even to go out of my way, to let other people’s...
View ArticleBohemian Golden Anniversary
This year, 2025, is the golden anniversary of my immigration to Canada. For fifty years I have enjoyed the opportunities, the welcome, the beautiful landscapes, and the social security that this...
View ArticleCan’t You Take A Joke?
Even though I am a Canadian, a lot of the television I watch has been created in the United States. I try not to watch American news channels, but I do enjoy a lot of American fiction and satire. There...
View ArticleLight Bulb Moment
Last week I read the text of an National Public Radio (NPR) article that suddenly opened my eyes to something that had been puzzling me for a long time. It was not just an “Aha!” moment. It was a...
View ArticleCall Screening
I love call screening! It means I can check out who is calling and either ignore the call or answer, according to my mood and the call’s value to me. My phone, a Google Pixel 8 Pro, has an app that...
View ArticleThoughts About Backyard Birds and Condo Boards
I am thankful for all the comforts I have, and they are many. I live in a lovely condo in a lovely city, in a lovely Canadian province. I have a reliable income and fairly good health. My life includes...
View ArticleThe Scold’s Bridle
The Scold’s Bridle, sometimes called the Gossip’s Bridle, or the Brank’s Bridle, was a form of punishment and public humiliation in the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries. It was a device placed over the...
View ArticleThere Has To Be An Us
“There has to be an us because now there is a them.” Margaret Atwood. On my patio are two bird feeders. One is a hummingbird feeder and although it occasionally has visits from other birds it really...
View ArticleGrumbling. The Last Refuge of the Powerless
You all know the people I’m talking about. They are your family, neighbours, and friends. They are bloggers and YouTubers and TikTokers. They are anyone and everyone who feels disenfranchised. The...
View ArticleGoing Out With A Bang
Looking back on fifty years as a foreign affairs commentator for Britain’s The Guardian, Simon Tisdall has written an article to knock your socks off. His outrage has been triggered by some comments...
View ArticleUnusual Patriotism
I have lived in Canada since 1975 and in all that time I have not witnessed much overt patriotism. Canadians love to win international hockey games, of course, and they express a lot of emotions on...
View ArticleLanding Gear
A recent plane crash in Toronto seems to be related to landing gear. It is possible that the landing gear failed on impact which lead to the plane tipping and one wing breaking up. That lead to the...
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