I have been wondering lately why so many leaders in many fields have their decisions go so wrong; leaders in politics, religion, business and sports, for starters. I came across these three words somewhere, and they have stuck with me as a helpful starting point. Let’s unpack them – in today’s ‘speak’ and in the…

I am fascinated by how labelling changes our perceptions and then our behaviour. Yes. I agree. A few examples would be helpful. Winter. Edmonton is at 53 degrees latitude.  The 49th latitude marks our southern border with the USA in the country’s western half. Around June 21, the sun finally sets at 10:10 PM. Likewise,…

I recall several memories that have stayed with me for years. And they most likely will remain with me forever. In no particular order, I remember being in the arena to see Leonard Cohen on his world tour to recoup his financial losses due to the illegal activity of his manager. At one point, he…

I don’t recall hearing of this word before, but interestingly enough, I knew its meaning; a fear of the number 13. To be clear, the fear of Friday the 13th is another long word altogether – paraskevidekatriaphobia. Disclaimer: I’m not a very superstitious person by nature – but sometimes I prefer to hedge my bets…

I like walking, and not just the walks on a beach at sunset you might find popular in dating profiles. I enjoy the solitary walks that give me space and time to gather my thoughts and ground my emotions in reality. I also enjoy walks with others, especially with my wife. I have been fortunate…

I was thinking about the pace of change I am now living in. Time definitely seems to be speeding up. In my early school years, June took so long to get behind me before opening the door for 2 months of fun. Wikipedia (often an exciting starting point) says this about the scientific belief about…

I serendipitously came across this phrase that I thought would make a good title. It is the first line of a poem from the very late 1800s. The first two lines are: The wine that only the eyes can drink Pours from the moon in waves at nightfall Somehow, these two lines grabbed my attention….

I took a Viking River Cruise with my wife a few years back. It was our first such adventure on water. I saw many things of historical significance as we travelled from Amsterdam to Budapest and experienced the Second World War up closer than in my history books. One of my strongest memories was during…

I remember as a 17-year-old travelling by train on my own, from Montreal to Ottawa for my birthday on what is now known as Flag Day. I wanted to see the raising of our new Canadian flag. It was a painful political and national process to get us to a final decision. I wanted to…

I recently had a family adventure with our grandchildren. We spent a few hours at the nearby Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village. It celebrates the immigration of many Ukrainians who came to Canada around 1900 for the offer of 160 acres of free land. This outdoor museum covers a large number of acres. All the buildings…