by I am making plans, more of a guide than a strict schedule, for how my summer will unfold. What will I do to make the most of my discretionary time? Where will I go? What will I do? I remind myself that I am fortunate to have discretionary time. Many heads-of-family don’t have that…
by I was reading a very interesting article in my local paper about a few Canadians who were in a similar situation. Several years ago, these folks received the worst possible news. They were informed they had terminal cancer with a specific amount of time remaining. That’s the bad news. For clarity, this timeframe differed…
by I recently attended a live chamber music performance. Wait! Wait! Don’t hang up, faithful readers. Let me explain fully. I tuned in midway through an interview on CBC. I didn’t have the full context, but the interviewee’s enthusiasm kept me listening to the end. Tom Allen waxed eloquently about writing original scores for chamber…
by I was perusing the paper today and came across the Saturday book reviews. Sometimes the headline catches my curiosity. In this case, the headline was “Imagination versus Reality.” The tag line to it was ‘Author’s personal experience of uncertainty is the foundation for ‘A Love Affair with the Unknown.’ I was hooked and read…
by I was reading about the city’s plan to charge private vehicle owners to park on public roadways, even in front of their homes. Why. Then again, why not? Necessity is the mother of invention, including new ways for governments to increase their revenue through creative new sources. This has been true throughout the ages….
by I came across a piece of research about transference. I’m familiar with this concept in my counsellor training. Roughly stated, it concerns complications in the relationship between therapist and patient. But this particular study of transference is very different. It was about the possibilities of transferring my DNA to another person I had never…
by I had too much time on my hands this morning. I came across a little-known fact and wondered whether it was true and why it existed. The video claimed that hot dogs were packaged in different quantities than hot dog buns. Often, it was 10 to 8, respectively. First, I wanted to check the…
By I have been binge-watching the early Marx Brothers movies. The film that got me thinking was “The Cocoanuts” from 1929. The whole premise of all their movies is wild antics and dialogue – if one could call it that. It is more a series of rapidly spoken monologues. This is interrupted by a dance…
by I’m not a golfer, but I do know what a mulligan is. It’s a do-over, a second chance. Let’s say a bird flew in front of you just as you were about to make a long putt. Maybe not in tournament play, but among friends, they may let you replace the ball as close…
I am between notable moments in this first month of the new year. In fact, it is an annual moment. Many folks make a similar resolution, one focused on getting healthier. And what better way to do that than going to the gym? I have my annual pass clutched in my hand after leaving a…
