See You Next Year
2017 has nothing to apologize for. It’s not the year’s fault that we lost my father in it. That blame goes to Parkinson’s Disease which robbed us of him even before it took his life. This is our first Christmas without Dad. …
Month: December 2017
Throwback Thursday – Eight Crazy Years
If ever you think life is predictable and boring, consider the case of Derek and Lisa. They were friends long ago and far away. And then they weren’t. That estrangement lasted for a long time and was considered permanent. Their lives took separate, disconnected paths for many years. …
Christmas Classics
When the holidays roll around, what’s your go-to show or movie? Ken and I had this discussion on the air last week. He doesn’t stray from the time-tested classics: It’s A Wonderful Life, Frosty the Snowman, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. I say, he’s missing out. …
Review – The Fatness by Mark A. Rayner
I’ve been a fan of Mark A. Rayner’s writing since his bizarre and delightful novel, The Fridgularity, in 2012. What would happen if the Internet disappeared, but one web-enabled fridge had delusions of grandeur? That’s a glimpse into Rayner’s mind. …
Good Fences Shouldn’t Fall Down
The cold or the heat – neither is good for the mood if you don’t enjoy it.
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A Blue-Grey Christmas
Have you ever heard of the poem, When I’m An Old Woman, I Shall Wear Purple? It was an award-winner when it came out in 2001 and started conversations about aging. It’s about throwing away convention and refusing to fade away as one gets older. …
Write With Me
Back in September, I posted a blog about what potential radio guests should know before they pitch an idea. (Want to Attract the Media? Follow These Tips!) It was shared several times on social media and some people messaged me privately to say that these things never occurred to them. I know! That’s why I wrote it. 🙂 …
A Veteran Writer
I haven’t met him in person yet but Eddie Rhodes is a new pal of Derek’s. Eddie is a 90-year-old veteran of WWII who lives close to London. He has written the first of what he hopes will be several books about his life. …
Kinder and Gentler
It was tempting to write a scathing column about the coming end of Our London and other newspapers. …
Throwback Thursday – Up, Up and Away
On my last milestone birthday – one that ended in 0 – I wanted to jump out of a plane. My wish was to do a tandem skydive. The idea scares me to death so it seemed like a good one. …
“Like” Fatigue
One of the co-founders of Facebook admitted what we all suspected: the program was designed to be addictive. …
Last Week in Listener Texts
I maintain that there is no “war on Christmas”. People began saying “Merry Christmas” less often because they were trying to be inclusive. Some Canadians celebrate other holidays such as Hannukah, Kwanzaa and the Solstice. It would be a problem if people guessed at someone’s religion just by looking at their face. …
Instant Pot-sibilities
We didn’t go shopping on Black Friday but Derek did pop out last Saturday to pick up one of the hottest sale items: the Instant Pot. …
Where are the Older People at Work?
According to New York financial services expert Jack Kelly, they’ve all been fired. …