Say Something
You can call this Crisis PR or simply using human decency. But, when something goes sideways with your life or business, it’s better to say something than let others speak for you.
…General
Halloween, the Pandemic, and Kids
Out here in the wilds of Southwold, Halloween is like every other day. No matter how lit up or pumpkin-friendly we choose to make this house, no one’s going to allow their kids to trick or treat out here. Besides, every kid knows you go where there’s the most return (candy) for your effort and that’s in town.
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A Window on the World
Do you have suppressed wanderlust? I sure do. I’m itching to travel, even to just go on a road trip for a few days, something Derek and I love to do. But to paraphrase Bob Dylan, the times they have a-changed. It will be a good long while before that travel itch can get properly scratched.
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Come On Get Happy
I used to want to be famous. When I was a lot younger, I thought fame was a sure path to acceptance, adoration and financial freedom. I believed that fame washed away insecurities and flaws, leaving behind a shiny, beloved creature without a care in the world. I assumed it was how you got happy.
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Touting Tiny Domiciles
One of my mother’s – and perhaps your mother’s – greatest fears is ending up in a long-term care home. As visitors, we see the activity board and assess the cleanliness of the place. As residents, it must feel like being warehoused.
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Chewing the Fat
I’ve battled my weight for most of my life. The gain-loss yo-yo has always been about 20 pounds, until I hit menopause. Hormone shifts alter where body fat will attach itself while also making it infinitely more difficult to lose weight. Cravings that surge like tidal waves can prompt you to put unhealthy food into your pie-hole. (Mmmm. Pie.) Couple that with the older woman’s “who gives a shit” attitude and it’s a recipe for weight gain.
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The White Experience
A teenage girl who grew up in California dreamed of becoming a lawyer. Her family moved to the US when she was a toddler. She got excellent grades and anticipated going to university and then law school. She was prepared to work to pay for her education. After all, it’s the American Dream. And in America, you can be anything you want to be.
…Mix Master (in training)
For years, I’ve heard people talk about their stand mixers as if they’re family members. Owners sometimes give them names. They talk about their mixers as if they’re a sous chef at the ready. And now that I have one, I totally get it.
…Pandemic Purchases
Online and curbside shopping in the pandemic era has been anything but smooth. For a while, it was next to impossible to get a timeslot for grocery pick-up. Deliveries take a lot longer than advertised. Canada Post has been backed up like a taster in a cheese-making contest. We’ve all had to adjust. Some of us take it better than others.
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Great Expectations
I picked up some fruits and vegetables at a grocery store last weekend. We don’t run errands lightly. This will hold us for quite a while. We’ve found a small-town store where they have everything we need without lineups or stress. I was in and out in a few minutes and have become an Olympian in the Don’t Touch Your Face competition.
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Distraction Attraction
I’m a big proponent of distraction as a mental health preservation/anti-frustration technique.
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Finding Our Calm
More than a dozen years ago, when I was at 680 News in Toronto, we had several meetings about what the company – Rogers – would do in the case of a pandemic. SARS came, sickened thousands and killed nearly 800 before it was stopped. Our plans to work from home, and perhaps put 680’s Vancouver counterpart on air, were never put to use.
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The Big Deal
Misinformation about COVID-19 is traveling at the speed of light. Reactions range from hysteria (TP hoarding) to stupidity (See Donald Trump/Mike Pence) to apathy (what’s the big deal?). I find myself getting angry while viewing social media which is not the way I normally react to ignorance.
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A Big Waste of Waste
Comic Jim Gaffigan does a funny bit about preparing the recycling which he calls washing his garbage. His wife, Jeannie, is adamant that he follow the rules and he’s puzzled by the whole thing. I’m a lot like Jeannie Gaffigan.
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My Inner Squiggle – I Mean Struggle
Some time ago, I announced on Twitter that I was giving up the fight over the apostrophe. I felt defeated. Some smart people – and a lot of dumb ones – still don’t know (or don’t care) when it’s supposed to be used. I decided I’d never win the fight so I waved a white hanky in surrender.
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