Tech hates me

Rather than coming up with another catchy title, I figure I’ll just reuse this one as needed. Lord knows I’ve got plenty to write about to keep the title alive and kicking indefinitely. The latest: I’ve recently written about some problems with my Pixel 5, but more issues have come up since then. As a … Read more

The dual realities of not wearing a mask

In the last number of months I’ve been seeing more people not wearing masks when they’re grocery or furniture shopping. To clarify: Toronto holds the title, good or bad, of being the longest locked-down city in the world. We are still, as of this writing, asked to wear masks when in commercial spaces and even … Read more

What I read this month

It was a slower month than January, reading-wise, but I’ve certainly done worse. The bulk of it was still dominated by humour material from Simon Rich, with some solid work by Carl Hiaasen mixed in for a little weird Florida mystery fun. ReadFree-Range Chickens – Simon RichBad Monkey – Carl HiaasenAnt Farm – Simon RichSpoiled … Read more

The hunt for improved note-taking

As a writer, I procrastinate. I mean… I procrastinate on a lot of stuff in my life, but that definitely includes delaying settling down to finally write. Which is of course counterproductive and illogical, given I genuinely enjoy writing. But I guess there’s something hardwired in. Behold the writer in his native environment. With time … Read more

Separating art from artist isn’t always easy

As I’ve become more aware over the decades of not just art but the artists who make the art, I’ve noticed that there’s inherent baggage that comes with that knowledge that I can’t ignore. But what I find interesting is that I can separate the two with music more easily with than any other art. … Read more

Isolation Day 698 Game: Pokémon

Pokémon is among the top few most popular collectible card games (CCGs) in the world. Collectible card games are ever-expanding collections of cards where players normally buy whatever the game calls a starter pack–a pre-made deck that’s ready to play right out of the box–and have the option of buying booster packs beyond that. Booster … Read more

New tech still needs old fashioned communication skills

Hearing my eleven-year-old on a phone call is equal parts cringe-worthy and hilarious. You’ll note I said “call”. Not a Zoom or FaceTime or text thread, but an old-school phone call, where you dial up someone’s number and only talk to them. Kids–strike that, anyone under 25–ask your parents about what “phone calls” are. It … Read more

Tech hates me, redux

I’ve written in the past about how I love technology but the feeling isn’t mutual. Update: Nothing has changed beyond it potentially getting worse. I’m continuing to experience more dislike for my new phone (with what’s allegedly the most advanced Android OS available but which is bizarrely glitchy and rough and unintuitive compared to previous … Read more

Finally kicking Spotify to the curb

I’ve been mulling over what to do for a (more) ethical music streaming service for a while, largely writing about it here after already noodling on it for some time. Sadly, that shot didn’t work out too well. This week Spotify was cast into poor light yet again when podcast powerhouse Joe Rogan, who is … Read more

What I read this month

I got through a sizable chunk of reading in January. Part way through, I found myself in something of a humour book kick that just kept on rolling, because why not? ReadA Confederacy of Dumptys – John LithgowThe Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet – Becky ChambersCalypso – David SedarisNew Teeth – Simon RichHits … Read more