Writer, Dabbler In Things
It’s been a solid week of progress and fundraising. My burgeoning moustache is definitely growing in (if slowly), and I’ve been way ahead of the curve to meet and well surpass my commitment of walking 60 km for the month. You can see my webpage and keep up with my progress here. (The mobile version … Read more
I just completed a walk that took me upwards of 6 km. That wasn’t just because I really should walk more often, but in particular it’s for my Movember commitment to walk 60 km this month. A few observations I made along the way: 1. When I’m walking with intent for distance instead of pleasure, … Read more
Movember was an idea that became an annual fundraising movement. People grow a moustache over the month of November to help raise money for men’s health and well-being. I participated once over a dozen years ago, inspired by the idea and by how close to home it hit after my grandfather was diagnosed with prostate … Read more
I got a job this past May working at the LCBO — Liquor Control Board of Ontario; the only place you can (legally) get booze in the province, though you can now get wine and beer in certain grocery store chains — which is easily the most intensive public-related retail work I’ve ever done. If … Read more
I finally heard back from the animal refuge where we had taken Fiadh–they’re understandably slammed with work and replying to people inquiring about one critter or another who was brought in must be super low priority–and there were three main elements to the news: 1) It’s a he, not a she (Fiadh still works as … Read more
A month ago I went for a medical exam to look at booking a minor operation, and in the pre-exam they check everyone’s height and weight and blood pressure. The usual things. Later, as I was in talking to the doctor, he was very frank about everything, and he brought up my weight. He asked, … Read more
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
Go on, I’ll give you three guesses. … Nope. … Wrong again. … … really? Um… no. Guys, it’s me. You’re terrible at this game. Yeah, the better part of a week ago, I was getting a bit of a tickle in my throat. And I didn’t think much of it, because that’s not terribly … Read more
Being in Canada, we get plenty of our entertainment from American sources. Sometimes on TV, that comes via American broadcasters who, of course, run American commercials. And sometimes–not often, but plenty, thanks–those ads are for pharmaceuticals. And I’m struck more often than not when those ads play, just how little of the ad time talks … Read more
Back in March of this year, I was bemoaning the fact that our Good Stuff jar was to that point sitting empty. And that was right at the start of what has become nine months (and counting) of pandemic isolation, having to stay away from family and friends and… well, really, anyone and everyone other … Read more