There’s a movement to put the face of Tommy Douglas on the next Canadian $5 bill. Wouldn’t that be wonderful? And wouldn’t it be a kick in the pants to those who seek to privatize our health care system? Go here to nominate Tommy Douglas.
Continue readingAuthor: allan
wmtc: listening to joni: #12: dog eat dog
Dog Eat Dog, 1985 Front Cover We’ve reached a milestone: a Joni Mitchell album I don’t like. No, that’s a cop out. It’s not merely that I don’t like Dog Eat Dog. It’s that Dog Eat Dog is not good. It’s a really bad album. All musicians, all artists, create
Continue readingwmtc: solidarity with wet’suwet’en land defenders and their allies on the frontlines
Thank you to the Wet’suwet’en people who are courageously defending their land for the greater good of us all. Thank you to the Kahnawake people who are courageously blocking the rail lines in solidarity. Thank you to the non-Indigenous allies who blocked the main highway on Vancouver Island, and disbanded
Continue readingwmtc: "at your library" column in the north island eagle: let your reading take you someplace new
Let Your Reading Take You Someplace New Many of you already appreciate the joys of reading. Reading transports us to other worlds and lets us vicariously experience other lives. Reading helps us feel less alone, knowing there are other people who struggle with the same issues we do. Reading helps
Continue readingwmtc: and let others do for you: interdependence, and the strength to be vulnerable
“I find it really difficult to ask for help.” I’ve heard many people say this. I don’t know if I ever said this myself, but as a teen and then young adult, I definitely tried never to ask for help, and seldom would allow myself to accept any. When I
Continue readingwmtc: pupdate? in which i worry about traumatizing our dog who has zero recall
Cookie does not, will not, come when called. She is just not interested. At mealtimes, “wanna eat?” will bring her running. And if she’s in the backyard or on the deck, the sound of the clicker and the treat jar will usually work. But at the beach, she has no
Continue readingwmtc: pupdate: the fence, the beach, and the cuddling that melts our hearts
It’s been a while since I updated wmtc readers on the continuing adventures of Cookie and Kai. Short version: they are doing great. They are healthy, happy, and a constant source of entertainment, not to mention love and affection. But when it comes to dogs, who wants a short version?
Continue readingwmtc: how do you hold a fork and knife? or, in which i discover my table manners are american
As a child, I was taught to use a knife and fork like this: fork in left hand, securing what you want to cut, knife in right hand, cutting. Put knife down, transfer fork from left hand to right hand, put food in mouth. Repeat. My mother drilled this into
Continue readingwmtc: what i’m reading: the library book by susan orlean
I’ve been on a “books about books” run lately, beginning with Syria’s Secret Library, then Robert Caro’s Working, and now I’m finishing the wonderful The Library Book by Susan Orlean. Orlean is a writer for The New Yorker, which generally means excellent nonfiction. Her book about the canine movie star
Continue readingwmtc: what i’m reading: working by robert caro
Fans of Robert Caro rejoiced when we learned that Caro, author of nonfiction histories, was writing a book about his writing process. When the book was published, I’m sure I wasn’t the only one surprised by its brevity. At a slim 207 pages, Working: Researching, Interviewing, Writing is the equivalent
Continue readingwmtc: "at your library" in the north island eagle: be "smart": your library can help you keep your new year’s resolutions
January is a time for fresh starts and new beginnings. But our best intentions can come back to bite us. How many of us have made grand plans in January, only to see them disappear by February? Change is hard – and personal habits are the hardest to change of
Continue readingwmtc: #climatestrike vs my brain: i am struggling with pessimism and hopelessness
I started writing this post in September, after the global Climate Strike. It was exciting to see that so many people — millions around the globe — understand the urgency and are willing to take to the streets. I thought, This is beautiful! This is amazing! … and This won’t change anything.
Continue readingwmtc: happy new year and new decade from wmtc
For the second year in a row, I didn’t even bother with the wmtc i hate christmas tradition. I didn’t see any shopping fervor, didn’t hear or see an onslaught of ads. (Hooray for streaming!) We put up holiday lights, enjoyed two days off (hooray for vestiges of colonialism!), and
Continue readingwmtc: egypt photos are online
Our photos from Egypt and Jordan are now on Flickr. Below are the various albums. I’ve also added links to the individual wmtc posts. egypt / giza egypt / pyramids view inn egypt / cairo / egyptian museum egypt / cairo egypt / saqarra, dahshur, memphis egypt / dendara egypt
Continue readingwmtc: luxor: the trouble with taxis
A guest post from Allan: Laura has mentioned some of our troubles with our various taxi drivers in Luxor. She has not wanted to get into too much detail, but she thought a guest post on the subject would be a good idea. So I’ll be the one giving you
Continue readingwmtc: luxor: the trouble with taxis
A guest post from Allan: Laura has mentioned some of our troubles with our various taxi drivers in Luxor. She has not wanted to get into too much detail, but she thought a guest post on the subject would be a good idea. So I’ll be the one giving you
Continue readingwmtc: from the front lines, day 18 (we have a deal!)
The Strike Is Over – We Have A Deal!The Bargaining Team is very pleased to announce that we have reached a settlement! This is a “tentative settlement,” pending ratification by our members, then the Library Board, and Council. The Bargaining Team is ve…
Continue readingwmtc: from the front lines, day 18 (we have a deal!)
The Strike Is Over – We Have A Deal!The Bargaining Team is very pleased to announce that we have reached a settlement! This is a “tentative settlement,” pending ratification by our members, then the Library Board, and Council. The Bargaining Team is ve…
Continue readingwmtc: from the front line, day 17
I am very pleased to announce that we had an encouraging afternoon at the table — enough that we are meeting again tomorrow. So finally, something hopeful to report.Maureen O’Reilly, President of 4948, TPL Workers Union, and Fred Hahn, President of CU…
Continue readingwmtc: from the front lines, day 17
I am very pleased to announce that we had an encouraging afternoon at the table — enough that we are meeting again tomorrow. So finally, something hopeful to report.Maureen O’Reilly, President of 4948, TPL Workers Union, and Fred Hahn, President of CU…
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