“Getting older sucks. You’ll see. I didn’t feel that way at your age either…” The first time I heard this, I had just turned 30, and I’ve been hearing it ever since. Well, now I’m 60, and I still don’t agree. I don’t hate aging. I don’t fear it. I
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wmtc: what i’m reading: poisoner in chief: sidney gottlieb and the cia search for mind control — plus a few thoughts on conspiracy theories
Poisoner in Chief: Sidney Gottlieb and the CIA Search for Mind Control is a masterpiece of narrative nonfiction. It is impeccably researched — nearly every page yields another revelation — but written in a clear, accessible style, a true page-turner. The story it unfolds is utterly fascinating. It is also
Continue readingwmtc: 11.11 readers’ advisory meets "at your library" in the north island eagle
At Your Library by Laura Kaminker Celebrate and commemorate Remembrance Day with a good book or three Readers have told me they enjoy the themed booklists I’ve shared. Remembrance Day is an occasion to share another list. The Great War, as it was known at the time, has inspired countless
Continue readingwmtc: what i’m reading: harlem shuffle, exciting new fiction by colson whitehead
I’ve been reading Colson Whitehead since his debut novel, The Intuitionist, caught the attention of critics in 1999. With every successive title — each entirely different than the previous one — I’ve loved and admired his writing more. This blog is full of posts about Whitehead’s work and how much
Continue readingwmtc: "at your library" in the north island eagle: commemorate remembrance day with a good book or three
Celebrate and commemorate Remembrance Day with a good book or three Readers have told me they enjoy the themed booklists I’ve shared. Remembrance Day is an occasion to share another list. The Great War, as it was known at the time, has inspired countless authors, poets, playwrights, and screenwriters. Many
Continue readingwmtc: "at your library" in the north island eagle: halloween is spooktacular at your library
Halloween Is Spooktacular at Your Library Halloween is almost here, and with almost everyone in the North Island vaccinated, be exchanging their everyday masks for spooky ones, making costumes, and trick-or-treating again. Your library is part of the Halloween fun. Haunted Vancouver Island for Kids (author reading) Tweens, teens, and
Continue readingwmtc: "at your library" in the north island eagle: back-to-school: your library can help
Back-to-School: Your Library Can Help With the kids back to school, both parents and students need all the help they can get. Your library has a wealth of resources to help families succeed. The Vancouver Island Regional Library (VIRL) has a wealth of e-resources that will come in handy for
Continue readingwmtc: "at your library" in the north island eagle: literacy skills are essential in our world
Literacy Is All Around Us September is Literacy Month, a time to recognize and celebrate all the many ways literacy improves and enhances our lives. As you go about your day, you use different forms of literacy all the time. Looking on Google Maps for directions. Following a recipe. Planting
Continue readingwmtc: "at your library" in the north island eagle: great things are happening at your libraries
Great Things Are Happening At Your Libraries Our North Island branches of the Vancouver Island Regional Library (VIRL) are back to our full pre-covid hours, and back to normal – or better. Port Hardy new hours and programs Have you heard the good news? The Port Hardy Library is now
Continue readingwmtc: what i’m reading: john steinbeck and me
I recently read Mad at the World: A Life of John Steinbeck by William Souder, part of my new-found interest in biographies over the past few years.* Instead of reviewing the book, I thought I would write about the presence of John Steinbeck’s writing in my life — its history, its
Continue readingwmtc: gardening and games, but not piano: three things going on with me
Next year? I’m thinking borscht. It was not a total #gardenfail You may recall that I tried to plant my little gardenette, as we used to do in southern Ontario, here in northern Vancouver Island. I was not successful. The area we cleared became well grown over with weeds, and
Continue readingwmtc: national day for truth and reconciliation: bearing witness, finding meaning
On September 30, many Canadians will have the day off in honour of a new holiday: National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. The holiday was created in response to the continuing revelations of mass graves located beneath the sites of the former concentration camps known as Indian Residential Schools. The
Continue readingwmtc: another federal election, another opportunity squandered #elxn44 #ndp
I haven’t written anything about the upcoming Canadian federal election, because what is there to say? The results are depressingly predictable. We will either have a Liberal government or a Conservative government. Both will suck. One will suck worse, and one will appear to suck less. In a predictable bit
Continue readingwmtc: from the archives: all over the world, i tell people where to go
On our recent trip to Oregon and California, I made a note every time someone asked me for directions. That may seem like an odd thing to track — unless you’re well-established as a magnet for The Lost. Not the spiritually lost. The physically lost and uncertain. On this trip,
Continue readingwmtc: labour day 2021: demand more. work less.
Lying Flat We’re told there is a labour shortage. Businesses can’t find workers. No one wants to work. Why the shortage exists and what should be done about it are the subjects of much debate, and no small amount of disinformation. Within this shortage, there are two different streams: one
Continue readingwmtc: the only lesson to be learned from afghanistan: war is a waste
Veterans for Peace protest, 2016 As the US finally ends its occupation of Afghanistan, watching the media obsess on the specifics of the pullout has brought me no end of head-shaking. The violent chaos of the exit makes for sensational images and startling headlines, always good for the business of media.
Continue readingwmtc: ed asner, rest in power
People of my generation loved Ed Asner for his portrayal of Lou Grant on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show”, and Allan and I both remember enjoying the spinoff “Lou Grant”.* But in my home, Ed Asner was admired for more than his canny character acting. Asner was a union man.
Continue readingwmtc: chuck close, rest in peace
The artist Chuck Close died last week at the age of 81. He was an incredibly talented artist, a progressive thinker, and a diehard New Yorker who was often seen around town, especially in museums and galleries. I had the good fortune to interview Close at his studio in 1998.
Continue readingwmtc: goodbye charlie watts
Charlie Watts was the greatest rock and roll drummer of all time. He’s the reason the Stones’ music has so much swing, why it skips and chugs and rolls and flies, where so much rock merely clumps and plods. His playing was always described as propulsive. And of course Charlie
Continue readingwmtc: portland street art
Our pics of murals, other street art, and food carts in Portland’s Alberta Arts District are now online. The photos themselves are nothing special, but the murals are very cool: here on Flickr. I also added a link in the post about our day in Portland.
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