We stopped briefly at my mom’s place in the morning. Allan was interested in some old family photos — from my mother’s childhood, and from family before I was born. (Allan does the genealogy thing. I do not.) We managed to identify everyone: my great-grandparents (who were still alive when
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wmtc: oregon family visit, part 3
On Saturday, we had a lazy day at the M&M homestead. The big outing of the day was to Harry & David, the specialty food store, where we all spent too much money and bought too much food. That night, our nephew and grand-niece, now 7 years old, joined us
Continue readingwmtc: oregon family visit 2023, part 2
The lovely little town of Phoenix, Oregon — down the road from M&M’s house — was completely destroyed in a wildfire in September 2020. One business that rebuilt is Puck’s Donuts. While I was getting a mani-pedi — something I always do when traveling now — Allan and Marty picked
Continue readingwmtc: oregon family visit 2023, part 1
Allan and I are in southern Oregon for a family visit. Last year I visited on my own, and Allan stayed home with the pups. Right now we have reliable dog care, but it’s a temporary situation, so I figured we should jump on the opportunity while we could. We
Continue readingwmtc: things i heard at the library: an occasional series: # 38
I was covering the desk while staff was on break. A customer asked where he could find books on sex. I asked whether this was for a young person or an adult. He said an adult. I asked if was he looking for anything specific, such as safer sex, sexual
Continue readingwmtc: things i heard at the library: an occasional series: # 37
I have an update on R, the customer who was the subject of the previous two TIHATL posts: #35, a customer who refuses to be helped, and #36, a customer who needs so much more than a library can provide. As a friend said on Facebook, librarians, like teachers, are
Continue readingwmtc: what i’m reading: shuggie bain, brilliant and devastating fiction by douglas stuart
Any novel that wins the Booker Prize will be worth reading. Not all literary prizes reflect quality, but the Booker Prize carries a lot of weight. So when a debut novel wins a Booker, that is a singular achievement. Shuggie Bain, by Douglas Stuart, was the recipient of the 2020 Booker
Continue readingwmtc: new email list manager: switching from mailchimp to zoho
Mailchimp recently announced that it is changing its free plan, reducing the number of contacts and sends that can be managed for free. Wmtc will no longer qualify for the free level. This was disappointing, as it required research to figure out next steps. There are many email services, but
Continue readingwmtc: "you guys" revisited: further thoughts on the language police
If you know, you know. In October 2020, I wrote a post about the expression you guys, and whether or not using guys as a gender-neutral term excludes transgender people: “you guys”: change language, do no harm, but can we please leave space for learning and growing? In that post, I
Continue readingwmtc: rip russell banks: a belated tribute
I was very sorry to hear that Russell Banks, one of my favourite contemporary writers, died on January 7 of this year. There’s a very short list of authors that are must-reads for me; I’ll read anything they publish. Banks was on that list. Banks wrote about very ordinary people,
Continue readingwmtc: trying something new: labour book club
Through my union, I’ve started a labour book club. This is something I’ve wanted to do for years, and now it’s gotten off the ground. I’m very pleased! Everything requires persistence, even quitting I first thought of doing this pre-covid, and imagined that I might gather members of my union
Continue readingwmtc: in which i buy eyeglasses online and am super excited about it: zenni optical
I recently bought new eyeglasses: price tag: $165.00. This is 80% less than my previous pair of glasses cost. I can see well and the frames are great. I’m going to buy a second pair — and maybe a third. Buying glasses online: hallelujah! At the end of this post,
Continue readingwmtc: update: strength training without a trainer
I recently blogged about my experience working with a personal trainer. I really enjoyed it, and I was considering how to continue strength training on my own. I’m not new to the concept, but this time, I’m determined to avoid injury and to make it a non-negotiable habit. Trainer-created workouts
Continue readingwmtc: a reading plan for 2023
This year’s reading plan is more open-ended — designed to give me focus but not overwhelm. I’ve created what most people seem to call a reading challenge, but that term doesn’t work for me. So here’s the plan. ** Five current (within 3 years) nonfiction ** Five older nonfiction from
Continue readingwmtc: we movie to canada: best of "what i’m watching" 2022
Here are the best movies and series I watched in 2022. They’re not in order — it’s not a countdown — just a list of all the really good stuff. Five stars: the best of the best BoJack Horseman re-watchMy favourite show of all time. I’m trying not to call
Continue readingwmtc: happy new year from wmtc
View this card on Greetings Island
Continue readingwmtc: what i’m reading: 2022 wrap-up
The results of my 2022 reading plan were completely predictable. I created an overly long list, and that created pressure, and that ruined the point and the enjoyment of the plan. I knew that would happen, and it did: I wrote about that here. I started feeling this self-inflicted pressure in
Continue readingwmtc: what i’m reading: nine nasty words by john mcwhorter
If you enjoy language, and history, and humour, you will probably enjoy Nine Nasty Words: English in the Gutter — Then, Now, and Forever by John McWhorter. A slim book written in a breezy style, Nine Nasty Words is an absolute delight. McWhorter takes the reader through a history of English words
Continue readingwmtc: things i heard (and smelled) at the library: an occasional series: # 36
The subject of this TIHATL is R, the same man I wrote about in the previous TIHATL post. Things have gone from bad to worse. He is pale, unshaven, and unsteady on his feet. And he is incontinent. When he stands up, the seat he’s been sitting on is soaked.
Continue readingwmtc: what i’m reading: krakatoa: the day the world exploded: august 27, 1883 by simon winchester
The 1883 volcanic eruption known as Krakatoa was the largest, loudest, and most destructive natural event in human history. The explosions (there were many) were heard almost 3,000 miles away. The eruption produced shock waves that travelled around Earth seven times. Krakatoa: The Day the World Exploded: August 27, 1883 has
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