An important family matriarch passed away this week, at the age of 96. Betty MacDowell was my partner Allan’s great-aunt, his father’s mother’s sister. She was one of the warmest, kindest, most good-hearted people I’ve ever known, and I wanted to share a few memories and write a little tribute
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wmtc: what i’m reading: gone to the woods, a riveting memoir by author gary paulsen
Gary Paulsen wrote some of the best children’s literature, most famously Hatchet. The tale of a boy who must survive on his own in the woods until he is at last rescued, Hatchet (published in 1986) is a go-to book for librarians facing the challenge of a reluctant reader, and many kids’
Continue readingwmtc: what i’m watching: best of 2021 (april to december)
As I mentioned here, I’ve decided to stop posting my entire “what i’m watching” list for the year. Instead I’m going to do an annual best-of. I’m also realigning this with the calendar. For 2021, I’m starting with April, where last year’s 2020-21 list left off. Next year I’ll be
Continue readingwmtc: we movie to canada: wmtc’s annual movie awards is retired, replaced with best-of list
Last year, I realized that the new format of my annual movie awards was problematic. Beginning with 2018-19, rather than grouping movies by rating (all the 5s together, all the 4s together, and so on), I started listing all the titles alphabetically, showing the rating for each. As a personal
Continue readingwmtc: most useless and annoying advice ever: it’s cheaper if you make it yourself
I did not make this myself. Ever since moving to Canada, people have been telling me how I could make something myself for less money than I paid for it. Curtains, chair coverings, scarves. Kitchen gadgets. Dog needs. Skin care products. And food of all types. You can make that
Continue readingwmtc: welcome to the world, asher
This beautiful little human is Asher, the newest member of our family. Asher joins Sophia in the next generation, the child of one of my nephews and niece(-in-law)s. My brother and sister(-in-law) now have two grandchildren, and my mom has two great-grands! Asher was born on January 13 in
Continue readingwmtc: sidney poitier, rest in power
Sidney Poitier was one of my favourite actors. He starred in two of my favourite movies that I watched as a child: “A Patch of Blue” and “To Sir, With Love“. Of course I loved him in “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner,” “A Raisin in the Sun,” and “Lilies of
Continue readingwmtc: "at your library" in the north island eagle: goodbye for now, see you at the library
Goodbye for Now… See You at the Library This is my final At Your Library column. I’m grateful to Kathy O’Reilly, indefatigable publisher of The Eagle, for giving me this opportunity. When I came to Port Hardy – exactly three years ago – I didn’t know a soul, and now
Continue readingwmtc: "at your library" in the north island eagle: we heart your small or home-based business
Small or Home-Based Business? Your Library Can Help So many people in our North Island communities have been opening new businesses lately! It seems like every edition of The Eagle features at least one story about a new business in one of our towns. Some are “bricks and mortar” businesses
Continue readingwmtc: "at your library" in the north island eagle: build early literacy with storytimes
Build Early Literacy with Storytimes – Every Day in Port Hardy In a year when we desperately needed good news, the Port Hardy branch of the Vancouver Island Regional Library (VIRL) had the best news: a huge increase in hours. And one of the best things about those new hours
Continue readingwmtc: not a resolution part two: habit tracking and 85% thinking
If there’s a universal truth about getting older, it must be that we need to take better care of ourselves. Habits — or the lack of habits — that we could get away with in our 20s become more difficult in our 30s, barely possible in our 40s, and downright
Continue readingwmtc: not a new year’s resolution part one: precepts and generalities for 2022
A few years ago, I wrote in this blog: I don’t do New Year’s Resolutions, but I do enjoy using the revolution of our Earth around the Sun as an excuse to take stock in where I am and think about where I’m going. This is not a Big Promise
Continue readingwmtc: happy new year from wmtc
Peace, Love, Good Health, and Solidarity to all. Here’s to a peaceful and healthy 2022.
Continue readingwmtc: an analog breakthrough: in which we play tabletop games and this makes me very happy
In a few recent posts, I mentioned two details of my life that seemed to be in direct opposition to each other. One, I want to move further down the path of digital minimalism, spending less time on social media, more time with long-distance friends, and more time with analog pursuits.
Continue readingwmtc: a reading plan for 2022, plus how the 2021 plan fared
I’m enjoying my new-ish habit of having a reading plan for the year ahead. I like having the structure and the direction. But I also like — and need — to keep it flexible. It’s not a reading challenge. No x number of books for the year, no goal at
Continue readingwmtc: what i’m reading: digital minimalism: choosing a focused life in a noisy world
Cal Newport’s Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World is an essential book for our time. Newport argues — quite persuasively — that smartphones and their constant connection to social media are degrading our quality of life. He offers ample proof of this, and offers a plan that
Continue readingwmtc: take a social media human rights challenge: write for rights 2021 #w4r21
Advanced planning is no match for the calendar! Despite my early preparation, December 10 — Human Rights Day — still caught me off-guard. I haven’t reviewed any cases or set any time aside. I recently finished an excellent book called Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World.
Continue readingwmtc: get ready for write for rights 2021 #w4r21
Write for Rights, Amnesty International’s annual global human rights campaign, begins on December 10. I like to think of W4R as a month-long event, and generally spend the month of December — and often part of January — writing my letters. Amnesty recently sent this: 5 ways you can get
Continue readingwmtc: emergency preparedness: in which climate change plus living in a remote community push this 60-year-old into more responsible adulthood
In all our many years together, Allan and I never had an emergency kit in our home, or anything even approaching one. In New York, I never felt the need. Everything was in such easy reach all the time. It seemed nearly impossible to be cut off. We lived through
Continue readingwmtc: tom morello on the iww and the soundtrack to the good good fight
In October, The New York Times published this piece by musician and activist Tom Morello. I’ve read it several times, and shared it on social media, and still I can’t stop re-reading and listening. When something moves me like that, you know I have to preserve it on this blog. I
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