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
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wmtc: 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 readingDead Wild Roses: The Holiday Season was Weird This Year – A Belated DWR Happy New Year!
Greetings folks. My apologies for the absence, but this year my holiday was extended and thus, I was not at my usual blog writing space hence the lack of activity. We had a very nice Christmas Breakfast as the Breakfast inspector can attest to: Some of things we did this
Continue readingwmtc: planned obsolescence, future landfill, and premium-priced durability: in which we buy an expensive new washer
One of the things I hate most about our current world is planned obsolescence. There’s a “wmtc’s greatest hits” long piece unpacking planned obsolescence, as it relates to capitalism and our deteriorating environment: “we work to buy things that are built to die so that we must work to buy more
Continue readingwmtc: my experience working with a personal trainer, plus trying to find the next step
My history with strength training has been fraught with failure and injuries. Time and again, I would be highly motivated, armed with a book or set of videos, only to end up worse than when I started. Back spasms, severe muscle strains, deep joint pain, all requiring long periods of
Continue readingwmtc: the great canadian sox shop for quality products made in canada
Add the Great Canadian Sox Shop to the list of companies I’m happy to have found. I am so, so, so tired of buying things that instantly fall apart. I’ll absolutely pay higher prices to avoid that. The worst is when you opt for higher prices, and the damn thing still
Continue readingwmtc: the game report: an update that is not completely analog
Back in December of last year, I blogged about starting a game night at home, rotating every-other week between games and music. I was super happy about it. Seven months later, I can report mixed results — mostly mixed because my partner really doesn’t like games. This has always been a source
Continue readingwmtc: in which i remember the pitfalls of creating rules, or, painting myself into a corner (again)
In our last episode of Laura’s Reading Plan, I posted a very long list for 2022. On that 2022 reading plan post, I wrote: This year’s plan is much longer. This is probably a bad idea. I also wrote: One thing is obvious: this plan is too long! I hope
Continue readingwmtc: can you give a few dollars to help a giver in need?
From a wmtc party: clockwise: P, Chelsea,Jericho, Diego, Kim, Tala. Some of you may recognize an occasional wmtc commenter “Dharma Seeker”. Dharma Seeker — whose name is Kim — is a terrible situation right now. One of her dogs has been stolen, she will soon have nowhere to live, and
Continue readingwmtc: the day in oakland
[Written after being home for a week.] On the way out of Shelter Cove, I stopped at the general store, just to see it. It is tiny. And it is the only store in town. After that, back on the long and winding road, ending at Highway 101. From there,
Continue readingwmtc: the day in shelter cove
View from Wedding Point, Shelter Cove Yesterday was amazing and so special. My niece E took me on a tour of the little community and local topography. We went to lookout points and beaches; saw seals lazing in the sun, sea lions throwing back their heads and barking, and a
Continue readingwmtc: greetings from shelter cove, california (look it up!)
I am at the home of my niece E and her partner T, in a remote part of California known as the “Lost Coast”. It is so beautiful and peaceful and quiet here — not unlike where I live. The Lost Coast has much in common with the North Island, more
Continue readingwmtc: dog agility, worm composting, and morning tea: three things going on with me
Does it make sense to create compost when you don’t garden? I don’t know, but I’m doing it. Worms, but no garden So, I’m not gardening. The Urban Worm Bag v2 Since moving to a cool, wet, temperate climate, I haven’t done any successful gardening. My little mini gardens in
Continue readingwmtc: my happy kitchen life (i still love my instant pot — but it is not a good slow-cooker)
Don’t get rid of your slow-cooker! Since moving to a remote region with very limited food choices, I’ve upped my cook-ahead game to levels I never thought possible. I’m really enjoying it. Here’s my routine. My happy kitchen life 1. I order a box from truLOCAL — locally sourced, humanely
Continue readingwmtc: in which i accommodate another quirk of small-town life: how to hand-wash a pea jacket
About a year ago, I blogged about some quirks of living in a remote region. It’s always amusing, baffling, and occasionally annoying to cope with what is and is not available in our town. There are two hardware stores and two pharmacies, but to buy dog food, we have to
Continue readingViews from the Beltline: A new look
If you were looking for Views from the Beltline and thought you’d come to the wrong place, fear not dear readers, you are exactly where you wanted to be. A few years ago I moved my blog from Blogger to WordPress, partly because I wanted to take advantage of the
Continue readingwmtc: frank showler: called to be faithful
Frank Showler, born in 1919, died last week at the age of 102. Frank was a foundational figure in the social-justice activist community, seemingly participating in every demonstration, rally, vigil, and campaign. It was a universal saying: It’s not a demo until Frank shows up. And show up he
Continue readingDead Wild Roses: That Moment When The Alberta UCP Puts Pandering to Anti-Vax Idiots Ahead of Public Health
There you have it folks. What has changed from a medical standpoint with regards to masking efficacy from the beginning of the school term until now? Absolutely fucking nothing from an epidemiological standpoint. What has changed is that we have anti-vax lunatics closing border crossings and disrupting traffic in Alberta
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