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…
laura k
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.…
worlds collide: more notes on "gods of the upper air"
Gods of the Upper Air, by Charles King, which I recently wrote about, highlights several books that were highly influential in their time, for good and for ill. In The…
this leftist yellowstone fan rejects the claim that’s it a right-wing show
Season 5 of “Yellowstone” is streaming now. I love this show, and I’m waiting for the full season to post on Prime before I bingeing this latest season. I was…
what i’m reading: gods of the upper air, outstanding nonfiction by charles king
Gods of the Upper Air: How a Circle of Renegade Anthropologists Reinvented Race, Sex, and Gender in the Twentieth Century by Charles King is a compelling, fascinating, impeccably researched, and…
in which i have nothing new to say: just write for rights #w4r22
It’s that time of year again: time to Write for Rights. Looking back on my write for rights posts for the last several years, it appears that I’ve been recycling…
things i heard at the library: an occasional series: #35
This TIHATL is a hybrid of two well-trod library tropes: The Customer Who Refuses To Be Helped and Left Behind By Technology. It makes for sad, frustrating interactions and irate…
11.11
Revolutionary thought of the day: I would like to see every single soldier on every single side, just take off your helmet, unbuckle your kit, lay down your rifle, and…
i need something lighter: my two favourite dog vids plus a golden oldie
Being confronted with pit bull bigotry has triggered a lot of sadness for me. To feel better, I am sharing my two favourite reels. These make me laugh every single…
something new: in which i defend pit bulls challenge bigotry without losing my cool
I was at a nail salon. Not an upscale spa, a loud, basic, ramshackle kind of nail salon. Two women sitting side by side for pedicures were speaking loudly and…
what i’m reading: the night watchman by louise erdrich
I read Louise Erdrich long ago, in the 1980s and ’90s, devouring several titles, including Love Medicine, The Beet Queen, and my favourite, Tracks. Erdrich remained on my radar, but…
hard times: we are ruled by banks, corporations, and the governments that enable them. it doesn’t have to be this way.
In Canada this year, food bank usage hit an all-time high. In March 2022, there were almost 1.5 million visits to food banks — 15% more than there were one…
community meetings: what we heard about the library
As I mentioned some weeks ago, our library system is in the midst of the strategic planning process, crafting a roadmap for the next five years. Part of the process…
a remedy for my blogging funk: interspecies love
I had a wildly busy — and interesting and fun — October, and no time to blog. Now I have time, and plenty to write about, and can’t seem to…
north island book tour and community meetings: what i’m up to at the library
Inside the Port Hardy Library September and October have been a whirlwind for me at the library. In September, we hosted a locally famous author. Yvonne Maximchuk lives on a…
"they thought they were doing the right thing at the time": a harmful denialism that we must challenge
They thought they were doing the right thing. They thought they were helping children. Now we know better. I recently heard this from a library customer. They were referring to…
barbara ehrenreich, rest in power. i will miss you.
I was very saddened by the news that Barbara Ehrenreich had died earlier this month. She was one of my favourite thinkers and writers, and I found it difficult to…
the north island report: whale watching, little huson caves park, zeballos
While we had family visiting, we did a little more exploring of the North Island. We went to Telegraph Cove, a historic village and tiny tourist resort just south of…