A day in the life
I was planning to write about the dangers of unregulated artificial intelligence, but ChatGPT told me that AI is not inherently dangerous. So I’ll leave that subject for another day.…
personal
"strange fruit" documentary: a nexus of the past and present, and a personal sense of loss
We recently watched "Strange Fruit: The Biography of a Song," a documentary we found on Kanopy. Kanopy's catalogue includes a vast number of documentaries, many of dubious quality; we're skeptical…
"strange fruit" documentary: a nexus of the past and present, and a personal sense of loss
We recently watched “Strange Fruit: The Biography of a Song,” a documentary we found on Kanopy. Kanopy’s catalogue includes a vast number of documentaries, many of dubious quality; we’re skeptical…
the ballad of polly bee: in which newbie homeowners learn things they didn’t want to know, but turn annoyance into opportunity
Evil!As you may or may not recall, Allan and I are first-time homeowners. In 2019, both of us in our late 50s, we bought a home in Port Hardy, BC,…
the ballad of polly bee: in which newbie homeowners learn things they didn’t want to know, but turn annoyance into opportunity
Evil! As you may or may not recall, Allan and I are first-time homeowners. In 2019, both of us in our late 50s, we bought a home in Port Hardy,…
i used to be an activist: another piece of myself has gone missing. or maybe it’s on hiatus.
In my experience, the best activism begins like this.I used to be an activist.Not being actively involved in a grassroots movement, a part of myself is lost. It's an intentional…
i used to be an activist: another piece of myself has gone missing. or maybe it’s on hiatus.
In my experience, the best activism begins like this. I used to be an activist. Not being actively involved in a grassroots movement, a part of myself is lost. It’s…
New Year’s wishes for 2024
Maybe I’m getting too old to change, but rather than making resolutions for the New Year, I decided to do wishes instead. My number one wish, of course, is health…
five years on: reflections on the big life change
The Port Hardy skylineSince starting this blog in 2004, I've experienced three Big Life Changes. The first, of course, was emigrating to Canada. The second was becoming a librarian. More…
five years on: reflections on the big life change
The Port Hardy skyline Since starting this blog in 2004, I’ve experienced three Big Life Changes. The first, of course, was emigrating to Canada. The second was becoming a librarian.…
an obvious life hack: how to make streaming more affordable and still enjoy ad-free viewing
Much ink is being spilled, metaphorically speaking, about the changing trends in subscription-based streaming services. Headlines scream that shows on Netflix and Prime will now include ads, implying that users…
rip robbie robertson
The news that Robbie Robertson died hit me hard. Although he’s not the last surviving member of The Band (Garth Hudson recently turned 80), he was my last surviving deep…
too much honesty can be a very bad thing: a story about a birthday present
This post is written with permission. Recently on Facebook I announced that Allan, my partner, turns 60 this year, and he has already chosen a very special birthday present. We…
in which a restaurant server protects my alone time and i am very grateful
One day last week, I drove from Vancouver to Tacoma. It was raining the whole way, visibility was poor, and I had car trouble. It wasn’t horrendous, but it was…
oregon family visit, part 6 and final (portland to port angeles to victoria)
On our way out of Portland, we stopped at the home of R, the well-known baseball writer who Allan had met at Powell’s. By sheer coincidence, he had some research…
oregon family visit, part 5 (portland)
Our full day in Portland was almost entirely about books and food, with a little shopping-I-can’t-do-at-home thrown in. I thought I was going to do a bit of tourism —…
oregon family visit, part 4
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.…
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…
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…
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…