Witnesses and victims
Victims, in the real world, are not innocent. They are as flawed as any other person. They are just as likely to do things they’re ashamed of. Make mistakes. Lie. They are just as prone to humiliation and shame. It makes it easy to fall into the trap of victim-blaming. I’m sure we’ve all been […]
Taste test
Depending on the restaurant and its wine list, ordering wine can be daunting and fraught with anxiety. Some restaurants might list their wines by varietal and origin, whilst others might list by price, allowing the guest to decide on a wine within a specific price range. In either case, your server is familiar with the […]
Please send flowers
Maybe it has to do with waiting for the sunrise; this morning from my shack out back; the copper sky over tarnished headlands; the expanse of horizon unfolding to the day. A sky that reaches beyond the arc of earth, and with open arms it greets the sun. I’ll bet that if I could beam […]
The MEOW response
You may be a climate change skeptic, but you had to admire the gutsiness of our political leaders when they met to address climate change issues shortly after the Paris accords and agreed that they were going to have to agree upon something, sometime soon, and that it would require money. That was an auspicious […]
Two men and the women they hurt
Rob and Jian. As my friend Candice said, “The discussions and outcomes surrounding the lives of Rob Ford and Jian Ghomeshi are polarizing.” Not too many people can stand back and say they think either one of these men were saints. They weren’t. In Ghomeshi’s case, he isn’t. In the very public media history of […]
The allure of retroville
One of the reasons I moved to Wellington several years ago was to find a simpler life. And by and large, it’s worked. I don’t have to waste my time worrying about which drugstore or bank to use. But it could be simpler still. How so? I’m thinking about the relentless march of technological change. […]
Not terrified
Well, it happened again. Some people, hoping to stir up goodness knows what, used explosives to destroy lives and landmarks in a peaceful city. It’s tragic. It is every time this happens. Violence always is, and especially when lives are lost and those who survive are left to cope. Anyone who has not personally experienced […]
Waite Hoyt the conclusion
Waite Hoyt was born just before the turn of the century (that would be from the 19th to the 20th). Although he was born in Brooklyn, he was signed by the Giants’ John Mc-Graw. He made his Major League debut on July 24, 1918. He was dubbed the “Schoolboy Wonder,” because he was so young. […]
Celebration and reflection
This weekend, families will celebrate the holiday in their own fashion, with food that reflects their family heritage. Each traditional choice of dinner will suggest a different wine pairing. In many cultures, seafood will be their choice and the selected wines are invariably white. Lobster, shrimp and crab are usually paired with a lightly-oaked chardonnay. […]
Hour of the Earth
Earth Hour! It snuck up on us on Maple weekend, of all times. Most of us thought Earth Hour was an event to be held later in the month. In years gone by, an editor would have asked me to charge my camera battery, sharpen my pencil and get out on the streets of the […]