Retro, schmetro
I’ve been thinking about the retro craze. I can’t help but laugh—just a teensy-weensy bit—when younger friends enthusiastically tell me all about the brand new turntable Santa dropped off and what wonderful sound they get when they spin their vinyl. For those of you who are about my age (more or less), and many of […]
The whole truth
History may not always be written by the victors, but since recording it began, it’s the leaders who are featured in its telling. The heroes of any history book tend to be those who have achieved something great for a society or a nation. In the telling and retelling of their lives and achievements, certain […]
Beginnings
Here we all are, rounding the bend in the first week of January. We’re wrangling with the (finally) seasonal temperatures. We’re recovering from the excesses of the holidays. Too much food, too much drink, too much spending—maybe even too much family time. Now that the season has passed, those cheerful greetings of “Happy Holidays” and […]
World Junior dissapointment
Many of us have done our share of whining after the Canadian loss in the World Junior Championships in Finland. The boys did not do well in the preliminary rounds, but put up enough points to get to the quarterfinal round to play the host team, Finland. Before the game, most of the experts had […]
Happy New Year
Each civilization celebrates, in its own way, the promise of a new year. Ancient Celts, Picts and Norse were more inclined to celebrate the winter solstice instead of the calendar date. The Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, is celebrated at the turn of their lunisolar calendar, falling between 21 January and […]
Jan Czyrkiewicz
It wouldn’t be so that Christmas for me could be spent at home along Slab Creek in Hillier. That time will gladly arrive in the future. Christmas meant a drive to Ottawa this year, a drive most familiar. I originate from there and left in my twenties. Over the years my ties have become loaded […]
The vice index
So while we all wait for Justin Trudeau to legalize the stuff, Premier Kathleen Wynne thinks it’s worth investigating whether the LCBO should control the sale of pot. I suppose it’s not too far-fetched an idea. Maybe the LCBO has some in-house expertise (“I’m promoting you, Hastings, because of that Bob Marley T-shirt you wear […]
I resolve
The Christmas tree is gone. The decorations have been stashed away. Every bit of shortbread, candy cane, every Snickerdoodle and piece of turkey has been given away, frozen, dumped or consumed. My place looks a lot like January, if January had a look. When I cock my head, just right, I can still catch the […]
Happy holidays
The holiday season is upon us. Hopefully, you are reading this during a much-deserved break. Maybe you’re curled up in an armchair with a blanket, a dog at your feet or a small child asleep nearby. Maybe you’re at the kitchen table, sipping something warm, wearing a new pair of slippers. Whether you celebrate Christmas […]
Fan-friendly games
The powers-that-be who are in charge of professional sports like to engage their fans. This relationship results in warm feelings and, in turn, serious income. The general idea is to build a close relationship with the fans, so that they become completely engaged. In most instances, they have refined the game, and its parameters, and […]