Fusiform Gyrus
I know it’s a crazy way to operate, but I sometimes choose a title for a story simply because I like sounding unfamiliar words. I sing them in the shower to see if they hold some kind of resonance. You oughta try it once in a while. Maybe wait ‘til nobody can hear you is […]
Squeezed at both ends
It’s been a fairly ordinary couple of weeks. Astronomers discovered seven new planets. Baseball changed the intentional walk rule. And the human capacity for stretching our limits was proved again— by a seven-year-old boy and a 105- year-old man. The seven-year-old boy goes by the name of Romanieo Golphin Jr. He is home schooled by […]
An apple a day
The time has come. I have avoided this topic like no other. A column isn’t really enough space, sometimes. So, for those of you who know me, and for those of you who would love to know me, you know I hardly ever speak about mental illness. Mental illness is like calculus: complex, hard to […]
Sweet addition
The Romans had two ways of increasing alcohol levels in wine. They would either harvest grapes after a late frost that concentrated the sugars—or they would reduce the water content by boiling the wine in lead vessels. (Well, yes, it created quite a health hazard, but the lead vessel, intriguingly, imparted a sweetness to the […]
Cumulus behaviour
It all starts with snowflakes. Tiny, harmless, bits of crystalline water, so delicate they will disappear on contact. When they drift down gracefully, it’s an enchanting sight. But as snowflakes begin to come down thicker, faster, they amass on the ground, forming a single entity that causes all sorts of havoc. In the cities, streets […]
A proud Canadian
Occasionally, I like to focus on a fine athletic achievement. If it so happens that a Canadian is involved, all the better. We have been accused of not being a terribly proud people. That may be true, but certainly not in this case. For many years, I have followed the golf exploits of Rod Spittle. […]
Spring is sprunging
The promise of spring is in the air today. The sunshine helps. The dry roads and sidewalks help. The milder temperatures help. Robins in trees definitely help. I remember, as a child, trudging off to school in late winter. At that time of the year, I would have been wrapped in a heavy woollen coat, […]
Count your blessings
Let’s talk about privilege. It’s a loaded word. One that, despite its meaning, has become pregnant with greater meanings, developed out of resentment and misunderstanding, like the word feminist. We’ll start by clearing the air. Privilege doesn’t mean you were born with a silver spoon in your mouth. It doesn’t mean you have any wealth […]
Glassware
Wine and glass have shared a long and happy history together, with glasses coming in all shapes and sizes, to match the mood and the wine. Glassmaking began in Mesopotamia (modern- day Iraq), with the first objects most likely being glass beads. It was some time before the art of crafting glass into drinking or […]
Crunch time
It is indeed crunch time for the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles Men’s Basketball team. The Eagles began the season as a favourite to repeat as the defending conference tourney champion. With just a handful of games remaining before the playoffs begin, the Eagles will face some stiff opposition from teams that are a little desperate. […]