A boisterous elementary school lunch hour (it was hot dog day!) gave way not to scholarly study but to an exuberant noisy classroom of kids with bums steadfastly resistant to remaining seated in their plastic chairs. Not flustered, our teacher with his metre stick gave a loud rap on the chalkboard. “Kids” he announced, “we’re… Read more »
Einstein once claimed that God doesn’t play dice with the universe. Which just goes to show how even the great ones can get it wrong. Because it seems to me that God does nothing but play dice with the universe. Don’t bother reaching for those dice, either. She’ll cast them on your behalf, thank you… Read more »
From my early beginnings as a young introvert, the public library has always been a bit of a refuge. Years later, not much has changed, albeit with an additional affinity for endless hours spent scouring second-hand bookstores to add to my ever-growing “to-read” pile. From one bookworm to another, this column will be underscoring and… Read more »
From my early beginnings as a young introvert, the public library has always been a bit of a refuge. Years later, not much has changed, albeit with an additional affinity for endless hours spent scouring second-hand bookstores to add to my ever-growing “to-read” pile. From one bookworm to another, this column will be underscoring and… Read more »
The notion of two people bonded together, joined at the hip, nowadays extends more and more to two additional realms: dogs and phones. While to argue the value of an interlocutor’s prize pooch proves as fruitless as questioning the belovedness of another’s child, the reality of the digital realm’s tactile interface with the essence of… Read more »
I have a friend in Vancouver—well, friend-of-a-friend, anyway—who prides herself on her straight-talk. “Penelope” (let’s call her) has no problem telling you if she doesn’t like the pattern on your tie or the colour of your top. She will let you know if your choice in music is uninspired, if the brisket you prepared for… Read more »
This week, we resume our tour of selected European cities. Konstanz (often called “Constance” in English) sits at the western end of Lake Constance in south Germany. The Swiss border passes just to the south of the city, which encompasses both banks of the Rhine River. Settlement in the area goes back to at least… Read more »
Cambridge is a city of around 140,000 in southwestern Ontario. The city was formed in 1973 by the amalgamation of the city of Galt, the towns of Preston and Hespeler, and a few surrounding villages. The three main founding communities grew to prominence in the 1800s as mill and manufacturing towns, centred along the Grand… Read more »
From my early beginnings as a young introvert, the public library has always been a bit of a refuge. Years later, not much has changed, albeit with an additional affinity for endless hours spent scouring second-hand bookstores to add to my ever-growing “to-read” pile. From one bookworm to another, this column will be underscoring and… Read more »
Summer is a season of cold drinks and hot fun – but for some, a brain freeze from a 7/11 Slushie drink is nothing compared to the perpetual chill felt in the soul even as one’s external disposition remains sunny and breezy. While it’s true that fair roads and good weather may be a great… Read more »