Sidewalk Terraces and Good Samaritans

Like many a young man, I used to like to hit the town on a Friday night; with age that has become a whole lot less fun as the town has started hitting back. Let me explain. Truth be told, I have never had great balance. That, combined with less than strong ankles, contributed to

Kvetching As An Olympic Event

I think it fair to say that, on the whole, people love to gripe. Whining seems to play an important role in most people’s lives. While some folks take it to great heights, yes, I’m talking about you leaf-blower complainers, others merely like the occasional bitch. How damn inconsiderate that people in distress, going through

Please Turn Up The AC

Extreme weather seems to be the order of the day lately. Droughts, forest fires, heavy rain, and extreme heat are all in play around the world. Some places are used to this sort of occurrence and are as prepared as well as possible. While other locations are not nearly as well equipped to handle serious

Not That I’m A Lush … Really

Not that I’m a lush, but I’d be a liar if I tried to deny that I like bars. Not just the establishments known as bars, pubs, bistros, or watering holes, but the actual physical bar itself. I find it very relaxing to sit on a comfortable barstool – with back if you please –

Comedians need not always be on

This year Montreal’s Just For Laughs festival is taking place under very different circumstances due to the COVID19 pandemic. No live audiences, everything online. Regardless, they are pushing ahead with a scaled-down schedule, including live shows from other cities. This festival has become an annual convention for comedy specialists. Anyone who is anyone in the

Navigating Downtown Montreal’s Pedestrian Maze

Last week I went downtown shopping for a gift for my wife’s birthday. As is my usual practice I had looked online first, found what I was looking for, determined that my local store had the product in stock, and made my way to the store to get it, pay for it, and get the

COVID19 In Our Rear-view Mirror

It’s so close you can almost touch it. But not just yet. I refer to the time when the COVID19 pandemic will be, like Lubbock, Texas in the Mac Davis song, in our rear-view mirrors. I can’t imagine what Mac had against Lubbock, but he was sure pleased to be leaving. Things are getting better

So, Like, Can We Rein In The Use Of Some Words?

Some while ago I was having a discussion with someone about the ‘hidden’ elements of various company logos. For instance, the arrow in the FedEx logo. Like most people who live in an urban area the FedEx logo is something we see almost daily on passing trucks and drop-off bins. But for the life of

Emergency Gathering In My Hometown

My hometown, in which I have resided all of my nearly 62 years, thinks of everything. Today as I strolled home from the supermarket I noticed a sign in the park. I was momentarily taken aback. The sign indicated an ’emergency gathering point’. During this pandemic we have all been spending way too much time

Waves: Good and Bad

The usual use of the word wave in popular culture has a positive twist to it. Harnessing the power of a big wave on a surf board. Or riding a wave of good luck. But when it comes to yet another wave of the Coronavirus, there is nothing positive about it. As if to emphasize