Over the years I have been incapable of keeping any car we owned in anything approaching mint condition. Shortly after I bought our current Honda Civic, I backed into a stone wall trying to turn around in a tight squeeze on a country road. I barely touched the wall, but the back bumper looks as … More Street Rage on Oak Bay Ave.
Not long after retiring from my job as a librarian at the University of Alberta, I got a contract job teaching a communications course (grammar and writing) at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT). For the most of the many years that I worked at the university, I walked the two kilometers or so … More The No. 9 Bus
Chiropractic is an alternative medical treatment founded in the 19th century by Canadian-born Daniel David Palmer. Palmer believed that misalignment of the bones in the body, mostly in the spinal column, was the underlying cause of all disease. In 1897 he opened the Palmer School of Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa, and started teaching his techniques. Palmer … More Chiropractic: A Pain in the Neck
Words and expressions, at least meaningless ones, seem to be contagious. Several years ago, someone was explaining something to me and preceded his conclusion with the expression “at the end of the day…” I suppose he might have said “when all is said and done” or “finally” or just left out any transition to his … More Nuts in the Lasagna
I used to be a walking encyclopedia of jokes (and hackneyed expressions), some of extremely bad taste that I could share only with a few friends, and many pretty good more or less tasteful ones. Now I can hardly come up with a joke. I just can’t remember them as well anymore. Maybe it’s cognitive … More Describing Instead of Telling
At the supermarket I had bought rather more items than I thought could easily fit in the small cloth grocery bag I had brought with me. I said to the checker, “I probably should have brought two bags, but if you can get them all in this one, I will be impressed.” “Are you sure … More At The Supermarket
We have a friend of Irish origin in Brooklyn who on encountering an aggressive or erratic driver, always says, “Okay, calm down, Tony.” It’s meant as a humorous reference to the popularity of the first name Anthony among Italians and evokes the stereotype that Italians are excitable and likely to gesticulate when they drive. Is it … More Political Correctness and the Importance of Context
Many years ago when I still lived in Edmonton, I was walking my dog Theo in an off-leash overlooking the North Saskatchewan River. I struck up a conversation with a couple of other dog owners while our mutts engaged in their canine social rituals. The conversation naturally turned to weather. Edmonton had just come out … More Political Repartee
It’s time to get serious about the possibility that Donald Trump will run the table, get the Republican nomination, and ultimately win the presidency. Contrary to all the hyperventilation on the left, President Trump won’t be the end of the world or even a great catastrophe. Let’s take a deep breath and look at some … More President Trump: Look on the Bright Side
I had an odd experience in a drugstore. I dropped in to buy a Russell Stover Pecan Delight: It’s a delicious treat. When I went to pay for it, the young woman at the cash register picked it up to scan the price and said with an ironic smile, “You came in just for this?” … More Life Can Throw Us Some Curves
No Harm Spilt 