Officially Done My Term on the Beasley NA Executive
Thank you to everyone who allowed me the privilege of serving our neighbourhood as the Minor Variances Coordinator for the past year. I remain a member of the BNA, and will be available to assist our new executive as a neighbour. UPDATE: I missed the first portion of…
Gresham College Lecture on Military Hazing and How Military Training Has Changed Since 1914
An interesting academic discussion of why hazing continues to exist within militaries, despite efforts and regulations designed to remove this rituals among modern Western professional armed forces. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bB2q8Qbquug Professor Joanna Bourke explains the how hazing is seen as creating warrior culture within combat units and training; and why…
Defining East and Central Hamilton: One Conversation
I’m working on a new series of articles about Hamilton’s localisms that I’ll publish on The Public Record in the coming weeks. In my 2015 column looking at localisms I tried to define the boundary between Central and East Hamilton; stating that I look at the boundary as…
Thoughts on Facebook's Local News Initiative from a Local Independent Journalist
I was an earlier adopter of Facebook (July 4, 2005), and I’m still a too-heavy user of the platform. I love to hate Facebook. I want to leave Facebook for a variety of reasons, privacy, not being at the whims of Silicon Valley for access to an audience,…
8°C – As a Kid, I Defined It As Being Cold
Each time I see a forecast high of 8°C, I’m drawn back to a childhood memory of defining that as being cold. Why? Association. I was eight years of age, just learning about temperatures, and reading the newspaper. It was the beginning of a short obsession with weather.…
My Beasley Neighbourhood Association Involvement, and Why I'm Not Remaining on Executive for 2018/19
As a journalist, I regularly encourage people to be engaged citizens, and lament when people do not engage. It is hypocritical to sit on my butt, not engage, and claim being a journalist as the reason for non-engagement. Be the example is one of my mottos. I’m involved…
On My Failures of Punctuality
Meet you for coffee at 2:15pm, I tell someone. Then I don’t show up until 2:22pm. This is something I’ve done with regularity in the past few years, and something that I’m ashamed of. I once pride myself on my punctuality, my order. In high school, one could…
Will It Ever Be One Challenge Too Many?
One of my greatest fears is that one day I’ll decide that I’ve reached one challenge too far. It’s an odd fear because it seems that no matter the challenge that is placed in front of me, life prepares me for it and I’m ready to overcome it.…
Small Steps Towards Personal Goals
It’s one of the few memories I retain of the second half of my Grade 5 year; sitting on the floor as the teacher reads some boring book about habits. The teacher talked about difficulties in changing habits, and mentioned nail-biting as an example. I was biting my…
Ash Wednesday Ashes and Public Role
This Wednesday is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent in my faith as a member of the Roman Catholic Church. I use Lent as an opportunity for personal reflection, and change. I’ve already sent my personal goals, and begun on many of them. Ash Wednesday is traditionally the…