I understand that bio rhythms differ, so not everyone likes to get up early. There are also work, school, social and television related reasons to stay up late. Plus OS addictions.

 When I was in university, 2 a.m. bridge games were common. Imagine if I'd had the Internet. Might never… Read full post »

Born here, slightly scratched and dented, 51 years ago. Better now, but more obviously imperfect than most. Learned early life is hard, so make the most of it, and try to laugh more than I cry. Late bloomer. Well educated reader of fiction and nonfiction. Married. Two great kids, better than… Read full post »

Another topic suggested by Rick was "your [my] first kiss".

 Seems like an easy fun topic to write a few hundred words about youthful hopefulness, the turmoil of teendom, et cetera, ne c'est pas?

 Except I don't remember my first kiss. Is this unusual? Is it a gender thing? Do women… Read full post »

Yesterday, just before noon, I was driving mid sized B to work, down the major artery which runs almost the length of the City.  A few blocks from his work, we saw a family of whitetail deer, calmly grazing not 50 feet from traffic.

 There are woods in behind - the… Read full post »

1.      The incredible promise of the potential perfect week ahead. As I awake, I may think, “don’t spoil it yet.”

2.      If something does go wrong, there’s a whole week ahead to fix it.

3.      The… Read full post »

Rick suggested that I write "about boredom".

 My commitment to self is to post positive messages. If I wanted to be negative, I'd be a Republican,but, hey, as a Canadian, that choice is out. So might as well look on the bright side of life.

 Let me suggest, for your… Read full post »

Accepting Barbra Anne's challenge, even though I am "On the Road", I thought "gee, that sounds like a list for me."

So here goes:

1. Parenting. No surprise, I bet, to regular followers.
2. Workity work. I learned this term from CarolineinTO. It has just the perfect sense of sardonic
… Read full post »

Alas. JK Brady aka Janie beat me to the punch of posting about our mini OS Anniversary meet up in Toronto (sans Caroline, even though her nom de plume includes TO). I was tied up with wall to wall work. No excuse I know, but one handed typing on a laptop… Read full post »

Another of Rick's topic suggestions was "mourning my marriage".

 I've mulled about this one a while. I had sort of declared my marriage out of bounds for this blog. Whining is not consistent with my pledge to stay positive. And I'm not the sort to trash the ex. Much.

Heck,… Read full post »

I’ve been lucky in love.

Strange thing, perhaps for someone to say who was alone on Valentine’s Day. Love is wonderful. Love is terrible. Or, at least, terrifying.

I have been stung enough to be too jaded to jump in the deep end of the pool. I’ve had lots of encouragement.… Read full post »

Now that Battlestar Galactica has passed into history, I suggest to you that Chuck is the best  show on television. There are a few highly touted premium cable dramas I have missed, so maybe Chuck is only the best show on network tv. However, I doubt any intense drama could compare… Read full post »

Old saying goes " Give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, you feed him for life."

 Yesterday proved to me that the same applies to boys and cooking.

 I grew up in a traditional household. Though Mommie Dearest worked part time, no… Read full post »

I assume that most of you know "Freecell", the solitaire game popularized as an add on with Windows. Initially it was justified as a way to improve mousing skills. In spite of that the Powers That Be at Satan Central banned it in our office.

 Which may be why I developed… Read full post »

This post really has no topic. It might be subtitled a "waiting for Godot" post. Or "A startlingly absurdist homage to Monty Python without being as Funny".

 I'm not even going to pretend that it qualifies as a "writing exercise". Though several OS friends do advise "just write".

 S… Read full post »

Some of you have heard of Amanda Knox, others, more fortunate, perhaps not. She is the 21 year old American exchange student on trial in Italy, accused of murdering her room mate after a threesome gone wrong. The motive is variously alleged to be drugs, sex or money.*

 So certain television… Read full post »

“ Enjoy each moment for itself, don’t try to compare. Don’t wish that they were the way that they were when they were younger, or hope that they will be a certain way in the future. If you do that, you will miss enjoying the way they are right now, because… Read full post »

Help!?

 I have run out of closet space. I have clothes two months old that I have not worn yet. How did this happen?

 I’m a relatively frugal guy, and by no means a fancy dresser. Sure, I have to have four wardrobes –… Read full post »

I noticed a few posters claiming to have trouble thinking of 25 things to say about themselves. I find this amazing. There is so much worth knowing about every unique individual in the world.

 So if you haven't tried yet, here are  questions to help you get to 25. These are… Read full post »

It is very easy to find things everyday which make us unhappy. Focussing on the negative is self reinforcing. Since misery loves company, our friends, family, and coworkers seem to find joy in a “bitch fest.”

 Sometime today, somebody is bound to ask “what did you do this… Read full post »

 "The Soloist" will be coming to a theater near you, soon. Imdb says April 24. Since it stars Robert Downey Jr. and Jamie Foxx, I'm thinking that will be a wide release.

 Please, go see this movie. You owe it to yourself.

I picked up the book upon which it is… Read full post »

I try to pretend I have no regrets, but, as a former history major, I know we learn from the past, our own included.

 This is something of a follow up to my "Is 50 the New 30?" post. If one of the advantages is that we have more life experience,… Read full post »

Are we about to see the compact disc go the way of the vhs movie, the eight track, the Edsel?

 I recently read on Big Salon, Joy Press' "brand graveyard" feature on Virgin Record stores , and have read innumerable business news articles on the decline of music retailers. My own… Read full post »

If I could draw a straight line, I'd be an artist.

 Okay, maybe not for a living, but definitely for an avocation.

 I love art. Colour, shape, texture... the ability to capture the universe in a simple representation is an exquisite talent. I am thankful when those talented people share the… Read full post »

In case you missed it, the feature article this morning over on The Mothership (Salon.com, not Verbal Remedy's mother) is Stephanie Zacharek's movie review of The Soloist, starring Robert Downey Jr. and Jamie Foxx, which she hails as "triumphant."

(Can't you just see that quoted in the next waves of… Read full post »

Last week I offered to post my recipe/method for "Practically Painless chicken" , the specialty I taught my son to cook, this week.

 Then I realized that Foodie Tuesday is Inauguration Day, so  my recipe would hardly be topical.  It can wait a week.

 As a Canadian, I feel a… Read full post »