Roxanne Tellier – Up Up and Away

There was an interesting article in the New York Times last week that talked about a phenomenon known as ‘collective effervescence.’ This term describes the sense of energy and harmony people feel when they come together in a group in a shared experience. That could be anything from a gathering of friends in a restaurant, to the frenzy of wedding guests doing a line dance in synchrony, to the sort of nationalistic madness seen in Little Italy or Little Portugal when their country’s team wins the World Cup.

Roxanne Tellier – Smile Damnit. Smile!

To be honest, I haven’t much enjoyed the last five years or so. I’m not just talking about politics, though, if there was ever a time in which it became apparent how much politics affects every aspect of our every day lives, this was that time. 

Roxanne Tellier – What a Difference a Year Makes

On January 25^th, 2020, a Toronto man returning from Wuhan, China was the first presumptive COVID-19 case in Canada. By March, with the disease raging across Canada, the World Health Organization had declared COVID a pandemic, the NBA, NHL and most other sport leagues had suspended their seasons, while the Olympics were officially postponed to 2021, the Juno Awards were cancelled, Parliament went on break, and schools began to close from coast to coast. 

Roxanne Tellier – Up With Pride!

In the 50s and 60s, most of the gendered role models for kids were caricatures, physical and psychological distortions of what a ‘real man’ or a ‘real woman’ should look like, and how they should behave.  

Peter and Betty – Together

This week, Loyal Reader, we start off in a dark, depressing place. However, thankfully, my story does have a happy ending, due to a number of factors.

In the period of misery I experienced after Lois’ passing, I came close to “hitting rock bottom”. I really don’t remember much of the last half of September, 2019, and I was actually happy to have the distraction of having to clear out Lois’ apartment the following month to enable me to focus my energy on something besides my all consuming grief. I couldn’t have finished that job in a timely manner without the help of Lois  neighbour Kathy, who loaned me a dolly, and my nephew David, who came over and helped me out on two separate occasions, including going as far as renting a van to help me with moving the contents of the apartment, something I most certainly couldn’t have done using public transit. ( Happy birthday, David, by the way.) a)

Roxanne Tellier – Carry That Weight

If you have recently gone from having a little trouble getting into your skinny jeans, to contemplating buying your whole new summer wardrobe from Omar the Tentmaker, you may have fallen prey to that other pandemic within the pandemic known as “The Pandemic 15,” fifteen pounds being the median amount of weight that many of us have piled on in the last year. 

Roxanne Tellier – Denial Is Not Just a River in Egypt

People are utterly fascinating, if you have the luxury of standing back and simply observing the way they think. Mesmerizing, but oftentimes, head-shakingly and misguidedly, arrogant. Best to avoid them in groups.

Take this week’s Supreme Court decision on carbon taxes; in his decision, Chief Justice Richard Wagner wrote that “Climate change is real. It is caused by greenhouse gas emissions resulting from human activities, and it poses a grave threat to humanity’s future.” 

He added, “The evidence clearly shows that establishing minimum national standards of GHG price stringency to reduce GHG emissions is of concern for Canada as a whole. This matter is critical to our response to an existential threat to human life.” 

Roxanne Tellier – My Fellow Americans

It is believed that the first president to use the term “my fellow Americans” was Franklin Delano Roosevelt, in his Inaugural Address of 1933.

Chef Tom – My Good Husband Dan

My good husband Dan’s birthday is April 1. I know, an April Fools baby. Explains a lot, really. I am counting on nine people being fully inoculated by then (three of us already are, including me), that we’re all on a sunny patio in lovely San Carlos drinking beautiful wine and eating multiple tasty courses over a four hour gathering. I’ve already started the menu.

Here are four highly recommended dishes (these are starters) from my foodiverse.

Thought I’d give you a taste.

Pat Blythe – Some foody tips…..and music

It’s Sunday morning, the sun is out, and I’m listening to some Pat Metheny and David Blamires. Toss in a little Wichita Lineman, and it’s a smooth, jazzy kind of day.

Fast forward to Tuesday, and at 3am this morning, the final cut of this week’s podcast is ready to be scheduled for publication…..my fifth one. https://luvthemusic.podbean.com This week is my conversation with Kirk Reed from Toronto band The Reed Effect. He talks about time, creativity, shares thoughts on live entertainment and how to become a computer geek…..plus the new album, 1973. My aim is to have a podcast ready every Tuesday morning at 6:01am. So far, so good….but for some reason this particular morning I’m more tired than usual, and my brain has decidedly turned to mush. Only a few synapses firing, so it’s time for that rare and elusive, but decidedly necessary, second cup of morning coffee! It might even segue into a third!!