I had a long telephone conversation with a police officer yesterday. I didn’t call him, he called me. No, I was not in trouble but he did want more information about a report I had submitted online. We have had periodic problems with people who roam the streets and alleys at night looking for things […]
Perhaps this is the door they use when they pour hot oil on hostile attackers. Or, maybe it is the escape route of last resort in the event of a home invasion. More likely, there was once a balcony that has since been removed. But, why did they leave the door and screen door in […]
Recently, the CBC came up with a five-part podcast series about the neighbourhood in which I live. It was focussed on a few slum landlords and one in particular who has been responsible for a lot of community problems. CBC was right to draw attention to this, but I was really disappointed by the implication […]
My Canadian family and I are having Christmas in January this coming weekend. It’s also going to be a joint celebration with my son Jamie’s birthday. I flew up yesterday from San Jose and the journey was, like most airline travel, tedious. I arrived at the San Jose International Airport early because I was taking […]
After you have visited a friend and the evening is over, it’s a lovely friendly gesture if your host waves goodbye at the doorstep or walks you out to your car. It says “I know you have to go, but I hate to see you leave.” You drive away feeling loved. On the other hand, […]
Yesterday, Sunday, I was setting out at 8:30 in the morning to go to my sister’s house. She has recently had a back injury and I was going to help her to get ready so that she, her husband, and I could go to visit family in Monterey. As I stepped out of the door […]
Apparently, America likes its military so much that it wants to militarize the whole of society. Some are even recommending arming school teachers in order to enhance security. I’ve got my doubts about that, and if you think about the teachers you had in school, you’ll have your doubts, too. I’m pretty sure arming my […]
If you see something, say something. Homeland Security has used this phrase to help combat terrorism, but it has value in other circumstances, too. They were the words going through my head when I saw a man yelling at a woman last week. I had just left the Martin Luther King Library that is on […]
Why do I love the soon-to-be-seventy Joni Mitchell, and somewhat resent the soon-to-be-thirty Edward Snowden? I think it’s because Joni asked me to look inside myself and question my assumptions, while Edward hit me over the head with them. This week we celebrated two game-changers. Joni Mitchell, famously camera-shy, gave an interview to CBC prior […]
Snowbird of Paradise 