I’ve been tracking what bothers me since the third wave of COVID hit Ontario and other parts of Canada. In Ontario, it is causing more lockdowns and more shutdowns. Schools are closed again. People are both fearful and angry. Public Health advice is augmented with provinces invoking Emergency Measures Acts to issue ‘stay-at-home’ orders along […]
Lifestyle
Buyer’s Remorse After a Dishwasher Replacement
I have a case of buyer’s remorse after an unnecessary dishwasher replacement. Last week we had a new dishwasher installed. It works well. It looks good. But, it also replaces a 14-year-old model that was working just fine. Buying a new dishwasher was unnecessary. Whyever would we replace a dishwasher that worked? Why would I […]
Why I Carry a Notebook
Sometimes I’m asked why I carry a notebook in my purse or my backpack. I always keep the notebook with me when I’m out and about. While on my daily walk, I may stop abruptly to capture a thought, idea, or memory. It’s not uncommon for people to take a second look at me when […]
Adopting A Positive Winter MIndset
Winter 2021 challenged me to adopt a positive winter mindset. In my part of Ontario, the Premier issued a ‘Stay-at-Home’ order in early January. It was finally lifted last week but vaccines for people my age are not available yet. It will likely be another 4 – 6 weeks before my turn comes up. To […]
Where’s My Lipstick Gone?
Frequently, I ask myself ‘where’s my lipstick gone?’ I have an ambivalence about lipstick these days. I remind myself that I no longer need to reach for lipstick whenever I leave the house because I wear a mask. With a mask, the lipstick gets smeared and the mask gets stained. Nobody sees my lips. The […]
Memories of Lunar New Year Celebrations
I have many memories of Lunar New Year celebrations as the Lunar New Year was a huge event in my former home of Markham Ontario. Tomorrow, February 11, marks the 2021 Lunar New Year (also known as Chinese New Year). Based on the cycle of the moon, Lunar New Year falls on different dates each […]
The ‘Bleak’ Mid-Winter
As the pandemic rages with vicious variants identified, I’m focusing on positive thoughts for getting through the 2021 ‘bleak’ mid-winter. Although Christmas is over, the words of the famous poem by Christina Rossetti, adapted into a Christmas carol, ring through my thoughts. In the bleak midwinter Frosty wind made moan Earth stood hard as iron […]
Intentions for 2021
During the first week of 2021, I’ve been setting intentions for 2021. I reflected on 2020 and evaluated all that happened in a memorable year. I stopped making resolutions and setting rigid goals many years ago, but I like to start the year with some thoughts about how I want this next year of my […]
The End of 2020
Tomorrow, we see the end of 2020 — aka the year of COVID! There’s no way to think of the year except that it was a beast of a year. For me, 2020 began with the usual hopes, dreams, and resolutions. As is my custom, I chose a word of the year (WOTY). The word […]
2020 — A Different Holiday Celebration
As the 2020 December holidays approach, everyone realizes that we will have a different holiday celebration this year. Whether you celebrate Hannukah, Christmas or Kwanza, the second wave of COVID-19 affects how you celebrate and with whom you celebrate. It’s a weird December. After months of lockdowns and isolation, people have pandemic fatigue. Many feel […]