Uncategorized – Page 4 – Random Samplings

High School Confidential

I started high school at Woburn Collegiate Institute in Scarborough in 1974. Woburn is a huge school. It has separate tech, art, and athletic wings, a large cafeteria with an outdoor quad, and a full-size auditorium with plush, fold down seats. There were some 2,400 students at the school when I attended, and I wasContinue reading “High School Confidential”

Ya Gotta have Friends

When I was a young girl I had two best friends. Coincidentally they were both named Andrea, although they pronounced their names differently. Andrea Romanuk said her name in the traditional, North American way – AN-drea. Andrea Johnson’s pronunciation was more European sounding – an-DRAY-a. Her family all called her Bumper because of some hilariousContinue reading “Ya Gotta have Friends”

Everyday I Write the Book

Books have been a constant in my life. My earliest memory of discovering a book on my own happened when I was 5 or 6. We were visiting my cousins in Raynham, Mass. when I slipped into my youngest cousin’s bedroom to get away from the noise and delirium of eight children in the familyContinue reading “Everyday I Write the Book”

What’s New Pussycat?

We never had pets when I was a girl. My eldest brother is afraid of animals, and I think my mom felt that having five kids along with all of their friends in the house was quite enough. I don’t recall ever asking for a pet, possibly because of my experience with a couple ofContinue reading “What’s New Pussycat?”

Boys Don’t Cry

I am a secular humanist. I don’t really understand the appeal of religion – all the ritual and rigamarole – although I can see that believing in God could be comforting. I firmly believe that religious dogmatism and tribalism account for many of the greatest ills in history, one of the most recent and prominentContinue reading “Boys Don’t Cry”

I Got the Music in Me

Music has been a huge and integral part of my life. My father was a professional musician and his whole family was very musical. My mother, though unable to play herself, was an avid music lover, as were her mother and sister. Both my brothers are professional musicians and my middle sister is a stageContinue reading “I Got the Music in Me”

Black and Blue

HBO produces excellent television. Their series and movies are extremely good – imaginative, well-written, and superbly cast. They also make informative and artful documentaries. Last week I watched one of these called “On the Record” which deals with accusations of sexual assault levelled against Russell Simmons, co-founder of Def Jam Records and one of theContinue reading “Black and Blue”

What’s in a Name?

My maternal grandmother was born on August 29, 1911 and christened Margaret Jean Fargey (pronounced far-gee) – I always assumed her schoolmates gave her the rhyming moniker Margy Fargey. Her hometown of Weyburn, Saskatchewan is a small city in the southeast corner of the province, just 70 km from the North Dakota border. It is perhapsContinue reading “What’s in a Name?”

Blinded Me with Science

Human beings are such a mystery. They can be breathtakingly smart and unbelievably stupid. Scientists can often demonstrate both of these traits simultaneously. Throughout history they have made amazing discoveries thanks to brilliant insights and very hard work, while completely overlooking how their creations could end up being detrimental to mankind. Robert Oppenheimer felt terribleContinue reading “Blinded Me with Science”