Chicks With Sticks

If you can't skate so great and your stick handling is reminiscent of trying to push a watermelon along with a golf club, then sponge hockey is the game for you. As you can see it has all the elements of the more testosterone-fueled game—wicked wipe-outs and a good high-stick slash (see right) every once in a while.

Portage and Main

Stopped at the light at Portage and Main tonight, it suddenly struck me about how odd and ancient the Bank of Montreal building looks at this corner. I have no idea when it was built but with its relatively new light job and flanked by modern high rises, it almost looks like a set from Back to the Future. Nonetheless, I'm thankful this city sees fit to let the graceful giants stand. They make for nice pictures on snowy winter nights.

Test Driving My New D50

Night time at St. John's Cathedral. I popped a card into my new D50 and took a walk. So far so good.

Under the Table Manners

We don't keep livestock in the house nor do we make our children sleep in the straw. This is a scene from Ukrainian Christmas Eve, celebrated Jan. 6. The day is packed with traditions and one of them is to spread straw under the table. This symbolizes the manger where Jesus was born. After a meatless supper, we stock the straw with candies and money, turn out the lights and send the children in to retrieve the loot. Although I can’t find any references on-line for this practice, we’ve been doing it for at least 40 years so it’s become our tradition. There are two tricks to success—don’t sit on any chocolates and don’t crack your head on the table.

Try It, You'll Like It

As a new year dawns, there's always a lot of talk about goals. At first I thought it was a bunch of hooey. Then I read a few articles about how setting goals and actually writing them down somehow, magically, makes them come true. So I've done it and because I'm not a chicken, I'm going to share them with you. I have to say that the simple act of tapping them out on my laptop and reading them back made them seen just a little closer, a little more real. Here they are.

1. Find a way to give Clark the summer an eight-year-old should have.
2. Earn at least $10,000 through travel writing.
3. Fish 30 days.
4. Say no to every bug that comes along.
5. Visit The North.