Watching Christopher Nolan’s magnificent Oppenheimer twice and then reading articles about the “father of the atomic bomb” led me to contemplate the mind and the brain. Although the words differ in meaning, we tend to use them interchangeably. That’s okay for my musings. I admit to being in utter awe of Oppenheimer’s mind, about which […]
DATE YOURSELF
Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) Given my title, you may think this post will be about conversations in which you date yourself by revealing, intentionally or not, your age or generation. No. It’s about inviting yourself on a solo date and then doing what’s necessary to ensure a fine time. […]
WORLD MEDITATION DAY
In 1972 I took up transcendental meditation (TM) to combat severe insomnia. And it worked! Repeating my mantra silently (no, Tim, I won’t divulge it to you or anyone else) for twenty minutes once or twice daily enabled me to go from three hours of sleep a night to a healthy seven. This cure — […]
WORLD BOOK DAY 2023
Is there a genre called lite literature? I apply the name to novels that offer escapism while exploring somewhat serious issues. They are well-written, usually historical, always engaging. Novels by Fiona Davis fit the name, examples being The Lions of Fifth Avenue (2020) and The Magnolia Palace (2022), both set in New York City, both […]
FEET FIRST
The title of my article is not an idiom. I’m not going to advise jumping feet first into an activity with little or no hesitation. I will discuss the imperative to make our feet a priority when we walk or run for exercise or as a pastime. I learned the sore way that a fitting […]
THE CONTAGION OF KINDNESS
Be kind. Be calm. Be safe.” Dr. Bonnie Henry, Provincial Health Officer for British Columbia Most BC residents can recite the three-pronged mantra that Dr. Henry introduced in March 2020 during her daily updates on Covid-19 to assuage our fears and anxiety about the pandemic. Her words combined science and compassion. Acts of kindness release […]
LET THE TEARS FLOW
A few days ago our son told me about a disturbing conflict at English Bay. A stranger accosted him, shouting homophobic and racial slurs, spraying spittle at him. Brandon called 9-1-1. Then he behaved as his higher self; he didn’t take the man’s aggression personally, realizing he was acting from a place of pain. Brandon […]
THE FUN FACTOR
After completing an exercise to identify three each of my top values and strengths, I asked my brother Tim to reveal the same. Like me, he cited kindness, humility and integrity as essential values. When we went on to mention our strengths, however, I realized our exchange smacked of earnestness. I don’t take issue with […]
WORLD BOOK DAY 2022
Padmasree Warrior, founder of Fable, a platform for reading and online book clubs, notes “there is now growing evidence to support what I intuitively understood – reading is a powerful tool to improve mental wellness.” I’m confident reading — though not doom-scrolling — helped many of us stay sane during the years of pandemic restrictions. […]
GET FIT, SOCIALLY
With the easing of pandemic restrictions, many of us will break out of our somewhat sheltered lives to resume favourite activities. But after enduring more than two years of cautious conduct, we may muddle along for awhile trying to find our level of comfort while also respecting the choices of others. Decisions will differ, for […]