JustASK

It is days like these when winter in Ottawa feels like a bit of a gift…

The frantic search for the “perfect” gift is the worst part of the holiday season for me. I much prefer the gather, commune and enjoy presence part of holidays. And gift cards inparticular bug me. As I pondered why… up popped the answer from @sethgodin.bsky.social.

My daughter attended several “how to protect yourself from human trafficker” assemblies in school. Like it was her responsibility to thwart them.
Why is it that my son didn’t attend a single “why you shouldn’t be a human trafficker” assembly?
Focusing on the wrong side of the problem.

😆

Just leaving this here for my Canadian friends mourning the arrival of winter…

Flashback to opening every present of my entire childhood.

I am not Catholic, or particularly religious, but watching the replay of @michaelcanitrot’s performance at Notre Dame Cathedral’s re-opening literally brought tears to my eyes. Millions of people funded the repairs.
What is it about monuments that provokes such a visceral response?

Post over on IG by @mansionsandmascara.bsky.social (who I will now follow here), suggesting that we “normalize making (y)our religious believes as personal and private as your private parts themselves.” How do we spread this piece of wisdom around before the holiday dinners of doom hit?!

Well the snow has finally fallen here in Ontario. Why is it that I can’t get into the holiday spirit without the fluffy white stuff? Anybody else fee this way?
Well, snow has arrived, bring on the cheer. Say hello to Chris (short for Christopher) Snow Guy.

@profgalloway.bsky.social is sounding the alarm on the state of mind (and future state) of boys and men, and I am not sure enough people are listening. Gambling addiction is on the rise, as is the rate of incidental suicide among men. We should be alarmed.

Advertisers want fluff. Citizens need truth.

In his first piece for The Walrus, writer Marc Edge calls for a reset in Canadian journalism, asserting that the future of the industry hinges on what matters most: hard-hitting, investigative reporting. thewalrus.ca/tech-titans-...

How is Santa Claus going to get all of the hand written letters from kids across Canada given that there is a postal strike?! Asking for a friend…

Standing in front of a class of would-be journalists, talk of AI must necessarily come up. I am grateful that the editorial leaders and writers @thewalrus.ca offer me the insight, research and language to have a nuanced and meaningful discussion.

Thank you for continuing to champion your cultural (his)story. The experiences of Japanese Americans and Japanese Canadians during WWII is so woefully absent from historical memory as to barely even merit a footnote.

The (very) public rape trial in France of Dominique Pelicot and the 50 men he invited to rape his wife after drugging her, can be summed up in these quotes: “There’s rape and there’s rape (italics)” (defence lawyer), and “There are no different types of rape” (Giselle Pelicot). Ugh. #victimshaming

Warmth and comfort… who doesn’t want that?!

I am fascinated by the immediate difference Edison lights make to the ambiance of any space where they are added. Is it the warmth of the yellow light? The nostalgia of the bulb style? Either way, I am a fan.

Collected my copy of @sethgodin.bsky.social’s new book “This is Strategy,” from Indigo in Ottawa today. So excited to crack the spine and start in with the sticky notes and highlighter… #lifelonglearner #thisismarketing #knowbetterdobetter

Brushes and paper wait.
Inspiration eludes me.
The ink dries out, again.

Just listening to @jimgaffigan.bsky.social riffing on his new slender physique. His radical honesty in this case is not only hilarious, but is also a PSA. “This is not sustainable… This is 99% big pharma and 1% little Jim.” 👏

So… someone used AI to clone the voice of Sir David Attenborough. This iconic man, an international treasure and Mother Nature’s warrior is 98-years-old and deserves to be respected, not exploited. Shame.

I just learned about anchorites (care of @Digging Britain). I am both fascinated and horrified… mostly fascinated. At a time when the average Joe or Jane (in this case) did not warrant any mention in historical record, the societal role of the anchoress and the anchorite defied this oversight.

The story of Nancy, Beth and George as they enter their perimenopausal years...