written in the cards

speed walking past 

the grocery store greeting cards 

(apples in hand)

i notice the "happy 40th"  

next to the "can't believe your 80" cards:

making me feel a whole lot younger

than i am. 

Question of the day

Question: If you could invite anyone, dead or alive, to dinner, who would it be?

My answer: Bette Davis

banned books

Picture it: me in grade 12 drama class, performing a monologue I wrote based on Anne Frank's "The Diary of a Young Girl". Frank's book is incredible and so very tragic. It's not fantasy. There is no Hogwarts or witches and brooms. It's history. It tells a story of pain, suffering, oppression, persecution. It remains relevant today.  

Frank's book has been banned over the years. Banning books is the same as burning books. 

Who wants to spend the day with me, reading a "banned book"? Scandalous. 

Untitled

When life gives you lemons

grow a lemon tree.  

will you be my valentine?

There seems to be an alarming absence of care in the world. You don't need to look far -- another school shooting, acts of violence on the TTC, and the Russia-Ukraine war. In a world filled with hate, this Valentine's Day find ways to spread kindness and care. 

hearts, love and yada yada yada

This month, to honour Cupid, the ancient Roman god of love, desire, attraction and affection, I thought I would write about serendipity. 

In 2001, John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale starred in the movie "Serendipity". If you haven't seen this movie, it's about two people who accidentally meet and cannot forget each other, no matter what happens in their lives. It's the ultimate romantic-comedy and for the hopeless romantic (i.e., me). 

What does "serendipity" mean? According to Wikipedia, serendipity is a term that dates back to 1754, meaning: "a common occurrence throughout the history of product invention and scientific discovery". The popsicle and penicillin, for example, are said to have serendipitous origins. Others like Marsh (2016) talk about serendipitous romances, putting it this way: "Serendipity. The-magical sounding term is used to describe a happy accident: a chance encounter that turns your life upside down for the better". 

I don't know about you, but the idea that "serendipity" exists leaves me feeling hopeful. You never know what tomorrow will bring!

we're not in verona anymore

i have given up a lot

i never celebrated graduating

(10 years in the making)

or my last birthday 

new year's eve was so-so 

but i’m not skipping  

this valentine’s day:

i’m going to "buy myself flowers".

Black History Month

For Black History Month, I am spotlighting the poet Derek Walcott. Below, Walcott reads his poem "Sea Grapes". 

care in teaching

Nel Noddings (2012) is a prominent care theorist, stressing the need for cooperative learning. Noddings states: 

Change is needed, but it will be very difficult. All over the world, thoughtful educators now emphasise the need to place cooperation over competition. This does not mean to eliminate competition entirely; some competition is both necessary and healthy. At its best, it helps us to improve performances and turn out better products. In the 21st century, however, recognition of our global interdependence and a commitment to cooperation must replace the 20th-century emphasis on competition.

Recall your schooling experiences. What role did cooperation and competition play? How have these experiences impacted your life (for the better)?

I welcome your thoughts. 

Climate Change

Greta Thunberg spoke at the UN Climate Action Summit in 2019. Her speech (below), which focuses on the harmful effects of climate change, is amazingly raw, emotional and unapologetic. But what has happened since 2019? How have world leaders, governments responded? Where is the change? 

my music vibe

I'm stuck on Noah Reid's cover of "Simply the Best". 

Electrifying!

I went for a 50-minute walk today. It was -15. In other words, it's cold outside. I'm typing this blog post snuggled up with my electric blanket. Thank you Benjamin Franklin for discovering electricity. 

More and more people are looking to transition to careers in STEM -- science, technology, engineering and math. Popular STEM careers include: civil engineer, computer scientist, geologist, landscape architect. But what about the skilled trades? Electrical, HVAC, and plumbing are all STEM fields. 

Electricians, in particular, are at the forefront of the "green energy movement". A recent article by Pontecorvo (2022) talks about how electricians are updating electrical panels to support EV chargers and solar panels. Higher education institutions are working with electrical contractors to lower their energy footprint and associated utility costs. That's wicked cool!