Guide to surviving revolution and war: the life of Theodor Abrahamsen
My father’s family survived – barely -- both the Russian Revolution and the Nazi occupation of Norway. This included potential execution, a Nazi concentration...
Wolves and wolverines: Life and death on the trail
For several days I couldn’t get in touch with my Aunt Carla in Newfoundland to wish her a happy birthday because she was never...
Lost in the funhouse
Remember when you were a kid and your parents took you to the local amusement park or the county fair? The merry-go-round, a small...
Salt, sugar, fat, and dopamine: addicted to the modern world
As we all know, you can have too much of a bad thing like alcohol, drugs, and gambling. This is called addiction. But can...
Norm Macdonald, meet Joe Donovan
Saturday Night Live, not its original name, launched like a thunderbolt in 1975, at least to the younger generation. Attending Hampshire College in western...
Meditating with Eddie Murphy
If you think for a moment, there is a connection between meditation and comedy. First of all, they both require practice and a light...
The animals will know
Paddling up the meandering tidal river near Parrsboro, NS on the Bay of Fundy, I saw eagles sitting in trees, flying overhead. The immatures,...
The village is burning
Rising temperatures, extreme weather, wildfires, drying aquifers. The West Coast of North America is putting on a show.
This year, Nova Scotia, where I live,...
Addicted to reading? Help is on the way
Reading used to be print. Now it’s print and digital. Either way, there are downsides. It entails a lot of sitting – bad for...