Musings and reflections about all kinds of things that don’t fit into any other category.
Leonard Cohen in 2008 by Rama. This Christmas, music took a strange turn towards the democratic, at least in the UK. And it did so in a fairly unexpected way: not in iTunes or because consumers voted with their credit … [read more]
Wool socks are a remarkable discovery. My dad had grey wool socks when memory starts for me – a holdover from Germany in the 1960s, no doubt. Soon after, everyone started to wear cotton socks: they were supposed to be … [read more]
The new Art Gallery of Ontario, recently re-opened with new architecture by Frank Gehry, is lovely inside. Granted, it looks like a giant shiny slug from the outside (especially on a rainy day), but the same tube-like structure forms a … [read more]
I’ve been listening to Van Morrison for days now. He’s someone I had somehow ignored so far in my 25 years of listening and collecting music. In the 80s, when my listening habits were formed, Van was on a path … [read more]
The Don Valley Brick Works consists of 16 heritage buildings and an adjacent 16-hectaire public park that includes the Weston Quarry Garden, wetlands, hiking trails, and wildflower meadows. From 1889 to 1984, the site was one of Canada’s pre-eminent brickyards. … [read more]
I don’t know why I hadn’t discovered this before. ‘Discovered’ may not be a particularly good word, actually. Of course, I knew about it. I just chose not to use it until now. I’m talking about my MP3 player’s ‘random … [read more]
I built a Chinese Buddhist temple out of Lego yesterday. It’s not based on an actual temple and it’s pretty free-form. It’s fun to see what you can make out of a limited assortment of bricks… I’m particularly fond of … [read more]
