Posted on April 13, 2013 under Storytelling with no comments yet

I have several weaknesses, not the least of them being sweets. Later today I will be posting a story about a local convenience store ( corner store ) just down the road that has an excellent bakery.

Like many golf enthusiasts, I will be glued to the televison this weekend watching the last two rounds of the Masters. A friend of mine who has a young family was telling me that he would be “putting the hammer down” this weekend and demanding some uninterrupted time to watch the golf. Of course, to maintain harmony in the relationship, he will need to build up some serious credits before and after the tournament.

Not sure if anyone else is finding this spring cooler than usual. I mean, it is snowing here today. One year ago this very weekend, I was running in the Boston Marathon and it was 90 degrees. Today I could go snowshoeing. So much for global warming.

I continue to get feedback on the story I did about James Macpherson. He has a very big fan club from all over the world.

Have a good weekend.

Posted on April 10, 2013 under Storytelling with 3 comments

There are lots of jobs in the world.  Most of the population works at run of the mill stuff.  We serve the public in retail, we teach or practice law and we run companies large and small.  We learn a trade then we provide goods and services to the public.  Some of the most demanding jobs, like parenting and caregiving, lack financial compensation but enrich us in many other ways.  There are some really important jobs where people’s lives are at stake.  And there are others that are not critical but seem that way.

People who handle dynamite have a really important job.  One false step, one lapse in concentration, can have devastating, even fatal consequences.   These are highly trained professionals who may have an added advantage if they have teenagers in the house.  They are used to handling hazardous material once they step across the threshold of their homes.  Going home can be more dangerous than going to work.

In Canada, there is nothing more sacred than the Stanley Cup.  It was donated by the former Governor General of Canada, Lord Stanley and has been handed out repeatedly since 1892.  The Cup is handled as if it was God’s first creation.  It has a coterie of white gloved men who carry it around the country handling it with the delicacy of Waterford crystal.  It has its own felt lined carrying case.  You’d swear it was carrying the remains of the Greek gods themselves.  These important men with this important job, take the cup to small villages and large cities from coast to coast to coast.  Each player on the winning Stanley Cup team gets to spend a day with this national treasure showing it off to their families, friends and communities.  Sometimes the Cup is used as a vessel for drinking and other things better  left unsaid.  So much for sanctity.

People who transport harvested organs have really important jobs.  They must be fast and efficient to get these life savings body parts from one hospital to another.  They are under enormous pressure to deliver the goods in order to save someone’s life.

I thought about these things the other day as I carried a small thermos of coffee to work for my wife.  It was in a bright red lunch bag.  The way I was handling it, you would have thought for a moment that I was transporting an organ for transplant to the hospital… or dynamite.   It certainly felt that way as I carefully kept my eyes on the sidewalk that gleamed with a fresh dusting of snow hiding a hint of ice underfoot.

When your wife is working long hours, having fresh, hot coffee on demand is the eleventh commandment.  And, if this means transporting her favorite blend over icy sidewalks, on foot, for 2.5 kilometers, toting a small red bag more suited to someone in kindergarten; then so be it.  You carry it as if it were nitric acid, making sure that not one drop seeps from the thermos.

Hell hath no fury like a woman deprived of her coffee.  Being a coffee mule is a really important job.

Posted on April 8, 2013 under Storytelling with 2 comments

Even though I am a self proclaimed sports enthusiast, I notice that I haven’t done a sports story on my blog yet. This could change this week. My absolute favorite televised sporting event, The Masters golf tournament gets under way this Thursday. Besides the venue for the tournament and the rich history, the thing I like most is that there are only 4 minutes of commercials for every hour of broadcast.

I am quickly realizing that having a blog is like raising a child. It requires constant attention! It is akin to owning a wood stove in the winter. You just have to keep stoking it with fresh fibre. The good news is that I have a resevoir of about 75 stories so there’s no shortage of material . And of course, as I bump into people on a daily basis, I get new fodder.

I have five new stories in the editing phase. ” Convenience and Calories” is the story about a local convenience store that houses a bakery. It is only minutes from our house and Lent is over. You connect the dots! “Hidden Treasures” is a story from the North about scavenging in a landfill for car parts. “Just Listenin’ To The Radio” is a story about Saturday mornings, doing chores and listening to the local radio station. ” In Memorial” is a story suggested by my brother about the old memorial Rink on the campus of St.F.X. And finally, “Really Important Jobs” discusses jobs that deal with life and death situations ( like having coffee ready for your spouse first thing in the morning! ).

And remember, if you have a story idea, send me an e-mail at len.macdonald@eastlink.ca