Posted on January 7, 2014 under News & Updates with no comments yet

I know. I should just put a picture of Betty with this blurb and everyone will read it.

Those of you who read my website posts know a few things about me…probably too much! My marathon training taught me many things including consistency and discipline. I have tried to apply some of the same things to my writing. So, without fail, I publish Monday Morning Musings on Mondays. Tuesday , I normally publish a story. Wednesday you get a day off. On Thursday, it’s Thursday Tidbits. Occasionally I do a TGIF on Fridays and Saturday is my second story day of the week. And like the our creator, I rest on Sundays. In other words, I am predictable.

Starting this week, I will be changing things up… slightly. As you know, I write a column for The Casket every other week so beginning this week, every other week I will be posting a story on Wednesday to coincide with my Casket story. They changed their publication day from Tuesday to Wednesday. Got that?

By the way, I wrote a beauty today while eating my lunch. Confession time. I was stopped by the Mounties a few weeks ago while travelling through Cape Breton and got busted for using a cell phone. You’ll see the details in the story. I NEVER use the phone, text or e-mail while driving and my phone log will show this if I decide to defend myself. I have nearly been  run over in intersections more than once by inattentaive driver so I heartily endorse enforcement. I totally understand that having distractions while driving is a hazard. So when I saw a driver with his Golden Retriever in his lap virtually driving his truck, I got to thinking. If this doesn’t constitute distraction, I don’t know what does. The story is called ” Driven to Distraction.”

And Norma Jean keeps new story ideas coming my way every time she opens her mouth. Will I ever run out of story ideas? Nope. Not as long as NJ is alive and kicking.

OK. We’ll see you tomorrow. “Mass Appeal.”

Posted on January 6, 2014 under Monday Morning Musings with one comment

When do you do your best thinking? On a solitary road trip to the city? During a walk in the woods or a long run on the back roads? Gardening ( not so much in January! ). Early in the morning before the world speeds up or late at night when the house falls silent? At certain times in ones life ( when you’re raising a young family ), it seems like there’s never time for contemplation. For many people, the bathroom in general and the shower in particular, is the place where many ideas are hatched. Coming up soon, the story called ” A Splash of Inspiration.”

My New Years Eve story ” The Longest Day” hit home with a lot of you. I received a lot of comments and it sounds like many of you shared similar experiences.

And coming this Wednesday, is the story “Mass Appeal” which recounts the rituals around getting ready for mass and attending mass back in the day when Latin masses were the norm.

It seems like the weather is the dominant theme these days now that Rob Ford has quietly slipped into the background. It continues to amaze me the depths of whining and complaining that’s out there. It almost seems like people are surprised with the snow and cold. Spoiler alert: we live in a Northern climate. There are many people who have a legitimate right to complain. When the power is out, it is not only inconvenient for people but life threatening for some. The elderly, the infirmed and people who need electricity to run medical equipment like oxygen tanks are at risk.  People with mobility issues are basically held hostage when the roads and sidewalks become virtually impassable. And being trapped indoors can be particularly difficulty for people who suffer from mental health issues.

May I humbly suggest to the rest of us who are blessed with warm houses, food on our table and who enjoy good health…. please give the whining and complaining a rest. It doesn’t achieve anything.

Instead follow the lead of K.G. and make yourself a “gratitude jar” and on a daily basis drop a small piece of paper into it with something that happened to you that makes you grateful. I am on day 5 with my own. The more that you articulate gratefulness, the happier you will become. Go ahead. Try it. You might surprise yourself.

And if you are suffering from the January blahs and a Christmas/New Years hangover ( not a real hangover… the psychological kind ), go and do something for somebody. Help someone shovel their driveway ( because you haven’t had enough of your own to deal with! ). Volunteer for an organization or just say something positive to someone you bump into.

Have a great week.

Posted on January 4, 2014 under Storytelling with no comments yet

If you think that June 21^st is the longest day of the year, you are mistaken.  I am here to state the case that January 2^nd holds that distinction.

Let’s review the life cycle of New Year’s Eve.  When you are young and single, going out on New Year’s Eve is a rite of passage.  It is the first time that you can legitimately kiss any woman in the room on the lips at midnight, without the slightest hint of retribution.  Ditto for warm body embraces.  You can drink gallons of alcohol with reckless abandon.  Your buddies holding up the wall beside you will scarcely notice.  There is a very good chance that in the wee hours of the morning, you will do the “walk of shame”.  Admit it men.  You’ve done all of the above.

And then, you get married.  Until children arrive on the scene, you are still full of piss and vinegar and can’t wait to show off your new bride to the adoring masses.  You pick the hottest party in town, the place where lots of other young married couples and singles just have to be seen.  The scene is not a whole lot different from when you were single except for the kisses and body embraces.  These are now monitored very closely by at least one person.  Hold on to a kiss for a nanosecond too long with an old girlfriend and you are in deep trouble.  You might be doing the walk of shame again but for a totally different reason.

Within a few years, the pitter patter of small feet graces your house and now New Year’s Eve looks very different to your wife.  She desperately wants to go out, especially if she has been the primary caregiver of an infant.  She has been held hostage for months on end and is pleading with the warden for time off for good behaviour.  However, she is also totally stressed out with the thought of leaving a handful of small children with a sitter.  Add to all this, serious sleep deprivation and you have a recipe for anything but fun.  It is not uncommon to hear these words around 11:45 PM: “Get me out of here.  I am going to kill someone if you don’t take me home immediately”.  You don’t argue with a woman bereft of sleep.   No kisses are exchanged this New Years.

The years go by and when the kids are a little older, going out on New Year’s Eve is far less appealing. They are now caught up in the excitement of watching the clock tick down while all you want to do is go to bed.  This is exactly what you do, and wait for them to wake you up at 11:55 PM to ring in the New Year.

And you watch the Royal Canadian Air Farce on CBC.

At a certain juncture, house parties become all the rage.  These can be a lot of fun but by now, you have teenagers and you spend the entire night wondering what kind of trouble they are getting into.

And just like that, you are receiving your first Canada Pension Plan cheque.  You realize that the jig is up and that you can no longer eat and drink indiscriminately for the twelve days of Christmas.  And when does this thought cross your mind?  January 2^nd.  The longest day of the year.  Reality hits.  You are broke, bloated and bleary eyed.  You start your resolution list and at the very top is a promise to never again eat or drink to excess.

At least not until February.   Nova Scotia is threatening to institute a new holiday which may be the perfect time to throw out all of those useless resolutions.