Feb 13, 2022My Writing Career — Stalled By a Lack of HumilityI went off to university with a lofty dream of becoming a writer — the next Alan Fotheringham. As a teenager, I looked forward to reading Fotheringham’s “final page” editorials in McLean’s Magazine. He covered serious topics with an entertaining wit, sarcasm, and pointed insults. In one editorial he described…Writing3 min readWriting3 min read
Oct 12, 2021Adrenaline Thoughts and Dreams — Parkinson’s Controls the NightOn September 30th, I experienced the adrenalin rush of speaking to a group of people for the first time in years.* That feeling of being in a zone that I hadn’t had since my working days. …Parkinson Disease5 min readParkinson Disease5 min read
Oct 1, 2021What Happened to My Sense of HumourMy daughter is currently in a production of Spamalot the Musical. A wonderful performance that had me laughing out loud at the silliness of Monty Python. I still have “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life” stuck in my head. I really needed that show. It has been difficult…Writing3 min readWriting3 min read
Jul 28, 2021A Writer with a Golfing ProblemA year or so ago, I declared myself a Writer. Feeling like a natural, I was following Steven King’s advice of writing alone without distraction and producing 2,000 words per day. As Covid restrictions started to lift, I quickly learned that my discipline was one part passion, and the other…Parkinson Disease4 min readParkinson Disease4 min read
Jul 5, 2021A Changing World. So Much More Than “Friends”Change is endless. As our cells constantly change, so do our thoughts and emotions. Yet, many people still have a desire to hold on to their perception of the past. …LGBTQ2 min readLGBTQ2 min read
Jun 26, 2021Golf. Good for Parkinson’s?Yesterday, before heading to the golf club I had written a blog on how well Parkinson’s and Golf go together. I almost hit “publish” but decided I would do one more edit when I got home. It’s a good thing I waited. Parkinson’s has thankfully taken away some of my…Parkinson Disease2 min readParkinson Disease2 min read
Jun 25, 2021Covid Restrictions — A Learning Opportunity.The last 15 months have been extraordinarily stressful. Waiting anxiously for the daily update from our Provincial Health Officer and too often not getting the good news we were hoping for. Wondering if we should tell anyone about the tickle in our throats. Pondering just how many other hands had…Covid-193 min readCovid-193 min read
Jun 21, 2021I Will Not Cancel My Canada DayI woke up on this 25th Indigenous Peoples Day grateful to be on the traditional lands of the Tsawwassen Nation — The land near the sea. I am also encouraged by the recent increase in news coverage of the need for Truth and Reconciliation in Canada. It is sad and…Indigenous Peoples Day3 min readIndigenous Peoples Day3 min read
Jun 12, 2021A Moment in Shirley’s LifeWhile I generally use this blog to tell stories of my experience with Parkinson’s, I had a chance meeting with an elderly woman recently. While it was a sad experience, it also provided me some appreciation that I want to share. Also, I have started a second blog site. Check…Alzheimers5 min readAlzheimers5 min read
Jun 10, 2021White Fragility — Getting Past Our Collective Guilt — Acknowledging GenocideFollowing protests last week where Egerton Ryerson’s statue at Ryerson University was pulled down, questions have been raised as to whether Ryerson was really all that bad. Apparently, he had learned to speak Ojibwe and had friends that were indigenous. …Genocide3 min readGenocide3 min read
