Columns
HAS THE INTERNET MADE US RUDER?
In high school I was introduced to the art of debating. I was enthralled with the whole idea of researching a specific topic, taking a side regardless of personal opinion and then displaying it in a passionate and articulate presentation. It was an interesting way to learn about the subject at hand as well as honing the skills necessary for communicating and negotiating effectively.In every debate that I... (read more) (request to publish)
DOG TO THE RESCUE
On March 23, our beloved dog of five years vanished without a trace and weve been looking for him ever since.Charlie was a 30-pound white cockapoo that looked similar to many other dogs, so there have been several false sightings that had us running around the first few months. There were also many pictures of look-alike pups sent to us from nice people through social media that never... (read more) (request to publish)
HALLOWEEN HAS BECOME A CASH COW
Halloween has changed a lot since I was a kid. For one thing, its become big business. Canadians and Americans spent approximately eight billion dollars on candy, decorations and costumes last year. And not just costumes for children, but for grown ups, dogs and even some unimpressed cats.Back in my day our parents bought candy to hand out, and pumpkins to carve - that was about it. My... (read more) (request to publish)
LIVE LIFE TO THE FULLEST
Last Saturday in between games at my 12-year-old daughters fastball tournament she received a message that Caleb Logan was dead. I had no idea who that was, but Daisy knew, and so did all of her heartbroken friends. He was the gregarious 13-year-old star of a wholesome show on YouTube that loosely chronicled the lives of him, his two younger sisters and his parents. It is called Bratayley,... (read more) (request to publish)
GET OUT OF THE DOGHOUSE AND GET ONLINE
If you or someone you know finds or loses a pet, post it on Facebook as soon as possible. If you are not on the most popular social media site in North America, send the picture and details to someone who is, and ask them to post it for you. This advice is intended for everyone who cares about animals, and that includes Dog Control, SPCA and rescue... (read more) (request to publish)
RECONNECT BY DISCONNECTING
Camping at the beautiful Mabel Lake Provincial Park in B.C. came at a price last week: I had to function without the Internet for the first time in several years.I tried to resist this from happening. I went to Telus Mobility a couple days prior to leaving for my trip to buy more data with a plan to hotspot from my phone to my laptop once there. Unfortunately... (read more) (request to publish)
GONE THRIFTING
My idea of shopping is making a list, going to a store that has everything I need, purchasing the items and then rushing home. My 12 year old daughters idea of shopping is going to a ton of different stores for hours on end and trying on clothes she neither needs nor has enough money to buy. Fortunately she has some good friends who love to participate in... (read more) (request to publish)
THE GRASS ISN’T ALWAYS GREENER
Have you ever covered a pimple with a make-up stick, dyed your grey hair back to its original shade, or painted your brown grass to a healthier looking green?While lots of us have tried the first two, not to mention many other things to improve the aesthetics of ourselves and the things we own, fewer of us have tried the latter.My friend who recently sold her house did,... (read more) (request to publish)
THE HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE TO SAFETY
My parents taught me to never hitch a ride and never pick up hitchhikers, but after becoming a cabbie in North Vancouver at the age of 18 and picking up hundreds of people Id never met, I became almost fearless toward strangers.I never hitchhiked myself, but long after I stopped driving a taxi Id frequently pick up folks if they needed a ride. Even after becoming a mother... (read more) (request to publish)
THE RIGHT TO BARE CHESTS
In Canada, wherever a man can go topless, a woman can go topless too. I didnt discover that until two summers ago after I asked Walter Gray, the mayor of Kelowna at the time, about topless laws within our city.Although the video was an obvious satire with my pixilated chest and the mayors cooperation, news of the interview went viral, and was covered by media outlets all over... (read more) (request to publish)
TAKE THEM WITH YOU
I drove my kids to the corner store a few days ago and as they ran in with their friends I shut the engine off. In less than a minute I could feel the inside of my truck rapidly heating up, but rather than turn on the air conditioning so I could cool down, I decided to see how long I could tolerate the extreme heat.Id recently seen... (read more) (request to publish)
PAWS FOR CONSIDERATION
A couple of nights ago I was greeted in my driveway by a small black kitten. As I carried in my bags from the truck, she followed me to the door and when I opened it she peeked in with a curious look.It was far too late to go looking for her home, so I put my hand down and scooped her up before she had a chance... (read more) (request to publish)
STOP HIDING BEHIND THE CAMERA
Last week a newspaper reporter interviewed me for the Stop Dog Theft event I was planning and asked for a picture of me with our beloved pup whos been missing since March. Before I even started looking I warned him the chances werent good.I knew I had tons of pictures from the last five years of Charlie with his sister and with our children, but even though I... (read more) (request to publish)
HOW DO WE STOP DOG THEFT?
In the last year and a half at least 22 dogs have been stolen in the Okanagan and at least 52 more have vanished without a trace. Our beloved dog Charlie was one of them.Before our five-year-old white Cockapoo went missing three months ago, Id never thought about dog-napping. But after an extensive search failed to find him or any remains, we were left wondering if someone had... (read more) (request to publish)
SONGS OF SUMMER
Years ago I shared my regrets of not learning a musical instrument and encouraged my kids to take lessons. They were both keen on the idea and I recommended the guitar because of its portable versatility. One of my friends who was with us at the time said I should put them in piano because it would give them a broader knowledge of music, helping them learn other... (read more) (request to publish)
THE FIGHT FOR A CURE TYPE
Kim Findlater is what some refer to as a helicopter parent, constantly hovering nearby, watching that her child is safe and out of harm's way. But this style of parenting wasnt one she chose - rather it was thrust upon her when her seven-year-old daughter Arielle was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes, also called type 1 diabetes, in lateSeptember 2013. It was a disease she and her husband never... (read more) (request to publish)
BE WHO YOU ARE MEANT TO BE
Bruce Jenner, the man who became a national hero during the 1976 Olympics, when he won a gold medal and broke a world record in the mens decathlon event had a different kind of victory this week: he finally revealed himself to the world as a woman.The cover and photo spread showing his new identity in Vanity Fair magazine titled Call me Caitlyn hit the Internet onJune 1,... (read more) (request to publish)
ONE CRASH IS TOO MANY
Have you ever driven from one location to the next and realized once you reached your destination that you didnt remember getting there? I have. And when I do, it freaks me out.How is it possible that I could get behind the wheel of a vehicle made up of thousands of pounds of steel and operate it without being completely attentive in every sense of the word? Its... (read more) (request to publish)