Travel Tuesday: Amsterdam
When I think of Amsterdam I usually think of its airport. I’ve been in it more than a dozen times and it’s hands down my favourite airport (though Charles de Gaulle’s atrium inspired terminals give it a run for its money artistically). It has a stunning fireplace and grand piano lounge. And a library. And … Continue reading
The Holiday Spirit
While Christmas is constantly bemoaned as overly commercial and increasingly homogenous, I still thrill at little peculiarities, personal traditions, and culture clashes when it comes to St. Nick. I’m not the first, of course. May I strongly suggest you listen to David Sedaris muse on Christmas traditions, particularly in the Netherlands. 6 to 8 Black … Continue reading
Endings & Starts
Do you ever wonder what life would be like if things were different? I don’t mean if Hitler hadn’t been born, or if Superman had landed in the USSR instead (though that is a fascinating idea, Mr Millar…); I mean everyday things. Life is built on such a mountain of happenstance. What if I hadn’t … Continue reading
Starry : A Tale of Two Nights
One night, I walked the dry river bed out across the desert and to the water’s edge. During the day it is a popular draw in the region, full of locals and tourists; now it is completely empty. The flicker of a bonfire miles away is the only sign of human habitation. I slip into … Continue reading
Kids are the same everywhere
So I’m back in the land of the living. And I figure it’s fitting to pay homage to a kid who really knows how to live. This kid? He lives on the side of a dusty highway. His mom boils corn on the cob in old steel barrels to sell to passing cars (like the … Continue reading
like Marbles, but better
Night falls quickly in the mountains. There is a brief lull between after dinner tea and the blinding darkness. A darkness that comes so thick and fast it makes brushing teeth in the far-away, bug-ridden, and pitch-black outhouse seem highly optional. But in this in-between moment where the day ends and night hasn’t yet started … Continue reading
I Capture the Castle
This is one of those books I’ve always meant to read. Working in a children’s bookshop once upon a time, it was a go-to favourite for many of my colleagues. In the world of British kids lit it’s legendary, and I believe it is the sort of coming-of-age novel that’s as valuable and valid at … Continue reading
“Uh-oh. This is bad, bad, bad, bad, bad…”
When I was 5, my mom’s sister came to visit. My mom was so excited. I think they talked non-stop for days. “Take your sister and go play upstairs” my mom ordered. I guess they were talking about grown-up things. On this less than inspiring afternoon, we rummaged in the art supplies. Did you ever … Continue reading
How Can I Keep from Singing?
I have music in my soul. Despite this, I go long, intense bouts without so much as a note. I’ll not play anything, or even sing in the shower, for months. Then some unexpected day I’ll be filled with uncontrollable urges, spreading song into every inch of my daily routine. It’s a wonderful reconciliation, and … Continue reading
Swingsets are for Grown-ups too
The tiniest whiff of spring has been gaining traction in these parts – and for my part, it seems to have come before it’s time. I can’t remember ever being caught off guard by sunlight like this. It’s a little unnerving. Not that I’m complaining, mind you.There is something rather pleasant about a shocking arrival … Continue reading
Que Sera Sara? 