Writer, Explorer and Travel Philosopher
Put a bookmark here…!
It’s been brought to my attention that I might be somewhat strange.
Surely I’m not the only one who rotates their bookmarks?
It’s not as though I collect bookmarks.
I’m not a member of the International Friends of Bookmarks, either (yes, that’s a real thing).
Spies everywhere…
A friend asked me this week, “What do you think of the ‘deep state’?
The short answer is, “I try not to.” Mostly because it has no meaningful impact on my life.
‘Deep state’ is the idea that some sort of shadow government made up of rich, powerful actors wields power, either within or behind the legitimately elected government.
Words That Piss Me Off: The Sequel
I never would have guessed when I sat down to write Words That Piss Me Off in March 2010 that I was creating a smash hit.
Many of the words and phrases which sparked that furious rant were irritating proliferations of business English that made their way into daily use.
Planet of the what…?
Let’s talk about Planet of the Humans, the controversial new documentary produced by Michael Moore.
I figure we might as well talk about something, since travel’s off the cards for the foreseeable future. Rather than vanish into sedentary obscurity, I decided to use the blog to write about whatever crosses my desk: current reading, current events, the distant past, or the afterglow of an interesting film.
Early morning Shinagawa view…
Three days into this journey, I began to grow seriously concerned about the structural integrity of my waistband. And the day after that, I resigned myself to a bleak future of dieting, possibly culminating in liposuction. And all this from letting my wife plan the trip.
I still remember the moment I knew — really knew — that my dad was dying.
I was in a cheap hotel in Bangkok, lying there awake trying to sleep. I’d received an email that day which said my dad had been ill, and they were sending him for some tests. One of the last lines read, “You should probably come home.”
I recently spent a couple of Lisbon days exploring one of the cities most interesting suburbs.
This is probably the best section of the city in which to get in touch with Portugal’s glorious past.
It was from Belém that the explorer Vasco da Gama set out to India by sea in 1497.
I got a sneak peak inside a crucial part of the publishing industry last week when I was given the opportunity to tour Lowe-Martin’s Ottawa St. Laurent facility — where Outpost and other fine magazines are printed.
My visit to Canada is drawing to a close.
I spent the past weekend exploring old haunts with my friend Rob Wilson, partner in crime from many teenage exploits and camping expeditions.
Every once in a while a book comes along that shakes up your perspective, and provides deep insights into your past and present.
This is one of those books.
Blue Truth by David Deida showed up out of nowhere, at a time when I’d been struggling with a sense of stagnancy in my craft, and with the path I’ve chosen through life.
