It’s Easter Sunday and I consider myself extraordinarily fortunate to have an 8 year old child that still believes in the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, and Santa Claus. The future may try to prove me wrong, but I think it’s better to preserve Magic in children’s lives for as long as possible. There is [...]
The Dalai Lama, when asked what surprised him most about humanity, said: “Man. Because he sacrifices his health in order to make money. Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health. And then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present; the result being that he does not live [...]
Because we don’t know when we will die, we get to think of life as an inexhaustible well. And yet everything happens only a certain number of times, and a very small number really. How many more times will you remember a certain afternoon of your childhood, an afternoon that is so deeply a part [...]
I sometimes wish that changes in human relationships visually prompted us to re-accept the terms of service before proceeding. I doubt that any of us would bother to read the terms of service anyway, but at least when things went wrong the blame would rest solely on us for not understanding what we’d agreed to.
I’ve finally reached that time in my life where it’s become tempting to lie about my age. While this has long been an accepted if not celebrated custom of women, it’s not been as popular among men. Of course, consider that men have benefited enormously from the (probably male-perpetuated) notion that age on a man makes [...]
(or even: Why you should join Twitter or start a blog immediately) Note: This post contains GCPEDIA links only accessible within the Government of Canada network. Not long ago, I made the acquaintance of a young, energized public servant. I was impressed by their1 enthusiasm, imagination, expression and boundless drive to create. I encouraged this [...]
I was out for a coffee over the lunch hour with a friend of mine. On the walk back to my office I noticed the parking patrol was on the prowl. The officer slowed, came to a stop, then started backing slowly to put himself in line with a black SUV next to an expired [...]
IMAG0047, originally uploaded by toddlyons. I love the architecture of Place du Portage IV. It’s still so unabashedly 1970s; evocative of a time and place out of childhood where Ottawa was remote and near-mythical. I never believed as a child, nor as a young adult, that I would ever live or work in the National [...]
IMAG0030, originally uploaded by toddlyons. I walk past this sign every day on the way to my office. Am I the only one that’s struck by the amusing juxtaposition of children and animals? Thankfully, my kids are allergy-free, but just the same I’d prefer if they weren’t fed by passing strangers.
Get a Grip 1, originally uploaded by toddlyons. My wife loves me, This I know, For her gag gifts Tell me so. Just about ever Saturday, my wife brings me home something from the second-hand shop she works at. Often it’s clothes, but occasionally it’s a novelty gift like this one. Yeah, sometimes I do [...]
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