Completely Random Thoughts

All Things Robbie Burns – Issue 69

January 19, 2022

Time to buy haggis, neeps, and tatties! Make the Cullen Skink and Clootie pudding! And don’t forget a good bottle of Scotch! On January 25th, the world celebrates all things Robbie Burns with a traditional Burns’ Night Dinner. The menu explained Cullen Skink is a rich and creamy soup made with smoked haddock, potatoes, butter […]

Week of January Tenth

January 14, 2022

What caught my attention the Week of January tenth? Appeasement Did you notice that this week,  the US and NATO are taking the lead in Ukraine negotiations with Russia? If my memory of history serves me correctly, British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain  left Czechoslovakia on the sidelines  while negotiating the Munich Agreement of 1938. As […]

Turn Chaos into Order – Issue 68

January 13, 2022

I have lamented global responses to COVID-19’s Omicron tidal wave. Criticism is easy, suggesting other strategies more difficult. However, I did commit to putting forward ideas to turn chaos into order.  Crisis management is always political Short term crisis management generally works to the political advantage of the governing party. The crisis creates opportunity to […]

Week of January Third

January 7, 2022

What caught my attention the Week of January Third: The power of Amazon, Our World in Data’s Stringency Index, the selfishness of the unvaccinated, and the vacuous social-media influencer Amazon  Courtesy of Scott Galloway – it takes Amazon 45 minutes to process an order. That includes the processing, locating, packing, scanning and putting it on […]

Chaos! Issue 67

January 5, 2022

The Oxford Learners’ Dictionary defines chaos in five words – a complete lack of order.  Well, a complete lack of order defines global Covid-19 responses. The scrambled reactions to the Omicron surge do not leave many world governments looking good.  Confusion I don’t know what signals your governments sent you when the Omicron variant emerged. […]

Happy New Year, Issue 66

December 30, 2021

Happy New Year! or in Scots Gaelic, Bliadhna Mhath Ùr! Phonetically, Blee-a-nah Va Oor!  The History of Hogmanay Until the late 1950’s most of Scotland worked through Christmas, even Christmas Day. Immediately following the Protestant Reformation in 1640, the Church of Scotland (the “Kirk”) declared the Christmas celebration a Catholic / Papist fabrication. The Kirk […]

Christmas Poem 2021

December 28, 2021

A poem for Omicron Christmas to the theme of We’ll be Home for Christmas” We’re dreaming tonight of a place we loveEven more than we usually doAnd although we know it’s a long road backWe promise you We’ll be home for ChristmasIf we pass the testTravel bans and omicronHave made us feel less blest Christmas […]

Holiday Season 2021, Issue 65

December 22, 2021

What did I write last year? About the slow march from March 13 to December 25. I was hopeful that we would have a sense of normalcy by Christmas 2021. Mid-way through November, I remained hopeful. It looked like we would get to England for a couple of weeks and come back for a family […]

The Dreaded Covid Test, Issue 61

November 22, 2021

The dreaded Covid test! I had gone twenty months without being tested. Then I made the decision to accompany my sister to Houston for her 87th birthday and that of her twin, our brother, who lives there.  Different Tests: One kind of test to board a plane from Canada to the US – C$80 each […]

In A Rut, Issue 60

November 20, 2021

I am in a rut. Not a deep, dark depression but just a little, muddy hole that I am finding difficult to escape.  The First Eighteen Months of Covid I thought that I was managing the restrictions of COVID 19 pretty well. I had found a new pass time – writing! New clients and new […]

It has been too long, Issue 58

October 15, 2021

It has been too long! The last time I posted a newsletter was just before the Canadian general election. I told you that I had voted for the New Democratic Party (“NDP”).  Well, the election has come and gone. The make-up of the House of Commons hasn’t really changed. The Liberal Party of Canada and […]

Canadian General Election – Issue 57

September 18, 2021

I did vote NDP! I have almost always voted Liberal Party of Canada (“Libs” / LPC”). However, I meant to sit out this election in protest. But I will vote – for the New Democratic Party (“NDP”). In hind sight, I should have voted NDP when Tom Mulcair led the party. It was and still […]