Happy New Year, Issue 29

We have almost made it to 2021! It will have to be a better year that 2020. I really want my life back. 

There are so many simple things that I miss:

  • Being able to hug my loved ones
  • To see peoples’ faces again.  Are they smiling or snarling?
  • Meeting in person – Zooming doesn’t do it for me. Facial expressions only tell one  story, body language tells another.
  • Going to restaurants and not necessarily for the food. I like to see people. I once worked with a woman who had to have the choice seat for people watching. We would all shuffle around until she got the perfect place to sit. She will know who she is. 
  • Part 1:  Fulfilling my value proposition includes wandering around client offices and finding ways to be useful. Often there are situations that I have seen before and problems I can solve. 
  • Part 2: Being energized by the invariably younger people whom I help. Even my oldest client is two months younger than me. 
  • I miss travel, not just the going but the planning. 
  • Sharing the buzz of a busy sidewalk on a beautiful day
  • Hockey games with fans in the seats
  • Visiting my youngest child in Nova Scotia
  • Coffee at La Difference 
  • Pizza by the slice at FCO di Fiumicino 
  • Being able to hug my loved ones –  this one bears repeating

New Years Greetings:

I will start my New Year’s greetings with the hope that you get to do everything  on your very personal list of the simple things that you miss because of the pandemic.

Good health!! Traditional wishes of good health take on more significance this year. The Coronavirus has overwhelmed the healthcare system making other possible chronic illnesses more dangerous than they may have been. 

A critical eye! Everyday, I work hard to separate fact from opinion. We all have biases and so nobody will ever do this perfectly. However,  we need to try so that social discourse can be civil and respectful.

The ability to be generous! The Cambridge dictionary defines generosity as the wilful giving  of money, help, kindness, etcetera  especially more than is usual or expected.  If you have money, giving it is easy. Giving help and showing kindness are hard and need practice. 

Resolutions

My weekly reminders are at the core of my new years resolutions – I will:

  • Buy less but buy better quality
  • Repair rather than replace
  • Reuse,  a well-worn dress shirt is a good work shirt
  • Work harder at recycling. I will always start by looking for good new homes for items no longer useful to me 
  • Shop  local
  • Buy Québec and Canadian to the extent possible, even if it means paying a premium
  • Support local farms, artisans, and manufacturers. 
  • Respect other peoples health by wearing a face mask where required, washing my hands, and practicing social distancing
  • Work on my own health through continued exercise and healthy eating habits
  • I will get the vaccine as soon as I possibly can

It is up to all of us to get back to the lives we had before the pandemic. 

I wish everyone a Happy New Year. 

Lisbon – A City on the Rise?

March 7, 2023

Lisbon’s seven hills and waterfront make it visually spectacular. The second oldest capital in Europe, the city has energy. Busy streets and squares, full restaurants, and vibrant night life – the city pulsates. And, the population seems young. All signs of a city on the rise? Earthquake A 1755 earthquake destroyed 85% of the city […]

Cities and Towns, The Affordable Housing Problem

February 8, 2023

People living on the street have come to symbolize the global housing crisis but they are only the tip of the iceberg. While the examples of Finland and Houston demonstrate a focussed plan pursued diligently can resolve the housing situation for the chronically homeless, addressing the affordable housing problem is much more complex.  Defining Affordability […]

I Love to Dance

January 29, 2023

I love to dance. This is not something new for me. I can’t remember when I didn’t like to move to the music. My first memories of watching others dance come from my childhood in Cape Breton where I would watch the adults square dance. Then, there were the step dancers who would often accompany […]

Cities and Towns 8, A City is About People

January 19, 2023

Kings Cross, once a thriving industrial and transport centre in London, was effectively closed  off  to the public by the end of the 20th century.   Then in 1996, the decision was made to move the British terminus for the Channel Tunnel Rail Link from Waterloo to St-Pancras. The landowner saw a re-development opportunity for […]

NEOM - the Wall

Cities and Towns 7, Cities and Towns Evolve

January 8, 2023

I have postulated that cities and towns evolve. That towns and villages first grow in areas where the basics to support life were plentiful. Typically, that means good agricultural land and good access to water. Other valuable considerations include safety, and resilience. The bonus – access to trade routes.  Walt Disney and the Fully Formed […]

Christmas Poem 2022

December 22, 2022

A Visit from Saint Nicholas A Poem by Jonathan Potter – December 2022 ‘Twas the first mask-free Christmas, when all through the stores  The vaccinated children were spewing their spores;The shoppers were eagerly starting to riotAs the introverts longed for some quarantine quiet. The public healthcare workers were tracing the pathOf the flu and RSV, […]