June 2017 – Page 2 – KINETIC MOTIONS

June 19, 2017

Sometimes it just gets lost in Translation – The Signs of Travel

When you travel to a foreign country you want to explore all the unique sites, attractions and neighbourhoods in that country. Sometimes you want to see the traditional tourist spots and sometimes you want to immerse yourself into the place’s culture and feel like a local. For those of us whose primary language is English we often discover that while the main language in most countries around the world is not our language, many of the signs are in both the local language and English or to make life easy for tourists there are just helpful pictures.

I will admit that I get a kick out of seeking out these helpful signs, which, while they mean well, the message sometimes gets lost in translation. Sometimes it’s not even a translation issue but culturally it may look funny because of how strange it seems. Then there are some signs that are not meant to be funny at all, there is no translation issue and for no apparent reason I just think they are funny.

I will share a bunch of those signs with you here. Some of these photos are from my travels and some are photos people have sent me or posted on social media that just make me laugh.

I will begin with my most recent trip to New Zealand with my family. New Zealand is an English-speaking country, but I think they have a great sense of humour there and they also like to be very clear with locals and tourists about what the message is.

The first memorable sign from that trip was at our motel in the town of Turangi, in the centre of the North Island. The owner of the establishment was quite clear about what was NOT allowed to be cooked:

Turangi is near a ski resort, Mt. Ruapehu, and since it was summer there (early January), of course the resort was closed for the season. We had torrential rain and the scheduled hike was cancelled, so we decided, during a heavy downpour, to drive up the mountain and check out the ski resort. We came upon the beginner area, called Happy Valley Snow Park, and with buckets of rain pouring down I jumped out of the car to capture a few great signs.

Matthew soon joined in the fun seeking out interesting signage and we hit the jackpot at the volcanic hot springs at Rotorua. They wanted to make sure we understood just how hot and dangerous the pools were….

Then we just got silly a few days later, as we boarded, then traveled on the ferry boat that brought us from the South Island to the North Island.

Actually, we saw a few really fun and informative signs throughout New Zealand’s South Island:

Another favourite spot for great signs is Hong Kong. The majority of the local population speaks various Chinese dialects, but because of Hong Kong’s long-time connection with Great Britain there is a lot of English. Maybe some of the signs have translation challenges and maybe some are very clear but make no sense to someone like me. I traveled to Hong Kong a few years ago with my sister-in-law and mother-in-law and we found a few memorable signs.

British humour is admired the world over, and I have had the opportunity to visit the UK a few times in the last 20 years. I regret that I did not take photos of most of the funny signs I saw, and the two that I have I think may only seem funny to my family. But still they make me chuckle.

It is quite normal in Israel to see signs in Hebrew, Arabic and English. Most of the time the signs make sense, but this one was definitely lost in translation. The Hebrew sign says “Sakana! Borot Bakveesh.” The problem here is with the word “borot” which means HOLES in English. However, the word “boroot” means IGNORANCE in English. Oops.

You won’t find this sign on a highway in Canada….

My brother-in-law, Leigh, has racked up the air miles the last few years for work and visited some far-off places. He showed me quite a variety of interesting signs, some too disturbing to post here. But here are a few of my favourites:

This photo is courtesy of my friend Richard, who posted it on Facebook last week. It needs no description. Thanks Richard.

I love to seek out these signs when I travel, and yes, it’s fun to have a chuckle when I find them, photograph them and share them with family and friends. I know it is immature, okay it’s flat out childish, but I like it just the same. How about you? Have you seen any memorable signs in your travels? Share them with me on Facebook, Tweet me @AliciaRichler or comment here. I look forward to seeing what you have to show me.

June 16, 2017

The Craziness of Costco

Yesterday I wrote about the joys of farmers’ markets and how they support local vendors, build community and really just fill me with delight. Today I am writing about what may be the opposite, something that symbolizes capitalism, sometimes gluttony and the epitome of big-box shopping. I’m talking about Costco.

Until recently I steered clear of Costco. The idea of shopping for my family in a giant warehouse, crammed with people gunning for giant tubs of mustard and mayonnaise terrified me. I had joined my mother a few times to secure specific items like my favourite olive oil and maple syrup, but other than that I avoided the place like the plague.

Now that we are a family of five and I had spare time, last fall I took out a membership and ventured into Costco. I figured I would give it a try and see if I could find what I needed.

In the challenging retail landscape that exists today, with stores large and small jockeying for our attention in an age of online shopping, Costco is doing something right. Brick and mortar stores are particularly challenged getting any foot traffic in the doors. Clearly this is not a problem at my local Costco location.

Let’s start with the parking lot. Whether it’s 10:00 am or 4:00 pm, the parking lot is packed. Angry Annie and Raging Robert seem to make a bee line for this place daily, cutting people off and grabbing a parking spot when one is free. Somehow my children bring me luck with parking spots and I always get a spot.

How about the fact that you need to be a member just to have the right to enter this shopping mecca? If my local grocery store or department store at the mall even charged patrons $5 per year to shop, the place would be empty. But no, with a starting membership of $60 per year (a price which keeps going up and clearly people will pay), there’s a line-up at the front door just to flash the membership card to enter.

When you enter the store, you are faced with a wall of feature items that the Costco executives are sure everyone just has to have. New towels? Water bottles? An ink jet printer? It’s hard to pass by this section without considering one of these interesting impulse buys.

Each Costco store is organized into neat areas, with the electronics at the front corner, a pharmacy and pharmaceuticals in another corner, food in themed aisles and clothing, books, toys (adult and children) and seasonal items parked in the middle. Some areas of the store, such as the tables of clothing, always have huge crowds, while other areas, like the spice or pasta aisle, are usually a bit quieter. The quiet areas are my favourite.

If you are hungry when you arrive at Costco you are almost guaranteed to be fed by the friendly sample team, who are handing out everything from handfuls of popcorn or chips to mango juice to chicken nuggets. My one-year-old claps with delight as we approach one of the sample tables, having been trained at a very young age to enjoy the Costco experience.

I load my cart with key items, like specific organic food my family enjoys such as apple sauce packets and macaroni and cheese, much of the produce I need for the week, all the paper products a girl could wish for and kosher meat (only at specific locations) sold in bulk packages.

Each time I enter the place I always tell myself that I just need a few items and this time I will spend less than $100. But then I pass by a new featured food item I just have to have, cotton sleepers for the baby or a backpack for my son and my cart is full.

The final stop on any visit to Costco is the check-out line. Like the parking lot, whether it’s 10:00 am or 4:00 pm it’s packed and there are long snaking lines. I will give the employees credit that they get people through these lines mighty fast. Like the entry, you need to flash the membership card in order to pay, and you watch as the charges run up as you check out.

I’m no longer terrified of Costco. In fact, I love it. Their prices are competitive, it’s easy to find the items I need and the quality is consistently good. If I need to return an item they take it back with no questions asked. Because I am a member they can easily look up any item I have bought and know everything about me (which is of great benefit to any retailer).

Costco is not intimate or warm like my local farmers’ market, but it is an efficient way to shop. This retailer is a great example of value shopping – with their mix of high quality and low priced merchandise. I am not handing back my membership card any time soon.

June 15, 2017June 19, 2017

What you need to know about a Farmers’ Market

One of the ways I know that the spring and summer season has arrived is the presence of farmers’ markets dotting parks, parking lots, squares, and sidewalks in cities and towns across Ontario, Canada and really across North America. While a few markets run all-year round, heading indoors over the winter, many of the farmers’ markets pop up in late May and early June, offering a wide assortment of goodies for people to buy.

While walking in the Annex yesterday in central Toronto I passed signs posted on front lawns and hydro polls with details about the neighbourhood farmers’ market that happened every Wednesday afternoon, starting in June. My luck, yesterday was Wednesday, it was 3:00 pm and I was only about 3 blocks from this market. It’s hard for me to stay away from a farmers’ market, so off I went, with sleeping baby in the stroller, to check out a market I had never visited before.

There are some basic commonalities that all farmers’ markets share, which I find helps locals, tourists or just general passers-by easily find their way through:

They are set up with vendor tables on two sides of a wide aisle, to easily allow for pedestrian traffic. These vendor tables are all protected under a pop-up white tent (sometimes another colour but for the most part it’s white), so they stay dry. These markets happen rain or shine!
The vendors are all local, coming from as far as farms 100 km away. They know the town or neighbourhood and the kind of customers that frequent that market.
It’s not just produce at today’s farmers’ markets. While there are always a few vendors selling seasonal produce (asparagus in May, strawberries in late June or peaches in August), one can expect much more. I can always count on someone who is selling homemade breads, another vendor that may have honey, maple syrup, jams or olive oil and there’s usually an assortment of freshly cooked food or fresh squeezed juices to purchase as well.
For the most part, transactions are cash only. Unless there is a vendor who is selling bigger ticket items like clothing or jewelry, don’t expect to find Apple pay or a credit card reader.
Some of the more eclectic markets feature live music, which is an added bonus. It is nice to show off local talent, and music puts people in a good mood.
The vendors are friendly and knowledgeable about what they are selling. The baker will recommend the right bread that suits your personal taste buds. When you buy a jar of honey you will get advice on how to store it. The local farmer will tell you what she pulled from her garden just that morning and what to expect next. The personal touch is something special.

The city of Toronto has many farmers’ markets to choose from, and many towns offer one weekly or biweekly. My favourite market to visit outside Toronto is the one in the centre of Collingwood, a town on the southern shore of Georgian Bay. It runs every Saturday from 8:30 am to 1:00 pm, from Victoria Day weekend to Thanksgiving weekend.

This market has all the usual vendors one can expect as well as a few surprises. My children love the live alpaca and the soft socks, hats and clothing that vendor sells. It isn’t a summer weekend for my nephew unless he gets his raspberry filled doughnut from a specific vendor (who also makes and sells the best pierogis) and my parents can’t leave without buying up all the fresh samosas from a vendor called Ali’s Kitchen (who has a restaurant in Collingwood). The market often features live music, it’s bustling on a warm and sunny Saturday morning and it represents everything a good farmers’ market should be.

One of my favourite farmers’ markets that I visited as a tourist was a Thursday morning market in the Napa Valley in California. In addition to local fresh produce, breads and jams, there was a live cooking demonstration. Using food all available at that market, a local chef demonstrated with mirrors and cameras, how to put some simple and fresh dishes together. It was a great way to show off what was on offer from the vendors, the local chef showed off her talent and plugged her restaurant and everyone went home with some new recipes and cooking skills.

I encourage you to swing by a farmers’ market this summer, in your own city or town, in a community just outside where you live or on summer travel. You are guaranteed, fresh, local, quality food and merchandise with kind and friendly service.

June 14, 2017

Why I am a Fan of the Carolina Hurricanes

It’s time for sports Wednesday! My son told me that Wednesday is the only day of the week he reads my blog because all he cares about is sports. Today I am going to share my story about why I love the National Hockey League’s (NHL) Carolina Hurricanes.

How could someone from Toronto, with no connection to Raleigh-Durham or any part of North Carolina, be a fan of the hockey team that plays there? It’s simple – they’re good people.

My personal connection to the Canes goes back to the fall of 2001, when I worked as a producer in my first job at the Team 1050 sports radio station. I was young, inexperienced and had few connections in the industry. I did not produce my own show as I was more of a floater, producing the evening and weekend shows and filling in for producers during the day. I didn’t have a black book full of phone numbers of players, coaches and management in sports. I want to thank my colleagues at that radio station once again for giving me names and phone numbers so that I could build my own black book.

By late in the fall I started to produce a regular Saturday hockey talk radio show and found it challenging to book players, coaches and management from Canadian hockey clubs. Every journalist wanted to interview them. But I had to fill my show. So, I looked south of the border and decided to contact hockey personalities in American markets where hockey was not so popular.

That’s when I found the Carolina Hurricanes. This team was having a good but not great season and somehow, I felt they were going somewhere. And nobody noticed them or gave them really any attention. I contacted the team’s public relations department and asked if the captain, Ron Francis, could be on my show. They were thrilled to help me out and Ron was booked.

That Saturday Ron Francis was the featured interview on the show. He was knowledgeable, polite, friendly and really everything a great guest should be on a radio show. I had a chance to speak with him after the interview, and he actually thanked me for booking him! He told me that they don’t get too many interview requests in Carolina and that he and other players would be happy to come on my show again.

For the rest of the NHL season I regularly booked various people connected with the Carolina Hurricanes on my hockey show and other shows, and I saw for myself that this was a first-class organization. When they won their division and made the playoffs I was excited to keep the relationship going and to continue to feature them on my shows.

Because of my loyalty to the Canes all season the public relations staff thanked me by giving me great access to interviews during the team’s incredible playoff run. I remember that I got one of the first interviews with their General Manager, Jim Rutherford, when they won the first round of the playoffs. Even though it was 15 years ago I clearly remember our conversation after his on-air interview. He told me that he appreciated my support for the Canes all season and that I would get some of the first interviews with him, the head coach Paul Maurice and the various players each time they advanced to the next round.

At that moment I knew I had become a fan of the Carolina Hurricanes and I told Jim as much. I told him they were going to make it all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals and that I would be there to support them all the way. They didn’t win the Stanley Cup that year, but they did make it to the Finals! Jim Rutherford, Paul Maurice, Ron Francis and so many of the team’s players were guests on my shows during that incredible playoff run. I told them all that because of them I had become a fan for life of the Carolina Hurricanes.

I can’t even begin to explain the excitement I felt a few years later, in 2006, when my Canes actually WON the Stanley Cup. I wasn’t working in sports media anymore, but it didn’t stop me from cheering my team on and wearing my Carolina Hurricanes baseball cap proudly.

I will always be a fan of the Carolina Hurricanes and the players, coaches and management associated with the team during the 2001-02 season. Thank you to all of them for making my time as a hockey producer so memorable.

June 13, 2017

I’ve Never had Job Security. Can I Find a Job that is the Perfect Fit?

Does job security exist anymore? Am I kidding myself by even asking this question? Did I ever have job security or did anyone in my generation ever really feel secure in a job? I know this is a question posed and discussed almost at infinitum, but I just can’t get it out of my head.

When my parents graduated from university a few decades ago not only did they – and their contemporaries – feel confident in getting a job, but they knew, for the most part, that the job was secure. They could grow in that job and stay there long-term if they wished.

The same is not true for me or my generation. I graduated with a Master’s degree in Journalism in 2001, with limited experience but great training in my field. It took me a few months to get an entry level job as a producer in radio, with bad pay, shift work and some long days. And I loved every minute of it. I got on the job training from some of the best in the business (sports and radio), experience as a radio producer and even some on-air reporting. When I started to gain a foothold after 16 months there, the station’s ownership changed formats and laid everyone off.

I was fortunate to have built strong professional relationships in that first job and was quickly scooped up and hired by a TV network, but losing my first real job like that has always affected me. I was the odd man (or rather woman) out in another job after returning from maternity leave with my second child, when the non-profit organization that employed me merged with other organizations and rebranded itself. Again, I jumped back on my feet, changed career paths slightly and joined the communications department of a large corporation. I gained new skills there and discovered, through that job, my passion for corporate social responsibility and my talent for raising a brand’s profile through community investment. When on maternity leave with my third child, last year, my position was eliminated and I lost my job once again.

I often ask myself, is it me? Have I done something wrong that I have had no job security in my fifteen plus years as a professional? Or is it just bad luck? Maybe I just haven’t found that perfect fit yet.

I will say it here and now – I am looking for that perfect fit. I know what I like and I know what I’m good at. I feel confident that I’m a good writer and editor. I have a knack for tackling strategic communications. I am committed to community investment and raising the profile of both for-profit and non-profit organizations. I also know that I can bring all these skills and interests together.

Can I do that through the firm I created, Kinetic Motions? Can I do that for a small, medium or large corporation? Can I do that for a community organization? Definitely. I don’t know what path I will take, but I’m excited (and yes terrified too!) to see where it goes.

Please, my loyal readers, send me your comments, questions and suggestions. Post a comment here, Tweet me @AliciaRichler, share this blog post on social media (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or whatever format you prefer) and forward it to your friends.

Thank you for being part of my journey I look forward to see where life takes me next.

June 12, 2017

I Discovered a New Spot Downtown as a Tourist in My Own City

A couple of weeks ago I wrote a post about Doors Open Toronto and the excitement I felt at being a tourist in my own city. Toronto is a big place and has definitely come into its own as a world class city. With its many ravines, vast greenery and its setting on the north shore of Lake Ontario I really think that Toronto is one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

I have explored many parts of Toronto, but with such a rich mix of cultures, neighbourhoods and urban spaces there is always a new spot downtown for me to explore. With the first big heat wave of the season upon us, we decided, with my parents, to escape the oppressive temperatures on Sunday afternoon and head down to the waterfront. With the beaches closed because of excessive amounts of rain and too many crowds around places like Harbourfront, my parents suggested we try a new spot downtown (new for us) and have dinner at Against the Grain.

This restaurant sits inside Corus Quay, on the east side of Queen’s Quay. As you approach the area it looks quite industrial and there seems to be an infinite number of cranes dotting the skyline. I saw signs for many developers, building both condos and tall office towers. With a dense downtown core, it makes sense that the skyscrapers are spreading out in this direction.

The waterfront in this part of the city is simple and beautiful. It is anchored by Sugar Beach, which on the surface is the most bizarre beach I have ever seen. It is sandy, it has adorable pink umbrellas and it sits on the water’s edge. But there is a boardwalk between the beach and the water with no water access (except for a cute maple leaf shaped splash pad). A massive industrial boat is moored in the water beside this beach, and with the amount of industry in that area I don’t think anyone would actually want to take a dip in Lake Ontario right there. So, I guess it’s okay that it’s actually a lakeless beach.

The boardwalk is relatively small in that area, but it is wide, clean and provides pedestrians a great view of Lake Ontario, the Toronto Islands and the city’s skyline. We got a table at the edge of the patio, so we were lucky to enjoy these sweeping views as we dug into our dinner.

Any restaurant that has a mix of sophisticated flavours, traditional classics and a kids’ menu is a winner for me. My son was thrilled with his pizza and French fries and my daughter couldn’t believe her luck when a plate of cheesy nachos with guacamole was placed in front of her. I was thrilled to see a Moroccan dish on the menu and enjoyed my roasted carrot tagine. The happiest person at the table was the baby who couldn’t get enough of my tagine!

Sitting on the patio, overlooking the lake, was so delightful, especially with the 21-degree temperature at the water’s edge (as opposed to 30 degrees in the centre of the city). A light breeze even picked up as we finished dinner and did another walk around the boardwalk. The kids loved running on the giant rocks around Sugar Beach, playing hide and seek around the giant planters and just being kids. It was wonderful to take advantage of the beautiful weather and to discover a new spot downtown as a tourist in my own city.

June 11, 2017

What’s Your Favourite Doughnut Flavour Combination?

I will admit it: I love doughnuts. There’s something so pleasing about that combination of fried dough, sugar, fillings and toppings that makes my stomach purr with delight. Whether I am hungry or not, every time I pass by a doughnut shop I feel a slight twinge to slip inside and purchase one of these tasty treats. Today I ask you, my readers, what’s your favourite doughnut flavour combination?

Yesterday evening, with my girls in the car cruising about town, we drove past a Krispy Kreme doughnut shop. My doughnut radar quickly went off, I parked the car and we went in to bask in the joy of picking out a dozen doughnuts for a Saturday night family treat.

But what to choose? We were faced with a great glass case of doughnuts, and all of them looked so good. I quickly chose a couple of mint chocolate for my son and sea salt caramel for me. My daughter had to have one with sprinkles as well as a strawberry filled powdered. It wouldn’t be a visit to a doughnut shop without buying some cream filled doughnuts or the melt in your mouth original glazed.

Our mouths watered as I gingerly carried the precious box to the car and we drove home. Everyone pounced as the box was opened and my family swiftly devoured half a dozen doughnuts. Krispy Kreme did not disappoint.

What was my favourite doughnut flavour combination from last night’s box? For me, hands down it was the sea salt caramel, which Krispy Kreme describes as “filled with salted caramel filling, dipped in decadent chocolate icing, drizzled with both the chocolate and caramel icings and topped with a blend of amber sugar, salt sprinkle and Ghirardelli mini chocolate chips.”

But Krispy Kreme, while I do love their fresh and creative doughnuts, is not the only game in town. Every Canadian town has its local Tim Hortons, with traditional favourites such as Boston Cream, Canadian Maple, Sour Cream Plain or Chocolate Glazed. Tim Hortons doughnuts are okay, but over the last couple of years I have eaten a few too many stale baked goods from this establishment.

With more doughnut shops per capita in Canada than any other country in the world, it’s easy to find other basic doughnuts at establishments such as Coffee Time or Country Style, or you can go to a gourmet place and try fancy flavour combinations such as apricot and ginger, bacon and maple or chocolate fudge with grilled strawberries.

I find that most of the gourmet doughnut flavour combinations are too indulgent for me and sometimes I’m happy to consume an original glazed. It is hard for me to refuse a doughnut (or a cupcake, or cake, or tarte…) filled with caramel, so my vote for my favourite doughnut flavour combination is definitely caramel and chocolate.

I know I missed National Doughnut Day on June 2, which is definitely a special day of the year, but for me every day is a day to celebrate the doughnut. Tell me what your favourite doughnut flavour combination is by leaving a comment here or Tweet me @AliciaRichler. I look forward to trying all these flavours.

June 9, 2017

Who Elects our Leaders

When I created Kinetic Motions I decided to focus on various topics, including sports, travel, family and general musings. I thought I would avoid more hot-button topics like politics. I am not politically active, I don’t support a particular political party and I consider myself someone who has an open mind. Countries like Canada, United States, Britain and France are all democracies (though they are different kinds of democracies, such as a Republic or Constitutional Monarchy) and all have held federal elections in the last couple of years. I read a lot of news, watch a lot of coverage on TV and listen to many debates on the radio and today I ask myself, who elects our leaders?

The quick answer is simple – we, the people, do. That’s common sense as at the end of the day, the citizens who are the age of majority directly or indirectly decide who elects our leaders.

But, in reality it’s not that simple. Shaking hands at community events, knocking on doors, dropping leaflets in mailboxes and even personalized phone calls will not get you elected in 2017 (or 2015 or 2016). Maybe that was never enough to get you elected. While I think that mass media has always played a role in influencing political campaigns, never before over the last few years, have I seen media – traditional, online and social – play such a huge role to determine who elects our leaders.

In a democracy, it’s not just important it is imperative that we are educated about politics, that we vote and that we question our government’s actions. But have media become obsessed with doing that? For the last few years I can’t turn on the news on TV, check my Twitter feed or log on to a news website without finding headlines about the American political leadership in particular but also about scandals or battles between politicians in other countries around the world.

Without any statistics to back me up, I would say that a majority of journalists, bloggers and political analysts spoke out strongly, forcefully and often against one candidate in particular in the American Presidential election in 2016. Words such as liar, arrogant, buffoon or egotistical are some that I remember hearing and reading in their bid to discredit this individual. But could it be that their obsession with this candidate, their derogatory attitude and comments pushed a large number of disenchanted voters in the opposite direction and that these said journalists, bloggers and political analysts may actually have helped this individual win the election?

Could the same be true in other democracies? Has the obsession with certain candidates, whether they are liked or despised by media, influenced the outcome of the election in an obvious way? And does that obsession continue even after an individual is elected? In the case of the American elections I would say yes. Let’s continue to hold our political candidates and elected leaders accountable, but let’s also be responsible about how we do that – so that we, the people, can make a fair, educated and reasonable choice.

June 8, 2017

Inundated with Requests to Sell or Renovate my Home

It’s been headline news across Canada for years that real estate prices are soaring in a number of markets, most notably Vancouver and Toronto. Everything from fixer-upper tiny bungalows to remodeled three-story mansions have seen their values increase exponentially. Salaries have not increased at the same rate as real estate in cities like Toronto, where I live, which poses a frustrating challenge to both first-time buyers and people looking to move up to the next size home. With prices so out of control, real estate agents and professionals in the building and renovating industry have seen nice profits and are aggressively going after more and more business. It leaves home owners like me inundated with requests to sell or renovate my home.

I do want to state publicly that I am not looking to sell my home nor do I want to renovate it. Responsible home ownership requires regular maintenance and light renovation, but right now I’m happy with my home just the way it is. But that does not stop the daily onslaught of flyers, postcards, letters and even knocks on my door asking me if I have an interest to sell or renovate my home.

Yesterday my mailbox was stuffed with junk mail, including seven oversized postcards from local real estate agents. The cards boasted about everything from news that a charming home sold in my neighbourhood, that a “magnificent family home” was just listed or that they have the most spectacular home available for me to purchase. I particularly enjoyed the small print that asked me, “Thinking of selling? Now is the time, as the Toronto housing market remains strong,” or “NOW could be the time to list your home for sale.”

I also received a stack of pamphlets, flyers and cards full of home renovation ads. Do I have a wet basement? How about a leaky roof? Has my air conditioner seen better days? How about my tired looking backyard? It goes on and on, page after page.

Maybe I am just cranky because I really do not want to sell or renovate my home and have had enough of dumping a seemingly endless pile of junk mail into my oversized recycling bin. Everyone is trying to make a living and when the real estate market is hot there are more people in my city getting a real estate license or becoming a roofer, landscape designer or general contractor.

Now that the Government of Ontario has brought in housing reforms, will the market calm down? Just from my own observations, I see that homes in my neighbourhood that were snapped up in days are now sitting on the market much longer. But is that because the market has cooled or are there other factors such as an asking price that’s too high or a challenging location such as one or two houses in from a major street?

I do see many homes for sale in my neighbourhood right now and even more homes undergoing various levels of renovation. I know that my area is clearly ripe for the picking for real estate agents and renovation professionals. But I love my home, I love its location and I love it just the way it is. So, maybe calm down just a bit about asking me to sell or renovate my home. Thanks.

June 7, 2017

There’s Something Cozy about Late Night Sports

I have decided to establish a weekly feature of sports themes on Wednesdays. I love reading, writing and discussing sports (as does my son), so I have decided to pick a sports topic every Wednesday. For readers who enjoy sports I hope you can look forward to my weekly column on the topic. For those of you who aren’t sports fans I hope you follow along anyway and enjoy the ride. Today’s topic: there’s something cozy about late night sports.

I have been a Toronto Blue Jays’ fan since their first game on April 7, 1977 (the fact that I was only 9 months old on this date is secondary but you get the idea). My favourite sport is definitely baseball. I will clarify that – my favourite spectator sport is baseball. As a child and teenager, I loved listening to Tom and Jerry on the radio as I did my homework in the evening. I have always liked watching the Jays on TV and of course a trip to the ballpark to actually be at the game is the best.

Since the Blue Jays play in the American League East, they play most of their games in the Eastern time zone or Central time zone. But that does leave a number of games each season for west coast teams. They always make a few road trips each season to play in cities such as Los Angeles, Oakland or Seattle, and that means a late night sports start.

My son is not a fan of west coast road trips because the games start at 10:00 pm or even a ghastly 10:30 pm sometimes. While Matthew is a night owl and desperately tries to stay awake when his beloved team plays in California, by 10:17 pm I usually find him in a deep sleep in my bed, with the game blaring on the TV.

I have a little more staying power than my 10-year-old. The Blue Jays are currently on a west coast road trip, with stops in Oakland and Seattle. The game has started at 10:07 pm the last couple of nights, and I decided this morning that there’s something cozy about late night sports.

For the last two evenings, with the kids asleep and the kitchen clean, at 10:00 pm I sat down in front of the TV, turned it on to Sportsnet and sat back to watch the baseball game. The house was quiet and the game was mine to enjoy. By 11:00 I started to nod off on the couch, so I moved a sleeping Matthew to his bed and climbed in to my bed to watch the rest of the game.

The only problem, for me, with late-night sports is that I am incapable of staying awake for the whole game. Hard as I tried to keep my eyes open, by 11:30 pm I am quite sure I was fully unconscious. The game entered my dreams, and there’s a chance I hit into a double play or got a double.

It’s too bad the Blue Jays have lost the first two games of this six-game west coast road trip, and today’s game is in the afternoon. But Seattle is up next, with a couple more 10:00 pm starts. That means I can enjoy a couple more cozy evenings of late night sports.