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Posts from the ‘The Power of Story’ Category

Jul 26

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Two Reasons to Pick Reading Over the Bachelorette

I have nothing against the Bachelorette. I have nothing against TV. And I won’t always blog about reading. But I found two links for Tuesday’s Pick-of-the-Week that may inspire us to pick up those dusty books sitting on our nightstand.

1)Vancouver is Awesome Book Club

I frequent this great website called Vancouver Is Awesome. They study, promote, and preserve Vancouver Arts and Culture, with a positive spin (from the Google profile). Something I really enjoy are the interviews with famous Vancouverites – ie. Ryan Reynolds, Michael J. Fox – on why their city is so great. I hope one day they add Joshua Jackson to that list of people, since, let’s face it, I’m still a Mighty Ducks fan at heart.  But this week I discovered a link on Vancouver is Awesome to their Vancouver Book Club. The club features local authors and subjects important to Vancouverites. This past week, they highlighted the book ‘Adventures in Solitude’ by Grant Lawrence in their secrets-to-taking-BC-Ferries post (fabulous on its own). So if you’re interested in supporting local authors/publishers, check out the rest of their list here.

2)Why Science Says Reading Fiction is Good for You

This one speaks for itself. My favorite part describes writing as a ‘co-conspiracy between reader and writer’ and ‘not just the writer’s creation.’ I love the idea of fiction as a collaboration between author and audience.

What do you guys think? Your favorite novels, are they a combination of effort on your part as well as the author’s? Or is it something you just consume? Let me know (and I will be much faster replying to comments on this one).

Jul 23

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Beach Reads: Bad, Good, or A Declaration of Independence?

Summer is here!

Okay, maybe its not. But today is a gorgeous day in southwestern British Columbia. So much so, that everyone is outside. Kids are giggling, squealing, playing in water. The neighbourhood moms are out chatting and soaking up the Vitamin D.

None of us are inside on our computers right now; who has time to check Twitter and Facebook and read blogs when its this gorgeous out?

Then there’s me. Hee hee. I’m typing in the sun. Best of both worlds, right?

Just kidding.

Sort of. See, besides all the pool parties, BBQ’s, and outdoor gatherings of the summer months, one of the great things about these kinds of days is

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Jul 19

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Bad Advice My Grandma Gave Me, and What I Learned From Her Anyways

Okay, so those of you who know me well are asking yourselves two questions: 1) Is this Monday? Cause you were supposed to blog on Monday? and 2) I thought you loved your grandma? In a ‘world-hasn’t-been-the-same-since-she-died’ kind of way? Confession: you are right on both counts. 1) This is not a strictly ‘Monday’s Mama’s Musings’ post today, and heaven knows those may not come very often, because me and inspirational parenting? Yeah, I’m not the model for that! I love my kids but I am grateful that they have lots of grace for me, and 2) My Grannie was one of the best and brightest people this world has ever seen. And yes, we do tend to endow loved ones to sainthood after they die, but in Grannie’s case, its really true. She was one of the best.

But think about it for a moment: can’t you remember one of the best people you ever knew, telling you to do something really, really, er… on the side of not wise?

Ten years ago, my ‘i’m-so-old-look-at-me-i’m-going-to-get-married’ self Read more

Jul 13

Why I am Grateful for Demi Moore: CNN’s 2010 Woman of the Year, Anuradha Koirala

You know when people compare something to a trainwreck, meaning that they know they should look away but just can’t? Reading David Batstone’s Not For Sale is like a reverse trainwreck; you want to stop reading because its just so awful, what’s happening to these real, live, human beings, all over the world, but you know you shouldn’t. Every page that Read more

Jul 10

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Why The World Needs Strong Women, and Why Kate Hudson Would Have Made Me Jealous Six Years Ago

As many of you have heard, both Kate Hudson and Victoria Beckham welcomed babies this morning – a boy and a girl, respectively. I offer them both my congratulations and my condolences. Babies are always good news, hence congratulations, but I can not imagine what it would be like to have your baby’s arrival be announced to the whole world, hence, my condolences. Anyhow, that’s for another post, something like Why I’m Grateful that I’m Not a Celebrity, or 10,001 Reasons to Stay As Obscure As Possible. But the news Read more

Jun 16

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What Cancer – or the Canucks – Has (Have) Taught Me, Part 357: Be the Change You Wish In Others

I know what you’re thinking (aren’t I always so perceptive?). Right now you either want to 1)not read this, or 2)run to the comments section – or my facebook profile – to tell me how evil the Canucks – or their city – are, and how dare I even suggest that this tragedy actually taught me something immensely positive this week…. but hear me out first, please. I don’t want to get my tear gas out. Word on the street is that the entire province is out of stock.

Ok, that was gong-worthy. But I had to try to lighten up one of the darkest days I’ve remembered in this part of the world. Read more

Apr 22

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What Cancer Has Taught Me, Part 356: Embrace your Inner Dork

Hey, you, over there, keep the L up in the air
Hey, you, over there, keep the L up, cause I don’t care
You can throw your sticks and
You can throw your stones
Like a rock and just watch me go, yeah
L-O-S-E-R, I can only be who I are

I know, you’re thinking, what? She’s excited to be a loser? And where’s the first 355 parts of what cancer has taught her? Let’s just say those 355 things are not really written down, because they don’t need to be. Those are the givens, all the cliches Read more

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