The Dene (pronounced Denay) people speak a language which has 39 consonants and 116 vowel sounds. That is a total of 155 phonemes. For the sake of comparison, English and French run from 40-45 phonemes (total consonant and vowel sounds). These people are indigenous to the northern regions of the four western provinces of Canada, … Continue reading Migrations
Whimsy
Another use for a station wagon
Why is this style of car called a station wagon? And what's with the faux wood trim? Well, the original station wagons were horse drawn conveyances for hauling passengers and baggage between hotels and railway stations. When motor cars started to become common, some people had the bright idea of putting such a wagon box … Continue reading Another use for a station wagon
Brain benumbed by beastly biting cold
We are in the midst of a Canada-wide cold wave, with temperatures 15 to 20 degrees below seasonal averages. (Those are Celsius degrees, too. Each one is worth 1.8 Fahrenheit degrees.) The National Post reports that it was colder in Winnipeg this morning than it was at the North Pole, the South Pole and the … Continue reading Brain benumbed by beastly biting cold
Boxing Day musings
Feasting on Christmas Day has a long and noble tradition and one is at risk of being branded a heretic if he suggests it might not be necessary. Noble in that first sentence is meant to be taken literally – for many centuries it was only the nobility and the rich who could afford to … Continue reading Boxing Day musings
How Do I “Bring People to God” Without “Shoving My Religion Down Their Throat”?
I wasn’t grown up yet
In the fall of 1959 I left home to go to university. The question of what I wanted to be when I grew up seemed to be settled - I would be an architect. During the last years of high school I began to pore over magazines with house floor plans and to draw my … Continue reading I wasn’t grown up yet
What do you want to be when you grow up?
Sixty years ago that question was often asked of me and my friends during our high school years. The suggestion was being planted in us that we needed to become something important – to be Somebody. Our parents had lived through the Great Depression of the 1930's and wanted a better life for their children. … Continue reading What do you want to be when you grow up?
Bean counters
People like myself (bookkeepers & accountants) are sometimes referred to as bean counters. The none-too-complimentary implication is that we spend hours at our desks sorting beans into little piles with no idea of what those beans represent. It isn't necessarily so. I used to work in the quality assurance department of a factory that made … Continue reading Bean counters
Let’s eradicate Black Friday in Canada
In the USA, Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving, the day that Christmas merchandise goes on sale for the first time. It's a big thing, usually the highest dollar volume of sales for the year. In Canada it obviously just a crass copy-cat attempt to pry a little more money out of shoppers' bank … Continue reading Let’s eradicate Black Friday in Canada
Thanks-living
Even though I cannot eat (by mouth) anymore, I still love the Thanksgiving Holiday. (I no longer have to worry about that gluttony thing).
Over my 21 year journey with this horrible disease called ALS, I’ve become a more grateful person. I also seem to notice ingratitude in myself and in others more than I did before ALS entered my life.
Through my observations, I’ve concluded that ungratefulness and unhappiness go hand-in-hand. Think about it, have you ever known a happy ingrate? Yeah, neither have I.
“The unthankful heart discovers no mercies; but the thankful heart will find, in every hour, some heavenly blessings.” – Henry Ward Beecher
The Bible doesn’t tell us to be happy, which leads me to believe that not even God could teach happiness. However, the Bible repeatedly tell us to be thankful:
“...let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts…
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Flatlander Faith 