I admit that I’ve fallen off the boat with NaNoWriMo writing. At the beginning of November, I promised myself that I’d write the requisite 1,600 words per day, every day, until the end of the month. It seemed like a simple goal until I sat down to do it. The words were coming out, but…
Category: Life Thoughts
Employment-Skills Mismatch
Earlier this week, I had the pleasure and privilege of chatting with a group of Waterloo Unlimited students. Waterloo Unlimited is based out of the University of Waterloo, within the Centre for Knowledge Integration, and offers enrichment opportunities to high school students of all grade levels wishing to get a taste of academia. When I…
The To-Do List and How to Use It
On an average day, you will find me making a to-do list. Generally I scribble items down in a plain, lined notebook and then happily strike them off once they are completed. Other times my system of record-keeping and time-scheduling will involve two or three sources; one reminder on my phone or email calendar, one…
How the Movie “Big River Man” Made Me See Success Differently
This past weekend, I had the opportunity to watch the 2009 documentary film Big River Man. Though the film was often shaky and the voice overs a little grainy, I had to go for a long walk to reflect on the movie after watching it. My emotional response to the footage was immediate and intense….
How to #Profit from Blogging (And Lose Your Soul in the Process)
I am a humble 15, 488 words into my NaNoWriMo novel on this day in the month of November. Even though I’m probably a little bit behind, and my writing has degenerated into something more non-fiction than fiction, I’m completely and utterly okay with it. The reason for this cool self-assured response? I am writing…
What a Monday!
So today, unfortunately, is a Monday. It’s not a particularly bad Monday for me personally, although the Weather Network is threatening rain and wet snow throughout the day here in Kitchener, Ontario. It’s an unfortunate Monday because it seems to be a capsule for tumultuous and violent events around the world. First, today is Remembrance Day…
Libraries – They’ve Got What You Need!
Yesterday I had some free time on my hands and decided to wander into the main branch of the Kitchener Public Library (KPL) in downtown Kitchener. Though I had to navigate my way past a massive amount of construction work – the building is undergoing a substantial renovation and expansion project – it was worth…
That Sweet Elixir, Coffee
While partaking of the pleasures of my early-morning coffee beverage, I was struck with the astounding thought that I know very little about this wonderful elixir and mainstay of my caffeine consumption. Both raw coffee beans and the brewed beverage have a culture and a fanatical following the world over, founded on generations upon generations…
The Romance of Snow
Sometime early this morning, I peeked out the darkened windows and saw an unusual brightness touching the landscape – a dull but persistent light shining off the very ground itself. Closer inspection revealed that this phenomenon was caused by snow. Snow is a meteorological event that can inspire romance on the one hand (there’s nothing…
The Waiting Room
Sitting in the waiting room, my hands knot together and then fall limp, my gaze directed towards some vague spot on the wall. A television blares out a daytime show that I’m not familiar with, and the perky, artificial voices of the hosts fall into the empty silence of the white-washed room. Magazines sit on…
The Bitter-Sweet Taste of Rejection
As with all forays into the deep, branching world of the internet, yesterday I randomly stumbled across an interesting insight on the psychology of rejection. People the world over have experienced rejection in some form – be it from a potential romantic partner, a possible place of employment, or a desired life event. Most people…
The Mousetrap
It was late in the night when I heard the distinctive ‘snap’ from the kitchen. I had been debating, until I heard that sound, whether I should just get up and throw the infernal device into the garbage. It would have been so easy to get rid of. But now the thing was done. Baiting…
Maria Legault 