It’s not that we have a short time to live, but that we waste a lot of it.
— Seneca
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Posted in Other | Tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2025, #DefineWaste, philosophizing, Thoughts | Leave a Comment »
We drove out to woods yesterday, the gently curving country road surrounded by rolling hills and turning leaves and the crisp cool air of an autumn evening.
Welcome, fall.
“No spring nor summer beauty hath such grace as I have seen in one autumnal face.”
— John Donne
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Posted in Other | Tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2025, Thoughts | Leave a Comment »
I recently received an emergency request from a friend for a critical mission: Could I please run over to the old Toys ‘R Us and check for a certain costume for their toddler?
That’s right, I was asked to visit Spirit Halloween.
Sure, I said, no problem. I’ve never been to a Spirit Halloween before, it’s bound to be interesting.
And it was. I’m not a big Halloween person (I believe I’ve mentioned my childhood scars from The Amityville Horror; thanks, Dad! and also thanks for not moving into that house that looked a lot like That House when we were kids).
My last real costume was a ghost (although I did attend one party as Trinity from The Matrix which was fun; still have the leather trench coat), so it’s been a while since I really celebrated.
I do remember that there were very definite differences between good candy and not-so-good candy.
As many of us prepare to do That Halloween Thing, I thought I’d share this highly scientific analysis of candy preferences:
The Ultimate Halloween Candy Power Ranking.
The social contract of Halloween is simple: Provide adequate treats to costumed masses, or be prepared for late-night tricks from those dissatisfied with your offer. To help you avoid that type of vengeance, and to help you make good decisions at the supermarket this weekend, we wanted to figure out what Halloween candy people most prefer. So we devised an experiment: Pit dozens of fun-sized candy varietals against one another, and let the wisdom of the crowd decide which one was best.
Or just buy what you like and share it with the neighborhood. Either way, have fun!
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Posted in Holidays | Tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2025, candy, Halloween, new experience, social contracts, statistics, Thoughts | Leave a Comment »
Here’s an illustrated short by Rich Wells, capturing an epiphany he had outside a tire shop.
“I thought l’d take the words from my notebook and make something visual.
A reminder to myself that all this everyday stuff – admin, errands, school runs, park trips, waiting in lines, meal times –
it’s all a gift”
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Posted in Other, Writing | Tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2025, art, creativity, inspiration, Thoughts, Writers | Leave a Comment »
It’s a brave act to embrace incompetence. What’s delightful is that it’s a temporary state.
— Michael Bungay Stanier
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Posted in Other | Tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2025, inspiration, learning stuff, Thoughts | Leave a Comment »
Science fiction is any idea that occurs in the head and doesn’t exist yet, but soon will, and will change everything for everybody, and nothing will ever be the same again. As soon as you have an idea that changes some small part of the world you are writing science fiction. It is always the art of the possible, never the impossible.
— Ray Bradbury
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Posted in Writing | Tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2025, inspiration, possibilities, scifi, Thoughts, Writers, writing | Leave a Comment »
Ikea is many things: an overwhelming shopping destination, a supply chain and engineering marvel, an unexpected beacon of sustainability, source of endless jokes about infuriating instructions, and a good place for meatballs.
It can also surprise you, as it did when I went looking for one thing and discovered something I’ve been looking for years: An affordable, practical, decently sized cake carrier.
It’s not a big deal, but when you need to transport a cake across town without it ending up in heap in the back of the car, it can be important.
Important enough to consider shelling out for an overpriced carrier? Not quite, as it happens.
Because I don’t need to move cakes all that often, I’ve been putting this purchase off for years. I’m glad I did, because now, C$12.99 + tax later, I am the proud possessor of a decent cake carrier. (I also picked up a year’s supply of that critical Swedish ingredient, lingonberries.)
Thanks for this, Ikea, and for the reminder that solutions are sometimes where they’re least expected.
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Posted in Other | Tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2025, Thoughts | Leave a Comment »
Today, Mr Man is out in the woods being woodsy, and his cell connection is weak at best. He called with a story about an adventure, full of drama and excitement, near misses and impossible tasks.
Ninety seconds into the tale, the call cut out. Oh no, I thought, he just set up the problem, how will he triumph? What happened next? I waited by the phone in anticipation.
Another call, another 90 seconds, another cut line, another moment of drama as he hung, metaphorically speaking, between victory and defeat. It happened again, then again.
I started answering his callbacks with “And then what happened?”
After many episodes I got the whole story, and it was a good one. Let’s just say that most of us would have found ourselves stranded in the bush waiting to become a bear’s dinner, but through creativity, deductive thinking and mechanical know how, he found a way!
And I enjoyed an excellent reminder of the power of suspense in story.
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Posted in Writing | Tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2025, cliffhangers, creativity, inspiration, Thoughts, Writers, writing | Leave a Comment »
The only guaranteed way to succeed is simple: don’t quit.
— Arnold Schwarzenegger
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Posted in Writing | Tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2025, #QuittingIsForQuitters, creativity, persistence, Thoughts, Writers, writing | 2 Comments »
I made butterscotch last night and realized I’d neglected to post the recipe. Given my habit of scrawling ingredient lists on random scraps of paper which may or may not make it over to my kitchen book shelf, it helps to know exactly where I put my recipes.
Here:)
| Butterscotch | x1 | x2 | x4 |
| Heavy whipping cream | 175g | 350g | 700g |
| Butter | 85g | 170g | 340g |
| Brown Sugar | 150g | 300g | 600g |
| Salt | pinch | pinch+ | 1/8 t or to taste |
| Grand Marnier | ~1T | 2T | 4T |
- Heat cream and butter over medium-low heat until melted.
- Add sugar and salt, if using. Cook, stirring frequently, until thickened and shiny (5–10 minutes).
- Stir in Grand Marnier (optional but recommended).
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Posted in Writing | Tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2025 | Leave a Comment »
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