A modified version was originally posted on Substack It’s not just the players and the coaches. And it’s not the curse of Harold Ballard, Gary Bettman’s fault, the referee’s fault, a league-wide conspiracy against the Leafs, the three games in four nights to finish a season, any season, that wore the team down. No, it’sContinue reading “The Blue-and-White Echo Chamber And How Toronto Sports Media Helps Keep The Leafs Stuck”
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Why People Believe in Myths, Urban Legends, and Conspiracy Theories in the Digital Age
In an era defined by a glut of information, it may seem counterintuitive that myths, urban legends, and conspiracy theories persist and often thrive. Yet, the very characteristics of our interconnected digital world, coupled with human psychology, create fertile ground for these narratives to take root and spread like wildfire, or to use the auContinue reading “Why People Believe in Myths, Urban Legends, and Conspiracy Theories in the Digital Age”
The Patio Crowd Is a Different Breed
The is the penultimate entry in the bar series and based on my observations from last summer and already this year. I’m not saying the entire patio crowd fits the narrative or the true stories below, but many do. It’s that time of year when the snow is long gone, the temperatures climb, and suddenlyContinue reading “The Patio Crowd Is a Different Breed”
Treating Women with Dignity and Respect Always
A particular kind of discomfort creeps in when I witness someone being disrespected in public, especially a woman in a service role. Whether it’s a waitress just trying to do her job or a retail associate managing a long line of customers, the lack of basic respect shown by some people, usually men, is deeplyContinue reading “Treating Women with Dignity and Respect Always”
Am I Getting Crotchety or Just Tired of Inconsiderate People?
Lately, I’ve been asking myself a question that might sound familiar to anyone over 40 (or anyone under 40 with low patience and high self-awareness): Am I getting crotchety … or are people just getting worse? After all, I have a blog series coming up where I rant about various things that get under myContinue reading “Am I Getting Crotchety or Just Tired of Inconsiderate People?”
Watching the Slow Fade in a Barstool Life And Then Some
I wrote this entry in one creative burst, something I rarely do in a piece this long, with barely an edit except for the odd typo. The roughly 1,600 words that follow are raw and visceral at times, and I likely could have written more … maybe in a part two if I’m so inclined.Continue reading “Watching the Slow Fade in a Barstool Life And Then Some”
Benefits of Regular Journaling for Writers
Professional writers can enhance their creativity and freedom by incorporating regular journaling into their routines. Your journal is a space for unfiltered expression, so it can be as neat or messy as you want. No one is grading it, so you can structure it however you want (like this blog entry) and write more formallyContinue reading “Benefits of Regular Journaling for Writers”
When Life Flips on a Dime And You’re Left Reeling
You can be riding high one minute and knocked flat on your ass the next. That’s the nature of life; not just unpredictable, but often indifferent to your plans, years of loyalty, or even the carefully curated image you’ve projected to the world. I’ve seen it happen several times in the last year. A friendContinue reading “When Life Flips on a Dime And You’re Left Reeling”
May Is The Month That Can’t Make Up Its Mind
As I wrote about last year, living near the Great Lakes brings all sorts of weather, sometimes all four seasons in one day. That said, one of the craziest months is not March, when the weather can be miserable but spring officially arrives; it is May. Living near the Great Lakes in May is likeContinue reading “May Is The Month That Can’t Make Up Its Mind”
Bar Stool Confessions and Why People Tell Their Life Story to the Bartender
It’s been said that you tell your bartender or taxi driver more of your life than you do to your shrink. After all, for the most part, they are a captive audience. And in the case of the bartender, it all starts with the first drink. During my busy travel days of yesteryear, when IContinue reading “Bar Stool Confessions and Why People Tell Their Life Story to the Bartender”
John Berkovich Talks 