GOWAN'S GIRL

Well, Gowan has struck gold again! Yes, Lawrence Gowan, Canadian hitmaker from the 80's and 90's, of A Criminal Mind, and You're A Strange Animal fame, has made a huge musical resurgence, at least with one member of my family when he sang, via video, Happy Birthday to my eldest daughter Maeve.

AUNT CLARA'S AND OTHER DESTINATIONS

I spotted it out of the corner of my eye in the old audio paraphernalia section at a thrift store two minutes outside Alberta. So, in Saskatchewan. I don't know why I just didn't say that.

A reasonable facsimile

AND A KITCHEN SINK IN A SPRUCE TREE

“And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music.” -Friedrich Nietszche

To the untrained eye, it may look like I picked up a bunch of random objects just laying around my yard, and hurled them haphazardly at the imposing Blue Spruce situated beside my house.

ROLLING DOWN MEMORY LANE

Looking back on my previous blog posts, I realize I write a lot of stuff about stuff. 

Somehow, I feel an obligation to take stuff from where I find it, whether it be a thrift store, yard sale, or auction, and get it to somebody who really wants it. Sometimes that person is me. Okay, it's always me.

THE UN-FRIENDLIEST CUT OF ALL

Albertans are still reeling over the NDP’s recent ousting of the PC party after a record 44 years in power.

GARAGE SALE BLUES

My "Friends" couch. Photo Shannon O'Connor. (c) 2015

It's hard to believe it was almost two years ago that I wrote my first article for the Vermilion Voice, "How I Survived the Mannville Town Yard Sale."

I say survived because I have a penchant for over-shopping, especially when it comes to finding vintage items.

THE ART OF THE #SELFIE

I often wonder how a perfectly respectable camera dodging introvert like me could have raised one of the all time great selfie posting maniacs to ever have graced Facebook.

My daughter, Chloe, a self-confessed selfie posting maniac

KOHOS BEFORE BROS.

Creative Commons

As the youngest of four children, I will always remember those special moments growing up when, seemingly out of nowhere,
the gauntlet would be thrown and my brothers Danny and Kevin would begin fisticuffing right in the middle of my teaching lesson with my imaginary, but still somehow awful students.

WILL CLOSE FOR CATS

There is a great secondhand store I visit from time to time that is filled to the rafters with furniture, pictures, knick knacks, collectibles, sheets, dishes, pots, pans, blankets, mugs, books, and more! 

A TIME FOR SANDALS

In my earlier post, Kitsch Culture, I reflected on why our culture feels the need to collect crap - ie. souvenirs, tacky knick-knacks, and bulky bric-a brac. Things that inexplicably take hold of our sanity and convince us we need to have them in order to feel complete.

Past fads like pet rocks, mounted singing rubber fish, glass klackers, metal lawn darts and more recently, Beanie Babies are the physical evidence of this insanity. 

SUDBURY'S LOCK ON LOVE

Locked on love

You can add Sudbury to the growing list of cities around the world where the trend known as love locking has taken hold.

MY SPIRITUAL JOURNEY IS DEEPER THAN YOURS

"Get ready for the Buddha Cannonball!"

I have recently been walking a spiritual path and boy, are my arms tired.

I'LL PASS ON PASSING ON

If death had a door there would be a sign that welcomed salesmen, peddlers, solicitors and people from all religious denominations.

GROWING UP "IRISH"

I have been known to conduct some very important hands-on research every year on one of the most important dates of the calendar year - March 17th. 

BEANIE BABY ECONOMICS

I am quite proud to say I didn't get sucked into the whole Beanie Baby frenzy when they first arrived on the scene 20 years ago.

TALKIN' SHIT

I know at least one of my friends reads my blog regularly, henceforth - I am seriously considering offering her BFF status.

THE MONEY ROLL

I thought I had covered everything I wanted to say about collecting in my earlier posts, but now something else related to collecting has caught my eye that I wanted to share.

It seems there is a virtual Toilet Paper Museum whose curator is simply known as "Flo" to her devoted fans.  Flo admits on her website that her toilet paper collection started as a joke - no shit Flo!  She wanted to mock people who try and make anything and everything collectible.

THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT SUDBURY

The Super Stack - Sudbury's most famous large erection.

I come from a town known mostly for its large erections.

OSCAR BUZZ

In December, Oscar buzz begins and the names of actors and movies likely to earn nods from the Academy start being bandied about the entertainment airwaves.

A GOOD OLD FASHIONED IRI$H CHRISTMAS

Wicklow - Christmas Eve - 1995. I took my twin girls to visit Santa at the mall in Dun Laoghaire (pronounced Done Leary). I asked a man named John (pronounced John) where Santa was and he pointed me in the general direction.

I began to look for a sign advertising "Santa's Village" and almost walked straight past the flashing blue neon lights inviting people into "Santa's Grotto."

The Grotto Clause