My grandmother with a photo of my siblings and me - Christmas 1980

My grandmother’s cake

Food is a powerful force in our lives. We have to eat frequently or suffer. We gather over meals. We use meals to celebrate. We have consumed so many meals in our lives that it is no wonder we develop strong associations both good and ill with many foods. Food remains a central part of hospitality.

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Taggers are thieves, not artists

Some people like to imagine that taggers are artists or are somehow simply protesting "The Man". Horseshit. I've made my share of art and been part of more than a few protests. Ai Weiwei may have defaced historic Chinese vases with paint, but they were his. He didn't go to another artist's studio and steal or vandalize their work.

A Canoe for my Daughter

There is an ornament in my living room that visitors to our house notice right away. It rather dominates the room. My daughter's first canoe hangs over the couch. I built that canoe for her in August and September of 2003. It is 10' long and modelled on a very popular 15' canoe by the world famous Chesnut Canoe Campany called the Ranger. I called it a Junior Ranger. For months I had searched the Internet and asked friends about a canoe that might be suitable for my daughter. I found nothing. Five years earlier, I had built a Chestnut Ranger for myself with Peter Gould and Kim Pressnail through a Toronto School Board course. I have found it to be a versatile boat and it seemed like a great fit for a kid if only the size could be reduced.