Tag: life the universe and everything

First Port of Call

First Port of Call

After our brief stay in London, we lugged all our suitcases back to the train station and traveled to Portsmouth. Our trip to England proved an excellent opportunity to meet with a fellow writer we met years ago on an RPG forum. He and his lady graciously offered to host us while we looked for …

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A Walk in Westminster

A Walk in Westminster

Our first twenty-four hours in England were less than ideal. Much of this had to do with jet lag; we left Toronto at 7:20 PM and arrived at Gatwick Airport at 7:20 AM… seven hours after our departure. We both tried to sleep on the plane, but it’s a tricky thing to sleep sitting up. …

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First Impressions

First Impressions

The cat’s long been out of the bag now; my husband and I have come to England for a year. He’s got a job teaching at a school in Frimley and I’ve tagged along in hopes of finding some work for myself. Moving across an ocean isn’t easy, at times it isn’t even fun, but …

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The Winds of Change

The Winds of Change

There’s a saying that life is what happens while you’re making other plans. This aligns perfectly with my experience. Every time my husband and I plan how we want our lives to go, the universe tramples it gleefully into dust. Back in high school, it all seemed so easy. I felt sure I’d graduate, write …

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Heavy Metal Literature

Heavy Metal Literature

Some time ago an article circulated on Twitter about a university professor basing a course on the music of Iron Maiden. I instantly shared it with my husband, who is both a huge Iron Maiden fan and an English teacher. Ten years ago, if someone handed me a similar article, I would have rolled my …

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Shopping in the Digital Age

Shopping in the Digital Age

It seems every time Amazon does something (including getting a little press), haters come out of the woodwork to lob disdain in their direction. Twitter exploded when they announced their market for published fanfiction. And while I have strong opinions on that issue, I’m not going to boycott Amazon over it. I get annoyed when …

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A Town Called Rouyn-Noranda

A Town Called Rouyn-Noranda

When my husband graduated from Teacher’s College two years ago, we celebrated by packing our bags and heading into the world to start our ‘for real’ grown up lives. It wasn’t that either of us hated Toronto; the city offered us a great many opportunities while we lived there, something we’ve always been grateful for. …

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Go to the Band Room

Go to the Band Room

I still remember the most uplifting, empowering experience I’ve ever had. Back in high school, I was a member of the band. In the town where I grew up, you didn’t have to audition. Everyone who wanted to, everyone who could play an instrument, was allowed to be in the band. Some might say that’s …

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More Kitchen Fun

More Kitchen Fun

A few weeks back I made a list of my favorite slow-cooker recipes cobbled together from various social media and blogs I read. My slow-cooker is convenient, but I don’t use it every night. So in the spirit of fairness, here are some non-slow-cooker favorites we’ve added to our meal rotation of late. Funeral Sandwiches …

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Who Are You Writing For?

Who Are You Writing For?

I haven’t written about writing in awhile. Not because I don’t have anything to say, because I worry talking too much about it will annoy people. But I’ve noticed a lot of talk about this topic recently, and I feel I can speak from personal experience. I follow Neil Gaiman on Tumblr. People tend to …

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