Vive 'Movember'!

For the last three weeks, I have been sporting a moustache. There is nothing odd about that, because I had one for more than 28 years during my teaching career. (I probably started it so that I would look older that my high school students!)

I have a more important purpose this time, as I am joining the ''Movember' movement with my brothers from around the world. This organization is set up to promote awareness of men's health, and raise money for research, primarily into prostate cancer.
To learn more about this campaign, check out their website.
They state:
We want everyone to know that most cancers are highly curable if caught in the early stages - including prostate and testicular cancer.

Remembrance Day: 11 / 11 / 11

"Lest We Forget"

"The Ben Saga"

Our extended family -- and many other kind folks -- have been actively taking part in 'The Ben Saga' over the past ten days.
It all began when our grandson, Ben, age 21, music student in Columbus, Ohio, didn't feel well, was coughing a lot, and went to seek medical help. He was diagnosed with pneumonia, prescribed some antibiotics, and sent home. The next day, his cough worsened, and he lost all his energy, so he returned to hospital for tests.
The medical experts discovered right away he had lost the use of one lung, and the other was working at only 30% level! 

Three Obituaries

It has been a rough week; three people in my 'orbit' have passed away.
Judy was my cousin and classmate in elementary school. She was a beautiful singer. (I still remember singing some difficult parts of the Latin 'Mass of the Angels' with her during morning Mass. The Priest must have approved, as he never critiqued our duets!)
She loved serving as the 'life of the party,' and enjoyed the spotlight.
We'd all look forward to school concert season: the waiting, the hard work at rehearsals and performances, after which she would regale us with an expert performance of HER version of the show. Of course, she played ALL THE PARTS:

Radio … and Me – 20

Baseball on Radio, Two Nations
The 2011 Baseball regular season is starting its final series.
On Summer / Fall evenings, I am lucky enough to capture broadcasts of most Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees games on radio (after the Blue Jays game is over, of course!).
I spent a year in Boston (during the long 'drought' years between their winning a World Series), and travelled through many cities, towns and hamlets across New England. I've listened to Red Sox baseball almost everywhere: on my car radio, in homes and in restaurants, over outdoor loudspeakers at shopping areas, and even at Fenway Park itself.
You’ll find that members of 'Red Sox Nation' are always up to date on their beloved team’s record and stats, and able – nay, eager – to discuss them in great detail,

Radio … and Me – 19

On the morning after Labour Day weekend, Montrealers woke up to learn of the abrupt demise of their venerable radio station, CKAC - 730, the oldest French station in North America. Instead of the wall-to-wall 'CKAC Sports' program, listeners were being treated to Circulation 730, a 24-hour program of … (wait for it) Traffic Reports.
Quel dommage, the manner by which it came about.
Quelle surprise? Well, not really.

Jack Layton, R.I.P.

Over the past week, Canada has witnessed an outpouring of love and admiration for Jack Layton, Member of Parliament, who died of cancer on August 22. Layton was the dynamic leader of the New Democratic Party, who had claimed 103 seats in the House of Commons, making him "Leader of the Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition."
He was the proverbial 'life of the party,' both politically and in reality: an out-going man dubbed the 'Energizer bunny,'