Tag Archives: music

nature, Photography

We Built this City on … Snow?

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Starship (https://youtu.be/K1b8AhIsSYQ) may have built their city on rock and roll, but this subarctic city was built on snow. Well, not really. It’s just that when you’re deep in it (deep in the hoopla? And if you know this reference you’re a rock star!) and you have to dig your way out the door, it only feels like that.

But then again, if something feels that way, then it probably is that way, and since we just came through a weekend storm with winds that gusted to 100 km (62 mi), dropped 12 cm (4 inches) of snow, and caused an overcast that gave us only about four hours of daylight, how it feels counts for a lot.

But thankfully the storm has passed and sun should be on its way. Happy Monday.

Commentary, musings, Photography

Ahead By a Century

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In this time of turbulent uncertainty, where we once again see a military behemoth threatening a much smaller, peaceful country, we sometimes need to remember what we have and what we can give.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahead_by_a_Century

I think this iconic Canadian song from The Tragically Hip encapsulates that idea. It’s a song with a broad sweep as it weaves together past, present and future. It is about time, memory, loss, disappointment and desire, but it’s also about Canada’s identity and the politics of hope. Generally, it’s song in which we’re asked to drop what holds us back, and to imagine a future unharnessed by personal drawbacks.

Most of all, we’re urged to rethink the present, and to imagine a more generous and accepting future that should not be ahead of us by a century.

It’s very sad that we lost Gord Downie so early, but he and his band mates gifted us with an incredible body of heartfelt, lyrically beautiful music; this song in particular. It’s a huge reminder of all our advantages and why it’s necessary to help a friend who’s fighting a massive, vicious bully.

Glory to Ukraine. 🇺🇦