Hit and Miss #84: Thinking frames

April 14, 2019

What should education foster? By “education” I mean our formal system, plus its informal supplements—elementary and secondary schools, post-secondary...

Hit and Miss #83: Boomer empowerment

April 7, 2019

Tonight, I watched Gloria Bell. It’s a remake of the 2013 Gloria. I fell asleep during the 2013 movie, and nearly did so again tonight. But I left tonight’s...

Hit and Miss #82: Making time for music, for silence

March 31, 2019

I really think that for us, who all grew up listening primarily to recorded music, we tend to forget that until about 120 years ago ephemeral experience was...

Hit and Miss #81: A family day

March 24, 2019

Hello! I travelled briefly back to Waterloo this weekend, for my nonno’s birthday. Time with family has kept me happily occupied—I’ll keep today’s letter...

Hit and Miss #80: Communicating depth

March 17, 2019

I recently talked through a tricky situation with coworkers. I went to use a favourite slogan—“Be radical in changing how an organisation works, but...

Hit and Miss #79: The signs

March 10, 2019

The people along the sand All turn and look one way. They turn their back on the land. They look at the sea all day. … The land may vary more; But wherever...

Hit and Miss #78: I, you, we (maybe?)

March 3, 2019

To conclude last week’s issue on considered language, I wrote this: We unconsciously edit our potential conversations all the time, by editing what we...

Hit and Miss #77: Words I avoid

February 24, 2019

Some words I try not to say. They’re everyday words—seemingly innocuous, but possibly harmful or exclusive. Some examples: “Just” (not in the “justice”...

Hit and Miss #76: The 80s and links

February 17, 2019

Hello! I’m briefly back in Waterloo to celebrate my birthday, so (out of necessity, out of luxury) I’m often driving and listening to the radio. My favourite...

Hit and Miss #75: Standing in place

February 10, 2019

After writing last week’s newsletter, I bundled myself off to the National Gallery to stare at art. This differs from how I normally visit the Gallery, when...

Hit and Miss #74: When you want to get out and read

February 3, 2019

A very happy February to you! I had several ideas for this week’s newsletter, but then I slept in this morning (gloriously) and now find myself wanting to...

Hit and Miss #73: The wholesome social network

January 27, 2019

What makes a social network? The people in it. What determines a social network’s tone, whether positive or negative, healthy or toxic? The people in it,...

Hit and Miss #72: Libraries, physical and digital, visible and invisible

January 20, 2019

I love libraries and what we can learn from them—from their contents, yes, but also from the ideas and activities that their form enables. Libraries offer us...

Hit and Miss #71: Rockeuses, and leaders as facilitators

January 13, 2019

Hello! It’s one of those Sunday mornings where I started slow, puttered about quietly, sauntered to the grocery store, cleaned the apartment, reconciled my...

Hit and Miss #70: What we remember, and why

January 6, 2019

A very happy, beautiful Sunday to you! Endings and beginnings are times for reflection. Last week’s newsletter considered my time back in Waterloo, and the...

Hit and Miss #69: Returning home and time’s triptych

December 30, 2018

Hi there! These past two weeks, I’ve been back in Waterloo, visiting with family and friends. It’s been comforting and revealing. Before I get into my own...

Hit and Miss #68: Reading (and writing) heals

December 23, 2018

Hi! It’s been a week of reading and visiting old friends. In the spirit of these two topics, and to reprise last year’s pre-Christmas newsletter, here are...

Hit and Miss #67: Speeches from the throne, thinking tools

December 16, 2018

Hi there! After several heavy weeks, I’m writing to you in a much lighter state of mind. I’m on the train from Ottawa, admiring the frozen scenery (frosty...

Hit and Miss #66: Scattered

December 9, 2018

Hi there! I’m writing later than usual today, as I’ve been deep in work on various exams and final projects. I also, I’m afraid, don’t have anything coherent...

Hit and Miss #65: Working and rest

December 2, 2018

Hia! I’ve been thinking about weekends and rest lately. Yesterday, for the first time in over a month, I barely did any schoolwork. (Not that I didn’t want...

Hit and Miss #64: No choice

November 25, 2018

What do we mean when we say we “have no choice”? Earlier this week, I was talking with a prof who’d forgotten when he’d scheduled the submission period for...

Hit and Miss #63: Competing priorities at Laurel Creek Conservation Area

November 18, 2018

Helloooooo there! A very happy Sunday to you. It’s been a long day of writing, but I saved the last bit of writing just for you :) I thought I’d try...

Hit and Miss #62: Blogroll

November 11, 2018

Hia! I’ve been redesigning my personal site, and with it I’ve been considering what I admire about the web. One of those things has always been...

Hit and Miss #61: Thinky thinky

November 4, 2018

Hia! For those who attentively read and remember my newsletters, you’ll know that I said I’d likely share some research findings about a conservation area in...

Hit and Miss #60: Thinking geographically

October 28, 2018

Hello! In the last few months, I’ve grown increasingly interested in using cartography to understand the world. I’ve always found maps particularly useful...

Hit and Miss #59: Three pairs of links

October 21, 2018

Hi! The day—no, weekend—no, week slipped away from me, hence my late Sunday writing. Three pairs of links for you: For those interested in digital government...

Hit and Miss #58: Digital history and digital humanities

October 14, 2018

Heyo! School is at a heavier point right now. Since I originally conceived this newsletter, in part, as a place to share what I’m reading, I thought I’d...

Hit and Miss #57: Thanksgiving break

October 7, 2018

Hia! Taking today off to drive in the countryside and visit with family and friends. Hope you get a chance to relax and reflect this weekend. All the best...

Hit and Miss #56: Dropping in

September 30, 2018

Ask me what I love about Ottawa and you’re sure to get a long list of my favourite spots. It won’t take long for me to mention my beloved National Gallery...

Hit and Miss #55: Communities of care

September 23, 2018

I’m somewhat under the weather today, despite it (the weather) actually being rather lovely. None of the usual remedies (tea, opera, walking) are succeeding...

Hit and Miss #54: Repeated experiences

September 16, 2018

I recently questioned myself for wanting to rewatch an episode from a favourite TV show. Why waste the chance to explore some of the almost unlimited variety...

Hit and Miss #53: Writing in books, a personal history

September 9, 2018

Hi there! A very happy Sunday to you. It’s gloriously sunny and cool outside, which has me in a splendid mood. In the last little while, I’ve found myself...

Hit and Miss #52: A year in (review)

September 2, 2018

Hi there! I’m writing in a haze of nostalgia induced by a long scroll through my Facebook history. Much as I dislike that platform, it documents some potent...

Hit and Miss #51: Learning and escaping through simulation

August 26, 2018

Happy Sunday! Have you ever played Sims, or a related game like SimCity? If you have, the phrase “reticulating splines” likely brings back fond memories of...

Hit and Miss #50: We shape the land

August 19, 2018

I spent last Sunday morning sitting with a friend in the shade of Parliament Hill, talking and watching the birds on the water. That evening, I sat in nearby...

Hit and Miss #49: Learning languages, loving words

August 12, 2018

Hia, Earlier this week, I read Ru, by Kim Thúy. It tells the story of a Vietnamese refugee who immigrated to Canada as one of the “boat people”. Here are a...

Hit and Miss #48: Cool recipes for a hot day

August 5, 2018

Hia, I’m brained out from the heat and am thinking through a few ideas for future newsletters. (Plus, ruminating on whether to continue with the newsletter.)...

Hit and Miss #47: Turn to the local

July 29, 2018

After a hurting week for those who care deeply about municipalities and local government, here are some links on why local community is so important: Naheed...

Hit and Miss #46: Heat

July 22, 2018

Hi there! Despite a brief reprieve today, this week is looking hot in Ottawa. On the theme of heat, here are three links for you this week. Extreme heat is...

Hit and Miss #45: Humbly human

July 15, 2018

Hi there, Heat tires me. Combined with a lack of food or water, it can also inflame my temper. Aware of these risks, I tend to retreat into myself more when...

Hit and Miss #44: Working (remotely)

July 8, 2018

Hi! Happy Sunday. I stepped back a few years this week, working remotely instead of from an office. I appreciated the flexibility—it allowed me to visit some...

Hit and Miss #43: Centennial

July 1, 2018

Hello there! It's Canada Day and I'm visiting my grandparents. They arrived in Canada in the early 1960s, which prompted me to wear my Canada Centennial logo...

Hit and Miss #42: Creative constraints

June 24, 2018

Hi there! A hopefully happy Sunday to you. Mine has been quiet thus far; quiet seems to be the theme of my weekend. I’ve been puttering about the apartment,...

Hit and Miss #41: Historically minded

June 17, 2018

Hello there! It’s shaping up to be a scorcher today and I feel like I’m melting. In case I do melt away today, I’d like to share a bit about how I think with...

Hit and Miss #40: A quantified, incentivized life

June 10, 2018

Hello there! It’s a sunny Sunday morning, and I’ve already been out and about. I spent about an hour and a half buying groceries, on two separate trips....

Hit and Miss #39: Here I go again!

June 3, 2018

I don’t know how old I was when I first saw (experienced?) Mamma Mia!. It was probably over a decade ago. Since then, I’ve listened to the cast recording...

Hit and Miss #38: Pacifism

May 27, 2018

Hello there, I drafted this yesterday, during a gloomy afternoon. No doubt that shaped this newsletter’s tone, though I’d planned its subject for some time....

Hit and Miss #37: Working (together)

May 20, 2018

It’s a beautiful (beautiful beautiful beautiful) Sunday morning on a long weekend. As I write this I’m staring out at intense sky blues and leaf...

Hit and Miss #36: Science fair!!

May 13, 2018

Hi there! This newsletter’s coming a bit later today because I spent the day volunteering at the 2018 Canada-Wide Science Fair, hosted this year at Carleton...

Hit and Miss #35: Working

May 6, 2018

Hello there! I’m writing this during my first leisurely weekend in months. No specific places to be, nor work to do—just chipping away at the small daily...