The Brown Knowser

In case you missed it, I wanted to share the video of my reading from last night's Blog Out Loud event at the Ottawa International Writers Festival . I had the privilege of sharing the lectern with 10 other Ottawa-area bloggers, as we presented some of our favourite blog posts. My reading was taken from my post, If I Had a Time Machine . Thanks to everyone who attended and Lynn for organizing the event. And thanks to my mom, who came out to support me and who recorded my reading.

I originally published this blog post on April 22, 2011, on my old blog, Brownfoot Journal . After reading a similar story on OttawaStart , I was reminded of my story and wanted to share it again, only I closed access to the Brownfoot Journal more than a year ago. So here it is again, on The Brown Knowser , for those of you who haven't read it before. Want more information about the CIVIC Pharmacy? Check out The Margins of History .  It all started with Twitter.   As some of you know, I follow Twitter. A lot. Sometimes, too much. After all, I do suffer from FMS Syndrome * .   Last week, I let myself be distracted by a photo, tweeted by a fellow Ottawa blogger, Andrea Tomkins . Her photo showed a famous, though obscure, Ottawa landmark: a sign on a building at the intersection of Carling and Holland Avenues. This sign :   I immediately recognized the sign. It has been on this building for as long as I can remember. And so, when I saw Andrea's picture...

Got time on your hands tonight? Have you ever wanted to start a blog but weren't sure what to write? Don't know what's out there? Come to Blog Out Loud at the Ottawa International Writers Festival . I know: I wrote about this event last week, but I really want your support. And you'll also get to hear from nine other excellent writers as they share their favourite posts from their blogs. Plus, you'll see some great pictures from talented photo bloggers. And, if you don't already have a copy of my novel, Songsaengnim: A Korea Diary , there will be copies on hand, for sale. If you follow The Brown Knowser , I'd love to meet you. The event starts at 6:30, sharp, so make sure you get there early and get a good seat. Tickets are free. Come out to the Knox Presbyterian Church, at the corner of Lisgar and Elgin. I hope to see you there.

I have quite a few friends that have thanked me for introducing them to Hawksley Workman. You're welcome. I, myself, discovered Hawksley when my wife and I bought a compilation CD box set of Canadian musicians and it included his song, Jealous of Your Cigarette . It's a whimsical song that, now that my daughters are older, I can't play around them. When Between the Beautifuls and  Los Manlicious came out (both in 2008), I was hooked, and when my wife and I saw him perform in Ottawa a couple of years ago, we became die-hard fans. Hawkley oozes talent, from his vocals, to his proficiency on the guitar and drums, all you have to do is listen, and you'll understand. Here's a version of his song, Devastating , which he performed live on CBC Radio's Q . You're welcome. Happy Monday!

Have you seen the ad? Under-aged kids, buying alcohol in a convenience store where the hapless clerk happily takes their money and tells them to have a good night. Here's the ad. The Beer Store , a multinational corporation that is owned by Molson-Coors, Sleeman, and Anheuser-Busch InBev, is reacting to the proposal by the Ontario Convenience Stores Association to sell alcohol, by running such ads and setting up a Web site that provides the "facts" about letting other businesses do what they've been doing for decades. Ontario Beer Facts maintains that if control is taken away from them, sales to minors will skyrocket. Because, as we all know, only The Beer Store will check ID. (When I was a minor, I bought beer through my local beer store.) It's plain to see that the real reason behind these scare tactics is that The Beer Store wants to maintain its monopoly on beer sales. It doesn't want to share the pie. Most other provinces (and many America...

So, the Windows Phone didn't last long. If you read my blog post last week , you learned that I suddenly found myself going from a consumer who was inquiring about a replacement smartphone to the owner of a new telecommunications device/hand-held computer. About two months sooner than I had expected to be. And, because I had been wondering about the Windows Phone, it was the first device I picked up. I planned to test it for two weeks, but by day five, I was ready to move on. Though I was able to find most of the apps that I used on my iPhone, I quickly discovered that I missed the apps that I couldn't find: especially, my Starbucks app and HootSuite. I also found that the camera wasn't that great—didn't seem that sophisticated nor did the photos appear that clear on the screen. While I liked the tiles and the ease of navigation, I found the look of the tiles themselves to be a little uninspiring. Many of you who communicated with me through the blog and Twitter...

I can't stand country music. I don't know what it is about it: the twang of the guitars, the seemingly similar beat, the god-awful drawl of just about every country singer. Whatever it is about country music, after about one minute of listening to it, I get in the foulest of moods: I become angry combative, and overall, not nice to be around. So, typically, when I hear a country song come on the radio or television, I switch channels or turn the TV or radio off. If someone were to put a gun to my head and say, "if you listen to this song, you will live: if you put your hands over your ears, you will die," I would most likely die within seconds. Now, that can't be said of every single song that falls into the genre of country music. There are some Kathleen Edwards songs I like. I can tolerate a few (very few) songs by the Eagles and Blue Rodeo . And there's this song by The Avett Brothers . I really like the sound of a banjo if it's played ...

For decades, every time I've passed this small, Montreal Road Chinese restaurant, I've wanted to take a photo of its sign. This Beacon Hill take-out restaurant looks as though it started as a home and, despite its size, does not offer dine-in service. Perhaps it is because the owners live there? Though I've never eaten food from there, I've always been intrigued by this eatery's name. I mean, how appealing is the name? I've always guessed that the food must be decent if a small, out-of-the-way restaurant has survived for more than 20 years. But, according to some reviewers at Urbanspoon , Hung Fatt has changed management and is no longer as good as it once was. Have you eaten at Hung Fatt? How is it? One of these days, I'll go. It's not a convenient restaurant for me: usually, when I'm out in the east end of the city, I'm visiting friends who offer hard-to-beat, homemade pizza. But someday, if I have the chance, I just might pick s...

Last weekend, I got a new smartphone. I hadn't meant to swap up my phone so soon, had meant to replace it in June. I also hadn't made up my mind about what phone I wanted. Did I want to upgrade to the latest iPhone? Did I want to move over to Android? How about those Windows Phones? I'm never tied to a brand. I am loyal to no corporation. I own a Windows PC and an iPad. My laptop is made by HP and I hook it up to an LG monitor. The TVs in my house are Insignia and Samsung. I shoot photos with my Nikon DSLR and my Canon compact cameras. My cars have been Pontiac, Chevy, Toyota, Datsun, Honda, and Ford. I have coffee apps for Starbucks and Bridgehead. The only issue I had with moving away from Apple for my smartphone was that I would lose some of the apps upon which I have come to rely. My favourite app for cycling, Cyclemeter , is available for Apple products only. Same goes for Tweetbot , which is what I use for mobile tweeting. HootSuite , which I also use (though,...

I've always wanted to do a reading at the Ottawa International Writers Festival . For me, it would be a way to validate myself as a bona fide writer. This year, I will be doing just that. While I won't be reading from my novel, Songsaengnim: A Korea Diary , I will be reading one of my Brown Knowser blog posts. You see, the writers festival has teamed up with Blog Out Loud , the annual Ottawa event where local bloggers deliver a post orally. This will be my third time at the event and I can't wait to meet new bloggers and reacquaint myself with bloggers I haven't seen in a while. Have you ever wanted to meet some of the Ottawa-area bloggers? Have you wanted to be a blogger yourself but haven't known where to start? Come out to Blog Out Loud for the best opportunity to do both. Ten bloggers will read their favourite post of the past year (or so). Come prepared to laugh, cry, and think. Photo bloggers will also display their favourite photographs. The ev...

I bought a new smartphone on the weekend. It was a totally spontaneous act: I wasn't expecting to update my current phone for a couple of months, as I'm on a contract and it doesn't expire until mid-June. But I've been considering moving from an iPhone to either an Android device or a Windows phone, so I just went to see what was out there. The salesperson at my cell-phone provider, upon looking at my account, told me he'd allow me to get out of my contract right away, with no penalty. I told him that I had intended to unlock my iPhone and give it to my daughter: she would get a basic monthly plan, with no data. I would then get a newer phone. He said, "Let's do it." So, I did it. My new phone is not an iPhone, so I'm starting over. While I was able to seamlessly transfer my contact information to the new phone and gain access to photos through the Cloud, I have to rebuild my music files. And, because I could pick and choose new songs, ge...

When I took pictures of the Canadian Bank Note Company last weekend, in preparation for Where In Ottawa , I wondered if the crest would give it away. It didn't. The beaver is one of our national symbols and those flat-tailed critters can be found all over the city. It was the first clue that gave it away, according to this month's winner, Joe Boughner . Really? The clue was simple: "Make a note of this place." But with that one clue, Joe was able to guess the Canadian Bank Note Company. I think he lives in the area. When I chose the closeup of the building's crest, I thought someone may have paid attention to it. But I almost used a different shot, one that shoes a clock that protrudes from the right-hand side of the building, as you face it. It's not easily seen. Which means that you would have had to rely on many clues to get the answer to the challenge. How about you, Joe? Would the clue have helped you with the first clue? (Congratu...

Democratic Reform Minister Pierre Poilievre says that he's spoken with many of his constituents about the so-called Fair Elections Act and that they were happy with the contents of the act. Really? How many constituents has he spoken with? And who are they? Are they supporters? I have the great misfortune of living in Poilievre's Nepean-Carleton riding and I've spoken about the Fair Elections Act with my neighbours and friends, who are also constituents. Know what? Not one of them likes the act. Not one of them thinks it's fair. On a broader scope, I've discussed the act with other Canadians, who live in other ridings and other provinces, but who will be equally affected by the proposed changes. And they all say it stinks. In discussions about this act (among other political subjects: in case you didn't already know, I like to follow politics and often get in animated discussions over it), my friends and I agree that the vouching issue, while imp...

Where In Ottawa , April 2014

I was never one to believe in ghosts. As a child, I enjoyed the thrill of ghost stories, but I never really believed in disembodied spirits that haunted hotels, or riversides, or government offices. I didn't believe in tormented souls who found no peace, or who could not leave the places where they died or where they considered home. As a child, I loved to be spooked by the thought of a ghost, but I never really believed ghosts to be real. And it didn't stop me from spooking others. Once, in a cemetery, in Châteaguay, Québec, just down the road from my grandmother's house, I scared my cousins, telling them that they were going to die. That the evil spirits in the tombs would get them, would rise from their graves, place a hand on them, and that would be it. They ran as fast as their legs could carry them, crying all the way back to Nanny's home, whimpering, "I don't want to die." No spirits laid a hand on them. Almost fourteen years ago, I felt a...

I've started counting. Today is the 35 th Where In Ottawa photo challenge. It's been almost three years since I've started the challenge and, thanks to you, it is stronger than ever. And, this month, thanks to the wonderful folks at the Ottawa Mill Street Brew Pub , I have another great giveaway for the first person to solve the photo challenge. One of my favourite breweries and the best brew pub in our fair city is giving away a dinner for two to the winner of Where In Ottawa . The dinner giveaway is for two people, up to a maximum of $100. There is no cash value for the giveaway. Tip is not included—the service is exceptional, so give generously. Tables are subject to availability. If you have won in the past, you are still eligible to play; if you have won in 2014, please give others a chance (wait until the end of the week). If you know where this month's photo was taken, leave your answer in the Comments section of this post. All other forms of com...

Wanderlust is calling. It's telling me to hit the road, to travel, to leave Ottawa. I want to go back to New York City. A friend of mine was recently there and shared parts of the city that I love through tweets and Instagram photos. And I wanted to be there. Some of my oldest and dearest friends, with whom my wife and I have traveled in the past, to the Niagara Region, to Toronto, to Montreal, are headed to the Big Apple in another week. And I want to follow them. I'm not one for big cities. Ottawa is the perfect size for me. A respectable city that feels like a town. But New York is different. Its size, the height of the buildings, and the crowds of people. Every part of NYC seems to breathe, is alive. And I want to go back. How about you? Is there a place that is calling to you? Happy Friday!

Speculations on my impending doom are greatly exaggerated. I may be to blame for that. I know, I'm a pretty public person. I blog and tweet a lot about what goes on in my life. My wife will sometimes cringe when she reads one of my posts or when she talks to somebody—a close friend or a relative—to find that person knows a lot about what is going on with us, or me. And she rolls her eyes. But trust me, I don't share every aspect of my life. There is a lot that goes on when I'm not on a screen, when I'm busy actually living my life, instead of reporting on it. Some things are private, and will stay that way. When it comes to my health, if there's some earth-shattering news, if I get seriously sick or, worse, learn that a condition is terminal, I will eventually make it public. But first, I will share it, privately, with close friends and loved ones. Recently, some of you have contacted me to see if I'm okay. You have told me that you are concerned for m...

Prince Edward Island 1996

So, the Conservative Party of Canada wants to criticize Justin Trudeau because he dropped the F-bomb at a wrestling match that was a charity fundraiser. Really? Like they've never heard the word. Like a wrestling match was no place for rough language. Of course, the Tories have never shown poor judgement. Stephen Harper is a man of sound judgement, beyond reproach. Except for Nigel Wright. And Mike Duffy. And Pamela Wallin. And Patrick Brazeau. And Marc Nadon. And Dimitri Soudas. Yeah, that Justin Trudeau. He had better shape up.