Turning Dyslexia into a Sharpened Pencil
I was born left-handed. And that’s not all. It was perhaps a sign of other things to come, namely dyslexia, the catch-all term for a learning…
The Dope on Dozing Off: When a Lack of Quality Sleep Puts You In the Danger Zone
I got 99 problems, and sleep is one… On the surface, everything seems fine. Take a closer look, and my puffy eyes and sagging face tell…
Time Capsule: What Happened in the 20 Years it Took to Write Josef’s Lair
What’s 20 years? Longer than the life of an old dog, a good lifespan for a cat, and basically takes a cute little dribbling baby all the…
A Moment of Truth: Age Isn’t Just a Number — It’s also Biological
OK, a confession. I am a bit obsessed with getting older. I don’t make it much of a secret, either. It takes most people all of…
I’ll Admit It: I Don’t Like Road Marathons
In some running circles, the road marathon is considered the ultimate test of one’s fitness, but I’m honestly not a big fan of pavement. My ultimate fitness…
Cultivation: A Mantra for Life
cultivation (ˌkʌltɪˈveɪʃən) n 1. agriculture a. the planting, tending, improving, or harvesting of crops or plants b. the preparation of ground to promote their growth 2.…
Writing and Running to the End of Time
Writing is a funny thing. For some of my writer friends, they feel like they have to force themselves to sit and write. And they can’t…
There Will Be Mud: The 2014 Sulphur Springs 50km Trail Run
“It’s time you stay home and grow up,” said an acquaintance, when I told him I was heading out of town to run a 50km trail…
3 Years of Fatherhood: Time for a Time Out
For me, the easiest part about becoming a dad has been tapping into my 8 year old self so that I can work magic with Lego, train track…
Super Downsize Me: A New Social Reality and the Re-Emergence of the Sharing Society
I don’t think it comes as much of a surprise to learn that our generation, on average, will have less material wealth than our parents’ generation…
On Writing My First Novel, Josef’s Lair
“Who needs to read about imaginary vampires and werewolves when we’ve got real monsters running around killing innocent people.” Colonel Erich Hauptmann, Germany, 1943. In…
Is One Enough? The Very Personal Only Child Debate
For the last two years, I’ve felt a strong instinct not to have a go at another child. It has been difficult, with some friends having…
Nostalgia and the Way I Thought We Were
I’m not sure if it’s just a product of my age (45 and counting), but I’m definitely not convinced we, as a society, are heading in…
Winter Training: The Indoor Option
OK, th winter of 2013/14 has been shaping up to be the most challenging one yet for outdoor training with temperatures dipping into the -20s and…
The Importance of PCP: Parents with Creative Projects
The moment you become a parent, people will tell you, your life will change – forever. No argument here. I will never watch another news broadcast…