Always!

Here are my favourite reads from 2025. Really happy to say that the Giller and Booker winners were great this year. I read more more non-fiction than usual. Nice to see Ian McEwan back in top form.

Listened to these new records on vinyl quite a lot this year. All acts I’ve enjoyed seeing live, most of them numerous times. Jason Isbell is the only new one this year. Great show at the Big Four during Stampede.

December Reads

Some great things from 2025: -Graduated from UPEI (again) with a Master of Arts in Island Studies -hosted my brother’s 40th birthday -saw Wilco, Blue Rodeo, Jason Isbell, Stars, Sloan, Sheryl Crow live in concert -built the new Lego Enterprise with my son over holidays

Was lucky enough to get this new Hingston and Olson creation in my stocking; 12 stories for the 12 days of Christmas. Nice to start a new tradition!

Merry Christmas everyone! Thankful for the gift of stories…and good coffee.

This helped make one of the funnest Christmases in awhile.

Home for Christmas Maud Lewis c. 1958

I’m rereading my Hingston and Olson Short Story Advent Calendar from 2015 which is full of treasures including today’s story which was originally in Taddle Creek.

There’s no place like home. Happy to be back volunteering with ATP over the holidays.

Enjoyed hearing Margaret Atwood and Heather O’Neill in conversation this week.

Sometimes you just have to begin again. After 10 years the annual www.hingstonandolsen.com advent calendar has changed format to 12 days of Xmas. Luckily I’ve kept the whole set.

November reads

Introduce yourself with five concerts you’ve seen: U2 Great Lake Swimmers Emmylou Harris Robert Glasper The East Pointers

The movie that takes place where you’re from. There really can’t be another one because where I’m from doesn’t really exist anymore.

www.cbc.ca/books/thenex... This is a delight. Certainly connects with my Island Studies masters thesis.

Have to say the destruction of this building is bothering me a lot. Not just because it’s causing me a detour on my walk to work but because it was one of the first things that made an impression on me when I arrived in Calgary for the first time in 1996.

Even in the inner city

For Remembrance Day youtu.be/hvDtGnTxRz4

Canadians were displeased when Harry, the Duke of Sussex, was seen wearing a Los Angeles Dodgers baseball cap, not a Toronto Blue Jays cap, at Game 4 of the World Series. He apologized this week.

Great Ron Sexsmith show at The Grand in Calgary. Ron never disappoints. Great to see Don Kerr as well.

October reads

remember when they totally gonna move to north saanich because they valued both a semi-quiet life and keeping strong commonwealth ties

Easily my favourite Blue Jay this year.

🎉🎉🎉🎉

September reads

When your favourite singer/songwriter plays a show in your neighbourhood you have to go! Catherine MacLellan great show as always with excellent support from Tim Leacock. Really love the new songs.

Quote this with your reaction to getting left behind during the rapture.

I can

August reads

Life goals 🤣

July reads

Happy Canada Day! Sorry not sorry.

June reads

Enjoyed catching Metric Fantasies tour stop live last night in Calgary.

May reads

Same one of my favourite things

April Reads

Beware, be aware 😂 first goslings in Calgary of 2025

Thanks @brittlestar.com

Looking forward to being in PEI in May but disappointed to be missing Burger Love and Setting Day.

Enjoyed see Stars and Wild Rivers live in concert this weekend. 20 years of Setting yourself on fire!