I experienced the pleasure of travelling to Churchill, MB on Friday to visit the polar bears on the west side of Hudson’s Bay. They are preparing for their time on the ice and will gain weight once they are able to hunt again, but they were in pretty good shape. At this time of year,…
Author: imperfectshepard
Duality
Photo from CADS Calgary Facebook page I’ve become fascinated by recent work of Jonathan Haidt & Greg Lukianoff, who argue that the generation of “concierge parenting” and increased childhood engagement in social media has led to both the erosion of academic freedom on college campuses and increases in anxiety and suicide among young adults parented…
At the Base of Hope
It seems fitting that at this point in my life, I have situated my home at the base of the Little Sister in Canmore, Hope. Following a very dark period in my life, which began shortly after my first wedding anniversary, but culminated in the past two years, I have emerged hopeful. I can fully define…
Woman of the 80s
Like Dr. Christine Ford, I went to high school in the early 1980s. While I was never sexually assaulted, I know why she did not report. I grew up in Midland, a town of about 90,000 in west Texas. There were distinct “haves” and “havenots” in this town, built on oil and gas. George W….
Broken Ankle
A few weeks ago, I was out walking my dog with a friend. We had gone fewer than 30 yards when I turned my ankle in a small divot in the ice and fell down, breaking my fibula and tibia in the process. The break required surgery and the placement of a total of one…
The Ring
I looked over at the ring on his finger. It is a symbol of commitment, even in a time of difficulty. It gave me the comfort that he was still there.
Politics and Social Media
I have friends who are liberal and I have friends who are conservative and I have friends who are a little of both. My friends know my position, I think. I have and my family members have voted for candidates from multiple parties in Canada. I have voted NDP, Liberal, and Conservative, depending on the scale…
The Landscape of Loss
Pre-wedding photo at Emerald Lake, 2011 My best female friend lost her partner at the end of September and it changed the landscape in many dimensions. It changed the landscape of our relationship. I’d missed our belly laughs that were occurring ever less frequently because we were both busy doing other things. She had given…
Aging Hands
Today is my birthday. I’ve been on this earth 19,358 days. My step daughter has been studying the solar system. If I lived on Sedna (minor planetary body at the outer edge of our solar system and a name my friend wanted to give my dog), I would not yet be two years old. My life history…
The Benefits of Apology
Painting Title: What Goes Around Comes Around I have spent the past week writing about the exploration of western North America by white colonists and the impact that various laws, economic changes, politics, and media had on our perception of the indigenous people who lived here. I’ve also spent some time reading (for pleasure) The Book…
Imperfect Shepherd 