and other musings
On May 4th, 2016, my 28th birthday, my mom had a double mastectomy to treat early stage breast cancer called ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). My mom was given several treatment options but ultimately decided to go with a complete double mastectomy without reconstruction. That means having both breasts removed without any implants and a … Continue reading Of Birthdays and Boobs
More than five years after first reading it, I decided to once again pick up Kazuo Ishiguro's critically-acclaimed novel Never Let Me Go. A surprisingly dark coming-of-age story about three friends growing up in England - first at a progressive and arts-focused private school called Hailsham, and later in a group of isolated cottages - before … Continue reading Told and Not Told
A spoiler-full review of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Please don't read this if you don't want to have the play spoiled for you. For spoiler-free commentary on the story, you can listen to my interview on CBC Radio as part of a panel discussing the anticipation of the play, and the outpouring of … Continue reading Harry Potter is Afraid of Pigeons and This Post is Full of Spoilers
When I received an e-mail from a CBC Radio One producer asking if I was interested in being on a panel about the anticipation surrounding Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, I promptly skipped around my apartment and responded with an enthusiastic "OF COURSE!" It was so cool to sit in the studio and chat … Continue reading CBC Radio One Cares About My Harry Potter Thoughts
"There are certain advantages to being outcast," said Zacharias. "One is set at liberty from many anxieties. There is no call to worry about what others will think, when they already think the worst." - Sorcerer to the Crown, a Sorcerer Royal novel Late in 2015, a friend sent me this article and recommend that … Continue reading Held by Bonds of Gratitude
Growing up, Christmas Day wasn't the most important day for me. My family did have a small artificial Christmas tree, a few decorations here and there and Christmas lights; but the majority of my memories on December 25th are calm, quiet and peaceful. I've only very recently learned that is not typical. Here's the thing. My mom was … Continue reading Blended Holidays for Blended Families
I spent this weekend completely reorganizing my bookshelves. I have a lot of books, mostly thanks to growing up in an academic household (my parents are professors) and of course because of my English degree. I also have a bit of a book obsession. I've acquired books over the years by purchasing them on a whim, … Continue reading Bookshelves
