Persisting a few days, I was laid flat by something painful in my lungs… feeling like a pulled ligament or infection. Even small exertions left me with coughing spasms. I could barely breathe without touching off another bout. News reports tell of people being placed on round-the-clock hospital ventilators, having to struggle alone in the…
Rev. Robert Rumball I met Reverend Bob and was immediately impressed by his no-nonsense direct manner of speaking – an ordained church minister playing professional football. He discovered that the deaf were suffering. His son, Derek Rumball, saying, “Our deaf community was marginalized because of the language barriers they face every day.” Bob created a…
When asked if he was a genius John Lennon straightforwardly said, “If there is such a thing as a genius, I am one, and if there isn’t I don’t care.” I can’t begin to make any such claim. Yet here I am, like so many writers, still putting in the time and effort. Why? It…
I’d like to show how anyone interested in creative thinking can benefit from a simple approach. For writing, just a little advise can sometimes go a long way. Plus, I can usually manage to blend in some meaningful music quotes into the mix. I also find this manner of contemplation generates other great ideas. But,…
“God is a concept by which we measure our pain.” – God by John Lennon When I first called Rob about putting the band back together, it was as if he’d been thinking about it already… saying something like, “Sure Fred, what do you have in mind?” And, when we finally connected with our original…
Canadian novelist, Margaret Atwood, once remarked that in Canada, you can say whatever you want, because no one will listen. And, it’s a standard operating truism – particularly in America and increasingly in Canada – that politics is becoming extreme and polarized, no matter where people are on the political spectrum. Not only that, but…
I was talking ‘car stuff’ with a guy I’ve gotten to know, Ralph. He’s operated his own auto specialty shop for many years. A midsize gent with bedraggled white hair, wise eyes and rough hands – that swallows your handshake – he’s a testimony to a lifetime of physical work… and, the consummate professional. You…
Fred Figures – Sept 2010 “Congratulations! You look like a very happy couple.” That’s what a man called out to us before driving away from a stop sign as we walked arm in arm together one evening. We were both surprised and appreciative of his comments – expressed as they were with genuine sincerity. It…
Please excuse my being excited… everyday feels like Christmas to me. And, like Charles Dickens’ ‘Scrooge’, I just can’t help it. And like him, I don’t deserve it. I’ve got a beautiful wife and three kids who love me – despite my worst days. Yet, that hopeful light, still within me, is less bright these…
For years, I thought my voice was what came out of other people’s mouths. Which was fine – they were speaking their truth – it just wasn’t mine. I hadn’t the experience of life to find out for myself. Eventually – with decades of life to draw upon – I saw there were commonalities between…
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