The England-born, Yukon-based writer has just released her third poetry collection, Endlings, in which each poem is inspired by a different extinct animal species. The passenger pigeon […]
Howls of the past are echoing again thanks to Joanna Lilley Read More »
My favourite line from Forrest Gump comes near the end. Gump’s beloved Jenny has died and he stands over her grave: “Mama always said that
Flummoxed Felines and Forrest Gump Read More »
I joined the What’s Up Yukon editorial team in late September 2012 and the first edition with my name on the masthead was issue #300,
Hanging Up the Red Pen Read More »
Last Friday I met with David Skelton, the artistic director of Nakai Theatre, and DD Kugler, a renowned Canadian dramaturge. A dramaturge, which is an
It’s funny how a change in geography can alter your perspective on something you’re well acquainted with. My places of residence within Whitehorse had always
Clay Cliff Comfort Read More »
In early-1993 my mom took my sister and I to see Alive, a film about an Argentinian rugby team that must survive a plane crash
Cannibalism: What’s the Big Deal? Read More »
Fawn Fritzen joined the Big Band in 2008 and took over as its vocalist from Rebekah Bell in 2013, when the latter left the territory.
A Quarter Century of Smiles Read More »
The discs one uses in disc golf have certain innate properties that allow them to act in a reasonably predictable manner. For example, all else
When I was learning to drive, one required skill haunted my dreams. Leading up to my driver’s test in the summer of 1998 I would
Zen and the Art of Parallel Parking Read More »
On February 16 I picked up my roommate, Taylor Tiefenbach, from the Erik Nielsen International Airport. His flight was due to arrive at 3:05 p.m.
I got my MacBook Pro computer in the spring of 2010 and it has served me well for five years. It has been with me
A biographical document Read More »
Like those who attended the first Sex Pistols concert, I too like to take credit for discovering something revolutionary: the iceberg. In 1996, I attended
The Tip of the Iceberg Read More »
On September 20, 1993 The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air aired episode one of season four. The show documented the comedic hijinks of Will Smith (played by Will Smith),
The following story was my submission for the 1994 Yukon Young Authors’ Conference. There, I got to work with acclaimed Canadian playwright Guillermo Verdeccia, who
When one walks into Horwoods Mall from the Front Street entrance in downtown Whilehorse it’s hard to miss him. There, in one of the building’s
The Friendly Photographer Read More »
In autumn 2009 I slipped on a frosty stair and broke my left humerus. Before the accident my left arm had an angle of 20°,
Angles and Arm-splints Read More »
In the wake of Boyhood’s lackluster haul at the recently held Academy Awards — it won only one Oscar, despite six nominations — I’ve been
On Richard Linklater Read More »
Enzo Ferrari emerged from World War II with a bold plan to design and build automobiles under his own name. At first, he favoured the
Enzo and his Masterpiece Read More »
The Overland Trail was a transportation corridor between Whitehorse and Dawson City constructed by the White Pass and Yukon Route at the turn-of-the-century. Spanning 530
Authenticity on Fire Read More »
When I was a kid I rarely got mail. And when I did, it was usually a card from a relative or a note from
Clear Plastic Windows Read More »
Here’s my dilemma: it’s 9:30 on Thursday night and I need to “put the paper to bed” by the end of the night. Everything else in
The Story About Very Little Read More »
When I arrived in New York City on December 19 and found my room in the apartment I was subletting, I dropped my bags and
Street Level Cuisine in the City that Never Sleeps Read More »
I’m grateful for my Canadian citizenship. I’m grateful for the constant support of my family. I’m grateful for the serving staff at the Gold Rush.
Sometimes I Forget: 39 Things I’m Grateful For Read More »
My office and my bed are 10 feet apart, which means that my morning commute takes between 15 seconds and one minute, depending on whether
Workers are Staying Home Read More »
When I was 16 years old I went to Hawaii with my family. We stayed in a modest but clean hotel with easy access to
Lessons the Ocean Taught Me Read More »
When a play hits the stage for its first full production , it’s travelled a long way. Often a playwright begins showcasing her work by
Terrence McNally’s Dedication or the Stuff of Dreams, playing at the Guild Hall until December 6, is a love letter to theatre in an era
The Guild presents Dedication Read More »
We choose to go to the moon. We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they
I am, by nature, a sentimental son of a gun. I wear old shirts until they are threadbare because they remind me of certain times,
Neck Deep in Nostalgia Read More »
Last night I watched episode 1 of the Sopranos, the mafia-family television series that became hugely popular at the turn of the century . It
The Sopranos, the Camino de Santiago, and How the World Hangs Together Read More »
The Shape of Things, which runs every night at the Guild Hall in Porter Creek until October 11, continues playwright Neil Labute’s reputation for blunt
The Shape of all Sorts of Things Read More »
As she reached for his arm she saw it become tense; it was an involuntary reaction on his part, caused by the palsy affecting his
Whitehorse-based singer-songwriter and comedian Claire Ness is right in her element; the local performer is releasing a new live album called Jackfish Girl, which will
The Magic of Live Music Read More »
Imagine Wittgenstein’s Tractatus Logico Philosophicus was a person. He was a young man — driven, entrepreneurial, and shaved clean. He woke early, without setting an
How They Would Move Read More »
I’ve consumed coffee nearly every day of my life since I was 20 years old and I still don’t have a favourite mug.I’ve drank from
Coffee Mugs and Something Larger Read More »
If you ask visitors for adjectives describing the northern lights, they might say beautiful, mysterious, auspicious, captivating, haunting, inspiring, and magical. But I’m no visitor.
Rethinking the Northern Lights Read More »
Keno. The tiny mining town 60 km north of Mayo is just far enough off the beaten track to possess exotic appeal. Ask Lara Lewis,
Shakin’ a Leg in Central Yukon Read More »
In April 2002 I was lying on my bed in Lethbridge, Alberta listening to the same clock radio that is still perched on my dresser
Robin, Layne, and Misunderstood Pain Read More »
Preemptive clarification: The targets in disc golf look like baskets. However, due to the culturally dominant influence of regular golf, disc golfers will often refer
The Saga of Hole 17 Read More »
The opening image of The Royal Tenenbaums (2001) provides a valuable portal into the mind of director Wes Anderson. Accompanied by dream-like music, we see
The Art of Wes Anderson Read More »
In the winter of 1995 my family headed south to spend Christmas with our relatives in Denver, Colorado. Our accumulated crew amounted to eight cousins
Forget the Generation Gap, let’s Talk About the Tooth Gap Read More »
RZA had an embarrassment of riches on his hands. It was the early 1990s and the New York City rapper had just consolidated some of
In Praise of 7th Avenue It’s not on the way to anywhere. It’s a world removed from the fast food congestion of 2nd and the
In Praise of 7th Avenue Read More »
Here are the facts: On May 22, when my mom informed me Fleury was coming to town, I got pretty excited.Given this background information, and
Theo Fleury: A sequel of sorts Read More »
Anthropologists need not travel to New Guinea to research the subtleties of human societies; plenty of culture can be witnessed at the local saloon. Among
The Half-Beer Reciprocation Blues Read More »
A few days ago I met Cam Webber for an after-work drink at the Roadhouse. Cam is a gravedigger for the City of Whitehorse, and
When I was a kid I would visit my grandparents at their home in Burnaby, B.C. Their property was three-quarters of an acre and featured
Napping: My Changing Opinion Read More »
At the beginning of 2001: A Space Odyssey, Stanley Kubrick’s science-fiction classic, the audience is introduced to a group of apes at the exact moment
Jickling’s Jabberings: Monolith Moments Read More »
The robin obviously had a problem with us. I was hanging out on the back porch with my friend Jenny Duncombe — minding our own
A Not-So-Empty Nest Read More »
Seeing a house party through to its conclusion requires stamina, willpower, and a lack of pressing activities the following day. And the only way ensure
From the Ashes of a House Party Read More »
They ate my soul at the summer parade They drenched it first in marinade They cut it into little bits They served it with a
They Ate My Soul at the Summer Parade Read More »
Collecting material possessions fills me with ambivalence. If anything, the accumulation of objects causes stress, and the old adage “the things you own end up
A Book is an Actual Thing Read More »
The first time I hitchhiked was with my father, when I was 12 years old. We exchanged what-would-mom-think smirks as we boarded an empty cattle
The Case for Hitchhiking Read More »
Larry Bird President, Indiana Pacers 125 S. Pennsylvania Street Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 Dear Larry Bird, Do you know the series 30 for 30? It’s a bunch
An Open Letter to Larry Bird Read More »
Tamara Neely, the stalwart editor of What’s Up Yukon since October 2012, is having a kid. As assistant editor, I’ve watched her grow rounder month-by-month
Captain Neely leaves the ship Read More »
Dear balloon, We crossed paths one night as I walked up Two Mile Hill. I was heading home to Takhini; I’m not sure what you
An Open Letter to the Green Balloon that Followed Me Up Two Mile Hill Read More »
I believe hot sauce is the best condiment. I believe a good hat can set the mood. I promise to buy Sarah MacDougall’s next album.
25 Beliefs, 15 Promises, and One Rhetorical Question Read More »
On March 8, 2004, in a game between the Colorado Avalanche and the Vancouver Canucks, Todd Bertuzzi punched Steve Moore from behind and then drove
My Obviously Simple Minded Idea to Reduce Cheap Shots in Hockey Read More »
As my big red beard attests, I’ve got Scottish heritage in my DNA. On my mother’s side of the family, I’m derived from Clan Donnachaidh, also known as Clan Robertson.
Marlon Brando, Forrest Gump, Mary Ellen Read, David Foster Wallace (obviously), Catherine O’Donovan, Roger Federer, Roberto Bolano, Robert Pirsig, Bob Dylan, Kurt Vonnegut, Wes Anderson,
A Completely Incomplete List of People I Admire Read More »
ROYAL NAVY TRADITIONAL TOASTS Monday: Our ships at sea. Tuesday: Our men. Wednesday: Ourselves (as no one is likely to concern themselves with our welfare).
The Legend of Pusser’s Rum Read More »
The truth is I don’t put much stock in matching socks. I wear matchies for important events like funerals, but for grocery shopping on a
One Sock, Two Sock, Red Sock, Blue Sock Read More »
It can’t be easy to find your identity as a chubby performer in Hollywood. In an industry notorious for its worship of physical perfection, overweight
Remembering Philip Seymour Hoffman Read More »
This February finds Whitehorse music aficionados scratching their heads in a manner not seen since the Trudeau administration. After 35 years of jams and jingles,
Pecha Kucha is a presentation-style invented by architects in 2003, designed to promote clarity and concision amongst public speakers. The Pecha Kucha format requires presenters
The Pecha Kucha Payoff Read More »
I’m interested in enthymemes. An enthymeme is an argument in which at least one constituent part is not stated, but implied. When I use the
The Case of the Missing Premise Read More »
You’d be forgiven for thinking The Wire and Breaking Bad are American television shows — that’s certainly what they appear to be. But actually, they’re
57 Channels and Nothin’ On Read More »
I was just wondering whatever happened to Donovan Bailey, and then there he was — all over my Internet. As a guy who tries to
Bailey’s Back, and He’s Got a Book in His Hands Read More »
In December 2010 I moved into my current residence on Normandy Road in Takhini. Joining me as roommates were Gavin Gardiner from Saskatoon and Jayden
The Saskatchewan Embassy Hosts a Grey Cup Party Read More »
Perhaps citizens of every tourism-oriented economy reserve the right to gently mock the very visitors that employ them. In the Yukon, for example, tourism contributes
Harbingers of a New Era Read More »
In my room I have a desk where I work. And on the wall above that desk I have tacked a What’s Up Yukon article
In Defense of Earnestness Read More »
Brian Fidler’s latest one-person show, which he wrote and stars in, has an inclusive quality about it. Broken, which premiered in Whitehorse in the fall
Broken Heads Down the Road Read More »
Before I turned my attention to carousing in the early 2000s, I watched a lot of movies, and as a young film buff I couldn’t
The Amazingly Consistent Downward Trajectory of M. Night Shyamalan’s Films, 1999 – 2010 Read More »
About a month ago my friend Dylan Letang finally got his wish. Last year he moved back to Whitehorse after spending a decade in Vancouver.
A Cheesy Housewarming Party Read More »
In the early ‘90s I semi-regularly attended the United Church with my family. This involved weekly Sunday school lessons, plus the occasional extracurricular congregational picnic
Another Rite of Passage Bites the Dust Read More »
When 2010 began I had three living grandparents; by the year’s end I had none. My mom’s parents were Walter (Waddy) and Beth Robertson, both
Grandparents Remembered Read More »
I’ve never been to New Orleans but my friend Casey Mclaughlin has, and when she returned she brought me a book called 1 Dead in
I broke my arm almost four years ago to-the-day and I was impressed with the diligence of my friends’ response — the visits, the casseroles
A Tapestry of Yukon Voices Read More »
The film Adaptation (2002) was directed by Spike Jonze, but it’s really screenwriter Charlie Kaufman’s movie. Kaufman, who is also responsible for such mind-bending classics
We Open on Charlie Kaufman Read More »
Celebrated Yukon musician Declan O’Donovan is on the road again. The piano-playing troubadour began his fall tour at the Hamilton Music and Film Festival on
Declan O’Donovan Spreads his Wings Read More »
It’s happening. Right now. I’m sitting on a high stool in my kitchen, propping my torso up with my elbows. The oven is humming away
It’s not Delivery, it’s Dr. Oetker Read More »
It’s official. I think I could take John Mayer in a fistfight. Not that I am interested in fighting him, or vice versa, but if
The Completely Hypothetical Main Event Read More »
I held out as long as I could. Until last week I had one of the Yukon’s craft-project driver’s licenses. You know the type —
The Times They are a-Changin’ Read More »
If you can satiate yourself with simple pleasures, your chance at a happy life increases. If, for example, a well-timed cupcake can make your day,
No Need to Feel the World is Dour, If You Have a Tasty Beer in a Well-earned Shower Read More »
One of my crosses to bear is hay fever, an allergic reaction to pollen that emerges in the early-summer and crescendos to the point where
A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Sneeziness Read More »
Perhaps Whitehorse’s most stately landmark is the S.S. Klondike, perched on the shore of the Yukon River. But for sheer bizarreness you can’t beat my
About four months ago I stood in stunned silence and listened to Ross Mercer’s Tragically Hip theory. To paraphrase it: the Tragically Hip revels in
Meaning, Memory, and the Tragically Hip Read More »
My friend Mike Bertrand was in town for the 21st Annual Peter Gzowski Invitational Golf Tournament on June 15. Mike, son of Annette and legendary
Homecoming: An Old Friend Returns Read More »
Bruce Springsteen’s music is often the soundtrack of my weekend mornings. There is something about waking up and fumbling through the first cup of coffee
A couple of weeks ago my sister Hannah flew up from Vancouver, where she teaches at the Emily Carr University of Art and Design, and
Navigating Through Forests, Art Pieces, and Sibling Rivalries Read More »
A few days after I arrived back in Whitehorse in November 2008, I ran into Janine Aberson while grocery shopping with my mom. She invited
Last night I spent a few hours organizing the entries for What’s Up Yukon’s Food to Fly For contest, in which a lucky winner will
Meditative Awareness at the Art of Data Entry Read More »
As I write this, the final days of April are whittling away to nothing. Yet when I awoke this morning and surveyed my kingdom from
Ticked Off that I Can’t Tee-Off Read More »
On the corner of the building at Third and Black, there is an office with no sign above the door. On a quick scan you
The Stubborn Paradox of Mark Prins Read More »
The top of Grey Mountain is one of my favourite places in the world. In a territory that features nine of the 10 highest peaks
A Sanctuary of Sorts Read More »
Harreson Tanner and his wife drove up to the Yukon from Vancouver in the summer of 2002. It rained all they way up, but once
If you’ve been in Umbellula Café, at the Spook Creek Station, recently, you’ve probably noticed some strikingly unique light fixtures illuminating the landscape. These are
Illuminating the Art of 3D Read More »
Rosemary Scanlon and her evolution from a shy child in Montreal to a passionate oil painter. A Northern Scene Artist headed to Ottawa 2013.
The thing about chefs is that they can work almost anywhere. Because of this, cooking is an ideal job for the restless spirits among us.
Feeding Spirits, Not Just Stomachs Read More »
