Give a dog a bone – Part 2
I’ve had some tough times in my life, but fighting a dog over a bone was about the toughest. End of that story.
Give a dog a bone – Part 2 Read More »
I’ve had some tough times in my life, but fighting a dog over a bone was about the toughest. End of that story.
Give a dog a bone – Part 2 Read More »
I’ve had some tough times in my life, but fighting a dog over a bone was about the toughest. Pull up a stump and I’ll fill you in.
Give a dog a bone – Part 1 Read More »
If you visit Old Crow Sadie will take you to the mall Mason will show you the traffic lights Abbie will take you on the elevator…
If you visit Old Crow Read More »
I shovel dog poop. I shovel moose poop. I shovel caribou poop. I shovel rabbit poop. I shovel wolf poop. I shovel squirrel poop. I
Didoo survived without an electric knife. Didoo survived without an electric kettle. Didoo survived without a microwave. Didoo survived without a toaster. Didoo survived without
Didoo survived without these things Read More »
I get high when I snowshoe. I get high when I canoe. I get high when I mush dogs. I get high when I bike.
I have to pack a bucket of water for Eliza Steamboat I have to pack a bucket of water for Robert Steamboat I have to
This is a story about an Ontario Northern pike that was caught twice on the same day by two different anglers.
The twice-caught fish Read More »
In my nearly 77 years, I’ve never spent an extended period of time in prison. Neither have I been marooned on a desert island with
Hand washing and hand wringing have much in common Read More »
I just finished a long-distance chat with my nephew. Really long-distance; he lives in Hong Kong. The line was clear, and the conversation lasted nearly an hour. The cost to each of us? Not a single penny.
Reaching out for that long-distance feeling Read More »
Inside Didee’s Purse You’ll find his knife. You’ll find his Bible. You’ll find his matches. You’ll find his rope. You’ll find his pipe. You’ll find
Inside Didee’s Purse & Didoo’s Purse Read More »
They just like to play games They call each other names. Some of them look glad An’ some of them look mad. Their talk is
Didee & Didoo: Politics Read More »
There’s a peaceful little townOn the banks of the river.Where the wolf an’ the caribou roamThat’s where he calls his home.In summer there’s no nightsDays
Didee and Didoo – Gwichin Warrior Read More »
Christmas promises to be white as a Bing Crosby croons. As we Canadians hunker down for the Yuletide to come, let us raise a wassail bowl to the fact we don’t live in Iceland.
Trolls and ogresses for Christmas Read More »
“I can’t believe I just got myself trapped inside a damn squirrel cage.”- Doug Sack’s perception of the pine marten’s thoughts.
The pine marten aka the sheriff of squirrel country Read More »
Let’s face it, some folks get really ramped up about the season of festive excess that descends upon us every December. For many of them (even
It’s beginning to look a lot like shopping Read More »
In Persia, there once was a wise king with three sons. He mock-banished the young princes from his kingdom so they could go out and test themselves against the dangers of the real world. Their journey became a fairy tale known as “The Three Princes of Serendip.”
The lost camel of an ancient Persian fairy tale Read More »
People who write a lot have different perspectives and relationships with words than those who simply read or say them. If the pen is truly
Words are a writer’s tool box Read More »
They’re ookey and they’re spooky … and perhaps one of the ookiest and spookiest of the household was Thing T. Thing, the disembodied hand affectionately
The writing’s on the wall… Read More »
Josephine explores where people started giving up their circus Send in the … elephants. I can’t help it; as a little girl I disliked clowns.
Ken starts talking about pushing up… mushrooms Never, in any previous column, have I considered the need to provide a trigger warning. Regular visitors to
In the right sauce, mine could be a corpus delicious Read More »
In the old days–good or otherwise–interpersonal connections were via letter or phone or face-to-face. Now there are any number of interactions that can take place
Online connections Read More »
This morning, Kyle showed up with his bulging leather tool belt, his cordless shop vacuum, and a clutch of 16x25x1 furnace filters. It’s one of
In praise of those who actually know what they’re doing Read More »
How do you solve a problem like “flibbertigibbet?” Unless you had a grandmother like mine, that’s a word you’d probably never heard before Oscar Hammerstein II used
Taking flibberties with the (Widdle) English language Read More »
As a musician, you put yourself out there in the public and you have to be ready to appease your fans. That means answering questions
Deals with the Anaatquuq Read More »
I had cataract surgery; you know, where they pop out your lens and pop in a new and improved one. Out with the old, in
Here’s mud in your eye… Read More »
Looking west – that hill cuts an hour off an hour of direct sunlight every fall There’s a significant date that is fast approaching. No,
Time marches on, but backwards sometimes Read More »
I love my cellphone. Let me rephrase that. I am addicted to my cellphone. I’m enslaved by it. In its absence, I feel abandoned, disoriented,
Something’s missing, but I don’t know what Read More »
“When you haveit flat tire, you throwit over there and you takeit spare tire from that pile. Every three days you takeit air filter out
You talking to her? Read More »
Ken is back producing a performance on the stage of big dreams Six hours after I email this column to Danny Macdonald, and long before
Another opening, et cetera Read More »
I arrived in Inuvik for the first time in early July 1972. What first struck me as I toured the town was A) the 24
I was back home in Inuvik this summer and I took the opportunity to drive to Tuk for the first time. It always hits close
A Tuk load of memories Read More »
I recently wrote about my new vocation as a DIY coffin maker. OK, strictly speaking it’s not a coffin. It’s a casket. On a draped
It may be ugly, but someday I might call it home Read More »
Ken goes on a mission to find some beat up wood panel on the cheap for art Things sometimes turn on a dime. Recently, with
Summer in Geezerville is anything but dead Read More »
One afternoon, in the mid-70s in Inuvik, I was looking for some oddball thing for my vehicle. I looked almost everywhere and then I decided
No blues for this bootlegger Read More »
Everyone knows Neil An’ he’s from the mouth of the Peel. Neil is a famous person Who comes from Ft. McPherson. Neil is even known
Didee & Didoo: Mouth of the Peel Read More »
They say the fastest land mammal of all is the cheetah, capable of running as fast as 120 km/h without breaking a sweat. But “they”
Spread the word: free peanuts on Park Street Read More »
Opinions are like belly buttons. Everybody has one. Except Adam and Eve, reportedly. Even a casual glance at Facebook, Twitter, or similar social media platforms
This is what I think about that – Just saying Read More »
The last entry in this space provided a platform for a more-or-less true tale of undeserved punishment recalled (and still resented) from the mists of
P and Q can make for some perky Saturday hookups Read More »
Whitehorse Sunrise at 10:51 a.m. My wife and I were in Mazatlán, Mexico earlier this year. The timing of the sunrise and sunset got me
One morning in the mid 1980s, a pilot named Fred came to my house. Since I had only met him on a few occasions at
Co-pilot for a day Read More »
My fiddle is a piece of mine. My guitar is a piece of mine. My wheelbarrow is a piece of mine. My snowshoes are a
Didee/Didoo: Piece of Mine Read More »
“Kehheth” had some problems with his ascenders when learning to write as a child, leaving evidence on the wall. Anyone who has ever worked in
As Granny said, mind your ascenders and descenders Read More »
You have to run. You have to snowshoe. You have to canoe. You have to speed walk. You have to ski. You have to mush
Didee & Didoo: My Definition of an Elder Read More »
I was 12 years old in 1955 when my oldest brother, Robin, went away to university. As siblings in a close-knit family, we had shared
A long time ago, in a lake far away Read More »
The Carcross sargent flew the torch to Old Crow An’ our job was to take it to Ft. McPherson. The torch will travel to every
Didee & Didoo: Ranger Torch Relay Read More »
I was up in the Yukon last week working with Gwaandak Theatre on a series of radio plays based on legends from Old Crow. It
Homesick in Alberta Read More »
[two_third] You may have noticed the above quotation comes to you without attribution. That’s for good reason. Nobody seems to know who muttered it or
The London Tower ravens Read More »
Dogs under the influence of pot may simply lie asleep at irregular hours Lily is an energetic dog. At three months old, it was abnormal
The allure of even a well-crafted, lightweight shovel begins to pale after days upon numberless days of snow upon snow upon snow. There is wisdom
So long, smug Victoria. Welcome to Canada Read More »
Every year we hear about these Sourdough Sams, this “Call for the Cup,” and that the search for the “primo Yukon male” is on again, but what does any of that really mean?
Get to know your sourdoughs Read More »
I was walking through downtown Edmonton, the other day, when an old-timer in curled-up cowboy boots saddled up to me and bummed six bits off of me for a glass of draught. I was so happy to hear that particular vernacular that I almost gave him a hug.
The greatest living history in the North Read More »
These days, long johns are referred to as a “base layer” and are usually made from some very scientific-sounding material and come with a big, obvious logo to satisfy status-seekers.
Long johns—the cure for the common cold Read More »
Here, as elsewhere, we’re on the January/February cusp. For all practical purposes, that means gardening season is still a few months off.
Seed dreams are made of these Read More »
There’s nothing of him to touch And sometimes he talks too much. Sometimes I can hear my own voice An’ answering back is his own
Didee & Didoo: My Echo Read More »
I didn’t need my snowshoes. I didn’t need my skis. I didn’t need my skates. I didn’t need my snowboard. I didn’t need my kicksled.
Didee & Didoo: Merry January in Nanaimo Read More »
The time-honoured English tradition of the Christmas pantomime (known affectionately as just “panto”) was not part of my childhood. For the benefit of those of us who weren’t weaned on this particular theatrical fare, it’s important to bear in mind various traditions, tropes, and stereotypes of an English-style panto.
At least I’m not a giraffe’s backside this time Read More »
Every now and then, a fella happens to hit the sweet spot, even if it is more by good luck than good management. I rest
Like porcupine courtship, timing is everything Read More »
I work with federal inmates at an institution in central Alberta. And of all people, you would think they would know how to make coffee
Percolating with ‘the guys’ Read More »
It’s confession time in Geezerville. I recently spent my allotted 450 words in this space musing about some of the beguiling delights to be found
I concur: contrition may be consolatory Read More »
To be, or not to be. For advocates of plain writing, Shakespeare’s most famous monologue is a touchstone. Its opening sentence consists of nine one-syllable
Let be whatever may befall Read More »
The widespread use of coal was one of the major factors in fueling the Industrial Revolution of the late 1700s and early 1800s. In recent
Ross River coal: Transforming plants to carbon Read More »
‘Cause I can use my bass fiddle for a canoe. ‘Cause I can use my fiddle for a paddle. ‘Cause I can use my fiddle
Didee & Didoo: Good to be a Musician Read More »
I’ve already mentioned how easy it was to provoke calls on my radio open-line show in Charlottetown in the 1970s, by inviting listeners to share
Sometimes language smacks you in the microphone Read More »
What people don’t know is that we’ve had driverless transport here in the North for eons. It’s called a dogsled.
Dogsleds: Driverless cars, ‘all that and a bag of chips’ Read More »
One of the more interesting jobs I’ve ever held was hosting an open-line show (we secretly called it “open-mouth”) on a private radio station in
Advice to the unwise: I have the questions, if you have the answers Read More »
There’s only one place you’ll find the best Yukon woman, and that’s at the dump, looking for parts. If she’s ripping the ball joint off an old Ford, then you’ve got it made.
A ‘real’ Yukon man or woman (knowin’ how to pick a good one) Read More »
The Whitehorse comedy scene is on a roll as of late. One of the events that has helped cultivate this resurgence has been Baked Laughs, the stand-up nights presented monthly at Baked Café.
Serving laughs straight from the oven Read More »
Yes, I have a toilet! It’s beside the outhouse, but we call it a flower pot!
Yukon See It Here: Jeszika Milton Read More »
Emergency organizations have utilized the zombie craze opportunity to get out their message of Emergency preparedness.
Zombie Preparedness 101 Read More »
When I Go to Whitehorse, I Always Bring…
Didee & Didoo: When I Go to Whitehorse Read More »
At risk of being considered treasonous, I have never once worn skates while also carrying a hockey stick.
Am I really ready to face off against this change of life? Read More »
There seems to be a list of basic tools that you need to have to fill your obligations to society as a handyman of even a middling familiarity and competency.
To those about to hammer, drill, screw and cut, we salute you Read More »
I need a little help here, folks. Valentine’s Day has already come and gone, but it’s left me in a bit of a quandary.
Turning a new (gold) leaf for Valentine’s Day Read More »
I found this giant squash for sale at Wyke’s Your Independent Grocer, and was amazed and impressed, because I had never seen such an enormous
Yukon See It Here: Tamara Neely Read More »
I always bring my piano. I always bring my TV. I always bring my computer. I always bring my microwave. I always bring my fridge.
In days past, we had people like Sir Winston Churchill, a world-class orator and master of the insult We all know nostalgia ain’t what it
Whatever happened to the artful riposte? Read More »
The Yukon is about to get a whole lot funnier if Richard Eden has his way. Relatively new to the territory, Eden is the president
The Birth of the Yukon Comedy Collective Read More »
In the hyper-sensitive world of childhood, an ill-chosen word can sometimes have a devastating impact, even if no harm is intended. I’m not talking about the
The humiliation of having a 5-cent timepiece Read More »
No matter how you wish to phrase it – “act in haste, repent in leisure” or “what goes around comes around” – the piper will eventually show up to demand payment. My wallet is considerably lighter this week because of one such lesson.
Calling both the pot and the kettle black Read More »
It can go in reverse. I don’t need insurance.
Didee & Didoo: My Wheelbarrow Read More »
Whitehorse comedian Jenny Hamilton will be performing live on the CBC Radio One show The Debaters in North Vancouver on Nov. 22
Parents need some creativity to get kids to eat healthy
Parents say the darnedest things Read More »
Just for the heck of it, let’s take a look at three English words that, on the surface of things, appear to have a lot in common.
Three little words on the same little page Read More »
The first week of September, the mice fled the fields and snuck indoors, as mice are wont to do. It happened in the quiet hours
Watching for things that go snap in the night Read More »
It’s the age-old debate about the chicken and the egg. Sometimes, we simply don’t know what is cause and what is effect. This is especially
It seems we can’t always tell what comes first Read More »
Other than Samuel Clemens, who wrote as Mark Twain, few historical Americans are more oft-quoted than former New York Yankees catcher Yogi Berra, who died
The Wisdom of Yogi the Berra Read More »
Until very recently, I had never heard the expression “hitchhiker’s thumb”. Oh sure, there was that weird guy in Grade 9 named Pete Moss, who
Heed the Lore When You’re on the Move Read More »
One of my favourite pastimes is exploring the origins and meanings of common English words and expressions. Our language is such a hodge-podge (dare one
Thoughts of Hitchhiking Sometimes Follow Strange Trails Read More »
The editor set us the challenge of making a pitch for our community that says it is more special than any other in the territory,
Celebrating the Klondike as a Special Place Read More »
During a year when there have been a lot of serious books written about our national identity, it stands to reason that a nation that
Poking Fun at Some National Icons on Our Birthday Read More »
The way some people talk, you’d think farmers’ markets were a recent invention by eco-conscious millennials spurred to action by reading a book about the
On Market Day, Everything Old is New Again Read More »
Got a juicy story that you’re just aching to tell the world, but you don’t want your fellow Yukoners knowing who leaked it? You’re in
Interview with Anonymous Read More »
Which brings me to one of Canada’s neatest little music festivals. To protect my sources, I won’t identify it, except to say it has been
I Love the Smell of Perfume in the Morning Read More »
As family reunions go, the event I attended in Ontario’s Georgian Bay district on a recent weekend was a fairly small-scale affair. At its peak,
There’s No Escaping: Family Is as Family Does Read More »
To devote an entire issue of What’s Up Yukon to the celebration of the hot dog, one must completely understand exactly what a hot dog
A hot dog by any other name … Read More »
He was a foundling on the streets of Edmonton – a golden cocker spaniel whose hair was so matted with burrs that much of it
Too Curious George Read More »
It was a strange encounter that still has my brain abuzz. I was walking home from the grocery store in my current city of residence
Every Dog Has Its Day, Apparently Read More »
The emptying-out of Yukon’s schools signals the official start of that much-anticipated annual ritual: the Summer Holiday. We all know the narrative arc of that
Those Were the Days. They Still Are Read More »
Recently, I waxed nostalgic about my beloved first bicycle, a cherry-red Raleigh three-speed that went missing (temporarily, I still insist) on an August day in
Chipped and Faded, but a Transport of Delight Read More »
Did I just miss skipping and hopscotch season? Marbles and jacks? No matter. For me, this is, and always will be, bicycle season. I don’t
It was Red, and Shiny, and Wonderful Read More »
I’m sitting in my skivvies, contemplating what pearls of wisdom to cram into a 400-word space. As I advise my writing students, when you feel
Fellow retirees: How engaged do you feel? Read More »
Surprisingly it was not the earthquake that woke me up on the morning of Monday, May 1. It was the stunning one-two punch of the
Surviving the Great Whitehorse Earthquake of 2017 Read More »
Until fairly recently, I had no interest whatever in the idea of writing a book of memoirs. Like most people, I assumed nobody would care
Shake Out Those Memories and Shine ’em Up Read More »
Somebody once said a gardener is just a philosopher with dirty hands and an aching back. Well, maybe nobody actually said that until I just did,
Just Planting a Seed Here, Folks Read More »
Recently, I was meandering through my trusty Shorter Oxford English Dictionary (shorter, as in not quite as gargantuan as the Encyclopaedia Britannica). This is a
Is That Thing Called a Knick-knack, or Bric-a-brac? Read More »
Until a couple of years ago, there was a wonderfully entertaining fantasy writer by the name of Terry Pratchett. Perhaps there still is, somewhere on
So, Is Our Planet Round, or Flat? Read More »
It was a dark and stormy night a few weeks back. Dark enough and stormy enough that one might be forgiven for thinking the End
Was That an Update, or a Sign of the Apocalypse? Read More »
I suffer jokes and insults & many others suffer the same fate, but we persevere. We understand that we are different. We are from Ontario.
My name is Chris. I am an Ontarian Read More »
Consider Murphy, whoever he was. When anything goes wrong, people assume it’s somehow his fault. Being a forgiving sort of guy, I try to give
Saving Time in the Grocery Line Read More »
Three foods top my No Thanks list: schmaltz herring, Marmite and kale. My sole experience with schmaltz herring – basically, raw fish preserved in rancid
Faint Praise for a Coarse Cultivar Read More »
*EAT THIS RICE ALL MUDDY. WHY DON’T YOU THUCK OFF. THUCK YOU. DON’T THUCK AROUND. THUCKER. *FUTHER MUCKER. WELL I’LL BE THUCK ME. YOU THUCKIN
DIDEE & DIDOO: THOU SHALT NOT SWEAR Read More »
Ask any randomly-selected group to name mankind’s greatest invention, most will probably say the wheel. Fire doesn’t count; it was discovered, not invented. If you
The opposable thumb was not actually a Canadian invention Read More »
The student population studying for finals are fascinating creatures. Next, there is a dietary shift in students, where once semi-nutritious meals are replaced by caffeine
’Tis The Examination Season Read More »
Laugh it up, because Jan 26th and 27th Ride for Dad presents its fourth annual comedy show at Coast High Country Inn. Featuring local acts
Giggle for a Good Cause Read More »
With increased age comes increased wisdom. That’s the theory, anyway. Naturally, those who are still young find this notion ridiculous. How could anyone be wiser
My Resolve to Resist Resolutions Is Resolute Read More »
With December well underway, I’m finally inured to the barrage of seasonal music that assails us whenever we set foot outdoors. Don’t get me wrong.
It’s Beginning to Sound a Lot Like… Read More »
The Christmas and New Year’s letter was a tradition in England that predated the first Christmas card in 1843, according to www.Smithsonian.com. With the expansion
How to Write a Memorable Christmas Letter Read More »
It was one of my former writing students who managed to shame me into signing up for NaNoWriMo this year. If you’re not familiar with
Everyone has a list of family and close friends that they feel the need to make an effort to visit every decade or so. If
Welcome to What’s Up Yukon’s first mad libs. With winter on the horizon, it’s time to renew our
Celebratory Mad Libs Read More »
The status of one’s permanent residency quickly becomes the crux of conversation among the Yukon’s new Canadians. And it’s the crux of this column. No
Interview at the Embassy Read More »
The Ptarmigan is the territorial bird of the Yukon. Ed. Note: The distinction of being known as the Yukon’s territorial bird goes to the raven,
Ptarmigan: Nothing but facts Read More »
Thirty days hath September, April, June and November. All the rest have 31, except for stupid February. Apparently, February didn’t get the memo, or just
Those Gregorians Should Have Done the Math Read More »
Say you’re a single person throwing a barbecue. No stranger to the rigours of quality event coordination, you line up a food and drink theme,
The Tale of the Tinder-Q Read More »
Aristotle famously noted that humans are political animals. As I see it, human behaviour can be viewed in its most primal and pure state whilst
The Politics of Rotary Park Read More »
They say a picture is worth a thousand words. In this case, we’ll have to make do with 500, since that’s all this space allows.
Of lavender and squashed fly biscuits 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 »
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 »
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 »
Christmas – when presents take precedence and work is cast under the bed and forgotten. Youth and adults alike put off assignments until the final
Christmas Vacation Procrastination Read More »
AFFABLE SERVICE DESK GUY: Good morning, sir. How can I help you today? CUSTOMER: Well … I just got here last week, so I figured
Overheard in a Whitehorse garage Read More »
This is where we have some fun. I will throw out a challenge and we will see how you, the reader, throw it back. I
A game: Google Golf Read More »
I’d like to be shot into space. Allow me to clarify: when I shuffle off my mortal coil, I’d like that coil to be shoved
He Wants to Leave This World When He Leaves This World Read More »
This year I will completely, absolutely and wholeheartedly do my best to not start my articles with hyperbole! Indeed, for an opening joke, I chose
Comedian Taking It to the Fringe Read More »
Attention CBC Television fans: Stop watching Royal Canadian Air Farce! Please. I’ve long felt the need to clearly and confidently state, with the utmost of
Canada’s Dismally Depleted Air Farce Read More »
I remember the first time I climbed a tree … and it is not because I got my knee caught and my father had to
The first First, is better than the last Last Read More »
I’ve come to realize that atheism sure ain’t that sexy. When you compare all the trappings and incentives that other belief systems have, we come
The Atheist Doth Protest Too Much Read More »
On March 1, I saw a headline on the front page of the Globe and Mail that gladdened my heart. It was, “This Spring, Real
Quiche? Yes. Pansies? No. Read More »
I love science. From government-sponsored labs to guys in their basements trying to rig together a personal jet pack, I must send a shout out
Support Your Local Scientist Read More »
As I behold my 18th spring in the Yukon, I have been spared the anxiety and frustration of previous disappointments that are collectively known as
May is the dirtiest month Read More »
Watching Extras will make you a better person. Well, maybe not, but if you took the time to watch Ricky Gervais’ comedic opus from start
Canadian Humour Lives Between Internal and External Read More »
“The Last Potluck. Catchy isn’t it?” The man behind the cluttered desk utters this phrase while framing an invisible marquee with his hands. “I wish
Yukon Supergroup, Dandelion Wreath, Says Goodbye Read More »
Deep down in the cockles of my President’s Choice Deluxe White Cheddar macaroni and cheese clogged heart, there’s a yearning for some recognition. But not
These Comedians are Ready for the Big Time Read More »
I’m finally getting some good sleep these days. Recently, I was stage-managing the incredible Varietease show at the Guild: a cavalcade of comedy, song and,
Comedy from a Sleep-Depraved Mind Read More »
Happy Birthday, Canada! You have come into your own these past 141 years, warmly regarded as a place of strong values, freedom and a sense
Ich Bin Ein Yukoner Read More »
I had a dream last night that I was at a Yakov Smirnoff show with my mother. I sure hope this wasn’t forecasting any kind
Giving the Dream Maker a Tune Up Read More »
I find the term “Outside” very strange. At first, when I had arrived in the territory, people would use the term, almost as if they
Coming In From the Outside Read More »
Perspective, use it or lose it. I pulled that one from my dog-eared copy of Illusions, by Richard Bach. It’s a fun read that takes
Farewell, We Hardly Knew Ye … Heck, He Hardly Knew Ye-self Read More »
Naturally, I miss the Yukon. To be specific, it certainly wouldn’t be the weather (heh … sorry), but far more importantly, the people.
The Yukon is Not Just a Place Read More »
It is not as if I am addicted to it, rather it is just that it is sooo available. That computer, with its vast assortment
Confessions of a political junkie Read More »
“How’d you get here? Why’d you stay?” Ubiquitous phrases heard in the Yukon indeed. With the sheer number of transients coming through the territory, it’s
Roy, The Kindred Spirit Read More »
November 4th, the world breathed a sigh of relief. No longer will we have to awkwardly avoid the United States in the UN cafeteria, picking
Obama is Good for the World … Except Comics Read More »
Finally, you sinners have reached that one special moment of the year when I consider whether or not I will forgive you for making my
My annual forgiveness tour Read More »
The first time I saw Rob Stalkie take the stage, I could tell he was a natural. And now, only one short year later, this
Last Comic Standing Takes the Next Step Read More »
Here’s a new game for the territory’s impending dinner party season. Next time you trudge over to the neighbours — gluten-free pasta salad in tow
Music To Your Ears is in the Eye of the Beholder Read More »
Our wacky pals to the south have a new man at the helm. Barack Obama’s inauguration surpassed any ordinary bureaucratic ceremony, to become one of
Political Posturing Read More »
About six years ago, Fred Penner came to town and I was very excited. I was freelancing for the Yukon News at the time and
Assignment: Fred Penner Read More »
This summer, I discovered I had an unconscience reason for leaving the Yukon. I was sitting in a Winnipeg movie theatre, my body comfortably slumped
I am a geek. I’ve travelled the length and breadth of the geeky spectrum. In my teens I was cooping myself up in darkened basements,
True Confessions of a Geek Read More »
Blessed be the good people at Tim Hortons and their Roll Up The Rim contest. If it were not for them, how would we Yukoners
A new and improved cultural touchstone Read More »
When I was a wage slave, the call of Friday happy-hour escapism was like aural honey to my ears. After a few years in the
Closing Time … Time for Beer and Good Cheer Read More »
So, I’ve mentioned it before: I’m lousy at making friends. Growing up a quiet geek doesn’t lend well to the pal-collecting abilities and now that
Get a Pooch and Find a Pal Read More »
“You can’t please ’em all.” Now there’s an oft-spouted aphorism from the comedy world, lemme tell you. This is a general kind of excuse you
This Hour Has 45 Minutes Read More »
I was watching one of the Sunday-morning news shows and heard something that crystallized, in my mind, what is wrong with the financial sector. A
Re-imagining the value system Read More »
Perspective – use it or lose it. Words I’ve been pondering quite a lot lately. Recently I was noticing how much I dwelt on things
Is There Life After the Yukon? Read More »
I’m a walking mass of contagion. Well, if I were honest, I’m currently reclining on an IKEA futon, propped up precisely so that I don’t
Good for What Ails Ya Read More »
It has come to my attention that Canada is cold. Or, more to the point, people have needed to direct my attention to this fact
What Could Be More Canadian Than Snow and Ice? Read More »
(Part 2 of 2) Last week I began listing my favourite movies of all time. I only got to six of them and they all
Top 10 movies: A walk on the mild side Read More »
I once made the happy mistake of surfing on eBay, shall we say, under the influence. I say “mistake” as I found out, in a
Comic Books – Fun and Free for All! Read More »
This recent Easter long weekend, during the longest bout I might have ever had exclusively wearing pajamas, I had an interesting revelation. I mean, there’s
Pondering the Propensity of ‘Place’ Read More »
Did you feel it? Once again, the nation shared a moment of polarization. We were all united in our disdain for the States. And it
Canada Delivers the Knock-Out Punch Read More »
Silly me. I thought the public wants intelligent discourse, all sides of a story and alternative, respectful arguments. So, I go to journalism school, I
The tweets of one twit’s twittering Read More »
I’m coming out of the closet – again. This time, for far-nobler purposes than atheism. Indeed, I have found a much-maligned part of society that
Who’s Watching Who … Read More »
As we speak (’cause “read together” sounds kinda weird), I have Facebook open on another window. I’m trying hard not to check it. Indeed, I
It’s a Living, Breathing, Social-Networking Thing Read More »
Right now, a blinking cursor is doing its very best to drive me insane. This cursor, constantly sitting at the very end of my thoughts,
Blocked But Not Beaten Read More »
Heading into summer = a wonderful time. And no matter how much extraneous snow may continue to fall, nothing can dampen the spirit of the
One Thing We All Agree On … Read More »
I can’t say I’m one who watches my weight. I mean, where’s it gonna go? (Zing!) I’ve had the same basic kind of body shape
Watching the Scale Ain’t Where I’m At Read More »
A dream I’ve held since childhood has been quashed. It’s with much regret that I must inform all of you that my letter of interest
Who Ya Gonna Call? Not Anthony Trombetta Read More »
I’m generally not one to gauge the success of my summer by small degrees, but there are certain small, simple moments that make life grand.
Nothing Screams Summer Louder than, Well … Summer! Read More »
I’m going on vacation soon and I am very excited. Daisy and I are going to Ontario to visit my side of the family, courtesy
Yeah, but who’s counting? Read More »
I was in my hotel room in The Pas, Manitoba, when I heard the news. Michael Jackson had passed away. Rather than conveying any sign
In Passing: On Pin-ups and Pop Kings … Read More »
Crystal Light has become my new best friend. You see, you can take your mundane water right from the tap and, one powdery package later,
Well on my way to becoming a big ‘loser’ … Read More »
Times New Roman, that’s how I roll. In the world of font, I know I’m backing one tired, old horse. But there’s something undeniably comforting
The Font (Fount?) of Wisdom Read More »
I miss my trailer year. When my wife and I wanted to get a place to call our own, in Whitehorse, a quick perusal of
Home really is where the heart is … Read More »
As I shove my hands into the remnants of last night’s revelry, dripping what can only be described as garbage juice, I mouth what may
Eww! Ugh! and Blecch! Read More »
The hue and cry was heard across the world. It was the proposal that reached into the foundations of many a childhood and gave it
The Cry of a ‘Betty Guy’ Read More »
This is a column for Cheechakos. Sourdough, you know this stuff. …February, March & April are your reward for November, December & January…
It’s Cheechako’s first winter Read More »
Back in Grade 12 I decided that my previously ordained career of choice would not be in the military. I was in the Reserves and
Que será, será … (but the internet has a test for that) Read More »
I know I get attached to my clothes. Sometimes it can be quite literal, as like most dudes, I would wear my favourite clothing until
I’m rather fond of my clothes … Read More »
Bonjour! Si t’était pas au courant, je suis le régissuer pour la production de Bonneau et la Bellehumeur pour La Troupe Du Jour, une compagnie
Théâtre en Francais, S’il Vous Plaît Read More »
As a young boy, I was sophisticated enough that, when given the choice of a chocolate bar or MacIntosh Toffee, I would always go for
My ‘Mack’ shall be smacked no more Read More »
While the rest of the country is obsessed with the H1N1 virus and cure, Yukon amateur astronomers seem to be looking for a cure of
Big View, Small Budget Read More »
Barring the whole atheism thing, I swear on a giant stack of Bibles that the next paragraph is completely true. Scanning the BBC News website
Intelligent Life ‘Out There’ Read More »
I can’t remember when it began, but I had been noticing that the knuckleheads at City Hall were using street signs that cannot be read
I can see clearly now Read More »
To the Editor, Hookey, you fiendish, fiendly fiend. Like an anarchic CBC host maliciously injecting a noxious ear worm such as Seasons in the Sun
Another Mack attack Read More »
Just as a reformed smoker is often the first person to complain about a hotel room that smells of tobacco, I shall now complain bitterly
When ‘cool’ is not cool Read More »
For a skeptic, I sure do scare easy. While I stand by the tenet that “extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof”, it really doesn’t take all
Who Are You Calling a Scaredy-Cat? Read More »
The emo wreath of skulls and black flowers hanging off our front door says it all. Halloween is coming. Fortean times have arrived. The real
On ghouls and garages Read More »
There’s been a bit of drama going on in the comedy world I now live in. A certain headlining comic was caught red-handed (mouthed?) stealing
Comics Can’t Take a Joke Read More »
I have a tip, that is going to change your life. It is a game changer, it is revolutionary, you will wonder how you survived
How could you ever thank me? Read More »
Recently, I came across something particularly interesting while engaged in my usual morning “Face-stalking”. For those not familiar with the term, it refers to one
The Tics of Our Clocks Read More »
It’s time for Spring Cleaning. But what is a guy to do, when he isn’t a pack rat and he keeps his few belongings well-organized?
Cleaning out my desk … Read More »
Man, could I ever have used a Rendezvous this year. The past month was a particularly dark sinkhole of a time for yours truly, and
The Blahs Get a Good Exorcise Read More »
I’ve been hiding from most people these days. Not from the usual retreat into my hermitage as I’m generally wont to do – oh no.
Speaking Truth to James Cameron Read More »
By the time you read this, I will sitting on my brother’s back deck where it is 40 degrees in the shade. My fiancé and
Arizona is lovely this time of the year Read More »
The world’s biggest brainiac’s latest bombshell has got me thinking. Professor Stephen Hawking certainly piqued the interest of all tin-foil hat wearers across the globe
E.T. Wants Two Hours of His Life Back Read More »
It’s a walking, talking paradox … well, mostly it’s a walking paradox: If wearing socks with sandals is so wrong, why do so many of
I conclude that socks and sandals are fashionable … Read More »
Has my gast ever been flabbered! Trolling through Randy Quaid’s IMDB (Internet Movie Database) listing, I was shocked to discover that someone already had the
Yukon: No Star-Whackers Here Read More »
Now that we have your attention . . . . Let’s pretend that you, our readers, wrote us letters. We imagine one of them would
I like to think I’m a gentler, kinder sort of atheist. In my two years out of the territory, I took a lot of time
Makes Sense Tomorrow Read More »
My name is Anthony, and I love meat. This past holiday season I was granted a Christmas miracle: a miracle of the meaty kind. Some
Meat, My Friend, Bessie Read More »
The atmosphere contains sufficient quantities of oxygen, but very little moisture. It is amazing that anything can grow here. The vegetation is as fantastical as
Our twins, closer to the sun Read More »
Before I seem like more of a curmudgeon than I actually am, allow me to state right off the bat: I’m not against New Year’s
No Round of Resolutions for Me Read More »
You usually have two choices with your past: you can let it either haunt or inform you. Certainly one choice is likely healthier, perhaps nobler
My Nostalgia Train Just Derailed Read More »
Well, talk about putting the civil back into civil disobedience. Most of you have probably heard the recent hoopla out of Parliament Hill. During the
What Per Cent Civility? Read More »
Once again the internets were all abuzz last month about the rise of “Fox News North”. My Facebook feed was riddled with urgent cries to
Click Here To Protest Read More »
“I think we should take a break.” When slapped together, those can be the most dreaded words in the English language. And so, it was
No Klatch Required Read More »
By the time you read this, The Rapture might have just happened. It was floating around the internets recently – a fundamentalist Christian group in
Greetings, Fellow Sinners! Read More »
I’m starting to think the doomsayers are right – perhaps the end is nigh. A chance flicking around the tube this past weekend landed me
Delight your friends and family with a couple of beer-themed tidbits this week, or just look incredibly smart while getting your growler filled. The world’s
The year is 1985. A young Anthony sits crossed-legged in front of the television. The flickering images flashing across his eyes barely register in his
Professional Thumbs Read More »
Recently, there’s been talk in the media concerning an online petition asking the Sesame Street producers to let Ernie and Bert marry each other. Apparently
Bells for Bert and Ernie? Read More »
When it’s your turn to step up and spin the wheel of old man diseases, “gout” ain’t that bad a spot for it to land
A Condition of Kings Read More »
Unlike most folks, I have no problem with people trying to convert me. Maybe those intrepid door-knockers are constantly catching me when I’m in a
Tract-Laden Talkers at the Door Read More »
I’m sitting in a DJ booth, bopping my head along to Modern English. It’s hard not to think about how easy it is to slot
Back in the Saddle. Thanks for Keeping It Warm Read More »
Every spring, we all have certain things we fervently look forward to. It could be the continued sublimation of those stubborn piles of snow, the
Q: What’s Worse Than Dog Poop? A: Old Dog Poop Read More »