“This Language-Soaked Life” Part Four
From 1975-77 Maybin, still a “non-professional,” taught English as a volunteer for the Immigrant Services Society (ISS) in Vancouver. His students were South Asian women, many of whom had recently arrived and were illiterate, terrified, and … Read more →
“This Language-Soaked Life” Part Three
Following an unrewarding series of “language” lessons with a Japanese university professor, who, while collecting a fee from the student, spent most of the lesson time talking about “the intricacies of Shakespeare’s plots in English (his … Read more →
THE GUITAR PLAYER
Guest Author, Ilona Martonfi, provides a window into her world, her daughter’s world and the world of so many women who need to find a place that will help to ease their suffering and get them off of the streets.
Fear of Fat
Have we forgotten that one of the iconic beauties in West was a size 12. Nobody said that Marilyn was plus sized.
“This Language-Soaked Life” Part Two
The Language-Soaked Life Part One. At 19 he spent six months in Malaysia, where he lived for a time in an Iban longhouse in Borneo, sleeping under a basket of human skulls; spent a weekend at the mountaintop palace of the Sultan of Kedah; endured … Read more →
“This Language-Soaked Life” Part One
It’s 8:00 AM and Canadian expat Don Maybin has just arrived at Café de Crie, his favourite coffee shop in Fujisawa City south of Tokyo. As soon as the coffee shop staff see the tall Canadian coming through the door they begin preparing his regular … Read more →
Race Against The Tide
The people of Kangiqsujuaq in Canada risk death gather mussels … under huge blocks of ice. From Human Planet: Arctic – BBC One
Where I’ve Been
I know I’ve been gone, long gone. But I’m here. And for the first time in a long time, I’m happy, really happy!
Big news, we’ve sold our little ranch that we had bought, and moved into, right before I started writing for Life As A Human. I loved the ranch, loved the views, but really hated the solitude it brought. I really disliked the community that we were a “part of.” I use quotes because I never felt a part of it, the whole time we lived there. I was always a lurker, always held at an arm’s length.
Happy Everyday, Mom
Mother’s Day is months away, but Mary Rose proposes that we celebrate the mothers among us and the mothering spirit, every day.
Father Goose is Alive and Well
George Burden discovers that Father Goose is alive and well and living in Canada. His real name is Bill Lishman and you’ll read his story and say, “Oh, I know about him.”


































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