Columns

Throwback Thursday: I Robot – House Proud, Toronto Sun

April 9, 2017 / Columns

How quickly things change, eh? This throwback House Proud column from November 2009 proves it. I was so excited about technology that reads text aloud and now we live in the age of Siri, Alexa and a host of other gizmos that are part of our phones. I’d still like a robot house-keeper, though.  It sure would be nice to have a robot to help around the house.  On TV, The Jetsons had Rosie, their robotic housekeeper and technology is almost advanced enough to bring Rosie out of the cartoon world and into the real one. Plenty of robots are available to help with various chores inside and outside your home. …

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TMI to the Max

April 3, 2017 / Leave a Comment / Celebrities, Columns, Social Marketing, Working

Many times I’ve wrestled with whether to write about a personal story or situation. If I decide that a revelation can benefit someone else, then it’s worth the price of revealing something about my life. What columnist Leah McLaren wrote for the Globe and Mail last week didn’t meet those parameters but I can’t for the life of me understand why she, and not her editor, was suspended by the paper.  …

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House Proud: Mom Cave is an Idea Whose Time has Come – Sept 17, 2014

February 13, 2016 / 1 Comment / Columns

Everyone is familiar with the Man Cave, that secluded spot where the male head of the household can go alone to watch sports, or invite his buddies and maybe enjoy a stinky cigar without fear of reprisal. But what about the female head of the home? If Dad can have a cave, then Mom should have one too. …

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Our London Article About First Thing

September 3, 2015 / 2 Comments / Columns, General, Working

Last week, Sean Meyer of Our London dropped into CJBK to interview Mike and me about our new morning show. I’ve known Sean’s work for years, but this was the first time we met face to face. And he obviously tuned right into the easy, fun way that Mike and I communicate. For a guy I never really met until we were paired up, I have to say I totally lucked out with Mr. Stubbs.  …

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Ethics Shmethics

January 28, 2015 / 4 Comments / Celebrities, Columns, Working

Behaving in an ethical manner should not have to be declared as a condition of employment. It comes from within, this knowing of the difference between right and wrong, although organized religion has done a bang-up job of trying to tie it to their ideologies. A child knows the difference. Adult broadcasters know the difference. Some of them just choose to ignore it.  …

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House Proud – Adhesive Measuring Tape Proves a Must-Have

January 20, 2015 / 1 Comment / Columns, DIY

On my first trip to Nashville many years ago, I picked up a few unusual trinkets as souvenirs. My Lynn Anderson pill box fell apart long ago but my City of Nashville keychain tape measure is still going strong. You wouldn’t believe how many times that little thing has come in handy while I’m shopping.  …

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House Proud: Simply Put, Painting is Hard Work

November 13, 2014 / 1 Comment / Columns, DIY

Over many years and several houses, I’ve painted dozens of rooms and a hundred pieces of furniture. It drove my husband crazy when I wouldn’t properly prepare the space for inevitable splatters and spills. And then there’s cleanup, which is even worse than getting ready. There’s no putting lipstick on this pig. Painting stinks and I have plenty of reader input to show I’m not alone. …

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House Proud: Beautiful Blues to Reign as Colour of the Year

October 28, 2014 / Columns, DIY

A colleague is taking a night course in beer tasting and he came to work the morning after a recent class with a new understanding of his girlfriend. Having spent the evening trying to distinguish between flavours with the slightest differences, he finally got how she could spend hours poring over paint chips, when to him, they all looked pretty much alike. Beer, like paint, is made with different undertones and finishes. But only one of them looks appropriate on your wall.  …

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