| Soon it will be Valentine’s Day, 2026. This is a day known for a number of events in history that may or may not have happened. Example. In 1929, Al Capone ordered a hit on seven members of the “Bugs” Moran gang, “The Silence of the Lambs” was released, and online video-sharing site YouTube was founded. More background. Contrary to popular lore, Valentine’s Day was not invented by Hallmark or Richard Cadbury. It first began as a fête celebration whereby goats were sacrificed along with maypoles, flower garlands, and outdoor revelry involving lovemaking, plays, and all sorts of general hedonism. Sorry, that was Beltane. |
Valentine’s Day can be a high-stakes affair. When mystery, doubt, and quiet fear rear up, our habit is to seek the assurance of answers, strategies, and expert advice. Thus, we at Albertine Design Underscored understand that you get tired of seeing the same gift ideas year after year, which is why we at Albertine Design Underscored make it our job to stay up very late testing all the latest products to make sure each of our selections is a hit for that person or yourself. First, there’s no denying that a Valentine’s Day gift should be surprisingly thoughtful, personal and romantic. It’s an invitation to exercise dormant faculties of discernment and perception. After all, this day is all about showing that someone special just how much you should spend on them. This year you may feel obligated to gift something in a red or pink hue. While we applaud (and encourage) getting into the festive spirit, if you know your gift-ee would rather have a more neutral shade, it’s perfectly OK to stray from the holiday colour scheme. |
If you feel inclined to act, you can never go wrong with flowers, say a couple of top marriage and family therapists. They are a great option if you’re on a budget, since you can usually find reasonably-priced bouquets at places like 7-Eleven. Or if you live somewhere like Honolulu, you can pick flowers yourself if you find yourself in reduced circumstances. Note: It’s always best to deliver them when they are at work or when they are with one of their relatives—it’ll definitely make them feel special and impress everyone around them, especially if those carnations are dyed in rainbow colours. On the subject of flowers, we at Albertine Design Underscored know that couples that build Lego together, stay together, so we tested out a set of Lego roses. Not only will they last forever, but putting them together can be a fun activity to do together, especially if your partner has allergies or struggles to keep cut flowers alive. |
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If you are worried that gifting the quintessential symbol of Valentine’s Day—a box of chocolates—is just too basic, consider leaving several quarts of artisanal ice cream on their doorstep. Our personal favourite is mint double chocolate chip. Give them something they can use. Maybe something tailored to their hobbies. There’s a tremendous amount of flexibility in this genre of gifts as well: anything from a doughnut shop crawl, an upscale grooming set for those long ago fallen out with a mirror, to a camping weekend on the Appalachian Trail. Note: Never trap someone in a gift like an outing (unless it’s very brief). Or alcohol. It’s always a solid choice. Storage containers is an idea for those needing more places to put their stuff. We found a great price on a flexible storage option—a bar cart with wheels that holds a lot of bottles and can be moved around from room to room as needed. Alas, Valentine’s Day can be tough on couples, so if you’re mulling over the idea of going it solo after one last dinner, a 40-piece set of BBQ accessories would be the perfect gift — for well, yourself—right before that convo about breaking up. |
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Long-term couples out there know that conversations about toilets and bathrooms will inevitably make it into your relationship. We’ve been longtime proponents of bidets here at Albertine Design Underscored, because trust us: once you try it, you just can’t go back. It’s a gift that shows that you’re thinking of them throughout the day. A photo book is a foolproof gift for the sentimental person in your life. They can be customized to include anywhere from 18 to 147 pages. Simply upload favourite photos of yourself and use the customization tool with options for layouts, gifs, captions, stickers and words. It’s a breeze to make and one-of-a-kind. |
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We also found a company that makes an incredibly detailed mold of you two holding hands, which you can then display as a conversation-starting keepsake on your coffee table. After all, love is attention and vice versa. Lastly, the final and most obvious step is to be subtle and try not to make a big deal out of it. Demure and deny when it comes to questions like, “How could you possibly think of this?” or “Where on earth did you find this?” It’s all about selecting the appropriate words at the appropriate time. The rest, as they say, may be history. Because love means you’re always saying you’re sorry. And permanently confused. |
You’ve Got Mail!
February 10, 2026 by Leave a Comment
You’ve Got Mail!
February 10, 2026 by Leave a Comment
| Soon it will be Valentine’s Day, 2026. This is a day known for a number of events in history that may or may not have happened. Example. In 1929, Al Capone ordered a hit on seven members of the “Bugs” Moran gang, “The Silence of the Lambs” was released, and online video-sharing site YouTube was founded. More background. Contrary to popular lore, Valentine’s Day was not invented by Hallmark or Richard Cadbury. It first began as a fête celebration whereby goats were sacrificed along with maypoles, flower garlands, and outdoor revelry involving lovemaking, plays, and all sorts of general hedonism. Sorry, that was Beltane. |
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Valentine’s Day can be a high-stakes affair. When mystery, doubt, and quiet fear rear up, our habit is to seek the assurance of answers, strategies, and expert advice. Thus, we at Albertine Design Underscored understand that you get tired of seeing the same gift ideas year after year, which is why we at Albertine Design Underscored make it our job to stay up very late testing all the latest products to make sure each of our selections is a hit for that person or yourself. First, there’s no denying that a Valentine’s Day gift should be surprisingly thoughtful, personal and romantic. It’s an invitation to exercise dormant faculties of discernment and perception. After all, this day is all about showing that someone special just how much you should spend on them. This year you may feel obligated to gift something in a red or pink hue. While we applaud (and encourage) getting into the festive spirit, if you know your gift-ee would rather have a more neutral shade, it’s perfectly OK to stray from the holiday colour scheme. |
| First, if you feel inclined to act, you can never go wrong with flowers, say a couple of top marriage and family therapists. They are a great option if you’re on a budget, since you can usually find reasonably-priced bouquets at places like 7-Eleven. Or if you live somewhere like Honolulu, you can pick flowers yourself if you find yourself in reduced circumstances. Note: It’s always best to deliver them when they are at work or when they are with one of their relatives—it’ll definitely make them feel special and impress everyone around them, especially if those carnations are dyed in rainbow colours. On the subject of flowers, we at Albertine Design Underscored know that couples that build Lego together, stay together, so we tested out a set of Lego roses. Not only will they last forever, but putting them together can be a fun activity to do together, especially if your partner has allergies or struggles to keep cut flowers alive. |
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If you are worried that gifting the quintessential symbol of Valentine’s Day—a box of chocolates—is just too basic, consider leaving several quarts of artisanal ice cream on their doorstep. Our personal favourite is mint double chocolate chip. Give them something they can use. Maybe something tailored to their hobbies. There’s a tremendous amount of flexibility in this genre of gifts as well: anything from a doughnut shop crawl, an upscale grooming set for those long ago fallen out with a mirror, to a camping weekend on the Appalachian Trail. Note: Never trap someone in a gift like an outing (unless it’s very brief). Or alcohol. It’s always a solid choice. Storage containers is an idea for those needing more places to put their stuff. We found a great price on a flexible storage option—a bar cart with wheels that holds a lot of bottles and can be moved around from room to room as needed. Alas, Valentine’s Day can be tough on couples, so if you’re mulling over the idea of going it solo after one last dinner, a 40-piece set of BBQ accessories would be the perfect gift — for well, yourself—right before that convo about breaking up. |
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Long-term couples out there know that conversations about toilets and bathrooms will inevitably make it into your relationship. We’ve been longtime proponents of bidets here at Albertine Design Underscored, because trust us: once you try it, you just can’t go back. It’s a gift that shows that you’re thinking of them throughout the day. A photo book is a foolproof gift for the sentimental person in your life. They can be customized to include anywhere from 18 to 147 pages. Simply upload favourite photos of yourself and the customization tool—with options for layouts, gifs, captions, stickers and words—is a breeze to make that’s one-of-a-kind. |
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We also found a company that makes an incredibly detailed mold of you two holding hands, which you can then display as a conversation-starting keepsake on your coffee table. After all, love is attention and vice versa. Lastly, the final and most obvious step is to be subtle and try not to make a big deal out of it. Demure and deny when it comes to questions like, “How could you possibly think of this?” or “Where on earth did you find this?” It’s all about selecting the appropriate words at the appropriate time. The rest, as they say, may be history. Because love means you’re always saying you’re sorry. And permanently confused. |
Keeping in Good Company
February 5, 2026 by Leave a Comment
Give me your tired, your lacklustre, your huddled rooms yearning to be chic and SOLD!
Because I know the value of the visual.
Conventional wisdom dictates that the best way to stage a home is to neutralize it.
Many properties shown in the last few years show spaces drained of colour and character in the manner of an Airbnb, thinking it is better to present a milquetoast canvas than to risk repelling with specificity—homes with the same marketing team charisma as cottage cheese and cauliflower. White on white on white. Just like the home page of Wayfair: dull and banal.
You know this plight intimately.
With before-and-after transformations with the aplomb of a makeover artist, I reveal with superficial tweaks—a fresh coat of well-chosen paint, rearranged furnishings, properly hung art—to give the property an irresistible new personality. A kind of magician creating living, three-dimensional rooms out of the ordinary stuff of carpets and sofas.
This is no easy task. I have to assess everything, orchestrating with subtle textural alchemy to make a home rise out of a house.
What we are talking about is doing full justice to the house where buyers say, “It just hooked me like a rainbow trout.” It’s a kind of amazement.
My job is to stoke buyers fantasies not merely of a given property’s potential, but of the life style that it could signify for them.
The goal is to make the right person feel at home without alienating anybody else. Good staging creates an emotional connection. It’s all in the details.
Allow me—to help you sell your listing quickly and profitably.
It’s Time To Defrost Mariah Carey
November 14, 2025 by
| Friends, family, followers — They say those who compete in gingerbread bake-offs, purchase matching family Christmas pyjamas, and put up Christmas decor early, are 100% happier than those who don’t. Some judge people who decorate early. They are probably also the ones whose holiday decor consists of putting out one candle and a few sprigs of tinsel on their bannister, tailoring their timing to match their emotional peaks. Jesus, Mary and Joseph and all his carpenter friends. So what about this early etiquette of untangling string lights and replacing burnt-out bulbs? In seeking to answer this old age question, I turned to my favourite moral authority and wondered: What would Charlie Brown do? |
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| I spoke with ethicists and with Christmas Tree World psychoanalyst experts from Claus and Effect, who unfortunately didn’t return any of my phone calls. So I conducted a poll of 12 people and asked them when they thought it was socially acceptable to put out Christmas decorations. Hold onto your candy canes. Results showed that 87% of participants were in favour of the After Remembrance Day Sweet Spot, while the remaining 19% clutched their pearls to their chest in horror. But will I ever side-eye those who break out the nativity scenes early? No. I’m decking halls on my timeline because decorating client’s homes for Christmas hooks me like a rainbow trout. So yes, mid-November is time for tinsel. After all, Mariah Carey has officially defrosted. |
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| Besides, studies have shown that the busting out the red and green plaid duvet cover that goes with the “Beary Christmas” sheet set spikes the happy reward center of our brain. (I’m not going to get too sciencey on you here because I got a C minus in high school chemistry.) I mean, hold on a sweater-loving second. I didn’t construct an 4-foot diameter wreath I have lovingly named Awreatha Franklin just so she can sit out for one weekend. And my light bill may look like I am powering a small country, lights that can be seen from 50 feet in fog, but it’s worth every twinkle by every animatronic reindeer with one eye flickering. I’m paying for serotonin, people. |
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| Now think about the frosty reality of trying to string lights with an assertive display of athleticism in negative temperatures wrapped in three cardigans and socks made of something like moss. (Although having the lights out year-round as your main decor is not the most fashionable choice, leading us to question the depth of your inner life.) And think about trying to attach a blow-up Santa on a jet ski to the top of your roof in gale force winds. Or wrapping that tree in your front yard as “tree with lights”, using a method I call “Keep wrapping the tree in lights in a haphazard manner until you can see it from outer space and they look kind of even.” (Trademark pending) |
| Why delay joy? We Need a Little Christmas, Right This Very Minute. We are creatures who exhibit the resilience of the human spirit, ready to bust out the tinsel no matter who says when. It makes us happy, OK? So when can I book you in? But no pressure. Unless, of course, that’s what you want. I mean, we can see how it goes… This got awkward. Sorry. |
| P.S. If anyone is alone on Christmas, let me know. I need to borrow some chairs. |
Borneo To Be Wild
October 30, 2025 by
| “If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the jungle.” |
| “Just another 40 minutes”, yells our trekking guide. It’s the same answer we got the last three times we asked. Come on, Karyn, adjust that pack on your back and keep walking. The only thing to do is keep going. Keep climbing up—and then down, reminding yourself of muscle groups that once existed. It may be time to question the old hippie motto, “If it doesn’t feel good, do it!”Maybe it’s the other way around.Navigating through this verdant landscape requires resilience—and a sartorial dress code for a certain age termed “Powerfully Likeable”. Clad in breathable synthetics, as our ancestors foretold, and reviving a style of pants widely believed to be lost to time, I sought to cover up the most skin without sous-viding in my own sweat. I adjust my pearl and diamond earrings and trod on.   Research suggests that there are two kinds of people who tolerate the heat well: indigenous Amazon-like groups —and no one else. It has also been found that people who live in next-to-the-sun climates have evolved to be slightly less stout and to have shorter limbs so they have less surface area from which to expel heat. For some of us, there is always “behavioral adaptations”—like not going outside. It can make such a difference to your level of discomfort. I mean, I can go without air-conditioning for a few minutes, but this is outrageous. It’s hot. Approximately the same temperature as it would be if we’d been sitting on the sun. Only hotter. And the humidity! It’s at 100%. But I do though, look great in my full-brimmed hat… So with an assertive display of athleticism, I persevere. My shirt is so soaked it could be wrung out to water a few jungle plants. Not that they need it. Sweat continues to pool around my lower back and into my eyes. And as soon as I entered the jungle, I swear every insect lifted its head and turned their antenna in my direction. For a personal visit. Visits. Many visits.   Slogging through a deluge of gnarly giant roots, grasping at twisted vines to climb over igneous boulders, navigating undulating boardwalks, clinging to rope and bamboo bridges, and traversing muddy trails—trekking in Borneo is the real deal. It’s the raw adventure of just putting boots on the ground. But this stress could be wrecking my complexion, and also there is a disturbing lack of cappuccino breaks and mint-chocolate-chip ice cream in stinky-sweet waffle cones. Self-care is essential. To paraphrase Diane Keaton in “And So It Goes, “You don’t stop walking, you just pretend that everything is fine.”   There is not a dot of anyone anywhere, except us. And I like it this way. It is a certain kind of magic. Maybe we are walking in the legendary footsteps of the tattooed Marut headhunters. Sunlight drips through the towering canopy, canopies older than empires, casting patterns of light and shadow on the forest floor that harbours a myriad of lush flora and fauna. Leaves and branches rustle overhead as unseen and elusive creatures move through the vegetation in all possible shades of green. Connection deepens with each step. This soul-shaking raw interconnectedness, this indivisibly. Echoing the great naturalist John Muir’s observation that “when we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe.” There is a distinctly primeval feeling, like a single living breathing organism. This is real rainforest, which means every wondrous thing you see here is pure chance.Lizards scatter. Scorpions crawl. Hornbills call and trails whisper. It’s like being immersed in a David Attenborough documentary. Finally, we reach our night’s rest and achievement at our homestay refuge sans electricity or service. Bliss. After a simple, delicious traditional meal, I settle in for the night. Wide-eyed and sleepless, it’s darker than black. I lay on my floor mattress listening to the symphony of sea and chirping cicadas. I close my eyes against the darkness, stretching out my arms. Soon comes the deep labyrinth sleep of tree trunks.   Borneo isn’t just one story; it’s many. Borneo is not just about sweating and swatting insects. It’s hard to think of anywhere more distant and remote than Borneo (the world’s third-largest island) from a western perspective. This is a place where the biodiverse haven and storied wildlife reign supreme, offering a rare glimpse into Earth’s most primal beauty. Being here is a way of pledging allegiance to a poetic freedom available only in the ravishing wildness of remote places. We live such a manicured life in North America. Here there is relief from the urbane precast world and the cacophony of sound: the mating calls of pings and buzzes, the jack-hammering of pavement, the honking of horns. Borneo is a bucket-list raw beauty marvel offering a front-row seat to unspoiled sugar-like beaches and crystal clear water, mangroves creeping inland and dipterocarp rainforests, kerangas heath and padang scrub. Subterranean caves and coastlines are sculpted with stunning sea arches and secluded coves, its trails leading to breathtaking viewpoints and gushing waterfalls.    The rainforests of Borneo are one of the world’s last remaining and the oldest, estimated to be approximately 130 million years old. They are so ancient they were here when dinosaurs walked. Home to more than 15,000 species of plants, the rainforests have changed little. Known as ‘the lungs of the world,’ these verdant rainforests soak up more carbon dioxide than trees in the Amazon rainforest. They’re effectively slowing down climate change by reducing the amount of CO2 emissions in the atmosphere. Unfortunately outside the protected and Unesco World Heritage-listed areas, much of Borneo’s forest has been logged, developed or replaced by palm-oil plantations, and mining operations are polluting the ecosystem through the water. Here there are creatures as extraordinary as they are unexpected. The flying lemur, gliding across distances using flaps of extra skin, the ninja slug” that fires love darts at its mate, a catfish with protruding teeth, the world’s longest insect, and overachiever mouse deer, as females can conceive just two hours after birth and newborns can stand after 30 minutes. Borneo is one of only two places in the world where the wild charismatic orang-utans still roam the rainforest, but they are slowly being pushed to the brink of extinction by habitat loss. They are among the smartest primates. They build a fresh nest out of tree branches each night, craft tools, make medicine, and even exchange gifts at Christmas. You can never be guaranteed to see an orang-utan, as they appear whenever they feel like it. In Sepilok’s Orang-utan Rehabilitation Centre, which reintroduces displaced apes into semi-wild habitats, the rangers put out food on a feeding platform twice a day. How many orang-utan’s turn up is how many you will see. This morning—two.  And yes, there are crocodiles in Borneo. The locals are quite nonchalant about living with these salt-water creatures, even though they are the most dangerous and biggest reptile on Earth measuring in at around six metres long fully grown. In Sarawak, between 2015-2024, there have been 93 attacks with 67 being fatal, and in Sabah, 99 attacks with 73 being fatal. In other words, it’s best to avoid lingering around the edge of muddy jungle riverbanks for extended periods of time.  There are hornbills soaring above mangrove forests (the males’ eyes are red and females’ eyes are white), with their mango-coloured quiffs, kingfishers, and a plethora of bird species, sightings of twilight fireflies, cheeky pig-tailed macaques, silver leaf monkeys, and tree-swinging howling gibbons. And numerous snakes. One drop of venom from a banded sea krait can kill three adults and there is no antidote. Or the pitviper snake with its brutal fangs.   The proboscis monkey has got to be one of the oddest-looking primates on Earth with their Dr. Seuss’s Whos floppy bulbous nose and pot-belly. Unlikely to win any beauty pageant, their nose can exceed 10.2 cm in length in adult males, serving as an amplifier for their mating call. In fact, the longer the grumpy-old-man nose, the better to attract a potential mate. Endemic to Borneo, their population has plummeted by half in the past 35-40 years due to deforestation for timber and palm oil plantations, as well as hunting.  Borneo’s plants can challenge the senses. Like the gigantic parasitic Rafflesiaarnoldii. It’s the prodigy of the flower world, reaching over one meter in diameter. Finding it is an adventure that requires impeccable timing, patience, and luck as it only blooms for around 5 days in a year before it dies. Known as the “corpse flower”, it has a malodorous odour of rotting flesh. It wasn’t blooming while we were there, so this is the closest I came to a sighting. Just as well.  Then there is the macabre carnivorous pitcher plant that lures its unsuspecting insects to slide down a slippery rim into a pool of fluid where they are digested and absorbed. The plant’s large pitchers are an important adaptation, allowing it to capture sufficient water and nutrients to thrive in an area where other sources of sustenance are scarce.  We are privy to an overnight visit to Turtle Island to witness nesting green and hawksbill turtles. A team of full time rangers patrol every evening, working tirelessly to prevent predators. At each female nest the ranger carefully removes her eggs and re-locate them to a new nest dug in the safer confines of the island’s hatchery. Brimming with excitement, we had the unforgettable experience of digging up baby hatchlings and then watching as they made their way into the ocean.   From monkey encounters and poisonous snake sightings, watching foraging squirrels and the somewhat aesthetically-challenged wild bearded pigs, avoiding swarms of bats in caves, swimming beneath waterfalls, traversing suspension bridges over rivers, slipping on muddy trails, and experiencing downpours of biblical intensity, we knew enough to be awed when we found it. |
It was an opportunity to witness the enduring power of the natural world and the critical importance of preserving it for generations to come.  Now I must adjust to regular life—which so far, is watching black squirrels from my kitchen window wrapped in a multitude of layers—leg warmers, wrist warmers, and forehead warmers. |
| It was an opportunity to witness the enduring power of the natural world and the critical importance of preserving it for generations to come. Now I must adjust to regular life—which so far, is watching black squirrels from my kitchen window wrapped in a multitude of layers—leg warmers, wrist warmers, and forehead warmers. |
It’s Good To Check
October 10, 2025 by
June 2, 2097 is the anniversary of Mark Twain’s famous and often-distorted observation, “The report of my death was an exaggeration.” Ever eager to indulge in self-promotion and immodesty, I too enthusiastically embrace this self-same debunking. Because yes, I can substantiate and verify that I am still busy hanging gallery walls, moving large pieces of furniture single-handedly, and all in all, am still heartily inspired. And while it is not often discussed in close circles at cocktail parties, another fallacy exists about home staging. |
| That it requires a platinum card, a staff of hundreds, and a good sweeping into a dust hole. The ability to make a home saleable is neither a mystical talent, nor a God-giving blessing bestowed upon a lucky few. Saying that, not all stagers are created equal. |
Set the scene. Tell a story. And give’em a great climax. Effective staging is not an accident—it’s a strategy. It’s the makeup and wardrobe that seals the deal. A home has to be true to its roots. You can’t make a mid-century bungalow look like it just jumped off the pages of Architectural Digest. But good staging finds the possibilities. It pays attention to details. It manifests signs of human habitation. |
| Successful staging focuses on a few special elements executed with great authority. |
Organization. Get rid of the dross and organize what remains. (Two feet is ideal for blankets, two inches is perfect for Q-tips.) And some things are best left in a drawer. Snapshots between the ages of 12 and 16. Portraits of their closest business associates, particularly if viewed from the toilet. Or a series of dog photos. Focus. A room needs this to come alive. And not an Olympic-size belly flop like a 32-inch TV in the living room. Likewise, a giant speaker with a plant on top doesn’t mask the speaker; it draws attention to it. |
| A place to retreat. This may be a den, a bedroom or a sunroom. This doesn’t only mean scented candles. It could be a fuzzy throw draped over a bedroom chair, a book open on the window seat, a a bed laden with a smattering of down-filled pillows. Smell. Give aromas their due. Houses filled with stale potpourri are about as desirable as men soaked in aftershave. Conversely, kitchen herbs exude aromas that are more subtle than any upscale air freshener. Comfort. Think a bonfire, not an airport lounge. It should invite nesting, reading, daydreaming, playing Scrabble, or snoozing. |
ROMO
September 24, 2025 by
| Be Where Your Feet Are |
| Do not adjust your sundial. It’s hard to find something new, revelatory, of erratic brilliance, to write about. Like it’s all been said before or I’ve said it a million times before. First, I know that the first sentence is incredibly important. It needs to immerse the reader into the setting, introduce key characters and get them hooked so that they don’t immediately switch to their Insta feed of avocado toast pics. I mean, I’m not trying to write a novel, a haiku, or grow a following of what I’ve cleverly framed as “personal consulting” alongside of my very demanding Netflix schedule. I just want to send out something violently interesting. An offering to people who want to hear from me — a sort of connection. Look, I’ll level with you, writing is not my favourite form of activity. But I do have to tell you that I almost wrote a tweet last month about how I don’t like avocado toast, but I deleted it because I didn’t want anyone to get mad at me. But there must be something I can write about. Umm…something with colourful language. It will also need a lot of words. How about the weird things people store in their pantry? Or how not to get your arm trapped under a sofa when moving it? Vintage tractor ploughing? Raising succulents from scratch? Or the latest decorative trend — collecting suzanis? |
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| One of all my many inestimable traits is that I only use words from the Oxford English Dictionary that have been recognized for the last 10 years. (My belief in self-reliance is legendary.) So I thought a long walk and a dance playlist could turn on a lightbulb, so I put on my tee-shirt with dogs all over it, emptied my backpack of some random detritus, found my traveler’s badge which features an image of binoculars that reads “Official World Explorer”, and set out to pace the neighbourhood in an upright, confident gait as I’m in kind of…absolute optimum state of physical peak for my age. I also feel that a little glamour belongs in everyday life. Besides, distance provides perspective. |
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| Umm…first a coffee. I believe in charisma, calcium and coffee. Well, that was satisfying and only took an hour and a half. |
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| Then a got a wheelbarrow of an idea. ROMO. What is ROMO? By now we have all heard of FOMO — the Fear of Missing Out. It’s hearing the distant sound of drums and breaking out in a cold sweat over possibly missing out on something. It’s the angst of seeing people with zero body fat and a thin, rippled waist. It’s the pang of scrolling through polished snapshots of everyone you know on lying on a tropical beach, when the only tropical thing you’ve seen this year is organic pineapples at Sobeys. The digitally intoxicated pressure to respond instantly or stay perpetually updated has become an exhausting exercise. Where ‘always on’ has become the default. |
| “Comparison is the thief of joy.” -Theodore Roosevelt |
| FOMO factory’s dizzying, insidious social media spiral and the constant stream of new content coupled with our human wiring for connection takes an emotional toll on us. It slowly chips away at our self-esteem, threatening us to fall victim to the illusion that everyone else is living a more fulfilling and successful life than our own. Where we feel like life is happening everywhere except where we are. As if we can’t BE enough. As if we can’t ever DO enough. Cause it don’t amount to a hill of beans when it comes right down to it. (Not sure why I’ve adopted a grandpappy drawl just now.) The instant accessibility of social media fosters a culture of scarcity and feelings of “never enough”, bombarding us with a sense of perpetual urgency, making our mostly ordinary life feel like we are the extra chair at the table. People are now spending a near-ubiquitous status of 4 hours and 37 minutes on their phones every day, checking them an average of 58 times each day. Screen-addled interactions are condensed into 140 characters or 30-second clips that sound like testimonials. Technology is a gift — when used with intention. But if we let it, it can mangle our worldviews and replace the very things we need most: real life conversations, nature’s wild beauty and crowds of trees, and moments of quiet and stillness, like a child lost in a colouring book. |
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| With that in mind, I’d like to flip the script and encourage you to instead embrace ROMO. No, ROMO is not the latest mineable cryptocurrency. It’s not a catchy slogan. It’s a mindset shift. It’s The Relief of Missing Out —a countercultural chocolate cake. It’s like switching from tight jeans to sweatpants after a long day. |
| “There is no battling the world, only ourselves.” – Paul Kingsnorth |
| ROMO isn’t about hiding under a blanket, but aligning your lifestyle with comfort and priorities, living your life on your terms. It’s about consciously shifting your focus. It’s choosing to be selective. To choose what not to do, what opportunities not to take. To choose things that bring sheer beauty to life. Going to the Cheesecake Factory. Bustin’ a move. This could be your new empowering acronym, going from a packed slate to serenity, from purchasing to minimizing, from pressure to presence.ROMO is the permission to pause. To breathe. To say, “I’m okay right here, doing this little thing that brings me peace”. Cause you’re only passing through once. And honestly? It’s kind of magical. |
| “We get by with a smile on our face…We get by.” – written by Ben Harper |
| Start by celebrating your own small victories. Did you manage to fold a fitted sheet today? Seriously, that’s a major accomplishment worthy of recognition. I t’s okay if you don’t have a proper skincare routine. It’s alright to have a smattering of uncharitable thoughts once or twice a day. And it’s fine to wave back at people who were actually waving to someone behind you. Happiness doesn’t always come from what we add to our lives. It’s not always about the big milestones. It’s quieter than that. It’s not linear, but constantly evolving. |
| Be Present—Right Here, Right Now |
| It’s the joy of turning down a plan without the soup of the suffering, skipping an online trend, and really being present. Not only can it come from what we choose to address, but also from what we let go of. Like some of that stuff in your basement. Or that incredibly unfortunate wall colour. |
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| Be intentional and strategic with your choices. Give yourself permission to say ‘no’ without over-explaining. And gratitude. Soon it will be The Season of Gratitude and thank goodness for that.Gratitude turns what we have into enough. It’s hard to feel the lack when you are focused on the abundance. Gratitude is a heavy hitter. What we appreciate, appreciates. Maybe the most exciting adventure you’ll have today is locating a decent cup of coffee. Or being able to stay in your pajamas all day, just because you want to. And that my friends, is something worth celebrating. Take a minute to close your eyes and say a heartfelt thank you. (It sounds more colourful in Māori.) More news at 11. Thank you for the quality of your attention. |
The Great Canadian Bucket List
September 10, 2025 by
Where in the heck is Haida Gwaii…and why do Canadians not know where it is? |
Haida Gwaii is as exotic as it sounds, Canadian-style. Mention that you’re going to Haida Gwaii and you either you get a blank stare or that knowing look you get from someone with a shared secret. And no one makes it there by accident. Anyone worth their hiking boots will have this place on their spiritual bucket list. It’s one of the most unique, mystical and spectacular destinations in Canada. And not a single traffic light, shopping mall or a Starbucks in sight. The Haida people call it “The Edge of the World”, also known as the “Canadian Galápagos” because of its endemic wildlife. Six of the ten native land mammals in the islands are subspecies that can’t be found anywhere else on the planet. That includes the pine marten, dusky shrew, shermine, the Haida Gwaii black bear with its giant jaws perfectly adapted to cracking open shellfish, and the ubiquitous Sitka black-tailed deer. I saw eight, one patiently waiting for the ferry. |
Haida Gwaii is as exotic as it sounds, Canadian-style. Mention that you’re going to Haida Gwaii and you either you get a blank stare or that knowing look you get from someone with a shared secret. And no one makes it there by accident. Anyone worth their hiking boots will have this place on their spiritual bucket list. It’s one of the most unique, mystical and spectacular destinations in Canada. And not a single traffic light, shopping mall or a Starbucks in sight. The Haida people call it “The Edge of the World”, also known as the “Canadian Galápagos” because of its endemic wildlife. Six of the ten native land mammals in the islands are subspecies that can’t be found anywhere else on the planet. That includes the pine marten, dusky shrew, shermine, the Haida Gwaii black bear with its giant jaws perfectly adapted to cracking open shellfish, and the ubiquitous Sitka black-tailed deer. I saw eight, one patiently waiting for the ferry. |
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“Everything depends on everything else.” —Haida saying Reaching Haida Gwaii is an adventure in itself, requiring lots of organization and advance bookings. Nursing a malady that responds well to salt sea air and migratory by nature, I chose to drive. All told, close to 5000 kms. I was off grid for the most part, connecting with this small part on the planet, not having to worry about small engine maintenance or the brevity of tight denim shorts. Yes, it’s remote, with limited medical resources and complicated transportation. and tightly regulated with only 2000 visitors allowed each year. Made up of more than 150 islands, with only two developed, the Haida Nation forms about half of the islands’ population of around 5,000. Previously known as The Queen Charlotte Islands, it reverted back to Haida Gwaii in 2010 as part of an agreement recognizing Haida sovereignty and cultural heritage. In February of 2025, the Big Tide Haida Title Lands Agreement formally recognized the Haida Nation’s title over the archipelago, marking a significant step toward being stewards of their lands with Indigenous governance and self-determination. |
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There’s not much wilderness left in the world. It a wild but sacred place by nature, a mystical place of legends with unquiet spirits and spectres. Rugged, primal, spirited, fierce, and mythic. It’s a different paradigm—difficult to absorb it all. Unspoiled with expanses of rugged beaches, an endless ocean, and the Haida blood relatives of deep forests. It is raw natural beauty, teeming with wildlife. It’s a place of awe and wonder. A place that commands respect, for looking deeply, closely, to recognize its abundance. To move slowly with a gentle step. It is too beautiful. |
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No sign of humans. I am deliciously alone. I walk among the watchful eyes of the cathedral of triumphant moss-draped Sitka spruce, hemlocks and Redcedars, trees that have stood in place, some for over a millennia. The statuesque power and regality of this lumpy forest-scape with its infinite greens of hanging bogs, curtains of ancient branches, and countless ferns is truly breathtaking. The velvety moss is springy and thick underfoot. The wind whispers secrets. There’s a prehistoric feel, something ancient. Maybe it’s the isolation. Or the mist. This silence within the forest, the silence—sometimes—spreading to the ocean. |
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When the tide is out, the table is set. I soon reach the sea. It is unparalleled beauty. I feel the mixture of sun and breeze settle over me. I listen as the gin-coloured ocean moves with a lapping promise, an ocean that over centuries has taken great chunks out of the shoreline. Waves crest in broken lines relentlessly washing over the old worn out rocks. The embryonic sun lights the water. The long expanse of the windswept beach is cluttered with debris the sea has rejected and strewn. Sun-bleached logs are piled high, some insect-filled and crusted with salt. |
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I hear wings overhead. The bald eagles—the majesty of their impossibly wide wings catching pockets of air, gracefully gliding without a single flap. I hear the call of a raven echoing through the trees. Here skies are clearer and deeper. The afternoon lingers long, but eventually the sun will sink off the end of the island. The spruce will deepen its shadows to black, and the cream-sickle sky, unaccepting of more light, will turn to what Richard Wagamese described as “the ink of a northern night”—a delicious black cape. The sliver of a new fuzzed moon will give the trees a cool grey cast, a moon shadow of sorts, the sky stabbed through with pinpoints of stars. Darkness will take away the distraction of sight, leaving only the sound of the sea’s faithful unerring rhythm. It is good. There may be fog tonight. A heavy, salt-loop laced fog. Or turn into a soft rain. |
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I wake to a morning moved by the quality of silence. It is a grey, misty day. I drive the only main road where the ditches are ripe with goldenrod and fireweed in search of more totem poles. Standing on ragged grass surrounded by dense forest, I am alone again. I look up to the weathering artistry of the poles. I simultaneously feel a haunting chill and reverent awe, for these totems are compelling powers of unblinking intent, with memories of grief, celebration, and death. There is a such a connectivity between the people and the poles. There are around seven principal types of totem poles: lineage, markers, mortuary, commemorative, ridicule, memorial, and house frontal poles. Some are weathered to a dull grey, some have fallen, most are faded, showing traces of the once-elaborate carvings. |
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There’s no word for art in the Haida language. It’s just something they do. It’s a way of life: masks, silver and argillite jewelry, cedar hats taking months to weave, canoes, button blankets and wood carvings featuring the bold ovoid designs of bears, ravens and thunderbirds —techniques passed down for generations. |
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“An indulgent god could have provided nothing better.” —Haida master carver and canoe maker Bill Reid This is Haida Gwaii. The irresistible magnet and intoxication of beauty and quiet majesty. This place does something to you, not only capturing your heart, but your soul. It holds your spirit hostage. Is it good to fall in love with a place that you must leave? But it had to end, leaving an imprint that will never fade, the backdrop of my life changed. A place every Canadian needs to visit. |
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| Tiny treasures for the pendulum swing of your days. I hope the above article added something to your day in some little way or another. If you enjoyed it, I would be delighted if you forwarded it to someone else who might like it or by mentioning it wherever you emit opinions online. And if you got this from a friend and would like to subscribe yourself, you can do so here. |
Curb appeal on a shoestring
August 7, 2025 by
| It’s hard to find something new, revelatory, exciting, to write about so you don’t immediately switch to Instagram pictures of avocado toast. Like it’s all been said before, or I’ve said it a million times. How about the weird things people store in their pantry? Or how not to get your arm trapped under a sofa when moving it? Or my own private conundrum that I ponder once a week: is the Pringles man Italian, or does he just have a moustache So I thought a long walk and a dance playlist could be an easy fix for a lightbulb to turn on, so I put on my bright-yellow safety vest, grabbed an energy drink and my traveller’s badge which features an image of binoculars that reads “Official World Explorer”, and set out to scour the neighbourhood. Well, it didn’t take too long before I had a wheelbarrow full of curb appeal faux-paws. Man, if those weeds could talk…I mean, a weed is really just a plant that grows in the wrong place. As I always say, to live well is to let go well, and it all starts with a bag of weeds. But let’s be honest, the front door is the real main character. The home’s handshake. Screen doors are on the way out. They’re also on the way in. That’s what doors are for. One of my most loathed front door situations are metal screen doors. Many don’t open or close well, or worse, are rusted and bent. They instantly age the home, significantly denigrating curb appeal. Solution: a Phantom screen door, or just plain take it off. It’s not too late for potted annuals on the front steps, but I have witnessed a myriad of times where the steps are too narrow for these plants, a “hoarding-type plantation”. Not only does this accentuate the narrow steps, but it forces everyone to walk in single file, hoping in turn not to knock over the pots. Sometimes less can be more. Ot worse, using pots and/or vases completely out of proportion, totally changing the vibe. Or barring the front door completely. I see so many front gardens with bare spots. An easy and quick way without the hassle of digging or planting directly in the ground is to set in some potted annuals. Not only does this instantly fill in those empty areas, but they create focal points, drawing the eye and inviting buyers to take a closer look. They may be the star of the show with their height, colour and interest, as well looking great in MLS photos. Or take the frontage to the next level by simply hanging flowering planters. Mulch is a miracle worker in front yard landscaping. It’s a super easy way to get a quick refresh, giving flower beds and around trees, a neat, tidy look. Choose mulch or cedar chips that have not be chemically colour-dyed. |
Tortoises and Sea-lions and Iguanas, Oh My!
July 10, 2025 by
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