Author Archives: szpinner

TIP #2 – Your librarian, your friend

Become friends with your local library. Get to know the librarians. Bring them a box of cookies, a tray of cupcakes congratulating them on surviving the pandemic. Introduce yourself as a writer and tout your book. Ask them if they … Continue reading

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TIP #1 – Indie Bookstores

Make friends at a local ‘Indie’ bookstore. Buy something at your local Indie bookstore and work on developing a relationship with them. Get to know them as a customer before asking them to help you promote your book. Give them … Continue reading

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WAG writer Henn wins Canada Books Awards for her debut book

Another WAR writer hits it big ! Congratulations to WAG writer, EVA HENN!!! Eva Henn, one of our WAG writers, has received the CANADA BOOK AWARD for her debut book, “Towards the LIght,” her memoir of her family’s escape from … Continue reading

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HITLER’S STOLEN CHILDREN, Oelhafen, Tate

Hitler’s Stolen Children Ingrid von Oelhafen, Tim Tate Synopsis Hitler’s Stolen Children is a powerful, first-person account of being at the heart of one of the Nazi’s cruelest and most obscene experiments—the Lebensborn program to create a new Aryan master race. … Continue reading

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Gazarek PDF on MEDIA KITS

[pdf-embedder url=”https://www.szpin.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Be-the-Awesome-Man-Media-Kit.pdf” title=”Be the Awesome Man Media Kit”]

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New GOVERNOR GENERAL: Mary Simon

Mary Simon, first Indigenous person to hold the office, announced as Canada’s 30th Governor General. Mary Simon, OC, QC, comes from Kuujjuaq, Nunavik and was born in Kangiqsualujjuaq, Nunavik. She is the former past president of the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, the National … Continue reading

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July 5 – health check, tech challenge and Canada shame?

Rotzy updates everyone on the state of the ‘Onion (him) and his use of technology. About Two Weeks Ago….….I suspect that about 98% of Canadians had never heard of Lytton, B.C. The same could be said about most BC’ers, unless … Continue reading

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Trudeau

Trudeau letter:DON’T HOLD YOUR BREATH.  I wrote an open letter to “Junior” in Ottawa. I also wrote others for input/feedback regarding my letter to Trudeau. Not one responded. I find that amazing. (Jody Raybould-Wilson, Erin O’Toole, Jagmeet Singh, Charlie Angus, … Continue reading

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OVER 60: Ya gotta drink lotsa water

Water is far more important to your well being than thought at first glance. It is very important to maintain high hydration by drinking water regularly throughout the day, every 2 -3 hours is ideal. Whenever I teach clinical medicine … Continue reading

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All European church bells rang at noon today thanks to Hungarian bravery and courage centuries ago

For those lucky enough to be in a piazza, a central city square, in any European city at noon today….. You would have heard church bells ringing, in every Church, in ever European city.  They were not ringing for any … Continue reading

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The SZPINNER JULY 2021 NEWSLETTER

  This edition of my monthly newsletter is heavy! It was very difficult to write as its publication date coincided with CANADA DAY. Normally, that is a day of celebration, fireworks and festivity but in light of the horrendous news … Continue reading

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Find your MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT

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Henn on CANADA DAY

Just My OpinionEva Henn A commentary and opinion as written by Eva Henn, author of her memoir, “Towards the Light“ I, for one, will most certainly be celebrating Canada Day as I have for many previous years. I think back … Continue reading

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June 28 – censored “rant-age”

There are days when one should not get out of bed…Rotzy’s having one of those days…it’s a mix of good and bad. What A Week, Huh?!    *This week’s “F/N” column is gonna need way more (*R*-Restricted) notices for the ‘Highs … Continue reading

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TIP #3 – Consider PEER ANALYSIS

You may think you writing is good. But it might not be. Why not put it to some peers who are willing to give it an objective consideration and analysis to confirm or refute what you believe. WAG CRITIQUING is … Continue reading

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Rules for living after 64

Many of us are older than 65…if you are consider these rules to live by for the remaining years. It’s time to use the money you saved upUse it and enjoy it. Don’t just keep it for those who may … Continue reading

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TIP #2 – Do your RESEARCH as you write. Confirm your facts before final editing.

Do your research before you write. Confirm that your information is accurate: geographic information, technological data, historical dates, spelling of names, correct use of foreign phrases. It is crucial that readers feel the material presented is accurate, valid and correct … Continue reading

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June 22 – dang computer probs

Rotzy launches the first day os summer with gardening woes, rent laments and road rage rejctions… Last Week….    yours truly made a sincere/concentrated effort to ”DE-COVID” the entire “F/N” column….or perhaps “UN-COVID” it, if you prefer. Well, if I don’t … Continue reading

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My name is ….

My name is SZPIN. Pronounce it as SPIN but remember, I’m Polish. So we insert a Z somewhere but logically as related to the language. My family was too poor to afford a “ski,” so it was never Szpinski. Just … Continue reading

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EDITORIAL: An open letter to MP Mumilaaq Qaqqaq

Recently NDP Member of Parliament, Mumilaaq Qaqqaq, spoke out about her maltreatment in the House of Commons. Profiled in the hallways by lazy and professionally incompetent security guards, Qaqqaq has finally had enough and has publically stated all that troubles … Continue reading

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EDITORIAL: Dog Ford retains INCOMPETENCE, instead of EJECTing it

The mutt at Queen’s Park, Dog Ford, acts on the incompetency of Minister Merrilee Fullerton, ex-Minister of Long Term Care but she might consider a sideline tutoring ‘sycophancy’ at which she must excel. A the big kahuna, Doggie, lashes out … Continue reading

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June 17 – Minutes

ATTENDEES: SHARON D., DENNIS G., EVA H., SAJEDA M., PETA-GAYE N., HOWARD P., RICK P., RICHARD S., SHEILA T., IAN R., BALA M.,Guest speaker: Colin McClean Announcements, Opportunities: Congratulations to these WAG members in receiving the Canada Book AwardKathleen Gauer:      … Continue reading

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Jul 17 – BOOK ILLUSTRATIONS: Colin McClean

Due to the size of the file, it is available as an emailed attachment only….upon individual request.

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7 Foods for Arthritic relief

One in six Canadian adults has arthritis. Although most are 75 or older, many are much younger. The two most common forms of the disease — osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis — tend to cause painful joints. No wonder your grandmother … Continue reading

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HOUSE OF HIDDEN MEANINGS, RuPaul

The HOUSE OF HIDDEN MEANINGS, by RuPaul Synopsis From international drag superstar and pop culture icon RuPaul, comes his most revealing and personal work to date—a brutally honest, surprisingly poignant, and deeply intimate memoir of growing up Black, poor, and … Continue reading

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More than 2 dozen Flash Fiction Markets that pay

28 Flash Fiction Markets That Pay By Theresa van Baalen Are you dreaming of writing, but battling to find the time to write? Why not try your hand at something really short? Flash fiction is a genre of fiction that … Continue reading

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We celebrate: Canada Award Winners

____Click to learn more about these great Canadian writers: Kathleen GAUER Dennis GAZAREK Peta-Gaye NASH

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CANADA DAY commentary by Canadian writers

A number of writers are associated with our website have written their comments about CANADA DAY:   Bristow writes a romance story in Roman times, quite unexpected, but very engaging and plausible. An amazingly researched story. Click on an image … Continue reading

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FILE EXPLORER: the Win 10 tool you should use

File ExplorerFile Explorer is a Windows 10 application used for File-Folder management. It is available automatically on computers using WIN 10. Why bother to learn or to use File Explorer Name files with meaningful names Rename files that are poorly … Continue reading

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WAG author, Peta-Gaye Nash, receives Canada Book Award

Congratulations to childrens’ books author PETA-GAYE NASH for receiving the Canada Book Award for her children’s book, ‘Bushyhead.’ Publisher: Peta-Gaye NashDesigner: Cheryl Antao-XavierIllustrator: Alyah Holmes Bushyhead is the story of a young girl, Miranda May, who is teased at school … Continue reading

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Writers promo tip: BOOKMARKERS

Hey writer….here’s a nice little book promotion idea for you… Print a set of bookmarkers for distribution whenever and wherever you are doing book promotions. Consider both sidesRemember you have a FRONT and a BACK to the bookmarker. Take advantage … Continue reading

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Councillor’s anti-racism motion passed by Pickering Council

Systemic racism exists in Canada and each of us is responsible for its obliteration. There is no room for racism in Canada in any form, religious, cultural, gender or appearance. Councillor Shaheen Butt is a Muslim who has lived in … Continue reading

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Ode to a line

An ode to the line A clothesline was a news forecast, to neighbours passing by,There were no secrets you could keep when clothes were hung to dry.It also was a friendly link, for neighbours always knewIf company had stopped on … Continue reading

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JUNETEENTH: What is it? We all need to celebrate it.

Rosie DiManno, Toronto Star columnist, wrote an excellent piece about the celebration. On June 19, 1866, one year after the announcement, freedmen in Texas organized the first of what became the annual celebration of “Jubilee Day”. Early celebrations were used … Continue reading

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Senior’s letter to God

There was a man who worked for the Post Office whose job was to process all the mail that had illegible addresses. One day, a letter came addressed in shaky handwriting to God with no actual address. He thought he … Continue reading

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HUSH-HUSH, Stuart Woods

HUSH-HUSH, Stuart Woods Stone Barrington faces down a rival with cutting-edge tactics in this heart-racing thriller from the #1 New York Times bestselling author. Synopsis Stone Barrington is settling in for some downtime in New York City when an anonymous … Continue reading

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More about self-publishing

WAG has our own resident “Self-publishing” guru who did a presentation on the topic. Here is a link to some more information regarding self-publishing: SELF PUBLISHING GUIDE

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Toronto Zoo’s Adopt-A-Pond Wetland Conservation Night

Toronto Zoo’s Adopt-A-Pond Wetland Conservation Night Wednesday, June 16, 20217:00 – 8:00 pmOnline Event Join the City of Pickering, the Pickering Public Library and the Toronto Zoo’s Adopt-A-Pond Wetland Conservation staff to learn about turtles in the Pickering area, how … Continue reading

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WE’LL MEET AGAIN

During times of great trouble and crisis, people need to find hope and comfort wherever they can, however they can. Dame Vera Lynn sang a message of hope and perseverence with her renowned song. The times were a major crisis … Continue reading

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I KNOW A SECRET, Tess Gerritsen

I KNOW A SECRET, Tess Gerritsen Synopsis: In the twelfth gripping novel featuring Jane Rizzoli and Maura Isles, the crime-solving duo—featured in the smash-hit TNT series Rizzoli & Isles—are faced with the gruesomely staged murder of a horror film producer. … Continue reading

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Your Best Shot

Confused and baffled by the news reports that constantly change the COVID story. Me too, the more I hear, the more hesitant and reluctant I become. The COVID vaccines were not developed overnight. So they aren’t just some ‘stab in … Continue reading

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MARKUP SENDING INSTRUCTIONS

Send your MARKUPS all together in one email Send the to ALL CRTQ recipients in the same email. Summary ALL your MARKUPS ALL CRTQ GRP members emailed ALL in one email

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June 7 – COVID, CARP and Indian Residential Schools

Getting tired of COVID news? Rotzy’s beginning to suffer COVID fatigue too but stick around . The news will bring you even more morbid or horrendous stuff. Read on…   Zoomer Radio 740 AM…. ….features Libby Znaimer, the station owner’s … Continue reading

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Five Little Indians, Michelle Good

Five Little Indians,Michelle Good SynopsisWinner of the 2018 HarperCollins/UBC Prize for Best New Fiction Michelle Good’s FIVE LITTLE INDIANS, told from the alternating points of view of five former residential school students as they struggle to survive in 1960s Vancouver—one … Continue reading

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National Health and Fitness Day, June 1/21

June 1st was National Health and Fitness Day. The other 364 days of the year should be dedicated to the same topic. Every day should be Health and Fitness Day. Exercise and being active are very important during these pandemic … Continue reading

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How to Make Pizzeria-Quality Pizza at Home (Hacks and Easy Recipes!)

Skip the delivery and grab some store-bought dough. Then get rolling with our 10 helpful hacks for creating crispy crusts, fresh flavors, and more Article and featured recipe and photos by Jamie Vespa MS, RD   Pizza is a crowd-pleaser, and … Continue reading

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Healthy Breakfasts Help You Lose Weight

When you’re trying to lose weight, breakfast can set the tone for the rest of your day. Consuming the wrong foods can amplify your cravings and set you up for failure before the day even begins. On the other hand, … Continue reading

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FOLDER/FILES organization for CRTQING

This template may help you with your CRITIQUING submissions: DATE / TITLE / WHO / IN/OUT6/?/21 “title of submission” RICHARD OUT.docx Furthermore, computer records can be organized as depicted below: FOLDERS Folder “CRTQ IN” contains nothing at this time Folder “CRTQ … Continue reading

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3 COLOUR CODING MARKUP SAMPLE – 5 pages

[pdf-embedder url=”https://www.szpin.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Markup-Sample-with-colour-coding.pdf” title=”Markup Sample with colour coding”]

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2 ABBREVIATED – BULLETED GUIDELINES

[pdf-embedder url=”https://www.szpin.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Guideline-Bullets.pdf” title=”Guideline Bullets”]

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1 FULL GUIDELINES – 2 pages of text

[pdf-embedder url=”https://www.szpin.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Critique-Group-FULL-Guidelines.pdf” title=”Critique Group FULL Guidelines”]

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May 31 – Rotzy took a Victoria break!

Rotzy needed a break Victoria Day weekend but he’s back with a blast and a whiz this week. Read all about ‘famous Amos’ of the Cdn House of Commons. Anyone remember Anthony Weiner of American politics…well, Canada’s got its own … Continue reading

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SLEEP WELL: 20 tips to help you sleep better

Are you having problems with your sleep? Good sleep is incredibly important. If you are having sleep problems, consider and try a few of the tips offered below and see if they help you sleep better. You may have to … Continue reading

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LIFESPAN CALCULATOR: how long will you live?

How long will you live? Barring unforeseen incidents such as accidents, natural disasters and such, there is no way to guarantee a long life. Common sense adherence to good diet practices, regular moderate exercise and sensible precautions, one will live … Continue reading

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Skin Cancer Awareness: 4 safety tips

Summer is here and many of us are spending more time outdoors enjoying the nicer weather. While basking in the sun’s golden rays can feel great, it is important to be diligent about sun safety. Most skin cancers are a … Continue reading

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Hard of hearing….

At the beginning of my shift as a general practitioner, I placed a stethoscope on an elderly and slightly deaf female patient’s anterior chest wall. ‘Big breaths,’ I instructed. ‘Yes, they used to be,’ she replied.

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Leaving a big tip

I leave my waitress a big tip. The extra money might bring a smile to her face. She is toiling much harder for a living than I am.

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GOOGLE EXTENSIONS: little apps/tools to help you browse

Google extensions are little applications that enrich the digital work you can do. Visit the Google web store and explore the various apps offered there. You will be surprised at what you discover of value and benefit to your work. … Continue reading

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Where I am in my life

I’m at a place in my life where errands are starting to count as going out

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The SZPINNER JUNE 2021 NEWSLETTER

The Sad, Bad, and the Good   We are very saddened and grieve the loss of a wonderful man, Randy Filinksi. Randy was a loving husband, caring father, a dedicated community activist and an outstanding part of the Durham Region … Continue reading

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EDITORIAL: SENIORS month or PRIDE month: it’s a matter of universal respect

June is Seniors Month or Pride Month depending on your source of information. We’ll recognize both labels and summarize with …”just care for your fellow human.” No matter if old, young, female, male, queer, straight, or transforming, as long as … Continue reading

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Poetry publications on Medium.com

This article contains a list of publications that include poetry, are currently active, and are accepting new writers.

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Bookmarks: better than business cards?

Rick Pyves, a writer who always seems to be a bit ahead of many others, has an interesting twist on old-fashioned business cards. Rick has bookmarks printed based on the covers of the books he has written and uses these … Continue reading

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May 27 – Minutes

[pdf-embedder url=”https://www.szpin.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/MINUTES-5-27-21.pdf” title=”MINUTES 5 27 21″]

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The story behind “Towards the Light”

The history of our charity work in Punta Cana, DR In November of 2012, as new retirees, my husband and I flew to Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic for a ten-day vacation. During that time, one of our outings … Continue reading

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May 27 – PRESENTATION: Ginger Kuenzel on publishing in “Medium”

Guest Speaker: Ginger Kuenzel – Medium.com – A Free Platform for Publishing Your Pieces Learn about Medium.com, an online platform where you can upload pieces you’ve written, then share the link with friends and easily post it on social media. By following the … Continue reading

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Are you always feeling hungry? Your body may be trying to tell you something.

Hunger is your body’s natural cue that it needs more food. When you’re hungry, your stomach may “growl” and feel empty, or you may get a headache, feel irritable, or be unable to concentrate. Most people can go several hours … Continue reading

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Arthritis pain: Do’s and don’t’s

Will physical activity reduce or increase your arthritis pain? Get tips on exercise and other common concerns when coping with arthritis symptoms and arthritis pain.By Mayo Clinic Staff   Arthritis is a leading cause of pain and disability worldwide. You … Continue reading

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Kathleen Gauer: Another childrens’ book author awarded

Canadian authors have the touch when it comes to writing books for kids. Kathleen Gauer has received a Canada Books Award for her book, The Wish Carvers. It is positively gratifying to see writers being recognized for their creativity, energy … Continue reading

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Special invitation to WAG members

Hello WAG member, At the risk of sounding like an old nag, I again invite you to try NOTEZILLA digital sticky notes for your computer work. [Disclaimer: I have no financial links with the program’s developer, receive no remuneration.] I … Continue reading

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4 creative writing exercises to improve your writing

Here are 4 creative writing ideas to improve your writing. Read through this piece and take away whatever seems of value to you and your work. All the best in your endeavours. Writing exercises to spark creativity Freewriting Freewriting is … Continue reading

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Use character voice when writing critical or delicate information which could offend

The omniscient voice is the writer speaking. It can lead to problems as readers see the written word as fact and sometimes it contravenes the philosophy of the reader. Alienate the reader and you lose support.  Instead, assign opinions and … Continue reading

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A walk after eating is healthy for you

Maybe you don’t have a dog to walk after dinner. Pretend. We’re lucky. We’ve got Fermo and he’ll go for a walk anytime, with a lot of enthusiasm. Walking after a meal has many benefits but wait about 15 minutes … Continue reading

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Six excellent foods to give your eyes a nutritional boost.

Particular foods will benefit your eye health. Here are six good foods to eat to help maintain your eye health. SALMONWild salmon contains a high amount of Omega-3 fatty acids, which are super nutrients for your eyes. Eating salmon or … Continue reading

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POLITICIANS to remember next election

Politics seems to change principled people into unethical, unprincipled politicians of questionable integrity. Here’s a list of these kind of politicians [ Site under construction – Click on the name to read the story behind the politician ]: MUNICIPALKevin ASHE, … Continue reading

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GRAMMARLY: the right-hand assistant for writers

“If you’re a writer, you should use this tool.” It would highlight all the errors in the previous sentence allowing you to change what you wish. Grammarly has a free version that will serve a writer very well. The corrections … Continue reading

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May 10 – medical examinations demand deeper considerations

Seems like Rotzy’s philosophy is becoming, “The older we get, the more concerned we become with medical examinations.”   As The Days Go….….last Tuesday was not one of the better ones for Rotzy. I got ‘cut’…….’chopped’. No, not as in … Continue reading

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ICE COLD, Tess Gerritsen

ICE COLD Tess Gerritsen Synopsis In Wyoming for a medical conference, Boston medical examiner Maura Isles joins a group of friends on a spur-of-the-moment ski trip. But when their SUV stalls on a snow-choked mountain road, they’re stranded with no … Continue reading

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Coping with arthritis

Arthritis: it may be in the genes; it may be a factor of old age. No matter the source of the malady can have varying degrees of debilitation for the person suffering the affliction. I began experiencing problems with my … Continue reading

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Made it. Ate it. ‘Weighed’ it.

No knead crusty bread….easy to make, needs 12-18 hrs of yeast development time….just sits quietly in your dining room, over night. Next day, into the oven and within an hour delicious, crusty bread…really crusty, really delicious. Recipe available on request. … Continue reading

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The USA: land of bullies

NOMADLAND, by Jessica Bruder The book, ‘Nomadland‘ fits this BULLY section for many reasons. The book is a sad commentary on life in the United States. Americans pride themselves on being the richest country on earth. Do not believe it. … Continue reading

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Press release from the Pickering ISLAMIC Centre

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Tony Burman…bon voyage sir !

He’s gone: Tony Burman, journalist, reporter, editor, commentator…one of the very best in today’s media world. Burman arguably was the best media commentator in the world of English-written news. Incisive, concise, precise, logical, analytical, intelligent…the adjectives do no do the … Continue reading

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May 3 – the cremation of Rotzy McGee

Fun stuff Nakina…ya gotta read about the cremation of Rotzy McGee at the end… from Readers WriteIt seems to me these days that there is a lot of emphasis on fitness, and encouragement of people to get into some sort … Continue reading

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Jeff BEZOS won’t be meeting Eva HENN sometime soon

Senior woman author, Eva Henn, published her memoir independently rather than using the publishing services of giant AMAZON. Jeff Bezos won’t be meeting Eva Henn. Eva Henn, a senior woman writer, has published a heart-touching memoir about her family’s escape … Continue reading

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Signs on the sides of delivery vans

Real signs taken from the side of actual service vans on the road…took me a long time to find them all.     A Sign in a Shoe Repair Shop reads:“We will heel you.  We will save your sole.  We … Continue reading

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Benefits of coffee drinking

Do you drink coffee and worry about its health effects? Watch this video by a doctor who confirms some very interesting benefits to drinking coffee, black coffee though.  

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AWARDS: Husbands of the year

United Kingdom United States of America Poland Greece Serbia The winner…Ireland

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Six ways to improve your brain resilience

Brain maintenance ain’t rocket science As we age, our brains deteriorate but the cellular decimation of cerebral cells can be slowed by giving some attention to how one lives. Brain ResilienceKeeping the brain resilient is the aim if one wishes … Continue reading

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Indie press prizes shine light on new writers

An announcement that will cause some excitement among readers dropped into my inbox this morning: The winners of the ReLit award for 2020 — the final part of a month-long “celebration” of the prize, which is catching up on announcing … Continue reading

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Apr 29 – minutes

Vol. I              Issue 4                                                     Apr 29, 2021  Attendees: Frank B., Eva H., Ginger K., Sajeda M., Howard P., Rick P., Ian, R., Richard S., Sheila T. Happy Time:The participants were asked to share their recent ‘Balloon lofting’ moments. Eva just … Continue reading

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The SZPINNER MAY 2021 NEWSLETTER

Fermo, an Italian Scottie Dennis Gazarek, Canadian author wins award Peta-Gaye Nash, award-winning children’s books author La Galleria: showcasing local artists Kingston Penitentiary or Home, sweet home? Movies and TV Books Councillor Dave Pickles: pandemic perseverance A commercial break Trump, … Continue reading

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Boundaries every dog-owner should teach

Fermo says there are some things every dog owner should teach their dog. In his case, he has learned many of these but struggles with anxieties when he meets dogs larger than he is. Boundaries every dog-owner should teachAs the … Continue reading

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Get a free cookbook and support our immigrants

Get your free cookbook now! Tastes from Home: Recipes from the Refugee Community Just released to mark UNHCR’s 70th anniversary, “Tastes from Home” is filled with more than 100 pages of beautiful photos and recipes, each shared by a resilient … Continue reading

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My Brain Needs a Vacation…Badly

The past year and a bit were rather a long, arduous journey in unchartered territory. It is not over yet! The prospect of this pandemic lasting for many more months is genuine. What is also very real is that my … Continue reading

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EDITORIAL: He’s back…we wish he weren’t

We thought it might be overdoing in publish our Ford caricature criticizing the Ford government ineptness. So we removed it. We were wrong. This provincial government is setting high(?), low marks for ineptness, incompetence and incapability. We cannot remove them … Continue reading

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Aging well together: MAY 2021 newsletter

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GARLIC: 4 benefits that will blow you away

The Greeks ate it every whichaway, as a basis to foods as well as dish enhancements, on bread, in condiments, in salads. Roman armies ate it daily in soups, with boiled barley to ward of illnesses, and maybe enemy soldiers … Continue reading

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Ya gotta find a laff here

Can February March?No, But April May! Did you hear about the painter who was hospitalized?Reports say it was due to too many strokes! Have you heard the joke about the butter?I better not tell you, it might spread! How do … Continue reading

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10 morning habits that help you lose weight

Eating a proper breakfast may be your first step to successful weight loss. Eat a High-Protein Breakfast Share on Pinterest There’s a good reason breakfast is considered the most important meal of the day. What you eat for breakfast can … Continue reading

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Highway of Tears, By Jessica McDiarmid

A searing account of the missing, and murdered, Indigenous women of Highway 16, and an indictment of the society that failed them. SynopsisFor decades, Indigenous women have gone missing or been found murdered, along an isolated stretch of highway in … Continue reading

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How to Avoid A Climate Disaster: The Solutions We Have and the Breakthroughs We Need, By Bill Gates

In this urgent, authoritative book, Bill Gates sets out a wide-ranging, practical – and accessible – plan for how the world can get to zero greenhouse gas emissions in time to avoid a climate catastrophe. SynopsisBill Gates has spent a … Continue reading

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Our House is on Fire: Scenes of a Family and Planet in Crisis, by Greta Thunberg, Malena Ernman, Beata Ernman & Svante Thunberg

“An extraordinary account of how one family rose, with unshakable moral clarity, to the tremendous responsibility of being alive at the moment when our immediate collective decisions will determine the fate of life on Earth. They share their story of … Continue reading

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Personal Advocacy: One of my “Ah Ha” Moments

Some of you know that I have been fighting a 22 month long battle with a rare blood cancer and have received a bone marrow transplant in July, 2020. It will take two years to know whether it has all … Continue reading

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Durham Ontario Health Team: Moving from Intentions to Action!

There has been much progress in the past few months with some limited but important start-up funding from the Ministry of Health. The Steering Committee, of which I am a member, has approved the following projects to begin our journey … Continue reading

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COVID: The pandemic continues amid strong local action

There is really nothing to add to the constant dialogue, changes and cross-over between phase three and vaccination schedules as all of you are either aligning with someone to provide resources or, as patients and caregivers, are trying to find … Continue reading

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A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of the American Spy Who Helped Win World War II, by Sonia Purnell

The never-before-told story of one woman’s heroism that changed the course of the Second World War SynopsisThis spy was Virginia Hall, a young American woman–rejected from the foreign service because of her gender and her prosthetic leg–who talked her way … Continue reading

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Apr 26 – Rotzy’s kind of still feeling the effects of last weeks fuddled up column

Rotzy really got thrown for a loop last week…and the after effects are still lingering when you read his commentary about “Rules at Skyline living” Sorry About Last Week….….as to last week’s column being sent out from here at “F/N”HQ … Continue reading

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Apr 29 – A message from Howard

Greetings all, The agenda for this Thursday’s meeting can be accessed at this link:  Apr 29 Presentation. This month we welcome our member, and guest speaker Eva Henn who will tell us about her experiences in the self-publishing and commercial-publishing … Continue reading

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WRITERS: Power Thesaurus

Power Thesaurus is a Google extension that is very useful for writers. Search for synonyms and antonyms easily and quickly in the browser and then type them into your document. The video demonstrates how to download, install and use POWER … Continue reading

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Proofreading is a dying art. Maybe COVID is having a broader effect than just health

Did I read that right?? TOILET OUT OF ORDER. PLEASE USE FLOOR BELOW. In a Laundromat:AUTOMATIC WASHING MACHINES: PLEASE REMOVE ALL YOUR CLOTHES WHEN THE LIGHT GOES OUT. In a London department store:BARGAIN BASEMENT UPSTAIRS… In an office:WOULD THE PERSON … Continue reading

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SENIORS WITHOUT WALLS – MAY CALENDAR

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Gmail TOOL: ‘Simple Gmail Notes’

“SIMPLE GMAIL NOTES” is a tool that allows you to write coloured labels to your Gmails. These serve as quick reminders as to what the Gmail was about, a quick way to remind you of the message content without the … Continue reading

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EDITORIAL: COVID UPDATE BY CITY (GRAPH )

Trying to keep up with the COVID information and news is distressing and nerve-wracking. There is much misinformation, confusion, contradiction and disagreement even among the health experts. Perhaps the COVID GRAPH by CITY may show a clearer picture of what … Continue reading

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Overcoming vaccine hesitancy to reach herd immunity

There is an abundancy of false information or fake news on the Internet causing many people problems with decision making based on solid, true foundations. Give what you read second thought and more consideration before accepting it. If you can … Continue reading

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How to create a dynamically wired brain

Content shared with permission from Dr. Andrea Wilkinson at BrainShape.ca.     To help preserve your mental functions (like memory and thinking speed), you want to create as many connections in your brain as possible. The more densely wired your … Continue reading

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SCREENPRESSO: excellent screen capturing app

Ever want to grab a portion of your computer screen and use it in an email? Consider using SCREENPRESSO, a free app which will do the job for you, easily and incredibly well. Download at  SCREENPRESSO Screenpresso is a free … Continue reading

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HUGS: research confirms health benefits of HUGS

Hugs can actually help reduce stress. While many of us have heard the expression ‘hug it out,’ according to one recent study, hugs can actually help us reduce stress. The study looked at over 400 adults, both men and women, … Continue reading

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Apr 19 – CARPing about more than just fish, COVID and ZOOMER 740am

Rotzy’s ‘carping’ about correcting his erroneous loquations of the past. Corrections And Stuff            Firstly, for those who’ve been keeping track, and waiting for the final word from me finding my FIFTEENTH Easter Egg. Well….in truth yours truly had already given … Continue reading

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Dougie: dunce, dunderhead or just plain dumb?

Dougie: Remember these things when you consider voting for the Conservatives. “IRON RING” around Long Term Care homes….kind of rusted away as quickly as Datsuns did in the 1970’s Merilee Fullerton, Minister of Long Term Care, may be giving care to … Continue reading

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Self-Publishing vs Commercial Publishing, EVA HENN

Eva Henn has published a memoir of her family’s escape from Hungary during the time of its revolution. When it came time to publish, Eva had to decide, publish independently or commercially. She choose SELF PUBLISHING but also investigated the alternative process.

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In Too Deep, Lee Child & Andrew Child

In Too Deep, Lee Child, Andrew Child ________________ Synopsis The gripping new Jack Reacher thriller from the #1 New York Times bestselling authors Lee Child and Andrew Child. Reacher wakes up, alone, in the dark, handcuffed to a bed in … Continue reading

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INDIAN IN THE CABINET: SPEAKING TRUTH TO POWER, Jody Wilson-Raybould

INDIAN IN THE CABINET: SPEAKING TRUTH TO POWER, Jody Wilson-Raybould This is a longer review than I normally write. I was particularly interested in Wilson-Raybould’s book because of the unusual brevity of what I believed would be a long career. … Continue reading

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EDITORIAL: Dunce downtown dilly-dallies and vascillates in disastrous times

We wrote about it long ago and now you can see it in reality. We have a dunderhead leading our provincial government. So you don’t want to cut us some slack on this view? Well, the boy at the top … Continue reading

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The CRITIQUING PROCESS

The CRITIQUING PROCESSThe CRITIQUING process involves a number of different procedures that will become easy to learn, familiar and comfortable with practice. Be aware that at the beginning, you may feel a bit lost or confused as you work your … Continue reading

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