Which outdated technology do you miss the most, and why?
If I want to purchase physical copies of music from a store, I can’t simply go to the local Best Buy nor music store (remember HMV Music? Indigo Books [and music]? Sam The Record Man? Boom [in Toronto]?). I can hazard digging around the used piles of media housed at Randy’s Records in Owen Sound. Or, order them from Amazon. When I purchased my first compact disc in 1989-90, I was hooked. I gleefully dumped my cassette tapes — those fragile spools of magnetic tape that birdnested, stretched, snapped, and did all kinds of things when played through mediocre-quality machines. I didn’t have good equipment to play vinyl records. And those fuckers were HEAVY… if one had a collection of more than 100 albums. I miss the ability to EASILY purchase physical music media.
July 20, 2026 Update = Canadian Firearm Safety Course.
Hey, I passed both the written and practical examinations. Now, I’m waiting for the official email from The Firearms Safety Education Service of Ontario (FSESO). And then I can apply for my Possession and Acquisition License (PAL) from the RCMP-OPP. Am I going to run out, buy a safe and populate it with non-restricted rifles and shotguns? No comment! These deadly and delightful devices are not cheap and I also have to audition for a membership at a local firing range. These sites don’t advertise themselves and keep a low community profile — much like me. I can see myself joining a local hunting and conservation group. There’s soooooooo much misinformation about firearms and gun-ownership. I believe firearm ownership is a privilege in Canada. Not a US-style constitutional right. I don’t live the USA.
How was my Canadian Firearm Safety Course (CFSC), for non-restricted firearms? It was a 1-day super course that I had to take in Stoney Creek, Ontario (about 20 minutes south of Hamilton [I’m grateful I had family friends who could host me for 2 nights]). I pre-read the course manual, using all the ESL-literacy tools I taught back in high school. WDIS/WDIM T-charts scrawled on the printouts. Pre-reading and predicting a chapter with KNL sketches. Circles and (labeled) arrows. I took perfectly bland RCMP course handouts and turned them into a riot of decoding! Firearm safety training attracts a wide variety of interested parties. I’ll be diplomatic — responsible and ethical firearm users are a diverse crew. I was pleased to see 2 women taking the course. They were the only two people who approved of my T-shirt (i.e., “Before you do, don’t”… bold white lettering on a black background). I was the oldest guy there. The instructor and students assumed I was a farmer from the bush up near Tobermory. I didn’t correct their assumptions. Did I meet people who should NOT be given a PAL? Oh fuck yes. The most hair-raising student was a 7-year old boy who was there with his father (dad had custody for this week). That’s too young to be working with firearms and I sincerely hope he failed his practical exam (I left the event before I learned of the kid’s fate). Don’t ask me how I know he passed his written exam (as a retired teacher, my classroom hearing overhead the conversation between the dad, 7-year-old, and instructor and it made me shudder). Shit, at least the child must be in direct supervision with his parent. I was pleased to see a 15-16 year old young man present. He was all business and he met some interesting 20-35 year old peers at the event and they talked about the FIFA game. Unfortunately, there were students who had blazed up during breaks to manage their anxiety. Yeah… using cannabis before a practical exam. I shook my head sadly, got my signed paperwork from the instructor and GTFO of the classroom & Stoney Creek (and spent the evening with people whom I understand).
While I was studying for and attending the course, we had some very poor air quality descend upon the peninsula. It was caused by the Northern Ontario fires.
TS and I dug through several keepsakes boxes looking for a POL (possession only license) I earned when I was a teenager. If I had found it, the processing time for my PAL would be shortened significantly. No luck. I must have tossed it as a way to purge painful memories from my childhood. No matter — I’m returning to responsible firearm usage as a 56-year-old man and can return to the sport on my own terms! In the meantime, TS and I are paring down additional items from these keepsakes boxes. We dumped (to the burn box) paper momentos that have needlessly negative connotations or were from unknown parties (examples: cards from absentee fathers, correspondence from ZG and TJS, forgettable-student-A,B,C). These bits will be cleansed away by purifying fire 🙂
TS is storing the TMNT toys in a dark, dry linen closet while she shops them around for potential buyers. She bought them while she worked at a toy store in downtown Vancouver’s Pacific Centre Mall.
July 22, 2026 Pavillion Update.
The soffits are getting enshrouded with a double layer of nylon bug screen. Then, it’ll get framed with 1″x2″ cedar strips to lock it in. One of the consequences of installing the storm windows with the locking mechanism facing outside are the collection of dead insects that lodge themselves between the metal mesh and the glazing. I try to save as many as I can; however, there’s a lot of carcasses left for me to remove. The windows can be partially disassembled from the frame so cleanup will be okay. Before the cold weather starts, I’ll spray down these window locks with silicone spray (or WD40) I don’t want these frames to seize up from corrosion or ice. THE PAVILLION’S CHARACTERISTICS REMAIN UNCHANGED. IT’S A FREE-STANDING STRUCTURE KEPT SEPARATE FROM THE HOUSE. ITS INTERNAL SURFACE AREA IS <50 SQUARE FEET. IT IS NOT PART OF OUR FULL TIME LIVING ZONE. NO COMMERCIAL ACTIVITIES TAKE PLACE IN THAT OUTBUILDING. I don’t want to run afoul with the bylaw enforcement officers. I do want to have some structure in front of those south-facing double doors to prevent housecat escape.
BCB&B, neemtree, bdb, and blog 