dcmontreal

[dcmontreal]

My Grandfather's lexicon and salute to mediocrity

I’ve always liked the word lexicon, defined as the “vocabulary of a language, an individual speaker or group of speakers, or a subject”. I wonder if the words and terms used by denizens of Guadalajara make up a Mexicon? Or if those witty utterances of the wee lucky green people from Ireland constitute a Lexichaun? If it involved six languages would it be a Hexicon? Or if it’s local to El Paso…

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#Words

[dcmontreal]

Good Friday and The Lord of the Dance

Long before there was the popular Michael Flatley led dance troupe, there was a song, perhaps a hymn is a better term, titled The Lord of the Dance. This tune was a regular number for most Irish/English pub entertainers playing the Montreal circuit. Although a pub classic, the lyrics are without doubt religious in nature and particularly apt on this Good Friday. The Lord of the Dance I danced…

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#Easter #Good Friday #Lord of the Dance

[dcmontreal]

Gastroscopy: No one ever died from gagging

A few weeks ago I underwent a medical procedure that I had been dreading for about 18 months; to wit, a gastroscopy. In layman’s terms this involves sliding a garden hose-like camera down one’s throat that provides a great view of one’s innards, and a snipper allows the doctor to take small samples for biopsy. In my case they were looking to see if I have an ulcer, or just acid reflux. As I have…

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#Choking #Gastroscopy #montreal

[dcmontreal]

Remember when doctors doctored?

The American actress Bette Davis is credited with one of the most cited quotes about the experience of aging. Said the First Lady of the American Screen: Getting old is not for sissies. On the other hand, French singer and actor Maurice Chevalier displayed a more positive outlook on getting older when he said: Old age isn’t so bad when you consider the alternative. While I certainly appreciate…

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#Aging #Modern medicine

[dcmontreal]

Culture Shock

By no means can I claim to be a seasoned world traveller, but in the little bit of globetrotting that I have undertaken I have enjoyed what I believe is known as culture shock. The word shock can be a little misleading. My understanding of the term is that it refers to the small but numerous – and often interesting – differences one finds in places other than their home environment. Wikipedia…

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#Culture shock #Travel

[dcmontreal]

Costa Rica: Pura Vida and Parking

The people of Costa Rica – Ticos – have an expression that exhorts people to live life to its fullest. The term is Pura Vida. A direct translation doesn’t do justice to the term. According to Costa Rican Vacations, if you want to translate, pura vida, it means “simple life” or “pure life,” but in Costa Rica, it is more than just a saying—it is a way of life. Ticos use this term to say hello,…

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#Costa Rica #Parking

[dcmontreal]

No Xmas in Costa Rican shopping malls

Over the last few years, a lot has been said in North America, and parts of Europe, about the religious aspect of Christmas. Perhaps this stems from the old Xmas abbreviation for Christmas. For reasons of personal sensitivity, in an attempt to make society non-denominational, much reference to the religious aspect of Christmas, and Chanukah, and other celebrations that fall around the end of the…

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#Christmas #Costa Rica #Shopping malls

[dcmontreal]

Costa Rica and Reusable Plastic Bags

We’re back now in snowy rainy icy Montreal after almost three weeks in hot Costa Rica. Talk about a shock to the system! As the photo below clearly illustrates, a mere five-hour flight yet a world of difference in weather conditions. Oh well, it was great while it lasted. The folks in Costa Rica have made a wise move in making tourism their main industry. Sure there’s lots of bananas and…

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#Costa Rica #Recycling

[dcmontreal]

A Gringo in Costa Rica - Volcanoes and Thermal Springs

(San Isidro, CostaRica) If you read this blog with any regularity you may well know that I can’t swim. Now, usually when I say that people think I mean I can’t swim well. But no, I mean I can’t swim. Pools, lakes, and oceans are just varying sized vats of death to me. My father swam like a fish, as does one of my brothers. Somehow the first born and last born missed the memo about swimming. All…

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#Costa Rica #thermal springs #volcanoes

[dcmontreal]

Thumbs

(San Isidro, Costa Rica) Old sayings get to be old because they stand the test of time. One such example is the old saw ‘You don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone’. This exhortation to appreciate what one has is, and I believe always will be, relevant. With that in mind, let me tell you a little bit about my thumbs. Not that I have lost them. Perish the thought. In fact when it comes to many…

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#cortisone shots #Tendonitis #thumb pain

[dcmontreal]

Costa Rican street rain gutters

(San Isidro, Costa Rica) Costa Rica, like other Central American countries, gets a lot of rain. Depending on the time of year, that may mean long stretches of rainy days. This used to be called, not surprisingly, the ‘rainy’ season. As you can imagine, this was a bit of a hitch when it came to tourism. Along came some bright mind who suggested it be referred to as the ‘green’ season instead.…

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#Costa Rica #Driving #Rain

[dcmontreal]

Costa Rican Bank Security

(San Isidro, Costa Rica) People often refer to the notion of the ‘world getting smaller’ when they consider the rapid advancements in Internet communication over just a few decades. Perhaps this is most recognizable in the area of banking. Where I, like many, used to be a regular visitor to my branch, I now meet with my advisor once a year. Rarely, if ever, do I have cash in my wallet;…

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#Banks #Costa Rica

[dcmontreal]

Gringo at the beach

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#Costa Rica

[dcmontreal]

A Gringo in Costa Rica 2023

My wife is originally from Venezuela. When the political situation in the nineties made it difficult to live a normal life there, she and many of her family members left. In my wife’s case, the final straw was being the victim of what is known as “kidnap express”. Strangely this tactic is similar to today’s popular grandmother scam where a person claiming to be a family member calls granny and…

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#Costa Rica

[dcmontreal]

Montreal Bar Christmas Poem 2023

For the better part of a decade I have taken the liberty, or perhaps more accurately I have taken liberties with my fellow bar cronies, to write a Christmas poem. It all started back in the Irish Embassy, then a couple of years at N sur Mackay, now Hurley’s has been kind enough to put up with my shenanigans. I little levity during what can sometimes be a stressful holiday season goes a long way.…

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#Montreal area #Poetry #Youtube

[dcmontreal]

NYT Crossword - one square; one letter please

Over the last few years I have settled into a morning routine. This includes checking emails, reading my local newspaper, and doing several crossword puzzles. All of this I do on my PC while having my morning coffee. One of the crosswords is the daily New York Times puzzle that I access via the Seattle Times website. It is usually a few weeks after it has appeared in the Times. The NYT puzzles…

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#Crossword puzzles #NYT

[dcmontreal]

Cinema ticket purchase double-dip

There was a time when the only double dipping that went on in a cinema was getting extra butter (or ‘Golden Topping’) on your popcorn. Yesterday was a typical Montreal November day – dull, threatening sky, cool, breezy, and blah. It being a Sunday my wife and I decided it was the perfect day to go see a movie. I’m not a big movie person, so I leave the selection up to my wife. Lo and behold,…

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#AMC #App fees #montreal #Wordpress