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Today it’s all about the artwork, inspired by the Barbie movie I just watched via streaming. It was a fun and feel-good film, one that made me want to gather my digital paintbrushes and dip them in pink!

In the month of October when Halloween is approaching, we could typically walk into any café and they’d offer the Pumpkin Spice Latte. I am a bit surprised to learn that this coffee drink may or may not contain pumpkin or pumpkin flavour. Instead, the essential ingredients in ‘Pumpkin Spice’ usually consist of a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and clove.

Although this beverage is very much in demand and a seasonal favorite, I have always found the combination of spices in the drink makes it taste strange – Cinnamon mixed with ginger, really?

But reputable sources say that there’s a link between smell and memory, and the festive smell of ‘Pumpkin Spice’ is said to trigger cozy and feel-good memories – as these memories are often associated with the holiday season.

So just the other day I went to the coffee shop and ordered one such latte….but nah…I have once again confirmed that the drink is not for me.

Several weeks ago, I had gotten up in the middle of the night for a trip to the washroom, and DOINK!! – my right eye hit the wall which caused a bit of trauma. (See diagram illustrating how this task was accomplished.) In hindsight, I was overly confident with my ability to make that all-too-familiar trip – eyes closed.

My eye was hurting a little, but as it didn’t feel serious enough for further action, I followed my heart-felt inclination to climb right back into bed.

But the next morning when I woke up, uh-oh! I was haunted by a network of long, fibrous floaters twisting and twirling in my right eye. 

It bothered me so much that I had to do some google research for my condition. 

According to the American Society of Retina Specialists (asrs.org), for severe cases of floaters, some may opt for vitrectomy, which surgically removes the vitreous gel that filled the cavity inside the eye. A saline solution would then be injected to replace the drained vitreous gel. 

Laser is another option that can break a large fibrous mass into smaller bits to make it less bothersome. 

As I didn’t feel ready for either one of these options, and there’s literature that mentioned floaters caused by acute trauma may improve over time for some, I kept my fingers crossed that I’d fall into this category.

The following is NOT advice, it’s just my personal choice: As I thought there’d be nothing to lose, I also started using an OTC, herbal remedy for eye-health that some herbalists and Chinese medicine practitioners have mentioned on Youtube. 

A month has gone by and lucky for me, my condition has much improved and I am, by and large, able to ignore the floaters’ dimmed and tamed existance. Thank goodness!

Lately, I’ve been doing a lot of food-court-hopping. 

Imagine a paper carton filled with chow mein, 10 pieces of good-sized shrimp, 4 pieces of pork chop, plus a good portion of calamari – all for less than C$20. The boxed-meal was so sizable that you could very well have shared it with a friend, and both of you would still be full.

Haha as I’m not a shill, I am not going to show a photo of the sumptuous meal, nor would I reveal the name of the Chinese food court and eatery which sell such amazing foods at a low price. That would be a spoiler anyway; wouldn’t it be fun to do your own exploring on the myriad of different dining choices that are available in your town?

So if you are not looking for high-end food with perfect ambience, decor and customer service, you may want to dig around and go on a treasure hunt. Trust me. As an experienced food-court hopper, I know there are lots of hidden gems out there that are waiting to be found.

It is deceivingly harmless and plain looking and, is similar in appearance to some edible species. Yet, this death cap mushroom is lethal.

This species of mushroom, also known as the ‘silent assassin’, is responsible for more than 90% of deaths from mushroom poisoning. And this deadly fungus is currently seen throughout Greater Victoria in Vancouver Island. 

People who accidentally eat this mushroom usually experience an upset stomach within 6-12 hours after intake. Then the discomfort goes away for up to 3 days, but toxins from this fungus remain in the bloodstream and secretly attacks the liver and kidneys, ultimately causing organ failure and even death. 

If you see these death caps in your garden, pick them with rubber gloves and dispose of them in the garbage bin. 

Scams with fraudsters trying to sell fake gold on the streets are on the rise again. 

The latest crimes involved crooks taking children with them to appeal to the emotions of potential victims. 

And the usual target in these cases? Mainly elderly people. Soliciting minors and seniors and taking advantage of them in this manner…these actions are very repugnant to us law-abiding citizens. 

I doubt that even crooks would bring with them their own kids when they commit these crimes. And would they sleep soundly at night if their own grandparents had fallen prey to scams of this nature?

The saying ‘ Honour among theives’ is becoming obsolete.

After Kate’s cancer disclosure,  numerous ‘Royal Obeservers’, professional ones and amateurs included, were apologizing for the harsh remarks they made against the Princess of Wales. It’s the beautiful side of human nature, to feel sympathey, empathy or guilt toward a fellow human being who has fallen ill. 

But thumbs down to the paparazzi and the social media KOLs for spreading negativity based on speculation and hurtful rumours during the period when Kate wasn’t ready to face the public.

Over ninety-nine percent of those in this category have never even spoken to Kate personally, but that didn’t stop them from fervantly blasting their skewed, unilateral opinions in tabloids or all over the internet. Some of the attacks were so absurd and so far from the truth that one has to wonder if the perpetrators were possessed, or just grossly obsessed.

Anyhow, I wish the princess well with all my heart and hope for her quick and full recovery.

Come April 1, Canadians will be paying three cents more per litre of fuel due to the implementation of the carbon tax. Gas currently sits around $2 per litre, so a full tank may easily cost more than $100.

As farmers and ranchers in the BC interior have suffered from unprecedented floods and droughts in recent years, it is of course reasonable to subsidize them whenever necessary. But looking at their high energy/transportation bills, I am not sure that raising the carbon tax is the solution. 

And did you know that in BC, about two-thirds of the provinces’s families rely on natural gas for home-heating, and these homes must pay extra taxes? 

It is not a matter of choice for homes to be using fossil fuels rather than electricity for heating – the province’s utility company makes that decision as the energy provider. 

Heating our homes is also not a matter of choice, so taxing residents extra is clearly not the answer for mitigating climate change. It is up to the government to impose necessary changes: Leaders need to take the initiative to help the province transition to cleaner and greener alternatives. 

A final note of warning: I am not so sure that nuclear energy is a ‘cleaner’ alternative – it is a frustrating fact that Japan is still dumping gallons of radioaactive liquid into the ocean.

It’s a safe bet for numerous occasions including cocktail parties, wine-and-cheese tasting, first dates, Christmas and annual dinners at work…you name it.

The caveat that comes to mind is the attendance of Lunar New Year events – choose something pretty in red for these!

(My artwork)

It wasn’t cropping a head and exchanging it with someone else’s – Princess Kate merely did a bit of minor touchup on a photo of her with her three little darlings, and BOOM.

The media recalled the photo.

The front page of half a dozen UK papers reported it. 

The incident made international headlines too, alongside with news such as the latest updates on Gaza and Ukraine.

Across the continent in Canada, a popular news station devoted a segment discussing the issue, with a couple of ‘Royal Observers’ providing their expert opinion.  

Apparently it’s a big deal: Respect and trust were lost. The younger generation is annoyed. The edited photo even sparked the question of whether the British monarchy is still relevant today. 

I fail to understand why this little act deserves so much public attention, but I do feel for Kate – being a princess certainly ties her to some ridiculously weighty baggage.