“Born On The High Seas”

One thing I’ve been doing with my spare time lately is digging into some family genealogical history. That means I’ve been running search after search on some provincial archive websites for the past few weeks.

At one point the other day I had tracked down some records relating to my great grandmother. Emphasis on the “some.” A couple of records that I was looking for were proving elusive.

Eventually I found a record where great-grandma had given an attestation for the birth of my grandfather’s sister, which she signed with the surname “Rose.” Nothing odd about that, except my g-grandfather’s surname was McLean and her maiden name was Flynn. This might explain why I can’t find her death records by searching for Flynns and McLeans.

So, I dug a bit deeper, and I found a marriage registration between my great-grandmother and a gentleman named, no surprise, Rose. A wedding that was witnessed by my grandfather and his sister and that took place when both the bride and groom were 75 years old. Three weeks before the groom’s death, according to another record I found registered with the province. Huh. Well, it was the 1950s, so I guess things were different back then?

Anyhow, I have more free time than I know what to do with nowadays, so I ran some queries on young Mr. Rose as well. I quickly found another record relating to his parents that showed his mother was from Northern Ireland, and that his father was born… literally, and I’m quoting here… “On the high seas.”

I bet there were some interesting stories that came out of that family history!

Archived birth certificate showing child's father was born on the high seas.
Archived birth certificate showing child’s father was born on the high seas.

Suffice it to say, this was a much-too-long way to get to the joke this reminded me of:

I’m not saying ships were slow back then, but ships were so slow back then that a heavily pregnant woman approached the captain one day and says “I need a doctor, I’m going to have a baby!”

The captain says to the woman, “Ma’am, you shouldn’t have gotten on board the ship in that condition!”

To which the woman replies: “I didn’t!”

Anyone else got a funny/strange/unexpected story from their family’s past that they care to share? I’d love to hear it!

Remembering Stuart Maclean

When I think of truly great storytellers, Stuart Maclean is the first name that comes to mind. His stories on CBC Radio’s “The Vinyl Café,” were windows into the everyday lives of characters that felt like old friends. Stuart had this incredible gift for turning the simplest moments into something special, finding humor and heart in places most of us might overlook.

“The Vinyl Café” wasn’t just a radio show—it was a much anticipated weekly gathering, where I would get together with Dave, Morley, and the colorful cast of characters who occupied their world. Stuart’s storytelling was pure magic, balancing humor with tenderness. He captured the little quirks of life and made them universally relatable, which I think is why his stories resonated with people around the world.

What made Stuart’s work really stand out was his knack for making us laugh and tear up, often in the same breath. His stories reminded us of the importance of community and the beauty in the ordinary. Whether it was Dave getting into a ridiculous situation while cooking a turkey or Morley reflecting on the quieter moments of motherhood, Stuart’s tales always left you feeling both grounded and uplifted.

And here’s the good news—if you missed “The Vinyl Café” when it aired or just want to revisit those wonderful stories, you still can! The podcast “Tales from The Vinyl Café,” hosted by Stuart’s long-time producer Jess Milton, is keeping his legacy alive. It’s like a time capsule of everything we loved about his storytelling.

Check out “Backstage At The Vinyl Café.” Each episode is a reminder of Stuart Maclean’s unmatched storytelling ability. So, grab a cup of coffee, tune in, and let Stuart’s warmth and humor brighten your day.

Ah, air travel.

Airports, the gateways to the world, often feel more like choke points of frustration. They’re this odd mix—where speed collides with delay, and motion collides with moments of total stillness. Crowds pack the space, as travelers from all corners of the world hustle for a bit of elbow room, creating this palpable tension you can practically feel in the air. And then, of course, everything costs a fortune. The second you step past those sliding doors, it’s like the normal rules of supply and demand economics vanish. That bottle of water or quick snack you’d normally pick up without thinking suddenly feels like an investment.

People walking through an airport terminal.
Source

What’s even more absurd is the rush that’s always undercut by endless waiting. You see it in those long lines curling through terminals—for security, for boarding, even just for a cup of coffee. It’s that enforced idleness that seems to make people more impatient, rushing around just to stand still again. And honestly, what’s the rush? Your flight’s going to be delayed anyway, I can all but guarantee it. When something actually runs on time, that’s the surprise. All of this frustration just adds to the stress, leaving everyone feeling a little more worn out and on edge.

Add that exhaustion into the mix, and it’s no wonder people get snippy. Politeness tends to take a back seat when nerves are frayed, and you can feel it in the short, clipped conversations all around. In the end, airports may be engineering marvels and global hubs, but let’s face it—they’re not exactly places anyone enjoys hanging around.

Why am I talking about this right now, you ask? No reason at all, really.

Oh, hang on, they’re announcing how much longer my flight’s going to be delayed. This’ll be nice. I always appreciate a good work of fiction. 

Here’s An Interesting Take On A.I.

I heard this earlier this week on the People I (Mostly) Admire podcast.

Steven Levitt is talking to economist David Autor and the discussion morphed from labor vs. capital markets into speculation about what the impact of A.I. will be on the labor force.

Like Levitt, I’m probably more pessimistic on the subject than Autor is, but he does provide some perspectives I hadn’t considered. Of course he’s spent considerably more time thinking about this than I have, not to mention being smarter than me.

The A.I. discussion starts at 36:00 and goes until 53:00