Category: Around the World
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Third places on Christmas
When I grew up, Christmas was a day to spend at home or in someone else’s house. The convention was to be with family. Even if you weren’t, there wasn’t really an option, because most of the stores were closed. (Chinese restaurants were an exception!) That’s less the case now. There are several restaurants and…
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Two articles I wrote very early in my career
A couple of years ago, I wrote about my gig writing for Techvibes while I was an undergrad university student. I was a self-taught writer, and these posts are part of my very early work. Techvibes was acquired in 2016, and most of the articles were stripped of author credentials. Some of them have all…
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Imagining the future of The Path, after Cumberland Terrace
One of my favorite aspects of Toronto is the set of underground tunnels expanding out of the financial district known as The Path. Among its connections are a university, a mall, a stadium, a conference center, and a movie theater. The most northern point of the Path is the Atrium on Bay. Several blocks north…
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Notes from a season of movement
I’ve moved around the world more often than usual this year. I hadn’t written much about this, so I wanted to start with this post: My wife and I moved away from NYC, where we lived for two years, back to Toronto. I left my job as the director of marketing for FGX. I spent…
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Bias for novelty
If you’re used to the same routines every day—same route to work, same apps and websites, same friends—then you have a lot to gain by exploring. Try a new coffee shop, restaurant, or bar. Visit a nearby local town. Don’t order your favorite dish, set out to find a second favorite. Don’t be surprised to…
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Document whatever’s in front of you
On Sunday evening, I saw a man sitting at the back of a vintage shop in Daikanyama. He sat on a small stool, with his backpack tucked between his legs. His right hand held a blank notebook open, his left held a black pen. He drew the scene in front of him—racks of pants, shirts,…
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Be mindful of what you’re getting good at
A friend of mine had moved from Toronto to Hong Kong for work. When he first arrived, he didn’t know anyone. He had a decision to make: He could get really good at spending time by himself, including sitting at home in the evenings and watching TV. Or, he could get really good at socializing.…
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In praise of the early morning flight
Flying in the morning means waking up really early. It’s exhausting and inconvenient, so it deters a lot of people. The type of people who decide to make this tradeoff, and show up, are usually particularly responsible. They’re punctual. They want more time at their destination, so much so that they’re willing to wake up…