The creative outlet of this website was initially a way to recognize the life of a generous friend who suffered from cancer for a number of years. Writing here allowed me to explore and, in some cases, to dispose of a number of other important topics.

Eventually, through the use of archive.org books I got better and better at researching and writing 'long form' articles on historical subjects in which I had an interest. However, we humans evolved as social animals and only producing text and illustrations on an old-fashioned HTML website does not provide the richness which my Tumblr account does. I enjoy 'following' about 100 other people around the world. Through them I experience and, more importantly, imagine the experiences of billions of others whom I'll never be able to 'follow'.

In particular, I appreciate the comfort many younger people have with communicating honestly about the world they experience. In return, I try to Tumblrize 'content and ideas' which may add historical perspective and even humour to the positive and negative realities we all experience.

In the past I have learned and taken up 'cultural membership' (if only briefly) in the following groups: farmers; railway operating employees; health care professionals - primary and support services; labour and safety representatives (union); managers-hospital (a rather long stint); new immigrant orientation to Canadian culture (primarily with Chinese newcomers); and ... professional advisers on securities and financial planning.

My main concentration of experience was in a 'Canadian universal health care system hospital'. Thirteen years later, with my spouse still there, I feel that I have never really left.