Category: Reflections

The past few days have been a whirlwind, and because of a rockslide on the railway between Sept-Iles and Schefferville, the connection has been spotty.

So, let’s catch up!

Thursday, August 22:

I stopped at my friend Jeff’s house in upstate New York. Jeff’s place is a gorgeous cabin-style home nestled on the side of a mountain, right next to a babbling stream. The inside of his home is just as beautiful, with deep, dark wood and stained glass everywhere. It’s always a treat to stay there, and it’s the perfect halfway point between Baltimore and Montreal.

My journey began with a smooth drive through the Adirondacks to Montreal. The weather was perfect—cool breezes and clear skies made the lush, green mountains more breathtaking. Every time I pass through the Adirondacks, I feel I could stay there forever.

As much as I enjoyed the scenic drive, it wasn’t without a bit of drama. While cruising through the Adirondacks, I noticed a state trooper ahead who had pulled someone over. I knew I had to move over to give him space, but a Jeep tailgating me in the left lane refused to let me over. I finally squeezed into the middle of the road to get around the trooper, but about a half mile later, I got pulled over myself. I tried to explain to the officer that I’d attempted to move over, and after reviewing my dashcam footage together, he let me go with a warning. I’m glad he let me go, but most especially since I’ve worked on public service announcements about the Move Over law for the Baltimore City Department of Transportation.

When I reached Montreal, it was around 5:30 PM, just in time to pick up Marilyne from work. Navigating Montreal’s rush hour traffic is never fun, but with Marilyne beside me, we managed.

We checked into our hotel near the airport, where I parked Pishu, and then we went down to the hotel restaurant for dinner. Unfortunately, the meal was a bit of a letdown. We waited over an hour for our plates, and when they finally arrived, the food was dry and overcooked. The staff wasn’t very attentive, even though the restaurant wasn’t busy.

Still, we made the best of it, playing games and enjoying each other’s company. Afterward, we headed back upstairs and watched a bit of the DNC and The 3 Body Problem before heading to sleep.

Friday, August 23:

This morning was a little hectic. Because I didn’t have my full-size suitcase, I had to get creative with my luggage. I was afraid of getting in trouble like I had last time because of all the batteries, drones, and cameras I traveled with. Marilyne reminded me to relax, we kissed goodbye, and I made it on my shuttle on time.

The airport was pretty empty. When checking my luggage, I told the handler that one of the bags was full of equipment. She was no problem and sent me to the oversized section. They scanned it, gave it a special tag, and sent me on my way—easier than I thought!

I wound through the airport and made it to the northern traveler wing. It always gives me a strange feeling. The wind is very out-of-the-way, poorly maintained and cleaned, and always gives me segregation vibes. The majority of passengers in this part of the airport are indigenous.

I stopped at La Brasseur for a quick breakfast. Adnan, the head of the Naskapi telecom company Sichuun, was at the gate, heading up to do some work. They have outfitted the entire Elder’s Gathering site with WiFi for all the visitors coming. This is great for me because I’m hoping to upload lots of photos and videos the entire time.

After many hours and ups and downs from Montreal to Quebec City to Sept-Iles, I finally landed in Schefferville.

As soon as I got my baggage, Stella and Naomi took me out to the Elder’s gathering site! I took lots of photos, make sure you follow the page to see them all.

When I arrived, the camp was already buzzing with activity. I spent the day capturing photos, including drone shots of the entire site, which I plan to use to create a map later. It’s incredible to see how much the camp has grown, with more tents popping up as people arrive.

As the day turned to night, a stunning blood-red moon rose above the camp. It was a beautiful and surreal way to end the day.

I’m spent the night in a cozy little tent that the organizers let me use, bundled up under two blankets. The night air is brisk, but the blankets are warm, and I’m looking forward to tomorrow.

Saturday, August 24:

I woke up this morning after a solid night’s sleep, feeling refreshed and ready for the day. The cool night air helped me sleep well, and despite my tent lacking a stove, I stayed warm under the blankets.

The camp was already alive with activity when I woke up, but I took a moment to walk down to the lake to pray, meditate, and prepare mentally for the day.

Breakfast was simple but perfect—fresh blueberries from the bushes around the campsite. There’s nothing quite like the taste of wild blueberries in the morning.

Throughout the day, I followed the workers around the site, documenting their progress with my camera so that we could share updates on the Elders Gathering Facebook page.

As I walked, I was accompanied by a sweet Rez dog named Myles, who decided to stick by my side. It was comforting to have him with me.

My parents also visited the site today to manage a donation booth for the many tribes gathering here. The sense of community and generosity is wonderful, and it’s heartwarming to see everyone coming together.

The camp continues to grow as more people arrive. I flew my drone again this morning to update the map I’m creating in Illustrator, but by evening, there were already at least 20 more tents set up. And with three charter planes arriving tomorrow, the camp is set to grow even more.

Today’s drive was absolutely gorgeous. The weather was perfect—cool, breezy, and sunny at around 22°C. It’s interesting; I learned that this temperature is what it’s like year-round in the Canary Islands. Now I’m thinking I might like to visit there someday.

I woke up naturally this morning, feeling refreshed after a good night’s sleep. It was a much-needed rest, especially after staying up late packing. Packing has always been a task that seems simple until you’re in the middle of it, distracted by a million other things. Marilyne was on the phone with me, helping me stay on track and reminding me of the little things I might forget. Given how often I travel, I’m seriously considering just keeping certain luggage packed—it might save me some of the hassle next time.

Last night, as the packing wore on, I decided to take a break from packing and stepped outside to capture the supermoon. Lunar photography hasn’t always been my strong suit—my shots tend to come out blurry or overexposed. But last night, I spent some time under the moonlight, reading up on techniques, and finally managed to get a shot I’m proud of. It felt good to take the time, focus, and see it pay off.

After finishing my packing this morning, I managed to get on the road before noon. I had hoped to pick up my suitcase and a pair of rubber boots from the dry cleaners—items I dropped off over a month ago after Auta had an accident on them. After weeks of not hearing back from them despite my calls, they finally called three hours into my drive to say my things were ready. A little too late. I told them I’d pick everything up after my trip, but it was frustrating considering how long I had waited.

The drive itself was smooth for the most part. Traffic was light, and I had plenty of time to enjoy the scenery. I did see a pretty rough motorcycle accident on the opposite side of the road, which gave me pause. I’ve thought about getting a new motorcycle now and then, but I’m not so sure after my last crash in 2019. It brought back memories of another accident I had years ago when I was still in college. That one was serious, too—my bike hit a concrete guardrail, and I ended up in the emergency room. Thankfully, I made a full recovery both times, but seeing that accident today made me rethink the idea of getting back on a bike. I wrote about the first accident in a blog post and shared my experience with the more recent one in a Twitter thread.

The best part of the day was reaching Jeff’s house in upstate New York. Jeff’s a good friend I met on Twitter years ago, and he’s been kind enough to offer me a place to stay halfway between Baltimore and Montreal. Breaking up the trip like this makes it so much more manageable. He made an incredible dinner—chicken, rice, and Brussels sprouts—and we spent the evening laughing and watching TV shows and movies. Moments like these make me grateful for the friends I have in my life.

Today was one of those days where everything seemed to pile up at once. I started the day catching up on a ton of work at the Department of Transportation, especially tasks related to our social media presence. The highlight was finishing Frank’s retirement video—a project that took longer than expected but came together beautifully.

I was struck by the variety of people who sent in videos wishing Frank well. Colleagues, coworkers, people who have moved on to other jobs and agencies—even several mayors left video messages for him. It was a touching reminder of his impact on so many people, and I’m glad I could pull it all together before heading out on my trip.

Yesterday, I received three new patrons on my Patreon account—two paid and one free. Seeing people appreciate the work I put out there is always encouraging. My long-term goal with Patreon is to have it become my primary source of income. Honestly, I wish to do design work for free and give it away. My design agency charges for projects because I have to pay my bills, but Patreon brings me closer to my goal of working on art and design projects that I can give away.

Even though my Patreon is small, it has a group of dedicated and loving supporters who make it possible for me to keep creating. You can sign up here if you’d like to support my work and get some cool perks.

The rest of the day involved tying up many loose ends, including graphics for new speed cameras around Baltimore and an extensive ad campaign for an upcoming job fair that will be featured on billboards across the city. I’m proud of the designs, but the workload was intense, especially with the pressure of preparing for my time off.

I didn’t sleep well last night—too much on my mind. It was a restless night between staying up late to work and then lying awake thinking about everything I still needed to do. To top it off, traffic on the way to work was a nightmare, with several accidents slowing me down. I was already running behind, and that didn’t help. Thankfully, my boss was understanding, and we managed to have a productive day, even squeezing in a lunch meeting at Rosina Gourmet.

My boss has been pretty stressed out lately, but she’s started taking a step back, making the work environment a lot nicer. Over lunch, we chatted about my trip, seeing Marilyne, and shared stories about her mom and my grandmother.

One thing that’s been frustrating me lately is how taking a vacation feels like a punishment. In the U.S., it seems like the expectation is to finish all your work before you leave, making it nearly impossible to truly relax and recharge. My job is unique, and because of that, there aren’t many people who can step in and cover for me when I’m away. While that provides some job security, taking time off is also incredibly difficult.

I love what I do, but it’s wearing me out. It’s a constant balancing act, and today was just another reminder of how much I need this upcoming break.

Now that the workday is over, I’m spending the rest of the evening packing for my trip. I’m feeling really good about it—I’ve made an exhaustive packing list, including clothing for all kinds of weather and all the tech gear I’ll need to take lots of pictures and do plenty of recordings. I’m bringing several extra hard drives to ensure enough room for all the files. It’s a lot to think about, but I’m looking forward to finally getting on the road.

Today was a mix of familiar routines and new beginnings. It started with the annual Crossing Guards Symposium—my second year covering the event. Alan Robinson, as always, set the tone with his energy, preparing the crowd for the day.

The room was bigger this time, letting me play around with some wide-angle shots I didn’t capture last year.

After the symposium, it was back to the office. I don’t love spending long hours there, but the view from my window has its perks. Watching storm clouds roll over Baltimore provided a moment of peace, a reminder that there’s beauty to be found, even on the busiest days.

One of the day’s highlights was when Frank Murphy, who recently retired after 50 years of service, stopped by the office. We spent a long time talking about visiting national parks and cool places—he’s a walking encyclopedia for the Department of Transportation. It was a meaningful conversation, especially since I won’t be able to attend his send-off party later this week.

We exchanged numbers to stay in touch. I was grateful to have had that time with him today.

By the time I wrapped up, I was exhausted. Knowing I wouldn’t have the energy to cook, I stopped by the Full Moon Pub & Grill for some fish and chips. It wasn’t just about the food—it was a chance to unwind and let the day settle.

But today isn’t just about work. I’m gearing up for a trip north, with a stop in Montreal to see Marilyne. I love spending time with her.

After Montreal, I’ll head to Kawawachikamach for the Elders’ Gathering. It’s the first time in 20 years that my hometown is hosting this event, and I’m honored to be documenting it. Capturing candid moments between the elders—many of whom I see as grandparents—is something I’m particularly looking forward to. These are stories that need to be preserved.

The journey continues.

Sunday, I visited Grace Baptist Church in Simcoe.

I had planned to visit Lynnville United Church, but I can’t figure out what time they have their service (the sign out front, their website, and the note on the door are all different).

So; I was 5 minutes late getting to Grace Baptist Church. The parking lot was nearly full, and as I came in, I was warmly welcomed and handed a bulletin.

The church was quite full; maybe 50-60 people, even using the balcony upstairs. The chairs were comfortable, and the band played late 90’s Christian rock. This was also the first church I’d been to where I’d seen nonwhite people. So I had hopes.

Then Pastor Mike Holt took the pulpit, and things began to shift.

The readings were focused on Colossians 2, which, while dense reading, are all about warnings against false prophets.

Pastor Mike Holt began using the text to warn against “the false teachings of science”.

He said “this is something we heard constantly during the pandemic” and that it was “spiritual warfare”.

He went on to tell how he had been so sick and weak this past week that he had been forced to lie on the couch for days. “But God.” He apologized to the congregation for his voice. During communion, seeming to forget his mic is on, his coughs reverberate through the church.

My mask is ON.

After communion, they sing another song, and dismiss.

A lady rushes up to me, introduces herself as one of the deacons’ wives, warmly welcomes me, begins to interrogate me in that very churchy way (do you live in the area?) and asks if I’ll be coming back.

I attempt to untangle myself from her politely, but she’s insistent. “Are you visiting? Are you looking for a church home?”

I told her that it is unlikely that I’ll be returning. She doesn’t let go. “May I ask why not? Your parents live in the area, right?”

Dear readers; I let this poor woman have it.

I said: “Frankly, I was pretty shocked by your pastor. Everyone has been so nice and friendly. But what he was spouting from the pulpit? I’m disgusted, honestly. Colossians is all about false teachings, and he’s up here DOING it.”

Some middle-aged dude has come up to eavesdrop in the background, but quickly realizes he doesn’t want any part of this, and turns away. She gets quiet and goes “I understand. I’ll be sure to relay this to the pastor.”

I replied “I sincerely hope you do”, and got out of there.

TL;DR: went to a church with an actively sick pastor who uses scripture to argue against science. 2/10, do not recommend.

I did not like this book.
Not because it is a bad book, but because it tries to be something it is clearly not.
An Asimov book.

I am no stranger to spinoff books, which were written after the author has passed on. Caliban is one of my favourite books about robots.

However, this book just does not fit in the universe that Mickey Zucker Reichert tries to shoehorn itself into.

This book is like a rather long episode of House, with the occasional robot thrown in. Other than a few passing mentions about the Laws of Robotics and the introduction of a few of Asimov‘s characters, it there’s no resemblance whatsoever to Asimov‘s series.

Isaac Asimov wrote a list of recommended reading to his Foundation and Robots series. Even though chronologically, this book would take place towards the beginning of that series, it is quite clear that the author only has a superficial understanding of who Susan Calvin is and the world Asimov created, and at least did not seem to read very much into the series.

Chronologically, Asimov’s The Caves Of Steel is supposed to follow this Reichert trilogy (of which I will be reading no more of).
It is in The Caves Of Steel that Asimov introduces even the concept of a Humaniform robot; a robot that passes for a human. That humaniform robot, R. Daneel Olivaw, while in the perfect appearance of a man, does not have the customs or mannerisms of a human being, which gives it away as a robot.

Chronologically before The Caves of Steel, all of Isaac Asimov‘s robots short stories come. This is where his character Susan Calvin, the star of Reichert’s novel, is introduced.

However, in Asimov’s stories, at no point does she ever encounter a robot who bears even a slight passing to a human being. They are all described as man-shaped, but completely metal.

In this book, there is a Humaniform Robot, Nate, who is indistinguishable from all human beings. Not only does he look like a human being, but he also has a ridiculous number of mannerisms that match a human being as well, and even flirts with Dr. Calvin.
All this, we are apparently to believe, happens several hundred years BEFORE The Caves Of Steel, where the first Humaniform robot is introduced.

There are also technologies that Asimov never uses. Nanorobots, for example, do medical procedures. In Asimov’s universe, the concept exists, but large robots are shrunk down to a very small size and injected into people.

I wouldn’t even call this book science-fiction. It is more like speculative medicine instead. It is chock-full of medical jargon, which only those well-versed in medical fields would even be able to handle. She doesn’t do a good job of explaining the jargon as she plows through it, merely leaving it to dizzy the readers in a sleight-of-hand to lead them to believe that she knows what she’s talking about.

Even the actual basis of the deus ex machina that ends the book (spoiler ahead), doesn’t even follow the rules that the author sets out.

The book’s climax is the catastrophic explosion of a four-year-old psychopath who has Nanorobots implanted into her head, which was coded to convince her to detonate a bomb that is strapped to her chest.

However, that doesn’t make consistent sense, given the author’s own description of how the three laws of robotics work.

Previously in the story, two other similarly controlled people also detonate themselves, but the three laws of robotics prevent them from harming others around them. However, the four-year-old manages to blow up the boyfriend of Susan Calvin, somehow ignoring the three laws.

These are not, by far, all of the inconsistencies and anachronisms in the book, but they are the most egregious.

The romantic scenes are… cheap? They feel like badly done harlequin novels. Nearly all the men Susan encounters are “tall, slim, muscular, and have tousled hair”. It gets old really fast, and feels like a poorly done male author’s attempt to write from a woman’s perspective and failing badly.

While Reichert does a decent job laying out some of the broader themes of this society for humanity and anti-robot sentiment, she tries to shove too many things into this book that don’t necessarily belong.

The story also has weird transphobic commentary, and even a random Islamophobic rant thrown into the middle of a section that had nothing to do with the story. The author was trying to make sense of The Society For Humanity’s extremism, but instead of using home-grown examples like the KKK or neo-Nazi movement, instead chose to vilify a religion.

To that point, the book also shoehorns in non-white characters but does so in such a way that they are 2-dimensional and othered.
And there are really only two of them.

One is “Diesel”, a Black boy who is perpetually described as a bowling ball and is the only person in the book to have an object-borne nickname. He is Dr. Calvin’s first medical success and slides her into the archetype of white saviourhood.

The other is the homicidal four-year-old psychopath who just happens to be biracial.

I didn’t like this book.
I’ll likely never read anything else from this author. It’s not worth it.