Looking back. Looking forward.

A reflective journey
London, ON
June 2023
This photo originally shared on Instagram

The scene: I’m on my way home from a meandering pedal through the steaming hot city when I decide to stop in the middle of a bridge.

I’ve already been out far longer than I originally planned, but there’s something soul-affirming about watching the river flow far below as the breezes whisper through the superstructure and the decking below vibrates gently as other cyclists and pedestrians wander on past.

It’s a place you feel, something that can’t be replicated in a Zoom call. You just have to get out here and experience it first-hand.

I munch on a granola bar and finish off one of my water bottles to fuel myself for the last push home. Before I push off, I decide to take one last picture into my rear-view mirror.

Part of me likes the angles and the shapes and the shadows, but the shot is especially resonant because it reminds me to look back at where I’ve been, even as the demands of everyday life are pulling me in the opposite direction.

We’re never too busy to pause and reflect about where we’ve been. This is just as true on meandering bike rides as it is anywhere else.

#ldnont #london #ontario #canada #cycling #bridge #mirror #reflection #shadow #rosspark #tvp #wildlifephotography #landscape #landscapephotography #photography #apple #iphone #shotoniphone #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded

Under the shady tree

Nature's spotlight
London, ON
June 2023
This photo originally shared on Instagram

Light can often be found in the deepest shadows.

As long as we have the will to seek it out.

#ldnont #london #ontario #canada #tree #trees #green #leaf #leaves #texture #light #nature #naturephotography #landscape #landscapephotography #stilllife #photography #nikon #nikonphotography #nikon_photography #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded

Always wear the weird-looking socks

Make strangers smile
Toronto, ON
February 2023
This photo originally shared on Instagram

I don’t have many rules for living life, but this one seems worth sharing: Wear the funny socks.

Because they’ll make you smile when your exhausted self catches sight of them just before you get on a plane.

Because, more importantly, they’ll make complete strangers smile, too.

Because pickles can absolutely be transformed into humanized cartoons.

Because the biggest laughs often come from the most unexpected places.

Because you learn a lot about others by whether or not they have a sense of humour - and how they choose to wield it in day-to-day life.

#pearson #international #airport #toronto #ontario #canada #throwback #pickle #green #sock #selfie #yyz #travel #travelphotography #travelgram #apple #iphone #shotoniphone #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded

The reluctant raindog

Do I really have to step off?
London, ON
March 2023
This photo originally shared on Instagram

Calli the Wonderschnauzer has never been a fan of the rain.

She’ll stand firm on the porch, just under the overhang, and refuse to step out. Treats are often involved, and even then, it’s a bit of a beg-fest.

We gently explain to her how important it is for the trees and the grass and the plants, but she doesn’t want to hear any of it. Dogs with spines made of titanium aren’t easily convinced.

Even so, I think she looks natty in her pink rain coat - nicer than anything I’ll ever wear - so a spontaneous fashion shoot before we both get even wetter and more miserable is in order on this soggy morning.

Because even the most Eeyore-like slogs in life feel better when we experience them together.

#ldnont #london #ontario #canada #calli #callitheschnauzer #dog #dogs #actofdog #schnauzerpuppy #schnauzersofinstagram #schnauzergram #schnauzers #dogsofinstagram #instapuppy #photography #apple #iphone #shotoniphone #photooftheday #ınstagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded

Bambi drops in for a visit

Lunchtime
Dryden, ON
June 2023
This photo originally shared on Instagram

Amid all the grumbling about Mondays and storms and coups and the like, I thought this photo of a deer wandering through the neighborhood in search of dinner might be in order.

Because deer make everything better.

Except gardens. They eat those.

#dryden #ontario #canada #throwback #walkabout #deer #bambi #wildlife #outdoors #wildlifephotography #animal #nature #naturephotography #photography #canon #canonphotography #canon_photography #photooftheday #instagood #photooftheday #picoftheday #pictureoftheday #nofilter #nofilterneeded

Finding wonder on a bike

Shades of green
London, ON
June 2023
This photo originally shared on Instagram

You never quite know where you’ll end up when you get on a bike and spin the pedals.

Maybe you’ve got a plan or a map. Or maybe you’re just as happy to point yourself in a general direction and see where the winds take you.

Maybe you’ll be lucky to end up somewhere you’ve never been.

Maybe you’ll have your breath taken away by what you see when you get there.

But you have to take that first pedal stroke. Because adventures don’t just happen by themselves.

#ldnont #london #ontario #canada #cycling #tvp #windermere #nature #naturephotography #landscape #landscapephotography #photography #apple #iphone #shotoniphone #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded

Light up some memories

LED dreams
London, ON
June 2023
This photo originally shared on Instagram

To most, it’s just a light bulb.

Flip a switch and it’s on; an ordinary piece of technology we tend to ignore until it stops working.

But what if it wasn’t ordinary at all? What if it lit up a time and a place we wanted to remember? What if it painted the faces of dear friends and family members who we haven’t seen in a while?

What if we stopped looking at things as ordinary and forgettable and started grabbing onto things and moments as fast-moving, irreplaceable experiences that, combined, made our lives that much more extraordinary?

What if we changed our world view a little? One bulb at a time.

#ldnont #london #ontario #canada #random #lightbulb #light #led #led #design #art #electric #abstract #stilllife #earls #restaurant #photography #apple #iphone #shotoniphone #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded

Coca-Cola: it's the real (crushed) thing

Thrown away
London, ON
June 2023
This photo originally shared on Instagram

I’m of two minds about this all-too-common scene that we came across yesterday morning on a street not far from home.

On the one hand, it’s a depressing reminder of a particularly dark facet of human behaviour. This notion that we can mindlessly toss things wherever we wish is something I’ve just never understood. People simply don’t care, and it’s beyond sad.

On the other, it’s an eye- and soul-grabbing scene, an iconic brand crushed into nuanced, textured perfection that just begs to be remembered in some way.

The story of humanity’s impact on the world around us is a complex, messy one. However it plays out in any given moment - ugly, beautiful, somewhere in between - it deserves to be told.

One hopes the ones doing the tossing have enough soul left to learn better.

#ldnont #london #ontario #canada #random #road #street #coke #cocacola #red #garbage #litter #texture #stilllife #photography #apple #iphone #shotoniphone #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded

STEP blog: AI glossary

The rapid emergence of #ArtificialIntelligence brings with it a similarly rapid growth in the number of terms and definitions.

To help keep up with the latest terminology, I’ve pulled together an updated #AI glossary for the STEP Software Inc. blog:

Artificial Intelligence glossary: the top 15 definitions you need to know

Shelf cloud above Calamity Corners

Waiting for the storm
London, ON
June 2023
This photo originally shared on Instagram

There’s a moment before a huge storm hits when everything just stops.

As the sky turns all shades of frightening, sound fades to nothing and it feels as if the oxygen has been sucked from the atmosphere.

So we stop, stand, watch, and wait for the inevitable.

Soon enough all heck breaks loose, but in this quiet beat where time stands still, we get a rare chance to pause ourselves, as well, and wonder about what we’re about to experience.

There’s no stopping what happens next, of course. But we can certainly control our mindset before we either run for cover or stand firm and feel nature’s power.

Because we always have some form of choice when facing down the overwhelming.

#ldnont #london #ontario #canada #sky #shelf #cloud #clouds #storm #onstorm #weather #wx #nature #naturephotography #landscape #landscapephotography #monochrome #photography #apple #iphone #shotoniphone #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded

The Sun stretches across the bay

Day's almost done
Old Woman Bay, Lake Superior Provincial Park, ON
June 2023
This photo originally shared on Instagram

The Sun never fails to find new ways to paint the landscape, nor does it fail to reach out to those who seek its light.

Why do I suspect this applies to more than just our nearest star?

#oldwomanbay #algoma #lake #superior #ontario #canada #roadtrip #travel #nature #naturephotography #landscape #landscapephotography #sunset #beach #photography #nikon #nikonphotography #nikon_photography #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins

Watching the ducks from above

In and out of the shadows
London, ON
June 2023
This photo originally shared on Instagram

Tell me you’ve heard this story before: a dozen ducks paddle quietly under a bridge.

What happens next is anyone’s guess.

#ldnont #london #ontario #canada #cycling #birds #ducks #bridge #shadow #rosspark #tvp #wildlifephotography #animal #nature #naturephotography #landscape #landscapephotography #monochrome #photography #apple #iphone #shotoniphone #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded

Time to switch tracks

Where journeys cross
Toronto, ON
June 2023
This photo originally shared on Instagram

Everyone is on some kind of path.

Sometimes it’s easy to see.

Sometimes not.

Sometimes we decide to change direction.

Sometimes we’re forced to do so.

Sometimes the path will be rough.

Sometimes there won’t be a path at all.

Something to remember as we shift into another work week, I guess.

Because we may not always know the path that someone might be on.

#toronto #ontario #canada #unionstation #viarail #train #track #perspective #downtown #travel #monochrome #urban #photography #canon #canonphotography #canon_photography #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded

On fatherhood

Pieces of us
Dryden, ON
June 2023
This photo originally shared on Instagram

I promise when I wake up tomorrow I’ll be as thankful for these three as I am today. Actually, more so.

The calendar notwithstanding, being their dad has been the wildest, most rewarding adventure I could have ever imagined. Watching them come into their own as kind-hearted, creative, brilliant contributors to the world is easily the most rewarding thing I could have ever done.

Yet today isn’t about dads so much as it is about the communities that shepherd kids from nothingness to greatness. Children are the sum total of countless sources of influence, and the similarly countless examples of family - however we choose to define the term - who are all part of their journey.

We’ve been surrounded by a rich family tapestry since the moment we first arrived in this special place, and I was merely one piece of a much larger puzzle.

This is equally true every day. And as much as I love the sentiment of celebration, I don’t need a card to remind me. Time together is more than sufficient.

#LiveLaughLevy #dryden #throwback #ldnont #london #ontario #canada #fathersday #dad #dads #life #parenthood #family #everything #apple #iphone #shotoniphone #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins

Where adventures begin and end

Let there be light
Toronto, ON
June 2023
This photo originally shared on Instagram

Union Station isn’t so much a destination as a waypoint. Hundreds of thousands of travellers and commuters move through this reverent space every day, most of them never taking the time to drink in the surroundings.

But I’ve never been one to follow crowds, anyway, so my transits through here usually involve a pause or two. This time is no different.

Standing on the cool marble floor, I’m struck by the history of the space. This Beaux-Arts masterpiece was completed in 1927, yet here I stand about to photograph it with a smartphone camera the architects couldn’t have even dreamed of. It feels like a reach back in time whenever I stop in here.

Soon enough I’m back on my way, the demands of the day weighing on me as I shift gears and move ever closer to showtime.

Life in the real world outside, after all, never stops, even as we wish we had more opportunities - and time - to do just that.

#toronto #ontario #canada #unionstation #viarail #train #downtown #building #glass #architecture #architecturephotography #design #buildingporn #architectureporn #travel #monochrome #urban #photography #apple #iphone #shotoniphone #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded

Chilling with Glenn Gould

Under the watchful eye of a virtuoso
Toronto, ON
June 2023
This photo originally shared on Instagram

I spent the day in the big city yesterday.

The mission was an interesting one: attend a major industry conference and lead a panel of folks way smarter than me in front of a large audience - who I’m certain were also way smarter than me. We explored the changing cybersecurity landscape in the gaming industry.

I was honoured to be invited, and it went exceptionally well, with random conversations spilling out onto the conference venue floor long after we signed off from the stage.

Needless to say, my head was brimming with ideas as I walked the downtown streets afterward back to the train station. Now I know how athletes feel after a major event: it’s intense.

Somehow I found myself engaging in a little spontaneous street photography, with a little help from Canadian musical icon Glenn Gould and a stranger who had no idea I was even there.

It was good for my soul to wield the mic from the stage, then come down from the experience by wielding my camera on a downtown Toronto street. We’ll call it a good day, one that’s already been tucked into my overflowing pile of similarly memorable days.

Do you have certain days you’ve tucked away, as well?

#toronto #yyz #ontario #canada #torontolife #gta #thesix #urban #downtown #street #photography #cbc #glenngould #walkabout #apple #iphone #shotoniphone #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded

Doggo perspective

Yes, I'm smiling
London, ON
June 2023
This photo originally shared on Instagram

Yesterday was a hard day for so many. So I thought I’d hang out a bit more with our dog.

See, Calli the Wonderschnauzer knows not of mass layoffs, wildfires, inflation, climate change, or the social media trolls who revel anonymously in the misfortunes of others.

She’s as pure as it gets. She plays, does tricks in exchange for treats, bops her favorite people with her nose, and curls up in our lap when she gets tired. She is our ball of crazy happiness, 16 pounds of furry light, an antidote to an often dark, unkind planet.

Today is shaping up to be another rough day, and I’ll be far from home for much of it. But returning to an unconditional welcome - and maybe a puppy hug or two - makes it all just a little easier to handle.

Not bad for a tiny dog.

#ldnont #london #ontario #canada #calli #callitheschnauzer #dog #dogs #actofdog #schnauzerpuppy #schnauzersofinstagram #schnauzergram #schnauzers #dogsofinstagram #instapuppy #photography #apple #iphone #shotoniphone #photooftheday #ınstagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded

CJBK goes silent. Another national death-blow from Bell Media.

Incredibly saddened to hear that Newstalk 1290 CJBK here in London went silent this morning for the final time.

My time working there - including coveted shifts in the big chair - was made magical by some of the kindest folks I’ve ever encountered in the radio biz.

I get that the inevitable march of technological progress has decimated the business prospects for AM radio in recent years, but that doesn't mean this loss hurts any less. Some truly remarkable humans were cast aside less than an hour ago without so much as a thank you because a massively profitable conglomerate failed to roll with the punches.

#LdnONT has lost a treasure.

UPDATE - 12:03 p.m. ET

Newstalk 1290's shutdown is part of Bell Media's latest nationwide cutback announcement. 1,300 jobs lost across all platforms. 6% of their remaining workforce. 6 stations being shuttered:

• London’s NewsTalk 1290
• Winnipeg - Funny 1290
• Calgary - Funny 1060(br> Edmonton - TSN 1260 Radio
• Vancouver - BNN Bloomberg Radio 1410
• Funny 1040

AM Radio 1150 and AM 820 in Hamilton and AM 580 in Windsor are also being sold to an unnamed buyer, pending CRTC approval.

More here:

Bell cutting 1,300 positions, closing radio stations with plans to ‘significantly adapt’ how it delivers news

The company says the job cuts are in response to unfavourable public policy and regulatory conditions it can no longer outwait.

The Canadian Press

UPDATE - 2:30 p.m. ET

CTV National News also affected:

• Bureaus in LA and London closed, all employees laid off, including Tom Walters, Daniele Hamamdjian, and Paul Workman.
• Ottawa Bureau Chief Joyce Napier and Sr. Reporter Glen McGregor gone.
• Exec Producer Rosa Hwang gone.
• Washington bureau being scaled back.
• W5 correspondent Molly Thomas gone.

For the record, Bell Media recorded profits of $771 million in its most recent quarter. They say they “lose” $40 million on news, conveniently forgetting that these are legitimate news gathering expenses.

Meanwhile more voices are silenced, more communities and stories remain uncovered. Democracy indeed dies in darkness.

When the skies threaten...

Take cover
London, ON
June 2023
This photo originally shared on Instagram

Had us some wild weather in Pitkinville last night.

Just as the frightening-looking storm moved over us, I jumped out of the car and shot a few random images from the parking lot. Soon enough, the skies opened up with thunder so loud it shook the car.

The drive home was wild, with enough water down that I half-expected Noah and his magical ark to float by. Somewhere entirely too close to our location, photos of funnel clouds were frantically being posted to social media.

As we pulled into the driveway and heaved a sigh of relief, I realized how lucky we were to have a home in the first place, and a means to get us there. I wondered about those who lacked shelter of their own, and how they were faring amid all this.

London is no different than other cities: the homeless crisis has exploded, with encampments spilling into plain view and businesses everywhere wrestling with constant street and property crime. The solution - assuming it can ever be considered solved - will be neither easy nor timely.

Indeed, I had no solutions as we headed inside and said quiet thanks for safe haven. I just wish this life thing could be a little more fair to us all.

#ldnont #london #ontario #canada #sky #cloud #clouds #storm #onstorm #weather #wx #nature #naturephotography #landscape #landscapephotography #monochrome #photography #apple #iphone #shotoniphone #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded

Apple Vision Pro takes a bow

Apple’s just-announced Vision Pro mixed reality headset won’t break sales records when it goes on sale early next year. But that isn’t the point.

The next major computing revolution is now underway. My latest article for STEP Software cuts through the hype.

Apple Vision Pro won’t break sales records – but it will still change computing

#syntheticcomputing #ar #vr #mr