Rediscovering Sarah McLachlan: Fumbling Towards Ecstasy 30 Years On

It was 1994. I remember it clearly because I was standing in front of a CD rack when I saw her—this red-headed woman with a half-smile, staring right at me. Her right hand was resting on her heart, and everything about her, from her bright hair to her pale face, popped against this moody, dark background. The name “Sarah McLachlan” was scrawled on the side, right next to the album title: Fumbling Towards Ecstasy. Mysterious, alluring—it had me hooked before I even knew who she was. I didn’t have a clue what she sounded like, but I was the type of person who bought records based on a gut feeling and the cover art. So, naturally, I grabbed it.

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Deadpool & Wolverine: A Journey of Snikts & Laughter

Marvel fans who have long awaited the reunion of two iconic comic characters will not be disappointed with “Deadpool & Wolverine,” the sole Marvel Studios release of 2024.

Fueled by an enormous global marketing campaign led by its two titular stars, the film faces the daunting task of reversing Marvel Studios’ recent critical and box-office slump while meeting the lofty expectations of both casual viewers and die-hard superhero fans.

In many ways, this movie delivers. It is a funny, vulgar, violent, and emotional buddy film, driven primarily by the on-screen chemistry between Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman. Emma Corrin and Matthew Macfadyen also shine in their supporting roles as Cassandra Nova and Paradox.

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First thing in the morning

I’ve been waking up at 5:30 a.m. every weekday for so long that I can’t even remember when I first set that ungodly alarm on my iPhone. It’s been my reality for so long that I half-suspect it was a feature on the first iPhone. Just in case my body ever stages a rebellion, I have a backup alarm at 5:45 a.m.—a final, desperate safety net to ensure I get out of bed.

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10% Happier

I started reading this book without realizing it would dive into the topic of meditation (spoiler alert). I was actually searching for inspirational reads on navigating life transitions when Amazon—or Google’s all-knowing algorithm—decided this was the book for me. Some might even say the universe was “manifesting” what I needed, but that’s a debate for another book review.

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An empirical approach to being nice (but not a pushover) in the workplace

In life, many of us grapple with the balance between being kind or assertive to advance ourselves, whether in personal interactions or professional pursuits. We’re constantly faced with choices: to cooperate for mutual benefit or to compete to gain advantage over others.

We are often caught in a dilemma because advice from management experts and life coaches often fluctuates between extremes, urging us to either always be accommodating or to adopt a fiercely competitive stance. 

In 1984, Dr. Robert Axelrod of the University of Michigan devised an ingenious empirical experiment to tackle this dilemma, based on an iterative version of the classic game theory experiment known as the Prisoner’s Dilemma.

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No. 2

Dedicated to Charx2.

I fondly recalled a pleasant moment of brevity,
When my daughter looked at me with such gravity,
”Why am I not mentioned,”
she proceeded with caution,
“in the blog you occasionally write to keep your sanity?”

I started in vain searching for reasons as to why,
When I realized that it was because I didn’t even try.
Too busy to write
“Not inspired tonight”
Are excuses I told myself as time ticked on by.

And so in these rhymes I will try to capture,
The almost surreal feelings of joy and rapture,
That overcame me,
Seeing our second baby,
Peacefully nestled snuggly in the bosom of her mother.

As a baby, she had a baldish head and a runny nose,
And would stare wide-eyed while striking a pose.
She started to walk,
Before she could talk.
Plus her smile was as sweet as an early summer rose.

Growing up, she was really quite tough,
Accident prone, she was used to the rough,
She broke her arm,
(Far from the only harm)
But in the end, she always still managed to laugh.

Through the years, she become more inquisitive,
To her rules were suggestions and not prohibitive,
She entertained us with puns,
Likes to play with guns,
Also really loves trivia so she’s quite informative.

Lately, she’s also grown to be quite lanky,
Regarding housework, nah, she’s never handy,
Up to her usual tricks:
iPad, Genshin or Netflix,
Are some of her routine while munching on candy.

She has been known to come around
To ask questions that are extremely profound.
Sometimes I get stumped,
More than once I’ve been trumped,
However deep inside, I’ve never been more proud.

As a parent we can only provide and teach,
And set directions for her to reach,
“The future’s vast,
Don’t grow up too fast,
Always be yourself, be true and be rich.”