Alex Carrick’s Blog

I’ve come up with a parlour game that’s the mental equivalent of twiddling one’s thumbs. Think of an imaginary statement, proposition or news item that uses at least two popular song titles. Then consider what the reaction of an impartial observer might be.
Is this confusing? Read a few examples and you’ll quickly catch the drift.
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(1) REACTION: [...]

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Here’s something I’ve never shared before. I try to live according to the words of wisdom from my own personal adviser and alter ego, Ari Noshuns. Emulating his spirit of generosity, the following are passed on to you as a means to achieving deeper enlightenment.
(1) A man is only good if there is a strong [...]

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The Carrick family thinks it has the nicest pet dog in the world, a beautiful golden retriever named Daisy. But even we know there are times when Daisy seems a little lazy. A dozen examples follow.
(1) She once had a race with the oak tree in our back yard. The oak won, the dandelions placed [...]

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A collection of the stories appearing on this blog site.

A perfect read for when you want to relax and a spot-on gift for almost any occasion. To order within the United States and in most other countries, please click here (Amazon.com) or see the right-hand column link for ”Two Scoops” Is Just Right. Canadian readers should press this button (Amazon.ca) [...]

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How hot and humid is Toronto this summer? It’s so hot that…
(1) Out-0n-bail G20 protesters have declared a moratorium on burning cop cars.
(2) Casual Friday has become sponge bath Friday;
(3) All of the city’s mayoral candidates want to tax and license running through sprinklers.
(4) The pavement on Yonge Street is melting faster than the ice surface at [...]

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Since video book trailers are now all the rage, the following is the script for the first foray into the field by Donna and myself. This is a little self-serving, no doubt about it, plus there is some catharsis.
The camera starts rolling.
ALEX: Hi everyone, my name is Alex Carrick and I’m here to tell you about [...]

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Here are sixteen original and highly sophisticated road jokes.
(1) Why did all of the world’s leaders cross the road? The bridge? The Highway? To take credit for the infrastructure work.
(2) Why did Jack Bauer cross the road? He finished torturing all the terrorists on this side.
(3) Why did Gregory House cross the road? To avoid walking [...]

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Note: This story received an honorable mention in the 2010 Lorian Hemingway Short Story Competition.
 
The man, his son and his daughter had a routine when they went for a bike ride. Taking point position would be the son, about to turn age 12, on a medium-sized bike. In the middle would be the daughter, just short [...]

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Paying attention to detail solved the case. There were several abnormalities to note about the two-foot-tall fish tank. A small amount of water had been displaced, as if someone’s arm had been inserted all the way; the ceramic castle on the bottom appeared to have been moved on its granular base, possibly for aesthetic reasons; [...]

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The following are the jounal entries of Mr. Justin Smythe, a gentleman hobby farmer living outside the lovely theatre community of Stratford, Ontario where a widely-known Shakespearean festival is held each year. Mr. Smythe’s life proceeds quietly as he tends his cattle and occasionally takes walks in 30 acres that he has set aside on his [...]

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