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 following are a dozen good reasons a proper young lady should never date a vampire.
(1) There’s not much point to installing a mirror over your bed.
(2) Your blood pudding will never measure up to his mother’s.
(3) When you tell your BFFs about his mother, they’re disappointed you think she’s an old bat.
(4) Getting him [...]

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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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For all her flustered outward appearance, Jilal was a deep thinker. Single, aged 32, a brunette well-above average in appearance and living in an eco-friendly home halfway between the citizens on ground level and those perched high above, she was having a typical day off.
Mid-morning and her heart was already pounding. Too much to do. [...]

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 The following is an edifying tale wherein a king learns a valuable lesson from his queen and the whole nation is better off as a consequence. The court jester plays a pivotal role as well, although he probably came to wish that he had stayed out of it.
 
There once lived a king who was [...]

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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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