Short Stories

A couple of good friends and I started a short story club. They are quicker to read than books! We have been at it a couple of years and it has been a really good experience. Then we got brave and decided to try to write our own stories.

So below are links to my three attempts to create stories worth reading. Let me know what you think:

Through the Shadows

An Honest Day’s Work

Photo Finish

I might try to talk the others into posting their stories as well as I thought they were really good reads.

And Then It Hit Us

For anyone who has ever wondered what it is like to be in a terrible collision and to fight through years of recovery, I strongly recommend giving andthenithitus a listen. The first hand experience of these two motor vehicle accident survivors is a wonderful resource. Visit their site and give their podcast a listen.

Optional Insurance

*This is a cross post from my professional life as a personal injury lawyer

The foremost question in most customers’ minds when buying car insurance is “how much will it cost?” Of course, that is an important question, but it is not the only important question.

The standard auto policy now provides for only $3,500 for medical treatment for what are considered “minor” injuries.  The amounts available for serious and even catastrophic injuries under a standard automobile policy have recently been halved by the government and insurance companies.

Continue reading “Optional Insurance”

MCCT: Social Justice Network

I’m part of the Metropolitan Community Church Toronto Social Justice Network. If you have a chance join us at 115 Simpson Ave in Toronto for one or more of the above brown bag educational lunches, I hope you’ll come out. The pdf of the flyer is here. Please feel free to circulate.

Update on the Chess Table Project

Thank you for supporting The Chess Table Project!

We are now 1/3 of the way there, with 100% of all donations going directly to the cost of purchasing and installing a new public outdoor chess table at the corner of Queen and Church.

Your donations make a tangible difference to a marginalized community in this city. You:
OFFER HOPE. Community members with a potential to become isolated have a place to meet, socialize, and find support in each other.

CELEBRATE DIVERSITY. The chess tables bring together a wonderfully diverse group of people who find inclusion and equity in a shared game.

FULFILL A DREAM. This is an idea born from the people who find social support in the space around these tables. When I ran for city council in 2010, these folks approached me with the dream of adding another chess table to the park, since the existing tables are in high demand. Let’s show our support!

LEAVE A LEGACY. A new permanent chess table is a positive mark we can leave for years to come. It’s a contribution that will continue to benefit this city for many, many years.

We just need a few more supporters to make this happen. Could you help me out by spreading the word to people you know?

Send your friends a link to www.joeldick.com

Give a gift donation for a birthday or special occasion. I’ll send your friend a personalized card explaining the project, and how your gift in their honour is making our city a better place for many years to come.

Remember that donations over $10 receive a charitable tax receipt from the Lions Club of Toronto.

 

 

Thanks again, everyone. We’re almost there!

Joel

Women in the Labour Movement: A Round Table Discussion

This round table discussion was so much fun. I was joined on ckln.fm by a rockstar team of women in the labour movement: OPSEU Regional Vice President, Nancy Pridham, Steward Coordinator for CUPE 4400, Colleen Costa, and co-founder of the Toronto Young New Democrats, Jennie Ernewein. We discussed current issues faced by the labour movement with a focus on the issues most important to women.

We had a lot to talk about, so I split our discussion into five parts for your listening pleasure. Click the links below to hear any of these:

Part One: Facing Austerity

Part Two: Organizing

Part Three: Together We Eat, Divided We Starve

Part Four: Pensions

Part Five: Victories

Reshaping Toronto’s Waterfront

Reshaping Toronto's Waterfront by G Desfor and J Laidley

I had the pleasure of interviewing Gene Desfor and Jennefer Laidley, editors of Reshaping Toronto’s Waterfront, who stopped by to talk about their new book.

The book looks at the history of Toronto’s waterfront over the last two centuries.

Click the picture to listen to Part One of our interview, and their thoughts on the Waterfront.

Click here to listen to Part Two.