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, , and many others for tuning into my live video! Join me for my next live video in the app.This is also now an audio podcast!
We went live right on the nose today—12:45. (Which is a miracle, because usually there’s at least a five-minute delay while I wrestle with technology and contemplate just giving up to play Spelling Bee instead.)
Shannon and I welcomed in a crowd—two Scotts, Christine, Paolo, Janet, Sandy, Joseph from Edmonton, Patrick, and a whole roll call of familiar names. It’s always nice when people show up, because otherwise it’s just us talking to ourselves… which, let’s be honest, we’d probably still do.
And yes, we’ve got a new logo. It sits neatly in the middle of us on screen, filling the awkward empty space. Like Botox for branding.
Zellers Is Back (No, Really)
The big news: Zellers is back. Again. But this time, not as some sad little kiosk hiding inside The Bay like a kid’s lemonade stand at a craft brewery.
No, this time it’s an actual store. In Edmonton’s Londonderry Mall. Which raises the question: why not West Edmonton Mall, the place where all retail chains go to fake their deaths? That mall has a pirate ship, a wave pool, and somehow still a Jean Machine. You can basically time-travel there with your debit card.
Fairweather and International Clothiers are behind the new Zellers—which is surprising, because I didn’t realize either of those brands still existed. Apparently they’ve been lurking, waiting for their comeback tour. Housewares and clothing are promised, which is good, because that’s what Zellers was for: towels, spatulas, and clothes that made you say “eh, good enough.”
I’m cautiously optimistic. Zellers should be a destination, not a pop-up. Give me a place where I can buy a bath towel, a set of blinds, and maybe a suspiciously cheap DVD player.
Lost Rings, Found Rings
From Edmonton to Mission, B.C.: a woman lost her wedding rings in what can only be described as the weirdest popcorn-related mishap since someone tried to add Smartfood to trail mix.
She and her husband traced the rings back to the compost bin, which had already been trucked to the landfill. He went to the dump, asked to search, and—after a mini excavator assist—actually found the rings inside the popcorn bag.
Heroic? Absolutely. Romantic? Sure. But also: lady, those rings are way too loose. Wrap a little string around them. Don’t make your husband go on a landfill Indiana Jones adventure every time you eat snacks.
Drones: Not Just For Chewing Up BBQ Covers
You know I love drones. Shannon tolerates drones. But in Tennessee, a drone saved the day when a 70-year-old woman with dementia went missing in the woods. Police launched a drone and within ten minutes they’d found her safe. Compare that to hours of searching the old-fashioned way, and you start to think maybe drones aren’t just expensive toys for dads who want “cinematic” footage of their driveway.
(Yes, I once shredded our barbecue cover with a drone. Yes, our neighbours have politely returned it from their yard more than once. No, I’m not stopping.)
Wheelchairs That Go Where Wheelchairs Don’t Usually Go
Finally, a good news story: some U.S. state parks are now offering free use of all-terrain wheelchairs. They look like something NASA designed after watching Mad Max—tracks instead of wheels, built to handle sand, grass, and rocky trails.
This is fantastic. Everyone deserves the chance to roll up to the lake or down a hiking path. More of this, please. And if Canadian parks want to get on board, even better.
Roll Call & Wrap-Up
We wrapped with a roll call of everyone who popped into the chat—because sometimes it’s just nice to be recognized. (Also, we’re still not entirely sure what we’re doing with this show, but if you subscribe at Brittlestar.com, you can comment live and help us figure it out in real time. You’ll also get Politics Is Broken, video versions of things, and, most importantly, you’ll be keeping Shannon in the lifestyle she’s become accustomed to. Which mostly means nice towels. From Zellers. Hopefully.)
Take care of yourselves, and we’ll see you after the long weekend.
