Eaton Centre, December 23, 1:57 PM

I work downtown and I couldn't resist checking out the mall on my lunch hour yesterday. To my surprise, it was not very busy (although the lineup at the Indigo store was long).

March of the Snowballs

Happy Monkey Day!

Today is a day to celebrate all things simian!

I hope you join me in monkeying around.

Cavalcade of Lights, Nathan Phillips Square

I went downtown last night to see the lights. Nathan Phillips Square was packed with people because of the Cavalcade of Lights. The rink was busier than I have ever seen it.

For the first time this season, it felt like winter had finally arrived.

Sea Anemone - Toronto Zoo

I do not scuba dive. Nor do I snorkle. This is a real shame, considering how fascinated I am with undersea life.

Take this sea anemone, for example. With its ghostly green colouring and its delicate, glass-like tendrils, it is hard to believe that this is a predatory animal.

Sea Horse, Scotland

I used to travel as part of my job half a lifetime ago. One weekend on a trip to Glasgow, Scotland one of the lads took me on a day trip to Oban Bay. The distillery we had planned on visiting was closed -- it being a Saturday -- so we went to an oceanographic centre instead. I took this photograph there.

Self-Portrait with Insomnia

I cannot sleep.

I often cannot sleep.

Tonight, rather than staring aimlessly at the darkened ceiling of my bedroom, I am playing with photographs and listening to music on my MP3 player.

There is a dreamy quality to Emmylou Harris' voice as she sings Going Back to Harlan but it does not make me any sleepier than the warm milk I drank earlier in the evening.

Thank goodness it is a weekend and I can sleep in tomorrow morning with no consequences.