Most of month in Covid-19 shutdown Phase 1, so every photograph is an exterior shot. Bicycling around downtown Toronto, often exercising after sunset.
Toronto, Ontario
Ontario Place West Channel: From the southeast tip of Marilyn Bell Park, boardwalk gives a view of the silos @OntarioPlace West Islands. Fond memories of the venue from my childhood, when the programming was focused on family education about the province. Pleasure boats presumably headed for the north marina. (Ontario Place West Channel, Lake Shore Boulevard West, Toronto, Ontario) 20200601Lower Don Recreation Trail: Don Mills Road Underpass eastbound from E.T. Seton Park is new to me, despite decades of bicycling around the city. Just north of junction of West Don River branch and main Don River, bridge wends over rail tracks. Routed from Thornecliffe Park to the north, coming down a very long hill that I wouldn’t want to bike up on. (Don Mills Road Underpass, Lower Don Recreation Trail, Don Mills, Ontario) 20200609Ashbridges Bay Skateboard Park: One of 14 skateboard parks open in Toronto, with city is still in Phase 1 reopening while most of province is in Phase 2. Clear, bright afternoon, although temperatures barely warm enough to wear shorts. On bike path, parents guiding children on small bicycles, while racers in spandex zoom by. (Ashbridges Bay Skateboard Park, Lake Shore Boulevard East, Toronto, Ontario) 20200616Cruise Ship Terminal: When/if a Great Lakes passenger vessel requiring a second floor gangway docks in Toronto, the Port of Toronto is ready. However, the pandemic has pre-empted the cruising season for the year, not that many ships visit our city. The other side of the buildings has been rented out for film production offices, and the massive parking lot is cordoned off for automobile dealer inventories. (Cruise Ship Terminal, Unwin Avenue, Toronto, Ontario) 20200624King Street West at John Street: Wider sidewalks by restaurants in the theatre district has enabled city dwellers finally in Covid Phase 2 reopening to enjoy a summer Friday night physically together. Bicycling by the storefronts, I noticed the interiors were largely vacant, so the 2 metre distancing wouldn’t be a problem. This cluster of open businesses isn’t the norm, however; nearby blocks see maybe 25% with lights on to welcome customers. (King Street West at John Street, Theatre District, Toronto, Ontario) 20200626Paul Kane Parkette: Small green space facing south, in front of facade incorporated in the 1985 construction of a coop complex on the north side of the building. Paul Kane was a painter, born in Ireland, living at this site 1853 to 1871. I’ve never stopped at this venue, but was out bicycling, and found a comfortable place to take a phone call, after passing through the relatively quiet Pride Weekend hangouts. (Paul Kane Parkette, Wellesley Street East, Toronto, Ontario) 20200627
Fentster: Storefront gallery @MakomTO installation @RDavidovitz (2020) What Will Remain stained glass sculpture has cracked panes, when inspected more closely. Toronto-based artist pays tribute to grandfather who would repair broken windows in post-war Vilna (then Poland, now Lithuania). On the eve of statutory holiday, few people on the street, except for pizza pickups next door. (Fentster / Makom: Creative Downtown Judaism, College Street West, Toronto, Ontario) 20200630
Life at home is much the same with the pandemic sheltering-in-place directives, touring city streets on bicycle, avoiding the parks on weekends.
Toronto, Ontario
Tollkeepers Park: Canoe unexpectedly found in park in Humewood neighbourhood, part of the #Butterflyway @DavidSuzukiFDN project installed in 2017, natural habitats for bees and butterflies. Park has cottage from the 1850s, in use when roads had tolls for travellers on horseback or on wagons. Grass is following the unkempt trend, as city services are limited during social isolation. (Tollkeeper’s Park, Bathurst Street at Davenport Road, Toronto, Ontario) 20200505The Silver Mill: Strangely shaped 3-storey former wooden-crib grain elevator from 1906, beside a former flour/grist mill on dead end road just north of railway tracks in east end of the city. Building was used as a transdisciplinary arts centre, with municipal art organization vacating the premises in 2018. Signage now minimized, redevelopment into a new high rise complex that will connect to the Danforth Go Train terminal was in council in 2019. (The Silver Mill, 10 Dawes Road, East York, Toronto, Ontario) 20200512Riverdale Farm: One of three sheep in the pen, all in need of shearing. Hair wet from recent rainstorm, temperature rising to spring normals from the record low frost warnings the past evenings. Starting route northbound on Lower Don River Trail and found unpaved sections with big puddles. Opted to push the bike up one set of stairs, ride west downhill, and then push up again into the park. (Riverdale Farm, Winchester Street, Toronto, Ontario) 20200515Ashbridges Bay East Breakwater: Rocky berm shore onto Lake Ontario put in place to control sediment from the west, maintained by regional conservation authority. The park is on lands historically a marsh. Saw a couple lounging by the point, amongst the many cyclists and pedestrians enjoying spring temperatures. Still too cool for beachwear, with strong winds from the east. (Ashbridges Bay East Breakwater, Lakeshore Boulevard East, Toronto, Ontario) 20200520Riverside neighbourhood: Restored cover on backyard gazebo, spring is turning into summer. Trimmed with accent lights for atmosphere after dark. Potential for social visits with physical distancing, if guests come via the laneway. (Riverside neighbourhood, Toronto, Ontario) 201200523
Kadampa Meditation Centre: Bicycling along residential streets in Little Italy, wasn’t expecting to find a temple for Modern Buddhism. Gilded panels on facade reflecting glare with the late afternoon son. About 90 years ago, this was a Ukranian church before the congregation moved, the use in intervening years isn’t readily apparent. (Kadampa Meditation Centre, Crawford Street, Toronto, Ontario) 20200530
Living in social isolation in our house with 5 family members, finishing off teaching courses and taking courses.
Toronto, Ontario
Kensington Market: Sleepy Saturday afternoon in market that would normally be packed with shoppers, if not tourists. Lineups outside the few essential services reminiscent of a visit to Russia in the 1970s; people don’t expect to be in a hurry. Bicycling around town maintains physical distance, with only light vehicle traffic. (Baldwin Street, Kensington Market, Toronto, Ontario) 20190404Danforth Village: Long stretch of sidewalk with almost no pedestrians, on a late pre-holiday afternoon with social isolation. On this main street towards the east end, storefronts are wider than in the city centre, so walks seem longer. Maybe one in ten businesses was open, and few had customers. Pedalling bicycle with light traffic on street. (Danforth Avenue, west of Coxwell Avenue, Danforth Village, Toronto, Ontario) 20200409Riverside neighbourhood: Touchup on hairline, since all of our sons have decided to self-barber. The chair and clippers were already in place, since I prefer to NOT cut my own hair in a mirror, and DY agreed to learn the tools for me. She’s primarily the one who would have an opinion on my hair style. I’m just happy that my head is cooler. (Riverside neighbourhood, Toronto, Ontario) 20200412King Street West at Peter Street: Encountered the first raised transit stop platform in town, where bicyclists and pedestrians take turns through a narrow lane previously a parking space. On Easter Sunday, streetcars paused only momentarily, with few passengers boarding. Only pedestrians of note were lined up outside the pharmacy, with respectable distances between them. (King Street West at Peter Street, Toronto, Ontario) 20200412Underpass Park: Public space unoccupied, with yellow tape not only on playground equipment, but also benches, to discourage social gatherings. Citizens mostly respecting physical distancing directions to stay at home. Dogs out walking their masters, who may get more exercise than others who aren’t leaving the house. (Underpass Park, Lower River Street, Toronto, Ontario) 20190419Distillery District: Unadorned and unilluminated as in @tolightfest, the #SymbolicPeace scupture by #StudioRosenblatt was first installed in early 2019. Laser cut, cold rolled steel celebrating diversity in the community stands silent on a bright afternoon where a normally teeming plaza is now deserted. Art galleries are closed, so more permanent outdoor sites have to be sought. (Gristmill Lane, Distillery District, Toronto, Ontario) 20200422New Century Plaza: Saturday 1pm in Chinese mall in Markham reveals gates up at non-essential businesses. Came to pick up replacement contact lens from optometrist. Transaction, started on phone, completed mostly by talking through a locked glass door. I was invited in, asked to use hand sanitizer, used pen for signatures, and was then reminded to sanitize on the way out. Terse service consistent with 14-minute drive up DVP/404 from Lakeshore Drive to Steeles Avenue. (New Century Plaza, Ferrier Street, Markham, Ontario) 20200425
Don Roadway: Roadblock southbound into the Portlands now blocked to vehicular traffic, with ongoing construction. Don Roadway is being rebuilt to a higher elevation, so that major rainfalls flooding the Keating Channel won’t spill over into the lands on the east side of the road. It’s a dull afternoon for bicycling. (Don Roadway, Portlands, Toronto, Ontario) 20200430
The month started with a hectic coincidence of events as both a teacher and student at two universities, abruptly shifting to low gear with government directives for social distancing.
Toronto, Ontario (with the latter part in COVID-19 social isolation)
Canadian Tire (Lakeshore / Leslie): Encouraged that institution of @CanadianTire remains open when non-essential retailers are closed. Province of Ontario sign reminding “Practice social distancing. Do your best to keep at least two metres away from others.” Store personnel are wearing gloves, shoppers in dances to give others space. (Canadian Tire, Lakeshore Boulevard at Leslie Street, Toronto, Ontario) 20200318Loblaws 60 Carlton: Appreciating orderly social distancing by Torontonians @LoblawsCarlton lined up around the block, on a clear Saturday late afternoon with temperature hovering around freezing. No shopping for me, just bicycling for fresh air and exercise along relatively quiet city streets. Our citizens aren’t totally locked down, we trust each other to maturely use our own judgement. (Loblaws, 60 Carlton Street, Toronto, Ontario) 20200321
Lower Don River Trail: Biking westbound just over Don River, Gardiner Expressway Rehabilitation towards Cherry Street has reconfigured lands and erected temporary structures. Preconstruction should speed up rebuilding of the elevated roadway, where the Don Valley Parkway bends from southbound to westbound. The existing bike paths are unchanged for now, with more signs warning to not stray from from. (Lower Don River Trail, Lakeshore Drive, Toronto, Ontario) 20190327
Back to school, teaching and learning at 2 universities.
Toronto, Ontario
Scrap Metal Gallery: Installation @ernatmack (2019) Wither, billow, waist? hanging at #ScrapMetalGallery has a feeling of lightness, with translucent fabrics. Some other pieces in the show are made of heavy moving blankets. Dark, rainy day outside, art lovers come as individuals or duos for a destination visit. (Scrap Metal Gallery, Dublin Street, Toronto, Ontario) 20190111OCADU Graduate Programs: Overview of #SystemicDesign toolkit by @redesign @OCADU_SFI class. Second lecture of term started with current thinking from the #SystemsChanges Learning Circle http://coevolving.com/commons/20200115-ocadu-systems-changes-different-from . Immersive approach to recasting language and reifying #SystemsThinking leads students to get more comfortable with ambiguity. Group had collectively decided to reschedule evening class to afternoon, so weeks following shouldn’t be dark outside. (OCADU Graduate Programs, 205 Richmond Street West, Toronto, Ontario) 20200115OCADU Graduate Programs: Friday morning class on #SystemsThinking @OCADU_SFI runs in parallel with late Wednesday session. Presented same slides http://coevolving.com/commons/20200115-ocadu-systems-changes-different-from , pacing content in synch. Larger group, larger room, interactions with part-time graduate students is a little different from full-time colleagues. These students have a long day, likely before homework over the weekend. (OCADU Graduate Programs, Richmond Street West, Toronto, Ontario) 20200117Systems Thinking Ontario: Topic of “Inferring Systems Thinking” at the 75th monthly meeting of #SystemsThinking Ontario, reviewing and reflecting on the titles, readings and discussions beginning in 2013. https://wiki.st-on.org/2020-01-20 If we’ve met that many times, what could we surmise that we’ve discussed, and what might be missing? Not everyone attended every session, but we shared collective wisdom. Some input gathered for future sessions. (Systems Thinking Ontario, Strategic Innovation Lab, OCADU, Richmond Street West, Toronto, Ontario) 20200120Climate Ventures: Tight queuing for podium for 16 Earth Tech companies @ClimateCSI inauguration social. Accelerator https://climateventures.org/earthtech/ have an intensive 6 months. #BarnabeGeis posed if the darkness currently perceived is a womb, where there’s light in the birth ahead. Not-yet-elevator stories about each startup, introducing to partners, advisors and allies. (Climate Ventures, Centre for Social Innovation, Spadina Avenue, Toronto, Ontario) 20190121Koffler Centre of the Arts: Exhibiting “the chrysanthemum has opened twelve times”, @artkarentam, conversing with #ShellieZhang @KofflerArts. Talk began with inspiration of formal photograph of grandfather, leading to exploration of history of staged images sent back to families in Toisan. In addition to photos, installation of portrait studio settings and backgrounds.constructed in collaboration with father and mother. (Koffler Centre of the Arts, Shaw Street, Toronto, Ontario) 20190126
PyData PyLadies Toronto: Joint @PyDataTO @PyLadiesToronto meeting including @sereprz on Improving Law Interpretability with NLP. Unsupervised Machine Learning, using spaCy on Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act data. Extract burdens (obligations), identify subjects, cluster subject (looking for homogenous groups in vector space. Used GLoVe (global vectors for word representation), with dimensionality reduction for sparse data. K-means clustering and evaluation through TD-IDF. Understood presentation, as a result of taking Big Data classes at Ryerson Chang School. (PyData Toronto, PyLadies Toronto, Intelliware, Adelaide Street West, Toronto, Ontario) 20200129
First half of December in finishing up course assignments and preparing for exams; second half on 11-day family vacation in Mexico City.
Toronto, Ontario; Mexico City, Mexico
Delicious Paradise Kitchen: Schedule for family lunch at congee-noodle restaurant diverted, as grandfather decides his driving on the day of the first major snowfall is imprudent. Alternative plan to pick up takeout food from the local stall, and bring it to his apartment. Six dishes made-to-order with rice, complemented by barbeque duck and rice noodles ordered at the adjacent shops. (Delicious Paradise Kitchen, Silver Star Boulevard, Scarborough, Ontario) 20191201Lambert Lounge: Book launch #SystemsThinking Ontario @allennaleonard coauthor #VanillaBeer on #StaffordBeer: The Father of Management #Cybernetics. Illustrated life history by artist daughter, glossary by his life partner. Causal question-and-answer session on research contemporaries, development of ideas and world travels. (Systems Thinking Ontario, Lambert Lounge, OCADU, McCaul Street, Toronto, Ontario) 20191209Design with Dialogue + Systems Thinking Ontario retreat: End of year annual reflection and planning host by @redesign for #DwDTO Design with Dialogue and #st-on #SystemsThinking Ontario. Surfaced some interests and opportunities across overlapping social communities in the city. DwD is the grandfather with spin-offs, now in at least its turn as members learn together. (Design with Dialogue and Systems Thinking Ontario, Playter Estates, Toronto, Ontario) 20191215Microsoft Reactor Toronto: Following notesbooks at Python for Data Science course @MSFTReactor@MaRSDD led by #DavidJeppesen @ProwessConsult. Python indexes strings starting from 0, but then the last character is indexed as -1. Full room said to be larger than last session. Many university students attending, learners don’t rest during school term breaks. (Microsoft Reactor Toronto, MaRS Discovery District, Toronto, Ontario) 20191216Maple Leaf Lounge, Pearson T1: Still enjoying benefits as a Million Mile @aircanada flyer. Family beginning first true non-conference vacation since our sons were children. Escaping winter by flying south for 11 days. (Maple Leaf Lounge, Pearson Airport, Toronto, Ontario) 20191217Calle Rio Lerma: Apprehension of accessing keysafe at the AirBnB at 1 a.m., having been dropped off by an Uber from Aeropuerto Internacional Benito Juárez. Wide door is beside two interior parking spaces, security key allows access to 5th floor apartment and 6th floor bedrooms. First time in Mexico City, neighbourhood appears to have life, even after dark. (Calle Rio Lerma, Cuauhtémoc, Mexico City) 20191218Zocalo: Higher vantage point of skating rink on Plaza de la Constitucion, from @Turibuscdmx upper deck. Federal District building decked out for Christmas one week away. We started Circuito Centro Historico from Reforma 222 to Auditorio, and then changed to the Circuito Chapultepec Polanco. Sitting upstairs with temperature dropped after sunset, city traffic at a crawl, we abandoned the loop at the Museo Del Nino, and hoped an Uber ride would be more direct. (Zocalo, Plaza de la Constitucion, Mexico City) 20191218Cochina Licha: Noticed Mercado Medillin lit up en route to vegan tacos, so we circled back for additional courses as samples. Selected a busy curbside kitchen, friendly waiter pulled two tables in the back together, and gave us menu. Enjoyed tacos carnitas, tamale mole, tostada bacalao. Followed by dessert at Neveria Paleteria with mango and coconut popsicles. Some stomaches with regrets a little later, could be altitude, jet lag, or too much variety in foods. (Cochia Licha, Mercado Medillin, Roma Sur, Mexico City) 20191218Tortilleria Cuauhtemoc: Masa dough feeding into a press at small stall of #TortilleriaCuauhtemoc in back of our local #MercadoCuauhtemoc for fresh flatbread packaged to go, with salsas and guacamole on the side. From our apartment, we walk a few blocks for fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as sampling the centre aisle of open kitchens. The neighbourhood otherwise has convenience stores, but we haven’t encountered any major chains, since we arrived. (Tortilleria Cuauhtemoc, Mercado Cuauhtemoc, Calle Rio Lerma, Mexico City) 20191219Museo Nacional de Antropología: Stone of the Sun (Piedra del Sol) from Aztec early 1500s, buried mid-1500s under the direction of the Archbishop of Mexico to forget ancient sacrifices. Uncovered in 1790, transferred to the Metropolitan Cathedral, then in 1851 to the Archeological Museum. Monolith has face emerging from earth hole, surrounded by four sons, with serpent on the outside edge. (Museo Nacional de Antropología, Mexico City) 20191219Mercado Roma: Enjoyed bonus of live musicians at food hall first opened in 2014. Variety of food sampled included ceviche, beef with nopale, vegan tacos, paella and churros. Dining quality is considerably higher than street food we’ve had over the past 36 hours. Venue seems popular with tourists and local residents alike. (Mercado Roma, Calle Querétaro, Roma Norte, Mexico City) 20191219Museo Soumaya: Rodin bronze (1886) The Three Shades (Les Trois Ombres) centered under skylight on the 6th level, is unusual because such (i) heavy castings are usually on a lower floor, and (ii) The Gates of Hell (La Porte de l’Enfer) (1885) is at the ground level. Our family recognized the pieces, as they’re on the campus of Stanford University (placed in much closer proximity). This privately-owned museum has a strong European permanent collection, we saw them in between temporary exhibits at the Museo Jumex next door. (Museo Soumaya, Polanco, Mexico City) 20191220Arena Mexico: Lucha libre tag team wrestling with aerial acrobatic moves thrilling the audience. We arrived after the show had started, and were pursued by scalpers up to the ticket window. Not the usual style of family excursion for us, we noticed other parents with young children donning the máscaras (masks) of their heroes. (Arena Mexico, Colonia Doctores, Mexico City) 20191220Callejon de Mesones: Mural by #SebastianBastardo @540c487671dd40c in Centro Historico rejuvenated in recent years. Five-hour walking guided walking tour starting from Templo Mayor, to National Palace, San Juan Market and Pulquería Las Duelistas. Did our best to avoid big Saturday crowds, but wall-to-wall shoppers coming up to Christmas. (Callejon de Mesones, CentroHistorico, Mexico City) 20191221Pulqueria Las Dualista: Saw agave succulents earlier in National Palace, so finished the guided tour with a taste of the beverage. Venue was packed, we eventually got a ledge with pulque in natural flavour, then with passionfruit and with guava. Sons declared it as Mexican kombucha, but not worth finishing. We were advised that natural tastes best within a day of harvesting from the source, thereafter the low-alcohol drink is better with a sweetener. (Pulquería Las Duelistas, Colonia Centro, Mexico City) 20191221Foro Del Tejedor: Our plans were not for a concert bellydancing with @sonorabalkanera, we had right venue but tickets for the wrong night. Usher was gracious to seat us in the balcony for this show. Voiceover that Bridging Mexico to Yugoslavia is Difficult reflected some of genre with modern instruments. Small theatre was intimate, couple on the ground floor energetically dancing. (Foro Del Tejedor, Roma Norte, Mexico City) 20191221Palace of the Jaguars, Teotihuacan: Family tour with a native Teotihuacan guide, starting with the living areas for the priests. Learned that the Teotihuacan constructed the site 200-900AD, at which point the city collapse due to bad harvest and disease, survivors moving on to more fertile lands such as Yucatan. The Aztecs arrived after 1300AD, and didn’t add much to the pre-existing structures. Impressed by the engineering on square columns, stucco painted with natural pigments, and aqueducts for fresh water and sewage. (Palace of the Jaguars, Teotihuacan, Mexico) 20191223
Descending Teotihuacan Pyramid of the Moon: Pyramid dating back to 200AD, the older of the two at the Teotihuacan heritage site. All of us were able to climb this shorter structure despite narrower stair steps walking sideways. On the subsequent ascent up the Pyramid of the Sun, DY got more than halfway up, before dizziness and nausea set in. (Teotihuacan Pyramid of the Moon, Mexico) 20191223
La Gruta: Family lunch in a cavern formed by volcanic activity, near the pyramids at Teotihuacan. Sampled pre-Hispanic cuisine, including caterpillars from agave plants, turkey and rabbit. Popular venue with many families on Sunday afternoon, shade welcomed after a sunny day up and down the nearby climbs. (La Gruta, Teotihuacan, Mexico) 20191223Jing Teng: Village-style Chinese cuisine in the Viaducto district, far south and east of the typical tourist venues in Mexico City. Waitress spoke Toisan dialect of my family, sons did the order in Mandarin. Third world service, with teacups coming to table in a bowl of boiling water. First cooked green vegetables after a week south of the border, comfort food settles the stomach. Walked around a few blocks, but find didn’t strong evidence of Chinatown vitality. (Jing Teng, Viaducto Piedad, Mexico City) 20191224Parque Mexico: Slow stroll on Christmas Day at 21°C through Roma Norte, unseasonably cold streak over past week broken. Park established in 1920s in a modern style, with organically winding paths. Teatro al Aire Libre Lindbergh in disrepair was budgeted for repair in 2013, now seems popular with the roller skaters. (Parque Mexico, Cuauhtemoc, Mexico City) 20191225Museo Dolores Olmedo: Peacocks spreading their plumage, turning front and back, in the orange garden of the 16th century hacienda. Came to see the largest collection of Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo paintings in Mexico, recognized many shown in the 2002 biopic. Dolores Olmedo, a businesswoman patron to Rivera and Kahlo, donated her home and funds for continuing upkeep of a museum featuring the works of her friends. (Museo Dolores Olmedo, Xochimilco, Mexico City) 20191226
Trajineras Xochimilco Mágico: Arrived at boat docks around 5pm, asking if an English-speaking pilot was available. Jonathan was just about to go off-shift, and agreed to take us out for an hour tour. We climbed over a series of docked watercraft to arrive at one of the two named Linda. Jonathan barge-polled the flat-bottom boat out of the parking area, and then turned to port. He said he is a 16-year old, on vacation from school in San Diego, and his parents have a house nearby on the canal. He recommended a specific mariachi band, that came on board for one song. (Trajineras Xochimilco Mágico, Mexico City) 20191226
Museo del Chocolate: Raking patterns in the cocoa garden box, frequently levelled by a watchful staff. Museum tracing indigenous use of chocolate both as food and in ceremonials, through the popularization in Europe by the Industrial Revolution and into the 20th century. Guided tours in Spanish only, we were satisfied reading signs in English. Street outside filled with squatters, mansions were damaged in the 1985 earthquake and abandoned. (Museo del Chocolate, Juárez, Cuauhtémoc, Mexico City) 20191227Museo Universitario Arte Contemporaneo: The Labyrinth for Birds @muac_unam, @edgar_calel (1986) El laberinto de pajaros, an installation of 18 painted cardboard boxes. As a fan of contemporary art, enjoyed the multiple exhibitions and galleries of this museum more than historic art collections in the city. University campus was closed for holidays, our taxi driver circled around to 3 gates, and then found the destination of the Outdoor Sculpture Space with a lock on the gate. (Museo Universitario Arte Contemporaneo, UNAM, Coyoacán, Mexico City) 20191227Aeropuerto Internacional de la Ciudad de México: Variation on Home Alone 2, Lost in Mexico City, as RDI extends his stay for three days, while the family boards a plane to Toronto. A Nexus card isn’t enough to board an international flight, and his passport was misplaced on a Saturday. Presuming a consultate visit on Monday, rebooked flight home for Tuesday, and reserved an AirBnB. It turns out that the passport was in the bag of AHI, who was on a flight to San Francisco 7 hours earlier. Documents on the way via courier. (Terminal 1, Aeropuerto Internacional de la Ciudad de México) 20191228
Riverside neighbourhood: Back home in Toronto, DY down with delayed Montezuma’s revenge. Three of four sons also had symptoms around days 9 and 10 of our 11-day vacation. Pity for RDI recovering in Mexico City, flying back overnight. Minor jet lag for me, biked to Chinatown to stock up on groceries, temperature drop tomorrow with possible snow. (Riverside neighbourhood, Toronto, Ontario) 20191230
For those who haven’t read the 1965 Emery and Trist article, its seems as though my colleague Doug McDavid was foresighted enough to blog a summary in 2016! His words have always welcomed here, as Doug was a cofounder of this web site. At the time of writing, the target audience for this piece was […]
In the famous 1965 Emery and Trist article, the terms “causal texture” and “contextual environment” haven’t been entirely clear to me. With specific meanings in the systems thinking literature, looking up definitions in the dictionary generally isn’t helpful. Diving into the history of the uses of the words provides some insight. 1. Causal texture 2. […]
Towards appreciating “action learning”, the history of open systems thinking and pioneering work in organization science, the influence of Action Learning Group — in the Faculty of Environment Studies founded in 1968 at York University (Toronto) — deserves to be resurfaced. 1. Trist in Canada 2. Environmental studies, and contextualism in organizational-change 3. Action learning, […]
The news that Doug McDavid — my friend, colleague, and one of the original cofounders of the Coevolving Innovations web site in 2006 — had passed, first came through mutual IBM contacts. More details subsequently showed up on LinkedIn from Mike McClintock. Doug left us on May 9, while working at his desk, likely in […]
One of the challenges with the development of pattern languages is the cross-appropriation of approaches of techniques from one domain (i.e. built physical environments) into others (e.g. software development, social change). The distinction between pattern language and form language is made by Nikos Salingaros. Design in architecture and urbanism is guided by two distinct complementary […]
The 1995 article by Spinosa, Flores & Dreyfus on “Disclosing New Worlds” was assigned reading preceding the fourth of four lectures for the Systemic Design course in the Master’s program in Strategic Foresight and Innovation at OCAD University. In previous years, this topic was a detail practically undiscussed, as digging into social theory and the phenomenology […]
In web conference, #HermanDaly says #EcologicalEconomics used to get attacked from the right, now it's from the left. Panel @revkin @jon_d_erickson @ktkish @sophiesanniti #TimCrowshaw #KatieHorner livestreamed #sustainwhat .Read more ›
Complementing the idea of a @longnow , @nfergus provokes the challenge of a #shortthen as the online social media platforms distract the larger perspectives on history.Read more ›
Social ecology and environmental psychology described @dstokols @Social_Ecology , interviewed by @katiepatrick . References #WilliamsJames on attention. Book on Social Ecology in the Digital Age released in 2018.Read more ›
Concerns on #personaldata should be reframed as interpersonal, says @sheldrake , less the nodes and more the edge connections. “I want to take back control” superficial, @hartzog says control doesn’t scale. Agency is about negotiation in the world, more rhizomatic…Read more ›
Doing science should be wayfinding (pathfinding), says #TimIngold , gaining grounding in the art of paying attention, towards research as the pursuit of truth. Truth is more than objective facts, where science and art are embraced with materials, so that we can see the quality inside the natural world as it forms, rather than as […]
We should be more vigourous, says @MazzucatoM , in debating differences between value extraction and value creation, and between profits and rents. Lecture at Blavatnik School of Government, Oxford U., January 2019Read more ›
Proponents of #SystemsThinking often espouse holism to counter over-emphasis on reductionism. Reading some definitions from an encyclopedia positions one in the context of the other (François 2004).
Saying “it doesn’t matter” or “it matters” is a common expression in everyday English. For scholarly work, I want to “keep using that word“, while ensuring it means what I want it to mean. The Oxford English Dictionary (third edition, March 2001) has three entries for “matter”. The first two entries for a noun. The […]
It's been challenging to find sources that specifically define two-word phrases -- i.e. "systemic change", "systematic change", "systems change" -- as opposed to loosely inferring reductively from one-word definitions in recombination. MartinReynolds @OpenUniversity clarifies uses of the phrases, with a critical eye into motives for choosing a specific label, as well as associated risks and […]
The term "environmental" can be mixed up with "ecological", when the meanings are different. We can look at the encyclopedia definitions (François 2004), and then compare the two in terms of applied science (i.e. engineering with (#TimothyFHAllen @MarioGiampietro and #AmandaMLittle, 2003).
While many outside of the field of architecture like the #ChristopherAlexander #PatternLanguage approach, it's not so well accepted by his peers. A summary of criticisms by #MichaelJDawes and #MichaelJOstwald @UNSWBuiltEnv is helpful in appreciating when the use of pattern language might be appropriate or not appropriate.
Systems thinking should include not only thinking about the system, but also its environment. Using the term "field" as the system of interest plus its influences leaves a lot of the world uncovered. From the multiple definitions in the International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics , there is variety of ways of understanding "field".
