10 things about takenote.ca

Several viewers have asked questions about our work here at takenote.ca As a reprieve from Trumpian politics, we offer the following interview with our founding blogger, that’s me, which has not been edited for length, clarity, or appropriateness. Enjoy.

1. You blog about so many different topics. Where do all these ideas come from?

Daily I peek at The New York Times, The Guardian, The Tyee, and I listen to a summary of stories from The Economist. I spend way too much time on Facebook where I find approximately one quarter of my subjects and story ideas. Several readers feed me ideas for blogs, a referral service I really appreciate. And of course, there’s the dog park, where most global and local ideas are tested and sometimes abandoned. Kathie and Juno also contribute their fair share of story lines.

• You publish a lot; it’s hard to keep up.

Sorry about that; I hear this from a few readers. I am totally OK with you using the DELETE key, or coming back later, which many people do. I am thrilled that many use the site as one would search a library; many view blogs more than a year old. I do get carried away with ideas that I want to develop and share, sometimes prematurely; patience is not my strong point. My aim is to publish twice a week, but lately following the US election restraint has not been possible.

• How do I know if I am reading your words or those of others?

Good question. I think I make this clear when I publish but folks sometimes seem confused. Note to self: I need to find better ways to make my sources more clear. Sometimes I use different font sizes, colours, italics, or indentations to clarify the speaker. WordPress is not always helpful in this regard though I have learned a lot about how to modify presentation in recent months. Obviously, I need to work more to clarify my sources.

• How many people follow your blogs?

A few days ago the total number of views passed the 50,000 mark! This represents over 28,000 viewers who viewed any or many of all 441 posts. For a blog which started as a place to park content to be shared on social media, takenote.ca has evolved marvelously. Viewers are mostly from Canada though many live in the USA, France, the UK, Australia, and Italy. I am so grateful to everyone for your interest.

• This all sounds like a lot of work. Aren’t you retired? Why do you do this?

Simple answer, I enjoy writing. I do not have the energy or expertise to write novels or more academic works. The blog of 800-1200 words is an ideal format for me personally. I got the number 800 from a television series of the same name: 800 Words. Great series by the way. Dramatic, poignant, funny.

• Please, give me a break — Juno is a dog, not a blogger! You ghost her.

Juno and I enjoy a beautiful connection; it is hard to say where one stops and the other starts regarding creativity. We don’t need human language to connect us in spirit. Try some imagination people. You will sleep better at night and be more fun during the day. Responding to one of Juno’s blogs one commenter “couldn’t believe they were responding to a dog.” Well, they were and they did. Her nose-to-the-ground perspective is unique and for the most part, humble.

• Your photographs are lovely. Can I purchase some from you?

No you cannot purchase them. Absolutely not. I will give them to you. I am pleased however to send you free copies of any of my images you like. Then you can run down to London Drugs in the South Okanagan or to any photo lab near you. If you need images in higher resolution simply email me and I will send larger files to you.

• Why do you publish your sermons the day before they are preached? This seems weird.

Believe it or not, some folks like to both read and hear my sermons. This happened a few months ago when I was peddling my book. I had shared my thoughts online only to share them live at a launch event a few hours later. My former bishop who attended the event but had also read my online text leaned over saying “I read this earlier but it’s better live.” Sometimes I hope that sharing my texts ahead of time might generate interest. Also as I often preach in person to 15 or so people only, my blog stats indicate that often 100 people might read the same text online. More bang for the homiletical buck.

• You once suggested that the blog is dead. Have you now changed your mind? Your blog seems to buck this trend.

About fifteen years ago I recall the late Chris Lind saying that everyone (including himself) was producing blogs but he doubted many were reading them. Such may be the situation today, though now, many have likely moved on to podcasts and video logs for their information and entertainment. Our audience is likely older than TikTok adherents. I still prefer a format that is text driven shared in a form that is able to delve deeper into issues, events, and spirituality.   

1. So what’s next for takenote.ca?

I  hope to add video content in due course. My local church, St. Stephen in Summerland has just welcomed the local United Church to share costs and facilities on our Prairie Valley Road site in downtown Summerland. They bring with them both broadcast equipment and considerable production expertise. I hope to produce a worship experience, possibly weekly, modeled on the late Dean Robert Willis’s Canterbury Cathedral Garden Congregation. I tell the story of Dean Willis and this special COVID-inspired worshipping community here, and of Dean Robert’s untimely death here. There is a connection between this blog and the garden congregation. Bar none, any blog mentioning the dean or the congregation attracts literally thousands of views. I am immeasurably grateful to the late dean, even post-mortem.