Robert "Bio Bob" Irwin

Being a '63 baby, that makes me 63 years old, and while that's generally pretty gosh darned awesome, it also means that I'm losing friends, people that were both influential and impactful in my younger years. It's Circle of Life stuff, for sure, but it doesn't make one feel any better about the hole that has developed in my soul.

Robert "Bio Bob" Irwin was, as the moniker would indicate, my biology teacher back in the Stone Ages, later becoming a colleague when I returned to my alma mater as a member of staff, and then a good friend as one of the band of Merry Men who meet twice a month to commiserate, giggle, heckle, and belly laugh about our shared journeys to that point in life. Bob had a remarkable intellect, a wickedly dry sense of humour, and a mind boggling collection of paraphernalia that he seemed to know exactly where a needed piece was at any given moment. 

I am using the past tense because this past week, Cancer got the better of yet another person in my life.

"Bio Bob" was a beloved son of Mulmur, ON, and as such, filled his days with activities typical of that flavour, stories that he regaled at our meetings, often prompting an actual "guffaw" of pure belly laughter, sending airborne suds of beer spraying in all directions. After marrying the love of his life, Louise, Bob joined the staff of Barrie Central in 1969 and quickly became the stuff of legends with his antics and wit. A lover of practical jokes, many a colleague fell victim to his mischievous mind, all done in the pursuit of a good laugh. 

If you sit a collection of Central alumni down at a table with a host of adult beverages in the middle, and the stories will slide out like the beads of mercury he used to let us play with. Let that sink in ... we were allowed to play with mercury! Whether it was dissecting fetal pigs and rats, using cells procured from our own bodies, or burning sugars or starches, Bob was stuff of legends, and because of greats like him (AND Don Stephen, Don Lillow, Rick Kalte, Bill Fell, Bob Clarke or Brian Honey), I chose the career path of scientific "Sage on the Stage" for myself, although that's a bit of a misnomer since I rarely got assigned to teach science.

One of the more famous stories surrounds him setting himself on fire, an act profound enough to lead to the establishment of the infamous "Hot Pants" staff award presented annually at the final staff meeting to the colleague who had the "greatest" workplace accident for that school year. Having some matches in the pocket of his renowned white lab coat to make short work of lighting the Bunsen Burners for some lab, the story goes that Bob was fiddling with a Bunsen Burner flint lighter that was also in his bulging pockets as his students busied themselves, but accidentally set the matches, and himself, on fire. Serving to make the story even more outlandish, he didn't even notice until alerted by one of the students that his lab coat was smouldering. 

Our band of Merry Men is shrinking with time. Although that's inevitable, it is still depressing for me that parts of my youth are disappearing. 

I'll miss you "Bio Bob".
I'm comforted to know that you're no longer in pain and discomfort.
The last memory of time we shared is a rumbling belly laugh prompted by one of your infamous wise cracks, and that's exactly how it should be.

RIP my friend

Questions, Questions

In a second bout of pondering, the questions below are this time a little less personal, taking on a more philosophical taint as I grapple with some of the bigger picture items. Again, these are my thoughts and opinions, and while I feel strongly, you are more than welcome to hold different, or even opposite, views to mine and I won't take any offense ... none, zero, nada.

As I said in my previous post (CLICK), this is meant as a springboard for discussion ...
Over a coffee?
Or maybe a beer?

What worries you most about the future?

I will profess that my reply to this query might change significantly depending on when in my Life's years you posed it, priorities being fluid and dependent on circumstances, profoundly reflecting the worries of that period.

When I first read the question, at this time in my life, I immediately thought of three things:
(a) the looming climate crisis
(b) the political landscape
(c) the potential for a recession

A quick look at a recent IPSOS poll reveals that I'm not that far off, the worries of the world in 2025 include crime & poverty 32%, inflation 30%, social inequality 28%, unemployment 28%, and political corruption 27%. It is curious to note that 32% of Canadians responded with inflation concerns, augmented by the present situation with North American relations, but didn't poll out on other world concerns, instead focussing on the significant internal changes the country needs to reshape it's habits and global image ... curious, not worrisome.

Of my three major concerns, the political landscape is obviously innately tied to the threat of a recession, but lost in the daily turmoil of the White House is the continuing issues surrounding the climate crisis. With POTUS et al creating a variety of smokescreens through ever increasing ludicrous decisions (Venezuela, Greenland, ICE), the banishment of climate crisis issues from mainstream media creates great fears about the planet that we are leaving to our coming generations, the threat of which is reinforced weekly as the weather changes from what we thought we understood. How quickly we shoved the issue to the back burner, the cause of the crisis escaping the mechanisms of industrialization around the globe at rates seemingly unchanged. It's hard to know who to believe in this day and age of AI generated news, but the effects are a global concern and a global responsibility, and time is indeed running out.

Even though I have entered my sixth decade, I still anticipate being around for a lengthy number of years more, the increasing threat of extreme weather events becoming the new normal, and with it, the rising cost of maintaining our global infrastructure and safety. Unless this is simply a cosmic coincidence, the rising threat of extreme events poses not only (and most importantly) risk to life, but the increasingly regular cost of clean up and rebuilding is pushing the limits of financial feasibility. 

When are we going to collectively going to change things?

What is the difference between living & existing?

Steve Maraboli, the author of the quote to the right, "has electrified, inspired, and entertained a wide range of audiences in over 30 countries with his unique style of cutting edge behavioural science, proven business methodologies, humour, and unforgettable stories".
When I looked him up ... yes, I didn't immediately recognize his name ... I learned that he is credited by INC Magazine in 2016 with being one of the most oft quoted speaker/authors. I am pleased to admit that I immediately felt a commonality in perspective, and it dovetailed brilliantly with how I would answer the question above.

While there are many in various corners of the globe that might beg to differ, not the least of which would be those enduring one form of armed conflict or oppression, I propose that simply existing is not a tall order in today's global experience, our ability to impact a situation around us is one of relative ease. Life simply happens while we keep our heads above water. To turn the tables on this and to truly live in a manner where you hold the reins of Life, one must greet each day with intention and a sense of purpose, a mindset that foists the victim mentality of a shoulder shrug through planning, and acting on, a predetermined course of action for the day's energy. Those that embrace this mentality are easily spotted, their non-verbal communication of "I got this" a resounding demonstration of motive and resolution.

I hold a firm belief that doing this 24-7-365 is a tall order, but have succeeded more often than not at "sucking the marrow out of life" (think Dead Poets Society) as I embraced the challenges of daily life, purposefully linking the decisions for the Here and Now. Looking at today through the lens of yesteryear, I am proud of how I've arrived at this point. 

I fully admit that this view is through the lens of living in a great country, with no threat of war/conflict, and being in a secure state financially. 

If life is so short, why do we do so many things we don't like, and like so many things we don't do?

The easiest way to answer this links back to Maraboli's insistence that we get busy living, but I will confess to have fallen prey to the Rat Race in my working past, and in doing so, have affixed perceived value to accomplishments surrounding the work place, providing motivation to embrace things I didn't enjoy with the justification that the reward trumps the displeasure. I was quite quick to "drink the Koolaid" as it were, lest the accolades arrive less frequently, even if it meant that was a gnawing grumpiness glowering deep inside. With a finite number of minutes in each day, those under the umbrella of flexibility were gobbled by the perceived mandated must-do's. 

Wait! What? You looked so happy making dreams come true for others ... you weren't? 

If I'm honest, sure, I found some satisfaction in the process of it all, feeding the competitive core of my soul, but the rewards didn't always leave that warm fuzzy that reaffirms it all in the quiet moments of my musings just before the morning alarm. I wasn't anxious about damaging my relationship with Joyce, or even my kids, but those internal arguments about what really and truly made me happy meant I didn't always prioritize effectively. This self-struggle manifested as perceived stress and my long standing character flaw has been to console myself with treats, a habit that has led to wild fluctuations in girth over my life, a subject I've written about in the past. When I truthfully conquered those internal demons, I more successfully prioritized those available minutes for things I knew would result in that addictive warmth deep inside, will power to stay out of the cupboards at full power, self soothing through movement and putting my body back in balance. 

I spent my years at the public trough, willingly and passionately, and while paid well for my efforts, much of the satisfaction was of a non-monetary nature. I've forever joked that I chose teaching because it was the only way in Canada to get paid to coach. I could have followed the lead of some colleagues creating, growing, and maintaining a "side hustle" to pad the personal coffers for the days I find myself in right now, a trip or treat the direct benefit, but I also know what creates that previously mentioned addictive warmth, and I'm darn proud to have found a way to give it permanence that didn't require cash. Knowing myself like I do, I was honest enough to realize that it would require some of those minutes, a sacrifice I did my best to balance. 

Still, I did willingly sacrifice minutes in the pursuit of legacy, the joys of which materialized in the later stages of Life, and I acknowledge I definitely could have prioritized more effective, but I will stand firm that they do not manifest as a Life's regret. I accept the misgivings and forgive myself for choosing, hindsight being 20-20. 

Re-Emergence

I used to embrace a life impacted by a ridiculous moustache, and I once received a keychain with a big black stache that purred, "Well, hello there." when a button was pushed. If I could somehow play that for you to hear, you'd understand the theme of this piece.

I'm back ... Or, maybe it's better to say I've re-emerged
I've missed this process of creation ...

The last post that I shared (CLICK) was about a great family friend's Celebration of Life, and somehow, someway, I lost my drive to create in the mired, murky waters of Life that played out in the spring of 2025. I wasn't unhappy ... or too busy ... or disinterested ... but rather chose to occupy my 86 K seconds in a different way, and writing took a backseat.

Well, I'd like it to ride shotgun for a while!

Looking back on 2025, a LOT of stuff happened that significantly impacted the path my Life was on, and while most were ultimately positive, they caused me pause, and redirected the direction of my prow.

My Mom chose to alter her own path by successfully selling her Florida condo after 30+ years

My mom and dad purchased a condo in Naples Florida in 1990, at a time when the foreign exchange rates were in Canada's favour, and it quickly became their Nirvana, their home away from home, their American paradise. They were able to enjoy all that it became for a number of years prior to my dad's early passing, and despite it being a daily reminder that he had left her on her own, mom continued to enjoy all that Pelican Bay offered to her. For a host of reasons, Joyce and I weren't (didn't?) take advantage of free Florida accommodations until I retired, but we still got to experience what my parents had embraced for a few years, making our own memories and some new friends. With the inevitable passage of time, mom arrive at the place in Life where maintaining two homes became a chore, and a decision was made to investigate selling. Considering where everyone in our family was in Life, it made perfect sense for Joyce and I to be the ones to play a major role in helping her both not only get the condo ready for sale, but to offer support throughout the turmoil of the process, a role we embraced despite the door that was closing.

My family spent some moments this past holiday reminiscing about the condo as the anniversary of the sale passed in mid December. With all that has played out thus far in the 47th presidency, the decision has been reaffirmed many times over, and while I am firm that I will not spend my well earned dollars in the US as long as things remain the way they are, we still harbour some regret about what was and what we have lost. 

I'm personally stoked that a large pressure was taken off my mom's shoulders, and while the culmination of the whole affair looms like a spectre thanks largely to the glacial, grinding nature of the IRS, I know that she can still get emotional when thinking about all those fond memories.

It's definitely the epitome of bittersweet.

My daughter and hubby had their first child, my first grandchild, Elowynn

Joyce and I love our kids to death, that much is not a shock to anyone that knows us, and we couldn't be prouder, happier, or more content with the adults they have become. They both found their soulmates, they're both in the housing game, they both have discovered a path they embrace, and they both seem very happy.

When our Maddi married her boo Chris, she was not shy about letting us know that the plan was to have a honeymoon baby. Well, with Life in the rearview mirror being 20-20, the powers that be thought, "Let's see how they deal with some bumps in the road." and the process became long, frustrating, and emotional, requiring soul-searching, patience, and some medical assistance. When the proverbial "cat was out of the bag", and the ever swelling baby bump prompted a host of emotions for our family, we too experienced some emotional upswings as they inevitable climax of the process loomed. A whirlwind of a labour resulted in our wee Elowynn announcing her presence with a resounding series of yelps, manifested in a level of love that we previously unaware was possible. In my purely biased opinion, she's practically perfect, in every way!

We're six months into the infant roller coaster, some loops anticipated, some unforeseen, but exhilarating none the less as her cherubic smiles melt our hearts multiple times a day. 

More on Wynnie in later posts.

My nephew married the love of his life, a former athlete of mine

My third brother Rob and his wife Jen have two strapping young boys, Marcus and Jackson, and while they both have settled on their mate for Life, 2025 was Jackson's turn to make it official when he married his literal high school sweetheart, Drew. While I was the prototypically proud uncle, the nuptials were enhanced by the fact that Drew was a former athlete of mine, a youngster whom I had developed a solid relationship with prior to them falling for each other, so the kiss that sealed the deal this past fall was an even bigger thrill that it could have been. 

To see how deeply the two are in love with each other is the coup d-grace. 

I discovered that condo life, while good, can't correctly be coined great

Joyce and I entered into Condo Life at Wasaga Beach with our eyes wide open, and while we are quite happy with that decision, we have discovered there are some, albeit minor, things about condos that we were in error about, and they have taken some of the shine off. Some of these were errors made in not fully understanding, but others were errors in assumptions, and we all know what happens when we assume! 

We had every intention to escape the Canadian winter doldrums with regularity, and were successful for 4 years, so a condo made perfect sense with it's turn-key lifestyle, but the situation south of the 45th parallel has thrown a proverbial monkey wrench in the gears. Yes, we could fly somewhere warm, with viable options like Mexico or Central America doable, and we could certainly opt for a Mediterranean destination like Spain or Portugal, but the added expense of flying means a shorter reprieve than driving offers. 

Don't get me wrong, we love our Condo Life once we cross the threshold! Living on one floor, a more than comfortable space, and some of the chores taken on via monthly fees makes for a nice relaxing retirement, but as the old real estate adage extols, it's all about location, location, location. Condos in our price range in Wasaga Beach do not come with a plethora of amenities yet still demand a sizeable monthly cost, so if we're choosing to endure Snow Squall City like we are this winter, the value doesn't match the outlay. 

Looking back on our time in Barrie, in our little home of 31 years, the faces around us changed, but the feelings remained fairly constant, and we really didn't understand that choosing a life that demanded sharing the costs of operation and upkeep would expose us to the frustrations of the mindful minority when it comes to following rules and regulations. My parents taught me that, "You're either part of the solution, or part of the problem." so I dealt with my frustration level by getting elected (acclaimed) as President of our Condo Board, figuring that I would actively participate in the necessary modifications with hopes of lowering my angst. That has proved moderately successful, and while pleased to have prompted some satisfying changes, there remain a host of issues that are proving annoying, mostly centered around the wide variety of opinions of what is right and wrong, compounded by the fact that condo regulations are simply words on a page and mostly unenforceable unless one chooses to spend $$ on legal action.

All of that is what it is, as the old saying goes. If Condo Life were a classroom and was given a realistic grade of 90-95%, most of use would be pretty happy with that level of achievement, but that 5% can be so irritating at times ... breathe Stephen, breathe.

I've fallen in love with Canada all over again

It doesn't take a great deal of time or effort to "Google" stats on the Quality of Life or Life Satisfaction around the planet, the numbers quickly pointing in Canada's favour. It's not a fluke that when we have travelled to parts other than the USA, the local's attitudes change immediately when they learn we're Canadian, smiles appears, tones change, and the whole interaction becomes amenable. That's why when the present US administration decided to pick a fight with our nation, threatening a significant change to a life we'd grown accustomed to, a side of Canada appeared that caused some raised eyebrows. What was a sense of concern has morphed into a sense of confidence as new trade relationships have been established to replace the damaged ones, augmented by the "Canada First" notion bolstering inter-nation trade thanks to some subtle and not-so-subtle changes to interprovincial tariffs.

My swelling patriotism causes a feeling of, "Yeah, we got this!", and all it really took was a conscious decision to spend dollars in a different stream. Sure, being a snow-covered nation for nearly half of the year, there are some US products that we cannot avoid like fresh produce and the like, but it didn't take long to develop the mindset of checking labels before tossing into the grocery cart. It's not like I wish a complete divorce from US manufacturers since many of them bare no responsibility for the way things developed, but if there's a way to direct my dollars internally, even if it costs a few more of them, then I'll choose that option first every single time.

The future of North American trade is certainly murky right now, but I suspect that it will emerge from the cocoon bearing no resemblance what so ever to what entered, and I have great confidence that Canada will become a stronger, more independent nation because of it. As with so many regimes, eventually the failures will tip the scales back to a more responsible, respectful leadership group and Canada will begin to build new bridges of trade with our longtime neighbours.  

It's great to be back writing again, and I hope you enjoy!

The Right stuff!

As many of you are already very aware, a good portion of my life has centered around athletics, be it as a participant or a coach, so I feel that I have a comprehensive understanding of the multi-pronged reality that is competition. I stumbled across the following little post by Casey Huff on her FB page in the fall of 2025. When I first read her thoughts, I was immediately moved by both the message and the tone, and I have great respect for her ability as a writer. 

I had shelved this piece since creating it a few months ago, but with the turn of the calendar page to 2026, I'm feeling that I'd like to revisit the habit of sharing my thoughts, so here's one partially because of it's connection with a personal passion, but also since I was reminded of it's message after sitting on my hind end watching the College Football Playoff bowl games. 

In twenty years, it won't matter if they were the best on the team, if they were the fastest on the field, or if they had the most impressive stats. It won't matter if they were recognized for their accomplishments or if they ever received the title of "MVP". It won't matter if their travel team was the best in the league, or if other coaches ever pointed them out and said, "Keep an eye on that kid." It won't matter if they started every game or scored the game-winning run.

Don't get me wrong, I'm my kids' biggest fan. I LOVE watching them in all of their activities. I'm proud and honoured to get to do so. And yes, we're a family who likes to win (and I think that's okay!), but sometimes, it's easy to lose sight of the fact that so much of this sports-parent season is temporary. We get caught up in the competitiveness of wanting our kid to be the best, when really it's kind of insignificant in the bigger picture of their lives.

In twenty years, the things that WILL matter are the other skills our kids are learning during their time playing youth sports. The skills they'll only learn if we put our parent egos aside and have fewer conversations about stats and more conversations about things like:

Kindness.

Humility.

Hard work.

Being a team player.

Supporting their peers.

Being a good sport even when things don't go their way.

Right now, sports are such a big part of our world. From the outside it seems like our kids are working on things like proper technique and fundamentals of the game, and that's part of it, sure, but really this is an even bigger chance for them to learn lessons about life.

And when they've hung up their cleats for the very last time, I hope to walk into the next season of life knowing we haven't just raised accomplished athletes, we've raised incredible humans.

I recall walking into a Rec Center in somewhere-ville Ontario that had a sign posted for all to view as they entered (NOT the one at right, but it's similar). I'm paraphrasing, but it contained a message about, "No college scholarships will be handed out today" and that parents/spectators are reminded, "It's about the love of the game or activity" and not about winning or losing. It further reminded visitors that respect was a core value in that facility and pervaded all aspects of the activities housed therein.

How cool is that?

As Ms Casey alluded to, the vast majority of young athletes are simply exploring ways to have fun, learning through activity by way of a healthy active life, with a very small percentage (that shrinks rapidly with each year) of athletes that might develop the passion requisite for elite competition sometime in the future. Her identification of Humility ... Kindness ... Effort ... Cooperation ... Empathy ... Resilience ... are vital life skills for all, skills that would seem to be in shorter supply these days in today's parks, rinks, rec centers, and classrooms, or at least the places I visit. Her thoughts on this are like a breath of fresh air on the on the far side of a manure-infused stretch of country road.

I feel really good that she and I share a common opinion, but you might not, and that's okay.

Looking at my own kids, score a big gold star for Joyce and I. Yay us!