Jason Wrubell

Vienna is teeming with architectural wonders, from well-preserved Habsburg splendour to sleek modern marvels. But amidst this monotony of harmonious design and classical beauty, it’s the downright UGLY buildings that draw my eye. These structures are so ungainly, puzzling, oppressive, absurd, overambitious, or just plain…

He lives with me. It’s not going well.

I will turn 50 in a few days. Lately, this impending milestone has put me in a contemplative mood. While taking stock of where I stand after five decades, I can’t help but wonder about my health. Naturally, thoughts turn to the glorious posterior for…

A 30-part nostalgia odyssey, told in old family snapshots. Foto Flashback #1: Sweet Baby Jay There I am on my mother’s lap, I’d say 1974. I’m the third of 3 kids and mom introduced me to people as her “baby” until very, very recently. My poor…

The second batch from this 30-part nostalgia odyssey, told in old family snapshots. Foto Flashback #11: The Young Man & The Sea Dad was a pretty handy fisherman and when I was a kid he’d take us out on the Bow River or to alpine lakes…

The thrilling conclusion of this 30-part nostalgia odyssey, told in a old family snapshots. Foto Flashback #21: The Damn Dog(s) Grandpa Wrubell was a funny old guy. By funny I mean cranky much of the time, but still kinda funny. He would put ketchup and mustard…

An authoritative but very much non-exhaustive guide to Scout badges and how to earn them.

The Great Perfomances: Streisand & Gibb – “Guilty” It is September 1986, and the legendary Barbra Streisand has welcomed the glitterati to her Mailbu ranch for a benefit concert. This intimate evening with the incomparable superstar will be recorded and later released as the LP…

A little while back, I came across a post on social media that was a poem of sorts. It expressed the poet’s desire for greater meaning in his conversations, a yearning for deeper discourse, for people to share with him their dreams, fears, and desires.…

The Great Performances: Dazz Band – “Let It All Blow” A lot of “scholars” will try and tell you that civilization is yet to hit its peak, but after you have watched this music video you will realize that they are all very wrong, very…

Expressing your emotions can be hard. Let me help you.

In 1987 a wildfire swept across the pop culture landscape. The blaze raged out of control, consuming all in its path. But which hyper-charismatic artist lit the match that touched off this irresistible inferno? Billy Joel presumptuously used the royal ‘we’ to loudly protest that…

Stemware is stupid. It is a centuries-old aristocratic prank being played on civilization. I refuse to look up the origins of such a stupid idea but when you do I’m sure you’ll find that it can be traced back to some Compte de la Roche-something…

The transparent cupola next to Hue’s bunk offered a panoramic view of the planet’s western hemisphere. The surface of Fahwan slid by 136.2 kilometres below, but when Hue pressed his face to the glass with hands cupped on either side of his eyes, it almost…