The Doer and the Gaper

Slowly, I’m learning it does not pay to doubt her. 

I use the home printer for several things. I use it to print scripts, contracts, stories and more. After changing the ink cartridge this week, I noticed it was printing one line and not the next. I went online in search of the source and extent of the problem. Apparently, one possible reason for the problem was clogged nozzles. Not knowing how to unclog a printer nozzle, I decided the only logical solution would be to purchase a new printer.

Clogged nozzle anyone?

I mentioned the issue to my wife, who suggested spraying it with air. Right. I scoffed. I wondered what part of the printer would we spray with air? I have no idea where printer nozzles are located! Not to worry, insisted Susan. I learned she is her office solver when it comes to untold printer hassles. She described pulling out drawers, adjusting dials, extracting crumpled paper, unplugging and plugging, air spraying and a host of other haphazard trial and error techniques she tries while others in her office stand and gape. 

I am definitely a gaper. When the office printer has issues, I much prefer waiting it out. Someone else will rectify the problem and my printing job will eventually emerge. 

I opened the front compartment of the home printer. Susan blasted away with the air spray. Quite skeptically, I closed the printer and printed a document. There it was. Perfect printing. Issue resolved. Why I bother to doubt her, I do not know. 

She steadfastly continues to get the job done, while I steadfastly continue to blow hot air.

Improve Your City Life

As cities go, Montreal is it for me; it doesn’t get any better! Unless…

What if I had a job that deepened my relationship with our great city?

Bazinga!

Not only do I learn something new about my awesome city with every episode of City Life I host, I also get to meet many of the passionate fellow Montrealers who contribute to its irrepressibly unique tapestry.

I’m appreciative and very excited to announce “City Life” is returning to MAtv for the fall season and I sincerely hope you’ll tune in to discover more about Montreal, right along with me!

With news reports and panel discussions featuring informed guests and enlightened commentators, our City Life team has tackled such vital Montreal stories as fentanyl, caleches, infrastructure, health care, public transit, cultural appropriation, indigenous land claims and urban development. If you live in Montreal, you know, as I do, those subjects are just the tip of the iceberg. There are so many things going on in this city that need and deserve the attention of Montrealers.

Look no further, City Life is on the case!

Our editorial team is in the process of considering stories and issues for our upcoming season. If you have an issue or story you would like us to consider, email citylife@matv.ca or hit us up on our Facebook page.

While hosting the show over the course of the last year, I had the pleasure of meeting many passionate Montrealers including dancer Dana Michel, anti-hate crusader Corey Fleisher, community leader Sid Stevens, Montreal Canadiens Chief Athletic Therapist Graham Rynbend, remarkable scientists Dr. Karim Zaghib and Dr. Donald Vinh, as well as talented musicians like Jordan Officer, Cecile Doo-Kingue, Marco Calliari, Stephane Tetreault, Jean-Pascal Hamelin and Paul Merkelo. We highlighted interesting community initiatives in Montreal that ranged from brewing co-ops to sustainable food projects, and from a quilt-sewing support group for former convicts, to the teaching of life skills to children using robotics.

This will be my third year hosting the show. I am grateful to be part of the amazing team working together to make it happen. Madman, or madcap, either way, Paul Gott returns as our industrious producer and occasional commentator, tying all the flailing and fraying loose ends together. I’m stoked to have Richard Fournier back as our consummate director and I always look forward to working with the MAtv control room team and studio crew. They are attentive, enthusiastic and superbly professional. Giordano Cescutti and Alexa Everett return as our intrepid reporting duo. Our Senior Content Manager, Patricia Perron, who I worked with on the former MAtv show “Montreal Billboard”, has been forthcoming, transparent and communicative in her approach, and it is much appreciated.

This season, we are taking our show a step further. Instead of doing one, multi-themed 60 minute show a week, we will be doing two single-themed 30 minutes shows. Our hope is to cover more topics with more intensity.

If you love Montreal and want to learn something new about our great city, be sure to tune in.  I’ll be promoting our stories and shows on our CityLife Facebook page, or you can follow the updates I post on my LinkedIn account, as well as my @Dagenator Twitter and Instagram accounts.

Our season premiere on MAtv (HD 609) is scheduled for September 24th and our show will be broadcast every Monday and Wednesday. I’ll see you then!