Articles
The following articles were published in Nanaimo magazine. Serving a readership of 30,000, the magazine was created by Lesley Lorenz in 2004. The magazine won the Greater Nanaimo Chamber of Commerce Sterling Award in 2005 and the Yellow Pages Community Service Award in 2006. The magazine and its sister publication, Vancouver Island Voyager, were sold in 2009, and are still serving and growing with the Island Community. To read more editorials, restaurant reviews, business and volunteer profiles, please visit www.nanaimomagazine.ca.
Enjoy the read!
Rub-a-Dub-Dub — I Got in a Tub
Editorial Article Written by Lesley Lorenz
Nanaimo Magazine July 2008
An exciting play by play of the pre-season media bathtub race.
Late for the start of the race, the rest of the media bravehearts idle out in the bay, while I madly dash down the beach, yanking on a damp borrowed wetsuit, helmet… Read More
Candy Coated Christmas
Editorial Article Written by Lesley Lorenz
Nanaimo Magazine, December 2006
Now that our days are about 6 minutes long, and it rains so much that animals are starting to line up two by two, it is time to think inside thoughts. Crackling fire, books splayed open on the coffee table, slow cooked meals and board games are in order.
My father built our house, along with the support and guidance of my mother. I particularly … Read More
Fresh Air
Editorial Article Written by Lesley Lorenz
Nanaimo Magazine May 2008
Breathe deeply. Did you ever notice how a sudden whiff of a long-forgotten fragrance can take you back, not only to a specific memory, but the emotions that flooded the moment as well?
Thinking of my father, who worked as an engineer on the Gulf of Georgia …Read More
Kids Outside
Editorial Article Written by Lesley Lorenz
Nanaimo Magazine, May 2007
I’ll let you in on a little secret – happy is good. Tragedy is easy to find, and our media seems to delight in pointing it out. The truth is, though, there a thousand fantastic things that can put a smile on your lips and a skip in your step. It won’t make the front page, but:
I took my kids for a walk around Westwood Lake, and as always it took about an hour … Read More
Learning to Drive
Editorial Article Written by Lesley Lorenz
Nanaimo Magazine, April 2007
A butter yellow 1972 Super Beetle was subjected to my sweet sixteen earnest intentions to figure out how to aim myself at a location and arrive there alive. If you’ve ever been in a beetle, you know that the boot upfront, engine in the rear and bizarre heating system meant that the vehicle was constantly steamed up and having to push itself uphill, usually in first gear (yes a standard).
We lived on a cul de sac, 2 blocks long. I drove around the final road-hockey … Read More
Mrs. Applebottom
Editorial Article Written by Lesley Lorenz
Nanaimo Magazine January, 2008
I used to teach in a grade 5 classroom. The fun thing about teaching was that you could come up with some pretty interesting lessons plans and find unusual ways to get the curriculum across. That was pretty much my specialty as a teacher – to come up with a surprising way to sneak learning in when the students were least expecting it.
A key figure in my classroom was Mrs. Applebottom. Only a couple of mornings per year, I would put on a grey wig, horn-rimmed glasses … Read More
Super Heroes
Editorial Article Written by Lesley Lorenz
Nanaimo Magazine August, 2008
At five I was sure that I could fly if only I could get my hands on a cape like Mighty Mouse had. By far my favourite fantasy hero, Mighty Mouse seemed strong and handsome while skirting the whole issue of men in tights. Superman and Aquaman didn’t hold the same appeal, due to the serious looks on their faces and too much dialogue in general.
I didn’t want to be Wonder Woman or Supergirl or even Batgirl. Unbound by gender appropriate character identification, Mighty Mouse … Read More
The Invincible Valentine
Editorial Article Written by Lesley Lorenz
Nanaimo Magazine, February, 2007
When I find myself in times of trouble – my mother calls me. How does she know? Separated by the straits of Georgia, her intuition seems to transcend the watery distance. The peaks and valleys that make up my life – on my own with three kids and a budget dictated by the whims of seasonal sales and marketing executives- are a little less daunting because of her support.
Last year, I moved to a new home in the Old City Quarter, ran for council and tried to upkeep my business and kids all in the space … Read More