What’s Up Wednesdays: Where Is Rey?

After our little girl was born, I quickly became much more cognizant of issues related to gender, role models and societal expectations. And that’s why I really do have to side with Katherine Sangiorgio when she points out that Rey, the leading character in the new Star Wars movie, is missing from the new Monopoly game based on said movie. Kylo Ren and Finn are there, but Rey is not. What gives, Hasbro? When we make our way down the toy aisle, girl-friendly options don’t have to be awash in Pepto-Bismol.

To say that “fusion” cuisine is increasingly popular would be quite the understatement. You don’t have to go out to some fancy restaurant to enjoy these culinary combinations. Janette Shearer offers a quick and simple recipe for mashed potato spring rolls. If you’ve got some extra spuds kicking around and you want to try something different, this sounds like an interesting option to consider. Let your creativity run wild with whatever other fillings you want to use too.

Continuing with our home cooking adventures, not everyone has a lot of time to prepare something fancy for the whole family. Pete Gilbert is coming to the rescue with his list of five quick and easy meals that you can enjoy any day of the week. The chicken lettuce wraps should be a lot of fun for the kids, as would the black bean tacos. There’s something about food in wrapped up form that’s so comforting, don’t you think?

With the recent earthquake shaking our little neck of the woods, many Vancouverites are springing into action getting ready for “the big one.” Ken Jorgustin has a straightforward list of ten items you must have in your survival kit. His kit recommendations, like matches and knife, aren’t restricted to just earthquake preparedness, of course. If you’re like Rey, you may need to fend off some Stormtroopers too.

Believe it or not, I can’t pay my bills based on social shares and “exposure” alone. I need cash, as do all writers who do this sort of things for a living. That’s why Kristen Lamb reminds everyone that writers need to get paid too. In particular, she talks about the issue of used bookstores. The original author doesn’t make a penny off resale of the same copy. Go pick up a new one and support your favorite scribe.