Alex Trebek, saying he’s on the mend, back at ‘Jeopardy!’

New series terrific addition to RWB repertoire

‘See the music, hear the dance,” is a famous quote from quintessential ballet influencer George Balanchine, whose pithy bons mots have defined much of American classical dance since the legendary Russian-born choreographer first blazed a trail with the New York City Ballet.

Local balletomanes were given a golden opportunity to experience both up-close-and-personal Thursday when the Royal Winnipeg Ballet officially kicked off its 87th season with its newly minted Studio Series, which runs until Sunday.

The brainchild of the company’s artistic director, Christopher Stowell, the series features an abridged “concert version” of Balanchine’s seminal Who Cares?, set to a playlist of catchy George Gershwin tunes that make up the backbone of the Great American Songbook.

The Studio Series is the latest initiative taken by Stowell as he settles into his arguably still new position. Some of those endeavours will invariably stumble; others will hit their mark. This venture belongs in the latter category, bringing a 500-plus-year-old art form, often perceived as rarified, to audience members who may be hesitant, shy or just plain intimidated to visit the cavernous Centennial Concert Hall.

Perfecting profitability

More jaded of investors may roll their eyes at another book offering up a formula for the “perfect portfolio.”

Veteran portfolio manager Peter Lazaroff, based in St. Louis, and host of the Long Term Investor podcast understands the scepticism around his recently published book The Perfect Portfolio: a Proven Guide to Smart Investing for Long-Term Success.

Yet the chief investment officer at Plancorp Wealth Management, which has about US$10.2 billion in assets under management, has a caveat to the notion of the perfect portfolio.

“The perfect portfolio on paper is probably a lot different than the perfect portfolio for you in real life because what’s ‘perfect’ is a formula you can stick with for decades on end.”

Remembering Canada's military families

OTTAWA - Not only did Reine Samson Dawe's husband serve his entire career in the Canadian Armed Forces, but her four sons all followed in his footsteps. And while she is quick to point to the many ways military life has benefited her family, there have also been hardships — including the death of her youngest son, Capt. Matthew Dawe, in Afghanistan in 2007.

Selected this year's Silver Cross Mother by the Royal Canadian Legion, Samson Dawe will lay a wreath at the base of the National War Memorial during Monday's Remembrance Day ceremonies on behalf of all mothers who have lost children as a result of military service to Canada.

In an interview from her home in Kingston, Ont., Samson Dawe acknowledged the challenges that come with being part of a military family. Those include frequent relocations, often to relatively isolated communities, as well as the separation that comes with training and deployments and the threat of a loved one being injured or killed in the line of duty.

Samson Dawe, who met her husband while interning at a military hospital in Halifax after studying physiotherapy in Montreal, recalls the night in 2002 when four Canadian soldiers were killed by a U.S. warplane in Afghanistan. Her two oldest sons, Peter and Philip, were serving in the country at the time and she barely slept a wink while waiting for news.

Whether it’s coffee or tea, think of what’s holy

I was an instructor at a week-long event for aspiring Catholic journalists in Toronto in August. Whenever journalists gather, there will be conversation — and coffee. Lots of coffee. In this case, Catholic coffee.

“Catholic coffee?” you ask. “What is that?”

Catholic Coffee is the name of a small family business in Charlotte, N.C. Its goal is to use a daily habit of drinking coffee, especially in the morning, to focus attention on God through devotion and prayer.

The idea for using coffee in this way came to the founders through their Catholic faith.

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