Illustration by Dan Baril · Click to enlargeI have always been one to put thoughts on paper. Well, maybe not always, but for a good thirty years anyway. I’m a task-driven person, so when a new thought, idea, or concept strikes me, the pen often strikes back. With a vengeance.
Twenty years ago I had a blog, viewed mostly by a handful of loyal readers. I use the word loyal rather loosely. I didn’t have subscribers per se. I sent individual pieces to friends, family, and colleagues I thought might be interested. Opt-out versus opt-in, if you get my drift.
With every piece that comes to mind, I go through the same familiar convulsions. My OCD kicks in, and only when the piece is drafted, edited to death, and posted does the itch go away. The reward isn’t eyeballs and likes. It’s the satisfying relief of getting something off my chest—and, hopefully, contributing something meaningful and insightful to the ongoing dialogue.
So why this page, and why now?
Platforms for those with a thought come and go. Yesterday it was Blogger. Today it’s Substack. Tomorrow it will be SpaceAI. I’m not looking to be the lost needle in a plethora of haystacks. I wanted a functional, attractive, and stable filing cabinet that I can call my own and rely upon into the future.
Hence, the Baril Musings site I am launching today, with a selection of my 2026 pieces to date. Many of the pieces also appear on Substack, but this feels more like home.
As for why now—why not?
I am retired now. I have time for the hobbies I tremendously enjoy: golf, photography, drones, candle making, technology, and writing. Over the years, I have thought about—and even started—writing a book, The Left Hung Door, but never got past Chapter 3. One day, maybe. In the meantime, perhaps the pieces in this growing collection will become chapters of their own. I refuse to use the word legacy.
A word about partisan politics and political views. I learned long ago that different views don’t make for bad people. Experience and perspective shape how we see things, and I find myself agreeing—and disagreeing—with people across the political spectrum.
I don’t usually broadcast my political views. These days, discussing politics while preserving relationships can be especially difficult. But I enjoy exploring public policy and opinion in an informed, respectful manner. There’s room for different perspectives, a light touch, and occasionally a little illustrative humour and punch.
Lastly, this space is not all about politics. On the contrary. You’ll find pieces on a variety of subjects, including whatever happens to catch my attention next.
Enjoy. Read a little. Stay a while. And if something strikes a chord, leave a thought of your own.
— Dan