Ben Sigurdson
@bensigurdson.bsky.social
Literary editor, drinks writer, Winnipeg Free Press; wine list maker, The Common; aspiring F1 team principal; mediocre curler and runner; party ruiner.
Pinned
I mean if you woke up and this was the first thing you saw about "the situation in Venezuela," you would have no idea a) what had happened and b) that the U.S. was involved at all. Apparently the elbows only go up about this far: 🤷
Please see my statement on the situation in Venezuela:
January 3, 2026 at 5:25 PM
I mean if you woke up and this was the first thing you saw about "the situation in Venezuela," you would have no idea a) what had happened and b) that the U.S. was involved at all. Apparently the elbows only go up about this far: 🤷
Looking for some bubbly to help ring in the new year? Here are 10 I tried (in every price range) for this week's @winnipegfreepress.com drinks column: www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-lif...
Opinion: Bubbles to toast the twinkling promise of 2026
Love it or hate it, New Year’s Eve is, at the very least, a good excuse to raise a glass of something sparkling. Whether it’s been a good or bad year, here are 10 sparkling wines that run the gamut fr...
www.winnipegfreepress.com
December 30, 2025 at 10:32 PM
Looking for some bubbly to help ring in the new year? Here are 10 I tried (in every price range) for this week's @winnipegfreepress.com drinks column: www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-lif...
Babs' version of Jingle Bells remains untouchable:
youtu.be/BhbgQh6LVWk?...
youtu.be/BhbgQh6LVWk?...
2020 Linglestown Lights "Jingle Bells?" by Barbara Streisand Christmas Lightshow
YouTube video by Aidan C.
youtu.be
December 24, 2025 at 8:31 PM
Babs' version of Jingle Bells remains untouchable:
youtu.be/BhbgQh6LVWk?...
youtu.be/BhbgQh6LVWk?...
It will always be wild to me that J*ffrey Epst*in is consistently referred to as a "disgraced financier." Like we're not out here referring to Hitl*r as "failed Austrian artist"
December 24, 2025 at 8:04 PM
It will always be wild to me that J*ffrey Epst*in is consistently referred to as a "disgraced financier." Like we're not out here referring to Hitl*r as "failed Austrian artist"
Reposted by Ben Sigurdson
A special Christmas Eve edition of Turning Pages as I air my conversation with Scott Oake about For the Love of a Son, recorded as part of the Plume writer's fest earlier this year. umfm.com/programming/...
December 24, 2025 at 4:47 PM
A special Christmas Eve edition of Turning Pages as I air my conversation with Scott Oake about For the Love of a Son, recorded as part of the Plume writer's fest earlier this year. umfm.com/programming/...
Reposted by Ben Sigurdson
For today's @winnipegfreepress.com arts and life section, I rounded 10 notable local books published this year (which probably could have been 20): www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-lif...
2025’s top books by Manitoba authors
From new volumes by seasoned writers to new faces on the local literary scene, 2025 proved to be a banner year for books by Manitoba authors, many of which were bestsellers in the province and beyond.
www.winnipegfreepress.com
December 22, 2025 at 3:11 PM
For today's @winnipegfreepress.com arts and life section, I rounded 10 notable local books published this year (which probably could have been 20): www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-lif...
Reposted by Ben Sigurdson
Bluesky has the juice
Not a bad way to spend the afternoon
December 21, 2025 at 4:05 AM
Bluesky has the juice
Reposted by Ben Sigurdson
Got a feeling this will be the year when the consensus on Wonderful Christmastime flips to “it’s good”
December 21, 2025 at 1:53 AM
Got a feeling this will be the year when the consensus on Wonderful Christmastime flips to “it’s good”
Wondering what to get younger readers this holiday season? Here are some new and notable books for kids young and old: www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-lif...
Books still prove the perfect gift for eager young readers
Books are always a favourite gift for young children at holiday time. The fall releases have provided a bounty of titles — some related to the season, and others in a range of genres and styles for ev...
www.winnipegfreepress.com
December 20, 2025 at 8:08 PM
Wondering what to get younger readers this holiday season? Here are some new and notable books for kids young and old: www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-lif...
Reposted by Ben Sigurdson
So today I got my fitst Xmas gift!
It came in the form of Harriet Zaidman’s kids books holiday gifts column in today’s Winnipeg Free Press, which included a review of Blood Letters, my epistolary/graphic novel hybrid with @gmbchomichuk.bsky.social! @greatplainspress.bsky.social
I’m so happy!
It came in the form of Harriet Zaidman’s kids books holiday gifts column in today’s Winnipeg Free Press, which included a review of Blood Letters, my epistolary/graphic novel hybrid with @gmbchomichuk.bsky.social! @greatplainspress.bsky.social
I’m so happy!
December 20, 2025 at 7:54 PM
So today I got my fitst Xmas gift!
It came in the form of Harriet Zaidman’s kids books holiday gifts column in today’s Winnipeg Free Press, which included a review of Blood Letters, my epistolary/graphic novel hybrid with @gmbchomichuk.bsky.social! @greatplainspress.bsky.social
I’m so happy!
It came in the form of Harriet Zaidman’s kids books holiday gifts column in today’s Winnipeg Free Press, which included a review of Blood Letters, my epistolary/graphic novel hybrid with @gmbchomichuk.bsky.social! @greatplainspress.bsky.social
I’m so happy!
At the beginning of the month we adopted a third cat, Charlie (formerly Cheeseball), who had been in foster homes for over a year. He is the sweetest, cuddliest cat ever (he’d make a great therapy cat), and… he hilariously lounges around like he’s in a centrefold
December 19, 2025 at 11:36 PM
At the beginning of the month we adopted a third cat, Charlie (formerly Cheeseball), who had been in foster homes for over a year. He is the sweetest, cuddliest cat ever (he’d make a great therapy cat), and… he hilariously lounges around like he’s in a centrefold
Reposted by Ben Sigurdson
![Tweet screenshot
Brent
@murrman5
[Me telling a story how I survived a plane crash and lived on a deserted island for a year] it was crazy
[Friend who once got a text from me where I accidentally called the Grinch the grink] was the grink there?](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:z6srt7ttig637vfl7eilvpxx/bafkreiavh4p7bzpgse42vanv7je3mvaz3ulibos7eo7nwxbpxhpcet64oi@jpeg)
Reposted by Ben Sigurdson
Reposted by Ben Sigurdson
Merriam-Webster’s human editors have chosen ‘slop’ as the 2025 Word of the Year.
December 15, 2025 at 2:07 PM
Merriam-Webster’s human editors have chosen ‘slop’ as the 2025 Word of the Year.
Watched National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation last night and discovered a) Clark's boss is played by Bill Murray's brother and b) the score was done by Angelo Badalamenti, who the following year scored Twin Peaks.
a man in a suit and tie is smiling in front of a crowd .
ALT: a man in a suit and tie is smiling in front of a crowd .
media.tenor.com
December 14, 2025 at 4:41 PM
Watched National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation last night and discovered a) Clark's boss is played by Bill Murray's brother and b) the score was done by Angelo Badalamenti, who the following year scored Twin Peaks.
Looking up a book on Am*zon and found the price difference in formats... interesting.
December 12, 2025 at 8:39 PM
Looking up a book on Am*zon and found the price difference in formats... interesting.
Reposted by Ben Sigurdson
Hey hey! The @winnipegfreepress.com reviewers picked their best books of 2025. (I picked @shteyngart.bsky.social's Vera, or Faith and Maria Reva's Endlings.)
Amidst the hustle and bustle and stress of holiday shopping, one of the world’s most literate countries chooses to keep it simple, focusing on a gift that can make you laugh, cry or expand your mind: books.
Top titles
Free Press reviewers share their best books of 2025
www.winnipegfreepress.com
December 12, 2025 at 7:28 PM
Hey hey! The @winnipegfreepress.com reviewers picked their best books of 2025. (I picked @shteyngart.bsky.social's Vera, or Faith and Maria Reva's Endlings.)
Reposted by Ben Sigurdson
Reposted by Ben Sigurdson
i made a photo zine of people standing in front of glenn danzig’s house that has outsold this book
American Canto sold 1165 physical copies in its first week, per bookscan.
December 11, 2025 at 10:40 PM
i made a photo zine of people standing in front of glenn danzig’s house that has outsold this book
Just went and checked out the fresh-out-of-jail U.S. products at Liquor Marts. Thursday at 2 p.m. and a good dozen or so folks swarming the bourbons, which seem to be the hot seller. J. Lohr Cab Sauv was apparently a hot ticket too. (I bought Belgian beer and a Portuguese red)
December 11, 2025 at 9:25 PM
Just went and checked out the fresh-out-of-jail U.S. products at Liquor Marts. Thursday at 2 p.m. and a good dozen or so folks swarming the bourbons, which seem to be the hot seller. J. Lohr Cab Sauv was apparently a hot ticket too. (I bought Belgian beer and a Portuguese red)
Reposted by Ben Sigurdson
“I am so bored by AI. One of the things I love about the theatre is AI can’t do it.”
Ethan Hawke is a dude 👌🏻
Ethan Hawke is a dude 👌🏻
December 9, 2025 at 8:36 PM
“I am so bored by AI. One of the things I love about the theatre is AI can’t do it.”
Ethan Hawke is a dude 👌🏻
Ethan Hawke is a dude 👌🏻
Reposted by Ben Sigurdson
Got this year’s Christmas Ghost Stories from the sweeties at @biblioasis.bsky.social!!! With groovy covers by SETH! Can’t wait to crack ‘em!
December 9, 2025 at 8:18 PM
Got this year’s Christmas Ghost Stories from the sweeties at @biblioasis.bsky.social!!! With groovy covers by SETH! Can’t wait to crack ‘em!
Not surprisingly, on the wine side of things it's 99.5% boring products I wouldn't have bought in the first place.
Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries has released the list of U.S. booze products that will be available in its stores Wednesday.
Province unveils which stored U.S. booze items will be sold
Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries has released the list of U.S. booze products that will be available in its stores Wednesday.
www.winnipegfreepress.com
December 8, 2025 at 8:18 PM
Not surprisingly, on the wine side of things it's 99.5% boring products I wouldn't have bought in the first place.