last's words: "Annual Report 2014" (a.k.a. Seasonal Greetings)

John Last, OC MD 11A/300 Queen Elizabeth Drive

Emeritus professor Ottawa, ON K1S 3M6

University of Ottawa CANADA

School of epidemiology and public health jmlast@uottawa.ca

oldwhitebeard@gmail.com

Blog: lastswords.blogspot.com

ANNUAL REPORT, 2014

This has been a quiet year. It is four years since my beloved Janet Wendy died after suffering from ALS (motor neuron disease) for just over a year. I have adjusted to life without her, aided by my supporting children, by meditation and acceptance, and by maintaining a positive, cheerful attitude.

This year another book was published with my name on the title page, the 6^th edition of the Dictionary of Epidemiology. I'm an associate editor now, rather than compiler and editor in chief. This book has been translated into at least 14 languages and is used by epidemiologists all over the world. At meetings of epidemiologists I feel like the Eiffel Tower because so many want to be photographed standing next to me.

Writing has been an important part of my life for many years. This year it has been almost my only activity and pastime. I’ve worked on my memoirs and have posted many excerpts on my blog, most of them illustrated with photos. Writing about our voyage home from London to Adelaide in 1962 reminded me of a story I made up to tell Rebecca and David when they got bored with repeated rereading of Winnie the Pooh, Charlotte’s Web, The Magic Pudding, and Wind in the Willows. The characters in my story came to life in my head and took over their fate. The story has 9 chapters, about 50,000 words, and has kept me happily occupied for many hours in the past 6 months. All but the last two chapters are in reasonable shape now. I’ve honed my writing skills by taking part in several workshops.

Our Canadian family is doing well. Rebecca continues to work in Natural Resources Canada and is active with Master Gardeners. Her husband Richard keeps me well fed with delicious gourmet meals. David finished his sabbatical year, during which he wrote much of a monograph on security education. In October he and Desre had a splendid visit to Vienna, where they met my niece Anne Last and her husband who live in Perth, Western Australia. Jonathan is poised to move out of his condo to an ecologically sustainable home which he designed himself. Our three grandchildren are flourishing. Charles (formerly Christina) has moved to Victoria BC where he is very happy. Peter graduated from Waterloo University and he and his partner Sylvie are doing well. John is back for his final year at King’s College, Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia after a mind-expanding year at Bogazici University in Istanbul, and his partner Emily who teaches English, has gone on from Istanbul to Tokyo.

We all join in sending you our love and warmest wishes for Christmas, Hannukah, Diwali, Winter or Summer solstice, or other festival of your choice.

Here are a few photos of us in 2014

Some of the family at my condo, July 2014
Standing: L-R Richard, Jonathan, John Jr
Sitting: David, John Sr. Rebecca

Three Last men; David, John Jr, John Sr

Charles (Formerly Christina) on a beach in
Victoria BC, September 2014

Cousins' reunion, Vienna, October 2014

L-R: David Last, Anne Last, Desre Kramer, Steve Scudamore

Charles Last's oil painting of Janet Wendy Last
(Based on a photo taken in 1981)

John holding 2nd Edition of Public Health and
Human Ecology (1997); many other books he's written, edited, or in which he contributed chapters are on the shelves to his right