When Nick and I go on vacation, we usually take long walks, browse in bookstores, buy a treat, get a pint or a glass of vino and take it easy. Isn't it nice to feel like you're "off the clock" for a while? My life seems to be on the go all the time, with piano teaching being mostly evenings, and church and associated public duties on weekends.
But occasionally things slow down, and it makes me very grateful. Since the closing of Fusion Cafe in July, we've been spending more time at home, and missing the chance for random social encounters, not to mention the live music.
So, I've started to feel a bit housebound this past week and last night Nick and I bundled up and hiked down to the new used bookstore downtown. We were there for about an hour - the selection is good. We mostly read old stuff and Nick is into psychology and science books. I got my first novel by Oscar Wilde, some Irving Layton poems and a book by Austin Clarke.
Then we went a little farther up the town hill over to the Freshmarket grocery store and got some blueberry pastries to go with today's breakfast. The air was crisp, the Christmas lights were twinkly, and it was all very charming. Came home and curled up with little nip of scotch and read our books.
I'd just like to point out that currently the Woodstock Farm Market is open six days a week, with local food for sale. And that we have a knitting and art supply store on the corner of Connell and Main, which is right next to a natural food store....not too far from the take-out sushi joint on the other side of the street.
For a little town, we do pretty well. Next week I plan to get over to the new "Celtic Fox" coffee shop in Kerry O'Toole's gallery. So, before you spend all your bucks driving downriver or "over across," take an hour to wander around downtown and see what you can find.
Saturday, December 08, 2012
Sunday, October 28, 2012
All Soul's Eve
My grandmother died at home. She had been diagnosed with terminal cancer in early summer that year, and was gone shortly after Labour Day. The wait went on long enough for people in the village to come and pay their respects before she passed, and there was no wake afterwards. Her ten children all came home and took shifts caring for her, under the direction of one of my aunts, who is a retired nurse.
It was a difficult time, of course, but in the end it was a blessing for her to die at home surrounded by family. My grandfather, her husband, had passed away two years earlier - collapsed in the garden that spring. No hospital, very little suffering. Although I miss them both dearly, I am very glad that they lived long full lives and didn't spend weeks and months in institutions, waiting for the end.
My sister and I are musicians, and coming from a small community, we are occasionally called to play funerals. Normally they are in churches or funeral homes, but we did play one funeral at a house. At first, it was a scary prospect, to be in such close proximity to a corpse. But as memories were shared it made more sense to celebrate the life of this man surrounded by the things and people that would have surrounded him in life.
This article makes a lot of good points - death is now concealed from us almost entirely. When my sister taught in China, she told me they have a holiday where all the people go and clean the graves of their relatives and light a candle/make a small offering. Without sounding too nutty, I think it's a healthy (and helpful in a certain way) to maintain a sense of relationship with your people who have passed on. Many cultures, such as the Inuit, various Buddhist sects, and some African cultures, practice this tradition.
Occasionally, I have dreams about my grandfather. For some reason, it's rarely my grandmother or other relatives who are gone now. A couple of weeks ago I saw him in a dream. He was carrying around my grandmother on his hip, like a baby. They gave me a hug. They're good.
It was reassuring.
It was a difficult time, of course, but in the end it was a blessing for her to die at home surrounded by family. My grandfather, her husband, had passed away two years earlier - collapsed in the garden that spring. No hospital, very little suffering. Although I miss them both dearly, I am very glad that they lived long full lives and didn't spend weeks and months in institutions, waiting for the end.
My sister and I are musicians, and coming from a small community, we are occasionally called to play funerals. Normally they are in churches or funeral homes, but we did play one funeral at a house. At first, it was a scary prospect, to be in such close proximity to a corpse. But as memories were shared it made more sense to celebrate the life of this man surrounded by the things and people that would have surrounded him in life.
This article makes a lot of good points - death is now concealed from us almost entirely. When my sister taught in China, she told me they have a holiday where all the people go and clean the graves of their relatives and light a candle/make a small offering. Without sounding too nutty, I think it's a healthy (and helpful in a certain way) to maintain a sense of relationship with your people who have passed on. Many cultures, such as the Inuit, various Buddhist sects, and some African cultures, practice this tradition.
Occasionally, I have dreams about my grandfather. For some reason, it's rarely my grandmother or other relatives who are gone now. A couple of weeks ago I saw him in a dream. He was carrying around my grandmother on his hip, like a baby. They gave me a hug. They're good.
It was reassuring.
Sunday, September 09, 2012
The season of Thanksgiving
I love this time of year. I love the slightly cool but not cold temperatures, I love the feeling of getting ready to snuggle in for the winter, and most of all, I love the food. There is so much deliciousness to be had right now.
Believe it or not, I am spending a lot of time getting ready for Christmas lately. It makes me groan too, but with so many Christmas music-related tasks in the works, if I don't start now, I'm too late! And it astounds me how long the "Christmas season" has become in the past ten years.
I wish we could have a season of "Thanksgiving," and that people would start making their thankfulness lists early, share them with friends, and feast together. I don't care about presents or decorations but it sure would be great if the radios in every shop played songs about how we should be thankful, for about 40 consecutive days. Maybe some of that positivity would sink in.
Happy season of Thanksgiving! I'm starting my celebrations now :)
Believe it or not, I am spending a lot of time getting ready for Christmas lately. It makes me groan too, but with so many Christmas music-related tasks in the works, if I don't start now, I'm too late! And it astounds me how long the "Christmas season" has become in the past ten years.
I wish we could have a season of "Thanksgiving," and that people would start making their thankfulness lists early, share them with friends, and feast together. I don't care about presents or decorations but it sure would be great if the radios in every shop played songs about how we should be thankful, for about 40 consecutive days. Maybe some of that positivity would sink in.
Happy season of Thanksgiving! I'm starting my celebrations now :)
Monday, August 20, 2012
Assange, radicalism and democracy
Here's a question that plagues me from time to time: what good are our 'democratic rights' if nobody uses them? Is free speech actually worth anything if everyone is too afraid to speak up? Here's an interesting response from Julian Assange, founder of WikiLeaks, in a Rolling Stone interview:
When people talk about your childhood, the two main words used to describe you are "nomadic" and "hacker." You first got into trouble when you were 17 for hacking into Pentagon networks, as well as several Australian sites. It seems in some ways that you've been engaged in a lifelong campaign against authority.
Julian Assange: I haven't had a lifelong campaign against authority. Legitimate authority is important. All human systems require authority, but authority must be granted as a result of the informed consent of the governed. Presently, the consent, if there is any, is not informed, and therefore it's not legitimate. To communicate knowledge, we must protect people's privacy - and so I have been, for 20 years, developing systems and policy and ideals to protect people's rights to communicate privately without government interference, without government surveillance. The right to communicate without government surveillance is important, because surveillance is another form of censorship. When people are frightened that what they are saying may be overheard by a power that has the ability to lock people up, then they adjust what they're saying. They start to self-censor.
------------------------------------------ It's amazing to me that a concept like "consent of the governed" now seems so quaint as to be utterly ignorable, should a government choose to ignore it. I think Assange is right when he says self-censorship is a form of control.
When people talk about your childhood, the two main words used to describe you are "nomadic" and "hacker." You first got into trouble when you were 17 for hacking into Pentagon networks, as well as several Australian sites. It seems in some ways that you've been engaged in a lifelong campaign against authority.
Julian Assange: I haven't had a lifelong campaign against authority. Legitimate authority is important. All human systems require authority, but authority must be granted as a result of the informed consent of the governed. Presently, the consent, if there is any, is not informed, and therefore it's not legitimate. To communicate knowledge, we must protect people's privacy - and so I have been, for 20 years, developing systems and policy and ideals to protect people's rights to communicate privately without government interference, without government surveillance. The right to communicate without government surveillance is important, because surveillance is another form of censorship. When people are frightened that what they are saying may be overheard by a power that has the ability to lock people up, then they adjust what they're saying. They start to self-censor.
------------------------------------------ It's amazing to me that a concept like "consent of the governed" now seems so quaint as to be utterly ignorable, should a government choose to ignore it. I think Assange is right when he says self-censorship is a form of control.
Thursday, August 16, 2012
The icebox cometh
Went to visit some friends yesterday - they had just taken their 40+ chickens to be slaughtered. Feast day is Monday. Got a call from my farmer a few minutes ago. We are due for 100 lbs. of pork (1/2 of a pig), 6 chickens and a turkey sometime around the Labour Day weekend.
Food seems to be a common topic of conversation at gatherings these days - how long chickens take to grow, how much they eat, how much meat do you actually need to get through the winter?
We also got a 1/4 side of beef from Nick's family farm a couple of weeks ago, so we're almost set. We'll have some 'special' cuts to set aside - our first locally grown turkey (Thanksgiving), a brine-smoked ham (Christmas or Easter), and those lovely roast chickens for family dinners when the snow has returned.
Here's what we will get from our half of a pig - give or take a bit depending on the actual weight at slaughtering:
7-8 packages (1lb. each) deliciously smoked bacon (the best I've ever eaten, no joke)
3-4 shoulder roasts (approx. 3lbs each)
2-3 hind end roasts
1 ham (from the hind end, with small bone)
1 loin roast
10 pkgs. pork chops (from the loin, 2 per pkg.)
1 pkg. long pork ribs (party food!)
sausage - from the leftovers.
I've asked the butcher to leave a bit more fat on this time - this seals in the flavours while it cooks and will give me some nice lard to work with for the occasional biscuits or pies. It's so nice to hear from the people who grow your food, and be able to ask the butcher to leave in the bones and more fat, so that the food will taste delicious and be more nourishing. I know winter is long but with a store like this I think I can make it through.
I might add that the wholesale price we pay for hamburger is nearly half of what they charge at the corporate grocery store. And I know there's no pink slime in this beef. Happy eating!
Food seems to be a common topic of conversation at gatherings these days - how long chickens take to grow, how much they eat, how much meat do you actually need to get through the winter?
We also got a 1/4 side of beef from Nick's family farm a couple of weeks ago, so we're almost set. We'll have some 'special' cuts to set aside - our first locally grown turkey (Thanksgiving), a brine-smoked ham (Christmas or Easter), and those lovely roast chickens for family dinners when the snow has returned.
Here's what we will get from our half of a pig - give or take a bit depending on the actual weight at slaughtering:
7-8 packages (1lb. each) deliciously smoked bacon (the best I've ever eaten, no joke)
3-4 shoulder roasts (approx. 3lbs each)
2-3 hind end roasts
1 ham (from the hind end, with small bone)
1 loin roast
10 pkgs. pork chops (from the loin, 2 per pkg.)
1 pkg. long pork ribs (party food!)
sausage - from the leftovers.
I've asked the butcher to leave a bit more fat on this time - this seals in the flavours while it cooks and will give me some nice lard to work with for the occasional biscuits or pies. It's so nice to hear from the people who grow your food, and be able to ask the butcher to leave in the bones and more fat, so that the food will taste delicious and be more nourishing. I know winter is long but with a store like this I think I can make it through.
I might add that the wholesale price we pay for hamburger is nearly half of what they charge at the corporate grocery store. And I know there's no pink slime in this beef. Happy eating!
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
A "poor" choice of words
Great article in today's New York Times about poverty. Apparently the US now has more poor people than it did in President Johnson's days (and one in 5 Canadian children is being raised in poverty).
And yet, somehow, nobody will say the word "poor" in public. Occasionally, people will exclaim "I'm too poor for that," but they're usually not too serious. And nobody ever, ever, utters the words "poor people" during an election campaign.
Even Jack Layton, champion of the little guy, was always talking about "working families" or "ordinary Canadians." Which is too bad, because you know what makes some Canadians ordinary? The fact that they are poor - they don't make enough money to meet their basic needs for food, shelter, clothing and education.
But Barack Obama won't say "poor," and neither will any other politician. It's a real shame poverty has fallen off the political agenda, given the fact that children are all equal at birth, it's society that makes them unequal.
My sister, Tracy, wrote a great song called "High Class, Low Class," about people who don't get any respect for the work they do. One of the lines is "You might be on the bottom, and they say that money talks."
Our friends have a twoyear old daughter. Her older sister was listening to Tracy's cd around the house. The two year old looked up at her mother and asked "why Mommy? why some people on bottom." Imagine trying to answer that question.
And yet, somehow, nobody will say the word "poor" in public. Occasionally, people will exclaim "I'm too poor for that," but they're usually not too serious. And nobody ever, ever, utters the words "poor people" during an election campaign.
Even Jack Layton, champion of the little guy, was always talking about "working families" or "ordinary Canadians." Which is too bad, because you know what makes some Canadians ordinary? The fact that they are poor - they don't make enough money to meet their basic needs for food, shelter, clothing and education.
But Barack Obama won't say "poor," and neither will any other politician. It's a real shame poverty has fallen off the political agenda, given the fact that children are all equal at birth, it's society that makes them unequal.
My sister, Tracy, wrote a great song called "High Class, Low Class," about people who don't get any respect for the work they do. One of the lines is "You might be on the bottom, and they say that money talks."
Our friends have a twoyear old daughter. Her older sister was listening to Tracy's cd around the house. The two year old looked up at her mother and asked "why Mommy? why some people on bottom." Imagine trying to answer that question.
Monday, August 13, 2012
Time changes all things
Time marches on, and when you aren't paying attention, you turn look up suddenly to find the scenery has changed. Lately I don't have much patience for speculation or verbiage, so I've been contemplating letting this blog go. But I'll give it a couple more posts and maybe a redesign and see how that goes.
Today is my first day off in 41 days. It's been an exhausting, wonderful and productive summer, at the end of a difficult, emotional year (for personal reasons that I am not getting into). When I have time to reflect on my life, I can't believe the things I've accomplished, on my own, and with friends.
Consequently, it doesn't give me much patience for people who whine and complain. It is possible to make change. It is possible to achieve your dreams. It is possible to live out the vision you have in mind. But it will never be easy, nor should it be. Sacrifice sets us apart.
A man I grew up with, whose opinions I truly respect, told me once that patience was "the willingness to suffer" while you wait for your desired result. I think when I was younger, I was not very willing. I was very impatient, and to some degrees I still am. Although, now that I'm older, I see that good things do come to those who wait - as long as they work while they wait!
I have a real hunger lately for ideas, deep conversation, meaningful collaborations, and incremental progress. Time is so precious, and it moves so quickly. And yet, we can do so much to reach our fullness as human beings if we wade into that river, slow it down and let things take shape.
It's hard to say what this fall will bring. So many things on the list. But I know we are capable of meeting the challenges, with deep breaths, laughter, tears and a lot of help from our loved ones.
Today is my first day off in 41 days. It's been an exhausting, wonderful and productive summer, at the end of a difficult, emotional year (for personal reasons that I am not getting into). When I have time to reflect on my life, I can't believe the things I've accomplished, on my own, and with friends.
Consequently, it doesn't give me much patience for people who whine and complain. It is possible to make change. It is possible to achieve your dreams. It is possible to live out the vision you have in mind. But it will never be easy, nor should it be. Sacrifice sets us apart.
A man I grew up with, whose opinions I truly respect, told me once that patience was "the willingness to suffer" while you wait for your desired result. I think when I was younger, I was not very willing. I was very impatient, and to some degrees I still am. Although, now that I'm older, I see that good things do come to those who wait - as long as they work while they wait!
I have a real hunger lately for ideas, deep conversation, meaningful collaborations, and incremental progress. Time is so precious, and it moves so quickly. And yet, we can do so much to reach our fullness as human beings if we wade into that river, slow it down and let things take shape.
It's hard to say what this fall will bring. So many things on the list. But I know we are capable of meeting the challenges, with deep breaths, laughter, tears and a lot of help from our loved ones.
Tuesday, May 08, 2012
One piece at a time
This week I've been back to work on the house at 702 Main Street. Originally, this was the house RiVA was fixing up to be a community arts centre. A couple of years ago the Board decided not proceed with this project - it is a gigantic mountain to climb, no doubt about it. Since then, our "Centre for Culture and Creativity" business has reached an agreement with the owners to fix up the house with the plan of eventually relocating our teaching there (along with a rental office, public art gallery and an apartment). It's still a gigantic mountain to climb.
This week I have been arriving early in the morning to continue with the demolition and cleaning. We had a pretty extensive meeting at Town Hall yesterday and got some detailled information about what it's going to take for us to get to the next step - approval of our development plan and getting a building permit.
We are undertaking this project because we have a vision for the house and the important role it can play in our community. Right now there is no dedicated space in Woodstock for people to experience visual art, live music and to access educational programs and artistic resources.
I have always been interested in making change - not for the sake of change, but so that our communities better meet the needs of our citizens, and so that everybody who would like to make a contribution is enabled to do so. Today as I was trucking up and down the stairs, I realized exactly how difficult that is going to be - with a plethora of rules we are faced with. I am not complaining - I am determined that this project will prevail. It may take far longer than I care to think about, and it may require some serious sacrifices on my part, but I think it's tremendously important for our community to have a place for people to develop themselves artistically and to experience a caring community.
This week I have been arriving early in the morning to continue with the demolition and cleaning. We had a pretty extensive meeting at Town Hall yesterday and got some detailled information about what it's going to take for us to get to the next step - approval of our development plan and getting a building permit.
We are undertaking this project because we have a vision for the house and the important role it can play in our community. Right now there is no dedicated space in Woodstock for people to experience visual art, live music and to access educational programs and artistic resources.
I have always been interested in making change - not for the sake of change, but so that our communities better meet the needs of our citizens, and so that everybody who would like to make a contribution is enabled to do so. Today as I was trucking up and down the stairs, I realized exactly how difficult that is going to be - with a plethora of rules we are faced with. I am not complaining - I am determined that this project will prevail. It may take far longer than I care to think about, and it may require some serious sacrifices on my part, but I think it's tremendously important for our community to have a place for people to develop themselves artistically and to experience a caring community.
Monday, April 16, 2012
Women of note
When I go to gigs or music events, I do a count of women on the stand. I can't help it, I am curious to see how many of my fellow female musicians are singing or playing in public. As this article about women writers shows, we are vastly outnumbered by men in the public eye. 
The numbers for women seeking political office are similar - at least in NB and Canada. In Rwanda, female parliamentarians are more than 50%, and some of the Nordic democracies have reached gender parity). But I digress....
We attended the East Coast Music Week this weekend. While the men are still outnumbering the women, I did see a number of female musicians on the up-and-up. Check them out: Breagh McKinnon (Cape Breton), the Hay Babies, Zwerg (female bassist, yes!), and not to be overlooked, Carmen Townsend.
These are only a few females among many, of course, but it is encouraging to see the ladies out there rockin' and croonin' and groovin'. Our Dooryard applicants are over 50% female so that's pretty cool as well.
Saturday, March 31, 2012
The rural imagination
Everyone knows the 21st century will be an urban century. People have been leaving farms and countryside in a steady stream since the Industrial Revolution began. Nobody seems to have any real vision for what it means to be rural - especially not government policy-makers. It makes me wonder if that's because the people who make policy come from sub-urban and urban backgrounds . . .but, the idea that people can live a fulfilling live in the country (or a very small town where most people are on a first-name / kinship basis) seems to be at odds with today's society.
I grew up in the country. I still miss it - I miss the smell of the air, the rhythm of the seasons, the woodsmoke (the wood heat!!), cold brooks, big stars, earthy gardens and silence so thick you can drink it in. And I used to bike 2 kms on fall and spring mornings to get to Debec Elementary School, where my extended and immediate family have attended since it began in the 1960's.
Soon DES is closing, and with it another chapter of rural life - along with the passenger trains, the barn raisings, the end of horsepower and the blacksmith, and locally-raised food. I know the 21st century will be a liberating one in many ways - notably for women and the LGBT community worldwide - but I also wish little Debec Elementary had a place in that century. I owe it a lot.
I grew up in the country. I still miss it - I miss the smell of the air, the rhythm of the seasons, the woodsmoke (the wood heat!!), cold brooks, big stars, earthy gardens and silence so thick you can drink it in. And I used to bike 2 kms on fall and spring mornings to get to Debec Elementary School, where my extended and immediate family have attended since it began in the 1960's.
Soon DES is closing, and with it another chapter of rural life - along with the passenger trains, the barn raisings, the end of horsepower and the blacksmith, and locally-raised food. I know the 21st century will be a liberating one in many ways - notably for women and the LGBT community worldwide - but I also wish little Debec Elementary had a place in that century. I owe it a lot.
Monday, March 19, 2012
Okay, tough guy, now get back to work
Here's a great article about why we have to get back to the 40-hour workweek. It's worth reading in its entirety, especially if you are the kind of person who a.) thinks that working longer hours means more productivity, or b.) that people who don't work more than 40 hours are lazy c.) feels burnout and notices that it's taking longer than you thought to recover.
One of the most interesting points: people who do manual or industrial jobs can be productive for up to 8 hours a day. People who are 'knowledge workers" - ie. people who sit in front of a screen, or who are constantly reading and calculating, would be better off sticking with 6 hours daily.
Variety is the spice of life, I say.
One of the most interesting points: people who do manual or industrial jobs can be productive for up to 8 hours a day. People who are 'knowledge workers" - ie. people who sit in front of a screen, or who are constantly reading and calculating, would be better off sticking with 6 hours daily.
Variety is the spice of life, I say.
Saturday, February 18, 2012
How many can you take 'for the team' ?
Sure, we all take one or two from time to time. But some of us have a problem balancing self-care and time out with the endless lists and demands. If you're part of a 'movement' of any kinds - arts advocacy, anti-poverty, environmentalism, you know how easy it is to do too much.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
A Meditation for Valentine's Day
"To love is, first of all, to accept ourselves as we are" Thich Nhat Hanh
Regardless of whether your age or marital status or even if you think Valentine's day is a big pile of hooey, here is a beautiful meditation you can do to practice metta (loving kindness) every day.
Sit still, calm your body and your breathing and recite the meditation to yourself. Sitting still, you're not too preoccupied with other matters, so you can look deeply at yourself as you are, cultivate your love for yourself, and determine the best ways to express this love in the world.
May I be peaceful, happy and light in body and spirit.
May I be safe and free from injury.
May I be free from anger, afflictions, fear and anxiety.
When you have done this, meditating on yourself, you can repeat it, take out the "I" and substitute someone else - your partner, your family members, your colleagues or anyone. Spread the love, no purchase required.
Regardless of whether your age or marital status or even if you think Valentine's day is a big pile of hooey, here is a beautiful meditation you can do to practice metta (loving kindness) every day.
Sit still, calm your body and your breathing and recite the meditation to yourself. Sitting still, you're not too preoccupied with other matters, so you can look deeply at yourself as you are, cultivate your love for yourself, and determine the best ways to express this love in the world.
May I be peaceful, happy and light in body and spirit.
May I be safe and free from injury.
May I be free from anger, afflictions, fear and anxiety.
When you have done this, meditating on yourself, you can repeat it, take out the "I" and substitute someone else - your partner, your family members, your colleagues or anyone. Spread the love, no purchase required.
Sunday, February 05, 2012
What to do when you find out your farmer is retiring
Sheesh. We just got rolling with Stu and Nancy and their awesome farming and food delivery service. But it seems Stu's back isn't well so they're retiring from the delivery aspect of the business later this spring. Talk about a panic when I found that out - I've just got in the habit of re-thinking my purchases around what they can provide.
Luckily, at the wonderful Youth Entrepreneurship Showcase this weekend (hosted by Falls Brook Centre) we met the Livingstones, who have a farm in Pembroke and are doing a weekly food box from June until November. You should consider getting food there too - here is their website.
It is encouraging to see a sustainable family farm like this setting up around here. We need more wholesome food grown by people who care about health and the land. Stu has certainly spent his lifetime in Carleton County trying to encourage this sort of thinking. Stop by the Speerville Mill website sometime and read the story of how they got started. Kinda reminds me of a plucky little arts festival I know (not to mention the story of the founding of the Carleton County Historical Society). Thanks goodness for good people and good food. I don't want to imagine a world without them.
Luckily, at the wonderful Youth Entrepreneurship Showcase this weekend (hosted by Falls Brook Centre) we met the Livingstones, who have a farm in Pembroke and are doing a weekly food box from June until November. You should consider getting food there too - here is their website.
It is encouraging to see a sustainable family farm like this setting up around here. We need more wholesome food grown by people who care about health and the land. Stu has certainly spent his lifetime in Carleton County trying to encourage this sort of thinking. Stop by the Speerville Mill website sometime and read the story of how they got started. Kinda reminds me of a plucky little arts festival I know (not to mention the story of the founding of the Carleton County Historical Society). Thanks goodness for good people and good food. I don't want to imagine a world without them.
It's not what they say, it's how they say it.
We saw our third play of 2012 last night, a UNB production of Michel Tremblay's "Bonjour, la, Bonjour." I've seen three of Tremblay's plays now and I really like them. He writes primarily about working-class francophones, which aren't too far from the working-class anglophones that constitutes 95% of my extended family. What could contain more 'drama' than family, youth, identity, and intimacy?
A few years back at Mount A., I saw "Messe solennelle pour une pleine lune d'ete," (Solemn Mass for a Full Moon Summer) and now that I look back on it, the characters perched on Montreal balconies in the heat of summer probably inspired my fascination with that city.
The Mount A. production was in French, and after seeing two subsequent Tremblay plays in English (the other was a TNB Production "For the Pleasure of Seeing Her Again"), I will try to see more Tremblay productions in the language they were composed in. Although my French is far from perfect, you can surmise a lot from watching good actors even if you don't get every word.
And words are important in these plays - Tremblay is known for introducing vernacular Quebecois French joual to the stage - it's analogous to the outback type of "Dooryard" words and phrases we have here in Western NB. And the characters are defined as much by the way the speak and not just what they say. As someone who has taken her 'county' slang to wine and cheese receptions and scholarship interviews, I can tell you that how you say 'er really does have some import (wink, wink).
I guess it just goes to show that "English" or "French" are very nebulous ideas in some ways - whose English (London, Caribbean, Carleton County, Mumbai) do we really speak? I will never forget the story my Acadienne friend told me about her trip to France. She showed up speaking French, mais oui, only to have French noses turn up at her unrefined accent. I think she was back on the plane to 'the New World" within days, but I digress.
So, speaking of English and French, next week we're off to - where else? - Mount A! to see Alex Fancy's Tintamarre team present "Camp." Students help Fancy write these bilingual productions, so it will be interesting to see what they've come up with. We're also going to see a wonderful friend present a vocal recital in the hall where we studied (and enjoyed) so many excellent performers during our wonderful student days. Felicitations, bravo and congratulations Jessica!
A few years back at Mount A., I saw "Messe solennelle pour une pleine lune d'ete," (Solemn Mass for a Full Moon Summer) and now that I look back on it, the characters perched on Montreal balconies in the heat of summer probably inspired my fascination with that city.
The Mount A. production was in French, and after seeing two subsequent Tremblay plays in English (the other was a TNB Production "For the Pleasure of Seeing Her Again"), I will try to see more Tremblay productions in the language they were composed in. Although my French is far from perfect, you can surmise a lot from watching good actors even if you don't get every word.
And words are important in these plays - Tremblay is known for introducing vernacular Quebecois French joual to the stage - it's analogous to the outback type of "Dooryard" words and phrases we have here in Western NB. And the characters are defined as much by the way the speak and not just what they say. As someone who has taken her 'county' slang to wine and cheese receptions and scholarship interviews, I can tell you that how you say 'er really does have some import (wink, wink).
I guess it just goes to show that "English" or "French" are very nebulous ideas in some ways - whose English (London, Caribbean, Carleton County, Mumbai) do we really speak? I will never forget the story my Acadienne friend told me about her trip to France. She showed up speaking French, mais oui, only to have French noses turn up at her unrefined accent. I think she was back on the plane to 'the New World" within days, but I digress.
So, speaking of English and French, next week we're off to - where else? - Mount A! to see Alex Fancy's Tintamarre team present "Camp." Students help Fancy write these bilingual productions, so it will be interesting to see what they've come up with. We're also going to see a wonderful friend present a vocal recital in the hall where we studied (and enjoyed) so many excellent performers during our wonderful student days. Felicitations, bravo and congratulations Jessica!
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Do we have to talk about politics?
Lately I've been involved in a few conversations about politics with people of different ages and backgrounds. Inevitably, someone will sigh or throw up their hands and voice their disgust/frustration/mistrust of the entire system. And who can blame them? So many poor (partisan) decisions are made, and so many people are completely alienated from and disenfranchised by our political systems, be they local or provincial or national.
At the same time, standing on the sidelines does nothing to improve the state of things - in fact, it makes it worse. The young people I talked to at a local pub felt completely uniformed on political issues. Some of them, well into their twenties, with degrees in hand, have never voted in a single election. The retired man I talked to at church today told me the story of how quickly a local MLA became disgusted with politics after he was elected. How can you get involved in politics and be successful in 'playing the game' without getting your hands dirty? Good question.
I've been interested in politics since I was a kid. My parents used to be card-carrying Liberals. People like my folks used to be the party rank-and-file, who played some role in bringing leaders to power. And inevitably, decisions about policy will be made, either with the participation of citizens or not. Mostly it seems that that power has been abdicated to large corporations and power-brokers, who understand the stakes and have their representatives trained and ready.
How do we re-ignite a conversation about the common good? How do we convince people (and particularly young people) to get involved in decision-making that affects their community?
My personal opinion is "without pressure, nothing changes." And that pressure can only be created when people work together to achieve specific changes that they feel will improve the community in which they live.
And sooner or later, in some form or another, that means politics.
At the same time, standing on the sidelines does nothing to improve the state of things - in fact, it makes it worse. The young people I talked to at a local pub felt completely uniformed on political issues. Some of them, well into their twenties, with degrees in hand, have never voted in a single election. The retired man I talked to at church today told me the story of how quickly a local MLA became disgusted with politics after he was elected. How can you get involved in politics and be successful in 'playing the game' without getting your hands dirty? Good question.
I've been interested in politics since I was a kid. My parents used to be card-carrying Liberals. People like my folks used to be the party rank-and-file, who played some role in bringing leaders to power. And inevitably, decisions about policy will be made, either with the participation of citizens or not. Mostly it seems that that power has been abdicated to large corporations and power-brokers, who understand the stakes and have their representatives trained and ready.
How do we re-ignite a conversation about the common good? How do we convince people (and particularly young people) to get involved in decision-making that affects their community?
My personal opinion is "without pressure, nothing changes." And that pressure can only be created when people work together to achieve specific changes that they feel will improve the community in which they live.
And sooner or later, in some form or another, that means politics.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Living on muscle, guts and luck
So much food, so little time...here's a little round up of what I am learning lately. First of all, I've had a pretty much 180 degree change of opinion about animal fat. It feels strange after a decade of vegetarianism to be so into meat, but I think the evidence is in favour of high quality organic meat. I am not talking about feedlot beef here, or claustrophobically caged chickens. Or fast food.
I am realizing that my health in the future will be largely dependent on two things: exercise and managing my blood sugar. I have diabetics on both sides of the family so it's a major concern for me. Plus obesity/diabetes are the number one health problem in our society right now.
I just finished reading a book called "Deep Nutrition: Why Your Genes Need Traditional Food" which was so fascinating. The author shows how beauty and health are connected, how siblings appearances differ because of the nutrients available to them in utero, and how cholesterol is good for you. It's sugar and vegetable oils that cause illness. Yes, you read that right. Sugar and veg oil. Eat the butter, it's good for you.
She also says that we are losing the genetic nutritional advantage that our ancestors gave us, in part because they ate the whole animal - guts, livers, eyeballs and everything. I know that may not entice you but we aren't living longer anymore, we're aging faster and our children are less healthy. Shanahan thinks this is one of the reasons why - our food is no longer as nourishing.
Also, here is a podcast with Raj Patel, author of "Stuffed and Starved." He talks about lesser-known aspects of the 'green revolution' (ie. industrial farming) such as authoritarianism, overpopulation, the Cold War and more. Patel says we currently produce enough food to feed the entire world, it's just not distributed to people who need it. He says when capitalism controls food it actually leads to more hunger, because people without money can't eat.
Dark times we live in now. But we still have a choice, and the more I go to the grocery store, the more I don't want to go there anymore. So I am slowly working out a way of eating that is best for me and for my loved ones, and that doesn't involve an industrial outlook on life.
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Sabbatical: Month 10, Time's Up!
This time last year I felt grumpy and worn out. So I took a break from RiVA, cut back on my work schedule and made an effort to do less. It was the right choice and after nearly a year I feel re-charged and ready to go again.
Since New Year's I have also made some major revisions to my diet - adding (quality local, mostly organic) meat to my diet after a decade of vegetarianism and eliminating almost all grain and sugar (except fruit of course). I feel great and after the sugar binge that is Christmas it's a huge difference. I never realized how much the fluctuations in blood sugar made me anxious (sometimes to the point of hostility) and how much more satisfied and energized I feel now that my diet is higher in fat and protein, and lower in carbohydrates.
For anyone who feels worn down by life, I would highly recommend taking some time to re-evaluate your life and take some time to deliberately be unproductive. Taking the pressure off myself and being able to put my needs first was very empowering. In seven more years I fully intend to do it again.
Since New Year's I have also made some major revisions to my diet - adding (quality local, mostly organic) meat to my diet after a decade of vegetarianism and eliminating almost all grain and sugar (except fruit of course). I feel great and after the sugar binge that is Christmas it's a huge difference. I never realized how much the fluctuations in blood sugar made me anxious (sometimes to the point of hostility) and how much more satisfied and energized I feel now that my diet is higher in fat and protein, and lower in carbohydrates.
For anyone who feels worn down by life, I would highly recommend taking some time to re-evaluate your life and take some time to deliberately be unproductive. Taking the pressure off myself and being able to put my needs first was very empowering. In seven more years I fully intend to do it again.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
More time for plays
The New Year has arrived and with it, many changes and cause for excitement. Nick and I have made a goal to see 30 plays this year - yes! This is the kind of 'work' we can get excited about. So far we have attended "Screwjob," a new play by Step Taylor and "Chicken Hearts and Baby Onions" which was put on by Theatre St. Thomas.
Step's play was originally slated for last summer's Dooryard Arts Festival but was delayed until January. This was Valley Young Company's first production at the Charlotte St. Arts Centre in Fredericton. The TST production was helmed by Woodstock native Ryan Griffith, who gave an outstanding performance as the Croatian trucker Jan. It was so refreshing to see working people portrayed on the stage, dealing with the drama inherent in politics, family, class and friendship. Thanks gang, for encouraging us toward our goal.
Upcoming, we will be seeing "Oh What a Lovely War" (also at TST) and then the TNB redux of "The Dollar Woman" by Alden Nowlan and Walter Learning. This was TNB's first original production and I am looking forward to this slice of New Brunswickana. Nowlan has been a very inspirational figure for me personally so it will be great to hear his words spoken aloud.
We're also planning to read 20 plays and are currently reading Harold Bloom's commentaries on various Shakespeare plays. That man is an encyclopedia, in case you didn't know. So, our play is work and our work is play. Exciting stuff for those of us who find human stories endlessly fascinating. If you'd like to be apart of this play reading - which will be done out loud in the living room, beverage optional, feel free to drop me a line.
Cheerio!
Step's play was originally slated for last summer's Dooryard Arts Festival but was delayed until January. This was Valley Young Company's first production at the Charlotte St. Arts Centre in Fredericton. The TST production was helmed by Woodstock native Ryan Griffith, who gave an outstanding performance as the Croatian trucker Jan. It was so refreshing to see working people portrayed on the stage, dealing with the drama inherent in politics, family, class and friendship. Thanks gang, for encouraging us toward our goal.
Upcoming, we will be seeing "Oh What a Lovely War" (also at TST) and then the TNB redux of "The Dollar Woman" by Alden Nowlan and Walter Learning. This was TNB's first original production and I am looking forward to this slice of New Brunswickana. Nowlan has been a very inspirational figure for me personally so it will be great to hear his words spoken aloud.
We're also planning to read 20 plays and are currently reading Harold Bloom's commentaries on various Shakespeare plays. That man is an encyclopedia, in case you didn't know. So, our play is work and our work is play. Exciting stuff for those of us who find human stories endlessly fascinating. If you'd like to be apart of this play reading - which will be done out loud in the living room, beverage optional, feel free to drop me a line.
Cheerio!
Thursday, January 12, 2012
My Industrial Education
On Saturday we drove back from Fredericton. I hate being in the car for long periods of time - it makes me so stiff and irritated. When we got home, Nick and I took a walk near our house, in the industrial park. It's a short walk and has a good hill to climb so it's a good way to unwind your muscles after being caged in a car.
All this week I've been busy and decided to do a little something for myself - get some exercise. So I bundled up and headed out to retrace the route we walked on Saturday. I huffed my way up the hill and began the flat section that leads downhill and back home. I could hear a flatbed transport coming along behind me - it's an industrial park, after all.
I have a lots of truckers in my family, both current and retired and I have taken a number of free trips to Montreal and Toronto courtesy of truckers. So I'm not trashing truckers but this guy really freaked me out.
I was approaching an intersection and kept to my side of the road. I heard a voice and the driver (whose door said "Levasseur") motioned to me. I thought maybe he needed directions or he was concerned for my safety, walking in an industrial park. But at the same time, the Paul Bernardo alarm bells went off in my head and I took only one step closer, to see if he would speak to me.
He didn't.
Instead he motioned again for me to come closer. I was very confused - I do speak some French and could have understood any basic questions he wanted to ask. I took one more step and he opened the door to his truck. Then it hit me that he was trying to a.) solicit me or b.) abduct me. We didn't debrief so I can't be entirely certain.
I don't know who you are M. Levasseur, or if that's even your name. But if there's a Mme. Levasseur, I hope she knows who she's married to and what he could be bringing home.
Pretty bad for 9am on a Thursday in a small New Brunswick town. The whole thing makes me feel a little bit sick. It makes me wonder how many women this guy has picked up, whether it's consensual or whether he's another violent creep on the loose, and why he would think it's okay to approach a random woman out for a walk.
And it makes me sad for all the wonderful men in my life who would never dream of doing this. Men like Levasseur give good men a bad name.
All this week I've been busy and decided to do a little something for myself - get some exercise. So I bundled up and headed out to retrace the route we walked on Saturday. I huffed my way up the hill and began the flat section that leads downhill and back home. I could hear a flatbed transport coming along behind me - it's an industrial park, after all.
I have a lots of truckers in my family, both current and retired and I have taken a number of free trips to Montreal and Toronto courtesy of truckers. So I'm not trashing truckers but this guy really freaked me out.
I was approaching an intersection and kept to my side of the road. I heard a voice and the driver (whose door said "Levasseur") motioned to me. I thought maybe he needed directions or he was concerned for my safety, walking in an industrial park. But at the same time, the Paul Bernardo alarm bells went off in my head and I took only one step closer, to see if he would speak to me.
He didn't.
Instead he motioned again for me to come closer. I was very confused - I do speak some French and could have understood any basic questions he wanted to ask. I took one more step and he opened the door to his truck. Then it hit me that he was trying to a.) solicit me or b.) abduct me. We didn't debrief so I can't be entirely certain.
I don't know who you are M. Levasseur, or if that's even your name. But if there's a Mme. Levasseur, I hope she knows who she's married to and what he could be bringing home.
Pretty bad for 9am on a Thursday in a small New Brunswick town. The whole thing makes me feel a little bit sick. It makes me wonder how many women this guy has picked up, whether it's consensual or whether he's another violent creep on the loose, and why he would think it's okay to approach a random woman out for a walk.
And it makes me sad for all the wonderful men in my life who would never dream of doing this. Men like Levasseur give good men a bad name.
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