Day: January 11, 2008

hang out with the governor general

The Governor General of Canada will be holding her sixth urban arts forum on January 24, 2008, in Vancouver. The event is part of a pan-Canadian initiative she is spearheading to highlight the ways in which urban artists are using their art – graffiti, slam, break, rap etc. – to combat youth crime and build stronger communities.

If you’re interested in taking part, here’s the blurb:

“We are interested in inviting spoken word artists and slam poets from the Vancouver region to attend the event which starts at 6:15 pm on the 24th. Would it be possible for you to recommend us approximately 20 youth from your networks to attend the event. I would require their names, emails, telephone numbers, and if possible their addresses, as soon as possible, so we can send them an invitation.

Sincerely,

Peter Flegel
Special Advisor, Youth
Office of the Governor General of Canada”

To contact him, e-mail PFlegel at GG dot ca.

I miss my mad genius poets


trespassing
Originally uploaded by Foxtongue.

I can tell when I’m not being social enough when my cats glom onto visitors like they want to marry them. Little black furry creatures of attention velcro, trying to soak up as much affection as they can, they lay there, leaning on my friends, and look up at me as if to say, “See? This isn’t so bad.” The kitties know what’s up. I’ve only been outside twice since Monday. I’ve been too busy parked in front of my computer, wearing the letters off my keyboard, job hunting and freelance writing, registering with placement agencies and working for the price of a bag of cat food. (It’s not terribly fulfilling, no matter how much I might potentially be getting done.) Today let me realize that If I don’t go out more, if I don’t have company over, I’ll begin to go mad.

I suspect it’s possible to count the number of times I’ve left the house since coming back from Alberta on an incomplete set of fingers and toes. At first I welcomed the isolation, but now I feel I’m beginning to fragment and fray around the edges. There’s an entire world on the other side of my apartment walls, too precious to ignore, yet here I sit, growing dusty in my daily routine, not sleeping well, not eating enough, forgetting the sound of my name. Simply reading about life isn’t living.

That said, Howler has kindly volunteered me a ticket to tomorrow’s Workless Party Party, The Enchanted Forest. There promises to be many friends, (some of them performing), body-painting, electric violin, ridiculous costumes, and dancing until all our legs fall off, all of which sounds like just what I need.

I need to start going to bed before four in the morning

365 day ten: never come back
365: day ten

One of the interesting things about my neighborhood is discovering who’s actually in it. I went out into the clammy rain to wave to Martin from my apartment balcony earlier, as he’s only recently come to the realization just how close as neighbors we are. Too far for tin-can phones, but close enough for quiet shouting. Shame Neried’s moved, she could have gotten in on the fun as well.

TED Talks: Gever Tulley, 5 dangerous things you should let your kids do.