Month: November 2009

a tiny punch to the heart

Reposted from Sean:

The definition of love.

My housemate works at a men’s formal wear shop in downtown Vancouver. Yesterday, a customer by the name of Justin came into her shop with both his mother and girlfriend, wanting to rent a tuxedo. Justin is eight years old, his girlfriend is ten, and Justin decided that he wanted to rent a tuxedo for a party that was being thrown on behalf of his girlfriend, so he tried on some of the finest suits in the shop for the love of his young life, accessorized with his brightest smile.

Nothing out of the ordinary, right? Well, the party is being hosted by the Make-A-Wish Foundation. You see, Justin’s girlfriend has a brain tumor which recently started growing at an alarming rate – so quickly, in fact, that she’s not expected to make it past this coming weekend. Justin’s in love with a girl whose life is being measured in minutes, hours if she’s lucky.

Justin got his rental for free.

This Weekend’s Excellent Events

Vancouver:

Friday

  • Vagabond Opera! AKA I cannot believe I’m missing this! 1920’s European Cabaret! Vintage Americana! Balkan Belly Dance! Neo-Classical Opera! Old World Yiddish Theater! Welcome to the six-piece, Portland, Oregon-based Vagabond Opera. “The Vagabond Opera brings you the best in Balkan, gypsy, cabaret, vaudeville, jazz and opera! Singing in 14 languages, bringing in Bulgarian Accordion, sinfully fast cellos, jazzy drums beats, relentless upright bass and salacious saxophone.” They will be performing at Capilano University at 8pm, as part of the Folk and Roots Series. Tix $28/$25.
  • The Fall gallery presents A Steampunk Symposium Live painting, music, mustaches and more! “Wear your best fancy clothes, this will be a formal event! If you dont have fancy clothing you are welcome to come ofcourse but we wanna get people looking stylish :)” Confirmed artsists so far include: Autumn Skye Morrison, Phresha, Shwa, Nomi Chi, Brianne Tweddle, Paul Hendriks, Tessa Rand, Alison Woodward, Jeff Simpson, Robin Hunt, Ben Worth. Kat + Mause @ Kiss My Flash Photography, (our very own Katherine Duncan), will have a steampunk photo booth set-up.
  • Rio Midnight Double Feature: Pink Floyd’s The Wall & Pink Floyd live at Pompie. (Please note: this a double bill of Pink Floyd MOVIES. The Rio Theatre is also presenting a musical stage play of “THE WALL” that began November 5th). Tix $10, $8 in costume.

    Saturday

  • Harm’s Road play Sin Bin’s grand opening. (Consisting of Erin Puckey, Bob Roxburgh, Mario Avila, and Alex Hawkins.) One night of musical madness at Vancouver’s sexiest new venue, Sin Bin, 295 W 2nd Ave. Live Music, great food, and cheap drinks. Tic $5.

    Monday

  • The Beige play The Biltmore Cabaret (Now this I will be at. Or ELSE.) Also playing are Solarists and Abramson Singers. Doors open 8pm. The Beige will be on around 10pm. Tix are only an unbelievable $5.
  • Poetry Slam Haiku Deathmatch at Cafe Du Soliex For those of you who like your poetry short and sweet refrigerator. Doors at 8. Tix $5.

    Seattle:

    Friday

  • The Tiger Lillies Twentieth Anniversary Rout at the Moore Theater. “With an international reputation for being the foremost avant-garde band in the world, The Tiger Lillies never cease to surprise, shock and entertain with their inimitable musical style, conjuring up the macabre magic of pre-war Berlin and fusing it with the savage edge of punk. The British trio returns to The Moore Theatre to perform songs from their Olivier award-winning smash, Shockheaded Peter, along with a selection of numbers from their Grammy-nominated album The Gorey End and other deranged fan favorites.” Show at 8pm. Tix $20 or $40 for the really nice seats.
  • Also, Tiger Lillies after party: The Bad Things play at the Can Can.
  • Seattle H+ Discussion Group: A Cyberpunk’s Apocalypse. If the structures we rely on disappeared, how would we survive, as cyberpunks/Futurists? General chat with a topic, no presentation. Kaladi Brothers, 511 E Pike St, 6 pm.
  • Danse Perdue & Joy Von Spain perform at Harem. Butoh, most likely. Ritual performance Alex Ruhe, Ariel Denham, Vanessa Skantze of Danse Perdue + others with Joy Von Spain and special guests. (And Alex, let me say, can dance.) 618 Broadway E., 7:30 pm

    Saturday

  • Couch Fest Films Celebrating its second annual year in 2009, Couch Fest Films is a cozy shorts film fest hosted in people’s houses. During Couch Fest Films, lovers of film can sit shoulder to shoulder watching short films while stuffing their faces with the snacks they thought they had to sneak in. 11 am – 8 pm. Tix $10. See the map for films, playtimes, and venues.
  • Seacompression 8! An annual alternative arts festival: a one-night extravaganza featuring music, performance, theme camps and art installations – all set in a 25,000 foot aircraft hangar. Music from DJML, GeminiTrix, Kadeejah Streets, Michael Manahan, and more! Aerial performances by Suspended Animation. Fire performances by Ignition, Furthermore Collective, Spinergy Arts and Womanipura. Live music by Klezterbalm, Big High, and EQLateral String Trio. Magnuson Park, Hangar 30. Tix $30 at the door.

    • poking a mammal with a stick

    His smile crackles, a semi permanent halo. I watch him from the window as he jauntily walks to work, fizzing with the knowledge that I am lucky, so lucky, to have him in my life. As he turns to wave, vanishing behind a building, I smile back, and mock groom the fluffy ears of our shared white monster hat. I love him so much in this moment, as I am sure he loves me, and with that thought, he turns, pouncing from behind the corner with his hands up like paws, trying to surprise me, as if his backpack hadn’t been poking past the bricks as he hid, the feet of a child who hasn’t quite grasped the intricacies of being unseen.

    -::-

    Hundreds of free animated all kinds of films now available through National Film Board’s new iPhone app.

    -::-


    We’re going to Montreal soon, for Michel‘s wedding to a very clever woman I’m not sure I’ve met and to visit with Lung and Christine and Dee. I’ve hit that place in my travel plans where the imminent departure date has begun to make me nervous. Do we know where we’re staying? Where we’re going? Does everyone know when we get there? Daft concerns, the sort of fretting that helps no one. If I don’t know yet, I soon shall, so put a lid on it, will you brain? It’s not a panic so much as a very low grade adrenaline hum, as my subcutaneous tissue tenses in anticipation, as if I’m about to run in a race, pounding the pavement to music playing slightly too loud but just under the edge of my hearing.

    Costumes! Bring out your dead!

    our six month lunaversary

    It was our six month anniversary this past weekend, so we went to Teatro ZinZanni, the dinner theater circus we went to on our very first date, as part of our glorious Halloween. Teatro ZinZanni celebrated with us, in turn, by signing us up for their costume contest, where we won third place! I’d never been in a costume contest before, so I was nervous, but it was ridiculously fun, and we won silly Teatro ZinZombie t-shirts. Plus, as a bonus, we were informed after that we were the number one staff pick! We’re still thrilled. What better way to start an evening?

    -::-

    What was your costume(s)? Post pictures!