Stuff

1) I have a serious case of writer's block. I am supposed to be writing a brief article about a recent event sponsored by an organization to which I belong. I have been sitting on it for too long now, and I think I am stuck.

2) Ahoy, mateys, there still be bilge-sucking, sons-of-biscuit-eating, scurvy dog pirates on the high seas. Aha! Maybe I can write the article in pirate speak?

3) I am going to another conference later in the week (Wednesday to Friday). It conflicts with another conference that I wanted to go to, so that sucks. But, this conference should actually be a good one.

4) Next Monday, I have to see a retinal specialist because I have a "suspect retinal tear." The good news is that a laser can weld it closed, if this is what it proves to be, but it sounds painful. I am also on the hunt for new lunettes.

Another boring post, brought to you by the folks at Writer's Block.

Launch

On Friday night, I had the pleasure of attending the launch of Sandra Kasturi's book of poems, The Animal Bridegroom. It was a well-attended event at The Central on Markham Street. Unfortunately, it was hotter than hell in there, even before the readings began. I saw a few people I hadn't seen in years, most of whom are on Facebook (like, who isn't?).

Sandra published my first poem (two, actually) about 13 years ago. I had two more published in another journal that same year, and then I gave it up and have only written a handful of poems since then. I am not really sure why, but I think that fame was getting to me.

I kept getting demands for autographs and invitations to events I had no interest in attending. I had to retreat to the sidelines. Otherwise, I would have had a Paris Hilton lifestyle, and who wants that? I took a poetry workshop a couple of years ago with Rhea Tregebov, and that was fine, but it did not kick start anything. I have been sticking to prose.

Happy Monday.

Technorati Tags: poetry, launches, books

Another One Down

Tonight is the last class - the critique class - in my most recent photography course. This makes four down. If I take 6 more courses, I will get some sort of certificate, but I am not sure I want to do that, even though I have taken 2 of the 3 required courses. There is the possibility that the requirements of the courses displace the natural joy I would normally receive from the creative output.

For the last six years, I have been switching back and forth between writing courses and photography courses, unable to decide which I prefer. I seem to get into one mood or the other, hack away at it, and then switch. Some days, the creation of a blog post is pure magic; at other times, it is a labour most severe. I think the flipping back and forth offers the possibility of breathing new life into the art.

I have taken a few kernels from this blog and expanded them to some greater lengths in the hope that a collection might form, however randomly and incoherently. What I would do with such a collection is quite another story, but the idea of it is enough to convince me to fire up the laptop, from time to time, add a few paragraphs, consider the words, remember, reflect, enhance, embellish, and lie. I always wonder if my recollections of past events bear any kind of resemblance to the actual fact, but, having been trained in the craft of historical research and writing, I say that matters little for the value may be in my skewed perspective.

Perhaps I will take a course in deejaying. I'd like to get down and scratch some vinyl.

Technorati Tags: writing, photography

What did you do before we had the Internet?

I just checked out that Imagination Prompt Generator, which I read about on Canadian Hemlock's blog. It asked this question: What did you do before we had the Internet?. That's a good one.

1) Before I had a blog, I kept a handwritten journal. Although I stopped writing in it three or four years ago, there are 32 volumes totaling more than 7000 pages, most of it boring, some of it inane, and much of it embarrassing.

2) I watched more television. I am not sure if I watch less TV because of the Internet, or simply because there are fewer interesting shows on right now.

3) I wrote more poetry. Seriously. I have given that up. I did have a few poems published in some campus literary journals, but I never really knew if they were any good. Speaking of which, some day I should post the poem that started it all. It is called Zydeco Fish. It was published in one of those campus journals. Maybe I'll post it on this blog's tenth anniversary. See you here on July 11, 2013.

4) I spent more time in coffee shops.

How about you?

Technorati Tags: internet, pastimes

I Won and other Stuff

I must be seriously ambivalent about blogging, for I let this blog's 3rd anniversary pass without comment. Right now, it's too hot to blog. A while ago, I was too busy. Today - despite the heat - I am blogging, but without any kind of enthusiasm. But, here's a post anyway.

The other day, I was reflecting on the fact that many of the really cool inventions recently were my idea, I just never had the money or the technical expertise to make them happen. For example, I had the idea for the Blackberry about 13 years ago while sitting in a Research Methods class. I thought that it would be really cool to have a small device that I could use to send an email message to a person sitting across from me. Of course, I didn't call it a Blackberry: I referred to it as a "Pocket Email Device", or PED, for short.

I had the idea for MP3s and MP3 players long before the technology was "invented." I never liked Walkmen (or is it Walkmans?). Carrying around all of those cassettes was really awful. Same goes for the CD Walkman. I had a huge CD collection, and I thought, wouldn't it be great to carry around all of my music, if I could someone compress it and put it on a tiny computer. Of course, I didn't think of the term MP3: I referred to it as a "Pocket Music Device", or PMD, for short.

I also had the idea for laptop or notebook computers. I thought it was ridiculous to always have to use the computer in one place. Wouldn't it be better if you could carry your computer with you, if it could be made smaller, like the size of a binder? Of course, I didn't think of the terms laptop or notebook: I referred to it as a "Mobile Computing Device", or MCD, for short.

I had lots of other ideas that were usurped too, like the cellular phone (Portable Talking Device, or PTD, for short), the Digital Camera, Compact Discs, DVDs, Digital Camcorders, Goldfish Crackers, Soy Milk, and the Mullet.

Here's a new idea, and one I hope someone will get on with. I really hate power cords. I hate batteries more, but power cords are so restricting. Let me ask you this: wouldn't it be great to be able to place your appliance (fridge, stove, stereo, personal massager, etc) where ever you want, without having to be concerned about outlets and plugging it in? I am talking about wireless electricity. The power is delivered to your house by cables, but then power outlets are replaced by new power distributors that send the electricity through the air to any device requiring power. One outlet per room should be able to power all devices in a typical room. I call it Wireless Electricity, or WIEL, for short.

In other news, I found out a couple of weeks ago that I won an award from Johns Hopkins press for the best article appearing in one of the Johns Hopkins Press journals. I get a plaque, a nice letter, and $500 US. Congratulations to me.

Technorati Tags: blogging, inventions, mp3s, Blackberry, computers, electricity, awards

Back to School, sort of

One of the perks of working at a University is free tuition! Yeah. I have made good use of it in the past, having taken photography courses and several writing courses. These include workshops in poetry, the short story, and autobiographical writing. Last night, I was back in the class again, taking a workshop in review writing. The instructor is a semi-famous Toronto reviewer. I have already published 5 or 6 book reviews, largely on academic works. So, this ought to be different. We are to write reviews on books, music, film, and food, the latter of which I have zero interest in.

Thank god we are not writing wine reviews. I really like wine but I have to confess that I can rarely make heads or tails out of wine reviews. How useful is it to know that there are hints of tobacco with an apricot and leather finish? It may as well be asphalt with a suggestion of bum and cigarette butts. Just tell me if it is good or not.

I may post a review or two here, if they are any good.

Technorati Tags: school, writing

I got back yesterday from four days off. It takes a while to get back into the routine. In the midst of the time off was a birthday party, my Grandmother's 85th birthday party. It was very good timing, as I have been researching my family tree. My great uncle was there, still spry and alert at age 90. I've learned that my family is long lived on all sides. My family tree has now expanded to 1300 names. I have found relatives in BC, Calgary, Detroit, Nevada, Florida, etc. I spoke with an aunt as well. The funny thing is that I have a newspaper clipping of her marriage announcement from the 60s. I expected her to look like that, but she was much older, of course.

I also spent some time doing research for a new article. My last one will be out in January. This one delves into new territory and should be quite interesting, I hope. For a few hours, I considered applying for a Ph.D., but then reality hit me and I reconsidered. I am not sure that I have the energy for that. Although, it would be a good way to use my sabbatical, since the part time program requires an eight month residency. Hmmm, maybe, maybe not. Maybe I should just do another masters degree. Is three too many?

At last, the first three seasons of Seinfeld are out today on DVD.

Marginalized is stuck in my head and I can't get it out. It's the best song on the latest Rheostatics CD.

Technorati tags: genealogy

Friday Ramble

I think my brain has reached its limit. I am not that old, trust me. I can only accommodate more information if I purge something. The trouble is, I am not always sure what to expunge. Writing it down seems like a good method, but I find that notes to myself don't always make sense any more when I review them later. It's not a good means of preserving important information unless I append long descriptions. I'd like to get rid of lots of stuff from my childhood, but that seems to stick. I can't remember what I had for dinner two nights ago, but I can tell you my girlfriend's phone number from when I was in grade 8. That makes no sense.

Yikes, I have to make revisions to my article. It's already 35 pages and has 85 footnotes, but the editor has asked for a few changes. I'll end up with 90 footnotes or more. I think they are making me over-cite. I feel strongly that you can have too many footnotes. It's citation madness out there.

Friday has turned out to be a wonderful day. I can't believe that we are having such a nice fall. The sun is shining; it's warm; it has been a pleasant day at work despite the onerous task of sourcing several things that I had put out of my brain.

Have a nice weekend.

Tags: memory, writing

Blogging & Philip Roth

I am new to Blogging, but not new to keeping a journal. In the last 10 years, I have written over 6000 pages, filling up 30 hardbound black books, the ones intended for artists to sketch in. I wanted acid-free paper. I wanted the words to last, to outlive my children and me. I can't say why, really.

Like many people, I have a built-in censor. And, now I wonder what the reaction will be when my descendants read them (if I haven't burned them by then). It worries me. Of course, there is the distinct possibility that my handwriting will be indecipherable.

I feel even more inclined to censor myself here, where anyone can read these words. Maybe I will relax after some time.

I am reading Philip Roth's Sabbath's Theater. This novel is not for everyone. It is sexually explicit, maybe deviant -- but not by my standards ;-) -- and very funny. Sabbath is a gargantuan character, and I can't but feel that I am reading a modern Rabelais. I rank Gargantua and Pantagruel as one of my all time favourite books. I am also reminded of The Confederacy of Dunces, perhaps because of the extreme nature of the protagonist. In both cases, these are larger than life individuals. Sabbath's Theater is a wild and entertaining book, but, despite the sex, it may not be erotic.

Tags: blogging, journaling, reading, Philip Roth