meeting place

Hi Vancouver! I'm in Toronto. I like it here alot. You don't realise how big this country is until you cross it. I arrived on Friday and almost forgot I could still use Canadian money. Excuse me if my sentences are stilted, I may have had one too many vodka soda's with this great couple from England I met on my trip to Niagara Falls today. After we arrived back in Toronto we went to dinner at this organic grill in Kensington/Chinatown and since they are in their last two weeks of a twelve month around the world journey from home, they had loads of stories to tell. I hope we can intersect again.


Why is the grass always greener? Toronto stereotypes aside, this place is wonderful, and I haven't run into one bad spirit. 20 years in a transient city like Vancouver is a long time, and it's nice to know that cities like this (Toronto) exist with a booming theatre/arts culture in Canada. The culture here is diverse and welcoming to everyone. In one day I went to Caribbana (this amazing Carribean festival), to Wakefest (a punk wakeboarding festival), to Harbour hiphop festival, and to free shows for Just for Laughs (the largest Comedy festival in North America. To top it off I saw one of my favourite plays Top Girls in the distillery district (basically the theatre was once one of the main buildings of what once was the world's largest Whiskey Distillery). This was a Soulpepper theatre company show, and this is a company I not only knew about before coming to Toronto, but is also one I hope to one day look to for structure in my theatre company's mission. I saw this classic Caryl Churchill show last night for free because though the show was sold out completely when I got there, someone had left one single student ticket should a lone student need the ticket their daughter could not use. These generous people (whom I was sitting beside of course) also drove me to my hostel across town after the show to make sure I got there safe.


It's meant to be, no? It's inspiring to want to create something like this community but in Vancouver, but it's comforting to know I don't have to get a work visa to find a city that already has it.


I'm seeing the beautiful Lara Isaacson (nee Vancouver) tomorrow who I haven't seen since her big move in May. I got tickets for a taping at Muchmusic...more ahead.

clearly

Creating something seems to be the only way to do and sustain what you love.


To be continued.

living the novella

I'll just say it. There's no such thing as fiction anymore. It's all been done. I'm sure you can find the ending to the novel you've been writing in the memories of a neighbour or two.

Is nothing absurd anymore? Show me the ludicrous! I can no longer even feign a precipitous blink. I've almost heard it all. The attrocities in the world community are numbered, the celebrities in an effort to top eachother have won their headlines, and life in Vancouver is varied in its plotlines.

Do I have a point? Not particularly...but I have to say it's both alarming and strangely comforting to understand that everyone's "normal life" has an epic plot twist coming.