ol'ref

*ol'ref from a book project three years ago, love the piet zwart

Snowbirds & Bobcaygeon

We both said "We're falling"

I was working in the basement of Relish, on a computer. It was a commercial space, extended from an underground mall. As I was working on the Metrolinx commercial for Shiv, Sarah Slocum came in with her coffee and notepad.

Surprised to see her as she came up to my desk, I stood and gave her a hug as I asked if she was still managing the photo studio.

"Yes and no" she said.

I was busy, and after a little small talk she headed out the door back to the mall. I asked what was up. Then she started to cry. She was pregnant.

I consoled her, told her about other friends having babies, and said that I thought she was ready. We embraced, and I didn't let go. She cried hard and she thanked me for really listening to her.

As we talked about the situation, we moved from the cafeteria to the 20th story balcony of my old apartment. We spooned on the futon that over looked the city at night. We kept talking but I became aware of my sudden fear of heights and knew we weren't secure in our positions. I imagined the building collapsing forward, and us rolling off the futon to the street far below.

We both said "We're falling" even though that was obvious, and then I snapped out of it.

Best opening credits ever, Gaspar Noé's Enter The Void

girlmachinee

This week: Penis power gallery bro's, freelance, and my first girl crush in centuries.

ROOMATE NEEDED

You or anyone you know looking for a place to live?

62 Springhurst at the corner of Springhurst and Dunn, South Parkdale. $513.33 plus hydro. Laundry, Large balcony, New appliances, Lake view, Two floors, 5 minute walk to waterfront, 5 minute walk to King streetcar or Dufferin bus.

Must be artist friendly.

Office party stand in

I was called to do an important task and I showed up with Brent. When we got there, he noticed a handsome man and went for him.

At this office party I was asked to stand in and read lines for an actor who was missing. The script was terrible but it was imperative that they continue their rehearsal.

After it was over, I thanked the woman in charge, it was Whoopi Goldberg. I told her and her entourage any time they needed help to give me a call, seriously. She filled up my small glass with more hard liquor and I drank it. The office was lined by floor to ceiling windows, outside it was wet, and ever green. I was happy to be there.

I turned away from them, carrying my empty plate and sipping my booze. I headed back down the hall to the other end of the office. The party was finishing up, the space was clearing out and there were small messes on the tables. I walked past a door and Brent came out, he took off his pants. He said he wanted to appear more comfortable in front of the handsome man. I continued past and found my friends.

Happy and a little drunk, I finished my drink and dropped my dirty dishes in a pile with others in front of the handsome man. I didn't want him to think I noticed him even though I did. I circled and confessed to Matt and Mark that I was pretty drunk. Matt was changing at a locker, Mark was reading a small paper program. When I asked him how it was he said he could tell Shirley didn't write it, that Jane must have written it before. Then I started to read Jane's poem and tears woke me up.

Around the high school

As a skinny black woman I was carrying a large piece of ply wood awkwardly down the hall of my high school. I stepped out to the back field and I told myself to carry the board on my head. When I do, it practically disappears.

I balance it while singing Fiona Apple "Love Ridden" pretty off key. I'm heading to the tech wing on the far side of the school. It started as a winter night, frozen under snow. A red lumina being driven by an older black woman pulled into a parking spot above the slope of the field. She slides and almost sideswipes the tail of another car while plummeting down the hill, but she doesn't.

I kept walking and it turned to a spring day, gray and raining.

When I got around the corner by climbing through a tree, I thought my singing sounded better. I walked to the garage doors and noticed a dog and his walker were following me. I threw crab apples at them and told them to get away.

Angry talaxians

In the medical bay at the starbase, we surrounded a fellow wounded officer laying out on the operating table. We were consulting about which doctors could do it. We could ask any doctor in the galaxy and they would perform the surgery through a holographic interface. Captain Picard was there and he was doing most of the talking.

From above, this medical bay was surrounded by a balcony with other angry alien onlookers. Most were Talaxian and enraged at us for letting some of them die.

We wrapped up a conversation with a doctor who wasn't willing to do the procedure when Picard called Doctor Pulaski. She showed up holographically much older than I remember her and while Picard brought her up to speed I stepped out.

cc: google images

Rhiannon (venetian defendess)

I watched a documentary commercial in my dream last night about a super model woman who was bought and left to defend an island estate. From above you could see the busy Venetian harbor all around a perfect island.

This woman, with long brown hair that always floated with the wind was fine with retiring as this defendess. She was happy to do her master proud and supernaturally protected the island with small wrinkles showing around her eyes.

One day the news depicted a story of the Venetian Defendess. She was being brought up on charges. She had accidentally killed one of three large white whales that annually visited Venice. As a result, the pirana population boomed and nobody could swim anymore. When arrested all she said was she still loved her job.

The antidote

Sitting in a booth with a few individuals, we were waiting to eat a late supper at a friends house. There was a jovial atmosphere to the house. Familiar people dotted all about and I felt comfortable.

Until a woman at the party got agitated.

She was complaining of an illness and flopping about rather abruptly, people around began to notice her affliction. I stood up and while others rushed forward to support her, she proclaimed she was pregnant.

I touched her forehead and told her it would be fine. "I have the antidote, I'll be right back." I said and she fainted to the floor.

I left the room and headed with urgency down the hall to the back. I needed to find Matt. He had what I needed and it all revolved around getting the keys to his car.

Once out of the house through the backside top deck, I went down the stairs to find a scene by the backyard pool. I had found Matt, be he was played by Devin Pugsley, and he was with all his siblings at the pool. They were playing a game where they would lock arms back to back and try to throw each other into the pool. Devin's younger sister Laura had lifted him off his feet, and he dangled head first over the water. Their weight threw them off balance and they both fell into the pool. Devin's two other brothers were doing the same thing. I told Brent to watch his head before they both fell in head first. Brent came up holding his head and I asked if he hit it, but he said no. A dog was swimming in the pool too.

I asked Devin for his keys, and told him what was happening in the house. He smiled and reached into his swim short pockets grinning. He wasn't coming with me but he gave me the keys. I thanked him and left through the side alley gate that was wooden and covered in vines. The dog followed me.

Relish and the ice cream parlor

From the backseat of a green mini van, I peered out to a snowy downtown scene. On the curb stood Kate Bate with her mother, they were having a disagreement. It snowed gently and the sky was grey. After the tension passed, I decided it was a good time to get out of the back. I stood out onto the sidewalk and Kate and I started the hike back to Relish.

I made small talk with her. She offered to buy me ice cream. "I'll have some if you will." I replied eagerly and together we strolled into the ice cream parlor.

Necklace by Michelle Hishmeh

The worlds driest continent...

cc: the national post

1-11-11

Weird numbers in the year of two dicks.

Today after squeezing onto a street car (someone was run over by one on queen st.) I was snubbed by an uptight curator, set a possible collab in motion with a sweet curator, and had a postponed dinner date. And the TTC raised to $3.10. Keep working on the new website (stay tuned) and keep watching the snow fall.

Double woke up

I woke up to the sound of a person stomping down the hall of my poorly built house. The floors shook while the frames on the wall trembled under the weight of a person I lived with. They were going upstairs. I went to the kitchen, only lit by the sunlight above the sink, to find an awful mess. Pizza boxes, with frozen pizzas strung about the counter, little frozen pieces of graded cheese dotting the floor and tables. Scrunched plastic wrap, half empty glasses, cutting boards with organic waste. All after I had deep cleaned.

I woke up late for work and I ran to get into the shower. Ben was at the door trying to tell me something but I rushed past. I ripped open the curtain and jumped into the tub to find Michelle standing under the running water. She was wearing a towel but her right breast was exposed. I looked at the brown nipple and demanded she get out. She did.

Double jesus with dundas and ossy

"Don't bring me down"

At Shoppers Drugmart I perused the aisles with Brent David Dawes. We stuck together, buying candies and vitamins. Water, soap and pop. We were swapping lives, trading stories and shoplifting at times.

At the checkout I purchased a Blackberry, in a nice plastic wrap. The girl at the cash was talking to me about the phone while I shoved it away into my black back pack. Inside were my red tuque and black gloves, a candle and an energy bar I had pocketed. I didn't want this blonde cashier to see what I had stolen and Brent behind me at the entrance to the mall was rushing me. Total reversal or roles. Music was playing overhead and I felt so much was happening all in one moment. I tried to place myself.

I leaned over the counter towards the still talking girl, and to distract her and myself, I sang in perfect harmony to the overhead music: "Don't bring me down" by Electric Light Orchestra.

Turning away from her I joined Brent, and we skipped out of the store.

Heaven and Fire

January sun until today, but that's okay. Me and vitamin d, thoughts of south seas and "he", that's all I need. Oh, and busy busy busy. Editor or animator? Freelance or painter? What I will be in twenty eleven will be heaven. Now write....

1-1-11

New on the wall

Working small back in December for Christmas gifts. Gonna do another stab this month, maybe try a different finish. Like the wood look.

11 days for Bestmas

Bestmas. Folks good, home free. New bathroom, sweet kittens and cute dog. A little snake sometimes. Boonta needs a muzzle! Meetings, eatings with scalloped potatoes, ham, salmon baked potatoes, turkey + fixin's, mash and roast, breakfast x100 and mimosa's. Drives round town sister home for Christmas photo. Bonanza, Nor'Easter, Bonfire in the snow. Yerxa Christmas Party, Brewer Birthday and a drop in with the Cusacks. Run 'round with couch balance, talk to ma mom n dad eeryday. Heart Squeezed. Sad to say goodbye. Thanks Brent Dawes, Matt Ross, Jen O'Reilly, Ben Ross, Robyn Akimbo + Ross/Van Oorschot/Stillwell's, Michelle Brewer, Suzanne + Casey + Jack Yerxa, Joanna Bryson, Andrew Hachey, Mark + Andrew + Mr. Munro, Jill O'Reilly, Meghan + Emily MacNeil, Dave Dunstan, Chris Leveille, Fred Crossley, Aaron + Matt Kyte, Todd MacDonald, Chelsea + Rhonda + Mark + Colin Cusack and of course Lindsey Higgs. Missed Kerry Shaw and Sam Jones but all in all a good haul of sweet peeps for Christmas. Thanks for everything Mom Dad & Leigh, all my love!! xoxo

BDB5

I look like a hobbit in every one of these. Boxing Day is cause for celebration. The day of collective relief after spending days with family, eating to no end. This year we gathered at Matt, Jen and Aaron's apartment on Orange Street, uptown Saint John. Threatened by a Nor'Easter, this night was not derailed. Great reunion times ending with me upchucking red wine in the alley. It was later buried by 30 centimeters of snow.