Journal (Rambly Musings)

Tuesday, August 19, 2003

Moving, Phase I

As I sit in the remains after Moving, Phase I, 2003 (furniture, clothes, books) in my (now) old apartment, I look around the rubble that was my life for a year.

So much has happened during my time in the Annex.

There is so much more to come in St. Lawrence Market.

Yesterday I was trepidatious... Will I like my new place? Will it be my style? Will we be able to make it beautiful? ...Will my stuff fit???

I'm happy to report that the new place is so far shaping up to look fantastic. I'm really excited about it.

Now only if they'll let me up onto the rooftop patio.... :/ (Turns out it's complicated to go use it. :( )

Wish me luck sorting through the rest of my stuff from the old place!


posted by Jill 12:22 p.m.

Sunday, August 17, 2003

Blackness

Darkness falls across the land.

First I thought my stupid computer was on the fritz (again). Then I thought the people I was "holding" for on the phone didn't want my business.

Then I noticed the clocks were out.

Then there was trouble contacting my business partner, who's cell phone could receive but not send calls.

I had no working radios, so my news came from the partner when we were able to reach each other. "Northeastern Sea-board blackout."

WTF?!

Yep, darkness had fallen across the land.

I live in the Annex, which is normally a little chaotic anyway, but nothing like this. There were people *everywhere.* Milling, yelling, etc. There was a steady stream of fire trucks going to save people from their candles gone awry. Stores were either closing down or taking advantage of people's desperation for candles, flashlights... even food and, yep, water bottles were running out quickly. The masses didn't know for how long we'd have running water.

It felt like... like.... The Apocalypse was coming.

I was stranded. No subway service, my friends didn't want to drive (who could blame them, the traffic lights were out). At first I thought I wouldn't be able to get out of my building because there was no elevator service and then I remembered, oh ya, heheh, stairs. Those.

The stairs were lit by quickly burning, ever almost out, tea lights.

Outside there were cops acting as traffic lights, and about, oh, a million people waiting at each bus stop since subways were out. I wanted to take a picture but by the time I came back with my camera the sunlight was fading and the whole thing just wasn't the same. I guess a lot of the stranded people had made their way home by then.

Some people were yelling on the corner that there was a free play, so I went.

Night of the Evil Dead, Parts 1 and 2, the Musical!

It was opening night, and as they say, "The show must go on!"

It was campy. Yes indeedy.

They did it outside, minus their elaborate sets, and we could see how the special effects were done, which they apologized for profusely and promised us it was a better show when they can use their stage.

I beg to differ. I can't really compare because I didn't see it indoors, but how can you compare to the creepiness of a total blackout, using flashlights as spotlights, and when the flashlights burned out, using car headlights? Not to mention the fact that everything was just plain weird feeling, even if the play hadn't been on.

It was fantastic fun.

I was picturing that on my last night on earth, I had watched Evil Dead the Musical.

The crowd grew and grew until by the end so many people had gathered around to see the commotion (which turned out to be a play) that it was like swatting through a storm of bees to leave.

I went to bed at a decent hour (midnight?) because I had a client call in the morning, but I could hear the street partying and screaming from my window well into the morning.

In the morning the streets were empty and quiet.

posted by Jill 1:41 p.m.

Tuesday, August 12, 2003

Look! I went to Chicago!

Look! I went to Chicago!


Top 10 things I learned on my trip:

1. Poets are crazy.
2. Poets like to party.
3. Poets like to party like crazy people.
4. Confuscious say, "Walk into tree, get big bump on noggen."
5. Speak with your heart and no one gets hurt.
6. Ask and ye shall receive. Be careful what you ask for.
7. There are at least hundreds of people out there in the world just like me. Only more so.
8. Racism is not dead in the U.S. Far from it. :(
9. Many people have many identities, apparently. For example, the same person can read at a GLBT Slam, Chinese Slam, Native American Slam, Women's Slam, and Erotica Slam.
10. It's easy to make friends when you give good... poetry.

posted by Jill 11:57 p.m.

Canadians are Cool

It's not just the weather that's cooler in Canada - Post-Gazette

posted by Jill 11:45 p.m.

Tuesday, August 05, 2003

Newsy Things

I went to Ottawa for the long weekend on my first ever "let's go to Ottawa for a road trip" as opposed to going for a reason.
Here I am hugging one of the locals!


In other news, http://www.stopsmokingcoach.ca. Link it! Love it!
It'll be better later, but it's a great first start!
Especially important since the chances of meeting potential clients on my trip to Chicago for a week is pretty good, and the site is on my business cards.



Chicago is just for fun. Poetry babee! Cuz I can. I'm working for myself now.

posted by Jill 4:05 a.m.

Friday, August 01, 2003

Double Double This This

I've been working, umm, a lot, lately, which is not in itself bad since I am loving the work, but nonetheless it was nice to have a forced reprieve.

I had my Karma Coop shift tonight, and a mother, one of the other working members, was having some troubles with her bored daughter. I very slyly shifted her daughter's attention from bugging mom or the other workers to helping me tie things, carry things, and figure out where alphabetically the spices go. She *loved* it! She was rather upset when there was no more work to do.

At the end of my shift her mother was still working (for another fifteen minutes) so I entertained the girl by playing all her word and hand games. The one I can't get out of my head now is "Double double this this double double that that..."

I haven't connected with a kid in years and years, so it felt really good when she insisted that they come again when I have my next shift, a month from now.

posted by Jill 10:31 p.m.

Our First Website for Our First Client Just Went Live!

http://www.longviewmontessori.ca

posted by Jill 12:07 a.m.