The weather continues to heap its wrath upon Bella Coola valley. A local state of emergency has again been declared because of impending heavy rain.
I have been watching what’s happening with the various weather systems that have been hitting the area in recent weeks, by looking at the radar and so on. But disatisfied with my inability to clearly read the data, decided to follow the advice of a former fisherman and checked out the maritime (sea) forecast. It said waves would measure 3 metres high. I wonder if there is a recorded shipping news for this Coast that one can listen to?
It perplexes me that so little attention is given to atrocious weather events in other parts of the province (ditto the fires this summer), but I suppose the goegraphic distance is a factor, I’ll chose to believe that over disinterest.
Apres un petit mishap with the car keys remaining inside the car while the car was locked up, myself and the small had a lengthy waiting adventure for BCAA in the dark on a side street this evening. The small male insisted on singing Bee Gee’s songs (Saturday Night Fever being the culprit of this inspiroid — hmmm Papa indeed…)
I wished the Bee Gees had written songs with much longer verses.
We did meet an interesting cat with a short tail.
Afterwards I reflected that this sense of being stuck would approximate to what might happen in the event of an earthquake (saying you survived and all)
November 2010, buy Taxi! month
November 2010 is an important month. It is the official month in which every right thinking person who has not read the great Vancouver novel Taxi! will recognize the loss in their life this gap provides and will click over to lazarapress.ca and invest $10 whole dollars (+shipping) to fill this hole.
Then you can all report your subsequent euphoria to haveyoureadtaxi.blogspot.com where I will happily upload any testament to it (decency laws apply)
If you haven’t read Taxi! you have not read. If you voted for Barack Obama you need to read Taxi! If you didn’t vote for him you also need to read Taxi! If you aren’t qualified to vote for him you need to read Taxi! If you support a hockey team you need to read Taxi! If you know how to spell Vancouver, you need to read Taxi! (Coming soon the You need to read Taxi! catechism)
In January I hope to bring some interventions to the world to express precisely how critical it is to read Taxi! Watch out for those reappearing Taxi! ranks….
Today I witnessed a horrible accident between a car and a bicycle. The cyclist was thrown very high in the air and the sound of him being hit was something I hope never to hear again. I hope whoever he is, he has made it without too severe injuries. It looked very violent. I keep seeing him over and over. It really shook me up. But I was impressed how all the drivers jumped out of their cars to help him. The concern was immediate. People were with him, talking to him, encouraging him.
Cyclists need to cycle defensively. They are up against metal. And this is an unfair transaction when something goes wrong. I try to give cyclists space on the road I don’t like to overtake them. Probably because for years I was a cyclist.
Yesterday I was able to find vitamins for my aural heath but unable to locate a potato masher in a large store that sold everything from socks to air conditioners, pans to live lobsters. Glasses to orthotics. But no potato masher. I am beginning to wonder if a potato masher looks different in Canada from what I am used to. Since I have never owned a Canadian potato masher and have instead many bent forks.
Friday night with Scooby Doo, knitting, curry, Green & Black’s caramel chocolate (divided par deux), a spot of Pinot Gris, cursive handwriting practice (who invented such a bonkers script, so glad I did not encounter it as a child) and enfin Gertrude Stein, while wearing three cardigans. Sign of impending, snug, reclusive winter. Most comforting. Recommended.
The diminished amount of literary criticism and the increased emphasis on book as singular act, marketing and hussling outsourced to writer (pimping also recommended, judging by current Canada Reads nonsense) results in the wondering of whether fiction writers are no longer seeing their work as part of a continuum. That something came before it and something will follow it and along this continuum the interrelation of other work might be a valid considering and that your book has a life beyond your creation of it. (and the reckoning on whether you did a good job or not)
Reviews are deemed good or bad based on some misconception that their only purpose is to sell books. Reviews are not intended to be the decision maker of whether someone should buy and read the book, (eg NP buy it or skip it daftness) they’re a piece of writing in their own right, in relation to a considering of the book. A consider of and along, within and out from the book. They are not the bloody hammer at an auction.
I could read criticism that some may consider harsh on a novel I appreciate, it does not detract from my experience of the particular novel, it merely gives me other considerings on that novel, which I welcome. It enriches my experience with the book. I welcome anyone thinking intelligently about literature because in reading people who probe intelligently on literature I also learn to be a better writer.
A demoralizing gymnastics class last night. My progress is being hindered by weak (read: elderly) wrists! I have had to seek something called Tiger Paws which are expensive high end wrist supports, funded by an Amazon cert from a generous friend (god bless him, god bless him…!)
It was the first time I was forced to acknowledge that what my body may have done 25 years ago, it may never do in the next 25 years! You simply cannot get away with hurling yourself around in the same, said manner unscathed. This is so crushing until about 40 mins after the class ends. And then not so because there’s so much else that’s great about getting older (an appreciation for the finer things in life such as the hot water bottle..), well I cannot right this moment list what’s great about getting old, because I am trying to recover from spending someone else’s money in such an extravagant way, but give me three days and I shall be back on the pro-middle-age bandwagon.