Toronto Dining

An insult to felines all over the world.
Toronto Fall 2009.

TV Confessional

">

This is a Facebook message I sent to my closest friends:

This program is hilarious -- I met one of the contestants this week because he is the Parish priest in Richmond, Ontario where Paul's family lives. He was wonderfully supportive of Paul's family and his sister Betty, who as most of you know, died last week. You can't imagine what a nice surprise meeting Father Giles was and the necessary light touch that resulted. What a charming person, and you have to believe me when I say that this was the last thing I'd expected. :-) And such (comic) relief.

**I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Cancer is such a bitch.

For Betty.

Montreal Ruelle Mile End: November 2009

Gratitude

Last week, my friend David sent me an article on one of our favourite poets, Kenneth Patchen, and asked me if I'd read anything interesting lately. I responded with this bit of vitriol:

I can't read anymore. I don't know what's wrong. I have weeks of New Yorkers piling up and when I go to bed, so comfortable, so tired, so wanting to read, so sleeping. It's actually starting to stress me out. So I read a few paragraphs of stuff a day. Mainly I'm reading school stuff and trying to figure out ways to make this interesting for people who clearly haven't read it...right now I'm prepping A Complicated Kindness...which isn't a very good novel, but it's topical for teenagers, in a sense...or maybe I'm stretching it. I don't effing care anymore; I'm so swamped with work right now and so stressed out about bad things that I do my best to stay positive...with generally good results, except when I have to combine all of this with a trip to the dentist. I had to do that today. Motherfucker. And I lost my glasses. And I lost my gloves. So, while generally good, I'm having a shit week.

* The shit week actually got worse, but the graffiti rocked.

** The generosity of others inspires me, and I must remember to be nice.

(Photo: Park Avenue Montreal, November 2009)

Alley Logic

Follow the Bird: Mile End Montreal 2009.