From : chris lloyd <chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com>
Sent : January 1, 2004 10:26:25 PM
To : pm@pm.gc.ca
CC : chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com
Subject : SARS picked as top Canadian news story of 2003 by editors, broadcasters
Dear Paul,
I’m back in Halifax. The flight was non-eventful, except for finishing the first of the Paul Auster books Claudine gave me for Xmas—City of Glass. It did a bit of a number on my head, what with the coincidences, the stories within stories, the whole Tower of Babel element.
And non-eventful only in its routineness; I still am amazed at heavy planes flying through the sky at twenty-seven thousand feet. And being in Montréal one minute and Halifax less than two hours later.
The first thing I did when I got home was clean the kitty litter. It must be an art, and one that Sarah Fork doesn’t excel in; the box was a smelly mass of muck. But the cats seem to be in good shape. Kuan is still a butterball.
Claudine and I had a leisurely, hang-over morning and an over-priced brunch at a trendy Mont Royal restaurant. Her sister picked us up and dropped me off at Dorval on their way to Ottawa to visit their folks.
New Years was fun. Met Claudine’s boss and her Spanish cousin at Elses for beer. Ate at an Afghani restaurant called the Khyber Pass, how’s that for irony? It was a great meal; tasty food, good service and nice atmosphere. We brought our own wine. You should go sometime, it is on Duluth. After supper we walked down to Old Montréal and drank vodka mixed with Red Bull on the way. Listened to some traditional singing at the outdoor stage and then went to Mohanad’s bar, Utopia, to ring in the new year. I’m not sure when it happened as they didn’t make a countdown. Mohanad got us in for free (saved us a $30 cover!) and gave us shots called “sourpuss”, and we danced and eventually took a cab home.
Sarah Fork has just moved out, so tomorrow I am moving my room back upstairs, into the closet this time. She took her bed though, so I’m not quite sure how I’ll sleep: my bed is too wide for the closet.
Am re-heating some food and will go watch the Baie-St-Paul symposium documentary videotape that came for me in the mail over the holidays.
-chris
From : chris lloyd <chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com>
Sent : January 2, 2004 10:38:04 PM
To : pm@pm.gc.ca
CC : chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com
Subject : Canadian Red Cross assesses future needs of Iranian earthquake victims
Dear Paul,
Spent all day cleaning the house and moving my room into the closet. My bed fits after all, but just barely. No room to spare on either side. It’s certainly cozy in there. Lots of shelf and drawer space though. Oddly enough, I think I’ll like it there.
Met Rebecca, Peter and Andrew at Steve-O-Reno’s for coffee. Andrew is heading to Mexico tomorrow. I have convinced both of them to apply for the Baie-St-Paul Symposium. We watched portions of the video again. Yang might apply as well. All three approach the theme of “sensitive surface” from different directions.
Haven’t been by the Khyber yet. Am trying to extend my peace of mind for another couple days, and so am avoiding the place. Can’t decide whether to work on my applications, read a book or rent a movie tonight. Maybe I’ll try a bit of all three.
Sara Fork left behind a load of stuff, which I spent much of the day extracting from various nooks and crannies and moving to the basement. She also left a great big bottle of rum. Anthony has moved in; he doesn”t have much stuff, and his arrival consisted of five minutes. He’s into the rum too.
Will head to the market tomorrow for some groceries and will meet up with my folks at some point in the afternoon or evening.
-chris
From : chris lloyd <chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com>
Sent : January 4, 2004 12:20:28 PM
To : pm@pm.gc.ca
CC : chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com
Subject : Canadian Red Cross assesses future needs of Iranian earthquake victims
Dear Paul,
Had a quiet day. Slept through my alarm; I had forgotten to check the volume. Wanted to go the market early. By the time I got there, at round eleven, the place was half deserted. Like a ghost town, compared to what it is usually. I guess it is still close to the holidays. Picked up some groceries and came home to make potato and leek soup. Proceeded to burn the leeks, but the soup turned out OK in the end.
Walked with Yang to the college to finally pick up some of my paintings from his studio. Stopped at the Khyber on my way back home but didn’t get sucked in too much; just scanned a slide for the invitations and luckily ran into Krista, one of the upcoming exhibiting artists, and so we make plans about the invites with her as well. And Shawn stopped by. I left him as he was giving a tour of the building to someone from Calgary who works at Enmedia. He has turned the Turret into a sort of bizarre robotics playroom; his Aliant New Media show technically “opens” on Monday.
My parents were in Lunenburg yesterday and this afternoon called from Trevor’s place. He and Dad drove in and picked me up and took me back to Timberlea for supper. Opened some gifts and gave a couple copies of the book. I received a couple sweaters and a copy of the Corrections! Yay, I may get started on it tonight.
After supper Trevor was gung-ho about seeing The Two Towers. It just finished, and now everyone has gone to bed. I’m crashing here for the night, as it snowed earlier and the roads are a bit slippery and it is really late and all of us have been drinking.
Read a bit from the Corrections (Frenzen really does overuse the word throughout the book), and then slept fitfully, dreaming about numbers: money and statistics.
Had some waffles in the morning with nice maple syrup from Mount Dickie, then Mom and Dad dropped me off at the house. Am going to have a shower and change and then meet Dan W. at Steve-O-Renos to discuss details of the YIP grant the Khyber is applying for to fund the Special Projects position.
-chris
From : chris lloyd <chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com>
Sent : January 5, 2004 9:57:05 AM
To : pm@pm.gc.ca
CC : chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com
Subject : Lawyer for Alta. Mountie accused of murder trying to get 3rd trial dropped
Dear Paul,
Time really slowed down for me on Sunday. By evening it was moving at a crawl, and by the time the clock closed in on midnight it felt like it was barely moving. In fact, for a moment or two, I thought it was going backwards. The house was quiet—no one else was home—and I was reading the Corrections before going to bed, and thinking about silence, and feeling the time crawl.
After supper I watched Bowling for Columbine. Michael Moore in typical fine form. The opening scene where he opens a bank account to receive a free gun is priceless. You know, the Canadian government might have saved a few dollars had it invested more money in cultural activities (such as documentaries pointing out the foibles of a certain gun-crazed nation to the south, for example) rather than cumbersome gun registry programs. Just a thought.
Met with Dan and Lisa at Steve-O-Reno’s in the afternoon for coffee and discussion of the YIP grant. Of course, we talked about much more; your Canadian Steamship Lines company, for instance, and its practice of paying workers sub-par wages. Is this any indication of the “new agenda of change and achievement” you’re now working on as PM?
I hear you have backed down on the threat of suing the creators of the website paulmartintime.ca. That was a great idea; it gave them more publicity than they ever would have been able to generate on their own. Certainly helps to get the word out across the country.
Have been steeling my mind the past few days for the onslaught of work about to occur. The invites and PR and mailout and posters all need to be completed today and tomorrow; teams of volunteers organized for distribution and installation; equipment gathered for the show; banking and board meetings to attend to; hiring the new interim director; etc. Amidst all that I have to stay on top of my own applications and try to get some paintings done. And enroll in french classes.
Am heading off to finish breakfast.
-chris
From : chris lloyd <chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com>
Sent : January 6, 2004 9:18:08 AM
To : pm@pm.gc.ca
CC : chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com
Subject : Federal finance minister to warn that Christmas is over, little money left
Dear Paul,
Had a long first day back at work. Didn’t take much to feel bogged down—with the financials, with tenants, with the clutter, with too many things on the agenda, like planning the selection committees, organizing applications, signage, grants, interns, computer netowrk problems, artists…the lists go on. The invitations didn’t get completed. We’re running out of time.
Called Alliance Francais; my classes are scheduled to begin next week. I’m excited about it, but really need to do a little more home study. Met Megan, a friend of Aaron’s and an artist from Saint John who is travelling around the country exhibiting large five-foot high sculptures of disposable knives in high-traffic areas. She wanted some advice. Ran some errands late in the day (to VANS so Briony could sign cheques; the bank; the post office), and had a late lunch/supper, then went to the eyelvelgallery openings. Mike Hein was exhibiting slick, surreal sculptures (paint puddles, MDF with painstakingly-drawn wood grain, a taxidermy model jutting through a faux headstone with a shelf embedded in both, faux air vents with deer holograms inside), and Kingston-based Adrianna Kuiper recreated the Greenbrier Bunker in the window spaces. The bunker was built in the years 1959 to 1971 beneath the premier Greenbrier Resort. The actual bunker sits unused yet ready and waiting for some impending disaster. The institutional green on the walls combined with the flourescent lighting is enough to make anyone gag or go nuts. Especially comical with the set of hard hats, billy clubs and pistols across from the framed Monet print.
Went home early afterwards (no drinking), had a light supper and talked for a long while with Yang about guns and the ‘states. Worked on the invitation some more (Krista was sending images via email). Claudine called and we had a nice talk.
Am in the middle of Gary’s story in the Corrections. The book is a bit of a dowener, but fascinating in the unflinching look at contemporary american life. Frenzen’s use of language veers between the brilliant and the banal.
-chris
From : chris lloyd <chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com>
Sent : January 7, 2004 9:30:52 AM
To : pm@pm.gc.ca
CC : chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com
Subject : Tests confirm U.S. mad cow came from Alberta; beef safe, says Speller
Dear Paul,
Had a fairly productive day at work. Finished the invites and the proof looks good; they’ll be printed by noon today, and it shouldn’t take too long to fold them, slap addresses on them and drop them in the mailbox. Dean helped me update the website. Talked to the fire alarm company about our weakening phone line. More building problems.
Dean from HFX (the Daily News “free” Thursday supplement) came by to interview me about the fact that I am now writing to you. And then Scott came by for photographs; he set up a darkened shoot in the gallery.
Kristiina stopped by the gallery and printed labels for her additional mailout. She can’t start installing her show because Jetsgo has lost her luggage (and her art). Hopefully it will turn up today, as her installation wil be fairly labour-intensive.
I received four envelopes from Revenue Canada in the mail; I had hoped it would be my tax return cheques, but it was just the statements. My cheques for the paintings I sold before Xmas still haven’t turned up either; I can’t pay my rent without them. Not that I really mind keeping Lyndon waiting a bit.
Had a free movie rental from Video Difference so walked up and picked up the Virgin Suicides and Weekend by Godard. Watched Weekend but fell asleep halfway through; it was a bit repetitive, over-the-top, and annoying. The guy at the store was right.
Read through more of Gary’s story in the Corrections before heading to bed.
-chris
From : chris lloyd <chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com>
Sent : January 8, 2004 9:18:09 AM
To : pm@pm.gc.ca
CC : chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com
Subject : Science will vindicate Canadian beef industry to Asian countries, says Martin
Dear Paul,
It was hard to get out of bed this morning. The temperature outside capsized yesterday, and by morning all the windows are frosted and the floors are like ice. My little closet is surely the coldest room in the house, after the kitchen.
We had a crack team of volunteers in yesterday and as a result the majority of the mailout was completed—at least untile we ran out of stamps. Sarah and Rodney were principle folders and stampers, and Sylvia helped too, until Kristiina kidnapped her for tape duty. Her luggage was delivered in the morning. Her “graph” needs to be lightly taped to the gallery walls before she pastes it in place. At the end of the show it will need to be carefully removed with steam.
Mathew came by to talk about his upcoming show; he is a bit nervous about the uncertainty surrounding staffing at the Khyber during his exhibition. We had a nice chat about NSCAD and Paul; I told him my dream about the offensive alumni letter I received last week (in the letter Paul basically says the value of my degree is intrinsically tied to NSCAD’s future successes, nudge-nudge, wink-wink, hand us some money or else). Funny, I thought the value of my degree was based on the actual knowledge I earned while I actually attended classes with certain instructors, and paid a certain amount of cash (or borrowed a certain amount of cash) to NSCAD at that time. If the place is going to re-vamp its mandate and become the cutlery design centre of north america I’m not sure what benefit that does to my current degree,
Skipped lunch again, but hit Sobeys after work and made a nice supper. Watched the Virgin Suicides; nice colours, a bit uneven, and unfolds a bit like a dream. Read some more before going to bed; have caught up with Al and Enid on their cruise.
-chris
From : chris lloyd <chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com>
Sent : January 9, 2004 11:50:02 AM
To : pm@pm.gc.ca
CC : chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com
Subject : Canada has until October to decide to join U.S. missile-defence plan: Pratt
Dear Paul,
Procrastinated aboout getting up early this morning. The room was too damn cold! And in my fitful sleep throughout the night I had kicked off not one but two essential blankets, leaving me in a shivering ball most of the early hours.
Yesterday evening was the big meeting with Craig regarding the situation with the Club. There has been a resolution of sorts; though I’m not really at liberty to say until next week. Think of it as a surprise. After the meeting I just wanted to come home and read, even though I think there was a celebratory offer of free scotch on the table. I had worked on the accounting all day long, mostly paying bills, and catching up with CCRA. Kristiina is still chugging away with her ”graph’ in the gallery; it stretches from the immediate left of the door when one enters the gallery all the way to the immediate right. It is like a huge, massive, cartoon crack that splits the galley in half horizontally. It looks great. Craig Owens shows up today, I think. After a week my body and brain is already saturated with the place.
I’m planning to have a leisurely breakfast, wash some laundry, and finish the Corrections before tackling a series of my own projects. I’m onto Denise’s story now, and Claudine was right: it is the most interesting. Franzen does a good job writing so specifically from a complex female point of view. The description of her restauant—the Generator—left a strong visual swimming about in my brain overnight. And the relationship between her and Robin made me wonder if I’m experiencing some form of withdrawl—in fact, probably a few forms of withdrawl—at the present moment. Have been receiving some great email letters from Claudine. And here I was thinking email was a dry medium; she certainly knows how to spice it up. I knew phone sex was possible (ask Jean about it), but e-sex?
-chris
From : chris lloyd <chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com>
Sent : January 10, 2004 11:17:01 AM
To : pm@pm.gc.ca
CC : chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com
Subject : Ottawa to spend $92 million to fight mad cow disease, increase testing
Dear Paul,
Sorry about telling you off last night. You should know I can get a little lippy when I drink.
I still haven’t found the car key. It’s probably a good thing I didn’t attempt the trip; the battery and engine light were on just from the little drive around the South End. I don’t think it can make a long distance drive.
Woke up late this morning, too late to go to the Market. Might go somewhere for a greasy spoon breakfast with Rebecca and Peter though.
Not sure exactly what I’ll do with the rest of the day. Most likely work on the books for Jo and and my applications.
-chris
From : chris lloyd <chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com>
Sent : January 10, 2004 7:15:50 PM
To : pm@pm.gc.ca
CC : chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com
Subject : Prime Minister Paul Martin shifting Liberals to the right: NDP’s Broadbent
Dear Paul,
Successfully procrastinated another day away. Well, I finished the Corrections, so I guess technically I accomplished something. Though now instead of simply paralyzing myself with trying to figure out what to do with myself in the short term I am now worrying about the next ten-twenty years, and what kind of person I am generally, and if something is wrong with me or if the whole world is a mess, whether by wanting to get paid for what I enjoy doing and wanting to eat good food, drink good wine and read good books somehow makes me a fraud to the person I want to be. Hopefully this self-inflicting torture will soon pass.
The events of last night have started to re-materialize in my head. I didn’t misplace the car key, Sarah Kilpack took it from me and gave it to Rebecca for safe-keeping. It is good to have friends that can effectively save one’s life when one is too intoxicated to make proper decisions regarding one’s well-being. Oh, and the Festiva lost a headlamp in the altercation with the shopping cart.
The party itself was a last-minute event, a quick and casual gathering, an opportunity of sorts for some of the Khyber Kids to meet Kristiina and Craig L., the visiting artists. I think everyone had a good time.
The cold has hyjacked my motivation, and I just want to curl up with another book and hot tea or cocoa. The house is freezing, and the frustrating thing is that no matter how high we jack the themostat, no matter how much the furnace is on and no matter how much oil we are burning off, the house WILL NOT GET WARM. The heat is sucked gleefully through cracks into the great outdoors.
Anyway, I’m off to get some work done. Or rent a movie.
-chris
From : chris lloyd <chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com>
Sent : January 11, 2004 1:26:40 PM
To : pm@pm.gc.ca
CC : chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com
Subject : Falling cattle prices reignite debate over whether beef prices also drop
Dear Paul,
How are you? How’s rhe weather in Ottawa? It’s really, really cold here. Am thinking about going to work because the building is bound to be warmer than this house. I can’t get any work done here; my hands are numb. Went to bed last night with a scarf around my neck and about eight blankets piled on top.
Am going to finish the last of the New York Trilogy stories (the locked room, the one about the disappearing author, Fanshawe), and then head out.
-chris
From : chris lloyd <chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com>
Sent : January 12, 2004 8:05:44 AM
To : pm@pm.gc.ca
CC : chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com
Subject : Harper sets pace in Conservative leadership race toward March vote
Dear Paul,
Spent the afternoon at the Khyber working on my grant applications. It was much warmer in the media centre (the computers act like their own furnace). Kristiina had finished pasting her graph to the wall and Craig L. was working on aspects of his show. Krista was upstairs outfitting the closet gallery.
Worked on an audio CD demo of myself reading some of the past letters to Jean. I’ll include it as support material in my grant application; my plan is to have an audio recording of EACH LETTER. It will be boring as hell to listen to but that’s sort of the point.
Talked to Claudine on the phone for a bit and finished reading The Locked Room. I need another novel distraction.
Went to bed early and woke up early. I have a weirdness about me that makes me wake up incredibly early on Monday mornings. I think I’ll do the gallery grocery shopping this morning before work; get it over and done with.
-chris
From : chris lloyd <chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com>
Sent : January 13, 2004 2:00:52 PM
To : pm@pm.gc.ca
CC : chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com
Subject : Quebec chief whose house was torched said it was an attempt on his life
Dear Paul,
I can’t write much, I’m at work.
Got up late today because I was out way too late last night. The openings went really well. There was a good turnout and all the food was eaten.
I was up insanely early Monday morning and picked up the groceries on my way to work. Later in the day decided to risk the Festiva again to run some errands. Picked up lights and paint supplies from Canadian Tire and the car seemed to be running fine until I stopped at Eyecandy Signs to pick up the vinyl, and it wouldn’t start again. Then, just when I was ready to pack it in and walk back from the North end, it started. I made it as far as the corner of Sackville and Barrington before it died again. someone gave me a boost and noticed that the alternator belt was missing; it must have come off Friday night. So the battery wasn’t getting charged.
The Club stayed busy straight through until closing time. We changed strategy regarding news of the Club. The rumours were getting out of control. So it is official: The Club is closing for restructuring effective Thursday. Wednesday night will be a send off party for Ferguson and myself. Just what I need: another night of heavy drinking mid-week.
After the Club closed last night Andréa, Craig L. and Mitchell and I headed to the Marquee, but it was closed. So was Charlie’s. By the time we wandered around to NRG it was closing too; we just had time for a round of Jaggermeister shots. Someone tried to sell me a gram of pot for $8—a pretty good deal—but when I got cash from the machine he was being yelled at by two other people who were pissed off that he had sold them nothing but “tinfoil”. Not the best business strategy: selling something you don’t have. Wandered home and wrote long drunken emails to Claudine.
Have to get back to work.
-chris
From : chris lloyd <chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com>
Sent : January 15, 2004 2:33:39 AM
To : pm@pm.gc.ca
CC : chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com
Subject : Sheila Copps keeping ‘lines open’ on possible switch to NDP
Dear Paul,
I made it home, safe and sound. Didn’t get too carried away at the final night at the Club (though I stayed ’till the bitter end). I still had to pay for my beer. Mostly hung out with Christine and talked about travels to Greece, boyfriends, relationships, design, conceptual art, the weather, smoking (we split and smoked a pack from Reflections—Benson and Hedges, Extra Mild) eventually discussing Montréal, relationships some more, threesomes and monogomay. Scratch Bastid and crew were in fine form.
The board meeting went well, and I think we made some progress on some items. It also seemed like they were in some sort of shock over the sheer volume of things that need to be dealt with in the next while.
I need to go to bed, or try to get some work done on my grant. Maybe i’ll just do it tomorrow. Big meeting with Craig tomorrow.
-chris
From : chris lloyd <chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com>
Sent : January 15, 2004 2:58:06 AM
To : pm@pm.gc.ca
CC : chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com
Subject : Sheila Copps keeping ‘lines open’ on possible switch to NDP
Dear Paul,
Shit, out water pipes are frozen. I’m going to have to go to work stinking like beer and cigarettes. Yuck.
-chris
From : chris lloyd <chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com>
Sent : January 15, 2004 9:33:04 PM
To : pm@pm.gc.ca
CC : chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com
Subject : Tony Clement seeks Conservative helm on anybody-but-Harper platform
Dear Paul,
What a crazy day at work. The office was an icebox. I met with Pat from CCRA and he took a bunch of my paperwork back to his office to “compare”. Yikes. He called back later and we are meeting again tomorrow, but it looks like things are just the way they should be. Phew. And I finally, finally, after over two months of looking, found the KDMC MERC folder. Like magic.
Had a gruelling lunch meeting with Andréa at the Med to bring her up to speed with the Club situation. This is a very odd and delicate situation, and the board, Craig and Andréa and I all seem to have different views and opinions on what should happen next. I fear it is not going to go as smoothly as I had hped. On the plus side, there are more interested parties coming forward, and last night while the place was packed one could definitely spot the “investors” in the midst.
Met with Craig in the afternoon to try to smooth out an immediate plan of action. He was being intervied by Kings Journalism students for Cable 10. There were articles in HFX and the Coast about the closure, and my departure. Also the article about me continuing to write to you was in HFAX today. They cropped the photo so it doesn’t look half as cheesy and contrived as I feared it would.
I missed my first French class tonight while trying frantically to finish my individual grant application. I bought a French learner CD and phrasebook on the way back from the post office and wiull try to set myself to a more rigid schedule.
Lyndon fixed the water pipes, which is good, but he didn’t check the washer, which is bad, because those pipes are still frozen and are also hard to access. And I really need to wash some laundry.
I’m exhausted and smelly, and just want to have a hot shower, clean the stink from last night off, and read a bit before going to bed. I’m going to try to finish The Rise of the Creative Class before the Richard Florida talk next week.
-chris
From : chris lloyd <chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com>
Sent : January 17, 2004 12:35:11 PM
To : pm@pm.gc.ca
CC : chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com
Subject : Conservative leadership becomes three-way race as Strahl opts out
Dear Paul,
The heating pipes froze again in the Khyber building. Margaret S. was scheduled to teach a tango class in the Turret last night and informed me—while I was putting in a couple hours at the media centre—that the room was freezing. No surprise there: we couldn’t even work in the office on Friday, and the heat was still trickling through the pipes. We could practically see out breath. Ahh, the joys of working in old buildings. We moved the tango class to the Ballroom for the Friday night and Saturday morning class. Luckily the temperature is much more reasonable today and the Turret should be warm enough by this afternoon. I put Andréa’s space heater up there.
So anyway, I worked on my Dare/Dare proposal last night, and finished it just in time to get it into the post office by 9pm. Then I came back to the Khyber to lock up and continued scanning my “Babel Fish” letters for a new bookwork.
Lyndon was by the house this morning to unfreeze the pipes to the outdoor faucet. He needs water for the concrete he is pouring at Bleak House next door on Monday. No mention of my rent cheque, which must have bounced by now. My payment still hasn’t arrived from Peter and Briony hasn’t signed our paychecks at work yet.
I’m a little sick of this weather. Again, it’s not the outside so much, just the insides. My room was freezing again last night. I hate going to bed wearing a scarf and socks and sweatpants and a sweater! It’s ridiculous. I prefer to sleep with as little clothing as possible.
I’m at the Khyber now, still scanning, and waiting for Ross from HRM to show up and hopefully unfreeze the pipes and fix the furnace. We have been operating on one furnace since November.
Trevor is coming to meet me early this afternoon. We are going to see The Return of the King. I feel as though I need some suspended disbelief and full immersion in fantasy right about now. Just talked to Claudine; she has sexy post-bar husky smokers voice. More fantasy.
Damn, back to reality: waterfall sounds. In the record store and my office. Sounds like the pipes aren’t frozen anymore. I’ll get back to you.
-chris
From : chris lloyd <chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com>
Sent : January 18, 2004 5:20:10 PM
To : pm@pm.gc.ca
CC : chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com
Subject : Prime minister pledges share of fuel tax to cities but no timeline set
Dear Paul,
The Return of the King went on and on for what seemed an eternity yesterday. Trev and I were in the theatre twenty minutes early to get good seats, which was a good thing as the place was full by the time the show started. The movie had some good moments; great colours, some beautiful scenery, and the seven-tiered walled city of Minas Tireth was so well-conceived, so well-lit that it floated throughout my dreams all night. Other than that, parts of the film were definitely drawn out too long, and I found it disturbing that the evil men who had joined “the dark side” were clearly Arabs and Asians, and that the “good side” was fighting for “Western Man”, and the battle scenes gave me a headache. And after four hours in the theatre my butt ached and my eyes were sore, but I think I got my nine dollars worth.
We stopped at the Northcliffe community centre on the way to the theatre so I could pay for my French class but my last rent cheque must have went through because my account was drained. And another disturbing discovery: The chunk of money I owed HRM a few years back from my studio at Bloomfield is still on my account. Owch. I had always figured I’d pay them from a grant that never came.
We went to Price Club and I wandered around eating the free samples and watching the throngs of humanity immersed in oversized shopping.
Ross from HRM fixed the heating pipes yesterday but this morning I received a call from Shana at the Khyber and a new leak had begun overnight, causing more damage to the record store. Waye is going to be incredibly pissed, and proably more than thankful that he is moving the operation to Gottingen Street. I called Ross in again to fix the leak, but now the gauge for the pipes on the backside of the building is shot. Hopefully they don’t freeze overnight. We’re expecting 20 cm of snow overnight.
Am going to work on my Babel Fish book and then head home for supper. Housecleaning is on the agenda for tonight. Spent last night flicking between bad Jack Nicholson movies (The Witches of Eastwick, As Good as it Gets, A Few Good Men) and Total Recall. Slept in this morning and felt muuch better; I was a bit depressed yesterday. Had a good strategic planning session with the board and staff of the KDMC this afternoon.
-chris
From : chris lloyd <chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com>
Sent : January 19, 2004 9:31:56 AM
To : pm@pm.gc.ca
CC : chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com
Subject : Mounties failed to keep tabs on millions in purchases for Alberta G-8 summit
Dear Paul,
Stayed up late last night hoping to score one of those $1 Jetsgo flights—but it was a no-go. At least it gave me the time to format almost all the Babel Fish letters for the book. It takes a long time to import the images into the document.
A ton of snow fell overnight: it is a winter wonderland outside. Everything is covered in at least a foot of the stuff. The house is cold, but bearable. I’d be happy if it was like this for the rest of the season.
Anyway, I’m about to have some breakfast and then I’m off to work.
-chris
From : chris lloyd <chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com>
Sent : January 20, 2004 10:54:40 AM
To : pm@pm.gc.ca
CC : chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com
Subject : Quebec creates police units to fight crime in aboriginal, other communities
Dear Jean,
There’s nothing quite long a strong cup of coffee. And I like it black—pas de sucre, pas de lait—and my mouth is feeling bitter, but in a good way.
It must have been my amazing Monday-morning metabolism that kept me going yesterday. Kuan kept me awake all night Sunday (that period of time between 3:30am and 7:30am) meowing and purring and pawing at my head. What’s up with that?
Spent yesterday morning working with Andréa on the financials. She doesn’t seem to enjoy accounting as much as I. Eleanor stopped by the office and all three of us went to Blowers Street for coffee. Called Art a few times about getting the second furnace fixed. I love that our principle maintenance guys name is Art. I love that the city responds best in a crisis, but not don’t keep us a priority in order to prevent a crisis.
Had the locks changed in the Club and front door. Talked to a few prospective tenants for the Club space. Talked with Charles about the sudden, somewhat disquieting quietness throughout the building. It’s like a time warp, reverting the building back five years or so.
Went to the openings at Anna for the group MFA show. Overall a little uneven, but there is some good work: Yang’s paintings, Alex’s hats, Bruce’s book of email requests from those desperate to move hundreds of millions of american dollars into his bank account, Scott’s vending machine, Paul’s Giant Red free-standing painting and the other Paul’s word sculptures. The show is somewhat cramped for space.
Went back to the KDMC (we are thinking of changing the name to RUN-DMC; what do you think?) and worked on my Babel Fish book. Finished the templates and printed one edition. Had a slice of pizza again for supper. Have to cut that out.
Went home and watched some TV, drank some beer and felt nice and drowzy. Talked to Claudine a bit on the phone, then went to bed early.
Have to go, more accounting training on the way for Andréa, heh-heh.
-chris
From : chris lloyd <chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com>
Sent : January 21, 2004 1:45:55 PM
To : pm@pm.gc.ca
CC : chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com
Subject : Canadian deported to Syria to file suit against U.S. attorney general
Dear Paul,
Hung around the Khyber late again last night. Mary Kim was scheduled to give an artist talk, which we moved upstairs to the Turret. Wandered around NSCAD in the afternoon putting up posters and talking to Michael and Stephen about closer ties between SUNSCAD and the Khyber. Maybe hold more dances and pancake breakfasts.
My cheque came from Peter and Briony signed our paycheques, so I had money yesterday. Bought some ink and paper to complete my Babel Fish book, as well as some bookbinding thread.
I’ve been invited to attend a private reception hosted by HRM for Richard Florida, who is in town to speak at the WTCC tomorrow. Should be interesting. I read more of his book last night while in the tub. While a lot of his ideas have merit (especially when it comes to re-invigorating downtowns) and have been touted by those in the arts community as a convincing argument for more support of creative activities, there is something insidious in his remarks geared towards economists about the selling and marketing of “experiences”.
I am uncertain towards where Florida actually stands on issues of creativity. He’s making a ton of money doing the speaking tour promoting his theories of the “creative class”; he’s speaking mainly to economists, investors and bureaucrats; he raises the profile of arts and cultural organizations as the heart and soul and success of cities; yet is still seems, on some strange level, like he’s prostituting a few obvious facets of the creative impulse as fodder for a larger
economic agenda. It is hard to articulate.
My frustration with it reminds me a lot of some writing Sarah H. sent me a few days ago. It is from the introduction to “The Desert of the Real” by Slavoj Zizek:
In an old joke from the defunct German Democratic Republic, a German worker gets a job in Siberia; aware of how all mail will be read by the censors, he tells his friends: ‘Let’s establish a code: if a letter you get from me is written in ordinary blue ink, it’s true; if it’s written in red ink, it’s false.’ After a month, his friends get the first letter, written in blue ink: ‘Everything is wonderful here: the shops are full, food is abundant, apartments are large and properly heated, cinemas show films from the West, there are many beautiful girls ready for an affair the only thing you can’t get is red ink.’ …
Is this not the matrix of an efficient critique of ideology? Not only in ‘totalitarian’ conditions of censorship but, perhaps even more, in the more refined conditions of liberal censorship? One starts by agreeing that one has all the freedoms one wants–then one merely adds that the only thing missing is the ‘red ink’: we ‘feel free’ because we lack the very language to articulate our unfreedom. What this lack of red ink means is that, today, all the main terms we use to designate the present conflict ‘war on terrorism’, ‘democracy and freedom’, ‘human rights’, and so on–are false terms, mystifying our perception of the situation instead of allowing us to think it. In this precise sense, our ‘freedoms’ themselves serve to mask and sustain our deeper unfreedom. A hundred years ago, in his emphasis on the acceptance of some fixed dogma as the condition of (demanding) actual freedom, Gilbert Keith Chesterton perspicuously detected the antidemocratic potential of the very principle of freedom of thought:
“We may say broadly that free though is the best of all safeguards against freedom. Managed in a modern style, the emancipation of the slave’s mind is the best way of preventing the emancipation of the slave. Teach him to worry about whether he wants to be free, and he will not free himself.”
Is this not emphatically true of our ‘postmodern’ time, with its freedom to deconstruct, doubt, distantiate oneself? We should not forget that Chesterton makes exactly the same claim as Kant in his “What is Enlightenment”: ‘Think as much as you like, and as freely as you like, just obey!’ The only difference is that Chesterton is more specific, and spells out he implicit paradox beneath the
Kantian reasoning: not only does freedom of thought not undermine actual social servitude, it positively sustains it. The old motto ‘Don’t think, obey!’ to which Kant reacts is counterproductive; it effectively breeds rebellion; the only way to secure social servitude is through freedom of though. Chesterton is also logical enough to assert the obverse of Kant’s motto: the struggle for freedom needs a reference to some unquestionable dogma.
Anyway, Dean and Andréa jsut came back from a trade fair at NSCAD, so I had better get back to work.
-chris
From : chris lloyd <chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com>
Sent : January 22, 2004 4:32:34 AM
To : pm@pm.gc.ca
CC : chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com
Subject : RCMP searches journalist’s home and office for leaked Arar material
Dear Paul,
You jerk, you should have replied in form letter by now. Bastard. it’s been over a month. Get with the program.
Anyway, don’t mind me, I’m a little drunk. It’s late. I’ve been out since 6pm, first at Shelley’s birthday party at the Shoe Shop, then the private Richard Florida reception at the Velvet Olive. What a waste of time! By the time Becka and I cornered him to talk he was on his way out and had no time to talk shop. And why would he? He’s getting $28,000 for one luncheon presentation and less than 24 hours in the city. Why talk to anyone? He completely brushed us off. How rude!! He and his handlers were heading to the Shoe Shop, so I tagged along, met up with the birthday crew again, and we all caught a couple cabs and headed to the Marquee. Wednesday night Retro Dancing. Danced the night away, and ended the night talking to Geordie about WASPS. Grabbed a hot dog from the Dawg Father, and set an Xmas tree on fire just outside the Khyber. The cops, HRM city workers and fire department showed up. Whooops. It’s not like the fire could spread through the SNOWBANK. It’s made of water, people. WATER—that substance used to PUT FIRES OUT. Relax. Must have been a slow night. Understandable, what with all the bars closing.
Anyway, I’d best get home, and get some sleep. So as to be alert and fully functional for the presentation tomorrow.
Creative class, my ass.
-chris
From : chris lloyd <chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com>
Sent : January 22, 2004 6:15:19 PM
To : pm@pm.gc.ca
CC : chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com
Subject : Conservative leadership candidate Stronach campaigns on Vancouver radio show
Dear Paul,
Sorry about calling you a jerk yesterday. You must be getting a sense of what I’m like when I drink.
Spent the late morning/early afternoon at the WTCC for the Richard Florida luncheon. Lunch was OK, typical convention food, a bit on the bland side. Sat next to Linda Carvery and we talked about the North End and Gottingen Street. After typical introductory remarks that went on and on (wearing out the tie and donair jokes), Richard took to the stage in a polished and energetic manner. Sort of reminded me of a motivational speaker, or that travelling salesman who sells Springfield a Monorail. And in effect that’s what he was doing: selling his monorail, which consists of the idea that we are “all creative people’, and that the super-creative core (I guess, as an artist, I’m included in this) makes up 30% of the North American labour force, and that successful companies move to energetic cities for their buzz, their culture, their vibrancy. It’s a tight little theory, but it also smacks of some yuppy-ish justification for having expensive tastes and hobbies. Any idea that art reaches people, can affect people, has the power to effect change or transcendence or critical validity is nullified and reduced to a simplistic equation: other creative yuppies like to be around artists, so keep artists around to keep your economic engine running. We’ve gone from “art for art’s sake” to “just tolerate it, somehow it’s good for business”. How depressing. I shouldn’t let it get me down; he is an economist, after all.
The heating pipes aren’t working properly in the turret again. I am really getting sick and tired of this building. Anyway, I’m going to head home, make some supper, and finish that book!
-chris
From : chris lloyd <chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com>
Sent : January 23, 2004 7:08:56 PM
To : pm@pm.gc.ca
CC : chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com
Subject : B.C. premier says minister made honourable decision in resigning
Dear Paul,
Just a quick note before I head home for the day. The day of gradual invisibility. Remember that scene in Back to the Future when Michael J. Fox’s hands started to evaporate and fade before our very eyes? Same feeling, if not so literal. I’m done work in less than a week; three more working days, actually. I’m starting to feel inefectual and somewhat redundant around here; I was even kicked out of a committee meeting last night.
I put up the new sign over the top of the entrance to the Club today. That killed some time. Sent out new media releases, made some posters, worked on some accounting. We’re in worse financial shape than I had thought, which is no fun.
The GLBYP (Gay and Lesbian Bisexual Youth Project—not the smoothest name of a group to roll off the tongue) is renting the Turret tonight for a cabaret. They’ve lugged some of the Club sound gear upstairs. I’m hightailing it out of here before the music starts.
Tonight is Andréa’s birthday party. I am broke, but still have that unopened bottle of Crown Royal at home. Should tie me over. I’ll avoid all Christmas trees on my way home. Hey, today a car caught fire at the corner of Blowers and Barrington. I watched from my perch in the turret. A spot of excitement in an otherwise dull day. Oh, and I’m still here because I was tracking keys down for the Mullet so I could bleed the heating pipes, but I couldn’t find the valve. It might have been covered up by new walls. I hope the pipes don’t freeze again this weekend.
-chris
From : chris lloyd <chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com>
Sent : January 24, 2004 5:06:53 PM
To : pm@pm.gc.ca
CC : chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com
Subject : B.C. premier says minister made honourable decision in resigning
Dear Paul,
Yang and Mary were at the house cooking last night and between the thee of us we split two bottles of wine. Then I headed to Andréa’s. The party was rocking. Lots of smoke in the air (I brought my leftover pack of smokes so I would cut down on the amount of second-hand smoke I’d be sure to ingest). The Crown Royal gave me a strange, heady drunk. Then the pot hit me, and the dancing and compulsive laughter and overall sense of weirdness started. My paranoia and incomprehension about surrounding discussions rendered me a mute and giggling mess. My second night dancing in my rubber boots this week. I’m not sure, but I think my fashion sense has been publically called into question as of late. Eventually was spirited away in a cab with Diedre and Swintak, the last to leave the party, I think. Stopped at Diedre’s for tea but by then couldn’t even handle basic conversation. Threw up just before heading home. Spent the next hour at home re-examining the contents of my stomach with the porcelain goddess. The staining power of red wine never ceases to amaze me. Slept in my clothes and woke up with my sweat pants wrapped around my head. The cats meowing for breakfast.
Surprisingly, I’m not hung over at all today (I did sleep past 1pm). Missed the market. Was having a nice morning, made a healthy breakfast, was reading newspapers and drinking coffee when I got the call from Dean at the Khyber: No heat. The oil tanks are empty. AAAAARG! When will it end? Put a call in to Anytime Fuels and they managed to get their on-call delivery guy to swing by again before 6pm. I’ll head over and kick-start the furnace and then monitor the pipers. Hopefully nothing has burst. And Lyndon left a polite letter about my bounced rent cheque and upcoming heating bill. Me thinks it is time to find some short-term work. The art will have to wait…again.
-chris
From : chris lloyd <chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com>
Sent : January 25, 2004 3:42:19 PM
To : pm@pm.gc.ca
CC : chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com
Subject : Country watches as Copps, Valeri star in ‘classic’ Steeltown scrap
Dear Paul,
I’d almost succeeded in staying in my pajamas all day today, but i need to get dressed to go to the drugstore and buy a needles so I can finally finish stitching together that book. I can’t remember the last time I had a single project drag on and on like this. It doesn’t help that I’ve been chronically procrastinating. I’ve also been working on my Concordia application, which isn’t such a bad excuse, considering the whole thing is due next week.
Stayed at the Khyber a few hours last night to make sure the pipes weren’t leaking after getting the furnace started again. Shana called today to say the building is cold, but the radiators are warm, at least. Heating that building has become a huge nightmare. I’ll be telling HRM councillors all about it at the Tuesday night council meeting, when I’ll be speaking about their offensive new tax scheme/policy. They should be concentrating more efforts in getting proper funds from the feds, not off the backs of already underfunded NPOs. Dumb bastards.
Have been working on a new power point presentation. It’s addictive. I’ll have devised a new comic based on clip art by the end of the day. Have to learn Flash in order to animate it. First I need to find working serial numbers. Have been going through some old Odd Todd animations on the web. His unemployed storyline now seems to have much more relevance for me now, as I am out of a job in three days. Hey, any job openings in your riding/department coming up? You can find my resume on Workopolis.
OK, I’m off to get that needle.
-chris
From : chris lloyd <chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com>
Sent : January 26, 2004 12:20:26 AM
To : pm@pm.gc.ca
CC : chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com
Subject : Quebec will review work guidelines for health professionals, says Charest
Dear Paul,
Have found another fun way to procrastinate: free classified ad postingswith Bargain Hunter! It started off innocently enough: posting the Festiva, as per Mohanad’s wishes. But then it grew, and i’ve been posting little tidbits in Bargain Hunters right across the country for the past hour. What fun! Here’s a few samples:
The following ad has been placed and will be posted within 24 hours for a period of 90 days.
————————————————————————
wanted: art ideas. I’m tapped out at the moment, with some time on my hands. Full credit where credit is due. (902) 431-7034 chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com
————————————————————————
Thank you for using The BargainHunter!
The following ad has been placed and will be posted within 24 hours for a period of 90 days.
————————————————————————
Jack of all trades, looking for odd work. The odder the better. Need some quick cash. Won’t rule out unsavoury jobs. Must pay top dollar. (902) 431-7034 chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com
————————————————————————
Thank you for using The BargainHunter!
The following ad has been placed and will be posted within 24 hours for a period of 90 days.
————————————————————————
Paintings of the Prime Minister. You know you want one! Newspaper images rendered in oils or acrylics. Executed on stylish plywood. Prices negotiable. (902) 431–7034 chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com
————————————————————————
Thank you for using The BargainHunter!
What fun!
Anyway, I’m just waiting for some glue to dry before putting the second cover on the Babel Fish book. Yes! It is almost finished! Amazing! Then it’s off to bed, to read more from Dubliners and dream of being somewhere else.
-chris
From : chris lloyd <chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com>
Sent : January 26, 2004 10:26:40 PM
To : pm@pm.gc.ca
CC : chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com
Subject : Heatherington trial put over; her husband accused of being Crown accomplice
Dear Paul,
A little more compulsive dish-washing to pass the time while waiting for answers to one of life’s great mysteries. Dishes and email: I cleaned out my Jean and Paul folders, copying text into Word files, saving thirty percent of my Hotmail space. Listened to music and stared at the wall. Simultaneous shock and euphoria.
It’s another freezing cold one in the “supercity”. My house is slightly warmer than the Khyber. It was another KDMC-as-office day; even with the heat on and working the building was icey, especially our office. It wears me out to work in these conditions. Only two days left. Spent most of today making lists and procedures for Andréa. 2 Grants to finish.
Lyndon came by in the hunt for money. He wants cash tomorrow. I ventured out into the Hoth-like atmosphere and took a trip to the bank; I have enough. With a little extra to mail the books to Jo.
Talked to Mohanad on the phone, and he might have a job that could include me. I’m keeping my fingers crossed. I’m keeping my fingers crossed on a lot of things.
-chris
From : chris lloyd <chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com>
Sent : January 27, 2004 4:48:17 AM
To : pm@pm.gc.ca
CC : chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com
Subject : B.C. premier appoints ‘new faces’ in first cabinet shuffle
Dear Paul,
Can’t sleep. My mind is racing. Got a full house in the noggin upstairs: work, unemployment, money, poverty, art (always there, leading to the next: obsession), moving, life, death, etc. Figured I’d best get up and work on something, anything, rather than just toss and turn. Maybe I’ll write more Bargain Finder ads. Or pester you, my favourite corporate criminal of the month. Don’t you think you should do more to show the Canadian public that you are not a criminal and apologize for flying flags of convenience on Canadian Steamship lines? And maybe cough up a few million in the taxes you rightly owe?
Anyway, I’m going to work on my letter to Concordia. Thanks, you’ve been somewhat of an inspiration.
-chris
From : chris lloyd <chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com>
Sent : January 28, 2004 11:14:37 AM
To : pm@pm.gc.ca
CC : chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com
Subject : Remains of nine more women found: missing women’s task force
Dear Paul,
Pre-programmed my “tossing and turning” for this morning by setting my alarm way too early. Over two hours I spent hitting the snooze, alternating in and out of bizarre dreams. Dreams about mice, cats, boats, bridges, bags, buildings and wind. I wanted to get up early get some work done, but it was not to be.
As I was about to shave the phone rang; I thought it might be Claudine—we had a nice talk last night—but when I answered it was Alliance Security. So it was off to the Khyber to meet the cops for yet another—you guessed it—false alarm. A mouse, or some wind, or that damn ghost that lives there, set off the motion sensor. Just what we need, another false alarm fine from the city.
The artist talks were fun last night. Ehryn showed slides and digital images of her architecturally-influenced paintings and drawiings, and Scott showed slides of his bridge and placeless-places photographs. We held the talks in the Ballroom as the Turret was booked for some sort of dance class. It was warm and quiet in the Ballrooom. I actually prefer holding the talks in the gallery or Turret rather than the bar. Less distraction.
Met with Peter this morning to go over our books. I’ve a few more entries to make before my job is officially “over”.
Am feeling a little more stable today, aside from the fact I also feel as if I am sitting atop a high fence that is swaying to and fro in the wind. Ahhh, the uncertainties of life, of being overwhelmed by decisions. Am trying not to think too much. Will occupy my time with “doing”.
-chris
From : chris lloyd <chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com>
Sent : January 30, 2004 11:42:28 AM
To : pm@pm.gc.ca
CC : chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com
Subject : Premiers gather, anticipating $2 billion more for their health-care budgets
Dear Paul,
Had a fun time last night on Eleanor’s radio show. I love radio. Claudine even called to complimemt my “radio voice”. She was listening over the internet before going dancing with friends.
Other than that, not much to report. Slept in again but to a reasonable hour (for the newly unemployed) to 10am. Had a shower and cut my hair. Except that I can’t find any scissors in the house, so there are some longish-wonky bits on top.
Meghan is stopping by shortly to retrieve her crates.
The Supreme Court has upheld the “spanking law”, meaning parents can still legally give their kids a whuppin’. That’ll knock some sense into them.
Say, if I sent you a “Flat Chris”, would you carry him around with you like you did with “Flat Mark”? I’ll make it later today or tomorrow. Still have some finessing to do on my Concordia letter, and some slides to label, and a few Khyber odds and ends to wrap up.
-chris
From : chris lloyd
Sent : January 31, 2004 12:56:27 PM
To : pm@pm.gc.ca
CC : chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com
Subject : Martin gives provinces $2 billion for health care, but no long-term guarantees
Dear Paul,
Worked on my Concordia application and checked and sent many email for most of the afternoon. Ironically enough, a few hours after emailing my grandparents about the state of my loan—that CCRA effectively dumped it into a non-existent bank account—Poppy called asking about it. They are vacationing in Florida in a few weeks and want me to pay them back ASAP. Hopefully the cheque is re-issued within a couple weeks.
Went to the Khyber for a board meeting to make decisions regarding the bar; nothing will be decided until February 11, after some counterproposals and interviews are conducted. After the meeting I went to the AGNS opening of Objective Information—recent gifts from the Art Bank. Not being too versed in the language of 70s and 80s “contemporary” sculpture, I found the show a bit lacking, and the opening itself a bit sparse and snooty. But there is a big installation by Michael Fernandes that was nice to see. No Escape is a piece made in 1983 that features a large over-sized wooden table and double chair. The table is tall enough to walk beneath, and underneath is a speaker where you can here Michael’s voice, in a forced whisper, reciting “Let’s go, let’s play, let’s dance, let’s climb, let’s watch, let’s dress up, let’s whistle, let’s make noise…let’s goof off, let’s get into it…let’s step on it, let’s push…let’s make them pay, let’s operate, let’s bomb them…” On the floor, between the table and chairs, swing two elongated slide projected images of Rodin’s Thinker and a Pershing missile. Above, high up on the walls near the ceiling, are grainy black and white photographic portraits of native and indigenous peoples. It’s a powerful piece.
I came home and rented Bonnie & Clyde, starring Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway. I loved the look of the film, the colours really captured that Depression-era look, and many scenes really stand out in my mind, but the acting felt stilted and a little uneven. But the story itself fascinated me and I spent time reading about them later on. Then I started thinking about whether a bank robbery would be a hard or easy thing to pull off nowadays. You read about them every now and then—almost like they show up in the papers just to keep our fear of crime intact—but it’s really an oddity, isn’t it? I mean, who beyond a desperate crackhead actually tries to hold up a bank anymore? Doesn’t most theft of money happen through organized crime, money laundering, embezzlement, and kickbacks to corporate CEOs? Yet with so many of us bitching and moaning about the banks being crooks you’d think there would be more resistance in the form of the good old-fashioned robbery. More Robin Hoods floating around.
Talked to Sarah H. on the phone for quite a bit, she was conducting an interview for an article for C Magazine about art and politics. Afterwards I felt depressed and went to bed and read some Adorno and felt even worse.
Today I will attempt to brighten my spirits by completing some vigorous housecleaning and organizing and packing. The floors and bathrooms haven’t been cleaning in weeks, gross.
-chris
DEAR PM 