from chris lloyd <dearpm@gmail.com>
to pm@pm.gc.ca,
date Fri, Nov 3, 2006 at 1:12 AM
subject Canucks accept medicinal pot use; Ottawa est inflexible, l’appel de Hayder Kadhim demeure sans effet
Dear Stephen,
Sorry I haven’t been writing, I’ve been in a real tailspin lately. Claudine and I have been really questioning our future together, our compatibility, my dysfunctional personality. But it feels like we might have turned a corner, and I’ve been slowly crawling out of this depression. Cleared up a bunch of old junk in the basement, organized the studio a bit, even started painting again. The last couple nights I’ve been at work, it was deathly quiet last night but tonight there were some boisterous groups in, tips were mildly good. I’ve been cooking meals at home and not venturing out so much and not doing a lot of hands-on gallery work, just on-line promotion on the members’ show and the movie screening nights. This members’ show is a big gamble: I’m not sure if we’ll get a turnout, if there are enough aspiring or even established artists that will feel like shelling out $20 for an annual membership to the gallery. but we shall see.
I’m going to bed, the cats will have me up early no matter how late I stay up.
-chris
from chris lloyd <dearpm@gmail.com>
to pm@pm.gc.ca,
date Thu, Nov 9, 2006 at 1:22 AM
subject Syringe contents revealed by Maple Leaf
Dear Stephen,
Whoah, sorry about not writing in so long. Were you not worried? What if I’d suffered a terrible accident? Was I not sounding too depressed in some of those past few letters?
No matter. I’m feeling better, in large part because Claudine is back and she has a plan. She may have already found us an apartment in Montréal for January. If it all works out and we take it we’ll furnish it, find a sub-letter, and downsize in Saint John until early Spring. Or something like that. I just need to find a job and get my head screwed on right. Decide if it’s the art path or academia or teaching or curating or writing or painting or sub-contracting or bar tending. What am I to do next? Any bright ideas for me?
The french classes are coming along, though i find Stephanie a bit disorganized and not as knowledgeable about the language as Claudine. Conversely, Claudine and I have been speaking more french than English together since her return. Very good practice.
I had rented a car to drive to Fredericton on Sunday for an AARCA (Atlantic Artist-Run Centres Association) meeting, which ran late and I had to put the pedal to the metal to get to the Saint John airport to collect Claudine. I made the trip in 1 hour five minutes, from the main drag in Fredericton to the front door of the airport. I think it might be a record. And I even stopped to pee and call Claudine to say I would be late.
Sunday night we saw Marie-Jo Theriault perform at Le Capital. She’s got a great voice but I didn’t get into her genre of performance. Afterwards we drove to Shediac and rented a room in an empty motel. La bain avait les tourbillons, bien. Nous avons faire beaucoup d’amour et regardant beaucoup de télévision (CSI).
Then it snowed. It snowed in Moncton and there was still snow in Quispamsis, though none in Saint John. It’s been raining here the past few days. It’s raining now.
Tomorrow morning we’re borrowing Judith’s Element and driving to Fredericton. This time it is to jury the National Art Program NB team for the upcoming 2007 Canada Games.
I’ve been working on some paintings for the upcoming members’ show. I had two demands for commissions tonight while working the bar.
Sooo…looks like the Democrats have taken the Senate as well as the House. Does this affect your plans in any way?
-chris
—
Chris Lloyd Projects
http://www.dearpm.blogspot.com
A Division of ADD Painters:
“we’re here to swerve”
from chris lloyd <dearpm@gmail.com>
to pm@pm.gc.ca,
date Sat, Nov 11, 2006 at 12:01 PM
subject Dawson victim upset with Day meeting; Charest et Fortier viennent annoncer la construction d’un théâtre à Dawson
Dear Stephen,
Happy Remembrance Day. I often feel ambivalent about this holiday. I think about wars and veterans a lot throughout the year, and given the state of the world it’s not likely that we’ll “forget” about war and its victims any time soon. My grandfather served in WW2 which of course was a different war, a different world. It’s easier to muster the will to combat fascism when it manifests itself in tyranny and total aggression. Harder when the ideology is less rooted in an actual place. I mean, how can anyone actually believe that terrorism can be beaten through invasions and foreign troops? So long as the US and other western forces and the ideology of capitalism continue to exercise their might around the world there will always be terrorism. And bringing democracy to the masses is just colonialism in disguise. It might be more effective if democracy actually worked.
My favourite quote recently? Regarding the recent trouncing of the Republicans, a headline appeared: “It’s the war, stupid!”
Classic.
We had a three-hour staff meeting yesterday, discussing the year in review and plans for the future. Work was busy for the first part of the evening but we didn’t really get the second wind. It was good, as I was able to catch the whole Hidden Cameras set at Elwoods. We were out late and ate leftover homemade onion soup when we got home.
Claudine is off at yoga and then playing racquetball with Judy. I’m painting in the studio. We’re going to the cinema later this afternoon, maybe walk to the theatre to enjoy the crisp, bright, autumn day.
-chris
from chris lloyd <dearpm@gmail.com>
to pm@pm.gc.ca,
date Sun, Nov 12, 2006 at 9:41 PM
subject Hostility awaits Ambrose at Kyoto talks; Rona Ambrose dit qu’elle était prête à collaborer avec ses détracteurs
Dear Stephen,
“It’s the environment, stupid!”
Slept in a bit this morning. The bar was busy last night and we suddenly sold a bunch of rare cellar wines. Jamie and his friend Trevor were in and we all trucked off to Studio 54 with Judith and Jess and Lyndsey after work. Jamie dances like a maniac, he’s actually quite good, was up on the benches and everything. There was an after party at Tall Dr. Mark’s apartment on Prince William Street, lots of well-dressed doctors and nurses cutting loose. Being stone sober makes it hard for me to get into the groove, though.
Today Judy picked us up and we went to see Borat while she went to The Queen. Borat was of course funny but not as hilarious as I had hoped. Afterwards we watched a taxi rear-end a couple at a stop light while walking to Sobeys. Bought some groceries and when we got home I made a couple dishes of paella.
We went for a walk this evening and put up some posters for the Monday Night Movie Nights. I think we may get a crowd again. I still have to borrow the movie from my parents.
We’re going to bed early so we can get up early. We’ll maybe try out some new positions we were reading about in the Cosmo magazines during the insane mid-holiday weekend madness that is grocery shopping.
-chris
—
Chris Lloyd Projects
http://www.dearpm.blogspot.com
A Division of ADD Painters:
“we’re here to swerve”
from chris lloyd <dearpm@gmail.com>
to pm@pm.gc.ca,
date Wed, Nov 15, 2006 at 9:36 PM
subject Liberals ahead of Tories: poll; Le député péquiste Jean-Pierre Charbonneau a quitté la vie politique
Dear Stephen,
Thanks again for helping Canada win two “Fossil of the Day” awards at the recent climate change meetings. Good work.
I’ve been painting the gallery, Suzanne and Jack came by twice yesterday to help. We’re adding alternating walls of deep, bright pink and fluorescent green. Should be fun hanging work on those walls.
The bar is empty. My legs hurt and I’m bored as hell. I’ll read a bit, we are reading Balzac et la Petite Tailleuse chinoise for my french class, which is improving, by the way. Claudine and I are speaking more french than english at home, which is good for me to improve, but tests here patience more often. Can the french and english really co-exist?
Last night after class we started watching Grizzly Man but there was a problem with the disc and we couldn’t finish. Watched a cheesy episode of Lost instead.
I have about three paintings ready to go for the members’ show. Still working on a fourth. I’m worried we won’t get enough work. Just over a week to go.
-chris
from chris lloyd <dearpm@gmail.com>
to pm@pm.gc.ca,
date Tue, Nov 21, 2006 at 1:18 AM
subject Opposition blasts Harper; La Cour supérieure rejette la requête en sursis des tenanciers de bars
Dear Stephen,
I’m not sure if I’m even sorry anymore that I hardly write you. I guess I’ve become more and more disillusioned with this project. Since I’ve stopped posting the letters to the blog I seem to have even less incentive to write you. As you surely know, I certainly don’t write for the dialogue it elicits. The idea that a letter a day to the PM would somehow effect a dialogue, a communication of sorts, sort of ran dry after year three. With your particular brand of secrecy it seems insurmountable.
Anyhow, just to run through the motions, to fill you in a little on my latest adventures, a whole bunch of us went up to Fredericton on Friday night for the Bruno Bobak roast, we got drunk and tore a strip off a few bars and the hotel and ourselves, then I worked Saturday night, which was a remarkable cure for a hangover. Claudine and I had a good freeing talk and we’re now planning a trip to Africa.
Sunday we changed all the paintings and pictures in the apartment and watched the remaining episodes of Lost from season 1.
Today we both worked on our projects for the members’ show and I hung out in the gallery for awhile, mostly entertaining rambling passerby. We drove out to the Valley with my dad and hung out with my folks’ at their place for a bit before borrowing the car and going to Jack and Suzanne’s for supper. It was a nice gathering although we both sensed that Judith has been talking to them about our imminent departure and there was some subtle and not-so-subtle attempts to “convince” us about the benefits of staying in NB.
On the drive back home we hit a raccoon but not very hard and I think s/he may have survived. S/he scurried off the road.
My Internet connection is down so I’ll have to send this in the morning. Oh wait I think it is back…
-chris
from chris lloyd <dearpm@gmail.com>
to pm@pm.gc.ca,
date Tue, Nov 21, 2006 at 1:18 AM
subject Opposition blasts Harper; La Cour supérieure rejette la requête en sursis des tenanciers de bars
Dear Stephen,
I’m not sure if I’m even sorry anymore that I hardly write you. I guess I’ve become more and more disillusioned with this project. Since I’ve stopped posting the letters to the blog I seem to have even less incentive to write you. As you surely know, I certainly don’t write for the dialogue it elicits. The idea that a letter a day to the PM would somehow effect a dialogue, a communication of sorts, sort of ran dry after year three. With your particular brand of secrecy it seems insurmountable.
Anyhow, just to run through the motions, to fill you in a little on my latest adventures, a whole bunch of us went up to Fredericton on Friday night for the Bruno Bobak roast, we got drunk and tore a strip off a few bars and the hotel and ourselves, then I worked Saturday night, which was a remarkable cure for a hangover. Claudine and I had a good freeing talk and we’re now planning a trip to Africa.
Sunday we changed all the paintings and pictures in the apartment and watched the remaining episodes of Lost from season 1.
Today we both worked on our projects for the members’ show and I hung out in the gallery for awhile, mostly entertaining rambling passerby. We drove out to the Valley with my dad and hung out with my folks’ at their place for a bit before borrowing the car and going to Jack and Suzanne’s for supper. It was a nice gathering although we both sensed that Judith has been talking to them about our imminent departure and there was some subtle and not-so-subtle attempts to “convince” us about the benefits of staying in NB.
On the drive back home we hit a raccoon but not very hard and I think s/he may have survived. S/he scurried off the road.
My Internet connection is down so I’ll have to send this in the morning. Oh wait I think it is back…
-chris
from chris lloyd <dearpm@gmail.com>
to pm@pm.gc.ca,
date Tue, Nov 28, 2006 at 3:14 PM
subject Liberals won’t debate nation motion; Nation québécoise: le PQ rejette une motion présentée par Jean Charest
Dear Stephen,
Sorry I haven’t written in a while. I’ve been keeping busy, we had the opening of the members show on Friday, I worked the rest of the weekend, had my parents over for supper on Sunday, and Claudine and I have polished off season 2 of Lost. She left early this morning for Regina, then Vancouver, in a week-long trip visiting friends.
So, Québec is a nation, at least those for who know they are Quebecois. Pretty crafty on your part, but will it work in the long term? Anyway, I don’t have time to write at the moment, I have a bunch of errands to run before french class tonight.
ciao,
-chris
—
Chris Lloyd Projects
http://www.dearpm.blogspot.com
A Division of ADD Painters:
“we’re here to swerve”
DEAR PM 