from chris lloyd <dearpm@gmail.com>
to pm@pm.gc.ca,
date Thu, Mar 8, 2007 at 12:06 AM
subject 3 dead in crash that shuts B.C. highway; Charest veut se distancer de son “lapsus” mais offre peu d’explications
Dear Stephen,
Sorry about the lack of writing. Jo and Wes were here, we were working everyday to get the show up, then there were artist talks and the workshops started Monday, it was a lot of activity. My routines were all different, and really I just didn’t feel like writing. Every time I read the paper and I hear more and more how your support is actually rising and / or solidifying, how it seems that an election is just around the corner and you might just win again, it’s all very depressing.
One thing is that I passed my 34th birthday relatively unscathed. All year I’ve had random and unprovoked visions of death, my mortality staring me in the face every morning, but my birthday came and went. Meghan surprised me with cupcakes and she and Rae and Heather Anderson, who was visiting from Ottawa, made me a great card. My parents came into town for Wes’ artist talk Monday night and brought bread and baked beans. I ate the beans tonight, while at work, waiting for customers to come. Second-worse night of the bar yet.
And the weather? What’s up with that? It’s super-cold again, -20.
Claudine is roughly halfway into her trip to Africa, talk about the other extreme in temperature. I’d rather be in her shoes. It was easier to not miss her as much when Jo and Wes were here as we were so occupied with things but now they’ve returned to the west coast and in my usual way I’m easily distracted from the hundreds of little things I must do and wind up missing my girl more and more.
One of my little projects is to finally clean up my computer, so yesterday I bought an external hard drive and at the moment am copying all sorts of files to clear some space for Sam to do a spa day computer makeover. I’m also going to attempt the same sort of thing to the physical gallery files as well as my own files and also: are you ready for this?: I’m going to do my taxes. Yes quite a tall order I know but I think I’m up to the challenge. It should actually be fairly straightforward as my documentation for the past three years is so spotty I’ll most likely make it up anyway. Screw you, CRA!
-chris
from chris lloyd <dearpm@gmail.com>
to pm@pm.gc.ca,
date Mar 9, 2007 12:19 AM
subject Black professes innocence ahead of trial, L’ADQ largue Plante; Boisclair doit à son tour défendre un candidat
Dear Stephen,
Spent the early part of the day cleaning up the apartment and washing laundry. Copied more files to the external hard drive. Headed to the gallery for the late afternoon and spent a good hour at Printing Plus making copies of the zines for the class tomorrow. Work at the bar started off slow but then we had out Book Club meeting, which brought Grant and John and Craig and a new guy, Joe. I hadn’t read the book this month, it was Independence Day by Richard Ford but Grant lent me his copy. Then Meghan and Rae came down from the workshops and stayed and chatted for a while and other folks came by and the night ended respectfully, an average Thursday. On of my favourite customers, Andrew Green, stayed late, he tipped well but I can’t tell if it is out of generosity or some sort of arrogance. He stayed to the end and I drove him and then Meghan home. It is still bitterly cold outside.
While closing up the building and setting the alarms and all that I wondered about the supposed ghost in the staircase. I’ve heard that someone committed suicide by hanging in the stairs long ago. Meghan is convinced of a presence in the stairs. Lately I haven’t felt it, and I wonder about becoming comfortable there at night. At times I feel I could be the ghost. Wouldn’t that be weird, to be continuing your existence without realizing you were already dead? I guess that scenario has been played out already in Sixth Sense, but still.
Do you believe in ghosts?
-chris
from chris lloyd <dearpm@gmail.com>
to pm@pm.gc.ca,
date Mar 11, 2007 10:15 PM
subject Arrest made in murder of B.C. teacher, Débat: les chefs se préparent, mais le coup est venu d’ailleurs pour Charest
Dear Stephen,
Just a short note today. I spent most of the day at Monika and Stephen’s house, painting and getting high. The best part was when we were all peaking and her mom stopped over. Interesting, to say the least. She invited us over for spaghetti dinner which was delicious. Then it was more painting. Oh, and lots of drinking of beers. Neighbours with babies unexpectedly dropped by as well. The suburbs are swell. I think Monika and Stephen will do really well there, especially when their basementn after-hours bar takes off. Judith swung by as well and offered her hottub.
I’m back home making labels for the wedding invitations. Lisa dropped them off at the bar Friday night. Still waiting on the stamp. Worked with Alex both nights and think I am developing a minor crush on her, probably just her youthfulness and innocence and naivety. Friday night we went to Club Montréal to see our DJ Fred in action. I met a flaming Iranian named Hussein who stayed at my place after an extended stay at Deborah’s after-party, which also involved a brief and non-eventful stop at the notorious Iceberg Pub on Union.
Last night the Sun Star Karaoke bar lost out marginally to another visit to Callahan’s to witness Del in all his glory. Kate and Rich made supper for Rae and I and they came out later as well. I’m being looked after well in my bachelor state.
Tomorrow I have to get the invites in the mail, and maybe go to Fredericton with Rae to go shopping for my wedding outfit. Fun times.
-chris
from chris lloyd <dearpm@gmail.com>
to pm@pm.gc.ca,
date Mar 13, 2007 9:18 AM
subject Canada’s latest head count; La population du Québec a augmenté rapidement et dépasse 7,5 millions
Dear Stephen,
Rae drove me to Fredericton yesterday to go suit shopping. I realize my budget only allows for Value Village suits, or perhaps one from Moores, or a jacket from le Chateau. I did manage to stuff, stamp and add stamps to my wedding invitations in the car on the way there and back.
Had french class, then screened the movie American Splendor, then Rae and I went to the Church Street for supper, meeting Jay Issac and Meghan there, and then finally we went to the new karaoke bar, and sang our guts out for a good solid hour.
Came home and worked on wedding website. It needs much more work, which I’ll try to get done today, in between finishing painting the office and organizing, etc.
Claudine is back on Sunday! I’m getting quite excited, it’s past the tipping point. Once Wednesday hits, I’ll be at the bar, plus planning video workshops for Thursday afternoon, then it’s the weekend!
-chris
from chris lloyd <dearpm@gmail.com>
to pm@pm.gc.ca,
date Mar 14, 2007 11:50 PM
subject Tories kill climate-change group; Dumont exige la démission d’un ministre, Charest l’accuse d’être malhonnête
Dear Stephen,
Guess what? I’m growing a moustache. This arose out of a joking conversation with Stephen on Sunday, but I sent some emails around and now it is a full-fledged moustache attack. We’re planning a shaving party for sometime in 3 weeks. I just hope Claudine can live with it until then. I hope by this Sunday when she arrives home it will look better than it does now.
So the last bunch of wedding invites are out, and I completely re-tooled the website, and spent the day adding and subtracting pictures. Actually, I was at the gallery a good chunk of the day, cleaning and organizing and sending lots of email (not all about the moustache party). Work was work. We attracted more barflies than usual, despite the Lemongrass kitchen completely forgetting that today they were supposed to start our food menu. I have a dodgy feeling about this arrangement.
Had a good long conversation with Michel-Antoine about the Arcade Fire. I’m liking the group more and more as I read more of the lyrics from Neon Bible. Intense stuff. Hussein came in later on and hung out until close. I think he likes me, I mean REALLY likes me.
Downloaded some stop motion software when I came home tonight and practiced a bit for the workshop at Hazen White school tomorrow. Hopefully it will be a fun day and everything will work out OK. I had better get some sleep…maybe after checking to see if my own homemade videos are still on my hard drive. The best porn is the stuff you make yourself.
-chris
from chris lloyd <dearpm@gmail.com>
to pm@pm.gc.ca,
date Mar 27, 2007 9:42 PM
subject Committee warns of childhood obesity toll; Charest admet sa responsabilité pour la baisse de popularité des libéraux
Dear Stephen,
Sorry I haven’t written lately. I haven’t felt like it, I haven’t felt like you cared, it makes it harder to write and go on and on about what is happening her in the ‘John. What has happened lately?
* finished the video animation workshops (and got paid, yeah!)
* came down with a nasty case of food poisoning
* worked the weekend shifts alone because Alex was out sick with a bad virus / migraine (made good tips!)
* read Vernon God Little by DBC Pierre for my book club, even though it is the pick after next
* continued to grow and trim my mustache
* went to Moncton to register at The Bay and found a shirt from a store called, of all things, Glamis, which they are ordering in for me, and found a blazer at The Gap
* The Québec elections happened
* Your budget passed
* I vacuumed the rug in the living room
* I’ve almost completely paid off my visa
And I’m sure that there are other little things that have happened but I’m tired and can’t think of anything at the moment. Maybe later.
-chris
from chris lloyd <dearpm@gmail.com>
to pm@pm.gc.ca,
date Thu, Mar 29, 2007 at 11:20 AM
subject Parties prepare for election, just in case; A cause de sa santé, le bloquiste Michel Gauthier dit adieu à la politique
Dear Stephen,
We had another slightly busy night in the bar last night, weird for a Wednesday. A nice sign of spring, to be sure. The snow is all gone and I’ve taken to wearing my spring / fall jacket.
Of course, it was still quite enough at the bar to work on other projects, one being an application to Eastern Edge gallery. I’ll be putting it in the mail today.
Things have been going well at the gallery. Having a proper office helps. Olivia has been helping to organize the submissions and support material. We have a selection meeting scheduled for this Saturday.
The wedding plans are rolling right along. Did I tell you I am in charge of decorations? I need to meet with some experts on that. We’ve added a few more invites and I think have now invited about 150 or so, eep. Dad has offered to help with some homemade wine but I urged him to get a more expensive kit. It is too soon for the real skins though. So still no real tannin structure.
Claudine’s parents are coming for a visit next week. We’re both a little stressed but I hope that we are making it out to be more stressful than it will be. Beyond the fact that our parents are meeting for the first time there will also be the wedding plans in the air, and then of course the whole language divide.
Oh, I spoke with Marie-Christine from the CCA yesterday about the last 4 project grants we didn’t receive, and she had good positive feedback. I don’t feel nearly as dumb or useless anymore; two of the projects actually were recommended for funding but the money ran out, and the comments overall were quite helpful. We need to demonstrate more effectively the interactions with youth groups. I’m working on the annual NB grant application at the moment and this will be followed shortly by the next four CCA projects. Yay grants!
OK, off to work (gallery) then again to work (bar).
-chris
DEAR PM 