from chris lloyd
to pm@pm.gc.ca
date Sun, Mar 4, 2012 at 9:32 PM
subject Visites à l’improviste: le SCRS estime sa stratégie légitime; Conservatives ran a clean campaign: Tory campaign chair
I am still alive. Sorry I haven’t written in a bit. Friday, as you know, I attended the déjeuner-causerie with James Moore. It was actually a sit-down meal (rubber chicken) at the restaurant on the second floor of the Hôtel de la Montagne. James is a very, very good speaker, as you know. He charmed the audience by presenting 3/4 of his talk in French, and boasting about the administrative cuts that have allowed him to keep arts funding on the increase, even during the recession. I thought I had read somewhere that Germany had increased arts funding during the recession but James said that Canada was the sole G20 country to do so.
Friday evening was my planned Bunker Party / staff party. I bought the supplies and made mojitos for everyone. There was a better turnout though we all left early to go to the opening at Parisian Laundry, where Karen was taking part in the combined UQAM / Concordia grad students show. She had the whole second floor to herself, and her installation is terrific, especially the construction in the middle. I had no choice but to taste the black licorice to see if it was real (I think it is, just treated with something). Afterwards a bunch of us went to the Nouveau Palais on Bernard for a late-night snack. I left early and walked home to relieve Emily, who was babysitting. She wasn’t in a rush to go home and we chatted some before she left to see a band. Because I watched the video she made for Grimes a few times I downloaded the album. Very girl-pop, but so well done.
Saturday we had family day in the morning, then Clo had to go help prepare an opening at Oboro. When Rose woke from her nap I took her to see The Muppets at Dollar Cinema. We missed the first half hour because I couldn’t figure out how to get across the tracks, so doubled back to Plamandon. Turns out I just didn’t walk far enough to see the sidewalk continues underneath the bridge, d’oh! It was fine anyway as Rose’s attention span only lasted about half an hour and then she was running up and down the isle. After the movie ended we hopped on the metro and went to Oboro before heading home and putting her to bed. I ordered pizza for supper and Clo and I ate in front of past episodes of Arrested Development. We were both in bed early.
Today we had Mohanad and Sarah over for brunch after an early morning visit to the market to get some groceries. Mohanad is visiting his folks and helping them with some interior renovations. He is doing well out in BC, so well that he was surprised to see what a decrepit state Montreal is in. After Roses nap we went for a Family Walk along Plaza St. Hubert. We made salmon with a long grain wild rice and broccoli. We’ve showered and are slowly getting the apartment straightened up. Claudine is packing, as she leaves for Mexico City tomorrow. My mom arrives tomorrow as well, she gets in about an hour before Clo needs to go through security, so only one trip out to the airport.
I’m glad your campaign chair says that your party ran a clean campaign. Now we can put all this silly robocall foolishness behind us and get one with the work that matters, like jobs and the economy.
-chris
from chris lloyd
to pm@pm.gc.ca
date Tue, Mar 6, 2012 at 10:33 PM
subject Le projet de loi C-10 retourne en Chambre; Tories hit for blocking bid to widen powers of elections boss
Dear Stephen,
I am still alive. I survived my birthday. Yep, almost forty. Got Claudine to the airport, picked up my mom and went to work. Went for beers after work with Stacy and Jon, then after supper (which mom made), went to a birthday party at WWTWO gallery (Danielle shares the same birthday as me; it was her party).
Today was another day at work, afterwards went for a beer with James and Stacy at le Pourvoyeur then an opening (part of Concordia’s Art Matters Festival) at Eastern Bloc. Victoria, one of the DHC preposées, was one of the curators. Ate at El Rey de Taco on Jean Talon afterwards. Now trying to decide if I have enough energy to apply for the SJ Originals nomination. Probably not tonight.
Received my rejection from Canada Council yesterday. I was eliminated from the competition because I have not yet returned my travel grant final report. Lame!
-chris
from chris lloyd
to pm@pm.gc.ca
date Wed, Mar 7, 2012 at 8:33 PM
subject Plus de pouvoirs à Élections Canada: les conservateurs d’accord; Victoria Stafford’s mom testifies about meeting daughter’s killer
Dear Stephen,
I am still alive. I survived another day of work. Tonight would normally be a studio night but I’m exhausted and will do things from home instead, like apply for the nomination for the SJ Originals 2012 award. I have nothing to lose.
I made pizzas tonight while my mom made a nice tomato spaghetti sauce (which i used on one of the pizzas). Rose had macaroni with sauce for supper, a few bites of pizza and two slices of carrot cake, then was tired and wired and didn’t go to bed easily. She made another caca on the potty all by herself though. It is happening more and more now.
I need to switch computers with my mom, who is playing Wordscraper on our iMac.
Tomorrow is yet another day.
-chris
from chris lloyd
to pm@pm.gc.ca
date Thu, Mar 8, 2012 at 11:09 PM
subject Pouvoirs d’Élections Canada: le gouvernement ne s’avance pas; Feds move quickly to block Air Canada disruptions
Dear Stephen,
I am still alive. I survived a dull day at work made more interesting by plugging my laptop into one of the 52″ flatscreen monitors and watching movie trailers. Then I survived a 3.5 hour programming committee meeting at Skol. It was so warm that almost all the snow melted, then it was snowing again when I got out of the metro. It was too late for me to go to the commemorative exhibition for Patrice Duhamel, which was opening tonight at Clark. He died of Diabetes a few years ago, not even forty.
I hear that the soon to be released budget will be breathtaking.
-chris
from chris lloyd
to pm@pm.gc.ca
date Mon, Mar 12, 2012 at 9:07 PM
subject Les Communes adoptent le projet de loi C-10; Tories pass controversial crime bill as provinces voice cost concerns
Dear Stephen,
I am still alive. I survived another Monday. I also survived the week-long visit with my mom, which included a 2-day visit by her college-days friend Julia, and of course Clo’s absence until Saturday night, when I picked her up at the airport.
I’d write more but perhaps tomorrow as I am exhausted and my ear hurts from speaking on the phone with Simon the past hour. Possible Skol programming.
Congrats on passing the omnibus Crime Bill. “The government has been coy about the overall cost to the provinces and has insisted the entire Safe Streets and Communities Act will run the federal government $78.6 million over five years.”
Glad to have that in writing.
-chris
from chris lloyd
to pm@pm.gc.ca
date Tue, Mar 13, 2012 at 10:02 PM
subject F-35: le doute persiste; Blatchford: Killer describes comforting Tori after sex attack, before bludgeoning her to death
Dear Stephen,
I am still alive. I’ve had nasty stomach pains all day and didn’t even eat my lunch – I had a nap in the tech hall instead. I think it was the Swiss Chard we ate last night.
I met with François after work and finally collected the letters, books, sculptures and other objects that I left behind in his apartment after the brief exhibition during the Habs extraordinary playoff run 2 years ago. We had a few drinks at Helm afterwards and talked about our projects, art communities, etc. It was fun, nice to get out for a bit. Clo is at yoga tonight so I am updating my blog (new letters from the #cpc) and will maybe work on another wood burning.
Oh, it’s almost official, but I am indeed one of the three finalists for the Originals 2012 Awards in the “precious export” category. I have to help Judith (who is coordinating the whole event) figure out how to “film” me. Last time, in 2010 they had Greg Hemmings make these snazzy little film bios of each candidate. We may do it by Skype.
Spoke to Simon on the phone tonight about proposals and work and living in the country. He told me to tell you that now that the crime bill has passed, crime will probably start to rise. He also thinks your Quebec caucus members are idiots.
Am reading about the Tori Stafford murder case. Despicable.
-chris
from chris lloyd
to pm@pm.gc.ca
date Wed, Mar 14, 2012 at 9:59 PM
subject L’ex-libéral derrière «VikiLeaks» trop malade pour témoigner; Tori Stafford trial: Terri-Lynne McClintic agreed to “take the fall for everything”
Dear Stephen,
I am still alive. My stomach feels better but still not 100%. Intense day at work as we tried to rush a pre-budget before a Skype call with Ryoji tomorrow. Everything is happening fast with this exhibition and It could be quite costly. It will look / sound amazing though.
I picked Rose up after work, we went up and down the escalators at the metro (our new routine) then picked up diapers from Jean Coutu, then made supper, perogies, which normally she loves but tonight she was a little more picky. She still ate, maybe even more than normal for supper, but she didn’t have her usual 3 bowls at lunch. We had a bath together and then read and she was in bed after only once crisis, which happened when I suggested it was .potty time” before bed she seemed to understand as sitting on the potty but in front of a video. When I wouldn’t turn on a video it was temper tantrum time. They pass in a flash.
Ugh, I try to avoid it but just hearing a snippet on the radio or seeing a headline on the news about the Tori Stafford murder hurts my head. I just can’t fathom it. Then I think of Turcot and the miscarriage of justice for his two murdered children. And while thinking of miscarriage of justice I think of poor Captain Stacy Lundeen, found guilty the other night for talking on his cell phone in Laval last year, even though his phone records seemed to illustrate otherwise. OK, so less serious, but still goes to show you that sometimes justice is not only blind, but stupid as well.
What was I doing the day Tori was murdered? We had just started the demontage and demo of the Christian Marclay exhibition, and I was writing my letters to you in French. Here was what happened: “8 Avril: Travail. Le demolition functionait super bien et efficace. Tout l’équipe travaille fort. Je regardais le TV tout la soirée.”
-chris
from chris lloyd
to pm@pm.gc.ca
date Fri, Mar 16, 2012 at 12:04 AM
subject NPD: Ed Broadbent s’en prend à Mulcair; Elections Canada striking information ‘gold’ in robocalls probe: source
Dear Stephen,
I am still alive. Had a good and informative Skype call with Ryoji this morning, then passed the rest of the day working on the budget. Looks reasonable. Tonight there was a couple openings, book launch and open studios at the Foundry. The big inflatable balloon in the main space was quite impressive, a work by Abbas Akhavan. An industrial fan repeatedly turns on and blows a full-size balloon partially up before it turns off and slowly deflates. The balloon is yellow. The studio visits were nice, too. I’m actually going to see a couple in particular tomorrow with Anne for Skol. Afterwards Stacy, Cheryl and Sarah W. and I took the subway north and ate at El Rey des Taco / Le Roi de Taco on Jean Talon, it is so good. We met up with Victoria and Sam and Sarah W. (I do know a lot of Sarahs, no?) and then went to the closing of the Art Matters expo at Eastern Bloc, which was marred by a cheesy hippy sound performance and then the theft of a laptop computer. Still, we stayed to the end and drank some beer.
-chris
from chris lloyd
to pm@pm.gc.ca
date Sat, Mar 17, 2012 at 10:33 PM
subject Austérité budgétaire: «de la petite bière» par rapport aux années 90; Broadbent on Mulcair: ‘I’m just putting up warning signals’
Dear Stephen,
I am still alive. I survived the opening of the 2-22 as well as impromptu dumplings in Chinatown afterwards. Today was a family day, we walked to the nearby St. Cecile to check out the bazaar. Big purchase of the day was some Big Bird yellow modeling clay. Rose enjoyed it. After her nap we walked / bussed down to Etienne and Sarah’s, stopping at a few parks and shops along the way, for a supper with the girls and Rolando and Felix. Clo is coming done with something and Tracy was too sick to go and Etienne is just getting over a bad flu. Hopefully as the weather warms everyone’s health will improve.
“Fossil fuels (subsidies) are a drag,” said Macdonald, 75, who is now a supporter of the New Democrats. “They enforce consumption, they are unbalancing our energy future, and we should get rid of them.”
I read somewhere recently that government subsidies to the oil industry amount to something like $157,000 per hour. Sounds like too much. How much of these subsidies will be removed in the big budget?
We’re planning to join the “family day” strike against the rising tuition fees tomorrow, and then the big, big protest on the 22nd. I wonder how many people will join in? I wonder if other unions will throw support in and cause a national day of action? It would be exciting for a whole bunch of things to grind to a halt.
-chris
from chris lloyd
to pm@pm.gc.ca
date Sun, Mar 18, 2012 at 8:39 PM
subject Élection dans le comté de Jack Layton: le NPD confiant; Alberts: Romney didn’t think he’d have to campaign in Illinois
Dear Stephen,
I am still alive. I survived the warmest day of the year, so far. It felt beyond spring, this was summer! Claudine had to work this morning, so after an visit to the market off she went. She has grants to finish writing. Rose and I hung out, went to the Church Bazaar again (the old lady with the dog didn’t have my size), we had lunch, I washed laundry and cleaned up, Rose napped. In the afternoon we ventured forth in search of the Manifestation Familiale, but we were too late and or too lazy to find it. We strolled around Parc Lafontaine instead, finally settling on a kids playground where Rose had so much fun in the sand and sliding. She totally wore herself out. I’m exhausted too. Can’t decide if I am going to work on a wood burning or just go straight to bed. I know it’s early but I feel like a zombie. Why is the Canada.com national headline about Mitt Romney?
-chris
from chris lloyd
to pm@pm.gc.ca
date Mon, Mar 19, 2012 at 10:25 PM
subject Le NPD prépare une campagne publicitaire pour contrer les attaques; Den Tandt: Young would benefit by compulsory community, military service
Dear Stephen,
I am still alive. I survived another Monday. It went by rather quickly. It included an afternoon trip out to Lesna to see the progress made on the Amentia cube. Don’t get me started. This evening I went to Skol for another programming meeting. I stopped at H&M after work and bought some new jeans. My current jeans are starting to become threadbare, and not in a stylish way. They are wearing out in a kind of lame, worn too much kind of way. The programming meeting went well, but it was long, and we didn’t eat more than half a bag of chips. Drank two beer. Ate leftover rice when I got home. Claudine is at yoga, she called Evan to come watch (sleeping) Rose for 2 hours. I paid money on my Visa and parents’ credit line today and still had some left over for the new jeans. Payday is this week but all the rents need to come out of it. Slowly but surely I am narrowing the gap on Freedom 2012, though there is still about 2500 on my Visa and maybe 3000 on the credit line? I can’t even remember. The only way I’ll get these paid this year is if I get a real juicy tax return. Damn, why are there always stories of people killing their children in the news? Oh, and in case you were wondering, no I did not work on a wood burning last night. And no, I will not work on one tonight either. I’m going to bed.
-chris
from chris lloyd
to pm@pm.gc.ca
date Tue, Mar 20, 2012 at 10:26 PM
subject F-35: la Défense et les Travaux publics fustigés par le VG; A national travesty of a sentence
Dear Stephen,
I am still alive. I survived a drive out to Pacart this morning, meaning I survived traveling through the post-apocalyptic landscape due to highway construction around the forty. We were picking up some of the AV gear that goes with Hitlakdut, the Michal Rovner 1600lb rock that we will be installing in the PHI Centre next month. We need to run some tests with the imagery and different projectors and lenses. We did that a bit in the afternoon at the storage facility. I was almost late getting Rose because I was speaking with Avi on the phone from Tel Aviv. We couldn’t get the software working properly and he is a proper expert, and generous as well. It was 9:30pm his time when he texted me back to say it was fine to talk. We have more to finish up tomorrow.
After getting Rose we went to the market to get apples and ice cream. She ate a full cone of coconut gelato. She still managed to eat a supper of perogies later on. No time for the park, despite the blaring sun. We Skyped briefly with my dad, had a bath, lounged a bit, then went to bed. I’m in the middle of making apple crisp for Multicultural week at the daycare. Tomorrow is Rose’s turn to host, representing Canada, and we need to bring a dish. What’s a Canadian food that doesn’t include nuts or seafood (and isn’t donuts or beavertails)?
Timer just went. Applecrisp is done.
PS still no wood burning for this week.
-chris
from chris lloyd
to pm@pm.gc.ca
date Wed, Mar 21, 2012 at 10:33 PM
subject Aveos: Lebel ne peut dire si Air Canada contrevient à la loi; Tori Stafford trial: Terri-Lynne McClintic called herself a murderer before abduction, court hears
Dear Stephen,
I am still alive. Survived another scorcher of a day. I wore sandals to work. The day went quickly. Left early to pick up Rose. Her class liked my apple crisp or, at the very least, the plate was returned clean. Our new routine whenever I pick her up is that we take the escalators down into and out of the metro. We had some extra time and spent almost 45 minutes at the park. Rose played in the sand in bare feet and slid down the slides. I made macaroni and tomato meat sauce with broccoli for supper, and Rose ate well. She had a bath but was bothered by the fresh scrape on her knee (she fell while running on the sidewalk). We watched Where the Wild Things Are animation video before she had a nice big pee on the potty and then she was off to bed.
Tonight was going to be a studio night for me but Clo was out later than planned at an Oboro event so I shaved, trimmed and showered and then finally made a new wood burning. A fresh scan is on the DEAR PM blog. I’ll mail it tomorrow, maybe before the big national day of action. The RCAAQ issed a letter of support and over 20 ARCs are closing tomorrow in solidarity with the students. As Noam Chomsky says, “High tuition is not an economic necessity, as is easy to show, but a debt trap is a good technique of indoctrination and control. And resisting this makes good sense.”
(I’m not reading about child abductions or murders tonight. I’m listening to This American Life, reading The New Yorker and Barney’s Version)
-chris
from chris lloyd
to pm@pm.gc.ca
date Sun, Mar 25, 2012 at 9:38 PM
subject Pas de purge au NPD, promet Mulcair; Canada’s top spellers set to face off at Wednesday Bee
Dear Stephen,
I am still alive. I survived the big national day of action on the 22nd. It was impressive, what with over 200,000 people marching in the streets all afternoon. I survived a Friday of not doing much, installing a drain spout on our balcony and taking some art stuff to the studio. Even worked on some Tim Horton paintings. I survived a Saturday with my girls, going to the library to get some books and DVDs, and visiting the 2-22, then heading home and having a late lunch and nap. I survived a visit by Clo’s parents, who came for supper and stayed the night. I survived today, Sunday, with the temperature dropping and a 5-7 with our neighbours on the ground floor, middle floor and the potential replacements for us in our apartment. Nothing is fixed until after April 1, after which time we will notify Tariq with the plan.
As usual, I’m tired. Don’t know whether to have a shower first or just go straight to bed.
What do you think of Mulcair as the new head of the NDP?
-chris
from chris lloyd
to pm@pm.gc.ca
date Mon, Mar 26, 2012 at 10:03 PM
subject Mulcair ému d’occuper le siège de Layton; Some anti-prostitution laws tossed aside by court
Dear Stephen. I am still alive. I survived another Monday at work. Mostly sat in front of the computer working on plans. Went to the studio tonight for a bit after making an omelet for supper. Lost half an hour tonight upon my return due to Facebook. Do you ever get sucked into your Facebook? Off to have a shower and then bed.
-chris
from chris lloyd
to pm@pm.gc.ca
date Tue, Mar 27, 2012 at 8:59 PM
subject Ottawa ne volera pas au secours d’Aveos; Den Tandt: Each leader is bleeding from self-inflicted wounds
Dear Stephen,
I am still alive. I survived the CAM annual awards luncheon. Le Festival du Nouveau Cinema won the grand prize, as you are undoubtedly aware from my earlier Tweets to you on the subject. You should also be aware that I meandered back to work using the RESO, the wold’s largest underground and interior connected walkway. Didn’t accomplish a whole lot at work, more measurements and plans, organized some documents, but lots of things are starting in earnest tomorrow. I picked Rose up early from daycare as they had a field trip to a sort of amusement park just East of Montreal. Rose “has no fear”, as Cathy put it. She loves sliding. It was a long afternoon and evening hanging out with her. She is going to the potty more and more now, well over half the time. She didn’t want to eat her omelet tonight and for the second night in a row ate cereal for supper. I hope she is not becoming a picky eater. Claudine is out at yet another emergency Oboro board meeting to resolve the current situation with Daniel and his sick leave. The stress she is undergoing could very well lead to her needing sick leave. Our plan is for her to become pregnant in the near future, at least there will be some maternity leave she could look forward to. We also have the move downstairs to look forward to but long-term future planning is difficult. I feel barely useful at my job, in a rut with my so-called art career, basically listless and unfocused. What did I want to do with my life again? Can you remind me? Off to sort receipts for my taxes.
-chris
from chris lloyd
to pm@pm.gc.ca
date Wed, Mar 28, 2012 at 8:45 PM
subject Commissaire anglophone à Montréal: Ottawa minimise la situation; Tori Stafford trial: Woman found killer’s shoes on side road
Dear Stephen,
I am still alive. Survived a couple trips out to Lesna for the AMENTIA screen. The install started today, amidst the construction, painting, fan installs, a gazillion other dusty things. Also, a projector test on different types of film for the glass wall. I had thought there was to be a skype interview for the SJ Originals this afternoon but nothing happened.
Received a phone call reminder tonight from Michel about for the Papineau EDA AGM. It is happening on April 7, smack in the middle of Easter. Apparently there are 29 active members in the riding (the population is over 100,000). Also, I am the first to RSVP. Claudine worries I may actually be elected President. I think it could be fun.
Off to finish sorting receipts for my taxes. Clo is at hot yoga.
-chris
from chris lloyd
to pm@pm.gc.ca
date Fri, Mar 30, 2012 at 8:36 AM
subject Premier duel entre Harper et Mulcair; Budget: Pension changes and public service cuts define Flaherty’s vision
Dear Stephen,
I am still alive. I survived another day of AMENTIA and a visit from ma belle mère. The cube install is actually going well, though we spent most of the day prepping the floor and laying carpet. It made more sense to do it that way. Anyway, last night I organized receipts for my taxes and then read The New York and finished Barney’s Version while Clo watched Brokeback Mountain in bed. Was up early and at work by 8 to meet the carpet guy but he was already finished. Now I’ll catch up on some admin and documentation before the troops arrive for 9am. I normally don’t even work on Fridays but I need to make up some hours before May 1.
-chris
DEAR PM 