2021
from chris lloyd to pm@pm.gc.ca
date Jan 2, 2021, 10:10 PM subject 1 –
Dear Justin,
Happy new year. We rang it in at the studio with Sarah and Pascal and their new kitten Bartleby – a main attraction for the kids. Rose was
done up in makeup for the first time, and looked like a teenager,
which is a bit shocking. We sang karaoke and watched a couple episodes of Legendary, an amazing series about contemporary ballroom houses in NY – it feels way more authentic and intense than RuPauls’ Drag Race.
I think the subject headings of these emails for the 21st year of the Dear PM project will be the daily COVID-19 cases in Montreal. I didn’t include a figure for today as the daily stats for January 1 and 2
won’t be available until tomorrow. Like last year I will number each letter as well (it is much easier for the paperwork on my end), but I
will do it numerically. I might add the number of vaccinations given,
if and as those stats become available.
Jess and I have started listening to the podcast My dad wrote a porno, and I can’t remember the last time I laughed so hard my sides hurt.
—
- ° Chris Lloyd
- ° 514 295-3048
- ° chris lloyd projects
from chris lloyd to pm@pm.gc.ca
date Jan 3, 2021, 10:31 PM subject 2 – 1300
Dear Justin,
Manage to tear myself away from procrastinating around the house – tidying shelves, trimming my beard, cleaning the bathroom and kitchen, tidying the kids’ room, putting up shelves, playing Stardew Valley (there was a big update released over the holidays) – to go to Vox for
a bit to get a second coat of primer on the shelves and doors for François. Tomorrow I’ll be back, starting the washroom / atelier project. I was actually a bit confused as to what I would be doing this week, as I thought I might be working on a small construction project for one of my bosses at Vox, but I think that it is best if it
is put off until after my next 2 weeks at Vox. Then I plan to apply for EI, or CRB, or whatever it might be, until it is time to take down the current show that has yet to be open to the public – and may not be for some time. I am eager yet also apprehensive to get into the studio, for all the usual reasons.
The subject heading is my second letter of the year, and the number of new COVID-19 cases in Montreal.
I went to the parc de mont royal with the kids and S. Roberts and her kids on January 1, it was a zoo, waaaaaaaay too many people outside together. I wonder how many COVID-19 droplets were flying around in the air as kids slid down any available surface? The parking lots were full – I parked the communauto on the grass – the garbage cans overflowing. What did the city think people were going to do on the first day of the year with everything closed?
Do you think we should go into another lockdown? —
- ° Chris Lloyd
- ° 514 295-3048
- ° chris lloyd projects
from chris lloyd to pm@pm.gc.ca
date Jan 4, 2021, 10:36 PM subject 3 – 1128
Dear Justin,
First day back at work. managed to remove the waterless urinal and the toilet stall walls – which were incredibly heavy. I know of MDF, these must be HDF. Worked on François’ project, and had a Facetime interview with Rose. She needed to work on a genealogy tree over the break and interview a relative about their line of work. I was quite pleased she chose me. It was fun to talk with her about what I do. It was also
just nice to see her and Sol, as he ducked in and out a couple times. Also had a session with Yaël, first of 2021, and it was quite
positive, not surprising really as we had a great break with the kids
and interactions with my Ex were minimal. She reminded me again how normal it is for me to still feel uncomfortable around her – and how little time has really passed. Indeed, it was just 2 years ago that I
was really feeling the beginnings of heartache heading into the
frantic year of accommodation and distraction-dating before addressing head-on the pain of separation. The hardest part has been acknowledging that I really didn’t know that person at all – and I so desperately wanted to! I really thought we were in it together. Turns out I am in a much better place now, with someone who is genuinely caring. On that note, off to bed.
—
- ° Chris Lloyd
- ° 514 295-3048
- ° chris lloyd projects
from chris lloyd to pm@pm.gc.ca
date Jan 5, 2021, 10:32 PM subject 4 – 790
Dear Justin,
Went to Vox today, finished François’ panels – or so I thought – then drove up to his place to install. Stopped at the Home Depot on my way down and ran into James in the parking lot, so we chatted a bit. I was back and forth between Home Depot and Villeneuve today because of course HD did not consider paint “essential’ and everything seemed available at Villeneuve. It took much longer to install pieces at François’ as measurements were off, and euro hinges are just complicated for me. I have to add some material to the angled top piece, cut down some molding, the clothes pole and remember to bring the other shelves I had forgotten. And I also learned that François
has leukemia. He found out just before the holidays, and has been on a rigorous chemotherapy regime that leaves him quite fatigued.It seems his prognosis is good, but it is still too early to say. He has taken
the rest of the year – two semesters – off work. I really hope the treatment works.
Tomorrow I am meeting a plumber at Vox at 7:30 in the morning so they can remove the toilet, finally. Oh, and Legault will be announcing the rules around a new lockdown. I think I had better get my application
in for EI or CRB or whatever it is now, since I probably won’t be back
at Vox until April or May. I think I would like to set up a routine where I take the kids with me to the studio and we all do some work there. We shall see.
Jess has made it to Ginger Island, part of the new update to Stardew Valley. I haven’t yet completed the community centre, but I have recently become better at fishing.
—
- ° Chris Lloyd
- ° 514 295-3048
- ° chris lloyd projects
from chris lloyd to pm@pm.gc.ca
date Jan 6, 2021, 10:31 PM subject 5 – 846
Dear Justin,
Where to begin? Was at Vox for 7:30 – the plumber was a really young guy, he had the toilet off in about an hour (but billed for 2), and I
spent the rest of the day alternately clearing the former WC and
making the final pieces for François. And then an angry mob invaded
the US congress – with the tacit permission of the police? It took me
close to 3 hours to finesse everything into place at François’, and we listened to Legault’s announcement of the new lockdown measures, including an 8pm to 5am curfew. What would happen to artists who might work alone in their studios and walk home after 8pm? And what yet of the homeless? When posed that exact question Legault simply said he hopes they find a way to pass the night indoors. Where exactly he did
not elaborate, nary a word about any kind of specific action on the part of his government to guarantee housing for the homeless. He did slobber all over himself in gratitude towards the police, who have such a tough job enforcing these measures. Honestly, all you politicians currently in power are the biggest bunch of fucking entitled wankers, vacations during a pandemic or not.
—
- ° Chris Lloyd
- ° 514 295-3048
- ° chris lloyd projects
from chris lloyd to pm@pm.gc.ca
date Jan 7, 2021, 8:01 PM subject 6 – 871
Dear Justin,
Spent the day at Claudine’s (from VOX) apartment putting up a double pocket door and wall. Still lots to do, moving an electrical outlet,
the drywall, taping and plastering around a door where I removed the molding. Slow going but I am trying to be more methodical and make sure things get done right – that everything is level. I am, after
all, faking it until I make it. I need to finish writing a letter to
Robyn, and an invoice for François, and then maybe play a day or two of Stardew Valley and maybe visit the most recent world in Minecraft that Sol and I have been taking turns on. My body is super stiff, I am looking forward to a quiet weekend with the kids – playing video games and watching the rest of the Toy Story series. Maybe throw the Robin Williams’ movie Toys into the mix.
—
- ° Chris Lloyd
- ° 514 295-3048
- ° chris lloyd projects
from chris lloyd to pm@pm.gc.ca
date Jan 9, 2021, 10:20 PM subject 7 – 1531
Dear Justin,
Had a full day yesterday at Claudine’s house building those walls –
mostly drywall and taping yesterday, also involved a quick stop at Vox
to rip down some wood. My Ex dropped the kids off at suppertime and we watched Jess complete the Volcano in Stardew Valley – everyone is excited about the update, though Sol had one of his fits of
frustration this morning: He know he has so much to do to finish the community centre and have access to Ginger Island. We went sliding today and the fresh air and fun certainly helped. Today is the first
day of the curfew, which feels misguided at best. Why can hundreds of people be outside around one another on streets or parks or work or
metro during the day and suddenly the virus will not transmit because
of a curfew and everyone at home after 8pm? I suppose we shall see in
a few weeks if it has any effect – or not. Kids are back to school and
I’ll be going to and from work and (hopefully) the studio and I wasn’t going out at night anyway – except maybe to the dep haha. I really
worry about those that are homeless and just how brain-dead Legault is when he just says that there is room in the shelters. WTF does he know about it? How can a premier of a province be so daft? Oh right: intelligence or knowledge or compassion or empathy are not
requirements for the job.
—
- ° Chris Lloyd
- ° 514 295-3048
- ° chris lloyd projects
from chris lloyd to pm@pm.gc.ca
date Jan 10, 2021, 10:25 PM subject 8 – 1071
Dear Justin,
Finished off a fun weekend with more Stardew Valley in the morning, a Zoom call with my folks and brothers (my mom’s initiative to get us
all together more frequently), more sliding in the afternoon, then I
made sushi and we watched Toy Story 2 for a family movie. Got the kids in bed early but it took almost 2 hours for them to settle down: Sol
was upset that he couldn’t play Stardew Valley for 2 more weeks and then he and Rose fought over noises. Just made lunches and now need to organize their school things – they have everything here, but can’t
bring everything back all at once. Too heavy.
—
- ° Chris Lloyd
- ° 514 295-3048
- ° chris lloyd projects
from chris lloyd to pm@pm.gc.ca
date Jan 14, 2021, 10:26 PM subject 9 – 811
Dear Justin,
Have unexpectedly spent all week at Claudine from Vox’s house: framing the wall, taping and plastering into the brick and around the window, making the window frame, cutting and installing all the floor molding
– it was a bigger job than the 2-3 days she had estimated. The pocket doors ate up a lot of time, they were tricky. I enjoyed being able to
get the kids relatively early from school, and I now have a Flex Unlimited pass so for 60/month each trip under 30 minutes is free, so I have been driving the kids to school and back. Today I went to the bulk grocery store with Jess to stock up, it’s great to buy groceries with no packaging – we bring our own jars and containers.
—
- ° Chris Lloyd
- ° 514 295-3048
- ° chris lloyd projects
from chris lloyd to pm@pm.gc.ca
date Jan 16, 2021, 11:07 AM subject 10 – 760
Dear Justin,
Finally finished at Claudine and William’s place early Friday morning – just some light sanding, a tiny bit of caulking and some delicate finessing of the final door assembly. Took my tools home via Flex Unlimited of course, had a bit of lunch, some Stardew Valley and then actually, finally, went to the studio. Mohanad had sent me a funny selfie with pencils in his ears so I drew it, just to get warmed up,
and maybe pursue some more portraiture, maybe a self-isolation boredom series. Came home, bought some dep wine and Jess made supper, and we had a nice quiet date night in, watched Throw Momma From the Train, and some Letterkenney until we were both too tired. Currently there is
a heavy wet snowfall in Montreal, it is quite pretty. I think I’ll go to the studio again today.
—
- ° Chris Lloyd
- ° 514 295-3048
- ° chris lloyd projects
from chris lloyd to pm@pm.gc.ca
date Jan 18, 2021, 2:12 PM subject 11 – 646
Dear Justin,
I’m back at Vox, assembling shelves for the washroom / workshop expansion. Listening to podcasts about the storming of the capital.
Last night I had a zoom beer-o-clock with James and Stacy. Yesterday I had Sol over for a playdate to advance our Stardew Valley farms. I am thinking of signing him and Rose up for some online coding lessons – we could all benefit from that. I am such a total noob when it comes
to coding.
—
- ° Chris Lloyd
- ° 514 295-3048
- ° chris lloyd projects
from chris lloyd to pm@pm.gc.ca
date Jan 19, 2021, 3:53 PM subject 12 – 479
Dear Justin,
Jess and I watched another live Theatre of War production last night,
this one based on the Drum Major Instinct sermon by MLK Jr. Theater of War Productions works with leading film, theater, and television
actors to present dramatic readings of seminal plays—from classical Greek tragedies to modern and contemporary works—followed by town hall-style discussions designed to confront social issues by drawing
out raw and personal reactions to themes highlighted in the plays. Normally these are performed live, but since the pandemic they have gone Zoom-style, which is great in some ways, as I imagine they can reach a wider audience. It’s very cathartic, moving and emotional to watch, and hear the conversations the performances provoke.
—
- ° Chris Lloyd
- ° 514 295-3048
- ° chris lloyd projects
from chris lloyd to pm@pm.gc.ca
date Jan 21, 2021, 9:39 AM subject 13 – 629
Dear Justin,
Back at Vox – the WC / storage and workshop project is moving along smoothly. Watched a bit of the inauguration yesterday while having lunch. I had forgotten how steeped in god and religion the US is. It
was really nice to see young black poet Amanda Gorman read one of her poems – but it wasn’t nearly as radical as the circumstances call for.
And of course big news that Biden has cancelled the Keystone XL expansion project, and signed the US back into the Paris Agreement – although are any signatory nations actually going to meet their
targets? Canada sure won’t, especially if we continue to push TransMountain and Coastal Gaslink. My suggestions to you for 2021: Shut down all new oil and gas projects, invest in a green economy,
shut down court cases against Indigenous Nations, enshrine UNDRIP into law, give Crown Land back, make reparations to First Nations and Black communities, adopt proportional representation before the next
election, make universal basic income law – you can get rid of the EI and welfare programs by rolling them into UBI.
Last night Jess and I split a bottle of wine and ordered vegan pizza and watched Nailed It. And I stopped at the studio after work for a second night in a row – working on weird portraits, realizing I have lots of odd pictures on my phone that could make fun drawings or paintings.
—
- ° Chris Lloyd
- ° 514 295-3048
- ° chris lloyd projects
from chris lloyd to pm@pm.gc.ca
date Jan 24, 2021, 10:34 PM subject 14 – 580
Dear Justin,
Jess and I are celebrating our 1-year anniversary today. It was a year
ago that we had our epic first date which spanned 3 days. I don’t
think there has been a day since that we haven’t at least texted one another. Being with her is so easy, the communication is so good, we
fit so well together. The kids absolutely adore her. Today I took Rose
to the studio with me, to have a bit of solo time, and Jess and Sol
each played on their Stardew Valley games. Sol made made big advances on his game: he finished the community centre, fixed the boat to go
visit Ginger Island – part of the new 1.5 update – and already completed the volcano and the Pirate’s wife quests. Rose has become almost obsessed with block coding; I signed them both up for a coding workshop on Outschool using the site Scratch. It’s great to see them both exploring their interests.
—
- ° Chris Lloyd
- ° 514 295-3048
- ° chris lloyd projects
from chris lloyd to pm@pm.gc.ca
date Jan 25, 2021, 2:25 PM subject 15 – 478
Dear Justin,
Back at Vox, arriving late as I came back home after dropping off the kids to spend sexy time with Jess and thaw the frozen water pipes leading to the washing machine. I’ve established a routine now whereby I can prop the hair dryer up and leave it unattended to unthaw the bit
of pipe that runs along the exterior wall – a distance of about 8 inches, in my estimate.
The trap door to the crawl space consists of a 7/8″ thick piece of plywood and some linoleum. The draft in that part of the kitchen is incredible.
Going to get the kids directly after school today, so we can get some more sunshine and have more time for homework and home activities.
—
- ° Chris Lloyd
- ° 514 295-3048
- ° chris lloyd projects
from chris lloyd to pm@pm.gc.ca
date Jan 28, 2021, 9:21 AM subject 16 – 551
Dear Justin,
Back at Vox after a really fun day off yesterday spent with the kids
and Rose’s friend Fleur. The kids had a pédago and Rose invited Fleur
to spend the day with us so she wouldn’t be her only friend at school.
We went to the studio, made some paintings and played with Barteby, whom Sarah dropped off to hang with us. Sarah and Pascal were working from home on a project application. The kids also played on the
Switch, mostly Just Dance. I’ve decided that perhaps the best way to address Sol’s obsession with Stardew Valley is to let him
self-regulate his screen time, even during the week. He is very goal-driven, which can be a very good quality to nurture, and the no screens during the week policy only seems to cause him stress and anxiety.
I’ve been making Bols for supper the past couple nights, preceded by a couple nights of tacos. Might go for sushi tonight, if I have time,
since I am planning to get the kids right after school. Mornings have been going well, we have not been late at all, and there has always
been a Communauto within a couple blocks of the house. Rose seems to have lost a mitten yesterday however, so I will need to order some online for rapid delivery, as I believe her mom plans to take the kids skiing this weekend. Sol lost a mitten at school a couple weeks ago
that his mom replaced for him. It is almost a guarantee that kids will lose a set of mittens per season.
—
- ° Chris Lloyd
- ° 514 295-3048
- ° chris lloyd projects
DEAR PM 