From : chris lloyd <chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com>
To : jean chretien <pm@pm.gc.ca>
Subject : Martin leadership bid sparks renewed talk of reforming Parliament» Canadian warship rescues teenager off South Carolina after fall on catamaran» U.S. planning tougher entry rules for non-Canadian Commonwealth citizens:CBC
Date : Sun, 03 Nov 2002 00:42:58 -0400
Dear Mr. Chrétien,
Slept in a bit this morning, that felt good. Biked downtown before noon to help Hannah straighten up the Khyber Kids studio. Heather and Aaron came to help as well. Stayed at work for a couple hours then came home. It was a freezing cold bike ride, with a biting North wind. Ran into Greg Forrest outside his apartment and asked him if he wanted to be on the panel discussion on the relevance of abstract painting. He said he’s let me know Monday.
Karina and Mohanad were watching Dark City when I came home. I watched the rest of it with them. It is a horrible movie, just ridiculous. Karina and I made some black bean wraps and then I had a brief nap. Headed into the studio for the evening. Straightened up a bit and continued work on the portraits. One is almost finished; three more are sketched in, ready for paint. I am going to try to get some work done tomorrow. Watched Highway 61 when I came back from the studio. I liked it, though I do find the characters Don McKeller plays a tad irritating. Watched the end of a James Bond movie afterwards, which was dumb and boring and predictable. Watched the news after that; Courtney and I made smart-ass remarks throughout the news and especially through the commercials. I think I would like to start recording and re-editing TV commercials to reveal their inherent absurdity.
-chris
From : chris lloyd <chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com>
To : jean chretien <pm@pm.gc.ca>
Subject : Privacy commissioner says anti-terrorism bill opens way to policestate» John Tory ends speculation, will not run for federal Tory leadership» FormerChretien aide failed to help bank shepherd merger plan
Date : Sat, 02 Nov 2002 01:22:01 -0400
Dear Mr. Chrétien,
Sorry I didn’t write last night. Halloween dance at the Khyber kept me out late.
Talked to my mom yesterday on the phone. My brother Aaron borrowed their car last week when my folks were visiting him in Fredericton and he left it in neutral in the driveway; it rolled into his backyard and into the woods. It was only damaged cosmetically and I don’t think they are going to get it fixed. My parents have had bad luck with their sons and vehicles; we have all damaged them.
Spent a lot of time getting the Turret room ready for the dance. Heather came with decorations and later in the day Briony, Roula, Valerie, Emily and Elizabeth came to help decorate. I went home for supper and to listen to the Radio Ballroom broadcast of War of the Worlds. Got dressed up in a ridculous costume that made me look like some sort of garden gnome, or a gay version of the Green Goblin. Wore one of Karina’s tight skimp shirts and a green fun-fur mask. Took a cab downtown with Courtney, Rebecca and Mohanad.
Arrived at the dance a little past its advertised start time. Nicholas and Lucas and Matt were getting the audio gear hooked up. I made a float from the media centre cashbox and sat at the door for the first hour or so. A decent crowd showed up, and the dance made a bit of money. I tried to push the dance until 2am, but at 1:30 Craig came up and said the liquor license only covered us until 1am so we had to shut down. A big guy dressed in an LAPD uniform hit on me most of the night. So did Spencer but that is nothing new. Was among the last to leave; had to wait outside near Scotia Square to catch a cab home with Sarah and Eleanor. It was cold out, and Eleanor had left her coat at the Khyber.
Today was a weird day. Spent the early part of the morning cleaning up the Turret. Dan came by for the meeting with Dawn Sloane, our municipal councillor. She was over an hour late. Just before she arrived some of the power went out in the building and we could find no evidence of tripped breakers. The electrician forgot to come down and I had to track him down at an emergency number. He had to drive in from Hubbards to replace a fuse.
Karina and I had an argument about money and DVD players this afternoon. Later in the day she bought an RF modulator so we can watch DVDs on our TV. Sarah came over and we watched another three episodes of the Sopranos. Afterwards I also watched a bit of an animated movie about the bombing of Hiroshima called Barefoot Gen but I couldn’t handle it. I’m not sure which was worse: the horrible animated images of death and destruction or the horrible American accented overdubs.
Have to go into work early tomorrow to finish cleaning up the Turret room and the Khyber Kids studio. Hannah has at least one confirmed student for the afternoon workshop. Am going to pick up some new brushes and try to spend some time in the studio. Rebecca informed me that I owe over $700 in studio rent‹almost a full year.
-chris
From : chris lloyd <chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com>
To : jean chretien <pm@pm.gc.ca>
Subject : Federal justice minister wants to explore idea of same-sex civilunions» Laws to protect children top agenda as justice ministers meet in Calgary» Canada moves on bilateral trade negotiations in wake of FTAA summit
Date : Sun, 03 Nov 2002 23:36:02 -0400
Dear Mr. Chrétien,
Had a good day. Slept in. Went for brunch with Karina to the North End
Diner. Came home, sorted the dirty laundry and went to the Laundromat.
Stayed there for the wash and the dry, reading from Echoes, a book of essays
on contemporary art. Took the laundry home and then went to the studio.
Almost finished a painting, it just needs a bit of cleaning up in the face
and one hand. One finger needs to be shortened. I also now have five
paintings underway. I need to get more plywood and some more paint. I am low
on white and have no cadmium red light or medium and no bright yellow. Came
home to start supper and had it all ready before Karina came home from the
library. Rebecca was hosting a drawing club; Andrew and Lucie came over and
joined Courtney and Rebecca in drawing and collaging all over a HP promo
package Mohanad received in the mail the other day. They are discussing
options regarding the group show in Saint John in January. they want to mail
drawings to random people, but it will be a costly enterprise if the grant
and the artist fees don’t come through. Sarah came over and we watched the
remaining two episodes of the Sopranos and the new Simpsons Halloween
special. It was odd to have a Halloween special days after Halloween. And
now we have a year to wait before we can watch season four of the Sopranos.
I wonder if I’ll still be interested in it by then. Am going to go read for
awhile before going to bed.
-chris
From : chris lloyd <chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com>
To : jean chretien <pm@pm.gc.ca>
Subject : Court postpones start of preliminary hearing for accused serialkiller» Cauchon offers more legal aid cash if provinces agree to new system» Martinto side with opposition on committee chair vote, says adviser
Date : Tue, 05 Nov 2002 01:34:35 -0400
Dear Mr. Chrétien,
Karina just told me she was surprised I could send my thought out into the
world via my letters. She is mad at me for staying out late tonight. We had
a board meeting and of course I stayed at the Club afterwards. I had a
chance to talk to Ray about my show, and abstract painting, and object
painting, and the job Sarah had applied for but didn’t get, and talked to
Thierry and his friend Steve from Hartford(?) who runs a gallery space
similar to the Khyber (but with money) and had been involved with the Khyber
early on (and who had given a talk at NSCAD tonight). Paul even came by
briefly, but I didn’t have a chance to talk to him. Ray Peterson suggested I
talk to him to examine routes the Khyber could take to buying the building.
Walked home with Spencer even though we both had our bikes.
The board meeting went smoothly, and we seemed to accomplish a fair bit and
even kept to the timeline. It appears I have a raise and some time-off
coming to me in the winter, so I can work on my show.
Went to the Anna Leonowens openings tonight. Kim’s show was a treat, a
highly investigated and thorough video projected installation examining a
touchy aspect of human behavior, that of the uncomfortable situation. It was
very well done.
Work was work. Andréa came in, there were meetings, phone calls and faxes.
The usual.
The lease meeting scheduled for tomorrow has been postponed to Thursday.
Someone put a great insert in a National Post newspaper box today; a
completely doctored front page. I tried to buy it tonight but the coin slot
was jammed and I couldn’t bust it open.
Great art.
-chris
From : chris lloyd <chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com>
To : jean chretien <pm@pm.gc.ca>
Subject : Teen who derailed Via train sentenced to six months in youth jail» Parti Quebecois government action plan offers no details on sovereignty» Chretien lectures Liberal caucus after 56 MPs vote with opposition
Date : Wed, 06 Nov 2002 22:16:34 -0400
Dear Mr. Chrétien,
Bad news on the radio today: looks like the next 2 years are going to be hellish, what with the Republican victories during the US mid-term elections. Are voters in the USA all whack-jobs or what? Do intelligent people just not vote? Do people adopt right-wing policies because they are scared and need security blankets? Sheesh.
You’ll have to excuse me. I watched a great art video based on satellite news footage from the 1992 Democratic convention and US election which was acerbic and witty and great. I can’t remember who made it though; that’s my sieve of a memory hard at work.
Sorry I didn’t write last night; Internet connection was down.
Had a good day at work; but started to burn out in the late afternoon. Had a programming committee meeting but everyone kept going off on tangents and we left some unresolved issues hanging in the wind. Am making progress with the newsletter; new ads are coming in, and even though it is late in the game I think we will have some good contributions. I am hoping Caroline will write something regarding her experiences with the fledgling NSAC and we’ll have the newsletter ready for the ALFA launch on the 20th.
The weather has turned the pits tonight, slashing rain, turning to wet snow.. Who knows what the morning will bring. I left my bike at the office.
Have been gearing up to write about the newly-announced recommendations for the new arts and culture council. I was hoping to do some more in-depth research tonight but the ALFA website is down. Sent some of my letters to Iain at Zed. He also asked about the telephone recording I have of someone from the PMO who called me a couple years ago. I hope they use it in the interview, it is hilarious.
It is now too late for me to go to the studio, so I think I will eat some freshly-made soup and watch Gattaca; Mohanad rented it. It is nice to watch cheesy, fluff-filled movies now and again. Keeps the stress levels down.
-chris
From : chris lloyd <chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com>
To : jean chretien <pm@pm.gc.ca>
Subject : Former nun convicted of assaulting kids sentenced to eight months jail» Legislation on same-sex union could be ready by spring, says justice minister» Klein tohead to New York to warn American investors about Kyoto impact
Date : Fri, 08 Nov 2002 01:00:20 -0400
Dear Mr. Chrétien,
Winter came—all in one night. A good foot of snow by early this morning, schools closed all over the place and power out to 25% of NSP customers; He woke up to the sound of a giant branch laden with heavy snow and ice crashing into his house and truck, bringing down a power line with it.
“It sounded like a bomb going off when the tree hit the house,” Power told the regional ATV network as he surveyed the damage.
“It took out the window on the side of the house and obviously it totalled my truck, I think.”
But then she added: “Oh great, I just see more snow starting again. We just saw that taper off. But our runways are active.”
Walked to work. Wore my rubber boots. Didn’t take too long. Lots of kids playing in the snow.
Mellow day at work. Not too many calls or visitors, though there were a few instances where I had to go help out in the media centre. Technical glitches which I couldn’t really solve. Since the power had gone out Lucas’ alarm didn’t go off. Mohanad stopped by after shoveling many driveways. We went for coffee. Later he stopped by with Dave to take measurements of the Club; he’s going to give me an estimate of costs of fixing the floor.
Stayed a bit late after work, mostly reading from the Halifax Conference: A National Forum on Canadian Cultural Policy in 1985. A lot of parallels, though people seemed more active then. Walked home with Jacob. The roads were clearer but still not safe for my tires.
Made some soup. Went to the studio for a bit, though I didn’t stay long. Fixed the finger on the most-finished painting, made a few other touch-upsSˇit’s still not quite done. I’m spending more time than usual cleaning the paint of the palette.
Came home, smoked a joint and watched O Brother Where Art Thou? It has more impact the first viewing. After playing a goofy “trick-or-treat” game with Courtney and Rebecca we watched the last ten minutes of ZED; it was awful. I wonder if all the episodes are that bad.
-chris
From : chris lloyd <chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com>
To : jean chretien <pm@pm.gc.ca>
Subject : Deal reached on funding for Pickton defence; preliminary put off» Paul Martin discloses second portion of leadership campaign donations» Canada welcomes United Nations resolution on Iraq; won’t commit troops
Date : Sat, 09 Nov 2002 00:44:07 -0400
Dear Mr. Chrétien,
Just fell asleep watching Gone With the Wind. Didn’t even make it to the
second disk. That’s twice I’ve attempted to watch that movie and haven’t
been able to get through it.
Spent some time in the studio this evening. I found some nice scraps of
plywood on the upper floor of the studios. The building was once a school;
the upper floor is in bad repair, and serves as a bit of a dumping zone.
Lots of desks, old components, scraps.
Am a bit groggy, I think I’ll just go to bed.
-chris
From : chris lloyd <chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com>
To : jean chretien <pm@pm.gc.ca>
Subject : Calgary man to commemorate father’s bravery in The Great Escape» Suspension of N. Ireland administration a mistake, Sinn Fein leader says» Afghan military mission plagued by poor planning, second-guessing by brass
Date : Sun, 10 Nov 2002 02:23:08 -0400
Dear Mr. Chrétien,
Had a great morning, slept in until noon, hung out with Karina, made breakfast and had tea. The weather was nice and pleasantly mild. We caught a bus downtown to see Kim’s exhibition before it closed at four. Helped Kim dismantle the exhibition and carried the projector back to the Khyber. I had double-booked it again. Venus Envy had asked me over a month ago if it would be available tonight but hadn’t confirmed it on paper. Lucky there was time to do both events. Anne Hansen was showing a film and talking about her book and experiences as a radical. Andrew Duke had booked the projector for a night of electronic music and VJs in the Club. Matt Doherty came by the Club with Elizabeth. They are cousins. He hit me up for an artwork for the Saint John NDP caucus fundraiser. I have no idea what I’ll be able to give him. Spent the early part of the evening setting up the projector in the Club and Turret, then went back to NSCAD to help Kim and her crew paint the gallery back to white. Came home around midnight and watched the second half of Gone With the Wind. I felt sort of like Red by the end of it; I just didn’t give a damn.
-chris
From : chris lloyd <chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com>
To : jean chretien <pm@pm.gc.ca>
Subject : Nov. 11 bittersweet for native veterans as many end fight forcompensation» Metis war veterans file UN human rights claim for federal war benefits» Lossof Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan to be marked on Remembrance Day
Date : Sun, 10 Nov 2002 22:39:43 -0400
Dear Mr. Chrétien,
Woke up early-ish this morning to go through my old portfolio cases for a
piece of work to donate to the NB NDP fundraiser. Matt came by just before
11am. I found an old oil pastel drawing I had done years ago of King’s
Square in Saint John. Karina also donated an oil painting she had bought
years ago.
Karina, Rebecca and Courtney and I all went to Julians for fresh bread and
coffees. Met Mohanad on his way back from the North End Diner. He was hung
over. We kept him up late last night watching the last of Gone With the
Wind. Came home and had some brunch, then Mohanad and I biked to the
apartment he has been renovating on Birmingham. It was a great day for a
bike ride. It almost feels like Spring.
Painted all afternoon, mostly the finish coats on the windows and door
trims. The apartment used to be an old store and it has undergone quite a
change. Mohanad bought me a falafel sandwich for lunch.
We drove home in Lyndon’s truck and I made some supper. Listened to the
Radio Ballroom broadcast tonight and then watched The Simpsons and King of
the Hill. Had thought about going to the studio but made excuses for myself..
It is good to have a day or two (like a weekend) where I can relax. It is
not going to make any sense for me to go to the studio unless I have a
number of hours.
Karina and I are going to watch the Sixth Sense before going to bed. It will
be interesting watching it with the understanding of what is going on, since
we have already seen it. It should make the scenes a little more
interesting.
-chris
From : chris lloyd <chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com>
To : jean chretien <pm@pm.gc.ca>
Subject : Recent Canadian deaths lend new poignancy to Remembrance Day across country» Veterans honour Japanese-Canadian war contribution at Vancouver ceremony» Evespromises legislation to cap cost of hydro on Dec. 1 and provide rebates
Date : Mon, 11 Nov 2002 23:37:43 -0400
Dear Mr. Chrétien,
The Khyber alarm monitoring station called this morning just past five;
motion detector in the Club had gone off. The police were there and the
outside of the building was secure. I was going to just go back to sleep but
then I remembered that the projector was probably still in the Club from the
show Saturday night and I don’t want to take any chances with it, so I got
dressed and biked downtown. There has been a significant increase in the
amount of kids sleeping on Barrington Street and I started to suspect that
perhaps someone had gotten in a window. I was bit spooked as well, having
watched the Sixth Sense last night and the directors’ interview about ghosts
afterwards.
The building was OK, all locked up and nothing out of the ordinary. Nothing
except the walls; Kevin had been in and moved all the signage and “painted”
the walls in the main stairway to look old and dirty. It was probably just a
rat set off the alarm. Biked home and went back to bed.
Slept in a bit late and missed Mohanad; he wanted me to drive with him back
downtown, but he must have tired of waiting for me. He is an early riser.
Had breakfast but felt really lethargic. Rebecca made me a strong coffee
then I walked downtown. Stopped for a bit at the Grand Parade where the
Remembrance Day ceremony was happening.
Helen was in working on her mural in the hallway and there was some loud
drumming going on in the recording studio, but other than that the building
was quiet. The Club didn’t open today. I spent most of the day cleaning up
the hallways; Kevin had made a good mess while messing up the walls.
Had a fundraising committee meeting at the Med with Janna, Spencer, Andréa
and Christine from eyelevel gallery and her friend Lisa. We came up with
some great ideas for the Holiday Toast fundraiser and made tasks for each of
us.
Walked home. Put up some posters for the upcoming panel discussion on my
way. Picked up some groceries from Sahim’s on North Street on my way home;
Mohanad had paid me for yesterdays work. Made spaghetti when I got home. Ray
called and invited Karina and I for supper on Wednesday night. He wants to
introduce the new director of the AGNS to some of the locals this week. It
is the same night as the panel discussion; I may only be able to stop by
later for drinks. Karina backed out right away‹she has a paper due on
Friday.
We watched Mulholland Drive tonight. Excellent film, typical Lynch. Haunting
and disturbing and brilliantly shot, well-acted. I want to see it again.
Am going to bed early, my sleeping patterns are a bit out of whack. Tomorrow
will be a busy day as we prep for the meeting with the Mayor on Wednesday.
From : chris lloyd <chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com>
To : jean chretien <pm@pm.gc.ca>
Subject : Recent Canadian deaths lend new poignancy to Remembrance Dayacross country» Senators say bring troops back home for two years and overhaul whole military» N.B. environmentalists warn salmon farms turn Fundy seabed into wasteland
Date : Wed, 13 Nov 2002 01:22:41 -0400
Dear Mr. Chrétien,
Found it hard to drag myself out of bed this morning. My alarm went off for
an hour, with me hitting the snooze button every ten minutes. Went to
Superstore and bought kitty litter and Tylenol, both necessary items‹Karina
has been having headaches again and the kitty litter is dangerously smelly.
The weather was nice and mild today so I biked to work.
The Mayors office called and re-scheduled our meeting again, this time to
Friday. This is the second time they have changed the meeting; the third if
you count the change from the council presentation. A meeting with the city
staff involved has been scheduled for early tomorrow morning. I have vague
instructions: I am to meet PJ on the third floor of Duke Tower and we will
go to the meeting on the fourth floor. I am both fascinated and repulsed by
bureaucracy in action. Worked on updated spreadsheets for most of the
afternoon. Met with Liz and Lucas to discuss grants. Met with Kim from MARC
to discuss a culturally diverse symposium in the Spring.
Went to the eyelevel members’ show opening tonight, but skipped their AGM.
Set up the bar for the artist presentation. Tonight was Lorraine Field. She
makes photographs of projected images in the landscape. Biked home and
stopped at Sobeys on the way to get groceries.
Made supper when I got home and watched Mulholland Drive again. Karina and I
talked about it last night. She thinks Lynch will not make any more movies
because Mulholland drive parodies everything about Hollywood movies, from
actors, scriptwriters, directors, plot, audience‹everything. I liked it more
the second time, but it kept me up late, and the meeting is early tomorrow
morning. I’d better get to sleep.
-chris
From : chris lloyd <chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com>
To : jean chretien <pm@pm.gc.ca>
Subject : FW: No need for special precautions over terror warning, says Manley» Paul Martin calls for review of military, Canadian foreign policy» Saddam must realize this is his last chance to comply with UN, saysChretien
Date : Thu, 14 Nov 2002 01:36:06 -0400
Dear Mr. Chretien,
I’m drunk. Can’t even spell it right. It is because of the wine I drank at Ray and Sarah’s, Ohmigosh. And this is what comes up:
TOP STORIES
Warning may pull us from complacency
Canadians who think terror happens elsewhere should heed the sinister warning to western nations aired on Arabic TV this week, security experts said Wednesday. The dark message is said to come directly from Osama bin Laden, the fugitive terrorist mastermind. “We’ve taken complacency to an art form,” said retired general Lewis MacKenzie. “It’s time to wake up.” Full Story
It’s all bullshit.
I met Colleen Wolstenholme tomight; I’m immedilatlely attracted to her.
Today, this nonrig, early, we had a meeting regarding the lease. It happened at Duke Towers. The prognosis sounds good: a 2% increase per5 year to cover CPI. We can live with that. Victory?
Started to rerrange the office tonight. Will finish tomorrow.
This is taking too long. Am mispleeling all over yhe place. Conxstant revision.
FUCK! am pissed off, and mad. wnat to
scrweewe it .
-chris
From : chris lloyd <chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com>
To : jean chretien <pm@pm.gc.ca>
Subject : Supposed list of potential Canadian terror targets betrays fewsurprises» Ex-NYC mayor Giuliani says Canadians should prepare for possible terrorism» U.S.will seek military support from Canada if Iraq disobeys UN, Powell says
Date : Thu, 14 Nov 2002 21:54:16 -0400
Dear Mr. Chrétien,
I am so sorry for writing to you last night in the state I was in. I hadn’t
planned on drinking much, and didn’t think I did, but some of the wine was
homemade and tasted sweet. I hadn’t eaten much either, and what I did ended
up coming up later last night, after going to bed.
This morning I slept through my alarm and felt awful when I finally got up.
Couldn’t handle much food, but drank lots of water. I missed an appointment
with Gary from RCCL to take measurements of the Club floor. Walked to work
in the rain. Tried to straighten up the office but it was hard to find a
place to start. Talked to Janna about her review for the newsletter. While I
was talking to her some nutcase called me four times about booking a
fundraiser for the Refugee Clinic. It was unreal. He repeatedly calling me
by name, which was unnerving enough, but he also used phrases like “man”,
“kid”, “fluid” and “daddy-o”. I’ll have the luxury of meeting him in person
tomorrow morning. Oh joy. Gary came by and paid us for the film shoot, which
was nice.
Had an ALFA meeting this afternoon. There are insidious after-effects of the
government action to axe the arts council and set up a new dog and pony
show: a few key members of the ALFA coalition have been “reigned in” by
their respective boards and organizations and told not to engage with the
press on the issue. It seems like those that get money from the department
do not feel comfortable criticizing it. We are going ahead with the public
launch and press conference on the 20th. Hopefully it will be an opportunity
to enlighten the press, who have been lazy in their reporting of the new
arts advisory group so far. But the energy around the room was low: we are
all getting severely tapped out.
Worked in the office for most of the evening. Andréa had offered Karina and
I free passes and a drive to Bayers Lake to see the new Frida Kahlo movie.
Karina is still working on her paper and I had things to do as well. Helped
Lucas with a grant he is working on. I still have to plan out the meeting
with the Mayor tomorrow, as well as the Inter-art selection committee
meeting. I still feel ill and just wanted to come home early and get a good
nights sleep.
-chris
From : chris lloyd <chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com>
To : jean chretien <pm@pm.gc.ca>
Subject : Concordia students obey court injunction, hold peaceful Mideastevent outside» Reduced funding undercuts federal authority to set health policy, says study» Jetsgo taking Air Canada and Quebec government to Competition Bureau
Date : Sat, 16 Nov 2002 01:52:44 -0400
Dear Mr. Chrétien,
Went to work early and refreshed—felt 100% better than yesterday. Spent the
morning preparing for the performance selection committee and putting
together the package for the Mayor, stuffed with copies of the letters of
support and the hundreds of names on the petition. Sat in on the selection
committee for the first two hours then left for the meeting with the Mayor.
Met Dan in the courtyard. When we arrived at the Mayor’s office we were
informed that he had been called away to another meeting. So after three
date and time changes he still crapped out on us. Anyway, the deputy mayor
Harry McInroy met with us, as did Dawn Sloane and PJ from grants. Others
from property and H and C didn’t show either. It was essentially pointless;
I think the board will accept the 2% increase but the next big challenge
will be to determine whether the Khyber should buy the building or not. More
headaches are ahead.
It was payday for both Karina and I so we went out for a sort of belated
anniversary supper (our twelfth was on Tuesday). We ate at Mamoya. Discussed
Mullholland Drive some more. Went back to work. Karina took a bus to
Fabricville.
Worked on the newsletter text until almost midnight. I am worried now that
there is more written content than there is space. Maybe we’ll have to print
an insert.
Biked home and had a small toke with Karina. She has been having trouble
sleeping lately and hopes it will help. Watched some Mac “switched” ads on
the net, laughed at the Ellen Feiss one. I ended up there after reading a
story of a US ex-pat who made a spoof “switched” ad on his becoming a
Canadian. It was funny in parts but seemed forced and highly derivative.
I should get to bed. I have to meet the film crew at 7am‹in close to five
hours. I’m going to need a nap tomorrow afternoon.
-chris
From : chris lloyd <chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com>
To : jean chretien <pm@pm.gc.ca>
Subject : Men trying to move on a year after Cape Breton’s last undergroundmine closes» Thousands protest nationwide against the possibility of war in Iraq» Oustingof supporters in riding executive ‘divisive’ for Liberals: Dhaliwal
Date : Sat, 16 Nov 2002 21:50:40 -0400
Dear Mr. Chrétien,
Woke up really early and cycled to work before 7am. Met Craig Power at the
corner of Sackville and Barrington; it was remarkable to see him up at that
hour. He was watching over the bar for the first part of the film shoot
today. The bar was used as a holding area for the extras. I hadn’t expected
as many of them as there were; over sixty, at one point. It was cold out and
the bulk of the shooting happened outside, so the extras were constantly
coming in and out. I hadn’t realized how poorly paid they were: Craig was
told $8.50 per hour. Some were only there for six hours or so, and they
aren’t treated that well. There was an awful selection of food: nachos,
cookies and cheesies with coffee and juice. Yum.
At one point Craig had to take a cab to Buckleys to return a speaker and I
watched the bar. It was really boring and he took a long time. When I was
helping him bring the speaker back in we were scolded by a traffic cop for
running a red light.
I found it a tad ironic that the film crew asked the regular ‘homeless’
street kids to move and allow room for the ‘homeless’ extras.
I tried to get work done on the newsletter but by mid-afternoon my office
had been commandeered by the film crew. Had All-Day Breakfast with Karina at
the Med, then she went off to work on her final projects.
The film attracted the attention of lots of passers-by. The street was shut
down periodically.
Ran into Allan a few times. He was part of the set decorating crew.
Took a cab to Chris Majka’s house and back to pick up the Freedom of
Information documents he copied for me. Reading through the communique to
Cabinet a week before the NSAC decision came down made me angry. Government
can be a slimy, smelly beast. Is it always? The ALFA launch planning is
coming together over email, slowly but surely. I have to write a series of
speaking segments. It is all more official than I am used to. Good learning
experience, I suppose.
Eleanor and Stephen came in to work on their Radio ballroom text. They
offered me a drive home and I took it. Lucas had arrived and offered to lock
up. Fine by me. I know how much he wants to meet Thora Birch. Just after
getting home Lucas called me; the film crew needed my bike moved. I had left
it locked up on the railing between Khyber and Neptune theatre School. I
told them I could cab the key over, but that wouldn’t happen quick enough so
I told them they could cut the lock and put my bike inside, so long as I get
reimbursed for the lock.
I think I would like to take a bath and go to bed early. I am meeting the
film crew at 8am tomorrow morning.
From : chris lloyd <chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com>
To : jean chretien <pm@pm.gc.ca>
Subject : Protesters brave weather to promote message of peace not war on Iraq» Police, Crown ponder possibility of charges in Walkerton E. coli tragedy» Where’s Chretien? PM’s penchant for privacy gets mixed reviews
Date : Mon, 18 Nov 2002 00:41:47 -0400
Dear Mr. Chrétien,
Walked through a blowing winter storm on the way to work early this morning..
Gary came by and said the start would be delayed an hour. Made coffee in the
bar while waiting for the extras to show up. Tried three times to buy a
newspaper to have something to read. I can’t believe the box ate my money. I
can’t believe I thought it still might give me a paper after the second
loonie.
The film shoot was delayed again amidst rumours the director was ill. There
was further delay while the producers tried to determine if the lost day
would be covered by their insurance policy. Then the day was cancelled and
everyone was out shortly past noon. So I actually had a quiet afternoon to
do work. The shoot will be re-scheduled for either Thursday or Friday. This
is one of the reasons why it is often said to never let a film crew in your
home. Conveniently enough, Thursday or Friday are actually Ok days, as we
are in an installation period. Most of the member’s work won’t be coming in
until the last weekend of November. The weekend our house moves. We haven’t
packed yet.
Worked on the newsletter texts most of the afternoon. Dean came in
(surprisingly, given the state of the weather. The snow had turned to
pouring rain). He left just past five to go to a show at Gingers. The layout
is looking good, back to smaller fonts as there is more text to fill the
available space.
Was going to take a bus home but the schedule isn’t convenient on Sundays.
The rain had let up and I had worn my rubber boots so I walked home. Picked
up a few groceries and made supper when I got home. Lucie and Sarah came
over for Drawing Club. Tonight it was in concert with Radio Ballroom.
Eleanor called Leah in Guelph and they took turns describing an exquisite
corpse drawings that they made live-to-air. Drawing Club listened and made
variations of the drawing.
Walked to Stephen and Eleanor’s to be part of the live studio audience for
the first performance of The Mysterious Death of WB, by small wooden shoe.
It was fun; competent deliveries, short and snappy storyline, very
mid-century radio drama feel. Twenty minutes and then it was over.
Came home, Courtney was watching Hudson Hawk again. With subtitles on. We
turned the volume down and read the lines. Poorly. Smoked a bit of a joint
and like last time, am spending too much time on the Internet. Last time it
was reading the bios of the HRM councillors. All of them. Tonight it is
keeping up with the ALFA mailings and checking out Germaine Koh’s new
project, Weework.
The ALFA launch is stressing me out. Am trying to avoid thinking of it.
-chris
From : chris lloyd <chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com>
To : jean chretien <pm@pm.gc.ca>
Subject : Canada would contribute force for coalition attack on Iraq,Chretien says» Former premier Glen Clark broke conflict-of-interest guidelines: report» Copps attacks Martin over Kyoto stand; Dhaliwal says final call up tocabinet
Date : Tue, 19 Nov 2002 23:24:46 -0400
Dear Mr. Chrétien,
Sorry I didn’t write last night. Karina was on the computer, still working
on her latest paper.
The past couple days have been brutal, the newsletter was difficult to put
to bed. Trouble with fonts. Finally had it all figured out this afternoon
and Lisa was able to print 300 by 5pm. Janna had come in to help in the
afternoon with the mailout. Michelle came to help fold newsletters while
Karina and I ate at the Med. Continued working on the ALFA media launch for
tomorrow morning. Sat in on some of Alex Livingston’s artist presentation in
the Club. Anne helped fold the last of the newsletters and then I cycled
home.
I am coming down with a head cold, so am drinking fresh lemon-ginger tea and
popping the Echinacea. I don’t want to be too sick during the media
conference. I still have to plan my introductory remarks, yikes!
-chris
From : chris lloyd <chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com>
To : jean chretien <pm@pm.gc.ca>
Subject : Ottawa presents Kyoto implementation plan, says it won’t hurtconsumers» Most of Canada’s energy-producing provinces blast new federal Kyoto plan» Criminal charges in 1980’s tainted-blood scandal to be fought ‘vigorously’
Date : Thu, 21 Nov 2002 23:46:15 -0400
Dear Mr. Chrétien,
Karina and I were both up early this morning. It is always a surprise to see
her out of bed before eight. We ate breakfast at the North End Diner and
then cycled downtown. Karina picked up her gear from the gallery and headed
to school. Peter from Cambridge came by at nine and we went over the
accounting. Elinor came by and finished cropping her invitations and stayed
for awhile helping with the newsletters. I managed to photocopy all the
media releases on our letterhead, despite the frequent jams. Our photocopier
really does not like that paper.
My cold is really slowing me down. Felt sluggish most of the day. Headed out
in the afternoon to run some errands and ran into Sally at the post office.
She was running errands as well so we continued on together. Went to CCRA
offices to drop off the GST/HST rebate forms which I have finally filled
out. It seems to be a ridiculously simple form. Went to Registry of Joint
Stocks to pick up the approved changes to bylaws. That took a ridiculous
amount of time: almost four months. It was the last thing we were waiting
for to complete our Charitable Status application. Went back to the Liveart
office with Sally and hung out for awhile with her and Diane. I really enjoy
spending time with Sally; it is a shame it only happens by accident or
during work.
Karina was at the Khyber when I came back. She was upset about the slides
she had shot yesterday of Claire’s paintings. The slides were tinted an
unusual blue. The film must have been bad. She had to re-shoot them tonight..
We ate at C’est Ci Bon; we won’t eat there again. Karina ordered chicken
parmageon only to discover ground beef under a layer of cheese on top of the
chicken. Odd recipe. I had quiche and it came the size of a brick. It was
cold, too. They do have good coffee there, though.
On our way back to the Khyber we noticed a block of Barrington Street had
been blocked off due to an accident. There were no vehicles around, just
some pylons bracketing a disturbing pool of blood. Something nasty happened..
Worked on the mailout some more while Karina re-shot the slides, then sat in
on a small KDMC board meeting. Karina gave her regrets and headed home to
study. Mat is stepping down as Chair. The board needs an injection of fresh
blood. Despite the poor turnout and dwindling board, there was a feeling of
optimism, as certain objectives are being put into place.
Walked home with Rebecca in the rain, after storing mine and Karina’s bikes
in the basement. It is supposed to rain all night. On Gottinegen Steet some guy
asked us if we wanted thave athreesome for fifty bucks.
-chris
From : chris lloyd <chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com>
To : jean chretien <pm@pm.gc.ca>
Subject : Chretien turns down resignation of his aide for her reported’moron’ remark» Manley shouldn’t skip international finance meeting: critics» Provincesdebate excluding Ottawa from key federal-provincial Kyoto meeting
Date : Fri, 22 Nov 2002 22:51:30 -0400
Dear Mr. Chrétien,
I slept in big time this morning. I just couldn’t pull myself out of bed. I
blame it on my current cold. After getting up I had breakfast and then
caught a bus downtown.
It was crazy busy this afternoon. A steady stream of people coming into the
office an calling on the phone.
Went to the Split Crow just past six to meet Greg Forrest and others for the
Mooseheads Hockey game. Talked to cal about her patron, who is buying her a
house to live in. Not bad. Ray teased me about being ready for the show in
April. Talked about the Sobey art award.
The game was sort of dull. I was a bit drunk for most of it. They lost 2-1.
It was fun to be there with a bunch of art people.
Walked home with Craig and his friend Paul.
Karina had her hair cut and styled tonight. It looks good. She thinks she
looks like Sharon Osbourne.
Courtney just came home with a girl. I am going to investigate.
-chris
From : chris lloyd <chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com>
To : jean chretien <pm@pm.gc.ca>
Subject : Liberal MPs call for billions in national child care spending» Miss Canada home after leaving international pageant during Nigeria riots» Montreal Alouettes down Eskimos 25-16 to win first Grey Cup since 1977
Date : Mon, 25 Nov 2002 00:50:54 -0400
Dear Mr. Chrétien,
Sorry I didn’t write last night. Vegged out all evening drinking ginger-lemon tea, watching bad movies (Something About Mary and Harry Potter) and sweating out my cold. It worked; I woke up refreshed this morning.
Yesterday afternoon Karina and I began searching for a sewing machine at some antique shops, but the journey ground to a halt after I lost her bank card. No money, no shopping. We did venture down to Renovators Resource, where Karina bought a pile of 1″ square tiles for a sewing project.
Was at work by seven o’clock this morning to let the film crew in. It was an overall dull day. I did manage to get some gallery work done; packed Chad’s paintings, pulled nails and patched holes in the walls. Read over the Inter-arts grant application. Put up white lights in the turret windows of my office. Read a few magazines. I was about ready to leave by eight in the evening but Tara was offered a part in the film as a hooker for background on the Parade Square shots. I had to wait in the Club until they came back at 11:30, and it was just past midnight before I got home. The wind was brutal all day today, and especially hard to cycle against. My lungs still hurt.
It is hard to believe, but in three days working for the film crew I made more than I make in 2 weeks at the Khyber; and all I did was unlock doors and read magazines.
-chris
From : chris lloyd <chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com>
To : jean chretien <pm@pm.gc.ca>
Subject : Premiers call off Kyoto meeting with Ottawa as Commons begins debate» More than one million Canadian kids still living in poverty, study finds» Ontario law introduced to freeze hydro prices; give rebates, tax breaks
Date : Tue, 26 Nov 2002 00:30:11 -0400
Dear Mr. Chrétien,
We have finally started packing here at 5676 Macara Street. Tonight after
supper Karina, Mohanad and I walked to the liquor store and brought home a
box-full of boxes. Tomorrow is garbage pick-up day so we are trying to get
rid of as much stuff tonight as we can. That means most of the furniture we
acquired from the garbage has gone back out there.
Today was a bland day at work. The Inter-Arts grant deadline is looming but
I’m not enthusiastic about the project, and I’m still waiting for more
support material to come in. Lucas and I met with David Clark to talk about
the commissioning grant and most of that meeting went over my head. It is
like a part of the Internet is alive and living in David’s brain. We looked
at some neat websites that I never have time to look at.
Members of the film crew were in and out of the building today, setting it
back to normal, though Kevin and the painters haven’t started yet. That is a
bit of a pain, as Elinor is set to hang her work in the stairwell tomorrow
morning. Maybe the painters will come in and paint overnight.
I slept fitfully last night. Karina didn’t sleep at all; she stayed up all
night completing her presentation, which apparently went OK today. She
dislikes public presentations more than I do.
-chris
From : chris lloyd <chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com>
To : jean chretien <pm@pm.gc.ca>
Subject : Prime minister’s aide steps down over “moron” comment about Bush» Romanow commission to recommend curbs on private MRI clinics» Criticscomplain as PM continues private Kyoto talks with individual premiers
Date : Wed, 27 Nov 2002 00:53:34 -0400
Dear Jean,
Busy day at work today but I still didn’t get a lot accomplished on the
Inter-Arts grant. Met with Wilma Needham’s Portfolios and Practice class and
talked about life as a practicing artist, tips and advice, etc. It was fun.
Was checking my messages at work today and heard from Iain that the
interview I did with him was to be broadcast on ZED TV tonight. Tim in
Toronto was also kind enough to send out an Instant Coffee announcement of
it. I borrowed the DV camera from the media centre so I could tape the
broadcast. I actually came home from work fairly early, by six-thirty.
Spent some of the evening moving stuff to the studio. Picked up some
groceries from Sobeys. Jackson, one of the tenants moving into our place,
came by to have a look. I have a feeling they are unreliable and are trying
to get us to share our moving truck with them. On the surface that sounds
like a good idea, but they have a lot more stuff than we do and I fear that
we will end up either moving their stuff for them or their schedule, or lack
thereof, will put us behind. We all want to get this move over as quickly
and painlessly as possible.
The “interview” on ZED was quite brief and chock full of hyperactive video
graphics. Perfect fodder for further manipulations by me. I taped it off the
tiny black and white monitor on the tape-player from the studio. I’d like to
re-edit the clip and then upload it to the ZED site.
Setting up an account on ZED has been a nightmare. When I finally got it
working I tried to upload a sample letter but the formatting is all screwed
up. I may have to make some PDFs or something. I’m going to try to make a
quick edit of the footage and upload it before going to bed. It is already
late. Karina has to work at 8:30 tomorrow morning and it would be nice to
have breakfast together. Maybe it will happen another time. Courtney is off
playing with the camera already.
-chris
From : chris lloyd <chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com>
To : jean chretien <pm@pm.gc.ca>
Subject : On eve of Romanow report, Manley says Ottawa to spend billions onhealth care» Roy Romanow comes full circle as he prepares to deliver groundbreaking health-care report» Fourmore names added to list of missing women joint task force list
Date : Thu, 28 Nov 2002 00:52:50 -0400
Dear Mr. Chrétien,
Our alarm didn’t go off properly this morning and Karina was almost late for
work. Faulty snooze button.
Another busy day. Finished a tax exemption form for HRM. Met with Gary for
the last flooring estimate for the Club. Filled out lots of membership forms
as people came by with their work for the members show. Had a brainstorming
meeting with Andréa.
I forgot to tell you my grandparents stopped by unexpectedly yesterday and
took me to lunch at the Fireside. It was pleasant and enjoyable.
Didn’t stay long after work today. biked up to Rentown in the snow and paid
an extension on the DVD player rental. We now have until Saturday to return
it. Picked up some groceries on the way home and continued packing. Worked
on my CBC Zed account and uploaded more stuff. Took more junk to the studio
with Karina and we scouted out the chairs in the abandoned area of the
studios. Walked to the liquor store to get more boxes and continued packing..
Watched Sandy Plotnikoff on Zed. His segment was closer to what I had hoped
my segment would be.
I can’t believe people are still going on about Francoise Ducros’
resignation. Apparantly it “isn’t enough to soothe hurt feelings south of
the border, Harper said as he left a caucus meeting.” What a load of crap.
This is one time I appreciate your laissez-faire attitude in the face of
crisis. I think describing Bush as a moron could actually be seen as a
compliment. It is at least nicer than all the other words that could easily
be used to describe him, like “idiot” or “stupid” or “senseless” or
“witless” or “monster” or “jackass” or “asshole” or “war mongerer”Sˇ the list
could go on for some time. “Moron” sort of sounds endearing. He should take
what he can get, the prick.
-chris
From : chris lloyd <chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com>
To : jean chretien <pm@pm.gc.ca>
Subject : Romanow urges expansion of medicare, $15 billion in new funding» Highlights of Roy Romanow’s report» Romanow report gets good early reviews, but many wonder ‘where’s themoney?’ Date : Fri, 29 Nov 2002 01:26:28 -0400
Dear Mr. Chrétien,
Slept in a bit this morning. Must have hit the snooze button a dozen times.
Had breakfast and walked to work; it had snowed a bit overnight and was
chilly this morning, so I figured the roads would make cycling tricky. Had
to stop at Staples to pick up some office supplies.
Ordered some mats for the front hallway at work. The company will change
them once a week. Hopefully it will keep the snow and dirt from being
tracked all through the building. Also booked a half year of ads in that
cheap rag called the Flying Cow that gets distributed to restaurants and
shopping malls all over town. It is crass marketing at its worst; no
content, just ads. Horoscope, and junk filler, anecdotes, jokes, bizarre
stories. Pure escapism, but people read it. I’ve read it myself while being
dragged on a shopping trip. I figure if the majority of people go the the
BLIP to experience their culture, then maybe that is where we should try to
contact them. We’ll focus our ads on the Kids programs. I just have to get a
template together and then send the updates each week, starting Monday.
The next couple weeks are going to be nuts. There are a bunch of functions
happening in the Turret to plan and account for. The members’ show is
filling up, and this grant is going to be the death of me. Was at work until
10 tonight working on it. I can only get consistent work done when the
office is technically closed and the walk-through and telephone traffic
subsides.
Caught a bus home and continued packing while watching Spies Like Us.
Courtney rented it. For Rebecca, it was just what the doctor ordered. She
has been stressed out lately about her school assignments, her lousy job,
her writing assignments and her applications to grad school. She needed a
night of goofy entertainment. Love those Cold War spoofs!
Played with my Zed account a bit more tonight. I added the graphic of the
“garden liberal”. One person so far has seen and voted on my interview.
Aaaargh, I can’t believe how late it is already. I’m going to bed.
-chris
From : chris lloyd <chrislloyd5676@hotmail.com>
To : jean chretien <pm@pm.gc.ca>
Subject : Physician shortage not addressed by Romanow but doctors still praise report» Provinces to wage “progressive counter-attack” against Romanow: Landry» B’nai Brithwants federal government to freeze Hezbollah assets in Canada
Date : Sat, 30 Nov 2002 01:02:03 -0400
Dear Mr. Chrétien,
Took the bus to work this morning as it was chilly outside. Tried to work as
much as I could on the Inter-Arts grant. Checked email periodically, heard
from Ed and Tim, they both want copies of my “Jean Chrétien was surprised”
postcard, so I sent some off in the mail for them. It was a busy day for
artwork drop off and membership renewals as well.
Finally had it out with Nova Scotia Power. They have been trying to slap me
with a $150 “deposit” for having a consistently overdue account with them.
My argument was that I may be late with my payments, but I am consistent in
my tardiness, and always pay them. Darn it, I’ve been a “loyal’ customer
since 1997. I didn’t mean to flip out on the telephone rep, but they have a
policy of not forwarding calls to a supervisor. She even tried to tell me
that the supervisor had reported that he had spoken to me days ago, which
was not the case. I got quite angry. She put me on hold and when she came
back it had all been cleared up. They won’t charge me the “deposit” but I
have to make my payments on time. Sounds fair, but what a process.
Had supper from Tim Hortons (yum) while talking with Lucas about the KDMC
commissioning grant. My brain hurts from thinking about these grants. I am
feeling the need to just make art. I think I am going to make a photo series
of the Pinata party from last summer to put in the members show. I don’t
know when I’ll have time to do it; we are going to spend the next couple
days moving and Monday is final set-up for the members show and the day the
grant is due. Yikes! The Holiday toast committee is also meeting that
evening and I’m sure we’ll all report how little has been accomplished. I
think the only donation to come in so far has been some soap. How are we
going to fill a nine-foot stocking with a single bar of scented soap? I fear
the event will be a disaster.
Stayed late at work. The grant is still not done. Andréa came in for the
evening to sort the submissions. Her head is full of great idea and she
doesn’t hesitate to tell me all about them. We split a cab home around
11:30, as the weather had turned to soggy snow.
The neighbours downstairs have requested that we go to sleep. Karina has
been puttering around patching and painting holes in the walls. The cats are
enjoying all the boxes and different surfaces upon which to sit. The
apartment is full of boxes and most of the pictures are off the walls; it is
very cluttered.
I have become addicted to checking my Zed account on-line. From what I can
tell, no one other than Ed and Tim have even looked at the stuff I’ve
uploaded.
-chris
DEAR PM 