Being a book
This weekend I was asked to take part in this project: http://aggv.ca/events/human-library-project as a human book. The Burlesque ladies in the troop that normally do interviews were busy being sparkly and gorgeous in other cities - doing less work in troop = less opportunity for demonstrating your fabulousness for the public.
I seem to be putting aside all kinds of opportunities to be social, with the thought that I'll be fresh and full of brain cells to write and read the endless big thoughts I'm tasked with right now. No Halloween party, no all night dancey dance, no travelling with the Burlesque ladies to perform in other cities and thus not so much practicing. Not sure if this strategy is working or not, but it does mean that when I can tear myself away from watching fluffy videos on youtube, the work gets done.
I pondered the pros and cons of dressing up, 45 minutes of make up application etc on a Saturday afternoon and finally said " fuckit!" and agreed to go. So glad... Thursday night the cast of living books met to discuss logistics, to find out about each other and get a chance to see the new contemporary portrait exhibit at the art gallery. http://aggv.ca/exhibitions/Beyond-Likeness
The gallery hosts a first thursday style night every few months called Urbanite, actually on the weekend, but has that 'hipsters are out swilling stylish drinks, listening to cool musicians, engaging with whatever fun crafting/photobooth hijinks while checking each other out' scene going on. Too popular for it's own good, crowded, a little loud - I'd probably be a bit more committed to it if I was single and seriously interested in scoping possible dates. The part that I LOOOOOOVE is the curated tour of the contemporary exhibit. Always a woman, always uber smart and sometimes pithy, always a different curator of the show leads us around to talk about the art. The reason people get MFA's - describing the artists, their politics, their sad, or scary or disturbing lives and making commentary about all kinds of things that we generally don't get to chew over - right there, this is your moment curator! This exhibit ends with quotes from Michel Foucault - every grad student's poster boy and Stuart Hall - my new favourite writer this year!
So not only did I get to hear about all kinds of passionate people, living lives beyond sitting on the couch, and somehow by association feel outrageous and influential, I got a curated tour. Win! 90 year old man who was a medical officer on a icebreaker in 1954 through the northwest passage, slow food ... enthusiast seems too mild a term, my lovely friend Beth, who has created some great community connections and love by painting and facilitating people to paint designs on hydro poles, community police, graffiti artists, homelessness advocates, writers and zen monks. The actual being a book was fun - 20 minute mini interviews with couples and the makeup looked good, the outfit created a stir. I recommend checking it out if it happens in your town. Sharing some conversations, opening up the world is good.
I seem to be putting aside all kinds of opportunities to be social, with the thought that I'll be fresh and full of brain cells to write and read the endless big thoughts I'm tasked with right now. No Halloween party, no all night dancey dance, no travelling with the Burlesque ladies to perform in other cities and thus not so much practicing. Not sure if this strategy is working or not, but it does mean that when I can tear myself away from watching fluffy videos on youtube, the work gets done.
I pondered the pros and cons of dressing up, 45 minutes of make up application etc on a Saturday afternoon and finally said " fuckit!" and agreed to go. So glad... Thursday night the cast of living books met to discuss logistics, to find out about each other and get a chance to see the new contemporary portrait exhibit at the art gallery. http://aggv.ca/exhibitions/Beyond-Likeness
The gallery hosts a first thursday style night every few months called Urbanite, actually on the weekend, but has that 'hipsters are out swilling stylish drinks, listening to cool musicians, engaging with whatever fun crafting/photobooth hijinks while checking each other out' scene going on. Too popular for it's own good, crowded, a little loud - I'd probably be a bit more committed to it if I was single and seriously interested in scoping possible dates. The part that I LOOOOOOVE is the curated tour of the contemporary exhibit. Always a woman, always uber smart and sometimes pithy, always a different curator of the show leads us around to talk about the art. The reason people get MFA's - describing the artists, their politics, their sad, or scary or disturbing lives and making commentary about all kinds of things that we generally don't get to chew over - right there, this is your moment curator! This exhibit ends with quotes from Michel Foucault - every grad student's poster boy and Stuart Hall - my new favourite writer this year!
So not only did I get to hear about all kinds of passionate people, living lives beyond sitting on the couch, and somehow by association feel outrageous and influential, I got a curated tour. Win! 90 year old man who was a medical officer on a icebreaker in 1954 through the northwest passage, slow food ... enthusiast seems too mild a term, my lovely friend Beth, who has created some great community connections and love by painting and facilitating people to paint designs on hydro poles, community police, graffiti artists, homelessness advocates, writers and zen monks. The actual being a book was fun - 20 minute mini interviews with couples and the makeup looked good, the outfit created a stir. I recommend checking it out if it happens in your town. Sharing some conversations, opening up the world is good.