Tuesdays with Morrie

I went to see this play last night with my friend Robin. We enjoyed it very much. I cried for most of it. After the play we talked about life and love and illness and dying and crying in the dark at a theatre. I cried so much I had big drops falling off my chin into my lap. Luckily I didn't sob. Robin and I agreed that sobbing in the dark at a theatre is embarassing.

Before the play we went out for supper. There we talked about work (we work in the same office), friends, family, pets, art, how our children are growing up. I realised that although I see Robin every day at work, we don't get together often to do this kind of talking. We met 23 years ago (at another job) and have been close friends ever since. Working down the hall from each other, we don't take each other for granted, but we less often step out of our co-workers roles and into our friends roles. We must do this more often.

I realised that I needed to cry generally when I said goodbye to Robin, hopped in my car, and cried some more, then I got home, parked my car and cried just a bit more - this time I sobbed. It felt good. Then I smiled, and went inside to my home and and my art and my husband and my pets and my children who are growing up and I thought about how lucky I am to be surrounded by love the way that I am.

question: did something make you feel today?

mompoet - drying off my chin

my visual DNA

Thanks to Daisy who pointed me to this fun thing:

Read my VisualDNA™ Get your own VisualDNA™

help! I'm trapped in a black velvet doodle art poster of a gothic cathedral and Leonard Cohen just stole my pink, yellow and orange felt markers

Trying to figure out if I like Arcade Fire's Neon Bible.

Question: what do you think?

mompoet - excuse me, this ornately embroidered felt cap just slid down over my ears, so I'm having trouble hearing

yes it is. no it isn't

bust it, break it, wreck it, ruin it

That's what my Dad says when things start flying around. And they have been flying. I'm going through a bit of a spell of "can't hold onto a two handled hand-holder even if it's holding my hand too." Last night I broke a glass jar lid with my head. It was one of those fancy q-tip jars for your bathroom, with an ornamental glass lid. I picked it up to put it away and somehow launched the lid through the air in a trajectory that ended just above my right eyebrow. I am 99.9% certain that it broke there on my sturdy skull, before falling to the counter and exploding out to the tile bathroom floor, but I don't have the video to prove it.

Rushing to make some salad dressing to pack in my lunch this morning, I spilled olive oil all over the top and down the front of the stove. Yuk. I guess it could have been worse. It could have been fish sauce or molasses. But still!

I walked from the gym to my car today, after my workout, and noticed at the last minute that my gold chain and cross were dangling from the corner of a pocket in the bag, just about to fall to the ground. How it worked its way out of the little pouch where I safely stow rings and necklaces when I work out, I don't know. Luckily I saw it and rescued it.

For the rest of the day I drove carefully, handled my glass of water with utmost respect, and wore a bib to eat the salad (well, that part's an exaggeration). I did turn my computer keyboard upside down and shake rye krisp crumbs out of it when the Info Services guy came to update my computer to daylight savings time. I didn't want him to think I was totally trashing the equipment!

I guess I should consider myself lucky that I didn't drop my earrings behind the couch or my cell phone in the toilet, and I'm pretty sure I did not run over anyone or thing while driving. Some days you just have to be extra careful.

question: break anything lately?

mompoet - hypothesising what I could break with my elbow (a paper plate), my nose (a ping pong ball), my baby toe (a crocodile's hangnail)

Spring has almost broken

It's daylight saving time already. The birds have been screaming every morning. Outside it's raining enough to flood the local roadways. It must be spring (almost).

In just one week, for the first time since I can remember, our whole family will take a vacation from work and school together for Spring Break. Up until now it's been Andy and the kids' show, because I've never had enough weeks of holidays, but I'm up to 4 weeks of paid vacation a year now. Most of my friends at work get a lot more, but I quit my job when the kids were little, then started over when they were both in school, so I've been playing catch-up.

This year we'll all be off. We've decided to stay home and re-do the basement to make it more up-to-date and inviting for the kids and their friends. Fiona and I looked at paint colours online. We'd like to paint it a bold colour called "licorice stick" as in red licorice. We'll get a sample from the paint store this week to be sure.

Also for spring break we have wart surgery for the dog, buying fabrics for Anne of Green Gables costumes, festival rehearsals and at least one ladies' night for me (Beadworks and the pub, in that order). It will be nice to jump off the merry-go-round and watch the spring rise up all around us.

For now, we will finish up the stuff that needs to be done at work and school, and begin the countdown.

question: do you see spring around you?

mompoet - thinking about licorice

Friday Night's all Right for a Small Rat in the 'Burbs

My gluestick re-appeared in the drawer on Friday. I think Nelson has discovered it's not so bad to stay close to home sometimes. He's had a lot of fun, especially when he was treated to After Eights last night (I think Nelson was a bit drunk). He said, "Mmmmm, Cathy, these brown wafers taste like glue stick. Can I have more?"

question: what will happen next in the life of Nelson?

mompoet - glad he's home for now

an evening at home for Nelson

You can't go out every night. On Thursday, Nelson kicked back and got clean.

I am a gas giant

You Are From Jupiter

You are exuberantly curious - and you love to explore newness. Enthusiastic and optimistic, you get a kick out of stimulating intellectual discussions. Foreign cultures and languages fascinate you. You love the outdoors, animals, and freedom. Chances are you tend to exaggerate, so try to keep a lid on that. If you do, you'll continue to be known for your confidence, generosity, and sense of justice.

What Planet Are You From?

Face Off on the Radio

Five spectacular Vancouver Poets and their poems will be featured on CBC Radio 1 this weekend. First on Saturday morning, March 10, from 6am-9am, all five poems will be included in Sheryl MacKay's North by Northwest. Next week, each of the five poems will be featured (one each day) on Priya Ramu's On the Coast.

Monday: c.r. avery
Tuesday: Brendan McLeod
Wednesday: Sue McIntyre (aka mompoet)
Thursday: Fernando Raguero
Friday: Barbara Adler - the Winner!

You can find it in the Vancouver area at 690 on your AM dial or, tune in to web radio at the same time. Just go to this page and click on Vancouver.

Last year there was a bit of rescheduling, so it might be good to check for an update on the blog before you tune in. I'll try to keep it up to date.

question: real Canadian poets on the radio - can it get any better?

mompoet - pinching myself in a restrained Canadian way

more rat adventure

In the tradition of Grade 9 students everywhere, Nelson came to work with me today. The office supervisor kicked him out of the photocopy area after he photocopied his butt and faxed it to all of his friends. He didn't mind though. Confined to my office, he made the most of my candy dish.

take me too

Nelson sees us coming and going all day and all evening. He just wants to be part of the fun.

Nelson speaks up

Now I know who took my gluestick. Nelson appeared with this note, just before it was time for me to leave for the Poetry Face Off and Slam. Nelson had a great evening. He met some new friends. Feature Poet Bill Mcnamara even took him up on stage for a duet.

Face Off

What a night! Cafe Deux Soleils was packed to the rafters by 8pm, with people standing outside the door trying to get in to see the show. Lots of friends and family showed up to cheer me on: Mom, Dad, Andy, Irene, Louise, Myrna, Karen, Cathy and Shannon. Thank you all! This year, all 5 poets were spoken word performers. All are part of our Van Slam Community. The show was the best I've seen in all 6 years that it has been happening, great poets and a totally welcoming and enthusiastic audience. Barbara Adler emerged the winner. Her poem about her Czech parents, and the real differences between life in Canada and in the old Czechoslovakia, from which they emigrated, was funny and moving, and excellent.

I'm very happy with the way my poem turned out. Thanks again to everyone who sent me pieces for its patchwork quilt. I feel blessed to have been given the opportunity to do this again. Like having a second child, this time I could relax and enjoy it.

All 5 poems will be broadcast this Saturday, March 10, some time between 6 and 9am PST on CBC Radio 1 Vancouver. Here's the url. Just click on "Vancouver" from the list on the righthand side of the page.

question: Did you ever get to do something twice that you thought was going to be "once in a lifetime?"

mompoet - grinning

question:

more mysterious rodentia

Nelson is where I left him last night, but his paws are damp and clammy - sticky? And I can't find my scissors or my glue stick.

hmmmm

question: what is Nelson up to?

mompoet - intrigued

Nelson is restless

This morning when I went out to get the newspaper from the driveway, I found Nelson the rat in between the screen door and the front door. I think he's trying to tell me something. I put him back on his shelf in the living room, and he's been there since, but when I got back from church, another strange occurrence: There's a new account on our computer called "Nelson." It's not password protected, so I logged on. Mozilla was open to the expedia.com website.

For now, I'm going to keep an eye on him. If he goes somewhere I want to know where, and who he's with, or at least that he's with someone who will make sure he is safe.

question: what's Nelson up to?

mompoet - paying attention

two beautiful

Two entertaining and beautiful discoveries today. I saw Pan's Labyrinth this afternoon. I had been warned that it was dark and violent, but also beautiful. I was frightened and repelled and enchanted. In parts, I had the same feeling as when I'm on a roller coaster, about to go into a loop. I literally hung onto the armrests of my seat and gritted my teeth. This is a movie to see when you feel strong, resilient and curious. Thoroughly satisfying.

I bought the new Shin's CD, Wincing the Night Away. I haven't got through listening to the whole thing because I keep playing track "Red Rabbits" over and over. Here's a YouTube listen. In the YouTube video, the song is superimposed over a scene from the movie Garden State. That movie featured 2 earlier Shins tracks, and helped make the group popular. I'm enjoying this CD, and especially this sad, beautiful song.

Question: where did you find magical realism in your world today?

mompoet - it's everywhere, even when you don't see it

haiku

what a relief to
dismantle a shrine and wash
the wall behind it

just a little show tune for Friday

watch

question: did anyone just come up to you and say "What are you watching?"

mompoet - a good day to you

what's in store for march?

When the sun is shining and it rains at the same time, we call it a "monkey's wedding." But I don't know what to call today. I went out this morning to find my car looking like a piece of french toast on Sunday morning, icing sugar seived over the surface. It brushed off easily without sticking (I resisted licking it). All day the sun shone and the fat flakes flew, making me think of that week in May when the cherry blossoms blow off in the wind - only it was cold and slippery outside. Whatever you call it, somebody was having some kind of party in the sky?
Giraffe's hootenany?
Vole's Bat Mitzvah?
Manatee's Shivaree?
Anyway, it was beautiful and weird.

Did you know there are 39 marshmallows in a bag? I know that because Fi is making rice krispie squares

40 marshmallows
glob of butter
splash of vanilla
7 cups of krispies

She counted out the contents of a new bag - 39. I guess they'll turn out okay anyway.

I'm cooking risotto with pesto and asparagus. So if my post is a bit choppy it's because I keep getting up to stir the broth into the rice, and have a sip of wine. Risotto is one of my favourite comfort foods. It takes at least half an hour to cook so you slow down while you make it. It requires patience with the stirring and the waiting as the rice absorbs the broth. Even the rice sounds comforting - arborio.

The strata meeting went fine. We've formed a short term committee to look into the problem. And it's all good people who I will enjoy working with.

After I eat risotto I have nothing to do. That will be nice. I have a good book and a good movie. Meantime I'm wondering what the end of March will be like. You know the saying, "In like a lion, out like a lamb." So what happens when it comes in like a kangaroo's convocation? I guess we'll have to wait to the 31st to see.

Know what else I like about March? All of the days of the week fall on the same numbers as in February (except in a Leap Year). That's kind of nice.

question: what do you call a snowy, sunny, slippery beautiful day?

mompoet - stirring the pot gently