Rants - Radicalization

Rants - Radicalization

What radicalized me?

What radicalized ME?!

No.

Life - Blessings

Life - Blessings

So one extremely kind thing at Vancouver Opera. It's my first opera with them. Like many arts orgs, before opening night, we have an Indigenous blessing for all who wish to participate.

An elder speaks a few words, gives us a blessing for our performance and for our creative work. Blesses the building, the land we stand on, the air we breathe, the light we take in and all the things that bring us to that moment.

What I was not expecting, was for the company to have said a few words to the Elder to specifically call out and bless me, as the 'new member of the team' last night.

It was honestly really touching, and gratifying. I had the chance after to shake the Elder's hand and thank him.

In a role that is traditionally often overlooked, dismissed or set to the side as a lesser contributor to the arts in contrast to more 'creatives', acknowledgement and community are foundational to acceptance.

Thank you, Vancouver Opera for seeing me. 

Tower - Epilogue

 Tower - Epilogue

It has been a wild week.

Tower - Spells

Tower - Spells Guide

Writing - A Dream of Glass and Fiendlight

 Writing - A Dream of Glass and Fiendlight

I had a strange dream.

I was an alchemist in a strange place, treating sore wounds and sickness in many.

Salid taught me the language of the clay peoples, and I spoke with people from every walk in every colour and of all needs.

Even a bandit who wanted treatment. I told him I'd not treat a person of violence. 

But he called me a person of violence. 

Said I came from a land of burning winds. I told him that was true, but I had left that life behind to come here and to die.

He challenged me to a duel. 

And we fought in the market sands, as the sun fell before the three-moon night.

I slit his throat with a lapnar knife.

Thousands saw, so they dragged me to the dowager empress of glass for punishment. But she showed kindness.

She asked me to make a tincture to stop her blood quickening. And she asked so kindly. 

So I did.

I should not have. For while it was what she wanted, it caused her heart great anguish.

I watched her crying, torn between duty and love, surrounded by the public.

I woke, and said aloud, "Never shall I craft the fiendlight again". 

And that was my dream.

Opinions - On Private Healthcare

 Opinions - On Private Healthcare

I was challenged this morning where someone wanted very passionately to debate the merits of a privatized healthcare setup in Alberta.

I uh. Went off on them.

Theatre - The History of Western Korean Theatre

 Theatre - The History of Western Korean Theatre

We took a group of friends to see History of Western Korean Theatre on opening night last night. My old roommate and I have performing arts degrees, one friend works in a completely unrelated entertainment industry, and another friend had no idea what he was getting into and brought bags of snacks like it was a night at the movies. 

Politics - Jean Chretien's Birthday Letter

Jean Chretien is 91 today and he gave himself a birthday present: 

He told Donald J. Trump to piss off in the The Globe and Mail. 

The original article is here, behind Globe and Mail's

 Paywall: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-jean-chretien-canadian-leaders-donald-trump-plan/

Here's his column: 

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