PERFORMING THURSDAY AND SUNDAY

Performing at The Joke Club nite tonite, Thursday, June 3rd, 9:30 PM, The Comedy Bar (945 Bloor West) as "The Romantic" so if ya missed it the other week....
It's the Special Early June Edition featuring Gilson Lubin, Jeff Mcenery, Ladystache, Peter Stevens, Terry Clement, Eric Bud, me, and more!And hosted by that sweety Nick Flanagan
I'm also performing my favourite Alex Chilton song with Henri Faberge (he has the best name, like, ever), the wonderful Dana Snell, and who knows who else as part of The 1979 Show happening Sunday, June 6th at The Magpie (831 Dundas Street West- just West of Bathurst), 10ish. It's a show of songs that came out in 1979 cuz one of the organizers was conceived that year!!! They also did that Nilsson trib last month which was pretty great.

First 38 Birthdays

I originally wrote this piece as "First 30 Birthdays" for print in my regular newspaper column "Going For It." It has now been revised and updated....

In writing autobiographies it is difficult to remember details. Some are fudged. Let’s go back to your childhood. Capture a particular day that happens every year and trace it to the present. Like a birthday. The birthday is the most important day, it belongs to you, it’s yours. Although I have a bad memory for dates, people’s birthdays are the best! For this piece I have decided to trace every single birthday that I have had, with the help of my Mom for the first few.

Age 0: I was a caesarean section. No labour for my mother. I didn’t know this until now but my birthday was picked out over a two-week period. I was the fourth and youngest of boys, just boys. My Mom chose my Aunt Bertha’s birthday of May 30th. My Aunt said to my Mom, "Supposed to get a girl."
Age 1 and 2: Family parties.
Age 3: Picnic with cake. Though my Mom didn’t say, I think she was single at this point spelling out many days of powdered milk with which to wash down the cake.
Age 4: Small birthday party with four little friends including, says my Mom, "…Two little girls from across the street."
"I don’t remember them."
"Don’t you? You played with them all the time."
Age 5: Says my Mom, "You invited four little girls and one little boy. You had fortune balloons. Everyone had to jump on the balloons to break the balloons to get your fortunes read."
"What were the fortunes?"
"Whatever I could make up. That you were going to take a trip or get a new outfit." I did get sent a new outfit from my birth-Dad, it was itchy with too many buckles. I hated it.
Age 6: I remember my Step Dad, who wasn’t married to my Mom yet, becoming my Dad around this time. He snuck into my room and took a polaroid of me dancing to songs from the Dumbo soundtrack with a paper bag on my head.
Age 7: "For one birthday, I think your seventh, you got a great big robot." A Shogun Warrior that shot plastic bullets from its’ chest. All of the bullets got lost within three months, of course.
Age 8: "You invited 12 kids!” Except Kenny- him and Steve were fighting. They made up but it was too late to invite them both. My brother Frank ran the fish-pond. My birth-Dad sent me a giant plush Smurf doll that, years later, was turned into a Smurf-skin rug by my friend Chris.
Age 9: My Mom: "I know we went rollerskating. The whole kaboodle of us. A Hell of a go. Most of us had never been rollerskating before…and neither had I!"
Age 10: I had a broken foot. I pouted as my friends played. I should never have jumped off of that fort! It was too risky! And it ruined my birthday!
Age 11: Don’t remember.
Age 12: I wanted a pie fight but was told it was too messy. I was really into old slapstick. And I had a Jack Benny obsession.
Age 13: Got mocked by friends for renting The Muppets Take Manhattan but that movie marked the first appearance of The Muppet Babies! A real milestone.
Age 14: Tried to rent Devil Dog, Hound of Hell but my Mom made me take it back before we could even watch it due to its’ questionable scary content. Renting movies was a real novelty at this point.
Age 15: Don’t remember.
Age 16: As a member of student council, I invited the rest of them over for my birthday party. My mom made cheesecake. My friend Colin Gilberstad came, too. He hid in the freezer, jumped out at a pivotal moment, and we broke into a lyp-synch of a "Weird Al" Yankovic song together. We were really into lyp-synchs. Years later, I bumped into “Weird Al” Yankovich at a vegetarian restaurant and told him about these lyp-synchs to his music. He said, “Really? What’s your name?” I told him my name. He shook my hand. “Weird Al” is a very nice man.
Age 17: My rowdy friends and I had an official McDonald’s birthday party normally reserved for young children. People sneered at us, we had fun. We were goofs.
Age 18: Don’t remember.
Age 19: Most likely involved drinking far too much and dancing to the recorded music of The Red Hot Chili Peppers at the Northwoods Inn.
Age 20: Ditto. But with acid as well.
Age 21: Working up in Fort Nelson. A co-worker made me a fish dinner that I puked up on the air vent in the bar that we all went to later on in the night. For this I was asked to leave, even though I said, between burping and coughing as the bouncer backed away from me, “I’ll clean it up.” I was wearing a bright coloured sports coat. Outside, some hicks in a big truck looked at me, laughed, and said, "Are you in some kind of clown show? Heh heh heh." I hate Fort Nelson.
Age 22: Vancouver. When asked my age I curtly reply, "Old enough to know better." Just started dating my first love, who bought me dinner, she tells me that she’s falling for me. And me for her.
Age 23: My first love made me a mix tape.
Age 24: Most likely spent with my first love.
Age 25: I was devastatingly single and crashing at the gloriously named Bastard House where everyone was somehow really fucked up, a transitional point for all of us. They threw me a party. My friend and band-mate Julian showed up with a Mike Nesmith album for me. Met my friend Victoria for the first time.
Age 26: Don’t remember.
Age 27: My birthday party was held the night before my birthday at the late, lamented Pig & Whistle. Lotsa people, including my brother Frank who bought me scotch. I sang on stage for an hour. After that, a few of us went to a mellow party where I broke a pinata given to me by my friends Claire and Louise. It was full of soya sauce which burst and exploded everywhere. Uh oh! Claire and Louise later explained that, as a bachelor, they put in such items as soya sauce as I would need it for my home.
One member of my rowdy entourage attempted to steal a framed Kiss photo that was photographed by the person who lived there. The almost-thief got his head punched in by the photographer. The frame was cracked and I had to later try to track down money for the frame. The person who threw the party still won’t speak to me. The next day I met a girl that I was to get obsessed/entangled with.
Age 28: Badly spent with the girl I met last birthday. I was at the very depths of obsession with her. I was a confused wannabe boyfriend with touchy-feely tendencies that fed on her attentions. The night culminated in a lot of tears and her yelling at me on the sidewalk. Luckily, I would never hit those kinds of depths ever again.
Age 29: Off the anti-depressants and ready to do karaoke at The Dufferin Hotel Lounge, a legendary gay establishment. I felt better than I had felt in years. Bobby, the bartender, gave me the stuffed bear I sang with. Someone there warned me of blood and semen stains on it but I didn’t care. My friends Cory and Macey gave me a prosthetic ear. I was showing off a great haircut from my personal stylist. My friend Dean gave me a big bag of awesome clothes.
Age 30: Everybody says that Thirty is supposed to mean something. What? What does it mean? Why is it important? My 30th birthday was spent on tour in Australia with Canned Hamm, the act that I sing and dance in, opening for The World’s Funnyman Neil Hamburger. I had the most delicious vegan cake then we all went to sing karaoke. The possibilities, at this point in my life, seemed endless. It felt like I had nowhere to go but up. The expected 30th birthday life crises did not appear to me because of this.
Age 31: My Mother was in town. And she bought dinner for all of my friends at the Buddhist vegetarian restaurant. My brother Frank showed up but he made it plainly clear that he only eats meat. My girlfriend Charlotte wasn’t there; I think it was because she was scared to meet my mother.
Age 32: karaoke with pals.
Age 33: Most likely karaoke with pals.
Age 34: I was no longer drinking so I believe that I tried to have a mellow dinner with my girlfriend Charlotte.
Age 35: The crises that were expected to happen with my 30th birthday happened here. All the possibilities seemed not so endless now, there was an air of uncertainty. I had made some serious life changes, I was surrounded by some wonderful long-time pals at my karaoke party, yet Vancouver seemed to be holding me back. More changes needed to happen. My new girlfriend Heather was out of town which made me sad as well. Afterwards I went to The Royal Unicorn club for dancing with my pals Sonja Ahlers and her pal who gave me a energy crystal. The crowd was so young that it scared them away before they even got in the door. This was indicative of Vancouver. Something had to give.
Age 36: Glow-in-the-dark party bowling! Heather and I did romantic stuff, she bought me a nice dinner after visiting her parents. She gave me clothes that I thought, at first, were too conservative but then started wearing lots, I told her that I am like that with all gifts from loved ones: approach with caution then embrace. Lots of synth players at bowling: Szam, Blaine, Scott and a couple more.
Age 37: Trish’s backyard BBQ. A tad too cold but what the hey. Cindy and Reg gave me a pair of translucent nylon ribbed navy and red patterned socks, the kind that old bluesmen and pimps wear. Were there murmurs of Heather moving, putting our relationship in a tentative stage?
Age 38: First single birthday in years but it was okay! Really. Sonja threw a party at Grant Heaps and celebrated the birthdays of me and Shari Boyle (who was wearing her "Over the Edge" style over-alls) as we have birthdays close to each other, we blew out each other's candles on the decadent cakes that Elisa made. Earlier in the day the ladies at the office bought cupcakes and sang Happy birthday! Jopelle gave me two cacti that looked like Laurel and Hardy-perfect bachelor plant! Shea gave me a classic Ditko Dr. Strange comic book.

STUDIO VISITS

I never did post the entire series, here they are and, yes, they are for sale. They measure app. 3 feet by 2 feet.





LESLIE MY NAME IS EVIL OPENS FRIDAY/PERFORMING SUNDAY


Leslie, My Name is Evil is opening this Friday May 21st in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver!!!
It is playing at the AMC at Yonge and Dundas - 10 Dundas Street in Toronto, AMC Forum 22 in Montreal and The Cinemark in Vancouver.
I have a role in it as a slimy juror. I was originally named Henry until I told Reg, the director, that no one in the movie even calls me Henry. Oops! Shoulda kept my mouth shut- 'ponytailed juror' don't look as good in the credits! And I was only ponytailed cuz I was promised a fee haircut on set and they ran out of time! Ha!
See it soon as it may be only playing a week or so cuz it ain't from Hollywood.
Also this Sunday May 23rd at The Rivoli, 332 Queen West, at 9 pm, I'll be doing a new character called The Romantic for The Loner Show. It's the night of solo comedy without stand-up. I'm really looking forward to doing this character and the bill as usual has some really strong performers for only 5 bux...
The bill is featuring:
Hunter Collins
Robert Dayton
David Dineen-Porter
Nick Flanagan
Andrew Iwanyk
Kevin Lee
Chris Locke
Kathleen Phillips
Jared Sales
Graham Wagner
and Hosted by Brian Barlow

CAT SWEATERS

Photos that Clancy Dennehy took of me in my cat sweaters.
It was taken then never used for an article on sentimental fashion objects for some Canadian fashion mag. The article ran sans pics. Another mag was gonna re-use the article but I dunno what happened. Should I run it here?
This is 2002?2003? I was experimenting with a pencil-thin at the time (mixing up the 'stache) but it's tooo high maintenance, if you don't shave every 3 hours it looks nasty and you need an eyebrow pencil to highlight it (a tip that John Waters has written about somewheres).
Anyways these sweaters were knit from a Mary Maxim pattern by my Mother and given to me over ten years ago. I still regularly wear them. The pink one is of my childhood cat Precious. My Mother under-recognizes some of her own talents (she's also a really good writer, I used to run a column of her TV Movie Reviews in The Drippy Gazette). Clancy interviewed her at length for a never completed documentary on July Fourth Toilet.
Sadly she can't knit anymore due to arthritis.


CARAMEL HAS A TALE

This may be my most favourite Bob Bolling tale yet. Your heart will murmur. Bolling created Little Archie but his stories in the early issues were far different and far more nuanced than the later oft-reprinted adventures. This one comes from The Adventures Of Little Archie #22 from 1962.









SCAT SCAT

Found this old children's book in some sorta thrift shop somewhere sometime ago,it's inspiring...


































TURDS

The Toronto Comic Art Fair was really something special. So much quality work and wonderful people, old pal peers and heroes and new pals. It spurs me on to keep on creating and to deepen that creative focus....

Okay.

Too many turds in the blog pool lately. Had to change my comment settings. I am just too sensitive. I even got on the defense to someone who I thought was pseudonymous but probably wasn't. My back was up.
This is a common problem in blogland. I am so used to zining (Grampa Blog) or writing a newspaper column where some anonymous/pseudonymous commenter can't come on and be all mean and nasty without any responsibility or explanation whatsoever(no name to back it up). No, one actually had to post a letter! (and I did get some amusing and creative hate mail in those days)
I've been told by Hal Niedzviecki, who wrote The Peep Diaries: How We're Learning to Love Watching Ourselves and Our Neighbors, that studies have been done on these anonymous and pseudonymous commenters which show that they really are at an emotional disconnect. Due to the technology that they are using they feel a distance, they don't think that they'll be hurting anyone's feelings. It ain't the case. I was talking to ______ (someone-ahem- famous) who was actually upset at something mean that someone wrote about them on a blog. See,it gets out there and it does have an emotional effect on people. So glad that all those catty reviews I wrote in my early 20s for a weekly are just flotsam drifting away now....
I love blogging, I love this aspect of communication and having discourse. I can get pretty personal and honest. I know folks can relate, most everyone goes through stuff. And it's been quite the year. My skin gets thicker but it may still be too thin. But I may have to ease up even more on exposing my inner dialogue because of said turds. No more confessionals? I know that these are sick (who isn't?) and cowardly people- not even standing behind what they say with their true names- but I may have to be more careful.

PRISON FOR BISCUITS

It has been another eventful week. The Nilsson tribute was a blast, met up with Henri Faberge on the day of, met sweet musicians Dana and Morgan for the first time, and we blasted through it in rehearsal. Show ready! It felt great to rock out on those songs! I miss rockin' out, it's been a few months. How can one just pick two Nilsson songs to sing? We chose "I Never thought I'd Get So Lonely" and "You're Breakin' My Heart." I pulled out my VHS copy of Nilsson and Terry Southern's ill-fated collaboration that Rip Torn directed "The Telephone."It was obvious that everyone there truly loved Nilsson, lots of great covers, Ron Sexsmith played as well as a surprise guest.
I also got briefly name-checked by one of my favourite directors Guy Maddin on a Toronto blog. Man, I been a fan of his since I was a teeny bopper. He directed Frank Gorshin, who also starred in Skidoo, a movie that Nilsson did the soundtrack to!
I also had some good ice cream, sang karaoke at a co-worker's birthday, and found issue two of Fatman, the Human Flying Saucer by CC Beck and Otto Binder! !!!!!!! I'd been looking for this comic book for over ten years! I've written about Fatman twice. Obesessed. Only three issues were ever made, my copy of number one is dog eared from numerous readings and you can find out more about this unusual comic here I purchased it and a reprint of Rainbow Batman (why can't Batman be as good as he was in the 50s and early 60s? Such slick cartoony Dick Sprang art and wonderfully absurd stories) from m'man Keith Jones, who has a new book coming out, check it and see.
The past few days have also had some lows, blunders, inadvertently hurting people's feelings without wanting to, etcetera. I really just want to stay home and recharge. But I can't. I can't. I am sitting at a table at TCAF in The Small Press Schooner Room on Saturday May 8th, at the Toronto Reference Library, 789 Yonge from 9-5pm along with:
Adrienne Kammerer
Jesjit Gill
Amanda Sampson
Alicia Nauta
Brian Evinou
Alex Mackenzie
Laura Mccoy
Reid Jenkins
Jacob Horwood
Andrew Baily
Peter Kalyniuk
Kyp Harness
Mark Connery
The Schooner Room is located on the second floor of the reference library.
And if you look at the TCAF link you'll see just how exciting it looks this year (like the previous ones weren't, ha!). Jim Woodring's going to be there! Jim Woodring! Man, I used to write him fan letters as a teen. And he wrote back with the most amazing advice, I still have those letters, man, that guy is an inspiration! I believe that I've gone on about how important he is to me before.
The great Fiona Smyth is also unveiling issue 2 of her compilation comic "The Wilding" at TCAF. Here's a sneak peek of my pic for it:



As well, the upcoming "PRISON FOR BITCHES" Lady Gaga fanzine edited by Michael Deforge and Ryan Sands will make its' debut, here's my comic:

NILSSON TRIB

Thanks to my pal Serena giving me a heads up,I was able to piggyback on to dapper musician Henri Faberge's slot with him and a couple other fine people who I'll be meeting very soon and get in on singing a couple of songs for a Nilsson trib show happening Sunday,May 2nd at the Magpie (831 Dundas St. West),you know how much I love the Nilsson and love to pay tribute to the Nilsson (this'll be the third one I've been involved in...seriously:Kier-la Janisse did one a few years ago in Vancouver at the Blinding Light where she played The Point and Canned Hamm performed with kotexes on our heads ala Lennon & Nilsson's Lost weekend and Destroyer played along with other fine acts, and I DJed an all Nilsson night at FEELINGS a coupla months back, I wonder how many Nilsson tribs there's been around the world? I mean, his back catalogue is so rich,there should be weekly Nilsson). I wish I knew more (in everything) for details on this night but I think it's at 8:30 or 9 PM and there's lots of acts.


In other news: I have some drawings to make but I lost my pencil- damn! Gonna have to freestyle nib and ink it! I wish David Lee Roth was here, he's the kind of fellow who always brings his pencil, he just needs something to write on. Reminder:buy pencils.

BREAK THROUGHS

I have completed a few more pages on my Love and Loss book, phewwww.
I received an upset e mail about my "FOR THE LADIES" art show call-out (see: previous post) stating that calling women ladies is condescending. I wrote back stating that I'd been misconstrued, that I am asking for anyone of any gender that identifies as a lady to respond. Hopefully that cleared that up, but I really have to admit, sometimes I wonder if this is a stupid idea and am doing some 'straight(ish) white(ish) male(ish)' fumbling and stumbling. I wonder if there are any men at LadyFest? I'm such a second guesser. And, yes, if it does rub you wrong the way, feel free to express that: I want to keep it an open platform. Althoooooo..... I thought I had a wide variety of responses until I realised I have nothing from non-female ladies! Anyone who is or knows of anyone that identifies as a lady and is non-female or was born non-female? Please please please contact me! Somewhat serious responsees only please.
On to topic at hand. I made a personal break-through this weekend. Hmm, have I taken my post-relationship blog post from a few days ago down yet? I think I will now. It's tooooo revealing, maybe tooo vulnerable...there! It's down! Anyways, back to my breakthroughs, even if I had done everything 'just so' and did not have my character defects, the relationship would have still ended the same way, no matter what. So I have to stop beating myself up and feeling serious remorse over the part I played. I still have personal work to do, of course, I'm not doing it for a finished relationship. And this personal work is never ending! Wish me luck, it gets scary.
I read two things this week which got me thinking. I've started reading The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen, a great piece of fiction so far. In it, one main character is writing an awful misogynistic screenplay that's basically angry and vindictive towards women that he feels messed up his life (ie. a college sex scandal). The book is quite uproarious- tho verrrry dark- in its' truths. I also read a newspaper interview with someone who wrote an angry non-fiction book called "I hate Your Band" or "I Won't See Your Band" or something. The writer had given up on dating arty/musician guys who (pigeonhole alert)wear vintage frames (ouch, wish I had perfect vision), ride bikes (ouch), play in bands that she doesn't want to sit through (mmmmaybe ha ha), etcetera etcetera...The whole interview read as a verrrrry bitter thing that may have been better served with professional therapy.
(Gawd, I wish I could afford therapy)
Those two examples made me realise that for my book (which is on Love and Loss)and for all of my art, I best steer clear of the personal vindictive as it is an unhealthy way to reach people. Certainly anger and bitterness are stages that will need to be explored in a book on Love and Loss, but it has to be worn well and with class intact. I had been guilty in the past of being personally angry in my art and I can certainly say from experience, that it never looks good.
Luckily, I don't feel that angry. Grumpy, yes.
I also found an amazing book on grieving at a church rummage sale. It has great layout and ideas. Should I post some pages? Let me know.

FOR THE LADIES

Hello. If you identify as a lady (no matter what your gender or if you gender) then I may just need your kind assistance and suggestions: "What would you, as a lady, like to see depicted in my art (or, more simply, art in general)?" I am open to responses but really do need to hear from non-female born ladies as well as I have not had any responses from them yet.

I have an art show in August at IndexG which I am entitling "For The Ladies." These will be approximately a dozen works on paper using pen and ink and water colours. I've been pretty deeply affected by the early 70s glam revival of art deco and will most likely be using that palette, ie. soft pinks and yellows and such (someone was asking me how soft pinks, et al, identify with ladies...er, that's just colours I like right now, nothing to do with topic at hand, just like how it'll be pen and ink, just a b/g of what I am doing).

Though, visually my imagery will be dwelling more in the realms of ambiguity, I still have to ask, "What would you, as a lady, like to see depicted in my art (or art in general)?"

The subjects that I am portraying-ie.the work itself- is what will be most important and that's why I've asked for advice and dialogue, but I am not actively pursuing confrontation. Admittedly, once one gets into gender issues, it gets thorny. Is gender dying? I am straightish whiteish maleish, there's no getting around that but I am asking for responses from anyone who identifies as a lady, I do this without any form of posturing of machismo. I have a personal dissatisfaction with some elements of masculine culture. See, I do not readily identify with certain masculine tropes- are we binary? Can one dwell in the grey areas between feminine and masculine tropes?
I have had some ask me why the name "For The Ladies"? I simply can't call it "For The Women" for several reasons. I really believe that elements of masculine and feminine dwell in all of us, I want to be inclusive. If I called it "For the Women" I also believe it would be more suspect. If I saw a guy give a show that title I would really call his motives into question, I'd be wondering, "What's his angle?" And also, the show has a playful tone, my work is playful.
If you are shy or somewhat private, feel free to drop me a line instead with your suggestions.
Oh, and if you have an articulate opinion on this concept or think the concept needs further clarification, feel free to contact.
Feel free to forward and anyone who identifies as a lady.

ROCTOBER REVIEWS

Numerous comic reviews that I've written are now up at the legendary Roctober Magazine's blog:
http://roctoberreviews.blogspot.com/2010_04_01_archive.html

They will be printed in the next issue of the magazine as well. For those not in the know, Roctober is a scrappy and fun music enthusiast mag from out of Chicago, a city that is very steeped in music and Roctober goes all over the musical map with a love of eccentricity! Lately they have expanded their focus to include more comics! Yay! Which means that I have been writing plenty of comics reviews for their last few issues. I really want you to click the above link as some of these comics really deserve to be known, there's some wild ones!

STILL MORE NELLIE NO-DATE

Remember what I said last post about Spring? I lied. No. Hold that. I didn't lie. The weather did. Grrrrrrey (to be read with rolled r's). I know because I have been with the people on the streetcar. I can read their moods. I don't want to be with them. I want to be free.
In terms of pure sociological need, I found another episode of Nellie No Date by Ogden Whitney and Shane O'Shea. This one appeared in Herbie issue number 8, as well I've thrown in the never reprinted letters column. Enjoy your Friday nite!



PHOTOGENIC NEURASTHENIA



Hmmm, maybe I'm not depressed. Or, if I am, maybe I know how to better handle it, more experience, an upgrade in coping skills. Hmmm.
Hmmm.
Last week I saw Gary Panter do a free lecture and it was sooo empowering! Really! This guy has been a hero of mine for many years and he didn't disappoint. In terms of being a person that works in various mediums and having people ask, "What's your focus?", he totally validated it, cuz it's all art!He said that he'd never designed sets before he designed the sets for PeeWee's Playhouse but he went at it with an artist's gusto. He also told us that beating ourselves up for not getting work done is unhealthy, we should call it 'recharging our batteries'. I beat myself up all the time for not getting stuff done. But resting is important. One fella at the end asked how Panter 'made it' as he's an artist, too, and has to work 40 hours a week. Panter basically said that it's all an illusion. And I believe that he said something along the lines of how fame does not equal money. Well, I understand that, I have a mountain of press clippings that do not translate into sales.
I wish I was taking notes as Panter did a survey of art that featured artists I've never heard of! He also described his upbringing and gave us some technical tips! What a lecture! More than a few people in attendance wanted to go home and draw after that!
I want to draw more but time....no time...can't beat myself up.
My pal Serena recently sent me an old drawing that I did with Jason for The Blinding Light Mag. She recently used it in a class oral report on 'photogenic neurasthenia.'Uh, I don't know what that means, either. Oh. You do? Okay.
The Blinding Light, for a bunch years in the late 90s or so to the 2000s, was a neat lil place in Vancouver that played some risky experimental film and had a cafe! I miss it. When it closed much more than a few people were sad as it really left a hole in The Couve. This drawing was for their mag. They called me Rob right on the page. Why, I don't know. I hated that. I don't steal, I give.

INCREASED DISTRIBUTION: WHO WILL BUY


I haven't had too many comments of late, maybe I'm just not reaching the people, I dunno. Or am I just not provocative enough? Sigh. Should I undo another button? Again? I even lost a blog follower, who it was, I don't know but I lost one! In the blog world one follower counts for the opinions of two people!
So in the meantime I will recklessly self-promote in hopes that it will lower the tides of a very real depression (what else is new)...
My series of self-help booklets Y2K Compatible are slowly reaching the people. These booklets are intimate and VERY reasonably priced for the knowledge that they impart.

Now available in Bruno, Saskatchewan at All Citizens:
http://www.allcitizens.org/

In New York City at Cinders:
www.cindersgallery.com

In Toronto at Katharine Mulherin gallery:
http://www.katharinemulherin.com/

And at This Ain't The Rosedale Library:
http://www.thisaint.ca/

And just arrived at Art Metropole which is also selling the July Fourth Toilet vinyl LP, nicely written links here, here, and here!

The latest issue, #4/5, is the best issue and some places have previous issues but not that one, such as Le Pressier in Montreal, Luckys in Vancouver, and TO mail-order site Mish Mish...

I'd luv em to have the current ish but hey... If you want the current ish, even better. Drop me a line.

VANCOUVER ART EXODUS ONLINE LINK

My Feature for Broken Pencil #45 now online here:

http://www.brokenpencil.com/view.php?id=3480

Agree or disagree, I'm fine either way, have a little tizzy if you like, use regional weapons of choice, a slice of 99 cent pizza if need be. I'll watch and maybe grab the crust when you are done.
There are things I am missing about Vancouver. My dear friends that remain, of course, the amazing food: I can't find a panini as good as at La Grotta, noodles as good as at Legendary Noodle, sushi sushi sushi (one good thing about TO is they have Health Board signs posted in all of the restaurant windows, many of their sushi spots say "Conditional Pass" uh oh, sushi with a condition- a condition of the heart?), and amazing coffee especially at Continental Coffee.
I thought that TO might've been slow on trends- even in some art scenes as I've seen art that had some silly faux witchy obsessions with feathers, wood, and crystals all twined together in some post-teen ritual and Royal Art Lodge rip-off knock-offs (here's an idea, give those actual former and present Art Lodgers some money, they need it more)and also blurry party pics of naked girls stumbling around with tattooed bearded guys (man, I thought that look went out in 1996)puking into each others' mouths. However I saw a recent show of Vancouver-based art that showed all of those exact same things.
Toronto is a nice looking city but I find it, err, sexually Conservative. Not as in elected officials but vibe, overall vibe, all pants are zipped to the neck (a new fashion style I cannot literally get into).
My Vancouver pals tell me things are pretty quiet there. I thought the world was watching! I won't be going back soon. But, yeah, there are things I miss. Hope you enjoy the article.