N.S. Premier John Hamm to retire from politics; says fresh leadership needed, La Cour suprême déboute les cigarettiers et donne raison à la C.-B. Inbox

chris lloyd to paul, paul, me
More options 11:51 pm (0 minutes ago)

Dear Paul,

When did I last write you? Yesterday? This morning? It is all becoming a blur, these 6AM mornings, 12-hour workdays, Godfather evenings. Asleep again in front of Part 2 last night. Was the surprise party yesterday afternoon? It was. I had run errands half the day. Mary almost spilled the beans when she saw me come back into the hospital room, for the second time in one day, but Robyn wasn't supposed to know that, but he found the guitar on his own and was pleasantly surprised. It was an odd party, we shared the chocolate cake but Mary wasn't herself because her medication had been changed and Burt was having a fit because he was soaked in urine.

So today I fiddled with some gallery stuff, finished a few minor renovations, finished the third window diffuser, organized a bit more for the panel tomorrow. Got my haircut, a very good deal at $17 + tip to have wonderful Cara massage my scalp for ten minutes of bliss. Helped Judy get a few more things down to the convention centre. Helped Christina Parker hang a few large photographs in the Art Market section. One of them had broken, shattered by incompetents at Air Canada, so I helped her get the broken glass and artwork out of the frame. Then it was assembly time, stuffing 250 delegate packages and assembling 40 table centrepieces and folding 150 Third Space gallery brochures and buying 2 pizzas and 6 beers and thinking about the 500+ business men Donna cut up for her Business Mandala, or the hundreds of plastic bottles Jerome collected, or the 2400 Post-it notes Kristiina wrote on, or the 13,000+ pins Lisa stuck in the wall, or the 1500+ letters I have written to you, you and your predecessor, and the 9 replies I've received in close to 5 years, and then I read an article in [here] that mentioned creative municipalities and the Khyber and I flipped out thinking of how HRM is sticking the screws to the Khyber with a $30,000 tax bill, and how much municipal support is that when that poor centre pays the city $3,100 per month in rent and covers all the operating utilities on the building, which adds up to close to $50,000 per year, and it only receives $26,000 from Canada Council and THAT is supposed to be for programming, and it just pisses me off. This conference, with its theme of the Creative Municipality, should be a lot of fun this weekend. I hope I have the guts to speak my mind.

So Hamm retired? Good riddance. Fuck sometimes I really hate the smarmy attitude politicians carry.

Oh, on a positive note I received a lovely letter from my sweetheart, which is such a wonderful thing to arrive home to. Not as wonderful as being there, or being together, but she writes so well and so convincing that it becomes a close second. Better than the phone. You know we have problems with that.

I'm off to shave and put the laundry in the dryer and that meowling cat Roo, "the queen", outdoors.

-chris

Michaelle Jean says time of 'two solitudes' is past, calls for unity, Québec tente de séduire tour à tour les deux pays les plus populeux du globe   

chris lloyd
Wed, Sep 28, 2005 at 12:15 PM
To: pm@pm.gc.ca

Dear Paul,

Sounds like you had a blast at Michaelle Jean's inauguration
yesterday. Shortly after I wrote you yesterday morning I was pulled
over by the cops while driving Judy to work while she was eating a
bowl of oatmeal. Luckily the lady cop didn't give me a ticket, though
she must have thought we were both crazy to be going to work at 5:30AM
before the phones start ringing. Which is what they do, starting at
9AM sharp.

Good news on the gallery front. Erin, a friend of Suzanne's who just
moved here in the summer (whose husband is now on strike at CBC and
has been longer than he's been working; anything you can do to speed
up a solution to this problem would be greatly appreciated, not just
for their sake but for the love of this country, the CBC, for crying
out loud, do we really want to rely on commercial radio and TV for our
news and programming?). Anyway, Erin helped me with Donna's Business
Mandala piece, getting it started was the trickiest part. Later in the
afternoon I started in on Jérôme's piece, and managed to finish it in
the evening after running more errands with Judy. We got home late,
had some wine and all fell asleep to the Godfather.

The two circular pieces in the gallery look great, like planets and
starbursts, and the pins are like little stars and constellations.

This morning I slept in (until 6AM) and we were on the road shortly
thereafter. Ran errands most of the morning. Such as taking the new
guitar starter kit that Judy bought Robyn for his birthday and hiding
it in Judy's parent's hospital room. We're having a party there later
this afternoon. The guitar wouldn't fit under the bed or in her locker
so it is hiding behind her curtain. The cake is in the locker.

Going to go paint baseboards in the gallery and see if Peter wants
help with the bar ceiling.

Families of slain Mounties press Ottawa to get tough on drugs, violent crime, Gilles Duceppe tente d'atténuer ses propos sur André Boisclair Inbox

chris lloyd Dear Paul, For the first time in a long while, for almost as long as I can re...
10:14 pm (6 hours ago)



chris lloyd to paul, paul, me
More options 4:54 am (0 minutes ago)

Dear Paul,

I had hoped that yesterday was an anomaly but it appears that I have indeed gone partially nocturnal. This morning I was wide awake at 4:20AM. Better than 3AM I suppose. Peter was already up and on the computer but he has since gone back to bed to try to get some more sleep. Judy should be up any minute to get ready to go to the office early. I'll go with her and get a good start on gallery brochures and information for the exhibitor booth at the conference. This afternoon we install some art, yay!

-chris

Families of slain Mounties press Ottawa to get tough on drugs, violent crime, Gilles Duceppe tente d'atténuer ses propos sur André Boisclair Inbox

chris lloyd to paul, paul, me
More options 10:14 pm (0 minutes ago)

Dear Paul,

For the first time in a long while, for almost as long as I can remember, I awoke at 3Am and couldn't get back to sleep. Finished Sans Sang AND James and the Giant Peach, and as well watched some video with the TV turned sideways for a different effect. Has insomnia finally struck me as well? The wine bar / conference / gallery stresses finally getting to all of us?

No matter. Today was fairly productive. I am now de facto bilingual office worker. Francophones calling about questions of media passes or hotel accommodations are sent my way. Good practise. I spoke with my panelists. They are mine now. Under my spell. I am in control. It will all go smoothly. Spent the day getting things done. Or working towards that effect.

After she finished her shift at the restaurant Meghan helped me clean the remaining dust from the gallery walls and prep them for installation. Still waiting on an overhead projector from NBM to trace Donna's template and a certain type of staple gun for Jérôme's piece. Spoke to Judy's mom on the phone and we shared a few laughs. I think we each appreciate one another's sense of humour.

We three ate out at Sushi House tonight and I admire their decor and the food wasn't half bad. Came home to Internet and wine and CSI and then, to top it all off, a rousing bit of Saint John Common Council proceedings on cable TV. The most entertaining thing I've seen in a long, long time.

-chris

projects room
Originally uploaded by Chris Lloyd.

Michaelle Jean to give up French citizenship as she becomes Governor General, Michaëlle Jean sera la première gouverneure générale québécoise depuis 1984 Inbox

chris lloyd to paul, paul, me
More options 10:00 pm (0 minutes ago)

Dear Paul,

Went into the building early this morning and set off the alarm. I was 1 number off and couldn't figure out why it wouldn't disarm. I stood there stupidly entering the same digits, the proper code just not entering my brain. Luckily Peter was there to call ADT and stop the cops from showing.

So I managed to sand the small gallery room floor, vacuum everything and put a coat of urethane over the entire gallery. The floors look great. Very rustic. Just a few minor touch ups on baseboards and some minor plastering, and lots of dusting, and the gallery will be ready to install the rest of the work. I'd like to have it done by the end of the week, just in time for the conference.

We had lunch at Sebastian's and I had to make my own espresso. The waitress couldn't get the machine to work. Youngsters. Good quiche though. We've become this bizarre trio who can't help but comment on every aspect of restaurants or bars, from the architecture to the service, everything is analyzed. Hopefully it will all contribute to us having a kick-ass bar.

BTW, Curtis and his brother Al brought by a prototype for the bar stools, they are very, very nice. Those boys are excellent carpenters. They've also made some ottomans and today were working on the benches at the front of the bar. The upholstery arrives on Wednesday. It's all coming together.

Except the glass washer has to go. Did I tell you already? He finally got it working, only to find it leaks, and is way too loud. So it's gotta go. So now it's back to Plan B, which was originally Plan A anyway, which is to have a sink-based, single glass washer installed.

Last night the Continental Drift after-party was a bit of a bust. I didn't go to the film screening as Peter and Judy had picked up take-out from Asian Palace and we ate lamb korma and polished off a couple bottles of red wine in the bar while brainstorming over coffee table dimensions and design. Then I waited until around until almost 11PM (got through most of the Globe) for the crowd to show up. All thirty of them. Most who turned and fled when they entered the gallery to find only Judd as DJ and *gasp* no bar (Lemongrass was serving downstairs, but it proved to be too far a distance). I heard the films weren't as well-received and half the audience didn't come back after intermission. Maybe people just can't party 2 nights in a row here? Not that I'm doing much partying. I only go out once or twice a month and look what happens when I do.

So after another fun-filled visit to the hospital (I quite like it; must be the feeling of accomplishment, of feeling useful, and practising my feeding skills will come in handy if I have kids any time soon. Not that I'm likely to have kids any time soon; a certain form of stability in terms of income and habitat would be nice first, but you know, the future), we came home and Peter made paella and we ate in front of a riveting CSI: Miami. Boy, that Horatio is one tough nut. Why is it that Canadians are so engrossed by American crime dramas? We have one of the lowest crime rates in the world. We must get off on the horrible vicariousness and textbook clichéd dialogue of it all.

So despite all this TV I'm still reading, trying to wrestle my way through a half dozen books. Almost finished Sans Sang, by Alesandro Baricco, translated by Françoise Brun (my first french novel! I gave up on the Proust after twenty pages, way beyond me), and I recently started James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl. I'm still lodged in the Rebel Sell by Joseph Heath and Andrew Potter and haven't visited Capital Culture in some time. I started the Tom Robbins Fierce Invalids Home from Hot Climates but find his tone a bit pedantic and condescending. For fun I'm working my way through Lucy: Psychiatre, a classic Peanuts book by Schulz, but in french. Good practise, though it's speaking and writing where I need the practise. Maybe I'll get my chance at the conference, if I don't freeze up in fear.

Talked to Clo for quite a while tonight. We're both frustrated at the whole distance thing, and having to resort to telephone calls. We've never been much for communicating by phone. We prefer direct contact. Who doesn't?


-chris

Rita's impact less than expected for many Canadians in U.S. Gulf Coast areas, Jean Charest plaide pour la diversité culturelle auprès des Chinois   

chris lloyd
Sat, Sep 24, 2005 at 5:00 PM
To: pm@pm.gc.ca

Dear Paul,

I forgot to tell you about the apartment I visited yesterday with my
Dad. He had seen the place briefly during one of his inspections and
thought it might be a possibility, as it was fairly cheap with loads
of space. But after a closer look I think the cons outweigh the pros.
For starters, the windows were rotting. So was the asbestos siding.
And there were no kitchen appliances whatsoever. No tub, only a
shower. And the landlord wasn't prepared to invest any money to make
it a little more hospitable, which could have included addressing any
of the previous or any of the following: tearing up the brown carpet
and the faux wood paneling and replacing flourescent light fixtures.
The place is more suited to an office, which is what it was
previously. Kind of reminded me of what the offices of a really low
grade film company might resemble.

Today I slept in a bit, washed dishes, washed laundry, picked up some
caulking from Canadian Tire and drove Robyn downtown with me. Worked
on the baseboards in the gallery. Consulted with Peter and Judy on
issues with the bar. The glass washer was working, but it leaks, and
it is far too loud. Peter is switching to plan 'B', a cleaning unit
mounted in a third sink.

We had lunch on the boardwalk and watched the festivities for the
Harvesting the Arts festival, including performances by the Saint John
Idol winner, a Pakistani rock group, An Indian dancer, a Chinese fan
dance, Square Dancing Dogs, a Salsa dancing couple and a folk singer.
It was diverse and fun and the sun had come out, burning off that
brutal morning chill that just came out of nowhere last night.

I finished the baseboards and primed them and now I just need to
vacuum the walls free of all the dust that I kicked up this week.

-chris

Prime minister signs $145m gas tax agreement with N.S. Premier John Hamm, Boisclair s'est assez expliqué sur sa consommation de coke, selon un député Inbox

chris lloyd to paul, paul, me
More options 9:34 am (0 minutes ago)

Dear Paul,

Went to the first night screening of the Continental Drift Film Fest last night with Robyn. Judy was exhausted and Peter the same. He's having problems with the glass washer. After three days the plumber finally got it hooked up and now it just sits there, lights on, not working. But the sink is working fine. Things are slowly coming together.

So the film fest. It was short films. I think my favourites were the Quebec entries, Together or Apart? by Philipe Gauthier and La Saisie by Steve Rompré, and a few of the Swedish films. There were lots, actually, but Girl Power by Per Carleson and the animated Butler by Erik Rosenlund were the best. Do the Swedes have some sort of cultural obsession with the Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Polka Dot Bikini? Because references to it were made in a couple films, one animation was built almost entirely around the song. Hunting Lessons by Michael MacDonald was also well-made and fun. Actually, I quite enjoyed Louise as well, an animation based on a 96-year old Franco-Manitobian, narrated by her as she describes her quotidian activities.

Yesterday I started on baseboards in the gallery. Peter had bought a new table saw so we were able to make the edge cuts. My joints and seams aren't the greatest but I swear there isn't a straight edge or level wall or 90-degree corner in the entire gallery. So I use lots of caulking. Caulking is my friend. Caulking makes it all good.

Did I tell you that I am now moderating a panel for the Atlantic Cultural Spaces Conference? The one about Creative Places. I have to talk to the panelists within the next few days to get a sense of how it will all unfold.

Peter, Judy and Debbie and I had lunch with Karina yesterday at The Infusion in early celebration of her birthday. She's stressed like crazy about the disorganization and poor middle management at her job.

Do you ever get stressed like crazy about your job? For fear of being fired or losing an election? Making the wrong decision? Having so many people mindlessly hanging off your every decision? You must have thick skin to be PM.

-chris

PS Oh I keep forgetting to mention that Dave says hi to Joël.

Fears of Rita trigger panic buying and gas price spikes in Maritimes, Ontario, Boisclair espère convaincre plus de jeunes de devenir membres du PQ Inbox

chris lloyd to paul, paul, me
More options 11:13 pm (0 minutes ago)

Dear Paul,

Finished sanding the floors in the main gallery today. Tomorrow I'll finish them, after putting in the baseboards. Peter bought a new table saw so we can finish the edges of the pine. It's all coming together.

Had lunch with Judy and Suzanne and ended up agreeing to moderate a panel on Creative Places at the conference. It hasn't met with final approval yet but I can't see a problem. Should be fun.

Want to know just how small this town is? I set up a few appointments to look at apartments today. The first was in the building my old friend Peter Doyle lived in, on Germain Street. Very close to work and not a bad apartment. It is owned by the couple who recently opened the restaurant, Sebastian, which is across the street from us on Princess. Then, while talking to a building owner about his place on Carmarthen, he mentions to me that he is also buying a place on King Street East, and names the address. Oddly enough, I was just on my way to an appointment there (it was too small). It's like the global 6 degrees of separation rule drops to 3 degrees in Saint John.

Anyway, it almost seems to be slightly too early to be looking, since ideally I'd like to find a place for end of October-early November.

I watched three hours of CSI tonight and my brain feels like mush.

-chris

Twelve years in jail for murder that may not have happened 'hell,' man says, Le juge Fraser Martin espère que le gouvernement fédéral donne signe de vie Inbox

chris lloyd to paul, paul, me
10:39 pm (0 minutes ago)

Dear Paul,

Just came back from a film screening at the King Square Cinemas, or what is now called King Square Cinemas. Back when I lived here before there was a grand old cinema called King Square Cinema and my former landlord bought the property from Empire (Sobeys) and tore it down to make a much-needed parking lot. The Paramount Cinema across the square were renamed. So tonight was the launch of some Harvest Arts Festival and there was a screening of a couple short films and a mocku-mentary on the local band Grand Theft Bus. Judy and I ducked out before the end; the film was a tad long, and could have used some stricter editing, but overall was lots of fun.

Spent the day sanding floors in the gallery. Am close to 1/3 finished. It takes a little longer with the hand-held belt sander. Peter's friend Steve came by with his grinder and took apart the steel wall in between the two safes. I'll clear the rest of the rubble out of there this week. Worked on some signage and marketing strategies with Judy. We have some strict guidelines to conform to as we are in a heritage district and signage has to reflect late 19-Century looks and materials.

My dad came by the office with an idea for an apartment in a commercial part of town but with lots and lots of room. We set up an appointment for Friday morning. It sounds a bit dubious, as it is close to Marsh Creek, but lots of space is a plus, and it could have lots of potential. Marsh Creek tends to smell bad. I went for a walk around the South End after work looking for other apartments and took down some numbers to call tomorrow. There are a few that could be promising.

I've been very much enjoying the Antony and the Johnsons CD Claudine sent in the mail. She sent us all a great gift package that also included chocolates and fab Cherry Bomb coffee. What a gal. I miss her a lot, which might explain the recent blues. I just want things to start already, have our own place, start living. Not that things are bad here, on the contrary, but I feel a bit like a perpetual house guest, like Kato Kaelin or something. I've been visiting and crashing with friends for three months. I feel the need to settle down and organize my stuff.

-chris

CAW and DaimlerChrysler make deal early Tuesday, avert strike, Paul Martin présente son plan d'action pour les prochains mois à Gatineau  

chris lloyd
Tue, Sep 20, 2005 at 12:10 PM
Reply-To: dearpm@gmail.com
To: pm@pm.gc.ca

Dear Paul,

So sorry. Again. about not writing. I've been feeling depressed and
didn't want to write and pester you with it. You know the drill.
Anyway, I started sanding the floors in the gallery this morning and
so now I feel better. It's nice to get back to work. It can be
relaxing in the 'burbs but I ended up just watching too much TV and
letting the cats in and out of the house every fifteen minutes.
Restless! My eye feels better today, though it's starting to take on
that odd yellowish bruise colour. And it looks like I'm wearing bright
mauve eyeshadow. Judith filled me in more on the bout; the guy I
tackled outweighed me by 70 pounds. I have to learn to be more prudent
with my ambition.

-chris

President of China concludes 10-day trip with call for increased co-operation, La coopération Chine-Canada profite à toute la zone Asie-Pacifique, dit Hu  
chris lloyd
Sun, Sep 18, 2005 at 11:13 AM
Reply-To: dearpm@gmail.com
To: pm@pm.gc.ca

Dear Paul,

Everything was going fine Friday night with the film festival launch
at the gallery until I went across the street with Judy, David and
Mary-Ellen and Mike Parker and broke the cardinal rule of drinking by
mixing my drinks, trying out a few of the tasty martinis at
Sebastian's. Not a good idea. Not pretty. It was like the sensible
person in me just up and fell asleep, or walked out the door, leaving
a nasty, empty shell wandering around blathering on about who knows
what to anyone willing to listen. It was total Dr. Jekyll-Mr. Hyde,
especially later when the evening totally degenerated into me breaking
a lamp of Judith's and then attacking some random guy on the street
with my infamous tackling move. What a scene. I really have no idea
what happened, it was like blacking out but remaining awake at the
same time. Anyway, Judith managed to get me into a taxi after the
group of guys managed to separate me and my victim, who probably got
the upper hand in the tussle fairly quickly as I now sport a lovely
swollen eye. I remember almost nothing, except thinking I was provoked
somehow, but most likely it was all in my head.
Which is, of course, the scary part. What the hell is going on with
me? It can't just be blamed on abuse of alcohol. Besides, at my age I
should know not to mix my drinks. Why is it only in this city that I
get the urge to be violent? This town is too small for crap like this
to happen, this crap can just not happen. I can't be setting examples
like this, I can't be repaying the generosity of my friends and family
like this, it's just stupid, inane, it can't happen like this.

Long-distance relationships suck, they suck big time. This crap
wouldn't happen if Claudine were here. It drives me half out of my
skull to be away from her like this.

FIRST-MINISTERS

FIRST-MINISTERS
Originally uploaded by Chris Lloyd.

Owch! My arm! Whadya go an do that for! Damn! I think you broke it! Idiot!

Where's the fix? health providers ask a year after the health accord signed, Neuf candidats se feront � lutte dans la course au leadership du PQ Inbox

chris lloyd to paul, paul, me
11:11 pm (0 minutes ago)

Dear Paul,

I'm not writing much tonight. I wore myself out on the grant-writing today. I only finished three of four on time. It was too much. I'll save the fourth and elaborate and spend more time with it and submit it as part of an interdisciplinary grant in November. And waiting in Staples after photocopying everything was torture. How did they ever land a Canada Post franchise? Everybody working in the store was 15 years old and no one knew how to ring in a few envelopes. The wait was excruciating. I blame the lights. That many fluorescent lights in one place are bound to drive people crazy. People like me, at any rate. I wonder if studies have been done? I should apply for a research grant to see if Staples stores actually give rise to violent behaviour.

So I didn't go to the NBM Rick Mercer fundraiser last night, they weren't giving out free tickets to artists who submitted artwork. And my painting sold at half the listed value. sigh.

Tonight I helped Peter a bit with his new Happinez Wine Bar website. Some idiot stole his outboard motor off his boat last night, or maybe the night before. They just cut all the cables and lines and ropes and unbolted it from the boat. A cop came by to take the statement but wouldn't dust the knife that was left behind for fingerprints. Apparently the moist night air makes it useless. Funny, it never seems to be a problem on CSI.

-chris

Fire crews change tactics, use ground crews, to combat Burns Bog fire, Candidat à la direction du PQ, Louis Bernard veut régler son problème d'image

chris lloyd
Tue, Sep 13, 2005 at 8:09 PM
To: paul martin , paul martin
Cc: chris lloyd

Dear Paul,

Sorry I have been erratic in my writing. You know what they say: "If we can't be vulgar, we can't be bothered". Well, at least it's what WE say. From time to time.

Today I took a break from grants and worked in the gallery, somewhat successfully completing two of the window shades. They look HOT. I should be an interior designer. I should charge my client $175 / hour and make the world a more beautiful place for those who could afford my outrageous fees. Also I re-painted, second coat, almost the whole gallery, with cute Meghan's help, the artist/waitress from downstairs. It is good to have gallery volunteers, it makes it really feel like we're doing something, that people want to get involved, that the gallery is like a hub, will become this nerve centre of activity, will become useful, important.

Judy swung the provincial ARCs a booth at the Creative Spaces conference, which will be good. I also spoke with Peter Buckland about involving Third Space in the October Art Crawl (Gallery Hop; I prefer the "pub crawl" connotations). Both require some money. Hopefully we'll find some by then. Where? Perhaps under a rock, or maybe it will fall from the sky. After the CC grants this week I'll start work on the provincial one. I'm worried about how we'll print invitations and posters. Maybe it will all be digital? Virtual? Instead of business cards I could whip out a jiffy marker and write the dates of openings on people's hands or clothing. That should get some attention.

Anyway, I'm off to work on some budgets and read some memoirs of when Judy's parents were missionaries in Africa and were kidnapped and almost executed by rebels. Sort of helps put things in perspective. Then I'll shave, because my 3-day beard is itching like madness, and reflect on life and the future and the universe and stars and fun stuff like that.

 

Martin joins U.S. ambassador to mark 9-11 anniversary, reaffirm fight, Le Canada souligne le 4e anniversaire des attentats de septembre 2001

chris lloyd to paul, paul, me
10:25 pm (11 minutes ago)

Dear Paul,

Wow, I admire how clearly you can look at the world: that you have the guts, or the gall, to say you, and by extension I assume you mean "we", will stand "shoulder to shoulder" with Bush and the US in their hapless war on terror. Have you completely lost your mind? Are you really just a thoughtless puppet?

"Above all else we will always remember that 9-11 was a human tragedy," said the prime minister. "Four years on now, sons are growing up without fathers, daughters without mothers, families never to be the same again."

"The events of that morning changed our perspective in North America forever," said Martin. "They gave a new dimension to the battle against terrorism, a battle we will wage relentlessly."

A new dimension? Perhaps you are referring to the "known unknown" of exactly how much money the US owes to its' creditors, or perhaps how, in the face of Katrina, the ugly inequalities between rich and poor were thrust into prime time, how the price of gasoline has people wondering over the true reasons behind war in Iraq, invasions of Afghanistan just a foil to build new pipelines, the US empire desperately clawing back the surging Chinese, their economic might now joined with new alliances with Russia--the new red threat for the third millennium?

The "human tragedy" is 59 million Americans that turn to FOX and vote Bush Jr. in a second time. The "human tragedy" is the global obsession with oil.

Can't we just get over it? Fund better renewable energies and alternative fuel programs? Teach and live and learn better ways of living? Kick George Bush Jr. in the nuts, real fucking hard? Could you do that for me, next time you visit that asshole? Lyndon B. Johnson once grabbed Pearson by the lapels of his coat and told him he "pissed on his rug"; consider the kick a simple tit for tat.

Anyway, today I worked on grants and continued painting the gallery. Managed to get a first coat on almost everything.

Just before leaving Judy's office I got a phone call from Steve, the trucker the AGC asked to return my work. Good thing I answered the phone. We made arrangements to meet on the highway, as he was just driving through. Curtis the carpenter drove me home where I picked up the Element and drove down to the highway to meet Steve. The timing was perfect. When I got back home Reggie had emailed me from the NB Museum asking about the painting I'm donating to their fundraiser. I had forgotten the event is this coming Wednesday. I certainly wouldn't have had time to make a new work. I wonder if I can get a free ticket and try to get drunk with Rick Mercer. Shit, it will be the last night before the CC grants are due; I'd better behave myself.

-chris

Canada-China open for business despite strong words on human rights, Le président chinois défend son pays en matière de droits humains   
chris lloyd
Sat, Sep 10, 2005 at 10:06 AM
Reply-To: dearpm@gmail.com
To: pm@pm.gc.ca

Dear Paul,

Sorry about the big huge gaps in my writing. I don't know what's
happening lately. I'm even on my computer more than usual, but working
mostly on grants and email to other folks. I may also be in one of
those recurring low moments in the project when I just don't care
enough about it, I have nothing to say, or I just don't particularly
feel like sharing, or writing to a wall, or empty air, or can't decide
whether I really want a response from you or not, and what that
self-awareness actually means, and who the audience is anyway, and why
should anyone possibly care, and if I'm just doing it for myself then
what's the point in it? or maybe I'm just overwhelemed with everything
that is happening, the move, my junk in Montréal, my cat, feeling
perpetually dis-located, uprooted, floating, not grounded, too loose,
I just want my own goddam place to live and a little money in my
pocket and my sweet love beside me to warm my bed and share my
adventures in life, is that too much to ask? Is it?

So anyway, as if you care, I finally spoke with the program officer at
CC and he helped clarify a few things for me. It all boils down to
applying for 4 program grants, each one an exhibition, each including
a snazzy little catalogue. Our chances improve, even though we are
essentially competing against ourselves with each application. The
deadline is next Thursday, have I mentioned that to you? I'm still
debating whether to apply for a personal grant to stuff 1500 plastic
bottles with the letters and dumping them in the ocean, or more
aggresively trying to land the "official PM portrait-painter" gig. It
sounds illegal or, at best, immoral. The dumping, not the portraits.
Maybe the real art project behind this project is to see for how long
I can make the string of rejection letters last.

I did manage to get the NB Program on the Provision of French-Language
Services grant off on time. Compared to a CC grant it was a walk in
the park. A totally different approach, total different language,
government-speak. But the CC grants are a snap compared to that
dastardly NB Arts Development grant. Now there's a grant with lots of
hoops. I'll start work on it next week and I know it will make my head
spin.

So yesterday after work Peter and Judy took me out to a Chinese
restaurant that felt like a caffeteria and tasted even worse. Not
nearly enough authenticity. Then we rented a scary movie, The Ring, and
I smoked  a tad too much hash and freaked myself right out. We watched
Les Aimants afterwards to alleviate the post-horror flick tension. In
an odd twist of fate we watched Isabelle Blais on a cheesy Québecker
game show before we started the movies. She's scrumptious. At least
I'll always have the fond memories of trying to introduce myself to
her in Le dieu de ciel and spilling my beer on her. What a charmer I
can be.

Now, you might call it being pussy-whipped or a being a kept man, but
I'm still smart enough to recognize a too-good-to-be-true scenario
when I see it, and I'm completely happy with the engagement with
Claudine, it grows you know, with passing days, even bits of time
apart, she's perfect, in every way imaginable, and far too good for
me, so I'll put up with just about anything here, Tim Claws and cups
everywhere, people who say "right good", The Irving monopoly, the
price of oil, if she'll move here to be with me then we'll take it all
on, Wal•Mart, urban sprawl, climate change, bad taste and dinosaurs,
we'll tackle it all together, the dynamic duo that we are, we'll climb
atop Fort Howe or the Martello Tower or that ridiculously-shiny copper
nipple thing right in the middle of town, that poor reminder of
grander days and bolder architecture and vision, and with wind and
music streaming through the air and our hair waving we'll gaze out to
the ocean and follow the tides to every possible imaginable distant
shore.

But right now I have to go look at an apartment across the street. I
really only need a place for November 1, and preferably a 3-bedroom,
but I figure I might as well start looking early, and see what's out
there. If you have any tips let me know.

-chris

Drop softwood talks, appoint envoy and look to other markets, says Harper, Louise Harel rappelle à l'ordre les candidats à la direction du PQ  

chris lloyd

Wed, Sep 7, 2005 at 9:04 PM

To: pm@pm.gc.ca

Dear Paul,

We were up at 4AM this morning to drive to Moncton for Claudine to
catch her 7Am flight to Toronto. Hopefully I'll get a chance to visit
her before we coordinate our moves the end of October. We had a
remarkably good week and a half together, especially considering that
most of that time was spent cooped up together in either a car or a
tent. We must be well-suited to one another.

I am becoming increasingly obsessed with the sheer amount of Tim
Horton coffee cups that litter the roadways in NB. I'm starting to
believe it is the work of one person, who is strategically placing the
cups everywhere. I want to photo-document the cups I see and make a
series of paintings based on them. Also want to make a series of
portraits of "Tim Claws". Should be fun.

Spent the day working on grants and organizing programming for the
gallery for the coming year. Didn't do any gallery renovations. Found
out we are eligible to apply for funding for french translation; the
deadline for applications is this friday. The canada council grant is
due next thursday and I've left four messages with the program officer
over a two week period and have yet to speak with him. Vacation? Maybe
I'm being ignored. I'll write the damn grants anyway.

Went out to my folks' tonight. Dad and I drove around running some
errands, including a stop at Superstore so I could return the
casette/CD player adaptor I had bought for the camping trip. I
actually didn't work that great, though we had plannedf to return it
anyway. But of course I had left the receipt at home, so will have to
do it tomorrow.

As it was Wednesday we cycled the Kingston Peninsula. Had the
hamburger platter afterwards. That makes three hamburgers this week,
I'd better watch myself.

-chris

Most young students back in smaller classes than two years ago, McGuinty says, Katrina: les Etats-Unis se disent réconfortés par l'aide du Canada   

chris lloyd

Tue, Sep 6, 2005 at 12:49 PM

To: pm@pm.gc.ca

Dear Paul,

Sorry about the delay. It was harder to get to a computer than I
thought it would be. We were a little strapped for time as well. When
did I last write you? Antigonish? After that we made it as far as
Ingonish Beach, where we camped for the night. In the morning we took
a hike up Mount Franny and took a quick dip in a secluded lake halfway
down. Then we were off to Dingwall to check in to the Inlet, iron our
wedding clothes, and have showers. Then the wedding, outdoors on the
lawns of the Markland, the ocean in the background, a kooky old
minister, very quaint. Andrea and Stéphane were beaming and beautiful,
I saw old friends Christine and Trevor and Bethany and Roger. We had a
fun supper inside then more drinks afterwards in a cottage and then
the dance in the nearby Octagon Arts Centre with live music then a DJ
and lots of dancing. Then a whole bunch of us piled down to the beach
in pitch darkness and stars and waves and swam in the surf teaming
with millions of tiny glow in the dark bacteria. Ben shot off
fireworks and we sat by the bonfire and then drove back to the Inn at
3:30AM, exhausted, full of sand and salt water.

Sunday Anne made us a great breakfast, then we were off to Meat Cove,
then stopping at the Skyline to hike some more, along the highlands,
to a cliff jutting out on the west side of the Cabot Trail. Then to
Cheticamp, to catch the last half hour of the Acadian museum dedicated
to early farm life and rug hooking, in particular to see the rugs of
Elizabeth LeFort, who made intense portraits of presidents, prime
ministers and astronauts. We stopped in a parking lot to cook KD and
then continued driving to Pictou, where we had to camp for the night.
We slipped into the campground just before closing time, the attendant
missing, set up camp, slept, awoke early, slipped out by fraudulently
putting a piece of paper in the permit slot, the gates opened, we were
off. Stopped at Mel's' Tea Room in Sackville for breakfast and took
the scenic route through the Kingston Peninsula before arriving back
at Judy's. Cleaned and aired out the car, washed some laundry, then
headed to my folks for supper and a little campfire in the backyard, a
glass of sambuca, then exhaustion. We were asleep by 10.

This morning it was gallery and email and meeting preparation,
discussing new changes to the bar with Peter, more plaster. Had lunch
with Claudine at Taco Pica and now have an afternoon to prepare for
the brainstorming / programming meeting tonight.

PM says Canada will up oil output to stabilize market in Katrina's aftermath, Bill Graham discute de collaboration militaire avec son homologue russe

chris lloyd to pm
3:59 pm (0 minutes ago)

Dear Paul,

Yesterday the sun finally broke and we had a really pleasant evening. The night before we stayed at Marie's Guest House, she a sweet old Acadian, we spoke french with her and another young couple staying there, from Trois Rivieres, also caught in rain. We did catch a dry period yesterday afternoon to set up camp near Brackley Beach. Bought gas in between hikes; we paid 1.12; it had been .99 the day before. Now it's 1.38 and I hear you announce that you're increasing oil production? What the heck took so long? And why is gas so damn expensive in the Maritimes when the largest oil refinery in the country is in our back yard? We perfected our tarp, and dug a ditch to stop water from flowing underneath the tent. While waiting for the rain to stop we got naked and had sex in an abandoned campground. Spent the night nice and dry; we cooked, drank beer, smoked some hash and wandered along the beach contemplating the millions of stars overhead, the origins of astronomy, mythology, the constellations. Very fun. This afternoon on our way to the ferry we found a "Heritage Road" which we consummated by getting stark naked and having sex in the middle of it. Very fun.

At the moment we're in Antigonish, checking email. We're camping in Cape Breton tonight; there is a Ceilidh in Dingwall where the wedding is taking place, hopefully we'll make it.

-chris