books

Big cities are home to lots of people.

More people, more ideas. Simple math, I think.

I like keeping an eye on the “ist” sites of big cities. Torontoist.com, LAist.com, SFist.com, Bostonist.com, etc. These sites go out of their way to tell readers about the happenings of the cities, the news, the events, profiles of prominent inhabitants, festival profiles, TV schedules for the region, restaurant reviews, public transit news, architectural news, music listings, etc.

I love seeing what’s going on in the cities where the numbers are up above Windsor’s. Why? Because in those towns, when you float a crazy idea, you are not the only one standing there looking around, listening to crickets. In big cities, there are others who share the taste for flair.

In particular, I like taking these ideas and using them.

I did just that yesterday evening. I saw a night of book-appreciation in San Francisco and Toronto, where authors come in to discuss books, or the topic of their book, but NOT TO DO A READING. At Phog, we have had plenty of readings, and we’ve had good results. The idea of a book discussion spoke to me because it was more than the same old praise for the ACTUAL words being spoken. I wanted to know more about what these authors had to say about books.

In connection to this, I cleaned out my house. Began at least. The books were the first thing to be culled. Then what? What was I going to do with them? I decided to build the event around the sharing, and ridding of books into the hands of more appreciative readers. From there, I thought about getting some local authors to give their take on books on a panel at the front of the bar, on stage. Thirdly, I compiled a short list of people who read every time I see them, and I asked them to list their top five books. I then printed these out to give to the attendees of the event, so they had something to take with them as a referral to new, influential books.

What happened?

I was nervous as hell, and I figured the turnout might be slim, but to my surprise, there were about 35 people in all who attended, maybe more, plus the hundreds of books brought by the literati attendees. While I expected a book trade and sale, it turned out that people were more willing to give them away en masse. There was a free-for-all after the discussion period where people grabbed books they wanted, didn’t know they wanted, and books they knew someone else wanted.

The pride of the evening, aside from the awesome people who brought books, was the discussion. My guests were mentors of mine from days past and present. Here’s who spoke:

Paul Vasey, author of several fiction and non-fiction, ex longtime host of CBC Windsor’s morning show, and ex-columnist for the Windsor Star. He, alone, shaped my writing to be exactly what it is today. He told me to write the way I talk. I tell stories well with my voice, but it needed to be translated to paper. Ever since then, I think of him when I finish writing anything.

Bob Monks, who has had two books published about how to make art, or about his journey into his life as an artist. Monks was also the editorial cartoonist for The Windsor Star for YEARS, and he was a TV personality with CBC News. He’s a total pro, and is now 81 years old (you’d never know it). He was a mentor in my cartooning career between the ages of 16 and 20 (another story). He taught me composition, editing, humility, and honour.

Mary Ann Mulhern is a very successful narrative poet, who admits her attachment to the dark imagery in her stories, and she taught me once a week in a “special class” when I was in grade 7. She’s extremely artistic with her view on books, writing, and expression. She’s a great inspiration.

Scotty Hughes is graphic designer who has helped lay out and produce MANY local nature books, reference books, children’s books, etc. He is a hugely gifted guitar player, idea guy, inspirational presence. I love having him stroll through the door, because it means I will be having meaninful conversation before the night is through.

The panel took off and never looked back. Paul Vasey, co-moderated the discussion, with me, but not out of request but out of habit. He saw gaps where I was not pushing people to express a little more in their answers, and he made the discussion SO MUCH better because of it. It was a lesson in interviewing and moderation for which I will forever be grateful. All the panelist answers were intelligent, true-to-themselves, expressive, un-rushed, un-forced, free-flowing, and fun. Monks had quick, perfect answers that left people laughing, while the others had reflective stories that put the life of a writer and book lover into perspective.

An hour and a half later, I needed to end the discussion, and try to properly thank the panelists. Still, I do not know how to properly appreciate their contribution.

Good news for those who could not go and wanted to go; I recorded the entire thing.

This link will take you to where you can download the file for free! You may want to skip all the parts where I talk, it really doesn’t help. Also, some people are reporting some trouble with this link. If it doesn’t work, check back again later. I will try to fix it.

This night was a huge success, shedding some light on the under-appreciated literary arts in Windsor. I am proud, and I am anticipating the next Get Lit Up event…but I need to focus the discussion. That’s not going to be an easy thing to decide.

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Simply put, I had a wonderful birthday. Turning 29 was supposed to be uneventful. I would have gone to my in-laws for dinner and cake, swimming and fun. It turned out that Jhoan had asked some close friends, family (from Windsor and out of town) to come to my in-laws and surprise me. It was unprecedented for me, and it was incredible. I was a little shocked at the faces of MY parents in the yard of my WIFE’S parents. Shane was there, and the brothers who could make it…

It was sausages and hamburgers, salads and brownies, swimming and storytelling, children chortling and grown-up laughter. I was (unexpectedly) gifted Chapters gift cards to spend on books, and I cannot WAIT to go shopping for the best of the best. Also, I got SOLID books from Jhoan’s sister Lyn, The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins and Under The Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer. My mother also got me some slick books to read, which are always the kind that I need. Inspirational as all heck. I will let you know about them when I get into them.

Oh geez, and my brother Cary’s family got me some Tim Horton’s gift cards, which are so perfect…I don’t know what to say. I will chug that brown death like it’s my job.

So, I just thought it was worth sharing, because I was feeling so taken care of today, it was overwhelming. So much work goes into this kind of thing, and from Jhoan, to Lyn, to my mom pitching in to help, it was a flawless day. Heard from several friends, and was flabbergasted at the plethora of birthday wishes on my Facebook Wall. Very unexpected.

I must say that I scored an Apple iTouch from Jhoan, who swore she was not going to get one for us…however, it is slick, and it will be used endlessly for blogging and many other functions while on the go. Awesome, awesome, awesome, awesome…the only hitch has been that I had to pay $10 to get the software update just to get “iPhone” applications (as if they are made for one and not the other). That was the only “not-cool” thing about it. I mean, this thing must’ve cost over $300, maybe $400 and they want $10 MORE so I can put “free” online applications onto it in order to find movie show-times and to use a Scrabble Dictionary twice a year? Apple, get it together. I mean, everything else you do is mostly wonderful, but This. Is. A. Cash. Grab. I want my $10 back because it SHOULD be included in the purchase price. Plain and simple. You KNOW everyone is going to get apps for the thing, and you play it off like, “Oh, ohhhhhh, you want….you want apps from the iPhone?! (deep breath in between teeth) yeah…well…that’s not what we thought…we thought you’d just want it to be simple and stuff…without the cool free online gadgets and all that…yeah…(another deep breath in from the side of the mouth) maybe if you have $10 we can do the “upgrade”…”

Quit playin’ Apple. You know we all want the applications, so make some consumer-consciencious decisions here and pretend you actually MAKE HUNREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS because you cornered the market on audio/video/phone devices, okay? Thanks Steve Jobs. Thanks.

On to kinder, more level-headed thoughts.

Tell a loved one how much they mean to you. I heard it a few times today, and it was quite revitalizing.

And how could I forget…my brother’s Star Wars video has gotten quite the response! 12,000 views as of today (3 days since posting) and comments like crazy! Too awesome. Just so cool! Many thanks to Laughing Squid (Scott Beale) for posting this in the first place, especially after I sent him the link to the movie on a Twitter post…which is not the channel to go through for this sort of thing…so, extra thanks then, I guess. Now it has been re-posted to a few sites, namely the Geek Dad Blog on Wired.com, which is just jaw-dropping, as my brother Mark really had no intention of putting this thing online at all. Maybe eventually, but not without some prodding, it might have found its way to Youtube. Rodd, our other brother, however was prompt and golden for getting it onto blip.tv where the quality is money-in-the-bank.

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It’s All Too Much.

A book by the dude from Clean Sweep, a show on TLC I haven’t seen in three years. Peter Walsh is his name. He’s great. Very convincing.

Here’s the thing; I cannot let go of stuff. I love cool stuff, or, I love things that remind me of something deemed worth remembering. So, as I’m sure many of you reading this are with me, what do we do? We get the thing (a ticket from a concert or Broadway play, a wedding giveaway, a map from a vacation spot you loved) and we…drumroll…put it in a Rubbermaid bin and stick it in a corner, or a closet, or a crawlspace.

Perfect! What a great way to honour this thing you felt was too important to recycle, or NOT BUY IN THE FIRST PLACE! I think when these actions are put into some kind of perspective, we get the sense that this is a very dumb way to go about collecting/honouring the few things we actually appreciate.

For instance, my father has given me some stuff from when he was in the American Air Force. Did I put it on a mantle with his military name tag, maybe a photo of him in his uniform? No, it’s in a desk drawer somewhere. Obviously, this is VERY special to me.

Facetious today, I know.

Within the pages of this book are the keys to realizing why we get attached to things, and why we SHOULD or should not be connected to them. And this book was a perfect thing for me to pick up. Kevin Kelly had recommended it, and subsequently, Merlin Mann had given it a thumbs up. I have an insatiable appetite for keeping stuff I shouldn’t.

On top of that, my wife also likes to keep EVERYTHING! Clothing, shoes, purses, lamps, receipts, picture frames, obsolete kitchen gear, and more. Between the two of us, we are buried in junk that we don’t really appreciate or use. It’s better defined as “clutter” rather than the image some people get of hoarders, stumbling through shabby shacks full of abused pets. We just can’t find things when we look for them (generally speaking) because we don’t have a “place” for things. Scotch tape could be anywhere at any given time. Why is this? Wouldn’t it be good to know where the Scotch tape is, whenever it isn’t in use? Sure it would! But the drawer that could be holding Scotch tape is being inhabited by the hobo batteries, listless glues, and wayward screws. This crap needs to go, or it needs to stay somewhere that it can be retrieved.

This has been the change.

Between the two of us, we have set aside mountains of stuff we are purging from our lives. We will be trying to sell these things at a yard sale soon. If they don’t sell, they go to the Sally Anne (St. Vincent De Paul or Salvation Army). Simple as that. They have been placed in these bins and boxes, and almost the action of finally letting the object slip through my fingers, or flitter away to the bottom of an already overstuffed bin makes the connection sever. Disconnect. Goodbye.

It feels so liberating! The rooms are already looking like the purpose they were meant for, which is one of the things Walsh suggests. Rooms need to provide the function you want them to provide. When they are overrun by things that are preventing that function, there needs to be a change.

If you’re afraid to invite company over to your house/apartment/hovel, then you are in the same position we were in, and you likely need to decide, “Do I want to live like this? Is this stuff helping me become/exist as the person I yearn to be?”

I am so pleased to see this stuff go! The books alone! I have so many books that I will never read again, and that I will never read for the first time because there are more current, more championed books that have been released in recent time.

I’m extremely proud of Jhoan for letting go of many objects that we had been holding for several years, and I am equally proud of myself for making the same decisions. Deciding to make room in my home, my brain, and my heart for better things. For things becoming of my ideal view of life. Our ideal view. Room for the joy of freedom from things.

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