Before I settle down to play some Baldur's Gate 2 on this quiet Friday evening, I thought I had better relate some of the interesting events of the past week. If I don't do it now, I might never do it. Of course, this time last week, I was at Anime North. Normally, when I go to conventions it is as a vendor working for Nicole and as an artist. I have to say that it's really nice to get away from that once in a while and just attend a convention for the sake of attending. Anime isn't my principle fandom, as most of you will know, but I have enjoyed it for years and I love seeing all those people dressed up as characters. Some of the costumes display the most amazing creativity even if they don't entirely succeed.

It all began with the rather lengthy bus ride out to the Airport. Somewhat inconveniently, because the old venue was condemned, this year's convention was held at two locations: the Toronto Congress Centre and the Renaissance Hotel. I have to admit, I didn't even make it to the hotel. The things I was most interested in were occuring at the Congress Centre, including the art show, Artists' Alley (where all the artists do commissions and sell stuff), the Dealers' Room, Masquerade, and workshops and participatory programming. One highlight was attending the traditional Japanese art workshop held by Nobuyuki Ohnishi. His prefered style of art is the traditional monochromatic (single colour) ink wash technique called sumi-e. He talked about the differences between Eastern art and Western art and gave a demonstration to illustrate these differences and then we went and examined his artwork that he had on display in the art room. His English was a little fractured and the noise level in the main hall of the Congress Centre made it very hard to hear what he was saying, but we (his keen little students) got the hang of what he was saying. And, of course, he took photos of us and we took photos of him.

On the Saturday, I met up with Techknight and we spent most of the day wandering around the Congress Centre enjoying the myriad of costumes and all the other sights and sounds that an anime convention affords. You can read his highlights here as they sum up the Masquerade very nicely. I didn't spend too much money on anything, a fact that I am fairly proud of. I had wanted to pick up some of the Copic markers, but they're just too expensive for a trial run. I'll ask for them at Christmas, or something, so that a whole lot of people can chip in to purchase them. They're really friggin' expensive. I did buy some art of a fellow Elfwood artist and a pair of chopsticks that are simply too nice for my mother to tie plants to, though I'm sure she would, given the chance. I also picked up the OCAD student comic compilation from two students involved in its creation, development and publication and one cheap print. That's one of my favourite things to do, chat with the artists.

In other news, I helped my friend Megan move on Sunday. That was a somewhat painful experience as the building she was moving out of is NOT WELL DESIGNED. It's awful. At one point I was wandering around the fourth and fifth floors with a pair of handtrucks for what seemed like hours, trying to find the elevator that would take me down to the lobby. Opportunity provided us with a rope that enabled us to tie her mattress and boxspring to the van and though some might call taking it 'stealing' it was made up for by the fact that of all Megan's friends, I was the only one to show up after promising to help.

Otherwise, the week has pretty well flown by. There is only one more week of Eternal Egypt and I realise that when it's over, I'm going to miss working as a schoolgroup educator desperately ! I might not have believed it at the start, but I have derived so much satisfaction from this job that I wish it would go on forever. I've developed a bond with many of my co-workers and I will endeavour to stay in touch with them. I've even bonded to several of the pieces in the exhibition. One day, I will have to go to the British Museum to visit them again. Senwosret and "Monty", the beautiful bald priest, little Princess Nefurure on her tutor's knee, and of course all those wacky kings at the end of the 18th Dynasty. I went into the exhibit thinking I knew a pretty fair amount about Egypt, but now, coming out at the other end, I realise I know much more than ever before, and I've only bumped the tip of the iceberg.

Democrats Abroad was a really neat experience. Firstly, let me say that these people are a very interesting mix. There were some who had been here for a long time and had held fast to their American roots, their accents remaining intact after years of living in the Toronto area. There were others who had allowed for the "silent take-over", the passive acceptance that Canada would rub off on them. One couple had been here for thirty five years and too look at them you would never guess that they were from south of the border. They dressed in muted colours, in low-key styles - very North Toronto/Lawrence Park. They had even been granted dual citizenship, but there remained that little part of them that wasn't ready to relinquish their roots, thus they continued to vote in US elections with no intention of ever moving back. There were people who had arrived for work in Canada, people who's families had moved (like me), people who had dodged the draft... it was, like I said, an interesting group of people and generally, well spoken and intellectual. Neat. It was a fun time and I'll certainly go back in June.

Also, my application for an absentee ballot has been filled out, stamped and is sitting beneath the Rentwraith in the hall. I had meant to mail it yesterday, and then today, but oversleeping both days can really put a cramp in ones intentions - especially when one is scrambling out of bed at the approximate time one should be booting up and heading out the door. *ahem* It was so bad today that I had to waste money on a taxi.

In order that I will wake up tomorrow nice and refreshed (and on time), I did not go home after work for a nap. I knew that no matter what else I did, I would end up napping and that would keep me up much too late into the night. No good. So, having walked down Philosphers' Walk behind the ROM and through UofT to Spadina, with no further plan in my head, I hopped on the streetcar and rode down to Queen Street. At this point, I turned east and climbed the stairs up to my friend Nicole's store. Here, I was offered a chair and conversation, and no place to nod off, was taken on a mini-adventure running errands with Nicole, came back, chatted more, and then went for nachos. And, in scant moments, I will make my way home.

It is a long afternoon to spend alone in the Visitor Services office at the ROM. I've been finished work for just over an hour and with another hour to go before the museum closes, I'm guaranteed a nice dull time. Why am I sitting around? I could go outside, granted, as it's a very nice day, but somehow it's just easier to kill time here. I'm waiting for the hour of 7:30 to arrive when I will then head to the Duke of York a block from here. There's a meeting for the Democrats Abroad - a pub night, to be precise - and I decided that it would be good to attend. You see, earlier this week, I signed myself up.

Yes, that's right, I'm in the process of filling out my request for a ballot so that I can progressively have a hand in hopefully ousting the Shrub, aka. Bush. I've taken to calling him The Shrub because shrubs are like trees only they never become majestic, instead they are stunted and serve to fill space. And that's what I feel George W. is busy doing: taking up space. I want him and his cronies out of office. He didn't deserve to be there in the first place and now is the time to get him out.

Anyway, I phoned Democrats Abroad because I couldn't figure out how to register my vote and I spoke with a lovely man (whom I'll meet tonight, presumably, and have been warned by someone who knows him that he's a little, um, bombastic) who was more than helpful.

"I am calling because I'd really like to vote in the next election but I don't know how to register."

"And am I to presume that you'll be voting Democrat?"

"That's the idea, yes."

"Good, I was just checking, I'd hate for you to be a misguided Republican..." He paused and chuckled.

"They would have to be if they're planning to vote for Bush." I hoped he was making a joke and filled in what I believed to be the answer. Not knowing for sure, he might have just been one of those gigglers who can't seem to finish a thought without giggling or chuckling, whether it was funny or not.

"Exactly !"

Phew. Well, he was indeed helpful and I have spent the better part of three breaks sorting through the links and information he directed me to. There is a lot of information out there and it's a bit confusing. I sent an email to my mother asking her to dig out the address of our house in Brooklyn, as that's my last US residence. Heh, I was nearly six years old when we moved. Twenty years in Canada, but I can still vote in the country of my birth. Hopefully, she will be able to track it down and I can get on this quickly. I want the ball rolling as I was warned that New York got its ballots out late last time around.

In the meantime, I'm sitting around in the office, frittering time away. I'm trying to do some cartoons based on my friend Kelly's crazy little cadence. She posted it in her livejournal and it would make a great clapping or skipping song. It's kind of dark, but it makes me think of the Lizzie Borden rhyme

Lizzie Borden took an ax
and gave her mother forty whacks.
When she saw what she had done
she gave her father forty-one.

even though the rhythm is quite different. I'm going to try to cartoon the whole thing and maybe turn it into a mini graphic novel when I've worked out all the ideas. I've signed myself up for the Art By The Inch competition.

Based on the idea of National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) and its goal to have everyone write a 50000 word novel, this competition is designed to get artists of all types producing 10000 square inches of art. There are three levels: gold at 10000", silver at 5000", and bronze at 2500". I'm afraid I'm aiming for the bronze catagory. I just don't think I have it in me to produce more than that. Of course, if I go over my goal, that's not so bad, either, but if I have no goal whatsoever, it wouldn't be any more than what I'm usually doing. Besides, since the weather got nice, I haven't touched my sketchbook (with the exception of the painted Mothers' Day postcard I sent my mom).

I suspect I'll do a bunch of other things, too, in order to fill up space. I'm considering doing some larger painted works with broad brushes to blast me out of my miniaturist attention to detail storybook illustration rut. It won't matter if the works come out nicely or not, the idea is to stretch myself. I've never undertaken such a project before, so we'll see how it goes.

Nominate The Greatest Canadian! Think of the one person you feel deserves to be named The Greatest Canadian. Submit your nomination at www.cbc.ca/greatest, or call our toll-free phone line at 1-866-303-VOTE (8683). You can make one nomination per address, so make it count. Be sure to send us your pick by May 16, when the nomination period closes.

Okay, I'll post in my own words soon, I promise. Really, I will. I have stuff to say, I'm just being lazy.

In many cultures, the arrival of spring is heralded by celebrations of fertility and the sewing of seeds. While I did not engage in Beltane or May Day activities, I have been busily planting my terrace garden. It is looking very pretty now. One box contains a couple of ivy varieties and a pair of magenta geraniums. Another contains some attractive veregated something-or-others and parsley seeds that will hopefully germinate. In another box I planted some two dwarf lavendar plants and impatiens. Finally, I have two planters with geraniums and impatiens (pink and white). I once vowed never to plant geraniums because esthetically speaking I don't love them, but I have realised that they're nearly impossible to kill, which is good, because I can be a little eratic with the watering. So, in my own way, I have celebrated the arrival of spring, too.

The trees have started to leaf, they're either all budding or sprouting and flowering. It happens all at once; suddenly the world is green. The light green leaves of spring are my favourite, and I enjoy the blooms raining petals on the street. I happened to be walking late last night, returning from my friend's house, and it was drizzling but quite warm, and the air was heady with the smell of blossoms. I have often wondered why flower scents become so much more pungent at night. The walk home was really nice, though; with no one out and about everything was peaceful.

Knowing that I'm going to be moving to Peterborough in September, I'm really taking advantage of Toronto while I can. I do love this city for all it's superficiality. I even enjoy the ambient noise, though not so much the smog. Besides, Peterborough has air just as bad as Toronto. I like that there's always something to do. I like that there are so many funky people (and I mean that in every possible sense of the word) walking around. I love how multicultural Toronto is and the way the neighbourhoods bleed into each other.

On the other hand, in Peterborough I can ride horses again. THAT will be wonderful. I miss horses and being part of the horsey community, even as a fringe member. I even (or should that be 'especially'?) miss smelling of horses. Long ago, my leather jacket stopped smelling, even in the rain. It's a strange thing to miss, perhaps, but when it's part of your life for years and then it's gone, it leaves a void. Another good thing about going to Peterborough will be living rent-free with my mother. Some people, going into their late 20s, resent having to move home again. And how do I feel about it? I think it sounds super. I adore my mother and she's become my closest friend. We seldom fight and though sometimes the teasing gets biting, our relationship is really great. And it will be so much easier having laundry facilities in the same place as my bed.

Tonight, there will be barbeque ! Stew came into my room yesterday and subtly hinted his desire for steak. "You know, this weather makes me think barbeque..." My answer went something like this: "Yes, Stew, I will bbq tomorrow. I'm not going food shopping today." He bounced with excitement. I am Queen Barbeque, you see. And, tomorrow, I'm going up to A&C's to check on the plants, etc., as they're in Chicago. They'll be back on Friday, but tomorrow is the first chance I have to make sure things are okay.

C'est tout.

Aside from Willi bathing me again (this time without blood and rubbing alcohol) I thought I'd talk about hanging out with an old friend with whom I thought I'd lost touch.

Many separations, many months of denying each other due to our own personal problems, attitudes, weaknesses, passed and today I know that regardless of what might keep us apart, Megan and I will always be able to come together once more. I had great fears for our relationship when I reached out to contact her a couple of weeks ago, and it felt awkward at first, but we got over it and danced and had fun. But today, there were no flashing lights, no black-light ornaments, no DJs or other bodies getting in the way. Today, it was just us.

Megs met me at the ROM after work and a union meeting and from there we walked through the UofT campus, down St. George, to Queen. We talked about life and our losses and gains. We talked of our plans, hopes and desires. We touched on the hurt and the fears. We wandered in and out of shops, mocking the stupid shoes and their spikey heels, drooling over Fluevogs, drooling on the Fluevogs... We played dress-up in corsets and velvet and strange panteloons. And we talked and talked and talked.

The most amazing moment came as we were walking along Queen to Bathurst. Bumping into each other as we walked, like we're always on a five stride intersect course.

Not saying anything.

We just walked, bumped into each other, and relished the presence of the other without needing to say a word. I knew right then that there was no need to say anything, only to be together. Good friends. It was really nice and deeper by far than any conversation we could have been having. I am glad that Megan is back in my life. I didn't see until today that without her there had been a piece missing from my life.

Ya. And we got stopped for a streeter about the smoking ban that will be coming into effect in the bars of Toronto. Neat.