Postering the City

I kept postering the city today. I was like a postering machine! What was great was how well the posters have been received. Every coffee shop and business I went to today was really happy to have them.

I took this shot at the beginning of my poster journey. These photos are in a small alley in the oldest Chinatown in Canada. Movies have been filmed here, although you have to step aside to pass people in some spots because it's so narrow yet it's still a vibrant part of the city.






I can't believe how many posters I put out today, almost 50. I put them up at my university and even put one in the art building I used to attend. I saw several of my old professors and they said they's come by the show. As I was putting the poster up there, there were some spry yet tired looking university students.

When I told them I graduated there in 2006 they said, "Yes! You mean there's life out there after this?!!"

Apparently they're glad to know that some people keep creating after leaving art school. It's kind of funny because they acted like I had "made it" just because I had a printed poster. If they only knew.

Stay in school kids, that's the best part.

Pinky & the Brain

At some point when I came home from the hospital, and old friend started visiting me. Since I was pretty much bed riden, she would come and sit in my bed with me and we would dream of all the possibilities in our future. This was a really vital thing for me since I didn't have any clue what kind future I was going to have, if any.

We would laugh and plot and come up with outrageous schemes to take over the world. One day we even jotted it down in my sketch book. Somehow I was dubbed Brain and she was dubbed, Pinky. I think it could be because I'm a bit analytical and she is more about friendship and human connection. I'm still working on that part of life.

Pinky on the left and Brain is on the right

So we jotted down our top secret agenda which was basically to make bags and bags of money. I even called my spare room, "The Money Room" because it had a lot of shelves to keep the money.

So as time has progressed our plotting time has subsided as we sculpt our real world agendas. Her world has changed in many ways and as she has gotten her career on track she dreams of finding love again. My time has been spent working on my art shows, hoping that it will come of something even if I can't imagine what that something is. Sometimes I even wonder if it's really worth it.

We went out for a family dinner in Chinatown for a birthday and Chinese New Year. The meal was fantastic and at the end we got a fortune cookie each. When we opened them we were surprised to find what our fortunes read. Then there was an extra cookie. Since no one else wanted it we decided to split it, each holding one side as we cracked it open. That particular fortune had us laughing our asses off. I decided they were good enough to place on our Pinky and the Brain page.


In case you can't read the text, the one on the left reads, "You will be deeply loved". The one under Brain on the right reads, "Assert yourself, your ideas are worthwhile". The one that we jointly opened says, "Your secret venture will work out brilliantly"

It looks like all that plotting will come to some good after all...

Old Haunts

My life is still separated into two sections, before cancer and after. I used to work 24/7 in university, at my job and parenting my sons. I didn't know many people in Victoria at the time and on Fridays I would take myself out for noodles.

I loved my Fridays because I felt I had put it a good amount of work all week and this was my way of rewarding myself since it's the little things that count. My daily routine was amazing and I loved it.

So since my life is nothing like it was, I occasionally try to fit a moment in that feels like the old days. Last week I was on my own so I went on a little jaunt to Chinatown to pick up some noodles. It felt like a little magical moment.


There was a parking space waiting for me, the lanterns were glowing and the noodles (chili plum not too spicy) were extraordinarily delicious.

And for some reason this old school RV sitting there seemed like a symbol for all the things I have yet to do in my life. Places to go, things to see....

Wanderings

The adventures are on hold because second son has been very ill post H1N1. He had a few good days and then hasn't been able to get out of bed for about 5 days since. We went to the doctor and had a throat swab as well as blood taken (it wasn't me for once!) We are still waiting to hear the results and he is finally perking up a little.

Just before I came down with the H1N1, I went and walked around down town not sure if I'd get to see it again if the H1N1 killed me.


There is a little alley in Chinatown with galleries and shops in it. It always feels like I'm off in another far away place when I peruse the brick corridor. This alley was in the movie Bird on a Wire and also a movie with Dr McDreamy before Grey's anatomy.

I can see why. Who wouldn't be in love with a place like this?


Here is second son getting his H1N1 flu shot that was too late to save his poor little ass.


They doubled up on us and gave 2 shots at once, the regular seasonal flu shot and the other.


It was weirdly nice having someone to get shots with for once. Not sure he thought so, though.