I am writing from Dunn’s, my kind of place. I walked from the Apple Store on my way home from taking a class. It is quiet here as it is off hours. They have a photo exhibit at the moment called Rue de Montreal – it is so clever and what a great addition. I told the manager, my pal, how much I liked it. Dunn’s is a place free of pretension. They have paint night once a week in the back room – I joked that my birthday party should be here in the back room – everyone would take their clothes off and we would paint each other. JOKE, everyone. JOKE. The people eating at Dunn’s are relaxed and enjoying themselves. Contrast that with Hawksworth where everyone there is scamming one another. I guess the people being scammed deserve it – why do they think they can get something for nothing? That is the basic pitch when one listens. I asked to get moved three times when I was at the Hawksworth because I could not bear to listen to the drivel. I did it politely and was accommodated. The big shot operations guy was participating in a sham with about three other guys. I did not say a word, although I did think,
Me: That is utter crap – they are pitching lies.
Alter Ego: Don’t say that out loud. It is not your problem, not your money.
Me: You are right. I will just ask to be moved so I won’t hear it anymore.
None of that here at Dunn’s, pleasant music, a hockey game on the TV. The Dunn manager stops by my table:
He: I am leaving now. You might be gone when I get back but I look forward to seeing you when you return.
Me: Oh thank you so much. I am going to ask you a funny question. If you were to describe me what would you say.
He You are a very caring person.
Me: I am going to cry, but not tears of sorrow.
Now this is a bit of a different take from Operations Manager at Hawksworth. But I am the same me – sometimes I have to remind myself of this. Same me. Some guy in my life said:
He: Alexis, you are like Marmite. People either love you or hate you.
Me: What camp are you in ?
Well now we know about that guy, he is on the same side as the Hawksworth guy. I will reveal in a subsequent blog what I said when I flounced out of Hawksworth and the words that led up to it. I thought I said it under my breath but perhaps not. Hahahahaha
But onto more pleasant matters. The grand announcement is that I have resumed, and in earnest, the biography of Uncle Dave. My trip to the Apple Store yesterday was to use the help found in Studio Hours to put my recent work into my iBook Author book. So far it is over 47,000 words – so it is getting there. I do not have a self imposed deadline – not sure it is needed as it just seems to be flowing. I wrote over three thousand words yesterday, what with the blog and the book. The antithesis of writer’s block. AND formatted it at the Apple Store and ate at Dunn’s, So there! So there! So there!
I explain it all in a chapter: Uncle Dave Abandoned Yet Again But Resurrected Yet Again. Here are portions from that chapter.
“But at this time – May of 2018 – it feels like all of those issues have been resolved. The rekindled flame has been thoroughly extinguished. I accept that the reformed Dryburgh family will never bear fruit and I am sure that they are as fine with that – as am I. There will be no invasion of Uncle Dave’s privacy as long as I readily reveal that much of what I know of him comes from conjecture. I do make him up – a necessity as there is no one around to bear testimony, furthermore he did not write of his life – unlike his blabber mouth niece.
In the intervening months I had determined to get the circulation figures for the Regina Leader Post. They held such relevance and meaning, for some obscure reason. The incredibly efficient research department at the Vancouver Public Library were able to obtain statistics for some of the yeas. I have reviewed the impressive results on a cursory basis but need to ‘sit with them” In part it is a competition – do I have as many blog readers as Uncle Dave had readers to his daily column? But it is more than that. By the way, the answer is yes. My yearly visits exceeded his yearly figures for the years the data was available.
But I guess the main reason that makes possible the harnessing of horses yet again is that I have reached a measure of peace in my life. My affairs are in order. My apartment is a model of order – it is impossible to create in chaos, Interestingly, the Japanese artist Matusaki said so yesterday, in a video at the Vancouver Art Gallery. The chaos in London forced me to put aside critical planning in my life but now my finances are in order, my will executed, my health directive signed and all of my medical needs have been attended to. I have purchased an air conditioner as cold comfort is so necessary for sleep and for creativity. I am now on a roll.
I have a new template, a new plan. It is based on a Janet Malcolm essay were she interviewed a famous artist but each segment did not get off the ground but she strung them together anyway. It is brilliant. I am going to take that idea and run with it. There have been six endings as I am forever (and at different stages of development) writing the last chapter – the end. I am going to string them together – I do think beginning with the story I am going to write tomorrow.
I do think two thing had to happen before this book could be finished. I had to master my writing (in some measure). My careful, but imaginative, writer uncle needs to have his story told well My skills are growing. I need to be in a psychological state where I can let him go. He has come alive for me as I write this book but he does need to die. The poor man deserves some peace. I also think I need to be alone, free of entangling ‘romantic’ interests, Not sure why but it is a truth. “
So there you go, as we say in Canada. Although I am being very good my brat side has to come out somewhere. It has on Instagram. The Holburn Group posted a picture of a stairway saying they needed a sculpture. I wrote: “I will come and stand there, but not full time.” They sent back an emoji and I responded to that.
Me: What should I wear?
Holburn Group: No response as yet.
My close friends are going to be saying with concern.
They: What are you doing Alexis?
Me:I don’t know but somehow it seems right.
I look forward to a great day. A planned conversation with a friend who is always there for me. Then at noon a make over with the woman who sold me Orgasm and then in the evening off to the symphony, only a block away. What shall I wear??? Shall I look statuesque (I don’t think that is possible as I am short, look up the definition),
