I began today in my typical manner – reading the blog posted yesterday and the three related stories. My initial reaction was to ‘out’ three men – not refer to them vaguely or by nicknames but let the world know that these men, of some responsibility and fame, made a pass at me, asked me to go to bed with them. I am hardly being a Me Too woman, I am protecting them. it is one of the things I am going to ponder in my time off and away. I am condoning their behavior – I was strong enough to say no but other women are not. They are sexual predators. But I do not think I will bother – the men and their victims deserve one another. I am sure the sex is not at all enjoyable or meaningful. The stuff with Harvey Weinstem is not the ecstasy of The Joy of Sex, that book of old with hippies doing it in strange ways.
Yesterday was a day of fame. My favorite encounter was at the gift store at VAG. I started talking to an attractive young couple.
Me: Oh I have a blog, I will give you a blog card.
He: Are you Alexis McBride? I read you, met you at Hy’s Steak House.
Me: Oh, my goodness! I am so impressed!
But the rest of the fame day had nothing to do with my blog but, I guess, my personality. People seeing and remembering me – happy to see me again. It was totally mind boggling. Meeting new people, like Anastasia – a beautifully dressed successful woman from the Ukraine, I compliment people on their clothes and then get in the best of conversations with them – it happens every day. Being positive is profoundly powerful – take my word for it.
A highlight of the day was attending a lecture and tour of Cabin Fever, a fascinating exhibit at the Vancouver Art Gallery. I spoke to the staff person afterwards and learned that the show had taken three years to curate. The things that were brought together were stunning, riveting and astounding. But if you go, make sure that you go on the tour and then come back to savor slowly. . It is the best way to see art and exhibits. Just looking is hollow and meaningless. The exhibit took me back – remembering pictures of the tar paper shack erected and lived in by grandparents when they were homesteading in Saskatchewan. Then there was Sarrinen’s cabin, that I had visited on a Scandinavian country tour. Then the A frame cottage that was once owned by the Skvaril family, it was a prototype. Sometimes it pays to be old because then you have memories and experience.
Gentle readers, I do worry about you. I think of things you can read in my absence. An easy thing would be to read the blogs of a year ago and pretend you are back in 2017. I was thinking to making a list of my favorites – this I may do and get Chris to post one or two. I absolutely love water aerobics at the YWCA and I contrast the women and experience with that of Dolphin Square in London. Do type water aerobics in the search engine. Then the conversation between two women at the Rex Whistler – typing eavesdropping into the search engine should bring that one up. Then the hilarious times I had when I was radioactive. I was made radioactive by the staff at St. Paul’s hospital and it lasted for a week,
I need to get moving as it is water aerobics day. Tracey is back from her trip and will join me at the YWCA because I got two free passes. She is joining me on Monday, not today. It is good to have a friend, it is even better to have a friend who lives in the same city as you do.
The picture is my menagerie. I guess menagerie will be the word of the day. “A menagerie is a collection of captive animals, frequently exotic, kept for display; or the place where such a collection is kept, a precursor to the modern zoological garden.[1] The term was first used in seventeenth century France in reference to the management of household or domestic stock. Later, it came to be used primarily in reference to aristocratic or royal animal collections. The French-language Methodical Encyclopaedia of 1782 defines a menagerie as an “establishment of luxury and curiosity.” Later on, the term referred also to travelling animal collections that exhibited wild animals at fairs across Europe and the Americas. “
My menagerie is small. There is my bear (also a neck rest) by the name of Joo Kim. An inflatable turtle called Ralphie and now a rubber ducky called Dicky Duck. They are all named for men in my life who are no longer around.
The Canadian publication of the book is being delayed until after Chris’ return from Viet Nam. I am fine with that.
Good bye for awhile. I will check in but Chris will not return until October 2, 2018.
