Oh Those Crazy Saturdays!!

Today thus far:
-Wake up from nightmare at 7:00am. Look out the window, see snow, go back to sleep.
-Wake up from another nightmare at 8:30am, remember the snow, go back to sleep.
-Wake up from third nightmare, decide waking life may have more to offer, get up.
-Eat gigantic veggie omelette. mmmm
-Walk to the McDonald's on the edge of town and drink a free coffee while reading Plato's Symposium. Yes, there is something a little disturbing about a puppet in the form of a pig reading Plato at McDonald's of all places...but they have free coffee! (We can't have integrity all the time.)
-Get distracted from book's dialogue on the meaning of love, by boisterous parents and their children going about their daily lives.
-Walk to the other side of town to buy long underwear at Zellers. (Oh Stanfields, me and my meagre piggy limbs love you!)
-Stop at the local library and read magazines. Lots of magazines. Apparently Montreal is corrupt, McGill is the #1 university in the universe, Canadians prefer animal rights over human rights, and Betty and Veronica are still fighting over Archie.
-Stalk people on facebook. Consider deleting my account for the millionth time to relieve some facebook induced anxiety...
-Update all of you on my exciting day!

Kisses darlings!
Mr. P
xx

The Meaning of Being Alone and That Pervy Tell-Tale Heart!

I'm developing a new sense of independence. I have always had it, but something has really clicked in the past few days. I have never considered myself to be a co-dependent puppet, (although I don't work the same without that arm stuck up my backside) but something is changing. This is my fifth day in Chibougamau and I feel like I have been here forever. It is amazing how wherever I happen to be becomes my home for a time. Why get too attached to a particular place? What purpose would that serve? I start thinking and planning and wondering where else in the world I can go now. All I need is myself and that arm that controls me. I should consider myself lucky that I'm a single pig because I don't have to worry about someone else's opinion in deciding my future, where I should go, what I should do. I have endless possibilities and there are so many adventures that await me. My only complaint is that sometimes moments don't seem as special when you have no one to share them with. That said, I'm extra grateful for my friends and the little notes that they have sent me since I came here.

So why have I come up north? I'm teaching an English class. On the first day of class, I had my students read The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe, aloud in class. I'm teaching adults, but there is no doubt that we can all be a little immature sometimes. One student was reading when she came to this passage: "Oh, you would have laughed to see how cunningly I thrust it in! I moved it slowly--very, very slowly, so that I might not disturb the old man's sleep..." (paragraph 3). The student couldn't stop laughing and then the class lost it as well. I will never look at that story the same way again! It certainly becomes less creepy when taken out of context.

A bientot my dears!
xx

Happiness is...a 12 Hour Ride to Chibougamau?

"Chibougamau?" you ask. Indeed. It's on the map if you happen to have one that includes smaller towns in mid to northern Quebec. I arrived yesterday. When I booked my bus ticket I was expecting 8-10 hours. I was wrong. My poor little bum hurts from the 12 hours I spent travelling. So, why am I happy? New adventures! And the last leg of my trip between St. Felicien and Chibougamau was amazing. It was late last night, and very dark outside. The bus was nearly empty and I could only see the black spikes of pine trees along the side of the road. The moon was a bright orange sliver of a crescent and it kept disappearing behind the trees. There are very few buildings along that stretch of highway so the only light was from the bus's headlights. As a result, the stars were bright and plentiful and a couple of them fell and lit up the sky. Eventually, after touching the horizon for most of the journey, the moon disappeared altogether. It was as though the bus had climbed beyond the realm of the moon. I know I'm getting sappy here, but those few moments of witnessing nature made me truly happy.

Stay tuned for more adventures in Chibougamau! So far the people seem to be extremely nice and the weather is much colder than Montreal.

a bientot darlings!
xx

Free Rice

Well, it would appear that I am back. Aren't you all lucky? :) I have been wasting loads of time on a website that a friend showed me recently called Free Rice. It's an educational site that allows you to practice vocabulary, geography etc. It is a like a little game and really quite fun. The site also claims that for each correct answer they donate 10 grains of rice through the UN World Food Program. I know that 10 grains doesn't sound like a lot but it adds up quickly!

Kisses darlings!
xx

Est-ce qu'il y a quelqu'un qui peut me dire qui je suis?

I believe I'm having a bit of an existential crisis at the moment. I haven't updated in quite sometime as I'm really not sure where this blog is going. I need a focus and haven't found it! Whilst in search of my blog's identity, I've been doing a lot of reading. You may have noted that most of my posts are about books lately. Presently, I'm reading L'insoutenable legerete de l'etre by Kundera. (Again, please ignore my lack of accents...complicated computer problems.) I've read approx. 300 pages of the 500 that comprise this novel. It is fascinating and really dense but oh so depressing at the same time. I've really been reading a lot of depressing books lately. They tend to be philosophical and really open my mind to some new concepts, but make me a little disturbed as well. This particular book was given to me by monsieur James on the seven year anniversary of my time in Montreal. Thank you J!

Suggestions are always welcome! Shall I retire the blog, find a new focus, or just improve what I've already started?

Kisses darlings!

As well, I've been going through a bit of a hard time lately and I just want to thank my wonderful friends who have been so supportive. You mean that world to me!!

Hiking, Reading, Studying-Hooray!

Thank you Ange for inviting me to your lovely cottage! For my dear readers, here is a picture of me in the forest near Val Morin. My friends and I hiked down a really steep ravine in an attempt to see what we thought was a waterfall. It is there below me but doesn't really show up in the picture. I had a fantastic weekend staying near Lac Raymond-it was my first time in the area but I hope it's not my last.

I have not yet finished Minima Moralia, I ended up putting it aside so that I could read Les Particules Elementaires by Michel Houellebecq. This is the second Houellebecq novel that I've read. I doubt his name is familiar to my anglophone readers even though he has been translated into English. Francophone readers might know who he is. His books are dark, depressing and somewhat offensive-just the kind of book that I like! This one was fascinating, but I don't recommend reading it if you happen to be unemployed and feeling down about the recession or life in general. This book will not make you feel any better!

Here is a NEWS-type item for the Montrealers with an interest in Greek and Roman Mythology. My good friends over at Laodamia Press are now offering classes in Mythology, Latin and Greek. Their prices are very reasonable and they are now registering for two classes: "Introduction to Mythology" and "The Tragedies of Euripides". Both classes will be taught by Dr. Erez Natanblut, a former Queen's University prof. who recently moved back to his hometown of Montreal. You can find more information on their Web site here.

Music, Philosophy, Yoga and Fires

It's been so long and yet this shall have to be brief. First, I can once again hear a concert outside. It is 11 pm and the sounds are drifting up the hill on the wind. At certain moments I can clearly hear the instruments and the audience. It is an incredible sound and makes me so happy to be in the city this summer. I love my neighbourhood! I am just curious about the origin of the music as Jazz Fest is over. On the other hand, Montreal has more festivals during the summer than I can possibly keep track of. I am curious what outdoor space is being used for this particular concert.

Second, I have just started reading a new book: Minima Moralia by Theodor Adorno. I have only read 1/5 of it so far, but I am thoroughly enjoying it. I am no philosophy expert so I won't comment too much. I simply want to say that even though the language is a bit difficult, the message seems worth the effort. So many of the thoughts and theories in the book are totally prophetic. The book was written between 1944 and 1947 and yet some of the criticisms that Adorno makes about society can totally be applied to 2009. I would be interested in taking a formal class in which they study this book because I'm sure I would learn a lot.

Lastly, the lovely folks over at Naada yoga are offering free yoga classes in Jeanne Mance Park every Sunday during July and August (weather permitting) from 4-5. Everyone is welcome to come. If you don't have a yoga mat you should be able to improvise with a beach towel. Also, if you want to check out a yoga class during the week you should go to their Mile End studio. It is super zen, the instructors are great and they have a well-stocked tea lounge as well if yoga is not your thing. For more info. visit www.naada.ca

No pictures tonight darlings! (I so wanted to make that a Zsa Zsa reference.)

Sleep well!
Mr. P
xx

P.S. I wanted to add a thought about a previous post. In my post about the fire on St. Denis I said that the news confirmed that no homes were lost. After seeing the buildings for myself, it is quite obvious that a few people probably lost their homes. From the sidewalk you can clearly see into damaged apartments. Happily no one was injured in the fire, but I hope those people have had some support in re-establishing themselves.

All That Jazz

Good evening darlings!

This is a random picture that I took of some art work in Mile End. "Oh the land of Oz is a very funny place where everyone wears a funny, funny face..."

I am sitting here working in my living room with a cool breeze coming in through the open windows and I've realized something. I swear that I can hear sounds from the Jazz Fest down the hill coming in with that breeze. They are intermittent sounds: the occasional flourish of drums and perhaps guitar and cheering. I think the wind needs to blow from the right direction. I feel like the artist in his ivory tower thirsting for a journey to the sacred font. I can also usually see the Saturday fireworks from my bedroom window. Montreal is truly a magical place, especially in the summer.


On a side note, I was reading in the Mirror this week that the Plateau now has its own Sunday Farmer's Market. The first one was last Sunday, June 28th and they are supposed to continue every Sunday until the end of summer. The market is located at 4265 Laval, corner of Marie-Anne in the schoolyard of l'Ecole St-Jean-Baptiste from 10am-4pm. Perhaps I will see you there this weekend...

Sleep well m'dears!

xx

Happy Canada Day!

"And the streets are paved with gold and no one ever grows old, in that funny place called the land of Oz!"

Fire

Good morning my dears,

Today I had intended to write a concert review but that shall wait until tomorrow. Instead, I am posting this picture I took of a fire on St. Denis early yesterday evening, Sat. June 27, 2009. It was on St. Denis between Pins and Cherrier. It appeared that three buildings were on fire and I could see a lot of fire fighters on the roofs with chainsaws. It was kind of eerie hearing the buzz of all those chainsaws punctuated with siren bursts and the comments from gawking bystanders. The sky was also trying to rain but was just spitting a bit at that point. I don't have a television so I couldn't watch the news for more info. and surprisingly I have only found amateur reports about this fire online. I know it was significant enough that traffic was re-routed onto Berri well into the night. I think the buildings were a mix of stores with apartments above them. I feel bad for all the people that probably lost their homes and possessions. I hope no one got hurt!

Until tomorrow,
Mr. P
xx

UPDATE: A friend was kind enough to send me a link to an article about the fire. Click here to read it yourself (it's in French). According to the article, only one building was lost which included a beauty salon on the main floor. The rest of the building was being renovated. At least that means that no homes were lost and people are safe. Yay!

Today's song is 'Lover I Don't Have to Love' by Bright Eyes because it is kind of depressing and that sums up my mood at the moment.

Insomnia

This early morning's song is 'Jesus Christ' by Brand New, even though I think I've used it before.

That is all.

No, one more thing. My computer is confused and thinks it is 1:00am right now when it is actually 4:31am. And my pictures switch their order when I publish the post... :(

Un-Dry Humour

'Tis raining today yet pleasantly pleasant. Indeed.

Yesterday, I forgot to mention that Dry is a very funny book in a dark humour sort of way. Alas, I've now finished it and discovered that the last two chapters are not really funny but just really intense. I almost cried and that's not dry at all.

Pic model: Miss Dish
Today's song: 'Jungle Drum' by Emiliana Torrini. Thank you Monsieur James.

Delightfully Dry

Alas, no pictures today! I am two chapters away from finishing Dry: a Memoir by Augusten Burroughs. Many of you might be familiar with him as the bestselling author of Running With Scissors. This is my first foray into the world of Augusten Burroughs and I absolutely love it. His book is everything that I look for in a good read: complex characters, unique descriptions, a well-paced plot. As well, I love that there are many details in this book that can only be described as uncomfortable and politically incorrect. Burroughs is a fearless writer who confesses his own profound vulnerability while being totally in control of his craft.

Dry starts when Burroughs is 24 years old. He lives in Manhattan and makes a lot of money working in advertising even though his formal education ended in elementary school. Besides a lack of schooling, he explains that at the age of 13, his mother gave him away to her lunatic psychiatrist who adopted him. He then lived a life of "squalor, pedophiles, no school and free pills." It is no surprise then to learn that at 24, despite having a successful career, Burroughs is also an alcoholic. The book follows him through his adventures being forced into rehab and his recovery afterwards. It is full of eccentric characters and unique life perspectives. I can't wait to finish it to see if the ending is as satisfying as the rest of the novel.

I have checked out a few sites that question whether this book is a true memoir because the details of Burrough's life seem so extraordinary and almost unbelievable. I also checked out his Web site and read what he has to say about these criticisms. I won't quote him verbatim but he basically says that the people criticizing his book come from privileged backgrounds and find his life hard to believe because they are so distanced from his reality. I love the idea that this is a memoir, but if a few details are embellished, who cares? It's still a great read.

That is all for today dears!
ciao
xx

Sunday on a Tuesday

This picture has nothing to do with this post. These are two of the items found in the time capsule.

Today is Tuesday, but let's write about Sunday shall we?

On Sunday I met with the lovely Kristine. I accompanied her on a threading expedition in Park X. I assume you all know what threading is but just in case: Threading is a method of hair removal similar to tweezing but in which thread is used to remove hairs faster. I don't actually know how it works, but it's a cool process to watch.

Anywho, I went with Kristine to this neat little beauty salon in Park X. They charge only $3 to thread eyebrows and no appointments are necessary. The salon is in the basement of a commercial building. We descended a short flight of stairs into a cotton-candy pink confection of a room. Chairs were lined up along the walls in a 'u' shape and they were all taken. People were also standing in all the available spaces. Popular place! It reminded me of going to the passport office except that the air had an antiseptic pleasantly-sweet smell to it and there was a lot of sunlight coming through the one window.

Despite how busy the place looked, the wait only lasted about 10 minutes. If you are wondering, I did not get any threading done personally. The salon says on its business cards it is 'exclusively for women.' I am not sure how they feel about pig hand puppets and didn't ask. My butt arm (yes, the one that makes me move) got her eyebrows done and they looked pretty good. Can't beat the price either. Kristine has been going to this place for a couple of months and swears that they always do a good job.

If you are interested in checking them out, they're called Salon Dee's Beauty. They have the following three locations:

737, Blvd. Cote-Vertu-2nd floor, Ville St-Laurent (corner of Montpellier) Tel: 514-744-2306
803, rue Liege Ouest, Montreal (corner of Outrement) Tel: 514-948-2306
1014, rue Jean-Talon Ouest, Montreal (corner of Acadie) Tel: 514-277-1074

After our hair removal excursion we took a little trip over to Marche Centrale and visited the SAQ depot. I bought a couple inexpensive bottles of wine for future festivities whilst Kristine picked up a 2-6er of Vodka for her mother. (I know, that sounds bad!) The only problem is that she bought Bacardi and neither of us noticed. At least the weather has been hot and lovely lately and they are all set for Daiquiris...those use rum right? I am so uneducated in the realm of alcohol!

Today's song is 'Head over Heels' by Tears for Fears. It's an 80s sort of day.

Fashion of the Day

I was unsure of what to write this evening. I had a very pleasant weekend thus far, with great company and good food. Now I am once again alone and pondering what to write on my little bloggy-blog here...

Several weeks ago I met with some friends to dig up a time capsule that we buried in 1996. I was just a wee piglet then, still finding my place in this world. Originally, we had planned to dig it up at the 10 year mark but found that getting all the original participants together was too difficult. Three of us decided to dig it up without the others because we had used an old camper cooler to bury the items in, and started to fear that the contents would be damaged. There was indeed damage, with the exception of some items places in a bucket within the cooler, and we threw many things out. All of us had forgotten what exactly was in the time capsule so we were surprised by what our younger selves considered significant. Basically, we found a lot of magazines, notes that we passed in class, drawings and other oddities and creations. There were also letters to our future selves and some trinkets. In future, I may post a series of photos that we took to document the contents. For today, I have included two of the ones pertaining to fashion. The bottom one is from a 1996 edition of the now defunct YM magazine heralding 'Genius jeans!'As you can see, you would have to be a genius to pick such fetching ensembles! The top picture is my own attempt at drawing a fashion line...please keep in mind it was the 90s!

Ciao darlings et a bientot! (insert accents in necessary places)

Tonight's song: Tom Waits 'Real Gone' album

Fringe Fest-In Cold Blood

Today was utterly depressing. It was gorgeous and sunny outside and my schedule was wide open. So what did I do? I sat in my armchair reading the entire day. (At least I preserved what's left of my precious and limited funds.) I drank a lot of tea and ate a lot of Ryvita crisp bread (endorsed by the Queen!), and all day long I read In Cold Blood by Truman Capote. My friend lent it to me a few months ago and I wasn't sure I would like it, but once I got started I was kind of sucked in. Unaware of the book's phenomenal success I decided to google it. After doing that, I now reckon it is quite possible that every other person my age and older has already read this book. If you are one of the few exceptions like me, you should pick it up! Why should you pick it up? It is a well-written and engaging book. It also has historical significance. It was originally marketed as being a non-fiction novel giving a true account of the murders of a Kansas farmer and his family. It is full of very interesting characters and descriptions. As well, I find that the sections in which the murderers take a road-trip can be likened to a perverse version of On the Road. I enjoyed reading about the places that they travelled though it was horrible to think of the actions that preceded the trip as well as some of the things they did while moving about the U.S. and Mexico. I really don't know what I can say to endorse the book, there is so much written about it already and readily available on the Internet. You don't need to take my word for it, look it up!

After I finished the book I was still feeling too gloomy to step out for a stroll. Since I was feeling depressed and had spent the day reading a book that reconfirms 'life is not fair' I gave up on trying to shake the bad mood and also watched the movie Capote which is about the author of In Cold Blood. Watching the movie after reading the book really makes you think about how Capote got his information and how much of it he may have embellished.

So my dears, as you can tell, I am a bit morose tonight. Yes, I have said this is the case but I think my writing indicates it as well. My week actually started on a high note though. For the first time ever, I attended the Fringe-for-All event on Monday, June 1. The event at Cafe Campus included 2-minute preview performances from 45 of the performers that will be at this year's Montreal Fringe Fest. It was so much fun and there was so much talent in that room! I just love to see what wonderful things emerge when fertile creative minds are given a forum like the Fringe where they can show off their uncensored works. There were a couple of misses, but maybe they were just shows that could not be represented very well in such a short period of time. Also, the performers still have a few days of rehearsal left as it does not start until June 11. If you are anywhere near Montreal, you MUST attend. It is inexpensive and loads of fun! The festival runs from June 11-21. You can click here to visit the official Web site and get schedules, ticket info. and all that jazz.

Goodnight all!
kisses
xx

Tonight's song is 'Perfect Day' by Lou Reed.

Free Museum Day is Not a Piece of Cake...and Pie!

Here is the picture of the raw, vegan, apple pie as promised!

Yesterday was Sunday, May 31. It was also Free Museum Day here in Montreal. Each year I gleefully imagine all the fantastic (free) things I will witness on this day. Each year I strategically pick out which museums are the most worthy of not receiving my hard-earned cash. This years honoree was the 'Irish O'Quebec' exhibit at the McCord Museum. Ange came along to experience her first Free Museum Day. Just like every year, the museum was absolutely packed. We fought the crowd to see perhaps a quarter of the first floor of the exhibit. Reading each sign required a valiant effort as did each attempt to move through the crowd without getting bumped off course. As I do every year, I gave up after half an hour and left...

As Ange put it, museums just aren't the same when they are over-crowded. To really enjoy them you need enough room to proceed at your own pace and read as much or as little as you please.

Today's song is The Smiths 'Bigmouth Strikes Again'.

Ttfn darlings
xx

Imagine, Baby!

I shall start with tonight's song: Make the Girl Dance, Baby Baby Baby. This is not the style of music that I usually like but this one is stuck in my head.

I made raw vegan apple pie

Baby Baby Baby

It was so delicious I could die

Baby Baby Baby

I will post awesome pics soon

Baby Baby Baby

Probably at the start of June

Alrighty, enough of that. I am not a poet. You can find the music video for that song on youtube. Most men will appreciate it. Some ladies too.

I finally went to see the Imagine exhibition at the Musee des Beaux Arts here in Montreal. For those of you who are unfamiliar with it, it is an exhibition about John Lennon and Yoko Ono. I think it is intended to commemorate the honeymoon Bed-in for peace that they did at the Queen E. I love that it is free and people are encouraged to touch things, leave notes on tags hanging from trees, take pictures and upload them to a Web site, etc. I didn't like that even though I went on a Thursday afternoon, there were so many people that it was hard to really look at anything.

Now, as a poor artiste allow me to bitch a tad about art in general...a few of the pieces were testimonials to the fact that fame changes artistic standards. What I mean to say is that if an artist who wasn't famous had done the same drawings then they would probably just be dismissed. The fact that John Lennon made those sketches makes them interesting and historically significant. This is a half-hearted bitch because I am in awe of the longevity of both John Lennon and Yoko Ono's mystique. Modern day celebs try to move from music to art, acting, fashion lines etc. and though they might make a go of it, they probably will never reach the icon status or be remembered in 30 years. All the same, it would seem the key to life is fame. It can also be the key to destruction.

If you want details on the exhibition go to: Musee des Beaux Arts, Montreal.

Baby.

Good-night!

P.S. Omigod! I was watching Donnie Darko last night and even though I've seen it before, this time I realized that Seth Rogen was in it. He plays a bully. He's one of my favourite actors.

Hooray for Vegetables!

I have not uploaded new pics as planned so here is a picture of cake. Mmm cake. I bought that at Pekarna in the Old Forum (Atwater metro station). I love cake and that is one of the best places. Their prices are decent and they always have a nice selection of tempting treats. You can usually buy an entire cake or just a slice, whichever you prefer.

Today was Victoria Day. I’m usually very clever yet I don’t really know why it is significant. Queen Victoria’s b-day perhaps? I could simply google it to find out but I am feeling rather lazy this evening. In any case, most people that I know just think of it as an extra day off of work.

Since I was free all day, I went to the bookstore with Ange. I have been dying to get my hooves on a book called Rawvolution. It is an (un)cookbook with raw vegan recipes. If you are unsure as to what a raw vegan is, the really simplified explanation is that it is someone who is vegan (does not eat or use anything that comes from animals) but also does not use cooked food. If you want a better and more complete definition then check out Wikipedia! I am neither vegan nor raw vegan but I really want to try a couple of recipes that I heard about. I am intrigued by the raw vegan diet and how it makes me re-think food. I did find the book but decided it was too expensive. I am really feeling the pains of the starving artist lifestyle. If I had bought the book I would not have had money left to buy groceries! That would be silly. Instead, I shall try recipes I find free online. BTW, the cakes in the pic are most certainly NOT vegan…just delicious.

Whilst at the bookstore I also took a little looky-look at Russell Brand’s My Booky Wook. I have already read it (twice) but I got my copy in the UK. I like the UK cover better but the American edition has more pictures. Perhaps I have mentioned this book before? If not, it is an interesting read indeed.

Tonight’s song is Morrissey ‘I’m Throwing my Arms Around Paris.’ I love Morrissey’s music and the fact that he is such a curmudgeon in interviews. Also, see how I managed to mention two fellow vegetarians in this post? While I’m at it, Russell Brand is a fan of Morrissey and named his cat after him. My leap in logic has lead me to think of singing cats and now I have that damned ‘Jingle Cats’ song in my head…

Sweet dreams darlings!

Riding Through the Farm on my Hobby Horse of an Arm

Good evening my dears! You may have noticed the fantabulous photo of moi and the pineapple that I posted last time. I was going to include a story about the pineapple but decided it would be more fun if you send me your own conclusions about what it means! Give me your comments!

I recently returned from a trip to Alberta where I spent a few days on a farm. I always have mixed feelings about being on a farm…on account my vegetarianism and all. Perhaps you thought I was going to say it’s on account of my being a pig? There were not any pigs on this particular farm and although I think pigs are lovely, they are not really my kin. I am simply a hand puppet in the form of a pig (which if you are wondering, protects me from the swine flu as well!) I am very self-aware. I know that someone’s arm protrudes from my butt and controls my actions. See the pictures that I have included from my trip? See the arm? In fact, I highly recommend that each one of you do a little self-exploration. Is there an invisible hand up your butt controlling your actions?

Who controls your thoughts? Mine are my own.

Sleep well my dears!
xx

Tonight’s song is ‘Fluorescent Adolescent’ by the Arctic Monkeys.

Mr. Piggles and Adventures Through the Pineapple

Exploration is the Key to Excitation (yes, pronounce the last word like in French...)

Have you missed me darlings? I was a bit deflated to see that I don't have any new followers but then again, it has been a long while since I updated. Faithful followers are so hard to find! After thoroughly feeling flat I thought about my lovely day and it pumped me back up again. Today I met with my delicious friend Ange at Cagibi cafe on St. Laurent at St. Viateur. I will certainly go back there again. It has an earthy, eclectic vibe complete with mismatched chairs, doorless cupboards and a fascinating golden wingback chair with carvings of busty topless ladies on the wings. Also, I do believe that the food is completely vegetarian. I have discovered many fantastic restaurants and cafes these past few months and I think perhaps I need to include a recommendations section.

At the moment I am very broke so I stay home most of the time. I am also very busy with my art. I guess I am the epitome of starving artist save for the whole hand puppet bit! I am also sad to report that my computer is still broken. I can't afford to buy a new charger for it and now I think it's ready to give up the ghost. Perhaps it is put out with having to function using an inappropriate charger, or maybe it is just a rubbish computer! I hope it doesn't read this or I may not be able to post again. It may decide to go on strike or commit suicide. I shouldn't think such gloomy thoughts...

I promise to TRY and update more often with better content. Yes, try.

Bisou,
MR. P
xx
:0)

Monday

Ah, another weekend over-how I miss it already! On Friday I went to a bar called the Distillery. You should go. It is West of St. Denis on Ontario across from the Cegep de Vieux Montreal. The drinks are fantastic-I recommend the Lady Sidecar. For $15 smackaroos you will get a mason jar full of liquor-y goodness. Yes, that does seem expensive for one drink but believe me, it is enough! I could barely get my delicate little limbs around that jar. Thank goodness for straws!

Just one thing to note-the clientele are quite young, most likely Cegep students since it is right across the street. According to the bouncer the cinq a sept crowd is a little older.

Random Thought: What is the word for bouncer in French?

Edit: my friend just informed me that he just says 'bouncer' but he thinks the proper term is 'videur'. Heehee :D

Holidays are Over...

Greetings all! I hope that everyone had a lovely holiday season! I have been busy busy. I am still working on the painting of the buildings. As well, my friend Chris acquired numerous art supplies from a friend and was kind enough to pass a very large roll of canvas onto me. Thank you Chris! My head is swimming with all the possibilities! Part of me wants to try a really huge painting (something I have never tried before), and part of me wants to just make as many moderate size pieces as possible.

Tonight's music is the MGMT album 'Oracular Spectacular.' I bought it because I liked a couple of the songs and I find that the whole album is fantastic! You can get the whole album on itunes for under $10.

ttfn!
xx