Last week was a long one. And not the best on record - a couple of weekend cancelations added to the work stressy stupidness and an overall feeling of blah. So here's hoping the one ahead is a bit easier. Fighting a losing battle with a cold, but Shoppers was open so I have medicinal aids to get me through the night.

I did have a lovely Thanksgiving dinner in Oakville from which I am still full today. Too bad there wasn't veggie lasagna though (JOKE that is a JOKE for my Oakville readers - there could not have been more food on that table).

It was a motley crew on my streetcar home last night - and every one of them on their cell phone. A couple of them were homeless, or at least transient, or at least smelled that way, with better phones than I have. And talking up a storm. Loudly. I know all about rooming houses and shifts at some convenience store and girlfriends. At least it's a short ride.

I love Skype. Just talked to friends in California and Indonesia with video so we could wave hello - all for free over the internets. And I love that Bell finally got my internet to work consistently allowing me to do so uninterrupted. (2 months free service to make up for the issues as well...not bad at all).

Gobble gobble everyone.

where to start with this day...

First, the celeb chef that almost said yes to doing my fundraiser for work, finally said no today. Though she was very nice about it and I now have had two lovely conversations with her so that's something...

Add to that the most annoying and at times condescending conversation with one of our noted arts councils. An arts council that is not as well looked upon as others and not known for its forward thinking funding plan, but still one that I would have defended as important and vital to the community. However, when the program manager basically laughs at me as I discuss our education programs for professional artists, she says and this is an exact quote "I suppose we might fund you one day when we have so much money we just don't know what to do with it" and "the Blank Arts Council's funding gives artists the resources they need to create their work", to which I responded, "so do we". I'm so frustrated to be treated as if the work we are doing is of no importance. Quite frankly, the exact opposite it true, but I need more money to double our outreach locally, improve the website and expand what we do across the province and yes, to other cities across the country. Anyway, it was a very demoralizing sort of day...

The 5th Nuit Blanche was last night and I have to say I liked most of what I saw. We only lasted 3 1/2 hours but saw about 25 installations, which I think is pretty good.

Creepy Clowns on Yonge St

Many things stayed with me (including the clowns above), but I even enjoyed some of the video art (I know, crazy - Eternal Encore being the favourite for me I think). This year was definitely an improvement on two years ago. I also really just love that for at least one night a year, art is cool and interesting to "normal" people. Even if some of the art is of questionable value and sometimes it doesn't live up to the expectations (hello rubber ducks on the Ryerson pond I'm talking about you) and the crowds can be intense and stupid. That is all secondary. It is the city committing to a festival which brings art literally into the streets and into the consciousness of a million people. And that is worth celebrating.

The new chair

So pretty...

Both my gym and the No Frills are in this pocket of the neighbourhood that has resisted gentrification. I think this blog may turn from stories of galas and celeb sightings (sigh) to tales of the manager at the gym and the somewhat colourful characters buying groceries.

This afternoon Amanda, the manager who is about 35, tells me that her 20 year old son is having a baby with his teenaged girlfriend. Oops. She was more concerned with being a grandmother than with the idea of teenagers having babies. I find this odd. No Frills was just a cornucopia of characters which made me long for the Forest Hill diamond and fur crowd at the grown up Loblaws down the street. Both crowds are unCanadian in their pushy-ness, but the Loblaws ones smell better.

My new chair is here! My new chair is here!

I am glad that I opted for delivery as it was a wee bit of a tight squeeze up the stairs. Makes me wonder if any sort of sofa would fit up...

It does make the rest of my furniture look a little drab I have to admit. But oh so pretty! photos will be forthcoming...