Calgary Expo with John Noble of Fringe and Lord of the Rings

It started out innocently enough, with a simple question. Would I like to be a Media Host for the Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo? "Let me think about it", was my reply after digesting what this actually meant. Host a guest at the Expo, hmmm. So after a couple days of humming and hawing, I took a look at the guest sheet again. The entire cast of Star Trek TNG was already taken, which was okay. A little to big for a first timer anyway. Scrolling through the list the images of John Noble and Jasika Nicole from JJ Abram's show Fringe came up. I was shocked and surprised that no one else had jumped at the chance. Are you kidding, John Noble, I can host John Noble? Believe it or not I said yes.
This was my first time even going to the Expo, let alone participate in. My friend Scot Campbell actually had to talk me into it. Looking back after spending the weekend among such amazing people.. and I'm talking about the fans here and spending the entire weekend getting to know John and Jasika and their agent Holly I can't believe I almost said no. Both stars are so grounded and devoted to the fans they took time to speak and ask questions with everyone that came to see them. Their down to earth and informal demeanor relaxed any anxiety I had within seconds and it only got better from there. In short, two people that simply chose acting as a career. My son, Jesse just finished his first professional theatre acting in the Twelfth night in Toronto at Snobbish Theatre. This weekend was a rare privlage and I can see why he wants to be on stage in Stratford.
Thanks to everyone.

Nothing good can come of this. (Chapter 1)

1

Kate was looking for something in the bedroom. Sam could hear the occasional grunt and soft curse, “I’ll be there in just a minute”, she shouted from down the hall towards the living room.

“No Hurry” said Sam trying to sound casual but he was pulling out his cell phone as he said it and began to text, gonna B L8 he typed in and hit send and pocketed it again.

“Actually, I needed to talk to you before we went out” said Sam.

Kate was hopping down the hall trying to pull on a sandal on her other foot extended out behind here.  She had to reach out for the corner of the wall on the last step to steady herself. The look on Sam’s face wasn’t what she was expecting. Instant dread washed over her and she knew immediately what he was going to say.  She stopped moving, and looked up to the corner of the room. “Already” she thought to herself, but I thought it was good” The last 3 words moved from thought to speech.

All Sam heard was “it was good”  

Sam, who was actually busy pulling a ticket stub out of his pocket didn’t see any of the body language coming from a girl in love. A girl believing she was about to be rejected. When he did look up Kate had turned away and was wiping a tear out of the corner of her eye. “What?” he asked absently.

“I thought it was all good!” whispered Kate.

“Oh, ah yeah, yes it is” said Sam quietly, not really sure what he was agreeing to starting to feel uneasy.

“Is something the matter,” Sam asked?

“You tell me!” snapped Kate.

“Huh, what? Wait.” I’m confused said Sam. “I wanted to show you something,” he said as he held out the piece of paper.

Kate had no interest at what Sam was holding, all Kate wanted to do was grab her coat and leave, saving at least some dignity, but it was draped over the couch which was exactly where Sam was standing. She had to walk toward him. As she got closer she looked at the upturned hand and could see the ticket that lay across it.

“What’s that she asked? Reaching for her coat.

“This is what I wanted to talk to you about” said Sam.

Kate had her coat in hand, and was heading for the door, “come on, we’re going to be late!”

Sam made a weak protest but could see he was in no position to argue and as he hesitated he the automatic door closing mechanism was already following the footsteps Kate made as she rushed down the hallway.

Sam stuffed the ticket into his pocket and picked up his coat. He looked around the room. The floor to ceiling glass panels along the south western side of their condo reminded Sam of a suite in the Delta hotel in downtown Vancouver. Probably why he liked it, it always had the illusion of being on holiday to some degree. This let the golden warm light of early evening sunlight wash its way up the north wall which was the dining area that was defined by a simple tan corduroy couch at the edge of the living room. Last night’s dishes sat in the sink of the kitchen, although he couldn’t actually see them he thought about it. The case that held the guitar lay across the ottoman, open with the guitar resting peacefully inside once again. Turning on his heel, the rest of the room had a shower door haze quality and it wouldn’t be until he bent down to grab his coat that he would looked down and realize his eyes had filled with tears. 

He wouldn’t be back here again. He had no idea how he knew it but it was as real as anything he had ever felt. He pulled out ticket once more and read the numbers out load to himself.  Five, four, zero, one, four, he thought that hearing them would somehow make them magically give them meaning. No such luck. He grabbed his keys accidentally clipping he edge of the copper bowl. A soft metallic ringing filled the empty space and held on long after Sam had locked the door and met Kate at the elevator.

I know!

There are things that I know.
things that I know
things i wish I didn't know
like what you are thinking
like light that filters through the curtains into the room, you can't keep the dark in.

There are things I know
some things I - No too!
I know I Know.
like what you are thinking
like a whisper that is as delicate as a false smile, you can only hide it for so long.

There are things I know.
some things I know.
I know some things.
some - things
something

FUKC IT

I could write something, but if no one reads it what is the point.
I could speak out in rage, or love but if no one listens who cares
I sang a song today but it was humbled by the echo of silence.
If I were light, at least I would travel for infinity, but I am only water and my ripples go only as far as the sea of my surroundings.
Sleep is the only equalizer so fuck it all!

The Hot Chocolate Chronicle

Hello Dennis.

Now, before you simply delete the email, rest assured this isn’t going to be like the famous Joel Horner Rant of ’06 condemning the ability to embrace our human rights, to use as many bags in a cup as we want in a cup of pre heated water.

Far from it my friend, this is simply a request on behalf of my brethren that we may enjoy the cocoa goodness (at least as close as one gets in a paper pouch) true flavor that only regular or perhaps deluxe brands of individually packaged, instant Hot Chocolate mix can provide. Not a simulated, artificial, genetically enhanced sugar by product  disguised as healthy by the self-endorsed label of “Light” on the paper pouch.

I say simply, by shear evidence that there are 2 boxes of light and zero boxes of regular, delicious, creamy Hot chocolate boxes in the Tiki lounge and that flavor wins and the masses have spoken with clear conviction.

Let us rejoice and say No to “LIGHT”  Give me regular or give me death. (not to be taken literally)

So, ah yeah,

Can we get some more regular hot chocolate please.

The Quintessential Backpeddler - Part 2

Ray jerked awake to the sound of the ocean and spray of water. It was already dark and the harbor lights were reflecting on the ocean surface.

He recognized the harbor from years before, a place he always wanted to be in but for one reason or another….. Slowly turning to the left his eyes followed the sea wall around the edge of the water. The dark line of the Lions Gate bridge arched across the skyline in the din.

“What the hell?” He could hear his voice but spoke to no one inparticular. “This is impossible”. But before he was able to finish his thought another person spoke from behind him.

“’Bout time you woke up.”

Ray tried to whirl around but his legs gave out from under him and he tumbled to the grass and had to grit his teeth to fight off the pain now engulfing his body.

“Youv’e been standing there for about 6 hours now said the boy. I thought you might be dead or something but I could hear you muttering something.

Ray was trying to listen, trying to regain his strength… “What?,, whadda mean muttering. Muttering what?”

“No idea,  it was too low and I didn’t want to get too close.” Said the boy.

I had to go home for supper, and so my Mom wouldn’t worry but got back here as fast as I could. Here I brought you something to eat.

“Thanks kid, let me just get into a comfortable position.” Is this Stanley Park?

Of course, where else would it be.

… “Rock, black rock, did you see it?

Yeah, right there by your feet. It was glowing all afternoon, then slowly faded to a solid colour.

Ray’s mind was racing, trying to piece together everything. “What day is it? He asked the boy trying to sound calm.

June 16, why?

Oh, just foggy that’s all shrugging his shoulders, but inside he was screaming. He was on his way to Turkestan on the 17^th.

What the F^*%.  Sorry kid, that’s the first time I’ve cursed since I… but he trailed off. The image of her face and soft red hair as she slept rushed up to him. For the first time he was more worried about her that how he was able to travel 10,000 kms, a day before.

So it seems

So it seems there was this girl, not a goddess but not a floor mop either. She was, well she was, let’s just leave it at that. But the thing about her that made her special was just that very un-unique thing. She was like the rest of us, simply average, in her space and doing what she wanted. Don’t get me wrong, she had to work. I mean who doesn’t right? Every day she would take the subway from her house to the office where she worked. On the way to the subway she would walk the 12 or so blocks down a section of the city that was in and of itself an enigma. A small street off a busy confluance of traffic and people that seldom sees either. It is lined on both sides by mature maple trees. I’m talking 100 years if they are a day. This time of year the leaves where brilliant shades of yellow, gold and copper. The everyday reminders of a street that is but a shadow length away from the corner Starbucks is covered in those leaves.
It happened to be raining the day our young lady was walking through this particular part of the city, on her particular portion of route to the subway, leaves cascading down and covering the street and everything making her forget, if only for a few minutes that life is more than just paper cups and plastic bags. Life, if we look for it is there, always there. She bent down to pick up a leaf that had just fallen in front of her and as she did there was a loud bang, then the sound of shattered glass.
The morning was quite cool and on this particular morning our young lady was wearing a hat. A pink hat to be precise that was knitted by her mother years ago. It reminded her of a time long ago, a time when running through the leaves was the best feeling in the world. It made her sad to think…. She looked now at the hat as it lay on the ground at her feet where she was reaching for it and noticed a small red dot that had stained the bottom lip of the hat. As she stared at the dot, trying to figure out why it was there and why her hat was on the ground another red dot appeared on the pavement directly at her left foot, then another and another faster and faster like a leak on a faucet.
She looked up with her eyes to see people running out of the house across the street. She tried to stand up but something was keeping her from moving. There was a set of feet beside hers now. Then another pair, what funny shoes, she thought to herself.” They look like slippers but also like shoes….and just like that she puked on them. Down the persons leg, into the cuff of the shoe and over the front. She wanted to say sorry, “that isn’t like me, I don’t know why… then blackness.
There was no fear, there was no more time to reflect or take in the autumn colours or feel the rain on her face. No heat, no cold just a slow fade to nothing.
She closed her eyes and let the person take up her weight and lower her to the ground.  “Get a pillow” she heard someone say but that was the last thing she heard.
Just one of those things, however you want to rationalize it. In the wrong place and wrong time, her number was up, God called her home if you believe in that sort of thing. If she had forgotten something that made her be there at that precise time you might think something like that, on the other hand say she forgot something and it made her 5 min later… could that have meant someone else or no one at all. And you would say, wow were you ever lucky, if you hadn’t forgotton your .. whatever.. that could be you.
Her sister, my girlfriend at the time stood over the casket at the church and tried to rationalize it but there was just no way. What was there to say, what can you say to help someone that just lost a person they love.  After all these years, I still don’t know what to say, except you are missed.