The Kat's Table

I am so punny.

I semi-impromptu attended an event held by the Vancouver International Writer's Festival this evening. I say semi-impromptu because I had looked into attending a few weeks ago but then with life the event slipped my mind.

I'm so glad I remembered though!

Tonight I heard Micheal Ondaatje read from his new novel "The Cat's Table" and then have a nice q&a and book signing.


The event didn't quite start at 7:30 as the start time promised but that's what happens with these sort of things!

I sat alone but had lovely discussions with the folks around me. The lady to my right told me I looked "very avant garde" and "Very French." I was wearing my Banana Republic Beige Trench and my Paris beret! Oh la la!

But back to the event, it took place at St. Andrew's Wesley Church on Nelson Street @ Burrard. The church was pretty big and it was packed!!!

As Ondaatje read from his new novel in his authoritatively soothing voice the audience laughed at appropriate times.

When the question period began he remarked "I have to think and talk at the same time?"

Although, Ondaatje took the ship in the 50s from Sri Lanka to England just as his character Micheal did, he does not remember the journey and so was able to invent it.

The title "The Cat's Table" came about while he was having a phone conversation with someone in Germany who remarked she had been sat at the cat's table. Ondaatje had to ask what it was and his phone partner explained it was the worst table at an event. For a while it seemed to hold the novel together for him.

The audience question period went fairly well despite the acoustics in the church weren't all that great (odd for a church) and the one person who felt they needed to hear themselves talk and told an exceptionally long story that wasn't relevant to The Cat's Table. Luckily, Ondaatje was very diplomatic and guided this person to sit back down when she tried to ask a second question by pointing out the line behind her.

One of the best parts of the Q&A was when he discussed the two landscapes that have shaped him and his craft. He gives dues to his roots and where he put down roots. I think that's very noble and very true to his literature.

I got in line to have my book signed and was it moved along I looked around and noticed who I thought was David Chariandy. One of the VIWF staff walked by me so I asked just to make sure.

It was him! I had to make a decision and I decided that the line would still be there and David might not. Hoping out of line I went and introduced myself to him. Reading his novel Soucouyant for my Fourth year English class helped me huge to deal with my Grandfather's dementia. I even passed the novel along to my mother for her to read and understand further.



I am so very glad that I jumped out of line. My heart was such a flutter and I was so starstruck!

I got my book signed by Ondaatje and floated home.

The past is still, for us, a place that is not safely settled.
Michael Ondaatje

Fall Fashion

I had been scouring the new Vintage shops in my area. Which was overwhelming for many reasons.

1) The sheer amount in Vancouver is INSANE!

2) Though the clothes are vintage the prices reflect Vancouver. Not what my little Ontario self is used to.

3) I was lost in SO many wonderful things!!

My head spinning and after trying on closets of clothes. I figured it out. I wasn't looking for anything specific. I wasn't focusing.

Key to vintage shopping: Know what you are looking for.

That being said, I have decided my next purchases will be.

A) A Leather Skirt. Ideally, this will be black or red and fitted. BUT I will consider a dark purple or blue. And vintage of course.



B) A giant bulky sweater. Something a bit tacky will be best.



That one can be found at Forever21. I think the colour is brilliant and perfect for Fall!

c) I need flat over the knee boots. I'm kicking myself for not buying the Kate&Mel's I found last year. I'm thinking a Grey or Cognac would be great!

I like those but the have had trouble with Quality from Aldo before.

Fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable that we have to alter it every six months.
Oscar Wilde

I love Oscar Wilde!

Laundry Tip!

Allo all!

I ran into some mess at work last week when I spilled so much tomato soup on my white work shirt! One of Two! Which meant it needed to be washed ASAP!!

However, due to moving pains I'm still in the process of getting all the "essentials" in my apartment and did not have laundry detergent OR coins for the laundry machine.

Uh oh!

What is a girl to do????

I filled my bathtub with hot hot water (I rinsed the shirt in question off at work, luckily I had brought one to change into!) and threw the shirt in.

I then used Dawn Dishsoap where I had spilled, rubbed it in, and let it sit.



Came back a little bit later and the stain was almost gone! So I rubbed, rubbed, rubbed where the stain was (just the shirt against the shirt).

Voila! Stain gone!

I really felt this tip should be passed on, just in case!

It's better to have loved and lost than to have to do forty pounds of laundry a week.
Laurence J. Peter

Toodles!

One Step Forward.

Two steps sideways.

I've made a really big move in my life for various reasons. It was a long time coming and leaving home whether for good or bad needed to occur, however, everyone knows that cat's don't adjust well to change and are very stuck in their ways.

This move has been really hard for me in more ways than I imagined. And I'm not going to pretend I don't end up crying myself to sleep most nights or that I am thrilled I decided to move so far out of my comfort zone.

I still don't see these potholes as steps back though. Two steps back would be where I was a year ago, in the same position but living with no fear of failure and looking no where but back.

I have moved forward and to the side. My life has never followed any traditional path to anything, so why would it start that now.

I also decided to try my hand at painting, to ease some of the extra stress, anxiety and sadness that I'm experiencing. I have "completed" four paintings so far and each is so different from the rest but each one calmed me down and focused my mind.

I'm not sure I could make a living off painting but I am sure that I need to get back to my creative roots so I can continue on my forward march.



"This life is what you make it. Not matter what, you're going to mess up sometimes, it's a universal truth. But the good part is you get to decide how you're going to mess it up. Girls will be your friends - they'll act like it anyway. But just remember, some come, somg go. The ones that stay with you through everything - they're your true best friends. Don't let go of them. Also remember, sisters make the best friends in the world. As for lovers, well, they'll come and go too. And babve, I hate to say it, most of them - actually pretty much all of them are going to break your heart, but you can't give up becuase if you give up, you'll never find your soul mate. You'll never find that half who makes you whole and that goes for everything. Just because you fail once, doesn't mean you're gonna fail at everything. Keep trying, hold on, and always, always, always believe in yourself, because if you don't, then who will, sweetie? So keep your head high, keep your chin up, and most importantly, keep smiling, because life's a beautiful thing and there's so much to smile about."
— Marilyn Monroe