IIDD, Moondance: Saturday, October 6th

 The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose. -William Shakespeare, poet and dramatist (1564-1616)

As Luck Would Have It!

Hi Raymondo and Giggster!

Sorry I didn't hook up with either of you on Thursday. As I mentioned to Giorgio, when I popped by his place that afternoon, I decided to head out alone, given my schedule. Took my car as I wanted to go for a ride out to UBC before dropping it off at Westpoint for its first tune-up". Parked on Highbury, near the store and headed out along Spanish Banks. Another glorious day and I did the Crown/Marine Drive/16th/Imperial Loop before returning to drop off my bike with 51.8K on the clock, over 2:24:53, 21.4 AVG, MAX 55.2, so it wasn't a bad outing. However, when I was cycling through Wesbrook Village I had to stop while a huge flatbed, and I mean huge, loaded with palettes of some kind, literally took up the entire roadway. Now that I think about it, I probably logged over 100K having had to re-set my odometre after this annoying interruption in my otherwise unblemished, feet never touching the burning ground, ride!!!

My appointment wasn't until Friday but I wanted to take my bike in beforehand as I knew that with my VIFF schedule that day it would make things easier. Left bike with Sara and Andrea, (She did my fitting, Whirls.), and told them I probably wouldn't be able to collect it until Saturday. Andrea said that was fine that they'd just leave it outside, unlocked, with a note saying "For Pat Dunn only!"

[Chloe Alexis Dunn

Getting my toes did with Harry Potter!!!

• 

  Chloe Alexis Dunn Sorry inside joke, Daniel Radcliffe is not sitting beside me. My mom happens to look like Harry when she wears a certain pair of round black frames. It's hilarious.]

Had a meeting at Trinity at 5:00pm with Janice Guthrie, the minister who will conduct Mom's memorial service on the 14th. We clarified the placement of a number of items on the program and once I have made the necessary changes we'll proof the final draft, early next week so that I can have it printed. Back home to have a bite to eat. Cora Lee was out to a church meeting  so after I caught up on my email I cycled down to Granville to watch the 9:30pm showing of Twilight Portrait, directed by Angelina Nikonova. Quite disturbing, inasmuch as it offers a "unique feminist perspective on the rampant corruption and callousness in modern day Russia." I would be very interested to hear Misha's views, (He is a member of our Book Club, Ray.), if he ever has the chance to see the film, as to whether he feels it is an accurate assessment of the director's and his homeland, per esempio. Olga Dykhovichnaya, as Marina, was simply remarkable. Lovely night once I was heading home so ride was a delight, particularly over the Burrard Bridge, ship's lights winking in English Bay.

This Ain't California

Yesterday morning I took in Mystery, China/France, a"sexually intense thriller set in the colossal city of Wuhan in eastern China." I was really taken with this enormously intriguing "noir-melodrama" and had to chuckle to myself when I was asked to explain it, twice, to a friend and her husband, when I bumped into them after the viewing. Was reminded of Mom as she could never follow flashbacks in movies or intricate plot twists. Next up was The Iran Job, USA/Germany/Iran, a documentary, which follows Kevin Sheppard, a native of the US Virgin Islands, who has signed a contract to play with A.S. Shiraz in the Iranian Super League. Once again, a truly remarkable film. Kevin's friendship, (Initially, he invites them for Christmas, which is hilarious in itself!), with three out-spoken Iranian women in the apartment, (They risk potentially severe punishment for just being there!), he shares with is seven-foot Serbian teammate "Z", (League rules allow but two foreign imports per team), allows the possibility of free speech and they discuss everything from politics to religion to gender roles. The film is obviously about much, much more than basketball, (although this aspect of the film is truly fascinating as well), set, as it is, in the period just before Obama's election, with political tensions running high between the West and Kevin's new host country. An extraordinary glimpse into the  lives of ordinary Iranians caught in "the uprising and subsequent suppression of their country's reformist Green Movement." Yet the film is not hard to watch as Kevin's personality and disarming sense of humour infuse the documentary and allow him to overcome "most of the cultural and professional barriers he encounters."

Mystery

A dash back to Pacific Cinémathèque to start my shift at 2:00pm. Pretty quiet for most of the time but Cartoon College, USA, drew a fairly large crowd. Lee and Patty Bacchus werer there and had a brief chat with them before the showing. I was on the kiosk selling programs and VIFF memberships so my manager, Stephanie, asked me if I wanted to watch the show once all but latecomers were seated. Of course, I was delighted to do so and quite enjoyed watching 20 of the "world's most promising aspiring cartoonists and graphic novelists", (the first year class of a two year program), at the Center for Cartoon Studies, apparently "the premiere institution of higher learning" for such Fine Arts, in White River Junction, Vermont. One of the students filmed, Jen Vaughn, and Jason Zumpano, (he wrote the original score), were present, after the screening, to answer questions, so that was an added bonus. While I liked the film, I must say that I thought that the overall presentation was rather "traditional" given the nature of the subject. Not quite sure how else it could have been handled but treatment wasn't what I had imagined it would be, especially as the program notes suggested that this "might be the coolest documentary at VIFF this year..."

Cartoon College

The Q & A session was over at 8:15pm so I sat in the Lobby and read The Keeper of Lost Causes, (Finally getting around to it and can hardly put it down!), until just before 9:00pm when I strolled back to Granville to meet Cora Lee and Flamin'. I had purchased tickets, for them, for Laurence Anyways, Quebec, a "striking love story set in 1990's Montreal" in which Laurence tells his girlfriend, after nine years of being together, that he wants to become a woman. "What follows is a tumultuous, decade-long odyssey during which the couple fights passionatley to salvage their relationship." Unbelievably stunning performances by both Suzanne Clément, as the girlfriend, and Melvil Poupaud. Incredible treatment of one of society's most disturbing phobias. I was riveted by the work but The Sisterhood found it too long at 159 minutes. Cab home at it was after midnight by the time we left the theatre.

Will pick up my bike and give it a quick run out to UBC. Will probably only go for a short spin as I have to be home to make a couple of salads for this evening. Nicole and Marvin have organized a surprise 60th for Bella, Marvin's mother, at the RCMP Mess on 33rd and Heather, courtesy of Sarge. Guests need to be there by 5:30pm so I don't have all that much time for a longer jaunt. Tomorrow I plan to try to see Rose, Poland, " a riveting period drama which reveals a little-known chapter of Polish history: the post WWII persecution of the Mazurians, indigenous residents of what is now northeastern Poland." Then, either Revolution, Canada, the "true-life adventure Rob Stewart", a documentary from the coral reefs of Papua New Guinea and deforestation in Madagascar to the Tar Sands of Alberta, or Rebelle, Quebec, in which, somewhere in sub-Saharan Africa, Komona is forced by rebels to slay her parents. Eventually she becomes the "war witch" of the leader of all the rebels but, plagued by the ghosts of her parents, she undertakes the journey back to her village. So, if anyone is keen to join me just let me know. Could possible do a short ride around Stanley Park, an up-and-over perchance, beforehand, leaving at 8:00-9:00pm. Let me know and we'll plan accordingly. Cheers, Il Conduttore!

Surprise!!! Happy 60th birthday mom!!

Pat,

    Glad you were able to have a service on the new bike. You should notice the difference.

    You've finally got into The Keeper... I enjoyed it too. Just finished Criminal by Karin Slaughter and picked up Creole Belle yesterday.

    Managed a ride with George on Friday. Returned to the West 23rd deck where Sylvia, George, and I shared a large bottle of beer from Driftwood Brewery on the Island.  Another this morning with Rod and Pete to Steveston. The trails are closed due to fire risk. We skirted the barricades and had the paths almost to ourselves. Turned into a busy day as I cycled to 49/Granville - home for lunch - on to a house near City Hall and continued to UBC to complete my tutoring for the day arriving home at 5:50. Fortunately no recurrence of the back p[roblems. Must be the weights.

    It sounds as though you've had a very enjoable time at the festival. Weather  looks good for the rest of the week so perhaps we can arrange a ride soon.

Ray

 Hey pat

So we want to begin with a toast to Bella and a prayer to bless the food
Then we will all eat
Marvin and I will say something about Bella, begin with Myself and then Marvin
Then we introduce that Marvin and I have created a slide show for her birthday so everyone go to the room with the tv
We will play the video
Then we will all have cake
Then piñata outside (if it is nice) we will have to think of something if it isn't
Then karaoke  Let me know if you have any questions