IIDD, Chill November: Friday, November 16th

In our world of big names, curiously, our true heroes tend to be anonymous. In this life of illusion and quasi-illusion, the person of solid virtues who can be admired for something more substantial than his well-knownness often proves to be the unsung hero: the teacher, the nurse, the mother, the honest cop, the hard worker at lonely, underpaid, unglamorous, unpublicized jobs. -Daniel J Boorstin, historian, professor, attorney, and writer (1914-2004) 

Sixto Rodriguez

Hi again, Giggster!

What a wonderful confluence of a German word and A Thought For Today. Kaffeeklatch, (An informal social gathering for coffee and conversation.), embodies the non-Peletonii while Boorstin's quotation captures the essence of Rodriguez! I can only shake my head in wonderment, the latter coming to our attention so recently after seeing the film and capturing so succinctly, so exactly, so simply, yet so powerfully, the nature of this truly remarkable individual, this musician, this artist, this shining human's incandescent, yet quiet soul. Time for a java and a piece of Clarisse's fresh banana loaf to settle me down! Cheers, Patrizzio!

I am going to ride sometime this morning, before the monsoons hit,  if any one is interested. G

Hi Giggenheimer, et al!

I'm keen to ride. Want to try for HB before The Deluge? I can leave at whatever time is convenient for you. Cheers, Il Conduttore!

Captain Barnacle is alive and well and managed to "erase" all of Cora Lee's recorded shows when he changed our wireless sign-on password lasterday afternoon! The Sisterhood is not amused. Earlier, Kjell and I were overwhelmed by The Sessions. What a remarkable performance by Helen Hunt as sex surrogate Cheryl Cohen Greene. John Hawkes captures Mark O'Brian's true story of a polio victim with amazing dignity and delightfully refreshing humour. William H. Macey is simply terrific as Father  Brendan, the Catholic priest who becomes more than Mark's spiritual advisor/confessor on the latter's quest to lose his virginity. The topic of sexuality and the disabled is treated with sensitivity and frankness, refusing to shy away from this taboo, dealing an enlightened and necessary blow against our society's prohibitions relating to human sexuality, in general, let alone how these moral judgements affect an already marginalized subset of  our culture.

In the evening we went to the Cultch to see Miriam Margolyes in Dickens' Women, an incredibly powerful and nuanced reading in which she explores and brings to dramatic life a whole range of female characters. What an overwhelming delight! She is such an accomplished and talented actor that she has one riveted for the entire two hour performance. Of course, the venue itself is perfect for such a production, its very intimate space adding to the spell Miriam casts over the enthralled audience. See it if you can! Cheers, Il Conduttore

Hi Conduttore,

Thanks for a lovely afternoon. Sorry to Corinne about the erasing of the shows. Looked like a happy ending when I left.

As for Horseshoe Bay, I thought we were talking about next week. Looks like the most available week I've had since I arrived. Now off for tennis. Dom

Hi Björn!

I included you in message as I wanted to send along snaps. Next week's ride is still on so will be in touch about that, as weather permits. Cheers, Patrizzio!

Hi Matt and Catherine!

Just a quick note to thank you both for such a wonderful evening! Terrific to catch up while drinking such marvellous Opimian wine and dining on such a sumptuous feast. We trust you will be able to come to our pre-Yuletide gathering on December 2nd, anytime after 5:00pm. If you need any encouragement to attend, Glasgow, HAM will be served! Thanks again. Cheers, Patrizzio! 

Hi again, KaffeeClatchmeister!

I'm planning to see Lincoln next week so thought I'd let you know my filmic intentions in case you are interested in non-watching! 1:05pm showings. We can discuss dates over strudel, whipped cream and peppermint schnapps on your next non-ride! Cheers, Die Wermachtheitangst Pumphfenaphfelgeistmeister!

P,

Would like to catch Lincoln. Let’s make it happen. Ya, pumpen spritzen, W

Patricio:

Info for anyone you know who has young kids (age 4 -- 10) who would
appreciate a magic show on a real train.

I am a member of the Society putting this on and would like to get the
word out.

Its the scene from 'The Polar Express' by Chris Van Allsburg where the
children are entertained while being served hot chocolate.

We cannot do a fancy service so have a magician for the entertainment. Rip
 

www.VancouverNorthPoleExpress.com
for details and tickets

COURTESY REMINDER OF DUE DATE VANCOUVER PUBLIC LIBRARY

This is a courtesy reminder. The materials listed below should be returned
soon. If you have any questions, please phone your local branch.

The material listed below is due on Monday, November 19, 2012:

     Thinking, fast and slow / Daniel Kahneman. Barcode: 31383097881216

Please return or renew the material by the date due. http://www.vpl.ca/library/details/renewals

This notice lists only the items on your library account with a loan period of one week or more that will be due in three days.

Vancouver Public Library material returned to a non-VPL Library system will result in a delay before your account is updated.


Hi Giggster!

Thanks for the fab ride out to Horseshoe Bay!

Hi Federico and Juhli:

Terrific to hear from you, Frederick The Great Fly-Fisherman! Don't worry at all about the T shirt. Not a big deal at all. Furthermore, I bought Glasgow a book, 100 Years The Story of Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club. He is now golfing more since giving up squash. (You may know some of this if you have read other blog entries!) On Saturday, November 10th, Cora Lee and I attended at brunch a the UBC Golf Course Restaurant. Sponsored by the Alcuin Society, (The Alcuin Society is a voluntary association supported by people who care about the past, present and future of fine books. Founded in 1965 by Geoff Spencer and six other Vancouver bibliophiles, it is the only non-profit organization in Canada dedicated to the entire range of interests related to books and reading. These interests include authorship, publishing, book design and production, bookselling, book buying and collecting, printing, binding, paper making, calligraphy and illustration.), it was followed by an auction of new books submitted to the Awards for Excellence in Book Design in Canada in March, 2012, and books which won awards in 2011. Great good fun bidding against other buyers, forcing them up on works I didn't particularly want. Spent about $100 on early Christmas presents and money goes to a very worthwhile cause, at least in our opinion. I'll probably present Matt with book for Robbie Burns Day this coming January 25th.

Not sure what sort of weather you have been having but we had a wonderful break from the rain clouds last Friday and Whirlygig and I took the opportunity to ride to Horeshoe Bay. We left at just before 10:00am from the Heartbreak Terrace and made our way, via Seawall,  around Science World to Stanley Park and then over the Lions gate. Along Ambleside and then kick over onto Marine Drive just past Dundarave Village. Know the route pretty well so no hitches out to HB and back again. About 36K to the village and then back up the steep hill, retracing our steps but with a head wind on the return leg.

Near the the Inukshuk statue on the south end of English Bay, Whirlygig remained on Beach Avenue while I kept to the Seawall. He had to make for home to meet this son while I wanted to take advantage of the weather and log at least 100K. This being the case, riding around Science World would give me an extra 10K so that I would only need a quick run out to UBC to push me over the hundred mark. Did just that and sailed along Spanish Banks, (the freighters, one with a striking broad red band on its hull), filling the bay, the moutains dusted with snow icing, the fairly strong wind at my back. Paid for it once I had completed a few dipsy-doodles around campus, however, as by 2:30pm, when I was at the bottom of the Foreshore Hill and making for home, wind was even stronger and I had my work cut out for me over final 10K or so. Still, it was a grand day and it was simply wonderful to have put such a good ride under my belt before monsoons set in: 103.3K over 5:21:13, AVG 19.2KPH, MAX 51.2KPH.

We haven't heard much from Kev/Bev either. Not terribly good correspondents in my experience. Last email I sent was to thank them for the terrific meal we had enjoyed on October 30th. Coramandel and I met, 41 years ago, on Halloween, at Champs Motor Inn on Osborne, in Winnipeg. Since Clara and Dusty, her parents from Winnipeg, were arriving that afternoon, we decided to celebrate a day earlier. We went to Edibles, on Granville Island, one of our favourite spots there. Bev/Kev had given us a generous gift certificate to the restaurant as a thank you for their stay. We had a wonderful meal and all within such easy walking distance!

Fond regards to Juhli and all the best to you, Federico. Cheers, Patrizzio!

Dear Festival Friend,

Vancouver’s love affair with great writers reached new heights this year, thanks to donors and audience members like you. I hope that you were able to attend the Festival this year. And I hope you heard and met some of the writers who came to inspire and entertain readers with their ideas, stimulating conversations, and literary excellence.

As you know, it’s only been a few weeks since the Festival, but we’re already hard at work preparing for the next one. That’s why I hope that you’ll consider a year end donation to this wonderful Festival today.

I know you love reading, and I believe you want others to enjoy reading as much as you do. For as you know, reading gives us understanding, skills, compassion and a multitude of other gifts that make our world a better place.

Your gift today will help us continue offering stimulating events with the world’s best writers.

I'm sure you’re aware that ticket revenue covers only a fraction of the cost to produce an internationally-renowned literary Festival, year-round programming and an extensive education program. And in a challenging time, with tightening corporate and government budgets, donations from friends of the Festival, people like you, are even more important.

This is why I’m writing to you today.

Will you please make a year-end donation to the Vancouver Writers Fest? You’ll keep the Festival strong and help us to bring the world’s leading speakers to Vancouver all year round.

If you respond before December 31, you’ll receive a tax receipt for 2012. Please call us at 604-681-6330 if you are interested in giving securities–there are significant tax advantages to giving securities instead of cash. You can make a secure online donation at www.writersfest.bc.ca.

Thank you for being a supporter of the Vancouver Writers Fest. Thanks for buying books, and thanks for supporting writers and the arts. All of us here–our staff, board, and hundreds of volunteers thank you deeply for your support.

Sincerely,

Hal Wake Artistic Director

P.S. Thank you again for your year-end donation to the Vancouver Writers Fest. Your gift will help us present award-winning authors (hopefully some of your favourites!), create stimulating events that provoke discussion and thought, and introduce thousands of young people to the joys of reading and writing.