Curmudgeonfest

Ahhh! Just checked my calendar and found that I'm reading this Tuesday (Feb. 20), 8 pm, at the Art Bar Series, at the Victory Café on Markham. I have no memory of booking this. But it seems I'm reading with someone even more curmudgeonly than myself, Fraser Sutherland, as well as Julie Roorda, who I don't believe is the least bit curmudgeonly. I think maybe I'll read some really long poetry sequence.

Then, next Sunday (February 25) marks the revival of the Fictitious Reading Series, curated by me and Kate Sutherland. A brilliant lineup: Steve Venright and Beatriz Hausner. Both Steve and Beatriz are better known as two of Canada's premier surrealist poets, but Steve has been writing fiction for years, and is working on a very weird novel, and Beatriz is the translator of several Latin American surrealist fictioneers. That reading takes place at This Ain't the Rosedale Library, 483 Church, 7:30 pm. And you can bring what you'd like to drink. We will pass a hat to pay the writers (see my "Hunkamooga" column in the current sub-Terrain for my thoughts on those who spend more on beer than on the writers).

This past Thursday, had the first of the Get Your Hands on My Poem! workshops at This Ain't: I was thrilled that the five participants were all very keen and were all capable of writing good poetry, and very diverse poetry. It was really enjoyable. I'm going to enjoy this challenge.

Last night got together with Dave Fine, my buddy from my high school days, who's visiting from Vancouver. It doesn't feel much different from those days: we poked into a few CD shops and insulted each other's musical tastes. It was a lot of fun. Dave and his wife, Alison Snowden, are preparing to launch their new animated kids' TV series, Ricky Sprockett, this fall. I tried to buy a spin-off haiku franchise for 5 bucks, but Dave spurned me. I encourage all poets to create unauthorized Ricky Sprockett haikus.

Over and out.