Fearful for our planet, like everyone else
Not my usual perky self today. Yesterday I got the next Covid shot – my 7th? – and a flu shot in the other arm. Glad to be done with them, but now I’m sore in both arms and had a bad sleep, which included fulminating at Biden at 4 a.m. for his stupid remark about garbage. Trump has hurled vile insults for years, no comment, no problem, but Biden makes one stupid ill-advised remark, and that side goes mad. The politics of grievance.
Now I’m truly terrified for our planet. Elon Musk has signed up to be in Trump’s cabinet, along with a stellar assembly of notables who will surely be there – Steve Bannon, Steven Miller, the worst of the worst, the meanest, smallest human beings on earth. I’ve been burbling along thinking the worst cannot possibly happen, humankind is smarter than that. It turns out – no. We’re not.
Let me focus away from the dire state of our world and my aching arms – Sam calls me “the human pincushion.” We’ve been having another mild spell, beautiful warm days in late October – 21 degrees yesterday! It’s perfect so far for the kids at Hallowe’en, but might rain tonight. The boys are beyond excited. Sugar is coming.
Happy to report So True on Sunday was a huge success – the house was packed, 70 to 80 people. I’m so proud of the readers, bravely telling their vital stories – witnessing on TV a husband nearly die on 9/11, nearly dying in the Congo, nearly losing his virginity but not, the story of a lifelong friend, a triumphant moment in a doctor’s career, a triumphant moment for a feminist girl in Lethbridge in 1980, a moving ode to the talismans we carry to safeguard us, and finally, an extremely powerful story about a father’s suicide. And then me, with a humorous tale from my drunken past and a message: support art, which helps us through the dark times. Support artists. See live music. Buy books!
The readers, and me with Andy who bought two books. He heard my message.
Nettie flew home yesterday after a packed week here. She strapped a VR headset on me and showed me her installation Uninterrupted; suddenly I was under the Cambie St. bridge at night and then underwater with her fabulous 20 minute film of fish projected all around. Brilliant! Her friend Judy drove us both to the Aga Khan Museum to see the installation Light, equally extraordinary. Below, two pieces from the Aga Khan.
Nettie testing the headset in my office. You need a swivel chair so you can move around while viewing in all directions. I usually don’t have much time for the visual arts, more fool me, so thanks to Nettie for immersing me in them.
I’m reading a beautiful book, The Garden Against Time, by Olivia Laing – about gardens and so very much more. I will concentrate on living growing things and try to shut out what’s happening on our planet. But my fingers and toes will remain crossed. 
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