Hockey Rules

Now I really have nothing against hockey except when the rules of hockey begin to take over other aspects of our cultural life.

There really is a collision of culture going on and hockey appears to have won.
Dig, dig, dig. Get out there and win. Kill the B——s. We’ve all heard it, haven’t we?

And there is the money. As far as I can recall, I’ve never heard of a free hockey game. After all, hockey players expect to be paid … Well paid.
M
Ice time … That has to be paid for too. Is that why so little ice-time is given over to public skating? Is this because many people cannot afford skates and ice-time or is it because hockey-players have become so much more important than non-hockey people who might skate for the enjoyment, the fresh air or the exercise.

Hockey rules? In more ways than we would have imagined a generation or so ago, hockey rules our society. No matter what, we are expected to belong to some team or other and loyalty to that team is paramount. Scheming within the team is OK if it helps you win. Rules are made to be broken as long as what goes on within the team stays with the team. It is seen to be perfectly alright to ignore or even ostracize any independent person who has no team behind them.

And the ostracized person hasn’t a hope in h— of getting a foot in the door of opportunity that is guarded by all those well-paid teams so determined to win at all costs.

Finally … An opportunity … The Pan American Games …

https://t.e2ma.net/click/e3rig/uv4j9i/enjdqb

And they say it’s “open to all New Brunswick artists”

ALL?
Sing? Play an instrument? Juggle balls? Walk on stilts? Swallow fiery swords?

Hmmm … Team approval?
Hey George! Get over here willya! Tell me … What exactly do you suppose is meant by professional?

……………..
Ya … Well me and George …
Well we’re a team
Don’t you know …
A bit of a motly crew
Who else?
Any artist
Who wants to join us.
Leader?
No leader
We’re all equal.
Not much time
Until March 15
Suppose we’ll make it?

…………….

Who decides who is and is not a New Brunswick artist?
The jurors will pass judgement?
And who are the jurors?
http://artsnb.ca/site/en/juries/
Hmmm unnamed huh?
Must we join NBArts to find out?
OK … How much?

Waste of time and energy?
You think so too George?
Yah … I guess I do know
How these things work
An opportunity is written into some budget.
Those on the inside
Are passed the approved list
Of pre-approved candidates
Then the criteria …
Well that is written to describe
In almost exact terms
The Chosen One …
Who will then be
Juried and found to be the winner
Is that it George?
Is that how these things work?

Why?
Why do they bother
With a competition
Well after all George
This is a Democracy
It must be seen
That equal opportunity
Is open to everyone.

Wellllll … Maybe maybe not
But that’s the way it is
Has been for a long long time
Nothing new under the Western Sun
http://www.writing.upenn.edu/%7Eafilreis/50s/blacklist.html

The Motley Crew?
No George, not the band
I mean my team.
Can’t produce a show without a team
Found a list
They just might do
That is
If any are still alive
http://www.digplanet.com/wiki/Category:Hollywood_blacklist

Look George …
More friends we might meet
http://www.geni.com/projects/The-Hollywood-Blacklist/16955

Whaddya mean … You don’t think the Blacklist is so bad.
George, are we talking about the same sort of Blacklist
https://blcklst.com/#bl_opportunities

I thought not …

The chosen and the unchosen … Is that what the battle has become, George?
https://blcklst.com/#bl_opportunities

Think double-speak will work, do you George? Change the term Blacklist from it’s original meaning … Cause confusion so it becomes easier to ignore someone who complains about being blacklisted or even marginalized.

Take the word “closure”. Bet that onw makes you feel warm and fuzzy, huh George? Think again … Never mind … That’s another issue.

More doublespeak? Ahhhhh … Here’s an example of doublespeaking into existance the ultimate “goodcop”Blacklist
http://www.protectyourdata.ca/check-the-status-of-your-device-in-canada/

So getting back to the original meaning of “Blacklist” … could that Hollywood 10 type Blacklisting happen in Canada as it has in the United States? What do I think?

Hmmm … I guess we’ll never be allowed to know, will we?
https://blcklst.com/#bl_opportunities

Suppose that was what my friend meant when she called a certain someone a bad bad man? Did He do this?

Surely George … Not now … Not in the 21st Century … It cannot still be happening … Do you think?
No comment huh? Guess I might ask an expert http://www.historians.org/

……………………..

OK George … I’m willing to give in … Go with the flow … Quit rowing upstream …
Thinking about a team is what I’m doing.

You really can’t do much on your own.

One problem George … How do I get the right team?

For example here is what looks like an impressive list of names to drop …

Yes, George, I’m just about at the point of desperation to do a bit of name-dropping.

That is just the problem …

All we have here is basically a list of names and associations and such … no contact information, no proof that the whole thing isn’t a tangle of fluff meant to impress … Who was that fellow who almost became French President … You know the one with the 10 or so bed-girlies …

Yes … him … or whoever it was was who replaced him at his bank … You know, George … I think it controls all the money in the world. Sorry, George. Forget what they call it.
Hmmmm … So you don’t know any of these folks either?

http://www.microfinanceconference.ca/mobi/speakers.html

Gentrification & Art & Traffic Flow

My thoughts are that people should not be forced out of their own community through neglect or lack of equal opportunity or, in some cases, public work projects that can make or destroy whole neighbourhoods and business communities.

I have spent a lifetime watching alternate governments exert their power to disrupt generations-long neighbourhood dynamics and traffic flow. Old family businesses which are vulnerable to extended road closures were bound to fail. Whether this was done through design or stupidity Is beyond my ken. Such decisions are made behind closed doors through which few of us are ever invited, especially those who won’t meekly agree.

Gentrification and assimilation have long been used to cleanse communities of any uncooperatives such as artists and writers and objecters who dare step into that fuzzy space the power-brokers cannot fathom.

The thing is that artists and writers often bring value to those run-down buildings nobody else would consider inhabiting. The poor souls might even be happy there until the gentrifiers swoop in. If the developers do make a profit while “cleaning up the mess” who will object except maybe a few poor artists or writers.

I don’t blame any one government agent. They are merely pawns in some larger game sweeping away any artist who refuses to sit quietly in some government-approved corner whitewashing their words or their art.

Happy Valentine’s Day

Valentine?
What valentine?
Oh … I see George … You’d like me to sign a Valentine, would you?

A blank Valentine card … One with a funny image outside and no words written inside, huh?

Well, write something in it first George. You know I don’t sign anything with blanks … Learned that one a long, long time ago … Signing off under blank cheques and blank spaces can really get a person into trouble.

Dozens of people have already signed without question? Because by saying nothing you offend nobody no matter what language they speak … I see your point there George.

Hmmm … so let me see the picture on the front of the Valentine Card you are sending our PM.

Hmmm … Did your dozens of signatories see the image on the front of this card, George?

Well I’m frowning because I don’t find it one bit amusing … Quite in bad taste really.

Well yes it might be as funny as those Charlie jokes but I didn’t find them funny either.

Sorry George. No, I wouldn’t care if the picture were drawn by New York’s highest paid artist. Nope … Not signing.

Instead I’d like to send our PM a nice big fuzzy hug for Valentine’s Day.

Guess the PM won’t be receiving a Valentine from me again this year.

No George, I don’t have the flu.

Is It Too Late?

Is it already too late?

Have all the artists moved away or given up completely?

Is that why, year after year, our area is pretty much overlooked by those colourful New Brunswick tourism publications?

I am still here and I’m hosting an artist festival in May. Anybody who is interested is invited to become involved.

There is no big slush fund. So far there are no paying jobs, and no luscious contracts. For the last six months there has been mostly just me working as an unpaid volunteer.

After fifty years of experience as a local artist I am taking this opportunity to invite the community to become involved in building something out of almost nothing.

The Artist Festival Headquarters is located at the art centre at 212 St. Andrew St. Bathurst, New Brunswick until at least the end of May. The door will be open every Friday and Saturday from 10:00 to 3:00 and people are cordially invited to drop in and ask about free registration for the festival.

By the end of May I should know how much support the Chaleur community has for art and artists.

Ode to T Chaleur

T Chaleur

Eureka
Hello hello

T Chaleur

Chaleur Bay
Just an afterthought?
Some might say yes
But I think not.
For those of us
Who live as we do
Along this Bay
Where jobs are few
Our young can’t stay
Not much for big
And glossy malls
But love is here
Within our walls
Of church and school
And homes
Where caring people dwell
We don’t need much
To keep us warm
Through all those months
Of winter storms
A couple of cords
Of wood will do
Will pull us through
Until almost into May
The ground beneath
And trees above
Show us green
And mourning doves
Will soon be cooing
And on our bay
With ice all gone
Boats fly again
Across our waves
We see them now
Our hope restored
Yet one more year
The spring has come
Our kids come home
From schools away
Back to our shores
We watch together
Sing our songs
Light our beacons
Along the shores
Each of us building
Our sacred space
Within the comfort
Of our Bay
Our beautiful Bay
Our own T Chaleur

www. tchaleur.wordpress.com

Beautiful Bay

Artist … (Artsy Fartsy, Geek or not, talented or not)
Person … (Who may or may not know much about art but you know what you like )
Business … (owner, executive, tycoon, successful, wealthy or otherwise)

What in Chaleur Bay
Are you anyway?
Whatever you are
From here or afar
You are invited
To join us in May
Here oh here
On our beautiful Bay

Help us make Chaleur artsy
More: chaleurbay.com

I repeat

What you could do, if you are interested and so inclined, is to talk to the local merchants and businesses and ask each of them to actively seek out and find an artist to sponsor during May. That sponsorship might be as simple as displaying an artwork in their window or it could be more as their resources dictate.

Warning … Communication Breakdown

Warning:Public-Private Communication Breakdown
Warning:This following communique might be seen by some as an act of passive-aggressive behaviour on my part. Such is not my intention nor is this an under-handed attempt to criticize any particular person. I am simply trying to illustrate that communication-breakdown happens and think this is a good example of such breakdown.

Communication is an interesting concept. While being the passive recipient of emails and newsletters and tv and radio is the ultimate in communication for some people, there are those like myself who appreciate a bit of feed-back. Sometimes even a bit is not enough. Perhaps a grunt of assent was sufficient for my neanderthal ancestry. For me, however, communication requires a bit more effort.

Following is one example of communication-breakdown between myself and a paid public servant who did not appear at a public meeting last August although he had assured me he would be there. I finally received an email from him this past week, five months after the meeting. He wrote in his email that he had indeed gone but nobody was there.

What are you supposed to do or say when a public servant tells you that he will gladly do what he can to help you, then when you make a specific request, replies that your request does not fall within his particular area of expertise? What are you supposed to do when he or she does not appear at a meeting he promised to attend? Are you supposed to try to find out what happened? When you reconnect months later and he assures you that he will gladly help you in any way he can, do you actually believe such words are to be taken seriously?

This is only one example of many. How are you supposed to communicate with all those people guarding the portholes of government power in these days of Twitter?

Do you suppose anyone nowadays would appreciate the effort I put into the following (edited version) wordy reply I sent:

Thank you for getting back to me. When you were not at the meeting I was disappointed. I did not knock you off my list, however. My focus changed and I was very busy “seed-spreading” for the Spring Garden of Artists Festival.

Although the attendance at the meeting on that Sunday was very small, we were definitely there about an hour before the meeting which went ahead on schedule and lasted about another hour. I am puzzled. Perhaps you were at the wrong door is all I can think.

As for the the artist festival I have spread the seeds as far and wide as one one person could. What others have done is according to how interested they are in having arts in our community I guess.

The whole idea of what I am trying to do is show that it is up to individuals in the community to try to do what they can within their means and not depend upon government for handouts. I am asking artists to have the courage to put themselves and their work out there in May. It might be a bit like a performer jumping off a stage and hoping someone will be there to catch them. But isn’t that what a supportive community does?

All I am asking of any government agency is take the initiative to do their best to help independent artists feel welcome in their own community. Artists should not be obliged to join some formal government-approved organization or pay membership fees or scrounge for space in which to make and sell their art. Most of all, they should not have to leave their community in order to survive. Artists should be seen as the valuable resource they are and there should be infrastructure already in place.

I have already spoken to you and asked about vacant space in the city. I can think of several places and I’m sure there are others that might be made available to independent local artists and possibly visiting artists at least during May. That might be a good place for government to start. Rather than tearing down buildings they might consider offering space to artists for at least that month.

What I have discovered is that almost everybody I speak to is waiting around for someone in government to do something for them. I have no such expectations personally and am looking for nothing for myself. Such support was hardly there for me in the past and I don’t expect things to change at this late date in my life. However, I do hope that those in positions of power in Bathurst will wake up before it is too late and yet another generation of artists has moved away or given up completely.

I am still having an artist festival in May. Anybody who is interested is invited to become involved. There is no big money, no paying jobs, no sponsors and no luscious contracts. There is just me, a local artist who is inviting the community to become involved in building something out of almost nothing.

Because my husband’s business is closing I have lost one loyal supporter. On the other hand I have been presented with the gift of an art space for the next four months. I am willing to share this space because I see this as an opportunity to try to energize this community into becoming more arts-aware. This space would be the focal point of the arts festival during May. By then the weather will have warmed some, heating costs will be down and I hopefully will be able to remain open more than two days a week.

What you could do, if you are interested and so inclined, is to talk to the local merchants and businesses and ask each of them to actively seek out and find an artist to sponsor during May. That sponsorship might be as simple as displaying an artwork in their window or it could be more as their resources dictate. You might even pass this suggestion to agencies in neighbouring municipalities.

Making such contacts is something I was hoping to do until my husband’s business took a sudden change. Due to our present circumstances, I must focus my energies on my own space and my own art and am now unable to do the outreach I had originally planned.

I will be running the art centre at 212 St. Andrew St. Bathurst, New Brunswick until at least the end of May. The door will be open every Friday and Saturday from 10:00 to 3:00 and people are cordially invited to drop by. I will also have a limited supply of musical accessories to sell, strings, capos, picks, drumsticks, etc. By the end of May I should know how much support Bathurst has for the arts and whether it makes any sense for me to remain here or like so many before me, just move away to an arts-friendly community.

Any artist who wants to sell their work or hold workshops here is invited to come into the St Andrew Street Arts Centre in Bathurst and discuss this with me.

Please feel free to pass this letter on to anyone you think who might be interested in reading it.

My website addresses are
http://www.facebook.com/chaleurartist
http://www.maggiequinn.me
http://www.chaleurbay.com or http://www.chaleurbay.wordpress.com

Wonky

Wonky

Eureka
Hello hello

Thank you to a fine Australian who gave us a story this morning. Please read his story at http://wp.me/p5rgVm-2V
He got me to thinking. My response became much too long to post as a comment on his page. Here it is:

Now … I do believe this sounds much like stories I’ve heard about any-town, Canada. It seems long ago immigrant families were moved into certain parts of a town that the powers-to-be decided were not much good for anything else. Somehow, some entrepreneurial “wonky” had managed to pass off the odd former garbage dump or heavily polluted industrial area as a good place to raise a family or house seniors.
The seniors would only die anyway so why did it matter how they spent their final years. The immigrants were slightly more valuable because they would be expected to pay taxes and supply low-wage labour.
When the immigrants managed to succeed despite their less than ideal conditions more and more immigrants were forced into the same space. Soon they began to fight each other in order to protect the little plots they each needed to raise ther families.
The “wonky” meanwhile became greatly admired for his ability as an entrepreneur. He had shown superior ability to profit from a tract of crown land that was there for the taking. As everybody knows, or thinks they do, crown land is land that once belonged to a king or queen who already had way way too much land stolen from aboriginal people all across the world. Besides nobody was bothering to keep track of all that land any more and many plots in anytown, Canada had gradually been forgotten and sold off.

The council, or elected representative of the people as some like to call themselves, had the power to decide what to do with all that Crown Land. With the help of the “wonky” the council would make everybody happy. Soon it came to pass in Canada that her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II would no longer need to worry over all this land because it would all be gone, parceled out to deserving immigrants and other approved groups who could afford to pay for it.

As time went on the “wonky” would get rich, richer, richest, the immigrants would have homes and what passed for local business development agencies could brag about all the cheap labour they held in their local pool. Best of all, council would be able to raise more taxes from the immigrants and approved others. Then they could build themselves a beautiful big new chambers in which to plan new ways to raise taxes and votes.