Oh look, it's me in KELOWNA.
More than anything else, I am really and truly someone who comes alive behind a podium. I can't say exactly what it is. I like a structure made of faux wood with that comes equipped with a microphone and a little shelf where you can put your stuff. It's far more civilized than the average standing microphone and stage, which often requires you hold your papers up like some sort of quivering shield.
This past week I spent a few days in Kelowna visiting the good folks at the UBCO Creative and Critical Studies department.
Which meant that I got to spend a good amount of time with my friend Michael V. Smith, who is a professor most awesome there.
Want to know how amazing Michael is? Check out his faculty photo.
Seriously. The dude is just COOL.
Probably one of the best parts of being a writer is when you get called to take trips like these, which REQUIRE you to go to different parts of the country to hang with people whose work and general persons you admire. Michael V. is definitely one of those people. I first met him in Vancouver at some writing event or another, and I was kind of instantly awed by how hip and gorgeous and happy he was. Plus, he's an amazing author. You can check out his work here.
Curiously though one of my favorite memories of MVS involves his bathtub, which was this great claw foot tub he had in this apartment on Main street. I remember I was crashing at his pad, for some other reading of some sort, and I was soaking in his tub when suddenly this massive flock of birds swooped up past the window. It was very poetic. And I thought, you know, of course, I'm sitting in a poet's bathtub, this sort of thing is bound to happen.
In addition to hanging with Michael V. Smith I finally got the chance to see Ivan Coyote and Rae Spoon's show Gender Failure. Which, if you are lucky, will be heading to a town near you. They're both incredible... I want to say storytellers but I figure that's not exactly it. They're both just incredibly smart and charismatic and it translates on stage into a story you should and want to hear. And they're singing. And that's pretty gorgeous too.
To sum up, I'm pretty lucky to know so many talented people. I have to say it's still kind of a thrill to me that I am someone that these people will HUG when they see.
I think that's pretty cool.
(From L to R: Anne Fleming, Michael V. Smith, Ivan Coyote, Rae Spoon, Yours Truly)
Maybe the hugging is a Canadian thing, I'm not completely sure.
Many more trips to come so stay tuned.
Until then.
xo
m
PS - whenever possible, travel with a fur hat because it doubles as a pillow