Weeks End

Well, that was fun. Today was our last day at the old office at work: exposed brick, skylights, courtyard with flowering tree. Got hugs from the lawyers down the hall saying goodbye - really will miss this place. Managed to present about 4,000 books to various charities and community centers, and kitchen equipment and goods to a youth shelter down town. Monday is the first day in the new location: still to traumatized by the lobby music to pick out the bright spots on that one yet. Time will tell. Only this morning was actually useful for packing and sorting, as of 1pm tumbleweeds would not have been out of place so I followed the herd out for the day. Found some editors having lunch around the corner and ended up having scotch in the early afternoon. And wine. And then I nearly bought some horribly inappropriate red pants before I managed to get a hold of myself. Sometimes I think there should be some sort of organization to prevent drinking and shopping...

Between Rosedale and Summerhill

Great start to the day: did my learning to run group homework, returned to house for morning coffee and chat with lovely husband, then off to work. At Rosdale subway station a prophet got on the train disguised as a mild mannered 18ish college kid, normal and average looking in every way. When the train lurched forward he began (as best I can remember) "Children of the Universe! Open your eyes! The politics of the world is corrupt! The religions of the world are corrupt! Division is everywhere! We must unite against the end times, it's our only hope! We are candles alone in the darkness, but together we could blaze brighter than all the stars!". Now, as Toronto area prophets go I have to say he's one of the better ones I've heard. The two guys with the pamphlets at Yonge and Dundas are very focused on specific sins to guard against, the one with the microphone who I've seen at Bay and Bloor is incoherent and smells a bit. They're all quite barking mad but it was a real treat to see a barker with a bit more poetry than bite.
Booked a mad succession of appointments for tomorrow and met with a couple I who's wedding I'm officianting: full frontal ecumenical extravaganza that I'm very much looking forward too. Religious beliefs of attendants and participants woven together with respect to all; it occurs to me that this morning's prophet would likely be proud.
Did you make your prophet proud today?

Books

I work for a Toronto publisher which is moving offices after 12 years, and not surprisingly we're finding a lot of books that don't actually need to be archived but can't be returned to stock. I've been hunting out charities and community groups who might have empty bookshelves and a desire to fill them. I'm finding it really hard to find people. On Charity Villiage there's a list of places that need everything from office furniture to hotel soap, but no books. I'm not about to send them to an actual library; those would be our customers. I called up the Lt Gov of Ontario yesterday, thinking that because of his fine work last year getting books for natives in the far far reaches of northern Ontario his office might know who would like some books. The lady I spoke with was very polite but had no suggetions; they were overwhelmed by the success of the project and lots of people still call about it. I sighed, we paused, and then she said "but if you do find some places, could you let us know?" She may have been kidding, but she just put me on a mission. Freaking love missions. :-)
And totally open to suggestions. Ontario based charities doing work in Ontario (or Canada) that need books?

Because Kate and Kelly say so

So – here it is, a blog. Because Kelly and Kate say I need one. Actually, since Kate lives/works/raises beauteous child in Germany, I do need to have one for her since (hi Kate) we only ever see one another once every few years. Since Kelly (and who knows who else) may read this I’ve decided not to call the blog “Letters to Kate”, but instead have had to choose a new name. Repeatedly, I’m told that names I’d like (including variations of my own lawful one) are already blogs in good standing and I’ll have to try again. Which is how we arrive at the name for this one: it’s what’s hanging in front of me about 3 feet from this computer. Blue Buddha beads. As in a Buddha bead curtain. As in I can’t be trusted on E-bay with a credit card. But here we are, and I don’t know what I’m doing. I’ll try to avoid full names and names of offline friends for privacy, and I’ll try to include stories of weddings as they happen.
And other than setting up this blog, nothing much happened today. Went for brunch with lovely husband to local cheap eats place. Nice venue, great owners, $3 French toast but mostly we go for the floorshow. Yesterday when there with other friends, we had front row seats to a heartfelt exchange between a young prostitute and her a) geriatric lover or b) an older male relative with inappropriate touchage. At one point she nearly fell on me giving him a reassuring hug, to let him know she wasn’t high. Today was much less harrowing, just sat near a noodlish old man who occasionally growled at his hamburger. I suppose he just wanted to keep it in it’s place. His technique seems successful, as the hamburger remained submissive for the duration of his meal.
Came home, organized schedule, listened to some of the projects said lovely husband has been working on in recording studio. Fairly uneventful.