Diz Mixen

What I'm Listening To

2010-06-08T20:26:00.004-03:00

The National, High Violet. Buy it now.

Read the (amazing) Pitchfork review here.

Happy New Year!

2009-12-31T15:42:00.000-04:00

Best Movies of 2009 (My Best)

2009-12-22T19:41:00.005-04:00

1. Adventureland
2. An Education
3. Away We Go
4. Funny People
5. Brüno
6. District 9
7. (500) Days of Summer
8. Art and Copy
9. The Class
10. Fantastic Mr. Fox

Honourable mention and Can. con: One Week (crappy movie, great landscape porn: "You live in one of the most beautiful countries in the world." "I know. Too bad we're fucking it up.")

Confessions of a Reluctant Information Manager

2009-12-22T15:55:00.004-04:00

The New Quarterly has posted their e-newsletter, which previews the upcoming issue (#113, due out in January, 2010). In it you can read my "e-exclusive," "Confessions of a Reluctant Information Manager: My First Semester of Library School." Want to know what I've been doing for the last 4 months? Read here!

And look for Issue 113, which features my story "You Wouldn't Recognize Me," on newsstands, in bookstores, and available online, this January!

Ladders

2009-11-06T12:38:00.002-04:00

The kind in knitting, not for climbing. But these are big enough to climb on. Why? What am I doing wrong? I've knit and purled before. Is it the circular needles? Is k4, p4 a bad combination? Help!

Tropical Storm Danny

2009-08-31T14:09:00.004-03:00

Compared to Hurricane Bill? Worse:

And yet, where was the news coverage? Where were the live reporters and hourly updates? Get your shit together, CBC et al.

And Bill? Danny? What is this, attack of the WASPs? I envy Mexico and their Jimena. But look out, Kevin is coming. Though he seems rather depressed.

What I'm Listening To

2009-08-25T20:57:00.003-03:00

Bon Iver, For Emma, Forever Ago. Buy it now.

Read the Pitchfork review here.

Hurricane Bill

2009-08-22T21:03:00.003-03:00

The mines are no place for a hurricane, even one as brave as Bill.

Update at 11:37 a.m. Sunday:

Etching and Cross-Hatching

2009-08-19T12:34:00.010-03:00

Recently I took a weekend-long etching/intaglio workshop at NSCAD. I made this print:

I love etching! I loved how meditative it was to scrape lines onto a plate. I loved learning about cross-hatching. I loved the process of sketch to plate to acid bath to cleaning to inking to wiping to printing to cleaning, etc. etc. I've been trying to get that old-fashioned, early 20th century feeling in my illustrations as I try to figure out how to illustrate my kids' books. So now I've tried a few more pen and ink cross-hatched drawings. They don't turn out as well as actually etching, but I'm slowly getting the hang of it. Below, some of my drawings.

"We will sample it judiciously!"

2009-08-13T17:09:00.005-03:00

"When Olena was a girl, she had called them lie-berries--a fibbing fruit, a story store--and now she had a job in one. She had originally wanted to teach English literature, but when she failed to warm to the graduate study of it, its french-fried theories--a vocabulary of arson!--she'd transferred to library school, where everyone was taught to take care of books, tenderly, as if they were dishes or dolls."

--from Lorrie Moore's "Community Life," Birds of America (1998)

Unfortunately, Nicole

2009-07-07T16:11:00.004-03:00

Unfortunately, Nicole never considered the fact that she could get pregnant while doing alcohol and drugs while having unprotected sex.
Unfortunately, Nicole has a reputation.
Unfortunately, Nicole has gone over the edge.
Unfortunately, Nicole suffered a set back last month.
Unfortunately, Nicole was having a wardrobe malfunction.
Unfortunately, Nicole lost to that fugly Serena.
Unfortunately, Nicole seems to have an incredible memory, or maybe because she's just hungry for gossip.
Unfortunately, Nicole didn't make headlines again until February 2001 where it was made public that she and her husband were separating.
Unfortunately, Nicole was only cancer free for two months, and then found out that the cancer had metastasized to her lungs.
Unfortunately, Nicole did NOT offer her placenta to Tom.
Unfortunately, Nicole came in 15th in the time-trial.
Unfortunately, Nicole has a girlfriend Melanie Mayron and, as they say, drama ensues.
Unfortunately, Nicole is the cutest baby ever and no-one can stop fussing.
Unfortunately, Nicole is not in these photos.
Unfortunately, Nicole was too young as the minimum age requirement was 13.
Unfortunately, Nicole had chosen all peonies for her wedding flowers.
Unfortunately, Nicole is not a serious student of music.

Wild Caraway Restaurant and Café

2009-06-15T17:06:00.005-03:00

Best restaurant in Nova Scotia. Right next door to the blue house, right here in Advocate Harbour: wildcaraway.com

Venn Diagram

2009-06-10T15:15:00.003-03:00

from benjoseph.tumblr.com

Thinking of Becoming a Teacher?

2009-04-16T22:26:00.002-03:00

Don't. It sucks. Trust me. 10 years and I want o-u-t out. The human race is rapidly devolving and I can no longer stand being a frontline witness.

The Berth House

2009-04-15T13:32:00.006-03:00

In response to Bookninja's 're-masculate' contest, the goal of which was to 'masculine-ize' a chick lit. title, behold, The Berth House, by Andi McKay.

Here's the synopsis: Donahue “Huey” Rare is the first boy in five generations of Scot’s Bay, Nova Scotia Rares to reject the family carpentry business and head to the high seas, despite the family sea curse. In his youth, Huey apprentices with Mr. Comeau (“Mr. C”), a salty Acadian sea captain infamous for his sea chanties and mean-spirited blind parrot, Chico. After a decade at sea fighting pirates, Germans and sea monsters, Huey returns to Scot’s Bay with his crew of misfit sailors to prove his worth, winning the love of the village hooker, Ruby. When a harrowing fire set by a new American carpenter threatens the berth house his father and brothers built, only Huey can save the village. But will he?

(note #1: I'm posting this here because, what happened to this contest? Seems they got a bit of press in The Guardian and that was that. Away into the ether)

(note #2: You can read the ridiculous synopsis to the extremely ridiculous original Birth House, which has one of the worst, most sexist covers ever, here)

Grow Up, Jenn Grant

2009-02-16T11:02:00.009-04:00

I first heard Jenn Grant’s Orchestra for the Moon the night the Dalhousie graduate architecture students unveiled the first part of the outdoor theatre they had built in Spencer’s Island, five minutes down the road from Advocate. It was an extremely windy and cool night (though July can often be windy and cool in Advocate) and we milled about waiting for the decision to unfurl the sail-like screen (they finally decided against it). Living in a fishing village in the middle of rural Nova Scotia there certainly is a dearth of cool, so when I heard her beautiful voice, her charming melodies, her complex yet pretty orchestration, I marched over to the students and asked who was playing. “Jenn Grant,” they said. “She’s from Halifax.” So the next time I was in Halifax, I bought the CD and it’s basically been on repeat on my iPod, in the car, and on my stereo ever since. Multiple friends have copies. I don’t just love this CD, I LOVE this CD.

Flash forward two and a half years later and I’m living in Halifax where I’ve been trying to get my fill of all things culture before possibly heading back to the fishing village in the spring. I took in a week of movies at the Atlantic Film Festival, have enrolled in two continuing ed. courses at NSCAD, walk the dog in the park, go to concerts. So when I heard Grant was playing at the Rebecca Cohn, Dal’s beautiful theatre, I excitedly got tickets. Plus – bonus! She has a new CD out (Echoes) and this would be her official release.

Concerts, for me, can do one of two things. They introduce or reintroduce me to an artist, solidify my admiration, encourage me to look into their back catalogues or explore a band or musician I had never heard of. Examples include Jolie Holland, whose latest album (The Living and the Dead) hadn’t really impressed me until I saw her live. Four years ago, Broken Social Scene was ok, but the (to me) unknown band that opened up for them, Stars, blew me away. Other memorable concerts include The Sundays, Lhasa, José Gonzalez, Radiohead, and Beck, to name a few.

Then there are concerts that do the opposite. Whatever admiration I had evaporates after the second or third song. There are many reasons why. The crowd and therefore the realization their fans are drunken louts (Broken Social Scene), the sheer rudeness and ingratitude of the musicians (The Cranberries), the precious, phony, or cheesy stage show they put on (Santana), the low quality of the music and/or performance (Lush), or, and often most importantly, the in-between-song banter. When Tegan and Sara opened up for Rufus Wainwright, their banter about laundry and eating had me yelling at them to shut up (the crowd was full of louts—I had a full beer spilled on me—so my heckle went unnoticed).

Back to Jenn Grant. If she’d just sung her (absolutely underwhelming) songs, I wouldn’t have learned how much of a twit she is. Between songs she told stories about smashing up her mom’s car, about piercing her nose, about ballet class, about looking at fireflies in the country. And if any of these stories were brief or had anything to do with the music, then maybe I could have forgiven her. But instead they went something like this, “I was in the country…in, you know, like, Ottawa, in the country, right? And so one night I was walking with (insert name-dropped unknown Canadian musician here) and we, like, hee hee, saw, you know fireflies? And they were like, I don’t know they like flash and stuff, and so, I yeah, um, where’s my capo? So they were, oh my god, Rose Cousins! Everyone! Thank you Rose for singing with me tonight and um, yeah, so fireflies, they were, well, here’s a song about, um, er, stupid capo, here is some butterflies—no! I mean fireflies!”

Shut up! Shut up shut up shut up shut up! And worse than that was she didn’t sing one song from Orchestra for the Moon. Not. One. And her new album? Boring. Gone are the interesting time signature changes, gone is the fancy, floaty voice work, gone is the solidity of the first album. But you know, sophomore albums…a time to grow, right? Grant, clearly, is not a grown up. Here was a little girl on stage in a ridiculous purple satin dress with too-large red heels. Here was someone with no sense of audience. Here was yet another female artist who feels the need to act like a dumb girl when clearly her art is very intelligent and mature. And here is one less fan of Jenn Grant.

2008 Diz Musical Year in Review, Part 1

2008-12-28T14:13:00.010-04:00

I bought lots of music this year. Not an exceptional amount, but here's a quick review of some of my purchases.

TV on the Radio, Dear Science (2008)

Fucking awesome. Fantastic combination of layered and textured sounds, good lyrics, wide variety of songs - from full on rock & roll to orchestral ballads. Music that is absolutely of this time, absolutely a reflection of our world today. Not a misstep on this album. Crank and dance.

Elliott Brood, Mountain Meadows (2008)

Not an extreme departure from 2005's Ambassador, Mountain Meadows is a more mature, stronger album in that there's barely a weak track here. Foot-stomping, death-country from a band that got started in Windsor, Ontario. Love the organic quality of their songs--earthy toms and bass drums, layer upon layer of guitar, banjo, raspy vocals. You absolutely will sing along to "The Valley Town" and "Write it All Down for You." Please, please, please come to Halifax. Am dying to see you live.

Jolie Holland, The Living and the Dead (2008)

Not as good as her previous Springtime Can Kill You (2006) or Escondida (2004) or at least I haven't gotten into it as much. Sadly, some of the songs border on a Sheryl Crow quality which makes me think, despondently, that she's trying to appeal to some mini-van mom audience. But hell, who hasn't whored herself out to mini-van moms? They do buy things after all (I'd slap a pink purse on the cover of my book of short stories if it meant a publishing contract). So, the death-country, whistling quality is diminished. Good tracks here, like "Palmyra" and the title song, but they tend to get boring after multiple listens. Still doesn't diminish my mad girl-crush on Jolie (that voice! those tattoos!) and hope to see her when she heads to Halifax for the In the Dead of Winter festival in January.

Canadian Federal Leaders' Debate Drinking Game

2008-09-29T15:51:00.004-03:00

This Thursday, October 2, from 10 pm - 12 am (ADT), the federal leaders of all parties (yes, even the Green Party!) will hold their televised leaders' debate. Now the debate is quite fun as is, but to make it even more fun, I'm working on a drinking game to accompany the yelling and name-calling. Below is the game so far. If you have any suggestions, please leave them in the comments section (the French debate is October 1, but as my French is comme ci comme ça, there's more potential for drunken fun during the English debate).

Federal Leaders’ Debate Drinking Game

Drink every time:
• Jack Layton says “working families.”
• Stephen Harper says “economic crisis.”
• Stephen Harper says “strong leadership.”
• You have no idea what Stéphane Dion just said.
• Someone does a knuckle point (one drink/point)
• Elizabeth May goes over her time limit and gets cut off.
• Harper says “ordinary Canadians.”
• Someone else says THEY are an ordinary Canadian.

Take two drinks if:
• Someone says “gliberal” in reference to the May/Dion deal.
• Harper denies climate change.
• Harper mentions “rich artists” or “art galas.”
• Gilles Duceppe mentions that Quebec should be an independent country.

Finish your drink if:
• Harper smiles (note not grimaces).

The Batman

2008-08-12T20:53:00.005-03:00

The Dark Knight is set to be one of the biggest grossing movies of all time. Gross! Saw it last night, for free (due to lax payment issues). I suppose I could have driven to Moncton to add two movies to my choices, but adding an hour and a half round trip for a maybe movie and a yuck movie didn't seem worth it. So my choices were The Batman, The Mummy and The Stepbrothers. I guess gals don't go to movies in Amherst, but then what would that be? Mamma Mia and Traveling Pants? Mamma's Saggy Undies. No thanks.

What a piece of shit. Of all the pieces of shit released this summer, this has to be one of the worst. I bet geriatric Indy was better. At least it became a comic strip and wasn't based on one. People do what they're told. Everyone has seen this movie, you should too! Is it any good? Does it matter? Nah. What matters is being part of the crowd, no matter how miserable it makes you! Follow follow follow. Bah bah bah.

You know why the plot made no sense? 'Cause it didn't have to. They market these movies to international audiences, so it doesn't matter if they're fucking mumbling their lines and the edits cut so quickly you're like, 'what the fuck just happened and who that hell's that?' All they have to do is have a bunch of loud explosions and things with wheels that go fast and sad music at sad parts and happy music at happy parts and guns shoved in people's mouths and punching and cutting and angry, crazy threats and you've got a fucking movie, man, that'll screen in Nowheresville, Idaho and Nowheres District, China. Boom! Smash! Mumble! Burn! Boob! Growl! Boom! The end. That's Batman. What a piece of mindless shit.

There were a few cool shots and some nice set design. But that's it. I miss good movies in theatres. I really, really do.

You Are Not a Writer

2008-08-10T12:10:00.005-03:00

No, you're not. I know you may think you are because you can hold a pen and put words down on paper with that pen. Or maybe you can type and you think it's magic! and wonderful! and creative! when the words you type turn into sentences, and those sentences turn into paragraphs. You might think, heck, if I can write a paragraph, I can write a story! But you know what? You can't write a story because you 1. never read them and 2. don't know what the heck a story is.

You are not a writer if you:
-think there's no difference between fiction and non-fiction. If you read a story and want to ask the author, 'did this happen' or 'is this true' then you're not a writer
-wrote a poem/menu/newsletter 18 years ago and your mom/co-worker/boy (or girl) friend-at-the-time thought it was great
-have had kids and think, heck, I created life, I can create anything!
-watch more TV than read
-have no sense of humour
-think 'I'm gonna write me a book' and start writing said book for, like, a week here and there, and then abandon that idea like you do all creative ideas in favour of another creative idea like making bracelets or bread or T-shirts with funny sayings
-like the above, get a new! unique! creative idea every couple of days or weeks that you think will sell! sell! sell!
-think you'll make money and be a famous writer like what's-her-name
-make fun of other writers who'd rather write than drink or watch a bad movie
-don't swear
-can't spell
-don't know anything about English grammar and/or think grammar is full of patriarchal rules made to be broken
-think 'why do stories always have to be sad and depressing?'
-think a story actual does not need a problem or suspense to be interesting or a story. In fact you think random words on a page are a story, that it's literature's patriarchal rules that say a story needs a problem and how dare someone published and/or educated tell you otherwise

And finally, you are not a writer if you tell people you are going to be a writer. Writers write. In a room. By themselves. They write because they have to, not 'cause they think it'd be kinda cool to try writing for a while. They would write even if there was no one left on the planet. In fact, they'd be happy no one was on the planet 'cause finally they wouldn't have to deal with wanna-be writers asking them, 'can you read this thing I wrote yesterday while I was waiting for the bus?' They'd finally have some peace and quiet. They'd finally write.

Professional Writer

2008-07-14T12:22:00.004-03:00

That's me! According to the Canada Council for the Arts, to be eligible for a grant, one must be a "professional writer" who has "a minimum of four texts of creative literary writing...published on two separate occasions in literary magazines, recognized periodicals (including general interest magazines), or anthologies published by professional publishing houses..." So, thanks to Grain (who just accepted "Happy Meat," my sex and death on an organic farm story), I have four stories published in more than two journals. When the stories will be published, well, that's another story. I also have a story ("Diving for Pearls") forthcoming in The Fiddlehead. Sometime, in the future....

In honour of being a professional writer, here's a picture of a lovely couple, admiring the man's writing. This is what The Professor and I do each day: gaze lovingly at each other's writing, because both are things of beauty.

Into Thin Air

2008-07-12T12:58:00.006-03:00

Just read Jon Krakauer's Into Thin Air. Normally, I hate non-fiction. Hate. It's boring; it's dumb; it's repetitive. Repetitive. No wonder non-fiction's so popular with the masses. Mostly non-fiction is a stretched out magazine article that shouldn't have been stretched out. This book is not. It's got plot, suspense, big words. It's what most fiction should be and isn't. I couldn't put it down, which I've said about other books, but not because it was easy to read. Because the story was compelling. As was the writing.

It creeped me out. And now I can't stop thinking about mountains. I'm dreaming about them. I've never seen a snow-capped mountain; I've seen Vermont's Green Mountains, but they're green, and not so tall. I gotta go see the Rockies at least. That and the Pacific Ocean. Maybe before I die...

Mount Everest is so high it's top cuts into the jet stream. Holy shit. About 1 in 4 people die trying to get there. And you need a hell of a lot of money to get there. At least $60,000. That's about 3 times as much as I make in a year. But now that I can apply for a Canada Council grant, maybe I should propose a trip? Then I'll write some poems. Big poems. The biggest in the world.

When people die on Everest, most of the bodies are left there. And 'cause it's so cold, those bodies stick around for decades. Imagine hiking on up a glacier, your brain's fucked up from lack of oxygen, and there's someone's lower torso from 1987. What do you do? Look away and keep on marching. Like war. And teaching.

Victim Lit

2008-06-10T22:32:00.006-03:00

When was the last time I read a book in one day? I don't know. I forget. I know I've spent a lot of days marking lately. Too many. I hate June. Every kid suddenly realizes, "Hey, I'm graduating (I know, I know, I've known this for ten months) and I need my English mark. Here are eighteen assignments--can you mark them tonight? If not, I won't graduate, won't go to university, won't get a job and it will be all your fault!" Maybe some of these kids shouldn't go to university. Seriously. Take a few years off. Drink without paying thousands in tuition.

So I took Sunday off from the marking and read Towelhead, about an American girl who moves in with her Lebanese-American dad and proceeds to discover Playboy, racism, masturbating, orgasms, rape, sex, the (first) war in Iraq and good and bad neighbours. Did I mention it's another example of victim lit? Yet another passive female narrator. Sigh. Lullabies for Little Criminals, the American version. I find it problematic that so many women and girls in literature and movies get raped. I don't think rape is entertaining. So why are these stories so compelling? Why does victim lit sell?

Course, before she gets raped, almost the first half of the book focuses on the main character's discovery of masturbation and orgasms. Holy crap that was a lot of masturbating. Then, wham, rape, and, you know, it made me feel a bit off. Yet I couldn't put the book down. I finished it in one day. It was a damned easy read. I know some people think this is a mark of good literature, but a metaphor or two would have been nice.

And that was the big problem--not the masturbating, not the rape, but the simple, childish voice. She's thirteen. She sounded like she was six. What thirteen-year-old growing up in the U.S. is this sheltered? Growing up in the U.S. off a Mormon farm, that is.

Ok, and the rape was bad too. A girl discovers her sexuality and she gets raped, i.e. female sexuality should be punished. I'm surprised she wasn't murdered, got pregnant and/or got hooked on heroin. But then again, not everyone can write Lullabies for Little Criminals.

Lullabies for Little Criminals Sucks

2008-06-04T21:08:00.008-03:00

I don't get it. Lullabies has won or been nominated for a lot of awards. A lot. Here's the list:

Winner of Canada Reads 2007
Shortlisted for Barnes and Noble Discover Great New Writers Award 2007
Shortlisted for the Amazon.ca/ Books in Canada First Novel Award 2007
Shortlisted for Governor General's Award 2007
Winner of the Hugh MacLennan Prize for Best Novel 2007
Shortlisted for the Grand Prix du Livre de Montreal 2007
Longlisted for the IMPAC Dublin Literary Award 2008
Shortlisted for the Orange Prize 2008

But you know what? It sucks. Sucks! I am so damned tired of reading novels and short stories that involve victimized, passive female protagonists. Ladies? We have the vote. We have birth control. We can leave our abusive partners/parents and don't have to get pregnant or turn tricks to do so. What happened to feminism? What happened to roaring? I fear we're just going to lose our right to choose with a meek shrug and whimper. Hillary Clinton loses out to Obama and everyone says great! Phew! We almost had a woman leading a country. That was fucking close. We can't let a vagina anywhere near the oval office, unless she's down on her knees, blowing the president where she belongs!

Ok, what's all that have to do with the novel? Simple. The more we embrace these meek-ass characters, the further backwards we go. Stop being afraid. There is more to life than shopping, crying, dollies and marriage. Women have won more Oscars for playing prostitutes or rape victims than any other characters. And yet there are three times as many women graduating from Canadian law schools than men.

Here's an excerpt: "As I walked in (to my bedroom), I saw a horrible sight on my floor. While I'd been out, Jules (my father) had knocked over all my things. He had torn up the homework I had left lying on the bed. I would never be able to finish my project on time now. But then I saw something even worse. There, lying on the floor, was my rag doll, its arms and legs ripped off. I dropped to my knees and picked her pieces up. I'd never get another one. Jules never thought to buy me pretty things like that. That doll had been like a miracle to me. It had reminded me that I'd been loved by my mother. Now I was nothing, a real nobody."

Ok, I counted the word "that" three times near the end. This is so simply and dumbly written, my sixteen-year-old students could write better than this. It's a YA novel with swearing, drugs and hookers. Poor, poor Baby (oh, yeah, that's her fucking name. Could she be even more of a victim?) Grow up! What I don't get is it's written in first person, when Baby's older, so why does it sound like it's still written by a twelve-year-old? Seriously. Try to read this shit out loud. You can't. The words get stuck in your mouth 'cause the word order is so awkward. "A real nobody." Wah! Why does this shit sell? So middle-aged housewives can feel bad reading about the street kid in their plush family rooms? I bet those same women would call the cops if Baby ever took a walk in their gated communities.

1.5 Years

2008-05-19T20:18:00.004-03:00

A lot can happen in 1.5 years. Here's a quick summary:
1. Worked and finished working for a Nova Scotia public online school. They cut a teacher and that teacher was me. Fuck you! Karma is getting them already. Online education is growing and they are shrinking, shrinking, shrinking. Duh! Soon you will be nothing!
2. Started working for VHS (Ontario), an online PRIVATE school. Private's the way to go. Fuck public money. Fuck waiting for handouts. Except for EI. EI's my money anyway.
3. Went on EI. Great for the writing!
4. Wrote like crazy. Have a manuscript! Fuck teaching!
5. Started my first garden! Gardening rocks. Beautiful:

6. Am also doing some correspondence marking for the NS government. Pay's ok. Wish it was more often.
7. Moved to Church Point, NS for a year. Land of Acadians. Thought about taking some French courses to be a better teacher, then realized I hate the public education system. Moved back home to Advocate. Bye bye Church Pit! Was some pretty there though:

8. The Professor got a job at Dalhousie U in Halifax! Us pokes ares gonna be big citying all over Halifax. In the south end no less. We done coming ups we ares!! Just for a year though. Maybe more. I'm sure we'll be back in the Adv, getting yelled at by locals. Collecting the dole or some form of the dole. Just like the locals. Next we'll be selling our bikes for ATVs so we can redneck in the clearcut.
9. Didn't have kids. Hooray! Kids suck. Except 10% of my students. The smart ones. The ones who want to learn. The ones who don't plagiarize. I know who you are.
10. Ate half a local sausage. First meat to pass these lips in five years. Still consider myself a vegetarian, aka "asshole" to meat-eaters.
11. Lost more faith in humanity. We are doomed.

Cover Woman

2006-11-27T12:53:00.003-04:00

I want to say cover girl, but when you hit your 30s, girl, boyfriend, and missionary are a few words that should be left behind. Anyway, here's the cover of The New Quarterly, Issue 98 (a.k.a the Nicole Dixon Issue).

Inside you can read 2 of my stories and an interview with yours truly. For more info, click this link: http://www.tnq.ca/magazine/
back_issues/issue_98/

You can also check out issue 100, in which my defence of the short story is published: http://www.tnq.ca/magazine/back_issues/issue_100/

Thank you TNQ!

Welcome Back

2006-11-25T12:09:00.001-04:00

Hello! How goes the world? Long time no blog, I know. I've been busy doing what Diz does best, teaching and writing. Wish it was writing and teaching. Priorities. Was away to Saskatchewan this past summer to write at a monastery:
am now away during the week in Pictou county to teach. Weekends only in Advocate - it's breaking my heart to be away so long from the blue house.

My cousin Carrie got married in September.

The Professor and I danced our butts off at the wedding.

I think if more people danced, the world would be happier and less uptight. Get on the dance floor, y'all!

My Drive In, May

2006-05-18T14:23:00.000-03:00

What a difference 6 weeks makes.

Power Animals

2006-04-10T10:22:00.000-03:00

Out in BC, a man set up a webcam (http://www.infotecbusinesssystems.com/wildlife/) of a nest of eagles. They've laid 2 eggs, and people can watch the eagles sit on their eggs. Doesn't sound too exciting, but for a few minutes here and there, it's pretty neat. I especially like it 'cause of the family resemblance....

Me

2006-04-06T12:20:00.000-03:00

My Drive In

2006-04-06T11:43:00.000-03:00

The warm weather was just a tease.

First Post

2006-04-06T11:41:00.000-03:00

Diz Mixen will learn you!