The 2010 Calgary/Banff Wordfest wrapped up last week. I hosted the opening night fundraising dinner, and Wordfest blogger Noah Richler said I was 'a delight', even though I forgot to mention five of the featured writers (later corrected), and sold the silent auction fly-anywhere-Westjet-flies package by saying "Go to Mexico. Yes, there have been deterrents lately, but the best restaurant to go to is the one that was shut down last week by the Health Board because you know they've since gone the extra mile to shape up."

At the 'Word of Mouth' event I debuted a new story about our former Ukranian tenants, Jane and Alexander. Here's a snippet from that:

"I am with immigrants and international visitors like a seven year old is with his fifteen year old cousin who has a punk band and a girlfriend. A lifetime of feeling culturally inferior as an Albertan yet also culturally superior to my fellow Albertans has convinced me all foreigners hold an ancient secret that they will share once they realize I am one of them. My credentials are genetic and experience based. Swedish and German parents. Well traveled. I eat smoked mackerel from tins with peel back lids. I prefer dark bread, real butter, bittersweet chocolate, and revolution.
Together we would give this city an injection of sophistication. At the same time I would sell them on our mountain majesties, the stratified mysteries of the badlands and the pink skies. We would talk history, food, art. 'It's here too', I'd reassure them, 'you need to know where to look. I'll show you.'
They would be drinkers."

At the Banff Summit Salon, there were discussion panels that stirred some fine conversation and debate- "Are we living in darkening or enlightening times?" (guess which I gunned for) and "How does one remain artful in digitopolis?", talking about the internet and social networking as an artistic medium beyond a distribution and promotional tool. It got a little off topic when Barry Callaghan told the cyber enthusiasts they were playing into the hands of the fascist dictatorship by offering them our personal information. He suggested we see 'Lives of Others.'

Please check out these artists if you have a chance, either on line or in the book store.

Poet Karen Solie - lively, touching, funny, brilliant poetry
Alexis O Hara www.myspace.com/alexisohara (she's made an igloo out of speakers!)
Miguel Angel Arenas - creator of The World's Longest Poem http://www.miguelangelarenas.com/
Roland Pemberton - Edmonton's poet laureate, also known as rapper Cadence Weapon
Don Gilmour- authour of 'Kanata', excellent historical fiction about the life and work of mapmaker David Thompson

AND

Check out these shows in Calgary and Edmonton in November!

November 19: The Haven Social Club, Edmonton; 8 pm; opening for Bidiniband
November 20: Local 522, Calgary; 8 pm; opening for Bidiniband
November 25: Jack Singer Concert Hall, Calgary; 8pm; opening for Billy Bragg