Was the title I was going to use when I was travelling home this month. Unfortunately a number of people have already left my place of work these past few months and although there may be a job for me when I get back in May, there also may not. As a, technically, illegal immigrant I'm not supposed to be working (until my papers are completely processed) so jobs of this quality are to easy to come by. Secondly, which caught me completely by surprise at the time, but now is actually sensible, I've spent all the money I got for selling my house.
Now before people back home go off the rails, I have invested a couple of grand, I have cleared all my debts from back home (quite sizeable when added up), I have travelled extensively, I have bought this computer and all the furniture and gubbins in the apartment and I have been living off it (quite handsomely, I might add!) for the last seven months. So, I suppose my little adventure in Canada is now over and it is back to real life worries about money and the like. Except that I'm not worried anymore. I know I'm okay, doing well and don't owe anyone anything. There are more important things in life to worry about.
Nyree's wedding. I can't be so blas'e9 about this anymore. This thing really sucks the big one. I could, and probably should, go into my feelings on this thing but I don't think I will. Honesty with your friends can also lose your friends - not that anything I'm feeling at the moment will do that (way to self centred for that) - it has done so in the past. Give me some time to go over this mess and you never know, Imay even get a fanzine article out of it...
From:
Bernie Evans
Thanks for TW8. There's not a lot one can say, but as much sympathy and as
many hugs as you can handle are in my thoughts and this e-mail. Take care
of yourself. (There isn't a lot one can say, and
knowing that saying as little as possible is the best thing. Not much one
can do either, except be there - and Mike, my flatmate, was there. I wish
a few other people could have been there as well, but...)
From:
Jeananne Gommol : I was glad
to meet you too. (Yeah, Potlatch was great fun, I
Met a whole bunch of people and you were one of them. That doesn't read
the way it was meant to sound, but... Hope to meet up with you again, at
some stage.)
From:
Steve Brewster
Enjoyed the TommyWorlds so far (though reading them is a bit of a
struggle - my browsers doesn't do anything with RTF documents, so I have
to save them and FTP them into DOS and read them under Word. Would it be
possible to have plain text versions on the web site too?)
(You see folks? Can anyone help me out with some
advice here. Lots of people really get the RTF versions, layout and colour
included. A number of people can only get the text versions (as in regular
email) and some can get Word (or other WP) documents. Suggestions for my
mailing list? I can use Netscape or MS Internet Explorer.)
The Bristol mob went to see Star Wars at the flicks the other night - this
was the first time I'd seen it on the big screen. Marvellous stuff. All
t' best, (I just don't realise just how old this
stuff is. I mean I always thought of myself as a young thing, in fannish
terms. Yet there are people who are extremely active in fandom know and
really well known who never saw Star Wars on first run. I feel a bit like
Jim Mallory, a regular at the Monico meetings, when we discuss all-time
favourite movies and character actors and he tells us that he saw these
movies on first run. "But, it is in Black and White Jim..?" I can remember
saying once. "Yeah, but I'm older than you Tommy..." he replied. Well, it
would have been something like that. Now the wheel has turned full
circle.)
So Julia Daly arrives on these shores on Thursday for a few days visit. I've taken the week off work (well the a fortnight) to show her around, and have arranged a meeting on Friday at a local pub. (For those of you attending: Pauper's Pub, Bloor and Albany, one block east of Bathurst, ground level at the back. No smoking. 7pm 'til whenever.)
I hope to make this a regular monthly meeting. Somewhere that visiting fans know there will be some local fans and maybe plan around it. It seems ridiculous that there isn't a monthly meeting going on in Toronto that is purely for social purposes, for hanging out, having a few beers, a bite to eat and shooting the breeze. Where people visiting the city can come and not have to worry about local cliques, talking about Star Trek or any other minority issue or be assailed to buy Toronto in '03 Worldcon bid memberships (though...)
So make a date in your Calendars - The first Thursday (it's so fannish)
of every month in the aforementioned location. Public transportation is
just around the corner (Bathurst TTC) and parking is available - but tough
to come by. Hey, it is an idea.