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On a collision course with the Big One?

Published
by
duncan
on February 3, 2007
in British Columbia, Gloom and Travel
. 1 Comment

Hello from Terminal 1 at Pearson airport in Toronto. I’m heading west to BC. First stop, Nelson.

I was somewhat alarmed to read on the front page of the Globe and Mail this a.m. that there is a distinct risk of a major earthquake near Victoria in the next week. We’re talking 9 on the Richter scale… The timing did not surprise me: I have a knack for picking destinations at unusually unfavorable times. I was en route to NYC on September 11, 2001. The day I arrived in London in July 2005, the entire city was shut down because of a second (failed, thankfully) terrorist bombing attempt.

For the sake of my many friends and family in BC’s Lower Mainland, I trust that the Earth will remain calm. On the other hand, we all know that the Big One is coming. It’s just a question of when…

Start me up

Published
by
duncan
on January 25, 2007
in Geekery and Work
. 5 Comments

I’m attending a tech startup conference in Quebec City Friday and Saturday this week. The event is presented in partnership with the new Canadian affiliate of Garage Technology Ventures, whose managing director, Guy Kawasaki, will be making a presentation. His book, The Art of the Start, was one of the more important things I read in the last couple of years, in terms of thought-provoking advice to would-be entrepreneurs and “anyone starting anything.”

Seeing Kawasaki in person, however interesting it may be, is not my sole motivation for attending however. When I was in Silicon Valley earlier this month, I was approached by a group of engineers and technologists. I agreed to collaborate with them on a very exciting venture about which I will have to be vague for the time being. My responsibility is brand development. So here I am, hoping to learn from the presentations and make some connections that will be useful later on down the road…

NOTE: You can download the first chapter of the Art of the Start for free here.

Time to travel

Published
by
duncan
on January 23, 2007
in Travel
. 1 Comment

2007 seems destined to be a year of travel. Don’t get me wrong: I love Montreal. But I always seems to appreciate a place more when I give myself the opportunity to miss it a little.

I was already planning on heading west to see family and friends in British Columbia (where I grew up) and Seattle. So when Air Canada announced a 2-month unlimited travel flight pass in North America, I needed little convincing. I was a somewhat skeptical at first, but seat availability has not been a problem.

First stop: San Francisco and area for a week earlier this month. More on that later.

The year that began with a bang

Published
by
duncan
on January 14, 2007
in Navel-Gazing
. 4 Comments

Hey folks, I hope the new year is treating you well so far. I can’t complain, but it’s been quite a wild ride so far, and we’re only two weeks into it… For me, 2007 is the year that started with a bang.

If you’re thinking champagne corks, you’re only partly right. I did enjoy a little Veuve Clicquot on the 31st after a very tasty dinner at Luce’s place. Then I headed across town to a private loft party put on by some friends. Round about 3, some of us decided to head to another party where Eloi Brunelle, Pheek and Mossa were playing. Failing to find a taxi, we came back to the loft. That’s when things got weird.

Seems that, hearing the music from the street, some random people had infiltrated the party. One of those people thought I was picking a fight with a friend of mine (which is laughable for anyone who knows me) but we were just horsing around. Anyhow, this guy shoved me violently, I went flying back and landed on a concrete floor, on which I seriously banged the back of my head. I didn’t pass out, so no-one thought anything more of it, but the rest of the evening is a confused blur. The next day, it was confirmed that I had a concussion. In some ways, having a concussion is like temporary madness. Symptoms include erratic and aggressive behaviour, anxiety, confusion, slurred speech, etc. So that would explain things if you saw me that night and thought I was acting weird or super-drunk.

But things get stranger still. I suppose the guy could have killed me perhaps, but he just may have saved my life — 20 years from now. After I developed increasingly intense migraines 36 hours following the incident, I was admitted to the hospital and had my head scanned (CT) the following morning. Fortunately, they found nothing serious. But they did find something else that is “benign” now but could, if left undetected, cause me problems 20 years from now. Maybe, maybe not. But now that I know about it, it’s much less of an issue — and maybe not an issue at all. So I am strangely grateful to the guy who pushed me, whoever he is.

All of which goes to show you that there is a reason for everything; we just have to understand what it is. This year, I hope we all learn to spot the silver lining in any clouds that come our way.

Rechercher Victor Pellerin

Published
by
duncan
on December 13, 2006
in Cinema, En français and Montreal
. 1 Comment

Originally posted on Vu d’ici (English below)
Billet publié d’abord sur Vu d’ici.

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Si l’envie d’aller voir un film vous prend ce soir ou demain, profitez-en pour voir Rechercher Victor Pellerin pendant qu’il est encore à l’affiche à Ex-Centris. Le seul film québécois présenté en compétition officielle au 35ème Festival du Nouveau Cinéma de Montréal, il a reçu une mention spéciale du jury et des critiques élogieuses. Mélant habilement les genres du documentaire et de la fiction pour offrir une réflexion originale sur le vrai et le faux, le cinéaste Sophie Deraspe nous livre un premier long-métrage fort intriguant.

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If you’re in the mood for a film tonight or tomorrow, head over to Ex-Centris and take in Missing Victor Pellerin while it’s still showing on the big screen. The only Quebecois film in official competition at the 35th edition of Montreal’s Festival du Nouveau Cinéma, the film received a Jury’s Special Mention and praise from critics. An artful fusion of documentary and fiction, filmmaker Sophie Deraspe’s feature-length film debut offers an intriguing reflection on truth and its counterpart, invention.

Paperbag 02 @ Madame Edgar

Published
by
duncan
on December 5, 2006
in Art, Events, Montreal and Shopping
. 0 Comments

Originally posted on Vu d’ici (English below)
Billet publié d’abord sur Vu d’ici.

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Paperbag 02 - Exposition

Ce soir, c’est la 2e édition de Paperbag, l’expo de designs faits sur des sacs en papier brun. Il y a un encan silencieux des sacs qui se poursuivra sur le web une semaine durant. L’expo se termine le 23 décembre.

Tristement, c’est le dernier expo chez Madame Edgar, car la madame tire le rideau sur le magasin afin de mieux se concentrer sur sa fabrique d’objets en arrière-plan. Alors, plus de pignon sur rue, mais toujours des papeteries, des figurines, des objets maison, et le stimulant paperjam virtuel.

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Tonight is the the 2nd edition of Paperbag, an art show of designs made on brown paper bags. There’s a silent auction that will continue on the Web for a week. The show itself ends December 23rd.

Sadly, it’s the last showing at Madame Edgar, because madame has decided to shutter up the storefront in favour of focusing all energies on producing a variety of designer objects. So while the boutique may be closing, we can look forward to more stationery, designer toys and objects, and the always interesting paperjam online magazine.

One blog is good. Two blogs are…

Published
by
duncan
on December 4, 2006
in Blogging and Navel-Gazing
. 0 Comments
  1. Better.
  2. A sign of addiction.
  3. A serious distraction.
  4. An entertaining introduction to juggling.
  5. A chance to compare Movable Type to Wordpress.
  6. Not that much additional effort, really.
  7. All of the above.

I think the correct answer is #7, with the added clarification for #3 that it’s a welcome distraction and blogging is a serious pursuit (but never stuffy). Whatever the case may be, I’m guest blogging once or twice a week at Vu d’ici, Marie-Chantale Turgeon’s blog.

I haven’t yet decided if I’ll be systematically cross-posting; not sure whether I particularly like the practice. Perhaps only when it makes sense to do so.

Pheek album launch this Friday night

Published
by
duncan
on November 23, 2006
in Electronic Music, Events and Montreal
. 1 Comment

On a more joyful note than my last entry, Pheek is throwing a party in Montreal this Friday night to celebrate the release of his new album. Featuring high-quality guest DJs Butane (Berlin) and Tim Xavier (NYC), and local heroes Baya and Kasteniede, all of whom will play on a state-of-the-art sound system by Ledoux Acoustique, it promises to be a memorable night. See you there?

CD info and audio stream here.

Pheek album launch party

A difficult day

Published
by
duncan
on November 23, 2006
in Gloom, Navel-Gazing and Philosophizing
. 3 Comments

Caveat lector: some may find this entry a tad depressing.

(Now  I bet you can’t resist clicking the “Continue” link, huh?)

Continue reading ‘A difficult day’

Moondata’s LABproject #32 tonight at O Patro Vys

Published
by
duncan
on November 18, 2006
in Events, Montreal and Music
. 0 Comments

Moondata

If you are in Montreal tonight, I strongly encourage you to head over to O Patro Vys for the sublime musical experience offered by Moondata’s LABproject series.

The LABproject series is the project that best expresses the concepts that govern Moondata. Based around ideas of collaboration & open-minded approaches to the creative process, it is presented as a monthly event to which artists are invited to participate in a live, improvised concert that has musicians, visuals artists and DJs performing together in a ‘very special one-time only performance’. With a line-up that changes from month to month, many of the participants meet and work together for the first time on the day of the show.

As is the case with many open-ended experiments in music-making, the music ranges in influence - from jazz to psych-rock, electronica, IDM, to music actuelle or pop, at any given show. With energy focused on composition as well as interpretation the listener is treated in turn to cohesive musical themes interspersed with barrier- free exploration. This unique approach that melds improvisation and composition makes the performances dynamic and highly exciting for the musicians and audiences alike.

Continue reading ‘Moondata’s LABproject #32 tonight at O Patro Vys’