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Nov. 30th, 2005
Authorial behaviour
Nov. 30th, 2005 03:39 pmAnne Rice made an appearance at my Chapters on Saturday. I wasn't working, but I did want to go down there. However, I didn't want to see her enough to miss my yoga class and stew making.
Apparently, she used to come in to her events in a coffin. But now she has found God, and has recently started writing the biography of Christ. According to the reports, she was quite quiet and looked rather angry at the end of her presentation. She did not do a reading and only signed books. She requested mixed nuts in her contract. These mixed nuts were all consumed by her assistant, who also managed to steal all of the fancy pens that we bought for Anne Rice to use to sign with.
***
Jack Whyte and Vikram Seth have both come into Raincoast. I wasn't there when Mr. Seth was there, and Mr.Whyte just came in, signed a few things and left. Apparently Vikram Seth is quite charming, and chattered away while he signed about 300 copies of his book.
Apparently, she used to come in to her events in a coffin. But now she has found God, and has recently started writing the biography of Christ. According to the reports, she was quite quiet and looked rather angry at the end of her presentation. She did not do a reading and only signed books. She requested mixed nuts in her contract. These mixed nuts were all consumed by her assistant, who also managed to steal all of the fancy pens that we bought for Anne Rice to use to sign with.
***
Jack Whyte and Vikram Seth have both come into Raincoast. I wasn't there when Mr. Seth was there, and Mr.Whyte just came in, signed a few things and left. Apparently Vikram Seth is quite charming, and chattered away while he signed about 300 copies of his book.
Ethnic ambiguity= ethnic spying
Nov. 30th, 2005 03:42 pmOne of the weird things about being a mixed race person is that you are sort of incognito most of the time. We have hired a bunch of new employees at Chapters, including a mixed race girl named Anjali. When I saw her, and heard her name, I realized that she was Eurasian, and I politely asked her if she was mixed. She revealed that she was Indian and German. As I always feel weird asking people about their ethnicity, I apologized to her, and she shrugged it off saying, "You know, it's always the mixed dogs that are smarter and more loyal."
I had to laugh at that one.
One of the other new employees that we've hired is a makeup artist, and she gave me a lot of interesting tips for trying to cover the black circles under my eyes. We started talking about how there are more foundation choices available and she said, "I think it has to do with people mixing- people are starting to realize that not everyone is pink." I said, "That's how I came about."
Another girl with blondish hair and blue eyes piped up, "Me too. My mom is native."
I said, "Wow, you must hear all sort of offensive comments from people who don't realize you are native."
She acknowledged that she did.
As an ambiguous racially mixed person, you do get to hear all sorts of weird comments and prejudices that people might not spout out if they knew your ethnicity. One of my ex-boyfriends was half Chinese and a woman said to him, "Not all of us are as lucky as you and don't have to pay tax." She was revealing her racist beliefs about First Nations people, who are exempt from one of the taxes in Saskatchewan. Yep, that was just lovely.
I had to laugh at that one.
One of the other new employees that we've hired is a makeup artist, and she gave me a lot of interesting tips for trying to cover the black circles under my eyes. We started talking about how there are more foundation choices available and she said, "I think it has to do with people mixing- people are starting to realize that not everyone is pink." I said, "That's how I came about."
Another girl with blondish hair and blue eyes piped up, "Me too. My mom is native."
I said, "Wow, you must hear all sort of offensive comments from people who don't realize you are native."
She acknowledged that she did.
As an ambiguous racially mixed person, you do get to hear all sorts of weird comments and prejudices that people might not spout out if they knew your ethnicity. One of my ex-boyfriends was half Chinese and a woman said to him, "Not all of us are as lucky as you and don't have to pay tax." She was revealing her racist beliefs about First Nations people, who are exempt from one of the taxes in Saskatchewan. Yep, that was just lovely.
Sick of elections
Nov. 30th, 2005 03:51 pmI am passionate about voting, and believe that voting is a privilege that we have as Canadians. I know that voting is a right, but it's still a right that many people do not have. This is why I cannot understand voter apathy and a disinterest in voting, as people have died for this right. Many minorities within Canada were denied the right to vote as a punishment. So I can't understand people who don't take an interest in turning up at the polls, and trying to have their say in social policies.
However, I must admit that I am sick of elections. Since 2003, I've been called to the polls over 5 times.
1. Saskatoon municipal election- When Canada's nuttiest mayor was elected.
2. Saskatchewan provincial election- When [Bad username or site: @ livejournal.com] ran an excellent campaign and her candidate beat the Liberal candidate
3. Federal election- okay I still feel guilty about this one, because I was treeplanting and didn't vote. I am still kicking myself about this, but I never managed how to get my absentee ballot sent to Alberta. However, fuckwad Stephen Harper did not get in, and that's all I care about.
4. BC Provincial election- I voted, my candidate won, but the overall election was kinda lame.
5. Vancouver municipal election- I voted, most of my candidates didn't get in.
And now, there's another federal election. I'm not happy about this for two reasons-
1. It gives Stephen Harper another kick at the can, and I just want him to go away. I don't know what I will do if he gets in. I guess I will throw all kinds of support at gay rights organizations and social services and try my best to be more politically active. I don't think Paul Martin is a prince, but I do prefer him to Harper, and his politics are palatable.
2. Elections bring out the worst in people. I hate campaigns where people slander the other candidates, and use the campaign as an excuse to act like childish and immature bastards. I don't think it makes anyone look good, and I would rather deal with and address the issues that need addressing.
Thank you, I'll shut up now.
However, I must admit that I am sick of elections. Since 2003, I've been called to the polls over 5 times.
1. Saskatoon municipal election- When Canada's nuttiest mayor was elected.
2. Saskatchewan provincial election- When [Bad username or site: @ livejournal.com] ran an excellent campaign and her candidate beat the Liberal candidate
3. Federal election- okay I still feel guilty about this one, because I was treeplanting and didn't vote. I am still kicking myself about this, but I never managed how to get my absentee ballot sent to Alberta. However, fuckwad Stephen Harper did not get in, and that's all I care about.
4. BC Provincial election- I voted, my candidate won, but the overall election was kinda lame.
5. Vancouver municipal election- I voted, most of my candidates didn't get in.
And now, there's another federal election. I'm not happy about this for two reasons-
1. It gives Stephen Harper another kick at the can, and I just want him to go away. I don't know what I will do if he gets in. I guess I will throw all kinds of support at gay rights organizations and social services and try my best to be more politically active. I don't think Paul Martin is a prince, but I do prefer him to Harper, and his politics are palatable.
2. Elections bring out the worst in people. I hate campaigns where people slander the other candidates, and use the campaign as an excuse to act like childish and immature bastards. I don't think it makes anyone look good, and I would rather deal with and address the issues that need addressing.
Thank you, I'll shut up now.