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THE FISHBOWL • MONTH 2020 • PAGE A
Inspired by Words SALT SPRING GALLERY March 5tth – 24th Words speak volumes, they tell stories, fill our imaginations with images and sounds and sometimes spark our creativity. The women of the She Said Collective are back to stir your imagination with art created from a much-loved quote or a line from a book or a song. The women have used various mediums to tell their stories including paint and paper, pieces of nature, found objects and ephemera. The artists in this show include: Sam Barlow, Selena Barwin, Amber Diez, Isabelle De Launiere, Erin Fawcett, Hannah Graham, Odette Graham, Anh Le, Laura Hughes McGrath, Nikki Menard, Karin Millson, Premilla Pilay, Claire Sicherman, Christina Siegers and Charlene Wolff. We hope you will come out to see our show and perhaps be inspired. In 2014 a group of women were participating in Loving Inquiry, a group led and created by Ahava Shira. Ahava asked what the woman wanted and one of the She Said Collective founders, Sam Barlow said she wanted to see her art on the walls and so together the group decided to have a show. Each year the women come up with ideas for a theme for the show and collectively they vote. Their previous shows have been Pieces of Her Story, the first show, A Love Story, This is Who I am, Unwritten Unspoken Unheard, She Said, and now, this year Inspired by words. Through their own creative process each of these women explores who they are as individuals and artist and learn to express that through art. This year the show will be at The Salt Spring Gallery running March 5th -24th.
“I think it is important to encourage ones’ creativity no matter how young or old. I think it’s my job really. I love this group of women. We support each other. Some of us actually get together, well we did before Covid. I would say that the majority of women work at other jobs and create on their own time. Most of us get excited when the show is over to plan next years. There is no jury deciding who gets in and I think that’s good. We create because we want to, it’s a piece of who we are.” - Sam Barlow
Scrolls Triptych Claire Sicherman “Once upon a time, when women were birds, there was the simple understanding that to sing at dawn and to sing at dusk was to heal the world through joy. The birds still remember what we have forgotten, that the world is meant to be celebrated.” - When Women Were Birds - Terry Tempest Williams I began to collect driftwood scrolls a few years ago, each piece of bark curled into itself, reminding me of the sacred Torah scrolls in Judaism. These driftwood scrolls are like blank canvases, and speak to a time before religion, before the first words were ever written. It’s this time that I try to connect with when I make art, a time before the word, when we were all more connected to Mother Earth. When I walk along the high tideline on the lookout for driftwood,
On Our Cover photo credit ramon lam
I often carry a bag with me. I fill the bag up with as much garbage as I can carry, and each time, I am greeted with the most perfect pieces of wood. I find it impossible to walk the beach without appreciating the beauty of Mother Earth, without feeling immense gratitude to her. I feel so thankful to Sam Barlow and to the other artists in the She Said show for persevering, for continuing to make art during the pandemic. The piece is called Scrolls Triptych, mixed media, each canvas is 12x24. Claire Sicherman is the author of Imprint: A Memoir of Trauma in the Third Generation (Caitlin Press 2018). Her writing has appeared in Entropy, The Rumpus, and the anthology Sustenance: Writers from BC and Beyond on the Subject of Food. Claire facilitates writing workshops supporting writers in bringing the stories they hold in their bodies out onto the page. https://www.clairesicherman.com
THE FISHBOWL is brought to you by publisher Genevieve Price. Columnists: Lisa Sigurgeirson Maxx, John Bateman, Dorothy Price, Dr. Hannah Webb, Dr. Ralph Miller, & Mishka Campbell. Salt Spring Island’s #1 Source for Arts, Entertainment & Culture. Check out our Facebook page!
Occasional Contributors: Melinda Parks-Divers, Lis Bell Walton
Green Printing & Layout: Imagine That Graphics.ca Ad Sales: Deadlines are the 10th of the month previous to book ad space & submit content. Calendar events can be submitted up until the 15th. For rates & information call Genevieve today at 250.538.8427 or email thesaltyfi shbowl@hotmail.com. THE FISHBOWL • MONTH 2020 • PAGE B
Price is
Right
PRODUCT REVIEWS
by: Genevieve Price
Burt's BEES
deep cleansing cream
with soap bark and chamomile Maskne, it’s a thing! Masks can create a climate that can cause pore clogging humidity, dirt, oil and debris to build up. Once pores have clogged it’s only a matter of time before it turns into a pimple. The good news is that we can actually combat maskne, and the steps are pretty simple. The first rule of thumb is to start each day with a clean mask, either a freshly laundered fabric one, or an out of the-box disposable one to keep dirt and bacteria from accumulating inside. The Public Health Agency of Canada also advises people to change their masks as soon as possible if they become damp or dirty. Second, use a mild cleanser morning and night followed by a light moisturizer. Doing a deep cleanse and exfoliating several times a week can also go a long way to keeping pores unclogged. I like to start with my BURT’s BEES deep cleansing cream. Remove any makeup, wet your face and apply it all over, avoiding the eye area, massage it in around your nose and jaw line, my 2 trouble spots these days. Rinse and follow with your favourite scrub and a moisturizer to finish. If you do get a breakout, don’t panic and don’t pick! Head down to Pharmasave and get a spot treatment. I look for active ingredients such as benzoyl peroxide, sulphur and salicylic acid that will really help to kill bacteria, to reduce the redness and to help the skin heal, which is really important because we don’t want you to scar.
EVENTS AT THE
Legion
I think we can all agree the past year has been incredibly challenging for everyone with all the new rules, restrictions, and the very real threat of illness around us. It has been a contemplative time for many of us learning new ways to do old things and learning to live without the close comfort of our friends and family around while we do our best to keep those around us safe and healthy. One thing we are all living without this winter is travel, and for many of us heat seekers that has been tough! We, at your Legion put on our ever-creative thinking caps and thought what can we do to alleviate the winter blues and bring in some vacation vibes for our members and guests? Our wonderful staff and volunteers have gone above and beyond and created a Staycation experience to enjoy and invite you to “travel” with us each week to one exotic and warm destination after another. Come in and enjoy the tropical décor while feasting on our weekly changing kitchen and drink menus. So far, we have visited Mexico, the Caribbean and Hawaii and still have many more experiences to come this winter including South America, Southeast Asia, Spain, and Louisiana to celebrate Mardi Gras and gorge on Cajun chicken, beignets, and jambalaya. The Legion is extremely committed to keeping our members, guests, and staff as safe as possible and we follow all Covid-19 protocols very carefully to ensure we play within the rules. We are incredibly grateful to our community, staff, and volunteers during this time for their support in helping keep our doors open and the drinks flowing. Do not forget to ask your bartender about your 2021 Membership, because as always membership does have its privileges.
Sponsored by
The Circle Salt Spring Education Society has put out a call for new and gently used high quality purses, satchels, and handbags— whether they’re durable and stylish canvas and leather satchels or a soft leather purses of haute couture. The online auction will be The Circle’s spring fundraiser in April. Donors are invited to write down the purse’s story—where it was bought, whether it was a gift, what it expresses about a person—and slip it inside the purse. A recent donation, an authentic Prada purse, came with a touching story of it being gifted to an au pair in Milan. New purses are welcome. Already, Osisi Boutique, Pod Contemporary Gallery, and the recently closed Frankly Scarlet boutique have donated. Businesses can sponsor a purse or satchel by donating “satchel stuffers”! So far, ArtSpring has donated two tickets to ArtSpring Presents, and Soma Studios has donated a massage. This auction will help raise awareness about the ongoing need to address violence in pro-active and preventative ways. Drop off donations at The Circle (344 Lower Ganges Rd.) 10am–12pm Tues/Thurs, or email Andrea if you cannot drop it off: aglittle@shaw.ca
Thursday, March 25
Centre for spiritual living and practice
Star of the Sea Centre for Spiritual Living
March Offerings Tuesday, March 16
Nature Poems for Nourishment of the Soul
Online via Zoom, 7 to 8:30 pm The natural world has always inspired us, acted as muse to our creativity and served to calm our spirits and feed our souls. We invite you to share a favourite poem that expresses the beauty and power of nature to nourish and heal. Facilitated by Lolla Devindisch. Please register at staroftheseassi@gmail.com to receive the Zoom link.
Saturday, March 20
Spring Equinox Celebration
Facilitated by Suzan Denis Online via Zoom — 2:30 to 4:00 pm. In the pause between winter and summer, we awake. What has been incubating in the fertile dark of winter seeks the light of spring to birth itself. You are invited to enter the pause from 2:30 to 4:00 pm on March 20 to plant seeds of intention, seeds we’ll nourish with prayerful celebration and creative process while our virtual circle on Zoom holds sacred space and breathes life into our new beginnings. Please register at staroftheseassi@gmail.com for further details and to receive the Zoom link.
SSNAP is offering Canadian Artists the following awards:
SALT SPRING PRIZE – THE JOAN McCONNELL AWARD & RESIDENCY FOR OUTSTANDING WORK
$20,000 ($15,000 and a $5,000 Salt Spring Island artist residency)
JURORS’ CHOICE AWARDS
Four awards of $3,000 selected by each juror
PEOPLE’S CHOICE – ROSEMARIA BEHNCKE AWARDS
four awards determined by a vote of viewers of the exhibition 1st prize – $3,000 2nd prize – $2,000 3rd prize – $1,000 Youth Vote – $1,000
SALT SPRING ARTIST AWARD
for outstanding work by a Salt Spring artist – $2,000
Shamanism – An A-Z Reference Guide: Beliefs & Practices from Around The World
Online via Zoom 7:00 to 8:30 pm Dr. Marilyn Walker speaks from her new book which is to be released at the Salt Spring Island Library on April 28th. Shamanism is the spiritual base of all the world’s religions and is still practiced by many cultures throughout the world. Marilyn’s interests in this tradition are personal as well as academic. Her talk on her research, travels and experiences will be introduced by a calling-in of the 4 Directions, and accompanied by video clips and slides. There will be some time built in for questions from participants. Dr. Marilyn Walker is a retired medical anthropologist, archaeologist, and ethnobotanist with a long-term home on Salt Spring Island where she has offered many courses and workshop in music, drumming, shamanism, energy work, plant medicine, and so on over many years. Last year, she published her 3rd and 4th books: Shamanism An A-Z Reference Guide: Beliefs and Practices from Around the World, and Sacred Geometry A-Z: History, Beliefs and Practices. A Field Associate with the Foundation for Shamanic Studies, a Founding Member of the Society for Shamanic Practitioners, a past member of the Society for the Anthropology of Religion and the Explorers’ Club, Marilyn has given papers and workshops nationally and internationally, and published scholarly and popular articles on shamanism and related topics. On Salt Spring Island, she hosts experiential courses that will resume once Covid allows. Shaking medicine, x-ray vision, trance, fire, holotropic, intellectual property rights, and the drum are among the more than 100 entries in her book on Shamanism. Many of the book’s illustrations come from Dr. Walker’s own fieldwork in places such as India, Siberia, Mongolia, Southeast Asia, Arctic Canada and North America where shamanic traditions originated or are still practiced. Please register at staroftheseassi@gmail.com to receive a zoom link. Donations for participation in events are welcome.
The Salt Spring National Art Prize’s call for Canadian artist submissions is open to May 31, offering $41,000 in awards! The finalist exhibition will take place at Mahon Hall from September to October, 2021. We are also pleased to announce that the very popular third biennial Parallel Art Show (PAS) will return to ArtSpring, running concurrently with the SSNAP Finalist Exhibition. Artists from the Southern Gulf Islands who have submitted to SSNAP are automatically eligible to be selected by a three-person jury for PAS. This year a jury process will determine approximately 50 works from 50 artists. The PAS jurors are Margaret Day, Artist/Curator of the Point Gallery, Kegan McFadden, Curator and Executive Director of the Victoria Arts Council Gallery, and Deon Venter, Artist. This year’s national jurors are: • University of Calgary Canadian Indigenous studio art associate professor Judy Anderson; • Art Gallery of Nova Scotia in K’jipuktuk/Halifax senior curator David Diviney; • Director of Ydessa Hendeles Art Foundation, artist/curator Ydessa Hendeles; • Remai Modern Chief Curator, Michelle Jacques. The identity of the artists will be anonymous to the jury during the finalist selection process. The Salt Spring National Art Prize was established in 2015 to recognize, showcase, and publicize the accomplishments of Canadian visual artists and to advance public appreciation of visual arts. We encourage Canadian artists whose work demonstrates originality, quality, integrity and creativity to submit significant pieces with visual impact and depth of meaning. We are committed to continuing our legacy and look toward mounting a live exhibition in September 2021, respecting all public health protocols in place.
THE FISHBOWL • MARCH 2021 • PAGE 5
Live
Hello!
My name is Jesse Thom,
a musician/puppeteer living here on Salt Spring with my wife Marley and our 8-month-old daughter, Oriah. When I was 5, I lost my 8 year old brother Alex to bone marrow cancer. I can recall being told I was the only donor match for Alex and, when asked by my mom if I understood the donation process, I responded, “I give my marrow to Alex and then I die instead of him.” How brave that little guy was in his misunderstanding! Many years later, I still want to give my life to kids in hospital, now by way of puppet shows. This year my goal is to start creating a personalized puppet show every month for one hospitalized child at a time. I know first hand what a huge gift this can be for a child and their family and, in order to deliver this gift, I’m asking for your help. I’m aiming to raise enough donations to cover an entire year’s worth of shows and I’ve started a GoFundMe campaign (for onetime donations) as well as a Patreon page (for those who wish to contribute monthly, and receive some perks). If you’d like to live in a world where there is a fellow creating uplifting puppet shows for hospitalized kids, I invite you to make a donation and/or share the links below to help me gain the support I need to make this project a reality. Donate here: GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/puppetlove Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/jessethom
Thank you! Jesse & the Bunnies
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www.DocksideRealty.ca THE FISHBOWL • MARCH 2021 • PAGE 6
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Local Radio on Salt Spring
For over three and a half years, Scott Merrick has been rising at 4:30 a.m. to prepare music plus information on weather, ferries, and local events. On Beam Me Up Scotty, each morning, Monday to Friday, from 7 to 9 a.m., his goal is to get you up and moving while also providing listeners with current details. The music list is often an eclectic one, but there are many themes as well, such as Canadian performers, hits from particular decades, world music, and more. Special days and holidays are also celebrated with tunes about New Years Day, Family Day, April Fools, Hanukkah, Christmas, and so on. He also shares with listeners books he is reading, including whether the volume is in our library or is still available for purchase through Salt Spring Books. In addition, he does interviews with locals about their businesses, or upcoming events. Some of those he has interviewed include theatre groups and actors, Hospice, Grandmothers to Grandmothers, market vendors, salt spring singers, Pride organizers, and artists. Most interviews happen at 8:30 a.m., as most interviewees are not quite the early risers Scott is, and those interactions are also live. And that’s not all: frequently joining him for the second hour are wonderful cohosts, who provide further information about events and songs. Contact Scott if you would like to be a part of his show, either as a co-host or interviewee, at smerrick12@shaw.ca. Beam Me Up Scotty is online at islandsradio.ca, so you can listen pretty well anywhere in the world, Monday through Friday, 7 to 9 am local time. And because it’s live, you never know what might happen! Gulf Islands Community Radio: check the Facebook page for more information and details about recorded shows. We are hoping to hear from the CRTC in the next few months about our application for a community FM licence.
The Circle Salt Spring Education Society and IWAV (Islanders Working Against Violence) have partnered with Graffiti Theatre Company to create a virtual event to mark International Women’s Day 2021. In response to this year’s IWD theme, “Choose to Challenge,” local musicians, activists, poets, performing artists and youth were invited to reflect and share their interpretation of what this invitation means to them. A video compilation of their reflections, presentations and performances was created as a way to bring our community together to explore this theme, but also to celebrate the incredible women in our community. The virtual event will be shared as a video that will be free to access through these organizations’ websites and the Salt Spring Exchange on March 8th.
Art Not Apart – Home Art Kits Art not Apart Kits: a take-home art workshop in a box for ages 8 – 14. The Kit includes great quality art supplies and links to 5 instructional videos created by Jane MacKenzie and Summer Student Teagan Moore. Each video introduces young people to a new project, an exciting contemporary artist, and creative techniques. Host Teagan demonstrates each project, adding tips and inspiring kids to bring their unique vision and creativity. Projects include collage, clay sculptures, watercolour abstractions, patterns with pastels and sculptural towers. Ready to show your work? We want to include your Art Not Apart projects in this our Youth Exhibit, April 2 – 10, 2021 at the Mahon Hall Annex Gallery. Register online: ssartscouncil.com/product/art-not-apart-kit/ Social Media Workshop We are teaming up with the Comox Valley Arts Council to offer a series of zoom workshops that build skills and familiarity with Canva, facebook, Instagram and Youtube. Are you ready to dive in but not sure where to start, or would you like to hone your social medial skills with these channels and free design tools? Digital media maven Francesca Reside hosts five workshops throughout the month of March. Classes are $18/ea or $15 ( SSAC Members). Register online: ssartscouncil.com/events/ COVID Musical Chronicles What does music mean to you during hard times? We invited eight local musical acts to Mahon Hall and posed that very question. We also asked them to perform one song – this month we highlighting these island talents. Live music has taken a substantial blow a result of COVID – festivals, live venues, theatres, production crews – and musicians themselves. Working musicians who rely on gigs, session work or teaching have had to restructure their livelihoods. For many, sharing music in a live setting is an essential part of the creative cycle: connecting with fans, adapting songs through performance, and feeding those experiences back into the craft of composing. These avenues of creativity and connection are utterly transformed by our current COVID reality. It’s going to be a while before the live music economy can rebuild. In the meantime, we can support local talent. Throughout March we are featuring videos by The Buck Dodgers String Band, Luke Wallace, Renée Layla, IRTH, Jose Sanchéz, Suzy Gay, Trisha Spire, and Fawkes & Hownd, all captured by Syd Woodward (videography) and Harley Dunn (sound). Watch the Arts Council social channels and website for all eight videos and make sure to share them: ssartscouncil.com/covid-chronicles/. If you are looking for other ways to support local musicians: find them online and buy their music, follow their social channels, hit the like, heart, follow, and pre-save campaigns – it’s a way to boost their music in the playing field of algorithms and make your support count.
THE FISHBOWL • MARCH 2021 • PAGE 7
artcraft Returns!
Artcraft is B.C.’s longest running annual juried show and has a rich history- ask an artsy old timer and find out! In it’s 52 years, it was never a question if it would run or not. After a precarious 2020 of many unknowns, we managed to safely host Artcraft Summer and Winter shows. Being aware of health measures needed during these times, we wanted to keep our Artists’ work available to the public. We managed to fulfil our mandate of supporting the arts, whilst adapting to the restrictions. In addition to the artists and makers who were able to respond nimbly, we have our community to thank for shopping local. Looking forward to summer 2021, we are now calling artists, creators and makers to adorn Mahon Hall with their work. We are open for registration for both Artcraft 2021 and Artcraft Showcases 2022. We welcome returning artists and encourage new artists to apply. Would you like a chance to show your work in an exquisite setting, during the breezy summer months on Salt Spring? The show boasts the best arts and hand-crafted products from the Southern Gulf islands. Artcraft revenues supports our community arts programmes. This year all new artists and our existing textiles artists will be juried. For information on Artcraft, the jurying process and how to apply, please go to: ssartscouncil.com/artcraft-submissions/ Applications for summer showcases for summer 2022 are now open. This is opportunity for artists/curators or groups wishing to exhibit a cohesive collection in a gallery style setting. Please look at our Artcraft Showcase information at: ssartscouncil.com/showcase-exhibitions-3/ Or contact Sarah, Artcraft Manager at: artcraft@ssartscouncil.com
THE FISHBOWL • MARCH 2021 • PAGE 8
the singing
AMMA
For Ever yone
Yoga
*amma = grandmother in Icelandic
Lisa Sigurgeirson Maxx, ECE
with Salt Spring Island teacher Dorothy Price
Nurturing, empowering & educating families for over 30 years
How to Get the Most Out of Your Workday
Pandemic Anniversary; I acknowledge you. Dear parents and grandparents, As of March 11, 2021 we will all have lived through a full year of a global pandemic. I want to acknowledge and honour each of you for the extra stresses and struggles that you have survived. For some, you have been working at home with children underfoot. For some having the kids home more has garnered lots of positive time together. For others it has been a definite strain. Many parents lost their jobs, temporarily or indefinitely, so there has been the added financial burden, as well. Many or you grandparents have been separated from and not able to visit your grandchildren. That comes with its own particular brand of stress and loneliness. For the children, living through a pandemic is challenging, as well. For many of them missing their friends is very hard. For some of them the fear of getting sick or getting an elderly family member sick might be a source of anxiety. One of the best things to do when any stressful situation arises is to be gentle with ourselves and be gentle with our children. We are all, whether we like it or not, in this together. Not liking it, or not believing in it, will not make it go away any faster. I encourage you, also, to remember the power of listening to feelings and allowing them to be expressed. All feelings are OK. Some behaviours may need to be curtailed if they are harming or hurting of self, another or property. Practice acknowledging feelings. If your teenager says the new ways at school are stupid, you can acknowledge that: “Hmm... so there are some things about school right now don’t sit well with you? I totally get that.” Your school age child might be upset their extracurricular activities are cancelled. “Wow, yeah. It must be really hard not getting to go to your dance class/improv group when it’s your favourite thing of all. How frustrating!” Your preschooler may get mad at you for not letting them have a playdate with their friends. Again, same thing: “I totally get that you’re mad that you can’t go and play at your friend’s house. That would make me mad too!“ Acknowledging feelings does not mean you necessarily agree with or are condoning what they are expressing, but rather that you are simply hearing how this young person feels in this moment. And that it’s OK to feel whatever we feel. Sometimes just knowing that someone “gets” our struggle somehow makes it all a bit more bearable. So I’m here to acknowledge YOU. I’m here to say I hear you and “I get it.” I get that parts of this past year may have been frustrating, upsetting, concerning, exhausting and stressful. And, I am here to say, you’ve got this. We’ve got to keep going a little longer. We’ve got to keep staying strong. And, when you don’t feel strong, find somebody to lean on. Even if it’s only virtually. We’ve got this.
Send your parenting questions to: singingamma@gmail.com or facebook.com/thesingingamma | www.thesingingamma.com
Studies show that most people average about 3 hours of productive time a day. Productive time that you could work on: • Really important tasks that move you and your business forward. • Time-sensitive jobs or jobs that have been on your to-do list for a long time. • Something that will make you feel satisfied with how you spent your time. We can’t do highly focused work all day. Most people can stay really focused for 3-4 hours out of their day. It requires that we observe ourselves and notice when this peak focus time is so we can use it to our best advantage. Everyone will be different. There are other important tasks in our workday that don’t require as much full-on focus. For instance, answering emails, having meetings, and phone calls etc. Do these outside our peak focus times! You need to protect this peak time fiercely! This must be a time when you do not allow yourself to be distracted in any way by emails, social media, phone calls or chats with friends and colleagues. Two hours of intense focus time can yield more results than a day filled with interruptions. How are you going to protect this time? Turn off phones or anything that can distract you. Let others know not to interrupt you at these times. If distracted, even for a moment, it can take anywhere from 2 – 24 minutes to fully return with a clear mind to what you were previously working on! That is a lot of wasted time! Time is a non-renewable resource! Many people experience this peak time in the morning and then again in the late afternoon after taking some breaks and doing other tasks that are not so focus-demanding. Assuming you put in an 8 hour workday, your schedule might look like this. 9-11:30 AM - Dedicated work time with NO interruptions (other than a 5-10 min break) 11:30 – 3:30 - Plan for lunch and jobs you can do that don’t require as much focus; such as checking emails, meetings, phone calls or other jobs. Try going for a walk in your afternoon slump time rather than forcing yourself to work. 3:30 – 5:00 PM - Dedicated work time with NO interruptions. Our minds naturally crave breaks after every 90 minutes of intense work. If you notice signals, such as losing focus, becoming hungry, sleepy, or fidgety, listen to these signs, and take a quick 5–10-minute break. Walk around, stretch, (don’t check emails or your phone), grab some water, reset your energy and remind yourself “I just have to stay focused for one more hour”. Stay mindful that you are just taking a short break and then return to the task at hand. In yoga, we notice how easily distracted we are. We train our minds to come back to the present moment over and over again. Staying focused during our workday is challenging for all of us... including me! I keep working on it.
See you on the mat! ~ Dorothy For online yoga classes including asana, breathwork and meditation, see Dorothy’s online yoga school https://onlineyogaclasseswithdorothyprice.teachable.com Phone 250-537-7675
THE FISHBOWL • MARCH 2021 • PAGE 9
Mishka’s
Book
Reviews with Mishka Campbell
Anxious People
by Fredrik Backman I’m pretty sure Fredrik Backman is a great writer in any language, but I can’t help but wonder if he’s best enjoyed in his native Swedish. As much as I might think well of any book that’s been translated (in any language), I will ALWAYS be critical of the slightly stilted results. It’s a little awkwardly worded. It’s just a bit too formal. I suppose I’ll never know the truth of the matter as I’m unable to do a direct comparison. Perhaps one day I’ll learn Swedish. Unlikely that I’d find myself fluent enough to read a whole novel, let alone critique it, but who knows? Stranger things have happened. Part of the charm of Backman’s writing, is directly related to his odd turns of phrase (which may or may not be related to translation). He’s clever, funny, and somehow manages to speak of profound universal truth, while being humorous. His quiet jokes are something we’re in on as he breaks down the 4th wall every time he makes an aside to his audience and gives us a wink. It’s thoroughly engaging. In Backman’s newest work, the titular Anxious People are viewing an apartment that’s for sale, just before New Year’s Eve. A would be bank robber has made an escape into the nearest getaway location, which just happens to be said apartment’s open house. The group of strangers, Anxious People one and all, are taken hostage and the drama unfolds. The story is not told in a linear manner, but is instead divided into police interview transcripts, and chapters that run the gamut from short “imagine if” summaries, to details of the lives and thoughts of these Anxious People, both before the hostage taking and during. This unique method of storytelling keeps you on your toes because it’s impossible to predict what’s coming next. I think it’s important to realize that this book is definitely not your typical “bunch of strangers thrust together realize they have more in common than they think” kind of storyline. I imagined I’d write this review focused on how entertaining, witty and amusing this story is, as though it’s some kind of romp or farce. The reality is it’s incredibly poignant, written with both empathy and compassion. I surprised myself by bursting into tears on the last page. I think I identified with these Anxious People more than I thought I would.
Salt Spring Has
Issues starring the most awesome John Bateman
As I write this article, I’m sitting in my kitchen looking out at what many are claiming to be close to 36 inches of snow, or as many people annoyingly call it, “white cold stuff.” The trees are covered, flakes are gently playing on the wind and I can hear kids playing in the distance. The whole scene makes me wonder, “Why does horrible weather happen to such a perfect island?” In reality, I really like snow, but on Salt Spring, many people act like it’s the worst thing to happen to the island since Burger Bar 537 was forced by the Island’s Trust to add the prefix 250. I grew up in Nova Scotia, which has made me quite comfortable with snow, so it’s always interesting to see how Salt Springers react to it. Like everything else on island, snow is always preceded by an unsettled system of rumours. You may hear a whisper in the grocery lineup or see a Facebook post that reads, “Snow coming.” The rumours lead to people taking some kind of passive, preventative measure. They may head out and stock up on things like toilet paper, alcohol and salt. I wouldn’t be surprised if they end up using all of those items at once. Many Islanders proceed to take further levels of precaution. Some head out and start wrapping up their favorite shrub or bush. Others will perk their car on the main road and walk 4 kilometers back to their house, so they don’t get trapped by the storm. Other popular preparations include: walking their dog, phoning a distant relative, calling in sick for work and cutting down that annoying tree that’s protected by salmon enhancement. It’s way easier to blame the weather. People don’t start getting really annoying until the storm actually hits. There is a flurry of social media posts that consist of riveting statements like: “It’s snowing”, “The snow is starting” and the ever hilarious, “Hey, what’s that strange white stuff falling from the sky?” Included in these interactions is useful advice like: “Stay safe”, “Stay warm” and “Avoid going outside.” The curious thing is that before the storm, people go on and on about how they look forward to being forced to stay in for a few days, yet when the snow finally hits, they risk life and limb to get to town as fast as possible. The thing that usually sends them out is the dreaded power outage. Honestly, I’m fine with any meteorological condition as long as there isn’t an interruption in electricity. This is where having constant access to the internet, regardless or electricity is very annoying. People begin chiming in from every corner that their power is out. Then 5 minutes later they let everyone know that it’s back on. OH! Now it’s off again. The most entitled people are the ones who live on the fabled, “Hospital Grid.” According to data I have collected from people bragging about living on this grid, it must extend from Beddis Road all the way to Lady Smith. Looking out my window again, I can see that it’s now raining. Rain in mid February? What did Salt Spring do to deserve this?
The
Green Isle Enterprise Holistic Psychology, Health & Education By: Ralph D. Miller, Ph.D
The Garden of Eden Act 1: The Illusory Fall From Grace God, after working hard for 6 days creating everything perfectly (of course), including the first humans, snake and other animals, decides to take a break, a day of rest. Before leaving The Garden, he tells Adam and Eve, “It’s all here for you to enjoy—except the fruit from that tree there in the centre of The Garden, The Tree of Judgment; You no touch, eh?” One wonders, isn’t this a bit like telling kids at daycare not to put beans in their ears or nose; then leaving them alone to play at a table with bowls of dried beans? When God returns to His Earthly Paradise later that evening, he looks around and cannot find Adam or Eve. God: “Yo, where are y’all?” Adam and Eve: “We are hiding over here behind the bush. We’re naked and ashamed to be seen.” God: “What? You’re hiding because you’re naked? Get out here Now!” Adam and Eve quickly grab a couple of fig leaves and cautiously step out in to the open. God: “What’s with the Fig Leaf bikinis?” Adam and Eve: “Well, we were naked and ashamed to be seen, so we made do with what we could find.” God: “Who told you of ‘shame’? Who told you that being naked was shameful? Didn’t I tell you I created everything perfectly? Two thumbs up? Five out of five stars? Do you actually think that you have the capacity and right to judge any part of My Creation? And to find it lacking, not good enough? And who do you think you’re hiding from? Obviously not each other. So you must be hiding from me, your God. I created you, for Chrysler’s sake. Are you out of your figgy minds?” God: “Now, any complaints about anything other than yourselves?” Adam and Eve, looking down at the ground, say nothing. God: “No? Not mosquitoes, nasty wasps nor horse flies? Not even the slugs? Yet, I see you’ve judged that you suck—and you’re now stuck with the heavy burden of your own self-judgment.” “You ate the forbidden fruit from The Tree of Judgment, didn’t you? Adam, what do you have to say for yourself?” Adam (pointing to Eve): “She gave me the fruit; it’s her fault.” God: “You wimp!” Eve: “The snake told me to do it.” Snake, shrugging his shoulders, looks the other way and says nothing. God (fed up): “You guys just put yourselves out—expelled! You’re out of here! Be gone! Hit the Road Jack—and Jill!” Ray Charles: “Hit the Road Jack and don’t you come back no more....” (on YouTube). The first couple pack up their fig leaves and trudge out, heading East, grumbling, “Why the heck did he make that tree in the first place? What was he thinking? Omniscient—or not? What th’ heck around here?”
Scopes Brought to you by our own in-house astrologer who now goes by her numerologically correct name of “Ya Righta”
Aries Just
when
you
thought
it
couldn’t possibly get any worse,
Libra
People often fall in love with the person who is worst for them,
the stars confirm that you are
which is good news for you.
correct and it is pretty much as
Scorpio
bad as it can get.
Enough about you.
Taurus
Sagittarius
Just stop!
Gemini Ultimately
there
Sometimes we find amazing things in places we least expect will
be
nothing your friends can do for you, putting you in the position of having to find more competent friends.
Cancer
Just when all hope is gone, you will find a secret stash of Wine Gums that will actually makes up for quite a lot.
Leo
The weekend is almost here, it will come and it will go.
them, whether it’s true love, peace of mind, or, in your case, rats.
Capricorn You’ll
find
unfulfilled,
yourself
curiously
if
a
not
little
frightened, when you finally learn the answer to the question of who.
Aquarius
We know it feels as if everything is too hard for you and that anything you try ends in failure, but know: Those feelings have to be wrong eventually.
Virgo
Pisces
mystery you have about the
the planets this week can only
You may treasure the sense of future, but really, checking the
The alignment of the stars and mean one thing: You’re looking at
work schedule before Monday
a very simplistic, two-dimensional
morning might not be a bad idea.
model of our solar system.
Tune in next month for Act II: Back to Eden; the Yoga of Jesus Christ. A journey without distance.
Ralph's roles include: extending-family guy, student/teacher, psychologist/scientist, musician/actor. ralph@islandroots.ca
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