Author Archives: Michelle Burtnyk-Horn

Getting our daily dose of “Vitamin G”

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Last September, over 200 participants took part in a unique forum in Vancouver to discuss nature and health – more specifically, the impact of spending time in nature on health, and the contribution of parks and protected areas to healthy communities. The forum sought to share knowledge, foster linkages between diverse sectors, and to identify best practices, strategies, and tools.

One of the things discussed by presenters and attendees was how people intuitively know that being in nature, simply put, makes them feel good. Whether getting a dose of ‘Vitamin Green’ helps to relieve stress, lift the spirit, or provide a bit of perspective on life, getting out into nature seems to contribute to enhanced wellbeing. While everyone intuitively understands this, our reductionist North American tendencies have had us questioning how and in what ways nature has this effect on health for the past decade or so. Well, good news for those of you scientific folk out there (you know who you are!) – the quantitative evidence supports a nature-health link. Our intuitive selves have been right all along! As discussed by keynote speaker Dr. Frances Kuo, research has linked healthy urban ecosystems to stronger, safer neighbourhoods, lower crime, reduced AD/HD symptoms, and reduced aggression, with benefits still being found even when income and other factors that could explain a nature-health link are taken into account. Additional quantitative evidence exists at the physiological level as well, with benefits having been measured objectively through such indicators as blood pressure and immune system functioning. For a comprehensive review of the literature, check out this National Recreation and Park Association report written by Dr. Kuo.

So now the evidence is there to prove what we kinda knew all along. What’s next? Well, at an individual level, we can all get outside more. If you’re like the bulk of urbanites, you may not be close to mountains, lakes, and forests (although a shocking number of us here in B.C. actually are – not to rub it in, Toronto). Forum presenters actually addressed this, and made it clear that nature can be found anywhere – a nearby park or stream by your house, a patch of trees outside your work – and even the smallest exposure to nature has been found to be beneficial.  In addition, urban planners and health professionals have been starting to act based on this ever-growing body of evidence. For example, some physicians are now prescribing time in nature to their patients.

Getting past the urban/nature divide may take some work ... but it can be done

It’s clear that to address this at a population level, an interdisciplinary approach is needed, with health professionals, urban planners, and environmental specialists being just a few of the disciplines who need to be at the table to ensure that all Canadians have access to diverse and regular sources of nature. If this forum is any indication, these various disciplines are ready and willing to come together to focus on this in creative and holistic ways.

 

 

Fans, food and flummox: The Vancouver Canadians Experience

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Last Saturday night, I had the pleasure of attending a Vancouver Canadians game with a group of family and friends. Having spent the last year focused on learning the basic rules of soccer so that I could muster my way through a Vancouver Whitecaps game without completely embarrassing myself, I’m flummoxed and somewhat hesitant to admit that I somehow lost all of my knowledge of baseball. After receiving a crash course (and braving the incredulous response I received from my husband, who asked more than a few times, ‘you’re joking, right?’), I was able to sit back, enjoy the game, and, more importantly, critically analyze some of the key differences and similarities between Vancouver’s sports teams. In no particular order:

1. The fans

The ever-enthusiastic Whitecaps fan base

One of the key things that struck me was the difference in tone, atmosphere, and make-up of the fans. The Canadians game was definitely more family-friendly – a claim I can confidently make after astutely observing the large number of families in attendance. That, plus the fact that I left the game without hearing one swear word or having any beer spilled on me – two things one can always count on at any given Whitecaps game. What’s more, I didn’t notice a lot of folks on their cell phones or wearing business suits, which tend to be frequent sites at Canucks games.  I chock this difference up to – not surprisingly – the low cost of tickets and marketing efforts geared towards families.

2. The food

Sadly, the food is one similarity that I wish was different. It tends to be overpriced, unhealthy fare no matter what the venue or sport. While fans justify overindulgence with the explanation that, “you gotta have [insert unhealthy food option here] when at a [insert sport here] game!”, for those of us who care about what we put into our bodies or where our food comes from, having some healthier options would definitely be appreciated.

3. Advertising and corporate sponsorship

Advertising at the Nat - No space left unspoken for

While advertising and corporate sponsorship are of course prevalent across all sports organizations, I found there was quite a difference in advertising methods, dependant on opportunities for promotion within the structure and coverage of the game. Given the continual flow of soccer, with few breaks other than half-time, advertising is done through marketing materials, clothing and gear. With a large Bell logo on the front of our jerseys that we wear to every game, we the fans advertise on our team’s behalf. On the contrary, with the frequent commercial breaks and high viewership of Canucks games, most advertising is done through commercials. In the most hilarious of advertising efforts, the Canadians squeeze it in where they can: between innings. A Smart car driven around the field between second and third inning? That will do!

So there it is – a few observations from a casual fan, slowly learning about the fascinating world of Vancouver sports.

The Good Earth

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CLJ Reviews The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck

What We Read

The Good Earth was published in 1931 and won the Pulitzer Prize in 1932. Generally regarded as a classic, I chose the book for two reasons: 1.) It’s my mom’s favourite book and I promised her we would read it for Book Club, and 2.) Yann Martel – out of all the books he could have recommended to us in his letter to the CLJ – recommended this one (which of course led to numerous claims of “I told you so!” by my mother). Turns out, it really was a great book suggestion. The Good Earth tells the story of a simple, farm family living in pre-revolutionary China who encounter many trials and tribulations throughout the course of the protagonist, Wang Lung’s, life. Facing not just drought, pestilence, and floods, Wang Lung must learn to grapple with conflict within his family, and his own feelings of lust, greed and entitlement.

What We Did (and How We Did It)

One of the major themes within the novel is the importance of being connected to the Earth – when Wang Lung leaves his land, hurt and despair seem to follow closely behind. Within the novel, the cultural belief that various Gods are responsible for the fortunes or misfortunes of the family is also evident. Tying these two themes together, the activity asked CLJ members to spend some time planting seeds of their choices into small pots. They were then asked to take on the persona of a character in the novel and pray to the Gods for their seeds to grow and flourish –with the best depiction of character and plea to the Gods, our newest CLJ member Alison Atkinson took home the trophy.

What We Thought

The group talked a lot about the relevance and appropriateness of a privileged American woman telling this story from the perspective of a Chinese peasant. Given the year of publication and popularity of the novel in America (and around the world), we also talked a lot about this book’s probable impact on how many Americans viewed China, as this book was arguably one of the earliest and most realistic depictions of Chinese life that many Americans would have been exposed to. The underlying themes of greed, the social order, and the treatment of women were also explored. Most members of the CLJ thoroughly enjoyed the book – or at the very least, appreciated the opportunity to read a thought-provoking piece of literature they otherwise would not have read.

As told by Michelle Burtnyk-Horn

Community on the Juan de Fuca Trail

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47 kilometers of West Coast awesomeness!

Last week, John and I went on an adventure in the wilderness. After weeks of accumulating supplies, preparing menus, going on test hikes, and becoming far too acquainted with the staff at MEC, we set out on the Juan De Fuca Trail on Vancouver Island’s West Coast. Mentally – and somewhat physically – prepared for the 47 km, 5 day hike, what follows is a daily synopsis of the ups and downs (literally and metaphorically), our observations about community we found on the trail, and some stories and anecdotes that are just, well, funny.

Bear Beach looks good early in the morning.

Day 1: China Beach to Bear Beach

Filled with excitement and anxious to get started, we threw on our packs and headed towards the trail from the China Beach parking lot … only to be stopped in our tracks by a number of minor, let’s say, incidents. Incident #1: John realizing his water bladder, attached to his backpack, is empty … which subsequently made sense when we noticed that the back seat of the car was soaked. Incident #2: Michelle checking her pocket for the map to give it one last look, only to realize it’s nowhere to be found. Good thing it turned up … in her father-in-law’s pocket! Incident #3: Backcountry camping fees? Strictly enforced and payable at the start of the trail? Needless to say, we knew nothing of backcountry camping fees. To add to the confusion, we received five different answers from five different people about how we could pay and how much it was – luckily, the parents-in-law come to the rescue, making up for the near-fiasco with the map. Despite the multiple incidents, we head out on the trail (half an hour later than expected), arriving safe and sound about 4 hours later at beautiful Bear Beach.

This was one of the 15 or so times that Michelle walked up during the Day 2 experience. Also, love the pink!

Day 2: Bear Beach to Chin Beach

By 10am we had packed up our wicked awesome camp site – complete with giant table – and were striking out on the trail behind a group of Japanese tourists, Team Texas and a hardcore young man who was, apparently, doing the entire trail in three days. The kid was moving fast.

For seven hours – over about 12 kilometers – John and I hiked up and over about 15 different headlands. This basically meant walking up for about 150-200 meters, looking around at the gorgeous, lush and spectacular scenery, and then walking down for about 150-200 meters. And then we crossed a creek. And then we did it all over again. Other than expelling a combined 30 liters of sweat and starting to feel our packs weighing on our shoulders in achey new ways, this part of the trail was an achievement of epic proportions with very little collatoral damage to our bodies, minds and/or souls. By 7pm we settled into a delicious meal of quinoa next to a modest little fire and watched seagulls feast on shellfish under a misty sunset.

The 16 kilometer marker was a long, long, long time coming. Mostly because we either missed marker 15 or it's missing along the trail. Needless to say, we stopped for lunch here.

Day 3: Chin Beach to Sombrio Beach

MICE! That’s right. Focusing a lot – perhaps too much – on nefarious bears and cougars, we underestimated the chewy vigour of some other four-legged creatures who live on Vancouver Island’s West Coast. During the night, a gang of wild mice gnawed through our packs in search of delicious treats. Luckily, no trail mix or my candies were harmed.

This hike was similar to – but not the same as – day two. We went up, up, up a lot right away, but there wasn’t as much repetition. Also, a kilometer of the hike took place along about a flat and groomed old logging road. Quite a nice respite!

Arriving at Sombrio Beach, John and I learned a lesson about “maps” and “distances” at Sombrio. The 20.7 kilometers listed on the map got us to Sombrio Point, not the beach itself. No, to get to the beach we hiked with our tired legs (in utter silence, which says a lot) along a sheer cliff, through some slippery, smelly muck and up, over and around two coves. Though the trail wasn’t actually all that technical, this is the place where – because of sheer fatigue – we could’ve died quite easily because of one little misstep (or perhaps because we let our guard down against the roaming packs of radioactive ninja mice that the Juan de Fuca Trail might possibly yield).

Oh, and Sombrio is the place where we started having deeper conversations with our new friends, the Texans, who were particularly impressed by the awesomeness of our campsite and my very pink hiking attire.

John relaxes by our very awesome campsite and even more awesome fire at Sombrio Beach.

Day 4: Sombrio Beach to Payzant Creek

Before leaving Sombrio we stumbled across a family of sea otters.

Waking up to the sound of crashing waves might be the best sound. Ever. Follow that with a delicious Spanish Frittata breakfast (thanks, MEC!), coffee, and a flawless pack-up, and we found ourselves setting out happily for an apparently “moderate” (according to aforementioned “map”), albeit long (13 km), day. The day was, actually, quite moderate – if one were to compare it to the gruelling terrain of the previous two days. Compared to day one, it was definitely harder and almost twice as long.

The hike itself was gorgeous. We left the comfort of the coastline for the more mysterious woods, finding ourselves surrounded by old growth trees and cooler temperatures. Setting up camp in the middle of a rainforest, mist and sunshine streaming through the myriad of trees, was one of the memorable moments of the trip. Team Texas wandered in a few hours after us – we felt a bit better about how incredibly sore we were after seeing them limp and drag themselves into the campsite. As we weren’t allowed fires in the woods, Day 4 was an early night – we were asleep no later than 9:30pm (which was probably a good thing, as it allowed our bodies to recuperate from the pain we had inflicted upon them).

The towering trees around Payzant Creek!

Day 5: Payzant Creek to Botanical Beach

A bittersweet day – a mere 7 km and we would be back in the real world! While we were looking forward to a homecooked meal and mostly, well, not smelling, it was sad leaving the calm, relaxing and awe-inspiring wilderness. This short four hour hike out, with lots of boardwalks and more and more hikers as we got closer to Botanical Beach, included a permit-check by a BC Parks Ranger/Warden/Guide/Hero as well as many fun chats with our Texan friends as well as Jonathan, a lone hiker from Winnipeg who was just downright delightful.

 Final Reflections

Since monkeys jumped down from trees, crossed the svannah, killed all the dinosaurs, and turned into people we’ve had a very interesting relationship with nature. We’ve worshipped, groomed, destroyed, restored, protected, developed, and celebrated the Earth during our time here. And that might be the coolest thing about getting out into nature and away from so much urbanity – a simple and fun five days in the woods is enough to remind any city dweller that people are a part of the natural environment and it’s a part of us. Taking time to appreciate this relationship is as important as it is enjoyable.

Thanks, Juan de Fuca Trail for being so darn enjoyably natural!

 

Hiking is Awesome

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This past weekend, John and I went on an awesome hike in Chilliwack Lake Provincial Park. After parking our car at the trailhead, we hiked 5.5 kilometers and about 250 vertical meters to Greendrop Lake. We encountered many different types of terrain and many different kinds of hikers. Here are our observations about what we recommend as a pretty darn fantastic overnight camping experience:

John & Michelle’s Favourite Things About the Hike

1. Diverse Terrain. The trail literally had it all. From typical Pacific Northwest muddy rainforest to rockslides that we had to scamper across to raging creeks that washed out the trail to a harrowing rocky pathway to Mordor or wherever the Gunslinger is headed, the trail really ran the gamut of sensation. It was listed as an intermediate hike, and you never knew what to expect.

2. Path-Plotting Creativity. As mentioned above, much of the trail – especially the half-hour before arriving at Greendrop Lake – was washed out by an overflowing and raging Post Creek. This inspired some pretty creative trail navigation, which invariably involved scurrying across logs acting as makeshift bridges, leaping across rapids and, one time, going about 300 meters in the wrong direction before serendipitously finding the path back to the lake.

3. The Destination (See Photos). Clearly, John and I had a really, really awesome campsite. It was secluded (until a really nice couple and their dogs arrived nextdoor), was a meter away from the icy blue lake, and had a gorgeous view of a cascading waterfall that fed the lake from the top of the mountain. In spite of our tent being pitched on an angle – which made sleeping fairly hilarious – it was the perfect campsite.

John and Michelle’s Observations of the Hiking Community

Garbarge-Throwing Partyers. John and I picked up our fair-share of litter along the trail. Shame on you, “hikers” – and we use the term loosely because camping and hiking should involve an instinctual love for and appreciation of nature, which you just don’t seem to have. Judging by the cans and wrappers that we saw along the way, what you do have is a love of beer and candy.

Danger Family Nature Awesome! Should an eight-year-old boy be balancing three feet above raging water on a wobbly and slippery log? According to some families (and, for the record, John’s dad would’ve been on this list back in the day), absolutely! For this is a fantastic way to build character and an appreciative respect for Mother Nature (or absolute fear)…either way, no one in this group is littering!

Team Hardcore. Maybe you walk across boulders in barefoot running shoes. Or perhaps you bushwhack your way past the end of the trail with hopes of finding “Hicks Service Road.” Or perhaps you get a bit lost, but intuitively know that a creek comes from a lake, so you just walk in waist-deep water up the creek until you arrive at your destination. And maybe you arrive at your destination, only to realize that all the camping spots are taken, so you eat your dinner and then hike all the way back to the first lake, Lindeman, only to return the next day so that you can find some fish in Greendrop. #hardcoreawesome

Friendly Folk. Most people we met fit into this category quite nicely. Nearly everyone said “hello” as we past, sure. But it’s the Friendly Folk who stopped to chat a bit. During the big incline at the beginning of the trail, a young lad encouraged us with a nice “you’re almost there!” Very friendly.

Jeans in the Wilderness. You read on the Internets that the first leg of the hike – to Lindeman Lake – is a “day hike” with a few camping spots. This informs your wardrobe choice as well as your decision to hike sans-eau. Also, when juxtaposed to people hiking in gear to Greendrop Lake (The Bornks!), it makes the latter folk seem so much more hardcore.

What John and Michelle Learned About Each Other

John: Michelle Bornk! is a good camper with a ton of spirit and mettle. What I learned about her is that she cannot yet read my mind during camping experiences. There were a few times when, for example, I would be holding the tarp or tent fly and then would look at her. She would smile and say, “Hi!” What I was thinking about and hoping for, though, was for a silent acknowledgement that it was time to shake out and fold up our campsite. These little nuances will take care of themselves following future forays into the wilderness. Exciting!

Michelle: John is an experienced camper, whom I can learn a lot from. He also has a lot of hilarious stories from childhood camping expeditions, which give me a hilarious glimpse into his past, his family, and who he is today. I also learned that John Horn is a man on a mission. There would be numerous times when I would have to ‘remind’ John that I was not directly behind him (usually by yelling or throwing things), as he would be so focused on making it to our destination. Perhaps, at the end of the day, I have learned that I should bring a whistle!

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly … of the Infographic

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Infographics are in right now. Our major Canadian news stations and papers – notably The Globe and Mail and CBC – use them to communicate information on a seemingly daily basis, bloggers and social media folk love them, and the business and professional world is increasingly using the infographic as a way to communicate to their employees and stakeholders. Some may say that this is a tool representative of our generation and culture, what with our need for information that is available instantaneously and understandable in minutes. Or a sign of our technological times – while in days past a graphical representation of information would have taken a painstakingly long period of time to create, we’re now able to use software and tools to create infographics quickly, accurately and easily.

Yes, some may say these things. But are they right? First, the idea of images being able to communicate complex or lengthy ideas has been around and appreciated for eons – as Ivan Turgenev wrote back in 1862, “A picture shows me at a glance what it takes dozens of pages of a book to expound”. Second, are infographics really that easy and accurate? For basic information – yes, I’m sure they are. However, for infographics seeking to explain the relationship between complex ideas or variables, I’m not so sure. While attempting to make this information clearer, infographics may have the opposite effect, making the connection between ideas or variables more difficult to grasp, or in some cases, leading to lost meaning.

The Common Good Forecaster

One example that both impresses me and leaves me slightly wary is The Common Good Forecaster. This interactive infographic, developed by the United Way and the American Human Development Project, allows users to graphically see how various economic and social conditions would change as educational outcomes change – for example, how increased high school or college completion rates can ‘forecast’ improved health outcomes (e.g. obesity or life expectancy rates), financial outcomes (e.g. poverty or unemployment rates), and community involvement outcomes (e.g. voting rates).

While the tool is neat and the results interesting, the methodological description of how this tool was developed calls the accuracy of the data into question. On a more philosophical note – can something as complex as the relationship between education and health, or education and community involvement, be captured in a series of graphs? And lastly on a decidedly political note – will those who hold the real power – policy makers – use tools such as these to make decisions regarding educational initiatives, or is the point to create awareness and advocacy for change at a community level? And if so – is such a technique effective, and will this tool galvanize those that need to be galvanized?

On a completely different note, I can’t think of infographics without remembering CBC’s coverage of the last federal election. While the graphical representation of voting results was helpful, the reliance on infographics and social media was at times annoying and distracting. It seemed at numerous points during the coverage that Peter Mansbridge was having difficulty reporting on the results while also keeping track of the various graphs and charts that were being thrown on numerous screens surrounding him – sometimes with the wrong information.

While the ability to communicate information in new ways is obviously a good thing, it seems to me that it’s absolutely pertinent to examine not just what is gained, but what might be lost as well.

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Masthead photo courtesy of Steve Punter

Vancouver is not Vegas North

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This afternoon, I’m going to Vegas for three nights and four days with a group of my best girlfriends. This will – amazingly – be my first time going to Vegas, and I’m not quite sure what to expect. If I were to form my opinions based on people’s thoughts and suggestions for my trip, then I would expect to encounter some of the following:

  • Lions. And Tigers. In hotels, just hanging around for people to see.
  • Indoor environments made to look a lot like the outdoors. You know, so you never have to go outside. And can gamble the night (and day, as you can’t tell the difference) away.
  • Lots of smoke. Minimal recycling. Excessive excess.
  • Celine Dion. Potentially at a pool party.

I have to say, these items are not necessarily what I would be looking for in a vacation. But hey, everyone has to do Vegas once, right? I have to admit, I’m going with the flow on this one, and am mostly excited to spend some time with a group of fabulous women whom I don’t get to see that often.

As I think about my upcoming trip, I’m compelled to think about the recent debate in Vancouver about the construction of a gigantic casino complex on beautiful False Creek. The citizens of Vancouver spoke, and their voices were heard. Late last month, city council decided to vote against the casino project, in opposition to the wishes and plans of the province.

The proposed Vancouver casino complex

Now, I know that a casino complex in Vancouver is nothing near the glut, unsustainablity, and artificiality of Vegas, but frankly Vegas doesn’t have that much else going for it. I mean, it’s in the middle of a dessert. Vancouver on the other hand has one of the most beautiful natural environments in the world, and a stated mandate by our city council to become one of the most sustainable cities in the world. Our city is just on the verge of deciding who we are, and it will be the culmination of many small decisions like this (as well as decisions related to such things as transportation, urban planning and sustainable development) that will dictate who we become and how we’re known to the rest of world. As much as I’m looking forward to my Vegas trip, I’m incredibly relieved that our city has chosen not to take a step in that direction.

 

A Smorgasbord of Music, Art, and Advocacy

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Last week, I went to church. My experience there was hilarious, touching, inspirational, and eclectic. There were musicians, comedians, poets, art installations, and tuba-playing mayors. Sound a bit unlike a typical church visit? That’s because I was there for Smorgasbord, an evening of music and art hosted and curated by none other than local singer-songwriter Dan Mangan, all in support of local initiatives that work to end homelessness in our city.

The event exemplified everything great about the community of Vancouver, bringing together people from all walks of life. It was awesome to see 20-something hipsters mingling (in the pews, mind you) with 50-something community activists. While the older folk got to experience twitter-gone-wild as the younger crowd took advantage of their tweets being projected on a large screen, the younger folk got to experience seasoned Vancouver performers whom they might not otherwise have the opportunity to see (such as the amazing Veda Hille). Clashing of worlds? Definitely. In a city not as classy or as open-minded as Vancouver, things could have gone horribly wrong. But the crowd took it all in stride and demonstrated just how cool Vancouver is.

The burgeoning local arts scene was also very well represented. From the up-and-coming singer-songwriter Aidan Knight who had the crowd dancing in their pews, to comedian Charles Demers (whose activist roots shone through in a very clever set), to the incredibly insightful spoken-word poet Mike McGee, the acts were diverse and equally brilliant in very different ways. Not to mention Dan Mangan capping off the night with Mayor Gregor Robertson on the tuba. If that’s not a tangible example of our city council supporting the arts, I don’t know what is!

Throughout the night, the very serious issues of homelessness and mental health were continuously raised in touching and inspirational ways. A young girl of 11 read an incredible poem she had written, and won an award for, about homelessness. Mayor Gregor handed out ‘local hero’ awards, which recognize individuals and organizations that demonstrate commitment to ending youth homelessness. And last but not least, there was a beautiful tribute to mental health advocate Dr. Nancy Hall, who passed away in March. Dr. Hall was a driving force behind Smorgasbord, and saw it as a way to engage a younger generation in the plight to end homelessness in Vancouver.

I left this event feeling a great sense of pride for Vancouver. From our commitment to ending homelessness to our incredibly engaged citizenry, our sense of community really shone through the pews at Smorgasbord 2011.

The Blue Light Project Book Launch – A “100 Mile” Indulgence in Awesome

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On Tuesday night I had the pleasure of attending a book launch for Timothy Taylor’s new book, The Blue Light Project. For someone who professes to love books as much as I do (and I do), I was a bit embarrassed that this was my first time attending a book launch, and it definitely wasn’t what I expected.

For starters, it was held at the Waldorf Hotel. A bit edgy, a bit outside the norm, and definitely not a location I would have expected. There was tiki décor on the walls and 70’s floral print on the floors. Incredibly talented and fascinating “100 mile” street art  from the streets of Vancouver and awesome music. Drinks. All the ingredients necessary for a … book launch? Apparently book launches are more like funky, edgy parties than one would think! But maybe that’s just a testament to the coolness of Timothy Taylor and the themes that thread through his new book.

The makeup of the crowd was a bit surprising as well. Younger than I would have thought, but definitely a wide age range was in attendance. The crowd was a chatty group – instead of individuals coming and conversing only with those they came with, people mingled. So goes the stereotype of the introverted bookie out the window! The setup of the room definitely helped to encourage this – minimal seating and a tight space makes it a bit easier to strike up a conversation with those standing around you. Besides the odd fellow in the cowboy hat – an “author” writing a “novel”,who proceeded to tell me about the numerous ways in which his “forthcoming” book launch would be better than the present one - everyone was pretty darn nice, cool, and incredibly intelligent.

So half an hour into the evening and so far all expectations have been shot. I was beginning to wonder if Mr. Taylor would even be reading at this event, or if this was some sort of post-modern book launch whereby the themes of the book were to be inferred via the photography on the walls or the lyrics in the music …. When Timothy Taylor came to the stage, the crowd fell silent, and we were given the privilege of listening to Mr. Taylor read a passage from the novel.

I won’t give much away (you’ll have to pick up the book yourself), but I will say that I will definitely be picking up the novel. In a mere 10 minute reading, I got a real sense of the characters and how they might develop, felt the tension between the “desire for anonymity and the desire for renown” that afflicts the artists within the novel, and wanted to experience more of the “bombs of paint and words” that splash the street corners in the story. How this relates to a hostage situation (the proclaimed narrative crux of the story) I’m not sure, but I’m excited to find out.

The Blessingway – a non-kitsch alternative to the baby shower

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Last week, I had the privilege of attending a Blessingway. Don’t worry if you have no idea what a blessingway is – until I received the invitation, I didn’t either.

Just so we’re all up to speed: a blessingway is NOT a religious ritual or a gathering of folks with allergies. It IS a ceremony based on ancient Navajo tradition, celebrating a woman’s transition into motherhood. There were many things I loved about the blessingway. In no particular order:

1.      It was a non-commercial celebration. Unlike its newer and kitschier counterpart, the baby shower, this celebration did not focus on the giving and receiving of store bought items for a baby which will, in all likelihood, have too many toys and clothes. Instead, guests were encouraged to bring a small gift for the expectant mother, a gift she could use or enjoy shortly before or after birth. Like tea. Or a homemade, heartfelt card.

2.      It was steeped in ritual. While I guess you could say the ‘guess what chocolate bar is smooshed in the diaper’ game often played at baby showers is a ritual of sorts (what kind of ritual, I dare not even guess), this blessingway included many spiritually-rich activities, including sage burning and a candle ceremony.

3.      We sang. It’s not very often a group of strong, caring women get to hold hands and sing. While we were promised that we weren’t going to have to “go there” beforehand, in hindsight I’m glad we did. While I’m all for equality, there is something deeply magical and humbling about embracing and rejoicing in what it means to be a woman, surrounded by women. That sort of thing just needs to happen more often.

4.      The focus was on the mother-to-be. During pregnancy, everything is about the baby. This is certainly expected and wholly necessary. That being said, this ceremony gave us all the opportunity to celebrate not just the child that is about to be born, but the woman who is about to give birth.

So there it is. The blessingway. So often, a pregnancy is consumed by medical checkups, commercial purchases, and daily chores and activities that need to be taken care of in preparation of the birth. To be able to put all of that aside, if only for a few hours, was a wonderful gift to the mother and those closest to her.