CTV and NBC intend to package it and transmit it in the early afternoon Saturday (check your listings).

As for watching the Games, CTV plans to only broadcast the sledge hockey games that include a Canadian team live, and is only carrying a total of 25 English hours of about 200 hours available, most of it in nightly 90-minute packages. For those of you who tried to watch NBC’s coverage of the Olympics, the Paralympic coverage will be even worst. NBC plans a total of 20 hours, some of it weeks after the events are held.

For diligent, internet-bound viewers, you can watch the Opening Ceremony live. The International Paralympic Committee has a web broadcast site that will carry it (and most of the Games competitions) live.

Here’s the address:

http://www.ParalympicSport.tv

(Source: Peter Morgan, thank you!)

Full program is up and registration fees increase March 15 so register soon.

Constance Kellough
Constance Kellough is the president of Namaste Publishing, the publisher that brought us Eckhart Tolle. In her book The Leap, she proposes that consciousness is a reality anyone can enter at any time. The key is stillness, not silence. The Leap promises to help you stay present with the physical realm in a profoundly deep way. As the Zen masters say: Before enlightenment, chop wood and carry water; after enlightenment, chop wood and carry water.

“This is a book of crystalline vibration…The Leap assists humanity to purposefully, passionately and compassionately support our leap into a new reality.” Ann, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Ya! My friend Clive and his cool company, Pixton: DIY Comics, is on this vidcast by mutual friend Haig Armen of Lift Studios. This is part 1.

So far, we’ve had 3 straight weeks of enthusiasm, great writers and standing room only crowds. If you’re interested in going, better get on it.

Here’s the details:

Date: Wednesday February 24th
Location: W2 Culture + Media House 112 West Hastings Street across from the refurbed Woodwards Building.

Doors open at 630
First Reader 710ish
Hosted by Sean Cranbury & Hal Wake

Program:

Opening Remarks: Sean Cranbury

Introducing Honoured Special Guest Michael Nichol Yahgulanaas who will showcase a video/interactive discussion about his work.

From there we will go to a streamlined line-up of 5-7 minute readings from our writers including two breaks.  Like this:

Rhonda Waterfall
Weldon Hunter
kc dyer

Break

Steven Galloway
Leilah Nadir
Alex Leslie
Caroline Adderson

Break

Leanne Prain & Mandy Moore aka The Yarn Bombers
McKinley M Hellenes
Timothy Taylor
Brad Cran

Here’s a great video from week 2 about the series: http://realvancouverwriters.com/2010/02/19/cool-video-about-w2-real-vancouver-writers-series/

Plus, Sean says, “we will be giving away some amazing prizes during the evening.  There’s a cash bar, too and great art and photography on the walls.”

(Thanks for the email update Sean!)

The Waterproof Bible backcover has one of those descriptions that either impresses you or frightens you.

A magical story of love and the isolation that defines the modern condition - Andrew Kaufman pulls off the near impossible and creates a wholly original allegorical tale that is both emotionally resonant and outlandishly fun.

Rebecca Reynolds is a young woman with a most unusual and inconvenient problem: no matter how hard she tries, she can’t stop her emotions from escaping her body and entering the world around her. Luckily she’s developed a nifty way to trap and store her powerful emotions in personal objects - but how many shoeboxes can a girl fill before she feels crushed by her past?

Three events force Rebecca to change her ways: the unannounced departure of her husband, Stewart; the sudden death of Lisa, her musician sister; and, while on her way to Lisa’s funeral, a near-crash with what appears to be a giant frogwoman recklessly speeding in a Honda Civic.

Meanwhile, Lisa’s inconsolable husband skips the funeral and flies to Winnipeg where he begins a bizarre journey that strips him of everything before he can begin to see a way through his grief… all with the help of a woman who calls herself God.

What the hell, right?

This is a book about what we think about before we die: who has a score to settle, who needs to say farewell, who needs forgiveness, who needs forgetfulness. In the case of The Waterproof Bible the characters are all tied in some way to the death of Lisa.

Lisa’s husband Lewis needs to deal with his grief through flight. Flight in a twofold way in that he chooses flight vs. fight and flight as in he jumps on an airplane to get far away. Far away from himself, I believe.

Lisa’s sister Rebecca has so much emotion that she doesn’t know what to do with it. She’s a woman with a lot of baggage. As she physically and metaphorically lets go, she’s able to come to terms with herself. 

Lisa’s brother-in-law Stewart is estranged from Rebecca and is living somewhere in the middle of the Prairies, where he’s building a boat. Landlocked and oh so misguided, or so it seems.

Margaret and Aby are two Aquatics whose lives intersect with the other three. Aquatics are those who are meant to live underwater, according to the laws of the Aquatic Bible. But Margaret has chosen another path, much to the chagrin of her daughter Aby who, in making her way to her mother’s home on the Prairies, has a run-in (in the literal sense) with Rebecca and Lewis. Oh and Margaret runs the hotel where Stewart works and is building the boat.

I know it’s all bizarre, but truly, this is my favourite book of 2010.

Kaufman writes literary fantasy the way that Gabriel Garcia Marquez writes magical realism. Where indeed is the line? The Waterproof Bible is a crazy, magical story of love—the beginning, middle and end—and life—the beginning, middle and end. I loved it.

Andrew Kaufman’s writing is completely sensible, even with the greenskined Aquatics floating around on the Prairies. Andrew, thank you so very much for giving us a second book that rivals the first. It’s lovely and brilliant.

I hardly even re-read books, but this one is back in the nightstand pile.

The Waterproof Bible by Andrew Kaufman
Published by Random House in ebook and hardcover on Feb 23, 2010.

Thank you for the advance copy!

I am so excited. The anticipation of the Opening Ceremonies is bubbling up inside me. I am truly a bandwagon supporter when it comes to sports. I care about the winners and the big games. During playoffs and tournaments, I get excited, I follow along, I love the connection to something bigger. The Olympics is the pinnacle of that, in particular the Vancouver Olympics since they are hosted by my city.

Today I saw the torch run by my office. I’ve spent years watching the Athlete’s Village build up around the office. I have helicopters buzzing above my home. I don’t care! I know intellectually I don’t like the politics and moving homeless people out of the downtown and the commercialism of the sponsorship, but emotionally I’m totally hooked right now. I am thrilled to invite people to my city. I am smiling a broad smile. Everything about this moment is contagious.

I believe! Go Canada Go! And whatever other sayings have been drilled into my head. Let’s do it! Higher, faster, further ...

Electricity is in the air. Good luck to all the athletes. If I’m this pumped, I can only imagine a quarter of their excitement.

(This post is in memory of Georgian luge athlete Nodar Kumaritashvili who was killed today in Whistler during a training session. May his spirit fly on.)

Last night, the Vectorial Elevation light show was so distracting that I almost tripped walking home from dinner with my mom. Vectorial Elevation let’s people create their own light show online and then it puts each light show into the playlist so people can watch it in real life. I think this is an awesome example of digital life and real life holding hands.

The series of 10,000-watt robotic searchlights are set up along Vanier Park and Sunset Beach and are super strong. The searchlights that make up the show are visible as far as Richmond and the peaks of Grouse and Cypress.

Montreal-based artist Rafael Lozano-Hemmer created the show and it’s played in Dublin, Mexico City, and Lyon.  This is the first time it’s been in Canada.

Using a three-dimensional interface with Google Earth, VectorialVancouver.net lets you design your huge light sculptures by directing the 20 robotic searchlights. A web page is made for each participant with photos of their design from four cameras located around the city. It runs until February 28.

PARTICIPATE: Create your own light sculpture online

WATCH: See the light designs in real time.

Ok, I’m going to make mine now!

Oh yes, this looks nice. Thank you for the link Craig Riggs.

Since releasing her self-titled debut album in September 2008, the Montreal-based chanteuse has become one of Quebec’s hottest acts. Her songs are consistently on the francophone Top 10 list…and she’s earned a Juno nomination…and a spot on the longlist of nominees for the Polaris Prize. Coeur De Pirate was Q’s live performer for a special show recorded in CBC’s Glenn Gould Studio. This is the first song she performed ‘Comme Des Enfants’.

It is beautiful and I love it every time I hear it.

The Design Files: Interview with Nicholas Jones
I love these stunning sculptures made of beautiful old books.

Daily Imprint: We Heart Books
I want to hang these flash cards on the wall. L is for Ladybug.

Another book loving artist is Cara Borer.
The photographs are as wonderful as the sculptures. 

And everything in this Fun Forever post is amazing!
I especially like the George Russell cutouts. Alice in Wonderland is one of my favourites.

Found Shit: Words Create Worlds
Anagram Bookshop Art Ads

And please go look at Rachael Ashe’s altered book series on Flickr. I want to buy some for my office.

In short, Mma Ramotswe walks to work to eschew laziness. Mma Makutsi worries about the new saleslady at her fiance’s furniture store, and the ladies look for a soccer traitor. It’s typical McCall Smith and it’s wonderfully comforting to partake in the ebb and flow of this series.

Daily Grommet recently had the chance to host Kate Inglis on their blog (http://blog.dailygrommet.com/2009/12/14/an-interview-with-kate-inglis/) and give a few lucky commentators a copy of her book!  Lucky fans. If you missed the draw, you can grab a copy at most bookstores.

Book City Jackets offers printable PDF book jackets.

Her first book, The Dread Crew is an imaginative tale of filth, friendships and backwoods pirates. It’s the story of a boy, a crew of dirty, warty, natty, rude, pugnacious, revolting, disgusting pirates who show up demanding things from the villagers that they hoard.

The Dread Crew is one of those tales that starts in the woods when a mother is walking with her restless tot, home is still a ways away, and there’s nothing fueling the walk expect whatever story she can pull from the air. Anyone who’s a mom knows how this works, but few of those stories actually find their way to the published page.

As Kate says, “it occurred to me that writing something silly was highly speculative, a debatable spend of martial and mothering time. I shrugged. I kept it to myself because I thrive in the pressureless void of low expectations. I hadd 15,000 words before telling my husband—with my mouth full, behind my hand—that I was writing a novel. A three-year spell of insomnia was my groundswell. Getting published was an accident.”

Listen to my audio preview of the book: (MP3 6 MB should play with Google Reader)

I’ll make the draw on December 16 and promptly mail you the calendar. I have 2 calendars to give away, 1 for the Twitter followers and 1 for the Facebook fans. So yes, you could get more than one chance to win.

The 2010 Reading Is Sexy Calendar promotes literacy and raises funds to help kids and adults with dyslexia. Proceeds go to the Canadian Branch of The International Dyslexia Association.

Buy the calendar.

You can look at my lovely mug for all of January.

See Emme’s behind-the-scenes photos.

Buy the calendar.

The 2010 Reading Is Sexy Calendar goes on sale this week to promote literacy and to raise funds to help kids and adults with dyslexia become literate.

Buy the calendar.

I sat down (virtually) with Emme Rogers to talk about the calendar.

Who does the calendar supports?

The Canadian Branch of The International Dyslexia Association
http://www.interdys.org/
http://www.idaontario.com/

Our goal is to promote literacy and raise funds to support those with dyslexia.

What was the impetus behind the idea?

Back in the spring, Ian Martin (http://www.twitter.com/IanAMartin) was starting up his publishing house, Atomic Fez Publishing, and was trying to goad me into saying “Reading Is Sexy” as often as possible on twitter. This sparked the idea for doing a “Reading Is Sexy” calendar promoting literacy.

Initially the calendar was supposed to be shot “calendar girl” style, like the one Bryne Pen did on Salt Spring to raise funds and awareness for The Land Conservancy. Alas not all our models understood what I meant by that, so it will likely be our theme for next year.

We chose the International Association of Dyslexia as our charity because they interact with Emme online (@onbida) and Emme is dyslexic. That said, she is one of the lucky kids who had access to help, so she has never treated her dyslexia as a crutch, but rather as her secret superpower.  It is why she looks at the world in a different way, is not limited to typical rules dictating how things work, and has approached life with perseverance, hard work and problem solving.

Who is Emme?

Emme is the girl next door. You know the one. She was the Tomboy who always out climbed the boys to reach the most precarious limits of the tree in the yard. The one who you just gave the ball or the puck to on the soccer field or hockey rink for fear of her side tackle or crosscheck. The one who loved making mud pies, but wouldn’t be caught dead at a tea party.  You know the one.  The one whose Mom couldn’t watch what she was up to for fear that she’d have a heart attack. That girl.  The one whose friends you didn’t mess with, not because she was manipulative, but because she hated injustices and wasn’t afraid to say so.  Just ask the boy next door.  Maybe he’ll pull out the photo of the black eye he was sporting the day he was a ring bearer.

We’ll Emme’s all grown up now and she’s no longer “Leo the Late Bloomer.”  A homosexual drama teacher has taught her how to put on makeup. Somewhere along the lines she lost her fear that her bum is too big and she wears fitted clothes now.  And, if wonders will ever cease, she actually likes to put on a party dress, minus the runners and hockey jacket.

So in essence, Emme represents that secret hidden voice in many of us women—the things that go through the heads of our mothers, girlfriends and ourselves—the only difference is that she says these things aloud, and rather then be embarrassed about these thoughts or insecurities she screams them aloud for all the world to hear. 

And yes, she’s a total character and given her tomboy past finds it totally hilarious that she is now seen as Vancouver’s / Canada’s gal-about-town and go to girl on all that is hot and sexy in this lovely world of ours.

Who’s in the calendar?

• Lori and Richard Yearwood
• Patrick Tubajon (http://www./twitter.com/iheartgudrun)
• Ian A Martin (http://www./twitter.com/IanAMartin)
• Raul Pacheco-Vega (http://www./twitter.com/hummingbird604)
• Rayne
• Lorraine Murphy (http://www./twitter.com/raincoaster)
• Mark Leiren-Young (http://www./twitter.com/greenpieces)
• Monica Hamburg (http://www./twitter.com/MonicaHamburg)
• Ian Ferguson
• Monique Trottier (http://www./twitter.com/somisguided)
• Emme Rogers (http://www./twitter.com/EmmeRogers)

Photographers

• Robert Shaer (http://www./twitter.com/robertshaer)
• Tris Hussey (http://www./twitter.com/trishussey)

If you’d like to support the Canadian Branch of the International Dyslexia Association, please buy the calendar.

And if you’d like your calendar signed by the men and women of “Reading Is Sexy”, please come out to the Launch Party and Literary Celebration on Thursday.

Local: Gudrun Wine & Cheese Bistro (150-3500 Moncton Street, Steveston, BC)
Date: Thursday December 3, 2009
Time: 7 pm until late

Stop by for author readings, calendar signings by the models, and the auctioning of some of Robert Shaer’s photos from the shoot. Plus Gudrun goodies, wine and beer will be on sale.

Oh, and have a closer look at Miss January.

I’m reading Andrew Zuckerman’s photography book, Creature.

See Emme’s behind-the-scenes photos.

Buy the calendar.

See the list on Amazon’s Listmania

1.  Ossuaries by Dionne Brand (poetry)
“Dionne Brand’s mesmerizing new collection of poems is about human zoos; bones, culture, the fabric of our times.”
Brand is awesome, I’m sure to love this one.

2.  Book of Mercy by Leonard Cohen (poetry)
“Leonard Cohen’s classic book of contemporary psalms is repackaged. As lovely as the first publication 25 years ago.”
It’s a beautiful package.

3.  Tea Time for the Traditionally Built: Book 10 by Alexander Mccall Smith
“The 10th Precious Ramotswe novel is as adorable as the first.”
Precious is precious. I love this series.

4.  The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters
“Longlisted for the Man Booker Prize, this bestselling tale of a family haunted by the past - and perhaps more - has received ecstatic reviews around the world: Waters is exceptional!”
I really, really liked Fingersmith and have been meaning to read more Sarah Waters. This is it!

5.  Slow Death by Rubber Duck: How the Toxic Chemistry of Everyday Life Affects Our Health by Rick Smith
“How the toxic soup of our lives is killing us.”
Do I need a book to tell me this? No, but it would be interesting to know how to better navigate the world.

6.  Grow Great Grub: Organic Food from Small Spaces by Gayla Trail
“Good food grown in small spaces.”
I have herbs on the balcony and am ready for more.

7.  Ordinary Thunderstorms by William Boyd
“A heart-in-mouth conspiracy novel about the fragility of social identity, the corruption at the heart of big busunderbelly of the everyday city.”
A dark, twisted book with quirks that are sure to be my style.

8.  The Waterproof Bible by Andrew Kaufman
“Kaufman can’t be missed.”
All My Friends Are Superheroes is a brilliant book. I must read this one.

9.  Angelology by Danielle Trussoni
“Angels are big this year. A book to watch.”
Monique’s prediction: angels, oil an religion. We’ll be as fascinated by these things in 2010 as we were by vampires in 2009.

10.  The Weed That Strings the Hangman’s Bag: A novel by Alan Bradley
“Flavia is back.”
For Sweetness at the bottom of the pie, this young detective is by to thrill me with her fascination of poisons.

11.  Dahanu Road: A novel by Anosh Irani
“Anosh is dark humored but one of my favs.”
Gawd, I love him.

12.  Beatrice and Virgil by Yann Martel
“Taxidermy!”
Life of Pi guy gets every stranger with taxidermy in this novel. Yes, please.

13.  Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard by Chip Heath
“Nobody likes change but a wet baby—and even then.”
From Made to Stick comes Switch. I won’t switch. I’ll stick.

14.  I Am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced by Nujood Ali
“The internationally bestselling true story of the remarkable ten-year-old Yemeni girl who dared to defy her country’s most archaic traditions byfighting for a divorce.”
This story just seems unbelievable!

15.  Boom! by Mark Haddon (young adult)
“I’ll have whatever Mark’s having. Love his work.”
Positioned for young adults, I think this will be a killer hit with adults too.

Queen Elizabeth Theatre from March 25 – 28, 2010.

$39, $59, $79, $109, $139

ORDER TICKETS
Online: http://www.ticketmaster.ca/shenyun
Ticketmaster: 604-280-4444
Presenter Hotline: 1-800-683-0191

OFFICIAL WEBSITE
ShenYunPerformingArts.org