Humungo News!

An exciting development for me: I won the H.R. (Bill) Percy Novel Prize for my novel (Living in the Dirt/Drive-by Saviours) in the Atlantic Writing Competition! This is hopefully a big step toward finding a publisher.

Check out http://www.writers.ns.ca/pr25Aug08.html for details.

I will receive my prize and do a reading at a Gala Celebration of Writers and Writing Sept 27, 7 pm, at Alderney Landing Theatre in Dartmouth. It's a free event so come on out all you local folks.

-CB

Ontario's Wild Ideas

Click the pic for my latest column.

What is three years?

Some species of snails are found to be sleeping in deserts for three years at a time.

In ancient times, it was customary to have lunar calendars, with 12 and/or 13 months every year. To align the calendar with the seasons, the 13th month was inserted as a "leap month" every three years.

Adult giant pandas are generally solitary, but they do communicate periodically through scent marks, calls, and occasional meetings. Offspring can stay with their mothers up to three years.

And three years today we came together how we knew we would from the start.

Highlights:
- Finishing my degree, working at ANC, working at New Hope
- You finishing your work and getting the programs off the ground
- Your TAC grant
- Leaving TO
- World Tour - Denmark, Sweden, a summer in Finland, Estonia, Russia, Mongolia, China, Japan, UK, Ghana, Togo, France, Spain! What a trip and what an adventure
- You finishing your novel and the *ahem* stuff coming down the pipe (to be disclosed at a later date)
- Moving to Hfx and starting a new home
- Moon! and Bosh going strong
- Your writing gigs extraordinaire and my work that's been so good
- Reconnecting with immediate and extended family
- New friends and still loving old friends (and their growing families too)
- 6 months preggers at 3 year anniversary

And in all seriousness, even with all of these highlights, best of all has been 1,096 days (2008 was a leap year) of Matka Risto Bopper; every single day a gift, a joy, a delight.

- M

Three Years Hence

Dear Miia, three years married today, sorry I didn't get a chance to write a new one just for today, but this one from exactly five years after we met, that most significant of moments, will hopefully make you smile. Happy Anniversary!




In the roughneck tarpits of delusion
as they asked me to prove myself
worthy of some compensation
or sympathy

In the shot-down boredom of empathy
when I realized everything was corrupted
and there was no place safe to stand
or register

As I paid the price for my wager
the cost of my own existence
in this dodge-ball shotgun choice of life
or living

I said your name
I showed my ring
I drew your face
I smiled
I walked home

In the uninsulated time capsule basement
at the moment of no regrets
limbs entwined in the vulnerability of trust
or deception

Naming that naked moment of honest exposure
elucidating the consequences
of each and every opposite action
or reaction

As we laid bare the price of admission
for a forever existence together
and the smiling lips irremovable from our faces
or bodies

I spoke your name
I made a ring
I kissed your face
We smiled
We were home

In the daily face of insanity
departing from reason love and peace
walking into false transactions of cash
or truth

My pen hacks at conmen weavers
atop a chain of fool-hearted power
trying to catch a falling leader
or star

As I fumble for my credentials
letters planted in compressed trees
and they ask me who I am
or why I matter

I say your name
I hold your ring
I see your face
I smile
This is home

My Professional Writer's Profile

Hi folks,

Just a quick note that my professional writer's profile is now live on the Writer's Federation of Nova Scotia website. Click here to take a gander.

-CB

Belly and Travel Pics

Hi folks, we recently returned from our trip to Ontario (and my stopover in Montreal). It was so good seeing everyone. For those we missed, hope to see you next time, or feel free to come visit us on the coast! Here are just a few pics from Mika & Sian's wedding (which was loads of fun and a beautiful union) and some of our visiting, as well as a couple very recent belly shots. We're at 26 weeks now and Baby's close to two pounds now and 14 inches long, about the size of an English hothouse cucumber (apparently). Click here if you want to know more about the baby's development.

Miia's doing fantastic and feeling really energetic, though sliding hard into second base is becoming a bit more difficult for her. And she's peeing a lot.

She's also continuing to do really interesting things at work. Yesterday she gave a presentation on social policy with respect to poverty alleviation to a group of visiting senators, including the legendary Art Eggleton. I'm quite certain she rocked their brains with copious facts, impeccable logic, and heartfelt compassion.

We're getting more and more excited for the newcomer, reading some stuff about birth and parenting and really looking forward to it. We know life will change drastically and we know it will be hard work and exhausting. I find it hard to imagine quite what it will be like, but I know it'll be amazing - the next astounding stop on life's great adventure. It's a rush and a thrill.
-CB











This is Amare, Marlene and Sami's little boy. He lives in Ottawa:





















This is my oldest and best friend Jeff, at the golf course he runs in Montreal. He can now be referred to as 'the godfather':



















This is Radiohead. Jeff and I caught their muddy show in Montreal and had a lot of fun:















This is my friend Jody and her little Fenna, who was born on Nov 20 (which is our 'due' date). They live with Henk in a beautiful home in the Gatineaus, right by the Gatineau River, in which we swam most gloriously off the dock of Canlit hotshot Phil Jenkins:




















This is Miia practicing on Liliana, who is very very new, and hangs out with her parents John and Tasha in Toronto:



















This is Conor on Bathurst. He was somewhat excited to see us:



















This is my beautiful new sister, Sian:



















This is as close as you'll ever come to seeing me in my kilt:



















This is Lily Pilonszala, light of Mike and Pam's lives. She is now talking in sentences:






























Expectant Mother's Parking - progress or a symbol of everything wrong with our culture?

















Mr. and Mrs. Suokonautio:





















Second best MC ever (me being the first best. Oh no I didn't. Oh yes I did!):



















This is Miia rocking out with the best man's wife, our friend Diane, who by the way is a bigtime mover and shaker in Canadian media. Go girl. Everything is better with inflatable oversized microphones:















Scarborough Golf Club is surprisingly regal, quite the classy affair:

Get Your Lawn Off Grass

Here's a little movie that Kevin Moynihan, a local videographer, made for me in my role at EAC. Enjoy!

Dumped On

Click the pic for my latest column in The Coast: