pre-fko

Major snow in Toronto right now. Guess the weather is making up for the mild winter up to now. To those of you making your way to FilKONtario right now: drive carefully!

Went to the Sheraton Four Points last night with Allison and Jodi and had dinner with Tom and Dave (whose Web site will be moving to dandelionwine.net soon), Rika, Katy and Ju at a nearby Kelsey's. Martin, Andy and Glenn arrived soon after and took a nearby table...very cool to see them again.

Allison asked to see some Euro coins, so Ju obliged with a sampling from her purse:





We dropped by the con suite afterward for a brief visit. Things were just getting set up, but it's pretty clear everyone's hyped for the convention.

For those interested, Jodi, Allison and/or I will be participating in the following concerts or panels (times are tentative! check your program book when you get to FKO):

Canadiana panel - 9:30 pm tonight

Tanya Huff request concert - 11:30 pm tonight

Joey Shoji concert - 4:30 pm Saturday

Dave Weingart concert - 1:30 pm Saturday

Filk Hall of Fame concert - 2-4 pm Sunday

Last jam (?) - We've been asked to sing "Home To FilKONtario" at the end of the convention again this year. :-)





Got back home in time to hang out with Scott a bit (he and Jeff went out for his birthday), though I probably wasn't very entertaining; I fell asleep on the couch. Scott was amused.

I'll be leaving my laptop at home, but will catch up on entries on Sunday or Monday.

Have a great weekend, everyone, and hope to see some of you at FKO!

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Today's Blatherpics:

	Jodi, Allison & I clowning around with Tom Jeffers at the FKO hotel. We've always been big fans of Tom. Here's the Tom tribute I wrote a while back (we performed it on his radio show, much to his embarrassment :-)).
	Euro coins from Ju's purse.
	Howard Scrimgeour decorating the con suite.
	Dave Clement & Katy Dröge.

Guest Blather: Andrea Dale

Happy Birthday to Scott Murray today!

Blatherpics were taken yesterday. The top photo is of Andrea, who stayed over last night. In the bottom photo, Jeff is talking to Allison and Jodi, Graham is cooking in the kitchen, Andrea is on the couch reading an article I wrote about Ruth for the April issue of ArtCalendar magazine (which came in the mail yesterday).

And here's a...

Guest Blathering from Andrea

Well, once again I am at Jeff and Debbie's apartment in Toronto. The sky is a clear, light blue outside, and the morning light is seeping through the blinds of Debbie's office.

I arrived around 2:00 yesterday afternoon, driving from Lansing, Michigan. When I stepped into the apartment, I found Debbie and Graham :-)

For the rest of the day and evening I caught up with those two, as well as Allison, Jodi and Doug (a friend of Graham's who came to dinner). Graham cooked up a delicious chicken stir-fry meal, which we inhaled . .And the rest of the evening was full of conversation and music :-)

It's great seeing Debbie again. She is as spastic, uh energetic as the last time we visited together (before OVFF last fall).

It's time for me to take a shower, before meeting Graham at the Royal Ontario Museum . . .

See ya!

Andrea

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Debbie again...

An explanation of Andrea's "spastic" comment. When I get excited or enthusiastic, I don't tend to hide it very well. I would majorly suck as a poker player. Andrea was highly amused during a music session yesterday when we were working out an arrangement of a song we recently collaborated on.

Some of you may think this personality trait of mine endearing, but you should remember it also extends to everything else as well. If I'm mad about something or at someone, I don't hide that very well, either. And when watching horror movies, this trait often manifests itself in a tendency to dig my nails into the arm of the person next to me. :-)

guest blathering: Graham

"Graham, here. Debbie asked me very nicely to write a guest blather, here, so I'll do what I can as I untwist my arm. Debbie's been working out! I must first express my gratitude to Debbie for her gracious hospitality, wonderful cookies and limitless capacity for good humour. Also to wish her a happy belated fortieth birthday. I have about four months of seniority on Debbie. I guess that puts me at the front of the toboggan we now ride screaming into old age. I suppose when you think about it, turning forty isn't so bad, especially considering the alternative. Some of us achieve great goals by that time, others of us look back on a trail of unfulfilled dreams. I just watch myself become more and more like my father. All those strange quirky things he'd do and I used to shake my head about suddenly start to make sense. I understand why I have to keep the refrigerator door shut. I know why I shouldn't leave my jacket hanging on a door handle. If you're reading this Dad, understand this... Now I get it.

I suppose as I see myself strolling blissfully through my middle years, I am supposed to come to terms with my aging. But, I don't think about it as being forty. I am twice twenty. Debbie's playing her harp in behind me as I write this. She is really getting good with that thing. Not at all bad for forty."

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Debbie again...

The photo below is of a piece of music that John had in his archives called "The Poslfit Blues" that I apparently wrote 20 years ago. You can click on the picture to get a bigger image.

Very short Blather today, sorry. Graham Leathers just called; he's in town, woohoo! We're going to have lunch, which means I should probably get some work done before he gets here. Andrea arrives between noon and 2 pm. Maybe I can get both Graham and Andrea to do Guest Blatherings while they're here.

Thanks for all those who sent good thoughts to Bryan's mom yesterday. Bryan reports that she came out of surgery fine, and that things are looking good so far (yay!).

Possible Virus Warning:
Andrea reports getting an e-mail from "Ohi@inkspot.com" with an attachment. She wisely has not opened the attachment, and I advise anyone else receiving e-mail from this address not to open it, either. I no longer have any e-mail addresses at inkspot.com. For more info, please see Andrea's message in Blatherchat.

highlights

Bryan's mom is undergoing open heart surgery today. As most of you already know, Bryan was largely responsible for the survival of Inkspot and Inklings in the early days, and currently hosts this site as well as all the Electric Penguin message boards.

To all: Please do take a moment and think good thoughts in the direction of Bryan's mom today.





Looks like I'm going to be doing some work for Moira Allen at Writing-World.com. This makes me very happy, since Moira used to be the Managing Editor of Inkspot, so it's only fitting that I be working for her now. :-) I'll be helping out with some site administration as well as writing a regular column.





Today's Blatherphotos were all taken at my birthday party on Sunday. Some personal highlights from the party:

- Hearing Jonathan (Peter & Laura's son) sing "Happy Birthday" to me. :-) Incredibly sweet voice. Here's a photo that Reid took of Jonathan, Peter, and Laura.

- Going through the old icbooks from the poslarchives.

- Jennifer Kesner's grin.

- The helium balloon choir.

- The cake (I still can't believe Jeff baked and decorated this by himself!)





- Seeing Justin again.

- Being greeted by Charlotte (Harald and Micki's young daughter) with a "Happy Birthday, Debbie!" and a hug.

- Looking towards the back of the restaurant at one point and seeing all the younger kids seated at the table by themselves (they weren't put there; they just naturally congregated), talking about secret things.

- Having Jonathan eagerly thrust a picture book into my hand and ask me to read it (I did, of course). I'm a major sucker for kids who love books that much, especially Jonathan.





- Salmon and hamachi sashimi! Spider rolls!

- Blowing the candles out on the cake with all the kids.

- All the red balloons.

- Holding Megan (Jeff & Gail's baby). Then taking her over to Jeff and saying brightly, "Hey, look what someone gave me as a birthday present!" and watching his expression.





Ah, who am I kidding. The whole party was a highlight for me. :-)

FilKONtario in three days!

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Today's Blatherpics:

These were all taken at my birthday party on Sunday.

	Bryan and Elizabeth.
	Kristen and John.
	The cake that Jeff baked and decorated for my party. The text and picture on the front are from my Blatherings page. :-)
	Me blowing out the candles on my cake with the assistance of the children at the party.
	Scott (in Elspeth's hat) and Bronwyn.
	Doug and Jennifer.
	Justin and me, outside of Fune after the party.

birthday party

(Update: Reid has some birthday party photos online)

I had a lot of fun at my birthday party yesterday...thanks so much to all who were able to attend (Scott, Mark, Reid, Luisa, Michael, Ronnie, Parki, Alison, JeffL, Gail, JeffK, Jennifer, Megan, AmandaF, Micki, Harald, Gareth, Charlotte, Andy, Christine, Bronwyn, Elspeth, Tom, Daniel, Ross, Justin, John, Kristen, Craig, Peter, Laura, Jonathan, Peter, Lesley, Ginny, JBR, Bryan, Elizabeth, Doug, Jennifer, Ruth, Kaarel, Sara and Annie) and thanks most of all to Jeff, who planned the whole thing. :-) I found out later that my friend Justin flew in from Montreal just for my party (!).





I know there were a lot of digital cameras at the party and am hoping that people send me a few pics so I can post some on Blatherings. Today's photos are of some of the birthday party group, my friend Scott as well as of an incredible birthday card created by Laura Suzuki and Peter Cook of Doodletronics.





Jeff and Scott decorated the inside of Fune with 40 red balloons (see the last half of this Blathering for an explanation of my red balloon obsession), coloured streamers, and a "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" banner.

Because the whole place was booked, the children could wander around without worrying about disturbing other patrons. Kinda cool (and scary! :-D) seeing most of the kids congregate at a larger table at the far end of the restaurant; I wonder what they were plotting?

The youngest child at the party was wee Kye, Alison's and Jeff's 2-month-old son. He slept through most of the festivities. :-)

The food was wonderful, of course. Jeff and Norman (the owner) had arranged to have a spread of all my favourite Fune offerings, including salmon and hamachi sashimi. One of the highlights of the afternoon for me was the presentation of the cake, when a bunch of the guys inhaled helium from balloons and sang an enthusiastic Chipmunk rendition of "Happy Birthday". :-D

Jeff's cake turned out splendiferously (photo coming soon, I hope), a large chocolate cake with white icing, decorated by a Jeff drawing of me as portrayed in my Blatherings cartoon. I enlisted the help of all the kids at the party to help me blow out the candles.





John had brought a box full of old posl-archives, notes and paper messages back from our university days. We kept one main paper message board in a carrel in the basement of Robarts Library; people would fill in their "posl-id" initials (mine was "dmo" for Debbie Marion Ohi), the recipient's id, and then the message itself. He even had one dating back from my very first birthday party ever, in 1983 at the Old Spaghetti Factory (I was still dating Reid back then). Here's a photo from that party that John took. So cool that some of the people at that party were also at this party (like Reid, Luisa, John, Andy, Justin) or at the virtual party (like Pontus).





I'll rave more about the party in future Blatherings, I'm sure, when I hopefully get some birthday pics. Meanwhile, I'd like to share the lyrics that came with a very special birthday present from Reid, Luisa, Ronnie and Michael. In addition to some earrings chosen by Michael (I put on the happy face earrings right away) and a dragon painted by Ronnie, they put together a CD recording of them singing a Barenaked Ladies parody. The CD is wonderful, and includes outtakes as well as a whole bunch of extra stuff. Anyway, though I have been forbidden to put their actual recording online ;-), they gave me permission to post the lyrics. There are a ton of inside jokes, of course, but I'm sure you'll appreciate the gist.

Thanks to all of you (including anyone who attended my virtual party!) for making my 40th birthday the best ever. :-)

40 Years

Lyrics by Reid Ellis and Luisa Perrella
Music: "One Week" by Barenaked Ladies
Performed by Bournville (Reid, Luisa, Michael, Ronnie)

It's been 20 years since we've known you,
Sometimes confused with your sister/twin/clone Roo

10 years since you got hitched
Dimpled those cheeks and Jeff became bewitched.

8 years that you've surfed the web
Done a dot-com - now people search for you, Deb.

Yesterday, on your birthday page
Hundreds of hugs, too much chocolate, don't (you) act your age

You're such a coy and groovy filk chick
We love your music
And buy your book - it's on Amazon.

You play the penny whistle and piano
Flute, percussion and the harp-o
You play Gwyneth with pyjamas on.

Built a cottage on Canoe Lake
Need some Shake and Bake
Spending summers in Algonquin

Sara, Annie make you giggle
So you tickle
Take a picture, flash an evil grin

Karate dojo
Watching TV Mojo Jojo
Sam and Rosie wait for Frodo
See the movie for the hundredth time.

Bramalea to U of T
TAFC members you and me
Urban Tapestry
Singing, writing, words that rhyme

Chuckie face, turn away 'cause it makes you mad
Trying hard not to laugh, but it's too bad

Walking home telling Jeff that you're hungry
Guaranteed in an hour you will be sleepy

Write your life on the web call it Blathering
You want to eat some chocolate.

It's been 40 years since you graced the Earth
We've seen pictures - you looked like the girl smurf

20 years in the Posl crew
Hangin' in the carrels 'cause it's fun to do.

6 years since the spot of Ink
Now it's gone and we blame the rat fink

Yesterday we wrote this song for you
And it'll still be two months of you saying "Kill You"

.. It'll still be two months of you saying "Kill You" ..

.. we still remember that Trudi was a rat, too ..

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Today's Blatherpics:

	Jeff took this group photo.
	Scott threatening my balloons after the party.
	Front of a card from Peter, Laura & Jonathan. "Based on a true correspondence: Dearest Ruth, my family and I have been invited to a lovely birthday party for a friend and we simply have no clue what to get her. Absolutely no idea! We so need some of your wonderful advice! Signed, Stumped In Riverdale".
	Inside flap of the card reads: "Dear Stumped In Riverdale - Debbie loves chocolate, reading, LOTR, filking, tech, Jeff and my daughters. You may not give her my daughters. You may, however, wrap Jeff in a bow. Ever helpful, Ruth."
	The inside of the card, including the spectacular pop-up illustration by Laura Suzuki and Peter Cook of Doodletronics. It's signed from Laura, Peter and Jonathan.
	Close-up of Jeff wrapped up in a bow.