I don’t think I properly understood what the Forest of Reading events will be like at Harbourfront Centre…. Apparently there will be THOUSANDS of children and youth, there. Wah! That’s a lot of people! I dinna know. My friend and poetry collaboratuer, David, will be my guest during the festivities. (If we’re all lucky he will dress up as Alice in Wonderland, and steal the entire show!)

Thursday and Friday are the library readings and Friday evening David and I will be launching our little poetry book at Toronto Women’s Bookstore. Please join us for boozy poems, treats and a little drinkie. Please make a donation for the bookstore at the door!

Later this afternoon, I’m heading out to get new author photos taken by Kiely Ramos. I love her photos– usually I hate the pics people take of me (you know how it is: that negative voice that tells you, “You look too_____ ….”. Well, Kiely has this way of capturing something that most other photographers miss. I don’t like getting my photos taken, but I end up having to send author photos several times a year for publicity reasons, and I have this big Pet Peeve (hmmm, I wonder if Pet Peeve were an animal you kept in the house, what he’d look like? Furry. Prone to disgusting habits, etc. Hairball. Shitty butt. Etc.) about authors who keep a younger photo of themself for their publicity image for perpetuity…. What’s up with that? They don’t look like that anymore! Are they trying to keep down their promo costs, or is it a denial of aging/age phobia?

1) Professional photographers are losing gigs big-time because of the proliferation of photos online. Magazines/journals/dailies/publishers/etc. can duck into these publically accessible photo storage sites and sift through amatuer shots and buy them for super cheap rates. Fewer and fewer professional photographers are being hired for specific stories/projects. It’s a bad situation for them. So– if you need publicity photos, hire a pro! You’ll look great, and, it’s keeping money in the professional arts!

2) As my father used to say, “Be Pu-LOUD!” Be proud of your age, the experience etched upon your skin, the lines of character, suffering, and yes, even sun damage that’s a part of aging. Aging faces are interesting and beautiful, distinct and complex. I hate beauty products that are called, “anti-aging”. Against aging?

“Do you want to live forever?” Valeria, from Conan the Barbarian