McSweeney’s List (3 April 2024)
I don't have a bucket list. This is weird because my notes app is an overfilled bulletin board of lists and half thoughts, sometimes a list of half thoughts with a plan to do more with each of them. But a bucket list is a different beast. It's a serious monument, a commitment that craves fulfilment. At some point I developed a Final Destination style superstition about them: that if I made one and finished it, I would immediately die. Or I would keep checking things off and adding more as I went, and that sounds more like living than listing.
I also don't have a five year plan. I never have. Should I have? Maybe. Would it have changed some of my outcomes? Definitely. For the better? Who's to say. Regardless, I hate that question in interviews. Potential employers do not want to hear that my most immediate goals include brunching on paid leave, wearing tulle skirts and adorable shit kicking boots. Thus when someone near and dear asked me where I thought I'd be this time next year, I froze instinctively.
But the answer came to me in the blink of an eye. I could feel it all: I could feel the warm floor beneath my bare feet, the sun pouring through the windows into a room I haven't seen yet, but will be mine. My friends were on the couch laughing together. People I love who don't yet know each other, will in a year be cheersing and passing joints, sharing stories and enjoying fresh friendships. I could smell food cooking, and I was eager to share it. My feline friend Hazelnut, wary though she is of humans, is sprawled out in a sunbeam, attracted to the joyful, loving vibes of the room. Even in my vision, she isn't a lap cat; not by next year (which in itself lends credibly to intuition, as I see it). She's happy though, relaxed and eager to join the heart circle, maybe even get in on some of the human food. In this flash of the future, I'm not fretting or stressing, my heart is settled, and my bills are paid.
Nothing in the vision indicated how all this came to be. There was no path, map, or secret clue that offered any guidance, only the certainty that that's where I want to be. If I were trying to set a tangible goal, the best I could do is explain that scene. It can't be a list: taken separately, each of those elements is a brief happening. As a whole, it is a zoomed-in snapshot of a tapestry, a tiny detail blown up so that the threads run like dancing lovers through the chaos. It's not the whole picture. The whole picture has a beginning and end, but that thought I had, that future I saw, it was one of those moments that you can hang your hat on…snuggle into…frame for future reference.
So, how did I answer the question of where do you see yourself in a year? Well, I put my big girl panties on (I swear on all your favourite novels, Jamieson, no jokes about big girls or my panties, or how my panties are by definition --- you know what…I'm not helping). Ahem. I put my big girl panties on, and told the truth. I described the scene, and the feelings, and despite myself, I added an apology. I'm sorry, I said if that doesn't sound like much of a goal. And he understood. He recognized that it was a goal, and got that my goals may never be list-able. That they're my goals and everyone's look different, and that we need everyone to have different goals. We need the sky-divers and the open mic-ers. We need people who climb corporate ladders, and those who wake up before dawn to make the dough. We need the people who don't like bucket lists, and those who do. And to those who do, I say put every wish and whim on that bad boy. Don't just count the once in a lifetime things, because before you kick that bucket, there are some goals you’ll want to attain over and over again.
SOUND & SCENE
Montreal artist Booster Fawn (also known as Joshua Marc Seguin) unveils the music video for his song À quoi ça sert?. The song is from French-language EP Pour maman which was released earlier this year. The music video, where we see Booster Fawn riding the REM transit system while writing poetry and eating cake in the eerie suburbs, is a tribute to Ron Silliman's poem BART, and a nod to another music video : Tintoretto, It's for You by Destroyer. The short film was directed by Montreal filmmaker and musician, Gabie Che.
Gabie says: My fascination with “ritual” filmmaking influenced our stylistic choices for this video especially in terms of the framing and coloration. Filming Josh in the REM, we wanted to capture the ordinary rituals of daily life—riding the metro, walking down the street, and taking a moment to jot down thoughts. These mundane activities are filmed with little movement and depicted with a grey, desaturated palette to highlight their repetitiveness, while also conveying the feeling of living through Montreal's dark seasons. What I wanted to share through this clip is how the magic found in special rituals, like enjoying a slice of cake, can imbue everyday life with meaning and a little bit of wonder.
Check out the video now!
PEACE
The Teesri Duniya Theatre Company cares about community. Not only do they believe in producing engaging and meaningful art, but they have a mission to engage with people on a heart level. As such, they offer free yoga classes available to all levels, with no prior experience required. Creative Director of Param Nrithyalaya Deepa Nallappan offers Param Yoga, her unique form that combines different yogic styles, techniques, meditation, breathing, and poses derived from ancient Indian dance forms. It's an all-encompassing well-being practice that strengthens the body, increases flexibility, and endurance, and promotes self-consciousness, calmness, concentration and mind-body-breath connection.
WHAT: Param Yoga
WHERE: 251 Pine Ave. W., Suite 148-A, Montreal, H2W 1R6,
WHEN: Every Monday and Thursday, @ 12 PM - 1 PM
METRO: St. Laurent (Green)
DETAILS: Teesri Duniya Theatre
ESSENTIAL POETICS
Accent returns for another night of essential poetics featuring readings by Curtis McRae and Lena Slanisky. The evening's theme is Water. The legendary Accent Open Mic follows, so bring your treasured pieces and your snapping fingers.
WHAT: Accent Volume 88: “Water” with Curtis McRae and Lena Slanisky
WHERE: Bar La Marche à côté, 5043 Saint Denis St, Montreal, Quebec H2J 2L8
WHEN: Sunday, April 7, @ 8 PM
METRO: Mont Royal (Orange)
DETAILS: Facebook
THESE PRETZELS ARE MAKING ME THIRSTY
Sweet & Salty, the comedy show that brings together the sweetness of heartfelt storytelling, and the hot bite of brutal wit, is back! It's like a potluck where each performer brings their personal flavours and styles, creating a perfect combo you won't catch anywhere else.
The salty (but genuinely sweet) Jason Yearow hosts this lineup of comedic killers: Ben Cardilli, Abby Stonehouse, Charles Daghlian, Vance Michel, Claudio Silvio Capri, and Isabelle Trunchon.
The space is BYOB. Tickets are $15 in advance, or $20 at the door, so get yours now, obvs.
WHAT: The Sweet & Salty Show: Stand-Up with Honey and Bite
WHERE: Espace Joie de Vivre, 1485 Atateken St., Montreal, H2L3L2 ENTRANCE IN THE BACK
WHEN: Friday, April 5, Doors @ 730 PM, Show @ 8 PM
METRO: Berri-UQAM
TICKETS: Espace Joie de Vivre
TOTALITY
Unless you've been living under a rock, you know there's a huge, impressive, once in a lifetime eclipse coming to town. Montrealers know there's always a party somewhere, but what in time and space does one do for an eclipse? Don't worry: I found it
Espace Pour La Vie (the crew behind the Planetarium, Biodome, Insectarium, and Biosphere), is bringing the space party to the people. It'll be free, it'll be festive, it’ll be -- super dark for a minute. Of course, parties need music, so DJ Champion, and Orchestre Métropolitain, and Canadian Music Hall of Fame-r Diane Dufresne have incredible, one-of-a-kind moments in store. Innu astrophysicist, Laurie Rousseau-Neptonwill be on hand to explain the phenomenon, and two First Peoples’ knowledge of solar eclipses will also take center stage, illustrated by visual artist Isadora and music by composer Martin Roy. All this will be hosted by television personality Sophie Fouron.
Plus, there will be science booths staffed by experts from the Planetarium, and giant illuminated artworks created exclusively for the event by Montreal visual artists! Snacks are on site too, with food trucks, a pop-up sugar shack, and hot drinks.
Protective goggles are available free of charge, while supplies last. Much like the eclipse, this event will go on regardless of the weather.
WHAT: The Eclipse of the Century
WHERE: Parc Jean-Drapeau
WHEN: Monday, April 8, @ 11 AM
METRO: Jean-Drapeau (Yellow)
DETAILS: Espace Pour La Vie
McSweeney’s List drops every Wednesday with the best events, workshops, and more, each week in Montreal!
