McSweeney’s List (17 April 2024)
Faith is wild. We usually take the word as being part and parcel with religion. We call people at church the faithful and those who stand outside the non-believers, but faith encompasses so much more than that. Society as a whole runs on so much unspoken faith that we're numb to it, and like fish in water, we don't even know that we're wet.
Consider the fact that our roads - full of potholes and construction though they be - work. We drive through intersections with faith that other drivers will stop at the red lights, with faith in ourselves that we will not suddenly lose control and smash into oncoming traffic, with faith in our understanding of reality that cotton candy will not erupt from the ground and swallow our car. Admittedly, sometimes people don't stop at lights, and sometimes we do lose control of our cars. These things happen with such statistical infrequency that we can have faith that they won't. The cotton candy eruption hasn't happened yet, which doesn't make it impossible per se, but we can have reasonable faith that we're in the clear.
We have faith that our bills will arrive right on time, and wonder if our paycheck has been deposited yet. We believe those people over there are staring and talking about us, but statistically they aren't, and even if they were, why don’t you imagine they’re saying you're fantastic? We question the good things instinctively, but all too often we have blind faith in the negative.
We never go into an interview concerned that we will in fact do so well that our lives will be changed by all the chain of positives that follow. Rather we sit and stew, rewording our CVs, worried that suddenly, despite all our previous experience, we have somehow been rendered unemployable. That same voice tells us we’re unlovable, and generally incapable, no matter how much love we have in our lives, and how much we've done. And we believe that voice. We believe it because we think the truth must be hard, ugly, and scary. That somehow our inner voice needs to be an ‘80s football coach screaming spittle into our faces between puffs on his cigar. This is how champions are made, we think as we tear ourselves down. But I would argue that champions are champions because they had faith that they could be.
Faith has to be there before the victory. You don't work hard, try, fail, try better, fail better because you believe you will lose. You do all those things because you have faith in your endgame.
The funny thing is (it's not funny, really. Funny things rarely are), that when we need it the most, faith feels petty. It feels ridiculous at our lowest lows to believe that anything will one day get better. Our inner asshole coach tells us it's a pipe dream, that positive thinking is the opiate of losers, but to be honest, that guy doesn't seem very happy. Not very healthy either; his eyes are bloodshot and his skin is gross…maybe this isn't who we should take our advice from. So, take it from me instead, Dear Reader, as someone who is practicing and far from perfect, that a little faith can go a long way. Believe you can, and know that if it turns out you really can't, you will be more than capable of picking up the pieces to try again. It's not an easy one, but it makes the journey into the perpetual unknown just a little more pleasant.
MASS PROTEST FOR THE ARTS #1
Artists and cultural workers call for a major demonstration to demand an increase in cultural funding.
The new provincial budget was voted for on March 12 and the allocations granted to arts and culture are catastrophic. This vote shows the complete disregard of the government for the importance of culture in our society. The arts community is all too aware that this budget plunges the creative ecosystem of Quebec – institutions, companies and artists – into a state of real and immediate crisis.
The demonstration will take the form of a protest in front of the offices of the Minister of Culture (at 1435 rue de Bleury, Montreal), on Thursday, April 18 at 3 p.m. including speeches by diverse members of the artistic community of Quebec.
SPEAKERS :
- Members of the organizing and mobilization group (Mireille Tawfik, Geneviève Gagné et Sarah Laurendeau, Hugo Fréjabise)
- Sophie Cadieux
- Joseph Samuel Malack
- Ruba Ghazal
- Zed Cézard
- Sébastien Dodge and François Casabonne
- David Lavoie
- Clément de Gaulejac and Édith Brunette
- Charles Brécard
- Tania Kontoyanni
WHAT: Mass Protest For The Arts #1
WHERE: The WILDER, 1435 De Bleury St. Montreal, QC H3A 2H7
WHEN: Thursday, April 18 @ 3PM
METRO: Place des Arts (Green)
DETAILS: Facebook
PUFF, PUFF, LAUGH
This 4/20, something special is happening: Local comedy legend (and notorious toker) Vance Michel is recording his first half-hour comedy special, aptly titled Just Blaze.
He's headlining 2 shows, and he's bringing a killer crew with him! Walter J. Lyng, hosts the night, featuring Eva Alexopolous, Akeem Hoyte Charles, Goofy Welldone, and Michelle Forrester,
There will be prizes, and giveaways, and with sponsors like Dispensary Brewing Co., Keb Papers, and Psychonaut so the goodies are guaranteed to be gr-r-reat
Come out for the early show, the late show, or settle in for the whole night.
This event is BYOB + BYOW(eed)! To say this is pot friendly would be the understatement of 4/20/24.
WHAT: Just Blaze Comedy Special Taping
WHERE: Artloft, 4152 Boul. St. Laurent Blvd., Montreal, H2W 1Y9
WHEN: Saturday, April 20, @ 8 PM & 10 PM
METRO: St. Laurent (Green)
TICKETS: Eventbrite
THE POWER OF FOOD
At a time when feats and celebration are far from the heart, and food is being weaponized, the spring session of the Drawn & Quarterly Cookbook Club features a tribute to, and history of, Palestinian cuisine.
Cookbook club host Isabella Geddes is joined by Palestinian chef, beloved TV personality and cookbook author Suzanne Husseini, and Amanda Abdelhadi, a Palestinian-Canadian public programmer, home chef, and member of the action group Laurier–Sainte-Marie pour la Palestine, for an afternoon of discussion, delicious food, and direct action! Attendees are encouraged to drop in with an open mind and a potluck contribution, and to visit our postcard-writing table to learn more and write to their elected representatives to demand a permanent ceasefire and an end to the occupation.
“At a time when food is literally being wielded as a weapon of war and deliberate starvation looms on the horizon [of Palestinians in Gaza], cooking and eating and celebrating the richness of our cuisine are empowering and uplifting affirmations of our identity and rootedness to the land whilst Israel is actively working to rid of us of both those things. In this sense, preserving our culture — and cooking itself — becomes the ultimate acts of resistance. As Reem puts it, we want people to eat and leave [this event] not only thinking differently, but also feeling differently… discomfort, anger, sadness…. And then to act to effect change!” — Laila El-Haddad, author of “The Gaza Kitchen”
This will be an informal afternoon of potluck and discussion. Admission is free, and you don't need to bring a dish to attend. If you decide to cook/bake a shared meal, you can take inspiration from the cookbooks or you’re welcome to cook any Palestinian recipe you love! The featured cookbooks are 15% off until the event, so now's the time. The featured books are: Baladi: A Celebration of Food from Land and Sea by Joudie Kalla,
The Gaza Kitchen: A Palestinian Culinary Journey by Laila El-Haddad and Maggie Schmitt, Modern Flavors of Arabia: Recipes and Memories from My Middle Eastern Kitchen: A Cookbook by Suzanne Husseini and photographer Petrina Tinslay.
WHAT: D&Q Cooks! Cookbook Club: Honouring Palestinian Cuisine
WHERE: La Petite Librairie Drawn & Quarterly, 176 Bernard St. W., Montreal, H2T 2K2
WHEN: Sunday, April 21, 1130 AM - 2 PM
METRO: Rosemont (Orange)
DETAILS: Facebook
ROCK’N’WRESTLING
Few things are better than indie wrestling in bars, so this one's hard to beat. This Sunday, head out for a night of action-packed pro-wrestling, plus the return of the BATTLEWAR Battle Royale. Join us on April 21 at Foufounes Electriques.
Featuring Karl Jepson, Mike Marston, "Mononc" St-Jacques, Michel Plante, "Mr. VIP" Mitch Thompson, Matt Falco, Zak Patterson, Twiggy, Junior Benito, Travis Toxic, Leon Saver, and BATTLEWAR Champion, Benjamin Tull!
Have drinks, get in on a chant, live your best life.
WHAT: BATTLEWAR: Over The Top
WHERE: Les Foufounes Électriques, 87 Ste. Catherine St. E., H2X 1K5
WHEN: Sunday, April 21, Doors @ 7 PM, Show @ 8 PM
DETAILS: Facebook
McSweeney’s List drops every Wednesday with the best events, workshops, and more, each week in Montreal!
