“Reading Break” seems such a relaxing concept. I wonder if there ever was a time in the history of the academy when people holed up in a leisurely way to catch up on interesting developments in their fields. I did take a brief break to go to Saltspring Island last weekend. On Friday and Saturday,…

Back in the ‘Couv and gearing up for another semester of teaching. Two courses: an undergrad Canadian Literature course in three parts, one on the politics of the anthology, one on recent contemporary poetry and fiction, and one on chapbooks and zines; and then a grad course called “The Subject of the Future.” I’ve just…

Went to a dim sum lunch for Grandma Liu Mian Huan, a “Comfort Woman” survivor from the Japanese occupation of China during WWII. There’s an extraordinary movement afoot to demand restitution from the Japanese government. Heard much testimony– from Grandma Liu herself, and on video, from both soldiers and victims. Today, thinking much about the…

… the passing of Jane Rule. There’s a good obituary in the Globe. Braved the snow to make the West Coast Line launch at 1067 Granville on Saturday, and afterwards went to Richards on Richards to see Les Savy Favs, and help my friend Sandra celebrate her birthday. Energetic art rock gets to the gut…

I’ve been converted to the mac side…I have a new website. I may change the host, but for now it’s here.

For those of you with research needs, I’ve just posted a biobliography page, as a separate blog.

Haven’t posted in ages. I’m just winding up my first semester of full-time teaching–holy rollercoaster! It’s been a lot of work. All that expectant human presence inside a highly bureaucratic structure has been intense to say the least. I feel like I’m moving things, and making people think. I suppose student evaluations will tell. There…

It’s been a pretty action-packed weekend. I spent Thursday and Friday at a symposium called Redress Express, organized by Alice Jim for Centre A in Vancouver. It gets its title from the train trip surviving Head Tax payers took across the country earlier this year to hear Stephen Harper apologize for that nasty piece of…