What is it 'bout the Brussels Sprout ?

‘The Brussels Sprout Testimonial’
isbn 1-894897-09-9

“Sing and shout and dance about, there's magic in the Brussels sprout, boiled up and served in butter, baked into a pie, I love to eat the Brussels sprout, to go without would make me cry.
Have faith and never ever doubt, there's magic in the Brussels sprout, in cheese sauce or in minestrone, I will stand and Testify, I love to eat the Brussels sprout, to go without I'd rather die!” *

This Sterling Silver Brussels Sprout is given out as an award every year by my excellent friend Barbara-Jo. It is to honor and celebrate excellent cuisine and literature, and is given to the chef who makes the best cookbook. Since this award began in 2007, it has been given to:
Jennifer McLagan,‘ Fat: An Appreciation of a Misunderstood Ingredient, With Recipes ’
John Bishop, ‘ Simply Bishop’s ’
Vikram Vij, ‘Vij’s: ‘ Elegant and Inspired Indian Cuisine ’

photo credit: Jennifer McLagan

*-rhyme available in ‘Brussels Sprouts & Unicorns- library edition’

PROOViNG THE EXiSTENCE OF UNiCORNS

Testimonial evidence of Brussels Sprouts and Proof of the existence of Unicorns. They Live in Canada, & once you've sworn the oath you will be able to see Unicorns in the most surprising places, My friend Sian saw one at the passport office ! In any event, the book launch was a success. To see more Brussels Sprouts and Unicorns please visit www.libraryeditions.com

OFFiCiAL SELECTiON

This is the Michigan Theatre, it’s in Ann Arbor Michigan. Home of the world renowned Ann Arbor Film Festival. I was very lucky to be able to attend this festival, as it so happened to be that my film, ‘Ten Counting Cat-the motion picture’ was selected for screening. This was the world premiere of my first film, and my first film festival. Over the course of a week I met many excellent people and made friends in Ann Arbor. When in Ann Arbor I stayed at the home of Roland Neynaber, a most excellent host. I fell in love with the community, this was a truly unforgettable experience.

I had help making my film and would like to thank those people on my blog. Hobo Divine, Bill Schwarz, Lisa Ovens,Laurie MacMillan, Scott Bucsis, Sue Hill, Lorne Jee, Blessing Mubaiwa, Clayton Gunguwo, Lance Burger, Bardel Animation and The NFB. I could not have attended the film festival if it had not been for the generosity of my excellent friend, patron, & partner in crime, Lisa Southam.

Photo Credit:
Roland Neynaber

THE ANCESTORS LiKED iT, WE STiLL DO

Elegance, it would be my greatest pleasure to express, in stone and theme, the feelings which move us to rapture, peals of laughter, tears of joy, and quiet satisfaction. However, this post concerns much darker magic. And so, let’s cast our thoughts to more occult practices, shamanism, and the markets...

Upon close inspection, beyond the mathematics and technical jargon, the markets are filled with rich mythology. The language of magic, superstition abound. A “ dead cat bounce ” happens after a stock has hit bottom, but before it goes completely flat.“ The Bear ” is the market going down , “ The Bull ” is the market going up. Then there is the “ triple witching hour ”, on “ triple witching day ” , when all hell breaks loose. Face reality, market speculation is a form of gambling; so if you’re going down that path, you will need all the luck you can muster, and the stones to follow the timeless edict, “ buy when there is blood in the street” -Baron Rothschild

These carvings in hematite, were made by my hand, using diamonds and water. This bear and bull are talismans, animist representations of the binary godhead of the market. They are carved in three dimensional relief and signed by my trademark. Please note, the peaceful and joyous expressions. Free from the anxiety, which has of late caused the ruin of many traders: the bull is at peace because selling gives one liquid freedom, the bear is happy because the sweetness of the trade is determined at the point of purchase, the good deal.

Since it is levity which is the seed of inspiration, these works make use of visual puns. The bull has maximum scrotal circumference because it takes “ balls ” to work the markets, and when ranchers buy bulls, this is the most important measurement. The bear has a cute bear bum, because sometimes you have to “ cover yours ” if you want to survive. To hold the entire market in the palm of your hand is a powerful value. Name your price Dear Trader, these works are for you to enjoy, in prosperity and good health.

photo credit: Peter Lattimer

Globe and Mail
-Timothy Taylor

Publish books and live smarter

Indulge me on this one and maybe I'll tell you a tale, a story populated by prancing pirates and sensitive cannibals. not likely ! At this publisher’s house we deal only with the big picture stories, important works of ultra educational literature. So word to the hopeful, don’t pester me with insipidity, if you have something that’s really good, I’ll look. If I send you a rejection slip, it’s going to have instructions for how to get an isbn so you can do this publishing thing for yourself. You see, that is what I’ve been doing, and now I have my own imprint. Publishers often whine about it being a tough business, and maybe that’s true, but at this point I’d like to weigh in on the discussion. It seems to me that the industry is polarizing, big house media conglomerates on one hand, and a plethora of little houses just trying to eek a living on the other hand. It seems to me that we all have to pull together a little bit. We have to produce lean, high quality material, we also must find inventive ways to bring our work to the public. A book is a form of treasure! This was true, when King Francis I established the original legal deposit library, it is just as true today. I sell books to stores, libraries, schools, and individuals; from my website, and out of my backpack. My house is as good as it’s titles. Would that our industry adopt my standards and practices, we might well save trees, and space in landfills.

I'm proud of my latest publication, ‘ Delicious Chicken Soup’ by Andrey Durbach. We had the launch at Barbara-Jo's Books to Cooks, and it was most successful. This childrens book for ages 8-188, teaches all people, young and old, how to make delicious chicken soup properly from scratch. In light of our current economic circumstances, I'd argue that this work is more important than the Gutenberg bible. This is not chicken soup for your soul, it is chicken soup for your whole, to nourish your body and keep you alive.

Reviews:
“Sublime, Literally”
-William Gibson
Globe and Mail Review
-Rebecca Tay
CBC radio
-Margaret Gallagher
Scout Magazine
-Michelle Sproule
Available:
at quality bookstores
and from my publishing house
http://libraryeditions.com
*wholesale to the trade

the moon revisited

‘‘ There's a rocketship leaves here
each day at noon,
not too expensive,
it goes to the moon.
Where it's lovely to picnic,
on warm days, in June...
In July and August
there are too many
tourists.’’
- Robert Chaplin

Further to previous lunar exploration; this work represents the face of the moon, carved by my hand using diamonds and water, in a lovely piece of picture jasper. On the darkside you can see a cutaway exposing the tide controls, hinting at the solution to the exquisite mystery of the lunar connection to the tide; the local motion found in all water, including seas and lakes, ponds and rivers, even the water found in the cells of plants and the blood which moves through our veins. Little wonder the ancients established a link between the moon and our emotional state, that the study of the moon lead to the first attempts at understanding madness and romantic love. Currently I’m over the moon, but promise to show you the rabbit after my next visit.

photo credit: Peter Lattimer

collection : Jesse Sarber

Robert Chaplin Vs Garry Kasparov

Once upon a time, not so very long ago, the world was a place where tall tales reigned supreme and great men walked upon the earth. These great men ascended by virtue of their gifts, focus, and dedication; lumberjacks, steel drivin’ men, and chess masters. Now I'm an ordinary man, I make things, and some of them turn out well. This chess set I’ve designed in Lego seems to fit that bill, and this is me getting a lesson in chess from Garry Kasparov.

The really cool thing about playing Kasparov is that, you can have no expectation of victory, so there's no pressure. He started playing chess when he was a very little boy. Kasparov’s young mind wrapped itself around the secrets of the game, and this process formed the consciousness of the man sitting across the table from me. The thing about focus on a single activity at a young age, is that it creates people who can do things very well, and this experience can inform lateral thinking. Garry Kasparov has retired from professional chess and is now active in Russian politics, his understanding of situations is sublime.

I flew to Toronto to meet Kasparov and deliver his Lego chess set; this happened on Monday morning, it came about because my family loves me, and I’ve made some damn good friends. I taught Kasparov the secrets of Lego chess, how to take the set apart , put it away, and how to move the men using the piece picker. From Kasparov, I learned about the traditional board orientation, and that you can’t castle out of check. Kasparov signed a receipt for the chess set, and wrote that it was, “creative and impressive!”. Getting a lesson, and high praise from a giant feels pretty good :)

Photo Credit: Taralea Cutler

articles
Globe and Mail
-Timothy Taylor
Globe and Mail
-Timothy Taylor

My suit: Modernize Tailors.

‘Real Wooden Robot’ ...Oh Canada

Oh Canada! I’m not political, and today I had to exercise my legal right to participate in an advanced democracy. I don’t support any political parties, and I have publicly admitted to ballot spoiling. I always make a drawing on my ballot, with the secret hope that one day a ballot counter will exercise some lateral thinking and “collect” some art. This election was no different than the last one, however... After reviewing the quality of this election’s candidates, I was struck by the notion that , Democracy is alright, but we really ought to use some softer paper for the ballots. I don’t understand why the whole process is not electronic.

Now everybody say, “ Real Wooden Robot ” five times fast, it's even harder than Chinese arithmetic.‘ The Real Wooden Robot ’ is contemporary treen, old timey, made from wood, ‘cause wood is good. Constructed with the finest tree fort craftsmanship; ‘ The Real Wooden Robot ’ is a working machine, it will open your beer. Fully articulated for freestanding domestic work, suitable for the tasteful decoration of any home or office; ‘ The Real Wooden Robot ’ doesn’t make boring speeches, or recommend Crown commissions. ‘ The Real Wooden Robot ’ does what it does, It opens beer, and validates the good feelings of all people everywhere. Finally, unlike elections, with paper ballots and cardboard booths,‘ The Real Wooden Robot ’ has a very small ecological footprint, simply owning one gets you valuable carbon credits. So you can feel less guilty about driving a gas sucking pig, pouring your old turpentine down the sink, or spoiling your ballot.

I got some help building my Robot from Val. Val knows how to use a saw to cut big wood, and manages the workshop across from the Chapel. Val likes the things I make and had a good laugh when she saw the The Real Wooden Robot ’ finished.

Photo Credit: Laurie MacMillan

HOT POTATO aka Old Four Eyes

The ‘Hot Potato’ has four eyes, and sees
through lies, and answers questions which arise...

What is Hematite ?
What is the Eye of Horus ?
What are the fashions in Potato Bug Country ?
What is the Hot Potato Game ?
What is the Illuminati ?
Who are the Freemasons ?
What is Mr Potato Feeling ?
Where can I find a good optometrist ?
Where can I study conspiracy theory ?
When is Now ?
Why is that freaky eye and pyramid on the backside of a greenback ?
How do I grow a potato ?
How do I build a spud gun ?

This objet d'art, in hematite, was carved by my hand using diamonds and water. A mysterious process indeed.



photo credit: Peter Lattimer

Hello Ookpik, my old friend.

There was a time in this fair land when the arctic influences ran wild, as a child, it seemed that I couldn't turn around without spying Ookpik. Ookpiks everywhere, made from just about everything, once I even saw an Ookpik made from a taxidermied caribou rump. And then, one day when I wasn't looking, Ookpik disappeared. Whatever happened to Ookpik ? When I pulled this rock from the Bulkley River, in northern BC, I thought I saw my old friend Ookipik. Carved by my hand from felthispasic sandstone, this piece has a natural quartz ring separating the head from the body. It was glued together at creation, by mother nature, using the heat and the pressure which made the world. Notes: Ookpik is Inuktitut for Snowy Owl; to find out more about snowy owls, arctic art history, and arctic culture, simply follow the links.
Snowy Owls: hinterland who's who
Inuktitut syllabary ᑎᑎᕋᐅᓯᖅ ᓄᑕᐊᖅ
Jeannie Snowball ate an Ookpik
Arctic Studies, Smithsonian
* Hobo Divine

photo credit: Peter Lattimer