Included Below: We’re Back / The Last Train Trip / Sea of Tranquility / The Hum / SWDT Podcast. Click HERE for further information about this newsletter. To those from before and those who are new-
I. WELCOME!
Beware the balls.
When the mother-to-be almost flew out of the backseat of the convertible was the moment I felt the world was getting back to normal.
As everything started opening back up for hopefully the last time, I had an experience that could have only happened pre-pandemic. In the past, I have often found myself in places where I was not invited. Completely unintentional, of course. I’ve turned a corner to find myself in parties, and gone for brunch on a Sunday morning to be caught in the middle of a funeral. I have learned unwanted facts in sudden-appearing walking tours.
But perhaps the worst is the balls.
If I am walking through a park or anywhere else that may include a group of people playing any type of ball orientated sport, said ball will be hit, thrown, or kicked in my direction. I am not a ‘sporty’ person by any means, but in these situations I am forced to participate. And trust me, you don’t want to se me throw a ball.
Anyway.
Back in the spring I was meeting a friend of mine for a late afternoon drink at a bar patio. This was in the Annex neighbourhood of downtown Toronto. Approaching the bar, I noticed a big commotion pouring out on to the side street. Before I knew it, I was surounded by people, a situation that only weeks earlier would have probably caused a slight panic attack.
Everyone’s attention turned towards a convertible that was backing up to the crowd. A woman climbed into the back and stood up to face the cheering group. The car revved its engine and the cheering reached a fever pitch, led by the woman encouraging them - or us, I guess - with pumping fists. The engine revved loudly and let out what sounded like a gunshot.
A few things happened all at once.
A blue liquid shot out of the exhaust pipe - almost like spray paint. It covered the street and the first row of the crowd. Luckily, I was shielded by some other guests. The driver floored it and took off down the street. He did not inform the mother-to-be he was taking this action and she was thrusted forward and almost flew out the back of the car.
As an uninvited guest of this gender reveal party, I marvelled over how far we’ve come. After being apart for so long we can go back to doing all the weird stuff we did before. As I mulled around with the rest of the crowd waiting for the mother-to-be to return, all I thought was-
We’re back.
Q - Is there a moment or experience that made you feel things were getting back to ‘normal’ (whatever that may be)?
II. TALES FROM THE DREAM ROOM
Each month welcomes an exclusive story from a parallel world.
The Dream Room is a place that where everything is interconnected. The sights and sounds and people that inhabit this world feel familiar. The tales pulled from the Dream Room are sometimes true and sometimes fiction, they may scare you or make you laugh. The Dream Room is a place not to be taken lightly and if you’re ready to enter, read the excerpt below and click on the link for the full story.
THE LAST TRAIN TRIP: As night fell, I slept inside the train car across two seats. When I woke in the morning, I was alone. No people anywhere. The train was abandoned.
For the next few days, I survived on the left behind granola bars and bottled water. I started rationing. After a couple of weeks I hiked in an ever-widening circle around the train and found what I was looking for: a fresh water stream.
Over the next months I learned about the land around me. Found things I could eat and things to grow. I slept on a different seat in a different train car every night. The change of months brought new seasons. I was prepared for it all.
Read the whole story at this link.
Q - From everything I’ve read, travel sounds pretty chaotic at the moment. Have you travelled anywhere?
III. PAUL’S PICKS
A recommendation of something watched, read, or listened to.
There’s so much content out there - books, television shows, movies, etc etc etc - that when you do find an artist that clicks with you, you stick to them. Sometimes I have to remind myself that I don’t have to read or watch everything that comes out. Besides, this is impossible and just creates a feeling of guilt, which is ridiculous. I can’t really explain it, but there are just some writers that you vibe with and even if their work is inconsistent, you stick with them. They just speak to you in some way.
Emily St. John Mandel is one of those writers. At the start of Covid, I heard about Station Eleven - the book written a few years ago about a flu epidemic that wipes out most of the world’s population. Plus, part of it took place in Toronto. Some people might’ve been put off by this, but I enjoyed reading about it. I quickly went through all her books and whatever she’s doing, it really connects to me. I just finished her latest book, Sea of Tranquility, and just loved it.
I was very excited when I heard there was going to be a mini-series adaptation of Station Eleven. I still don’t know how I feel about it - it’s definitely a work of art - and it’s a very unique show for television. And I’ve returned to thinking about it often. If you’ve watched it, let me know what you think.
Check out Emily St. John Mandel’s other books. The adaption was quite controversial! Here is an interesting interview on the Scriptnotes Podcast with Patrick Somerville, the writer/showrunner of the television series adaptation.
Q - What’s your favourite book to movie/television adaptation?
IV. FROM THE ARCHIVES
An old story from my blog brought to you in a new way.
THE HUM (NOVEMBER 2019): I just couldn't take it anymore. All the noise of trains, planes, streetcars, people yelling in the streets, everything. My apartment borders on the main train tracks that cut through the south end of the city. I used to be okay with it, content with the fact that this was just another noise alive in the soundscape of the city.
But then the jets moved in. A bit further east is the Island Airport. Once they finally got permission to land jets, this combination crossed the line for me. I'd be on my back in bed staring up at the ceiling at all hours of the night, the train schedule imprinted on my ears. It all just became too much.
I used to pride myself on being a highly functional city person. That I didn't move away to someplace smaller. That I figured out how to survive amongst all this concrete.
Now I feel that people are afraid of silence. Afraid of what it may bring. Of the thoughts that come in the silence - all the sadness, frustrations. Afraid to just sit with those thoughts, and see what happens. See where it takes us. We have become a culture of distraction because sitting with those thoughts is not always pleasant. They can be dark and dangerous.
Read the whole story at this link.
Q - What’s one thing you’d change about where you live?
V. WATCH, LISTEN, READ, OR DO
Something to take with you.
You know the drill as I’ve included Stories We Don’t Tell a lot. It’s just, well, I miss the whole damn thing and am excited to get back up and running. On the internet, at least, the podcast is the closest thing to the actual event. There’s tips and tricks and a ton of stories. Subscribe and check it out anywhere you get podcasts or at this LINK. We’ll be back soon with live events, we promise!
Q - Any good podcasts about storytelling that you’d recommend?
You’ve probably noticed that I’ve included a question at the end of each section. No, this isn’t required homework. However, if you are compelled to write to me with your thoughts, I would love to hear from you. Who knows, I might even share some of the answers in future newsletters (anonymously, of course). Email me here: jpd@pauldore.com.
May 2022 Edition: Quitting / Montreal / Nanette / Widows & Divorcees / I’m Leaving It.