From the machine-learning-generated artwork (which I could influence but not control), to the Interlude poem that speaks from the space between this world and the next, Out of Body is steeped in uncertainties. Listen now on your streaming service of choice.

Reading list

Interesting links I haven't had a chance to check out yet.

Recommended reading

Stuff I enjoyed and that I think you'd like, too.

Posts

Trust Book Review

Hernan Diaz
Beneath layers of doubt and competing narratives that bring each other into question, the same old fixation on a single genius capable of outsmarting the system.

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08 September 2023 Rating: 4/5

Hope in the Dark: Untold Histories, Wild Possibilities Book Review

Rebecca Solnit
An essential read for millennial activists. Learning about the previous generation’s victories and tactics shows that we can achieve good things, contrary to the overarching story of defeat that the left tends to tell about itself. I struggle with so much focus on process rather than outcomes, but sitting with that discomfort is a path to growth, I guess.

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08 August 2023 Rating: 5/5

Immoral, Indecent and Scurrilous: The Making of an Unrepentant Sex Radical Book Review

Gerald Hannon
Gerald has never been one to tone down his opinion for the sake of making others feel comfortable. He’s the life of the party, a master storyteller, and this memoir proves it. This is not an exhaustive account of the early Gay Liberation movement in Toronto, but rather a personal reflection of a life lived to the full. Sexually, politically, intellectually, artistically… he occupied these spaces with naive confidence, and if anyone else had a problem with it, well, that was their problem.

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21 July 2023 Rating: 5/5

The Paris Review Interviews: Vol I Book Review


Pearls of wisdom are peppered throughout this collection of interviews with some of the 20th century’s greatest writers. But too often, they focus less on the craft of writing and too much on the who’s who of socialite literary circles, dropping names which have little meaning to me. It was fascinating to read about, for example, Jorge Luis Borges’ approach to storytelling. In Ernest Hemingway’s interview, on the other hand, he just came off as an insincere diva unwilling to pass on knowledge to the next generation.

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03 June 2023 Rating: 3/5

Projects

Textile Literature: Digital Storytelling Workshop

I taught a group of writers to code with HTML and CSS, the building blocks of the web. They enhanced their published stories with colour, photos, and layout customisations to create a unique immersive experience for the web. Learning the basics of web design has equipped these participants to enhance their narrative in future articles online, no matter where they are published.

https://textilekw.ca/collections/digital-storytelling-workshop

Project Mushroom

Project Mushroom started in November 2022 as a community-led effort to build a safe place on the internet that centres joy and action. We want to build a better online experience — free from harassment, free from bigotry, and one that promotes connection, mutual aid, and transformative action at this critical moment in history. I act as an organizer and one of the moderators for our Mastodon communities.

https://newsletters.projectmushroom.xyz/

Tri-City Hip Hop

Explore the places in Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge that have shaped local hip-hop culture. Featuring music videos and first-hand stories from the artists themselves.

https://tricityhiphop.com

Gaukel Block

In September 2019, Gaukel Street in downtown Kitchener was transformed into a fun pop-up park. Now, working with a group of downtown community members, neighbourhood associations, businesses, and city staff, we have achieved a long-term plan for redesigning Gaukel St. as a pedestrian-first urban park.

https://gaukel.ca