On the 24th of May, I was fortunate enough to receive a critique from a published author. He liked two sentences. He also pointed out that there was no actual story in the writing I gave him and that readers want to be told a story. Experimental prose does not sell. I have the "writing sentences" bit down but. In that meeting, he gave me a title for the story and I worked out what the three acts would be (if I actually write this story) and that was good progress. I don't doubt his advice as he is a published author by a popular publishing house and obviously knows what he's talking about but. The thing is, although I've known for some time that I am supposed to write the story about the factory, I didn't want to do it in this way - the way that makes it the story - but it really is, to date, the story, isn't it? The catalyst that moved me to where I am now. The transitions even work in sync with leaving the factory, moving back to my hometown, relocating to Toronto - all interwoven with naivety from the age of 16, onward, even still. Sure, there's a story. Yes, I could write it. But I prefer the pieces. The fragments. So I thought, perhaps I should just stick with blogging. Or, if I only have the skill to compose a sentence, maybe I should put some effort into poetry (which I do not perceive as easier than story-telling but at least I'd have an excuse for changing the topic often.) So, where does this leave me? Reluctant and with a challenge ahead. I will both avoid it and work on it at the same time by reading a lot more books. I'm not giving up - just procrastinating. After the meeting, I walked back along Dundas as I did before, only I took a lot more photos.

Related Post: Queen West (places of memories, too)

Trinity-Bellwoods Park.








Queen Street West.
















(but i could not read & i could not write a word)


almost home...
...& i really miss streetcars in The Beach/es.

(power lines)


Another walk through Kew Gardens.






back to the boardwalk, to the lake.




























flower pots on front steps.

"They Live" - Truth Sunglasses [Link]

Fireworks at Ashbridges's Bay, as seen from Kew-Balmy
Beach near the Leuty Lifeguard Station at The Boardwalk in
The Beach/es, alongside Lake Ontario on Victoria Day, 2012.



I didn't go in for any close-ups of the fireworks and I didn't use the fireworks setting on my camera. I felt compelled to take photos of the people, when possible, and of the CN Tower being in frame along with the Leuty Lifeguard Station during the fireworks display. It was also good to see people hanging out afterward, strolling the boardwalk and enjoying the night air. Oh, and Prince Charles was watching the same fireworks display from Ashbridges's Bay. Kind of neat if you care about that sort of thing.

after the fireworks.

Well, now it was The Day Before Yesterday. I'm not sleeping properly these days but hey, at least I'm getting outside? Of course, it helps that I'm lucky enough to have friends who are willing to hang out with me, to walk about with - even if I am sticking to the neighbourhood for the most part. It really is a gorgeous place to live though. I've been taking video clips here & there over the past few days with the intentions of doing another vlog or two of clips like I did for April - May's will begin with Emily trying to catch a photograph of a butterfly. (It's more captivating than it sounds!) Last night I was able to get a little bit of the fireworks that Tallman and I saw on the beach but I mostly took tons of photos that I'll start sorting through after I'm finished this.

The Beach/es!










































& yes, in Part One I mentioned that I would go into what happened but now I don't feel like it. But I will. (blah) So, yes, I knew that it was inevitable I would see him again. It wasn't a surprise that we had radar, that we spotted one another. However, I always thought I'd see him downtown - not riding along the path where I hold foursquare mayorships along the lake - and I most definitely didn't think he'd sit with his girl in front of the place where I um, "satisfied him" during the time we were seeing each other in secret after the break-up, the move-out and my relocation to The Beach/es over three years ago (where I've remained). Of all the places to lean their bikes against - the building he leaned me against - wow - not to mention sitting pretty near the pier I named because it's at the end of the street I live on. I wonder if this is something they've done before or if it just so happened to be the most coincidental of coincidences. Oh, and did I mention it was basically three years to the day since we last saw one another in person when they did this trek? Happy Anniversary? I mean, seriously? Another coincidence, I guess. I had both an adrenaline rush (BRING IT) and a flush of anxiety that turned into a full blown panic attack with traumatic flashbacks of the shitty things he did by the time I made it to my street. I am so thankful Tallman was with me. For many reasons. And if you wonder if it was just me who reacted, well, they went off trail the first time we spotted each other and went up a street. The second time we saw them was after I'd had a sit down on a bench to breathe, then walked on. The time lapse seemed to be just enough that there was no avoiding a second spotting. I practically tripped over their bicycles, but thankfully didn't touch them. Three years. Three f'n years! *

Balmy Beach.







Well, it was a beautiful day.


* & I'm still here, jerk.