Authors' Afternoon with Sarah Stanners

Hello book lovers, writers and artists, It's a pleasure to invite you to meet Sarah Stanners, our guest author this month. She will talk about her book Jack Bush: In Studio (2016), which was launched at the McMichael Canadian Art Collection, where she served as chief curator from 2015 to 2018, and will also tell you more about her other books. Hope you will join us for an exciting discussion about her work, and the importance of art in Canadian culture.

Connecting with nature and those we've lost

I love being by the lake. Even when it's frozen. Nature has a way of bringing balance and perspective when we connect with it. I feel immersed in a spiritual magnitude in which the mundane world is secondary.

It's made me think about some friends who are going through grieving from the death of their dear ones. The physical loss is painful and overwhelming, but there's comfort in knowing that the spirit of the one who passed lives on ... in an otherworldly dimension that is hard for us to define ... suffice to say  the  connection is intuitive.

When we connect deeply with someone, often distance and loss can't erase the emotional bond. The person is still with us because of the profound, positive ways we've touched each other.

summer memories

summer memories ... punctuation marks ... on a winter day

I took this photo while strolling along Humber Bay.

I do love snow, especially fresh snow fall.
It makes everything so soft, pretty, and romantic,
that is, until it turns to slush.

But life is like that ... ephemeral ... nothing lasts ...
let's make the most of beautiful moments we're blessed with ...

Authors' Afternoon with Gregory Monteith and Sean Steele

Inviting you to our Authors' Afternoon. Our guest authors Gregory Monteith and Sean Steele

 have worked together on an exciting poetry and music project, titled Trails to Helicon.

They will perform, read their poetry and talk about their writing and music.

Come by to chat with them about their creative collaboration.

Looking forward to seeing you there.

She will rise

Wishing you a beautiful Lunar New Year ... kind of late as it started on February 5th, but from what I understand, it's celebrated for 23 days anyway ... so keep enjoying ...

Since we're in the moon mood ... I'm sharing a photo of mine and a line from one of my short stories on relationships.

For this story, some inspiration came from Eckhart Tolle's book, The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment. 

Warmth on a cold day

Hope you're all dressed in cosy layers on this blistering cold day in good old Toronto.

Sending some positive vibes to combat this challenging weather with a haiku and this bouquet of flowers that was given to me over a week ago ... and is still exuding so much love and warmth ...

Authors' Afternoon with Clara Blackwood

Welcome back to the Authors' Afternoon. We're starting 2019 with neighbourhood poet and artist Clara Blackwood. She will be reading some poems from her books, and will talk about her writing process and her journey as a poet. Inviting book lovers and writers to participate with questions and discussions  in this relaxed meeting of creative minds.

Happy Holidays with lots of love ...

Love ... it's always there within each of us

discover it with acts of kindness and forgiveness

share the love freely and pass it on ... 
it will keep growing ...

and will spread more caring in this world ...

Moods in images

Sometimes when I'm overwhelmed with emotions
images float in my mind in colours, shapes
visuals that soothe my inner world
and I feel an impulsive
 desire to recreate
the mood


Sharing one of the images with you in this collage of pictures I captured, titled:
Purging negative vibes with love

Finding closure when relationships end

I've been thinking of friends who are struggling from their broken relationships. They feel there's something unfinished, and they can't move on because their exes won't talk and give them the closure they need. 

Waiting for closure from exes is an exercise in futility if they are determined to cut off contact. Maybe their hearts are blocked with hurt, anger and negativity. Or they lack empathy. Or if they were deceitful, maybe they are cowards who can't take responsibility for the emotional damage they have caused. 

Whatever the reason, whether the exes may need help themselves, it's best to find your own closure through other means like creative outlets, self-care, and surrounding yourself with supportive friends. This article has more practical advice about how to get closure from a relationship.

Starting a new journey may seem daunting at first, but it is liberating to move into a period of soul-searching, and self-discovery. It may take time to heal, but when we are willing to learn from negative experiences, forgive those who have hurt us, and accept that some people are meant to share our lives for a limited time, it is easier to let go, and allow our hearts to fill with love again.

Photo taken in Gainesville, Florida

WOMANVOICE 2018

Inviting you to WOMANVOICE 2018, an event organized by 

Honey Novick, a multi-talented poet and singer 

in celebration of women artists, poets, writers, singers, musicians, photographers, and more.

I will read a few poems from my book Island Lovers.

Looking forward to seeing you there.

Honey Novick on WOMANVOICE:

"WOMANVOICE was founded on the spirit to empower women and girls.  It was born of the tragedy at the Polytechnique in Montreal where 14 female students were murdered. A group of artists led by the late Susan Meurer and Lilita Tannis organized 14 women artists in 1991 at the pARTisan Gallery. I was one of the original 14 and loved it so much that I asked for permission and have been continuing the tradition for 26 years. We do not dwell on the tragedy.  We use the platform to reach out to others, explore new ideas, find our voice and make friends."

Thank you to Tony Merante and all the Authors' Afternoon guests at Stella's Lunchbox Café

A note to inform you that there will be no Authors' Afternoon in November and December. We are taking a break and will be back on January 27^th, 2019. 

I would like to thank my good friend, Tony Merante, the owner of Stella’s Café for his continuous support of the arts. Without him, the Authors’ Afternoon would not happen. Thank you also to all the guest authors and book lovers and writers who have participated in the Authors’ Afternoon every last Sunday of the month. Looking forward to seeing you in January.

If you are a musician or singer, you'll be happy to hear that Tony is also the owner of Desotos and supports music every week through Sunday Jazz Brunch and Thursday Open Mics, both hosted by Anthony Abbatangeli.

Tony is gifted with boundless energy and is always coming up with new ideas. Not only has he created the most idyllic patio, lush with flowers and cosy outdoor furniture, but he has also hosted art exhibitions at both Desotos and Stella's, and movie screenings at Desotos. Lately, he's creating his own pasta made from organic ingredients. If you're interested in the culinary arts, there are currently classes in sausage making... and who knows what else he'll come up with ... come by to find out.

Stella's has become my favourite café, a little home away from home that offers great coffee, delicious food in a friendly atmosphere. A cool meeting place for creative people. When I can't focus at home, I go there to write. Hope you'll drop by some time. 

Tony Merante, owner of Stella's Lunchbox Café and Desotos

Dancing my heart out

Hope you all had a fun Halloween. I was dancing my heart out tonight and would like to share my love of music and dance in this photo collage.

Moving our bodies to the rhythm of music is an innate reaction as it makes us feel lighter and carefree. When we dance away, the endorphins kick in, and we feel elated. There are so many benefits to dancing.

This article explains why dance is one of the best forms of meditation, not only for the natural high it imparts, but also for gaining control of our mind, living in the moment, and connecting with others.

And this one is about the healing effects of dance and music, and why sounds and movements promote healthier living, especially for those with physical ailments. So, surround yourself with music and dance the pain away ...

Authors' Afternoon with Sky Curtis

Inviting you to meet our multi-talented guest author, Sky Curtis. You will have a chance to talk to her about her writing journey, and the numerous books she has written. 

If you like crime fiction, you'll enjoy her Robin MacFarland Mystery Series. The first one, Flush was a finalist for the 2017 Arthur Ellis Award for Best First Crime Fiction. The second book, Plots, was launched October 1st.

If you have been affected by Crohn's Disease, you'll be interested in her books Gut Reaction: A True Story About a Mother's Fight to Save her Son's Life and his Amazing Recovery from Crohn's Disease, and The Fecal Transplant Guidebook.

She has also written several children's books. You can find more details about her books, over twenty of them, on her website. The recent ones are available on amazon.com 

Looking forward to seeing you all at Stella's café on Sunday October 28th, from 2 to 4 pm.

Creativity by the water

The weather was incredibly warm and sunny on the weekend. So wonderfully magical for fall.

It felt so good to leave the city bustle and spend time by the lake. I love listening to the rippling water, and feel the soft breeze on my face while watching the reflections and shimmering colours of this large expanse of water. 

I was inspired, and started the outline for a short story about a man who lives a double life and manipulates two women who love him. His lack of conscience is beyond belief. Is he a narcissist? A sociopath? You will have a chance to discover his world when I'm done with the collection.

You may wonder why such a beautiful scenery brought about such a dark story, but creativity is an intricate mix of ideas, and can take you anywhere your analytical mind and imagination dare to probe. For me, creative writing is an expressive outlet for understanding human nature, no matter how dark it is.

Water has positive effects on us all, from inducing a calm, meditative state to boosting our health and creativity. You can read more about it in this article: Science explains how staying near water can change our brains

Liter-Arti 2018 A neighbourhood Arts Event

Inviting you to Liter-Arti 2018, a neighbourhood Arts Event 

organized by Honey Novick, singer, songwriter, voice teacher and poet.

It is a great honour to join the talented poets and songwriters 

who will be reading and playing music at this event.

I will read a few poems from my book Island Lovers. 

Hope to see you there.

Joy

Feel the joy of the moment

for nothing is permanent 

only change is constant

This article explains in more details what I'm expressing here:
Nothing is permanent: Letting go of attachment to people

This photo montage expresses my gratitude for all the beautiful memories

of good times gone by, and the joy of living in the now.

Creativity in the medical field: My brother's inventions

Creativity in all its forms can better our lives in so many ways. It's not only the satisfaction it gives us, but also the ability to enhance other people's lives, whether we are into arts, music, writing or science. Happy to share that my dear brother, the bio-medical engineering mind in the family, has saved lives through his inventions.

Click on this link to see video and the article that I copied below:

GAINESVILLE, Fla., (WCJB) -- There's a first time for everything, but if you've ever had a medical procedure, you might find yourself hoping it's not the doctor's first time with a patient.

A UF professor has helped create medical simulators so students can practice on a human-like subject before seeing you in the doctor's office.

On this Tech Tuesday, TV20 sat down with the UF professor to learn how his technology has helped save lives.

"Every clinician...doctor, nurse...they will always have a first patient," Samsun Lampotang, the inventor of the simulators, "Which they will do something for the first time, and generally, you and I as patients, don't want to be that first patient."

Dr. Lampotang from UF saw this issue time and time again as he went through med school and became a professor...no matter how well a student did, there were scenarios they wouldn't see sometimes for years into their medical practice.

"An anesthesia resident may spend four years ins anesthesia, and never see a rare case, because they are so rare they will not occur in the four years he or she is training, but when they leave and practice for 30 years, they will probable deal with encountering that rare event which sometimes can be fatal," he continued.

Lampotang decided to change that.

"With a simulator, we can make the experience something at will, so that should they encounter it in real life, 

they will see that pattern and they will remember, 'I've seen this before,' and they will initiate the appropriate 

response, pretty much automatically."

Lampotang and a team of doctors have created around 20 simulators -- which have arguably saved thousands 

of lives across the world.

Authors' Afternoon with Jean Marc Ah-Sen

Inviting all book lovers and writers to meet our talented guest author, Jean Marc Ah-Sen, and to chat with him about his writing, and his book, Grand Menteur.

It was chosen as one of the best 100 books in 2015 by the Globe and Mail. The list can be viewed here: The Globe100 - The best books of 2015. You can also read a sample online at amazon's kindle store by clicking "look inside" on amazon's Grand Menteur page,

Come by to hear more about street-gangs and the criminal world. It will be a thrilling afternoon.

Self-acceptance

Sharing this photo I took a few years ago in Mauritius. It reminds me that when we feel insignificant against the immensity of nature's splendour, it is easier to find perspective within ourselves. The meditative atmosphere is conducive to a deeper understanding of our capacity to love and accept ourselves and others as they are. It is an inner journey each of us has to take alone. It may not be easy at times. This article is a good reminder of how to practice self-acceptance.

When we can focus on the positive in us and in all situations, it is easier to accept the negative and work on them in a more constructive manner. I wrote this haiku to say it in simpler words.

In all negatives

you can discover the gift

of positive strength