The fun to be had when you leave the house!

Good Daughter's 2nd Year animation project was screened at the NFB last Thursday in Montreal. Of course, I was there. Her film was the best of the 79 or so shorts screened. I'm not just saying that because I birthed her. Really. I'm not.

Here's the proof.

In addition to Concordia's Animation Film Festival, Good Daughter and I hiked Mount Royal, watched The King's Speech on her computer, ate croissants whilst strolling the tulip-festooned boulevards, found a cheap greasy spoon, and toured Musee des beaux-arts de Montreal.

The First Emperor of China Exhibit is humbling. The age of some of the exhibits boggle the mind. I found the exquisite artistry in each of the pieces touching. Just think of it---an unknown artist centuries ago, probably a slave, poured all of his skill and his heart into pieces that he believed would be buried with the Emperor for all time. And there I was in 2011 admiring that artist's work.

The exhibit's focus was the accomplishments of the Emperor but I couldn't stop thinking about the artists, the sculptors and craftsmen who brought the Terracotta Army to life. The Emperor was just the egomanical catalyst--the artists were the real givers of joy and life.

THIS JUST IN: I've joined Absolute Write. After my previous post swearing I would RESIST.... I did not resist. I joined. Caved. Collapsed like a Montreal bridge.

ALSO JUST IN: The River Bride is coming along beautifully if I do say so myself.  The big crunch is on to have a clean draft ready for September 1.

And spring is here. The flowers and birds and the greens and yellows are ahhh.

Absolute Write Water Cooler

Some of the funniest writers I've ever encountered hang out (incognito) at Absolute Write Water Cooler. I'm not a member because I think it would be very, very bad to play with these kids on a regular basis. My mom would disapprove. They're the sort of kids who smoke in the bathroom and swear at the teacher but have the best conversations when they're alone.

I'd never get any work done if I became a member and I'd probably stop wearing underwear or something radical like that.

(Although I'm not actually getting any work done at the moment because I'm lurking in the Cooler, but I'm operating on the theory that I'm minimizing the damage by not signing up. And I still have my underwear so it seems to be working.)

Be warned. This is a true writers' site. Books are like hot dogs--we like 'em but we'd like 'em less if we knew what went into the making of them. Keep your illusions about literature and stay away from This Site if you want to chow down on your book without the visuals.

But if you don't mind a little reality mixed in with your fiction, pay the forum a visit and learn what it really means to be a writer. Stephenie Meyers wouldn't have lasted five minutes in this playground.

If I were an editor, I'd buy everything these maniacs wrote.

Just saying.