Wednesday, July 1, 2015

Insecure? Who me?

There's a lot going on today. First and foremost it is Canada Day. Yay Canada! We stand on guard for thee. Do we? Maybe not so much. Right now a fair number of Canadians aren't feeling so proud. We aren't proud of our government's stand on the environment, and how our aboriginal people have been treated and indeed, continue to be treated. We aren't proud of the lack of support for our veterans, or the cavalier attitude of big government and big business in regards to the responsibility to those less empowered. On the other hand, we are still allowed to express such disappointment and not be thrown into jail. That's big. We still love our national parks and our desire for peace. We still desire our government to actively reflect who we are as a people and I haven't given up all hope that we will get there. I think it is in our grasp. So Happy Birthday Canada, with all your warts and all.

Secondly, a play I wrote with some friends is opening tonight in Chester, Nova Scotia at the Playhouse and I'll get to see it. Malcolm Callaway and I wrote the libretto back in the nineties, while Dawn Harwood-Jones and Jim Henman wrote the music. It's called Death, the Musical - karaoke at the Afterlife Bar & Grill.  We call it Death for short. We put it on at the Playhouse in 98 and then the following year it made it to the mainstage of the Neptune Theatre in Halifax. That was one of the highlights of my life for sure. So now, sixteen years later, it is back in Chester. I look forward to seeing it and will happily stand and take a bow when my friends and all shout out 'authors! authors!'

Thirdly, it is a meeting of the Insecure Writer/s Support Group once again. Hit it to find more of us!

 
 
I have to admit - I don't feel that insecure today. Last night I met with my insecure human's support group or The Babes as we like to call us. I'm in Nova Scotia for a short visit and meeting with them as often as possible has been my mandate. We had such a fabulous get together and one of the things we did is do a go around with these two questions - "What did you want to have accomplished by now and you think will not happen in this lifetime?" and "What seems like it might still be in your grasp?"  That brought up conversation that was wonderful, searing, heart-breaking, funny, and all that one can hope for in good company with friends of thirty years or so. The next round we asked for everyone to look at their first answer and see if they could see how their desires had manifested in this life. Was it true that they hadn't attained what they thought or was there a way that they had? That was astounding from my point of view.  My answers to both sets of questions had been about my creativity. I feel that having a book of mine published is within by grasp. And I'm good with my crazy life - I cannot be a Hilary Mantel or a Margaret Atwood  - I don't have enough life left but I make a hell of a Jan Morrison! The answer to my first question was that I thought I'd be famous by now. Not like Madonna but that I'd have earned famousness. Shallow stupid but true answer. When I went deeper I realized I am famous with those that I want to be. Tonight I'll get to take my bow and be famous in Chester. Next week I'll walk down the road in Sheshatshiu and a gang of kids will yell out 'Jannie Bananie! Wait for us!' and I'll be famous there. I do love my life.
 


6 comments:

Anonymous said...

So glad that you have such a good support group, Jan! And you do make one hell of a Jan Morrison :-). As to Canada Day....all my best to you and all my Canadian friends. Isn't it wonderful to live in a society where you can express your disappointment, even outrage, at things? It all gives hope that things can get better. And that is a good reason to be happy on Canada Day.

Hart Johnson said...

That's exciting about your play--I'd love to see something I wrote turned into something. And YAY for girl time! Enjoy the Babes! (and thank you for my spanking. I'm NOT a failure!)

Karen Jones Gowen said...

Happy birthday, Canada! I hope Canada is less in debt than your neighbor to the south. With Greece going bankrupt and other countries in trouble, it concerns me to see crazy spending of big government. Every month my husband checks the bank anxiously, as he believes one day the social security checks will stop coming. And this isn't welfare, these are funds people have had taken out of their paychecks for entire lifetimes, with the promise of receiving them for retirement. Does Canada manage its funds better than the US?

On happier news, I can see why you're feeling pretty great! How fun to have a play produced and see your words acted out on stage!

Karen Elizabeth Brown said...

Congratulations on your success! It's time to be proud of yourself and pat yourself on the back for all your hard work coming to fruition. The many hours of creating the storyline and hashing out the lines with your other authors is behind you, so take that bow!

Happy Birthday, Canada! It is so close to USA's July 4th celebration that it seems to get underplayed down here. But you have a lot to celebrate right now, so go for it.

Visiting from IWSG.

Charity Bradford said...

Happy Birthday Canada! How cool that your play has been around for so long. Enjoy your bow! I think your attitude and current views on being famous is perfect. If only we can all reach that wonderfully peaceful place where we are content with the joy in our lives. Thanks for sharing it with us today!

Jen said...

What a marvelously positive post, Jan!! Thank you for this :) Happy Birthday Canada!! Enjoy any celebrations you attend and speaking of celebrations, congratulations on your play! That's wonderful! You deserve a standing ovation for the bravery it takes to put a play out there into the world!!

Oh, and I LOVE this sentence: "I make a hell of a Jan Morrison!" You're right! We may not be the next Whoever Big Star but we can and DO make one hell of a Who we ARE!! That's a wonderful goal to have :D

Thanks for stopping by my blog this morning!
Cheers,
Jen