Making Paper, Swearing at the TV

Yesterday I was going to start sorting out the paper swap and realized I really wanted to keep them all for myself. But now that you know my address that might not be so easy to get away with, so I decided instead to make a few sheets to add to my own stack, and at least that way I get back more. Plus I had a fair bit of nervous energy to get out of my system before the hockey game. And during the intermissions, as I worked myself into a raging headache and jumped around swearing for the last 10 minutes of regulation and needed to simmer down a bit. Damn it Crosby, you spend the whole tournament not shooting the puck and then wait until the most dramatic moment possible for that goal? Twenty minutes early would have saved me, and half the country, a heart-attack and their voices. It's alright though... trying to calm back down again. I had a sneaky feeling that's how it would end, then when it when into overtime I knew it was because God loves us and wanted us to have a ridiculously awesome Paul Henderson moment to cap off the Olympics. :) Which were awesome right up until the concert started.

I know the stereotype is that Canadians apologize to much, but on behalf of all of us, I am very very sorry VANOC choose such horrible acts. I believe NBC cut it off (as they did with much of their coverage) and I don't know what other countries saw, but for good Canadian acts please see: Our Lady Peace, Great Big Sea, Barenaked Ladies, The Tragically Hip, The Guess Who, BTO, Steppenwolf, Five Man Electrical Band, Choclair, Swollen Members, Tom Cochrane, Holly Cole, Diana Krall, Sarah Slean, The Weakerthans, Joel Plaskett Emergency, Hawksley Workman, Feist, Arcade Fire, Rufus Wainwright, Rascalz, Molly Johnson, Sass Jordan, Kardinall Offishall, Maestro, Melissa McClelland, Glen Gould, Oscar Peterson (OK, those two wouldn't have been able to perform but look them up anyway), Bif Naked, Tegan and Sara, The Pursuit of Happiness, David Usher, Big Sugar, 54-40, The Band, Blackie and the Rodeo Kings, The Philosopher Kings, Peaches (ok, she wouldn't have been appropriate but Nickleback screaming about getting hammered was?), The Trews, Big Wreck, I Mother Earth, Hugh Dillon, Johnny Favourite Swing Orchestra, Sam Roberts, Beast.

What I would have love to see was something fun like Russell Peters hosting The Arrogant Worms' "Canada is Really Big, Rocks and Trees", Moxy Früvous' "King of Spain", Great Big Sea's "Ordinary Day", "Consequence Free", "Old Black Rum" to get everyone dancing, Barenaked Ladies' "Falling for the First Time", "Be My Yoko Ono", "If I Had $1000000" or something, The Hip's "Fireworks" if only for the opening, one by Prozzäk for fun, Rascalz' "Northern Touch", Stompin' Tom's "Good Old Hockey Game" of course, Trooper's "We're Here for a Good Time" just because, and finish with Spirit of the West's 'Home For a Rest.' Would have been awesome and appropriate.


Anyway, back to the paper. I did three where I layered calligraphy and watercolour over and over until it's only pattern and the words are not distinguishable (one's O Canada, I'll make sure that goes to a Canuck, I guess I was feeling inspired after hearing it so many times and because our outfits were terrific, well done HBC), and the one at the front of the picture I made by using my new (old) letterpress and stamping masking fluid, then covering it with ink. This one I really liked, especially since I thought the letters would be much blurrier then they are. I think I'll try some more resist work the next time I make antique paper.