On Wednesday night, after two fruitless hours at Robarts library looking for coats of arms, as a sort of beautiful non-memorial activity, Rick and I went to see Arturo Brachetti at the Canon (Pantages) Theatre. I had gotten the tickets for free on Monday from Ania in membership - a Mirvish promotional offer to Membership at the ROM, or something.

I'd had a headache all day at work and it only got worse leading up to Brachetti. By halfway through the first act, i was well aware that I was having a migraine. It occured to me that perhaps I should go home at the intermission, but I fought the urge and took one of my meds to try to lessen the pain, or at least keep it from getting worse, as I really don't know how often I would get to see a performance like Brachetti's again.

It was completely unique and visually stunning and, unfortunately, I think generally over the heads of the average Torontonian theatre-goer. His is a very European theatrical event. It refers to European cultural icons and expects the audience to know them too. It made the performance wonderful for me, who was introduced to classic film and European film at a reasonably young age. There were only a few references that I didn't get. The final piece in his performance is a grand tribute to Fellini, the Italian film maker. My mother would have loved it - she adores Fellini. I loved it. I loved the whole performance, even with the migraine, though the music -was- a little loud. But, then, I was a kid who saw 8 1/2 at about the age of the same number, La Cage au Folles when I was about 10, and Cabaret not much later... I grew up surrounded by films that weren't North American mainstream. For me, Brachetti was awesome. For the majority of the theatre, I suspect he was entertaining and amusing at times, but a bit confusing. Too bad for them. He'll probably do alright in Quebec when he's there, and probably in New York, but for the most part, I doubt North America will 'get' him.

I stayed out of work on Thursday, feeling still quite fragile, heading to my dentist appointment in the middle of the afternoon. There's nothing quite like recovering from a migraine with the power toothbrush vibrating your teeth. I suppose I should be happy that it wasn't a drill. *shudder* I went to A&C's after, and aside from feeling kind of bleh there as well, that was alright. Carrie and I enjoyed a double-header of CSI on CTV. It's kind of good compared to many crime dramas produced on this side of the Atlantic. It's no Homicide - Life on the Street, but it's pretty good. Anyway, I had a terrible night sleeping and woke up this morning feeling not a whole lot better than I did yesterday. I might leave work early today. I don't know. I really need the money, but I really feel weird.

Today is September Eleventh. This morning, Tanya sang Mozart's Requiem in honour of the dead. This morning, the names of the dead were read aloud from Ground Zero. Today we remember. We remember those that died. Today is not about America's undying spirit, or the vanquishing of evil-doers the world over. Today is the anniversary of the many hundreds that died as four hijacked jet airliners opened the eyes of the world. Wave your flags if you think that's what is important today. Sing your anthems and pledge your allegiance if it makes you think you're part of something great. Send your sons and daughters off to war if you think that's what makes America the Beautiful.

I prefer to recall those who lost their lives because of the insanity of Man; the inhumanity of Man.

Fighting a useless war did not answer the questions nor did it offer security. Stripping the rights and freedoms of hundreds of people for the sake of mere, and often groundless, possibilities did not reclaim what was lost. No, not at all. Perhaps now it is time to try a different road. A route too often disregarded: the road of peace. That is a message I want brought to the world, to all that fight their insane struggles, their battles wrought of vengence and jealousy. We are one people, billions of us, living on one planet despising each other. Put down your flags and your fists and instead take up the cause of unity. It has never truly been tried, never truly given a fair chance to succeed. Time has shown us that hatred and war do not work, do not further humanity. Put down your rolls of bills, close your wallets and set aside your flow-charts. Open your eyes and realise that war should not be what runs our economies, no matter what, for the losses are impossible to value.

Try the road of Peace. The road of War is a dead-end.

So, today, I got this email:

On Monday Jean Cretien and George Bush are meeting in
Detroit to discuss Bush`s plans on war on Iraq. It is clear
that despite global opposition to a war on Iraq, Bush plans
to attack Iraq anny day now.

ON THE EVENING OF THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 5TH OVER
100 FIGHTERS FROM THE US AND UK BOMBED IRAQ IN
THE LARGEST BOMBING MISSION SINCE 1998.

Join the Toronto Committe Against Sanctions and War on
Iraq for thie emergency rally and picket.

BRING YOUUR OWN SIGNS AND BANNERS THAT WE
CAN HOLD ALONG THE SIDEWALK OF YONGE STREET.

Liberal Party HQ in Toronto
MONDAY SEPTEMBER 9, 5 PM
CORNER OF YONGE ST. AND ST.MARY`S
(2 blocks south of Bloor)

And I can't help but wonder if that bombing stuff was true, and I figured, sure, it probably is considering how biased the news media has been of late. I wouldn't doubt that such news would be omitted or lessened, of course, maybe it was all over the news and somehow I missed it. I haven't exactly been breaking down doors to listen/watch these days. And as I'm reading, I think, ya, I'll go protest, screw work today - this is important. Then I see that the protest is at 5pm. FIVE? FIVE??!! Come on, folks, give me a bloody break. What kind of a message is that? "Oh, when I'm done work - something far more important than the world's issues - I thought I'd go wave my little flag at a protest. Of course, I might be too tired and I'll just go home..." Yeesh. 5pm. Bush and Chretien are meeting right now, not sometime later. Any effect this could have had is made pointless by being held long after their meeting is completed.

Hopefully, if Chretien wants a real legacy for himself, he'll screw the war and ratify Kyoto. Not that either will matter one iota to Babybush and his insane cronies and lapdogs (um, hello, Tony Blair? You're LABOUR, why are you being an ass-kisser?) I have no faith in people anymore, certainly very little in governance, and frankly, if I have to see one more piece of 9-11 memorial INDUSTRY bullshit, I'll be sick. Somewhere along the way, they got so caught up in their patriotic flag-waving and revenge that they forgot that many hundreds died.

Okay, rant over. You can all go home.