GOTV in Sakeeng First Nation.

I helped out a buddy of mine and his election bid in Sakeeng First Nation earlier this week. He didn't win, but I did what I could for a buddy.

Under the circumstance; we had an HQ, scrutineers, a crew getting out the vote. A basic election infrastructure on election day.

I am honored to have participated in this election because I had an important role to play as a coordinator. I just wish we had better intel on the situation, but you have to play with what you have and not with what you wish you had.

In any case . . .

Talk to you later!

Sunday Morning Brunch . . . with One Eye Open.

Just waking up with my boy at the moment. Getting ready for breaky; sausage, hashbrowns, eggs, and fruit. I went to another art exhibition on Friday, down at the Urban Shaman.

The artist was a Jeff Thomas, and the exhibit was a 'Study into Indian-ness", check it out it's pretty cool. I was hoping to bring 'Mr. Age-Page', but he didn't feel like it.

Then on Saturday, AJ and I, went to the mall to pick up a sweat shirt, a movie (The Patriot with Mel Gibson), and roasting chickens.

Afterwards, we went out for gelatti. He's nuts over gelatti! He has his special little place down on Cordon.

Then we just hung out for the rest of the day.

He'll be picked up by his mom pretty soon, so I better go and fill his belly up.

Talk to you later!

Another Busy Week.

Feels like time speeds away during the week. Just another week of being busy with personal chores, work and social time.

I've been moving and it's been a matter of getting my stuff and moving them.

Work, is also been pretty busy at the same time, juggling projects, networking, writine and another stuff like that.

Social time, that's been pretty cool. As well. Spent time with the Aboriginal Writers Collective on Wednesday, went to an art exhibition featuring contemporary artist, KC Adams at the Annex Art Gallery and watched movies on Thursday night.

Planning to get my boy today, and we'll hang out.

Talk to you later!

Busy and on the go!

Whew! Been pretty busy the past couple of days since my last posting.

Friday: I was double booked on Friday evening. I did a poetry reading down at Urban Shaman. It's an Aboriginal Art Gallery showcasing contemporary art from Aboriginal artists. It was their grand opening for their new location at 203-290 McDermot Avenue (www.urbanshaman.org) . If you get a chance, check it out! They have friendly staff and great art to enjoy!

Afterwards, I went down to the Academy Bowling Lanes for a friends' 30th birthday party. Lotsa fun and laughs!

Saturday: Hung out for the day and watched movies, then my son came over and we hung out together.

Sunday: More time with my son. We went to Lockport for an ice cream, along with another buddy of mine. We played Lego for the rest of the day. Mostly, we played war. He'll build military ships, tanks, and planes. When it's all prepared, we'll then have a great battle. I've been teaching him military strategy and tactics.

Anyways, gotta go!

Talk to you later!

Memories from the Rez . . . Back in '84

When I was a boy, I spent my summers back home on the rez, in Lac Seul First Nation. If you drive east on the Trans-Canada Highway from Winnipeg, Manitoba, it'll take you pretty much there. It's near Sioux Lookout, Ontario. It's one of the best places in Canada to go fishing and camping.

I spent my summers there, living with my uncle's. I would bunk up with them and they would let me do my own thing with my cousins. We'd spend hours in the bush, playing Star Wars and G.I Joe. For the most part, I got to be Han Solo 'cause I had a crush on Princess Leia.

Back in those days, we didn't have electricity and we were pretty isolated. You either had to fly in a plane, or drive a boat to get to the reserve.

You could catch a plane in 'Sioux', or in Hudson. In Hudson, there was Starret Airways (and if you go to the Western Canadian Aviation Museum here in the 'Peg, you'll see his plane on display), or in 'Souix' it was with Knobby's.

Well one day, I was coming back from a day of hanging out with my cousins. Coming back for some supper. I got to my uncle's place, and old uncle Gilbert is locking up the house. I was wondering, what's going on here?

As it were, we were going in to town to watch a movie at the Mayfair Theatre in 'Sioux'. You have to understand; the ride into town by plane is 20 minutes, by boat - it's an hour and half.

Uncle Gilbert is pulling out the gas tanks from the shed and hauling them down to the boat. His wife is sitting in the boat, along with Poonch and his wife.

It's about five in the evening before we set off. We motor on the lake, and I'm wondering (as ten year old boys do), what movie we're about to see.

We arrive about 6:30, just enough time catch a cab from the Marina to the Mayfair.

As we're settling in to our seats, Uncle Gilbert comes back with popcorn and fried chicked.

The credits open up, "Lo and Behold when the waters drank Atlantis, it was a time of high adventure - a time for Conan!"

It was 'Conan the Destroyer'!

It was a side to my uncle that I had never seen before, don't know if I shared in too much. But, a memory that I have of him. Uncle Gilbert worked as a foreman, building houses, fighting fires, and as a guide for American fishermen. He was a hunter, fisherman, and man who could handle a chainsaw pretty good. He taught me alot of good things, when it came to work, and in the bush. A practical man.

But, for the moment, we were watching 'Conan the Destroyer' together.

When the movie ended that evening, we only had 30 minutes of sunlight. Uncle Gilbert drove in the dark, expertly guiding the boat along the myriad of lakes the jutted in and out along out route. He knew enough about the land, that I bet, he could've driven the route blindfolded.

I spent the rest of the trip huddled in blankets and slept underneath the stars as Uncle Gilbert drove us back home on the rez.

It was the first and only time, that I have ever been to a movie theatre with him.

Talk to you later!

It's All Good

It's been a compact week, just in terms of work and hustling work. Did all my appoinments and writing earlier this week and during the weekend. For the most part, it's now a waiting game.

I did find out, that all the paperwork for my new company (drum roll please), Ojijaak Management Corporation is a GO! Another sale! But, again, it's a waiting game at the moment.

I spent some of the afternoon, yesterday, visiting old colleagues because of the warm weather in the 'Peg. I enjoy seeing people walk in the streets when it's warm. I feel like I'm in a big city, hustling and bustling. It perks me up!

I've been reading Bill Clinton's autobiography, "My Life". It's pretty cool. A buddy of mine, has the CD, and I was checking it out, and I was blown away because it's read by him as well. I enjoy his pacing, intonation, and delivery when it comes to speeches. But, alas! Another time in our lives, and we now have to live with today's US President.

Talk to you later!

Expert Angler, Master Guide, Exceptional Hunter Maeengan Linklater 

My Kid is a Genius!

Just found out today, that my boy and his best friend won first prize (in his age group) in a science fair.

From what I heard, he created a trebuchet. A trebuchet was the most powerful siege weapon in the Middle Ages, it could fling huge boulders at castle walls in times of battle. Just think of a catapult, but only bigger.

It's the second year in a row that he's won first prize! Last year, he and his best friend did an exhibit on the Titanic. He drew a blueprint of the ship, was able to explain where everything was located, and could give you the statistics of the ship.

I love spending time with my boy. We'll watch historical films, play war with his lego, and generally hang out together. He's quite logical in his thinking, has a great sense of direction, and a fondness for Thai food.

I'm proud to be his dad!

I never grew up with my father, so I want to make sure that my son has a close relationship with his dad. I want to ensure that he's able to know who he is a person, where he comes from, and is able to meet the world with confidence. To me, he is my centre, the foundation that makes me want to be a better person. Because, he'll need me to guide him later in life, and I wan to make sure that I can provide him with the answers that he'll seek.

Talk to you later.

Doodling with the Aboriginal Writers' Collective of Manitoba

I belong to the Aboriginal Writers' Collective of Manitoba. It's a collective of Winnipeg based Aboriginal writers . . duh!

But, for the most part, it's a place where we can get together, chill, write, and share our stories together. Even, if, for the most part, we're pretty dysfuctional as a group. But, we're kinda like family, we fight, bicker, laugh, and slam each other down in battles between wits.

Afterwards, we head down to a pub, called the 'Kings Head', where we drink ale and smoke lots of ciggerettes. Where we fight, bicker, laugh and slam each other down in battles between wits.

In any case, here is a piece written tonight, as it was written during a writing exercise.

The Perfect Moment (albeit at 5 o'clock in the morning . . .)

'The green neck of a wine bottle is perfect to hold at 5 o'clock in the morning, when the beer is all gone and the hard liquer has been drunk. By this time, the sun is beginning to creep above the horizen, the birds are beginning to chirp, and I'm enjoying the moment.

I have found a joint, rolled from the collective remains from all the roaches, smoked earlier that night. There's a bit of ash, mixed in with the toke, but it's all good in this perfect moment.

I'm inhaling, swigging wine, with a smile on my lips. You can hear David and his old lady having drunk sex in the bedroom upstairs. He's going pretty hard tonight, judging by the sound of her voice, "Oh God! Oh God! Oh God!"

The wine is almost gone, the joint is coming to an end, and I need a fucking smoke to enjoy the rest of this perfect moment.'

Talk to you later!

Back In The Saddle Again!

Whew! Just getting in the swing of things here on this blogspot. I have my buddies with theirs, and it blows me away at the creative investment that they placed on theirs. But, I shouldn't compare apples and orange with my humble blogspot.

Just got back from Ottawa Ontario, where I was attending the Liberal Party of Canada Bienniel Convention. Pretty interesting . . . never been to one. In anycase, it was pretty busy and fast paced. Four days of networking, shmoozing and getting resolutions voted into policy. I was in bed by 3 am and up at 7 am everyday for 4 hours of sleep a night.

It's Monday afternoon, kinda took it easy this afternoon to recharge my batteries. I made all my morning appoinments, but I still need to follow up on some other business. I'm getting focused on what I want to do and it feels great to have the opportunity as to what I want to do. I know that I have to work on my time management skills, but I'm getting there.

Talk to you later!

Today is a New Day!

Feeling really tired at the moment. I've gots lots of stuff in my life that takes up alot of energy and time.

I have my businesses that need tending.

I have my son that I want to spend quality time with.

I have my voluntary committments in the Aboriginal community, and the voluntary activities that I do on behalf of the Liberal Party of Canada and the Manitoba Liberal Party.

I have my writing that I want to develop further.

So, four major areas that I want to make sure that I will be able to carry out what I what.

Talk to you later!