post #3 in 2007

Yes, this is only my third post of 2007. Can it be that I've got bored of this whole blog thing?

Truthfully it's bigger than the blog: I'm bored of the fucking Internet. Sure, I'll flip through a few sites during the workday, but I don't go much further than the NYTimes and CBC. I find that I'm not even e-mailing as much as I used to, which means I feel somewhat out of touch with a number of friends. (Yes, I mean you in Portland, and you in Santa Cruz, and you in Singapore - I'm not going to pull a magic mirror Romper Room thing and start naming them all, but you get the gist.) I guess if you want to look at the positive aspect of not spending much time on the computer, it might mean that I'm having an enjoyable January, one that's full of activity and (yes!) fun. The negative side is that I'm not writing as much as I should. The blog provides an outlet, and it's one that I seem to be shunning for the time being.

Will I make more of an effort to write? Stay tuned. I'll understand if I've already lost you.

AWOL

Some of you (and a couple of you have even e-mailed!) are wondering where I've been hiding since I don't seem to be blogging. My life has been a little hectic of late (but in a decidedly good and positive way) and I haven't been much in the mood to write on here. But I was thinking this morning that I miss my relationship to this blog, so look for me to be posting more over the next few weeks. You haven't seen the last of me! (I moved my home PC as well, which I'm hoping will create some more "energy" in my apartment that will get me writing more.)

Stay tuned.

Hello 2007!

So I'm trying to figure out whether it's too late to ponder my 2006. Strangely, I'm not much in the mood to look back on the 12 months of 2006. It's not that it wasn't a memorable year - the fact that it was my first full year as a single person since 1998 makes it somewhat noteworthy - but I haven't been into the introspection thing over the last few weeks. Which, of course, I find surprising since I'm rarely not into introspection. I guess part of it is that I've been having such an entertaining last couple of weeks, I haven't felt the need to revisit the past. I'm looking forward, not behind.

Of course all that can change in a beat. Stay tuned.

At some point I should write out a list of goals I have for 2007.

Farewell 2006! (and good riddance...)

I had hoped to craft a long-ish post at some point today, but the day ended up getting away from me (a wonderful 90-minute nap will do that). I wanted to reflect on 2006, which I've recently dubbed the "year of transition," and speculate on 2007 (which has yet to be dubbed), as well outline some of my goals (distinct from resolutions) for the coming year. Unfortunately my heart just isn't into it right now! Perhaps tomorrow, when 2006 is over and I'll have some distance - I might feel a little more dispassionate about the whole year which will provide some proper perspective.

Adding to the "raw" emotions is that I'm spending New Year's Eve alone this year. It's not entirely my volition: I didn't end up getting one invite to go out! (Not entirely true, actually: I received an invite on Friday, but at the time it wouldn't have been appropriate for me to accept. Long story.) I was pretty bummed out about my lack of invites, particularly since I spent last year alone (a deliberate choice) and felt that I'd be much more in a "party" mood this year. Alas, the invitations were not forthcoming. But all is not lost: I'm going to make a nice dinner, I just poured myself some 12-year old single malt scotch and I have a some expensive Bordeaux decanting. I'll throw on a couple of "comfort" films, maybe blast some tunes (out of my new speakers, which was my xmas gift to myself), write in my journal, and enjoy an evening of contemplation.

To all my regular readers, thank you for sticking with me through these last couple of months. I hope you have a wonderful new year's eve and a peaceful and prosperous 2007. And if I haven't bored the pants off you, please continue to visit me here! I have high hopes for the coming year: I'm entering into it with much optimism and a positive spirit.

'twas the night before christmas

Just a quick note to all my readers (all four of you, or thereabouts) to wish you a wonderful and happy Christmas. Take the time to reflect on the things that mean most to you - whether that's family or friends or peace of mind - and be grateful for the wonders of this world. Peace to all.

The Big O

Just a quick note to remind all my readers that today is Global Orgasm Day! If you have a partner, share this day with them. Don't let not having a partner stop you from enjoying the day and doing your bit for world peace: you don't need me to spell out what you should be doing.

Happy Winter Solstice to you all.

Smoked meat, part 3

Unlike my previous two smoked meat posts, this one is actually about smoked meat. Or, more precisely, the absence of it: I heard on the radio this morning that Ben's Deli, the venerable restaurant on de Maisonneuve Blvd. in Montreal, has closed its doors for good. I actually had to stop what I was doing (the dishes, although I can usually find any excuse not to do the dishes) and even said to myself (since the cat wasn't in the kitchen at the time), "Wow."

Sure, some will argue that Ben's was not exactly good eats: for one, it was ridiculously unhealthy. Others will argue that the best smoked meat in Montreal is actually served uptown at Schwartz's (and it's not a point of view I would necessarily disagree with). Still, I have a soft spot for Ben's, not just for its Montreal history (Leonard Cohen was a regular, and luminaries such as Trudeau ate there) but for my own personal history: after all, Ben's was the first downtown restaurant I ate at.

When I was growing up in the West Island of Montreal, I used to go to about three or four Montreal Canadiens hockey games a year, owing to the fact that my dad's employer had season tickets. Going downtown with my father to take in a game was always a treat - in fact, some of my fondest memories of my childhood were those evenings I spent with him at the Forum. My dad wasn't much of a hockey fan, but I was a fanatic, particularly of the Habs (Guy Lafleur was my hero). So when my dad managed to procure tickets, we'd make a full night of it, which usually meant beginning the evening at Ben's to enjoy a succulent smoked meat sandwich (with a side of fries, of course). Even as a pre-teen, I was taken with quaintness of the experience: the brightness of the space, the elderly and stoic waiters with their bow ties, the meat itself spilling out of the rye bread. I loved it!

Our family moved away from Montreal back in the 1980s, but almost every time I went back, a visit to Ben's (and usually Mike's Submarine, also a staple dining experience from my youth) was de rigeur. And it's amazing how little the place changed - it was almost exactly as I remembered it (although I'd usually order a Molson 50 instead of a coke). I haven't been to Montreal for a couple of years, but the next trip (and I have been thinking about going next year for the jazz fest; for one, my fave jazz musician, Keith Jarrett, is scheduled to play with his trio) will just not seem the same without steady Ben's.

Another part of my youth, dismantling.