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| Photography by Darren Stone |
I've been here since September 20, 2010... and it's been nothing short of a culture shock. Do I fully relate to being a Canadian though? Not exactly. Has there been a day here where I'm not faced with "Do they ____ in Canada?" regularly reminding me where I am from, and having me constantly reflect on what Canadians 'do' and are 'like'? No.
I daydream about the days I will spend living in various cities in Europe, and when I think of those cities my mind rests, and deep in my thoughts I feel 'at home'. I love the country I was born in, but my morals, outlooks and opinions relate strongly to those that are rooted across the Atlantic.
American's seem to be in fear, a sense of anxiety, always peering over their shoulder. They are in shock, gasping for air... lock your doors, and buy insurance! Attacks, assaults, murders, all happen in Canada too, but our reaction is annoyance, we get perturbed, and it all ends with an off-coloured political cartoon in the newspaper.
I find no one questions anything. In Canada we find a conspiracy within anything, we somehow find a clue leading to how the 'man' is trying to control our minds. Then again, I lived on an island on the west coast, and I was surrounded by hippies, new age mysticism, yogi's, Wiccan's, cyclists, protest signs, and anarchists. Power to the independent lentil bean people!
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Happy Remembrance Day to those in Canada. Thank you to my Dad for mailing me my poppy. I really wanted one, and then one arrived!
NEWS!!
I have a new addition to my accordion family, here in Florida. My accordion friend Alan Zisman was selling his Hohner, and I have happily welcomed it in to my home.
She (she's a girl) is nice and lightweight - very necessary for my job, a 60-bass, musette tuned little sweetie. You can never have too many accordions, right??
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Although my time here so far has been brief, my "get 'er done" attitude has been suffering. I desperately want to have several music projects started already, and meet lots of artists, and create photos, and put on shows, and and and... It will happen, I haven't been here very long, and am still getting acquainted, and established.
I really adore Mickey Mouse. I must say his personality reminds me of what a cute little Asian man would act like. Actually, he reminds me a bit like Vick, the manager at my favourite sushi restaurant in Victoria BC.
My time in Florida is a lot like "the Wizard of Oz". People from my life in Victoria have been transposed into the new personalities here in Florida. I see inklings of my friends from home in the people I work with and am surrounded by here.
Performing for the public is a beautiful thing, no matter who the audience is. My favourite audience is children, and I am in the perfect place for that. Bright happy smiling faces, dressed as miniature princesses, swaying, hopping, and laughing to the music I'm playing with my accordion is pure bliss.
Note: I miss wearing my sequin booty shorts, and they're hanging in my closet, calling out my name :)
I went through some tough personal battles over the past 4 years, and what came out of it was the desire to help people, and make people happy. I didn't want to continue doing a profession that didn't make me happy or make a difference for me, that didn't change someone's attitude or day. I redirected myself, and began doing music full time. Art, music, and performance is the right fit for me.
I have performed over 125 times since being here, which blows my mind. My boyfriend made a great point last night that I am batting with 3 bats, I'm a boxer training with weights in his gloves. Everything will be lighter from these experiences I'm learning here.
I leave you now with knowing the Accordion Girl continues to move forward with saving the world, one heart at a time...
