Crazy Weekend Update

It was indeed a crazy weekend.

Friday was Leah's birthday. 3-0!. It was also Lisa's last day staying with us, and the end of a 5 night run of house guests. And it was also Dylan's welcome back to Toronto party. Crazy, busy, fun times.

On Saturday, I headed down to the islands for the Virgin music festival. I had signed up to volunteer with Global Inheritance - I am on their email list and was happy to see they were coming to Toronto. I didn't really know what I was in for, other than it involved human global warming chess. I spent the morning helping to finish the giant chess-boards, and then went on to help with the final touches (emergency measures!) on assembling a giant wind-turbine costume (and pretty much covering my hands in spray-insulation and spray-paint).

Just before the first game started, I was assigned the role of playing a solar panel - this is pretty much like a bishop, in traditional chess, but with a sandwich board of solar panels, a mask and a bright orange wig...
AND woman's American Apparel GOLD TIGHTS.

After a quick run to the washroom to change into my leggings, I was ready to do battle against the forces of pollution and destruction. We managed to draw a decent crowd, but we lost the two first games, with major havoc wreaked by the black queen (a factory, with smoke billowing from her chimney). The final game of the evening was an epic battle, with Hugh of the Wildbirds leading us to our first victory of the day!!

It was RIDICULOUS. And lots of fun. I got more than a few 'nice tights' comments, and a number of requests for pictures.

After about 7, we were free to roam the festival grounds. I saw most of Mute Math's set, with Felicity and Marty (MM's biggest fans). After that, I saw the first two songs of Bjork's set, which was AMAZING! I then left to go and catch the ferry, and heard another couple of songs on my way there. It was magical riding towards downtown on the ferry, on a clear cool night, with Bjork and her 12 piece brass section soundtracking the whole thing.

I left before the end in order to book it up to the Concord, to see Jessica play. The set included a couple of guest appearances... Leah on flute and backup vocals, for a couple of songs (including a Feist cover), and a crazy, not-altogether-sober lady who requested to get on the mic for a minute... and proceeded to bust out some not-all-that-bad-sounding freestyles (although the actual words were mostly incomprehensible). Jessica and the band were pretty freaking awesome - it is crazy watching jazz musicians who are so good they can kill, without even putting forth any effort.

On Sunday I frantically tried to prepare for Monday's classes at Humber. I had to give two lectures, and had not managed to even get my hands on the textbook yet. It was stressful, to say the least. Church was good, although I was feeling pretty burnt. Pat prayed for me in the back, which was cool. I managed to slip my volunteer bracelet off, and gave it to Leah... so she skipped out early to go and watch the Killers and the Smashing Pumpkins (who totally blew her mind, by the way). I went home and threw together a presentation on Sustainable Practices.

I couldn't sleep. Leah came home at 1 or something. I think I fell asleep around 2. I woke up at 5 yesterday and trekked out to Humber for an 8 oclock lecture. The rest of the day was spent scrambling to prepare for a 2.30 lecture on Residential Framing... hectic. I got home, exhausted. Leah had made a delicious dinner, and then we watched the Goonies...

And that was the weekend...