going it alone

Tomorrow the CBC is recording Douglas Coupland for North By Northwest and I got a double pass to listen to him read from "J-Pod" and to do a Q&A. I like these readings because it's fairly casual and the authors are generally charming, etc. And I can stock up on CBC stickies and magnifying ruler things. I figured, with Doug being from Vancouver and I and my friends falling into his well-documented Gen X category, that it would be easy to find someone to come with me. I made some calls. I left messages. I hoped for the best.

And nothing. Not a single person to go with.

So then I obviously have to wonder if it's me. Like, I wrack my brain to think of whether or not I've done something thoughtless to every person I called. Could they have been lying about having something better to do? Are they really leaving town on holiday? Maybe I've been making nasty calls in my sleep and they now hate me. I have no idea. But I can't even begin to understand how it could be this hard to utiliize my plus one.

Sure, I didn't call every person on my phone list. That would be silly. No, I stuck with people that probably wouldn't mind last minute (relative to me) plans on a Monday night. People that likely have read Doug's books or have some sort of interest in his art. People that can sit still for an hour-and-a-half. People who won't mind seeing me spaz out and laugh too loud and overreact to things Douglas Coupland says. I see now my error.

I set my standards too high.

Next time I will definitely enquire with the strange guy on the bus that kept walking back and forth before finally plunking down on the seats at the front and lifting his shirt, who then got off the bus at my stop and made the statement that the bus was so damn hot.

It wasn't that hot. It was supposed to be 37'C today (and tomorrow), but I wore a hoodie after work and on the bus home. (Apparently it was 38'C at some point today.) Is it me? It's me, right?

Note to self: be less irrational and people will like you better.

So, unless someone can commit to this thing before 6pm (it starts at 6:30 somewhere downtown), I'm going alone. Which is becoming regular. Like the Grates show next Friday. After which I'll be riding the bus around Skid Row by myself. Good times, all around.

It's time to get more Island Farms frozen yogurt.

And I haven't even gotten into the bride/bridesmaid day yesterday. Maybe that's what's set me off.

Currently listening :
International Breeze
By Postal Blue
Release date: 16 July, 2004