Visiting family and friends in Vancouver, immersing in OCADU new role, spring festivals
Vancouver, BC; North Vancouver, BC; Toronto, Ontario
Masa Japanese Restaurant: Early lunch of bento boxes and sushi with brother before he goes to work. Conversation about expected high rise construction in neighbourhood with the Broadway plan to intensify urban living in 30-year vision. Job is low stress with scenic rides on the Seabus every day. (Masa Japanese Restaurant, West Broadway, Vancouver, British Columbia) 20250501Embarc Vancouver: View of slanted green tinted roof of Vancouver Law Courts design by Arthur Erickson in 1973, with Robson Square glass domes. Mountains of North Vancouver are readily visible from 30th floor of the Wall Centre north tower. This stay viewing northeast, last year we enjoyed northwest. (Embarc Vancouver, Wall Centre north tower, Hornby Street, Vancouver, British Columbia) 20250501Libby Leshgold Gallery: Exhibition in transition, as the university prepares for The Show of works from 420 graduating artists. Work yet unlabelled, would have to come back next week for attribution. Staff let us past the do not enter sign, as they went for lunch. (Libby Leshgold Gallery, Emily Carr University, East 1st Avenue, Vancouver, British Columbia) 20250502Emily Carr University: Mounted early for The Show, ECU graduate Katherine Langdon (2025) The Set-Up draws the eye upon entry into hall. Is the subject with the head in the closet avoiding the situation, or showing discretion? Curtains on the framing suggest a performance? (Emily Carr University, East 1st Avenue, Vancouver, British Columbia) 20250502Emily Carr University: Touring halls during preparation for The Show at ECU, 5 days before official opening. Background right painting Jesse Ward (2025) Mundane Presence. Installation on the floor yet unlabelled. (Emily Carr University of Art + Design, East 1st Avenue, Vancouver, British Columbia) 20250502SUCCESS Care Home: Entertaining mother with crafty folding of paper butterfly. Since last year’s visit, we were advised against offering food and snacks. Pushed wheelchair around the circular hallway. (SUCCESS Care Home, Carrall Street, Vancouver, British Columbia) 20250502Banana Leaf on Davie: Malaysian cuisine may not be found in Seattle, so sampled roti canal, beef rendang, carmellized ginger fish, and Assam curry tofu at steadfast Vancouver restaurant. Last time together may have been 16 years ago in Toronto. Catching up on years that have passed. (Banana Leaf, Davie Street, Vancouver, British Columbia) 20250502Granville Island Public Market: Leisurely Saturday morning breakfast with scrumpet (crumpet variant) and crepe. Observing not only are visitors smiling and unstressed, but also the worker teams seem happy. Purchases from Muffin Granny, a food stall original in the market since its 1979 opening. (Muffin Granny Crepe & Bakery Cafe, Granville Island Public Market, Johnston Street, Vancouver, British Columbia) 20250503Historic Yellow Crane: Hoist from 1930s industrial heritage was moved opposite Sea Village in 2022. Prior location was hidden by Emily Carr University site 1980-2017 at 1399 Johnston Street, a building still vacant. Tower has become a landmark near southeast end of street, visible from Public Market. (Historic Yellow Crane, Johnston Street, Granville Island, Vancouver, British Columbia) 20250503Jericho Sailing Centre: Outstanding view of North Vancouver mountains, and West End city centre from second floor patio on south shore of English Bay. Club is private for sailors, but upstairs is open for public. Can’t remember visiting this venue when I lived in Vancouver in the 1980s. (The Galley Patio and Grill, Jericho Sailing Centre, Discovery Street, Vancouver, British Columbia) 20250503
Morris and Helen Belkin Art Gallery: Overhead sculpture, light projection onto floor, + audio recording Yuan Wen (2025) Play in the Field, part of Impos(s)able Impositions: UBC Master of Fine Arts Graduate Exhibition. At end of hall, drawings on xuan rice paper. Noises were intruding from the installation just over the wall, with sounds set for the opening night reception two nights earlier. (Morris and Helen Belkin Art Gallery, UBC, Main Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia) 20250503
Nitobe Memorial Garden: Dyadic waterfalls may follow Shinto style of complementary Odaki (masculine) and Medaki (feminine) forces of the natural world. Original small memorial garden with kasuga style lantern honouring diplomat Nitobe Inazō builtin 1935 did not survive vandalization when Japanese Canadians were sent to internment camps in the 1940s. Norman Mackenzie, president of UBC (1944-1962) recognized Nitobe work in League of Nations, with Government of Japan selecting Kannosuke Mori from Chiba University to complete the garden 1959-1960. (Nitobe Memorial Garden, University of British Columbia, Lower Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia)
Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge: Still a free thrill to carefully descend and ascend the arc of the bridge, holding handrails to moderate speed. Posted sign says closure in the fall, maybe time for resurfacing that happens every 10 years. Valley for the Lynn Creek is separate from the larger Capilano River, where we visited the fish hatchery. (Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge, Park Road, North Vancouver, British Columbia) 20250503Rainbow Park: Walking through Vancouver West End, encountered creatively designed public space officially opened in 2022. First new park in 10 years, full of visual interest with skybridge, play areas, pavilions, coffee shop. High urban density, serves 30,000 residents within a 10-minute walk. (Rainbow Park, Richards Street, Vancouver, British Columbia) 20250504Nuba in Gastown: Leisurely lunch with @chris_wiesinger discussing Language Action Perspective, Heidegger and life histories. Previous connection via @chaunceybell, followed through on idea that we should meet when in town. Offshoot threads to others we haven’t met in person. (Nuba in Gastown, West Hastings Street, Vancouver, British Columbia) 20250505Pendulum Gallery: Photorealistic machine feel at centre of Ewan McNeil (2023) Roller Ball acrylic on canvas. Incongruous with floral patterns in background. Part of the Pattern Language exhibition also showing Dana Cromie. (Pendulum Gallery, RBC Place, West Georgia Street, Vancouver, British Columbia) 20250505Vancouver Art Gallery: In morning shade, Kim Adams (2001) Squid Head is two rear ends of cargo load delivery vans. Without cabs or steering wheels, the lack of human driver foreshadowed vehicles 25 years later. Initially noticed the lack of license plates on the complementary blue GMC rear end, along our journey from city centre to YVR. (Vancouver Art Gallery, Hornby Street, Vancouver, British Columbia) 20250506
North Arm Bridge, Canada Line Skytrain: Southbound Canada Line rises in height to cross over Fraser River via the North Arm Bridge, with a gradual turn west towards a shorter Middle Arm Bridge. Rafts of log booms see bundles of timber floated downstream on the way to processing. Scenic exit from the city on the way to YVR. (Canada Line Skytrain, North Arm Bridge, Vancouver, British Columbia) 20250506
OCADU Graduate Programs: In-person #SystemsThinking Ontario session on Wisdom Studies, led by @psywisdom Igor Grossman and @zaid___khan . First time post-pandemic that we’ve reverted to sitting in a a circle. Conversation flowed naturally amongst all participants, little need for moderation. (OCADU Graduate Programs, Richmond Street West, Toronto, Ontario) 20250508OCADU: In #GradEx110 , Adnan AlMouselli (2025) Perfect Storm of disconnected stools and sand. Installation represents journey from university in Syria that was bombed in 2011, to studies restarted in Canada. Part of the Play subtheme in Industrial Design. (OCAD University, McCaul Street, Toronto, Ontario) 20250509OCADU: In #GradEx110, Cherie Leung (2025) Are You Warm Enough? stacks cotton quilts on top of mattress and bed frame. Concerns with 3 children, mothering turning into smothering. Recognized with OCAD University Medal 2024-2025 in Drawing and Painting. (OCAD University, McCaul Street, Toronto, Ontario) 20250509OCADU: In #GradEx110, Niki Sutherland (2025) Cartography: Mapping a Matriarch sculpture is carved offcut from a spalted (discoloured fungus) maple. Reductive process of chiselling, carving and sanding layers, to reveal black lines of decay. Living narrative of prior living organism that had activated surrounding land. (OCAD University, McCaul Street, Toronto, Ontario) 20250509
OCADU: In #GradEx110, Bita Ebnesheyki (2025) The Light of Hormuz installation brings together hand-dyed fabric and video projection in a memories of place. Soil brought back from Hormuz Island, Iran, were crushed, cooked and stained as reds into fabric. Moving images of the same soil are projected onto the dyed surface. (OCADU, McCaul Street, Toronto, Ontario) 20250509
OCADU: In #GradEx110, Sohyun Yoon (2024-2025) Remnant Project has 7 channels of video on vintage monitors, with 2 audio tracks. Objects decayed or rusted that might be otherwise discarded, now fulfill a new purpose. Recognized as recipient of OCAD University Medal (2024-2025) in Integrated Media. (OCADU, McCaul Street, Toronto, Ontario) 20250509
Hart House: Diasporic memory Aysia Tse (2025) Bean Curd Soup ft. Ye-Ye resonates as we use this vegan ingredient at home frequently. Familiar style of bowl not usual for our family. Part of the Talking Walls exhibition on Interwoven Identities. (Hart House, University of Toronto, Ontario) 20250511Knowledge House: South of Hart House is a gathering place with 13 columns symbolizing 13 moons of the year, with a hole in the roof where smoke from ceremonial fires can rise. Beyond is clearing space at a lower level, with new trees planted. Part of the Landmark Project officially completed in November 2024, based on an Indigenous Landscape design. (Knowledge House, Hart House Circle, University of Toronto, Ontario) 20250511Trinity College: Blossoms of kanzan cherry trees attracting many visitors for selfies or portraits. One of many sites of the Sakura Project donations started in 2005 by the Consultate General of Japan. Nature tells us winter is over. (Trinity College, Hoskin Avenue, University of Toronto, Ontario) 20250511OCAD U Waterfront Campus: Welcome to first day of SFI International Innovation Forum by @MikeMastroeni, with lead-off by #DannyGhantous. Presentations of Major Research Projects from master’s program in Strategic Foresight and Innovation, second day will be online. Getting a feel for type of research from OCADU, now that I’m an adjunct professor. (OCAD U Co, Queens Quay East, Toronto, Ontario) 20250515Pape Village: Family dinner celebrating birthday with vegan desserts from new Bloordale bakery originating from Montreal. Also another belated birthday, plus belated Mother’s Day. Schedules have been busy. (Pape Village, Broadview Avenue, Toronto, Ontario) 20250515OCAD U Waterfront Campus: Emcee for @TedX @OCADU_SFI day, @FentonJagdeo synthesized across 12 themes on identity, assumptions, power, + possibilities. Program content by Master of Design graduates, acknowledgement of scripts provided by student organizers of the event. Video recordings of speakers should show up in a few weeks. (OCAD U Co, Queens Quay West, Toronto, Ontario) 20250516OCAD U Waterfront Campus: Afternoon @TedX @OCADU_SFI speaker @zaid___khan on Humbling Design by Sensing Rhythms. Major Research Project of 2020 extended with continuing progress on Systems Changes Learning. Noticed audience resonance with heads nodding. (OCAD U Co, Queens Quay West, Toronto, Ontario) 20250516Commissioners Street Bridge: On morning bike commute to OCADU event, the lower leg of the rear rack sheared off, just above the eyelet. I slowed down and fell to the ground on my left side, causing back pain for the day. Old Raleigh mountain bike still comfortable on roads with potholes. (Commissioners Street Bridge, Port Lands, Toronto, Ontario) 20250516Lakeshore Boulevard East at Carlaw Avenue: Road construction impacting not only automobiles, but also bicycles and pedestrians. Roadway is to be reconfigured to 3 lanes each direction. Bike path might be restored in June, but the whole project to the Don River will take to end of 2025. (Lakeshore Boulevard East at Carlaw Avenue, Toronto, Ontario) 20250517Mount Pleasant Cemetery: Qingming tomb sweeping visit #1 of 4, for my paternal grandparents. Removed leaves and dead annuals, planted new flowers, incinerated hell money, bowed with incense, then shared food. Families of aunts and uncles used to join us when everyone was younger. (Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Toronto, Ontario) 20250518Mount Pleasant Cemetery: Qingming tomb sweeping visit #2 of 4, for my maternal grandparents. Following former practice of my mother, less elaborate ceremony, planting flower and lighting incense. Just 2 lanes west, then south of other grandparents (Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Toronto, Ontario) 20250518Pine Hills Cemetery: Qingming tomb sweeping visit #3 of 4. Lowkong Society collectively respecting ancestors who migrated to Canada. Date in recent years has been Victoria Day weekend, better weather than April, so we follow their schedule. Whole roasted pig was served before pandemic, now just oranges with an invitation for early dinner following. (Pine Hills Cemetery, Birchmount Road, Toronto, Ontario) 20250518Pine Hills Cemetery: Qingming tomb sweeping visit #4 of 4. Mother is conveniently interred just west of Lowkong Society obelisk. location selected with foresight. We hope our descendants will remember us, here. (Pine Hills Cemetery, Birchmount Road, Toronto, Ontario) 20250518Shine Kitchen: Fried noodle with fresh grouper (hold the pork) for the pescetarian, Cantonese chow mein for my father who especially picked out the squid and shrimp. Bonus afternoon tea offer of red bean freeze with jelly. More food than needed for two, but we had two appointments today. (Shine Kitchen, Steeles Avenue East, Scarborough, Ontario) 20250520Riverside neighbourhood: Potluck dinner, with family joining following afternoon conversation. Common shared experiences of having visited farm at Salina, Iowa, some fresh, some a few years back. Reviving the expanded long table, we’re empty nesters these days. (Riverside neighbourhood, Toronto, Ontario) 20250521
Redpath Sugar Refinery: In shed at foot of Jarvis Street on harbour, stockpiles of raw sugar at @Doors_OpenTO . Ships from Honduras and Brasil sail up St. Lawrence River, unloading 7 tonnes at a time. Conveyors over and under transport material to other buildings, separating white crystals from molasses syrup. (Redpath Sugar Refinery Queens Quay East, Toronto, ontario) 20250523Terroni Adelaide: Second floor Sala Da Pranzo @Doors_OpenTO used to be main courtroom of Adelaide Street Courthouse (1853 – 1900). View from third floor Il Covo Degli Artisti, originally home for Arts and Letter Club (1910-1920). Jail cells in basement now wine cellar, and a women’s washroom. (Terroni, Adelaide Street East, Toronto, Ontario) 20240524Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library: Exploring the Chinese Canadian Archives at UToronto with #JuneChow and #MorrisLum. Permitted handling of maps, photos and brochures from geographer David Chuenyan Lai collection from U. Victoria, on Chinatowns across Canada, if hands were washed. Current research into Dragon Centre mall opened in Agincourt in 1984, now in decline with review for redevelopment. (Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library, St. George Street, Toronto, Ontario) 20250527Riverdale Park West: Cabbagetown Farmers Market on Tuesday afternoons. Easy stroll through local produce and food vendors. Spring temperatures see shoppers without jackets, and in shorts. (Riverdale Park West, Winchester Street, Toronto, Ontario) 20250527Society Clubhouse: Community event #ActorsSocial coinciding with Asian Heritage month, casual backroom stage with mirror revealing audience. Script by #PhyllisCameronUng originally written as a 48-hour challenge for 3 male actors. Story of brothers missing sister. (Society Clubhouse, College Street, Toronto, Ontario) 20250528
Jimmie Simpson Park: Flower heads looking dishevelled on cold spring day with #RiverdaleArtWalk organized by #ArtistsNetwork. No rain, but many people were donning hats, toques, and gloves. Lots of baby strollers and dogs on leash. (Jimmie Simpson Park, Queen Street East, Toronto, Ontario) 20250531
Hyperactive month for spring, driving west to Iowa for research retreat and Chicago for jazz and friends; driving east to Montreal for family and musical theatre, and flying to Vancouver, BC for family
Toronto, Ontario; Port Huron, Michigan; East Lansing, Michigan; Galesburg, Illinois; Cantril, Iowa; Iowa City, Iowa; Fairfield, Iowa; Mount Pleasant, Iowa; Oglesby, Illinois; Chicago, Illinois; Lake Forest, Illinois; Evanston, Illinois; Kalamazoo, Michigan; Montreal, Quebec; Quinte West, Ontario; Vancouver, British Columbia
Riverdale Hub: Opening reception for solo exhibition, with #SungmiKong (2025) Blue Fish Top Class #2 amongst the #WhispersOfTheTimeless series shown @Riverdale_Hub gallery. Artist explained difficulties of painting on delicate hanji-paper, the inner bark of the paper mulberry indigenous to Korea. School of fish swimming towards the left represents challenge of grabbing time, should live for the present. (Riverdale Hub, Gerrard Street East, Toronto, Ontario) 20250405Riverdale Hub: In the Stained Glass series, #NancyLMoore (2024) Ruby Birch hs been held over at #RiverdaleHub from the In Living Daylight exhibition. Wide landscape painting abstracting nature using loose lines, rich textures and bold colours. On second floor of gallery, as we attended a new show downstairs. (Riverdale Hub, Gerrard Street East, Toronto, Ontario) 20250405Berczy Park: Water still turned off at Claude Cormier (2017) fountain with 27 dogs and one cat. In background, Derk Michael Besant (1980) Flatiron Mural, a trompe l’oeil on the Gooderham Building. People lounging in the sun on the chilly day, temperatures still below freezing at night. (Berczy Park, Wellington Street East, Old Town, Toronto, Ontario) 20250406McMurtry Gardens of Justice: Eastmost in the courthouse complex, John Atkin (2017) Access to Justice is a multiple rectangular arches of corten steel, stainless steel, and epoxy painted steel. Title articulates a phrase within the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Viewer can interact with the sculpture with different views, walking around. (McMurtry Gardens of Justice, Osgoode Lane, Toronto, Ontario) 20250406Bluewater Bridge Port of Entry: Thursday noontime crossing into USA, waiting behind a single vehicle in queue. Agent took passports, asked where we were going, and said we were good to go … except we had to wait for trucks transporting radioactive materials to clear on the road ahead. Route west from Sarnia Ontario is stressful than the volumes of Detroit, with only a few small towns across I-69 towards Lansing. (Bluewater Bridge Port of Entry, Port Huron, Michigan) 20250410Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum: Foreground Zaha Hadid (2013, 2015-2017) Aria and Avia, suspended over (2008 design, 2022 fabrication) Orchis. Light conceived as fluid, subtly diffusing over the fixture’s sculptural fins. Four chairs of Carrera marble, shaped like a flower unfolding and peeling away. (Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan) 20250410
Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum: MSU MFA Exhibition Megan Weaver (2022-2024) Re/Dejected cast aluminum self-portrait with pots and pans cascading down from ceiling made of shredded paper. Installation of imaginary kitchen as joyful gathering and self-expression, burdened by isolating expectations of caregiving and domestic work. Practices and spaces of storytelling are shaped by gender. (Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum, Michigan Statue University, East Lansing, Michigan) 20240410
Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum: The CORE (Center for Object Research and Engagement) basement encourages touching a smaller version of Henry Bertoia (1978) Sonambient. Each person strumming the beryllium copper rods will generate a different experience. Well-designed placement of art works in close proximity encourages engagement by students. (Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan) 20250410
El Rancherito: Unexpected brightness of chairs in Mexican restaurant disarmed us as lunch guests. Speaking with manager, the source of the furniture was Jalisco, the soul of the country. Authentic service, as waitress new to serving customers. (El Rancherito, Henderson Street, Galesburg, Illinois) 20250411Dutchman’s Store: Slight rerouting south of destination to authentic shopping of local produce, before farmers markets are officially open for season. Known as the Amish Walmart, we only visited edges of the grocery section, and avoided the dry goods. Routing through Van Buren county was suggested to us as scenic through southeastern Iowa, just north of Missouri. (Dutchman’s Store, Cantril, Iowa) 20250411Stanley Museum of Art: Abstract impressionism Robert Motherwell (1972-1975) Elegy to the Spanish Republic No. 126 is a response to the violence of human conflict and tragedy of the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) with the military coup by General Francisco Franco. Part of the series of over 100 paintings created between 1948 and 1991. Black ovals may represent the death and violence, with a bullfighting tradition potentially connected to war. (Stanley Museum of Art, West Burlington Street, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa) 20250412Stanley Museum of Art: Acquired by U. Iowa only 3 years after its completion, Max Beckmann (1943) Karneval (Carnival) depicts masked festivities of revelry before the Christian period of atonement known as Lent. The German artist had been removed from a teaching position in 1933 by the Third Reich, emigrating to Amsterdam. The three-panel format associated with devotional paintings addresses human behaviour metaphorically. (Stanley Museum of Art, West Burlington Street, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa) 20250412Stanley Museum of Art: Large enough for a human corpse, Eric Adjetey Anang (2017) Fish Coffin was part of a Stanley Museum exhibition of fantasy coffins. Figurative coffins celebrate the profession, status, or accomplishments in Ghana. An aquatic theme is appropriate for sea-related occupations. (Stanley Museum of Art, West Burlington Street, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa) 20250412Centre for Corporate Rehabilitation: Official start of 5-day Banathy Conversation retreat by CSRP Institute in rural setting. Staggered arrivals on airplanes and cars, from Helsinki, New Orleans and Toronto. Dialogue ostensibly in two groups, with overlap briefings on the second day. (Center for Corporate Rehabilitation, Fairfield, Iowa) 20240414Centre for Corporate Rehabilitation: Official photo of the 2025n1 Banathy Conversation participants, in residential retreat on farm in eastern Iowa. Five+ full days of mutual learning, with distractions limited. Two streams on method architecture and of field trainers on systems thinking, with crossover opportunities. (Center for Corporate Rehabilitation, Fairfield, Iowa) 20240414Pad Thai: Field trip to small town America, in midst of residential week on a farm. Drive 30 minutes southeast to town of 8500, restaurant just off the town square. Business owners are immigrants to the USA, friends of the host of our Conversation. (Pad Thai Restaurant, Main Street, Mount Pleasant, Iowa) 20250415Center for Corporate Rehabilitation: Sharing recent find of the 25-volume The Vietnam Experience (1981) books from Time-Life. DLH had taken similar photographs when in service, his mother destroyed them as too grotesque. The country emerged in our looking forward to fall 2025 conversation in Ho Chi Minh City. (Center for Corporate Rehabilitation, Fairfield, Iowa) 20250417Starved Rock State Park Visitor Center: Diorama of 1673 explorations of fur trader Louis Jolliet and Jesuit missionary Jacques Marquette, stopping by the village of one of the tribes of the Illinois. Contemporary view of indigenity shade portrayals common from 20th century history texts. Had lunch under covered picnic area, no time to walk the trails. (Starved Rock State Park Visitors Center, Oglesby, Illinois) 20250418
The Green Mill: Arrived just before the 9:30pm second set of Frank Catalano + Randy Brecker. Doorman said room would be mostly standing room, and we should grab any chair available as audience members from first set were leaving. We were fortunate to get seats up front. (The Green Mill, North Broadway, Chicago, Illinois) 20250418
Lake Forest: Visiting home of CMN, lifelong career shifts from tennis pro, to high energy physicist, strategy professor, now jazz pianist. First met him as a graduate school advisor 45 years ago, when I entered my master’s degree program. I recall a day biking the 20 miles up from Evanston to the prior bigger house, and then back. (Lake Forest, Illinois) 20250419
Kitchen 17: Late afternoon lunch in vegan restaurant with attitude. Followed overhead thread of light over bar, across to west wall. Ordered deep dish Chicago style pizza, kitchen prep time estimated at 35-45 minutes. (Kitchen 17, West Diversey Avenue, Chicago, Illinois) 20250419
Kitchen 17: Freshly made deep dish Chicago-style pizza, made with soy cheese and seitan pepperoni. I used to enjoy this specialty in grad school, but gave up dairy 30-some years ago. I managed two slices as DY ate around the crust, leaving more than enough for a picnic on the drive back to Toronto, and a lunch at home. (Kitchen 17, West Diversey Avenue, Chicago, Illinois) 20250419Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago: Fourth floor Fernanda Laguna (2018) I Love It is two panels of acrylic on canvas with cutouts. Feminst artist has cofounded galleries, publishing house, and art education program in Argentina. Works are part of the Descending the Staircase exhibition series. (Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, Illinois) 20240419Kabul House: White tablecloth dinner of Afghan cuisine, close to home for international family from grad school days. One retired, while the other is slowly moving out of business. Catching up on kids now adults with their own children, in Hawaii and Delaware. (Kabul House, Dempster Street, Evanston, Illinois) 20250419Milham Park: Bridge across Portage River in 49-acre park on a chilly spring day. Had picnic lunch with windbreak under covered shelter. Unproductive visit to city centre, discovered Kalamazoo was practically vacant on Easter Sunday afternoon. (Milham Park, East Kilgore Road, Kalamazoo, Michigan) 20250420Jimmy Simpson Recreation Centre: Last day of advance poll for Canada federal election. Queue winding upstairs to second floor was a 30 minute wait, poll for surname in last half of alphabet had DY finished 15 minutes earlier. Unexpected crowd at 4:00pm, voters must have already made up their minds. (Jimmy Simpson Recreation Centre, Queen Street East, Toronto, Ontario) 20250421Corkin Gallery: Surrealist #ChristianButterfield (2024) Cold No. 6 – Up Up Higher is acrylic and collage on canvas. Order and disorder are in contrast with sculpted geometric shapes and colours, with newspaper clippings reflecting the oversaturation of media. Vulnerability and reflection is evoked in the declarations of consumer culture, societal pressure, and/or interpersonal strains. (Corkin Gallery, Tank House Gallery, Distillery District, Toronto, Ontario) 20250422Case Goods Lane: Overhead lamp shades strung over the narrow passage may now be weathered by years of cold winters. Live-work spaces of the Artscape Distillery Studios were vacated in 2021 at the end of the 20-year lease from Cityscape Development. East end of lane terminates with white facade of The Gooderham Condos. (Case Goods Lane, Distillery District, Toronto, Ontario) 20250422Electric Mind: Exploring the possibility of a renewed Systems Thinking TO, #ChrisChapman convened a ST/TO: One More Pass Through the Loop session. The last in-person event met in 2019, and then the Covid pandemic interrupted a regeneration. The group put post-it notes up on the whiteboard as reflections on features of prior success, and prospects when many professionals haven’t returned to downtown office towers every day. (Electric Mind, Adelaide Street West, Toronto, Ontario) 20250424Milton Parc neighbourhood: Adding roe to salmon sashimi grapefruit salad, preparing dinner for 7. Masterful menu management avoiding dietary restrictions of family, including mussels paella and osso bucco. Large apartment in a former church nearby McGill University campus. (Milton Parc neighbourhood, Rue Jeanne-Mance, Montreal, Quebec) 20250425Milton Parc neighbourhood: Trains and automobiles to convene at residence of nephew in final undergrad year. This home also serves as central venue for McGill Wine Society events, students will compete in France next month. Syrah and Sauternes at dinner, not spitting this evening. (Milton Parc neighbourhood, Rue Jeanne-Mance, Montreal, Quebec) 20250425Galerie de l’UQAM: Diptych Veronique Gauthier (2023-2024) Inherente, Exuvie oil on canvas. Needed translation from Latin for exuviae, that are the remains of an exoskeleton after insects, crustaceans and arachnids have molted. Part of the Open Passage 2025 exhibition, of graduates of the Bachelor of Visual and Media Arts program at UQAM. (Galerie de la Université du Québec à Montréal, Pavillon Judith-Jasmin, Rue Berri, Montréal, Quebec) 20250426Musée des Beaux-Arts de Montréal: Curated corner foreground Yinka Shonibare (2018) Pan, fibreglass sculpture. Background Edward Ruscha (1986) Untitled from Silhouette series, airbrush acrylic of elephant lumbering uphill. Right photograph Zanele Muholi (2016) Phila I Parktown, self-portrait. (Musée des Beaux-Arts de Montréal, Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, Quebec) 20250426Musée des Beaux-Arts de Montréal: Aluminum relief Frank Stella (1990) The Pitchpoling D-17, 2X. Inspired by Herman Melville (1851) Moby Dick novel, type of harpooning with a lance. Chaotic and explosive surface, negative spaces with silhouettes. (Musée des Beaux-Arts de Montréal, Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, Quebec) 20250426Restaurant Chinatown Kim Fung: Pre-theatre family dinner, including dim sum for cousins who don’t get the option as often as we do. Second order of main dishes left much to take home. Short walk away from Places des Artes. (Restaurant Chinatown Kim Fung, Rue Sainte-Urbain, Montreal, Quebec) 20240426Place des Arts: Seven seats ready for Saturday night performance of touring company for Mean Girls, The Musical. Nephew in cast, in Montreal for 6 days, following Dallas, Texas, and before Boston, Massachusetts. We preferred visiting Quebec, rather than London Ontario in late May. (Place des Arts, Rue Sainte-Catherine, Montréal, Quebec) 20250426Place des Arts: Cast of Mean Girls The Musical taking bows on Saturday night performance. Owen Kent Ing stepping up from ensemble role to Kevin G this evening. He will have appeared in 150 shows by end of tour, having joined the company last year. (Place des Arts, Rue Sainte-Catherine, Montréal, Quebec) 20250426Yoyo: Post-theatre dessert with family, discussing Mean Girls The Musical. We had planned to hold up letters in the theatres as the cast was taking bows, but audience rose too quickly. Continued evening in hotel lobby until after midnight. (Yoyo, Rue Sainte-Catherine Est, Montreal, Quebec) 20250426Parc Sans Gluten: First stop on the way home was a specialty bakery. Consuming in the car, described the chocolate croissant as enjoyable and flaky, although he doesn’t have previous experience with the butter and wheat version. The bakery was discovered on a prior trip to the city. (Parc Sans Gluten, Avenue du Parc-La Fontaine Plateaux, Montréal, Quebec) 20250427St. Viateur Bagel: Pilgramage for Montreal bagels (not Montreal-style) fresh from the oven. Samples on entry of avocado cream cheese, plus spicy avocado non-dairy, suggest a Quebec version of avocado toast. Plastic freezer bag offered in addition to paper bags. (St. Viateur Bagel, St. Viateur Ouest, Montreal, Quebec) 20250427St. Viateur Bagel: Possibly obsessive purchase, it’s unclear how many bagels will be consumed in a few days, and how many into freezer. One dozen poppyseed, 6 sesame, 6 blueberry, 2 pumpernickel, plus assorted others. Resorted into plastic bags on the drive in traffic. (St. Viateur Bagel, St. Viateur Ouest, Montreal, Quebec) 20250427Snowden Deli: Away from city centre, deli has been a Montreal institution since 1946. Single order of smoked meat platter with rye bread and fries was sufficient for three diners. Broader menu included smoked whitefish chunks appetizer with salad, plus potato latkes with applesauce and sour cream. (Snowden Deli, Decarie Boulevard, Montreal, Quebec) 20250427Lock #1 Trent Severn Waterway: National Historic site, just south of busy Highway 401, Lock 1 is southernmost, and first of 44. Constructed 1908-1912, the boats can be raised 18 feet up from the level of the Bay of Quinte. Thicker concrete allowed for wagon valves chambers along side walls, rather than more expensive sluice gates. (Lock #1 Trent-Severn Waterway, Trenton, Quinte West, Ontario) 20250427Full House Chinese Cuisine: Dim sum is better when there’s more than 2 people, but variety doesn’t come in smaller quantities. For someone with a reputation of eating a lot of meal, he seemed to be enjoying green vegetables more today. I consumed most of the vegan dishes, the rest was packed up for home. (Full House Chinese Cuisine, Finch Avenue East, Scarborough, Ontario) 20250430
YVR: Arrived in Vancouver for a 6 day visit, airplane departure was late waiting for crew. Baggage is coming on next flight, and will be delivered tomorrow, we left house too late for check in cutoff. Rideshare was caught in downtown congestion, malfunctioning elevator at UP Express Union Station meant hoisting suitcases up two flights. (YVR Vancouver International Airport, British Columbia) 20250430
Dayliight hours getting shorter encouraged more indoor events, unanticipated cracked furnace block led to replacement of air conditioner with heat pump, too.
Toronto, Ontario
The Power Plant Gallery: Color in mostly black ink drawing by Abdelkader Benchamma (2023) Trees – Comastesque (where Comastesque is a style of geometric decorative inlay stonework in church floors and walls of Medieval Italy). Part of the major solo exhibition Solastalgia: Archaeologies of Loss (where Solastalgia is distress in a lived experience of negatively perceived environmental change, compared to eco-anxiety that is anticipatory). Abstractions of a fragmented landscape becoming an interwoven topography. (The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery, Harbourfront, Queen Quay West, Toronto, Ontario) 20231104
Power Plant Gallery: One of two east galleries for solo show of Abdelkader Benchamma (2023) Solastalgia: Archaeologies of Loss (where Solastalgia is distress in a lived experience of negatively perceived environmental change, compared to eco-anxiety that is anticipatory). Pan of (i) Engramme, 2020, (ii) untitled ink drawings on wall (2023), (iii) Engramme – Souterrain, 2023, (iv) more untitled drawings on wall (2023, and (v) two. Untitled (2023) framed works. (The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery, Harbourfront, Queen Quay West, Toronto, Ontario) 20231104
Riverside neighbourhood: New natural gas furnace and heat pump installed, 4 days after technician found a cracked block on the old one. Attached red tag mean fuel shutoff for 4 days, cool inside as outside temperature dipped to freezing at night. Old furnace was 20 years old on an expected 15 year life, we switched out air conditioner in year 10 of a 13-year life because cooling and heating are now integrated as a system. (Riverside neighbourhood, Toronto, Ontario) 20231113Propeller Art Gallery: Elements of Nature show #RuthMaude @encaustic_art (2023) Four Elements #1-12 has small encaustic pantings arranged four rows by three columns. Unsure whether the themes, top to bottom, are fire, water, sky and ground. Noticed a little red dot beside the upper right painting, could mean that this set may not again be seen together as a collection. (Propeller Art Gallery, Abell Street, Toronto, Ontario) 20231116Union Station: Floor-to-ceiling mural @blakeangeconeb (2023) Sharing, about transmission of knowledge through storytelling to the young, the third of three in the Eighth Fire series. The Oak Room used to be a restaurant at the northwest corner of the railway station, removed to provide a throughfare to the Skywalk and Union Pearson Express. Thousands of people must walk by the painting every day, hard to judge if the people sitting in the collection of chairs further west if they’re waiting for someone, or eluding the late fall cold. (Union Station, Front Street, Toronto, Ontario) 20231119Grand Opera Lane, Scotia Plaza: Lighted outline sculpture of cervid (deer) species in late November might bring reindeer to mind, but life size and shape of antlers identifies moose indigenous to Canada. Open setback is by the former site of the Grand Opera House (1874-1927) before the financial district overtook the neighbourhood. Locale was largely unoccupied on a Sunday evening, with major construction having closed the street to vehicular traffic. (Grand Opera Lane, Scotia Plaza, Adelaide Street West, Toronto, Ontario) 20231119May Yan Seafood Restaurant: Mangled understanding of order led to 2 lobsters delivered to table, plus expected beef tenderloin and fish fillets, with scallops on tofu with black bean sauce and pea shoots on their way. Enough leftovers for senior’s lunch and maybe dinner tomorrow. Arrived for dinner later than expected, after rush hour traffic, shopping for rolling walker, and switching mobile phone providers for my father. (May Yan Seafood Restaruant, Sheppard Avenue East, Scarborough, Ontario) 20231122Onsite Gallery: On floor of southwest edge of gallery, @EsteyDucuara (2020-2023) Black Hole, mineral coal of 282 cm diameter. Atmosphere of fear associated with open-cast coal mining in Colombia, the lines this version of the installation were inspired by aerial views of the roads east of Toronto. Part of the On Americanity and Other Experiences of Belonging exhbition, bridging Global North and Global South. (Onsite Gallery, Richmond Street West, Toronto, Ontario) 20231123Berczy Park: Illuminated stack of presents of the Old Town Cavalcade of Lights topped by giant white bone continuing the fun of the #ClaudeCormier (2017) Dog Fountain that is unlit for the winter season. The 27 dog statues looking up at the golden bone on top of the fountain have water turned off from November through April. With chilly temperatures, many pedestrians crossing through the park at the end of the work day. (Berczy Park, Wellington Street East, Toronto, Ontario) 20231123SDM Lake Share Blvd E.: In left shoulder, 7th Covid vaccination (Pfizer BioNTech Comirnaty XBB.1.5), then in right shoulder, annual flu vaccination (Standard-dose quadrivalent (QIV), either FluLaval Tetra or Fluzone Quadrivalent)). Routine injection by pharmacist with booked appointment, no ill effects later in the day. Bike over to this pharmacy branch, because the one in walking distance from our home is booked into next week. (Shoppers Drug Mart, Lake Shore Blvd E., Toronto) 20231124Justina M. Barnicke Gallery: Hanging from the wall, #TimWhiten (2014) Hallelujah I is horizontal lilac branches with an umbrella handle suspended into vertical branches, gallery lighting casting shadows down. Part of the The Performance of Shadows exhbition, in the bridging of material and spiritual experiences. Not at this show is (2015) Hallelujah II that looks similar, with a glass cane instead of the umbrella handle. (Justina M. Barnicke Gallery, Hart House, University of Toronto) 20231125University of Toronto Art Centre: Inside a glsss case, Barbara-Ann Watso (2009) Panier de Marriage [Marriage Basket] woven of ash splints and sweetgrass. Historically, Abenaki Basket-Making Industry flourished 1870–1920, by the south shore of the St. Lawrence River. Baskets continue to be part of the Abenaki tradition passed down through generations, as the community has migrated along the Saint-François River, extending from Quebec into Maine. (University of Toronto Art Centre, University College, University of Toronto) 20231125
Lambert Lounge: Conversation for Possibilities theme hosted by @redesign saying farewell after 15 years of mostly-monthly #DesignWithDialogue sessions. Strong turnout, with participants having attended since 2008, to someone coming for the first time. Sticky notes posted on flip charts on the wall, in response to questions about what was learned, and value of semi-structured dialogue. (Lambert Lounge, OCAD University, McCaul Street, Toronto, Ontario) 20221129
Welcomed to join in on Community Potluck Dinner, but I came to listen to #MagdaBaraczya singing and playing jazz on piano. Neighbourhood known as #ThePocket is in east Riverdale, with entry only via Jones Avenue to the west, bracketed by GO/Via train tracks to the south, TTC Greenwood Yard to the east, and one way […]
Flower heads looking dishevelled on cold spring day with #RiverdaleArtWalk organized by #ArtistsNetwork. No rain, but many people were donning hats, toques, and gloves. Lots of baby strollers and dogs on leash. (Jimmie Simpson Park, Queen Street East, Toronto, Ontario) 20250531
Community event #ActorsSocial coinciding with Asian Heritage month, casual backroom stage with mirror revealing audience. Script by #PhyllisCameronUng originally written as a 48-hour challenge for 3 male actors. Story of brothers missing sister. (Society Clubhouse, College Street, Toronto, Ontario) 20250528
Cabbagetown Farmers Market on Tuesday afternoons. Easy stroll through local produce and food vendors. Spring temperatures see shoppers without jackets, and in shorts. (Riverdale Park West, Winchester Street, Toronto, Ontario) 20250527
Exploring the Chinese Canadian Archives at UToronto with #JuneChow and #MorrisLum. Permitted handling of maps, photos and brochures from geographer David Chuenyan Lai collection from U. Victoria, on Chinatowns across Canada, if hands were washed. Current research into Dragon Centre mall opened in Agincourt in 1984, now in decline with review for redevelopment. (Thomas Fisher […]
Second floor Sala Da Pranzo @Doors_OpenTO used to be main courtroom of Adelaide Street Courthouse (1853 - 1900). View from third floor Il Covo Degli Artisti, originally home for Arts and Letter Club (1910-1920). Jail cells in basement now wine cellar, and a women's washroom. (Terroni, Adelaide Street East, Toronto, Ontario) 20240524
n shed at foot of Jarvis Street on harbour, stockpiles of raw sugar at @Doors_OpenTO . Ships from Honduras and Brasil sail up St. Lawrence River, unloading 7 tonnes at a time. Conveyors over and under transport material to other buildings, separating white crystals from molasses syrup. (Redpath Sugar Refinery Queens Quay East, Toronto, ontario) […]
On Friday May 23rd 2025, the Ceol Kids band played the top 25 tunes selected by donations. https://www.leespalace.com/event/ceol-kids-fundraiser Ceol Kids is a diverse group of musicians who came together for a surprise party a few years ago. The plan was to take 30 random songs from the ipod of the guest of honour, and perform […]
On Friday May 23rd 2025, the Ceol Kids band played the top 25 tunes selected by donations. https://www.leespalace.com/event/ceol-kids-fundraiser Ceol Kids is a diverse group of musicians who came together for a surprise party a few years ago. The plan was to take 30 random songs from the ipod of the guest of honour, and perform […]
On Friday May 23rd 2025, the Ceol Kids band played the top 25 tunes selected by donations. https://www.leespalace.com/event/ceol-kids-fundraiser Ceol Kids is a diverse group of musicians who came together for a surprise party a few years ago. The plan was to take 30 random songs from the ipod of the guest of honour, and perform […]
At the post-meeting dinner after the February Systems Thinking Ontario session, Anna Chekhman mentioned that she was teaching a third-year course on Designing Future Systems at York University. I offered to give a lecture, and we set a date for a few weeks later. The CSRP Institute 2024 Banathy Conversation validated that the Systems Changes […]
Two years after submitting an academic manuscript and responding to double-blind reviews, “Rethinking work, with the pandemic disruption” has now been published in the International Journal of Organization Theory and Behavior (IJOTB) as earlycite. The article has a DOI (Document Object Identifier), and should be streamed with an official volume and issue number soon. The […]
The 128th meeting of Systems Thinking Ontario was convened in person. The classroom was filled with current students, alumni, our regular participants, and a few curious newcomers. Moderated by Zaid Khan, the conversation was sparked by Stephen Davies and myself (David Ing) on the evolving styles in learning systems thinking. Stephen has been leading SFIN-6011 […]
The “Understanding Systems” SFIN-6011 course is a requirement in the master’s program in Strategic Foresight and Innovation at OCADU. For winter 2025, the class is now led by Stephen Davies, breaking the incremental evolving of content since 2008. While still on faculty at OCADU, the original course designer Peter H. Jones is now a Distinguished […]
In the 1970s, five ways of knowing were established by C. West Churchman in The Design of Inquiring Systtems. In the 1990s, his student Ian Mitroff carried on the tradition and extended that work in The Unbounded Mind. Now in the 2020s, the technology of Generative AI opens up opportunties to query or request responses […]
For readers with an interest deeper than the 15-minute presentation given in August, the Proceedings of the 10th International Conference on Socio-Technical Perspectives in Information Systems (STPIS 2024) have now been formally publishied. The invited paper on “Reifying Socio-Technical and Socio-Ecological Perspectives for Systems Changes: From rearranging objects to repacing rhythms” was reviewed by the […]
Rhythm and pitch are primordial to language. Susan Rogers, after a career becoming Prince's recording engineer, turned to complete a PhD in psychology focused on music cognition and psychoacoustics.Read more ›
David L. Hawk (American management theorist, architect, and systems scientist) has been hosting a weekly television show broadcast on Bold Brave Tv from the New York area on Wednesdays 6pm ET, remotely from his home in Iowa. Live, callers can join…Read more ›
Following the first day lecture on Philosophy of Chinese Medicine 1 for the Global University for Sustainability, Keekok Lee continued on a second day on some topics: * Anatomy as structure; physiology as function (and process); * Process ontology, and thing ontology; * Qi ju as qi-in-concentrating mode, and qi san as qi-in-dissipsating mode; and […]
The philosophy of science underlying Classical Chinese Medicine, in this lecture by Keekok Lee, provides insights into ways in which systems change may be approached, in a process ontology in contrast to the thing ontology underlying Western BioMedicine. Read more ›
In conversation, @zeynep with @ezraklein reveal authentic #SystemsThinking in (i) appreciating that “science” is constructed by human collectives, (ii) the west orients towards individual outcomes rather than population levels; and (iii) there’s an over-emphasis on problems of the moment, and…Read more ›
In the question-answer period after the lecture, #TimIngold proposes art as a discipline of inquiry, rather than ethnography. This refers to his thinking On Human Correspondence. — begin paste — [75m26s question] I am curious to know what art, or…Read more ›
Timothy F.H. Allen, president of International Society for the Systems Sciences 2008-2009, passed away peacefully in his home, surrounded by his family, on May 1, 2025. With his work on ecosystem ecology, I learned more about living systems than anyone else in the systems community. After his retirement, he was proud of putting together a […]
In 2024, WordPress Studio was released, making installation on a local computer simpler. The instructions were modified from MacOS to Ubuntu Linux, by Daniel Kossmann, “How to install WordPress Studio in Ubuntu Linux” | Jun 15, 2024 at https://www.danielkossmann.com/how-to-install-wordpress-studio-ubuntu-linux/ I already had NVM installed, but in Terminal, with the result “command not found”. In the […]
The appreciation of change is different in Western philosophy than in classical Chinese philosophy. JeeLoo Lin published a concise contrast on differences. Let me parse the Introduction to the journal article, that is so clearly written. The Chinese theory of time is built into a language that is tenseless. The Yijing (Book of Changes) there […]
In trying to place the World Hypotheses work of Stephen C. Pepper (with multiple root metaphors), Nicholas Rescher provides a helpful positioning. — begin paste — Philosophical perspectivism maintains that substantive philosophical positions can be maintained only from a “perspective” of some sort. But what sort? Clearly different sorts of perspectives can be conceived of, […]
Finding proper words to express system(s) change(s) can be a challenge. One alternative could be diachrony. The Oxford English dictionary provides two definitions for diachronic, the first one most generally related to time. (The second is linguistic method) diachronic ADJECTIVE Oxford English Dictionary, s.v. “diachronic (adj.), sense 1,” July 2023, https://doi.org/10.1093/OED/3691792233. For completeness, prochronic relates “to […]
