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2024/06 Moments June 2024

June 30, 2024 daviding

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Summer jazz at the Distillery District, in Washington DC while at the annual systems conference, and then Toronto Jazz Festival

Toronto, Ontario; Washintton, DC

Distillery District:Arrived in time for second set with @marigoldjazz jazz-funk collective, based in Toronto. Song titled Folk Song, style in the broad range of the Bourbon Street North Festival. Took the short bike ride over the Don River for exercise, a musical break for lunchtime. (Distillery District, Mill Street, Toronto, Ontario) 20240603

Distillery District:: After rainy morning, warm and bright lunchtime concert by @MarigoldBandOfficial. Rows of bench seats down front, shaded tables to the west. Part of the Bourbon Street North festival running daytimes for the first half of June. (Distillery District, Mill Street, Toronto, Ontario) 20240603

Maple Leaf Lounge, U.S. transborder, Pearson International Airport: Found a bright window with a view of the CN Tower, way in the distance. Low stress transfer to airport today, took Lyft to UP Express on a Saturday. Extra early I’m the lounge, enjoying the food, seemingly low on wheat products, there must be a lot of gluten sensitive travelers. (Maple Leaf Lounge, U.S. transborder, Pearson International Airport, Toronto, Ontario) 20240608

Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport:: Walkway between DCA Terminal 1 and 2 has photographs of USO activities on the south wall, and artwork to the north. Bill Renc (2019) Moonlight White House is one of the pieces in the Springtime in Washington exhibition. Saturday night at the airport is rather quiet, as was the Metro ride until we crossed the Potomac River, and saw rainbow wrist bands and painted skin for Pride weekend. (Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, District of Columbia) 20240608

Third Street Art Garden:: Sunday morning walk through the NoMa district, encountered large mural behind chain link fence. Redevelopment of former industrial lands means many condominium towers where occupants need more open spaces. Unfortunate choice of artificial grass to cover grounds, shade trees would be nice in the muggy summer. (Third Street Art Garden, NoMa district, Washington, DC) 20240609

Eastern Market:: Sunday morning lineup for lunch counter in historical public market first opened in 1873, then renovated after a fire in 2007. In the Capitol Hill district, the single corridor offerings of meat and cheese seems to attract local residents. Outside the building, temporary stalls under a permanent awning has merchants hawking local fruit and vegetables. (Eastern Market, 7th Street SE, Capitol Hill district, Washington, DC) 20240609

Hirshhorn Museum: In the modern art collection of the Smithsonian Institution, Giacomo Ball (1918-1925 / reconstructed 1968) Futurist Flowers, made of wood and paint. Collected in the Josephn H. Hirschhorn Bequest in 1981. Gallery focuses mostly on the acquisitions of a single benefactor, spanning modern years, and not into the contemporary 21st century. (Hirschhorn Museum, Smithsonian Institute, Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC) 20240609

Open Gov Hub: Late Sunday afternoon welcome by president #MicheleFriend to 68th Annual Meeting of the @ISSSMeeting International Society for the System Sciences. First fully hybrid convening, about the same number of attendees in person and online. Conference officially starts on Monday morning, preconference session was already running all day. (Open Gov Hub, 13th Avenue NW, Washington, DC) 20240609

Family Ethiopian Restaurant: With foodies online recommending local Ethiopian cuisine as outstanding, we chose to not join the conference crowd for pub fare. We asked for least spicy dishes, and were advised towards alicha wot lamb, asa tibs tilipia, and platter with 4 veggie choices. Flavourful seasoning easy on the stomach, friendly and attentive service in modest decor. (Family Ethiopian Restaurant, 9th Street NW, Washington, DC) 20240609

Tonic at Quigleys:: Patio outside east side of restaurant #JazzOnTheRocksDC Tuesday night jam, started with drums, bass, and vocals, then sax and guitar showed up. Welcoming musicians rotating on and off. Casual change of pace by GWU campus, away from downtown full conference day, when we can put our brains to rest (Tonic at Quigley’s, G Street West, Washington, DC) 20240611

Chinese-American Museum DC:: Chinese Buddhist Art: statue Ruping Liu “Guanyin Bodhisattva of Compassion”; banner paintings depicting deities and sages in Buddhist, Daoist and Confucianist pantheons and the suffering; and statue Ruping Liu, “Maitrea, Buddha of the Future-. On third of fourth floor, more religious and cultural of the old country, than the story on the first floor of the 1882 Chinese railway workers finally receiving recognition. Building only opens a few days per week, hope that exhibitions will be enriched on subsequent visits. (Chinese-American Museum DC, 16th Street NW, Washington, DC) 20240613

College Street at Euclid Avenue:: Spontaneous couples @TOLitleItaly dancing to @micheldequevedo Michel Dequevedo Quartet featuring @ericstlaurent Eric St. Laurent on guitar. . Unsure whether the drummer was making a joke when he said one dancer was his sister. In the next tune, his father visiting from Mexico joined the band to sing. (Taste of Little Italy, College Street at Euclid Avenue, Toronto, Ontario) 20240615

Distillery District:: Last day of Bourbon Street North at Distillery District, with @AlisonYoungSax Band, with @alexisbaro7494 trumpet solo on I Don’t Know. Large weekend crowd appreciating the traditional jazz feel, with bead necklaces thrown from stage emulating Mardi Gras throws. Chosen instrumentation gives a different feel, with string bass, wind instruments and drums as acoustic, and only the piano synthesized for performance practicalities. (Distillery District, Mill Street, Toronto, Ontairo) 20240616

Very Fair Seafood Cuisine: Early dinner for Father’s Day, including 2 lb lobster. Disappointed at limited menu choices, and lack of English-speaking staff. Sons played mahjong with grandfather earlier in the afternoon, he still enjoys the game. (Very Fair Seafood Cuisine, Milliken Boulevard, Scaroborough, Ontario) 20240616

Galata Turkish Restaurant: Double date, they’re no longer considered newlyweds after a year of marriage. We attended their wedding, this was a better time to have a real conversation. Dinner split between those who enjoy spicy food, and those who don’t. (Galata Turkish Restaurant, Danforth Avenue, Toronto, Ontario) 20240619

Village of Yorkville Park: Late Sunday afternoon @TorontoJazzFest concert with @moodsetmusic, @alexa.belgrave keyboards, @jacqteh vocals, @calebklager bass, @daereiznekcam drums, and #ParkerWeiss sitting in on trumpet. Song “Who do you love” is their first single. Fenced-in area was quite full, a cheer from the students at the rear portrays some previous exposure to the band. (Village of Yorkville Park, Cumberland Street, Toronto, Ontario) 20240623

Village of Yorkville Park: Monday afternoon @TorontoJazzFest concert @homzya on violin, leading Aline’s Étoile Magique with @michael_vibes vibes, @MaritoMarques drums, @danielrfortin bass, and @isthisthomas guitar. The style of the song Caraway is influenced by Jean-Luc Ponty, although violin and vibraphone is a unique combination. Weekday audience is smaller than on weekends, more casual street bands playing on the sidewalks. (Village of Yorkville Park, Cumberland Street, Toronto, Ontario) 20240624

Victoria University Quadrangle: Tuesday afternoon @torontojazzfest trio with @laolanopiano23 piano, solo by #RobertoRiveron bass and drummer #AmhedMitchel. Part of the Cuban night program on the TD Main Stage. Relaxed audience lounging on a cloudy day. (Victoria University Quadrangle, Queen’s Park Crescent, Toronto, Ontario) 20240625

Village of Yorkville Park: Tuesday evening @torontojazzfest concert led by @SanahKadoura on drums, @luisdenizsax sax, @ewenfarncombe keyboards, #AndrewStewart bass, @MonekaTara vocals. Song “The Geminis” from the album Duality. Music gets cultural crossover with Arabic language, but only one audience member recognized the call for a dance. (Village of Yorkville Park, Cumberland Street, Toronto, Ontario) 20240625

Village of Yorkville Park: Outro by #Bellbird of Bluff, #AllisonBurik alto sax, #ClaireDevlin‪ tenor sax, #EliDavidovici bass, #MiliHong drums, arriving at @torontojazzfest‬ earlier in the day from Calgary. Switching from alto sax to bass clarinet produced tones that otherwise might have thought as synthesizer. Unusual to hear a band without guitar or keyboards. (Village of Yorkville Park, Cumberland Street, Toronto, Ontario) 20240629

Village of Yorkville Park: Closing show of tour by @AnthonyFDrums Quartet, playing The Valley, with sax solo by @Daynasound, #MichaelRagonese on piano, @luca_alemanno on bass. Sunday night ends @torontojazzfest‬ for 2024. Hometown musician from Richmond Hill, now based in Los Angeles. (Village of Yorkville Park, Cumberland Street, Toronto, Ontario) 20240630

2022/07 Moments July 2022

July 31, 2022 daviding

Enjoying summer with Toronto Jazz, then road trip to Iowa and Chicago.

Toronto, Ontario; South Bend, Indiana; Salina, Iowa; Coralville, Iowa; Dixon, Illinois; Chicago, Illinois; Bloomfield Hills, Michigan; Mount Clemens, Michigan

Jennifer Kateryna Koval’s'kyj Park — Jennifer Kateryna Koval’s’kyj Park: View south towards Eastern Channel sees cyclists and pedestrians dangling legs dockside, alongside doormen checking entry into Rebel nightclub early on Saturday evening. Beyond, large ship docked for business next quay down at the Port of Toronto, while sailboat and jetski are recreational north of Ward’s Island. Enjoying weather of 28 degrees C, while many other places in the world are sweltering. (Jennifer Kateryna Koval’s’kyj Park, Polson Street, Port Lands, Toronto, Ontario) 20220702

Victoria University Quad: Quintet @AmandaTosoff piano @torontojazzfest featuring @ecbarlow vocals, with @allisonaumusic sax, @Raj_maha bass, @Morjazzum drums. Working their way across Canadian jazz festivals, Amanda as leader, having spent 7 years backing Emilie-Claire. Album released in January 2021, this has been first opportunity to tour. (Victoria College Quadrangle, University of Toronto) 20220703

Village of Yorkville Park: World jazz #Avataar @torontojazzfest @sundarmusic sax, @TedQuinlan guitar, , #EwenFarcombe keys, @justingraybass, #MaxSenitt drums, #FelicityWilliams vocals, #RaviNaimpally tablas. Juno 2022 awardee for jazz, music composed during pandemic. Sundar commented on long difficult piece for band, with Ted having played only a few times, and Ewen on his first time. (Village of Yorkville Park, Cumberland Avenue, Toronto, Ontario) 20220703

Snite Museum of Art: Tensegrity theme with @KennethSnelson (1982) Maquette for Mozart I in foreground, background #JosefAlberts (1960) Study for Homage to the Square (Compliant), (1961) Study for Homage to the Square (Slate and Sky), (1961) Study for Homage to the Square (Gutentag IV, 1961). Smaller contemporary art collection on the second floor of the museum, some galleries already closed for move to a new building. Short detour to U. Notre Dame on the drive westward to Iowa. (Snite Museum of Art, University of Notre Dame, South Bend, Indiana) 20220707

Salina, Iowa: Inspecting crops in backyard garden, only a few cherries tomatoes ripe enough for a taste, today. Heavy metal fences are overkill in deterring predators, they happened to be on hand for corralling horses. It’s been 5 years since we last visited, a deck was since constructed fully around the house. (Salina, Iowa) 2022070

Costco Coralville: This branch of the wholesale chain is unusual in offering covered parking alongside the building. Welcomed in the heat of summer, and in the snows of winter, the 142,000 sq. ft. store was opened in 2012, after conversion from a former distribution center for Amana Refrigeration. Volume purchases of grocery-store-like items at multi-week frequencies reflects the capability for growing your own food in a rural community, plus the inconvenience of driving far from home to shop for other merchandise. (Costco Wholesale, Heartland Drive, Coralville, Iowa) 20220709

Ronald Reagan Boyhood Home: Momentary stop to view statue of Ronald Reagan, alongside the home where he lived from 9 years old for 3 years. Many signs in the small town pointed to this attraction, closed for the evening. Routing from Fairfield Iowa to Elmhurst Illinois, brief stop for dinner took us off the highway. (Reagan Boyhood Home, Hennepin Avenue, Dixon, Illinois) 20220711

E Randolph Street at N. Columbus Drive: On @chiarchitecture walking tour, looking north to @studiogang skyscapers Aqua (2009) tower with irregularly shaped balconies, and Vista (2020) blue-green three towers with 83rd floor void space so that wind effects more safely blow through. Excellent docent Bill covered Must See Chicago route in 90 minutes, more walking than other focused tours. First in a series of guided excursions of the Windy City. (E. Randolph Street at N. Columbus Drive, Chicago, Illinois) 20220712

Millennium Park: Every 15 minutes, the subject of Jaume Plensa (2004) Crown Fountain purses his or her lips, and water sprouts out from the tower into the reflecting pool. Walked by, on tour by the Chicago Architectural Center. (Millennium Park, East Randolph Street, Chicago, Illinois) 20220712

Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago: Kinetic #NickCave (2020) Spinner Garden, part of retrospective exhibition forOTHERmore made from metallic garden ornaments suspended from ceiling, some motorized to slowly rotate. (Museum of Contemporary Art, E. Chicago Street, Chicago, Illinois) 20220712

Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago: Time with futility by Gregory Bae (2017) 24-7, 365 #5, as the function of a treadmill isn’t achieved with a tire not getting exercise. (Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, Illinois) 20220712

Garfield Park Conservatory: In the Fern Room, babbling stream from the waterfall, flows into the pond with carp accustomed to human visitors (Garfield Park Conservatory, North Central Park Avenue, Chicago, Illinois) 20220713

S. R. Crown Hall: Building for the College of Architecture, Illinois Institute of Technology, designed by Mies van der Rohe,. A few student projects still on view over summer break, in the large open space, following the modernist style of roof and floors in invisibility supported by steel frames, rather than pillars. (S. R. Crown Hall, Illinois Institute of Technology, South State Street, Chicago, Illinois) 20200713

DePaul Art Museum: Along 2 walls, Amber Ginsburg and Aaron Hughes (2022) Tea Project, from the 780 porcelain Styrofoam teacups cast for each individual currently or previously imprisoned in Guantánamo camp. Detainees were allowed only Styrofoam cups, on which they inscribed Arabic poems and flowers. Serious topic comes with debriefing notes from the university, if the exhibition of Remaking the Exceptional, Tea, Torture, and Reparations becomes overwhelming. (DePaul Art Museum, West Fullerton Avenue, Chicago, Illinois) 20220713

Amitabul: Catching up on family news, since the last visit to town 5 years ago. We first met as foster relatives for a foreign student starting graduate school in the USA 42 years ago. Vegan Korean dinner an unusual choice, with healthy dishes not normally found in our homes. (Amitabul, North Milwaukee Avenue, Chicago, Illinois) 20220713

Carbide and Carbon Building: Vaulted ceiling and transom window facing east, on the @chiarchitecture Art Deco tour led by docent Jeff. Patterns of abstract and geometric forms characterize the building completed in 1925. Discovered that, in Chicago, the Art Deco movment in architecture only spanned 8 years, before the depression halted new skyscrapers for 21 years. (Carbide and Building, Michigan Avenue, Chicago, Illinois) 20220714

Chicago Motor Club building: Landmark early Art Deco architecture, opened in 1928, from elevated rear window with classic car, to mural map of highways before they were formally named. (Hampton Inn Chicago Downtown North Loop, East Wacker Place, Chicago, Illinois) 20220914

Inland Steel Building: Access to lobby on @chiarchitecture Mid-Century Modern Skyscapers tour, with #RichardLippold (1956) Radiant I sculpture, wires stretched over a pool in foreground, and #AnishKapoor (2000) Blood Mirror concave reflector by the elevators in the background. Architects consider building to be the ultimate in modernist style, completed in 1958 as the first skyscraper after 21 years. Brushed aluminum exterior contrasts to black preferred by Mies van der Rohe. (Inland Steel Building, Munroe Street, Chicago, Illiinois) 20220714

Dimo’s Pizza Wicker Park: Vegan and cheese pizza available by the slice, in a spacious yet minimal diningroom with a Bohemian clientele and funky decor. (Dimo’s Pizza Wicker Park, North Damen Avenue, Chicago, Illinois) 20220714

Cranbrook Japanese Garden: Traditional vermillion bridge arch over small waterfall, at the east edge of Kingswood Lake. Placid stroll around the shoreline, with only a small family and dog walker, late on a cloudy afternoon. Arrived after the main house closed for the day, at the end of a journey from Chicago retarded nearly 2 hours by driving rain and road construction. (Cranbrook Japanese Garden, Cranbrook Road, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan) 20220715

Mount Clemens: Relaxing over appetizers in back yard, before heading back inside for main course. Last time we visited, our eldest sons were still in preschool. A few hours of conversation only begin to catch up on reconnecting over 30 years. (Mount Clemens, Michigan) 20220715

Cranbrook Art Museum: Scenography recreated in gallery for @TundeOlaniran (2022) Made a Universe, from bedroom to multidimensional car, to bedroom, 30-minute video production shows in theatre at the end of the hall. (Cranbrook Art Museum, Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan) 20220716

Grange Park: At the end of curved wall stream, water sculpture #WilliamPye (2017) Aquaverde has seven stainless steel cups catching flow. To the northeast, @agotoronto curved staircase in the four-story south wing of tinted titanium-and-glass redesigned by Frank Gehry, above The Grange that was the original 1871 gallery. More action on the east side of the park with the playground and picnic tables. (Grange Park, Beverley Street, Toronto, Ontario) 20220729

2022/06 Moments June 2022

June 30, 2022 daviding

Social calendar for month was full with Toronto Biennal of Art, Luminato, Taste of Little Italy and Toronto Jazz Festival, plus family dim sum and dinners.

Toronto, Ontario

Water’s Edge Promenade: Walked south on Sugar Beach arriving just in time to see #JudyChicago start A Tribute To Toronto @TorontoBiennial performance. Barge with flashing light released purple smoke first, drifting east. After 5 minutes, the wind shifted north, forboding us to retreat back to a grassy knoll minutes before the crowd majority turned to follow. (Water’s Edge Promenade, East Bayfront, Toronto, Ontario) 20220604

Yonge-Dundas Square: Facing southwest @YDSquare, four of 12+ screens @EdwardBurtynsky (2022) In the Wake of Progress @Luminato Festival with 360-degree immersion and booming sound. Plaza occupied by small groups of viewers looking upwards at images captured over 40 years. Second evening of two, arrived at dusk. (Yonge-Dundas Square, Toronto, Ontario) 20220612

Congee Queen Agincourt: Weekday lunch becoming more normal, yet restaurant running below capacity. Comfort food with Cantonese fried noodles, grouper with tofu hotpot, bok choy. Day of meetings for community programs, lab tests. (Congee Queen Agincourt, Sheppard Avenue East, Scarborough, Ontario) 20220615

Pre-Fathers Day: Two sons still in town, so Saturday lunch uptown to meet with grandfather. Summer schedules are getting complicated, hard to find a day not already booked. Life is good, lots of changes on the domestic fronts. (Very Fair Seafood Cuisine, Millken Boulevard, Scarborough, Ontario) 20220618

Little Italy: Street corner @TOLittleItaly trio @micheldequevedo hand drum, @ericstlaurent guitar @composer_jordan bass. Lyrics in Spanish appreciated by Mexicans and Venezuelans audience members, rhythms encouraged couples to dance. On break, Eric said this was only the second performance under Michel’s leadership, the non-Latin licks in guitar and bass give a freshe feeling. (College Street at Euclid Avenue, Little italy, Toronto, Ontario) 2020619

House of Gourmet: Neighbourhood seafood dinner, casual occasion for introductions as our family network expands. Talked about summer travel plans, eastbound, westbound, overseas. Walked back to apartment for first look after many months of renovations, street life is now more active with the warm weather. (House of Gourmet, Dundas Street West, Toronto, Ontario) 20220625

Market Street: Shaded patio table on pedestrian mall was the venue for the Systems Changes Learning Circle core members. First occasion for a face-to-face meeting, after over 2 years online due to pandemic. With rhythmic shifts having become central to our approach, we reminded ourselves that some emerging subgroups may similarly experience years of disordered thinking before reaching a convergence. (Market Street, St. Lawrence Market, Old Town, Toronto, Ontario) 20220630

2018/07 Moments July 2018

July 31, 2018 daviding

Enjoying summer in Toronto, getting to know the city better.

Toronto, Ontario; Waterloo, Ontario

Heliconian Hall: Quintet @Soren_Nissen @TorontoJazzFest performs music inspired by months living in India, composed after return to Toronto. Closing evening of the festival, some exterior signs have already been removed. (Heliconian Hall, Hazelton Avenue, Yorkville, Toronto, Ontario) 20180701

Willowdale: Browsing new family generations photo book, routed from Houston to Los Angeles to Toronto. Quiet summer day with Canada Day observance, since July 1 fell on a Sunday. (Willowdale, North York, Ontario) 20180702

UWaterloo Env3: Two days @CANSEE Graduate Student Research Symposium, serving as discussant on early stage projects. Invited as a systems sciences lurker in the ecological economics community. (University of Waterloo, Environment 3, Waterloo, Ontario) 20180705

Vari Centre: Internet bots talk @gtalug by Don Tai at a leisurely pace. Venue moved to huge lecture theatre, audience actually sitting close to the front. Informed participants contributing comments interactively. (GTA Linux User Group, George Vari Engineering and Computer Centre, Ryerson University, Toronto, Ontario) 20180710

Balmoral Park: Leisurely dinner at home of friends since UToronto B.Comm. days. Agreed that we’ve lived through some good decades, as the world has gotten tougher for later generations. Options of 2000 Bordeaux and Iranian cuisine worth falling off strict diets as small indulgences. Early summer evening, with insects cooperating in the back yard. (Balmoral Park neighbourhood, North York, Ontario) 20180714

Hart House: Map Room is a shady lounge, a rest stop on the way back from bicycling across the city, on a hot summer Sunday. An convenient destination for an alumnus, I didn’t hang out here when I was a student, because I lived so close to campus. Teens playing sports on the fields outside. (Hart House, University of Toronto) 20180715

Visual Analytics Lab: Synthesis maps @OCADU_SFI graduate students for Systems Thinking Ontario monthly meeting. Big screen of the Visual Analytics Lab a special affordance not usually available to us, with a long conference table instead of sitting in a circle. (OCADU, 205 Richmond Street West, Toronto, Ontario) 20180716

CSI Regent Park: Henna art @csiTO by Bibi Noor, during Party on the Patio, top floor of the Daniels Spectrum building. An opportunity to bridge the three buildings across the city, and meet members with their families in a relaxed time. (Centre for Social Innovation, Regent Park, Dundas Street East, Toronto, Ontario) 20180719

Woodbine Park: Cloudy @BeachesJazz @LailaBiali @Larnell_Lewis @RossMacIntyre William Sperandei show mixing jazz and reinterpreted pop music, with Canadian references. Break from morning rain left muddy field, sun is losing against grey. (Beaches Jazz Festival, Woodbine Park, Toronto, Ontario) 20180722

CSI 215: Playshop @csiTO @kcscooper @CycleToronto @anika__ Al Chick on #designthinking prototyping for youth and adults on cycling safety. Not related to, but coincident with City of Toronto deadline for #VisionZero applications, towards reducing collisions of pedestrians, cyclists, transit users and motorists. (Centre for Social Innovation, 215 Spadina Avenue, Toronto, Ontario) 20180726

Harbourfront: Glass studio @HarbourfrontTO quiet inside, new glass to melt at 2050°F or 1220°C. Contrast to the web side of the building, full of visitors and music playing on a summer Sunday. Quick tour of the galleries, I haven’t seen the exhibitions in a few months. (Harbourfront Centre, Queen Quay West, Toronto, Ontario) 20180729

2018/06 Moments June 2018

June 30, 2018 daviding

Summer in Toronto, close to home. Transport almost exclusively by bicycle.

Toronto, Ontario

Riverside district: Backyard visitors coming through garage for Betty’s Paper Arts Estate sale. For 2 weeks, DY has been sorting through contents originally packed away and stored after Betty’s basement flooding. Then Betty unexpectedly passed away from surgical complications. This Sunday, the scrapbooking community has come together to redistribute the supplies. (Riverside neighbourhood, Toronto, Ontario) 20180603

Koffler Gallery: Show+tell @KofflerArts Kimberly Rose, Mona Filip, Sameer Farooq, Jared Stanley, Lisa Ellis on Objects of Affection panel. Response to Esther Shalev-Gerz (2016) The Gold Room exhibition, Mona brought an artifact for interpretation. Museum conservator Lisa spoke of metal composition, poet Jared admired curved edge, visual artist Sameer wondered about users sociopolitically, shaman Kimberly saw it as one in a set of 80-year old culinary utensils. It’s a sieve that Mona’s great-grandfather tinsmith made that now is a kitchen ornament. (Koffler Gallery, Artscape Youngplace, Toronto, Ontario) 20180603

Centre for Social Innovation: Tried “Innovator for a Day” at @csiTO 215 Spadina. Got building orientation by a Community Animator. Picked a good day to visit, with Salad Day community building, then Town Hall as the move to 192 Spadina in September advances. Lots of energy in the place. (Centre for Social Innovation, 215 Spadina Avenue, Toronto, Ontario) 20180605

Mattamy Centre: Official B.Comm. with distinction for @Ryan_Ing, in Business Technology Management co-op program at Ryerson University. Two older brothers and parents observing the proceedings, while the eldest brother is on a plane crossing the Pacific from China to California. This convocation was the first that Ryerson has held in the former Maple Leaf Gardens. (Mattamy Centre, Ryerson University, Carleton Street, Toronto, Ontario) 20180612

Airship 37: Patio beside The Silver Bus in summer late afternoon, relaxing is between afternoon sessions leaning towards managerial, and the evening sessions leaning towards technical. Hangar-like space has garage doors opening up with south exposure. Event venue just south of the Distillery District and north of Lake Shore Boulevard East will probably eventually be transformed, with rezoning applications for sliver towers with the City of Toronto, and Ontario Municipal Board. (Airship 37, 37 Parliament Street, Toronto, Ontario) 20180614

Fortune Seafood: Father’s Day early dinner, as bookings at Chinese restaurants are heavy. Double lobster, clams, pork chop, chicken, plus stir-fried mushrooms and a tofu casserole for me to maintain a plant-based diet. (Fortune Seafood Restaurant, Midland Avenue, Scarborough, Ontario) 20180617

Systems Thinking Ontario: Demonstration Syntegration led by @allennaleonard with trigger question “”What will it take for us to trust our most personal information and important life decisions to artificial intelligence?”. Briefing then two short rounds at two tables in about 2 hours, in contrast with the real event that could take 3.5 days. Concluding review on process, comparing with other systems methods that are knowledge-creating and dialectic. (Systems Thinking Ontario, OCADU, 205 Richmond Street West, Toronto, Ontario) 20180620

Korea House: Intercept @antlerboy @pnahar1970 @redesign @allennaleonard SCiO UK meets Systems Thinking Ontario meets National Institute of Design India, post #systemschange Wasan Island meeting. Triangulating on experiences having individually met prominent figures in the systems thinking community, comparing observations to confirm findings. Server first said they don’t see tea in the summer, and then brought the Englishman his own pot. (Korea House, Bloor Street West, Toronto, Ontario) 20180621

Movenpick: New framework with NB and @oscillize, talking systems thinking approach in progress for upcoming workshops with social enterprise entrepreneurs. Unsure where our output artifacts might lead, a slower-pace longer translation towards understandability may work better. (Movenpick, Yonge Street, Toronto, Ontario) 20180622

The Rex: Duo @beccastevensbsb @boutwillismusic @rexhoteltoronto not with bass, drums, and extra keys playing in BC last night. Rush off airplane for show, sips of beer on stage for calories. On to New York tomorrow. So much music from two pairs of hands, two voices. (The Rex, Queen Street West, Toronto, Ontario) 20180624

The Redeemer: Live @JosephShabason @TorontoJazzFest @TheRedeemerTO of ambient jazz mostly originally recorded in the studio. Playing with Nicole Rampersaud, Phil Melanson, Kieran Adams, Bram Gielen and Dafydd Hughes, a complex of samples, programming and loops recorded with pedals on the floor. Technology makes music together as a band harder, not easier. (Church of the Redeemer, Bloor Street West, Yorkville, Toronto, Ontario) 20180625

SystemsThinkingTO: Games night @DerailleurAgile #SystemsThinkingTO group learning with exercises from the Systems Thinking Playbook. I led a modified Group Juggle for experiential Bateson proto-learning, deutero-learning and trito-learning. Open space technology posted parallel groups who chose to huddle together around tables, rather than roaming. (SystemsThinkingTO, LoyaltyOne, King Street East, Toronto) 20180628

2017/06 Moments June 2017

June 30, 2017 daviding

Quiet month at my computer in Toronto, punctuated by afternoon bicycling, a son’s university convocation and Toronto Jazz Festival concerts.

Toronto, Ontario

Muzda Bakery: “What kind of bread is that?” “Just bread”. Shop touting Gujarati specialities and Indian biscuits offers fresh western style wheat loaves in a flat boule shape. Toronto east side scene of Chinese bicyclist in shorts asking for 3 loaves, a South Asian visitor dressed in white robes suggesting to buy 4, so I acquiesced to take home 4 loaves. (Muzda Bakery, Danforth Avenue, Toronto, Ontario) 20170607

Vicky Keith Point: Long route to Toronto Harbour Lighthouse, southmost tip of Tommy Thompson Park via the endikement road on the lakeward side of headland by bicycle, since the bridge on the more direct path is out. Loop road is ringed by rubble. some stacked in artistic ways by other visitors. CN Tower and bank towers of downtown Toronto across the water. (Toronto Harbour Lighthouse, Vicky Keith Point, Tommy Thompson Park, Toronto, Ontario) 20170608

Fabian's Cafe — Fabian’s Cafe: Tidy German pastry shop serving wiener schnitzel and crepes for lunch, an out-of-the-way meeting place with friends further out on the east end. European style in a strip plaza with many South Asian varieties nearby, on the major suburban street. (Fabian’s Cafe, Markham Road, Scarborough, Ontario) 20170613

Leaside Park: A few children climbing on brightly coloured playground equipment at the end of a long, empty sports field. City park just northeast after crossing the Constitution Bridge over the Don River ravine, (Leaside Park, Millwood Road at Overlea Boulevard, East York, Ontario) 20170614

Taylor Creek Park: Paved bike path, view from above on Woodbine Bridge west, shows density of trees within the urban forest. Span over Taylor Massey Creek, a tributary of the Don River system flowing westward. Apartment towers in the distance are in the Flemingdon Park neighbourhood. (Taylor Creek Park from the Woodbine Bridge, O’Connor Drive, East York, Ontario) 20170615

St. Joseph Street: Five lines of text in stainless steel, Eldon Garnet (2015) “Artifacts of Memory” 10 metres high. Installation comes into view just west of Yonge Street, unveiled in March 2016. Street art that is durable even in snows of Canadian winters. (St. Joseph Street, downtown Toronto, Ontario) 20170617

Congee Queen: Father’s Day isn’t so important to me, so sons made it Grandfather’s Day by organizing lunch. Bustling Sunday crowds in popular Chinese family eatery. Succeeded in eating less meat and more vegetables this time, but the taste of salt still fills the mouth a few hours later. (Congee Queen, Agincourt Mall, Sheppard Avenue East, Scarborough, Ontario) 20170618

Laneway demolition: Just up our street, one of the houses is having its garage demolished. The backhoe excavator was small, and the dump truck to remove the detritus was practically the full width of our laneway. We have construction at the top of our street, the middle of our street, and major plans coming for the bottom of our street. (Booth Avenue, Riverside district, Toronto, Ontario) 20170620

DI_20170620 152625 YorkUConvo NPI bigscreen — York University Convocation Big Screen: Noah Ing, Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Information Technology, minor in Environmental Studies, Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies, York University Convocation, June 20, 2017. Album of the day’s proceedings at flickr.com/photos/daviding/albums/72157682445003523 . Full name of Noah Peter Jin Ying Yee Ing has never been correct in the university registration. (York University Aviva Centre, Toronto, Ontario) 20170620

York University Convocation: Cap and gown on our third son’s graduation day. Limit of three tickets meant only parents and grandfather were invited. (York University Aviva Centre, Toronto, Ontario) 20170620

Hyper-connectivity (Pull the plug?)	How Social Movements Spread
Canadian Digital Governance	Social Innovation Trade-offs
The Access Economy – Trends in Demand Economies Synthesis maps @OCADU_SFI , 5 graduate student teams from Systemic Design courses presenting at Systems Thinking Ontario monthly meeting. (OCADU, 100 McCaul Street, Toronto, Ontario) 20170621 \| Session description at http://wiki.st-on.org/2017-06-21 \| Photoset at https://www.flickr.com/photos/daviding/albums/72157683311341130

Rees Street Waterfront: Massive stone inukshuk, Muskoka Chairs and picnic table facing Inner Harbour, with sailboats in the distance. Grassy knoll just beyond the Harbourfront canoe rentals, if you don’t own your own watercraft. Toronto Police Marine docks just to the east, HTO Park just to the west. (Rees Street Waterfront, Harbourfront, Toronto, Ontario) 20170622

Yorkville Park: Words Quartet @AmandaTosoff @TorontoJazzFest staged between 700 ton Muskoka granite outcrop and rain curtain. This project led by pianist who usually performs instrumentals, female voice enriches show with harmonic counterpoint. Compact venue is a welcome change from sprawling public plaza downtown. (Village of Yorkville Park, Cumberland Street, Toronto, Ontario) 20170624

Rorschach Brewing: Stainless steel tanks at back of craft brewery cofounded by chemical engineers extending the knowledge gained in university. Friendly east end venue for meetup on Cognitive, AI and Data Science. Group included many young people relatively new to the field. (Rorschach Brewing Co., Eastern Avenue, Toronto, Ontario) 20170626

156 Booth Ave.: Across our street, two alarm fire at 3:30 a.m. called out 12 trucks and 45 firefighters. This morning, the exit out the front of our house was blocked as a crime scene. One neighbour has an exterior video camera capturing intruders on the scene in the night. Fire trucks are now gone, yellow police tape is around that property. Houses to the north and south both damaged. (156 Booth Avenue, Riverside district, Toronto, Ontario) 20170627

Yorkville: Hazelton stage @TorontoJazzFest @crymmusic Chelsea and the Cityscape, the more pop-oriented group of bandleader McBride. She says that she would rather play radio songs than singing about her old boyfriends. (Toronto Jazz Festival, Hazelton Avenue, Yorkville, Toronto, Ontario) 20170627

Heliconian Club: Intimate stage @TorontoJazzFest @phronesismusic trio playing for first time in town. Attentive, appreciative audience, venue full for early evening gig. Band reported short sleep and stressful journey on travel today, but performance was energetic and precise. (Heliconian Hall, Hazelton Avenue, Yorkville, Toronto, Ontario) 20170627

156-158 Booth Avenue demolition: The day after a two-alarm fire, an excavator is clearing the house on the property. Both 156 and 158 semi-detached structures are unsafe, so there will be reconstruction ahead. This view is from our front yard, technically inside the yellow taped zone with workers and investigators. (156-158 Booth Avenue, Riverside district, Toronto, Ontario) 20170628

Hazelton Stage: Moody @TorontoJazzFest @mtwstevens trio musicianship extended sometimes by programmed loops and electronic effects. Live performance with band members attentive to each other on original compositions. Noted that the guitarist bandleader chooses to play from stage right, not the center. (Toronto Jazz Festival, Hazelton Avenue Stage, Yorkville, Toronto, Ontario) 20170629

Systems Theory, Systems Philosophy, Systems Methodology via Bela H. Banathy (1985)
The International Society for General Systems Research formed circa 1956 became the International Society for the Systems Sciences in 1988. In 1985, Bela H. Banathy organized the annual meeting on the theme of “Systems Inquiring”. Proceedings normally are published in the year following. In 1987, John A. Dillon summarized Banathy’s perspective in the yearbook, General […]
CSRP Institute 2024 Banathy Conversation, Lugano
For five immersive days, a team of six researchers had the opporunity to collaborate on ideas on rhythmic shifts (mostly based on Systems Changes Learning) and anticipatory systems (in the legacy of Robert Rosen). The 2024 Banathy Conversation was organized by the Creative Systemic Research Platform Institute, facilitated by Susu Nousala, Gary S. Metcalf, and […]
Book Launch — Seeing: A Field Guide to the Patterns and Processes of Nature, Culture, and Consciousness | Lynn Rasmussen + Laura Civitello | ST-ON | 2024-09-09
Systems Processes Theory has been under development for many decades, led by Len Troncale, a past president of the International Society for the Ssytems Sciences. Many have found getting a grip on the science to be a demanding task, both in scope and in depth. Over many decades, Lynn Rasmussen was a collaborator, refining and […]
Reifying Socio-Technical and Socio-Ecological Perspectives for Systems Changes | STPIS | 2024-08-16
The Socio-Technical Systems (STS) perspective, dating back to the studies of Eric L. Trist and Fred E. Emery, was on the reading list of organizational behaviour classes in my undergraduate and master’s degree programs. It wasn’t until 15 years later, when I got involved with the systems sciences and David L. Hawk, that the Socio-Ecological […]
What Can Systems Thinkers Learn From Civic Tech? | Dorothy Eng + Curtis McCord | 2024-05-18
Civic Tech can be described as projects using technology “for the public good“. Civic Tech may be related to, but different from Gov Tech. For the May 2024 Systems Thinking Onrtario, we had two knowledgeable guests in conversation. Dorothy Eng, executive director of Code for Canada since 2021, related her professional journey from engineering to […]
Resequencing Systems Thinking | U. Hull Centre for Systems Studies | 2024-05-13
On my May trip through the UK, I accepted an offer to lead an Expert-Led Session at the University of Hull. I had previously been a Research Fellow of the Centre for Systems Studies, but haven’t travelled to the Hull for some years. As we worked out the arrangements, I found out that the seminar […]

What to Do When It’s Too Late | David L. Hawk | 2024
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 ›
2021/06/17 Keekok Lee | Philosophy of Chinese Medicine 2
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 […]
2021/06/16 Keekok Lee | Philosophy of Chinese Medicine 1
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 ›
2021/02/02 To Understand This Era, You Need to Think in Systems | Zeynep Tufekci with Ezra Klein | New York Times
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 ›
2019/04/09 Art as a discipline of inquiry | Tim Ingold (web video)
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 ›
2019/10/16 | “Bubbles, Golden Ages, and Tech Revolutions” | Carlota Perez
How might our society show value for the long term, over the short term? Could we think about taxation over time, asks @carlotaprzperez in an interview: 92% for 1 day; 80% within 1 month; 50%-60% tax for 1 year; zero tax for 10 years.Read more ›

Notion of Change in the Yijing | JeeLoo Lin 2017
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 […]
World Hypotheses (Stephen C. Pepper) as a pluralist philosophy [Rescher, 1994]
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, […]
The Nature and Application of the Daodejing | Ames and Hall (2003)
Ames and Hall (2003) provide some tips for those studyng the DaoDeJing.
Diachronic, diachrony
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 […]
Introduction, “Systems Thinking: Selected Readings, volume 2”, edited by F. E. Emery (1981)
The selection of readings in the “Introduction” to Systems Thinking: Selected Readings, volume 2, Penguin (1981), edited by Fred E. Emery, reflects a turn from 1969 when a general systems theory was more fully entertained, towards an urgency towards changes in the world that were present in 1981. Systems thinking was again emphasized in contrast […]
Introduction, “Systems Thinking: Selected Readings”, edited by F. E. Emery (1969)
In reviewing the original introduction for Systems Thinking: Selected Readings in the 1969 Penguin paperback, there’s a few threads that I only recognize, many years later. The tables of contents (disambiguating various editions) were previously listed as 1969, 1981 Emery, System Thinking: Selected Readings. — begin paste — Introduction In the selection of papers for this […]

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