A week of Alice

It has been a week of Alice.

The first Alice popped up in our lives when, due to my continued limited mobility issues due to a foot/leg cast, we decided to purchase a netbook. In doing so, I am now free to sit for copious amounts of hours on the sofa, leg propped in the air, AND get some work (o.k, o.k, a lot of email and facebook too) done. It is great!

The reason that my netbook and the topic of Alice go together is that, when asked what the name of my netbook should be (because that is a completely normal question to be asked by one's spouse), the first name that came to mind was 'Alice'. The netbook is red, after all.

So shortly after christening the netbook, I began an impromptu version of the children's song, 'Alice the Camel' (has 5 humps...has 4 humps...etc). To my shock and horror, my spouse (who happens to be in a children's band) did not recognize the song. This was news to me. First, because it is such a good children's song and second, because I, greatly lacking in the musical skills department, so rarely know a song that he does not.

The second instance of Alice is not quite as light-hearted; as I continue to research about the Canadian tainted blood scandal, I am -- again -- stunned at how complex, deep and wrong this scandal was/is.

One American whistle blower who had been working in the Arkansas prison saw evidence of inmates "donating"* blood who had obvious jaundice/liver disease...and when he started documenting/mentioning this, he and his family got death threats, and his clinic 'mysteriously' burned to the ground (and, conveniently, all the documents).

He subsequently wrote a thriller/mystery novel about the tainted blood scandal, but skewed some details to protect himself from liability and --well-- those death threats. He, aware of the seriousness of his exposing such scandal, felt the need to write under a pseudonym.

So my second 'Alice' of the week is: how deep does the rabbit hole go?

*Inmates "donated" blood for $7 a pop.

The Scarlet 'H'

After I found out that I had Hep C, I informed my roomates of this news. I barely knew, at the time, what Hep C was, nevermind being able to explain it to other people. Indeed, at that time in history, not much was known about the virus, at least not publically, anyway.

I have to admit that I felt an increasing isolation from my peer group due to some comments and questions that I encountered, questions like "is it safe to share utensils with you?" I felt like I, much like Nathaniel Hawthorne's main protagonist, had a large, shameful letter 'H' on my chest, for all the world to see.

That utensil question, asked immediately after I had informed my friends of my positive status, may have been a valid question considering not much was known, in the mid-nineties, about how Hep C was spread. It was, however, ill-timed and unsympathetic.

Highlights from the Edge

The show last Friday was a success, with food being eaten, people meeting each other, artwork being discussed, and of course, live music to round it all off. Although I was exhausted by the end of the evening, I enjoyed myself and appreciated the encouragement such feedback gave. Thank you everyone who came!

The preview illustrations will be available for viewing from 12 - 5pm for the next 2 days (The Edge Gallery at 611 Main st.)

And if you cannot make it out to the gallery by Thursday, then here are a few highlights!

Enjoy the 'show' -- !
1. Whose Fault is it?
I get my best ideas and thoughts sorted when doing seemingly mundane tasks such as brushing my teeth.
I am intrigued by the commonality of brushing one's teeth. I wonder if Bill Clinton brushed his teeth minutes before accepting the role of Governor of Arkansas in 1978? It was during this time, as tainted blood flowed from Arkansas inmates to other countries then-governor Clinton did not act, despite evidence of severe mis-managment in his prison system and medical operations...

At the time, prisoners were paid $7 US for each pint of "donated" blood.



2. Chronic Renal Disease and Other Things Six-Year-Olds Do Not Understand

3. "Housekeeping!"
In response to the Access to Information request, the Canadian Blood Committee destroys all its minutes and taped proceedings of its meetings dating back to its formation in 1981, a move it later tried to pass of as mere “housekeeping.” (PICARD 218)