The Word on the Street: 2009 Edition

[(Toronto + Massive literary festival) x Hours spent with your closest friends] = ONE EPIC SUNDAY ADVENTURE.

For future reference, this equation will be known as "Moffatt's Law of Excitement" or The Word on the Street: 2009 Edition.

After all my years spent on the fringes of 'The Centre of the Universe,' I find it shameful that this was only my FIRST time at Toronto's Word on the Street. How could I let this happen? I am SUCH a book nerd. And I am SUCH a literary criticism nerd. Heck, I was even an ENGLISH MAJOR for goodness sakes. I choose to go to lectures ON WEEKENDS. *Shakes head at herself for her past negligence* 

Regardless of my inexplicable absence from previous Word on the Street festivals, I gotta say that this one fulfilled all of my expectations. I was there at 11 am when the stalls first opened and I stayed until the last lecture wrapped up at 6 pm. And, I swear, I would have stayed longer had the festival continued onward.

SO! POINT FORM!:

• Managed to catch a magical Express Go train that whisked me into the city a whole lot faster than I had anticipated. Gave me time to stock up on water and gum for the hours ahead.
• Messed up with the subway -- I realized I was heading in the exact OPPOSITE direction from Queen's Park once I reached Wellesley. I've been programmed to go to the Gaybourhood at all costs it would appear. Seems my Gaydar has evolved to a Gay Positioning System (GPS) now.
• Arrived with ample time to wander through the park and assess the layout of the festival. Had difficulty locating the main tents I wanted to hit up -- serious, the map and the actual geography of the stalls were QUITE different. Still, though, I found what I needed to get me through the morning.
• 12 pm: Poetry Slam the First @ The Proud Voices tent. I believe the first LGBT series of lectures at Word on the Street started in 2007 and I was excited to see the crowd was still representing for us queer kids. Second Equation of the Day: Powerful, passionate words + fiery, compelling queer girls = ONE. THRILLED. MOFFATT. Serious. In fact, I'll break with my point form to introduce you to the lovely ladies of the noon Slam Event:

Beth Anne Fischer

Ms. Fischer coordinates a Slam/dance crossover event in Guelph each month. In addition, she's a member of PLUG Poetry, a crew that performs throughout Southern Ontario

Her poetry focuses on the beauty and potential that lives inside each of us, a brave position to take in this world of cynics. Gotta say, she definitely put a smile on this girl's face.

Truth Is

Truth Is holds the 2009 Toronto Poetry Slam Grand Slam Championship title and she shows no sign of slowing down. She's been a Toronto International Poetry Slam finalist; she's been a repeat participant in the Women of the World International poetry slam; AND she was part of the When Sisters Speak spoken word contest.

She's a master when it comes to articulating raw emotion to the point where even her pauses are filled with meaning. I even heard she's prone to perform on street corners and in streetcars throughout Toronto, so keep an eye out for this rising poet, ladies.

• Spoke with both poets after their performances -- I feel as though I'm on the cusp of discovering an electric, exciting world of writers I had never even known about before The Word on the Street. Not to mention, I could even find my first footing with the city's queer community at long last!
• Met up with My Advocate and her sister -- or, rather, I harassed them as they handed out samples of Cheerios at a 2010 Olympics booth at the festival. I even posed as a postcard enthusiast so I could talk to them both. My Advocate was finished at 2 pm, so I had an hour to walk through the stalls and struggle to resist the Siren song of manga and literary journals...
• 2 pm: Headed to the Vic College Book Sale. OH, Mecca of literature -- what a world. I spent just shy of $50 dollars on books in the span of, oh.... 2 hours? Actually, that's fairly decent, considering I was bombarded by alluring titles all day. Found an archaic book about a man who travels the world (aka Europe) in a hot air balloon. My Advocate and I vowed to film segments and post them on YouTube.
• 3:45 pm: Roasted corn/ice cream break.
• 3:55 pm: Found Margaret Atwood's autograph table and GAVE HER MIGHTY CUT-EYE. *Feels fulfilled* I like the whole -- Miz Moffatt: Your presence angers me which makes me stronger. You best watch out, Atwood. Margaret Atwood: Ah, but your ANGER gives ME strength! HAHA! Miz Moffatt:... Damn you, Atwood. 
• 4 pm: Dragged My Advocate over to the Scotiabank Bestsellers Tent to see "The View From Out Here" panel discussion with DIONNE BRAND!..... and Jane Urquhart, Nino Ricci, and Camilla Gibb. Jane Urquhart told me and My Advocate to write about lampposts. I believe we must, now. Marveled at the tendency writers/scholars have to invent words to articulate apparently 'complex' ideas. (e.g. "Belongingness") Our invented Word of the Day: "Poetricity" (po-et-TRISS-it-ee). I.e. "Look at that balloon in the tree there. How poetic -- the autumn sun is setting and a small, yellow balloon is trapped there in the branches -- Ah, yes, the poetricity of the moment is breathtaking."
• 5 pm: Paused at the Comics & Graphic Novels Tent and saw a panel discussion on Canadian webcomics. This was probably the most lively and hilarious discussion of the event. I love writers and all that, but there can be this air of pretension that creeps in when a large group of 'em are all together. But, OH, artists -- they're the life of the party, even if they seem quiet at first. We met up with Napoleon and hung out there until the end of the panel's discussion.
• My Advocate offered to have us kids return to her house for some pizza and Torchwood festivities -- the catch was my car. I was parked at the Go Train station WAY back in the suburbs and needed that to get home after mass chillin'. Napoleon offered to drive me there and then take My Advocate back to her home. AWESOME TIMES. I picked up juice and pop and met up with them later.
• Ship Sharp arrived for the festivities -- she even bought rings for the Advocate and me at The Clothing Show at the Better Living Centre. Mass jokes about Captain Planet ensued. Ship Sharp = TART! The Advocate = DANCING QUEEN! Miz Moffatt = SO GOOD! Apparently, our powers, when combined --> Napoleon dancing for our amusement. 

All in all, it was an outstanding Sunday. I didn't get home until about 11:30 pm -- VERY past my current bedtime, since I am an old woman trapped in the body of a 23-year-old woman. Speaking of which, it is 10:46 pm as I write this, so I ought to drop off for the evening. 

Expect more updates and randomosities to come! (Oooh, that's Invented Word No. 2. I'm on a roll here, people. I must be brilliant!)