Lilacs

Soft violet and bright green contrast sharply;
Their flourishing clusters adorn laneways and sidewalks throughout the city.
You need only close your eyes and breathe deeply, and the aroma will carry you to warm evenings spent sitting ‘round the barbeque.
As I step into my front path, I stop to bury my nose in the wondrous perfume of late spring.

The lilacs are out.

Green

Unable to focus on her work, she resigned herself to the meandering of her mind and stared out the window onto the sun-bathed street below. The trees were finally beginning to fill out with fresh new leaves, the colour of silly childhood summer afternoons, and in the distance she could hear the buzz of a lawnmower and the cacophony of construction crews. She closed her eyes and sighed as the refreshingly cool mid-spring breeze washed over her, its brusqueness biting into her arms and face. Longing to be away from this place, to be out there in the breeze, she opened her eyes and looked to the distant tree-encrusted hills. As her eyes scanned the horizon, she shook her head and smiled to herself, enjoying the fantasy of heading out on a journey for destinations unknown.

The phone rang shrilly in her ear, startling her back to the monochramatic reality of office life. As she lifted the receiver and began to listen to the caller describe his quandry, she tucked her hopes back into their hiding place with a small sigh, and returned her mind to her work.

What is Stephen Harper Reading?

Life of Pi author, Yann Martel is valiantly attempting to broaden the horizons of Stephen Harper by sending him bi-weekly doses of some of the most thought-provoking and revered works of literature the english-speaking world has known. Mr. Martel has promised to continue this 'campaign' as long as Mr. Harper holds the post of Prime Minister. All I can think of is the incredible library that Harper will accumulate if he manages to win the next election, and how said library will inevitably go to waste. This is an excruciating thought.

To document these attempts to inspire more 'stillness' in Mr. Harper, Mr. Martel has begun this website. The best part is that with each book, Martel includes an introductory letter that describes his reasons for selecting this particular work. Reading these letters make me want to read. Continually. I encourage all of you to check them out. It's also amusing to note the types of literature that have been sent... in contrast to the policies of the man to whom they are addressed...

I am glad that Mr. Martel is publishing his attempts, as his letters, which I fear are wasted on Stephen Harper, offer us a wonderful insight into the works he is recommending. So tune in to "What is Stephen Harper Reading?" every second week to check out the latest entry (and to see if Mr. Harper has responded...)

Word of the day

Cerulean is a great word. I love the way it's spelled: Trying to pronounce it correctly, is a sort of puzzle, you see, and then there's the treat of the way it sounds rolling off your tongue once you do figure it out:

seh-roo-lee-un

And finally, I love the images it conjures... his eyes were a clear cerulean blue; adrift on a calm cerulean sea. Ah.

What words are you currently in love with?