Nerdgasm Toronto
I was sitting on the kitchen floor with Jazzy last Thursday morning and she was teaching me ‘Cups’ – how to play a beat on a plastic cup while listening to music. We were playing along to some of our favourite songs – or more specifically, she selected some Van Halen tracks that she thought I’d appreciate. After five minutes, I had to stop her.
My heart was breaking. In 10 minutes I’d be out the door, bound for Toronto. These last few precious moments were becoming too much for me. I love teaching my daughter new things, introducing her to new things, providing her with new experiences. It’s when I’m at my daddish bestiness. Now she was teach me something.
I never had a harder time, pulling out of my mother’s driveway to leave Regina behind. It will be a few months before I see Jazzy again. My heart was heavy.
As I mentioned previously, I arrived in Toronto sporting a much better headspace. Zen chillations aside, it is absolutely great to be back in my own space, and living my own life. While my heart might be in Regina, my foundation has completely shifted to my humble abode here in The Junction.
As if to confirm the soundness of my recent shift in geography, Frank rang up my phone on Sunday. “How do you feel about me taking you to a Joss Whedon show tonight for your belated birthday?” I could have kissed him (but in a manly, totally not kissy way).
JOSS WHEDON!!!! The man is my literary hero. Whenever I’m stuck designing a story structure, or get tripped up by dialogue, I consult a Whedon script. Now Frank was taking me to ‘Nerdgasm’ – a Variety Show Dedicated to all things Whedon. It was produced and created by IlluminAir Entertainment, and it was for one night only.
There were Whedon characters represented from nearly every series and movie the man ever made – but there was a ‘variety show’ twist to them. There was burlesque, fire dancing, acrobatics, singing, and dancing. I couldn’t stop smiling. It was an absolutely outstanding experience.
Sometimes a thing is just a thing. Sometimes a thing is a symbol. I’d never get to see anything like this show in Regina. ‘Nerdgasm’ was my welcome back to Toronto moment.
The Mind of Jarrett 