The most difficult aspect of my job is not to be found in the writing, production, or performance of music. It’s to be found in the stories that reach me, either after shows by individuals themselves or by email. I do not mention this to say that I think it an unfair burden, nor one that I wish I did not have to shoulder. I mention this because, in the end, we are all human and it is only right that we be remembered, even ...More »

This afternoon I was honoured to received the Canadian Mental Health Association’s Mental Health Voices Award for 2008, which is given out to those whose efforts have helped raise awareness about mental illness. To be honest with you, I feel entirely unworthy of the award being that all I did was tell my own story. There are literally thousands of volunteers, professionals, and advocates that deserve recognition for their work on a daily basis, making receiving such an honour entirely humbling next to their tireless dedication. More »

Roy worries about me. To be honest, that worry is returned, but in this case he has substantive journalism to back it up, so he wins. As many of you are aware, actor Heath Ledger died not long ago from an overdose. Of course, that word can be misconstrued, and following his death, especially given his profession, morbid speculation was rampant – because let’s be honest with ourselves, we live in a society that loves gossip and morbidity above all things. Had I not survived my ...More »

Greetings from Baltimore. Being that I’m flying to Buffalo in the morning we’re staying here by the airport rather than in Virginia, which isn’t too far off anyway. Tonight’s show will be interesting in that the venue does not sell tickets in advance, so. I was plagued by a horrible night terror last night. If you have read what I have written about them in the past with regards to how they have affected me my entire life, then you are aware just how traumatic ...More »

A long time ago, when sleep was something that didn’t favor me with its company all that often, I commonly turned to alternatives in an attempt to defeat insomnia. My main reason for doing so was that if I went days without sleep (or woke up too early) I tended to become quite nauseous. My savior, of course, became Gravol, the world’s foremost motion sickness drug and one of the best over the counter sleeping aids known to man. Of course, over time Gravol can ...More »

I came across the following comment left in response to an article on the Tyee regarding homelessness in British Columbia, particularly Vancouver… “An avalanche of stories on the homeless and the left is bankrupt of any practical ideas. The left calls for housing and treating them in Vancouver, perpetuating the slum we know as the DTES. We in the real world know that Vancouver real estate is far too expensive to justify the economic cost of housing them. Don't even talk about the NIMBY's who'll kill ...More »

According to an article in today’s Globe & Mail, one third of all calls made to the Vancouver City Police have to do with dealing with individuals who are mentally ill. For those of you that are in the dark, we spent the last two decades emptying out our long-term mental facilities and placing people on the streets. I suppose, to some, the streets seemed just as good a place as any to dump those that require long-term care. After all, we can’t dare ask taxpayers ...More »

On the day before Christmas 2005, the LAPD decided to enact one of their frequent drug stings upon the destitute of skid row, no doubt adding to the desperation and misery of those living there. Heroin Alley is a well known part of downtown where people from throughout the greater Los Angeles area come to score horse at all hours. Caught up in the sweep was a talented young actor by the name of Brad Renfo. (The word sweep is an apt description, as that ...More »

I came across this story by way of Sean Orr at Beyond Robson. It is, as an individual that suffers from mental illness and is a born and bred Vancouverite, one of the most disgusting things about residents of this city that I have ever read… “Neighbours opposed to the establishment of the Motivation, Power and Achievement Society's mental health drop-in centre at West Seventh and Fir say they will help the city find a different location for the social services agency. But they don't want it ...More »

I have struggled of late to pen something in-depth for the site. I do my usual daily reading, but I feel exhausted with regards to providing commentary. Over the weekend I did write a piece for a local publication called ‘Street Corner’, though I’m not sure when it will appear. I have, of course, written about this subject before, so some of what I wrote on the weekend may not seem new to avid readers of the site, but I thought that I would post ...More »