Monthly Archives: February 2006

Sending out kisses for Valentine's Day

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Sending out kisses for Valentine's Day

Close to life-size chocolate kiss wrapped in red foil…

It's Valentine's Day….

My girlfriend found this giant chocolate kiss at Purdy's. It made her laugh so she bought it.
I liked it so much I wanted to share it with everyone.

Very interesting Valentine's Day for 2006…  which actually began
on Feb 13 – Valentine's Eve… with dinner out at Aqua Riva with a specially
selected couple (which shall remain secret to protect personal privacy
– but she has been written about many times on this website because she
has authored a book).

I went to City Hall today to join the protest against City Hall's
decision to cut the funding for the Mayors from the Peace Messenger
Cities World Peace Forum. 
Rex Wyler and many others made statements about the City's unfortunate
plan to withdraw its participation.  Former city councilor Ellen Woodsworth
asked me to participate.  I LOVE peace and love.  I believe
Peace is an investment, and War is a cost.  I believe that
whatever we can invest in Peace beforehand helps us to never know what
it would cost us in war, hate and loss of life or economic hardship.

So…. I led a short singalong with my accordion.  I started with
the Beatles Song All You Need is Love… then a new chant…  to
the tune of She Loves You… “We Want Peace, yeah… yeah….
yeah….”  and then I closed with the chorus for “Give Peace a
Chance.”

Hopefully I can also attend the Peace Dialogues at Kitsilano School 7pm.
http://www.worldpeaceforum.ca/whats-new

After the “Peace protest” I was chatting with some great young people
who were fascinated with the accordion.  I usually play classical
music, so I gave them some riffs.  Then…. I met Marilyn (Marlin)
Pollard who was there from the Quaker Church… a big peace fan. 
After making first name introductions she asked…. “Are you Todd
WONG?  No… are you really Todd WONG?”  Marlin said she
heard me on the radio speaking about Kogawa House, and then donated
$300, to help save Kogawa House,
the childhood home of Joy Kogawa.  She admitted to being a big fan
of Gung Haggis Fat Choy, and wished she had been able to attend. 
I invited her to attend the free poetry readings that we always do at
the Vancouver Public Library.  We went over to City Square and
shared japanese tea and sushi.

Driving afterwards…. I get a phone call.  It is Chinese World
Journal Newspaper.  They took a picture of me at the protest for
peace and will print it in Wednesday's newspaper.  They want my
“Chinese Name.”  Guess it helps to be the only Chinese person with
an accordion at a newsworthy event.

Valentine's Day….  hmmm…..
While driving along Canada Way… traffic stalled… and on my immediate left, I saw Charlie's Chocolate Factory. 
I popped in and bought Chocolate dipped strawberries as a present for
my girlfriend.  Owner Charlie Sigvardsen was walking around
beaming… and I told him I liked his television commercial.


Synchrohearts: a board game – described as a game for two adults to love to play, and to play to love!

On my way driving downtown, I was listening to CBC Radio 690 AM, and
they asked for ideas on what you do to keep romance alive…  I
phoned in and was able to tell host Priya Ramu that my special romance
trick is to kiss like it's the first time.  It's very important to
keep the wonderment alive.  Special guest Bev Redekop a
relationship councillor said that she really liked my comment about
“wonderment”.   Later I recieved a phone call from CBC Radio
that I had won a prize… the board game Synchrohearts… as creator Robert O'Neil had been a guest on the show. 

I spent some time at the Vancouver Aquarium while I did some respite
care.  There were many couples walking around holding
hands….  Valentine's Day is a great reason to visit the
aquarium… I guess.


Balloon sculpture… look hard and you will find a red heart surrounded by a bouquet of balloon flowers.

And after walking out, I bumped into Arty – the balloon clown
who makes balloon sculptures for kids (and adults).  I asked him
to make a valentine heart for me to surprise my girlfriend.  He
created an incredible bouquet of balloon flowers with a red valentine
heart – Incredible!!!!  If you want something special and
“baloony” – call Arty at 604-473-7100.

And now for Valentine's Dinner…. 

Joy Kogawa & Friends – Emotionally and Truthful reading at Chapters on Robson, Saturday Feb 11

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Joy Kogawa & Friends – Emotionally and Truthful
 
reading at Chapters on Robson, Saturday Feb 11


Authors Joy Kogawa,
Daphne Marlatt, Ellen Crowe-Swords, Heahter Skydt (TLC), Todd Wong
(Save Kogawa House) and Roy Miki at Chapters bookstore on Robson for
“Joy Kogawa & Friends.” – photo Deb Martin.

It was a surprisingly emotional and appreciative audience that thanked
each of the readers on Saturday Feb 11th at Chapters on Robson St.

Roy Miki started by reading segments from his book REDRESS: Inside the
Japanese Canadian Call for Justice.  Miki read passages that set
the tone and described how the government used language to euphemize
and downplay the confiscation of property, the massive uprooting and
tearing of social fabric, and the internment of Japanese Canadians,
labeled as “enemy aliens.”

Daphne Marlatt read from her book of poetry “Steveston”, a collection
of poetry about the Japanese Canadian community in of Steveston in
Richmond BC.  She verbally painted a picture of the community and
its loss.



Joy Kogawa shares a story with the audience while Daphne Marlatt and Roy Miki watch – photo Todd Wong

Ellen Crowe-Swords created a poignant moment when she set the time of
her story, as the 2nd week in December 1942.  She set a 6 year old
Joy Kogawa playing in her cherry Tree, herself as a week old baby,
Daphne Marlatt as new child immigrant to Canada, and Roy Miki as a
“twinkle in your father's eye” as Miki was born after internment while
his parents were relocated on a beet farm.

Joy herself, spoke about the challenges of the recent house
campaign and read from Emily Kato – a reworking of Itsuka.  She
commented that she rewrote Itsuka to try to make it a better book – but
unfortunately it has been very difficult to find.  This is
incredulous because of all the attention that Joy and her works have
been recieving with 2005's One Book One Vancouver program at the
Vancouver Public Library, Vancouver Opera's Naomi's Road touring
production, and now the Save Kogawa House campaign which has gone
national.



Joy Kogawa and Ellen Crowe-Swords listen attentively – photo Todd Wong

When questions from the audience arose, several people thanked the
readers and many had tears in their eyes because the talk and the
experience was so emotional releasing.  Joy had spoken about the
need to overcome the darkness and find the light in redress for both
Japanese Canadians and Chinese Canadians.  She had also read a
letter from a Japanese Canadian person who had grown up as an internee
housed in not a shack, or a stable, but a chicken coop – with fleas.

One Chinese Canadian woman said she had been involved in the CC redress
in Montreal, but hadn't been able to find a sense of community and
like-minded individuals in Vancouver.  She apologized for crying,
saying she didn't know how bad it was for the Japanese Canadians, as
people kept telling her that you cannot compare JC redress to CC
redress.  But while 62 years of legislated racism affected each
group differently (Roy Miki's book Redress points out that Canada had a
“gentleman's agreement” with Japan to limit emmigration from Japan to
Canada), Both were affected very much by the very strong anti-Asian
resentment in Canada at the time, which certainly resulted in the 1907
riots where the Anti-Asiatic League attacked both Chinatown and
Japantown.

Joy will next be giving the keynote talk at the “Order of Canada / Flag
Day” luncheon organized by The Canadian Club.  Feb 15, 2006 at the
Four Seasons Hotel.  This is a very prestigious event that
acknowledges BC's newest Order of Canada recipients.

Joy will give a public reading at the Vancouver Public Library on Feb
27th.  This is to be the Vancouver launch for her book Emily Kato
(reworked Itsuka) which follows Naomi's journey to Toronto to work with
Aunt Emily on the Japanese Canadian redress campaign.


The TLC display for “Save Kogawa House” campaign – photo Todd Wong