Essays & Speeches

Fishing Is Actually Not That Difficult To Learn: some musings on disabled folks, work, and charity

(Note: A slightly shortened version of this essay was given as a speech on May 06, 2022, at the Shabbat Itanu event held at the Danforth Jewish Circle congregation.)

Most of us have likely heard or seen some variation the saying: ā€œGive a man a fish; he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish; he will feed himself for a lifetime.ā€ There is a wealth of assumption and relentless social pressure present in that saying.

Brockton Writers Reading Series ā™„ ā€” Interview

The lovely folks at Brockton Writers Reading Series are hosting me along with 3 other Ontario writers ā€” Ryanne Kap, Waubgeshig Rice, and Marlo K. Shaw ā€” for a reading this coming Wednesday, July 08.  Itā€™s happening on Glad Day…

Upcoming Pride performances

I’m doing 2 poetry readings for Pride in Toronto: As part of Too Queer: A Bi Visibility Cabaret, the brilliant, captivating brainchild of Katie Sly.Ā  Saturday June 25, 7:30pm, Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, 12 Alexander Street. http://www.blogto.com/events/too-queer-a-bi-visibility-cabaret-at-pride-2016/ http://buddiesinbadtimes.com/show/too-queer-a-bi-visibility-cabaret/ https://www.facebook.com/events/536955696483123…

How to support a loved one dealing with (chronic and/or intense) pain

This list is grounded in my experiences of several decades of living with chronic illnesses, which bring both chronic pain and short-term episodes of intense pain. During that time I’ve experienced some not-so-useful support, and a lot of quite excellent…