"Toronto and Antony Share Three Letters"

Over reading week I saw Antony and The Johnsons in Toronto with Lisa.

He has the most amazing voice, the most interesting way of singing, and he's hilarious!

He kept chatting between songs - free association stuff about his memories of the songs, and how he promised his cellist that he would stop talking during concerts, starting tonight...

He even stopped a few times mid verse because he either forgot the chords or the words, or he got distracted by his thoughts, so he would tell us little stories - like the time, years ago, when his boyfriend apparently had to break up with him because he got his girlfriend pregnant, but then she ended up having an abortion six months later (ha!).

It was kinda strange, because his music can be melancholic at times, and he is so jovial ... it was a weird contrast.

Check out this song "Hope There's Someone" (left).
I don't know if the video is done by them because it's from youtube.



And this is one he does with Cocorosie (right). Listening to this song was actually the first time I heard his voice (in Paris actually). I couldn't get it out of my head for days.


* * *

I ran into Henry Giroux the other day (as happens often - most grad student offices are on the same floor as his) and when he asked me the usual how are you, and I smiled and said 'all right' he stopped and gave me the 'yeah right' look, leaned against the wall and asked what was wrong.

I told him about my anxieties - whether I'm right for academia, whether there will be any jobs, whether there is a future for the social sciences and humanities in academia, let alone funding...

He often starts off with an outline, like "there are really two things we're talking about here" or "I see three sides to this issue." This time it was the three kinds of people that go into academia. (I love the way he talks). I need to be the third kind, the kind that perseveres.

Among other encouraging facts about the future of academia, he said he thinks I'm a beautiful writer, and that he wishes I were staying at Mac to work with him, and he said he wrote that in the references he sent to Concordia and Carleton.

Honestly, there's nothing quite like a Giroux pep-talk. I wish I could bottle it and add it to my tea every morning.