I fought back some fatigue to attend Wednesday’s night’s Eco Art Salon presented by the Community Arts Council of Vancouver. It’s admittedly difficult to leave the house again once one has returned from the work, eaten, and it is pouring outside. I’m glad I did, as I met a number of new artists and re-connected with an ex-student. Robin was “my” student for oh, an hour an a half back in October 2010 when I substitute-taught a seminar class at Emily Carr for a friend. I looked at her from across the room, trying to place where I recognized her from (it didn’t take too long). She came and sat by me later and I’d asked if she went to ECU and if she had taken Josh’s class - she did - and we caught up as if we’d known each other for much, much longer than the length of a class. What a passionate ( and sweet person.

Cut to Friday at work when I reconnected with another individual from my past, from when I’d just moved to Vancouver to pursue my MFA. My thesis advisor urged me to join Chris Lee’s fourth year English class that was to be led through a tour of Chinatown on a Saturday afternoon. Hayne gave the insightful tour, which culminated with a meal at Ho Ho’s. I never imagined this girl, who a month earlier was still living in good ol’ Southern Ontario, would be having lunch with a table full of strangers on the other side of the country. And so on Friday, I met Hayne again, nearly three and a half years later, and as was the case with Robin and I a few days earlier, our chat was short but relaxed and I left telling him that I hope our paths would cross again. On a related note, my current colleague, Allan, was also present for that tour those few years ago - something I mentioned to him when when I started working here again. It’s truly a small, small world.