"Postcards from Greg Hemmings #22" Art of Reflection

June 23, 2009

London, England

“Art of Reflection”

Photo Credit: Greg Hemmings

I am writing this postcard as I fly home from a great week in London, I love that city! I was there as the recipient for the Royal Commonwealth Society’s prestigious Vision Award for one of my short arctic films called “Papikatuk”. The day before the award I was exploring the shops and scenes around Oxford Street when my travel mates Gary and Allen spotted this particular art dealer store front. I was pleasantly surprised to have accidently taken my own reflected portrait as I attempted to capture the little clay people climbing the ladder. I saw the small characters climbing to be set free into the upward universe as they reached the top! I need not to go into detail about my “reflections” of this interesting piece of art, but I will say that after studying it for a few minutes I realized I needed to take a photo to remind me continually to climb life’s ladder until the natural forces allow me to fly!

"Summertime! Thats it... just summertime"

August 8, 2009

Toronto – Halifax

Soundtrack: War

Artist: Sinead O’Connor via Bob Marley via Haille Salassie The first (Ras-Tafari)

(Google search Sinead O’Connor vs. the Pope. Follow that up by watching her version of Bob Marley’s “War” (a song that Bob wrote based on the speech of King Salassie of Ethiopia, asking the world to help stop war in Africa, starting by the end of Italy’s bullying tactics against the weakly armed country). Sinead is now on the top of my hero list, thank you Sinead for standing up….get up stand up! Down presser man!!! Where you gonna run to? You gonna run to the rocks, the rocks will be melting, you gonna run to the sea, the sea’s gonna be boiling, you gonna make your bed in Hell, I’ll be there….Down Presser Man!

Heres the link for the SNL clip

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5SRwuo3fOk

Here is the clip from the Bob Dylan tribute concert where she was thrown thousands of voices of hatred towards her. This brings tears to my eyes, so powerful

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCk2YQS8vaw

Soundtrack: The Dead Flag Blues

Artist: Godspeed You Black Emperor

All I can say is buy a Godspeed Album, turn off the lights, turn on your noise cancelling headphones and BE PREPARED.

Back to the bass

Jessica, Kaiya and I are enjoying the benefits of a successful upgrade certificate on our flight home from our Ontario adventure. Kaiya is feeding from the bottle, Jessica is being lovely as usual, and I am thinking about some of the things that has gone down of significance since my last post. A lot has gone down, this is a quick flight, how do I go forward? Point form usually works pretty good for me! Typically I like to write a blog in a narrative, but I am on such a short flight segment, and the wine is going down quite smoothly, business class wine is far superior by the way. Man I am a flight snob…Air Canada did this to me. Funny, last night we were at the KOA campground in London Ontario and we met up with my dear ole travel friend Shannon Armstrong for a few drinks.

Shannon read my blog about my loss of the ole Elite Status, and she thought I was serious…”Greg how you have changed!!!”. I KNOW Shannon from countless adventures hitch hiking around Eastern Canada and the Eastern States, Ontario, Pennsylvania, Lorneville! The usual! Ha ha. Anyway, I am going to blast through this past month...here we go…

· Caraquet – NB Arts Board Meeting

Jessica and Kaiya joined me the day I got back from London on an amazing road trip to Northern New Brunswick so I could attend to my duties as a board member of the NB Arts Board.

New Brunswick is one of the most freakin beautiful provinces in Canada…and NO ONE KNOWS IT! Why does Nova Scotia get all the praise and glory? Yes Nova Scotia has great beaches, but so does New Brunswick, and I’m sorry, East Coast hospitality in NB would win in an arm wrestle against East Coast hospitality in NS any day. We had a great Arts Board meeting, the arts in New Brunswick are alive and well and REVOLUTIONARY!!! There is a sentence that I like to repeat in my head from time to time, and the NB Arts world fits well with it…”Lets just fucking do it!’. There should be no barriers in creating art….if its money, lets provide the artists with money, if its inspiration, well we have plenty of it to share, if its market presence, lets FORCE our communities into supporting the arts, checking out gallery hops, going to a local pub to see a band, checking out the local theater...WE HAVE THE POWER…Lets just fucking do it!

Jack Kerouac Quote

When we produced the Grave Concerns episode about Jack Kerouac we got in deep with the family and friends of one of my favorite authors, and certainly one of America’s most profound adventure writers. When Brent and I were drinking a brew at one of the local brew pubs, we ended up chatting with the family doctor of one of Jack’s childhood best friends; Billy K. Billy K has a nephew named George who is a musician and producer who is working on a project that I can not disclose any info on at this time, but its about Jack and his relation with George's uncle Billy. George honored Brent and I with the request to provide a quote to be written that would last the test of time. The quotes would be on the packaging of the up and coming tribute media presentation I will await George’s consent to write anything else in detail. If you are a beat fan, and if Kerouac is one of your spiritual guides of travel, adventure, jazz, love and booze, then I am sure you will want to tune in as this project develops.

Grand Lake Visit to Krista Bishop

After our visit to Caraquet Jess, Kaiya and I tripped though miles of mid New Brunswick woods and finally made it to Chipman, the through to Grand Lake where we met up with both of our childhood / teenhood (respectively) best of friends Krista Bishop’s camp on the lake. A fantastic reunion of friends, of moms, of children. A jump into the lake for swim number one of the summer, then a 6 hour drive back to Halifax. Yummy.

·

NB Merit Award

WOW. New Brunswick Day is a day I am proud of, if you haven’t guessed it I am a fan of my home province. This year they honored me…the city of Saint John wowed me with an award in recognition of my input into the NB arts and culture scene, man, I must say, of all the honors that I feel I do not deserve, this is at the top of the list, but what an honor. Thank you New Brunswick.

· Fredericton Wedding of Vicky Scholten.

Big wedding last Saturday night in Fredericton. Vicky is one of Jessica’s med school running friends, There were a lot of amazing people there, the party was great, Kaiya loves Daft Punk.

· Wallace McCain Institute session 1

All you need to do is check out Wallace McCain Institute online and you will see what a ridiculously incredible program I have been accepted into. This program chose 12 other executives, CEOs and presidents of other NB and NS business to meet once a month for a whole year to share, to grow and to learn. That’s all I need to say, I want tow rite a whole book on my first experiences at the cabin in Alma NB lakeside, but we have vowed confidence. I will say no more, accept the fact that I am more excited about this adventure in business then of any other amazing and life changing thing that I am witnessing this year. Enough said.

· Magdalene Islands Adventure

As an entrepreneur it is near impossible to TURN OFF and take a vacation, well I did. Right when I said goodbye to the Wallace McCain crew I drove to Truro Nova Scotia, met Jess and Kaiya, hot the PEI ferry, drove to Souris PEI, the took the all night ferry to the Magdalene Islands, we arrives at 9 am to our rented house. We met my brother Mark and family, and Jessica’s brother Chris and family. We had a great week of beaches, kite flying, and relaxation. It was worth it I feel like I don’t care anymore, If my soul needs some time, I want to grant it. Check out this group of islands, its magical it’s very Sigur Ros “Heima”. Wild horses, big cliffs, big winds, WOW. Magic.

· Evolve Music Festival 10 years

After our week of R&R in Magdalene’s, Jess, Kaiya and I crossed the ferry again and ended up outside of Antigonish, Nova Scotia. We cruised into the farm land that occupied a few thousand music fans at the Evolve Music and Awareness festival. This was to be Kaiya’s first live music. We entered during Mishka (Jah Live!) and left after a sweet set of positive vibes from Xavier Rudd, our Australian Didge playing, good vibrations creatin’ spirit man! “I want to be … FREE E E E E E E! Let me be now! Let me be free, I want to be free!

· South Shore Pleasantville

Time off for one night, hanging with my family, my cousin Martha from the UK was here with my brother’s kids, drinking red wine on the La Have River reminds me of one week ago drinking quality beer on the beaches of Grand Bay when got to visit Anthony and Amy and their new little creation Samuel. What is life without rest? What is rest without inspiration. I would rather sleep under the sun if I was exhausted after a marathon then inside on a bed. Experience, adventure, unlike Kim Mitchell, I am not a wild Party I am a wild broken and predictable record.

· Rock Fest on Citadel

Hemmings House was hired to film this year’s Rock Fest in Halifax. Alistair had the full switcher set up under the stage as Sammy Hager, Chad Smith, Joe Satriani it the stage with their new rock’n’roll formation; Chickenfoot.. Rock on Farrell.

· RV Ontario Road Trip

Muskoka. The cottage country of Ontario is nothing but inspiring and life breathing! Jess, Kaiya and I rented a motor home and drove up to meet our good friends Raj Panikkar and his lovely lady Glynis (the baby whisperer!) We had a great relaxing time on the side of the lake, swimming, drinking craft brew and red wine. A true summer experience!

George Town. Jessica’s mom grew up on a farm in Georgetown Ontario. This place is amazing, its full of incredible artifacts and memories! We pulled the motor home up and camped beside the soy bean field that Jessica’s uncle John farms. This property in 2 years will be a new urban sprawl cookie cutter home development. Tis the cycle of life I guess on the upswing?

London. After our visit to Georgetown we cruised down the 401 to the KOA outside of London Ontario. Great times dealing with exploding motorhome sewage pipes and overflowing toilet water. Joys of motorhoming! Jessica’s brother Chris, Beth and family joined us as did my old adventurous friend Shannon Armstrong.

Ok, I’m sorry for the relatively lame blogging style (rushed and bullet formed), so much has happened in the last few weeks, I can’t believe I resorted to bullet form, but what the “H”, “E”, double hockey stick, time is a luxury these days…in fact I have such little time that I haven’t checked my Facebook inbox in 3 months….I am afraid,. Time time time,is not on MY side! Fire, fire fire on my mountain of my human existence. Talk soon!

"Air Canada Breaks my Heart, and Filming ECMAs!"

February 25, 2009

Halifax – Deer Lake, Newfoundland

Air Canada Breaks Greg’s Heart

I just left the Halifax tarmac on a small Air Canada Dash 8 commuter plane enroute to the republic of Newfoundland! Yes it is that time again, the East Coast Music Awards. Hemmings House Pictures has been hired again to film many of the acts for Aliant.net. This year we are up for our second nomination for best DVD of the year. Wes Jagoe hired me years ago it seems to film a live video project from his living room, and now it has surfaced and a nomination is in our name!

“Get lit, Feel the power on the one, don’t sit, wait for the thing to come…”, thanks Daniel Lanoise. Great music always sets the mood right for my airplane journaling! Speaking of airplanes, I need to vent.

This journal since its inception has given so many props to Air Canada, I have written most of my blogs on Air Canada planes, or in Maple Leaf Lounges. In fact if you did a word count on this whole blog you would see multiple positive references to Air Canada.

SCORE CARD

AIRPLANE – 48

AIR CANADA - 26

MAPLE LEAF LOUNGE – 20

AEROPLAN - 8

I say positive references because I am addicted not to crystal meth, or peanut butter cookies, but rather to Aeroplan points. I have travelled enough on Air Canada that my Aeroplan fetish has pushed me to the point where I am finding myself paying more money to fly Air Canada just to get the damned things, not only that, I usually upgrade to higher cost fares to maximize my points potential so I can keep my “Elite” status…OK

HOLD ON…

This is where the story gets depressing. I feel like I have never flown so much in my life as I did in 2008, I was all over the place. 2007 was a big year of flights, but 08 I was sure was going to be the chart topper. So I get an envelope in the mail last week with my new Aeroplan card that pretty much tells me that I HAVE BEEN DEMOTED back to “Prestige” status! WHAT??? Are you kidding me? I have been stripped away of everything that I hold dear to me…Maple Leaf Lounge access, priority boarding, business class line access, P-I-M-P status! ALL GONE within the 2 seconds of me opening up an envelope that I was expecting to be filled with “Aeroplan Elite” membership perks like upgrade certificates and pats on the back and so on.

Many of you readers might say, “Suck it up you spoiled prick…live like the rest of us and use the public washrooms, pay for your drinks and food, and wait for your flight on the uncomfortable terminal seat!” Or others may comment, “Greg is not an elitist snob, I am surprised to hear that he is upset!”. Well I am not upset, I just feel like I have been kicked out of my own band, or I have come back to my home that I have built and there is a new lock in place with a sign saying SORRY GREG, YOU ARE NOT WELCOME HERE ANYMORE!!!”. I feel abandoned, I feel humbled, I feel sad.

So why am I writing this pathetic post? Well I am hoping that someone from Aeroplan finds this blog via Google Analytics, or Google Alerts, or maybe by one of my faithful readers will post a comment as a message of support in this blog so I can take it to Air Canada and say, “Look, the whole world thinks that Greg deserves his Maple Leaf lounge privileges back!”. So if you are in the Aeroplan team, please know that I fly on Air Canada exclusively in and out of the country, even though this pathetic flight to Deer Lake cost me $1,200 in cold hard-earned cash for Steve’s Ticket from Saint John NB, and $800 for mine from Halifax….so yes, I just spent $2,000 on flights with Air Canada to get two of us to go to the ECMAs, and for me to have a chance to write in my blog as I fly Air Canada instead of West Jet or Provincial Airplanes.

Want to know the frosting on the cake? I get the Air Canada Web Savers every week, after we bough the $2,000 worth of tickets, I got a friendly little email from Air Canada with a special offer from Halifax to St. John’s for $79.00…I am sorry, that is just worthy of me shedding tears, a very cruel joke Air Canada. You have made me a pathetic, and humbled little blogger. To put sprinkles on top of the frosting of the cake, I am a stock owner of Air Canada, and to add some extra chocolate fudge on top of the sprinkles onto of the frosting on the cake, I purchased my Air Canada stock 2 days after 9/11…thinking in my universal wisdom that buying Air Canada would be a brilliant investment when the value of airlines stock sunk so deep…well I risked it and invested a couple handfuls of thousands into Air Canada and now my Air Canada portfolio is worth like 70 bucks. Ha, so much for me is a gambler. Is there any room for a candle on top of the cake? The last 2 times I travelled to Hawaii Air Canada lost my luggage, so I am travelling in the winter with winter clothes in Hawaii going for a snorkel in my snowsuit. I don’t complain though….why? Well because I am “Elite” status Aeroplan member and I appreciate the efforts they have made in assuring I have my Guinness and Scotch ready for me to go with my split pea soup and veggie dip every time I end up in the Air Canada Maple Leave Lounge. But those days are long gone. I will stop being so dramatic, you know it’s only for comic relief in these trying times of “being a young entrepreneur just trying to find my way!” ha ha.

Previous to the Heart Break

7 notable points of interest

• The last few weeks have been nuts as usual, I made two trips to New Brunswick, one to attend the Arts NB board meeting. I was asked this year to sit on the board, I was honored to except. Here is a picture of the board members!

• The well at my Acamac house went dry, I had to pay $11,500 to drill deeper, good thing I have a Visa Avion to pay for it with 18% interest. Oh well, at least I will get more points to travel on AIR CANADA more. FAAAAACK! I am seriously thinking about selling the legendary house; the place that Hemmings House Pictures was born, and the place of many legendary parties…I will miss it. I have hired the Mawhinney Group (www.MawhinneyBlog.com) to list the property…gotta pay off my credit cards. Well Drillers and Air Canada are sucking me dry. Dry as a desert, not a dessert (like cake and frosting and sprinkles and chocolate fudge and candles), a desert, similar to those you find in Egypt and other notable land masses covered in sand, cacti and non-water sources.

• Andrew is rockin the edit of Kardinal Sinners for RUSH HD to be delivered March 15^th, the show is rockin. We have found some heavy interest in the USA for the show, pursuing with much piss and vinegar. RUSH HD has been an absolute pleasure to work for / with so far. So nice to work with a broadcaster that doesn’t waste time with politics, and who is honest.

• We have moved our office into the Power Post building in Halifax on Hollis, and our new office on Prince William Street in Saint John is an amazing spot. We are all feeling “it”. This is the year, this is the year, this is the year.

• Jessica is very pregnant, she looks very cute, and baby peanut is kicking like mad, she is the funniest little alien! I can’t wait to meet her May 5^th! What a trip fatherhood is going to be. We had our pregnancy pictures taken last week by Jen MacLean, they look very cool.

• Jessica and I had some heavy meetings in Saint John yesterday and Monday, we made the drive through the craziest snowstorm in the history of the Trans Canada highway. I had a very significant meeting that is taking Hemmings House one step closer to having an international presence.

• My brother Mark took Lauchlan and some other Photography students to Mexico last week, very cool adventure and learning experience for Lock dog. A Cactus literally fell on my Brother Mark’s head.

“Do you realize that everyone you know, someday will die, and instead of saying all your goodbyes, let them know that you realize that life goes fast, its hard to make good things last, you realize that sun doesn’t go down, its just an illusion caused by the world spinning around…do you realize, you have the most amazing face.”

Thanks Flaming Lips for always uplifting…Wayne your bubble makes me smile and laugh. Time to go film the ECMA’s.