Three items in my inbox this week, all opportunities to learn something new.

Climbing Toddlers

At Red Rock Climbing Wall, there’s a new Toddler Power Hour every Friday from 4:30 to 5:15, starting February 16th, 2024. From the announcement:

An action-packed session of supervised climbing and games led by our very own, Matt, Nicole, and Audrey. Designed specifically for toddlers, this program will provide a fun and engaging experience that will leave your child wanting more.

I can attest to awesomeness of Red Rock. Last summer I climbed there myself, and Matt made the experience fun, safe, and challenging. Matt is also Lisa’s trainer, and by virtue of my own trainer being away for a few weeks, I worked out with Lisa and Matt twice, and had my ass pleasantly kicked both times: Matt’s a funny, caring, compassionate person, and one of the most engaged dads I know. Your toddler will be in good hands.

Audrey climbs at Red Rock Climbing Wall.

Writing Pastiches

The Al Purdy A-frame Association is holding a two-date online workshop with writer John Barton, A-frame Pastiches: Writing in Tribute to Al Purdy, on March 23 and April 6, 2024:

Together we’ll illuminate various ways we can respond creatively to the work of another poet, with Purdy’s poems in the hot seat. To illustrate, John has written examples of five forms to get the ball rolling and the pens moving: a pastiche, a glosa, a cento, a sonnenizio and a remix, each using lines from Purdy’s work.

Here’s a stanza from Purdy’s Listening to Myself to get your started:

— the loss of love
that comes to mean more
than the love itself
and how explain that?
— a still pool in the forest
that has ceased to reflect anything
except the past
— remains a sort of half-love
that is akin to kindness
and I am angry remembering
remembering the song of flesh
to flesh and bone to bone
the loss is better

See also 3 Al Purdy’s, one of my favourite songs by Bruce Cockburn.

The Al Purdy A-Frame cottage, from Prince Edward County Arts Council.

Making Magazines

magCulture, a London-based blog cum magazine shop cum consultancy cum magazine event planner, is holding an online magazine-making masterclass called The Flatplan on March 2 and 3, 2024:

We’ve brought together again some of the best indie magazine-makers to provide a complete introduction to creating a successful publication, along with specialist printers and distributors. You’ll leave with the knowledge needed to nurture an abstract idea into a real-life magazine others will want to buy, read and enjoy! Ticketholders will also have exclusive access to videos of both days of talks for future reference (and so that people in other time zones can still benefit from the sessions).

I love the magCulture blog; second only to Frab’s, it’s my go-to source for what’s new and scintillating in the world of print magazines. The list of speakers at the masterclass is impressive. The world needs more magazines. Maybe the you’re the one to start a new one?