Author: hamishmacdonald

If you’re one of my beloved Toronto friends and are reading this, let me just apologize now for hiding out in my hotel room instead of having called you.

I’m just in town for six days, and, unlike my socially gracious husband, I quickly burn out from running around trying to catch up with everybody I should. Even though I really do love my friends here a lot.

So, instead, I’m having gins-and-tonic (since some of the friends I did see on the weekend left a bottle here in my hotel room) and trying to finish some work, because this week will mostly be taken up with team meetings.

So, yes, I apologize for being a weird introvert-person who needs to recharge often.

It’s not that it wasn’t great to see my teammates at work today, because they’re a wonderful bunch. And it was a profound check-in to be back in the office, when the last time I was there I had my hands bound up like a T-rex.

At Comics Club last week, people were taken with the little watercolour pan I’d made for myself from a tiny slidey tin box. So this morning I made a few more to share. (Way too much work; I’m stopping at two.)

The colours are divided with box-board. So in making these, I reached under my desk for one of the many cereal boxes I keep for just such an occasion… and discovered something sad.

A wee dead mouse.

Is it you, Henry? I’m so sorry that you met such a frightening, lonely end.

I buried him beneath a tree in the back garden.

But here’s a twist in the plot: We’ve been putting out treats for Henry, and just about every night they’ve disappeared — including last night.

When I buried this poor wee fella, he was well dead — dried-out and smelly, his tail stiff as an awl. This could not have happened in the few hours since the bread crust disappeared last night.

So who is this? Is it Henry? If so, then I hope he at least got to enjoy some of the time since we saved him from the cold before meeting this unfortunate end.

Craig suggested that we put something out again tonight to see if it disappears. If so, I guess we have unwelcome guests, and it’s time to use that humane trap.

I was going to post this in response to a comment on Facebook, but, honestly, I just don’t want to get into this there.

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(In response to someone’s friend saying that their civil conversations about veganism have really sunk in for him — after I read another piece by someone condemning vegans who don’t go to protest marches.)

This is a much smarter “long game” than getting into the pissing contest of judging people for not being “vegan enough”. Ugh!

I understand being angry, but directing that anger back at the community is not helpful.

I just ate a delicious piece of vegan strawberry “cheesecake”. That’s a pretty winning way to introduce people to veganism.

Activism is important, but it’s the thin edge of the wedge. A vegan shouting at me for not being an activist just makes me want to leave Veganism(TM) behind. It’s a page from the Westboro Baptist school of marketing.

Peace and love are my jam — and are my work as a vegan, because, for me, that’s what veganism is about. That includes trying to create a space where the listener can experience and understand the peace and love that motivate compassion. If it’s anger, shaming, and judgment — well, I get why someone turns away from that, regardless of how “right” the speaker may be.

Nobody wants to experience themselves as wrong, so our job is to invite people to be part of something better and show them a vision of how they can create a part of that peaceful future right now.

In a confusing world, this one is very simple — unless we insist on turning it into yet another bit of partisan infighting horseshit.

I hadn’t intended it, but the treat I left Henry last night resulted in a trail of clues to where he’s hiding. Except it stops in the middle of the basement!

I’m sure nobody’s ever celebrated his birthday, so I made Henry a little ‘cake’ (apparently mice love peanut butter).

For about a week, Henry the Mystery Mouse has been scurrying off with the sunflower seeds we’ve been putting out for him. We thought he was around, but now we know he’s with us and doing fine! I bought a humane trap, but we don’t really want to put him outdoors until we know the weather’s not going to kill him.

I just wish he’d say hi.

I made another little ‘motion comic’ last night… [Since removed from server.]

I’m enjoying making these oblique little things, and glad that they give me illustration work of my own to show.

The sermon in church* last Sunday was on the theme of “humility” (to do with which week in Lent it was), and how a moment of humility is often how a journey starts. Hearing that gave me that little thrill of thematic recognition: Being humbled on Friday inspired me to start this new activity. We’ll see where it leads.

• That I’m going to church is a topic for another time.

Drew this a couple of days ago…