Book sightings for Mr. Ward

So, Dayton Ward is a science fiction writer I like quite a bit. Over at his website, he put forward this challenge. I've decided to take it up with gusto.


This past week and a bit, I've traveled by Greyhound to Saskatoon (from Toronto) for the annual meeting of Mennonite Church Canada. Congregations from all over the country send their pastors and other members to meet each other as a national body, approve the denomination budget, and vote on any proposals that come up. It was my first time going, and it was pretty crazy. I met lots of people. I also figured there was no way Dayton was going to get anyone else sending him pictures of his book at a Canadian Conference of Mennonites. So I've gotta get some points for originality. Pics will be much more effective if you click through.

First up...



My room. Yes, it's messy as anything. I'm working on it. Yes, it's childish. Being a full time volunteer, I'm living at home right now, and packrat that I am, I can't quite get rid of the childish things. (Working on it too). But I find this pic is a delightful 'Where's Waldo' of my geeky passions. Open Secrets is in there somewhere. (Eek... as well as one book I'm very ashamed of... Hadn't realized it was in the frame)



My luggage. I didn't end up reading Warped on the trip.... Started it, but my other books were more compelling, and I dropped it two chapters in.





Here we have two pics of "Open Secrets" in White River, in some ways the origin point of 'Winnie the Pooh'. I tried to get the book in Winnie's hands, or somewhere near him but the statue was too slippery.



This is Terry, a guy I met on the Greyhound bus. He's an engineer who works on skyscraper roofs. He changed a light on the outside of the CN Tower during a windstorm. I figure that's hardcore enough to get his photo taken with Open Secrets.





This is 'Open Secrets' modeling the latest in Christian Peacemaker Teams fashions. This particular hat spent a fair bit of time in Hebron. (David Mack and Christopher Bennett can both be indirectly blamed for me joining this organization. Hm... I kinda want to get a pic of the entire Destiny trilogy decked out in CPT hats now...)



This here is Robert "Jack" Suderman. He's the closest thing we Canadian Mennonites have to a pope. He's the general secretary of the board. Whatever that means. He's a big cheese among Mennos. And he's holding Open Secrets.



This is my table group! At the conference everyone was divvied up into tables for smaller group discussions. (There were about 300 of us in total, I think.) I'm the youngish looking guy on the right. There were only about 10 of us under 30 in the whole joint.



These are all the books I brought for the Greyhound trip. I didn't end up (re)reading the Jordan ones or the Bourne Identity. I also picked up two more (Naomi Klein's Shock Doctrine and Thinner) at a thrift store for 50 cents each on the way back.



I don't actually remember her name... but we ended up having a really in-depth discussion about the Star Trek movie, and I had the camera and book with me, so I thought, why not.

The above was taken the last night of the conference. The pics from here on out are of an optional 'Aboriginal Learning Tour' through Saskatchewan that about 21 Mennonites went on.



This was taken at the top of the most interesting small town museum I've ever been in. The museum has a giant tower in it, and makes very good use of the different landings and levels. Open Secrets is enjoying the view overlooking Duck Lake, a small town North of Saskatoon that experienced some action in Louis Riel's meti resistance.



These two high school students were our guides through the museum. They're also members of the group 'ActNOW'. It's a school group run by students and teachers being very proactive about addressing racism in their school. The group has won a lot of social action awards, and students from the group do seminars on undoing racism for other students and adults across the country.




Open Secrets is being stylish on a desk in Batoche. An old town turned historic national park. Batoche was the centre of Louis Riel's resistance. The battle fought here was lost, and Riel was imprisoned, and later executed for treason.



And here, Open Secrets is getting rather flirtatious with the guide who showed us around the place.



Open Secrets is learning how Metis women used to prepare buffalo.



Open Secrets is about to take a ride on a ferry across the Saskatchewan river. I'd never seen anything like this before. The ferries are considered part of the highway, and free for anyone to use.



This is my friend Rita, on the ferry. The thing was attached to overhead cables. There was only one worker there, and the ferry closed for her lunch and dinner breaks.



Open Secrets is finding out whether skinned skunk still smells like skunk - while at the same time chillaxing on a buffalo skin. We're now in Fort Carlton, a provincial park that recreates an old trading post.




Here, our guide is trying to figure out which weighs more. Open Secrets, or dried beaver scent glands. Our guide was a jack of all trades. When not showing Mennonite big shots (or grade four students) around trading posts, he farms, pastors, and teaches at a local college.



Open Secrets is enjoying the view from the top of Fort Carlton.



This is Harry Lafond, executive director of the office of the treaty commissioner of Saskatchewan I've tried a couple times to type a summary of what that is... It'd probably be easier to click through to the link.



Here, Open Secrets is pondering with me ethical situations such as the use of Agent Orange (manufactured in the facility behind us) in Vietnam.



I found a curious traveler along the way on a sound barrier in Saskatoon. I offered him Open Secrets. He was flattered, but not interested.



This didn't turn out quite the way I wanted it to... The mural was absolutely incredible, and went on for quite a ways.




Open Secrets: The Book decided to spend some quality time with Open Secrets: The Song. (You have to click through to be able to see the song)



And here is me on the last page of Open Secrets. I know, I was going to read it on the Skyride, but temptation got the best of me. I couldn't take it everywhere on the trip with me, and then NOT read it. Especially after rereading Reap the Whirlwind and having Open Secrets right there beside me. I'll just have to pick a different one for on the skyride. Dayton, any suggestions? Would "Last World War" or "The Genesis Protocol" be better for reading while peacefully floating through the air. (Video is not mine.)