Going there and getting lost

I can't help but feel a parallel between Royer a hundred years ago and my own experience going out West with my daughters to be part of a project with little or no experience. Admittedly, the comparison requires a little stretch of the imagination.

Yesterday, we arrived in Regina. Kathleen came to pick us up, showed us around her (beautiful) house, give us the keys and now we are just hanging out.
Journal of journey. Moving through, navigating the unknown. Tying my experience with that of the prioneers. Because I AM lost.
In the house, I look for little things. Yesterday, it was garlic. I looked everywhere. I refused to think Kathleen could live without garlic. I was right. Garlic is the first thing I found as I was looking for coffee filters. Finding something might start with letting go of the NEED to find it right away, bad habit of instant gratification. It could mean surrendering patiently to the great unknown (even if that is a kitchen) to watch it materialize later, in its own time, maybe perhaps in a different shape we had anticipated?
It could mean doing things differently. I made an espresso coffee instead. It was amazingly good.
However, I still don't know WHERE I am. Okay, I know I'm in Regina. "Philinstone" street is out front: it's busy, there are traffic lights and traffic. There is a school up the street and a park down the alley on the other side. I looked up "Philinstone" on the map of the phone book. It doesn't exist. How can that be? Can't look up the Internet. I don't want to bug Kathleen. I struggle in the uncertainty. I spend twenty minutes squinting at the maps and index of the phone book. To no avail. I need glasses: this has become a clear conclusion.
I was searching, trying to remember where we were from the University, feeling panic, anticipating "lost" time, feeling impatient, frustrated... It is after all 2008, no 1908: they had reasons to get lost; I didn't have any.
And then, I thought with a renewed sense of peace that it would be nice to GET lost, walk aimlessly, find whatever comes our way... Because we are in a city. We will definitely find people and places.
I better quit whining, because really, I am not lost.
I am not on a schedule: I have nothing better to do than discover... with my kids. They'll learn the joy of walking.

First Post! Blogger being mean to me!

Hi everyone! My name is Phil Ollenberg, and I'm the Production & Communications Manager for this shindig! First on the block... Blogger is being mean to me! I tried all day to add more items to this page, but it's not letting me; keeps giving me a 404... So for the moment it's barren and sad looking.

In the next few days, we should see the Contributors list grow, grow, and grow. Windblow/Rafales is a collaborative project produced by Knowhere Productions, and so is this blog. Ideally, we'll use it to share our thoughts, feelings, and discoveries during this project... And what is this project about exactly!?

Windblown/Rafales is part of the centennial celebration for Ponteix, Saskatchewan... And more than that, it's a celebration of the rich history of the town, a salute to its people and its future, and yet another exciting, and totally unique site-specific project. We'll journey around the town with artists, musicians, actors, and dancers... But I will let those talented artists all speak for themselves, as they will have a lot of exciting news to share!

The town of Ponteix is located about three hours southwest of Regina, and is a friendly community a short jaunt from Swift Current, the U.S. border, and a beautiful national park. We're all very honoured to be welcomed by the town of Ponteix, and to be invited to help celebrate their history!

Hopefully in the next day or so, I'll have the page more gussied up, ready for photos, videos, and lots of unique opinions! If you have the chance, join us in Ponteix on July 15th, follow us right here on our blog, or visit us at www.knowhereproductions.ca!