Art Site! Check it out :)
http://visualkin.carbonmade.com

:) Good times in Alaska etc.

S. O. ttawa S....A/P

Chronic pain is disabling, frustrating, ugly, humiliating and difficult to understand at the very least. I didn't ask for this. I often wonder why and how a kinesiologist, formerly active competitive badminton player and sporty arty nerd, could become this skinny, pale and weak woman.

ME. roar

I look in the mirror and
What do I see?
Someone who stares back differently.
Strength begone and weak knees
Feet and worms of worry eating
Into an apple-bottomed soul,
Who's in control?

Not I
Not my nerves
Not my brain but a power yet unseen
I walk, I preen and I ween
Myself from drugs, hugs, mugs o' tea

S.ubjective: more +, walking upright, no muscle guarding, apparently healthy ' O. bjective: C2-3 discomfort 3/10, L. SI joint pain and inflammation tingling and pain radiating down L. leg to MLA in food A/P: chill right out, get a dumb sucky job. I miss my funny, my cowboy and my Vancity lights. xo KC

Photography by Karen Chan (c) with exception of E.Broadway by Dawid Spamer.

EXTRA! EXTRA! Read all about it! The Dalai Lama and Rev. Naomi Tutu are Rockstars!

Dear Editor:

I photographed the Vancouver Peace Summit: Nobel Laureates in Dialogue for the Ubyssey, the student newspaper at UBC today, and am still overwhelmed and exhilarated from my brief chat with Desmond Tutu (affectionately known as Arch)’s daughter, Rev. Naomi Tutu. He unfortunately threw out his back due to his desire to dance like teenage rockstar!

I am an artist and kinesiologist who is offering my help and referring a friend (Dr. Stuart McGill of University of Waterloo Spine Lab). He will hopefully kindly phone you will advice! backfitpro@...a

“I have a dream that one day…” artists of all colours, shapes, tones and magnitudes of talent will collaborate to start a charity called “ART. (eye). SANS ---------à frontières (borders).

All the compassion, wisdom and caring in the room moved me to act on my feelings in my heart: because just a feeling is powerless, if complacent—in the words of Ms. Tutu. I heard repeatedly of examples of brave women, such as Ms. Betty Williams and Ms. Maguire, Nobel Prize Laureate, who gave from their hearts in the face of challenges and adversity. I am inspired. I am alive. I am selfless occasionally. Occassionally a practicer of “random acts of KINDness. HELPfulness. (Humanity)\ is beauty and givers in humankind is beautiful.

Ms. Tutu, who is an advocate for AIDS awareness and rape survivors spoke of the disservice of inaction, as previously mentioned: feeling (LOVE) but not acting on it—when a second can make a difference is powerless. A random act of kindness and empathy is POWERful.

I ask myself this everyday….Who not to help? Myself? Others? Why should I not help? People are often –VE (Negative), but

- (+) -

=

____I_(CAN HELP!)

/ \

BADNESS!

(COWARDS ARE YELLA)

+ (+) +

=

UPLIFTING

(RED IS THE BLOOD OF LIFE. LUCK)

Positivity uplifts our spirits. Let me tell you about two gentlemen I know: Bill and Chopper. They reside and are a fixture @ Water Skytrain Station: two gentle giants—a man and his 100lb Karen-sized baby boy (German Shepherd). He is full of sadness and suffering, and at times I feel that he has given up in the face of adversity BUT I believe in him!

It opens my (EYES), having volunteered a little with Vancouver Coastal Health in “Sketchy-city downtown Vancity.” I strongly believe that my family support and middle class circumstances protect me and give me the strength to “LIVE.STRONG”. (Lance Armstrong). To carry on. To . TAKE CARE. Before I GO !! GIVE-r! It has been a difficult year for my family with two close dances with death—my father and grandma both sustained a brain injury—accident and stroke respectively. Watching them recover with strength and determination is inspiring. I suppose I am inspiring as well.

I have chronic pain and have sustained 3 minor concussions! B ANGGG! I still recall the day Mr. Moffat, my Computer Studies prof @ Sheridan College …

Douglas Park, Henna, Sold Painting and little peeps galore!

" Dolls are little miniature notions of humans that children carry with them, they create fake souls for them." ---Andrew Markle (2009).

Fly away from this pain.
There's no point commiserating with a friend who sees
Nothing to gain.
RE C O I L. ACt. reACT.
CAREfully. avoidOBSTACLES
Step around them and
Follow virtue to heal and
To Self CARE if I

D. A. R. E.
Do A Real-Good Effort (Dudette).

-----------------------------by Karen "old 27 yr artsci nerdy yogalicious goofball" Chan :P

JOYEUX ANNIVERSAIRE KAREN !!!-Lloyd (Plaster-Judoka-Man de Paris)
"Sorry, I had a lot to do tonight with overseas contracts. I have to be on the phone from 7pm onwards because that is when the Asian markets open. Happy Birthday and I hope your art show was a success. I was very impressed with your work."

Thanks Charles

"Happy Birthday Karen! Thanks so much for the invite.
Hope you have a great birthday and enjoy yourself with loved ones."
Yvonne Chew--photographer

Ice pick dans les yeux.

Ca marche? Non, pas vraiment!

S.O.A/P 2

homeless man and dog: Bill & Chopper @ Water Stn.

Two Indian pals @ Water Station

Drawn on the new Canada Line (skinny dude turned into a cyborg)

Old man with kyphosis and dowager's hump @ VAG

Flapper Pointer/Hippie 4A Cure/
Ballet Flat (below, sculpture wood & ribbon)

SOA/P note 2: pain and Fall down or up?

Down or up? Pain or none? Is it a choice? Some days. Some times it is easier to submit to it but pain is in my control. MINDset to challenge patiently or DEADset against change..rolling in misery. It's a choice. I make it everyday. Be patient. Accept my limits. Some days I'm woozy and boozy (not an alcoholic) and foggy and groggy but I choose to rest, get up, be SMART about my goals, careful about my influences and positive that I will my abilities and strength regain.

Leave one. My t spine aches. I barely feel my hands. I should jump in a vat of ice. Numb my pain in my mind and body. Freeze my thoughts. Quiet my mind, my turmoil in my belly. ---Karen Chan

Photography by Yvonne Chew

Photo by Pouya Bastani

Beauty in Pain: SOA/P notes

I am still overcoming chronic pain issues and have been living a difficult but joyful year full of stress, change, emotional turmoil and incredible anticipation.

Leave one and smile :)