The End

I don’t really know what to write. Since this is my last Hot Air post ever, I want to write all sorts of things about my feelings, but that’s not really what I do. When I try, I usually come across sounding like a 12 year old girl writing in her diary. Not that that’s an inherently bad thing, but I am a 35 year old man and that's not really the image I’m shooting for. So that leaves me here, unable to write this post, for fear of sounding like a sissy.

Ah well, I can’t really have all that much in the way of credibility by now anyway, so here goes nothing;

I like the Winnipeg Writer’s Festival. Every year I learn something important about myself when I attend festival events. I hear ideas and poems and jokes and writers. Sometimes it triggers an epiphany, other times, a roll of my eyes, but without fail, it teaches me something about me that I need to know. If I hear something that rocks my world, I’m usually hearing for the first time a feeling I’ve had, but could not put into words. When I want to heckle, it’s usually a discovery of something I disagree with. Neither reaction is right, they’re just the amazing little gifts of self knowledge this festival gives me every year I attend. I’ll really miss my free pass.

I like the Winnipeg Writer’s Festival Organizers. Without Charlene, Perry and the rest of the executive types, we’d all be just a bunch of people standing around wearing magnetic badges. They tell us what to do and keep in mind the big picture. They make sure every detail is looked after to insure this festival performs like a well oiled machine year after year. No Thin Air team, no Thin Air. Thank you.

I like Ariel Gordon. She keeps bringing me back and has no problem with me making a fool of myself. Thank you Ariel, for not only being a friend and blog mentor, but for also not getting mad at me for my limited production this year. Twins are harder than I thought. Thanks for understanding and don’t worry, we’ll still see each other lots at Aqua Books. I know you can’t wait.

I like the rest of the Hot Air team and will miss seeing them. I got to know you guys better this year and it was nice. Even though I’m not much for going out in crowded public places, knowing that I’d see one of you all there made it a lot well worth the stress. It almost makes me think I should get out more. Thanks guys.

Well, I don’t really know what else to write. This took me 4 hours. It was hard, but as they say, goodbyes always are. Thanks for reading. Take care.

J

PS Don’t fill out the surveys, that’s where they put the poison.

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Jason Diaz is a Winnipeg-based writer, bookstore employee and handyman (the bookstore business isn't as stable as you'd think). His poetry and prose has been published in dark leisure magazine. He has no idea why he keeps working for these meanies and volunteers coaching basketball to all the artsy kids in Wolseley so they never have to sit on the bench. He has a wife and many children.