Toren Atkinson’s Absolute Blog

I’ll be at Word Under the Street in the basement of the Vancouver Public Library on Sunday September 28.

Marketplace of Exhibitors

More than 150 local, regional and national book and magazine publishers, booksellers, literacy and educational organizations, libraries, and writers’ associations exhibit an exceptional array of current and back listed books and magazines to browse through or buy. Many exhibitors offer special promotions, sales and giveaways available one-day-only at The Word On The Street! And that includes The Word Under the Street, where you’ll discover a wealth of locally-produced micro-published “underground” comics and ‘zines and our annual on-the-spot comics contest. And back by popular demand: Magazine Mews. Browse the best of Canadian and British Columbian magazine publishing and meet some of the talents behind award-winning work. Check out panel discussions, demos, performances and more.

Authors Confirmed for 2008

Peter Bagge
Linda Bailey
Jean Barman
Dianna Bonder
Daphne Bramham
Michael Byers
Nicola Campbell
Norma Charles
Lisa Cinar
Elizabeth Denny
Darcy Dobell
Ian Ferguson
Steven Galloway
James Glave
Garry Gottfriedson
Heather Haley
Chris Hamilton
Robert Heidbreder
Lee Henderson
Deborah Hodge
Stephen Hume
Mel Hurtig
Roy Innes
Katarina Jovanovic
Susan Juby
Pummy Kaur
Robert Kull
Zoe Landale
Hadrien Laroche
Duane Lawrence
Mark Lieren-Young
Moberly Luger
Adrienne Mason
Dr. Gabor Mate
Bruce McBay
George McWhirter
Eric Miller
John Murphy
William New
Susin Nielsen
Matt Radar
Linda L. Richards
Kathryn Shoemaker
The Smart Cookies
George Stanley
Shannon Stewart
Meg Tilly
Laura Trunkey
Karen X. Tulchinsky
Chieri Uegaki
Richard Wagamese
Naomi Beth Walken
Howard White
John Wilson
Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas

Today I added a bunch of lights to my costume. I still have to add the spine protrusions but thanks to Kelly & Paul I had a working drill to get that started.

Here’s my tiny light saga:

Knowing I wanted some tiny lights on my costume, but keeping in mind that I don’t know how to solder properly or safely, and not having time to fiddle around with that much detail, I polled my friends for suggestions. Main Street Electronics was a bust not only because they didn’t have self-contained, ready-to-go lights in the store, but the old white men were not interested in helping me, talking to me, acknowledging me, or even hearing me. Luckily a few doors down was Lee’s Electronics. I knew describing what I was looking for was going to be challenging, but I think these guys finally got it when I saw those little keychain lights that you squeeze to turn on ($2.50 each). Luckily they had a wide variety and these things have a “stay on” switch so I won’t have to squeeze eight key chain lights while I’m trying to sing on stage. They also had a flashing red bike light for $5. Deal.

I biked down to Mountain Equipment Co-op and found amongst their many bike lights only one item that was under $9 - a small Coleman light in the shape of a lantern. It was $7 and I hemmed and hawed about whether or not to get it because, apart from being $2 over my loosely self-imposed $5-per-light limit, I didn’t like the “vibe” of MEC. I finally decided I might as well take it but when I got to the register I noted that apparently you have to pay a membership fee to purchase there. The light went back on the shelf and I hit the road.

An unsuccessful stop at London Drugs and Home Depot had me at Canadian Tire, where they had these great little push-on/off stick-em lights in various colours. I grabbed two packs of 4 ($10 each) and at the checkout stand I saw a little laser pointer/flexi-necked reading light that was perfect. With all that totalling about $50, plus the free Ikea lights that Jeremy generously supplied, I felt I had enough!

Here are the photos of the work in progress:

I attached a red light to the end of my head hose-claw.

All of the keychain lights are attached to the chains - or attached to the things attached to the chains. They point at the ground creating a cool effect.

The red flashing bike light is affixed to the chest piece.


You can see one of the green stick-on lights which I hot-glue-gunned to the Darth Vaderesque chest panel. The flexi-necked light points up at my face to create a spooooooky ambiance! I can also handily point it down towards the set list on the ground when the stage lights fail me!


Here’s one of Jeremy’s Ikea wire-lights on. Not totally sold on my application of it but I figure I can keep it off until I really need that extra festive oomph.
I’ve added lights to the tips of my spine-spools (thanks EmbroidMe!) and I’ll be zap-strapping them to the back of my flight suit in short order! Move over, Circue de Soleil!