Author: lucas and/or amber

Categories
WONKWEB

The Condiment Queen by Becca Dextraze

Story by Becca Dextraze | Illustration by Brittany Nelson


I am the Condiment Queen. I love mustard. I love mayonnaise. But most of all I love ketchup.

One Saturday morning, as usual, my father asked me if I would like to go to Tim Horton’s for breakfast. Immediately my mind traveled to the past visits we had to Timmy’s.

We would walk in, order two sausage breakfast sandwiches, a medium black coffee and a small ice cap. Occasionally we order a hash brown or two and lots of ketchup. We collect the food and sit down in my favorite section in the coffee shop. My father will take a few packages of ketchup from me before I use them all. I apply a packet of ketchup to every layer in the sandwich and place a bit of ketchup on the napkin to dip into. By this time my father is already half finished his sandwich. It is not that he is a fast eater, I am just quite slow in preparing mine. I begin to eat. All too soon all the ketchup is gone. I smile at dad and he smiles back knowingly as I stand up and take a few steps toward the pick up counter.

The reason I have a favorite section in the shop is because it is so close to the counter. I stand there till one of the employees notice me and ask me what I would like. I ask them for about five more ketchups.

Usually I don’t have to do so because on Saturdays our favorite employee is there, Elaine. When she sees me at the counter she immediately goes to the ketchup stash located at the sandwich table and brings me a good 10 ketchup. Finally, after my father begins commenting on how we should be leaving, I finish, dispose of the garbage and wave at Elaine.

My mind returned to the present. I smiled at my dad and said we should take Elise. I thought about how there never really seemed to be enough ketchup as I was getting ready to leave. And then it came to me.

I ran down the stairs past my dad and opened the fridge. And there it was. Shining, beautifully full to the brim and radiating joy. I reached in and carefully took it out. I was going to bring my own bottle of ketchup so there wouldn’t be any need to get up and ask for more.

My father notices the bottle once we are in the truck and laughs his deep, contagious laugh. Elise and I join in. We reach Timmy’s and order the usual. Elaine spots me and the ketchup bottle and begins to laugh. We go sit at our table and find Uncle David and his boss at the table next to us. He also begins to tease me when he sees what I have brought. For the first time in all my history with Tim Horton’s there was enough ketchup on my beloved breakfast sandwich. Still Elaine teases me about it and Uncle David too.

—

Rebecca “Joe” Dextraze (story) resides in The Awesome Town, more commonly known as Wetaskiwin. She is thirteen and in grade 8 with the School Of Hope CyberSchool. She dances at DanceFX (aka the most amazing dance studio on earth), and wrote this epic story in grade 7. She was born on an island, Grand Cayman, and likes pickles. Consequently, she is one of the most amazing children on earth.

Brittany Nelson (illustration) is an aspiring artist slash massage therapist slash banker living in Wetaskiwin, Alberta.

Categories
WONK

we’re sorry. we make no apologies

despite what may seem an elaborate literary scheme, we have not embezzled your dollars and gone on a fancy summer vacation. (disclaimer- we did go to bashaw.) we have simply been enjoying our summer and sadly it has been at the expense of your reading pleasure. (we are secretly hoping that you take a summer reading hiatus like we do.)

we are sorry. however, we are back at it and hope to be caught up on all our correspondence soon. we owe issues to contributors and readers alike. we assure you that those who paid for 12 issues will receive 12 issues. it won’t be within the previous 1 year timeline (we realize now that was a bit ambitious for procrastinators like us) but there will be 12.

with that said, we are working on issue 6. our dream is to have it out by the 10th of september. why?

wetaskiwin is having it’s first arts and agriculture festival on the 11th and we at WONK would like to have a new issue to distribute. we are hoping to snag some local readers and writers. in turn, the rest of our loyal followers will finally receive the much anticipated next issue. it’s a win/win situation!

if you don’t want to wait for issue 6 to show up in your mailbox (be it the one on your house or the one in your computer) then we we cordially invite you down to wetaskiwin on september 11th. we will be there with your personal copy and an anxious smile. maybe even a t-shirt… oh the promises… we foresee so many more apologies…

isn’t this fun?!

Categories
WONKWEB

Rachael Lee reads “Grandmother Moon”

EAVB_DUPZZUUAOM

Rachael Lee (and William) was kind enough to come to the park and sit in the wind to read her poem “Grandmother Moon”, featured in the groundbreaking (and currently available) WONK5.

Here are the results:

“Grandmother Moon”

Grandmother moon
enlighten my path
make clean my thoughts
and ease my task

Grandmother moon
generations have grown
from achievement to sacrifice
by the seeds you have sewn

Grandmother moon
though you watch us in silence
my heart breathes your love
and aches for your guidance

Grandmother moon
is thine heart made of stone
we know you are with us
and we be not alone

Grandmother moon
though your eye waxes and wanes
I hold you, revere you
and I remember your name

— Rachael Lee

On the poem, Rachael explains:

In the Cree culture, the moon is significant to women. It is powerful and constant. The lunar cycle rules the womans life, it IS power and literally the life-blood of our women. She is our grandmother, the moon.

This poem also parallels the relationship I had with my own grandmother who I lost four years ago this winter. She was a powerful source of comfort and knowledge. This poem started as an ache in my own heart, but grew into a declaration of love and remembrance.

Our cycle of mourning lasts four years and this poem was a way of letting go of the grief and celebrating what she meant to one of her many many grandchildren.

WONK5 features poems by Camille Martin, Rachael Sylvia Lee and Marita Dachsel; short prose from Thomas Trofimuk and Emily Rush; and artwork from Andrew Topel and Ian Pierce. If you’re in Wetaskiwin, stop by and grab a copy (and a coffee) or subscribe (print or online).

Alright so we’re trying different things here. Frans interviewed Marita. Jonathan started to talk about process. Amber and I made a video. I suppose we all will just keep trying. It’s fun. Just let us know if you have any ideas. Or submissions. Or just want to talk.

(The music in the video is by a truly inspiring piece of wax (“don’t sleep in the snow) –

Categories
fonts

heldustry

For the copy in WONK5, we went with an old (amazing) standby, Gentium Book Basic which I still can’t recommend enough for it’s simple, readable elegance.

WONK5 headlines, including the colourful title, are done in Heldustry — a slightly squarer Helvetica with a 70s flourish. I liked it because it’s bold (especially in all caps), very direct and serious but, for me, always seems on the verge of coming off the rails.

Heldustry was designed by Phil Martin in 1978 for the recently launched ABC-Westinghouse 24-hour cable news network (source).

I haven’t been able to find out too much about Martin, except that he was a prolific font designer, something of a renaissance man and not a great story teller. Here’ s Martin recounting the development of Heldustry in Typographica:

MS: Do you have stories about any of these? For instance, how did the idea for Heldustry come about?

PM: Eurostyle, also known as Microgramma, had a little popularity. Almost square letters. 75% Helvetica, 25% Eurostyle was the design plan for Heldustry.

(Link to entire interview)

Categories
WONK

The wait is over. WONK 4 out.

January 18, 2010. The rumours are true. Every last one of them. Even the ones spelled without a ‘u’. Especially the one about WONK 4 being out. That one’s spot on actually.

It features an amazing cast of contributers, including: David Helwig, Glen Sorestad, Marguerite Pigeon, Jessica Hiemstra-van der Horst, Andreas Blixt, Williams Nichols, Malora Kirk, derek beaulieu and Patricia MacQuarrie.

Yes. Indeed.

Remember, there are at least four ways to get WONK. You can:

  1. Pick them up for free at various places in Wetaskiwin (including the library, and Caelin Artworks) and Camrose (Merchants Tea House);
  2. Get them from a friend who has a copy of WONK who is either not looking or is finished reading, his mind sufficiently blown;
  3. Subscribe for free to the electronic version. Which has the same content but not same awesome layout and/or smell.
  4. Subscribe for a a small fee. Have your own personal copy of each WONK (there will be 12) delivered right to your mailbox in all its paper and black and white glory. Included in the envelope will be a) a few extra copies to do whatever it is you kids do with extra WONKS, b) a personal hand written letter from the editors or someone they have met and convinced to write a letter and c) any back issues that you don’t already have.

It’s official: WONK is now officially accepting submissions for WONK 5. Send them here.

Categories
next issue

WONK 4 almost ready

January 15, 2010. The draft is finally out to the artists. If all goes well, you’ll be reading WONK 4 next week. And, hopefully, doing a lot of other cool stuff. But we have no control over that. Only the WONK part. And, to be honest, we haven’t done a great job of that. But, if we’re lying, everything’s going according to schedule. I guess it just depends on your perspective.

Either way, WONK 4 is an amazing collection of talent and wonderful people. Even if they weren’t great writers, poets, artists and photographers, I still think you’d want to have a coffee and muffins with them. They include: David Helwig, Glen Sorestad, Marguerite Pigeon, Jessica Hiemstra-van der Horst, Andreas Blixt, Williams Nichols, Malora Kirk, derek beaulieu and Patricia MacQuarrie. Wow.

Remember, there are three ways to get WONK:

  1. You can pick them up for free at various places in Wetaskiwin (including the library, and Caelin Artworks) and Camrose (Merchants Tea House)
  2. You can subscribe for free to the electronic version. Which has the same content but not same awesome layout and/or smell.
  3. You can, for a small charge, have your own personal copy of each WONK (there will be 12) delivered right to your mailbox in all its paper and black and white glory. Included in the envelope will be a) a few extra copies to do whatever it is you kids do with extra WONKS, b) a personal hand written letter from the editors (often rambling and not pertaining to the subject at hand) and c) any back issues that you don’t already have.

So, I guess that means that we are now officially accepting submissions for WONK 5. Send them here.

Categories
next issue

don’t stop believing (in WONK 4)

we’ve just run into some production problems. namely, we haven’t produced it yet. but the content is there. and it’s very exciting content. it’s very good content. and it will be in your beautiful hands soon. promise.

Categories
next issue

helwig confirmed, WONK 4 nears

Huge news today as it was confirmed that a poem (a beautiful, beautiful poem) by Canadian poet and essayist, David Helwig will be included in the ever-approaching WONK 4.

Things are, as they say, looking up. Although, if you have a photo, drawing, doodle or otherwise black and white-type graphic that we could use, we probably won’t turn you down.

Submit here.

Categories
next issue

sorestad added to WONK 4

The exciting times continue as new work from Saskatchewan’s first Poet Laureate (and really nice guy), Glen Sorestad, has been confirmed for the upcoming WONK 4.

WONK 4 will feature an excerpt from his new book Road Apples that is forthcoming from Rubicon Press — purveyor of very fine (yet extraordinary cheap affordable) chapbooks.

Yes, there is still a little room for you in WONK 4 (sight, vision, etc, etc). And if not in 4 then in 5. Or 6. Well, you get the idea.

/ submit your work to wonk

Categories
next issue

things are getting serious for WONK 4

We don’t usually update the site so often but let’s not question it.

Preparations for WONK 4 (sight, vision, seeing, etc, etc) continue whole heartedly. The big news, so far, is that it will feature work from at least one outstanding poet — Marguerite Pigeon, and at least one amazing illustrator — Jessica Hiemstra-van der Horst. If you don’t believe me, check out their work for yourself.

There is still room for you in WONK 4. In fact, we encourage it. But we thought you might like to know that you’ll be in very good company.

Categories
next issue

WONK 4 is at the door

It seems like we just sent out WONK 3. In fact, we just did. Or, in some cases, we’re about to. Tomorrow. We promise.

But time keeps on slipping (into the future) and so we need to get WONK 4 ready. The theme this month is something like vision, sight, eyes, seeing, etc. Whatever. Loosely, of course. If that doesn’t turn your crank. Well, send something else.

If you would like to submit to WONK. Email us right now.

Now’s the time. Do it. This time for sure.

You’ll feel better.

Or, at least, we will.

Categories
WONK

under the wire (WONK 3)

"53 minutes" Colleen McGinnis

It was almost late. But it wasn’t. It’s here.

Come and get it.

The rumors were true. WONK 3 has (awesome, awesome) work from Kimmy Beach,Chantelle Olson, Catherine Owen, Paul Saturley, Catherine Graham, Fred D. Hollands and Colleen McGinnis.

It’s all very exciting. Or, maybe it’s not. You tell us.

Onto WONK 4.

Categories
fonts

puritan 2.0

For the headlines and author bios in WONK 3 we went with Puritan 2.0 — a slick san-serif by Ben Weiner. All I can say is that it was a stinking pleasure to work with.

Here’s a bit about the font from Ben along with an awesome quote at the end:

Puritan was my response to these influences; it was also a way (I thought) that I could get hold of an interesting typeface without unofficially borrowing from the Typography department. It might be flawed, but it was mine! Well, I learned a lot from the experience.

I wrote a short essay about Puritan as a project in my final year as an undergraduate. Rather than repeat it all here, I have converted the essay (presented as a booklet) into a PDF file of around 1200K which you can download.

In October 1999, I submitted Puritan to the 3rd International Type Design Contest, where it made absolutely no impact.

— Read the whole thing