Drama,
Poems,
Essays

GRANT SCHUYLER

Basic Information

55 years old
male Canadian citizen living in Toronto, Canada
poet and thinker
day job: letter carrier

(Schuyler, by the way, is pronounced SKY-lur; it's a Dutch name, pronounced differently and impossibly in the Netherlands. It was adopted by my German ancestors, the Schweylers, soon after they arrived in Philadelphia in the 1750s.)

History

NOTE: Due to the existence of persons who scoop up vital statistics for fraudulent purposes, including impersonation, I have been forced to remove certain details from this site.

Early Life

born in Paris, Ontario, 1949, of United Empire Loyalist stock
father, a fruit farmer of German-American and English ancestry
mother, a nurse of German and Scottish ancestry
child on Schuyler Orchards fruit farm, R. R. #3, Paris, Ontario, 1949-60
learned to read, 1954
attended Perley Public School (aka Bethel), 1955-60
family moved to Milton, Ontario, August 1960
student at Bruce Street Public School, 1960-62
introduced to classical music by teacher Mrs. Ledwith
class trip to Milton Public Library; resolved to read and learn everything; read some Scott, Dickens, Dumas, Stevenson, abridged versions of Madame Bovary and Moby Dick
discovered Shakespeare, first "Julius Caesar", then "A Midsummer Night's Dream": resolved to become eloquent
Grade 8 juvenile story praised, 1962
student at Milton District High School, 1962-7
in Grade 9 read Hemingway, Jack London, Edgar Rice Burroughs, and (abridged version of) Tolstoy's War and Peace; read Anna Karenina (took one month);
discovered Isaac Asimov's I, Robot
began collecting books, records; listening to classical music
won local public speaking contest; spoke in contest at Whitby, Ontario; lost (autumn 1962?)
toiled in family's Canadian Tire store, 1963-72
juvenile speech on Hemingway published in high school yearbook; active in high school drama club (1963?)
discovered philosopher Descartes; doubted own existence for one day (1963?)
discovered Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead, came under influence of Ayn Rand (1905-82), Russian-American philosopher-novelist (1962?)
became earnest "student of Objectivism", 1963
inspired by film Fail-Safe, wrote short story (1964?)
wrote about 70 pages of abortive Jack London-ish novel
read Stendhal's The Red and the Black
met friends Marc Boyer and Phil Paine, 1965
travelled by train to Calgary, Banff, and Viking, Alberta, on Centennial trip representing high school
wrote first verses, April or May, 1967
read Iliad again; got idea for play in verse about Trojan War, later called "Hektor and Andromake", May 1967
graduated Milton District High School, June 1967

Undergraduate at University of Toronto

began studying philosophy at University of Toronto, 1967; overwhelmed by the amorphous complexity of philosophy
studied Shakespeare under John Visser, 1967-68, and Clifford Leech, about two years later
spent most of university reading plays: Ionesco, Beckett, Duerrenmatt, Ibsen, Chekhov, Giraudoux
attended courses given by Nathaniel Branden Institute, 1967-8; met actor-teacher friend Marshall Bruce Evoy, poet Eric Layman, Monica Baer
active in U of T Objectivist group Radicals for Capitalism with friends Geoff Nathan, Paula Zarnett, 1967-71
discovered "Objectischism" between Ayn Rand and disciple Nathaniel Branden, autumn 1968; Objectivist movement split slowly over several years into "strict Randist" (aka Randroid) and "libertarian" factions
met friend Marianne Dose at Radicals for Capitalism, 1969
met friend, music composition student Jack Adrian; learned about musical form, 1970-72
usher at brother Larry's marriage to Lois Cairns, summer 1970
began seeing dozens of films at Rochdale College, University College, and Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE), 1970
met girlfriend B, spring (?), 1971
quit Radicals for Capitalism; it dissolved the same evening under pressure from "strict Randists", May 1971
graduated in philosophy, University of Toronto, spring 1971; became libertarian and anarcho-capitalist

Special Student at University of Toronto (1st Time)

moved to Major Street, Toronto; became licensed cab driver for Yellow Cab; worked one day before quitting, September 1971
began study of Ancient Greek, Woodsworth College, University of Toronto, September 1971
began helping in Poculi Ludique Societas and other amateur theatre productions at University of Toronto; met actors Tony Pearce, Joe Erickson, Stephen and Jeremy Katz; met poet Pier Giorgio di Cicco; acted in six or so plays (The Sheep Well, Herod, The Way of the World, Mother Courage, Luther, Bousille and the Just), 1971-72
introduced to young woman poet Y; entered ecstatic love affair, October 1971
moved to 16 Admiral Road to live with her, October 1971
ended study of Ancient Greek, December 1971
began working for libertarian Gayle Stelljes selling Globe and Mail newspaper's Report on Business section by telephone, December 1971
introduced by Phil Paine to artist Taral Wayne and future science fiction writer Robert Charles Wilson, winter 1971-2
influenced by Ezra Pound (Selected Poems of Ezra Pound, The Cantos), W. B. Yeats, and Wilfred Owen, winter 1971-2
read four volumes of George Orwell's journalism, winter 1971-2
acted in play John Osborne's Luthor at 736 Bathurst
love affair with Y gets tense; begins to twist, shake, vibrate under strain
Y leaves, assuring me she will return in a month, Saturday, February 5, 1972
Y reassures me that she will return at end of February
love affair explodes and ends when Y announces her future is elsewhere, mid-February 1972
situation further deteriorates painfully through three months; I crash and burn, heart in the wreckage
quit job at Globe and Mail, May 1972
totally defeated; the nadir of my life.
returned to family in Milton, Ontario

Interlude of Recovery

worked in family Canadian Tire store, May-September 1972
worked for cousin Donald Armstrong in Westmount Pro Hardware as paint section manager, Wonderland Mall, Wonderland Road, London, Ontario, September 1972-August 1973
discovered Joseph Campbell's The Hero of a Thousand Faces, Edward P. J. Corbett's Classical Rhetoric for the Modern Student
drove to Toronto, talked to Marc Boyer, stayed at Universal Motor Hotel, Etobicoke, December 31, 1972
talked to friend poet and teacher Lorne Sharinian, January 1, 1973
dated girlfriend B, 1973
decided I should return to University of Toronto to study English, summer 1973

Special Student at University of Toronto (2nd Time)

moved to room at 364 Brunswick Avenue, third floor front, August 1973
student of English at U of T, September 1973
worked as security guard on weekends for Security Investigations Services (SIS), at Lowe Brothers paint factory (Sherwyn Williams), Sorauren Avenue, Toronto, September 1973
dumped by girlfriend B, September 1973
met friend Donna Mount (married Jeff Tapfield, 1977), September 1973
studied English poetry and literature intensively, especially Modern (Eric Domville, The Norton Anthology of Modern Poetry) and Romantic (J. Edward Chamberlin), 1973-4; heavily influenced by Ezra Pound, Eliot, James Joyce, Shelley (for several years), Wordsworth, Hart Crane, and Dylan Thomas; then, eventually, gradually, deeply by Yeats and Keats
audited two courses taught by Northrop Frye, 1973-4, including Literary Symbolism
began long poem "Eyes of Lapis Lazuli", autumn 1973
friendship begins with poet Pier Giorgio Di Cicco, 1973 (?)
dumped by current girlfriend, December 1973
heavily influenced by Percy Bysshe Shelley, 1974-75
ceased working as security guard, spring 1974
received acceptable marks in 5 English courses; barely scraped through Modern literature, bombing essay, May 1974
not accepted by U of T into graduate English program, spring 1974
xeroxed copies of 6-page version of "Eyes of Lapis Lazuli", spring 1974
started working for entrepreneur Danny Missios at Macy Home Centre, 989 Pape Avenue, Toronto, as paint section manager, spring 1974
worked rather than attend founding of Libertarian Party of Canada, summer 1974
my membership refused in Libertarian Party of Canada, 1974
began studying German, Italian, Anglo-Saxon, Victorian Poetry (Niermeier), September 1974
met friend Marla Allen, September 1974
ceased to regard myself as a libertarian (big or small 'L'), late 1974-early 75
temporarily quit job at Macy Home Centre for about five months to write, early 75
showed some poems to friend poet Pier Giorgio Di Cicco; he tells me not to see him until I have read 500 books of modern poetry, spring 1975; friendship dissolves
friend Jack Adrian can no longer tolerate non-strict Randists; we discuss the matter; our friendship ends
visited Tennyson scholar F. E. L. Priestley; advised me not to study comparative literature unless I seriously want to be an academic (spring 1975?)
visited critic Northrop Frye; he frowned, agreed to support my application for a grant from Canada Council of the Arts, spring 1975
aid in obtaining grant from Canada Council (as well as poems) rejected by Coach House Press, May (?) 1975
submitted 75 poems to little magazines; all rejected, 1975
joined Ontario Science Fiction Club (OSFiC), May 1975
met friend Esther Rodriguez
discovered quality science fiction (Robert Silverberg's Dying Inside) on shelf at apartment of Marc Boyer and Phil Paine, 1975
resolved to forget subsidy and improve, modernize my poetry: influenced by e.e. cummings, William Carlos Williams, Ginsberg, Don Marquis's archy and mehitabel
came under lifelong influence of modern scientific thought, under influence of friend Marc Boyer
left the University of Toronto, May 1975

Post-University Experience

became ill (virus?); ensuing nervous condition and depression caused two week stay in Doctors Hospital, Brunswick Avenue, Toronto; left employment at Macy Home Centre, July 1976
series of low-paid temporary jobs
nervous breakdown: unemployed for 11 months
received pleasant note from 1971-2 former love Y, autumn 1976
replied with 2 contradictory letters, one somewhat hostile; and one fanzine likely to give offense
Results as expected: No reply.
attended first science fiction convention Alpha Draconis, Toronto, October (?) 1976
bought Gestetner machine, wrote Bela Bartok, Air Adventurer, first fanzine, for AZAPA, 1976
wrote four or five more fanzines, 1976-77
wrote 1 1/2 drafts of inadequate science fiction novel "Then What Is Life?" I Cried, spring 1977
with friend Donna Mount attended gathering at Mohawk College, Hamilton, Ontario, to honor Canadian authors, spring 1977
attended Balticon XI science fiction convention, Hunt Valley, Maryland, with Phil Paine, Patrick Hayden, Stephen Black; talked to sf author Samuel R. Delany, spring 1977
began working for Canada Post Corporation as assistant mail handler, June 1977
began carefully listening to rock music
at Spaced-Out Library, saw advertising material for new film, Star Wars; saw it with Marc Boyer at Varsity Theatre
saw Close Encounters of the Third Kind, December 1977
became permanent letter carrier for Canada Post, January, 1978
met friend Doris Bercarich, July 1978
saw Superman: The Movie
saw Alien
moved to apartment at 280 Wellesley St. East, #2301, with friend Marc Boyer, November 1, 1978
dumped nicely by current girlfriend, May 1979
lovely warm summer, 1979
attended Ozymandias science fiction convention, August 1979
involved with girlfriend X, dumped near end of year, 1979
studied poetry under poet Christopher Dewdney at George Brown College, King Street East, early 1980
Florida vacation with parents in mobile home, Lakeland, Florida; visited Walt Disney World (!), January, 1980
studied science fiction writing under teacher and writer Terence M. Green at the Skills Exchange, early 1980
3-week California vacation; flew to L.A., motels in Inglewood and Ventura Boulevard; drove to Universal Studios, Beverly Hills and Bel Air, Hollywood, Disneyland (closed), Edgar Rice Burroughs Inc., offices, Encino; Santa Monica, San Simeon, San Francisco, Sacramento, Barstow (earthquake tremors while there), San Bernardino, and back to L.A.; May 1980
at her request, reluctantly got involved again with girlfriend X, May 1980
studied how to have a successful commercial writing career under some hack, summer 1980
became moderator of Ontario Science Fiction Club (OSFiC); met friends Bee Stuckless, Robert J. Sawyer, Do-ming Lum, September, 1980
saw Flash Gordon with fan Ron Anger
3-week vacation by VIA Rail to Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Edmonton, Banff, Rockies, Vancouver; visit with Donna Tapfield; home through Calgary (visit with Monica Baer) and Regina, May 1981
resigned as moderator, OSFiC, summer 1981; Robert J. Sawyer became moderator
train trip to Chicago (visit with uncle Grant Misener and son Bob; car trip to Manitoulin, Dreamers Rock, Timmins, Cobalt, Ottawa, May 1982
attended Torque 3 science fiction convention; talked again to Samuel R. Delany, May 1982
published 8 poems in Canadian little magazines (All Agog, White Wall Review 1982, CV II, Poetry Toronto), 1982-4
recurrence of nervous problems, depression; missed one month of work, August 1982
girlfriend X and I spent weekend at parents' cottage; I sensed she was distant, August 1982
bought 1/4 of first computer, an Apple II+, $600, with Marc Boyer, January 1983
X published short story in little magazine
met friends Alan Rosenthal and Catherine Crockett at OSFiC, 1983?
dumped by girlfriend X, early 1984
bought first VCR, $700, early 1984
began going out with friend Bee Stuckless, early 1984
transferred from Stn. "A" to Stn. "C", spring 1984; broke arm first day; off work for one month
OSFiC became defunct, summer 1984
Bee Stuckless left for Newfoundland, October 1984
flew City Express to World Fantasy Convention, Ottawa; saw friend Lu-Ann Vitalis, authors Fritz Leiber, Kim Robinson, Robert Jordan; rode with Stephen King in hotel elevator, October (?), 1984
stuck on terrible mail route until May (?) 1985
former girlfriend X moved; she was said to be interested in someone else, not in me, 1985
attended sf convention in Plymouth, Michigan, with Taral Wayne, Hope Leibowitz, Alan Rosenthal, and Catherine Crockett, spring 1985
was transferred to Stn. "F", 50 Charles St. East
decided I was ignorant, decided to forget about writing for a while and read, "Hektor" uncommercial and would never be produced in my lifetime anyway, mid-1985
bought IBM AT clone, $2600, and 9-pin dot-matrix printer, $700, about May 1986
Bee Stuckless returned to Toronto, May 1986; we soon start living together
helped friends Alan Rosenthal and Catherine Crockett move, summer 1986
tore ligaments on right ankle in fall off wet porch, missed 2 1/2 months, September 1986
bought house at 84 Muriel Avenue, East York, Ontario, with girlfriend Bee Stuckless; deal closed early October, 1986
Bee, my parents, and I worked to fix up house, autumn 1986
moved into house, Saturday, December 6, 1986
mother became ill with ovarian cancer, December 1986
mother died, Tuesday, August 22, 1989; buried Thursday
left Postal Station "A", 40 Bay St., to work at Stn. "F", 50 Charles St. East; obtained first route of my own, January 1989 (?)
bought 24-pin dot-matrix printer, $700, early 1990
drove Bob Hadji (later Knowlton) past Watertown, New York through Adirondacks to New York State town (?); spent 6 days seeing Fort Ticonderoga, other fort sites, Saratoga, Schuylerville, Albany, Cooperstown (but not the Museum), Elmira (Mark Twain's grave), Buffalo, Niagara Falls (Lundy's Lane), Botanical Gardens at Burlington; May 1990
met computer maven Ed Stander on Queen Street West, upgraded computer to 386, bought bigger hard drive, summer 1990
paid off mortgage, October 1991
Bee becomes suddenly fatigued and ill, December 1991
Bee forced by illness (later diagnosed as chronic fatigue syndrome, CFS) to resign job as church secretary, February 1992
uncle George Armstrong died, May 1992
aunt Grace Misener died, leaving legacy, February 1993
decided traditionally-crafted metrical verse is the path to follow; began rethinking my own verse, June 1993
bought larger old house, September 22, 1993
heavily influenced by Frost, Dickinson
transferred to Stn. "H", May 1994
painted walls, liquid plastic on floors of rooms on ground floor of house; friend Doris Bercarich moved to Michigan, 1994
phoned Eric Layman for the first time in years; shocked to learn from him that my former friend Jack Adrian had died in December 1992, early 1995
met Rob Sutherland, got on Internet in his room, bought his computer monitor, summer 1995
met neighbour across street Dean J. Will, 1995 (?)
mistakenly chose terrible business route at Stn. "H", 1995
chose somewhat better route at Stn. "H", October 1996
computer upgrade from 386 to Pentium 120MHz, CD-ROM, January 1997
started desultory trying to get on Internet, January 1997
finally on Internet, May 1997
friend, mentor, and acting teacher Marshall Bruce Evoy fell ill, fall 1997: tribute evening held for him; introduced to Ayn Rand intimate Barbara Branden
friend Dean Will gravely ill in hospital, Christmas 1997
one-afternoon science fiction writing course under Robert J. Sawyer at Victoria College; re-visit University of Toronto, January 1998
Bob Wilson published Darwinia, spring 1998
attended Ad Astra sf convention, Toronto, saw Patrick Nielsen Hayden again, June 1998;
friend Marshall Bruce Evoy died, July 1998
began working in desultory fashion to create website, spring and October 1998
Boxing Day party at Doris Bercarich's; saw Do-Ming Lum, Alan Rosenthal again, 1998
bought Epson 440 color printer, January 1999
began working on website more steadily, spring 1999
father's and uncle Harold's 85th birthday, my birthday also, joint celebration at brother Larry's, May 1999
website ported to server with poems, essays "Descartes" and "Alan Greenspan", August 1999
acquaintance Emerson Tapley died, August 1999
expanding, rethinking, tweaking website, autumn 1999
spent evening with friend Dominic Saliani, first meeting since 1974, December 1999
studying, writing philosophy essays for expanding website, winter 1999-2000
girlfriend Bee Stuckless's chronic fatigue syndrome re-diagnosed as multiple sclerosis (MS), summer 2000
Bee begins using computer and Internet extensively, summer 2000
slowly became aware Bee's condition has degenerated in the last year, summer 2000
began trying to get Bee $12,000/year multiple sclerosis medicine, autumn 2000
began transferring long early poem "Eyes of Lapis Lazuli" to website, revising, October 2000
bathroom renovation by our neighbour, renovator Andy Green, October-November, 2000
computer virus THUS.OCX forces reformat of hard drive, expense, loss of many files, November 2000
began painting dining room to make library, November 2000
insurance company confirms I am listed for Extended Benefits health plan, but Bee is not; re-submitted application for her, February 2001
revised Web version of "Lapis Lazuli", February 2001
finished library and living room painting, May 2001
Bee begins taking Copaxone for multiple sclerosis, late May 2001
family friend Marg Leith died, June 2001
painted lower hallway, stairway, and upper hallway, with help from Paul Wilson, June 2001
wealthy Chicago uncle Grant died, May (?), 2001
on week's vacation, read quietly until 11 a.m.; Dean Will phoned, "Turn on your television!"; watched until 2 a.m, September 11, 2001
worked on essay "Islam and Terrorism", fall 2001
transferred beginnings of cave scene to Web site, November 2001
transferred "Einstein" and "The Creation" to Web site, December 2001
began essays on "Joe Clark" and "Quebec"; transferred last scene of play "Cingeto the King" to Web site, February 2002
friend Dean J. Will went to hospital with pneumonia, February 14, 2002
Bee started taking 1000 units vitamin D daily for multiple sclerosis; soon increased to 4000 units, spring 2002
followed closely the rationale for war with Iraq, fall 2002
saw Spider-Man
Rob Sawyer published Hominids
Rob Sawyer published Humans
attended Rob Sawyer's fan party, discussed Columbia disaster with him; talked to Catherine Clinck, bought two of her books, March 2003
Bob Wilson published The Chronoliths, mid-2003
attended Dave Clinck's party, bought two of his books, summer 2003
Epson printer began to grind, clank, fail; bought i250 Canon, $65, fall 2003
Bob Wilson published Blind Lake, bought it for Bee's birthday, end of 2003
father weakened; has congestive heart failure, recurrent edema, in Milton Hospital for several days, January 2004
3-week vacation; Dean Will waited for 7th Hickman line; underwent convulsions; returned to St. Michael's for several days, late January 2004
transferred two minor poems, "Philosopher" and "Riddance" to Web site, late January 2004

One of my published poems. Listen carefully for sound and rhythm. If I were writing this nowadays, I would try for a stronger, more densely subtle pattern of psychologically significant sound and rhythm.
"Solomon and Sheba"

Things I Like | Things I Dislike | "Comic Books and I"

EXTRA: Brief memoir by my mother of her rural Ontario girlhood.

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Last modified: 2:38 PM 23/03/2003