I have to return some video tapes.

Foggy airports, chamber music and travel woes.

2011-08-23T13:40:00.003-07:00

I'm sitting in the Victoria International Airport. Last night at around 8 PM local time I boarded a plane in St. John's Newfoundland, went to Toronto, ordered a double Tom Collins, boarded a plane to Vancouver, sat behind a baby banshee, landed at 1:30 AM local time, slept two hours in a hotel, boarded a bus to a ferry to another bus to the Conservatory, returned their cello, had lunch with Marcy and Trevor, and then got http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifdropphttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifed off where I now sit, sipping a double White Russian, and staring at my computer screen.

The last three weeks have been awesome. I took a red eye to St. John's, via Montreal, and landed midday. I fell asleep on the plane before it landed in St. John's. I'd had a brief conversation with a kindly old man from St. John's. As we made out descent, he tapped me on the shoulder and asked me to open the blind. I looked out into an endless white fog. He asked me if I recognized St. John's, and I certainly. Did.

After landing, I had a quick lunch with our dear friend Jenna whom I was staying with in St. John's(check her blog and her photography, both awesome). Jenna was kind enough to house me for the extent of the festival and then some. She is possibly the sweetest person I've ever met, and I feel really awful I didn't get to spend more time with her. Sadly, I was there for two reasons: to house hunt and to take part in the Tuckamore Festival. I'd say both were a huge success, though my lack of fun hang out times were regrettable :(

With the help of Jenna, I managed to find Josh and I nice a suite beneath Pippy Park, a large nature reserve just outside of downtown St. John's. It's also in proximity to school, but in a quasi-rural area, which means some peace and quiet. I thankfully found if mere hours before the start of the Tuckamore Festival, which took over my life for two weeks. If I hadn't found it at that perfect time, we would have had no where to live because I would have been to exhausted to even look for anywhere.

The festival was pretty regimented in a way I wasn't expecting. We had about three 45 minute private lessons a week, daily 2 hour+ chamber music rehearsals, and roughly three 1 hour coachings per week. In between that was individual practise time, master classes, performances, both by students and professionals, and somehow, time for socializing. I met some pretty awesome people, a few of which are going to be attending MUN in the fall, and others, who will be moving on to other prestigious things on other prestigious cities.

The festival was a huge mix of personal improvement, self deprecation, crying, laughing and other excitement. Our quintet was apparently one of the most gossiped about of the entire festival (mostly because of violin drama....oh violinists...) I also had the stress of an audition for the use of MUN's cello, which I will find out about a couple of weeks into September.

My quintet had the joy of learning and performing all four movements of Schumann's Quintet in Eb Major. Videos of our groups' performance can be found here, here, here and here! It was a shit tonne of work, and we all worked really hard to pull it all together. It was a real treat to work with the folks in my quintet, and I'm really grateful for all of the guidance we received.

Aside from the festival, I had some pretty interesting run ins with people in st. John's, all which were either humorous, heart warming, or both. I'm really looking forward to living there. To give you an idea of what I'm looking forward to, please enjoy this picture of a puffin, and imagine it flying through the intricate tunnel system beneath MUN (otherwise referred to as "Munnels", which sounds like the name of a sect of cave dwelling sub-humans that will hopefully never exist...but I digress...

Beouf Borguignon? Great summer food, really.

2011-07-30T08:50:00.003-07:00

I feel like I haven't left the coast. It's rained for over three weeks in a row here in Prince George. I came back to enjoy a crisp, dry, gross, dusty, swimming in the river at night 'cause it's so hot sort of summer. Instead, I'm just re-experiencing spring in Victoria. Rainy as all hell. That's not to say I haven't been enjoying being here, I've had a great summer so far, it's just....a let down.

But I've adventured many adventures! Some culinary, some fishing related, some culinary feats with fish! But all with rain.

Last weekend saw Mitch, Jean and I taking a bike trip to Hixon. It's 60 km, and we figured for it to be about a 3-4 hour trip. We were making great time, and a lovely soft rain was keeping us cool as we passed through Stone Creek. All was going well until Mitch unfortunately got a flat tire, and all of us, in our most sincere optimistic naivety, forgot to bring a patch kit. Jess, Mitch's lovely girlfriend, came to the rescue and performed an Emergency Evac. for Mitch. Jean and I continued on alone, weakened from the short pause in the warming sun. The sun continued to warm, and Jean and I had both neglected to wear sunscreen. We managed to be out in the hottest part of the day, on the only sunny day this summer, and we both got horrible sunburns. I feel ridiculous, and am still paying the price as I type this and peel. It serves me right for not wearing any sunscreen, giving my red-haired disadvantage. But we arrived in Hixon in one piece, and enjoyed a 6 km gentle coast for the last leg of the trip. Once in town, we bought beer, burgers and other necessities, and went fishing. Overall great day.

I've also enjoyed busking so far. I've been going out to the Farmer's Market almost weekly with our dear friend Corbin. Today was a planned busking day, but given the pouring rain and a general feeling of impending doom left over from last night's drinking, I'm feeling okay about not going out so far. I really wanted to get some pocket lining for next week's big adventure: NEWFOUNDLAND!

I'm flying over on Wednesday for house hunting, and to play in the Tuckamore Music Festival. I'm really excited about the festival, but not so excited about house hunting. I hate house hunting. Another note of excitement is being reunited with Jenna, our kind Couch Surfing host, and dear friend. I will be sure to post many updates from my travels. Need to keep on the blog train, only way to do that is by updating! It'll be an exciting three weeks, so I really should keep up to date.

Anyway, until then, keep dry, where ever you are.

She's bonafied!!

2011-05-25T16:25:00.005-07:00

I got my diploma in the mail today.

For those of you who have checked my blog about as frequently as I've posted, I've been living in Victoria for two years doing a diploma in classical music performance on the cello. And let me tell you, the last two years have completely flown by. I've met so many incredible people, and learned so much. I thought doing the long distance thing with Josh would be one of the hardest things I've ever done, and it was in many ways, but I feel like it went through without many problems. We're still together, which a lot of people thought wouldn't be the case, and we're both done out educations! The challenges I faced and overcame with music and performance were incredible, and I'm so glad I went through with the program at Camosun. There are so many people to thank that I can't even begin. The fact that the audition panel there saw the potential in me that even I didn't know I had fills me with so much gratitude.

I feel like I should have more of a sense of accomplishment after this, but I'm honestly so surprised that it's over. I feel like I have so much more to learn, and I will be learning more when we move to Newfoundland at the end of the summer. Big move. I love Newfoundland, and I am so excited that we're going to be living there soon. Just us and our cats. Wow. I'd better get back to cataloguing my possessions and drinking beer.

ATTN!! New blog for tour updates!

2010-07-01T16:03:00.002-07:00

Hey so if anyone cares about tour updates, check this out from now on: http://thearbitrarys.blogspot.com !!

It has all of the old posts, and all future tour related posts!!

Whudddya mean the ferry's fugging broken?!

2010-06-28T04:25:00.006-07:00

So the show in Charlottetown wound up being pretty great. We were the only band that played, so we did a bit of an extended set. Sold a fair bit of merch, and the sound guy/bar tender Mike was pretty awesome. I'd almost feel okay about finances if the ferry to Newfoundland wasn't busy screwing us over. Turns out the boat we needed to take tonight to Argentia is being fixed, the next one doesn't sail until after our shows. The only options are to either take the other ferry to the opposite end of the island and drive through an endless expanse of moose and truckers, or to fly. Both cost approximately the same, both are terrifying to me, but one saves us a 12 hour drive and a longer boat ride!

Here's the view we woke up to from our camping spot just outside of Charlottetown two night ago:

We'd slept in the car three nights in a row, which was okay I guess, but my Mom took pity on us and put enough money into my band account to rent a hotel room for the night, which was nice.

Here's our steed:

And this picture goes out to anyone who has been to a B.A. Johnston show that doesn't know what a couche-tard is:

So you're saying this island is really just a giant pile of red sand?

2010-06-26T12:12:00.002-07:00

PEI is beautiful. I have a fair bit of updating to do as I have been slacking off like a real slacker. To start, we stayed a couple of nights in Quebec City. It was really beautiful there, and we spent a great deal of time wandering around the old city like a couple of tourists. We caught a few soccer games in pubs, and made delicious sandwiches in parking lots. e played at a venue called L'AgitéE with a wonderful band fronted by Jessi Homenick. The turn out wasn't great, but it was nice to meet such wonderful people. We were also in town for most of the festival for Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day. After feeling a little bit too anglophone we hit the road.

That evening we drove to the Quebec/New Brunswick border and spent the night, then continued on eastward. We'd originally intended to spend another night around Shediac, but figured we might as well just go all the way to PEI since it was so close. We definitely haven't regretted our decision. PEI is a very nice place, and we've enjoyed exploring it and meeting the nice people in Charlottetown. We've been busy the last day with busking and doing promo for our upcoming show at Baba's Lounge! If you're in the neighbourhood, come check us out on Sunday June 27th with locals Low Lights, and possibly more guests!!

When it comes to Continental Breakfasts, Josh is a tough critic...

2010-06-21T13:38:00.003-07:00

So last night in Montreal was pretty awesome. We had the chute pulled on a show here, so we were sort of humming and hawing about what to do about it. After some internet sleuthing I wound up finding an open mic at a place called the Yellow Door Cafe. Turns out this place is now the oldest cafe in Canada...and it's not so much a cafe as it is a humble basement venue run by a really interesting and talented fellow named Marc. Apparently many great Canadian musicians have graced the venue with their presence (apparently Leonard Cohen MAYBE attended some performances there).

When we first arrived, Marc informed us that he was very pleased that we wanted to play, but felt that there may not be a roaring crowd to play to. We were happy just to have a stage, and after a while about half a dozen people showed up to perform and listen. It wound up being a really cool jam and we had a great time. Almost everyone there was from another city, there being a couple from Regina, and a young guitar player and his sister from Toronto. It was really fun.

Today we've just bombed around town. I went to some of the University campuses here to look at potential schools to transfer too. I'm definitely going to audition at McGill, but I'm getting really interested in audition at the University of Quebec campus in Montreal. I met with their department heads, and am gearing up to do some serious learning of French. Josh also wasted most of the day by buying a new fancy cell phone that has a map in it andwill allow internet access mostly all the time. Anyway, we're heading to Quebec City today in preparation for our performance tomorrow at L'Agitee with Jessi Homenick!

Montreal and more Ottawa!

2010-06-19T20:51:00.001-07:00

After getting a taste for busking in Ottawa, Josh and I met with my friend Sarah for a visit, and explored some better locations. We also played a show last night and it was pretty okay! We played to a crowd of about 10 people (many more showed up later, but we were the first band) and we sold two CDs, which is a not bad ratio considering. We felt pretty good about our performance. Ghostkeeper were really awesome, and I'm glad we had an opportunity to play with them.

So after the show, we retired to the hotel room my Mom was nice enough to book for us and we slept soundly. The next morning, we went to the Byward Market to go busking. We scoped the joint, and found what we thought would be the most ideal location in which to busk: a corner, where two adjacent parts of the farmers market meet, in front of a large storefront window. We set up shop, and played for no more than 2 minutes before another busker appeared, with what looked to be a permit. He informed us that only permit holders are allowed to busk, but kindly suggested some other places we could go instead. In that two minutes, we made $4...we were obviously a little sad to hear this, especially considering how successful we were obviously going to be. Keeping our chins up, we set up infront of a Lush, on a sidewalk that we figured wasn't lorded over by the market people. We were doing pretty good, and money was slowly but surely pouring into our cases. Then the rain started pouring down. We ran quickly into an overhang, when a girl who worked at Lush sheepishly asked us if we wanted to come inside and play. At first, we were pretty hesitant, but after only 15 minutes, two $5 bills were dropped into our cases. We realized we'd made the right choice. After that, the rain died down, and we went across the street back into market territory, but where there was a large overhang to protect from the rain. We made another $10 before we saw a suspicious man who scowled at us. We figured he was with the market. We looked in the direction he was walking and a sad looking mine frowned harder at us, so we left.

Then we got sandwiches with Sarah, enjoyed them very much, and headed to Montreal. When we were driving to the hostel we're at, we were using the On Star navigation function that our car has. We got to talking with one of the advisors, and turns out he's from Peterborough, and when he realized we're a band, he said he was going to come to our show there on July 8th. It was pretty random, but we hope to see him there! Driving in Montreal was, in one word, ridiculous. I've never seen so many cars come so close to colliding with each other merging. It was neat. Now we're going to get breakfast and go busk more!

Oh oui wa wa!

2010-06-18T06:46:00.005-07:00

So we're in Ottawa now. So far we've spent two days at an expensive hostel, gotten a huge parking ticket, and made $35 busking. The parking ticket is a huge load of crap because the sign we could see said we could park there free until 9 am. The sign that was completely obscured by foliage said there was no stopping between 7-9 am :( Of course, this means war. The spot we found to busk in was pretty tough. It was the Sparks Street Mall, which is a three or four block long pedestrian mall. People were quite reluctant to give us change unless we played gypsy jams on cello and accordion. What really got to me were the people who obviously enjoyed what we were doing but didn't leave any money. They'd stand there and take pictures of us, or video tape us. It was frustrating :( If every person who took a photo of us left a toonie we would've made at least $20 dollars more...but at least they liked us! Today we're going to try out the Rideau Market at the suggestion of a friend. Apparently that's a good spot. After that, we have to play tonight at the Elmdale House Tavern with Ghostkeeper and Sadie Hell.

Here are some pictures of things that have happened so far:

Me in the CN Tower.
Josh on the glass floor.
Jet Jagger in Wawa
Lake Superior plus a river I can't remember the name of.
Josh on Lake Superior

Josh being grumpy on the CN Tower.

Onwards and upwards!

2010-06-15T08:11:00.002-07:00

So we're in Toronto. After leaving behind our pals the Concerns of Royalty in Winnipeg, we continued on into Ontario. We stayed with Josh's family in the scenic areas of the North, and then did some camping on our way south. Ontario is actually a very beautiful province. We camped at a place called Rainbow Falls on the shores of Lake Superior, and at another site near Sudbury that's name is escaping me. Both were very nice. I like camping this time of year because there are so few other people. Also, the bugs haven't gotten too too bad yet...but I have my share of mosquito and no-see-um bites. We went up the CN tour yesterday. It was overpriced and crappy. I liked the Sear's Tower WAY better...and we went to a brewery here and did a tour that got us some free beer. It was pretty alrite. We have a show tonight at a place called the Boat. If anyone out there is in Toronto, please stop by!

On tour

2010-06-05T09:22:00.002-07:00

So far, this has happened:

More to come eventually!

Awful windy 'round these parts today....

2010-04-02T15:46:00.002-07:00

So I have just about 2 weeks until school is wrapped. I'm excited for its conclusion, though I am terrified of exams and how little sleep I'm going to get in the next while. As with the end of every semester, my time has been completely taken over by drinking beer and playing inane flash games. Here are a few I've been obsessing over lately:

Mad Virus:

Pretty basic puzzle game. I can't seem to get past level 10, but that's okay. Reminds of of this game blobs that is on Mindjolt Games, but this is a bit more exciting...well as exciting as matching colours can be.

Canabalt:

This game is about as basic as a game can get. 8 bit graphics, on a scroll screen platform with only two possible buttons that function as the same control. So far the farthest I have run is 6000 metres. That's more than most gamers walk in a week.

Basketball:

I hate this game because I love it so much. My highest score was in the 190s. That seems impressive until you see the top 10 scoreboard filled entirely with kids from Korea who score over 300.

Stupid internet.

Where did the last three months go?

2010-03-22T15:04:00.003-07:00

I am so overwhelmed with school work that all I can do is write here instead. Very productive. I have a paper due tomorrow on Bach's Cello Suite 5 in C minor. I'm so sick of writing it I want to burn every copy available, especially the questionable Ana Magdalena copies. I never cared to learn this much about Bach's use of French Overtures, and I hope to never have to ever again. I somehow don't remember where January February and most of March went. It's sort of a big blur. Can't wait for summer. Have to get through the next three weeks first.

Numbers are up!

2009-12-12T14:12:00.002-08:00

So it looks like I'll fulfil my goal of having more posts this year than the last. Which is pretty okay. I have had a pretty lazy day. Stupid upstairs neighbours kept me up last night and I missed my alarm and accidentally slept through rehearsal. I'm pretty upset but it's okay! It was the Year's last rehearsal, and it is out of the way....soI just have my five strait days of exams to go through. Pretty all right. I wish I had something of substance to post about, but I"m so overwhelmed with thoughts of school and going home that it's hard to focus on anything else. In other news, I made a delicious chana masala last night, and I will be enjoying the left overs for eat least another day! I also have perfected making basmati rice. All is well.

Please no more!!!

2009-12-11T15:35:00.003-08:00

School is a week away from being finished. By this time next week I'll probably be on a ferry, running crash statistics through my head before flying home!!!! I'm totally stoked on going home, definitely not stoked on doing all my exams this week, and then having to fly. But once those hurdles are over it'll be two weeks of bliss, eating properly, swimming, pubs, concerts and recording!! How exciting. Sadly, I'm so busy I shouldn't have even taken the time to write this, so I'll stop here.

I have an uncontrollable hate for Kenny G.

2009-12-08T03:23:00.001-08:00

Saxx Laws from Beck Hansen on Vimeo.

Halloween, noise complaints and Jack Daniels.

2009-11-06T21:01:00.003-08:00

I only love one of the above, and it is JD. Halloween is meh, but my fucking noisy upstairs neighbours are going to be the end of me. Last night, roughly 11 PM, I hear the pounding of bass coming through my ceiling. I gently knock on the ceiling to alert my neighbours that I can hear them. Their response? They turn their music up.

Now I was beyond furious. The audacity!!! So I storm outside, in the rain, and pound on their door.

A girl, of maybe 18 years of age, opens the door. She is trying hard not to laugh.

I say: "It's hilarious when I pound on your ceiling and you turn your music up, I had a great laugh."

Her: "I don't know what you're talking about" (snickering)

Me: [taking a deep breath] "Wipe that damn smirk off of your face, this is serious. Turn down your music or I'll call the cops."

Her: "You're right, I'm sorry, we'll turn it down" [still snickering]

Me: "You realize I have school tomorrow morning, I'm trying to get my homework done, and all I can hear is your damn jungle music, now don't apologize to me, just turn it the hell down."

Her: "Oh I understand I'm a student too and..."

Me: "Well it doesn't sound like it."

I walk away. I woke up at 4 am to the sound of them stomping their feet above my room. I hate them. My upstairs douchey neighbours are my Fuck That Guy of the week.

Klenginem ....?

2009-10-25T12:33:00.001-07:00

I was really confused and afraid when I found this.

My shoulders hurt from practising.

2009-10-19T21:51:00.005-07:00

A friend of mine once said finding pretty things in Victoria is as easy as finding repulsive things in Prince George. From a very oblique view point, that is true, but I honestly find the opposite equally easy, if not easier. I was going to take a series of photos to explain this, so I set out on my bike, ready for an exciting photo adventure. Sadly, I didn't realize I left my memory in card in my computer until I'd already biked to the Wharf, so I grumpily kicked a stone and biked home. I will continue with my rant regardless.

Anyway, take these two photos:

The first is of a view of Prince George from the cutbanks. The second is the Olympia Mountain Range from a beach in Victoria. I really wish I had a better picture of Victoria, this one is from April 2007, but as I stated earlier, I'm an idiot.

If I can say one thing to clear the air it's that I really dislike the ocean. I mean, there are nice things about it and it's important or whatever, but it freaks me out. The ocean can go fuck itself. I'm scared of tsunamis and it smells funny and a whole slew of other reasons. The best thing about the view from Victoria is that you can see those mountains over in Washington. Personally, I'd rather be on the mountains looking down on the ocean than on the ocean looking up at the mountains. Also, there are also three types of people I hate on the waterfront here: joggers, yuppies and crackheads. It's downright annoying.

The one thing I can say I dislike about the cutbanks is I'm terrified they will collapse while I'm on them, seeing as how their are made completely of fucking SAND. Also, the industrial view of PG is pretty unsettling, but the surroundings are damned awesome [hence why the view is of the surroundings and not the industrial park].

I think the sad truth is people back home seem to overlook everyday beauty because they see it every day. For whatever reason, it's so much easier to dwell on ugly things. Whereas here, people do the opposite. They see a junky passed out on the steps to the old Library and they comment on how beautiful the archway is. Then again, many of those same observers are too preoccupied straitening their hair and fitting into their purple American Apparel skinny jeans, to really care so I guess that is a bigger problem to begin with. I should stop talking to hipsters I meet on the bus. Christ. I hate them. They are everywhere. It's like if you take the dumbest people from highschool, and give them a slightly more obtuse fashion sense and a pretentious obsession with whatever Vice magazine is bitching or praising. they'd all live in Victoria. It's irritating. The coolest people I've met here have come from other places. Great, this turned into a hipster rant. I fucking knew that would happen God damnit....

Anyway, I liked the cutbanks picture. I could post a lot of ugly photos I've taken in Victoria [mostly involving homeless people that look a heck of a lot like the homeless people back in PG...only warmer...] but that'd be too easy. I'd rather put one of many nice ones I have from home.

However, on that ugly note, the bus stop I sometimes have to wait at is terrifying. It's on the worst corner in town for drug dealing, and it freaks me out. Probably the scariest thing is seeing normal looking people casually walking by and picking up drugs. Right next to the sad junkies. For every 10 junkies I see buying drugs [which is easy at 10 pm on a Friday] I see at least one or two normal looking people do the same. Only difference is they still have a job and house to go home to.

Bury me alive with gooey caramel, twisted in doughey bread...

2009-10-19T11:32:00.003-07:00

I made cinanmon buns this morning. The only thing that could possibly have made them better would have been a beer. But I drank my beer last night, so that's that.

This month is gearing up to be super busy. I have a piano midterm on Wednesday, a musicianship midterm next Tuesday, and a history midterm that is probably going to sneak up on my while I am not expecting and kill me. Oh and harmony fits in there somewhere as well. Speaking of which, I should have been doing that homework....ho hum.

Yesterday I went for an epic long bike ride around Victoria. It was nice. I made some tea for my thermos, returned some library books, and biked all over James Bay before settling on a bench that overlooked the Olympia Mountain Range somewhere near Beacon Hill Park. Then I practised cello for a few hours and wanted to die.

I have a performance coming up on top of everything else, and I'm pretty much terrified. Time to go settle in on a practise room and not leave until it's dark out.

FLASH GORDON AND QUEEN HOLY FUCKING SHIT

2009-10-12T21:37:00.001-07:00

I forgot they did music for this movie. God I love Queen.

RIFFRANDIA!!!

2009-09-30T12:34:00.002-07:00

This past weekend was insane. I had the great pleasure of being given a press pass to Rifflandia, an annual music festival here in Victoria. I was teamed up with my new friend, and fellow Nexus employee, Shane, who had a grandiose plan for a pure gonzo experience of Fear and Loathing proportions....and they didn't exactly fall short. The weekend was awesome. Substances were consumed (nothing dangerous) crazies were encountered (mostly the pretentious kind, not the dangerous kind), and a lot of awesome music was enjoyed (and a lot of music was also sarcastically scoffed at).

Here is a small recap of bands that really stood out to me:

Beach House It might have been the pot cookie talking, but this band was fantastic live.

Zeus These guys were just plain fun. They did a cover of a Genesis song, and it was AWESOME. Their lead guitarist also completely nailed that Beatles' Rickenbacker tone that I love so much.

Holy Fuck Pure madness. Don't care for their recordings, but I'd seem them live again any day.

Library Voices Loads of fun, super energetic band.

Timber Timbre Pretty sombre, gave me a sort of mellow Murder By Death vibe that I liked quite a lot.

Other than being introduced to these wonderful bands, I also learned a few things. First off, press passes are a golden gift from God, and by God I mean my superiors at the paper. The kind of gift that lets you jump ques, go closer to the stage than any non performer, and generally push your way through a crowd with that sense of purpose that only an asshole photographer can really have.

Speaking of pictures, I really really need a faster lens for show photography. I was shooting with my 55 mm that only goes to f 3.5, and though I got some great shots, I also missed a lot of other opportunities because it just couldn't get in enough light. I will not be able to afford anytime in the next 10 years so I will merely cry. People also tend to like crappy music. It's depressing.

Also, in my short life as a show photographer, I've been in a lot of different crowd situations. I've photographed punk/hardcore shows where people are pushing and hitting each other, and metal concerts where I've seen people get concussions, but I've never had more difficulty navigating to the stage than at Holy Fuck's set at Element. The crowd was more or less a lot of hipsters and people on E dancing in one large sweaty mass. This mass was near impregnable, and easily offended by anyone trying to navigate its narrow corridors. That being said, my favourite shots of the weekend were of Holy Fuck. Great show.

I'll be putting pictures up soon on my website, and they'll also be in the next issue of which is out on Wednesday. Check out Nexus' website at http://www.nexusnewspaper.com

Fuck the homeless.

2009-09-26T14:49:00.002-07:00

Every Saturday morning, here in Victoria, I have orchestra rehearsal. This is different from the normal rehearsal periods I have become accustomed to (usually evening, ending at around 10: 30ish) These rehearsal start at 9:15 AM, which means I am expected to arrive approximately 20 minutes early to set up and get prepared to play.

Now, I like to think of myself as a prepared morning person. When I know I have something to do in the morning, I am pretty okay at going to bed at an acceptable hour to allow getting up early enough to do it in a manner that is not too groggy or grumpy (in case Jeremy is reading this, things have changed since I was 17).

Unfortunately, my upstairs neighbours have different ideas. I was rudely awakened last night at 3:30 in the AM to a group of drunk 20 somethings yelling and stomping directly above where I sleep. My immediate reaction was to pound on the ceiling in the hopes that they would realize they are disturbing someone who is obviously trying to sleep. I did this at regular intervals for about 20 minutes before finally cracking. They apparently did not take the hint.

I proceeded to get dressed and go upstairs and knock on their door. After three sets of very solid and authoritative knocks, I could hear movement and talking behind the door. From what I could discern this is the conversation that took place:

"Dude, someone is at the door"

"maybe it's the person downstairs. What if they're a dude and they want to fight"

I took a deep breath. The door opened. A young man, probably around my age, perhaps a year or two older, opened the door and seemed surprised to see a young woman waiting on the other side. I introduced myself and politely suggested they quiet down. I explained that I had to be up in approximately 3 hours, and need the sleep. He seemed agreeable. However, his accomplice behind him had a smirk on his face, and conceded that they would "quiet down". I insisted, and added that I could actually overhear finer points of their conversations above my bedroom (one such conversation involved someone saying: "Do you know who I am? Do you know who the fuck I am?" -- I don't, and apparently neither did whoever they were talking to in this anecdote).

After confronting them, I happily walked back to my suite, climbed into my bed, and looked forward to having a restful sleep. Until the upstairs music kicked back in, and I could clearly hear someone upstairs saying:

"So some chick wants us to pipe down. Apparently she has to work tomorrow. Whatever man, who the fuck has a job on a weekend."

I slept with earplugs. Next week, if this occurs again, I am calling the police. I don't want to seem like the Mom from Joe's Garage, but these boys don't know any nice songs...

The next morning, thanks to their consideration, I woke up at 8 :30 and ran to rehearsal down the street. Thankfully, I only live three or so blocks from the rehearsal hall. Rehearsal went okay, and the bass section was actually dismissed early because the violins had to rehearse the Overture to Nutcracker. I was pleased, and trotted down the street with glee.

As I went to cross on to my side of Quadra, I could hear a man screaming something at what I could only assume was an invisible enemy of his that I was incapable of perceiving. This caught me off guard, so I continued to cross the street in this "gentleman's" direction. About halfway across Quadra, I could hear this man start coughing violently. This coughing went on for at least 3 or 4 seconds before he looked at me and proceeded to spit the contents of his mouth in my direction.

Thankfully, the wind was in my favour and his projectile stopped short. However, the psychological damage of the potential harms that would have befallen me had his spit been true to its mark conitnue to irk me. I hastily continued in the direction of my home,a nd warned an elderly couple of the hazards of this spitting hobo. They were thankful.

I immediately got home and made a martini. Now I need a nap. Fuck hobos.

Rifflandia, however, has been AWESOME. More on that later.

For Torie:

2009-09-17T20:00:00.004-07:00

My official Fuck That Guy of the Week is the woman who is on the phone with Glenn Beck in this radio call in: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axFUo1hAlQY&feature=related

Look up Glenn Beck if you don't already know him, because he is priceless. The only good thing I can say about this woman is that she makes Glenn Beck's voice screech higher than an infant's over a conversation about public health care. Check it.

My homework has gin stains on it.

2009-09-17T19:43:00.003-07:00

I have a strong disdain over having to take an English composition course this year. Our last class started out with an overview of common grammatical mistakes that I notice and correct everyday in other people's facebook statuses. This class makes me sort of feel like I'm Scott Bakula in Quantum Leap, and he's trapped in the body of a girl in a grade 9 English class, and his job is to keep himself from pulling out her wisdom teeth with a piece of piano string and a door handle.

Here's a list of things I'd rather do than go to class:

Give Dick Cheney a vodka enema for $10 000
Practise cello
Drink myself into an alcohol induced coma
Cuddle with Burt
Punch Ann Coulter into a coma
Rape a comatose Ann Coulter
Burn every copy of Twilight (the books, DVDs...everything) and Across the Universe
Hug Darcie
Make a sandwich
Eat said sandwich

Today I had a huge crave on for vietnamese food, but I'm too poor to get any vietnoms. So sad. Especially because I am dishing out $600 to get some work done to my cello because the stupid bridge was never made properly. So long money, hello roomy wallet!

You can't plant me in your penthouse, I'm going back to my plow...

2009-09-02T23:57:00.003-07:00

So, here we are. Three months devoid of posting, and for what? Well, I've moved to Victoria. Seemed weird at first, but I'm feeling settled. I'm more busy than I have time to explain! I'm very thankfully a part of Nexus, Camosun's student paper, and I'm really enjoying working with them. It's forcing me to take my photography seriously, which is awesome. I'm feeling pangs of missing home, however. Josh is far away. I have Burt. It's great. Cats are such wonderful companions. I'm reading a book called The Immortalists, about how Charles Lindbergh was obsessed with not dying or some crap. I'm only like four chapters in. I need to finish reading it so I can return it.

Here's a list of things I've done in Victoria:

got a library card.
rode my bike around town
saw a bumper sticker that said "I'm only speeding because I have to poop"
Talked my way out of Josh getting a parking ticket
carved a triceratops out of clay
gawked at the horrible amount of hipster trash
met some really extremely cool people who aren't hipster trash!
learned how to play "Bennie and the Jets" on piano instead of practising cello
fallen madly in love with a tall dark and handsome cut throat business man from Madison Ave.
baked cookies
cooked amazing butter chicken
got high with Torie and Skyla and stole someone's pears from their pear tree
got hired as a photographer for the campus paper and do some photo shoots!

Torie also introduced me to a lounge that makes amazing martinis for $4.50 on Mondays. That's also the only day of the week that I don't have classes. Coincidence or fate?

I've been listening to Wilco all day...

2009-05-26T09:26:00.002-07:00

...in honour of Jay Bennett, their ex-guitar player. May he rest in peace or what have you. I encourage anyone and everyone to do the same. Such a good band.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omKsLpM6VZU

Good song. Just go listen to Summerteeth.

lol @ Jeremy.

2009-05-08T11:52:00.003-07:00

Trekkies Bash New Star Trek Film As 'Fun, Watchable'

Here's the kicker, at first Josh thought this was a REAL news report....

The internet has finally failed me...

2009-04-21T00:26:00.003-07:00

...but it's not the internet's fault. It's the fault of people, as usual. Today I finally snapped. I'm so sick of every single facet of the internet that allows for comments becoming a fucking religious/atheist debate. Who the hell cares?! That being said, if my comment page turns into one such debate, that would be entirely hilarious, and perfectly ironic. Despite that fact, I will still be pissed.

Fuck everyone that still debates that. I'll settle it right now: NO GOD. Happy? No? Go stand on a milk box and tell someone who cares. THE INTERNET DESERVES BETTER....

Like this

Holy...

2009-03-10T10:17:00.003-07:00

I found this article this morning while in a history 321 lecture. My favourite part is when they said a man is worth two women, so she could only ruin one of his eyes. I'm torn between choosing Islamic Law, or the rejected acid thrower, as my fuck that guy of the day. I'm going to go with the acid thrower. What an asshole.

For Jeremy:

2009-03-09T18:50:00.001-07:00

http://community.livejournal.com/watchdom/125379.html

This is that thing I was telling you about.

It was nice out today

2009-03-07T15:54:00.002-08:00

The weather today has been insane. This morning it was cold and cloudy. Then in the afternoon is was incredibly warm, like drive with the windows down and enjoy the warm air type of warm, but SNOWING AT THE SAME TIME with perfectly formed little snow flakes. Now it's a huge windy awful cold blizzard. I LOVE MARCH!

And this link:

Saturday Morning Watchmen

Of all the blogs in all of the internet, I had to walk into this one....

2009-03-06T18:24:00.004-08:00

Here's my fuck that guy of the decade:

http://closertothemicrophone.blogspot.com/2008/12/recovering-covered.html

But I digress...

On another note, I got uncontrollably compelled to drink while on the bus home today. Thank heavens the bus goes right by a liquor store. I drank half a bottle of baileys in one large coffee on my walk home. It was a beautiful day. Felt like summer it was so sunny. Minus the wind, it was pleasant outside. I almost didn't neat my coat. All in good time. I am so anxious for spring it's ridiculous!

EDIT:

I forgot this gem:

http://closertothemicrophone.blogspot.com/2007/11/on-saturday-i-went-to-see.html

Seriously...fuck that guy.

Uggggh

2009-03-05T14:44:00.002-08:00

Six days before my birthday, I somehow hurt my back, and it's only gotten worse! This is terrible, because the psychological effect of turning 21, coupled with having this injury that makes me feel like an old geriatric, is completely detrimental. Good thing my job doesn't require heavy lifting...

OO NOEZ

2009-03-03T09:56:00.000-08:00

I'm legal in America now. Time to spend my college fund on gambling. My youth is official squandered.

RIP

2009-02-22T11:19:00.002-08:00

This is for all of my enlightened friends, and my brother who likes Conan.

Enjoy....

MY GOD

2009-02-12T15:29:00.001-08:00

to quote my boss, "This little girl is either totally insane or a genius. Or both."

TIMMY CAN'T CONFESS DUE TO DISABILITY! DOES THAT MEAN HE'LL GO TO HELL?!

2009-01-15T16:38:00.003-08:00

I'm reading an awesome book right now called "The Dream of Reason: a History of Philosophy from the Greeks to the Renaissance" In it, the writer explains some aspects of Pythagorean philosophies, including the belief that

"...geometry which is deserving of study is that which at each new theorem, sets up a platform to ascend by, and lifts the soul on high instead of allowing it to go down among [physical objects perceived by the senses] and so become subservient to the common needs of this mortal life."

If that's true, what if you're dyslexic? Makes me think of the dumb catholic man who can't confess his sins. Only with math.

Having said that, I have no fuck that guy of the day. Maybe my rage is finally subsiding.

Holy shit

2009-01-02T14:00:00.002-08:00

Hold the fucking phones. I just realized my blog has consistently dropped in posts each year. And my first year of it started halfway through. This has to stop. And not just nonsense posts like this, but actual legit pieces. I suck. But no one reads this anyway so whatever.

So I guess it's 2009 now...

2009-01-02T13:23:00.002-08:00

Whatever. I got drunk and did a countdown, no biggie. Now I have bigger fish to fry...Well, not exactly. School starts next week which I am completely not ready for. My amazing atheistmas present for Jeremy didn't arrive, which blows. I promised him I would post a puzzle piece a day from a photo of it, but I can't do it from my work computer, so I will once I get home!!! Paypal is my official fuck that guy of last month. But it's January now, so I'll have to curse someone else's name. I'll just curse New Years Resolutions. Fuck those. I never made them, and people that do are ridiculous.

Merry Atheistmas!

2008-12-26T17:17:00.002-08:00

So for Christmas my brother got me the book "The God Delusion" by Richard Dawkins. I loved the irony of celebrating an imaginary God's hypothetical son's birthday by getting a book about how he doesn't exist. This morning my good friend/relative/boss Bryndis sent me the link to Bill Maher's new documentary "Religulous" I love Christmas for all the wrong reasons.

...and I got a 120 gig ipod. Life's pretty sweet.

My fuck that guy of the day is every jerk, myself and Yeshwa included, who piled into the mall on boxing day (today). I only wanted new pants. My old pants that I bougth when I was 18 finally wore out and ripped all over the place so I had to. Josh made me buy a TV.

At least it's snowing!!!! YAY!

I am become death.

2008-11-29T15:28:00.004-08:00

There are few things in the world I hate more than malls during Christmas*. I've had a history of falling victim to my own misinterpretations of what could be called "normal" mall behaviour by mindless consumers, which, subsequently, has lead me to want to set off a pipe bomb in the busiest sections of West Edmonton Mall**. But that's a whole other story. In fact, I'd more than likely be just as content doing so at Prince George's shining star, the Pine Center Mall***. Only not as content.

Anyway, I had to spend roughly and hour in the mall today. Generally speaking, there are only three reasons I go to the mall:
1. To visit Yeshwa
2. To vandalize the bathroom stalls
3. To see if there is any yarn worth stealing at Zellars.

Other than that, I usually have no reason to set foot in there. But, everytime I do go there, there is a new reason to be disgusted with people and want to wash myself in bleach. On my last visit, my blood boiled for one reason: Christmas Shopping.

SERIOUSLY WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH EVERYONE? Everyone at the mall today (minus my friend Jon I ran into who was buying a phone from Josh) are my official fuck that(those) guy(s) of the holiday season. But don't worry, that's subject to change because Christmas fucking pisses me off. You know what, fuck it, I can have multiple fuck that guys per entry, so I declare the prick who owns Pine Center my other official Fuck that guy of the day.

I just had to get that off of my chest. Now that that's over with, here's a photo for everyone's enjoyment. So please, enjoy!

Author's Notes:

*Whacky fundamentalists aside...
**I aint no terrorists, and I'm not going to bomb no mall. Or anything for that matter.
***Not even this one.

RAAAAR

2008-11-26T19:57:00.004-08:00

Fuck people in love. Including myself. It's the worst idea. It's just a trick to make children. Don't fall for it.

Love is my official fuck that of the century.

NAZIS!!!!!

2008-11-24T23:23:00.002-08:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0V7JpgXQvk&NR=1

Here Jeremy, you always wanted to see more Double-ya double-ya two loonie toones cartoons.

Women are stupid and I don't respect them.

2008-11-20T15:47:00.003-08:00

Do you know what's worse than punk elitists? Feminists. And do you know what's worse than feminists? People who feel they have to be feminist for you.

If you read my last post, you'll know I was at a punk show on Sunday. What I failed to mention was before the show had started, Grace and I were watching youtube videos with a group of other people waiting for the show to get going. We watched things like the Washington Rap, among other things. But we found out that someone we knew had never heard the wonderfully satirical Jon Lajoie song "Show me your Genitals" In light of this, we found it, plugged our computer into the P.A. and listened with great joy to his mock-mysogynistic masterpiece.

Grace and I sang along gleefully, unaware that apparnetly we were being offensive? Apparently, in a room full of adults, two independant, informed, empowered women can't laugh at this song without being frowned upon. It turns out one of the members of the headlining band were offended at our sense of humour. Now, unless I'm wrong--because I did not hear this first hand, but through an e mail from the promoter which I won't even begin to describe because it was such a farce--it seems that this member of the band, who happens to be a man, found it sad that we would demean ourselves by finding the content of the song funny. When I read this, I nearly puked I found it so funny. If anything, I find his comment mysogynistic. Am I too simple minded to understand why this is offensive? Maybe I should go back into the kitchen and bake me some bisquits and not concern myself with things like IRONY and SARCASM. Pardon me for being sooo offensive to myself. I'm really ashamed that my behaviour was so immature...not.

My Dad has a really great saying that he probably heard from someone else:

"If you can't laugh at yourself, you're the only one."

It's sad that some people can't seem to laugh at anything. At least I can say I've had more than a few laughs today.

So, in closing, would be feminists are my official "Fuck that guy" of the day.

Punk elitists ftw.

2008-11-18T11:42:00.002-08:00

So I keep going to punk rock shows with my pal Grace and her dude man Geoff. Anyway, so the other night we were at this show, and Geoff was doing sound check for this lady who was unknown to us.

Now, I mean no disrespect, but this girl was hands down the most disrespectful performer I have ever seen. She was unnecessarily insistent about particulars about her sound (that, in my opinion made no sense). She demanded to just play guitar through her amp, and Geoff insisted micing it, which she insisted would ruin her sound. Geoff insisted that he could make her sound good, and she insisted she didn't want to sound good, she wanted to sound "raw".

Then, [perhaps] verbatim, this is what she said to Geoff: "I don't want some elitist punk kid taking over my sound and telling me what to do"

Pretty fucking bitchy considering Geoff was being the most reasonable sound guy in history.

Anyway, so the night goes on, and Geoff's band is doing their sound check, and this girl decides to interrupt them, and tells them they're doing it wrong. At this point I was completely floored that this n00b would come into a venue these guys have played in since they were 15, and demand they do their sound differently. She said they were too loud, and that they were trying too hard to make themselves seem bigger than they are. (they are a punk band....pretty much) What was funny is Sheldon, The Throwbacks' guitarist, kept calmly talking to her exclusively through a microphone even though she was 5 feet away from him. It was a ridiculous scene.

So that ridiculousness aside, she goes on stage for her set. I'm hoping I'll be completely floored by her performance, so I stand off to the side, ready to snap some photos.

But here comes the kicker. The great punchline to all of this. The first thing she says when she goes on stage:

"Hi guys, I'm new to town and this is my first time playing in front of people."

...

In case you missed it, she not only pushed everyone around about sound engineering, generally tried to cause havoc and displayed a dauntingly huge ego, but...she'd never EVER played before? At all?!

I think this goes without saying, but this lady was my official "fuck that guy" of the day.

Oh, she also got upset when a girl hurt herself moshing (moshing, what?) and proceeded to turn off the sound board and tell the band to stop playing. This ended in a screaming match I unfortunately was not present for.

Those pricks ruin everything....

2008-11-17T20:05:00.001-08:00

Whoever owns this Christmas tree farm is my official "Fuck that guy" of the year.

Ughhhhh

2008-11-10T15:38:00.002-08:00

Fuck everyone who sits on the fucking CFUR couch and talks like a bunch of douches about douchebaggery.

These people are each my official "Fuck that guy" of the day.

Fuck the drive thru

2008-11-08T15:28:00.002-08:00

This angry man who obviously couldn't read a simple sign freaked the fuck out at me today. He took a completely wrong entrance into this drive thru and then got pissed at me when I went in front of him. He drove up beside me and rolled his window down and proceeded to explain how much of a cunt I am, and then forced his way in front of me. His female passenger was also very insistent about my cuntness. They went so far as to tell the manager to give me a hard time. I saw her walk towards their window, so I rolled mine down to listen, and she pretty much told him he went in the wrong entrance and to deal with it. I felt very vindicated and enjoyed my cheese croissant with great pleasure.

He gets my official "Fuck that guy" of the day.

Inlitterati lumen fidei

2008-10-28T13:48:00.002-07:00

Fuck the Theologians. They don't know nothing about anything those fucking pricks. I just wrote a paper on Augustine and Aquinas and lets just say I'm a tad bitter because I don't believe a single word either of them said. My brother sent me a great link from Pharyngula's blog, so I'm posting it here in case anyone will read it.

School is going well. I got 5 assignments back and they were all A's so I'm celebrating by doing more homework! As you can plainly see, I'm even more boring than ever before...

Scratch that last post...

2008-09-29T00:30:00.001-07:00

People who encourage voting conservative piss me off more :( Sometimes I think there should really be IQ requirements for voting...

People who won't vote piss me off.

2008-09-26T14:33:00.003-07:00

I'm sitting on the CFUR couch listening to some guy rant about how he's exercising his democratic right by not voting. He claims hating every party as his excuse. If every asshole who told me they weren't voting would vote against Harper maybe his stupid arts funding cuts WOULDN'T happen. I'm so choked about that. Enough people are stupid enough to either a) vote FOR him or b) NOT vote at all? No wonder North American politics are such a joke. If there two conservative figure heads in power by the end of this year, I will have pretty much lost all faith in this continent. Harper will stop giving artists funding, Sarah Palin will ban homosexuality and abortions and make every woman wear make up, compete in beauty pageants, and shoot fully automatic assault rifles in bikinis, and I'll probably resort to complete hermitude or leave.

haha whoops

2008-08-18T12:39:00.003-07:00

So I pretty much suck at keeping up to date with things. Last I checked, we came home from tour in one piece. Though, some of us in different vehicles. It was a fun trip for the most part. Shit really hit the van on our way to Vancouver when our van broke down and someone we took on tour with us decided to be a prissy asshole. That's okay though, because as Josh put it, it was bound to happen anyway, so why be that bothered by it. We had an amazing trip to Ucluelet. Swam in the ocean, illegally camped on a beach by this gorgeous lake, and cooked fresh sockeye salmon on a fire. It was beautiful. Wells was also amazing. Though I spent the better part of it drunk, dreading having to talk to/play with certain individuals. It wound up being pretty comical, despite probably not being my proudest moments ever.

Being home has been weird. Having to get used to not driving for 8 hours every morning was harder than I thought. Also, my bike was stolen so I have no means of transportation. Tonight, Josh and I are taking a red eye bus to Merritt to get our van. The transmission SHOULD be fixed, unless the mechanics forgot to drive it before calling us LIKE LAST TIME. But that's a whole other story.

In other news, I've rekindled my love for the Rolling Stones. If you ever doubt their greatness, just look up "Girl with the Far Away Eyes" on youtube, and you will understand.

July 19th - Medicine Hat

2008-07-19T23:54:00.002-07:00

So we didn't die getting to Brandon, and are now roosting in Medicine Hat. We're playing at a former strip club turned music venue. The stage is made of lights and it's pretty nifty. Not many people came but it's okay. Tomorrow we go to Lethbridge, where we play a show and get to see Joyce Kwan. I am excited.

July 12th in Montreal

2008-07-12T10:49:00.003-07:00

So yeah we're in Montreal now. I don't speak any french, only Justin does. We played an awesome show in Winnipeg, and managed to not run out of money until two days ago. We are playing at Le Cagibi tonight, this wicked cafe that I am currently sitting in. Sushi in Ottawa sucks if you go to the first place we went to and spent too much money at. We stayed in the van last night, and camped the two nights before. We also slept in the sketchy basement of the Townehouse in Sudbury. It smelled like urine.

July 5th - Edmonton

2008-07-05T19:11:00.003-07:00

We just drove here from Grande Prairie. It took a long time and our van was slow again. A huge truck full of liquid nitrogen passed us and made me feel very anxious. I generally don't like it when crazy truck drivers who have been on the road since 4 that morning, and are potentially hopped on up on some sort of uppers, pass me in a vehicle with canisters filled with pressurized and potentially explosive gases behind it that are lager than my van. But that's just something I'll have to get used to. For now we have to figure out how to make some money in Edmonton before we leave for Saskatoon tomorrow.

July 4th - Grande Prairie

2008-07-05T01:53:00.002-07:00

First tour update. We played at this place called Better than Fred's. It paid really well and they got us a hotel room. We are going to sleep well tonight and then cry tomorrow because we don't have a show in Edmonton :( But our pal Jeff is going to take cool pictures of us which will be awesome!!! Our van costs much in fuel. It is hot out. We saw a bear, a deer, and a moose today. Everyone passes us on the highway because we are slow.

Jesus Fuck

2008-06-16T14:42:00.003-07:00

So it's mid June and my feet are getting really itchy. In just over two weeks we're leaving on a cross Canada tour. This one I really sincerely intend to document more fully than our last tour. We might even bring a video camera. And I'll of course be taking many many pictures. We'll even meet up with some friends along the way too, which should be very very fun. But there are still things to do before we leave. The recordings are nearly done, the band is practicing, and the VAN HAS BEEN BOUGHT!!!! It is a 1989 Ford Club Wagon and it cost us $800. I am entirely too excited. I've been obsessed with cleaning it, and it actually is a respectable tour van now. All it took was a bit of vacuuming, some spot shot, and Armour All. Armour All seriously does wonders. All that's left to fix is the stereo, because we can't drive over 10 000 km without music.

The tension of leaving is seriously starting to get to me. There are only 5 more July band rehearsals before we leave, two more local shows. 17 days and counting. Seven TEEN DAYS. I've never even been east of Saskatchewan, and we're going all the way to Montreal!! I am so so so so excited!!! If any of my readers are unknowns that are from out of town (which I kind of doubt but I'll put it out there anyway) here are our tour dates in case we're coming to a town NEAR YOU!!

July 3 Grande Prairie
July 4 Edmonton
July 5 Saskatoon
July 7 Winnipeg
July 8 Thunder Bay
July 10 Sudbury
July 12 Montreal
July 15Peterborough
July ?? Guelph (maybe?)
July 17 Brandon
July 19 Medicine Hat
July 21 Lethbridge
July 22+23 Calgary
July 24 Kelowna (maybe)
July 25 Vancouver
July 28 Duncan
July 29 Vancouver AGAIN
July 30 Kamloops and Wells (Aug 3)!!!!

SO EXCITING HOLY COW!!

<3 )~ a mouse for Mitch.

2008-05-22T12:08:00.004-07:00

It's a beautiful day outside, and right now I'm trapped in my basement dungeon office pretending to be doing work. It's technically lunch time right now, so I think it's okay for me to be blogging. It's a shame I'll be too busy the rest of the day to get out and really enjoy it.

This morning I actually got out of bed almost at a respectable hour and hastily biked to work, neck and neck with a vicious rain storm that insisted on spitting on me. I've been biking a lot lately as my car is no longer insured or registered in my name. Also, I like to think I'm environmentally consciencious. It's been fun though, and I feel a lot better being active. Also, my bum looks different which is a perk I suppose.

Yesterday was pretty fun, as Josh and I went on an epic quest to find a tour van. We found two pretty good candidates so it was a worth it. Meanwhile, the tour is looming like a frighening goliath that still needs to be tackled. Tour dates are coming together, recordings are getting underway, and other plans are being planned (such as beer and wine production) but much work is yet to be done. The anticipation just kills.

I finally bought a new notebook. It wasn't that long ago that I would consistently write something in a notebook every day. Lyrics, poems, rants, observations, what have you. It's still completley blank. New notebooks are kind of intimidating if you haven't written in a while. I used to love that feeling of getting a new one, I went through them so quickly. Fresh pages are so beautiful, and smell so clean, I just love it. It's almost a shame to write on them, but it's completely worth it when you finish it, and every page becomes soft and worn, with ink blotches and finger prints and words and words and words and words.

I think I broke my cell phone. I dropped it on my bathroom floor and it exploded into three pieces. I snapped it all back together, but it's not taking every call I receive, and I keep getting random voicemails out of nowhere. Nick might be getting a new phone from My Josh the cell phone salesman pretty soon, so I might buy his for $50 and some romanian shortbread. I dug out the recipe the other day. I feel prepared to bake a storm of deliciousness.

I hate writing when I can't rant about things that are actually on my mind, so I'm going to stop here. It's a good start, see if I can get back into the swing of things.

Just to piss off Jeremy....

2008-05-05T17:24:00.002-07:00

YAY RELIGIOUS PROOFS ON SATURN......

Slow posting.

2008-05-04T23:52:00.002-07:00

But this should totally make up for it:

Thanks to drunken Marcy for sharing it with me.

Travels!!

2008-03-07T18:07:00.003-08:00

So I'm in Vancouver right now on a family trip with my family. Obviously I'm super busy with incredibly fun activities to keep me busy which is why I have absolutely no time to write on my blog. In actuality I'm sitting in a hotel room waiting for someting fun to happen. Since I eat meat again we're going to go to Samba's and indulge in a lot of flesh. It's pathetic, I've only been gone 8 hours and I already miss Josh, and want to be on tour again. We'd at least be doing fun things together. I'm pretty sure my brother doesn't find looking for old records and used books particularly interesting. Tomorrow should be more fun I'm sure, and Sunday is going to be great because I'll get to see Marcy probably and Alycia for sure. Anyway, I'm going to try and find soemthing fun to do, which will probably be watching cable, but hopefully

Life on the Fringe....

2008-02-11T15:10:00.000-08:00

This weekend saw a huge change of scenery for me. Josh and I moved from our cozy comfortable home in Footsville, so a larger, less stylish abode a stones throw away from Cracktown. The previous tenants having been evicted--they sold crack, didn't pay rent, and were involved in a police raid that ruined several parts of the house (namely doors and drywall)--and later shot outside of a Moxies ("supposed" gang hit (as if this warrents any speculation....) Also, I doubt any romanian gangs were involved, in case Marcy was wondering) So after all of this, the house was left in the hands of the insurance company to fix up.
Needless to say they didn't do the best of jobs. The house reaks of linolium and latex paint, and the cupboards were full of mice feces (until I cleaned them last night with the help of Josh's unbeleivably nice Mom)
So I'm afraid of being shot, and I don't like being home alone, so I've been spending a fair amount of time in the basement. At least we can steal a strong internet connect. Suh-weet.

Oh no....

2008-01-16T12:51:00.000-08:00

I'm facing the possibility of having to get rid of my car soon. I'm saddened by this. I've had many good times in that car, and I'm sadly very attatched to it...but it's also a Grade-A P.O.S. and I'll save money by not having to pay insurance and fuel....ho hum, what to do.

Okay...

2008-01-14T23:03:00.000-08:00

...so La Boheme wasn't that bad. It's finally over, and now I have the new stress of this Coldsnap catastrophe to deal with. I'll probably talk more about this later, but it's a huge headache. But it's jump started the band into getting full arrangements started. We have a wicked drummer (Justin Arding) and an equally rad bass player (Robin Miller) We are impressed and happy. Josh just said the drums in one of the songs is like sex. I agree.

List

2008-01-09T18:40:00.001-08:00

Things I like:

-Ferry terminals
-Watching vinyl spin
-Eating just enough food to be full, but not feel gross
-Josh
-Reading my brother's blog
-Cold beer on a hot day
-Dry wine on a cold night
-Fuzzy slippers
-Summer
-Evenings when I don't have rehearsal

Things I dislike:

-Playing in a pit orchestra for ANY opera. No exceptions. I don't care how well bathed everyone in the orchestra is, when you cram 50 people into a tiny sunken box below a stage and make them play La Boheme for three hours, it won't smell nice, and it will be unpleasant for everyone involved.
-Shoulder cramps from playing cello

No phone, no pool, no pets, ain't got no cigarettes

2007-12-20T10:47:00.001-08:00

Christmas is soon, Nutcracker has started and thus, a barrage of tiresome rehearsals and awkward 20 minute snack breaks. I still need to go Christmas shopping, but between work and symphony I have no time, so we'll see how this goes.

Big plans for recording have been suggested, and it's got me excited. I haven't been excited about music in a long time, so this is a good sign. I just want Nutcracker to be finished so I can sit down and write. My brother is also writing a short story, and I'm really excited for him too. I'd been in a real rut all through the fall; a paranoid, agoraphobic type rut, where I was afraid of highways, children, the elderly, sudoku puzzles, movies with Joe Pesci, and sex because somehow, they all reminded me of my mortality. But, I feel like that's somehow passed. My feet are getting itchy again, I can't wait for summer, and travelling. But, at the same time, I'm happy with the snow.

50's music ftw.

Also, I'm stil bitter about not getting to ride on the water slides. Brunch and swimming at Ester's Inn has been suggested, but I doubt it will smooth things over. Oh well.

Hey Shopkeeper can you help me, please.

2007-11-20T10:39:00.000-08:00

Bazooko Circus is what the whole
hep world would be doing Saturday
night if the Nazis had won the war.
This was the Sixth Reich.

On Friday, Josh and I embarked on a journey to Edmonton to play a show at the Blackspot Cafe. Driving his Mom's gutless '99 civic, with no music save for radio and five Wilco albums, filled to capacity with our meager possessions, we forged east through mountains and plains to play a completely unpromoted show to an audience of roughly 10 (including the venue staff...only four people paid to get in).

But that's all okay, because like any great adventure, a lot of other great stuff happened. And of course, greatness came not as a result of our reason for leaving, but of the things we encountered on the way.

Condition on the way there were nice, and the drive was pleasant and uneventful...until we reached Edmonton and I realized forgot our itinerary at home, and had no idea what hotel we were staying at. After realizing that going to every hotel downtown with the words "Inn" in the name, and asking if I had a reservation wasn't going to work, I bit the bullet and called home to get all the information.

We checked into our hotel, drove to the venue (which was located next door to two sex shops, and directly beneath a "massage" parlour) played our show, made $28, and went out for drinks with two of our friends from Edmonton. We went to White Ave, and proceeded to a bar that was a lot like Sgt's, where some scary bar patron made a scene about charging his cell phone, and then grabbed Josh's crotch and winked at him. We left shortly after, and retreated to our hotel.

We had big plans for our second day in Edmonton. They involved going to music stores, trying out fancy equipment, and then going to West Edmonton Mall and playing on water slides.

Now, let me be frank. I hate West Edmonton Mall. I've been there only a few times, and have hated every second of it. So much so, that I believe I suppressed traumatizing memories of it from previous visits, which caused me to think it was tolerable to be in, and thus allowed me to convince myself to go there again.

But it'd be worth it for the water slides, just for them, and them alone. I could brave the American Dream, the huddled masses, the smell, the Christmas music, the frightened caged animals on display for public enjoyment, the scary salesman popping out of trap door kiosks trying to get me to sell myself for whatever peddling sell phone credit card insurance scam they're pushing. I could stand watching corpulent patrons eating sugary treats while waddling down some fabricated version of Bourbon St. with giant multi-faced porcelain jesters, enforcing some sort of brainwashing technique on every man woman and child that sets foot in that horrible place. I'd resist the urge to throw a baby carriage into the sea lion pen, or spit in the face of every elderly person I cross paths with, or punch ANYONE who carelessly bumps into me, or steps on my toes without so much as an apology or nod or even recognition of my existence despite having made slight physical contact with them, or curb stomp with no regard if someone makes so much as eye contact with me, or appears to be smiling, or happy, or to some degree not ill at ease for being in such a giant hell hole. I'd be able to maintain composure before completely degrading to some wild beast, unable to speak properly, my eyes glazed over and glossolalia being the only audible noise from my foaming mouth. I wouldn't wind up being another taser related casualty when mall security can't contain me, and police have to become involved after I climb onto the pirate ship and start urinating all over anyone who gets below me. It wouldn't happen, because I wouldn't allow it to get to that. I would maintain my calm.

Nearly. Before even setting foot in the mall, I was already sick of it. Probably burned $10 in fuel, and 30 minutes just trying to find a god damned parking spot. Then, as soon as I set foot in the mall, my pulse increased from a normal 70 bmp to something close to 120. A cold sweat set in, and my breathing became shallow and loud. My immediate instinct was to run full speed, darting wilding from side to side as a safety precaution, but I realized it was wiser to not make a scene.

We had three priorities:
1) buy shorts for swimming in.
2) find the water park and go swimming
3) leave as fast as we can

Avoiding any trendy stores, or places that were playing loud irritating music, we spent what felt like no less than 40 minutes trying to find a cheap store in which we could buy swimming shorts. After finally finding a Zellers, we spent $20 on two pairs of shorts. After getting lost repeatedly, and picking up a map, getting confused by the map, and then figuring the map out, we sort of figured out where we were. We had to walk towards the pirate ship, which was at the opposite end of the mall as the ice rink, which at that moment had a giant Zamboni smoothing out the ice (I fantasized running over several people and smashing through a wall with it but I calmed myself) turn towards the food court, walk around the flamingo cage, and then descend an escalator, into the pool entrance. Where we learned that it would cost $30 per person to go on the water slide, plus an additional $7 each to have a locker.

Talling up our expenses for this waterslide expedition, we would have had to spend over $95. Considering we made a total of $28 at our show the previous night, we both admitted defeat and walked away. At this point, I was so agitated by being in the mall, that I was literally ready to punch the next motherfucker who touched me. Or spit in their face. Or both. Or just push them over, and them kick them and spit on them and tell them what a fool they are for allowing themselves to be seen in a place such as this. But we didn't have time for that. We had to return out shorts, find exit #56, get to our car, and leave this place alive.

We got to Zellers, waited in line for ten minutes, only for them to tell us we had to go to customer service downstairs to makes returns, went downstairs, waited in line for another ten minutes, got our money back, and started for the exits.

Now the one thing about this mall that I both love and hate, is that it's damned near impossible to find your way out of there. I hated it because it prolonged my exposure to the mall, but I rest assured that if there is any sort of disaster, or fire, or terrorist attack, or if the roof collapses, or there's a tragic gas leak, or explosion, or flood, that a great many people in the mall wouldn't be able to escape, and many more would probably be trampled in the frenzy to try and find an exit. Ideally, it would resemble the L.A. riots.

In the time it was taking us to find the appropriate exit, I was getting more and more agitated. I think Josh sensed this because as I was reaching my breaking point, he started to singing obnoxiously, bought me a tasty cinnamon bun treat thingy that wound up smeared over both our faces, and we sang and danced our way out of the mall, into our car, and out of that hell hole into freedom.

Fuck Fox News.

2007-09-06T21:08:00.001-07:00

They're kind of pricks.

So that's where Dunster is....

2007-08-23T14:05:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow I will be embarking on my second trip to Dunster, to preform in the Robson Valley Music Festival. As you may or may not recall, I wrote an entry about my trip there last year. This years trip will be under different circumstance, not only because I'll be performing in my band, but also because I now have a vague idea what I'm in for. My travel mates, Josh and Mitch, however, do not. Do not fear, Mitch, all will be well. I anticipate a fun weekend, and perhaps a little detour to Mount Robson for some more camping fun. Pictures, of course, will be taken and showcased for all to enjoy.

Wooo roadtrip fun yay!

July 2nd - Grande Prairie

2007-07-04T07:22:00.000-07:00

So on Monday, July 2nd, our tour began. We left PG pretty early in the morning, but not early enough that we didn't feel the impending heat that would nearly kill us later that day. You see, Josh's heater was broken....which wouldn't be so bad....if it wasn't broken in such a way that it only let out corpulent amounts of HEAT. So we had a long sticky drive to Grande Prairie. The drive itself was nice, the weather was pretty and the scenery was nice. It got a bit dry in Alberta, but that's flatlands for you I guess.

Upon arriving in GP, Josh was really confused at the sideways street lights, so we stopped in at a Costco and took samples because we were hungry. We killed a bit of time, went to a resteraunt that was playing terrible music and had waitresses with several fresh, visable bruises, and made our way to the venue, Better than Fred's.

Better than Fred's sort of scared us at first....you see, it's a sports bar....that almost bordered on a biker bar....it was dimly lit, was full of pool tables, and had a haze of smoke all around, because they were allowed to smoke in there. I half expected to see a screen of chicken wire in front of the stage to protect the musicians from the audience, but there was none to be found. We talked to the promoter, made some demands, and then ate some good old fashioned pub food.

Shortly after, we met up with the other band that we were playing with-Eccentric Brain Trick- and they seemed really excited about the show, and invited us to jam with them on one of their songs (me on cello, Josh on guitar). This started to sort of smooth over our worries, but there was still a bit of apprehension going on. I guess we maybe just had jitters with it being the first show of the tour, scary town, whatever.

So it was decided, since we were the out of town act, and an acoustic one at that, that we should play first. We hit the stage, nervously look over the pool tables and dimly lit booths that housed our audience, and began to play. To our immense surprise, the crowd didn't throw things at us. They infact, received us very well. We sold several of our CD's, and had some strange but interesting conversations with some of the bar patrons. (One of which wrote Josh and I a poem during our set). We also met this really cool guy named Stacy, who I unfortunately didn't have a chance to really talk to, but he was also a musician and gave us his CD. The other band also played a really tight set.

So after the show, we packed up, got paid, put fuel in the car (at a sketchy gas station where I saw some crazy cracked out native guy attack some poor slightly more cracked out old man in the parking lot) and hit the road....at 2 am....expecting to find somewhere to sleep somewhere along the road to Edmonton. We drove down many a dead end road that promised campsites to no avail. We finally drove down an old dirt road that finally came to a campsite. But something about it just didn't seem right. Maybe it was cause it was dark, and maybe I'm too parinoid, but something about the place just rubbed me the wrong way.

We drove around for a while, down a narrow dirt road lined with skinny aspen trees that refused to let any light pentrate into what lay behind them, circling around the campsite, passing by empty camp buildings and outhouses. We reached a sort of dead end, and started to turn the car around. It was at this point that I was starting to get concerned that the car might get stuck, and we'd be stranded alone, left to get hunted down by whatever hill billy backwoods murderers obviously inhabited this campsite.

Finally my nerves get to me and I say "Josh...does it bother you that there doesn't seem to be anyone around here...?" He paused and then thanked me for officially making him creeped out too, so we left. It was getting really really really late, so late that we could see the light of dawn branching out from the eastern horizon. By the time we found a less creepy, more suiteable campsite, it was started to get light out. So we set up the tent, discovered we only had one sleeping bag, and tried to sleep while one of our fellow campers kids cried loudly the entire night. Needless to say we didn't sleep terribly well. So the next day, we arose early, and departed for our next tour date....

....Edmonton!

Everyone you know is going to be fucked up on the Aribtrarys

2007-06-27T11:04:00.000-07:00

Sorry for not updating in a while, but I've had a very busy week. With recording having just wrapped up, and a tour looming, I haven't had much time to sit down at a computer. But, as a result, I have many many interesting things to write about.

Last week had Josh and I each making a last minute entry into this year's Folkquest competition. The rules stated that the competition is for individuals, and bands, duos and other such performance groups need not apply. This put us in a bit of a tight spot, seeing as how all of my music is written with Josh, I was sent an e-mail from the festival co-ordinator asking me to apply. There was a catch though, each performer was allowed an accompanist. So it was decided that Josh and I would each make an application. We'd just perform together as one another's accompanist.

So still being a duo, but technically not, we anticipated a certain amount of backlash. The day before the performance an e mail was sent out to an undisclosed amount of performers in the competition stating that it was strictly for individuals, not groups, and that an accompanist was allowed. So Josh and I started to worry.

So we get to Artspace, and I have a pounding headache. It went away after Josh and I pretty much ate half of the enormous fruit platter they had backstage for us performers. We also found out the e mail was probably directed at Gavin Elder and Scott Dunbar, who wanted to enter as a duo, but weren't allowed. We at first didn't really expect too much, and told all of the event co-ordinators that we had to leave immediately after playing so that we could make it to our next show, at Sgt's. They seemed fine with this, and helped cater when we played so that we could make it to Sgt's on time.

So we played our set, and the croud seemed very happy. The other performers all congratulated us, and I even did a bit of networking (lots of people apparently want cello in their songs). We prepared to run off, but the emmcee stopped me and said "hey...can you put me on the guest list at Sgt's...just in case you guys happen to win, so I can tell you?" Inside I'm laughing to myself thinking it's not even a chance, so I say of course, and then run off to Sgt's.

I get there and immediately start drinking. We watched Versus, a rap group, perform their set, and then we hit the stage. The croud wasn't huge, but they were friendly, and we started our set. We played pretty loose, but it was all just fun. About halfway through our set, these people came into Sgt's. They seemed not like anyone else in the room. They were middle aged, well dressed, sober, and seemed really excited to see us. After we finished the song we were on, they came up to us with huge smiles on their faces and said

"You guys won! You both won folkquest!"

The emmcee from Folkquest came in a few minutes later, with a certificate for come studio time, and words of congratulations. So of course, having learned we were victorious, and after a lot of cheering, we finished our set, and commenced with celebrating.

After that, we drove to Smithers on the weekend, and played a festival, took in a little camping, and wrapped up recording and mixing of our EP.

Tuesday morning, we were on CBC radio, and did an interview and live performance. It was fun, and slightly awkward.

Today, we're going to be on PGTV news, with an interview/performance. This might also be awkward, but for many different reasons.....

On Monday we leave for tour.

AND my insurance claim came through and I got a sweet cash settlement.

AND my stitches are out, and my arm is healing well

AND I have a new toy. A pentax D100.

Pretty exciting times, to say the least.

Suture Contusions

2007-06-16T16:10:00.000-07:00

One helluva story.

Don't worry, it's okay, I only got 15 stitches. I'm more worried about the psychological damage inflicted on Tess and Danny for the guilt associated with nearly taking my arm off at a house party. That's not even the best part, though. My dad actually thought I fabricated this to hide the fact that my injury is in fact a failed suicide attempt.

Truth is always stranger than fiction I suppose.

2007-06-04T11:50:00.000-07:00

They're just jealous 'cause we're young and in love...

2007-05-31T18:13:00.000-07:00

So practically as soon as I got home from Victoria, I had to pack my things in preperation for another journey down south. This time, Chantal and I drove down to see Brand New and Anathallo play. The results? A great drive, getting yelled at by Charles Manson's twin brother, a great concert, a lot of sweat, and a lot of fun.

Also, these:

On the drive down, Chantal and I were making ridiculously good time, so we took a break at the Alexandria Bridge, and went adventuring. We got to Vancouver at around 4 pm, so I decided we should go down town, and went into a music shop that was supposed to carry electric cellos.

After being horribly dissapointed at their staff (they couldn't figure out that it needed batteries to function, and when they DID figure that out, it took them like half an hour to realise the battery terminals were corroded and wouldn't work, even though I spent the entire time explaining it to them) and their lack of selection of electric cellos (they only had one and it was crappy and wouldn't work) we made our exit, and tried to find out way to the place we were staying at.

Somehow, Tel and I managed to not get lost at all while we were in Vancouver, due to Tel's gentle nature, and my keen sense of direction. So, we managed to find out way to Diondra's cousin's house, without even using maps or asking scary people on the street for directions.

We got to our temporary place of residence, just off of Main St, and went for a little walk. On this walk, we passed by some interesting sights:

Robots:

Infront of a Barber Shop:

NEAT?!

Amusing name?

I was also accosted by a Charles Manson look alike who saw us laughing at his resemblence to Charles Manson. He turned to me and spoke:

"WHY DON'TCHA SUCK OFF YA BITCH"

In response, we fled.

The day after that, Marcy arrived, and we adventured with here, and Japandrew. For some reason I took few pictures on this adventure save for these:

More belt buckles for Josh again:

Also, these:

These particular pictures are from a tattoo/piecing parlour on Granville (I think, I can't remember for sure) They had a lot of interesting artwork, so I took some pictures for Tess.

After that, we arrived at the concert about an hour early, and heard them soundchecking Luca. It was wonderful. The show was spectacular, and afterwards, Chantal, Marcy, Michelle, Nate, and I all went out for pizza!

Tel and I drove home the next morning. We wound up taking the scenic route, because I got disoriented downtown, and wound up heading towards to Stanley Park. At that point I was too lazy to turn around, and we drove home through Pemberton. It was beautiful.

Victoria!

2007-05-31T14:45:00.000-07:00

so my trip to Victoria was one of whirlwinds and fun. I left at around 9 in the morning, drove the all the way to Cache Creek without stopping, and then all the way to the ferry without break.

It was nice driving alone. At first I was a bit lonely, and spent the whole time remembering things that had happened on that road on previous trips with other people, but I soon just spent all my time just thinking in general. It was nice having that much time to think by myself.

I also smoked a lot. I had a system where I'd start feeling tired, so I'd smoke a cigarette, the I'd feel gross so I'd chew some bubble gum, but it'd soon lose flavour so I'd spit it out, then I'd feel tired again so I'd grab a cigarette....you can kind of see where this is going. Don't worry, Josh gave me shit when I got home, and I don't really like smoking anyway...

But enough of that!! On to pictures!!

The Drive

My Steed:

Inside my steed?

A view from my steed:

Socials 10?

The ocean:

The ferry ride:

It was so incredibly nice to be near the ocean again, I can't even explain it. I didn't realise how much I missed it til I saw it again. The ferry ride was perfect.

The thing about ferries, is it's hard to smoke on the viewing deck, but it's the only place you're allowed to smoke. I felt really awkward, because the only place I could get enough shelter to light a match in, was a small nook with a window to the cafeteria. So people inside, who were smart and eating and not smoking would see me awkwardly holding my jacket collar up, feebly trying to light a match without it blowing out or catching my hair on fire. But it was nice aside from that. As the pictures can attest, it was a beautiful sunset on the boat.

Once I got off the ferry, I got really disoriented and took about an hour to get to Marcy's house, even though it should have taken maybe 20 minutes. After a lot of guidance on Marcy's part, and a lot of me taking wrong turns because roads in Victoria miraculously change names at random, I arrived in one peice. I enjoyed a delicious meal prepared by Marcy's Dad's friend, and then drifted off to sleep, without a care in the world...
...except my looming audition...

But enough of that! More pictures!

Fun with friends:

(Marcy <3)

Alycia and I..!

Again with Alycia and I...she has the perfect pose for any picture:

Things I thought looked cool:

Me trapped in a fishbowl?

For Josh:

Best street sign EVER!!

The Sunset

The evening:

Moss Rock:

Marcy's friend:

My illegal beach fire:

The last night in Victoria was wonderful. Marcy and I bought some Thai food, sat on a beach, and watched the sunset while we ate dinner. Then we picked up her friend Greg, drove to some pointe, and built a fire. It was wonderful and pretty. My audition being the next morning at 10, I woke up at 6, drove to the ferry port and went home. On the drive home, I ran into Michala at Chache Creek, and drove her the rest of the way home. I was then going to collapse asleep at home, but I stopped at Josh's house to give him some sheesha that I'd bought. He coaxed me into staying til around 1, and then I drove home and thought I was going to die I was so tired. I slept good that night. It was a fun trip.

They said 'You'd better look alive...'

2007-05-20T20:32:00.000-07:00

SUMMER!!!!! I'm so excited right now it's not even funny. Being outside in the sunshine is the best feeling in the world that I managed to completely forgot about somehow. Recording is also fun. So are bicycles, not paying for coffee, and baking pies during rain storms. I feel like I've really neglected this weblog the last month or two, so hopefully very soon I'll post a large entry on Victoria-Audition/Vancouver-Brand New adventures. They'll have lots of pictures. Also, pie adventure pictures. I love having a digital camera, I can't beleive I went so long without one.

So in my desperation at how much fuel costs, I've started riding my bike as much as I can. I rode it to one of my guitar lessons today. They seemed horrified for my well being when they noticed I had a bike at their door. I like bike riding though. I really missed being more active. The winter made me a weakling. Last summer, I was so much physically stronger than I am now. I don't even want to attempt running half as far as I was able to, or doing push ups? Yeah right. I tried about a month ago, and I did them for four days. By day four I psyched myself up enough that I could do like 30 in a set, and then I felt accomplished and stopped trying after that.

Been doing lots of walking too though. Pretty much walk the same circuit every day, from Josh's house to Starbucks/Tim Hortons/Booster Juice/whereever happens to be open when we go walking, and back. It's a pretty good distance I guess. Nice to pound the pavement again.

Also good to be recording again. Next week we have a show, we should have an album out before the summer really gets rolling, and we are in the midst of planning a tour. Life is good. I guess.

Salvador Dali on

2007-05-17T09:12:00.001-07:00

Pure gold. You can thank Chris for showing me this.

...and the silver spoon...

2007-04-30T16:43:00.000-07:00

Last night, I realised I have another inane skill that benefits no one: I can play cat's cradle without a partner, by using my fingers cooperatively to perform tricky maneuvers. So much dexterity going to waste.

In 9 days I'll be embarking on a journey with Chantal to Vancouver to see the band Brand New. This will be my fourth time this year driving down south. It will also be the second time in my car, which is, at the moment, immaculately clean. Armor-all does wonders, really. It'll be my first road trip with Tel, and her first with anyone other than family, so it's guaranteed to be a fun adventure.

Til then, I have one more symphony concert to perform in, and at some point, Josh and I are to start recording our album. Probably sometime this week. Also, planning of a tour is fitting somewhere in there too. Busy busy busy! How exciting!

So, until next time, entertain yourself with this ridiculous looking fish:

AHHH

2007-04-27T14:24:00.000-07:00

I have glasses now. For reading. They're hard to get used to, and now I feel dizzy.

Last Night...

2007-04-23T09:14:00.000-07:00

I figure it was the steak. Or maybe following two long island ice teas with coffee. Or a mix of all three. I'm not sure. But last night, I had a really strange dream. It wasn't strange in that odd things happened in it. It was strange in that everything that could have gone well, did go well. And it all went well in such a way that didn't seem ludicrous. It just seemed right. It was such a good dream that I didn't realize I was dreaming until I woke up. I was so disappointed I thought I could have cried, but of course didn't. It was so strange.

Anyway, so I figure my being a serious vegetarian is in it's death throws. I don't mind, really, I just need to get used to eating meat again. On Friday I ate lamb. Saturday was for chicken. Last night involved a small piece of bacon, a chicken strip and a new york steak. What will today bring? Who knows...!?

So pretty soon I will post pictures and other such things from my Victoria adventure. Until then you should all read my brother's blog: http://kyletookabulletforme.blogspot.com

Enjoy!

Victoria, ho!!!

2007-04-17T00:52:00.000-07:00

It's currently 1 am, and by 9 30 tomorrow morning I plan to be on the road to Victoria. This wouldn't be so bad if I was actually ready for sleep RIGHT THIS SECOND, but as it stands I'm putting off driving home, as I lazily play on Josh's computer because he's boring and fell asleep. I hope he reads this.

Being unable to afford a plane ticket, but needing to be in Victoria by midday Wednesday, has forced me to embark on this trip earlier, and with more stress, than I had previously intended. I'll also be leaving my house sitting duties one day early. Hopefully I'll still get paid.

Given how many of their pets I have managed to kill, and the fact that their neighbors seemed so concerned for their dog's safety that they graciously offered to take them off of my hands for a day, leads me to believe that if I do get paid, odds are they won't ask me back....though I hope they let me keep teaching guitar.

Whatever, I have an audition, and a solo road trip to worry about. Wish me luck on my travels, dear readers. Hopefully if/when I return, I will have many a gallant tale to tell. Obviously I will, with Marcy and Alycia being there. Plus I get to ride on a boat!!!!

But first things first...I need to fit about 8 hours of sleep into a 6 hour time frame...oh boy.

Death toll: 2

2007-04-14T18:39:00.000-07:00

In one week I have an audition for music school I'm going to bomb I think, but eeven if I get accepted I don't even know if I'm going to attend. Tonight there's a symphony concert that's going to sound terrible because our regular conductor has a gig in Hamilton, and the concert master is conducting instead. It sounds terrible, and we haven't actually made it through Copelands "Apalacian Spring" ONCE without stopping because everyone's fucking up something.

I suck at house sitting. Two of their pets have died, though only one of their deaths may be my fault (can you over feed gold fish? Because I sort of dropped like three tablespoons of fish food into their tank by accident the other day, and they's only supposed to get two "pinches" of food a day.....) The other dead one is a degu, and it got mauled by this ugly dog that I was looking after for one of their neighbours because they asked me if I would do that before they left and I said a'ite. I was half awake and confused when I realised what had happened, so in my sleep-deprived-induced state of quasi inebriation, I called Josh to help me figure out what to do. He helped me find the surviving degu, and then proceeded to fall sleep on the couch after I made him toast.

The ugly dogs gone now, and I buried the degu in the back yard, but his friend appears to be very sad, and afraid. He spends a lot of time running on his big squeeky wheel and sitting in a nest he's made.

The fish also started to cannibalise the dead one. It was half skeleton by the time I picked it out of the fishtank, using a fork that's now sitting in the sink. Also, the dogs smell bad.

I got my class 5 drivers licence yesterday, and I don't have picture ID for a week, and I'm worried I won't be able to fly to my audition without picture ID so I'll probably have to drive, but that means I'll have to leave the house I'm house sitting at a few days before they come home. How weird is that. I seriously severely severely need a stiff drink, but I don't have picture ID so I can't buy booze. Shucks.

The more you know...

2007-04-03T09:39:00.001-07:00

Were you aware that if your glovebox is broken, ICBC won't allow you to take your road test?

...neither was I.

Also, everyone (especially my brother) should watch this:

White People/Black People

NEATO?!

2007-03-31T23:46:00.001-07:00

Did you know that if you google search "OMFG STEAM R0X0RZ TEH BIG ONE111!" my blog is the first thing google comes up with? I learned this from some random person who did this, and was nice enough to leave a comment on my blog. What a nice fellow/lady.

I love CBC...

2007-03-30T12:04:00.001-07:00

This week, I've been listening to 90.3 on the radio dial constantly, and I've heard some really amazing music. Last Saturday, they had a two hour special on Motown (it was part one. The second installment is tomorrow afternoon) and the same day, they aired a live performance of the Marriage of Figaro. On Monday, as I was driving to my guitar lesson I was treated to a marvellous performance of the first movement of Rachmanninov's Second Piano Concerto.

This morning, however, took the cake. I came upstairs, put on the kettle to make some tea, and was treated to this. The Fantasy Overture, quite possibly the most famous of all Romantic compositions. Arguably the height of romantacism. It made me so ridiculously excited to hear this peice. The symphony performed it in September, and it made me vicariously relive the excitement of performing it.

It was a good morning. Listen to CBC, guys.

This scares me though. As much as I try to deny it to myself, this music has really gotten under my skin. I can't help but stand in awe and appreciate it for it's sheer brilliance. Every week I turn into more of a pompous music snob. I hate myself. But I love this music...

And now for your viewing pleasure, a plane crash:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=VYjIx7ELFAg

Post Mortem

2007-03-28T10:25:00.000-07:00

My legs hurt. We made it to the top...after walking 7/8ths of the way up. The first 1/8th we ran. I dissapointed Mitch I think. I'm a failure in every respect. But we ran all the way down, pretty much. Not much of an acheivement, but I'm impressed. It was also cold. So cold. But then Ally served us coffee, and Mitch nearly choked to death on banana loaf, that was masquerading as banana bread. FUCK YOU LOAF!! TRYING TO KILL MITCH.

Wish me luck...

2007-03-27T13:53:00.000-07:00

Tonight at 6, Mitch and I are partaking in an epic adventure that may lead to both of our deaths. If we die, then I demand that Tess hold a wake in our honor. I am now going to write my last will and testament on my blog. I'm writing this at my mom's office, and shes' a lawyer, so I'm pretty sure that makes this legit:

LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT

THIS IS THE LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT of me, Naomi Lee Kavka, born in the City of Comox, British Columbia, on February 28th, 1988, and currently of a random house I’m house sitting in College Heights, in the City of Prince George, in the Province of British Columbia, Canada.
At the time I signed this Last Will and Testament, I was of sound and disposing mind and memory. I was not acting under the unreasonable or undue influence of any person at the time I signed this Last will and Testament.

I make, publish and declare this instrument to be my Last Will and Testament ("Will") . By signing this document, I revoke any and all former Wills or Codicils, previously made by me, if such documents existed prior to the signing of this Last Will and Testament.

1. I declare that I am currently single.

2. In anticipation of the possibility that I marry in the future (so within the next four hours? I doubt it), I wish to further declare that I intend the testamentary disposition set out in this Will to remain intact and unchanged.

3. I APPOINT Jeremy to be the Executor and Trustee of this Will. I hereinafter refer to my Executor and Trustee as my Trustee and the expression "Trustee" shall mean and include the Executor or Executors and the Trustee or Trustees for the time being hereof whether original, additional or substituted.

4. In the event that Jeremy Kavka predeceases me or is, for any reason whatsoever, either unable or unwilling to act as my Trustee, I APPOINT Chantal to be my first alternate Trustee.

5. I GIVE all my property of every nature and kind and whatsoever situate, save and except for the following bequests:

6. All my musical instruments, including, but not limited to, my Yamaha acoustic guitar, Ibanez AXS 32112312 something or other electric guitar, fretless Fender Jazz Bass, Fender Aerodyne Jazz Bass, cello, harmonicas, juice harp, talk box, melodica, two hammer mini dulcimier to Josh. I also endow royalty rights to all songs written and recorded up until the point of my death. Any songs released after, in a Tupac type fashion are also cool with me. You should also take all your CD’s back before the hoards (see article 9) claim them.

7. To my brother, Jeremy, I give you my role as favorite child. Big shoes to fill, I know, but I think you can handle it. Oh, and you can have my car. Treat her well. Or sell her, because I think the transmissions going.

8. To my wife, Chantal, I give you all of my life savings. And all your Cure CD's back.

9. All of my Hunter S. Thompson and Salvador Dali memorabilia are to be given to Tess. Feel free to rifle through my stuff and take anything else you find cool. I also give full rifling rights to Marcy, Chantal, Jeremy, my parents, and anyone else I’m on good terms with (you know who you are) in that order.

10. I direct that my funeral expenses shall be paid by my Trustee as soon as practicable after my death. Bury me not in the lonesome prairie.

Initials of Witness: JK
Initials of Witness: KS
Initials of Naomi Lee Kavka: NK

12. Wherein my trustee is referred to in the feminine form it may be substituted for the masculine form in the event that my trustee is unable or unwilling to act and my alternate trustee is to act as my trustee.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have to my Will written upon this and the 5 preceding pages of paper, subscribed my name, this Day of March, 2007.

SIGNED, PUBLISHED and DECLARED by
the Testator, Naomi Lee Kavka, as and for her
Last Will and Testament in the presence of us,
both present at the same time, who at her request,
in her presence and in the presence of each other
have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses.

Naomi Lee Kavka: Naomi Kavka
Darlene D.R. Kavka: Darasdfasdvka
Jeremy Kavka: Jeremy Kavka...............

*************

You'll find Mitch's and my emaciated corpses somewhere along University Hill. Running will be FUN....!!!

AHHHHHH

2007-03-22T13:10:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow I begin a one month saga of house sitting. Due to my parinoid nature and tendancy to assume the worst, I can only assume that will wind up being a comical and most likely tragic affair.

I decided, seeing as how my days will be filled with a whole lot of nothing to do, I'll take up two things:

Jogging and movie watching.

I figure I may as well make the most of not having the risk of wild animals chasing me, and take up running again. Also, I've become a terribly scrawny weakling and I decided that needs to change.

But on top of that, I have accumulated a huge list of movies I have to see. I need to revise the list, because I've knocked a few of the titles off, but it will be a good way to kill time.

On top of that, I'll have to practise audition pieces a lot. For those who don't know, I made an application to UVic's music department. I haven't heard back from them, and am both anxiously awaiting a responce, and dreading it at the same time. My repetoire is quite possibly the most clichéd possible. This only really makes sense of you're a classical music snob (which I'm sort of afraid of becoming) but I'll be performing the Prelude of Bach's Cello Suite #1 and Camille Saint Saen's "The Swan" from his "Carnival of Animals". Quite possibly the two most famous cello pieces every written. This is quite unfortunate, because I think they are highly over rated in comparison to the Dvorak Cello Concerto Concerto, or the Debussy Cello Sonata, and of course, the brilliant Saint Saens' Cello Concerto in A minor (ignore the lame slide show, the quality of the performance is spectacular). But because I suck at cello, there's no way I could possibly pull of playing any of those, in this time frame, or given any amount of time really.

Okay, enough of being a music snob on the internet. I have to go for a cello lesson right now and have all my ambitions crushed briskly in my brief half hour lesson.

GO LISTEN TO RACHMANINOV IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY.

Also, please feel free to leave any movie recommendations.

An important P.S.A.

2007-03-06T14:27:00.000-08:00

This morning, I decided that I should educate my readers on the strange and often misundstood practise of trepanation.

Trepanation is the deliberate drilling/cutting/scraping of a whole in the skull. It's an ancient procedure, dating pack to prehistoric times. Skulls found in a burial ground in France that dated back as far as 6500 BCE, were found have trepanation holes. There is also evidence that the individuals who underwent the procedure survived it, and died some time after. It also a common practise among medieval and renaissance doctors. It was used as a treatment for mainy ailments, including headaches, tumors, head injuries, epileptic siezures, insanity, and other problems.

More recently, trepanation has begun to gain popularity as a cure for chronic depression, and many others beleive it is a short cut to enlightenment. A crazy lady in England performed trepanation on herself, using a power drill (Pi anyone?) and filmed it. She survived, and went on to try and run for British parlaiment. Her slogan had something to do with trepanation, and she lost.

In my breif attempt to research trepanation, I came across a few interesting things.

First off:

This is a hippo's skull. NEAT.

Secondly, in reading up on the history of trepanation in Mesoamerica, I came across this:

NEAT.

I wanted to find more pictures of this, but had trouble and gave up.

For further reading on trepanation, check this out:

http://www.bmezine.com/news/people/A10101/trepan/

Accounts of a guy who had trepanation performed on him. Includes vague pictures!

Also, listen to this:

http://jnjmuse.cnei.or.kr/musicbox_2/rhapsody_on_a_theme_by_paganini_op43.mp3

It's Rachmanninoff and it's wonderful.

Cute, cute, in a stupid assed way....

2007-03-01T22:03:00.000-08:00

I know my brother is going to laugh when he sees I am just posting a video, but this one's great. And at least I'm just posting the link, and not one of those annoying "omg I'm so cool I can post youtube videos directly on my blog because I'm not computer illiterate and am on cable internet that loads it in two mintes." I'm not bitter. Not in the least.

Anyway....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dfqtyL_9-4&mode=related&search=

This guy is great.

Time to hang up the ol' spurs

2007-02-27T13:31:00.000-08:00

In 10 hours and 28 minutes, I'm going to retire my position as a minor.

If I lived in Nevada, I'd still have two years of minor-dom to go before having to cash that check and start paying bank fees.

I always used to view a birthday as new years. When you think about, each individual's birth date is their own personal new year. So ,I guess with that backward line of thinking, today marks my own New Year's Eve! Maybe tonight, I'll do a count down to midnight, and hit some pots and pans while yelling Happy New Year at myself. I have a flat bottle of sparkling wine that my mom bought that I can consume in celebration. This fell together perfectly...in fact, a little too well...

At any rate, I'm mostly doing this in a vain attempt to distract myself from the fact that I'm an old spinster. For my birthday, I want knitting needles and a rocking chair. Also, some bourbon. That sounds like an old person type drink. Or sherry? MOONSHINE! CAUSTIC CAUSTIC MOONSHINE.

I don't know what I'm talking about.

I have two orhestra performances (N. Orchestra + Sinfonia) for two different orchestras on the same day (Saturday). I'm also expected to drive to Vanderhoof on Sunday for another one (haha...that's REALLY likely...) Tomorrow night, there's a Sinfonia rehearsal. The symphony scheduled one for Thursday night as well (not going to happen). Friday, there's another Sinfonia rehearsal (If I show up to this one, it'll be a Dog Gamned Christman Miracle). Somewhere between all of that, I'm supposed to fit in Birthday festivities--that are beyond my control-- jamming time, guitar students, piano and cello lessons, and sleep. This week sucks. I'm skipping at least half of those rehearsals just to maintain my sanity. And for the record, jamming always takes priority.

But my car is getting fixed on Wednesday.

****EDIT****

My car is now fixed. YES.

Well then

2007-02-25T00:23:00.000-08:00

To any fans of the band Wilco, apparently their album was named after this:

http://www.archive.org/details/ird059

Yankee Hotel Foxtrot

Oh Myspace...

2007-02-18T17:40:00.001-08:00

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=155215598

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=139839543

His name is Franck. He sent me a friend request. Two, actually. One for each his myspaces. I didn't deny them immediately, because I wanted to make sure I had quick access to these links so I can show people how scary it is seeing a balding, shirtless, hairy frenchman making electronica music.

2007-02-13T12:16:00.000-08:00

I came to a really disturbing conclusion over the weekend: Prince George isn't that bad. Shoot me for saying it, if you must, but I actually don't hate it. I go so far as to say I actually kind of like it here.

This bombshell of an epiphany occured over the course of a weekend trip to Vancouver. It happened sometime between being caught in a bottle neck among what felt like millions of people on the freeway trying to get across the Port Man Bridge, and seeing an entire hill, across from the Riverview Mental Hospital, that was entirely covered in houses, with no yards, no trees, and no space between them.

It was scary.

Now, that's not to say there aren't aspects of Prince George I really especially dislike. The industry it's built on, for one. Or the winter season. Or a great deal of the people that reside here. But, even in saying that, I've met some amazing people in this strange backwards little city. It's just strange though. I remember being in highschool (which wasn't even that long ago...) and making pacts with friends that we'll never stay here, we'll leave as soon as we're physically able, we hate this place so much and always have and always will, but that is gradually wearing off of me. I know that I'm not going to stay here, that is for certain. But I'm definetly reassessing where I would go upon leaving.

I fear that I'm sort of turning into my dad when I talk like this. I have a weird disgust growing inside me. A strange near-phobia of urban sprawl. There's just a strange comfort in a city like Prince George. Something about it's size. I think it's got a nice balance of having the comforts of a large city, while having a much more controlled population. It's big enough that I can have luxaries like foreign food, speciality stores, a University, among other things, but small enough that if I see a white Toyota Paseo ahead of me, odds are that Eric's driving it.

I think that's something I may never get back though. Just these establishments that have been built over years of growing up with all of these people in the same place. I think when the time comes to leave, I won't even bother trying to regain that. It's just somtehing special that exists right now. Or maybe i'm just antisocial and don't want to make new friends.

Either way, that entire conclusion just left me feeling really sad. Then it made me consider becoming a lawyer. Then I kicked myself in the face. It was a weird series of events that spanned about two minutes. It was a weird cathartic altercation that I wish hadn't happened.

Long story short, Josh and I have three gigs in the next month!!! So I'm pretty excited for that! And also, we have almost 1000 myspace friends.

T/-/@t5 s0 1337!!1!1!!!#@@!!!

Now if only my car was drivable. Then I'd have nothing to complain about...nothing at all...

Minus the nausia, I'd say it wasn't half bad.

2007-02-04T21:09:00.000-08:00

Today I rediscovered two long forgotten loves. What's most great, is I recovered them simultaniously and it was wonderful.

The first love was baking.

I woke up this morning at around 4 AM to sound of an obnoxiously loud Pink Spiders' song (I think it was "Stereo Speakers" but I'm not sure. Whatever it was, it scared the be-jesus out of me) Despite tossing and turning, I found myself unable to go back to sleep. I had something on my mind: Muffins.

I don't know why I suddenly wanted muffins so badly. It was a strange sudden urge probably fueled by a sort of flu-induced delirium, and sleep deprivation. So at around 6 am, while it was still dark, I drove home with one goal in mind: I am going to bake muffins. As soon as I got home I was overcome by tiredness and went to bed until noon.

When I awoke, I got dressed, and began preparing the kitchen for my unslaught of floury walnuty fury. At that point, I was confronted by my second love: Jackie Chan.

Someone had abandoned the television, and left it on one of the movie channels. As I walked into the main room, I heard eerily familliar theme music that I soon recignised. JACKIE CHAN'S FIRST STRIKE. I became elated. It was a great noonday greeting with which to pair with baking.

It was such a perfect combonation. I was measuring flour and beating eggs to the excitement and killer soundtrack of "Jackie Chan's First Strike" It was beautiful. Between pouring sugar, I would watch him get chased by white clad phantoms on snow mobiles, Jackie's only protection being his killer fight moves, and an adorable winter hat in the shape of a white, fuzzy, baby seal.

I remember when I was around 10 years old I went through a breif but enjoyable phase where I loved Jackie Chan movies. I would rent them constantly. I'd seen every single one that was carried at the local video store (this was when my family lived in Vancouver) Some of them I'd seen 2 or 3 times. I loved them. But somehow, that love had been lost in the sands of time.

As had my love of baking. I used to bake all the time. I had my own perfected recipes for different cakes, cookies, muffins, bisqiuts, honey buns, among many many others. What's most weird is I don't like eating what I bake for some reason. I guess I'm losing my sweet tooth as I get older or something. But I love the process, and making things I bake look pretty when I present them.

Baked goods have a very very short shelf life in my house. In fact, most any food does. I don't get it. I generally eat like a bird, but my family eats like they've been starving for three days. I cooked around 30 cup cakes today. Five were eaten before I even got around to making icing. I stashed six after I finished icing them in case I'd want to eat them or share them with friends. I think there are ten left sitting on the counter. I'm not even sure if I have any muffins left....

The icing I made was great though. Not to brag or anything, but I'm proud of it. I wanted to try something a bit different, so I added a tiny hint of raspberry jam to one batch, blueberry jam to another, and lemon juice to the third. I wound up with pink, purple, and yellow crowned cupcakes.

I also cooked a green curry, with shrimp, broccilli, sprouts, peppers, onions, and chives, all served over japanese rice. It tasted nice, but I couldn't eat much. I've had no appetite today, and have felt quite sick all day.

Being sick is especially not cool right. I need to be in peak form by Friday for recording. Hell, I need to be in peak form RIGHT NOW so I can get prepped for recording. I should try and sleep now, but I'm not remotely tired, and want to listen to the new Shins album.

Oh well....at least I have delicious baked goods that will soon be gone....how sad. I make them only for them to be destroyed...

How sweet it is...!

2007-02-01T16:49:00.000-08:00

Big things are happening to my car this week. My tape deck is going to make an epic return. But first, I need to figure out how to re-wire it and hopefully not cause a fire or electricute myself. And tomorrow, the ol' fox is getting a new muffler system installed. I'm also planning on somehow jimmying my glove box so it will actually stay closed. This is all in careful preperation for next week.

What happens next week you ask?

(you probably didn't, but I asked so I'll endulge myself by answering my own querie which I already know the answer to)

Well....

Josh and I get to drive to Vancouver and record...!! PRETTY KEEN. But we have to take my car. And that requires fixing the tape deck, getting a new muffler ( just so it doesn't fall off during the drive or somehting of that sort) and, for the purposes of air-coefficiency (very important) and asthetics (even more important) make my glove compartment capable of being closed. I should maybe also do something about the heater, so that the fan will actually stay on. But it's probably going to be balmy in Vancouver, so it seems slightly less urgent.

Maybe I should clean the car and remove all the flower petals, gum rappers, and bottles of wine from the backseat area. All in good time I suppose....

I hope you like lame poetry....

2007-01-29T00:55:00.000-08:00

Starting January 27th, 2006, I began a project that entailed writing a poem every day, for an entire year. That year being complete, I have a notebook with 361 poems. I missed 4 in the process. Usually due to drunken debauchery, or plain old absent mindedness. I haven't read over most of these poems, though I occasionally read over certain ones that pertain to particular dates that I find some what important. A great deal of them were written moments before going to sleep, just closing thoughts on the events of the day, or whatever happened to be on my mind at the moment. Some of them have turned into songs. Some of them are drawings. Most of them are terrible.

In the end, this is more or less a big book of confessions. A collection of things I'm not nearly brave enough to say without enveloping in some confusing tangle of words. I'll admit, some are a lot more blunt than others. Lots of them have my own brutal critiques written on the side lines. Even others involve author's notes to sort out what happened, in case anyone is actually following the convulted story line being traced over three or four consecutive days of poems. I don't know if it's really an artistic endeavour, or more of a journal. It definetly feels like that to me.

*****
*****
Here's one I thought was worth typing out:

Aug 30th:

I don't know what the time is
As I'm yawning down my sleeve
In case the rest of them are sleeping
I'm being quiet as I breath.

It'll be cold inside my car
And I forgot to lock the doors
I'll have to tip-toe through the hall
To dodge the bodies on the floor

I hate to tally all the casualties
That's why I'm up before the rest
And gauging all the damges
Inflicted by each guest.

The Sgt's in a frenzy
He has to clean up all the spills
He's collecting all the casings
For a twenty dollar bill

I wasn't taken in the draft
But can't escape the fog of war
Between the violence and the cries
It left the troops aching for more.

*****
*****

I'll sift through this, and if I find anything else interesting, I'll post it. Odds are I won't. I was going to start another notebook for poems, but I couldn't find one today that was the same kind of notebook as I already had. I was angry, and dissapointed. If I don't find one by tomorrow I'll surely give up. I'm easily deterred, as you can see.

Voodoo driving hex part 2?

2007-01-22T21:22:00.000-08:00

I got a flat tire today. It was lame. I've never felt like more of a helpless girl before in my entire life. I stopped my car by the Scotia Bank in College Heights, and tried to reach my family for assistance. But there was no answer. So I called the first number on my dialed numbers list: Eric! He had wanted to hang out today anyway, so why not kill two birds with one stone?

So while waiting for Eric to arrive and rescue my car from incapacitation, my dad called me and went into a long rant about changing tires and how he was incapable of coming to help me so he didn't know why I bothered calling. It was not a very productive phone call, but then Eric showed up.

After toiling with my stupid car's inconvenient jack, he managed to get my car up, the tire off, and the good one on. Then there was some breif confusion about tire pressure, we had to remove the tire, walk to the Esso down the street, and fill the spare tire with air, and then we replaced the tire again and lowered my car.

As we were packing up our mess of jacks and tire irons, a very confused sad looking man in a black whool coat walked by and quietly said something, while looking directly at me. Thinking he'd said something to me, I politely asked "I beg your pardon?"

"NOTHING! NOTHING."

He then looked at Eric and said "DO YOU SPEAK ENGLISH?"

"Yes..." Eric replied.

"I THOUGHT YOU ASKED ME SOMETHING SO I ASKED BUT YOU WERE ASKING YOUR GIRLFRIEND SOMETHING"

He then dissapeared into the night. It was odd.

So to thank Eric for saving my worthless butt, I bought him a delicious McDonald's dinner, and we parted ways. Then to congratulate myself on standing and getting cold feet for two hours while Eric selflessly laboured on my tire, I bought tomato sauce and pasta, and went home to make a delicious meal. What a day.

On a brighter note, Nunsene paid about $250 more than I thought it would, and Josh and I managed to wrap that terrible Wings song we had to cover.

So, this blog is dedicated to two people, in thanks:

Eric for his mad mechanic skills.

and

Grace for her mad clarinet skills and helping Josh and I in making that Wings cover suck slightly less. Nice chops pal.

Kudos.

Relief washed over me in waves....

2007-01-21T00:41:00.000-08:00

THE PLAY IS OVER!

I feel so strange now that it's done. Not for any nostalgic reasons, I'm glad it's finished, and won't miss it at all. But after having sat through it around 12 times, I feel like I've lost considerable amounts of grey matter. I feel like you feel the morning after a drinking binge. Sick, and retarded.

If there's one thing I'll miss , it's seeing the conductor, Val, on a nightly basis. For those who don't know, Val is probably the coollest person I have ever met, and makes every musical production I'm in bearable. In fact, Val makes them downright enjoyable. She makes wonderful baked goods, likes Frank Zappa, and has an unhealthy addiction to Ginger Ale.

BUT NO MORE DANCING NUNS. Sorry, but this is a big deal for me. This passed two weeks has been so incredibly crippling for me. It's like my own personal Berlin Wall has been torn down.

And now, compliments of Ryan G, I bring you a video of something scary getting set on fire.

Enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HcW86FmHhYE