Friends, Family, Readers:
Alas! it has been too long since my last entry, and longer still since the last happy one.
The past few months have brought about so much in my life: excitement, anxiety, love, fear, pleasure, pain, fun, grief, contentment, despair... the list goes on.
There have been moments of many descriptions that have offered intensity of emotion; yet others containing less feeling than a wet sock.
In the following few paragraphs, I hope to divulge some of my comings and goings, and in the process, reflect on my many experiences.
In the words I don't quite remember of somebody I don't remember, as reiterated by Billy Q at some point which I also don't remember:
"We had some good times, We had some bad times... At least, we had some times."
Place Vanier says goodbye.
It was a typical end-of-exam-period evening.
I was finished writing all my final examinations, and had even managed to turn in my Research Paper to my History Prof.*
The Canucks were tied in the series against the Ducks and Tarik and I were sharing my walkman's earphones while waiting in line for dessert at the Advisor Year-End Banquet, hoping for the best.
The best turned out to be the Chocolate Mousse and Robbie's poignant roasting remarks during a farewell speech honouring the legendary David Kiloh.
Not threes hours later, we were all assembled at "Dave & Kim's" for the last time, and they shocked me with the kindest words of praise one had never expected to hear...
The Billy Chang Citizenship Award for Place Vanier. I looked around the room, but the silence was too much. One of the Carl Cooper recipients eyed me a silent smile, my eyes started sweating and my throat got a charlie horse. What a wonderful night.
A week or two later as I stayed put, Place Vanier left, and Pacific Spirit Hostile moved in. The Summer was finally here.
In the inappropriate words of Peter Griffin: "and now to play: the Waiting Game."
* The Paper was entitled "Creating Community, Procuring Profits, Renouncing Responsibility: The Double-Edged Sword of the CPR in Small-town BC"
It was a community history surrounding the company town of North Bend, BC. The paper analysed the nature of shifting economies and the effects of technological advancements for a case-study CPR Town. Woven in and out of the oral testimonies supporting my thesis emits the tale of my grandparents beginnings and the commencement of their life together.
Chemistry in the Air
A night later, I found myself a few stories high on a private balcony at the Hyatt Regency downtown. I was hanging out with the UCS gang, enjoying our Chemistry Grad Banquet.
A lovely catered dinner at a very nice venue. They even seemed to understand my choice to have seconds on the same plate, on account of being more "sustainable".
The Ducks won again that night though...
I think the highlight of the night would have to be how well received my UCS Photo Slideshow went over. I mean, it was great. Great! People just loved it, and that made me very happy indeed.
It was the perfect series of events: a formal goodbye to RezLife the night before; and a formal good-bye to the newer leadership group I had the pleasure of working with (and partying with) over the past year. I thought to myself in a bit of a laugh: "If only Kliever could see me now!" It was so rewarding to have been a part my undergraduate society, and Chemists are kings amongst the rest. I'll sure miss you guys.
Beer will never taste as sweet as it did those cold and crazy nights, with the unmistakable feeling of blown pyrex against your bottom lip singing a prelude before the beaker tips back and delivers the hydrocarbon rush of liquid gold, relaxing the throat, releasing the mind, reawakening the heart and paying swift retribution to a week of toiling over textbooks and tedious titration trials.
Whistler Finally!
It is a well-known fact that I have been to Whistler on numerous occasions, but had never skied the mountain:
Often the trip up took me as far as the village to listen to the lyrical stylings of our under-appreciated social commentators, Sweatshop Union.
More infamous is the time when I went up on a bus trip with Fifth Shu (Kaja thought I was going to act in a chaperon-esque role)- and proceeded to drink my share of the keg we brought along with us... the story ends in the morning after, while up with the early birds to hit the mountain, I feel asleep in the midst of utilising the UBC AMS Lodge's urinal facilities. On cold and snowy nights, I can still feel the bump on my head, the returning vision, and the draft in my midsection.
However! Lo! This year's RC Whistler Trip to Max Bryant's cabin at Creekside did not disappoint: Max, Adam, Abbie and I found our way up the gondola the next morning, and down the slick and sunny spring slopes. The only major injury sustained worthy of mention goes out to my faithful Fuji Coolpix camera of UBC Connect forest floor fame, who after 10 months of dutiful service, gracefully bowed out with a cold. Ten months divided by forty dollars is still a great run in my books.
Oh, and did I mention that the facebook integrity of the 0607 RC team will never be the same again?
Where Are U now?
Sometimes something that should have happened so many years ago is planned to happen, and the results are ground-breaking.
Such was the case for the first ever UBC Residence Advisor Alumni Reunion Weekend.
As the perfect example of "on the cusp," I fancy that I had one of the best times there.
My connexions went as far back as Brook and Pat and Shelley... of days before KU, RCs, the PRC or even BFBs!
It was a weekend to remember. Formal. Volleyball. Lounge Party. Slideshows. Mahoneys. Quizopoly. Gallery. Movie Night in a Single Room. BBQ. Memory Lane Showroom... and drinking open alcohol in the hallways of First Mawds with my original Mawds Advisors.
It truly was an unforgettable 3 days, I must say it was a fitting way to say farewell to 6 great years of living in Rez at UBC: spending time with many of the wonderful people who made those 6 years what they were.
See you in five, everybody. (or at the weddings on the horizon??)
The Riddle of the Travelling Peace
So two fathers and two sons go camping.
They each take turns walking the dog on their own.
One father drives the motorhome: he is the only driver the whole trip.
One son drives the motorhome: he is the only driver the whole trip.
The dog discovers snow for the first time. The dog is female.
There is one motorhome.
- How does this work?
...
Well, if you haven't figured it all out by now, the three people were Trevor, Cyril and Bill.
Trevor and Cyril are the sons of Cyril and Bill, respectively.
Cyril and Bill are the fathers of Trevor and Cyril, respectively.
Two Fathers. Two Sons. One Dog. Three people.
...
Throw into the mix a stop in Williams Lake to visit my other Grandfather, Pete; add some family ancestors in Barkerville, a cute tour centre girl in Prince George, deer outside the tent in Jasper, and a healthy dose of flood-water mosquitos (and some bounce pads to keep them at bay) - and you have yourself one heck of a 3-generation Barry Bonding roadtrip experience.
Night One - Lac la Hache, BC
Night Two - Wells/Barkerville, BC
Night Three - Prince George
... Day 4 - WAC Bennett Hydro-Electric Dam in Hudsons Hope, BC.
Night Four - Taylor, BC
Night Five - Jasper National Park, AB.
Night Six & Seven - Glimpse Lake, BC.
...
The other highlights include loon calls on the lake, Tessa the lazy dog stretched over the entire motorhome couch, more bug bodies than visible windshield, an unfortunately high number of beetle-red pines, a friendly roadside pitstop in Hixon, the entirety of the incredibly beautiful scenery and geography of the Peace River country, and a rainy day Macbook Movie Marathon in the "MoMo". It was a great week: one for the books.
Next stop, Ireland...
Viva Las Vegas
Not a week later, I am repacking my bags for a power-trip 3-day Las Vegas adventure with my Mom!
We spent the flight there and back with a pile of high-energy young guys from Victoria who were an absolute riot!
While in town, we took in all the strip had to offer: the hotel lobbies, casinos, "duece" bus, NY NY rollercoaster, House of Blues at Mandalay Bay, Shopping and laser show at Caeser's Palace, Pirate show at Treasure Island, a walk down the old strip including all-you-can-eat $5 buffet, and of course, the Water Show at the Bellagio.
We stayed at the Planet Holleywood resort, formerly known as The Aladdin. I am not sure what on earth possessed the owners to sabotage a perfectly wonderful "India and the East" themed resort and transform it into the terribly ordinary and mundane "Planet Hollywood" brand bore - other than perhaps an overwhelmingly disgusting and apparent disinterest amongst the glutenous vegas-oriented american travelling public towards anything remotely Arabic - however, this tendency certainly played to our great benefit: We were offered exceptional service in a building perfectly suited for guests notwithstanding the odd "mind our dust" signs posted in out-of-the-way places; the pools were never crowded; and best of all - my Mom and I were upgraded to a ~1800 square foot luxury suite complete with two bathrooms, living room, big screen TV and sound system, bar counter, 2-bed master bedroom, and jacuzzi bathtub. Oh! and did I mention the 180-degree panoramic view from our 25th-storey unit, overlooking the Las Vegas Blvd Strip: directly across the street from the Bellagio's fountains, beside Paris's Eiffel Tower and Arch de Triumph, and within eyeshot of Caesar's Colosseum and as far down as the stratosphere.
Yes, it was a lavish location, and a great time. I even found time to play in my first Hold'em tournament: I lasted just under an hour... I was the first player eliminated at my table. AWESOME!
So, no huge "what happens in las vegas..." stories, unfortunately.
Hmm... what else... MGM's Rain Forest Cafe was pretty cool... Mom and I had this incredible salad (that mom needs to make for me some time soon) and she got me a cool safari hat. Aunty gave me grad money - which I spent on a Blues Brothers shirt, and spiderman crystal block.
I would go back to Nevada, but not for a while - until I have enough money to play some more REAL poker, and attend lots of shows like Blue Man Group.
Also, though it was a total riot good time hangin' with my Momsy - next time will either be with my lucky lady in my life, or with a big group of rowdy friends (like those fellow fliers) and go down to P-A-R-T-Y at the clubs... because, if there is one thing totally unique about Las Vegas, it is the ability to PARTY.
Jazz Fest 2007: Liberal and short-lived
Well, I started the 2007 Vancouver International Jazz Festival the right way: with a date with my always great, always jazzy, back-up date extraordinaire (and jazz friend to boot!) Jenna: fresh home from Ghana and recovered from Malaria and Hookworm. Oh Jenna.
We went to the Orpheum to see the one, the only, the incredible, that last living legend of jazz, that "colossus" on the saxophone: Sonny Rollins. And what a show it was!
Definitely the very best concert I have ever attended. First rate. First Class. Fine fine music... and one hell of a performer.
We were (what I took to be) 4 or 5 songs into the night, when Sonny gets on the microphone: "Thank you ladies and gentlemen! you have been a wonderful audience; thank you very very much!"
What? can it be? is Sonny getting too old to last the night?
He and the band leave the stage, but only to be followed by a five-minute standing ovation of applauding enthusiasts eager for one more taste. I look down at my silent cell phone: it has been 2 hours since he got started. Wow! that went by FAST.
But sure enough, they came back out for an encore number, and it did not disappoint. What a great set. Obviously the music had held us all in a trance, for we forget our place in time and space and sat mesmerised by the musical vibes reverberating off the acoustic auditorium - splendid in all its architectural glory. The percussionists in the band were especially sensational, and I left wondering whether their back-to-back solos had not actually lasted 20 minutes each, undetected in my fixated state of awe.
Anyways, it was great fun, and it was just one of those things.
The next day brought a good double visit with my dear friend Jeremy: first at the BCYL "meet the Premier" breakfast at Enigma. I'll be honest, it felt a little bit like that first Rush meeting with DKE back in the day: but like that same, it offered hearty food to offset the luke warm handshakes, a good deal of healthy contact with bright young ladies, but most importantly a simply great speech by the BC Premier who I have come to admire... Aging, Asia and Climate Action: these are the tenets of the BC Future. Sounds good to me, Mister Campbell.
The better visit however was with JI down at CBC Radio One studios listening to UGETSU. Oh, how I love the free concerts at the jazzfest... yet, they were not all to be, this year...
...Of course, the end of July brought upon us sudden loss, shock and grief. And information enough has been made in previous postings, newspapers, facebook sites, online guestbooks, eulogies, flowers, cards and kind words. For all that we all thank you all. All. ;) Well, as homage to that rather significant portion of my summer, I offer this following headline...
A Breath of Fresh Air
a song by Norm Unrau
In Memoriam - To Tasha:
You were God's special gift
_ _ with your long, curly hair.
You danced through your life
_ _ like you were on air.
You had a special way
_ _ of giving us a lift.
Your way of showing love
_ _ didn't go unmissed.
But once in a while
_ _ the wind happens to change.
It saddens us all
_ _ in our own little way.
You left us so fast;
_ _ it seems so unfair.
But I feel ya there, Tash:
_ _ a breath of fresh air.
For you are the sky,
_ _ and you are the sun.
You're a gentle breeze
_ _ loved by everyone.
And you are the air,
_ _ so fresh that we breathe.
You bring us love...
_ You bring us love...
_ _ You bring us love...
...a love we all need!
You teased us with your humour
_ _ and entertained us all.
Your kind and cheerful spirit
_ _ made angels come to call.
Your soul has been chosen
_ _ to gather with the best!
You are God's special gift;
_ _ all your dreams have been blessed.
For you are the sky,
_ _ and you are the sun.
You're a gentle breeze
_ _ loved by everyone!
And you are the air,
_ _ so fresh that we breathe.
You bring us love...
_ You bring us love...
_ _ You bring us love...
...a love we all need!
But once in a while
_ _ the wind happens to change.
It saddens us all
_ _ in our own little way.
You left us so fast;
_ _ it seems so unfair.
But I feel ya there, Tash:
_ _ a breath of fresh air!
For you are the sky,
_ _ and you are the sun.
You're a gentle breeze
_ _ loved by everyone!
And you are the air,
_ _ so fresh that we breathe.
You bring us love...
_ You bring us love...
_ _ Your bring us love...
...a love we all need.
You bring us love:
a love we all need.
Harry Potter
So for the first time in my life, I got excited for the release of a book! A Book!
You should have seen me, it was quite the sight, to be sure.
I basically spent the week leading up to the release of Deathly Hallows watching Movie Five and Re-Reading Book Six.
And then, Starting Thursday Night, I did not use the internet or answer the telephone outside of work in fear of having somebody spoil the plot for me.
This persisted until Friday Afternoon, when Sandra and I went out for dinner night and thought we may pop by Chapters that night to get our copies of #7 at midnight.
But, after a very filling Caribbean meal at The Reef, we decided that the super geeks hanging out inside Chapters and starting to line up at 1045pm were a bit too much for us.
Plus, I was still very afraid of waiting in line only to have the guy ahead of me rip open his copy, tear to the last page, and spoil the ending.
So- we both took up on our plan B, and picked up the book from the UVic Bookstore at 11am Saturday morning.
This gave me time to go home Friday night, and finish re-reading book6, which inevitably finally took place at 1050am Saturday morning outside the UVic Bookstore.
I actually sat 500metres away from the Bookstore out of earshot of bus, person, or rabbit until I saw the doors open.
I then ran across the street, walked in with fingers in my ears until I could see the coast was clear, asked the clerk where I could pick up "the book", and then ran over to the pile of boxes on the floor and grabbed 2 copies quickly, paid quicker, and left the premises.
Ten minutes later Sandra stopped by to pick up her copy.
... I went home and started reading. For five hours straight, I read.
Then at around 5pm, my cousin Clint called to figure out our night hanging out together... it was fun: Milestones on the water, Beacon Hill Park for Luminara Festival, and chillin' out- and thank goodness, I ne'er heard a whisp about Harry Potter.
I went home that night and read til I fell asleep, ~2am.
I woke up the next morning at 10am. I read the book straight until 2am when I finally finished.
At the end of each chapter I would reward myself with a chunk of cheese, maybe some sandwich meat, and a rice cracker. Then read the next chapter, repeat ad infinitum.
Until 2am.
Then, having moved from the bed to the couch to the armchair to the desk chair to the futon to the bean bag, I close the book, and went back to bed.
What a day.
...
In the end, I was a happy reader, and it was a great book.
I have never read so much in my whole life (including studying for exams) - and never with such absolute intent to see it through.
And I did it.
And the story is over.
Let this never happen again.
For those still finishing it up, let me know when you are done so we can discuss.
For those outside this world of wizards, magic, hogwarts, galleons and rowling.. what are you waiting for? Get that dementor off our face and get goin'!
Expecto Patronum!
Folk Fest
Yes, I came back to Mission to volunteer in the parking lot for my 8th consecutive Mission Folk Music Festival.
And although my stay was much briefer than it has been in previous years, I must say it was a great time and a fine festival.
The South African band the headlined Saturday night was particularly moving, and thank you to everybody I saw this year, and who chatted with me, shared a hug, or danced to the feeling of the music.
Cheers.
Bela Fleck and Homer Simpson
It is a funny thing, for all I have done and seen and enjoyed in Victoria since moving over to the rock (see article below for more details), I had not had any company over until recently.
Peter Harris was my first visitor, and technically, he had actually stayed over once before (the night I moved my stuff in).
But we had quite a great time. (as it is described, try putting yourself into his shoes, and realise how easy it is to come out to visit me!)
I picked him up Monday after work from the Swartz Bay ferry terminal... we went back to my place at UVic for a quick dinner, an episode of South Park, and a swig of Pipers Blue Truck Ale before heading downtown to the Royal Theatre to see a concert...
and what a concert it was! Bela Fleck (the world's most accomplished banjoist) and the Flecktones (quartet) featuring Victor Wooten (the king of the electric bass).
The sax player was killer, but was even cooler on flute. And "Future Man" the percussionist blew us away with his ambidexterity of right-hand-drum-kit-stick and left-hand-drumtar synth., not to mention his lyrical stylings half way through the second set. If you are not familiar with this group, it's probably because you are either (a) belonging to the 85% of the boring world unaware of music that doesn't get played 8x/day on the radio; or (b) when you do pursue good music, you stick to the genre of your interest.
The thing with the Flecktones is that they have no genre... Bela said it best when he explained how the song they had just performed "is from our most recent album, which won the grammy for 'best contemporary jazz album'... which is funny, because we didn't know that we were a contemporary jazz band!"
And really, what do you call a group which opens a set with a guy sitting at a drum kit smashing apart his one stick while typing furiously at his drumtar, dressed in up like Jack Sparrow, and then leads into medley which begins with a concert cello suite performed on banjo that transitions into Oh Suzanna, and ends with a staccato-articulated soli of the Beatles' Come Together?
Oh, and did I mention that Victor Wooten can do things with a bass that could melt nalgene and make Dick Chaney bow to Allah? The man can make his instrument play 5 octaves simultaneously. Add a saxophone that sounds like a clucking chicken, and you have a funky, groovy, jazzy, bluesy, classical soul station of bluegrass punk-Bach... Genres are for sissies!! :P
So- back to the Peter Story.
We had a blast at the Royal, truly.
Pete spent the next day while I was at work, chasing bunnies on campus and going downtown to see the Titanic exhibit at the BC Royal Museum.
Tuesday night, we found our way downtown again for some pulled pork, mashed icecream, and sweet sweeeet All-syrup super squishy! Oh, such a thing has never been done!
The SIMPSONS MOVIE was an absolutely awesome.
If you were ever a Simpsons fan at ANY point during the past 18 years, then there is something for you in this movie, and you will have a good time.
It was just plain Simpson-y, and awesome.
Go see it. Spider Pig, Spider Pig...
Pete went home Wednesday morning, and it was a great first bit of company over at my awesome place.
wanna know how awesome? Come visit!
BBQ Pool Party # 7
When something happens more than two years in a row, it becomes a tradition.*
When it happens for so many years that you no longer question its occurrence, it becomes a legend.
Well, the legend lived on, and it was a good time. The random crew of very varied folks gelled rather well, the grandparents survived - way too much work and stress notwithstanding - my Dad flipped the burgers, Nik and Kim sunbathed, my grandma made too much food, Ashok didn't swim, and Jon and Tash's frisbee ended up at the bottom of the pool, discovered just after everybody was too dry and just warm enough not to want to go retrieve it.
It was a lot of fun.
To all my friends who couldn't make it, no worries whatsoever. Don't let little things like this impede your decisiveness to keep in touch ;) (yes, I have a mirror in my hand while I type this).
(plus, there is always plenty of opportunity to come visit me in Vic!!!!!)
To all those who did, thanks - it was great to see you, and special high fives to Alex and Chris (Tasha's friends)
To those friends of Tasha that we did not see, please, don't feel bad or whatever, but DO keep in touch with us... together we all remember her better than on our own, and I for one love getting to know my sister better and better by getting to know each of you. Stay in touch, and never hesitate to call, email, poke or ask questions or favours. You are her, we are her - let's keep her spirit alive to live on and on! :)
To my wonderful grandparents Bill and Di, we all thank you very much for the yearly event, and being such amazing hosts.
Next year is TBA, with Victoria as a possible venue shift.
If we ever figure out how this new camcorder of my grandma works, look forward to a video clip online.
Cheers for now all, ~T~
*unless you live in rez, then traditions are known to spring up from the ground... and boy do people hold on dearly to their "tradition"s... most of which began the year before, if that. ;)
Victoria - a city, a town, a university, a community, a job, a life, and a happy transition.
Well, my month and a bit at UVic and in Victoria have flown by (and this has undoubtedly been accelerated by my ongoing (but soon ceasing) week(end)ly returns to the mainland.)
...and it has been simply incredible.
Right off the bat, I have been busy: Kashi has had me out and playing volleyball 2 days/week after work. I have spent many nights out with friends and family who live close-by.
There is no lack of great places to eat and drink in this town: brew-pubs and restaurants and lounges and bistros - and in the summer: what a beautiful place.
I've seen movies and concerts and festivals and book releases.
I've even found a hair stylist!
The job is wonderful: my colleagues were nothing less than warm and welcoming to me during my first week (and since), my office is a healthy and positive workplace, our programme is glowing and growing; campus is friendly and bright, my apartment is spacious and comfortable... everything is truly wonderful.
...
I am on a ferry tying this and unable to finish all my thoughts today, but as more and more blogs come your way over the next few months, I am sure you will get the drift.
main points:
- life is great, I am busy, happy, productive and positive.
- i have a great place: come visit me, you won't regret it.
- i have a great job: rezlifers, lets chat; other-lifers, just assume I have the perfect job a recent bachelor graduate could want.
- bunnies are much much cuter than squirrels. To the point of saying that if I saw a squirrel crossing the road, and I had a bunny in the passenger seat, I wouldn't brake. I would speed up.
- that reminds me: I have a car, yes. I also have a bike and a bus schedule. I prefer the latters (got that, Abbie?)
~T~
