News i can scrape up:
I lost my purse a while ago. I didn't want to talk about it while i was still upset. The contents of my purse were as follows: my harmonica, a biography of albert einstein, a journal, a black and blue sand hacky sack, and a toothbrush, in case.
I got a new purse! It was picked up in the free store at hornby island, a fucking bitching place. It's seafoam green (although i'm using color names which i'm not sure about). It's got no zippers or fancy pockets, like my last one. Just an over the shoulder bag with a little style.
On hornby, to make up for my lost book, i bought a new book. The devil in the white city. I dig it. Then i gave jordo, liz, and carleigh twenty bucks each and sent them into the bookstore to buy me things. It was fantastic. Like christmas, except i had to pay for it. It wasn't too much money, and they all got me things i never would've thought of.
I'm in saskatoon. I had planned to fly home on tuesday, but that ticket disappeared when i took too long to buy it. Now i'm flying home sunday, thanksgiving sunday. October 7th.
I'm a bassist. I also play guitar and write songs. I'm gonna grab some bass lessons when i get home. I really like my bass, and i like playing it. I'm still green enough to notice improvements every week or two. I'm gonna get good soon, because...
in december, chris is gonna be home. I reckon the two of hearts aughta get together for some shows. If we can jam for a few days we'll be good to go. He's got lots of tunes, if i get to know them, i can bass them. He can play lead guitar on my guitar tunes. We are definitely show worthy.
I'm fully happy here. And can't wait to be home. Effing lovely.
simon
The fluidity of his speech and bright currency of word selection hints at tireless hours reviewing and rearranging his mental dictionary.
Yet his words never seem rushed. He speaks with such a agreeable pace that one is forced to imagine his mental space free of attachment, as wind through a valley is unaware of the [words that fall like] rain drops despite dictating their direction to every detail.
My bass is getting repairs. I've got a pair of books on the go, both of which are great. Devil in the White City, and Alias Grace.
Gotta go!
We left victoria in hopes of surfing in tofino for a few days. Jordo had a bit of an ankle sprain to deal with, but we were planning on toughing it out. A lovely little indication as to the lack of direction we have: I missed a turn by about twenty minutes, so we went somewhere else.
We drove north and stopped in Courtenay, a place that i first heard of when Courtney Hurley went to live there sometime within the past six years. I hadn't thought of that place or that person in a while.
In Courtenay we bought some things, menthol ciggies, i think, and went to sit in a park and have a little picnic dinner. Half sleeve of whole wheat premium plus crackers, dipped in raspberry jam (smuckers) and a half cinnimin raison bagel with honey. Also some berries, picked locally, by me. Blackberries.
Then i crashed pretty hard for a power snooze. Woke up at about 7, and we drove farther north. We were hoping to find our way to a national park, get some old growth forest to sleep within. We made it to campbell river.
I was driving around totally senseless at this point. It was one of the few times that i was a little bit anxious about a lack of direction coined with three passengers who rely on me for where they are. I remembered some wise words of tree planter Karl Van Roon.
"If you're in a foreign town and you're looking for some sort of adventure, just go on a weed mission."
So i park the car in the first place i find. I mumble some sort of very unapoligetic apology about not knowing where to go, then tell my friends i'm going for a walk to try to find weed. I'm already on the waterfront.
Walking along the dock, i see some bmx bikes and kids hanging out on a bench. Seems like a prime place to start. They were just finishing up a roach joint, and said something about how i should've been there sooner. I noted that the joint still had time to be passed from my left to my right before it was put out. In my own little selfish way, i was there on time, just for a little toot. Alas, no smoke. I chatted with them for a bit, seemed like decent kids, and i walked back to the car.
Carleigh was walking towards me, i told her about my almost success. We walked and talked to various people along the waterfront boardwalk area. No luck yet. Carleigh suggested we grab the whiskey from the car and drink it. I've definately become very appreciative of the "get drunk and make decisions" mantra. I've shared it.
So we're hanging by the car, drinking whiskey from a water bottle, chasing it with cans of pop. A&W Rootbeer and Dr. Pepper, respectively. Carleigh and I found liz by the car when we returned from pop purchise. Jordo was MIA.
Liz=Alissa
Liz was talking to the bmx boys and girl when we got there, pretty sweet. They told us about a weed dealer, and we tried some phone calls. Dude was busy. They said they had another couple roaches they would roll up if we were interested. I responded that we were, somewhat enthusiastically, no doubt. I even suggested that we didn't need jordo, and we should just walk towards the smoke now.
After walking 5-10 seconds we see jordo heading our way, we turn him around and we're all walking.
Guitar decided to come along.
Sit down on a curb, smoke a joint, play some tunes (wrote a nifty new riff), talked to a neat guy who approached us with so much enthusiasm it was insane. He had been doing seminars or speaches about something or other, definately used to talking to people, definately gets fired up about it.
He told us about his new plan to take a keyboard into a correctional institute (jail for children) and play classical piano for the kids. Try to mellow them out, i reckon, introduce them to something they might not normally experience.
Everyone gave him back the energy he'd come with, "yeah man, great idea" etc. I asked him some questions about time and such, whether he'd play every day or have a few sessions a week or whatever. He wasn't sure. I dont think i gave him too hard a time though, he was pumped about the music/songs i was playing, and i'm sure at that point i was in a good enough mood for encouragement. I had drink and smoke in me, finally.
The boys head home, the man goes back to wherever he came from, and we go walking, looking for a bar. First place we find is apparently a strip club. I thought the girl was pretty nice looking, but the pool table was a little far from the stage, so i didn't see her too good. Once when it wasn't my turn i took a quick stroll over, just to see her the whole way naked. The show was done, and she was sitting on her feet, in a bit of a slumped kneeling position. Nice looking girl, and i shuffled back to the pool table.
Got a half joint off some nice people, smoked it, and walked to the next bar. Far cheaper booze at this one, no strippers. Pool tables. I'm playing alot of pool lately, by the by, and i've gotten better than i used to be. Better than you are, in fact.
At this point we're drunk and the bar is over, and there's locals trying to fight anyone who'll fight. Not looking to us, which is nice. I think if i'm drunk, and someone wants to fight me, i won't fight them, but i'd chatter a little bit to help them sound stupid to whoever is around. Anyway, that didn't happen.
Carleigh and I were trying to find the car. My sense of direction is embarassing. We slide into some back yard, possibly over a fence, and find a trampoline. Hop around on that for a minute, and keep walking.
Some cabbie drives by, and we ask for some directions, and although we weren't entirely sure where we wanted to direct him, we spat out enough nonsense to inspire him to drive us for free to where he thought we aughta be. Some more question/answers during the ride, and we got right back to where the car was parked. Beautiful.
And then, for the second time in my life, i drove drunk to go get some food. Both times it was on a woman's recommendation. Neither time is excusable, of course. We got nachos with plastic cheese, veggie chili, olives, onions, and whatever other hot dog toppings we felt we wanted. All at the 7/11.
We get back to where we were, to find jordo and liz sitting around. They were disapointed to not have nachos themselves.
We slept in the park, right there by the waterfront. I grabbed a tarp to seperate us from the ground, and we had some sleeping bags. Effing wonderful sleep. Rolled awake by noonish and went to get some breakfast.
That day we went to hornby island. It's a pair of ferries off vancouver island. There's very little going on there, beyond relaxation. The sunsets were lovely. The food was super organic and well made. Only two sleeps there, sadly, and we were off to tofino.
Got about six hours of surfing in on saturday. Felt fucking great.
Back to vic sunday. Going to van today (monday). I dont think i'll go west again. I dont know where i'm going from van. Other than charlottetown, i guess.
I love you all, and i'll totally appreciate each individual telling me not to drive drunk. You're right, of cours.e
Jordo jumped around on some docks, sprained his ankle pretty bad. I guess he can't surf on it. I dont know what that means, i might go to tofino tomorrow on my own. I think it's what i'd like to do. Living in a car with three others is cool, but it makes time alone a beautiful thing to taste.
We'll be in touch, i guess.
I lost my purse a while ago. I didn't want to talk about it while i was still upset. The contents of my purse were as follows: my harmonica, a biography of albert einstein, a journal, a black and blue sand hacky sack, and a toothbrush, in case.
I got a new purse! It was picked up in the free store at hornby island, a fucking bitching place. It's seafoam green (although i'm using color names which i'm not sure about). It's got no zippers or fancy pockets, like my last one. Just an over the shoulder bag with a little style.
On hornby, to make up for my lost book, i bought a new book. The devil in the white city. I dig it. Then i gave jordo, liz, and carleigh twenty bucks each and sent them into the bookstore to buy me things. It was fantastic. Like christmas, except i had to pay for it. It wasn't too much money, and they all got me things i never would've thought of.
I'm in saskatoon. I had planned to fly home on tuesday, but that ticket disappeared when i took too long to buy it. Now i'm flying home sunday, thanksgiving sunday. October 7th.
I'm a bassist. I also play guitar and write songs. I'm gonna grab some bass lessons when i get home. I really like my bass, and i like playing it. I'm still green enough to notice improvements every week or two. I'm gonna get good soon, because...
in december, chris is gonna be home. I reckon the two of hearts aughta get together for some shows. If we can jam for a few days we'll be good to go. He's got lots of tunes, if i get to know them, i can bass them. He can play lead guitar on my guitar tunes. We are definitely show worthy.
I'm fully happy here. And can't wait to be home. Effing lovely.
simon
Upon hearing his voice one has to think that he spends much of his time going through textual thought.
The fluidity of his speech and bright currency of word selection hints at tireless hours reviewing and rearranging his mental dictionary.
Yet his words never seem rushed. He speaks with such a agreeable pace that one is forced to imagine his mental space free of attachment, as wind through a valley is unaware of the [words that fall like] rain drops despite dictating their direction to every detail.
Boredom attacks!
My bass is getting repairs. I've got a pair of books on the go, both of which are great. Devil in the White City, and Alias Grace.
Gotta go!
Hornby Island is something special. Trust me.
We left victoria in hopes of surfing in tofino for a few days. Jordo had a bit of an ankle sprain to deal with, but we were planning on toughing it out. A lovely little indication as to the lack of direction we have: I missed a turn by about twenty minutes, so we went somewhere else.
We drove north and stopped in Courtenay, a place that i first heard of when Courtney Hurley went to live there sometime within the past six years. I hadn't thought of that place or that person in a while.
In Courtenay we bought some things, menthol ciggies, i think, and went to sit in a park and have a little picnic dinner. Half sleeve of whole wheat premium plus crackers, dipped in raspberry jam (smuckers) and a half cinnimin raison bagel with honey. Also some berries, picked locally, by me. Blackberries.
Then i crashed pretty hard for a power snooze. Woke up at about 7, and we drove farther north. We were hoping to find our way to a national park, get some old growth forest to sleep within. We made it to campbell river.
I was driving around totally senseless at this point. It was one of the few times that i was a little bit anxious about a lack of direction coined with three passengers who rely on me for where they are. I remembered some wise words of tree planter Karl Van Roon.
"If you're in a foreign town and you're looking for some sort of adventure, just go on a weed mission."
So i park the car in the first place i find. I mumble some sort of very unapoligetic apology about not knowing where to go, then tell my friends i'm going for a walk to try to find weed. I'm already on the waterfront.
Walking along the dock, i see some bmx bikes and kids hanging out on a bench. Seems like a prime place to start. They were just finishing up a roach joint, and said something about how i should've been there sooner. I noted that the joint still had time to be passed from my left to my right before it was put out. In my own little selfish way, i was there on time, just for a little toot. Alas, no smoke. I chatted with them for a bit, seemed like decent kids, and i walked back to the car.
Carleigh was walking towards me, i told her about my almost success. We walked and talked to various people along the waterfront boardwalk area. No luck yet. Carleigh suggested we grab the whiskey from the car and drink it. I've definately become very appreciative of the "get drunk and make decisions" mantra. I've shared it.
So we're hanging by the car, drinking whiskey from a water bottle, chasing it with cans of pop. A&W Rootbeer and Dr. Pepper, respectively. Carleigh and I found liz by the car when we returned from pop purchise. Jordo was MIA.
Liz=Alissa
Liz was talking to the bmx boys and girl when we got there, pretty sweet. They told us about a weed dealer, and we tried some phone calls. Dude was busy. They said they had another couple roaches they would roll up if we were interested. I responded that we were, somewhat enthusiastically, no doubt. I even suggested that we didn't need jordo, and we should just walk towards the smoke now.
After walking 5-10 seconds we see jordo heading our way, we turn him around and we're all walking.
Guitar decided to come along.
Sit down on a curb, smoke a joint, play some tunes (wrote a nifty new riff), talked to a neat guy who approached us with so much enthusiasm it was insane. He had been doing seminars or speaches about something or other, definately used to talking to people, definately gets fired up about it.
He told us about his new plan to take a keyboard into a correctional institute (jail for children) and play classical piano for the kids. Try to mellow them out, i reckon, introduce them to something they might not normally experience.
Everyone gave him back the energy he'd come with, "yeah man, great idea" etc. I asked him some questions about time and such, whether he'd play every day or have a few sessions a week or whatever. He wasn't sure. I dont think i gave him too hard a time though, he was pumped about the music/songs i was playing, and i'm sure at that point i was in a good enough mood for encouragement. I had drink and smoke in me, finally.
The boys head home, the man goes back to wherever he came from, and we go walking, looking for a bar. First place we find is apparently a strip club. I thought the girl was pretty nice looking, but the pool table was a little far from the stage, so i didn't see her too good. Once when it wasn't my turn i took a quick stroll over, just to see her the whole way naked. The show was done, and she was sitting on her feet, in a bit of a slumped kneeling position. Nice looking girl, and i shuffled back to the pool table.
Got a half joint off some nice people, smoked it, and walked to the next bar. Far cheaper booze at this one, no strippers. Pool tables. I'm playing alot of pool lately, by the by, and i've gotten better than i used to be. Better than you are, in fact.
At this point we're drunk and the bar is over, and there's locals trying to fight anyone who'll fight. Not looking to us, which is nice. I think if i'm drunk, and someone wants to fight me, i won't fight them, but i'd chatter a little bit to help them sound stupid to whoever is around. Anyway, that didn't happen.
Carleigh and I were trying to find the car. My sense of direction is embarassing. We slide into some back yard, possibly over a fence, and find a trampoline. Hop around on that for a minute, and keep walking.
Some cabbie drives by, and we ask for some directions, and although we weren't entirely sure where we wanted to direct him, we spat out enough nonsense to inspire him to drive us for free to where he thought we aughta be. Some more question/answers during the ride, and we got right back to where the car was parked. Beautiful.
And then, for the second time in my life, i drove drunk to go get some food. Both times it was on a woman's recommendation. Neither time is excusable, of course. We got nachos with plastic cheese, veggie chili, olives, onions, and whatever other hot dog toppings we felt we wanted. All at the 7/11.
We get back to where we were, to find jordo and liz sitting around. They were disapointed to not have nachos themselves.
We slept in the park, right there by the waterfront. I grabbed a tarp to seperate us from the ground, and we had some sleeping bags. Effing wonderful sleep. Rolled awake by noonish and went to get some breakfast.
That day we went to hornby island. It's a pair of ferries off vancouver island. There's very little going on there, beyond relaxation. The sunsets were lovely. The food was super organic and well made. Only two sleeps there, sadly, and we were off to tofino.
Got about six hours of surfing in on saturday. Felt fucking great.
Back to vic sunday. Going to van today (monday). I dont think i'll go west again. I dont know where i'm going from van. Other than charlottetown, i guess.
I love you all, and i'll totally appreciate each individual telling me not to drive drunk. You're right, of cours.e
I'm in victoria. This is a real nice town. There's a place called the noodle box, and you can get a nice box of white rice for a dollar. And a healthy scoop of thai peanut or teriyaki sauce is an extra fifty cents. If you look at the menu it seems like higher class chinese noodly food, but the side of rice is in the fine print for a buck. We were told about it by some neat looking kids named mika and julien, some brothers that ripped acoustics. We jammed with them for a chunk yesterday, our first day in the city.
Jordo jumped around on some docks, sprained his ankle pretty bad. I guess he can't surf on it. I dont know what that means, i might go to tofino tomorrow on my own. I think it's what i'd like to do. Living in a car with three others is cool, but it makes time alone a beautiful thing to taste.
We'll be in touch, i guess.