Travelling Road Show

People often wonder why it is that I spend so much time trotting about to various cities for 'mere' concerts. Well, if the concerts came to me this wouldn't be an issue. For example, I was reading this week's Entertainment Weekly and saw an advertisement for The Breed Love Odyssey Tour featuring Mos Def and Talib Kweli. Holy shit, Mos Def and Talib Kweli? I figured if I was lucky there might be a show in Seattle or somewhere else nearby because I knew they wouldn't be hitting Vancouver. In fact I was pretty sure that they wouldn't even be coming to Canada. A quick look at the official site revealed that the closest shows will be in California. Now Cali is really not that far from here in the grand scheme of the world, but it is the third state to the south so it's just a little too far out of my reach for 'just' a concert. Wookiee, I'm sorry, looks like that unless your rich fiancée finances (see how similar the words are?) our journey, by air and not by bus please, then we'll just be stuck dreaming of it. I know, I shouldn't even be torturing us with the knowledge that the shows are happening without us, but if I'm going to know, then you must also suffer through the burden of knowledge. I just realized that maybe there were other shows and I just found out too late...damn, that had better not be true.

Australian Baby

My friend Mark from Camden welcomed his little girl Mackayla Grace Funnell to his world on October 17th, at 8:26pm. Congratulations!

The Best Streaking I've Ever Seen...

...if it's real! (which it appears to be) CollegeHumor has this video clip of a hot chick streaking at a football game and scoring against the goalie. Definitely Streaking Gold!

Demon Heritage

I think it would be pretty cool to find out that members of my ancestral line had been persecuted publicly for being witches, vampires, unholy, or whatever else you could be burned, hanged, or torn limb from limb for. Not because I think it was good social practice or anything, it would just be an interesting connection to the past to have. And if they really were demons or other evil incarnations, the connection would be even more sweet. CityRag pointed me in the direction of Haunted Memories this morning where you can buy old photographs of people (and claim that they're family) that change as your perspective changes. Some of these morphing pictures from good to evil are awesome, and it's too bad you can't provide your own picture for doctoring. Each picture even has a little looping video clip you can watch to see how the transformation looks as you move past the image. Faux haunted pictures on my walls? Seems like they're the perfect accoutrements for these last days of October.

Letter to Wookiee #1

Hey Wookiee, since your internet is down and I can't send you an instant message I'll just write to you here to see when you're back online. I just downloaded a song that got left off Dave Matthews' album, Some Devil, called Cigarette Lit that I know you'll hate but you have to listen to anyway. Well, you'll probably hate it, because it has a cheery sound about it and is much too sun and trampolines for you I know, but c'mon, like I'm not gonna make you listen to it? So when you're back online I'll send it to you over messenger and you can tell me how Dave Matthews is too, what's the word again? I love it but I can't remember it right now. At the moment I keep thinking 'obtuse', like when Tim Robbins' character in the Shawshank Redemption asks the warden; "How can you be so obtuse?". You'll have to remind me what the word actually was when I send you the file. Now I leave with the glowy feeling of anticipation for the Winter Tour. Talk to you later, Spage.

Island Pics Con't 2

Island Pics Con't

Granville Island

On Saturday last I took my bike down to the shop for some servicing. Having dropped off my only mode of transportation I needed to find a place to spend the next 6 hours waiting for the work to be complete. Once again Nature rewarded this rider and the clouds broke and sun streamed down upon our fair city for the only day in the past week. I take my bike to Carter Motorsports, which is located at Granville Island, so I walked down to the Island and found a seat on a bench with a view and read a book for several hours. I further entertained myself by feeding birds out of my hands, watching the locals and tourists, and taking pictures. Later in the afternoon I wandered around the market taking more pictures and absorbing all of the activity. It was actually an uneventful day, I have no rants or stories, but I did get some nice pictures...and that will just have to do for today.

Doughty Addition

At the end of the Doughty show in Seattle I also got the set list from the sound guy. Today I finally got around to photographing it, so here it is in all it's glory for your viewing enjoyment.

Model Employees

I just got home from a regional all-staff meeting that was held at the Hilton Metrotown. It was one of those long-winded quasi-conferences where the speakers droned and mumbled while we attendees stuffed our faces with free food and drink. Thankfully, having already endured some embarrassing presentations, I escaped before the choir could close out the event. My table of delinquents passed the time by going through the usual meeting shenanigans; writing insulting/comedic/nonsense phrases on the provided name tags, sticking those name tags on each others' agendas, bodies and drink tumblers, playing tic tac toe and hangman, and dropping foreign items (like cheese cubes) into each others' coffee. Not to be outdone I started taking the backings of those name tags and started folding paper cranes and tiny origami people in kimonos. My co-worker was soon demanding I make her a wagon to pull all of these little characters around, so using only sticker backings and the remaining edges of name tag that were adhesive I came up with a design and got to work. Sometime during the Public Health Agency's presentation on disaster preparedness I finished the wagon (pictured). It's wheels don't turn and it's being towed by two cranes, but I have to say it's not too shabby considering the materials I had available to me. Now I need a new concept for the next conference...maybe frogs on boats?

"Oh? For some reason I thought you had a scooter."

Today I had to go to the shop with my motorcycle to make an appointment to have some work done on it. While I was waiting my turn to announce all that ailed my bike I struck up a conversation with a large man waiting close by carrying a skull cap (for those who don't know, that's one of those useless bowls that passes for a helmet). He was looking into the area where the mechanics were busily doing all manner of tasks with two wheeled beauties so I assumed he was waiting for the work on his bike to be finished off. He soon revealed that he moved here from Ontario, no longer had a motorcycle and now rode a 49cc scooter. We chatted for several minutes about riding, asshole drivers, and insurance companies...the standard for all riders who will only know each other for a few minutes. After he was called into the shop by the mechanics and I got my own 650cc motorcycle (pictured) an appointment for a new rear tire my thoughts were drawn to an assumption I face daily. One I made in reverse not 10 minutes before. Being female means that many of the men in the motorcycle industry will automatically think that I ride a scooter. Unfortunately I do have something against scooter riders, one of my biggest problems with them is that they have no idea what they're doing on the road or how seriously they should be taking it. This mostly stems from the fact that riders of small scooters do not need to get a separate license to operate their vehicle like motorcyclists have to. Motorcyclists also tend to educate themselves and the majority have taken riding lessons or courses from trained professionals because the fact is, riding is completely different from driving and most of the drivers on the road are out to kill you. Oh it's true, you may not think so, but they are, and they don't even know it because chances are they never saw you in the first place. Anyway, this is all beside the point. I can't stand the condescension I face from guys who don't think I can handle my bike or won't tell me about anything mechanical because they don't think I'll understand. Today I assumed that a big guy with half a helmet was probably riding a large cruiser and was proven wrong. I don't know if he'd have been insulted (not likely, scooter riders are always trying to get motorcycle rider approval) but I should still try to not jump to conclusions. What really amused me about the whole thing was that if the salesmen in the shop looked over and saw us talking out of their earshot I'm sure they thought that he was on a bike and I was on a scooter. Not so my friend, he was the pussy and I had the balls.

Mitchless

This is very belated, but in a way that's good, because it still matters to me. Wookiee and I drove down to Seattle see comedic genius Mitch Hedberg a few months before he died on March 30, 2005. He was co-headlining with Stephen Lynch, and Al Madrigal filled out the show. Mitch was an amazingly hilarious comedian who I quote with great frequency and he has been and will be greatly missed. I found this picture in my database of all three of them so I thought I'd post it up. Incidentally, Al is also brilliantly funny and I love his delivery. I'm not sure what else to say here, so I'll go with the standard because it's true; thanks for the laughs Mitch, you're certainly not forgotten.

"Last week I helped my friend stay put. It's a lot easier than helping someone move. I just went over to his house and made sure that he did not start to load shit into a truck." ~Mitch Hedberg~

Green Days

I forgot to cover the reason for the ringing in my ears from two posts ago. It was attendance at a local Green Day show that gave me temporary hearing damage. For those who have not seen a performance by Billie Joe & Co. since the release of American Idiot, you have no idea what you're missing. I last saw them back on the Insomniac tour (I was in Grade 11!) before seeing them late last year on their first visit to Vancouver on the Idiot tour. The band has developed their live show to be probably the best rock show I've ever seen. They keep every person in the arena engaged for the entire spectacle and there is rarely a moment when at least one member isn't playing music. The constant barrage of entertainment is overwhelming and Billie Joe's presence and methods demand even the most jaded concert goer (me) to be compelled to participate in the antics. In contrast, when 50 Cent kept stopping his gig to demand that people put their hands up in the air, I was only bemused and certainly felt no need to comply with his request. If he had simply played a good show, people would take it upon themselves to show their zealousness by raising hands without instruction. Eminem, on the other hand, didn't pull any of that shit even once and put on an amazing show. So here's my quick grading of the 2004 and 2005 Vancouver Green Day concerts; 2004-> Show = Fucking Amazing, Crowd = The Shit. 2005-> Show = Fucking Amazing, Crowd = Average, there were tons of Newbies and Young 'uns (who didn't even know Operation Ivy's Knowledge!). Overall, three thumbs up...and the band is now listed on my top live shows of all time.

Doughty Tales

Okay, maybe not exactly a daily spew forth, but I'm just starting out and still need to get into the habit. I'm still trying to get back into the rhythm of school on top of my day job so this should be interesting. For now I'll mention the activities of this Monday past. Wookiee and I rented a car and after I got off work drove down across the border to Seattle to see the incomparable Mike Doughty perform at the Showbox. The drive was smooth, there was no line up at the border and our combined telepathic abilities apparently prevented any rush hour traffic from accumulating on the I-5 as we approached Seattle. The venue is one of my favorites, I've been there before but it was Wookiee's first visit, it's located across the street from Pike Place Market and while fairly small, feels rather grand. I love going to America because you can still smoke down there. In almost every city in Canada they've long since outlawed smoking in public spaces and are now on the hunt to make it illegal to smoke anywhere in public. That's right, not even on the sidewalk as you make your way to the bus stop, soon in Canada you will only be able to smoke in your home...and I assume not long after that you will only be able to smoke in your home if it is a stand alone house (not an apartment or duplex) so that your neighbours and hallmates won't be adversely affected by your toxic exhalations. I was a smoker for about 10 years starting when I was 12 but when I moved back to Vancouver I grudgingly gave it up for various reasons, one of which being that good quality marijuana at a cost lower than cigarettes was available to me again and I quite enjoy being THC laden 24 hours a day. However, find me in America and you will find a happy chain smoker carefully avoiding any pot-smoking related brushes with the law. I take full advantage of the smoker's haven that is that southern country and it's quite the novelty being able to enjoy an indoor concert and a cigarette at the same time. Doughty was fantastic, the double-time version of True Dreams of Wichita alone was worth the expense and time. After the show Wook and I started heading back north and stopped at three different 24 hour grocery stores looking for elusive items that can't be found in Canada. We're addicted to 'crazy' American products, I myself am acutely obsessed with caramel microwave popcorn. We were foiled in our attempt to acquire Krispy Kreme doughnuts because the location enroute is no longer open 24 hours a day so we kept on trucking north until finally crossing the border again. We returned the car at about 3 in the morning and then I hopped on the back of Wook's motorcycle to go to my place and pick up my motorcycle before we headed to his place where I was going to crash on his couch so that I'd be closer to work for my 7 a.m. start time. Of course, we being who we are, couldn't resist smoking a bowl since we were free of the shackles of America. Shortly after finishing that bowl we noted that it was 4:20 a.m. and were now obligated to smoke again. Needless to say I spent the next working day doing little work except for the enormous effort I put into keeping my eyelids pried open and the nominal effort it took me to create a hidden space under a table and behind boxes that I think I could sleep in while hidden from my superiors...but I've yet to take the risk. Last night I found out that I'm going to New York in December for my second trip to that city this year. I will be enjoying at least one Dave Matthews Band concert at Madison Square Garden and as a bonus the opening act is going to be Soulive whom I've seen perform a few times before and are phenomenal. If I can find a ticket I'll be seeing the second DMB show the next night and almost more importantly, Mike Doughty is the opening act, so my search for a ticket will undoubtedly be frenzied. Either way, I'll be back in NYC, and joy will surely ensue.

A New Hope

I'm supposed to be in the midst of Fall Cleaning (I apparently accumulate so much 'junk' over the year that I require a minimum of four seasonal cleansings) therefore I am taking copious breaks and this blog has been on my mind. I went to Wookiee's last night where he tried to convince me to create a blog out of all the random e-mails I send him near daily. I admitted I already had a sad little blog that I neglect and thought about how his idea might actually keep me posting. So today in a procrastination move I made some changes to this site including it's name and it will now take on a different tone and direction. Wookiee, you win, we'll test your method and see how it goes...now where's that logo you said you'd design for me?