Among Many Things...

Among many things that my boss Brian said today. This one really hit me. 

"My outcome is more important to me than my income."

I have subconsciously thought it for so long but never really formed the whole thought and dwelt on it. I think I may be moving backwards in relation to some people. 

But I have holes in my shoes and pants. 

I really wanna get rid of my cellphone. I hate paying that bill. We are paying for something that travels invisibly through the air. An expensive hinderance. 

Today Jeanette and I were pummeled with information on coffee bean origin, blend, history, care, and just roasting information in general. I was amazed. All I wanna do is hang around the roaster for days and days and just watch Brian get more and more excited about his blends. Ha. 

Our roaster blows my mind. 

Plus if I lived there a cellphone would be useless. I get no reception in there. 

this happened tonight

Some customer: "Hey sir, you shouldn't leave your yogurt out on the counter, you should put it in the fridge."

Me: "What makes you think it is yogurt?"

Customer: "Well it's a yogurt container."

Me: "Never judge a book by its cover"

- it was Kraft Dinner in the container.

Nearing Completion

This fall I decided it was time to record, package and release some songs that I have been intending to show my friends and family for a long while now. It seemed a fitting time and season to perhaps undertake this project. Those of you that have done it before, can likely agree that these things cannot be forced, they have to happen. And I think it happened..or maybe it was forced. Whatever. 

Anyways. I will do an extended posting about the record details and concept of it all, but for now I will leave share with you the title and track listing. 

To The Places We Go From Here

1. Another Fine Day Where You Are

2. Wake Me Up When I'll See You Again

3. I Came & I Went

4. Thanksgiving: Conversation

5. Thanksgiving: Harvest

6. Blanket of Security

7. I Want To Be Everywhere All At Once

I spent tonight at home, tracking some guitar. My intention is for this to be finished and ready to be handed to you all by the end of the month...perhaps even partnered with a low key evening of live music at someone's house, but for that to happen it may mean more weekend nights spent in my room...

.... that doesn't sound too bad if you ask me.

Back To Calgary: Some Pictures

When I was in Calgary over Thanksgiving, I brought my friend Elissa's Canon film camera. I am not a photographer by any means, nor do I plan on pursuing this art form extensively, however I thought it would be amusing to attempt taking some film photos. So this is what came of it.

  

  

  

  

  

Halloween...

its all hype. I am so over it.

Filtering My Stories

This afternoon Lee made pancakes and I came to this conclusion:

I like to tell stories

Let's say that if I tell 10 stories a day, I figure that:

5 of those will be really good (I mean really thought provoking or really funny, just really good)

3 of those will be mediocre (You know, get a reaction but nothing really notable)

2 of those will just bomb (just fail so bad, people will walk out of the room)

Some people tell me that I tell too many stories. So I figure that if i consciously tell less stories I can knock off a few of those bad ones. 

Hopefully I can start telling 5 stories a day. 4 really good ones and just 1 bad one.

Thanksgiving

Thanks to a cheap flight, lack of employment, and hospitable friends, I find myself lounging in Calgary for a week or so. I had thanksgiving supper at Tubby Dog with Matt.

"The Gobbler" is a turkey dog, topped with mashed potatoes, stuffing, sauteed onions, cranberries, gravy, and apple sauce. I also enjoyed some excellent pumpkin pie. 

I also ate with Aj and Chris. He made a dynamite ham...but I did not take any pictures of it.

Here is a list of things I am thankful for:

- My Mom and Dad and sisters

- "The House of Commons"

- Treelight Room

- The Atangard in Abbotsford

- having enough money to do what I do

- people that pursue relationships with me even though I am all over the place.

(you know who you are)

- how saturated Vancouver is with culture and arts and how I can be involved with it

- Pho

- Jordan Klassen's music

- A certain amount of consistency

- being able to do nothing sometimes

- all the opportunities I have had recently to fellowship with friends

- valuable and constructive conversation

What are you thankful for?

New Leaves

If I may so bold as to say, my favourite artist of all time, Owen aka Mike Kinsella (American Football, Cap 'n Jazz, Joan of Arc, Owls) released another record today entitled "New Leaves" on Polyvinyl Records. The release of his last full length was in 2006, so needless to say I have been waiting in anticipation for this record, quite a while.

This album is still the Owen we have all grown to love, however it is evident that these songs were approached in a new light. During the writing process for this fifth album, Kinsella became both a husband and a father, adding a sense of repsonsibility and direction to his already respected and mature sound.

To accompany his new release, he produced a music video for the song "Good Friends with Bad Habits". I will venture to say that all of us reading this blog missed out on a historic Owen full-band performance in Chicago this past weekend. Footage of it has already begun to surface on YouTube. I cannot make it too easy for you, you have to go find that for yourself...

But here is the music video. 

This is What I Do Now

The fall comes and many of us take on new endeavors. School, new employment, etc. I choose to take on neither of those two, coincidentally. Instead, I have uprooted myself once again and migrated even further west to British Columbia. I am currently in Abottsford, but have spent time all over the place in the past month or so. I am finishing a project here and then heading into Vancouver come October. In Vancouver, I am joining the other two members of the band I am playing with. We are called Treelight Room. 

Long story short, I met TLR on their spring western canada tour while I was accompanying prairie singer/songwriter Zachary Lucky. We played a couple weeks of shows together, concluded by a rather satisfying house show at my place in Calgary,  altogether before parting ways. A few weeks later Jocelyn contacted me and introduced me to the idea of joining their band as a permanent member, as one of their guitarists, decided to leave the group. After much contemplation, some rather informal (and amusing) Skype auditions, a big move out west, and half a dozen shows already under out belt, I am the newest member of Treelight Room. 

Hailing from Kelowna BC, we play laid back, but uplifting, acoustic indie folk pop. Anthony, Jocelyn and myself, shuffle between instruments, including acoustic guitars, piano, synthesizer, auxiliary percussion, as well as three part vocal arrangements. 

Check out our music at our
myspace page

 Or buy the whole record on the iTunes store

A Home is What I Had

As I leave what was my home for the past year or so, I want to recognize some people that literally changed my life. As I encountered many people, there were some that had a real impact on me in the past while. You mean more to me than you will ever know. Here is to you.

Jenna Lane.

Brett Husband. 

Kevvy Duty.

Davey Gravy.

NicoleIrene Dyck.

Craig Davies.                                  

Amanda Swanson.

Kristal Gadsby.    

Andrew Giles.

Tiffany Husband.     

Matatha Barr.

James Hill.

Shanelle Romman. 

Stephen Frederickson.    

Drrll Hartsook.    

Josiah Hughes. 

Shauna Luedtke.

Lauren Mann.     

Zach is Whack.

Matt Dyck.    

Ashley Dawn Slagter.

Brendon Carlson.  

Taylor Hammer.  

Colin Chubachi.

Phil Griffin.                             

Caleb Wood.

Colin Tubb.                             

Blake Lowry.

Quotations: Part 1

I am going to post a series of entries that consist of magnificent quotes from the books I have recently been reading. As some of you may know, I am a huge fan of fiction in general. Coincidentally, most of what I am planning on posting, for now at least, will come from said genre. 

Last August I had an old friend (re)introduce me to an author who I had passed by one too many times; Chuck Palahniuk, most well known for his book Fight Club. She lent me the book,  Survivor, which is his second book published in 1999 (following Fight Club in'96).

For the purpose of this series of entries, I am going to intentionally neglect recounting the plot and summary  or really prefacing anything, so that in reading my quotes out of context, it will spark a curiosity for the true meaning of what Palahniuk was intending to communicate, and thus, you will take it upon yourself to read. 

When I read fiction in particular, I typically carry a notebook of some nature in order to copy down quotes that really catch me, make me think or straight up floor me. Palahniuk has no shortage of any of these. 

Here are some of my collected quotes from Survivor.

"Call me a sexual predator, but when I think of predators, I think of lions, tigers, big cats, and sharks. This is not so much a predator versus prey relationship, this isn't a scavenger, a vulture, or a laughing hyena versus a carcass. This isn't a parasite versus host. We're all miserable together. It's the opposite of a victimless crime." p. 278.

"Nothing shows the straight line from here to death like a list" p. 269

"Ignore how it feels when the only real talent you have is for hiding the truth." p. 268

"You think if you work harder and faster you can gold off the chaos, but then one day you're changing a patio light with a five year lifespan and you realize how you'll only be changing this light maybe ten more times before you'll be dead. Time is running out." p.263

"Think of this as valuable on the job training, think of your life as a sick joke;

What do you call a caseworker that hates her job and loses every client?

Dead.

What do you call the police worker zipping her into a rubber bag?

Dead.

What do you call the TV anchor in the front yard?

Dead.

It does not matter. The joke is we all have the same punch line." p.162

"Every breath is a choice, every minute is a choice; to be or not to be." p. 161

"Then I called the agent. The truth is, there's always been someone to tell me what to do. The church, the people who I work for, the caseworker, and I can't stand the idea of being alone. I can't bear the thought of being free." p.160

"Your realize that people take drugs because it's the only real personal adventure left to them in their time constrained law-and-order property-lined world. It's only in drugs and death that we'll see anything new, and death is just too controlling." p. 151

"I figured a few more sins would help me round out my resume. This is the upside of already being eternally damned. I figured, hell could wait." p. 128

"It's fertility who says, some stadiums when I am up front praising god, I'm the same as people wearing clothes printed with Mickey Mouse, or drinking Coca Cola. I mean, its so easy. It's not even a choice. You can't go wrong. Fertility says praising god is just such a safe thing to do you don't even have to give it any thought." p. 123

"The way fertility slouches with her elbows on the table and her face propped in her hands, her bored-colored red hair hanging limp in her face, you'd guess she's just arrived from some planet with not as much gravity as earth. As if just being here, as skinny as she is, she weighs eight hundred pounds." p. 120

"Don't ask me when because I don't remember when, but somewhere along the way, I keep forgetting to commit suicide." p. 88

"The idea of laundering anything makes me homesick for the sound for the sound of zippers going round in a clothes dryer." p.86

"I killed my brother. "

"I killed her brother,"

"I killed Adam Branson."

"I killed Trevor Hollis."

"You can't trust me around anybody's brother with a telephone or a rock." p. 25

Thankful

I have met so many cool people lately. See, look.

From The Patio Haikus

I have been so preoccupied with things these days I have neglected my blog. I have been writing more haikus, so, here, enjoy these until I post something else. 

Brick laid patio

The sky is perfectly blue

Coffees are in hand

         And another...

I watch the people

Double shots of espresso

in my black coffee

And another...

We like tobacco

I wish I had a cigar

Smoke would compliment

And another...

A jogger went by

Dangit! I spilt on my pants

Exercise is dece

And another...

A jogger went by

Maybe I should exercise

Instead I will nap

And another...

First day of the month

Maybe I should pay my bills

Take all my money

Break Time Haikus

So I have been writing a lot of Haikus lately. Here are some I wrote during my break at work the other day.
Coffee break from Sept. 30th 2008. 7:30-7:45

I am comfortable
Today work is pretty nice
I have a latte

here is another...

I got a new drink
  Cinnamon Dolce Latte
      Two espresso shots

and another...

    The foam piles high
  Here comes the cappuccino
Lets free pour that foam

and another one...

  I need some new bev
One pound of beans to go please!
     Make it an African blend

and one more...

        My naan bread is gone
    And my veggies are eaten
  My break is over

There you go. Thought I would share those with you. It would appear as though there is a consistent coffee theme throughout the majority of this series. It is because I am training right now. I will share some more Haikus later.

Changing Colours

You look at me with uncertainty,
You look at me with urgency.
You look at me with fear in your eyes
like you're about to fall away.

But don't be afraid to change your colours now.
I've known you all Summer, and you rose above it all.
I see you hesitate to fall now,
But it's a pretty good view from down here, too.

And when the wind takes you, it takes me, too.
When you change colours, I change mine, too.
Try not to think, and I will try to.
When you let go, I will let go, too.

I knew you when you were green and strong.
You were like a feather on a wing, so long.
You know I will miss you when you are gone,
but don't be afraid if you just can't hang on.

'Cause when the wind takes you, it takes me, too.
When you change colours, I change mine, too.
Try not to think and I will try, too.
And when you let go, I will let go, too.

The cold air is pushing hard on you.
I know what you're saying; I can feel it, too.
You'll go through changes, and I'll go through them too.
Don't be afraid now, don't be afraid.

'Cause when the wind takes you, it takes me, too.
When you change colours, I change mine, too.
Try not to think and I will try, too.
And when you let go, I will let go, too

RIP Daisy

Today.
Wake up in 705 68th Ave SW.
Lyn and Aj come over for waffles and coffee and conversation.
I clean up.
Update my resume again and talk to my dad.
He is going to review it for me.
Just optimizing.
Set up MY5+5 on my new phone.
Love the bonus deals.
Let me know if you want to be in MY10.
Decide to go out and scope that pet store I saw down the street.
Ride over there and stop to take a call from Craig on the way.
Old friends never fail.
That pet store was a gold mine.
Cheapest crickets I have ever seen.
100 for $5!
Dope fish room and reptile room.
Guy knows his stuff.
Spotted the “hiring full and part time” sign I see everywhere these days.
Noted.
May tap into that market at a later date.
Schmoozed with manager.
Bought some aquarium rocks for now.
Good Find.
Ride home to find Brendon bought me a slurpee.
Sheer Beauty.
Plus my new macbook has arrived.
Evidently beyond siked.
Commence transfer of files onto new machine.
Decide to pack the pipe and mow the lawn to kill time.
Mow front and back.
Looks good.
Take a shower.
Check on transfers.
More time to kill.
Cook chicken breast that has been marinating all day.
Rice and a salad join the party.
Brendon’s friend Daralynne comes over.
Nice girl, good sense of humour.
We hang out.
I eat.
We walk over to sev so Brendon can get another slurpee.
We witness doodz smashing a windshield on the way.
We are sketched.
We call it in for good karma.
I don’t really believe in karma.
Brewed some coffee.
Daralynne peaced.
Decided to watch a movie.
Coffee and Cigarettes.
Was very impressed.
I suggest it.
Tired.
Night.

Turning Over Several Leaves

Today.
Wake up in 705 68th Ave SW. Calgary.
Meet up with my Mom, sis, and Chris for some eats at Nelly’s.
Come back here and set up my recording gear and finish unpacking.
Listen to entire Death Cab discography throughout day.
Decide to take a bike ride.
End up going all the way downtown.
Meet a sketchy lady who talks to me about stealing crack.
Decide she is crazy and ride away.
Head back home.
Round trip an hour at a leisurely pace.
Not too bad.
Come home and set up my fish tank.
Want to add fish tomorrow night.
We will see what happens.
My sister eventually comes home from work which is good ‘cause I was starting to get bored.
Turned the fridge too cold today and froze Brendon’s water.
Oops.
Bake steaks with Aj for supper.
Yum.
She lets us have an old couch from her basement for free.
Bargain.
Take leftovers back to my house and spill them on the floor.
Lyn and I go for ice cream.
I get free sundae ‘cause of coupon.
Pretty stoked on this.
Come home and have a smoke with Brendon in the backyard.
It was a good cigar, but don’t remember what it was called.
I want Ben to get here fast ‘cause I need that kid, maybe I’ll see him this weekend.
Sat down and attempted to update my resume and brainstorm where I want to work.
Came to the realization that I don’t want to work, so I may deal with that next week.
Ate a bowl of cereal.
Heard a crash in the other room.
Sketched out.
Read a chapter in a book that does not belong to me.
Going to bed.

Sidenote

I understand that I have not updated you folks recently, especially in regards to all my travels this summer, and for that I apologize. I will relay everything to you, do not fret. However, during my adventures I was introduced to an artist by the name of Jose Gonzalez, I will let him speak for himself.

Watch this video from start to finish, uninterrupted.

Hitting The Road: Taking on the Winds

Well as some of you may know I am hitting the road in three days to meet up with my good friends in the melodic hardcore outfit Means, of Facedown Records for their May tour through the United States. I will be fulfilling the demanding duties their road crushing companion as I market their merchandise, haul their gear and pilot the van. 

As for right now I have one more final exam to crush tomorrow morning, then after that I am home free! I will be hanging all afternoon, hosting a barbecue in the evening, and preparing for travels in between. 

During my journey across the states, I will use Quiet Nights and Early Mornings as a means of updating you all with my current shenanigans and musings. So keep checking back to see what we are all up to. 

Hope you are all ringing in the the summer in the correct fashion, whatever that may be. See you soon.

A Bookshop Shows It's ColORS.

If you're looking for a particular book among the back shelves of San Francisco's Adobe Bookshop this week, disregard the section headings -- they won't offer any guidance. The store's collection of more than 20,000 used books has been rearranged and grouped according to the color spectrum. Red books are at the front, followed by orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet along the wall.

Entitled "There Is Nothing Wrong in This Whole Wide World," this temporary "exhibit" was the visual dream of artist Chris Cobb. He created the rainbow display in one night with the help of a group of volunteers.