51 Resolutions

I resolve to be nicer to people, especially those that aren’t nice, because I know it pisses them off and perhaps they’ll realize that they should be nicer to people. I resolve to have more sex, with people other than myself. I resolve to have this sex with people I enjoy spending time with, admire and love, in that order. I resolve to drink less, a lot less. I resolve to keep wine a novelty and beer as a sporting event. I resolve to pay off my credit card, not just the monthly amount, but the whole thing. I resolve to pay all my debts, including the social debts to my friends. I resolve to not worry about friends that don’t keep in touch. They probably weren’t my friends to start with. I resolve to keep in better touch with my family, they have no choice, they have to be my friends. I resolve to apply to further my education, and commit to the rest of my life. I resolve to do what I want, don’t see that being a problem, so long as it doesn’t interfere with other people’s fun, in which case I will resolve to see if my fun and their fun can become our fun. I resolve to get abs, or at least get rid of my beer belly. I resolve to eat more vegetables, fresh and cooked. I resolve to not be afraid of my kite, unless it’s blowing gale force offshore, and then I just resolve to be smart. I resolve to not do anything illegal, except for smoking pot, which shouldn’t be illegal in the first place. I resolve to not smoke cigarettes, they smell, are social unacceptable, and are very expensive. I resolve to read a book this year, a good one, with no pictures. I resolve to take fishing to the next level and release more fish than I keep. I resolve to do my dishes. Fuck I hope I keep that. If not I resolve to at least keep my house cleaner than I did in University. I resolve to tell more jokes, clean ones that the kids will enjoy, and filthy rotten ones my friends enjoy. I resolve to send more things through the postal system, it’s way better to get a letter than an email any day of the week. Beside, when’s the last time you got a beautiful gift you didn’t expect. I resolve to make a more solid connection with my family, both sides. I resolve to make my mother feel comfortable. I resolve to make my father feel comfortable. I resolve to spend more time outdoors. I resolve to run at least until I don’t feel fat anymore, and then more seriously. I resolve to dedicate more time to the swim club, even though I’m doing it pretty much pro-bono, this is karma I can’t find duplicate anywhere. I resolve to not rely on karma, but rather to make it for myself. I resolve to thinking of my retirement on the banks of the Shikitehawk stream, and the skills and tools I’m going to need there. I resolve to doing some constructive projects on the stackwall house that Pam will really appreciate. I resolve to identifying myself – who I am, what I believe, and sticking to it!
I resolve to make time for myself where I can enjoy the solitude of myself and recharge my batteries. I resolve to be nicer to my cat. I resolve to be nicer to all animals, if that is at all possible. I just hope they have the same resolution. I resolve to demand perfection and expect it. I want to see classic pictures, adventures, food and everything else in my life in an epic proportion. Why not? I resolve to write a song. I resolve to play guitar in front of other people as good as I do it alone and take them for a ride. I resolve to take care of my car including cleaning it. I resolve to riding a bike more often. I resolve to cry when I want to and appreciate the down times. I resolve to organize my life including my cd’s all the furniture and clothes.
I resolve to be good at all the things I do.

Family Knows Best

What a beautiful ending to a wonderful vacation. Here is a pic of my favorite Uncle Vernon and my Favorite Mum... Mum, the night before my departure back to the west coast. These two kindred souls haven't hung out and shared stories (some of which, I"m not privy to repeat) in some time, and they didn't miss a beat. It was nice to be the wallflower to these two revisiting carleton county circa 1972-1982 and laughter and admiration shared by all. Thank you both for making me feel so loved and for sharing each others company. I hope everyone reading this shares the same love and admiration for all sides of our families.

Good times in the Maritimes

Here is some lovely pics from my homeland

Me and my new girlfriend

Anne et Francois

A quick bus ride and I'm en route a' Moncton to visit mes amis Daniel et Ghistlain Castonguay avec les petites enfants Pascale et Francois. Ok, that's it for french for me. I spent one of the loveliest days in recent history with this little girl, Pascale. We went outside for a walk, went to the park, did a puzzle and tried to communicate. Pascale speaks only french, so for me it was a great lesson and for her... well, I think she had fun too with Mike - Drole... I think I'm operating at about a 2 and a half year old level of french which is slightly better than I though I was. Daniel's soeur Anne was there to help in translation when I got a bit confused, but wow, what a smart little girl, and so polite and lovely. Definitely from the mother's side...
Hanging out with Daniel was a hoot too, to see him in this environment so professional and familial. Good for you Dan, I knew you'd grow up. If only I could... I gotta say being around a precious little bundle of Joy like these two certainly makes you think about it. Now off to Freddy Beach for times with mum. She spoiled me with a lobster and mussels right off the street, so I'm thinking I might have been a good boy this year.

Knock, Knock, Anybody Homo?

Nice pic from Lawrencetown beach after a quick wipe out. Lovely beach that my lovely Uncle Vernon took me out to. Surf was sloppy, but still good to say I did it and get the blood pumping for a bit. What a great visit with Vernon and his new tennant Dave. We ate, drank and were merry. Glad to see Vernon's new place and the new decorations all over. Really classy! Too bad it was such a short visit, but if his plea were any indication of my future plans, it's looking like I may be a NS resident in the near future. I really have loved the visit back to the east coast and the atmosphere around. I'm currently looking at academic programmes in the region and hey, you never know!

Being comfortable with your body

Ok, now this puts 'being comfortable in your own skin' in a whole new light. Sorry about the fuzzyness, but I snuck this photo in an otherwise 'photo free' zone, running away from the curators at one point.
It was at the 'body works' exhibit at science world in Vancouver. These are actual bodies, skinned and plasticined. Buddy has quite a hammer eh! There were a variety of cadavours in a variety of positions which were amazing to the anatomically interested and revolting to the squeemish. I found it to be amazing with samples of spleens, nervous systems, brains and everything imaginable. Hell they had Yul Brenners' lungs. Apparently even Ben Hur isn't immune from cancer.
The exhibit puts religion, and science into a totally different light and this obviously controversial display into the mainstream as a significant contribution to science. Speaking of controversial... I spent last night in downtown vancouver on Davie street. For those not in the know this is a gay district of town, which means, everyone looks good. Hell the panhandlers had nicer shoes than I did. I gotta say, after searching high and low for a sports bar to watch the game last night I settled for the third bar I found with a TV and decided to swallow my pride (no pun intended) and have a meal and a beer and what an experience. I gotta say it was the best service, the best food, and the best beer I've had in a long time. And as far as sports bars go, it certainly smelled the best of the ones I've experienced. Turns out gay guys like hockey and beer! Go figure. They also are hairy, baligerant, drunks just like me. Maybe I'm gay? Naw, I'm guessing I'm just a man like they were. All in all a fun night. I even ended up going across the street to the dance bar for another one and checked out the music and entertainment. After chatting with a man carrying a 'betty boop' purse, I realized my first time in a gay bar since my university days has''nt changed a bit. Good music, a definite lack of inhibitions and some cheery men all over the place. A great time had by all. Vancouver is truly a gay place.

Local's knowledge

Well today had to be one of the worst days on file and one of the best ones for sure. Let's start with an early rise - good. Getting lost on the way out of town - not so good. Spilling coffee all over the rental car and myself (twice) - not so good. Getting to surf and seeing beautiful chest high rollers - good. Having at least 50 rides, some of which overhead - good. Getting punched in the face by a local chick - not so good. For anyone aware of surf etiquette, first in the wave get's the wave, I didn't see the chick, dropped in and I believe it was 'fuck right off buddy (snap to the jaw). I've never been punched by a chick before, but she wasn't bad.
Anyways, with the good surf so close to a big city, you're bound to get a lot of people showing up. I guess I"ve been spoiled by the charlottes and having the beach all to myself. It was insane today with 20 of us battling for a perfect right hander. I'm thinking about avoiding Jordan River tomorrow because it's just too damn crowded. I was warned about the territorial locals, but this was my first experience with it. Knowledge is power.
Well, that being said, yesterday was far out with the ugliest, gnarliest waves I've ever seen. I ended up going in anyways and took a bunch of short rides, but fun ones none the less. It's big swell time, but the wind just isn't co-operating. Yesterday's 110km, yes, 110km on shore was absolutely ugly, and it dropped entirely today which was better, but not great. Apparently they're calling for 32 foot waves on Thursday. I"m guessing I won't be participating in that session.
So all that said and done, I get stuck in traffic for an hour and a half with nothing on my mind but sushi, and low and behold, I can't find a sushi bar open at 6PM!! What the hell. So I order smelly chinese and it comes cold as witches tit and without any cutlery. I know, I know, bitch bitch. Screw it, I"m going to absorb these 2 beer I have left as quickly as my throat will allow and get to bed and forget about this one. I guess karma found me today. I gotta remember to do something for someone else tomorrow. Hope it's fun!

We all have to have standards

Ok, new favorite sign ever. This one is located at the Commonwealth pool in Victoria in the boys change room. Wonder how they felt about me snapping pictures in the shower? Anyways, certainly no lack of 'street hoes' around here. Man do I ever not miss the city. It was nice to pick out a few gifts for xmas and get an import beer on tap, but the city driving is insane. I think I've adjusted nicely to the traffic and seem to be pissing off as many people that piss me off. The driving has been a good education as I rented one of the Toyota hybrids and are they waaay cool. For anyone that hasn't seen them, they have an advanced alternater system that powers up an electric motor and periodically switches from electrical to combustion. Feels like I ran over somebody when it switches, but you get used to that - especially in the city.
Other than seeing some dude get pulled over and yanked out of his car by gun toting cops at 6:30 AM, nothing too out of the ordinary going on. After my episode of 'cops' this morning I made it to the pool to see my kiddies get their asses handed to them by some of the fastest swimmers in the country. I got to see a national age-group record set in the relay and host of other fantastic swims. My old swimmer Kurt nailed his CIS time with style today, so that's giving me a little bit of pride to see him going up, up and away. He seems to be adjusting to city/university life well and that's great for a great kid.
One more day of competition and I've got a few days rest here at the HOJO downtown. I've got my suit with me, so I"m planning to try a few new beaches for surf this week. I surfed sombrio a few years ago, so I"m going to check that one out again, and apparently I found another locals spot that is supposed to be smoking too. Just getting into some new waves will be great. They're overhead right now and looking like collosal surf coming by wednesday. Should be 'swell'.

3 wheels touching in a 4X4

Another post from the spit. I never cease to be amazed at this place. Once again the pics never do justice to the environment that was going on this day. It was surfless and windless at north beach, so I decided to grab my kite, put the truck in 4X4 for a couple hours (on 3 wheels at times) to reach the east beach to see what wind was up there. Holy sheep shit! Winds were 60 knot, waves were 16 feet and stuff blowing everywhere! You can see how the waves are pounding on the east beach and calm as a daisy on the west. The white stuff is seafoam, not snow, but it looked like snow whistling around everywhere.

I walked out as far on the spit as I dared, and ended up actually waist deep in a huge wave that washed right over the spit where I was standing nearly pulling me out into the open ocean. So, after that, I ran, or should I say, staggered into hurricane force winds to get back to my vehicle which was on it's way to Oz. Pounding over the dunes and slipping and sliding on the edge of the ocean will pump adrenaline through anyone I"m sure.

Saturday had a wicked swell and a definite surf day. Waves were head high and absolutely awesome rollers with the south wind. The winter season has definitely provided for some stellar surf already so far and will no doubt keep it up for the next few months. If anyone knows how to put video on the blog, let me know 'cause I've got a taste of this story and others.

Snow on the Shithouse

Well, been a while since the last post, so please forgive me. I've been in Rupert picking up the rest of my crap, and I am beginning to believe that it is crap. What do we need all these things for? I mean, other than photos, a bed, and some dishes, the rest is all just a huge waste of space and time. I'm thinking that the next move is going to be another massive purge with the furniture going bye-bye and pawning off anything electrical. I know it's hugely expensive to replace all of these things, but who says I have to replace them? I mean I can't remember the last time I used my blender... oh yeah, 151 proof rum... that's why I don't remember. Anyways, what is important in life? Health and Happiness is my guess.
Speaking of which, I am apparently on the verge of pneumonia as we speak and spent $7 a pill to get my lungs cleaned out. Eeeeesh. Those are crack prices. Next thing you know I'm going to be on the street corner whistling at lonely men in cars to pay for my antibiotics.
Well, we all survived the freeze in case anyone heard about the crazy weather on the west coast. Apparently Vancouver was without power, or water for a while... yes, that means NO STARBUCKS!!! Poor bastards. We were at -17 up here which is absolutely insane cold for the rainforest. Everybody was running their taps all night long and cuddling with gogeet keeping warm. Good for us Gogeet! For those not in the know, gogeet are a character much like the yeti, but unique to this area. Apparently very hairy all over, like their big footed cousins. In this day and age, a lot of us out here are looking suspiciously familiar to the gogeet... Beware!!!