Apparently January 19th, 2005, the temperature high was 15C in Vancouver. This year, it's only 14C.
I remember January 2005... mostly because that was the first winter I was back in Vancouver, and I was really looking forward to skiing. So much so that I bought a full privilege season's pass at Cypress for many hundreds of dollars. (surfing is free)
I skied on mud and rocks... and ended up scratching the hell out of my newish tele skis... which I painstakingly repaired and waxed and tuned and untuned and then used for only one more season.
This year is one of those years. Good luck with the games.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Entangled
I hadn't surfed since the 4th of January. I had wanted to go for a surf this morning, but then discovered that my assignment, usually due at midnight, was actually due at noon. I spent an hour making stuff up (I could have spent hours doing it properly, but that doesn't necessarily guarantee anything, aside from the spending (squandering?) of several hours). I submitted my assignment, and then went to a funeral.
Half the town was there-- many hundreds of people, standing room only. John was and is well loved. If I added up all the minutes we were in the same room together, it would not amount to three hours. It is therefore indisputable that I did not know him well. What I know with utmost confidence is that in those minutes, he has inspired me to be good to people. He is inspirationally good, inspirationally compassionate. I shall remember him, and whenever I do, I shall be reminded to be more like him.
I went for a surf afterwards. I caught some excellent rides... and then became entangled in a long loose thread from my wetsuit. I could not explain how it happened. I do not understand how it happened.
Half the town was there-- many hundreds of people, standing room only. John was and is well loved. If I added up all the minutes we were in the same room together, it would not amount to three hours. It is therefore indisputable that I did not know him well. What I know with utmost confidence is that in those minutes, he has inspired me to be good to people. He is inspirationally good, inspirationally compassionate. I shall remember him, and whenever I do, I shall be reminded to be more like him.
I went for a surf afterwards. I caught some excellent rides... and then became entangled in a long loose thread from my wetsuit. I could not explain how it happened. I do not understand how it happened.
Friday, January 8, 2010
Satori!
So what's going on? It makes no sense. What does it all mean?
-Whatever a moon has always meant. Whatever a sun will always sing.
-Whatever a moon has always meant. Whatever a sun will always sing.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
What? 2010? Isn't that when the Olympics are on?
I got back into town yesterday (for the second time since mid December) and am, again, very happy to be back. People have been saying "Happy New Year" to me... and I've mostly responded with "Oh! Right! I'd completely forgotten!"...
This "Christmas Holiday" has been a wild-ish ride... with a lot of driving... and an unusual detour.
Spending 10 days in Edmonton in the middle of winter is ill-advised for anyone... and spending 10 days in a household with children is extremely ill-advised for someone who just isn't that into kids. Among other ill-advised activities, going to the West Edmonton Mall on boxing day is a really, really bad idea.
As my plane flew over the Georgia Straight, I became very thankful that I live on the island... where it's just not that cold... and where my nose isn't bleeding all the bloody time.
I planned to maybe go skiing before heading back to Tofino... I had a couple of days free between arriving in Comox on Sunday and having lunch with Sharon at the Wick on Tuesday... I had even packed all my ski gear in my car...
Alas, it was not to be... I ended up getting an invitation to dinner at T's parents' place (I had never met them)... and left their house two days later. Those two days undid all the damage that Edmonton inflicted (which were by no means trivial... I was a bit of a basket case when I got to YQQ)... and it ended up being my real Christmas. They didn't get around to having their turkey dinner until the 27th... and so it was that I was able to join them for what felt like Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. They were so incredibly and improbably wonderful that for a while after I left I wasn't sure if it actually happened... but I decided that I couldn't have made something like that up... or... more importantly, given my declaration on the Third of October, would not have made something like that up. Besides which, there is hard physical evidence in the form of two fluffy knitted dishcloths that I am now very glad I accepted, for the reason that they serve as evidence.
Beside that they are exceptionally likeable people... I now suspect that a large part of my having enjoyed their company so very much had something to do with the fact that, finally, I met people who held T in higher esteem than I did! All my friends who know him have, over the last 12 years, developed a bit of disdain for him... much in the same way as a crack addict's friends would develop a contempt for crack (and I do feel a little bit bad about comparing T to crack, but you have probably already observed enough to see its aptness, and for that, I apologize (I promise, though, that I really am fine now)). Those friends who do not know him of course could not think very well of him, given that all they know is that he turns me into a fool, and not the good kind, either. And so how refreshing it was to meet two people who think the world of him... love him more than I do, and understand him better... that was the real relief.
Now, I'm back in Tofino... I'm surfing... and I'm okay. And nothing is going to fall apart any time soon. I hadn't surfed since the 14th of December... I was exhausted by the time I got past the break today. I missed a whole lot of waves (too far out, as usual)... but when I caught my first one of the day, of the year, and of the decade, it was a super awesome ride... a peeling left that went on forever... I went by a bunch of people... all of whom were watching this awesome ride... and... ULTE1's friend was there to see the whole thing. He also saw my second ride, which was almost as awesome as my first, but a right. I don't need the gaze to validate my reality... but it's sure a good feeling to be seen catching a good ride. There was a lot of waiting... but I got five waves and left. I found out later on that ULTE1 was there when I was... but he said he got nothing. I guess it was my welcome home gift. Happy New Year.
This "Christmas Holiday" has been a wild-ish ride... with a lot of driving... and an unusual detour.
Spending 10 days in Edmonton in the middle of winter is ill-advised for anyone... and spending 10 days in a household with children is extremely ill-advised for someone who just isn't that into kids. Among other ill-advised activities, going to the West Edmonton Mall on boxing day is a really, really bad idea.
As my plane flew over the Georgia Straight, I became very thankful that I live on the island... where it's just not that cold... and where my nose isn't bleeding all the bloody time.
I planned to maybe go skiing before heading back to Tofino... I had a couple of days free between arriving in Comox on Sunday and having lunch with Sharon at the Wick on Tuesday... I had even packed all my ski gear in my car...
Alas, it was not to be... I ended up getting an invitation to dinner at T's parents' place (I had never met them)... and left their house two days later. Those two days undid all the damage that Edmonton inflicted (which were by no means trivial... I was a bit of a basket case when I got to YQQ)... and it ended up being my real Christmas. They didn't get around to having their turkey dinner until the 27th... and so it was that I was able to join them for what felt like Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. They were so incredibly and improbably wonderful that for a while after I left I wasn't sure if it actually happened... but I decided that I couldn't have made something like that up... or... more importantly, given my declaration on the Third of October, would not have made something like that up. Besides which, there is hard physical evidence in the form of two fluffy knitted dishcloths that I am now very glad I accepted, for the reason that they serve as evidence.
Beside that they are exceptionally likeable people... I now suspect that a large part of my having enjoyed their company so very much had something to do with the fact that, finally, I met people who held T in higher esteem than I did! All my friends who know him have, over the last 12 years, developed a bit of disdain for him... much in the same way as a crack addict's friends would develop a contempt for crack (and I do feel a little bit bad about comparing T to crack, but you have probably already observed enough to see its aptness, and for that, I apologize (I promise, though, that I really am fine now)). Those friends who do not know him of course could not think very well of him, given that all they know is that he turns me into a fool, and not the good kind, either. And so how refreshing it was to meet two people who think the world of him... love him more than I do, and understand him better... that was the real relief.
Now, I'm back in Tofino... I'm surfing... and I'm okay. And nothing is going to fall apart any time soon. I hadn't surfed since the 14th of December... I was exhausted by the time I got past the break today. I missed a whole lot of waves (too far out, as usual)... but when I caught my first one of the day, of the year, and of the decade, it was a super awesome ride... a peeling left that went on forever... I went by a bunch of people... all of whom were watching this awesome ride... and... ULTE1's friend was there to see the whole thing. He also saw my second ride, which was almost as awesome as my first, but a right. I don't need the gaze to validate my reality... but it's sure a good feeling to be seen catching a good ride. There was a lot of waiting... but I got five waves and left. I found out later on that ULTE1 was there when I was... but he said he got nothing. I guess it was my welcome home gift. Happy New Year.
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