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I’ve been trying to take as much lingering summer sun in as possible outside riding my bike or taking photos in the river valley with my newly acquired Olympus OM-10, a film camera for analog enthusiasts who are new to taking photos with real cameras. In the meantime and in between time, work is going alright. I’m slowly watching my cohort of ed. students score teaching jobs around the world and am at constant negotiation with myself regarding which direction I’d like to head in next. I want to teach, but I do not want to leave my city yet. Especially after 8 months of living on various couches, cots, guest beds, car seats and sleeping bags under mosquito nets. I’m sure all I need is a dose of prairie winter to get some clarity.
Don’t get me wrong though, even though I do not have that coveted teaching job yet, there are a lot of things I’m involved in or looking forward to. I’ve started the process that is applying for my Masters which would begin in the winter. Getting a hold of influential profs for reference letters and narrowing down what I want to study. I have also applied for a couple of government jobs. However, my job with the Y is going well and paying off huge when it comes to dividends in happiness. In fact, the last time I hung out with young N., we began filming a stop motion-animation project involving 2 lego robots. To reiterate, I am living the 10 year old boy’s dream by getting paid to play with legos.
Lastly, it appears that after 2 decades of banality, Garfield comics have been made funny again by simply removing the cat, exposing us to another side of Jon Arbuckle. Check it out here.
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A fantastic documentry about sharks is out that I highly suggest you watch if you fancy yourself concerned with the global environment. It’s called Sharkwater and it’s not only about shark ecology but, through his work with the Sea Shepherds, the filmmaker sheds light on longlining and the brutal blackmarket sharkfin trade which have reduced shark populations 90%. Can’t find it at the video store? I found it online, look for the 88 minute link. This is a must see.
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Much love to an orange companion and little brother for 18 years.
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A friend recommended me a Facebook group called Anti-Harper Vote Swap Canada that essentially pairs you up with someone else who isn’t voting tory this election, but lives in a riding where the vote is split enough to give the PC’s a chance to take advantage. Check it out:
“Let’s pretend I’m an NDP supporter in the riding of Winnipeg South. Seeing as the Tories only managed to beat the Liberals by less than 150 votes in the 2006 election, the Liberals almost surely have the best chance of winning. I send Mat (the admin) the following message:
A. My riding is Winnipeg South
B. I support the NDP
C. I’m willing to vote Liberal to keep Harper out
We will then match you up with another member of the group (in this case, a Liberal in a strong NDP riding who is willing to swap). We will send you both a message and you decide if you’d like to swap votes.
The group runs on an honour system. If you promise to vote for a particular party, please do so.
Our three primary goals:
1) Allow third parties to flourish and maintain a multi-party system
2) Help stop a Harper Majority! We would all lose if he succeeds.
3) Raise awareness about the need for electoral reform – people should not have to go to such lengths to ensure that their vote is not ‘wasted.’
It’s gross, Canada is in need of proportional representation in order for our votes to really count, but in the meantime maybe these kinds of initiatives will stop Stephen Harper from rebranding Canada. Ugh, did anyone else notice the gc.ca’s opening page changed from a fairly neutral one to read “the True North Strong and Free” after the last election? Honestly, is that party comprised of the same 5 year olds who are amused by those decals featuring Calvin peeing on Ford logos?
Of course then there’s Stephane Dion who, while I’m sure his heart is in the right place, should stop trying to identify with the “average Canadian” and just stick to his guns.
Electionitis aside, last night (while working at the pub) I ran into one of my students from last winter. She was one of the brightest in that class, I think her average was in the high 80’s when I left and she worked hard for it. Anyways, turns out she graduated, enrolled in the B.Sc. program here in the city and is planning on doing some volunteer work in Kenya next summer.
Flattering accolades aside, I was glowing as a result of what she told me she was up to. You know, whatever. Politics are a gong show. The media should, for the most part, be ignored. What matters is your community and making sure the youth are pointed in the right direction. In the long run, it’s not Obama or Layton or whoever are going to make the world a better place. It’s up to us. I think these figures can influence some people to do better, but that’s about it. No bill passed can make a good global citizen, but apparently a clueless, flower-sniffing punk of a student teacher can help.
Lastly, tomorrow I start working with N. He’s 13 and rocks every behavioral issue in the books including oppositional defiance disorder, A.D.H.D., Obsessive compulsiveness and Tourette’s. I have no idea what I’m going to do with him, but I’m bringing my skateboard, some tunes and a pack of gum.
Also, I’ve decided that I’d like to Bike through western Canada next summer. If anyone has any tips on how to start preparing, please post a comment. I know not where I should begin, but I like going to bike shops saying “yeah I’m looking for a new bike. Yup, gonna go on a big bike trip next summer”. Then I take a fancy new bike for a spin around the block without any idea what I’m really looking for, while convinced I must look pretty cool anyways.
Similarities in dealing with 10 year old boys and drunk Dude Bros.
(Dude Bro is an American colloquialism, in Western Canada synonyms include Bro or Kokanee Brah as in “Pass me another Kokanee, brah!”)
1. Say a bro does not respond to your request for him to leave a certain area, a patio for example, apply to him the broken record technique. I picked this one up in a 3rd year Education class. Simply repeat your request over and over again without giving the bro a chance to argue. When used properly, the exchange should go as follows:
You – “Alright, the patio is closing, you’ve got to leave”.
Bro – “Ok, just let me finish this beer/Kokanee”.
You – “Sorry guy, the patio is closing. You’ve got to leave”.
Bro – “Aw common man, just five more minutes?”
You – “Dude. The patio is closing. You’ve got to leave”.
If implemented correctly, the Broken Record technique helps deal with persistent bros, as well as children who need to either move or are being argumentative.
2. Anytime a bro has a Jagerbomb (a shot of Jagermeister dropped into a glass of Red Bull), the potential for aggressiveness is elevated. After 6 or 7 Jagerbombs, a bro may seek out action in the form of a physical conflict with either an unassuming patron/citizen or another bro. If the jacked up bro finds another jacked up bro, have no fear. They will sort things out themselves (fistycuffs), which results in them leaving to go find more Jagerbombs. However, if you happen to win the intentional shoulder lottery at a pub, or find yourself on the receiving end of accusations from an agressive bro, just employ something I like to call Feeding the Ego. This failsafe method will assure your safety and, if implemented properly, might actually see the bro off in a good mood and less likely to look for another confrontation. Here’s an excerpt from a back and fourth I had with a bro from St. Louis who was waiting for a friend of mine outside a venue after a show. To set it up, the bro spent half the set hip-checking my friend until he was told to knock it off.
Bro – “So is your buddy going to make something of himself, now that we’re outside of (venue X)?”
Me – “What do you mean?”
Bro – “He had a problem with the way I dance, and I’ve got a problem with that”
(note: this phrase is commonly used when a bro is looking for a conflict and should be recognized as the point in which FTE can best be employed)
Me – “Alright look, you’re a big guy. My friend, he’s very small. It’s pretty obvious that you could take him if you wanted to (implying strength). I know it, you know it (intelligence). Besides, did you come here to fight? Or to check out some rad bands (music sensibilities) and babes (charm/looks)?”
Bro – “Yeah, you’re right. I’m gonna go find some chicks!”
I use this tactic when trying to resolve fights between boys in grades 4-8 and I’ve always had positive results.
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Portland Trip (aka True Bromance 2008) Redux
Saw Seaweed play a reunion show. Krist Noveselic play with Flipper. The Night Marchers and These Arms Are Snakes were totally rockin’. Picked up a couple of tour edition 7″’s. Hot Water Music totally killed it. They played a set that was full of classics. Ate a bunch of wicked food. If you are vegan and ever find yourself in Portland, check out the breakfast Buffet at Veganopolis and this little shack called Potato Champion for Poutine. Also, the Paradox, a wicked greasy spoon with the best french toast I’ve ever bitten into.
So now, here I am. Back home. No future trips planned, no adventures pending. I just got off the phone with the school board and the teacher certification ministry. Holy bureaucracy. Simply put, there’s nothing can do to speed up the process of landing the subbing gig but wait for them to call me for a screening interview which could be a month or two or three. So I’m caught between continuing to work several part time jobs, or taking one full time which I will have to quit should I get the call. A friend of mine offered me a job as a bike courier, which would be totally sweet. But the company is small and I don’t want to ditch out two months into it. I can’t take working at the bar. It’s lame and I’ve decided to resign. I’m going into the Y today to solidify my schedule with them and the Veg restraunt is going to give me some more hours. So I’ll be alright for cash and won’t be contributing to the greater ungood. Happiness.
In other news, my cats are glad to have me back. Even though I’ve been out and about for the last while, they still maintain that I wake up at 5am for feedings. The Dark Lord takes care of this with a paw on any exposed skin or a cold, wet nose to the eyelid. It’s nice to be home though. Really, really great.
To cleanse myself of my time spent working at the bar (and the 5lbs that I’ve gained as a result), I’m going to kick this school year off by avoiding all forms of alcohol and caffine, eating better and trying to start running again. Time to charge up the old eyepod and break out the NB’s.
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I’ll talk about my trip after I’ve had some sleep, until then here are a couple of pics I took while we were down there.
I’m sure it’s been 10 years since I’ve had Eggs Benny. The Paradox in Portland is the first time I’ve ever seen a vegan version.
One of my favorite places in Seattle is Mighty-O Donuts. A step up from my donuts, we made short work of this box in the car.
Self-explanatory.
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When I was 3 or 4, Pops took me to my first show. It was Stevie Wonder and though I can’t remember much from the event, I’m not unsure of the impact it had on me. That being said, there are two things that I love doing in this world. The first is experiencing sound vibrations in small gatherings and the resulting catharsis, the second is eating great food. So after feeding beer to a thirsty crowd at the recent Lagwagon show, I decided that my tips would be best used to go see Hot Water Music in Portland this weekend with a couple of friends, as well as find me some tasty vegan donuts (of which the Pacific Northwest has ample supplies). See y’all next week.
