Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Make it passionate, and impossible to touch


Yesterday my dog rolled in human feces, I kid you not. He went happily tearing off into the woods and came back with it liberally smeared over his ears, neck, feet, back, and embedded into his collar. Whoever produced the criminal dump took the time to wipe with toilet paper, but not to bury their poo. While squatting in the brush, I wonder if they could have envisioned two strangers knee-deep in a creek soaping their excrement off of a miserable, shivering dog.

Last night I went to a rap concert and got irresponsibly intoxicated, particularly for a Tuesday. Spent this morning's 9:30 class gazing around in a vague manner and trying not to spew all over the petite Hawaiian girl seated beside me. That being said, the concert was wonderful, really excellent. The crowd ranged from a 50-ish conservative looking woman seated by the bar with a bottle of Stella, to a lone fellow in the corner, hood pulled up, head lowered, performing a series of complex footsteps even when the music stopped. Douchebags and miniskirts were at a minimum, everyone seemed stoked and most people were dancing.

By the by, this is a photograph of a badass rock. If my face looks puffy and swollen, it's due to the fact that I had previously burst into tears at the sight of the cliffs we were told to scramble over.

Word on the street is that we will soon be acquiring stickbugs. Stay tuned.


Sunday, October 20, 2013

Heavy Mitted Love

Tonight Danielle and I went to pick up a couch from an apartment close to ours, and we thought we were going to carry it home ourselves. Put it turned out to be insanely heavy and I somehow cut myself and was bleeding everywhere and we had to keep stopping to adjust and finally the two young guys that we got it from, who were apparently watching from the balcony,came down and carried it home for us. It was the best thing.

Yeah, we've got good food box here too. We used to get them at the Chambers house and split them between us because there was always a ridiculous amount of food in there, and there is only so much cabbage one person can eat. It's a pretty genius idea, same with food forests.

And I went to a lecture during the summer at the university because there was a giant international conference on (this is when all the geniuses were staying at Marketa's and I helped a guy from Norway with strep throat get medicine, and he called me a hero). Anyway the lecture was about human rights and organic farming, and how only a certain "type" of person generally has access to this kind of food, and also how we are always advocating for the rights of farmers and the right to eat good, non processed food, but we rarely think about the working conditions of people working on farms. In California relatively recently they turned down a bill that would make the use of short hand hoes illegal. Imagine the back pain after hoeing weeds in a half-crouching position all day. But long hoes are too expensive apparently, so the farmers association kyboshed it.
Ok I just found it in my agenda: "June 3- Dr. Patricia Allen on Food Security and Social Justice' and then underneath I wrote "problematize community as exclusive." Because I guess as long as there is a community there are those that exist outside of the community, for example people who cannot afford the food that they deserve as human beings to eat. Here is a link: http://www.marylhurst.edu/academics/schools-colleges-departments/school-graduate-studies/food-systems-society/faculty/patricia-allen.html

On a separate note, Tyson recently killed and cleaned up an imposter rooster amongst his parents chickens and we are supposedly going to eat it sometime. His name was Richard. 


Saturday, October 19, 2013

Something Something Something

My life has been completely uneventful the last couple weeks. Seriously, nothing new to report other than me being sick multiple times (hey sarah, u getting betterz? wow, gotta get u sik again)-says the common going around whore cold. 

Life has been totally uneventful, that I've resulted to taking free classes online to pass my nightly time/ to see if I want to seriously take ahold university(which I think will happen regardless one day). One is Ancient Architecture, another is Behavioral Economics, Haut Cuisine/Soft Science (which is shredding my brain) and lastly, the newest one I just joined up for kicks, is some introduction to computing programming while learning to use python. 

We're also moving back to our old house on wright rd. My next door neighbor today decided he was going to help unpack, so we spent 20 minutes putting away dishes in the china cabinet. Hes three and named Sy.

I'm just tired now, my foot is asleep. I'm listening to Solomon Burke and wishing I owned a warmer room. And Socks. ps, add to the list that I want to learn to knit socks.

pss, add to the list that one day I want to copy a non-profit that supplements the cost of farmer market/local food for low income people. There is a non-profit in somewhere, USA that does just that with the poorer populations and they just raise money, that I think gets added to a "bank" of sorts to cut the cost of produce. I want to learn more of how they exactly do it, and what sort of problems they hurdled over to create something like this. It would also be neat to team up with this place in Nanaimo that I can't think of right now... that does similar things (good food box program) where you pay 10 dollars every week for a box of veggies that would be cheaper than buying them normally (they buy in bulk and divide the fixings to every buying). Awesome hey?




Sunday, October 13, 2013

washed the dirt off our intentions, prattled on about bad inventions

Ran my first race today. Was beaten by a bunch of small children and was given a underarm rash by the free technical t-shirt that they everyone but hey. I happen to have band aids enough to keep the chaffing down. My family recommended that I grow my pit hair out for next year. Then my dad quoted Game of Thrones at me. I just found this picture on the internet and I kind of miss this time. But also not at all. Plus I had a weird dream about my prom date last night. I think there were whales involved.

Saturday, October 12, 2013

Cutcomb honey in my tea? Yes, please.

It's hard to believe how emotional a ruined piece of graffiti can make you. I've really been enjoying following Banksy's tour of New York, but the idea of people being so petty as to alter, destroy, or cover up his work is stunning and sad. Perhaps they're like totem poles, in a way, and are not intended to be a permanent fixture. However, it's not as bad as one company back in the UK who removed two pieces and sold them at auction for upwards of $300,000, claiming that the citizens of the town "didn't properly appreciate the artwork."

I'm supposed to be writing a midterm today, but right now I'm quite obviously procrastinating. Read a Chinese manuscript the other day written around 200AD that claims if you're a good and honest person for a period of three years, fortune will return to you. It made me nervous, for some reason.

The boyfriend is listening to loud, pounding music in the living room, but it's acceptable as he's also cleaning the toilet. Our dog ran through a gate yesterday when we were out and cut up his face. He also knocked over some chairs, dug holes in the lawn, and tore up his sheepskin rug. He's like a destructive, not terribly bright three year old throwing a tantrum, albeit one with a propensity for licking your face and 500x as much hair.

Emma, we will be at the start of the 8km tomorrow, although neither of us will be running in it. If you win, I'll buy you some champagne.  






Monday, September 30, 2013

when we're dead or when we're dreaming

Amazing rain today. Honestly couldn't tell if it was falling up or down for most of the afternoon. And in the office we could hear it approaching- the rush of sudden pressure- and all three of us would pop our heads over the tops of the cubicles to watch it hit the pavement of the parking lot outside. We eventually had to stick an empty recycling bin under the consistent tap of a few drips coming in through the roof. And Jan drove me to the bus stop, which I am taking to mean that I have an in with those guys, like we bonded over how giddy the weather was making us.
My knee has been aching to the point that if I turn it in certain directions it feels like something inside is tearing. Doesn't help that I fell while cruising up the uneven pavement in Cook St Village the other night. A couple carrying a giant canvas looked genuinely concerned. Of course I fall down in front of the most caring citizens. And of course when I am exercising I turn into this aggressive machine of maniacal grins. As soon as I am down and bleeding I am back up, smearing the blood off with my fingers. Pain doesn't hit until I am in the bath later, trying to get the tiny rocks out of my skin.

Danielle has posted an ad on craigslist to try and find me a room mate for when she is in Mexico. We've had one response from a 26 year old carpenter named Angus. I am mildly anxious about living with a stranger, let alone a male stranger. I do not handle November well. November is when it hurts the most to get out of bed. And in November I graduate.

I've had a burning headache all day, possibly induced by the amount of wine consumed yesterday when Marketa showed up with her dog and a bottle of sake. Something about that dog. I know that he is not cute but when he is happy to see you its enough to make your heart explode. When he was a puppy some of M's friends dressed him up and took a million pictures of him, so that now when anyone aims any kind of electronic device at him he becomes frenzied and starts running around the house, trying to get away. The thing about fluffy dogs like that is that you assume that when they are running around with their tails in the air they are in great moods. Mr. T is constantly being chased from one end of the B+B to the other by excited guests.

Thursday, September 19, 2013

Jesus Has Left Chicago

Just ran 10.54 km. I was trying for 12 but I just can't seem to find the extra two k's, no matter what loop I try.
Interesting things that happened on this run:
1) Was negotiating a couple that was occupying the entire width of the path with their hand holding, when they suddenly stopped walking and locked lips. This was not a young couple. I eventually whipped around them, sheepish as a pregnant nun, trying to make as little noise as possible.
2) Apparently that set the theme for the rest of the run. As I was coming up Cook and passing Rosie's Diner this tall, buff guy whips around with his fist raised. At this point I'm still a couple of feet behind him, and planning to just scoot by but I think he honestly thought I was going to leap onto his back. So he says "you shouldn't creep up on people like that." As if I need a carnival megaphone to announce my approach of Our City's Honest Citizens.
3) And then crossing Quadra at Fort I pass this terrible little dog that lunged forward and started yapping its ugly little jaw to the floor.

And I spend most days at work tearing my hair out over the fact that some people in this world legitimately believe it is ok to put their address down as gps coordinates on paperwork for a loan.

Thursday, September 12, 2013

humming chorus

Well first real day at work today. No auntie protectress stomping up and down the hall, swearing and yelling from her corner cubicle. No fun "my aged" people with the ability to laugh. Just Jan and Dan, who speak in gibberish and only to each other. Who want to talk about sandwich toppings for as many hours as shouldn't be legal.
Anyway, note for tomorrow is to come home directly from work in order to eat. And to drink 3x less coffee.

Saturday, August 17, 2013

I'm tired and I'm just sitting here drinking water.

I was woken up last night at 3:am last night with the man of my current love affairs telling me that he just fed/donated the money to feed baby seals through an online donation fund. I thought it was funny and cute, but a bit grumpy that my rem cycle was disrupted. life resumes and I woke up to only have to have a rush to my day. 

We played marimba like any other day. The day presented us was groggy, and you noticed the grey skies, and instantly thought to yourself to put a sweater on, but the moment you move ten steps outside, you're sweating and you are regretting putting on another layer. Plus where we played at the Errington Farmer's Market, the sound of our music was just off. I feel like it might have gotten better as the day followed, but that might have been me not caring anymore and just wanting to find somewhere to lay down. Didn't happen. I didn't lay down until I came home. 

I also went to thrifty's today to buy ingredients for "ENERGY BALLS!". I'm excited for the prospects of that. I'm trying out being vegetarian, or trying to find some middle where I feel good about what I'm eating and realizing the choices that I make with eating could be just weirdly make my soul and heart feel a bit more at ease. I'm still eating fish though. I don't know why. For instance, today I had a sesame crusted local lingcod. It was delicious. 

Plus being this new take on what I'm eating, I'm experimenting with what I'm eating and it's kindof fun. 

tallyhojoe.







Saturday, August 10, 2013

I smell like carbon monoxide and burning tires.

Hey,

Becoming increasingly irritated by the negligence of people around me. This is the second day in a row that I have come home after a long day, and looked in the mirror to see my teeth full of crap.
Honestly. Today I spent about half an hour stuck behind some stores on Johnson street as a van caught flames and eventually exploded out front. I bonded with the other customers back there, we talked about the weather, about school, about the architecture around us, about how my bike was probably a pool of melted metal on the sidewalk by then, but not once in the smiles exchanged did anyone happen to mention that I had spinach interwoven in every single one of my teeth.
Thursday night I went out for what the Brits call a "hen night" (my cousin's getting married today). So we went to about 5 different places, got kicked out of one, which I've never experienced before. And before I walked home two of my cousin's cornered me and chanted "WE LOVE YOU EMMA" into my face for about 5 minutes straight. So I get home to collapse into bed and realize that I've had the remains of a terrible granola bar stuck in my grin. And the last thing I ate was at least 5 hours earlier.
Can we just agree right now that there is no shame in telling someone that their grill needs a scrub?

And I want to be in Parksville before the ocean gets all weird and cold again, not sure if I will make the street dance, I am very proud of you little lady.

See you soon.