even I'd be pulling the goalie

I fear that politics in Canada is trending the same way as hockey--we try our hardest, take it right to game six and tie it up in the third period--and at the very last moment the other side gets a few lucky strokes and it goes the way it always does. Not that the other side is evil, or underhanded, or even inferior; I may not believe in their cause, but enough other people do for it to be more than valid, and such is living within the rule of the people.

Something in me is hoping for change. Maybe it's "Obama-envy": I wish that Canada had a fearless and suave leader whose visions and tact were something new and exciting, something worth calling a "phenomenon." Or at least BC. Vancouver is fortunate enough to have Gregor Robertson, but municipalities have such limited control in the grand scheme of things that, unfortunately, Robertson seems more of a token towards becoming a green and sustainable province than anything else.

I voted NDP today, mostly because it's in my home riding of Columbia River - Revelstoke, and Norm Macdonald, the incumbent, has done an amazing job representing our part of the province. He's an honest and genuine man, and he's looking out for people like me and my family and friends. Unfortunately, his opposition Mark McKee is also an incredibly upstanding citizen, so it's a tough choice. But I'm voting NDP, and not just because I'm a card-carrying member.

Someone on Facebook recently posted a somewhat crass, though poignant saying: "Politicians are like diapers, they need changing, and for the same reasons." As I said--crass. But politicians do need changing, so they don't become entrenched and corrupt. We saw what happened to the NDP government the last time the Liberals in BC were elected; I fear what could happen if the BC Liberals remain in power for another four years. That will equate 12 years of BC Liberal governance, which perpetuates their problems for another four years. BC still has the highest rate of child proverty (a quarter of all children are in poverty in BC), has yet to take a tough stand against climate change, and the problems in the downtown East side of Vancouver are still rampant. There are no quick fixes, but if the BC Liberals cannot effect true and dramatic change in eight years, to me that does not equate a convincing argument for re-election. There's a reason why the United States has a maximum two-term allotment for its Presidents, folks.

Today could be one for the history books if the BC-STV system passes the 60% supermajority in the referrendum. We could be the first state in all of North America to use a proportional representation system. Last time when the BC-STV system faced a referrendum, it achieved 57.3% majority, yet it needed this 60% supermajority to pass. As it should--an entire voting system should not be altered based on a bare 50+1% majority, yet the fate of Quebec as a province of Canada was decided this way--and no governing politician or political party in North America, I'm quite sure, has ever been elected on 57% of popular vote. But again--game six, the last few minutes of the game, is it possible to score those last three goals? Physically, yes... but the Canucks have yet to get that break, and I fear that our province might meet the same, oh-so-close, fate.

Well, here's hoping.

the coyotes begin to howl

Goodness but it's been a while since I've written in here. Nearly 8 months, by my count! Truly unacceptable. I hope to use this blog a bit more in the upcoming months, as I find myself embroiled in the Semester in Dialogue at SFU--it's only been a week, but I can tell it's going to be a challenging, engaging, and incredibly rewarding semester. Part of our assignments is journalling, and I figure that blogging will count quite well towards that.

But in the meantime, here are a few photos to describe what's gone on since my last update--as in, what's happened since the beginning of summer '08.

1. A Fantastic Job

I worked for four months at the Heights Merchants Assocation (www.burnabyheights.com) in Burnaby, BC. Not only did I get to use my degree and realize that hey, I can do a 9-5 position, enjoy it and be successful, but I got to know a few new cool cats and a new neighbourhood (that was always at my doorstep) a lot better.

From Hats Off Day '08 & HMA Shenanigans

2. A Beautiful Summer on the Hill

SFU is always so bleak and grim from September to April. (With a few respites that still makes it worth living here, however.) The summer, though, is something totally different. I was living in Townhouses again, and was with Laura and Tulga--and a whole crew of fellow rezzies who all seemed to be outgoing and interesting. We had a lovely time enjoying summer...

From The Summer of 2008!

3. The Arrival of Luke

At long last, that Aussie of mine made his way from Sydney to Europe to Vancouver. It was about damn time--he arrived on July 26, just in time for us to head to Revelstoke for the long weekend and to enjoy a mild August in Vancouver.

From The Summer of 2008!

4. Scrapbooking

It's a time for me to be introspective and creative. It's arts and crafts with a glass of wine and a good movie. What's there not to like? I've done a LOT of scrapbooking recently; my Australia collection is now complete (within a year of coming home, too!), and I'm hard at work on other projects as well.

From The Summer of 2008!

5. Another New Job and Fun Projects

I became a CA (Community Advisor) this year in Townhouses, and while it's been challenging at some points, I've gotten to bond with a group of ten really great people. Plus, our team retreat up to Whistler was a lot of fun.

From "C" to the "A" Adventures!

6. Friends

From Kate coming home from Newfoundland to Ola coming back from Australia to Alaina and Ashton from France, spending time dreaming and writing with Deanne, to long walks with Yngve and bus conversations with James, these people keep me grounded and in good humour. It's a blessing, truly.


7. And let's not forget family!

This is pretty self-explanatory. Mum and dad are always there for me, and while their "coaching" can sometimes get on my nerves--I know they're just trying to pass on their knowledge.


Ah, the more I think about it, the more things I find to write about here--but I shall leave it at seven points, and give an honourable mention to poetry classes, relaxing time, meeting new people, trips to nearby cities, and reuniting with my camp memories. It's time for me to be asleep, too... the coyotes are beginning to howl (I wonder how they're dealing with the good two feet of snow we have right now?), so it truly is time to drift off. Bonsoir...

meanders in montreal

I'm back from another cross-Canada trip, and actually managed to go from coast to coast in one day--though I do feel like I cheated a little bit since I didn't actually go from Victoria to St. John's, which would have been a bit more "coast to coast" than Vancouver to St. John's. Oh well.

I just got all my pictures up onto Picasa Web; as always, they can be found in all their glory right here. The "Eastern Tour Lite" is on Facebook with only 120 pictures between two albums for both Newfoundland and Montreal--a more extensive set is on Picasa Web.

I was also fiddling with placing some pictures on the Google maps in Picasa Web--also a nifty feature, though I really don't think enough people use Picasa Web yet for anyone to realize what's really going on. For some reason I'm now getting visions of Google buying Facebook and integrating all of these technologies together--it's a little mind-boggling.

I'll put up a few of the best pictures in here with proper captions soon--in the meantime, enjoy this little slideshow!

stuck in the middle with you

Well, I've got one more paper to finish, and then I'm done for the semester! I can't believe it's gone by this quickly. As a brain break though, here are some random photos from recent days...

the filming of "The Day the Earth Stood Still"


we were a training academy?





so, I guess campus does look a little like a space ship








bahaha...


easter at the family's!








our platter of meat at Memphis Blues for Kate's birthday... yuuuum...


also, some crazy sushi a few weeks later; quail egg on tobiko


surprisingly yummy!


at the Railway singalong








"sweet caroline... ba-ba-baaa!"

march endeavours

free food brings them queueing!


Tracy came to visit!


waiting for the bus... it's what we do!




at the executives debate -- JJ, Wisam, Natalie, and Maegan

a walk in the park

Life's just trucking along up on the mountain... school's keeping me busy, as is job hunting and keeping up with friends. (And scrapbooking. But ssh, you didn't hear that from me.)

Making plans can be a difficult process sometimes. As I mentioned to Deanne last night, we're not suffering from a lack of opportunity--but simply too many choices, too many options, too many great things headed our way. The list of "could do" seems to be endless, all of it suspiciously possible, just depending on how much you want to pay, and on how you want your life to look. In grade 10, I remember my English teacher saying how he had to take time in his life to very specifically contemplate what he wanted to do, and that it was worth every moment. I've got to agree. Some things, you just know--like that I wanted to come to SFU, or go to Australia. You can't really remember deciding, but you did and it's a decision that doesn't need questioning. Other things, though--jobs, trips, plans, commitments--require a little more consideration.

Well, I guess the best thing to do is to keep all doors and windows open, breathe a little fresh air, and take things one step at a time. It's all one realistically can do, after all!

harbour centre


Ali, moi, Melissa, & Kate before heading out to Plush... yay free cover!




sunset from Burnaby Mountain Park




life's a beach... life's a mountain... just when I decide on one, something changes my mind...






eh heh heh heh...


good times at the Foggy Dew!

sheesh...

1. Thank goodness for sunshine.

2. Boo on Shakespeare. While it's "easy" to churn out 1500 words on love in Twelfth Night, it's somehow depressing to know that you ain't saying a thing that hasn't already been said, and that it's virtually impossible to get something new from the play. The man's a literary genius, I won't deny it, but I just don't see the point in writing something that anyone else could have. Besides that... yaaawn.

3. I had to give SFSS positions another thought upon hearing that they pay about $1500 a month. That's not bad money, to be opinionated. And then I read another Peak article about leaked CFS documents where--gasp!--they're planning on doing a pro-CFS campaign during the referendum. Oh. My. God. Stop the presses. You mean they want to keep one of their main constituencies and are willing to put up some posters and make some phone calls to do so? Criminal, I say! I guess from here on in, all lobbyists, publicists, and politicians should be shot. That's what they're doing, isn't it? ("They hire their favourites," says past SFU anti-CFS rep Titus Gregory, who is now working for the anti-CFS student society at Kwantlen. "Pro-CFS councils are hiring pro-CFS people." I paraphrase, but you get the point. Geez.)

4. With the onset of student elections, and with friends in the thick of both sides, all I really want to do is to tell people to calm down, stop bitching, and to actually think about what would be good for the university and daily student life. "Student politicians" shouldn't exist. "Student representatives" should. If you want to be in politics, fine, be in politics, but keep it out of the university. Witch hunts and name calling get so, so, so, so tiring and redundant after a while.

5. I wonder what happened to make me go from activist to an irritated bystander...