The first of many

I gifted myself with this lovely handpainted bookmark in order to christen my journey through 100 classic novels. I am sure I will use a great many bookmarks along the way, but this one will always be the first.

A Personal Goal

I am a person of lists. They give me a feeling of control in my life, of intentionality in my decisions. I make lists for my grocery shopping, my every day to-do's, my personal finances, wish lists, and most recently I have decided to make a LIST OF THINGS I WANT TO DO BEFORE I DIE. (The inspiration for this list came from MightyGirl, check it out).

I won't disclose the contents my list at the moment, but I will say that one of the items on that list is: Read 100 Classic Novels.

So naturally, I made a sub-category list of classic books that I want to read. So far there are 63 books on this list and I am needing assistance to fill in the remaining 37. I am very interested to hear what your favourite classic novels are, and I'd love to add them to my reading list. Please comment!

The Horror Part Two: The Disclaimer

The first thing you should know about Vampire-Field-School-of-Hell-2009 is that, well, parts of it were really fun. I know you guys are all looking for a good rant, and you'll certainly get one, however I consider it is only fair to say that there were moments, even hours, that remained miraculously unscathed by the administration's fastidious work at crumbling the foundations of my education. Usually these shining moments occurred when the teachers were either missing or their power was usurped by provincial park workers.

If you would like to read the original post click here.

One more disclaimer: If, by some incredible fluke of the internet, you happen to be a student of NWCC and are reading this, please bear in mind that I am writing an exaggerated rant on some of the lower points of the 2009 "Kitlope" Field School. I originally signed up for this program because every single person I spoke to who had been said that it was an absolutely incredible, life-altering, revelatory experience. Please don't let the rantings of a morbidly over-opinionated blowhard change your mind, because you would undoubtedly miss out on the event of a lifetime. Even having experienced some of the lower moments of NWCC staff that often resulted in a lot of frustration, I have every intention of signing up next year for the Haida Gwaii field school and so should you.

Phew, now that that's over, let's talk some smack!

Just give one of these to Kim Jong-Il

My girlfriend Elizabeth grew up, and still lives, on a farm. When she first told me this I remember feeling kind of bad for her, like, that's too bad you never got to do x-y-z in the big city.

My feelings changed in that regard the first time I went to her farm and met her many nuzzleable and smoochable 'pets'.

Three weeks ago the family golden retriever Missy gave birth to 10 puppies. Yep, count em, 10. So of course when she invited me and a few friends to come over and, ahem, inspect their pedigree, I jumped at the chance.

I may have screamed 'PUPPIIIIIIIIIEEEEES!' and lept into her arms, I don't really remember.

Does not compute

Posting has been light lately for a number of reasons. Reason number one is that we have been having a tropical heat wave here in Northern British Columbia and, as much as I feel a duty to satisfy my readership of 4 people, posting from an air mattress on the Lake is not as easy as it looks.

Reason number two is that my laptop is on the fritz. It's broken. It really sucks. Right now I am posting from work, shhh. I have a bazillion pictures that I want to show you of the awesome summer we've been having, plus I am acutely aware that I have not finished telling the gruesome tale of the college's Hellscape-Neverending-Daymare Field School of Satan. Don't worry, it's brewing, and once I can access my pictures it will be unleashed upon the interwebs.

At the moment I am waiting for a new battery and power cord for my laptop to arrive in the mail. As neither of mine work, I am obviously unable to turn it on and everything that is on there is trapped in the limbo of computer-memory-storage-land and will not see light of day until my shit arrives. Not being able to access my documents and pictures, and my inability to sit with my laptop, feel its radiant warmth....let's just say I've developed an eye twitch and I've been spending way too much time with the toaster.

FAIL Blog

While I was surfing the interwebs this afternoon I came across a most exciting new development, one that has the potential to become a regular installment of my daily timewasting routine. You may have already experienced the ridiculously epic entertainment value that FAILblog has to offer. (Not to mention the incredibly valuable public service they provide). If you haven't, I suggest you click the link to your right and get yourself some educations.

What is this new development you speak of? It is none other than a new blog by the good people at FAIL entitled 'emails from crazy people'. Catchy right? Well, I just got my daily ab workout from reading the first few posts and I can tell you, it is worth getting busted by your boss for sluffing off on the web at work, so GET TO IT PEOPLE.

That is all.

I has a windoooooooww!

On the way home from New Aiyansh after a busy day of frolicking.

Summer Activities - Waterfall Edition

Saturday night Dave and I and a few friends decided to check out a waterfall near the Extew River. It was a hefty drive down an old logging road, but once we were there it was only a short (but steep!) hike to the falls.

We brought Zoe out on a hike for the first time, (we've always been wary that she'd disappear never to return), and she did marvelously, although she promptly fell asleep for the night once we got back to the vehicle!


Kieran - Always ready for a sudden bear attack.


Kieran - "Wait, you've never shot a rifle before?!"


This is the very bottom, where the waterfall lands.










photo courtesy of Heather Roberts


There was so much spray we might as well have gone swimming.







Photo courtesy of Heather Roberts


Photo courtesy of Heather Roberts


Somebuddy's tie-tie...
Photo courtesy of Heather Roberts

Summer Activities

Dave's first catch, a little trout! He was out fishing with friends for the evening and I was at home writing a paper when he called to say that he was going to cook dinner (at 10pm) and we were eating fresh trout. I would have to admit that it wasn't exactly a full meal, especially shared between us, but it made for a good evening nibble.

Canada Day Bliss

Aaaaah, Canada Day. The celebration of our world domination, safety from our Southern enemies, emancipation from our British overlords, peace and shared prosperity between the English, the French, and the Natives...well, maybe not exactly. But still, a fun party.

We went to the old-timey, fun-time, log-cabin-and-mounted-buffalo-head heritage park for some celebrations.