the great fuzzed amoeba

too much?

2007-07-26T13:57:00.000+01:00

I recently acquired 90gbs of music off a friend of mine, pushing my total music library to about 140gbs. iTunes tells me that I could listen to 88 days worth of music without ever hearing the same song twice. Imagine - almost 3 months of listening to music 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and never hearing the same song twice. It boggles the mind.

But the downside is, I'm overwhelmed by my own collection now. Before, I knew almost every song that I had: if someone asked me if I had a song, I could tell them by memory, or if someone asked what was playing, I could usually tell them. But now I have no idea what's in my library.

It's weird how that happens. People are so attached to their music, and how it constructs their identity so now that I've got so much music that I didn't go to the effort of individually picking out and purchasing/downloading, I don't feel much of an attachment to it. Listening to the library on shuffle, I can tell when one of my own songs comes on, and I feel calmer than when some random thing comes up. So yeah, I guess I'll just have to deal. And spend about a year getting to know all these new artists.

dichotomies...

2007-06-17T17:14:00.000+01:00

I've been doing a lot of reading lately about technology, sociology, and gender. This is really interesting stuff! Who would have thought - starting 7 years ago in a music degree in piano - that I would be so interested in the social aspects of technology...but it's very fascinating. It's mostly common sense when you think about it, but we take technology very much for granted. Especially when it comes to how it perscribes gender roles.

Admitedly, I'm sure everyone has questioned at some point why there are such distinctions between girl and boy toys (especially in youth), but it really is amazing the extent to which these differences socialize us into our stereotypical gender roles.

The dichotomies of men/woman, technology/organic, nature/city are played out endlessly in the field of technology: men use technology as a way to gain power over nature (or woman). They mark themselves as the object of power over technology, and subsequently, women accept the normalized role of the technophobic. Power relations being played out in such simple items as electric shavers.

But if technical competance is the domain of the male - where men can tinker - where does the iPod fit? There are no discernable parts that can be taken apart and re-assembled. Without risking sheer failure of the device, there is really no good way to see what goes on inside. In this sense, it would be a very feminine device. What are the implications for women and the acceptance/usage of technology, then? Is the iPod an easy/appropriate way for women to usher themselves into the realm?

Another note/dichotomy: cyborg/goddess. The feminist association with the goddess has traditionally been pitted against the vision of the cyborg. But why can't a woman be both?

starfish!

2007-05-24T11:54:00.000+01:00

So as not to bore you with more photos of another trip to the highlands, here's a collection of photos from the highlands. Okay, it's more like a random post of me as starfish all over the highlands.

another trip to the highlands...

2007-04-27T21:35:00.000+01:00

(I tried to post this earlier, but the site didn't want to upload my photos...so this will probably be a shorter version)

So this week we decided to rent a car for the night and do a little tour of the highlands! We had some amazing weather, and some great sights. I had more to say before, but now I can't remember!! ha ha...Anyway, enjoy the photos!

Glen Coe:

A crazy sign at the start of the trails in Glen Nevis. Only slightly alarming, but I guess they have to make sure they cover everything:

Glen Nevis:

Ben Nevis - the highest mountain in the UK:

Urquhart Castle on the Loch Ness. It's really pretty up in this area of the highlands. Basically, as I've mentioned before, it's really sad that all the trees in this country have been cut down and somewhat replaced with artificial forests. But the further north you go, the more natural the forests are, and you can get a better sense of what the country was like hundreds of years ago.

The Loch Ness. One of the most beautiful lakes I've seen in this country so far.

Fort George - a fort built by the British after they won the battle at Culloden. The body of water is the North Sea. Unfortunately, we didn't get to see the dolphins that apparently hang around.

We went for a free tour/tasting at the Glen Livet distillery. Here's the 750pound bottle of whisky they had for sale at the gift shop.

Scottish weather at its best:

daffodils!

2007-04-18T21:17:00.000+01:00

These photos are a tad old, but I figure I'd post them anyways. I took them on my birthday, and since then managed to contract the mumps (!!), so, here they are now.

Edinburgh is apparently full of daffodils in the spring. They seem to be planted by hand, considering many are in interesting patterns, but that must've been quite the job to plant them all. These are photos of the flowers on the hill surrounding the castle. It was a great place to just hang out and lie in a field of flowers!

Enjoy!

"strange humanoid experience"

2007-03-27T13:39:00.000+01:00

So after living in Scotland for about half a year, the Sasquatch has returned to my life in full force. See previous post for the birthday-fighting-off-Sasquatch manual, but now people are alerting me to the fact that the Sasquatch has been spotted on film in Tofino.

Here's the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWOKwyT_xrU

Now personally I would love to belive, but to me this mostly looks like a bear wandering through the woods. It's a shame it's not better video quality.

On another note - Sasquatch at the beach!

absurdism...

2007-03-20T00:02:00.000Z

So I've decided that I need to start reading some absurdist literature. I haven't read any as of yet, but from what I can tell, I think absudism is a very intriguing philosophy, in theory.

From what I can find, absudism maintains that human life is essentially meaningless, but as humans we strive to find meaning in life (often through religion), or come to the conclusion that life is meaningless alltogether. This realization can potentially be very depressing for people, which could lead to the removal from an absurb life, aka, suicide.

The importance is to realize that life is absurd, and to find meaning within the moments we have - appreciate the beauty around us.

As someone who finds more wrong/confusing with organised religion than good/easy to accept, I find this "ism" very appealing. I can see the drive that people have to find meaning, but I also believe that it is entirely selfish for people to believe that this whole universe was created solely for us. The world is much more complex than we can understand, and we are but a mere speck of dust in comparison.

On the other hand, I am also too much of an agnostic to entirely discredit the possibility of a higher power of sorts. As long as the questions of the universe are still to be answered, I will still harbour thoughts that something beyond our comprehension has played a part.

It is the meaning of the moments of beauty which I really enjoy in absurdism. As I have mentioned before, nature is a large part of my spirituality. Why should I spend hours of my time praying through blind faith, when I can go outside and experience life for that it has to offer? I can see the complexity of the space surrounding me, and appreciate that I am but a tiny piece in the puzzle.

Experience the beauty that has manifested itself in our little planet, and appreciate it for what it is.

back to the hills...

2007-03-12T14:29:00.000Z

Went back to the Pentland Hills on Sunday. It was exciting to actually get to the tops of some of the peaks! It was also exciting to miss the bus that comes every three hours home, only to end up walking another 4km along the road to the nearest pub. Yes, that's right, I walked an hour in the mist to get a delicious Bailey's Latte. Mmmm.

It wasn't the best day for a walk, seeing as the wind on the top of the peak was stronger than any I had ever encountered before, and the rain was moving sideways, but all in all it was a very fun outing!

We met up with a youth group of sorts, most of them visiting from other countries, and a couple people who aparently live in my building whom I've never met and a Scottish-local. It was great to encounter a young scottish local that enjoys the outdoors. I was starting to believe that all young Edinburgh-types fall under the "ned" category! Ha ha...anywho, enjoy the photos:

The trail up the first peak:

Me conquering the first peak. About to be blown off:

The descent:

Random scenic photo of the distance:

back to the bigfoot...

2007-03-08T12:59:00.000Z

So, seeing as there is only a month until my birthday, I found it necessary to undertake measures on how to defend myself in the event that the Sasquatch has tracked me down in Scotland and decided to wage an attack on me. I'm sure Sasquatch is thinking, "What better day then her birthday??"

Lukily, I received this card which gave step-by-step instructions to defend myself if such an event were to occur!

Excellent!

dying??

2007-03-06T20:25:00.000Z

Well, as someone who usually gets sick once a year (in April after essays and exams are done), I have found it VERY unusual to be sick for practically the past six months. Or in other words, since I arrived in Scotland.

When I first got here, I just brushed off the lightheadedness I felt reading at my desk to poor lighting, and the sinus flu to not sleeping and drinking (ahem) too much. But now that it's six months later and I've suffered through countless sinus infections, bronchitis and labyrinthitis (!) I've had enough.

And this week, to confirm everything I has suspected, I found open mold in the hallways outside my flat! So, yes, basically I'm slowly dying from toxic mold. Pleasant!

pigeon minions?

2007-02-27T16:17:00.000Z

Top news story of the day: radio-controlled pigeons.

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/27022007/80-132/bird-brained-china-scientists-learn-fly-pigeons.html

Apparently they have found no practical use for these pigeons.

This is the funniest thing ever! I don't understand, do the scientists sit around and think "Hmm, what would help out humanity more: a cure for cancer, or, radio cotrolled pigeons!!"

That being said, who WOULDN'T want one??

the highlands!!

2007-02-21T18:18:00.000Z

Last weekend me and 9 friends went on a tour of the Scottish highlands. It was a very fun trip, and we had amazing weather (considering it is Scotland). I didn't get to see Nessie (although I managed to get into the Loch Ness up to my knees) but I did learn a lot about Scottish history, and saw Hamish the Heilan Coo.

Loch Ness in the morning (and now, with swan!):

Glen Coe (glen means valley). It is very disconcerting to me the lack of trees in Scotland. And the trees that are there are obviously for industrial purposes. It is kind of sad in a way that almost a whole country's worth of trees could be cut down. Anywho, I'd really like to go hiking in Glen Coe at some point in the nearish future.

Generic Castle, and road leading away from generic castle:

I've always been intrigued by neolithic stone circle-type arrangements. So I was very excited when we got to see this ancient Pagan Cairn and standing stones:

The Atlantic Ocean from the view of the bus:

Fort Augustus, a little town on the Loch Ness, and where we stayed the night:

A little interesting fact about the highlanders: they loved to fight naked! Our tour guide told us many battle stories about the highlanders just whipping their kilts off to fight! Ha ha. Especially funny to me was the "shirts battle". So named because the highlanders took their kilts off and let their little buddies fling freely. Now, if i were a man in battle, I would think it would make more sense to take my shirt off, and leave the kilt on! But that's just me...

pentland hills..

2007-02-16T22:55:00.000Z

So today I went back to the Pentland Hills to do a little hillwalking. It was a great little walk across the Pentland Park. And on the way we saw many a sheep! And a strangly dense "forest" of trees. I would have really liked to go into the mass of trees to see what it was like inside!

Tomorrow - the highlands!

the great outdoors...

2007-01-31T23:33:00.000Z

After doing my first bit of "real" travelling to Barcelona, I've decided that I like travelling to cities, but I think that I would still prefer to travel to remote destinations which have more nature than city to offer.

Interesting architecture intrigues me to a certain extent, but it cannot hold my attention like that of a perfectly orchestrated mountain. In Barcelona, my favourites part by far was seeing the mountains from Mountserrat and the Meditteranean Ocean from the Castle. I couldn't care less about actually seeing the castle or the monestary on the mountain. They hold their own with historical value, but they cannot compare to the natural landscapes.

And frankly, I see nothing wrong with this. I still would love to travel anywhere and everywhere, but for the landscapes more than the cities.

Another note on this thought: natural landscapes versus religious buildings. I can totally see why they would build a monestary on top of Mountserrat - the view alone is a tremendous spritual experience, but why do most of the tourists not see it this way? Many people mill around the outdoors giving the natural landscape a respectful glance, but do not feel the spiritual connection they are looking for until they actually enter the monestary, or, the main church hall (where silence is the rule) for that matter? Basically, what I'm getting at is why do religious buildings contain religion? Why can't spirituality be contained in the outdoors, in nature? Is religion supposed to be checked at the door? If one believes in a "god" I'm sure he is not merely contained within the walls of a building.

If one is truly spiritual/religious, it shouldn't matter if one is in a building or beholding a natural wonder. If anything, the latter should hold one's faith more, for that is such that a higher power has ultimately created.

barcelona...

2007-01-29T19:54:00.000Z

So this weekend I set foot for the first time in continental europe. Or, more specifically, Barcelona!

It was a great trip, lots of sights, and lots of fun. I was especially glad, though, that we had people with us who spoke Spanish. While a lot of the people there could speak a little english, I was not fully prepared for how much english would not help me in another country.

Anywho, on to the sights!

Friday we saw a castle overlooking the Mediterrnean Ocean (Montjuic). The view was amazing - I couldn't help but imagine myself way back in history gazing over the ocean at boats etc.

The "main drag" in Barcelon had some amazing street performers:

And another view from that day of the ocean coastline from ground level:

Aparently under Barcelona is an ancient roman city (well, remains of it anyways). So of course we had to go see that! The remains were very interesting, but I really enjoyed this old painting:

The next day we went up to the monestary on Montserrat:

The next day was our last day, and so, a short day - but we still managed to fit in a bunch of Gaudi and an Arc de Triomf:

And possibly one of the coolest things we saw all trip: a human tower!

hmmm...

2007-01-18T14:42:00.000Z

OK, I've managed this long without divulging too much into my confused religious beliefs. Until now.

Basically, I've started reading the Bible. I'm not sure why, I just thought it would be a good idea since so much of this world bases their faith/life on what is written in it.

So far I have read the book of Genesis, and the start of Exodus. And I just don't understand all of it (not content wise, I can obviously understand what is being written, but I don't understand all the hypocrisy and lack of continuity). I don't understand why people would base their blind faith on what is written in it...? There must be more information that I'm just not getting from what I have found there. The stories are haphazard and contain minimal information - how is that enough? It seems that people build the stories up to mythic proportions, so now that I am reading them they seem a lot less significant. What time period are these supposed to be set in? Etc etc etc.

Here are some of my main questions so far:

With Moses and the freeing of the Israelites: why does God harden the heart of the Pharaoh in order to "prove" himself to the people by inflicting plagues upon plagues, therefore harming/killing many Egyptians? Why is it OK for the Israelites to have slaves, but not the Egyptians?

Why does God feel such a need/desire to prove himself?

I feel I can answer this one with the fact that the Bible was written by males, but why does God continually promise men "children as abundant as the stars in the sky" when he wants them to do something?

Why does God favour some groups of people over others - weren't they all created in his image from the single entity of Adam?

Why would God care that males are circumcised or not?

Why is it OK for a man to have sex with a prostitute, especially one which turns out to be his daughter-in-law, but God kills a man who "pulls out" during sex?

Well, that's enough for now....more to come!

oops!

2007-01-09T00:41:00.000Z

Well it seems that changing the layout of my blog has had some detrimental effects. Which leads me to an apology for not posting recently. I wanted to, but the blow to my self-confidence was a little much.

Basically, I have a statistic counter working on my blog, and was happy to notice I have a little bit of a steady following. And then all of a sudden no one was reading anyone. Ever. There hadn't been a single reader in over a week. This concerned me. I felt unloved. So basically this prevented me from blogging - why blog if no one's reading it?

But now I have realized the err of my ways, and I will consequently fix the problem.

So about New Years.

The Edinburgh Hogmanay Street Party was unfortunately cancelled here. I feel for all the tourists who flew in specifically for it. But it was still a good time at the party at my flat. Perhaps a little too much fun for some. Especially those who had to work the next day. Yes, that would be me.

Here's a photo of the aftermath carnage. Warning: it actually looked a LOT worse in real life - you can't see the full extent of the confetti in this photo.

merry christmas!

2006-12-25T14:20:00.000Z

And so it is Christmas.

At the moment I'm listening to Canada's CBC Radio Two online (a little homesick, perhaps), and someone (I wasn't paying attention to the name) is currently sending in an audio postcard of what he wants to hear online. Instead of picking the "normal" Christmas songs, he decided to pick Sigur Ros' "staralfur."

What a great choice! He mentioned how the song had featured prominently in the movie, the life aquatic, t the moment when the team encounters the jaguar shark. What he didn't mention, but I'm assuming had thought of - is how much that moment relates to Christmas. This shark was a mythical being that no one really thought existed, almost an encounter with the divine: something beyond tangible truth.

Ignoring the commercialism of Christmas, that is what we are left with - a moment with the divine. Not necessarily religious divinity, though, it could emerge in different situations for different people. Time spent with loved ones, the feeling of new snow, "Christmas spirit"...

"Staralfur" has always been one of my favourite Sigur Ros songs. Listen to it - you can definitely feel the winter season.

santas!

2006-12-10T23:26:00.000Z

And so today I witnessed the:

It was quite amazing. Thousands of people dressed up like Santa parading around the Princes Street gardens. It made me laugh so hard. So, for your viewing pleasure, of course, are many many Santas. The photos don't do them justice, though. The sheer magnitude of the Santas cannot be portrayed on film.

Santas warming up. It was classic - thousands of Santas, all dancing to "YMCA"...

On another note of sheer magnitude, the choir performed at the University carol service today. Imagine this: in a beautiful hall, about 2000 people singing along to Christmas carols. So great.

it's beginning to look a lot like christmas...

2006-12-05T00:39:00.000Z

But first, I have a special announcement to make: the sasquatch has followed me to Scotland.

I was pleased to open my mail today and find this - probably the most interesting depiction of the sasquatch I've seen to date.

A good friend of mine has continued my search for the sasquatch in my absence, and discovered this highly colourful sasquatch. The back of the document provided me with new information concerning the sasquatch: that they are believed to have a cry sounding like a loon. Very interesting, indeed. Hmm...

Well, back to Christmas!

They have planted a GIANT Christmas tree outside our flat here in Edinburgh. Technically, it's referred to as the "Edinburgh Christmas Tree." Unfortunately, though, said tree's lights go off on a daily basis, making for a less-than-spectacular-looking Christmas tree. Oh well, enjoy the night view from our kitchen window, note the lack of lights. This was actually a good moment, usually there's even more lights not working:

(Once without flash to appreciate the tree)

(And once with the flash to appreciate my snowflake creations)

Damn you Sean Connery...

we saw snow!

2006-11-20T11:05:00.000Z

So some friends and I hiked up Arthur's Seat yesterday. It's a hike that all the tourists do in Edinburgh, but for good reason. Up at the top there is an amazing 360 degree view of all Edinburgh and the sea. Very nice.

Enjoy the photos!

let your voice be heard...

2006-11-15T14:02:00.000Z

Pleas take some time out of your lives to fill out a little questionnaire to help Paul Aitken finish his master's thesis.

http://www.paulaitken.com/thesis_consent.html

Also, here's a note straight from the source concerning the project:

My thesis seeks to examine some of the major issues surrounding the building
and maintaining of online musical communities. Through observation and
participation in blog culture, online music forums, and filesharing
communities, I will be discussing aspects of online music promotion and
consumption from both artist- and audience-centred perspectives. As this
project is concerned with aspects of community and communication in online
environments, I feel it is absolutely necessary to ground these phenomena in
real practice. To this end, the inclusion of commentary by those who make
up Internet communities provides for interesting points of departure for
further investigation.

I am very intrigued to hear what individuals have to say about their
experiences with music online. I hope that the questionnaire is as fun for
you to fill out as I know it will be for me to read!

You can read more about the project at
http://www.paulaitken.com/academia_thesis.html

If you are interested in participating please read the attached Letter of
Information/Consent and questionnaire or read it and participate online at
http://www.paulaitken.com/thesis_consent.html

Anonymity for all participants is the default position for this project.
Should you wish to have your name revealed in the thesis please indicate so
on the questionnaire.

If you wish more information please contact me at thesis@paulaitken.com

well fine then!

2006-11-09T16:56:00.000Z

ZUNE?!?!?! WTF???!!

"Bottom line: collective grooves dominate solo grooves."

Well now, this changes everything..

More to come...

is there no justice?

2006-11-06T15:51:00.000Z

Yesterday Saddam Hussein was sentenced to death by hanging. I cannot even begin to adequately express everything I would like to about this situation. But one thing I will say is: how can we sentence Hussein to death, and Bush is still walking free?

I think everyone should read this. And note, these are Hussein's (translated) direct words. I find him much more rational and direct than Bush (who does not even write his own speeches).

http://ourworldinbalance.blogspot.com/2006/07/story-of-saddam-hussein.html

stardom and bob dylan...

2006-10-27T13:33:00.000+01:00

Yesterday I attended a seminar-type presentation by Lee Marshall about his upcoming book concerning Bob Dylan and the star persona. Great talk; looking forward to the book being published.

But anywho, at the end he opened up a discussion about meaning, music, and whether the meaning should be placed in the lyrics, or in the singer him/herself. Of course, a great debate started about his use of the word "authority" when he mentioned that he thought the meaning was in the "authority" of the singer's command of the song. The gender card was played - authority is too masculine, we should use "lighter" words such as embodiment, or presence.

I, for one, believe that of course authority is a masculine term, but only because we have created it to be so. We can blame rock for that. For male rock stars, it's all about the authenticity - it's all about being who you are, on-stage and off. Liven' the dream, as such.

I need to get my view off my chest. In the heated debate I didn't manage to make my point. So..

Marshall was taking his view of stardom from Dyer's film theory. In this form of stardom, there is a separation from the star as image and the star as regular person. The more "authentic" the star is, the more the same she is perceived to be in her star persona and her "normal life." And so, instead of using words such as authority, Dylan's singing can be seen more of as a removal of the star. In no ways an I implying that Dylan is not a star - he's one of the biggest - but because you can sense so much of him in his singing (he's got a very strong grain), it is removing the gap between star persona and real persona. He IS Dylan, his songs ARE Dylan. Hence why so many people look to the lyrics to find the man. The man is not in the lyrics, he's in the voice, and the voice is in the man. No catch, no star. It simply IS him.

will i ever have a dog??

2006-10-22T18:02:00.000+01:00

I am a nomad.

Since the year 2000, I have lived at eight different addresses, and have also somehow managed to end up with ten mailing addresses. Not that I'm really complaining about this. So far this lifestyle has worked out pretty good for me - I've got a couple degrees, traveled all over Canada, and am now overseas in ye olde Scotland. A lot of people don't have the opportunity to do this.

Also, unlike many others, I don't seem to have a problem with saying goodbye and leaving comfortable situations. My life is in constant flux with friends coming and going (or else, with ME coming and going), and that keeps things interesting.

But that's enough of a rant for one day. I think the root of the problem is that as a water-person, I am just missing the ocean. I can see it from my window in the distance, but have yet to sink my feet into it.

Soon love, soon. And then all shall be well.

darksuckers...

2006-10-08T13:28:00.000+01:00

Now, to explain the truth about light and dark: the darksuckers theory.

The basic premise is that what we think are light-emitting sources (lightbulbs, candles, the sun) are actually darksuckers. They do not emit light, but rather suck dark.

Darksuckers will not work indefinitely - they all have their own life-time. Once a darksucker has sucked up too much dark, it is basically ineffective. Hence why lightbulbs have a black film on them when they've stopped working: they've built up too much dark inside. For candles, the wick is where the dark collects, hence why it turns black. And what about the sun, the most powerful darksucker in existence, you may ask? What do you think sun spots are?? Yes, a build-up of dark.

The sun will eventually suck up so much dark from the expansive universe that the dark will collapse the darksucker in a black hole (i.e., condensed darkness).

More proof? Well, dark is heavier than light. Why do you think that the bottom of the ocean/lake/water source is darker than the top? The darkness is sinking to the bottom, whereas light (light, is "light," obviously) floats to the surface.

So, now you know. Another flawless theory.

"we don't tolerate stupidity"

2006-10-04T14:02:00.000+01:00

So I woke up this morning and read this on Yahoo! news:

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/04102006/344/teens-smoke-small-babies.html

If you're going to be so careless with an innocent life growing inside you, then you are obviously not prepared to be giving birth and raising a child.

I have often mentioned to people that a license should be implemented in order to have children (kind of like a marriage license). This would prevent people who should not be having children from having children. Obviously it's not as easy as this - there's the whole human rights issues, morals, etc.etc...but still! People should not be stupid enough to think that they can smoke during pregnancy in the hopes that it will make the birth easier!

Please, can we infect children with tar/nicotine/formaldehyde/arsenic/butane before they're even born!?

Next thing you know there'll be people genetically altering fetuses to create uber-babies..... oh wait....

song of the day...

2006-10-03T16:57:00.000+01:00

"The Seer's Tower" - Sufjan Stevens

For those of you not familiar with Sufjan Stevens, I would place him in the neo-folk genre of the male singer/songwriters. He's an American multi-instrumentalist and singer who is hoping to write an album dedicated to each of the 50 states in the US.

So far he's done two.

At least he's only 31; but still, if he can only pull off one a year, I hope the last few states aren't some sort of geriatric easy-listening fluff.

Anyways, "The Seer's Tower" is from the Illinoise album. This song, no matter what I'm doing at the time, always stops me dead when I hear it. It's so simple yet so effective.

Just voice, some keyboards/synths, a piano, tambourine. But if you want to talk about hearing the grain of the voice, this song is a prime example. Not only can you hear the grain, but you can practically feel him playing the piano. Breathtaking.

The highlight for me is the third verse where the mood intensifies, but the piano decides to back off and place the emphasis more off-the-beat, delaying the downbeat, and trying to cut through the tension while simultaneously creating more.

Listen to this song. This is not a just a suggestion.

music thoughts...

2006-09-27T17:52:00.000+01:00

"Music is what feelings sounds like."

I don't know where I originally heard this from, but issues surrounding this quote have come up a lot in my readings the past two days.

Music makes us feel. We listen to music to enhance or alter our current feelings, moods, etc. That is the point of popular music: to portray "universal" emotions for audience members to self-identify with. We are no more looking for music that we think is "good" than we are looking for music which will make us feel how we want to feel.

But, the problem also arises that people feel differently: hence differences in taste. Our feelings our sociologically based, defined through our lives (or habitus). And, as a reflection of our feelings, our musical tates are also sociologically based. To one person, punk music may make them feel energized and alive, but to others, the same music can make someone feel angered and irritated. All genres and styles will be felt differently by different people. The need then arises to find people who feel, listen to music, similarly to us.

It could be argued that we choose our friends less by musical style, but by the base level of`a similar ability to feel.

so now you know...

2006-09-22T12:18:00.000+01:00

Warning: the following post will open your minds to new and exciting possibilities within the realms of cryptozoology and crop circle theory.

The breakthrough...

Sasquatch made the crop circles.

It makes so much sense! Working at night under a shroud of darkness; invisible to the naked eye because of their telepathic-hypnotic abilities. But the clincher...light orbs surrounding the crop circles.

A little while ago I watched a special on crop circles on TLC. I felt compelled to watch this episode (perhaps because the Sasquatch wanted me to find the missing link and proclaim it to the world) and was struck by the appearance of light orbs at crop circle sites. I immediately thought of the light orbs as discussed by Alan Berry. The Sasquatch were there - invisible!

Flawless!

au revoir...

2006-09-09T15:23:00.000+01:00

So long Canada!

damn that invisibility...

2006-09-04T23:55:00.000+01:00

Perhaps the Sasquatch is closer than previously thought. Why travel all the way to the Skookumchuk rapids to see them, when their tracks are perfectly visible in downtown Gibsons!?

Here, in Molly's Lane, we see tracks leading all through the alley.

Now, these erratic steps lead me to believe that the Sasquatch could quite possibly be drunk.

Also of interest - this store was found in Victoria:

While I did not see any Sasquatch trading goods, I presume they were, once again, invisibly to mine eyes.

bears!

2006-09-03T00:48:00.000+01:00

In Victoria (and Vancouver) scattered around the city are various bears, which are painted by local artists. For what? I don't know. Tourist trap, most likely.

So, being from a tourist town myself, I take great pleasure in being an annoying tourist when I visit other tourist towns. Which led to taking photos of all the bears and having people give me strange looks. Excellent.

While I wasn't ambitious enough to find ALL the bears, here's a smattering of them:

I like to call them the "word!" bears because they all look like they're holding up their paws to say "word up, homebear."

We also managed to find a "fudge bear":

I imagine it would be quite difficult to get fudge from inside a bear.

and the search continues...

2006-08-12T20:47:00.000+01:00

Here on the Sunshine Coast, we are "lucky" enough to live near a great natural wonder known as the Skookumchuk rapids. Basically, ocean water from the inlet meets ocean water from the ocean, and, seeing as they are at different levels, at certain parts in the day, this makes for some spectacular wave-watching.

On August 9th, 11:04 am, because of the full moon, the viewing was particularly spectacular. See photo below:

But this is all besides the point!!!

On the way to the viewpoints, I saw THIS:

Now, I did not see the Sasquatch (he was probably using his telepathic-hypnotic abilities to remain invisible), but I found this a strange location to live. The Skookumchuk is full of tourists all day - but perhaps this one in particular has a great desire to make contact. Hmm, perhaps I shall return to this location (when alone as to not suffer much ridicule) to investigate further....

will we ever learn?

2006-08-04T03:55:00.000+01:00

Night-vision? Telepathic-hypnosis? Aliens? Underground dwellers???!!

Are these really descriptions of the Sasquatch?

According to B. Ann Slate and Alan Berry, in their book entitled "Bigfoot," these are all possibilities (leaning towards the edge of factual).

This book started off ok with some interesting stories of Bigfoot encounters, but quickly took a turn towards the bazaar.

The authors, through eyewitness accounts, lead the readers to believe first of all, that the Sasquatch can see in the dark. Fine, I can accept that..I mean, so can cats.

But then, why is it that tracks mysteriously stop, or people hear noises without seeing the sources?? Well, because of the telepathic-hypnotic powers of the Sasquatch which allow it to block our senses making the Sasquatch invisible. Witnesses have reported seeing light flashes when Sasquatch were in the vicinity - which later have been justified as signals that their senses were being played with. A side effect of hypnosis.

Why do we not see the Sasquatch anytime we venture into their territory? Because they live underground, of course! Machinery sounds coming from the deep earth have been caught on tape, leading people to believe that the Sasquatch lives underground, apparently with a lot of sophisticated machines.

Could they be aliens?? Yes! In Pennsylvania, there have been reports of UFO activity, followed closely be Sasquatch sightings. Many footprints only have three toes.

What do they want with us? While some believe that the Sasquatch is an extraterrestrial being, others believe that they are natural, terrestrial phenomena. Either in the form of pure Sasquatch species, or a lost tribe of Natives who learned to develop telepathic-hypnotic abilities. Either way, one young man had a chance encounter in which he actually communicated with them (this encounter was revealed to him through a later hypnosis session). The following is a portion of the transcipt from his hypnosis session to reveal repressed memories. Eerie.

(Jim - the young man. Donna - the hypnotherapist)

Jim: He called me...with his mind
Donna: Why?
Jim: To..help him get out
Donna: Why does he need to get out?
Jim: (He looks extremely sad, as if about to cry) The hunters...people keep him in
...
Jim: They're saying to tell people...tell people they were here first!
Donna: They were here before we were?
Jim: Yes!
Donna: What else?
Jim: They said we're ruining their planet

Those last words are strong ones indeed. Whether or not one believes in the Sasquatch and its origin stories, we are ruining the planet. This message is more true now than it was when the Sasquatch spoke it in 1975.

oh, really?

2006-07-30T05:21:00.000+01:00

One day I was downstairs and happened upon a few boxes of books. Interestingly, I found two (yes, two!) books on the topic of the Sasquatch.

I decided to read the one that is obviously aimed at a young-reader audience first. And boy, was it ever painful to read! Not subject wise, for the Sasquatch remains an enigma and a source of inquisitiveness, but the way in which the book was written, and the monotony of it was indeed painful.

The book: "Bigfoot: All over the country" by Marian T. Place

Basically, Marion just recounted story after story of Bigfoot sightings, and even some hoaxes. There was no new news on the Bigfoot, or what it could be, but just a book of sightings. Perhaps this book was aimed more at those who don't already believe.

This next book seems a lot more interesting - but I shant divulge too much here until I've completed it. But so far, there's a theory that Bigfoots have mystical powers and can see in the dark. Intriguing!

On another note - Lance Bass is gay!

Is this really news? Haven't we been saying this since NSync first came out?? (ha ha, no pun intended). But all humour aside, so what? I think he should've come out right away, it could have opened up a whole new demographic for the band, increased their profits twicefold!

In fact, my idea for a new supergroup would be the "Sexually Tolerant Spice People." You'd have a gay man, a lesbian woman, a bisexual, a straight person, and maybe even a tranny! Through the power of catchy pop tunes, young tweens everywhere will learn about tolerance and acceptance! Sweet action, yo!

(With photos like these...who would've seen it coming?)

sea cavalcade extraordinaire...

2006-07-25T21:42:00.000+01:00

Each year, during a weekend in July, Gibsons has Sea Cavalcade. The two most exciting parts of Sea Cav (as the locals call it), are the fireworks Friday night and the parade Saturday morning. Sadly, the fireworks kinda sucked this year - and as an added bonus they debuted playing music like the Symphony of Fire. Their selections included the song from the People's commercial, and Carmina Burrana. Odd, very odd. The evening went from wanting a diamond to examining my life prior to impending doom.

The parade was interesting, as always. For some reasons pirates always seem to dominate the theme of the weekend - even though this year it had the unfortunate title of "Fanta-sea." Either way, I shall not bore you with countless photos of pirates, and young girls dressed up as mermaids, but instead, I present:

The Oddities of the Sea Cav Parade:

A sweet BC ferries float, accompanied by John on his strange golf-equipped Segway.

Yeah, I'd be scared, too, if sheep were driving:

A little hometown-pride for the Canadian idol:

A whole hord of accordion players! Which definitely beats out Sechelt parade's lone accordionist:

And now for the strangest of the strange:

There was this:

This:

Oh boy:

Hot damn:

And, saving the best for last! Crabs!

THE LIST pt. I

2006-07-19T03:43:00.000+01:00

Okay, so this summer I've been back working in the kitchen of the golf course. This being my fourth season there, and not liking coooking in the first place, it has not been fun.

Needless to say, I've been entertaining myself by mentally making a list of all the stupid things people do. Perhaps in order to unleash them on some other poor, unsuspecting service worker in the future to provide me with years of enjoyment.

And now, in ongoing segments, I shall unveil THE LIST!

This first one is my absolute favourite - it always makes my day just that extra bit special, and almost makes ten-hour shifts worthwhile.

(Note: most of these apply to a restaurant that does not offer table service)

1. At a restaurant where the menu is posted somewhere near where you order: stare at the menu intently for about ten minutes. Proceed to order something that does not appear on the menu in the slightest. For example, at a burger/sandwich joint, ask for a steak, medium rare, with fries and gravy (we do not offer gravy).

2. Dress as a hippy: bring a small child and your dirty husband. Don't actually golf at the golf course, but place child on ordering counter where its feet get all over where food should go. Proceed to inquire/demand why there is no kids menu without thinking about the fact that it's a golf and country club and that children under the age of five do not tend to golf.

3. Bring whole freakin' family without golfing up for a monday afternoon lunch. Insist on table service. When cooks do not acknowledge your existence, wave a $100 dollar bill at food manager and ask again. Because pulling out your wad of cash in front of everyone the first time is not enough, pull it out again, make a big deal about pulling out another $100 bill, and remark "if that first one doesn't cover it all." After your lunch, and paying your $100 tab, leave a $5 tip.

On the subject of tipping...

4. If you're old, never tip. Or make a big deal about giving up a quarter.

5. After your server has kindly offered to package up all your beer cans in bags with ice - complimentary - do not tip.

6. At a place without table service, when you can see that the cook/server is tired, and perhaps is just starting her ninth hour without a break, get her attention when she's delivering someone else's food, and ask her to bring you a menu. Because you're "too tired to walk."

oh canada...(five days late)

2006-07-05T23:38:00.000+01:00

The streets were lined with people adorned in red and white, carrying tiny little flags...

Presenting: highlights from the Canada Day Parade in downtown Sechelt:

It all kicked off with ye olde mounted police:

And a bunch of the "usuals" - accordion players, shriners in little cars, square dancers and Smokey the Bear (only YOU can prevent forest fires)

But there were some others that are distinctly BC - someone representing the 420 Hemp Shop driving solo in a motorized scooter throwing out bags of hemp hearts, and some hippies doing what hippies do best:

And then, under the uncatagorizable was...well....this...

closer still...

2006-07-01T04:57:00.000+01:00

So I had a random day off today. What to do, what to do...and so I hiked up Soames Hill, this random knob-like structure in Gibsons.

I think this photo pretty much explains it:

The view from the top was spectacular. You could see all of lower Gibsons and Keats Island. It's strange that I never hiked up Soames before. I always thought it was so funny looking and wondered what it was like on top.

Well, now I do.

And for your enjoyment as well, here is a panoramic shot from the top:

Interestingly, although I did not notice on the drive to the trailhead, on my way out, I saw many a sign indicating that there had been bear sightings in the area. Now, these signs said bear, and had a drawing of a bear on them, but can they really be so sure? Perhaps my quest to find the sasquatch has become closer than I had previously thought.

More to come on the imminent meeting of melissa and sasquatch.

enjoying the sun

2006-06-29T03:36:00.000+01:00

Today I took in the sun and surf (well, lake) on my day off at ye olde Katherine Lake. I've spent many a summer at this lake camping, or just for day trips to lie on the sand and swim with child feces.

Yes, child feces. Well, at this point in the summer, the lake is perfectly fine to swim in. And very warm today! But by the end of the summer, there are so many small bodies in this small lake that the top layer is covered with a slime of sunscreen and baby poos float by every so often. Pleasant!

Ha ha. Anyways, my day in the sun was great and relaxing. See photo below.

Afterwards I ventured to the John Henry's Marina and store where I had the largest single scoop ice cream cone I've ever encountered in my life. Unfortunately I didn't think to photograph the cone, but I did get a shot of the harbour.

On a side note. I read an article this morning in the latest Cosmopolitan about women soldiers in Iraq. Firstly, it's no secret that I think war is retarded and we shouldn't even have soldiers in the first place. Why should innocent people fight the fights of those higher up than them?? Out of patriocy?? Hell no. Country borders are figments of our imagination anyways, we shouldn't be bound so rigidly to them.

Back to the article - this one female soldier noted that her most frustrating moment in Iraq was when she shot at an insurgent and he didn't die. Holy crap. That is so wrong.

"So honey, how was your day today?"
"Crappy, I didn't get to kill anyone."

sasquatch theory #1

2006-06-19T01:35:00.000+01:00

Being back in their territory, I've recently become intrigued by the Sasquatch and their potential for existance. Seeing as my research has just begun, I don't have much to report on yet, but I do have one theory I would like to get out of the way.

The Sasquatch Origin Story:

Now, there has been little evidence to how the Sasquatch actually came into existence. I would like to offer my preliminary exaplanation.

It has been noted that Sasquatch hairs that have been found and analyzed come back "inconclusive" as to what species they are, but they have the feel and look of bear fur. While there have been those who believe that the Sasquatch is a primate, this bear-like fur and the lack of an opposable thumb leads me to another conclusion: that many many years ago a man mated with a bear and the Sasquatch resulted.

You may be thinking that animals cannot cross-reproduce, but the world is a strange and wonderous place, open to many possiblities and exceptions to the rule (just look at the platypus).

This theory would explain the bear-like stance of the Sasquatch, the non-opposable thumbs, the human-like walk, the size, and the bear-like "fur". Flawless.

More to follow.

thought is power?

2006-06-16T03:54:00.000+01:00

The other night I watched the documentary movie: What the %&^# do we know?

This movie outlines, through vague references to quantum physics, how, through the power of thought, we can control our destiny, and perhaps even the destiny of those around us. While it is assumed that we can't change the past, and that we look to the past as a way to decide how we live our future - we do not often consider the possibility of controlling the future. And not controlling in a carpe diem sense, but controlling as in actively thinking through and changing the course of time.

The movie used an example of a buddhist monk who prayed different thoughts onto water, resulting in the make-up of the water to change. We were shown what distilled water looked like magnified: a slightly square blob. But the different thoughts produced different snowflake-like patterns in the water molecules.

The questions then results: if thoughts can do that to water, what could they do to you?

Basically, it comes down to the need to change our thought patterns to change our life. Any problems we are having in our life - emotional, physical, etc - all stem from negative thoughts.

One professor in the movie noted that each day before he gets out of bed, he "constructs" his day. He plans what he wants to happen, and plans it in such a way that he places the actual unfolding of these events in the hands of god.

This is where the movie lost me.

Much of the movie prior to this moment discredited the existance of god as mere arrogance on the part of humans. In the infinite universe, why would god care if some inconsequential humans sinned against him?? Really now..

So then why was this man placing his fate in the hands of god? (And probably not literal hands, seeing as why would WE of all things really be made in the image of god?)

All throughout history, humans have accredited what they don't understand to be the will of god. People got sick, it was because they sinned against god. People died, it was because god wanted them to go. The world was created because god wanted a place for humans. So on and so forth. This is why he placed his fate in god. While he constructed his day to unfold how he wanted, when the events actually unfolded as planed, the power of his thoughts most likely scared him. This fear of the unknown drives a need to have a belief in a god.

I once wrote that god is the vibrations of the atoms at the subatomic level. This is one of the last great mysteries of our earth, and as such, this is where I place god. How these vibrations manifest themselves is infinetessmal - placing god in everything and everone.

to my homeland...

2006-05-31T00:51:00.000+01:00

So the other day a friend of mine was shocked to learn that I haven't swam in the ocean in over two years. And in the past three years, I have only swam in the ocean once. This got us thinking about how much we take for granted where we live.

So many people have never even seen, let alone swam, in the ocean. And here I am, living a minute away from it.

I'm sure we all fall prey to this. We just associate our home town with being that - our home town. I've always made fun of the way that Sechelt's population doubles in the summer in order to provide endless entertainment playing "spot the tourist" but I guess in the 20 years I have lived here, I never considered WHY people were coming here.

Ok, I'll admit it. The Sunshine Coast is freakin' beautiful. People come here because of the scenary and the chillaxin' atmosphere. While I leave the Coast for vacation, others come here to enjoy that which I consider normal.

Strange that it took me that long to figure it all out.

To illustrate my point - here is a photo taken from the balcony of my house. This is exactly what I'm looking at while I'm writing this post. Pretty sweet, eh?

Walk two minutes down the road at twilight - and this is what you'll see:

It's the stuff they use for calendars and sample photos on computers.

ok i'm back

2006-05-29T05:39:00.000+01:00

And so we meet again...

I have returned from my trip across the country. It was for the most part fairly uneventful. Until my arrival in Alberta, and then it was quite eventful.

What is it about Alberta and needing to create the "world's biggest" of random objects. In my week-long stay, I managed to encounter three "world's biggest" - mallard duck, sausage, and Ukrainian egg.

See below for photos.

Now, take a close look at the sausage photo. Sure, the photo does not do it justice at all, but what does it remind you of? In real life it's very veiny and has a nice shaped head on top. Yes. It is a giant phallus.

I can just imagine the people in Mundare - "Yeah, that's right, I'll meet you by the giant penis. What? No, I don't have a complex."

The heart, or testicles, were added only a few years ago, and much later than the construction of the actual "sausage". Either the people in charge of this addition are mentally retarded, or they are all in on the joke.

"Sure! Let's add some nuts!"

Road Trip

2006-04-30T18:05:00.000+01:00

Tomorrow "tic tac" (my 1990 honda civic hatchback) and I will be departing from Hamilton and heading back to BC. After finishing my thesis, the trip will definitely have moments of catharsis, but, overall, I know that spending that much time alone with myself will inevitably cause some sort of psychosis. Mostly road rage!

Either way, I think everyone should embark on a solo road trip at some point in their lives. It fosters independance and allows you to enjoy the open road much more than you could if others are with you.

I've had many an interesting experience on my long road trips, and overall...I hope I don't experience anymore of them on this trip!

I'm looking forward to being back in BC and away from the city life. To sit on the beach and stare at the ocean; to just enjoy the beauty of BC. But I will also miss my friends in Hamilton. I've lived such a transient life the past six years - it will be nice to one day live somewhere semi-permanently.

I've had my fair share of good-byes.

the afterlife...?

2006-04-27T04:11:00.000+01:00

OK, so...life after the thesis.

At the moment, I have nothing to do.

NOTHING

The feeling of guilt which has plagued me for the past two years solid is easing up, my lungs can inhale fully, and my heart can slowly return to its normal functioning. This is great and all, but it has me thinking of creative ways in which I can occupy the abyss of time between working this summer and returning to school in the fall.

I'll be back on the coast, and surrounded by BC hippies. Really. Robert's Creek is one of the last havens for draft dodgers and just plain old hippies left in Canada. But I guess I can't complain too much. I'm really just one of them. A consumerist hippy, that is.

Now, I'm not actually FROM Robert's Creek. I'm from the next area over - Davis Bay. This allowed me to grow up removed from the hippie lifestyle enough to know that the rest of the world is a capitalist warzone waiting for me to consume, consume, consume, while also providing me with enough sense to get a degree and "do something" with my life. Thankfully, it gave me the opportunity to mock the creekers and all that they stand for (while secretly wishing I could join their lifestyle. But is the easier path really better??)

Just take a look at this photo. It explains all.

oh no! i've turned....

2006-04-09T22:58:00.000+01:00

Well, I shall begin by welcoming myself to the world of the web log.

Hello.

Thrice tried, doublet failed. Hopefully this attempt will be longer lived than the others. And so, I will proceed with my rant... Am I morally bereft?

I had a conversation today where we decided that our morals were far superior than average, and wondered why nobody else could/would see our point of view. I imagine that many people, especially those following certain organized religions, also feel that their morals are superior to those around them, but, there must be someone who is right? Right?

The conversation turned to being smote by gawd and ending up in hell for following the wrong morals. Would both of us die, only to find we are the only ones in hell? "hmm, where is everyone?" I doubt it. (Plus, my afterlife theories should probably be left for another day). But, what about all those religions who say I am going to hell because I am not following "the way"? So much suffering and grief results from organized religions - if only they could all sit back and recognize their inherent similarities.

Similar: a connection with the divine

Wow, now that wasn't so hard. We just need to forget about all the little details now, like, oh, the bible for one.

Don't get me wrong - I think faith is a great thing. If that's what you need to get yourself through this life, then so be it! But, getting back to what I started here, just don't preach your morals as "the way" and a precursor to attaining some sort of heavenly afterlife.

Why should morals result from a book written a couple centuries ago? I propose an end-all for moral standards: respect others. It's just that easy!

*peace