Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)

Blergh. How predictably Millennial of me. Well, joke's on you because whilst I've been alive for all of Green Day's discography, I really only truly became aware of them with American Idiot.

Anyway, good news everybody! If all goes to plan and I don't absolutely kick my own behind or decide to become a university drop out, I should be graduating on August 24th! Yipee! Let me just preface it all with this: I did not anticipate getting this far. This whole university experiment was, in reality, kind of set up as a gag. It was June 2022 and I had sort of just been mulling over life decisions, what I was truly doing, and thinking about what I really wanted to do. I knew I wanted to help people out but how? I realised that I'd put a lot of skill points into language or, at the very least, interest in language. I will not be showing off my character sheet. But it made me realise, how can I help people out with language? I didn't want to become an English teacher (no shade to English teachers or teachers in general, you do a great job) and didn't necessarily want to become an academic so my options were, for the most part, fairly limited. 

That's when I happened upon speech pathology. I was aware of speech pathology and probably would've benefitted from seeing a speech pathologist as a child. It all came to me in that I could help people by pursuing that path. Now I may have been a little quick on the draw, but I did decide that linguistics was probably a good foundation for me to have. I have a base amount of knowledge of language acquisition, phonemic representation, phonetics, and what have you. So, this is why I decided to study linguistics. 

And here we are. I am astounded that I've been dedicated enough, mentally as well as physically, to finish it off. I have one more exam to complete and then that's me free until, hopefully, August 24th.

As most of you would well know, I long for Canada. And, as such, will be returning there come August 25th. Yes, the day after I graduate. Here's the real clincher: I graduate between 6pm and 8pm on the 24th and will be catching a flight outta there come August 25th at 12:05am. Now this might lose some of you here but I am counting that as still on the same day. I graduate between 6pm and 8pm on the 24th, then catch a flight out at 12:05am on the 25th. According to my brain: technically same day… time travel, eh?

I don't have really much else to mention. Turned 40 in April and boy is my back sore. No, really. It is but I hope that's a temporary ailment and not an acquired malady. I also decided to be a clever boy and get my septum pierced. Honestly, I think a nose like this deserves a bit of art like that. And then, less than a week later, I dyed my hair. Look at me go! What is this? A crossover episode with my 20s? I did realise this: nobody really cares about what you look like. I think I'll take that theory with me to Canada.

I suppose the other bit is that I will not be returning to the camp I worked at for 10+ years as Stella. No, instead I will be returning as Wug. Wug is short, sweet, and kind of a "If you know, you know" way. Also, it'll be fun to teach the kids about what the Wug Test was all about! Just hope that JBG doesn't get on me and sue me. You know how she is.

Oh! I am off to Bali next week which promises to be a bit of fun. Going there for a week and spending some time, really, just turning off and operating at minimal capacity for a smidge.. I know those of you who have been to uni will know what I mean. I am going with friends which is always a ball. We're staying up in Ubud and really have some loosey goosey plans. That's what I'm all about. 

I think like every budding guitarist, I have played this song a number of times. But never this version. I think the topic matter certainly fits better with this strumming pattern. No shade to the orchestral section, however I think this is the version my brain will default to more often.

The Importance of Being Idle

I am as shocked as you are. Really. I can't believe that I've updated this three times in one year. Is it that I have more to say? Is it that I've got more time? I don't really know, but I'm making myself some sausage rolls currently (vegetarian, yeah...) and I thought, "Hey, it's almost the end of the year! Why don't I update the folks on the things that I've done!?" And this, intrepid reader, is where we find ourselves currently.

Where are my manners? How are you? I hope you, specifically you, the person reading this now, are the best that you are able to be. And, if not, then I hope there's goodness waiting for you somewhere. We shouldn't have wished to live in more interesting times. It really is tiring, y'know.

I've been, and this is an absolutely out-of-left-field thing for me to say, but… happy? All of the hidden mechanisms, my plans and schemes, and the daily transpirings just seem to be cooperating. Which, in turn, makes me feel suspicious, but I'm not going to look a gift horse in the mouth. Or any horse in the mouth. Ian Fleming, Bond writer and gonorrhea sufferer, said that horses are dangerous at both ends and uncomfortable in the middle. I'm not going to disagree with that in any way.

Work is good. Work is money, which is convenient because I quite enjoy having that. It's not a particularly mentally stressful time, not physically demanding. It's often kinda fun, and I like seeing the locals. I think I've touched on it before, but the amount of cheese that I am able to buy based on my location to a supermarket is astronomical. Sometimes I wish I could stop, but if there's one thing that I like more than cheese, it's denying someone else the ability to have cheese. Or any consumable, really. Wow. That mental food insecurity is a real thing, eh? Goodness. It didn't sound that unusual until I wrote it out, then.

I am continuing to work out, which is fun too. I stopped for a smidge when I headed to Melbourne (patience, I'll get to that shortly), but I'm back at it. As you may or may not know, I've never had the greatest relationship with the body, but it is slowly starting to get into a shape/form that I don't completely hate? And that has to mean something, right? It's getting smaller in the places that I'm hoping it to and bigger in the other parts. Mind out of the gutter! I had a little victory some months back when I tried on jeans and they fit. Immediately. Not sucking the gut in, no "I'll buy them for later," no loosening of any bits. Just... contentedness. Despite there being many pictures around of me in jeans, I haven't really worn them all that much since 2010. I am the antithesis to Sydney Sweeney. In more ways than one, really. There's a quote from Scrubs which comes about quite often. Dr. Cox talking to Turk, and this goes down:

Dr. Cox: The key to my exercise program is this one simple truth — I hate my body.
Turk: What?
Dr. Cox: Do you understand? The second you look in the mirror and you're happy with what you see, baby, you just lost the battle.

I don't hate my body, but I certainly, y'know, probably would ghost it if I had the chance. All in good time, Cameron. All in good time. We live and we learn.

We've got work, working out, and the last stop is uni work. Good news is that I am now 83% of the way through my degree. Astonishing, really. I can't actually fathom how I've made it this far. To a point where I was trying to input more units for next semester, and it said, "Nah dude. Too many!" Which came as a bit of a shock. A weird happy-but-also-scared smile slid onto my face in an "Oh. Already?" kind of way.

I'll be taking a philosophy unit for a summer course, and that'll take me down to two units needed next semester. One is my final linguistics unit and the other, and I probably could've done this in my very first semester, will be a human biology unit. That's to prove to folks later on, when I apply to a Speech Pathology program, that I kinda sort of know what I'm on about.

Long story short: I passed all my units this semester and, as such, I have a French minor. Who would've thought that, eh? Me, a little French boy, baguette in hand, wine flowing freely, dreaming of Provence in the summer. Smoking Gauloises, je regardais les champs de lavande qui semblaient s'étendre à l'infini. La chaleur de l'après-midi enveloppait doucement la peau, et l'air avait ce parfum de terre chaude et de soleil. Tout autour, c'était la tranquillité de la campagne, comme un tableau vivant... Oh, sorry!

Anyway, I am happy. For the first time in quite some time, I can think quite well and say that I'm doing well in all aspects. I take the good with the bad, but it is mostly good.

I did say that I was going to mention why I was in Melbourne: Oasis! I finally saw Oasis. I can't quite believe it. It is, by far, the largest cultural event that I have ever been a part of. In my mental post-concert review, I thought that I probably saw them 10 years too late. Most of their music was from their first three albums, which was a kick in the butt, as I am an ardent Don't Believe the Truth fan. I was very happy to have been there. I was also quite happy to be in Melbourne if I'm being perfectly honest. It was a good week and a half there. I ate well, enjoyed my time traveling about, and even got to meet up with a wonderful person in Frankston. She knows who she is. There's no euphemism here, we met up and carried on with our friendship as if we'd only been apart for a couple of days.

Where's my next big travel going to take me? I don't know. The big, big one is back to Canada in some way, shape, or form. But I wouldn't mind having a little squizz at Japan. I know, I know. It's getting to become quite a place where Australians go, but I did briefly look at the prices, and they weren't too atrocious. Plus, I've got some pointers for Hideaki Anno. I'm not putting the cart before the horse, but it's something that I'll put in the "Potentially" folder. If not that, then maybe a post-exam, pre-graduation trip to Bali. Again, I'm walking the stereotype, but that's okay.

I sincerely did mean what I said at the beginning. I don't know who necessarily reads this, but if you do and you're not having the greatest of times, get in touch with me. Reach out. I said I was attempting to practice gratitude last time, and I'm very willing and happy to listen. At this point in time, I think it's fair for me to pay back what I've been given in spades.

Looking forward to those sausage rolls. Who knew puff pastry was so easy to manipulate?! I'm going to make myself a little dill pickle hot sauce which, really, isn't that clever. I've got 10 hot sauces to consume and I'm only one person. Ugh, the perils of the hot sauce enjoyer. It's really quite a challenge. I don't want to put hot sauce on my cereal.

This'll be the last update for the year, I think. I did mean what I said: if you are not having a good time, please reach out. If you are having a good time: please reach out. Just get in contact with me if you're feeling it. 

Lots of love to you and the important people in your life.

As this is an Oasis adjacent post, I thought I'd go with a song off of Don't Believe the Truth. I am prone to hyperbole, but I must have listened to this song hundreds, if not thousands, of times. There's something nostalgic about it but in an anemoic way. I'll let you discover that meaning. Until then, enjoy this delightful little tune and think of me.

New Slang

Who'd've known? Who really would have suspected that I'd be this iterant about my itinerance? I'm very pleased with that last sentence. I really should just leave it all there.

But, intrepid reader, you would not be here unless you had some amount of interest, for reasons unknown, about my goings on? It's year three of being back in Australia. I never thought I'd amount to this much time back here. It's not too bad, I have to admit. I have a good life back here. I have an easy life back here. I suspect that will cause me to emit some amount of contempt for it all.

What has been going on with me? I am finishing up my second semester of my second year at university. I can't believe it either. I'm genuinely astounded by me making it here. I get to feeling that the standards have lowered since my childhood cohort attended.

It was a pretty challenging semester. The French unit got bumped up a notch and the two linguistics units were a heck of a thing too. I now have seven more units and I'm finished. That'll be a shock to the system. To be released back in to the mortal world. To fend for myself. What am I going to do after? All these pies cooling by the windowsill.

I've steadily shed mass from when I turned back up here. I forget if I've mentioned it but I was a rotund little boy. I was a Boston cream donut away from being 140kg. That's 308lb for those of you playing for the Imperial system.

I'd like to say that it was, in part, my newfound love of not drinking that helped me out the most. I'm getting on to two and a half years of not drinking. That's also something that is shocking to me. That I've almost turned my entire raison d'être around in the brief time that I've been back. Is this my new normal? Honestly, I hope so. I'm down to just under 100kg/220lb and looking to become even more svelte.

It is weird. Being a big beefy boy was just a kind of "Oh, that's just Cameron" moment.

What else has been going on with me? Uni, weight loss... work? Work is pretty good. I am an entrusted employee of a nationwide poison provider and, as such, I'm responsible for the careful distribution of volatile liquids to the public.

I am trained in the subtle art of selecting said volatile liquids with occasion, intention, and necessity. And so far, so good. I am good at what I do and don't have many regrets. Maybe the money. I could always do with more money.

What are my next steps? Tragically, I did not get selected for the Green Card lottery but maybe that's for the best? I do love the United States. For those of you who've visited, it really is a beautiful place with some astonishingly kind people. They like helping people out. They like to be like and I, in turn, like them.

The current climate is a bit higgeldy piggeldy. I still have my little eye out for the E-3 visa but I'm not holding on to anything tremendously serious. England/the UK? That's also a potential but my biggest fear is returning to the raising of the wrist. Could I battle that? I think so but I'm not willing to tempt myself. Not just yet. Keep an eye out. I'll definitely let you all know what my plans are.

One thing that has been playing on my mind is: how ever might I express my gratitude for everyone who has ever read this? I'm sure a lot of the views I get are from bots. I see an exquisite amount of views from China, Russia, and, weirdly, Botswana. A lot of the search results are, unsurprisingly, for people looking for flowers in Toronto. I guess I should have changed that but I don't intend to.

But how do I? I wish I knew a way to be able to be more gracious of all the people in my life? I've met an exquisite amount of people in my time. Tragically, a lot of them have been ephemeral. I think a lot about the people that I've met in passing or as I've been three sheets to the wind. If you're reading this then please send me a message. Facebook is fine. I'd put my email here but I don't need any more spam coming my way.

I want you to know that despite my previous emotional incarnations, I think I'm probably as emotionally raw nowadays as I've ever been. Goodness, I was angry. I was not a kind person to a lot of people. Nothing's going to change past Cameron but I do hope that present and future Cameron play a better, bigger, kinder role.

I think I've done well. Thank you for reading this far if you have. And if you haven't then you'd never know.

I remember this song. I remember this song well enough that it lived in a delightful little recess of my brain so that I went "Oh, The Shins! Yeah! Them!". I seem to remember buying a bootleg style Japanese album (it very well could've been Chinese but I was fifteen years old and not versed in the difference between the two: Japanese mixes Chinese characters with its own scripts, while Chinese just uses characters) in the Carillon Arcade in the CBD.

I don't know if I really ever deeply listened to it but it was 2001. There were bigger things going on. Like Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring being released. Yeah, that was the absolute highlight that year.

Here’s hoping future Cameron keeps picking the right pies off that windowsill.

Canada Dry

Here we are again. Look at me—two posts in two years! Slow down there, Ryoki Inoue! That’s a prolific writer joke, indeed. Goodness me, I’m too kind to you all!

So, how has everyone been? I’d be shocked if, despite the number of “views” these posts receive, anyone is truly reading them. I’m ambivalent about that, to be honest. Sure, I like seeing how many people (or bots) might be reading my words, but I also don’t lie awake at night with the vain desire to reach more eyes. No thanks! This is, I suppose, more of a slow buildup toward getting back to traveling. More to be revealed, intrepid reader!

What have I been up to? I’m still slogging away at university. Last time I posted—just over a year ago—I was quite pleased to have finished my first semester. Now I’m halfway through my degree—in terms of elapsed time, semesters, and, more importantly, credits. Gotta bag ‘em up and slot ‘em in because those are the important ones. I’ve just finished a summer course on forensic science, and it was bloody fantastic. This will put me one unit ahead, and that’s exactly what I’m keen on doing. Ideally, I’ll try to earn two extra units sometime during 2025 so that, in 2026—specifically in my last semester—I’ll only be doing one linguistics unit. That’d be pretty cool, don’t you think? It probably will be.

As for the overall progress of my studies, I’ve been doing well. Shockingly well, in fact. I don’t know where this whole notion of me being a fool comes from, but I certainly lean into that idea a little too much. My essays are solid, my exams aren’t too bad, and I’m genuinely enjoying the process. I wonder if that’s how academia gets people. I suppose this is where I need to start considering my next path. Ideally, I’ll pursue a Master’s in Speech Pathology—that’s been the plan all along. But what comes before that? Who knows.

I would like to travel a bit after I finish my studies. I’m not sure I’m wild about diving straight back into everything—I also don’t think I can. I’d rather not start in the middle of the year again. Perhaps I could find an opportunity overseas, too. I have to consider that possibility. But yeah, I’d like to head back to the U.K. for a while, catch up with some mates and family, then move on to Canada to do my thing there and, if I’m feeling especially daring, venture into the United States. Oooh boy. That whole thing again, eh? It’s got me biting my fingernails, and I’m not even there yet...

...as I’ve also applied for the Green Card Lottery. Again. Clever and long-time readers will remember that I was actually selected for the GCL waaaaaay back in 2011. I didn’t manage to get the darn thing on account of my Canadian police clearance not arriving on time—not that they doubted me, but they needed it to continue the process. Nowadays, apparently, a receipt is sufficient. Curse it—I missed out on that one. What would I do in the U.S., I wonder? The dream is somewhere warm, dry, and quiet. But not too dry—I crave the snow and the cold. If any Americans are reading this, let me know of a place like that!

Since the last entry, I’ve managed to reduce my mass by an absolutely superb 16 kilos (35 lb for those of you using the Imperial system and 2½ stone for those in England), and I’m not finished yet. I’d like to get under 100 kg (or 220 lb/15 stone) before I start singing my praises. My clothes fit better, I feel better, and my worldview seems a little more cherry red and a little less Aberdeen grey. I might very well be at my highest level of fitness ever—I don’t know exactly how to measure that, but I do feel good. I feel almost happy. Imagine that.

Apart from that, I don’t have a whole bunch going on. I think I like it that way—fewer distractions getting in the way of the ultimate goal: graduation. I’m sure I’ll look back on this later in life and cackle. Regardless, it’s a noble goal and one I’m happy to wait to achieve. I’d like to get back into some sports and even play more guitar, but for now, I’m content to focus a little more on my schooling. As an aside, I will deliberately fail a unit if it means I can use those ferries from Elizabeth Quay to UWA. It feels like it’s my destiny somehow.

I've been giving Matt Berry's new album a fair old thrashing as of the last week. It's sound, it's solid, and it is good reminder that he has thirteen albums to his name. Can't say that I've listened to all of them, but I did love Witchazel when it came out. I think I may have downloaded it from his website which was the style at the time. Okay. Sure, it's called Canada Dry but that's merely a coincidence. I know for a fact that drinking a Canada Dry in Canada as you are dry is one of the best experiences you can get. If you're getting snowed on, then you're gonna have a bad time. 

Also, watch Toast of London and you can appreciate Gale of Baldur's Gate 3 and his oft delivered bastardry.

Dark Horse

Wowser. That was a long one that one. 

It only felt like 4 years ago that I graced your screens with my words. I'll be quite transparent that I wrote "greased your skins" in that last sentence. Maybe all those true crime documentaries, podcasts, books, and games have really taken a firm grasp in my little brain...

Those two years after the last post were a real doozy, weren't they? Holy smokes. Remember the toilet paper debacle? Remember that? I mean I was pretty safe with the tens of thousands of toilet paper rolls and hand sanitiser that the camp had going for it. Y'know there was a time when I thought about taking the toilet paper and selling it out the front of Wal-Mart in Bracebridge. But I'm glad I didn't in the end!

The hidden message in the last post that I'm sure you ALL read was: farts are funny. Which, upon reflection, they are. This is a hill that I will happily die on.

What's happened to dear old Cameron since then, I hear you ask! It seems like I'd not yet driven out to British Columbia during what was the rise of Covid in Ontario. We, my at the time girlfriend and I, took turns driving all the way out to Victoria, BC and then back again. We were gone for about 3 weeks and it was absolutely sensational. There were some hiccups along the way. Mostly car related but even those were sorted pretty swiftly. Highlights for me were all the breweries along the way. And Dinosaur Provincial Park was pretty cool too, I suppose. Sorry Hayley. You were right all along.

Here's all the pictures that I took along the way. One day, maybe, I'll make a photo album of them. Maybe not.

We returned to Ontario and then it was pretty much on for young and old in regards to Covid. Lockdowns, mask mandates, panic in regards to rising numbers. I'd like to speculate that I had one of the most comfortable Covid experiences in that I really did want for nothing. Maslow was definitely smiling down upon me. A key element that I live by is enjoying my environment by it being warm, dry, and quiet. I also drank a train load. More on this in a later paragraph.

Predictably, there was an element of cabin fever that set in and I'd truly like to apologise to all the folks that lived with me for my some time neuroticism. It wasn't a good time. The doom and gloom of Covid, the absolutely tragic sleep or lack thereof schedule, the drinking, and the general ennui of winter was not one that I'm keen to repeat in a hurry. 

Then weirdly... it all became better. Hayley, wonder woman extraordinaire, left for pastures greener. Literally. She flew back to New Zealand to do her thing and now lives in Melbourne with a wonderful boyfriend and the torture of the Common Myna in her front yard. This is not a euphemism.

We were told that there would be a summer camp occuring in 2021 which was exciting. It was something to look forward to. However the Ontario Government, Ontario Public Health, and all the other little government bodies decided that we still needed to mask up inside, and to remain away from each other. That made for an interesting summer camp.

I loved again and it was delightful. I don't really want to get too much in to that.

I did see a lot of Ottawa during 2021 and always enjoyed the drive out from Bracebridge to Ottawa each and every time. I dream about that trip often. The one trip I'm glad I couldn't make was when the truckers made their way out to Ottawa. Bleh, no thanks. That was closest to an historic event. Don't correct me on the use of "an historic" as opposed to "a historic". I'm a linguist, you know. Take another slurp of that prescriptivist Kool-Aid, why don't you?!

Now to the part that I've been somewhat guarding for the last 3 years. Maybe in poor taste but it was something that I needed total control over. During October 2021, my dad died. I had the somewhat good grace of an exceptional support system in Canada and, despite keeping it on the down low, did grieve pretty hard. It was turning in to winter in Ontario and that gave me a number of instances to remain in my accommodation and just be sad. Family dinners with Kristina and Marc, coupled with absolutely slaying we accomplished in the Katalyst Brewing quiz nights really pulled me through.

I was drinking pretty heavily. I'd like to apologise to, well, everyone. It wasn't a good time for me and I definitely understand if there's folks out there reading this who are content to not speak to me again. I completely understand it all.

With that being said, that time is over now and whilst I do appreciate altruism, I'd much rather prefer if you're reading this to just contact me on Facebook. No need for sorry, no need to feel bad for me. It's all water under the fridge!

However, it did spurn me on to consider my life? I'd been at Camp Muskoka for 10 years. And I didn't have a whole lot to show for it. I had considered 2019 to be last year there. But it wasn't quite the ending I'd hoped for. Then Covid. 2021 was also a bit meh. And it was after dad had gone that made think "Do I want to be 40 and still the person I am today?". After much consideration and a lot of good conversation with good, helpful people - thank you to Robb, Mark, Marc, Lindsay, Rein, Zee, et al - I decided to kick myself in the butt and head home to Australia. The goal was to apply to university. But I hadn't really ever considered what I wanted to do? I didn't want to be a teacher and studying history had probably slipped by me in terms of an area of interest.

That's when I came upon linguistics. It's a field of study that I've had to describe more often that I'd expected to but it's the study of language(s). I applied, got accepted, needed to do an aptitude test, did that, passed, submitted all my paperwork and then I started in July of last year. I'm more shocked, I think, than anyone else. I've always denied claims, appropriately I think, when people suggest that I'm smart. It's really just the glasses.

I will, ideally, graduate with a B.A in Linguistics in 2026. What will I do with it? Well that's something that I'll 100% need to consider but the idea is definitely focused on a return to Canada in the near future. What can I say? The land of the long white season beckons for me. 

I'm also going to put my hat in the ring for a Green Card. And will even consider leaving for the United Kingdom again. I think I'd look good in a thick blue cable knit jumper. Smoking a pipe. Talking about semantic bleaching and what not to any and all concerned.

There's no message this time. Just an update to people. I've been trying to become better at keeping in contact with a lot of you and I do apologise if I haven't been the best at it. It's still hard for me to believe that I'm back here. It feels a bit like a punishment but self imposed? This year is my community year where I hope to slowly engage with people and the community. We shall see.

One thing that I'm very pleased about is that I've decided to take a little bit better care of myself physically. I've taken off 23kg/50lb since returning to Australia. I don't drink anymore which I thought I'd miss a lot but it's been almost 12 months now and I really don't. I don't miss anything about it and that's very pleasing to me. I've also engaged in the services of a therapist and boy, oh boy, that lady has her work cut out for her alright, heh. But, as I have written on my mirror in the bathroom, it is all about progress, not perfection. That's something that I hold dear to my heart. Small improvements gathered up along the way make a more impressive feat than one large, indistinguishable improvement.

I would like to be a little more serious with my biking and then I'd also be keen on joining a gym at some stage. Once again, small steps for me.

I suppose this is no longer ocamnada? But I also can't be bothered changing it to austeron or something equally ludicrous.

 

 

I don't exactly remember how I came about this song but I find it very beautiful, very haunting, and wonderfully simple. I hope you enjoy it.

One Week

For that I recall with fond gusto saying "Oh, it'll be just one week before I post again" and, true to my personal character flaws, it was definitely not one week. I can't be trusted to determine when I'll write something here but I also don't particularly enjoy defining myself in regards to something like this. Really what I've said in so many words is don't tread on me? Ah, I don't know what this thing is about anymore.

And there have been so many one weeks since the last time I was here. And some of them have terrifying lows. Others have been dizzying highs while the rest of them have been creamy middles. A quick bit of mathematics says it's been 145 one weeks which equates to 1,016 days. I didn't anticipate it being like this and I'm sorry. To whom? Firstly and fore mostly me. This started as a little passion project for me in 2008 and I had reasonable updates for the first 3 or 4 years. Then it kind of just petered out when I returned to Australia. I didn't get bored of telling people about my life and the goings on but I did feel somewhat hypocritical of criticising people on twitter for their at the time 140 character ramblings. Plus there were some personal issues that I needed to iron out that occasionally plonk themselves in to my life. I think I'm dealing.

Really the other apologies go out to the people that read this. Mum, Georg, random Russian folks who happen to find this. It's really rather odd looking at the stats of people who come here but I really do thank you anyway. This is, more than anything, an outlet for me now and I don't begrudge anyone who doesn't care much for this. Heh, I wouldn't! 

The reason that I've started this up again is because I'm currently reading Pierre Trudeau's memoirs. He specifically apologises in the preface that the memoirs have a looseness to them on account of it essentially being an oral exercise. I'll pause for the laughter. But that really resonated with me as that's pretty accurate as to how I write. As I'm typing I will often verbalise the sentence to make it made sense to me. Accuracy in terms of punctuation and word count don't quite matter to me. If only I had gone to on to tertiary education, it might! 

So as to what I've occupied myself with in the last 145 weeks? Well that's a dilly of a pickle really. I've kept myself busy, travelled a fair bit and pretty much kept the nose to the grindstone. Vague? Yes, but you must remember that I can't recall all of what has happened. Lots of happy students from the Greater Toronto Area, mostly impressed summer camp kids and plenty of fresh air. I don't quite know what to say was the highlight. I did head out to BC for 2 weeks which was lovely! 5 days in Vancouver topped off with the sweet sweet cherry of Victoria. It was the most heavenly place on Earth that I've been to so far. You should go there one day.

And you should know that I am the proud owner of a Honda CRV. It's a 2001 model so it definitely has some kilometres on it. Poor little thing. Can't go around expecting it to last forever. It has some 316,000km on it but it is a little beast. It has no name yet as I definitely do not subscribe to the ludicrousness of naming things like that. I did want to name it Edmund after E. Honda

Right now it is a rainy day here in Muskoka and I'm quite bundled up nice and warm inside. It's days like these that make my happy that we don't have schools here right now. You read that right! No schools, no students, no campers. We had a fairly good run of work from July up until this week in September. Family camp seemed like it could be a colossal failure but ended up being absolutely fantastic! We made some good friends out of the families that came up and even had some campers register, hopefully, for next year. 

Even though there has been little work in comparison to a normal year, I find myself pretty happy with the routine I've got myself in to. Early morning shower, coffee from the French Press, slight depressive episode, and then try to read or, less often, write something. This here has been the most I've "written" for quite some time. I still have a diary that I've been meaning to write in but it was last written in pre-COVID days. Aaaaah, those halcyon days. Mere memories now. So as you might imagine, the next entry is gonna be a real doozy. 

For now I think I'll just get fat(ter) from good food, good friends, and good beer! There've been a number of new - to me - breweries that I've visited recently. And a couple that are new to this world. I can't highly enough recommend Katalyst Brewing Company and Couchiching Brewing Company! The latter of which I still can not figure out how to pronounce but know that I get really close after a couple of their delicious Black River Stouts. This is not a sponsored post, I'm just an appreciator of the barley life. Also please sponsor me Katalyst and Couchiching!

Unless I can think of a way to circumvent the travels numbers back to Australia, I think that I'll be staying in the Northern Hemisphere for this Christmas. Which is fine with me. All my Australian mates tout the merits of a warm summer but I know for one that they are bloody miserable. Especially so when you see your friends in the North celebrating with cozy fires, snow angels, warm cups of potentially spiked drinks. Ah, it's bliss. 

Nobody seems to realise that just because 2020 has been a little bit of a right off that things will not magically change when the clock strikes 00:00:01 for next year. There's still that wonderful American election to come up. It is nice to be living in Canada with Trudeau making a fairly hefty percentage of the right decisions in regards to Coronavirus. Meanwhile the other three places that I have lived for a bit - the United Kingdom, America, and Australia - all seem to be doing their best at imploding whilst placing the blame on the other political parties and their supporters. I also donated to the Liberal Party of Canada. Forget why but it felt right.

Now it seems to me that there's going to be a lot of commotion in the next couple of months and I truly hope that all my friends stay safe. I'm sure it's easier said than done with all the unpleasantness that goes in the world. I don't know how to ensure that they're all safe.

Yet life does go on and I do certainly hope to make this a slightly less irregular occurrence. I know that I say that all the time and I know that I say THAT all the time but y'know what? I don't really mind coming back to this as it's something that is quite entertaining to me to reread. Terrible that I'm actually laughing at my own jokes but that's what's going to happen!  

I think this is the first Barenaked Ladies song I heard way back in 1998. Those were the reasonable old day. Hope you enjoy and if you don't then I also really don't care that much! 

Long Time Gone

As evidence might suggest: I've been gone for quite some time. This blog fell into a bit of disuse but I'm hoping to rectify that in the New Year.

Part of me wonders what I should include in these scrawlings now. I'm in and out of Canada on the regular so the name doesn't really make sense, I'm not interesting enough to warrant telling the common folk what I did in my day-to-day, and I don't care to be labelled as a someone who painstakingly labours over their food so that they can garner the praise of the internet. 

Or maybe I am.

In fact, it seems that Canada might very well be my permanent residence soon enough. After almost ten years (with me actually having lived there for about seven of 'em) I've finally decided to make Canada the place I want to stay. It's a truly wonderful place that I've seen about 0.00003% of and I'm probably being generous with that figure. From the breathtaking geography of the west to the subdued simplicity of the Prairies, to the populous and diverse Ontario, the culturally rich Quebec and on to the Maritimes which I know nothing about and that excites me! One day I shall get my derrière to that beautiful part of the country.

But I suppose that's it. I always say that I've got all this time in the world but I don't. That's not a mention of the stark realisation of mortality but an 'Oh heck! There's so many places I'd like to go' kind of deal.

Ma che cozz’u fai?!

Which does lead me to suitable segue! I did do myself a bit of travelling this year. I left the idyllic lands of Canada in the springtime to fly to Italy for a wedding. It was the union of two very lovely people who I've had the pleasure of knowing for 10 years. I did learn from my mistakes about driving in Rome and driving in Italy generally. The long and short of it is - don't do it. Good grief. All the stereotypes are stereotypes for a reason! Every time a car drove I would do the stereotypical hand gesture as you can see to your left here. I'd like to address a scientific notion of Italians driving and the speed of light. If there's a chance of us ever achieving a speed faster than c then it will definitely be by the Italians.

The town, Conversano, was gorgeous! It's a very old, rustic part of the country that's main focus is Conversano Castle. In fact, that's where I stayed! Mother of mercy, it was wonderful. Tragically I did sleep a lot there as I wasn't feeling the best on account of the travel and also lack of eating. I did devour a plateful of cherries upon my arrival. That was perhaps the 3rd best thing I accomplished when I was in Italy.

I could bore you with details of the wedding but I won't. I'll summarise in 20 words or less. It was a divine experience to be involved with. Wedding was delish, people were great. Love was all around us. There we go! I think that's a bloody good summary.

Then some bad stuff happened and I missed a train that in turn made me miss a flight and I had to stay at the airport and get all sweaty and unhappy with TD bank. But on the bright side - THE BLOODY CHEESE WAS FANTASTIC. More about this and more in a later exposé! Hoo boy!

As a reward for my pain and suffering in Italy^†, I headed to the Netherlands. A place that I'd often talked about with fond gusto but had, in fact, never visited. All the woes and unpleasantness of Italy and me being lazy in terms of trying to speak Italian - I did converse reasonably well with an Italian gent in a car park. All I was asking was "Dov'è la Banca. per favore?" (where is the bank, please?) but don't let that detract from my polyglottism - was washed away within mere seconds of me touching down in the Netherlands. It truly was a country made for me! Cheese, beer, tulips, orange, canals, tall women, cheese, reclaimed land. It was all there! And I loved it. I will return as I feel like I was very focused on both avoiding and sneakily stealing a sniff of the coffee shops.

In between then and now there was also a summer camp which was pretty fun. I got to work in a role that I was pretty familiar with and that was enjoyable. There were new challenges and new capacities to fill this year as opposed to 2015 which was exceptionally pleasant. The folks I worked with intimately with were as good as good can be. I do hope to see a wonderous percentage of them return in 2018.

So, I suppose, that would bring you up to date to now. I've not done a real bunch more. I did sample some amazing ciders in Seattle, see the sea in San Fran, get asked by Willy Wonka and Edward Scissorhands impressionists to take a picture of them, and then celebrate Veteran's Day with an actual veteran. It's a very interesting ability of the brain to remember all the decent things that've happened to you. Even more peculiar that some people want to share those memories.

Well seeing as it's now 2 days until the New Year, I'd like to make a little resolution as it were. This year of 2017 was pretty lacklustre in terms of me adding to this. In fact, the only reason that I decided to do this post was so that the '2017' dropdown menu on the right wouldn't appear empty. The last 2 to 3 years have been pretty vacant as a whole and I really would like to remedy that. I don't want to treat this as a livejournal (some of you are too young) or a twitter (some of you are too ridiculous) but I would like to record a little bit more of my life. Online. Yeah, I see the stupidity in that but I don't think I've ever included anything scandalous in these posts.

Here's hoping that 2017 wraps up nicely for you and that 2018 has some wonderfully fresh and fantastic opportunities waiting for you. I may live to regret those words but only time will tell, I'm thinking.

Oh yeah, I forgot I add little videos at the end of the posts to reflect the title post! I'll admit that ELO is definitely not my favourite band. I don't think I could name 5 more songs of their repertoire but I do like this song. It has a distinctly George Harrison c.Wilbury feel to it and I'm okay with that. And I hope you are too! Enjoy!


† I barely suffered and Italy was good enough. I was just knackered! Thanks Italy. Thitaly.

Feel It All Around

I wouldn't expect anyone to still be checking this blog out. But the statistics tell me that there are still people who do. Nobody of note, mind you. It's usually misdirection from 'flowers toronto' 'these flowers in the dirt' (Paul McCartney album this blog is named after) or, surprisingly 'russian singles toronto'. I really can't complain about the last one.

As it has been so long since I updated, I needed to go back and checkout where I last left everyone. Seems I had just started a new job. Fantastic! Well as it goes I am still doing that job. It has the same tribulations as every job does. One thing I'm beginning to understand is that kids are pretty great. Not to say that I would like any of my own but other people's kids are often hilarious. It's very exciting to see kids desiring knowledge. It definitely takes a certain kind of person to deal with kids day in, day out. Thanks teachers. I never thought I'd say that but here we are.

Travel wise... well I've been fairly stagnant. I did travel to Ottawa in October. It was a blast but I wish I could have spent longer there. The only other times I've been to Ottawa were for passport reasons so it was nice to have a non-passport reason to go there. I suppose the other big travel I've undertaken this year was going back to Australia for Christmas. So far that little venture is going well. Cricket, beer, and flesh melting sun. I forgot what it was all about over here! (and people hating Muslims)

Overall I'm pretty happy. This year I will be turning 30. Bloody hell. I never thought I'd see the day. I feel the warm glow of the societal expectations searchlight being shone over me every day. I pointed it out before - it takes a certain of person to take care of a kid. It's just not for me at this current juncture in my life. Not that I'm picturing myself as some sort of transient, wanderlust struck person forever. No, that's not my ethos in life but rather a story for another day.

Something I'd like to start doing in the relatively near future is writing in a diary. I've probably spruiked that kind of ridiculous notion in years gone by but I'm actually a bit more serious about it this year. I'm rather envious of people who are able to catalogue their thoughts in a well organised way. Reading back on a lot of these posts gives me a headache. I've always accused myself of writing like I talk and I especially hate the way that I talk. In any case I'd best get on it while the year is still young!

Usually I wouldn't even mention celebrities passings on here but this is one that struck me a little deeper than others. I feel like it would be a waste of time to attempt a sentence of how amazingly talented David Bowie was. It seems like he has always been a presence in my life. Musically, theatrically, and even present in a video game that a 13 year old me did not quite grasp. Much like a candle the light has just been extinguished. Nothing in between. I think it's definitely a well intentioned spotlight on his music as we see many people posting 'RIP Bowie' on various social media. Perhaps this will spurn the lacklustre musical scene of this day and age. Or probably not.

Hopefully this year doesn't hold too many other surprises. I want to increase my travel, I want to be kinder to people, I'd like to increase my level of fitness, and I'd like to cook more. Being back home has given me some opportunities I might not have had back in Ontario. No slight on them but it's almost as if I feel like I have to cook here. It's great. I used to own a little book where I'd write recipes that I'd tried and enjoyed. I'd also cut the recipes out of the front page of The Times back in the UK. I must have had about 30 clippings. Sadly, I never got to making half of them. Wonder where that book went to.

This song might be familiar to a lot of you. It's the theme song from Portlandia. I'd say it's definitely a different direction from all the music that I've listened to recently. I'd never even heard of chillwave before I investigated this song. I'm not sure what 'it' is but the location of it is everywhere. So please enjoy this song!

Until next year!
(but hopefully not)

It's Late

Hah! Remember when I used to update this blog regularly? Oh, no? You either? Yeah, I don't.

But you know what? My life has been blessed to have been transformed. I say that because whatever it was that I had planned for myself has gone massive astray. Last time I updated this ridiculous thing I was in the kitchen and kind of hating my life. Since then I have strayed out to the wild outdoors. Did you know there's a bunch of trees out there that have different names? Every time I see a tree now, I reach for my book and describe that tree before it even had a chance to drop a leaf! Hooray!

So what else did I accomplish in those 612 days? The ones where I left you to act upon your own wreck and ruin? Well you know what? A lot. I left the kitchen of Camp Muskoka and it was possibly the best decision I have made. Not that I begrudge the kitchen at all but I just wanted to be out with the kids and the teachers. I wanted to be part of the Outdoor Education team. And, as quick as you like, I was part of that team!

But for only the briefest of times! I was then transported in to the delightful world of summer camp. I went from feeling very apprehensive around the kids to being quite comfortable. It was a very delightful experience. It was amazing to watch the less socially inclined kids blossom. The ones that already had a social presence were a blessing to watch. For two months I felt like I didn't have to work. I got to have fun for those 60ish days.

Now what I'm doing is more education based. A majority of the kids come from Toronto and we have to educate them about the outdoors. It's fascinating how much and how little the kids know about their outdoors. Everything I know about Ontario I've learnt on the job. It's great. I can not go to bed and not feel awesome about how much OR even how little the kids know. They are really great. Sure, there are hiccups with kids but that's what makes it all that much more interesting. I will not forget one line of this. I even keep a little log of the schools that come in. It's fantastic. Being able to impart knowledge on young minds is amazing.

Since the last update I haven't really done a whole lot. I did travel to Philadelphia. For 13 hours. That was great. The bus rides were longer than the actual time spent in the city but the occasion was pretty auspicious. I was pretty pleased with how that went. Must go back there one day and drink all the beer that I can.

Ah, yes. I also travelled to the UK. I had grand plans but ended up running out of money and had the weather against me. Flooding over there is pretty prevalent and caused a lot of my trains to be cancelled or unfortunately rescheduled to an inconvenient time. I had a blast though. I got to see my friends, people that I cared about and visit some old haunts. At the same time I reinforced why I did not live there any more. All in due time, I suppose. There's going to be an older version of me ruing some of the events of my life. Hooray.

That's about it, guys. I know that is a pretty underwhelming return but I hope that it is one that sparks my return. I figure that 2015 will have more updates. Just to let people know what I'm up to or where I am. It's hard being as transient as I am, ha!

In continuing the tradition I have of posting the music to go along with the title, here it is! It's Queen again. I have been in a very nostalgic mood for Queen recently. I look at my tattoo quite often and think about how big a part of my life this band has been. I've kept all good company.

Enjoy!

Their Hearts Were Full of Spring

It ain't half hot, mum! The temptation that spring is indeed around the corner is just unbearable. Supposedly we're due for more snow tonight and I'm torn between what I want. I love snow but I also love not snow! Aieee! Please help me, meteorologists!

Just to let everyone know that from now on I'm not going to apologise for the lapse in time. I'll update when I want to and not preform to a circus! I've had enough! You are all not the collective bosses of me. Except me actual boss. He currently is.

What has happened since last update? I've moved back to Canada for a bit. I enjoy the familiarity and also the snow. For a person who comes from a country with a ridiculous climate, I do find it incredibly laughable that I enjoy the snow. Still it is receding. The normal ground is showing and the bleak reality that is summer approaches. The leaves reappear, the ground turns a reminiscent hue covered with wood chips and the fauna decide to return to the air. There's nothing worse than mosquitos or black flies in Canada. Not one thing. Erk.

My plans so far are: stick it out where I am until September, slide along west to Alberta to meet up with a very old, very dear friend and then, if funds permit, to slide over to the United Kingdom as a somewhat of a 'farewell' tour (as much as one can have at what will almost be 28) with stops definitely in Manchester, London and any stockists of real ale! Hooray! I must point out that at this time everything concerning England is still somewhat in the planning stage. But sally forth I must!

Aside from all that, I must start up my photography again. There's only so many snowbanks you can photograph in an artistic way. Summer, please fill me with your aesthetic delights!

Until next time I'm updating this blog: please enjoy this song by The Four Freshmen. I don't actually own this song but I have enjoyed a cover by The Beach Boys (I was going to include a link to this but apparently Mike Love has been on the trawl and removed any trace of it! Curses!). Listen to them vocals, son!

Keep safe everyone!

Poor Poor Pitiful Me

Poor Poor Pitiful Me

Seems like I did it again, eh? I'm becoming worse and worse at this with age. I'll blame that this time. I've done it with everything else so why not age? I'm back, I guess. I lied big time, didn't I? I said that I was going to be back sooner than this but I lead you all on. I have no recourse for this action. I am hoping that this picture of me looking like an A-class simpleton will help ease the pain and anguish I've caused!

However, as usual, I digress! I'm trying to pull the brain cells together to figure where I left you last in this cliff hanger of a blog. Hmmm. It seems that I promised to be back sooner than I was last time and that I was still in Australia.

So I guess the first thing I need to address is definitely my difference in geography. No longer do I reside in the Commonwealth of Australia. No, no. I have moved 17,262 kilometres to the East. I'm now in the United States. Yes, again. After the United States I am heading off to Canada. Yes, again! But this time I hope to at least adventure more. Pretty sure I've said that before too.  Maybe people could remind me this time?

I figure that's all I'll post for this time. I know it seems like I'm not relishing the idea of blog but I promise to take better care of this. My life was definitely more exciting. It kind of feels like the last rites are being read for this ol' thing.

Never fear for me! Have some Warren Zevon instead. This little track comes all the way from his 1976 album Warren Zevon. Linda Ronstadt also had a hit with this song but who cares. You can find it here on Amazon, there over at Google Play or even with iTunes if you're that way inclined. I ain't judging.

For now, adieu.

All Grown Up

It has happened again. What a terrible blog person I am! If this blog were a child... well I'd probably have been arrested due to my neglect of the childblog.

FORTUNATELY I have seen the ways of my error and am here to beg you all to forgive me. Alright. Mum, will you forgive me for not updating this blog? PLEASE. Hey, I gotta be realistic, y'know.

Last time I updated this shindiggery I was celebrating my uterian escape (birthday) and everything was well. Or well enough for me to lie about. Since then I've continued working and saving. That's about it. Not really all that exciting. I guess I have eaten some pretty good pizzas since then. Man, oh man. I could write literature to spell bind the future about pizzas. Why're they so good?

So having fumbled through my apologies and statement of Certified Blogging, I will bring you up to date with my travel plans. At this point in time it seems that I will, once again, be leaving Australia on December 7th. This time for an undetermined amount of time. Not to imply that last time I knew that I was going to be away for four years but I really had no idea that my sojourn would indeed extend that long. Having a rough idea of the plans I was keen on undertaking did me well. I think this time I'm rather a bit more excited to stay in Canada. I'm not overly sure where I'm going to call home. I'd like to enter Canada through Ontario but after that I can't say with any strong authority where I might head to. Alberta? Who knows.

I think this time I'm planning just a little bit better too. Not that I was blindsided on my last trip but having travelled just a little bit more, I think I've got a clearer idea of what travelling entails. Ideally I'd like leave my rather large backpack here and see if I can acquire a smaller one. 40 litres seems a little more appropriate for me.

I feel like I've become a little more mature. Maybe. Maybe not. I don't know if there's a specific scale to determine it but I do get the sense that I have hit a point in my life where I need to shape up or, potentially more to my liking, ship out. I do know what I want OR have a vague semblance of it. I initially detested my time in Australia but, having given it a little bit more thought, in reality this has been quite beneficial for me. Kind of a recharge. So... thanks, Australia. Thaustralia.

Might go away now and cook some leeks up. I love leeks. Kind of makes me want to be Welsh. I can only wish, eh?
The song today is fairly indicative of how I feel at the moment - All Grown Up. I don't exactly hate all the people that I used to adore. Well... maybe a little. But not too much. It's another Elvis Costello song but you're all really going to have to get used to that! Check out Mighty Like a Rose. You really, really, really, really won't regret it!

Well, cheerio. See you in another two months! (not really)

Birthday

I really, really, really couldn't have featured a more predictable title for this inclusion. I feel a little bit embarrassed. All the other birthday related songs on Youtube were either somewhat saddening, unbearably morose, Delia Derbyshire (much love and respect) or probably not appropriate. No matter how much I love Conway Twitty, I just can't handle him calling me darling one more time.

Now that I'm 26 I wonder if I will magically get a life compass. Will I figure out what I want to do with myself? Even if I don't I really should be appreciative of what I accomplished while I was away. Four years is really nothing to snort at. I never really anticipated staying away from as long as I did. Two birthdays in England, two in the United States. And now twenty two in Australia.

I had a pleasant day yesterday. I woke up fairly early and did the 21st century routine - Facebook, twitter, tumblr, gmail. And I felt bad for it because I was simply skimming to see if anyone had said "Happy Birthday!". Given that a good 60% of my friends are in England/Canada/the U.S, it was somewhat of a forlorn attempt at boosting my ego. It wouldn't be my birthday for another half a day. Bother.

After I had decided it was time enough to get up, I was greeted with a cup of tea and a rather boisterous "Happy Birthday!" from mum and dad. Mum had purchased my present a couple of days before with my consent so I knew what I was getting. Still it was exciting enough to elicit a giggle of excitment from me. I'm now the proud owner of a Leatherman! Unfortunately it has a name yet. Everyone needs to name their multi-tools! All in good time I suppose.

Then tragedy struck. I began to feel rather lethargic and upset. My throat was starting to tickle, my eyes became incredibly itchy and my nose became home to what felt like the world's only supply of cotton buds. I had been hit with hay fever before but this was ridiculous. Of all the days that my body could decide to harass me! The nerve of it!

To battle this affliction I decided to go to bed and sleep it away. At this time I discovered headaches really hurt and that made me go to sleep a lot quicker. What I wouldn't have done for either a bottle of Laphroiag or just a whole load of Vallium. Yummo. I did eventually nod off and it was most pleasant. When I awoke the headache was still there but, unbeknownst to me, in somewhat of a dormant state.

I had mentioned to mum about going out for some food but wasn't quite sure on what I felt like. Although I guess it was always going to be Indian. There really is no other food I enjoy more than Indian. During my absence the number of Indian restaurants in Rockingham seemingly doubled. There's also one just down the road from where I live claiming to a "Neaplese" restaurant. Even the website goes with that spelling. How kitschy. In any case I decided upon Spices on Ocean. With a name like that it kind of reminded me of all the quaint English villages I used to visit. The meals were superb and, appropriately, I was in bed by 10pm. Can't say fairer than that for a 26 year old.

Right now I've got another year to look forward to. I'm unsure as to what I'm going to fill it with but, given the chance, I hope to make use of it somewhat better than I did my last one. I'd like to read a bit more, be a bit more savvy with my money, lose a little more weight and all matter of things. I've undertaken some of those bits already so at least I've got my head in the game. It's nice having my birthday in April because I can claim these are all New Year's Resolutions that I'm picking up again.

That only leaves with me to describe the music for this post. As I've already mentioned this song is by The Beatles. As far as I know this was almost a throw away track. The Liverpudlian lads wanted to go out and watch The Girl Can't Help It which featured Jayne Mansfield and had some ridiculous plot to go along with. They threw this together before hustling on out and watching it. It's some what enduring. I hope you enjoy!

Until next time!

Writing To Reach You

Ok. First up - I apologise. Clearly there has been much grief coming from the fact that I've not updated this blog for just over 2 months. I am truly sorry. Sorry for depriving my diligent readers from such amazing storytelling. Also my amazing modesty. Chortle reader, chortle.

So what have I accomplished in the proceeding two months? Let me cast my aging mind back. Seems I've not really accomplished too many physical objectives. I have begun to organise affairs for my departure at the end of the year. The itchy feet and travel bug have proved too strong for me and I've decided to jet back off to... somewhere in the world. Canada, at the moment, is proving to be the most popular decision in my mind. I want to attempt a pan-Canada travel route that will probably not come to fruition but it is there. I need to find a map of Canada and attempt a somewhat crude route. Perhaps. 

Painstakingly arranged for the highest aesthetic purchase.

Due to my unusual habit of picking up business cards on my travel, I have quite a collection just waiting to have their story told. I decided to send back quite a few of the cards in 2008 and trying to remember the stories has been quite fun. I never expected to want to do this but I'm going create a little scrapbook of my travels. I'm entirely sure I know how to divide up the mementos but it'll probably glide along the lines of America/U.K. I did pick up some incredibly silly things along the way but I guess that's part of the joy of travelling. If I'm successful or at least fail less than I anticipate, I might make this somewhat regular occurrence. Maybe. It is nice to look back on your memories. Nostalgia is a little dramatic but the Greek root words do feel right.

As it happens I'm actively on the lookout for another backpack. Something smaller. Something with less space. Something with more space. But I'm unsure what I really, really want. The weirdo in me is terrified of not packing enough. But I'm also quite aware of how damned heavy my other backpack became. My current backpack is the Gregory Palisade. By no means am I unhappy with this backpack but I did notice my propensity to load up on clothing due the 'off chance' that I might need that particular item of clothing. Pish posh. I want to load up light. Take minimal accoutrement and pack necessary items. I'm even questioning bringing the old laptop along. OR at least leaving it here to begin with and having posted over. I don't know what I'm doing to do yet. Any suggestions for backpack would be EXTREMELY well received.

I'm trying to be a little bit more responsible with my financial situation. Great how a goal will give you the urge to save. Everything is going pretty well so far. I'm trying to cut back on the frivolous purchases by getting myself something low in value every week. Oooh, it's entertaining! My goal is, at least, $10,000 AUD. Given the current American and Canadian exchange rate... well let's just say I'll be treated as one of the more wealthy people on the North American continent. Chuckle. However I do honestly hope to be capable of saving a decent amount so I won't have to say 'Oh, can't come. I'm poor'. I'll be able to say 'I'll have seven, please!'. Exciting. Seven of what though...?

Ah, they were young once. They still act it sometimes

Before I close this exciting blog entry people must know that my parents celebrated their 39th wedding anniversary yesterday. It was very pleasant day. We went up to the Casino initially for some food but ended up going and putting a couple of bets on. I'm not really a betting sort - at all - but mum made a bit of coin back. I was just very blessed to be with these two people and very fortunate that they were my parents. We ended the day by having a celebratory drink. Mum had a Singapore Sling, dad had a Martini and I was decidedly naughty and had a gin and tonic. Oh my goodness. It was delicious.  Here's 40 years, mum and dad!

I'll leave you now with Writing to Reach You by Travis. I feel like Travis got lost a little bit in the Britpop era. There was a little bit of rivalry with Oasis but nothing too serious. There's an Oasis reference in this song ('and what's a Wonderwall, anyway?') but that's about it. I hope everyone enjoys it! You can find this song on The Man Who. The only thing I don't like about this album is whenever I'm in a Bowie mood and I search for 'The Man Who Sold The World' this album comes up. Not too much of a tragedy.


Lots of love to everyone!

The Loved Ones

It's a very rare occurrence where I'm unable to think of anything to say. However it seems that has been the case in the last month and a bit. Surprising seeing as it was the 'festive' period and most people wouldn't be able to be contained. Fortunately I managed. Oh my, did I manage.

Having said that I did have a rather pleasant time at Christmas. It was my first (and hopefully only...) Christmas since leaving in 2007 and everything ran to how I remember it. That was fairly pleasing. Also I wasn't over burdened with gifts as I'd made it known that I was still planning to vanish in to the sunset this year. I have to say the highlight was the rain cover for my backpack. The bottom of the backpack is waterproof but nowhere else it. I had been caught short a couple of times and really should have got myself one but... eh, I did not. I dealt with it.

Not terribly much else has happened since my last blog post. I do lead a fairly simple life. I guess what I should really be doing is planning for the next stage of my life. I keep considering what elements need to come together so I can get my life in gear. But... nothing yet. In my mind I tackle it this way - it's as if there are a several clouds floating quite closely to each other. These clouds contain different elements of what I want to have in my life - marriage, job, friends, location, travel - and are fairly cool characters on their own. Where the problem arises is that they don't play well together. Two might mesh together particularly well but the other clouds are just real bastards and refuse to play at all. It's truly bothersome.

Realistically I think Canada is next on the cards. Not immediately though. I must first get a job, sucker some money out of the company I'm working for and then toddle along smartly to The True North. It's quite amusing how that place can be so enticing to me yet I can not think of what I want to be there. Perhaps that is something that I should contemplate figuring out. It has something to do with the Habs, poutine, snow and their ridiculously colourful money. Speaking of which they'll be changing to polymer money very soon. Woo.

Something that sticks with me from Canada was when I lived in Montreal. I had only just found work for myself and was enjoying it there. I was figuring out the Metro system by taking it as often as I could. One fine day I happened to slow down to talk to a chap who looked shadier than a barrel full of fish. The exchange went something like this...

Him: "Oh, hi. Bonjour.. do you speak English?"
Me: "Uh... yeah? Yeah, that's about the only language I speak"
Him: "Ohh, thank GOODNESS. I need your help..." - I should have figured him out by now - "...my wife and I got here on Monday night and we were just about to book in to our hotel when our bags got stolen. They had everything in there. Even our wallets. I tried going to the police here but they were so rude. I'm from Ottawa and our police wouldn't treat us like this..".
Me: "Uh huh"
Him: "So I'm wondering... could you spare a couple of dollars? So I can make a phone call or two?"
Me: "I don't think phone calls are that expensive to Ottawa"
Him: "Oh, I'm hungry too, man! I haven't eaten in, like, 3 days". It was closer to a day and a half.

This is where I decided to flip the game around.

Me: "Aw, man. I'd love to help you but I'll tell you what. Just look at the way I'm dressed, listen to the accent... I'm Australian and I've only just flown in here. I can't speak French and I ain't got a job so I'm completely dry out of money. I'd help but I'm struggling at the moment myself...". This went on for a while and I turned the sob story up pretty well.

Him: "Oh brother. Here... here have some of my money. You shouldn't have to suffer like that. I'm sorry that you can't get a job and I'm sorry things suck for you so much. But if I see you around again just remember me, okay?"

And with that he gave me about 10$. On in the inside I felt bad for doing that but only for about 10 minutes. I overheard some people in the Sherbrooke Metro station talking about how this guy had tried to con some money out of them. Months later I conned another couple of dollars out of him. I felt no guilt that time.

Yes! That was a bottle in my pocket. I'm never happy to see anyone!

I say! Who is that debonaire chap with the most keen fashion sense? Why, intrepid reader(s), that is me! I must retract what I said earlier about being boring and add that I attended a wedding about a fortnight ago. This is what the blog title alludes to.

My word...it was the most enchanting day I have had in a while. The sky stayed clear of cloud and the sun shone extra hard as two good friends became wed. The ceremony was short and sweet, rather audible and attended by friends and family. Not a fault at all.

The reception was equally amazing. Beer was flowing freely, the tunes were handpicked by the bridal party (mostly The Beatles so I was very involved in the singing and dancing) and everyone was socialising. The speeches were sweet, humourous and well written and the night was young. What made the night for me was two things. The unexpected barbecue fire that was swiftly dealt with AND also the cheese that no one touched. Golly, did I eat all that cheese. Je ne regrette rien. Not a thing.

I feel like I've written a "What I Did Over the Summer Holidays" style pastiche. I promise to improve my writing style one day. Not now... but one day

Without further ado I'd like to introduce Mr Elvis Costello with The Loved Ones. This song can be found on Imperial Bedroom. P.P.S.I.L.O.V.E.Y.O.U indeed!

Take care, be good, read lots of books.

Until next time.

Long, Long, Long

Howdy!

Well seems it has been quite a while since I've posted anything on there. I've made a couple of attempts to write something on here but it has usually come out quite rubbish or drenched in ridiculous sarcasm. Most of those attempts have ended up deleted and I thought I'd try a more serious approach. So far, so good!

It's been 59 days since I last posted anything on here and within those 59 days I've accomplished quite a bit. Rather I should clarify and say that I got myself a job. Sure, it's only a part time job but it is allowing me to pay off my credit card debt which, in reality, I shouldn't have accrued in the first place. I was somewhat shocked when I was told how much I owed but then again I was using it pretty heavily in the UK so really I'm reaping what I have sowed. Fortunately it's not an enormous, insurmountable debt and I'm paying it off quicker than is the required amount. Yay, responsibility!

Now that I know I'm not getting my Green Card I think I'll at least look in to buying a car. Not because I'm lazy but I would like to be able to go down south to Denmark for a little while. And 'cause adults like I'm meant to be should have one so I'd best conform and get a car. I'm not even looking for an expensive car. I've got a fairly good idea of where I'll be looking at definitely the price range. I just saw a convertible that would be awesome to buy but there's motor trouble. I guess there's going to be aesthetic problems with any car under about $5000. Oh well! You know the old adage about beggars and their inability to be fussy over articles.

What else... uh, Christmas gift are now being thought of and processed. I really can't handle people who begin to get in the spirit of Christmas too early. It's slightly unnerving. I guess the good thing about Christmas is Boxing Day. It's the furthest away from next Christmas you can be. Plus there's plenty of food to eat the day after and I can honestly deal with that.

On the topic of food I've decided to really cut down on my intake and stop 'grazing'. On top of that I've started exercising/riding my bike quite a bit more and I've actually lost 2 kilos (4lbs, American friends!). That's quite exciting. I shouldn't have really let myself become Count Flabula anyway!

Right! I must finish doing what ever it is I am doing now. Interestingly enough I was drawing! And I don't ever draw!

Oh, I almost forgot! From now on I'm going to be posting Youtube videos of the songs the blog posts are named after. I'm not sure if people realise but the titles are songs! Get with it, people.



Long, Long, Long is a song by The Beatles and can be found on their eponymous (look it up) album The Beatles.

I Hope You're Happy Now

Well, well, well... look who came trudging back through the sludge of the internet to update his ridiculous 'web log' about nothing in particular. La-di-da, look at who has thoughts that he thinks need to be published. Pish posh. I apologise for the delay in communications but I have been stricken down with a fairly serious case of laziness. I just had no desire to write anything and I am sorry. There. An apology for the 3 people that read this.

So where did I leave everyone? On the teetering edge of a thrilling conclusion? Leading up to a sexy romantic comedy where the nerd turns in to a hunk and uses his new found power for good? No. It wasn't anything like that. It was me whining about how much I missed America. Oh, and apparently that was just after I had received my Green Card application notice. Haven't heard a lick of that since I sent it off. I'm hoping that's a blessing in disguise. No news is good news, right? RIGHT?

It's 6 days now until I finish work and head off to backpack (finally) around the United Kingdom. It has only taken my 4 years to realise why I came here, plan it and put it in to effect. That's a long damned time, y'know. But as it stands I'll probably start off in London, out to Bath and Bristol, Plymouth then to Cardiff. Up through Wales to Birmingham, then Liverpool and Manchester. After that I'd set off to Sheffield and Leeds then to Newcastle where I'd stay for a couple of days. Next off to Berwick-upon-Tweed on the train to Edinburgh. That's about as far as I've planned so far. That'll take me a good two or three weeks especially seeing as I want to explore Liverpool a bit more. Tentatively I'd also like to head off to Ireland and then to East Anglia (the eastern area of England!). If this all happens, however, is a different kettle of fish.

I also travelled to Poland in the blog hiatus. That was quite fun, I have to say. I'm surprised I survived as well as I did. Managed to get myself a quaint little hostel in the middle of the city and set up camp there for 9 days. I happened to meet some fairly good people and from there decided to expand my creeping territory. The place is amazing and I'm rather disappointed I didn't bring my camera along. I will definitely be going back to Warsaw. I also stopped off in Paris. Technically the airport but seeing as I stepped outside I count that as having visited. In a fantasy world I will meet some awesome people at a hostel I'm staying at and then we can all travel Europe! Yippee.

If money were no object I would buy myself a nice tent, a new sleeping bag and a waterproof jacket. The sleeping bag I have is slowly coming to a decline. The down is starting to get thin and separate so it's not keeping me as warm. The zippers are slowly starting to groan and creak. For 4 years service I think it has been exemplary and I won't soon forget the service and warmth that sleeping bag has offered me. I'm getting a little emotional. (not so much really...)

Well that's it from me. There's your quad-monthly update on the landside of a life I run. If you want a blurb style snippet here it is: I am alive and well and about to travel England. Yep, there you go. That's all you need to know.

Until next time, chaps and chapettes.

For Your Pleasure

Well I had planned to make this a post about me beiiiing in the USA but that turned out to be FALSE. So since the last time I updated I've actually beeeeeen in the US but now I'm back in England. Woopety doo. I couldn't fathom how awesome it was while I was away so I decided to come back. All a matter of trial and error, I'm sure.

So what am I doing whilst I'm back here? Same thing I always am - FAILING. Well not constantly but... it's definitely there. I can feel it. Blech. I hate the post-travel blues. Not surprisingly I've felt not desire to go out anywhere and when I have I've felt that I do so begrudgingly. Something else I'm not entirely amused by is replacing all the things I lost whilst I were in States. I liked the phone I had so when I couldn't find it that really bothered me. However in a serendipitous turn of events the phone is unlocked so I can finally use my phone in the United States which, in the past, was a problem. Then there's the camera that I managed to misplace. I'm sure it will turn up at one of my favourite haunts. I'm going to wait on this. Until that time it may prompt me to get my other camera up and running. I liked the optical zoom on that. Plus I've had it since 2006/7 and may as well make use of it.

In the interests of syntax I'm going to make a paragraph break here.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled blog reading.

Yeah, right... regularly scheduled. Snort snort.

As it happens I wasn't chosen for the Green Card in their 'diversity lottery' which was pretty emotionally crippling. I managed that crippling emotional deficit by filling the void with alcohol. It was an incredibly effective way of suppressing/retarding my emotions. The unfortunate negatives included my money flying out the window and me being, at times, an absolute fiend to Chelsea. And I'm sorry for that, my dear. I wish to curse hindsight and begin to use more foresight. 

YET through all that bureaucratic garbage there was hope on the horizons courtesy of a glitch in the selection process. Seems that anyone who was selected in the original drawing was more than likely chosen from the first two days of the initial application process. As such this lead the results to not be random and therefore they couldn't be used. After all: 

Immigrant visa numbers made available under subsection (c) (relating to 

diversity immigrants) shall be issued to eligible qualified immigrants strictly in a 

random order established by the Secretary of State for the fiscal year involved. 

Basically I'm really happy that I get another chance in the same year. Schadenfreude! That being said I really mustn't build my hopes up again as I'm not sure if my liver can take another sustained hit like that. Blech.

Something I've been genuinely considering in the last couple of months is travelling Asia. Big time travelling where blisters get their own blisters and very soon you forget that you spoke English and start speaking broken English so that you think the locals will understand you. So yeah. That could be fun. I'd like to head to India then make my way up to Korea. Orrrr as far as I can get before I die, am killed, run out of money OR decide that I can't do this on my own. Which I probably can't. In any instance I'll hopefully have a good friend of mine come along so at least that way I can make semi-informed decisions. Hopefully.

Well seeing as my PRESSING schedule of doing nothing is backing up I had best go about sorting out my mind. That could take all day or as little as five minutes. Who knows. 

Until next time!

(whenever that is...)