First Encounter with a Labradoodle

Spaceships, Trains & Pants

I had a chance to visit Victoria this week while we were away for the trip... It feels really good to breathe there. There are leaves big enough to wear as hats. One morning I took a walk to campus. There was a thick fog covering the park as I walked through, and I was met by a baby deer with antlers. The fog - an exaggeration? No. That actually happened. Wizards? No. But it would have been cool. In retrospect, I think animals with antlers are likely something I would normally avoid. However, this one caught me by surprise. For all baby deer with antlers reading this post, I give you a warm invitation to visit me anytime you like. Bonus points if you catch me off guard.

Another thing I like about Victoria: everyone says, 'Thank you', when getting off the bus. I realize the possibility that this may be customary for lots and lots of people. However, I've sat on many buses where people do not say thank you upon their departure. To see people saying thank you stop after stop in Victoria... did it get old? Nope. If only the subway and light-rail-transit systems gave us the ability to thank the train operators. There is often a door in the way prohibiting our gratitude. In fact, I usually don't know what the train operator even looks like. I never seem 'em. While using the new train system in Vancouver recently, I was made aware of the fact that there wasn't a train operator driving the car at all - driving the car that I was moving in. After being made aware of this fact, my first thought was: this kind of set up seems like a bad idea all around. Like the bad sci-fi movie where thousands of people jump at the chance to trust the computers because the computers can do what humans can't. And then NASA launches the first spaceship ever to be boarded by the common public, and without a pilot to boot because hey, we can mount cameras in the side of the spaceships head - far superior to any man's peripheral vision. And then after the spaceship crashes and lots of people perish, Ed Harris smacks himself in the head for not having hired Admiral Ackbar who's peripheral vision is well complimented by an acute awareness for traps and mishaps. But then my second thought was: hey there's a fully certified professional sitting somewhere in an office nearby watching a dozen monitors for intruders of the rail. And he's got laser beams firing in all directions just in case damsels and other children fall on the tracks in distress. Not bad lasers. But the good ones that alert you when something is interfering. And that's when I got off the train.

I got off the train to beautiful soaking wet Vancouver. Sarcasm? No. I really do like Vancouver. And I really do like the rain soaking wet. I like it as much as I like rambling in a blog that I need to visit more frequently - particularly early in the morning. But Vancouver provided me with an insight: for those who tend to buy their pants ever-too long, you're probably going to be pant-less sooner than the next individual that happens to be more picky in his or her sizing. I'm referring to the classic pant on heel drag: when the back of the pant leg creeps up underneath the heel of your shoe and then gets tattered and tattered until it blows right through the hem and into an array of torn denim that goes, "Hey, I've had these pants a little bit too long". I do not know for sure whether or not this is more problematic in damp weather. I am neither a scientist, nor a pant doctor. However, all I can think of is that moment when upon taking off your shoes in a friend's house, you go to walk across the carpet and the wet cuff of your pants that once lay under your shoe moves forward to a position under the heel of your sock. And now, not only are you well on your way to having a blown out array of denim, but you are now a person with wet socks. And, you are likely tracking mud through your friend's house. My mom always told me not to track mud through the house of a friend. That's not true. But you shouldn't.

Kelowna has been very nice. We played to a new restaurant known as 'The Greenroom'. On our second night in Kelowna we played at the Minstrel. Thank you to all those who came out to support our music on the recent 'Sarah Cole CD Release' mini-tour. It was a really nice opportunity to meet some new people and see some good friends too. As of now I am looking forward to coming back home. Thank your transit operator, and if possible, choose to wear pants that fit properly. Abruptly, and sincerely, t.

Giant Pumpkin Questions

I have all kinds of questions upon seeing this photo:

1. How much does a pumpkin like this cost?

2. How does one safely pick up a pumpkin of this size WITHOUT the severe risk of: (a) killing someone; (b) puncturing the pumpkin; or (c) killing the pumpkin?

3. Is it big enough I could hide in it and surprise children?

4. Or is it ONLY big enough that a child could hide in it and surprise me?

5. If I rolled this pumpkin down the hill in Okotoks (a.k.a.) Centre Ave., what kind of cars would be in real trouble?

6. Can one insure a pumpkin of this size?

7. How many seeds will it provide?

8. How many pies?!

9. What does the hollowed out inside of the pumpkin sound like?

10. How big a knife would one need to carve the pumpkin?

If you have any trouble seeing the pumpkin visit the link below. #28.

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/10/autumn_scenes.html

Giant Pumpkin

Big Rock Candy Mountain

The Collegium

Played a show last night to a very nice bunch of people at the
Collegium in Kelowna. The Collegium is a student space designed by
Trinity Baptist Church. It includes a lounge area, a kitchen area and
laundry services as well. But it's different than the average student
space. On an evening such as last night, a team of volunteers organize
food for everyone, appetizers and virgin cocktails. And students are
shuttled over from the nearby UBCO campus. I was taken back by not
only how much amazing organization took place, but by the positive
energy that surrounded the room. It was encouraging to see such a
great student program take place. And we met some great people. Thank
you to all who came out last night to listen to some music and have
some snacks. After a long drive from Calgary, nothing made me more
happy than the opportunity to play some music for you. And thank you
to Steve for sharing the stage with Sarah and myself. Off to Vancouver
now to play at Lugz Coffee House with Gillian Hobbs. Gonna see some
friends and enjoy a little bit of humidity while we can.

Wishing anyone who reads this a fantastic day!

Tim

On the road to two shows in BC. Think I'm going to go looking for a
pot of gold. I wish I could have captured the whole rainbow...