Mumford & Sons....

Currently, I have in my possession two tickets to two separate sold-out shows that I paid a total of $25 dollars for. One is Dan Mangan and the other is Mumford & Sons.

Thanks to my obsessive contest entering (I'd say I enter about 10 contests a week through Georgia Straight and the Peak...crazy right?) - I have won two sets of tickets to shows in the past year. Well three actually, but I couldn't go to one. How rad is that?

But now I am faced with a very strange situation. Somehow the Mumford & Sons tickets went on sale, and then like one week later they got really popular. Yesterday, I looked online and I could sell my $25 ticket for $90! What?!? That is a crazy return. So the question is - is it worth it to keep them?

It's sort of like during the Olympics when people got crazy good tickets in the draws. One person at Novacom could have gotten $2500 for her $200 speed skating tickets, but she went because she figured it would be worth it. Obviously, not quite as extreme...but still.

I think I am leaning towards going. The people must be on to something right? (But I guess the same could be said for Justin Bieber...did I just compare Mumford to the Biebs? Yup). But seriously, these guys are pretty awesome. They're British, their music is fantastic and their lyrics are very compelling. Go take a listen.

And check out these lyrics:

"It seems that all my bridges have been burned/

But you say that’s exactly how this grace thing works/

It’s not the long walk home that will change this heart/

But the welcome I receive with the restart"

(From "Roll Away the Stone" Mumford & Sons)

So, what do you think? And are you loving Mumford?

coupons....

So I don't know how you feel about coupons. I know that some people hate them, and some people swear by them. Matt used to always get upset when I went to use the Entertainment Book. This one year at Kelsey's, he missed his Sales Goal because of that book. I'd usually get away with it anyway. I would just have to work hard not to be an irritating coupon user (tip on the whole bill etc).

But now, my friends I have discovered a whole new set of coupons. And they are just showing the Entertainment Book how it is done.

It's called Traveller's Deck - a set of cards for the various districts of Vancouver (Gastown, Granville, Commercial Drive etc). They are created by local Vancouverites who picked their favourite places in the city. Each district has a few restaurants and a few shops. The cool part is - you can't pay to be on the list (like in the Entertainment book), you have to be selected. Each card has a little write-up about the shop and a discount. So not only do you learn about cool places, but you also get a deal. The whole pack is only $12.


Now you might think this is sounding like a sales-pitch. But my friends - this is really a Public Service Announcement, because tonight we got the best deal ever.

Matt's parents came with us to Nood Furniture in Gastown, where we got 50% off two couches. Yes, you heard me. Fifty Percent. Two Couches. That by far, is the best discount I have ever received from a coupon. I still don't even believe it.
I didn't think I could ever be this excited about coupons, or couches. But I am. Maybe this is the true initiation into adulthood.

A delight...

Matt & I both laughed out loud.

To get us both - that's quite the feat. Bring some joy to your post-Olympic life.

www.isnickelbacktheworstbandever.com

Check it.

Olympics Top 10...

So the Olympics came to Vancouver. We talked about it a lot before they came - and I think it would be pretty safe to say they lived up to the hype for me. Either that, or we just created a lot of our own hype. Probably the latter. And yet still - there were some great times.

So, now here's my Olympic top-ten, lest we forget the fun as we pay for it in taxes over the next ten years.

10. Waking up at 4:30 in the morning to see the torch: Arnold Schwarzenegger

9. Watching Ladies Moguls with collective cheering, and dancing in the rain: Richmond Ozone & Bedouin Soundclash

8. Snagging Victory Ceremony tickets at the last second: Barenaked Ladies

7. No line-ups and excellent music: Hot Hot Heat

6. Watching an opening band that got a standing ovation, beautiful melodies and a seat to call my own: Hey Rosetta & Stars

5. Singing O Canada with thousands of strangers: Jon Montgomery Gold Medal Ceremony

4. An unreal outdoor concert with non-stop favourites: Sam Roberts Band

3. Creating a new record of four free concerts in one night - all with great friends: Hey Rosetta (yes again), You Say Party, We Say Die!, Tokyo Police Club and Mother Mother

2. Geoff's sign that read "Get your photo with a Canadian - Free!" and the crazy pictures that ensued: Downtown

1. Sheer joy after Canada's huge Gold Medal Hockey win.

Well - it was a pretty unreal two weeks. So much Canadian solidarity, and fun times. Part of the joy was experiencing this with so many different friends. So thanks to everyone that was Olympic keen with me.

I have that feeling like the day after Christmas or something - so much build-up and then it's over. I suppose I should get used to it because the wedding hype is just about to get into full-swing.

Ahh yes - the wedding. 2010 is going to one for the record books.

Solidarity....

I've blogged before on how much I love community solidarity. Let's just come out and say it - I like being part of the cheering crowd.

So today, everyone at Novacom packed up for half-an-hour and went to see the Olympic Torch pass through Cloverdale. I wore my Olympic mitts, and all of us paraded down the street with joy. It's not everyday you can get that much enthusiasm out of seven adults. The streets were packed all throughout Cloverdale, and people "cheered on the flame" when it passed.

And I think I'm going to go again tomorrow. (Southpoint 6:15 or Semihamoo Mall 6:36 if you're interested).

Moments like these are rare - where we all come together for something. The cynics might say that we should come together for something more...erm...community-building. But I think this is a start.

Maybe you're an Olympic hater - or maybe you're an Olympic lover. I don't know. But I do know this - our city is about to have a big (free! well sort of) party, and you should come join me in it.

feb 12 - PPAC Opening Ceremonies

feb 13 - Bedouin Soundclash/Hey Ocean (Richmond Ozone)

feb 17 - Hawksley Workman (Richmond Ozone) OR Hot Hot Heat (Surrey Holland Park)

feb 19 - The Stars (The Orpheum)*

feb 20 - Hey Ocean/Said The Whale/Mother Mother (Holland Park Surrey) OR
Sam Roberts/The Arkells (Livecity Downtown)

feb 21 - Great Lake Swimmers (Ontario Pavilion)

feb 27 - Wintersleep/Tokyo Police Club/Hey Rosetta/You Say Party, We Say Die (Surrey Holland Park)

Check all the free concert listings yourself

Check out all the other free fun events (Russian Tall-ships, Ziplines, Country-houses)

So are you convinced? Do you want to Olympic-party with me? Love it or hate it - those tax dollars are paying for it - so let's enjoy!

*only paid show in the list. all others are FREE!

three month lull, and then FLASHMOB!

On January 23, 2010, I danced in a flash-mob.

During the practices I realized: "this was something I wanted to do before I die". I didn't even realize it was on my "bucket-list" until I was doing it. Aren't those the best kinds of things?

So now, for your viewing pleasure:

Flash Mob For Haiti Youtube

I run in at 1:45, in case you wanted to see me. ha. Geoff Stewart (the organizer) had this idea that maybe for every view (we're hoping for a lot), organizations will donate to Haiti. We'll see what happens.

When you're done watching, check out these flash-mob classics.

But maybe watch ours first, because we aren't "proffesional dancers" or anything:

T-Mobile Dance Liverpool Station London
Sound of Music - Belgium Train Station

Yes, it's true....

I am engaged to be married to Matthew Fraser Dayco.

On Saturday, November 21st Matt proposed to me in Portland. What follows is the (quite detailed) story of our engagement, starting from Friday onward. I guess if ever there was a time for a long blog-post, this is it. But be prepared, it is quite long. I'm sure I am breaking every rule of wedding-etiquette there is by posting this here. But I'm okay with that.

If you want to "skip to the good part" go down to Saturday. Here we go....

.Friday.
In early October, Brandon and Lindsay told us they would take us on a trip as a combined birthday present. So, we decided on Portland. On Friday, we all met up at their house and headed out. On the way, we stopped to get gas (yes, this is a significant detail). We were about two blocks from the border when we see a man yelling at us from another car: "All your suitcases just came out at the intersection". And he was not kidding. At 8th avenue and 176th street, all of our suitcases had flown out of the back of the truck into the middle of the intersection. Somehow, the we had failed to close the back of the truck at the gas station. (see, told you).

Matt runs out into the middle of the road, and rescues the suitcases. But that's not before one gets run over by a Semi-truck (ouch! good thing it was the empty one). But my suitcase is nowhere to be found. So, we start looking, and we can't find it anywhere. We decide to drive all the way back to the gas-station at 64th avenue. We drive along 176th with the windows open in the pouring rain looking, and we cannot see it. We look again at the 8th avenue intersection and Matt runs down the side roads to check. Nothing.

So, we give up.

We head back down 8th towards the apartment, so that I can get some things to make it to the next day. As we're driving I say to Matt: "Do you think there is any point in still looking?". I am literally finishing my sentence when Lindsay yells: "There it is!!!" And there it was, my suitcase which had been dragged 1/2 a kilometer by a car from the intersection. We run out into the road, and by some insane miracle, everything was there, soaking wet in a beat-up suitcase, but all there!

The whole way to Portland, we would turn to one another in delight and say "All our bags are in the back!"

And that's day one.

This is my "we found our suitcases, I can't believe it" face.
Notice the rain-drenched hair.

.Saturday.
On Saturday, we all woke up and went out for breakfast. Matt suggested that we should take Brandon and Lindsay to my favorite bookstore - Powell's City of Books. Yes, that is the name because it is 1.6 acres (a full city block, four stories high) of books.

As soon as we get there Matt says he has to go to the bathroom and leaves us for a few minutes. I walked around with Brandon and Lindsay and looked around until Matt joined us again. He comes back and tells us there is a "special event" happening in the Antique Books Room upstairs. Now, you have to understand. This is my favorite room in the whole store. It's filled with first editions, and beautiful antique books. I obviously do not see it coming, so the on the way up I'm telling my brother all about this room. He is smiling nicely and laughing in his head at me.

We get up there, and there are three musicians playing. There is music and books and it's all very lovely. (But I'm still not getting it). There are two chairs set up by the musicians, so Matt and I sit down there. I listen for one song, and then I get antsy - I need to look around of course. Matt's not having any of that. "Just hold on a minute" he says as I get up to look to around. I am a little suspicious but think its probably a classic case of Sharelle not being able to stop and enjoy anything for more than two minutes.

The song finishes and Matt says "I just want to grab this book I saw on the way in". So he gets up and I'm thinking "so you get to look at books, and I have to sit here?" And then the wheels start turning, and it all starts to click together (finally!).

He comes back, and the daze starts. I see him kneel, and open a Wordsworth book. Inside it, is a ring box and he says those four sublime words. I don't think I answered him for at least a minute, just dazed. We hug, and I'm trying not to cry. One of the musicians shouts: "Is that a yes?" and I come to my senses enough to say "Yes".

And then, they play "All You Need Is Love". And then the people cheer. And just like that, I'm engaged.

It couldn't have been more perfect. Brandon and Lindsay were there to celebrate with us after too. And we got two days to revel in the joy that is the first days towards Marital union. I am very, very happy. I can't even put the way I feel now to words. Its like somewhere in that two minute daze, a new kind of love developed. One that I didn't even know I was capable of. And it's pretty amazing.

Looks like a yes to me.

There's my ring, and Matt's musician trio behind us.
(they were fantastic, he made an excellent choice in them)

Celebrating at Deschutes Brewery.

"Let's take some ring pictures" - Lindsay.
"Can I do it with my cappuccino?" - Sharelle

"Look, there's a ring on my finger"

I really want a famous blog...

I mean really.

However, seeing as I haven't updated my blog since October 13th - it's probably not a realistic dream at this point.

I often read popular blogs and think "I could have written that...". But hasn't this always been the dilemma with art (yes, I just classified blogs as art), I didn't do it.

I'm not giving up hope though. Maybe one day I'll find a niche. And then I can stop working a 9-5, and when people ask about me, you can say "oh yeah Sharelle - she has a famous blog now". Here's hoping.

Until I get famous, go check these out:

The People of Wal-Mart - this little gem chronicles the many different people that walk through the doors of everyone's favorite mega-store. I've always loved people watching at Wal-mart. Too bad I didn't start a blog about it right?

1000 Awesome Things - This is a good one if you need a little pick me up. A Vancouver Sun review: "it’s a countdown of life’s little joys that reads like a snappy Jerry Seinfeld monologue by way of Maria Von Trapp" (again, I DO Seinfield monologues, and I enjoy a lot of things)

That's all I've got. Stay tuned for more "my weekends are fun" posts. ha.

Mr. Nick Hornby and one of the best moments of my life...

(Warning: this story is a bit long, and includes not one but two dialogue parts, so you can't say you weren't warned)

One of the great luxuries of not spending my whole life stuyding or teaching, is that I get to spend time pursuing other "interests" - like reading. So this meant, that last week when the new novel "Juliet Naked" by Nick Hornby came out, I had bought it and read it in two days.

Just for a little background - Mr. Hornby has been my favourite living author for a few years now. Ever since "High Fidelity" and "Top 5's" at Capernwray, I had a feeling I was was going to be into this guy. Then I kept reading, and had this strange, reoccuring feeling that he was inside my head. So much of what he wrote felt like something I had just thought, or felt. And so we clicked, Nick and I.

And then I pretty much read everything he wrote - his novels, his short stories, his literary essays, his music-criticism. If the man put pen to paper, I had to read it.

So when I heard that he was coming to Seattle in October, and I wasn't bogged down by lesson planning, or marking, or writing papers, I knew I had to be there. So I got in my car on Friday and headed to Seattle Public Library to hear him speak. I waited in a ridiculously long border line-up, and then got there five minutes after it had started. I ran up to the door, and the conversation goes like this:

Security Guard: "it's full, and we've already turned over 100 people away".
Sharelle: "But I drove all the way from Canada!" and then "please.please.please..." (shameless, unrelently, emabarassing begging)
Security Guard: "oookay...I'll get my manager and we'll see"

Head security guard comes to the door, and says "come with me". As we go up the escaltor, he confesses that he hadn't even heard of Hornby until the day before. "And you drove all the way Canada..." he said, so shocked. I didn't bother telling him that Canada isn't really that far. I thought he had fair reason to feel bad, I mean you work at a library man.

So I sit in the back, unable to see him for the first half while he reads. Then for question and answer, I snuck to the side, and watched him speak. And I was so, so happy to learn that he was as brilliant in person as he is on the page. It felt like his rants were my rants. He talked about being an adult and having interests, the importance of hope in art, and the necessity of having a laugh while you're reading. And my heart beat wildly in my chest.

And then I realized I forgot to bring my book in for the signing, so I get in the book buying line. Only to take 8 years, and then end up at the very back of the book signing line. By the time we get to Nick, he has signed 100's of books. But the event organizers (who now know me quite well as "the Canadian") tell Nick of my lengthy trek.

NH: "All the way from Canada..." (I didn't correct him either) "I hope it was worth it" (with a grin)
Sharelle: "Definitely worth it"

And then we talked about his new movie screening in Vancouver ("I already have tickets" I gushed), he side hugged me, and took a photo. It may be one of the best moments of my life.

Thanks for sticking out that lengthy story. Now when I start to launch into in real life you can say: "Oh I read it on your blog". Which is why, I almost didn't post it here in the first place. But really, how could I resist?

And there we are:

Given all the context above, please resist the urge to comment on how he looks like a creepy British man. ha.

my long weekend...

(in a rare feat of creativity, I made a collage, or rather, the computer did, and I rearranged. click on it to see it larger)

confessions of a shopaholic & pimms lemonade with lavonne.
wedding with greek dancing
secret garden tea room
slip and fall
seattle outlets
forever 21
pints with spiro
compline with singing monks.
pretentious seattle coffee shop (endearingly of course)
waking up to a view of seattle – 19 floors high
bumbershoot music festival
mango lemonade
slip and fall.
new hipster hats (matt and sharelle)
franz ferdinand
pizza
american microbrews
houndstooth scarf
metric

an excellent weekend (in spite of the double-fall clutziness). it's the kind of weekend to send out the summer with.

What's your favourite era?

I really should not make blog promises that I can't keep. I think I promised a lighter post. I'm not quite sure what this one is.

So today, I delivered a tender at Kwantlen. I've described this tender closing process before. It's sort of like the "spy" part of my administrative assistant job. I stand in a room with four strangers, and frantically scramble down a price, hoping I have the lowest one (so that we get the job). I am very careful that no one overhears my price, and steals it. Then I relish in the results, and stare down all the people we beat. Today, we got second place, so someone else got to stare me down. That was a full paragraph of context right there. On to the real story:

I am driving into Kwantlen, and this wave of nostalgia overtakes me. I saw all these students, on this, their first day of university, scrambling through the parking lot, arms loaded with books. It's that mix of anticipation and fear in their eyes. You sort of want to stop them and say: "it's only Kwantlen, you'll be fine". They have conversations like this one:

Student 1: "I am sooo tired, I was up so late last night"
Student 2: "Why, were you studying or something?"
Student 1: "Oh no, I was just on facebook"

That was real. Fantastic (Tragically, that still is my life sometimes. ha). But really, the whole thing got me thinking about my own university-era.

I think I can say, without fear of regret, that university was my favourite era.

I mean, obviously there will other great eras - there is no denying that. Some people want to choose High School, but I don't think so. In my opinion, University is so much better. You get the social environment of high school, but with more freedom, and ability to develop identity outside of a fishbowl. You get to learn, and even though you feel busy (and you are), you also have daytime hours off. I mean, obviously I am biased because I have always enjoyed school. But, I can't even be accused of "rose-colored glasses" for the past, because I felt this way during university.

It's sort of a strange thing, to realize an era you loved so much is over. But maybe it doesn't have to be? I guess we'll see about that. What about you, what would you say is your favourite era so far?

some Clive wisdom...

So I've been reading Clive Staples "The Four Loves" this week, and I am in awe that I have never read it before. I am just about finished, and I am quite certain, once I flip the last page, I will turn back to the first one. It makes my mind spin with ideas...(as Clive is wont to do). So here is a quote from today, because it's a good one:

There is no safe investment. To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly be broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket - safe, dark, motionless, airless - it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. The alternative to tragedy, or at least to the risk of tragedy, is damnation. The only place outside Heaven where you can be perfectly safe from all the dangers and perturbations of love is Hell.

- C.S. Lewis from The Four Loves

Don't worry, I'll probably try and lighten the mood for the next post. I see the direction this blog is taking. ha.

Here we go...

Normally, this isn't something I would post on the blog, for fear that it might be misintepreted.

So I offer this disclaimer:

I am neither advocating nor rejecting the claims in this article. Instead, I am attempting the impossible: to present the article without my opinions attached. I will tell you this - there are parts I agree with, and parts I don't (oh shoot, I already ruined it, didn't I?)

Just read it, and see what you think. Just by reading the title, I am sure some of you are already gasping and calling me names. I hope not. Mostly, I am just interested in this conversation on having and not having children. And I am interested in the way society treats this issue. If you are too, take a read. If you want to punch me, please reconsider.

The Case Against Having Children - Anne Kingston - "Maclean's Magazine"

*And one more disclaimer - if you are a mother, I respect and admire you. You are doing something amazing and selfless everyday. I promise, I just like the conversation.

summer music...

I always love a good soundtrack. It's a good way of pretending you know what's hip & cool, by listening to the songs that other music-loving people pick.

And now, we have the soundtrack of Summer 2009. (500) Days of Summer*

The entire track-list is good. That is not an exaggeration. It is a rare thing to be able to say that. It's got some of my favorites (Regina Spektor, Feist, Simon & Garfunkel) and some new things. Two new ones I am loving are "Sweet Disposition" by The Temper Trap and "Here Comes Your Man" Meaghan Smith. And Zoey Deschanel sings on there too. Pretty great.**

So, you should probably go check it out. I am pretty sure I will be listening to it on repeat for the rest of August.

*Just to be clear, I am not necessarily recommending the movie here. I am still kind of undecided about it. Originally, I was pretty sure I didn't like it. And that's not because of the anti-romance ending (no, I didn't give anything away there, its in the preview). It was something else, their relationship or something. But it's inspired quite a lot of conversation. Which makes me think I might be starting to like it. Now I sort of want to see it again.

**I have been doing some serious music geeking, and have gone to another blog where Marc Webb (the music director) discusses all his music choices, both on the soundtrack, and just on the film. It's actually quite a funny little dialouge about cynicism, and tug-of-war between pop and indie music. If you are interested, take a read.

I usually wait until I am inspired to write....

No. this is not my photo. but it was titled "Back to the Future" in White Rock.
Thanks Flickr.

..but the inspiration seems to come in bits and pieces. And never whilst near a computer. Sometimes, I write random things in the moleskine, and then it never seem to make it to the screen.

Today, I saw on some one else's blog-roll that it's been four weeks since I have written. Although that is probably the worst motivation I can think of, it is causing me to write this.

So, I'm home.

I have been for a while now. But in truth, I am still coming to terms with it. It's strange really. Because most times I come home and I am ecstatic. The first sight of YVR makes me grin ear to ear. I don't know what was different this time. I don't love home any less, but it just seemed too soon or something. Or maybe that I had more "real life" to return to.

That being said, quite a few moments this week have signaled the return of

White Rock Love:

.being "missed" by my tea shop lady at Clancy's Tea Cosy in White Rock.
(this is a great story, more later perhaps)

.sunset at crescent beach.

.sunday morning farmer's market with locals selling fresh fruits & veggies.

.outdoor movie yesterday on the beach with the train passing in the background.

.flowers planted around the base of a lightpost at the beach.
(acutally, that was Laura's, but it's a good one isn't it?)

I feel quite consoled that it's returning. I am not loving suburbia yet. But, I am loving the suburbia August long weekend events happening this year. I think it's quite safe to say, I'll been back to normal in no time at all.

From Ireland...

Unfortunately, there is no B & B owner with an i-phone in Ireland, so I didn't take that picture. But I swear to you, my pictures look almost exactly like that. Truth is, I will probably be posting my (not so perfect) pictures for the next 3 years to spice up my WR life. ha.

When I left you last I was with the girls in England. From there, we spent some lovely (and slightly nerve wracking) days in Wales, with a vehicle weaving our way through the countryside. I have one really great story of human goodness and a tire blowing. But I'd like to tell you that one in person. With considerable sadness, I left the girls in Wales. We really had some lovely adventures.

I went to meet Matt in London, and it was such a surreal moment to see him standing in the Heathrow before me. Even now, its hard to believe some days we are having this adventure.

Some highlights so far:

London...
We saw "Waiting for Godot" with Ian & Patrick and it was pretty unreal. We were in the very back row, I mean the last possible row in the theatre, but the magic made it to there. I suppose its not a shock to say it - but those guys can really carry a scene. We also met my family friends "The Suvans" for dinner in their London flat. It was so nice to be in a home, and enjoy home-cooked food and vist with friends. On our last day, we had high tea at Fortum & Masons. It was really the height of the tea experience. They did everything right.

Ireland...
I wanted to write about each city, but I can see that the hotel owner is looking at me strangely for hogging the computer so long. So I will just say this, the coastlines in this country are magnificent. See the picture (that I did not take...haha) above. I have really been over-taken with awe. Sometimes, when you travel this really horrible thing happens to you where every cathedral looks like the one before, and it all blurs into one. But then, you see beauty like we did in this country, and you literally can't help you shriek when you come around the corner because it's so beautiful. I love that feeling.

I should go, his looks are getting more persitent now. I love travelling, but think of you all often. Send me lines & let me know you are. They mean a lot "out here". ha.

From the UK....

Well hello everyone. As the title suggests, this post comes to you from the UK. I am sitting in Bath - en route to Wales with the Laura and Rita Van Dyke. Its not the most expressive picture, but our B & B owner snapped it on the ol' iphone and sent it this morning, so I figured I might as well post it. We are in Wells there, the smallest town in the city in the UK (most well known for the filming of British Movie 'Hot Fuzz' which I love).

London
This country does indeed hold part of my heart. We started in the bustling London, where we stayed at a very Hogwarts-esque hostel with wooden beds and massive staircases. We were sort of theatre gluttons, we watched The Phantom of the Opera and Romeo & Juliet in one day. It was preeetty great. We also went around the city, wandered in Hyde Park, went to the Poet's Corner to converse with our dead kindred spirits. It was quite lovely. We some transportation nightmares because the tube went out of service. We had to find our way back to the Swiss Cottage on random buses. We also went to Dover (to see the White Cliffs) and Cantebury for the home of the Chaucer's tales. Dover was a bit of a dissapointment, because the beautiful white cliffs were blocked by a massive port, but we read our poetry anyway. Cantebury was quick but lovely, and I had my first real English Roast while here, and it was perfect.

Oxford
Next, we headed to Oxford to visit the graves of some great authors (Tolkien & Lewis) and visit their pubs, and Colleges. It was quite a crazy town, with students in robes everywhere. We saw also saw Harry's banqueting hall, and of course LVD & I were in raptures.

Glastonbury
From Oxford, we headed to Glastonbury (no, not for the festival). Laura insisted that we go on this pilgrimage to see the 'beginning of Christianity in England' and where the Arthur legend begin. I was skeptical, but it was quite a interesting town, full of hippies, mystics and those interested in other worlds. It was pretty great being in small-town England again, and made me think so much of Capernwray.

Now, we are in Bath, here for a few short hours, en-route to Wales. We have been judged considerably, for our decision to go to Wales, but we are quite excited. Tomorrow, we go to Tintern Abbey and read Wordsworth's famous lines. I cannot wait. It has been a joy to travel with English Majors, who have a poem or some lines for every occasion, and are ready to read them with me. And yet, I also think of so many of you, the ones I lived with here, the ones I travelled with here, and I remember all the great times travelling brought us.

Please send me some thoughts of home. They will be much appreciated on this side of the ocean. You are missed & loved.

five reasons why I am happy in spite of the canucks...

(Photo by Kristina Vbvv..and not me, obviously)

There is no shortage of things to be sad about at the moment. I mean, the canucks lost, and there is an economic downturn. So, I figured it was time to post about some things that have me happy in the past couple of days. Why not try to turn the tides a little?

#5 - solidarity
The very fact that our most of our city is sad today shows that we are still capable of some kind of solidarity. It almost feels like "football" in England. Just to know that about 80% of the city is doing the same thing as you, hoping for the same things as you and now feeling the same sadness as you, makes it all a little better right? If you want the truth, I mostly watch hockey for solidarity. I like talking about it at work the next morning. ha.

#4 - the approach of summer
As I drove to the ferry to pick up Spiro yesterday, the sun was setting in the clear sky, and it felt a lot like the start of summer. I realized that some time the past two years, I started being affected by seasons. I never much cared before what season it was (probably because I was in school for all of them) But now, different seasons mean different things, good things. I thought of fireworks, and summer sunsets, and long evenings, and it made me smile.

#3 - cp's
Spiro was here this weekend, and we went to the island to visit Kristina and her husband Johannes. I was amazed again that here we are 5 years after Capernwray, and we still like each other this much. That is fantastic. We walked everywhere in the sun, sat on the balcony, listened to music and generally enjoyed one another's company. It was pretty fantastic, and kind of felt like a little preview of Europe.

#2 - Europe
This week I had a multitude of emails from people travelling in Europe, and it made me realize that it's going to be me in less than a month. It still doesn't feel real. Booked tickets to see "Waiting for Godot" in London with Sir Ian McKellen & Patrick Stewart (Yes Magneto AND Xavier). Ohhhh man. X-men and Shakespeare in one city. Best city of the world - no contest.

#1 - White Rock White Spot
Yesterday, I was at home doing laundry and watching game #6 when I decided I needed to get some food. We all know how bad I am at preparing for food for myself, so I thought I would go pick up some White Spot. I get there, and I look over to see Stefanie & Heather sitting there watching the game. I asked the waitress if I could eat my take-out in the restaurant. She looked a me a little funny, but I went for it. And it was fantastic. I mean, really, when does that happen? So classic White Rock. We sat with a couple random guys and cheered and booed at the appropriate times. That is some great solidarity there.

I guess it all comes back to solidarity, doesn't it? So there is mine, how about you? There has to be something that is making you happy today.

Two Top 5's in a row....Yup.

Top 5's...

When I was at Capernway, the cp's were usually doing one of two things: listening to Tiny Dancer or making a Top 5 list.

And it's back - now through the wonder of the World Wide Web - they are at it again. Making Top 5 lists. And since I now know that my readership depends on "frequent posting", I will post anything I have.

So, don't think of it as a survey on a blog, no no, it's a "Top 5" - and that is MUCH cooler. And hey, maybe go post your own. Some might call it a product of our ego-centric culture. I think those people are wrong.

Top 5 meals you've ever had:
1. Jack Daniels Ribs & Asparagus - Cactus Club (yes, a chain restaurant - suck it up)
2. Schnitzel at Schnitzelwert Schmidt in Austria.
3. Last night's steak and shrimp dinner at Matt's (I love dating a chef)
4. Lamb Popsicles at Vij's Indian Restaurant in Vancouver
5. Tacos with Matt- tenderized beef with special seasoning. Mmm....

Top 5 reasons you're glad for where you are:

1. The ocean
2. The mountains
3. People I love near me
4. My church
5. Free rent - its silly living with your parents, but being able to is pretty great, and having money for things like Europe.

Top 5 reasons you can't wait for what's next:

*
3. Because I am going to Europe in June - first meeting two amazing English majors, and then meeting Matt after. I can't even believe it, even as I write it. So excited.
4. Harry Potter 6!!! (why is this the only thing with exclamation marks?)
5. A summer without the guilt of school is going to be unreal.

Top 5 fears:
*
2. That I will end up alone.
3. Being away from academia too long that I become incapable of completing any further education.
4. That I won't be able to see outside of myself enough to love those around me (Matt, Friends, Family, Kids...ummm....)
5. Having kids - there I said it - I have crazy womb anxiety. It's true. But the fact that marriage is NOT on this list is a minor victory, so at least we are getting somewhere.

Top 5 things you are great at:

1. Ranting
2. Being a friend (I hope...)
3. Knowing where to get good fast food, in any given situation.
4. Apologizing
5. Starting conversations with strangers

Top 5 smells:
1. My grandma's cinnamon buns
2. BBQ's
3. Coffee
4. This cologne Matt wears - Joop - love it.
5. Clean laundry.

Top 5 buildings (whether you've stepped foot inside or not)

1. Capernwray Hall
2. Wordsworth's Cottage
3. Shakespeare's Globe in London
4. Childhood places. We moved a lot - so there is really no one place, but as a collective they are lovely.
5. Chatsworth Manor - (The Pride & Prejudice House) - 4 of my 5 are in England. That is ridiculous.

Top 5 purchases you've ever made:

1. Plane tickets- I calculate almost every major purchase in my life as where I could have gone with that money.
2. My travel backpack - it's pretty great.
3. My converse - but they were given to me, so maybe it doesn't count.
4. U2 - the best of 1990-2000.
5. Antique John Donne in York.

Top 5 things that have annoyed in the last week:
*
2. The amount of planning it takes to create a good lesson.
3. Not being able to be everything for everyone at the same time, and then feeling like crap about that.
4. My own incapacity to be alone - always driving somewhere because I hate being alone. So silly.
5. Always pulling out the wrong key when I have 12 things in my hands.

Top 5 things that have inspired you this week:
1. The sun coming out for the beginning of spring.
2. The fact that I made it through my first full week of "real" teaching (and got paid for it!)
3. How I seem to love Matt more as time goes by.
4. Travel plans for Europe coming together.
5. Starting to read again - and things I want to read...

So there you have it - this week's "Top 5" - maybe go write one. It's a fantastic waste of time if you have something more important to be doing. Or maybe just because....

*Some things have been removed, in the interest of not writing my entire soul on the internet. But you all read it already anyway...right :)

Talking to Strangers....

Confession: I really like talking to strangers.

Well, not all strangers but most. I don't know when it started, but I suspect it might have been the years as a Barista. The options were either having a mind-numbingly-boring shift (working at the slowest Starbucks in White Rock) or striking up conversations with random strangers. So, I usually opted for the latter.

And now, I do it without thinking. I will start talking to the person behind the till, or next to me in line, and it seems totally natural. Sometimes, strangers even come up to me and start conversations. It's almost like if you classify yourself as a person that talks to strangers, they start to approach you. At times, it can be awkward. But usually it is hilarious, and makes for fantastic stories, especially while traveling. Both Brenda and Lavonne are fantastic "stranger-talkers" so it made for some great travel stories.

But today I dropped the ball.

I was at having tea at Clancy's in White Rock, and this young guy comes up on a Motorcycle. He wanders in, takes off the helmet, and proceeds to buy some loose tea. I think that might be it, and he would just leave after that, but no, he sits down, at the table next to us, and has a cup of tea, by himself, A BIKER. And not like a scary biker, but wearing glasses, and friendly looking. I was so shocked by this obvious "strike-up-a-conversation" moment, that I couldn't do it. I totally froze. I couldn't think of any opening line that wouldn't seem like a come-on, or too cheesy, or keen. So, I said nothing. I mean, this guy even smiled when we said something funny. He wanted to talk, and I couldn't do it.

We left, sure that somehow "fate" had cheated us. Or something. The question is this...would you have started a conversation with this guy? And no, not to necessarily to flirt, but just to be nice, or would you (like me) have sat there wondering what to say, or just not said anything at all for fear of being over-keen? What would your line have been?