How I plan to change the world...

I've realized that in some ways, my blog has become a summary of my life. Not a bad thing really, but maybe not exactly what I set out to do. I'd like to make an attempt to steer it back to where it started - not as a space to share everything I do with my time - but more of a place to showcase the exceptional things in an effort to inspire people who read this, or maybe just to inspire myself...

Maybe both?

Anyway. Some notes about the past week and a half...

- I purchased a gym/pool pass... weird right? Great deal though - and with that in hand, I have been swimming regularly for the past month or so - 4 to 5 times each week. And in swimming before work - I am slowly becoming more of a morning person, which is cool too - or, maybe not cool - it's just a change for me, and I welcome change with open arms these days. I want to start working in gym days - but I'll need a bit of guidance there, as me and weight lifting don't know each other too well...

- Lou and I went snowshoeing on Monday. Awesome! Not awesome is the fact that the mountains are closed now...

- I have decided to write a book. This is something I have thought about for a while - years maybe. I have never really given it some serious thought though, and I plan to change that. I don't know what kind of book I will write - but I know I have a lot of ideas and I am hoping that I can take the idea behind this blog and adapt it somewhat. A collection of ideas aimed at inspiring people to change the way they think and live. Not that I have the answers to everything, I just think I have taught myself to have a pretty good and positive outlook on life, and more people might benefit from something like that... I'll do my best to keep this up to date with the progress - but keep in mind that this is not something that I intend to do soon. Either way, I will keep you posted.

Your Homework:

For anyone who reads this and has 2 hours and $12 dollars to spare - go see 'One Week' - great movie, amazing ideas, lots of inspiration. And on a similar note - rent 'Heartlands' - or buy it, as it may be hard to find at a video store.

My Homework:

I have been considering an idea for a few weeks now - where I would do something each day that is of no immediate benefit to myself, but that might help someone else - ideally a stranger. I know that this might sound strange - and that I might provoke some indifferent reactions to the random acts of kindness - but I think the world needs more of that. Maybe I will buy someone a flower. Or a sandwich. Or maybe I will wait extra long to hold the door for someone. I just know that I want each act to be independent of the others, and I want it to be spontaneous, not planned at all.

I can recall a time when I was young, and I was at the corner store buying candy after school. There I witnessed a lady who was told she owed 12 dollars in late fee's on her video rental - and upon hearing this, she began to cry. Clearly, she wasn't upset about the video rental or the fact that she couldn't afford to pay the late fee, or about the fact that she didn't even have time to watch to movie, which came out between sobs... it was something far more real than that. Looking back, I wish that at that in that moment, I would have offered to pay the fine for her. Maybe it wouldn't have done anything. But maybe that small and seemingly insignificant interaction could have made things better for her somehow...

See, we can never be sure how our actions will effect the people around us. We can assume though, that positive actions will be rewarded by the same - and at some point in time, that positive energy will come back to us. Call it karma, or 'paying it forward', or whatever else you like - and believe that it is real, because it is...

When you're sitting in the Strawberry Swing...

A three day weekend is always a good thing!

I didn't plan on it, but presented with the opportunity to take Friday off as well, I did so, and gladly I might add.

I wasted my Friday, in one sense... being that I did almost nothing. But - I needed that I think. A day to rest my brain, and update my iPod - which was much needed also...

I have been sick all week, mildly though. Still trying to shake it off, so the extra day to rest helped hopefully.

We've finished up the first level of our Lindy Hop lessons. Now, onto 'Advanced Beginner'. It feels like we are actually dancing now...almost! It's kind of funny - looking back a year, or two or three... I don't think I would have ever imagined myself in swing lessons, much less enjoying it! Life changes a lot, and quickly sometimes...

And continuing in my pursuit to stay active - today was a good day! Lou and I walked for a while in the trails at Pacific Spirit Park near UBC. And tonight we went to the pool for our Sunday night swim. I also bought runners today - only of particular interest due to the fact that I have not owned or worn a pair of legitimate running shoes in 12 years or so. I went through high school gym class in skate shoes!

I spent a lot of time this weekend thinking about how spoiled the world has become. I guess my pal Louis CK prompted a lot of this introspection... but he is so right in the things he says in the video I've posted below. As a group of people, we (human kind) are fucking shitty. We are disrespectful and ignorant. We do what we want, and we give little thought to what effects it will have. And all the while, we take for granted how amazing our world is. I am hesitant to elaborate. Partly because I'm not sure I have the words in my sleepy state, and partially because I don't want to sound too preachy. But shit - we need to stop being so ridiculous. The world we live in is pretty amazing, even when considering the simplicities. The ability for trees to bloom in the spring. Think about that shit for a while. It's amazing really...

I won't get too far into the rant right now, because I can feel it coming off as a negative thing. But really, I am just pushing myself to appreciate and enjoy things more. And I think that in doing so, I am noticing more how ignorant and shitty some people can be. Nobody in particular really, just people in general...

So. I don't know. Take a minute to enjoy the world. Each day if you can. Just stop and find enjoyment in something you can see or hear. Find inspiration in something simple - something that you pass by each day, but don't take the time to notice or appreciate. I think that if we could all do this, things in the world might just begin to fall into place a little easier...

Everything Is Amazing & Nobody's Is happy...

Louis CK is a smart and funny man...

One Year - No Booze - It's Official...

It's been a year... and I figure I should give this topic some exclusivity as, in reality, it has been the most drastic change I have made in the last 365 days.

It's kind of funny when you don't drink. Sometimes people are surprised. Sometimes people are almost insulted. I wonder how it came to that? When declining an offer to drink has the ability to piss someone else off - make their entire night less enjoyable even. Strange times we are living in... strange times.

Anyway - I guess I can sum the whole thing up with 2 main points which should hopefully provide sufficient insight into the reasoning behind my choice to eliminate 'the drink' from my life - at least for a while...

One - The majority of the things in my life that have caused me feelings of affliction, have been a result of alcohol. I wouldn't go back and change any of those happenings, for, it is those things that have really helped to shape the person I am today.. We make mistakes now and again, some worse than others, but, the hope is that we will learn from these mistakes. Whether they are mistakes that we have had to face head on, or ones that we can sort of sweep under the rug, so to speak, we still have to face them, some way or another. I just came to realize that I had done things that way for long enough - and I needed a break. A period of true clarity in my life...

Two - I was beginning to realize that when I went out drinking, I generally did the same thing. Over and over. In the end, it just was not fun anymore. And really, what is fun about going out to a loud place where you don't know anyone; where you can't sit comfortably or hear your friends talk; where, more than likely, some douche will give you that, 'I am going to try to fight you at some point tonight' kind of look - whether he tries or not is a different story I suppose. And on top of all this, your night will likely end with you spending way more money than you can afford to, all by the magic of a small plastic card you keep ever so conveniently in your wallet, for nights 'just like these'. And then you lose your friends during your exit from the bar, only to be left downtown alone, with a dead cell phone, and no other means of contacting anyone - so you wander around until you find a bus stop, where, during your wait for a bus that is not coming, a homeless woman offers to pleasure you orally in the nearby alley way. Following your decline of said homeless woman's offer, you realize that your bus is not coming, nor would it even take you remotely close to home if it were coming, and you manage to wave a cab down, whose driver feels sorry enough for you to drive you home. A $40 dollar cab ride later, and you are walking the 2 blocks to your house, vomiting at 20 foot intervals in the middle of the road - all because you were too drunk to realize that you weren't actually at your house when you told the cab driver to stop and let you out.

And then you spend the next day feelings like shit.

Sounds fun right?

Well, that explains it... And I think more people could use a break really - because I don't think I am the only person who can relate to those two aforementioned statements... That's not to say that I think everyone should stop drinking, or that drinking is a bad thing per se... I just think that more people could benefit from a little time spent in the clear, ya know? Some time spent without distraction, or regret, or embarrassment, or hangovers - some time to figure out who you really are, and who you really want to be. I can say without a doubt that I have experienced more personal growth, on so many different levels, than ever before in the last year of my life. And some of the changes I made have lead me to great things. To new jobs and back old jobs. To financial stability (investments, and RRSP's, and money to burn!). To better health. To organization. From travel aspirations, to booked flights. And to the best girl in the world, who I found on a mountain top... actually.

So try it. Or don't. You decide...

Public swimming = too much old man penis...

In keeping with the Sunday updates, I figure I better write something before I pack it in for the night!

Lou and I swam again tonight. It was good times... mostly. I have concluded however, that you see too much old man penis at public pools. It's unavoidable! In the past two weeks, I have witnessed men moisturizing their junk more than once, and several questionable drying techniques - including fanning with the towel, and the always horrible standing on the bench to dry your shit while its at every one's eye level. Not good times at all.

Goal for the week: hit the pool 3 times while minimizing the amount of old man penis seen.

This past week and weekend went pretty well too. Work was a little tough at times, but the week ended, just like every week does... And I guess a tough week at work is nothing to get bent out of shape about. It's work. It's not always supposed to be easy. Right?

We got a lot done this weekend too! I was able to do a lot of clean-up and what not with my morning off on Friday - so that made the weekend's start a little less pressured, which in turn made for a ridiculous amount of sleep. I'd say it was needed though... Picked up our 'Coldplay' tickets too.

There is something about holding the tickets in your hand that makes the idea of seeing a great band a little more exciting!

At it's most exciting moment, this weekend had me aiding a man who had fallen at 'Montmartre' - a little french place that has awesome Chai on Main Street. Upon realizing that nobody else was going to do much - I tried my best to help - though I became instantly aware that my first aid skills are in need of brushing up. Turns out the guy was just pissed, and fell down drunk - but I wasn't sure of that, and I guess you can never be too careful. After keeping him comfortable, and seeing him off to the ambulance, we made our exit. Back at home, Robbie, Meaghan, Lou and I capped off the night with a pretty sweet game of 'Scene It'. The girls won, but the race was a tight one!

In other news - I am nearing a full year of complete sobriety. I'm not sure why this feels like a blog-worthy mention - I guess though, this has been the most substantial challenge I have faced over the last year. Not in terms of difficulty really, just in the sense that I was a big change, and the one that was perhaps most often questioned and scrutinized by those around me... I don't think I intend to continue with it completely - but I think that, overall, it was a good challenge for me. In an effort to remain as open minded on my world travels though, I don't really want to close the window of opportunity to sample some good wines in Italy, or enjoy a cold one with Lou's dad. I wasn't a heavy drinker or anything - I guess drinking just wasn't very fun anymore. Which in turn had me questioning why I continued to go out and get pissed like my friend at 'Montmartre' - though I can say honestly that my drinking habits only once landed me in a hospital... with a broken hand - but that, my friends, is a blog topic of its own...

Oh yeah...

Lou and I bought tickets for these guys...

It's funny because over the years, my tastes in music have changed so much. I can remember a time when hearing Coldplay on the radio prompted me to change the station.

Years later, in my re-discovery of what I now might consider my favorite band - I find that their music has actually changed me. I always believed music held this ability, though I think that in the past, I didn't quite understand it. When I thought the music that I loved was changing me - I'm sure now that it was more likely just making me become myself even more.

Somehow, Coldplay actually created real changes in me. The songs almost take me away someplace else. And upon my return to reality, I realize that wherever it was that I just went in that song - I need to get to in real life. It's like they have become the soundtrack to my life.

I am on a journey with the hope that I will find myself someplace better - as a greater person than I am today...

Productivity is neat.

While at times complicated and frustrating for people around me, this week has been an excellent one.

I think that sometimes, those weekly challenges that seem ridiculous and impossible, they are just what we need in life. If life never felt like it was going to shit - then life at it's best wouldn't be all that good. The experience of the highs and the lows that life can throw at you creates balance... it makes life interesting. Right?

Anyway. I had an ultra-productive week. Made it to the pool twice. The moisturizing habits of old naked men aside - I enjoyed the swims, and plan to hit the pool 2-3 times in the coming week. I cleaned out my car, and fixed the side view mirror. Booked my road test - I figure its about time I got rid of the old 'N' (that has not been hanging in my window for the last 5 years as it should have been). I made it out to the media club to see Cody off on his 2 week tour with a band called 'Beat Kids'. Saw Sean and Carol-Lee there too (which prompted some interesting thoughts on how people and relationships change so much over time - even over the course of the last year alone. I think that with the split of LB - we were all forced to do some serious 'growing up'. In doing so, we have grown apart somewhat, but the maturity we have all gained has grounded us all a little more than we once were. I believe that grounding alone has allowed us a better understanding of our relationships with each other - the result for me was the feeling that I missed them more now than I did before...)

This weekend allowed me the time to finally sort out my investments at the bank. Though I opted to invest with minimal risk, I stand to make close to $1000 over the next 3 years on my RRSP's alone. I also opened up a TFSA (tax free savings account), which is set up as a 15 month term deposit. Now that this is all taken care of, I feel a little more prepared to focus my savings on our trip and nothing else...

Life in Technicolor...

I spent a lot of the last week feeling grumpy. But the kind of grumpy that you can't hide, nor can you quite explain it to the people around you. Everyone at work could tell. I was short with them. Irritable. 

I'm still not quite sure why... Lack of sleep perhaps?

Anyway. I came into the weekend with high hopes - and it delivered for the most part. Slept in. Good food. Swing dance lessons. Spent time with the guys and girls - and 'Bud' the dog (who took an unusual liking to me and my feet). Slept in (again). Got organized. Watched movies. Ate ice cream. 

Good gets better right? 

You're damn right it does.

And all this for only $29 dollars between Lou and I.

It's funny how the moment we booked our flights, we both became two of the cheapest individuals I have ever known. This is a good thing however. We need all the money we can scrape together to fund our adventures. And it makes more sense to put it away now, rather than creating any sort of dependance on our work situations in the U.K. come December 2009. With little or no certainty how that will all pan out, I am hopeful that we will both have sufficient funding to support ourselves during our time there, in lieu of our income while we are there.

I'm not sure what else I have to touch on at the moment. Work is good, and well on its way to better. Finances are good, and improving each day. This week will be a good one - my mild headache which seems to return nightly aside. I think I'll go swim it off...

7 weeks behind...

I have been terrible at keeping this up to date - though sometimes, as it has in the past, life just gets too busy. That, or sometimes I just get too lazy.

The 7 weeks since my last post have all been excellent. Stressful at times, but I think that stress has a unique ability to bring relaxation and contentment in its wake.

Work tends to take up most of my time, as it has for the last year and a half of my life. Weeks fly by however - and while some weeks seem to get to me more than others, I can finally see things moving towards where I have been trying so hard to move them. New staff - and good new staff at that - hopefully the schedule will come together well and without issue. Taylor is working out well - picking it up quickly.

I haven't seen Loni in a week or so. He owes me 30 bucks, which sometimes I wonder if I will ever get back, and other times I assure myself that it doesn't really matter, and that in reality, he needs the money more than I do. Loni, is my (quasi-homeless) friend who frequents the plaza where I work, and comes to me looking for odd jobs, recyclables, and loans. I deliver when I can. He also built me a bicycle once, upon learning that mine was stolen. He is a good man, down on his luck. I guess sometimes in life, you just dig yourself a hole just a little too deep. I know he can see life on the outside - he's told me that he can - he just can't quite get himself out. It's funny, the way that he will do his best to return what I give to him. Most times, he does come up with the cash, if it is the loans we are referring to. Other times, he brings gifts - usually in the form of new bikes, hoping that one day, he will bring me something I can actually ride. Other times, its flowers to give to Lou. Regardless, he makes good on his word, to the best of his abilities - and that is definitely more than you can expect from most individuals in situations similar to his.

I've purchased my first RRSP's. I've yet to invest them - but they are holding in an RSP savings account until I can decide how I want to invest the money. It's all too complicated and new to me I guess - makes it difficult to choose which investments I want to make, when I know so little about the difference between them. A little confusing, but awesome in that the $10,000 tax write off has a $3,000 tax return coming my way in 2 weeks time.

Swing dancing has started, though I guess I haven't touched on that yet. For Lou's birthday, I signed us up for swing dance lessons. I'll preface this by saying that I don't dance - though I believe that deep down, I do have the ability. First lesson was good, interesting, but good. I think I am getting the hang of the basics - but it would be nice to get to dance with Lou more (being that they are constantly rotating partners).

And now, to the big news of the past few weeks.

As of August 17th, 2009 - I will be gone. We fly out first to Tokyo for one week, then onto Thailand. We will travel Thailand for 3 weeks by land, then make our way through Cambodia for 1 week, and spend the final 2 making our way up through Vietnam to Hanoi. On October 3rd, we fly from Hanoi to Brisbane, where we will be until November 22nd. Following our time in Australia, we will fly to Singapore for 5 days before returning to Vancouver. After that, its off to the UK.

It all feels real, finally. And I couldn't be more excited, or more ready to leave home for a while.



Next on the list:

- Vaccinations for travel.
- Purchase travel insurance.
- Learn to play 'Lost' by Coldplay on the piano.
- Get rad at swing dancing.

Time to see the world...

Lou and I saw a travel agent on the weekend...

This shit is happening. For real. We have not booked anything quite yet, but the plans are coming together. We have another meeting with another travel agent this Saturday, so things will continue in their progression.

It looks like we will be flying out around the 28th of August for Tokyo. After a week to 10 days in Japan, we will be flying to Bangkok, Thailand - after 2 days in Bangkok, we will take the train south to Phuket. Five days in Phuket will see us checking out the beaches, riding elephants, trekking through the jungle, amongst other awesome things I am sure. After Phuket, we will be traveling to Ko Phangan - and island of Thailand's east coast. We plan to spend 4 or 5 days there, staying in a bungalow on the beach for less money than it costs to take the bus here in Vancouver...

Some sweet HDR shots in Thailand

After Ko Phangan - it's back up to Bangkok for another 2 days before flying to Hanoi, Vietnam. In Hanoi, we will take in the city for a few days, check out Halong Bay and probably take a trip up to Sa Pa, in Vietnam's northern countryside. There is an awesome eco-lodge just outside of Sa Pa where we want to spend a night or two - but the town itself is relatively unchanged by tourism. It's starting to have its effects, but it is not like much of the rest of the 3rd world tourist destinations - here you can even set up home-stays with local families... that may still be an option for us...

Countryside in Sapa, Vietnam

Ha Long Bay, Vietnam

All of this will bring us to early October, when we will be making our way to Australia. We've got a wedding to attend, and I've got family and friends to become acquainted with... this is a little bit nerve racking, but I am ready for it... excited even. After a month of taking it easy, we will be driving up to coast to Cairns. Our road trip will take about 2 weeks - and I plan to make a stop in Rockhampton to see Shane. Hopefully he is around...

What will be my home in Australia - Brisbane...

Upon returning from our journey to the north - we will be flying to Singapore where we will spend 7 days. The details of this stop have yet to be researched, but we are both confident it will be sweet.

Singapore at night...

This is about as far as our planning has taken us as of this moment. We plan to fly back to Vancouver from Singapore - taking a few days to a week to visit, rest, unpack, organize, repack, and find ourselves a cheap flight to London. From London, we will take a train up north to Scotland - where in Scotland we are not sure yet... I want my time in scotland to be something different though, so different from the life I know and am accustomed to here in Vancouver. I want a tiny apartment. I want a brick building. I want no furniture - just a mattress in the middle of the room, and enough cookware to make a meal. I want to eat right out of the pots and pans if we have to. I don't want computers, or internet, or tv. I don't want anything...

From time to time - I ponder the fact that we have all become so attached to commodities. To things that we do not need. I am the worst for it. I am falling victim to it as I type this... I while I believe that it is possible to cut back... to use these commodities less if you make an effort to enjoy other things - I also believe that it would serve better to start fresh. I want to reinvent myself on this trip. Maybe not with the hopes of changing forever - but with that hope that in an entirely new environment, I might be able to make such a change to the things that I depend on, and hopefully this change will help me to appreciate the little things in life even more. Hopefully it will spark something new in me that will have even a small change when life resumes its normalcy. Or maybe life won't resume as I know it now...I guess I really can't say right now.

I've also started to consider the idea that it may be impossible to be sure where we are happiest in life if we never leave home. I am watching my friends find contention in what is comfortable. What is easy. They get married, have babies, buy houses... and while that is great and wonderful, I don't think I could do that... I always have assumed that Vancouver is my home, but really, I have no grand attachment to this place anymore. I feel like this trip will help. Maybe we will find someplace new - someplace that feels more like home than this city is able. Or maybe we won't, and this place will suddenly feel more welcoming that it does now. Either way, I am happy to take some time to find out. I guess this is my big thought for the week... and while it is technically 2 days late... it will have to do.

Take some time to think about it. We know everything in life through experience. Whether it is our own, or through the experience of another - we only know what we can see and feel... We spend our lives not trying to figure out who we are, but learning who we are not. Our experience of the things, the people, the places that we don't like - those realizations govern our knowledge about the people, places, and things that we do like. See, I don't often look back on the things I have done thinking ' man, that made me feel awesome' - it would seem that the actions which made me feel terrible are the ones I hold dear. It is those experience ,where I could stop and think to myself, 'this is not me, this is not who I am' - those are the things I remember, and those are the moments that make me who I am.

So the concept of home really does follow those same principles...

We know our home because it's what we have been taught, it is something we don't usually question. But how can we be sure it is really 'home' unless we leave it for a while...

So - I am going to leave it for a while and see what happens...

Coney Island...

I am in the market for a new camera...

I intend to purchase a Digital SLR camera in the coming months, so that I might have the ability to take some half decent pictures while I travel the globe. Thanks to the insight of a friend named Joe, I have become enthralled by the potential to get into HDR photography. It's funny, because I usually prefer things as they are. To find art in something untouched. But as of late, I have seen some exquisite photography done using the principles of HDR - and I am sold. Completely. While I can understand that it has its place - I think, as far as scenery & architecture photography is concerned, it is magical. It makes the shots so much more vivid - as if you could almost climb inside them. I want to perfect this art before I leave, as I intend to leave each country I visit with at least one HDR shot worthy of printing and framing upon my return.

While I have some research to do - as well as the collection of some of them "book learnin' smarts" - I have my eye (and mind) somewhat set on the Nikon D80. Affordable, and from what I have seen, it takes some awesome pictures... while in reality I know very little about camera's at all - it seems like it might be a starting point that will do well for me.

In the mean time - I have spent some time messing about on Photoshop. I read a few tutorials on the ability to mimic HDR using CS2 and any regular digital image.

I may have strayed a little from simply mimicking HDR - but I came up with what I think are some pretty sweet results! Have a look!

In other news, I have decided to make a resolution that relates directly to this blog. When I began last May, my intention was to post each day. This ambitious task became unrealistic - to the point where I rarely posted at all. I have given it some thought and will make Sunday's my official 'blog day'. It's a realistic goal I think - and I like the idea of continuing to push myself to express ideas and what not. I figure a weekly push might keep things consistent!

2009...

I can honestly say that this past year has been on of the most productive of my life.

This last year began with a desire to better myself. I had spent a few months off tour, and began to realize that the person I felt myself becoming really wasn't the person that I felt I am meant to be. Upon this realization - I began to make some changes.

Last years resolutions revolved mostly around my physical and mental health. Not that they were suffering - but I think after so many years in pursuit of musical stardom, I realized that I had developed a habit of focusing all my energy on the destination, and had forgotten how to take care of myself during the journey. I decided to erase meat from my diet completely - and I feel that the transition from 'pesceterianism' did me well. I stopped drinking alcohol, for the most part anyway. As of this moment, I haven't been 'drunk' in 368 days, and have gone 9 months without a drink. Not that I denounce it's consumption really.. I just think that in the interest of self discovery, it makes more sense to discover while in a pure and un-altered state of mind. Since this last year has been all about my desire to really figure out who I am exactly, and where I want to go in life - it was a choice that just made sense. Lastly, I began last year with hopes to become more physically fit. While I made good efforts, I think this one will carry over into 2009...

And with those high hopes of self discovery, came the unexpected addition of a wonderful girl to my life. A girl that has not only helped me dig deeper into myself, but has shown me what it truly means to be happy and balanced with another person. While I had spent much of my time looking back on past love with the regret that I had lost it - I can now look back with a new appreciation for everything that this love taught me about who I am, and all that she did to help shape me - for, today, as I am now, I look forward to opportunities that wouldn't lie ahead if it weren't for the path that our break-up sent me stumbling down. And more than that, I stand in front of these opportunities hand in hand with someone new, who's path in life seems to trace my own path exactly - for as far as we can see anyway...

I think I kind of lost myself in 2007. And after some time to reflect, 2008 seems to have been very much about transition for me. And all of this time in transition has brought me to today - where I sit and type as a very different person that I was the same time last year... I am happier now. Healthier. More confident. I am more organized and less cluttered. I am optimistic. I work harder. I spend less and save more. I laugh harder. And I love with all of my heart.

I am ready for 2009. I know who I am now and I am ready to become that person even more. I am ready to experience - and to focus on the journey, with no real destination in mind. I am ready to appreciate the things that I once failed to notice.

This past year taught me that good really does get better...and I will start this year eager to discover what exactly it is that better gets...

Merry Christmas!

It's been a while hey?

The last few months have been busy busy busy... I sat down to write on here a few times, but couldn't find the words I guess. My lack of expression aside though, the last few have been good months!

Quite overwhelming a task to summarize them all, so a point form list of sorts will probably serve best in this situation.

October: Sat around. Recovered from surgery. That is all.

November: Work, work, and more work. Trip to Victoria with Lou = Awesome. Trip to Whistler with Lou = Also awesome. Lou goes home for 5 weeks = Not awesome.


(Parliament Buildings in Victoria, B.C.)

(Milkshakes!)

(Mountains/Sunset on the way back from Whistler, B.C.)

December: Work more. Snow! Scramble to get Christmas shopping done.

Snow related transportation panic aside, I did god this Christmas. Dad has a new Serius Satellite Radio package. Mom has an upright grand piano. I've wanted to get her a piano for a while - I've also wanted my own piano for a while... we both win!

Lou's gifts have been some of the most ambitious projects I have taken on in a while. For fear of premature discovery though, I can only mention the one which she has already received - the others have to wait until her return on January 6th. Waiting in her email on Christmas day was a song that I recorded for her. I recorded a cover of Coldplay's 'Till Kingdom Come'. The song is awesome, and the lyrics hit my feelings for that girl right on the nose... This also gave me the opportunity to record something with my banjo and harmonica - both have been intentions of mine since last Christmas. Considering the fact that this was my first musical endeavor since LB's split, and also the first time I have recorded anything that was not part of a collective effort, I feel my end product is something I can be pretty happy with. Take a listen - I have posted to song below!





So thats another Christmas in the bag. This one has left me feeling accomplished and excited for the next one, which will ideally find me and Lou living somewhere in Scotland. The big man also left me some items to prepare me for the trip, including some awesome travel books/guides and a travel backpack. Ashlee got me a sweet journal as well, so I can take record of my trip! I'll update again around new years, with some sort of attempt to reflect upon this last year and look forward to the next one!

Peace G's.

I'm UNCLE Old Gregg!

So. This last week has been an eventful one to say the least. As such, I figured a little update on this thing would be in order.

Tristan and Lizanne had a baby girl! Eva Bean Federico! I am an uncle - an honorary one anyway! Pretty exciting stuff!

On wednesday, I had surgery to fix my hernia. My operation time was bumped and I waited around the hospital all day - but Lou and I managed to keep busy, and win $14 on 'scratch and wins' in the process. Pretty sweet. The surgery went off without any problems - though I am now sore as shit, and have three holes in my mid-section. No fun. Extra no fun being that I will have to miss the Turkey Bowl this year. Stupid hernia. But check out my holes!

Lou got me an assortment of gifts to help with my recovery. Included were several sweet games and old movies to watch. We watched Guys and Dolls last night. Sinatra was great, and his songs definitely took the cake, but I found myself a little more partial to Marlon Brando (or his acting anyway) in the end. Pretty awesome though. Tonight, we will watch Casablanca! Also amongst the gifts was a RUBIK'S CUBE! You may notice that the completion of said cube has been sitting idle on my 'to do' list. Well, it's status is idle no longer. I am by no means a master of the cube, but 3 completions in one day means I am well on my way!

Now... here is the big news! Ready for it.

Honorary uncle status aside... As of May, 2009 I will be Uncle Old Greg, for real. Ashlee and Tony broke the news last night! Everyone is super stoked, which is rad! I will be honest though, I didn't think this would come so soon. But it's come, and we are happy. I guess I best be brushing up on my baby skills - at least a little bit!

Cash money...

So. $15,000.00. In the bank.

Stoked!

Now I can return to university when I am ready to do so...stress free. Well, money related stress anyway!

That is the first checkpoint in my money saving adventure - though I think I have modified it some since I have made my plans to travel the world.

The next checkpoint is at $25,000.00 - which I am hoping (optimistically) to have saved by the end of the year. I think that additional 10 g's will go into RRSP's of some sort.

Come January, all my money will be going into the travel fund. Hpefully, I will be able to save up another $20,000.00 from January 2009 until the end of August 2009. It will take some work, but it is plausible, as long as I budget properly and avoid frivelous spending...

Anyway. I am proud of myself. This is the most money I have ever had. It feels great!