A little fancy footwork

These are strange times indeed. With less than a week left here in Edmonton, I tried something new. A first. I seem to be agreeing to a number of things these days with a, "Well, why the hell not? Sure!"

So yesterday I had a pedicure.

Well, my friend Liz was getting one and said, "Do you want one?" And, as mentioned, I said, "Sure. Why not?" Out of curiousity more than anything - and the fact that I really hate cutting my toenails (and they really needed it).

I had a basic pedicure. Liz had a French pedicure (at least I think that's what it was called). I turned that down. I thought it might involve toe-sucking and I wasn't prepared for that.

It was actually a very high risk activity, this pedicure business. Not for me, but for the person doing the pedicure. My feet are ticklish - big time. There were a few times I damn near put my foot through the poor woman's head.

Blah blah blah ... Later, I had dinner at some friends: Marnie and Sean. As always, it was great food - Sean's the cooking guy and he always has fabulous food for us. I probably should have had a camera with me but I forgot.

I'm forgetting lots of things these days. Life's hectic and I don't manage that sort of thing well.

As for the weather ... yes, as the clocks turned back the snow tuned up. Not sure how long this snow will hang around but, for the moment, it is definitely a winter look outside.

Ah, my.

Addenda and asides

One week from today I'll be flying east. This means the week coming up will be hectic. Movers pick everything up on Thursday. So I suppose I'll be outta here after that. I'll have to figure out some place to crash for a day or two before I actually fly out. Last work day is Friday.

Today it is snowing. Not the kind that sticks around for any length of time. No, this is more like winter's calling card, a way for it to introduce itself and let you know that you can anticipate it moving it shortly - so be ready.

And I am. In fact, it may be this snow arrived because yesterday I made a few winter preparations. I bought some new thermal gloves and more importantly I bought some winter hiking boots - good to -32 Celsius (about -25 Fahrenheit, I think).

This morning I bought Wail & Ride by Grayson Capps. I give it a big thumbs up but I suppose you have to like this kind of music (which I do). It's kind of blues, folk, southern ... and I don't know how else to describe it. According to the "about the artist" stuff on Amazon:

"Grayson Capps emerges from the celebrated American southern literary tradition, often writing about the South and the idiosyncrasies of its people, landscapes and tempos. His songs evoke a poetic wisdom and take form as steamy, front-porch blues and road-wise Americana."

Let's see ... what else? Oh, the eye is coming along. Doesn't look so bad in this picture. Actually, the lip looked much worse, especially the day after the seizure. It looked like I'd been clocked a good one. I've had more than a few stares.

But it all eases, heals, fades.

I haven't been doing a lot of commenting on other people's blogs these days and those comments I've made have been largely worthless. I am hugely distracted recently with the moving business. I'm hoping once down east I'll start to stabilize and get my rhythm back.

In the meantime, I'm all a'jumble.

It's so easy to slip

Oh, look. Blogger's working now ...

It’s so easy to slip,
It's so easy to fall ...
- Little Feat -

When things are going really well you’ve got to be careful. Something may be lying in wait to trip you up.

I decided to move east. I resigned from my job. I sold my condo. Plans were coming together and then … whoops!

Not a major whoops, but a whoops nonetheless. Two of them actually.

The first was a seizure I had a day or two ago. I don’t remember anything about it (I never do). But I have a pretty good inkling from the cut over my eye, the bruise on my cheekbone and my lip that looks like it’s been belted during a 12 rounder. Not to mention the various other bruises and aches that have decided to inhabit my body because of this.

The strangest thing is that I remember nothing about the incident. And as mentioned, I never do.

The second whoops was my washing machine which decided to break down today and flood the condo below me. Oh great! Just when I’ve sold the place. I’m sure the new owners will be thrilled with that.

Geez … this week has not started well. On the upside, it may have gotten the crap out of its system and may leave me alone for the days that follow.

I also bought my airline ticket today – one way. I leave November 4. Not sure when exactly we’ll get to the east coast though. That ticket only takes me as far as Toronto. After that, we drive.

Clock’s ticking.

Joy in Piddleville

The condo is sold. Today. Papers signed, offer accepted. So once the legal whatever is taken care of, remaining steps processed, blah blah ... it's done, and yet another step is taken in the East Coast Relocation Project (ECRP).

By the way ... Piddleville is my oldest Web site but also what I call where I live. The site itself is a mess of old HTML etc. and will be getting an overhaul once I'm moved and redefining my life in Atlantic Canada.

But for now ... the old Piddleville (the condo) is sold - a good day! Soon there will be another Piddleville. Just haven't found it yet.

And I should mention, I really like the people who bought the place. In terms of the offer and my gut response to them, it was a no-brainer.

Look what I did today

At the risk of seeming a little too self-involved, I'm using one of my favourite photos of me (used before) because this is rather a neat little post, in my view.

I resigned today.

Yup, I made it official and took yet another of the series of steps that will land me in Fredericton, New Brunswick.

It's rather fitting that my friend Liz took this photo a few years ago. She's headed down there too. She'll be embarking on her own adventure - a cafe/restaurant thing. Her own.

Well, that's the news of the day. In the meantime, I've had loads of people passing through my condo the last day or two as I try and get it sold. Soon, soon ...

Interesting stuff found

I would be telling an untruth if I were to say this moving business was not more than a tad overwhelming. But on the other hand, it’s definitely entertaining.

One thing packing up your crap does is prod you to going through some of it and trimming it down. It’s amazing how much trash we hang onto.

First prize in the “interesting stuff found” category goes to the case of beer that was in one of my cupboards. Brew date? November 2000! Who keeps beer for six years? I’ll tell ya who – the guy who has forgotten where he put it! (Was I spiffed when I put it away? Perhaps, perhaps.)

Gord was helping me pack up my place on the weekend and he came across the beer. He placed the cans in the fridge, though I wasn’t aware of it. Later, I went to get a beer and grabbed one of these. I thought, “Now this is odd … the beer tab isn’t quite right.” (It was not – the tabs on cans of Molson Canadian have changed slightly in recent years.)

I opened it, poured it in a glass and … well, to say it was flat is somewhat like saying Canadian winters can be brisk. As soon as I saw how flat it was I flipped the can over to see the date it was brewed: November 3, 2000. Six year old beer. Unlike some wines and some people, beer does not age well.

Other things found? Numerous reminders of a Roman Catholic upbringing, including my father’s old rosary. (Not of interest to anyone other than me, I suppose.)

I also discovered what could be called my resume and portfolio. I’ve not needed these or really looked at them in some time so when I did now it was something of a large reminder of how much I use to actually do when I was writing freelance – and how many types of things I’ve written (even greeting cards!).

It was also interesting to see how long I’ve been working on Internet related things and seeing just how much all of it has changed over the years – and how much has stayed the same.

Well, I could ramble but there’s a mountain of things yet to be done before I finally head to the east.

Each day it gets closer and more defined. Yes, definitely exciting.

This is me in my kitchen

Yes, it's kitchen Bill. Gaze upon it while you can. I suspect that in less than a month I shall no longer be in this kitchen. And once gone, it's unlikely I'll return to it again.

It's amazing and somewhat alarming that so many things are still up in the air. I've no idea where I'll be living when I get to Fredericton. I'll probably rent someplace for a month or two while I look for a place to move into.

Well, I'm selling my condo in Edmonton and will be buying someplace new down east ... but you don't want to put your money into something you haven't physically seen.

You should also understand I've no idea what I'm doing. I'm not even clear on what I'll be doing for an income.

Have I lost my mind? Probably. But this is the first thing I've done in a very long time that actually excited me.

So it's a go!!!

Heading east: the story so far

Why do people move? What makes them uproot and leave everything they’ve known for a great unknown beyond the horizon? Why climb this Mount Everest of formalities that makes you feel like a beggar? Why enter this jungle of foreignness where everything is new, strange and difficult?

The answer is the same the world over: people move in the hope of a better life.

- Yann Martell (Life of Pi) -

It’s been an ugly wet, cold day here today in Edmonton and a busy one. There have been busier days, and the rest of the week may hold those kinds of days, but today has been busy enough.

With the busy days, and other reasons, I’ve been avoiding this post … Partly because I thought it had to be some great, profound bit of writing (which it will never be) and partly because of various reasons that have held me back, which I won’t go into here. (They’re boring anyway.)

Well, the upshot is this. I’m moving from Edmonton, Alberta to Fredericton, New Brunswick. According to one distance locator tool I found online that’s means I’m moving 2,117 miles, or 3,408 kilometers, to the east.

Why? Well, the simple answer is because I can.

I could have been moving 510 miles west (that’s 821 kilometers) to Vancouver but I have chosen east. There are certain practical reasons for the eastern decision and I could rhyme them off (beginning with real estate prices) but the real reason is summed up in one word: slow.

I am so bloody sick and tired of the western Canadian economic boom, and the obsessive need to do everything faster, better, more glittering more, more, more … I think I’d have chosen to move anywhere to get away from it. There was a time when this was appealing to me. No more. I have no wish to live in world that requires you be wired on crystal meth or something to function.

Besides, although you don’t hear about it nearly enough, Atlantic Canada is gorgeous. And Fredericton, while being small compared to other places, quite small compared to some places, is dreamily beautiful.

I’ve a great fondness for small. And for slow. While there’s a definite place for stress and a quick pace in the world I believe that nothing worthwhile comes out of an obsession with it. How can you be creative when there’s no time to think? Where do the ideas come from?

I’m not going down east alone, though. My friend, Liz, is also making this move and for her it’s a big and exciting step. If all goes well, she’ll finally be doing what she’s wanted to do since I can’t remember when … run her own café, restaurant thing.

It’s exciting, and scary, from all perspectives. But that’s what I like about it. I’m not quite sure where the money’s going to come from. I’ve some ideas, but nothing’s certain.

Imagine that. Nothing’s certain. We’re moving across the country and nothing’s certain.

Sounds like an adventure to me.

Tags: Fredericton, New Brunswick, Atlantic Canada, Maritimes, Alberta, Edmonton

Saying goodbye to dignity

I think I am only putting these images up because I am stunned by the shock and the horror of it all.

The first, from a company ID card circa 1992 or 1993 makes my look like one of those guys whose pictures show up all over the media following some shocking and horrific crime. I look like a bank robber from 1973.

What's with the hair? What's with the glasses?

After I found this and recovered somewhat, lifting myself slowly from the floor, I then found:

The student Bill.

Again ... what is with the glasses? This is 1984 and apparently there was a real concern that the eyes be shielded by glasses with lenses the size of front pane windows of medium to large size family homes.

I surprised the don't have vertical blinds.

And did I really look that young? I seem to be on the verge of puberty. I now I understand why it was so hard to get laid. Women were probably worried they'd be breaking the law!

I gotta lie down now. This is all very alarming.

Look what I found

I'm going through a lot of old papers etc. Yesterday, I came across this - a poem of sorts I wrote about ten years ago. It's a bit silly but I've always kind of liked it so for what it's worth, here it is:

One of us

You were a car when you were young.
Now you are a bus
dreaming you're a normal person
like the rest of us
who dream that we are sailboats
sailing peaceful waters,
children of the ocean,
her swimming sons and daughters.

It's better dreaming you're a boat.
A boat will sail afloat.
When you dream you are a car
you don't sail very far
before you sink
into the drink.
And there you are,
the ocean bed,
dreaming drowning in your head.

Tags: Poem

As if I weren't dull enough ...

This says it all. (Thanks to Lushy for the link.) At least Catherine Deneuve is in here:

Gone is gone

Although I called her Gonzo, a much better name, her actual name was Gone. The why for that is a long and not particularly interesting story.

It doesn't much matter now though. Gone is gone.

Today was a shitty, shitty day. I haven't experienced such a shitty day in a very long time. It began with a visit to a friend in palliative care at the U of A hospital. Didn't see that one coming.

It was followed by a trip to the vet with Gonzo. I came home alone.

Yes, it was a shitty day. A shitty, shitty, shitty day.

And Gone is gone.