My ep

Patchy an EP

Well, I made these songs before moving out of our house this summer.

I left like two editing issues and have not fixed them until this week, so now I feel ready to share the songs. I had a lot of fun making music in a different way than I did for so many years. I always felt that the guitar just kind of bored me. This little ep is pretty childlike in some ways, in that I was very spontaneous in writing the songs and was grabbing whatever was around to make noise on. So it was fitting to use my old childhood nickname Patchy. And thanks to TJ of course, who took the photo a few nights ago. Go listen. It's free to stream or download, and it sounds best loud. I hope you enjoy!

Culture Crawl and Inspirations

At work, sometimes I take my coffee break at a local Waves coffee house. It's nice to get out of the building and take a true break when you are at work. Yesterday I had this tea recommended to me by the barrista - chamomile lavender, and it made my moment!

On Sunday we went to the east side culture crawl and it was very inspiring and awesome. It was good to see real people out there doing what they love and the sense of community was really strong. I also got to see some yarn bombing, which I think is marvelous!

All that inspiration made me kick into gear and do the final editing on a couple of my songs. I'm almost ready to share my little ep, as TJ took some photos for it yesterday. Soon.

Winter Weather?

To my surprise, it did snow once while my parents were here, and it was a funny sight. However, it was mostly gone by the afternoon....and we ate hotdogs on the street and later went to the beach...okay it was a little chilly. But at least it was warm enough to be outside!


Today was a beautiful day, though....I am enjoying it, and although there is not the Christmasy feel that I am used to this time of year, we can make it feel like Christmas in our own way.

School & Life

Watched "While You Were Sleeping" last night to

commemorate the 6 week Christmas season!

Well, it was another good day. Went for almost an hour's walk with Ares, as the weather was gorgeous here, and I had to take my coat off because I was too warm :)

I didn't get much school done, but instead, have been researching and looking into my career options. What will I get out of my current studies? I realize I need to increase my art skills, and so I am going to be registering in the Emily Carr continuing studies certificate program. No credit, but looks like a good foundation! I was registered in the fine arts continuing studies program at the University of Alberta, and took a drawing class and an art history class, but I feel the need to take a third introductory drawing class (also took one at the U of Lethbridge), as I am still not confident in my drawing skills. Anyway, studio art classes to me are mostly joyful, and don't feel like school, really.

In looking at potential registering bodies, I wish I had either a bachelor's of fine arts or psychology, instead of addictions, because I am gonna have to work harder to get registered in anything. Oh well, it's so hard to know what you want, or what you think you want with education. And I will definitely have a specialization in the area of addiction, as a future counsellor/art therapist.

Anyway, with all of my looking, I am thinking that I will likely keep pursuing education after I'm done my masters (maybe while working, or with work in between). I am realizing that, to do what I want with my career, continued schooling is a reality.

So, with the likelihood of me being an eternal student, I need to remember that my career is one thing, but I need to live in the meantime, right? A job is still a job is still a job.

So now, back down to earth. Back down to this moment. Back to today and my guitar sitting less than one foot away from me, and my fingers itching to play. Back to my husband in the other room of our cozy suite. Back to putting on some water for a new cup of tea and this week's readings.

Foggy

Yesterday was productive and good, highlighted by the fact that Rachael stopped in for a quick dinner and then we all went for desserts downtown with her parents, which was really nice! But today, I have foggy brain syndrome. I'm not sure, but I think this caffeine reduction is really throwing me for a loop! I have been having trouble with major headaches, so have been back on caffeine, and slowly tapering. Geez.

Anyway, it seems that the perfect remedy for foggy brain is a walk out on a fall day. There was some warmth capped in by the clouds today, and in my wool coat I was very comfortable. Ares and I went for such a nice stroll.

Bakin'

Made this marbled banana loaf tonight, it's actually low fat, but doesn't taste like it. I used whole wheat flour instead of regular, like I always do. I am still liking post punk kitchen. I should get to trying out more of the recipes! Something about chocolate banana bread and a rainy night. It's just right. I have the urge to watch my favourite cheesy movies: While You Were Sleeping, Home Alone, and Planes, Trains, and Automobiles. But alas, I will be dutiful and finish my homework.

Drivin'

Today I drove a car for the first time in just over three months. Okay, so it was not that cute little BMW above, (my new dream car, by the way - and according to my dad, not actually that expensive to restore). It was, instead, our car. We finally got our inspection done in order to get it insured in BC. We just haven't been driving it at all. TJ has driven it (with me as passenger) a few times this fall on some errands and to Lighthouse Park, but that's it.

Anyway, after driving four blocks home from the garage and parking out front, I felt like a strange automaton. The counterclockwise turn of the key, the pulling of the clutch, the hip check of the door as I got out, the jingle of the keys in my hands...all that muscle memory, doing what it did for so long, still there.

When I got into the house, I realized I really enjoyed that little drive, for the sake of familiarity. I haven't gone three months without driving for at least ten years! Don't get me wrong, I'm not about to start zipping around, wasting gas and letting my legs get floppy again, but it was just a nice, familiar experience. I do miss singing in the car. I'm grateful we have a car, and that I know how to drive. But I'm also grateful to be living in this neighbourhood, and for all the walking we get to do. Lucky me, I guess!

Favourite Lunch

I'm enjoying one of my fav lunches: guacamole and ryvita crackers.

To make my guac, I do it up real quick and lazy-like: mush up one avocado, mix in about 1 tsp onion powder and either one chopped tomato, or a couple of tablespoons of salsa, and dash of salt and pepper.

West Coast Lovely

We got to visit with dad today, as he is in Langley right now for work. That was nice, it was his first time out here since TJ & I moved here. Next week mom is flying out and they will both be staying with us for a few days, so I'm looking forward to that. My parents are really water people, they love being out in their boat. I got some of that from them. I love being around water, and being in water. Lately I've been appreciating the ocean again, and how lucky I feel to be able to live so close to a beach.


I have aspirations to try surfing someday. Next summer I want to start by taking paddle-surf lessons. It doesn't look too hard. TJ says it looks pretty boring, but I think it looks really peaceful, meditative, even. Just yesterday we saw people out paddle-surfing, but I didn't get a picture of it. One time we saw this guy walking down Trafalgar street in bare feet, carrying a surf board on his head. Maybe that'll be me someday! Or maybe I'll just watch movies about it. Regardless, I like having surfing in my list of aspirations.

Anyway, just being at the water is refreshing, even at the shore. I usually wear my rubber boots down to the beach, so Ares and I can tromp through seaweed or shallow tidal pools, or just the waves. Last week for a film TJ was working on we actually took off our socks and stood in the water for a few seconds....it was pretty icy! 'Till next spring, I think I'll stick to my wool socks and rubber boots.

Back To Normal

Life is back to a more normal pace now that my paper is handed in. I really underestimated the largeness of it! We didn't make it to the community pot-luck. I ended up pulling an all-nighter finishing my paper, and was wrecked the next day.

Anyway, I love the still times in life, the little moments. Today we went down to the beach for TJ to take some film for a school project he is working on. Ares ran a lot, she is on a new food now, losing weight maybe!

After giving in and having a little caffeine to ward off my three day headache, my mind cleared up a bit. I thought about life here and how I contribute, how I totally create it for what it is. I am responsible for how my life is.

And two more random thoughts: I was pretty proud of the fact that I have been nursing this one bar of soap for almost three months now, in lieu of body wash. It was an aveda bar, which the previous tenants left behind (wrapped!). Sigh. It feels good! Then again, I haven't been showering as much, it was like, when I moved here in August, I was on my own for three weeks when TJ was still back in Alberta. I was walking to the beach every day, I was just enjoying the new place, barefoot, wearing as much patchouli as I wanted. Eating cabbage. And my inner hippie came out a little more. Why shower so often?

For exfoliating I use sugar and oil, or sugar and lemon juice (as learned from my mother in law). Not to mention I have been using the oil cleansing method for my face, with baking soda when I need exfoliation, and also using honey on my face in the shower. It works pretty good, especially at not drying my skin out, but sometimes I just feel like using my old clean and clear, so I do.

Also, today I made a soup. A new one I found here. It was pretty good. I added crushed rosemary sprigs, and made my own veggie broth with the ends of some veggies I had in the fridge...celery leaves, broccoli, onion skins, and the like. Oh, and TJ says no one says "veggies" anymore.

Sigh.

I tried my best, I thought I got a great head start, tried to work steady, I wore TJ's hard hat with ear muffler thingies to drown out the party music the other night, I worked from sun up to sun down today, but now I have an overdue paper. Only 2% comes off the mark for the first 24 hours, and I plan on not resting tonight until I get it handed in. But it sucks. I am so attached to being a perfect student sometimes. And I am putting a lot of pressure on myself with this school thing. Being a grad student comes with a lot of hang-ups for me. I feel like I have to do well, or my life will be ruined. I feel very critical of every thing I do in this class, and assume it's not enough. It's not that I don't enjoy the content, in fact, the content gets me all excited and confirms more and more that I know I want to do this. Maybe that's what it's about - maybe it's too perfect and, and, and...wait, this is not a journal, this is a blog! Well, it's a glorified, censored journal in one way :)

Anyway, it's true that in the end, I still have my life, whether I make it through the next three years or not. By the way, I'm pretty sure I will. Here's to Tylenol, roses in November (okay, the pic below was taken October 28), cuddly dogs, and TJ who goes for junk food runs with me at midnight.