There's always peas in my pockets, these days.

“I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve (or save) the world and a desire to enjoy (or savor) the world. This makes it hard to plan the day.” - E.B. White

 Well, not to brag or anything, but I'm super proud of my little garden. My yard's still pretty hideous, but I put in flowering perennials when I can. I recently put in some lupins, lavender and some various other large-ish flowering perennials.


I'm picking peas by the handful every couple days. Heads of lettuce every week or two. Tons of radishes. My pumpkin plant is just... insane. Gardening has become my weekly rage dump, a place where my brain sort of empties and I get a little zen. Although gardening affords it's own stresses, there are typically practical solutions to any problems I may encounter - whether they be pest, harvesting or upkeep problems. Let's just say gardening is very straight forward, and it's a skill I actually really value having. Plants? Infinitely more simple than people and all of their feeeeeelings.

I've gotten into the habit of looking up birds in the Sibley guide when I see them. My problem, however, seems to be that I have so little skill in identifying birds, I end up sifting through the entire book like three times before I maybe find what a bird might be. Maybe. While I was camping with work (yeah, you heard right), there were these finches that hung around quite a bit. I'm sure they were something quite run of the mill, but for the life of me, I can't identify them. Not even with the book. And the internet. Yeesh.

Today's harvest

My videography gig is keeping my schedule fairly dense. The great thing about being so damned busy - and I think I've even mentioned this before - is the lack of time to sit and stew. I've got time to think - between bus trips, mindlessly cutting together  montages of 10 year olds ransacking Vancouver, picking snap peas - but it's like a higher grade of thinking. Business and general exhaustion just kind of skim off those curdling thoughts that sort of stab at me when I least expect it. Those thoughts of the larger, disturbingly angst-ridden variety. No body wants those.

I've picked up a second summer mantra. So, now there is a little purple bear sitting on my hippocampus wearing a party hat who is chanting 'Meet new people, meet new people'. He's seated next to the little gargling giraffe who shrieks, 'Use your words!'. I'm sure that will be an interesting party once the 'Why put off til tomorrow...' toad gets there with the chips and dip.

My parents came to visit last weekend - this lovely stack of books from Café Books came into my possession. I haven't bought a fiction book for myself in a while. I've either been reading them on my Kindle or getting them from the library. This stack is special because of the influence John Green (and his brother Hank) have had on me. The two of them run a little YouTube channel called Vlogbrothers (among others). John Green can have my money. Why? Because of his philosophy. The Green brothers advocate knowledge, intelligence, community, creativity and positive influence. They're tremendously entertaining, respectful to their fanbase, and really seem just like all-around nice guys. So yes, John Green can have my money. And I'm really stoked to get started on this stack of stories.

On a more serious note, This quote from Christopher Nolan in a statement he issued to the public  (source) sums up a chunk of my feelings about the July 20th shooting in Aurora, Colorado, "The movie theatre is my home, and the idea that someone would violate that innocent and hopeful place in such an unbearably savage way is devastating to me." On top of the fact that this is a massively unnecessary tragedy - for me the cinema is a safe haven, a place of expression, a social outlet, a place to escape. And even though your average Cineplex is considered by most people to be a sticky-floored, over-priced social outing - and even though this tragedy took place far away from me, it hits strangely close to home. And it has rehashed the age-old debate on the right to bear arms. I found Roger Ebert's post on this completely agreeable and logical. I really don't like how one vicious idiot can have such a broad, negative effect on so many people. This week I'm glad I can't afford cable, because I'm guessing the media's taken this and spun it all sorts of ways. It's difficult to see these kinds of things happen, a needless, impulsive action that ends lives, ruins families, and ultimately ends up restricting society through a fear of another incident, and fruitless prevention measures.

ANYWAYS. I hope everyone's July has been great, and is gearing up for August! I'm back in Canmore in a month, sooo... if anyone's out that way, we should have a pint or a coffee sometime. Yiss.

Things to check out!

Remember to keep up with Canadian Frame(lines) !

Mode Moderne - a pretty swell Vancouver-based band.
Who Needs Feminism?

Tripping all over Western Canada.

The summer's pretty much over, but it's making room for delightful fall adventures - where I get to learn things! I cut all my hair off and bought a pair of shoes that aren't sneakers. I'm a grown up! Or something.

I've been traveling a bit. And by traveling, I mean going to see relatives. I don't get out much. First, I ferried over to the island via a long, hellish bus ride with camera equipment and, as usual, too many books. There I spent some time with my Gran and we went on some adventures. It's a tradition we go to Cumberland and pick up some delicious doughnuts at the local bakery. We went to Seal Bay, saw some seals - or rather, we heard them first, as they kept snorting at each other. We also went "plodging" at this great beach that, when the tide is out, there's this vast expanse of sand with shallow pools of saltwater flowing between eachother. Plodging is when you hike up your pants and plodge through these puddles. I think it's an English thing. My Gran is quite English. We pulled over to this road side cafe nestled in the trees called Becky's. They don't really have a menu. Just tell them what you want and they'll see if they can make it for you. What's better is that the owner is a gentleman with an artificial leg who has an affinity for karaoke. Oh, also the Nanaimo bars are the tallest I have ever seen. We spent a lunch at the Wandering Moose Cafe, who've got great soup and sandwiches and tea and things. For a fancy farewell dinner, we went into town to Atlas, where we shared a goat cheese tart and I had a burger that had regular burger fixings, plus pear and brie.

To Calgary! My mom took me to the zoo and we chatted while we perused the caged mammals. I was disappointed to see that the nocturnal portion had been closed down. The reptile and amphibian section was whittled down to some dwarf caimans and a tortoise, I think. I also obtained a pair of maroon pants that make me look like a 70's pimp. I dig it.

Canmore was hot and gorgeous, I spent some time just basking and reading. My dad took me to the Quarry before whisking me off to my Grandparent's farm for a couple nights. I reburned my sun burn. When I got to the farm I got mosquito bites ontop of my twice burned burn. There are few things as painfully itchy, methinks. We took the dogs out to the pond and hunted in the tall grass for (velociraptors) wood frogs and dragonflies and fancy-pants spiders. I found a friend down at the lake, a dragonfly was struggling in the water and I scooped him out. He hung out on my shirt sleeve for a good half hour before he deemed himself dry enough to fly away. I named him Horatio. It was nice to be up there for a bit. I don't think I've been that way since 2009. Seeing my grandparents and my uncle was great too.

Spent some time at the Paw with a group of friends. I would have liked another night with them all. I miss them quite a bit, especially since John left us. Time didn't permit much between everyone's schedule's though. Canmore lost another super guy last Wednesday quite suddenly. I'm sending all of my love out that way still, especially to his wife and all of his friends. It was such sad news to hear.

Spending time with my parents was pretty fly. Cracking vulgar jokes while drinking and roasting marshmallows, staying up to watch a movie only to have everyone just sort of fall asleep around me, pitchers of sangria for an anniversary dinner. It was pretty super. We all took a hike up to Grassi Lakes with my sister, aunt and rolly-polly dog. I walked into a lake and felt the coldest water on my legs since the East coast. I flew back to Vancouver the next day.

Here's a collection of the least dumb shots I took while I was away. I'm always disappointed that I don't have more/better footage. Le sigh. Try to enjoy none-the-less.

I came back to see that my garden had transformed into a tiny plot of jungle. The tomato plants were vast, when I was under the impression they wouldn't make it. One's even got some tomatoes already started. All of them have flowers. The radishes are MAD. I've got some good start on lettuces, flowers on the melon plant, more blossoms on the pumpkin plant. I've also now got another plot out back, which I might fill with root veggies - carrots and beets and more radishes, most probably.

A book you need to read? The Shadow of the Wind by one Carlos Ruiz Záfon. One of the most intriguing and richly written pieces I've read in a couple years. Now, this could mean I just haven't been reading much fiction. And I suppose I haven't. But I did really enjoy this novel. I went and bought his other book The Angel's Game last week. I can only hope it'll be a fraction as good as his first.

A film you need to watch? Rango! It's been said more than once that I have a child's taste in films, but I really did enjoy it. It was probably 20 minutes too long, but I really enjoyed the character design and the wondrous textures and references and all around awesomeness. I can really appreciate a film that pays just as much attention to it's secondary and background characters as it's protagonist. Also, there are very few human beings in the film. I also like that very much.

Now for some angst! There's been a funny, deep seated doubt I've seemed to have grown over the summer. After scraping all of that horrible sadness and lack of worth off my skin, I've seem to uncover something just festering away in a less accessible place, say a kidney or a spleen. I can't seem to shake it quite so easy. Hopefully some film work will drive it away. I don't like the feeling much. A future that once seemed boundless is now this slightly-too-small box that I'm destined to sit in with my knees under my chin and my ear pressed up against the top. I shudder at the prospect.

Here's my most recent Kingfisher Says post. Pretty much talking about what I just talked about in this post. But you get to see my weird face and hear all of my poorly chosen phrases and hums and haws! Yay! (Note: by far, the most convincing thumbnail to date proclaiming my sanity)

Mustache disguises.

So it's July. Happy July? Yes. Because now that's July, July will be over soon. Kapeesh? It's an uneasy time when I've got my nose to the grindstone, but in such a way that I'm constantly wondering, "what the hell for?" Although I can answer that question rather simply, most days I go unconvinced. Unconvinced of what? I am rather unsure. I am unsure of many things. This paragraph is filled with so much unsureness.

I'm getting extremely stoked on Harry Potter. I'm motoring through the series again, hopefully to have them done by the time I stand in line for a great number of hours to see the final movie at midnight with some friends from work. Yes. Midnight opening for the Deathly Hallows Part II. Once a nerd, always a nerd. I accept this. It's going to be an emotional roller coaster of ending childhoods and sadness and 70% of the characters dying for whatever reason. But at least we'll have each other?

This photograph.

Anyways, we christened the Bat Cave with a good old fashioned house warming this past Wednesday and were happy to see all of the faces that showed up, bearing booze and food. Joel (of the 30 days of videos) came bearing a gift of a Battlestar Galactica themed mug, on which "WHAT THE FRAK" is printed in large, rather angry, red letters. I will now forever loaf around  my house drinking booze from this mug, pretending I am Colonel Tigh. I think most of the evening can be summed up by this photograph and by telling you that I strummed on a green ukelele for a while repeatedly singing, "I like dudes". We're a classy bunch.

I went down to Red Cat Records last month and picked up some sweet, sweet vinyl. I'm a large fan of used vinyl, as it doesn't cost me $50 *coughDaftPunkcough*. But I accept that I am poor and will someday not be. Though I don't rest very easy with that thought. It's more a superficial, polka dot band aid for the sucking chest wound that is the problem of how I'm going to make money for the rest of my life. Anyways, back to records. I bought two marvelous soundtracks - The Muppet Movie as well as When Harry Met Sally (oh, Harry Connick Jr and your sultry, sultry voice). I also picked up a really illin' Bony-M album, which a friend of a friend remarked, "I think my mother had that album," I laughed and told him to listen to Ra Ra Rasputin immediately whilst dancing. I also picked up my favorite U2 album, War. I believe my dad used to have it on cassette tape, back when those were cool. It's absolutely stupendous on vinyl, it's loud and "full of texture" (if that's a thing - it must be a thing) and wonderful.

Moseyed on down to the Vancouver Public Library book sale after class yesterday to see what sort of wonderful, wonderful things I could find. First off, I was blown away by the building it was in. Evidently, I had been skirting around it my entire school year by about two blocks and never even noticed it. It's glorious! I didn't even have much time to marvel at it, as it was raining rather hard, and me being myself, I didn't have an umbrella with me. You'd think I'd learn eventually, as this is Vancouver I live in. The book sale was a little less intense than I had hoped it to be, but with paperbacks coming in at 75¢ a pop, I really, really could not complain. I picked up four National Geographics, a copy of Michael Crichton's The Andromeda Strain, T. H. White's The Sword in the Stone and two tiny gems, MASH Goes to Texas and MASH Goes to San Fransisco. I also almost picked up a tiny paperback entitled Indiana Jones and the Philosopher's Stone, because it was hilarious. "Harry Potter, we meet again" "Snakes, why'd it have to be snakes?" or some sort of mash-up like that. Who's not very clever with these sorts of things? This guy.

I recently planted a pitcher plant in my frog tank, and am both disgusted and amazed to report half digested cricket carcases in all of the largest pitchers. It's gross, but so so awesome. Here's some photos of my new fish and my old fish. They're doing rather well. The glowlight tetra is Herp and the silvertip tetra is Derp. Derp is doing a lot better than Herp, but hopefully Herp will start putting on some weight soon. My oldest tetra, Miles, is bossy and chubby. My two catfish are boisterous and chubby. The shrimp's a fat kid, who keeps molting because he keeps getting too fat for his shell. I'm so glad everything in this house is so well fed. :|

Finally got around to planting some veggies last week. Hauled a bag of sea soil home and planted up some peppers, tomatoes, basil, sunflowers, peas and pansies. Today I picked up a strawberry plant, tons of bamboo to build trellises from and more pots to fill with this wonderful stuff known as sea soil. My place doesn't have any sort of hose (or any sort of spigot for one), so there's going to be lots of trips up and down stairs with a mop bucket filled with water and fertilizer to keep that garden going strong all summer. I'm hoping we'll get something out of it. I'm going to plant up a bunch of lettuces in a planter perhaps tomorrow. I'd love to expand my gardening habits, but it's hard 1) renting, it's not like I can invest much in this place, seeing as I'm not going to live here for years and years and years. 2) sharing the yard with three other people. I keep daydreaming about being able to have raspberry and blueberry bushes and apple trees and flower patches, but I guess now's  not the time in life. I'm finding it hard to pace myself.

Moving caused some curious, old-time things to surface. I went through some picture books the other day, finding that some were just as old as I was! Puzzle Island, The Butterfly Ball and Rupert were some of my favorites. I also leafed through a copy of The Road Goes Ever On and On: A Song Cycle, which I picked up at a used book store in Canmore some years ago - during my overly obsessed period of life when anything that Tolkien's name graced had to be mine - and had a fit when I realized I may have had, in my hands, a first edition. Unfortunately, after an hour of over exuberant searching, I discovered I had the first American edition, which is still a little valuable, but not straight from London valuable. I actually got some use out of this book my late Great Uncle Brian gave to me on my birthday some years ago called Treasures of the Misty Mountains. It's entire volume is dedicated to the different editions of Tolkien's books and various merchandise that has stemmed off from the series (oh, the things in my library). In fact, it was more useful than anything I found on the internet (books for the win).

Another thing I rediscovered was this box that I has housed many things throughout it's life, jewelry, photos and now is host to gameboy games. It's been plastered with stickers since middle school, but on the bottom is a little piece of signage via my Grandpa, who made the box. I don't know if I ever realized this was on the bottom. Why my childhood self figured it was a good idea to plaster something my Grandpa made me specially with his own two hands with stickers of Pokemon and cycling swag, I don't know. But now it bears this strange new specialness to me. I'm getting far too nostalgic in my old age.

Check this out - the Bat Cave has not one, not two, but four game consoles. We're working on a fifth. That's how much gaming/Netflix watching goes on under this roof. I've discovered how much rage Halo gets out and created a disgusting alter ego for myself in Xbox Live known as "Dinkleberg". This alter ego dresses like they empty lobster traps for a living and are pretty okay with that.

Nesting has been going quite nicely. Organized all of my books last week, which has calmed me down quite a bit. High ceilings have given way to more space to put books on the top of bookshelves, which has just been revolutionary. I've got a pile of Redwall novels, a pile of Harry Potter hardcovers, a stack of graphic novels and some fancy boxed sets sitting where they wont take up space on the actual shelves. Organization and high celilings for the win. Books rule.

Excitement is mounting for August. My only exam arrives on the 10th, which is now going to be followed by a three week hiatus from school, work and Vancouver. I'll be headed to the island to visit my Gran for five days or so, then I'm jetting out West to Canmore for a good, solid visit with my parents, grandparents, friends and puppy dog! We've been planning lots of mini trips to do - the zoo, movies, Lord of the Rings on Blu Ray marathons (yesss), hikes, I think I'll even get a trip up to the Farm! I need a holiday, it's not a very long one, but I suspect I'll return quite refreshed for the fall semester.

Anyways, hope everyone's having an okay time this July. Tomorrow's going to be a great day filled with gardening, sun basking and celebrating Vancouver's 125th downtown with some free concerts. Free is good. I hope you enjoyed my text/photo/youtube embed heavy post.

Make sure you keep an eye on:

The Long Road Home: their Indiegogo campaign made it to a sweet, sweet $10,386! Production will be commencing shortly. Be sure to follow their video blog of the super-journey with filmmakers' Alex Coulson, Adam McKay and Analise Stuart!

Choch: their Indiegogo campaign reached their goal of $1000 and even went a little over! Be sure to keep an eye on when DVDs are going to be released - here's an article in FFWD from this past week, where filmmaker Brendan Prost speculates as to why no one seems to have an interest in coming out to watch independent films.

Some neat things to bewilder and bedazzle your wrinkly brains:

Virtual tour... of MOSCOW. In leiu of Durae and I learning a whole of three words in Russian the other day and vowing that we would learn it proper.

The wondrous Peacock Spider via ABC.

Stumbled across this photographer just yesterday - haven't quite seen anything like it. I recommend checking out his entire gallery! Get ready to get up close and personal to those hairs on the elbows of spiders. Just saying. It's very cool.

Jumping spider- the mustache from Ahmet Ozkan on Vimeo.

Music tidbit of the week:

How to Train your Dragon!

Music by John Powell

I've been doing genetics homework all week listening to this! I don't have any speakers hooked up to my computer at the moment, so I've had the ol' earphones plugged in at all times. I've been finding lyrical music increasingly distracting as I try and decode what this frigging textbook is trying to tell me in the most complex way possible, so I fell back on some orchestrated soundtracks to soothe the soul. It's a wonderful mix of epic, motion picture orchestra, booming bagpipes and rolling drum crescendos, as well as playful Celtic flute pieces and an adorable song by Jonsi. Have a listen, or numerous. If you haven't seen the film yet, please do that too.

A bonus gift for you:

ALRIGHT IT'S NOVEMBER

^Bee that is busy.

Okay, so long time no posts. Busy as a bee, universe likes to throw weird things at me. But that is normal. I've had a few days this week that I have just been as sick as a dog. This has made me pretty sad. As no one really likes getting sick.

I made some awesome cookies that I found via Stumbleupon last week from The Picky Palate. I substituted the dried blueberries with frozen ones, rolled oats with regular oats and (disappointingly (if that is, in fact, a word)) butterscotch chipits instead of caramel bits. They turned out delicious and chunky. Damn good, I say! I highly recommend them.

I also made some fairly awesome potato and leek soup that I found in one of Jamie Oliver's cookbooks (and apparently, on the internet, HERE). I froze a bunch of it, storing up for winter I guess. Although it is a little bland, it's quite hardy and extra awesome when you crush up A LOT of soda crackers in the soup. Mm. So delicious. I am hoarding food. Tomorrow I make a huge amount of curry, which I will subsequently divide and freeze into happy little packets.

Via.

In other food news: check out the best hot chocolate in existence from Big City, Little Kitchen. Nutella. WHAT?

More food news: THESE. Minty chocolate goodness. In a cookie.

I like food too too much.

In and around Vancouver? Pretty please check out the Beaty Biodiversity Museum! I went there with my Pops a few weeks ago. Go see a blue whale skeleton! Find out that it's heart is the size of a car! Find out what the skull of a platypus looks like! Check out my flikr slide show of my experience! I even got to do a treasure hunt! Life was swell!

I've got some VIFF reviews coming. REALLY REALLY late reviews. But they exist.

I've been getting my astronomy on lately via the world of books. I finished reading The First Light by Richard Preston last week. It sort of amped up the 6 year old child that lived in my brain and brought back the wonder that comes with stars. The First Light is about the history and construction of the tremendous Hale Telescope. While on this binge, I watched Apollo 13 the other day (while in a neocitran/soup/tylenol daze) and am reading Out of Orbit: The Incredible True Story of Three Astronauts Who Were Hundreds of Miles Above Earth When They Lost Their Ride Home by Chris Jones. The book is tremendous. It has put space in perspective (I think we so often lose perspective of what is outside our atmosphere) once again for me. The amount of work that goes into sending people to space and maintaining them there is astronomical (ha.) and absolutely incredible. The idea of being in space, of surviving in zero gravity and in an environment so few people have touched. Absolutely amazing.

Another thing that has existed for a while, but I just discovered it's awesomeness? Dangerous Days, the Blade Runner documentary. I've been a huge fan of Blade Runner for a long time, but this just blew my mind. One of the last, great science fiction films made without computer effects. That's right. No CGI. All effects are in camera, hand made wonders. The number of highly skilled artists all working manually - with film, with paint, Plexiglas,  wood - it actually blew my mind. Most of the time I was wondering why modern day Hollywood sci fi flicks cost so much when everything is done on computers. Dangerous Days made Blade Runner even more incredible to me. If you haven't seen Blade Runner? See it. Probably see some sort of directors cut that doesn't have a narration. If you haven't seen Dangerous Days? Please, please see it. The amount of craftsmanship that went into the film puts everything that has come out in the last 30 years to shame (well, with some exceptions). It makes me sad that I will never have the opportunity to make such an incredible work without the aid of computers. *sigh*

Check out this excellent film I helped out on (a.k.a. put lasagna's in the oven and gave some people coffee sometimes). It's called MANTIS! (It's full of some gross things, so viewer's discretion!) We made it for the 2010 Bloodshots film festival. We won for Best Cinematography, which was pretty awesome. But no dice for best picture or audience choice! See the rest of the contender's videos at the Bloodshots MySpace page!

Something awesome is happening this Saturday. STAY TUNED.

On a final, political note, I want to say one thing. Now I don't pretend to know a whole ton about politics. I really do not. BUT. A president who does not make your lives infinitely better in two years dumped for a bunch of right wing yahoos. Something does not compute. This does not compute. Ta dah.

Via.