14 Giants

I’m nearly through the week, work is going okay, and the apartment is falling into place (and looking mighty GQ-ish, I must say. Stylin’!) When handing over the $$$, my only request to my aunt personal shopper was that she choose “masculine” items, and the results have been pretty cool. Think “graduate student coke den,” or “Trent Reznor’s IKEA misadventures.” I’ll put up some photos on the weekend.

(photo: The Darcys)

Wes Marskell, drummer for The Darcys, has been felled by a collar bone injury!

Oh readers!  Let us pray that Wes finds the drugs strength he needs to pull through this and soldier on.

I’m back in Vancouver. I arrived back in town last night around midnight. I’m so busy I don’t know what day it is. My aunt is here with me - she arrived today and is helping me set up the new apartment while I go to work during the day.

I’m living at the new place now, by the way. Got the internet hooked up this afternoon, and have enough things in place to make a go of it. The view from my balcony at night is rather astounding. All of Burnaby laid out before me. I’m sure there will be photos for you at some point.

Tomorrow night I have a small break in the storm. Going to see Emmylou Harris at the Orpheum. I’m excited.

Blogging will be light until the weekend. Sorry. But once I get going, watch out!

An old one from the vault, but a favorite. At home in The Hidden Valley, June 2007. Agfa RSX 200, X-Pro.

The next 48 hours are going to be hell.

It all begins tomorrow here in The Hidden Valley with no water (the locals are shutting it down to replace some pumps), then it moves to a funeral, then an 8-hour drive back to Vancouver, then arriving in the city around 11:00pm, then hauling boxes from the underground up to my new apartment, then dropping my brother off at his place across town, then driving back to the current apartment around 12:30 or 1:00am to sleep, then waking up early at 6:30am to move some more stuff to the new place, then dropping off the rental car at 9:00am, then going to work, then rushing back to the new apartment in the late afternoon for an appointment with the internet guy, and then unpacking.

I’m in The Hidden Valley.

I arrived late last night. My brother and I left Vancouver at almost 2:00pm yesterday, as we both had things to do that morning. But the inevitable consequence of leaving so late is that one must be vigilant in watching for deer in the last few hours of the journey. And indeed there were lots of them on the (8-hour) drive up, including two little fawns who decided to prance and play in front of the car. Had to come to a complete stop while they had their fun.

I ate breakfast outside on the deck this morning. Two hawks circled above. I think they were checking out Deli-Cat, who - like the baby he is - kept wanting up on my lap. Possibly because he missed me.

Or possibly for protection.

Those days are over … you don’t have to sell your body to the night.

No, it’s not my new apartment. Instead, it’s long-lost photos of my graduate dorm room on campus. From 1998-2000!

Rent was $400/month then, payable upfront in a one-time lump sum of $1600 for the semester.

Oh Hamilton Hall. How I’ve missed you! How I miss the ABBA-obsessed neighbors, the late-night X-Files parties, the tarantula egg sac I found in my bananas, the football practice held nightly (it seemed) outside my window, the secret dryer in the laundry room that would dry your clothes for free if you knew the trick, the two nights I unknowingly slept under my deceased neighbor upstairs, the endless rain my first winter in Vancouver, the bar fridge that just never seemed to get cold enough.

Memories…

I’m heading home to The Hidden Valley, where I’ll be until Monday. The occasion is a sad one: a death in the family. But I’ll get to spend some time with my parents and with Deli-Cat too - always a good thing.

One in particular, anyway.

Behold the latest addition to my camera family. A Fed 2. Basically, a Fed 2 is a Leica-clone rangefinder, minus the $5000 pricetag. I own a Fed 5 already, but that beast is so heavy to pack around. I’m hoping the Fed 2 will be a great street shooter. It’s small, and capable of producing stunning images.

I arranged for telephone service for the apartment today. “Paul,” the customer service rep, assigned me a number.

“Paul”: Well, Ryan, I’ll start you off with area code 778 and then give you a few options.

Me: 778?! Really? [sigh]

“Paul”: Yes, I’m afraid so. But you can pick your number from a list of options.

Me: But it’s already ruined, “Paul.”

[both of us laugh]

You see, 778 is the area code Vancouver started using when it ran out of available 604 numbers. But most people have 604 numbers, so when you give someone your number, they automatically assume it begins with 604. It’s very annoying. In fact, there was a Seinfeld episode on this very subject.

At least “Paul” hooked me up with an unlisted number. Perfect for addicts and shut-ins!