Sunday, January 28, 2007

Today's day in review.. aka A Usual Weirdly Jordanic Day

So my buddy, D, emailed me the other day. Asked me if I was going to be heading to his church today. I wasn't really going to. I don't do that so much anymore. But I did have a thing I was supposed to give him from another buddy of mine. And the reason he asked if I could go was that there was a new girl in the area that lived nearish to me who didn't have wheels and wanted to check out his church. Well.. with so many signs converging.. I figured I'd darken the door.

Woke up. Threw on the clothes. Boiled the water. Filled the thermos. Filled my new computer/book/funkadelic wild and crazy, black new carrying... dang.. might as well take a picture... that would be easier...



uh yeah... wrong picture.... well.. so school can be a little intimidating ok? Anyways.. now you might as well meet the gang. Some of you will be familiar with Mr.Snuggles. He's done some traveling with me. He also takes care of my bling. Good job buddy. Then there's the original Snoop Dog. Both him and Mr.Snuggles (who my mom insists is named Ted E. Bear. Well I don't remember that.. but I remember Mr.Snuggles. Though I think my bro's bear was called Huggy Bear. Maybe he was Hug E. Bear? I don't know). Pretty sure that both Mr.Snuggles and Snoopy are over 25. Koala is fairly new.. got him after the big car accident when I was 7 or 8. I just got a broken arm. Bro bro was hospitalized for over a month or something. Anyways.. I was talking about my day.. and my new bag.

So I filled my new bag (pictured here)


(ok.. good job guys... you get the rest of the day off) (Snoop don't worry.. we'll hang out later)

So anyways.. I filled my bag with the essentials and grabbed my thermos. Pictured here are the essentials ;)



Ok so... I took off out the door... the windshield was frozen.. took care of that fully before leaving.. well.. mostly pretty fully. Then drove up the street.. picked up the girl.. and drove up peninsula towards Saanich.

I know, I know, so far it sounds pretty normal.. not too Jordanic.. other than the Yerba Mate... it's coming up right quick.

So we get in the church.. the girl goes to find a seat in the middle.. I got to say hey to D and get he says to a lady "Hey Jordan will do it!". Uh say what?

"We need someone to act in a drama piece before a bunch of kids for kids church upstairs"

Ok.. I haven't been in the door for a minute. I of course say yes. I mean c'mon. Think of the kids. So we walk up the stairs. "I'll get you your lines" she says.

There's lines?

We enter a room. I meet "Joe" and "Other Guy" who I learn by their stage names cause we don't have much time. I get the blurb on why guy I'm replacing isn't there. I get a script. I highlight my lines. They read over it once. It's time to go to the room. Total time.. under 5 minutes.

We're behind the back of the set and waiting for our cue to go on. I play "Zoom" the wild and impetuous paparazzi who catches some unglamourous pictures of the "Starlet". I have lines like "I'm Zoom. You know me.. I'm fast and quick, I don't think about consequences, I'm a wild man, and that's just me." and stuff like that. Zoom is all about the cash. Snaps some pics he's gonna turn for a buck. But then he gets a moral lesson on how God loves him just the way he is and how he's not a loser but a loved creation by God. Zoom leaves the stage feeling conflicted. Except there weren't any big words like "conflicted". Zoom says "I need to think about this" and takes off stage left. So... within being there for 15mins I've arrived, been conscripted, and acted in a children's production. Having finished that I ask how we sneak out with out the kids watching. "You know we do this for a second showing right?"

Second showing. Right.

So we waited and then did it again. Then I took off. Went and sat down below.. and the rest of church went churchily. Then I took off for home cause I was having a Sunday Palpation Party to study for school.

We were gonna meet at Starbucks at 2pm. My buddy Scott arrived and was carrying a book bag. He motioned me over and lifted the flap. Told me to look in. Inside was his friend. Hoagie. The Hedgehog. Yes, it's a real hedgehog. They're kinda cute. And spiky.



We then studied. Well.. I think some people did better than others.. I was pretty ADHD. Couldn't really pay much attention.. played my guitar. Tried not to be too distracting to the others... yeah.

I then had adventures in cooking. Slowly cooked some turker sausages.. cut them up.. threw in a red sauce, brought it to a simmer. Cooked some pasta.. and *voila*. I gastrnomical delight. Those who know me will be amazed that I a) cooked a meal that required 3 distinct phases, and b) that I consumed it and lived to tell of it.

Then I did other stuff. This is getting long. It ends here and ends now. ;)

After some more pictures.. hee hee.

Sunset pics from off my apartment porch..






Then I took some more.... like a pic of the glasses I am currently wearing since I inadvertantly modified my new glasses....



The forest from my place, upside down, moved for light effect, flipped, saturated.



Then negatived.



Then I saw this nebulous jellyfish-like UFO lurking in the dark outside of my porch. It sucked me up into it's nether regions and took me away on some random and non-mundane adventures that I'm not allowed to speak of in this form of media. But I took one picture. It's after this one. They don't normally let people.. but they allowed me as a form of thanks for my wonderful and amazing accomplishments in liberating them from... I've said too much.




Then I was attacked by this funky light glowy snake from an alternate dimension... I fought them before in that thing I'm not to talk of.. it wanted revenge.. just like Jaws III.

Tuesday, January 23, 2007

Jan 17th Musings, and Photo's from my Abby Road Trip

Jan 17, 2007

It's good to get outside and walk; to stretch my legs down many blocks and to the sea. The eagle's perched up in the tree, again. The sunlight glows and diffuses through the grey clothed sky, and I sit on the green bench atop the concrete buttress. Silver liquid sheen shines across the sea's surface tween me and the clouded horizon. Wave after gently flowing wave lap against the shore, first one, then two, and then two more. The headland's temporary defiance in the face of calm seas will be exposed as a sham when next the storm swells surge. But for now it is the gentle roll and slow splashing curl of many droplets in concert against the shore. That and the roar, the steady thrum, of the seaplane momentarily above. Going, going, going, going, soon to be gone as it continues to fly on. The rocks roll and ricochet off of each other as the waves retreat and regroup, only to return ever again and always. The rhythm, the cycle, the sea. A loon dives below my world and enters another unseen. A liquid world obscured from outside and beyond. Our home once, but long passed now. We moved out, onward, and away. It is the home we have outgrown, and though we can visit we can never go back. Even so, I still feel the relationship. Though we can never go back, we can also never fully leave. That from which we came will always come with us as well.

And there is something about the ocean that is greater than all other bodies of water. I have a theory. All water is amazing, wonderful, incredible, and amazing, because it reminds us of the sea. Our ancestral home. I'm willing to admit that I may have a little bit of a bias, but what is the ocean? It is. What are rivers? Rivers are returning to the ocean. Lakes? Places water pools on its way to the ocean. Now if you'll excuse me I need to go spend some time with it. To walk alongside, to visit and hang out, to be.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So this past weekend I went to the mainland for to visit some friends. Some getting married.. others not. But an enjoyable time was had by me with many. Hopefully it was enjoyable for them too. I think it most likely was. Here are some pictures from the weekend.

I have more.. but not on Flickr cause I've used up my space there until next month ;) Ok.. I used it up a week or so ago ;) But if you have a facebook account I've posted more up there.

For those that like pictures and comments.. you're in luck. If you don't like them.. then you'd best stop here. You've been warned.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The first Three... Things you may see from or on a Ferry (the boat.. not Fairy the mystical creature)





Next we go to the wedding. (My main reason for the whole weekend escapade). Here you have a photo of Mr.Theo Epp and Mrs. Jennilee Epp.



What's a wedding without dancing? And what's dancing with out some fun crazy people letting loose? This wedding had both in spades.. here we have local dancing with the stars champions K-Mac and D-Kro.



Next we have the friends section....
Starting with my friends dog. Who's named for cheese in German. I'm not going to attempt to spell it.



Followed by another friend, who happens to be my others friend's (with the dog) boy friend. Confused yet? Ok ok.. I'll stop. Check out that sweet tropical piece in the background. Tres chic oui? Oh and he's also one of the 4 guys from MB who are roommates and where I stayed Saturday night.



Here's MB guy 2. Gotta love the hat.



Two other friends.. with my guampa. The friend on the left is going out with the friend from the tropical island piece in the background picture, (yes she has a dog, how'd you know), the other friend is engaged to another friend I have from Camp. Oh and these friends went to Africa with me back in the day. Along with the "girl who has a dog"'s boyfriend. He went to africa with us too. Hope that clarifies things.



Another friend who went to Africa with us. Here she is trying to fit in by drinking Mate. But she can't fool us. You'll see why not. Poor girl. Missing out.



Poor Friend. Maybe one day she'll be able to enjoy the joys of Mate with us. One can only hope... ;)


Here we have MB Guy #3 followed by MB Guy #4. We went out to the Dragon Fort for Dinner (MB Guys 1 & 3) last year... I got a great fortune from the fortune cookie.. it said.. Lady Luck will visit you soon. Anyone play the fortune cookie game?



None of the ManitoBa guys are small. Neither am I. So it was.. enjoyable cramming into the car sunday morning. All 5 of us. I was kinda hoping that somebody would maybe nudge the car and then get out and want to get ornery. Then the 5 of us would unfold from the little car... Hee hee... it makes me giggle.

Here's another friend hanging out by a Domo Sign. Such a happy sign. Being a fuel transfer technician must be great fun!



My buddy with a great toque. If you see a guy like this. He's a good guy. I'll vouch for him.



Here's an awareness thing for all of you who've managed to read this far. Avoid embarrassment by listening closely now. When buying Corona.. check to make sure you're not buying Coronitas. They're like Coronas.. only much smaller. Then people laugh. ;)



On our way out we found a broken window.. and took some pictures..



I really like this picture. You should check it out in the larger size.. click on it or something. But this is from inside the small car with the 5 of us.. but ignore that.. I think it looks spiffy.



And last but not least, my friend who seems rather enthused about this article about Meth Addicts. Yeah. Moving on.




There... c'est finis! No more. Adios. Via Con Dios. Good bye. Till next time. ;) To all my friends who I saw but forgot to take pictures.. It'll happen sometime.. when you least expect it (but not on the toilet) (well probably not).

Tuesday, January 16, 2007

Howdy Hey Hey

So it hath been awhile since I've posted. But I'm here now.. and that's really what matters. ;)

I've been going to school through the week. After school I come home and have a nap. Then I wake up for dinner, study, then sleep, then repeat. This doesn't leave too much time for writing and musings.. however I did get away with a camera this weekend. So instead of writing.. you get several of my favorite pictures that I took this past week. If you want to see more then you can check out my flickr account.

Remember that if you want to see them bigger you can click on them.
Without further ado...

The crow overtop of Oxford Foods.. scoping out the terrain.


Some of you may not have believed me. Here's the photo evidence, taken by the Starbucks at the corner of Cock And Pendergast.


I call this one "Eagle In A Tree" for no reason other than pure fancy. That and the eagle in the tree.


My Guampa. So pretty. You'll surely agree. Can you find it in these pictures?







The Heron I found by a pond in the park... I took many pictures.. here's one.


Getting strangers to pose with the Guampa. Ok.. older ladies.



More Guampa Goodness..



And I'll end of with a bug, by Beacon Hill Park.



May you have enjoyable days wherever you are and I look forward to when next we meet and have frolicsome festivities!
Adios,
Jordan

Friday, January 05, 2007

December 30/2006

Right now at this very moment and place, at this time and space, I'm held between two powerful passions, two evocative emotions. Both brought forth by an increasing awareness of the intense magnitude of wonderment that exists in the finite universe, as well as that which lay beyond the realm of the physical. Like a pressure cooker, intensity grows as I become increasingly aware of my limited resources, my limited lifespan (which no matter how long, will be too short), and the fact that I will not know it all.

In light of this, there is a part of me that desires to become intensely microscopic in focus; to spend the rest of my days plumbing the depths and worlds present on just one tree. On the other hand I know if I stay still too long there is all of the rest that I will miss out on.

And there's the rub. I don't want to miss out. Yet internally I know I will never know.

In this huge, finite, mind blowing world, my finite noggin is insufficient to grasp the scope and complexity. And frankly I don't like that. Before I gave up, many years ago, I was a perfectionist. Perhaps you can see it.. or not. Then life got hard and I couldn't uphold the standards I held myself to. My attempt at perfection then was based out of the misguided belief that if I did things right, if I didn't screw up, if I was perfect, then I was of worth.

It's been quite a journey.

Now I see a little bit differently. The curtain has parted a millimeter and new light comes through. I am Don Quixote. I am everyone. I am me. And despite my limited abilities and short time frame to engage with the world around me I shall ride forth to tilt at my windmills. Oh the madness of Man. Oh the folly of Fools. Oh the life we choose to lead.

To seek knowledge in this world is like seeking water in the ocean. You cannot swim that whole ocean no matter how hard or long you try. But you can have a great time attempting to.

And now, in part, I hope to have left the tie between perfection and worth a little further behind me. To do what I can each day. To still strive for growth, to still pursue potential, yet to combine this with contentment too. To leave behind the thought "that I can never know it all, so why continue?" To connect once again to that deeper passion and sense of adventure that exists when worth is not connected to perfection. To feel that mystery lurks around every corner; and behind every new page there lay promise too.

We are travellers still: Argonauts and Cosmonauts, navigators and explorers, pioneers, scientists and artists, friends, brothers and neighbors. For all of us still, the map remains bordered with the open expanse of unmarked parchment that contains only the words "Here Be Dragons". Those dragons are as real now as they were then. And in response we can remain within the borders of our "known world" or venture forth in search of the unknown.

We are captains of our own ships and I give my orders now. Up anchor, out with the sails, and away.

Now it is time for me to open my text book and return once more, to the intimidating and fascinating world of the chemical level of organization. Yowza. Fire cannons! Return volley! Ack! The thing's a beast. I hope I don't get crushed under it's massive girth! But hey.. what a way to go!