The time in between - December 09, 2007

Well hello guys, fancy seeing you around...



After the extended pleasure that comes with being so equipped with the full capabilities of the multi-media blogosphere, it comes as a bemusing tide to see any entrances here on the blog wane away. I`ve shied away from writing much in the hopes that I would be suddenly blessed with both the time and bandwith to share my life in technocolored glory. Alas, neither has arrived, and so with a slight dallop of guilt I write without any images to carry the point upon a seeming ocean of platitudes.

Christmas draws hard upon my heels here, and in the wake of certain commentary I should say for the record that none of my issues are ever of real weight these days. I seem simply to be a minor weigher of delights, a Shylock of contentment. To that end, a fairly large grain of salt must accompany my postings...

Anywho, I actually crave snow and ice in a somewhat unearthly manner that points out to all my seeming lack of humanity. We had a real live Christmas tree delivered to our place today by Oxfam, which earned the shock from most the artists in the building. So much in fact, that some band rehearsing in our living room gave us comp tickets to their show this Monday. I haven`t heard of them, but I think some of their songs are on youtube (Dresden Dolls anyone?) I dunno.

The internal debate has been whether to weather the weather in Melbourne and pursue a traditional Christmas or flee to the hills for the season. I keep wavering in between the two options, making plans in both directions, and without any seeming commitment from my intentions. I feel now like picking up a beaten down Ford Falcon and driving up to the desert, an option that simple shrugs off the yule time tide, and an idea which becomes more palpable as I see that no amount of Salvation Army will rouse the Christmas of Australia. It's just a different country, no matter the Seven Elevens, and I've gotta get around to rolling with that.

Otherwise, the daily oasis of pleasure I inhabit draws forth the stuffed voices of the closet. I mean, the onrush of peace, well, it tends to muffle the yearnings for self-betterment. And I've been so happy for so long here that the voices are starting to leak from the floor boards. Christmas tidings anyone? This one says Happy Getyourshittogether.

Listening like mad to the Shortbus soundtrack. As for the film, one day when I'm emperor I'm going to put to death anyone who doesn't love it. Negative? Think of it this way, people who lust for the movie I will actually give life to. So yah, she's a great flick and soundtrack.

Finished reading the latest blast of books, and settled once again into Voltaire's Bastards, the tome of genius I've been thumbing and highlighting for ten months, letting the words of sparkling description melt into my lobes. Perfection.

The past, a blow of noel yearnings, the present, the joy of a life lent but not bought, the future...

well for the future, you'll have to stay tuned...

Love!

Nick

Woot - December 3rd, 2007

Hey, internet back in force, Chrismas climbing happily from depths of soul into sordid heat, will put up all sorts of lovely info tomorrow, but until then, the Bird video is up down below.

Check it out!

The depths of rural Mexico... - November 29th, 2007

Where have I gone?

Sorry about the disappearance just when this space was getting constant and interesting, but our office internet has crapped out and won't be up until the 1st of December. With that source gone, to find internet one is forced again to wander the streets of Melbourne holding a laptop in the air and stabbing the skies with some sort of massive antennae. I've said it before, but internet in Oz is actually worse than rural Mexico, so much that the new Labor government ran on a platform of getting rid of dial-up modems.

Sigh. When the good times come back I'll get up all the wicked videos of surfing, summer, and birds trying to eat my friends. Oh, and finally get that auto-starting manta ray video fixed.

Talk to you all very soon,

Nick.

Life on the Ranch - November 21st, 2007

Hey everyone,

Sorry about the lack of posts, the internet in Australia still continues to be powered by some very overworked hamsters, so sometimes I can't get the content up I'd like.

There is a fabulous video of some carnivorous seagulls I've been trying to get up, but it looks like sometime next week will be the only thing going. In the meantime, I've been spending most of my days in the south pacific, and with the summer heat here the process resembles the soft steaming of a naive lobster. Had a blast pretending I wasn't from Alberta by partaking in that most un-Albertan sport, Surfing.

surfing is, well, hard.

Jess and I are looking to pick up a nice cheap station wagon this Friday to prepare for our future sojourn, and aside from a hopeful trip to Tasmania for Christmas, it looks like we will be leaving our Melbourne life at the end of February. Seriously miffed about the whole idea of Christmas down south, it's not quite right to say the least, but flying home is out of the question financially. Jealous of Reich and the rest of the crew who get to spend the season with family in a nice frosty environ... anyways,


Internet still poop, will try to throw up photos this arvo or tomorrow.

Much Love,
Nick.

Gone to the birds - November 15th, 2007

Ah! I am so sick of Australian Fauna! From the hyper-poisonous to the highly toxic, almost everything in this country is unfairly lethal. I've mentioned in the past such real winners like the Eastern Taipan (Death via bleeding from the eyes), the Box Jellyfish (Death via hideous screaming), and even the Bull Shark (Death via Bull Shark).

Well now we can add the seemingly harmless Seagull to the illustrious ranks of Aussie Killing Machines (not including the food of course).

This is what happens when a young man from Montreal walks down the St. Kilda pier with a box of fries. Run Jon, Run!

Vicious.

It's 35 degrees, I'm going surfing, see you later,


Nick!

Whadda ya mean I can't take off my sweater? - November 15th, 2007

Forgive the auto-starting video. It's from the Sydney Aquarium. That ray is Huuuuuge.

*EDIT*
Video taken down due to horrible auto-start nightmare, will fix and get up later.*

N.

No Trouble in Paradise. - November 9th, 2007

Hey crew!

Just flew back from an amazing road trip through New South Wales, and am bursting with happiness both distilled and raw. Jess and I flew to Sydney on Saturday morning on what could only loosely be termed an "aviation device", to meet up with our friend Benoit and rent what could only loosely be termed a "vehicle I should be in control of".

Thus began a four-day sojourn to northern NSW, a place almost mystically tropical within but a few hours of Sydney. We camped every night on the beaches we found, some wet and blustered, most hot, sun-baked and welcoming. One night we swam in phosphorescence, the next we bore witness to southern right whales launching back flips against the southern pacific's reflection.

Another day we spent a few perilous moments experiencing the essence of Australian life, happy frolicking in the waves cut short by the frantic pointing of lifeguards and the thriving presence of our mutual friend, the Bull Shark. Mild sunburn, endless coast, a place in the world practically starving for the slightest mar to break up the perfect beauty. The whole adventure served up steaming as a preview to the big road trip we're planning in March.

Photos are up, but not captioned. On our last day in Sydney we went to the aquarium, thus explaining the gorgeous pictures snapped from the oceanarium tank. Oh, and as a final note, a certain horse-minded lady managed to pick the winning equine in the Melbourne Cup,a feat not too far shy of world famous, and won us a nice purse of freeeee money.

All in all, a phenomenal weekend, a wonderful trip, and after this overview, one I'll dissect in detail in this space.

Cheers,
Nick