May 26, 2008
andiamo
The following entry is the introduction to RW in italia: my new blog home for the next 2 months. Please add it to your bookmarks :)
I finally felt like my preparations were under control. Months of work, weeks of planning, and a good number of days searching, buying, packing, forgetting, and remembering, led to this day. Not the day of departure, but the day of relaxation. The day of enjoying Vancouver one last time before I leave for 2 entire months. Summer, late to arrive, was in full swing, and the sun was setting. In good company, I walked the sea wall, watching crowds of fellow beachgoers lounge and laugh and watch the beach performers. The water perfectly reflected the glowing clouds above, edges brushed a vibrant pink, setting them apart from the saturated blue sky and lush green trees. I couldn’t remember the last time the world was so colourful, and I could barely make time to blink.
Before I knew it, I was back home, packing my bag. Adding this, subtracting that, making sure I had all I needed, and nothing I didn’t. More friends, more goodbyes, one final sunset, and one more late night. It’s after 2AM, and I’m to wake in 6 hours to prep for departure at 1600hrs. I’m excited, I’m nervous, I’m anxious, I’m overwhelmed, and I’m underwhelmed, I’m tired, and I’m ecstatic. 24 years of experience. 4 months of research. 1 week of final planning. 1 flight, with 1 transfer, and 1 meal. 1 amazing adventure, with 14 great friends, and 1 awesome prof, in 4 incredible cities.
Here goes nothing.
.. and by nothing I mean everything.
Farewell Vancouver; Italia here I come!
View andiamo with comments. 02:59 AM with 0 Comment(s)May 12, 2008
strawberry oeufs
When I walk, I often walk very quietly. It's not fully on purpose - likely the result of my slim stature, proper foot placements before taking the next step, and quiet clothing. However at times I find this can create potentially uncomfortable situations for people. For example, I have found that quite regularly, when walking in public, I'll intentionally drag a few steps when I'm getting close to overtaking someone on the sidewalk. I also walk very fast. If they attempt to walk faster to escape the odd shadow behind them (ie. me) that just doesn't work cause I'll simply increase the stride... and add a few more foot slurs until they hear me and move to the side. Is this odd? Mom says I need a bell (ie. a cat, or i suppose cow) so I don't startle her at home. Am I the only one who thinks this much about the sounds of walking?
Continue reading strawberry oeufs... 05:46 PM with 1 Comment(s)May 07, 2008
guardian angel
I stepped out of the elevator and through the door into P4. Ahead, the Escape, loaded with belongings that had sustained me over the past 3 months. Behind, the life I quickly grew to love. Though my heart fully disagreed, money and time required that it come to an end. My original plan was to load the car and enjoy a quiet dinner alone, to be followed by a walk to English Bay to soak up my final downtown sunset. Luckily the clouds didn't seem to agree, and a dinner invitation was given by roomie and his boy. At the time, I knew this to be a better plan, so we hit one of the local Yaletown eateries and enjoyed each other's company and conversation. By 9pm it was obvious the sun decided to silently make its exit below the horizon.
Continue reading guardian angel... 12:50 PM with 3 Comment(s)April 21, 2008
italia
Yeah. I've been absent for almost a month! It was quite a month. Too busy for me, but the semester has since ended, and winter has returned. Really, we've had snow more than a few times in April, and the average highs is still around 10 degrees celsius. Last year we had summer-like weather beginning in March. This year, the east side of the country is finally enjoying our summer weather while we're stuck with their winter. Odd.
Continue reading italia... 04:36 PM with 3 Comment(s)March 25, 2008
headwaters
I wasn't sure what to say. Earlier on I had smiled and nodded, thinking it was an exaggeration to make a point. But when it was presented with, "Can you keep a secret?" a faint, but distinguishable feeling of guilt rose up in me. "I'm going to leave him," she continued. My cousin, going on 38, was preparing to escape the situation she had lived in for 18 years. It had reached the point where none of their 3 children, from 9 to 16 years, would speak to their father, or be comfortable in his presence. Her mind, and her body, deserved a healthier environment. And domestic abuse immediately became personal.
Continue reading headwaters... 03:54 PM with 5 Comment(s)March 04, 2008
unconsidered
Surely it is one of the many miracles of this fine area of the world. The day can be dreary and wet; air so moist, the landscape receding into a grey fog, layer by layer. As clouds begin to darken, anticipating the evening, a small separation forms over the water. This sliver, its pale peach flesh visible in the distance, taunts us with the beautiful skies outside our reach. And then a line is drawn across the city, darkness turning into brilliant, horizontal light. The sun has descended between the clouds, casting out a deep, golden energy. Buildings ignite as their reflections burn with the rich, saturated glow. The light, so warm and penetrating, overwrites our memory of the cold blue storms to the east.
Continue reading unconsidered... 01:04 PM with 6 Comment(s)February 24, 2008
hide and seek
It's lonely out here in this world. Look out the window, and there are people everywhere. Some in groups, some solo, talking, walking, smiling, laughing, holding hands, listening to music, checking out the sights, making a call, shooting a photo, carrying some bags, pushing a stroller. I sit in my aquarium watching them go by. Ambient dreamscapes leak through my speakers and fill the room, bouncing off wall and floor. The sun sets, reflected off the glass towers surrounding me. I turn it up, hoping to drown out emotion. Trying to overwhelm my mind into a state of complacency. Sitting on the edge of my recently acquired bed, eyes glazed over, powerbook on my lap, cell phone at my side, I throw my head back, I close my eyes, and I let it go. I let him go.
Continue reading hide and seek... 05:56 PM with 5 Comment(s)February 21, 2008
time & space
I don't know what to write anymore. It sorta bugs me. I could tell short, random stories, but they wouldn't make any sense when put together. For instance, I attended a once-a-month praise and worship service at one of the old downtown churches this past sunday with a couple friends. It's a progressive, inclusive service held on the 3rd sunday of the month. We sing a bunch of songs, letting our voices echo through the cathedral, and spend a few minutes reflecting on a short meditative word from the worship leader. It was refreshing, and I was pleased to have doubled my church points for the week, having been on worship team duty at the home church that morning.
Continue reading time & space... 01:32 AM with 2 Comment(s)