Sunrise Sunset

Today's sunrise over Vancouver.
Followed by today's sunset over Vancouver.

Living the Dream

Well I sure love my new second job. I'm working in a cafe at an old cabin on a local ski hill. You have to snowshoe or cross country ski to get to it and it was built in 1926. It's very rustic and they have lots of old photos with antique skis and snowshoes on the walls. They specialize in homemade soups and bread and do chocolate fondues for the snowshoe tours at night with head lamps.

Today I got up early and snowshoed in about eight inches of fresh powder to the cabin. Lit a fire in an old wood stove. Made some home made bread and worked the grill in the cafe for the snowshoers and cross country skiers. Now that's living the dream.

I got cut back to part time hours in my regular job so I had to find something on the side. So if you see my reflection on a snow covered hill, maybe a landslide will bring it down: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f46rv5EWbAU

Dream Weaver

Dream Weaver: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Hdx9JjzDfo

How are things in Glocca Morra: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anuDJ2pvdho

Failed Heart

My mother always used to say tomorrow will be a better day. She would say it at the darkest times making one think you have got to be kidding. Yet one has to wonder how long can justice sleep.

Anyone with a social conscience has a desire to make the world a better place. We want to leave this world in better condition than it was when we entered it.

Yet my fear, my concern, my sorrow is that failure has now affected our children and our children's children. Our ancestors came here fleeing high rents and taxes wanting to make a better life. We have no place left to go.

What was affordable on a single income just one generation ago is out of reach today. Corporations use part time employment to save on benefits yet no one can afford to provide for a family on part time wages.

The labour dispute with Telus was to keep jobs in Canada. That fight has failed and our families and our children suffer as a result.

Arms of an Angel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVbkz_3lO3c
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Redemption song

When the going gets tough, the tough play Bob Marley. He was a rebel so he was. An activist in his own right and very inspiring. This is a video clip of Ziggy Marley singing Redemption song with Lauryn Hill: www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwNlQRvV-b4

And this is Ziggy Marley singing Redemption song with the Chieftains. I kid you not: www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnJgIq48C9k

This is the mp3 of Bob Marley doing the song back in the day: www.emp3world.com/mp3/52224/Bob%20Marley/Redemption%20Song

Whitecliff

They were filming at Whitecliff tonight but they left before sunset and missed the best part. You can see Vancouver Island in the distance in the first photo. Bowen Island in the second photo and Howe Sound in the third.

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Third Beach

Friday night. Kayaks on third beach, Djembes on second beach. Now that's what I'm talking about.

The Dark Knight

I finally saw Dark Knight with Heath Ledger. He sure did an amazing job playing the villain. I’m saddened by his death and the mysterious circumstances surrounding it. I think his best role was in A Knight’s Tale. He was great in that too.

I’m not much into Batman, Superman or Spiderman movies but Dark Knight intrigued me. The whole concept of wearing down a good person until they fall to the dark side was interesting. What would we do if we lost everything we loved? Become bitter? Turn vindictive or malicious? I still contend that torture is wrong. That is the first line that should not be crossed if our ideals aspire to something higher than that of our enemies.

It’s interesting how actors can play such contrasting roles. Russell Crowe in Gladiator and in A Beautiful Mind are prime examples of two very different characters played by a talented actor. Similar to Heath Ledger’s roles in Dark Knight and A Knight’s Tale.

Another interesting character is Mel Gibson. His pinnacle role was clearly Braveheart. Courage, loyalty, fidelity. Those are noble characteristics. His anti semetic comments in a drunken tirade was somewhat shocking after his riveting job directing the Passion of Christ. Then the recent news of how he’s leaving the mother of his six children for some playboy lingerie bimbo. What’s with men and silicone anyways?

I was commenting on how that really didn’t fit in with his loyalty and fidelity in Braveheart. Then my daughter reminded me of the role he played in What Women Want. A funny movie but a somewhat less idealistic character. I had to concur that these are just actors playing roles. Interesting indeed. I still think it’s good to aspire to something higher.

When I think of Dark Knight I think of that MI6 director John Scarlett who was granted knighthood just for being MI6. Somewhat suspicious when we see MI6’s role in Operation Mass Appeal planting false evidence in the media against Iraq to justify an invasion. Then there was MI6’s botched false flag operation in Iraq:
http://finiansworld.blogspot.com/2008/12/anarchy-in-uk-revisited.html

Somehow I just see the MI6 as dirty and the appointment of John Scarlett to Knighthood simply as the Dark Knight: http://finiansworld.blogspot.com/2008/09/missing-link.html

Do not go gentle into the night. Rage, Rage against the Dark Knight.

Sunset at Whitecliff

My father used to take me hear when I was young to watch the sun set. He would take pictures of the sunset and read me the local First Nations legends from Pauline Johnson. I never caught anything but still find it a peaceful place to climb around the rocks and enjoy.

It was the first time since I was a kid we actually climbed down and sat on the same perch I used to many years ago. I finally clued in that we watch the sun set behind Bowen Island. We’ll have to visit the sunshine coast this summer. I’ve never been there before.

Yesterday I got a picture of the sunrise from Hollyburn Ridge and the sunset from Whitecliff. Now that’s what I’m talking about. It was a special sunset according to NASA. They said after the sun set you could see Venus, Mercury, the crescent moon all line up with a star consolation. All we could see was the crescent moon: http://spaceweather.com/headlines/y2009/24apr_eveningsky.php

Doing the sunrise and sunset in the same day made me think of the song from fiddler on the roof. My kids are almost all grown up now. Where did the time go: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLLEBAQLZ3Q

Spring Awakes

Cherry blossoms rise and fall ushering in the first stage of spring. Time to hit the rivers.

Grouse Mountain from Surrey

This is a view of Grouse from Surrey. On top of King George Highway heading toward the Patella bridge. If you follow the arrows from left to right, the first arrow is the Cut, a ski run on Grouse. The second arrow is the Peak, another ski run on Grouse. The third arrow is Crown Mountain. Right in front of that is Goat mountain I think but I'm not sure. I think Dam mountain is shown right above the ski run on the Peak. The Lions are to the left, that is west of Grouse. You can see the Lions when you're in or approaching Vancouver.

Yip Man Movie

Yip Man was a Wing Chung grandmaster who influenced many. Donnie Yen plays Yip Man in this dynamic new movie. Now that's what I'm talking about: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y67D9I5MRqg

Snowing on Cypress

It’s a wonderful night on Cypress. The snow is magnificent. Raining in the city in more ways than one. Such is life.

Sunrise Sunset

The morning breaks, the shadows flee. A new day dawns. Sunrise to sunset, one season following another laden with happiness and tears: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4CWgQQGyr4&feature=related

Banana Bread

Talk about random thoughts. I never realized how easy it is to make banana bread. I love banana bread. I had a friend that used to make home made bread every day. That’s somewhat beyond me. I’m too lazy to throw the ingredients into the bread machine but banana bred is easy. Cheap too. Gotta love it: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Banana-Banana-Bread/Detail.aspx

January Meteor Shower

http://spaceweather.com/meteors/quadrantids/quadrantids.html?PHPSESSID=qm2r47uv3mdfve28k0o18pi7q5

Well the first meteor shower of the year is set for just before dawn January 3 2009. So get up early this Saturday and check it out. It’s brief but abundant. They expect about 100 an hour. Let’s hope it’s not cloudy. I was gonna get a photo of the sun rising over the mountains on Hollyburn Ridge today but there was zero visibility. Watch around the North Star Saturday morning before dawn if it’s clear. Cheers.

Christmas Morning

The magic fades but a we bit of magic still prevails nonetheless. As the kids get older it is increasingly harder to find that magical smile of hitting the nail on the head and finding the perfect gift.

When the kids were young there is no question Christmas was magic. As they get older the magic fades until it is renewed with the next generation. Somehow it’s just not the same when your daughter shows you youtube videos of tickle me elmo doused in gasoline and set on fire as he rolls around the ground burning giggling away as though the fire tickles. Or the Hokey Pokey Elmo with a beer can in his hand and the exploding head. It’s a little bit funny but a lot more deranged but life goes on so it does.

Greed and economic uncertainty still exist. They always have and they always will. I remember an old friend who used to make all their own gifts. Not everyone is that talented but it did bring much more meaning to the season.

When I look back I can think of my two favorite Christmases. One was as a Single parent when the kids were very young and the other was visiting friends from out of town and going for a sleigh ride on the mountain Christmas day. Now that was Christmas. This year our Christmas is very simple. It’s the first time we broke down and got a real tree.

I’ve always felt guilty about cutting down a live tree but realize these are grown for that purpose on tree farms and I really wanted the smell of a fresh tree in the house this year. Ikea had a deal we couldn’t refuse. Spend 20 bucks on a tree and get a $20 gift certificate. Can’t beat that.

I procrastinated and didn’t get my mother a live Christmas reef until they were all sold out. Fortunately, Safeway had some live rosemary reefs. They were awesome. The smell of the fresh rosemary enhanced the season. I liked it so much I had to buy one for us too.

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I did a glazed ham last night. Roast ham with a honey, mustard and brown sugar coating. My mother used to always do that Christmas eve for my father’s birthday God rest his soul. Tonight it’s the turkey and dressing. Got a free turkey from work again this year. All I ever got from Canada Post was a kick in the a*s.

Well the stress is over. Now it’s just quiet time enjoying the snow. MCG. Cheers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lKYxjDg6XU

Vancouver’s White Christmas

Gotta Love all the snow. They say this is the most snow Vancouver city has had. So much for global warming: http://finiansworld.blogspot.com/2008/08/global-warming-and-industrial-waste.html

Wondering where the Lions are

The Lions are twin mountain peaks in Vancouver, B.C. also called the Sisters. This is a Youtube video clip I made with some pictures I took of the Lions, from the Lions and around the Lions in the greater Vancouver Area. Bruce Cockburn's song Wondering where the lions are is playing in the background. Cheers. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_NeFrQAF1Q