Surreality

There are certain moments in one's life that are memorable because of their symbolism, the physicality they bring to aging.

Getting your driver's license. Drinking your first beer (legally...). Moving out.

And now, signing the lease to your first apartment.

That last one just happened to me this past week, and I couldn't be more excited. I'm jumping in sight-unseen, aside from the photos provided by the current tenants, but I have zero anxiety. Only excitement. The place is basically everything I ever dreamed of: bright rooms, modern finishes, a touch of old Montreal flair, close to amenities, and in a gentrifying ethnic neighbourhood.

I could go on an on about this apartment despite having never set foot in it! And that lends a bit of surreality* to this whole thing. It's weird to think, and even more weird to say, that I have an apartment. "My apartment in Montreal." I've never even been to that city! How can I have a slice of real estate there?

Suffice to say, now that I have a place locked down, I'm no longer obsessively checking the "For Rent" sections of Kijiji and Craihslist. I've moved on to the IKEA website, furniture listings, and McGill's "Free and For Sale" page.

This could get dangerous.

*Yes, "surreality" is a word. It comes from the French surréalité. Which is fitting.

photo from the original apartment listing on Kijiji

Momentous Occasions are Momentous

I bring tidings of great joy, and I come bearing gifts! No, it's not Christmas all over again (although there's still snow on the ground in Banff), it's the return of my blog!

Well, sort of.

I won't promise on making regular posts again, but so much has happened in the last little while that an appearance became necessary. We're gonna do this in numbered format to make things more interesting and easy to follow, savvy?

1. I've been accepted to McGill University's Urban Planning programme for 2013! I'll be moving to Montreal at the end of August, where I'll be living for about two years. After that I want to head back to British Columbia, but two years ago I would have laughed at you had you told me I'd be living in Banff in the near future, so we'll see what happens.

2. I actually finished something accomplished a predetermined goal on Protagonize! Over the last few days I've posted both a new chapter and the epilogue to the rough draft of my story Red King Chronicles. It is by no means a finished story, though, hence I amended my above statement to say I reached a goal. Close to the beginning of the year I decided that I needed to do a complete rewrite of the story: new intro, new back story for Jason, new sequence of events, new a lot of things. However, I told myself that I wouldn't start the editing process until after I brought the current draft full circle to the prologue. I have now done that and am looking for critique. So, have at 'er!

3. After a year and a half of collection dust, there's finally a new chapter in Elsie! I had to reread the entire story myself before continuing on, but my the fires of my inspiration have been stoked. I drafted a chapter outline for the latest chapter and the following chapter, possibly two following chapters. I've got the conflict sorted out, so now I just need to figure out how to resolve said conflict and eventually bring the story to a close. I'm being optimistic about this one, for once.

4. Caramel Tim Tams were in stock at the grocery store so I'm doing Caramel Tim Tam Slams! Be excited for me.

5. I still feel that lists should contain multiples of five, so...

And that's all!

photo by me

2012, a Year in Review

January put me back in Kelowna for my final semester at the University of British Columbia. Within a few days I was experiencing a temperature difference of 50 degrees Celsius compared to Singapore, but it was good to be back among old friends.

In February I rediscovered the joy of being a coffee shop regular. Out here in Banff you can often find me in Starbucks, but back in Kelowna I staked out the Blenz downtown a few times every week. I would write papers there, chapters for Protagonize, meet up with friends, and sometimes just pop in to say Hi to the baristas I knew. Seriously.

With the arrival of "spring" in March, I did some online cleaning. This blog was completely redone, as was my Tumblr. Since then I've changed the background of my blog again, and have made even more changes to my Tumblr account. I now run two "tumblogs:" one of random things that catch my interest, and the other full of quotes and pictures of cities. Check it out!

In April I finished my time with UBC Okanagan and prepared to go a year without school. So far, so good, but I must say I miss the university life. To give you a taste of what I enjoyed in Kelowna, I shared a video promoting UBC Okanagan.

May proved that summer starts early in the Okanagan, Canada's only desert. I made my first summer playlist of 2012 and let you in on one of the musicians who made plenty of appearances on that list. Writing this now, in the winter, I long for another summer playlist but know that only wintery music can satisfy me. I'm an odd one like that.

I turned 23 in June and celebrated on the Island with a Janelle Monae concert, visit to the petting zoo, and gallivanting about Vancouver. I also found out I'd be writing bi-monthly blog posts for the Grid, which kept me engaged with urban issues in Kelowna. It was a tentative application, but in hindsight I'm very glad to have participated in that internship.

In July I was more than happy to enjoy my first summer in the Okanagan. Kelowna is a beach town, so I spent quite a bit of time at the edge of the water. I played beach volleyball, walked the boardwalk, fell asleep on the warm sand, and probably ate too much ice cream.

On impulse, I decided to move to Banff in August. I quickly fell in love with the mountain setting, and I'm still awed daily by the sight of Mt Rundle and Cascade Mountain. Everything has worked out well for me since arriving: I have good room mates and cheap rent, a well paid job I enjoy, a volunteer position with the Town of Banff, and all the fresh mountain air I could ever need. I know that I'm only going to be spending a year in Banff, but I know that I'll miss it once I leave.

September brought a small, but meaningful, milestone. I received my first ever public library card! Since September I've taken out a few books to read, some CDs, a Japanese film adaptation of "King Lear," and some books for story research. Yup, I definitely enjoy having a library card!

In October I became a little bit more Canadian by learning to curl. It's definitely a lot more fun to do than to watch, though I never got a chance to sweep. Unfortunately I haven't had a second try in the hacks since then, but I've continued to add winter achievements to my Canada resume.

In November I hitched a ride with a friend all the way to Calgary to see "Skyfall" in IMAX 3D. Yes, this is enough of an event to merit a post in my Year in Review.

I stopped blogging completely in December, with the exception of a single Music Monday post at the end of the year. However, I didn't blog because I was doing too much to sit down and write about it! I work retail, so everything was a lead up to Christmas. Luckily, I was able to nab a few days off before the big event to go snowshoeing with some friends. We staying in a log hut overnight, had steak for dinner, played lots of UNO. It was a good time!

And that's it for my Year in Review. 'Twas a good one, hope 2013 brings even more excitement and growth!

Music Monday - Next Year

Well, another year has come and gone. As I have the last two years, I'll be posting a "Year in Review" within the next week. But first, Music Monday!

I've posted live Jamie Cullum videos before, and I'll likely continue that trend in the future. This time I've got "Next Year Baby," a fitting song for the final day of 2012. A lot has happened this past year: graduated from UBC, moved to Banff, picked up two internships. I didn't travel outside of Canada at all, but instead went back and forth between Kelowna and Victoria, drove out to Banff, went snowshoeing in Glacier National Park, and visited Calgary a few times.

And next year? Well, I'm off to Hawaii in just over a week, more National Park adventures are sure to happen, I might do some travel abroad in the summer, and - fingers crossed - I'll be moving to Vancouver or Montreal in the fall.

Can't promise anything about drinking less beer, though.

Enjoy Jamie's performance below, and have a happy new year!

Music Monday - Supremacy, Skyfall

The internet is abuzz with posts about Bond, James Bond. I haven't yet seen the film (no spoiling it for me, you hear!?), but I there's a perfectly good reason for that: I've got tickets to see it on Wednesday in Calgary, on an IMAX screen! Stoked!

Now, Adele is getting a lot of attention because of the theme song she supplied. It's great. Better than great, really. It's more of a "classic" Bond theme, unlike some of the songs in the last decade. Apparently the film itself feels much like a "classic." But that's yet to be seen. Anyways, back to the music.

There's been a rumour going around that Adele was not the only artist being considered for the theme. Gossip will tell you that Muse was in the running, but Barbara Broccoli says otherwise. According to her, Adele was the first and only choice. The first song of Muse's recent album, though, is everything a Bond theme should be. It even has part of the "Goldfinger" theme in it, just like Adele's "Skyfall." The song I'm talking about is called "Supremacy," and it has gotta be my favourite Muse song. Ever.

To illustrate how perfectly this song goes with Bond, please watch the fan-made video below. Enjoy!

on the Grid - Renovating the Waterfront: Kelowna, Canada’s Downtown Parks Plan

As a waterfront city, Kelowna, Canada is heavily reliant on its shoreline. Okanagan Lake provides many things for the city, though the limited points of access pose a complex question when it comes to the provision of space. Competing for use of the shore are the tourism industry, public parks, boat launches, marinas, a logging mill, and the natural riparian environment.

Read the full post on the Grid.

Music Monday - Remember, Remember

For those of you who aren't aware, today is Guy Fawkes Day. Arguably, the only reason people even mention this nowadays (outside of Britain, that is) is the film V for Vendetta. It's a favourite of mine, not just because of the storyline, theme, acting, or cinematography. No, it's the music that I have the fondest memories of, particularly a cover by Cat Power of Lou Reed's "I Found a Reason." It's a chilling, emotionally powerful song. At least in my mind.

Anyway, I haven't got much else to say, so please enjoy the song and video montage from V for Vendetta below.

Walking in a Winter Wonderland

Wow, it certainly has been a while since I wrote anything for the ol' blog, eh? Let me tell you what my days have been filled with the past few weeks.

Snow has fallen in Banff, and it's definitely winter here. That has brought a few changes to my routine. The biggest? I've traded by bike for hiking boots, spiffy looking North Face ones. I walk everywhere now, and even with the hiking boots I still have moments of arm-flailing terror occasionally.

The winter weather has also brought an increased dependence on hot beverages. Recently (alright, a couple hours ago) I discovered the blissful combination that is apple juice and tea. Seriously. Instead of water, boil a mixture of apple juice and water - I use an equal amount. Obviously this won't work well for every kind of tea, but I've tried it with lemon ginger, and am contemplating a chai trial next. I'll keep you posted!

The third change has been in music. I try to make a new playlist each month, and October's list was very acoustic. This is usually the case. When the weather turns cold, I'm drawn to a different sort of music than in the summer: I want jazz, acoustics, vocals. Suffice to say, I've been listening to a lot of KT Tunstall, Amy Winehouse, the Delgados, Jamie Cullum, Feist, and all the other autumn standbys. Soon I'll be breaking out the Christmas jazz, I guess.

Until next time!

Photo (cc) me

on the Grid - How and Why We Should Put People Before Vehicles

The Victoria Transportation Policy Institute and Walkable Communities provide many tips and resources to encourage pedestrian activity. While some of these aspects are in the care of urban planners, such as human scale in block length and street width, others can be achieved by individual property owners or developers.

Read the full post on the Grid.

Learning to Deliver a Rock to the Button

Sorry for the relative silence again, I've been busy with life in Banff! Last night I tried curling for the first time, and it wasn't quite as difficult as I thought. Didn't have a chance to learn how to sweep, but I had a couple hours to deliver (that is, throw the rock down the ice). I've got very little accuracy at this point, but maybe I'll head back to the hacks (the block you deliver from) and work on my delivery. Who knows, maybe I'll end up joining a bonspiel (tournament) this winter! Also, I like throwing around this new lingo. Makes me sound very Canadian, eh?

For those of you who have no clue what I'm talking about, there's a video below. It was filmed right here in Banff at the old recreation centre. The town built a new one recently, and the facilities are gorgeous.

That's all I've got today, enjoy the video!

Photo by Benson Kua

a Photoblog - Elk in Banff

all photos (cc) me

on the Grid - Kelowna’s Rails With Trails Active Transportation Project Stopped in its Tracks

As people continue to flock to cities, urban planners and property developers are increasingly pressed to come up with novel land use solutions to everyday problems. One problem that affects nearly every aspect of city life is transportation, with transportation networks strained by the pressures of increased usage and the sustainable agenda. Thankfully, creative solutions meet these multiple challenges head on.

Read the full post on the Grid.

Past, Present, Future

I'm still not quite accustomed to the fact I live in Banff. The other day I said the words, "Here in British Columbia." Nope, this ain't BC. I'm an Alberta boy now.

If you told me a year ago I would be living in Banff, doing what I'm doing, I wouldn't have believed you. I probably would have laughed. A year before that, the idea of living in Singapore would have brought forth the same reaction.

But here I am, living in the Rocky Mountains, working as a manager at the Gap, volunteering as an intern with planning and development in Banff.

Oh, right, I don't think I've mentioned that. I volunteer for the town of Banff! Basically I'm an assistant in the planning department. A few days ago I finished up some policy research, now I'll be compiling said research into various "best practices" case studies, and then the next step is to present this to the stakeholders and engage in constructive discussion. Our timeline ends in November, when the policy is presented to council for approval. Hey, look, I'm involved in the planning world!

All these recent developments make me chuckle when remembering posts like "Done Done Done," in which I mused the abysmal future Canada's number-crunched had forecast, and "Angsty Unemployment Cycle," where I ranted about my lack of gainful employment and workplace challenges. Well, I've got both in plenty, now!

I couldn't be happier with the way things have turned out. Moving was a gamble, and an impulsive decision at that, but I've been dealt a good hand. The social life could be improved, but now that I'm in the groove of my two jobs I'll have some time to dedicate to social pursuits. And it's only been the first month of twelve! Count me excited for the future.

photo (cc) me

on the Grid - Master Planning for a LEED Certified Neighbourhood in Kelowna

The site of the former Kelowna High School sits vacant only blocks from the downtown waterfront. The city of Kelowna, Canada, has grandiose plans for this piece of property: a mixed-use neighbourhood anchored by a large public park. The project is aptly titled Central Green.

Read the full post on the Grid.

Music Monday - Northern Lights

Slowly but surely I'm becoming accustomed to some of the bigger changes of life in Banff. One of the biggest? Waking up before 5am twice a week. Mhm, every Tuesday and Friday I'm up at 4:45am in anticipation of a 5:30am start to my workday. And as much as I'm not a morning person, starting that early has its benefits. One such benefit is biking through the cold, crisp air under a blanket of bright stars. My fingers are crossed that I'll one day see the aurora borealis here in the mountains. I've already seen it in Kelowna!

This is one of the songs that captures the experience nicely, "Northern Lights" by Cider Sky. If you've heard it before, there are three possibilities: you are a fan of Cider Sky, you have been to the Gap within the last month, or you've watched those popular teenage vampire movies that seem to suck (period here optional, but highly encouraged) perfectly good musicians into composing songs for the soundtracks. I fall into the second category. Here's the song for you to enjoy.

on the Grid - Tending the Urban Forest in Vancouver and Toronto

On opposite sides of the country are two of Canada’s iconic cities: Vancouver, British Columbia and Toronto, Ontario. In this age of green building practices and sustainable development, both cities are pushing forward to be leaders in environmentally conscious city planning and design. Toronto has adopted a green roof strategy and passed bylaws to require new developments to include green roofs. Vancouver has declared an intention to become the greenest city by 2020.

Both cities are making strides to expand the urban forest, though in very different ways.

Read the full post on the Grid.

Music Monday - Woo-Sah

I'm a big fan of the Kingdom Hearts series, so featuring this song is inevitable. The soundtracks to the various games are superb, and all crafted by a woman by the name of Yoko Shimomura, lending a certain constant quality to each game. Of all the songs, though, my favourite has to be "Dearly Beloved," the home screen background music of each game.

Why do I love it so much? With the very first chord I am instantly relaxed. My shoulders drop, my lungs heave a soft sigh, I close my eyes and let all the tension leave me.

It's something I need every now and again, as I'm a rather emotionally closed person (comes with being a Green!). I bottle emotions up, and music is my most favoured form of relaxation. That's the reason I have a 'down tempo' playlist on my iPod, with five different versions of this particular song. I admit, I'm a little obsessed, but you will be to after giving it a listen!

Below are the two versions from Kingdom Hearts II, probably my favourites, but I love all the versions for different reasons. Enjoy!

a First Time for Everything

This may come as a surprise, but before today I had never had a library card. I had never borrowed a book from a library that wasn't on campus, and never a non-academic book at that. I never counted down the days I had left to finish a novel, never owed late fees on a book lost in a messy room. Nope, that was never me.

That's right: me, the Advanced Placement Literature student, Cultural Studies major, Star Wars book nerd, and longtime Protagonizer, has never had a library card. Until now!

Today I picked up my first ever library card for the Banff Public Library, with which I promptly borrowed Edgar Rice Burroughs' first volume of "The Collected John Carter of Mars." I now have a growing list of films to borrow from the library, and have yet to even look at the CD collection. If there's anything in the jazz family, you can be sure I'll borrow that, too. Hopefully this won't turn me into some sort of book hermit, the literary equivalent of a crazy cat lady.

That's all I have to say. It's reading time!

photo (cc) Ozyman

One of these Things is Not Like the Others

Click photos to enlarge

Originally I was planning on writing a post about how different my present location is from my location one year ago, but then I started thinking about all the other places I've lived. The photos above are arranged in the order of date lived in: Victoria, BC; Kelowna, BC; Singapore; Banff, AB. I'm not gonna say anything more, let's let the pictures do the talking this time around, eh?

photos (cc) me

a Photoblog - Views of Mount Rundle

click photos to enlarge

photos (cc) me