It's My Life

MY PARENTS 25TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY

25 years ago my parents got married, and they're still going strong. I feel fortunate that I was raised into adulthood by the same two individuals my whole life- my father Ian and mother Nelda. With such a high divorce rate nowadays some couples could learn a thing or two from them. I think it's wonderful, and they've had such a positive influence on my life. While some of my friends are engaged already and some pregnant, I can't help but be a little sceptical about how things will turn out for them. Yes, they may say they're in love now, but will they be another 5 years down the road? A marriage usually follows with child birth, and then raising children. It'll be interesting to see what happens.
Anyhow, the night itself was a lot of fun. I got to see some faces I hadn't in a little while, and I enjoy hanging out with the relatives. I also appreciate the work of my sister Dougie, and aunts, uncles and friends who worked together to put together a surprise barbecue for my mom and dad. My mom was thrilled to say the least, showing tears of enjoyment at the sight of her co-workers, and many relatives and friends, and of course the prize several of us chipped in to get for my parents- a weekend getaway to Whister complete with 2 rounds of golf, a car rental, one nights accomodation, and a round trip from PG to Vancouver. It should be fun for them.
I got the regular challenges from my cousins- challenges to play me in foosball, which always happens when they come here. There's a few in particular to love to play me in foosball even though they know they'll lose. One thing some of you in Kamloops probably don't know about me is that I'm a foosball master. We have a table at my parents place here in PG and I used to play a fair bit. I didn't seem to lose the touch last night either. Foosball is such a great game. I plan to get a table in Kamloops eventually, and work on a few things, because even at the level I'm at, there's room for improvement.
The bagpipes is something that's passed on in my dads side of the family, and last night wouldn't be complete without the sound of the pipes. So my dad busted them out, and performed a set on the patio in our backyard for the many friends and relatives along for the party. Even after the consumption of some alcohol, the sound of the bagpipes was still strong, and he did a great job. My uncle played a shorter set afterwards. My dad and uncle are both very talented bagpipers, and it's great to be related to both of them. They aren't an easy instrument to play, I tried taking them up, but I just wasn't willing to dedicate the time.

SCHOOL IS ALMOST HERE

While I've noticed from other peoples blogs (Nick and Meghan) that school is bringing excitment into their lives, I'm not as enthusiastic about it. This summer went way, way too fast. Although I got to experience some cool things, and meet a lot of interesting people, it just went by too fast, and so is this week. It's going to be tough leaving PG because after running into a lot of friends and familiar faces, I'm leaving already.
Come Monday I'll be back in the loops myself, and I won't be seeing my family and friends here until Thanksgiving probably. Ain't it true how you appreciate something more when it's new and exciting. With the changes that have occured in PG over the past year, I can't help but be excited about going out here now. I guess just knowing that Kamloops will be so different this coming year is another reason I'm not as optimistic about school as I should be. Many of my friends will be gone this coming year of school, like my buddies John, Keith and Tyson, three of my close UCC friends last year. Ah well, leaving Port Alberni was tough, and PG will be too. Really I don't think it will take long for me to get over it when I'm in Kamloops seeing the journalism students again, working at the Omega, and hanging out at the residence like I did so often last year. Being back in PG is awesome, and Kamloops won't be that bad either. I just hope to find a good source of income down there or it could be another stressful school year.

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THE SIGHTS AND SOUNDS OF PG

I've been in PG for about 4 days now, and boy things just aren't like they used to be. While I used to feel right at home in PG, I don't get that same feeling anymore, probably because I spend so little time here just visiting while spending 8 months of the year in Kamloops now. Yet much of the same people are here, and of those, many haven't changed a whole lot.
I've went to the Generator twice since I've been here, having gone on Thursday and last night, and the same people who were regulars before still go all the time. I'm not a bar star myself, and don't go that often, but it was my return to PG so I had to see how things are.
Another recent tragedy has really changed the mood of many people in this town. On Thursday night, just my second night in town, Lindsay Santos, a 19-year-old former DP Todd student who graduated with my brother died in an accident while working at a sawmill in Fraser Lake. From my understanding, she was quite popular, and it was tough for my brother to take. While the Generator was packed on Saturday night, things just haven't been quite the same. It's been a summer mixed with good and bad for myself, so I'm confident that something good will happen to me in PG before I go back to Kamloops.
I never knew her too well myself, so therefore, I've still been able to go out and hang out with a lot of friends while staying here. Today I went golfing with my parents and brother, and boy, what an up and down round it was.
My most memorable part of the nine-hole round we had at Links of Maggie May was on Hole #6. It was my third shot on a par 4, and I was chipping about 50 feet from the hole. I was about to use my nine-iron to chip it, then decided on the eight-iron. The ball landed left of the hole, about 20 feet away, then slowly started breaking to the right. I thought the ball didn't have enough gas, but it had just enough, and the line was perfect. After a disastrous first few holes, it was a nice way to turn things around, although my final score was still below my expectations.
I'm still trying to get in touch with many friends, although my good friends I've been able to see. I never will get around to seeing everybody I want to, it just won't happen, but as long as I see as many as I can I'll be satisfied.
Things have been alright since I've been back, I've went out for some tennis, drank some beers, went to the bar, went golfing and hung out with many people. Yet I'm not satisfied, and the best is yet to come.

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BACK IN KAMLOOPS- JUST LIKE OLD TIMES

As I sit here typing a blogger in an OM computer lab in the University College of the Cariboo (UCC), it feels as if I never left. And with some of the recent news happening, it should be an interesting school year.
First off, I got this message from Mike on messanger to call Neal Pobran. I knew it had to do with the sports editor position at the Omega newspaper, because Matt was telling me to get through to him too. While I was keeping my fingers crossed all summer about getting the job, it was made official yesterday when I got on the phone with Neal. I am the sports editor, and I don't like to sound cocky, but really, who was going to take that from me with Nick gone? I had put in a lot of time into my reporting for that newspaper last year, and it's kind of a relief to get that job. It'll be nice extra cash during school too.

While I was typing on messanger in the OM lab yesterday, somebody came up behind me and grabbed my hat. I thought 'who the hell would do that' I looked back to be surprised, seeing a face I wouldn't have expected at this particular moment.

John: S'up punk?
Me: Hey, what are you doing here???

My god, what are the chances? One of my best friends, a friend I had met while I was living in PG going to CNC, and a friend who moved down to Kamloops with me last fall, John Prybylski, happened to be in Kamloops yesterday. He was on his way back to Calgary from Lilloette, where he went camping. He was in Kamloops to pick up winter tires before he left back for Calgary this morning. I was shocked to say the least. It was very trippy. I hadn't talked to the guy, or even heard from him via e-mail in like over two months, and here he was. So we ended up going out with a few other friends of ours last night to Earls, and then went to watch "An American Wedding" at the Cineplex Odeon (very funny movie!) So yeah, like Mike's day, I have to say mine was good as well. I ran into a good friend the same day I got hired as Omega sports editor.
Today I ran into another familiar face, that of Shawn Thompson, UCC journalism professor. He told me he wants me to do a story on my term with the AV Times, I said sure. I'm not sure how long he wants it, but he just said to discuss the challenges working as a student in a newsroom. It should be interesting.
Anyways, partly due to John's arrival, I had a tough time getting anywhere with the whole housing search, or anything else mind you. Then again it was a Sunday yesterday! But I'm doing some of that this afternoon and this evening. I don't know what I'm doing tonight yet, we'll see if I'm in for any other pleasant surprises over the next 24 hours. Only time will tell!

Me: I'm just getting into Langley now. Where do I turn off?
Nick: Have you seen the 200th St. Exit?
Me: I'm just passing it now. Damn. When's the next one?

If I'd of phoned Nick even 10 seconds earlier I would have had enough time to turn off that exit. I was literally just watching it go by as I was on my cell phone talking to him. Then I ended up having to stay on the freeway for another few minutes until the next exit, then get on the freeway back to 200th Street, then I turned off it. Anyhow, I eventually ran into Nick, and it proved to be a nice stop on the way to Kamloops, since it would be just over halfway from Port Alberni. I had dinner at White Spot, and we chatted for a while. It was nice. The food was good too, so I don't know what some of my friends who said White Spot food is gross are talking about. Other ones I suppose.
Anyways, the trip itself was okay, other than a delayed departure out of Departure Bay via ferry to Horseshoe Bay. I didn't get into Horseshoe Bay until about 3:15 p.m. But driving through Vancouver wasn't too bad, or too busy. I must have just missed the bad traffic. I pulled into Kamloops at about 9 p.m. Saturday night, and it was nice to see that the town wasn't covered by smoke or anything. Even the weather has only been normal, about 30 degrees each day, much better than the long stretch of 37 or 38 degree blistering temperatures of the past. I have to admit I already miss the humid temperatures of the island, and the ocean, but ah well, c'est la vie!

A DAY AND NIGHT I WON'T SOON FORGET

PART 1: THE NIGHT- BEER, MUSIC, AND A SUNDAY HANGOVER

As I reminise about my night in Nanaimo last night and can distinctively remember all that happened up until a certain point, I'm thinking maybe I should have paced myself. I felt the urge to drink a lot last night, but I wouldn't have anticipated what happened. I ended up leaving my jacket at Queen's Hotel, a bar on Victoria Street in downtown Nanaimo where I went with a group of my Port Alberni friends to witness a performace by a band. A band I never caught the name of, but of which the lead singer resides here in Port Alberni. My friend Derek Turner happens to be best friends with him and invited me for a night out in the city.
Anyways, because I'm getting off topic like I tend to do from time to time, lets get back to last night. When we entered the bar, the band was already playing, but we knew they would be. We decided to make a fashionably late enterance.
After having already spend the afternoon drinking in the sunshine during the Sproat Lake Raft Race, I was tired when the night began. But then being in that bar with the combination of a live band, loud music, and a great bunch of friends ready to sip back alcoholic beverages, I had seen the message, and the message was clear.
MUST GET BEER!
So I went to the counter, ordered myself a Canadian and began my drinking binge. The music was great, and after hearing them cover the Hip's New Orleans is Sinking, I was ready to go. After my first bottle, I ordered another one and started drinking. Ah, beer and live rock music! What could be better? Well, sex I suppose! I began to join in on the pitchers as well, then ordered one myself, and after having my first glass out of that pitcher I had ordered I was finished, alcohol had beaten me on this night. I'll give beer the victory on this night but not without a fight. It was shortly after hearing another great tune- Santeria by Sublime- that alcohol took control.
GAME! SET! MATCH! goes to alcohol, and more specifically Rickards, the type of beer in that last pitcher. New Orleans didn't sink, I did, sinking into a deep sleep on the way back from Nanaimo, and waking up on my driveway behind my car in Port Alberni. Oddly enough, I wasn't dissapointed realizing I had left my jacket in Nanaimo, I was too tired, and exhausted from a day of drinking comparable to the Journalism full day bender which culminated my first year as a UCC J-schooler last April.
But good news to those reading this just eager to find out what happened with the all mighty jacket. It is in the bar still, and I told the man on the other line today to keep it on hold for me. Derek said he'd pick it up, which is great, because Queen's Hotel in Nanaimo is no short drive from here.

PART TWO: MY DAY AT THE SPROAT LAKE RAFT RACE

Shayne Morrow: Don't say it's too late, or you just got yourself a new raft.

That was my friend Shayne, a reporter at the Times telling the coordinator of the Sproat Lake Raft Race, Maria Castiglione, that we wouldn't take the raft back if she wouldn't let us enter. I guess it's only fitting I got hammered to finish the day yesterday because this was no typical day for me, no ordinary day, that is for sure.
I woke up later than I should have to start the day. I was to meet Shayne at the Port Boat House because we were borrowing a trailer to transport our raft from a house on Sproat Lake to the Fish and Duck Pub where the race would begin. I had to convince Shayne that Maria would allow us to register for the race late, so he decided we would do it after all.
Because we didn't want to be too late, we got Dennis Houle, the owner of Houle Printing, to move it with his truck. Getting the raft out there was just a portion of our worries. We didn't know if our team would all show up for sure, and we couldn't race with only two. Mia Hietland and Michael Briones, reporters and co-workers of mine, did eventually show up, but we didn't have the whole team until about an hour before race time.
Our raft was another issue, one giving us problems since day one. There is so many details to this race you'd think it was a professional sport. The raft had to be a certain size, had to be home made, and couldn't look at all like a boat. We were almost going to throw in the towel when Maria told us not to us the first raft we constructed because it looked like a boat. It was a van top we had found in an auto wrecking yard in town. We were looking forward to testing its durablity on the water. We even did some carpentry work on it ourselves. We're thinking of taking it out for a test ride anyways. I told Shayne that I was determined to see what it is made out of before I leave.
Anyways, it was Thursday already when we found out we couldn't use our van top, leaving us little time to prepare. Luckly there was one used one from last years race that the owner of a local Subway let us use. Thank goodness. Oh, but our work wasn't done just yet.
We had to constuct a sail, so because we had limited time, we used an old hockey stick of Shaynes, with a rug attached. It was a tiny sail which we decorated with AV Times newspapers. I don't think our sail even had the required demensions but they were leniant and let us race with it anyways. It was probably the most creative thing we did. None of us dressed up for the costume contest, while other teams were dressed as construction workers, hillbillies, ect. Other rafts had water guns, lawn chairs and tables, while ours was on a smaller frame with no chairs or tables, just two short benches made of flat, painted green, plywood constructed with 2 by 4's and inner tubes. One raft had a dragon head on the front in which a fire extinguiser was placed. They used the extinguisher to sent water out the dragons mouth. It was pretty impressive. Some people have a lot of time on their hands. But our raft was much smaller, and a smaller raft means a faster raft right? Nope, not for us.
Our raft couldn't hold our team without sinking under water, so Shayne, being the brilliant reporter he is, used his scooby diving equipment, went behind the raft, and kicked with his flippers while on board we used oars. Must have gone fast then right? Well, not really.
This raft was a piece of crap. Obviously the people who designed it had no intentions of winning the race. This thing would sink so easy and as soon as Shayne and whoever was behind with the flippers kicking got on board, it would sink, sending our empty beer bottles, rule sheets and everything overboard and in water. We got two six packs of beer, and to impress the judges at one of the check points, Mia, Mike and I slammed back beers. They weren't impressed.
Our half full beer cans ended up filling up to a combination of half beer, half lake water. We could barely read the rules and course description because the paper was wet. Our sail self descructed, soaking the newspaper, and falling in the face of whoever was on the front bench. Things were getting ugly. Luckly, I didn't lose any personal belongings I brought onto the unstable raft.

Shayne: This is probably the most exercise I've had in a year.

We were so exhausted we couldn't go for round 2, which was another trip around the lake reaching checkpoints, impressing judges, and looking for clues. Judges chose the winner of the race based on this. We didn't impress judges all day, but we did get them to laugh at us, although if they were to laugh at anything, it should be the raft. It took us 3 hours to do round 1, and there was a 4 hour time limit, after that points were reducted. We all went home following the race, and refused to stay for the point tally.

10 Reasons Why I Don't Think We Won That Race

1. We skipped the second half
2. We were the slowest out of round one
3. Our raft design wasn't very appealing
4. None of us wore costumes
5. We started the race late because we were waiting on Michael to come back from the pub with the beer
6. "What the hell?!" points were given out for incredible brilliance- we didn't do anything brilliant. Maybe the monumental stupidity points we'd get instead
7. Our sail was too small
8. We had to borrow a first aid kit, which was required but nobody on our team brought one
9. We spent more time ignoring the rules than obeying them
10. That raft is a piece of crap, designed for 2 people, not 4


PORT ALBERNI- A TOWN I ORIGINALLY WASN'T FOND OF, BUT ONE I'VE GROWN TO APPRECIATE

Saying goodbye is never easy. But it's something I've gotten used to over the last year. Certainly saying goodbye to Port Alberni will be easier than saying goodbye to PG was. However with this town being on the island and far from Kamloops, I ask myself could this be the last time I see these people, and this town???
I don't intend it to be that way, but nothing is guaranteed in life. With every goodbye comes the thought that goes through everybodys heads, and you all know what that is.
Will I ever see you again?
Everybody likes to think that friends will always see friends, but it doesn't always happen that way. There's always deaths, a sad but inevitable fact- life will come to an end for all of us! Then you also have to consider jobs, which brought me here, and which could potentially bring my parents into Kamloops. So we can't be surprised when change happens, and that death can happen at any moment to someone close, like it did for me when I heard my closest uncle died last May. I'm still holding back tears while remaining in a state of disbelief over the incident, and trying to remember the last time I had seen him, and what my last words to him were, and his response.
We all take things for granted, whether we know it or not. I had taken this town for granted, and it's as if I were unconscious the first few months here, because when I look out the front door now I see I nice community of 18,000 residents who have made me feel right at home. At work I feel just like one of the staff now, but I only have 5 working days remaining. The recreational opportunities in this town are endless for a town this size. The location is great- Geographically near the center of the island, only an hour from Nanaimo, a few from Vancouver, and with weather usually warmer than anywhere else on the island with that humid heat that I personally find more comforting than the dry heat in Kamloops.
Looking back, I've done some stupid things in my lifetime, and Port Alberni was no different. Slacking off at work is something I do from time to time, I haven't helped out as much as preferred around the house, and I've spent a lot of nights on the computer or watching TV instead of going outside to see nature, or accomplishing something worthwhile. I suppose that's what prompted me to get a gym pass, something I feel is a major accomplishment in itself. Getting me to go to a gym used to be as hard as finding a needle in a haystack. Well, maybe not that tough.
Friday will most likely be my last day here, and last night was most likely my last Saturday night out on the island, till I come back to visit. By next Saturday I could quite possibly be in Kamloops, although there's a slim chance on me staying an extra night, but probably not. Was last night my last time out with friends I had met from the Tin Pants Theatre, the same group I had joined in for Mafia with, such as Derek, Dave and Eric? It quite possibly was. Will tonight be my last match of tennis against Kendall Hanson, the CH News Video Journalist? Yes, there's a good chance it will be. I've still got a punch card for Alberni Fitness for 6 more visits, and I'm in town 6 more days, ah, yeah right. I'll probably have to miss a turn or two.
When I think of Port Alberni down the road, I'll remember the friends the most because for me, it's not about where I am, it's more about who I'm with, and friends in Port Alberni have made this small town more enjoyable. I'll particularly remember the staff at the AV Times, a great bunch of people who have made going to work fun.
Port Alberni, you will never be forgotten, and I hope to see you again soon. Prince George, here I come.

This is an acceptionably long post for me, but it's a Sunday and I'm hungover. Therefore, this is as good a time as ever to spend reflecting on the past. This will probably be my last one until I get to Kamloops or Prince George.

MAJOR FIRE IN KAMLOOPS- NOW THAT IS NEWS!

When I first heard about that fire, it was yesterday morning on canada.com. What began as a fire at McLure Lake has spread into Kamloops and north, threatening residents of Barriere and Kamloops. That is crazy. I'll have to go see what the remains look like when I'm back up there in a little while.
Meanwhile, down here in Port Alberni the biggest news story I've done recently is the 10-year anniversary of the Clayoquot Protests, and a gathering in Tofino. Luckly there hasn't been major forest fires here on the island yet, but I credit the ocean nearby and humid air for that. I sort of wish something this major would happen, only for the news coverage though. I mean, I'm working at a daily newspaper in a town with a whooping 20,000 people, and it's in the summertime. The news is a little hard to come by some days.
Sounds like the sights of that fire in Kamloops are compelling people to move in for some camera shots, like Mike and Silv, and I'd probably be doing the same if I were there. And with the winds kicking in, it sounds like it'll take a little more time to evaporate.
I'm covering a meeting between Weyerhaeuser and some laid off forestry workers down here on Tuesday, something a little more newsworthy than what I've done lately. 9 more work days until my job here is done, hopefully the fire in Kamloops will be finished by then.
Luckly, despite the fact that this is the worst year over the last five decades for forest fires in BC, the first casualty was just reported recently, having gotten burned from trying to put out a fire, surprise surprise.