Happy Samhain

For you regular folks, today is Hallowe'en. That's the name Christians imposed on the original pagan holiday of Samhain. It's the Celtic New Year. For the folks who originally celebrated the holiday, it was a time to celebrate the harvest, and the earth could begin it's cycle of dormancy and renewal. The people would bid farewell to the recently deceased. They would light fires and leave food and offerings out of doors to entice the spirits out of their houses and onwards to whatever paradise they imagined. It's a short leap to see how it has mutated into kids dressing in ghoulish fashion, and collecting offerings at each doorway.

Happy New Year to all then. In that spirit, I've made a Samhain Resolution, just to get the jump on everybody else who thinks about renewal at our traditional new year. I gingerly extended my hand and shook with Sass on losing 10 pounds before Christmas this year. I figure that Christmas is always a huge pig out, and I'll have no chance if I gain another 5 or so pounds and then try to lose 15 or 20 in the new year. If I lose 10 beforehand, I can guiltlessly make a glutton of myself at the yuletide.

It seems to me that people around the world celebrate their new years at different times, so why not think about renewal a little more often than once every 365 days too. Nothing wrong with that. My brother PK celebrates the Chinese New Year. People are starting to look forward to his greeting cards because it's so odd for a white-bread Canadian boy to be sending them out. I like to reflect on the Celtic New Year, because I can sympathize with pagans. They aren't granted much in the way of legitimacy from the rest of society. I'm part Celtic, so why shouldn't I think about how my distant ancestors marked the passage of time.

The Garbage Truck Doesn't Stop Here

Another Sunday, another trip to the flea market.

The Toronto Book Fair is on today, and I found a couple of bargains. I got myself a biography of Beethoven, a collection of Mordecai Richler's sports writing, and a copy of The Tibetan Book of The Dead. Thematically, it's all over the map, though I suppose that Beethoven and the Tibetans were both concerned with spiritual matters.

I saw one set of books that I wouldn't have minded having, but the price tag was a bit steep. It was a first edition of Fritjof Nansen's books on his Greenland journeys aboard the Fram. His journey predates Cook, Peary, and Amundsen by a decade or more. By the time of Amundsen and Scott's race to the south pole in 1911-12, Nansen was the eminence grise of arctic exploration. At $400, the set was a steal...for somebody else.

Nansen was a remarkable character, and is considered a hero in his native Norway. He set the stage for later arctic explorers by being prepared and knowledgeable about the conditions he faced. Nansen was the first man to make it across Greenland sometime in the 1890s. I believe he also spent a fair bit of time purposely stuck in the pack ice aboard Fram to study circumpolar ice movement. Unlike a number of British and Americans who perished under miserable conditions, Nansen methodically took on the worst of the elements and made it out to tell the tale.

The flea market is kinda neat like that. Amongst all the crap that people have piled on their tables, there are a few gems to be found. It's a treasure hunt every Sunday.

Lookit Sass! She can fit into her catsuit and she's one happy woman. Trust me.  

Stinkin' Bag Of Dog Vomit

I just got back in touch with our pal M, who sorta disappeared off the face of the earth a few years ago. Luckily enough for me, he has resurfaced and made contact. It's such a nice thing when an old friend reappears and makes an effort to communicate.

As we all get older, it's the same old thing. "I wonder what so-and-so is doing?" "Have you heard from him?" "Nah, I'm too lazy to pick up the phone or compose an email." It's a perennial refrain, and I'm kinda sick of it. How hard is it to maintain friendships? Apparently hard enough, because we all hear the lame excuses and make them ourselves.

M and I used to be thick as thieves. We would go and hang out at the harbour aboard his boat and drink too much whiskey. When we sobered up, we'd head out onto the lake and cruise around, checking out the scenery and listening to the idiots on the marine radio. It was all good. Of course, things changed, and we all moved to different towns and jobs. That's when the head scratching and wondering started.

But as of today, we're back in touch, and I think it's about time I called him a "stinkin' bag of dog vomit" just to make him feel loved.

My new lights. I got some USB powered LED lamps and plugged them into a defunct hub. Voila, an instant set of totally useless, but really cool mood lights.  

Hyundai Geetar. Who Woulda Thunk It? 

I musta banged my head

In the immortal words of Britney Spears, "Oops, I did it again."

I was trolling through the debris at the flea market the other day, looking at all the landfill, when I happened upon an acoustic guitar. The old geezer selling it made me an offer I couldn't refuse, and I am now the proud owner of a Hyundai guitar. PJ shook his head as he forked over the ninety bucks, and we trudged to the park at St James Cathedral to sip some coffee and check out our new purchases. I didn't even know Hyundai made guitars, but wotthehell.

It's a wonky little thing, but it is in good shape. As guitars go, it plays relatively in tune. I figure that my guitar playing prowess is no great shakes anyway, so what do I need with a top notch instrument anyway. If any real guitarists show up at my pad, at least I can hand them an instrument while I grab something else from my growing collection to make noise with.

What was I thinking? I'm a saxophonist. At least PJ bought a history book, and he's an historian. Geez....

Here's a great big fungus growing behind Lividviv's house. It was almost 25cm in diameter.  

Breaking Science News

"Forget the stereotype about dopey potheads. It seems marijuana could be good for your brain.

While other studies have shown that periodic use of marijuana can cause memory loss and impair learning and a host of other health problems down the road, new research suggests the drug could have some benefits when administered regularly in a highly potent form.

Most "drugs of abuse" such as alcohol, heroin, cocaine and nicotine suppress growth of new brain cells. However, researchers found that cannabinoids promoted generation of new neurons in rats' hippocampuses. "

Globe And Mail, October 14, 2005

All I can say is, I must be a genius after all the weed I smoked!

The Grand River just west of Dundalk ON 

A Grand Journey Has Begun

I found it. I was a little early for a breakfast date with Lividviv the other day, so I went looking for the source of the Grand River. I headed west from Dundalk Ontario a couple of country blocks, and then I headed south. Sure enough, right where the map said it should be, I found a tiny stream trickling through some swampy terrain.

At it's northern reaches the Grand is a small creek that doesn't stand out as anything particularly remarkable. If you follow it downstream the name "Grand" certainly fits. From the swamps of Grey County, it heads south all the way to Lake Erie gathering speed and volume as it passes through some of the larger cities of our province.

I suppose it's been done before, but I'd like to follow the Grand River all the way from it's source to the mouth. It strikes me as a fine adventure to fill the gas tank of my car and load up on batteries for the digital camera. Something tells me I'll need a good day or more to follow through, but if anybody wants to come along as my navigator (Sassinak, Hubris) then let's roll.

As an added bonus to my great discovery, I had a wonderful breakfast at the Junction Diner with Lividviv, and I gave her a saxophone lesson too. It was a grand day.

The Good Doctor

I went to the doctor today to have him kick the tires and check the fluids. He was a nice old geezer with an excellent bedside manner, and despite the discomfort his procedure invoked, he got it over quickly and explained everything he was doing.

The good news is, I don't have anything I need to worry about. I had some vague notion that I had something seriously wrong with my innards. He worked his magic, and told me he was quite certain that I was suffering from something commonplace and readily treated. I have to visit him a couple more times to finish it off, but otherwise, I'm doing ok.

Which brings me to my main point. Sometimes I worry too much about stuff. I invent fiction to explain what's going on in my life in the worst possible light, and no sooner are these crazy thoughts formulated, they are dashed to pieces by common sense and a bit of insight. Usually someone else's insight by the way. Left to my own devices, I'd probably think I had minutes to live. Then the good doctor comes along and says "You're fine. Give your head a shake!"

Thank goodness for expertise and the kindness of others I say. It is always good to have reassurances from friends and experts that all is well with the world.

The days are warm, but the nights are cooler. Fall is on the way and the leaves are starting to change. Time to kidnap yer mum and take her for a mountain tour.  

Another picture from the brink of Eugenia Falls. Sass, Lividviv and Flower came on a hike with me, and I couldn't resist the No Trespassing sign. It's not like it's Niagara where you have to watch the current. It's Eugenia, and I like to watch the current.  

Owww, My Aching Head

Jeez...

I got drunkerthanaskunk again. I really have to quit doing that to myself. JR and E came by for dinner, and I whipped out many beers and a couple of bottles of the hard stuff. After all was said and done, I didn't even make it into bed. I woke up on the couch this morning, and headed to bed for a couple more hours.

I am making much headway getting myself in shape and eating healthy these days. Then I turn around and get myself trashed every few weeks. I should really put the brakes on. The only good thing is, I'm not getting trashed daily.

Compulsive behaviour is nothing new though. I've been a boozer for many years, and I suppose it could take a while to rein in this craziness. I just wish I could enjoy a social drink once in a while without getting totalled. I usually can, but once every few weeks I get totally stupid.

Better luck next time I guess.