I tried to nap today, but Kerrisdale is experiencing "Kerrisdale Days" again, which means that a band started playing loudly (and rather badly) on the corner up from my pad, and a horse drawn carriage will periodically clip clop by and people peer in at me and get upset when they see me with my finger stuck up my nose. I did eat the other two pancakes, though.
Met up with N and Skyhammer to go to the Blue Rodeo concert. There was a brief snafu regarding pizza consumption. Skyhammer said it was nice to see me not drunk or in a noisy bar. I said, "who says I'm not drunk?". He indicated it would be interesting to see what I'm like under normal conditions. Well, under normal conditions I talk about donuts quite a bit so... there was that.
We got to Malkin Bowl and it was not raining! Also, there were no "in and out privileges" which I interpreted to mean that I wasn't allowed to have sex tonight. Hey look - it rang true! Also, they were really keen to confiscate everyone's umbrellas. The website said Blue Rodeo would play rain or shine. It rained earlier today so I brought my umbrella. I was told I could bring it in, but if I opened it (even if it was raining) they would confiscate it. I was like, "Right. But what about my in and out privileges? It's of some concern". Then I used a port-o-potty and, because it was placed on a slope, I really felt like it might tip over. Nobody seemed concerned when I articulated this to them.
An odd note: the couple behind us were fighting. The woman engaged in periodic crying jags while her partner tried to console her. Um, thanks for bringing that out to the concert. I often have found, when in the middle of an emotional and upsetting fight, that I'd really like to air it out in public to make the people around me uncomfortable. Plus? If you can't suck it up and get along while listening to Blue Rodeo (which has some of the more romantic lyrics of the many bands I listen to) then your relationship is doomed. You heard me: don't question it.
On the opposite end of the emotional spectrum was a young man that had dressed suspiciously like Johnny Depp in Pirates of the Carribean. He was probably in his early twenties, underfed, looked like he was either coming from or going to Lasqueti, and gave the coiffed and manicured Shaugnessy soccer mom a high five when she helpfully pointed out where he ought to be sitting. See, good music brings all types of people together. I bet soccer mom and Johnny Depp hooked up later. Now she's going to stick it her husband Biff and leave her two petulant, demanding children (Muffy and Dakota, of course) and she's trading in her hybrid Lexus for a shaggin' wagon.
Blue Rodeo was awesome. Like the Hip they just came out, said hey and started playing. We were in the 13th row so our seats were fantastic. Blue Rodeo sounded so good. They were at times really mellow and sometimes heavy and it was a most enjoyable and memorable concert. I felt myself tripping out a few times when one of the band members would go on a particularly long solo. And, like last night, everyone was in a really frickin' great mood. You know, it occurs to me that maybe my perception of the world around me has changed and it's really me that has created this alternate universe in which I think everything is glorious. Sweet!
As I'm sitting next to N, chilling to the music and the sky has cleared up and I'm feeling a little tired from my late Friday night, but a kind of mellow, easy-going tired I started thinking how great it was that I was able to be sitting with N and Skyhammer on this particular night, in this particular city, listening to this particular band. And I thought too that, though I was the proverbial fifth wheel that evening, I didn't feel like one. I enjoyed getting to know Skyhammer better and I felt it was a nice dynamic between the three of us and I was happy that N invited me. As I'm mulling this over, N says (apropos of nothing), "I'm really glad we're friends". It was kind of surreal. I said something obligatorily dismissive and sarcastic, but then confessed that I didn't really like her all that much. Ha! Kidding. I said that I was glad that we were friends too. And I am!
Now I am going to tell you about my favorite parts of the concert. Okay, the first was when they were singing "Lost Together" and they really took it down a few notches; minimal instruments, just kind of tripping along the solo part of the song before the lyrics "in the silence of this whispered night, I listen only to your breath, and in that moment of a shooting star, somehow it all makes sense" and, while the crowd had been rocking out a bit before everyone was totally still. At first I didn't notice it, but everyone was so captivated - sort of waiting with baited breath for the momentum to build again - that it was totally silent and people were not moving. And then when the lyrics were uttered it was sort of cataclysmic (and no, I wasn't drunk or stoned) and amazing.
I stood up and sang the lyrics to "Hasn't Hit Me Yet" because, well, the band didn't sing them at first. Everyone stood up and sang and normally I sit, arms crossed, and don't give in to the moment or let my facade of utter invincibility down, but I was totally in there. Sing it with me! "Hey, hey I guess it hasn't hit me yet, I fell this crack and I kind of lost my head, I stand transfixed before this streetlight, watching the snow fall on this cold, December night".
At the end, the band brought out the opening act and they sang "Four Strong Winds" (written by Ian Tyson and made famous by a lot of people like Neil Young and Johnny Cash). That was awesome. I stood up and sang that too. There was another song that was catchy, but it was about being touched inappropriately by God when you are trying to go about your daily business, and I just thought it was a bit odd.
Then it was over and we walked out of the park and it was decided that I should have a dinner party with robots. And that I need my own personal Jedi. N was facing a gruesome death vis a vis an exploding bladder. And that Skyhammer should send me the interesting picture he took tonight so I can post it on my blog (which he has, so I have now posted it. Wow, going back and editing earlier blogs is like time-travelling!). And that donuts are good for you. And then! More hugging! Hugs from N and Skyhammer. Even N commented that she could tell I was happy today. That's good because I am happy today! That's two days in a row! I suspect some of this exuberance shall fade at 8:30 tomorrow morning when I embark on my 32 kilometre run.
So that was my day. Pretty rad, eh?
Met up with N and Skyhammer to go to the Blue Rodeo concert. There was a brief snafu regarding pizza consumption. Skyhammer said it was nice to see me not drunk or in a noisy bar. I said, "who says I'm not drunk?". He indicated it would be interesting to see what I'm like under normal conditions. Well, under normal conditions I talk about donuts quite a bit so... there was that.
We got to Malkin Bowl and it was not raining! Also, there were no "in and out privileges" which I interpreted to mean that I wasn't allowed to have sex tonight. Hey look - it rang true! Also, they were really keen to confiscate everyone's umbrellas. The website said Blue Rodeo would play rain or shine. It rained earlier today so I brought my umbrella. I was told I could bring it in, but if I opened it (even if it was raining) they would confiscate it. I was like, "Right. But what about my in and out privileges? It's of some concern". Then I used a port-o-potty and, because it was placed on a slope, I really felt like it might tip over. Nobody seemed concerned when I articulated this to them.
An odd note: the couple behind us were fighting. The woman engaged in periodic crying jags while her partner tried to console her. Um, thanks for bringing that out to the concert. I often have found, when in the middle of an emotional and upsetting fight, that I'd really like to air it out in public to make the people around me uncomfortable. Plus? If you can't suck it up and get along while listening to Blue Rodeo (which has some of the more romantic lyrics of the many bands I listen to) then your relationship is doomed. You heard me: don't question it.
On the opposite end of the emotional spectrum was a young man that had dressed suspiciously like Johnny Depp in Pirates of the Carribean. He was probably in his early twenties, underfed, looked like he was either coming from or going to Lasqueti, and gave the coiffed and manicured Shaugnessy soccer mom a high five when she helpfully pointed out where he ought to be sitting. See, good music brings all types of people together. I bet soccer mom and Johnny Depp hooked up later. Now she's going to stick it her husband Biff and leave her two petulant, demanding children (Muffy and Dakota, of course) and she's trading in her hybrid Lexus for a shaggin' wagon.
Blue Rodeo was awesome. Like the Hip they just came out, said hey and started playing. We were in the 13th row so our seats were fantastic. Blue Rodeo sounded so good. They were at times really mellow and sometimes heavy and it was a most enjoyable and memorable concert. I felt myself tripping out a few times when one of the band members would go on a particularly long solo. And, like last night, everyone was in a really frickin' great mood. You know, it occurs to me that maybe my perception of the world around me has changed and it's really me that has created this alternate universe in which I think everything is glorious. Sweet!
As I'm sitting next to N, chilling to the music and the sky has cleared up and I'm feeling a little tired from my late Friday night, but a kind of mellow, easy-going tired I started thinking how great it was that I was able to be sitting with N and Skyhammer on this particular night, in this particular city, listening to this particular band. And I thought too that, though I was the proverbial fifth wheel that evening, I didn't feel like one. I enjoyed getting to know Skyhammer better and I felt it was a nice dynamic between the three of us and I was happy that N invited me. As I'm mulling this over, N says (apropos of nothing), "I'm really glad we're friends". It was kind of surreal. I said something obligatorily dismissive and sarcastic, but then confessed that I didn't really like her all that much. Ha! Kidding. I said that I was glad that we were friends too. And I am!
Now I am going to tell you about my favorite parts of the concert. Okay, the first was when they were singing "Lost Together" and they really took it down a few notches; minimal instruments, just kind of tripping along the solo part of the song before the lyrics "in the silence of this whispered night, I listen only to your breath, and in that moment of a shooting star, somehow it all makes sense" and, while the crowd had been rocking out a bit before everyone was totally still. At first I didn't notice it, but everyone was so captivated - sort of waiting with baited breath for the momentum to build again - that it was totally silent and people were not moving. And then when the lyrics were uttered it was sort of cataclysmic (and no, I wasn't drunk or stoned) and amazing.
I stood up and sang the lyrics to "Hasn't Hit Me Yet" because, well, the band didn't sing them at first. Everyone stood up and sang and normally I sit, arms crossed, and don't give in to the moment or let my facade of utter invincibility down, but I was totally in there. Sing it with me! "Hey, hey I guess it hasn't hit me yet, I fell this crack and I kind of lost my head, I stand transfixed before this streetlight, watching the snow fall on this cold, December night".
At the end, the band brought out the opening act and they sang "Four Strong Winds" (written by Ian Tyson and made famous by a lot of people like Neil Young and Johnny Cash). That was awesome. I stood up and sang that too. There was another song that was catchy, but it was about being touched inappropriately by God when you are trying to go about your daily business, and I just thought it was a bit odd.
Then it was over and we walked out of the park and it was decided that I should have a dinner party with robots. And that I need my own personal Jedi. N was facing a gruesome death vis a vis an exploding bladder. And that Skyhammer should send me the interesting picture he took tonight so I can post it on my blog (which he has, so I have now posted it. Wow, going back and editing earlier blogs is like time-travelling!). And that donuts are good for you. And then! More hugging! Hugs from N and Skyhammer. Even N commented that she could tell I was happy today. That's good because I am happy today! That's two days in a row! I suspect some of this exuberance shall fade at 8:30 tomorrow morning when I embark on my 32 kilometre run.
So that was my day. Pretty rad, eh?
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