Getting going

Some days, I'm sure you'd agree, it's easier than others. The last couple weeks have seen me exhausted. I want to get up early and have a "day to myself" before jumping into the stuff of the everyday.

Last Sunday I slept. Man, did I sleep! It's not every day I wake up at 1:00 in the afternoon.

This week I planned to be up early over the weekend to take in a run and just time to be on my own. There aren't many people out and about at 6:00 AM on a Saturday. 'Cept my neighbours. As I ran past, my neighbour Barb was sitting on her front step with a coffee. Soon her husband Mark came out to join us. We chatted for some time - not sure for how long - but it was 7-something by the time I made the University. I grabbed a coffee from one of the independent places in the food court that keep off-hours to capture the early-morning and weekend crowd. I sat and enjoyed my iPod tunes while planning stuff out on the electronic notepad.

Did I mention I love my iPone??

I decided that being worn out wasn't getting me any further ahead, so my approach to yesterday was to do a few things, but put the clock to it to keep an eye on the time. I set the timer in fact. I'd made a list of probably a dozen things which were broken down into personal and business objectives for the day. This may not be new to you, but I discovered how much you can get done with a list... and some focus.

I've been puttering away at building up a yoga room out of one of the upstairs bedrooms. Last week I swapped my room over to the front bedroom - the bigger of the two which had years ago been my office. The new-to-be yoga room needs some TLC - a coat of paint and a good cleaning. I spent some time at that yesterday.

I also did a couple or three things - you know those little projects that should get done "some day"? Yah, you know the ones you walk past every day saying, "Geeze that bugs me - gotta fix that!" Felt great... and know what? I wasn't exhausted at the end of the day! And with so much more accomplished, I felt better inside too.

I've got some ugly business stuff to do tomorrow, so it's been nice to recharge and at the same time get some of my surroundings settled.

Today I got up early and went for a run to the U. and back... but not quite as early as yesterday. I've been doggin' it today, and have a list half as long as yesterday. For breakfast I enjoyed some leftover crock pot stew... meant I didn't have to "make breakfast". It was great to turn on some tunes, eat and now write in the blog.

Whatever you're doing today, I hope it's as peaceful and recharging as I intend my day to be.


Looking west-ish through the campus toward the prairie chicken sculpture under which we had numerous Poetry classes in '07... including a picnic.

Slow like Turtle, heart like Rabbit

So yesterday evening I was at Shopper's Drug Mart and simply on spec tried out the blood pressure cuff they have for public use at the pharmacy.

Was I surprised at the result? You bet.

187 / 94

For those of you who aren't in the know, 120 / 80 is normal. My "normal" is slightly lower, actually, at 110 / 70. You can see why I was surprised!

My resting heart rate is high, too - this afternoon it clocked in at 79 BPM, and although in music terms that's the tempo of a slow song, it certainly isn't anything plodding where my heart is concerned. Normal for me is in around 58 to 61.

What's up?

Dunno, but I called the Health Link folks and was told a few things of note:

--Because I'm showing no "symptoms", there isn't any reason to panic

--If my numbers reach the low 200s and/or are accompanied by blurred vision or back pain, I must seek medical attention within four hours

--Because 187 / 94 is well over 20 points higher than my "normal", I should go in to the clinic to be checked out... today or tomorrow.

I think I'll sleep on it. I was also told that you should take your BP on an empty stomach - which mine wasn't yesterday - so perhaps I'll return tomorrow to the pharmacy first.

Taken now after sitting to write this post, my pulse is down to 66.

Hmm... sleep on it, yes.

River Run

This, the title of a James Keelaghan song, seemed suitable for today's post. James wrote the song in support of the Alberta Wilderness Association and to curse the Alberta and Canadian governments for the construction of the Old Man River dam.

I woke up early this morning, around 5:00. After several months of attempting to calm my own waters, and feeling a lack of physical vitality, I was inspired by the words,

"Now the river's not running as fast as it did,
there's a dam there restricting the flow;
and I don't run either as fast as I could,
guess that river and I have grown old."


inspired, yes, to go running this morning. I thought about where I had tucked my running shoes from about a year ago - having given up running because of the strain it caused on my right knee. I've since had a lift added to my orthodic to compensate for my leg length discrepancy, so felt comfortable taking it on this morning.

It's been beastly hot here as of late so to step out to a cool, freshly-rained-on yard was yet even more inspiration for the run.

Do you know that wet smell that brings out the fragrance of the Evergreens and the grass?

I was quickly reminded of why, a year ago, I started with a 30-second walk-run.

With River Run programmed on my iPod, I ran.
Then I walked.
James' words struck incredible metaphor for me as I ran and paralleled his account to events in my own life.

I've returned now, going to grab some change and walk over to the U. for a coffee - perhaps a bit of an indulgence after such an incredibly healthy start to the day, but it will allow me to smell the trees again.

Go West!

Indeed I did. Last Sunday I accepted a ride to the airport from my friend Jim. Up practically the whole night before, I sleepishly miscalculated the time and ended up at the airport TWO hours ahead of flight time, not one. Ah well, time for a Tims with Jim then to the terminal.


Calgary from the air facing south across the river.



From my travels on Westjet to Quebec I learned that if you order a beverage that they likely won't serve to anyone else, they give you the whole can. I love tonic, and get the whole thing every time!

Once on the ground in Comox, I *texted* (ouch, I can't believe that word is now acceptable in the English language!) my friend Mike who was to pick me up. Trouble was, he was flying from Calgary to Nanaimo via Air Canada to grab his truck to drive to Comox to meet me for Folk Fest. Thing is, he'd missed his connecting flight in Vancouver. He was going to be an additional two hours, then the hour and a half drive north.

The Comox airport is a lovely place, and I got to know it intimately. I also got to know the security personnel and the Westjet office staff. You see, I'd inadvertently left my binder sitting on a seat outside the main doors to the terminal. I had sauntered in to the snack shop and when I came out, realized I didn't have my book. I went from one end to the other trying to remember where it was. I finally clued in to the fact that security must have picked it up. Sure enough, they'd taken it to the Westjet office. I got a teasing little lecture not to leave things lying around the airport. After hearing my friend's story of being bumped in Vancouver - the reason for me hanging around Comox - the Westjet girl said, "I guess he'll be flying Westjet next time, eh?"

I spent the bulk of my time listening to my iPod and reading poetry. Both endeavours had me reading and listening about marginalized peoples; my mood inspired this photo:



Mike showed up around 4:30 and we headed to Campbell River to pick up a couple fishing rods for my friend Norm. Campbell River is beautiful and yielded these:







We came back down to catch the last of the Folk Fest but discovered the day price still applied at the gate - a whopping $95.00! Four bands left on the stage list, none of whom were James Keelaghan - after I had noted on the website that he was to play at 8:00 Friday, Saturday and Sunday!

More than rather disappointed, we headed back to Nanaimo and stopped in at the Piper's Pub for a bite to eat. Great food, a visit with a great friend... a fabulous start to a much-needed vacation!

...to be continued

Looking back...

...today marks one year since I met A/C in Carlton Place, Ontario on my cross-Canada tour to Quebec. (Despite what he says, the meal was fabulous!)

Tonight I remained local. I did the music for a party for L'Arche Calgary. At it I met two long-time friends Pat B. and Michael H., both from St. Andrew's. It was a really short party, but really quite fun.

I've booked my flights to B.C. in anticipation of Island Folk Fest in Comox on Vancouver Island. I'll stay with my friends Mike and Janie in Nanaimo, then on to Burnaby to visit with my long-time friend Sharon (we went to Elementary School together and her folks still live about a block from my place) I'm looking forward to the break as the events of the last number of weeks - nay, months - have taken their toll on my physical and emotional health. Most of it's really about lack of sleep since I really took on far too much all at once: University course, work, rebuilding the basement and bringing things around to normal after the fact. One of the bonuses of my trip West is seeing James Keelaghan again at Comox. I mentioned to him that I would be attending and he seemed genuinely excited that I was going to be there.

Right now I'm listening to a disc April gave me today. It's her equivalent to my love for Kelo's music, Jen Grant. I liken her to the influence of Jane Siberry amd Dido. It's rather pleasant to have on in the background.

The house and yard are definitely taking the shape of "home" these days. I've turned over something of a new leaf - out of sheer frustration, admittedly. I'm throwing everything out which is a dynamic switch from my S.O.P. of "I might need this sometime, keep it." The space feels far better than the stuff ever did.

Tomorrow I'm going to see my Mom.

She'll be 84.

We'll have a coffee and a chat.

The things we hear...

I don't know about you, but I tend to pick up on things other people say in public. Tuesday morning it was at the chiropractor's office. I was sitting in the waiting room with an older couple ahead of me. The gentleman exclaimed to Judy, the receptionist,

"Have they changed the elevators recently?"

Judy replied, "I don't think so, why?"

"I don't remember them door-open and door-close buttons bein' there."

I'm thinking to myself, "Um... OK..."

Judy said, "No, I think they've always been there."

The gentleman's wife said, "We're probably so used to just getting on and coming up that we don't pay attention to it."

And she's right - there's lots of stuff I'm oblivious to, but it made for interesting listening. What was even more interesting was the way in which the gentleman cared for his wife. She was in a wheelchair, and when the automated computer system called her name, he escorted her to the adjustment area and quite litterally picked her up out of the chair and set her on the adjustment table. He made sure she was comfortable, then excused himself to the waiting room.

"Nice.", I thought.

This experience was not only humerous, but touching. Thought I'd share.

MUSIC MONDAY "The things we never challenge are the things that never change!" - James Keelaghan - June 20, 2009

When I asked James Keelaghan for some "Kelo words of wisdom" and to sign a copy of his album "A Recent Future", he scribbled away on the liner note insert whilst I peeled the plastic off another of his discs to sign. It wasn't until I returned to the group that I read his words. It wasn't until I got home and listened to the track "Turn of the Wheel" that I realized he'd quoted his song lyrics.

My sister and I have a standing agreement: if either of us catch wind of a Keelaghan show, we are - without fail - to inform the other. Discovering this particular show was a bit of a fluke as it wasn't really advertised all that widely. I found out from my neighbour Jim who got it from a friend who was working the event. It was the 50th Anniversary of the Rosemont Community in Calgary. I live... um... one or maybe two communities over - not far. James grew up in Rosemont and spoke a couple times of tobogganing down the hill at the base of which he was singing.

I was introduced to James' music back in the early 90s when my friend Henry was living in Calgary. He was a bit of a folkie and raved on about Keelaghan's music. It took me going to Ontario to see James for the first time in '99 at "Ste. Marie Among the Hurons" a bird sanctuary, of all places. Henry had moved home and was ecstatic about the show, especially since I was out to visit at that time.

OK, pictures...


James was kind enough to pose for a shot prior to the show





I'm a sound guy so naturally I had to scope out the stage prior to the show.



I could use this shot to argue that I was the only one to show up for the show...





...but no, it was simply an intimate gathering at the hill. Reminded me of "Shakespeare in the Park", only this poet sets his work to music.




Here we are - my good friends Norm and Jacquie at front, my BIL Doug on the grass in the red shirt, and to his left my sister Laura. Behind them, April.




About half way through, James invited his brother Bob to join him on stage.




Come to think of it, I didn't ever post fully about my basement renos in May. Nevertheless, I have a new tenant as of June 1. April joined us for the show.




I have this new iPhone which I think is great, but when trading photo favours after the show, the guy who had a real camera had some difficulty making out the difference between the "home" button and the soft-touch shutter button on my phone. It was good for a laugh, and... he caught it!


I mentioned a couple posts back about the song, "Kiri's Piano" - which James played at the request of a couple who had apparently named their daughter after the song. The song holds some significant importance to me. In English 371 we studied some literature reflecting the Japanese internment in Canada, and in English 385, studied not only indigenous but also marginalized peoples. I'm sending a copy of the disc "My Skies" to each of my two professors because I think they would truly appreciate the music.