Giving Thanks

So. Thanksgiving. What to say, what to say. I suppose for starters, I went home for the weekend (and cut class to do so), spent an obscene amount of money on a digital SLR and a couple of lenses, and then spent most of the weekend running around trying to take care of all the crap that has piled up since I was last home, which I have to say is deeply unsatisfying when all I really wanted to do was see friends and family... One bright spot was my brother and his wife crapped out on work today, which meant that we actually had a Thanksgiving dinner of sorts, although no turkey for us. Oh no. Some weird sort of pot roast recipe, not that I'm complaining, it was delicious. And I didn't have to cook it, so it was twice as good. And of course pumpkin pie... My birthday usually falls on the holiday, weirdly enough not this year (on a bit of an aside if anyone I know is going to be in Comox next weekend please, please, please stop by and see me so I don't have to sit around by myself drinking tequila all alone on my birthday. I implore you), but the pie was for me (I always get pumpkin pie for a birthday cake. Always. Cause my mom apparently doesn't see the need to make two desserts. Never mind the fact that I was deeply traumatized by this when I was a child... try to imagine what a little kid feels like getting a pumpkin pie with a single solitary candle set in the middle... it's wrong I tell you, WRONG). And I even got a birthday gift from Mackenzie, a 1981 dime (which is worth like, 12 US cents). So all in all (if one ignores the massive debt incurred whilst shopping for camera shit) it was a winner of a weekend. I am still trying to figure out my new camera, and the battery in my little point and shoot is dead, so no pics for this post. The video is my nephew Mackenzie doing a little dance. I know it's sort of apropos of nothing, but I thought it was kind of funny. He's taking hip-hop dance lessons at the Y, although I don't know if that's where he picked up this move... And before you all complain about the fact that the video is sideways (what, you thought I hadn't noticed that myself?) I did try to fix it in windows movie maker (or whatever that dumbass program is called) but then youtube didn't recognize the file format, so I tried to fix it on my mac, and can't figure out how the feck imovie is supposed to work (whoever said macs are easier to work than pcs is full of s h i t) so anyways the upshot is the clip is sideways. So turn your head to the side, or turn your monitor sideways, or just don't watch it... Whatever, the choice is yours.

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Across the Island and Back

So I did end up going to Long Beach last weekend, with a nice long stop at Cathedal Grove... Don't quite know what to say about the whole trip, except of course that it's definitely worthwhile if you've never been yourself. I took a borrowed Bronica camera with me, but I suspicion that somehow I loaded the film wrong, I suppose it'll all come out in the wash. If there are no pictures when I develop it I'll know I did something wrong... I did bring my little digi though so there are pictures, sad and pathetic though they may be (it occurs to me I should quit putting crappy assed pictures I took on this blog). In any case. I'm just gonna say that it's impossible to capture the scope of that place on a point and shoot anyways. The picture above is a big assed dead tree at Cathedral Grove...
I'm happy to say that I'm growing fond of Comox, although more than anything else I think it's the island itself that I like. This town is full of really, really old people (not that I have anything against that per se as I plan to get there myself someday) who take naps at four way stops in their cars (seriously). That in fact is perhaps the most annoying thing about this town. It's full of four way stops, and no one seems to have the slightest clue exactly how they work. They just sit there. And sit there. And sit there. So I just go anyways, because I figure fortune favours the bold, and I always seem to be in a great tearing hurry. There are also alot of deer wandering around town, which seems perfectly normal to me now, although it took a bit of getting used to. They're not at all afraid of people or cars. Last week on the way to a shoot I watched a six point buck stop at the side of the road, look both ways, and then use a designated crosswalk to get to the other side. No word of a lie...
In any case, I should probably be somewhere taking pictures, or developing pictures, or printing pictures... As for this weekend's trip, I've got a line on a camera in Esquimalt that I really want, so I guess it's a journey down south for me. Maybe I'll stop in Coombs on the way back to see the goats on the roof...

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The Republic of Cortesia

Well folks, I'm slowly getting used to life in Comox... Didn't think it would ever happen, and I find myself spending too much time moping on the beach, but still... At least there's a beach upon which to mope. School's ticking along just fine, and I'm learning alot... I've decided to make good use of my time on Canada's extreme left coast and see a bit of the island while I'm here. In that spirit, today I headed off to Cortes Island, which I believe is the very first Gulf Island I've been to. Strictly speaking though I had to cross Quadra to get there. So my second. Always assuming my swiss-cheese like memory is correct. Which it quite possibly isn't. But anyways, my brain cramps up when think too hard so I shall not belabour the point (any further). In any case. Back to Cortes. What a little slice of heaven that place is, although I imagine that if I lived there all I'd ever want to do is leave. But I am a rather perverse person when it comes to these things. Never happy with where I'm at, always looking at something shiny just out of reach. Which is what took me to Cortes in the first place. And I'm just writing in circles here. Apologies to all three of my quasi-regular readers (the rest of you princesses can just suck it up). I've decided that Sunday shall be travel day (school permitting), and I will attempt to visit a different location every week. As I started off with a rather obscure island for my first trip, next week I'll go all touristy and try to hit Tofino and Long Beach. And next time I'll remember to bring my digital point and shoot. No pics for this post as I was shooting for an assignment in black and white, and have to develop my film and print pictures (much of which remains a big mystery to me). And of course assuming that anything I shot is worth looking at. I don't really favour the odds of that... Not that my teachers aren't good. Quite the opposite. For those of you who might be curious I've posed links to my teachers' websites in my "Miscellaneous Links" section. I'll add others when possible...

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A Weekend in Deroche

So... Had a whole three days off school last weekend and had to take advantage of the opportunity to go back to Deroche. I was immediately plunged back into the drama that is home. It was a final chance to swim in the lake, an opportunity to harvest some of the food I grew in the garden, and as it turns out, also an occasion to bury two of my ducks
As oft mentioned before Geordie is not a good dog, and he lived up to his reputation for severe badness this weekend by killing both Giselle, my much-beloved little brown duck, and Thyme my gorgeous new drake.
Top it all off with a headbutt to the nose, courtesy of a six year old (who shall remain unnamed as I must maintain plausible deniability in case the body ever surfaces), and you have one hell of a rough weekend...
Final score:
Dead ducks: 2
Possibly fractured noses: 1
Geordie: still batting 1000 in the badness category
And the winner is... Well, certainly not me (she of the painful red nose), definitely not my ducks, and probably not the six year old.
Yep. Geordie McNab the Horrible is, as always, the ultimate victor. An additional 387 bonus points to him for chasing the cat into the duck pond just before I left to catch the ferry Monday morning.

As for the picture, it's the sunset as I left the island.
The video is of the ferry ride home...

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Landing in Comox

Well folks, it's official. I've landed in Comox. Ever been told to look before you leap? Coulda, shoulda, woulda... I've been feeling pretty depressed since I got here, I'm guessing it's because I have yet to make any friends. I'm trying to remain hopeful that things will get better. Still. I'm wishing I was back home, or that at the very least, that home was not a $53 dollar (one way) ferry ride away. Three days down, a few months to go. Probably not the best way to look at things, but there you have it. There are 11 other people in my class, 2 guys and the rest (by default) women. I've only met one professor, a fellow named Paul, who seems nice.
So that's it I guess. This probably the dullest post I've ever written. Dull, dull, dull. But that's just how I feel right now. So damned depressed I don't even feel like taking pictures. How ironic. Or perhaps just moronic.

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