Settler words&music in S'ólh Téméxw, (leanpub.com/upsun) living where privilege meets precarity in MST country. she/her/they———– Novels: Midnite Moving Co., Upsun; Sweep Off Those Waves coming soon, Hair Sinister after that. —Restore All Indigenous Lands!
This is another Murakami novel, and although I liked Hardboiled Wonderland, I’m appreciating this one even more. It is full of descriptions which continually edge up against the banal, and then slide past your expectations and go to a place entirely new.
There’s a picture of Murakami on the back cover. He’s in his late fifties, and he has a face that makes you think, “A sense of humour, a sense of wonder, a sense for the rhythm of things.”
…. is a novel by Japanese writer Haruki Murakami. LTGW loaned it to me last week and I’ve finally worked my way through it.
I suspect I will have to read it again, but any book which is ‘about’ consciousness and contains the sentence “I was myself, waiting on the shore for me to return” is probably worth it.
The relentless quotidian detail, mixed with monsters, mad scientists, music, netherworlds and endless fashion details, had me thinking about Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Next up: “Kafka on the Shore,” also loaned by LGTW (he’s moving and he’ll have fewer things to move this way…) I had a copy of “Wild Sheep Chase” but I haven’t seen it since the move.
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Sekai no owari to hÄdoboirudo wandÄrando
At 1:52 this morning some bozoid rang my buzzer (which makes my phone ring, like less than two feet from my head) and said, and I quote, “I’m a good friend of the guy who lives in 431. Can you let me in?” In sepulchral tones, I replied, “I have no idea who you’re talking about” and hung up.
I’ve a mind to go abuse the guy in 431, but I won’t, he didn’t do anything.
I released two Bookcrossing books yesterday… they are gone! I am happy.
Paul and I had supper at the Himalaya last night to celebrate the fact that the house actually closed. He also brought me the camping equipment, for which I’d like to thank him. Baumfest tonight! No blogging from now until at least noon Friday unless somebody’s got wireless.
Indeed. So, I won’t bother to mention when I went to bed last night, but I blasted through the exceeding wonderful Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows last night; a lot of people die!
If you go to Veritaserum.com there’s a streaming video of Jo Rowling reading the first chapter of the book. Scroll down until you find it.
I have completed another section of “the difficulties”. I find Jericho Beach a most inspiring locale – I may go down there for a day sometime and just sit around and write.
I am adjusting rather better to the shift in workload and priorities. The customers are being kind as I learn, and my predecessor (he went to a different department) kinder yet. The new hire accepted and agreed to start July 30th o frabjous day.
I will be heading out for a family dinner with Mike M tonight after I go talk to Paul.
I reread Lilith’s Brood, the Oankali stories by Octavia Butler.
I’m taking a little break from Patrick O’Brian.
My back hurts constantly these days, and my foot is very numb. Walking helps, as does sitting on the posture ball at work. I’m having a lot of trouble finding a comfortable sleeping position.
I have been sad for the last couple of days, not so much this morning, thanks to KatieK, a friend of mine whom I invited over for dinner and an earflapping last night. Those of you familiar with my family’s folkways will know that this is a chat, live and in person, usually unattended by males (or they flee, brows furrowed, into quieter and darker corners, while the womenfolk screech and flap and gabble.) Anyway, she’s been through what I was through, but worse and darker and different, of course, but she doesn’t waste more than a breath on self-pity before she gets up again and starts assessing her life for the possibilities of happiness. She’s berloody amazing and I intend to see more of her.
I just wrote two paragraphs about my emotional state, and they were so self-pitying and morose that I’ve done my readers a favour and deleted them. Someday I’ll look back on this time in my life, shake my head and laugh. But that time is not now, and it’s not a good time to be writing about it. Had I the pen of Elizabeth Smart, perhaps, perhaps.
And then, of course, the phone rings, and it’s Keith announcing that he’s picked me up the latest Harry Potter book, and despite the rain and fog, the sun has come out again.
I think I’ll call my mother.
and email myself all of my songs…. I have a request for one of my tunes from one of the guys out at Jericho so I need to scrape them off the hard drive and send them over to myself. I thought I had actually backed them up, but I was wrong.
Tonight, Thai food with Keith & rest of famille.
Today, arranging books. I have figured out how I’m going to do that now; it only took me nine weeks.
The four of us are planning to get together for his birthday. I already bought his present but it will probably arrive next week.
Had the folks over for beers last night; in attendance, Melissa, Ryan, Brian C, Jarmo and Rob of Nine, who was, unfortunately, not able to massage my printer into compliance as there is no driver for it. Drat.
After they all left, Swampy came over for a beer and told me that things are going much more smoothly than he anticipated and it was just really pleasant to have him here – and we discussed a couple of books, including Focusing and The Dosadi Experiment (which is basically a fast forward through Dune without the religion and with a kickass courtroom scene at the end). Then at nine my date came over. We sat outside next to the fountain until about the fourth time he slapped a mosquito (imagine that… a guy who gets bit by mosquitoes more than I do!?) at which point I said that I found it unconscionably inhospitable to contribute to his discomfort so, and besides, there was beer and a bathroom back at my place…
So I guess I’ve had a very sociable weekend already and it ain’t even noon on Saturday yet.
Today is the 100th centenary of Heinlein’s birth. How I wished he could have become a blogger. Okay, I don’t but it makes me laugh to think about how he would have talked about the last three or four sets of American governments.
I talked to Kira on the phone today. She was purring. Zeek!, thank heaven, is back to his old self and the bloody spot under his chin has cleared up. His bloodwork came back okay so the 1200 vet bill Paul and I were looking at turned out not to be necessary.
Keith will come by today before work with more Aubrey/Maturin for me. (more, more more!) and some other media for me to peruse (hopefully Fables III and IV).
I watched Denis Leary’s music video of Asshole last night. I always liked the song, but the video was brilliant, IMO.
Facebook is extremely amusing, and I’m having loads o’ fun with it. Mostly poking people. I’ve gotten into a poking contest with two people; I know that sounds rude, but it’s harmless virtual primate fun.
Here’s a cool “matrix style” domestic argument, from Japanese TV.
Tonight I:
Spoke for the first time to the best prospect from Craigslist. He reads SF (including my litmus novel, Frank Herbert’s the Dosadi Experiment)! He’s a union man! He sings bass! He has long hair and a beard! He made me laugh my ass off! I am meeting him Friday night!
Arranged in my own mind – okay, started spade work with the CUC – to work on a social justice refresher course for my church (welcoming gays, lesbians, transgendered and gender rebellious people of all stripes.)
Spoke to my mother on the phone. Spoke (briefly) to my Kitty Kate on the phone.
Hung with one of my fave exinlaws. Being Swampy.
Sat in a brilliantly sunny patio and watched the world go by while so doing.
Pondered how to put a retraction in my blog about beer. Okay, deep breath, here goes. I like beer. It’s staying.
Wrote a song:
Give me five, give me ten
give me round the bend again
you will know when I blow through your town
Give me five, give me ten
give me round the bend again
As I impart the wisdom I have found
You may stray…. so far away
you may go where only God can follow
But your mind will find a thousand ways to shine
and your heart may ache and never yet be hollow
chorus
You may wait … for an important date
And find that life has gone by in the meantime
But it’s one short breath between your birth and death
so you might as well enjoy yourself between time
Chorus.
I need another voice, (verse!), but I’m quite happy as things stand. It amazes me how much I can do when I am happy.
Godawmighty, the techsphere’s buzzing like a rhythmically whacked wasp’s nest about the Iphone. Boingboing.net went so gaga they might as well be writing advertising copy for Apple, and someguy over there said ‘THIS IS THE UI WE’VE BEEN WAITING FOR’. They are aware, of course, how breathless and ecstatic they sound so they posted under the title “Jesus is Risen”. o RLY. Indeed, as RobofNine would say.
Just so, as mOm would say.
I just found the remote that came with my computer. Who knew, back in 1992, that computers could have remotes?
Saw Keith, read TWO (okay, most of two) Aubrey/Maturin books yesterday AND went to Shrek III. Yes, Shrek III isn’t ‘as good’ as the first two. But it’s still way funnier than just about everything else out there. Would have been nicer if it had taken me less than an hour to get home, but oh well. That’s life with no car. While he was here I unlimbered my credit card and bought (or so I believe, but I never got a frikking confirmation email) two books about … gee… can you guess???? Aubrey Maturin!!!! One of them is a book by book atlas and the other is detailed illustrations of all those heaps of frikkin nautical terms. I’ll probably break into them before I give them to Keith, but he’s jiggy with that. Anyway, with any luck they’ll get here before his birthday, and if they don’t nae borra. He’ll be 21. Can you believe I pushed him out of my body 21 years ago??? it’s bizarre. He’s so adult and calm and inspiring, and so easily pleased.
Day 1 of no beer. At Katie’s grad I said I didn’t think I could live a month without beer. Then I realized that this was the single saddest, and possibly stupidest, thing I had ever heard myself say. After taking thought, I figured if I can pass most of the month of July without beer, I’ll be in good shape. Dunno how I’m going to get through Tuesday though – I always drink a beer before I perform (One beer Only), as I find it prevents worry. More than one beer, though, impedes performance. Didn’t Shakespeare do a bit on that? It’s also bizarre to think that in my personal take on Ol’ Abe Maslow’s Cone of Consciousness, Beer outranks Sex. What am I, Homer Simpson??? Sad mismanagement in that, dear friends.
Off to the weight room now, I have an appointment with one of the infernal machines.
Poor Burnt and PhD had SOOOO much alcohol left over from their wedding that they threw a party to get rid of it. I made myself one appletini, but mostly I stuck to the Rum Punch, which was superb. I stopped drinking early in the evening, but I didn’t leave early enough – I got to Production Way half an hour after the last bus.
I’m thinking, erm, doesn’t look good, but I’ve memorized the Bonny’s Taxi number and honest to Murgatroyd, the taxi came around the corner just as I came up from Lougheed to stand where I could be easily seen. I called for a taxi at 1 on the nose and was in the door at 1:13; I was somewhat perturbed to see that the taxi driver had ditched another call to pick me up. I suspect my tipping habits have stood me in good stead with the drivers. I’ve only failed to tip once in ten years, and he deserved a tip alright, the tip of my boot.
Sigh. Wish I’d taken my makeup off before I crashed; fortunately the massage oil worked great at sluicing it off this morning. I did wear the flight suit and Scary Clown immediately asked if I was jumping out of an airplane tonight as soon as I showed up. Wise ass. All was forgiven later as we (me, one of LTGW’s nephews and Shorn) drifted over to Scary’s apartment to admire his artwork and for him to check if his site was down (I told him it had been earlier, but it wasn’t, it was just really freaking slow). I was waiting for the reaction shots of the guys who hadn’t been there before and was not disappointed….Shorn looked around and said, “How many computers do you HAVE?” plaintively.
I had one of those party experiences where virtually wherever I was standing or sitting, I was in someone’s way. Finally I tried to sit as far away from everybody as I could and just kibitzed… it was fun in a low key way. Myself and a coworker traded sad stories about having teenagers, and it was all very pleasant.
Today I think I’m finally caught up on laundry, so I’m going to lie back down with Lucky Jack Aubrey, who’s just been sprung from a French pokey by his best friend’s squeeze (also his cousin in law), and take up the 7th book, Ionian Mission. At least Stephen and Diana are finally married now. I mean, he’s chased her across the ends of the earth at this point.
Later, off to see my Livejournal pal….It’s bucketing rain, think I’ll break down and take my brolly.
Poked my head into the New West library to pick up the next two books in the Aubrey/Maturin 
series; purchased soy sauce (how is it I haven’t purchased it earlier???) and other comestibles including items which will make the young’uns happy, also beer, also picked up a Georgia Straight and a very satisfactory haircut both in terms of the gossip quotient and the results; also satisfactory in that the first words out of Shelene’s mouth were “Girl, you’ve lost a ton of weight,” which of course made me crack up. I’m thinking I should cruise down to the office and weigh myself, I can’t trust the scale I’ve got here…. Now all I have to do is piles of laundry and wait for 7 o’clock to roll around so I can get dressed for a party. Part of me wants to get entirely dolled up (plucked eyebrows….MASCARA!) but the sober portion of my personality has said, “They are engineers – if they do notice it would only be to make fun of you for taking the trouble.” Sad, but I think true. So I won’t wear the outfit I bought for Katie’s grad, but I will wear something comfy. Maybe that flight suit?
I had amazing bus luck today. I never had to wait more than 5 minutes. On the way back I had a ‘brrrrr’ experience; the lad sitting across from me on the 145 was a DEAD RINGER FOR STEPHEN HARPER, right down to the icy blue eyes and man boobs. The poor kid.
I can’t stop smiling. I don’t know what’s wrong with me…. or what’s right with me. Subjects were removed on the house; looks like the deal is a go. Something may go wrong between now and the end of July but I’m good with everything. I will roll with whatever comes my way.
Zeek! has been to the vet, courtesy of Paul, and he has a lesion on his chin which Paul got cream for and which seems to be working. Zeek! and Kira appear to be otherwise happy and healthy and adjusting to the new place okay.
I light a candle for all my friends, who have stood by me in a lot of ways, not all of them readily apparent, while I’m going through the transition. I feel so blessed, so borne up by the good wishes of those who love me, that it’s getting increasingly easy to feel positive, stay positive, and not be so easily moved to anger and irritation all the time. My current emotional state reminds me of how I felt when I was expecting the kids; occasionally worried, but mostly, thanks to the hormones, feeling almost imperturbably happy and expectant. The world’s an awesome place.
And I’m practicing mando at least an hour a day. My guitar is bitching me out from its corner…. pick me up YOU!
I’m going to see a gal from a recreational group I was a member of for a brief while a couple of years back. She and I are on Livejournal together and her relationship of 27 years busted up under much the same circumstances as mine. We will get together tomorrow and compare notes, hopefully with buckets of tea and much self-deprecating laughter. I am SO looking forward to it. One of my requirements of myself is to quit hanging around with male engineering types who are fifteen years my junior and start hanging out more with sympatico women my own age. My visit with Gail made me realize that I am hungering for circumstances under which my childbearing and my middleagedness and my life experiences will be grist for the mill, not something to be shrugged off. I want to own my life, not have to make excuses for it all the f(cking time. Although I can’t make excuses for being happy. Because I am. I can walk around naked in my apartment! Who couldn’t be happy about that!? (Okay, there are three of my regular blog readers who just threw their hands in front of their eyes, but there are also two at least who are thinking other, possibly less critical thotz…)… Oh, and I saw Anne McLeod, one of the revered church elders, in the Safeway in New West today. It was good to see her!
Today I thought it was my hair appointment but I was wrong by a week – fortunately I was also after seeing Katie and Keith for lunch in uptown New West (overate, of course) and getting a new outfit for Katie’s Graduation, and visiting the New West library (oldest in BC) for the latest Aubrey Maturin book. I read Desolation Island and I have to say I didn’t like it much except for the end.
Keith brought along the first two digests of Fables, and, while no Strangers in Paradise, it’s very entertaining and quite well done. So I’ve done nothing but read and buy bread and hang with the kids today, and by heaven I needed to.
I tried to find a way of conveying how much happier I am to be going on course today as opposed to going to work but the only analogy I could think of was both so violent and so vulgar that I decided not to sear my ma’s eyeballs with it.
My apartment is a sty because I’m never here when I’m not exhausted…. I detailed the laundry machines and cleaned the rug in Dr. Filk’s old bedroom last night. Also saw Katie back at the Augur Inn as she did laundry and tried to figure out what of her stuff is going with her over to Suzanne’s. Dax has moved out.
I have picked up Tom and Peggy’s housewarming present, with thanks and love. It is two little rosemary plants to replace the monster rosemary my mum planted by the front door of the Augur Inn. The rhodo is in full bloom in front of the old place… another thing I will miss. Next up at the Augur Inn. Windows, downstairs. Dan T. is also working flat out on the house which is great.
Keith was nowhere in evidence at the Augur Inn last night and much missed. He loaned me Jeff’s copy of Master and Commander so I will now start a Patrick O’Brian jag.
I am re-reading Doris Lessing’s excellent “love, again”.
I dropped over 3 bills in IKEA last night but I now have enough chairs, ice cube trays, cutlery, also a shower curtain, plates, bowls, serving tray, bathmat, 3 lamps, oven mitts, etc …. and I did it all in less than two hours door to door. I still want a footstool. The living room is (except for the box carcasses) pretty much as it will be – but I still need a TV stand – and a TV. I’m looking at the deals at tigerdirect.ca. I don’t think I want a refurb.
I picked up my first piece of mail, patronized two local establishments (small grocery and the optician, where I got the broken nose pieces on my glasses replaced for 5 bucks), collected my phone books, and shoved stuff around.
I wonder what horrors await at work this morning. There is an all staff meeting. They’ve already announced layoffs – I am not currently affected. I know that what they are doing makes sense for the organization, but I’m heartsick nonetheless.