the kootenos

i just got back from a bit of a trip; paul and i went to the kootenays to help our friend Markus clean out his property which he finally sold. the whole trip wasn't super enjoyable for me, because, for one thing, i don't like travelling that much. i mostly like staying where i live. i feel like i am typing words of sacrilege, but of course there are exceptions, or i would still be in calgary.

anyway, we set off in the farm van, which although i am grateful for its use and that it held itself together the whole time, it's so loud. it seemingly has no muffler, and the whole thing creaks and flaps faithfully along.

on the way we stopped at Half Way hot springs, which were amazing! we didn't take our camera down with us: this is the only good photo i could find of it, THIS IS NOT ME OR MY PHOTO (and this person is obviously a prude):

the whole thing was really amazing, hippie made, nobody around, friggin' hot.

after that we drove a bunch, had a big bonfire with markus, went to some dumps, visited nelson, realized nelson is just another city where you can spend money, spent money, drove some more, got sick, visited a sweet glass blowing shop, read DUNE, and finally came home.

we have a bunch of tools, books, and other useful stuff that markus was getting rid of, and it was nice to visit with him, but i am happy to be back on the farm. i always dreamed the kootenays were really magical and special, but i found out they can ALSO be haunted and creepy.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

getting nervous and hyped!!!!
i have started emailing farms trying to put together some kind of schedule for our wwoofing trip. even within alberta so many look amazing and interesting, but they just aren't on the route :( just working this out my head right now, i guess it'll end up being like 15 farms (about 4 months, one week at each farm, maybe more maybe less at some, maybe we should go to shambala!!).

yup... life is pretty great, good routine (here's the current one: go to work, go to bike shop, meet paul at bike shop, invite whichever friend we run into to come for supper with us, smoke doobies, come home, sync my ipod full of podcasts for tomorrow & fall asleep).

focus: save money, tie up loose ends (bank shit, storage), hang outs.

we had a good run, milk.

chris goertz ruined milk for me! we had a discussion last week about milk that scared me straight to soy.

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2 reasons why i have no money saved:


my boots & my BRAND new board!

ugh, NOW i'm gonna really start saving.

three thoughts - cars.internet.money

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yesterday when i was leaving work [on my way to 2nd work] somebody (MAT!!) wanted to make a pointless, UNfunny, UNuseful comment to me as i was about to pull out of the parking lot, so i rolled down my window. he made his comment, i rolled my eyes and then went to put the window back up... of COURSE my window wouldn't go back up. gahhh. i'm so MONSTERFUCKING sick of this!

i made a deal with myself - if i can get around without driving it in the next 32 days, i'm getting rid of it. i'm done with putting all this upkeep into this pollution machine because some people (ma&pa) can't comprehend life without a car. i'm an grown-up, and i'll own a car if i feel like it... and i don't... so eff you.

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sometimes the internet is simply the best. today dan decided to try and track down somewhere that sells walkmen (walkmans?.. um.. portable cassette tape players). i posted "wanted: tape playin' walkman" on kijiji and within an hour - a reply!

does anyone remember "baby jessica" who got rescued from the pipe? i was only 2 when that happened, so it's weird that i remember but i decided to look her up today. that chick is cursed i think!

quotes from wikipedia & msnbc article:

McClure's rescue was mostly credited to Robert O'Donnell and William Andrew Glasscock Jr.. In 1995, O'Donnell shot himself after suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Former officer Glasscock is currently serving a 35-year sentence on charges of sexual exploitation of a child, sexual assault, and improper storage of explosives

whoa. curse!

She married Daniel Morales, 13 years her senior, in January 2006. Morales was convicted in 2002 of impersonating a federal marshal to steal money and drugs from drug dealers.

yup, curse.

But she’s still called “Baby Jessica.” That doesn’t bother her, she told Lauer, and referred to a character in a children’s book to explain why.

“Like they told Lil’ Bow Wow, you’ll never get rid of the ‘little’ part,” she said. “Cause you’ll always be what you are remembered as.”

what?? children's book?! who wrote this article? curs-ed.

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i "commissioned" a pair of boots from this guy at the farmer's market. they are going to be totally custom - having the guy TRACE and measure my feet was such a good feeling! i am so excited to have shoes made for me, not off an assembly line in taiwan. it's really exciting. but i'm kind of broke now, so i reaaaaally hope they turn out.

oh cripes!

ok everyone - i really hate admitting this, but you were right. it IS expensive to have a turtle, and the tank DOES smell, and i'm ALREADY sick of it.
OK!? mom, dad! you were right. not that you read this, but i said it, so lets just please move on.

i just called my brother and he is going to take her back in april when he is done working out on the rigs.

it's just been really really frustrating. i planned on putting any extra money toward my amsterdam trip (my theme for the next 8 months = "make do"), but i've already sunk almost 400 bucks into turtle supplies, and her tank STILL looks like a mud puddle. she doesn't seem happy either - it's kind of painful to watch her swim around in this little tank constantly. i can't get her to go on the basking thing, and its bumming me out. my place is a mess also, every time i start cleaning up i notice how gross the tank looks, or how sad she looks, so i get side tracked. ALSO, i'm sick of washing my hands every minute.

so there you have it - i'm the 8 year old who whined "i'll take him for walks every day, please please please buy me a puppy!"

i feel pretty shitty about this. and i'm DREADING really telling my parents, can't wait to get the big TYS (told you so).