jobs end.

today marked the end of my summer job as a barista at the Saltspring Roasting Co. It was a long day, I was glad when it was over. But man, it was a fantastic job. I'm already making plans to return to Saltspring in the spring if it is at all humanly possible.

I played my last treehouse gig tonight. That was grand too. I was wiped after work, but something about playing and storytelling just refreshes me to no end. I was pretty happy afterward.

Andrew is back from the sea, poor, angry and a little heartbroken. The government didnt let the boys fish sockeye, so they have no money to come home with. Apparently the fish are up in record numbers this year... so Andrew and Ryan are frustrated boys... I'm glad he's home safe at least.

I am home in two days. Three more sleeps.

Now to get to that first sleep.

Nameless Records.

currently :: eating an organic apple and drinking water out of a jam jar.

I love Saltspring. I leave this lovely island in six days, and return home to Peterborough and all its joys. When I left I swear I thought a year was an eternity. It's not, I'm just a tad naive as usual.

I'm excited about this apartment thing, living with Desiree. It'll be fun. She's celebrating finding work at the Pita Pit... I'm hoping for some barista work part time. Maybe dreams and beans... but hey, Peterborough has no end of coffee establishments where I could brew espresso for cash. So we'll see what happens.

I get to record in a couple of hours. It'll be exciting. A demo for me! It's a new experience for sure, and I'm looking forward to it. It's with a studio out here called Nameless records. I love Saltspring.

To the Peterborough crew... I'll see you oh so soon.

de b'ys from a ways back east.

I periodically get asked if I'm from 'the rock'... I'm not, but I consider it a high compliment to be asked.

There are Newfoundlanders wherever you look it seems. Out here they work as loggers and fishermen. This is some of the hardest, most dangerous work in Canada. It also pays. So they can make some money and go back home for the winter.

And you never saw a more homesick bunch.

Shannon ran into a lot of boys from Newfoundland when she was treeplanting. I guess they're just scattered across Canada working to get back home.
It would be odd, to live in a province where you couldn't make a dime if you tried.


... I'll live there at some point in my life, I'm sure. In the meantime, cheers to the boys from a ways back east.

the grind.

I will make a shortfilm... or maybe a book later on, about being a summer barista... it will be called 'the grind'.

I have an evaluation coming up on friday; a Barista Evaluation... note the intimidating capital letters... So I'm spending way more time on bar this week trying to prep.

I made myself two cappucino's, both sucked. But later I worked on bar for a string of drinks that turned out just fine. Lots of firsts. First time foaming soy, first extra hot latte, first mocha... the list goes on. I did all of them fine, so maybe I stand a chance at passing this test after all...

I'm being distracted by a movie... and trying to size up prices for buying a silk screen... mmm silkscreen. Seriously folks. I need like... twenty outlets for my creative processes... I just really can't draw...

later skaters.

dharma bums.

I see them all the time. Barefoot travellers with the 'om' tattooed on their foreheads, twentysomethings that look like they're starving in red robes...

The other day though, I had quite the encounter with one. I saw him from a ways off, waiting patiently in line. His dreads were tied into a bun and his face tanned from not having a roof to hide under. He waited in line and when he finally got to me he ordered a mate.

I always like serving these travellers. If I have a break coming up it's good to listen to their stories. So I got the mate, made it right and smiled as I handed it to him. He had been staring at me with this odd wonder for our entire encounter. He hadn't said much, just stared like a three year old looking at a christmas tree. I didn't get it, but these guys are a little odd to begin with so I made no comment.

I gave the guy his change, he takes it without breaking this awed eye contact. Finally looks at the change in his palm, pauses, then simply presses his palms together and bows in a deep 'Namaste' in the middle of the cafe.

Then he went on his way, I haven't seen him since.

hey, what did you hear me say?

Here's what's up. I spent the weekend back in Abbotsford, chilling at the Lifehouse for the Lifeteams reunion. Good times were had, coffee was sipped, all nighters were pulled... and me and Dustin (year four) listened to Zao and Underoath for like, two hours.

I miss Lifeteams. Not in a pining way, but there's something about never being able to go back to something... Over the weekend there were spots where I felt lonely. I sat in the basement and tried to figure it out... this is what I've got so far...

I anticipated going to Lifeteams more than I have anticipated anything else in my entire life. I cried when I found out that I was going to go. The thought of it gave me joy for months. Periodically during lifeteams I'd forget that I was already there and remember that intense anticipation again. Sometimes now I forget that it's all over and I remember that excitement. And now I've got a little hollow spot where I miss Lifeteams, and here's what I've got.

It is not really Lifeteams I was anticipating, wanting and searching after, a year and a half ago when I was applying, it was God. I was anticipating an oppurtunity I saw to draw nearer to Him. It was Him I wanted, and the thought of a closer relationship with him could almost make me giddy.

On the flipside of that, I'm not sure its all Lifeteams I'm homesick for. I think I'm actually missing God, and getting the two confused in my head. The house, isn't ours anymore, we won't see each other as much... but God? God came with me to Saltspring and he'll be on the plane with me to Peterborough. If I felt that my best friends coming out of Lifeteams were the Lifeteamers... then I think now that maybe I missed the point. Jesus is a better friend to me than anyone else, and I must pursue him more diligently now than I ever have.

So, to God, who I am homesick for, please accept me as your dear friend, and be mine. And we'll see where you take us from here.

good morning saltspring.

yes. I sort of slept through most of this morning. I don't have to work until 12:30. So sleeping in felt like a decent option. Now I get to write some emails and brush my teefs to be ready for work.

Meh. What day is this? Monday... I have the day off tomorrow too. Kaye and George are coming to visit. Oh man, the lovely Saltspring has more than enough joys to keep two cool seniors and I happy for a day. I'm not sure where to start. The boardwalk? Coffee shops? Restaurants? Playing horseshoe in the park?... the possibilities are nearly endless.

Ah well. I to my emails and teethbrushing. I go home rather soon if it all comes down to it. In less than a month I will be a resident of Peterborough once more.

our liftlock is bigger than your liftlock.

churchsong.

Well, tomorrow I get to sing in church. That is good and I am excited. Phil insisted on covering my shift when I sadly told him about missing being able to sing in church. He seriously grabbed my shoulders, gave me a little shake and said 'Mee-gun, I'll cover for you, you cant miss singing in church, it's a powerful thing'

This coming from a guy who has not gone to church since he was a little boy in south africa.

Today while I was washing dishes and he was making an espresso, he told me that he used to sing every sunday at church in south africa. I can see him too... a little brown haired boy in a hot church, singing hymns. Old men and ladies in conservative Full Gospel tradition, dabbing their foreheads and fanning themselves.

Oh stories. Thank God for people and their stories...

treehoused.

I just finished playing at the treehouse. Man, I realized twenty minutes after I got home that I forgot to pay for my meal. Great... I'm an accidental thief. I'll have to run over tomorrow on my break and pay for my dinner. For crying out loud...

The set went pretty good. I played with my new friend Jord for a couple of songs. We played a blues jam that was lots of fun. Yeah blues. I busked for a couple of hours today too. I made some decent cash for all that. I was just messing around, but I figuredthat if I was going to play guitar in the park anyway, I might as well just leave the case open and see if I could make a buck
or two.

I've gotta busk more often.
Busking = money for skittles and other fun things

So this has been my day, Andrew's b-day yesterday. I made sure to send up a birthday prayer for the guy.
Out there on some stinky fishboat...

happy twentieth Andrew... somewhere on the sea.

goodnight crew...

look I'm tired. no more okay?

conflict brews. Last night I totally lost it and stormed out on a couple of my good friends. It was bad, I hit the wall and swore. I then felt so ashamed that I hid in a basement bathroom and considered never coming out.

I shocked myself mostly. I'd forgotten that I could act like that. If crap is in the cup, I guess I should know what's going to come out when the cup gets shaken...

Sigh. So now I'm on my day off eating tomato sandwiches, housebound mostly. Amanda is in the livingroom watching spiderman, and the rest are at camp for the week. Taking the population of this house from fourteen to four makes this place seem incredibly empty and quiet.


Sigh. I feel like doing something just to make myself feel better. Typically that list includes reading, making bread, decorating stuff, doing 'zine layouts... low key things.

I'm going to go finish my tomato sandwich. More later, I hate downer posts.