As of late I've been binge listening to Werner Herzog on YouTube, the interviews, the stories, they get a bit repetitive. He's an accessible genius, I've seen a few of his films, but he has a lot - the first 3 - Signs of Life, Even Dwarfs Started Small, and Dieter needs to Fly - good, in moments (especially Dwarfs Started Small) - brilliant - he is already in his 20's a master of his craft, and I have to admire how relatable he is - I don't consider him as profound as Kieslowski, or as intellectual as Kubrick, but he's excellent at being him, and it is in a way like comparing Picasso and Van Gogh, you can like both. What is remarkable is his tenacity of will - that he gets things done - whatever the obstacles - and his sense of purpose. His body of work - formidable, and I'll have to take a break shortly - he's easy to watch, but there are a lot of other great films out there too. 

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Category: Film

It took me a long time to finish this - Cervantes, classic, the prose, people, events, he was his own Renaissance man for sure, with an unbridled interest in and understanding of all things. I'm not in a position to rate this...

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Category: Books

Can't seem to get a job, can't seem to quit one...

A tentative date to restart, long commute but worth it, it's a happier place by far in the Summer, I've a month to get things under control, to make a few prospecting trips and hope that alternatives present themselves, then back to life on the logging cuts and campground showers, they've promised a better schedule so I can commute back to Calgary on days off, we'll see, I'm still hoping to turn up treasure - as good as it is, there's room for improvement.

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Category: Miscellany

An old customer of the Italian Restaurant, used to run a newspaper in Calgary, made a fortune, never read a book in his life. When he sold the paper started a charity to promote literacy.

That's Calgary.

He had his own private room, was gracious in that way that people who get everything for free are gracious, he'd tell you that his business, he bought it, was lucky, the right combination of circumstance, then in the same breath would tell you how smart he was, how, because he had money, he was better than you, his opinions, they were worth more.

At the end, when the restaurant was closing, he didn't get the private room. He didn't tip. He was angry, I understood, his family, son, daughter, after he stormed out they apologized, didn't think to make up the tip. And the last few days he'd call in 5 minutes after his reservation and cancel it. It didn't matter, we had no end to the assholes filling the place up, he was just another one. It's easy to be gracious when your getting your way, when you don't - well, that's the test. And we all kind of liked him, and it was sad to see him go on that note - another entitled asshole, but - well, wasn't my call, and his flag went up.

Anyways, he lives not far from me now, older, in his 80's, and I see him in my rounds. At Beano, on the street. He doesn't see me, I'm careful to stay out of his direct line of sight, don't want to be lured into awkward pleasantries. But he knows. In the cafe, he doesn't see me, doesn't look at me, but you can tell by the way that he moves, looks - sniffs around - there's something - someone - he just can't put his finger on it...

I'm even more invisible in my street clothes than I was in my waiters uniform, it's fun to watch him, subconsciously I've registered, only he can't place me - doesn't even know it's me, just knows something's off, a memory that stings him ...

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Category: People
  1. Calgary Cops
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