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Thrifting, Glitch in the Matrix
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- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Miscellany
- Hits: 857
Out on the corner having a smoke. Kootenay Landlords. I'd promised not to smoke in the flat, on the property, but the landlady had called from the Sunshine Coast to tell me that - even as I was enjoying my cigarettes across the street - the smoke was getting caught up in the gravel pad in front of the house.
So I've taken my filthy habits to the corner.
While there I watch the neighbor. The lady on the corner is walking about with 2 wireframe record stands, a TV dinner table. Taking them inside her corner house. Probably a find from a Nelson Free Pile.
Think nothing of it. An hour later, out again for a cigarette - who should I see but the lady in the corner house - bringing in 2 wireframe record stands and a TV dinner table.
Curious. "A Glitch in the Matrix" I'm thinking to myself.
This morning, out for a cigarette, on the corner. And who should appear, dragging 2 wireframe record stands and a TV dinner into her house.
Here's a mystery.
Days off, thrifting - some finds. I make a list of what I'm looking for, a Dremel, Patio Table, Desk, various odds and sods. And - for a laugh, I top it with "Watch". It's a laugh because always I am looking for watches, I hardly need to make a note to myself, but, for a laugh.
And, what should I find? A 1957 Gruen Precision, Mint condition, beveled crystal, $20.00.
I'm laughing.
The other finds, a heavy old antique mirror, perfect for above the fireplace, an old cupboard door with leaded glass insert, broken, but I rather like the twin hearts motif.
And presents for Ken. The two signed "Star Trek" celebrity photos, a Chef's shirt, XXXXL - so it should fit, and a book from a free pile on "Boundaries" because -- well, it's always fun to accuse others of what one is most guilty of.
Ken, he likes the photos - he tells me "I've met them both" and I don't have the heart to ask why - or how. I tell Chris - "Ken speaks Klingon...", and he readily obliges by - saying something in Klingon.
I hate that he confirms my every prejudice so good-naturedly.
Bookstore and Music
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- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Books
- Hits: 480
Pop into the used bookstore to enquire about a couple of older editions they had in the window - Sir Richard Burton on the Discovery of the Source of the Nile - (not exact title) - which interested me as I'd read Speke's version of events and enjoyed it immensely, and Stanley's "In Darkest Africa" - also of great appeal. Both, sadly, not priced to my budget at this time. Take the opportunity to browse for other books.
In the background they have some classical piano concertos playing, which slightly stimulate my brain and get me to thinking...
When was the last time I had music? A long time. I mean a very long time. Years. I get by with the radio in the Jeep, other peoples tastes, maybe via the computer - but the quality, it shows, poor speakers, ads, pop-songs, none of the old-timey cerebral just listen to classical music...
The speakers here are great. I at first thought there was a pianist in the hall- but no.
I miss this. And so I'm slow in my browsing, the store is largely empty, the predictable side effect of an unpredictable schedule of hours decided by the proprietor on the morning of...
So, browse for books, a fine selection, better than Calgary - by far, I've noticed this before. Books on shelves, in boxes, organized every which way and not at all, the proprietor, he sits in the front window, mask on, engrossed in reading Marquez's "100 Years of Solitude" or some such, a little end table beside his chair piled to overflowing with books he has planned to read next, or has already finished, he's an endorsement of how I'd love to spend my working retirement, it's a shame to tip his chair when finally I've found my pick - "Hamlet Letters" by Henry Miller, this bookstore, it's great, never what you were looking for but always something just as good.
Gentlemen Broncos
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- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Film
- Hits: 480
Chris's recommendation, clever little gem of a film by the writer/director(s)? of "Napoleon Dynamite", amusing, a bit too over-the-top, but therein is it's charm. A long way from perfect, but better than the reviews at Rotten Tomatoes.com.
The Tyranny of Work
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- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Miscellany
- Hits: 820
The restaurant, largely dead, the weather conspires against us daily.
Not just the weather, of course, lockdowns, restrictions, pandemic, construction on the Ferry landing, there's a myriad of reasons we're not hitting our targets, and frankly, I don't care. I'm largely exhausted, 10 hour days on my feet, doing little to nothing, polishing glasses, tables, floors, meaningless work so to ever-so-slightly mitigate the pain of my salary. The slowest it's been by far, and I'm enjoying "The break".
Days off, finally catch up with Stormy. He's not doing well, cognitive decline, you can tell - well, see it in him that there's not so long left. Compared to others his age he's slowly checking out. Forgetting things, tired, this scooter, prescribed by his doctor to alleviate the pain of walking on a broken hip, it'll be both his life and death, his lack of activity is catching up to him. It's the balance of age, at what point does the pain of existence justify it's continuance? But comfort is death.
I've a few hundred scrolls to unpack, but these long days at the restaurant don't leave me the energy to view them.
Deal with bureaucracy, pay bills, vaccines, days off are consumed with trifles. Prospecting - next days off, I've art projects to plan, writing I should be doing, supplies to be buying, shopping, groceries, and, god-damnit! Vodka to be drunk! But to fit all these things into a day demands better time management skills than I have.
Thrifting, today, a few treasures left unpurchased, a few treasures found. 2 Signed fan-photos of Councilor Deana Troy (??), the "Empath" from "Star Trek - The Next Generation", (her holding the hand of a little Klingon Child), and another fan photo of some pretty alien with head-bumps, both signed in glittery gold markers, perfect gifts for Ken.
Ken likes girls and while he's never told me I'm pretty sure he knows these two. We were talking about movies at work and somehow or another the conversation worked it's way into sci-fi - (Chris recommended I watch "Gentlemen Bronco's) - and from there it worked it's way to "DUNE" and here Ken began regaling us with quotes, non-stop, "DUNE" is apparently his Shakespeare...
So I can both give them to him and do a good turn and then take the piss out of him incessantly afterwards. Clearly this is what they call a "Win-Win".
I need a glittery gold marker of my own to sign things with. And an abundance of cheesy photos of myself.
Otherwise, lovely days and evenings in Nelson, although my time here is too scant to appreciate it - living in Nelson, ideal, working in Balfour, not so much. The irony of paying rent for a beautiful space that I am too seldom here to enjoy is not lost upon me, the summers - too busy to find time to be creative, and time spent creative is time away from prospecting. The balance here is not of days or weeks but of years, summers - prospect, make notes, work work work. Winters, - well, they should be the time of creation but the remoteness of Ainsworth, the poverty-budget of EI and CERB, they suck the creativity out of you.
So it goes.
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