Sunday, November 9, 2008

Now Accepting Donations

In British Columbia, and maybe some other provinces of advanced pleasure, Remembrance Day is some sort of day of leisure. When I found out that Tuesday is some twisted holiday I was confused, and then I was elated with potential, and then I was excited, but then I was anxious and I've never really enjoyed anxiety. The idea of being excited for something that's yet to come...I don't know, it's unsettling...like quicksand. Anyways, the big-wigs at the Culinary Institute of Vancouver Island decided that rather than cause the students extra stress by breaking up our work-week right in mid-stream, they'd just give us Monday off too. Does a salmon turn around mid-stream when the current gets too strong? Hell no. Did that make sense? Not in the slightest.

The weekend has been very rejuvenating, very rejuvenating. On Friday, after class, I packed my belongings into my luggage-satchel and headed South to beautiful downtown Victoria to meet my old friend Hasi Eldib. Hasi and I have been friends since grade 6, he is actually one of my first school-friends from Ottawa after moving there from Rockland. Hasi is high on life, he is one of those rare folks who just dig it. He's not in it for anything, he's just living it. I don't think he's trying to prove anything, he just wants to do his thing. He used to be a jerk, he's almost killed/paralyzed most of his oldest friends in wrestling stunts gone awry. Somewhere on the road he turned that homicidal energy into pure love extract. I think he just loves life. I met Hasi at the hotel he was staying at, we talked for awhile then went to the Swans Hotel for a pretty nice pub-style meal. The menu wasn't the best but it was well-prepared and piping-hot and to me that's more important than the ingredients used. We had some beer and talked a lot then went back to the hotel. Hasi left early, 4:30am, to catch a flight. I got up at 5am probably out of habit. I took this photo and then headed out and wandered the streets. Waking up before dawn has it's benefits my friends, try it some time.



I ended up buying some shoes. I'm totally broke but dammit, what skater can resist $50 shoes? That's a third of what I would have payed in Ottawa 5 years ago.

I took the Greyhound home around 'noon. I ate a bag of wine gums and chased them with a bag of M&M peanuts. When I got home I had the worst stomach-ache I've ever had in my entire life. I thought something had ruptured, no joke. Maybe the 5Alive reacted with the peanuts creating a strange-brew in my strange-belly.

Today I got groceries, Sunday buses here are pathetic. I walked home carrying close to my body-weight in cans of beans and various 4lb. squashes and tubers. I have a bad history cooking potatoes so I'm gonna get some practice in. I also made the dough for this wild rye-bread. It's got a ton of molasses in it, the kitchen smells like melted leather. It's got all kinds of seeds in it, fennel and anise and a few more. Letting it proof right now, can't wait to get that beauty baked off. I'm so stoked I might go preheat the oven right now! Sometimes I think my life is akin to a rollercoaster ride.



Mag might be coming here early, if she does the countdown is 24ish days. Wow, what a strange 3 months. Never thought I'd do something like that in my life.

Forecast for tomorrow is 100degrees of shredding the shred-stick. Gotta love not having winter and skateboarding in November.

Listen to Steve Miller...now!

4 comments:

Lauren said...

ok, i've heard this term alot lately, and its probably a dumb question. but what exactly is a tuber?

Captain Ahab said...

It's pretty much a potato.

Magida El-Kassis said...

it's been longer then 3 months... i know it. And damn right you did it, I probably would have gotten my people after you or something if you broke up with me.

Ps. your entire blog post you sound like you're cracked out on something.

<3 you sproule.

Captain Ahab said...

Man, first you won't let me drink or get stoned, now I can't smoke crack?! Friggin' ball and chain.