Busy things have been happening!

There's something about the band Bright Eyes that always sets me a flutter. It's because everything that the writing talks about is absolutely something I can relate to. At the moment, their new album, The People's Key, is directly in tune with my life. Technically, it's about how technology is taking over. To me, its coming of age. Figuring out what one wants in life and going to do it, no matter if it's "difficult" or "time-consuming" or, best of all, "not acceptable."

So of course, when I saw they were coming to Vancouver, I had to buy tickets.

The trip was fantastic, the show made you feel like you could do anything, and the company I had was wonderful. We stayed in a silly little hostel that was painted the same colour as the break room at work, and the sink was in the sleeping area, not in the bathroom where we expected to find it. Strange that.

From there, it was back to work for two weeks, and then off to One Hundred Mile House, a ridiculously named town that currently has the pleasure of being home to my wonderful boy.

It's strange how much of a difference going halfway into the province can make. There's a point where the mossy rainforest stops and things become a giant desert with random, waveless lakes. However, the hiking is incredible.

Mahood Falls

 Mahood Lake, Mahood Falls, and Deception Falls lay along what's called the "interior wet belt." Though it's at a higher elevation, so the air is thinner and lacks that get-moisture-into-your-lungs business, it sure does look like home. As you drive to the entry point, it's pine and spruce with tiny trunks and motion-free lakes, but as soon as you get onto the trail, things suddenly look like a rainforest.

At the time we went, Mahood falls had dried to barely a trickle (yes, that's barely a trickle in Mahood land). When the snow melts, there are two main falls, and a small burgeoning one off to the side (you can even see it a tiny bit in this picture). Since it was as it was, we were able to crawl to where the secondary falls usually are, and sit amongst the pock-marked stones next to the main falls. We wished we brought a picnic.

Since I missed my greyhound on the way back to Victoria, I was given the privilege of a road trip to Vancouver with Michael! There's a bridge he took me to over the Fraser River that used to be the highway.

The thing that always amazes me about the Fraser River is the way it looks so calm, but you know there's a million things happening in the water. Because of all the sediment that was kicked up from the rushing waters, we weren't able to tell how deep it was. When you looked down through the bridge, all you could see was swirling green and brown water. You think "that doesn't look so bad" but in your heart you know it could sweep you away in seconds.

One Hundred Mile House also has an incredible wool shop with a really sweet lady. In twenty minutes I managed to get enough stuff to create four scarves and add a significant amount to my credit card bill. I am currently knitting for the first time with tulle! To me, it looks like fishing net, but it's a soft white with a glittering silver string through it. I think I could very easily get addicted to this.

Yes, I do believe some very interesting things will be happening over the next few months. If you promise to stay tuned, I promise to keep you updated.

The Vegan Lament -or- Something To Get Off My Chest

Alright. I need to clear the air here. This summer, I will be coming up on my eighth year of being lacto-ovo vegetarian. For the past two weeks or so, I have been studying up on veganism and the benefits/detriments of having such a diet/making such a choice.

Now, being a talker-out-loud-and-then-much-louder-of-everything-I'm-thinking, I have been sharing this information I've been reading with many people, mostly, anybody who will listen.

I have been abandoned by pretty much everyone. There is absolutely no support for a vegan diet in my life, outside of my best friend, and my boyfriend. (Two people-the only two people I know evidently-who have considered this diet themselves) Even the many vegetarians I know took the stance of "now that's fraking crazy. I could never give up eggs." Which is strange, because I'm sure the anti-flesh-eaters out there get sick of the "But....don't you miss bacon?" argument.

So let's get this straight. My reasons for becoming vegetarian are as follows. (And this is not something I usually talk about) I believe everything has a soul. I cannot differentiate between a human, cat, or dog, and a fish, chicken, pig, or cow. Most people can. They see certain beings as "food" and certain beings as "pets" and "friends." I really can't. I also can't have a wonderful day, see a sunset, or go swimming at a beach and think that the warm fuzzy feeling I get from that was something I knowingly took away from another living creature. Even if it wasn't with my own hands, I feel as if I caused it.

The investigating I've been doing has me considering veganism because it's become really apparent to me that being vegetarian is only the beginning. Yes, maybe the dairy cows and egg laying hens are allowed to live but it's not a good life. I've read about chickens getting their beaks burned off without anaesthesia (imagine your lips being cauterized) and a very disturbing quote about the connection to veal that the dairy industry has: "In every glass of milk, there's a pound of veal." Meaning, cows are impregnated to keep them lactating, and what the hell else are you going to do with all those calves?

Enough shock tactics! There's also been the environmental bippity-bop: it takes seven pounds of grain to produce just one pound of meat (yes, any meat, even bacon) and the water saved by being vegan for just one day could sustain another human life for eight whole days.

So. What am I trying to say here? What exactly does this blog post mean?

I just wanted to explain myself. Lots of people don't care, or don't want to hear it, or have made some pretty ignorant/offensive comments at me since I've started talking about this. You don't have to agree with me, and I swear I won't try and convert you (unless you want recipes and website links and junk) I just would like people to hear me out. I'm not doing this to be "trendy" and I don't claim to be better/healthier/more ethical then any of you. All inconsiderate comments (in life and on the webbernets) will be responded with "did you read my blog post?" and/or a sarcastic witty comeback, as is my style.

Oh, and please, for the love of god. Stop asking me if I miss bacon.

Knitting, List Crossing, Crabs and Popcorn Tea

It's been a crazy couple of months! Remember what I said last post about going out and actually doing things? I've been doing it.

I started Man Hat. Although it ended up being too small, so now it's Elyse Hat, and I'm going to make Michael a bigger one.

Productive!

I've also 20. Get ravelry up to date. But that is so far that's the only other list progress. I have so many plans though! I've added 27. Learn how to rock climb. And 26. Do the west coast trail. Two things that go hand in hand. Going to be an amazing experience, one that I'm totally capable of once I educate myself more.

I'm planning on replacing some of my, ahem, bad habits with new healthy habits! I'm on a crazy health kick right now, as I've been biking and eating right. I plan on going to hot yoga again, but it takes DAYS for me to prepare and not be sick or horribly tired right afterwards. I mean, it makes me feel great, but since I haven't done it for so long, it's such a system shock. I really encourage people to try it! Green tea (popcorn tea in particular, thanks to an amazing find in chinatown) has become a staple in my diet.

Maybe it will make me live to be a hundred! I'm going to keep drinking it just in case.

I'm determined to discover this city. I remember going on field trips as a child and being completely mesmerized by all the incredible things Victoria has to offer. I've been going to beaches and taking new routes home, going places I've never been before and buying coupon books. I downloaded an app for my phone that uses GPS to find neat things around you, so all you need to do is stand in some random spot and wait for it to tell you what to spend your day doing. I've found some awesome restaurants with it already.

It's nice to be with an adventurer! Michael is making me stick to my goals. He's even a better scout then I am in my own city. We found a secret beach.

With crabs!

Yes, yes. I am even more optimistic about life in general then I was last post. I am however, bad at making time for blog friendship. More posts will come! More posts then average even! Stay tuned.

Hour #145

Birthdays have always been a little strange to me. I mean, the whole holiday thing in general, really. It seems so odd to have a build up to a day which, in reality, is just like any other day, just that something happened at that same time, sometime ago. Maybe this is a result of being a New Year Baby. Everything comes all at once and then is gone for 11 months.

New Year's and Birthdays were ones I really didn't particularly get. A specific day to look back on the whole last year, what you have done and haven't done in the past 8760 hours (I know you're using your iPhone to calculate that now). The theory is that you will evaluate your time spent, decide what you did well and what you failed at, and make amends, and move on. Except for most people make silly or unrealistic goals, which just end up turning into "It's not going to be like last year, this time..." statements.

Well, this year, for me, things really have changed. 21 was a crazy age. At this time last year, I was just starting and settling into a new job (which I would leave less then 5 months later), in a great relationship with a great guy, and pretty much happy with where I was.

It was the summertime before I started to get restless. Working full time will do that to a person. Days all start to blend together and all of a sudden it's the weekend and you don't know what happened, but you probably can't remember anything but the bullet points. I started taking hour long bike rides home from work. Reflecting time. I liked to go past the shipyards, even though I was probably breathing in some horrible stuff, and negating whatever health benefit the cycling had given to me. But man, did it help me appreciate what I had. I feel lucky to live where I live, and to do what I do, and not have to answer to anyone but myself.

That's what this year is going to be for me. This isn't a resolution, it's a decision. I'm going to stop being and start doing.

And this time, I mean it.

We've come a long way since livejournal....

Hello world of blogging! I am going to give you a shot, once again.


This year I am starting the day zero project for the first time in my life. Here I will post my progress, as well as the other seemingly mundane things that happen in my day to day life. You will see knitting and jewellery projects, things I have started, finished, or given up on.

I promise not to focus on things that aren't important. This is not a 15 year old's diary.

So here goes...

8. Start a blog. And use it. Goal: at least 10 entries in 3 months.