homecomings

So i just got back from a weekend away to the ol' Alberta. Yep, back to the home country for May Long. (Or, as some of the boys used to call it May 2-4 -- not because it usually (always?) falls on the 24th, but because it isn't uncommon to drink at least a 2-4 (24 pack of beer) over the course of the weekend.)

Having grown up there, heading to Alberta was, of course, a homecoming. And this was true even though my destination was Edmonton -- a city i have spent a sum total of less than 10 days in. I was there visiting a couple of very good friends from waaaaay back (i.e. high school) Taylor (aka Jen Taylor) and Lisa. It was a great low-key Albertan long weekend: sleeping in, staying up late (yes, with a little bit of booze), watching hockey, going to shows, going to the art gallery, hitting the lake, shopping in funky downtown shops, eating, eating out, eating out some more, enjoying that Albertan sun. Yeah, it was good. And especially good to hang out with the girls and just be together.

When there I had a few thoughts about this "home" country of cattle and oil and privatized health care, and how it is so different from this new home - Vancouver. So I'll share a couple. One I realized in the airport in talking with another Edmontonion-come-Vancouverite. And that is that virtually EVERYONE is white. Ok, so it wasn't totally true. I was actually impressed by the ethnic diversity I saw there, but there were a lot more white people than here in Vancouver.

Another thing that really struck me was how much more relaxed the Albertan city was about their dress. No one seemed overly made up, or even aware of what other people thought of their ensemble. Personally, I really appreciate this. For one, I like to be able to walk down the street and not feel like I am in the midst of a fashion show. And it makes people SO much more approachable. Doesn't it? I do like dressing up myself, but don't like feeling as if I have to. As if I won't fit in unless I do. As if I have to take a shower and put on something nice before I leave the house, even to go to the grocery store.

But though there are parts of Vancouver that frustrate me, I have to say that there were actually a couple of times during my trip that I caught myself thinking of my apartment here in Vancouver and missing it. And (this actually quite impressive given how I have felt about Vancouver in the past months), I didn't have a single sinking feeling in my stomach in the airport on my way back here. When I arrived, a cool 14 degree rain welcomed me, and I actually appreciated it; like heading back AB for the weekend, coming off the plane into Vancouver almost felt like a real homecoming too.

Am I allowed to have more than one city as home? More than one province even? (And if I wasn't, who would have made the rule to disallow, and do they enforce it?) Share your thoughts.

A brief 'whats up'

This should pretty much become the Zoe blog. I'm going to blame or credit that to her job. She is constantly on a computer. I would write more but the truth of the matter is I'm so confused about my life that I don't know where to begin. And my life is so different and busy I just don't look at everything from the satire perspective that I use to. So, I can't write the funny things I use to. I feel like I work so much and nothing much ever gets accomplished and I'm beginning to go through life like a zombie. But, I'm not bitter yet. Once I get bitter, I know I have a major problem. The good news is I have to go to a wedding in June in Manitoba so I will be able to remove myself from this world for a while.
Alright, that is super depressing. Don't worry, just getting it out of my system. I should probably start a diary. That might help me organize my thoughts.

mmmmm squid

so this is a super-short post in which i will tag (is that correct blogcabulary?) melanie's blog in which she posted (with awesome pictures!) about our trip to Shabusen. This place is a fantastic all-you-can-eat sushi & korean barbeque place where we went for her soon-to-be birthday. It was *really* great food, and a super-cool experience because we ordered lots of funky-interesting food and got to use an open grill in the center of the table to cook it ourselves!

Platinum Blonde: look for today's (Friday May 19th) post.

it was lots of fun, and definitely well worth checking out.

z.

p.s. I'm getting a digitial camera!! M. got a new one from Nathan (hubby) for her birthday, so she is donating her old one to me! Yay for posting pictures on the blog!! Thanks Melanie!

i love summer

I was going to write a short post entitled "going to bed early" which was simply going to state that instead of blogging I was going to choose to go to bed early. (This was going to be a *good* decision.) But I thought that would probably be entirely un-interesting.

So instead I'll talk about the AMAZINGLY GORGEOUS day we had today in Vancouver. Oh my goodness. I don't care what day is the official first day of summer, today was *DEFINITELY* it in my mind. Today was the kind of day that as soon as the breath of outside air hits your face you know by the perfect temperature, and by the distinct smell of grass mixed with several indistinguishable sweet smells hitting your nose-buds (are there such things??), that summer has most definitely arrived.

Standing at the bus stop instead of wanting to stand in the sun to soak up all the rays I could, I wanted to stand in the shade to keep cool. When I got home and hopped into the shower my arms told me that summer was here too -- as the water hit them they felt a little tight. And when I looked at them they were definitely more red below where my t-shirt sleeve hung. I can tell that summer has arrived too because my eyes have that slightly streched feeling that they get when they have seen much of the sun.

I love these new-old feelings. They remind me of hot days and cold drinks, of camping and summer holidays and swimming at the beach. I can't wait.

hard to concentrate

I'm finding it a little hard to concentrate today. So, as it was pointed out to me earlier in the day that it has been 2 weeks since I last posted, I thought that since I'm not getting any work done, I may as well do something about it.

I wasn't sure what I wanted to write about so I surfed some of my fave blogs for some inspiration. I found myself at the Abarbablog. Their blog is great, and if you haven't ever been, it's well worth the visit (I am sure that I have recommended it before). Anyways, I must admit that it has been a while since I've been there (sorry Katelyn) but one post that caught my eye -- mainly because of it's title -- was this one. God. It was written by Ron, who in many ways I look to as a kind of spiritual father-figure. And with this post I remembered why I look up to him so much. One thing that I admire about Ron is that he practices honesty towards God: frustration, anger, whatever. (Ok, so he wasn't being particularly pissy with God in this post at all, but he was honest.)

He wrote about waiting on God, and his words (and the words of the Big Book that he quoted) pierced me as nothing but clean, honest truth can do.

Hearing people's honesty with God and with themselves always makes me inspired to do the same. I guess you could say that I am frustrated with God right now. Why? Well partly because I am finding it so hard to concentrate today. Partly because I am frustrated with the father he's given me. And partly because I don't feel like he has been a particularly present father to me himself lately. (Whatever happened to omnipresent?) I feel a bit bad about complaining, but then I remember what my old officemate said to me once that complaining (i think he used another word that started with a 'b') helps you to articulate what you are feeling. So, sorry, but I gotta vent.

Really though, where IS God when he's not present. WHY does he have to be so distant?? Sigh. I think that if I were really honest, I would probably end up in a heap of frustrated tears on the floor. Thank goodness for social norms and office etiquette, for your sake I'm staying right here in my chair.

But I know I can't stay in this place of complaining. It's good to be honest about one's feelings, but you've also got other things to do. For example, as Isaiah pointed out "There is a lot of celebrating that can happen in the waiting." So this is my new task for the day (work apparently is being put on hold for a bit): Find a bunch of good things about my day and celebrate them.

Here's a short list to start:
1) It's Friday(!) and the weekend is coming sooooo soon. (Like 10 minutes soon!)
2) I'm going to a tai chi class tonight after work with my friend Luc, and I can tell already that I am going to love it
3) I've got some GREAT friends here in Vancouver, and I'm excited about hanging out with some of them this weekend
4) My new apartment is SOOO good. (Hopefully pictures will come soon.)

That was fantastically easy and satisfying. I'd recommend it to anyone.
Well, now I've got to get back to work for a few minutes before heading to a little post-work Tai Chi.

A Dios.