I went to the dollar store tonight. To get something to test my new off-camera flash cable with.

Number 2 child got to vote for the first time, so I took her along this morning to the “Voting Place” – really?! What ever happened to “Polling Station“? Another case of the English language being simplified and dumbed down for the hard of thinking? Winston Smith would find things easy here…

Anyway, she was fêted as if she were royalty (being a first timer), which helped make a positive impression I’m sure. I guess she looked like a noob. She commented on how laid back things seemed to be, but I pointed out how very meticulous the process actually was (they wouldn’t even begin to look for me in the register until her vote was in the box). I’m glad she actively wanted to take part in the election. It’s an important part of who we are as Canadians (when we’re not being British, or English or Yorkshiremen – well the last one is only me).

We even got stickers as we left announcing “I voted”. No lollipop though. I feel cheated…

This year, there’s no “good” candidates I felt – only an attempt to pick the least bad. The CBC had a natty online questionnaire which asked a few key questions and helped you see which party’s views were most aligned with your own. I gave it a go. Bad idea.

I was 56% aligned with both the Liberals and the NDP (the two leading parties in BC). 54% aligned with the Greens. So – not really a lot of help at all!

I was reminded of a Churchillism:

“Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.” (from a House of Commons speech on Nov. 11, 1947).

Despite that, yes – I did vote. Fingers crossed now. My part in the game is done.

At 8pm, we see who is steering the grand vessel that is BC.

I couldn’t imagine trying to sleep in a room with THOSE shadows!

A Chandelier that Projects Tree Shadows | Colossal.

I blogged about “Birds” last April: She said “Wha’?” | Quieter Elephant.

She’s got a third album out now, and it has some strong feminist messages. She’s also taken over as global ambassador for Because I am a Girl. I think it’s a great use of her celebrity status. She seems to manage to balance being girlie when it suits her and still being taken seriously.

Anyway, I’ve been listening to her new stuff which is definitely darker and a bit retro-post-punk in places, and along with that, her older stuff came up in the shuffle. “Birds” popped up, and reminded me of why I like Nash’s stuff. The lyrics are so observant. Hard to believe that she’s only 25 now, making her about 19 when she broke out with “Foundations“.

I loved the phrase from “Birds” as the new boyfriend attempts to express his feelings:

Right, birds can fly so high
And they can shit on your head
And they can almost fly into your eye
And make you feel so scared.
But when you look at them
And you see that they’re beautiful
That’s how I feel about you

For me it captured how clumsy new lovers are in expressing their thoughts. They stumble to find metaphors and allusions to how they feel, and end up sounding stupid.

This one struck a chord. Women can be really quite prickly and scary when you first encounter them. And yes – you sometimes can feel a bit shat on. When you get behind all that though and get to know them better (if you’re allowed to!) you might get the chance to see their real colours and appreciate the inner beauty. And then you’ll appreciate just being in their space and watching and listening. Every little movement. Every pout. Every small disaster they’ve overcome and want to recount. And you’ll come to appreciate that it was you they chose to share it with.

Anyway, they say if a bird shits on you, it’s good luck. (Not sure about having one fly into your eye though…)

“3am” was the first single from the new album. More failed relationship stuff. It smacks a bit of Billy Bragg/Kirsty MacColl to me. What do you think?

I’ve not heard this song in a while – enjoy it with someone you’d do handstands for.

Chairlift – Bruises (Live ) – YouTube.

A whole page of absurdly impractical yet somehow attractive none-the-less public benches.

So delightfully off-kilter.

Social Benches by Jeppe Hein | 123 Inspiration.

I was totally mortified when he declared that putting it all back together was beyond his abilities. I think it was then that I learnt that my dad was mortal, and not the superhero we’d all like our parents to be. In a similar vein, a colleague many years ago surprised a fellow worker who had just deftly executed a wasp on his keyboard by challenging him to put it back together. To this day I’m not sure whether his religious beliefs had been assaulted or he was being a smart arse engineer.

Fast forward a few decades, and it seems that Todd McLellan does the same thing for a living. Well – for art anyway. Shades of Ursus Wehrli, I thought. What do you think, dear reader?

Things Come Apart, 50 Disassembled Objects in 21,959 Individual Parts by Todd McLellan | Colossal.

It really can’t be good for you, all that sugar and water…

Ridiculous though, isn’t it? I mean, come on… how the heck do you get the fork into the bottle?

Poutine-flavored soda debuts | National News – KCRA Home.

I only hope the many climbers on the Chief’s famous faces were being appropriately careful in their enjoyment, and were well supplied with sun screen and lip balm. The iPod’s ability to dynamically build this image as I wafted it unceremoniously in the air is nothing short of amazing. Kudos Apple (and people who know me will agree that that is not something I lightly offer to The Dark Empire).

Click on the image to see a bigger version. The wiggly road to the left is the Sea to Sky highway, linking Vancouver to the left and Whistler to the right.

View from Stawamus Chief, Squamish, BC

Liquid Sculptures: Powerful Waves Photographed by Pierre Carreau Seem Frozen in Time | Colossal.

I’m just reading a book at the moment from an old work colleague. (Read about it yourself here). One of the things I’ve taken on board is that you can take a negative experience and make it a positive one. I know, I know – a bit obvious, given that I work in marketing. Just look at the way Loblaws  is handling the Bangladesh factory collapse. I’d say a +40% delta in profits is “a disaster well managed”, wouldn’t you?

Anyway – I choose to remain in awe of the skill of M. Carreau, happily accept that I am unlikely to ever match it, but still be inspired to try. Not to replicate his work, but to know it is possible, and therefore that I should never stop trying to attain better than what I can do today.

Talking of doing more of what we’re capable of – I made my first ascent of The Stawamus Chief for the year today. First time up First Peak too. That’s all three peaks now “in the bag”. Lots of firsts. It was a lovely warm day. I think I even caught a bit of sun. Lululemon were doing their usual endless parade, sponsored by the young ladies of Greater Vancouver, and distracting all the old blokes like me who refuse to know better. I am supposed to be doing the Grouse tomorrow too, but it’s forecast to be 30 degrees! That’s 86 degrees Fahrenheit in “old money”. I know a lot of it is in and out of tree shade, but I don’t know… I might need some serious persuasion for that. And not all of it in Lululemon!